Congressional Record, Senate, December 14, 2021 — Defense Authorization and Debt Limit Votes

Summary

Congressional Record, Senate, December 14, 2021 (pages S9134 and S9135). The Senate votes on bringing to a close debate on the motion to concur in the House amendment to a bill designating the National Pulse Memorial in Orlando, Florida (Rollcall Vote No. 496 Ex.), with yeas 86 and nays 13, and the motion is agreed to. On the motion to proceed to a joint resolution relating to increasing the debt limit (Rollcall Vote No. 497 Leg.), the vote is yeas 50 and nays 49. Fischer speaks on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, saying the Senate Armed Services Committee passed its version by a vote of 23 to 3, and Lee speaks under the heading Build Back Better Act.

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“Congressional Record, Senate, December 14, 2021 — Defense Authorization and Debt Limit Votes.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-12-14-crec-2021-12-14-pt1-pgs9134-5-43035d6a38/, SHA-256 0c07de9d1f2fc562991f0ad63767143240a885e0895d3e38de30fea023094cef.

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S9134 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby LEGISLATIVE SESSION Durbin Manchin Schumer
move to bring to a close debate on the mo- Feinstein Markey Shaheen
tion to concur in the House amendment to S. --- Gillibrand Menendez Sinema
Hassan Merkley Smith
1605, an act to designate the National Pulse
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- Heinrich Murphy Stabenow
Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Ave- Hickenlooper Murray
nue in Orlando, Florida, and for other pur- TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 Tester
Hirono Ossoff Van Hollen
pose. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Cloture Kaine Padilla Warner
Charles E. Schumer, Tina Smith, Martin having been invoked, the Senate will Kelly Peters
Warnock
Heinrich, Patty Murray, Tammy King Reed
resume legislative session to resume Klobuchar Rosen
Warren
Duckworth, Tim Kaine, Gary C. Peters, Whitehouse
consideration of the House message to Leahy Sanders
Angus S. King, Jr., Richard J. Durbin, Luján Schatz Wyden
Jack Reed, Brian Schatz, Margaret accompany S. 1605, which the clerk will
Wood Hassan, Jacky Rosen, Chris Van report. NAYS—49
Hollen, Jeanne Shaheen, Christopher The senior assistant legislative clerk Barrasso Graham Risch
Murphy, Debbie Stabenow. read as follows: Blackburn Grassley Romney
Blunt Hagerty Rounds
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- 1605) entitled ‘‘An Act to designate the Na-
Boozman Hawley Rubio
imous consent, the mandatory quorum Braun Hoeven Sasse
tional Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Burr Hyde-Smith
call has been waived. Scott (FL)
Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida, and for Capito Inhofe Scott (SC)
The question is, Is it the sense of the other purposes.’’, do pass with an amend- Cassidy Johnson Shelby
ment. Collins Kennedy
Senate that debate on the motion to Cornyn Lankford
Sullivan
concur in the House amendment to S. Pending: Thune
Cotton Lee
Cramer Tillis
1605, an act to designate the National Schumer motion to concur in the amend- Marshall
Crapo McConnell Toomey
Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South ment of the House of Representatives to the Tuberville
Cruz Moran
Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida, bill. Wicker
Daines Murkowski
and for other purposes, shall be Schumer motion to concur in the amend- Ernst Paul Young
ment of the House of Representatives to the Fischer Portman
brought to a close? bill, with Schumer amendment No. 4880 (to
The yeas and nays are mandatory the House amendment), to add an effective NOT VOTING—1
under the rule. date. Lummis
Schumer amendment No. 4881 (to amend- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
The clerk will call the roll. ment No. 4880), to modify the effective date.
Schumer motion to refer the message of
SINEMA). On this vote, the yeas are 50,
The bill clerk called the roll. the nays are 49.
the House on the bill to the Committee on
Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is Armed Services, with instructions, Schumer The motion is agreed to.
necessarily absent: the Senator from amendment No. 4882, to add an effective f
Wyoming (Ms. LUMMIS). date.
Schumer amendment No. 4883 (to the in- RELATING TO INCREASING THE
The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 86, structions (amendment No. 4882) of the mo- DEBT LIMIT
nays 13, as follows: tion to refer), to modify the effective date. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
[Rollcall Vote No. 496 Ex.] Schumer amendment No. 4884 (to amend- clerk will report the joint resolution.
ment No. 4883), to modify the effective date.
YEAS—86
The assistant legislative clerk read
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- as follows:
Baldwin Graham Peters tion to refer, and the amendments
Barrasso Grassley Reed A joint resolution (S.J. Res. 33) relating to
Bennet Hagerty Risch
pending thereto, fall. increasing the debt limit.
Blackburn Hassan Romney The majority leader. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant
Blumenthal Hawley Rosen
Blunt Heinrich f to the provisions of Public Law 117–71,
Rounds
Booker Hickenlooper Rubio there will now be 10 hours of debate on
Boozman Hirono Sasse
RELATING TO INCREASING THE the joint resolution, equally divided
Brown Hoeven Schatz DEBT LIMIT—Motion to Proceed between the chairman and the ranking
Burr Hyde-Smith Schumer
Cantwell Inhofe Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I member of the Committee on Finance.
Scott (FL)
Capito Johnson
Scott (SC)
move to proceed to Calendar No. 184, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma-
Carper Kaine S.J. Res. 33. jority whip.
Shaheen
Casey Kelly
Cassidy Kennedy
Shelby The PRESIDING OFFICER. The UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT
Sinema clerk will report the motion.
Collins King
Smith
Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous con-
Coons Klobuchar
Stabenow
The senior assistant legislative clerk sent that the Senate stand in recess
Cornyn Lankford
Cortez Masto Leahy Sullivan read as follows: until 2:15 p.m. and that all time during
Cotton Luján Tester A joint resolution (S.J. Res. 33) relating to recess count equally against both sides
Cramer Manchin Thune increasing the debt limit.
Tillis
on the joint resolution.
Crapo Marshall
Cruz McConnell Tuberville The PRESIDING OFFICER. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Daines Menendez Van Hollen question is on the motion. objection, it is so ordered.
Duckworth Moran Warner Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas Mr. DURBIN. For the information of
Durbin Murkowski Warnock
Ernst Whitehouse
and nays. Senators, we expect a rollcall vote on
Murphy
Feinstein Murray Wicker The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a the passage of S.J. Res. 33 to occur at
Fischer Ossoff Young sufficient second? approximately 4 p.m. today.
There appears to be a sufficient sec- f
NAYS—13 ond.
Braun Merkley Toomey RECESS
The clerk will call the roll.
Cardin Padilla Warren The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under
Gillibrand Paul Wyden
The senior assistant legislative clerk
Lee Portman called the roll. the previous order, the Senate stands
Markey Sanders Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is in recess until 2:15 p.m.
necessarily absent: the Senator from Thereupon, the Senate, at 1:09 p.m.,
NOT VOTING—1 recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem-
Wyoming (Ms. LUMMIS.)

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Lummis bled when called to order by the Pre-
The result was announced—yeas 50,
nays 49, as follows: siding Officer (Ms. SINEMA).
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
LUJÁN). On this vote, the yeas are 86, [Rollcall Vote No. 497 Leg.] f
the nays are 13. YEAS—50 RELATING TO INCREASING THE
Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- Baldwin Brown Casey DEBT LIMIT—Continued
Bennet Cantwell Coons
sen and sworn having voted in the af- Blumenthal Cardin Cortez Masto The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
firmative, the motion is agreed to. Booker Carper Duckworth ator from Nebraska.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9135
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT tional defense. It is in the name, the jujitsu is hardly the stuff of base-moti-
Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, ‘‘National Defense Authorization Act.’’ vating campaign rhetoric, but it is the
after months of delay with NDAA, it But every State contributes in its own instrument of power.
has finally made its way to the Senate way to that national goal, and I am Now I will describe how this hap-
floor. The Senate Armed Services Com- proud to say that this bill will bring pened, but a bit of background is nec-
mittee passed its version by a strong, some major wins to Nebraska, which essary.
bipartisan vote of 23 to 3, and that was has a long and rich military history. Like most legislation in the Senate,
back in July. It includes $100 million for the Na- raising the debt ceiling, which has been
As a member of the Armed Services tional Disaster Recovery Fund, which done now 99 times since the end of the
Committee since my first day here in will help rebuild Offutt Air Force Base, Second World War, ordinarily requires
the Senate, I have been proud to help the home of the Air Force’s 55th Wing 60 votes, which, in an evenly divided
draft this bill each year since 2013, and and U.S. Strategic Command, after the Senate, means Democrats and Repub-
I was honored to play a part in drafting devastating flooding that Nebraska ex- licans have to work together to find an
the bill this year. perienced in 2019. It recognizes how acceptable outcome.
First and foremost, the 2022 NDAA critical the 55th Wing is to our Na- There is, of course, an exception that
takes care of the greatest asset Amer- tion’s intelligence, surveillance, and would allow Democrats to use a special
ica has—our men and women in uni- reconnaissance capabilities. Their mis- budget reconciliation procedure to
form. It supports a well-deserved pay sions take them all over the world, but raise the debt ceiling without Repub-
raise for members of the military, and they are proudly based in my State of lican help, with a simple majority
it reauthorizes important special pays vote—a simple majority vote that they
Nebraska.
and bonuses. could achieve if all 50 Democrats cast
The men and women who wear Amer-
Keeping faith with our All-Volunteer their votes. If there is an evenly di-
Forces is essential so that our military ican military uniforms are part of the
best fighting force the world has ever vided vote at the end of the day, it can
men and women are able to focus on be broken by the Vice President. But
combating the threats that our Nation known. Our job here in Congress is to
give them what they need, and this they didn’t want to use this special
faces abroad. You don’t have to look procedure, and I believe they didn’t
far to see the threats I am talking year’s NDAA does just that.
I yield the floor. want to use it for two independent rea-
about. sons.
Vladimir Putin has placed nearly I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The First, it was inconvenient. The spe-
100,000 Russian troops right on Russia’s cial reconciliation procedure would re-
border with Ukraine, essentially pos- clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk quire too many steps and too much
turing to invade a sovereign country.
proceeded to call the roll. time for their tastes. Still, I don’t
China continues to make shocking
Mr. LEE. Madam President, I ask know of a single Republican Senator,
progress in developing new types of
unanimous consent that the order for myself included, who would unduly
weapons. The Chairman of the Joint
the quorum call be rescinded. stall the Democrats from proceeding to
Chiefs of Staff said that China’s recent
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without its consideration. In fact, under the
test of a fractional orbital bombard-
objection, it is so ordered. rules, if they follow the right steps, it
ment system was very close to a
is, more or less, a guaranteed outcome,
‘‘Sputnik moment.’’ This new missile BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
could potentially carry a nuclear war- one that doesn’t require a super-
Mr. LEE. Madam President, in her
head anywhere in the world, and it was majority and, at the end of the day,
1993 Nobel lecture, Toni Morrison—no
specifically designed to evade U.S. de- can be accomplished with a simple ma-
conservative—told a story of an old
fenses. Our adversaries are making jority.
woman who was approached by a group Second, I suspect that Democrats
huge strides forward. The NDAA recog- of kids, mocking her and asking her to didn’t want to bear the political cost of
nizes that and addresses it. offer her conjecture:
This bill will keep the modernization raising the debt ceiling without some
Old woman, I hold in my hand a bird. Tell Republican cover. This would ordi-
of our strategic nuclear deterrent on me whether it is living or dead.
schedule. This is crucial because even narily mean using the standard 60-vote
The blind, old woman was revered for process, but that is not how it hap-
though our nuclear forces are still ef-
her wisdom and experience. pened. Instead of Democrats and Re-
fective, we have pushed our weapons
She responded: publicans working together to find con-
far beyond their designed lifetimes—in
I don’t know whether the bird you are sensus on the appropriate way to raise
some cases, by decades. This bill au-
holding is dead or alive, but what I do know the debt ceiling, likely in exchange for
thorizes the resources necessary to is that it is in your hands. It is in your
keep modernization on track, and it spending reforms, some combination of
hands.
will help make sure the next genera- Senate and House leadership concocted
The old woman, of course, meant a new mechanism.
tion of systems is available before our
whether the bird is alive or dead is the On a 60-vote bill, Republicans agreed
current nuclear triad ages out.
Perhaps most importantly, the responsibility of the person who holds to let Democrats pass an entirely sepa-
NDAA tries to keep defense spending it. rate bill to raise the debt ceiling—
on pace with rising inflation. Inflation Morrison said: without any Republican votes—by
is at its highest level in decades, and it The blind woman shifts attention away whatever amount they want. So, rather
doesn’t look like it is slowing down from assertions of power to the instrument than negotiating a reasonable number,
through which that power is exercised. Republicans agreed to ensure that the
anytime soon.
The Biden administration originally Now, Morrison could have been talk- debt ceiling was increased by as many
proposed a top-line defense spending ing about Congress. I will leave to your trillions of dollars as the Democrats
increase of just 1.6 percent. That would judgment who in Congress is a mocking might need to fulfill their agenda.
not have kept pace with inflation even youth and who is the old woman, but in There is an actual blank space in the
in a normal year, but in a year when it politics it is the instrument of power bill where Democrats can write in
is threatening to spiral out of control, rather than the assertion of power that whatever number they want.
it would have meant an unacceptable matters. In exchange, Republicans would be
cut in resources for our military. The Just this last week, the instruments protected from scrutiny for insisting
of power were used, despite assertions that Democrats follow the established

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NDAA takes this year’s runaway infla-
tion into account. It offers an increase otherwise, to quietly pave the way for rules for raising the debt ceiling
of $25 billion on top of President the Democrats’ ‘‘Destroy America’’ through the reconciliation procedure
Biden’s proposal, and we came together bill, which they have called Build Back and would be able to launder this vote
across party lines to agree to that be- Better. Congress used a novel proce- to appear as something other than
cause it is what our military needs. dure to pass a bill, giving Democrats a helping Democrats raise the debt ceil-
At the risk of stating the obvious, blank check to raise the debt ceiling to ing, which they had publicly com-
the NDAA is about investing in our na- pay for Build Back Better. Procedural mitted—in writing, no less—not to do.

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S9136 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
To make matters worse, congres- During the past year, the Consumer ing them to pass on some of the infla-
sional leadership tied this to a bill pre- Price Index, which measures the price tionary costs to their customers. The
venting automatic Medicare cuts. This of goods and services, jumped by nearly increased costs of doing business mean
sent a clear message: Give Democrats a 7 percent. That is the highest rate that families and processors will pay
blank check or there would be Medi- since 1982. It represents the sixth con- more for potatoes and growers will get
care cuts. Some of my Republican col- secutive month of inflation exceeding 5 a lower return on their crop.
leagues couldn’t allow them to shoot percent. This weekend, the Wall Street Jour-
that hostage, that hostage being held The goods experiencing the greatest nal reported on how inflation is harm-
captive by Democrats. increases read like a list of everyday ing the employees at the One Stop
The playbook is written. The idea essentials. Energy costs are up by 33 Tulsa gas station in Aroostook County
that this is a onetime thing or is some- percent. Used vehicles are up by 31 per- in Northern Maine. One clerk was
how similar to other expedited proce- cent. Hamburger costs are up by 14 per- working 60 hours each week—up from
dures—for example, those found under cent. Milk, eggs, baby food, furniture, 40 before the pandemic—because they
the Congressional Review Act to dis- and many other necessities all cost are so shortstaffed. Even with the in-
approve of executive Agency rules—is more, and those prices are simply creased hours, she said she is strug-
preposterous. The comparison doesn’t unsustainable for many working fami- gling with rising costs, from food to
work. These are very different crea- lies. electricity.
tures. I am sure this vicious tactic, the The pain is being felt across the Na- Melissa Holmes, the gas station man-
one used here, has not seen its last tion, including in my State of Maine. I ager, said that her twice monthly gro-
use—far from it. I am certain it will be have heard from many Mainers worried cery bill has increased from $300 to $500
used in the future to enact other pro- about how they will be able to afford to and it now costs her $60 to fill up her
gressive agenda items, including many heat their homes this winter. The aver- 2011 Ford Explorer. That is $20 more
that are simply unable to garner the 60 age price of heating oil in Maine is cur- than last year.
votes necessary under the normal and rently $3.15 per gallon, compared to Ms. Holmes also described facing cus-
transparent Senate filibuster rules. $2.11 per gallon this time last year. tomers who are frustrated by the high-
With a blank check and a new special While the amount of heating oil a er prices. The cost of chicken, for ex-
procedure, Democrats are able to raise household uses varies considerably, a ample, has gone up so an order of
the debt ceiling by whatever amount typical Maine family will spend nearly chicken tenders has jumped from $5.49
they deem necessary to accommodate $1,000 more this year on home heating to $8.99. That is a big increase, and cus-
their ‘‘Destroy America’’ bill, which oil. The State of Maine is dispropor- tomers are feeling that squeeze.
they call Build Back Better. They have tionately affected by this rise in costs After passage of the President’s $1.9
set that price—and we know this now since more than 60 percent of our trillion stimulus this spring, the price
as of just the last few hours—at $2.5 homes use fuel oil as their primary en- of goods and services went up. We
trillion. This is the behemoth bill that ergy source for heating compared to heard reassurances from the Presi-
would seek to grant a form of amnesty only 4 percent of households nation- dent’s team that this inflation was
to illegal aliens; to further the Green ally. transitory but no acknowledgement of
New Deal agenda; to overturn State The rise in the price of heating oil is the role that their policies have had on
right-to-work laws; to increase vaccine not the only hardship that Mainers are soaring prices. Americans are feeling
mandate fines on private employers to facing this winter. Mainers have shared the consequences as Washington has
$700,000; to infuse critical race theory with me their genuine concerns about overheated the economy.
indoctrination into medical care; and being able to afford to drive back and We in Congress must confront this
to grow the IRS by 87,000 agents. That forth to work and to put nutritious inflation crisis, but instead the Biden
isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. food on the table. Gas prices in Maine administration is pushing trillions in
The blank check to remake America are about $1.30 per gallon higher than additional macroeconomic stimulus in
was a gift to progressives from those last year. the President’s Build Back Better plan.
within the Republican Party who de- Business owners face the often im- The consequences for an already over-
cided to grant it. I regret deeply their possible challenge of paying higher heated economy could be devastating.
decision to do so, and the filibuster— prices for commodities, food, and sup- Given the clear link between recent ex-
the major instrument of power pre- plies without passing those increases traordinary government spending and
serving the unique identity of the U.S. on to their already struggling con- rampant inflation, we should not be
Senate—was all it cost. sumers. For example, Maine restaurant adding more fuel to the fire. Our econ-
As to who was the old woman and owners, who have already experienced omy is ailing so it would be wise to
who were the mocking children from an extraordinarily difficult 18 months begin to follow the maxim that guides
Toni Morrison’s story, I can’t say, but due to the pandemic, are now grappling medical professionals: First, do no
America is the bird. with double-digit percentage increases harm.
I yield the floor. in the costs of ingredients and other Democrats have said that their
I suggest the absence of a quorum. goods needed to run their businesses. spending spree, which follows the Build
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The An owner of a restaurant I visited in Back Better plan, would cost $1.7 tril-
clerk will call the roll. Searsport told me that the cost of fryer lion. Several of the proposals in that
The senior assistant legislative clerk grease has skyrocketed from $19 to $48 plan would be set to expire after 1, 3, or
proceeded to call the roll. per case. Another restaurant owner in 5 years—a gimmick that hides the true
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I Rockland recently told the Bangor cost because we know that is not what
ask unanimous consent that the order Daily News that the price for prime the real hope is nor what is going to
for the quorum call be rescinded. ribs has more than doubled from $7 to happen.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without $17. These supply costs shrink their al- Last week, the nonpartisan Congres-
objection, it is so ordered. ready slim margins and exacerbate sional Budget Office projected that
INFLATION other difficulties the industry is facing making the social spending programs
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, on with staffing shortages and pandemic- in the Build Back Better plan perma-
Friday, the Department of Labor re- related closures. nent would, in fact, cost $4.9 trillion
ported that inflation had hit a near-40- After a tough 2020 caused by COVID- over the decade—$4.9 trillion. Doing so
year high, confirming what many related market disruptions and would add $3 trillion to the deficit un-

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American families have been feeling in drought, Maine’s resilient potato grow- less paid for with even more taxes be-
their wallets for many months. ers rebounded with yields up 20 percent yond those that the Democrats have al-
The soaring cost of virtually every- over last year. Such a strong harvest ready proposed in their bill. That is
thing, from gasoline to groceries, is a usually would be cause for celebration, much higher than the purported $1.7
growing crisis that has hit families but farmers are facing rising transpor- trillion pricetag because we know that
across our Nation. The numbers are tation, fuel, and fertilizer costs that the ultimate goal is to make these ex-
alarming. are hurting their bottom line and forc- pensive programs permanent.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9137
Inflation is a regressive tax. It does tantly, made a difference last Novem- There is something awry in our democ-
not discriminate among the rich and ber and last January. racy. In this moment in which there is
the poor. It does not take into account The American people see what is hap- this debate happening on the outside,
the ability to pay. It is a cruel tax, one pening in Arizona and in Texas and in how is it that we refuse to even have a
that punishes thrift by diminishing the Florida and in Wisconsin and in Iowa. debate in the Senate? They don’t even
value of savings. This is damaging to They see what is happening in Georgia, want to have a debate.
families who are saving to buy a home my home State, where a new law, SB So here we are. Months have passed.
or for their children’s education. It can 202—passed right after I won—will No, that is not true—years have passed.
be devastating to our seniors, who can make it harder for some voters to ac- Democrats have tried again and again
do nothing but helplessly watch as the cess their ballots by making it more to engage our Republican friends in a
retirement funds that they have difficult to vote by mail, allowing far discussion on this issue—one that lies
worked for their whole lives don’t go fewer drop boxes, and only allowing for at the foundation of our democracy—
nearly as far as they had expected. the use of those boxes—listen—during and time and time again, because of a
Like the pandemic itself, we do not business hours. You can use the drop lack of good-faith engagement, the
know for certain whether this inflation boxes during business hours, which sort rules of the Senate have prevented us
crisis will abate, be prolonged, or even of defeats the purpose of having a drop from moving that conversation for-
accelerate. Our immediate focus should box. In fact, back home, the second ward.
be on measures that we know will have most senior Republican in the Georgia We could not imagine changing the
a lasting and beneficial impact on our State Senate announced recently that rules—that is, until last week, because
economy, such as implementing the bi- he wants to do away with election drop last week, we did exactly that. Be very
partisan infrastructure law, opening up boxes altogether—literal boxes where clear. Last week, we changed the rules
and repairing our supply chains, get- registered, eligible voters simply can of the Senate to address another im-
ting more Americans back to work, drop off their ballots on their way to portant issue: the economy. This is a
and protecting the earnings of hard- the night shift or on their way back step—a change in the Senate rules—we
working Americans. home. It seems to me that they want haven’t been willing to take to save
What we should not do is pass tril- fewer voters and more dark money in our broken democracy but one that a
lions of dollars in additional spending our elections, and that is the sad place bipartisan majority of this Chamber
in the administration’s Build Back we are in right now. thought was necessary in order to keep
Better bill that would exacerbate the But what is even more disconcerting our economy strong. We changed the
toll that inflation imposes on seniors, is that these politicians in the State rules to protect the full faith and cred-
working families, and small businesses. legislature have already laid the tracks it of the U.S. Government. We have de-
We should not take that risk. to take over local boards of elections, cided we must do it for the economy
I yield the floor. for almost any frivolous reason, to un- but not for the democracy.
I suggest the absence of a quorum. dermine the voices of local voters and I will be honest. This has been a dif-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The local election administrators, control ficult week for me as I pondered how
clerk will call the roll. the count, muddy the waters, question am I going to vote on this debt ceiling
The legislative clerk proceeded to or determine the outcome. question we are about to take. I feel
call the roll. In the face of this crisis, the question like I am being asked to take a road
Mr. WARNOCK. Madam President, I is this: Has this Chamber risen to the that is a point of moral dissonance for
ask unanimous consent that the order occasion to take on the issue of voting me because while I deeply believe that
for the quorum call be rescinded. rights, which I submit is the central both our democracy and our economy
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without moral issue confronting this Congress are important, I believe that it is mis-
objection, it is so ordered. in this moment? What have we done to placed to change the Senate rules only
VOTING RIGHTS strengthen access to the ballot as bed- for the benefit of the economy when
Mr. WARNOCK. Madam President, I rock voting rights protections have the warning lights on our democracy
come to the floor today after a long been shredded by our courts or to pro- are flashing at the same time.
week of wrestling with my conscience. tect the sacred right to vote as par- I happen to believe that our democ-
Before we left Washington last week, tisan State legislatures have passed racy is at least as important as the
we in this Chamber made a change in laws to dilute that right for so many economy. Ours is a great nation built
the Senate’s rules in order to push for- people? upon both free enterprise and free exer-
ward something that all of us think is Well, some of us have acted. Demo- cise of basic democratic rights. You
important. We set the stage to raise crats in this body have tried not once, cannot have good capitalism without
the Nation’s debt ceiling. not twice, but we have tried this Con- freedom. Each is strengthened by the
Yet as we cast that vote to begin ad- gress on three occasions to consider other, and together they make for a
dressing the debt ceiling, this same legislation to protect and expand vot- nation that is both prosperous and free,
Chamber is allowing the ceiling of our ing rights so that more eligible Ameri- a nation where everybody can breathe
democracy to crash in around us. The cans can make their voices heard and and every child has a chance to live up
American people have been pushing for help shape the direction of our coun- to her highest potential.
leaders in Washington to address vot- try. Each time—whether it was the For So I stand here because of my chil-
ing rights. the People Act or the John Lewis Vot- dren. I have two precious children, and
Everywhere I turn, I have been hear- ing Rights Advancement Act or the I think every day what kind of country
ing from my constituents in Georgia. Freedom to Vote Act—with just one I want them to grow up in. I stand here
They are deeply worried. I heard it all lone exception, all of our friends across today because we are in a place where
weekend. I have been hearing it over the aisle have refused to engage with we are dealing with the consequence of
the last several months. us in any way to address the growing misaligned values and misplaced prior-
And I submit that they are worried barriers to what is basic to American ities, and that is, for me, a serious
for good reason. They know their his- democracy: the ballot box. problem because I lead Ebenezer Bap-
tory. They are witnessing what is hap- Here is what we have said. We have tist Church, where John Lewis wor-
pening to our democracy in real time, said to our Republican friends: If you shipped and where Dr. King preached. I
and they see the handwriting on the don’t like this provision or that provi- asked myself all weekend as I wrestled
wall. They see the sweeping voter sup- sion, let’s talk about it. Offer some with how I would vote—I asked myself,

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
pression proposals in 49 States and the amendments. Come, let us reason to- what would Dr. King do?
dozens of new laws that have now gether. Let us have a debate out in the I thought this week about Dr. King’s
popped up across the Nation, fueled by open so that the American people can speech in front of the Lincoln Memo-
the Big Lie that seeks to delegitimize hear it. rial—no, not the 1963 ‘‘I Have a Dream’’
the voices of millions of Georgians and Everybody talks about the divisions speech but the one he gave the first
Americans who made their voices in America right now. Here is what time he spoke in front of the Lincoln
heard, made history, and, more impor- folks on the left and the right agree on: Memorial in 1957, where he addressed

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S9138 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
what he called ‘‘all types of conniving Then this 89-year-old, battle-worn ing rights are important enough. I
methods’’ that were getting in the way soldier in the nonviolent army of the think that voting rights are important
of the free exercise of the constitu- Lord drew silent on the phone, and enough so we cannot delay. We must
tional right to vote. His rallying cry then he said to me: Tell your col- continue to urge the party of Lincoln
that day in 1957 was ‘‘Give Us the Bal- leagues that among your constituent not to give into the very forces of voter
lot.’’ are people who literally laid their lives suppression that Dr. King described in
In light of the conniving methods of on the line for the basic right to vote. that 1957 speech while standing in the
voter suppression we have seen enacted They lost friends. They lost so much. shadow of Lincoln. But even as we do
into law since the January 6 attack on And so this is a real moral quandary that, we cannot wait. We cannot wait
the Capitol, I come to the floor today for me, and it makes it difficult for me on them. With uncanny and eerie rel-
to share with the people of Georgia and to cast this vote today. But after many evance, Dr. King’s words summon us to
the American people the message that conversations with colleagues, with this very moment. He said:
I shared with my colleagues over the Georgians, with experts who know the The hour is late. The clock of destiny is
weekend and earlier today during our economy, with voting rights advocates, ticking out. We must act now before it is too
caucus meeting. and civil rights leaders, I will, indeed, late.
I said to my Democratic colleagues vote today with anguish. I will vote to I yield the floor.
over the last several days—No. 1—un- raise the debt ceiling. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
fortunately, the vast majority of our I am voting yes because I am think- ator from Ohio.
Republican friends have made it clear ing about the kids in the Kayton BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
that they have no intention of trying Homes Housing Projects where I grew Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I
to work with us to address voter sup- up in Savannah, GA. I am thinking learned a long time ago, I never want
pression or to protect voting rights. about the hard-working families push- to give a speech after that, but cer-
They have embodied by their actions ing to recover from the pressures of tainly I agree with what Senator
the sentiments of conservative strate- this pandemic, those on the margins WARNOCK said, and the Senate schedule
gist Paul Weyrich, who dared say in and those who are least resilient, for kind of made me do this.
1981: ‘‘I don’t want everybody to vote.’’ whom a collapse of the economy would I want to thank Senator WARNOCK,
That is what he said. ‘‘Elections are be catastrophic. Ironically, many of who is one of the principals in our leg-
not won by a majority of the people. these are the same people who are also islation, Senator BENNET, Senator
They never have been from the begin- being targeted by the voter suppression BOOKER, and Senator KAINE for their
ning of our country and they are not efforts I mentioned earlier. I am think- leadership and their work to deliver
now. As a matter of fact,’’ he went on ing of them and the people of Georgia what is, pure and simple, the largest
to say, ‘‘our leverage in the elections as I cast my vote today to raise the tax cut for working families ever.
quite candidly goes up as the voting debt ceiling. Tomorrow, for the sixth month in a
populace goes down.’’ But I am also thinking about what row—July 15, August 15, September,
The second thing I said to my Demo- we need to do to keep our democracy October, November. Tomorrow is the
cratic colleagues today is that while and our economy strong today and for sixth month in a row that Ohio par-
we cannot let our Republican friends the next generation. Once we handle ents, 92 percent of parents in Ohio with
off the hook for not being equitable the debt ceiling, the Senate needs to children under 18, will again see $250 or
governing partners, if we are serious make voting rights the very next issue $300 in their bank accounts or in their
about protecting the right to vote that we take up. We must do voting rights, mailbox per child. If they have two in-
is under assault right now, here is the and we must deal with this issue now. fant children, they will get $600.
truth: It will fall to Democrats to do it. Let me be clear. I am so proud of This is the most consequential thing
If Democrats alone must raise the debt what we did with the bipartisan infra- we have done in decades to make peo-
ceiling, then Democrats alone must structure bill and the major economic ple’s hard work pay off. We know how
raise and repair the ceiling of our de- investments we are putting the fin- hard parents work at their jobs, at
mocracy. How do we in good conscience ishing touches on that will close the raising kids. Any parent knows how
justify doing one and not the other? Medicaid coverage gap and deliver his- much work it is to take care of chil-
Some of my Democratic colleagues toric relief for Georgia farmers and ex- dren, especially young children. It has
are saying: But what about bipartisan- pand broadband access and so much only gotten harder over the last couple
ship? Isn’t that important? more. of years. Often, that hard work doesn’t
I say: Of course it is, but here is the I have to tell you that the most im- pay off like it should. We have seen
thing we must remember. Slavery was portant thing that we can do in this what has happened over the past dec-
bipartisan. Jim Crow’s segregation was Congress is to get voting rights done. ades. Productivity has gone up; the
bipartisan. The refusal of women’s suf- Voting rights are preservative of all stock market has soared; executive
frage was bipartisan. The denial of the other rights. They lay the ground for compensation is stratospheric; but
basic dignity of members of the LGBTQ all of the other debates. wages have been flat.
community has long been bipartisan. So to my Democratic colleagues, I Workers’ paychecks are finally—fi-
The Three-fifths Compromise was the say, while it is deeply unfortunate, it is nally, during this administration and
creation of a putative national unity at more than apparent that it has been this Senate, this Congress—finally, be-
the expense of Black people’s basic hu- left to us to handle alone the task of cause of the work we are doing, work-
manity. safeguarding our democracy. Sadly, ers’ paychecks are starting to go up.
So when colleagues in this Chamber many of our Republican friends have But after decades of stagnation, we
talk to me about bipartisanship, which already cast their vote with voter sup- have a long way to go.
I believe in, I just have to ask, at pression. Meanwhile, parents know how expen-
whose expense? Who is being asked to So the judgment of history is upon sive it is to raise kids. Healthcare,
foot the bill for this bipartisanship, us. Future generations will ask when school lunches, diapers, clothes, school
and is liberty itself the cost? I submit the democracy was in a 9–1-1 state of supplies, braces, sports fees, camp
that is a price too high and a bridge emergency, what did you do to put the fees—the list never seems to end.
too far. fire out? Did we rise to the moment or Of course, one of the biggest, if not
So I struggled this weekend. I talked did we hide behind procedural rules? I the biggest expense for so many fami-
to folk I believe in. Among them, I believe that we Democrats can figure lies is childcare. Parents feel like they

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spoke with Reverend Ambassador An- out how to get this done, even if that are trapped. They can’t keep up no
drew Young, who was with Dr. King requires a change in the rules, which matter how hard they work. They work
until the very end, about this vote. I we established just last week that we more hours to provide for their family.
talked to Ambassador Young, and I can do when the issue is important They have to put their money right
asked him: What do you think? enough. back into childcare. Sometimes the
He said: I try not to worry, but I am Well, the people of Georgia and extra money in their paycheck doesn’t
worried about our country. across the country are saying that vot- even cover the extra daycare costs.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9139
That is why Senators BOOKER and that before and seen the lobbyists line my State about what this little bit of
KAINE and BENNET and WARNOCK up in front of Leader MCCONNELL’s of- money in their bank accounts—how
worked so hard to enact the child tax fice and line up in front of the politi- that little bit of investment makes a
credit. As I said, the largest—it is a cians who always do their bidding with transformation in the lives of those
$3,000 tax cut so 92 percent of the fami- their tax cuts for the wealthy and for families.
lies in my State with children get at corporations that outsource jobs. You Take Kelly in Pitman, NJ. She was
least a $3,000 tax cut. It is the same in know what they told us 4 years ago, forced to quit her job when her chil-
Virginia, same in New Jersey, the same when those tax cuts for the rich passed. dren’s school and daycare closed due to
in Georgia. It is about finally—fi- They said: It is going to trickle down the pandemic. She hasn’t been able to
nally—making parents’ hard work pay and help everybody else. We will hire return to work without reliable
off so they can keep up with the costs more people, raise wages. childcare, and the child tax credit is
of raising a family. Of course, corporations didn’t spend helping her family. It is helping to
I was talking to Senator KAINE, and I the money to raise wages. Of course, make up costs that were lost when she
know he is going to say some of the they didn’t spend the money to lower lost her income. It is helping her pro-
same things. Let me share a handful of prices. And then they blame everybody vide for her children. It is that little
some really quick stories or comments else for inflation. Of course, they spent bit of help by returning those tax dol-
that people have gone on our website it—no surprise here—with stock lars which she has paid in—she is get-
and posted at the 15th of the month. buybacks, and they are still at it ting more out now—and helping that
Kristen from Columbus says she is today. family.
using this money to pay for ‘‘daycare. This year, without a single vote, not Take Stacey in Kearny, NJ, the child
For two kids it is $600 a week.’’ a single vote from Republicans in Con- tax credit payments were a lifeline and
Alex in Cleveland: gress—twice, every Democrat voting helped her and her husband keep their
Every penny is going to daycare. 4 kids in for it, a 51-to-50 vote—twice we passed family afloat during this pandemic,
daycare is around $800/week. the child tax credit. It is a simple con- during this crisis. She was indefinitely
CeCe said her tax cut helps her pay trast: Whose side are you on? Do you furloughed, and Stacey used those pay-
for daycare. She said: want tax cuts for billionaires and cor- ments to send her two daughters back
Daycare is the same amount as my mort- porations or tax cuts for working fami- to preschool.
gage payment for 4 days a week! So this is lies? Well, we know the evidence is in.
so, so helpful! We want tax cuts for working fami- Sending her two daughters back to pre-
Courtney from Southeast Ohio in lies, Americans from all over the coun- school means her children will do bet-
Athens: try, from all kinds of backgrounds. ter in school, are more likely to go to
Let’s deliver that for them. Let’s keep college, have higher lifetime earnings,
[S]lightly more than half the cost of part
time daycare tuition per month here in Ath-
the largest tax cut for working families more success that inures to the benefit
ens—much appreciated help getting kiddo ever so that parents can have that of us all in society.
back into childcare . . . keeping me and my peace of mind, can relieve some of Senator after Senator, on both sides
husband in the workforce. their anxiety they face every month to of the aisle, has thousands of these sto-
Brittany said: pay the rent and pay the bills. They ries about what getting more of their
Daycare. can have the peace of mind that the hard-earned tax money back means. In
child tax credit will keep delivering a nation where we have seen the tax
Ellie said: money in their pockets through the cuts of the last decade inure over-
Daycare. holidays this year, into next year, into whelmingly to the richest of the rich,
They also mean parents can afford to next year’s holiday. this was the first tax cut in my life-
work and can afford to keep up with all I yield the floor to Senator BOOKER. time—the biggest of the tax cuts in my
the extra costs of raising kids. Mr. BOOKER. It is frustrating, I lifetime that went overwhelmingly to
Katie in Akron: know, to see such an incredible action middle-class families, working-class
Help[s] [to] pay for school supplies. taken, where we have made a dif- families, low-income families.
Caitlin: ference, where the child tax credit al- And now it sits on a precipice. As
Pay for preschool for my son.
ready has had a significant impact. The many people are aware, tomorrow is
Columbia Center on Poverty found that the last day that these payments are
Lyndsay: the October payment of the expanded scheduled to go out to families like
Back to school clothes. child tax credit helped ensure 3.6 mil- Kelly’s and families like Stacy’s and
Fern: lion American children—3.6 million millions of families across this coun-
It will pay for preschool for both of them American children—are no longer liv- try.
and the rest is going in a savings account for ing below the poverty line. The changes we made to the child tax
them. What does that mean? When a child credit will expire. Struggling Ameri-
Jennifer: is raised above the poverty line, their cans, working Americans, middle-class
Put away for college tuition. horizons are transformed. It actually Americans will not receive that pay-
Melissa: saves an incredible amount of taxpayer ment in January, unless this body acts.
dollars. For every dollar we spend To prevent this from happening, to
I used part of it to buy school uniform
pieces for my 4-year-old. bringing a child above the poverty line, make sure families continue to get
we return $7 back to our economy. more of their tax dollars back and have
Maia: But it is deeper than that. There is a greater security, hope in challenging
Food and school supplies. moral urgency. Children below the pov- times, Congress can pass the Build
These parents are all working hard to erty line have so many more chal- Back Better Act, which includes the
provide for their families and raise lenges. Their horizons are constrained, extension of the child tax credit pay-
their kids. They are working a whole their life outcomes are lessened. ments, which are lowering costs for
lot harder than the CEOs and the hedge Above the poverty line, our children American middle-class, working-class,
fund managers who it looks like, under start to exhibit their genius. Children and low-income families.
Build Back Better, may continue to get raised above the poverty line have Now, I know there is concern being
some of their tax cuts—their tax pref- higher lifetime earnings. They have raised about the Build Back Better leg-
erence, if you will. It is a lot harder for lower medical costs. Children above islation today, but I urge my col-

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these workers than the CEOs and the the poverty line are less likely to go to leagues to understand the high cost of
hedge fund managers and the Swiss the hospital, less likely to get in trou- inaction.
bank account holders who are always ble with the police. Children above the First and foremost, letting this pro-
getting tax cuts from politicians in poverty line have less inhibitions with gram expire will raise costs for fami-
this building. their contributions to this country. lies at the very worst time. With the
We all remember what happened. We I, too, like my dear friend Senator cost of gas and groceries going up, a
can look down the hall. We have done BROWN, have heard lots from people in tax increase, which is effectively what

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S9140 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
this would be, would mean millions of and statistics can obscure—what is My husband and I both have secure jobs,
families in difficult times would have really at stake. So just a week ago, I but the cost of full-time infant care is very
it be harder to make ends meet, to put up on my Senate web page a ques- high. We spend 23 percent of our combined
monthly income on daycare for one child—
make those kitchen table economics tion: What has this tax cut meant to
our 1-year-old son. We also just paid off my
work out. your family? student loans and are saving to buy our first
It will add burdens to people at a In 1 week we have received more than house next year. The child tax credit has al-
time we should be lifting them, at a 200 responses, and I just want to share lowed us to save more money for that house
time that we should be providing relief. a few with you. and to pay off debts. We would like to grow
And, again, it is not just working-class Heather, from Glenn Allen, is a full- our family but worry about our financial
families, middle-class families. It is time caretaker of her physically dis- burden.
children living in that moral obscenity, abled daughter. Her daughter started She also wrote:
that dark place within our society that having trouble with the stairs in her Thank you for working so hard to pass the
is termed ‘‘child poverty’’. home. So they used the child tax cut Build Back Better bill. I am following it
The cost of inaction for all of those payment to help them buy a new stair closely because it means so much to my fam-
lift so her daughter is still able to navi- ily’s future.
children, the cost to our society overall
of having children grow up in poverty gate the home. From Alexandria, a constituent
is $1.1 trillion—$1.1 trillion. That is Heather wrote this to me: wrote:
what poverty costs. My family deeply appreciates the child tax Before the pandemic, the high price of
But there is a moral cost that is credit because we routinely incur additional childcare made it difficult to balance my
expenses while caring for a loved one with a family’s budget. Each month we went into
greater than that. There is a moral ob- disability. I take care of our daughter full debt a little bit more. My husband is a full-
scenity that we are experiencing right time, which makes us a one-income house- time student, and I am the sole breadwinner.
now, a stain on the soul of our Nation hold, so the tax credit helped make a dif-
that we have without this tax credit— ference. The child tax credit helped them
the highest child poverty rates of all of start to pay down debt, to begin an
Beatrice from Rockingham, in the
our industrial peers. Shenandoah Valley, works at Cooks emergency fund, and to start a college
This is a moral moment in America. Creek Presbyterian Church, and she fund for their son.
Our inaction will plunge our Nation sees how the child tax cuts have af- A resident from Waynesboro:
back with millions of families facing fected families they work with. One I benefited tremendously with the child
crisis. We have seen this body act in tax credit. I am a single parent in every as-
mother of six, whose husband is incar-
difficult times before. We have seen us pect, raising two growing boys. It has helped
cerated, relies on the payments to help me out with getting things they need for the
invest in people. We have seen us stand with her child’s medical expenses. An- school year. Also I saved some to be able to
up for children. My worry now is that other couple that comes to this church, give them a good Christmas.
tomorrow will be the last day, unless who are in their sixties, are raising Finally, Laquanda from Roanoke—all
we stand up and act. their great-nephew because his mother she said was this:
I join my colleagues Senator BROWN, suffers from addiction. The tax cut is
Senator BENNET, and I join my col- Please fight for us. Please fight for us.
helping them cover necessities for this
leagues Senator KAINE, Senator great-nephew. I could go on for a long time with
WARNOCK in calling us to meet this mo- Lawanda—I have a picture of these messages, as could my col-
ment, to meet the moral urgency of Lawanda and her family. She is a sin- leagues, but I will stop there. I have
now, and to please make sure that be- gle mom from South Boston, down on read you stories from people who live
fore this body leaves for the holidays, the North Carolina border. Lawanda in every region of Virginia.
that for those families who are in sent me this picture and said: Use this I want to thank my colleagues Sen-
stress and economic strain, those fami- picture. She used the payments to help ators BENNET, BROWN, BOOKER,
lies who are worrying about what will buy clothes and shoes for her children WARNOCK, CORTEZ MASTO, and others
happen next month, that we show them and to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, for leading the charge on getting this
that we care, that we show them that which they usually can’t afford. policy into the American Rescue Plan
we are fiscally prudent, and we make I love this picture because this is a earlier this year, and I want to thank
the best investment possible in Amer- picture of people with smiles. These are all of my Democratic colleagues be-
ica. It is not a stock or a bond. The resilient people, who dream of a better cause this thing passed by one vote in
best investment we can make is mak- future, and this child tax cut is helping March. If any of us had been absent, if
ing sure the child tax credit continues them achieve at something as simple any of us had lost our last race, the
because it is an investment in our chil- as being able to buy fresh vegetables American Rescue Plan would have
dren. rather than canned, or shoes. Some- failed, and none of these families would
I yield the floor. thing as simple as that is what this have received the support of the child
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- child tax cut is about. tax credit.
ator from Virginia. A Virginian from Lynchburg wrote Well, we are going to have that op-
Mr. KAINE. Madam President, I am that the tax cut has helped buy healthy portunity again, and, given the fact
honored to join my colleagues today to food, clothing, and shoes. And then she that one party has said they will not
speak about the child tax credit and to said this: support this bill, it is on our shoulders.
do something similar to what they Children grow so fast now and eat more, These families who are struggling and
have done and just make it personal to which causes many trips to the grocery working so hard and who have hopes as
store. We are senior citizen, retired grand-
families. high as any of our hopes, they need us.
parents with legal guardianship of our grand-
Tomorrow, on the 15th of December, daughter. With this being the last payment As Laquanda said, they need us to fight
more than 930,000 Virginia families, in December, which would be used partly for for them.
who together have 1.6 million kids, will Christmas gifts for her, we will [really] have Thank you to my colleagues for join-
receive a child tax cut payment—$300 to stretch this. ing in that.
for a child under age 6 and $250 for each Grandparents—grandparents raising With that, I yield the floor but would
child between ages 6 and 17. Those are their granddaughter and finding in this defer to my colleague from Colorado.
big numbers. Those are big numbers— tax cut the ability to afford Christmas The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
1.6 million children; 930,000 families. gifts. ator from Colorado.
And I am here joining my colleagues Mr. BENNET. Madam President, it is

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Nicole from Leesburg is using the tax
to ask that this payment to parents— cut for therapy for her autistic son be- a wonderful moment to be here with
this parents’ tax cut—to help their cause insurance no longer covers it. my colleagues to acknowledge that in
children is not the last, because unless In another picture is Sasha from March we passed the biggest reduction
we act, the sixth payment that will go Midlothian, which is right outside of in poverty in generations in our coun-
out tomorrow will be the last. Richmond. Sasha wrote to me and said try. That was through the expansion of
Now, the numbers are big, but some- this—and this is Sasha and her young the child tax credit, which increased
times the numbers can obscure—data one: the credit, made it payable on a

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9141
monthly basis, and, for the first time life than we did and that our kids will friends, which means the world to
in American history, made it fully re- as well. them.
fundable so the millions of children in So I brought a few photos today to I had a mom who told me that she
this country who were too poor to get the floor to share some stories of Colo- had bought a bike for her son and he
the benefit of the credit because their radans with all of you and my col- was able to take it to stay at school
families were too poor would get the leagues. late to engage in afterschool activities
benefit of that credit. And we needed to This is April Pratt from El Paso he otherwise wouldn’t be able to do
do it. County, and she lives there with her without that bike.
The United States, before we passed three daughters, who are ages 8, 21⁄2, And, finally, here is Ayesha Bogart
this, was 38th out of 41 industrialized and 11⁄2. from Colorado Springs. Here is another
countries in the world when it came to When April was pregnant with her mom from the Springs with her three
childhood poverty. The poorest genera- youngest daughter, her husband trag- kids, aged 12, 13, and 23. Ayesha served
tion in this country are our children, ically passed away. Now, she is the sole for 16 years as a medic in the U.S.
and I think what we said was that breadwinner for the family. And al- Army and U.S. Army Reserves. While
there is no reason for us to accept though she works full-time at the local she was on Active Duty, she was in-
those outcomes or those numbers as a school, there is not much left after her jured during a training accident when
permanent feature of our economy or mortgage, diapers, and groceries for her Humvee rolled over, and it left her
our democracy. And in the end, this three young kids. Let me just say that with a traumatic brain injury. Now,
isn’t about numbers. This is about chil- again. She works full-time. she is a single mom supporting three
dren all over our country and the fu- Before the Child Tax Credit, April kids all by herself. And before the child
ture of the United States of America. said she ‘‘felt like I was having a lot of tax credit, she couldn’t afford to buy
Childhood poverty costs this country anxiety every month about whether I new shoes for her kids.
a trillion dollars a year, and one of the was going to be able to afford my bills. She said there were days when they
things we decided was that maybe, in- It was eating up a lot of my attention.’’ didn’t have shampoo at home and her
stead of paying for the effects of child- Thanks to the child tax credit, April kids would get teased at school.
hood poverty, we could actually begin can afford the $1,200 a month for Thanks to the child tax credit, she
to try to reduce the amount of child- childcare for her two youngest daugh- bought her kids new pairs of shoes. She
hood poverty that exists in our coun- ters so she can work—so she can work. bought them school supplies so they
try, the way other countries around She said, ‘‘If I wasn’t able to afford feel like they are on a level playing
the world have already done it. childcare, I’d have to quit my job.’’ field with the other children in their
Nationally, the child tax credit, as I Without the child tax credit, April school. She said the child tax credit
say, is cutting childhood poverty in said that she would be ‘‘forced to use has given her ‘‘breathing room where
half. It is reducing hunger among fami- my credit card to fill in the gaps, and there wasn’t any before.’’
that debt just accumulates and accu- I have heard stories like that all
lies by a quarter. Let that linger for a
mulates, and that becomes crippling, across the State of Colorado. This is
second.
and my family wouldn’t be able to get not an anecdotal reflection of people
When was the last time we were able
ahead.’’ She said it was ‘‘nice that our not working hard. All of these people
to come to the floor of the Senate and
are working hard. It is hard work just
say we cut hunger in this country by a government is finally doing something
to raise a child, much less do the kind
quarter? It has been generations since to help working families and middle-
of jobs these folks are doing. And the
anybody has been able to say that on class families.’’
Finally, after we have cut taxes for economy has worked really well for the
this floor.
top 10 percent, as I said, but hasn’t
In Colorado, a million kids and their the wealthiest people in this country
really worked for anybody else.
families are benefitting from this cred- by more than $5 trillion since 2001, we
And what has Washington’s response
it. That is 90 percent of the kids in my finally have a tax cut for working fam- been time and time and time again? To
State. It is 90 percent of the kids across ilies. We should be making it perma- come here and cut taxes for the richest
the country. Parents in Colorado are nent. people in America and ignore the needs
getting an average of $240 a month to This is Amberly Atencio, also from of working people. That is what we
pay for groceries, to help with the rent, Colorado. She is here with her three have done since 2001, $8 trillion in tax
and, really importantly, to pay for a girls that are ages 9, 12, and 14. When I cuts, almost all of which have gone to
little extra childcare so people can got to this place, my daughters were 9, the wealthiest people in this country.
stay at work. And I know that because 7, and 4, so I have some appreciation And now, we have a tax cut for work-
of what parents have told me they are for what she has got on her hands. ing people in an economy that has not
spending the money on. They lived their entire lives in Monte lifted them up the way it has lifted the
When we first passed this credit back Vista, a small town in southwest Colo- people at the very top. We are saying
in June—I think it was then that it rado in the San Luis Valley. And for we don’t have to accept childhood pov-
first went into effect—July and Au- the past 3 years, Amberly has been erty as a permanent feature of our
gust, people were getting ready to go working full-time and studying. And economy or our democracy. We don’t
back to school, and I had mom after last week, she graduated with her sec- have to accept an economy where it
mom after mom across the State tell ond associate’s degree. only grows for the wealthiest Ameri-
me how important it was that they She works for a local health insur- cans. We don’t have to accept that Con-
were able to buy school clothes for ance company. And before the child tax gress is only paying attention to spe-
their kids without bankrupting their credit, her paycheck was the only cial interests and to the wealthiest
family, for the first time. source of income for her family. She Americans.
And, you know, all of this is the re- said that knowing that monthly sup- We can build an economy that in-
flection of an economy that for 50 port comes on the same day each cludes everybody, that when it grows,
years has worked extremely well for month helps her pay the rent and buy everybody benefits from it because the
the top 10 percent of Americans and food. She said: ‘‘I’m a single parent. whole society benefits from this as
hasn’t really worked for anybody else, This is like heaven to me, knowing well. Childhood poverty costs this
and where the families who come to see that I have that extra income to pro- country $1 trillion a year. We can’t af-
me in my townhall say: MICHAEL, we vide for my children. . . . It has helped ford not to do it, which is why so many
are working really hard, but no matter so much.’’

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
other countries in the world have done
what we do, we can’t afford some com- Her daughters love sports—soccer, this.
bination of housing, healthcare, higher basketball, volleyball, and track. But We can create opportunity for every
education, early childhood education, between the shorts, knee pads, cleats, American family and give every child a
if we can even find early childhood edu- shin guards, and fees, it all adds up. chance to contribute to this economy
cation or daycare. And with the child tax credit, she has and to our society. And I believe it is
We can’t save. We feel like our fami- bought that equipment for her daugh- fundamentally important to strength-
lies are going to live a more diminished ters so they can play sports with their ening our democracy, making sure we

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S9142 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
have got something we are proud of to said, and I quote: ‘‘Thanks to the Ad- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a
turn over to the next generation of vance Child Tax Credit, I’ve mostly sufficient second?
Americans. avoided this and been able to pay bills There appears to be a sufficient sec-
That is why it is critical for us to ex- and even enjoy special outings with my ond.
tend this child tax credit, to not allow children. The Child Tax Credit encour- The clerk will call the roll.
it to lapse at the end of the year, and ages my family to make better choices The senior assistant legislative clerk
in my mind, make it permanent. I in general—affording me assistance called the roll.
would argue that we cannot afford not with quality childcare, options for Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is
to. healthier products and food, and pro- necessarily absent: the Senator from
I yield the floor. viding the opportunity to participate Wyoming (Ms. LUMMIS).
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MUR- The result was announced—yeas 50,
in extracurricular activities that I be-
PHY). The Senator from Nevada.
nays 49, as follows:
lieve are critical to a kid’s social and
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, [Rollcall Vote No. 498 Leg.]
physical development.’’
like all Americans, Nevadans have YEAS—50
That was Jessie. And that is why it
been through a difficult 2 years. Our was so beneficial to her family and her Baldwin Hickenlooper Reed
Bennet Hirono Rosen
State was one of the hardest hit by the children. Blumenthal Kaine Sanders
pandemic. Nevada relies on tourism Social interactions are so important Booker Kelly Schatz
and the travel industry, and with the for kids’ mental health as well, and we Brown King Schumer
country in lockdown, a huge propor- Cantwell Klobuchar
have known that throughout this pan- Cardin Leahy
Shaheen
tion of our families saw layoffs or fur- demic. Treanna James, a single mom Sinema
Carper Luján Smith
loughs. In fact, we had one of the high- in Las Vegas, used her extra funds to Casey Manchin
Stabenow
est unemployment rates in the country take her two sons to visit an uncle and Coons Markey
Tester
Cortez Masto Menendez
at one time: 30 percent. an aunt in northern California for the Duckworth Merkley
Van Hollen
For those families, the middle-class first time since the pandemic began. Durbin Murphy Warner
tax cuts we passed in the American Warnock
Because of underlying medical issues, Feinstein Murray
Warren
Rescue Plan have been an incredible Gillibrand Ossoff
they had to be very careful about trav- Hassan Padilla Whitehouse
lifeline. Today, I am joining my col- el; but she said the child tax credit Heinrich Peters Wyden
leagues to stand up for extending these helped make it possible for them to NAYS—49
tax cuts. It is so important that we get spend time with family again at
Barrasso Graham Risch
this done for people not only in the Sil- Thanksgiving. Blackburn Grassley Romney
ver State but across the country. So these tax cuts have really been Blunt Hagerty Rounds
In many cases, this is money that key for Nevada families. Now, they are Boozman Hawley Rubio
Nevadans have earned, and it really set to expire at the end of 2021, but the Braun Hoeven Sasse
Burr Hyde-Smith Scott (FL)
needs to go back into their pockets. We budget proposal that we are consid- Capito Inhofe Scott (SC)
are talking about a tax cut that bene- ering extends them for 1 more year. Cassidy Johnson Shelby
fits the vast majority of families in Ne- Our hard-working families want us to Collins Kennedy
Sullivan
vada. Cornyn Lankford
keep this critical support going to Cotton Lee
Thune
In July of this year, because of the them. This is not the time to make it Cramer Marshall
Tillis
American Rescue Plan, the child tax Toomey
harder for people to keep a roof over Crapo McConnell
Tuberville
credit increased to $300 per month for their heads or give their kids the essen- Cruz Moran
Daines Murkowski Wicker
children under 6 years of age and $250 a tials they need. Ernst Paul Young
month for children between 6 and 17 So let’s make sure Nevadans can Fischer Portman
years of age. Working families with keep that money that they have earned NOT VOTING—1
two young kids are receiving more and extend these middle-class tax cuts Lummis
than $500 a month back from the gov- to Nevadans and all families across the
ernment to help them make ends meet, country. Let’s support the working The joint resolution (S.J. Res. 33)
and it is making a tremendous dif- people. Let’s support hard-working in- was passed, as follows:
ference. Over 594,000 children in Nevada dividuals every day and help them with S.J. RES. 33
and their families qualify for this their economic recovery. Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep-
money. I yield the floor. resentatives of the United States of America in
I have heard story after story from Congress assembled, That the limitation under
Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I sug- section 3101(b) of title 31, United States
people in the Silver State about the gest the absence of a quorum. Code, as most recently increased by Public
way the money is supporting their chil- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Law 117–50 (31 U.S.C. 3101 note), is increased
dren. Some families are using the clerk will call the roll. by $2,500,000,000,000.
money for rent, to make sure that The senior assistant legislative clerk The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
their kids don’t suffer from housing in- proceeded to call the roll. ator from Arizona.
security. Others use it for clothes for Ms. SMITH. Mr. President, I ask UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—EXECUTIVE
their children or schoolbooks and other unanimous consent that the order for CALENDAR
school supplies. the quorum call be rescinded. Mr. KELLY. Mr. President, I ask
Lori Munoz from Henderson, NV, told The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without unanimous consent that the Senate
the Las Vegas Sun that she uses it for objection, it is so ordered. proceed to executive session and con-
school lunches and other school ex- The majority leader. sider the following nomination: Execu-
penses. She said, ‘‘You always think, VOTE ON S.J. RES. 33 tive Calendar No. 476, David A. Honey,
‘oh, it’s some extra money.’ It’s never Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask of Virginia, to be Deputy Under Sec-
extra money. . . . Kids always need, unanimous consent that all remaining retary of Defense; that the nomination
there’s always something that needs to time be yielded back. be confirmed and the motion to recon-
be bought.’’ The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there sider be considered made and laid upon
Many families use it just for food on objection? the table with no intervening action or
the table. After those first payments Without objection, it is so ordered. debate; that no further motions be in
were issued in July, the number of The joint resolution was ordered to order to the nomination; that the
adults reporting that children in their be engrossed for a third reading and

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
President be immediately notified of
households didn’t have enough to eat was read the third time. the Senate’s action; and that the Sen-
fell by one-third. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The joint ate resume legislative session.
And Jessie Cartinella from Reno told resolution having been read the third The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MAR-
me that receiving the monthly pay- time, the question is, Shall the joint KEY). Is there objection?
ments let her stay afloat as a single resolution pass? The Senator from Missouri.
mom on a teacher’s salary and kept her Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas Mr. HAWLEY. Mr. President, I ob-
from running up credit card bills. She and nays. ject.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9143
It is now December. It has been near- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- the inflation rate never topped 2 per-
ly four months since the disastrous tion is heard. cent.
withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mr. KELLY. Mr. President, the Dep- There were countless reasons for us
Thirteen servicemembers lost their uty Under Secretary of Defense for Re- to be optimistic. We had three highly
lives in the attack on Abbey Gate search and Engineering is a critical po- effective vaccines, with shots going
along with hundreds of civilians. As a sition that helps lead and manage our into the arms of millions of people
result of the botched evacuation oper- military’s science and technology every day. Schools were reopening.
ation, hundreds, if not thousands, of work. This includes work on disrup- Employees were returning to work.
American civilians were left behind to tive, cutting-edge technologies like The American people began to discover
the enemy. quantum science, hypersonics, and ar- a new semblance of normal post-
We hear from our friends on the tificial intelligence. Maintaining our COVID.
other side of the aisle that my insist- competitive edge over China in these But the administration ignored all of
ence that we actually vote on nominees areas has been a focus of the Sub- this progress because they had another
is unprecedented. I would humbly sug- committee on Emerging Threats and plan in mind. They seized on what one
gest that the crisis into which this Capabilities, which I chair, and I know House Democrat described as a ‘‘tre-
President has led this country is un- that all of us—all of us—here under- mendous opportunity to restructure
precedented. In my lifetime, it is un- stand how important it is. things to fit [their] vision.’’ They craft-
precedented. We worked on a bipartisan basis to ed a nearly $2 trillion piece of legisla-
It is unprecedented for an American include investment and policy changes tion that included their ideological pri-
President to watch 13 servicemembers for these priorities in the NDAA that orities and tried to brand it as nec-
lose their lives in an evacuation for we are hoping to pass this week. The essary pandemic relief. But we know
which he is responsible and then to cel- Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for that only about 10 percent of that $2
ebrate that operation as ‘‘an unquali- Research and Engineering is tasked trillion expenditure went to COVID–19.
fied success’’ or ‘‘an extraordinary suc- Less than 1 percent went for vaccines.
with carrying out many of these
cess.’’ I believe those were President What it did include was backdoor fund-
changes. Yet the nominee for this post
Biden’s words. ing for Planned Parenthood, a blank
has yet to be confirmed.
Really, an extraordinary success? Dr. David A. Honey is qualified. He check for mismanaged union pension
Thirteen servicemembers dead, hun- brings decades of experience, including plans, and money for climate justice. It
dreds of civilians dead, hundreds of as an Air Force pilot, an intelligence was easy to see through the COVID re-
Americans left behind to the enemy— lief facade.
officer, and in leadership roles at
that is success? No, that is a failure. Well, as our colleagues pushed this
DARPA, the Office of the Secretary of
That is unacceptable. bill forward, they ignored warning
Defense, and within the intelligence signs from leading economists that this
And who has been held accountable
for this disaster? No one. Who has the community. Reflecting his qualifica- kind of spending chasing limited goods
President fired? Who has offered their tions, Dr. Honey’s nomination has bi- and services could trigger inflation.
resignation? Which of the planners at partisan support and was voice-voted Larry Summers, who served as Sec-
the Department of State or the Depart- out of the Senate Armed Services Com- retary of Treasury during the Obama
ment of Defense or the National Secu- mittee in October. administration, even predicted that
At a time when our adversaries are this package could ‘‘set off inflationary
rity Council has been relieved of duty?
No one. investing heavily in an attempt to out- pressures of a kind we have not seen in
Until there is accountability, I am pace the United States, we need all a generation.’’
going to ask that the Senate do the hands on deck and confirmed leader- Our colleagues couldn’t be convinced
simple task of its job, which is to actu- ship in this post, so I am very dis- to change course, and look where we
ally vote on these nominees. The least appointed that we could not do that are now as a result. We are experi-
we could do is observe regular order today. This is a matter of national se- encing inflation of a kind that we have
and vote on these leadership positions curity. not seen in a generation. Last month,
at the Department of State and at the I yield the floor. prices jumped a whopping 6.8 percent
Department of Defense. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- from the previous year, marking the
My colleagues say that we have got ator from Texas. sixth consecutive month in which in-
to put national security first. I agree INFLATION flation has topped 5 percent.
with them about that. But I believe Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, for When concerns were raised about
that begins at the top, with the Presi- months now, American families have this, the Federal Reserve claimed that
dent of the United States and the lead- struggled with the growing burden of this inflation was transitory—in other
ership of the Department of Defense inflation. New data shows just how bad words, it was a passing moment—but
and the Department of State. I, for things have gotten. the longer and longer inflation con-
one, am not going to stand by and look Last month, consumer prices in- tinues to rise and continues to be a
the other way while this administra- creased at the fastest pace in 40 years. problem, it is looking less and less
tion systematically endangers our na- Now, I would like to take a little walk transitory and more and more fright-
tional security, imperils the American down memory lane. The last time the ening. The reason it is frightening, of
people, and watches the sacrifice of our American people endured price spikes course, is because particularly people
soldiers go by without any account- like this, ‘‘Eye of the Tiger’’ was one of on fixed incomes are seeing less and
ability, without any change in direc- the top songs on the radio. I am sure less buying power for each dollar they
tion. the Senator from Delaware remembers spend. It is, some have said, a hidden
I am not willing to look the other that very well. The world had yet to be tax on the American people, which de-
way and just pretend that Afghanistan introduced to Nintendo and Mario. scribes its impact very well.
didn’t happen, which seems to be the Consumers were anxiously awaiting Well, month after month, the data
posture that many in this body have the release of the first cell phone, has now demonstrated that this is not
adopted. I am not willing to do that. I which weighed in at a whopping 2 just transitory and it isn’t just a blip
can’t do that because I promised the pounds. I remember those unwieldy on the radar of our economy. Inflation
parents of the fallen that I wouldn’t do telephones well. is running much hotter than expected,
that. Over the last four decades, of course, and things are not expected to cool
I am going to discharge my responsi- a lot has changed, and I am not just

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
down anytime soon.
bility. And as long as it takes, I will talking about technology—the attacks As families prepare for the Christmas
continue to draw attention to what of September 11, wars in Iraq and Af- holiday season, they are bracing their
happened at Abbey Gate and to demand ghanistan, the great recession. wallets for higher than normal ex-
accountability for the disaster that Even during the first year of the pan- penses, and one of the biggest hits is
this administration has pushed upon demic, inflation didn’t come close to for grocery bills—hardly something op-
this country and upon the people of my hitting the heights that it has today. tional. Breakfast on Christmas morn-
State. Between March 2020 and February 2021, ing is sure to cost a lot more than it

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S9144 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
did just a year ago. Egg prices are up 8 nal life is a temporary government pro- cost $4.9 trillion during the first 10
percent. Bacon costs a whopping 21 per- gram—this legislation will cost a lot years—not $1.75 trillion, not zero, but
cent more than it did just a year ago. more than they admit, and we now $4.9 trillion. Deficits and debt would in-
Dinner—it won’t be any cheaper either. know how much that will be. crease by a staggering $3 trillion; in
Prices are up for everything from ham Senator GRAHAM, who serves as a other words, borrowed money that the
to salad dressing to pie. ranking member on the Budget Com- next generation or maybe next two
Cooking that meal will cost you a lot mittee, asked the Congressional Budg- generations will have to repay, which
more too. Electricity prices are up 6.5 et Office to provide a more accurate makes President Biden’s comment
percent, and anyone cooking on a gas cost estimate for this legislation. Oth- about ‘‘zero’’ even more bizarre.
range will shell out 25 percent more ers like me asked the CBO and the When it comes to solving our coun-
than they did last year. Joint Committee on Taxation to give try’s biggest problems, our colleagues
If you are traveling to see your ex- us an updated estimate. There have across the aisle have proven them-
tended family this year, you better been a lot of requests made to come up selves to be a one-trick pony. Whether
start saving for it now. Gas prices are with an accurate, truth-in-advertising the American people are facing a pan-
up a whopping 58 percent, the largest score for this huge bill. demic, a sluggish economic recovery,
increase since 1980. Last week, we got what we asked for. red-hot inflation, or any combination
Of course, this ignores the rising cost We finally received the true score for of crises, President Biden and our
of gifts sitting under the Christmas this legislation, and it is a whole lot Democratic colleagues here in Con-
tree, if you can get them because of more than the American people were gress think trillions of dollars in new
broken and delayed supply chains. So told and much more than they have spending is the best path forward.
the new cars and the washing machines bargained for. Let’s start with the cost The first round of reckless spending
and sofas that countless families have provision of just one part of this bill, hurt our economic recovery and sent
purchased this year, all of those cost the expanded child tax credit. This ex- the American people on a wild infla-
more. pansion initially came on the scene as tionary ride. Our colleagues continue
You would think that our Demo- a temporary measure in the first par- to ignore clear signals from the econ-
cratic colleagues who are proposing an- tisan spending bill just 9 months ago. omy, including warnings by Demo-
other $5 trillion in spending under the So this actually builds on the $2 tril- cratic economists about the con-
so-called BBB—or Build Back Better lion our colleagues passed at the begin- sequences to unchecked spending.
bill—you would think they would view ning of this year. The very first pay- And we are now experiencing the
this with caution and back off of their ments had barely gone out the door highest inflation in a generation. This
plans or at least tap the brakes for a when our friends on the other side of second round of spending would usher
second round of unnecessary spending. the aisle called for these temporary in more inflation, higher deficits, and
Unfortunately, that does not appear to provisions to be made permanent. Our even greater financial trouble for the
be the case. In fact, the Senate major- colleagues knew that a permanent ex- American people. The American people
ity leader, Senator SCHUMER, is trying pansion would have been far too expen- have clearly suffered enough, and it is
to double down on this next round of sive so they opted for a temporary ex- time to simply put the ‘‘Build Back
inflationary spending. tension. Bankrupt’’ bill out of its misery.
We know that every trick in the book Earlier drafts of this bill would have I yield the floor.
has been employed to try to make the extended this policy through 2025. As I suggest the absence of a quorum.
BBB, the Build Back Better—‘‘Build time went on, the pricetag was still too The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
Back Broke,’’ ‘‘Build Back Bad,’’ high so Democrats scaled it back to a clerk will call the roll.
‘‘Build Back Bankrupt,’’ you call it 1-year extension, but still nothing has The senior assistant bill clerk pro-
what you will—our Democratic col- changed. Calls to make this temporary ceeded to call the roll.
leagues have used every gimmick in provision permanent have not gone Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I ask
the book to make the price of this bill away, and I see no indication that our unanimous consent that the order for
look as small as possible. Of course, colleagues will ever be content to let the quorum call be rescinded.
they started with the chairman of the this extension expire after just 1 year. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Budget Committee. Senator SANDERS Our colleagues on the other side of objection, it is so ordered.
wanted to spend $6 trillion more. That the aisle say this provision will cost BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
was pared down to $3.5 trillion. Now, taxpayers $185 billion, as if that were a Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, as we
they claim it is only $1.75 trillion. In bargain. The latest estimate from the approach the Christmas break and the
order to achieve that number, they CBO places the actual cost at roughly advent of the new year, I believe it is
have gamed the Tax Code to fund part $1.6 trillion. You heard that right. Our instructive to take an inventory of the
of the bill while handing out tax breaks colleagues across the aisle said it year that was. So in honor of the holi-
to millionaires and billionaires in re- would just cost $185 billion, but the lat- day season, let’s take stock of the first
lief for State and local taxes. They est estimate from the Congressional year of the reign of Biden, SCHUMER,
have strategically chosen start dates, Budget Office placed the actual cost and PELOSI. In fact, in the spirit of the
sunsets, and expiration dates that during the 10-year budget window at season, I am going to call this recita-
make these programs appear decep- roughly $1.6 trillion, nine times higher tion the ‘‘Twelve Biden Blunders of
tively to cost less. than what Democrats have been telling Christmas.’’
One of our colleagues acknowledged the American people. The true cost of The first blunder that Joe Biden gave
that this is disingenuous advertising this one provision is nearly as high as to us is a free Big Government socialist
and even told Mr. GRAHAM, the Senator what our colleagues said the entire agenda, otherwise known as the Demo-
from South Carolina, that he knew package would cost. crats’ Build Back Better plan, designed
that this score they were promoting Then you add in the other higher- to pass with no support from or, frank-
was full of gimmicks. than-promised expenses. The true costs ly, input from any of these pesky Re-
Of course, that is a lot different than of payoffs and subsidies to organize publicans.
the President himself, who said this labor, allowing dues to become tax de- Time and time again, Joe Biden and
bill will cost zero. Now, everybody ductible will cost taxpayers billions his Democratic toymakers have par-
knows that is not true. more than advertised. roted the claim that their Big Govern-
But there had been some debate But I will give them credit about one ment socialist agenda costs zero—zero.

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
about what the honest score would be thing. They are transparent when it Can you imagine a piece of legislation
even with all the gimmicks. If the tem- comes to subsidizing more frivolous designed to give away trillions of dol-
porary provisions were extended, as we lawsuits against small businesses by lars but doesn’t cost anything? But
all know they would be—there is no giving a permanent tax cut to trial perhaps they have some elf dust that
such thing as a temporary government lawyers. When you add up all the not- makes it possible.
program around here or, as Ronald so-temporary provisions, the Congres- Obviously, this isn’t true. Analysis
Reagan said, the closest thing to eter- sional Budget Office says this bill will by nongovernment, nonpartisan

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9145
groups, including the Penn Wharton Democrats—that they, in fact, control There is no way to adequately under-
model and the Committee for a Respon- a ‘‘state media,’’ the fact is, they don’t. stand the magnitude of the problem or
sible Federal Budget, did an analysis Give the American people some credit the severity of the crisis unless you see
and concluded that the cost was much, here. They are smarter than being it with your own two eyes. So I implore
much higher, like just under $5 trillion. spoon-fed information from the West the President, who has held elected of-
A recent thorough analysis, based on Wing through their ‘‘elfin folk’’ at fice nearly uninterrupted since 1973,
the history and the traditions of Con- Facebook. please visit the southern border and ac-
gress and spending, by the nonpartisan The fourth blunder Joe Biden gave to knowledge what is obvious to every-
Congressional Budget Office agrees. us is raging inflation from pumping body else. This is a national crisis.
The Washington Post’s Fact Checker trillions of free dollars into the econ- The sixth blunder Joe Biden gave to
even gave Treasury Secretary Janet omy. We all saw the writing on the us is a new kind of border wall, not the
Yellen two Pinocchios when she re- wall when Democrats and the Biden ad- wall we need to secure the crisis on the
peated the same bogus claim that this ministration pushed for $2 trillion in southern border, which has seen record
bill would cost nothing. ‘‘COVID relief’’ in March, just 3 numbers as nearly 2 million people
The second blunder Joe Biden gave to months removed from the bipartisan have attempted to enter the country il-
us is hiding from media reporters and $900 billion relief bill. This was a total legally under Biden’s watch.
not taking questions. It is unbelievable partisan, reckless $2 trillion that came By the way, this is just the number
to me—it is hard to imagine the leader at a time when there was obvious eco- of illegal immigrants who have been
of the freest country in the world, in nomic recovery coming out of the pan- apprehended by our CBP heroes. Now,
fact, the leader of the free world, is demic. that is more than twice the population
afraid to take questions from the And now, Democrats want to spend of my home State.
fourth estate or that his staffers are nearly $5 trillion on their ‘‘Build Back But according to Secretary
afraid of what might come out of his Broke’’ plan. To put these massive Mayorkas, a border wall is an affront
mouth. numbers in perspective, the sum of to—get this—an affront to humani-
Freedom of the press is enshrined in these two bills—just these two bills—is tarian relief. Obviously, the ranchers
the First Amendment of our Constitu- more than the U.S. Government spent and the innocent American citizens liv-
tion on purpose. Yet on David fighting World War II. In 2019 dollars, ing and working near the border don’t
Axelrod’s podcast, the White House the United States spent $4.69 trillion qualify for this humanitarian relief.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki admitted over the course of just under 4 years to Yet his Agency secured and awarded a
out loud that ‘‘a lot of times we say, fight and defeat Nazi Germany and the contract for nearly half a million tax-
‘Don’t take questions.’ ’’ Axis powers. payer dollars to build and install a
The media in the United States is not Liberal and left-of-center econo- fence around Joe Biden’s home in Dela-
supposed to be the mouthpiece of the mists, including Larry Summers and ware. What kind of humanitarian relief
government or its leaders. Trans- Jason Furman, sounded warning bells does Joe Biden’s beach mansion need?
parency is essential—essential—in our early this year, but Democrats forged The seventh blunder Joe Biden gave
exceptional self-governing system. ahead sending inflation to levels not to us is $450,000 settlements for illegal
Now, I am not the President of the seen in nearly 40 years. They continue immigrants, just for being illegal. The
United States, but reporters who work to insist that inflation is ‘‘transitory,’’ Wall Street Journal was the first to re-
in the halls of this temple of liberty but Americans know better. Americans port this absurd plan. While North Da-
and, of course, reporters back home in paying more and more for everything kota families and businesses are strug-
North Dakota know I am always will- with each passing month know that gling with inflation and skyrocketing
ing to engage. I don’t hide from my this is more than transitory inflation. costs on everything because of Joe
votes or explanations for them. I am The fifth blunder Joe Biden’s Cabinet Biden’s spending policies, his adminis-
not scripted to the point of resigning gave to us is Homeland Security Sec- tration wants to hand out hundreds of
my own thoughts or opinions or even retary Alejandro Mayorkas’s assess- thousands of dollars to illegal immi-
mistakes and decisions. North Dako- ment of the southern border crisis. Re- grants.
tans elected me, not my staff. Ameri- member the hordes of illegal immi- In comparison to the $450,000 pro-
cans elected Joe Biden, not his staff, grants camping out on the bridge in posed payout for illegal border cross-
not some buffer of bureaucracy. He has Del Rio, TX? ‘‘Don’t worry,’’ Secretary ers, the U.S. Government pays only
the responsibility to be accessible, and Mayorkas said as he low-balled the $100,000 to the families of soldiers
the media has the responsibility to de- numbers, citing: killed in service to our country, and
mand it of him. Approximately, I think it’s about 10,000 or people who are wrongly accused and in-
But the slippery slope doesn’t end so, 12,000. It could be even higher. carcerated in Federal prison are eligi-
here. Another third blunder Joe Biden Actually, conservative estimates ble for just $50,000. That is right—
gave to us is the White House deciding have the tally upward of 15,000 people. $100,000 if you die defending our free-
what is ‘‘misinformation.’’ In a news While we are talking about the crisis dom but $450,000 if you violate our free-
conference, Jen Psaki said: at the southern border, it is important dom.
We’re flagging— to note Joe Biden made multiple Now, when confronted about this,
Imagine this now, the White House claims that he visited the border. But President Biden said this is not going
spokesperson: guess what. He hasn’t. The Washington to happen, but he was quickly cor-
Post Fact Checker wrote: ‘‘We cannot rected by his own White House and the
We’re flagging problematic posts for
Facebook that spread disinformation. We’re find evidence that Biden at one point Justice Department. Negotiations are
working with doctors and medical experts made a visit to the southern border’’ in ongoing, so we don’t know what any
. . . who are popular with their audience his many decades of public office. final number will be. I have helped
with accurate information. So, we’re helping It is as though he thinks, if he says sponsor legislation and amendments to
get trusted content out there. it, somehow that makes it true. The prevent this policy from ever being im-
That is frightening language coming problem is lying doesn’t make the lie plemented. The last thing we need is
from a spokesperson for the President. true. I have been to the border, most another incentive for people to come to
It sounds an awful lot like the U.S. recently, about 6 weeks ago. I can tell our country illegally.
Government colluding with the media you, it is bad. I can tell you, it is a cri- The eighth blunder Joe Biden gave to
to decide what, in fact, counts as fact. sis. Our Customs and Border Patrol us is private jet-setting climate apolo-

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
In fact, reading between the lines on agents are completely overwhelmed. I gist John Kerry’s comments on coal.
this one, it seems the White House is went on a ride-along and aerial tour of Kerry stated:
playing the ultimate arbiter of the the Rio Grande Valley and visited the By 2030 in the United States, we won’t have
truth. If this seems a little Orwellian, Donna Processing Facility, where fami- coal. We will not have coal plants.
well, it is. It is. lies and unaccompanied minors are While a State Department spokes-
While it is easy to see why Ms. Psaki processed. If there is any takeaway person walked back Kerry’s statement,
might conclude—and, frankly, other from seeing this firsthand, it is this: ‘‘noting the administration’s plan still

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S9146 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
would allow coal,’’ it is absurd on its Granholm and Joe Biden provide cover alarm in regards to his own comments
face. for them, along, of course, with John about Taiwan.
Cutting off coal would shut down Kerry, even greenlighting their fossil In October, Joe Biden told reporters,
American innovation, kill all the fuel energy projects, while they kill ‘‘I have spoken with Xi Jinping about
progress we have made on carbon cap- America’s. Taiwan. We agree, we will abide by the
ture technology, eliminate good-paying The tenth blunder Joe Biden gave to Taiwan agreement,’’ he said. Of course,
U.S. jobs, scrap grid reliability, and in- us is a disastrous withdrawal from Af- immediately, alarm bells rang out,
crease the cost of energy and every- ghanistan. There is a lot to unpack causing confusion and a lot of head
thing that is produced that is depend- here, and nothing about this topic is scratching. You have to remember, we
ent on the energy—like we need more meant to be glib or sarcastic. This have a backdrop of Beijing ramping up
inflation—and cede energy dominance withdrawal was nothing short of a military pressure on Taiwan, and Joe
to foreign adversaries who have a total tragic disaster and an international Biden can’t properly articulate our Na-
lack of environmental concern and embarrassment. tion’s foreign policy posture.
standards. Canceling coal is merely a We will continue searching for an- The lack of understanding on some-
transfer of emissions guilt to other swers and accountability from the ad- thing as critical as China is dumb-
countries with dirtier energy produc- ministration on this, but let’s focus on founding. Taiwan is a strategic ally
tion than we have. the failed commitments from Joe and important trading partner to the
The ninth blunder Joe Biden gave to Biden. He said his administration United States, especially given the in-
us is moral authority and other gaffes would get all Americans and our allies creased risk China poses, not only to
from Energy Secretary Jennifer out of the country ahead of his arbi- the region but to the world. If this was
Granholm. Most notably, Secretary trary August 31 withdrawal deadline. an isolated incident, it would be one
Granholm—while in North Dakota, no He also said the United States would thing, but this isn’t the only time his
less—said: ‘‘We don’t have much moral stay in Afghanistan until all Ameri- comments in Taiwan had to be clari-
authority to call out China when it cans who want to leave can do so. This fied—no. In a CNN townhall, Anderson
comes to energy production and emis- is obviously not what happened. Cooper interrupted the President to
sions.’’ After the botched withdrawal, the ad- ask if Joe Biden was ‘‘saying that the
This is not just wrong; it is embar- ministration listed numbers ranging U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense if
rassing. It is not just an intellectual from 85 people to 200 or maybe 400 China attacked?’’
mistake; it is an embarrassing gaffe. Americans left in Afghanistan. The Joe Biden promptly responded with,
The stringent environmental and, I State Department, however, believes as Yes, we have a commitment.
might add, labor standards of the many as 14,000 legal permanent U.S. The White House resorted once again
United States are far superior to the residents remain in Afghanistan, ac- to walking back these comments, in
lack of any of them in China. And I cording to a foreign policy press report. what seems to be a recurring occur-
rest my case on the facts of the situa- Whatever the number, the President rence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
tion here. went on national television and told One Washington Post article wrote:
One, according to the BBC and sev- the world this withdrawal was ‘‘an ex- Most analysts believe simply that Biden
eral other agencies—but the BBC says traordinary success.’’ misspoke.
China emits 27 percent of global emis- Can you imagine being one of the Misspeaking is a kind way to dismiss
sions, and it is a rising percentage be- people left behind and seeing your the obvious lack of clear understanding
cause it is a rising number, while the President on TV calling what he did an of a critical foreign policy issue by our
United States is around 10 percent and extraordinary success, saying that we Commander in Chief. If there were to
a declining percent. got out successfully? It is abundantly be an attack, I am not even sure the
Two, according to the EPA, total clear there are significant numbers of President would know what to do if he
U.S. energy-related carbon emissions U.S. citizens, residents, and important can’t accurately express what our pol-
fell by 12 percent from 2005 to 2018 Afghan allies still stranded in the icy is.
while the United States became the No. country if, in fact, they are still alive I am not sure I can sum this up as
1 energy producer in the world. at all. succinctly as two turtledoves and a
In contrast, global energy-related The 11th blunder Joe Biden gave to partridge in a pear tree, but I can con-
carbon emissions increased nearly 24 us is welcoming stiff competition with clude that Joe Biden and his leftwing
percent. So the United States reduces China. In October, Jen Psaki was asked extremist allies deserve a lump of car-
12; the globe increases 24 percent. This about the Chinese Communist Party’s bon-intense coal in their White House
is significant by any standard and cer- hypersonic missile test successfully stockings this Christmas.
tainly qualifies us to be able to say we circumventing the whole globe which, I yield the floor.
have moral authority over China when from reports, indicate they are capable The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
it comes to polluting and greenhouse of delivering a nuclear warhead. Her re- ator from Connecticut.
gas emissions. sponse, Oh, we welcome stiff competi- ANNIVERSARY OF SANDY HOOK SHOOTING
In North Dakota, in fact, we are per- tion. Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, 9 years
forming ground-breaking research and Really? Really? Why would the White ago this morning, I was in Bridgeport,
piloting innovative demonstration House welcome military competition CT. I had just done an event with the
projects. We are in the process of add- from our peer adversary communist city of Bridgeport, and I was meeting
ing carbon capture technology to fa- China? my wife and, at the time, my two very
cilities like the Milton R. Young and As a member of the Senate Armed young children, ages 4 and 1, in 2012 at
Coal Creek power generation stations. Services Committee, it has been a pri- the Bridgeport train station. We were
Furthermore, the United States has ority to ensure the U.S. military main- going to take the train down to New
invested more in clean energy, re- tains a secure and effective deterrent, a York City, and Cathy and I were going
search, development, and deployment nuclear deterrent. In order to do so, we to show our two kids the splendor of
than the next two countries combined. need to modernize our nuclear triad. New York City. We were going to go
We are a global leader in climate America’s nuclear triad of missiles, see the Christmas tree. We were going
mitigation measures for new energy submarines, and aircraft are 60-plus to go to the ice rink.
sources, carbon management, and effi- years old in many cases, and they are And as we were waiting for the train
ciency. The radical and backwards en- not the same strong deterrent to our to arrive, I got news that there had

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
ergy policy of this administration ig- adversaries that they once were. It is been a shooting at a school in New-
nores American exceptionalism and the clear and concerning that the Chinese town, CT. Newtown is a beautiful com-
real progress that we have made as a Communist Party is prioritizing a nu- munity, a quintessential small town,
nation. clear buildup, and the White House close-knit. The Labor Day parade every
The Chinese Communist Party, Rus- seems comfortable with all of this. year attracts every civic and commu-
sia, and other polluters have shown no The 12th blunder Joe Biden gave to nity group to it, the pride of the com-
real interest in doing so, yet Secretary us is the consistent confusion and munity.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9147
And I wondered whether I could still a house in Hartford and there was one Newtown will never, ever be the same.
continue on to this family trip or available just two blocks from this Many of these kids lived within a block
whether I needed to wait to find out intersection, I think there was prob- or two of each other. Everyone in New-
more. I figured it was a disgruntled em- ably something intentional about the town knew one of these families, two of
ployee. A few moments passed as I choice we made. these families. Half of these kids all
waited for the train, and the news On and at that intersection, just two went to the same church. The funerals
began to come in that this was much months before the Sandy Hook shoot- that we went to over and over again
more grim, that there were children ing, Shane Oliver, a young African were at the same place, with the same
shot, perhaps many. American, 20 years old, was meeting a priest presiding over funeral after fu-
And I decided that I should get in a couple of acquaintances. He was trans- neral, wake after wake.
car and head to Sandy Hook. There are ferring a car that he had fixed up to And so sometimes those of us who
a lot of days when I wish I didn’t see this other group of individuals whom work in and around this issue of gun
the things that I saw or hear the things he knew in passing. violence get angry at our colleagues,
that I heard in Newtown that day. He was there with his girlfriend, and because how can you listen to these
Senator BLUMENTHAL, who is on the during the exchange of this vehicle, an stories of grief—and they happen in
floor with me right now, he and I were argument broke out. It started because every State—and choose not to act?
there, and we were just witnesses. We of something untoward that his sellers Lastly, I want to do something that I
were just interlopers. Neither of us lost said about his girlfriend. It was essen- have done several times on the floor,
a loved one that day, but it is a day tially an argument over a girl that because I am running out of ways to
that I will never, ever forget, etched turned into a fistfight that then express what happened in Sandy Hook
into my brain. prompted Luis Rodriguez to go back to and why our inaction is inexcusable. I
And we come here likely every De- his car. Inside that car was an illegal am running out of turns of phrase to do
cember 14 to memorialize another year gun. He walked out of the car with a it myself. So maybe the words of a par-
having passed since Sandy Hook. And, gun. Shane Oliver tried to run, and he ent will help you understand why we
of course, at some point, you come to a was shot in the back. He died that need to act. So I am going to read a few
loss for words. You can’t figure out night at a Hartford hospital. excerpts from testimony that our
what new to say to your colleagues to His mother, for a good deal after- friend Neil Heslin gave before the U.S.
try to explain what has happened to ward, would wake up in the middle of Senate just 2 months after Sandy Hook
these families, to this community, why the night, awaken from a deep sleep, occurred.
there is such an aching for action, a put her clothes on, get into her car, Neil is a complicated guy, a good
disbelief that this country refuses to and start driving. She would do this friend who had hard times in his life.
stand up and do something about the night after night. But his best friend was his son Jesse
safety of our kids—because, well, New- She would drive from her home to Lewis. And I will end by reading what
town caught the Nation’s attention for the corner of South Prospect and he wrote to the U.S. Senate 9 years
good reason, twenty 6 and 7-year-olds Shelby Street, where her son died. And ago.
vanishing from the Earth in an instant. when she got there, she would shift her On December 14, Jesse got up and got ready
Every single day, there are mothers transmission into park and she would for school. He was always excited to go to
and fathers who are losing children to turn on the high beams and just wait school. I remember on that day we stopped
gun violence—gun violence that is for hours—the car in park, the high at Misty Vale Deli. It’s funny the things you
completely preventable. beams on—ostensibly, waiting for her remember. I remember Jesse got the sau-
A few weeks after Newtown, I was in son to come back. It is impossible. sage, egg and cheese he always gets, with hot
a community center in the north end of Shane Oliver had died months ago. He chocolate. And I remember the hug he gave
me when I dropped him off. He just held me,
Hartford with parents who were furious wasn’t coming back. But his mother,
and he rubbed my back. I can still feel that
that the country was just waking up to consumed by this grief, consumed by hug.
this epidemic of gun violence after this need to deny what had happened, And Jesse said ‘‘It’s going to be alright.’’
White children were shot in Newtown sat there in her car.
I mentioned that his father Neil had
because it had been happening to their Around the same time, one parent
a rough life. He had a hard time, like a
Black children for decades. whom both Dick and I have gotten to
lot of folks.
And so, today, I want to do some- know very well in Sandy Hook came up
with her own trick. She would pretend And Jesse said ‘‘It’s going to be alright.
thing very simple for my colleagues
Everything’s going to be okay, Dad.’’ Look-
and for the country, I want to just ex- that her son who had died that day at
ing back it makes me wonder. What did he
plain to you what the grief of these Sandy Hook wasn’t dead. In fact, he know? Did he have some idea about what was
families feels like, what it looks like was just visiting a friend for the after- about to happen? But at the time I didn’t
when you lose a child, whether that noon. think much of it. I just thought he was being
child is 6 or 7 or 16 or 17. When you out- She was trying to figure out ways to sweet.
live your child, when your child doesn’t just get some housework done, to just He was always being sweet like that. He
even make it to adulthood, there is an tidy up the place, to make some phone was the kind of kid who used to leave me
all-consuming grief that is inescapable. calls that she needed to in order to get voice messages where he’d sing me happy
her family’s business done, and the birthday even when it wasn’t my birthday.
One of the emotions that is con-
I’d ask him about it, and he’d say ‘‘I just
nected to this grief that I have learned only way that she could do that was to wanted to make you feel happy.’’
about is the tendency to deny the re- imagine that her son was at a play date He had so much wisdom. He would know
ality that has become your sur- and that he would be coming home things, and I would have no idea how he
rounding. soon. And, of course, that dream would knew. But whatever he said, it was always
That is logical, to momentarily, ei- vanish, and she would once again come right. He would remember things we’d done
ther purposely or subconsciously, try to grips with the reality that her son and places we’d been that I had completely
to figure out a way out of this world was never, ever coming home. But that forgotten about. I used to think of him as a
that you are living in without your need to deny that reality, even for a tiny adult.
Other people felt it, too. Teachers would
child or without your son or daughter few hours, was what was necessary for tell me about his laugh, how he made things
whom you had planned to spend the her in order to get through the day. at school more fun just by being there.
rest of your life with. I just tell those two stories because I Jesse had this idea that you never leave
And so I want to talk a little bit want people to understand how des-

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
people hurt. If you can help somebody, you
about that emotion today. I live now in perate your life becomes when you lose do it.
the South End of Hartford. I live just a child. We lost 26 individuals—20 kids That’s what Jesse thought. If you can
two blocks from the intersection of and 6 educators—9 years ago today in make somebody feel better, you do it.
South Prospect and Shelby Street. I Sandy Hook, and the families of all 26 They tell me that’s how he died. I guess we
think I live there intentionally, be- of these individuals—the parents, the still don’t know exactly what happened at
cause I know this story so well, and brothers, the sisters, the children— that school. Maybe we’ll never know. But
when my family and I were looking for their lives will never, ever be the same. what people tell me is Jesse did something

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S9148 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
different. When he heard the shooting, he the first responders had almost all left. emergency responders, the ministers,
didn’t run and hide. He started yelling. Peo- Sitting in the middle of the firehouse the priests, the people of faith who
ple disagree [about what he said]. . . . [But] all by himself was this one man. And it tended to the parents, and, yes, indeed,
ten kids from my son’s class made it to safe-
was Neil Heslin. I left that firehouse— the parents themselves—heroes.
ty. I hope to God something Jesse did [that
day] helped them survive. . . . I can’t remember—at 10 o’clock or 11 My colleague Senator MURPHY has
What I know is that Jesse wasn’t shot in o’clock at night. And Neal was the last talked about Jesse’s dad, Neil Heslin.
the back. He took two bullets. The first one person I talked to. And, as he tells you Jesse’s mom, Scarlett Lewis, became a
grazed the side of his head, but that [prob- in his testimony, he didn’t leave until hero as a champion of social and emo-
ably] didn’t stop him yelling. The other hit 1:30. If there was any chance that Jesse tional learning to try to prevent the
him in the forehead. Both bullets were fired was coming back, that he was running conflict and the emotional travail that
from the front. That means the last thing around in the woods, he was going to be could lead someone like Adam Lanza
my son did was look Adam Lanza straight in
sitting there at the firehouse. to do what he did.
the face. . . .
It gets harder every year, and I have I will never forget, at one of those
Jesse grew up with guns, just like I no personal stake in this. I went home wakes and funerals that we attended in
did. I started shooting . . . when I was that night to both of my kids, who the days afterward—they seemed inter-
eight years old. My dad was a vice were sleeping safely in their beds. minable in the cold and the deadening
president for years at a local gun club. What the hell is going on in this light of winter—the one mom whom I
He started taking me shooting when I country that we sit here and memori- approached and said: ‘‘When the time is
was eight. . . . He taught me to respect alize year after year since those 20 kids right, when you are ready, I think we
guns, just like I taught Jesse. died and we don’t do anything mean- should do something about gun vio-
Jesse . . . had an interest in guns. He had ingful about it? lence.’’ She looked at me and said: ‘‘I
a bb gun. I watched over him like a hawk Next December will be 10 years, and I am ready now.’’
with that. I taught him gun safety. He knew The ferocity, the bravery, the
am just going to tell you how hard it
it. He could recite it to you.
Some guns just don’t have any place in the will be for so many of these families to strength, and fortitude of those parents
hands of civilians. The assault weapons we’re live through a 10-year mark of Sandy in the days and months afterward,
talking about today, their sole purpose is to Hook with no action from this body. coming here, as we sought to do some-
put a lot of lead out in a battlefield quickly. We have a year to get our act to- thing about gun violence, and then
That’s what they do. That’s what they did at gether here to make sure that in some they sat in the Gallery when, by a
Sandy Hook Elementary. small way we can honor these children handful of votes, we failed, and the cry
I wish I wasn’t here with you today. with action. of shame—shame—that one of those
Neil writes: I yield the floor. parents shouted to us.
The best day of my life was the day my son The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. They worked bravely, and they have
was born. The worst day was the day he died. PETERS). The Senator from Con- continued that work with the kind of
I don’t want to relive that day by talking to necticut. unflinching courage that it takes every
you here about it. It would be easier for me Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, time they tell their stories and every
just to stay home. this day is one of the profound mo-
But I know that’s not what Jesse would do.
time one of the surviving families
Jesse died screaming at a man with a gun.
ments for both Senator MURPHY and talks about their children in the quest
He died yelling at the top of his lungs so myself, because we lived through that to save others. That is what it is all
maybe some of his classmates could get to day—a searing, grief-stricken day that about. That is why those brave par-
safety. neither of us will ever forget, 9 years ents—heroes—of this story have con-
I’m not real political. Half the time I think ago. And at this moment on that day, tinued.
it doesn’t matter which group of you guys I stood before a church full of parents For them, that December morning
runs things out here, no offense. I’ve always and members of that Newtown commu- began like every other. They took their
thought it wasn’t a real good idea for people
nity. And what I said then was, ‘‘The children to school, kissed them good-
to be walking around the streets with mili-
tary weapons, but I probably wouldn’t have world is watching. The world is watch- bye, maybe admonished them to be
said anything about it. ing us and what we will do.’’ good that day. It was a normal day
So the reason I say this isn’t about politics Today, we remember not only what until it wasn’t. Then, time stopped for
is because what I felt on that day, and what we lost but also what we still need to them and for all of us. Time stopped,
I’ve felt since, doesn’t have anything to do do as, 9 years ago, those 20 beautiful and the world changed forever—irrep-
with politics. In politics, people like to de- children and 6 great educators lost arably. Irreparably, it changed forever
bate and say if we banned the weapon that their lives. Today, as we did at St. for them and for all of us. Nine years
Adam Lanza used would he just find some- Rose of Lima Church that evening, we
thing else. Let me tell you, when you’re sit-
later, they live with that grief so far
ting at a firehouse and it is one in the morn-
remember the lives they lived. Their more deeply than any of us that it al-
ing and you are hoping against hope that names will be forever engraved in our most feels like an incursion on their
your son is still hiding somewhere in that hearts. We remember them for bringing privacy to talk about that day. The
school, you want any change that makes it bursts of light and laughter and love scars of that day are for them but also
one bit more likely you’ll see your boy into our lives, mostly into the lives of for the brothers and sisters. For every-
again. their families. one who suffered a loss, that trauma
Before he died, Jesse and I used to talk We also remember the heroism, the and grief continue, and they relive it
about maybe coming to Washington some- real heroism, of those educators on
day. He wanted to go up the Washington
on this day.
monument. When we talked about it last
that day—of the six who bravely There also are heroes in that commu-
year Jesse asked if we could come and meet sought to shield their children. Lit- nity of Newtown and Sandy Hook—a
the President. erally, with their own bodies, they beautiful, quintessential New England
I said earlier that I can be a little cynical sought to protect their children—run- town, with such great spirit. They
about politicians. But Jesse believed in you. ning unhesitatingly toward that dan- came together that evening at the St.
He learned about you in school and he be- ger, barricading classrooms, drawing Rose of Lima Church and in the days
lieved in you. I want to believe in you, too. on all their reserves of calm and profes- and weeks and years afterward with
I know you can’t give me Jesse back. Believe
sionalism to protect the children in unyielding conviction and courage.
me, if I thought you could I’d be asking you
for that. But I want to believe that you will their care. They were heroes, and so Yet we know that they are so far
think about what I told you [here] today. I were emergency responders, State po- from alone because, in that time—in-
lice, and all who came to the firehouse credibly, in the time—of the 9 years

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
want to believe that you’ll think about it
and then you’ll do something about it, what- that day. I remember the broken since that day, 900,000 more people
ever you can do to make sure that no other faces—the heartbroken faces—of men have perished; 900,000 more people have
father has to see what I’ve seen. who went into the school building to died from gun violence and so many of
Dick and I were at that firehouse all secure the crime scene and saw the them children. One-third of American
day and all night, and I will never, ever bodies of children who could have been children live in a home with a gun, and
forget that when all the parents had their own. They were tough State po- 3 million children are exposed to gun
gone home, having told what happened, licemen who had seen it all. Those violence every year.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9149
Firearms are the leading cause of loved ones but about the impact on the longtime legislative director, Bryn
death among American children and living who may not even know about Stewart.
teenagers—the leading cause of death Sandy Hook. There are children at He is going to be leaving the Senate
for children younger than the age of 13. schools right now, children who rou- after a 20-year career of working on be-
So often, they occur at home—outside tinely do active shooter drills, diving half of the people of Wyoming.
the front door, in the neighborhood. under their desks or barricading their He served in this great institution
Black children and teens are 14 times doors in anticipation of a mass murder under two different U.S. Senators from
more likely than White children and in the place that should be the safest Wyoming. He and his family have deep
teens to die by gun homicide. There is to them. roots within our State, and he is a
a searing inequity and injustice here What will this generation think of third-generation Wyomingite.
that radiates outside the boundaries of school? What will this generation Bryn was born and raised in Sheri-
Sandy Hook and Newtown. It affects think of safety? dan, WY. His father Clyde was a high
every community. None is immune. Today, in some schools, there was no school business teacher who also
None is above gun violence. school because of the copycat threats coached basketball and the golf team.
Because 60 percent of all deaths by phoned in to those schools. His mother Jerrie worked at the Sheri-
gun violence are suicide, there are so- What kind of nation has to shut down dan Press, our local newspaper. Both of
lutions here, like safe storage and schools because of the threat of mass his parents encouraged him to work
emergency risk protection orders, and murder? Not our Nation, I would hope; hard, to always be respectful, and,
red flag statutes that simply keep guns not our Nation, if we use our power to most importantly, to be himself, not to
safely stored, like Ethan’s Law, or that make our Nation safer; not our Nation, be what others expected him to be.
separate guns from people who say if we have the same kind of courage Well, he has exceeded all expectations,
they are going to kill themselves or and guts and grit that those families of I will tell you.
others or who give evidence that that Sandy Hook have. We promised to Family means everything to Bryn.
is what they are going to do. honor them with action. He is the fifth oldest of seven children.
The good news is we are seeing a new We should keep in mind the grace And while it is Bryn’s career that we
generation of leaders. We are seeing a and bravery of people like Kristin and are here to pay tribute to today, in
political movement, not just a moment Mike Song, who lost their son, a teen- terms of his work in the Senate, his
but a political movement, and a group ager, at a friend’s house, to a shooting older sister Kendall was the first Stew-
of organizations that is mobilizing the that was the result of an unsecured art sibling to work in the U.S. Senate.
vast majority of the American people weapon—unsecured because the parents She worked for Wyoming Senator Mal-
who know we need to put an end to gun of his friend failed to put it under lock colm Wallop. She then came to work in
violence: Sandy Hook Promise, New- and key. They made it accessible. Kids my own office in Sheridan, WY, in
town Action Alliance, Connecticut die like that every day, every week. As Bryn’s hometown.
Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand our hearts break, we should remember It is also important to point out that
Action, Students Demand Action, Gif- the bravery of Kristin and Michael Bryn’s brother Dow also worked in the
fords, Brady, March for Our Lives—in Song, who crusaded for Ethan’s Law, U.S. Senate. What a testament to
the wake of Parkland, March for Our named after their son. Bryn’s parents that so many of their
Lives. This is a new generation brought They were here just last week at a children were committed to public
together by tragedy, united regardless vigil—literally, within a stone’s throw service.
of their party. Regardless of their
of the Capitol—reciting their story, Bryn took a very different route to
other politics, they are together in de-
seeking to inspire us to act and take the U.S. Senate than his siblings. After
manding action.
With every one of these mass trage- that step toward safe storage but tak- graduating from the University of Wy-
dies—Parkland, Las Vegas, Charleston, ing nobody’s gun away. These measures oming with a finance degree, Bryn
El Paso, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, take no one’s gun away. They just went on to earn his law degree from
Boulder, Indianapolis, and now Oxford, make it safe to own a gun and to save the College of Law at the university in
MI—the scourge of gun violence has lives. 1985.
united these groups in a way that has We have children. I have four chil- It turns out that Bryn wasn’t the
never happened before, with the hope dren. My colleagues on the floor have only standout from his class that year
that Americans will express themselves children and families. We remember at the University of Wyoming School
not only in their neighborhoods and at those days when our kids were 6 years of Law. My fellow U.S. Senator from
community meetings but also at the old. We remember the joy and life they Wyoming, CYNTHIA LUMMIS, was Bryn’s
ballot box in order to hold us account- brought to our lives. classmate in the law school, and the
able—truly responsible—for the com- There is a saying that no parent two of them remain great friends to
plicity of Congress. Yes, it is com- should outlive a child. Until we know today.
plicity in that death and murder that someone who loses a child, but most es- After passing the Wyoming State
occur literally every day. More than pecially at that age, the power of that Bar, Bryn has maintained his member-
100 lives are lost every day. saying may have less meaning. ship in the Wyoming Bar for 36 years.
There are real commonsense solu- In 10 years, we should have done a lot He moved to Gillette, WY, and he
tions here. I don’t need to describe more, if we mark 10 years without started his career there as legal advisor
them in detail—that will be for another doing more. In 10 years, next year at to the Campbell County sheriff and
day: expanding background checks and this time, we should hold ourselves ac- deputy county attorney. Now, I would
closing loopholes in that background countable for doing more. point out that Campbell County, in
check system, keeping weapons of war Over this next year, we have work to Gillette, is the town where Mike Enzi,
and ghost guns off our streets, funding do. And as dark as December may my former colleague, had been a rep-
public health research and community seem, it is also a season of light. And resentative in the legislature as well as
violence intervention programs, pro- the heroism of those families, of the the mayor. And Mike Enzi also had
tecting domestic violence survivors, first responders, of the community of graduated, as has Bryn, from Sheridan
setting standards for safe and secure Sandy Hook should provide us with the High School.
storage, implementing those red flag inspiration we need to honor those Ten years later, Bryn became the di-
statutes, and holding the gun industry brave and wonderful children, to honor rector of administrative services for
them with action, not just words. the Campbell County Board of Commis-

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
and its nefarious partners accountable.
We know what to do. We know what is I yield the floor. sioners. In that role, Bryn was able to
necessary to help stop gun violence. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- balance the budget during a major eco-
There is no mystery here, and this ator from Wyoming. nomic downturn without laying off any
movement—a political movement and TRIBUTE TO BRYN STEWART employees. This was not an easy
social movement—can achieve it. Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I achievement.
But I want to talk not only about the come to the floor today to honor an ex- Now, after more than 16 years of
grief suffered by families who have lost traordinary public servant. It is my serving the people of Campbell County,

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S9150 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
Bryn made the move to Washington, He quickly took over the reins, and He will be closer to family, also be
DC. He came to DC to work for my he helped Senator Thomas successfully able to spend time camping, hiking,
predecessor, Senator Craig Thomas, as lead the fight for Wyoming coal and and biking through his beloved Bighorn
his tax and trade counsel. The person other important energy resources. Mountains.
who gets full credit for convincing Bryn recounts this experience as one Bryn, Bobbi joins me, along with our
Bryn to come work for the U.S. Senate of the highlights of his legislative ca- entire staff, many of whom are here on
wasn’t Senator Thomas; it wasn’t me; reer—always ready to help, always the floor—the current staff, but it is
it was my incredible wife Bobbi Brown ready to act. also the past staff, the present staff—in
Barrasso who encouraged Bryn to take In 2007, when Wyoming and the Sen- commending you on a remarkable ca-
the job and move across the country. ate tragically lost Senator Craig reer of service.
Bryn fondly tells the story of how my Thomas to cancer, Bryn was central in We are grateful that you chose to
wife Bobbi, who was then the State di- supporting our entire staff, many of dedicate your life to helping make Wy-
rector for Senator Thomas at the time whom are on the floor today, through oming and our country a better place
in 2001, reached out to Bryn about the an extremely difficult and emotional to live and a better place to work.
opportunity that really did change the time. And when I was selected to fill It is with admiration, appreciation,
course of his life and his career. Senator Thomas’s seat, I asked Bryn to and respect that I wish you every suc-
Now, she knew that he would be a stay on as my legislative director. It is cess as you embark on this new adven-
perfect fit for the job. We are all very a decision that I have never regretted. ture. And we are not just saying that
grateful to Bobbi in so many ways but For more than 14 years, I have been because today is your birthday. You
most certainly for recognizing Bryn’s incredibly fortunate to have his advice will be truly missed.
talent and talking him into taking a and his counsel. We worked together on Thank you.
leap of faith. critical issues that will have a lasting I yield the floor.
Although it turns out a cross-country and positive impact on Wyoming for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
move wouldn’t be the biggest shock of decades to come. This includes his ator from Ohio.
the journey for Bryn—it is a long way great work in helping to pass the Craig Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, first,
from Wyoming to Washington—but he Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act, I want to offer my congratulations to
was officially offered the job the Fri- which was signed into law in 2009. Bryn Stewart.
Bryn was also instrumental in secur- That was a beautiful speech about
day before the terrorist attacks of Sep-
ing the return of Wyoming’s abandoned the public service that he has contrib-
tember 11, 2001.
Many people would have reconsidered mine land funds to our State, which is uted to Wyoming and to the U.S. Sen-
moving to Washington, DC, after the why I have always referred to him as ate. I thank my colleague from Wyo-
largest terrorist attack in our coun- our hundred-million-dollar man. ming for that.
Now, these are just a few examples of KENTUCKY
try’s history, but Bryn didn’t think
twice. In fact, it only strengthened his the work Bryn is most proud of in his Mr. President, I also want to say that
resolve and his commitment to serve 20-year Senate career. over the weekend, I had the oppor-
the Nation and the people of Wyoming. Bryn’s dependability and knowledge tunity to travel to Kentucky.
It turns out he would need that re- made him an indispensable member of I live in Ohio so Kentucky is our
solve because during his first week in my team. His work ethic and his dedi- neighboring State. I went down to help
the DC office, the anthrax attacks oc- cation are legendary. He stays late; he some of our neighbors get back on
curred against our Nation, against our works weekends; and he does whatever their feet after these devastating tor-
Capitol, and against a Senate office it takes to get the job done. We often nadoes. It was very emotional, partly,
building. Anonymous letters laced with joke in the office that Bryn is the first obviously, seeing people’s lives just be
deadly anthrax arrived in congres- one in the ‘‘leg shop’’ and the last one devastated—houses ruined and family
sional offices, and Bryn, like so many to leave. It doesn’t matter if it is a heirlooms lost and, unfortunately,
staffers on the Hill, was displaced for blizzard outside or a global pandemic, some loss of life—as the tornado hit
months into temporary quarters. Bryn is infamous for not letting any- some of the residential areas in West-
Despite the chaos and the rocky thing keep him from doing the work in ern Kentucky, but also another emo-
start, Bryn was not deterred, and he the Senate for the benefit of the people tion, which is gratitude for the people
immediately jumped into his legisla- of Wyoming. who came forward as volunteers to
tive role at full speed. While I have talked a lot about help, neighbor helping neighbor.
For his first 21⁄2 years, Bryn served as Bryn’s professional accomplishments, I As always happens when you have
counsel for Senator Thomas. He also want to highlight the ways that he one of these natural disasters, the only
worked on numerous tax and trade continues to give back to the commu- silver lining is that people do come to-
bills. Most notably, he helped draft and nity and give back to others. He makes gether in providing water and food and
pass legislation providing critical relief it his mission to live his life with a help getting people out of their homes
to drought-stricken livestock pro- purpose. It is one of the reasons he through urban search and rescue
ducers in Wyoming and across the prioritizes giving back to the commu- teams, like Ohio Task Force One, that
country. Senator Thomas was so im- nity as much as he can. went down to Kentucky chain-sawing
pressed with Bryn’s work that he pro- One of his biggest passions is sup- trees down so that people can get their
moted him to be his legislative direc- porting organizations focused on pro- cars out and try to repair some of the
tor in 2004. viding food and shelter to those in damage, get their lives back together.
As you know, legislative directors need. He serves as a member of the Sal- It was a terrible thing to see the dev-
have a very big job and lots of responsi- vation Army board in his local commu- astation but also a wonderful thing to
bility. They guide the entire policy nity. He served in organizations that see people coming together to help one
staff in developing and implementing build homeless shelters, operate food another to get through a tough time.
the Senator’s legislative agenda. As a pantries, and run low-income energy INFLATION
result, legislative directors must be up assistance programs. He is also a mem- Mr. President, I am on the floor
to speed on all of the issues. ber of the Northern Wyoming Commu- today primarily to talk about the leg-
Bryn recalls one story in particular nity College Advisory Board in Gillette islation that has been proposed by the
from his early days as legislative direc- that focuses on providing high-quality, Biden administration and by the Demo-
tor directly on this point. During the postsecondary education to the people cratic leadership.
2005 energy bill debate, Senator Thom- This is the 11th consecutive week

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
in Campbell County and around Wyo-
as was selected to serve on the con- ming. that I have come to the floor to talk
ference committee. A week into the Bryn’s departure from the Senate about this because, every week since it
committee meetings, Senator Thom- leaves very big shoes to fill. And while was introduced 11 weeks ago, I have
as’s then-energy legislative assistant we are all sad to see him go, we are wanted to talk about what is actually
was diagnosed with cancer. Never one happy to know he is moving back to in this legislation, how it would impact
to back down from a challenge, Bryn where it all started for him, his home- our communities, how it would impact
immediately stepped in. town, Sheridan, WY. our economy.

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9151
So, today, I am here to talk a little mittee—I don’t think we would be see- does to your economy. So the notion
about some of the new numbers we ing this. All these issues are ones that that the Biden administration has that
have in terms of inflation and how this could have been ironed out had it not this is going to be temporary or transi-
would impact inflation and some of the been jammed through on this reconcili- tory, that is just not true. And, by the
new numbers that just came out since ation process without any committee way, the Federal Reserve has now said
last week from the Congressional consideration. that is not true. It is going to be here
Budget Office, which is the nonpartisan So I am upset that Congress is being for a while.
group up here that analyzes these leg- thwarted from doing its work, and I Although we are hearing a lot of sto-
islative efforts, and what they are say- think, if we had, it would be a very dif- ries these days about businesses paying
ing about what the cost of this bill will ferent piece of legislation. higher wages to attract workers, aver-
be. This plan is also going to hurt, in my age wages went up by 4.3 percent last
So I think it is worth having this view, with regard to inflation. We are year. So with all of the labor shortages
conversation before Congress—the Sen- looking at the highest inflation we and the increase in wages, wages went
ate and the House—votes on this mas- have had in decades. I think everybody up 4.3 percent. Again, inflation went up
sive tax bill, a massive spending bill knows that now, not because they are 6.8 percent in the same 12-month pe-
that could fundamentally change the looking at the numbers, which I will riod.
way our economy works and, I think, talk about in a second, but because So this is why, if you are getting a
put us in a very difficult position as it when they go to the grocery store, they raise at work and you feel pretty good
relates to inflation and the economy are paying a lot more for a hamburger about it—getting the raise—but then
and our debt and our deficit. or for milk or for bread; or when they you go to the grocery store or go to the
Democrats want to push this through go to fill up their car with gas, they gas pump or buy some clothes and you
under what is called reconciliation, are seeing the prices at the pump. don’t feel so good about it, it is because
which is a special procedure here in the I filled up my pickup truck—I took it your inflation is higher than your wage
Senate where, instead of getting the to Kentucky on the trip I just talked gain. So unless your wage gain is over
normal supermajority of 60 votes, they about—and it was almost a hundred 6.8 percent over the last year, on aver-
could do it with only 50 votes and then bucks to fill it up. That is a lot for peo- age, you are losing out. And that is a
have a tie-breaker be the Vice Presi- ple who are on a fixed income or young real problem.
dent in her role as President of the people or someone who has to commute By the way, in 2020, as we got into
Senate. So I have concerns about the to work. That really takes a bite out of the COVID–19 crisis, we had a very dif-
substance of the legislation but also in your budget. But that inflation is ferent economy. In February of 2020, we
terms of the process. across our economy right now, and it is had the 19th straight month of wage
Wouldn’t it be great if this could ac- tough on people. gains of 3 percent or more, and infla-
tually go through committees and the The work shortages that we see, the tion was 1, 1.5 percent. So people were
committees could vet some of these workforce shortages, the supply chain feeling: Hey, I am making more money,
proposals? Last week, I talked about delays, the inflation—all of these and it is not being eaten up by infla-
some of the tax proposals, for instance, things are problems in our economy tion.
which I think have inadvertent im- right now. All of them get worse, in my That is not the case now, unfortu-
pacts on pensions—defined benefit view, if we do it the way the Democrats nately. Wages are not keeping pace
plans, in particular—inadvertent ef- propose because, by adding more fuel with these higher prices, and people are
fects on businesses that aren’t going to to the fire, more stimulus spending—in finding that their paychecks just don’t
be able to write off expansions and this case, trillions of dollars—you are go as far as they used to.
plant equipment, which we want them going to stimulate more demand in the We can see by some data that just
to do. economy. And inflation happens when came out from a survey of consumer
Maybe some of these things are inad- demand outstrips supply. So you have expectations from the New York Fed
vertent, but it also has a change in the a lot of demand for something, but you that an increasing number of people
tax policy where it says that the State don’t have the supply for it, and it are reporting that they are struggling
and local tax deduction would no raises inflation. more financially than they did a year
longer be capped at $10,000. This is a And that is exactly what many of us ago. That is from the Fed, the New
Federal deduction people are able to predicted would have happened back in York Fed. And fewer are expecting
take on their State and local taxes, but March of this year when Congress did their financial situation to improve by
they would raise that to $80,000, that the same thing—$1.9 trillion. A lot of it this time next year. That is not a great
cap. was stimulus spending. And people feeling as we approach the holiday sea-
The impact of that and a couple said, ‘‘This is going to cause inflation,’’ son. That is a real concern.
other things in the legislation means and, sure enough, it did. It wasn’t just The other report we have had since I
that 70 percent of millionaires—people me and other Republicans. It was some was on the floor last week is with re-
who make over $1 million in income a Democrats as well. gard to the Producer Price Index. We
year—would get a significant tax cut So that trend of rising inflation, have talked about the Consumer Price
under this legislation; whereas, if you which has made things so costly and Index. The Producer Price Index is
only make 30,000 bucks a year, only 30 expensive for so many people in my about businesses: What are businesses
percent of those people get a tax cut. home State of Ohio, shows no sign of seeing in terms of inflation on busi-
And that is in the first year. In the slowing down. Late last week, the ness-to-business purchases, for in-
second year, it goes down to about half Labor Department reported that the stance?
that. And in the third year, it goes Consumer Price Index, or the CPI, rose The new number out this week on
down to 10 percent and below. So it by 6.8 percent over the last 12 months. that is the largest increase year over
really is skewed toward providing tax That is the biggest year-to-year infla- year since we started keeping track of
relief for the wealthy at a time when, tionary increase in 39 years—39 years. this number, which was about 11 years
obviously, we are concerned about And last month, the number for in- ago, 12 years ago. So the Producer
those people. Given the economic un- flation—1 month alone—was 0.8 per- Price Index is also going up, and the
certainty, given the COVID issues, cent. So get on your calculator and do Consumer Price Index is already up.
given the natural disasters, given the the math: 0.8 percent in 1 month. Do What this means is that that Pro-
other issues that we face, you would that times 12 months, and you end up ducer Price Index number is eventually

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
want to help those who need the help with inflation of 10 percent on an going to be reflected in higher con-
the most. That is not what this legisla- annualized basis. That is just from last sumer costs—right?—because busi-
tion does. month, if we just extrapolate that out nesses are going to pass that along. So
Again, if it had gone through the over the year. this is not a good week because we just
process of the committees of jurisdic- Ten percent inflation? For those who got that data, and I was very sorry to
tion—in this case, the Finance Com- lived through inflation in the late see it because what you want to see is
mittee, the Ways and Means Com- 1970s, early 1980s, you know what that the Producer Price Index going down;

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S9152 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 14, 2021
meaning that, in the future, the con- say with the child tax credit—1 year or ing member of the Budget Committee,
sumer prices are going to go down too. 2 years or 3 years, but you continue it a top Republican, and Senator JOHN
Instead, we are seeing a situation through the life of the legislation, it is CORNYN, another colleague, asked the
where it is likely that prices are going going to be much more expensive. nonpartisan Congressional Budget Of-
to keep going up. So people tell me: Well, Rob, that is fice to do their analysis, because they
Again, Republicans warned of this fine, but the child tax credit, as an ex- showed that, without the sunset, the
when the $1.9 trillion was spent, mostly ample, only costs $185 billion—only. 10-year cost of the child tax credit goes
to stimulate the economy, saying this And I say: Well, actually, if you take from $185 billion to $1.6 trillion.
is going to overheat the economy— it out over time, that becomes trillions They also found that, in line with an-
more demand, less supply, partly be- of dollars—like $1.6, $1.7 trillion. other study by the nonpartisan Joint
cause of COVID. In other words, COVID They say: Well, we are just going to Committee on Taxation, the revenue
made it harder to get supply in. If de- do it for 1 year. lost would be $1.6 trillion, either tak-
mand goes up, you are going to have Well, that is just not what happens ing us further into debt by $1.6 trillion
inflation. And sure enough, that is here in Congress. The history of this is or requiring new tax hikes.
what happened. that once we put a program like that So that is just one part of the legisla-
Larry Summers is the former Sec- in place, it continues to live on year tion. It would be the costliest expendi-
retary of the Treasury under President after year. ture by Congress in our history, but it
Obama, former Chair of the national Let me give you the best example of is just one part of the legislation. The
Council of Economic Advisers. Actu- that. You have probably heard a lot of hundreds of billions in funding Demo-
ally, he was Treasury Secretary for Democrats saying over the past few crats are proposing as an example for
President Clinton and Chair of the Na- weeks: We have to pass this Build Back childcare under a new approach to
tional Economic Council for President Better legislation by the end of this childcare, which we can also talk
Obama, a respected economist. He, too, year. about, the substance of that, but it is
warned of this. So it is not just a par- Why? Because the child tax credit—it going to hurt a lot of our State the way
tisan issue, not Republicans and Demo- is already in law based on the March they are doing it. But that will end up
crats. It is the reality of what is hap- legislation—is expiring. So there is a costing double the written amount
pening when you increase demand tremendous amount of pressure, right? over the next decade if they remain in
much more than supply can handle. They are saying you have to extend it. place, for example.
You get inflation. So it is not a sur- Well, that makes our case. So you So all in all, the Congressional Budg-
have to extend it this year? That et Office looked at 18 supposedly sunset
prise that it happened. Unfortunately,
means, I assume, you have to extend it social spending programs and found
his prediction came true: overheated
next year and the next year and the that they will end up costing the tax-
economy, demand outstripping supply.
next year and the next year. payers nearly $3.5 trillion over the next
We found ourselves in this spiral of ris-
And anybody who says that they decade when they get extended, if they
ing prices.
don’t want to extend it—on the other do. Again, the history around here is
That was 9 months ago. I think it is
side of the aisle—I would like to hear that they would. So, you know, the
fair to say that the inflation that peo-
from them because I don’t think they price tag goes up and up and up.
ple said was transitory is going to stay When you add that spending to an-
here for a while. That is a real cause are going to say that. And so, if you as-
other program in Build Back Better,
for concern. sume it is extended, then you have this
the CBO says the total spending in the
So why are we doing this? Why are huge cost. The spending is going to
legislation, again, goes to $4.9 trillion;
we, again, spending trillions of dollars? continue to increase, and the program
$4.9 trillion is bigger than the economy
And what is the cost? is not going to sunset. The total cost of
of any country in the world, with the
Something that happened since we the bill goes from $1.7 trillion that we
exception of the U.S., China, and
talked last week is that the true cost talked about to about $4.5 trillion
Japan.
of the Build Back Better plan is now based on the Penn Wharton study I Again, these numbers are just astro-
being revealed by this group on the talked about. nomical. But think about that. It is
outside from the University of Penn- Under the Congressional Budget Of- bigger than the entire economy, the
sylvania Wharton School, by the Com- fice analysis, it actually goes even entire GDP of any country in the world
mittee for a Responsible Federal Budg- higher—even higher—to $4.9 trillion. except for the three of us: the United
et, and by others, but now by the Con- And when you add interest on the debt, States, China, and Japan.
gressional Budget Office itself. it goes actually over $5 trillion. We are seeing record debts and record
So the Congressional Budget Office is So it is difficult to understand these deficits right now, as you know. The
the nonpartisan group up here in Con- numbers we are talking about because Congressional Budget Office says that
gress that tells us what the fiscal im- they are so huge. You know, $4.5 tril- the American people can expect Build
pact is, what the spending impact is, lion is $4,500 billion. We have never Back Better, if the sunsets don’t hold,
what the taxing impact is, what the spent this kind of money before. I to add another $3 trillion to the Fed-
economic impact is of legislation. mean, if it is $5 trillion, that is the size eral deficit.
And the number that has been cited of our budget, more or less—the whole So if we continue to debate this in
for the cost of this Build Back Better budget for the entire country for a Congress, which way should we go, we
legislation is $1.7 trillion over 10 years. year, in one bill. just ought to know these numbers. We
That is a lot. That would make it the Now, people say: Well, it is paid for. ought to analyze them. And again, if
second most expensive bill ever passed Well, the 1.7 part, you could argue, is people on the other side of the aisle are
by Congress, the first being the $1.9 paid for—although we can talk about going to say we don’t want to have the
trillion we talked about in March. that, too, because some of the things in child tax credit be extended, we need to
But it is worse than that because it the pay-fors are not sustainable in my know that. But my sense is, just as
turns out that even those staggeringly view, including, again, the impact on they want to extend it right now, they
high costs we just talked about—$1.7 pension funds or the impact on being will want to extend it next year and
trillion—miss the mark based on the able to write off investments or the im- the next year and the next year.
analysis that just came out. Just as pact of the SALT issue. So there are So is this the right time to do that?
prices for everyday goods and services lots of things that need to be worked Is this the right time to add that kind
are going up, the estimates we are see- out on the spending side but also on

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
of stimulus to an economy that already
ing for the true cost of Build Back Bet- the revenue side. is overstimulated, where you have
ter are increasing with every analysis So let’s assume it is $1.7 trillion, but more demand chasing not enough sup-
we see. that is not going to cover it because ply, do you want to add more to the de-
These studies have shown us that be- you have these expenses—like the child mand side? That is what is going to
cause the legislation sunsets programs, tax credit—that will continue. happen if we pass this.
if you actually assume those programs So I am glad that my colleague Sen- I hope that we will not make that
are not going to be stopped after—let’s ator LINDSEY GRAHAM, who is the rank- mistake, and I hope that we will slow

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December 14, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9153
down and look at these numbers and to be an Assistant Secretary of Com- IN THE SPACE FORCE
analyze where we are in terms of our merce; Alanna McCargo, of Virginia, to The following named officer for appoint-
spending. We just extended the debt be President, Government National ment to the grade in the United States Space
limit. No Republican voted for it, but Mortgage Association; and Dawn N. Force under title 10, U.S.C., section 624:
all the Democrats voted for it, and that Ison, of Michigan, to be United States To be brigadier general
is all they needed to be able to extend Attorney for the Eastern District of Col. Timothy A. Sejba
the debt limit because it was under a Michigan for the term of four years? IN THE ARMY
special 50-vote margin. That debt limit The nominations were confirmed en The following named Army National Guard
was just extended for basically 1 year. bloc. of the United States officer for appointment
So after the elections next year, $2.5 f in the Reserve of the Army to the grade indi-
trillion more debt. We had to make cated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR and 12211:
room for $2.5 trillion more debt, in 1
year. Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I To be major general
It is clear that a lot of Americans are ask unanimous consent that the Sen- Brig. Gen. Roger D. Lyles
nervous about that. When you look at ate consider the following nominations IN THE MARINE CORPS
the polling data, it says that. But just en bloc: Calendar Nos. 497, 597, and 598; The following named officers for appoint-
talking to people—over the weekend, I that the Senate vote on the nomina- ment in the United States Marine Corps to
was also in southeast Ohio, part of our tions en bloc without intervening ac- the grade indicated under title 10, U.S.C.,
tion or debate; that the motions to re- section 624:
State that is very rural, a lot of people
consider be considered made and laid To be major general
are hurting in terms of the economy
because they don’t have access to upon the table with no intervening ac- Brig. Gen. James H. Adams, III
tion or debate; that any statement re- Brig. Gen. Eric E. Austin
broadband and so on. So we are talking
lated to the nominations be printed in Brig. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte
about how they feel about the econ- Brig. Gen. William J. Bowers
omy, and there is a lot of nervousness. the RECORD and the President be imme-
Brig. Gen. Stephen E. Liszewski
They feel the surging inflation. They diately notified of the Senate’s actions. Brig. Gen. Keith D. Reventlow
are paying more for everything. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Brig. Gen. Sean M. Salene
And, you know, common steps, peo- objection, it is so ordered. Brig. Gen. Roberta L. Shea
ple are saying, Let’s just slow down The question is, Will the Senate ad- Brig. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson
and think about this. They may end up vise and consent to the nominations of Brig. Gen. Christian F. Wortman
thinking at the end of the day they are Nickolas Guertin, of Virginia, to be Di- NOMINATIONS PLACED ON THE SECRETARY’S
for some of this, but they don’t want to rector of Operational Test and Evalua- DESK
move forward precipitously and make a tion, Department of Defense; John IN THE AIR FORCE

mistake and have this add more infla- Bradley Sherman, of Texas, to be Chief PN1307 AIR FORCE nomination of Troy J.
tion and more problems for our debt Information Officer of the Department Johnson, which was received by the Senate
of Defense; and Carrie Frances Ricci, of and appeared in the Congressional Record of
and deficit for our kids and grandkids. October 27, 2021.
They are saying, Let’s do the right Virginia, to be General Counsel of the
PN1308 AIR FORCE nomination of Mary T.
thing for the country and put the Department of the Army?
Guest, which was received by the Senate and
brakes on this. The nominations were confirmed en appeared in the Congressional Record of Oc-
And if we do put the brakes on this bloc. tober 27, 2021.
unprecedented spending and taxing, it f PN1309 AIR FORCE nomination of Eric J.
will help us to avoid some of these eco- Jordan, which was received by the Senate
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR and appeared in the Congressional Record of
nomic challenges that we otherwise are Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I October 27, 2021.
going to be facing. If we go ahead with ask unanimous consent that the Sen- PN1310 AIR FORCE nominations (24) begin-
it, it is going to make the economic ate consider the following nomina- ning ZACHARY P. AUGUSTINE, and ending
challenges like inflation even worse. tions: Calendar Nos. 600, 601, 602, 603, MICHAEL L. TOOMER, which nominations
My hope is that we will put the 604, and all nominations on the Sec-
were received by the Senate and appeared in
brakes on, and these economic chal- the Congressional Record of October 27, 2021.
retary’s desk in the Air Force, Army, PN1311 AIR FORCE nominations (11) begin-
lenges will not worsen, and instead, we Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force; ning CHAD A. BELLAMY, and ending AN-
can get the country back on the right that the nominations be confirmed en DREW L. THORNLEY, which nominations
track. bloc; the motions to reconsider be con- were received by the Senate and appeared in
I yield the floor. the Congressional Record of October 27, 2021.
sidered made and laid upon the table
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. HAS- PN1312 AIR FORCE nominations (37) begin-
with no intervening action or debate;
SAN). The Senator from Washington. ning ROSS ANDREW BROWN, and ending
that no further motions be in order to LISA MARIE WOTKOWICZ, which nomina-
f any of the nominations; that the Presi- tions were received by the Senate and ap-
EXECUTIVE SESSION dent be immediately notified of the peared in the Congressional Record of Octo-
Senate’s action and the Senate then re- ber 27, 2021.
--- PN1313 AIR FORCE nominations (25) begin-
sume legislative session.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Without objection, it is so ordered. ning KIP T. AVERETT, and ending DANIEL
The nominations considered and con- S. WALKER, which nominations were re-
Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I ceived by the Senate and appeared in the
ask unanimous consent that the Sen- firmed are as follows:
Congressional Record of October 27, 2021.
ate proceed to executive session to con- IN THE ARMY
PN1314 AIR FORCE nominations (73) begin-
sider the following nominations en The following named Army National Guard ning SHAWN J. ALVES, and ending ALEX-
bloc: Calendar Nos. 402, 587, 606; that of the United States officer for appointment ANDER J. ZOLL, which nominations were
the Senate vote on the nominations en in the Reserve of the Army to the grade indi- received by the Senate and appeared in the
cated under title 10, U.S.C., sections 12203 Congressional Record of October 27, 2021.
bloc with no intervening action or de- and 12211: PN1315 AIR FORCE nominations (29) begin-
bate; that the motion to reconsider be ning PATRICK E. BRACKEN, and ending
To be major general
considered made and laid upon the THADDAEUS J. WERNER, which nomina-
Brig. Gen. William J. Prendergast, IV
table with no intervening action or de- tions were received by the Senate and ap-
bate; that any statements related to The following named officer for appoint-
peared in the Congressional Record of Octo-
ment to the grade indicated in the United
the nominations be printed in the ber 27, 2021.

SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
States Army while serving as Chief Defense
RECORD and the President be imme- PN1329 AIR FORCE nomination of An-
Counsel for Military Commissions under ar-
diately notified of the Senate’s action. thony W. Perez, which was received by the
ticle II, section 2, clause 2 of the United
Senate and appeared in the Congressional
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without States Constitution and section 1037 of the
Record of November 1, 2021.
objection, it is so ordered. National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
PN1330 AIR FORCE nomination of Dustin
The question is, Will the Senate ad- cal Year 2014:
R. Meredith, which was received by the Sen-
vise and consent to the nominations of To be brigadier general ate and appeared in the Congressional
Thea D. Rozman Kendler, of Maryland, Col. Jackie L. Thompson, Jr. Record of November 1, 2021.

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