Transcripts For CSPAN2 U.S. 20240703

Are not reaching the peaks of the top performers in the company immediately. It didnt does seem to bl setting process and that will probably hold true in a political speech space as well, again it is 2027488000 for Eastern Central time zone. 2027488001 for mountain pacific. Fever talk about efforts in congress purposely today senator schumer is going to unveil what he described as a roadmap this week when it comes to look yet ai. We believe this programfa at this point for live coverage of the u. S. Senate. Today lawmakers are considering the nomination of a u. S. Permanent representative to the parisbased u. N. Educational scientific and Cultural Organization known as unesco. A focal take place at 5 30 p. M. Eastern to advance her nomination. Live coverage of the u. S. Senate this year on cspan2. The presiding officer the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal father, thank you for this day, for a land of spacious skies, bountiful grain, majestic mountains, and fruited plains. We accept this day as a gift from your bounty and will use it for the glory of your name. As our senators strive to do what is best for this great land, lead them with your might. Guide them by your higher wisdom, and help them know the constancy of your presence. Lord, give them the greatness of being on your side and the delight of knowing they are doing your will. As they seek to be responsive to your leading, keep our senators hearts riveted on you. Make them stewards of the blessings you daily provide. We pray in your powerful name. Amen. The presiding officer please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the clerk the presiding officer the clerk will read a communication to the senate. The clerk washington, d. C. , may 14, 2024. To the senate under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable peter welch, a senator from the state of vermont, to perform the duties of the chair. Signed patty murray, president pro tempore. The presiding officer under the previous order, the leadership previous order, the leadership my name is jesse gary and im the president and yield of the company. President bidens announcement today is critical to the success of my Company Strength of economic and National Security. Electric vehicles and vessels, in most aspects of modern economy critical to national defense. Caps on aluminum from china which continues to build up overcapacity and engage in nonmarket action will allow our businesses and workers compete. , we all benefit the president s actions today. Revitalize American Manufacturing and operations in south carolina. President bidens efforts to make cleaner. With the support of 500 million grant we are building not only the first and 45 years but one of the greenest others in the world. Unfair trade to something that is really real todays announcement the best made, jobs to be created and wages to be paid to our workers. Thank you, mr. President for your vision and the work of your administration. [applause] good afternoon. My name is Roxanne Brown at International Vice president at large the united steelworkers unit. The largest industrial unit in north america so the work of President Biden and his administration the fiber of its in detroit. What we had with President Biden dating back to when he first ran for senate and all the time with never questioned commitment to working people. The most pro worker, prounion president weve ever had. [cheering and applauding] the president and his administration truly have implemented a Worker Center trade policy. These unfair trade not only using trade tools but also investments that reignite and renew manufacturing capacity these are final stopping unfair anticompetitive actions on countries like china but helping them investments, procurement policies and other actions are key and thats what President Biden delivered. Hes set up for us from the chips act Inflation Reduction Act doing what no other president in my lifetime has done. President bidens trade probably is making everyone and went. [applause] ,. I assume in the race card. Please have a seat. Thanks for all you do. I want to recognize or skill workers and autoworkers communication workers and machinists. The most prounion in history. Middleclass america. Semi conductors and automakers. The Treasury Department of labor and our nations outstanding numbers of congress. Im sorry. All right. Thank you for joining us in the series of actions. American workers cap outwork or outcompete anyone the Chinese Government Companies Across the whole range of industries. Thats far more than the rest of the world can absorb and dumping access products like lowprice prices are fairly well because Chinese Companies dont need to worry about the Chinese Government subsidized heavily. And to do business in china. The same rules of you want. If you want to do business in china, you have to chinese owner, provide access on the intellectual property. Today, m president , President Biden announced he is taking new steps to protect u. S. Workers and put the Chinese Communist party on notice with a round of tariffs. I commend President Biden for standing up for American Workers and making it clear to the ccp that they will face the consequences for their trade abuses. Fighting the ccps unfair trade practices is something ive tear about for a very long time. It was one of the very first issues i focused on when i first visited upstate new york as a senator and saw for myself jobs leaving the shores. The ccp has shown that they will stop at nothing to steal our intellectual appropriate and under property and undermain our economy. When i met with president xi, i said that away need to create a more evenlevel playing field. Todays tariffs are thus a good step towards reversing americas trade imbalances and protect u. S. Production of everything from batteries to solar cells to semiconductors to steel and aluminum. Im particularly pleased that President Bidens tariffs will boost american e. V. s and clean energy manufacturing. With all the investments we democrats made in the Inflation Reduction Act, to boost e. V. Manufacturing, something i cared a lot about and worked hard for, it would be terrible for americas roads to become saturated with e. V. s made in china, around these tariffs will help prevent that. Weve taken major steps to reverse the ossification of u. S. Manufacturing with the infrastructured law, the ira and chips and science, but the president s tariffs are a critical part of the solution. The federal Energy Regulatory Administration May not sound like the flashiest in the world, but yesterday they had lot of flash. They made a gamechanging announcement that can only be described as dramatic change and help for the American People and for a clean environment. Yesterday, after years of planning, and after i called ferc to ftake a strong action last summer, the commission announced a pair of rules to revamp americas power grid. Fercs new rules require both longterm transmission planning and establish the way for states to split the bill for big transmission problems. These sound esoteric, but theyre huge. In the long run, theyll help clean energy compete with fossil fuels and result in Lower Energy Costs and increase liability. Nearly two years ago, congressial democrats Congressional Democrats, led by the democrats in the senate, made history by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest down payment for Clean Energy Production the u. S. Has ever seen. Our bill, which i was proud to lead in the senate, provided hundreds of billions to boost production in solar and wind and other forms of clean energy, and its hugely successful. All the programs are being oversubscribed. Many more people are in line, companies, et cetera, to build solar and wind production. And other forms of clean energy. But it was only half the battle. It matters little if we build lots of solar panels and windmills if we dont have a way of transmitting the clean energy to communities that need it the most. Frankly, transmission was tied in knots. What good is a lot of wind offshore or solar energy throughout our more sunny areas if you cant get that energy to the people who need it and want it, to the people whose costs it will lower . And so, it was really important to me that we do something about transmission. Unfortunately, we were not able to get that done when we tried to do it here in the senate. Our republican colleagues were not amenable. So we had to find another way. According to one study, without more transmentions the u. S. Transmissions, the u. S. Could squander up to half the climate benefits of the ira. What a colossal tragedy. We all see what Global Warming is doing. Look at all the tornadoes and everything else. Where the heck are they coming from if the weather is not changing . Thats why we tried to include, Senate Democrats, tried to include transmission reforms in the ira. And after that, when that didnt work, the parliamentarian knocked them out, we tried to work them with republicans, but they blocked our efforts. So i had to find another way, and i was very eager and almost desperate to find another way, because we so needed to bring this clean energy to peoples homes and reduce their costs. So last summer i wrote a letter to ferc to help provide a remedy, because i knew that ferc could strengthen the rules, and they did. They could strengthen rules so we could more quickly build transmission lines and ensure clean energy could compete with fossil fuels on an even footing. Mr. President , i spent months working with my team, and with one expert after other, to quietly but forcefully finetune what ferc needed, and change our letter and how the agency could make the most of this opportunity. Well, hallelujah. This is a major change people are not paying attention to, but its having dramatic it will have dramatic effect. Fercs rule contained almost all of my requests. The result of yesterdays announcement . More clean energy going to people who need it, lower costs, increased reliability. Were unlocking the Clean Energy Revolution along the day. So, let me say this this was a major announcement. Yesterdays announcement from ferc was a turning point in the effort to transition to the u. S. To a clean energy economy. Im very pleased with ferc. I salute their leadership for doing what they did. And i thank my staff who worked so long and hard to make this happen. Its great news for the environment, great news for the electricity consumer, great news for america and our globe. Now, on the border, its been 97 days sips donald trump and days since donald trump and maga republicans blocked the strongest and most comprehensive Border Security bill. They have zero plan to fix the problem. President biden is taking action to secure our border. Last week, the president began announcing a series of administrative actions to go after bad actors in Central America and to use whatever powers can powers he can from the executive branch. Here in the senate, we have not walked away from the table. We know we need to fix the border. The American People demand we fix the border, and we call on our republican colleagues, once and for all, to join us in taking real bipartisan action. Democrats agree that the status quo on the border cannot continue. We want to pass Border Security in congress by working in a bipartisan way. So three monthse brought to the floor a comprehensive Border Security bill months in the making, a bill that didnt just talk the talk about bretey secured, but walked the about Border Security but walked the walk. It updated asylum, more money for Border Agents and judges, and was supported by conservatives, like the wall street journal editorial page board. It was not a messaging bill. It was the result of bipartisan negot negotiation. Senators murphy, sinema, and lankford, with input from a wide range of stakeholders on both sides. If both chambers would have had a chance to vote on our Border Security bill, it would have passed and become law. Well, three months later, were not walking away from trying to resolve the problems at the border. We hope republicans will change course and join us. Instead of just making a lot of speeches, pointing a lot of fingers, blame, blame, blame, lets get something done. Its right within our grasp, a bipartisan bill that when shown to many republicans they said wow. It wasnt until donald trump said i want the border to remain in chaos soy i could win so i could win reelection or win election, that republicans backed off. Well, shame. Thats not what the American People want, and were going to make sure they know it. Buffalo well, mr. President , two years ago today, barbarity descended upon the city of good neighbors. My heart, my soul, and spirit are with the people of buffalo, new york, today, as they observe the second tragic anniversary of the shooting at the tops supermarket. In the span of a few minutes, ten precious lives were extinguished in a senseless act of hatred from a white supremacist. Racism is americas original sin. Our work will never be done until we do everything to rid our society of this vicious evil. May god watch over the souls of those who died two years ago today. May those of us who remember them find strength, courage and the will to prevent tragedies like this in the future. America has tragically seen many more tragic shootings. Gun violence is one of americas gravest societal ills and seems to be increased. Two years ago we learned the situation is not entirely hopeless. After what happened in buffalo, uvalde, and other places, democrats and republicans joined together to pass the first gun safety bill in 30 years, the first since the brady bill which i authored a long time ago when i was in the house. This is the first one since then. Later this month, the administration will bring into effect one of the key elements of our bill, by expanding background checks, closing loopholes for online sales and gun shows. Our rule shows change is possible. When both sides work together, even if progress is hard and halting. A few years ago, the announcement would have been unimaginable. Were never going to be able to f fully fix the harms unleashed by gun violence, but we can continue the work to make Mass Shootings a thing of the past. Weve got a long way to go, but today, as we remember those who tragically died in buffalo, let us recommit to keep going, no matter what it takes. I yield the floor and no, one more thing. Legislative business. Mr. President , i understand theres a bill at the desk due for a second reading. The presiding officer the clerk will read the title of the bill for the second time. The clerk h. R. 7109, an act do require a Citizenship Question on the decennial census and so on. Mr. Schumer in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i would object to further proc proceeding. The presiding officer objection having been heard, the bill will be placed on the calendar. The clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the presiding officer the republican leader. Mr. Mcconnell i ask consent that further proceedings under the quorum call the presiding officer were not in a quorum. Mr. Mcconnell id like to begin my remarks today with a quote the idea that we would cut off military aid to an ally, our only true, true ally in the entire region, is absolutely prepo preposterous. Its just beyond my comprehension why anyone would do that. Five years ago, then candidate biden was saying the right thing about americas commitment to the jewish state of israel. Unfortunately, today hes doing the complete opposite. The president and his administration are withholding Critical Military assistance from israel as it fights to restore its security against savage terrorists, and theyre refusing to answer basic questions about it. Last week, the speaker of the house and i sent a letter to the Biden Administration pressing for specific details on which weapons were being withheld and why they were being withheld. And while we waited for an answer, the secretary of state spent the weekend dodging requests for any serious rashale rationale driving the president s decision. Its no secret that the administration is under immense pressure from the antiisrael left. Its evident, in the words of some of our own colleagues. Members of this body have urged the president to, quote, be more aggressive with the israelis. Theyve demanded, quote, not one penny go to support americas ally, unless israel yields to their view of whats acceptable in selfdefense. And of course theyve even engaged in grotesque political interference calling for a regime change in a sovereign democracy. The Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing tomorrow about foreign interference in our politics and elections. And yet too many of our democratic colleagues cant seem to resist the temptation to put their fingers on the electoral scales of other democracies. Far too many washington democrats have indulged what i call the bb derangement syndrome, setting a dangerous precedent. Some of our colleagues talk about an Israeli Government dominated by shadowy farright forces. That government literally does not exist. Israel is led by a coalition of National Unity government and its working ethic which includes multiple political partisis distinguished by the absence, absence of the most conservative members of the coalition. By all accounts support for military operations in gaza and against hezbollah in lebanon transcends israeli politics. But here in washington, democrats want to pretend that what theyre objecting to is merely the will of a Prime Minister they dont like. Some of our most Senior Senate colleagues, including the chairman of the state foreign operations subcommittee, just this weekend have even demonstrated an eagerness to assign political blame within israel for the failure to prevent the october 7 attacks. Well, that will be the job for the people of israel, and it will come after they finish restoring their security against the terrorists wearing israeli and american blood. But lets make one thing absolutely clear. If the Biden Administration continues to hector and impede our allies progress toward this goal, share the blame for hamas success may well come to rest right here in washington. Of course, theres already plenty of blame to go around among the western institutions that have fallen into predictable patterns of dangerous antiisrael bias in the months after october 7. From the media who rush to fit the deadliest attack on jews since the holocaust into tidy, artificial narratives of moral equivalence and cycles of violence. To the Prominent International organizations who continue to elevate and legitimatize outright terrorist propaganda. Just a few days ago, the United Nations finally admitted that the figures on palestinian casualties it had held up for months as objective truth had been grossly overstated. As a spokesman put it, quote, in the fog of war, its difficult to come up with the numbers. No kidding. Especially difficult to get accurate data when you rely exclusively on the word of hamas. Unsurprisingly, just days after announcing its revised numbers, the u. N. Backtracked yesterday and resumed taking the Hamas Ministry of health in gaza at its word. But remember the u. N. s affiliation to terrorists isnt limited to data gathering, is it . Employees of the u. N. s relief and work agency, unrwa quite literally participated in the october 7 attack. So why dont we talk about the facts. In the last nine days, the terrorists controlling Southern Gaza have attacked a major intraport for humanitarian aid from israel six times, six times. This is not an accident. And if terrorists strike the inefficient and costly pier, that wont be an accident either. Peace and stability for the people of gaza is loudly identifying itself. Hamas is showing us precisely why it can play no part in the future of israelis or palestinians, and a true ally would give israel the time, space, and support it needs to eliminate the terrorist threat. But thats not what weve seen from the commander in chief. By limiting israels options, the president is giving the terrorists a lifeline. Does the Biden Administration really expect hamas to capitulate at the negotiating table when our conditions on israel help terrorists survive on the battleground . And does the president think exhausting and arsenal of expensive low inventory interceptors is changing irans broader calculus . The lesson from repelling irans direct drone and missile attacks on israel for commercial shipping vessels isnt that we cant intercept them. The lessons that we still havent managed to compel iran to stop doing it and that we ought to be doing much more to rebuild our stocks and capacity to produce air and missile defenses as well as the longrange weapons that be credibly threaten what iran and other adversaries hold dear. This isnt new criticism, and it isnt a new problem. An embolden iran, an unchecked network of proxies and brazen violence against israel, america and the global economy, the president s choices have magnified these threats. Hes invited them with retreat, with hesitation, and with appeasement. Today the United States has effectively allowed itself to be deterred by secondrate terrorist power. And the world is taking note. Our credibility is not devisible. Our failure to meet one challenge compounds the others we face. But the path forward is not a mystery. As ive said repeatedly, rebuild our military power, stand with our allies, deter our adversaries, and do it today. Now, on another matter, last month i suggested the administrators at schools like columbia where antisemitism was fostering and growing ought to follow the lead of princeton where trespassers were quickly arrested and removed by Law Enforcement. Unfortunately, princeton may not be setting such a shining example after all. The school has apparently decided that perpetrators on campus shouldnt bear actual consequences. Yesterday at the urging of several Academic Department chairs, princeton announced they would forgo traditional discipline and instead let the student radicals who tried to occupy campus buildings participate in a Restorative Justice process. You might be forgiven for having absolutely no idea what that means, none. But the bottom line is these students will be allowed to graduate in the coming weeks. After all, whats a little call for intifada between friends. When henry david throw r throe chose jail for his civil disobedience, he explained it this way. Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. Apparently the post modern prisoner conscience sees things a bit differently. So thats my suggestion for the folks pushing Restorative Justice at princeton. Make these student radicals read throe and indict themselves with a comparative cheapness of their violent play acting. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the clerk ms. Baldwin. Mapping intellectual property underlying our property. When i met with camping, confronted the Chinese Government trade pieces. We need to create a more level playing field. Todays terrorist are a good step toward reversing trade imbalances and protect u. S. Production batteries to semiconductors steel and aluminum. Im particularly pleased President Bidens parents will americans clean energy manufacturing. Robbie investments you made the industrial art to boost, something i cared a lot about and took care of. Parents will help prevent that. We taken major steps to reverse the manufacturing. Infrastructure flaw in chimps and science but the tariffs are a critical part of the solution. The Regulatory Commission might not sound the flashiest in the world but yesterday they had a lot of flash and made a Game Changing announcement that can only be described as help to the American People. After years of planning doctor repeatedly to do this commission announced apparel rules on the power grid. The new rules will require longterm transmission planning established labor states with the bill and transmission articles. Pr people are fossil fuels resulted energy costs two years ago immigrants led by the democrats in the Senate Passing the inflation, the largest down payment in Energy Production the u. S. Has ever seen. Our bill i was proud to lead in the senate provided hundreds of billions production through solar and wind and other editing at hugely successful. All the poems are surprised and many people and companies to build wind and solar production forms of clean energy but it was only after battle, it matters little if we dont have a way of transmitting to Clean Energy Communities need most and transmission, what good is it having wind offshore or solar energy and sunny areas of you cant get the energy to the people who need it and want it costs lower . Its really important to me that we do something about transmission. Unfortunately we were not able to get that done when we tried to set it. We had to find another way. According to one study, transitions, we could squander up to half the claimant benefits the ira. What a tragedy. We seek what Global Warming is doing, look at the weather reports everything with tornadoes and everything, where are they coming from if the weather is not changing . Thats why we try to include democrat transmission reforms in the ira. When that didnt work we tried to work with republicans they are efforts i had friends of the way that i was very eager and almost desperate to find another way because we need to bring this clean energy times and reduce costs to last summer i wrote a letter to provide a remedy. They strengthen rules of transmission lines. I spent months working with my team that one expert after another finetuning whats needed in change of the agency could make the most of the opportunity. Hallelujah. Its a major change people are not paying attention to but there will be dramatic effects. The result of yesterdays announcement, Marketing Energy going to people who need it and lower costs, increase reliability unlocking the Clean Energy Revolution so let me say, this is a major announcement. It was a turn me over to transition to clean energy economy. I was very pleased and i salute their leadership doing what they did and i think my staff so long and hard make this happen. Its great for the environment and electricity consumed in great is for america. Ninetyseven days since donald trump and moderate republicans blocked comprehensive Border Security bill america has seen a generation and still hot zero plan to actually fix the problem. He action to secure our border. Last week the president began announcing administrative actions to go after that actress whatever he can from the executive branch. Here the senate we cannot walk away the table. We know we need to fix the border. The American People demand we fix the border and call on republican colleagues once and for all to join us in taking wheel bipartisan action democrats agree the status quo on the border cannot continue. For security working in a bipartisan way brought to the floor publicans of security bill months and making. The bill that doesnt just talk the talk but. More money break right conservatives like the wall street journal. The result of bipartisan negotiation senators murphy and emma and langford in a wide range of stakeholders on both sides of chambers what on Border Security we ask him to become law. We are not walking away. Vote americans will change course join us instead of just thinking. Pr the majority whip. Mr. Durbin are we in a quorum call . The presiding officer yes. Mr. Durbin i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be suspended. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Durbin mr. President , last week we learned the most recent winners of the pulitzer prize. I am pleased that among this years winners is a friend of mine that made it his lifes work to help bring democracy and freedom to his home country of russia, vladimir karamurza. Vladimir putin has tried to kill him in the uniquely Vladimir Putin way poison him. But each time vladimir survied and continued his work, including writing a column for the Washington Post about the need for change in russia. While he and his family became residents of the United States, he insisted on maintaining his home in russia. Two years ago he came to see me before returning to russia. Ill never forget asking vladimir about his decision to return. He was unequivocal. He felt he had to return. His aspirations were simple he believed in a Better Future for russia, one in which russians could live in free and Prosperous Society and be at peace with their neighbors. Unsurprisingly, shortly after he returned to russia after visiting with me, Vladimir Putin had him arrested and jailed. Karamurza has remained steadfast in his opposition to putin. He continues his writings from putins gulag, deeply thoughtful pieces. The titles of recent pieces hes written include even from a russian prison i can see putins weakness and im proud to have spoken out against putins crimes in ukraine. It was his powerful writing that won him International Recognition rand a pulitzer prize. I want to congratulate him and to thank his family for their courage on receiving this prestigious award. Most importantly, i want to remind him that what he is doing is not ignored, nor forgotten. And to Vladimir Putin i say, your folly in ukraine and domestic repression cannot hide the light of karamurzas moving words. Mr. President , on a different subject, i want to speak on President Bidens recent decision to withhold certain offensive u. S. Weapons from israel that might be useded in an assault on rafah. I support President Biden. It is not, as some have characterized it, a failure to support israel in a dangerous region after a genuinely horrific hamas tac. And october 7 was such an attack. It is instead a warning from one of the most proisraeli u. S. President s to an ally that a fullscale assault on rafah could not only add to the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in gaza but undermine any longterm stability in the region. Met me also re let me also remind those critics that President Biden also helped coordinate with the use of American Forces a dramatic defense of israel against an iranian assault. Anyone who doubts joe bidens commitment to israel is misguided. But he has reached his limit with Prime Minister netanyahu and his response in gaza. And focused on his own political survival more than anything else. His blunders protecting civilians and allowing the flow of aid were noted in the National Security memo reported to Congress Last week. Let me elaborate. Last week several of us met with the jordanian King Abdullah ii, a deeply thoughtful leader who he is a key ally of the United States, and he has made peace with israel. He, like middle east expert tom friedman, argue that simply leaving gaza and furthering the humanitarian crisis without a longterm strategy for peace, is no strategy at all for israel. A path forward can only happen with the support of arab nations in the region. President biden has been urging Prime Minister netanyahu to offer this broader vision, one that likely includes normalization with saudi arabia and eventual peace with the palestinian state, a vision that could be undermined with a massive assault on rafah. As tom friedman posed to netanyahu in a recent column, what do you want . Mora if a or riyadh . You want to mount a fullscale invasion of rafah to try to finish off hamas without offering any exit strategy from gaza or any true political reality for a twostate solutions. Shortly after the attack on october 7, i warned our israeli friends to learn from our mistakes after september 11. You do not want an illthoughtout occupation of gaza to become your fallujah and one needs to trust in the local civilian population to help Counter Terrorist groups. We were speculating recently how many innocent civilians have been killed in gaza in an effort to eliminate hamas. The number is staggering. This is another reason President Biden reached his limit with netanyahu. The devastating civilian toll in gaza is not only immoral and humanitarian problem, it is a strategic failure. More than 40 years ago an american president was furious about the photos of civilians killed by israeli shelling in lebanon. That president then called israeli Prime Minister menachem begin, dressed him down sharply and told him had the exhe is excessive assault had to end. The used the power of u. S. Weapons sales, including the withholding of warplanes and arms, to influence israeli war policy as well as to critcize israeli actions. That president was ronald reagan. Reagan wrote in his diary about the difficult call with begin, and i quote, i was angry. I told him it had to stop or our entire future relationship was in danger. So i urge those who are resistant and vocal about President Bidens actions to reflect on Ronald Reagans similar moves to help our israeli allies from making a strategic, tragic mistake four decades ago. Reflect on the words of the former mossad chief begin, who before his death said that israel achieved a long string of successes but also disastrous strategic failures. I have long supported a twostate solution for israelis and palestinians. Out of the devastating i dont mean can i i donyom kippur w we have a responsibility in the United States to a renewed push on all sides towards this goal, one in which the israeli and palestinian children can live in safety, peace, and dignity. I yield the floor. The presiding officer to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. The clerk nomination, department of state, Courtney Odonnell of california to be United States permanent representative to the United Nations educational, scientific, and Cultural Organization. The presiding officer the senator from texas. Mr. Cornyn mr. President , its been more than seven months six israel was attacked by an iranian proxy known as hamas from gaza. Hamas terrorists attacked innocent israelis on october 7 of last year, marking the deadliest day for jews since the holocaust. Innocent people were raped, murdered, and taken hostage, and nearly 130 remain hostage in gaza, including at least 4 american citizens. In this conflict, the line between good and evil could not be clearer. On one side is americas ally and the lone democracy in the middle east. On the other is a terrorist organization whose greatest goal is to simply destroy the jewish state. Hamas terrorists will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, including using their own citizens as human shields. And i can only recall back some of the horrific videos that weve seen of what theyve done to babies and innocent civilians, men, women, and children. Despite this, President Biden, and notwithstanding some of his rather unequivocal rhetoric, he seems confused by who we should be supporting in this conflict. As the war goes on, the president has slowly packed away from israel first with words and now through action. Last week he threatened to withhold military aid, military aid that had been voted for on a broad bipartisan basis in the congress and which he actually asked for. He effectively issued an ultimatum to our allies that fights these terrorists, do what i say or else. From the beginning of this war, ive said that israels operation should not be dictated by anyone but themselves and their National Security interests. For some reason President Biden has focused on Prime Minister netanyahu, as if he was the sole decisionmaker in israel, when in fact there is a unity war cabinet that is making those decisions. Not Prime Minister netanyahu alone. I can only think back to the horrible days after 9 11, 2021, a day that 3,000 americans died as a result of a terrorist attack in new york and washington, d. C. Americas allies knew better than to attempt to micromanage our response. Instead they stood in solidarity with the American People and pledged their support as u. S. Troops defended our country. Israel deserves the same support we got 23 years ago now. But the Biden Administration seems confused and of two minds and is sending a terrible message to our closest middle eastern ally. But this is not the first time weve sooep the Biden Administrations growing rift with israel. Last week when hamas announced it accepted the terms of a ceasefire agreement offered by qatar and egypt, the announcement set off a media frenzy, but it quickly became clear there was one glaring problem. Israel had yet to see, much less accept, the term of the proposal. The Israeli Government didnt even receive the text of the proposal until an hour after hamas released its statement. And Prime Minister netanyahu described the terms as, quote, far from israels necessary requirements, close quote. Its no surprise to me that hamas leaders went rogue and announced a deal before anything had been agreed to, much less seen. But its very deeply concerning that israel was caught completely off guard, especially when reports indicate that the United States had been involved in those negotiations, presumably to the exclusion of israel. According to reports from axios, the Biden Administration knew about the deal but failed to brief israel before mondays surprise announcement from hamas. The report says, quote, two israeli officials said the feeling is that israel got played by the United States and the mediators who drafted the new deal were not transparent about it. Negotiations of this magnitude are understandably extremely delicate, but there is no reason the Biden Administration should have kept the Israeli Government in the dark. Israel is a valued ally, but the Biden Administration continues to treat it as an untrust worthy antagonist. Administration officials developed a habit of manipulating, denigrating and withholding vital information. And im extremely worried about the impact of this growing rift and what it will mean between the strong relationship between our two countries. Its iran which is the principle state sponsor of international terrorism, particularly in the middle east, that is the evil head of the snake. Hamas of course, like hezbollah, and lebanon, the houthis and yemen and shia militias in iraq and syria are the means by which they attack the u. S. And its allies, including israel. And they are bent on the destruction of the state of israel. Of course its not just President Bidens actions, interactions with israel. Its the way he treats the situation here at home as well. Since hamas unprovoked attack on israel, countless americans have spoken out about this conflict. Weve sooep proisrael seen proisrael protests, antiisrael prophets and repeated calls for the violence to end. We all know the First Amendment protects the right of any american to speak freely and protest peacefully, and countless americans have exercised that right without incident. But we also know that the Supreme Court has said that neutral factors like time, place, and manner in which those protests occur are important, and School Administrators and other officials are completely within their rights to determine the time, manner, and place of the exercise of those First Amendment rights. In the past few weeks weve seen an alarming escalation in protest tactics and some of the most concerning examples have taken place on College Campuses. I have to wonder whether our Higher Education system has simply lost its way. The purpose of our institutions of Higher Learning are just that to learn. And, yes, protesting, diversity of opinion, debate is an important part of learning, but not breaking the law or parekhing the rules of the institution or jeopardizing the ability of other students to actually pursue their education. At columbia university, a group of protesters broke into an Academic Building and barricaded its doors. At ucla, antiisrael protesters physically blocked jewish students from getting to class. At yale, a jewish student journalist was attacked by a prohamas mob while attempting to film a protest. As i said, the First Amendment protects speech, it protects the right to protest peacefully. It does not give anyone the freedom to riot, to destroy, threaten or carry out acts of violence against others. It certainly doesnt protect the right to to attack someone based on their religion. The situation has become so volatile and so dangerous that two major universities canceled their graduation ceremonies. Can you imagine after living through the pandemic, where classes were canceled . Where students were prohibited the privilege of attending their own dprad weighings exercises dp graduation, because of these violent protests to have their graduation canceled. Columbia and the university of california called off main graduation exercises due to security concerns. As i noted, its important that the College Class of 2024 was also the High School Class of 2020, and many of these students didnt have a High School Graduation ceremony because of the pandemic and now they have been denied an attempt to have a public ceremony at their college or university. Despite the escalation of violence and antisemitic rhetoric in recent weeks, President Biden failed to demonstrate muchneeded leadership. Every statement hes made on this topic was paired with some sort of equivocation, some sort of expression of moral equivalency to what israel is doing and what hamas is doing. As an example, a few weeks ago the president said i condemn the antisemitic protests. But then quickly noted, i also condemn those who dont understand whats going on with the palestinians. He equated antisemitism with ignorance, seemingly suggesting that attacking jewish people was just as bad as ignoring the news. But there can be no equivocation. Antisemitism is wrong. Violent riots are wrong. Attempts to occupy College Campuses, destroy property, and break University Rules and interfere with the education of your fellow students is wrong. Its no surprise that the president was met with serious criticism and his communication teams seem to shift to a new approach this time silence, radio silence, as rioters occupy a building on the columbia campus, the president of the United States was eerily silent. It wasnt until a couple of weeks ago that he unequivocally condemned the threats against jewish students. Im glad he finally came around to his senses, but he hardly deserves credit for reaching the obvious conclusion after so much damage has already been done. Mr. President , the war initiated by hamas against israel last october 7 has exposed a startling lack of leadership from the commander in chief. The president is withholding military aid to our closest ally in the middle east. He and his lieutenants have created fractures in the historically strong relationship between the u. S. And israel. They failed to show resolve when it comes to quashing antisemitism on College Campuses and intentionally or not, theyve allowed violent protests to terrorize College Campuses. Over and over again the Biden Administrations response to the war between israel has fallen short. Again, there is no equivalency. There is no, on the one hand, its israel. On the other hand, its hamas. This is a conflict not only between hamas and israel, the proxy of iran, but also between good and evil. We know President Biden is in a Campaign Mode six months now before the election but he cannot turn on one of his closest allies in attempt to appeal to one of the most raled in his radical in his political party. The safety of the jewish people in america is at stake. The president needs to treat this issue with the seriousness and the clarity that it demands. Mr. President , i yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from nevada. Ms. Rosen i rise today to speak in recognition of National Police week. This week its a time for our nation to collectively recognize and honor the bravery and dedication of the men and women who keep our communities safe. I want to give a special thanks to the Law Enforcement across my state of nevada who serve every day with honor integrity and courage. In nevada, a state that welcomes visitors from around the world, our policemen and women are critical for protecting not only our communities, but the visitors. Its a task they proved time and time again they stand ready for. More than six years ago las vegas experienced the deadliest mass shooting in its history, at that moment First Responders and Law Enforcement moved toward danger to save countless lives. Because you know why . Thats what theyre trained to do. Whether its a major emergency, domestic dispute or routine traffic stop, every day they put on their uniform and leave their homes, the brave men and women of nevadas Law Enforcement community put their lives on the line. These officers know the risks of the job, but their sense of service is even stronger. And i want nevada Law Enforcement to know i have your back. As i met with Police Officials across my state of nevada, they consistently told me one of the Biggest Challenges theyre facing is the dire shortage of officers and support staff. We must tackle this head on. Thats why im working across party lines to make sure we take action here in congress to hire and to retain more officers. I signed on to Bipartisan Legislation, the recruit and retain act, which will establish a federal pipeline between local Police Departments and schools to help facilitate ee krument activities and en recruitment sifts an encourage young people into these careers. It will help make it easier to bring on the new officers. And i was proud to pass help pass this Bipartisan Legislation here in the Senate Nearly a year ago. And i call on the house of representatives to take action on this critical legislation as soon as possible. And ill keep pushing to see that our Law Enforcement officers have access to resources, training and recruitment support, the kinds of things that they need to do their job safely. And while we work to support our police, we must also remember to honor fallen soldiers. Fallen officers. These are our heroes who left behind families, friends, colleagues, and communities they served and helped to protect. Earlier this month my team attended an annual Law Enforcement officers ceremony to pay our respects to the memory of the five new officers whose names were added to the memorial this year. Mr. President , to honor their lives and their bravery, i ask unanimous consent to submit a list of the names of the five fallen Law Enforcement officers who were added to the nevada Law Enforcement memorial to be printed in the congressional record. The presiding officer without objection. Ms. Rosen these brave officers, they made the ultimate sacrifice for our communities and they deserve our eternal gratitude. I promise that i will keep working with my colleagues across the aisle to support our Police Departments, support the officers who serve, to support our staff and to support all of their families. Thank you, mr. President. I yield back. I note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call the clerk ms. Baldwin. Folks, leaders from key industry are here as well. Semi conductor than automakers and members of my cabinet are here as well. The front row is murderers row here. The Treasury Department of labor , catherine tie our nations trade representative and outstanding members of congress as well for michigan debbie is here. Welcome. And Haley Stevens is here. There you are. They told me you may not be able to make it. Im sorry. All right. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. Again. Smile, debbie, it is okay. You are responsible for a lot of the spirit thank you for joining us as i announce a series of actions. To make sure American Workers and American Business corporations can compete and when in the industry of the future because that is what this is about the the fact is, American Workers cannot outwork or outcompete anyone. As long as the competition is fair. For too long, it has not been fair. They have poured money into chinese Companies Across a whole range of industries. Aluminum, mi conductors, electric vehicles, solar panels. Industries of the future. Equipment like gloves and masks. China heavily subsidized all of these products pushing chinese to produce far more than what they can absorb and then dumping the excess audits onto the market and unfairly low prices driving other manufacturers around the world out of business i wont go into it. Talking about how many aluminum answer used to be and how many now. Chinese companies do not need to worry about our profit. The Chinese Government subsidize this heavily. Chinese relies on other tactics as well. By forcing American Companies to transfer the technologies to do business in china. I spent a lot of time early on. I told him why am i being unfair china, i said, look, we will play by the same rules, if you want. You have to have a 51 chinese owner. If you want to do business with china you have to have a 51 chinese owner. You have to provide access to the york companies. You want to do that in america, silence. It has been well documented and internationally recognized when you make tax breaks like these, you are not competing. It is not competition, it is cheating. We see damage here in america. Back in 2000 cheap steel from china began to flood the market across pennsylvania and ohio were hit hard. More than 1800 workers in pennsylvania and ohio lost their jobs. I am not going to let that happen again. Key sectors of the economy that ensure the workers are not held back by fair trade practices. They include 25 chinese steel and aluminum products and will counter chinas overcapacity in these industries. Making Major Investments in clean energy movement, clean movement. It is a bleak deal. Because of the way we manufacture here. Carbon still made in china. Last month my administration announced a large investment to all of history. Up to 1. 56 billion claim Steel Products across america. Thousands of union jobs. Next, 100 from electric vehicles making it to china. People saying wow. [applause] we will not let china flood our Market Making it impossible. [applause] we will do it by following International Trade laws to do it. American companies are investing tens of billions of dollars in electric vehicles and batteries. Thanks to my infrastructure law, we are building a network of 500,000 charging stations all across america. Creating thousands of jobs across america. Electric charging stations. That is what this will be. You will not have to worry about them taking it off and making it all across the country. One where we are not having to figure figure something out. Our partners around the world making similar investments. They want supply chain for electric vehicles that is not dominated by unfair trade practices from china. I want to make this clear. By any kind of car that they want. Whether it is gas, electric or hybrid. We will never allow china to fairly without objection. Objection. Control mr. President , he epitomizes what it is to be a hero. On july 14, 2023, nearly a year ago, officer robinson was one of four officers to respond to a routine fender bender. As the officers were wrapping up their handling of the accident, officer robinson moved his Police Vehicle out of the street. A shooter who was not involved in the initial accident ambushed the officers, firing on them and bystanders. The shooter hit zachs three fellow officers killing officer jake walleen and injuring two other officers, both of whom attended the top cops benefit with their spouses. Zach radioed to, quote, send everybody as he engaged in the shootout with the assailant. Officer robinson was literally the last man standing, but he did not hesitate as he moved toward, not away from but toward the gunfire. Putting himself between the shooter and the innocent. Finally, fatally wounding the assailant. This senseless, premeditated attack targeted Police Officers who were simply doing what they do, their jobs, protecting and taking care of citizens in need. Evidence collected in the investigation revealed the shooters fixation on mass shooting events and his likely intent to perpetrate an attack at a large event like the downtown fargo street fair that was going on a few blocks away in the or the next community over, the red river valley fair. In his car alone, the shooter had more than 1800 rounds of ammunition, multiple firearms and several homemade explosive devices. This was a man intent on inflicting carnage on the community. A community that had never seen anything like this before. Despite this quote as a bad, bad day, when officer robinson was asked if he had considered leaving Law Enforcement, he did not hesitate. He said he, quote, wanted to come back right away. There was no question i wasnt not i wasnt not going to come back to work. We will likely never know how many lives he saved that day, that his heroism protected that day, but his actions will never be forgotten by the Fargo Community or the state of north dakota. In addition to the top cop award, officer robinson earned the medal of honor from the fraternal order of place, was named the fargo Police Departments 2023 officer of the year, and the 2023 National Rifle association Law Enforcement officer of the year. Several months after the shooting, he was asked what he thought of being called a hero and said he was, quote, grateful to be in the right place at the right time to do what needed to be done. I was just able to react and eliminate the shooter before he had the chance to hurt anybody else. Its been said that heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. And while zachs extraordinary act of heroism is what was celebrated sunday night in washington, d. C. , it is his humility that stands out the most to me. This is a characteristic, by the way, thats shared by his fellow officers who were involved in the horrific events of that day in fargo. Officers haas and dotis project noble strength and concern for others, never shining the spotlight on themselves. And while its not surprising, it is always encouraging. Officer robinsons story, his refusal to yield, his swift action in the face of grave danger captured the essence of why we must back the blue, always 1u7 port supporting our officers not just in words but in actions and deeds, ensuring they have all they need to carry out their duties safely and effectively. During National Police week, we honor zach and his brothers and sisters in blue across the country who go to work every day to protect our communities, despite the dangers around the corner or across the street. This week is also a chance to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. At a time when Police Officers are all too often scoffed or defunded by the very people relying on them for public safety, we need to constantly remember the real world impacts of their service. Every officer who is lost is a mother, father, sister, brother, a son or a daughter taken too soon from a family that loves them and will miss them. Mr. President , our officers and their families deserve to know we will always have their backs. The top cop awards ban ket at the Omni Shore Hotel on sunday was not just one of the many special events we all attend in these jobs. For me it was the honor of a lifetime to be there, to pay tribute to the most extraordinary of the ordinary. Congratulations to officer robinson for the top cop award, to chief david zalofsky and entire Fargo Police Department and thank you to all Law Enforcement officers for their everyday heroism. We love you and we pray for you always. Thank you, mr. President. Thank you, mr. President. With new tariffs on goods vital for americas economic future. I commend President Biden for standing up for American Workers and making it clear to the ccp that they will face the consequences for their trade abuses. Hiding the ccp ccps unfair trade practices is something that ive cared about for a very long time. One of the very first i focused on when i first visited upstate new york as a senator and so i saw for myself jobs leaving for the shores. They have shown that they will stop at nothing to steal our intellectual property and undermine our economy. When i met with president xi during my coaldale last fall i confronted him about the Chinese Governments history and trade abuses and said we need to create a more even level playing field. Todays tariffs are a good step towards reversing americas trade imbalances and protecting u. S. Production, two of everything from batteries to solar cells to semi conductors to steel and aluminum. I am particularly pleased that President Bidens terrace will boost american eb and clean energy manufacturing. With all of the investments we democrats have made in the Inflation Reduction Act, to boost the manufacturing, something i cared a lot about and worked hard for, it would be terrible for americas roads to become saturated with eb made in china and these tariffs will help prevent that. We have taken major steps to reverse u. S. Manufacturing with the infrastructure law. The ira and chips and science. The president s tariffs are also a critical part of the solution. The federal laity the federal Agency Committee may not sound like the flashiest agency in the world, but yesterday they had a lotto . They made it a Game Changing announcement that could only be described as dramatic change and help for the American People and a clean environment. Yesterday after years of planning and after i called to take a strong action last summer and was pushing repeatedly to do this, the commission announced a pair of rules that will revamp americas power grid. The new rules will require both a longterm transmission planning and establish the way for states to split the bill for big transmission projects. These are huge. The result in the long run will help clean energy compete on equal footing with fossil fuels and result in Lower Energy Costs and increase liability. Two years ago Congressional Democrats led by the democrats in the senate made history by passing the Inflation Reduction Act. The largest down payment for Clean Energy Production the u. S. Has ever seen. Our bill which i was proud to lead in the senate provided hundreds of billions to boost production and solar, wind and other forms of clean energy and it is usually successful. The programs are being oversubscribed. Many more people in mind, companies, et cetera to build solar and wind production and other forms of clean energy. But, it was only half the battle it matters little if we build lots of solar panels and windmills if we dont have a way of transmitting all that clean energy the communities that need it most. Frankly, transmission was tied in knots. What good is it if having a lot of wind offshore. Or solar energy throughout our sunny areas if you cannot get that energy to the people that need it and want it to the peoples whose cost it will lower and so, it was really important to me that we do something about transmission. Unfortunately, we were not able to get that done when we tried to do it here in the senate. My republican colleagues were not amenable. So we had to find another way. The u. S. Could squander up to half the crime it benefits at the ira. What a colossal tragedy. We all see what Global Warming is doing. We look at the weather reports every day. Where they coming from if the weather is not changing. So that is why we try to include Senate Democrats transmission reforms in the ira. After that, when that did not work, the parliamentarian not amount, we tried to work them with republicans but they blocked our efforts. So i had to find another way and i was very eager and almost desperate to find another way because we so needed to bring this clean energy to peoples homes and reduce their costs. So last summer i wrote a letter to help provide a remedy because i knew they could strengthen the rules and they did. Strengthen, they could strengthen rules so we could more quickly build transmission lines and ensure clean energy could compete with clean fossil fuels on even footing. Mr. President , i spent months working with my team and with one expert after another to quietly, but forcefully fine tune what they needed. And change our letter and how the agency could make the most of this opportunity. Well, hallelujah. A major change of people are not paying attention to but it will have dramatic effect. The rule contained almost all of my requests. The result of yesterdays announcement more clean energy going to people who need it. Lower costs, increased reliability unlocking the Clean Energy Revolution. So, let me say this. This was a major announcement it yesterdays announcement was a turning point in the effort to transition to the u. S. To a clean energy economy. I am very pleased. I salute their leadership are doing what they didnt think my staff who worked so long and hard to make this happen. It is great news for the environment, great news for the consumer great news for america and our globe. Now on the border. Ninetyseven days since donald trump and mega republicans blocked the strongest most comprehensive Border Security bill america has seen in a generation. They have zero plan to actually fix the problem. President biden meanwhile is taking action to secure our border. Last week the president began announcing a series of administrative actions to go after bad actors in Central America and to use whatever powers he can from the executive branch. Here in the senate we have not walked away from the table. We know that we need to fix the border. The American People demand we fix the border and we call on our republican colleagues once and for all to join us in taking real bipartisan action. Democrats agreed that the status quo on the border cannot continue. We want to pass Border Security in congress by working in a bipartisan way and so three months ago we brought to the floor a comprehensive security bill, Border Security bill months in the making. A bill that did not just talk the talk about Border Security, but walked the walk. It updated asylum, had more money for Border Agents and judges and was supported by conservatives like the wall street journal editorial page board. Our border bill was not a messaging bill. It was a result of bipartisan negotiation. Senators murphy and lankford with input from a wide range of stakeholders on both sides. Both chambers would have had a chance to vote on our Border Security bill it would have passed and become law. Three months later we are not walking away from trying to resolve the problems at the border. We hope republicans will change course and join us. Instead of just making a lot of speeches, pointing a lot of fingers blame blame blame, lets get something done. It is right within our grasp. A bipartisan bill shown too many republicans they said, wow, it was not until donald trump set i want the border to remain in chaos so i could win the election or when election that republicans backed off. That is not what the American People want. We will make sure that they know it. Buffalo. Well, mr. President , two years ago today, barbarity descended upon the city of good neighbors. My heart, my soul and spirit are with the people of buffalo new york today as they observed the second tragic anniversary of the shooting at the top supermarket. In the span of just a few minutes 10 precious lives were extinguished in a senseless act of hatred from a white supremacist. Racism is americas original sin our work will never be done until we do everything to get rid of this vicious evil. May god watch over the souls of those who died two years ago today. May those of us who remember them find strength and courage and the will to provide tragedies like this in the future. America has tragically endured many more senseless shootings since the massacre at buffalo. Violence is one of the greatest societal ills and seems to be increasing. Two years ago we learn the situation is not entirely helpless because after the advent of what happened in buffalo and you baldy and some other places, democrats and republicans actually join together to pass the first gun safety bill in 30 years. The first since the brady bill which i authored a long time ago when i was in the house. This is the first one since then later this month the administration will bring into effect on the key elements of our bill. By expanding background checks, closing loopholes for online sales in gun shows. Our rule expanding background checks shows change is possible. Both sides working together even if progress is halted hard. A few years ago, the announcement would have been unimaginable. We will never be able to fully heal the harms unleashed by gun violence but we can honor those we have lost by continuing to work to make Mass Shootings a thing of the past. We have a long way to go, but today we remember those who tragically died in buffalo. We commit to keep going no matter what it takes. We yield the floor. I would like to begin my remarks today with a quote. The idea that we would cut off military aid to an ally, our only true, true ally in the entire region is absolutely preposterous. It is just beyond my comprehension why anyone would do that. Five years ago then candidate biden was saying the right thing about americas commitment to the jewish state of israel. Unfortunately today, he is doing the complete opposite. The president and his administration are withholding Critical Military assistance from israel to restore its security against savage terrorists. Refusing to answer basic questions about it. Last week the speaker of the house sent a letter to the Biden Administration pressing for specific details on which weapons were being withheld and by they were being withheld. While we waited for an answer, the secretary of state spent the weekend dodging requests for any serious rationale driving the president s decision. Now, it is no secret that the administration is under immense pressure on the antiisrael left it is evident and words of some of our own colleagues. Members of this body have urged the president to be more aggressive with the israelis. They demanded not 1 penny go to supporting americas ally unless israel yields to their view of what is acceptable in selfdefense. And, of course, they have been engaged in grotesque political interference following pro regime change in a solver democracy. The Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing tomorrow about foreign interference in our politics and our elections. And, yet, too many of our democratic colleagues cannot seem to resist the temptation to put their fingers on the electoral scales of other democracies. Too Many Democrats have indulged what i have called the bb derangement syndrome. An observed trope setting a dangerous precedent. Some of our colleagues talk about an Israeli Government dominated by shadowing far right forces. That government literally does not exist. Israel is led by a coalition. A National Unity government and its war cabinet which includes members of multiple political parties. Distinguished by the absence of the most conservative members of the coalition. By all accounts, support for military operations in gaza and its skin against hezbollah and lebanon transcends israeli politics. Here in washington, democrats want to pretend that it is merely the will of the Prime Minister that they do not like. Some of our most Senior Senate colleagues include the chairman of the foreign operations subcommittee justice weekend even demonstrating an eagerness to assign political blame within israel from the failure to prevent the october 7 attacks. Well, that will be the job of the people of israel. They finish restoring their security against the terrorist wearing israeli and american blood. But, lets make one thing absolutely clear. If the Biden Administration continues to impede she thinks be greener pastures. It is always bittersweet when a staffer leaves, but i had been teaching medical school for a many years before coming here. You saw talented people come onboard and you know theyve got a tremendous future ahead of them, and so if they move on to that tremendous future, you cant cry. You must celebrate. But none the let, you regret but nonetheless, you regret losing someone who has grown so much both as a person but also in her achievements and in the affection your entire family has for her. Zoe started as a scheduler, somewhat green, quickly became the boss making everything go on time, had the honesty to tell me it would go even better one time if i showed up on time, with a real ability to speak honestly in a very tactful way to modify my behavior. Whether it is meetings with constituents is, town halls, events, speeches, she worked behind the scenes to make it happen. And, importantly, she became very sensitive to the fact that im family guy, would like to be home for my grandsons graduation from fourth grade, would like to spend time with my wife. All those things that are beyond scheduling and move into trying to truly understand how someone lives their life. So the president of the senate right now, all my colleagues know that a scheduler and Operations Director makes our breaks your office. They help you squeeze the most out of every single day and things that you just might find impossible, they find a way to get it done seven days a week, every day of the year. Examples, zoe has been key in helping to plan the senates National Seersucker day. I look forward to seeing my colleague from vermont tricked out in his seersucker skew this year. Hosting lunches for my republican colleagues and many other things weve done in state and here to benefit our state and our nation. And whether they realize it or not, nearly every office in the senate has worked with zoe at some point. The difference she has made during my tenure cannot be summarized in one speech. But i dont get emotional because i will continue to work with zoe. Shes moving back to louisiana, the state she holds in her affections, to the benefit of our state, our country, and our fellow humans. I wish her the best, and i wish her dog louie the best. They will both being missed in our office. With that, mr. President i ask that the next portion of my remarks be entered separately into the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Cassidy now, mr. President , i speak in support of renamings the post office in rayville, louisiana, as the Luke Letlow Post Office Building in memory of a great american, luke letlow. Luke was a public servant, fathers, and husband who in his short life of 41 years spent almost all of his adult life serving his fellow americans and shortly after being elected to the u. S. Senate the u. S. House of representatives to represent the Fifth District of louisiana, became one of over a million americans lost to covid during the pandemic. Now his wife, congresswoman julia letlow, carries on his ambition to serve the same district he had served both as a staffer and as a chief of staff to congressman ralph abraham. You know, when you go through rayville, you pass that post office. Handsome guy, huh . So by naming this post office and people who know the story, i want them to know that our state and our country values someone who desired to serve so much but also acknowledge the tragedy and the impact covid had upon our state, our country, and our families. This office commemorates all that. I thank House Majority leader Steve Scalise for introducing the house companion and the whole house for introducing this bill. For passing this bill. And with that, i yield. Good morning everyone. I called President Trump and told him i wanted to be here myself to go out what is a travesty of justice and i think everybody around the country can see that. President trump is a friend and i wanted to be here to support him. Im here speaking with you outside because the court wont allow us to speak inside of the building. Thats just one of the many things that are wrong here. This is the fifth week President Trump has been in court for this sham of a trial. They are doing this intentionally to keep him here and keep him off of the campaign trail. I think everybody in this country can see that for what it is. Im an attorney and a former litigator myself and im disgusted by whats happening here. What is being done here to our entire system of justice overall. People are losing faith in this country, and our institutions. They are losing faith in our system of justice and the reason for that is because they see it being abused as it is here. The facts are as important a trial or release they are supposed to be for the present actions in this matter were previously reviewed and no charges were filed. Why is that . Because there is no crime here. Now eight years later suddenly they have resurrected this thing. They brought it back and why is that . Just apply common sense and everyone can see its painfully obvious we are now six months out from an election and that is the reason. Thats the reason they brought these charges here and across the country. What we have got here is a partisan democrat district attorney. We have a biden donor judge and we have an assistant d. A. Who is recently a top of official at the department of justice bidens doj and recently received over 10,000 in payments from the Democratic National committee. The star witness here is michael cohen. I went through few moments of his testimony this morning and its consistent with what he has started done. This is a man who is clearly on a mission for personal revenge and who gets widely known as a witness who has trouble with the truth. He is someone who has a history of perjury and is wellknown for it. No one should believe a word he says today. He lied to congress, he lied to the irs, he lied to federal Election Officials and even cohens own lawyer testified to a grand jury that he is not reliable so theres nothing he presents here that should be given any weight at all by a jury. The crime they are accusing President Trumps of this falsification of Business Records but i think Everybody Knows hes not the bookkeeper for his companies. President trump is innocent of these charges then again anyone with common sense can understand what is happening here in the myth of all this nonsense and corruption they have placed in the and unprecedented gag order on President Trump. They are overriding his Constitutional Rights to defend himself from his harshest critics at the most important time. He is soon to be officially the nominee of one of the major parties in our country and running for president. They have been tied up here in this prosecution that is not about justice. Its all about politics and everybody can see that. President trump is leading in swing states. The American People see right through these political motivated attacks. Ive been in 102 cities and half the states in last two months and no matter where we are round the country and i been doing large Events People from all walks of life come to these events and they are concerned about this. They are disgusted about this. They are fed up. They have had enough he could as they see whats happening. Its impossible for anyone to deny that the judicial system in our country has been weaponized against President Trump. The system is using all the tools at its disposal right now to punish one president to provide cover for another and meanwhile along, among the atrocities here the judges own daughter is making millions of dollars doing on line fundraising for democrats. They are using this trial. Its so corrupt and Everybody Knows it. If alvin bragg thinks the American People will take a look at the turnout at trump events and compare those to biden events by the way. 100,000 people in new jersey, far more than that because the lineup of people getting into the event was thousands of well and that shows you where they are but they know this trial is a sham and President Trump is being mistreated by the judicial system. This is a yearlong partisan witchhunt years long and its been going on for quite some time. We are seeing the same thing in the classified documents here. That one is so the trial has been indefinitely postponed. Im working with chairman jordan in the House Judiciary Committee and chairman comer of the Oversight Committee on measures to rein in the own uses of special counsel jack smith the latest revelation as they manipulated documents. They may have tampered with the evidence in the case of hand that doesnt surprise any of us. In congress we have oversight responsibilities and it is our objective and our responsibility to hold them accountable. These are politically motivated trials and they are a disgrace. It is election interference and they show how did desperate the opposition of President Trump has and how desperate they truly are. The American People are not going to let this stand. Election day cannot get here soon enough and we will continue to shine a light on all of this in congress because we have that constitutional responsibility. Again i came here today on my own for President Trump because i am one of hundreds of millions of people and one citizen who is deeply concerned about this. [applause] thank you, thank you, thank you. [applause] i assume you are standing in case you have to run in a rainstorm. Please have a seat. Thank you for all you do. I mean that sincerely. I want to recognize all the labor unions here today including still worth, autoworkers sheet Metal Workers at fic fia w. Communication workers boilermakers machinists. Im proud to be the most prounion president in american history. Wall street is important and is important in that era lot of good folks there but they didnt told america. The middle class built america. Folks leaders from key American Industries are here as well including steel, aluminum Solar Semiconductors automakers and members of my cabinet are here as well janet hill in the front row. Treasury department julie suh treasury of labor catherine r. Nations trade representative and outstanding members of congress as well. Debbie stabenow is here. Debbie, welcome and Haley Stevens is here. There you are. Excuse me. You told me you might not be able to make it, im sorry. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell again, smiled debbie, its okay. You are where you should be. You are responsible for lot of this. Thank you for joining us. As i knock the series of actions and to make sure American Workers and American Business corporations can compete and win in industries of the future because thats what this is about. The fact is American Workers are , can outwork and outcompete anyone as long as the competition is fair but for too long it hasnt been fair. For years the Chinese Government has poured state money into chinese Companies Across the whole range of industries steal aluminum semiconductors electric vehicle solar panels. The industries of the future the Critical Health equipment like gloves and masks. China heavily subsidized all these products pushing Chinese Companies to produce far more than the rest of the world could absorb and dumping the excess products onto the market for a fairly low prices driving other manufacturers around the world out of business. I wont go into it but we are talking today about how many aluminum plants there used to be and how many there are now. Prices are unfairly low because Chinese Companies dont need to worry about a profit because the Chinese Government subsidizes them and subsidizes them heavily. Chinese rely and other anticompetitive tactics as well like forcing American Companies to transfer their technology in order to do business in china but i spend a lot of time was xi jinping. Early on i told him am i being unfair with china . We play by the same rules if you want. If you want to do business with china you have to have providing access to your mutual properties. You want to do that in america . Silence. Its been a welldocumented internationally recognized when you make tactics like these you arent competing. Its not competition, its cheating and we see damage here in america. Today is one example. Back in 2000 when steel from china began to flood the market across pennsylvania and ohio were hit hard and there is no wealth. More than 1800 iron and steelworkers in pennsylvania and ohio lost their jobs. Im not going to let that happen again thats why im announcing in key sectors of economy to ensure that our workers are not held back by unfair trade practices. They include 25 tariff on chinese steel and aluminum products and we will counter chinas overcapacity in these industries and we are making Major Investments to clean american steel. Its a big deal to claim because the way we manufacture here is half as much carbon than steel made in china. Last month might announce a large investment in clean manufacturing in all of history. Up to 1. 5 billion in clean steel projects across america creating and supporting thousands of union jobs. Next a 100 pure fun electric vehicles made in china. People say wow. [applause] we are going to let china flood our Market Making it impossible for American Auto manufacturers to compete fairly. 25 pure fun electric vehicles, batteries from china in 25 tariff on Critical Minerals that make those batteries. Folks, look im determined that the future of electric vehicles will be made in america by Union Workers period. [applause] and we will do it by following International Trade lost to do it. American companies are investing tens of billions of dollars in electric vehicles and thanks to my bipartisan infrastructure while we are building a network of 500,000 charging stations all across america creating thousands, thousands of ibew jobs across america. Electric charging stations. [applause] its easy to find at a gas station and thats what this will be. You wont have to worry about you wont be able to make it across the country without having to figure Something Else out. Our partners around the world are making similar investments. They also want supplychain electric vehicles that isnt dominated by unfair trade practices in china. America can continue to i want to make this clear. You can buy any kind of car they want whether its gas electric or hybrid but we are never going to allow china to unfairly control the market for these cars period. [applause] next we will raise tariffs on chinese solar panels. 25 to 50 . Here again because the Chinese Government is subsidizing excess capacity. They are flooding the market. They are driving Manufacturing Companies out of business in europe. We wont let that happen here in america. We are putting up 50 tariff on Semiconductors Made in china. These are, you will know this but for the public those tiny computer chip smaller than a fingertip that power our every day lives for smartphones automobiles dishwashers and satellites. Look at american invented these chips over time we stop making them and we invested overseas. Now thanks to mike chips and science at one of the most significant investments ever in science and technology we are bringing this vital industry back home where it started in the United States of america. [applause] finally we are putting tariffs on mass gloves for nurses and doctors that they where every single day. The pandemic caused that we need to have a secure supply of sensible supplies here at home. Folks these key sectors of my administration combining investments with tariffs that are strategic and targeted. Its a smart approach. Compare that to the what the Prior Administration did. My predecessor e presiding offic senator from maryland. Ng offic mr. Cardin thank you, mr. President. I come to the floor today in strong support of the nomination of court any over odonald. From the dangers that women and girls face across the globe to the intolerance around the world, it is critical that the United States advances our interest at the unesco and that we have a confirmed ambassador. Im going to underscore the point of the need for a u. S. Ambassador confirmed presence at unesco because of the current major escalation of antisemetic here in america and around the world. One of unescos mandates is to combat antisemetic and to ensure that other countries teach future generations about the holocaust and combat holocaust denial. Today that mission is more important than ever before in recent times. That is why we need a confirmed u. S. Representative who has the experience to advance u. S. Priorities. From championing Holocaust Education programs to advancing Girls Education in stem to developing international responsible standards for science and technology, and a. I. Mr. President , courtney diesel odonnell is the right person for this job and im very proud to support her nomination and im very pleased that she is willing to serve in this capacity. She currently serves in the office of the Vice President as Senior Advisor and acting chief of staff for douglas emhoff. She has played an intergral role in implementing the antisemetic policies is she understands the need for strong u. S. Leadership and she has a proven track are record on working to counter antisemetic through her work on the u. S. Work on National Strategy to combat antisemetic. Mr. President , dont just take my word for it. Let me quote from the president of the World Jewish Congress who says, mrs. Odonalds effort to combat antisemetic demonstrates a profound commitment to hate and this would be a necessary step to ensure that unesco continues to uphold its ongoing commitment to support israel and expand Holocaust Education efforts. The American Jewish Committee Says courtney diesel odonnell confirmation will bring u. S. Leadership to unesco on issues of global concern of the jewish community. The National Council for jewish women and Better World Campaign has written in strong support of her confirmation. And shes committed to do that at the hearing that we had before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where she said she would aggressively work to combat antisemetic and counter antiisrael bias. We know that we have bias. We know that we know that we need a champion to represent america to fight that type of antisemetic activities and antiisrael activities and to speak out in favor of Holocaust Education and implement strategies to combat antisemetic. This should be a clear vote by my colleagues to want to have americas presence at unesco to fight antisemetic when we know how prevalent it is today and how its growing today. So, mr. President , i urge my colleagues to support cloture and confirm courtney diesel odonnell to the u. S. Representative to the u. N. Educational scientific and Cultural Organization without any delay and with that, i yield the floor. The presiding officer the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. The clerk cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 579, courtney diesel odonnell of california to be United States permanent representative to the United Nations educational, scientific, and Cultural Organization signed by 17 senators. The presiding officer by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. The question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of courtney diesel odonnell of california to be United States permanent representative to the United Nations educational, scientific, and Cultural Organization with the rank of ambassador shall be brought to a close. The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. Vote the clerk ms. Baldwin. Mr. Barrasso. Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Blackburn. Mr. Blumenthal. Mr. Booker. Mr. Boozman. Mr. Braun. Mrs. Britt. Mr. Brown. Mr. Budd. Ms. Butler. Ms. Cantwell. The clerk mrs. Capito. The clerk mr. Cardin. Mr. Carper. Mr. Casey. The clerk mr. Casey. Ms. Collins. Mr. Cassidy. Mr. Coons. Mr. Cornyn. Ms. Cortez masto. Mr. Cotton. Mr. Cramer. Mr. Crapo. Mr. Cruz. Mr. Daines. Ms. Duckworth. Mr. Durbin. Ms. Ernst. Mr. Fetterman. Mrs. Fischer. Mrs. Gillibrand. Mr. Graham. Mr. Grassley. Mr. Hagerty. Ms. Hassan. Mr. Hawley. Mr. Heinrich. Mr. Hickenlooper. Ms. Hirono. Mr. Hoeven. Mrs. Hydesmith. Mr. Johnson. Mr. Kaine. Mr. Kelly. Mr. Kennedy. Mr. King. Ms. Klobuchar. Mr. Lankford. Mr. Lee. Mr. Lujan. Ms. Lummis. Mr. Manchin. Mr. Markey. Mr. Marshall. Mr. Mcconnell. Mr. Menendez. Mr. Merkley. Mr. Moran. Mr. Mullin. Ms. Murkowski. Mr. Murphy. Mrs. Murray. Mr. Ossoff. Mr. Padilla. Mr. Paul. Mr. Peters. Mr. Reed. Mr. Ricketts. Mr. Risch. Mr. Romney. Ms. Rosen. Mr. Rounds. Mr. Rubio. Mr. Sanders. Mr. Schatz. Mr. Schmitt. Mr. Schumer. Mr. Scott of florida. Mr. Scott of south carolina. Mrs. Shaheen. Ms. Sinema. Ms. Smith. Ms. Stabenow. Mr. Sullivan. Mr. Tester. Mr. Thune. Mr. Tillis. Mr. Tuberville. Mr. Van hollen. Mr. Vance. Mr. Warner. Mr. Warnock. Ms. Warren. Mr. Welch. Mr. Whitehouse. Mr. Wicker. Mr. Wyden. Mr. Young. The clerk senators voting in the affirmative cantwell, cardin, carper, duckworth, gillibrand, hirono, manchin, markey, shaheen, sinema, welch. Senators voting in the negative cassidy, cramer, graham, hydesmith, tuberville, vance. The clerk ms. Ernst, no. The clerk mr. Whitehouse, aye. Mr. Boozman, no. The clerk mr. Murphy, aye. The clerk mr. Casey, aye. Mr. Daines, no. The clerk mr. Romney, no. The clerk ms. Butler, aye. The clerk mr. Peters, aye. Mr. Mullin, no. Mr. Paul, no. The clerk ms. Smith, aye. Mr. Hassan, aye. Ms. Hassan, aye. The clerk mr. Booker, aye. Mr. Kaine, aye. Mr. Fetterman, aye. Mr. Budd, no. The clerk mr. Warner, aye. Mrs. Fischer, no. Mr. Barasso, no. Mr. Sanders, aye. Mr. Schumer, aye. Ms. Cortez masto, aye. Mr. Schatz, aye. Mr. Blumenthal, aye. Mr. Grassley, no. Ms. Baldwin, aye. Mr. Durbin, aye. Mr. Wicker, no. Ms. Warren, aye. Mr. Thune, no. Mr. Cornyn, no. Mrs. Britt, no. Mr. Tester, aye. Mr. Crapo, no. The clerk mr. Cruz, no. The clerk mr. Rounds, no. The clerk mr. Brown, aye. Mr. Wyden, aye. Mrs. Murray, aye. Mr. Johnson, no. Mrs. Blackburn, no. The clerk mr. Lujan, aye. Mr. Reed, aye. Ms. Rosen, aye. The clerk mr. Coons, aye. Mr. Lee, no. Ms. Collins, no. The clerk mr. Moran, no. The clerk ms. Klobuchar, aye. The clerk mr. Merkley, aye. The clerk mr. Heinrich, aye. Ms. Murkowski, no. Vote the clerk mr. Lankford, no. Ms. Stabenow, aye. The clerk mr. Ossoff, aye. Mr. Tillis, no. Mr. Warnock, aye. The clerk mr. Hickenlooper, aye. The clerk ms. Lummis, no. Mr. Bennet, aye. The clerk mr. Young, no. The clerk mr. Padilla, aye. The clerk mr. Hawley, no. The clerk mr. Schmitt, no. Mr. Mcconnell, no. The clerk mr. Kelly, aye. Mr. Kennedy, no. The clerk mr. Van hollen, aye. The clerk mr. Braun, no. The clerk mr. Sullivan, no. Vote the clerk mr. King, aye. The clerk mr. Marshall, no. Vote an creepy loud our goal is to have an environment that allows technologies including ai to germinate, to bloom and to flourish. And so we think that is the major road to widespread human prosperity. We are excited to tackle the bigger problems that we think are in the United States right now. Click so much so that make you a director policy specifically to that. That reflects the concern they have. Ai has huge potential to create widespread human abundance. This new set of tools new and i have talked about in the past. But this new set of degenerative ai creates a whole new set of tools that empowers individuals to create new and powerful types of communication with each other. We think its one of the big tools. As ai continues to be used throughout the economy we think is going to create a lot of opportunities for Economic Growth and personal growth were really excited about it. Before this job or in your resume at your at the federal trade commission a position called chief technologist but what was that . How does it inform you do now . Consumer protection at one of the competition agencies in the United States. The chief technologist job is to bring understanding of technology to that policy space. I spent a lot of time looking at reports but also cases and investigation the ftc was doing to bring that lens of Technical Expertise into the policy work the federal trade commission was doing. Before got the topic of hand how is it financially supported . Individual corporate donors. We are very new. Thats still being figured out. Thats a space we live in the. Bat asked us many cover the ai community . Approximate one 100 sure on what companies. I the certain parts of it would be very interested in what we are doing yes. What comes of the topics of the election sure institute put out part of a series of reports of the election what is the concern over all are the things you are concerned about these reports . Almost as soon chatgpt it launched in october of 2022 there was discussion how this technology might be used to impact elections. Especially in the u. S. For this a lot of concern about the 2024 election. Is not clear what was happening. There were some reports of incidents that came about. Watched an observatory a tracker that would track all media mentions that u. S. Outlets of eight i use in elections. And so weve been running that using the keyword tool that tracks all of that. What launch it in january 21 about a year before inauguration. We have released our first periodic report last week. 180 days out from the election. Out of the 7500 articles that are tracker identified, we spotted three incidents uses of ai in elections. Some of those are very interesting we can talk more about the specific instances are. Until the goal here is to track all the up and through the elections of that after the election we have a very good ground truth. mr. President. The presiding officer the senator from rhode island. Mr. Whitehouse mr. President , i submit to the senate the budget for fiscal year 2025. Last Summer Congress agreed to a twoyear budget deal as part of negotiations surrounding the debt limit. That was the bipartisan fiscal responsibility act of 2023. The fra. It included a provision to serve in place of a formal budget resolution for both fiscal years 2024 and 2025. And im submitting the necessary budgetary levels to implement that agreement today. In the Budget Committee, my republican colleagues have suggested that we should be debating a budget resolution, so ill take this moment to remind them that we already have one in place from that agreement a agreement. I dont see our committee waisting precious time on something that has already been decided when we could and indeed should be preparing for the future. When at least 10 trillion of our National Debt stems from two exobstruction of justice us in exobstruction of justice us in shocks to the economy, the 2008 financial crisis and the covid pandemic, it would be folly for the Budget Committee not to focus on future shocks to our economy. Which is why the Budget Committee has been focused on threats to our nations longterm fiscal ute look and on proposing Solutions Like how Climate Change poses systemic risks to our economy, like how tax cuts for the wealthy are driving up deficits, like how making the wealthy pay their fair share would protect Social Security and medicare essentially forever, like how we can cut Health Care Costs with zero cuts to benefits if we pursued commonsense reforms to Health Care Delivery systems. When it comes to the economiwide risks from Climate Change, weve heard from economists, financial spirits, insurance, mortgage Industry Leaders and many others who are ringing the alarm bells. In the Budget Committee weve heard testimony about rising seas, making long swaths of coastline less and less habitable and insurable. As the decades unspool ahead of us, more and more coastal communities will be at risk, eventually rendering an estimated trillions of dollars in real estate virtually worthless. Weve heard similar testimony about property becoming uninsurable in wildfirerisk areas. Were already seeing insurers flee communities on the front lines of Climate Change. Weve seen premiums skyrocketing in response to increased climaterelated damages. Things will likely get uglier. So the committee launched investigations into the Climate Changefueled insurance crises. We are working with democrats on the house Oversight Committee on on investigation into the fossil fuel Disinformation Campaign in order to better understand how it stalled political progress on Climate Action and imperiled our economy. What our joint investigation revealed is that big oil knew the environmental and economic harms of its products but deceived the American Public so as to keep producing and selling evermore oil and gas. We learned that big oil and its trade associations continue to oppose Climate Policies including ones that they publicly claim to support. Unfortunately, our series of hearings on climate costs and the fossil fuel industrys role in perpetuating the Climate Change crisis has been largely met with division or mockery or just trying to change the subject. By many of my republican colleagues. As i said in our last hearing on this subject, you can have your opinion now, but history will judge. While acknowledging that revenue is a subject within the purview of the Budget Committee, the republican response to our hearings on raising revenue has not advanced much stannive interest. Not much outrage, for instance, that big corporations pay lower tax rates than plumbers. The Budget Committee has held seven hearings with more planned, examining how tax cuts for wealthy and for big corporations and the resulting tax gap have been actually primary drivers of our deficit. Weve learned that the bush and trump tax cuts have added 10 trillion to the debt and in fact are the main reason that debt as a share of the economy is increasing. According to cbo, extending the trump tax cuts, which republicans appear to want to do, would cost another 4. 6 trillion. Thats trillion with a t, mostly for billionaires and big corporations. You can see where the priorities lie. Weve heard testimony that by closings loopholes, making the wealthy and large corporations pay a fairer share and cracking down on wealthy tax cheats, we can protect Social Security and medicare forever. Investing in an economy that works for everyone and reduce our deficit. Like my medicare and Social Security fair share act which would shore up these twin pillars of Retirement Security essentially forever without raising taxes on anyone making less than 400,000. What have republicans proposed . Well, not much. They spent decades trying to cut Social Security and medicare benefits and then they rose to their feet in aclamation in last years state of the Union Address to assure the American Public that they would not cut benefits. Well, if thats the case, then the only solution left is more revenue. So it would be nice if they were willing to discuss how to make the wealthy pay their fair share. And protect these programs into the future. Another big driver of federal spending is health care. The u. S. Continues to spend more on health care as a percentage of gdp than any other peer oecd country and the centers for medicare and medicaid actuary estimates that Health Spending will grow to 20 of gdp by 2 2031e 2013. For all that spending, the average Life Expectancy in america is lower than other peer countries. So the Budget Committee is tackling this, too. Weve held a series of hearings on reducing inefficiencies in health care that increase costs for patients, families, and for the federal budget. In just our most recent hearing we heard how administrative burdens, the billing, the reporting, and all the nonclinical work incident to the actual delivery of health care are responsible for over half a trillion dollars in Health Care Spending every year. And here im happy to report that there have been bipartisan glimmers of hope. Theres been bipartisan agreement on the source of these problems, and ive begun conversations with Ranking Member grassley about what legislation we might be able to working on together in this space. I can only wish that my republican colleagues were similarly willing to have serious conversations on climate risk and on revenue opportunities. As our hearings have made clear, if you care about americas debt and deficits, you have to care about Climate Change, about unrigging our tax code and about addressing wasteful spending in health care. With that, a section 122 requires i will submit the levels used to enforce the second year of the spending agreement. This admission sets the spending levels for appropriations for 2025 it the spending caps in law. It allows the Appropriations Committee to begin its work. It sets mandatory spending in revenue levels for ten years at current law levels. Im updating the reserve fund in the fra to be available for legislation that doesnt increase the deficit between 2025 and 2034. And in conclusion, mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that is accompanying tables be printed in the congressional record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Whitehouse thank you. I will momentarily yield the floor. Mr. Whitehouse all right. Mr. President. Now for the fun part where we clear the decks for tomorrow. I ask unanimous consent that the senate consider the following nominations en bloc calendar numbers 578, 457, 607, 608, 609, 610 and 611. That the senate vote on the nominations en bloc, without intervening action or debate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, that the president be immediately notified of the senates action. The presiding officer without objection. The question occurs on the nominations en bloc. All those in favor say aye. All opposed say no. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it. The nominations are confirmed en bloc. Mr. Whitehouse i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Whitehouse i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. Res. 686, submitted earlier today. The presiding officer the clerk will report. The clerk s. Res. 686, designating may 18, 2024, as kids to parks day. The presiding officer without objection. The senate will proceed to the measure. Mr. Whitehouse i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 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. Mr. Whitehouse i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its Business Today it stand adjourned until 10 00 a. M. On wednesday, may 15. That following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. That upon conclusion of morning business, the senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the odonnell nomination, postcloture. Further, that all time be considered expired at 11 30 a. M. , and that following the cloture vote on the bulsara nomination, the Senate Recess until 2 15 p. M. To allow for the weekly caucus meetings. Further, that if cloture has been invoked on the bulsara nomination, at 2 15 p. M. The senate vote on confirmation of the nomination. That the cloture motion with respect to the aframe nomination ripen at 1 45 p. M. On thursday, may 16. That upon disposition of the bulsara nomination, it the senate execute the order of may 7, 2024, with respect to the schulte nomination. Further, that upon disposition of the schulte nomination, the senate resume legislative session and proceed to the consideration of calendar s. J. Res. 57. That at 6 00 p. M. The joint resolution be considered read a third time and the senate vote on passage of the joint resolution. Finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during wednesdays session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the president be immediately notified of the senates action. The presiding officer without objection, so ordered. Mr. Whitehouse if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. The presiding officer the the presiding officer the today in the Senate Lawmakers advance the nomination of Courtney Odonnell to be the u. S. Permanent representative to the parisbased un Educational Scientific and cultural ornization. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Vice President harris and acting chief of staff or sucker gentlemen. Also the agenda at the Upper Chamber will consider several u. S. District court nominatio. You can watch live Senate Coverage of members returned ree on cspan2. Earlier today acting labor secretary joined other provide Administration Officials as well as state and local leaders to speak at an irastructure conference hosted by the chamber of commerce in washington d. C. This years focus was on implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure law and oer challenges and opptunities still ahead. Watch e event tight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan2s he spent nowre free mobile video app or online at cspan. Org. Now wrecked their countries they want to come here and collect our welfare instead. So no asylum faces. Ask most people come here if not to make a better life if not for them or for their kids. Why is having i never had a conversation with them. And yet they made America Great precooked is friday author ann coulter Nick Gillespie the young turks over the question should the u. S. Shut its borders . The debate is a moderated by journalist barry weiss. Watch friday at 9 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan online cspan. Org. Cspan as your unfiltered view of government. Funded by these Television Companies and more including media. media, we believe that whether you live here, or right here or a way out in the middle of anywhere and you should have access to fast reliable internet. That despite we are leading the way. Med com support cspan as a public serce. Along with these other television providers. Giving you a front receipt to democracy. Vice president harris sat down for a conversation comedian and actor jimmy oh gang about breaking down barriers and the importance of democracy the Vice President also talks about womens reproductive rights and gun violence prevention. This event was hosted by the National Asian pacific american