[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S750-S756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Department of Government Efficiency
Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, this week has been interesting, as I have
seen from some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, a lot of
wailing and gnashing of teeth and all the horrible things that are
going to come before us. And it reminded me of a book that I used as a
basis for management consulting training back in 1998. It was called
``Who Moved My Cheese.'' It is a story about two mice and two small
people in a maze. The mice are named Sniff and Scurry, and the two
little people are Hem and Haw. And it is only about a hundred-page
book. But the premise of the book is the cheese was moved in the maze,
and the challenge was to figure out where the food source was.
Well, Sniff and Scurry, the mice, actually did a pretty good job,
fairly quickly, to kind of move where the cheese was and deal with the
status quo. But Hem and Haw really had more challenges.
And I think we have some hemming and hawing going on here in
Washington right now because they just don't understand business
practices that we are trying to apply to government that have never
been applied at scale before.
And I decided that I would give you an idea because a lot of people
think that Elon Musk is off the chain and causing all kinds of havoc. I
haven't seen that yet. As a matter of fact, if time allows, I am going
to talk a little bit about the narrative this week over the payment
system and all the detailed payment data that supposedly got out--which
is patently untrue, contrary to what press reports have said.
But I thought I would start with the story of SpaceX. When Elon Musk
decided to invest in and create SpaceX, he did something that has never
been done before in this industry. He decided that instead of doing
what the old players do--which is to be perfect, never launch a rocket
until you are absolutely certain that that mission can be
accomplished--he decided that you can learn from failure.
This is actually a social media post of one of his first launches
where the booster failed to come back to Earth. His immediate
response--whether it was either his instincts or really good
communications people--his immediate response was a social media post
[[Page S751]]
that said: ``Great launch, unscheduled RUD''--R-U-D, which is rapid
unscheduled disassembly.
So he was telling his shareholders and the people that have invested
in SpaceX, that what happened, on its face, looked like a disaster.
But, in fact, it was being willing to fail--provided that human life
was not at risk--that being willing to fail was how you accelerate and
you bypass everybody who has a partnership with the Federal Government.
You get through all of that, and now you have the premiere launch
platform, while all the other competitors have been working on it for
years or decades, because he understands the concept that I understand
in business, where I spent most of my life, that you learn from
failure, if you know how to measure it and you are responsive and
resilient.
Now, when I advised clients on enterprise transformation, we would
push the envelope. We would pull back if we thought it was a market
reputation risk or a center business risk.
So I believe that we need to do more of that, but we need to have
guardrails, clearly.
Now there are just people that they just can't figure out where the
cheese is. Now, if I just go back to the one area on payments, I have
to admit, when I first heard about the payments information with read-
only access being provided to someone who may be technically a
government employee, but not a career government employee, it did give
me concern.
So I had my staff dig into it. And since then, the administration has
put out a fact sheet that anybody who is concerned about what is
happening in the payments platform should look at it.
They are not looking at detailed payment data. What they are looking
at is the way payments are processed to determine whether or not there
is an opportunity to do it more efficiently, more cost effectively, and
leave more money in the U.S. Treasury as a result--maybe more money
that we can use to retire our debt. That seems like a reasonable thing
to do.
People said they are getting top secret information and confidential
information they shouldn't have.
I asked the specific question. I have been assured that if there is
classified information, that the only ones who are going to see it are
people that already have the appropriate clearances. And I have also
been assured that there is no confidential information being passed.
So I would defy those in the press or maybe some of my colleagues on
the other side of the aisle. I am all about facts here. If I have
established no reputation in the U.S. Senate, it is that I am tedious
and I complete my due diligence.
I went to the administration. I asked these questions, and I believe
we are dealing with a false narrative because people don't want to know
where the cheese has been moved. They have got to get used to change.
I have been in the U.S. Senate for 10 years. I am sick of saying:
Medicare has to get better. I am sick of saying: Medicaid has to get
better. I am sick of saying: We are not getting people more healthy on
Medicaid today. I am sick of hearing people say that on both sides of
the aisles, folks.
So if we don't take some calculated risk, then we are going to be
talking about the same sort of vexing issues 10 years from now.
And so I want to ask everybody to reject this narrative that we are
going too fast, too soon, too many things on the line, and let's get to
specific examples.
I have used the example that has dominated the press this week to
determine most of what is being said is a red herring to take the
President and, in this case, Elon Musk, off of the trail of trying to
find efficiencies.
You have facts to dispute that? Come to the Senate floor; I can learn
from it. But stop creating a false narrative because you don't want to
go through change because you want to continue to establish and follow
the status quo, which is failing the American people and failing to
fulfill promises that I have heard people make for the last decade.
Mr. President, I come here to say--I also shared a story. I had a
friend of Greek ancestry call me this week and say: What is going on
with Mr. Musk?
I will say, Mr. Musk has put out some social media posts that are
incorrect. He actually is one of the reasons why we are having to
complete this due diligence because he was talking about looking at
payment data versus having professionals who--some of them are career
personnel looking at source code to figure out how to make it better.
He probably needs to tighten it up.
But my Greek friend told me--when I thought about all this stuff, I
said: I think the President has enabled Mr. Musk and other people a lot
like Icarus's father provided him with wings. They were made of wax and
feathers. If you know mythology, the idea was for Icarus to fly and
never go so low as to drown in the sea but never go so high as to have
his wings melted, his feathers float away, and ultimately drown in the
sea.
So to those who are looking at all of this in the way that I am, I
want that sweet spot. I want those who are looking at government
efficiencies to understand the rules. They need to understand
confidentiality, national security, and when lives are on the line.
When we are talking about DOD, the intel community, the Foreign
Service, you need adult supervision in the room to make absolutely
certain we don't compromise or put those men or women in danger. But in
the meantime, if we really want to force change, if we really want to
fulfill the promises that we made to the American people when we took
control of Washington, we have to get people comfortable with change.
We have to start fulfilling promises--some of the big promises that for
the 10 years I have been here, I heard it every year, and we haven't
made appreciable progress.
Look, the American people are patient. If my colleagues on the other
side of the aisle will present facts, not innuendo that could be
politically motivated at best or just bad information at worst, then we
can get through this, and we can do right by the American people as a
result.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moreno). The Senator from Illinois.
Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, after hours and hours of arguments by
my Democratic colleagues--not that I woke up this morning with the
desire to hear my own voice on the Senate floor--I am here because
decades before I ever considered a career in politics, when I was just
starting out in the Army, I raised my right hand and took an oath. I
swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I
vowed to protect our Nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
In this moment, at this precipice in our country, I need to make good
on that promise, because in the just 18 days since Donald Trump was
inaugurated, we have witnessed an all-out assault on the system of
checks and balances that our government was founded upon.
We have seen the President both overreach and underdeliver, proving
through Executive orders and Twitter marching orders that he cares more
about the billionaires who belong to Mar-a-Lago than the middle-class
folks he pretended to care about on the campaign trail.
Look, 250 years ago this April, a few brave patriots grabbed their
muskets and risked their lives at Lexington and Concord, sacrificing
for a country that was still more of an idea, more of an ideal than
actual reality. They did so because they could no longer stand living
under a tyrannical leader. They did so because they had dreamt up the
notion of a government of, by, and for the people. They knew that a
system based on checks and balances was the best way to keep this
Nation's leaders from turning into the very kind of tyrant they fled
England to escape--a system of checks and balances.
Well, 2 weeks ago into Trump's America, the only checks I see are the
ones going into the pockets of Trump's rich friends. The only balance I
see is Trump's balancing act between ripping off the middle class and
endangering our national security. Our system of government is being
eroded before our eyes. It is being perverted to work for the few--the
billionaires--rather than the many--the people.
It is sickening to see so many of my colleagues on the other side of
the aisle put their hands over their eyes and pretend they don't see
what is happening. They are refusing to speak up as our President turns
into more of a despot
[[Page S752]]
every day as his power grabs get more extreme, more insidious, more
cruel.
Even if we took the full 30 hours of debate on this nomination, I
don't think we could get through all the ways that Trump's absolute
disregard for the rule of law over the past 2 weeks has already harmed
America and Americans, but let me use my time to try.
Last week, news broke that Trump had declared a blanket freeze on all
Federal grants, ignoring the fact that Congress had already
appropriated those funds, ignoring that he point-blank did not have the
authority to do so, ignoring that his action would and already has hurt
countless folks who rely on these grants for their most basic needs.
President Trump may think that he owned the libs by causing havoc in
our Federal Government, but what he has really done is create a reality
where his own voters who depend on groups like Meals on Wheels are not
sure how they are going to put food on the table next week. He may
think he destroyed woke culture with this freeze, but no--no, he
didn't. Instead, he manufactured a crisis that has left that single mom
working a double shift in a South Side nursing home unsure whether her
Medicaid will be stripped away in the dark of night. He has created a
crisis that has left veterans wondering if they will be able to access
the benefits they earned with the blood they were brave enough to shed
for our country. He has fabricated a nightmarish reality where homeless
shelters might have to close their doors and turn back onto the streets
the very at-risk teenagers who rely on their care.
Listen, when I was in high school, my family struggled. My dad lost
his job and was unemployed for 4 to 5 years. We eventually ran through
all of our savings, and we ended up with no money, and some days, we
had no food.
I still remember going to the grocery store and counting out our last
five one-dollar food stamps to buy as much bread and baloney as
possible and then praying we would have enough to last the week.
I still remember fainting from hunger in my high school English class
and waking up on the floor disoriented, not knowing what had happened.
I still remember the hours my dad spent walking from pay phone to pay
phone, hoping to find 10 cents at a time so that he could find enough
so that my brother and I could each get 50 cents to buy lunch and
breakfast at school that next afternoon. A lot of times, that 25-cent
hot lunch at school was the only meal I could count on for that entire
day.
So as a former hungry kid and now as a mom of two little girls, I
cannot imagine the pain of parents who rely on school meals to feed
their own kids and who are now terrified that Trump's vanity project of
a Federal freeze will force their 5-year-old to go hungry as their
grants to fund cafeteria meal programs may now get gutted.
Shame on Donald Trump, and shame on Republicans who can't see to find
the ounce of courage necessary to stand up and say what all of us in
this Chamber so obviously know: that this is wrong, that this is
outrageous, and that this is a wild, unlawful abuse of power.
But Trump didn't stop with the grant freeze. Last weekend, he gave
Elon Musk, the world's richest person--someone not elected by the
people of the United States of America--the power to cut off aid from
the world's most vulnerable people. He gave him authority to dismantle
an entire Agency in one illegal fell swoop.
Together, they are now actively gutting USAID, completely undermining
the United States' national security and global standing; knowingly,
intentionally jeopardizing the safety of countless innocent people
worldwide who rely on the organization for humanitarian assistance.
Now bad actors in the communist People's Republic of China and Russia
will be able to step in to fill the leadership vacuum that Trump
created, forcing folks in need across the world to turn to our
adversaries and not us for help.
Let me be clear. USAID is an organization dedicated to doing good
around the globe, but the good that it does also has a direct, tangible
impact on the safety and economic security of families right here at
home in the United States.
It is an organization that helps allies detect fentanyl, in part so
we can stop it before that fentanyl comes across our own borders.
It is an organization that helps feed starving families worldwide,
but it does so using $2 billion of food purchased from American
farmers, with the paychecks going into their red, white, and blue
pockets so they can keep their family farms for yet another generation.
It is an organization that helps stop global pandemics.
It is an organization that works to make sure that the poorest
children in the poorest countries don't die from drinking dirty water--
a mission that also happens to be critical to our national strength, as
when countries experience water insecurity, they are more likely to
undergo political instability as well. That increases the odds that
their governments fail and power falls into the wrong hands, leading to
a sequence of events that often ends up with the kind of immigration
crisis we are already facing at our border.
I know there is waste, fraud, and abuse in our government and I am
all for rooting that out. In fact, I have written and passed
legislation that has successfully done just that. But eliminating an
entire Agency with such vital missions is not the way to go about this.
USAID makes up just 1 percent of our Federal budget, and these
shortsighted cuts will end up costing the American taxpayer even more
in the long term, as there will be more global instability, more
migration crises, more pandemics to contend with as a result of this
frankly idiotic decision.
It is ironic that the guy in charge of making our government more
efficient is making it more costly and more chaotic. Case in point: He
has threatened to use American troops to bring home USAID workers if
they don't leave their overseas post in the next 30 days--a move that
in itself would cost Americans an estimated $100 million. That is Elon
Musk spending 100 million more dollars, not saving it.
Elon Musk is unelected, unvetted, and unqualified. He does not have
the legal authority to dismantle entire Agencies. Yet, in Trump's
America, he is almost a coequal President, and the size of his bank
account and how far he is willing to bend the knee is enough for our
President to bestow on him unchecked power.
Musk is willing to bow down to Trump's throne made of fool's gold and
false promises, so in return, Elon gets to run wild, run rampant. He
gets to have access to Americans' Social Security numbers and veterans'
personal information. For what reason no one knows and all of us should
fear. He gets to hijack our systems to enrich himself rather than the
middle class. He gets to stomp on those in need and fire anyone who
dares to stand up for what is right or what is legal.
Trump and Musk are not bringing back the good old days of Ronald
Reagan. Reagan believed in international aid. Reagan is the one whose
name is on the front of USAID's building. They aren't making America
great; they are making it authoritarian.
We should all be asking ourselves, if we let them gut USAID, then
what is next? The answer is, the Department of Education and then your
Social Security and your Medicaid. The things you and your families
need to get by are right behind on their list to take out.
Look, Trump ran his campaign on the idea of lowering costs for the
middle class. I support lowering costs for the middle class. He said he
would reverse inflation on day one. I would love to see him reverse
inflation on day one or whatever day we are on now--well, day one has
come and gone. So have day two, day three, and day four. Here we are
weeks in, and all he has done is break his campaign promises and then
take actions that have hurt everyday Americans to help his rich buddies
afford yet another private jet.
Under his wide stewardship, egg prices have actually skyrocketed,
inflation remains sky high, a needless trade war seems to be getting
closer every day, which could raise the price of gas and groceries even
further, and all of us are in greater danger from bad actors the world
over.
Enough is enough. Enough was enough a long time ago. Donald Trump is
unchecked. The scales of our government have become unbalanced. Every
[[Page S753]]
day, those scales tip more and more away from serving the needs of the
working class and toward feeding the greed of the billionaires who pal
around with the President on his golf course.
It was Ronald Reagan who once said:
The genius of a constitutional system is its recognition
that no one branch of government alone could be relied on to
preserve our freedoms. The great safeguard of our liberty is
the totality of the constitutional system, with no one part
getting the upper hand.
Reagan also described the Constitution as a ``covenant''--a
``covenant'' that, he said, ``we have made not only with ourselves but
with all of mankind.''
So, today, I am asking my Republican colleagues to honor the covenant
so cherished by their own conservative hero, Ronald Reagan. I am asking
them to heed his words, to heed his warning, to heed his plea to us
all.
Under Donald Trump, our government is not of, by, or for the people.
It is of, by, and for the people with the deepest pockets. E pluribus
unum--``out of many, one''--is supposed to signify the strength of
foundation and the solidarity of our Nation. Do not let Donald Trump
pervert it to mean that, out of the many people, he and his buddies are
the only ones who matter.
To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, all I am asking you
to do today are the jobs you were elected to do. All I am begging for
is that you make good on the oaths you took when you were first sworn
into this Chamber--to support and defend our Constitution from all
enemies, foreign and domestic.
Trump is acting as if he believes that the Constitution is just an
old, yellowing piece of paper that he can crumble up at his will.
My colleagues, you know better, and you know your constituents
deserve better. Please find the courage to stand up and say so. It is
the least each of us can do for the country that we are lucky enough to
have been elected to protect. You can do that today by voting no on
Trump's latest unqualified, unfit Cabinet nominee, Russell Vought--a
man who doesn't even care to hide that he will happily rubberstamp
Trump's worst instincts.
Now, I would like to take some time to illustrate the very real
impact that Trump's illegal actions have already had on the middle-
class Americans, and I want to begin by reading some of the many, many
letters I have received over the past few weeks from my constituents in
Illinois.
First, let's start with Trump's Federal funding freeze. Here is a
message we received from Metro Chicago's YWCA, an organization that
supports the delivery of over $10 million worth in Head Start funding
to childcare providers. Taking funding away from our childcare
providers and families is both cruel and counterproductive. It hurts
our families, our businesses, and our economy.
This is what the YWCA said:
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago partners with 19 childcare center
providers to enroll 621 children in the Head Start and Early
Head Start program. Many of these centers are ``mom-and-pop''
small businesses.
Due to the callous and irresponsible federal funding freeze
yesterday, the YWCA was unable to access the payment portal
for these critical programs for several hours. They heard
childcare centers across their service population were frozen
out from receiving direct payments as well, payments these
centers depend on to make payroll, feed children, and provide
other resources to children and parents.
Childcare centers in Illinois are scared. Childcare centers across
the country are scared.
The childcare businesses YWCA serves typically survive on
profit margins of less than 1 percent. Wages are
astonishingly low, with childcare workers making less than 98
percent of the nation's other workers. They don't have the
funds to float their employees while the President
attempts to threaten our national security and deny
resources for states, localities, and American families
and businesses.
The harm has [already] been done [even with that temporary
funding freeze], and it cannot be undone.
The at-risk children the YWCA serves with Head Start and
Early Head Start funds include those living in poverty,
children in foster care, children experiencing homelessness,
people of color, and children with disabilities.
Their parents and caregivers are hard-working, tax-paying
Americans. When they don't have access to quality childcare,
the Federal Reserve tells us that childcare problems are the
main barrier to job-seeking, the main reason for missed work,
and the main reason for part-time work.
Next, I received several messages from my constituents after they
were locked out of their Medicaid accounts in the aftermath of Trump's
illegal Federal freeze. Here is what Medicaid means for them:
[I am a single mom in central Illinois. Medicaid] provides
a quality of life for my disabled son, including many
services and supports that I as a single parent for over 25
years would not be able to provide for him otherwise.
[I am a parent in southern Illinois.] Alex's genetic
disability requires many doctors' visits and tests and
medication. She also requires physical therapy and
occupational therapy. She will always require a caregiver.
Medicaid provides caregivers. In the future, Medicaid will
provide day programs when I am not physically able to care
for her and her brother becomes her guardian. Medicaid
provides for her needs now so she can have a good life and
will provide for her needs in the future. As a parent of a
child with a disability, this relieves our stress. As a
parent, we won't live forever, and it gives us peace of mind
to know she has these services to live a fulfilling life!
From a parent in Newton, IL:
Medicaid has been a lifeline for our family for the past 2
years. My daughter has a rare condition called Aicardi
syndrome. She suffers from a whole slew of medical issues.
Medicaid pays for nursing that our primary insurance does not
cover. The state allows me to be paid as her nurse, so we are
able to financially pay for our daily needs, home, and
wheelchair van to transport our daughter. Without Medicaid,
we would not have access to medications, equipment, supplies,
and nursing. These are the things that keep my daughter
alive.
From a parent in Chicago:
My child has a rare genetic disorder. She is medically
fragile and technologically dependent. She requires 24-hour
care and is unable to do anything for herself. Medicaid
allows my family to survive financially by covering all of
the health-related cost. Without Medicaid, we would drown in
debt, and my daughter would have to live in a hospital--
[costing the taxpayers even more money].
From a parent in Elburn, IL:
Medicaid helps me to care for my daughter at home, where
she belongs. It provides the critical support Ava needs--
ventilator care, nursing, and medical supplies--so she can
grow, learn, and thrive with her family. Without Medicaid and
the MFTD waiver, keeping Ava home wouldn't be possible. It
allows us to give her every opportunity to reach her full
potential while keeping our family together. Medicaid isn't
just a program--it's a lifeline for families like ours.
Now, I would like to read some messages from some of the healthcare
providers, researchers, and patients in my State who are worried about
how the Trump freeze will impact their lives.
One constituent said:
I am a cancer survivor, thanks to research into the early
detection of and into the treatment of cancer. Currently, I
have a friend who is at Vanderbilt Medical Center for the
treatment of his leukemia. I have another friend who is
undergoing chemo for blood cancer and will go to Vanderbilt
for a monthslong treatment in May.
Reports say that all communications and grant reviews, as
well as all cancer research and/or trials have been stopped
[by the Trump administration]. I ask you to do everything in
your power to restart the cancer research and trials so that
lives are not lost.
Thank you for your help.
Another email to me:
My uncle has a genetic disorder. My cousins have [a] 50-50
chance of having [the] same issue. My uncle has been in
several studies at WashU in St. Louis, Missouri. They are
working to identify what causes this gene and then,
consequently, how to treat it.
The new administration has halted all meetings and grant
reviews by the NIH. This funding is VITAL to researching what
causes and how to treat so many diseases, including the one
my uncle is suffering [from].
PLEASE push [to] fully fund the NIH so that we can continue
to research and treat terrible diseases that could impact all
of us and our families.
Next, here is a message I received about how the Trump freeze could
hurt staff, researchers, and students at Southern Illinois University:
Southern Illinois University estimate[s] that they have
approximately 550 employees who are paid fully or partially
through federal dollars. A pause in funding the programs they
lead and research they perform in important areas, like
treating and preventing Alzheimer's disease or ensuring that
the food we eat is safe to consume, would keep them from
earning a salary to support their families.
The TRIO Upward Bound program in East St. Louis currently
serves 225 participants between both programs, the majority
of whom come from low-income, first-generation, college-bound
families. These students already face significant challenges,
including academic barriers, limited access to resources, and
a lack of college preparation
[[Page S754]]
support. Any freeze in [the Federal] funding will stop the
university's ability to effectively assist them in overcoming
these obstacles.
The Upward Bound program plays a crucial role in preparing
students for college, providing tutoring, college admissions
guidance, and mentorship, which were at risk due to the
funding freeze. Additionally, our dedicated staff, who work
tirelessly to support these students, faced uncertainty
regarding their employment. This disruption also affects our
broader community as our program serves as a vital resource
for encouraging educational advancement and economic
mobility.
Next, here is an excerpt from an email I got from Ignite Promise, a
Chicago nonprofit serving homeless youth in the immediate aftermath of
the Trump freeze. The nonprofit had to reach into their own wallet to
keep up their work. They said that the freeze turned their sector
``upside down.''
This is their message to me:
Thankfully, we were able to carry out our commitments to
youth over the last 24 hours because we have a small funding
reserve. However, if this is not resolved, these are the
direct services Ignite offers to youth that are at risk:
Essential mental health services and housing for over 500
young people throughout our programs;
Youth, ages 14 to 17, who are victims of trafficking will
lose access to our 24/7 shelter;
Young people at the greatest risk of harm will lose access
to a 24/7 crisis hotline.
This freeze turned our sector upside down and shifted over
100 providers in our CoC to rush into emergency mode.
And the most devastating effect was the fear youth
experienced, assuming their safe and stable supports were
going away, and insecurity our hardworking staff felt for
their employment.
Now, I would like to share a message we received from Beyond Legal
Aid Chicago after they learned Trump's freeze would impact their work
as a nonprofit that provides legal services to underserved communities
and veterans throughout the city of Chicago.
Their message reads:
First, when the freeze went into place, the Notice of
Funding Opportunity for Homeless Veterans Legal Services was
put on hold. Without that funding, we will be unable to serve
Veterans in getting access to the benefits like the ones
featured in this story:
Our client was a 57-year-old Veteran suffering from
service-connected disabilities [and] faced challenges
navigating the VA system. His efforts for a disability
upgrade have been denied, preventing him and his family from
accessing critically needed support. He met our staff at one
of our Veterans' legal clinics. With our legal advocacy, he
was [actually] successfully upgraded to 100% permanent &
total disability status. He is now protected from a rating
reduction by the VA. We raised his monthly benefits. . . . He
is also now entitled to additional benefits: DEA; CHAMPVA for
spouse and children; no cost for VA healthcare; VA dental
care; and a DoD ID card for him and [his] family and access
to bases. His children are now eligible for education
assistance up to $107,136 [for their college education]. This
family's financial situation was stabilized, solidly keeping
them in the middle class by recognizing what this Veteran's
service cost him.
In 2024, using federal funding, we were able to work in
partnership with a homeownership preservation organization in
the South Suburbs to save 64 homes from foreclosure. That's
64 families who now have $19 million-plus in preserved home
value and can pass along the homes to the next generation.
Our legal work saved 64 families from homelessness. Without
federal funding that supported that work, those homes would
likely have been lost, and those families would have faced
housing instability.
Over the course of our 3-year OVW Legal Assistance for
Victims (which we receive through the Department of Justice)
was the principal funding source for our work serving 286
survivors of sexual assault.
They say further:
All of that work, and more, is funded directly by non-LSC
federal grants, all of which was subject to [Donald Trump's]
freeze.
Trump's freeze even impacted members of law enforcement in Illinois.
Trump loves to say that he backs the blue and that Democrats want to
defund the police, but in reality, it is his actions that are taking
money away from our law enforcement officers and public safety, not to
mention his pardoning the people from January 6, who actually assaulted
the blue--our Capitol Police officers.
In the aftermath of Trump's freeze, police departments
reached out, saying that their High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Areas--the HIDTA--offices were notified that they
may lose funding. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
program provides support for law enforcement agencies
operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking
regions across the United States.
Illinois is part of two of these regions. They provide crucial
assistance, especially to rural agencies, to combat gangs, cartels, and
the proliferation of fentanyl in our communities, as well as those that
surround us in places like Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and Iowa.
Remember that the next time Republicans claim they say they back the
blue, they are actually not backing the blue.
Now, I would like to read a list of Federal programs that could be at
risk if Donald Trump proceeds with his freeze and make clear how it
would affect the lives of the tens of millions of Americans who depend
on them.
Let's begin with Head Start. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes Federal funding for Head Start Programs that provide
comprehensive early childhood education for more than 800,000 kids and
their families. Teachers and staff may not get paid, and programs may
not be able to stay open.
Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal funding for our K-
12 schools because school districts may not be able to access key
formula grant funding, including title I, IDEA, impact aid, and career
and technical education, which would pose tremendous financial burdens
on schools in the middle of the school year.
Food assistance programs. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes
funding for millions of American citizens who rely on nutrition
assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunch. These Americans
would be left hungry as funding is cut off, and nonprofits that provide
additional assistance would lose Federal funding. Some of that funding,
especially for SNAP and WIC and school lunches, actually is spent
purchasing from our American farmers, who also would be negatively
affected.
Disaster relief. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding
for public assistance and hazard mitigation grants from the Disaster
Relief Fund to State, Tribal, territorial, and local governments and
nonprofits that help communities quickly respond to, recover from, and
prepare for major disasters, right as so many communities are
struggling after severe natural disasters--most recently in California,
Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Public safety. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal
grants for law enforcement and homeland security activities,
undermining public safety in every State and territory.
Health services. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal
funding for community health centers that provide healthcare for over
30 million Americans, creating chaos for patients trying to get their
prescriptions, regular checkups, and more.
Veterans' care. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal
grants to help veterans in rural areas access healthcare and grants
that help veterans get other critical services, including suicide
prevention resources, transition assistance, and housing for homeless
veterans.
Support for our servicemembers. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes support for a host of DOD financial assistance and grant
programs supporting servicemembers and their families, including the
Fisher House, impact aid, community noise mitigation, ROTC language
training, STEM programs, and the USO.
Preventing domestic violence. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes all Violence Against Women Act grants as well as funding
for victims' assistance and State and local police.
Suicide and crisis lifeline. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes funding for the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline as well
as grants for mental health services.
Life-changing medical research. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes all funding for critical health research, including
research on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes, as well as
clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center and all across the country,
disrupting lifesaving and often time-sensitive research.
Support for small businesses. Donald Trump's illegal freeze would
mean that the Small Business Administration would have to halt loans to
small businesses, including those in disaster-ravaged communities in
North Carolina, Texas, and Florida.
[[Page S755]]
Emergency preparedness. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes
critical preparedness and response capability funding used to prepare
for disasters; public health emergencies; and chemical, biological,
radiological, and nuclear events.
Support for firefighters. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes
grants to support firefighters across the country. This includes grants
that help States and localities purchase essential firefighting
equipment.
Good-paying jobs in the energy infrastructure. Donald Trump's illegal
freeze jeopardizes grants for critical energy projects nationwide,
halting billions of dollars in investments nationwide and jeopardizing
good-paying American jobs. The Department of Energy's Loan Program
Office would halt loans in 28 States, impacting hundreds of thousands
of construction and operations jobs.
Infrastructure projects. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes
all federally funded transportation projects across the country--roads,
bridges, public transit, and more--including projects already under
construction.
Combating the fentanyl crisis. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes funding for communities to address the substance use
disorder crisis and combat the fentanyl crisis.
Programs for American innovation and competitiveness. Donald Trump's
illegal freeze jeopardizes existing grants to support research for AI
and quantum computing and any new grant funding, undermining U.S.
innovation and competitiveness with the PRC and putting American jobs
at risk.
Programs to strengthen our military readiness. Donald Trump's illegal
freeze jeopardizes grants and other assistance appropriated to
strengthen military effectiveness and defense capacity, including the
Defense Production Act support for the defense industrial base, basic
research grants necessary to advance key technologies, and small
business support to strengthen our supply chains.
Programs to protect Americans overseas. Donald Trump's illegal freeze
jeopardizes programs that track and combat the spread of infectious
diseases, create business opportunities for American companies in
emerging markets, combat terrorism, and counter the influence of the
PRC, Russia, and Iran. Efforts to ensure the safety and security of
Americans implementing these programs are all suspended and could be
terminated.
Food inspections. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes whether
some States will have to take on the full financial burden of ensuring
the Nation's meat supply is safe if Federal cooperative agreements for
meat inspections are halted.
Support for Tribes. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding
to Tribes for basic governmental services like healthcare, public
safety net programs, Tribal schools, and food assistance.
Pell grants and Direct PLUS loans for parents. Donald Trump's illegal
freeze puts Pell grants and Parent PLUS Loan Programs at risk. These
grants and programs make college more affordable for millions of
Americans, giving them the opportunity to access higher education and a
ticket to the middle class. His reckless actions create another barrier
to opportunity for Americans.
I would like to switch gears a little bit, and let's talk a little
bit about more campaign promises broken by Donald Trump.
During his campaign, Trump constantly attacked people he called
``unelected bureaucrats'' for having too much control over the Federal
Government, but now Donald Trump has made Elon Musk, the world's
richest man, the most powerful unelected bureaucrat of all, giving him
the keys to our government and empowering him to illegally dismantle
core Agencies without consulting Congress, not to mention giving him
access to all of our Social Security numbers, tax information, and
other personal data.
As my colleague Senator Sanders pointed out on Wednesday, Elon Musk
spent $277 million to elect Donald Trump President. Since election day,
he has become $154 billion richer. Elon Musk's net worth is estimated
at $426 billion. Yes, that is ``billion'' with a ``b.'' Meanwhile, the
average American salary is only $63,795. The average cost of childcare
for just one child per year in the United States is $9,994. The average
price of a gallon of milk in our country is $4.47. The average price of
eggs in America currently is $5.29 for a dozen, although it is actually
increasing as we speak. The average price of gas in the United States
is $3.12 a gallon.
In Illinois, the average person's salary is $67,192. The average cost
of childcare per year for just one child in Illinois is $11,605. The
average price of a gallon of milk in Illinois is $5.52. The average
price for a dozen eggs in Illinois is $4.15, which is over a dollar
more than the national average. The average price for a gallon of gas
in Illinois is $3.26.
So you can see the disparity between the middle class and the
billionaires that cozy up to Donald Trump.
And it is not just Musk. Wealthy elites that have more money than
most Americans could ever dream of are doing anything to get into
Trump's favor because they know he plans on giving them massive tax
cuts to line their pockets even further.
Jeff Bezos is just one example. He is from New Mexico, and his net
worth is estimated at $250 billion. Meanwhile, in New Mexico, the
average person's salary is $57,512. The average cost of childcare for
just one child is $8,766. The average price of a gallon of milk is
$3.63. A dozen eggs would set you back $5.46. The average price of gas
is $2.98.
Next up, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He is from New York. His net worth
is estimated at $240 billion. Meanwhile, in New York, the average
person's salary is $78,624. The average cost of childcare for just one
child is $12,844. The average price of a gallon of milk is $5.05. The
average price of eggs is $5.46. The average price of gas is $3.18.
These guys don't represent America. They have no clue what the middle
class experience is. They don't care about making the government work
for everyday Americans; they only care about making it work for
themselves and their buddies.
Donald Trump ran for President on the promise that he would lower the
price of eggs. However, since being in office, he seems to have
conveniently forgotten that vow. He has also done nothing to stop the
bird flu, which has caused the price of eggs to skyrocket even further.
In fact, his freeze would stop the research into and the tracking of
the bird flu virus that is causing eggs to skyrocket.
The cost of eggs appears to have accelerated since November--the
month that Donald Trump was elected President, according to data from
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the week ending January 18, a dozen
eggs cost $5.29--a steep climb from February of 2024, when the price
was a little over $3.50 a dozen. In November, the price of a dozen eggs
edged up to $3.65, and in December, it rose to $4.15.
Since the moment Trump returned to the Oval Office, he has abused his
power, both overreaching and underdelivering, signing Executive orders
and issuing commands that are blatantly illegal. Hypocrisy must be dead
because Donald Trump used to claim to care a lot about executive
overreach back when there was a Democratic President in office.
Here are just a few examples of when, ironically, Donald Trump was
complaining about President Obama's Executive actions:
In 2016, this is what Donald Trump said:
We don't want to continue to watch people signing executive
orders because that was not what the Constitution and the
brilliant designers of this incredible document had in mind.
We need people that can make deals and can work, because
right now in Washington, there's total, absolutely gridlock.
In another instance, Trump declared:
He doesn't want to get people together the old-fashioned
way, where you get Congress. You get the Congress, you get
the Senate, you get together, you do legislation. He just
writes out an executive order. Not supposed to happen that
way. . . . You get the Congress.
I am sorry that I am butchering the English language, but I am
quoting Donald Trump directly.
You get the Congress, you get the Senate, you get together,
you do legislation. He just writes out an executive order.
Not supposed to happen that way.
Another time, Donald Trump lied and said:
I would build consensus with Congress, and Congress would
agree with me. I'll give you
[[Page S756]]
an example, because I don't like the idea of using executive
orders like our president [does].
He was referring, of course, to President Obama at the time.
It is a disaster what he's doing. I would build consensus,
but consensus means you have to work hard. You have to
cajole. You have to get them into the Oval Office and get
them all together, and you have to make deals.
There are also countless examples of other Republicans' hypocrisy
when it comes to executive overreach. I just want to name one.
In 2014, then-House majority leader Steve Scalise had this to say of
President Obama:
President Obama has this fantasy that he can just use his
pen to write laws. We don't have a monarchy in this country--
there's an executive branch and the legislative branch, and
the president has to work with Congress to get things done.
Now, on to the topic of USAID and the Trump-Musk decision to gut the
Agency--a decision as dangerous as it is heartless, as it is careless.
First, I just want to correct. Steve Scalise was not the majority
leader when he said this; he was a Member of Congress at the time.
First, I would like to read several excerpts of speeches given by
Secretary Rubio in which he expressed clear support for international
aid before he was confirmed.
There is no denying that a globally engaged America comes
at a steep price. But the history of our still young nation
is full of warnings that a lack of American engagement comes
with an even higher price of its own.
Many of our nation's adversaries and rivals have been
emboldened by our uncertain foreign policy. So as instability
spreads and tyrants flourish, our allies want to know whether
America can still be counted on to confront these common
challenges. Whether we will continue to be a beacon to the
rest of the world.
Our legacy is that of a nation that for two centuries has
planted its feet and pushed out against the walls of tyranny,
oppression, and injustice that constantly threaten to close
in on the world, and has sought to replace these forces of
liberty, free enterprise, and respect for human rights.
These principles are also advanced by other elements of
American influence--those that don't require any military
might. For example, consider the countless lives we've saved
from the scourge of AIDS in Africa through the PEPFAR
program. Or consider the economic mobility created by
American trade and investment. These accomplishments prove
that while military might may be our most eye-catching method
of involvement abroad, it is far from being our most often
utilized. In most cases, the decisive use of diplomacy,
foreign assistance, and economic power are the most effective
ways to achieve our interests and stop problems before they
spiral into crises.
Marco Rubio said that.
Marco Rubio, where have you gone?
I would like to also share a news article about Secretary Rubio's
prior comments in support of USAID--from CNN--and the title is
``Rubio's years of strong support for USAID stands in contrast to his
sudden criticism of the aid agency.'' And I am going to read from the
article:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, newly in charge of the
besieged US Agency for International Development, was for
years a staunch supporter of its mission while in the US
Senate, reversing his views only recently as President Donald
Trump and his allies have moved to dismantle the agency.
But a CNN KFile review of Rubio's past comments shows he
has been for more than a decade a major supporter of foreign
aid and USAID, which in fiscal year 2023 distributed more
than $40 billion in foreign aid to more than 160 different
countries.
Rubio's most recent comments directly contradict years of
support and praise he has directed toward USAID, including a
tweet he posted in February 2017 that said, ``Foreign Aid is
not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is
less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.''
During his Fox News interview Monday, Rubio also dismissed
concerns that scaling back USAID's presence could allow China
to expand its influence in developing nations.
But just three years ago, Rubio argued the exact opposite,
urging the Biden administration in a 2022 letter to
prioritize USAID's funding as a key tool to ``counter the
Chinese Communist Party's expanding global influence.''
``We don't have to give foreign aid. We do so because it
furthers our national interest. That's why we give foreign
aid. Now obviously there's a component to foreign aid that's
humanitarian in scope, and that's important too,'' he said in
February 2013.
``Foreign aid as a part of our overall budget is less than
1% of the total amount the US Government spends,'' Rubio said
in one 2017 speech on the Senate floor. ``I promise you it is
going to be a lot harder to recruit someone to anti-
Americanism and anti-American terrorism if the United States
of America is the reason one is even alive today.''
``Anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and
that will bring us to balance is lying to you. Foreign aid is
less than one percent of our budget. It's just not true,'' he
added in August 2019, while speaking to the Forum Club of the
Palm Beaches.
``Foreign aid is a very cost-effective way, not only to
export our values and our example, but to advance our
security and our economic interests,'' he said in April 2012
to the Brookings Institute.
As a senator, Rubio also introduced legislation in 2013 and
2015 to make foreign assistance programs more transparent. A
version of the bill was later passed in 2016.
``A lot of times people say, `Well, cut foreign aid.'
Foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. But foreign aid
can make a difference when properly used. And if you ever
have a chance, travel to the African continent and you will
meet people who are alive today because the American taxpayer
funded antiviral HIV medications that kept them alive. It
will not be easy to radicalize people who are alive because
the American taxpayer saved their lives and the lives of
their children,'' Rubio said while on the presidential
campaign trail in late 2015.
Where is Secretary Rubio's enthusiasm for USAID now? Time and time
again, we see Republicans reversing their stance. Even members of the
Trump administration, just a week or so ago, said that they supported
programs like USAID, like Marco Rubio, who now have reversed their
position.
Mr. President, at this time I will end my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.