On the recordJuly 6, 2016
I see my colleagues from Kansas and Michigan on the floor, and I know they are here to speak on the GMO issue. I will make a brief statement and cut short what I planned on saying so they can take the floor on this important and pending issue. The Senate Republican leader came to the floor this morning and congratulated the Senate on the fact we passed, on a bipartisan basis, the Puerto Rico legislation necessary to deal with the financial disaster they face. We did that last week, truly in a bipartisan way. The Republican leader said this morning we need to keep our focus on serious issues, but then he comes to us with four bills that he requests we take up during the abbreviated session we have this week and next week, and among those four bills are two he acknowledges are clearly only introduced for the political impact, for the message, they might deliver. One bill that is being promoted by the junior Senator from Pennsylvania is a bill relating to sanctuary cities. This measure was largely considered and voted on only 8 months ago and defeated in the Senate. Why are we bringing it back today? Well, there has been some candor on the Republican side. The Senator who is offering this measure is up for reelection. He believes this is an important ``message amendment'' that he needs to take back to his home State of Pennsylvania, and he wants to make sure the Senate takes up this measure before the Republican convention, which starts up in a couple weeks.…
