[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 139 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5867-S5868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, this week, the Senate returns from the 
August State work period. That is what we call the period of time when 
we are not here in Washington, DC, doing our job.
  But the truth is, we really haven't been in session very much here in 
DC for a long, long time, and September is no exception. When we are in 
session here typically these days, it seems like we are in session for 
2\1/2\ days while the rest of America works at least 40 hours a week 
and many of my constituents in Texas work much longer hours than that.
  Senator Schumer, who sets the schedule here in the U.S. Senate, has 
had us working--well, generously--about half time. I won't mince words. 
This Democratic Senate is on a collision course with itself, and the 
Republicans have been ringing the alarm bell for months.
  After Leader Schumer's summer of show votes and months spent on 
President Biden's controversial and often unqualified nominees, the 
Senate will be in session just 11 more days--11 more days--in 
September. And we face an impossible to-do list.
  But it is by design. It is no surprise to anyone. Some of what is on 
this list is some of the most basic tasks of governing. That is what we 
are supposed to be doing here. But I am not confident we will be able 
to even get that done in a timely manner.
  The first on my list is the National Defense Authorization Act, 
something we have done more than 60 years in a row. The Senate Armed 
Services Committee did its job in a bipartisan fashion, and they 
completed their work weeks before we adjourned. But what did Leader 
Schumer decide to do? He declined to bring the bill to the floor, 
opting, instead, to have our last vote of the work period to be an 
unserious effort at sweeping tax legislation that was never even marked 
up in the Senate Finance Committee. He knew it wouldn't pass, but that 
wasn't his purpose. It was just a show vote.

  In contrast, this Defense authorization bill has gone through a 
bipartisan process that included hearings, markups, and hundreds of 
amendments. Chairman Reed, a Democrat, Ranking Member Wicker, a 
Republican, and our colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee 
have done their job. They put countless hours into this crucial 
legislation, which will help modernize our Nation's defense and support 
our volunteer servicemembers and their families. But the majority 
leader gave them the Heisman, hampering our military's ability to plan 
ahead and address the myriad threats that we face from every corner of 
the globe.
  I join those who say we have never had a more dangerous time in this 
world we live since World War II. And you would think the Defense 
authorization bill--which would focus specifically on maintaining our 
military superiority and deterring aggression--you would think that 
would be top of the list of things to do. But not in this Senate.
  The Defense authorization bill deserves to be the No. 1 priority of 
this Chamber, as it has been for more than six decades. And it needs to 
come to the floor as soon as possible. Anything less is an affront to 
the men and women who put their lives on the line for our safety, both 
here at home and abroad.
  Unfortunately, that is not the only train headed down the tracks. We 
need to pass a government funding bill before the end of the month. 
This is part of the predictable shutdown drama that seems to eat up so 
much time here in Washington, DC--unnecessarily, I might add. There is 
no reason to do this, except the cause is putting everything off to the 
end, not in the interest of transparency or the interest of a regular 
process that our constituents can watch and comment on. This is trying 
to jam spending--about $1.5 trillion of spending--through without going 
through the normal appropriations process.
  Despite the Democratic leader's light summer schedule, the 
Appropriations Committee again has done its work in a bipartisan 
fashion. Good for them. As of today, they passed all but one of the 
annual funding bills.
  Again, congratulations to the bipartisan partnership of Chairman 
Murray and Vice Chair Collins. We have a great place to start voting on 
these bills. We had one starting back in July if we had been given an 
opportunity. But the majority leader, as we all know, is the only one 
who can schedule floor votes in the Senate, and he showed zero interest 
in doing so then, and he doesn't seem to be particularly interested in 
taking up this bipartisan committee product any time soon.
  So we will see more of what we saw earlier this year when the 
majority leader, the Senator from New York, this Schumer-led Senate 
passed the fiscal year 2024 bill halfway through the fiscal year. This 
is no way to run a railroad or the Nation and world's greatest 
deliberative body.
  I hope we can turn to passing these bipartisan appropriation bills as 
soon as possible. Keeping the lights on, paying the bills, is the most 
basic function of the government.
  But, yes, there is even more on our to-do list. We have a looming 
deadline of September 30 to pass the farm bill. I was glad to have a 
chance to go to the Rio Grande Valley, one of the most prolific parts 
of the State of Texas when it comes to growing agriculture--agriculture 
then that is exported to the rest of the country and around the world.
  Ranking Member Boozman joined me in the Rio Grande Valley. Of course, 
we know him as a fierce champion for American agriculture. I was glad 
to travel with him to McAllen and Mission, TX. We listened to farmers 
and ranchers about the importance of passing a timely and strong farm 
bill.
  But the majority leader's schedule--or lack thereof--can't stand in 
the way of making progress on something like this. We depend on our 
agricultural industry to put food on the table and clothes on our back. 
They deserve some predictability, some certainty--not just another can 
kicked down the road.
  The Democratic-led Congress has been one of inaction. We wasted 
enormous amounts of time turning what

[[Page S5868]]

should be a marathon into an unnecessary sprint. Strengthening our 
national defense, ensuring the government pays the bills, supporting 
our agriculture sector--these are the ABCs of governing, and we are not 
doing it.
  Now 11 more legislative days remain to get that work done. It is an 
impossible schedule, but it is completely by design and completely 
preventable. Leaving this work until the end of the year and taking yet 
another break for the month of October so Democrats can campaign is not 
a way to govern.
  The American people look to Washington, in particular the U.S. 
Congress, and they see dysfunction. They know things aren't working the 
way they should, but that is because of a failure of leadership 
starting right here in the U.S. Senate. I hope, as a result, they will 
choose new management come November.
  Madam President, this Chamber isn't the only place that Democratic 
dysfunction is on full display. I spoke a few months ago about the 
Biden-Harris administration's Department of Education bungling the 
rollout of this year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or 
FAFSA. Every young person who is going to college needs to fill out a 
Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or they may not be able to go 
to the school they want to go to. They may not be able to afford it. 
This document determines the financial aid students will receive 
through loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. It can 
determine not only the college that you choose or can afford but 
whether college education itself is even financially feasible.
  This year, that critical information was delayed unnecessarily, 
putting young Texans' dreams on hold. The Biden-Harris Department of 
Education was nearly 3 months behind on releasing what they claim was 
their new and improved FAFSA. Some students couldn't complete the FAFSA 
at all due to technical glitches. Again, more dysfunction, more 
bungling. The result, FAFSA completion rates in Texas were down by 
nearly 9 percent, or almost 30,000 students, compared to last year--
worse than during the pandemic.
  Now, these aren't just numbers on a page. These are young Texans who 
now find themselves unsure how or if they will be able to go to college 
or, at least, the one they want to go to.
  Last month, the Texas Tribune told the story of a young Texas A&M 
sophomore who didn't find out that her financial aid package was 
actually cut by $10,000 until July, after she had already enrolled in 
classes and signed up for on-campus housing.
  Now she says she will have to limit herself to eating just one meal a 
day at the dining hall, allowing herself two on the days when she gets 
particularly hungry.
  This is the real-life cost of the Biden-Harris administration's 
ineptitude, and it is a huge disservice to these young people who are 
just starting out on their college education and pursuing a career and 
their dreams. Texas students and our workforce will feel the impact of 
this disastrous FAFSA process and the downstream effects for years to 
come.
  Now, the Biden administration hopes that there is so much going on 
that nobody will notice, but I guarantee these young people who are 
being denied their dreams and access to the grants and financial aid 
they need in order to pick their college, they are noticing, as well as 
their families. But the administration hopes that people won't hear or 
read complaints from students and their families.
  Well, my hope is that these students and their families continue to 
tell their stories and that the media keeps covering them. This is a 
scandal, nothing more and nothing less, and parents of college-age 
students should think twice before giving this administration another 
chance to make a mess of their children's future yet again.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Butler). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________