Government Funding (Cong. Rec., Sept. 21, 2021)
Summary
Page S6561 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for September 21, 2021, under the heading Government Funding, in interleaved columns. One speaker says failing to raise the debt limit threatens Social Security payments for tens of millions of Americans and healthcare coverage for tens of millions more. Another speaker calls the Democrats' bill a blowout spending bill that they decided to do on their own, with not a single Republican voting for it, which is that speaker's view. The page also includes a tribute that mentions zealous representation of clients and a roll call listing.
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“Government Funding (Cong. Rec., Sept. 21, 2021).”
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September 21, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6561
threatens Social Security payments for If fully enacted, it will create a future But there is no question that this is
tens of millions of Americans, it for every parent to take off work to a blowout spending bill that the Demo-
threatens healthcare coverage for tens care for a newborn child. Every high crats have decided to do all on their
of millions more, and it could slash school grad can receive a college edu- own. Not a single Republican will vote
benefits for our Nation’s veterans. Who cation and set their sights on a good- for it.
could be proud of that vote? paying job. And every senior citizen And so the debt increase that would
On a national global scale, default can afford prescription drugs they need accommodate all of that additional
would be, in the words of Mark Zandi, without dipping into their saving. spending—the massive amount of
Moody’s chief economist, ‘‘financial These investments will make America spending, in some cases financed with
Armageddon.’’ It would send markets healthier, happier, stronger, and more tax increases—but that is another
into free fall and threaten America’s prosperous. issue, and I am going to get to that in
status as the world’s reserve currency. And unlike President Trump’s give- just a minute. But the amount of debt
Imagine that. You say to the seniors: away to the rich, President Biden’s that would be added as a result of the
Well, maybe/maybe not on your Social Build Back Better plan is a prudent in- $3.5 trillion the Democrats want to
Security payments. And, incidentally, vestment in our Nation’s financial fu- spend, on top of the $2 trillion that
the stocks and the ETFs and the mu- ture. We are going to pay for it; that is they spent earlier this year in Feb-
tual funds and the investments you had the Senate Democrats’ intent. It will ruary—again, done all on Democrat
for your retirement—hang on tight; not be added to the deficit. vote; no Republicans participated in
they are about to take a huge hit, a hit I look forward to discussing that plan that—is a very, very different scenario
that is totally avoidable. in detail in the weeks to come. than when there have been in the past
Back in 2011, when House Repub- UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT attempts to actually work in a bipar-
licans initially refused to raise the Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- tisan way.
debt limit, America’s credit rating was sent that Senators THUNE, HEINRICH, My colleague from Illinois mentioned
downgraded. So what? Interest rates and LUJÁN be able to complete their re- the fact of the increase in the debt
went up, so we are paying more money marks prior to the scheduled vote. under the previous administration—
in interest instead of paying it for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there what the level had been, somewhere on
things America values—healthcare, any objection? the order of 6 or $6.5 trillion—and I
education, infrastructure. Seeing none, without objection, it is have to remind people that 4.5 trillion
Some economists believe that epi- so ordered. of that was negotiated in response to
sode hurt consumer confidence and Mr. DURBIN. I suggest the absence of the crisis of the pandemic. And that
hobbled our economy in the great re- a quorum. was a negotiation between Republicans
cession. It also stuck taxpayers with The PRESIDING OFFICER. The and Democrats, where both sides sat
billions of dollars in increased bor- clerk will call the roll. together and said, ‘‘We have to do
rowing costs. Think about how fragile The legislative clerk proceeded to something; we have to react in a quick
America’s economy is at this very mo- call the roll. way, a bold way, to what is happening
ment. We are still recovering from a Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask around the country,’’ and created pro-
once-in-a-century public health crisis unanimous consent that the order for grams like the PPP program, which
and the worst economic crisis in 75 the quorum call be rescinded. helped a lot of small businesses sur-
years. The last thing we need is a self- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without vive, helped with payments to
inflicted crisis that is motivated by objection, it is so ordered. healthcare providers for PPE and other
partisanship. GOVERNMENT FUNDING
Mr. President, right now, our econ- costs to get them through this, money
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, there has for vaccines, money for people who had
omy has to be our highest priority. We
been a good discussion already on the been unemployed as a consequence of
need to come together and get the gov-
floor this morning—I was listening to the pandemic. These were all costs as-
ernment funded. We also have an obli-
my colleague, the Democratic whip— sociated with the pandemic that were
gation to provide financial relief to
discussing the upcoming challenges negotiated in a bipartisan way, Repub-
Americans who have been hit by the
that we face this fall. We have got to licans and Democrats working to-
environmental disasters. My State es-
fund the government, we are facing the gether.
caped that, but tomorrow that may not
debt limit issue, and of course the What we have in front of us right now
be the case. You never know with these
Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending- is the Democrats proposing the biggest
extreme weather events. Hurricane Ida
spree proposal that we will have to deal expansion of government probably in
was an eye-opener for many parts of
this country. People are suffering. Dis- with at some point too. the history of this country. And if you
The issue that has been raised is, why look at what they are calling $3.5 tril-
aster aid for these people is essential.
We need to also help resettle the ref- wouldn’t Republicans want to help lion, a lot of outside groups, like the
ugees from Afghanistan. They risked raise the debt limit? And I think the Committee for Responsible Federal
their lives for Americans; we should answer is very simple. The Democrats Government, say it is $5.5 trillion. Ei-
make a home for them here in the control the entire government here. ther way, it is a massive amount of
United States. They control the House, they control spending, all of which would dramati-
We also want to make sure that we the Senate, they control the White cally increase the size of the govern-
support our military in every way pos- House, and they have a procedure here ment in this country and people’s de-
sible. in the Senate that enables them to pendence upon government. I call it
Instead of bickering and political raise the debt limit with 51 votes. They the ‘‘free everything’’ bill because, es-
brinksmanship, Congress needs to rise don’t need a single Republican vote to sentially, that is what it is.
to this moment of crisis. The American raise the debt limit. What I would simply suggest to my
people sent us to Washington not to They keep arguing that, well, in the colleagues on the other side of the aisle
manufacture crises but to prevent past, there have been, you know, pre- is that if you want to spend $3.5 trillion
them. That is exactly why Senate vious times when the debt limit has or $5.5 trillion—whatever that number
Democrats are moving ahead to put been a bipartisan issue. And in most is—and you want to do it with 51 votes,
President Biden’s Build Back Better cases, those were times, of course, without any discussion or negotiation
plan in place. Pay our debts, invest in when there was divided government or attempt to even reach out to Repub-
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a prosperous future—that is our plan. and there was actually negotiation licans on this, then, you ought to do it.
We would love to have Republican sup- over these issues, which there isn’t Republicans were in the room. They
port for it. We have a once-in-a-century right now. I mean, this tax-and-spend- negotiated a bipartisan infrastructure
opportunity to consider working fami- ing spree being proposed by the Demo- bill, $1.2 trillion, that passed here with
lies, middle-income families, strug- crats is the largest expansion of gov- 69 votes, and would pass overwhelm-
gling families, not the wealthy. ernment as a percentage of GDP, I be- ingly, I think, in the House, unless cou-
The Build Back Better plan will grow lieve, in history—certainly going back pled with this massive spending bill,
our economy for generations to come. to the 1930s. and then it would be signed into law by
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S6562 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 21, 2021
the President. That is an example of In the face of that fact, and consid- fewer jobs and opportunities; slower or
what can happen when you sit down ering the substantial amounts of nonexistent wage growth, especially
and negotiate. money we had to borrow to meet the with higher inflation eroding house-
On this other $3.5 trillion they have COVID crisis, you might think that hold spending power; and fewer bene-
decided to do, they have decided to ex- Democrats would be taking a moment fits.
pand massively the size of the Federal to reflect and perhaps think about Americans can also expect to see
Government, and to do that, they are ways to rein in excessive spending. But higher utility bills, thanks to Demo-
going to add to the Federal debt. And you would be wrong. In fact, Demo- crats’ proposed tax hikes on large busi-
it seems pretty straightforward, I crats have decided to double down on nesses and on energy development.
think—and I think most Americans their failed strategy and pass another I have been talking for a while now,
would understand—that if you control massive government spending bill, and I haven’t even gotten to the spend-
the entire government—the House, the even bigger—even bigger—than the last ing side of the Democrats’ tax-and-
Senate, and the White House—and it is one that I just mentioned. That is spending spree. Frankly, it is difficult
all your spending that is going to be right. Now Democrats are putting to- to know even where to start. This pro-
necessary or that is going to be respon- gether a $3.5 trillion spending bill to posal reads more like a spending ency-
sible for requiring an increase in the follow up on their $1.9 trillion spending clopedia. There is spending on pretty
debt limit, then you ought to do it bill from this last March. much every topic from A to Z.
with Democrat votes. I think that is a And to put those numbers in perspec- There are the big-ticket items, of
perfect way of looking at this that tive, the entire Federal budget for 2019 course, the supposedly free stuff that
would fit with the views of where most was less than $4.5 trillion. Dumping Democrats are emphasizing, such as
Americans are, most of whom, I be- that much money into the economy is free community college and free pre-K.
lieve, don’t want to see their Federal Then, there are the items Democrats
pretty much guaranteed to continue to
Government going another $3.5 trillion aren’t advertising as much, like the
fuel the kind of inflation that Ameri-
into debt or massively expanding the $200 million—yes, $200 million—for a
cans are currently experiencing. In
size of the Federal Government at a park in House Speaker PELOSI’s dis-
fact, there is a good chance it could
time when inflation is already out of trict that features a luxury accommo-
make things much worse.
control. dation and a golf course. Given that, I
And that is not the only way Ameri-
I want to speak to that because infla- am not sure why this park needs $200
cans are likely to suffer as a result of
tion is rapidly becoming a serious prob- million from the Federal Government,
lem. Currently, inflation is near a 13- Democrats’ proposed tax-and-spending
but I guess being Speaker ‘‘hath its
year high. It has outstripped wage spree. Americans are going to also feel
privileges.’’
growth for many Americans, including the pain of the $2 trillion in tax hikes
In fact, one Democrat Representative
the lowest earning workers. In other the Democrats are contemplating. admitted as much, noting that it seems
It always fascinates me how Demo-
words, the rise in the price of every- that, and I quote, ‘‘Speaker PELOSI gets
thing from goods to groceries has re- crats think that you can just pass tax
maybe a little bit more . . . on some of
sulted in a de facto pay cut for Amer- increases without consequences. To
these bills,’’ but then went on to argue
ican workers. hear Democrats talk, you would think
that she deserves it for being Speaker.
So why are we experiencing this level that you can impose $2 trillion in tax But moving on, there is a nearly $80
of inflation? Well, as I mentioned, one hikes and everything will just keep billion increase in funding for the
reason is Democrats’ decision in March going along unchanged. But, of course, IRS—yeah, $80 billion. That is enough
to flood the economy with unnecessary we all know that is not the way it to nearly double the Agency’s size. But
government spending. President Biden works. There is no such thing as con- I guess you have to have a lot of new
and congressional Democrats took of- sequence-free taxation. agents to collect all of those new tax
fice mere weeks after Congress had ap- Raise taxes by any meaningful hikes.
proved a fifth—fifth—bipartisan COVID amount, and people are most likely Then there are new and expanded
relief bill. And it was abundantly clear going to change their behavior. A small subsidies for electric vehicles. Under
that we were not in immediate need of business, for example, may think twice the Democrats’ proposal, a couple
trillions more in government spending. about hiring an additional worker if it could be making well over half a mil-
But that didn’t matter. It didn’t mat- is facing a tax hike. A larger business lion dollars yet still claim more than
ter to Democrats. may decide not to open that new plant $12,000 from the Federal Government to
Now that they were in control of it has been planning or it may insti- purchase an electric car.
Congress and the White House, they tute a hiring freeze or it may decide There is a Civilian Climate Corps—
wanted to take advantage of the that it needs to encourage some early several of them, in fact—at various
COVID crisis. So in the name of COVID retirements. government Agencies, $20 billion for a
relief, they pushed through a massive Democrats’ $2 trillion tax hike would National Climate Bank to subsidize
partisan piece of legislation, filled with be the largest tax hike in decades. Democrats’ pet environmental
unnecessary spending and handouts to Democrats are proposing to raise taxes projects, and—I am not making this
Democrat interests groups. Schools, on large businesses, on small busi- up—a new tax break to subsidize mem-
which had barely touched the tens of nesses, on investment, and on retire- bership dues to unions—plus much,
billions they had already been given, ment savings. And the list goes on. And much more.
got billions more. State governments, every one of those taxes will have con- And, of course, with all that govern-
the majority of which did not need sequences for ordinary Americans. ment spending comes new government
more government assistance, got ac- Democrats are proposing a corporate regulations—a long, long, long list of
cess to a staggering—staggering—$350 tax rate higher than the one imposed them.
billion slush fund. Labor unions were by communist China. That is going to The consequences of the Democrats’
made eligible for loans that were de- put American businesses at a disadvan- tax-and-spending spree could be dev-
signed to rescue Main Street small tage on the global stage. And when astating—for our economy and for
businesses. And I could go on. American businesses suffer, American American families. And, unfortunately,
At the time, Republicans warned workers suffer. Democrats have the ability to force
about the bill’s level of spending. And Democrats always seem to forget this legislation through on a solely
we weren’t alone. More than one liberal that most Americans are employed by partisan basis.
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economist warned that pouring that businesses, and that, as a result, when I know there are at least some Mem-
much money into the economy at that you raise taxes on businesses, ordinary bers of the Democrat Party here in
time could result in inflation. And 6 Americans tend to feel the con- Congress who are uncomfortable with
months later, here we are. Inflation is sequences. the stratospheric levels of spending the
near a 13-year high, and Americans are, If Democrats succeed in passing their Democrats are proposing, and I hope
rightly, worrying about whether their $2 trillion tax hike, it is going to have that their cooler heads will prevail.
paychecks will stretch to cover the serious economic consequences for reg- Meanwhile, I and every Republican
higher prices that they are facing. ular Americans—consequences like will do everything we can to protect
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September 21, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6563
Americans from Democrats’ reckless Both before and after her nomination Van Hollen Warnock Whitehouse
Warner Warren Wyden
tax-and-spending legislation. was announced, New Mexicans called
I yield the floor. my office in favor of Ms. Strickland. I NAYS—46
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- heard from judges, from prosecutors, Barrasso Grassley Risch
ator from New Mexico. from defense attorneys, and everyday Blackburn Hagerty Romney
Blunt Hawley Rubio
NOMINATION OF MARGARET IRENE STRICKLAND New Mexicans. All of them called to Boozman Hoeven Sasse
Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I am say how much they believe in Ms. Braun Hyde-Smith Scott (FL)
quite pleased that the Senate will soon Strickland. Like those New Mexicans Burr Inhofe Scott (SC)
Capito Johnson
be voting on the confirmation of Mar- who called into my office, I believe Ms. Cassidy Kennedy
Shelby
garet Strickland, President Biden’s Strickland belongs on the bench, and I Sullivan
Cornyn Lankford
Thune
nominee to be a district court judge for am ready to cast my vote and help her Cotton Lee
Tillis
the District of New Mexico. get there. Cramer Lummis
Crapo Toomey
Marshall
Ms. Strickland was born and raised I enthusiastically support Ms. Cruz McConnell Tuberville
in the southwest border region where Strickland’s nomination for district Daines Moran Wicker
this district court seat presides. She Ernst Paul Young
court judge for the District of New
Fischer Portman
attended New Mexico State University Mexico, and I hope that all of my col-
and the University of Texas at El Paso, leagues will join me in confirming this NOT VOTING—2
before attending law school at New highly qualified nominee. Feinstein Rounds
York University. CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
Ms. Strickland returned to the LUJÁN). The yeas are 52, the nays are
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
Southwest after law school and started 46.
to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
her career with the Las Cruces Office of The motion is agreed to.
Senate the pending cloture motion,
the New Mexico Public Defender, rep- f
which the clerk will state.
resenting clients in the juvenile drug
The legislative clerk read as follows: RECESS
court and in felony defense work.
In 2011, Ms. Strickland formed her CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
own law firm, continuing her public We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- the previous order, the Senate stands
service work representing indigent de- ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the in recess until 2:15 p.m.
fendants in Federal court. Ms. Strick- Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:36 p.m.,
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi-
land has litigated both criminal and recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem-
nation of Executive Calendar No. 231, Mar-
civil cases, including a significant garet Irene Strickland, of New Mexico, to be bled when called to order by the Pre-
number in the Federal district court United States District Judge for the District siding Officer (Ms. SINEMA).
located in Las Cruces, NM. She has of New Mexico. f
also appeared before the New Mexico Charles E. Schumer, Martin Heinrich,
Court of Appeals, the New Mexico Su- Alex Padilla, Margaret Wood Hassan, EXECUTIVE CALENDAR—Continued
preme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Raphael Warnock, Ben Ray Luján, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Court of Appeals, and filed before the Gary C. Peters, Elizabeth Warren, ator from Tennessee.
Christopher Murphy, Tammy
U.S. Supreme Court. HONORING STAFF SERGEANT RYAN KNAUSS
Duckworth, Patrick J. Leahy, Sheldon
Ms. Strickland served on the board of Whitehouse, Michael F. Bennet, Tim
Mr. HAGERTY. Madam President, I
the New Mexico Criminal Defense Law- Kaine, Tammy Baldwin, Cory A. Book- have come to the floor of the Senate
yers for over a decade, including as its er, Sherrod Brown. today on behalf of myself and the sen-
president. In 2018, the Federal District The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- ior Senator from Tennessee, MARSHA
of New Mexico appointed her to rep- imous consent, the mandatory quorum BLACKBURN, to honor the life and leg-
resent all Criminal Justice Act lawyers call has been waived. acy of a heroic Tennessean, U.S. Army
as a panel representative. The question is, Is it the sense of the SSG Ryan Knauss, who was killed in a
Ms. Strickland has also done signifi- Senate that debate on the nomination terrorist attack while serving the
cant volunteer work with programs of Margaret Irene Strickland, of New country that he loves so in Afghani-
that reduce the rate of euthanasia for Mexico, to be United States District stan on August 26, 2021.
companion animals. She and her hus- Judge for the District of New Mexico, Staff Sergeant Knauss served with
band Greg foster dogs and puppies set shall be brought to a close? the Army’s 9th Psychological Oper-
for euthanasia so the dogs can be The yeas and nays are mandatory ations Battalion, 8th Psychological Op-
placed in a home. under the rule. erations Group at Fort Bragg. He was
If confirmed, Ms. Strickland will be from Corryton, TN—a small, rural
The clerk will call the roll.
faced with one of the biggest Federal community where love of country and
The bill clerk called the roll.
dockets in the country and inheriting a volunteerism runs deep.
very heavy backlog of cases. Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Corryton is known for being the
I am, however, confident that her ex- Senator from California (Mrs. FEIN- hometown of country music star Kenny
perience and her incredible work ethic STEIN) is necessarily absent. Chesney, and now it will be known for-
will best position her to immediately Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is ever as the home of our hero, SSG
get to work. necessarily absent: the Senator from Ryan Knauss.
Ms. Strickland is a highly qualified South Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). Ryan was 23 years old when he laid
nominee with the right experience, the The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 52, his life down for his Nation. I have spo-
right temperament, and the right dis- nays 46, as follows: ken with Staff Sergeant Knauss’s
position to be a fairminded district [Rollcall Vote No. 367 Ex.] widow Alena and his father Greg.
court judge. The ABA agrees, giving YEAS—52 Through our conversations, I got to
her a majority ‘‘well qualified’’ rating. Baldwin Hassan Murray know a little bit more about Staff Ser-
She has spent her entire professional Bennet Heinrich Ossoff geant Knauss. And I am here today to
career working in the community in Blumenthal Hickenlooper Padilla share with you all and with the Amer-
Booker Hirono Peters
which she will sit. She knows inti- Brown Kaine
ican people just who Staff Sergeant
Reed
mately the impact that the legal sys- Cantwell Kelly Knauss was.
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Rosen
tem has on everyday Americans, and Cardin King Sanders He was a devoted husband. Ryan met
she understands that serving as a judge Carper Klobuchar Schatz Alena when they were in high school
Casey Leahy
is very different from serving as an ad- Collins Luján
Schumer working at a local pizza parlor. I
vocate. Shaheen sensed her deep love for Ryan when we
Coons Manchin
Sinema
She is ready and prepared to shift Cortez Masto Markey
Smith
spoke, and I am certain that Alena
from zealously and effectively rep- Duckworth Menendez feels blessed to have had the oppor-
Durbin Merkley Stabenow
resenting clients to faithfully applying Gillibrand Murkowski Tester tunity to be loved by someone like
the law to the facts of a specific case. Graham Murphy Ryan.
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