[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 41 (Thursday, March 7, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2256-S2265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

          RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume legislative session and proceed to the consideration of S. 3853, 
which the clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3853) to extend the period for filing claims 
     under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and to provide 
     for compensation under such Act for claims relating to 
     Manhattan Project waste, and to improve compensation for 
     workers involved in uranium mining.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.


                          Biden Administration

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise today in the hours before 
President Biden's State of the Union address to discuss the reality of 
the past 3 years and the current circumstances of our Nation. Together, 
my colleagues and I are here to speak on behalf of the American people 
who have been forgotten and left behind by President Biden, those who 
know the true consequences of his administration's policies and who are 
really feeling the pain by the continued failures that have defined 
President Biden's time in the White House.
  Throughout my time in Congress, I have been guided by my eternal 
optimism. I feel like I can see beyond the gloom and push toward a 
brighter future. However, it is clear that this is not the perspective 
that is felt in communities across our country, as Americans realize 
that the state of our Nation is not as strong as it should and could 
be. They continue to battle economic challenges that are making the 
American dream unaffordable.
  There is a continued assault on American energy, which started by 
canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and now, just several weeks ago, the 
disastrous halting of the construction of the LNG export terminals.
  They see the unmitigated flow of illegal crossings at our southern 
border, and they face the threat of rising crime, and they see the 
weakened state of Americans standing on the global stage.
  President Biden remains the common denominator across each of these 
issues, and he continues to prove--and this is harsh--that he is just 
not up to the task of leading our country in a time when it is needed 
most.
  Perhaps the most consistent issue that has defined President Biden's 
tenure in the White House--and one that I hear constantly about back 
home--is the state of our economy and the persistence of high interest 
rates and inflation. Despite President Biden's claims, inflation has 
not cooled and price hikes have worn down consumers over the past 3 
years, making necessities like food and housing nearly unaffordable. 
The price of food at the grocery store--anybody who is listening to 
this that has been to the grocery store knows this better than anybody. 
The price of food at grocery stores and in our restaurants increased 
2.6 percent just in the last year, but this is on top of the staggering 
10 percent that food prices rose over the last year. So what used to be 
$100 worth of groceries in 2019 now costs $125. And just last week, it 
was revealed that food costs, compared to income, have hit a 33-year 
high with American consumers spending over 11 percent of their disposal 
income on food. That means that the last time Americans paid this much 
for food ``Terminator 2'' was in the movies, Michael Jordan had just 
won his second MVP award, and HP had introduced the first color 
scanner. That is how long ago this was.
  Adding to this, U.S. home prices are at an alltime high. Housing 
costs have now become unaffordable for a record number of U.S. renters, 
and that is according to a recent Harvard study.
  Make no mistake, this is the economy that President Biden campaigned 
on, and it is the economy that his policies of reckless spending and 
high taxes were destined to create.
  The President has gone even as far as establishing a strike force--I 
don't know if we are going to hear about it tonight--a strike force on 
unfair and illegal pricing, which is nothing more than a cover so he 
can blame others for the effects of his policies.
  Another issue that will forever define President Biden's tenure is 
the historic crisis we have seen at the southern border--something we 
have all addressed on the floor repeatedly--and the devastating 
consequences it has created. The most recent data shows over 176,000 
crossings along the southern border this past January. This marks the 
worst January on record and the sixth consecutive month where a record 
was being set. That brings us to a total of 9 million--9 million--
illegal border crossings under President Biden's watch. Additionally, 
there were another 7,000-plus migrant encounters at the southern border 
on Monday, marking the fourth day in a row of over 7,000 encounters.
  While the White House remains committed to their message of no 
Executive action can alleviate this crisis, they fail to mention the 
Executive actions that they took literally hours after President Biden 
was sworn in. These Executive Orders on day one of Biden's 
administration dismantled the effective immigration policies of 
President Trump.
  The truth is, President Biden can take basic steps and end this 
chaos, but in some situations--and far too many of them--it may already 
be too late. The barbaric murder of Laken Riley is a national tragedy 
and was completely avoidable.
  The catch-and-release policies of President Biden and Secretary 
Mayorkas have allowed the catastrophe at our southern border to impact 
every community in our country and every State.
  Crime is all too familiar to this administration, especially right 
here in the President's backyard. While the administration is touting a 
drop in crime across other cities, violent crime right here in 
Washington, DC, is up a staggering 39 percent. Multiple members of 
Congress have been recent victims of crime in this city, as have 
multiple members of my own staff.
  We must remember that President Biden owns this issue more than he 
would like to admit. Last May, he vetoed bipartisan legislation to 
overturn police reforms right here in Washington, DC.
  Speaking of ownership, another issue that President Biden owns is the 
recent weakness that America has displayed on the international stage. 
We are living in a time where our Nation faces the most dangerous 
global threats that we have seen in decades. Yet President Biden has 
proven to be a President of

[[Page S2257]]

weakness, while our adversaries are watching how the United States 
reacts to the challenges of our time. This display of weakness started 
with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, which signaled 
unreliability to our allies and weakness to those who want to do us 
harm. Then President Biden did not establish a strong deterrent for 
Putin, suggesting that NATO and the United States might not take any 
action if Russia undertook a minor incursion. Next, the Biden 
administration engaged with Iran on fruitless nuclear talks while the 
regime built up their nuclear capabilities and their militias attacked 
our own U.S. troops. Now there have been over 170 attacks on 
servicemembers with minimal responses taken. This has also culminated 
most recently in the loss of three of our Army Reserve soldiers.

  During the State of the Union tonight, President Biden will draw a 
proverbial line in the sand and will ask the American people: Which 
side are you on? I encourage my fellow Americans not to fall for this 
attempt to separate us or label us as enemies of one another; but 
rather, we should join together in realizing that it doesn't have to be 
this way and that the American people truly deserve better.
  This leads to, perhaps, the biggest broken promise from the 
President; that was his pledge to unite our Nation. We are fractured; 
there is no doubt about it. In this administration, anyone who 
disagrees with their policies is an extremist and a threat to our 
freedoms.
  I know the people of our country deserve better from the White House, 
and the state of our union has become weaker over the past 3 years. So 
I hope the President addresses these issues tonight in a meaningful way 
that doesn't finger point, doesn't blame, but that takes the issues and 
unites the country and finds solutions.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.


                            Border Security

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as my colleague from West Virginia has 
noted, and as the Nation knows--the world knows--President Biden will 
deliver his third, perhaps final, State of the Union address tonight.
  Obviously, the border is a major issue confronting the Nation, and I 
have to say that, coming from Texas with the 1,200 mile common border 
with Mexico, Washington has just recently acknowledged--the President 
has just recently acknowledged something that we have known has been a 
problem for a long, long time without really any help to deal with this 
flood of humanity and drugs across our southwestern border.
  I expect that President Biden will do as he always does--blame 
somebody else for this problem, even though he has had the same tools 
that President Trump has had with which to deal with it from the day he 
stepped into the Oval Office.
  The American people are pretty smart and they are pretty perceptive 
and they understand that the crisis at our border is a man-made crisis, 
and that man is President Biden. He has opted, rather than secure the 
border, to issue dozens of Executive orders dismantling piece by piece 
the border security protections that President Trump had put in place, 
things like the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy where people who would 
otherwise be released into the interior of the United States would have 
to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims have been determined.
  Under President Biden, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has 
encountered nearly 7 million migrants. I have heard numbers as high as 
9 million. The truth is we don't really have an accurate number because 
it is virtually uncontrolled, but we know that it is more than the past 
two administrations combined. In 3 years, President Biden has allowed 
more illegal migrant encounters across the border than in 12 years of 
President Obama's term and President Trump's.
  Well, you would think, with President Biden knowing he has a huge 
political liability, that he would seek advice from the experts. But 
former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said that President Biden 
and Vice President Harris never even spoke to him during his time in 
office. This is the man, the expert, who is in charge of the border for 
the U.S. Government, and the President and the Vice President didn't 
even speak to him.
  Well, because of the welcome mat that has been laid out by the Biden 
administration, border officials are preparing for yet another spike in 
the record levels of migration.
  The Biden administration is under fire for reports that it flew 
320,000 migrants from foreign countries directly into the United States 
without vetting them first.
  Words fail to describe the unprecedented nature of this crisis. It is 
so bad, I keep asking myself: What is it going to take before the 
President wakes up? Mr. President, 7 to 9 million illegal entries into 
the country; 300,000 children placed with sponsors in the interior of 
the country and, as the New York Times noted, many of them forced into 
involuntary labor. And then when wellness checks were made to see where 
these children are after they are placed with these sponsors, in the 
case of the New York Times, they said that ``85,000 of those sponsors 
didn't even answer the phone or the door.'' So we don't know what 
happened to those children, those 300,000 children.
  And then there are the drugs that flow across the border when the 
Border Patrol is overwhelmed with mass numbers of migrants.
  Well, here is another problem. Those who are old enough to remember 
September 11, 2001, when 19 Saudi nationals flew two planes into the 
World Trade Center and crashed another one at the Pentagon--19. Four 
nationals killed 3,000 Americans that day.
  So far this year, the Border Patrol has apprehended--apprehended--169 
individuals who were on the Terror Watchlist. So far this fiscal year, 
they have apprehended 49. But here is what should keep all of us awake 
at night: approximately 1.7 million ``got-aways.''
  In other words, a large number of these migrants turn themselves in 
knowing they are going to be released, and that is the easiest way to 
make it into the United States and probably end up staying for the rest 
of your life. But 1.7 million people who came across the border evaded 
law enforcement. They call those ``got-aways,'' people caught on 
cameras or some sensor.
  How many more people on the Terror Watchlist were among those 1.7 
million ``got-aways''? It should alarm all of us to think about those 
who made it into this country who have not yet been caught.
  Then there are the drugs. Last year, 108,000 Americans died of drug 
overdoses, 71,000 of those from fentanyl poisoning. Last week, the 
Border Patrol seized 2,800 pounds of meth, fentanyl, and heroin. That 
is great, but how many more of those drugs have made their way into the 
United States undetected? That is $12 million worth of narcotics in 
just 1 week.
  Of course, who is reaping the benefits of the current border 
policies? It is the drug cartels. It is the smuggling networks. They 
continue to get richer and richer and more powerful.
  Over the weekend, Border Patrol arrested six sexual predators who 
were illegally crossing the border. Again, we don't know how many more 
were among the ``got-aways'' I mentioned earlier. This follows a 
nationwide law enforcement effort last month where U.S. Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement apprehended 275 known sex offenders who had entered 
the country illegally.
  All this while the country continues to mourn the death of 22-year-
old nursing student Laken Riley. As we all know by now, she was killed 
while jogging in broad daylight on the campus of the University of 
Georgia. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuela national who 
entered the United States illegally and was released by the Biden 
administration, has been charged with her murder.
  This week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked 
if President Biden plans to address Laken's death during his State of 
the Union speech. She said she had nothing to share on that topic.
  If the Biden administration had not abused the parole system--that 
means the catch-and-release by which individuals like Mr. Ibarra were 
simply released into the interior of the United States--Laken's death 
might have been prevented. But President Biden has no plans to even 
acknowledge her death, let alone take responsibility for it.
  In the last 3 years, I have spoken on the floor of the Senate about 
these

[[Page S2258]]

issues more times than I can count because Texas is on the frontline 
but with precious little assistance from the Federal Government. That 
is why Governor Greg Abbott has used the National Guard and the 
Department of Public Safety to do what the Federal Government should 
have already been doing, and that is to provide security for our 
border.
  This is one of the most urgent catastrophes of our time, and it is a 
huge political liability for the President and his party because they 
have been watching this catastrophe get worse and worse and worse and 
done next to nothing about it.
  We reached a breaking point a long time ago, and now every State is 
paying the price for President Biden's failed policies, from Texas all 
the way to New York.
  As long as the President refuses to do his job and enforce the laws 
already on the books, deadly drugs will continue to flow into our 
communities, dangerous criminals will threaten our citizenry, and many 
more lives will be lost.
  I hope the President accepts responsibility for what has happened the 
last 3 years, and I hope his remarks reflect the urgency of this crisis 
that he created, but the truth is, I won't be holding my breath.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Peters). The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I appreciate my colleagues and their 
comments, and I know that Senator Hyde-Smith is also going to speak on 
this issue.
  As we have heard, the President later today is going to talk about 
his record, and he is going to try to sell that record to the American 
people.
  As we have heard, many of his policies are failures. This record is a 
broken record, and much of it, just as my colleague from Texas was 
saying, is a record that has failed the people of our States.
  For 3 years, the American people have truly suffered immensely during 
this record of failure and broken promises. Some of the actions that 
President Biden has taken beginning on day one is he issued Executive 
order after Executive order.
  Let's talk about day one as we set the framework for what he will 
talk about tonight as his 3-year record.
  On day one, President Biden took actions pertaining to the border and 
illegal immigration, and here is what he did: He paused deportations--
paused them. That means he put up a ``halt'' sign and said: You cannot 
deport people who have illegally entered the country. He limited which 
illegal aliens could be arrested. Now, that was an action that he took. 
He said: Well, you can't go arrest certain groups of illegal aliens--
even though they have broken the law coming into this country. So he 
put those protections in place for people who had broken the law 
entering the country illegally. He halted construction of the border 
wall, and he ended the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy.
  Now, during his first 100 days, he took a total of 94 Executive 
actions that made the border less secure and weakened legal immigration 
and encouraged illegal immigration and tried to make illegal 
immigration legal. Because of that, since he took the oath of office, 9 
million--9 million--illegal immigrants have entered this country. That 
is more than the population of 38 States.
  Those are the actions he has taken.
  In addition to the 9 million illegal immigrants, you have known and 
unknown ``got-aways.'' These unknown ``got-aways'' are untold numbers 
of drug traffickers, human traffickers, smugglers. That is what is 
coming into our country because of this porous border--in addition, 
tens of thousands of people from countries of interest; in addition, 
terrorists who have been apprehended at our southern border trying to 
enter illegally. Those are the ones we know about.
  Americans are indeed--Tennesseans certainly are--enduring the 
consequences of this open border agenda. Over the past few weeks, we 
have seen countless illegal aliens who should have never been allowed 
to set foot in this country be arrested for sexual assault, rape, and 
murder.
  One of the victims, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in 
Georgia, was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant who was paroled 
into this country by the Biden administration.
  Now, paroling someone into the country grants special privileges. 
They can get a work permit. They can get benefits. If you look at 
President Obama's record, he paroled about 5,600 people a year into the 
country and the same for President Trump. But President Biden has gone 
more than 200 times this every year. In 2022, he paroled 800,000 people 
into the country, and in 2023, 1.2 million people. One of these 
parolees is the alleged killer of Laken Riley. There are others who 
have committed rape against children, who have bludgeoned our citizens. 
President Biden's policies are directly responsible for these crimes.
  Now, there is also a bucket of economic failures that I want to touch 
on. We all know that when President Biden came into office, inflation 
was 1.4 percent. Since then, we have seen inflation skyrocket, and we 
have seen Federal spending skyrocket. We know that trillions of dollars 
have been added to the debt. Much of this comes because of his agenda. 
A lot of it is his attack on energy and his push for the Green New 
Deal.
  Now, President Biden had claimed that his agenda would--and I am 
going to quote him--that it would ``grow the economy from the middle 
out and the bottom up.'' Instead, what it has done is caused the worst 
inflation in four decades.
  Since Inauguration Day for Joe Biden, prices have been on the uptick. 
When you talk to Tennesseans, they can tell you how much the cost of 
food is up. It is up at least about 20 percent; rent, housing is up 
over 20 percent; and then you look at the cost of energy, whether you 
are filling up the tank or whether you are paying the electric bill or 
the gas bill for heating and cooling the house. That is what this 
economy has done.
  As we look at the issues, we know that the economy--we know that this 
has such a negative impact on the amount of money that people have in 
their pockets each month. In Tennessee, this means that in 2023 alone, 
an average family had to spend over $10,000 more just to tread water, 
just to stay even.
  So as we look at this, as we know the President is going to stand and 
insist that the state of the Nation is strong, we know that there are 
going to be millions of Americans who say: No. It is frayed. It is 
fractious. It is hurting.
  People are broke. Our border is broken. Crime is up in our 
communities. All of this is directly related to the policies of 
President Biden and his agenda.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
  Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I also rise to discuss the Biden 
administration's failure to contain the crisis at our southern border 
and how that is having extreme consequences and endangering our very 
own citizens.
  Time and time again, Republicans have warned about the damage being 
done to our country by open border policies launched on President 
Biden's first day in office.
  For more than 3 years, we have witnessed this President and his 
administration tell us over and over that there is not a border crisis 
and that the border is secure. I, like most Americans, know that is 
absolutely not true.

  President Biden will deliver his State of the Union Address tonight, 
and I hope the American people will listen with some level of 
skepticism should he discuss his recent election-year plans to address 
illegal crossings at the border. The American people deserve for him to 
be forthcoming about the border crisis, a crisis that is manifesting 
itself more and more in serious and violent crimes committed by illegal 
migrants allowed to stay in our country.
  The American people deserve to know why or how Executive action would 
be better than simply enforcing the law--the laws that are currently 
already on the books. Yes, Executive orders have the force of law, but 
they are based on existing statutes. Simply put, this administration 
needs to enforce the law. Americans are taking the brunt of Joe Biden's 
policies as crime runs rampant at the hands of illegal immigrants.
  Last year, Border Patrol agents encountered thousands of illegal 
aliens

[[Page S2259]]

with prior criminal convictions, including assault, rape, and murder. 
Make no mistake, it is thanks to Joe Biden's policies and his refusal 
to enforce the law that has allowed such criminals into our country, 
and now Americans are becoming victims of their crimes all across the 
country. Over just 2 weeks this January, law enforcement arrested more 
than 100 illegal immigrants in 25 different U.S. cities. Over half of 
the illegal aliens arrested had convictions or pending charges for 
assault against children, including sexual assault against children.
  A month ago, just outside of Minneapolis, a man who was previously 
detained, dressed as a delivery driver, snuck into a home and murdered 
three people while two small children witnessed this crime.
  Just a few weeks ago in New York, several migrants were arrested for 
assaulting a pair of police officers. Of course, they were almost 
immediately released when the Manhattan District Attorney's Office did 
not seek bail. They were seen smirking and using obscene gestures for 
the media, showing no remorse for their actions. From the same mob 
assault, one of the migrants allegedly involved was arrested again just 
days later--this time, for robbing a Macy's in Queens.
  Now, just the other week, a University of Georgia nursing student, 
with her whole future ahead of her, went running on a popular trail in 
broad daylight only to be brutally murdered. The man charged with her 
murder entered our country illegally.
  These crimes, combined with the liberal district attorneys and mayors 
across the country--those who advocate for sanctuary cities and other 
soft-on-crime policies--have created a nightmare for everyone who wants 
to live peacefully and safely in their homes and communities without 
violence.
  Where is President Biden's compassion for American families and 
communities experiencing these horrible acts? During his brief and 
sanitized visit to Brownsville last week, why did the President dodge 
questions about the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley at UGA? Why is 
his administration reluctant to prioritize their safety?
  I pray that the perpetrators receive justice, and I pray the families 
of these victims receive God's comfort.
  Sadly, my home State of Mississippi has also felt the consequences of 
Joe Biden's policies with the many instances of human trafficking.
  Last year, four illegal immigrants were discovered with a 7-year-old 
migrant child after being pulled over and detained for driving without 
a license. After Homeland Security Investigations was contacted, the 
driver attempted to flee on foot and was captured. HSI determined the 
child was not related to anyone in the vehicle.
  In another situation, a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper identified 
an illegal migrant driving on I-10, in Jackson County, with no ID. A 
passenger--also an illegal immigrant--revealed that they were on their 
way to Houston, TX, to pick up another man or woman and three or four 
children. After a legal search of the vehicle, items consistent with 
human trafficking were discovered in the vehicle.
  Instances like these are, unfortunately, happening across the 
country, and our communities are in danger. If you think this isn't 
happening in your backyard, then think again. Because of the state of 
our country, there is growing concern and fear among Americans, who are 
wondering if they or someone they love will be the next target.
  In fiscal year 2023, there were over 15,000 criminal noncitizen 
arrests. There were over 2,000 criminal illegal drug possessions and 
trafficking convictions. Additionally, there were almost 9,000 driving 
under the influence convictions. There have been nearly 200 murders 
committed by illegal immigrants since Joe Biden took office--200 lives 
lost under President Biden's watch. This is not how the greatest 
country in the world should operate.
  Robberies, sexual assault, crimes against children, human 
trafficking, and murder are just some examples of the crimes these 
illegal migrants are willing to commit in our country. We have to stand 
against this.
  President Biden claims he needs more authority to get control of the 
border. This is blatantly false. The previous administration 
successfully enforced border laws to get crossings to record lows. The 
Biden administration repeatedly refuses to acknowledge the border 
crisis for what it is--a crisis. He opened the border, and he can close 
it.
  As the President prepares his State of the Union speech, I call on 
the Biden administration and the Democrats, who simply need to enforce 
the law. Let's just start with that. We must make this a priority. 
Americans deserve nothing less.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.


                         Spending and Inflation

  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues to 
discuss the Biden administration's failed policies and their impact not 
only on my State of North Dakota but on all Americans.
  As we prepare to listen to the President give his State of the Union 
Address, I want to share my perspective about the past 3 years and 
where we are today. But it is not just my perspective; it is what my 
constituents are seeing on a day-to-day basis. They see a country that 
is less secure, a dollar that doesn't stretch as far as it used to, and 
policies from this administration that are making things worse.
  The reckless tax-and-spend policies of this administration have led 
to increases in inflation levels that we haven't seen in decades. To 
this day, inflation remains persistently high, and the deficit spending 
continues as our debt now totals more than $34 trillion. Last month, 
the Congressional Budget Office published its 10-year Budget and 
Economic Outlook, which revealed that, this year, the interest payments 
on our national debt will exceed the spending on national defense.
  In addition to rising interest payments that will crowd out our 
ability to fund our priorities in the future, this deficit spending has 
led to inflation that has made everything more expensive for all 
Americans. The Biden administration's tax, spend, and regulate policies 
have led to this inflation. In my State of North Dakota, according to 
the Consumer Price Index data, families have experienced a cumulative 
price increase of about 18 percent--18 percent--since President Biden 
took office. That means paying more for everything from groceries to 
housing to transportation and energy.
  North Dakota is actually among the youngest States in the Nation, 
with the median age of just over 35 years of age. Many of our young 
North Dakotans are looking to buy homes and start families, but this 
administration's failed economic policies have caused the inflation 
that has simply put homeownership out of reach. According to Freddie 
Mac, a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage continues to hover at about 7 
percent. Before Biden took office, it was less than 4 percent.
  The bottom line is that the policies of this administration that the 
President calls Bidenomics gets you less--not more for less but less 
for more.
  Mr. President, at the same time, President Biden is putting his Green 
New Deal agenda over our economic and national security interests.
  The average price for a gallon of gas was about $2.40 on January 20, 
2021, when President Biden took office. This week, gasoline prices are 
42 percent higher--$1 higher. So, instead, of $2.40, now you pay on 
average $3.40 for every gallon. It is simple economics--energy prices 
remain high because demand exceeds supply. Because the cost of energy 
is built into every good and service that we consume, we need to 
increase the supply of energy to help bring down inflation. Yet instead 
of unleashing--unleashing--the full potential of our Nation's vast 
energy reserves, the Biden administration's regulatory onslaught will 
only favor foreign adversaries at the expense of our own domestic 
energy industry.
  The Biden administration is imposing new costs and regulatory burdens 
on Federal energy leases, for example, while reducing what is available 
for new leasing. Maximizing access to new leasing today is directly 
tied to growing production and supply for the long term.
  Further, the Biden administration unilaterally has now banned U.S. 
LNG export approvals, forcing our allies in Europe and Asia to increase 
their reliance on imports from Russia, Iran, and Qatar. According to 
the U.S. Energy

[[Page S2260]]

Information Administration, global energy demand is expected to grow 
across all sectors of the economy through 2050.
  Our Nation is fortunate to have abundant energy reserves and the 
capacity to ramp up production and counter adversarial foreign 
producers from countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, but the 
Biden administration continues to handcuff our producers with 
burdensome regulation after regulation. That is why President Biden 
needs to take the handcuffs off our energy producers and work with us 
to boost American energy independence instead of passing regulation 
after regulation that shuts our energy industry down.
  Producing more energy here at home is the ultimate solution to not 
only lowering energy costs but to strengthening our national security 
and our geopolitical standing in the world.
  Mr. President, in addition to those issues in regard to Bidenomics, I 
want to talk about his failure on the border.
  The year 2023 was a record year for President Biden's border policy. 
It was recordbreaking. By the end of the year 2023, the United States 
saw the most ever annual encounters at the southern border--almost 2.5 
million. It is mind-boggling--2.5 million in 2023. President Biden's 
border policies broke records again as over 300,000 illegal encounters 
took place in December--just in December, 1 month--300,000 in 1 month 
in December 2023, which is the most encounters in any single month 
during his administration.
  The cause of this crisis is clear: President Biden's failure to 
secure the border--simply put, his failure to enforce the law. The duty 
of a President is to enforce the law. He is not doing it.
  The American people suffer the consequences because the Biden 
administration refuses to enforce policies that protect our southern 
border, including reinstating the migrant protection protocols or the 
``Remain in Mexico'' policy, enforcing Safe Third Country agreements, 
and resuming the construction of the border wall. The President's 
failed border policies have led to increased instances of human and 
drug trafficking at the southern border. It is not just human 
trafficking; it is the fentanyl. It is all of the problems that go with 
an open border.
  The Biden administration must address the border crisis. The Biden 
administration must enforce the laws that kept monthly encounters to 
vastly, vastly lower numbers under the Trump administration, and they 
need to do it now because border security truly is national security.
  In conclusion, we can reverse all of these metrics, but it is going 
to take the President embracing the realities facing American families. 
Given his track record these past 3 years, I am not optimistic that we 
will hear him signal a reversal of these policies tonight, but he needs 
to for the good of the country.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.
  Mr. BUDD. Mr. President, President Abraham Lincoln once said that 
``no Administration by any extreme of wickedness or folly can . . . 
seriously injure the Government in the short space of [only] four 
years.'' That statement might need to be revised if Lincoln had 
witnessed the first 3 years of President Joe Biden.
  Our country has been through a prolonged period of failure and crisis 
brought on by a weak leader who bows to his far-left base and pursues 
policies that hurt the very people he claims to help.
  There is no better example of this than at the southern border, where 
President Biden has presided over the worst border crisis in U.S. 
history--millions of illegal crossings, hundreds of individuals on the 
Terrorist Watchlist, tens of thousands of pounds of deadly fentanyl, 
nearly 2 million known ``got-aways,'' and millions more unknown ``got-
aways,'' including terrorists, human traffickers, and other bad actors.
  The crisis at the border is a crisis of President Biden's own making. 
Starting on his very first day in office, President Biden has unleashed 
dozens of Executive actions that telegraphed that his administration 
was no longer interested in enforcing the law when it comes to illegal 
immigration. Here are some of the most devastating examples:
  He halted construction of the border wall, leaving the physical 
defense of our Nation's border to scattered areas of old, rusty 
barbwire. I have seen it with my own eyes.
  He ended the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy that ensured that illegal 
aliens were turned back before they even arrived at the doorstep of our 
country. The result? Well, not only are untold millions being 
encountered right at the border, but when they are caught, the Biden 
administration releases about 75 percent of them into the interior of 
the United States, some with taxpayer-funded escorts and travel.
  The Biden administration also halted deportation of those who 
illegally entered our country. In fact, just last year, Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement only deported 5 percent of the millions they 
encountered at the border.
  Taken together, what is the message this President has sent to a 
would-be illegal immigrant? Well, for one, the United States won't 
construct physical barriers to stop you. We won't even lock the door to 
our own house, it seems. If you are caught, the United States will 
release you and resettle you with money out of our own taxpayers' 
pockets. And don't worry--per the Biden administration, the United 
States will never deport you.
  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why this crisis 
persists, but it doesn't have to be this way. Just 4 years ago, illegal 
immigration was at a record low. Make no mistake, President Biden 
already has the power to fix this. It was his Executive actions that on 
day one caused this mess, and he can clean it up by undoing those very 
same orders on day 1,142--today.
  We are witnessing in real time a national decline, but the good news 
is, that decline is a choice, and our time for choosing is coming. It 
is not too late. Despite all of the things that are broken right now, 
we can still be a strong nation as long as we have a leader with the 
strength and the willingness to get the job done.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.


                        Remembering Pat O'Toole

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of an 
agricultural icon, Pat O'Toole. I am here in a bipartisan way with both 
Senators from Wyoming and both Senators from Colorado to talk about 
this remarkable man, who is a true cowboy and a dear friend.
  Pat passed away from complications following his stroke, on February 
25. He was surrounded by his family, including his loving wife Sharon.
  Pat and Sharon met when they were students together at Colorado State 
University. They have three wonderful children and six grandchildren. 
We are honored to be joined today in the Senate Gallery by Pat's wife 
Sharon, along with their daughter, Bridget, and their granddaughter, 
Siobhan.
  Pat and Sharon own and operate Ladder Ranch. It is located outside 
Savery, WY, along the Little Snake River. The ranch straddles the State 
lines of Wyoming and Colorado, which is why all four Senators are here 
today on the floor to pay honor, tribute, and recognition to this 
remarkable man. It is a large-scale cattle and sheep operation. It has 
been in Sharon's family since 1881. That is 9 years before Wyoming 
became a State. We are talking about a long history.
  Pat and Sharon liked to tell people--they did when they came to 
Washington, and Pat would when he testified here on Capitol Hill--that 
they raised ``cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, and children.'' They did it 
and do it very well.
  I deeply admire Pat for his passionate work on conservation, on 
water, and on agriculture. I saw the difference that he made, that Pat 
personally made, by partnering with others regardless of whether they 
were Republicans or Democrats. Pat didn't care at all about party 
affiliations. He was famous for working with anyone, anywhere who was 
genuinely interested in making life better for our Western agriculture 
communities.
  Pat also served Wyoming in the State legislature for 6 years--three 
full terms.
  In 2005, Pat was elected president of the Family Farm Alliance. He 
brought this experience and expertise right here

[[Page S2261]]

to Congress. He testified many times before the committees in the U.S. 
House and Senate, and here is a point when he was testifying in a 
committee in which I was involved. Members in both Chambers quickly 
learned a valuable lesson. The lesson was this: Pat O'Toole was as 
reliable in a committee's witness seat as he was in a horse's saddle.
  As ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources and former chairman of the Environment and Public Works 
Committee, I had the privilege of calling on Pat to testify numerous 
times before the Senate in both committees.
  Most recently, he testified at an Energy Committee hearing on extreme 
drought and on wildfires in the West. Pat's firsthand experience with 
active forest management as a tool to prevent wildfires provided the 
committee with a very much needed western perspective, as well as 
offering solutions.

  Pat O'Toole leaves behind a legacy driven by his passion for 
conservation and his love of the land, especially in the Little Snake 
River Valley.
  It was such a privilege to help induct Pat and Sharon both into the 
Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2002, recognized statewide for 
their long history of service to the people in the State of Wyoming.
  Pat truly represented the best of Wyoming and the best of western 
interests, and he did it with dedication and distinction. It was a 
great joy to know him and a great joy to work with him.
  I would like now to yield the floor to my colleague from Wyoming, 
Senator Cynthia Lummis.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.
  Ms. LUMMIS. Mr. President, today, I rise also to pay tribute to a 
Cowboy State giant, colleague, and friend, Pat O'Toole.
  Pat was not born in Wyoming, but you never would have guessed that. 
There was no one more dedicated to Carbon County or the Cowboy State 
than Pat.
  When Pat met his wife Sharon, he fell in love not just with her but, 
as Senator Barrasso said, his adopted home of Wyoming. Together, they 
raised cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, and children. My own daughter, 
Annaliese, was born the same month that Eamon O'Toole was born. Sharon 
and I enjoyed the fact that our children would get to grow up together. 
He often joked that he was raising a menagerie with Sharon.
  His commitment to ranching stretched far beyond his property, as he 
would ultimately dedicate his life to serving the agriculture and 
conservation communities.
  I had the privilege of meeting Pat when we served together in the 
Wyoming Legislature. His stories and infectious smile loomed large. He 
quickly earned a reputation for finding common ground with anyone. We 
always looked forward to hearing his stories about nearly getting 
arrested in Tierra del Fuego, being accosted by a machine-gun-wielding 
police officer in Argentina during a revolution, or hitchhiking from 
Maine to Florida with a buddy in college. Pat O'Toole lived a very 
interesting and large life.
  He was also larger than life in the best way, and he cared deeply for 
the people he served. Following his service in the Wyoming Legislature, 
Pat was appointed by President Clinton to the Western Water Policy 
Commission, and he focused on the future of water in the West. He was 
instrumental in providing very carefully thought-out testimony 
regarding the future of the Colorado River. We all benefit now, as 
Senator Hickenlooper, Senator Bennet, and I continue to work on 
Colorado River issues together.
  The position he held on the Western Water Policy Commission deepened 
his love for conservation efforts and led him to serve on many advocacy 
groups to fight for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities until he 
died.
  As much as Pat dedicated his life to protecting western landscapes, 
he would be the first to tell you that his family was his greatest 
achievement.
  Please join me in keeping his family in your prayers as we come 
together to celebrate his life and the indelible impact he had on his 
beloved Wyoming.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.
  Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I want to say what a great privilege it is 
to be out here today with my colleagues from Wyoming and my colleague 
Senator Hickenlooper from Colorado to celebrate Pat O'Toole's life.
  Pat O'Toole was a rancher, as you have heard, a conservationist whose 
family's six-generation operation, the Ladder Ranch, straddles the 
Colorado and Wyoming border, as my colleague from Wyoming said.
  The proud son of Irish immigrants, Pat was born in Pittsburgh, but 
like many of us, he felt a calling to the West. He attended Colorado 
State University, where he met his beloved wife Sharon, who is here 
today.
  After graduation, they were both accepted into law school, but 
instead they pooled their savings to buy some old ewes and take over 
Sharon's family ranch. For 8 years, they lived in a cabin on Ladder 
Ranch without electricity or running water. That might sound like a 
hardship to a lot of people here, but knowing the two of them, I bet it 
wasn't. And they were in one of the most beautiful places on this 
planet. In the summer, they camped while herding sheep, and bit by bit, 
they built their herd.
  Pat was a fervent advocate for the West. He cared deeply about all 
the wildlife in the West, the Colorado River, and protecting American 
agriculture.
  Pat lived a life of service. He served as president, as you have 
heard, of the Family Farm Alliance for nearly 20 years. He sat on the 
boards of the Intermountain West Joint Ventures and Solutions from the 
Land and was, with Senator Lummis, a member of the Wyoming House of 
Representatives.
  When I came to the Senate in 2009, Pat was kind enough to recognize 
my failings and my lack of background and lack of experience in the 
things he cared most about, and he was kind enough to bring me up to 
speed on Colorado and western agriculture. I am still trying to catch 
up.
  This is a photo I wanted to bring today. This is a photo of Pat 
telling me what I need to know about western agriculture on his ranch. 
You can tell I am listening more intently than I often do, certainly on 
this floor, but there was not a word you wanted to miss from Pat. There 
was nobody better to be the guide of people in this place so far from 
the ranch where he and Sharon raised their family. And we needed to 
listen because ranching touches every major western issue: water, 
immigration, Tribal rights, conservation, and even access to 
healthcare. Pat cared about all those things.

  Those who were lucky enough to know Pat know he had a lot of big 
ideas and he had the drive to get those big ideas done. He was a doer. 
And he also had an amazing Rolodex.
  Most recently, Pat brought together a broad coalition with the goal 
of restoring the stressed landscapes of the Routt and Medicine Bow 
National Forests and the contiguous Yampa and Little Snake watershed. 
My staff and I were honored to be included in that coalition.
  I should say that was one of the amazing things about Pat. He could 
not have cared less what your title was or whether you were a Senator 
or not. His interactions with the staff were just as significant, I 
think, and just as meaningful for getting something done as they were 
with elected officials.
  And I hope and believe that that coalition will work to carry on 
Pat's legacy of conservation and tireless work to improve watershed 
health.
  In 2018, I had the pleasure to visit Pat's ranch, nestled in the 
Little Snake River Valley, and saw firsthand the conservation practices 
that he and Sharon have put in place to restore fish habitat and 
improve the resilience of the operation. There are a lot of people who 
could learn from what they have done.
  After touring the ranch, Pat brought together people from all over 
the West, Republicans and Democrats--as Senator Barrasso said, it 
didn't matter; he never talked about what party anybody was in--to join 
us on their porch for a big cookout while we talked about the new 
generation of ranchers in the West and how we can leave our kids and 
our grandkids a better future.
  He actually knew that while the State line between Colorado and 
Wyoming technically divided the ranch, that a political boundary like 
that was not the important boundary. What he

[[Page S2262]]

would tell you is that the watershed is what actually matters, and that 
is why it is not surprising that he brought together people--a rare 
occasion, really, for an elected official from Colorado to meet with 
people from the Wyoming Legislature who were there that day to hear 
what Pat had to say.
  And we covered topics on that day that ranged from conservation 
throughout the West to how we could work together to protect our water 
and leave a viable future for the next generation of farmers and 
ranchers. There were always young people around Pat; there were that 
day and when he brought people to Washington as well.
  And even though, as I mentioned, Pat and Sharon's house was in 
Wyoming, they made sure my staff and I had the farmhouse across the 
street on the Colorado side of the road where we could spend the night 
under our own stars, in our own State.
  The next morning, at the end of our visit, Pat showed me around the 
barns and shared with me a branding iron from the Ladder Ranch, which I 
still have in my office in Denver; although, come to think of it, it 
could be of more use here in Washington, DC.
  Anyone who knew Pat knew about his love for his family, and he 
proudly brought his children and grandchildren into every aspect of the 
ranch. It is an amazing testament, I think, to the way he approached 
that world and that business and that enterprise because each of us 
today is reminding people here today that he cherished the idea that 
their ranch raised ``cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, and children.'' I am 
sure not in that order. And he managed the ranch with these kids and 
these grandkids in mind.
  I want to recognize Pat's wife Sharon, daughter Bridget, and 
granddaughter Siobhan, who are here in the Gallery. They are carrying 
on Pat's legacy and the legacy of Ladder Ranch.
  When I was flying back last weekend from Ukraine, that is when I got 
a message that said that Pat had had a stroke and was in Grand Junction 
at the hospital. And I landed at the airport in Ireland--I suppose 
there is something in that--and was able to have a conversation with 
Sharon. And the first thing she wanted to tell me--she was by Pat's 
side in Grand Junction. The first thing she wanted to tell me was that 
Siobhan was coming back here to carry on Pat's legacy, to advocate as 
part of the Intermountain Joint Venture fly-in. Pat was on the board of 
that.
  And they are all here today, and I want to thank them for traveling 
here to be here today. Our thoughts are with you and the entire Pat 
O'Toole family, but, really, they are for all of us in the West who 
have lost his presence but not his example.
  Pat's life is evidence that division is not the way to make progress 
in our country and it is not the way to make progress in American 
agriculture when it comes to water. Pat showed us what it takes to make 
headway on some of the thorniest issues that we confront. We would do 
well to remember that example every day.
  He demonstrated the importance of finding common ground to build, 
little by little, toward something greater for the next generation. At 
least with me, he showed infinite patience. I hope that is something 
that we can all carry on in his absence. He was larger than life, and 
we will miss him dearly.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lujan). The Senator from Colorado.
  Mr. HICKENLOOPER. Mr. President, I am not sure I can add too much 
more beyond what has already been said.
  I come to the floor today to remember and add to the remembrances of 
the incredible life and the impactful legacy of Pat O'Toole. Senators 
Barrasso and Lummis and my fellow Colorado Senator Mr. Bennet have been 
very eloquent. But I think sometimes, really, it has to be said by 
everyone if everything has already been said.
  As was mentioned, he lived in the Little Snake River Valley that 
winds back and forth along the border of Colorado and Wyoming, and he 
did make a very big impression on both States. He may have legally 
resided in Wyoming, but both States claim him.
  More than anything else, he was a westerner and, in many ways, a 
consummate westerner. Pat understood western water and agriculture. He 
understood conservation. And just as the West was built by barn 
raisings more than shootouts, he harnessed the power of collaboration 
to really get to the heart of the complex discussions on managing our 
water and our natural resources.
  He was not only a graduate of Colorado State University; he was a 
longtime supporter. Obviously, he fell in love, met his wife, defined 
his future at CSU before he went off to South America for a little 
touring. He went on to serve as the longtime president of Family Farm 
Alliance, which stood up for irrigators all over the West and 
recognized the importance of food to the future of the country.
  And he touched many different groups at that intersection between 
agriculture and the environment. His public service and engagement 
spanned decades, including service as a State legislator in Wyoming and 
as an appointee on President Clinton's Western Water Policy Commission.
  But Pat's impact wasn't just limited to the West. He was well-known 
here on Capitol Hill. As each of the other Senators have said, he 
testified many times--more than 20 times--here in Congress. And this 
was not because he liked doing it or he enjoyed it, but he recognized 
he had a responsibility to share his expertise and to engage on 
legislation. He did it not because he found coming to Washington 
pleasurable but because he believed in the West and in his 
responsibility to make sure that decisions affecting the West were made 
wisely. And he really pushed to make sure that we had advancements in 
western water management. As Western States continue to wrestle with 
the extreme droughts caused by climate change, Pat's wisdom is going to 
direct us to good solutions, and his attention to process is going to 
inform us.
  I think it is important to remember that, no matter how many hats he 
wore, he was always a rancher at heart, raising ``cattle, sheep, dogs, 
and children'' on his family ranch. He was deeply committed to 
preserving the farming and ranching character that is so essential to 
the West, and he recognized the importance of conservation in 
protecting and maintaining that heritage. Pat's enduring love of the 
land was an example to all of us.
  I understand and recognize the great loss to the family and 
appreciate that Sharon and Bridget and Siobhan are here. But, really, 
it is all of our loss, and he will be sorely missed by our entire 
country.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following 
Senators be permitted to speak prior to the scheduled vote: Senator 
Peters for up to 5 minutes, Senator Lujan for up to 5 minutes, Senator 
Schmitt for up to 5 minutes, and Senator Hawley for up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                  Nomination of Adrienne Jennings Noti

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise now in support of Adrienne Noti's 
nomination to be an associate judge on the Superior Court of the 
District of Columbia.
  The DC Superior Court is the local trial court here in the Nation's 
Capital. It handles some of the highest caseloads in the entire 
country. It decides matters that impact the freedom, the livelihood, 
and the safety of families all across the District of Columbia.
  Unfortunately, the superior court has struggled with high judicial 
vacancy rates in recent years. Mr. President, 12 of the 62 seats on the 
court are now vacant, and two more will open up in the coming months. 
This places serious burdens on current judges and delays resolutions 
for the parties before the court.
  The District of Columbia deserves to have these seats filled by 
dedicated, qualified judges. Adrienne Noti is more than up for the job. 
She has spent the last 10 years as a magistrate judge on the DC 
Superior Court, and in that role she has worked across every division, 
from domestic violence to family law to landlord-tenant issues to 
criminal cases. She has proven herself to be fair and effective and has 
shown a deep commitment to the local community here in the District of 
Columbia.
  Before she joined the DC Superior Court, Judge Noti spent a decade in 
family law, representing underserved

[[Page S2263]]

clients and teaching as a clinical law professor. She has spent her 
career fighting for equal justice and teaching others in the legal 
community how to do the same.
  Judge Noti is highly qualified to serve as an associate judge on the 
DC Superior Court, and it is past time that we confirm her nomination.
  While I am glad we will soon fill one vacancy on the superior court, 
we must take additional action to confirm the six other nominees that 
my committee has advanced this Congress, many with strong, strong 
bipartisan support.
  These are not controversial nominations. And I hope that my 
colleagues will join me in working together to quickly confirm the 
other nominees and ease the vacancy crisis facing the superior court.
  Today's vote is a critical step in that work. And I urge my 
colleagues to join me in confirming Judge Adrienne Noti to be an 
associate judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Butler). The Senator from New Mexico.


                                S. 3853

  Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, 78 years ago, 4-year-old Anastacio was 
living in Tularosa, NM, a city 40 miles away from the Trinity test 
detonation site.
  Now, little Anastacio didn't know it at the time--none of the 
families there did--but the world they were living in was contaminated 
in radioactive particles from the first nuclear test.
  And Anastacio grew to be a big family man, hunting and growing on the 
land enriched by a ditch system, an acequia system, that provided ample 
water and nourishment--great-grandparents, grandparents, mom and dads, 
children, and babies all eating and drinking contaminated food and 
water sources.
  Later in life, Anastacio Cordova developed prostate cancer and tongue 
cancer. The cancer metastasized to his neck and throat before becoming 
inoperable and consuming his body.
  His daughter Tina recalls him being only 125 pounds at the time of 
his death in 2013.
  Today, March 7--11 years ago on this day--Anastacio left us. For 
Anastacio's family, this was just one heartbreak from a long list of 
family members who have died or became seriously ill from radiation 
exposure.
  Tina Cordova--Anastacio's daughter--made it her life's mission to 
fight for justice and compensation for her family and the thousands of 
victims of our Nation's nuclear weapons program.
  This is Tina. Rosalie is holding her. Tina is with us today. Bernice 
Gutierrez is here with us as well. This is Henry Herrera, from 
Tularosa, NM, and Beatrice Gutierrez and her friends at a very young 
age.
  Now, Tina will be my guest tonight at this year's State of the Union, 
and I am honored to have her by my side in this cause.
  Let me change that. I am honored that she allowed me on this journey 
with her to help other people.
  Now, she was with me in Belen, NM, when the President of the United 
States, Joe Biden, was visiting to talk about some of the incredible 
opportunities that have been created for economic growth. When I was 
speaking before the President, I saw Tina in the audience. And I spoke 
momentarily about the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and about 
her, only to be surprised that when the President of the United States 
followed me, he looked at Tina and looked at everyone in the room and 
the cameras and said: You have my support to get this done.
  Yesterday, the President of the United States issued a statement, a 
SAP, showing support for the passage of this legislation--the Radiation 
Exposure Compensation Act amendments--in addition to language that 
Senator Josh Hawley has included in bringing attention to families who 
need help and need to be seen and heard and deserve compensation based 
on storage flaws and exposure to each and every one of them.
  This is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation, an effort reaching 
out to colleagues in both Chambers, every one of our friends, asking 
them to take a hard look at this. Please give us a chance. Let us earn 
your support.
  Not long ago, when Senator Hawley had an amendment with this language 
in it, ``Oppenheimer'' was hitting theaters across America, and 
everyone was talking about it, a film that was made in New Mexico.
  Some people may recognize this from that film. Sixty-two U.S. 
Senators that day stood up and raised their hand and said: Yes, the 
United States needs to move forward, take responsibility, give 
recognition to all of these families across America. Unfortunately, it 
was not included in the National Defense Authorization Act.
  Well, on Sunday, there is something happening in America called the 
Oscars. And there are a lot of incredible actors and actresses who will 
be recognized because of the story they told with ``Oppenheimer.'' That 
story left out an important part, the families we are fighting for 
today.
  While many of them will receive Oscars, no doubt, I hope that none of 
those actors and actresses who are up giving their remarks when they 
receive an Oscar for telling the story of Dr. Oppenheimer forget about 
these families, that they think about them. And the same advocacy that 
I have heard from many of these incredible artists, I hope one of them 
is willing to say something. But if not, I hope they reflect on it.
  Now, I will close by saying this. This particular legislation is not 
just about New Mexico or Missouri. This legislation will help our 
brothers and sisters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, 
across New Mexico, Utah, and Guam. It will provide more support to 
uranium mineworkers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, 
Colorado, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, reaching out 
to our brothers and sisters in Missouri and Tennessee and Alaska and in 
Kentucky. We have to get this done.
  Now, I want to add that since this bill has been scheduled for a 
vote, I have heard from more colleagues about their communities that 
have been harmed by our Nation's complicated nuclear legacy. 
Specifically, people in Pike and Scioto out in Ohio; Armstrong County, 
PA; and communities near the Hanford site in Washington have been 
exposed to radiation, and they deserve justice too.

  Senator Brown, Senator Casey, Senator Murray, and Senator Cantwell, 
you have my commitment that as this effort moves through the 
legislative process, I will work with you to also deliver justice for 
your constituents so we can work as a family.
  As I close, I ask all my colleagues to please--please--take a look at 
this. Please reflect. Sixty-two votes on the first vote. I hope we can 
send a message to all of those advocates and families across America 
that they are heard and seen and that we will see a stronger showing 
this afternoon.
  Generations of families wiped out by lung, stomach, prostate, 
thyroid, skin, breast, and tongue cancer didn't get the glossy 
Hollywood treatment. And the U.S. Congress has not made any significant 
progress in correcting these injustices since 2000. Shame on us.
  A lot of us have been praying about this and reflecting on it. And I 
certainly hope that we have a resounding vote in just a few short 
minutes to show our American brothers and sisters that we love them 
too.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
  Mr. HAWLEY. Madam President, in March of 1865, President Lincoln said 
this:

       Let us strive on to finish the work . . . to bind up the 
     nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the 
     battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.

  That is why we are here today. We are here today to continue to work, 
to finish the work, to honor the lives of those who have borne this 
Nation's battles, who have rallied to this Nation's flag in every hour 
of danger, the people who won World War II, who won the Cold War, who 
helped rebuild Europe and Japan and our allies, the people who have 
built this country and are now waiting for us to help them. That is 
what we are about today.
  There is a reason that we succeeded over the last half century. It is 
because of the working people of this country in Missouri and in New 
Mexico and in Nevada and Colorado and Idaho and Texas and Wyoming and 
everywhere else from coast to coast. It is because the working people 
of this country went to the uranium mines for our nuclear program, went 
to the processing

[[Page S2264]]

sites to make our weapons, volunteered for our Army, went overseas to 
fight, or just raised their families with dignity and honor.
  That is why we have a United States of America. That is why we are 
the United States of America. But we have not done right by those good 
people. We have turned our back on them because so many of them were 
poisoned by their own government, by nuclear waste and radiation, by 
nuclear tests that were done without their knowledge, by the nuclear 
material and the mines that they weren't told about. The government 
exposed them over a period of decades to nuclear radiation waste and, 
in almost every case, did nothing about it. In many cases, they lied to 
them about it. This isn't right. This isn't just.
  That is why we are here today. It is the pride of this Nation that 
when we won the Second World War, when we won the Cold War, we rebuilt 
the land of our former enemies. I am as proud of that as I ever have 
been.
  But now it is time to rebuild these communities. It is time to finish 
the work in the United States of America. It is time to turn to the men 
and women who have borne the brunt of the battle, the men and women who 
gave their health and, in many cases, their lives for their Nation.
  That is what we are here for today on the floor. This isn't about a 
handout. This isn't about some kind of welfare program. This is about 
doing basic justice for the working people of this Nation whom their 
own government has poisoned.
  This is the day when we break the cycle of lies from the government; 
when we break the cycle of passing the buck and irresponsibility from 
the government; when we say to the people of America: We will honor 
you; when we say to the working people of this country: We are here for 
you; when we acknowledge to these Americans: You built this country. We 
will honor you. That is why we are here today.
  The Senate has a chance today to make right what has been wrong, to 
right 50 years of wrongs, 50 and 60 years of Americans ignored, 
exploited, and lied to. Today, we can begin to right those wrongs. That 
is why we are here.
  I want to recognize now my friend, my colleague from the great State 
of Missouri, a man who grew up in the St. Louis region right by one of 
these nuclear processing facilities and the landfill where the 
government dumped the waste and then lied about it, a man I am proud to 
have in this fight, Senator Eric Schmitt.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
  Mr. SCHMITT. I rise today with my friends from New Mexico and my 
colleague who has shown great leadership in this to defend and support 
the people who have been impacted--who, quite literally, have been 
poisoned by their own government.
  As was mentioned, I grew up in Bridgeton, MO. Bridgeton is ground 
zero, the epicenter of some of the waste that was dumped--the 
hazardous, the toxic, the radioactive waste that was dumped there.
  Just to take a step back. After World War II, St. Louis, the city 
itself, was the main population center. St. Louis County, which lies to 
the west of St. Louis City, had a lot of open land, a lot of 
opportunity. And the folks coming back from World War II who wanted to 
start a better life found that American dream in St. Louis County, 
where I grew up.
  As they traveled west to places like Bridgeton and other ZIP Codes 
that are now included in this bill, something else was following them. 
Something else was headed west, and it was this radioactive waste that 
they had no idea was in their water, below their feet, affecting them, 
poisoning them, and killing them.
  I just think back--my parents still live there, by the way. I think 
back to those friends and those neighbors I had, and, as Senator Hawley 
mentioned, these are folks--these are the waitresses; these are the 
truck drivers; these are the hairstylists--these are people who go to 
work every single day, and they just want a better life for their kids. 
They might teach in that local school. They were creating these 
communities that were new.
  But, again, their government had dumped toxic materials that were 
poisoning them. What they wanted, again, was to live the American 
dream. By no fault of their own, they happened to live in an area--
whether they were downwind or whether it was in their water--that has 
impacted, not just their lives but their families and generations of 
their families.
  This legislation won't make them whole, but it is some measure of 
compensation, some measure of justice.
  I know some people have talked about costs. Look, we do a lot of 
things here. We spend a lot of money, and we can debate on whether or 
not that is worth it or not, or whether these are our priorities. But I 
think, if we took off the red jerseys and took off the blue jerseys and 
really focused on what we should really be doing here in a government 
that is supposed to have limited powers, one of the things that we 
should be doing is protecting our own citizens.
  That is what this vote is about. It is living up to the promise that 
we made to the people when we got elected, which was that we were going 
to fight for them. And this is an opportunity to go do that. It is the 
ability, in a number of ZIP Codes and in States across this country, 
for people who worked there who helped--Senator Hawley mentioned--who 
helped build America back up or were working to save civilization, in 
many ways, in the middle of the last century. It is for us to make sure 
we are doing everything we can to see that some measure of justice is 
served.
  I would just ask my fellow colleagues to look within their hearts or 
imagine looking in the eyes of some of the people who are here today 
who have been impacted, because these folks don't have powerful 
lobbyists. The people who come to our offices asking about something 
that is in some bill--the people who have been affected--they don't 
have those powerful forces in play.
  This is something that bubbled up in a bipartisan way, again, to 
support the people we represent who have been impacted. I am proudly a 
supporter of this and will do everything I can to help get this passed 
so these folks get the justice that they deserve.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
  Mr. HAWLEY. When I have come to this floor in weeks and months past 
to talk about this cause--because it is more than an issue. It is a 
cause. It is a cause of justice. It is a cause of doing right by other 
fellow Americans. When I have come in weeks past, I have often shown 
the pictures and told the stories of people who have given their health 
or given their lives for their country. Today, I don't have any 
pictures with me because today, in the Gallery, we have Missourians 
themselves and New Mexicans themselves and Arizonans themselves and 
members of the Navajo Nation themselves. They are here right now, 
sitting right there, traveling great distances, and I just want to call 
out a few of their names.
  Mary Dickson is here from Utah. Sherrie Hanna is here from Arizona. 
Laura Greenwood is here from Texas. Phil Harrison is here, and Leslie 
Begay and Rose Harrison and Tina Cordova, all from New Mexico. And 
Linda Perez has come all the way from Guam--all the way from Guam. Tona 
Henderson has come from Idaho and Paula Terry also. And from the great 
State of Missouri, Dawn Chapman, who will be my guest tonight at the 
State of the Union. And Karen Nickel and Ashley and Christen and 
Chantelle and Tricia Byrnes are all here. And from the Navajo Nation, 
Justin and Kyle. And there are more in the Gallery, as well, from all 
over this country, representing every segment of this country, 
representing the great heritage of this country, representing the great 
communities of this country.
  I think of the Navajo Nation. Fifty percent of the uranium that was 
mined in this country for our nuclear program--half of it--came from 
the Navajo Nation--workers from the Navajo Nation who, if I am not 
mistaken, also volunteered for this Nation's armed services at a 
percentage higher than any other community in America.
  These folks represent here today the best of our Nation. They are 
America. They are here. They are here for us to honor them.
  You know, as Americans, we make a commitment to each other. It is 
what it means to be an American. We promise that we will live by the 
ideals that we hold together and by the things

[[Page S2265]]

that we love together, and we promise to stand by one another. This is 
about standing by one another. This is about seeking that justice that 
President Lincoln spoke about so many Marches ago. And now, on this 
March day in the year 2024, the U.S. Senate has the opportunity to do 
its part--its small part--to continue to make this Nation what it could 
be, what we promised it will be, and to put right things that have been 
wrong.
  I will end with this, Madam President. As we speak, the government is 
testing under the homes in St. Louis--under people's basements in St. 
Louis--for radioactive contamination. After saying for decades there 
was no contamination to be concerned about, there was nothing we should 
worry about, now they are testing in our homes. They have already shut 
down schools. The water in the creeks is contaminated. Landfills are 
contaminated. The soil has been contaminated. Today, we say: Enough. 
Today, we turn the page. Today, we begin something new.
  For those folks who are watching now from Missouri, whether from 
their living rooms while their homes are being tested or high schools 
while hoping for something better, let's see the U.S. Senate at work. 
Let's see what we can do to keep the promises we have made to each 
other as Americans.
  I yield the floor.


                            Vote on S. 3853

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill, having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall the bill pass?
  Mr. HAWLEY. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Alabama (Mrs. Britt).
  The result was announced--yeas 69, nays 30, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 75 Leg.]

                                YEAS--69

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Boozman
     Braun
     Brown
     Butler
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Fetterman
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Hagerty
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hickenlooper
     Hirono
     Kaine
     Kelly
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lujan
     Markey
     Marshall
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Ossoff
     Padilla
     Peters
     Reed
     Risch
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schmitt
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Van Hollen
     Vance
     Warner
     Warnock
     Warren
     Welch
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                                NAYS--30

     Barrasso
     Budd
     Capito
     Carper
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cramer
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Grassley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Lummis
     Manchin
     Mullin
     Paul
     Ricketts
     Romney
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Thune
     Tillis
     Tuberville
     Wicker
     Young

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Britt
       
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Booker). On this vote, the yeas are 69, 
the nays are 30.
  Under the previous order, the 60-vote threshold having been achieved, 
the bill is passed.
  The bill (S. 3853) was passed.

                          ____________________