[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        August State Work Period

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, just yesterday, all of us returned to the 
U.S. Capitol following a 5-week stretch where we exercised the 
opportunity to meet with our constituents in our homes, visit updated 
projects and attend events in our respective States; and some of us 
traveled across the country and around the world to expand our 
understanding and gather lessons so that we can apply that to our work 
here in Washington.
  I was able to accomplish this at home by attending my State's annual 
economic development summit, where I met business leaders from all 
across West Virginia on a variety of issues from a variety of fields.
  Through meetings with individuals in specific industries, I was able 
to share the landscape that I currently see in Washington and hear 
about the specific policies that are impacting West Virginia most 
directly. I was also able to attend a really great event, a ribbon-
cutting ceremony for a brandnew high school in Kanawha County. This 
school, Herbert Hoover High School, had been decimated--the former 
school--in 2016 by floods, and we all gathered there and celebrated 
something that was really awful into something very joyful. And our own 
home State Brad Paisley came and gave us a concert to celebrate with.
  During the ceremony, the West Virginia spirit was really palpable as 
the community worked hard to remedy the scars from that horrible flood. 
It was a special occasion, and I think it proved to me and to all of us 
the resiliency that defines the people of my State, and I would say 
Connecticut as well.
  The August work period also provided the opportunity for me to lead 
an all-women Congressional delegation of bipartisan, bicameral members 
to the Indo-Pacific region. The trip kind of had a dual mission. The 
first was to discuss national and global security and energy in the 
Indo-Pacific region. The second was to explore issues related to the 
empowerment of women and girls--the status of women in sports--and 
building on current momentum in that space.
  To do both in a week is certainly a tall order, as the two are 
seemingly disconnected. We went hoping, originally, obviously, to see 
the U.S. women's soccer team play in the World Cup. We didn't quite get 
to see them, but we did see all of the excitement around the Women's 
World Cup, and we did get to see a great match between Japan and 
Sweden.
  But the experience we gained proved that these topics are really more 
related than what meets the eye. The center focus that binds these two 
missions that we had together are our U.S. values. These values have 
tangible power, and our ability to lead by our values displays the 
influence that our Nation has in both of these areas.
  When Congress passed title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 
sex discrimination and education programs and activities offered by any 
entity that receives Federal financial assistance was barred. It was 
monumental legislation for women and women's sports.
  This forever changed the way that women participate in our society 
and has paved the way for life-changing scholarships, a dramatic change 
in women's participation in our economy, and the consequent rise of 
U.S. women's sports.
  The ascension of women's involvement in sports has created a ripple 
effect that is not just felt in our country--we certainly saw it 
halfway around the world--but around the entire globe. American coaches 
and former players have traveled globally to inspire and encourage the 
next generation of female athletes. Businesses have funded and 
broadcast women's games, as they didn't in the past. And in America, 
girls' participation in high school sports continues to rise, with 3.3 
million girls competing in high school sports in the 2022 school year.
  The truth is, the growth of women's sports, both domestically and 
internationally, is a result of that increased role that women now 
embody. Communities and countries around the world, including our own 
country, are more likely to be peaceful and successful when women fully 
participate in society.
  The world has begun to realize that this kind of support is simply 
the right thing to do and is now embracing the values that the United 
States has led with.
  Our codel saw this directly through our travel in Australia and New 
Zealand and our meeting with leaders from the Women's World Cup. We met 
with the U.S. leaders, and we met with the international leaders. And 
while the United States didn't take home that title this year, our 
presence alone continues to have an impact in every tournament where 
the Stars and Stripes are represented.
  Now, the question remains, how is women's empowerment a metaphor--
sports I am talking about too--a metaphor for global security? Well, 
here in Congress we have supported Ukraine not just in defense of 
democratic values and territorial sovereignty, but also because it 
advances U.S. security interests and deterrence.
  The United States has led the push to bring together allies from 
Europe and across the world to not just understand the threat created 
by Putin, but to respond to it with strength.
  We have made that progress by leading with our values and with our 
interests to stop aggression in its tracks, whether it is in Europe or 
elsewhere.
  The United States has shown the way through significant bipartisan 
military support. Our global leadership against aggression and 
autocratic land grabs has built a formidable opposition that Russia 
simply did not anticipate and that China can see clearly every single 
day.
  For example, our codel witnessed joint exercises in the Australian 
seas that were the first of their kind between India, New Zealand, 
Australia, and the United States. Japan has, for the first time, 
committed more than 2 percent of its gross domestic product to defense. 
Sweden and Finland have just recently joined NATO. The EU is buying 
more crude oil from the United States as they divest from Russia. And 
new economic partnerships are cropping up globally as a result of our 
U.S. leadership.
  The tie between women's empowerment and global security is an 
American values-based leadership. The members of our bipartisan and 
bicameral codel--we saw that firsthand. As our leadership and values 
inspire nations across the globe, we must respect, encourage, and 
celebrate those that exemplify it.
  You know, you don't have power if you don't use it; but by working 
together, our strong leadership here in the United States can continue 
to change the world.
  I really cherished the opportunity to gain experience, knowledge, and 
perspective from our leaders at the headquarters of the U.S. Indo-
Pacific Command, as well as leaders throughout the region, when it 
comes to domestic and international security matters and energy issues 
in the Indo-Pacific.
  I am also thankful for the company and counsel from the other members 
of our codel: Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi, 
Representative Chrissy Houlahan from Pennsylvania, Representative Kathy 
Castor from Florida, and Representative Nicole Malliotakis from New 
York, as well as their steadfast desire that we all share together to 
engage on these topics and issues.
  There is no doubt that Congress has an extensive list of challenges 
facing us in the coming month, but I am really confident in our ability 
to meet the needs of our country--both domestically and abroad--and to 
exemplify that value-based leadership that was evident throughout our 
trip.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.