Congressional Record, February 10, 2022 — Senate

Summary

Page S621 of the Senate section of the Congressional Record for February 10, 2022, in interleaved columns. Under the heading Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, Mr. Schumer moves to proceed to Calendar No. 266, H.R. 3076, and a cloture filing covers the nomination of Robert McKinnon Califf of North Carolina to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs. A speaker says rampant inflation and soaring prices are crushing the American people, with experts predicting an inflation report of around 7 percent, which is the speaker's description. Another passage discusses the competitiveness legislation and growing U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.

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Full text

February 10, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S621
LEGISLATIVE SESSION McKinnon Califf, of North Carolina, to be well: Rampant inflation and soaring
Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Depart- prices are crushing—crushing—the
ment of Health and Human Services. American people.
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF Charles E. Schumer, Patty Murray, Rich- Experts had predicted another red-
2022—Motion to Proceed ard Blumenthal, Gary C. Peters, Rob-
ert P. Casey, Jr., Sheldon Whitehouse,
hot inflation report, around 7 percent.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I Martin Heinrich, Richard J. Durbin, Even that alone would have meant we
move to proceed to Calendar No. 266, Sherrod Brown, Tammy Duckworth, were still trapped inside the worst in-
H.R. 3076. Tim Kaine, Mazie K. Hirono, Alex flation in 40 years, but reality turned
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Padilla, Tina Smith, Christopher A. out to be even worse than that. It turns
pore. The clerk will report the motion. Coons, Amy Klobuchar, Jon Tester. out inflation this past year hasn’t been
The senior assistant legislative clerk f 7 percent; it has been 71⁄2 percent. In
read as follows: other words, if you haven’t personally
LEGISLATIVE SESSION gotten a pay raise of 8 percent or more
Motion to proceed to H.R. 3076, a bill to
provide stability to and enhance the services Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I in the last year, then Democrats’ poli-
of the United States Postal Service, and for move to proceed to legislative session. cies have given you a pay cut—pay cut.
other purposes. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- To add insult to injury, reporters say
CLOTURE MOTION pore. The question is on agreeing to the worst of this inflation was driven
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I the motion. by the most painful categories for
send a cloture motion to the desk. The motion was agreed to. working families: food prices, energy
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, Madam prices, and rent.
pore. The cloture motion having been President, I ask unanimous consent This is not about financial inconven-
presented under rule XXII, the Chair that the mandatory quorum calls for ience for wealthy people who can afford
directs the clerk to read the motion. the cloture motions filed today, Thurs- to stomach it; this is about massive
The senior assistant legislative clerk day, February 10, be waived. price increases for essential goods that
read as follows: The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- make up a huge share of working fami-
pore. Without objection, it is so or- lies’ budgets. Gas is up about 40 per-
CLOTURE MOTION
dered. cent since this time last year. Used car
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- prices are up about the same. Meat,
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the f
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
fish, and eggs cost over 12 percent more
move to bring to a close debate on the mo-
MEASURE PLACED ON THE than they did just 1 year ago. The cost
tion to proceed to Calendar No. 266, H.R. CALENDAR—S. 3623 of natural gas for home heating has
3076, a bill to provide stability to and en- Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I soared by 24 percent since this time
hance the services of the United States Post- understand there is a bill at the desk last year. Fuel oil has shot up almost
al Service, and for other purposes. that is due for a second reading. 47 percent. The cost of essentials has
Charles E. Schumer, Gary C. Peters, absolutely exploded since Washington
Jacky Rosen, Amy Klobuchar, Tammy
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
pore. The clerk will read the bill by Democrats took power.
Duckworth, Patrick J. Leahy, Tina
title for the second time. To be clear, the worst inflation in 40
Smith, Tammy Baldwin, Jeff Merkley,
Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher A. The senior assistant legislative clerk years is not something that just spon-
Coons, Brian Schatz, Jon Tester, Jon read as follows: taneously happened to Democrats on
Ossoff, Benjamin L. Cardin, Martin A bill (S. 3623) to reauthorize the Violence their watch. As a Pew report dem-
Heinrich, Jack Reed, Alex Padilla. Against Women Act of 1994, and for other onstrated late last year, it is true that
f purposes. countries around the world are facing
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, in inflation—they are—as a result of
EXECUTIVE SESSION COVID, but America has it worse than
order to place the bill on the calendar
under the provisions of rule XIV, I will almost everybody else in the developed
object to further proceedings. world. This is a direct result of liberal
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- policy choices.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I Here is how Jason Furman, President
pore. Objection having been heard, the
move to proceed to executive session to Obama’s CEA Chairman, explained it
bill will be placed on the calendar.
consider Calendar No. 668. recently. I will quote from the New
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- f York Times:
pore. The question is on agreeing to ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF ‘‘The United States has had much more in-
the motion. SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL flation than almost any other advanced
The motion was agreed to. economy in the world,’’ said Jason Furman,
HARASSMENT ACT OF 2021
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- an economist at Harvard University and
pore. The clerk will report the nomina- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- former Obama administration economic ad-
tion. pore. Under the previous order, the viser, who used comparable methodologies to
Senate will proceed to consideration of look across areas and concluded that U.S.
The senior assistant legislative clerk price increases have been consistently faster.
read the nomination of Robert H.R. 4445, which the clerk will report.
The difference, he said, comes because ‘‘the
McKinnon Califf, of North Carolina, to The senior assistant legislative clerk
United States’ stimulus is in a category of
be Commissioner of Food and Drugs, read as follows: its own.’’
Department of Health and Human A bill (H.R. 4445) to amend title 9 of Obviously, he is referring to the $2
Services. the United States Code with respect trillion so-called rescue package last
CLOTURE MOTION to arbitration of disputes involving year.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I sexual assault and sexual harass- The severity of this inflation was di-
send a cloture motion to the desk. ment. rectly fueled by the reckless, far-left
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- spending spree that every single Demo-
RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER
pore. The cloture motion having been crat in this Chamber voted to ram
presented under rule XXII, the Chair The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- through at President Biden’s behest
directs the clerk to read the motion. pore. The Republican leader is recog- last year.
The senior assistant legislative clerk nized. Even the most prominent liberal
read as follows: INFLATION economists knew this would happen

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CLOTURE MOTION Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, and tried to warn the Democrats. A
moments ago, the country got yet an- year ago, Larry Summers warned that
We, the undersigned Senators, in accord-
ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the other terrible monthly inflation report Democrats’ binge could set off ‘‘infla-
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby under the Biden administration. Yet tionary pressures of a kind we have not
move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- again, the data confirmed what work- seen in a generation.’’ Ah, but Demo-
nation of Executive Calendar No. 668, Robert ing families already know painfully crats ignored their own experts. They

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S622 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 10, 2022
plowed ahead, using the pandemic as a tion investment for the future. But let American jobs and the American econ-
pretext—a pretext—to dump $2 trillion me just speak first about the nomina- omy.
into left-wing policies that were over- tion of Max Vekich to be a Commis- But let’s look at the other side of the
whelmingly unrelated—unrelated—to sioner of the Federal Maritime Com- equation. As Washington growers and
the healthcare fight against the virus, mission. American growers and American manu-
and we see the results all around us. The COVID pandemic has caused un- facturers struggle, foreign shipping
Families are living with the results precedented congestion at our ports companies are reporting more than $200
every day. and supply chain disruptions. Busi- billion in profits—more than double
As recently as the last few days, nesses and Americans are feeling the the profit they made over the last 20
some of my Democratic colleagues pinch of the rising prices and shortages years combined. That is what these
have come here to the floor to boast of products every day. The news is that international shippers are profiting. So
about the increase in nominal wages. our colleagues can do something about it doesn’t have anything to do with the
They want a round of applause because that this morning. They can do some- fact that we helped Americans get a
the numbers on many Americans’ pay- thing about that this morning. paycheck during the pandemic; it has
checks have gone up. But that is stag- At a time when our country is in to do with foreign companies that are
geringly out of touch with the reality. need of a strong Federal Maritime overcharging U.S. producers of goods.
Yes, in an inflationary spiral, lots of Commission, it is important that they At this critical time in our country,
people will see the numbers on their do their oversight role—that they in- we need a Federal Maritime Commis-
paychecks go up. The problem is that vestigate, that they regulate unfair sion to move decisively to put in place
even those bigger paychecks are buying practices by foreign shipping compa- practices and regulations to address
Americans less in real terms today nies and make sure U.S. shippers, our port congestion and support U.S. ex-
than their smaller paychecks bought growers, and manufacturers get a fair porters and help them not be the target
them before Democrats were sworn in. deal. The Federal Maritime Commis- of unfair practices such as exorbitant
It is like this: Democratic policies sion is particularly important when it shipping costs and a lack of access to
have created an inflation riptide that comes to ensuring that American prod- ships. We need a Commission that will
is forcing families and small businesses ucts get access to markets around the take action and improve the informa-
to swim as fast as they possibly can globe. tion flow at ports, investigate these il-
just to avoid getting sucked out to sea, While I don’t agree with the conclu- legal practices, and take enforcement
but Democrats are trying to call this a sion of the minority leader on our in- action against foreign bad actors who
success because of how fast everybody’s vestment in helping Americans during are overcharging U.S. exporters and
arms and legs are moving. Talk about the pandemic, I know this: Right now, other shippers. We need a Commission
an absurd effort to spend your way out the Federal Maritime Commission that will stand up to foreign shipping
of reality. The truth is plain for every- should be investigating international interests and protect American manu-
body to see. shippers who are overcharging U.S. ex- facturers, farmers, and other exporters.
A few weeks ago, the Washington porters. So, yes, there is something we can do
Post ran a story with the headline Farmers have been hard hit by con-
about our supply chain woes, particu-
‘‘’That raise meant nothing:’ Inflation gestion and shipping challenges. U.S.
larly for States that have big export
is wiping out pay increases for most agriculture exporters have experienced
economies.
Americans.’’ The story explained, and a 22-percent decrease in exports. Agri-
That is why American shippers and
this is a direct quote: culture accounts for about one-tenth of
producers—‘‘American shippers’’ mean-
[M]any [workers] said that despite consid- America’s goods exports, and roughly
ing the people who are actually ship-
erable pay raises—as much as 33 percent, in 20 percent of what U.S. farmers and
some cases—they were still struggling to ping product—that is why American
ranchers produce is sent abroad. That
cover basic expenses. Several workers said shippers and producers are behind the
is why they deserve a fair deal on ship-
they had taken second jobs to keep up with nomination of Max Vekich, because
ping prices.
rising costs for groceries, gas and rent. Many of these products move by con- Mr. Vekich knows the ports, knows the
So American workers are not buying tainerized freight, and containerized shipping community, and has spent
the Democratic spin for 1 second. One freight costs have more than doubled more than 40 years working on the wa-
year after President Biden took office since the pandemic. Washington hay terfront. He spent his life working in
with massive economic tailwinds at his producers estimate that the freight the maritime industry and knows the
back, with an economy that was costs could be three times more expen- challenges we face in maritime, inter-
primed for a roaring comeback, 75 per- sive by this winter. modal transportation, congestion, and
cent of Americans say our economy is In addition to freight costs, ships are continuing to move forward on how we
doing badly. About 90 percent of Amer- returning to Asia with empty con- advance our ports.
icans say they are concerned with in- tainers and stranding U.S. exports at If you have worked on the docks for
flation. Ninety percent of Americans the docks. This is an unprecedented na- 40 years, I guarantee you, you know
say they are concerned with inflation. ture of shipping and has had a major about every product, and you know
A 60-percent supermajority say their impact on American exporters. It is what challenges we face from this
family’s income is falling behind the important that we understand that we international competition.
cost of living. need to do something about it. We are on the precipice of moving
It didn’t have to be this way. This The National Milk Producers Federa- important competitive legislation, but
was a policy choice. This all-Demo- tion estimates that shipping disruption part of that competitive legislation is
cratic government was warned that cost the U.S. dairy industry nearly $1 getting our products on vessels instead
their radical agenda would supercharge billion in the first half of 2021. of being stranded at the docks and pre-
inflation, and they pushed ahead any- Apples are Washington’s most valu- venting shipping companies from re-
way, and our country is paying the able agricultural commodity, with $2.1 taliating against U.S. exporters.
price. billion in sales in 2020. About 30 per- Again, the majority of this product is
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- cent of the State’s product is exported. moved by international shippers. It is
pore. The Senator from Washington. According to the Washington State an international business. So we need a
NOMINATION OF MAX VEKICH Apple Commission, port congestion has Commission in place that is willing to
Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I producers concentrating this year more act, a Commission that is willing to
come to the floor to talk about a cou- on North American markets as opposed use their authority to enforce our cur-

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ple of items this morning. One is the to overseas markets, cutting into their rent laws and to make sure we are pro-
nomination of Max Vekich to be Com- profit. For every 1 million boxes of tecting American exporters.
missioner of the Federal Maritime fresh apples shifted into the U.S. do- That is why exporters like the Idaho
Commission and also to talk about the mestic market, the price drops about 50 Dairy Association support Max Vekich,
very important issue of our colleagues cents per box as supply begins to over- because they know he knows how to
working together on America’s innova- take demand. These losses impact real move product.

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February 10, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S623
That is why the American Associa- Beneficial Association, National Farmers should be everywhere. So if we want
tion of Port Authorities, a trade asso- Union, Masters Mates and Pilots, American that to happen in Reno, NV, we need to
ciation representing more than 80 ports Radio Association, Seafarers, TTD, AFL– make an investment in Reno, NV. I be-
CIO, Local Washington state teamsters,
across the United States, supports Max Local chapters of the Farm Union, North-
lieve in that because I am pretty sure
Vekich, citing his unique leadership as west Seaport Alliance, Port of Tacoma, Port the Sierra company is a very big leader
a longtime maritime worker in the sec- of Seattle. in the aerospace sector, and I think
tor. UNITED STATES INNOVATION AND COMPETITION they are headquartered in Reno, if I am
The Pacific Northwest Waterways ACT not mistaken. This is what I am talk-
Association represents ports, tug and Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, ing about. You can build.
barge companies, steamship operators, now I would like to turn our attention Guess what. Not everything has to
grain elevator operators, agricultural to an issue that is also dealing with our happen in Seattle or San Francisco or
producers, forest products manufactur- supply chain, and that is the issue of Boston or out here on the corridor here
ers, electric utilities, irrigation dis- Congress moving forward on the dif- in Virginia. That is because the inno-
tricts, and other businesses throughout ferences between the House and Senate vation age means that innovation can
Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. This bills on America’s investment in R&D happen at a very flat level. It can hap-
organization does not typically endorse and innovation. pen anywhere.
candidates for these Federal offices, As the chart shows, our investment So why would we constrict it? We
but today, they are calling for Mr. today equals U.S. jobs in our economy don’t want to constrict it. We want to
Vekich to be confirmed on the basis of tomorrow. So the United States Com- empower it. American leadership can’t
his ‘‘firsthand knowledge of maritime petition Act or, as we passed it here, wait. What we need is to be collabo-
industry operations.’’ the United States Innovation and Com- rative here in the U.S. Senate because
Mr. Vekich knows what it takes to petition Act is at a crossroads because that collaboration between govern-
move product from the heartland. He we need to get it into conference. ment, academia, and industry is what
knows that in our Washington ports, Other countries definitely aren’t drives the next level of innovation.
we are helping U.S. farmers get their waiting—I guarantee you that. They Just think about what happened with
products to market. So I know that are making investments in innovation ARPA, DARPA as we made the innova-
whether it is wheat or soybeans or and technology. Where we are in the tions with the internet. As the Acting
other ag products, he knows what it United States is we are at a 45-year low President pro tempore knows, because
takes to move them and what it takes in the amount of investment in R&D she is a programmer, that innovation
for us to continue to improve the effi- against our GDP. So we are not keep- allowed us to then build out a commer-
ciency of our ports. Whether it is the ing pace. cial aspect of the internet that would
Midwest manufactured products like Many times I have been out on the not have happened, at least at that mo-
cars and jeeps, he knows what that floor here talking about why we are ment in time. In 1993, it wouldn’t have
takes and what it takes to continue to not keeping pace. We tried. Unfortu- happened. Look at where we are today
grow a skilled workforce who will help nately, we tried several years ago and with an internet economy, all because
us do that cost-effectively. He knows then had an economic downturn. So ev- we had U.S. innovation.
how to work with industry, like agri- erybody signed up: Let’s put more into So technology after technology has
cultural producers and the waterfront R&D investment. Then we had an eco- been invented, and our U.S. companies
workforce alike. nomic downturn, and we never fulfilled have continued to innovate, develop a
So at a time when we are asking our that promise. So the real consequences workforce, and skill people for the op-
dock workers and our longshoremen to of that are we are now behind in some portunities of tomorrow. But that lead-
work around-the-clock to help elevate very key sectors that we need to make ership is not guaranteed, and time and
our efficiencies and improve port con- investments in. time again, history has shown us that
gestion—and, I might say, at the loss The good news for us is that people while we innovate here, other people
of life. The amount of death in the are willing to make those investments, are going to follow.
longshoreman community would break like the Intel company, which just de- In aviation, the Wright brothers were
your heart. They continued to work cided recently to make a multibillion- the first to demonstrate this with the
during the COVID–19 crisis and lit- dollar investment in the State of Ohio Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, but the
erally lost their lives. This is what to grow chip fabrication there. So we United States soon fell behind in avia-
these people are doing. They are help- have opportunities if we make these in- tion as European governments invested
ing us keep our supply chain going. So vestments. and built out this new industry. By
the least we can do is invest in some- When the world presents a challenge, 1913, the U.S. military had 6 planes and
body who is going to help us under- the American people, the people in our 14 trained pilots. France had 216 air-
stand what it takes to do that on a State—they rise to the challenge, and planes and 171 trained pilots.
day-to-day basis. the American spirit has never ceased to So leadership can’t wait. You can’t
We need to make sure that we have a amaze me. I guarantee, innovation is in wait. I think people get this. We do a
competitive and fair environment for the DNA of Americans. Why? Because lot of the innovation, and other people
U.S. companies. So I ask my colleagues we live in a country where you are free take that innovation and implement it.
to confirm Max Vekich as Commis- to do what you want. You are free to go That is why a major section of the bill
sioner of the Federal Maritime Com- and start a company and try your skill is about translational science. It is
mission this morning. set. We encourage it. We need to have about taking that innovation in the
Madam President, I would ask unani- that same spirit here working collabo- United States and translating it into
mous consent to have printed in the ratively to get this legislation rectified faster adoption applications for indus-
RECORD a list of supporters I men- and onto the President’s desk. There tries.
tioned. isn’t a moment to wait for revolution- Congress finally decided to invest in
There being no objection, the mate- izing science, creating jobs, and invig- American leadership in 1915 by creating
rial was ordered to be printed in the orating our new economic centers the National Advisory Committee for
RECORD, as follows: around the Nation. Aeronautics, which worked with aca-
LIST OF SUPPORTERS My colleague Senator WICKER and I demia and industry to regain Amer-
American Association of Port Authorities, worked on a very important aspect of ica’s dominance and find how we build
Idaho Dairy Association, Darigold, North- the bill, which is driving more innova- planes that even last today. That is
west Dairy Association, Pacific Northwest tion dollars into research institutions what we are talking about. That is why

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Waterways Association, International in States that haven’t traditionally we feel that NASA is part of this bill.
Longshore Association, Tote Maritime, had large research footprints. This will NASA is our R&D Agency for aviation.
Saltchuk, Foss Maritime, Pasha, Matson,
SSA Marine, Carnival, Transportation Insti-
be an issue of contention, I am sure, That is what NASA is. Yes, it deserves
tute, National Pilots Association. with some of our colleagues, but my a place in this legislation.
American Maritime Congress, ILWU, In- point is, innovation can happen any- A new aviation industry and new
land Boatman’s Union, Marine Engineers where, and innovation infrastructure aviation supply chains sprung up

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S624 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 10, 2022
across the country in places like Wich- mate change. They are investing in the Yet foreign competitors are not sit-
ita, KS, and Seattle, WA. The story resilience of their supply chains by pro- ting still. When it comes to technology
would repeat itself after the Soviet moting domestic production. They are leadership, they are, obviously, going
Union challenged U.S. leadership in the training their workforce. to try to do their part. So our solution
1950s. Almost immediately, Congress So the aspects of the legislation that is simple. All we have to do is work to-
recognized that leadership could not we passed that help to skill and keep gether. All we have to do is be collabo-
wait, and that is when we did NASA. Americans working and trained for the rative. As someone once said, collabo-
Bringing together government, aca- workforce are very important policies. ration is the next phase of innovation.
demia, and industry to create new gen- In fact, the administration just re- You can have all the science; you can
erations of American expertise and leased yesterday another round of in- have all the creativity, but if you can’t
technical advancements is what even- vestment as part of what was the aero- get it implemented because people
tually put a man on the Moon and what space and manufacturing jobs program don’t sit around the table and talk and
will put someone—a woman this time— that helped keep the aviation worker innovate and work together, then you
on the Moon, but America had to in place or actually try to recapture can’t get it implemented.
choose to lead. some of them who were laid off during That is where we are. We know we
That is what we are going to be the pandemic. need to do this investment in R&D. We
asked about with USICA in getting it It is a very important piece of legis- know that we need to invest in chips,
done. We have to choose to lead, to in- lation that we have worked on that my and we are not doing it because some
vest in technology. That technology colleagues over here, for the most part, people don’t want to move ahead and
brought us places like Huntsville, AL, didn’t support in the final package. get this done.
and Houston, TX. In 2020, the aerospace Some of them supported it as a concept
The Senate Commerce Committee
industry supported 2 million good-pay- and as an idea but did not support the
passed the legislation, and we, obvi-
ing jobs, with an average salary of over final package.
Right now, it is 30 to 50 percent ously, got and understood the urgency
$100,000 per year, and generated $900
cheaper to build a semiconductor of it. We got and understood the ur-
billion in revenue. That is what the in-
foundry in Asia than in the United gency of it. Trust me. There are many
novation economy did for us.
States, mostly because of foreign gov- other things we thought we were going
That is why we want to now upgrade
ernment investment. Moreover, as I to put on our agenda. The Acting
the innovation, particularly as it re-
said, we are being hard hit by a semi- President pro tempore knows—because
lates to semiconductors. The avail-
conductor supply chain crisis. Car she sat through the hundreds of amend-
ability of these tiny chips is one of the
manufacturers, including Tesla, GM, ments that were marked up—the proc-
most pressing issues facing our country
and others, are removing some of their ess that we went through, the regular
now. People can’t get access to them.
most advanced and desirable features order, the regular order that we went
It is so bad that, of the people who now
from their cars just to reduce the num- through here on the Senate floor, and
have electric cars or hybrids, if you
ber of chips that are needed. Literally, the regular order we are willing to go
have a used car, you know that your
we are cutting our innovation skill set through. So no one is asking for any-
price goes down; that it just continues
just because we don’t have the chips. thing else but for regular order.
to go down. Now used car prices are ac-
tually going up. So few cars are avail- Ford announced last week that it will Of the people who want to hold up
able that the consumers want in this either halt or cut production at eight and don’t want to move forward, I
area that, actually, used cars are get- plants. would ask them to think about our
ting more money. Prices are going up Are we really going to sit around and competition that is working very hard
and not down. wait to get this legislation done? Are at beating us on semiconductors and
This shortage cost the transportation we really going to sit around and wait? the issues that it represents as it re-
sector $210 billion last year alone. We We have eight plants that are going lates to the investments we should be
can’t wait. We can’t wait on these to shut down because they don’t have making.
issues. We can’t wait. The essence of chips, and we are going to sit around I want us to make the investments in
acting now—getting together, commu- and wait for another 3 or 4 weeks be- semiconductors. I want us to make the
nicating with our colleagues, working fore we go to conference to resolve investments in manufacturing exten-
together in a collaborative spirit—is these issues. It has been projected that sion programs, in STEM education, in
what is going to get this legislation this chip shortage cost the global auto tech hubs, and in making sure that the
over the goal line and help us. industry, in 2021, $210 billion in revenue United States of America maintains its
The first transistor, as part of this and a loss of production of 7.7 million leadership role.
chip industry, was invented in 1947 in cars. So leadership can’t wait. It can’t I yield the floor.
New Jersey, representing a collabora- wait. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
tion from scientists across physics, Fortunately, the United States is
pore. The Senator from Iowa.
electrical engineering, and chemistry, showing that we can respond, and we in
but in the 1980s, the U.S. semicon- the Senate did pass legislation. Now we Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I ask
ductor industry faced a serious chal- have an opportunity to go to con- unanimous consent that Senators GRA-
HAM, GILLIBRAND, SCHUMER, and I be
lenge from an ally of ours—Japan. ference and work with our colleagues,
Leadership did not wait. We did not but some people want to wait another able to complete our remarks prior to
wait. The government set up a govern- 3 weeks or 4 weeks to do that. I don’t the vote on H.R. 4445.
ment-industry partnership, Semitech, want to wait. I don’t want to wait an- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
with specific goals of creating new col- other second. The competitiveness of pore. Without objection, it is so or-
laborations and investing in American U.S. manufacturers that are competing dered.
manufacturing. The United States on an international basis and that re- Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I also
maintained that leadership role, and in ceive the investments that we make in ask unanimous consent to engage in a
the 1990s, we produced 37 percent of the technology just can’t wait. colloquy with my colleague Senator
global chip supply. The semiconductor Recent investments from the com- GRAHAM.
industry now supports more than a mercial sector from Intel show that The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem-
million jobs because people didn’t over 10,000 new jobs will bring a domes- pore. Without objection, it is so or-
stand around and wait. tic semiconductor industry to the Mid- dered.
But today we see overseas competi- west, specifically to Ohio, and our ex-

ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE
tors who are investing heavily in the perience has shown us that, if we make f
technologies of the future—everything the investments that we are talking
from AI, to composites, to clean energy about in USICA, in the competitiveness
H.R. 4445
solutions—and they are trying to do act, that we will grow an even larger
everything from driving their own en- U.S. semiconductor manufacturing Ms. ERNST. Madam President, pro-
ergy independence to combating cli- business. tecting survivors of sexual assault and

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