[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 194 (Thursday, November 4, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7793-S7797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Ms. Stabenow):
  S. 3166. A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to 
improve coverage of dental and oral health services for adults under 
Medicaid, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a 
tremendous toll on our Nation. Healthcare workers have valiantly served 
our communities throughout the crisis. Still, we face unprecedented 
challenges, and this moment calls for historic action.
  The pandemic laid bare the gaps in our healthcare system and 
magnified longstanding inequities. Health inequities have been eating 
away at our communities for many years, which is why I have fought for 
policies to reduce economic and social inequalities overall--in short, 
access to nutrition, education, and housing, and increased funding for 
social and mental health services.
  Earlier this year, Congress enacted some of those reforms in the 
American Rescue Plan Act, which is bringing much-needed help to 
Marylanders and Americans across the country. It was a strong 
investment to complement ongoing efforts to curtail the rapid spread of 
the virus, particularly as we grapple with more contagious variants, 
such as the Delta variant. Now, we have the opportunity to enhance that 
effort through the Build Back Better Act.
  Even with the significant investments in healthcare over the last 
year and a half, Americans are struggling to pay for their basic 
healthcare needs, like prescription medications and mental healthcare. 
Waiting lists for home- and community-based services so individuals can 
age in place with dignity are in the thousands or tens of thousands in 
States around the country. In my State of Maryland, over 30,000 seniors 
and individuals are waiting to get access to home- and community-based 
services.
  Now, we have the opportunity to make prescription drugs more 
affordable, expand access to home- and community-based services, extend 
enhanced financial support to individuals in the individual market, and 
permanently fund the Children's Health Insurance Program--CHIP.
  We have been working on these problems for years and, in some cases, 
for over a decade. Congress is long overdue in acting to remedy them.
  As we make these historic investments, we must also redouble our 
efforts to address the longstanding gaps in healthcare access. For 
instance, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make major 
reforms to the Medicare benefit.
  Earlier this year, I reintroduced the Medicare Dental Benefit Act, 
which would add dental benefits to Medicare. It would help more than 56 
million seniors and people with disabilities afford much-needed dental 
care.
  According to the Wisdom Tooth Project of Oral Health America, nearly 
70 percent of seniors lack or have limited access to dental insurance, 
and fewer than half have access to dental care each year. Those numbers 
are inexcusable. We should be working to strengthen and expand access 
to quality, affordable dental care for all Americans, regardless of age 
or income.
  That is why, today, I am introducing, along with Senator Stabenow, 
the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act, which would extend comprehensive 
dental health benefits to tens of millions of low-income Americans.
  Currently, States have flexibility to determine whether to provide 
dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees. Although most States, 
including my State, provide at least emergency dental services for 
adults, fewer than half of the States provide comprehensive dental 
care.
  The consequences of such haphazard access could not be clearer: 
higher costs and worse outcomes.
  A recent report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 
found that Black, Hispanic, and low-income adults visited the emergency 
room for dental care at the highest rates of any group in 2018.
  Many of you have heard me speak before of the tragic loss of Deamonte 
Driver, a 12-year-old Prince George's County resident, in 2007. 
Deamonte's death was particularly heartbreaking because it was entirely 
preventable. What started out as a toothache turned into a severe brain 
infection that could have been prevented by an $80 extraction. After 
multiple surgeries and a lengthy hospital stay, Deamonte passed away 
nearly 15 years ago, just a few miles from this building.
  It is imperative that we use this once-in-a-generation opportunity to 
increase access to dental care, which will improve the overall health 
of millions. To echo former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, 
``there is no health without oral health.''
  Adequate access to oral health is essential to preventing tragedies 
like the death of Deamonte Driver from ever happening again. Let us 
continue to build upon the progress made today in advancing access to 
oral health to protect individuals around the country.
  As we work to pass this legislation, let us not lose sight of what is 
at stake. Just in the last few days, we have seen some of the best that 
American healthcare can provide, but also some of the worst.

[[Page S7794]]

  Vaccines are making a critical difference in the fight against COVID-
19, and just this Wednesday, they will be available to all ages 5 and 
older. It is a momentous achievement and a great relief to families and 
communities around the Nation.
  At the same time, women in Texas are being denied access to 
reproductive healthcare while, on Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral 
arguments on two cases challenging the Texas anti-abortion law S.B. 8. 
Roe v. Wade has been the established legal precedent in this country 
for more than half a century, but anti-choice activists continue to 
push policies like S.B. 8 that are sending this country and women's 
health and well-being in the wrong direction. Women and their 
healthcare should not be under constant threat. If we fail the women of 
America, we fail our Nation.
  Right now, we have a choice on how we as a nation want to emerge from 
the pandemic. We can continue on the same course, leaving millions of 
families behind, or we can answer the call of the American people and 
invest in high-quality, equitable healthcare.
  Let us answer the call.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Padilla, Ms. 
        Warren, Mr. Van Hollen, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown, Mr. Sanders, 
        Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Leahy):
  S. 3177. A bill to restore protections for Social Security, Railroad 
retirement, and Black Lung benefits from administrative offset; to the 
Committee on Finance.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Social Security provides vital benefits 
millions of Americans who work and pay into the system with each 
paycheck. Because Social Security is fundamental to workers' retirement 
security, the law protected benefits from creditors. The only 
exceptions were unpaid Federal taxes, child support or alimony 
payments, and court-ordered victim restitution. These protections 
ensured that the social safety net programs would be there for basic 
needs. That protection was weakened over 20 years ago when the law was 
changed. Now, more and more seniors face cuts in their Social Security 
benefits because of student loan debts. While Congress and the Biden-
Harris Administration took significant steps to protect Americans from 
facing crushing debt during a global pandemic, exempting the economic 
impact payments from garnishment and extending the freeze on student 
loan payments through January 2022, seniors will still be on the hook 
for cosigning their child or grandchild's student loan debt when those 
payments resume. We need to take action today to restore the strong 
protections to Social Security and other benefit programs.
  We now realize what a profound effect the loss of these protections 
has had on retirees and individuals with disabilities, who often live 
on fixed incomes. More and more seniors and people with disabilities 
are having their Social Security and other lifeline benefits taken away 
to pay Federal debts. For example, according to recent data from the 
U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service, over 167,000 Americans had their 
benefits garnished for student loan debt. While 167,000 seems small 
compared to a nation of over 320 million, those 167,000 had nearly $200 
million garnished from their earned benefits. This is just the tip of 
the iceberg as more Americans start receiving benefits. Between 2008 
and 2018, the number of individuals whose Social Security benefits were 
offset to pay student loans debt increased by 133 percent, from about 
72,000 to 169,000. Over that same period, the amount collected from 
Social Security benefits ballooned from almost $63 million to nearly 
$200 million, a 217-percent increase.
  Social Security plays a critical role in keeping seniors and people 
with disabilities out of poverty. In Oregon alone, Social Security cuts 
the poverty rate of the elderly from about 35 percent to 5 percent. 
However, despite Social Security's critical role in the safety net, 
close to 1 out of every 10 seniors over age 65 and 1 in 5 disabled 
workers still live in poverty and that is simply unacceptable.
  I, along with Senators Brown, Whitehouse, Leahy, Warren, Hirono. 
Sanders, Padilla, Van Hollen, and Murray am reintroducing the 
Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act. The bill would 
restore the strong protections in the law that prevented the government 
from taking away earned benefits to pay Federal debts, and guarantee 
beneficiaries will be able to maintain a basic standard of living by 
receiving the benefits they have earned. The bill is supported by the 
Strengthen Social Security Coalition, Social Security Works, National 
Association of Disability Representatives, AFL-CIO, the American 
Federation of Government Employees, National Organization of Social 
Security Claimants' Representatives, Justice in Aging, American 
Federation of Teachers, Alliance for Retired Americans, and the 
National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare.
  I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record 
following this statement.

                                S. 3177

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Protection of Social 
     Security Benefits Restoration Act''.

     SEC. 2. PROTECTING SOCIAL SECURITY, RAILROAD RETIREMENT, AND 
                   BLACK LUNG BENEFITS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE OFFSET.

       (a) Prohibition on Administrative Offset Authority.--
       (1) Assignment under social security act.--Section 207 of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 407) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of section 3716(c)(3) 
     of title 31, United States Code, as such subparagraphs were 
     in effect on the date before the date of enactment of the 
     Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act, shall 
     be null and void and of no effect.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--
       (A) Section 14(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 
     (45 U.S.C. 231m(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following: ``. The provisions of section 207(d) of the Social 
     Security Act shall apply with respect to this title to the 
     same extent as they apply in the case of title II of such 
     Act.''.
       (B) Section 2(e) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 
     (45 U.S.C. 352(e)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following: ``The provisions of section 207(d) of the Social 
     Security Act shall apply with respect to this title to the 
     same extent as they apply in the case of title II of such 
     Act.''
       (b) Repeal of Administrative Offset Authority.--
       (1) In general.--Paragraph (3) of section 3716(c) of title 
     31, United States Code, is amended--
       (A) by striking ``(3)(A)(i) Notwithstanding'' and all that 
     follows through ``any overpayment under such program).'';
       (B) by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D); and
       (C) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as paragraph (3).
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (5) of such section is 
     amended by striking ``the Commissioner of Social Security 
     and''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to any collection by administrative offset 
     occurring on or after the date of enactment of this Act of a 
     claim arising before, on, or after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. King):
  S. 3178. A bill to express the sense of Congress on interoperability 
with Taiwan; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. CORNYN, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have my bill 
printed in the Congressional Record. The bill expresses the sense of 
Congress on interoperability with Taiwan.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3178

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTEROPERABILITY WITH TAIWAN.

       It is the sense of Congress that, consistent with the 
     Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
     seq.) and the Six Assurances, the United States should seek 
     to support the goals of--
       (1) improving asymmetric defense capabilities of Taiwan;
       (2) bolstering deterrence to preserve peace, security, and 
     stability across the Taiwan Strait; and
       (3) deepening interoperability with Taiwan in defense 
     capabilities, including in--
       (A) maritime and air domain awareness; and
       (B) integrated air and missile defense systems.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. VAN HOLLEN:

[[Page S7795]]

  S. 3179. A bill making appropriations for financial services and 
general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Appropriations.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Fiscal 
Year 2022 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 
which will help fund essential government programs that invest in the 
success of everyday Americans and help build a stronger, more resilient 
economy with greater opportunity and more shared prosperity for all.
  As chair of the Financial Services and General Government 
Appropriations Subcommittee, I developed this bill with the help of 
Ranking Member Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi, and I want to begin 
by thanking her and the Appropriations Committee staff on both sides 
that have helped assemble this legislation. Putting together any one 
piece of the Federal budget is beyond the power of any one individual; 
it takes a dedicated team of public servants working shoulder-to-
shoulder, day-in and day-out--and committed to delivering real results 
for the American people. I appreciate Senator Hyde-Smith's partnership 
on our subcommittee, and I also want to thank Senator Leahy and Ranking 
Member Shelby for their leadership on the full committee.
  And in addition to my colleagues and partners on Capitol Hill who 
have contributed to this legislation, our work has also been guided by 
the input of others, outside of the Senate, who have offered their 
testimony and insight. In order to craft this spending package, the 
Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee held public 
hearings with the Treasury Department and the IRS, a public hearing to 
help understand Postal Service delivery issues, and a public hearing to 
learn about the important role of Community Development banks in 
economically challenged communities. We were briefed by an array of 
agencies under the bill's jurisdictions and met with stakeholders who 
would be directly affected by key elements of this legislation, 
including residents from my home State of Maryland.
  The result of those combined efforts can be seen in the substance of 
this year's Financial Services and General Government spending bill, 
which provides $29.4 billion to bring critical services to the American 
people by funding a number of important Federal agencies and government 
bodies from the Treasury Department to the Small Business 
Administration to the Federal Judiciary to the D.C. courts--and much 
more. Today, I would like to share with the American people exactly 
what is in this bill and how they stand to benefit from the provisions 
within it.
  First and foremost, this bill arms the IRS with the resources it 
needs to ramp up customer service. This bill includes $13.6 billion for 
the IRS, an increase of $1.6 billion over last year's spending levels, 
and these funds will allow the IRS to bring taxpayer services into the 
21st century by upgrading and replacing aging IRS infrastructure. For 
working families, that means improved service and shorter hold times 
when they call the IRS with questions.
  That additional funding will also allow the IRS to go after those 
ultra-wealthy tax cheats who have avoided paying what they owe to the 
government. Now, let's be clear: Each year, millions of folks pay what 
they owe, fill out their tax forms, and send them in to the IRS 
honestly and on time, and they trust that others do the same. But we 
know that while most people pay what they are required to under the 
law, some do not. There is anywhere from $500 billion to $1 trillion in 
taxes each year that are owed but not paid, primarily by the wealthy. 
That is billions of dollars that are overdue under current law and 
which should be available to help fund everything from education to our 
national defense. Both my Republican and Democratic colleagues know 
that doing nothing and allowing this tax gap to grow on our watch just 
isn't right. It flies in the face of basic fairness. While everyday 
Americans have their taxes withheld and follow the law, we cannot allow 
the super wealthy to evade the system. Everyone needs to pay what they 
owe. By enhancing the agility of the IRS to crack down on individuals 
who sidestep their current tax responsibilities, we can raise more 
revenue without raising taxes by a single dime.
  The investment in a robust IRS will deliver additional monies to 
invest in growing opportunity and wealth in all of our communities, 
including underserved communities. And that mission has taken on an 
added measure of urgency as our country continues to recover from the 
economic fallout of COVID-19. Our bill helps meet the full promise of 
that very mission by providing $360 million for the Community 
Development Financial Institutions Fund, a $90 million increase from 
last year's spending levels. CDFIs are key vehicles for funding 
businesses and projects in economically underserved communities. My 
State of Maryland is proud to have 13 certified community-based lenders 
across our State that benefit directly from the CDFI fund L, and 
earlier this year, I chaired a subcommittee hearing that included 
testimony from a Maryland constituent and valued adviser, Mr. Joseph 
Haskins, Jr., who is the chairman of Harbor Bank in Baltimore, a 
certified CDFI that has helped create $3 billion in economic 
development in the Baltimore community since its founding in 2001. And 
just last month, I convened a roundtable with Shelly Gross-Wade, the 
CEO of the only CDFI in Prince George's County, MD, to discuss how we 
can better support minority small businesses across the region. 
Community lenders support a wide range of local projects, including 
everything from bringing grocery stores to communities with no healthy 
food alternatives to investing in low-income housing, and I am glad 
that we were able to include robust funding for CDFIs in this year's 
bill.
  On top of that, this bill provides additional resources for 
communities and small businesses through $1 billion for the Small 
Business Administration, so we can make sure businesses continue to 
recover from the pandemic--and can grow stronger into the future. Small 
businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this spending bill puts 
that notion front-and-center in our Federal budget. I am proud that 
this legislation also includes a $53 million increase for 
Entrepreneurial Development Grants that will encourage entrepreneurs to 
build businesses and create good-paying jobs--including entrepreneurs 
from historically under-served communities.
  Money that goes to the SBA will also help make sure our small 
businesses have the support they need to get back on their feet in the 
wake of devastating natural disasters, which we all know have been on 
the rise due to the growing and very real consequences of climate 
change, an issue that demands this government's full and undivided 
attention. Extreme weather events get worse and worse each year, and my 
State of Maryland is feeling the pain of that trend right now in the 
aftermath of Tropical Depression Ida. I am glad that the Small Business 
Administration approved Maryland's request for a Disaster Declaration 
for those impacted by Ida, which has unlocked additional low-interest 
loans for businesses and homeowners in affected communities and 
emphasizes how just important the SBA is in helping our fellow citizens 
endure the impacts of climate change.
  But if we want to tackle the climate crisis head-on, it isn't enough 
for us to support those who have already been harmed by the devastating 
effects of global warming; we also need to cut emissions. That is why 
this bill invests $200 million in transitioning the Federal fleet to 
zero-emission vehicles. There are currently around 655,000 gas-powered 
vehicles in the federal fleet that spew more than 7 billion pounds of 
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. With this bill, that 
will change. We need to take an all-of-government approach to tackling 
the climate crisis, and this provision within our legislation helps us 
do just that.
  And as we invest in the health of our planet, we also need to invest 
in the health of our democracy and I am glad that this bill is a big 
win for increased campaign finance transparency in two major ways. 
First, this legislation drops a long-standing rider that blocked the 
SEC from requiring public companies to share their political spending 
with shareholders. Shareholders and the public have a right to know 
what political causes their money is being used to support, decisions 
that can go against their values

[[Page S7796]]

or put their investments at risk. Our legislation will enable the SEC 
to shine a light on that secret spending. And second, the bill drops a 
longstanding rider that blocked the Treasury from clarifying the 
definition of ``political activity'' for 501(c)(4) social welfare 
group, which are major sources of secret election spending.
  More transparency in political fundraising is part of the essential 
mission to restore faith in government. Toward that same end, this bill 
also mandates greater transparency in how the Office of Management and 
Budget manages apportionments, which is the process of spending the 
money that Congress appropriates. And additionally, this bill works to 
ensure that our government represents the full diversity of the United 
States by expanding opportunities for DREAMers so that DACA recipients 
can be employed by the Federal Government. DREAMers should be able to 
bring their skills, talents, and unique perspectives to government 
jobs, where decisions affecting their communities are made every day, 
and our legislation allows them to participate fully in public service. 
This legislation also includes an increase in funding to the White 
House that would allow for paid internships, and I urge the President 
to use these funds to offer the opportunity to enter Federal service to 
more young people.
  But while we work to recruit more of our fellow Americans to serve, 
we also need to ensure that those who are currently serving can work in 
offices that meet their full needs. That is why I am particularly 
pleased to include language in this bill urging the General Service 
Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to move forward 
on the proposed new, consolidated FBI headquarter, a process that was 
abruptly halted by the last administration. The FBI currently works in 
a crumbling building that fails to meet its operational and security 
needs, and it is time to move forward on the process of securing a new 
campus. I would be remiss if I did not note that Maryland, which is 
already home to many FBI employees, has two fully vetted sites in this 
process. I am committed to getting this new campus, which is over a 
decade in the making, finally completed to meet the needs of the FBI' s 
mission.
  And in addition to strengthening the core planks of government by 
expanding transparency, helping grow pathways to service, and upgrading 
Federal buildings, the Financial Services and General Government bill 
also strengthens the government's ability to take on pressing crises 
facing our communities, including our Nation's ongoing challenges with 
addiction. It provides a 9-percent increase in funding for the Office 
of National Drug Control Policy, including resources for the High-
Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program and the Drug-Free Communities 
program, which helps prevent drug addiction among our Nation's youth. 
Substance use disorders continue to tear at the fabric of our 
communities, including in my home State of Maryland, and this vital 
funding is essential both to stopping illegal drug trafficking and to 
healing my State and States across the country that have been plagued 
by addiction.
  Finally, I would also like to note that this bill ends harmful riders 
that have interfered with the District of Columbia's ability to spend 
its own taxpayer dollars, an example of Congressional meddling in local 
affairs that no Senator would tolerate toward their own State. And this 
bill includes $760 million in special Federal payments for over a dozen 
distinct purposes relating to DC, including $40 million for the DC 
Tuition Assistance Grant Program to expand higher education choices for 
students of the District. And at a time when we see attacks on a 
women's right to choose across this country, I am proud to say this 
bill ends years of restrictions to abortion care by dropping a rider 
that prohibited the District of Columbia--and Federal health insurance 
systems--from providing coverage for abortion services. This is sound 
policy that the majority of Americans support, and this provision is 
essential to protecting reproductive freedoms in this country.
  In short, this legislation enhances services that help everyday 
people, builds more economic opportunity, uplifts working families, 
delivers support directly to our communities, fights climate change, 
strengthens our democracy, accelerates our work to modernize the IRS, 
and does much, much more, and we must get it to the President's desk.
  While I wish we could consider this bill under regular order, have a 
conference with the House and sign it into law, we are quickly running 
out of time. It is imperative that we enact this spending bill and the 
other 11 appropriations bills by December 3 when the current continuing 
resolution runs out to avoid a government shutdown, and in order to 
meet that deadline, we will likely be negotiating an omnibus. I look 
forward to working with Ranking Member Hyde-Smith and our House 
colleagues to move this process forward immediately because we have no 
time to waste. So let's now push ahead with our work, finish these 
bills, and do the job the American people sent us here to do.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. 
        Cardin):
  S. 3183. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a 
program of the Department of Defense to carry out stormwater management 
projects on or related to military installations to improve the 
resilience of military installations and defense access roads and 
protect waterways and stormwater-stressed ecosystems; to the Committee 
on Armed Services.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to improve 
stormwater management practices at Department of Defense, DOD 
installations across the country.
  Climate related impacts, such as increased rainfall intensity and sea 
level rise, exacerbate the problem of stormwater runoff. Excess 
stormwater can threaten our military readiness and pollute surrounding 
waterways and ecosystems.
  This phenomenon is acutely present in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 
where DOD is the second largest Federal landholder, and stormwater is 
the only pollutant in the watershed that continues to increase. 
Therefore, it is imperative that the DOD, as an official partner to the 
Chesapeake Bay Program, do all that it can to support reduction in 
pollution runoff consistent with the State-based watershed 
implementation plans required by the Environmental Protection Agency. 
Climate change has put numerous Virginia and Maryland military bases at 
increased risk of flooding, including Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air 
Station Oceana, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Langley Air Force 
Base, Naval Support Activity Annapolis, Naval Support Activity 
Bethesda, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Joint Base Andrews, and 
Naval Support Activity South Potomac.
  While there are 137 DOD installations, sites, and facilities in the 
Chesapeake Bay watershed, this proposal will help ensure stormwater and 
natural resources beat management practices are constructed, 
maintained, and repaired at DOD facilities across the Nation.
  The Federal Government provides State and local governments with 
billions in financial assistance each year to invest in stormwater 
infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Very 
limited funding exists for the financing of stormwater infrastructure 
on military installations. The EMBRACE Act would make stormwater 
management projects eligible for Federal funding under either military 
construction projects, military installation resilience projects, 
unspecified minor military construction projects, defense access roads 
projects, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program DCIP, and the 
Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program ERCIP.
  The bill instructs the Defense Department to give priority to 
projects that retrofit buildings and grounds on bases and improve 
access roads prone to flooding. It backs the building of stormwater 
ponds and other retention strategies. It also supports replacing 
impermeable paving with materials that let water seep into the soil 
rather than run off. Projects such as rain gardens, cisterns, and 
planters also would be eligible for funds.
  I am proud to be joined in this effort by Senators Warner, Cardin, 
and Van Hollen. The bill has also been endorsed by critical partners 
such as the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the

[[Page S7797]]

Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Chesapeake Conservancy, Choose Clean 
Water Coalition, American Flood Coalition Action, the Nature 
Conservancy, Southern Environmental Law Center, and Wetlands Watch. I 
was glad to see that Representative Bobby Scott successful in including 
his bipartisan companion EMRBACE Act as an amendment to the House 
version of the National Defense Authorization Act NDAA for fiscal year 
2022. It is my hope that this legislation will be included in the NDAA 
upon its final' passage in Congress.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
        and Ms. Ernst):
  S. 3203. A bill to establish the Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic; 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in support of my 
bipartisan bill, the National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic Act. 
This bill would establish a 9/11-style Commission to conduct an 
investigation on the COVID-19 outbreak and identify lessons learned 
regarding preparedness, response, and recovery. I would like to thank 
my cosponsors, Senators Marshall, Gillibrand, and Ernst, for joining me 
in introducing this crucial bill.
  Like we did after the devastating September 11 terrorist attacks, our 
bill would establish a bipartisan Commission on the COVID-19 pandemic 
to better understand the vulnerabilities it has revealed in our 
national security and healthcare system and improve our preparedness 
for future crises.
  It is crucial to improve our understanding of pandemic threats and 
health issues that the United States could face in the coming decades 
to better protect our population and mitigate the risk of a similar 
human and economic catastrophe in the future.
  To date, COVID-19 has caused more than 750,000 deaths in the United 
States and infected at least 46 million people.
  Beyond the devastating toll it has taken on human lives, the pandemic 
revealed vulnerabilities in our preparedness for dealing with such a 
deadly virus.
  At the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, hospitals struggled to secure 
enough personal protective equipment to keep health workers safe. As 
the pandemic worsened, we saw additional shortages in critical medical 
equipment like ventilators and other medical products that save lives, 
including testing supplies.
  As we waited for effective treatments and vaccines to be developed 
and approved, testing and mask wearing supplemented with physical 
distancing and other nonpharmaceutical tools were our only weapons 
combating the spread of the virus. However, we knew these tactics alone 
wouldn't ultimately defeat the virus.
  After unprecedented scientific collaboration and innovation, we now 
finally have three FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines that are safe, 
effective, and free for all Americans. While getting as many people 
vaccinated as possible remains the only path out of the pandemic, 
barriers to access and misunderstanding about the safety of the 
vaccines have delayed too many Americans from getting their vaccine.
  Disturbingly, throughout the pandemic, we have seen an increase in 
hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community 
due to racially discriminatory language related to COVID-19. Possible 
underreporting means this problem may be even more prevalent than we 
know.
  Finally, after examining all available intelligence reporting and 
information, the intelligence community remains divided on the most 
likely origin of COVID-19. According to the latest declassified 
assessment on COVID-19 origins, more information is needed to provide a 
more definitive explanation of how the virus emerged.
  The Commission that would be established by our bipartisan bill would 
conduct a comprehensive investigation of our government's preparedness 
and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and make recommendations on how 
we can be better prepared in the future.
  Modeled after the 9/11 Commission, this investigative body would 
complement other oversight efforts in Congress and the administration.
  The Commission would be composed of 10 members who aren't current 
Federal officials, with the same partisan balance as the 9/11 
Commissioners and with a variety of backgrounds in relevant fields, 
including public health, epidemiology, emergency preparedness, medical 
intelligence, and others; provide a full accounting to the President, 
Congress, and the American people of the facts and circumstances 
related to the outbreak in the United States as well as abroad, 
including our preparedness, the intelligence and information we had 
available before the virus reached the United States, and how Federal, 
State, and local governments, as well as the private sector, responded 
to the crisis; and gather information and hold hearings to eventually 
publish public reports on the Commission's findings and 
recommendations.
  The global COVID-19 pandemic showed just how unprepared we were to 
respond to a major public health threat that has continued for almost 2 
years. This lack of readiness caused widespread shutdowns of society in 
the United States and across the globe, resulting in a number of 
preventable deaths too high to comprehend.
  As we mourn those we lost, we must acknowledge that this pandemic is 
still not over and the threat of a new virus emerging that has greater 
pandemic potential looms. This Commission will ensure we learn from our 
achievements as well as our tragedies during this modem plague so that 
it may never happen again.
  I want to thank the Infectious Diseases Society of America for their 
support of our bill, and I look forward to working with my colleagues 
to pass it.

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