Mr. Mcconnell mr. President. The presiding officer the republican leader. Today. Mr. Mcconnell today with our country facing an economic crisis and an open southern border, our Democrat Friends are way back in 1958, the naacp fought alabamas attorney general all the way to the Supreme Court to defend the bedrock law of associational pricesy. Heres what privacy. Heres what Justice Harlan said back then. Availability in Group Association may in many circumstances be indispensable to freedom of association particularly where a group espouses dissident beliefs. As the majority opinion put it, this was, quote, hardly a novel perception, even back in 1958. And yet for most of my career ive had to push back against democrats repeated attempts to unlearn this fundamental constitutional lesson. I repeatedly americas right to join together and to voice their opinion. Prior to mccainfeingold, almost all money and candidates ran through party committees. I warned that placing restrictions on that bill was like putting a rock on jello. It wouldnt quash political speech, it would replace it. And the Supreme Court consistently reaffirmed that point in case after case upholding free speech. Our democratic colleagues obsession with political speech created the environment they now disapprove of. Its what drove support of mccainfeingold and its what spawned this political bill in 2010. Democrats want to pass a law that puts discourse in the hands of the mob. But needless to say they havent always been very concerned with compelling disclosure using laws on the books. Existing law already requires disclosure of donations to pacts and other outside groups with the intention of influencing federal elections, but even as our colleagues have introduced successive version of the disclose act, enterprising activist liberals have taken upon themselves to shame conservatives by kowting their private outing their provides constitution legally. It was practically administrative policies during the obamabiden i. R. S. And they never seemed to publicize the donor groups they happen to share. Somehow those organizations pursuing liberal causes is sacrosanct, but anybody else is a threat to democracy. Somehow working for outside groups is practically a prerequisite for a west wing job, but anything else is a oneway ticket to picketing on harassment. 64 years ago the Supreme Court said the link between freedom of association and the free speech was beyond debate. But todays Democratic Party wants to make sure the threat to associational privacy is every bit as real as real as it was in 1958. The stakes are so clear. Even liberal groups like the aclu have joined the naacp and Senate Republicans in continue to sound the alarm. Aclu, naacp, and Senate Republicans aligned sounding the alarm. Theyve been working together to fight statelevel Public Disclosure laws all the way to the Supreme Court. Last year the court sided with those advocates to strike down predatory disclosure practices out in california. Earlier this month the ninth circuit did the same to an unconstitutionally vague disclosure law out in montana. Meanwhile the federal judiciary itself is contending with particularly outrageous threats to the radical left to the privacy and security of the judges themselves. And their families. The same liberal group stoking mob intimidation outside the homes of Supreme Court justices are the ones most eager to put out private citizens political speech records. The same democrats who refuse to condemn naked threats against Public Officials earlier this summer once geant to expand the once again want to expand the federal governments power to private citizens. Thats not a trade the American People or their constitution can afford to make. Now on another matter. Right now washington democrats are frustrated by the pace of the radical green transformation they envision for our country. Theyre having trouble to get enough senators to agree to make reliable and most abundant forms of energy more expensive for working families. Energy prices are rising faster than at any point since 1980. Gallon is 60 more expensive than it was last summer, natural gas is up 40 in the same time frame. Washington democrats have surveyed the scene and decided its the perfect time to hike taxes on American Energy. Reviving a failed tax on the 1980s on Oil Refineries on exporters and increasing it nearly 60 . New sky high gas fees for families getting gas. Its an insane proposition, but there does seem to be an exception. If youre not among the 5 of americans who say inflation caused you Financial Hardship and you happen to have a spare 80 laying around, washington democrats want to give you a Green Energy Tax credit if you buy an american vehicle made with chinese supply chains. This is what washington democrats are trying do with their oneparty control of government and they hope that President Biden will declare a National Emergency to help them do it faster. Well, unfortunately for the far left, the president is occupied with a climate he could ka conundrum on his own. President biden brought his new radical climate doing ma whole hog. He said, i guarantee were going to end fossil fuel. Sure enough his first year in office was an allout assault on American Energy just like green activists drew it up. Day one, ban on new energy exploration, canceling a safe, efficient pipeline created to set to create new american jobs. And ghoulish regulations on the war on coal. Unlike the radical base that frustrated, their ideas arent moving faster, the Biden Administration appears that their assault on American Energy actually worked too quickly. Americans are seeing gas prices gubl on this president s watch. Skyhigh diesel is driving other prices up across the country and big majority a big majority of americans dont like what the president is doing about it. But rather than return to Domestic Energy dominance, the Biden Administration has begged other countries to take over americas share of the market for Reliable Energy that the president has abandoned. Theyve chosen places like venezuela over states like pennsylvania or texas or alaska. Then on a trip to oilrich saudi arabia, President Biden announced, quote, im doing all i can to increase oil supply for the United States of america. The president who hed, quote, end fossil fuels thinks that finding more energy for American Families means flying to the middle east and asking politely instead of unleashing our own production here at home. And, for the record, u. S. Producers extract oil and gas in a far, far more environmentally friendly manner than many of their competitors overseas. So if the priority is reducing our environmental impact, outsourcing seems more than a little bit shortsighted. So, mr. President , if the Biden Administration really is serious about helping american consumers, then theyll stop waging war on american producers. If theyre serious, theyll call off democrats plan to have American Energy into extension. For families struggling to fill the gas tank and keep the lights on, i hope they get serious sometime soon. On yet another matter, yesterday, a day of a the house overwhelmingly passed a resolution welcoming finland and swedens application to join nato, the Senate ForeignRelations Committee discharged the treaty protocols required to ratify their accession without objection. Im grateful to Ranking Member risch, chairman menendez and our colleagues on the committee for taking this swift, bipartisan action. The senate is now one step closer to fulfilling its role in a historic process that will further strengthen the most successful military alliance the world has ever seen. Bringing those strong modern countries into nato will not just strengthen the alliance, it will make america more secure. I hope the democratic leader will waste no time, none in bringing these protocols before the full senate. Ive been a strong advocate for American Global leadership and our transatlantic partnerships throughout my career. Theyve made possible the unprecedented era of peace and prosperity americans have experienced in my lifetime. Nato is at its best when allies share the burden of our collective security. When we all have skin in the game. Nato allies recognized in 2014 after prodding by american president s from both parties that they needed to invest more in capabilities to keep pace with growing threats. During the previous administration, current Member States made progress toward the 2 pledge. Finland for its part already spends 2 of gd on defense g. D. P. On defense and speeden has the same target in its sights. For years both countries have participated actively in nato exercises, theyve cultivated professional fighting forces, investing in cutting edge interoperable technologies, built robust military industrial bases. This strong strong connections to our own. I know from my own conversation with the leaders of finland and sweden that they are sober about the threats we face, committed to building their own defense capabilities and serious about their responsibilities to contribute to our collective security. Together theyve set an example that many current treaty allies would do well to follow and with finland and sweden at the table, i look forward to important deliberations about the capabilities we need as an alliance and the steps we must urgently take to defend ourselves against growing threats from russia and china and other adversaries. So, mr. President , i know from my visits with our swedish and finish friends they hope a rapid accession to nato. Theyre ready to get to work alongside us as allies. With war raging on the european continent, i share their sense of urgency, and i urge the democratic leader to call up the necessary senate votes without further delay. But that cant be the senates last word on how america and our allies face down a dangerous world. We also need to take urgent action on the National Defense authorization act. Russia is laying siege to a sovereign neighbor. China is flexing a rapidly modernizing military. And reckless pariah states like iran and north korea are doubling down on developing dangerous weapons. It is past time, past time to take americas own defense requirements more i ask unanimous consent that the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Schumer mr. President , before i begin, i want to Say Something about the house passed respect for marriage act, which would enshrine Marriage Equality into law, which i fully support. This legislation was so important. I was really impressed by how much bipartisan support it got in the house. It passed 267157. 47 republicans, about a quarter, a little less than a quarter of their caucus, maybe a fifth voted for the bill. The legislation is so