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Message From: Sent: To: Subject: Lyons, Troy [/0=EXCHANGELABS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=15E4881C95044AB49C6C35A0F5EEF67E-LYONS, TROY] 3/23/2018 11:43:59 PM Andrew R. Wheeler [andrew.wheeler@FaegreBD.com]; Jackson, Ryan [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=38bc8el8791a47d88a279db2fec8bd60-Jackson, Ry]; Palich, Christian [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=330ad62el58d43af93fcbbece930d21a-Palich, Chr] Fwd: Senate update #4 Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: "Suares, Erica (McConnell)" <Erica Suares@mcconneli.senate.gov> Date: March 23, 2018 at 6:56:24 PM EDT To: "Suares, Erica (McConnell)" <En'ea Suares@mcconneiLsenafe.gov> Subject: Senate update Hi everyone, The Senate will convene at 3:00 pm on April 9, 2018 (following a two-week recess). The Senate will proceed to Executive Session to resume consideration of Executive Calendar #539, Claria Horn Boom, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. At 5:30 pm, April 9, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Boom nomination. ICYMI: late last night Leader McConnell filed cloture on the following nominations in the following order (this is the order we will process the nominations): 1. C al. #763 - Robert K. Hur, of Maryland, to be United States Attorney for the District of Maryland for the term of four years. 3. Cal. #756 - Judy Lynn Shelton, of Virginia, to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 16. SEN. McCONNELL (R-KY): " ...building on the funding agreement passed in February, the measure will deliver the resources and certainty that America's military deserves. To be specific, this legislation will provide the largest year-on-year increase in defense funding in fifteen years. After years of disproportionate cuts to our armed services, Congress has begun to provide adequate resources - to put an end to the harmful decline in combat readiness. To fulfill our commitments to American families who sacrifice through service many of them in my home state of Kentucky. For our men and women in uniform, this means a welldeserved pay raise. ...O u r warriors on the front line deserve to be trained to the highest standards, as do the units that replace them. Now our commanders can work to restore combat readiness. And not a moment too soon. Threats around the world are only growing in number and intensity. By strengthening our investment in missile defense; by funding new weapons systems; by scaling up shipbuilding and Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00005 aircraft procurement; and by investing in our all-volunteer servicemembers; we will send a strong message to our allies and our foes alike that America's military is regaining dominance." (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 3/21/2016) SPEAKER PAUL RYAN (R-WI): " We made a promise to the country that we would rebuild our military. Aging equipment, personnel shortages, training lapses, maintenance lapses -- all of this has cost us.... With this week's critical funding bill we will begin to reverse that damage." ("Spending Talks Nearly Done, S1.3T Bill Soon To Be Unveiled." The Associated Press. 3/21/2016) SEN. ROY BLUNT (R-MO): "...I think in the last few weeks since the CR was passed, we sort of lost sight of what the bill well vote on this week will do for national defense. Underfunding our defense capabilities, underfunding our training dollars, underfunding having equipment in the condition that you and I would want it to be in for the men and women that defend us, has caught up with us in the last couple of years. Way too many people injured, way too many lives lost simply because we haven't treated our defense like we should. This bill's the biggest year over year increase in defense in 15 years. $61 billion funding not only new training dollars, new missile defense, but also a pay increase for men and women in uniform. And that is the single biggest thing we'll be doing in the bill we vote on this week, is trying to restore again the fact that we never want Americans to be in a fair fight, we want them to have every advantage they can possibly have." (Sen. Blunt, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) REP. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): [Wje're going to be voting on a bill to finally start restoring our nation's defense to the levels that it needs to be; to give our men and women in uniform the tools that they need not only to be prepared to defend our country, but to be able to train in a safe environment.... [I]t's an important bill that finally restores the cuts that have been made to our nation's defense, so that we can rebuild and maintain one of our basic constitutional responsibilities, that is to provide for a strong national defense." (Rep. Scalise, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) REP. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS (R-WA): "This week, the House is ... taking the final steps on our promise to rebuild our military, and give our troops a much-needed pay increase. We owe it to our servicemembers to make sure that they have the tools and the resources to safely train, restore readiness and keep all of us safe. And they go about it every day, here and all around the world." (Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) REP. LIZ CHENEY (R-WY): " [F]or far too long, because of the policies of the Obama administration in particular, because of inconsistent funding from Congress, we've been in a situation where our military has been starved.... [Wje're now in a position where that can end. And that's why we must pass this omnibus." (Rep. Cheney, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) <!~[if IsupportListsI-->REP. CHENEY: "[W]e can't continue to ask our men and women in uniform to put their lives on the line, to make the ultimate sacrifice, unfortunately, in some cases, without the very best resources and equipment. Our adversaries' capabilities have been increasing, and our own have been decreasing. Passing this omnibus is the way to begin to change that, and to turn it around." (Rep. Cheney, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) REP. DON BACON (R-NE): "I served nearly 30 years in the Air Force, 16 assignments, retired as a onestar. And I saw the military performance and capabilities decline, particularly over the last five, 10 years, when I served there.... We can give you statistic after statistic. Our military should be second to none. And when you have your four-stars saying that our readiness levels are the worst they've seen on paper since 1977, it demands action." (Rep. Bacon, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) <!-[if IsupportListsI-->REP. BACON: "I believe in peace through strength. I believe in deterrence. And this bill that we're going to hopefully pass, and I think we will, will fix our military." (Rep. Bacon, Press Conference, 3/20/2018) Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00006 IIIIII II It II 333233. SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 202.228.NEWS Senate Republican Communications 2 2 2 2 *MI W S Contact: Antonia Ferrier 202.228.NEWS https://bit.iy/2G6tksM Safety Provisions 'Will Be Effective And Save Lives' Omnibus Legislation 'Delivers For Students And Teachers' By Including Fix NICS And STOP School Violence Act SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): "The [omnibus] legislation also delivers for students and teachers across our nation, who deserve to learn and work without fear of violence. At the insistence of the Speaker and myself, this bill will include two important, bipartisan, commonsense measures to address real issues facing the nation: the Fix NICS bill and the STOP School Violence Act." (Sen. M cConnej[f ReQiarks, 3/22/2018) Parkland Victim Families Letter: "We are the families of the victims killed in the tragedy in Parkland, FL on February 14, 2018. We strongly urge you to support the inclusion of the STOP School Violence Act and the Fix NICS ACT in the upcoming Omnibus spending bill to be debated and ultimately voted on in both chambers." [Letter to .Speaker.Ryan, Rep. Peiosp and Sens.. M cCooilil[.i.Qd SchumerA.3/ 19/ 2018] Fix NICS, 'A Bipartisan Proposal To Boost Compliance With The National Instant Criminal Background Check System' SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): "The calls from the American people to address gun violence in our schools and communities have been deafening, and I'm grateful we'll soon get that chance... Fixing the background check system will help save lives and reduce the likelihood of what occurred in Parkland and Sutherland Springs from happening again." ("After Mass Shootings, Congress Likely To Approve Cornyn's Background Cheek Bill In Budget Deal," The Dallas Morning News, 3/21/2018) The omnibus bill "includes legislation known as the Fix NICS Act that uses a combination of incentives and punishments to prod federal agencies and the military to upload records into the backgroundcheck system for purchasing guns. Republicans insisted on including the bipartisan bill in the ... omnibus appropriations bill ..." {The Atlantic, 3/ 22 /2018) "The 'Fix NICS Act' authored by [Sen. John] Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, and Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, would penalize federal Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00007 agencies that fail to report records and incentivize states to send criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It has more than 75 co-sponsors in the Senate." ("After Mass Shootings, Congress likely To Approve Cornvn's Background Check Bill in Budget Deal/1' The Dallas Morning News, 3/21/2018) Parkland Victim Families Letter: "The Fix NICS Act is desperately needed to improve compliance with firearms purchasing background check systems which are already in place. These are systems that all US citizens rely on to keep firearms away from those that should not be allowed to purchase them." (Letter to .Speaker..Ryan,..Reg. Pejosi;,..and.Serts.JVjcCoo.Qe}| aod.Schumer^ 3/19^2018| Organizations supporting Fix NICS legislation include: Fraternal Order of Police N ational Domestic Violence Hotline American Psychiatric Association American Psychoanalytic Association County Executives of America Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Major County Sheriffs' Association Mental Health America National Association for Children's Behavioral Health National Association of Social Workers Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00008 N ational Association of State Mental Health Program Directors N ational Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health Partner Alliance for Safer Schools School Social WORK Association of America Secure Schools Alliance <!-- [if !supportLists]--x!-[endif]->T he National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health <!-- [if !su p p o rtL ists]-x!-[e n d if]-> T h e National Council for Behavioral Health ### SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 202.228.NEWS Contact: Antonia Fenier 202.228.NEWS http://bit.lv/2G47N9K Omnibus Bill `A Victory For Families Caught In The Grip Of The Opioid Epidemic' `It Is Time To Liberate Our Communities From This Scourge O f Drug Addiction' Omnibus Bill Will Help `Combat This Growing Crisis' PRESIDENT TRUMP: " It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction." (President Trump, "How We Will Win The War On Opioids," 3/1/2018) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): " [The omnibus bill is] a victory for families caught in the grip of the opioid epidemic. This bill scales up research, treatment and prevention funding and provides for grants to first responders. It will confront the scourge of addiction headon and help save lives. For rural communities, like many in my home state of Kentucky, this is a big deal." (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 3/22/2018) SPEAKER PAUL RYAN (R-WI): " The opioid epidemic continues to ravage our communities... By expanding access to treatment and recovery efforts that have proven successful, we can empower individuals to retake control of their lives. And by investing in increased law enforcement efforts, we can empower local communities to address the problem at its root and stop the spread of these deadly drugs. Congress has long prioritized fighting opioid abuse-- -and we will not rest until we see results worthy of those counting on us. Through this week's legislation, well continue to partner with the Trump Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00009 administration to put an end to what very well may be the biggest public health emergency of our lifetime." (Speaker Ryan, Press Release, 3/19/2018) TRUMP ADMINISTRATION STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY: "The Consolidated Appropriations Act provides $4 billion in high priority investments to fund the President's Opioid Initiative and combat this growing crisis. These resources will expand access to prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. It also includes $330 million for Department of Justice grant programs that support drug courts, treatment, and law enforcement and community responses, $130 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response program, and $386 million for opioid-related programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition, the bill prioritizes funding at the Department of Justice for the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Organized Drug Enforcement Task Force for fighting drug addiction and the opioid crisis.... If H.R. 1625 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law." (H.R.1625, Statement Of Administration Policy, 3/22/2018) APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN SEN. THAD COCHRAN (R-MS): " Extensive negotiations and hard work went into producing this legislation, which... directs new funding to some of the most critical challenges facing our nation, including faltering infrastructure and the opioid crisis." (Sen. Cochran. Press Release. 5/21/2016) <!--[if IsupportListsl-- ><!-- [endifl-- >SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: " The measure addresses the national opioid emergency declared by President Trump by allocating more than $4.65 billion throughout the government to work with states and localities to fight the opioid epidemic. The funding, a $3.0 billion increase over FY2017, is directed toward continued opioid prevention, treatment, and law enforcement initiatives." (Senate Appropriations Committee, Press Release, 3/21/2018) SEN. ROY BLUNT (R-MO): " The opioid epidemic is a devastating public health crisis that touches people of every age, from every background, in communities in Missouri and across the nation... The opioid epidemic is claiming 115 lives every day, forcing kids into foster care, straining law enforcement resources, and costing our economy more than $78 billion a year. That's why we've made opioid treatment, prevention, and research a priority in the past two government funding bills, and are continuing that effort with $3.6 billion this year." (Sen, Blunt, Press Release, 3/21/2018) SEN. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-WV): " As a leader on the Appropriations Committee, I am proud that I was able to secure critical funding to support numerous West Virginia priorities-- including efforts to fight the opioid epidemic... Specifically, this legislation provides a historic increase in anti-drug and opioid resources, including much-needed resources for the HIDTA and Drug Free Communities programs.... Not only does this legislation provide significant resources for these priorities, but it also ensures that those resources will be used responsibly and effectively.... That means West Virginia communities hardest-hit by the opioid epidemic will receive a fairer share of funding-- an amount that will total tens Of millions." (Sen. Shellsv Moore Capita Press Release, 3/21/2018) 11 11 11 Tt t Tt T 11I I 11 SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 202.228.NEWS Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00010 X 'iiu tv Ixcpuhlican Communications 2 8 ft Contact: Antonia Ferner 202.228.NEWS http://bit.ly/2HJEBpe enter `Sustain Our Military's Primacy' `Our Backlog O f Deferred Readiness, Procurement, And Modernization Requirements Has Grown In The Last Decade And A Half And Can No Longer Be Ignored. ' SEC. MATTIS: `Congressional Action Will Ensure Our Military Can Defend Our Way Life, Preserve The Promise Of Prosperity, And Pass On The Freedoms You And I Enjoy To The Next Generation' 2018 National Defense Strategy: " To address the scope and pace of our competitors' and adversaries' ambitions and capabilities, we must invest in modernization of key capabilities through sustained, predictable budgets. Our backlog of deferred readiness, procurement, and modernization requirements has grown in the last decade and a half and can no longer be ignored. We will make targeted, disciplined increases in personnel and platforms to meet key capability and capacity needs. The 2018 National Defense Strategy underpins our planned fiscal year 2019-2023 budgets, accelerating our modernization programs and devoting additional resources in a sustained effort to solidify our competitive advantage." (Department oi Defense, Press Release. 2/12/2016) JAMES MATTIS, Secretary of Defense: " I cannot overstate the negative impact to our troops and families' morale from all this budget uncertainty. Today's Congressional action will ensure our military can defend our way life, preserve the promise of prosperity, and pass on the freedoms you and I enjoy to the next generation." (Sec. Mattis, White House Press Briefing, 2/07/2016) <!-- [if !sup p o rtL istsl-x!-[e n d ifl-> SEC. MATTIS: " If we are to sustain our military's primacy, we need budget predictability. ...no strategy can survive without the necessary stable, predictable funding. Failure to modernize our military risks leaving us with a force that could dominate the last w ar but be irrelevant to tom orrow 's security." (U.S. House Of Representatives, Armed Services Committee, Hearing, 2/6/2018) UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE COMPTROLLER DAVID NORQUIST: "We are appreciative of Congress raising the caps and ending the destructive effects of sequestration-level funding." (Department of Defense News Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2019 Defense Budget, 2/12/2016) <!-- [if !sup p o rtL istsl-x!-[e n d ifl-> NORQUIST: " Many of you heard Secretary Mattis' comments about the damaging effect of sequestration.... With the bipartisan budget agreement, that hemorrhaging stops." (Department of Defense News Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2019 Defense Budget, 2/12/2018) Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00011 K63IIY bOOQ lncr63S6S IO DllflOUDOD I n 6 rU flyflIQ W o3W 10 1 / 1 0 061 KGduIGSS 5 Al fAfr SSX X -y, - y -y.5 SjrAf AAM A y A* AAi - y ^5TM y 5TM%a| a a S S 9 TTAl TA, ATfh 5-f- -y. BTM X OTlATi HTtB OrrrAT rAlffl S j S y j . y x BrfATT 5 ^5TM aTi a* fjflf B ^ -y -Aft HTtB OrrrAT .ATT AAT itATTi Up' GEN. JAMES C. McCONVILLE, Vice Chief of Staff United States Army: "... you have a situation where you have ... well-over half the combatant commander's demands for forces come from the Army. So very high demand, and supply that just cannot meet that demand right now.... That's why these - the budgets we're seeing that we should see from the FY '18, FY '19 for Congress are so - are so welcome, because they are really good increases to build upon the funding we saw in '17 to get readiness up In terms of end strength, In terms of training time, in terms of equipment and equipment readiness rates all those things I need to do to build that readiness. Because, as soon as I build it, all these other things are consuming it and eating it back down." ("Discussion with the Secretaries of the U.S. Military Departments/' CSIS, Washington, DC. 3/12/2018} SEC, of the ARMY MARK ESPER: "We're really appreciative of what Congress has done with regard to FY '18 dollars, the increase is spectacular..." ("Discussion with the Secretaries of the U.S. Military Departments/1 CSIS. Washington. PC. 3/12/2018) ADMIRAL WILLIAM F. MORAN. U.S. Navy Vice Chief of Naval Operations: " Budget Control Act (BCA) funding caps over the past five years ... challenged the ability of the Navy to adequately address the full range of needed investments while meeting near-term commitments.... During this time we prioritized funding for deployed naval forces first, and began accumulating risk to our surge forces, training forces, and our shore infrastructure. As a result, too many of our planes weren't ready to fly, too many ships were not training at sea, our ship and aircraft maintenance production was severely delayed, and our shore infrastructure had degraded to unacceptable levels." (U.s. Senate Armed Services committee. Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Hearing. 2/14/2018) <!-- [if !su p p o rtListsl-x!-fend ifl-> ADMIRAL MORAN: " Unpredictable budgets not only hamstring the Navy's ability to prepare and plan, they are a major disincentive to industrial base investments in ship repair and modernization capacity we need to grow readiness. No business organization, public or private, can withstand the fits and starts of our budget environment." (U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Hearing, 2/14/2016) GEN. STEPHEN W. WILSON, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force: " Our military advantages and readiness shrunk due to the longest continuous stretch of combat in our nation's history, coupled with years of inconsistent and insufficient funding. At the same time, our strategic competitors, notably China and Russia, have closed gaps in capability and capacity. The result is an overstretched and under resourced United States A ir Force." (U.s. Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support Hearing. 2/14/2018) <!-- [if !s u p p o rtL is ts l-x !-[e n d ifl-> GEN. WILSON: " Readiness and lethality are derived from stable funding ... We must get back to, and maintain, regular fiscal o rd e r... Prolonged budgetary stability is the most reliable way to ensure yesterday's winning force does not become irrelevant tomorrow. To that end, we are deeply appreciative of recent efforts to begin the return o f fiscal order . . . " (U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Hearing, 2/14/2018) GEN. GLENN WALTERS, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps: "Along with your authorizations as outlined in the 2018 NDAA, we require your support through the required appropriations to adapt your Marine Corps to compete, deter and win against the threats we face together. CRs and the looming threat of sequestration continue to disrupt our planning and directly threaten our readiness. Predictable and sustained budgets remain the essential requirement fo r the Marine Corps to meet OUr Obligation as the Nation's `force in readiness.'" (U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Suppo rt Hearing, 2/14/2018) Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00012 <!-- [if s u p p o rtL istsl-x-[e n d ifl-> GEN. WALTERS: " Your Marine Corps requires continued support from Congress with predictable budgets over a sustained period to fully mitigate the readiness challenges we face. Fiscal instability, resulting from persistent continuing resolutions (CRs) and looming and actual government shutdowns, produce the most significant risk to our readiness." (.S. Senats Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Hearing, 2/14/2016) TiTl l t i i l it l Il II II SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 202.228.NEWS Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 1 ED 002061 00150605-00013