Congressional Record

United States

of America

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE

118

CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

H4385

Vol. 169 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 No. 151

House of Representatives

The House met at 10 a.m. and was

called to order by the Speaker pro tem-

pore (Mr. C

LINE

DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO

TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be-

fore the House the following commu-

nication from the Speaker:

ASHINGTON

, DC,

September 19, 2023.

I hereby appoint the Honorable B

LINE

to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day.

EVIN

ARTHY

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

MORNING-HOUR DEBATE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to the order of the House of Janu-

ary 9, 2023, the Chair will now recog-

nize Members from lists submitted by

the majority and minority leaders for

morning-hour debate.

The Chair will alternate recognition

between the parties, with time equally

allocated between the parties and each

Member other than the majority and

minority leaders and the minority

whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no

event shall debate continue beyond

11:50 a.m.

RECOGNIZING NEBRASKA

MANUFACTURING MONTH

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Nebraska (Mr. F

LOOD

) for 5 minutes.

Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, today, I

rise to honor manufacturers across the

First District of Nebraska.

Manufacturing is Nebraska’s largest

industry. According to the National

Association of Manufacturers, manu-

facturing accounts for 11.81 percent of

the total output in Nebraska, employ-

ing 9.8 percent of our workforce.

Across the First District, these man-

ufacturers are creating jobs. Nucor in

Norfolk, Nebraska, produced 33.6 mil-

lion tons of steel over the last 50 years.

Plattsmouth is home to the first cre-

atine manufacturer in the United

States. Blazer Athletic fabricates

sports equipment in Columbus.

Kawasaki makes train cars in Lincoln

that ship to Washington, D.C., and New

York City. You should also know that

Fremont is producing rotisserie chick-

ens and other products for Costco

stores across North America.

On behalf of the people of Nebraska’s

First Congressional District, I extend

our sincere thanks to all the manufac-

turers that are helping make our com-

munities a great place to live, work,

and raise a family. Keep up the great

work.

CONGRATULATING NORTHEAST COMMUNITY

COLLEGE ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to honor Northeast Community

College as they celebrate their 50th an-

niversary.

Our community college system plays

a critical role in educating the next

generation of Nebraska’s workforce,

and Northeast Community College is

leading the way.

The college started with six buildings

on its main campus on the edge of Nor-

folk in 1973. Today, it boasts campuses

in South Sioux City, West Point, Nor-

folk, and O’Neill.

Under the leadership of President

Leah Barrett, the college has been

making moves. A $22 million invest-

ment at the Acklie Family College

Farm is setting the college up to be-

come a leader in veterinary tech-

nology.

In the spring, Northeast announced

the launch of a new agriculture-diesel

mechanic apprenticeship program. This

fall, the college broke ground on a new

facility in South Sioux City to add

welding booths and a CDL training

building.

On behalf of the people of Nebraska’s

First Congressional District, I extend

our sincere congratulations to North-

east Community College on five great

decades.

MARKING 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF COLUMBUS

SALES PAVILION

Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to honor the Columbus Sales Pa-

vilion as they celebrate their 90th anni-

versary.

Founded by M.H. Vanburg in 1933, it

is now owned by a fourth-generation

family. In a day and age when people

switch jobs frequently, the sales pavil-

ion has a local and loyal workforce

with some employees boasting over 30

years with their team.

Nebraska is the beef State, and sale

barns like the Columbus Sales Pavilion

are not only critical to our commu-

nity, but they are also at the heart of

our ag community.

I recently visited the Columbus Sales

Pavilion during an auction. I can tell

you that the sales pavilion is more

than a market. It is a place of connec-

tion and community for producers

across the area.

This doesn’t happen by accident. It

happens because the owners have made

it their stated mission to make Colum-

bus a better place.

On behalf of the people of Nebraska’s

First Congressional District, I extend

our sincere congratulations to the Co-

lumbus Sales Pavilion on 90 great

years.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF MEMORIAL STADIUM

Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to recognize one of the most

iconic places in Nebraska: Memorial

Stadium.

This fall, the Huskers are celebrating

100 years of the stadium. Through

these gates pass the greatest fans in

college football. That has been proven

for the last century.

On game days, Memorial Stadium be-

comes the third largest city in Ne-

braska, with more than 90,000 fans

gathering at every home game. Since

1962, we have sold out every single

game. That is 390 consecutive sellouts.

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The love for Husker athletics was

shown once again at Memorial Stadium

just weeks ago when 92,003 fans at-

tended a Husker volleyball match on

Osborne Field, setting a world record

for the most attended women’s sport-

ing event.

Some of the greatest college football

coaches of all time have called plays at

Memorial Stadium, like former Con-

gressman Tom Osborne and Bob

Devaney. This season begins with the

Matt Rhule era, and he got his first

win in the stadium last week.

Congratulations to the university.

Go Big Red.

RECOGNIZING BELLEVUE WOMEN

’

S CLUB

Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to wish the Bellevue Women’s

Club a happy anniversary as they ap-

proach 100 years in service.

In 1924, the Bellevue Women’s Club

began serving their community. By

1929, they were already taking on big

projects like helping start the first

Bellevue library and the city’s first

swimming pool.

Through their 100 years, this non-

profit has contributed their time and

money to some of Sarpy County’s most

significant organizations and events,

like the Arrows to Aerospace Parade,

Habitat for Humanity, and the Ronald

McDonald House.

Their club members’ support for a

wide array of organizations in Sarpy

County is unmatched as they give back

through the senior community center,

Books for Babies, and the Bellevue

Food Pantry. The scope of their work

through the years is very impressive.

On behalf of Nebraska’s First Con-

gressional District, congratulations to

the Bellevue Women’s Club on their

first century, and here is to the next.

ENCOURAGING MEXICO’S COMPLI-

ANCE WITH WATER TREATY

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

Texas (Ms. D

RUZ

) for 5 minutes.

Ms. D

CRUZ. Mr. Speaker, I

stand before you today to address a

critical issue that is affecting the live-

lihoods of countless Americans across

south Texas. The drought conditions

and water scarcity we are witnessing in

the Rio Grande Valley are causing un-

told hardships for our farmers and our

residents.

As stipulated in the Mexican Water

Treaty of 1944, Mexico is obligated to

provide the United States with an aver-

age of 350,000 acre-feet of water annu-

ally over a 5-year cycle. Unfortunately,

Mexico has consistently delayed ful-

filling this commitment, leaving Amer-

ican farmers in dire straits.

This year, south Texas farmers are

poised to plant their crops, but they

need water now. Without it, they face

the prospect of harvesting only half of

what they would yield in a typical

year.

This has far-reaching consequences,

impacting our national food supply, in-

creasing food costs for families, and

heightening our dependency on foreign

agriculture.

Moreover, communities in south

Texas are now facing water restric-

tions, exacerbating the strain on fami-

lies and businesses alike.

The Mexican Government bears a re-

sponsibility to honor the terms of this

treaty. American farmers and ranchers

should not bear the burden of Mexico’s

failure to uphold its end of the bargain.

I implore the Biden administration

to take immediate action and hold

Mexico accountable. Failure to con-

vene official meetings addressing this

issue will result in catastrophic con-

sequences for south Texas farmers.

Just last week, I had the privilege of

introducing a bipartisan House resolu-

tion aimed at bolstering diplomatic re-

lations to encourage Mexico’s compli-

ance with the Mexican Water Treaty of

1944. This historic resolution under-

scores our support for negotiations

that ensure more predictable water de-

liveries to the United States, and it

urges new commitments to guarantee

at least 350,000 acre-feet of water are

delivered annually.

I extend my deepest gratitude to my

colleagues from both sides of the aisle

who have cosponsored this crucial reso-

lution.

I also thank all the local officials

from my community who have been

working closely with me on this mat-

ter.

Together, we are sending a powerful

message: Clean water is not a partisan

issue. This is an American issue.

Through collaboration and diplo-

matic engagement, we can forge a

framework for responsible water man-

agement that benefits both of our great

Nations.

Let us stand united in ensuring that

the promises of the Mexican Water

Treaty of 1944 are not just ink on paper

but a lifeline for the American farmers

who feed our Nation.

CELEBRATING 150TH ANNIVER-

SARY OF BENNETT COLLEGE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

North Carolina (Ms. M

ANNING

) for 5

minutes.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to celebrate the 150th anniver-

sary of Bennett College, which I have

the privilege of representing in Con-

gress.

In 1873, Bennett got its start as a

school for elementary and secondary

students in the basement of

Warnersville Methodist Episcopal

Church.

Now, Bennett College, located in

Greensboro, North Carolina, stands as

one of only two all-women’s HBCUs in

the Nation.

In the 150 years since its founding,

Bennett College and its alumni have

made history. Bennett played a pivotal

role in the civil rights movement in

North Carolina. Before Dr. Martin Lu-

ther King, Jr., gave his famous March

on Washington speech, he traveled to

Greensboro, North Carolina, in Feb-

ruary 1958. There, he was met with an

overflowing crowd of young women, the

Bennett Belles, at the Annie Merner

Pfeiffer Chapel on Bennett’s campus.

This speech, Martin Luther King,

Jr.’s first speech ever given in Greens-

boro, had a lasting impact on the en-

tire Triad community.

Mr. Speaker, 2 years after his speech

on Bennett’s campus, Bennett Belles

participated in the famous Woolworth

counter sit-in, the demonstration that

ignited a movement of sit-ins for racial

equality across the South and across

the country and changed the entire

course of American history.

In the years since then, Bennett’s

alumni have continued to make his-

tory.

Bennett had the first Black woman

president of a 4-year college in the

United States, Dr. Willa B. Player.

Former Bennett College President

Johnnetta Cole went on to lead the

Smithsonian Institution’s National

Museum of African Art.

Maidie Ruth Gamble Norman was an

early Hollywood film star in the 1930s.

Dr. Dorothy Brown was the first

woman to practice general surgery in

the South in the 1940s.

Carolyn Robertson Payton led the

Peace Corps under President Jimmy

Carter.

Marian Tasco was Pennsylvania’s

first Black county commissioner.

Many more Bennett Belles have bro-

ken down barriers and have been the

first to accomplish amazing feats.

Today, Bennett continues to educate

young minds and produce change-

makers.

Bennett has been an influential insti-

tution in our Nation’s history, as well

as a pillar of outstanding education in

Greensboro, North Carolina.

Congratulations to the Bennett

Belles on 150 years of excellence.

HONORING BASIS ORO VALLEY

SCHOOL

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Arizona (Mr. C

ISCOMANI

) for 5 minutes.

Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today in honor of BASIS Oro Valley, a

school in my district that has been in-

cluded in U.S. News & World Report’s

2023 Best Public High Schools, securing

the 21st position.

This accomplishment is a testament

to the hard work and dedication of our

students, educators, and the entire

school community.

BASIS Oro Valley prides themselves

on their award-winning STEM cur-

riculum and liberal arts program to

help children pursue their dreams.

From advanced AP courses to high-

level music classes, this school has

something for everyone.

b 1015

The average ACT score for BASIS

Oro Valley students is a 32 and the av-

erage SAT score is 1368. This is one of

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the best high schools in the country

and it is located right in Arizona-06,

my district.

This school, which has only been

around since 2010, has made a huge im-

pact on our community. I am so proud

of the teachers who make this a great

experience for the kids and the kids

that push themselves to be better

every single day.

I am proud to represent this out-

standing school in Congress and to rec-

ognize the BASIS Oro Valley school

here today.

CONGRATULATING PRESIDENT

CHRIS BAILEY ON HIS RETIRE-

MENT

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

Washington (Ms. P

EREZ

) for 5 minutes.

Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Speaker, today, I

rise to thank president Chris Bailey,

who is retiring after dedicating 12

years to Lower Columbia College.

Throughout his tenure, he diligently

served students, staff, and the commu-

nity, transforming Lower Community

College into a vital educational hub in

the region.

As a testament to Chris’ leadership,

Lower Columbia College developed the

Lower Columbia Regional Center, ena-

bling folks to work and access higher

education pathways. Chris was pivotal

in introducing the college’s first two

bachelor of applied science degrees, as

well as a vocational skills center, re-

flecting his commitment to expanding

career opportunities for those at the

college.

We have been lucky to have a leader

like Chris at Lower Columbia College.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chris for his dedi-

cation and wish him all the best in a

well-deserved retirement.

RECOGNIZING MALLONEE FARMS

Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to recognize Mallonee Farms, a family-

owned dairy farm in my district. A few

weeks ago, I was able to visit the farm

in Curtis, Washington, where I met the

farm’s owner, Maynard Mallonee. May-

nard is a third-generation dairy farmer

and a member of the Organic Valley co-

op.

During my visit, I toured their farm,

saw their new robotic milkers, and

heard how Congress can support small,

organic farms. Maynard is passionate

about working for something bigger

than himself. He works to be a good

steward of his land, and he is already

taking steps with his son, Jack, to en-

sure that the family farm continues for

generations to come.

Everyone at Mallonee Farms is fight-

ing hard for their farm, and I am grate-

ful to be in this fight with them. My

focus is to ensure that Federal policy

supports small, family farms like

theirs.

COWLITZ COMPLEX FIRES IN GIFFORD PINCHOT

NATIONAL FOREST

Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to address the Cowlitz Complex fires in

the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Thirty fires might sound like a bad

movie plot, but with 695 acres in flames

and 342 hardworking folks trying to

keep it all under control, it is the re-

ality of our community.

To the diligent task forces—the Cali-

fornia Incident Management Team 13

and Rocky Mountain Incident Manage-

ment Team 2—patrolling and moni-

toring the fires, especially around Pot-

hole, Jackpot, and the Adams Fork re-

gions—your steadfastness does not go

unnoticed.

We are thankful that potential

threats, like the heat near Pothole,

turned out to be benign. The task

forces’ preemptive actions are the

backbone of our community’s safety.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the folks work-

ing these fires. Their tireless efforts

protect our homes, our forests, and our

future. Their commitment to contain

these forests showcases the resilience

of our community.

HONORING A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT

SERGEANT RICHARD KELLY

Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to pay tribute to a dedicated public

servant and cherished member of our

community, Sergeant Richard Kelly.

On August 10, we lost Sergeant Kelly

unexpectedly due to a medical emer-

gency while in the line of duty. He was

only 54.

Sergeant Kelly’s commitment to

safeguarding our community was un-

wavering. He served the Battle Ground

Police Department since 2005, where he

ultimately rose to the rank of sergeant

in 2019.

Not only was he an officer of the law,

he was a husband, father, brother, and

a pillar of our community. He was re-

spected and loved by all who had the

privilege of knowing him.

I personally recall his attentive pres-

ence at my Battle Ground townhall, a

testament to his deep sense of duty and

connection to the people that he

served. His loss leaves a void in our

community and in the hearts of all who

knew him.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join

me in honoring the life and service of

Sergeant Richard Kelly. Our thoughts

and prayers are with his family, his

colleagues, and the entire Battle

Ground community during this time.

May his dedication serve as a lasting

inspiration to us all.

REMEMBERING AND HONORING CORPORAL

ZACHARY

‘‘

ZAC

’’

CLAYTON MERRILL

Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to remember and honor Corporal

Zachary ‘‘Zac’’ Clayton Merrill, who

passed away on August 20.

After graduating from college, Zac

joined the Army, distinguishing him-

self as captain of the 82nd Airborne and

leading an explosive ordnance team in

Afghanistan.

His commitment and valor earned

him the Bronze Star, among other

commendations. After the Army, Zac’s

call to service led him to the Van-

couver Police Department, where he

became an integral member of the cri-

sis negotiation team and was eventu-

ally named unit leader. However, be-

yond the badges and commendations,

Zac was a loving husband, son, brother,

and uncle.

He also had a profound bond with his

grandfather, Stanley Merrill, also a

Korean war veteran, which speaks vol-

umes about his deep roots in service

and sacrifice.

Corporal Merrill’s legacy of service,

both on the battlefield and on our

streets, will forever inspire and remind

us of the sacrifices made by those who

choose to serve.

Mr. Speaker, I send my deepest con-

dolences to his family, friends, and all

who had the privilege of knowing him.

RECOGNIZING DR. THOMAS J.

WALTERS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Georgia (Mr. C

ARTER

) for 5 minutes.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speak-

er, I rise today to recognize the direc-

tor of the Federal Law Enforcement

Training Centers, Dr. Thomas J. Wal-

ters, for his 44 years of service to the

United States.

Director Walters oversaw the train-

ing and management program for new

law enforcement officers across the

country, including those at the Glynco,

Georgia, campus in my district.

Mr. Walters dedicated his entire four-

decade career to defending our national

security, serving as a Border Patrol

agent, and in various leadership posi-

tions. He embodies both patriotism and

leadership, and the next generation of

officers is undoubtedly grateful for his

expertise and the example he set. Di-

rector Walters emphasized that serving

as the FLETC director was an honor

and a career highlight.

I know I speak for the whole First

District when I say we appreciate his

dedication to law enforcement and his

service to others. I welcome the new

FLETC director, Benjamine ‘‘Carry’’

Huffman, and I wish him the best of

luck.

REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL DAVID

LEONARD SHARPE

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speak-

er, I rise today in remembrance of

Lieutenant Colonel David Leonard

Sharpe. At the age of 81, he leaves be-

hind a legacy of bravery, leadership,

and selflessness. In 1966, he graduated

from the U.S. Army Ranger School and

became the first Army Ranger in the

Georgia National Guard. He served in

the U.S. Army Reserves in the Georgia

National Guard for 41 years, from 1960

to 2001.

We remember him not only for his

military accomplishments, but also for

his dedication to his community. He

excelled as a mechanical drawing

teacher at Glynn Academy high school

in Brunswick. In the summers, he

worked on commercial and residential

planning.

I know Mr. Sharpe’s legacy will live

on in the positive impact he had on his

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community, and I extend my deepest

condolences to his family.

CONGRATULATING DALE GREENE ON HIS

RETIREMENT

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speak-

er, I rise today to celebrate the Univer-

sity of Georgia’s Forestry and Natural

Resources dean, Dale Greene, for his

decades of accomplishments before he

retires at the end of the year.

Greene has consistently displayed his

passion for his students and teaching

throughout his time working at UGA,

and he has been a key factor in the suc-

cess of many young leaders. Greene

joined the University of Georgia in

1986, and since then has won several

awards, including but not limited to,

the Herrick Award for Superior Teach-

ing, the Wise Owl Award, the Silver

Beaver Award from the Georgia Boy

Scouts of America, and the Billy Hud-

son Distinguished Citizen Award.

Greene was also inducted into the

Georgia Foresters Hall of Fame in 2007

for his efforts in expanding research

and funding to his university. I am

proud to commemorate such a hard-

working individual that has aided in so

many Georgians’ postgraduate suc-

cesses in agriculture.

CONGRATULATING THE CRAB SHACK

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speak-

er, I rise today to congratulate The

Crab Shack for being named one of the

best seafood restaurants in the United

States by the Food Network.

On the charming Tybee Island of

Georgia sits The Crab Shack, known

for its outstanding fresh seafood, river

views on the marsh of Chimney Creek,

and extensive choice of in-house

events.

This unique restaurant is a perfect

spot for vacationing families with a

wide range of food options, activities,

and incredible southern hospitality

service. Savannah locals, Jack and Be-

linda Flanigan, developed The Crab

Shack from nothing more than a few

tables and some friends, and since then

it has developed into an iconic river

spot for all to enjoy.

An alligator enclosure on the prop-

erty’s outer boundaries attracts nu-

merous people who come to feed the

young gators.

I am proud to celebrate the accom-

plishments of this local restaurant,

which brings many visitors to the

beautiful islands of Georgia.

COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS SINCE

THE COUP IN CHILE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from

California (Ms. P

ELOSI

) for 5 minutes.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, this

month we observe the 50th anniversary

of the coup in Chile. It is important to

note the role that the House played in

declassifying documents relating to

the United States’ role in the coup of

Allende and the Presidency of

Pinochet.

I rise to pay tribute to our former

colleague, Maurice Hinchey, who in

1999 introduced legislation to declas-

sify documents related to the coup in

Chile. Following his leadership, I took

his legislation to the House Intel-

ligence Committee conference.

In our markup of the conference re-

port of the Intelligence Authorization

Act for fiscal year 2000, I was successful

in getting an amendment passed in

committee that mirrored the Hinchey

legislation. This language was sus-

tained on the floor and when the FY

2000 Intelligence bill was signed by

President Clinton, it became law.

The legislation stated that no longer

than 270 days following enactment—we

wanted a shorter period of time, they

wanted a longer period of time. This

was the compromise—270 days fol-

lowing the enactment, the CIA had to

submit a report on all of its activities

in various events in Chile in three cat-

egories: the assassination of President

Salvador Allende; the ascension of

Pinochet to the Presidency; and the

violation of human rights committed

by the henchman of President

Pinochet.

In 2001, therefore, the CIA prepared

16,000 documents for declassification.

Since then, thousands more docu-

ments—maybe up around 23,000 docu-

ments—have been declassified.

During the debate on the FY 2000 leg-

islation, it was argued that the search

for documents related to human rights

violations in Chile—now, we are talk-

ing about murder, disappearances, im-

prisonment, torture; that is what we

are talking about—directed by the Na-

tional Security Council was sufficient.

They said we did that. It is sufficient.

They said nothing further was needed

and raised the question of how much

money will this cost and how much

time will it take for the Director of

Central Intelligence to produce an ade-

quate report.

However, Maurice Hinchey argued, in

these words: ‘‘It is time that the Cen-

tral Intelligence Agency accounted for

its role in the military coup that top-

pled the democratically elected govern-

ment of Salvador Allende and led to his

death. The American people need to

know how our government supported

the rise of Augusto Pinochet, a ruth-

less dictator who systematically mur-

dered and tortured his enemies.’’

In May 2016, I had the privilege of

leading a strongly bipartisan congres-

sional delegation to Chile. When we

visited the Museum of Memory and

Human Rights—and I would rec-

ommend that if you get to Chile you

certainly see that—it was emotional

and gratifying for some of us to see the

documents that we had declassified

under Maurice Hinchey’s leadership

helping bring the truth to light.

To this day in Chile there is still

great sadness about the loss of life and

other crimes against humanity per-

petrated by Pinochet’s henchman. Last

week was the 50th anniversary, and at

the observance—an event marking 50

years since the coup—President Ga-

briel Boric spoke eloquently about the

importance of reconciliation and de-

mocracy. Democracy—he said it again

and again. Thankfully, the President

had also called for a plan to find the

nearly 1,500 people who are still miss-

ing or unaccounted for, for their fami-

lies.

It is my hope that this spirit will

lead to more revelations and account-

ability.

As we mark 50 years since the coup,

I salute the leadership of Maurice Hin-

chey. He was a champion of justice; not

only in Chile but in Argentina and in

other countries suffering under similar

despotic regimes, including those af-

fected by Operation Condor.

Operation Condor was how all these

vicious dictators coordinated their ac-

tivities. Maurice Hinchey saw the con-

nection and coordination among the

dictatorships in the death and violence

in their countries, and in relentlessly

speaking out against it, he made a dif-

ference.

His family is still active in the civic

life of New York State. He passed away

on November 22, 2017, but his leader-

ship in the fight for truth and justice

continues to be an inspiration to us all.

b 1030

RURAL HEALTHCARE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Pennsylvania (Mr. T

HOMPSON

) for 5

minutes.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, before I was elected to

serve in the House of Representatives,

I spent nearly 30 years in the nonprofit

healthcare field assisting those facing

life-changing diseases and disabilities

with therapists, rehabilitation service

managers, and a licensed nursing home

administrator.

I am acutely aware of the challenges

many face when it comes to obtaining

reasonably priced healthcare. It is es-

pecially critical for rural America, like

much of the 15th Congressional Dis-

trict of Pennsylvania that I am hon-

ored to serve.

As the Member of Congress rep-

resenting nearly one-third of the land

mass of Pennsylvania, one of the most

rural districts east of the Mississippi, I

am keenly aware of the problems that

my constituents face when accessing

medical services.

We are facing a healthcare crisis in

our Nation’s rural areas. These often

disadvantaged populations are still

struggling to access affordable, quality

care. Many remain uninsured. Most are

underinsured. However, access to qual-

ity care remains the largest challenge.

Even when people gain access to

health insurance, it doesn’t mean equal

access to care. Rural hospitals across

the country are closing, leaving pa-

tients without access to emergency

rooms and long-term care facilities.

In addition to hospital closures, a

workforce shortage plagues rural

America. The patient-to-primary care

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physician ratio in rural areas is only

39.8 physicians per 100,000 people com-

pared to 53.3 physicians per 100,000 in

urban areas. Recruitment and reten-

tion of experienced professionals, in-

cluding primary care physicians, is an

ongoing challenge.

Furthermore, the opioid epidemic

that is sweeping the Nation has rav-

aged our rural communities, leaving

even more of the population in need of

crucial health services.

Adolescents and young adults living

in rural areas are more vulnerable to

opioid abuse than their urban counter-

parts. The prevalence of fatal drug

overdoses has skyrocketed in rural

areas. High unemployment and a great-

er rate of types of injuries that result

in prescriptions for opioid medications

have contributed to this.

On March 5, 2010, Congress passed

sweeping legislation—the Affordable

Care Act—which fundamentally re-

aligned our Nation’s healthcare sys-

tem. Since passage of this bill, my

worst nightmares have become a re-

ality, as the law’s interpretation con-

tinues to drive up costs, saddle small

businesses with burdensome regula-

tions, and impose unfunded mandates

on people throughout the Common-

wealth by shifting costs from the Fed-

eral Government to the States.

Unfortunately, what we have also

seen since the passage of this law is the

consolidation of providers in the

healthcare industry. Small and inde-

pendent providers were unable to bear

the burden of the ACA’s various man-

dates, and many of them were forced to

merge with larger health systems that

have dramatically consolidated care

over the last decade.

Luckily, Congress has been able to

repeal key components of this bill

since it was first enacted, including the

individual mandate. Additionally, as

we emerge from the COVID–19 pan-

demic that uniquely strained rural

healthcare systems in Pennsylvania

and across the country, we must al-

ways look for ways to stabilize and re-

cover from what has been a turbulent

few years. Moving forward, we must

provide commonsense reforms that im-

prove our Nation’s healthcare system

and access across the country, includ-

ing those in rural America.

One of the best ways to do this is by

promoting access to telehealth. As part

of the National Telehealth Awareness

Week, this week I plan to reintroduce

the HEALTH Act, which allows com-

munity health centers and rural health

clinics to continue to provide tele-

health services and receive fair reim-

bursement for doing so. It is these

types of policies that promote access to

care for all Americans, and I look for-

ward to working with my colleagues to

fix our flawed healthcare system.

Currently, healthcare costs have

gone up, premiums have increased by

double digits, but choices have de-

creased. That is not right. It is not fair,

and it is not feasible. There must be a

better way, and I know that together

we will work to find a stable transition

to a 21st century healthcare system

that works for everyone in America,

particularly those who live in rural re-

gions where the need is great and serv-

ices are scarce.

HONORING LISA ECK

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.

ANGWORTHY

). The Chair recognizes

the gentleman from California (Mr.

ILEY

) for 5 minutes.

Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I am taking

a moment to recognize a cheerful, spir-

ited, and vibrant community member

residing in my district, Ms. Lisa Eck,

for her 40 years of public service at the

downtown Roseville library.

Ms. Eck embarked on her journey as

a young teen, starting at the library as

a quotidian shelver in 1983. In her ten-

ure, she has become one of the most be-

loved librarians in our region.

She is well known for her ability to

captivate the magic of childhood

through her lively readings. Dressing

in full costume and performing books

theatrically are just some of the ways

that she captures the attention and ad-

oration of Roseville children and resi-

dents.

Ms. Eck’s determination and dedica-

tion to bringing these stories to life

knows no bounds, and her unique ap-

proach makes her storytime sessions a

cherished tradition. Her special touch

reaches all generations, as she has

marked the lives of tens of thousands

of people over the years.

Ms. Eck has an unfaltering commit-

ment to promoting literacy and edu-

cational opportunities for our local

youth, and her efforts have made an in-

delible impact in our communities.

As a former English teacher, I under-

stand the importance of developing a

love for reading in students and value

the efforts of those like Ms. Eck to fos-

ter that passion through her creative

and innovative storytelling abilities.

Therefore, on behalf of the United

States House of Representatives, I am

pleased to join the Roseville commu-

nity in celebrating and recognizing Ms.

Lisa Eck for her four decades of leader-

ship as a librarian and her continued

commitment to inspiring children and

adults alike with a desire for knowl-

edge and learning.

CELEBRATING VIRGINIA LAKES RESORT 100TH

ANNIVERSARY

Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I am taking

a moment to recognize the centennial

anniversary of a special business in my

district, the Virginia Lakes Resort in

the heart of the High Sierra, located in

Mono County, California.

In 1923, Walter Foster and Charles

Foster signed an agreement with the

Forestry Department to build a fish

camp at Virginia Lakes. After the first

year of operation, Walter Foster and

his wife, Anita, became the sole owners

and operated the business for 30 years.

They quickly found success, as with-

in the first 5 years of the business they

built several cabins that housed guests

such as Hollywood stars Fred

MacMurray, Betty White, and Lon Che-

ney. They are also known for hosting

the 1938 USC football team for training

before the team went on to win a na-

tional championship.

The resort had a few different own-

ers, such as the Coopers and Bill New-

man, before the current owners, John

and Carolyn Webb, began their journey

in 1974. The Webbs will celebrate their

50-year anniversary as owners next

year and are well known by others for

their commitment to community en-

gagement and dedication to providing

an exceptional experience for their

visitors.

Today, the Virginia Lakes Resort of-

fers key amenities such as rental cab-

ins, boat rentals, tackle shop, and a

cafe. Visitors enjoy the stunning sce-

nery of the Sierra Nevadas while par-

ticipating in a variety of recreational

activities at the resort, such as camp-

ing, fishing, and hiking.

Therefore, on behalf of the United

States House of Representatives, I am

honored to recognize the Virginia

Lakes Resort for their 100-year anni-

versary and commend them for their

significant contributions throughout

the years to their community and the

local economy.

THANKING JAIME ROBLES

Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I recognize

an exemplary individual who interned

in my district office this summer.

Jaime Robles ensured that people’s

voices were heard, by taking down

their concerns and sharing them with

me. He even helped people renew their

passport and access the services and

benefits they are entitled to receive

from the Federal Government.

Jaime is a recent graduate of Sierra

College in Rocklin and will be attend-

ing UC Berkeley in the spring to major

in economics. He served as vice presi-

dent and student senator of the Sierra

College Student Senate, vice president

of student engagement for the social

science club, and is a Phi Theta Kappa

honor society member. Jaime is also

bilingual, and I have repeatedly been

impressed with his ability to utilize

that skill and serve our Spanish-speak-

ing constituents.

Mr. Speaker, Jaime has been a pleas-

ure to have in my office and, like all

our interns, has been a tremendous

help to me and my team in serving the

people of the Third Congressional Dis-

trict of California. I am incredibly

grateful that he chose to invest his

time and talents with us.

On behalf of the United States House

of Representatives, I thank Jaime for

his commitment to public service.

CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF

NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR

MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Chair recognizes the gentleman from

Virginia (Mr. C

LINE

) for 5 minutes.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, once again,

the members of the far left are dis-

regarding this document, the United

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4390 September 19, 2023

States Constitution, in order to under-

mine Americans’ right to keep and

bear arms.

Just a few weeks ago, New Mexico

Governor Lujan Grisham issued an ex-

ecutive order suspending the right to

carry firearms in public across Albu-

querque and Bernalillo Counties for at

least 30 days and fining those who don’t

comply.

This political power grab is a blatant

attack on the Second Amendment and

should infuriate every American. It

sets a dangerous precedent for the

rights of law-abiding Americans and

threatens the very freedoms we hold so

dear. We cannot allow it to go ignored.

That is why I urge my colleagues to

join me in support of the resolution

condemning the actions of Governor

Lujan Grisham for attempting to de-

prive the citizens of New Mexico of

their right to bear arms.

The people of this great country un-

derstand that the House Republican

majority will always fight for their

Second Amendment rights and uphold

the Constitution.

CONGRATULATING THE CLARKE COUNTY HIGH

SCHOOL WOMEN

’

S SOCCER TEAM

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to

recognize the Clarke County High

School women’s soccer team for win-

ning the Class 2 State title, the pro-

gram’s second State championship in 3

years.

After working hard all season, the

Eagles left it all on the field and de-

feated the Central of Wise County War-

riors by a score of 7–0.

These talented student athletes in-

clude Avery and Sidney Shinabery,

Danyelle Franz, Makenna Jarvis,

Kelsey Elrod, Ivana Betancourth,

Heather Cartagena, Bailey Mayo,

Olivia Morise, Summer and Madison

Toone, Audrey Price, Campbell

Neiman, Morgan Walker, Ella

O’Donnell, Lilly Suling, Tatiana Gar-

cia, Kyleigh Goforth, Leah Mitchell,

Krysna Miranda, and Noelle Whalen.

Throughout the final game, the team

overcame challenges, displayed supe-

rior skill, and dominated possession of

the ball.

This was Coach Ray Hawkins’ first

year as head coach; and under his lead-

ership, the coaches, players, and staff

built up their confidence to achieve

their goals, and they did just that.

Congratulations, again, to the Clarke

County High School women’s soccer

team on this incredible achievement.

RECOGNIZING MARTHA

’

S MEALS ON WHEELS

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to

recognize Martha’s Meals on Wheels in

Staunton, Virginia, for 50 years of serv-

ice to our local community.

In 1973, Minister Jo Lotz of the Em-

manuel Episcopal Church and Martha

Wilkerson began preparing meals in

the church for those in need for Staun-

ton residents, and their efforts eventu-

ally became Martha’s Meals on Wheels.

Five decades later, Martha’s Meals

on Wheels has gone from serving 20

people 5 days a week to now 30 to 35

people per day within the city limits

with the help of Armstrong’s Res-

taurant in Verona, which has been pre-

paring the meals for 20 years.

In 2019, the program fed 4,900 people,

and last year fed 7,700 people. With 60

to 80 dedicated volunteers today, the

program is expected to feed 7,800 people

this year.

Martha’s Meals on Wheels’ longevity

stands as a testament to the civic spir-

it of the town and an example we

should all follow: to always lend a help-

ing hand to others.

I thank Martha’s Meals on Wheels

and the volunteers for their selfless

service and wish them many years of

success to come.

RECESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair

declares the House in recess until noon

today.

Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 43

minutes a.m.), the House stood in re-

cess.

b 1200

AFTER RECESS

The recess having expired, the House

was called to order by the Speaker at

noon.

PRAYER

The Chaplain, the Reverend Margaret

Grun Kibben, offered the following

prayer:

Lord, on this day, grant us Your wis-

dom, for who is wise and understanding

among us? But Your wisdom is pure,

peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, and

full of mercy.

Enable us to show that in living a

good life, free of envy and ambition,

boastfulness or falsehood, all that we

do in the course of our day is born of

Your wisdom.

And in our discourse with one an-

other, teach us to show love. May we

harbor no hate in our hearts. May we

not reprove our neighbor, lest we our-

selves be found wanting. May we not

take vengeance or bear a grudge, but

instead, love our neighbor as we love

ourselves.

In fact, may the love we first re-

ceived from You abound more and

more. Remind us that You call us to

offer this love to one another in knowl-

edge and discernment so that we may

perceive what is best in our service to

You and to this country.

May You be glorified as we offer this

day and our prayers to You.

Amen.

THE JOURNAL

The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam-

ined the Journal of the last day’s pro-

ceedings and announces to the House

the approval thereof.

Pursuant to clause 1 of rule I, the

Journal stands approved.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman

from Massachusetts (Mr. M

OVERN

)

come forward and lead the House in the

Pledge of Allegiance.

Mr. M

GOVERN led the Pledge of Al-

legiance as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the

United States of America, and to the Repub-

lic for which it stands, one nation under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER

The SPEAKER. The Chair will enter-

tain up to 15 requests for 1-minute

speeches on each side of the aisle.

DICTATORS OR DEMOCRACIES

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

asked and was given permission to ad-

dress the House for 1 minute and to re-

vise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr.

Speaker, sadly, the world is in a con-

flict we did not choose, between dic-

tators with rule of gun opposing de-

mocracies with rule of law.

War criminal Putin began the cur-

rent murderous conflict invading

Ukraine in February 2022, shocked to

find that the Ukrainians courageously

resisted. President Donald Trump pro-

vided Javelin missiles and tried to

deter Putin with troops in Poland.

Today, the West is united, with Swe-

den and Finland joining NATO, as the

European Union surpasses American

aid for Ukraine. Simultaneously, the

Chinese Communist Party denies Tai-

wan’s existence and the regime in

Tehran continues nuclear missile de-

velopment to achieve death to Israel,

death to America.

Fellow dictators clearly see the con-

flict as dictator or democracy as North

Korean Kim Jong-un joins Putin. Sup-

porters of democracy must remain

united as there is no third side to

achieve peace through strength. The

choice is clear: Dictators or democ-

racy.

In conclusion, God bless our troops

who successfully protected America for

20 years as the global war on terrorism

continues, moving from the Afghani-

stan safe haven to America with

Biden’s open borders.

ELEVEN DAYS AWAY FROM A

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

(Mr. M

GOVERN asked and was

given permission to address the House

for 1 minute and to revise and extend

his remarks.)

Mr. M

GOVERN. Mr. Speaker, we are

11 days—11 days—away from a govern-

ment shutdown and the rightwing of

the Republican Party is busy fighting

with the far rightwing. The sham plan

Republicans have cobbled together this

week gets us nowhere closer to funding

the government. It goes back on the bi-

partisan deal struck earlier this year

and is dead on arrival in the Senate,

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4391 September 19, 2023

and it shows where Republican prior-

ities are.

By imposing draconian cuts on do-

mestic programs, their sham CR means

massive cuts to programs for people

living in poverty and everything from

housing support to heating assistance

to WIC benefits.

Make no mistake: If we don’t reject

these cuts and if we don’t fully fund

the Biden administration’s $1.4 billion

supplemental WIC request, eligible

low-income people, primarily toddlers,

preschoolers, and postpartum moms

could be turned away from food. I can’t

for the life of me think of a more rot-

ten thing to do.

Pregnant moms and their young fam-

ilies are counting on you, so let’s drop

the theatrics, come together, fully fund

WIC, and work toward ending hunger

now.

RECOGNIZING KAREN L. KRISCH

(Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

asked and was given permission to ad-

dress the House for 1 minute and to re-

vise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize

Karen L. Krisch of Centre County for

being named the 2023 National Distin-

guished Principal of the Year.

An educator for 29 years, Principal

Krisch has served in her current role as

principal at Marion-Walker Elemen-

tary School in the Bellefonte Area

School District since 2017. Previously,

she was principal at Bellefonte Area

Elementary School, principal and vice

principal at the Bellefonte Area Middle

School, and an assistant administrator

for the Bald Eagle Area School Dis-

trict. She also taught vocational edu-

cation at the secondary level for 6

years, specifically to high-poverty stu-

dents.

Principal Krisch encourages the staff

and teachers at her school to expand

opportunities for students resulting in

excellent representation at the annual

reading competition, participation in

Bellefonte READS, and raising nearly

$10,000 per year for the Four Diamond

Fund through the school’s minithon.

Outside of the classroom, Karen par-

ticipates in a polar plunge each year to

raise funds for the YMCA antihunger

program and she is a Pennsylvania

Master Naturalist volunteering fre-

quently for conservation and State

park programs.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Principal

Krisch on this tremendous achieve-

ment.

FIGHTING FOR OUR VETERANS’

HEALTHCARE

(Mr. HARDER of California asked

and was given permission to address

the House for 1 minute and to revise

and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr.

Speaker, I stand here today beyond

frustrated by the crisis in veterans’

healthcare in my community. Right

now, we have just four physicians and

only two mental health clinicians try-

ing to provide care for over 27,000 vet-

erans in San Joaquin County.

Veterans are waiting up to 90 days to

even speak to a doctor or get some-

thing as simple as a prescription re-

filled. That is the longest wait time in

the State of California and, frankly, it

is a disgrace. One of our veterans re-

cently had to have his leg amputated

because he couldn’t see a doctor to get

his diabetes medication refilled. That

is unacceptable.

I know our local VA staff are doing

everything they can, but right now we

need Secretary McDonough to step in

and help. We need more doctors, and we

need them now. I have petitions right

here in my hand from veterans across

our community begging for a response

and an action plan from the Secretary

and the VA. We need answers.

These brave men and women fought

and sacrificed for our country, the last

thing they need to do is fight for their

healthcare right now. It is time to fix

this.

STILLBIRTH PREVENTION

(Mrs. HINSON asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend her re-

marks.)

Mrs. HINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today in support of my bipartisan bill

to recognize today as National Still-

birth Prevention Day. There are 21,000

babies stillborn in the U.S. each year,

and the way I see it, that is 21,000 too

many.

One in four stillbirths are prevent-

able. Every baby lost to stillbirth is a

heartbreak that we can prevent, but

amidst this grief, there is hope. I am

humbled to be joined today by women

who have endured stillbirths. These

women are some of the strongest peo-

ple I have ever met. Out of their pain,

they have found a purpose: preventing

stillbirth and ensuring expecting moms

have healthy pregnancies and healthy

babies.

The stillbirth rate in the U.S. is un-

acceptably high. By leveraging Federal

resources for evidence-based care, re-

search, and education, we will save

lives and save babies. We can and we

must do more for moms and their ba-

bies, and together we can end the trag-

edy of stillbirth.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

(Ms. SALINAS asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend her re-

marks.)

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, as a

proud Latina and the daughter of a

Mexican immigrant, I rise in honor of

Hispanic Heritage Month.

September 15 kicked off a month of

recognition, celebration, and reflec-

tion. We recognize the struggles and

contributions of our community. We

celebrate our ancestry and rich cul-

tures, and we reflect on the sacrifices

Latinos have made throughout history.

Oregon’s Sixth District is home to a

thriving Latino community. Each year,

more Latinos are starting businesses,

raising families, and putting down

roots in our State, however, as our

community grows, so does our need for

representation. I am honored to be one

of the first Latinas to represent Oregon

in Congress, but that is just the start.

We must break down barriers and

hold the doors of opportunity open for

future generations of Latino leaders

because we deserve to have our voices

heard wherever decisions are made—

not just today, not just this month, but

every single day of the year.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER

PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.

ARLAIS

). The Chair will remind all

persons in the gallery that they are

here as guests of the House, and that

any manifestation of approval or dis-

approval of proceedings or other audi-

ble conversation is in violation of the

rules of the House.

WE MUST END THE DISASTROUS

BORDER POLICIES

(Mr. MOORE of Alabama asked and

was given permission to address the

House for 1 minute and to revise and

extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Mr. Speak-

er, last weekend more than 20,000 ille-

gal immigrants crossed the U.S. south-

ern border. President Biden’s only solu-

tion to historically massive border

numbers is to warn migrants not to

come and to claim our border is secure.

Meanwhile, the cities that migrants

end up in are forced to figure out where

to house them and how to care for

them, and the American taxpayer is

footing that bill.

So far this year, over $200 million of

Chicago’s $500 million budget deficit

has gone to migrant care costs.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams,

recently warned citizens that the cost

of migrant care could mean cuts to

city services due to a financial tsu-

nami.

The Governor of Massachusetts has

declared a state of emergency due to

the onslaught.

Leaders in sanctuary cities might

have asked for this crisis by offering

themselves up, but the American peo-

ple did not. The United States is nearly

$33 trillion in debt. Bidenomics has

caused a 17 percent inflation on the

American people, and 70 percent of

them are now saying they are feeling

financially stressed, but Biden still

seems to think that taxpayers have

millions to spend.

Let me say this to the administra-

tion: You can either close our border or

we will close the government.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4392 September 19, 2023

HONORING DR. NICHOLAS F.

ROBERTS, SR.

(Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina asked

and was given permission to address

the House for 1 minute and to revise

and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina. Mr.

Speaker, today I rise to honor an ex-

traordinary individual whose legacy

has left an unforgettable mark on east-

ern North Carolina and the Nation—Dr.

Nicholas F. Roberts, Sr.

Recently, we unveiled a historical

marker, a testament to the remarkable

life of Dr. Roberts, a man of significant

influence. Dr. Roberts, a Shaw Univer-

sity alumnus, pastor, editor, and public

servant, hailed from the town of Sea-

board in Northampton County, North

Carolina.

His dedication to education, faith,

and community service set a standard

that still inspires us today. I am glad

to add that Dr. Roberts is also the

great-grandfather of my esteemed col-

league, the gentleman from Virginia,

Representative B

OBBY

COTT

As we commemorate Dr. Roberts, let

us reflect on the tremendous impact

one individual can have on the commu-

nity and a nation. His contributions

are a guiding light, reminding us that

our community is only as strong as its

people and our future is shaped by

those who came before us.

ILLINOIS HISTORY MADE AS IT

ELIMINATES CASH BAIL

(Mrs. RAMIREZ asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend her re-

marks.)

Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today as the proud Representative of a

congressional district in Illinois, a

State committed to progress, justice,

safety, and human rights.

Yesterday, Illinois made history as

the first State in the Nation to elimi-

nate cash bail, a standard used to pun-

ish poverty instead of upholding jus-

tice. A standard that kept those with-

out means, especially Black and Brown

Illinoisans, in jail for months as they

awaited trial, while letting slip those

who could afford bail independent of

the crime that they were accused of.

Some may say we are reforming our

criminal justice system, but we are

doing more than that. I especially

thank Senator Robert Peters, who led

the effort in the Illinois General As-

sembly. We, unlike other States, are

creating a justice system that protects

the victims, ensures equal due process

for everyone independent of their

means. The Pretrial Fairness Act is a

historic win for civil rights advocates

across our Nation, and it is time Con-

gress followed Illinois’ lead toward

progress.

b 1215

COMMUNICATION FROM THE HON-

ORABLE PRAMILA JAYAPAL,

MEMBER OF CONGRESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be-

fore the House the following commu-

nication from the Honorable P

RAMILA

AYAPAL

, Member of Congress:

ONGRESS OF THE

NITED

TATES

OUSE OF

EPRESENTATIVES

Washington, DC, September 19, 2023.

Hon. K

EVIN

ARTHY

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

EAR

ISTER

PEAKER

: This is to notify

you formally, pursuant to Rule VIII of the

Rules of the House of Representatives, that

I, the Honorable Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Rep-

resentative for the 7th Congressional Dis-

trict of Washington, have been served with a

third-party subpoena to produce documents

in the United States District Court for the

Southern District of Georgia.

After consultation with the Office of Gen-

eral Counsel, I have determined that only

partial compliance with the subpoena is con-

sistent with the privileges and rights of the

House.

Sincerely,

RAMILA

AYAPAL

Member of Congress.

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION

OF H.R. 1435, PRESERVING

CHOICE IN VEHICLE PURCHASES

ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDER-

ATION OF H.R. 4365, DEPART-

MENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIA-

TIONS ACT, 2024

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, by direction

of the Committee on Rules, I call up

House Resolution 680 and ask for its

immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the resolution, as fol-

lows:

H. R

. 680

Resolved, That upon adoption of this reso-

lution it shall be in order to consider in the

House the bill (H.R. 1435) to amend the Clean

Air Act to prevent the elimination of the

sale of internal combustion engines. All

points of order against consideration of the

bill are waived. The bill shall be considered

as read. All points of order against provi-

sions in the bill are waived. The previous

question shall be considered as ordered on

the bill and on any amendment thereto to

final passage without intervening motion ex-

cept: (1) one hour of debate equally divided

and controlled by the chair and ranking mi-

nority member of the Committee on Energy

and Commerce or their respective designees;

and (2) one motion to recommit.

. 2. At any time after adoption of this

resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to

clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House

resolved into the Committee of the Whole

House on the state of the Union for consider-

ation of the bill (H.R. 4365) making appro-

priations for the Department of Defense for

the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes. The first reading of the

bill shall be dispensed with. All points of

order against consideration of the bill are

waived. General debate shall be confined to

the bill and shall not exceed one hour equal-

ly divided and controlled by the chair and

ranking minority member of the Committee

on Appropriations or their respective des-

ignees. After general debate the bill shall be

considered for amendment under the five-

minute rule. The bill shall be considered as

read. All points of order against provisions

in the bill are waived.

. 3. (a) No amendment to the bill shall

be in order except those printed in the report

of the Committee on Rules accompanying

this resolution, amendments en bloc de-

scribed in section 4 of this resolution, and

pro forma amendments described in section 5

of this resolution.

(b) Each amendment printed in the report

of the Committee on Rules shall be consid-

ered only in the order printed in the report,

may be offered only by a Member designated

in the report, shall be considered as read,

shall be debatable for the time specified in

the report equally divided and controlled by

the proponent and an opponent, shall not be

subject to amendment except as provided by

section 5 of this resolution, and shall not be

subject to a demand for division of the ques-

tion in the House or in the Committee of the

Whole.

printed in the report of the Committee on

Rules or against amendments en bloc de-

scribed in section 4 of this resolution are

waived.

. 4. It shall be in order at any time for

the chair of the Committee on Appropria-

tions or her designee to offer amendments en

bloc consisting of amendments printed in the

report of the Committee on Rules accom-

panying this resolution not earlier disposed

of. Amendments en bloc offered pursuant to

this section shall be considered as read, shall

be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided

and controlled by the chair and ranking mi-

nority member of the Committee on Appro-

priations or their respective designees, shall

not be subject to amendment except as pro-

vided by section 5 of this resolution, and

shall not be subject to a demand for division

of the question in the House or in the Com-

mittee of the Whole.

. 5. During consideration of the bill for

amendment, the chair and ranking minority

member of the Committee on Appropriations

or their respective designees may offer up to

10 pro forma amendments each at any point

for the purpose of debate.

. 6. At the conclusion of consideration

of the bill for amendment the Committee

shall rise and report the bill to the House

with such amendments as may have been

adopted. The previous question shall be con-

sidered as ordered on the bill and amend-

ments thereto to final passage without inter-

vening motion except one motion to recom-

mit.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen-

tleman from Oklahoma is recognized

for 1 hour.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, for the pur-

pose of debate only, I yield the cus-

tomary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman

from New Mexico (Ms. L

EGER

ERNANDEZ

), my very good friend,

pending which I yield myself such time

as I may consume. During consider-

ation of this resolution, all time yield-

ed is for the purpose of debate only.

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani-

mous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days in which to re-

vise and extend their remarks on House

Resolution 680.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there

objection to the request of the gen-

tleman from Oklahoma?

There was no objection.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, last week the Rules

Committee met and reported out a

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4393 September 19, 2023

rule, House Resolution 680, consider-

ation of H.R. 4365, the Department of

Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal

year 2024, under a structured rule.

It provides 1 hour of general debate

equally divided and controlled by the

chair and ranking member of the Com-

mittee on Appropriations or their des-

ignees. It also makes in order 184

amendments; more than 75 percent of

those eligible for consideration. Fi-

nally, it provides for a motion to re-

commit.

I rise today in support of the rule and

the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, our democracy remains

a beacon of hope to the entire world.

Billions of people across the globe look

to the United States as a leader in free-

dom and liberty and as a protector of

peace. From the very moment our Na-

tion was conceived, a strong national

defense has been a differentiator of de-

mocracy. Essential to protecting the

homeland, international order, and the

American people from those who would

seek to do us harm, we must never lose

sight of the need to maintain a strong

defense.

Although our men and women in uni-

form give of themselves every day,

they cannot do their jobs unless Con-

gress does its job. Only Congress can

provide the funding our military needs

to fulfill its duties. That is our respon-

sibility. Today we move forward with

that commitment as we take up H.R.

4365, the Department of Defense Appro-

priations Act for fiscal year 2024. We

must do our duty and make sure that

our brave military members can move

forward with theirs.

With evolving threats, we continue

to face a struggle seen throughout

time. The contest between freedom and

tyranny is not far from us. From Vladi-

mir Putin’s unjust and illegal invasion

of Ukraine, to China’s posturing in the

South China Sea, to continued threats

posed by extremists and terrorists, hos-

tile actors are looking for weakness.

Yet, America’s Armed Forces remain

ready to meet any challenge wherever

it may arise. Continuing to meet those

threats requires an appropriate invest-

ment of national resources. With to-

day’s measure, we fulfill that commit-

ment and ensure that our Armed

Forces will have the resources they

need to meet any foe anywhere in the

world at any time.

The bill before us provides full fund-

ing for the national defense. It appro-

priates $826 billion in new discre-

tionary spending, which is a modest in-

crease of $300 million over the Presi-

dent’s budget request and nearly $29

billion, or 3.6 percent, over the fiscal

year 2023 enacted level.

H.R. 4365 makes targeted invest-

ments that support critical priorities.

Perhaps the most important of these

priorities is to reinvest in our service-

men and -women. The bill provides a

5.2 percent pay raise for our service-

members. For junior enlisted service-

members, we provide an historic pay

increase of an average of 30 percent, en-

suring that we not only offset the ef-

fects of President Biden’s inflationary

crisis for these younger and most jun-

ior servicemembers, but also ensuring

that we can retain servicemembers who

are at the beginning of their military

careers.

I would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, not

to give credit to the gentleman from

California (Mr. M

IKE

ARCIA

), my good

friend and fellow defense appropriator,

for this particular measure, both in the

appropriations bill and, frankly, in the

NDAA, as well. His work on behalf of

younger servicepeople has been exem-

plary, relentless, and effective.

The bill also makes continued and

necessary investments to ensure that

we will continue to have the best

equipped and best-trained fighting

force now and into the future. We fund

continued expansion of the Navy, mak-

ing sure that we will be able to con-

tinue to protect freedom of the seas

around the globe and fund development

and acquisition of next-generation

weapons systems.

However, it doesn’t stop there, Mr.

Speaker. H.R. 4365 also ensures that

the Biden administration cannot con-

tinue to put politics ahead of national

security. It preserves existing and

longstanding bipartisan bans on tax-

payer funding for abortions. It also en-

sures that Federal dollars cannot be

used to indoctrinate our troops with

progressive ideology like critical race

theory training, and instead ensures

that the Pentagon’s focus is where it

should be: on military readiness and

preparedness so that our warfighters

can defeat aggression and defend free-

dom anywhere in the world.

All in all, there is much to like in to-

day’s bill, Mr. Speaker. I look forward

to advancing this measure through a

robust amendment process on the floor

and onward to final passage. I urge

Members to support both the rule and

the underlying legislation, and I re-

serve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I thank Chair C

OLE

for the

dignity and respect that he shows each

of his colleagues on the Rules Com-

mittee. It is a great honor to be debat-

ing this rule with him this afternoon.

I must, however, rise in opposition to

the rule because we only have six legis-

lative days left to fund the govern-

ment, and we are considering only one

of the eleven bills that we must pass to

fully fund our Federal Government.

I completely agree with our chair

that our country is a beacon of hope

and that we must, indeed, fund our

military in the way that they need in

order to continue to provide that bea-

con of hope and that strength that we

must communicate both to our allies

and those who would do us harm.

Indeed, America is facing significant

security threats from a rampaging

Russia, the Chinese Communist Party,

and a soon-to-be nuclear North Korea.

Instead of uniting us, however, against

those very real threats, extreme MAGA

Republicans are putting Americans at

war with each other with this divisive

Defense appropriations bill.

Extreme MAGA Republicans are

weakening our military readiness. In

the Senate, Republicans are refusing to

allow votes on flag officers, so we don’t

have the generals, admirals, and top

military officers we need to lead our

troops. Here in the House, instead of

passing what should be and has histori-

cally been a bipartisan Defense appro-

priations bill, extreme Republicans are

inserting the kitchen sink of culture

war issues that we have seen too often.

Indeed, when we talk about women,

this bill is another step in their march

toward a national abortion ban. If this

bill is enacted, a servicewoman in a

State with a total abortion ban that

doesn’t have exceptions for rape would

not be able to take leave and get help

to travel to a place like New Mexico

where a woman’s right to receive the

full access to reproductive healthcare

is honored. Fourteen States have a

total ban on abortion. In each of those

14 States, we will find servicewomen

who are honorably serving our Nation.

In addition, this bill sets up minori-

ties and our servicemembers who are

gay, lesbian, and all individuals of the

LGBTQ community to harassment.

At a moment when we know that

some of our bases are under threat

from climate change, this bill cuts $714

million from climate resiliency pro-

grams. I have been to our bases in the

Pacific islands, and I recognize that we

must have climate resilience if we

don’t want our bases to be under water.

By giving up on preparing for climate

resiliency, we are giving up a strategic

military advantage that we should

take advantage of.

b 1230

Instead of focusing on how we can

improve recruitment from our diverse

communities in America when we are

failing to meet our recruitment goals,

this appropriation prohibits funding for

diversity, equity, inclusion, and acces-

sibility.

We know that people of color answer

the call to service at disproportion-

ately higher rates, and those numbers

are not reflected in military leader-

ship. This bill tells my Latino and Na-

tive American communities they are

not valued.

Congressman N

EGUSE

asked the De-

fense Subcommittee chair why he

would cut funding for the chief diver-

sity officer, a position that he had

voted to create. The chair responded

that it was the best way to get atten-

tion.

That is how we legislate now, to get

attention?

Last week, in the Rules Committee,

we tried to remedy some of these awful

and unnecessary riders. Republicans

voted our amendments down.

All of these divisive riders harm our

military readiness and hurt our serv-

icemembers, servicemembers who put

their lives on the line to protect us. It

is never enough to just thank our serv-

icemembers for their service. We need

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to provide them with the benefits,

quality of life, and respect that all of

them deserve.

These extreme provisions are a trend

this year, however. Perhaps that is the

reason we have passed only one appro-

priations bill under Republican leader-

ship in the House this year.

This Defense appropriations bill is

the only one that we appear to be con-

sidering today. We are not considering

a short-term funding package to ensure

our government doesn’t shut down. We

are not considering something to cover

all the appropriations bills.

Today, we are considering the De-

fense appropriations bill, and it should

be focused solely on national security.

It should be about making sure our Na-

tion has the best and brightest force. It

should be about serving all the individ-

uals who protect us.

We should be unified in making sure

our servicemembers have the resources

they need and the respect they deserve.

Instead, this bill attacks access to re-

productive healthcare for our service-

women and their families. It devalues

the minorities, the Latinos, Black

Americans, Native Americans, who

serve and are looking for us to help

them address the racism that still ex-

ists, unfortunately.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to

oppose this rule, and I reserve the bal-

ance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I begin by returning my

deep respect, my deep regards, to my

good friend from New Mexico. It has

been a delight to have her on the Rules

Committee, and we have found a lot of

common ground working on Native

American issues, where, frankly, she is

an acknowledged national expert. I

look forward to a long and good rela-

tionship with my friend.

When it comes to this rule and bill,

obviously, we have disagreements. Let

me talk first about the point my friend

makes about timing and how many

bills have gotten done and where we

are in the process. There is actually a

great deal that I agree with her on.

Sadly, we ought to also remember

the Democratic Congress of last year

didn’t finish the appropriations process

until December. If you looked at it the

year before, it didn’t finish until March

the next year, after the end of the fis-

cal year. Being late around here is not

new for either party, but our friends

set the standard last time, I think. We

will see how we end up.

My friend made a comment that we

had only done one bill. I will say that

is one more than the Democratic

United States Senators managed to do.

The reality is the Senate didn’t

produce, under Democratic control,

any bills for the last 2 years—none out

of subcommittee, none out of full com-

mittee, none across the floor.

We are dealing with a very difficult

body on the other side of the rotunda.

These timing issues, hopefully, we can

all get better at this and work to-

gether. I actually think we have some-

thing this year in the debt ceiling

agreement that will be helpful in that

regard.

The reality is if we don’t get our

work done by January 1, which is about

the time Democrats got their work

done last year, we will have a yearlong

CR with a 1 percent across-the-board

cut.

I don’t know any appropriator on ei-

ther side of the aisle who wants to see

that happen. I don’t think most people

who care deeply about the defense of

the United States do. We have some

forcing mechanisms in place. Hope-

fully, we will continue to make some

better progress there.

In terms of my friend’s point about

divisive social policy, I will point out

where this started. It is the executive

branch that made decisions to do

things much differently than we have

done before, and usually with no con-

sultation with the Congress of the

United States.

Most of the things my friend dis-

agrees with we consider corrective of

executive overreach, including viola-

tion of the Hyde amendment, which is

essentially, in my view, what the De-

partment of Defense has decided on its

own to do without discussion or con-

sultation with the Congress of the

United States. That is unfortunate.

That is something, hopefully, we can

work through and resolve in the

months ahead.

I will also say that we are just very

different in terms of where we think

the focus ought to be. This bill focuses

on weapons acquisition, training, and

readiness. We live in a very dangerous

world. We think there is a big dif-

ference, for instance, between climate

resilience and actively pushing climate

change legislation, which we believe

the original administration budget

does.

We want to refocus on the things

that we think matter. We are not going

to beat our adversaries if, God forbid,

we find ourselves in a contest with any

of them and our forces aren’t well

trained, aren’t well armed, and aren’t

well prepared for the challenges they

are going to face. That should be the

main focus of the Department of De-

fense. We think the administration has

lost its focus. We see this bill as a use-

ful corrective.

Finally, I point out to my friends on

both sides of the aisle that, quite

frankly, whatever we pass, we are

going to sit down and negotiate with

the United States Senate and with the

President of the United States. As my

friends know, the Democrats control

the United States Senate, and we have

a Democrat as the President of the

United States. Wherever we end up, it

is going to be a process of give-and-

take and discussion, but it is impor-

tant that the House have an opening

position.

The last point to make on this is if

we get this bill across the floor—and I

do say ‘‘if’’ because there is some con-

troversy about whether or not we will

make it, even on our own side. Even

though nobody disagrees with the rule

or disagrees with the bill, they have

other points sometimes they want to

make. Sadly, it shouldn’t be with this

bill. However, my friends never got the

Defense bill across the floor by them-

selves when they were in the majority.

There were too many divisions and

splits within their Caucus to even

bring it to the floor.

If we manage to get this bill across

the floor, we will actually, in that sin-

gle action, have moved across the floor

a larger percentage of the discre-

tionary budget of the United States

than my friends were ever able to do

when they were in the majority.

It is a complex bill, over half of the

discretionary spending of the United

States. There are lots of barriers and

flash points where we disagree, but it is

important that we continue the dia-

logue and the motion forward.

I think we have the opportunity, in

passing the rule and the underlying

legislation, to do that today, and I urge

my colleagues on both sides of the aisle

to vote accordingly.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of

my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I

may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am also thinking

about last week’s committee hearing

and this discussion about the history of

where we were with regard to the ap-

propriations process. I think there is a

very different mood this year than we

had in the last cycle, and that is the

fact that Democrats have never called

to shut it down. That is exactly what

we are hearing from Republicans on

the other side of the aisle.

We never took that position. We were

always trying to work it out, not shut

it down. Even though we might not

have passed all the bills by September

30, we were working across the aisle

with our colleagues, working with the

Senate on the other side, so we never

had a shutdown. What we had was con-

stant movement toward an agreement.

Indeed, the passed appropriations

bills passed with overwhelming bipar-

tisan support, both in the Senate and

the House. We had hundreds of Repub-

licans voting with the Democrats to

pass the last appropriations bills.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the

gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.

OVERN

), the ranking member of the

Committee on Rules and my good

friend, who I hold in high regard.

Mr. M

GOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I

thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a bi-

partisan amendment that is made in

order and will be offered by Represent-

atives G

AETZ

and J

ACOBS

to prohibit

the transfer of cluster munitions.

Since 2009, the United States has re-

fused to use, produce, transfer, or sell

cluster munitions. As a Nation, we

could take pride in this decision.

Cluster munitions are indiscriminate

weapons. They explode when touched

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4395 September 19, 2023

by a soldier, a farmer, or a child. They

contaminate an entire field of combat,

and they remain a deadly threat long

past the end of a conflict. Rain and

other events can move them from

where they first landed to who knows

where.

Yet, the Biden administration re-

cently chose to send cluster munitions

to Ukraine. I condemn Russia’s use of

cluster munitions on Ukraine, but two

evils do not add up to a greater good.

The United States should not have pro-

vided cluster munitions to Ukraine,

and this amendment is necessary to en-

sure such a transfer does not happen

again.

I also support this amendment be-

cause it is not specific to Ukraine. Now

that the United States has opened the

door to using cluster munitions, we

have no idea where else the U.S. might

decide to send them.

An international treaty exists to ban

cluster munitions. Mr. Speaker, 112

countries have ratified the Convention

on Cluster Munitions since May 2008,

and 12 more have signed. Nigeria rati-

fied the convention on February 28, and

South Sudan did so on August 3.

The United States and Russia are not

parties to the treaty, and now each of

us has brought these terrible weapons

into play inside Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that can

undermine the ban on cluster muni-

tions is the willingness of governments

to use or transfer these terrible, indis-

criminate weapons.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to

support the Gaetz-Jacobs amendment

and prohibit the United States from

any further transfers of cluster muni-

tions.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I both agree and dis-

agree with my friend from New Mexico

about shutting down the government. I

personally could not agree more with

her. I think it is a dumb thing to do. I

think it is a dangerous thing to do.

I have never favored shutting down

the government, and I have argued

against it. The tactic doesn’t work. I

think it won’t work this time. The

American people expect us to keep the

essential services of government going

while we negotiate and get to a final

solution.

I will correct my friend on one thing.

The Democrats have shut down the

government. Frankly, they shut it

down over DACA in 2017.

Now, I always hand the Democrats

this: When they shut it down or do

something stupid, they are pretty

quick to realize it, and they back off. I

think they shut it down on a Friday

and reopened it on a Monday, but they

did indeed shut it down.

It is simply an inappropriate tool in

the toolbox, in my opinion. I have seen

both sides use it. My side, sadly, has

used it more. I hope we don’t do it this

time.

Certainly, the great majority of our

Members and the Speaker do not want

to see a shutdown, and I think they

have made that apparent over and over

again.

I hadn’t particularly intended to

comment on the ranking member’s

amendment because I know how pas-

sionately my good friend feels about

this. I respect those feelings. Honestly,

I respect the feelings of all those who

hold that view.

I find myself in the unusual position

of agreeing with President Biden when

my good friend, the ranking member, is

disagreeing with him. It shows it is not

really a partisan issue. I think it is an

issue of judgment.

I have no doubt the President of the

United States agonized before making

this decision. It was clearly a decision

he did not want to make, but I think he

was compelled by two factors that

probably decided the case for him, al-

though I don’t presume to speak for

the President.

Number one, we ought to always re-

member the enemies of Ukraine, Rus-

sia, introduced these weapons on the

other side first and was using those

weapons indiscriminately.

Second, Ukraine is using these weap-

ons in defense of its own territory and

its own people in its own territory.

That is not what the Russians are

doing. They are aggressively, on the

other side, using these in another coun-

try.

Finally, again, just to be fair about

the President’s dilemma, we have used

an extraordinary amount of ammuni-

tion trying to support Ukraine. I think

we have some strains on our own

stockpiles, and I suspect that was part

of the decisionmaking. When you are in

a war, you are in it to win it.

Frankly, it was not the Ukrainians

or the Americans that introduced this

first. It was not the Ukrainians or the

Americans or the European allies, who

were there in vast numbers, that start-

ed this conflict. It is to the advantage

of all that it ends as quickly as it can.

The level of casualties on both sides is

horrific, but the person who bears re-

sponsibility is Vladimir Putin. Frank-

ly, the country that is the aggressor is

Russia, and I am not going to begrudge

the Ukrainians for getting what they

need.

As critical as I can sometimes be of

President Biden, I will certainly not

criticize him in this case because I

think, in this case, he reluctantly

made a tough decision, a decision he

probably didn’t want to make, but I

think he made it for the right reasons.

Therefore, I won’t be supporting my

friend’s amendment later on today.

b 1245

Although, again, I am glad we were

able to make it in order. I think it is

an important issue for us to discuss,

and I look forward to a very vigorous

debate on that later this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of

my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I

may consume.

As we just noted, the chair of the

committee has once again showed both

his dignity and respect to his col-

leagues.

I do want to point out that you are

right, I did forget about that 72-hour

shutdown because it was very brief,

and I agree with you, it is a stupid

thing to do. No, I am sorry, I think you

said it is a dumb thing to do, and it is

because it causes so much pain for the

people back home. They expect us to do

our job, and the primary thing we are

supposed to do is fund our government

because it is not just the really hard-

working employees who keep our air-

planes flying in the air, who make sure

that our food is inspected so we don’t

get sick, it is also the teachers in our

schools who receive Title I funding in

New Mexico.

So many of my schools receive Title

I funding. Those are the schools that

have the fewest resources, so the Fed-

eral Government helps them out to

make sure all our children, wherever

they live, can get a good education.

Those are the things that will be lost if

we shut down the Federal Government.

I point out that in contrast to the 72

hours, in 1995 under Republican leader-

ship, 21 days the government was shut

down; in 2013 the government was shut

down for 16 days; and then in 2018 they

shut it down for 35 days. This is a re-

frain we hear over and over again. It

happens under House Republican lead-

ership so often as we just saw.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the

gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. S

ALI

NAS

), a wonderful Member of our fresh-

man class this year.

Ms. SALINAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank

my good colleague from New Mexico

for her leadership and for yielding me

some time.

Mr. Speaker, each year, hundreds of

Oregonians die after overdosing on

fentanyl. This drug has torn commu-

nities apart, from Salem to Sheridan

and everywhere in between. It is not

just our State. It is all across the U.S.

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids

account for more than 85 percent of all

opioid-involved deaths in the U.S. This

is an issue that harms all of us, and I

think Members of both parties can

agree that stemming the flow of these

drugs into our communities is a bipar-

tisan imperative.

The appropriations process is one of

our best opportunities to deliver crit-

ical funding to the organizations and

agencies on the front lines of this

fentanyl fight.

Yet sadly, this process has been need-

lessly politicized by far-right politi-

cians who would rather notch political

victories than policy ones—and this

shameful Defense appropriations bill is

a prime example of that.

By attaching anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ and

anti-choice riders to this bill, extrem-

ists in this body have turned what

should be a straightforward funding

package into a political wedge issue.

That needless politicization is espe-

cially concerning, given that this piece

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of legislation contains critical funding

to stop the flow of fentanyl into our

country.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to let

politics stand in the way of our fight

against the fentanyl epidemic. As a

new Member of this esteemed body, I

did not come here for political games-

manship. We should all be prioritizing

people over partisanship.

This is an all-hands-on-deck emer-

gency, and I urge my colleagues to dis-

pense with their partisan antics and

focus on passing government funding

legislation that meets the moment and

delivers for all of our communities.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

Again, there are some areas where I

agree with my good friends and some

areas where I disagree. Nobody dis-

agrees on the importance of the

fentanyl crisis and the importance of

dealing in any way we can through

whatever means we have with those

who engage in trafficking that illegal

drug that has killed tens of thousands

of Americans.

Quite frankly, I suspect later this

week or next week we will give our

friends the opportunity to work with

us on homeland security measures that

will deal with just that.

I would point to, frankly, the abject

failure of the Biden administration to

defend the southern border. The green

light that has been put out there is a

huge cost for this massive influx of

drugs into our own country.

We passed H.R. 2 on this floor, Mr.

Speaker, to try and deal with that, and

we are going to provide our friends

with some opportunities where maybe

we can find some common ground. You

can be pro-immigration and pro-border

security at the same time. I think this

administration has had a hard time

doing that, and quite frankly, most of

the policies that it reversed—whether

it was building the wall or remain in

Mexico—from the last administration

were effective. You can tell by the

record numbers of illegal entries we

have, the record amount of trafficking

we have in drugs, and sadly, in human

beings across the border to know that

the Biden border policy, which my

friends have supported, has been a dis-

aster. It is one that, again, we hope

they not only recognize that disaster,

but will work with us to correct some

of those measures.

Again, I am going to agree with my

friend from New Mexico. I don’t believe

in shutting down the government. I

know we occasionally have some peo-

ple who believe that, although it is a

very small number, it can be a very in-

fluential number in a House that is

very narrowly divided.

We are going to provide some oppor-

tunities both to our own Members and

to our colleagues on the other side to

avoid that and to negotiate in good

faith, but again, I just reiterate a point

where I know my friend and I agree: It

is not an appropriate tool. It does not

work. I would hope that we can avoid

that.

We also need to sit down and work

together where we can, and there are a

lot of areas in this bill that we can

work on.

The last point I will make—my

friends talk about the conflicts that we

have in the Defense bill—remember, we

had a conflict in the last Congress

when my friends in the House tried to

unilaterally overturn the Hyde lan-

guage, a bipartisan agreement that

goes all the way back to 1975 or 1976, as

I recall, Mr. Speaker, and when that

was struck, there were less than 150 Re-

publicans in the House, so it was genu-

inely bipartisan. It wasn’t just some-

thing we crammed down.

My friends have changed their mind

over the issue of using Federal dollars

for abortion over the years. We have

not changed our position, and we were

able to beat that back even when we

were in the minority because, at the

end of the day, they couldn’t pass the

bills without Republican support.

I think the administration has tried

to go around Congress in this case and

use Federal dollars without congres-

sional consent to facilitate abortion,

other than in cases where we are talk-

ing about rape, incest, or the life of the

mother. We have no debate over the ap-

propriate use of Federal dollars in

those cases. We do in others. It doesn’t

mean people can’t travel; we just

shouldn’t be using Federal dollars in

this area. That is a longstanding prin-

ciple that I would argue the Biden ad-

ministration is trying to subvert.

By the way, it is a principle that

President Biden, until 2019 when he was

running for President, accepted

throughout his entire career. He was a

champion of that until 2019 when his

own party moved so far left he had to

change his longstanding position in

pursuit of the nomination.

Again, this is politics, people are al-

lowed to do what they want, but please

don’t chastise us for being consistent

with a position we assumed in 1975 and

have not changed. It is our friends who

have changed their mind on this issue,

and frankly, it is the administration

that tried to subvert the will and the

authority of Congress by moving

around it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of

my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I

may consume.

The concern that we have with the

bill with regards to a woman’s right to

be able to determine for herself in con-

versation with her own faith, her own

family, and her own doctors what kind

of reproductive healthcare she wants

access to is the fact that this bill

would prevent servicewomen and their

families from taking paid leave or

traveling to obtain an abortion or re-

lated services if those services are not

provided where she is assigned.

Remember, servicewomen don’t get

to choose where they live and where

they work. There have already been

multiple legal opinions that using paid

leave and traveling and getting assist-

ance to get to a State where you can

get medical care does not violate the

Hyde amendment.

Indeed, the Hyde amendment would

allow you to get that kind of care if

you were raped. Well, guess what? In 14

States if you were raped, you cannot

get that care. That would violate the

Hyde amendment in a sense when you

cannot get access to it.

Last week in the Rules Committee,

Representative M

OLLUM

told the

story of a woman in Texas who was

told by her doctor that she would not

perform a surgical procedure to remove

a dead fetus because of the State’s

abortion ban. That servicewoman did

not have the options she was entitled

to.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous con-

sent to enter into the R

ECORD

the 2023

New York Times article: ‘‘As Abortion

Laws Drive Obstetricians From Red

States, Maternity Care Suffers.’’

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there

objection to the request of the gentle-

woman from New Mexico?

There was no objection.

[From the New York Times, Sept. 6, 2023]

BORTION

AWS

RIVE

BSTETRICIANS

ROM

TATES

, M

ATERNITY

ARE

UFFERS

(By Sheryl Gay Stolberg)

One by one, doctors who handle high-risk

pregnancies are disappearing from Idaho—

part of a wave of obstetricians fleeing re-

strictive abortion laws and a hostile state

legislature. Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, a family

doctor who also delivers babies in the tiny

mountain town of McCall, is among those

left behind, facing a lonely and uncertain fu-

ture.

When caring for patients with pregnancy

complications, Dr. Gustafson seeks counsel

from maternal-fetal medicine specialists in

Boise, the state capital two hours away. But

two of the experts she relied on as backup

have packed up their young families and

moved away, one to Minnesota and the other

to Colorado.

All told, more than a dozen labor and de-

livery doctors—including five of Idaho’s nine

longtime maternal-fetal experts—will have

either left or retired by the end of this year.

Dr. Gustafson says the departures have made

a bad situation worse, depriving both pa-

tients and doctors of moral support and med-

ical advice.

‘‘I wanted to work in a small family town

and deliver babies,’’ she said. ‘‘I was living

my dream—until all of this.’’

Idaho’s obstetrics exodus is not happening

in isolation. Across the country, in red

states like Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee,

obstetricians—including highly skilled doc-

tors who specialize in handling complex and

risky pregnancies—are leaving their prac-

tices. Some newly minted doctors are avoid-

ing states like Idaho.

The departures may result in new mater-

nity care deserts, or areas that lack any ma-

ternity care, and they are placing strains on

physicians like Dr. Gustafson who are left

behind. The effects are particularly pro-

nounced in rural areas, where many hos-

pitals are shuttering obstetrics units for eco-

nomic reasons. Restrictive abortion laws, ex-

perts say, are making that problem much

worse.

‘‘This isn’t an issue about abortion,’’ said

Dr. Stella Dantas, the president-elect of the

American College of Obstetricians and Gyne-

cologists. ‘‘This is an issue about access to

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comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic

care. When you restrict access to care that is

based in science, that everybody should have

access to—that has a ripple effect.’’

Idaho doctors operate under a web of abor-

tion laws, including a 2020 ‘‘trigger law’’ that

went into effect after the Supreme Court

eliminated the constitutional right to abor-

tion by overturning Roe v. Wade last year.

Together, they create one of the strictest

abortion bans in the nation. Doctors who pri-

marily provide abortion care are not the

only medical professionals affected; the laws

are also impinging on doctors whose primary

work is to care for expectant mothers and

babies, and who may be called upon to termi-

nate a pregnancy for complications or other

reasons.

Idaho bars abortion at any point in a preg-

nancy with just two exceptions: when it is

necessary to save the life of the mother and

in certain cases of rape or incest, though the

victim must provide a police report. A tem-

porary order issued by a federal judge also

permits abortion in some circumstances

when a woman’s health is at risk. Doctors

convicted of violating the ban face two to

five years in prison.

Dr. Gustafson, 51, has so far decided to

stick it out in Idaho. She has been practicing

in the state for 20 years, 17 of them in

McCall, a stunning lakeside town of about

3,700 people.

She sees patients at the Payette Lakes

Medical Clinic, a low-slung building that

evokes the feeling of a mountain lodge,

tucked into a grove of tall spruces and pines.

It is affiliated with St. Luke’s Health Sys-

tem, the largest health system in the state.

On a recent morning, she was awakened at

5 a.m. by a call from a hospital nurse. A

pregnant woman, two months shy of her due

date, had a ruptured membrane. In common

parlance, the patient’s water had broken,

putting the mother and baby at risk for

preterm delivery and other complications.

Dr. Gustafson threw on her light blue

scrubs and her pink Crocs and rushed to the

hospital to arrange for a helicopter to take

the woman to Boise. She called the mater-

nal-fetal specialty practice at St. Luke’s

Boise Medical Center, the group she has

worked with for years. She did not know the

doctor who was to receive the patient. He

had been in Idaho for only one week.

‘‘Welcome to Idaho,’’ she told him.

In rural states, strong medical networks

are critical to patients’ well-being. Doctors

are not interchangeable widgets; they build

up experience and a comfort level in working

with one another and within their health

care systems. Ordinarily, Dr. Gustafson

might have found herself talking to Dr.

Kylie Cooper or Dr. Lauren Miller on that

day.

But Dr. Cooper left St. Luke’s in April for

Minnesota. After ‘‘many agonizing months of

discussion,’’ she said, she concluded that

‘‘the risk was too big for me and my family.’’

Dr. Miller, who had founded the Idaho Coa-

lition for Safe Reproductive Health Care, an

advocacy group, moved to Colorado. It is one

thing to pay for medical malpractice insur-

ance, she said, but quite another to worry

about criminal prosecution.

‘‘I was always one of those people who had

been super calm in emergencies,’’ Dr. Miller

said. ‘‘But I was finding that I felt very anx-

ious being on the labor unit, just not know-

ing if somebody else was going to second-

guess my decision. That’s not how you want

to go to work every day.’’

The vacancies have been tough to fill. Dr.

James Souza, the chief physician executive

for St. Luke’s Health System, said the

state’s laws had ‘‘had a profound chilling ef-

fect on recruitment and retention.’’ He is re-

lying in part on temporary, roving doctors

known as locums—short for the Latin phrase

locum tenens, which means to stand in place

of.

He likens labor and delivery care to a pyr-

amid, supported by nurses, midwives and

doctors, with maternal-fetal specialists at

its apex. He worries the system will collapse.

‘‘The loss of the top of a clinical pyramid

means the pyramid falls apart,’’ Dr. Souza

said.

Some smaller hospitals in Idaho have been

unable to withstand the strain. Two closed

their labor and delivery units this year; one

of them, Bonner General Health, a 25-bed

hospital in Sandpoint, in northern Idaho,

cited the state’s ‘‘legal and political cli-

mate’’ and the departure of ‘‘highly re-

spected, talented physicians’’ as factors that

contributed to its decision.

Other states are also seeing obstetricians

leave. In Oklahoma, where more than half of

the state’s counties are considered mater-

nity care deserts, three-quarters of obstetri-

cian-gynecologists who responded to a recent

survey said they were either planning to

leave, considering leaving or would leave if

they could, said Dr. Angela Hawkins, the

chair of the Oklahoma section of the Amer-

ican College of Obstetricians and Gyne-

cologists.

The previous chair, Dr. Kate Arnold, and

her wife, also an obstetrician, moved to

Washington, D.C., after the Supreme Court

overturned Roe in Dobbs v. Jackson Wom-

en’s Health Organization. ‘‘Before the change

in political climate, we had no plans on leav-

ing,’’ Dr. Arnold said.

In Tennessee, where one-third of counties

are considered maternity care deserts, Dr.

Leilah Zahedi-Spung, a maternal-fetal spe-

cialist, decided to move to Colorado not long

after the Dobbs ruling. She grew up in the

South and felt guilty about leaving, she said.

Tennessee’s abortion ban, which was soft-

ened slightly this year, initially required an

‘‘affirmative defense,’’ meaning that doctors

faced the burden of proving that an abortion

they had performed was medically nec-

essary—akin to the way a defendant in a

homicide case might have to prove he or she

acted in self-defense. Dr. Zahedi-Spung felt

as if she had ‘‘quite the target on my back,’’

she said—so much so that she hired her own

criminal defense lawyer.

‘‘The majority of patients who came to me

had highly wanted, highly desired preg-

nancies,’’ she said. ’’They had names, they

had baby showers, they had nurseries. And I

told them something awful about their preg-

nancy that made sure they were never going

to take home that child—or that they would

be sacrificing their lives to do that. I sent

everybody out of state. I was unwilling to

put myself at risk.’’

Perhaps nowhere has the departure of ob-

stetricians been as pronounced as in Idaho,

where Dr. Gustafson has been helping to lead

an organized—but only minimally success-

ful—effort to change the state’s abortion

laws, which have convinced her that state

legislators do not care what doctors think.

‘‘Many of us feel like our opinion is being

discounted,’’ she said.

Dr. Gustafson worked one day a month at

a Planned Parenthood clinic in a Boise sub-

urb until Idaho imposed its near-total abor-

tion ban; she now has a similar arrangement

with Planned Parenthood in Oregon, where

some Idahoans travel for abortion care. She

has been a plaintiff in several lawsuits chal-

lenging Idaho’s abortion policies. Earlier

this year, she spoke at an abortion rights

rally in front of the State Capitol.

In interviews, two Republican state law-

makers—Representatives Meqan Blanksma,

the House majority leader, and John Vander

Woude, the chair of the House Health and

Welfare Committee—said they were trying

to address doctors’ concerns. Mr. Vander

Woude acknowledged that Idaho’s trigger

law, written before Roe fell, had affected ev-

eryday medical practice in a way that law-

makers had not anticipated.

‘‘We never looked that close, and what ex-

actly that bill said and how it was written

and language that was in it,’’ he said. ‘‘We

did that thinking Roe v. Wade was never

going to get overturned. And then when it

got overturned, we said, ‘OK, now we have to

take a really close look at the definitions.’ ’’

Mr. Vander Woude also dismissed doctors’

fears that they would be prosecuted, and he

expressed doubt that obstetricians were real-

ly leaving the state. ‘‘I don’t see any doctor

ever getting prosecuted,’’ he said, adding,

‘‘Show me the doctors that have left.’’

During its 2023 session, the Legislature

clarified that terminating an ectopic preg-

nancy or a molar pregnancy, a rare com-

plication, would not be defined as abortion—

a move that codified an Idaho Supreme

Court ruling. Lawmakers also eliminated an

affirmative defense provision.

But lawmakers refused to extend the ten-

ure of the state’s Maternal Mortality Review

Committee, an expert panel on which Dr.

Gustafson served that investigated preg-

nancy-related deaths. The Idaho Freedom

Foundation, a conservative group, testified

against it and later called it an ‘‘unneces-

sary waste of tax dollars’’—even though the

annual cost, about $15,000, was picked up by

the federal government.

That was a bridge too far for Dr. Amelia

Huntsberger, the Idaho obstetrician who

helped lead a push to create the panel in

2019. She recently moved to Oregon. ‘‘Idaho

calls itself a quote ‘pro-life state,’ but the

Idaho Legislature doesn’t care about the

death of moms,’’ she said.

Most significantly, the Legislature re-

jected a top priority of Dr. Gustafson and

others in her field: amending state law so

that doctors would be able to perform abor-

tions when the health—not just the life—of

the mother is at risk. It was almost too

much for Dr. Gustafson. She loves living in

Idaho, she said. But when asked if she had

thought about leaving, her answer was

quick: ‘‘Every day.’’

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Because

what has changed is that now we have

14 States that have total bans on abor-

tion, so we must do more to honor our

commitment to our servicewomen.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the

gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. J

ACKSON

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I thank the gen-

tlewoman for yielding. This is a ques-

tion, Mr. Speaker, of readiness. That is

what we believe in. That is what a De-

fense appropriations bill is. It is

grounded in the readiness of the most

powerful Armed Forces in the world. It

is to ensure that they are ready.

Unfortunately for the Defense appro-

priations, we are being forced to put

this bill on the floor today by the ma-

jority. It is unbelievable that they

would cut vital civilian positions when

the department is struggling to meet

its readiness goals.

Civilians are a crucial part of ensur-

ing that our men and women, our com-

bat soldiers, are ready to serve around

the world.

These are hateful policies. They want

to undermine and attack the LGBTQ+

community, who have served in valor.

We know them well. They have served

without question. They have worn the

uniform without question.

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It is to stop a logistical provision

that has nothing to do with abortion.

It is to allow for that military person

to receive reproductive medical serv-

ices, which may come to be in many

different facets; to ensure that some-

one is able to ensure the reproductive

life that they may desire to have.

How ludicrous is it in this emerging,

wonderful, diverse Nation that many

look to as a place and a bastion of free-

dom, that we would eliminate funding

for diversity, equity, and inclusion;

that we eliminate climate change to

ensure that our vehicles are well

equipped for the new generation; that

we would not ensure, again, that our

personnel, our families get the medical

care that they desire?

Mr. Speaker, what have we done in

years past? We have provided Defense

appropriations to be able to support

our military. We now have a bill on the

floor that is undermining our military.

I am saddened by this. I am grateful for

the Triple-Negative amendment that

has been allowed to be in providing for

breast cancer, and I look forward to

that amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to

the rule governing House consideration of

H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appro-

priations Act of 2024.

I oppose the rule, and the underlying legis-

lation, for the following reasons:

1. The bill, which should be earnestly at-

tempting to best support the Department of

Defense, is being used by Republicans to

sneak partisan and damaging policies under

our noses.

2. The underlying bill does not reflect the

input of nearly half the Members of this body

and is strongly opposed by the ranking mem-

bers who sit on the very committee this bill

originated from.

Mr. Speaker, in order to further promote a

culture war, the Members who oversaw this

bill are going to put many Americans at risk.

First, they are targeting the many brave

servicewomen currently employed by the De-

partment of Defense by directly going against

the Secretary of Defense’s promises for them

to have access to reproductive healthcare re-

gardless of their station.

Women currently make up one in five mem-

bers of our military.

Denying them their previously promised abil-

ity to check their reproductive health is not

only dangerous, but also grossly irresponsible.

The loss of these rights also increases the

risk for low retention amongst female

servicemembers who need these benefits this

bill would strip away.

Second, the bill targets the LGBTQ+ com-

munity, who are increasingly victimized by Re-

publican agendas around the country.

Regardless of your beliefs, it is important to

treat everyone with respect and equality,

which this bill does not do.

This bill would prohibit hormone therapy or

surgical treatment for gender affirming care,

directly affecting those who experience gender

dysphoria.

Individuals who feel they do not belong in

their own body is a serious issue and has led

to one in five transgender and nonbinary

young people attempting suicide in the past

year.

Our priority as the legislative body of this

country is to protect the wellbeing of all citi-

zens, regardless of personal beliefs and

ideologies.

The language in this legislation would fur-

ther embolden those who wish to commit

harm and violence against a minority group al-

ready facing so much hardship, both socially

and legally.

This is unacceptable.

The lives and wellbeing of those who live

across the country should not be put at risk

simply to push a regressive agenda that does

not promote the diversity of our Nation but

rather seeks to suppress it.

This brings me to my third point, which is

the underhanded way the sponsors of the bill

sought to eliminate Critical Race Theory.

Let me be clear: Republicans have a

warped understanding of what this term

means, and they are using it as a means to

remove any diversity in education.

Critical Race Theory is a collegiate field of

study that examines the complex ways in

which race fits into the structures of our soci-

ety.

Critical Race Theory is not an attack on

white people for their history, just as it does

not victimize Black people based on ours.

Based on an incorrect definition, Republican

leaders at all levels of government have

worked to eliminate all diverse viewpoints pro-

viding a complete framework of the history of

this country, and instead wash over the nega-

tive to present a false narrative.

At the same time, legislation aimed at ele-

mentary schools against Critical Race The-

ory—which again, is only offered at the colle-

giate level—deprives diverse students of hear-

ing their voice reflected accurately in the his-

tory of this multicultural Nation.

Another issue with this bill is the cut of $714

million to adapt military equipment to be more

climate friendly.

Climate change is a crisis that requires

global attention and efforts.

The refusal to even allow for updating our

military alternative source of energy is regres-

sive and promoted under a false message.

It was not Biden who indicated that he want-

ed an ‘‘all electric’’ fleet of tanks as is com-

monly stated, but rather the United States

Army.

This part of the bill stands directly in the

way of innovation as well as keeping us from

doing our part in the world to strive towards a

net zero future.

In 2020 alone, the United States military

was responsible for 51 million tons of carbon

dioxide released into the atmosphere; more

than most countries.

But now, when the U.S. Army decides for

themselves that they want to scale back on

their emissions, certain Members in Congress

want to limit their choice.

One bright spot of this bill—though it is

short-lived—is the Jackson Lee amendment

#233 that was made in order by the com-

mittee.

The Jackson Lee amendment #233 seeks to

allocate $10 million to fund triple negative

breast cancer research.

This issue is extremely important, especially

for the brave men and women in the military,

who are up to 20–40% more likely to develop

breast cancer.

I must offer my appreciation to both the mili-

tary and the Biden administration for making

research into breast cancer a priority, but

there is still work to be done.

This amendment would allow for more re-

search so we can one day hopefully learn a

way to reduce the number of military per-

sonnel affected by breast cancer.

Several initiatives I have designed in the

past have aided active-duty service-men and

-women along with veterans, such as enforc-

ing accurate reporting of maternity mortality

rates among the Armed Forces, addressing

physical and mental health concerns, and se-

curing authorization for triple negative breast

cancer as well as post-traumatic stress dis-

order.

I am very proud of the work that Congress

and I have done to address the health con-

cerns of active-duty and veteran service-men

and -women, but there are still improvements

to be made.

The men and women who are on the front

lines or have already completed their valiant

service to this country have many pressing

issues and challenges they already must face;

breast cancer should not be one of them.

While this amendment is important, the neg-

atives of this bill vastly outweigh the positives.

I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this

bill.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

Nobody is arguing against diversity

in the military. The American military

has actually usually been the leader in

this area, whether it was desegregation

or certainly addressing the inequities

between men and women, and we

haven’t gotten it right, but I think

broadly it has worked in the right di-

rection and quite often ahead of the

rest of society.

The real problem here is we want to

focus on training and weapons, not on

culture wars. We think the administra-

tion has gone around Congress in some

cases—the Hyde amendment being one

of them. My friends have their lawyers,

we have our lawyers. I guess they will

go to court and sort that out.

b 1300

There wasn’t any consultation with

the Congress, any discussion on this.

That was a decision made unilaterally

by the administration. I think Con-

gress has every right to be consulted.

They don’t have money by their own

right in the executive branch. They

have what we give them for the pur-

poses that are specified by the Con-

gress of the United States. They don’t

get to just make it up on their own.

I know there was at least some dis-

cussion back and forth where people

warned: Don’t open this door without a

discussion and without a green light

from Congress. That didn’t occur, and

so we are in this discussion.

Now, over the course of reaching a

bill, I suspect we will find some sort of

solution or work it through one way or

the other. I hope we do, because I don’t

think anything is more important, in

what I think is a very dangerous world,

than equipping, training, and preparing

the men and women who protect us all.

On that, we have a lot more common

ground than division. Again, I think

this was a choice by the administra-

tion. It provoked a response by Con-

gress. We will try to work it through

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by normal legislative means and see

where we end up.

Mr. Speaker, I will reserve the bal-

ance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gen-

tlewoman from Virginia (Ms. M

LEL

LAN

Ms. M

CLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I

want to follow up on the negative im-

pact that the restrictions on funding

for travel to receive abortion services

will have on our servicemembers and

their families, women of childbearing

years.

Unfortunately, in the South, between

New Mexico and Virginia, you have a

ban on abortion. In some cases total,

and in some cases there are exceptions

for rape or the life of the mother, but

the mother’s life has to be on the verge

of death. Unfortunately, in these

States, they make no distinction be-

tween miscarriage management, and

they apply to cases, like you heard,

where there has been fetal demise and

a miscarriage. If you do not remove the

fetal tissue, then the mother can go

septic and die. If she loses her amniotic

fluid and you do not terminate that

pregnancy, she can go septic and die.

I represent a State that has over

170,000 Federal employees and 130,000

Active-Duty military personnel. With

the Hyde amendment in place, we are

already telling pregnant people in that

situation: You have to pay for that

service yourself. Their insurance won’t

pay for it. Many hospitals will consider

them uninsured and won’t let them

have those procedures in the hospital,

so they have to go find a clinic which,

in many cases, is getting harder.

Now, if they are in a State that has

banned abortion in that situation, they

have got to, on top of that, pay to trav-

el somewhere where they can get, in

some cases, lifesaving care. In addi-

tion, we have seen that these abortion

bans have led to fewer OB/GYNs in

those States.

How are we going to recruit women

of childbearing years when we say to

them: If you get the worst news ever in

your life, that you have suffered a mis-

carriage or you have to choose between

your life or continuing a pregnancy,

when you are already willing to make

the ultimate sacrifice to keep this

country safe, you are on your own.

That is what this bill with that amend-

ment will do.

Our servicemen and -women deserve

better. In a country that already has

an atrocious maternal mortality rate,

this will lead to even more maternal

deaths. I don’t know how we are going

to recruit the women that we need.

I don’t have enough time to talk

about how the anti-DEI amendments

will make it harder to recruit a service

force that is as fully diverse as the

country they serve, but this amend-

ment, in particular, will be dangerous

for our military servicewomen or fami-

lies of our servicemen. That is why I

ask that we vote against the rule.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the

balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gen-

tleman from Massachusetts (Mr.

OVERN

), our ranking member on

the Rules Committee.

Mr. M

GOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I

thank the gentlewoman for yielding so

I can vent a little bit.

Mr. Speaker, I just saw a Roll Call

story that is reporting that Repub-

licans are pulling their continuing res-

olution today to weigh more cuts. I

mean, are you kidding me? Their crum-

my CR contained an 8 percent across-

the-board cut in almost every program

that helps people, everything from

medical research, WIC, Head Start,

housing. Even border security is cut by

8 percent. The only thing that is ex-

empt is the military budget, the big-

gest bureaucracy in our government.

They are okay with cutting fuel as-

sistance for poor people by 65 percent.

Money to help people be able to heat

their homes in the winter, they are

okay with cutting that, but they be-

lieve you can’t find one penny of sav-

ings in a missile system in the Pen-

tagon with huge cost overruns. I mean,

it is pathetic. As the Republican whip

said: The patients are running the hos-

pital around here.

The gentleman from Oklahoma said

this is about a negotiation. My Repub-

lican friends can’t even negotiate with

themselves, and we have 11 days to go

before there is a shutdown, and they

are going in the wrong direction. It has

become more and more difficult to get

to an agreement.

Enough, I mean, enough. The Repub-

lican leadership of this House is incom-

petent. They are so incompetent; it

takes my breath away. They are let-

ting the clowns run the circus. It is

time the Speaker of the House develop

a spine and stand up to the most ex-

treme elements on the Republican side

and actually sit down and negotiate an

agreement that deals with the reality

of our government.

The Republicans only control barely

just one branch of our government, the

House. The Senate is under Democratic

control. The White House is run by a

Democrat. You are going to have to ne-

gotiate, and you are moving in the

wrong direction. Time is running out.

Stop this nonsense. Get serious. Get to

the negotiating table. Enough of this.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self such time as I may consume.

I have great affection and respect for

my friend, the ranking member and

formerly the chairman of the full Rules

Committee.

I will start where I began this debate.

Remember, my friends, Democrats

didn’t finish the appropriations process

on their side until December of last

year, and Democrats controlled all

three parts of government. They had

the Senate, the House, and the Presi-

dency, and they didn’t get done until

December. The year before that, they

didn’t get done until March of the year

after.

I wish the process went easier and

smoother as well, but I don’t think it

goes much differently, regardless of

who happens to be in control. I do

think that we are trying to make some

progress here.

Now, my friends are worried about

what is cut. They ought to be worried

about what was spent. We are running

a $1.7 trillion deficit. That deficit is

bigger than the entire discretionary

budget of the United States of Amer-

ica. It is not just bigger than the de-

fense budget; it is bigger than every-

thing.

It got a lot worse when my friends

controlled the executive branch and

both houses of Congress. You did over

$3 trillion worth of spending outside

the normal appropriations process; $1.9

trillion for an unneeded American Res-

cue Plan when we were coming out of

COVID, roughly $700 billion from the

much-misnamed Inflation Reduction

Act, which even the President now says

was misnamed because it really had to

do more with climate change. That was

money we didn’t have, money that

fueled inflation that made life worse

for every single American.

I don’t even get to the knockoffs,

like transportation bills that don’t pay

for themselves. I had voted for every

other major transportation agreement

in my time here, two of them under

President Obama, but they paid for

themselves either through gasoline

taxes or ticket fees, what have you.

Now, we have got a trillion dollars

here, but it is not enough. We will just

throw another several hundred billion

dollars on in debt. We are paying for

that now.

I am not going to be critical of my

party for trying to push down some of

the spending; $1.7 trillion this year.

You guys can’t find anywhere to cut.

Now you want to talk about defense?

I am happy to talk about defense. My

dad was a career noncommissioned offi-

cer at the height of the Cold War. You

know what we spent on defense then?

Fifty percent of the Federal budget, 9

percent of the GDP. You know what we

spent during the great Reagan buildup?

Six percent of the GDP, about a third

of the Federal budget. You know what

we spend today? About 3 percent of the

GDP and about 15 percent of the budg-

et.

Believe me, there has been an explo-

sion of domestic spending over the dec-

ades, largely driven by my friends, and

it is unsustainable. We cannot stay on

the path we are on.

We can argue about this or that. I

have a bill I would invite my friend to

look at, try and go back and do with

Social Security what we did in 1983 on

a bipartisan basis. We need to start

getting the spending under control.

The spending that is driving us out of

balance is largely not in the Pentagon.

It is largely in entitlement spending,

which I would be the first to say that

both sides have been reluctant to deal

with. Neither of the last two Presi-

dents have been willing. This President

actually voted for a Social Security

commission that reformed and sta-

bilized it when he was a Senator. Now,

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4400 September 19, 2023

the White House rules these things out.

No, we can’t talk about it, can’t do it.

By the way, his predecessor was ex-

actly the same, so Republican and

Democrat alike.

I would love to be more restrained in

the spending, and I think that is what

my colleagues are trying to do, even

when I don’t always agree with the tac-

tics they use. They are motivated in

the right direction, which is to deal

with a $1.7 trillion deficit.

We are trying to make some appro-

priate decisions. Again, we work in the

legislative process. I remind my

friends, they control two-thirds of it.

By the way, the Defense bill last year,

which was passed almost exclusively

with Democratic votes, the omni, to be

fair, actually had a larger increase in

the defense budget than my friends

pushed, $45 billion—I actually agree

with that, by the way—than this year,

where we are basically at the Presi-

dent’s number.

We can all play this game with num-

bers and what have you. Let’s try to

work toward a deal. I think we can get

there, but I don’t have any illusions it

will be easy along the way. I certainly

have seen both sides make missteps, in

my view, in handling these situations

over the years. I hope we don’t do that

again.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of

my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I

may consume.

I think what Americans know is that

for too long, Republicans have been

protecting the rich and the corpora-

tions who do not pay their taxes. When

we start talking about spending, we

need to talk about what we are spend-

ing that money for.

Democrats are investing in rural

America. They are investing in our

children. They are investing in our in-

frastructure. What are Republicans

doing? Yes, they are adding to that def-

icit. Republicans put $2 trillion on that

credit card in tax cuts for the rich.

The leader they worship, Donald

Trump, put $7.5 trillion onto that def-

icit. The very first bill they brought to

the floor of this Congress, what did it

add? $114 billion to that cut.

That is what we need to talk about,

not just how they want to cut invest-

ments and important things like heat-

ing for our families who need it, our

seniors, and our veterans. What are

they doing? They are trying to make

sure that they don’t have to tax the

rich and wealthy corporations. Many,

as we heard last night, don’t pay any-

thing in taxes.

Yes, we do want to talk about Social

Security. I am so glad the chair

brought this up because, Mr. Speaker,

Republicans often swear that they are

not going to cut Social Security and

Medicare. Last night, when we met on

the continuing resolution, there is an 8

percent cut across the board for every-

thing but defense and veterans. Their

continuing resolution has a 66 percent

cut to heating assistance. They have

said border security is their top pri-

ority, but the very CR we are scheduled

to consider cuts funding for DHS by

over 8 percent.

While they claim they won’t cut So-

cial Security and Medicare, their own

continuing resolution, the language in

the bill itself, demonstrates that noth-

ing is sacred to them.

I am going to offer my friends, my

dear friends, a chance to show the

American people that they are serious

about preserving Social Security and

Medicare.

I urge you all to join us in defeating

the previous question. If we defeat the

previous question, I will offer an

amendment to the rule to provide for

consideration of a resolution which

plainly states that the people’s House

won’t cut a single cent from these cru-

cial programs that so many of my con-

stituents, so many of your constitu-

ents, rely on.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous con-

sent to insert the text of my amend-

ment into the R

ECORD

, along with any

extraneous material, immediately

prior to the vote on the previous ques-

tion.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there

objection to the request of the gentle-

woman from New Mexico?

There was no objection.

b 1315

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gen-

tleman from California (Mr. M

ULLIN

) to

discuss our proposal.

Mr. MULLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in

strong opposition to the majority’s

manufactured shutdown threat. For

this reason, I ask my colleagues to de-

feat the previous question so we can

bring up legislation that commits to

protecting vital programs, like Social

Security.

Our most vulnerable communities

will suffer as a result of this short-

sighted attempt to hold our most im-

portant Federal programs hostage. For

example, my California bay area dis-

trict is home to over 127,000 senior citi-

zens, many of whom rely on Social Se-

curity.

Under a Republican shutdown, new

applicants to the Social Security pro-

gram wouldn’t be able to enroll in this

bedrock American program. While So-

cial Security payments would continue

during a shutdown, seniors would expe-

rience even more delays and lengthy

phone queues when contacting the So-

cial Security Administration. Many

seniors already struggle to find help,

and a Republican shutdown would only

exacerbate this problem.

Modern Republicans are playing rou-

lette with essential constituent serv-

ices and creating yet another manufac-

tured crisis.

I urge the majority to bring a serious

bipartisan proposal to the table to pre-

vent this avoidable crisis.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the

balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I yield myself such time as I

may consume.

I think what we need to do is look at

this appropriations bill, look at where

we are in our discussions about funding

the government and recognize that

nothing exists in a vacuum.

Last night, as we were talking about

the Committee on Appropriations, we

were talking about the extreme cuts

that are being made, and we know that

our military, when they sort of show

up at our bases, they are not showing

up at a base that is not connected to

the rest of the places they live in.

In Clovis, New Mexico, where we have

Cannon Air Force Base, and in

Alamogordo, where we have an Air

Force base, those communities are con-

nected, and we need to recognize that

the other bills that they are looking at

are going to cut funding in a way that

is going to hurt our readiness.

The Agriculture appropriations bill is

a good opportunity to talk about this.

The bill that they have brought for-

ward would fund world development

programs, right? Nope. That is going to

get cut. It would also cut nutrition to

women, infants, and children. It would

cut the funding we need for our ranch-

ers and farmers.

Indeed, the cuts that they are pro-

posing would be $8 billion in cuts, in

the Agriculture appropriations bill.

This would bring the funding level for

the Agriculture appropriations bill to a

level not seen since 2007.

The bill would cut broadband pro-

grams by 23 percent. It would hurt

something that is incredibly important

to my district, which are rural electric

co-ops that serve 268,403 residents.

Well, those rural electric co-ops, they

serve people throughout our districts,

and they serve our military bases. We

must fight these kinds of threats.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, we cannot

talk about readiness; we cannot talk

about what we need to do in this coun-

try to support our military if we don’t

talk about our servicemembers and

what we must do to protect them and

to respect them, because they are pro-

tecting us.

So when we are talking about our

servicewomen, we must remember the

number of servicewomen who are serv-

ing. It is about 20 percent right now,

and the number of women who are

serving in those 14 States which have a

total ban on abortion is significant. It

is 80,000 women—80,000 women, who, if

something happens to them like what

Representative M

OLLUM

discussed,

they could die of sepsis.

For those of us who have given birth,

for those of us who have had to make

really difficult decisions about our

health and how we are going to deal

with the complications of pregnancy,

we feel it viscerally, because we know

that it is such a wonderful thing to

give birth, but it is such a dangerous

thing to be pregnant.

And what they would do to our serv-

icewomen is deny them the ability to

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4401 September 19, 2023

go to a State like New Mexico when

they want reproductive healthcare

services.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance

of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my-

self the balance of my time to close.

I urge all my colleagues to support

the resolution.

Today’s rule will make in order the

Department of Defense Appropriations

Act for fiscal year 2024. It will provide

full and complete funding for our na-

tional defense needs, ensuring that our

servicemembers are fairly paid, and

supporting the well-being of military

families.

It also makes certain that our troops

will never face a fair fight by giving

them every advantage possible. We

make appropriate investments in the

development and acquisition of weap-

ons systems needed to preserve and de-

fend freedom around the globe and re-

strict the Biden administration from

forcing progressive ideology on the

Armed Forces and circumventing the

authority of Congress when it does so.

Bottom line, the bill targets re-

sources to its new core mission, pro-

tecting our homeland and security in-

terests and making sure that our forces

are the best trained, the best equipped,

and the best prepared in the world.

To my friends, it has been an inter-

esting debate, as always. I enjoy ex-

changing observations with my good

friend from New Mexico, and we

strayed sometimes off this bill and off

this rule.

I do want to mention a couple of

things. The rule, I think even my

friends would agree, is a pretty robust

rule. We are going to have 184 amend-

ments, a very thorough debate, so I

look forward to that.

Second, it is lost sometimes, but we

actually basically fund the military at

the level that the President requested,

so those people who think it is over the

top probably should have their argu-

ment with the White House as opposed

to us. Personally, I would have liked to

have done more, but we are going to go

with the President’s number, essen-

tially.

Finally, we do disagree about the

manner in which the administration is

using the military. We think they are

advancing progressive ideology when

they ought to be focused on weapons

acquisition, training, and warfighting,

and we think that ultimately weakens

the country.

We live in a very dangerous world

right now. I would actually argue we

are not spending enough on defense

when we look at what is happening in

the Western Pacific with China; when

we look at what the Russians are

doing, the acts they are engaged in, in

Ukraine. I want a robust budget, and I

want one that we come together on.

In the end, I think we will be able to

achieve that, and I look forward to

working with my friends to accomplish

that objective.

The material previously referred to

by Ms. L

EGER

ERNANDEZ

is as follows:

MENDMENT TO

H. R

. 680 O

FFERED BY

. L

EGER

ERNANDEZ OF

EXICO

At the end of the resolution, add the

following:

. 7. Immediately upon adoption of this

resolution, the House shall proceed to the

consideration in the House of the resolution

(H. Res. 178) affirming the House of Rep-

resentatives’ commitment to protect and

strengthen Social Security and Medicare.

The resolution shall be considered as read.

The previous question shall be considered as

ordered on the resolution and preamble to

adoption without intervening motion or de-

mand for division of the question except one

hour of debate equally divided and controlled

by the chair and ranking minority member

of the Committee on Ways and Means or

their respective designees.

. 8. Clause 1 (c) of rule XIX sha11 not

apply to the consideration of H. Res. 178.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back

the balance of my time, and I move the

previous question on the resolution.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.

OUZER

). The question is on ordering

the previous question.

The question was taken; and the

Speaker pro tempore announced that

the ayes appeared to have it.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, on that I demand the yeas

and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 8 of rule XX, further pro-

ceedings on this question are post-

poned.

RECESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair

declares the House in recess subject to

the call of the Chair.

Accordingly (at 1 o’clock and 23 min-

utes p.m.), the House stood in recess.

b 1425

AFTER RECESS

The recess having expired, the House

was called to order by the Speaker pro

tempore (Mr. R

OUZER

) at 2 o’clock and

25 minutes p.m.

MOTION TO GO TO CONFERENCE

ON H.R. 2670, NATIONAL DEFENSE

AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FIS-

CAL YEAR 2024

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speak-

er, pursuant to clause 1 of rule XXII,

and by direction of the Committee on

Armed Services, I have a motion at the

desk.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

Clerk will report the motion.

The Clerk read as follows:

Mr. Rogers of Alabama moves to take from

the Speaker’s table the bill H.R. 2670, with

the Senate amendment thereto, disagree

with the Senate amendment, and request a

conference with the Senate thereon.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen-

tleman from Alabama is recognized for

1 hour.

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speak-

er, I yield back the balance of my time,

and I move the previous question on

the motion.

The previous question was ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

question is on the motion offered by

the gentleman from Alabama.

The question was taken; and the

Speaker pro tempore announced that

the ayes appeared to have it.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr.

Speaker, on that I demand the yeas

and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15-

minute vote on the motion will be fol-

lowed by 5-minute votes on:

A motion to close portions of the

conference pursuant to clause 12 of rule

XXII, if offered;

Ordering the previous question on

House Resolution 680; and

Adoption of House Resolution 680, if

ordered.

The vote was taken by electronic de-

vice, and there were—yeas 393, nays 27,

not voting 13, as follows:

[Roll No. 395]

YEAS—393

Adams

Aderholt

Aguilar

Alford

Allen

Allred

Amodei

Armstrong

Arrington

Auchincloss

Babin

Bacon

Baird

Balderson

Banks

Barr

Barraga

Bean (FL)

Beatty

Bentz

Bera

Bergman

Beyer

Bice

Biggs

Bilirakis

Bishop (GA)

Bishop (NC)

Blumenauer

Blunt Rochester

Boebert

Bonamici

Bost

Boyle (PA)

Brecheen

Brown

Brownley

Buchanan

Buck

Bucshon

Budzinski

Burchett

Burgess

Burlison

Calvert

Cammack

Caraveo

Carbajal

rdenas

Carey

Carl

Carson

Carter (GA)

Carter (LA)

Carter (TX)

Cartwright

Case

Casten

Castor (FL)

Castro (TX)

Chavez-DeRemer

Cherfilus-

McCormick

Chu

Ciscomani

Clark (MA)

Cleaver

Cline

Cloud

Clyburn

Clyde

Cohen

Cole

Collins

Comer

Connolly

Correa

Costa

Courtney

Craig

Crane

Crawford

Crockett

Crow

Cuellar

Curtis

D’Esposito

Davids (KS)

Davidson

Davis (IL)

Davis (NC)

De La Cruz

Dean (PA)

DeGette

DeLauro

DelBene

Deluzio

DesJarlais

Diaz-Balart

Dingell

Doggett

Donalds

Duarte

Duncan

Dunn (FL)

Edwards

Ellzey

Emmer

Escobar

Eshoo

Estes

Ezell

Fallon

Feenstra

Ferguson

Finstad

Fischbach

Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick

Fleischmann

Fletcher

Flood

Foster

Foushee

Foxx

Frankel, Lois

Franklin, C.

Scott

Fry

Fulcher

Gaetz

Gallagher

Gallego

Garamendi

Garbarino

Garcia (TX)

Garcia, Mike

Gimenez

Golden (ME)

Goldman (NY)

Gomez

Gonzales, Tony

Gonzalez,

Vicente

Good (VA)

Gooden (TX)

Gosar

Gottheimer

Granger

Graves (LA)

Graves (MO)

Green (TN)

Green, Al (TX)

Greene (GA)

Griffith

Grothman

Guest

Guthrie

Hageman

Harder (CA)

Harris

Harshbarger

Hayes

Hern

Higgins (LA)

Higgins (NY)

Hill

Himes

Hinson

Horsford

Houchin

Houlahan

Hoyer

Hoyle (OR)

Hudson

Huffman

Huizenga

Hunt

Issa

Ivey

Jackson (IL)

Jackson (NC)

Jackson (TX)

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4402 September 19, 2023

Jackson Lee

Jacobs

James

Jeffries

Johnson (LA)

Johnson (OH)

Johnson (SD)

Jordan

Joyce (OH)

Joyce (PA)

Kean (NJ)

Keating

Kelly (IL)

Kelly (MS)

Kelly (PA)

Khanna

Kiggans (VA)

Kildee

Kiley

Kilmer

Kim (CA)

Kim (NJ)

Krishnamoorthi

Kustoff

LaHood

LaLota

Lamborn

Landsman

Langworthy

Larsen (WA)

Larson (CT)

Latta

LaTurner

Lawler

Lee (FL)

Lee (NV)

Leger Fernandez

Lesko

Letlow

Levin

Lieu

Lofgren

Loudermilk

Luetkemeyer

Luttrell

Lynch

Mace

Malliotakis

Mann

Manning

Massie

Mast

Matsui

McBath

McCarthy

McCaul

McClain

McClellan

McClintock

McCollum

McCormick

McGarvey

McHenry

Meeks

Menendez

Meng

Mfume

Miller (IL)

Miller (OH)

Miller (WV)

Miller-Meeks

Mills

Molinaro

Moolenaar

Mooney

Moore (AL)

Moore (UT)

Moore (WI)

Moran

Morelle

Moskowitz

Moulton

Mrvan

Mullin

Murphy

Nadler

Napolitano

Neal

Neguse

Nehls

Newhouse

Nickel

Norcross

Norman

Nunn (IA)

Obernolte

Ogles

Owens

Pallone

Palmer

Panetta

Pappas

Pascrell

Payne

Pelosi

Pence

Perez

Perry

Peters

Pettersen

Pfluger

Phillips

Pingree

Porter

Posey

Quigley

Raskin

Reschenthaler

Rodgers (WA)

Rogers (AL)

Rogers (KY)

Rose

Rosendale

Ross

Rouzer

Roy

Ruiz

Ruppersberger

Rutherford

Ryan

Salinas

nchez

Santos

Sarbanes

Scanlon

Schiff

Schneider

Scholten

Schrier

Schweikert

Scott (VA)

Scott, Austin

Scott, David

Self

Sessions

Sewell

Sherman

Sherrill

Simpson

Slotkin

Smith (MO)

Smith (NE)

Smith (NJ)

Smith (WA)

Smucker

Sorensen

Soto

Spanberger

Spartz

Stansbury

Stanton

Stauber

Steel

Stefanik

Steil

Steube

Stevens

Strickland

Strong

Swalwell

Sykes

Takano

Tenney

Thanedar

Thompson (CA)

Thompson (MS)

Thompson (PA)

Timmons

Titus

Tokuda

Tonko

Torres (CA)

Torres (NY)

Trahan

Turner

Underwood

Valadao

Van Drew

Van Duyne

Van Orden

Vasquez

Veasey

Vela

zquez

Wagner

Walberg

Waltz

Wasserman

Schultz

Waters

Weber (TX)

Webster (FL)

Wenstrup

Westerman

Wexton

Wild

Williams (GA)

Williams (NY)

Williams (TX)

Wilson (FL)

Wilson (SC)

Wittman

Womack

Yakym

Zinke

NAYS—27

Balint

Bowman

Bush

Casar

Clarke (NY)

DeSaulnier

Espaillat

Evans

Frost

Garcı

a (IL)

Garcia, Robert

Grijalva

Jayapal

Johnson (GA)

Kamlager-Dove

Lee (CA)

Lee (PA)

McGovern

Ocasio-Cortez

Omar

Pocan

Pressley

Ramirez

Schakowsky

Tlaib

Vargas

Watson Coleman

NOT VOTING—13

Crenshaw

Kaptur

Kuster

LaMalfa

Lucas

Luna

Magaziner

Meuser

Peltola

Salazar

Scalise

Tiffany

Trone

b 1452

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr.

FROST, Mses. CLARKE of New York

and KAMLAGER-DOVE changed their

vote from ‘‘yea’’ to ‘‘nay.’’

So the motion was agreed to.

The result of the vote was announced

as above recorded.

A motion to reconsider was laid on

the table.

Stated for:

Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Speaker, had I been

present, I would have voted ‘‘yea’’ on rollcall

No. 395.

MOTION TO PERMIT CLOSED CONFERENCE

MEETINGS

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speak-

er, pursuant to clause 12 of rule XXII,

I move that meetings of the conference

between the House and Senate on H.R.

2670 may be closed to the public at such

times as classified national security in-

formation may be discussed, provided

that any sitting Member of Congress

shall be entitled to attend any meeting

of the conference.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 12 of rule XXII, the mo-

tion is not debatable, and the yeas and

nays are ordered.

This is a 5-minute vote.

The vote was taken by electronic de-

vice, and there were—yeas 401, nays 19,

not voting 13, as follows:

[Roll No. 396]

YEAS—401

Adams

Aderholt

Aguilar

Alford

Allen

Allred

Amodei

Armstrong

Arrington

Auchincloss

Babin

Baird

Balderson

Banks

Barr

Barraga

Bean (FL)

Beatty

Bentz

Bera

Bergman

Beyer

Bice

Biggs

Bilirakis

Bishop (GA)

Bishop (NC)

Blumenauer

Blunt Rochester

Boebert

Bonamici

Bost

Boyle (PA)

Brown

Brownley

Buchanan

Buck

Bucshon

Budzinski

Burchett

Burgess

Burlison

Calvert

Cammack

Caraveo

Carbajal

rdenas

Carey

Carl

Carson

Carter (GA)

Carter (LA)

Carter (TX)

Cartwright

Case

Casten

Castor (FL)

Castro (TX)

Chavez-DeRemer

Cherfilus-

McCormick

Chu

Ciscomani

Clark (MA)

Cleaver

Cline

Cloud

Clyburn

Clyde

Cohen

Cole

Collins

Comer

Connolly

Correa

Costa

Courtney

Craig

Crane

Crawford

Crockett

Crow

Cuellar

Curtis

D’Esposito

Davids (KS)

Davidson

Davis (IL)

Davis (NC)

De La Cruz

Dean (PA)

DeGette

DeLauro

DelBene

Deluzio

DeSaulnier

DesJarlais

Diaz-Balart

Dingell

Doggett

Donalds

Duarte

Duncan

Dunn (FL)

Edwards

Ellzey

Emmer

Escobar

Eshoo

Espaillat

Estes

Evans

Ezell

Fallon

Feenstra

Ferguson

Finstad

Fischbach

Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick

Fleischmann

Fletcher

Flood

Foster

Foushee

Foxx

Frankel, Lois

Franklin, C.

Scott

Fry

Fulcher

Gaetz

Gallagher

Gallego

Garamendi

Garbarino

Garcia (TX)

Garcia, Mike

Gimenez

Golden (ME)

Goldman (NY)

Gomez

Gonzales, Tony

Gonzalez,

Vicente

Good (VA)

Gooden (TX)

Gosar

Gottheimer

Granger

Graves (LA)

Graves (MO)

Green (TN)

Green, Al (TX)

Greene (GA)

Griffith

Grijalva

Grothman

Guest

Guthrie

Hageman

Harder (CA)

Harris

Harshbarger

Hayes

Hern

Higgins (LA)

Higgins (NY)

Hill

Himes

Hinson

Horsford

Houchin

Houlahan

Hoyer

Hoyle (OR)

Hudson

Huffman

Huizenga

Hunt

Issa

Ivey

Jackson (IL)

Jackson (NC)

Jackson (TX)

Jackson Lee

Jacobs

James

Jeffries

Johnson (LA)

Johnson (OH)

Johnson (SD)

Jordan

Joyce (OH)

Joyce (PA)

Kamlager-Dove

Kean (NJ)

Keating

Kelly (IL)

Kelly (MS)

Kelly (PA)

Khanna

Kiggans (VA)

Kildee

Kiley

Kilmer

Kim (CA)

Kim (NJ)

Krishnamoorthi

Kuster

Kustoff

LaHood

LaLota

LaMalfa

Lamborn

Landsman

Langworthy

Larsen (WA)

Larson (CT)

Latta

LaTurner

Lawler

Lee (FL)

Lee (NV)

Leger Fernandez

Lesko

Letlow

Lieu

Lofgren

Loudermilk

Luetkemeyer

Luttrell

Lynch

Mace

Malliotakis

Mann

Manning

Massie

Mast

Matsui

McBath

McCarthy

McCaul

McClain

McClellan

McClintock

McCollum

McCormick

McGarvey

McGovern

McHenry

Meeks

Menendez

Meng

Meuser

Mfume

Miller (IL)

Miller (OH)

Miller (WV)

Miller-Meeks

Mills

Molinaro

Moolenaar

Mooney

Moore (AL)

Moore (UT)

Moore (WI)

Moran

Morelle

Moskowitz

Moulton

Mrvan

Mullin

Murphy

Nadler

Napolitano

Neal

Neguse

Nehls

Newhouse

Nickel

Norcross

Norman

Nunn (IA)

Obernolte

Ocasio-Cortez

Ogles

Owens

Pallone

Palmer

Panetta

Pappas

Pascrell

Payne

Pelosi

Pence

Perez

Perry

Peters

Pettersen

Pfluger

Phillips

Pingree

Porter

Posey

Quigley

Raskin

Reschenthaler

Rodgers (WA)

Rogers (AL)

Rogers (KY)

Rose

Rosendale

Ross

Rouzer

Roy

Ruiz

Ruppersberger

Rutherford

Ryan

Salazar

Salinas

nchez

Santos

Sarbanes

Scanlon

Schakowsky

Schiff

Schneider

Scholten

Schrier

Schweikert

Scott (VA)

Scott, Austin

Scott, David

Self

Sessions

Sherman

Sherrill

Simpson

Slotkin

Smith (MO)

Smith (NE)

Smith (NJ)

Smith (WA)

Smucker

Sorensen

Soto

Spanberger

Spartz

Stansbury

Stanton

Stauber

Steel

Stefanik

Steil

Steube

Stevens

Strickland

Strong

Swalwell

Sykes

Takano

Tenney

Thanedar

Thompson (CA)

Thompson (MS)

Thompson (PA)

Tiffany

Timmons

Titus

Tokuda

Tonko

Torres (CA)

Torres (NY)

Trahan

Turner

Underwood

Valadao

Van Drew

Van Duyne

Van Orden

Vasquez

Vela

zquez

Wagner

Walberg

Waltz

Wasserman

Schultz

Waters

Weber (TX)

Webster (FL)

Wenstrup

Westerman

Wexton

Wild

Williams (GA)

Williams (NY)

Williams (TX)

Wilson (FL)

Wilson (SC)

Wittman

Womack

Yakym

Zinke

NAYS—19

Balint

Bowman

Bush

Casar

Clarke (NY)

Frost

Garcı

a (IL)

Garcia, Robert

Jayapal

Johnson (GA)

Lee (CA)

Lee (PA)

Omar

Pocan

Pressley

Ramirez

Tlaib

Vargas

Watson Coleman

NOT VOTING—13

Bacon

Brecheen

Crenshaw

Kaptur

Levin

Lucas

Luna

Magaziner

Peltola

Scalise

Sewell

Trone

Veasey

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (during

the vote). There are 2 minutes remain-

ing.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4403 September 19, 2023

b 1459

So the motion was agreed to.

The result of the vote was announced

as above recorded.

A motion to reconsider was laid on

the table.

Stated for:

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, had I been

present, I would have voted ‘‘yea’’ on rollcall

No. 396.

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION

OF H.R. 1435, PRESERVING

CHOICE IN VEHICLE PURCHASES

ACT AND PROVIDING FOR CON-

SIDERATION OF H.R. 4365, DE-

PARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPRO-

PRIATIONS ACT, 2024

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu-

ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfin-

ished business is the vote on ordering

the previous question on the resolution

(H. Res. 680) providing for consider-

ation of the bill (H.R. 1435) to amend

the Clean Air Act to prevent the elimi-

nation of the sale of internal combus-

tion engines, and providing for consid-

eration of the bill (H.R. 4365) making

appropriations for the Department of

Defense for the fiscal year ending Sep-

tember 30, 2024, and for other purposes,

on which the yeas and nays were or-

dered.

The Clerk read the title of the resolu-

tion.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

question is on ordering the previous

question.

This is a 5-minute vote.

The vote was taken by electronic de-

vice, and there were—yeas 217, nays

209, not voting 7, as follows:

[Roll No. 397]

YEAS—217

Aderholt

Alford

Allen

Amodei

Armstrong

Arrington

Babin

Bacon

Baird

Balderson

Banks

Barr

Bean (FL)

Bentz

Bergman

Bice

Biggs

Bilirakis

Bishop (NC)

Boebert

Bost

Brecheen

Buchanan

Buck

Bucshon

Burchett

Burgess

Burlison

Calvert

Cammack

Carey

Carl

Carter (GA)

Carter (TX)

Chavez-DeRemer

Ciscomani

Cline

Cloud

Clyde

Cole

Collins

Comer

Crane

Crawford

Curtis

D’Esposito

Davidson

De La Cruz

DesJarlais

Diaz-Balart

Donalds

Duarte

Duncan

Dunn (FL)

Edwards

Ellzey

Emmer

Estes

Ezell

Fallon

Feenstra

Ferguson

Finstad

Fischbach

Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick

Fleischmann

Flood

Foxx

Franklin, C.

Scott

Fry

Fulcher

Gaetz

Gallagher

Garbarino

Garcia, Mike

Gimenez

Gonzales, Tony

Good (VA)

Gooden (TX)

Gosar

Granger

Graves (LA)

Graves (MO)

Green (TN)

Greene (GA)

Griffith

Grothman

Guest

Guthrie

Hageman

Harris

Harshbarger

Hern

Higgins (LA)

Hill

Hinson

Houchin

Hudson

Huizenga

Hunt

Issa

Jackson (TX)

James

Johnson (LA)

Johnson (OH)

Johnson (SD)

Jordan

Joyce (OH)

Joyce (PA)

Kean (NJ)

Kelly (MS)

Kelly (PA)

Kiggans (VA)

Kiley

Kim (CA)

Kustoff

LaHood

LaLota

LaMalfa

Lamborn

Langworthy

Latta

LaTurner

Lawler

Lee (FL)

Lesko

Letlow

Loudermilk

Luetkemeyer

Luttrell

Mace

Malliotakis

Mann

Massie

Mast

McCarthy

McCaul

McClain

McClintock

McCormick

McHenry

Meuser

Miller (IL)

Miller (OH)

Miller (WV)

Miller-Meeks

Mills

Molinaro

Moolenaar

Mooney

Moore (AL)

Moore (UT)

Moran

Murphy

Nehls

Newhouse

Norman

Nunn (IA)

Obernolte

Ogles

Owens

Palmer

Pence

Perry

Pfluger

Posey

Reschenthaler

Rodgers (WA)

Rogers (AL)

Rogers (KY)

Rose

Rosendale

Rouzer

Roy

Rutherford

Salazar

Santos

Schweikert

Scott, Austin

Self

Sessions

Simpson

Smith (MO)

Smith (NE)

Smith (NJ)

Smucker

Spartz

Stauber

Steel

Stefanik

Steil

Steube

Strong

Tenney

Thompson (PA)

Tiffany

Timmons

Turner

Valadao

Van Drew

Van Duyne

Van Orden

Wagner

Walberg

Waltz

Weber (TX)

Webster (FL)

Wenstrup

Westerman

Williams (NY)

Williams (TX)

Wilson (SC)

Wittman

Womack

Yakym

Zinke

NAYS—209

Adams

Aguilar

Allred

Auchincloss

Balint

Barraga

Beatty

Bera

Beyer

Bishop (GA)

Blumenauer

Blunt Rochester

Bonamici

Bowman

Boyle (PA)

Brown

Brownley

Budzinski

Bush

Caraveo

Carbajal

rdenas

Carson

Carter (LA)

Cartwright

Casar

Case

Casten

Castor (FL)

Castro (TX)

Cherfilus-

McCormick

Chu

Clark (MA)

Clarke (NY)

Cleaver

Clyburn

Cohen

Connolly

Correa

Costa

Courtney

Craig

Crockett

Crow

Cuellar

Davids (KS)

Davis (IL)

Davis (NC)

Dean (PA)

DeGette

DeLauro

DelBene

Deluzio

DeSaulnier

Dingell

Doggett

Escobar

Eshoo

Espaillat

Evans

Fletcher

Foster

Foushee

Frankel, Lois

Frost

Gallego

Garamendi

Garcı

a (IL)

Garcia (TX)

Garcia, Robert

Golden (ME)

Goldman (NY)

Gomez

Gonzalez,

Vicente

Gottheimer

Green, Al (TX)

Grijalva

Harder (CA)

Hayes

Higgins (NY)

Himes

Horsford

Houlahan

Hoyer

Hoyle (OR)

Huffman

Ivey

Jackson (IL)

Jackson (NC)

Jackson Lee

Jacobs

Jayapal

Jeffries

Johnson (GA)

Kamlager-Dove

Keating

Kelly (IL)

Khanna

Kildee

Kilmer

Kim (NJ)

Krishnamoorthi

Kuster

Landsman

Larsen (WA)

Larson (CT)

Lee (CA)

Lee (NV)

Lee (PA)

Leger Fernandez

Levin

Lieu

Lofgren

Lynch

Manning

Matsui

McBath

McClellan

McCollum

McGarvey

McGovern

Meeks

Menendez

Meng

Mfume

Moore (WI)

Morelle

Moskowitz

Moulton

Mrvan

Mullin

Nadler

Napolitano

Neal

Neguse

Nickel

Norcross

Ocasio-Cortez

Omar

Pallone

Panetta

Pappas

Pascrell

Payne

Pelosi

Perez

Peters

Pettersen

Phillips

Pingree

Pocan

Porter

Pressley

Quigley

Ramirez

Raskin

Ross

Ruiz

Ruppersberger

Ryan

Salinas

nchez

Sarbanes

Scanlon

Schakowsky

Schiff

Schneider

Scholten

Schrier

Scott (VA)

Scott, David

Sewell

Sherman

Sherrill

Slotkin

Smith (WA)

Sorensen

Soto

Spanberger

Stansbury

Stanton

Stevens

Strickland

Swalwell

Sykes

Takano

Thanedar

Thompson (CA)

Thompson (MS)

Titus

Tlaib

Tokuda

Tonko

Torres (CA)

Torres (NY)

Trahan

Trone

Underwood

Vargas

Vasquez

Veasey

Vela

zquez

Wasserman

Schultz

Waters

Watson Coleman

Wexton

Wild

Williams (GA)

Wilson (FL)

NOT VOTING—7

Crenshaw

Kaptur

Lucas

Luna

Magaziner

Peltola

Scalise

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (during

the vote). There are 2 minutes remain-

ing.

b 1506

Ms. WATERS changed her vote from

‘‘yea’’ to ‘‘nay.’’

So the previous question was ordered.

The result of the vote was announced

as above recorded.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

question is on the resolution.

The question was taken; and the

Speaker pro tempore announced that

the ayes appeared to have it.

RECORDED VOTE

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr.

Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

A recorded vote was ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a

5-minute vote.

The vote was taken by electronic de-

vice, and there were—ayes 212, noes 214,

not voting 7, as follows:

[Roll No. 398]

AYES—212

Aderholt

Alford

Allen

Amodei

Armstrong

Arrington

Babin

Bacon

Baird

Balderson

Banks

Barr

Bean (FL)

Bentz

Bergman

Bice

Bilirakis

Boebert

Bost

Brecheen

Buchanan

Bucshon

Burchett

Burgess

Burlison

Calvert

Cammack

Carey

Carl

Carter (GA)

Carter (TX)

Chavez-DeRemer

Ciscomani

Cline

Cloud

Clyde

Cole

Collins

Comer

Crane

Crawford

Curtis

D’Esposito

Davidson

De La Cruz

DesJarlais

Diaz-Balart

Donalds

Duarte

Duncan

Dunn (FL)

Edwards

Ellzey

Emmer

Estes

Ezell

Fallon

Feenstra

Ferguson

Finstad

Fischbach

Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick

Fleischmann

Flood

Foxx

Franklin, C.

Scott

Fry

Fulcher

Gaetz

Gallagher

Garbarino

Garcia, Mike

Gimenez

Gonzales, Tony

Good (VA)

Gooden (TX)

Gosar

Granger

Graves (LA)

Graves (MO)

Green (TN)

Greene (GA)

Griffith

Grothman

Guest

Guthrie

Hageman

Harris

Harshbarger

Hern

Higgins (LA)

Hill

Hinson

Houchin

Hudson

Huizenga

Hunt

Issa

Jackson (TX)

James

Johnson (LA)

Johnson (OH)

Johnson (SD)

Jordan

Joyce (OH)

Joyce (PA)

Kean (NJ)

Kelly (MS)

Kelly (PA)

Kiggans (VA)

Kiley

Kim (CA)

Kustoff

LaHood

LaLota

LaMalfa

Lamborn

Langworthy

Latta

LaTurner

Lawler

Lee (FL)

Lesko

Letlow

Loudermilk

Luetkemeyer

Luttrell

Mace

Malliotakis

Mann

Massie

Mast

McCarthy

McCaul

McClain

McClintock

McCormick

McHenry

Meuser

Miller (IL)

Miller (OH)

Miller (WV)

Miller-Meeks

Mills

Molinaro

Moolenaar

Mooney

Moore (AL)

Moore (UT)

Moran

Murphy

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4404 September 19, 2023

Nehls

Newhouse

Nunn (IA)

Obernolte

Ogles

Owens

Palmer

Pence

Perry

Pfluger

Posey

Reschenthaler

Rodgers (WA)

Rogers (AL)

Rogers (KY)

Rose

Rouzer

Roy

Rutherford

Salazar

Santos

Schweikert

Scott, Austin

Self

Sessions

Simpson

Smith (MO)

Smith (NE)

Smith (NJ)

Smucker

Spartz

Stauber

Steel

Stefanik

Steil

Steube

Strong

Tenney

Thompson (PA)

Tiffany

Timmons

Turner

Valadao

Van Drew

Van Duyne

Van Orden

Wagner

Walberg

Waltz

Weber (TX)

Webster (FL)

Wenstrup

Westerman

Williams (NY)

Williams (TX)

Wilson (SC)

Wittman

Womack

Yakym

Zinke

NOES—214

Adams

Aguilar

Allred

Auchincloss

Balint

Barraga

Beatty

Bera

Beyer

Biggs

Bishop (GA)

Bishop (NC)

Blumenauer

Blunt Rochester

Bonamici

Bowman

Boyle (PA)

Brown

Brownley

Buck

Budzinski

Bush

Caraveo

Carbajal

rdenas

Carson

Carter (LA)

Cartwright

Casar

Case

Casten

Castor (FL)

Castro (TX)

Cherfilus-

McCormick

Chu

Clark (MA)

Clarke (NY)

Cleaver

Clyburn

Cohen

Connolly

Correa

Costa

Courtney

Craig

Crockett

Crow

Cuellar

Davids (KS)

Davis (IL)

Davis (NC)

Dean (PA)

DeGette

DeLauro

DelBene

Deluzio

DeSaulnier

Dingell

Doggett

Escobar

Eshoo

Espaillat

Evans

Fletcher

Foster

Foushee

Frankel, Lois

Frost

Gallego

Garamendi

Garcı

a (IL)

Garcia (TX)

Garcia, Robert

Golden (ME)

Goldman (NY)

Gomez

Gonzalez,

Vicente

Gottheimer

Green, Al (TX)

Grijalva

Harder (CA)

Hayes

Higgins (NY)

Himes

Horsford

Houlahan

Hoyer

Hoyle (OR)

Huffman

Ivey

Jackson (IL)

Jackson (NC)

Jackson Lee

Jacobs

Jayapal

Jeffries

Johnson (GA)

Kamlager-Dove

Keating

Kelly (IL)

Khanna

Kildee

Kilmer

Kim (NJ)

Krishnamoorthi

Kuster

Landsman

Larsen (WA)

Larson (CT)

Lee (CA)

Lee (NV)

Lee (PA)

Leger Fernandez

Levin

Lieu

Lofgren

Lynch

Manning

Matsui

McBath

McClellan

McCollum

McGarvey

McGovern

Meeks

Menendez

Meng

Mfume

Moore (WI)

Morelle

Moskowitz

Moulton

Mrvan

Mullin

Nadler

Napolitano

Neal

Neguse

Nickel

Norcross

Norman

Ocasio-Cortez

Omar

Pallone

Panetta

Pappas

Pascrell

Payne

Pelosi

Perez

Peters

Pettersen

Phillips

Pingree

Pocan

Porter

Pressley

Quigley

Ramirez

Raskin

Rosendale

Ross

Ruiz

Ruppersberger

Ryan

Salinas

nchez

Sarbanes

Scanlon

Schakowsky

Schiff

Schneider

Scholten

Schrier

Scott (VA)

Scott, David

Sewell

Sherman

Sherrill

Slotkin

Smith (WA)

Sorensen

Soto

Spanberger

Stansbury

Stanton

Stevens

Strickland

Swalwell

Sykes

Takano

Thanedar

Thompson (CA)

Thompson (MS)

Titus

Tlaib

Tokuda

Tonko

Torres (CA)

Torres (NY)

Trahan

Trone

Underwood

Vargas

Vasquez

Veasey

Vela

zquez

Wasserman

Schultz

Waters

Watson Coleman

Wexton

Wild

Williams (GA)

Wilson (FL)

NOT VOTING—7

Crenshaw

Kaptur

Lucas

Luna

Magaziner

Peltola

Scalise

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (during

the vote). There are 2 minutes remain-

ing.

b 1526

So the resolution was not agreed to.

The result of the vote was announced

as above recorded.

A motion to reconsider was laid on

the table.

BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CHIL-

DREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS

AND CERTAIN OTHER VETERANS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The un-

finished business is the question on

suspending the rules and passing the

bill (S. 112) to amend title 38, United

States Code, to strengthen benefits for

children of Vietnam veterans born with

spina bifida, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The

question is on the motion offered by

the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. B

OST

)

that the House suspend the rules and

pass the bill.

The question was taken.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the

opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being

in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, on that I de-

mand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a

5-minute vote.

The vote was taken by electronic de-

vice, and there were—yeas 422, nays 0,

not voting 11, as follows:

[Roll No. 399]

YEAS—422

Adams

Aderholt

Aguilar

Alford

Allen

Allred

Amodei

Armstrong

Arrington

Auchincloss

Babin

Bacon

Baird

Balderson

Balint

Banks

Barr

Barraga

Bean (FL)

Beatty

Bera

Bergman

Beyer

Bice

Biggs

Bilirakis

Bishop (GA)

Bishop (NC)

Blumenauer

Blunt Rochester

Boebert

Bonamici

Bost

Bowman

Boyle (PA)

Brecheen

Brown

Brownley

Buchanan

Buck

Bucshon

Budzinski

Burchett

Burgess

Burlison

Bush

Calvert

Cammack

Caraveo

Carbajal

rdenas

Carey

Carl

Carson

Carter (GA)

Carter (LA)

Carter (TX)

Cartwright

Casar

Case

Casten

Castor (FL)

Castro (TX)

Chavez-DeRemer

Cherfilus-

McCormick

Chu

Ciscomani

Clark (MA)

Clarke (NY)

Cleaver

Cline

Cloud

Clyburn

Clyde

Cohen

Cole

Collins

Comer

Connolly

Correa

Costa

Courtney

Craig

Crane

Crawford

Crockett

Crow

Cuellar

Curtis

D’Esposito

Davids (KS)

Davidson

Davis (IL)

Davis (NC)

De La Cruz

Dean (PA)

DeGette

DeLauro

DelBene

Deluzio

DeSaulnier

DesJarlais

Diaz-Balart

Dingell

Doggett

Donalds

Duarte

Duncan

Dunn (FL)

Edwards

Ellzey

Emmer

Escobar

Eshoo

Espaillat

Estes

Evans

Ezell

Fallon

Feenstra

Ferguson

Finstad

Fischbach

Fitzgerald

Fitzpatrick

Fleischmann

Fletcher

Flood

Foster

Foushee

Foxx

Frankel, Lois

Franklin, C.

Scott

Frost

Fry

Fulcher

Gaetz

Gallagher

Gallego

Garamendi

Garbarino

Garcı

a (IL)

Garcia (TX)

Garcia, Mike

Garcia, Robert

Gimenez

Golden (ME)

Goldman (NY)

Gomez

Gonzales, Tony

Gonzalez,

Vicente

Good (VA)

Gooden (TX)

Gosar

Gottheimer

Granger

Graves (LA)

Graves (MO)

Green (TN)

Green, Al (TX)

Greene (GA)

Griffith

Grijalva

Grothman

Guest

Guthrie

Hageman

Harder (CA)

Harris

Harshbarger

Hayes

Hern

Higgins (LA)

Higgins (NY)

Hill

Himes

Hinson

Horsford

Houchin

Houlahan

Hoyer

Hoyle (OR)

Hudson

Huffman

Huizenga

Hunt

Issa

Ivey

Jackson (IL)

Jackson (NC)

Jackson (TX)

Jackson Lee

Jacobs

James

Jayapal

Jeffries

Johnson (GA)

Johnson (LA)

Johnson (OH)

Johnson (SD)

Jordan

Joyce (OH)

Joyce (PA)

Kamlager-Dove

Kean (NJ)

Keating

Kelly (IL)

Kelly (MS)

Kelly (PA)

Khanna

Kiggans (VA)

Kildee

Kiley

Kilmer

Kim (CA)

Kim (NJ)

Krishnamoorthi

Kuster

Kustoff

LaHood

LaLota

LaMalfa

Lamborn

Landsman

Langworthy

Larsen (WA)

Larson (CT)

Latta

LaTurner

Lawler

Lee (CA)

Lee (FL)

Lee (NV)

Lee (PA)

Leger Fernandez

Lesko

Letlow

Levin

Lieu

Lofgren

Loudermilk

Luetkemeyer

Luttrell

Lynch

Mace

Malliotakis

Mann

Manning

Massie

Mast

Matsui

McBath

McCarthy

McCaul

McClain

McClellan

McClintock

McCollum

McCormick

McGarvey

McGovern

McHenry

Meeks

Menendez

Meng

Meuser

Mfume

Miller (IL)

Miller (OH)

Miller (WV)

Miller-Meeks

Mills

Molinaro

Moolenaar

Mooney

Moore (AL)

Moore (UT)

Moore (WI)

Moran

Morelle

Moskowitz

Moulton

Mrvan

Mullin

Murphy

Nadler

Napolitano

Neal

Neguse

Nehls

Newhouse

Nickel

Norcross

Norman

Nunn (IA)

Obernolte

Ocasio-Cortez

Ogles

Omar

Owens

Pallone

Palmer

Panetta

Pappas

Pascrell

Payne

Pelosi

Pence

Perez

Perry

Peters

Pettersen

Phillips

Pingree

Pocan

Porter

Posey

Pressley

Quigley

Ramirez

Raskin

Reschenthaler

Rodgers (WA)

Rogers (AL)

Rogers (KY)

Rose

Rosendale

Ross

Rouzer

Roy

Ruiz

Ruppersberger

Rutherford

Ryan

Salazar

Salinas

nchez

Santos

Sarbanes

Scanlon

Schakowsky

Schiff

Schneider

Scholten

Schrier

Schweikert

Scott (VA)

Scott, Austin

Scott, David

Self

Sessions

Sewell

Sherman

Sherrill

Simpson

Slotkin

Smith (MO)

Smith (NJ)

Smith (WA)

Smucker

Sorensen

Soto

Spanberger

Spartz

Stansbury

Stanton

Stauber

Steel

Stefanik

Steil

Steube

Stevens

Strickland

Strong

Swalwell

Sykes

Takano

Tenney

Thanedar

Thompson (CA)

Thompson (MS)

Thompson (PA)

Tiffany

Timmons

Titus

Tlaib

Tokuda

Tonko

Torres (CA)

Torres (NY)

Trahan

Trone

Turner

Underwood

Valadao

Van Drew

Van Duyne

Van Orden

Vargas

Vasquez

Veasey

Vela

zquez

Wagner

Walberg

Waltz

Wasserman

Schultz

Watson Coleman

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dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with HOUSE

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4405 September 19, 2023

Weber (TX)

Webster (FL)

Wenstrup

Westerman

Wexton

Wild

Williams (GA)

Williams (NY)

Williams (TX)

Wilson (FL)

Wilson (SC)

Wittman

Womack

Yakym

Zinke

NOT VOTING—11

Bentz

Crenshaw

Kaptur

Lucas

Luna

Magaziner

Peltola

Pfluger

Scalise

Smith (NE)

Waters

b 1538

So (two-thirds being in the affirma-

tive) the rules were suspended and the

bill was passed.

The result of the vote was announced

as above recorded.

A motion to reconsider was laid on

the table.

APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON

H.R. 2670, NATIONAL DEFENSE

AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FIS-

CAL YEAR 2024

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs.

ISCHBACH

). Without objection, the

Chair appoints the following conferees

on H.R. 2670:

From the Committee on Armed Services,

for consideration of the House bill and the

Senate amendment, and modifications com-

mitted to conference: Messrs. Rogers of Ala-

bama, Wilson of South Carolina, Lamborn,

Wittman, Austin Scott of Georgia, Ms.

Stefanik, Messrs. DesJarlais, Kelly of Mis-

sissippi, Gallagher, Gaetz, Bacon, Banks,

Bergman, Waltz, Johnson of Louisiana, Mrs.

McClain, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Fallon,

Gimenez, Mses. Mace and Greene of Georgia,

Messrs. Smith of Washington, Courtney,

Garamendi, Norcross, Gallego, Moulton,

Carbajal, Khanna, Keating, Kim of New Jer-

sey, Mses. Houlahan, Slotkin, Sherrill, and

Escobar.

From the Permanent Select Committee on

Intelligence, for consideration of matters

within the jurisdiction of that committee

under clause 11 of rule X: Messrs. Turner,

Wenstrup, and Himes.

From the Committee on Education and the

Workforce, for consideration of secs. 636, 651–

55, 658–61, 1041, and 1042 of the House bill and

secs. 303, 563, 592, 593, 1079, 1090K, 1099JJ, 1726,

and 3142 of the Senate amendment and modi-

fications committed to conference: Ms. Foxx,

Messrs. Owens and Scott of Virginia.

From the Committee on Energy and Com-

merce, for consideration of secs. 224, 749, and

3121 of the House bill, and secs. 314, 712 of di-

vision A, 1087, 1088, 1090A, 1090G, 1099II, 3122–

24, 3143, 3144, 6074, 8141, and sec. 11009 of divi-

sion J of the Senate amendment and modi-

fications committed to conference: Messrs.

Carter of Georgia, Pfluger, and Pallone.

From the Committee on Financial Serv-

ices, for consideration of subtitle J of title X

of division A, sec. 1086, title LXVIII of divi-

sion F, division I, and division J of the Sen-

ate amendment, and modifications com-

mitted to conference: Messrs. McHenry and

Luetkemeyer, and Ms. Waters.

From the Committee on Foreign Affairs,

for consideration of secs. 217, 1009, 1080K,

1210, 1211, 1213, 1214, 1216, 1220, 1220A, 1220C,

1220G, 1220K, 1220L, 1221–24, 1234, 1245, 1250,

1310L, 1505, and 1883 of the House bill, and

secs. 212, 1085, 1302, 1397, 1399B, 1399D, 1399E,

1399F, 1399I, 1399J, 1399K, 1399L, subtitles H–

K of title XIII of division A, secs. 1634, 6031,

6242, 6293, division F, and secs. 11104 and 11105

of the Senate amendment and modifications

committed to conference: Messrs. McCaul,

McCormick, and Meeks.

From the Committee on the Judiciary, for

consideration of secs. 542, 822, 1049, 1689, and

3116 of the House bill, and secs. 1041, 1090H,

subtitles I and K of title X of division A, sub-

title I of title XIII of division A, secs. 6031,

6075, 6082, 6084, subtitle H of title LX of divi-

sion E, secs. 6813, 6816, 6821, 6831 of division

E, secs. 9007, 9011, 9012, 9014, and title LXXI

of the Senate amendment and modifications

committed to conference: Mr. Issa, Ms. Lee

of Florida, and Mr. Nadler.

From the Committee on Natural Re-

sources, for consideration of secs. 261, 510,

1853, 1865, 2843, 2844, 2847, and 3515 of the

House bill, and secs. 312, 1041, 1090G, 2805,

6711, 11002 of division J, division K, and sec.

11341 of the Senate amendment and modifica-

tions committed to conference: Mr. Carl, Ms.

Hageman, and Mr. Grijalva.

From the Committee on Oversight and Ac-

countability, for consideration of secs. 364,

834, 891, 899C, 921, 922, 1047, 1101–10, 1116–18,

1122, 1221, 1222, 1521, 1523, 1805, and 1880 of the

House bill, and secs. 537, 867, subtitle H of

title X of division A, secs. 1201–03, 1206–09,

1211–13, 1215, 1512, 11133, 6101, 6202, 6203, 6607,

sec. 6831 of division E, 8141, 9005, 11331–33, and

secs. 601, 603, 605, 703, 704, 715–18, 802, and 1001

of division M, and secs. 11001 and 11002 of di-

vision L of the Senate amendment and modi-

fications committed to conference: Messrs.

Grothman, Perry, and Raskin.

From the Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology, for consideration of secs.

886, 1608, 1875, and 1879 of the House bill, and

secs. 308, 845, 1090E, 1090G, 3144, 5204, and title

X of division M of the Senate amendment,

and modifications committed to conference:

Messrs. Mike Garcia of California and Col-

lins, and Ms. Lofgren.

From the Committee on Small Business,

for consideration of secs. 223, 853, 881, 882, 884,

and 886 of the House bill, and secs. 141, 823,

831, 841–45, 849–52, and 5841 of the Senate

amendment, and modifications committed to

conference: Messrs. Molinaro and Alford, and

Ms. Velazquez.

From the Committee on Transportation

and Infrastructure, for consideration of secs.

315, 707, 723, 866, 1602, 1608, 1804, 1854, 3501,

3511–13, 3515, 3531, and 3533 of the House bill,

and secs. 314, 1083, 1090D, 1399N, 1606, 1644,

2814, title XXXV of division C, secs. 6079,

6226, 8141, and division H of the Senate

amendment, and modifications committed to

conference: Messrs. Graves of Missouri, Web-

ster of Florida, and Larsen of Washington.

From the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs,

for consideration of secs. 571, 572, 579, 1118,

1413, 1733, and 1885 of the House bill, and secs.

1084, 1090B, 1521, 1833, 1852, 6071, 6077, and

11020 of the Senate amendment, and modi-

fications committed to conference: Messrs.

Bost, Luttrell, and Takano.

There was no objection.

b 1545

PAID SICK LEAVE FOR RAILROAD

WORKERS

(Mr. PAYNE asked and was given

permission to address the House for 1

minute and to revise and extend his re-

marks.)

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise

today to discuss the need for the

Freight Rail Workforce Health and

Safety Act.

I introduced this bill to give our crit-

ical railroad workers 7 days of paid

sick leave. It would allow them to care

for their health and the health of fam-

ily members without using their vaca-

tion time. It is a benefit enjoyed by

millions of American workers every

single day. Yet, for some reason, rail-

road companies have refused to provide

it to railroad workers, but they do pro-

vide it to railroad management.

Our railroad workers should have the

right to paid sick leave. They risked

their health and safety to keep food

and medicine on store shelves during

the COVID–19 pandemic.

This bill would allow them to take

care of their health without worrying

about their income, and I encourage all

of my colleagues to support it.

We have it here in the Congress, our

staff has it here in the Congress. The

railroad workers need it as well.

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM FOR

SERVICEWOMEN

(Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida

asked and was given permission to ad-

dress the House for 1 minute and to re-

vise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida.

Madam Speaker, my, my, my.

The Republican attacks on reproduc-

tive freedom never end. The latest tar-

get: our servicewomen in the military.

Many of our over 500 military bases are

located in States that now ban or se-

verely restrict abortion. That is why

the Department of Defense established

a travel allowance for servicemembers

and dependents who need to go to an-

other State to access an abortion.

Now, shamelessly, the Republicans

are seeking to block that effort. These

military women leave their homes,

families, and friends. They train hard.

They have dreams and goals.

We trust them with Black Hawks and

Special Ops. We should trust them with

the very personal decision of whether

or when to start a family. They stand

for our freedom. It is time for us to

stand for theirs.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Madam

Speaker, I move that the House do now

adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accord-

ingly (at 3 o’clock and 54 minutes

p.m.), under its previous order, the

House adjourned until tomorrow,

Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 10

a.m. for morning-hour debate.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of

committees were delivered to the Clerk

for printing and reference to the proper

calendar, as follows:

Mr. RESCHENTHALER: Committee on

Rules. House Resolution 699. Resolution pro-

viding for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1130)

to repeal restrictions on the export and im-

port of natural gas; providing for consider-

ation of the resolution (H. Res. 684) con-

demning the actions of Governor of New

Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, for sub-

verting the Second Amenment to the Con-

stitution and depriving the citizens of New

Mexico of their right to bear arms; and pro-

viding for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5525)

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dmwilson on DSKJM0X7X2PROD with HOUSE

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4406 September 19, 2023

making continuing appropriations for fiscal

year 2024, and for other purposes (Rept. 118–

201). Referred to the House Calendar and or-

dered to be printed.

Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas: Committee on

Small Business. H.R. 3511. A bill to amend

the Small Business Act to require training

on increasing contract awards to small busi-

ness concerns owned and controlled by serv-

ice-disabled veterans, and for other purposes

(Rept. 118–202). Referred to the Committee of

the Whole House on the state of the Union.

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 2 of rule XII, public

bills and resolutions of the following

titles were introduced and severally re-

ferred, as follows:

By Ms. SEWELL (for herself, Mr.

EFFRIES

, Ms. C

LARK

of Massachu-

setts, Mr. A

GUILAR

, Mr. C

LYBURN

, Mr.

ORSFORD

, Ms. B

ARRAGA

, Ms. C

Mr. N

ADLER

, Mr. M

ORELLE

, Mr.

EASEY

, Mr. S

COTT

of Virginia, Ms.

ILLIAMS

of Georgia, Ms. J

ACKSON

, Mr. L

ARSEN

of Washington, Ms.

DAMS

, Mrs. B

EATTY

, Mr. C

ART

WRIGHT

, Mr. C

ASTRO

of Texas, Mr.

ISHOP

of Georgia, Mr. G

REEN

Texas, Mr. G

RIJALVA

, Mr. J

OHNSON

Georgia, Ms. L

of California, Ms.

ONAMICI

, Mr. C

ARBAJAL

, Mr. C

ARSON

Ms. C

ASTOR

of Florida, Ms. C

LARKE

New York, Mrs. D

INGELL

, Mr. F

TER

, Mr. G

ALLEGO

, Mr. H

IGGINS

New York, Ms. W

ATERS

, Mr. L

ARSON

of Connecticut, Mr. L

IEU

, Mr. M

ERN

, Mr. M

EEKS

, Ms. M

OORE

of Wis-

consin, Ms. N

ORTON

, Mr. P

ALLONE

Mr. P

AYNE

, Mr. P

OCAN

, Mr. R

ASKIN

Mr. S

MITH

of Washington, Mr.

AKANO

, Mr. T

HOMPSON

of Mis-

sissippi, Mr. T

ONKO

, Mr. V

ARGAS

, Ms.

ELA

ZQUEZ

, Ms. W

ASSERMAN

CHULTZ

, Mrs. W

ATSON

OLEMAN

, Ms.

ILSON

of Florida, Mr. A

LLRED

, Mr.

UCHINCLOSS

, Ms. B

ALINT

, Mr. B

ERA

Mr. B

EYER

, Mr. B

LUMENAUER

, Ms.

LUNT

OCHESTER

, Mr. B

OWMAN

, Mr.

OYLE

of Pennsylvania, Ms. B

ROWN

Ms. B

ROWNLEY

, Ms. B

UDZINSKI

, Ms.

USH

, Ms. C

ARAVEO

, Mr. C

RDENAS

Mr. C

ARTER

of Louisiana, Mr. C

ASAR

Mr. C

ASE

, Mr. C

ASTEN

, Mrs.

HERFILUS

-M

ORMICK

, Mr. C

LEAVER

Mr. C

OHEN

, Mr. C

ONNOLLY

, Mr.

ORREA

, Mr. C

OSTA

, Mr. C

OURTNEY

Ms. C

RAIG

, Ms. C

ROCKETT

, Mr. C

ROW

Mr. C

UELLAR

, Ms. D

AVIDS

of Kansas,

Mr. D

AVIS

of Illinois, Mr. D

AVIS

North Carolina, Ms. D

EAN

of Pennsyl-

vania, Ms. D

ETTE

, Ms. D

AURO

Ms. D

ENE

, Mr. D

ELUZIO

, Mr.

AULNIER

, Mr. D

OGGETT

, Ms.

SCOBAR

, Ms. E

SHOO

, Mr. E

SPAILLAT

Mr. E

VANS

, Mrs. F

LETCHER

, Mrs.

OUSHEE

, Ms. L

OIS

RANKEL

of Flor-

ida, Mr. F

ROST

, Mr. G

ARAMENDI

, Mr.

OBERT

ARCIA

of California, Ms.

ARCIA

of Texas, Mr. G

ARCI

of Illi-

nois, Mr. G

OLDEN

of Maine, Mr. G

OLD

MAN

of New York, Mr. G

OMEZ

, Mr.

ICENTE

ONZALEZ

of Texas, Mr.

OTTHEIMER

, Mrs. H

AYES

, Ms.

OULAHAN

, Mr. H

OYER

, Ms. H

OYLE

Oregon, Mr. I

VEY

, Mr. J

ACKSON

North Carolina, Mr. J

ACKSON

of Illi-

nois, Ms. J

ACOBS

, Ms. J

AYAPAL

, Ms.

AMLAGER

-D

OVE

, Ms. K

APTUR

, Mr.

EATING

, Ms. K

ELLY

of Illinois, Mr.

ILDEE

, Mr. K

ILMER

, Mr. K

of New

Jersey, Ms. K

USTER

, Mr. L

ANDSMAN

Ms. L

of Pennsylvania, Ms. L

Nevada, Ms. L

EGER

ERNANDEZ

, Mr.

EVIN

, Ms. L

OFGREN

, Mr. L

YNCH

, Mr.

AGAZINER

, Ms. M

ANNING

, Mrs.

ATH

, Ms. M

LELLAN

, Ms.

OLLUM

, Mr. M

ARVEY

, Mr.

ENENDEZ

, Ms. M

ENG

, Mr. M

FUME

Mr. M

OSKOWITZ

, Mr. M

RVAN

, Mr.

ULLIN

, Mr. H

ARDER

of California,

Mr. H

UFFMAN

, Mr. K

HANNA

, Mr.

RISHNAMOORTHI

, Mrs. N

APOLITANO

Mr. N

EAL

, Mr. N

EGUSE

, Mr. N

ICKEL

Mr. N

ORCROSS

, Ms. O

MAR

, Mr. P

NETTA

, Mr. P

APPAS

, Mr. P

ASCRELL

Ms. P

ELOSI

, Mrs. P

ELTOLA

, Ms.

EREZ

, Mr. P

ETERS

, Ms. P

ETTERSEN

Mr. P

HILLIPS

, Ms. P

INGREE

, Ms.

LASKETT

, Ms. P

ORTER

, Ms.

RESSLEY

, Mr. Q

UIGLEY

, Mrs. R

AMI

REZ

, Ms. R

OSS

, Mr. R

UPPERSBERGER

Mr. R

YAN

, Mr. S

ABLAN

, Ms. S

ALINAS

Ms. S

NCHEZ

, Mr. S

ARBANES

, Ms.

CANLON

, Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Mr.

CHIFF

, Mr. S

CHNEIDER

, Ms.

CHOLTEN

, Ms. S

CHRIER

, Mr. D

AVID

COTT

of Georgia, Mr. S

HERMAN

, Ms.

HERRILL

, Ms. S

LOTKIN

, Mr.

ORENSEN

, Mr. S

OTO

, Ms.

PANBERGER

, Ms. S

TANSBURY

, Mr.

TANTON

, Ms. S

TEVENS

, Ms. S

TRICK

LAND

, Mr. S

WALWELL

, Mrs. S

YKES

Mr. T

HOMPSON

of California, Ms.

ITUS

, Ms. T

LAIB

, Ms. T

OKUDA

, Mrs.

ORRES

of California, Mr. T

ORRES

New York, Mrs. T

RAHAN

, Mr. T

RONE

Ms. U

NDERWOOD

, Mr. V

ASQUEZ

, Ms.

EXTON

, Ms. W

ILD

, Mr. H

IMES

, Ms.

ATSUI

, Mr. M

OULTON

, Mr. R

UIZ

, Mr.

HANEDAR

, and Ms. O

CASIO

-C

ORTEZ

H.R. 14. A bill to amend the Voting Rights

Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determin

ing which States and political subdivisions

are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for

other purposes; to the Committee on the Ju-

diciary.

By Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS (for herself,

Mr. T

ONKO

, and Mrs. H

INSON

H.R. 5555. A bill to direct the Secretary of

Health and Human Services to provide for

certain adjustments to Medicare payment

for items of durable medical equipment that

were formerly included in round 2021 of the

DMEPOS competitive bidding program; to

the Committee on Energy and Commerce,

and in addition to the Committee on Ways

and Means, for a period to be subsequently

determined by the Speaker, in each case for

consideration of such provisions as fall with-

in the jurisdiction of the committee con-

cerned.

By Mr. CURTIS:

H.R. 5556. A bill to make exclusive the au-

thority of the Federal Government to regu-

late the labeling of products made in the

United States and introduced in interstate

or foreign commerce, and for other purposes;

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

By Mr. HIMES:

H.R. 5557. A bill to impose sanctions

against certain persons engaged in the pro-

liferation or use of foreign commercial

spyware, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to

the Committees on the Judiciary, and Finan-

cial Services, for a period to be subsequently

determined by the Speaker, in each case for

consideration of such provisions as fall with-

in the jurisdiction of the committee con-

cerned.

By Mr. BOST:

H.R. 5558. A bill to establish the Prairie du

Rocher French Colonial National Historical

Park in the State of Illinois, and for other

purposes; to the Committee on Natural Re-

sources.

By Mr. BOST:

H.R. 5559. A bill to amend title 38, United

States Code, to establish certain rules of evi-

dence in certain claims under laws adminis-

tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

By Ms. CHU (for herself, Mr. S

MITH

Washington, Ms. C

ROCKETT

, Ms.

ONAMICI

, Mr. J

OHNSON

of Georgia,

Ms. C

LARKE

of New York, Ms. M

ENG

Ms. J

AYAPAL

, Mr. G

ARCI

of Illinois,

Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Mr. Q

UIGLEY

, Mr.

AKANO

, Mr. C

ASTRO

of Texas, Ms.

ARRAGA

, Ms. W

ASSERMAN

CHULTZ

Mr. L

IEU

, Ms. C

ASTOR

of Florida, Ms.

OKUDA

, Mr. G

OMEZ

, Ms. M

ATSUI

, Mr.

CHIFF

, Ms. O

MAR

, Mr. R

ASKIN

, Mr.

ROST

, Mr. N

ADLER

, Mr. V

ARGAS

, Mr.

RISHNAMOORTHI

, Mr. B

OWMAN

, Ms.

ALINT

, Mrs. R

AMIREZ

, Mr. G

REEN

Texas, Ms. V

ELA

ZQUEZ

, Ms. S

NCHEZ

Ms. N

ORTON

, Mr. C

ASAR

, Mr. M

ERN

, and Mr. E

SPAILLAT

H.R. 5560. A bill to amend the Immigration

and Nationality Act to promote family

unity, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. CLOUD (for himself, Mr.

RRINGTON

, Mr. D

AVIDSON

, Mr.

RAWFORD

, Mr. R

OSENDALE

, Mr.

OMACK

, Mr. W

ALBERG

, Ms. V

UYNE

, Mr. N

ORMAN

, Mr. R

OGERS

Alabama, Mr. B

ISHOP

of North Caro-

lina, Mr. O

GLES

, Mrs. B

OEBERT

, Mr.

DERHOLT

, Mr. K

ELLY

of Pennsyl-

vania, Mrs. L

ESKO

, Mr. H

IGGINS

Louisiana, Mr. G

OODEN

of Texas, Mr.

AKYM

, Mr. G

ALLAGHER

, Mr.

USTOFF

, Mr. F

ITZGERALD

, Mr.

EENSTRA

, Mrs. M

ILLER

of Illinois,

Mr. G

ROTHMAN

, Mrs. H

INSON

, Mr. S

SIONS

, Mr. H

ARRIS

, Mr. M

OONEY

, and

Mr. S

TEIL

H.R. 5561. A bill to prohibit the President

and the Secretary of Health and Human

Services from declaring certain emergencies

or disasters for the purpose of imposing gun

control; to the Committee on Transportation

and Infrastructure, and in addition to the

Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a

period to be subsequently determined by the

Speaker, in each case for consideration of

such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-

tion of the committee concerned.

By Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself

and Mr. K

RISHNAMOORTHI

H.R. 5562. A bill to amend the Higher Edu-

cation Act of 1965 to provide formula grants

to States to improve higher education oppor-

tunities for foster youth and homeless

youth, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Education and the Workforce.

By Ms. D

LAURO (for herself, Ms.

CHAKOWSKY

, Ms. N

ORTON

, Ms. L

California, Ms. B

UDZINSKI

, Mr. D

AVIS

of Illinois, Mr. C

LEAVER

, and Mr.

YNCH

H.R. 5563. A bill to permit employees to re-

quest changes to their work schedules with-

out fear of retaliation and to ensure that em-

ployers consider these requests, and to re-

quire employers to provide more predictable

and stable schedules for employees in certain

occupations with evidence of unpredictable

and unstable scheduling practices that nega-

tively affect employees, and for other pur-

poses; to the Committee on Education and

the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-

mittees on House Administration, Oversight

and Accountability, and the Judiciary, for a

period to be subsequently determined by the

Speaker, in each case for consideration of

such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-

tion of the committee concerned.

By Mr. DOGGETT (for himself, Mr.

LUMENAUER

, Ms. B

ONAMICI

, Ms. C

Ms. C

LARKE

of New York, Mr.

LEAVER

, Mr. C

OHEN

, Mr. E

SPAILLAT

Mr. G

OMEZ

, Ms. J

ACKSON

, Ms.

AYAPAL

, Mr. J

OHNSON

of Georgia,

Mr. K

RISHNAMOORTHI

, Mr. L

ARSON

Connecticut, Ms. L

of California,

Mr. L

IEU

, Mr. N

ADLER

, Ms. N

ORTON

Mr. P

AYNE

, Ms. P

INGREE

, Mr.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4407 September 19, 2023

UIGLEY

, Mr. R

ASKIN

, Ms. S

NCHEZ

Mr. S

CHIFF

, Mrs. W

ATSON

OLEMAN

and Ms. W

ILSON

of Florida):

H.R. 5564. A bill to amend the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986 to establish an excise tax

on plastics; to the Committee on Ways and

Means, and in addition to the Committees on

Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources,

and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a

period to be subsequently determined by the

Speaker, in each case for consideration of

such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-

tion of the committee concerned.

By Mr. FITZGERALD (for himself, Mr.

ERN

, and Mr. N

UNN

of Iowa):

H.R. 5565. A bill to require a report regard-

ing the scope of efforts by the People’s Re-

public of China and Chinese Communist

Party to utilize the Belt and Road Initiative

to undermine the United States-led inter-

national world order and a detailed strategy

regarding how the United States Govern-

ment intends to counter such Initiative, and

for other purposes; to the Committee on For-

eign Affairs.

By Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia (for him-

self, Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Mr. S

CHIFF

Ms. L

of California, Mr. T

HANEDAR

Mr. N

ADLER

, and Mr. G

OLDMAN

New York):

H.R. 5566. A bill to amend title 28, United

States Code, to provide for the duration of

active service of justices of the Supreme

Court, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself, Ms.

TEFANIK

, Mr. C

ASE

, Mr. W

ILLIAMS

New York, Mr. D

IAZ

-B

ALART

, Mr.

RMSTRONG

, Mr. B

ALDERSON

, Mr.

D’E

SPOSITO

, Mr. G

IMENEZ

, Mrs.

LAIN

, Mr. C

AREY

, Mrs. H

INSON

and Mrs. G

ONZA

LEZ

-C

OLO

H.R. 5567. A bill to prohibit elementary and

secondary schools from accepting funds from

or entering into contracts with the Govern-

ment of the People’s Republic of China and

the Chinese Communist Party, and for other

purposes; to the Committee on Education

and the Workforce.

By Ms. KELLY of Illinois (for herself,

Ms. D

EAN

of Pennsylvania, Ms. S

WELL

, Mr. V

EASEY

, Mr. J

OHNSON

Georgia, Ms. P

LASKETT

, Mr. T

RONE

Ms. C

LARKE

of New York, Ms. L

California, Ms. N

ORTON

, Mrs.

HERFILUS

-M

ORMICK

, Mr. C

OHEN

Mr. J

ACKSON

of Illinois, Mr. P

AYNE

Mr. B

ISHOP

of Georgia, Mrs. W

ATSON

OLEMAN

, Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Ms.

ROCKETT

, Mr. G

RIJALVA

, Ms. J

ACK

SON

, Mr. E

VANS

, Mr. D

AVIS

North Carolina, Ms. M

ENG

, Mr.

ARGAS

, Ms. M

OORE

of Wisconsin, and

Mr. N

ADLER

H.R. 5568. A bill to improve Federal efforts

with respect to the prevention of maternal

mortality, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in

addition to the Committees on Education

and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for

a period to be subsequently determined by

the Speaker, in each case for consideration

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-

tion of the committee concerned.

By Mr. LANDSMAN (for himself, Ms.

ONAMICI

, Mr. C

UELLAR

, Ms.

RESSLEY

, Ms. J

ACOBS

, and Mr.

EGUSE

H.R. 5569. A bill to amend the Richard B.

Russell National School Lunch Act with re-

spect to reimbursements under the child and

adult care food program, and for other pur-

poses; to the Committee on Education and

the Workforce.

By Mr. MILLS (for himself and Ms.

AMLAGER

-D

OVE

H.R. 5570. A bill to establish and imple-

ment a multi-year Legal Gold and Mining

Partnership Strategy to reduce the negative

environmental and social impacts of illicit

gold mining in the Western Hemisphere, and

for other purposes; to the Committee on For-

eign Affairs, and in addition to the Com-

mittee on Financial Services, for a period to

be subsequently determined by the Speaker,

in each case for consideration of such provi-

sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the

committee concerned.

By Mr. NORMAN (for himself and Mr.

ROTHMAN

H.R. 5571. A bill to amend the Congres-

sional Budget and Impoundment Control Act

of 1974 to provide for fair-value credit esti-

mates, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on the Budget, and in addition to the

Committee on Rules, for a period to be sub-

sequently determined by the Speaker, in

each case for consideration of such provi-

sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the

committee concerned.

By Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ (for herself,

Mr. C

ASAR

, Mr. K

HANNA

, Mr. N

ADLER

Ms. N

ORTON

, Ms. P

RESSLEY

, Mr.

RDENAS

, Mr. M

ULLIN

, Ms.

TANSBURY

, Ms. T

OKUDA

, Mrs.

APOLITANO

, Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Mr.

ONNOLLY

, Mr. C

LEAVER

, Ms. C

ROCK

ETT

, Mr. R

OBERT

ARCIA

of Cali-

fornia, Mrs. R

AMIREZ

, Mr. P

AYNE

, Ms.

ILSON

of Florida, Mr. M

OVERN

Mr. E

SPAILLAT

, Mr. F

ROST

, Mr.

ASKIN

, Ms. B

ARRAGA

, Ms.

ELA

ZQUEZ

, Mr. G

OMEZ

, Mr.

AULNIER

, Ms. L

of California,

Ms. C

LARKE

of New York, Mr. G

JALVA

, Mrs. W

ATSON

OLEMAN

, Mr.

OWMAN

, Mr. L

IEU

, Mr. M

ARVEY

Mr. P

OCAN

, Ms. L

of Pennsylvania,

Mr. H

UFFMAN

, Mr. T

RONE

, Ms. M

ENG

Ms. O

MAR

, Mr. D

OGGETT

, Ms. T

LAIB

Ms. J

AYAPAL

, Ms. B

USH

, Mr. T

ONKO

and Mr. C

OHEN

H.R. 5572. A bill to amend the National and

Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a

Civilian Climate Corps to help communities

respond to climate change and transition to

a clean economy, and for other purposes; to

the Committee on Education and the Work-

force, and in addition to the Committee on

Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-

quently determined by the Speaker, in each

case for consideration of such provisions as

fall within the jurisdiction of the committee

concerned.

By Ms. OMAR (for herself, Mr. B

MAN

, Mr. J

OHNSON

of Georgia, Ms.

ROCKETT

, Ms. N

ORTON

, Mrs. W

ATSON

OLEMAN

, Ms. M

OORE

of Wisconsin,

Ms. J

ACOBS

, Ms. P

RESSLEY

, Ms. L

of California, Ms. T

LAIB

, Ms. W

LIAMS

of Georgia, Ms. C

LARKE

of New

York, Mr. V

ARGAS

, Ms. A

DAMS

, Mr.

ARTER

of Louisiana, Mr. T

ORRES

New York, Mr. C

LEAVER

, Ms. M

LUM

, Ms. K

AMLAGER

-D

OVE

, Mr.

YNCH

, Ms. K

ELLY

of Illinois, Mrs.

EATTY

, Mrs. D

INGELL

, Mr. L

IEU

, Mrs.

AMIREZ

, Mr. C

ARSON

, Ms. S

EWELL

Ms. O

CASIO

-C

ORTEZ

, Mr. P

AYNE

, Ms.

ASTOR

of Florida, Mr. E

SPAILLAT

Mrs. C

HERFILUS

-M

ORMICK

, Ms.

USH

, Ms. J

ACKSON

, Ms. B

LUNT

OCHESTER

, Ms. C

RAIG

, Ms. S

TRICK

LAND

, Ms. B

ROWN

, Mr. G

REEN

Texas, Mr. E

VANS

, Mrs. H

AYES

, Mr.

ROST

, Ms. W

ATERS

, Ms. M

LELLAN

Ms. E

SCOBAR

, Mr. D

AVID

COTT

Georgia, Mr. M

FUME

, Mr. G

ARCI

Illinois, Mr. B

ISHOP

of Georgia, Mr.

COTT

of Virginia, Mrs. F

OUSHEE

, Mr.

EEKS

, Mr. N

EGUSE

, Mr. I

VEY

, Mr.

EASEY

, Mr. M

ULLIN

, Mr. H

ORSFORD

Mr. J

ACKSON

of Illinois, Mr. T

HOMP

SON

of Mississippi, and Mr. C

LYBURN

H.R. 5573. A bill to establish within the De-

partment of Justice an Office for Missing and

Murdered Black Women and Girls; to the

Committee on the Judiciary.

By Ms. PETTERSEN (for herself and

Mr. L

ALFA

H.R. 5574. A bill to amend the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986 to increase the dollar

threshold applicable to information report-

ing with respect to payments for qualified

natural disaster expenses; to the Committee

on Ways and Means.

By Mr. POSEY:

H.R. 5575. A bill to direct the Secretaries of

Health and Human Services, Defense, and

Veterans Affairs to end American over-de-

pendence on Chinese pharmaceuticals by en-

couraging the growth of a robust domestic

medicine supply chain for generic drugs, to

empower the Food and Drug Administration

to issue boxed warnings in the case of crit-

ical contamination, and for other purposes;

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,

and in addition to the Committees on Armed

Services, Veterans’ Affairs, and Ways and

Means, for a period to be subsequently deter-

mined by the Speaker, in each case for con-

sideration of such provisions as fall within

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

By Ms. ROSS:

H.R. 5576. A bill to empower independent

music creator owners to collectively nego-

tiate with dominant online platforms regard-

ing the terms on which their music may be

distributed; to the Committee on the Judici-

ary.

By Mr. ROY (for himself, Mr. D

UNCAN

Mr. L

ALFA

, Mrs. H

ARSHBARGER

Mr. B

ANKS

, Mr. S

MITH

of New Jersey,

Mrs. L

ESKO

, Mrs. M

ILLER

of Illinois,

Mr. B

ABIN

, Mr. B

IGGS

, Mr. M

OYLAN

Mr. D

AVIDSON

, Mr. M

OONEY

, Mr.

UCK

, Mr. C

LYDE

, Mr. G

OOD

of Vir-

ginia, Mrs. L

UNA

, Mr. G

OSAR

, Mr.

OSENDALE

, Mr. B

RECHEEN

, Mr.

OORE

of Alabama, Mr. S

ELF

, Mr.

URLISON

, Mr. L

AMBORN

, Mr. G

REEN

of Tennessee, and Mr. T

IMMONS

H.R. 5577. A bill to amend title 18, United

States Code, to repeal prohibitions relating

to freedom of access to clinic entrances, and

for other purposes; to the Committee on the

Judiciary.

By Ms. SCHAKOWSKY (for herself, Ms.

AURO

, Mr. D

OGGETT

, Mr. B

OWMAN

Ms. P

ORTER

, Mr. M

OVERN

, Ms.

ORTON

, Ms. P

RESSLEY

, Ms. L

California, Mr. D

AVIS

of Illinois, Mr.

ARCI

of Illinois, and Ms. C

H.R. 5578. A bill to extend protections to

part-time workers in the areas of family and

medical leave and to ensure equitable treat-

ment in the workplace; to the Committee on

Education and the Workforce, and in addi-

tion to the Committees on House Adminis-

tration, Oversight and Accountability, and

the Judiciary, for a period to be subse-

quently determined by the Speaker, in each

case for consideration of such provisions as

fall within the jurisdiction of the committee

concerned.

By Mr. STEUBE:

H.R. 5579. A bill to provide that certain

changes to the Manual of Military Decora-

tions and Awards shall have no force or ef-

fect; to the Committee on Armed Services.

By Ms. TENNEY (for herself, Mr. H

GINS

of New York, Mr. L

AWLER

, and

Mr. R

YAN

H.R. 5580. A bill to amend the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986 to exclude certain dis-

charges of indebtedness secured by real prop-

erty from income; to the Committee on Ways

and Means.

By Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mr.

ITZPATRICK

, Ms. A

DAMS

, Ms. C

ROCK

ETT

, Mr. J

ACKSON

of Illinois, Mr.

EEKS

, Mr. C

ARTER

of Louisiana, Mr.

ACON

, Mr. V

EASEY

, Mr. D

AVIS

North Carolina, Ms. C

LARKE

of New

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4408 September 19, 2023

York, Mr. C

ARSON

, Ms. W

ILLIAMS

Georgia, Mr. G

RIJALVA

, Mr. H

UNT

Mr. J

OHNSON

of Georgia, Mr. D

UNN

Florida, Mr. L

IEU

, Mr. G

ROTHMAN

Mr. M

ENENDEZ

, Mr. V

ALADAO

, Mr.

ESTERMAN

, Ms. C

ARAVEO

, and Mr.

ISHOP

of Georgia):

H. Res. 700. A resolution expressing support

for the designation of September 2023 as ‘‘Na-

tional Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’’;

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

By Mr. SCHNEIDER (for himself, Mrs.

AGNER

, Mrs. R

ODGERS

of Wash-

ington, and Mr. T

RONE

H. Res. 701. A resolution encouraging fur-

ther deepening and broadening of the Abra-

ham Accords on occasion of the third anni-

versary of their signing to continue building

bridges towards a lasting peace; to the Com-

mittee on Foreign Affairs.

By Ms. TLAIB (for herself, Mr. C

ARTER

of Louisiana, Ms. L

of California,

Mr. B

OWMAN

, Mr. E

SPAILLAT

, Ms.

LARKE

of New York, Ms. B

USH

, Ms.

CASIO

-C

ORTEZ

, Ms. P

RESSLEY

, Mr.

ASAR

, Mrs. R

AMIREZ

, Mr. M

ERN

, Ms. O

MAR

, Mr. G

ARCI

of Illi-

nois, Mr. G

RIJALVA

, Mr. D

AVIS

of Illi-

nois, Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, and Ms. J

ACK

SON

H. Res. 702. A resolution recognizing the

duty of the Federal Government to protect

the rights of restaurant workers; to the

Committee on Education and the Workforce,

and in addition to the Committees on Ways

and Means, the Judiciary, Financial Serv-

ices, Energy and Commerce, Agriculture,

Oversight and Accountability, Armed Serv-

ices, Veterans’ Affairs, Natural Resources,

Foreign Affairs, and House Administration,

for a period to be subsequently determined

by the Speaker, in each case for consider-

ation of such provisions as fall within the ju-

risdiction of the committee concerned.

By Mr. VEASEY (for himself, Ms.

LARKE

of New York, Mr. J

OHNSON

Georgia, Ms. M

ENG

, Ms. D

ENE

Mr. E

VANS

, Ms. N

ORTON

, Ms.

ARRAGA

, Mrs. N

APOLITANO

, Ms.

CHAKOWSKY

, Mr. C

OSTA

, Mr. D

AVID

COTT

of Georgia, Ms. M

OORE

of Wis-

consin, Mr. R

ASKIN

, Mr. C

RDENAS

Ms. S

EWELL

, Ms. S

TEVENS

, Ms. W

LIAMS

of Georgia, Mr. C

ARTER

of Lou-

isiana, Mr. G

RIJALVA

, Mr. D

OGGETT

Mr. T

ONKO

, Mr. K

RISHNAMOORTHI

, Mr.

SPAILLAT

, Ms. P

LASKETT

, Mr.

AKANO

, Ms. W

ILSON

of Florida, Mr.

of New Jersey, Mr. S

ARBANES

Ms. L

of California, Ms. T

LAIB

, Ms.

DAMS

, Mr. C

ARSON

, Ms. B

ROWN

, Mr.

REEN

of Texas, Mr. M

ULLIN

, Mr.

ACKSON

of Illinois, and Mr. S

COTT

Virginia):

H. Res. 703. A resolution supporting the

designation of September 2023 as ‘‘National

Voting Rights Month’’; to the Committee on

the Judiciary, and in addition to the Com-

mittee on House Administration, for a period

to be subsequently determined by the Speak-

er, in each case for consideration of such pro-

visions as fall within the jurisdiction of the

committee concerned.

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY AND

SINGLE SUBJECT STATEMENTS

Pursuant to clause 7(c)(1) of rule XII

and Section 3(c) of H. Res. 5 the fol-

lowing statements are submitted re-

garding (1) the specific powers granted

to Congress in the Constitution to

enact the accompanying bill or joint

resolution and (2) the single subject of

the bill or joint resolution.

By Ms. SEWELL:

H.R. 14.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to

the Constitution.

Section 2 of the Fifteenth Amendment, and

Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the United

States Constitution

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill advances the accesiblity of voting

rights for all Americans.

By Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS:

H.R. 5555.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

Providing payment rate updates for dura-

ble medical equipment under Medicare.

By Mr. CURTIS:

H.R. 5556.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1 Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

Regulates and standardizes the labeling of

‘‘Made in America’’ and Made in the U.S.A.’’

products

By Mr. HIMES:

H.R. 5557.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill would authorize sanctions on in-

dividuals and entities who facilitate spyware

that could enable the targeting of United

States Government officials or personnel of

the intelligence community.

By Mr. BOST:

H.R. 5558.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2

The single subject of this legislation is:

Establishing Prairie du Rocher French Co-

lonial National Park in Illinois

By Mr. BOST:

H.R. 5559.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8 of the United States

Constitution, which states ‘‘[t]he Congress

shall have power to lay and collect taxes, du-

ties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts

and provide for the common defense and gen-

eral welfare of the United States; but all du-

ties, imposts and excises shall be uniform

throughout the United States’’

The single subject of this legislation is:

The rights of veterans and survivors to

pursue claims for VA benefits and to submit

evidence in support of their claims.

By Ms. CHU:

H.R. 5560.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8, clause 3 of the United

States Constitution

The single subject of this legislation is:

To amend the Immigration and Nation-

ality Act to promote family unity by recap-

turing unused visas, and for other purposes.

By Mr. CLOUD:

H.R. 5561.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

The power granted to Congress under Arti-

cle I, Section 8 of the United States Con-

stitution.

The single subject of this legislation is:

To prevent gun control through public

health emergencies.

By Mr. DAVIS of Illinois:

H.R. 5562.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Con-

stitution: To make all laws which shall be

necessary and proper for carrying into Exe-

cution the powers enumerated under section

8 and all other Powers vested by the Con-

stitution in the Government of the United

States, or in any Department or Officer

thereof.

The single subject of this legislation is:

Education

By Ms. D

LAURO:

H.R. 5563.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Artlcle I, Section 8, clause 3 provides Con-

gress with the power to ‘‘regulate commerce

with foreign nations, and among the several

states, and with the Indian tribes.’’

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill will provide stability and predict-

ability for working people and their families,

remedying many of the problems facing

workers by promoting employee input into

work scheules.

By Mr. DOGGETT:

H.R. 5564.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Clause 1 of Section 8 of Article I of the

United States Constitution.

The single subject of this legislation is:

Reducing singe-use plastics waste.

By Mr. FITZGERALD:

H.R. 5565.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

clause 18 of section 8 of article I of the

Constitution.

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill requires a report on the Chinese

Communist Party’s use of the Belt and Road

Initiative to undermine U.S.-led inter-

national order.

By Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia:

H.R. 5566.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I Section 1.

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill amends Title 28, United States

Code, to provide for 18-year terms of active

service for justices of the Supreme Court, to

regularize the nomination of justices, and for

other purposes.

By Mr. JOYCE of Ohio:

H.R. 5567.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18

The single subject of this legislation is:

To prohibit elementary and secondary

schools from accepting funds from or enter-

ing into contracts with the Government of

the People’s Republic of China and the Chi-

nese Communist Party.

By Ms. KELLY of Illinois:

H.R. 5568.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8, clause 18

The single subject of this legislation is:

Maternal health legislation

By Mr. LANDSMAN:

H.R. 5569.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8, Clause 1

The single subject of this legislation is:

This bill increases reimbursements for

meals under the Child and Adult Care Food

Program.

By Mr. MILLS:

H.R. 5570.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.

The single subject of this legislation is:

To establish and implement a multi-year

Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Strategy

to reduce the negative environmental and so-

cial impacts of illicit gold mining in the

Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4409 September 19, 2023

By Mr. NORMAN:

H.R. 5571.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1 Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

To amend the Congressional Budget and

Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to provide

for fair-value credit estimates, and for other

purposes.

By Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ:

H.R. 5572.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1 , Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

To amend the National and Community

Service Act of 1990 to establish a Civilian

Climate Corps to help communities respond

to climate change and transition to a clean

economy, and for other purposes.

By Ms. OMAR:

H.R. 5573.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

Judiciary

By Ms. PETTERSEN:

H.R. 5574.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Clause 18 of Section 8 of Article 1. To make

all Laws which shall be necessary and proper

for carrying into Execution the foregoing

Powers, and all other Powers vested by this

Constitution in the Government of the

United States, or in any Department or Offi-

cer thereof.

The single subject of this legislation is:

Tax

By Mr. POSEY:

H.R. 5575.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

A bill to direct the Secretaries of Health

and Human Services, Defense, and Veterans

Affairs to end American over dependence on

Chinese pharmaceuticals by encouraging the

growth of a robust domestic medicine supply

chain for generic drugs, to empower the Food

and Drug Administration to issue boxed

warnings in the case of critical contamina-

tion.

By Ms. ROSS:

H.R. 5576.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United

States Constitution; Article 1, Section 8,

Clause 8 of the United States Constitution;

and Article 1 Section 8 Clause 18 of

The single subject of this legislation is:

To empower independent music creator

owners to collectively negotiate with domi-

nant online platforms and generative artifi-

cial intelligence developers regarding the

terms on which their music may be distrib-

uted.

By Mr. ROY:

H.R. 5577.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

Criminal Code

By Ms. SCHAKOWSKY:

H.R. 5578.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

The Congress shall have Power . . . To reg-

ulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and

among the several States, and with the In-

dian Tribes.

The single subject of this legislation is:

This Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act

modifies various employment and leave rules

with respect to part-time workers to ensure

their fair treatment.

By Mr. STEUBE:

H.R. 5579.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article 1 Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

To provide that certain changes to the

Manual of Military Decorations and Awards

shall have no force or effect.

By Ms. TENNEY:

H.R. 5580.

Congress has the power to enact this legis-

lation pursuant to the following:

Article I, Section 8

The single subject of this legislation is:

It would amend Section 108 of the Tax Code

to provide tax relief for the cancellation of

commercial and retail indebtedness.

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS

Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors

were added to public bills and resolu-

tions, as follows:

H.R. 16: Mr. T

RONE

and Mr. N

ORCROSS

H.R. 38: Mr. M

EUSER

H.R. 41: Mr. W

ENSTRUP

H.R. 82: Mr. E

ZELL

H.R. 303: Mr. P

APPAS

H.R. 374: Mr. M

ASSIE

H.R. 415: Mr. N

ADLER

H.R. 427: Mr. C

RENSHAW

H.R. 530: Mr. S

MITH

of Nebraska.

H.R. 539: Mr. F

INSTAD

H.R. 584: Mr. L

YNCH

H.R. 603: Mrs. F

OUSHEE

H.R. 648: Mr. L

OOD

, Mr. D

AVIS

of North

Carolina, and Ms. U

NDERWOOD

H.R. 666: Ms. P

RESSLEY

H.R. 709: Mr. C

LYBURN

H.R. 748: Mr. P

APPAS

H.R. 760: Mr. S

HERMAN

and Mr. D

AVID

COTT

of Georgia.

H.R. 802: Mrs. C

HAVEZ

-D

EMER

H.R. 809: Mr. L

OOD

and Mr. C

LINE

H.R. 830: Ms. L

of California.

H.R. 882: Mr. T

RONE

H.R. 911: Mr. M

OYLAN

H.R. 1200: Mr. L

OUDERMILK

and Mr.

LFORD

H.R. 1213: Mr. P

AYNE

H.R. 1222: Ms. N

ORTON

, Ms. M

OORE

of Wis-

consin, Mrs. F

OUSHEE

, and Mrs. C

HERFILUS

ORMICK

H.R. 1273: Mr. K

of New Jersey and Mr.

AWLER

H.R. 1428: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

H.R. 1453: Ms. C

ASTOR

of Florida, Mr. C

ARL

and Ms. B

ARRAGA

H.R. 1477: Mr. V

REW

H.R. 1490: Mr. C

ARTER

of Georgia.

H.R. 1495: Mr. T

RONE

H.R. 1526: Mr. M

ORELLE

H.R. 1570: Ms. K

USTER

and Mrs.

ADEWAGEN

H.R. 1610: Ms. L

of Florida.

H.R. 1754: Mr. P

OCAN

H.R. 1826: Ms. M

OLLUM

, Mr. L

AWLER

, Ms.

ILD

, Ms. D

AVIDS

of Kansas, Mrs. C

HERFILUS

ORMICK

, and Ms. L

of California.

H.R. 1832: Mr. T

HOMPSON

of California.

H.R. 2407: Mr. N

ORCROSS

, Mr. S

TEIL

, and

Ms. C

RAIG

H.R. 2412: Mr. C

OHEN

H.R. 2441: Mr. P

APPAS

H.R. 2583: Ms. L

of California.

H.R. 2584: Mr. S

ESSIONS

, Mr. D

UNN

of Flor-

ida, and Mr. C

OHEN

H.R. 2601: Mr. P

OSEY

H.R. 2629: Mr. K

EATING

H.R. 2708: Ms. B

UDZINSKI

, Ms. D

AURO

and Ms. O

CASIO

-C

ORTEZ

H.R. 2723: Mr. H

ARDER

of California and Mr.

ORENSEN

H.R. 2756: Mr. L

OOD

H.R. 2784: Ms. S

CANLON

H.R. 2816: Mr. M

FUME

H.R. 2871: Mr. C

ASTEN

H.R. 2949: Mr. T

RONE

H.R. 2987: Mr. N

EGUSE

H.R. 3036: Mr. M

ANN

, Mr. B

UCSHON

, Mr.

AKYM

, and Ms. L

of Nevada.

H.R. 3159: Mr. F

ITZPATRICK

H.R. 3183: Ms. B

ROWNLEY

H.R. 3199: Mr. V

RDEN

H.R. 3202: Mr. G

REEN

of Tennessee.

H.R. 3215: Mr. G

OOD

of Virginia.

H.R. 3240: Ms. K

USTER

H.R. 3354: Mr. C

LINE

H.R. 3378: Mr. S

HERMAN

and Mr. B

ARR

H.R. 3470: Ms. M

LELLAN

H.R. 3479: Mr. T

RONE

and Mr. B

ACON

H.R. 3494: Ms. L

OFGREN

and Ms. T

LAIB

H.R. 3519: Ms. P

RESSLEY

H.R. 3538: Mr. P

APPAS

, Ms. W

ILD

, and Mr.

ICKEL

H.R. 3539: Mr. B

LUMENAUER

H.R. 3548: Mr. D

OGGETT

H.R. 3639: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

H.R. 3649: Mr. P

APPAS

H.R. 3653: Mr. L

OOD

H.R. 3713: Mr. M

ULLIN

and Mr. N

ORCROSS

H.R. 3781: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

H.R. 3852: Mr. C

ARTER

of Texas.

H.R. 3859: Ms. D

AVIDS

of Kansas.

H.R. 3875: Mr. H

ARDER

of California.

H.R. 3894: Mr. M

OVERN

and Ms. D

AVIDS

Kansas.

H.R. 3907: Ms. S

ALAZAR

and Ms. W

ILLIAMS

of Georgia.

H.R. 3916: Mr. C

OHEN

and Ms. B

ROWN

H.R. 3949: Mrs. L

ESKO

H.R. 3955: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

H.R. 3962: Ms. S

CHRIER

H.R. 3970: Mr. T

AKANO

H.R. 3988: Mr. M

ASSIE

H.R. 4034: Mr. L

YNCH

, Ms. O

MAR

, and Mr.

ACON

H.R. 4046: Mr. S

MITH

of Washington.

H.R. 4110: Mr. G

ARCI

of Illinois and Mr.

ABLAN

H.R. 4149: Mr. C

OHEN

and Ms. T

OKUDA

H.R. 4198: Mr. S

TEUBE

H.R. 4235: Mr. C

OSTA

H.R. 4278: Mr. C

ARTER

of Georgia.

H.R. 4315: Mr. C

OHEN

H.R. 4329: Mr. M

OULTON

H.R. 4334: Mr. B

ISHOP

of Georgia.

H.R. 4400: Mr. C

ROW

H.R. 4424: Mr. D

ELUZIO

H.R. 4425: Ms. T

OKUDA

H.R. 4448: Mr. B

EAN

of Florida.

H.R. 4519: Mr. L

ARSON

of Connecticut, Mr.

ORCROSS

, Mr. L

ARSEN

of Washington, Ms.

ILLIAMS

of Georgia, and Ms. C

LARKE

of New

York.

H.R. 4534: Ms. C

RAIG

H.R. 4561: Ms. S

CHAKOWSKY

, Ms. T

OKUDA

and Ms. S

CHRIER

H.R. 4563: Mr. D

UNN

of Florida.

H.R. 4564: Mrs. L

ESKO

H.R. 4567: Mr. C

ARSON

H.R. 4619: Mr. B

ERGMAN

, Mr. C

OLE

, and Mr.

ORCROSS

H.R. 4660: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 4736: Mr. N

UNN

of Iowa and Ms. S

ALI

NAS

H.R. 4744: Mr. B

AIRD

H.R. 4750: Mr. K

EATING

H.R. 4769: Mr. C

ASTEN

H.R. 4844: Ms. T

OKUDA

H.R. 4933: Ms. T

LAIB

H.R. 4943: Ms. P

INGREE

and Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5008: Mr. C

ASAR

and Mr. L

IEU

H.R. 5012: Mr. G

OLDMAN

of New York.

H.R. 5044: Ms. S

CHRIER

H.R. 5048: Ms. L

OIS

RANKEL

of Florida.

H.R. 5073: Mr. W

ENSTRUP

and Mr. W

ILLIAMS

of Texas.

H.R. 5082: Mr. P

OSEY

H.R. 5097: Mr. R

ASKIN

and Mr. C

ARSON

H.R. 5100: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSEH4410 September 19, 2023

H.R. 5110: Mr. V

RDEN

and Mr. R

UTHER

FORD

H.R. 5163: Mr. N

ORCROSS

H.R. 5239: Mr. B

ILIRAKIS

H.R. 5249: Ms. M

OORE

of Wisconsin and Mr.

ORCROSS

H.R. 5259: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5260: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5261: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5262: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5263: Mr. L

AWLER

H.R. 5292: Mr. N

EGUSE

H.R. 5340: Mrs. H

OUCHIN

H.R. 5353: Mr. T

RONE

, Mr. N

ORCROSS

, Mr.

ELUZIO

, and Mr. C

LEAVER

H.R. 5361: Ms. B

ONAMICI

H.R. 5399: Mr. B

LUMENAUER

, Mr. B

ERA

, Ms.

AVIDS

of Kansas, Ms. T

OKUDA

, Ms. S

CANLON

Ms. R

OSS

, and Ms. J

AYAPAL

H.R. 5402: Mr. N

ORCROSS

H.R. 5403: Mrs. C

HAVEZ

-D

EMER

, Mr. W

LIAMS

of Texas, and Mr. F

ERGUSON

H.R. 5406: Mr. G

REEN

of Tennessee and Mr.

ARR

H.R. 5409: Mr. S

HERMAN

and Mr. B

ARR

H.R. 5420: Ms. A

DAMS

and Mr. S

CHIFF

H.R. 5433: Ms. D

ENE

, Ms. M

ENG

, and Mr.

EGUSE

H.R. 5434: Ms. B

ARRAGA

H.R. 5448: Mr. H

ARRIS

H.R. 5486: Ms. N

ORTON

H.R. 5524: Mr. S

HERMAN

H.R. 5527: Mr. K

HANNA

H.R. 5530: Mr. Z

INKE

, Mr. T

IFFANY

, and Ms.

ACE

H.J. Res. 66: Mr. G

UEST

and Mr. Y

AKYM

H.J. Res. 88: Mr. L

OUDERMILK

H.J. Res. 89: Mr. L

ANDSMAN

H. Con. Res. 16: Mr. G

REEN

of Texas.

H. Con. Res. 59: Mr. K

EATING

and Mr. P

HIL

LIPS

H. Res. 149: Ms. P

ETTERSEN

H. Res. 259: Mr. G

ARAMENDI

H. Res. 651: Mr. H

UDSON

H. Res. 674: Mr. H

ARDER

of California, Ms.

RUZ

, Ms. D

AVIDS

of Kansas, and Mr.

AKYM

H. Res. 675: Mr. B

ILIRAKIS

H. Res. 679: Ms. T

OKUDA

H. Res. 683: Mr. W

ILLIAMS

of Texas, Mr.

EUSER

, Mrs. H

OUCHIN

, and Mr. A

LLRED

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Congressional Record

United States

of America

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE

118

CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

S4567

Vol. 169 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 No. 151

Senate

The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was

called to order by the Honorable R

APH

AEL

G. W

ARNOCK

, a Senator from the

State of Georgia.

PRAYER

The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of-

fered the following prayer:

Let us pray.

O God of us all, who is above all yet

in us all, make us ever sensitive to all

of the expressions of Your Grace. Lord,

thank You for the glory of a sunrise

and sunset, for the refreshment of the

breezes that invigorate, and for the

technicolor in trees, shrubs, sky, and

sea. May the challenges of these times

never blind us to life’s wonders.

Prepare our lawmakers for today’s

journey. May they strive to stay within

the circle of Your will as You guide

their steps. Lord, help them to be

ready to solve problems, receiving in-

spiration from the creative power of

Your love. Let business be done on Cap-

itol Hill that will address itself to the

real issues and not to games. May the

work of our Senators become an ex-

pression of Your truth, righteousness,

and justice.

We pray in Your merciful Name.

Amen.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Presiding Officer led the Pledge

of Allegiance, as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the

United States of America, and to the Repub-

lic for which it stands, one nation under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

APPOINTMENT OF ACTING

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will please read a communication

to the Senate from the President pro

tempore (Mrs. M

URRAY

The senior assistant legislative clerk

read the following letter:

U.S. S

ENATE

RESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

Washington, DC, September 19, 2023.

To the Senate:

Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3,

of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby

appoint the Honorable R

APHAEL

G. W

ARNOCK

a Senator from the State of Georgia, to per-

form the duties of the Chair.

ATTY

URRAY

President pro tempore.

Mr. WARNOCK thereupon assumed

the Chair as Acting President pro tem-

pore.

RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. Under the previous order, the

leadership time is reserved.

CONCLUSION OF MORNING

BUSINESS

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. Morning business is closed.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. Under the previous order, the

Senate will proceed to executive ses-

sion to resume consideration of the fol-

lowing nomination, which the clerk

will report.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

read the nomination of Vernon D. Oli-

ver, of Connecticut, to be United

States District Judge for the District

of Connecticut.

RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. The Democratic leader is recog-

nized.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, we are

days away from another MAGA govern-

ment shutdown. Avoiding one will re-

quire the House majority to quickly

accept a bipartisan solution. Yet, this

week, House Republicans are trying ev-

erything but bipartisanship.

Everyone knows that the GOP’s pro-

posed CR is a nonstarter here in the

Senate. Let me say that again. Every-

one knows that the House GOP’s pro-

posed CR will not pass the Senate be-

cause, instead of even pretending to

aim for bipartisanship, this bill had

zero—zero—Democratic input. It calls

for a crushing 8-percent cut to vir-

tually all nondefense spending—8 per-

cent. The House Republican proposal,

drafted and put together by the MAGA

hard-right wing is slapdash, reckless,

and cruel.

It includes cutting investments to

the Social Security Administration, to

law enforcement, to nutrition assist-

ance, to K–12 education, to small busi-

ness, to rural communities, to protec-

tions for drinking water, to lifesaving

medical research—cancer and other re-

search—and much more.

The American people need to know

just how bad this MAGA Republican

CR truly is. This slapdash CR would

decimate investments in lifesaving re-

search, hollowing out the National In-

stitutes of Health.

This reckless CR would lower public

safety, cutting back on drug and food

inspection; weakening wildfire preven-

tion; and eliminating law enforcement

officers in the Federal Government,

weakening our battle against violent

crime and the scourge of fentanyl.

And this cruel CR would gut invest-

ments in K–12 education, slash re-

sources for suicide support services,

upend Tribal investments, and cut

loans to small businesses and rural

communities.

Slapdash, reckless, cruel—that is the

hallmark of this MAGA Republican

proposal in the House.

Then there is Ukraine, which the

House GOP bill completely abandons.

At the very same time that President

Zelenskyy comes to the United States

to make the case for standing firm

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against Putin, the Republican leader-

ship in the House of Representatives is

essentially telling him: You are on

your own.

Nothing would make Putin happier

right now than to see the United States

waver in our support for the Ukrainian

people. Nothing would make Putin

happier. Providing aid is not just a

matter of Ukrainian security but of

American security, too, because a vic-

torious Putin would be an emboldened

Putin. That would make the world less

safe for democracy and for America.

For MAGA House Republicans to op-

pose Ukrainian aid is a terrible, dan-

gerous mistake that could come back

to haunt U.S. security.

Ukrainian aid could have been an op-

portunity for bipartisanship, but the

hard right—against what, I imagine, is

the majority of Republicans in the

House—has prevented that from hap-

pening, too.

So let me say it again: The House

package is slapdash, reckless, and

cruel, and everyone knows it has no

chance of passing the Senate.

The more time House Republicans

waste trying to pass this MAGA wish

list, while ignoring chances for real bi-

partisanship, the greater the odds they

will push us into a costly government

shutdown.

The last government shutdown lasted

35 days and began when then-President

Trump said to me and Speaker P

ELOSI

in the Oval Office: ‘‘I am proud to shut

down the government.’’ That is what

he said.

In the 2 years that Democrats held

the House, the Senate, and the White

House, we didn’t have a government

shutdown. We didn’t have a debt limit

crisis. We didn’t have the kind of chaos

that we see when MAGA Republicans

seem to control so much of the Repub-

lican agenda. And, this year, we have

already seen both: a debt limit crisis

and a looming shutdown crisis, just

months apart.

Only one thing has changed since last

year, when there was none of this

chaos: a House controlled by MAGA

Republicans. They are back to their old

ways.

And, of course, former President

Trump is trying to add to the crisis—it

is typical of what he always does—

practically commanding his MAGA

House sycophants to ‘‘shut down the

government if they can’t make an ap-

propriate deal—absolutely.’’

This is the problem with MAGA ex-

tremism: It is not capable of governing.

It is only capable of chaos, and this

year, sadly, chaos has reigned in the

House.

It doesn’t have to be that way. It

doesn’t have to be a MAGA Republican-

only bill. It doesn’t have to be the

MAGA way or a shutdown. House Re-

publicans have a choice in the matter,

between pursuing real chances for bi-

partisanship and catering to the hard

right. Each time, they have chosen to

empower the hard right. They have

chosen dysfunction and chaos. They

have chosen to ignore bipartisanship.

But what was true months ago re-

mains true today: There is no scenario

where we avoid a shutdown without bi-

partisanship. If Democrats tried to do

it only our way, there would be no bill.

But now Republicans are trying to do

it their way; Democrats are not. And

there are plenty of Members on both

sides of the aisle who, despite our dis-

agreements, would like to give biparti-

sanship a chance, and that is what the

American people would want us to do

as well.

We only have a few days left for

House Republicans to come to their

senses and choose the more fruitful

way. I urge them to reject chaos and

choose to work with Democrats.

There are real people with real lives

at stake here. Hundreds of thousands of

Federal workers all across the country

could be furloughed. Services that mil-

lions of Americans count on could be

disrupted. Our communities will be less

safe and our fellow Americans suffering

from disasters less provided for. Those

are a few of the tragic and unnecessary

outcomes if the Republicans in the

House let the MAGA extreme control

their agenda.

The matter is simple. If both sides

embrace bipartisanship, a shutdown

will be avoided. If House Republicans

reject bipartisanship, if the hard right

is given license to run the show, a

MAGA shutdown will be almost inevi-

table.

APPROPRIATIONS

Mr. President, now on the minibus,

while chaos seems to define everything

the Republican-controlled House does,

here in the Senate we have shown that

bipartisanship is key to getting things

done, and, tomorrow, Democrats and

Republicans will get a chance to make

sure that that bipartisanship con-

tinues.

Unfortunately, last Thursday, a lone

Senator, representing a very small

group in this Chamber, tried to under-

mine the bipartisan appropriations

process with procedural hurdles.

Yesterday, my colleague Senator

URRAY

, the chair of the Appropria-

tions Committee, moved to get things

back on track with a motion to sus-

pend rule XVI and filed cloture on that

motion. We will vote on that motion

tomorrow. I believe that a clear major-

ity of Senators want to see us continue

on the appropriations process. I hope

they vote to keep the appropriations

process going tomorrow.

Our colleagues on the other side have

asked for regular order, and we have

worked with them to make sure that

that happens, just as it did on the

NDAA bill. Our colleagues on the other

side have asked for amendments, and

we have worked with them to consider

amendments. In fact, Senators C

OLLINS

and M

URRAY

had a list of amendments

that was going to go forward with the

OK, I believe, of both the minority and

majority leaders, until Senator J

OHN

SON

threw the log in the tracks.

Our Republican and Democratic lead-

ers of the Appropriations Committee

have asked to consider appropriations

bills on the floor, and it is with their

cooperation that these three bills—

MILCON-VA, Agriculture, and Trans-

portation-HUD—have been brought to

the floor for consideration.

Democrats want to work with our

Republican colleagues whenever pos-

sible. No one pretends that we don’t

have disagreements—we do—but the

important part is that, so far, disagree-

ments have not stymied the process.

Tomorrow’s vote will be a chance to

ensure that we keep that bipartisan-

ship going.

I thank my colleagues on the Appro-

priations Committee, especially Chair

URRAY

and Vice Chair C

OLLINS

, for

their excellent work and hope we can

see strong support tomorrow to con-

tinue the appropriations process here

on the floor.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. M

CONNELL. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the order

for the quorum call be rescinded.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. Without objection, it is so or-

dered.

RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER

The Republican leader is recognized.

CHINA

Mr. M

CONNELL. Mr. President, in

the past 2 months, the Chinese Govern-

ment has reminded the world just how

an authoritarian communist state op-

erates.

In July, President Xi announced he

had replaced the PRC’s Foreign Min-

ister after the official hadn’t been seen

in public in a month. Then, the senior

official responsible for the PLA stra-

tegic missile force, who hadn’t been

seen for even longer, was replaced. And

then the Chinese Defense Minister

went missing for weeks before Beijing

announced he had been fired and de-

tained for investigation. The purge of

senior leaders, growing economic vola-

tility, bellicose foreign policy—these

are concerning developments in a coun-

try with a reputation for repression at

home and belligerence abroad.

China’s neighbors and global powers

alike are increasingly skeptical of offi-

cial economic and budget numbers

from a dictatorship that suppresses

free speech, mocks the rule of law, and

simply disappears its senior leaders—

and rightly so.

One thing has long been certain: The

PRC is arming itself at an alarming

rate. Recent estimates suggest China

spends close to $700 billion per year on

defense. That is concerning for a num-

ber of reasons. First, a much larger

percentage of China’s defense budget

than ours goes to modernization and

capabilities. Further, since Chinese

geostrategic ambitions—for now at

least—are focused primarily on chal-

lenging the status quo in its immediate

region, the PRC doesn’t face the re-

source constraints that the United

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States does due to our global interests

and power projection requirements.

Beijing’s decades-long modernization

campaign has paid dividends for the

PRC. Just last week, the Wall Street

Journal detailed the significant

progress China has made in testing and

fielding hypersonic weapons and how

such efforts have outpaced those of our

own country. America also lags in ship-

building. The infrastructure con-

straints that keep us from building

more ships, testing more hypersonic

vehicles, and training more pilots are

well known. But the cold truth is that

China, which has a shipbuilding capac-

ity more than 200 times that of the

United States, is set to reach 400 ships

in 2 years, while the U.S. Navy is aim-

ing for 350 ships—listen to this—by

2045.

This is precisely why Senate Repub-

licans, led by Senator Shelby and Sen-

ator W

ICKER

, pushed for an amendment

to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure

Framework to create a Defense Infra-

structure Fund and expand our capac-

ity for testing, training, and produc-

tion. Unfortunately, the Democratic

leader did not allow this amendment to

receive a vote.

For what it is worth, I appreciate the

Pentagon’s recent efforts to catch up.

For example, the Deputy Secretary of

Defense recently announced an initia-

tive to dramatically accelerate produc-

tion of autonomous systems to help

level the playing field with the PLA.

Her remarks were titled ‘‘The Urgency

to Innovate.’’ But closing the gap with

China and outcompeting our biggest

strategic adversary will require more

than innovation theater or speeches

about revolutions in military affairs.

Real progress will require real invest-

ments in long-range strike capabilities,

real expansion of our defense produc-

tion capacity, and real defense tech-

nology cooperation with our closest al-

lies that increasingly share our con-

cerns about the PLA.

The conflict in Ukraine has finally

motivated efforts in America, Europe,

and Asia to invest in our defense indus-

trial bases, but if we truly take com-

petition with the PRC seriously, there

is a lot more that needs to be done.

AUKUS, our technology-sharing part-

nership with Australia and the United

Kingdom, is a step in the right direc-

tion. In fact, it will hopefully serve as

a model for expanding defense coopera-

tion with other allies. But these efforts

cannot come at the expense of properly

funding America’s own requirements

for crucial systems like attack sub-

marines.

The Department’s interest in autono-

mous systems, hypersonic weapons,

and long-range fire is welcome, but the

Pentagon needs to move at the speed of

relevance to field these capabilities as

soon as possible, and the Biden admin-

istration needs to stop sending Con-

gress defense budget requests that cut

funding after inflation and start

prioritizing serious investments in the

weapons that we actually need.

BIDENOMICS

Mr. President, on an entirely dif-

ferent matter, in a speech last month,

President Biden claimed that Amer-

ican wages were growing faster than

inflation, saying, ‘‘That’s Bidenomics.’’

Unfortunately, for working families,

the truth of Bidenomics is quite the op-

posite.

Even as nominal wages continue to

rise, inflation is actually rising faster.

For the third straight year, real me-

dian household income is declining. Ac-

cording to the Census Bureau, infla-

tion-adjusted income declined last year

alone—listen to this—by $1,750. In

other words, Washington Democrats’

historic inflation has swallowed the

gains of a tight labor market and stuck

workers across the country with a mas-

sive pay cut.

Worst of all, this Bidenomics tax is

hitting low-income workers the hard-

est. The wealthiest 5 percent of house-

holds are earning 4.1 percent less than

they were 4 years ago, but—listen to

this—the poorest 10 percent are earn-

ing 6.3 percent less, and wage gains for

manufacturing workers are lagging

even further behind those of other in-

dustries.

One contract worker in Michigan

said of his job at a hardware store:

‘‘Every time my wage goes up, the

price of everything else goes up, and it

does me no good’’ and that the price for

some construction materials are only

beginning to come down by ‘‘cents

when they went up dollars.’’

So that is Bidenomics, and working

Americans have every reason to be sick

of it.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. The Republican whip.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, there is

nothing like summertime in South Da-

kota.

While I am in Sioux Falls almost

every weekend, August gives me the

opportunity to spend more time at

home. It gives me a chance to travel

South Dakota’s wide-open spaces to

meet with constituents and have im-

portant conversations that shape a lot

of what I work on here in the Senate.

It is a busy month. We covered a lot of

ground this August, both figuratively

and literally.

To begin with, August is fair season

in South Dakota. So this year, I made

it to the Turner County Fair, the

Brown County Fair, where I got my

usual Tubby burger, and the Sioux Em-

pire Fair. Fairs showcase a lot of the

best of South Dakota, but they are an

especially big deal for our agricultural

community. Whether I am serving

lunch to producers at the Sioux Empire

Fair’s Agriculture Appreciation Day or

giving an update on the farm bill at

Dakotafest, which happens every year

in Mitchell, SD, I appreciate opportu-

nities to hear directly from farmers

and ranchers. I do this every year, but

it is especially important in a farm bill

year like this one.

Many of my farm bill priorities come

directly from these discussions. In fact,

these discussions can often get into the

weeds on policy. But the bottom line

from farmers and ranchers this year

was really quite simple: We need to get

the farm bill done. Farmers and ranch-

ers need certainty that the programs

they depend on will be there when they

need them. And finishing the farm bill

is one of the most important things on

the agenda for the end of this year.

Agriculture is the lifeblood of South

Dakota, but there is a lot more that

keeps South Dakota moving. This Au-

gust, I had the chance to meet with

electric cooperatives that provide

power in South Dakota communities. I

joined Midco Communications as they

announced a new broadband expansion

in the Black Hills to bring faster inter-

net to more homes. I was on hand for

the new I–29 exit 130 interchange rib-

bon-cutting in Brookings, SD.

Throughout the month, I also visited

a lot of local businesses and talked

with business owners from across the

State. I visited Showplace Cabinetry in

Harrisburg, SD, Load King Manufac-

turing in Elk Point, Dimock Cheese in

Dimock, Dady Drug in Mobridge, and I

met with startup leaders in Sioux

Falls. We had some important con-

versations. It was clear that business

owners are facing some headwinds at

the moment.

Business leaders in Yankton, for ex-

ample, discussed challenges arising

from the workforce shortages in South

Dakota. With unemployment at 1.9 per-

cent in South Dakota, there are work-

force challenges in just about every

sector. At the Midwest Agricultural

Export Summit, we talked about the

importance of trade and how the Biden

administration has put expanding mar-

ket access on the back burner, unfortu-

nately. Business owners across the

State expressed frustration with high

interest rates and higher costs. Of

course, we learned last week that infla-

tion has ticked back up. Gas prices are

on the rise as well.

And a majority of Americans say the

Biden administration has made the

economy worse. Bidenomics is making

life harder for families and businesses

around the country. If the President

really wanted to help working families,

he would abandon the tax-and-spending

agenda that has been the hallmark of

his administration for the last 2

⁄

years.

As I travel around South Dakota, I

know I can depend on South Dakotans

to keep me informed and South Dakota

restaurants to keep me fueled. Often,

August becomes a bit of a tour or a bit

of, I should say, ‘‘taste of South Da-

kota’’ tour. Sometimes I describe it as

eating my way across South Dakota—

Chislic from Waddy’s in Hudson, SD; a

milkshake from Mr. Bob’s Drive-In in

Selby; coffee from Black Hills Bagels

in Rapid City. There is nothing like

South Dakota hospitality and a good

meal to keep you going during long

days.

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As much as I love summer in South

Dakota, I always get particularly ex-

cited when summer turns to fall be-

cause there are few things I enjoy more

than cheering on South Dakota’s ath-

letes. Kids go back to school; and high

schools, college teams start competing.

My grandkids’ sports seasons have

begun in earnest. I made it to football

games in Brookings for South Dakota

State University and Vermillion for

the University of South Dakota to sup-

port the Jackrabbits and Coyotes in a

couple of big wins as their seasons get

underway.

And, of course, it is not long until

pheasant season comes around next

month.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, there

is always something to look forward to

in South Dakota. I am lucky to be a

son of our State.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the order

for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.

ADILLA

). Without objection, it is so

ordered.

FARM BILL

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President,

this is my third year serving on the

Senate Ag Committee. This is my first

time getting to work on a farm bill.

The farm bill comes around every 5

years. It sets national policy on agri-

culture, nutrition, conservation, and

forestry.

In less than 2 weeks, at the end of

this fiscal year, the current farm bill

will expire.

In 2018, this bill had a pricetag of $867

billion, right—$867 billion 5 years ago,

in 2018. Now, we used to think that was

a lot of money, but the upcoming farm

bill is almost double that amount at

roughly $1.5 trillion. This is the first

trillion-dollar farm bill in our Nation’s

history.

The enormous pricetag of the bill is

driven by an 84-percent increase in

SNAP, or Federal nutrition assistance,

and a 58-percent increase in conserva-

tion programs—in other words, a huge

increase in welfare and climate spend-

ing. Most of this new spending does not

offer support for farmers.

The $559 billion increase in SNAP

funding was done directly by the De-

partment of Agriculture through up-

dates to the Thrifty Food Plan. In

other words, nobody in Congress voted

for this. The $35 billion in conservation

funding was done through the Inflation

Reduction Act of last year. Democrats

are pushing through priorities that

cater to climate activists and lead

Americans to become dependent on

welfare benefits. Approximately 82 per-

cent of the upcoming farm bill goes to

SNAP, commonly known as food

stamps. Four percent goes to conserva-

tion.

Just yesterday, we hit $33 trillion in

debt for this country—yes, I said that—

$33 trillion. That will be picked up—

this tab—by our grandkids and their

kids.

This graph here, developed by the

Farm Bureau Federation, showcases

the enormous increase in nutrition

spending and the steady decline of farm

spending over the last 50 years. As you

can see, SNAP spending has almost

doubled what it was 5 years ago. How is

this even possible? Has poverty doubled

in our country in the last 5 years? Of

course, it hasn’t.

The poverty rate has been between 10

and 20 percent during my lifetime—10

to 20 percent. We spent $20 trillion in

the war on poverty, and we have not

even moved the needle. What does that

mean? That means we are not doing

our job. All we are doing is we are pay-

ing for somebody else to do it. So it

doesn’t work.

Yet I never hear my Democratic col-

leagues consider how we fight poverty.

We just give out money. If my col-

leagues on the left cared about pov-

erty, then they would want better re-

sults. But nobody wants better results

here. They want votes. Welfare spend-

ing—if we would ever get it in our

heads—welfare spending does not lift

people out of poverty. Are we ever

going to realize that? It simply makes

people more comfortable remaining in

poverty, and that makes it wrong. It

makes it wrong for this body that we

continue down this path of poverty and

not helping poverty.

Food stamps are supposed to help

people stay afloat while they work to

become self-sufficient, help them get

through tough times—not a free walk

in society. It should not be an incen-

tive to stay home other than to train

and want to get a job, but that is ex-

actly what it has done. Making some-

one dependent on government is not

helping them; it is hurting them.

The whole purpose of the farm bill is

supposed to be to help farmers. What

an idea. Yet $7 out of $8—$7 out of $8 in

the farm bill is for something else. Our

farmers depend on crop insurance; com-

modity programs such as the Agricul-

tural Risk program—ARC, as we call

it—and price-loss coverage, which is

the PLC program; and disaster pro-

grams to help them deal with difficult

crop yields, markets, and rising input

costs.

Farmers can’t control the weather or

the price, and that is the reason they

need help. We have to remember farm-

ers put food on the table. But there is

a lot of people who don’t understand

that.

These are some of the hardest work-

ing people in America, and they have

too little to show for it. Back home in

my State of Alabama, I have heard the

struggles facing our row croppers and

our specialty crop producers. They

need help to deal with inflation and ris-

ing input costs. Farm production costs

have increased—have increased 28 per-

cent since Joe Biden took office less

than 3 years ago. That is embarrassing.

How in the world can we increase

prices 28 percent in this country in 2

⁄

years and expect the people in this

country to survive, the hard-working

people? Farmers included.

Fuel and fertilizer are 60 percent to

130 percent higher than they were in

2021. Folks, we can’t survive with that;

but my colleagues on the left are not

even concerned about it—not one bit.

We are just going to cut back on

digging oil and gas and buy it from

other countries and charge the heck

out of taxpayers in the United States

of America for oil and gas that we can

produce here.

Other farm expenses like land, cash

rents, labor, and equipment are all add-

ing up. As a result, net farm income is

projected to decrease by roughly 23 per-

cent this year. Costs are up, incomes

are down, and farmers are struggling to

survive.

We are on a direct collision in this

country of closing our farmers out and

having to completely depend on other

countries for our food and other things

that we eat. Think about that—com-

pletely depend on other countries.

We just found out going through this

COVID crisis that we were completely

dependent on other countries for our

drugs. We said: We have got to over-

come that. We have got to redo that.

Now, we are doing the same thing to

our farmers. We do away with our food,

it is over, because if you think prices

are high now, they will be completely a

lot higher than they are now.

The only thing that is keeping our

farmers afloat is called the Farm Safe-

ty Net, but the current support levels

for title I commodity programs, like

cotton, peanuts, and soybeans, are not

high enough to sustain our farmers

over the next 5 years.

In other words, this safety net is a

level of pricing. If the price goes under

a certain amount, we help our farmers

overcome that cutback where they can

survive. The problem is, that safety net

price has not risen since 2012. And we

don’t think the prices haven’t gone up?

We have lost our minds.

If we don’t raise those reference

prices—and right now, my colleagues

on the left don’t want to raise our ref-

erence prices for farmers—we are going

to be buying all of our food and every-

thing we eat from other countries. It is

coming. We have got to raise our ref-

erence prices.

We have got to help out our farmers.

These programs and these reference

prices allow farmers to continue cloth-

ing, feeding, and fueling every citizen

in this country and a lot of other coun-

tries.

Now, we don’t need to idly sit by

while our hard-working producers work

tirelessly and barely survive under this

Joe Biden economy. I ask my col-

leagues—I beg my colleagues—on the

left to wake up, open your eyes, and

support our farmers and fight for this

farm bill. Raise the reference prices.

Help them out. Because if we don’t,

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there won’t be a need for another farm

bill. Our Nation’s food security is going

to depend on it, and the lives of all

American citizens are going to depend

on it.

I yield the floor.

NOMINATION OF VERNON D

OLIVER

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today,

the Senate will vote to confirm Judge

Vernon Oliver to the U.S. District

Court for the District of Connecticut.

Judge Oliver’s long career on the bench

and in public service make him an out-

standing nominee to the Federal bench.

Born and raised in Connecticut,

Judge Oliver received his B.A. and J.D.

from the University of Connecticut.

After spending approximately 3 years

in private practice, Judge Oliver de-

voted the rest of his legal career to

public service, serving as an Assistant

State’s Attorney in the division of

criminal justice and as an Assistant

Attorney General in the child protec-

tion unit of the Connecticut Office of

the Attorney General.

In 2009, Judge Oliver was appointed

to be a judge on the Connecticut Supe-

rior Court, presiding over criminal,

civil, habeas corpus, and housing mat-

ters. On the bench, he has presided over

more than 320 trials that have gone to

verdict or judgment. He has also sat by

designation on the Connecticut Appel-

late Court in three matters.

Judge Oliver has strong support from

his home State Senators, Mr.

LUMENTHAL

and Mr. M

URPHY

. In addi-

tion, he was unanimously rated ‘‘well

qualified’’ by the American Bar Asso-

ciation. Judge Oliver’s deep ties to

Connecticut and significant courtroom

experience, as a longtime litigator and

on the bench, make him well-posi-

tioned to serve the District of Con-

necticut with distinction.

I urge my colleagues to support

Judge Oliver’s nomination.

NOMINATION OF RITA F

LIN

Mr. President, today, the Senate will

vote to confirm Judge Rita Lin to the

U.S. District Court for the Northern

District of California. Judge Lin at-

tended Harvard College and Harvard

Law School before clerking for Judge

Sandra Lynch on the U.S. Court of Ap-

peals for the First Circuit. During her

10 years in private practice, she focused

on complex civil litigation and worked

on a variety of matters, including

tion, unfair competition, breach of con-

tract, and real estate.

She then joined the U.S. Attorney’s

Office for the Northern District of Cali-

fornia and served as a Federal pros-

ecutor for 4 years. In this role, Judge

Lin investigated and prosecuted Fed-

eral criminal cases involving public

corruption, organized crime, illegal

firearms, child pornography, and vio-

lent crime. She also led teams of

agents in dismantling drug trafficking

networks and developed the Northern

District of California’s program for in-

vestigating doctors who had illegally

prescribed opioids. In 2018, she was ap-

pointed to serve as a judge on the Su-

perior Court of California, County of

San Francisco. In her time on the

bench, Judge Lin has presided over

hundreds of felony criminal cases and

several jury trials.

Judge Lin has strong support from

Senators F

EINSTEIN

and P

ADILLA

and

was unanimously rated ‘‘well quali-

fied’’ by the American Bar Association.

Her evenhanded approach to judicial

decisionmaking and significant experi-

ence litigating both civil and criminal

matters in Federal court will serve the

Northern District of California well.

I look forward to supporting Judge

Lin’s nomination and urge my col-

leagues to do the same.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. I suggest the ab-

sence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will call the roll.

The legislative clerk proceeded to

call the roll.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the order for the

quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

VOTE ON OLIVER NOMINATION

Under the previous order, the ques-

tion is, Will the Senate advise and con-

sent to the Oliver nomination?

Mr. REED. I ask for the yeas and

nays, please.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a

sufficient second?

There appears to be a sufficient sec-

ond.

The clerk will call the roll.

The legislative clerk called the roll.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the

Senator from California (Mrs. F

EIN

STEIN

) and the Senator from Arizona

(Mr. K

ELLY

) are necessarily absent.

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is

necessarily absent: the Senator from

South Carolina (Mr. S

COTT

The result was announced—yeas 53,

nays 44, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 230 Ex.]

YEAS—53

Baldwin

Bennet

Blumenthal

Booker

Brown

Cantwell

Cardin

Carper

Casey

Collins

Coons

Cortez Masto

Duckworth

Durbin

Fetterman

Gillibrand

Graham

Hassan

Heinrich

Hickenlooper

Hirono

Kaine

King

Klobuchar

Luja

Manchin

Markey

Menendez

Merkley

Murkowski

Murphy

Murray

Ossoff

Padilla

Peters

Reed

Rosen

Sanders

Schatz

Schumer

Shaheen

Sinema

Smith

Stabenow

Tester

Tillis

Van Hollen

Warner

Warnock

Warren

Welch

Whitehouse

Wyden

NAYS—44

Barrasso

Blackburn

Boozman

Braun

Britt

Budd

Capito

Cassidy

Cornyn

Cotton

Cramer

Crapo

Cruz

Daines

Ernst

Fischer

Grassley

Hagerty

Hawley

Hoeven

Hyde-Smith

Johnson

Kennedy

Lankford

Lee

Lummis

Marshall

McConnell

Moran

Mullin

Paul

Ricketts

Risch

Romney

Rounds

Rubio

Schmitt

Scott (FL)

Sullivan

Thune

Tuberville

Vance

Wicker

Young

NOT VOTING—3

Feinstein Kelly Scott (SC)

The nomination was confirmed.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.

ICKENLOOPER

). Under the previous

order, the motion to reconsider is con-

sidered made and laid upon the table,

and the President will be immediately

notified of the Senate’s action.

CLOTURE MOTION

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant

to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the

Senate the pending cloture motion,

which the clerk will state.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

read as follows:

LOTURE

OTION

We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-

ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the

Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby

move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-

nation of Executive Calendar No. 37, Rita F.

Lin, of California, to be United States Dis-

trict Judge for the Northern District of Cali-

fornia.

Charles E. Schumer, Richard J. Durbin,

Richard Blumenthal, Christopher A.

Coons, Benjamin L. Cardin, Tina

Smith, Christopher Murphy, Mazie K.

Hirono, Tammy Baldwin, Margaret

Wood Hassan, John W. Hickenlooper,

Sheldon Whitehouse, Catherine Cortez

Masto, Brian Schatz, Gary C. Peters,

Alex Padilla, Michael F. Bennet.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan-

imous consent, the mandatory quorum

call has been waived.

The question is, Is it the sense of the

Senate that debate on the nomination

of Rita F. Lin, of California, to be

United States District Judge for the

Northern District of California, shall

be brought to a close?

The yeas and nays are mandatory

under the rule.

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

called the roll.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the

Senator from California (Mrs. F

EIN

STEIN

) and the Senator from Arizona

(Mr. K

ELLY

) are necessarily absent.

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is

necessarily absent: the Senator from

South Carolina (Mr. S

COTT

The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 52,

nays 45, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 231 Ex.]

YEAS—52

Baldwin

Bennet

Blumenthal

Booker

Brown

Cantwell

Cardin

Carper

Casey

Collins

Coons

Cortez Masto

Duckworth

Durbin

Fetterman

Gillibrand

Graham

Hassan

Heinrich

Hickenlooper

Hirono

Kaine

King

Klobuchar

Luja

Manchin

Markey

Menendez

Merkley

Murkowski

Murphy

Murray

Ossoff

Padilla

Peters

Reed

Rosen

Sanders

Schatz

Schumer

Shaheen

Sinema

Smith

Stabenow

Tester

Van Hollen

Warner

Warnock

Warren

Welch

Whitehouse

Wyden

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4572 September 19, 2023

NAYS—45

Barrasso

Blackburn

Boozman

Braun

Britt

Budd

Capito

Cassidy

Cornyn

Cotton

Cramer

Crapo

Cruz

Daines

Ernst

Fischer

Grassley

Hagerty

Hawley

Hoeven

Hyde-Smith

Johnson

Kennedy

Lankford

Lee

Lummis

Marshall

McConnell

Moran

Mullin

Paul

Ricketts

Risch

Romney

Rounds

Rubio

Schmitt

Scott (FL)

Sullivan

Thune

Tillis

Tuberville

Vance

Wicker

Young

NOT VOTING—3

Feinstein Kelly Scott (SC)

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.

UJA

). The yeas are 52, the nays are

45.

The motion is agreed to.

RECESS

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under

the previous order, the Senate stands

in recess until 2:15 p.m.

Thereupon, the Senate, at 1:16 p.m.,

recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem-

bled when called to order by the Pre-

siding Officer (Mr. L

UJA

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR—Continued

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report the nomination.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

read the nomination of Rita F. Lin, of

California, to be United States District

Judge for the Northern District of Cali-

fornia.

VOTE ON LIN NOMINATION

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under

the previous order, the question is, Will

the Senate advise and consent to the

Lin nomination?

Mr. CARDIN. I ask for the yeas and

nays.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a

sufficient second?

There appears to be a sufficient sec-

ond.

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

called the roll.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the

Senator from California (Mrs. F

EIN

STEIN

) and the Senator from Arizona

(Mr. K

ELLY

) are necessarily absent.

Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is

necessarily absent: the Senator from

South Carolina (Mr. S

COTT

The result was announced—yeas 52,

nays 45, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 232 Ex.]

YEAS—52

Baldwin

Bennet

Blumenthal

Booker

Brown

Cantwell

Cardin

Carper

Casey

Collins

Coons

Cortez Masto

Duckworth

Durbin

Fetterman

Gillibrand

Graham

Hassan

Heinrich

Hickenlooper

Hirono

Kaine

King

Klobuchar

Luja

Manchin

Markey

Menendez

Merkley

Murkowski

Murphy

Murray

Ossoff

Padilla

Peters

Reed

Rosen

Sanders

Schatz

Schumer

Shaheen

Sinema

Smith

Stabenow

Tester

Van Hollen

Warner

Warnock

Warren

Welch

Whitehouse

Wyden

NAYS—45

Barrasso

Blackburn

Boozman

Braun

Britt

Budd

Capito

Cassidy

Cornyn

Cotton

Cramer

Crapo

Cruz

Daines

Ernst

Fischer

Grassley

Hagerty

Hawley

Hoeven

Hyde-Smith

Johnson

Kennedy

Lankford

Lee

Lummis

Marshall

McConnell

Moran

Mullin

Paul

Ricketts

Risch

Romney

Rounds

Rubio

Schmitt

Scott (FL)

Sullivan

Thune

Tillis

Tuberville

Vance

Wicker

Young

NOT VOTING—3

Feinstein Kelly Scott (SC)

The nomination was confirmed.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.

ELCH

). Under the previous order, the

motion to reconsider is considered

made and laid upon the table, and the

President will be immediately notified

of the Senate’s action.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VET-

ERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED

AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS

ACT, 2024—Resumed

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under

the previous order, the Senate will re-

sume legislative session and the con-

sideration of H.R. 4366, which the clerk

will report.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

read as follows:

A bill (H.R. 4366) making appropriations

for military construction, the Department of

Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes.

Pending:

Schumer (for Murray-Collins) amendment

No. 1092, in the nature of a substitute.

Murray amendment No. 1205 (to amend-

ment No. 1092), to change the effective date.

Murray motion to suspend rule XVI for the

consideration of Schumer (for Murray-Col-

lins) amendment No. 1092 (listed above) to

the bill.

Schumer motion to commit the bill to the

Committee on Appropriations, with instruc-

tions, Schumer amendment No. 1230, to

change the effective date.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-

ator from Kentucky.

UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST

—

RES

336

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, the Senate

still mandates a COVID booster vac-

cine for pages. The Senate COVID vac-

cine mandate for pages continues de-

spite the fact that the Senate voted 83

to 11 to repeal the military COVID vac-

cine mandate. So why in the world

would we continue a mandate on pages

that we have repealed for our soldiers?

Is there any science to support con-

tinuing this mandate? The answer is an

emphatic no.

The science has been clear since the

early spring of 2020. Healthy children

are not seriously affected by COVID. In

fact, several large studies show that

healthy children are rarely hospital-

ized and that deaths from COVID in

healthy children are virtually non-

existent.

Dr. Martin Makary of Johns Hopkins

describes a large, nationwide study in

Israel that found that the risk of

COVID death in people under 30 with

two vaccines was essentially zero. A

nationwide study from Germany

showed zero COVID deaths among chil-

dren over 5 who had no comorbidities.

Even the head of the WHO, Soumya

Swaminathan, concluded that there is

no evidence right now that suggests

healthy children and adolescents need

boosters. Yet here we are, with Demo-

crats desperately clinging to COVID

vaccine mandates for young people who

have essentially zero risk of dying from

COVID.

Common sense should prevail, and

the Senate should repeal this mandate,

just as we did for our young soldiers.

We shouldn’t allow politics to infect

and cloud commonsense judgment.

The vaccine committees that make

recommendations for vaccines actually

don’t recommend COVID boosters for

young, healthy individuals. The FDA’s

Vaccines and Related Biological Prod-

ucts Advisory Committee voted to

limit COVID vaccines to adults over 65.

They wanted, because of the risk pro-

file of the COVID vaccine, to limit it to

people who were at risk for dying from

COVID. A CDC vaccine panel also voted

against recommending boosters for

young, healthy individuals. But these

committees that have lifelong sci-

entists on them who voted not to ad-

vise the booster vaccine for adolescents

were overruled by a political ap-

pointee, Biden appointee Rochelle

Walensky.

Dr. Paul Offit, who is the director of

the Vaccine Education Center and pro-

fessor of pediatrics and infectious dis-

ease at Children’s Hospital in Philadel-

phia, wrote that ‘‘a healthy young per-

son with [two COVID vaccines] is ex-

tremely unlikely to be hospitalized

with covid, so the case for risking any

side effects—such as myocarditis—di-

minishes substantially.’’ Dr. Offit, a

lifelong proponent of vaccines, even ad-

vised his own son not to get the COVID

booster.

The argument against mandating

COVID boosters on young, healthy peo-

ple is not just that they are unneces-

sary but that the COVID boosters may

actually harm young individuals. Re-

ports of heart inflammation or myocar-

ditis after COVID vaccines have been

consistent and worldwide.

A study in the Journal of the Amer-

ican Medical Association Cardiology

examined 23 million people across Den-

mark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden

and found that the risk of myocarditis

increased with COVID vaccination, par-

ticularly after the second dose. This is

exactly why several European coun-

tries, including Germany, France, Swe-

den, Denmark, and Norway, restrict

the use of COVID vaccines among

young, healthy people. Some countries,

such as South Africa and England, rec-

ommend only one COVID vaccine to

avoid the risk of myocarditis.

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A study in the Journal of Medical

Ethics similarly found about 1.5 cases

of myocarditis per 10,000 COVID vac-

cines but with 80 percent of the kids

who suffer from a heart inflammation

still having symptoms 3 months later.

Drs. Prasad and Knudsen looked at 29

studies across 3 continents and also

found an increase in myocarditis after

COVID vaccines. The studies reviewed

by Prasad and Knudsen showed a little

more than 2 cases of myocarditis per

15,000 vaccines.

Even the CDC admits that myocar-

ditis occurs about once per 15,000 vac-

cines.

Dr. Tracey Beth Hoeg looked at the

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Sys-

tem and found 1.62 adverse cardiac

events per 10,000 vaccines. Now, that

doesn’t sound like a high number, but

we are talking about a perfectly

healthy kid. How would you feel if your

perfectly healthy young football player

or band member is given the vaccine

and comes home with a heart inflam-

mation? It is actually diagnosed with

rising heart enzymes the same way

that a heart attack is diagnosed. Hoeg

found that the risk of myocarditis was

five times greater than the risk of hos-

pitalization from COVID.

So you are asking yourself, well,

could my kid go to the hospital or

could he get a heart inflammation?

Both are rare, but the chance of your

kid getting a heart inflammation from

the vaccine is five times greater than

your kid being hospitalized from

COVID.

The Vaccine Safety Datalink simi-

larly found a little over 2 cases of myo-

carditis per 15,000 vaccines.

This is across the scientific lit-

erature, across all the continents,

across the world, and is a consistent

finding that even our government ad-

mits to. But the Democrats want sub-

mission. They don’t want you to have

the choice to keep your kid safe and

make a decision whether or not your

kid, who may well have already had

COVID, needs yet another vaccine.

Why are we forcing these kids to do

something that I would say is against

medical advice to be a page in our pro-

gram here? The Senate continues to

look away from all the evidence of my-

ocarditis. In each of these studies, the

risk of myocarditis increases with each

vaccine. About 90 percent of the myo-

carditis or heart inflammation occurs

after the second vaccine. Yet,

inexplicably, the Senate pages are

being mandated to take three vaccines.

There are all kinds of compromises.

You could say one; you could say two;

but three—you are increasing the risk

with each successive vaccine. Not only

are three COVID vaccines unwarranted

for young, healthy individuals, this

mandate actually risks their health.

It is the height of malpractice to sub-

ject young, healthy kids to three

COVID vaccines. In fact, nowhere in

the examination or discussion of

whether they should have the vaccine

is there any discussion of whether they

have had COVID.

So what is a vaccine? It is meant to

simulate having had the infection.

Shouldn’t they tell us the data on chil-

dren or adults? If you have had the in-

fection, what is your chance of getting

it again? What is your chance of going

to the hospital? What is your chance of

dying from COVID if you have already

had it? They won’t tell us for adoles-

cents because the answer is zero.

Originally, the logic of advocates for

the COVID vaccine mandates argue

that the vaccines were not necessarily

for the children but to protect their

parents and grandparents. This argu-

ment now holds no water, as even the

zealous advocates of mandates, such as

Biden’s CDC Director Rochelle

Walensky, admit that COVID vaccines

do not anymore prevent transmission.

So the side of the people promoting

these mandates admits they don’t stop

transmission. Now, they may well still

reduce hospitalization and death if you

are in the target category—the elderly

or those with health disease—but for

young, healthy kids, there is no effect

other than to increase their risk of a

heart inflammation.

A Danish study confirms that by De-

cember 2021, the COVID vaccine’s effec-

tiveness was less than 10 percent. The

virus had mutated on, and the vaccine

had not been changed.

A study from January 2022 of over 1.2

million children in New York shows

that the vaccine effectiveness was 10

percent. It wasn’t stopping trans-

mission, it wasn’t stopping them from

getting the disease, and it wasn’t pro-

tecting their health.

No serious scientist now argues that

COVID vaccines stop transmission—no

one. Yet here we are, with Democrats

saying: You are not smart enough to

make your own decisions. We will

make these medical choices for you.

When we look at the effectiveness of

the COVID booster, we ask, what is the

science toward whether or not a boost-

er is effective? Isn’t this booster now

formulated against the newer variants?

Yes, the booster is directed against

newer variants, but about every 3

months or so, the virus changes enough

that the latest vaccine is no longer ef-

fective.

In fact, the CDC has largely given up

testing the boosters and the new vac-

cines for effectiveness. Instead, in

pushing for all children to get COVID

booster vaccines, the CDC doesn’t

argue that the booster stops trans-

mission; it doesn’t argue that it pre-

vents hospitalization or death. So what

argument does the CDC have for con-

tinuing to promote boosters on our

children? The CDC readily admits the

vaccines don’t stop transmission in any

group.

As to hospitalization and death, the

CDC can’t show any evidence that the

booster lessens hospitalization or death

among young people. Why? Because the

rate is already virtually zero. It is hard

to prove that the booster is helping

anything when no healthy kids are

dying from COVID.

The CDC can’t prove that the booster

helps because it is impossible to im-

prove upon the already low incidence of

severe disease among young people. In

fact, when the CDC approved the

COVID booster for children, they didn’t

even argue that it was effective or that

it prevented anything; what they ar-

gued is that the kids will make anti-

bodies if you give them a vaccine,

which means absolutely nothing.

I have challenged Anthony Fauci on

this, on the lack of effectiveness. An

antibody response simply means that

the vaccine generates an immune re-

sponse but tells you nothing about dis-

ease prevention. It tells you nothing

about preventing hospitalization. It

tells you nothing about infectiousness.

It tells you nothing about death rate.

In fact, you could give every kid in the

country 100 different COVID boosters,

and they will make antibodies each

time. That doesn’t mean they need 100

boosters.

What they have done is they have

given up on trying to prove that the

booster has any effect on their health,

and they just want you to shut your

eyes, be quiet, and do as you are told.

This is the Democrat policy. This is

the Democrat medical policy for you:

Shut up and do as you are told. Take

the injection. We don’t care if your kid

might get sick. We don’t care if you

might have a choice. We don’t care if

you have any say in your kid’s medical

care.

In a free society, no one should be

forced to undergo a medical procedure

against their will. In a free society, no

one should be forced to receive an in-

jection into their body that they do

not wish to have.

The Democratic Party’s support for

medical choice seems selective and in-

consistent. What ever happened to my

body, my choice?

Vaccine mandates for children, who

are at virtually no risk for COVID

death, create vaccine hesitancy among

the public. The public is well aware

that healthy children do not die from

COVID, and they rightly have resisted

COVID vaccines on their children. But

the vast overreach of vaccine mandates

actually creates among the public a

tendency to doubt and disbelieve the

government’s overall vaccine message.

Because of the dishonest, over-the-top

mandates on children, the public won-

ders if the government messengers are

downplaying other risks.

It is, however, true that the vast ma-

jority of people at risk for serious

COVID have indeed already been vac-

cinated. Over 97 percent of people over

65 watched the news, learned of their

friends, watched their neighbors, found

out who is dying, and they took the

vaccine voluntarily.

If vaccine advocates want the public

to continue to listen to public health

pronouncements, then they need to end

the nonsensical vaccine mandates on

our kids. A good start would be ending

the ill-advised COVID booster mandate

for our Senate pages.

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So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous

consent that the Committee on Rules

and Administration be discharged from

further consideration and the Senate

now proceed to S. Res. 336; further,

that the resolution be agreed to, the

preamble be agreed to, and the motions

to reconsider be considered made and

laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there

objection?

The Senator from Connecticut.

Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, reserv-

ing the right to object, I heard a very

similar speech last week when Senator

AUL

came to the floor to offer this

exact same resolution, and I came to

the floor to offer the exact same objec-

tion. I guess we are going to be here

next week and the week after having

this same back-and-forth on the Senate

floor.

I don’t know that this is the most

important problem facing the country

today, the question of whether a small

number of Senate pages has a vaccine

or not. I think Senator P

AUL

’s obses-

sion with the page vaccine policy is a

little weird and not squared with the

actual priorities of the American pub-

lic. But I will continue to come down

here and object because it is important

to know that there is no legal mandate

that pages be vaccinated. It is a policy,

not a mandate. Senator P

AUL

is pro-

posing a mandate—a mandate—

through this resolution that under no

circumstances can pages be required to

have a vaccination as a condition of

their employment here.

I find Senator P

AUL

’s recitation of

his body of evidence interesting. I don’t

dispute the fact that the vaccine today

is much more efficacious on preventing

serious illness and is not, like prior

vaccines, effective at preventing trans-

mission. But here are two things to say

about that. Senator P

AUL

says over and

over again that if you are a healthy

kid, you have nothing to worry about,

that no healthy kids are dying. OK,

that is broadly true. It is true that

healthy children have very little risk

of dying of COVID. But the assump-

tion, then, is that every single page

that is part of this program has no pre-

existing conditions, that every single

page comes here with a clean bill of

health. That is not true.

There are pages here—just like our

employees—who have preexisting con-

ditions, and we have a responsibility

for the young people who work for us.

We have a long history in this country

of requiring vaccinations for young

people. Senator P

AUL

objects to that

policy, but it is long accepted that

young people, during their school-age

years, should have a set of vaccinations

to keep them healthy. And if you have

a preexisting condition, even as a child,

you have a potential of dying from

COVID.

Guess what. COVID is the eighth

leading cause of death for young people

today. That is not insignificant. And so

it is perfectly consistent with the gen-

eral policy we have in this country of

requiring students to get vaccines to

require the same of the page popu-

lation—who, by the way, are students.

The second thing to say about this

resolution is this: Even if Senator

AUL

is correct—and I broadly would

submit that he is—that this vaccine is

really about preventing serious illness,

not about preventing transmission,

this resolution is permanent. This says

that under no circumstances should a

Senate page be required to have a vac-

cination.

But what if a follow-on vaccine is

more effective at preventing trans-

mission? What if the next COVID vari-

ant is a more significant threat to chil-

dren?

This is a mandate. This says: No

matter what the scientific rec-

ommendations are, under no cir-

cumstances—under no circumstances,

no matter what the scientific rec-

ommendation is—can you mandate,

can you require that a Senate page, as

a condition of working in the Senate,

have a vaccination.

That is bad policy. I would rather

have this question be up to the Attend-

ing Physician, to the adults who run

the Page Program, than have mandates

from the U.S. Senate about the

healthcare policy of our pages.

I think this is really bad policy, but

I also think it is super dangerous be-

cause, really, the question of whether a

handful of pages in the Senate have a

vaccine is not worthy of a half an hour

of back and forth between two U.S.

Senators. What this ends up being is

yet another wedge to try to drive apart

the American public from a belief in

science and vaccines.

This is a longstanding effort by Sen-

ator P

AUL

and others to question the

efficacy of vaccines. It feeds into a

broader narrative about the efficacy of

science writ large, and that has dev-

astating consequences for this country

because, as people lose faith in medical

recommendations, as fewer people get

vaccines because they come under the

belief that the vaccine will do more

harm than good, people die.

And so, by itself, this is bad policy,

because this is part of a broad con-

sensus in this country that students

should get vaccinated for significant

conditions, and this policy stands no

matter what the future recommenda-

tions of medical professionals are.

But I object to it just as strongly be-

cause of how it fits into this broader,

incredibly dangerous narrative to try

to undermine people’s faith in science

and vaccines. And for that reason, I

would object.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-

tion is heard.

The Senator from Kentucky.

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, the accusa-

tion has been made that my purpose is

somehow to undermine vaccines and

have people question vaccines. But, ob-

viously, the arguments were not lis-

tened to because in no part of my argu-

ments or any of my public statements

have I ever said anything in general

that vaccines are bad. In fact, as a phy-

sician, I am most fascinated by the de-

velopment of vaccines. The stories of

the development of the smallpox vac-

cine and the polio vaccine were all tre-

mendous scientific successes, and there

continue to be. My argument is simply

for medical freedom.

Now, there has been a disingenuous

argument made by the other side. They

say that I am proposing a mandate,

that this will be a legal mandate and

that there is no mandate.

If you want to be a page, there is a

mandate. Now, they say you can just

choose not to be a page, but this affects

the rest of our society.

So if your kid gets into Yale or

Princeton or Harvard or the University

of Chicago, many of those schools fol-

low the lead of the Senate, follow the

lead of the Senate doctors, and say

your kid has to have three vaccines.

But if you look at the evidence care-

fully that I have laid out, you will find

that the scientific studies across all

continents, across the world, across the

United States—studies of millions of

people—show that the vaccines have

some downside and danger, particu-

larly for children.

Not once have I said that the elderly

shouldn’t be vaccinated. In fact, for my

92-year-old and 86-year-old in-laws, we

suggested and tried to get them the

vaccine as soon as we could. My wife

was vaccinated. Now, I chose not to be

vaccinated because I had the disease in

the first couple weeks of COVID and

had immunity.

And the studies turned out—and

these are studies of over a million peo-

ple in California and New York. The

studies turned out to show that actu-

ally having had the disease does give

you immunity, and it is actually twice

as potent as the vaccine.

When I say that, the left gets apo-

plectic, and they say: Oh, my goodness,

you are saying people should just get

sick to get immunity.

I am not saying that at all. But I am

saying that, if you have gotten sick,

you have immunity. And we should be

honest with people because some peo-

ple have had two vaccines and they

want to know: Do I need a third one?

Well, let’s release the data on people

who have had two vaccines plus

COVID, and tell us how many people

are subsequently getting it again,

going to the hospital, or dying.

Wouldn’t you want to know that before

you take your third, fourth, fifth, six,

seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth vaccine?

Release the data. But, in a free coun-

try, we make these decisions.

The other side argued that, well,

what if one of the pages has health con-

ditions. No part of our resolution says

anything about them not getting a vac-

cine. Anybody in this country can free-

ly get a vaccine. If their parents and

they decide to get a vaccine, by all

means, do it. Nothing in my resolution

would prevent pages or anyone else

from getting a vaccine. What I am ar-

guing for is freedom.

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As far as the idea that this will be

permanent and unwavering and won’t

be able to recognize what new diseases

come upon us, every new disease re-

quires reevaluation—every new disease.

It doesn’t mean the concept of freedom

changes. What would happen is every-

one will still evaluate this.

The evaluation of this vaccine when

it first came out at the end of 2020,

early 2021, was different than it is now,

frankly. It is also different if you have

had it. People should just be honest

with you.

I am not saying don’t take a booster

or that you can’t take a booster. Go

take all you want. I am saying the gov-

ernment’s job should be to give you in-

formation, and I am saying the oppo-

site of what he actually made a point

of.

Vaccine hesitancy or people under-

mining the belief that vaccines work

comes from people who tell you things

that are dishonest and untrue. There is

no science—and I am adamant about

what I am saying here. There is no

science that the booster for your chil-

dren reduces the transmission of the

disease. There is no reduction in your

child’s ability to get COVID if they

take a COVID booster—zero. The other

side accepts this. Rochelle Walensky,

Biden’s nominee, accepts this—no

change in transmission with the vac-

cine.

How about hospitalization and death?

There is still some data that people at

risk for this can have reduced hos-

pitalization, not transmission. They

can still catch it, but maybe reduced

hospitalization and death.

Most of this data came in the pre-

vious iterations, when we had the wild

variety in 2020. Then we got Delta.

Then we got Omicron. But we have now

advanced two or three iterations out.

And the one thing we are lucky about

that the government should be honest

with you is that with each successive

iteration, with each successive muta-

tion and variant, the good news is this:

It has become less deadly. It has be-

come less deadly because the virus is

now less deadly but also because the

community has more immunity. So

immunity has developed; the virus has

evolved to become less deadly, and we

are in a much better situation.

But government medicine and gov-

ernment health policy shouldn’t be

about telling Americans what to do. It

should be about giving information.

The government should never be in the

business of mandating, whether it is

masks or vaccines or any of this other

stuff. You wear it. You do it if you

want—your body, your choice.

But there is a lot of conflicting data

here, and you really need to be in-

formed to make an informed choice.

There is some data the government is

still preventing from being released so

you can’t tell.

With regard to the masks, we now

know that there was a meta-analysis of

78 different randomized controlled

studies called the Cochrane analysis,

and they found that masks did not pre-

vent the transmission in public. In

fact, what they found was there was no

evidence that more significant man-

dates or more significant use changed

the transmission at all.

This had been the accepted conclu-

sion by all of the medical world before

2020. We had never advised masks in

public for influenza because with influ-

enza, the size of the virus—the same as

the size of COVID—is much smaller

than the pores of the mask. We found

people really cannot wear the masks

without touching them. We found that

air goes around the mask. But, ulti-

mately, we looked at public, large pop-

ulations, and we found that they just

didn’t prevent the disease.

Does that mean you can’t wear a

mask? No. Wear a mask if you think it

makes you more healthy. In the hos-

pital, they said: Well, doctors wear

them.

Of course we do. If you go into a

COVID patient’s room—and I volun-

teered in the hospital after I got

COVID. I got it very early, and I felt

comfortable going in there because I

had already had the disease. But wear-

ing a mask made sense to go into the

room of someone with COVID. We wore

the N95 mask because it actually, if

worn properly, will protect from the

particles. We also washed our hands,

wore gloves, and wore gowns. And as

we came out, we took off the gloves,

the gowns, and the masks and threw

them away immediately. And we did it

again into the next patient’s room.

Done properly, there can be some—it

still doesn’t work completely because,

still, a lot of doctors and nurses got

COVID, but it is probably worth a try.

In the public setting, it just doesn’t

work, frankly. Nobody can do that. A

lot of people don’t know this, but the

N95 mask—in which, actually, the

pores are small enough—works with

something called an electrostatic

charge. And after you breathe into it

for about 4 hours, the moisture from

your exhaled breath actually changes

the electrostatic charge, and it is not

as effective in preventing the ingress or

egress of the COVID virus.

But, really, what we are arguing

here—there can be two sides to every

argument. What we are arguing about,

what we are discussing is who should

make the choice. The Democratic ma-

jority believes that they should make

the choices for your healthcare and

that kids belong to them.

This is the same argument we had in

education in Virginia, when you had

the parents in Northern Virginia say-

ing, ‘‘We want to be involved in our

children’s education,’’ and you had the

Democratic nominee for Governor in

Virginia come out in a debate and say

that kids don’t belong to their parents;

the school will make these decisions; it

is none of your business; stay out of it.

That is what they are telling the

pages and their parents—that it is none

of their business, their healthcare.

And it could be different for any of

them. If a page had a kidney transplant

or has leukemia and their parents want

them to have the vaccine, it is prob-

ably a reasonable thing to do. But if

they are young and healthy and have

no medical problems, it turns out, if

you look objectively at the data, that

they have five times greater risk of

getting a heart inflammation than

they do of being hospitalized for

COVID. These are the statistics. People

should just be aware of that.

And good, honest people could still

disagree on this. But what happens in a

free country is you make your deci-

sion. You make your decision of which

doctor you take them to. If you don’t

appreciate the opinion of that doctor

and you don’t trust that doctor, you go

to another. And sometimes, it is com-

plicated. Sometimes, mothers and fa-

thers don’t agree.

But who wants to give a political

party the power to make these deci-

sions for your children? How would you

feel if your young, healthy football

player or band member or choir mem-

ber got the COVID vaccine and then

has a heart problem that permanently

impairs them for the rest of their life,

when they had zero chance of dying

from COVID and virtually no chance of

being hospitalized?

Wouldn’t you want your government

to release the data on what it means if

your kid has already had COVID? Let’s

say your kid has already had one or

two vaccines and they have already

had COVID. What does that mean?

Don’t you think having COVID might

replace the need for more vaccines?

Your immunity is also broader. The

vaccine gives immunity to one protein

on the surface, the S protein on the

surface of the cell. When you actually

get infected, your body destroys the

cells that have the virus in, and, as the

virus empties out its inner contents,

nucleic capsids and nuclear proteins,

you actually get a broader immunity.

Now, the left misinterprets this. The

left says: You want everybody to get

sick, and people are going to die.

I don’t want anybody to get sick. All

I am telling you is people should be

given the information. Most of us have

had COVID. What does it mean? What

does it mean if you have had two vac-

cines and COVID? What does that mean

toward your future? What does it mean

toward your need for more vaccines?

But, ultimately, what we are talking

about here is freedom. What we are

talking about is who should make the

medical choices: the government, the

Democratic Party, or whether or not

we should leave this to parents and

their kids. And I, for one, say that we

ought to have medical freedom. In a

free country, every individual should

be free to make those decisions.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-

ator from Ohio.

UNITED AUTO WORKERS STRIKE

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, right

after workers for Stellantis—the old

name of Stellantis was Chrysler,

DaimlerChrysler. Their plant is in To-

ledo. They make the Jeep Cherokee. It

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is made by union workers in Toledo,

OH, my State. My wife and I each drive

Jeep Cherokees. One of those cars once

saved my life when a young high school

kid, at 40 miles an hour in the middle

of the day, ran a stop sign and hit the

side of the car where I was sitting.

There were essentially no injuries be-

cause these are well-made American

cars by union labor.

I was over to the picket line Friday

morning. I talked with a lot of work-

ers. I know many of them. There are

6,000 at this plant. And 1,000—actually,

1,100 of these workers are at this Chrys-

ler plant, this Stellantis plant in To-

ledo. Those 1,100 workers at the Jeep

plant are on what is called a tiered

wage system where they make fewer

than $19-and-something an hour. They

have been at this Jeep plant, some of

them for 1 year, some of them 3 years,

some of them 5 or 6 years, yet they

make less than $40,000 a year as union

workers.

The reason for that is some years

ago, when Chrysler—then Chrysler—

and GM were in real serious economic

trouble, the union—the government

helped, but the union, in order to save

these plants, in order to save, essen-

tially, the American automobile indus-

try—they did major givebacks of their

wages and their benefits.

They set up—management insisted

and the workers went along because

they wanted to save these companies—

they took major pay cuts and set up a

tiered wage system. So new workers,

hundreds and hundreds—over 1,000 from

this plant of 6,000 union workers—were

making substandard wages.

That is troubling enough that those

workers, years later, are still making

those substandard wages. In some

cases, you can’t support a family on

these wages. Yet that is when Chrysler

and GM were in such economic trouble.

Since then, we know how well Chrys-

ler—Stellantis now—and GM are doing.

We know how well they are doing by a

number of measurements. No. 1, Chrys-

ler—sorry, Stellantis; I always think of

them as Chrysler and Jeep in my State.

Stellantis made $12 billion just in this

calendar alone. This company made $12

billion. When they were in trouble, the

workers, by giving up a lot and making

sacrifices, saved them. Now these com-

panies are so profitable—$12 billion

just this year alone, Stellantis—they

have essentially given nothing back to

the workers, and they are unwilling to

provide the workers a decent benefit—

benefits, wages, all of those things.

At the same time, I met an entry-

level worker there. She just started.

The CEO of Stellantis makes 850 times

what this worker makes—850 times

what this worker makes. The CEO of

Stellantis makes 365 times what the

average worker in Chrysler—the aver-

age worker in Stellantis makes in that

plant and other plants around the

country.

The fact is, these workers—clearly,

we come down on the side of these

workers. The industry has done very

well because of America’s economic

system. The industry has done very

well because they have had the oppor-

tunity to do well in this country be-

cause the workers sacrifice so much.

That is why I will go back to the pick-

et line.

There may be picket lines and shut-

downs and strikes in other parts of the

auto industry. The public clearly sides

with these workers. The public under-

stands that these CEOs are making be-

tween $22- and $29 million a year. The

three CEOs have gotten 30-percent, 40-

percent increases since the industry

did so well.

Again, a decade ago, workers were

willing to give up a lot to keep these

companies going. Now, they are im-

mensely profitable—$12 billion in prof-

its this year alone with the CEO mak-

ing $22–23 million. The auto industry is

simply not willing to come to the table

and negotiate in good faith so these

workers can share in the prosperity

they created.

We know it not only hurts those

workers when they are making $16 an

hour; it hurts the community. It hurts

Toledo, Lucas County, Wood County—

those communities that don’t have the

taxes they would if these workers were

making decent wages. And they don’t

have the economic prosperity they

would if workers were making decent

wages and buying—spending a little

more at the grocery store, on movies,

on clothes, and on all the things that

help create a prosperous economy.

No question, I will continue to stand

with workers. I think most of the Sen-

ate stands with workers. I know most

of the American people stand with

these workers.

I implore GM and Stellantis and Ford

to come to the table and make a good

faith, decent offer and get these work-

ers back to work. They don’t want to

strike. Their backs are to the wall.

They had to strike.

I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. M

KEY

). The Senator from Nebraska.

BIDENOMICS

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, when

it comes to the economy, we hear a lot

of statistics. Since President Biden

took office and put his Bidenomics plan

into action, prices have risen by 17.37

percent. Rent is up by 17 percent, gro-

cery prices by 25 percent, and energy

costs by 43 percent. Gas prices have

risen by an unbelievable 65 percent.

As alarming as those percentages

are, I am most concerned about the in-

dividuals who are hurting because of

these increases. That is why I was

struck by new numbers I saw last week

from the Census Bureau. Bidenomics is

making life harder for children in Ne-

braska.

The number of children living in pov-

erty in my home State increased by al-

most 5,000 from 2021 to 2022—5,000 more

kids living in poverty. That is thou-

sands more families who are living

below the poverty line, thousands of

families who are struggling to pay

bills, to buy food, to afford a place to

sleep. Some of these 5,000 children are

from families who cannot afford any of

these things. They are going hungry.

They are couch surfing—or worse. That

is Bidenomics in Nebraska.

Bidenomics is making life harder for

the more rural parts of Nebraska. Soar-

ing prices caused by inflation are espe-

cially affecting those areas in my

State. They are especially affecting

kids in more rural areas. According to

an analysis by an Omaha nonprofit,

from 2021 to 2022, there was a 25-percent

increase in the number of kids below

the poverty line who are located in

nonmetro areas of Nebraska. A quarter

more kids living outside urban areas

come from families that are barely get-

ting by.

Some of these children live in sparse-

ly populated areas where it can really

take hours to get to the grocery store,

the pharmacy, or to a hospital. When

gas is 65 percent more expensive and

groceries will break the bank, families

are going to struggle with those long

trips. They are in dire need of re-

sources. But inflation is ripping away

their ability to access those resources.

That is Bidenomics in Nebraska.

Bidenomics is making life harder for

anyone who pays rent, mortgage, or

utilities in Nebraska. The most basic of

necessities—affording a place to live—

is now a huge financial strain. Close to

half of the renters in Nebraska are

spending more than 30 percent of their

income on housing. Almost 20,000 more

renting households are considered ‘‘fi-

nancially burdened.’’ That is 20,000

more in just 1 year. That is Bidenomics

in Nebraska.

Bidenomics is making life harder for

businesses and their employees. As

rent encroaches on a larger percentage

of people’s incomes, the incomes them-

selves are getting smaller. Nebraska’s

median income declined by 3.6 percent

in 2022. Businesses can’t pay their em-

ployees as much when all of their

money is being spent on rising utility

and rent prices. Rising inflation means

higher costs, lower salaries, and a

harder time earning a living. That is

Bidenomics in Nebraska.

Mr. President, I am thankful that my

home State of Nebraska has many non-

profits that are ready to help those

who are struggling from inflation.

These organizations make a real dif-

ference in people’s lives, and they are

part of a rich tradition of charity in

my State. Charities can do good work

to minimize damage, but they cannot

do surgery on an injured economy. The

only way to stitch our economy back

up is to get rid of this administration’s

suffocating regulations once and for

all. The Biden administration must

hear. It is time for a new approach to

the economy.

So how do we heal the economy? We

roll back the regulations that are still

poisoning it, including those from the

ironically named Inflation Reduction

Act. We unleash American energy,

which will lower the gas prices that

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have climbed by 65 percent. We can

heal our economy by turning the page

on Bidenomics and adopting a new eco-

nomic strategy, one focused on getting

rid of wasteful policies and bringing

down costs for everyday Americans.

Nebraskans are experiencing

Bidenomics. The American people are

experiencing Bidenomics. Bidenomics

is an economic plan that inflates

prices, hurts real families, real chil-

dren, real businesses, and real employ-

ees. The American people don’t want to

experience Bidenomics anymore.

I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-

ator from Texas.

BORDER SECURITY

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I re-

member when title 42 went away—the

COVID public health order that the

Border Patrol used to expel people

from the border region in the interest

of public health. There were many peo-

ple who expected a surge of migration

recognizing what a moneymaking op-

portunity that human smuggling and

drug smuggling is for the cartels that

control much of the U.S.-Mexican bor-

der.

And for a while it looked like

maybe—just maybe—that surge would

not happen. But despite the adminis-

tration’s best efforts to downplay or

distract from the situation at the

southern border, we now see the Biden

border crisis in full flower.

Preliminary data secured by the

Washington Post shows that last

month—last month—a record number

of migrant families illegally crossed

the southern border.

In August, the Border Patrol arrested

more than 91,000 migrants—in August—

people who entered the United States

as part of a family unit, the highest

number we have seen in a single

month. But it is not just the families;

apprehension numbers have increased

dramatically over the past couple of

months in all categories.

We have gone from just under 100,000

detentions in June to 132,000 in July, to

more than 177,000 in August. I would

point out that much of the migration

we have seen into Texas has been sea-

sonal because it has been very hot, and

it is dangerous for migrants to make

the dangerous trip from their home to

our border. But that hasn’t happened

this year. It got worse and worse the

hotter the summer months got.

So when you include migrants proc-

essed through the ports of entry, the

Washington Post is estimating roughly

230,000 migrant encounters in August—

230,000.

This would make it the busiest

month for border crossings this cal-

endar year. As I said, since title 42

ended in May, the Biden administra-

tion has tried to spike the ball and de-

clare victory. They pointed to a tem-

porary drop in border crossings and

said this is the proof that their situa-

tion was under their control, but that

is obviously not the case.

We have just experienced the busiest

month in family crossings on record

and likely the busiest month for over-

all crossings this calendar year. As the

New York Times reported, in August

alone, nearly 82,000 migrants passed

through the Darien Gap, the sole land

route to the United States from South

America, describing it as ‘‘by far the

largest single-month total on record.’’

And the border crisis isn’t getting

any better. If anything, it is getting

worse, and communities in Texas and

those across the Nation are beginning

to feel the strain. El Paso, for example,

right across the border from Juarez, in

West Texas, is in the midst of a surge

in border crossings. It is seeing an av-

erage of 1,200 encounters per day.

The leader of Rescue Mission El

Paso, which provides migrants with

food, clothing, and shelter, said:

We’ve lost track of what capacity means.

We are beyond full.

Further down the Texas-Mexico bor-

der is Eagle Pass, which experienced a

mass crossing earlier this week. Be-

tween midnight on Sunday and Monday

morning, more than 2,200 migrants

crossed illegally. That is 2,200 in 1

night. The migration surge is hap-

pening along the entire U.S.-Mexico

border, but two areas in particular are

under tremendous strain. One is the

Tucson Sector, which covers most of

the Arizona-Mexico border. Border

crossings in this sector have been on

the rise, with agents apprehending as

many as 2,000 migrants a day. This in-

cludes migrants from all over the

world, even those from Senegal.

It reminds me of, when I was in

Yuma, AZ, with four Democratic Sen-

ators and four Republican Senators, we

were welcomed by the Acting Border

Patrol Chief, who said: Welcome to the

Yuma Sector. Last year, we encoun-

tered people from 174 countries, speak-

ing more than 200 languages.

Senator K

ELLY

, the Senator from Ar-

izona, was there and noted that

Mexicali is a city in Northern Mexico

with an airport. And so it was ex-

plained to us that what likely was hap-

pening is that human smugglers were

facilitating the travel of migrants to

Mexicali, where they could simply

Uber over to the Border Patrol and

claim asylum, and the Biden adminis-

tration would make sure they were

successfully deposited in the United

States of America, perhaps to await an

asylum hearing that may never occur.

Well, given the spike in border cross-

ings, the Border Patrol—it is no sur-

prise—is struggling. The Agency

doesn’t have the facilities, the re-

sources, or the personnel to manage an

influx this large, and, actually, that is

part of the plan.

If you are a transnational criminal

organization that profits from smug-

gling migrants and drugs across the

border, what a tremendous idea: Let’s

flood the zone with migrants, and then

when the Border Patrol is distracted or

diverted elsewhere, then here come the

drugs. And we saw last year alone

108,000 Americans died of drug

overdoses, 71,000 from synthetic opioids

like fentanyl.

We know where it is coming from.

The precursors come from China. It

goes to Mexico. It is manufactured

there, largely, to look like traditional

pharmaceuticals, but they are con-

taminated with fentanyl. I was in

Houston just last week, meeting with

some parents who lost their children to

fentanyl poisoning. I wear on my

wrist—I typically don’t wear things

like this, but I have for the last 9

months. A father in Carrollton-Farm-

ers Branch asked me to wear this band

around my wrist in memory of his

daughter who lost her life to fentanyl

poisoning. It says, among other things,

‘‘One pill can kill.’’

Now, the children who die of fentanyl

poisoning, they don’t know they are

taking fentanyl. They think it is

maybe something more innocuous, and

that is part of the insidiousness of

what the cartels are doing. They are

using industrial-sized pill presses to

make it look like things that certainly

wouldn’t kill you. Maybe it is not opti-

mal, things like Xanax or Percocet or

some other pharmaceutical drug, but,

in fact, it is counterfeit and contami-

nated with fentanyl. And as I said,

71,000 Americans died last year alone as

a result of synthetic opioid poisoning.

So the Border Patrol can’t keep up

with the flooding of the zone, and here

come the drugs, only to be distributed

across the country in each of our com-

munities by various criminal gangs.

Well, because the Border Patrol can’t

keep up with the influx of people, they

simply are now releasing them. That is

right. Instead of returning them across

the border, they are releasing them

onto U.S. streets every day.

And it is unclear, really, who these

individuals are or how they are being

released. How many of these migrants

are asylum seekers who have com-

pleted a credible fear screening? How

many are simply being paroled into the

country with flimsy instructions and

told to appear at an ICE office, Immi-

grations and Customs office, in the in-

terior at their destination.

How many are given a date to appear

before an immigration judge, and how

far away is that court date? I read re-

cently in New York, an immigration

court date could be as far as 10 years

off. We don’t have answers to these

questions because the Biden adminis-

tration has not been candid about ex-

actly what is happening.

They basically have hoped nobody is

noticing what is going on, but we are

noticing. And, oh, by the way, people

like the Governor in Massachusetts,

the mayors of New York City, of Chi-

cago, and Washington, DC, they are no-

ticing because these migrants, once

they pass the border region, they go

somewhere, and what we are seeing is

the impact on cities very far away

from the southern border.

Well, the Biden administration keeps

sweeping the problem under the rug

and expecting us not to ask questions

and conduct appropriate oversight.

Last week alone, agents released 100 to

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200 migrants a day near Nogales, AZ.

The Tucson Sector is not alone. San

Diego is also seeing a spike in border

crossings. Last week, Customs and Bor-

der Protection closed one of two pedes-

trian crossings at the San Ysidro Port

of Entry so personnel could help with

the migration surge.

Again, the Border Patrol doesn’t

have the space or the personnel to ac-

commodate the flood of humanity com-

ing across. Videos show hundreds of

migrants are being released into the

streets and sidewalks of San Diego, in-

cluding migrants from as far away as

Pakistan and China.

Now, one of the things that amazes

me, when President Biden appointed

Vice President Kamala Harris as the

border czar, she claimed that all of the

flow of illegal immigration was as a re-

sult of local circumstances in Mexico

or South America and as if we couldn’t

fix our border problems without basi-

cally nation building in one of those

states. But either she does not under-

stand or is unwilling to acknowledge

that this is a global phenomenon. And

who can blame some of these people

coming across? If you think, Well, for a

few thousand bucks, maybe I can make

my way into the United States and

stay there—well, maybe it is a good

bet.

But it is a disaster when our immi-

gration system is basically handed over

to transnational criminal organiza-

tions that care nothing about the peo-

ple and that care nothing about the

drugs that are coming across; all they

care about is the money. And they are

getting richer by the day as a result of

Biden border policies.

Well, if there was any question about

whether the Biden administration un-

derstands what is going on, recently, a

migrant asked an agent if he could

travel to Chicago, and the agent re-

plied:

You can do whatever you want. You’re

free.

That is the Biden administration’s

border enforcement policies.

You can do whatever you want. You’re

free.

If there was any confusion about the

Biden administration’s catch-and-re-

lease policies, well, that statement

cleared it up.

You can do whatever you want. You’re

free.

This interaction happened to be cap-

tured on video, and it has made the

rounds on social media and national

news. And it has been viewed by people

around the world. And, you know, when

other people see that, do you think

they are discouraged or deterred from

coming to the United States through

this illegal route? No. They are encour-

aged. It is like a magnet, which is why

we are seeing the huge numbers that

we continue to see.

Again, it makes me think the Biden

administration simply does not under-

stand the dynamics at the border or,

which is more likely the case, they

simply don’t care. You have to imagine

there are people out there who are de-

bating whether or not to make this

dangerous journey.

If they had any doubts about whether

or not their journey would be success-

ful, well, this video statement pretty

much cleared that up. The secret is

out.

You know, it is ironic when I hear

Secretary Mayorkas of the Department

of Homeland Security or the President

or the Vice President say: ‘‘Don’t

come. Don’t come,’’ when almost every

other message that people around the

world are receiving is ‘‘Come. You can

make it. Just pay the money; take the

dangerous journey; take the risk; pay

these criminal organizations the cash

they demand; and you can make it into

the United States.’’

And, boy, have they come. People

around the world see that America’s

borders are open. They see videos of

migrants from all over the world being

released in the United States and told

‘‘you’re free.’’

The Biden administration continues

to create new incentives for migrants

to make the dangerous journey to the

border. President Biden has proven he

is not only incapable of addressing this

crisis, he is completely uninterested.

He doesn’t care. He apparently has no

desire to enforce the law and secure the

border. And the reason I conclude that

is because if he did care, if he were

willing to work with us to solve that

problem, we are here ready to meet

him halfway, but all we hear are crick-

ets.

He would rather appease the open

borders base in his political party than

take the steps needed to protect the

American people.

Border communities have endured

the Biden border crisis for more than

⁄

years now, and they are bracing for

yet another migration surge.

Given the administration’s complete

and utter failure to address the crisis,

it is time for Congress to step up. I am

proud to cosponsor the Secure the Bor-

der Act, which was introduced by my

friend and fellow Texan, Senator C

RUZ

This legislation would give the Border

Patrol the tools they need in order to

secure the border and safeguard the

American people. It includes more

agents to enforce the law to stop any-

one or anything that doesn’t legally

enter the United States.

It restricts the Biden administra-

tion’s ability to release thousands of

migrants into the United States under

the weak guise of parole. This is not

parole in the criminal law sense where

somebody is released from jail. This is

a mechanism under our immigration

laws where people are simply released

and told: You have 2 years in the

United States, and come back and

check with us later on about staying

longer. There is no such thing as a

temporary program. All of this be-

comes permanent.

But this legislation tightens asylum

standards that prevent migrants with

frivolous asylum claims from gaming

the system. This legislation imple-

ments a range of reforms that address

the humanitarian and security crisis at

the border. It passed the House in May

and has been cosponsored by more than

half of the Republican conference in

the Senate.

My hope was that this would serve as

a starting point for the Senate to begin

discussing ways to secure the border

and protect the American people. It

would also be nice—and I have had this

conversation with the chairman of the

Senate Judiciary Committee, on which

I serve, the Senator from Illinois, who

so far has declined to consider a mark-

up of any immigration bills or border

security bills. In the Senate, that is

the committee of jurisdiction on which

I sit, and I happen to be the ranking

member of the Immigration and Border

Security Subcommittee.

Well, it is clear that President

Biden’s approach to the border is not

sustainable. His administration has

rolled out one incentive after another

to encourage—not discourage, not

deter, but to encourage—people from

around the world to come to our bor-

ders and enter our country.

That is the reason we are experi-

encing a humanitarian and security

crisis. The record migration levels of

the last year have tested law enforce-

ment, tested our cities and nonprofits

in ways that I have never seen before—

a record number of migrants, soaring

demands for resources, dwindling budg-

ets, overworked personnel—and we

haven’t even talked about the impact

of this uncontrolled migration on our

local hospitals and our education sys-

tems and the like. All of them have

been operating under incredible strain

for more than 2 years. So it is past

time to adopt policies that impose con-

sequences. That is what the Border Pa-

trol said we need, is we need con-

sequences to illegal immigration.

Look, I think that legal immigra-

tion—orderly, humane legal immigra-

tion—has been one of the greatest

things that America has ever em-

braced. It has made us the country we

are today, the most prosperous in the

world, the most diverse. But surren-

dering our legal immigration system to

drug cartels and human smuggling or-

ganizations is a recipe for disaster—

what we are seeing right now.

Well, any time the Biden administra-

tion would like to engage on this topic,

I am standing ready, willing, and able

to do that, but so far, even when we

have bipartisan legislation like the Bi-

partisan Border Solutions Act that

Senator S

INEMA

and I and Congressman

UELLAR

and Congressman T

ONY

ONZALES

introduced a couple of years

ago, there has been zero interest by the

Biden administration and no markups

in the Judiciary Committee simply to

consider that and come up with some

consensus on how to deal with this dis-

aster.

I yield the floor.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4579 September 19, 2023

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.

UCKWORTH

). The Senator from

Vermont.

FEMA

Mr. WELCH. Madam President, I

want to thank my colleagues, and I

want to thank the administration for

the response to the devastating floods

that we experienced in Vermont this

August.

I am here to make a report and also

to make a plea that we replenish the

Disaster Relief Fund in the FEMA

budget so that the work that needs to

be done in Vermont to help our farms,

our families, our communities recover

will continue to be done.

Today, I had a telephone conversa-

tion that was set up by Senator S

AND

ERS

. Our Governor was on the phone,

and my colleague Congresswoman

ALINT

was on the phone with the

FEMA Administrator. And she has

been doing a tremendous job. She has

been extremely responsive. We are all

grateful to her for that work. But what

she did make very clear is that it is ab-

solutely essential to the well-being of

FEMA’s capacity to continue to pro-

vide a response that this budget be sup-

plemented and the FEMA supplemental

be passed.

So I urge my colleagues—and, again,

I want to thank them—from both sides

of the aisle who have approached me

and said: Peter, your folks have been

hammered by the natural disaster, and

we will be here to help you. But there

is a long way from where we are with

the precarious activities going on in

the House.

First of all, we are pretty proud of

the response. President Coolidge, who

was our President in 1927 and was a

Vermonter from Plymouth, VT, toured

the flood damage when we had a cata-

strophic flood in 1927. And he nick-

named the State ‘‘a brave little State.’’

And that is who we are in Vermont.

And his appellation of that term was

his recognition of the indomitable spir-

it that our people in Vermont have to

pick themselves up, to pull together,

and to rebuild.

Nearly a century later, of course,

this August we experienced another

devastating flood. What we experienced

in July and August was nothing short

of catastrophic. Towns across the State

were devastated, with homes and busi-

nesses and farms completely destroyed.

You can see here, this is our capital,

Montpelier. And that was right after

the rains that were parked over Mont-

pelier and just would never leave. It is

dry now, but these businesses along

Main Street have not reopened. Some

have; many haven’t. To some extent,

their decision is, will the FEMA aid be

there so that they have a chance to

open those doors and make up for the

lost income and, hopefully, revive that

downtown.

Damage estimates are still coming

in; but, currently, it is totaling in the

hundreds of millions of dollars for our

very, very small State.

The impact on Vermont’s farmland is

stunning. This is Paul Mazza’s farm.

That farm, with vegetables, row crops,

that was under tremendous amounts of

water. When the water receded—the

crops, the berries, the pick-your-own

crops are not only important to fami-

lies and nutrition, but it was a revered

activity by families in Vermont to

come to Paul’s farm and pick their ber-

ries with their kids. He is not going to

be able to harvest any berries this

year.

By the way, in terms of the damage

that was done, USDA’s Natural Re-

sources Conservation Service estimates

anywhere between 145,000 and 686,000

acres of agricultural land in the State

was impacted by flooding.

The Conant’s Riverside Farm, which

I visited along with the Governor and

Senator S

ANDERS

, half their hay and

corn was impacted by the flooding—

silk from the flood-covered corn that

was used to feed their cows. There is

real question about how they are going

to make it through the winter because

what they do is grow the crop and store

it to feed to their animals over the

winter.

The Foote Brook Farm, which is

owned by Joie and Tony Lehouillier in

Johnson, VT, is one of the main serv-

ices of food for that community in

Johnson. The grocery store in that

town was totally flooded out but will

be reopening. Their farm was flooded,

too. They had over $100,000 in losses.

And what was really bad this time,

they also lost a lot of their equipment.

I do thank the administration, Presi-

dent Biden, and FEMA. I acknowledge

the tremendous work that Governor

Scott and his team have been doing

staying on top of this. And there has

been a tremendous effort on the part of

Senator S

ANDERS

, who has been the

leader of our delegation of three here

in the U.S. Congress, but we have got

to get that FEMA supplemental passed.

While $16 billion in FEMA’s Disaster

Relief Fund is critical, the Vermont

delegation, as I mentioned, is pushing

for more because, with what has hap-

pened, regrettably, to our colleagues in

Hawaii and the hurricane in Florida

has added to the challenge and of the

need. We need to increase FEMA’s cap

for hazard mitigation. We need to

make small business loans forgivable.

If you are a small business and you

have just implemented a plan to ex-

pand and you borrowed money from the

bank in order to do it, you can’t afford

to take out more loans. So it is really

essential that we make it possible for

folks to get grants—these businesses

that are so critical to our commu-

nities—rather than saddle our small

businesses with more debt.

We also need to expand the USDA’s

Emergency Grant Relief Program for

our farmers.

(Mr. MARKEY assumed the Chair.)

Mr. President, even if the world has

moved on for other parts of the coun-

try, Vermont still needs help.

One of the heartbreaking situations

that you see, we visit when there is a

farm, there is a family whose home has

been destroyed, a business that can’t

open, and do all we can to make cer-

tain the relief gets there. But if it is

your home that you can’t get back

into, if it is your business that you are

not certain at all you can reopen, if it

is your farm where the crops have been

destroyed, there is a lot of suffering

that continues. And it takes an im-

mense amount of courage. What we

have to do is make certain that folks

who are willing to rebuild and come up

from the floodwaters to do their work

again, that we make certain we do our

work here. That means getting the

FEMA supplemental passed and en-

acted into law with the signature of

President Biden.

Our farmers, like the seventh genera-

tion Conant family farm, they need the

support of Congress to get through the

flooding. Our businesses on Main

Street that hope to reopen need the

support of Congress and the FEMA re-

sources. And, of course, our home-

owners, including folks who have mo-

bile homes that were washed away,

they absolutely need the assistance in

order to get back into a safe and secure

home.

So my request to my colleagues is to

do what all of us have done for each

other when the people we represent

have been on the receiving end of a cat-

astrophic natural disaster, and that is

to make certain that we come to the

aid of our fellow citizens. And the way

we can do that is by the passage of the

FEMA supplemental request.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I

ask unanimous consent that the order

for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

The Senator from Rhode Island is

recognized.

SUPREME COURT

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I

will call this my ‘‘let’s say’’ speech.

Lawyers know what a hypothetical is.

We will talk about some hypotheticals

related to the scheme to capture the

Court.

Let’s say, Mr. President, that you are

a creepy billionaire and it is your plan

to capture and control the Supreme

Court, to take it over just like 19th-

century robber barons would have

taken over and captured the railroad

commission that set the rates for their

own railroad.

Let’s say you sent millions of dol-

lars—secret dollars—to the Federalist

Society for it to funnel money to its

employee and your operative, Leonard

Leo.

Let’s say that Leonard Leo got his

cred with you and your rightwing bil-

lionaire pals when he helped you kill

the nomination to the Supreme Court

of President George W. Bush’s friend

and White House Counsel Harriet

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Miers— a political hit job from the far

right against a Republican President’s

nominee, which produced none other

than Sam Alito.

Let’s say you also sent millions of

dollars to Leonard Leo’s Judicial Crisis

Network, a fictitious-named front

group for another front group oper-

ating out of the same hallway, on the

same floor, in the same building as the

Federalist Society.

Let’s say you sent the Judicial Crisis

Network secret millions of dollars—

checks as big as $15 million, checks as

big as $17 million—to run ads against

Merrick Garland to help M

ITCH

NELL

block his confirmation by the

Senate.

Let’s say you also sent millions of

dollars, secret dollars, identity-

laundered through front groups, like

501(c)(4)s and Donors Trust, which exist

for the purpose of scrubbing off your

identity from your money, and through

the 501(c)(4)s and through Donors Trust

to Republican political groups, like

super PACs controlled by M

ITCH

ONNELL

Let’s say, with those secret millions

funneled into those super PACs, you

acquired loyalty and obedience from

Republican political figures.

Let’s say that worked. Let’s say that

for your millions of dollars to the Fed-

eralist Society, the Federalist Society

allowed you to use its name on a list of

Supreme Court nominees that you and

your rightwing billionaire pals and

Leonard Leo cooked up—a list that the

Federalist Society never considered or

approved, never an agenda item, never

a vote, but a list from some back room

of the Federalist Society, pulled to-

gether by Leo and the billionaires that

Candidate Trump promised to follow.

Let’s say that for that Trump prom-

ise to let you pick Supreme Court Jus-

tices, you agreed to hold your nose and

not object to Trump’s candidacy.

Let’s say that Trump kept that

promise and nominated your chosen

ones to the Supreme Court, and let’s

say that when Trump kept that prom-

ise and nominated your chosen ones,

you sent millions more to the Judicial

Crisis Network and to M

ITCH

NELL

’s political operation, not just to

stop Merrick Garland but to push the

confirmation of your chosen ones: Neil

Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy

Coney Barrett.

Let’s say that you funded dozens of

front groups to bring cases and to file

briefs at the Supreme Court at your or-

chestrated direction—10, 11, 12, and in

one case, it is 50 at a time—like piano

keys on the piano, and you sent that

message through those front groups in

those briefs to remind your chosen

ones what it is exactly that you wanted

them to do in those cases.

Let’s say that the chosen ones pro-

duced an amazing, statistically stun-

ning record of doing, in the opinions

they produced, just what your front

groups asked.

Let’s say you and your fellow billion-

aires played your front groups like

piano keys and your chosen Justices

harmonized perfectly with their direc-

tion.

Let’s say that to keep your chosen

ones loyal and happy and entertained,

you secretly paid for their personal

lives. You paid for family tuitions. You

bought family houses and let family

members live rent-free. You paid for

‘‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous″-

level vacations, including free travel to

resorts on private jets, travel on pri-

vate yachts. You gave them expensive

gifts, and you directed money to their

spouses, and, of course, you hung out

with them.

Let’s say that last part—keeping

them loyal and happy and entertained

with all those gifts—was illegal. Ille-

gal.

Let’s say that your loyalty gifts pro-

gram required the chosen ones to file

false Federal disclosure forms and per-

haps even false tax returns.

Let’s say that your loyalty gifts pro-

gram might put you in trouble with

the tax man for claiming false business

expenses. How could that be?

Let’s say that the chosen ones were

calling this bonanza of freebies ‘‘per-

sonal hospitality.’’ ‘‘Personal hospi-

tality’’—a term of art allowing non-

disclosure under the disclosure laws.

Let’s say that they were all calling it

‘‘personal hospitality,’’ but you were

calling the bonanza ‘‘deductible busi-

ness expenses of corporate yachts and

jets.’’ Then it wouldn’t all add up.

That is a lot of ‘‘let’s say,’’ I know,

but that is about what we are looking

at with the Supreme Court right now.

We know it is not one rightwing bil-

lionaire but a little bunch of them. We

don’t know all the freebies yet. Maybe

we only know 10 percent of the

freebies. We know that there has been

no meaningful investigation of this, so

there is lots left to learn. That is our

job in Congress, to investigate malfea-

sance in government and expose abuse

so the citizens can see what has been

going on and laws can be changed to

better protect against that kind of

abuse.

So let’s say Congress starts doing its

job and starts asking nosy questions.

What is a creepy billionaire to do?

That is easy. You lawyer up. You

refuse to cooperate. You are a billion-

aire, remember, so you can pay lawyers

a thousand dollars an hour until the

cows come home and not even notice

it. A thousand hours of thousand-dollar

lawyering wouldn’t cost you a thou-

sandth of your wealth. You live above

the law, sheltered by your billions. You

actually direct the law through your

chosen ones on the Supreme Court.

The impertinence of being inves-

tigated is insufferable, so this is what

you send.

Here are two actual lawyer letters.

One was sent by the lawyer for the bil-

lionaire Harlan Crow. The other was

sent by the lawyer for the billionaire’s

operative and his painting mate, Leon-

ard Leo.

When I say ‘‘painting mate,’’ I mean

this painting that Harlan Crow, the bil-

lionaire, has of his time with Clarence

Thomas, one of the chosen ones, and

Leonard Leo, the operative. Couldn’t

be more cozy.

So you send these letters.

Leo, by the way, has himself joined

your billionaire boys’ club. He did so

when one of your billionaires, Barre

Seid, set him up with his own $1.6 bil-

lion slush fund, held through a Utah

501(c)(4) front group confected for that

transaction.

Let’s walk through what these let-

ters say because the arguments are so

preposterous, it is hard to imagine

they could be made in good faith.

As you can imagine, when letters

come from lawyers for billionaires in

the billionaire Court-packing boys’

club, the letters are pretty alike.

The first one for Crow says:

Congress does not have the constitutional

power to impose ethics rules and standards

on the Supreme Court.

The second one for Mr. Leo says:

Your inquiry exceeds the limits placed by

the Constitution on the Committee’s inves-

tigative authority.

Then there is a third one for another

billionaire where they just did one

paragraph. Basically, it just says:

Yeah, what Leonard Leo’s lawyer says.

This inquiry exceeds the limits placed on

the legislature by the Constitution.

We refer you to the relevant portions of

the letter . . . directed to you on behalf of

Mr. Leo.

I feel kind of bad for these lawyers

because I don’t think you can bill very

much for one paragraph, whereas these

guys can bill quite a lot. Anyway, poor

fellas.

So let’s look at these other letters

I ask unanimous consent that the

first page of the letter of lawyer Bopp

for billionaire Crow and the first page

of the letter of lawyer Rivkin for bil-

lionaire operative Leo—as exhibits at

the end of my remarks—with the short,

one-paragraph letter, the tagalong let-

ter from attorney Clark, be printed in

the R

ECORD

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Lawyers Bopp

and Rivkin both tell me that inves-

tigating their clients’ activities is un-

constitutional under the separation of

powers. We can’t legislate about Su-

preme Court ethics, so we can’t inves-

tigate Supreme Court ethics.

First, remember that alongside sepa-

ration of powers is its twin, checks and

balances, which requires branches, like

the legislative branch, to check and

balance the behavior of other branches,

like, in this case, the judicial branch.

That is what we are doing here—

checks and balances. Let’s dive down

into the specifics a little bit more.

There are primarily three topics.

One, did the billionaire or the opera-

tive take improper advantage of the

Tax Code in their dealings with the

Justices? That is what we are looking

into. The Finance Committee has its

own investigation, along with the Judi-

ciary Committee, to focus on the tax

side of this.

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Well, I have to say it is hard to see

how abuse of the Tax Code by a private

citizen in his tax filings could raise any

separation of powers concern. That is

between the tax filer, the government,

and the law. The Justices are simply

not a party to that. Even if we were

looking at the Justices’ own tax fil-

ings, were it to come to that, they

would be investigated in their roles not

as Justices but as taxpayers. Being a

Justice doesn’t allow you to violate the

tax laws or immunize you from tax in-

vestigation or permit you to make ac-

tionable false statements in your tax

returns any more than being a Justice

would allow you to commit any other

offense. So there is tax abuse, issue 1—

no visible separation-of-powers angle

to it.

Issue 2, did the Justices receiving

gifts and emoluments from the billion-

aire or the operative properly report

them, or did the judicial gifts reporting

system fail here? The billionaires’ law-

yers say that is not our business. Well,

that is Congress’s business for two

pretty obvious reasons. First, the re-

porting requirements are a law passed

by Congress whose implementation we

can absolutely oversee like any other

law passed by Congress, and this law

includes Justices. Second, the imple-

menting body of that law is the Judi-

cial Conference, a body created by Con-

gress whose activities we can abso-

lutely oversee—we created it. The no-

tion that Congress cannot investigate

to see if an Agency it created is prop-

erly implementing laws Congress

passed is ludicrous on its face.

Peripherally, it is worth noting that

the Supreme Court has never objected

on constitutional grounds to that body

or to those laws. The Chief Justice ac-

tually chairs the Judicial Conference

without objection to its congressional

nature.

When questions about Justice Thom-

as’s first round of free yacht and jet

travel from Harlan Crow were raised a

decade ago, those concerns went, under

the law, to the Financial Disclosure

Committee of the Judicial Conference

for review, without objection to the

power of review by Justice Thomas.

And when Thomas’s recent round of

billionaire-funded free yacht and jet

travel—Crow-Thomas 2.0, you might

call it—raised questions anew, again,

those questions went to the Financial

Disclosure Committee of the Judicial

Conference for review, where those

questions pend now, again, without ob-

jection. Nobody said: The Judicial Con-

ference is unconstitutional. The report-

ing laws are unconstitutional. You

can’t look at this. Congress could never

pass those laws. Congress could not

create judicial conflict.

Nobody said that.

Additionally, when Justice Scalia’s

trick came to light of obtaining dozens

of free hunting vacations and not dis-

closing them because it was supposedly

a ‘‘personal invitation,’’ which sup-

posedly made it ‘‘personal hospitality’’

that didn’t have to be disclosed, the

question of that trip’s propriety went

to the Financial Disclosure Committee

of the Judicial Conference for review.

The conference shut that trick down

firmly, and Justice Thomas conceded

he would abide by the Judicial Con-

ference’s determination—again, with

no assertion that there was anything

unconstitutional about it. So the sepa-

ration-of-powers argument, in addition

to making no sense, founders on the

decades-long acceptance in real life by

Supreme Court Justices of our congres-

sional role through these laws and

through the Judicial Conference.

Here is another argument they make.

This is an interesting one. We have

been too mean. We have been too mean

looking into these facts. They tart that

argument up in constitutional termi-

nology, but that is it in a nutshell. I

have used the analogy, describing

Leonard Leo’s role, in the billionaires’

Court-capture scheme, of a spider in a

web. They think that is too mean.

The problem with that ‘‘too mean’’

argument is that it assumes the result.

If, in fact, there is a secret operation to

capture and control the Supreme Court

for the benefit of special interests, and

if, in fact, Leo is its key operative, it is

not actually all that mean to make an

analogy to a spider and a web. It is ac-

tually pretty mild and quite descrip-

tive.

The accusation that we are doing

this just to be mean and it is unfair to

ask questions presumes that there is

nothing secret and sordid and wrong

that would be revealed by our inves-

tigation. It is a little like saying the

police can’t investigate me because it

would be unconstitutionally unfair be-

cause I am so innocent. Well, that is

what the police investigation would re-

veal, just as this congressional inves-

tigation, unless successfully obstructed

by the billionaires, might very well re-

veal a dark episode of secret corruption

of our highest Court—perhaps, even the

most covert, most persistent effort at

judicial corruption in our country’s

history.

To be continued. I will be back with

more of this story.

There being no objection, the mate-

rial was ordered to be printed in the

ECORD

, as follows:

IBSON

UNN

Confidential, May 22, 2023.

Re Response to May 8, 2023, Letters to Har-

lan R. Crow, CH Asset Company, Carey

Commercial Ltd., and Topridge Holdings,

LLC.

Hon. D

ICK

URBIN

Chairman, U.S. Senate, Committee on the Judi-

ciary, Washington, DC.

EAR

HAIRMAN

URBIN

: We represent Har-

lan Crow in relation to your letters of May

8, 2023 (the ‘‘Letters’’). Today, we also are re-

sponding on behalf of CH Asset Company,

Carey Commercial Ltd., and Topridge Hold-

ings, LLC. We recognize the important role

the Senate Judiciary Committee has in con-

sidering legislation related to our federal

court system, and we appreciate the oppor-

tunity to engage with the Committee.

After careful consideration, we do not be-

lieve the Committee has the authority to in-

vestigate Mr. Crow’s personal friendship

with Justice Clarence Thomas. Most impor-

tantly, Congress does not have the constitu-

tional power to impose ethics rules and

standards on the Supreme Court. Doing so

would exceed Congress’s Article I authority

and violate basic separation of powers prin-

ciples. That precludes the Committee from

pursuing an investigation in support of such

legislation.

Separately, the Committee has not identi-

fied a valid legislative purpose for its inves-

tigation and is not authorized to conduct an

ethics investigation of a Supreme Court Jus-

tice. The Committee’s stated purpose of

crafting new ethics guidelines for the Su-

preme Court is inconsistent with its actions

and the circumstances in which this inves-

tigation was launched, all of which suggest

that the Committee is targeting Justice

Thomas for special and unwarranted oppro-

brium. Moreover, any information the Com-

mittee might legitimately need to draft leg-

islation on this subject is readily available

from other sources, the use of which would

not trigger the same separation of powers

concerns created by the Committee’s re-

quests to Mr. Crow.

We address each of these points in greater

detail below.

AKER

OSTETLER

July 25, 2023.

Re Response to July 11, 2023 Letter to Leon-

ard Leo.

Hon. R

ICHARD

URBIN

Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S.

Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. S

HELDON

HITEHOUSE

Chairman, Subcommittee on Federal Courts,

Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal

Rights, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

EAR

HAIRMAN

URBIN AND

ENATOR

HITEHOUSE

: We write on behalf of Leonard

Leo in response to your letter of July 11,

2023, which requested information con-

cerning Mr. Leo’s interactions with Supreme

Court Justices. We understand this inquiry

is part of an investigation certain members

of the Senate Judiciary Committee have un-

dertaken regarding ethics standards and the

Supreme Court. While we respect the Com-

mittee’s oversight role, after reviewing your

July 11 Letter, the nature of this investiga-

tion, and the circumstances surrounding

your interest in Mr. Leo, we believe that

your inquiry exceeds the limits placed by the

Constitution on the Committee’s investiga-

tive authority.

Your investigation of Mr. Leo infringes

two provisions of the Bill of Rights. By selec-

tively targeting Mr. Leo for investigation on

a politically charged basis, while ignoring

other potential sources of information on the

asserted topic of interest who are similarly

situated to Mr. Leo but have different polit-

ical views that are more consistent with

those of the Committee majority, your in-

quiry appears to be political retaliation

against a private citizen in violation of the

First Amendment. For similar reasons, your

inquiry cannot be reconciled with the Equal

Protection component of the Due Process

Clause of the Fifth Amendment. And regard-

less of its other constitutional infirmities, it

appears that your investigation lacks a valid

legislative purpose, because the legislation

the Committee is considering would be un-

constitutional if enacted.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4582 September 19, 2023

RICKSON

EDERSTROM

TTORNEYS AT

July 25, 2023.

Re Response to Letter Dated July 11, 2023, to

Robin P. Arkley, II, Our File No.:

00018.010802.

Hon. R

ICHARD

URBIN

Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S.

Senate, Washington, DC.

Hon. S

HELDON

HITEHOUSE

Chairman, Subcommittee on Federal Courts

Oversights, Agency Action and Federal

Rights, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

EAR

HAIRMAN

URBIN AND

ENATOR

HITEHOUSE

: We write this letter on behalf

of Robin P. Arkley, II in response to your

letter dated July 11, 2023, which requested in-

formation concerning Mr. Arkley’s inter-

actions with Supreme Court Justices. While

we respect the Senate Committee’s oversight

role, we believe that this inquiry exceeds the

limits placed on the legislature by the Con-

stitution. For our stated reasons, we refer

you to the relevant portions of the letter

dated July 25, 2023, from Baker & Hostetler

directed to you on behalf of Mr. Leo.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

AMUEL

E. C

LARK

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-

pore. The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk

proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the order for the

quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.

SSOFF

). Without objection, it is so or-

dered.

MORNING BUSINESS

HONORING LAVERNE PARRISH

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I

would like to honor the life and service

of a distinguished Montanan and one of

Montana’s five World War II Medal of

Honor recipients: Technician Fourth

Grade Laverne Parrish.

Laverne and his family moved to the

Mission Valley of Montana in 1934, and

he graduated from Ronan High School

in 1937. Never one to shy away from

service or sacrifice, Laverne joined the

Washington Army National Guard in

the March of 1941, just months before

the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served

as a medical aidman in Company C of

the 161st Infantry Regiment where he

achieved the rank of technician fourth

grade, the noncommissioned officer

equivalent of sergeant.

In August of 1942, his Army National

Guard unit was activated and deployed

to Hawaii for training. Soon after, his

unit was mobilized and deployed to the

Pacific Theater with the 25th Infantry

Division. Known as ‘‘Tropic Lightning’’

for specializing in jungle warfare, his

division saw combat in five different

military campaigns, moving from Gua-

dalcanal, to the Northern Solomon Is-

lands, and eventually joining General

MacArthur’s campaign to recapture

the Philippines.

In January of 1945, his division land-

ed on the island of Luzon in the Phil-

ippines. During heavy fighting in

Binalonan, Laverne risked his life

rushing onto the battlefield to bring in

his wounded brother in arms to safety.

While treating casualties, he noticed

two wounded soldiers from his com-

pany still in the field. Without hesi-

tation, he crawled back onto the bat-

tlefield amidst intense enemy fire to

successfully rescue both men.

Six days later, under withering

enemy fire, Laverne’s unit was ordered

to withdraw to the cover of a ditch.

Seeing two wounded soldiers unable to

move, Laverne quickly left his position

and pulled them to safety. In that same

field, he also delivered aid to 12 casual-

ties, crossing and recrossing an open

area raked by enemy fire in the process

and finally bringing an additional

three men who were critically wounded

back to the unit.

Shortly after treating nearly all 37 of

the casualties suffered by his company,

Laverne was mortally wounded by mor-

tar fire and died on the battlefield, just

6 months before the war ended. He was

26 years old, and his body was returned

to Montana, where he was laid to eter-

nal rest at the Mountain View Ceme-

tery in Ronan. While Laverne passed,

the story of the heroic ‘‘Montana

Medic’’ quickly spread through the

25th Infantry Division as they bravely

carried on facing more continuous

combat than any other Infantry Divi-

sion in the 6th Army.

Laverne pitted heroism and bravery

against great odds, saving the lives of

many of his fellow soldiers at the cost

of his own. In honor of his incredible

bravery and sacrifice, Laverne was

awarded the Medal of Honor by Presi-

dent Harry S. Truman, our Nation’s

highest military awarded to the men

and women in uniform who have gone

above and beyond protecting our free-

doms. He was one of just six medical

corpsman to receive this honor in

World War II, and the six were credited

with saving the lives of more than 150

military personnel.

In the fall of 1948, the town of Ronan

came together to honor Laverne by

naming the athletic field the Sergeant

Laverne Parrish Memorial Field. Nam-

ing this field in Laverne’s honor was a

small token of our appreciation for his

heroic service and sacrifice, but it en-

sured he will be remembered genera-

tion after generation in Ronan—and all

across the Treasure State.

Seventy-five years later, Laverne’s

memory lives on in each of us—in the

freedoms of our children, our children’s

children, and right here with us on this

football field.

On behalf of myself and a grateful na-

tion, I commend Mr. Laverne Parrish

and extend our deepest appreciation to

him. He is a true patriot who made

Montana proud, and we will never for-

get him.

Today and every day, let us remem-

ber that we are standing here today, in

a free country, because of Laverne, the

sacrifices he made, and the sacrifices of

our military men and women have

made every generation since.

TRIBUTE TO PETTY OFFICER

FIRST CLASS DUANE B. PEARSON

Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I rise

today to honor Navy Petty Officer

First Class Duane B. Pearson. HM1

Duane Pearson originally hailed from

the Bronx, NY, and as an Army family,

he moved throughout the Nation; in

Lawton, OK, he decided to enlist in the

U.S. Navy and follow his family history

of military service.

His initial oath was in November 2001

in Oklahoma City, OK; he completed

Navy boot camp and Hospital Corps

School in Great Lakes, IL, and went on

to Expeditionary Medical Facility

Training, Cherry Point, NC, and Phys-

ical Therapy Technician School, San

Antonio, TX, where he was also pro-

moted to third class petty officer.

His enlisted assignments include

Naval Hospital Cherry Point, NC; Na-

tional Naval Medical Center Bethesda,

MD, where he was deployed to Camp

Lemonnier to Djibouti, Africa; Naval

Hospital Yokosuka, Japan; and the Of-

fice of Attending Physician, Wash-

ington, DC.

While at the Office of Attending Phy-

sician, he continued providing expert

physical therapy services, but also

managed an emergency response med-

ical call center, and provided advanced

cardiac life support response to mul-

tiple Nation special security events, in-

cluding three Presidential inaugura-

tions, nine State of the Union Address-

es, seven Peace Officers Memorials, and

scores of gold medal ceremonies and

summer concerts. Additionally, he was

instrumental in administering over

30,000 Covid vaccines in direct support

of both the Supreme Court of the

United States, and U.S. Congress.

His military decorations include the

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation

Medal, Navy and Marine Corps

Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious

Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation,

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation,

Armed Forces Service Medal, Humani-

tarian Service Medal, and various

other personal and unit awards.

His military career has been success-

ful because of the support and con-

fidence of Jasmine, his wife and best

friend of 18 years. He also has two sup-

portive children, who are both talented

athletes—Micah and Imani.

In May 2019, he received his bachelor

of arts Degree, with honors, from

Southern Illinois University in

healthcare management and will com-

plete his master’s in healthcare admin-

istration from the University of Balti-

more this December.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

RECOGNIZING THE HISTORIC

WESTSIDE SCHOOL

∑ Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President,

I rise today to commemorate the cen-

tennial celebration of the Historic

Westside School in Las Vegas, NV. This

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school holds a special place in the his-

tory of Las Vegas and is a symbol of re-

silience, education, and strength in

this community.

The Historic Westside School’s story

began in 1923 when it opened its doors

as the Las Vegas Grammar School No.

1, consisting of just two rooms. Over

the years, this unassuming structure

played a significant role in the history

of Las Vegas, particularly in the city’s

Black community.

Initially established to serve local

Paiute children, the school’s purpose

evolved as the Black American popu-

lation in Las Vegas grew substantially.

With the opening of the Gunnery

Range, known today as Nellis Air

Force Base, and the construction of the

Hoover Dam, the population of Las

Vegas expanded dramatically. During

this period, the school primarily edu-

cated Black children, reflecting the

changing demographics of the city.

It is important to acknowledge the

discrimination and persecution the

Black community suffered during this

era. In a stark reminder of the racial

prejudice that stained our Nation, the

city of Las Vegas forced Black families

to move to the Westside and refused to

allow the renewal of Black-owned busi-

ness licenses unless they relocated. De-

spite this, the Westside School became

a symbol of hope and perseverance for

the Black community as it provided

education and opportunity.

As the city of Las Vegas eventually

moved towards desegregation, the

school was closed. However, in 1979, the

significance of the Historic Westside

School was formally recognized when it

was listed in the National Register of

Historic Places. This designation high-

lighted the school’s historical impor-

tance and its role in shaping the local

community and preserving the heritage

of the Westside of Las Vegas.

In 2015, the city of Las Vegas, with

the assistance of Federal funds, em-

barked on a commendable effort to re-

store this historic landmark. Today,

the Historic Westside School has been

transformed into a vibrant community

center, home to KCEP-FM and the Eco-

nomic Opportunity Board, and a hub

for various charitable foundations. It is

a testament to the resilience of our

community and the commitment to

preserving our history.

As we celebrate the centennial of the

Historic Westside School, let us reflect

on the enduring legacy of this institu-

tion and its importance in shaping the

history of Las Vegas. It serves as a re-

minder of the progress we have made in

the fight for equality and the impor-

tance of preserving our history, no

matter how challenging the chapters

may be.

I commend the city of Las Vegas and

the Historic Westside School Alumni

Association for their dedication to pre-

serving the memory of this historic

school and for organizing the centen-

nial celebration. It truly is an oppor-

tunity for our community to come to-

gether, learn from our past, and work

toward a brighter future where equal-

ity and opportunity are accessible to

all.∑

RECOGNIZING KPI CONCEPTS

∑ Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, as rank-

ing member of the Senate Committee

on Small Business and Entrepreneur-

ship, each week I recognize an out-

standing Iowa small business that ex-

emplifies the American entrepreneurial

spirit. This week it is my privilege to

recognize KPI Concepts of West Bur-

lington, IA, as the Senate Small Busi-

ness of the Week.

KPI Concepts was founded by Craig

Upton in 1984 out of his garage in Bur-

lington, IA, building cabinetry for local

businesses. Two years later, KPI Con-

cepts moved to a 4,200-square-foot

building with a workshop. The original

building was expanded to 42,000 square

feet between 1986 and 2006, and in 2007,

they purchased an additional 65,000-

square-foot location. The second loca-

tion expanded a few years later. After

starting as a commercial cabinetry

business, they evolved to manufacture

wind turbine blade components in 2008

with the KPI Composites division. In

2013, they added a west coast location

in Hurricane, UT, while maintaining

their West Burlington headquarters.

Over the years, KPI Concepts has

grown to include the KPI Metals divi-

sion as well. Today, KPI Concepts is fo-

cused on providing innovative products

to the wind energy industry. Through-

out this history of business growth, the

company’s employees have been instru-

mental to its success.

As with many founders, Craig’s jour-

ney to founding KPI Concepts had

many chapters. After graduating from

Burlington High School in 1973, he

went on to attend Southeastern Com-

munity College, where he earned an as-

sociate’s degree in mechanical tech-

nology. He later went on to work as a

design draftsman, welder, and in the

data processing department. When he

lost his job, his father, who had a pas-

sion for woodworking, urged Craig to

pursue his dream and start KPI Con-

cepts. In addition to being the Founder

of KPI Concepts, Craig Upton has given

back to the community. In 2014, he was

recognized by Southeastern Commu-

nity College with the Distinguished

Alumnus Award.

The KPI Concept’s team has been

awarded for their contributions to the

industrial services industry. The KPI

Metals team was awarded the Manufac-

turer of the Year Award by the Greater

Burlington Partnership in 2017. Due to

the hard work and dedication of the

KPI Concepts employees, they cele-

brated their 39th business anniversary

in 2023.

KPI Concept’s commitment to pro-

viding high-quality wind turbine parts,

commercial cabinetry, and metal man-

ufacturing services to customers

throughout the United States while

maintaining their Iowa roots is clear. I

want to congratulate the entire team

at KPI Concepts for their continued

dedication to providing industrial serv-

ices to Iowans. I look forward to seeing

their continued growth and success in

Iowa.∑

RECOGNIZING 100 YEARS OF MOTT

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

∑ Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise

today to honor Mott Community Col-

lege located in Flint, MI. Over the past

100 years, MCC has become a steadfast

partner for local industry, providing

high-quality, accessible, and affordable

education opportunities. It is a privi-

lege and honor to recognize the centen-

nial milestone of the college on Sep-

tember 23, 2023.

Founded in 1923 by the Flint Board of

Education, the institution was origi-

nally known as Flint Junior College.

Tuition for the first year was a mere

$20, and students could choose to study

general literacy, pre-engineering, pre-

dental, pre-medicine, pre-law, or busi-

ness administration, as the college was

initially designed to prepare students

to transfer to the University of Michi-

gan Ann Arbor.

In 1950, Charles Stewart Mott do-

nated $1 million to develop Flint Jun-

ior College into a 4-year institution in

collaboration with the University of

Michigan, a move that created the col-

lege and cultural center. C.S. Mott en-

dowed the college with 32 acres of land

and additional money for the establish-

ment of an entirely new campus. In

1951, William Ballenger, Sr., left a trust

of several million dollars, allowing the

college to hire well-qualified instruc-

tors and elevate Flint Junior College

into a true community college.

Ballenger also gifted the college

$200,000 for the construction of an ath-

letic field house. The Ballenger Field

House would become the first new

building on the new campus.

In 1969, the college was successful in

securing a millage, transforming it

into a countywide institution, becom-

ing Genesee Community College. After

the passing of C.S. Mott, the institu-

tion received its name known by the

community today, the Charles Stewart

Mott Community College.

The college has a rich athletic his-

tory as well. Coach Steven Schmidt has

led the men’s basketball team to 753

victories over 30 seasons, the most by

any men’s coach in Michigan college

basketball history. The program fin-

ished fifth in the Nation in 2021 and has

won three national titles since 2007.

The college is also where Justus

Thigpen, Sr., the first athlete from

Flint to play in the NBA, got his start

as the basketball team’s starting guard

in 1965. Mott currently hosts five var-

sity men’s sports teams, four varsity

women’s teams, and a co-ed e-sports

team.

Today, MCC serves over 8,000 stu-

dents seeking to gain knowledge and

skills in a wide variety of occupational

programs. Mott Community College

continues to be a key partner that de-

livers on the workforce development

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4584 September 19, 2023

needs of the region through continual

innovation and investment in their

students’ success. By creating pro-

grams such as the Mobile Learning

Lab, Workforce Promise, and the oper-

ation of Applewood Cafe, the college

has seized every opportunity to support

the economic development in Flint by

providing workforce training and expe-

rience to students and workers.

The college is also a leader in ex-

panding diversity, equity, and inclu-

sion in higher education. From the hir-

ing of Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea in

2014, its first African-American female

president, to the building of the Lenore

Croudy Family Life Center, which is

focused on providing support to stu-

dents and families experiencing hous-

ing and food insecurity, the college

continually works to reduce barriers

and challenges by investing in their

students. MCC has also been chosen for

the Aspen Institute Award six times as

one of the top 150 community colleges

in the Nation dedicated to excellence

and equitable student success.

Mott Community College has greatly

impacted the lives of generations of

students and has positively shaped the

city of Flint as we know it today. I ask

you to join me in recognizing the col-

lege as they commemorate their cen-

tennial celebration.∑

TRIBUTE TO GABRIELLE INDIA

ASIIAG

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Gabrielle India Asiiag, a spring

and summer 2023 intern with my Or-

lando office, for the hard work she has

done for my office and the people of

Florida.

Gabrielle is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where

she is completing a bachelor’s degree

in psychology. She is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of her internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Gabrielle for her work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of her

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO THOMAS MATTHEW

BATURA

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Thomas Matthew Batura, a sum-

mer 2023 intern with my Orlando office,

for the hard work he has done for my

office and the people of Florida.

Thomas is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where he

is completing a master’s degree in pub-

lic administration. He is a dedicated

and diligent worker who was devoted

to getting the most out of his intern-

ship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Thomas for his work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of his

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO BENNETT AARON

BERT

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Bennett Aaron Bert, a summer

2023 intern with my Orlando office, for

the hard work he has done for my of-

fice and the people of Florida.

Bennett is currently studying at the

Catholic University of America, where

he is completing a bachelor’s degree in

politics with a minor in business. He is

a dedicated and diligent worker who

was devoted to getting the most out of

his internship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Bennett for his work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of his

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO GABRIELA SOFIA

BRAVO

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Gabriela Sofia Bravo, a summer

2023 intern with my Orlando office, for

the hard work she has done for my of-

fice and the people of Florida.

Gabriela is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where

she is completing a bachelor’s degree

in political science with an emphasis in

intelligence and national security, as

well as a minor in international and

global studies. She is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of her internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Gabriela for her work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of her

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO VICMARIE

PALOMARES-COLON

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Vicmarie Palomares-Colon, a sum-

mer 2023 intern with my Orlando office,

for the hard work she has done for my

office and the people of Florida.

Vicmarie is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where

she is completing a bachelor’s degree

in legal studies. She is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of her internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Vicmarie for her work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of her

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO FIONA FERRERO

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Fiona Ferrero, a spring and sum-

mer 2023 intern with my Orlando office,

for the hard work she has done for my

office and the people of Florida.

Fiona is currently studying at Ocoee

High School. She is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of her internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Fiona for her work with my office, and

I look forward to hearing of her suc-

cesses in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO ETHAN FOLKMAN

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Ethan Craig Folkman, a summer

2023 intern with my Gulf Coast regional

office, for the hard work he has done

for my office and the people of Florida.

Ethan is currently a student at Bos-

ton College, where he is majoring in

political science. He is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of his internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Ethan for his work with my office dur-

ing these challenging times, and I look

forward to hearing of his continued

good work in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO PABLO ELIAS

FORTICH

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Pablo Elias Fortich, a summer

2023 intern with my Orlando office, for

the hard work he has done for my of-

fice and the people of Florida.

Pablo is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where he

is completing a bachelor’s degree in po-

litical science with a concentration in

national security and intelligence. He

is a dedicated and diligent worker who

was devoted to getting the most out of

his internship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Pablo for his work with my office, and

I look forward to hearing of his suc-

cesses in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO RHYAN FURDA

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Rhyan Furda, a summer 2023 in-

tern with my Orlando office, for the

hard work she has done for my office

and the people of Florida.

Rhyan is currently studying at Colo-

rado State University, where she is

completing a bachelor’s degree in polit-

ical science with a minor in business

administration. She is a dedicated and

diligent worker who was devoted to

getting the most out of her internship

experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Rhyan for her work with my office, and

I look forward to hearing of her suc-

cesses in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO XIMENA RAFAELA

HAKIME

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Ximena Rafaela Hakime, a sum-

mer 2023 intern with my Orlando office,

for the hard work she has done for my

office and the people of Florida.

Ximena is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where

she is completing a bachelor’s degree

in political science. She is a dedicated

and diligent worker who was devoted

to getting the most out of her intern-

ship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Ximena for her work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of her

successes in the years to come.∑

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TRIBUTE TO MATTHEW WILLIAM

HOCHFELDER

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Matthew William Hochfelder, a

summer 2023 intern with my Orlando

office, for the hard work he has done

for my office and the people of Florida.

Matthew is currently studying at the

University of Central Florida, where he

is completing a bachelor’s degree in

comparative politics with a concentra-

tion in international relations. He is a

dedicated and diligent worker who was

devoted to getting the most out of his

internship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Matthew for his work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of his

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO CAMRYN RIOS

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Camryn Elizabeth Rios, a summer

2023 intern with my Gulf Coast regional

office.

Camryn is currently a student at The

University of Mississippi, where she is

majoring in public policy leadership

with a minor in journalism.

I extend my gratitude to Camryn for

her work with my office during this se-

mester.∑

TRIBUTE TO GIANNA SOFIA

ROMAN

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Gianna Sofia Roman, a summer

2023 intern with my Orlando office, for

the hard work she has done for my of-

fice and the people of Florida.

Gianna is currently studying at the

University of Florida, where she is

completing a bachelor’s degree in polit-

ical science and women’s studies. She

is a dedicated and diligent worker who

was devoted to getting the most out of

her internship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Gianna for her work with my office,

and I look forward to hearing of her

successes in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO MADISON SHEPPARD

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Madison Joelle Sheppard, a sum-

mer 2023 intern with my Gulf Coast re-

gional office, for the hard work she has

done for my office and the people of

Florida.

Madison is currently a student at

Florida State University, where she is

majoring in international affairs and

political science. She is a dedicated

and diligent worker who was devoted

to getting the most out of her intern-

ship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Madison for her work with my office

during these challenging times, and I

look forward to hearing of her contin-

ued good work in the years to come.∑

TRIBUTE TO MAEGAN SMARKUSKY

∑ Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recog-

nize Maegan Smarkusky, a summer

2023 intern with my Gulf Coast regional

office, for the hard work she has done

for my office and the people of Florida.

Maegan is a recent graduate of J.W.

Mitchell High School and will attend

Florida State University, where she

will major in political science. She is a

dedicated and diligent worker who was

devoted to getting the most out of her

internship experience.

I extend my deepest gratitude to

Maegan for her work with my office

during these challenging times, and I

look forward to hearing of her contin-

ued good work in the years to come.∑

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT

Messages from the President of the

United States were communicated to

the Senate by Mrs. Stringer, one of his

secretaries.

EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED

In executive session the Presiding Of-

ficer laid before the Senate messages

from the President of the United

States submitting sundry nominations

which were referred to the appropriate

committees.

(The messages received today are

printed at the end of the Senate

proceedings.)

MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE

At 11:22 a.m., a message from the

House of Representatives, delivered by

Mr. McLaughlin, one of its reading

clerks, announced that the House has

passed the following bill, without

amendment:

S. 475. An act to designate the clinic of the

Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup,

New Mexico, as the Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’

Miyamura VA Clinic.

The message further announced that

the House has passed the following

bills, in which it requests the concur-

rence of the Senate:

H.R. 663. An act to amend the Indian Child

Protection and Family Violence Prevention

Act.

H.R. 3981. An act to amend title 38, United

States Code, to improve the methods by

which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs con-

ducts oversight of certain educational insti-

tutions, and for other purposes.

MEASURES REFERRED

The following bill was read the first

and the second times by unanimous

consent, and referred as indicated:

H.R. 3981. An act to amend title 38, United

States Code, to improve the methods by

which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs con-

ducts oversight of certain educational insti-

tutions, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Veterans’ Affairs.

EXECUTIVE AND OTHER

COMMUNICATIONS

The following communications were

laid before the Senate, together with

accompanying papers, reports, and doc-

uments, and were referred as indicated:

EC–2140. A communication from the Sec-

retary of the Interior, transmitting, pursu-

ant to law, a report relative to the Pelly

Amendment to the Fisherman’s Protective

Act of 1967; to the Committee on Foreign Re-

lations.

EC–2141. A communication from the Sec-

retary of the Treasury, transmitting, pursu-

ant to section 1705(e)(6) of the Cuban Democ-

racy Act of 1992, as amended by Section

102(g) of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic

Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, a semi-

annual report relative to telecommuni-

cations-related payments made to Cuba dur-

ing the period from January 1, 2023 through

June 30, 2023; to the Committee on Foreign

Relations.

EC–2142. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to

law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Amend-

ment to the International Traffic in Arms

Regulations: Prohibited Exports, Imports,

and Sales to or from Certain Countries - Cy-

prus’’ (RIN1400–AF69) received in the Office

of the President of the Senate on September

13, 2023; to the Committee on Foreign Rela-

tions.

EC–2143. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to

law, a notification of intent to provide as-

sistance to Ukraine, including for self-de-

fense and border security operations; to the

Committee on Foreign Relations.

EC–2144. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Af-

fairs), transmitting additional legislative

proposals that the Department of Defense re-

quests be enacted during the first session of

the 118th Congress; to the Committee on

Foreign Relations.

EC–2145. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to

law, a report entitled ‘‘Direction Under Sec-

tion 506(a)(3) of the Foreign Assistance Act

of 1961 (FAA) to Provide Military Assistance

to Taiwan’’; to the Committee on Foreign

Relations.

EC–2146. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to

law, a notification of intent to provide as-

sistance to Taiwan to strengthen its self-de-

fense capabilities; to the Committee on For-

eign Relations.

EC–2147. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to

law, a notification of intent to provide as-

sistance to Ukraine, including for self-de-

fense and border security operations; to the

Committee on Foreign Relations.

EC–2148. A communication from the Assist-

ant Legal Adviser for Treaty Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to the

Case-Zablocki Act, 1 U.S.C. 112b, as amended,

the report of the texts and background state-

ments of international agreements, other

than treaties (List 2023–0062 - 2023–0065); to

the Committee on Foreign Relations.

EC–2149. A communication from the Assist-

ant Legal Adviser for Treaty Affairs, Depart-

ment of State, transmitting, pursuant to the

Case-Zablocki Act, 1 U.S.C. 112b, as amended,

the report of the texts and background state-

ments of international agreements, other

than treaties (List 2023–0066 - 2023–0073); to

the Committee on Foreign Relations.

EC–2150. A communication from the Sec-

tion Chief of the Diversion Control Division,

Drug Enforcement Administration, Depart-

ment of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to

law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Dispensing

of Narcotic Drugs To Relieve Acute With-

drawal Symptoms of Opioid Use Disaster’’

((RIN1117–AB73) (Docket No. DEA–702)) re-

ceived in the Office of the President of the

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4586 September 19, 2023

Senate on September 8, 2023; to the Com-

mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

EC–2151. A communication from the Sec-

tion Chief of the Diversion Control Division,

Drug Enforcement Administration, Depart-

ment of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to

law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Partial

Filling of Prescriptions for Schedule II Con-

trolled Substances’’ ((RIN1117–AB45) (Docket

No. DEA–469)) received in the Office of the

President of the Senate on September 8, 2023;

to the Committee on Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2152. A communication from the Regu-

latory Policy Analyst, Food and Drug Ad-

ministration, Department of Health and

Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to

law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Nomen-

clature Change for Dockets Management;

Technical Amendment’’ (Docket No. FDA–

2023–N–0963) received during adjournment of

the Senate in the Office of the President of

the Senate on August 23, 2023; to the Com-

mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

EC–2153. A communication from the Gen-

eral Counsel, United States Access Board,

transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of

a rule entitled ‘‘Accessibility Guidelines for

Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-

Way’’ (RIN3014–AA26) received in the Office

of the President of the Senate on September

6, 2023; to the Committee on Health, Edu-

cation, Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2154. A communication from the Senior

Policy Advisor, Wage and Hour Division, De-

partment of Labor, transmitting, pursuant

to law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Updat-

ing the Davis-Bacon Related Acts Regula-

tions’’ (RIN1235–AA40) received in the Office

of the President of the Senate on September

6, 2023; to the Committee on Health, Edu-

cation, Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2155. A communication from the Acting

Director, Office of Federal Contract Compli-

ance Programs, Department of Labor, trans-

mitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule

entitled ‘‘Pre-enforcement Notice and Con-

ciliation Procedures’’ (RIN1250–AA14) re-

ceived during adjournment of the Senate in

the Office of the President of the Senate on

August 23, 2023; to the Committee on Health,

Education, Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2156. A communication from the Om-

budsman, Energy Employees Occupational

Illness Compensation Program, Department

of Labor, transmitting, pursuant to law, a

report entitled ‘‘2022 Annual Report to Con-

gress’’; to the Committee on Health, Edu-

cation, Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2157. A communication from the Sec-

retary of Labor and the Director of the Pen-

sion Benefit Guaranty Corporation, trans-

mitting, pursuant to law, the Pension Ben-

efit Guaranty Corporation’s fiscal year 2022

Actuarial Evaluation of the Expected Oper-

ations and Status of the PBGC Funds; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

EC–2158. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary for Legislation, Department of

Health and Human Services, transmitting,

pursuant to law, an annual report relative to

the implementation of the Age Discrimina-

tion Act of 1975 for fiscal year 2022; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

EC–2159. A communication from the Assist-

ant Secretary for Legislation, Department of

Health and Human Services, transmitting,

pursuant to law, a report entitled ‘‘Adminis-

tration for Community Living Traumatic

Brain Injury Act Programs for Fiscal Years

2019 and 2020’’; to the Committee on Health,

Education, Labor, and Pensions.

EC–2160. A communication from the Board

Members, Railroad Retirement Board, trans-

mitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to

the Board’s budget request for fiscal year

2025; to the Committee on Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions.

PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

The following petitions and memo-

rials were laid before the Senate and

were referred or ordered to lie on the

table as indicated:

POM–55. A joint resolution adopted by the

Legislature of the State of Wyoming re-

affirming its commitment to the strong and

deepening relationship between Taiwan and

the State of Wyoming; to the Committee on

Foreign Relations.

ENATE

OINT

ESOLUTION

. 7

Whereas, Taiwan and the United States are

bonded by their shared commitment to de-

mocracy, human rights, the rule of law and

a free market economy; and

Whereas, on March 5, 1984, the State of Wy-

oming adopted Taiwan as Wyoming’s sister

state; and

Whereas, Taiwan ranks as the United

States’ eighth largest trading partner, Tai-

wan ranks as the United States’ sixth largest

agricultural goods export destination and bi-

lateral trade between the United States and

Taiwan reached an estimated one hundred

fourteen billion dollars ($114,000,000,000.00) in

2021; and

Whereas, the United States and Taiwan

have welcomed the resumption of high-level

trade engagement and have expressed a de-

sire to work closely together; and

Whereas, Taiwan ranks as the State of Wy-

oming’s eighth largest trading partner in

Asia and both the State of Wyoming and Tai-

wan are committed to strengthening bilat-

eral economic bonds; and

Whereas, the United States Congress

passed the landmark Taiwan Relation Act in

1979 to sustain a close, bilateral relationship

and to advance mutual security and commer-

cial interests between the United States and

Taiwan; and

Whereas, based on the principles of the

United States’ and Taiwan’s Education Ini-

tiative in 2020, Taiwan’s Ministry of Edu-

cation and the State of Wyoming’s Depart-

ment of Education signed a memorandum of

understanding on educational cooperation in

2022 to further promote teacher and student

exchanges and cultural awareness; and

Whereas, the United States has previously

assisted Taiwan in its participation with the

World Health Organization, the Inter-

national Civil Aviation Organization and the

International Criminal Police Organization

and the United States will continue to sup-

port Taiwan’s meaningful participation in

these and other international organizations;

and

Whereas, Taiwan, as a willing and contrib-

uting member of the world community, has

made countless contributions of technical

and financial assistance in the wake of nat-

ural disasters worldwide: Now, therefore, be

Resolved, By the Members of the Legislature

of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1. That, Wyoming reaffirms its

commitment to the strong and deepening re-

lationship between Taiwan and the State of

Wyoming.

Section 2. That Wyoming supports Tai-

wan’s participation in internal organizations

that impact the global trade, health, safety

and well-being of twenty-three million

(23,000,000) people in Taiwan.

Section 3. That Wyoming reiterates its

support for a closer economic and trade part-

nership between the United States and Tai-

wan including signing the United States-Tai-

wan Bilateral Trade Agreement.

Section 4. That the Secretary of State of

Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution

to the President of the United States, to the

President of the Senate and Speaker of the

House of Representatives of the United

States Congress, to Wyoming’s Congres-

sional Delegation, to Taiwan President Tsai

Ing-wen and to the Taipei Economic and Cul-

tural Office, Seattle, Washington.

POM–56. A resolution adopted by the House

of Representatives of the State of Michigan

urging the United States government and

Michiganders to strengthen ties with Tai-

wan; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

OUSE

ESOLUTION

. 59

Whereas, the United States and Taiwan

have strong ties based on shared ideals and

robust bilateral trade. Taiwan shares the

values of freedom, democracy, human rights,

rule of law, peace, and prosperity with the

United States and the state of Michigan. In

2021, the United States ranked as Taiwan’s

second-largest trading partner, while Taiwan

was the eighth-largest trading partner of the

United States, counting the European Union

as a single trading partner. The countries

shared 113.9 billion dollars in two-way goods

trade and 19.8 billion dollars in two-way

services trade in that year; and

Whereas, Taiwan is a particularly impor-

tant trade partner for our nation’s agricul-

tural industry. Taiwan imported 3.9 billion

dollars’ worth of agricultural products from

the United States in 2021, making it the

sixth-largest market for United States food

and agricultural products overall. Exam-

ining individual agricultural products, Tai-

wan was the seventh-largest market for

United States soybeans and corn in 2021. Due

to our high-quality produce, the United

States remains one of Taiwan’s largest

sources of agricultural products, supplying

more than one-fifth of the country’s total

agricultural imports in 2020; and

Whereas, the state of Michigan and Taiwan

have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relation-

ship, with strong bilateral trade and a long

history of educational and cultural ex-

changes. Taiwan was Michigan’s tenth-larg-

est export market in Asia in 2022, with over

313 million dollars’ worth of Michigan goods

exported to Taiwan that year. Since 2006, the

Michigan Department of Education and the

Taiwanese Ministry of Education have had

an English and Chinese language teacher ex-

change program, helping our citizens to grow

closer and learn about each other’s cultures.

The Taiwan Friendship Caucus in the Michi-

gan Legislature exists to strengthen ties be-

tween our governments, our economies, and

our people. To ensure this relationship re-

mains strong, Michigan businesses should in-

crease their economic engagement with Tai-

wan; and

Whereas, the United States could take ad-

ditional steps to strengthen bilateral trade

with Taiwan, which would also enhance Tai-

wan’s trade with the state of Michigan.

Trade between our nations could be im-

proved if the United States entered into a bi-

lateral trade agreement and an avoidance of

double taxation agreement with Taiwan.

Taiwan could also be included in the Indo-

Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity

(IPEF), a partnership between many Indo-

Pacific nations and the United States that

was created to strengthen economic coopera-

tion. The United States invited other Indo-

Pacific partners to join the IPEF in May

2022, and Taiwan should be invited to and in-

cluded in this partnership; and

Whereas, Taiwan has adopted a policy of

‘‘steadfast diplomacy’’ in its foreign rela-

tions. This policy ‘‘aims at mutual benefit

and peace, creating sustainable partnerships

with diplomatic allies, and strengthening

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4587 September 19, 2023

substantive ties in multiple fields with

friendly and like-minded countries.’’ Taiwan

is clearly willing to collaborate with the

world to deal with global challenges and seek

a brighter future together; now, therefore, be

Resolved by the House of Representatives,

That we urge the United States government

and Michiganders to strengthen ties with

Taiwan; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be

transmitted to the President of the United

States, the Speaker of the United States

House of Representatives, the President of

the United States Senate, and the members

of the Michigan congressional delegation.

POM–57. A concurrent resolution adopted

by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana

urging and requesting the United States

Congress and the National Security Council

to conduct a formal review of the Status of

Forces Agreement between the United States

and Japan; to the Committee on Foreign Re-

lations.

OUSE

ONCURRENT

ESOLUTION

. 52

Whereas, in 1960, the Treaty of Mutual Co-

operation and Security between the United

States and Japan was signed and established

mutuality between the two nations; and

Whereas, the Treaty of Mutual Coopera-

tion and Security has had the effect of estab-

lishing a military alliance between the

United States and Japan; and

Whereas, under Article VI of the Treaty of

Mutual Cooperation and Security, the gov-

ernment of Japan agrees to take necessary

action to ensure the adequate security and

protection of the United States Armed

Forces while stationed in Japan; and

Whereas, there are over one hundred thou-

sand American service members and depend-

ents stationed in Japan, which is more than

any other place in the world other than the

United States; and

Whereas, active-duty American service

members are, and will continue to be, sta-

tioned abroad in Japan while serving in the

United States Armed Forces; and

Whereas, status of forces agreements are

designed to ensure adequate and fair legal

treatment of American service members sta-

tioned abroad; and

Whereas, the Status of Forces Agreement

between the United States and Japan does

not appear to provide adequate legal protec-

tion for American service members due to

reports that Japan regularly violates the

Status of Forces Agreement by detaining

American service members without adequate

cause or necessity prior to charges; and

Whereas, there are reports that Japanese

authorities consistently deny legal counsel

to service members during police interroga-

tions and fail to provide adequate trans-

lation assistance during interrogations and

trials, which would violate the Department

of Defense policy regarding the legal rights

of service members overseas; and

Whereas, the United States Congress

through the United States House and Senate

Committees on Armed Services are respon-

sible for conducting oversight of the United

States military and ensuring that inter-

national agreements are in the best interest

of the American people and abided by the

parties entering such agreements. Therefore,

be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana

does hereby urge and request the United

States Congress and the National Security

Council to conduct a formal review of the

Status of Forces Agreement between the

United States and Japan to ensure that the

agreement is in the best interest of the

United States and adequately protects Amer-

ican service members in accordance with

constitutional rights and the United States

Department of Defense policy. Be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be

transmitted to the presiding officers of the

Senate and the House of Representatives of

the Congress of the United States of America

and to each member of the Louisiana con-

gressional delegation.

POM–58. A resolution adopted by the House

of the Representatives of the State of Arkan-

sas recognizing the importance of pregnancy

help organizations in Arkansas; to the Com-

mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

OUSE

ESOLUTION

. 1010

Whereas, the life-affirming impact of preg-

nancy help organizations on the women,

men, children, and communities they serve

is considerable and growing; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations

serve women in Arkansas and across the

United States with integrity and compas-

sion; and

Whereas, more than two thousand seven

hundred (2,700) pregnancy help organizations

across the United States provide comprehen-

sive care to women and men facing un-

planned pregnancies, including resources to

meet their physical, psychological, emo-

tional, and spiritual needs; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations

offer women free, confidential, and compas-

sionate services, including pregnancy tests,

peer counseling, 24-hour telephone hotlines,

childbirth and parenting classes, referrals to

community health care, and other support

services; and

Whereas, many pregnancy help organiza-

tions offer ultrasounds and other medical

services; and

Whereas, many pregnancy help organiza-

tions provide information on adoption and

adoption referrals to pregnant women; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations en-

courage women to make positive life choices

by equipping them with complete and accu-

rate information regarding their pregnancy

options and the development of their unborn

children; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations

provide women with compassionate and con-

fidential peer counseling in a nonjudgmental

manner regardless of their pregnancy out-

comes; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations

provide important support and resources for

women who choose childbirth over abortion;

and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations en-

sure that women are receiving prenatal in-

formation and services that lead to the birth

of healthy infants; and

Whereas, many pregnancy help organiza-

tions provide grief assistance for women and

men who regret the loss of their children

from past choices they have made; and

Whereas, many pregnancy help organiza-

tions work to prevent unplanned pregnancies

by teaching effective abstinence education in

public schools; and

Whereas, both federal and state govern-

ments are increasingly recognizing the valu-

able services of pregnancy help organizations

through the designation of public funds for

such organizations; and

Whereas, pregnancy help organizations op-

erate primarily through reliance on the vol-

untary donations and time of individuals

who are committed to caring for the needs of

women and promoting and protecting life,

Now therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives of

the Ninety-Fourth General Assembly of the

State of Arkansas:

That the House of Representatives:

(1) Strongly support pregnancy help orga-

nizations in their unique, positive contribu-

tions to the individual lives of women, men,

and babies, both born and unborn;

(2) Commend the compassionate work of

tens of thousands of volunteers and paid

staff at pregnancy help organizations in Ar-

kansas and across the United States;

(3) Strongly encourage the United States

Congress and other federal and state govern-

ment agencies to grant pregnancy help orga-

nizations assistance for medical equipment

and abstinence education in a manner that

does not compromise the mission or religious

integrity of these organizations; and

(4) Disapprove of the actions of any na-

tional, state, or local groups attempting to

prevent pregnancy help organizations from

effectively serving women and men facing

unplanned pregnancies; and be it further

Resolved, That upon its adoption a copy of

this resolution be presented by the Chief

Clerk of the House of Representatives to

each pregnancy help organization in Arkan-

sas, to the Governor, to the President of the

United States, and to the Vice President of

the United States, and the Speaker of the

House of Representatives of the United

States Congress.

POM–59. A resolution adopted by the House

of Representatives of the State of Michigan

urging the United States Congress to enact

legislation that would ensure abortion is af-

fordable and available for anyone who needs

it and to support the President of the United

States’ efforts to protect abortion access

across the country; to the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

OUSE

ESOLUTION

. 123

Whereas, Every person should have the

freedom to make decisions about their bod-

ies, their lives, and their futures with re-

spect and dignity, including when and how to

become parents, without barriers based on

income or access. Abortion care, along with

the full range of health care, should be af-

fordable, available, and supported for every-

one who needs it; and

Whereas, On June 24, 2022 the Supreme

Court overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped

away a right that had been held for nearly 50

years. Almost one third (29%) of the total

U.S. population of women of reproductive

age are now living in states where abortion

is either unavailable or severely restricted,

and a dozen other states are certain or likely

to ban abortion in the future. All across the

country, pregnant people now face delays

when trying to access abortion care or are

forced to travel hundreds of miles to states

with less restrictive requirements and take

on additional emotional and financial costs;

and

Whereas, A 2022 report found that more

than 66 clinics in 15 states have been forced

to stop providing abortion care as a result of

criminalization, impacting 22 million people

of reproductive age who may be in need of

abortion care. In these states, people are de-

nied abortion care altogether and, without

the means to travel to receive the care they

need, are forced to carry a pregnancy against

their will; and

Whereas, A person seeking an abortion

that is denied is more likely to experience

life-threatening maternal and infant health

complications, more likely to have a house-

hold income below the poverty line and expe-

rience economic hardship, and more likely to

stay in contact with violent partners, put-

ting them and their children at greater risk

than if they were able to receive the abor-

tion; and

Whereas, Abortion is a safe and effective

medical procedure. Leading public health or-

ganizations such as the American College of

Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Amer-

ican Medical Association, and the American

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4588 September 19, 2023

Academy of Family Physicians strongly op-

pose efforts to impede access to abortion

care or interfere in the relationship between

a person and health care provider; and

Whereas, Medication abortion is a FDA-ap-

proved, safe, and effective option for ending

an early pregnancy up to 10 weeks and ac-

counts for more than half of all abortions,

yet anti-abortion lawmakers have enacted

medically unnecessary laws to restrict and

stigmatize the procedure. Congressional pas-

sage of the Women’s Health Protection Act

of 2023 would protect the right to abortion

and prohibit governmental restrictions on

abortion; and

Whereas, Abortion care should be made

available without hurdles or stigma for peo-

ple of color, young people, LGBTQ+ and non-

binary people, immigrants, and others. Sys-

temic racism, economic insecurity, and puni-

tive policies such as the Hyde amendment

and insurance coverage bans have especially

impacted people of color and marginalized

groups. Congressional passage of the Equal

Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insur-

ance (EACH) Act of 2023 would ensure equal,

affordable access to abortion to all individ-

uals no matter their race, how much money

they make, how they are insured, who they

are, or where they’re from; and

Whereas, Immigrant families continue to

struggle against low wages, unfair working

conditions, a dehumanizing immigration sys-

tem, and restrictions to access based on doc-

umentation status. Congressional passage of

the Lifting Immigrant Families Through

Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 and

the Health Equity and Access under the Law

(HEAL) for Immigrant Women and Families

Act of 2021 would allow many immigrants to

enroll in federal health programs like Med-

icaid without waiting periods and ensure

that all immigrants can access affordable

coverage for which they are otherwise eligi-

ble; and

Whereas, The Michigan House of Rep-

resentatives stands committed to ensuring

abortion is available for everyone who needs

it by supporting and advancing policies that

ensure abortion care is available without

hurdles or stigma for all people in the com-

munities in which they live, regardless of

their race, gender, sexual orientation or so-

cioeconomic status. The Michigan Legisla-

ture has already taken bold steps towards

abortion justice by repealing the harmful

and archaic 1931 law that criminalized abor-

tion providers and adding protections so that

no worker will have to face discrimination

based on their reproductive health outcomes,

including having an abortion; and

Whereas, Local leaders and stakeholders in

Michigan are working to advance com-

prehensive abortion justice policies that ad-

dress the lived realities of abortion access.

Abortion providers in the state of Michigan

offer quality and compassionate care, mak-

ing Michigan a state that will always be a

place for those in need of abortion care; Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives,

That we urge the United States Congress to

enact legislation that would ensure abortion

is affordable and available for anyone who

needs it and to support the President of the

United States’ efforts to protect abortion ac-

cess across the country; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be

transmitted to the President of the United

States, the Speaker of the United States

House of Representatives, the President of

the United States Senate, and the members

of the Michigan congressional delegation.

POM–60. A concurrent resolution adopted

by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana

urging and requesting the Louisiana Depart-

ment of Health and the United States Food

and Drug Administration to expand testing

of imported shrimp products and increase

public awareness of health risks associated

with imported shrimp; to the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

OUSE

ONCURRENT

ESOLUTION

. 105

Whereas, the harvesting of shrimp has been

part of the cultural heritage of Louisiana

since the nineteenth century; and

Whereas, according to a recent report by

the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the

Louisiana seafood industry produces an eco-

nomic impact of over $2.4 billion annually

for the state; and

Whereas, the Louisiana shrimp fishery is

the largest commercial fishery in the state

by economic value and the second largest

commercial fishery by volume of landings;

and

Whereas, Louisiana’s shrimp landings ac-

count for more than forty percent of all

warmwater shrimp landed in the United

States in 2022; and

Whereas, the Louisiana wild-caught shrimp

fishery is losing domestic market share to an

inferior, pond-raised, imported shrimp,

which results in lower dockside prices for

Louisiana fishers; and

Whereas, approximately ninety-four per-

cent of seafood sold in the United States is

imported and shrimp account for the highest

percent of all seafood imports; and

Whereas, according to the National Oce-

anic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA), imported shrimp products have

risen from less than two hundred fifty mil-

lion pounds in 1980, to nearly two billion

pounds in 2022; and

Whereas, according to statistics from the

United States Census Bureau and the NOAA,

the price per pound for imported shrimp, ad-

justed for inflation, has decreased from near-

ly ten dollars in 1980, to just over four dol-

lars in 2022, while the Gulf dockside value

has declined from nearly five dollars in 1980,

to approximately two dollars and fifty cents

in 2022; and

Whereas, current food safety regulations

and inspections are failing to prevent risks

to human safety and, according to a report

published in Environmental Science and

Technology, only two percent of all seafood

imported into the United States is tested for

contamination, whereas the European Union

inspects fifty percent, Japan inspects eight-

een percent, and Canada inspects fifteen per-

cent. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana

does hereby urge and request the Louisiana

Department of Health and the United States

Food and DrugAdministration to expand the

testing of imported shrimp products for

banned drugs, bacteria, and disease and to

increase public awareness to the possible

health risks associated with imported

shrimp. Be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana

does hereby urge the United States Congress

to support legislation requiring the labeling

of all shrimp sold at restaurants to be la-

beled with their country of origin and to

take such actions as are necessary to hold

foreign fisheries to the same standards as do-

mestic fisheries and reduce the volume of

shrimp products imported into the United

States. Be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be

transmitted to the presiding officers of the

Senate and the House of Representatives of

the United States Congress and to each

member of the Louisiana congressional dele-

gation.

POM–61. A concurrent resolution adopted

by the Legislature of the State of Louisiana

urging the United States Congress to take

such actions as are necessary to compel the

United States Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) to fulfill its duties regarding inspec-

tion and testing of imported seafood; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

OUSE

ONCURRENT

ESOLUTION

. 88

Whereas, according to the National Oce-

anic and Atmospheric Administration, in

2019 the United States imported six billion

pounds of edible seafood products, including

one and one half billion pounds of shrimp, an

increase of nearly six and one half million

pounds more than the shrimp imported in

2018; and

Whereas, the 2019 shrimp imports alone,

valued at six billion dollars, accounted for

twenty-seven percent of the total value of

imported seafood that year, which reached

twenty-two billion dollars; and

Whereas, it is estimated that over half of

the imported seafood consumed in the United

States is from aquaculture, or seafood farm-

ing, rather than wild-caught; and

Whereas, the FDA is responsible for the

safety of all fish and fishery products enter-

ing the United States and sold in Louisiana;

and

Whereas, the FDA’s seafood safety pro-

gram is governed by its Hazard Analysis

Critical Control Point regulations, which ad-

dress food safety management through the

analysis and control of biological, chemical,

and physical hazards from raw material pro-

duction and procurement and handling to

manufacturing, distribution, and consump-

tion of the finished product; and

Whereas, FDA regulations are supposed to

measure the compliance of imported seafood

with inspections of foreign processing facili-

ties, sampling of seafood offered for import

into the United States, domestic surveil-

lance sampling of imported products, inspec-

tions of seafood importers, foreign country

program assessments, and the use of infor-

mation from foreign partners and FDA over-

seas offices; and

Whereas, in 2011 the FDA was only inspect-

ing two percent of the seafood imported into

the United States; and

Whereas, unfortunately 2011 is the last

year for which data regarding the percentage

of imports inspected is available due to a

lack of transparency and inadequate assess-

ment measures; and

Whereas, in 2011 the Government Account-

ability Office (GAO) noted that the FDA’s as-

sessment of foreign aquaculture operations

was limited by the FDA’s lack of procedures,

criteria, and standards; and ten years later,

a 2021 GAO report found that the agency was

failing to monitor the effectiveness of its

own enforcement policies and procedures;

and

Whereas, in contrast, the European Union

regularly conducts physical checks of ap-

proximately twenty percent of all imported

fish products that are fresh, frozen, dry, salt-

ed, or hermetically sealed, and for certain

fishery products, physical checks are con-

ducted on approximately fifty percent of im-

ports; and

Whereas, the Louisiana State University

School of Renewable Natural Resources pub-

lished a 2020 paper titled ‘‘Determination of

Sulfite and Antimicrobial Residue in Im-

ported Shrimp to the USA’’, which presented

findings from a study of shrimp imported

from India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam,

China, Bangladesh, and Ecuador and pur-

chased from retail stores in Baton Rouge,

Louisiana; and

Whereas, a screening of these shrimp for

sulfites and residues from antimicrobial

drugs found the following: (1) five percent of

the shrimp contained malachite green, (2)

seven percent contained oxytetracycline, (3)

seventeen percent contained

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4589 September 19, 2023

fluoroquinolone, and (4) seventy percent con-

tained nitrofurantoin, all of which have been

banned by the FDA in domestic aquaculture

operations; and

Whereas, although the FDA requires that

food products exposed to sulfites must in-

clude a label with a statement about the

presence of sulfites, of the forty-three per-

cent of these locally purchased shrimp found

to contain sulfites, not one package com-

plied with this labeling requirement; and

Whereas, the drug and sulfite residues in-

cluded in this screening can be harmful to

human health during both handling and con-

sumption and have been known to cause all

of the following: liver damage and tumors,

reproductive abnormalities, cardiac arrhyth-

mia, renal failure, hemolysis, asthma at-

tacks, and allergic reactions; and

Whereas, the results of this study confirm

that existing screening and enforcement

measures for imported seafood are insuffi-

cient; whatever the percentage of imports in-

spected may be, seafood is currently being

imported that contains unsafe substances

that put American consumers at risk; and

Whereas, because imported seafood is not

held to the same standards as domestic sea-

food, domestic fishing industries are put at a

distinct and significant disadvantage com-

mercially; and

Whereas, according to the Louisiana De-

partment of Wildlife and Fisheries, the aver-

age value of Louisiana shrimp fell from three

dollars and eighty cents per pound in 1980 to

one dollar fifty cents per pound in 2017; and

Whereas, this unfair competition allows

foreign competitors to flood the United

States market with seafood harvested under

intensive farming practices using anti-

microbial drugs, while devastating local in-

dustries and the coastal communities built

around them. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana

does hereby memorialize the United States

Congress to take such actions as are nec-

essary to compel the United States Food and

Drug Administration to fulfill its duties re-

garding inspection and testing of imported

seafood. Be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be

transmitted to the presiding officers of the

Senate and the House of Representatives of

the Congress of the United States of America

and to each member of the Louisiana con-

gressional delegation.

POM–62. A resolution adopted by the City

Council of Toledo, Ohio, urging the federal

government and our nation to embrace the

United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of

Nuclear Weapons and make nuclear disar-

mament the centerpiece of our national se-

curity policy; to the Committee on Foreign

Relations.

POM–63. A resolution adopted by the Board

of Commissioners of Washtenaw County,

Michigan urging the President of the United

States and the United States Congress to

normalize trade and diplomatic relations

with the Republic of Cuba by dissolving the

current U.S. trade embargo, removing Cuba

from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list

and other barriers; to the Committee on For-

eign Relations.

POM–64. A resolution adopted by the City

Council of Monterey Park, California, con-

demning the military junta of Myanmar

(Burma) for the oppression of civilians with

excessive violence and standing firmly with

the people of Burma in their pursuit for a

fair, just, and sustainable democratic sov-

ereign government; to the Committee on

Foreign Relations.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

The following bills and joint resolu-

tions were introduced, read the first

and second times by unanimous con-

sent, and referred as indicated:

By Mr. CASEY:

S. 2836. A bill to amend subpart 1 of part B

of title IV of the Social Security Act to sup-

port the mental health and well-being of

children and youth in, and formerly in, fos-

ter care, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Finance.

By Mr. CASEY:

S. 2837. A bill to amend title XIX of the So-

cial Security Act to ensure health insurance

coverage continuity for former foster youth;

to the Committee on Finance.

By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr.

ANDERS

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Mrs. G

ILLI

BRAND

, Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Ms. W

REN

, Mr. W

ELCH

, and Mr. V

LEN

S. 2838. A bill to amend the National and

Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a

Civilian Climate Corps to help communities

respond to climate change and transition to

a clean economy, and for other purposes; to

the Committee on Finance.

By Mr. BRAUN (for himself, Ms. K

BUCHAR

, Mr. M

ARSHALL

, Mrs. S

HEEN

, Mr. L

UJA

, and Mr. B

OOZMAN

S. 2839. A bill to clarify the maximum hir-

ing target for new air traffic controllers, and

for other purposes; to the Committee on

Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

By Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Mr.

ARSHALL

S. 2840. A bill to improve access to and the

quality of primary health care, expand the

health workforce, and for other purposes; to

the Committee on Health, Education, Labor,

and Pensions.

By Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mrs.

ILLIBRAND

, Mr. P

ADILLA

, Mr.

LUMENTHAL

, Ms. W

ARREN

, Mr.

YDEN

, Mr. K

AINE

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Ms.

MITH

, Mr. B

OOKER

, Ms. H

IRONO

, Mr.

ARKEY

, Mr. C

ASEY

, and Mr. M

ENEN

DEZ

S. 2841. A bill to improve voter access to

the ballot box through automatic voter reg-

istration, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Rules and Administration.

By Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr.

ING

, Mrs. G

ILLIBRAND

, Mr. P

ADILLA

Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Ms. W

ARREN

, Mr.

YDEN

, Mr. K

AINE

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Ms.

MITH

, Mr. B

OOKER

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, Mr.

URPHY

, Ms. H

IRONO

, Mr. M

ARKEY

Mr. C

ASEY

, Mr. V

OLLEN

, Mr.

ROWN

, Mr. M

ENENDEZ

, and Mrs.

EINSTEIN

S. 2842. A bill to amend the National Voter

Registration Act of 1993 to clarify that a

State may not use an individual’s failure to

vote as the basis for initiating the proce-

dures provided under such Act for the re-

moval of the individual from the official list

of registered voters in the State on the

grounds that the individual has changed resi-

dence, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Rules and Administration.

By Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr.

ING

, Ms. C

ORTEZ

ASTO

, Mrs. G

ILLI

BRAND

, Mr. P

ADILLA

, Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Mr. D

URBIN

, Ms.

ARREN

, Mr. W

YDEN

, Mr. K

AINE

, Mr.

ERKLEY

, Ms. S

MITH

, Mr. C

ARPER

Mr. B

OOKER

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, Mr. M

PHY

, Ms. H

IRONO

, Mr. B

ENNET

, Mr.

ARKEY

, Mr. C

ASEY

, Mr. V

LEN

, Mr. B

ROWN

, and Mr. M

ENENDEZ

S. 2843. A bill to amend the Help America

Vote Act of 2002 to require States to provide

for same day voter registration; to the Com-

mittee on Rules and Administration.

By Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr.

YDEN

, Mr. V

OLLEN

, Mr. M

ENEN

DEZ

, and Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

S. 2844. A bill to amend the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986 to establish an excise tax

on plastics; to the Committee on Finance.

By Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr.

COTT

of Florida):

S. 2845. A bill to prohibit recipients of dis-

aster recovery relief assistance from the De-

partment of Housing and Urban Development

from penalizing applicants that declined as-

sistance from the Small Business Adminis-

tration; to the Committee on Banking, Hous-

ing, and Urban Affairs.

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr.

OLLEN

S. 2846. A bill to improve Federal efforts

with respect to the prevention of maternal

mortality, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Finance.

By Mr. RUBIO:

S. 2847. A bill to prohibit the importation

of agricultural products, raw materials, and

food from the Russian Federation if the Rus-

sian Federation prohibits the importation of

such products, materials, and food from the

United States, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Finance.

By Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. G

RASS

LEY

, and Mr. S

COTT

of Florida):

S. 2848. A bill to block the property of Rus-

sian state-owned entities; to the Committee

on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

By Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr.

ROWN

, Ms. S

MITH

, Mr. L

UJA

, Ms.

LOBUCHAR

, and Ms. S

TABENOW

S. 2849. A bill to amend the Higher Edu-

cation Act of 1965 to provide formula grants

to States to improve higher education oppor-

tunities for foster youth and homeless

youth, and for other purposes; to the Com-

mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

By Ms. WARREN (for herself, Mr.

ANDERS

, Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

, Mr. M

KEY

, Mr. C

ASEY

, Mr. B

OOKER

, Mr.

ELCH

, Mrs. M

URRAY

, and Mr.

ADILLA

S. 2850. A bill to extend protections to

part-time workers in the areas of family and

medical leave and to ensure equitable treat-

ment in the workplace; to the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

By Ms. WARREN (for herself, Mr.

ANDERS

, Mr. V

OLLEN

, Ms. K

BUCHAR

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Mr. W

HITE

HOUSE

, Mr. D

URBIN

, Mr. F

ETTERMAN

Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Ms. B

ALDWIN

, Mr.

URPHY

, Ms. D

UCKWORTH

, Mr. C

ASEY

Mr. C

ARDIN

, Mrs. M

URRAY

, Mr. B

OOK

, Mr. W

ELCH

, Ms. H

IRONO

, Mr.

EED

, and Mr. P

ADILLA

S. 2851. A bill to permit employees to re-

quest changes to their work schedules with-

out fear of retaliation and to ensure that em-

ployers consider these requests, and to re-

quire employers to provide more predictable

and stable schedules for employees in certain

occupations with evidence of unpredictable

and unstable scheduling practices that nega-

tively affect employees, and for other pur-

poses; to the Committee on Health, Edu-

cation, Labor, and Pensions.

By Mr. SCOTT of Florida:

S. 2852. A bill to establish a grace period

for nonpayment of premiums for flood insur-

ance coverage under the national flood insur-

ance program until the Administrator of the

Federal Emergency Management Agency im-

plements the option for monthly payment of

such premiums, and for other purposes; to

the Committee on Banking, Housing, and

Urban Affairs.

By Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Mr. B

RAUN

and Ms. C

OLLINS

S. 2853. A bill to require the Secretary of

Health and Human Services and the Sec-

retary of Labor to conduct a study and issue

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4590 September 19, 2023

a report on grant programs to support the

nursing workforce; to the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

By Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Ms.

MITH

S. 2854. A bill to require the Secretary of

Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement

with the city of Fargo, North Dakota, for the

conveyance of certain land of the Depart-

ment of Veterans Affairs at Fargo National

Cemetery, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND

SENATE RESOLUTIONS

The following concurrent resolutions

and Senate resolutions were read, and

referred (or acted upon), as indicated:

By Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr.

OOKER

, and Mr. G

RASSLEY

S. Res. 349. A resolution supporting the

designation of September 19, 2023, as ‘‘Na-

tional Stillbirth Prevention Day’’, recog-

nizing tens of thousands of American fami-

lies that have endured a stillbirth, and seiz-

ing the opportunity to keep other families

from experiencing the same tragedy; to the

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and

Pensions.

By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. C

PER

, Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

, Mr. M

ARKEY

Ms. C

ANTWELL

, Ms. K

LOBUCHAR

, Mr.

ADILLA

, Mr. V

OLLEN

, Mr.

AINE

, Ms. S

TABENOW

, Mr. C

ASEY

, Mr.

HITEHOUSE

, Ms. S

MITH

, Mr. L

UJA

Mr. C

OONS

, Mr. W

ELCH

, Ms. H

IRONO

Ms. B

ALDWIN

, Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Mr.

OOKER

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, Mr. M

ENEN

DEZ

, Mr. K

ING

, Mr. F

ETTERMAN

, Mr.

URBIN

, Mr. R

EED

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Mr.

ARNER

, Mr. B

ROWN

, Ms. D

UCKWORTH

and Mr. C

ARDIN

S. Res. 350. A resolution designating Sep-

tember 2023 as ‘‘National Voting Rights

Month’’; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. KING (for himself, Ms. C

OLLINS

Mrs. S

HAHEEN

, Ms. H

ASSAN

, Ms. W

REN

, Mr. M

ARKEY

, Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

Mr. R

EED

, Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Mr.

URPHY

, and Mr. S

COTT

of Florida):

S. Res. 351. A resolution designating Sep-

tember 25, 2023, as ‘‘National Lobster Day’’;

considered and agreed to.

By Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Mr.

COTT

of South Carolina, Mr. R

EED

Mr. C

ASEY

, Mrs. C

APITO

, Mr. G

RAHAM

and Mr. H

AWLEY

S. Res. 352. A resolution designating Sep-

tember 2023 as ‘‘National Childhood Cancer

Awareness Month’’; considered and agreed

to.

ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS

135

At the request of Mr. L

ANKFORD

, the

name of the Senator from Alabama

(Mrs. B

RITT

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 135, a bill to provide for a period

of continuing appropriations in the

event of a lapse in appropriations

under the normal appropriations proc-

ess, and establish procedures and con-

sequences in the event of a failure to

enact appropriations.

359

At the request of Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

the name of the Senator from Min-

nesota (Ms. S

MITH

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 359, a bill to amend title

28, United States Code, to provide for a

code of conduct for justices of the Su-

preme Court of the United States, and

for other purposes.

474

At the request of Mrs. B

LACKBURN

the name of the Senator from Okla-

homa (Mr. L

ANKFORD

) was added as a

cosponsor of S. 474, a bill to amend

title 18, United States Code, to

strengthen reporting to the

CyberTipline related to online sexual

exploitation of children, to modernize

liabilities for such reports, to preserve

the contents of such reports for 1 year,

and for other purposes.

599

At the request of Mr. L

UJA

, the

name of the Senator from Vermont

(Mr. W

ELCH

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 599, a bill to establish the Founda-

tion for Digital Equity, and for other

purposes.

656

At the request of Mrs. F

ISCHER

, the

names of the Senator from Wisconsin

(Ms. B

ALDWIN

) and the Senator from

Alabama (Mr. T

UBERVILLE

) were added

as cosponsors of S. 656, a bill to amend

title 38, United States Code, to revise

the rules for approval by the Secretary

of Veterans Affairs of commercial driv-

er education programs for purposes of

veterans education assistance, and for

other purposes.

740

At the request of Mr. B

OOZMAN

, the

names of the Senator from Pennsyl-

vania (Mr. C

ASEY

), the Senator from

California (Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

), the Sen-

ator from Arizona (Mr. K

ELLY

) and the

Senator from Oregon (Mr. W

YDEN

) were

added as cosponsors of S. 740, a bill to

amend title 38, United States Code, to

reinstate criminal penalties for persons

charging veterans unauthorized fees re-

lating to claims for benefits under the

laws administered by the Secretary of

Veterans Affairs, and for other pur-

poses.

928

At the request of Mr. T

ESTER

, the

names of the Senator from Oregon (Mr.

ERKLEY

) and the Senator from Flor-

ida (Mr. R

UBIO

) were added as cospon-

sors of S. 928, a bill to require the Sec-

retary of Veterans Affairs to prepare

an annual report on suicide prevention,

and for other purposes.

1170

At the request of Mr. C

ORNYN

, the

name of the Senator from Oklahoma

(Mr. L

ANKFORD

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 1170, a bill to reauthorize and

update the Project Safe Childhood pro-

gram, and for other purposes.

1176

At the request of Ms. B

ALDWIN

, the

name of the Senator from New Mexico

(Mr. L

UJA

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 1176, a bill to direct the Secretary

of Labor to issue an occupational safe-

ty and health standard that requires

covered employers within the health

care and social service industries to de-

velop and implement a comprehensive

workplace violence prevention plan,

and for other purposes.

1269

At the request of Mrs. S

HAHEEN

, the

names of the Senator from Arizona

(Mr. K

ELLY

) and the Senator from Mis-

sissippi (Mr. W

ICKER

) were added as co-

sponsors of S. 1269, a bill to reduce the

price of insulin and provide for patient

protections with respect to the cost of

insulin.

1274

At the request of Mrs. F

ISCHER

, the

names of the Senator from Indiana

(Mr. B

RAUN

) and the Senator from

Pennsylvania (Mr. C

ASEY

) were added

as cosponsors of S. 1274, a bill to per-

manently exempt payments made from

the Railroad Unemployment Insurance

Account from sequestration under the

Balanced Budget and Emergency Def-

icit Control Act of 1985.

1351

At the request of Mr. M

ERKLEY

, the

name of the Senator from West Vir-

ginia (Mrs. C

APITO

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 1351, a bill to study and

prevent child abuse in youth residen-

tial programs, and for other purposes.

1400

At the request of Mr. B

RAUN

, the

name of the Senator from California

(Mr. P

ADILLA

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 1400, a bill to amend the Food Se-

curity Act of 1985 to modify the deliv-

ery of technical assistance, and for

other purposes.

1472

At the request of Mrs. B

LACKBURN

the name of the Senator from Mis-

sissippi (Mr. W

ICKER

) was added as a

cosponsor of S. 1472, a bill to amend

title 5, United States Code, to des-

ignate September 11 Day of Remem-

brance as a legal public holiday.

1482

At the request of Mr. B

RAUN

, the

name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr.

ANCE

) was added as a cosponsor of S.

1482, a bill to provide for the reliquida-

tion of certain entries of golf cart tires.

1505

At the request of Mr. B

ENNET

, the

name of the Senator from Nevada (Ms.

ORTEZ

ASTO

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 1505, a bill to reform and en-

hance the pay and benefits of Federal

wildland firefighters, and for other pur-

poses.

1631

At the request of Mr. P

ETERS

, the

name of the Senator from Arizona (Mr.

ELLY

) was added as a cosponsor of S.

1631, a bill to enhance the authority

granted to the Department of Home-

land Security and Department of Jus-

tice with respect to unmanned aircraft

systems and unmanned aircraft, and

for other purposes.

1753

At the request of Mr. B

OOKER

, the

name of the Senator from New Mexico

(Mr. H

EINRICH

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 1753, a bill to amend the Per-

sonal Responsibility and Work Oppor-

tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to

allow individuals with drug offenses to

receive benefits under the supple-

mental nutrition assistance program,

and for other purposes.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4591 September 19, 2023

1809

At the request of Mr. B

OOKER

, the

name of the Senator from Massachu-

setts (Mr. M

ARKEY

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 1809, a bill to amend the

Department of Agriculture Reorganiza-

tion Act of 1994 to establish an Office of

Small Farms, and for other purposes.

1917

At the request of Mr. P

ADILLA

, the

name of the Senator from Massachu-

setts (Mr. M

ARKEY

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 1917, a bill to amend the

Clean Air Act to provide for the estab-

lishment of standards to limit the car-

bon intensity of the fuel used by cer-

tain vessels, and for other purposes.

2039

At the request of Ms. S

MITH

, the

name of the Senator from California

(Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 2039, a bill to amend the

Employee Retirement Income Security

Act of 1974 to require a group health

plan (or health insurance coverage of-

fered in connection with such a plan)

to provide for cost-sharing for oral

anticancer drugs on terms no less fa-

vorable than the cost-sharing provided

for anticancer medications adminis-

tered by a health care provider.

2085

At the request of Mr. C

RAPO

, the

names of the Senator from Arkansas

(Mr. B

OOZMAN

) and the Senator from

Washington (Ms. C

ANTWELL

) were

added as cosponsors of S. 2085, a bill to

amend title XVIII of the Social Secu-

rity Act to provide for Medicare cov-

erage of multi-cancer early detection

screening tests.

2090

At the request of Mr. M

ULLIN

, the

name of the Senator from North Caro-

lina (Mr. B

UDD

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2090, a bill to amend the Clean

Air Act to prevent the elimination of

the sale of motor vehicles with internal

combustion engines.

2378

At the request of Mr. M

ARKEY

, the

name of the Senator from Vermont

(Mr. S

ANDERS

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2378, a bill to amend the Inter-

nal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase

excise taxes on fuel used by private

jets, and for other purposes.

2413

At the request of Mr. M

ENENDEZ

, the

name of the Senator from Virginia (Mr.

AINE

) was added as a cosponsor of S.

2413, a bill to expand and strengthen

the Abraham Accords and the Negev

Forum, and for other purposes.

2444

At the request of Mrs. F

ISCHER

, the

name of the Senator from North Caro-

lina (Mr. T

ILLIS

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 2444, a bill to establish an

interactive online dashboard to im-

prove public access to information

about grant funding related to mental

health and substance use disorder pro-

grams.

2501

At the request of Mr. B

ROWN

, the

name of the Senator from Rhode Island

(Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 2501, a bill to direct the

Secretary of Labor to promulgate an

occupational safety and health stand-

ard to protect workers from heat-re-

lated injuries and illnesses.

2551

At the request of Mr. R

UBIO

, the

name of the Senator from Tennessee

(Mr. H

AGERTY

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2551, a bill to impose export

controls and sanctions to address the

security threat posed by the genetic

mapping efforts of the Government of

the People’s Republic of China and

other countries, and for other purposes.

2583

At the request of Mr. B

OOKER

, the

name of the Senator from Vermont

(Mr. S

ANDERS

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2583, a bill to ban new cor-

porate ownership of agricultural land,

and for other purposes.

2669

At the request of Ms. W

ARREN

, the

name of the Senator from Rhode Island

(Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 2669, a bill to require the

Financial Crimes Enforcement Net-

work to issue guidance on digital as-

sets, and for other purposes.

2736

At the request of Mr. B

ARRASSO

, the

name of the Senator from Alabama

(Mrs. B

RITT

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 2736, a bill to clarify that section

8526(7) of the Elementary and Sec-

ondary Education Act of 1965 does not

apply with respect to the use of funds

for sports clubs, teams, training, or re-

lated activities provided for students.

2738

At the request of Mr. V

ANCE

, the

name of the Senator from Oklahoma

(Mr. L

ANKFORD

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2738, a bill to prohibit through

December 31, 2024, the imposition of a

mask mandate on passengers of air car-

riers or public transit and in edu-

cational settings within the United

States, and for other purposes.

2741

At the request of Mr. C

ASEY

, the

name of the Senator from Oregon (Mr.

ERKLEY

) was added as a cosponsor of

S. 2741, a bill to amend title II of the

Social Security Act to increase sur-

vivors benefits for disabled widows,

widowers, and surviving divorced

spouses, and for other purposes.

2770

At the request of Ms. K

LOBUCHAR

, the

names of the Senator from Colorado

(Mr. B

ENNET

) and the Senator from Ne-

braska (Mr. R

ICKETTS

) were added as

cosponsors of S. 2770, a bill to prohibit

the distribution of materially decep-

tive AI-generated audio or visual

media relating to candidates for Fed-

eral office, and for other purposes.

2777

At the request of Mrs. M

URRAY

, the

names of the Senator from Colorado

(Mr. B

ENNET

) and the Senator from

California (Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

) were added

as cosponsors of S. 2777, a bill to in-

crease child care options for working

families and support child care pro-

viders.

2797

At the request of Mr. R

UBIO

, the

name of the Senator from North Caro-

lina (Mr. B

UDD

) was added as a cospon-

sor of S. 2797, a bill to ensure religious

freedom and rights of conscience for

health care workers and other govern-

ment employees, and to protect health

care workers and other government

employees from various forms of com-

pelled speech.

2825

At the request of Mr. C

ORNYN

, the

name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr.

ARNOCK

) was added as a cosponsor of

S. 2825, a bill to award a Congressional

Gold Medal to the United States Army

Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War, col-

lectively, in recognition of their ex-

traordinary heroism and life-saving ac-

tions in Vietnam.

2828

At the request of Mr. C

ORNYN

, the

name of the Senator from West Vir-

ginia (Mrs. C

APITO

) was added as a co-

sponsor of S. 2828, a bill to amend the

Elementary and Secondary Education

Act of 1965 to clarify that the prohibi-

tion on the use of Federal education

funds for certain weapons does not

apply to the use of such weapons in

certain programs for activities such as

archery, hunting, other shooting

sports, or culinary arts.

2835

At the request of Mr. S

ULLIVAN

, the

name of the Senator from Mississippi

(Mr. W

ICKER

) was added as a cosponsor

of S. 2835, a bill making continuing ap-

propriations for military pay in the

event of a Government shutdown.

RES

At the request of Mr. C

ASSIDY

, the

names of the Senator from North Da-

kota (Mr. C

RAMER

) and the Senator

from Nebraska (Mr. R

ICKETTS

) were

added as cosponsors of S.J. Res. 43, a

joint resolution providing for congres-

sional disapproval under chapter 8 of

title 5, United States Code, of the rule

submitted by the Department of Edu-

cation relating to ‘‘Improving Income

Driven Repayment for the William D.

Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and

the Federal Family Education Loan

(FFEL) Program’’.

AMENDMENT NO

1113

At the request of Ms. H

IRONO

, the

name of the Senator from Oklahoma

(Mr. L

ANKFORD

) was added as a cospon-

sor of amendment No. 1113 intended to

be proposed to H.R. 4366, a bill making

appropriations for military construc-

tion, the Department of Veterans Af-

fairs, and related agencies for the fiscal

year ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1130

At the request of Mrs. S

HAHEEN

, the

name of the Senator from South Da-

kota (Mr. R

OUNDS

) was added as a co-

sponsor of amendment No. 1130 in-

tended to be proposed to H.R. 4366, a

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4592 September 19, 2023

bill making appropriations for military

construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30,

2024, and for other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1131

At the request of Mrs. S

HAHEEN

, the

name of the Senator from South Da-

kota (Mr. R

OUNDS

) was added as a co-

sponsor of amendment No. 1131 in-

tended to be proposed to H.R. 4366, a

bill making appropriations for military

construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30,

2024, and for other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1143

At the request of Mr. R

EED

, the name

of the Senator from Oregon (Mr.

ERKLEY

) was added as a cosponsor of

amendment No. 1143 intended to be pro-

posed to H.R. 4366, a bill making appro-

priations for military construction, the

Department of Veterans Affairs, and

related agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1145

At the request of Mr. B

ENNET

, the

name of the Senator from Wisconsin

(Ms. B

ALDWIN

) was added as a cospon-

sor of amendment No. 1145 intended to

be proposed to H.R. 4366, a bill making

appropriations for military construc-

tion, the Department of Veterans Af-

fairs, and related agencies for the fiscal

year ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1176

At the request of Mr. C

RUZ

, the name

of the Senator from Texas (Mr. C

NYN

) was added as a cosponsor of

amendment No. 1176 intended to be pro-

posed to H.R. 4366, a bill making appro-

priations for military construction, the

Department of Veterans Affairs, and

related agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1179

At the request of Mr. B

OOKER

, the

name of the Senator from Connecticut

(Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

) was added as a co-

sponsor of amendment No. 1179 in-

tended to be proposed to H.R. 4366, a

bill making appropriations for military

construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30,

2024, and for other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1193

At the request of Mr. S

CHATZ

, the

name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr.

SSOFF

) was added as a cosponsor of

amendment No. 1193 intended to be pro-

posed to H.R. 4366, a bill making appro-

priations for military construction, the

Department of Veterans Affairs, and

related agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1211

At the request of Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

the name of the Senator from Wis-

consin (Ms. B

ALDWIN

) was added as a

cosponsor of amendment No. 1211 in-

tended to be proposed to H.R. 4366, a

bill making appropriations for military

construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30,

2024, and for other purposes.

AMENDMENT NO

1241

At the request of Mr. C

RAMER

, the

name of the Senator from West Vir-

ginia (Mrs. C

APITO

) was added as a co-

sponsor of amendment No. 1241 in-

tended to be proposed to H.R. 4366, a

bill making appropriations for military

construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30,

2024, and for other purposes.

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED

BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and

Mr. V

OLLEN

S. 2846. A bill to improve Federal ef-

forts with respect to the prevention of

maternal mortality, and for other pur-

poses; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask

unanimous consent that the text of the

bill be printed in the R

ECORD

There being no objection, the text of

the bill was ordered to be printed in

the R

ECORD

, as follows:

S. 2846

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep-

resentatives of the United States of America in

Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community

Access, Resources, and Empowerment for

Moms Act’’ or the ‘‘CARE for Moms Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) Every year, across the United States,

nearly 4,000,000 women give birth, more than

1,000 women suffer fatal complications dur-

ing pregnancy, while giving birth or during

the postpartum period, and about 70,000

women suffer near-fatal, partum-related

complications.

(2) The maternal mortality rate is often

used as a proxy to measure the overall

health of a population. While the infant mor-

tality rate in the United States has reached

its lowest point, the risk of death for women

in the United States during pregnancy,

childbirth, or the postpartum period is high-

er than such risk in many other high-income

countries. The estimated maternal mortality

rate (deaths per 100,000 live births) for the 48

contiguous States and Washington, DC, in-

creased from 14.5 percent in 2000 to 32.0 in

2021. The United States is the only industri-

alized nation with a rising maternal mor-

tality rate.

(3) The National Vital Statistics System of

the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-

tion has found that in 2021, there were 32.9

maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births

in the United States. That ratio continues to

exceed the rate in other high-income coun-

tries.

(4) It is estimated that more than 80 per-

cent of maternal deaths in the United States

are preventable.

(5) According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, the maternal mor-

tality rate varies drastically for women by

race and ethnicity. There are about 26.6

deaths per 100,000 live births for White

women, 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births for

non-Hispanic Black women, and 32.0 deaths

per 100,000 live births for American Indian/

Alaska Native women. While maternal mor-

tality disparately impacts Black women,

this urgent public health crisis traverses

race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, edu-

cational background, and geography.

(6) In the United States, non-Hispanic

Black women are about 3 times more likely

to die from causes related to pregnancy and

childbirth compared to non-Hispanic White

women, which is one of the most dis-

concerting racial disparities in public

health. This disparity widens in certain cit-

ies and States across the country.

(7) According to the National Center for

Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, the maternal mor-

tality rate heightens with age, as women 40

and older die at a rate of 138.5 per 100,000

births compared to 20.4 per 100,000 for women

under 25. This translates to women over 40

being 6.8 times more likely to die compared

to their counterparts under 25 years of age.

(8) The COVID–19 pandemic has exacer-

bated the maternal health crisis. A study of

the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-

tion suggested that pregnant women are at a

significantly higher risk for severe out-

comes, including death, from COVID–19 as

compared to non-pregnant women. The

COVID–19 pandemic also decreased access to

prenatal and postpartum care. A study by

the Government Accountability Office found

that COVID–19 contributed to 25 percent of

maternal deaths in 2020 and 2021.

(9) The findings described in paragraphs (1)

through (8) are of major concern to research-

ers, academics, members of the business

community, and providers across the obstet-

ric continuum represented by organizations

such as—

(A) the American College of Nurse-Mid-

wives;

(B) the American College of Obstetricians

and Gynecologists;

(D) the Association of Women’s Health, Ob-

stetric and Neonatal Nurses;

(E) the Black Mamas Matter Alliance;

(F) the Black Women’s Health Imperative;

(G) the California Maternal Quality Care

Collaborative;

(H) EverThrive Illinois;

(I) the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collabo-

rative;

(J) the March of Dimes;

(K) the National Association of Certified

Professional Midwives;

(L) RH Impact: The Collaborative for Eq-

uity & Justice;

(M) the National Partnership for Women &

Families;

(N) the National Polycystic Ovary Syn-

drome Association;

(O) the Preeclampsia Foundation;

(P) the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medi-

cine;

(Q) the What To Expect Project;

(R) Tufts University School of Medicine

Center for Black Maternal Health and Repro-

ductive Justice;

(S) the Shades of Blue Project;

(T) the Maternal Mental Health Leadership

Alliance;

(U) Tulane University Mary Amelia Center

for Women’s Health Equity Research;

(V) In Our Own Voice: National Black

Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda; and

(W) Physicians for Reproductive Health.

(10) Hemorrhage, cardiovascular and coro-

nary conditions, cardiomyopathy, infection

or sepsis, embolism, mental health condi-

tions (including substance use disorder), hy-

pertensive disorders, stroke and cerebro-

vascular accidents, and anesthesia complica-

tions are the predominant medical causes of

maternal-related deaths and complications.

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Most of these conditions are largely prevent-

able or manageable. Even when these condi-

tions are not preventable, mortality and

morbidity may be prevented when conditions

are diagnosed and treated in a timely man-

ner.

(11) According to a study published by the

Journal of Perinatal Education, doula-as-

sisted mothers are 4 times less likely to have

a low-birthweight baby, 2 times less likely to

experience a birth complication involving

themselves or their baby, and significantly

more likely to initiate breastfeeding and

human lactation. Doula care has also been

shown to produce cost savings resulting in

part from reduced rates of cesarean and pre-

term births.

(12) Intimate partner violence is one of the

leading causes of maternal death, and women

are more likely to experience intimate part-

ner violence during pregnancy than at any

other time in their lives. It is also more dan-

gerous than pregnancy. Intimate partner vi-

olence during pregnancy and postpartum

crosses every demographic and has been ex-

acerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic.

(13) Oral health is an important part of

perinatal health. Reducing bacteria in a

woman’s mouth during pregnancy can sig-

nificantly reduce her risk of developing oral

diseases and spreading decay-causing bac-

teria to her baby. Moreover, some evidence

suggests that women with periodontal dis-

ease during pregnancy could be at greater

risk for poor birth outcomes, such as

preeclampsia, pre-term birth, and low-birth

weight. Furthermore, a woman’s oral health

during pregnancy is a good predictor of her

newborn’s oral health, and since mothers can

unintentionally spread oral bacteria to their

babies, putting their children at higher risk

for tooth decay, prevention efforts should

happen even before children are born, as a

matter of pre-pregnancy health and prenatal

care during pregnancy.

(14) In the United States, death reporting

and analysis is a State function rather than

a Federal process. States report all deaths—

including maternal deaths—on a semi-vol-

untary basis, without standardization across

States. While the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention has the capacity and system

for collecting death-related data based on

death certificates, these data are not suffi-

ciently reported by States in an organized

and standard format across States such that

the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-

tion is able to identify causes of maternal

death and best practices for the prevention

of such death.

(15) Vital statistics systems often under-

estimate maternal mortality and are insuffi-

cient data sources from which to derive a

full scope of medical and social determinant

factors contributing to maternal deaths,

such as intimate partner violence. While the

addition of pregnancy checkboxes on death

certificates since 2003 have likely improved

States’ abilities to identify pregnancy-re-

lated deaths, they are not generally com-

pleted by obstetric providers or persons

trained to recognize pregnancy-related mor-

tality. Thus, these vital forms may be miss-

ing information or may capture inconsistent

data. Due to varying maternal mortality-re-

lated analyses, lack of reliability, and granu-

larity in data, current maternal mortality

informatics do not fully encapsulate the

myriad medical and socially determinant

factors that contribute to such high mater-

nal mortality rates within the United States

compared to other developed nations. Lack

of standardization of data and data sharing

across States and between Federal entities,

health networks, and research institutions

keep the Nation in the dark about ways to

prevent maternal deaths.

(16) Having reliable and valid State data

aggregated at the Federal level are critical

to the Nation’s ability to quell surges in ma-

ternal death and imperative for researchers

to identify long-lasting interventions.

(17) Leaders in maternal wellness highly

recommend that maternal deaths and cases

of maternal morbidity, including complica-

tions that result in chronic illness and fu-

ture increased risk of death, be investigated

at the State level first, and that standard-

ized, streamlined, de-identified data regard-

ing maternal deaths be sent annually to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Such data standardization and collection

would be similar in operation and effect to

the National Program of Cancer Registries of

the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-

tion and akin to the Confidential Enquiry in

Maternal Deaths Programme in the United

Kingdom. Such a maternal mortalities and

morbidities registry and surveillance system

would help providers, academicians, law-

makers, and the public to address questions

concerning the types of, causes of, and best

practices to thwart, maternal mortality and

morbidity.

(18) The United Nations’ Millennium De-

velopment Goal 5a aimed to reduce by 75 per-

cent, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal

mortality rate, yet this metric has not been

achieved. In fact, the maternal mortality

rate in the United States has been estimated

to have more than doubled between 2000 and

2014.

(19) The United States has no comparable,

coordinated Federal process by which to re-

view cases of maternal mortality, systems

failures, or best practices. The majority of

States have active Maternal Mortality Re-

view Committees (referred to in this section

as ‘‘MMRC’’), which help leverage work to

impact maternal wellness. For example, the

State of California has worked extensively

with their State health departments, health

and hospital systems, and research collabo-

rative organizations, including the Cali-

fornia Maternal Quality Care Collaborative

and the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal

Health, to establish MMRCs, wherein such

State has determined the most prevalent

causes of maternal mortality and recorded

and shared data with providers and research-

ers, who have developed and implemented

safety bundles and care protocols related to

preeclampsia, maternal hemorrhage,

peripartum cardiomyopathy, and the like. In

this way, the State of California has been

able to leverage its maternal mortality re-

view board system, generate data, and apply

those data to effect changes in maternal

care-related protocol.

(20) Hospitals and health systems across

the United States lack standardization of

emergency obstetric protocols before, dur-

ing, and after delivery. Consequently, many

providers are delayed in recognizing critical

signs indicating maternal distress that

quickly escalate into fatal or near-fatal

incidences. Moreover, any attempt to ad-

dress an obstetric emergency that does not

consider both clinical and public health ap-

proaches falls woefully under the mark of ex-

cellent care delivery. State-based perinatal

quality collaboratives, or entities partici-

pating in the Alliance for Innovation on Ma-

ternal Health (AIM), have formed obstetric

protocols, tool kits, and other resources to

improve system care and response as they re-

late to maternal complications and warning

signs for such conditions as maternal hemor-

rhage, hypertension, and preeclampsia.

These perinatal quality collaboratives serve

an important role in providing infrastruc-

ture that supports quality improvement ef-

forts addressing obstetric care and outcomes.

State-based perinatal quality collaboratives

partner with hospitals, physicians, nurses,

midwives, patients, public health, and other

stakeholders to provide opportunities for

collaborative learning, rapid response data,

and quality improvement science support to

achieve systems-level change.

(21) The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention reports that 22 percent of deaths

occurred during pregnancy, 25 percent oc-

curred on the day of delivery or within 7

days after the day of delivery, and 53 percent

occurred between 7 days and 1 year after the

day of delivery. Yet, for women eligible for

the Medicaid program on the basis of preg-

nancy in States without Medicaid

postpartum extension, such Medicaid cov-

erage lapses at the end of the month on

which the 60th postpartum day lands.

(22) The experience of serious traumatic

events, such as being exposed to domestic vi-

olence, substance use disorder, or pervasive

and systematic racism, can over-activate the

body’s stress-response system. Known as

toxic stress, the repetition of high-doses of

cortisol to the brain, can harm healthy neu-

rological development and other body sys-

tems, which can have cascading physical and

mental health consequences, as documented

in the Adverse Childhood Experiences study

of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

vention.

(23) A growing body of evidence-based re-

search has shown the correlation between

the stress associated with systematic racism

and one’s birthing outcomes. The undue

stress of sex and race discrimination paired

with institutional racism has been dem-

onstrated to contribute to a higher risk of

maternal mortality, irrespective of one’s

gestational age, maternal age, socio-

economic status, educational level, geo-

graphic region, or individual-level health

risk factors, including poverty, limited ac-

cess to prenatal care, and poor physical and

mental health (although these are not nomi-

nal factors). Black women remain the most

at risk for pregnancy-associated or preg-

nancy-related causes of death. When it

comes to preeclampsia, for example, for

which obesity is a risk factor, Black women

of normal weight remain at a higher at risk

of dying during the perinatal period com-

pared to non-Black obese women.

(24) The rising maternal mortality rate in

the United States is driven predominantly

by the disproportionately high rates of Black

maternal mortality.

(25) Compared to women from other racial

and ethnic demographics, Black women

across the socioeconomic spectrum experi-

ence prolonged, unrelenting stress related to

systematic racial and gender discrimination,

contributing to higher rates of maternal

mortality, giving birth to low-weight babies,

and experiencing pre-term birth. Racism is a

risk-factor for these aforementioned experi-

ences. This cumulative stress, called weath-

ering, often extends across the life course

and is situated in everyday spaces where

Black women establish livelihood. System-

atic racism, structural barriers, lack of ac-

cess to quality maternal health care, lack of

access to nutritious food, and social deter-

minants of health exacerbate Black women’s

likelihood to experience poor or fatal birth-

ing outcomes, but do not fully account for

the great disparity.

(26) Black women are twice as likely to ex-

perience postpartum depression, and dis-

proportionately higher rates of preeclampsia

compared to White women.

(27) Racism is deeply ingrained in United

States systems, including in health care de-

livery systems between patients and pro-

viders, often resulting in disparate treat-

ment for pain, irreverence for cultural norms

with respect to health, and dismissiveness.

However, the provider pool is not primed

with many people of color, nor are providers

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(whether maternity care clinicians or mater-

nity care support personnel) consistently re-

quired to undergo implicit bias, cultural

competency, respectful care practices, or

empathy training on a consistent, on-going

basis.

(28) Women are not the only people who

can become pregnant or give birth. Non-

binary, transgender, and gender-expansive

people can also become pregnant. The terms

‘‘birthing people’’ or ‘‘birthing persons’’ are

also used to describe pregnant or postpartum

people in a way that is inclusive of individ-

uals who experience gender beyond the bi-

nary.

(29) Substance misuse among pregnant

women, including the use of substances that

are illegal or criminalized, misuse of pre-

scribed medications, and binge drinking, has

increased year after year for the past decade.

Pregnant people with substance use disorder,

particularly those with opioids, amphet-

amines, and cocaine use disorders, are at

greater risk of severe maternal morbidity,

including conditions such as eclampsia,

heart attack or failure, and sepsis.

SEC. 3. IMPROVING FEDERAL EFFORTS WITH RE-

SPECT TO PREVENTION OF MATER-

NAL MORTALITY.

(a) F

UNDING FOR

TATE

-B

ASED

ERINATAL

UALITY

OLLABORATIVES

EVELOPMENT AND

USTAINABILITY

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Not later than one year

after the date of enactment of this Act, the

Secretary of Health and Human Services (re-

ferred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Sec-

retary’’), acting through the Division of Re-

productive Health of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, shall establish a

grant program to be known as the State-

Based Perinatal Quality Collaborative grant

program under which the Secretary awards

grants to eligible entities for the purpose of

development and sustainability of perinatal

quality collaboratives in every State, the

District of Columbia, and eligible territories,

in order to measurably improve perinatal

care and perinatal health outcomes for preg-

nant and postpartum women and their in-

fants.

(2) G

RANT AMOUNTS

.—Grants awarded

under this subsection shall be in amounts

not to exceed $250,000 per year, for the dura-

tion of the grant period.

(3) S

TATE

BASED PERINATAL QUALITY COL

LABORATIVE DEFINED

.—For purposes of this

subsection, the term ‘‘State-based perinatal

quality collaborative’’ means a network of

teams that—

(A) is multidisciplinary in nature and in-

cludes the full range of perinatal and mater-

nity care providers;

(B) works to improve measurable outcomes

for maternal and infant health by advancing

evidence-informed clinical practices using

quality improvement principles;

patient facility-based clinical teams, ex-

perts, and stakeholders, including patients

and families, to spread best practices and op-

timize resources to improve perinatal care

and outcomes;

(D) employs strategies that include the use

of the collaborative learning model to pro-

vide opportunities for hospitals and clinical

teams to collaborate on improvement strate-

gies, rapid-response data to provide timely

feedback to hospital and other clinical teams

to track progress, and quality improvement

science to provide support and coaching to

hospital and clinical teams;

(E) has the goal of improving population-

level outcomes in maternal and infant

health; and

(F) has the goal of improving outcomes of

all birthing people, through the coordina-

tion, integration, and collaboration across

birth settings.

(4) A

UTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

.—

For purposes of carrying out this subsection,

there is authorized to be appropriated

$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024

through 2028.

(b) E

XPANSION OF

EDICAID AND

CHIP C

ERAGE FOR

REGNANT AND

OSTPARTUM

OMEN

.—

(1) R

EQUIRING COVERAGE OF ORAL HEALTH

SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM

WOMEN

.—

(A) M

EDICAID

.—Section 1905 of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d) is amended—

(i) in subsection (a)(4)—

(I) by striking ‘‘; and (D)’’ and inserting ‘‘;

(D)’’;

(II) by striking ‘‘; and (E)’’ and inserting ‘‘;

(E)’’;

(III) by striking ‘‘; and (F)’’ and inserting

‘‘; (F)’’; and

(IV) by striking the semicolon at the end

and inserting ‘‘; and (G) oral health services

for pregnant and postpartum women (as de-

fined in subsection (jj));’’; and

(ii) by adding at the end the following new

subsection:

‘‘(jj) O

RAL

EALTH

ERVICES FOR

REGNANT

AND

OSTPARTUM

OMEN

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—For purposes of this

title, the term ‘oral health services for preg-

nant and postpartum women’ means dental

services necessary to prevent disease and

promote oral health, restore oral structures

to health and function, and treat emergency

conditions that are furnished to a woman

during pregnancy (or during the 1-year pe-

riod beginning on the last day of the preg-

nancy).

‘‘(2) C

OVERAGE REQUIREMENTS

.—To satisfy

the requirement to provide oral health serv-

ices for pregnant and postpartum women, a

State shall, at a minimum, provide coverage

for preventive, diagnostic, periodontal, and

restorative care consistent with rec-

ommendations for perinatal oral health care

and dental care during pregnancy from the

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

and the American College of Obstetricians

and Gynecologists.’’.

(B) CHIP.—Section 2103(c)(6) of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397cc(c)(6)) is

amended—

(i) in subparagraph (A)—

(I) by inserting ‘‘or a targeted low-income

pregnant woman’’ after ‘‘targeted low-in-

come child’’; and

(II) by inserting ‘‘, and, in the case of a tar-

geted low-income child who is pregnant or a

targeted low-income pregnant woman, sat-

isfy the coverage requirements specified in

section 1905(jj)’’ after ‘‘emergency condi-

tions’’; and

(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘(but

only if, in the case of a targeted low-income

child who is pregnant or a targeted low-in-

come pregnant woman, the benchmark den-

tal benefit package satisfies the coverage re-

quirements specified in section 1905(jj))’’

after ‘‘subparagraph (C)’’.

(2) R

EQUIRING 12

MONTH CONTINUOUS COV

ERAGE OF FULL BENEFITS FOR PREGNANT AND

POSTPARTUM INDIVIDUALS UNDER MEDICAID

AND CHIP

.—

(A) M

EDICAID

.—Section 1902 of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended—

(i) in subsection (a)—

(ii) in paragraph (86), by striking ‘‘and’’ at

the end;

(iii) in paragraph (87), by striking the pe-

riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

(iv) by inserting after paragraph (87) the

following new paragraph:

‘‘(88) provide that the State plan is in com-

pliance with subsection (e)(16).’’; and

(v) in subsection (e)(16)—

(I) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘At

the option of the State, the State plan (or

waiver of such State plan) may provide’’ and

inserting ‘‘A State plan (or waiver of such

State plan) shall provide’’;

(II) in subparagraph (B), in the matter pre-

ceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘by a State

making an election under this paragraph’’

and inserting ‘‘under a State plan (or a waiv-

er of such State plan)’’; and

(III) by striking subparagraph (C).

(B) CHIP.—

(i) I

N GENERAL

.—Section 2107(e)(1)(J) of the

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

1397gg(e)(1)(J)), as inserted by section 9822 of

the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub-

lic Law 117–2), is amended to read as follows:

‘‘(J) Paragraphs (5) and (16) of section

1902(e) (relating to the requirement to pro-

vide medical assistance under the State plan

or waiver consisting of full benefits during

pregnancy and throughout the 12-month

postpartum period under title XIX).’’.

(ii) C

ONFORMING

.—Section 2112(d)(2)(A) of

the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

1397ll(d)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘the

month in which the 60-day period’’ and all

that follows through ‘‘pursuant to section

2107(e)(1),’’.

(3) M

AINTENANCE OF EFFORT

.—

(A) M

EDICAID

.—Section 1902(l) of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(l)) is amended

by adding at the end the following new para-

graph:

‘‘(5) During the period that begins on the

date of enactment of this paragraph and ends

on the date that is 5 years after such date of

enactment, as a condition for receiving any

Federal payments under section 1903(a) for

calendar quarters occurring during such pe-

riod, a State shall not have in effect, with re-

spect to women who are eligible for medical

assistance under the State plan or under a

waiver of such plan on the basis of being

pregnant or having been pregnant, eligibility

standards, methodologies, or procedures

under the State plan or waiver that are more

restrictive than the eligibility standards,

methodologies, or procedures, respectively,

under such plan or waiver that are in effect

on the date of enactment of this para-

graph.’’.

(B) CHIP.—Section 2105(d) of the Social Se-

curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(d)) is amended by

adding at the end the following new para-

graph:

‘‘(4) I

N ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS FOR TAR

GETED LOW

INCOME PREGNANT WOMEN

.—Dur-

ing the period that begins on the date of en-

actment of this paragraph and ends on the

date that is 5 years after such date of enact-

ment, as a condition of receiving payments

under subsection (a) and section 1903(a), a

State that elects to provide assistance to

women on the basis of being pregnant (in-

cluding pregnancy-related assistance pro-

vided to targeted low-income pregnant

women (as defined in section 2112(d)), preg-

nancy-related assistance provided to women

who are eligible for such assistance through

application of section 1902(v)(4)(A)(i) under

section 2107(e)(1), or any other assistance

under the State child health plan (or a waiv-

er of such plan) which is provided to women

on the basis of being pregnant) shall not

have in effect, with respect to such women,

eligibility standards, methodologies, or pro-

cedures under such plan (or waiver) that are

more restrictive than the eligibility stand-

ards, methodologies, or procedures, respec-

tively, under such plan (or waiver) that are

in effect on the date of enactment of this

paragraph.’’.

(4) I

NFORMATION ON BENEFITS

.—The Sec-

retary of Health and Human Services shall

make publicly available on the internet

website of the Department of Health and

Human Services, information regarding ben-

efits available to pregnant and postpartum

women and under the Medicaid program and

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the Children’s Health Insurance Program, in-

cluding information on—

(A) benefits that States are required to

provide to pregnant and postpartum women

under such programs;

(B) optional benefits that States may pro-

vide to pregnant and postpartum women

under such programs; and

benefits for pregnant and postpartum

women, including oral health and mental

health benefits and breastfeeding services

and supplies, under such programs.

(5) F

EDERAL FUNDING FOR COST OF EXTENDED

MEDICAID AND CHIP COVERAGE FOR

POSTPARTUM WOMEN

.—

(A) M

EDICAID

.—Section 1905 of the Social

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d), as amended by

paragraph (1), is further amended by adding

at the end the following:

‘‘(kk) I

NCREASED

FMAP

FOR

XTENDED

EDICAL

SSISTANCE FOR

OSTPARTUM

NDI

VIDUALS

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Notwithstanding sub-

section (b), the Federal medical assistance

percentage for a State, with respect to

amounts expended by such State for medical

assistance for an individual who is eligible

for such assistance on the basis of being

pregnant or having been pregnant that is

provided during the 305-day period that be-

gins on the 60th day after the last day of the

individual’s pregnancy (including any such

assistance provided during the month in

which such period ends), shall be equal to—

‘‘(A) during the first 20-quarter period for

which this subsection is in effect with re-

spect to a State, 100 percent; and

‘‘(B) with respect to a State, during each

quarter thereafter, 90 percent.

‘‘(2) E

XCLUSION FROM TERRITORIAL CAPS

.—

Any payment made to a territory for expend-

itures for medical assistance for an indi-

vidual described in paragraph (1) that is sub-

ject to the Federal medical assistance per-

centage specified under paragraph (1) shall

not be taken into account for purposes of ap-

plying payment limits under subsections (f)

and (g) of section 1108.’’.

(B) CHIP.—Section 2105(c) of the Social Se-

curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(c)) is amended by

adding at the end the following new para-

graph:

‘‘(13) E

NHANCED PAYMENT FOR EXTENDED AS

SISTANCE PROVIDED TO PREGNANT WOMEN

.—

Notwithstanding subsection (b), the en-

hanced FMAP, with respect to payments

under subsection (a) for expenditures under

the State child health plan (or a waiver of

such plan) for assistance provided under the

plan (or waiver) to a woman who is eligible

for such assistance on the basis of being

pregnant (including pregnancy-related as-

sistance provided to a targeted low-income

pregnant woman (as defined in section

2112(d)), pregnancy-related assistance pro-

vided to a woman who is eligible for such as-

sistance through application of section

1902(v)(4)(A)(i) under section 2107(e)(1), or

any other assistance under the plan (or waiv-

er) provided to a woman who is eligible for

such assistance on the basis of being preg-

nant) during the 305-day period that begins

on the 60th day after the last day of her preg-

nancy (including any such assistance pro-

vided during the month in which such period

ends), shall be equal to—

‘‘(A) during the first 20-quarter period for

which this subsection is in effect with re-

spect to a State, 100 percent; and

‘‘(B) with respect to a State, during each

quarter thereafter, 90 percent.’’.

(6) G

UIDANCE ON STATE OPTIONS FOR MED

ICAID COVERAGE OF DOULA SERVICES

.—Not

later than 1 year after the date of the enact-

ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health

and Human Services shall issue guidance for

the States concerning options for Medicaid

coverage and payment for support services

provided by doulas.

(7) E

NHANCED FMAP FOR RURAL OBSTETRIC

AND GYNECOLOGICAL SERVICES

.—Section 1905

of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d),

as amended by paragraphs (1) and (5), is fur-

ther amended—

(A) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘and (ii)’’

and inserting ‘‘(ii), (jj), (kk), and (ll)’’; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new

subsection:

‘‘(ll) I

NCREASED

FMAP

FOR

EDICAL

SISTANCE FOR

BSTETRIC AND

YNECOLOGICAL

ERVICES

URNISHED AT

URAL

OSPITALS

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Notwithstanding sub-

section (b), the Federal medical assistance

percentage for a State, with respect to

amounts expended by such State for medical

assistance for obstetric or gynecological

services that are furnished in a hospital that

is located in a rural area (as defined for pur-

poses of section 1886) shall be equal to 90 per-

cent for each calendar quarter beginning

with the first calendar quarter during which

this subsection is in effect.

‘‘(2) E

XCLUSION FROM TERRITORIAL CAPS

.—

Any payment made to a territory for expend-

itures for medical assistance described in

paragraph (1) that is subject to the Federal

medical assistance percentage specified

under paragraph (1) shall not be taken into

account for purposes of applying payment

limits under subsections (f) and (g) of section

1108.’’.

(8) E

FFECTIVE DATES

.—

(A) I

N GENERAL

.—Subject to subparagraphs

(B) and (C)—

(i) the amendments made by paragraphs

(1), (2), and (5) shall take effect on the first

day of the first calendar quarter that begins

on or after the date that is 1 year after the

date of enactment of this Act;

(ii) the amendments made by paragraph (3)

shall take effect on the date of enactment of

this Act; and

(iii) the amendments made by paragraph

(7) shall take effect on the first day of the

first calendar quarter that begins on or after

the date of enactment of this Act.

(B) E

XCEPTION FOR STATE LEGISLATION

.—In

the case of a State plan under title XIX of

the Social Security Act or a State child

health plan under title XXI of such Act that

the Secretary of Health and Human Services

determines requires State legislation in

order for the respective plan to meet any re-

quirement imposed by amendments made by

this subsection, the respective plan shall not

be regarded as failing to comply with the re-

quirements of such title solely on the basis

of its failure to meet such an additional re-

quirement before the first day of the first

calendar quarter beginning after the close of

the first regular session of the State legisla-

ture that begins after the date of enactment

of this Act. For purposes of the previous sen-

tence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year

legislative session, each year of the session

shall be considered to be a separate regular

session of the State legislature.

TATE OPTION FOR EARLIER EFFECTIVE

DATE

.—A State may elect to have subsection

(e)(16) of section 1902 of the Social Security

Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) and subparagraph (J) of

section 2107(e)(1) of the Social Security Act

(42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)), as amended by para-

graph (2), and subsection (kk) of section 1905

of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d)

and paragraph (13) of section 2105(c) of the

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(c)), as

added by paragraph (5), take effect with re-

spect to the State on the first day of any fis-

cal quarter that begins before the date de-

scribed in subparagraph (A) and apply to

amounts payable to the State for expendi-

tures for medical assistance, child health as-

sistance, or pregnancy-related assistance to

pregnant or postpartum individuals fur-

nished on or after such day.

EGIONAL

ENTERS OF

XCELLENCE

.—

Part P of title III of the Public Health Serv-

ice Act (42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.) is amended by

adding at the end the following:

‘‘SEC. 399V–8. REGIONAL CENTERS OF EXCEL-

LENCE ADDRESSING IMPLICIT BIAS

AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY IN PA-

TIENT-PROVIDER INTERACTIONS

EDUCATION.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—Not later than one year

after the date of enactment of this section,

the Secretary, in consultation with such

other agency heads as the Secretary deter-

mines appropriate, shall award cooperative

agreements for the establishment or support

of regional centers of excellence addressing

implicit bias, cultural competency, and re-

spectful care practices in patient-provider

interactions education for the purpose of en-

hancing and improving how health care pro-

fessionals are educated in implicit bias and

delivering culturally competent health care.

‘‘(b) E

LIGIBILITY

.—To be eligible to receive

a cooperative agreement under subsection

(a), an entity shall—

‘‘(1) be a public or other nonprofit entity

specified by the Secretary that provides edu-

cational and training opportunities for stu-

dents and health care professionals, which

may be a health system, teaching hospital,

community health center, medical school,

school of public health, school of nursing,

dental school, social work school, school of

professional psychology, or any other health

professional school or program at an institu-

tion of higher education (as defined in sec-

tion 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965)

focused on the prevention, treatment, or re-

covery of health conditions that contribute

to maternal mortality and the prevention of

maternal mortality and severe maternal

morbidity;

‘‘(2) demonstrate community engagement

and participation, such as through partner-

ships with home visiting and case manage-

ment programs and community-based orga-

nizations serving minority populations;

‘‘(3) demonstrate engagement with groups

engaged in the implementation of health

care professional training in implicit bias

and delivering culturally competent care,

such as departments of public health,

perinatal quality collaboratives, hospital

systems, and health care professional groups,

in order to obtain input on resources needed

for effective implementation strategies; and

‘‘(4) provide to the Secretary such informa-

tion, at such time and in such manner, as the

Secretary may require.

‘‘(c) D

IVERSITY

.—In awarding a cooperative

agreement under subsection (a), the Sec-

retary shall take into account any regional

differences among eligible entities and make

an effort to ensure geographic diversity

among award recipients.

‘‘(d) D

ISSEMINATION OF

NFORMATION

.—

‘‘(1) P

UBLIC AVAILABILITY

.—The Secretary

shall make publicly available on the internet

website of the Department of Health and

Human Services information submitted to

the Secretary under subsection (b)(3).

‘‘(2) E

VALUATION

.—The Secretary shall

evaluate each regional center of excellence

established or supported pursuant to sub-

section (a) and disseminate the findings re-

sulting from each such evaluation to the ap-

propriate public and private entities.

‘‘(3) D

ISTRIBUTION

.—The Secretary shall

share evaluations and overall findings with

State departments of health and other rel-

evant State level offices to inform State and

local best practices.

‘‘(e) M

ATERNAL

ORTALITY

EFINED

.—In

this section, the term ‘maternal mortality’

means death of a woman that occurs during

pregnancy or within the one-year period fol-

lowing the end of such pregnancy.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4596 September 19, 2023

‘‘(f) A

UTHORIZATION OF

PPROPRIATIONS

.—

For purposes of carrying out this section,

there is authorized to be appropriated

$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through

2028.’’.

(d) S

PECIAL

UPPLEMENTAL

UTRITION

GRAM FOR

OMEN

, I

NFANTS

AND

HILDREN

.—

Section 17(d)(3)(A)(ii) of the Child Nutrition

Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)(ii)) is

amended—

(1) by striking the clause designation and

heading and all that follows through ‘‘A

State’’ and inserting the following:

‘‘(ii) W

OMEN

.—

‘‘(I) B

REASTFEEDING WOMEN

.—A State’’;

(2) in subclause (I) (as so designated), by

striking ‘‘1 year’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘earlier’’ and inserting ‘‘2 years

postpartum’’; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

‘‘(II) P

OSTPARTUM WOMEN

.—A State may

elect to certify a postpartum woman for a

period of 2 years.’’.

(e) D

EFINITION OF

ATERNAL

ORTALITY

.—

In this section, the term ‘‘maternal mor-

tality’’ means death of a woman that occurs

during pregnancy or within the one-year pe-

riod following the end of such pregnancy.

SEC. 4. FULL SPECTRUM DOULA WORKFORCE.

(a) I

ENERAL

.—The Secretary of Health

and Human Services shall establish and im-

plement a program to award grants or con-

tracts to health professions schools, schools

of public health, academic health centers,

State or local governments, territories, In-

dian Tribes and Tribal organizations, Urban

Indian organizations, Native Hawaiian orga-

nizations, or other appropriate public or pri-

vate nonprofit entities or community-based

organizations (or consortia of any such enti-

ties, including entities promoting multi-

disciplinary approaches), to establish or ex-

pand programs to grow and diversify the

doula workforce, including through improv-

ing the capacity and supply of health care

providers.

(b) U

SE OF

UNDS

.—Amounts made avail-

able by subsection (a) shall be used for the

following activities:

(1) Establishing programs that provide edu-

cation and training to individuals seeking

appropriate training or certification as full

spectrum doulas.

(2) Expanding the capacity of existing pro-

grams described in paragraph (1), for the pur-

pose of increasing the number of students en-

rolled in such programs, including by award-

ing scholarships for students who agree to

work in underserved communities after re-

ceiving such education and training.

(3) Developing and implementing strate-

gies to recruit and retain students from un-

derserved communities, particularly from

demographic groups experiencing high rates

of maternal mortality and severe maternal

morbidity, including racial and ethnic mi-

nority groups, into programs described in

paragraphs (1) and (2).

UNDING

.—In addition to amounts oth-

erwise available, there is appropriated to the

Secretary of Health and Human Services for

fiscal year 2024, out of any money in the

Treasury not otherwise appropriated,

$50,000,000, to remain available until ex-

pended, for carrying out this section.

SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR RURAL OBSTETRIC MOBILE

HEALTH UNITS.

Part B of title III of the Public Health

Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended

by adding at the end the following:

‘‘SEC. 320C. GRANTS FOR RURAL OBSTETRIC MO-

BILE HEALTH UNITS.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—The Secretary, acting

through the Administrator of the Health Re-

sources and Services Administration (re-

ferred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’),

shall establish a pilot program under which

the Secretary shall make grants to States—

‘‘(1) to purchase and equip rural mobile

health units for the purpose of providing pre-

conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and ob-

stetric emergency services in rural and un-

derserved communities;

‘‘(2) to train providers including obstetri-

cian-gynecologists, certified nurse-midwives,

nurse practitioners, nurses, and midwives to

operate and provide obstetric services, in-

cluding training and planning for obstetric

emergencies, in such mobile health units;

and

‘‘(3) to address access issues, including so-

cial determinants of health and wrap-around

clinical and community services including

nutrition, housing, lactation services, and

transportation support and referrals.

‘‘(b) N

HARING OF

ATA

ITH

FORCEMENT

.—As a condition of receiving a

grant under this section, a State shall sub-

mit to the Secretary an assurance that the

State will not make available to Federal or

State law enforcement any personally iden-

tifiable information regarding any pregnant

or postpartum individual collected pursuant

to such grant.

‘‘(c) G

RANT

URATION

.—The period of a

grant under this section shall not exceed 5

years.

‘‘(d) I

MPLEMENTING AND

EPORTING

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—States that receive pilot

grants under this section shall—

‘‘(A) implement the program funded by the

pilot grants; and

‘‘(B) not later than 3 years after the date of

enactment of this section, and not later than

6 years after such date of enactment, submit

to the Secretary a report that describes the

results of such program, including—

‘‘(i) relevant information and relevant

quantitative indicators of the programs’ suc-

cess in improving the standard of care and

maternal health outcomes for individuals in

rural and underserved communities seen for

pre-conception, pregnancy, or postpartum

visits in the rural mobile health units,

stratified by the categories of data specified

in paragraph (2);

‘‘(ii) relevant qualitative evaluations from

individuals receiving pre-conception, preg-

nant, or postpartum care from rural mobile

health units, including measures of patient-

reported experience of care and measures of

patient-reported issues with access to care

without the rural mobile health unit pilot;

and

‘‘(iii) strategies to sustain such programs

beyond the duration of the grant and expand

such programs to other rural and under-

served communities.

‘‘(2) C

ATEGORIES OF DATA

.—The categories

of data specified in this paragraph are the

following:

‘‘(A) Race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender

identity, primary language, age, geography,

insurance status, disability status.

‘‘(B) Number of visits provided for pre-

conception, prenatal, or postpartum care.

‘‘(C) Number of repeat visits provided for

preconception, prenatal, or postpartum care.

‘‘(D) Number of screenings or tests pro-

vided for smoking, substance use, hyper-

tension, sexually-transmitted diseases, dia-

betes, HIV, depression, intimate partner vio-

lence, pap smears, and pregnancy.

‘‘(3) D

ATA PRIVACY PROTECTION

.—The re-

ports referred to in paragraph (1)(B) shall not

contain any personally identifiable informa-

tion regarding any pregnant or postpartum

individual.

‘‘(e) E

VALUATION

.—The Secretary shall

conduct an evaluation of the pilot program

under this section to determine the impact

of the pilot program with respect to—

‘‘(1) the effectiveness of the grants awarded

under this section to improve maternal

health outcomes in rural and underserved

communities, with data stratified by race,

ethnicity, primary language, socioeconomic

status, geography, insurance type, and other

factors as the Secretary determines appro-

priate;

‘‘(2) spending on maternity care by States

participating in the pilot program;

‘‘(3) to the extent practicable, qualitative

and quantitative measures of patient experi-

ence; and

‘‘(4) any other areas of assessment that the

Secretary determines relevant.

‘‘(f) R

EPORT

.—Not later than one year after

the completion of the pilot program under

this section, the Secretary shall submit to

Congress, and make publicly available, a re-

port that describes—

‘‘(1) the results of the evaluation con-

ducted under subsection (e); and

‘‘(2) a recommendation regarding whether

the pilot program should be continued after

fiscal year 2028 and expanded on a national

basis.

‘‘(g) A

UTHORIZATION OF

PPROPRIATIONS

.—

There is authorized to be appropriated to the

Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000

for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’.

SEC. 6. REQUIRING NOTIFICATION OF IMPEND-

ING HOSPITAL OBSTETRIC UNIT

CLOSURE.

Section 1866(a)(1) of the Social Security

Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(1)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (X), by striking ‘‘and’’

at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (Y)(ii)(V), by striking

the period and inserting ‘‘, and’’; and

(3) by inserting after subparagraph (Y) the

following new subparagraph:

‘‘(Z) beginning 180 days after the date of

the enactment of this subparagraph, in the

case of a hospital, not less than 90 days prior

to the closure of any obstetric unit of the

hospital, to submit to the Secretary a notifi-

cation which shall include—

‘‘(i) a report analyzing the impact the clo-

sure will have on the community;

‘‘(ii) steps the hospital will take to identify

other health care providers that can allevi-

ate any service gaps as a result of the clo-

sure; and

‘‘(iii) any additional information as may be

required by the Secretary.’’.

SEC. 7. EVALUATION AND REPORT ON MATERNAL

HEALTH NEEDS.

(a) I

ENERAL

.—Not later than 2 years

after the date of enactment of this Act, the

Secretary of Health and Human Services

shall conduct, and submit to Congress a re-

port that describes the results of, an evalua-

tion of—

(1) where the maternal health needs are

greatest in the United States; and

(2) the Federal expenditures made to ad-

dress such needs.

(b) P

ERIOD

OVERED

.—The evaluation

under subsection (a) shall cover the period of

calendar years 2000 through 2022.

NALYSIS

.—The evaluation under sub-

section (a) shall include analysis of the fol-

lowing:

(1) How Federal funds provided to States

for maternal health were distributed across

regions, States, and localities or counties.

(2) Barriers to applying for and receiving

Federal funds for maternal health, including,

with respect to initial applications—

(A) requirements for submission in part-

nership with other entities; and

(B) stringent network requirements.

(3) Why applicants did not receive funding,

including limited availability of funds, the

strength of the respective applications, and

failure to adhere to requirements.

(d) D

ISAGGREGATION OF

ATA

.—The report

under subsection (a) shall disaggregate data

on mothers served by race, ethnicity, insur-

ance status, and language spoken.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4597 September 19, 2023

SEC. 8. INCREASING EXCISE TAXES ON CIGA-

RETTES AND ESTABLISHING EXCISE

TAX EQUITY AMONG ALL TOBACCO

PRODUCT TAX RATES.

(a) T

ARITY FOR

OLL

-Y

OUR

-O

BACCO

.—Section 5701(g) of the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986 is amended by striking

‘‘$24.78’’ and inserting ‘‘$49.56’’.

(b) T

ARITY FOR

IPE

OBACCO

.—Sec-

tion 5701(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 is amended by striking ‘‘$2.8311 cents’’

and inserting ‘‘$49.56’’.

ARITY FOR

MOKELESS

OBACCO

.—

(1) Section 5701(e) of the Internal Revenue

Code of 1986 is amended—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$1.51’’

and inserting ‘‘$26.84’’;

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘50.33

cents’’ and inserting ‘‘$10.74’’; and

‘‘(3) S

MOKELESS TOBACCO SOLD IN DISCRETE

SINGLE

USE UNITS

.—On discrete single-use

units, $100.66 per thousand.’’.

(2) Section 5702(m) of such Code is amend-

ed—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or chew-

ing tobacco’’ and inserting ‘‘, chewing to-

bacco, or discrete single-use unit’’;

(B) in paragraphs (2) and (3), by inserting

‘‘that is not a discrete single-use unit’’ be-

fore the period in each such paragraph; and

‘‘(4) D

ISCRETE SINGLE

USE UNIT

.—The term

‘discrete single-use unit’ means any product

containing, made from, or derived from to-

bacco or nicotine that—

‘‘(A) is not intended to be smoked; and

‘‘(B) is in the form of a lozenge, tablet, pill,

pouch, dissolvable strip, or other discrete

single-use or single-dose unit.’’.

(d) T

ARITY FOR

MALL

IGARS

.—Para-

graph (1) of section 5701(a) of the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking

‘‘$50.33’’ and inserting ‘‘$100.66’’.

(e) T

ARITY FOR

ARGE

IGARS

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Paragraph (2) of section

5701(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986

is amended by striking ‘‘52.75 percent’’ and

all that follows through the period and in-

serting the following: ‘‘$49.56 per pound and a

proportionate tax at the like rate on all frac-

tional parts of a pound but not less than

10.066 cents per cigar.’’.

(2) G

UIDANCE

.—The Secretary of the Treas-

ury, or the Secretary’s delegate, may issue

guidance regarding the appropriate method

for determining the weight of large cigars for

purposes of calculating the applicable tax

under section 5701(a)(2) of the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986.

(3) C

ONFORMING AMENDMENT

.—Section 5702

of such Code is amended by striking sub-

section (l).

(f) T

ARITY FOR

OLL

-Y

OUR

-O

BACCO AND

ERTAIN

ROCESSED

OBACCO

.—

Subsection (o) of section 5702 of the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting

‘‘, and includes processed tobacco that is re-

moved for delivery or delivered to a person

other than a person with a permit provided

under section 5713, but does not include re-

movals of processed tobacco for exportation’’

after ‘‘wrappers thereof’’.

(g) C

LARIFYING

ATE FOR

THER

BACCO

RODUCTS

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Section 5701 of the Inter-

nal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by add-

ing at the end the following new subsection:

‘‘(i) O

THER

OBACCO

RODUCTS

.—Any prod-

uct not otherwise described under this sec-

tion that has been determined to be a to-

bacco product by the Food and Drug Admin-

istration through its authorities under the

Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco

Control Act shall be taxed at a level of tax

equivalent to the tax rate for cigarettes on

an estimated per use basis as determined by

the Secretary.’’.

(2) E

STABLISHING PER USE BASIS

.—For pur-

poses of section 5701(i) of the Internal Rev-

enue Code of 1986, not later than 12 months

after the later of the date of the enactment

of this Act or the date that a product has

been determined to be a tobacco product by

the Food and Drug Administration, the Sec-

retary of the Treasury (or the Secretary of

the Treasury’s delegate) shall issue final reg-

ulations establishing the level of tax for such

product that is equivalent to the tax rate for

cigarettes on an estimated per use basis.

(h) C

LARIFYING

EFINITION OF

OBACCO

RODUCTS

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Subsection (c) of section

5702 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is

amended to read as follows:

‘‘(c) T

OBACCO

RODUCTS

.—The term ‘to-

bacco products’ means—

‘‘(1) cigars, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco,

pipe tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco, and

‘‘(2) any other product subject to tax pur-

suant to section 5701(i).’’.

(2) C

ONFORMING AMENDMENTS

.—Subsection

(d) of section 5702 of such Code is amended by

striking ‘‘cigars, cigarettes, smokeless to-

bacco, pipe tobacco, or roll-your-own to-

bacco’’ each place it appears and inserting

‘‘tobacco products’’.

(i) I

NCREASING

AX ON

IGARETTES

.—

(1) S

MALL CIGARETTES

.—Section 5701(b)(1)

of such Code is amended by striking ‘‘$50.33’’

and inserting ‘‘$100.66’’.

(2) L

ARGE CIGARETTES

.—Section 5701(b)(2)

of such Code is amended by striking

‘‘$105.69’’ and inserting ‘‘$211.38’’.

(j) T

ATES

DJUSTED FOR

NFLATION

.—

Section 5701 of such Code, as amended by

subsection (g), is amended by adding at the

end the following new subsection:

‘‘(j) I

NFLATION

DJUSTMENT

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—In the case of any cal-

endar year beginning after 2023, the dollar

amounts provided under this chapter shall

each be increased by an amount equal to—

‘‘(A) such dollar amount, multiplied by

‘‘(B) the cost-of-living adjustment deter-

mined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar

year, determined by substituting ‘calendar

year 2022’ for ‘calendar year 2016’ in subpara-

graph (A)(ii) thereof.

‘‘(2) R

OUNDING

.—If any amount as adjusted

under paragraph (1) is not a multiple of $0.01,

such amount shall be rounded to the next

highest multiple of $0.01.’’.

(k) F

LOOR

TOCKS

AXES

.—

(1) I

MPOSITION OF TAX

.—On tobacco prod-

ucts manufactured in or imported into the

United States which are removed before any

tax increase date and held on such date for

sale by any person, there is hereby imposed

a tax in an amount equal to the excess of—

(A) the tax which would be imposed under

section 5701 of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 on the article if the article had been re-

moved on such date, over

(B) the prior tax (if any) imposed under

section 5701 of such Code on such article.

(2) C

REDIT AGAINST TAX

.—Each person shall

be allowed as a credit against the taxes im-

posed by paragraph (1) an amount equal to

the lesser of $1,000 or the amount of such

taxes. For purposes of the preceding sen-

tence, all persons treated as a single em-

ployer under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of

section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 shall be treated as 1 person for purposes

of this paragraph.

(3) L

IABILITY FOR TAX AND METHOD OF PAY

MENT

.—

(A) L

IABILITY FOR TAX

.—A person holding

tobacco products on any tax increase date to

which any tax imposed by paragraph (1) ap-

plies shall be liable for such tax.

(B) M

ETHOD OF PAYMENT

.—The tax imposed

by paragraph (1) shall be paid in such man-

ner as the Secretary shall prescribe by regu-

lations.

IME FOR PAYMENT

.—The tax imposed

by paragraph (1) shall be paid on or before

the date that is 120 days after the effective

date of the tax rate increase.

(4) A

RTICLES IN FOREIGN TRADE ZONES

.—

Notwithstanding the Act of June 18, 1934

(commonly known as the Foreign Trade

Zone Act, 48 Stat. 998, 19 U.S.C. 81a et seq.),

or any other provision of law, any article

which is located in a foreign trade zone on

any tax increase date shall be subject to the

tax imposed by paragraph (1) if—

(A) internal revenue taxes have been deter-

mined, or customs duties liquidated, with re-

spect to such article before such date pursu-

ant to a request made under the first proviso

of section 3(a) of such Act, or

(B) such article is held on such date under

the supervision of an officer of the United

States Customs and Border Protection of the

Department of Homeland Security pursuant

to the second proviso of such section 3(a).

(5) D

EFINITIONS

.—For purposes of this sub-

section—

(A) I

N GENERAL

.—Any term used in this

subsection which is also used in section 5702

of such Code shall have the same meaning as

such term has in such section.

(B) T

AX INCREASE DATE

.—The term ‘‘tax in-

crease date’’ means the effective date of any

increase in any tobacco product excise tax

rate pursuant to the amendments made by

this section (other than subsection (j) there-

of).

ECRETARY

.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’

means the Secretary of the Treasury or the

Secretary’s delegate.

(6) C

ONTROLLED GROUPS

.—Rules similar to

the rules of section 5061(e)(3) of such Code

shall apply for purposes of this subsection.

(7) O

THER LAWS APPLICABLE

.—All provi-

sions of law, including penalties, applicable

with respect to the taxes imposed by section

5701 of such Code shall, insofar as applicable

and not inconsistent with the provisions of

this subsection, apply to the floor stocks

taxes imposed by paragraph (1), to the same

extent as if such taxes were imposed by such

section 5701. The Secretary may treat any

person who bore the ultimate burden of the

tax imposed by paragraph (1) as the person

to whom a credit or refund under such provi-

sions may be allowed or made.

(l) E

FFECTIVE

ATES

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Except as provided in

paragraphs (2) and (3), the amendments made

by this section shall apply to articles re-

moved (as defined in section 5702(j) of the In-

ternal Revenue Code of 1986) after the last

day of the month which includes the date of

the enactment of this Act.

(2) D

ISCRETE SINGLE

USE UNITS

LARGE CI

GARS

AND PROCESSED TOBACCO

.—The amend-

ments made by subsections (c)(1)(C), (c)(2),

(e), and (f) shall apply to articles removed

(as defined in section 5702(j) of the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986) after the date that is

6 months after the date of the enactment of

this Act.

(3) O

THER TOBACCO PRODUCTS

.—The amend-

ments made by subsection (g)(1) shall apply

to products removed after the last day of the

month which includes the date that the Sec-

retary of the Treasury (or the Secretary of

the Treasury’s delegate) issues final regula-

tions establishing the level of tax for such

product.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4598 September 19, 2023

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

SENATE RESOLUTION 349—SUP-

PORTING THE DESIGNATION OF

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023, AS ‘‘NA-

TIONAL STILLBIRTH PREVEN-

TION DAY’’, RECOGNIZING TENS

OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN

FAMILIES THAT HAVE ENDURED

A STILLBIRTH, AND SEIZING

THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP

OTHER FAMILIES FROM EXPERI-

ENCING THE SAME TRAGEDY

Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr.

OOKER

, and Mr. G

RASSLEY

) submitted

the following resolution; which was re-

ferred to the Committee on Health,

Education, Labor, and Pensions:

S. R

. 349

Whereas approximately 21,000 pregnancies

in the United States end in stillbirth each

year;

Whereas racial disparities persist in birth

outcomes, with Black, Hispanic, Native Pa-

cific Islander, and Indigenous families at the

greatest risk of losing a baby to stillbirth;

Whereas, according to the Centers for Dis-

ease Control and Prevention, the annual

number of stillbirths far exceeds the number

of deaths among children under 15 years of

age due to sudden infant death syndrome,

car accidents, drowning, guns, fire, poison,

and flu combined;

Whereas stillbirths are devastating and

have a profound and lifelong impact on the

families who endure them;

Whereas stillbirth is linked to an increased

risk of maternal mortality;

Whereas, with increased awareness and

better data collection, the United States will

be able to better understand why stillbirths

in the United States are happening at an

alarming rate and identify what can be done

to combat this crisis;

Whereas proven stillbirth prevention ef-

forts have the power to save thousands of ba-

bies every year, and innovations in stillbirth

prevention could save thousands of addi-

tional families nationwide from the heart-

ache of losing a baby every year;

Whereas recognizing ‘‘National Stillbirth

Prevention Day’’ is an opportunity to in-

crease awareness, support evidence-based

prevention efforts, promote research, en-

courage improved data collection and great-

er understanding, and provide support to

those who have experienced stillbirth; and

Whereas ‘‘National Stillbirth Prevention

Day’’ calls on the President and all other

Federal officials to use authority to take ac-

tion to help reduce stillbirths and to ensure

every expectant family is educated on how to

reduce the risk of losing a baby to stillbirth:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘Na-

tional Stillbirth Prevention Day’’;

(2) understands the importance of advanc-

ing evidence-based prevention efforts; and

(3) requests that the President issue a

proclamation calling upon the people of the

United States to observe National Stillbirth

Prevention Day with appropriate awareness

programs and activities.

SENATE RESOLUTION 350—DESIG-

NATING SEPTEMBER 2023 AS

‘‘NATIONAL VOTING RIGHTS

MONTH’’

Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. C

PER

, Mrs. F

EINSTEIN

, Mr. M

ARKEY

, Ms.

ANTWELL

, Ms. K

LOBUCHAR

, Mr.

ADILLA

, Mr. V

OLLEN

, Mr. K

AINE

Ms. S

TABENOW

, Mr. C

ASEY

, Mr. W

HITE

HOUSE

, Ms. S

MITH

, Mr. L

UJA

, Mr.

OONS

, Mr. W

ELCH

, Ms. H

IRONO

, Ms.

ALDWIN

, Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Mr. B

OOK

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, Mr. M

ENENDEZ

, Mr.

ING

, Mr. F

ETTERMAN

, Mr. D

URBIN

, Mr.

EED

, Mr. M

ERKLEY

, Mr. W

ARNER

, Mr.

ROWN

, Ms. D

UCKWORTH

, and Mr.

ARDIN

) submitted the following reso-

lution; which was referred to the Com-

mittee on the Judiciary:

S. R

. 350

Whereas voting is 1 of the single most im-

portant rights that can be exercised in a de-

mocracy;

Whereas, over the course of history, var-

ious voter suppression laws in the United

States have hindered, and even prohibited,

certain individuals and groups from exer-

cising the right to vote;

Whereas, during the 19th and early 20th

centuries, Native Americans and people who

were born to United States citizens abroad,

people who spoke a language other than

English, and people who were formerly sub-

jected to slavery were denied full citizenship

and prevented from voting by English lit-

eracy tests;

Whereas, since the 1870s, minority groups

such as Black Americans in the South have

suffered from the oppressive effects of Jim

Crow laws that were designed to prevent po-

litical, economic, and social mobility;

Whereas Black Americans, Latinos, Asian

Americans, Native Americans, and other

underrepresented voters were subject to vio-

lence, poll taxes, literacy tests, all-White

primaries, property ownership tests, and

grandfather clauses that were designed to

suppress the right of those underrepresented

individuals to vote;

Whereas 5,800,000 people in the United

States are currently banned from voting be-

cause of a felony conviction, including 1 in 16

Black adults, due to the shameful entangle-

ment of racial injustice in the criminal legal

system and voting access in the United

States;

Whereas members of the aforementioned

groups and others are currently, in some

cases, subject to intimidation, voter roll

purges, and financial barriers that act effec-

tively as modern-day poll taxes;

Whereas, in 1965, Congress passed the Vot-

ing Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.)

to protect the right of Black Americans and

other traditionally disenfranchised groups to

vote, among other reasons;

Whereas, in 2013, in the landmark case of

Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013),

the Supreme Court of the United States in-

validated section 4 of the Voting Rights Act

of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10303), dismantling the

preclearance formula provision in that Act

that protected voters in States and localities

that historically have suppressed the right of

minorities to vote;

Whereas, since the invalidation of the

preclearance formula provision of the Voting

Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.),

gerrymandered districts in many States have

gone unchallenged and have become less

likely to be invalidated by the courts;

Whereas gerrymandered districts in many

States have been found to have a discrimina-

tory impact on traditionally disenfranchised

minorities through tactics that include

‘‘cracking’’, diluting the voting power of mi-

norities across many districts, and ‘‘pack-

ing’’, concentrating the power of minority

voters into 1 district to reduce their voting

power in other districts;

Whereas the courts have found the con-

gressional and, in some cases, State legisla-

tive district maps, in Texas, North Carolina,

Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Ala-

bama, and Louisiana to be gerrymandered

districts that were created to favor some

groups over others;

Whereas these restrictive voting laws en-

compass cutbacks in early voting, voter roll

purges, placement of faulty equipment in mi-

nority communities, requirement of photo

identification, and the elimination of same-

day registration;

Whereas these policies could outright dis-

enfranchise or make voting much more dif-

ficult for more than 80,000,000 minority, el-

derly, poor, and disabled voters, among other

groups;

Whereas, in 2016, discriminatory laws in

North Carolina, Wisconsin, North Dakota,

and Texas were ruled to violate the rights of

voters and were overturned by the courts;

Whereas the decision of the Supreme Court

of the United States in Shelby County v.

Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), calls on Congress

to update the formula in the Voting Rights

Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.);

Whereas addressing the challenges of ad-

ministering future elections requires in-

creasing the accessibility of vote-by-mail

and other limited-contact options to ensure

access to the ballot and the protection of the

health and safety of voters, and access to the

ballot amid a global pandemic like the

Coronavirus Disease 2019 public health emer-

gency;

Whereas Congress must work to combat

any attempts to dismantle or underfund the

United States Postal Service or obstruct the

passage of the mail as blatant tactics of

voter suppression and election interference;

Whereas following the 2020 elections there

has been a relentless attack on the right to

vote with more than 400 bills having been in-

troduced to roll back the right to vote, in-

cluding such bills being introduced in almost

every State and at least 44 of such bills hav-

ing been signed into law in 18 States;

Whereas there is much more work to be

done to ensure all citizens of the United

States have the right to vote through free,

fair, and accessible elections, and Congress

must exercise its constitutional authority to

protect the right to vote;

Whereas National Voter Registration Day

in 2023 is Tuesday, September 19; and

Whereas September 2023 would be an appro-

priate month—

(1) to designate as ‘‘National Voting Rights

Month’’; and

(2) to ensure that, through the registration

of voters and awareness of elections, the de-

mocracy of the United States includes all

citizens of the United States: Now, therefore,

be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates September 2023 as ‘‘National

Voting Rights Month’’;

(2) encourages all people in the United

States to uphold the right of every citizen to

exercise the sacred and fundamental right to

vote;

(3) encourages Congress to pass—

(A) the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 1, 118th

Congress), to set basic national standards to

make sure all people in the United States

can cast their ballots in the way that works

best for them, regardless of what ZIP code

they live in, improve access to the ballot for

people in the United States, advance com-

monsense election integrity reforms, and

protect the democracy of the United States

from relentless attacks;

(B) the Democracy Restoration Act of 2023

(S. 1677, 118th Congress), to restore Federal

voting rights to citizens after release from

imprisonment, honoring the responsibilities

of citizenship and civic engagement nec-

essary for building healthy and safe commu-

nities, while welcoming the contributions of

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4599 September 19, 2023

people returning home after imprisonment;

and

seeks to advance voting rights and protect

elections in the United States;

(4) recommends that public schools and

universities in the United States develop an

academic curriculum that educates students

about—

(A) the importance of voting, how to reg-

ister to vote, where to vote, and the different

forms of voting;

(B) the history of voter suppression in the

United States before and after passage of the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et

seq.); and

to restrict the vote;

(5) expresses appreciation for the United

States Postal Service having issued a special

Representative John R. Lewis stamp—

(A) to honor the life and legacy of Rep-

resentative John R. Lewis in supporting vot-

ing rights; and

(B) to remind people in the United States

that ordinary citizens risked their lives,

marched, and participated in the great de-

mocracy of the United States so that all citi-

zens would have the fundamental right to

vote; and

(6) invites Congress to allocate the req-

uisite funds for public service announce-

ments on television, radio, newspapers, mag-

azines, social media, billboards, buses, and

other forms of media—

(A) to remind people in the United States

when elections are being held;

(B) to share important registration dead-

lines; and

SENATE RESOLUTION 351—DESIG-

NATING SEPTEMBER 25, 2023, AS

‘‘NATIONAL LOBSTER DAY’’

Mr. KING (for himself, Ms. C

OLLINS

Mrs. S

HAHEEN

, Ms. H

ASSAN

, Ms. W

REN

, Mr. M

ARKEY

, Mr. W

HITEHOUSE

, Mr.

EED

, Mr. B

LUMENTHAL

, Mr. M

URPHY

and Mr. S

COTT

of Florida) submitted

the following resolution; which was

considered and agreed to:

Whereas lobstering has served as an eco-

nomic engine and family tradition in the

United States for centuries;

Whereas thousands of families in the

United States make their livelihoods from

catching, processing, or serving lobsters;

Whereas the lobster industry employs peo-

ple of all ages year-round, and many har-

vesters begin fishing as children and stay in

the industry for their entire working lives;

Whereas the lobster industry has spear-

headed sustainability measures for more

than 150 years, ensuring the health of the

lobster stock and the marine environment;

Whereas consumers are looking to add

more sustainable seafood to their diets, and

more people are enjoying lobster at home;

Whereas historical lore notes that lobster

likely joined turkey on the table at the very

first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, and lobster

continues to be a mainstay during many

other holiday traditions;

Whereas lobster harvesters are evolving

and diversifying their businesses to help

maintain the health of the ocean, including

through kelp farming, which absorbs carbon

dioxide from seawater;

Whereas throughout history, Presidents of

the United States have served lobster at

their inaugural celebrations and state din-

ners with international leaders;

Whereas lobster is a versatile source of

lean protein that is low in saturated fat and

high in vitamin B12;

Whereas lobster is continually incor-

porated into foods such as pho, gnocchi,

doughnuts, cocktails, ice cream, and butter;

Whereas the peak of the lobstering season

in the United States occurs in late summer;

Whereas the Unicode Consortium added a

lobster to its emoji set in 2018 in recognition

of the popularity of the lobster around the

world;

Whereas lobsters have inspired artists in

the United States and throughout the world

for hundreds of years;

Whereas lobsters have been, and continue

to be, used as mascots for sports teams;

Whereas lobsters inspire innovation of all

kinds beyond the culinary realm, including

skincare, fertilizer, robotics, and biodegrad-

able golf balls;

Whereas countless people in the United

States enjoy lobster rolls to celebrate sum-

mer, from beaches to backyards, and from

fine-dining restaurants to lobster shacks;

and

Whereas lobster is a staple on the menus of

beloved restaurants across the United

States, and in kitchens across the United

States, bringing families and friends to-

gether: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates September 25, 2023, as ‘‘Na-

tional Lobster Day’’; and

(2) encourages the people of the United

States to observe the day with appropriate

ceremonies and activities.

SENATE RESOLUTION 352—DESIG-

NATING SEPTEMBER 2023 AS

‘‘NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER

AWARENESS MONTH’’

Mr. MANCHIN (for himself, Mr.

COTT

of South Carolina, Mr. R

EED

, Mr.

ASEY

, Mrs. C

APITO

, Mr. G

RAHAM

, and

Mr. H

AWLEY

) submitted the following

resolution; which was considered and

agreed to:

S. R

. 352

Whereas, each year, more than 15,500 chil-

dren under the age of 19 in the United States

are diagnosed with cancer;

Whereas, every year, more than 1,700 chil-

dren in the United States lose their lives to

cancer;

Whereas childhood cancer is the leading

cause of death from disease and the second

leading cause of death overall for children in

the United States;

Whereas the 5-year survival rate for chil-

dren with cancer in the United States has in-

creased from 58 percent in the mid-1970s to 85

percent in 2023, representing a significant

improvement from previous decades;

Whereas approximately

⁄

of children in

the United States who survive cancer will

develop at least one chronic health condi-

tion, and many survivors will face a late ef-

fect from treatment that can be severe or

life-threatening; and

Whereas childhood cancer occurs regularly

and randomly and spares no racial or ethnic

group, socioeconomic class, or geographic re-

gion: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates September 2023 as ‘‘National

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month’’;

(2) requests that the Federal Government,

States, localities, and nonprofit organiza-

tions observe the month with appropriate

programs and activities, with the goal of in-

creasing public knowledge of the risks of

cancer;

(3) encourages survivors of childhood can-

cer to continue to receive ongoing moni-

toring and physical and psychosocial care

throughout their adult lives;

(4) recognizes the human toll of cancer and

pledges to make the prevention of and cure

for cancer a public health priority;

(5) reminds the people of the United States

of the bravery of children who are diagnosed

with cancer; and

(6) commends and honors the courage of

such children.

AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED AND

PROPOSED

SA 1242. Mr. BUDD submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed by him to the

bill H.R. 4366, making appropriations for

military construction, the Department of

Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered to lie

on the table.

SA 1243. Mr. BUDD submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed to amendment

SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself

and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra;

which was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1244. Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and

Ms. L

UMMIS

) submitted an amendment in-

tended to be proposed to amendment SA 1092

proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra;

which was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1245. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed by him

to the bill H.R. 4366, supra; which was or-

dered to lie on the table.

SA 1246. Ms. BALDWIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1247. Mr. TILLIS (for himself and Mr.

UDD

) submitted an amendment intended to

be proposed to amendment SA 1092 proposed

by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

LINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra; which was

ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1248. Mr. KING submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed by him to the

bill H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie

on the table.

SA 1249. Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr.

ORNYN

) submitted an amendment intended

to be proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms.

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra; which

was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1250. Mr. MORAN (for himself, Mr.

ESTER

, and Mr. B

OOZMAN

) submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1251. Mr. CASSIDY (for himself and Mr.

ARPER

) submitted an amendment intended

to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4366,

supra; which was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1252. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1253. Mr. MORAN (for himself, Ms. K

BUCHAR

, and Ms. B

ALDWIN

) submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1254. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed to amendment

SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself

and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra;

which was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1255. Mr. OSSOFF (for himself, Mr.

RAUN

, and Mr. T

ILLIS

) submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed to amendment

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4600 September 19, 2023

SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself

and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, supra;

which was ordered to lie on the table.

SA 1256. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1257. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1258. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1259. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1260. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1261. Mr. REED (for Mr. T

ESTER

) pro-

posed an amendment to the resolution S.

Res. 238, expressing support for recognizing

September 20 as National Service Dog Day.

SA 1262. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, making appropriations for mili-

tary construction, the Department of Vet-

erans Affairs, and related agencies for the

fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1263. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1264. Mr. TILLIS (for himself, Mr.

ELCH

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, and Ms. H

ASSAN

) sub-

mitted an amendment intended to be pro-

posed to amendment SA 1092 proposed by

Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to

the bill H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered

to lie on the table.

SA 1265. Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr.

ULLIVAN

, and Ms. H

IRONO

) submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1266. Mr. SCHMITT submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1267. Mr. SCHMITT submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

RAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered to lie on

the table.

SA 1268. Mr. WELCH (for himself, Mr.

ILLIS

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, and Ms. H

ASSAN

) sub-

mitted an amendment intended to be pro-

posed to amendment SA 1092 proposed by

Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to

the bill H.R. 4366, supra; which was ordered

to lie on the table.

TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

SA 1242. Mr. BUDD submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed by

him to the bill H.R. 4366, making ap-

propriations for military construction,

the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and related agencies for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to

lie on the table; as follows:

On page 230, line 13, insert ‘‘Provided fur-

ther, That not later than 60 days after the

date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-

trator shall transmit to Congress a report

that provides, with respect to the FAA Mod-

ernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L.

112-95), FAA Extension, Safety, and Security

Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114-190), and FAA Reau-

thorization Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-254), a list

of each rulemaking and report requirement

in such Acts and the status of each rule-

making or report: Provided further, That the

amounts made available under this heading

shall be reduced by $100,000 for each day after

the date that is 60 days after the date of en-

actment of this Act that such report has not

been submitted to Congress:’’ after ‘‘Con-

gress:’’.

SA 1243. Mr. BUDD submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO

IMPLEMENT EXECUTIVE ORDER

14019.

None of the funds appropriated or other-

wise made available by this division may be

used to implement or enforce Executive

Order 14019 (86 Fed. Reg. 13623; relating to

promoting access to voting).

At the appropriate place in division B, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO

IMPLEMENT EXECUTIVE ORDER

14019.

None of the funds appropriated or other-

wise made available by this division may be

used to implement or enforce Executive

Order 14019 (86 Fed. Reg. 13623; relating to

promoting access to voting).

At the appropriate place in division C, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO

IMPLEMENT EXECUTIVE ORDER

14019.

None of the funds appropriated or other-

wise made available by this division may be

used to implement or enforce Executive

Order 14019 (86 Fed. Reg. 13623; relating to

promoting access to voting).

SA 1244. Mr. BARRASSO (for himself

and Ms. L

UMMIS

) submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division B, in-

sert the following:

. ll. None of the funds made available

by this Act may be used to finalize, imple-

ment, administer, or enforce the proposed

rule of the Department of Agriculture enti-

tled ‘‘Use of Electronic Identification

Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle

and Bison’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 3320 (January 19,

2023)).

SA 1245. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed by

him to the bill H.R. 4366, making ap-

propriations for military construction,

the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and related agencies for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to

lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the fol-

lowing:

. lll. (a) Not later than 180 days

after the date of enactment of this Act, the

Director of the Federal Housing Finance

Agency, in consultation with the Secretary

of the Treasury, shall submit to Congress a

report regarding the state of the con-

servatorship of the Federal National Mort-

gage Association and the Federal Home Loan

Mortgage Corporation (referred to in this

section as the ‘‘covered entities’’).

(b) The report required under subsection

(a) shall include—

(1) policy options that could be taken to

end the conservatorship of the covered enti-

ties;

(2) potential safeguards that would need to

be established to ensure that, after the end

of the conservatorship of the covered enti-

ties, the covered entities would not need to

be placed in conservatorship at a future date;

(3) whether the conservatorship of the cov-

ered entities has accomplished the primary

goals of the conservatorship; and

(4) if applicable, the projected timeline for

ending the conservatorship of the covered

entities.

SA 1246. Ms. BALDWIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

In the matter under the heading ‘‘

SALARIES

AND EXPENSES

’’ under the heading ‘‘A

GRICUL

TURAL

ESEARCH

ERVICE

’’ under the heading

‘‘AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS’’ in title I of

division B, insert ‘‘: Provided further, That of

the amounts made available under this head-

ing, $8,100,000 shall be used to carry out cran-

berry research’’ before the period at the end.

SA 1247. Mr. TILLIS (for himself and

Mr. B

UDD

) submitted an amendment in-

tended to be proposed to amendment

SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for

herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, making appropriations for

military construction, the Department

of Veterans Affairs, and related agen-

cies for the fiscal year ending Sep-

tember 30, 2024, and for other purposes;

which was ordered to lie on the table;

as follows:

At the end of the amendment, insert the

following:

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4601 September 19, 2023

DIVISION D—LUMBEE FAIRNESS ACT

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

This division may be cited as the ‘‘Lumbee

Fairness Act’’.

SEC. 102. FEDERAL RECOGNITION.

The Act of June 7, 1956 (70 Stat. 254, chap-

ter 375), is amended—

(1) by striking section 2;

(2) in the first sentence of the first section,

by striking ‘‘That the Indians’’ and inserting

the following:

‘‘SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF LUMBEE INDIANS.

‘‘The Indians’’;

(3) in the preamble—

(A) by inserting before the first undesig-

nated clause the following:

‘‘SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

‘‘Congress finds that—’’;

(B) by designating the undesignated

clauses as paragraphs (1) through (4), respec-

tively, and indenting appropriately;

pears;

(D) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon

at the end of each of paragraphs (1) and (2)

(as so designated); and

(E) in paragraph (4) (as so designated), by

striking ‘‘: Now, therefore,’’ and inserting a

period;

(4) by moving the enacting clause so as to

appear before section 1 (as so designated);

(5) by striking the last sentence of section

3 (as designated by paragraph (2));

(6) by inserting before section 3 (as des-

ignated by paragraph (2)) the following:

‘‘SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

‘‘In this Act:

‘‘(1) S

ECRETARY

.—The term ‘Secretary’

means the Secretary of the Interior.

‘‘(2) T

RIBE

.—The term ‘Tribe’ means the

Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina or the

Lumbee Indians of North Carolina.’’; and

(7) by adding at the end the following:

‘‘SEC. 4. FEDERAL RECOGNITION.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—Federal recognition is

extended to the Tribe (as designated as peti-

tioner number 65 by the Office of Federal Ac-

knowledgment).

‘‘(b) A

PPLICABILITY OF

AWS

.—All laws and

regulations of the United States of general

application to Indians and Indian tribes shall

apply to the Tribe and its members.

‘‘(c) P

ETITION FOR

CKNOWLEDGMENT

.—Not-

withstanding section 3, any group of Indians

in Robeson and adjoining counties, North

Carolina, whose members are not enrolled in

the Tribe (as determined under section 5(d))

may petition under part 83 of title 25 of the

Code of Federal Regulations for acknowledg-

ment of tribal existence.

‘‘SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL SERVICES.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—The Tribe and its mem-

bers shall be eligible for all services and ben-

efits provided by the Federal Government to

federally recognized Indian tribes.

‘‘(b) S

ERVICE

REA

.—For the purpose of the

delivery of Federal services and benefits de-

scribed in subsection (a), those members of

the Tribe residing in Robeson, Cumberland,

Hoke, and Scotland counties in North Caro-

lina shall be deemed to be residing on or near

an Indian reservation.

‘‘(c) D

ETERMINATION OF

EEDS

.—On

verification by the Secretary of a tribal roll

under subsection (d), the Secretary and the

Secretary of Health and Human Services

shall—

‘‘(1) develop, in consultation with the

Tribe, a determination of needs to provide

the services for which members of the Tribe

are eligible; and

‘‘(2) after the tribal roll is verified, each

submit to Congress a written statement of

those needs.

‘‘(d) T

RIBAL

OLL

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—For purpose of the deliv-

ery of Federal services and benefits described

in subsection (a), the tribal roll in effect on

the date of enactment of this section shall,

subject to verification by the Secretary, de-

fine the service population of the Tribe.

‘‘(2) V

ERIFICATION LIMITATION AND DEAD

LINE

.—The verification by the Secretary

under paragraph (1) shall—

‘‘(A) be limited to confirming documentary

proof of compliance with the membership

criteria set out in the constitution of the

Tribe adopted on November 16, 2001; and

‘‘(B) be completed not later than 2 years

after the submission of a digitized roll with

supporting documentary proof by the Tribe

to the Secretary.

‘‘SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION TO TAKE LAND INTO

TRUST.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—Notwithstanding any

other provision of law, the Secretary is here-

by authorized to take land into trust for the

benefit of the Tribe.

‘‘(b) T

REATMENT OF

ERTAIN

AND

.—An ap-

plication to take into trust land located

within Robeson County, North Carolina,

under this section shall be treated by the

Secretary as an ‘on reservation’ trust acqui-

sition under part 151 of title 25, Code of Fed-

eral Regulations (or a successor regulation).

‘‘SEC. 7. JURISDICTION OF STATE OF NORTH

CAROLINA.

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—With respect to land lo-

cated within the State of North Carolina

that is owned by, or held in trust by the

United States for the benefit of, the Tribe, or

any dependent Indian community of the

Tribe, the State of North Carolina shall exer-

cise jurisdiction over—

‘‘(1) all criminal offenses that are com-

mitted; and

‘‘(2) all civil actions that arise.

‘‘(b) T

RANSFER OF

URISDICTION

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Subject to paragraph (2),

the Secretary may accept on behalf of the

United States, after consulting with the At-

torney General of the United States, any

transfer by the State of North Carolina to

the United States of any portion of the juris-

diction of the State of North Carolina de-

scribed in subsection (a) over Indian country

occupied by the Tribe pursuant to an agree-

ment between the Tribe and the State of

North Carolina.

‘‘(2) R

ESTRICTION

.—A transfer of jurisdic-

tion described in paragraph (1) may not take

effect until 2 years after the effective date of

the agreement described in that paragraph.

‘‘(c) E

FFECT

.—Nothing in this section af-

fects the application of section 109 of the In-

dian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C.

1919).

‘‘SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated

such sums as are necessary to carry out this

Act.’’.

SA 1248. Mr. KING submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed by

him to the bill H.R. 4366, making ap-

propriations for military construction,

the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and related agencies for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to

lie on the table; as follows:

In the matter under the heading ‘‘

RURAL

HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

’’

under the heading ‘‘R

URAL

OUSING

ERVICE

’’

under the heading ‘‘RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMS’’ in title III of division C, strike

‘‘$60,000,000 for section 515’’ and insert

‘‘$200,000,000 for section 515’’.

In the matter under the heading ‘‘

RURAL

HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

’’

under the heading ‘‘R

URAL

OUSING

ERVICE

’’

under the heading ‘‘RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMS’’ in title III of division C, strike

‘‘$35,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘75,000,000’’.

SA 1249. Mr. CRUZ (for himself and

Mr. C

ORNYN

) submitted an amendment

intended to be proposed to amendment

SA 1092 proposed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for

herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill

H.R. 4366, making appropriations for

military construction, the Department

of Veterans Affairs, and related agen-

cies for the fiscal year ending Sep-

tember 30, 2024, and for other purposes;

which was ordered to lie on the table;

as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the fol-

lowing:

SEC. ll. ADVANCING EFFORTS SEEKING COM-

PLIANCE BY MEXICO WITH TREATY

ON UTILIZATION OF WATERS OF THE

COLORADO AND TIJUANA RIVERS

AND OF THE RIO GRANDE.

The Secretary of State shall use the voice,

vote, diplomatic capital, and resources of the

United States to ensure that United States

diplomats and officials of the U.S. Section of

the International Boundary and Water Com-

mission are able to advance efforts seeking

compliance by the United Mexican States

with the Treaty on Utilization of Waters of

the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the

Rio Grande, signed at Washington February

3, 1944, and to establish understandings to

provide predictable and reliable future deliv-

eries of water by the United Mexican States.

SA 1250. Mr. MORAN (for himself,

Mr. T

ESTER

, and Mr. B

OOZMAN

) sub-

mitted an amendment intended to be

proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Affairs, and related agencies for the fis-

cal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered

to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO

CHANGE RATE OF REIMBURSEMENT

FOR TRANSPORTATION VIA SPECIAL

MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

During the period beginning on October 1,

2023, and ending on September 30, 2024, no

funds appropriated by this division may be

obligated or expended to change rates for re-

imbursement for transportation of a veteran

or other individual via a special mode of

transportation under the laws administered

by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from

the rates in place as of January 1, 2023.

SEC. lll. REDUCTION OF AMOUNTS FOR DE-

PARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION—

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AC-

COUNT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF

VETERANS AFFAIRS.

The amounts otherwise made available by

this division for the Departmental Adminis-

tration—General Administration account of

the Department of Veterans Affairs are here-

by reduced by $43,500,000.

SA 1251. Mr. CASSIDY (for himself

and Mr. C

ARPER

) submitted an amend-

ment intended to be proposed by him

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

In the matter under the heading ‘‘

RURAL

HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

’’

under the heading ‘‘R

URAL

OUSING

ERVICE

’’

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4602 September 19, 2023

under the heading ‘‘RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMS’’ in title III of division C, strike

‘‘$850,000,000’’ and insert ‘‘$793,520,000’’.

In the matter under the heading ‘‘

RURAL

HOUSING INSURANCE FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

’’

under the heading ‘‘R

URAL

OUSING

ERVICE

’’

under the heading ‘‘RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMS’’ in title III of division C, strike

‘‘$62,637,000’’ and insert ‘‘$82,637,000’’.

In title VII of division B, strike sections

771 and 774.

SA 1252. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the end of division A, insert the fol-

lowing:

TITLE V—IMPROVING REVIEW OF CLAIMS

FOR VETERANS BENEFITS

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the ‘‘Preserving

Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans

Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘PLUS for Veterans Act

of 2023’’.

SEC. 502. CLARIFICATION OF PREPARATION,

PRESENTATION, OR PROSECUTION

OF A CLAIM UNDER A LAW ADMINIS-

TERED BY SECRETARY OF VET-

ERANS AFFAIRS.

Section 5901 of title 38, United States Code,

is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘Except’’ and inserting the

following:

‘‘(a) I

ENERAL

.—Except’’; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new

subsection:

‘‘(b) E

XCLUSION

.—The administration of a

medical examination, or the writing of a re-

port based on such examination, described in

section 5125 of this title, does not constitute

the preparation, presentation, or prosecution

of a claim described in subsection (a).’’.

SEC. 503. AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS IN CLAIMS

UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY

SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS:

RECOGNITION; SUSPENSION.

Section 5904 of title 38, United States Code,

is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(1)—

(A) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘Except’’;

and

(B) by adding at the end the following new

subparagraphs:

‘‘(B)(i) The Secretary shall determine

whether to recognize under subparagraph (A)

an agent or attorney who applies for such

recognition not later than 90 days after the

Secretary receives such application.

‘‘(ii) If the Secretary cannot verify wheth-

er the agent or attorney meets the qualifica-

tions and standards prescribed under para-

graph (2) before the end of such 90 days, the

Secretary shall recognize the agent or attor-

ney under such subparagraph.

‘‘(C) The Secretary may not refuse to rec-

ognize under subparagraph (A) an agent or

attorney solely on the basis that such agent

or attorney charges a claimant a fee for serv-

ices rendered in the preparation, presen-

tation, or prosecution of a claim.

‘‘(D) The Secretary may suspend under

subsection (b) an agent or attorney described

in subparagraph (E) without regard to the

notice and opportunity for a hearing under

such subsection.

‘‘(E) An agent or attorney described in this

subparagraph is an agent or attorney—

‘‘(i) recognized pursuant to subparagraph

(B)(ii); and

‘‘(ii) whom the Secretary determines, after

the 90-day period described in such subpara-

graph, does not meet the qualifications and

standards prescribed under paragraph (2).’’;

and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1)

through (9) as subparagraphs (A) through (I),

respectively;

(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph

(A), as redesignated, by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ be-

fore ‘‘The Secretary’’; and

paragraph:

‘‘(2) Not later than one year after the date

of the enactment of the Preserving Lawful

Utilization of Services for Veterans Act of

2023 and annually thereafter, the Secretary

shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’

Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on

Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa-

tives a report regarding the number of indi-

viduals suspended under this subsection or

denied recognition under subsection (a),

disaggregated by the reasons for such sus-

pension or denial and whether the individual

is—

‘‘(A) a representative of an organization

recognized under section 5902 of this title;

‘‘(B) an agent; or

‘‘(C) an attorney.’’.

SEC. 504. FEES ALLOWABLE FOR REPRESENTA-

TION OF VETERANS FOR CLAIMS

UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY

SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) F

EES

.—Section 5904 of title 38, United

States Code, as amended by section 503, is

further amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(5), by striking ‘‘prepa-

ration, presentation, and prosecution of a

claim before the Department’’ and inserting

‘‘course of representation described in sub-

section (c)(2)’’;

(2) in subsection (c)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting

‘‘F

LAT

GREEMENTS

.—’’ after ‘‘(c)’’;

(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as

follows:

‘‘(1)(A) In a case other than a case de-

scribed in paragraph (2), a fee agreement be-

tween a claimant and an agent or attorney,

with respect to the preparation, presen-

tation, or prosecution of a claim under a law

administered by the Secretary, shall be a fee

agreement under—

‘‘(i) this paragraph, using a standard agree-

ment form prescribed by the Secretary;

‘‘(ii) subsection (d); or

‘‘(iii) subsection (e).

‘‘(B) A fee agreement under this paragraph

is one under which the total amount payable

by the claimant to the agent or attorney

with respect to the claim—

‘‘(i) may not exceed $12,500 (as adjusted

from time to time under subparagraph (C));

and

‘‘(ii) is contingent on whether the claim is

resolved in a manner favorable to the claim-

ant.

‘‘(C) Effective on October 1 of each year

(beginning in the first fiscal year after the

date of the enactment of the Preserving

Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans

Act of 2023), the Secretary shall increase the

dollar amount in effect under clause (i) of

subparagraph (B) by a percentage equal to

the percentage by which the Consumer Price

Index for all urban consumers (U.S. city av-

erage) increased during the 12-month period

ending with the last month for which Con-

sumer Price Index data is available. In the

event that such Consumer Price Index does

not increase during such period, the Sec-

retary shall maintain the dollar amount in

effect under such clause during the previous

fiscal year.

‘‘(D) The limitation under subparagraph

(B)(i) does not apply to any fee charged, al-

lowed, or paid for services provided with re-

spect to proceedings before a court.

‘‘(E) For purposes of subparagraph (B)(ii), a

claim shall be considered to have been re-

solved in a manner favorable to the claimant

if all or any part of the relief sought is

granted.

‘‘(F) The form prescribed by the Secretary

under subparagraph (A)(i) shall include the

following notifications to the claimant:

‘‘(i) That organizations recognized under

section 5902 of this title furnish services con-

cerning claims under laws administered by

the Secretary, at no cost to claimants.

‘‘(ii) That the claimant may select a pri-

vate physician for a medical examination de-

scribed in section 5125 of this title regarding

the claim.

‘‘(iii) That such agent or attorney may not

refer the claimant to a private physician de-

scribed in clause (ii) with whom the agent or

attorney has a business relationship regard-

ing the claim.’’;

to in paragraph (1) of this subsection’’ and

inserting ‘‘regarding a claim under a law ad-

ministered by the Secretary’’;

(D) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘to

paragraph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘to paragraph

(1) or (2)’’; and

(E) by striking paragraph (4); and

(3) by adding at the end the following new

subsection:

‘‘(e) P

AYMENT OF

EES

UT OF AN

WARD OR

NCREASED

WARD

.—(1) When a claimant and

an agent or attorney have entered into a fee

agreement described in paragraph (2), the

total fee payable to the agent or attorney

(including all ancillary fees) may not exceed

the amount that is equal to the product of

five and the amount of the monthly increase

of benefits awarded on the basis of the claim.

‘‘(2) A fee agreement referred to in para-

graph (1) is one under which the total

amount of the fee payable to the agent or at-

torney—

‘‘(A) is to be paid to the agent or attorney

by the claimant, after commencement of the

monthly period of payment of monetary ben-

efits based on an award or increased award

(as defined in section 5111(d) of this title);

and

‘‘(B) is contingent on whether the matter

is resolved in a manner favorable to the

claimant.

‘‘(3) For the purposes of this subsection, a

claim shall be considered to have been re-

solved in a manner favorable to the claimant

if all or any part of the relief sought is

granted.’’.

(b) R

EGULATIONS

.—Not later than 180 days

after the date of the enactment of this Act,

the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to

carry out the amendments made by this sec-

tion.

SEC. 505. REINSTATEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR

CHARGING VETERANS UNAUTHOR-

IZED FEES RELATING TO CLAIMS

UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY

THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AF-

FAIRS.

(a) I

ENERAL

.—Section 5905 of title 38,

United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking

‘‘Penalty’’ and inserting ‘‘Penalties’’;

(2) by striking ‘‘Whoever’’ and inserting

the following:

‘‘(a) W

ITHHOLDING OF

ENEFITS

.—Whoever’’;

and

(3) by adding at the end the following new

subsection:

‘‘(b) C

HARGING OF

NAUTHORIZED

EES

.—

Except as provided in sections 5904 or 1984 of

this title, whoever directly or indirectly so-

licits, contracts for, charges, or receives, or

attempts to solicit, contract for, charge, or

receive, any fee or compensation with re-

spect to the preparation, presentation, or

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4603 September 19, 2023

prosecution of any claim for benefits under a

law administered by the Secretary shall be

fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned

not more than one year, or both.’’.

(b) C

LERICAL

MENDMENT

.—The table of

sections at the beginning of chapter 59 of

such title is amended by striking the item

relating to section 5905 and inserting the fol-

lowing new item:

‘‘5905. Penalties for certain acts.’’.

FFECTIVE

ATE

.—The amendments

made by this section shall take effect one

year after the date of the enactment of this

Act.

SA 1253. Mr. MORAN (for himself,

Ms. K

LOBUCHAR

, and Ms. B

ALDWIN

) sub-

mitted an amendment intended to be

proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Affairs, and related agencies for the fis-

cal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered

to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division B, in-

sert the following:

. llll. (a) In addition to amounts

otherwise made available, there is appro-

priated, out of amounts in the Treasury not

otherwise appropriated, $1,000,000 to carry

out section 4208 of the Agriculture Improve-

ment Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2026a).

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of

this Act, the total amount appropriated

under the heading ‘‘O

FFICE OF THE

RETARY

’’ under the heading ‘‘P

ROCESSING

ESEARCH

AND

ARKETING

’’ under the head-

ing ‘‘AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS’’ in title

I is reduced by $1,000,000.

SA 1254. Mr. DURBIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title VII of di-

vision B, insert the following:

. ll. (a) In addition to the annual

amount of user fees authorized to be assessed

and collected under section 919(c) of the Fed-

eral Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.

387s(c)) and made available for purposes of

carrying out the Food and Drug Administra-

tion’s tobacco regulation activities under

chapter IX of such Act (21 U.S.C. 387 et seq.),

notwithstanding section 919(c)(2)(B) of such

Act (21 U.S.C. 387s(c)(2)(B)), of the amounts

made available to the Food and Drug Admin-

istration under this Act, not less than

$8,000,000 shall be used by the Commissioner

of Food and Drugs for such tobacco regula-

tion activities, including to enhance regu-

latory reviews of, and enforcement actions

with respect to, electronic nicotine delivery

systems.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of

this Act, the amount rescinded pursuant to

section 745 shall be $315,526,000.

SA 1255. Mr. OSSOFF (for himself,

Mr. B

RAUN

, and Mr. T

ILLIS

) submitted

an amendment intended to be proposed

to amendment SA 1092 proposed by

Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

LINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, making ap-

propriations for military construction,

the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and related agencies for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to

lie on the table; as follows:

On page 75, line 23, strike the period at the

end and insert the following: ‘‘, of which

$10,000,000 shall be made available for the Of-

fice of Women’s Health of the Department of

Veterans Affairs established under section

7310 of title 38, United States Code, to be

used by the Secretary to expand access of

women veterans to—

(1) mobile mammography initiatives;

(2) advanced mammography equipment;

and

(3) outreach activities to publicize such

initiatives and equipment.

SA 1256. Mr. LANKFORD submitted

an amendment intended to be proposed

to amendment SA 1092 proposed by

Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

LINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, making ap-

propriations for military construction,

the Department of Veterans Affairs,

and related agencies for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2024, and for

other purposes; which was ordered to

lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title VII of di-

vision B, insert the following:

. 7ll. (a) The modifications approved

by the Food and Drug Administration on

January 3, 2023, to the risk evaluation and

mitigation strategy under section 505–1 of

the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

(21 U.S.C. 355–1) for mifepristone shall have

no force or effect.

(b) None of the funds made available by

this Act may be used to—

(1) establish, implement, or enforce any

provision of a risk evaluation and mitigation

strategy under section 505–1 of the Federal

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355–

1) for mifepristone that is substantially simi-

lar to any of the modifications nullified by

subsection (a); or

(2) exercise discretion to not enforce any

provision of a risk evaluation and mitigation

strategy under such section 505–1 for

mifepristone.

SA 1257. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the end, add the following:

DIVISION D—PREVENT GOVERNMENT

SHUTDOWNS ACT OF 2023

SECTION 4001. SHORT TITLE.

This division may be cited as the ‘‘Prevent

Government Shutdowns Act of 2023’’.

SEC. 4002. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIA-

TIONS.

(a) I

ENERAL

.—Subtitle I of chapter 13 of

title 31, United States Code, is amended by

adding at the end the following:

‘‘§ 1311. Automatic continuing appropriations

‘‘(a)(1)(A) On and after the first day of each

fiscal year, if an appropriation Act for such

fiscal year with respect to the account for a

program, project, or activity has not been

enacted and continuing appropriations are

not in effect with respect to the program,

project, or activity, there are appropriated

such sums as may be necessary to continue,

at the rate for operations specified in sub-

paragraph (C), the program, project, or activ-

ity if funds were provided for the program,

project, or activity during the preceding fis-

cal year.

‘‘(B)(i) Appropriations and funds made

available and authority granted under sub-

paragraph (A) shall be available for a period

of 14 days.

‘‘(ii) If, at the end of the first 14-day period

during which appropriations and funds are

made available and authority is granted

under subparagraph (A), and the end of every

14-day period thereafter, an appropriation

Act for such fiscal year with respect to the

account for a program, project, or activity

has not been enacted and continuing appro-

priations are not in effect with respect to the

program, project, or activity under a provi-

sion of law other than subparagraph (A), the

appropriations and funds made available and

authority granted under subparagraph (A)

during the 14-day period shall be extended

for an additional 14-day period.

‘‘(C)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), the

rate for operations specified in this subpara-

graph with respect to a program, project, or

activity is the rate for operations for the

preceding fiscal year for the program,

project, or activity—

‘‘(I) provided in the corresponding appro-

priation Act for such preceding fiscal year;

‘‘(II) if the corresponding appropriation

bill for such preceding fiscal year was not en-

acted, provided in the law providing con-

tinuing appropriations for such preceding fis-

cal year; or

‘‘(III) if the corresponding appropriation

bill and a law providing continuing appro-

priations for such preceding fiscal year were

not enacted, provided under this section for

such preceding fiscal year.

‘‘(ii) For entitlements and other manda-

tory payments whose budget authority was

provided for the previous fiscal year in ap-

propriations Acts, under a law other than

this section providing continuing appropria-

tions for such previous year, or under this

section, and for activities under the Food

and Nutrition Act of 2008, appropriations and

funds made available during a fiscal year

under this section shall be at the rate nec-

essary to maintain program levels under cur-

rent law, under the authority and conditions

provided in the applicable appropriations

Act.

‘‘(2) Appropriations and funds made avail-

able, and authority granted, for any fiscal

year pursuant to this section for a program,

project, or activity shall be available, in ac-

cordance with paragraph (1)(B), for the pe-

riod—

‘‘(A) beginning on the first day of any lapse

in appropriations during such fiscal year;

and

‘‘(B) ending on the date of enactment of an

appropriation Act for such fiscal year with

respect to the account for such program,

project, or activity (whether or not such Act

provides appropriations for such program,

project, or activity) or a law making con-

tinuing appropriations for the program,

project, or activity, as applicable.

‘‘(3) Notwithstanding section 251(a)(1) of

the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit

Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)(1)) and the

timetable in section 254(a) of such Act (2

U.S.C. 904(a)), for any fiscal year for which

appropriations and funds are made available

under this section, the final sequestration

report for such fiscal year pursuant to sec-

tion 254(f)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 904(f)(1))

and any order for such fiscal year pursuant

to section 254(f)(5) of such Act (2 U.S.C.

901(f)(5)) shall be issued—

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4604 September 19, 2023

‘‘(A) for the Congressional Budget Office,

10 days after the date on which appropriation

Acts providing funding for the entire Federal

Government through the end of such fiscal

year have been enacted; and

‘‘(B) for the Office of Management and

Budget, 15 days after the date on which ap-

propriation Acts providing funding for the

entire Federal Government through the end

of such fiscal year have been enacted.

‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made avail-

able, or authority granted, for a program,

project, or activity for any fiscal year pursu-

ant to this section shall be subject to the

terms and conditions imposed with respect

to the appropriation made or funds made

available for the preceding fiscal year, or au-

thority granted for such program, project, or

activity under current law.

‘‘(c) Expenditures made for a program,

project, or activity for any fiscal year pursu-

ant to this section shall be charged to the

applicable appropriation, fund, or authoriza-

tion whenever an appropriation Act for such

fiscal year with respect to the account for a

program, project, or activity or a law mak-

ing continuing appropriations until the end

of such fiscal year for such program, project,

or activity is enacted.

‘‘(d) This section shall not apply to a pro-

gram, project, or activity during a fiscal

year if any other provision of law (other

than an authorization of appropriations)—

‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds

available, or grants authority for such pro-

gram, project, or activity to continue for

such period; or

‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appro-

priation shall be made, no funds shall be

made available, or no authority shall be

granted for such program, project, or activ-

ity to continue for such period.’’.

(b) C

LERICAL

MENDMENT

.—The table of

sections for subtitle I of chapter 13 of title

31, United States Code, is amended by adding

at the end the following:

‘‘1311. Automatic continuing appropria-

tions.’’.

SEC. 4003. TIMELY ENACTMENT OF APPROPRIA-

TION ACTS.

(a) D

EFINITIONS

.—In this section—

(1) the term ‘‘covered officer or employee’’

means—

(A) an officer or employee of the Office of

Management and Budget;

(B) a Member of Congress; or

Member of Congress, a committee of either

House of Congress, or a joint committee of

Congress;

(2) the term ‘‘covered period’’—

(A) means any period of automatic con-

tinuing appropriations; and

(B) with respect to the legislative branch—

(i) does not include any period of auto-

matic continuing appropriations that occurs

during the period—

(I) beginning at the time at which general

appropriations Acts providing funding for

the entire Federal Government (including an

appropriation Act providing continuing fund-

ing) have been enacted or passed in identical

form by both Houses and transmitted to the

Secretary of the Senate or Clerk of the

House for enrollment and presentment to the

President for his signature; and

(II) ending at the time at which 1 or more

general appropriations Acts—

(aa) are vetoed by the President; or

(bb) do not become law without the Presi-

dent’s signature under article I, section 7 of

the Constitution of the United States based

on an adjournment of the Congress; and

(ii) includes any period of automatic con-

tinuing appropriations that is not a period

described in clause (i) and that follows a veto

or a failure to become law (as described in

item (bb) of clause (i)(II)) of 1 or more gen-

eral appropriations Acts;

(3) the term ‘‘Member of Congress’’ has the

meaning given that term in section 2106 of

title 5, United States Code;

(4) the term ‘‘National Capital Region’’ has

the meaning given that term in section 8702

of title 40, United States Code; and

(5) the term ‘‘period of automatic con-

tinuing appropriations’’ means a period dur-

ing which automatic continuing appropria-

tions under section 1311 of title 31, United

States Code, as added by section 2 of this

Act, are in effect with respect to 1 or more

programs, projects, or activities.

(b) L

IMITS ON

RAVEL

XPENDITURES

.—

(1) L

IMITS ON OFFICIAL TRAVEL

.—

(A) L

IMITATION

.—Except as provided in sub-

paragraph (B), no amounts may be obligated

or expended for official travel by a covered

officer or employee during a covered period.

(B) E

XCEPTIONS

.—

(i) R

ETURN TO DC

.—If a covered officer or

employee is away from the seat of Govern-

ment on the date on which a covered period

begins, funds may be obligated and expended

for official travel for a single return trip to

the seat of Government by the covered offi-

cer or employee.

(ii) T

RAVEL IN NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

.—

During a covered period, amounts may be ob-

ligated and expended for official travel by a

covered officer or employee from one loca-

tion in the National Capital Region to an-

other location in the National Capital Re-

gion.

(iii) N

ATIONAL SECURITY EVENTS

.—During a

covered period, if a national security event

that triggers a continuity of operations or

continuity of Government protocol occurs,

amounts may be obligated and expended for

official travel by a covered officer or em-

ployee for any official travel relating to re-

sponding to the national security event or

implementing the continuity of operations

or continuity of Government protocol.

(2) R

ESTRICTION ON USE OF CAMPAIGN

FUNDS

.—Section 313 of the Federal Election

Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30114) is

amended—

(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘for or-

dinary’’ and inserting ‘‘except as provided in

subsection (d), for ordinary’’; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

‘‘(d) R

ESTRICTION ON

SE OF

AMPAIGN

UNDS FOR

FFICIAL

RAVEL

URING

UTO

MATIC

ONTINUING

PPROPRIATIONS

.—

‘‘(1) I

N GENERAL

.—Except as provided in

paragraph (2), during a covered period (as de-

fined in section 3 of the Prevent Government

Shutdowns Act of 2023), a contribution or do-

nation described in subsection (a) may not be

obligated or expended for travel in connec-

tion with duties of the individual as a holder

of Federal office.

‘‘(2) R

ETURN TO DC

.—If the individual is

away from the seat of Government on the

date on which a covered period (as so de-

fined) begins, a contribution or donation de-

scribed in subsection (a) may be obligated

and expended for travel by the individual to

return to the seat of Government.’’.

ROCEDURES IN THE

ENATE AND

OUSE

EPRESENTATIVES

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—During a covered period,

in the Senate and the House of Representa-

tives—

(A) it shall not be in order to move to pro-

ceed to any matter except for—

(i) a measure making appropriations for

the fiscal year during which the covered pe-

riod begins;

(ii) any motion required to determine the

presence of or produce a quorum; or

(iii) on and after the 30th calendar day

after the first day of a covered period—

(I) the nomination of an individual—

(aa) to a position at level I of the Execu-

tive Schedule under section 5312 of title 5,

United States Code; or

(bb) to serve as Chief Justice of the United

States or an Associate Justice of the Su-

preme Court of the United States; or

(II) a measure extending the period during

which a program, project, or activity is au-

thorized to be carried out (without sub-

stantive change to the program, project, or

activity or any other program, project, or

activity) if—

(aa) an appropriation Act with respect to

the program, project, or activity for the fis-

cal year during which the covered period oc-

curs has not been enacted; and

(bb) the program, project, or activity has

expired since the beginning of such fiscal

year or will expire during the 30-day period

beginning on the date of the motion;

(B) it shall not be in order to move to re-

cess or adjourn for a period of more than 23

hours; and

lowing any constructive convening of the

Senate under rule IV, paragraph 2 of the

Standing Rules of the Senate, the Presiding

Officer shall direct the clerk to determine

whether a quorum is present.

(2) W

AIVER

.—

(A) L

IMITATION ON PERIOD

.—It shall not be

in order in the Senate or the House of Rep-

resentatives to move to waive any provision

of paragraph (1) for a period that is longer

than 7 days.

(B) S

UPERMAJORITY VOTE

.—A provision of

paragraph (1) may only be waived or sus-

pended upon an affirmative vote of two-

thirds of the Members of the applicable

House of Congress, duly chosen and sworn.

(d) M

OTION

ROCEED TO

PPROPRIA

TIONS

.—

(1) I

N GENERAL

.—On and after the 30th cal-

endar day after the first day of each fiscal

year, if an appropriation Act for such fiscal

year with respect to a program, project, or

activity has not been enacted, it shall be in

order in the Senate, notwithstanding rule

XXII or any pending executive measure or

matter, to move to proceed to any appropria-

tions bill or joint resolution for the program,

project, or activity that has been sponsored

and cosponsored by not less than 3 Senators

who are members of or caucus with the party

in the majority in the Senate and not less

than 3 Senators who are members of or cau-

cus with the party in the minority in the

Senate.

(2) C

ONSIDERATION

.—For a bill or joint res-

olution described in paragraph (1)—

(A) the bill or joint resolution may be con-

sidered the same day as it is introduced and

shall not have to lie over 1 day; and

(B) the motion to proceed to the bill or

joint resolution shall be debatable for not to

exceed 6 hours, equally divided between the

proponents and opponents of the motion, and

upon the use or yielding back of time, the

Senate shall vote on the motion to proceed.

SEC. 4004. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

(a) C

LASSIFICATION OF

UDGETARY

FECTS

.—The budgetary effects of this divi-

sion and the amendments made by this divi-

sion shall be estimated as if this division and

the amendments made by this division are

discretionary appropriations Acts for pur-

poses of section 251 of the Balanced Budget

and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2

U.S.C. 900 et seq.).

(b) B

ASELINE

.—For purposes of calculating

the baseline under section 257 of the Bal-

anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control

Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907), the provision of

budgetary resources under section 1311 of

title 31, United States Code, as added by this

division, for an account shall be considered

to be a continuing appropriation in effect for

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4605 September 19, 2023

such account for less than the entire current

year.

NFORCEMENT OF

ISCRETIONARY

PEND

ING

IMITS

.—For purposes of enforcing the

discretionary spending limits under section

251(a) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency

Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)),

the budgetary resources made available

under section 1311 of title 31, United States

Code, as added by this division, shall be con-

sidered part-year appropriations for purposes

of section 251(a)(4) of the Balanced Budget

and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2

U.S.C. 901(a)(4)).

SA 1258. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. SENSE OF CONGRESS AND REPORT

ON NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTEL-

LIGENCE INSTITUTE OF THE DE-

PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) S

ENSE OF

ONGRESS

.—It is the sense of

Congress that Congress supports the Na-

tional Artificial Intelligence Institute of the

Department of Veterans Affairs in the en-

deavors of the Institute to research, develop,

incorporate, and implement artificial intel-

ligence where needed in the Department.

(b) R

EPORT

EQUIRED

.—Not later than 180

days after the date of the enactment of this

Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall

submit to Congress a report on the mission

of the Institute, the current programs of the

Institute, the implementation by the Insti-

tute of artificial intelligence within the De-

partment, and the strategy of the Institute

to incorporate artificial intelligence across

the Department going forward.

SA 1259. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division B, in-

sert the following:

. ll. In determining awardees of

grants under the distance learning and tele-

medicine program under chapter 1 of subtitle

D of title XXIII of the Food, Agriculture,

Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.

950aaa et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture

shall provide attention to the need for dis-

tance learning and telemedicine access in

moderately rugged and highly rugged areas,

as defined by the Road Ruggedness Scale of

the Economic Research Service.

SA 1260. Mr. MANCHIN submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. ll. REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF VET-

ERANS AFFAIRS CONSULTATION

WITH PHYSICIANS ON NATIONAL

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE.

Not later than 180 days after the date of

the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of

Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a

report on how the Department of Veterans

Affairs consults with physicians to ensure

that safe, high-quality national standards of

practice are developed and implemented

across medical centers of the Department.

SA 1261. Mr. REED (for Mr. T

ESTER

)

proposed an amendment to the resolu-

tion S. Res. 238, expressing support for

recognizing September 20 as National

Service Dog Day; as follows:

In the first whereas clause of the preamble,

strike ‘‘including—’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘disabilities’’.

In the second whereas clause of the pre-

amble, strike ‘‘, hear’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘seizure’’.

Strike the fourth whereas clause of the

preamble.

In the fifth whereas clause of the preamble,

strike ‘‘, including’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘ideation’’.

In the sixth whereas clause of the pre-

amble, strike ‘‘, located in all 50 States,

Puerto Riceo, and Guam’’.

SA 1262. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title I of divi-

sion C, insert the following:

. lll. Not later than September 30,

2024, the Secretary of Transportation shall

submit to Congress a report that compares

the labor costs of transportation projects

funded by the Department of Transportation

(including through any grant, loan, loan

guarantee, insurance, or other method) that

are subject to the final rule of the Depart-

ment of Labor entitled ‘‘Updating the Davis-

Bacon and Related Acts Regulations’’ (88

Fed. Reg. 57526 (August 23, 2023)) with the

labor costs of transportation projects funded

by the Department of Transportation (in-

cluding through any grant, loan, loan guar-

antee, insurance, or other method) in the 1-

year period ending on the effective date of

that rule.

SA 1263. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the fol-

lowing:

SEC. llll. PROTECTING DOMESTIC SOURCES

OF URANIUM.

Notwithstanding any other provision of

law, no Federal funds shall be used to des-

ignate a new, or expand an existing, national

monument on land that includes a uranium

mill or mine that may provide a domestic

source of uranium.

SA 1264. Mr. TILLIS (for himself, Mr.

ELCH

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, and Ms. H

ASSAN

)

submitted an amendment intended to

be proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Affairs, and related agencies for the fis-

cal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered

to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. REVIEW OF VETERANS WHO EN-

GAGED IN TOXIC EXPOSURE RISK

ACTIVITIES WHILE SERVING IN

KOSOVO AND THE HEALTH EFFECTS

OF SUCH TOXIC EXPOSURE RISK AC-

TIVITIES.

(a) R

EVIEW

EQUIRED

.—The Secretary of

Veterans Affairs shall conduct a review of

the following:

(1) Data regarding the mortality of covered

veterans.

(2) Any data on toxic exposure experienced

by covered veterans that is both relevant

and available, including toxicology studies.

(3) The type of toxic exposure risk activi-

ties covered veterans engaged in while serv-

ing in the active military, naval, air, or

space service in Kosovo.

(b) C

OVERED

ETERANS

.—For purposes of

subsection (a), a covered veteran is a veteran

who—

(1) served in the active military, naval, air,

or space service in Kosovo; and

(2) as part of such service, engaged in a

toxic exposure risk activity.

ANNER AND

UITABILITY OF

EVIEW

.—

The Secretary shall carry out the review re-

quired by subsection (a) in a manner such

that the findings of the Secretary with re-

spect to the review are suitable and applica-

ble under subchapter VII of chapter 11 of

title 38, United States Code.

(d) D

EFINITIONS

.—In this section:

(1) A

CTIVE MILITARY

NAVAL

AIR

OR SPACE

SERVICE

.—The term ‘‘active military, naval,

air, or space service’’ has the meaning given

such term in section 101 of title 38, United

States Code.

(2) T

OXIC EXPOSURE RISK ACTIVITY

.—The

term ‘‘toxic exposure risk activity’’ has the

meaning given such term in section 1710(e)(4)

of such title.

(3) V

ETERAN

.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the

meaning given such term in section 101 of

such title.

SA 1265. Mr. SCHATZ (for himself,

Mr. S

ULLIVAN

, and Ms. H

IRONO

) sub-

mitted an amendment intended to be

proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Affairs, and related agencies for the fis-

cal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered

to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title IV of divi-

sion C, insert the following:

SEC. ll.

Notwithstanding any other provision of

law, the Administrator of the Federal Emer-

gency Management Agency may adjust the

limit established under section 408(h)(1) of

the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATES4606 September 19, 2023

Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

5174(h)(1)) with respect to a major disaster

declared under section 401 of that Act (42

U.S.C. 5170) outside the continental United

States after August 1, 2023, based on appro-

priate economic indicators demonstrating

high local repair and construction costs. Pro-

vided, that such amounts are designated by

Congress as being for an emergency require-

ment pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of

the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit

Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 951(b)(2)(A)(i)).

SA 1266. Mr. SCHMITT submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. ll. AMOUNTS FOR ROSECRANS AIR NA-

TIONAL GUARD BASE, MISSOURI.

The is appropriated, out of any funds in the

Treasury not otherwise appropriated,

$2,000,000 to carry out a project at Rosecrans

Air National Guard Base, Missouri, relating

to 139th airlift wing entry control point

planning and design.

SA 1267. Mr. SCHMITT submitted an

amendment intended to be proposed to

amendment SA 1092 proposed by Mrs.

URRAY

(for herself and Ms. C

OLLINS

)

to the bill H.R. 4366, making appropria-

tions for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and re-

lated agencies for the fiscal year end-

ing September 30, 2024, and for other

purposes; which was ordered to lie on

the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. ll. AMOUNTS FOR ROSECRANS AIR NA-

TIONAL GUARD BASE, MISSOURI.

The is appropriated, out of any funds in the

Treasury not otherwise appropriated,

$2,000,000 to carry out a project at Rosecrans

Air National Guard Base, Missouri, relating

to entry control point planning and design.

SA 1268. Mr. WELCH (for himself, Mr.

ILLIS

, Mr. S

ANDERS

, and Ms. H

ASSAN

)

submitted an amendment intended to

be proposed to amendment SA 1092 pro-

posed by Mrs. M

URRAY

(for herself and

Ms. C

OLLINS

) to the bill H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military con-

struction, the Department of Veterans

Affairs, and related agencies for the fis-

cal year ending September 30, 2024, and

for other purposes; which was ordered

to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in division A, in-

sert the following:

SEC. lll. REVIEW OF VETERANS WHO EN-

GAGED IN TOXIC EXPOSURE RISK

ACTIVITIES WHILE SERVING IN

KOSOVO AND THE HEALTH EFFECTS

OF SUCH TOXIC EXPOSURE RISK AC-

TIVITIES.

(a) R

EVIEW

EQUIRED

.—The Secretary of

Veterans Affairs shall conduct a review of

the following:

(1) Data regarding the mortality of covered

veterans.

(2) Any data on toxic exposure experienced

by covered veterans that is both relevant

and available, including toxicology studies.

(3) The type of toxic exposure risk activi-

ties covered veterans engaged in while serv-

ing in the active military, naval, air, or

space service in Kosovo.

(b) C

OVERED

ETERANS

.—For purposes of

subsection (a), a covered veteran is a veteran

who—

(1) served in the active military, naval, air,

or space service in Kosovo; and

(2) as part of such service, engaged in a

toxic exposure risk activity.

ANNER AND

UITABILITY OF

EVIEW

.—

The Secretary shall carry out the review re-

quired by subsection (a) in a manner such

that the findings of the Secretary with re-

spect to the review are suitable and applica-

ble under subchapter VII of chapter 11 of

title 38, United States Code.

(d) D

EFINITIONS

.—In this section:

(1) A

CTIVE MILITARY

NAVAL

AIR

OR SPACE

SERVICE

.—The term ‘‘active military, naval,

air, or space service’’ has the meaning given

such term in section 101 of title 38, United

States Code.

(2) T

OXIC EXPOSURE RISK ACTIVITY

.—The

term ‘‘toxic exposure risk activity’’ has the

meaning given such term in section 1710(e)(4)

of such title.

(3) V

ETERAN

.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the

meaning given such term in section 101 of

such title.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUSPEND

THE RULES

Mr. LEE. Madam President, I submit

the following notice in writing: In ac-

cordance with Rule V of the Standing

Rules of the Senate, I hereby give no-

tice in writing that it is my intention

to move to suspend Rule XVI and Rule

XXII, including germaneness require-

ments and dilatory provisions, to offer

the following amendments, either as

floor amendments, or as motions to re-

commit with instructions: Vance No.

1210, Lee No. 1121, Cruz No. 1176, Rubio

No. 1159, Rubio No. 1237, Hawley No.

1200, Marshall No. 1161, Braun No. 1182,

Paul No. 1226, Paul No. 1217. Scott of

Florida S. 2721, as amended with a

Scott of Florida–Rubio substitute

amendment.

AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO

MEET

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam Presi-

dent, I have four requests for commit-

tees to meet during today’s session of

the Senate. They have the approval of

the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph

5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Sen-

ate, the following committees are au-

thorized to meet during today’s session

of the Senate:

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

The Committee on the Judiciary is

authorized to meet during the session

of the Senate on Tuesday, September

19, 2023, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hear-

ing.

SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE

The Select Committee on Intel-

ligence is authorized to meet during

the session of the Senate on Tuesday,

September 19, 2023, at 2:30 p.m., to con-

duct an open hearing.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND

SPENDING OVERSIGHT

The Subcommittee on Emerging

Threats and Spending Oversight of the

Committee on Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs is authorized to

meet during the session of the Senate

on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 2:30

p.m., to conduct a hearing.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

The Subcommittee on Health Care of

the Committee on Finance is author-

ized to meet during the session of the

Senate on Tuesday, September 19, 2023,

at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR REC-

OGNIZING SEPTEMBER 20 AS NA-

TIONAL SERVICE DOG DAY

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pen-

sions be discharged from further con-

sideration and the Senate now proceed

to S. Res. 238.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report the resolution by

title.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 238) expressing sup-

port for recognizing September 20 as Na-

tional Service Dog Day.

There being no objection, the com-

mittee was discharged, and the Senate

proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the resolution be

agreed to; that the Tester amendment

at the desk to the preamble be consid-

ered and agreed to; that the preamble,

as amended, be agreed to; and that the

motions to reconsider be considered

made and laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

The resolution (S. Res. 238) was

agreed to.

The amendment (No. 1261) to the pre-

amble was considered and agreed to as

follows:

(Purpose: To amend the preamble)

In the first whereas clause of the preamble,

strike ‘‘including—’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘disabilities’’.

In the second whereas clause of the pre-

amble, strike ‘‘, hear’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘seizure’’.

Strike the fourth whereas clause of the

preamble.

In the fifth whereas clause of the preamble,

strike ‘‘, including’’ and all that follows

through ‘‘ideation’’.

In the sixth whereas clause of the pre-

amble, strike ‘‘, located in all 50 States,

Puerto Riceo, and Guam’’.

The preamble, as amended, was

agreed to.

The resolution with its preamble, as

amended, reads as follows:

S. R

. 238

Whereas service dogs assist individuals

with a wide range of challenges,

Whereas service dogs are able to support

veterans struggling after war;

Whereas service dogs have assisted individ-

uals in the United States since 1929;

Whereas evidence-based research has

shown that service dogs provide numerous

health and fitness benefits;

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4607 September 19, 2023

Whereas tens of thousands of service dogs

are estimated to be working in the United

States today; and

Whereas National Service Dog Day is an

appropriate tribute to service dogs and the

organizations that offer service dogs free of

charge to United States veterans and indi-

viduals with disabilities: Now, therefore, be

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) supports recognizing September 20 as

National Service Dog Day;

(2) encourages all individuals in the United

States to learn about the history of service

dogs and the unique, positive impact service

dogs have on individuals with disabilities;

and

(3) requests that the President issue a

proclamation calling on the people of the

United States to conduct appropriate cere-

monies, activities, and programs to dem-

onstrate support for organizations that train

and pair service dogs with disabled individ-

uals in the United States.

NATIONAL LOBSTER DAY

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the Senate proceed

to the consideration of S. Res. 351, sub-

mitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report the resolution by

title.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 351) designating Sep-

tember 25, 2023, as ‘‘National Lobster Day’’.

There being no objection, the Senate

proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent

that the resolution be agreed to; that

the preamble be agreed to; and that the

motions to reconsider be considered

made and laid upon the table with no

intervening action or debate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

The resolution (S. Res. 351) was

agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

(The resolution, with its preamble, is

printed in today’s R

ECORD

under ‘‘Sub-

mitted Resolutions.’’)

NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER

AWARENESS MONTH

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the Senate proceed

to the consideration of S. Res. 352, sub-

mitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The

clerk will report the resolution by

title.

The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 352) designating Sep-

tember 2023 as ‘‘National Childhood Cancer

Awareness Month’’.

There being no objection, the Senate

proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that the resolution be

agreed to; that the preamble be agreed

to; and that the motions to reconsider

be considered made and laid upon the

table with no intervening action or de-

bate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

The resolution (S. Res. 352) was

agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

(The resolution, with its preamble, is

printed in today’s R

ECORD

under ‘‘Sub-

mitted Resolutions.’’)

ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unan-

imous consent that when the Senate

completes its business today, it stand

adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday,

September 20; that following the pray-

er and pledge, the Journal of pro-

ceedings be approved to date, the

morning hour be deemed expired, the

time for the two leaders be reserved for

their use later in the day, and morning

business be closed; that upon the con-

clusion of morning business, the Sen-

ate resume consideration of H.R. 4366;

that the cloture motion with respect to

the motion to suspend rule XVI ripen

at 12:15 p.m.; further, that the Senate

recess from 5 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. to

allow for the all-Senators briefing.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without

objection, it is so ordered.

ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M.

TOMORROW

Mr. REED. Mr. President, if there is

no further business to come before the

Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned

under the previous order.

There being no objection, the Senate,

at 7:52 p.m., adjourned until Wednes-

day, September 20, 2023, at 10 a.m.

NOMINATIONS

Executive nominations received by

the Senate:

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

JENNIFER L. FAIN, OF VIRGINIA, TO BE INSPECTOR

GENERAL, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORA-

TION, VICE JAY NEAL LERNER, RESIGNED.

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION

STUART ALAN LEVEY, OF MARYLAND, TO BE A MEM-

BER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MILLENNIUM

CHALLENGE CORPORATION FOR A TERM OF THREE

YEARS, VICE MICHAEL O. JOHANNS, TERM EXPIRED.

JAMES MADISON MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP

FOUNDATION

CHRISTOPHER H. SCHROEDER, OF NORTH CAROLINA, TO

BE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

JAMES MADISON MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP FOUNDATION

FOR A TERM EXPIRING OCTOBER 3, 2024, VICE HARVEY M.

TETTLEBAUM, TERM EXPIRED.

CHRISTOPHER H. SCHROEDER, OF NORTH CAROLINA, TO

BE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

JAMES MADISON MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP FOUNDATION

FOR A TERM EXPIRING OCTOBER 3, 2030. (REAPPOINT-

MENT)

NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE

HUMANITIES

DARYLE WILLIAMS, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE A MEMBER

OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE HUMANITIES FOR A

TERM EXPIRING JANUARY 26, 2024, SHELLY COLLEEN

LOWE, TERM EXPIRED.

IN THE AIR FORCE

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR

FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624:

To be colonel

MELISSA L. HULL

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR

FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624:

To be lieutenant colonel

ALICIA C. PALLETT

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR

FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624:

To be lieutenant colonel

JULIE A. GRIFFITH

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR

FORCE UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 624:

To be major

JOSHUA N. YOUNG

IN THE ARMY

THE FOLLOWING NAMED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OF

THE UNITED STATES OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT TO

THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE ARMY

UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTIONS 12203 AND 12211:

To be colonel

AMANDA R. CAMPEAU

ANDREW T. ERICKSON

AUDREY L. FIELDING

JASON H. GRACIDA

ANTHONY J. MORTRUD

CHARLES V. SLIDER

THE FOLLOWING NAMED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OF

THE UNITED STATES OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT TO

THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE ARMY

UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTIONS 12203 AND 12211:

To be colonel

BRIAN J. ALLEN

HERBERT L. BREARD IV

CRAIG A. BROYLES

DAVID P. COUGHRAN

CASEY L. DEGROOF

RODNEY C. EDENFIELD

MARSHALL J. HUNT

JESSE C. JOHNSON

JOHN P. MIRE, JR.

STEVEN R. OVERBY

ERICK H. TERRY

NICOLE A. WASHINGTON

DAVID A. WORTHY

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICERS FOR TEMPORARY

APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE

UNITED STATES ARMY JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL’S

CORPS UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTIONS 605 AND 7064:

To be colonel

KRISTA L. BARTOLOMUCCI

TRAVIS W. ELMS

STEPHEN M. HERNANDEZ

BRENDAN J. MAYER

THE FOLLOWING NAMED ARMY OFFICER FOR APPOINT-

MENT IN THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE REGULAR ARMY

UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 531:

To be major

DAVID A. BOUDREAUX, JR.

THE FOLLOWING NAMED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OF-

FICER FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN

THE RESERVE OF THE ARMY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C.,

SECTIONS 12203 AND 12211:

To be colonel

ARTHUR A. BLAIN IV

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE

ARMY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 12203:

To be colonel

JAMES A. FAVUZZI

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE

ARMY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 12203:

To be colonel

BRYAN A. SHIPMAN

THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT

TO THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE

ARMY UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 12203:

To be colonel

PETER D. HELZER

THE FOLLOWING NAMED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OF

THE UNITED STATES OFFICERS FOR APPOINTMENT TO

THE GRADE INDICATED IN THE RESERVE OF THE ARMY

UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTIONS 12203 AND 12211:

To be colonel

STEPHEN L. BOSSIER

JEFFREY A. COUILLARD

CHRISTOPHER A. DAY

CHRISTOPHER M. MELVIN

ZEBULAN V. MURRAY

STEPHEN M. WARREN

CONFIRMATIONS

Executive nominations confirmed by

the Senate September 19, 2023:

THE JUDICIARY

RITA F. LIN, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE UNITED STATES

DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALI-

FORNIA.

VERNON D. OLIVER, OF CONNECTICUT, TO BE UNITED

STATES DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE DISTRICT OF CON-

NECTICUT.

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EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E861 September 19, 2023

HONORING GARY KROESCHEN FOR

RETIRING AS CHAIR OF THE

MARSHALL COUNTY BOARD

HON. DARIN LaHOOD

OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. L

HOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to

honor and congratulate Gary Kroeschen on

his retirement as Marshall County Board

Chairman.

Gary has dedicated much of his career to

serving the people of Marshall County.

Throughout his incredible career. Gary served

on the Marshall County Board, Bennington

Township Board, and Toluca Park District

Board. Serving on the Bennington Township

Board and the Toluca Park District Board for

nearly 20 years, Gary also served on the Mar-

shall County Board for 16 years and 11 of

those as Chairman. He retired from this role

on September 14, 2023, marking the end of

his exceptional tenure serving the Marshall

County area.

Like his work serving the people of Marshall

County. Gary was a small business owner of

Kroeschen Plumbing and Heating Inc in

Toluca, Illinois. Gary exemplifies the values of

public service and hard work.

I want to express the utmost gratitude to

Gary. I am certain that my fellow Illinoisans

feel the same pride and respect towards him

that I do. He has undoubtedly improved the

lives of Marshall County residents and Central

Illinoisans more broadly. Most importantly,

Gary accomplished all this while being a lov-

ing husband, father, and family man. I con-

gratulate Gary, and wish him happiness and

relaxation in retirement.

HONORING THE VALIANT MILI-

TARY SERVICE OF ELEC-

TRICIAN’S MATE 3RD CLASS

ALAN DANCULOVICH

HON. DIANA HARSHBARGER

OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to honor Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class

Richard Alan Danculovich of Jefferson City for

his valiant military service during the Vietnam

War. Following in his WWII veteran father’s

footsteps, EM3 Danculovich’s dedicated serv-

ice in the United States Navy began on No-

vember 29, 1965, at the RTC Great Lakes for

Bootcamp and later EM–A School for elec-

trician training.

Upon completion of his naval training, EM3

Danculovich served aboard the U.S.S. Pied-

mont (AD–17), ported out of San Diego, where

he was assigned to the Electrical Repair Divi-

sion. The U.S.S. Piedmont (AD–17) was a

Dixie-class destroyer tender that served and

maintained all ships engaged in combat oper-

ations during naval battles. While aboard the

U.S.S. Piedmont, EM3 Danculovich conducted

electrical repairs on ships in the Western Pa-

cific region, including Pearl Harbor, the Subic

Bay in the Philippines and Kaohsiung, Taiwan;

and many of these ships previously spent

months in service off the coast of Vietnam.

After 3 years of distinguished military serv-

ice, he was discharged from Active Duty in

November of 1968. He is proud to share that

his grandson continues the family tradition of

military service in support of our country.

Please join me in celebrating Electrician’s

Mate 3rd Class Alan Danculovich for his dis-

tinguished military service to the United States

of America.

RECOGNIZING TIMOTHY D. AR-

MOUR FOR WORKING TO IM-

PROVE PEOPLE’S LIVES

THROUGH SUCCESSFUL INVEST-

ING

HON. BRAD SHERMAN

OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

speak about Capital Group and one of its retir-

ing leaders, Mr. Timothy D. Armour. Capital

Group is not only headquartered, but was also

founded more than 90 years ago, in my home-

town of Los Angeles. Today, I want to recog-

nize Tim for his contributions to the field of

asset management and his dedication to the

tens of millions of investors in the United

States and around the world who have en-

trusted Capital Group to safeguard and grow

their savings.

At the end of this year, Tim will retire from

Capital Group, a firm he joined over 40 years

ago at its Los Angeles headquarters. After

graduating from the firm’s early-career rota-

tional program, he served as an investment

research analyst covering telecommunications

and U.S. service companies and later as a

portfolio manager in several of the American

Funds. He distinguished himself throughout

his career as a savvy investor able to identify

companies that deliver long-term value for

their shareholders.

Tim also served in various leadership roles,

including as Chairman of Capital Group’s

Management Committee and Board of Direc-

tors over the past 8 years. Under his leader-

ship, the 92-year old firm expanded its reach

to global investors while evolving to meet the

demands of a changing world and provide for

future success for the benefit of Capital

Group’s clients, associates and the commu-

nities where those associates live and work.

Tim has been regarded by his colleagues

and peers within the financial services industry

as the embodiment of Capital Group’s core

values. His personal integrity, long-term focus

and commitment to clients have set the tone

for the current generation of the firm’s associ-

ates and created a legacy that the next gen-

eration can follow.

In anticipation of his retirement at the end of

this year, associates of Capital Group were

asked to characterize Tim’s leadership with

just a single word. The words most often re-

peated included kind, trusted, candid, inclu-

sive, present, and caring. One close colleague

added, ‘‘It is rare to find a leader who cares

so genuinely and openly about his colleagues

and clients.’’ I am proud to celebrate the ca-

reer accomplishment of Tim Armour and wish

him all the very best in life’s next chapter.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

HON. COLIN Z. ALLRED

OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. ALLRED. Mr. Speaker, on September

14, 2023, I was absent during the time of

votes due to illness. Had I been present, I

would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 388,

H. Res. 681, On Ordering the Previous Ques-

tion, NAY on Roll Call No. 389, H. Res. 681,

On Agreeing to the Resolution, YEA on Roll

Call No. 390, H.R. 1435, On Motion to Re-

commit, and NAY on Roll Call No. 391, H.R.

1435, Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases

Act.

RECOGNIZING PASTOR CHUCK

HORNER

HON. ERIC SWALWELL

OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. SWALWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to rec-

ognize Pastor Chuck Horner of Calvary Baptist

Church in Hayward for his service to the com-

munity for over 30 years.

Chuck graduated from Woodlawn High

School in 1969, then enlisting in the United

States Navy serving as an Anti-Submarine

Warfare Operator from 1970 to 1974 in Coro-

nado, California.

Upon discharge, Chuck enrolled at the Cali-

fornia Baptist University, earning a Bachelor of

Arts in Religion and Behavioral Science in

1978. He later returned to school to earn a

Master of Divinity in Theology from Golden

Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

In October 1990, Chuck moved to Hayward

from Dixon, California, to become the Senior

Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. Through his

role, he profoundly contributed to the faith

community within Hayward and the East Bay

at large. In fact, I fondly remember walking

with Chuck through Hayward to deliver pre-

pared Thanksgiving meals to the homeless,

something he loved doing every year.

Chuck is heavily involved in community

service programs. As Chair of the Clean &

Green Task Force, Chuck worked to improve

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the city of Hayward by reducing graffiti van-

dalism. When graffiti taggers were caught,

Chuck offered to mentor and help them

change course to prevent property vandalism.

Chuck also founded HayWallKru in 2010, em-

powering graffiti taggers to become artists

through abatement, education, and additional

development opportunities.

Chuck served in the community through his

various roles in other community service orga-

nizations, such as director of the Hayward Co-

alition for Healthy Youth, the Ashland

Cherryland Health Community Coalition, the

Hayward Rotary Club, the Salvation Army

Meal Project Coordinator, Vice President of

the Hayward Education Foundation, and an

Ambassador for the Hayward Chamber of

Commerce.

Chuck has been a beloved member of the

Hayward community for over 30 years, and

known as the big guy with a booming voice,

and a personality to match. Chuck has battled

prostate cancer for ten years while remaining

involved in various outreach roles and has re-

cently started hospice care.

I join the Hayward community in recognizing

the contributions of Pastor Chuck and send

my sincerest well wishes to Linda, his wife of

over 50 years, and their two children, Christal

and Aaron.

HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVER-

SARY OF THE JOHNNY

APPLESEED ARTS AND CUL-

TURAL FESTIVAL IN LEOMIN-

STER, MASSACHUSETTS

HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

OF MASSACHUSETTS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. M

GOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the John-

ny Appleseed Arts and Cultural Festival in

Leominster, Massachusetts on Saturday, Sep-

tember 23, 2023.

While many have heard the tales of Johnny

Appleseed—the American folk hero who wan-

dered our early Nation planting apple seeds—

not many know the man behind the story.

John Chapman was born in Leominster,

Massachusetts in 1774. From a young age,

his father taught him to cultivate trees. That’s

where his story starts.

Back then, frontier law allowed anyone to

earn a claim to the land by developing a per-

manent homestead on it. Chapman estab-

lished his homesteads by planting apple or-

chards, just like his father. He ventured more

than 100,000 square miles from Massachu-

setts to Illinois, all the while planting apple

seeds in his wake. At the time of his death in

1845, John Chapman owned over 1,200 acres

of land, leaving behind hundreds of apple

trees.

Every year since 1993, thousands of people

have gathered in Leominster to celebrate the

life and work of John Chapman. Through live

music and apple crisp, the festival aims to

honor Chapman’s legacy of abundance, brav-

ery, and cultivation.

Mr. Speaker, this year is special. Under the

dedication and expertise of Festival Coordi-

nator Rick Marchand, the event has blos-

somed year after year. This year, the festival

will provide 1,000 complimentary meals to chil-

dren and their families, accommodate 230

local vendors, and welcome several dozens of

organizations and artists to interface with their

community. The Johnny Appleseed Arts and

Cultural Festival is a chance to celebrate our

rich land across generations.

Mr. Speaker, Johnny Appleseed is a treas-

ured National figure that we in Central Massa-

chusetts are proud to share. I commend the

Johnny Appleseed Festival on its 30th anni-

versary and am proud of the staff, volunteers,

and community members that work to make

this such a beloved annual event. We look for-

ward to welcoming tens of thousands of neigh-

bors to this beloved festival.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

HON. JOSEPH D. MORELLE

OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I regrettably

missed Roll Call No. 393 on September 18,

2023.

Had I been present, I would have voted

AYE.

REMEMBERING FRANK BARRIOS

HON. RUBEN GALLEGO

OF ARIZONA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

celebrate the life and mourn the loss of Frank

Barrios, a third generation Arizonan and proud

Mexican American who dedicated over 50

years of service to the people of Arizona. I

want to express my gratitude for Frank’s re-

markable service to the 3rd Congressional

District, to our community, and to all of Ari-

zona.

Frank spent his career in hydrology, utilizing

his engineering degree to ensure the sustain-

ability of Arizona’s water supply. Without these

efforts, Arizona’s growth and success over the

past decades would not have been possible.

He began his career with the U.S. Bureau of

Reclamation. From there, he transitioned to

the Arizona Water Commission, later called

the Arizona Department of Water Resources,

serving as a director for both the Pinal and

Phoenix Active Management Areas. After retir-

ing from Colorado River Planning in 1998,

Frank was appointed to the Central Arizona

Water Conservation District Board of Direc-

tors, where he served for 3 years.

But Frank’s impact and his legacy go far be-

yond his career. Frank served as President of

7 boards, won numerous awards and acco-

lades, and published several books. He was

passionate about preserving the history of

Mexican Americans in the Valley, fighting to

restore a historically Latino burial ground in

downtown Phoenix and archiving photographs

and stories. Thanks to his work, the contribu-

tions of Latinos to Arizona history will not be

erased.

My thoughts are with Frank’s family and

friends during this difficult time. Although he

will be greatly missed, his legacy will be car-

ried on through the countless lives he touched

in his decades of service to the people of Ari-

zona.

HONORING THE HEROIC SERVICE

OF OPERATIONS SPECIALIST 5TH

CLASS DONALD WOLF

HON. DIANA HARSHBARGER

OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to honor Operations Specialist 5th Class

Donald Wolf of Morristown for his courageous

military service in the United States Army.

Specialist Wolf joined the Army in 1968, and

trained for the Quartermaster Corps after at-

tending basic training at Ft. Campbell in Ken-

tucky.

In 1969, SPC Wolf deployed to Vietnam,

where he served as a clerk in Headquarters

Company 266 Supply and Service Battalion.

During his tour of duty, he earned the Bronze

Star for Meritorious Service in a Combat Zone.

Ultimately, he was honorably discharged from

the Army following 2 valiant years of service.

Please join me in thanking Operations Spe-

cialist 5th Class Donald Wolf for his bravery

and heroic military service to our great Nation.

RECOGNIZING THE 20TH ANNIVER-

SARY OF THE PRISON RAPE

ELIMINATION ACT

HON. ROBERT C. ‘‘BOBBY’’ SCOTT

OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to acknowledge that 20 years ago, on

September 4, 2003, President George W.

Bush signed the Prison Rape Elimination Act,

or PREA, into law. This law recognized the dif-

ficult truth of rampant and completely unac-

ceptable sexual abuse of people in our jails,

prisons, and juvenile detention facilities, and

endeavored to address it. PREA sought to end

these abuses by creating research mandates,

promulgating National standards, and pro-

viding grant funding to meet those standards.

Ending prisoner rape remains one of the in-

creasingly rare topics on which people on both

sides of the aisle can continue to agree. I

joined forces with my Virginia colleague, Con-

gressman Frank Wolf, to sponsor the bill in

this chamber, and Senators Ted Kennedy and

Jeff Sessions sponsored PREA in the Senate.

PREA passed with unanimous support in both

the House and Senate. Fighting against insti-

tutional abuse and protecting those who can-

not advocate for themselves should never be

a partisan issue, and I have been gratified by

the coalition of support PREA has inspired

over the years.

Since PREA’s passage, we’ve seen dra-

matic improvements in how adults and chil-

dren in detention are treated. Thousands of

corrections professionals have been hired and

trained to ensure the safety of people in their

custody through the implementation of PREA’s

National standards. The U.S. Department of

Justice is now required to gather data on sex-

ual abuse in custody that provides corrections

facilities, advocates and policymakers with in-

valuable information on the dynamics of sex-

ual abuse in detention, and how it can be

stopped.

Hundreds of thousands of incarcerated peo-

ple are educated every year about their right

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to be safe and respected, and how to speak

out if they are not. Incarcerated people, their

families, and advocates now have more effec-

tive methods of reporting sexual abuse, as

evidenced by the dramatic increase in the

number of reports we have seen since

PREA’s enactment. This is a clear sign that in-

carcerated survivors understand that people

care about their experiences, that they have

mechanisms to advocate for themselves, and

that their voices should no longer go unheard.

Through these efforts and sustained support

for survivors, the stigma of reporting abuse

has been steadily eroding since PREA’s pas-

sage.

I also want to acknowledge the broad-based

coalition of advocates and civil rights groups

that fought to pass PREA, encourage correc-

tions facilities to implement PREA’s National

standards, and continue to ensure that the law

lives up to its intended purpose and promise.

Specifically, people who have endured this

abuse have been on the front lines of the ef-

fort to make our prisons and jails places

where people are free of sexual abuse. Just

Detention International’s Survivor Council de-

serves special mention. These courageous

survivors have fought tirelessly to ensure that

no one ever has to face abuse and to instill in

all of us the principle that no matter what

crime a person has committed, rape is not

part of the penalty.

The work we set out to do with PREA is by

no means over. Rape in prisons is still far too

common. And young people, LGBTQ+ individ-

uals, immigrants, and people who come from

communities of color are more affected by this

crisis than others. The recent cases of staff

sexual abuse in California at the Federal Cor-

rectional Institution Dublin (FCI–Dublin) at the

highest levels expose and illustrate the impu-

nity with which many staff perpetrators still op-

erate. Making things worse, the dozens of

women at FCI–Dublin who were abused could

not initially get support services. This high-

lights a larger problem of a lack of resources

for community service providers.

Prisons, jails, and youth detention facilities

nationwide must commit to implementing the

National Prison Rape Elimination Act stand-

ards. This doesn’t mean merely changing poli-

cies as they’re written on paper. It means

meaningfully adopting those policies and shift-

ing the culture on the ground in detention fa-

cilities. This encompasses everything from

safer reporting procedures for survivors to

stronger investigations after an assault occurs.

We must empower staff to identify signs that

incarcerated people are being abused, and to

identify red flags in staff behavior that could

result in abuse. We must also have more con-

fidential emotional support services in prisons,

especially from community providers, so that

survivors can get the help they deserve. And

finally, we must end the culture of impunity

and the code of silence among staff which al-

lows abuse to flourish. As I have before, I call

on the Department of Justice to work vigor-

ously to ensure that every state implements

PREA to protect all inmates from sexual vio-

lence.

Mr. Speaker, on the 20th anniversary of its

enactment, let us take this moment to recog-

nize the ways that PREA marked an important

shift in how we, as a country, deal with this vi-

olence. Sexual abuse in detention may not be

a secret epidemic anymore, but it is incumbent

upon us to actualize the goal set out in this

historic law and end this crisis, once and for

all. Let me say again: rape is not part of the

penalty.

COMMEMORATING THE 150TH ANNI-

VERSARY OF THE VILLAGE OF

CAPRON, ILLINOIS

HON. DARIN LaHOOD

OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Mr. L

HOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to

recognize the Village of Capron, Illinois, for

celebrating their 150th anniversary.

On December 3, 1873, the Village of

Capron was established in Boone County, Illi-

nois. The Village of Capron was named after

Colonel Capron who purchased the land from

Nancy Scott and Nathan H. Wooster served

as the village’s first president. Today, the vil-

lage serves as the third largest municipality in

Boone County with a population of 1,400 resi-

dents.

The village celebrated significant achieve-

ments throughout its history, such as the drill-

ing of its first municipal well in 1881, the build-

ing of its original water tower in 1900, and

electricity coming to the village in 1911. We

are grateful for Capron’s commitment and in-

vestment in agriculture and business develop-

ment in northern Illinois.

The Village of Capron is known throughout

northern Illinois for the services that it has pro-

vided for the community over the last 150

years. Today, we celebrate the village and

their residents for their dedication to their com-

munity. I extend my sincere congratulations to

the Village of Capron, Illinois for a successful

150 years, and I wish them even more suc-

cess going forward.

CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNI-

VERSARY OF THE MU LAMBDA

CHAPTER OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA

FRATERNITY

HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recog-

nize and honor the 100th anniversary of the

chartering of the Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha

Phi Alpha Fraternity, the eleventh alumni

chapter of the first intercollegiate Greek-letter

fraternity established for African Americans.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was founded

on December 4, 1906, by 7 young African

American men, known as the Seven Jewels,

at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The

founders of the fraternity—Henry Arthur Callis,

Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle

Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison

Murray, Robert Harold Ogle and Vertner

Woodson Tandy—recognized the need for a

strong bond of brotherhood among African Af-

ricans.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity is the largest

predominantly African American intercollegiate

fraternity and 1 of the 10 largest intercollegiate

fraternities in the Nation, with more than 850

chapters around the world. The fraternity is led

by General President Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III,

Interim Executive Director Sean L. McCaskill,

Comptroller Donald E. Jackson and General

Treasurer Densel Fleming. Its Eastern Region

and Mid-Atlantic Association of Alpha Chap-

ters are led by Regional Vice President East

Christopher G. Ellis, Jr., Regional Assistant

Vice President East Tamir D. Harper, District

VI Director Ray Hawkins, Jr., Assistant District

VI Director Noah Absalon, and Area Director

Michael Taylor.

The Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha

Fraternity was established as the first alumni

chapter in the District of Columbia on October

1, 1923, in response to the desire of graduate

members, many of whom were initiated into

the Beta Chapter at Howard University, to give

aid to the undergraduate members and con-

tinue the work of the fraternity after gradua-

tion.

The Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha

Fraternity established the Mu Lambda Foun-

dation in 1994 expressly to provide community

service to residents of the District of Columbia

and to inspire and assist today’s youth in their

quest to make their mark on society. For 100

years, the Mu Lambda Chapter has played a

role in the positive development of the char-

acter and education of men. Six members of

the Mu Lambda Chapter have served as the

General President of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fra-

ternity, Inc. and two have served as the East-

ern Region Vice President. Members of the

Mu Lambda Chapter are leaders in the areas

of government, business, entertainment, phi-

lanthropy, law, non-profit, science, sports, lit-

erature, armed services, religion and aca-

demia.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Represent-

atives to join me in commending the members

of the Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi

Alpha, past and present, for their bond of

friendship, common ideals and beliefs, and

service to their community and in expressing

our best wishes for the Mu Lambda Chapter’s

continued growth and success.

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D890

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Daily Digest

Senate

Chamber Action

Routine Proceedings, pages S4567–S4607

Measures Introduced: Nineteen bills and four reso-

lutions were introduced, as follows: S. 2836–2854,

and S. Res. 349–352.

Pages S4589–90

Measures Passed:

National Service Dog Day: Committee on

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions was dis-

charged from further consideration of S. Res. 238,

expressing support for recognizing September 20 as

National Service Dog Day, and the resolution was

then agreed to, after agreeing to the following

amendment proposed thereto:

Pages S4606–07

Reed (for Tester) Amendment No. 1261, to

amend the preamble.

Pages S4606–07

National Lobster Day: Senate agreed to S. Res.

351, designating September 25, 2023, as ‘‘National

Lobster Day’’.

Page S4607

National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month:

Senate agreed to S. Res. 352, designating September

2023 as ‘‘National Childhood Cancer Awareness

Month’’.

Page S4607

Measures Considered:

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Re-

lated Agencies Appropriations Act—Agreement:

Senate continued consideration of H.R. 4366, mak-

ing appropriations for military construction, the De-

partment of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for

the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, taking

action on the following amendments and motions

proposed thereto:

Pages S4572–82

Pending:

Schumer (for Murray/Collins) Amendment No.

1092, in the nature of a substitute.

Page S4572

Murray Amendment No. 1205 (to Amendment

No. 1092), to change the effective date. Page S4572

Murray motion to suspend Rule XVI for the con-

sideration of Schumer (for Murray/Collins) Amend-

ment No. 1092 (listed above) to the bill. Page S4572

Schumer motion to commit the bill to the Com-

mittee on Appropriations, with instructions, Schu-

mer Amendment No. 1230, to change the effective

date.

Page S4572

A unanimous-consent agreement was reached pro-

viding for further consideration of the bill at ap-

proximately 10 a.m., on Wednesday, September 20,

2023; and that the motion to invoke cloture with re-

spect to the Murray motion to suspend Rule XVI for

the consideration of Schumer (for Murray/Collins)

Amendment No. 1092 (listed above), ripen at 12:15

p.m.

Page S4607

Nominations Confirmed: Senate confirmed the fol-

lowing nominations:

By 53 yeas to 44 nays (Vote No. EX. 230),

Vernon D. Oliver, of Connecticut, to be United

States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.

Pages S4567–71

By 52 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 232), Rita

F. Lin, of California, to be United States District

Judge for the Northern District of California.

Page S4572

During consideration of this nomination today,

Senate also took the following action:

By 52 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. EX. 231), Senate

agreed to the motion to close further debate on the

nomination.

Pages S4571–72

Nominations Received: Senate received the fol-

lowing nominations:

Jennifer L. Fain, of Virginia, to be Inspector Gen-

eral, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Stuart Alan Levey, of Maryland, to be a Member

of the Board of Directors of the Millennium Chal-

lenge Corporation for a term of three years.

Christopher H. Schroeder, of North Carolina, to

be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the James

Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation for a term

expiring October 3, 2024.

Christopher H. Schroeder, of North Carolina, to

be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the James

Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation for a term

expiring October 3, 2030.

Daryle Williams, of California, to be a Member of

the National Council on the Humanities for a term

expiring January 26, 2024, Shelly Colleen Lowe,

term expired.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST D891 September 19, 2023

Routine lists in the Air Force and Army.

Page S4607

Messages from the House: Page S4585

Measures Referred: Page S4585

Executive Communications: Pages S4585–86

Petitions and Memorials: Pages S4586–89

Additional Cosponsors: Pages S4590–92

Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:

Pages S4592–99

Additional Statements: Pages S4582–85

Amendments Submitted: Pages S4599–S4606

Notices of Intent: Page S4606

Authorities for Committees to Meet:

Pages S4606–07

Record Votes: Three record votes were taken today.

(Total—232) Pages S4571–72

Adjournment: Senate convened at 10 a.m. and ad-

journed at 7:52 p.m., until 10 a.m. on Wednesday,

September 20, 2023. (For Senate’s program, see the

remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today’s

Record on page S4607.)

Committee Meetings

(Committees not listed did not meet)

APPROPRIATIONS: FCC

Committee on Appropriations: Subcommittee on Finan-

cial Services and General Government concluded a

hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and

justification for fiscal year 2024 for the Federal

Communications Commission, after receiving testi-

mony from Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman, Fed-

eral Communications Commission.

AGING IN PLACE

Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Health Care

concluded a hearing to examine aging in place, fo-

cusing on the vital role of home health in access to

care, after receiving testimony from Carrie Edwards,

Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, Nebraska; Ju-

dith A. Stein, Center for Medicare Advocacy,

Willimantic, Connecticut; Tracy M. Mroz, Univer-

sity of Washington, Seattle; William A. Dombi, Na-

tional Association for Home Care and Hospice,

Washington, D.C.; and David C. Grabowski, Har-

vard Medical School Department of Health Care Pol-

icy, Boston, Massachusetts.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-

fairs: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and

Spending Oversight concluded a hearing to examine

advanced technology, focusing on threats to national

security, after receiving testimony from Gregory C.

Allen, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Tech-

nologies, and Dewey Murdick, Center for Security

and Emerging Technology, both of Washington,

D.C.; and Jeff Alstott, RAND Corporation, Arling-

ton, Virginia.

CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY

Committee on the Judiciary: Committee concluded a

hearing to examine corporate manipulation of Chap-

ter 11 bankruptcy, after receiving testimony from

Erik Haas, Johnson and Johnson, Armonk, New

York; Melissa B. Jacoby, University of North Caro-

lina, Chapel Hill; Stephen E. Hessler, Sidley Austin

LLP, New York, New York; Samir D. Parikh, Lewis

and Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon; and Lori

Knapp, Greeneville, Tennessee.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Select Committee on Intelligence: Committee concluded a

hearing to examine advancing intelligence in the era

of Artificial Intelligence, focusing on addressing the

national security implications of AI, after receiving

testimony from Benjamin Jensen, CSIS, Burke, Vir-

ginia; Jeffrey Ding, George Washington University,

Washington, D.C.; and Yann LeCun, Meta, New

York, New York.

House of Representatives

Chamber Action

Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 27 pub-

lic bills, H.R. 14, 5555–5580; and 4 resolutions, H.

Res. 700–703, were introduced.

Pages H4406–08

Additional Cosponsors: Pages H4409–10

Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:

H. Res. 699, providing for consideration of the

bill (H.R. 1130) to repeal restrictions on the export

and import of natural gas; providing for consider-

ation of the resolution (H. Res. 684) condemning

the actions of Governor of New Mexico, Michelle

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGESTD892 September 19, 2023

Lujan Grisham, for subverting the Second Amend-

ment to the Constitution and depriving the citizens

of New Mexico of their right to bear arms; and pro-

viding for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5525)

making continuing appropriations for fiscal year

2024, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 118–201);

and

H.R. 3511, to amend the Small Business Act to

require training on increasing contract awards to

small business concerns owned and controlled by

service-disabled veterans, and for other purposes (H.

Rept. 118–202). Pages H4405–06

Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he

appointed Representative Cline to act as Speaker pro

tempore for today. Page H4385

Recess: The House recessed at 10:43 a.m. and re-

convened at 12 p.m. Page H4390

Recess: The House recessed at 1:23 p.m. and recon-

vened at 2:25 p.m. Page H4401

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal

Year 2024—Motion to go to Conference: The

House agreed to the Rogers (AL) motion to take

from the Speakers table the bill H.R. 2670, to au-

thorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for mili-

tary activities of the Department of Defense and for

military construction, and for defense activities of

the Department of Energy, and to prescribe military

personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and ask for

its immediate consideration in the House; disagree

to the Senate amendment and request a conference

with the Senate thereon, by a yea-and-nay vote of

393 yeas to 27 nays, Roll No. 395. Pages H4401–03

Agreed to the Rogers (AL) motion to close por-

tions of the conference by a yea-and-nay vote of 401

yeas to 19 nays, Roll No. 396. Page H4402

Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act and

Department of Defense Appropriations Act,

2024—Rule for Consideration: The House failed

to agreed to H. Res. 680, providing for consider-

ation of the bill (H.R. 1435) to amend the Clean

Air Act to prevent the elimination of the sale of in-

ternal combustion engines, and providing for consid-

eration of the bill (H.R. 4365) making appropria-

tions for the Department of Defense for the fiscal

year ending September 30, 2024, by a recorded vote

of 212 ayes to 214 noes, Roll No. 398, after the pre-

vious question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of

217 yeas to 209 nays, Roll No. 397.

Pages H4392–H4401, H4403–04

Suspension—Proceedings Resumed: The House

agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following

measure. Consideration began Monday, September

18th. Amending title 38, United States Code, to

strengthen benefits for children of Vietnam veterans

born with spina bifida: S. 112, to amend title 38,

United States Code, to strengthen benefits for chil-

dren of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida, by

a yea-and-nay vote of 422 yeas with none voting

‘‘nay’’, Roll No. 399.

Pages H4404–05

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal

Year 2024—Appointment of Conferees: Without

objection, the Chair appointed the following con-

ferees on H.R. 2670, to authorize appropriations for

fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Depart-

ment of Defense and for military construction, and

for defense activities of the Department of Energy,

and to prescribe military personnel strengths for

such fiscal year:

Page H4405

From the Committee on Armed Services, for con-

sideration of the House bill and the Senate amend-

ment, and modifications committed to conference:

Representatives Rogers (AL), Wilson (SC), Lamborn,

Wittman, Austin Scott (GA), Stefanik, DesJarlais,

Kelly (MS), Gallagher, Gaetz, Bacon, Banks,

Bergman, Waltz, Johnson (LA), McClain, Jackson

(TX), Fallon, Gimenez, Mace, Greene (GA), Smith

(WA), Courtney, Garamendi, Norcross, Gallego,

Moulton, Carbajal, Khanna, Keating, Kim (NJ),

Houlahan, Slotkin, Sherrill, and Escobar.

Page H4405

From the Permanent Select Committee on Intel-

ligence, for consideration of matters within the juris-

diction of that committee under clause 11 of rule X:

Representatives Turner, Wenstrup, and Himes.

Page H4405

From the Committee on Education and the Work-

force, for consideration of secs. 636, 651–55,

658–61, 1041, and 1042 of the House bill and secs.

303, 563, 592, 593, 1079, 1090K, 1099JJ, 1726,

and 3142 of the Senate amendment and modifica-

tions committed to conference: Representatives Foxx,

Owens, and Scott (VA).

Page H4405

From the Committee on Energy and Commerce,

for consideration of secs. 224, 749, and 3121 of the

House bill, and secs. 314, 712 of division A, 1087,

1088, 1090A, 1090G, 1099II, 3122–24, 3143,

3144, 6074, 8141, and sec. 11009 of division J of

the Senate amendment and modifications committed

to conference: Representatives Carter (GA), Pfluger,

and Pallone. Page H4405

From the Committee on Financial Services, for

consideration of subtitle J of title X of division A,

sec. 1086, title LXVIII of division F, division I, and

division J of the Senate amendment, and modifica-

tions committed to conference: Representatives

McHenry, Luetkemeyer, and Waters. Page H4405

From the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for con-

sideration of secs. 217, 1009, 1080K, 1210, 1211,

1213, 1214, 1216, 1220, 1220A, 1220C, 1220G,

1220K, 1220L, 1221–24, 1234, 1245, 1250, 1310L,

1505, and 1883 of the House bill, and secs. 212,

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST D893 September 19, 2023

1085, 1302, 1397, 1399B, 1399D, 1399E, 1399F,

1399I, 1399J, 1399K, 1399L, subtitles H–K of title

XIII of division A, secs. 1634, 6031, 6242, 6293,

division F, and secs. 11104 and 11105 of the Senate

amendment and modifications committed to con-

ference: Representatives McCaul, McCormick, and

Meeks. Page H4405

From the Committee on the Judiciary, for consid-

eration of secs. 542, 822, 1049, 1689, and 3116 of

the House bill, and secs. 1041, 1090H, subtitles I

and K of title X of division A, subtitle I of title

XIII of division A, secs. 6031, 6075, 6082, 6084,

subtitle H of title LX of division E, secs. 6813,

6816, 6821, 6831 of division E, secs. 9007, 9011,

9012, 9014, and title LXXI of the Senate amend-

ment and modifications committed to conference:

Representatives Issa, Lee (FL), and Nadler.

Page H4405

From the Committee on Natural Resources, for

consideration of secs. 261, 510, 1853, 1865, 2843,

2844, 2847, and 3515 of the House bill, and secs.

312, 1041, 1090G, 2805, 6711, 11002 of division

J, division K, and sec. 11341 of the Senate amend-

ment and modifications committed to conference:

Representatives Carl, Hageman, and Grijalva.

Page H4405

From the Committee on Oversight and Account-

ability, for consideration of secs. 364, 834, 891,

899C, 921, 922, 1047, 1101–10, 1116–18, 1122,

1221, 1222, 1521, 1523, 1805, and 1880 of the

House bill, and secs. 537, 867, subtitle H of title

X of division A, secs. 1201–03, 1206–09, 1211–13,

1215, 1512, 11133, 6101, 6202, 6203, 6607, sec.

6831 of division E, 8141, 9005, 11331–33, and

secs. 601, 603, 605, 703, 704, 715–18, 802, and

1001 of division M, and secs. 11001 and 11002 of

division L of the Senate amendment and modifica-

tions committed to conference: Representatives

Grothman, Perry, and Raskin. Page H4405

From the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-

nology, for consideration of secs. 886, 1608, 1875,

and 1879 of the House bill, and secs. 308, 845,

1090E, 1090G, 3144, 5204, and title X of division

M of the Senate amendment, and modifications com-

mitted to conference: Representatives Mike Garcia

(CA), Collins, and Lofgren. Page H4405

From the Committee on Small Business, for con-

sideration of secs. 223, 853, 881, 882, 884, and 886

of the House bill, and secs. 141, 823, 831, 841–45,

849–52, and 5841 of the Senate amendment, and

modifications committed to conference: Representa-

tives Molinaro, Alford, and Vela

zquez. Page H4405

From the Committee on Transportation and Infra-

structure, for consideration of secs. 315, 707, 723,

866, 1602, 1608, 1804, 1854, 3501, 3511–13,

3515, 3531, and 3533 of the House bill, and secs.

314, 1083, 1090D, 1399N, 1606, 1644, 2814, title

XXXV of division C, secs. 6079, 6226, 8141, and

division H of the Senate amendment, and modifica-

tions committed to conference: Representatives

Graves (MO), Webster (FL), and Larsen (WA).

Page H4405

From the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for con-

sideration of secs. 571, 572, 579, 1118, 1413, 1733,

and 1885 of the House bill, and secs. 1084, 1090B,

1521, 1833, 1852, 6071, 6077, and 11020 of the

Senate amendment, and modifications committed to

conference: Representatives Bost, Luttrell, and

Takano. Page H4405

Quorum Calls Votes: Four yea-and-nay votes and

one recorded vote developed during the proceedings

of today and appear on pages H4401, H4402,

H4403, H4403–04, and H4404–05.

Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and ad-

journed at 3:54 p.m.

Committee Meetings

DEFENSE COOPERATION WITH TAIWAN

Committee on Armed Services: Full Committee held a

hearing entitled ‘‘Defense Cooperation with Taiwan’’.

Testimony was heard from Ely Ratner, Assistant Sec-

retary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs,

Department of Defense; Mira Resnick, Deputy As-

sistant Secretary of State for Regional Security, De-

partment of State; and Major General Joseph McGee,

U.S. Army, Vice Director for Strategy, Plans, and

Policy, J–5, Joint Staff, Department of Defense.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM UNDER ATTACK:

LOOSENING THE CCP’S GRIP ON

AMERICA’S CLASSROOMS

Committee on Education and Workforce: Subcommittee

on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Edu-

cation held a hearing entitled ‘‘Academic Freedom

Under Attack: Loosening the CCP’s Grip on Amer-

ica’s Classrooms’’. Testimony was heard from Ryan

Walters, State Superintendent of Public Instruction,

Oklahoma State Department of Education; and pub-

lic witnesses.

EXAMINING POLICIES TO IMPROVE

SENIORS’ ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE DRUGS,

MEDICAL DEVICES, AND TECHNOLOGY

Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on

Health held a hearing entitled ‘‘Examining Policies

to Improve Seniors’ Access to Innovative Drugs,

Medical Devices, and Technology’’. Testimony was

heard from Dora Hughes, M.D., Acting Director,

Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, Acting

Chief Medical Officer, U.S. Centers for Medicare and

Medicaid Services, Department of Health and

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGESTD894 September 19, 2023

Human Services; and John Dicken, Director, Health

Care—Public and Private Markets, Government Ac-

countability Office.

PROTECTING AMERICAN

MANUFACTURING: EXAMINING EPA’S

PM2.5 PROPOSED RULE

Committee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on

Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials

held a hearing entitled ‘‘Protecting American Manu-

facturing: Examining EPA’s PM2.5 Proposed Rule’’.

Testimony was heard from Bryce C. Bird, Director,

Division of Air Quality, Department of Environ-

mental Quality, Utah; and public witnesses.

MEMBER DAY HEARING

Committee on Energy and Commerce: Full Committee

held a hearing entitled ‘‘Member Day Hearing’’. Tes-

timony was heard from Chairman Westerman, Chair-

man Green of Tennessee, and Representatives

DelBene, Newhouse, Davis of North Carolina,

Grothman, Levin, Santos, McClain, Williams of New

York, Spartz, Landsman, Moylan, Carey, Casten,

Chavez-DeRemer, Ezell, James, Houchin, Molinaro,

Khanna, and Baird.

OVERSIGHT OF THE SEC’S DIVISION OF

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Cap-

ital Markets held a hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of

the SEC’s Division of Investment Management’’.

Testimony was heard from William Birdthistle, Di-

rector of Division of Investment Management, Secu-

rities and Exchange Commission.

A HOLISTIC REVIEW OF REGULATORS:

REGULATORY OVERREACH AND

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES

Committee on Financial Services: Subcommittee on Fi-

nancial Institutions and Monetary Policy held a hear-

ing entitled ‘‘A Holistic Review of Regulators: Reg-

ulatory Overreach and Economic Consequences’’.

Testimony was heard from public witnesses.

EFFORTS TO ADDRESS RITUAL ABUSE

AND SACRIFICE IN AFRICA

Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Global

Health, Global Human Rights, and International

Organizations held a hearing entitled ‘‘Efforts to Ad-

dress Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice in Africa’’. Testi-

mony was heard from public witnesses.

EVALUATING CISA’S FEDERAL CIVILIAN

EXECUTIVE BRANCH CYBERSECURITY

PROGRAMS

Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Cy-

bersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a hear-

ing entitled ‘‘Evaluating CISA’s Federal Civilian Ex-

ecutive Branch Cybersecurity Programs’’. Testimony

was heard from public witnesses.

OVERSIGHT OF UNITED STATES CAPITOL

SECURITY: ASSESSING SECURITY FAILURES

ON JANUARY 6, 2021

Committee on House Administration: Subcommittee on

Oversight held a hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of

United States Capitol Security: Assessing Security

Failures on January 6, 2021’’. Testimony was heard

from a public witness.

EXAMINING PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL

AMENDMENTS

Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on the Con-

stitution and Limited Government held a hearing

entitled ‘‘Examining Proposed Constitutional

Amendments’’. Testimony was heard from public

witnesses.

EXAMINING BARRIERS TO ACCESS IN

FEDERAL WATERS: A CLOSER LOOK AT

THE MARINE SANCTUARY AND

MONUMENT SYSTEM

Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on

Oversight and Investigations held a hearing entitled

‘‘Examining Barriers to Access in Federal Waters: A

Closer Look at the Marine Sanctuary and Monument

System’’. Testimony was heard from Jainey Bavishi,

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and At-

mosphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-

ministration, Department of Commerce; and public

witnesses.

EXAMINING THE BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION’S MISMANAGEMENT OF

THE FEDERAL ONSHORE OIL AND GAS

PROGRAM

Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on En-

ergy and Mineral Resources held a hearing entitled

‘‘Examining the Biden Administration’s Mismanage-

ment of the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Program’’.

Testimony was heard from Mike Nedd, Deputy Di-

rector, Bureau of Land Management, Department of

the Interior; and public witnesses.

LEGISLATIVE MEASURES

Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Fed-

eral Lands held a hearing on H.R. 1657, the ‘‘Lake

Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2023’’; H.R.

3107, the ‘‘Improving Outdoor Recreation Coordina-

tion Act’’; H.R. 3200, the ‘‘Gateway Community

and Recreation Enhancement Act’’; and H.R. 4984,

the ‘‘D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

Campus Revitalization Act’’. Testimony was heard

from Representatives Stauber and Neguse; Mike

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST D895 September 19, 2023

Reynolds, Deputy Director, Congressional and Exter-

nal Relations, National Park Service, Department of

the Interior; Jacqueline Emanuel, Associate Deputy

Chief, National Forest System, U.S. Forest Service,

Department of Agriculture; Cory Smith, Commis-

sioner, District 1, Itasca County, Minnesota; Randy

Brodehl, Commissioner, Flathead County, Kalispell,

Montana; Delano Hunter, Acting Director, Depart-

ment of General Services, Washington D.C.; and a

public witness.

THE ROLE OF PHARMACY BENEFIT

MANAGERS IN PRESCRIPTION DRUG

MARKETS PART II: NOT WHAT THE

DOCTOR ORDERED

Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Full Com-

mittee held a hearing entitled ‘‘The Role of Phar-

macy Benefit Managers in Prescription Drug Mar-

kets Part II: Not What the Doctor Ordered’’. Testi-

mony was heard from public witnesses.

BIDENOMICS: A PERFECT STORM OF

SPENDING, DEBT, AND INFLATION

Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Sub-

committee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and

Regulatory Affairs held a hearing entitled

‘‘Bidenomics: A Perfect Storm of Spending, Debt,

and Inflation’’. Testimony was heard from public

witnesses.

CHIPS ON THE TABLE: A ONE YEAR

REVIEW OF THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: Full Com-

mittee held a hearing entitled ‘‘Chips on the Table:

A One Year Review of the Chips and Science Act’’.

Testimony was heard from Gina M. Raimondo, Sec-

retary, Department of Commerce.

FEMA: THE CURRENT STATE OF DISASTER

READINESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Sub-

committee on Economic Development, Public Build-

ings, and Emergency Management held a hearing en-

titled ‘‘FEMA: The Current State of Disaster Readi-

ness, Response, and Recovery’’. Testimony was heard

from Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emer-

gency Management Agency, Department of Home-

land Security.

USE AND REGULATION OF AUTONOMOUS

AND EXPERIMENTAL MARITIME

TECHNOLOGIES

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Sub-

committee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transpor-

tation held a hearing entitled ‘‘Use and Regulation

of Autonomous and Experimental Maritime Tech-

nologies’’. Testimony was heard from Rear Admiral

Wayne R. Arguin, Jr., Assistant Commandant for

Prevention Policy (CG–5P), U.S. Coast Guard; Rear

Admiral Todd Wiemers, Assistant Commandant for

Capability (CG–7), U.S. Coast Guard; and public

witnesses.

VA’S FEDERAL SUPREMACY INITIATIVE:

PUTTING VETERANS FIRST?

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Subcommittee on

Health held a hearing entitled ‘‘VA’s Federal Su-

premacy Initiative: Putting Veterans First?’’. Testi-

mony was heard from Erica Scavella, M.D., Assistant

Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services,

Chief Medical Officer, Veterans Health Administra-

tion, Department of Veterans Affairs; and public

witnesses.

REDUCED CARE FOR PATIENTS: FALLOUT

FROM FLAWED IMPLEMENTATION OF

SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLING

PROTECTIONS

Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee held

a hearing entitled ‘‘Reduced Care for Patients: Fall-

out from Flawed Implementation of Surprise Medical

Billing Protections’’. Testimony was heard from pub-

lic witnesses.

CIA INVESTIGATION UPDATE

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Sub-

committee on Central Intelligence Agency held a

hearing entitled ‘‘CIA Investigation Update’’. This

hearing was closed.

Joint Meetings

No joint committee meetings were held.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR WEDNESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

(Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated)

Senate

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: to

hold hearings to examine artificial intelligence in finan-

cial services, 10 a.m., SD–538.

Subcommittee on Economic Policy, to hold hearings to

examine child care since the pandemic, focusing on mac-

roeconomic impacts of public policy measures, 2 p.m.,

SD–538.

Committee on the Budget: to hold hearings to examine

public investment, 10 a.m., SD–608.

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: to

hold hearings to examine the nominations of Rebecca

Kelly Slaughter, of Maryland, Melissa Holyoak, of Utah,

and Andrew N. Ferguson, of Virginia, each to be a Fed-

eral Trade Commissioner, and Douglas Dziak, of Vir-

ginia, to be a Commissioner of the Consumer Product

Safety Commission, 10 a.m., SR–253.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGESTD896 September 19, 2023

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee

on Water and Power, to hold hearings to examine

drought impacts on drinking water access and water

availability, 2:30 p.m., SD–366.

Committee on Environment and Public Works: Sub-

committee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, to hold

hearings to examine drinking water infrastructure and

tribal communities, 2:30 p.m., SD–406.

Committee on Foreign Relations: business meeting to con-

sider the nominations of James C. O’Brien, of Nebraska,

to be an Assistant Secretary (European and Eurasian Af-

fairs), Dennis B. Hankins, of Minnesota, to be Ambas-

sador to the Republic of Haiti, Nathalie Rayes, of Massa-

chusetts, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia,

and Tobin John Bradley, of California, to be Ambassador

to the Republic of Guatemala, all of the Department of

State, and other pending nominations, 10:45 a.m., S–116,

Capitol.

Committee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Federal

Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, to

hold hearings to examine restoring transparency and ac-

countability in the accommodation process, 2:45 p.m.,

SD–226.

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: to hold hearings to exam-

ine improving mental health and suicide prevention

measures for our Nation’s veterans, 3:30 p.m., SR–418.

House

Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Cyber,

Information Technologies, and Innovation, hearing enti-

tled ‘‘Industry Perspectives on Defense Innovation and

Deterrence’’, 9 a.m., 2212 Rayburn.

Subcommittee on Military Personnel, hearing entitled

‘‘Meritocracy in the Military Services: Accession, Pro-

motion, and Command Selection’’, 1 p.m., 2212 Ray-

burn.

Committee on the Budget, Full Committee, markup on

legislation on the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget

for Fiscal Year 2024, 10 a.m., 210 Cannon.

Committee on Education and Workforce, Subcommittee on

Higher Education and Workforce Development, hearing

entitled ‘‘Strengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for

Jobseekers, Employers, and Taxpayers’’, 10:15 a.m., 2175

Rayburn.

Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on En-

ergy, Climate, and Grid Security, hearing entitled

‘‘American Hydropower: Unleashing Reliable, Renewable,

Clean Power Across the U.S.’’, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn.

Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce,

hearing entitled ‘‘Mapping America’s Supply Chains: So-

lutions to Unleash Innovation, Boost Economic Resil-

ience, and Beat China’’, 10:30 a.m., 2322 Rayburn.

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing

entitled ‘‘At What Cost: Oversight of How the IRA’s

Price Setting Scheme Means Fewer Cures for Patients’’, 2

p.m., 2123 Rayburn.

Committee on Financial Services, Full Committee, markup

on H.R. 3378, the ‘‘Agricultural Security Risk Review

Act’’; H.R. 5409, the ‘‘Safeguarding American Farms

from Foreign Influence Act’’; H.R. 760, the ‘‘Chinese

Military and Surveillance Company Sanctions Act’’; H.R.

5472, the ‘‘FinCEN Oversight and Accountability Act of

2023’’; H.R. 5485, the ‘‘Financial Privacy Act of 2023’’;

H.R. 5119, the ‘‘Protect Small Business and Prevent Il-

licit Financial Activity Act’’; H.R. 5557, the ‘‘Combat-

ting Foreign Surveillance Spyware Sanctions Act’’; legisla-

tion on the Financial Access Improvements Act; legisla-

tion on the Russia and Belarus Financial Sanctions Act of

2023; legislation on the Foreign Affiliates Sharing Pilot

Program Extension Act; H.R. 3402, the ‘‘Power of the

Mint Act’’; H.R. 5403, the ‘‘CBDC Anti-Surveillance

State Act’’; H.R. 3712, the ‘‘Digital Dollar Pilot Preven-

tion Act’’, 10 a.m., 2128 Rayburn.

Committee on Homeland Security, Full Committee, hearing

entitled ‘‘The Financial Costs of Mayorkas’ Open Border’’,

10 a.m., 310 Cannon.

Committee on House Administration, Full Committee,

hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of the Federal Election Com-

mission’’, 10:15 a.m., 1310 Longworth.

Committee on the Judiciary, Full Committee, hearing en-

titled ‘‘Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice’’, 10

a.m., 2141 Rayburn.

Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the

Internet, hearing entitled ‘‘IP and Strategic Competition

with China: Part III—IP Theft, Cybersecurity, and AI’’,

3 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.

Committee on Natural Resources, Full Committee, markup

on H.R. 929, the ‘‘Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into

Trust Confirmation Act of 2023’’; H.R. 934, to require

the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to sup-

press wildfires, and for other purposes; H.R. 1786, the

‘‘GROW Act’’; H.R. 3448, the ‘‘American Battlefield

Protection Program Enhancement Act’’; H.R. 4051, the

‘‘SHARKED Act’’; and H.R. 4596, the ‘‘Upper Colorado

and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery

Programs Reauthorization Act of 2023’’, 10:15 a.m.,

1324 Longworth.

Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Full Com-

mittee, markup on H.R. 4984, the ‘‘D.C. Robert F. Ken-

nedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act’’;

H.R. 5040, the ‘‘Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligi-

bility Act’’; legislation on the Modernizing Government

Technology Reform Act; H.R. 4428, the ‘‘Guidance Clar-

ity Act of 2023’’; legislation on the Safe and Smart Fed-

eral Purchasing Act of 2023; and several postal naming

measures, 10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn.

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Subcommittee

on Investigations and Oversight, hearing entitled ‘‘A Bar

Too High: Concerns with CEQ’s Proposed Regulatory

Hurdle for Federal Contracting’’, 10 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.

Committee on Small Business, Full Committee, hearing

entitled ‘‘Athletes and Innovators: Analyzing NIL’s Im-

pact on Entrepreneurial Collegiate Athletes’’, 10 a.m.,

2360 Rayburn.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Full Com-

mittee, hearing entitled ‘‘Oversight of the Department of

Transportation’s Policies and Programs’’, 10 a.m., 2167

Rayburn.

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Eco-

nomic Opportunity, hearing entitled ‘‘Less is More: The

Impact of Bureaucratic Red Tape on Veterans Education

Benefits’’, 10 a.m., 360 Cannon.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST D897 September 19, 2023

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing

entitled ‘‘VA Procurement: Made in America’’, 3 p.m.,

360 Cannon.

Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade,

hearing entitled ‘‘Reforming the Generalized System of

Preferences to Safeguard U.S. Supply Chains and Combat

China’’, 2 p.m., 1100 Longworth.

Joint Meeting

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: to hold

hearings to examine Putin’s personal prisoner Vladimir

Kara-Murza, 2 p.m., 2200, Rayburn Building.

Joint Economic Committee: to hold hearings to examine

growing the economy of the future, focusing on job train-

ing for the clean energy transition, 2:15 p.m., SH–216.

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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — DAILY DIGEST

Congressional Record

The Congressional Record (USPS 087–390). The Periodicals postage

is paid at Washington, D.C. The public proceedings of each House

of Congress, as reported by the Official Reporters thereof, are

printed pursuant to directions of the Joint Committee on Printing as authorized by appropriate provisions of Title 44, United

States Code, and published for each day that one or both Houses are in session, excepting very infrequent instances when

two or more unusually small consecutive issues are printed one time. ¶ Public access to the Congressional Record is available online through

the U.S. Government Publishing Office, at www.govinfo.gov, free of charge to the user. The information is updated online each day the

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D898 September 19, 2023

Next Meeting of the SENATE

10 a.m., Wednesday, September 20

Senate Chamber

Program for Wednesday: Senate will continue consider-

ation of H.R. 4366, Military Construction, Veterans Af-

fairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and vote

on the Murray motion to suspend Rule XVI for the con-

sideration of Schumer (for Murray/Collins) Amendment

No. 1092, in the nature of a substitute, at 12:15 p.m.

(Senate will recess from 5 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. for an all-

Senators briefing.)

Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

10 a.m., Wednesday, September 20

House Chamber

Program for Wednesday: To be announced.

Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue

HOUSE

Allred, Colin Z., Tex., E861

Gallego, Ruben, Ariz., E862

Harshbarger, Diana, Tenn., E861, E862

LaHood, Darin, Ill., E861, E863

McGovern, James P., Mass., E862

Morelle, Joseph D., N.Y., E862

Norton, Eleanor Holmes, The District of Columbia,

E863

Scott, Robert ‘‘Bobby’’, Va., E862

Sherman, Brad, Calif., E861

Swalwell, Eric, Calif., E861

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