quorum call:

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from wyoming. mr. barrasso: thank you, mr. president. i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. barrasso: mr. president, i come to the floor today to talk about something that has been quite a bit in the news and quite a bit on the minds, i think, of people all around the capitol, which is what's happening with specifically vladimir putin and russia and the invasion and takeover of

crimea, the activities in the ukraine. on march 15, russian forces seized a natural gas distribution station in a ukranian village, and i think this is key, mr. president, because this was right at the time that they were getting ready to have a vote on the crimea leaving the ukraine, joining russia, and i will tell you, mr. president, i was in the ukraine at the time. i was there with a bipartisan group. we had eight senators, republicans, democrats from across the -- across the aisles and across a broad spectrum of politics in america, and what we saw at the time right before the vote, as the helicopters were heading in to take over the gas plant, to me that showed how vladimir putin thinks of energy, thinks of politics, thinks of power. "the washington post" that

sunday morning, the day of the vote in the crimea, "ukraine decries russian invasion. natural gas facility seized." their first action, before the vote even occurred, the russians came in and seized a natural gas facility. it showed his willingness, desire to use energy as a weapon. it is also a reminder that energy for us could be a powerful weapon to counter russian aggression. now, president putin has repeatedly made it clear that he does not care about democracy, about freedom or about the ukranian people, but what he does care about is money and power. as the united states considers how to help the ukranian people as we are doing right now on the floor of the senate with sanctions, with aid, i think we need to make sure that we take steps to hit putin exactly where it hurts, which is in his wallet, in his power.

and right now, you say well, how does this matter, how important is this? right now, about half of russia's revenue comes from oil and natural gas. mr. president, we heard it today in the energy committee. the chairman of the committee stated that in her remarks before a hearing. 52% she said comes from oil and natural gas. i think senator john mccain was exactly right when he said this past sunday on cnn that russia sagas station masquerading as a country. he was part of that group of eight senators who went to the ukraine, went to kiev, went and saw where the massacres occurred and visited with a new prime minister and a new president, and that is why i believe, mr. president, that my amendment today to this bill, this sanctions bill, this aid bill on the floor is so very important, not just to us as a nation but to the people of ukraine, the

people of europe, those who are trying to regain some freedom from the yoke and the tyranny of what russia is doing by charging outrageous energy prices to people across europe and across in the ukraine. so we have an opportunity, mr. president, right now to make it easier for the united states to export our own gas to nato countries and the ukraine. that's what my amendment will do. it's simple, it's two pages. by expediting the approval of facilities to export liquefied natural gas, we can send a very powerful signal to the european markets that alternative supplies will be available soon. we can undermine russia's leverage with its european customers today and undercut russia's ability to make so much money off of gas exports in the future. now, some washington democrats continue to act as if the conflict in ukraine has nothing to do with energy.

other democrats see it differently. the obama administration claims that speeding up l.n.g. exports to europe would not have an immediate effect. that's not what we heard today in the energy committee. that's not what a bipartisan group of senators has heard and believes. we cannot ignore russia's economic dependence on energy and the reality about how energy markets work. remember, half of russia's revenue comes from oil and natural gas. that's why the united states shale gas revolution is already undermining russia's negotiating positions with its european neighbors. mr. president, this all has come about in the last decade. new techniques, horizontal drilling, directional drilling, all of which makes energy in the united states easier, cheaper to get, and then more available so it can more easily be exported. by reducing u.s. demand, that frees up supply that can be bought on europe's market. now, because there is more supply that forces russia's

state-owned gas company to adjust its prices. that's where it's at. every molecule of american gas that can get anywhere else in the world is going to be a molecule that those in europe and those in -- those in the ukraine cannot be held hostage to buy from russia. now, that's what the economists said earlier this year, that with more supply, russia's state-owned gas company will have to adjust its prices. they ran an article on european efforts to reduce the control russia has had over gas prices. we can immediately apply more pressure to the region's gas prices and further erode russia's revenues by approving additional liquefied natural gas export capacity. when you think about that hearing earlier today in the energy committee, every witness, every whitten doctored l.n.g. exports to undercut russia --

witness endorsed l.n.g. exports to undercut russia. so what's stopping us? some russian experts have denied any need to act more quickly. they have approved just seven applications for l.n.g. export facilities over many years. it spent an average of 697 days processing each of them. the energy department has still not processed another 24 applications that are waiting and waiting and waiting. my amendment would speed up that process, force the administration to act on applications to be able to allow energy to be sent to our nato allies and to the ukraine. we don't need more hearings to tell us what we already know. natural gas and the pricing continues to be a boot on the neck of the ukranian people and in europe. now, majority leader reid needs to allow a vote on my amendment. to me, it strengthens the ukranian relief package.

it strengthens the economics in terms of money going from the united states. it strengthens aid, it strengthens sanctions because it actually works to specifically undercut, undermine russians' ability to hold others hostage. plus, mr. president, it has bipartisan support. there are a number of democrats who would vote to support it. i think it's time to send a signal to russia that we are finally ready to use energy to help stop their aggression. and to point out, mr. president, that -- that i am not alone in this and that there is significant across-the-board support, it's interesting just a number of headlines in the past week or so from papers from the various different approaches, "the new york times," "u.s. hopes boom in natural gas can curb putin."

u.s. hopes boom in natural gas can curb putin, directly tying natural gas to the russian president. that's "the new york times." "wall street journal," "west tries to loosen russia's gas grip." "investors business daily," bold energy policy best response to russia in ukraine." "wall street journal," "energy exports as a foreign policy tool scwsm and "moscow tightens squeeze on ukraine over energy." mr. president, it is evident that the sport of liquefied natural gas from the united states will help us as a nation, will help us in terms of our foreign policy and can be used and should be used and must be used to undermine the russian economy at a time when they are with putin on the move, putin on a daily basis, i think evaluating the consequences of his actions to decide what he is

going to do, planning to do, with the possibility of additional incursions into the ukraine. he continues with troops along the border between russia and the ukraine, ready to act, ready to go in, ready to cross the border, and all he understands is strength, power and the way to undercut that is by undercutting his economic strength and power by exporting liquefied natural gas. so, mr. president, i come to the floor asking that senator reid allow an amendment that would strengthen the bill that we're discussing right now and making it better for the people in the ukraine, better for the people here at home and actually doing something significant about the problem that we see existing with the additional use of power by vladimir putin. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call:

quorum call: .

quorum call:

quorum call:

a senator: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from north dakota. mr. hoeven: madam president, i ask that the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. hoeven: i come to the senate floor today to address the legislation that we're considering, legislation that will provide economic and diplomatic sanctions to deter russian aggression and also provide financial assistance in the form of loan guarantee to the ukraine to help the ukraine, financial assistance that will be combined with $15 billion in loan guarantees from the european union as well as assistance from the international monetary fund that can truly make a difference for ukraine, both in helping them

to stand up to this russian aggression while we at the same time take -- undertake sanctions that i believe can be effective in deterring what russia, the incursions that russia is making into ukraine. an important -- very important part of what we do is that we have to be united with the european union in this effort. for the sanctions to work, for the economic assistance to ukraine to work, we've got to have a united front. we've got to work with our allies throughout europe. but the european union's ability to -- and their willingness to stand with us is greatly impacted by their energy situation. and so how do we help? how do we help them address a very difficult situation in energy so that they'll stand

with us in putting forth the kind of sanctions that can truly make a difference now? and the time to take action is now. the time to stand up to russia and the kind of action where they'll invade another country, unlawfully, take part of that country, hold an election which is not bona fide and mass troops on the border of a country and threaten to take -- make additional incursions into the country, the time to stand up and to put sanctions in place that will deter that behavior is now. but the european union finds itself in a situation where fully one-third if not more of their energy comes from russia. half of that is piped through the ukraine and 50% or more of the -- of ukraine's energy comes from russia as well. specifically, natural gas.

so the e.u. finds themselves in a very difficult position when it comes to energy, and obviously that is a very important factor as they deliberate their steps in terms of both sanctions against president putin and russia and the activities that he has undertaken and may undertake in the future and also in terms of their willingness to stand up to all those actions and to assist ukraine. so as part of this legislation that we're considering, we have offered legislation that would help provide energy to europe. senator -- the good senator from wyoming, senator barrasso, was on this floor just a little bit ago. he is the prime sponsor of legislation that would help move natural gas in the form of

l.n.g., liquefied natural gas to europe. i'm a cosponsor of that legislation. we've filed that legislation as an amendment to the bill we're considering and we're asking for a vote other than that legislation. i think there would be very strong bipartisan support in this chamber and i have no doubt whatsoever that that legislation will pass the house as well. senator -- house member cory gardner has introduced the same or very similar legislation on the house side and there's no question that the support is there to pass the legislation. so as we look this week and be i think we will pass a bill this week to both put sanctions on russia and to assist ukraine, we can add this energy legislation which is an integral piece in helping the e.u. stand up, stand with us in standing up against russian aggression.

very simple, straightforward legislation. what the legislation provides is that for companies in the united states that are willing to build l.n.g. facilities and export liquefied natural gas which they're prepared to do, the that we will expand the countries to which they can exrorpt. right now we have a limitation in terms of the exports they can go to countries with which we have free trade agreements. but there are many, many other countries that we have strategic security interests in that make a huge difference in terms of our security and security in the world. nato countries, the e.u., ukraine. now, i understand it would take time to build the facilities and move that product but there's no question in the near term if we pass this kind of legislation we are sending a very strong signal to world markets and even more

importantly, a very strong signal to president putin that we are serious about working with e.u. to provide energy to the e.u. so that they have sources other than russia, that both strengthens the e.u. and also weakens russia because russia is entirely dependent for revenue on their sales of energy. so as we take this step we not only strengthen our allies, we weaken russia's ability to make the kind of incursions that they have made into the ukraine. so this is a very straightforward amendment, it has bipartisan support, we're offering it as part of this bill and as we work through the amendment process and we determine the form this bill is going to take -- and, again, i think there is strong bipartisan support to move this legislation. i believe we can move it this week. i believe we can get agreement to have the votes and to move it

this week. but i call on our leadership, i call on the leadership on the majority party in a bipartisan way to come together and give us the opportunity to vote on this amendment. it's part of a commonsense, comprehensive approach to truly deal with the situation in eastern europe. in digs to that i -- in addition to that i would take a moment to call on the president of the united states to take concrete steps that can make a big difference in the energy equation. he's over negotiating with our allies right now, with our nato allies, with the e.u., with what is now the g-7, formerly the g-8. the g-7 without russia. talking about what steps can and should be undertaken to address

what russia has done and may do in the future. on the bipartisan basis i join with senator mark warner of virginia and on may 21 we wrote a letter to the president calling on him to undertake an energy plan. i'd like to take a minute to read that letter here on the senate floor because i think it's straightforward, commonsense, and energy -- an energy plan that the president can undertake right now and show the world and show specifically president putin that he is serious, that we are serious about working with the e.u., starting immediately so address to taking short-term steps but undertaking a long-term plan that will ensure that the e.u. working with the united states and others, countries like norway that is producing incredible amounts of natural gas from the north sea, but

working with countries that can supply natural gas to the e.u. that we will end their dependence on russia and if russia continues the kind of activities it's undertaken, they will find themselves isolated. dear president obama, we write to you today because we are deeply concerned with the events unfolding in ukraine. and crimea that have been instigated and supported by russia. president vladimir putin aggressive actions and dismissal of u.s. and european union warnings is of particular concern. we share your view that tough sanctions from both slides of the atlantic will be required to provide the necessary motivation to change putin's behavior and enable a diplomatic resolution of this crisis. the sanctions that have been implemented so n.r.a. are good and appropriate. however, we believe that energy security is a critical component

to achieving a successful outcome in the region. russia provides one-third of europe's natural gas needs. with russia in a position to slow or stop gas flowing into much of europe, putin retains leverage to continue to come nature european energy markets. though russia has publicly committed to maintain ago full supply of gas to ukraine and europe, their recent history contradicts those proclamations. in january 2009, moscow cut its supply of gas flowing through ukraine and at least 18 european countries saw their supplies completely or partially reduced. some governments declared states of emergency and ordered factories and schools to close while millions of people struggled to cope in freezing temperatures. as long as vladimir putin continues to use energy as a weapon, we must take this threat

seriously and take this russian threat off the table. for the first time in a generation, america is in a position to export energy, and acting strategically to increase our natural gas exports accompanied by an sigh energy dialogue, will weaken putin's grip on european energy markets. today in the united states we produce 30 trillion cubic feet of gas a year. states like mine increase incredible amounts. we're flaring off gas that we would like to get to markets. this is a winning proposition to the united states. we provide gas to the ^+*eu. e.u. shah helpthat helps strengthing. we urge you to take five specific action steps that will

have near- and long-term positive impacts on the energy security of ukraine and the european union. first, direct the department of energy to accelerate the natural gas export permit process by approving the pending permits within 60 days or by providing specific reasons why a permit cannot be approved -- why individual permits cannot be aprudaweaprude. though the price points in asian markets are currently more attractive to natural gas exporters, calling for expedited approval of liquefied natural gas exports will increase liquidity on the global markets and will improve european energy security. second, conduct a strategic review of the u.s. energy policies and expand the group of nations that currently qualify for u.s. energy exports beyond those with free trade agreements to include our nato allies, the

e.u., ukraine and any other that are in the national security interests of the united states. it just makes sense. the review could include examining the potential of additional investments in facilities capable of liquefying natural gas. third, launch a joint u.s.-e.u. initiative on energy securitiate at next week -- meaning this week's -- energy security meeting in brussel. with specific near-term and future deliveryables. one area of critical importance to secure energy security in europe is natural gas infrastructure. while some european countries such as lithuania or austria receive 100% of their gas from russia, others receive far less and by improving the interconnections, these countries could far more direct supplies to one another in crase

of an ou outage. additionally, we should assist ukraine to nan a high level of security around its significant gas storage facilities in southern ukraine. countries like norway can supply more gas, so working cooperatively we can have an impact right now as well as put a long-term plan in place that sends a very clear message to president putin that we are going to change the energy equation. fourth, help ukraine implement a significant energy productivity initiative. u.s. businesses have developed many off-the-shelf technologies that can reduce energy waste and promote greater efficiency which will reduce ukraine's energy

needs. this has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of energy required by ukraine and anlessen their dependence on russia. we have many u.s. companies doing business over there. many from my state. i met with 10 c.e.o.'s of different companies in kiev that are doing business throughout ukraine. there is no question that working with our companies they can have a major impact on what happens in ukraine both in terms of conserving energy but also producing more energy, and that goes to the fine ole point. finally, help ukraine implement energy development technology to enhance domestic production and promote energy security. we've been contacted by several u.s. companies that are ready to make strategic investments to help ukraine increase production of their own energy resources to reduce reliance on russian energy supplies. we urge you to support and encourage the u.s. state state

department's unconventional gas, technical engagement program that allows u.s., local, and state officials to share best practices with european officials. also u.s. oil and gas companies are leading e.u. companies in offshore exploration in eastern europe to help these countries diversify their energy sources. we urge you to use the meetings to encourage more european cooperation to solve their own energy dependency problem. a recent proposal from the united kingdom provides a series of recommended reforms to the european energy infrastructure. we believe our proposal aligns with the british recommendations will provide a helpful starting point for the discussions next week. the u.s. has a long history of supporting the trans-atlantic relationship on areas of security and defense, and energy security should be part of that

dialogue. we then close the letter saying we look forward to working with you to implement this plan. think about it. these are steps that the administration can and should take now, and there's bipartisan support for energy legislation in this body to back it up and to make it happen. i call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together as part of an effort to deter russian aggression, to help ukraine, and to help the e.u. stand strong with us and nighted with us, we need to address the energy issue. we can and we should. with that, madam president, i yield the floor. ms. klobuchar: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from minnesota. ms. klobuchar: i appreciate senator hoeven's work on the ukraine issue. i know he went there recently

and i also have visited the great energy resources in his state, as his guest, and know they have a broad range of energy sources, as does minnesota. i rise to talk about the importance of the support for the sovereignty, integrity, democracy, and economic stability of ukraine act, and i urge the senate to act as quickly as possible to get it done. as the past week as made clerks the crisis in ukraine is not waiting for us. we've witnessed russia's blatantly illegal annexation of crimea and its continued efforts to bully, intimidate, and weaken the new ukrainian government. it is critical that we immediately demonstrate three things to the world. one, our support for ukraine as it charts a new democratic future for itself. two, our abhorrence of the russian government's actions that violate ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. and, three, our commitment to continue leading the world through a tough and determined response to the crisis.

this legislation, which was backed by our colleagues on the foreign relations committee on a strong bipartisan vote, accomplishes these important goals. it provides badly needed assistance to ukraine to help its new government stand on its own two feet. it also punishes those who have contributed to this crisis by authorizing sanctions, targeting russian officials, crimea's self-appointed leaders and the former leaders of ukraine who lined their own pockets at their country's expense. it is thought of we haven't passed this bill already, given that the vast majority of our colleagues agree on the basic framework of how we should respond to events in ukraine. i understand that some of our colleagues may want to add something else to this bill, but almost everyone agrees that we should provide assistance including loan guarantees to the new ukrainian government and impose sanctions on russian leaders and key institutions. now is the time for us to move forward. together the united states and our allies have taken some important steps, such as barring

russia from the group of eight and imposing sanctions on key russian officials. president obama is in europe this week working to convince our allies to take even stronger measures to help ukraine and hold russia accountable. we in the senate must also act. i think it's important to step back, madam president, to reflect on how we arrived at this point. this is not a crisis that the united states sought out. the situation in ukraine became a crisis because the former president of ukraine and russian leaders sought to keep the ukrainian people from pursuing their right to determine their own future. the ukrainian people rose up last november, after their then-president turned his back on an association agreement with the european union. this agreement would have helped bring ukraine into the prosperous community of european nations while also compelling it to reduce corruption and enhance the rule of law. in short, it was a treaty that would have helped lift ukraine

to a better future with greater opportunity for its people. and when the former president abandoned that treaty, the people of ukraine did not go quietly. they demonstrated courageously for months in the face of severe repression by the regime, including snipers shooting at civilians in the streets of kiev. in the face of all odds, they succeeded in forcing the regime to the negotiating table. the president fled the country take with him his ill-gotten wealth. it seemed that the ukrainian people would at least have the freedom they fought to achieve. unfortunately, president putin has long sought to keep ukraine from chargt its own course -- charting its own course, first through economic manipulation and now through brutal force. when it became clear that the people of the ukraine would not be denyinged, president putin

carried out a military intervention to cut off crimea and stayed a sham referendum before illegally annexing the territory in a flagrant breach of international law. and now, even though he claims russia will seek no more territory from ukraine, he continues to harass and undermine the new government by reneging on previous agreements to provide subsidies for gas and slowing delivery. russia's military continues to amass on ukraine's borders. find it interesting that just a few months ago president putin wrote a "new york times" op eds on the subject of international law. he declared "under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the security council. anything else is unacceptable under the united nations charter and would constitute an act of

aggression." so in president putin's view, force must be approved by the u.n. security council or it is an act of aggression. except when it comes to ukraine. it should be clear by now that president putin will use any means to advance his ends. he employs the language of ethnic nationalism while he tries to make apart ukraine. his descenters are sent to prison on trumped-up charges. there is an adoption ban, something we care so much for in minnesota, as one of the top states for adopting kids from across the country and across the world. all the people of the ukraine want is a simple freedom to seek a brighter future for their country. to not be a pawn to president putin's efforts to resurrect the soviet union. the whole world sees that. on march 15, 13 members of the u.n. security council voted for a resolution to condemn russia for the very use of force president putin criticizinged

last year. only one country voted against it. that country was russia. now the world is watching us. they are watching to see whether the united states congress will act. we have talked a lot about ukraine over the past several weeks. i was proud to cosponsor a bipartisan resolution led by senators durbin a and coats that criticized russia's actions. that resolution passed unanimously two weeks ago. now is the time to show that we are actually doing something. ukrainians need to know that the united states stands with them, not just in these speeches, which are very important on the senate floor, but also with real assistance and real action. president putin needs to know that we will not meekly return to business as usual and allow them to bully ukraine with impunity. our allies and adversaries around the world need to know that we will stand together to protect our vision of a world governed by democracy and law,

where nations do not live under the threat of force by their neighbors. this is one of those times where the impact of our votes will be felt far beyond the walls of this chaivmen chamber. they're going to be watching this vote in the ukraine, in russia, all over europe and in those countries from the soviet -- former soviet union. the world is watching, so that other people, other countries that may choose to do this illegal breach of international law, that may choose to tread on this illegal ground will be watching and that's why this vote is so important. i urge my colleagues in support of the people of ukraine to support this bill. thank you, madam president, i yield the floor. mr. hoeven: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from north dakota. mr. hoeven: i'd like to take a few minutes to commend the good senator from minnesota on her remarks. i think she expressed what we feel very strongly in this body

and i want to both express my agreement with her comments but also the importance of moving this legislation. i believe that there's very strong bipartisan support to move this legislation. i believe it's something that we can do this week. so again, i just want to express my appreciation for her words here today and believe that is exactly the kind of cooperative spirit that we need on the part of all 100 senators to -- to get this done. now is the time for action and i join with the good senator from minnesota in calling for that action. with that, madam president, i yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

mr. reid: madam president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding cloture having been invoked, the motion to proceed to s. 2124 be withdrawn, that the senate proceed to immediate consideration of calendar number 328, h.r. 4152. that following the reporting of the bill, a menendez-corker substitute amendment, the text of which is at the desk, be made pending, that no other amendments be in order, that points of order or motions be in order other than the budget points of order and op cabal motions to waive. that on thursday,-mile-an-hour 27, following morning business -- thursday, march 27, following morning business, there be two hours equally divided between the two leaders or their designees prior to a relation in a vote to the amendment. that the bill be read a bill for the third time, that the senate proceed to vote on pass an of the bill, if amended. the presiding officer: is there objection?

mr. cornyn: reserving the right to object, madam president. i note in the majority leader's requested consent order that he stipulates that no other amendments would be in order, which i think is deeply regrettable given the fact that this matter's been considered in the foreign relations committee and then come to the floor without any opportunity for the rest of the senate to participate either in the deliberative process or debate important improvements to the legislation. and i would note, too, just for the majority leader's consideration, two that seem to bear a tremendous amount of bipartisan support are in recognition of the stranglehold that vladimir putin and russia have on the ukraine's energy supply as well as the energy supply to the rest of europe. there is an amendment, the barrasso amendment, that many of us also support that call for the expedited consideration and permitting of exporting of

liquified natural gas. there's also another amendment that i have offered that would provide military assistance to the ukraine. right now the underlying bill provides $100 million but it doesn't specify precisely the nature of the assistance but it appears to be in the nature of rations, uniform and hospital -- or medical supplies. i would think at minimum we would want to make sure that the ukrainians, who are defending their country, were supplied additional u.s. military assistance in order to defend themselves against this russian aggression. so, madam president, i would ask the majority leader to modify his consent by asking this unanimous consent, that his consent request be so modified that the first amendment in order be a barrasso amendment related to the exportation of

liquified natural gas, and that following the disposition of the barrasso amendment, the majority leader and the republican leader or their designees be recognized to offer relevant amendments in an alternating fashion, including the cornyn amendment on military assistance to ukraine. the presiding officer: does the majority leader so modify his request? mr. reid: i would conserve the right and make a brief comment -- i would reserve the right and make a brief comment here. the committee action on this was really historic. the issue that my friend just suggested be part of an amendment process was discussed at some length in the committee. as i discussed this morning, the situation in the ukraine is critical. the senate must act as quickly as we can on the senate foreign relations bill. the bill