On the recordDecember 2, 2021
Mr. President, I did not make any personal insult. I simply observed that, for 4 years under the Trump administration, we repeatedly took action on a bipartisan basis to try to stop Nord Stream 2. One of the reasons we didn't have a vote on amendments last week on the Defense bill is because the Democrats were carrying water for the Biden administration, refusing to have a vote on Nord Stream 2. And that is consistent with the Biden administration's record on Russia, which can get all chesty in its rhetoric but always appeases Vladimir Putin. One of the first actions he took was to give a no-strings-attached extension to the New START Treaty, something that Donald Trump never did--the very first priority of Vladimir Putin. The second priority was Nord Stream 2. We have been trying to have votes in this Senate all year long, and we haven't had them because the Democrats won't insist on a vote because Joe Biden doesn't want it. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kaine). The Senator from Oklahoma. Unanimous Consent Request--S. 3299
