Empower our senators to be partners with you in your redeeming purposes for this earth. Remind them that the only greatness they will ever know is linked to your transforming might. As they strive to please you, make them seekers after peace, justice, and freedom. Transform this storied chamber of our legislative branch into a place of vision, a lighthouse of hope, and a source of solace for those battered by lifes raging floods. May the members of this body become architects of a new order of peace and justice for our nation and world. We pray in your great 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 will read a communication to the senate. The clerk washington, d. C, july 25, 2023. 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 time is reserved. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of s. 2226, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 119, s. 2226, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 23024 for military 2024 for military activity for the department of defense, and for other purposes. Test the presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Schumer i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. No quorum . Okay. First, mr. President , i want to thank my colleagues for all of the good work so far on the ndaa, the Defense Authorization act. We were very productive last week, and i hope this week can be equally so. Today well begin our work by holding two floor votes. One on senators cornyn and caseys Outbound Investment screen amendment, then a vote on the roundtester farmlands amendment. Both of these amendments have been in the works for months, and i intend to vote in their favor. I urge my colleagues to do so as well. I know there are concerns on both sides of the aisle with some of the text in both amendments. Senators cornyn, casey, rounds, tester and i are all committed to working through these concerns in the conference process. Tomorrow, we will vote on the warnockbudd amendment, designed to halt debt collector marmt of our servicemembers. Again harassment of our servicemembers. I appreciate the cooperation of senators on both sides as we worked to lock in these votes. Today and tomorrow, leader mcconnell, chair reid, senator wicker and i will work on a second package of amendments. I hope this effort is successful. It will require everyone to work together. We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Concurrently, were also working on additional floor votes that we might need to finish the ndaa this week. We have a chance to show the American People that the senate can work productively on our national defense, in stark contrast to the partisan race to the bottom that we saw over in the house. But the work isnt finished. Were going to keep negotiating a path forward, and the senate will continue working on the ndaa until the job is done. I thank both sides for their efforts. Now, on other senate business, as we move forward with the ndaa here on the floor appropriators also continue working in committee. Last week, the Appropriations Committee marked up and approved three more bills, and this week theyll hold another markup on thursday. Just like the ndaa, i am proud to say the appropriations process has been largely bipartisan, precisely as it should be. Finally, with so much going on this week, i want to remind my colleagues that well be holding our third allsenators briefing on a. I. Following up on our classified briefing earlier this month. I thank all my colleagues for making the time to attend these a. I. Briefings. Today, i also wish to recognize the efforts of the Judiciary Committee, which this afternoon is holding its own hearing on a. I. Regulation. They join the work of many other committees that have moved quickly this year to begin focusing on a. I. In a very serious way. The senate will continue ramping up our focus on a. I. Policy when we begin hosting our insight forums later this fall. So once again, thank you to my colleagues for their good work on this pressing matter. Now, on the i. R. A. And its oneyear anniversary. Mr. President , were approaching the oneyear anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Action. The Inflation Reduction Act, known as the i. R. A. , was one ever the most consequential pieces of legislation passed in decades, and in just one year its already paying huge dividends for the American People, for our economy, and for our environment. Since we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, costs are down for families. For the First Time Ever, we made it possible for medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs. Vaccines are free for market beneficiaries. For medicare beneficiaries. A cap on outofpocket drug spending for seniors is just a few months away. No one will pay more than 2,000 a year for expensive drugs they need to save their lives. Of course, after a lot of hard work, we also capped the price of insulin for seniors on medicare to 35, only 35 a month. Since then, eli lilly and noarveo north is have also norvonortis have lowered costs for everybody. We hope to build on all of this with additional legislation later this year. Every american deserves affordable insulin, not just those on medicare. The patent for insulin expired a long time ago. It was invented in 1921 or 1922, i believe it was, by a canadian inventor who sold the patent for only a dollar. Theres no, no need to have insulin at the exorbitant high price that it is for those not on medicare. The Inflation Reduction Act also helped countless americans manage energy costs. The tax credits and rebates on Energy Efficiencies are helping americans keep their homes warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, all at a more affordable price, while at the same time reducing our carbon emissions. A few weeks ago, inflation slowed to 3 , the lowest its been in over two years. In fact, since we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, inflation has been cut by more than half on an annual basis, and wage Growth Continues to grow. Its now significantly above inflation, meaning workers are taking home more while spending less. Thats the emblem of an economy that america needs. Of course, the i. R. A. Is also paving the way for millions of new, goodpaying, green jobs. The i. R. A. Produced a boom in the clean energy investment, with nearly 80 new Clean Energy Manufacturing facilities announced across the country. When you put it all togetherle, the when you put it all together, the Inflation Reduction Act is a shining example of the democratic agenda in action. Lower costs for families, higher wages for workers, and millions, millions of new, goodpaying jobs for years to come. Democrats are proud of the progress weve made in implementing our agenda, and well keep working until every american feels the benefits. Finally, on a sad anniversary, yesterday, mr. President , marked 25 years since detective john gibson and officer Jacob Chestnut, of the Capitol Police, were killed in the line of duty while defending the capitol building. It was a darnlg day in the a dark day in the history of capitol. It would have been darker without the heroics of the officers. In the face of grave danger, they acted with extreme valor and courage, undoubtedly saving lives of many others in the building that day. Were graifg were grateful for their sacrifice 25 years ago, grateful for the work the Capitol Police do every day to keep the capitol complex and those who work here safe, and we pray that their families have some degree of peace, even though they have huge holes in their heart with these terrible losses. I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. The clerk ms. Baldwin. Quorum call has it been around and how do you find what we see on the website . We believe transferring is transformational. Transparency revolutionizes politics so we started and corruption in 2011 and firstever to Pay Attention to virtually every single Public Employee and we do that for the entire country. Captured nearly every time spent across the country. They follow the money. Republicans and democrats held accountable for their tax incentive. Your website covers both federal and state level spending and analysis. Audits make national news. His with the database is comprised of. Nearly all federal spending since 2001. All 50 states and 15000 municipal levels in the biggest units across the country. The records you can come to the website and who makes, 20 in the recently put out a report, how are they approved by congress. A number of projects request a project in the district described as legal are both on spending bills so an earmark is like the one milliondollar macadamia initiative. Only a tenth of 1 of production of the u. S. Senator got a Million Dollars for this initiative. The phase two of the trail and one was paid for by taxpayers. And 5 million into this system. Phase one paid for by taxpayers phase two flushing taxpayer money and 600,000. Release was your mark money we mentioned this initiative for Million Dollars and 5 million for the empire. 6 million and was institution where members of congress were thousands work. The question is, do you make a judgment on whether your marks are appropriate for a good level of sending . Is there such a thing as a good or is there a way to determine what is better than others . Here is our position. Local project should be funded locally. This is tradition, they shouldnt be flooded out washington d. C. So your marks are banned for the last decade and republicans in the house and Kevin Mccarthy is the leader and two years ago 102 republicans in secret nancy pelosi democrats bring back your marks. Elected speaker into power, they did a secret vote. 158 republicans, it got worse and voted to drink democrats to bring back and marks in six months ago the spending bill in december of last year signed between christmas and new years no and paying attention, there was 7500 earmarks in that 1. 7 trillion year end budget bill and billing dollars with the projects. Out of the top ten your markers, seven publicans marked 3. 1 billion earmarks and that will. We are going to open up to the phone lines, i want to give our viewers the number to call the doctor about your marks about Government Spending and whether there is waste and fraud. Democrat 202 7488000. Republicans 202 7488001. Independent 202 7488002 and you can send us a text at 202 7488003. Well get to your questions and comments in a minute but i want to bring up representative mike, a publican from idaho and he put out what he calls a defense of earmarks. They call it immunity project funding and again this is republican, i would to read an excerpt of what he said objection. Mr. Mcconnell i need to begin my remarks today by acknowledging two solemn anniversaries. Yesterday marked 25 years since a deranged gunman shattered the calm of a summer afternoon here at the capitol. 25 years since two brave officers of the United StatesCapitol Police, officer jacob joseph chestnut and detective John Michael Gibson paid the ultimate price to keep us safe. The senseless tragedy of july 24, 1998, robbed two families of beloved husbands and fathers. It deprived fellow officers of a devoted colleagues and friends. But that day is sacrificed of officer chestnut and detective gibson saved lives. They protected the lawmakers and staff who come here to work, the tourists who come here to encounter the heart of our democracy, and the institutions of congress themselves. And they reminded an entire nation of the Vital Service the men and women of the Capitol Police rendered honorably every day. Time will not heal the pain of losing these fine men, but in a special way today, i know my colleagues join me in extending our sympathies to the families of Jacob Chestnut and john gibson and to their comrades and the Capitol Police. America will never forget their service and sacrifice. Now tomorrow will mark one year since the brave people of Eastern Kentucky endured some of the worst flooding in the commonwealths history. Heavy rains, rising waters caused mass excavations and over 40 deaths, including a number of children. Roads turned to rapids. Neighborhoods were swept away overnight. And families were left stranded in communities like lost creek where i stood with mayor laura thomas. Not a single home was left untouched. From lost creek to communities and counties like pike and letcher. I saw similar scenes of devastation and heard the painful stories of families displaced by the floods. But in the face of devastation, kentuckys First Responders rushed to help neighbors in their time of need. As the full scope of the disaster became clear, i worked with leaders at fema to cut through red tape and encourage a rapid federal response. And i made sure that Eastern Kentucky received Big Investments in recovery and that local leaders got more autonomy to restore communities, rebuild homes, and revitalize the economy. Last years tragedy tested Eastern Kentuckys resolve and today there is still work to be done. But kentuckians are resilient. We rise up to the big challenges. And ill continue to work with folks in Eastern Kentucky to build their communities back Even Stronger than before. On an entirely different matter, republicans on an entirely different matter, democrats on the Judiciary Committee spent last thursday considering the best way to reach from article 1 of the constitution into article 3 and tell a coequal branch of government how to conduct its business. The pretext for this latest chapter in democrats war on the institution of the Supreme Court was, quote, ethics and transparency, end quote. They had a supposedly urgent legislative bone to pick with justices who take vacations and publish childrens books. But for all our colleagues heartburn over a textualist court who wont reliably affirm their political preferences, for all of the baseless commotion about undo outside influence, Senate Democrats have proven themselves to be quite influenced by the farlefts know coreious dark money advocates and discredited cause. Here are some of the recent marching orders our colleagues have received from the activist left. Quote, start taking on the court rhetorically as a political villain, end quote. Quote, wed like to amplify anyone who uses this corruption legitimacy messaging. Quote, restrain maga justices immediately. Quote, rip the bail off. Well, mr. President , Senate Democrats have dutifully followed their orders. In their words, the Supreme Court is, quote, maga captured. We have a, quote, stilted illegitimate court. Quote, we need to expand the court. One senator let the cat out of the bag saying this supposed ethics inquiry is just a predicate to courtpacking. Quote, i dont think we should foreclose that in an amendment. Our colleagues understand what the far left expects of them. They know that their partys base has long since discarded any desire to achieve its goals from within our institution. So last week they rammed a blatant power grab through the Judiciary Committee as part of their effort to tear down a branch of government that they dont control. Well, Senate Republicans are going to keep fighting this Dangerous Campaign at every step of the way, and in the meantime, our nations highest court should continue to pay it no mind. Now, on one final matter. Russias violence against civil infrastructure in ukraine continues. But the consequences of this unilateral destruction extends far beyond ukraines borders. Just a week has passed since putin pulled out of the agreement that had allowed critical ukrainian grain shipments to transit the sea unharmed. Already russia has expanded from threatening vessels carrying the worlds grain supply to attacking grain storage in odessa and other coastal cities. Yesterdays attacks are the latest in a wave of violence against agricultural infrastructure that will punish the words poorest and hungriest nations. Leaders in a developing world who hesitated to cast blame in this conflict should take a careful look at russias unprovoked behavior. But russia hasnt limited its nonmilitary targets to grain supplies. On sunday russia struck odesa, largest orthodox cathedral with a deadly missile barrage. So much for russian propaganda efforts to present the kremlin as a defender of the faithful. Of course, putin like his soviet predecessors has already done so much to corrupt and contr