[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 26, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2139-S2140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Biden Administration

  Mr. President, the first year of Democratic governance in Washington 
has produced surging inflation, a disastrous withdrawal from 
Afghanistan, and a massive border crisis. And, unfortunately, so far 
2022 isn't looking much better. Our inflation crisis keeps getting 
worse, energy prices are soaring, and the Biden border crisis is 
reaching new heights.
  When President Biden took office, inflation was 1.4 percent, well 
within the Federal Reserve's target inflation rate of 2 percent; and it 
might have remained there had Democrats not decided to pass a $1.9 
trillion partisan spending spree under the guise of COVID relief--mere 
weeks, I might add, after Congress had approved a fifth bipartisan 
COVID relief bill that met essentially all current pressing COVID 
needs.
  The Democrats' decision to flood the economy with unnecessary 
government money set off an inflation crisis that shows little sign of 
stopping. March saw inflation hit 8.5 percent, a 40-year high. 
Everywhere Americans look, they are paying more: more for groceries, 
more for gas, more for utilities, more for furniture, more for used 
cars and trucks--and the list goes on.
  While wages increased in 2021, inflation outstripped wage growth, 
which means that instead of a pay increase, many Americans saw a de 
facto pay cut. Needless to say, inflation is having the biggest impact 
on those who can least afford it.
  The President likes to tout job creation and economic growth--
although most of what he takes credit for is the natural consequence of 
economic recovery after the pandemic--but his claims mean little to 
families who are wondering how they will be able to pay their soaring 
grocery bills or whether they can afford the gas that they need for the 
rest of the month.
  And speaking of affording gas, thanks to Democrats, we are also 
rapidly approaching a full-blown energy crisis. Gas prices increased on 
average to an alltime high in March, according to AAA, and that is on 
top of the soaring inflationary costs of electricity and home gas 
services, among other energy commodities. As of yesterday, gas was 
$4.12 a gallon, up from $2.39 a gallon when President Biden took 
office. The administration, of course, has attempted to blame this hike 
on Putin, but the vast majority of the 72-percent increase in gas 
prices since President Biden took office predates the war in Ukraine 
and sanctions on Russia.
  Every gallon of gas purchased at current prices hits family budgets 
hard, especially in rural States like South Dakota where driving long 
distances is the norm. Diesel averaged $2.68 a gallon in January of 
2021. As of yesterday, it was $5.07. That not only hits our 
transportation sector and truckers but farmers across the country as 
they plant their fields this spring.
  There is no easy solution on inflation, but the first imperative is 
to do no more harm. Once Democrats saw the inflationary effects of 
their $1.9 trillion spending bill, they should have instantly resolved 
to refrain from any more unnecessary government spending. Big spending, 
however, is a way of life for Democrats. So instead of committing to 
spending restraint, they spent last fall pushing for a second massive 
spending spree that would have made our inflation situation that much 
worse. And while that reckless tax-and-spending spree was mercifully 
halted in the Senate last December, the President's recent budget 
request made clear that Democrats are still intent on implementing many 
of their tax-and-spending spree's measures.

  That is right. Democrats unleashed the worst inflation in 40 years by 
flooding the economy with unnecessary government money, and they still 
want to double down on that strategy. If Democrats have their way on 
government spending, our inflation crisis could last for years to come.
  Mr. President, while there are few things the President and Democrats 
can do to speed up the end of their self-inflicted inflation crisis 
other than not making it worse, there are actions that Democrats can 
take to address the high energy costs that Americans are facing, and 
chief among those things is unleashing American energy production of 
both alternative and conventional energy. Unfortunately, the President 
seems pretty committed to doing the opposite when it comes to 
conventional energy. He has asked other countries to increase their 
conventional energy production, but he has made it clear that he is not 
interested in seeing the United States do the same.
  While his administration is finally conducting sales for new onshore 
oil and gas leases, it has reduced the land available for such leases 
and substantially increased the royalty rate, sending a clear signal to 
American energy producers that the administration is reluctant to 
collaborate with it. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission 
has proposed requiring costly new financial disclosures that would 
discourage investment in conventional energy production.

[[Page S2140]]

  While Democrats may wish it weren't so, the fact of the matter is 
that our country will still need oil and natural gas for years to come; 
and if Democrats and the President didn't want Americans to be paying 
sky-high prices to fill their cars, they need to focus on encouraging 
responsible oil and gas production here at home, which, I might add, 
puts Americans to work in good-paying jobs and develops these resources 
with fewer emissions than are produced in other countries. Forcing our 
country to increase our reliance on foreign energy sources will do 
nothing but drive up energy prices, not to mention jeopardizing 
national security. Boosting domestic production, on the other hand, 
would drive down energy prices while ensuring that we don't have to 
rely on dictators or unstable countries for energy.
  In addition to our energy and inflation crises, we are also facing a 
massive crisis at the southern border. Almost from the day the 
President took office, we have seen a huge surge in the number of 
individuals attempting to illegally make their way across the southern 
border. In March alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 
221,303 individuals attempting to cross our southern border illegally. 
In the first quarter of 2022, more than half a million individuals were 
apprehended while trying to get across our southern border. And the 
influx shows no signs of stopping.
  And what has the President done to address this crisis? Next to 
nothing. In fact, the truth is that this is a crisis largely of the 
President's own making. The series of actions that he has taken to 
weaken border security and immigration enforcement has encouraged a 
flood of illegal immigration across our southern border. In fact, the 
President's lawyers are over at the Supreme Court today arguing against 
a measure to discourage illegal immigration.
  And now the President is on track to make our current border crisis 
much worse by lifting title 42 COVID-19 restrictions that have provided 
for the immediate deportation of individuals who have crossed the 
border illegally. Once these restrictions are lifted, the Department of 
Homeland Security expects as many as 18,000 migrants per day--18,000 
per day--to attempt to cross our southern border.
  I mentioned that we have seen more than half a million attempted 
illegal crossings in the first 3 months of this year. Without title 42 
restrictions, we could be seeing more than half a million attempted 
crossings each month, and it is clear that the President has no 
substantive plan in place to deal with such a surge.
  I was relieved--as I think a lot of Americans were and I think a lot 
of Democrats, honestly, here in the Senate--that yesterday a Federal 
judge issued an order temporarily preserving title 42. But this is not 
a permanent solution to the problem. Title 42 should not be lifted 
until the President has a robust plan in place for discouraging illegal 
immigration, securing our border, preventing human trafficking and drug 
trafficking, and quickly deporting those who seek to illegally enter 
our country.
  So here is where we are, Mr. President: We have an inflation crisis 
that is driving up costs for American families. We have an energy 
crisis, with sky-high gas prices fueling pain at the pump. And we have 
a security, humanitarian, and enforcement crisis at our southern 
border. That is what a year and a quarter of Democratic governance 
looks like.
  And since Democrats show no signs of taking steps to address these 
crises, that is what Democratic governance is likely to look like for 
the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the American people will continue to 
pay the price.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.