August 6, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 140 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 494; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 140
(Senate - August 06, 2020)
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[Pages S5241-S5242] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 494 Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I wanted to come down and speak today about a very important sector of the economy for Alaska and for America--that is, our fishermen--and some important, very bipartisan legislation that I am trying to move right now that I am hopeful everybody can agree to. The Senate has agreed to it previously, and I am really hopeful that we can do it again right now. I talk about the great State of Alaska being the superpower of seafood. Over 60 percent of all seafood--commercial, recreational-- harvested in America comes from my great State. Sixty percent. So this is a vital industry in my State but also a vital industry in the country. As my colleagues know, our fishermen are some of the hardest working Americans. They are also some of the Americans who have been hit the hardest by this pandemic. The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act helps these hard- working men and women across the country by providing consistent funding for fisheries research and development and related programs, grant programs--very popular. Decades ago, Congress authorized a group of experts from all around the country--Alaska, the east coast--and vessel owners, fishermen, and distributors to advise the Secretary of Commerce on how to distribute these funds. It makes sense. They are the closest to the action. Over time, unfortunately, this group was disbanded. Nobody thought that was a good idea--abolishing this advisory committee. Then you had the National Marine Fisheries essentially determine how all of these Saltonstall-Kennedy funds would be distributed to fishermen. So, with all due respect to the DC bureaucrats, they are the ones making the decisions. So we have a bill--my bill--which, by the way, passed the Senate previously, unanimously, that members in the fishing community from all over the country be chosen to determine how to get these funds out to our fishermen, whether in New York or North Carolina or Alaska, and everybody thinks that makes sense. Our fishermen need support right now; there is no doubt. They are being hammered by this pandemic. So the legislation that I am hopefully going to be able to pass in the Senate here in a couple of minutes has cosponsors across a broad political spectrum in the Senate: Senators Cantwell, Markey, Warren, Murkowski, and myself. I am aware of no policy objections to this important piece of legislation. To the contrary, it has already passed the Senate unanimously. I am, however, aware of an unrelated dispute between the Democratic leader and some of my Senate colleagues from the east coast regarding an entirely different bill. I respect disagreements over regional issues, and I certainly hope my colleagues can work them out, but this issue is thousands of miles away from Alaska and my constituents, the people I represent, who are hurting. Moreover, the bill I am getting ready to introduce, S. 494, helps all fishermen nationwide--New York, North Carolina, Alaska. The American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, S. 494, should not be collateral damage or hostage taken in an unrelated fight. If my colleagues want to try and work together, I will certainly help them work out their differences, but I don't think it is constructive to hold hostage this important legislation for a fight that is thousands of miles away from Alaska. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 179, S. 494; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Objection. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Senator from New York. Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I ask unanimous consent that the request be modified so that in addition to the request of the Senator from Alaska, the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 317, S. 908, the Fluke Fairness Act. I request that the bill be read a third time and passed and that motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the modification? Mr. TILLIS. Reserving the right to object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina. Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I have been in the Senate now for 5\1/2\ years, and I don't consider somebody a better friend, an advocate for his State than Senator Sullivan. I have actually spent a lot of time-- even though Senator Gillibrand and I have differences in certain situations, we find ways to work together. What I have before me, though, is something that is very important for people to understand. I agree with everything Senator Sullivan said. His measure, I suspect, has broad support, probably support on its own. But what we have here is the addition by the motion of Senator Gillibrand that affects my State, North Carolina. It has to do with reallocation of quotas. It would particularly affect the flounder industry in North Carolina. I hope that we are able to work out our differences. I hope that we can get Senator Sullivan's bill passed. But because it has been amended to include something that hurts my fisheries in North Carolina and my commercial fishermen at the worst possible time, when they are suffering like everybody else from the COVID-19 crisis and all the challenges that that produces, I do object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. Is there objection to the original request? Mrs. GILLIBRAND. I object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Senator from Alaska. Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, while I am disappointed, these are two good friends of mine on the Senate floor right now, whom I have worked with on numerous pieces of legislation. They both represent their States very well, but this is a missed opportunity for the fishermen of America--America, not [[Page S5242]] just Alaska but for the whole country, New York, North Carolina. And I am certainly hopeful that my good friend from New York and North Carolina can work this out. I will certainly lend my efforts, my staff's efforts, because we shouldn't have a regional fight blocking what will benefit everybody, particularly when fishermen right now are really hurting. They are one of the sectors of the U.S. economy that have been hammered by this pandemic. This kind of legislation, although it is not going to solve all their problems, shows that we are working for them. We will live to fight another day here soon. I hope that we are able to pass my legislation, commonsense legislation--the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act--which will help every fisherman in America. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii ____________________
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