Congressional Record, Senate, March 8, 2022 — Postal Service Reform Act of 2022
Summary
Congressional Record, Senate, pages S1031 and S1032, March 8, 2022. A senator speaks in support of a bipartisan resolution to remove the procedural deadline for ratification of what the remarks call the 28th Amendment. Another senator marks the bicentennial birth of Harriet Tubman and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Maryland, and Boozman honors Sergeant Joshua Caudell of the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Under the heading Postal Service Reform Act of 2022—Continued, the Senate recessed from 12:19 p.m. until 2:15 p.m., and the bill was passed with yeas 78 and nays 19.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, March 8, 2022 — Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2022-03-08-crec-2022-03-08-pt1-pgs1031-2-9bcef950b3/
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1031
could have if formalized today. First, it key leader in the abolition and wom- As we reflect on the achievements of
would expand legal recourse against en’s suffrage movements. She embodied women and girls across the centuries and
gender discrimination. Second, it extraordinary courage and took im- pay tribute to the pioneers who paved the
would empower those of us in Congress measurable risks as a soldier, spy, and way, let us recommit to the fight and help
realize the deeply American vision of a more
to enact stronger laws preventing gen- conductor on the Underground Rail- equal society where every person has a shot
der discrimination across a wide array road, leading her family and commu- at pursuing the American dream. In doing
of issues. Third, it would require the nities to freedom. In an unjust country so, we will advance economic growth, our
Supreme Court—or courts—to use a to her race, she was there, working for health and safety, and the security of our
higher standard of review than is cur- America’s future and helping to lib- Nation and the world.
rently applied in the cases of gender erate the enslaved people. I yield the floor.
discrimination. In Maryland, this year also marks
The ratification of the ERA could be f
the 5-year anniversary of the Harriet
expected to have effects across such di- Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor RECESS
verse areas as pay discrimination, Center, which opened its doors to the Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I ask
LGBTQ rights, gender-based and do- public in 2017. In its first year, it drew unanimous consent that the Senate
mestic violence, sexual harassment, nearly 100,000 visitors from every State now recess until 2:15 p.m.
and more. This constitutional amend- and more than 70 countries, exceeding There being no objection, the Senate,
ment would provide a firmer founda- all expectations. It is inspirational to at 12:19 p.m., recessed until 2:15 p.m.
tion for existing laws and create new see this visitor center and to see her and reassembled when called to order
authority for Congress to pass laws in journey through life and what she was by the Presiding Officer (Ms. SINEMA).
areas in which it has historically able to accomplish. One person can
lacked a constitutional prerogative. make a difference. As Dr. Martin Lu- f
Our Constitution is a framework of, ther King, Jr., told us frequently, POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF
by, and for the people. It must be able ‘‘Each one of us in this world can make 2022—Continued
to evolve to meet the changing views a difference.’’ Harriet Tubman made
and beliefs of the people. Already a ma- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen-
such a difference throughout her life-
jority of the U.S. Senate has cospon- ior Senator from Arkansas.
time.
sored the bipartisan resolution that I The visitor center houses exhibit HONORING SERGEANT JOSHUA CAUDELL
referred to, S.J. Res. 1, that Senator space that shares Tubman’s compelling Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I
MURKOWSKI and I introduced to remove story, surrounded by landscape and wa- have the privilege of being with my fel-
the procedural deadline that Congress terways preserved to resemble how low Senator, TOM COTTON, as we rise
once set to honor the clear will of the they would have appeared to her over today to honor two Arkansans who
people and to make the legitimacy of 200 years ago in her early life as an gave their lives in service to others re-
our 28th Amendment clear beyond a enslaved child, young woman, and free- cently.
doubt. dom seeker. The Harriet Tubman Un- Arkansas Department of Corrections
The House of Representatives has al- derground Railroad National Monu- Officer Sergeant Joshua Caudell was a
ready passed this resolution twice. It is ment and National Historical Park pre- member of the department’s K–9 team
time for us to do the same. I look for- serve these characteristics in her early who responded to a call to assist his
ward to the opportunity to bring this home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. fellow law enforcement officers with a
resolution to the floor in the coming The visitor center serves as an ori- disturbance call.
months and would strongly urge every entation center to the national monu- During the course of searching for a
one of my colleagues to support that ment and historical park and gateway suspect, Sergeant Caudell was shot and
resolution. Thirty-eight States have al- to the larger Harriet Tubman Under- later died from his injuries. Born in
ready ratified it. Most Americans al- ground Railroad Scenic Byway, which Little Rock and raised in Redfield and
ready think it is in our Constitution. includes the Brodess Farm, where Har- White Hall, Sergeant Caudell was a
Let’s get that job done. riet Tubman lived as a child; Bucktown White Hall High School graduate of the
BICENTENNIAL BIRTH OF HARRIET TUBMAN General Store, where she first stood up class of 2011.
Madam President, March 8, as has against the oppressors as a young girl; Service was something that defined
been pointed out, is International and other places that were part of the his life. In high school, he participated
Women’s Day. It happens during the Underground Railroad in Dorchester, in the school’s ROTC program. He then
month of March, which is Women’s His- Talbot, and Caroline Counties. went on to serve in the Army National
tory Month, here in the United States. I recently introduced legislation with Guard and is a 10-year veteran of the
I wish to commemorate the bicenten- my colleagues in the Baltimore con- Arkansas Department of Corrections
nial birth of one of Maryland’s most gressional delegation, S. 3744, reauthor- with a variety of units.
iconic leaders, a true American hero izing the designations of the Baltimore He also served his family with deep
who has inspired global human rights’ National Heritage Area, which encom- care and devotion. As a loving husband
defenders, and that is Harriet Tubman. passes listings on the Underground and father, Sergeant Caudell put his
As we close this year’s chapter of Railroad network. wife and children above all else. They
Black History Month and ring in Wom- Harriet Tubman was not only a fierce shared a special bond and never left
en’s History Month, what better way to defender for freedom from slavery but any doubt about how much they meant
celebrate these annual observances also for the women’s rights movement, to each other.
than by honoring the valor, journey, particularly for Black women. Fol- His friends describe Sergeant Caudell
and life of Harriet Tubman and her lowing her treacherous journey to free- as a kind, generous person who was a
fight for freedom, which intersects dom, Harriet Tubman spoke on the im-
real-life hero. He loved to fish and
with our modern-day fight for civil portance of women’s suffrage in New
grill, cheer on his daughter’s softball
rights, climate action, and environ- York, Washington, and Boston. In 1896,
team, ride horses with his fellow De-
mental justice. she was one of the first guests to speak
Harriet Tubman was born Araminta partment of Corrections field officers,
at the National Association of Colored
Ross in Dorchester County, MD, along and support the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Women and was hailed a strong advo-
our Eastern Shore, around 1822. She His sacrifice in the name of pro-
cate. Women secured the right to vote
was the ‘‘Moses of her people,’’ person- tecting the community and enforcing
in 1920 with the 19th Amendment, but
the rule of law will never be forgotten.
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ally leading at least 70 enslaved people it wasn’t until 1965 that voting rights
to freedom. She is a cherished daughter We are so grateful for his example
became a reality for Black women.
of Maryland. She did this at great per- Let me conclude my comments on and willingness to do the tough and
sonal sacrifice to her own safety and Women’s History Month by once again dangerous job of ensuring public safe-
freedom on the Eastern Shore of Mary- quoting from President Biden. ty.
land. As President Biden proclaimed Wom- HONORING JASON LANG
This year, in 2022, we observe the bi- en’s History Month this month, he Madam President, sadly, the Natural
centennial of the start of her life as a said: State lost another first responder in
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S1032 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
the last few days, West Memphis fire- HONORING SERGEANT JOSHUA CAUDELL UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—AMENDMENT
fighter Jason Lang. Madam President, last Monday, an- NO. 4936
Lang was traveling to another city other Arkansan lost his life as an offi- Mr. LEE. Madam President, the U.S.
for an EMT training class when he cer in the line of duty. Postal Service is in dire trouble. The
stopped to provide assistance to others The other week, Pulaski County Government Accountability Office has
involved in a traffic accident. He was Sheriff’s deputies were asked to check listed its financial viability as high
struck by an 18-wheeler while ren- on a woman who hadn’t shown up to risk, and it has been in that status
dering aid. work that day. Her friends were con- since 2009.
Originally from Iowa, Jason Lang cerned about her well-being and wanted From 2007 until 2020, the Postal Serv-
was an Eagle Scout and a volunteer to make sure she was safe. When the ice had losses of $86 billion and over
firefighter who was just starting his deputies arrived at the woman’s house, $188 billion in unfunded liabilities and
adult life. We were fortunate that his an armed assailant opened fire, forcing debt. From October to December of last
path brought him to Arkansas, where them to take cover and call backup. year alone—just a few months—it lost
he was eager to begin serving the West The shooter managed to escape, and $1.3 billion.
Memphis community. deputies then called in canine officers I think it is a mistake to rush postal
Lang was an enthusiastic and prom- to find the would-be cop killer. reform now, when Congress should in-
ising young man who, on day one, One of the officers assigned to this stead debate and consider the country’s
wanted to be an integral part of the dangerous job was Sergeant Joshua response to and role in the Ukraine-
important work that first responders Caudell. Sergeant Caudell helped track Russia situation. We could be respond-
do to help support those in need. He the shooter to a trailer not far away. ing to skyrocketing energy prices. Nev-
learned that example from his own Tragically, unknown to the officers, ertheless, I do very much support deal-
family, with a father who served as a the shooter was lying in wait under- ing with the post office and reforming
police officer for decades and a brother neath the trailer. He once again opened the post office. We have to do this.
who is a volunteer firefighter. fire on the police, this time hitting Unfortunately, this bill falls far
He may have only been with the West Sergeant Caudell and killing him. short in much more than just its tim-
Memphis Fire Department for a few Sergeant Caudell was 29 years old. He ing. It does nearly nothing to make the
months, but his chief recalled viewing had a wife and three children. My pray- Postal Service solvent.
him as a future leader in the organiza- ers and Senator BOOZMAN’s prayers re- I have offered 12 amendments. Sadly,
tion from the first time that they met. flect the prayers of all Arkansans my efforts, along with those of my Re-
His heroic and selfless actions will be going out to his family. We can only publican colleagues, have been blocked.
admired and appreciated for years to imagine their heartbreak and pain. But I can’t just step aside without try-
come. The heinous criminal who committed ing to make the bill better.
Those who perform such acts do so Today, I would like to briefly speak
this murder is now in custody. He will
without regard for their own safety, about just 2 of the 12 amendments I
face justice—stern, swift, and fair. And
which is the hallmark of public service. have filed, just two of them in par-
he must face the sternest justice pos-
So today, we remember both Sergeant ticular, and ask that they be called up
sible because an attack on a law en-
Joshua Caudell and firefighter Jason and voted on.
forcement officer is also an attack on
Lang for what they gave to their re- The first strikes a provision in the
the rule of law, on order, on civiliza-
spective communities: themselves, to- bill that would require the Postal Serv-
tion itself.
tally and unflinchingly. ice to ‘‘maintain an integrated net-
Sadly, the slaying of Sergeant
We regret that their actions were work for the delivery’’ of postal prod-
Caudell was not the only tragedy that
necessary, but we will be forever grate- ucts and would require the disclosure
befell our State in the last 2 weeks.
ful that these two men did not hesitate of the rates that the USPS charges pri-
HONORING JASON LANG
to put their own safety aside in the vate companies for the last mile deliv-
name of protecting and helping others. Madam President, on Saturday, Feb- ery of packages.
I join with Senator COTTON and so ruary 26, 20-year-old West Memphis The term ‘‘integrated network’’ isn’t
many others to share our gratitude and firefighter Jason Lang was on his way defined in the bill, and it could be eas-
admiration for these heroes, as well as to an EMT class when he saw that a ily used to bundle or combine expenses,
our sorrow that they paid the ultimate stranger had gotten into a car acci- which would in turn allow the USPS to
price in the line of duty. dent. Exactly as you would expect from further disguise serious costs and make
We pray for their loved ones and col- such a fine public servant, he pulled a proper accounting of certain products
leagues as they mourn these fallen over, and he tried to help the crash vic- difficult or even impossible.
guardians who served others to the tim. As he was selflessly helping the The simple idea of an ‘‘integrated de-
very end. stranger, Jason was tragically struck livery network’’ may seem benign—and
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- by an 18-wheeler and killed. the term itself sounds friendly
ator from Arkansas. Jason’s death is a heartbreaking loss enough—but words do matter. Words in
Mr. COTTON. Madam President, for our State. When Jason saw a fellow context and their meaning, these are
today, I stand with a heavy heart, Arkansan in distress, he ran toward the things that matter.
alongside Senator BOOZMAN, to mourn danger. Every young boy and girl This particular legislative text with
the deaths of two great Arkansans, Ar- should aspire to serve their community no clear definition is ripe for abuse. Be-
kansas Department of Corrections Ser- with the same sense of bravery. cause the Postal Service is required to
geant Joshua Caudell and West Mem- Today, all of Arkansas weeps red and deliver to every American, even on un-
phis firefighter Jason Lang. They both blue. My heart and Senator BOOZMAN’s profitable routes, the Postal Service
died as they lived: serving their fellow heart goes out to all Arkansas fire- may be charging lower than market
Arkansans. fighters and police officers who do so rates in its service contracts with pri-
Like every State, Arkansas is suf- much for our State each and every day. vate companies. This may not only
fering terribly from the crime wave President Reagan said in his first in- shortchange the Postal Service, mak-
that has crashed across the country in augural address that ‘‘those who say ing further taxpayer bailouts likely,
the past 21⁄2 years. Our men and women that we’re in a time’’ without heroes but it could also distort competition in
in law enforcement are on the frontline ‘‘just don’t know where to look.’’ Jason the package delivery market.
Lang and Joshua Caudell were, indeed,
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of this crisis, fighting against the The American public deserves a prop-
forces of disorder, ridding our streets of heroes; and we can look to them, and er accounting of Postal Service rates,
poisonous drugs, facing down evil we can honor their legacy. God bless and my amendment will ensure this
itself. them, God bless their families, and God disclosure is provided in a fully trans-
Sadly, too many in law enforcement bless the State of Arkansas. parent manner.
have paid the ultimate price while pro- I yield the floor. My second amendment prohibits the
tecting the innocent and fighting the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Postal Service from shipping any
guilty. ator from Utah. ‘‘abortion inducing drug.’’ Chemical
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1033
abortions have four times the com- here today represents consensus on es- wonder: What are they afraid of? What
plication rate of surgical abortions and sential reforms for the U.S. Postal is the Postal Service so afraid of? What
are far more likely to send women to Service, overdue for over a decade. is the harm that can come from the
the emergency room. Unfortunately, in This legislation will ensure the Post- American people knowing how these
December of 2021—just a few months al Service can provide long-term, reli- things operate? What is the harm that
ago—the Food and Drug Administra- able, 6-day-a-week service across the can come from striking a provision
tion permanently rescinded a long- country, and put it on stable financial that is vague and ripe with opportuni-
standing regulation that required footing. ties for abuse—strike that and replace
healthcare professionals to dispense This amendment changes key service it with transparency provisions? We
chemical abortion pills to patients in protections in the bill and adds new would all be better off. So that is un-
person, allowing them to be sent harmful provisions tailored to special fortunate.
through the mail without even basic interests of Postal Service competi- I do think we ought to consider that
precautions to protect the life and tors. and also another amendment.
health of the mother. Our bill requires the Postal Service UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—AMENDMENT
Not only does this policy change to maintain its current standard of de- NO. 4937
threaten the lives and the health of livery at least 6 days per week. It is ab- Madam President, to that end, I ask
women, but it raises the disturbing solutely essential to protect 6-day de- unanimous consent to set aside the
possibility that perpetrators of sexual livery so the Postal Service can con- pending amendment and call up
abuse may be further enabled to hide tinue serving as a critical lifeline for amendment No. 4937; further, that the
their crimes from legal authorities and countless communities that rely on the amendment be reported by number,
health professionals through mail- mail for medications, for rent pay- that there be 2 minutes of debate
order abortion. ments, for critical supplies, for Social equally divided on the amendment, and
Furthermore, because taxpayer dol- Security checks, and so much more. that the Senate then vote on adoption
lars—particularly, over the last few This amendment would change how of the amendment with no intervening
years—have funded the Postal Serv- the Postal Service operates today by action or debate.
ice’s operations, American taxpayer re- altering their integrated network that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
sources are funding abortion and put- allows mail and packages to be deliv- objection?
ting women at risk. Congress must put ered together. This is more efficient for Mr. PETERS. Madam President, re-
an end to this and exercise its author- both the Postal Service and for their serving the right to object.
ity to ensure that the U.S. Government customers. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
does not encourage or facilitate the use Instead, this amendment seeks to un- ator from Michigan.
of these dangerous and lethal abortion dermine the Postal Service’s ability to Mr. PETERS. Madam President, this
drugs. compete against private carriers that bill is limited to absolutely essential,
I also support the efforts of my many do not have the same requirements to consensus, bipartisan reforms that are
colleagues. Senator SCOTT’s amend- deliver to every single community in necessary to ensure that the Postal
ment would alleviate some of the fi- Service can survive and can continue
the United States of America.
nancial burdens that this bill would The amendment would also force delivering for the American people.
impose on taxpayers and the Medicare publication of contract information to Everything in this bill has bipartisan
Program by forcing the Postal Service agreement. This bill passed the House
Postal Service competitors. This would
to reimburse Medicare for all of the ad- by a vote of 342 to 92. It has broad sup-
give away commercially sensitive in-
ditional costs that would be created by port from the public, from the business
formation to private carriers and pro-
requiring future postal retirees to en- community, and other stakeholders.
vide an unfair advantage, when the
roll in Medicare. In contrast, this amendment is in-
Congress and the Postal Service have Postal Regulatory Commission already
flammatory and unnecessary to the
historically made bad policy and busi- reviews every Postal Service contract
postal bill. It is meant to be a poison
ness decisions, and now, instead of fix- to ensure both compliance as well as
pill. It would add abortion-inducing
ing those or otherwise meaningfully fairness.
I appreciated Senator PORTMAN’s drugs to the list of nonmailable matter
addressing them, it is simply shifting under postal law.
millions of workers from coverage his- thoughtful comments against changing
Under current law, the list of non-
torically provided by an independent the key service protections in this bill.
mailable matter includes items rang-
Federal Agency onto taxpayers more It is time to pass this bipartisan legis-
ing from grenades to explosives, to con-
broadly. lation as drafted and getting it signed
trolled substances and narcotics.
The Postal Service and the American into law. However, the Postal Service is free to
people deserve a thoughtful bill, one I object. mail any FDA-approved drugs that are
that reforms its key challenges, setting The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob- prescribed by healthcare providers and
the Agency up for long-term success. jection is heard. sent by either a pharmacy or a doctor.
But without any amendments to The Senator from Utah. There are no other FDA-approved
change the trajectory, this bill only Mr. LEE. Madam President, it is un- medications that are prohibited from
kicks the can down the road without fortunate that we are not able to vote being mailed to patients in need.
making the serious changes that are on this. It is a simple measure, and This amendment is an attack on re-
needed today. contrary to the characterization by my productive rights that would make it
Madam President, I ask unanimous friend and distinguished colleague, the more difficult for women and families
consent to set aside the pending Senator from Michigan, this is a simple to safely access critical medical care,
amendment and call up my amendment transparency measure. and it imposes an unnecessary hardship
No. 4936. Further, I ask that the Look, the fact that there are people on women and families who are access-
amendment be reported by number, within the Postal Service reviewing ing their care using telemedicine, espe-
that there be 2 minutes of debate the contracts doesn’t solve the under- cially during a pandemic.
equally divided on the amendment, and lying problem. What we want is trans- This amendment simply has no place
that the Senate then vote on adoption parency. What we want to know is that in a bipartisan postal reform bill.
of the amendment with no intervening the Postal Service isn’t setting up con- Madam President, I object.
action or debate. tracts that are sweetheart deals to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
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The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there some companies, allowing them to be tion is heard.
objection? enriched on the backs of the American The Senator from Utah.
Mr. PETERS. Madam President, re- taxpayer and the consumer who uses Mr. LEE. Madam President, here
serving the right to object. the Postal Service. It is not too much again is an amendment. The Senate
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- to ask. has to get back to the practice of
ator from Michigan. So it is unfortunate that we can’t. amending bills. I understand not every-
Mr. PETERS. Madam President, the All I want is a vote on that. We ought body is inclined to agree on it. I under-
Postal Service Reform Act before us to be able to vote on it. It makes me stand the abortion issue is tough for a
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S1034 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
lot of people. They don’t want to talk deserves a simple majority vote. It de- Senator JOHNSON has told me repeat-
about it. But, look, until a few months serves a vote. I am thankful I have the edly that he has been asking for years.
ago, these weren’t available through support of groups like 60 Plus and the The Postal Service says they are put-
the mail system anyway. They still Association of Mature American Citi- ting all this money into Medicare, and
shouldn’t be. I believe those who made zens that represent the interests of he has had a simple request: How much
that decision to allow that over the America’s seniors. money is the Postal Service paying for
last few months were overlooking the I urge my colleagues to support this. Medicare, and what are the recipients
health and safety concerns that had Madam President, I ask unanimous at the Postal Service receiving in bene-
previously prohibited those things consent to set aside the pending fits? No one can ever give an answer.
from happening. amendment and call up amendment No. I asked for a CBO score. They said
Regardless, it really is unfortunate 4933; further, that the amendment be this is going to cost at least $6 billion,
we can’t even vote on this. I under- reported by number, that there be 2 and it is going to increase our deficit
stand not everybody agrees on the sub- minutes of debate equally divided on by at least $5 billion.
stance of the amendment, but what the amendment, and that the Senate So we have an unfunded program in
previously made the Senate the world’s vote on adoption of the amendment the Postal Service, and we are going to
greatest deliberative legislative body with no intervening action or debate. move it and hurt our Medicare recipi-
was the ability of any one Member to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there ents.
bring up an amendment and have it objection? My amendment—and I was told that
voted on. I think that is unfortunate. Mr. PETERS. Madam President, re- this would not cost Medicare anything,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- serving the right to object. so my amendment is pretty simple:
ator from Florida. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- whatever the incremental costs to
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—AMENDMENT
ator from Michigan. Medicare are should be paid by the
NO. 4933
Mr. PETERS. Madam President, I op- Postal Service. I mean, it is the Postal
pose the Scott amendment, which Service retirees; they are the ones who
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Madam Presi-
would gut the bipartisan Postal Serv- ought to pay for it.
dent, first, I want to thank my col-
ice Reform Act by nullifying the Medi- So I don’t understand why we
league Senator LEE from Utah for his
care integration proposal. wouldn’t want to do this. I was told it
leadership on these issues, trying to
Medicare integration is an absolutely was not going to cost anything.
make sure that the legislation we pass
key part of this bipartisan bill to pro- By the way, the CBO score that is out
is legislation that we all have the op-
vide long-term financial stability for there already says it is going to in-
portunity to participate in.
the Postal Service. My colleague Sen- crease our deficit, and it is going to put
I have been disappointed that I am on
ator PORTMAN spoke recently about our Medicare Program in worse shape.
the committee that deals with the
why these criticisms of Medicare inte- They can only give us numbers for the
Postal Service and we didn’t even have
gration are simply unfounded. first 10 years. After 10 years, the num-
a vote on this. I didn’t have any oppor- This bill simply provides for future
tunity in the committee to propose an bers are going to be worse than the
postal retirees, who have already paid
amendment. It doesn’t look like I am numbers I told you about.
into Medicare throughout their entire So what I don’t get is, one, why
going to have an opportunity here to careers, to enroll in Part B and Part D.
have my colleagues vote on an amend- didn’t we vote on this in the com-
Roughly a quarter of postal retirees do mittee? Why didn’t we have an oppor-
ment, and I don’t think that is right. not enroll in Medicare even though
The amendment I am going to talk tunity to do an amendment there? Why
they are eligible. This means the Post- don’t we have an amendment vote on
about today is cosponsored by Senators
al Service is stuck paying higher pre- this on the floor? It is common sense.
JOHNSON, GRASSLEY, BRAUN, and
miums. I would think all of us would want to
LANKFORD, and I want to thank them This bill simply allows the Postal
for their support. make sure we are not going to bank-
Service to do what other businesses rupt Medicare, and all of us want to
I absolutely support getting some- and employers already do all across our
thing done to reform the Postal Serv- make sure that if it is going to cost
country by integrating these retirees Medicare anything, the Postal Service
ice and ensure more accountability to into Medicare. This saves the Postal
taxpayers. Unfortunately, the bill be- should pay for it.
Service money and saves taxpayer I yield the floor.
fore us doesn’t do that. money. This bill reduces the deficit
This legislation would add at least $6 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
over 10 years by nearly $1.5 billion. ator from Illinois.
billion in new costs to Medicare with- CBO has also made clear that the bill
out any plan to pay for it—$6 billion does not affect the Part A trust fund
NOMINATION OF KETANJI BROWN JACKSON
and no plan to pay for it—and at least and will not have any effect on Medi- Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, late
$5 billion to our Federal debt, a debt care Part B or Part D premiums. last month, President Biden announced
that is already surging above $30 tril- Postal workers are already eligible the nomination of Judge Ketanji
lion. I think we all should say that is for Part A, and the number of new Brown Jackson, the next Associate
unacceptable. postal workers going into Part B will Justice of the Supreme Court.
This bill doesn’t reduce costs; it just be fewer than 40,000 individuals, and As I said the day her nomination was
shifts them from one unfunded govern- that compares to 62 million people cur- announced, it is hard to think of a bet-
ment program to another unfunded rently in the program. ter jurist to replace highly regarded
government program. The Postal Service Reform Act does Justice Stephen Breyer. Over the past
Let’s remember, Medicare costs are not harm Medicare. It provides savings 10 days, we have all had a chance to
already skyrocketing. Further jeopard- to the Postal Service and to taxpayers. learn about her record, and last week I
izing Medicare is a disservice to the 60 It allows the Postal Service to survive, met with her in my office. I would like
million Americans, including 4.5 mil- regain stable financial footing, and to share what impressed me the most
lion Floridians, who rely on it. My keep delivering for every single Amer- about her.
amendment would fix this. It would ican. We need to stop delaying this bill. First is her breadth of experience. A
just require the Postal Service to pay We need to pass the bill. graduate of Harvard Law School, she
for any new costs to Medicare that this I object. has worked in private legal practice.
bill will bring. This would ensure that The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- She served as a Federal public defender
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
Medicare isn’t used like a piggy bank tion is heard. and served on the U.S. Sentencing
and that the taxpayer and future non- The Senator from Florida. Commission. She has clerked at every
postal retirees aren’t forced to bear the Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Madam Presi- level of the Federal judiciary: for
burden of this postal bailout. And the dent, reserving the right to object, here Judge Patti Saris on the District of
Postal Service should pay their fair is what I believe: We need to do every- Massachusetts, Judge Bruce Selya on
share. thing possible to protect Medicare re- the First Circuit, and Justice Breyer
I want to make this next point very cipients and stop bankrupting our es- on the Supreme Court. That is an
clear. My amendment is germane. It sential programs. amazing resume.
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1035
She went on to serve as a Federal dis- their own conclusions, but I hope that took seriously the Senate’s advice and
trict court judge. Currently, she sits on they will read what David Levi had to consent role. It did not involve dark
the DC Circuit, often regarded as the say as well as other conservative ju- money groups. I can’t help but note the
second highest court in the land. And rists. irony of this line of attack coming
once confirmed, she will be only the Sadly, Judge Jackson has already from the other side of the aisle.
second current Supreme Court Justice been subject to a number of baseless After all, it was President Donald
with experience as a trial court judge. attacks so let’s set the record straight. Trump who bragged—bragged—that
That means Judge Jackson will bring First, she has drawn criticism for re- groups like the Federalist Society and
to the Court insights into the issues fusing to comment when asked whether Heritage Foundation actually drove his
confronting Federal district courts the Supreme Court should remain at selection process for the Supreme
every single day. And these same ques- its current size. Well, Judge Jackson’s Court.
tions often make it to the Supreme exactly right not to offer an opinion. As a candidate, Trump said:
Court for final review. As a nominee to the Supreme Court We’re going to have great judges, conserv-
Second, I was impressed with her and a sitting judge on the DC Circuit, ative, all picked by the Federalist Society.
character and temperament. They are it would be totally inappropriate for Trump, never at a loss for words,
unimpeachable. During our conversa- her to opine on a public policy decision made it very clear where he went to
tion last week, we spoke about her that only we can make in Congress. find his nominee.
family, her daughters, her upbringing, Indeed, Judge Jackson’s handling of And Don McGahn, the Trump admin-
and the highlights of her career. I par- this question mirrors the approach istration’s first White House Counsel,
ticularly enjoyed one story, which she taken by Justice Amy Coney Barrett said about the Federalist Society in ju-
has told before, about a letter that her just a few months back when she was dicial selection:
daughter wrote to President Obama a nominated to the Court. I’ve been a member of the Federalist Soci-
few years ago. In it, she asked the At her hearing, when then-Judge ety since law school. Still am. So, frankly, it
seems like it has been insourced.
President to appoint her mother to the Barrett was asked about the size of the
Supreme Court. Well, it may have Court, she then responded, it is ‘‘a ‘‘Insourced’’ was his word.
question left open to Congress’’ and And it is worth adding that Repub-
taken a bit longer than Judge Jack-
licans, including Senator MCCONNELL,
son’s daughter anticipated, I can only that if there were a ‘‘specific constitu-
have blocked every single effort to ad-
imagine how proud she is today. tional question’’ about the Court’s size,
My conversation with Judge Jackson dress the presence of hard money—dark
she ‘‘could not opine on it.’’
Judge Jackson also has faced offen- money in our political system. We
also made clear that she has the exact
should have full disclosure. I support
temperament we need on the Court. sive questions from figures on the far
that. We are ready to vote on the floor.
She is personable, humble, approach- right about her qualifications. This
The leader on the Republican side re-
able. That last attribute is particularly past Wednesday, FOX News talking
sists.
important for a Supreme Court Jus- head Tucker Carlson demanded that Judge Jackson also has faced base-
tice. President Biden produce Judge Jack- less claims that she is a partisan Dem-
The Supreme Court should not be son’s score on the LSAT exam. ocrat just nominated to rubberstamp
shrouded in secrecy and mystery. Its Mr. Carlson said he wanted to see the Biden agenda. These claims have
process and its decisions should be Judge Jackson’s LSAT score to gauge no basis in fact. She is evenhanded and
clear and easily understood for the peo- if she was, in fact, ‘‘a once in a genera- impartial, confirmed by the Senate on
ple in the Court as well as for the tion legal mind.’’ a bipartisan basis three different times,
American public. With Judge Jackson Isn’t it interesting that Mr. Tucker including last year.
on the Court, we can trust that will be Carlson never once asked for LSAT If Judge Jackson were such a par-
true. scores of President Trump’s nominees tisan, why would so many prominent
Third, Judge Jackson is clearly— to the Court: Neil Gorsuch, Brett conservatives be supporting her? The
clearly—within the judicial main- Kavanaugh, or Amy Coney Barrett. He short answer is they wouldn’t.
stream. She has a record of never once questioned their qualifica- But she has that support and plenty
evenhandedness and impartiality, guid- tions to sit on the Court or their aca- of it, including from former Republican
ed by the Constitution, the law, and demic credentials. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan; re-
the facts of the case. She is not a par- Let’s be clear: Judge Jackson grad- tired DC Circuit Judge Thomas Grif-
tisan or an ideologue. She is inde- uated magna cum laude from Harvard fith, a George W. Bush retiree; retired
pendent in her thinking, and she will University and cum laude from Har- Fourth Circuit Judge Michael Luttig, a
maintain the Court’s proper role. vard Law School. Not bad. As an George H. W. Bush appointee; Bill
Don’t take my word for it. Judges undergrad, she received the Harvard Burck, a prominent Republican attor-
and lawyers from across the political College Scholarship for Academic ney who worked in the George W. Bush
spectrum have said the same thing. Achievement. Let me repeat that—aca- administration; Charles Fried, who
Consider the support Judge Jackson demic achievement. And she served as served as Solicitor General during the
enjoys from David Levi, who was ap- supervising editor on the Harvard Law Reagan administration, and many
pointed by President George H. W. Review. more.
Bush to serve on the Eastern District Mr. Carlson, of course, is notorious These conservative jurists and attor-
of California. for his outrageous comments. I don’t neys have endorsed her precisely be-
He wrote to the committee, and he expect he is going to offer any apology cause she is independent and fair-
said a Supreme Court nominee ‘‘must to Judge Jackson, but I would urge all minded. She will not rubberstamp any
be neutral, nonpartisan, exercise self- my Republican colleagues to disavow President’s agenda. These conservative
restraint, model civility, and approach his remarks and disassociate them- leaders know that on the Court, Judge
each case with an open mind and with selves from the innuendo. Jackson will be faithful to the Con-
a determination to reach as just, wise, We also continue to hear false allega- stitution and the rule of law.
and correct a result as possible.’’ tions that Judge Jackson was hand- Finally, we hear the false allegation
And he concluded that ‘‘[b]ased on picked by so-called liberal dark money that Judge Jackson will be ‘‘soft on
what I know of Judge Jackson . . . I groups. Once again, that claim is com- crime.’’ Look at her life, look at her
believe she has been that kind of a pletely divorced from reality. The record and at the support she now has
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
judge and will be that kind of a Jus- truth is this: President Biden under- from the law enforcement community.
tice.’’ took a rigorous process to select Jus- As Judge Jackson noted in accepting
I could not agree more. Often, I have tice Breyer’s successor, seeking the ad- the President’s nomination, she has
seen my colleagues on the other side of vice of a bipartisan group of Senators. two uncles and a brother who serve as
the aisle in their initial reaction to the And after weeks of consideration, he, police officers. One of her uncles was
judge—Judge Jackson—have said, well, and he alone, chose Judge Jackson. chief of police in Miami.
I want to know more about her judicial President Biden’s selection process On the bench, she has approached
philosophy. Certainly, they can draw was deliberative, collaborative, and it each criminal case in a manner that we
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S1036 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
would ask of every judge. Look at the completely reshaped the international ply chain; it is also the possibility of
law; look at the facts. economic order. Economies around the another pandemic or a natural dis-
It is not surprising that she has gar- world have become interconnected, re- aster.
nered the support of multiple law en- lying on one another from agricultural This flashing red light has prompted
forcement groups. This nominee, who products to energy, to manufacturing the Senate to take action by passing
is attributed as being soft on crime, capabilities. the CHIPS for America Act, which I in-
has the endorsement of the Fraternal It seemed to be the rule of thumb troduced along with the senior Senator
Order of Police. They wrote the fol- that whoever could produce a product from Virginia, Mr. WARNER, which was
lowing about her: at the lowest price got the business and designed to incentivize U.S. semicon-
We are reassured that, should she be con- the jobs that went along with it. ductor manufacturing.
firmed, she would approach her future cases But we are increasingly seeing vul- And in the coming weeks, I hope we
with an open mind and treat issues related nerabilities that this interdependence can finally get a bill to the President’s
to law enforcement fairly and justly. creates with some of the clearest ex- desk that funds these critical programs
Wouldn’t we all be proud to have that amples surfacing during the COVID–19 and puts us on a path to more domestic
endorsement for our pursuits? pandemic. semiconductor manufacturing because
Superintendent David Brown of the The United States, for example, leans of those risks to the supply chain.
Chicago Police Department wrote: heavily on China for masks, gloves, and In short, a crisis hit, it exposed our
I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge gowns, personal protective equipment, vulnerabilities, and we acted.
Ketanji Brown Jackson’s appointment will and for ventilators—all of which were That is exactly what we need to do
make history by adding a powerful, mod-
erate, and informed voice to the highest
absolutely necessary during the begin- now regarding energy security. Let me
court in the land. ning of the pandemic and continuing explain.
on until today. But for a long time, In many ways, the risks we are see-
As Senators and the American people
that wasn’t a problem, until COVID–19 ing with the global energy supply
continue to learn more about Judge
showed up. today are similar to those risks we ex-
Jackson and her amazing record, I hope
I still remember the phone call I had perienced with critical components
and expect they will reach the same
with the Governor of Texas, my friend like semiconductors. Much of the world
conclusion that leaders have reached
Greg Abbott. At the beginning of the relies on a single country for a critical
all across America’s political spec-
pandemic, I said, ‘‘Governor, what do product, and decisions made by a dic-
trum. Judge Jackson will be a strong,
you need?’’ He said, ‘‘We need testing tator could lead to that supply being
fair, principled, evenhanded, and im-
and we need PPE,’’ personal protective cut off at a moment’s notice.
partial Supreme Court Justice.
In closing, let me say that we have equipment, almost all of which is made When our allies are looking to adver-
scheduled the hearings of the Judiciary overseas in China. saries for our most basic needs like
Committee to begin on March 21. That China, as it turns out, held on to heating, electricity, fuel, it creates
is 24 days after President Biden an- most of the supply for its own hospitals huge vulnerabilities and sky-high
nounced his nominee. and healthcare workers, leaving the prices at the same time.
The previous Justice nominated for rest of the world to compete for the This was underscored in January of
the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Bar- limited supply that remained. 2009, when Russia effectively turned
rett, under President Trump, was Suddenly, we were unable to provide the gas off to Ukraine for almost 3
brought to the committee for a hearing our healthcare providers with the per- weeks. This affected at least 10 coun-
in 16 days. So we are certainly within sonal protective equipment they need- tries in Europe whose natural gas trav-
the window and beyond it in producing ed to protect themselves while they eled through Ukraine. Russia is still
Judge Jackson on the 24th day. served others—namely, the rest of us, the dominant gas supplier for Europe,
We are also providing materials that their patients. including Ukraine. Last year, Russia
have been requested, including docu- As supply chain struggles grew and supplied 40 percent of Europe’s natural
ments from the U.S. Sentencing Com- expanded, it wasn’t just medical equip- gas.
mission, of which Judge Jackson was a ment that proved to be a problem. Ev- In 2020, Russia was the third largest
member. erything from cleaning products to producer of petroleum and other liquid
She will produce 12,000 pages of docu- automobiles were impacted. fuels and the second largest producer of
ments that are going to chronicle what We began to realize that one of the natural gas. This gives Vladimir Putin
happened in the Commission while she biggest vulnerabilities is semiconduc- a tremendous amount of not only
was serving. They include minutes and tors, which are critical components for power but ready cash. And as we are
the Board’s discussions of the impor- our most used products: things like seeing on our TV screens, that money
tant issues that are before us. smart phones, computers, televisions, is being used for the most nefarious of
Lucky for all of us, it is a very trans- cars, airplanes, cell towers, and just purposes: to kill innocent Ukrainian ci-
parent Agency, and they have lived up about everything else with an off-and- vilians.
to that transparency with this disclo- on switch. After coming under intense pressure
sure. Again, the source of our chip supply by both Democrats and Republicans, I
In the meantime, the judge is going didn’t used to be a problem. About am glad that the administration has fi-
to do her best to meet with as many three decades ago, the United States nally announced a ban on Russian oil
Senators as possible. She has manufactured 37 percent of the world’s imports into the United States.
prioritized those members of the Sen- semiconductors. But as our reliance on We know exactly where the money
ate Judiciary Committee on the right these chips has gone up, our production they get from selling this commodity
and on the left, Democrats and Repub- has gone down; and today, instead of 37 is going, and we cannot continue to
licans, as well as other leaders in the percent of the world’s semiconductors, supply Putin with blood money.
U.S. Senate. the United States produces only 12 per- I am disappointed it did take a while
She is available, and I am certain cent of the global share. for the President to see the merits of
that if my colleagues are fair in their Again, these microcircuits have be- this action and only after it was clear
appraisal, they will come to the same come invaluable in this technological that Congress, on a bipartisan basis,
conclusion that I have come to. She is age because, literally, everything with was prepared to act.
an excellent choice to be Justice an off-and-on switch requires semi- Our colleagues in both Chambers
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
Breyer’s successor on the Supreme conductors—and I mean everything. have produced numerous proposals to
Court. The lion’s share of semiconductor ban Russian imports, while pushing the
I yield the floor. manufacturing—more than 60 percent administration to take action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- of the world’s supply—is in Taiwan, Over the weekend, Democrats on the
ator from Texas. which, as we know, is being threatened House Ways and Means Committee an-
ENERGY with invasion by the People’s Republic nounced a bipartisan bill to do just
Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, over of China. But it is not just the threat that, but the press release, once posted
the last few decades, globalization has of armed invasion that risks that sup- on the website, was quickly taken
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1037
down, strangely enough. Reporting in- of our energy sources, but those efforts Venezuela and funnel Putin’s profits to
dicates that the White House inter- must not come at the cost of security. Maduro.
vened to get that press release taken Our top priority must be to ensure The fact the Biden administration is
down off the House Ways and Means that the United States and our allies beating down the doors of the Aya-
website because it didn’t want to look have reliable access to energy needed tollah, the Crown Prince, and Maduro
like it was being boxed into taking ac- to keep the lights on and their econ- rather than easing burdens on Amer-
tion on Russian oil imports. omy running. And we need to stop ican producers is a bad joke. It is ab-
But to his credit, once the President Putin and other dictators from getting surd. It makes no sense whatsoever.
saw the writing on the wall, he decided rich off of our dependence and holding Now, ideologues may oppose Amer-
to take action, but he made it seem democracies like Ukraine hostage. ican fossil fuels, but the administra-
like it was his idea, even though we all Suffice it to say that the Biden ad- tion’s reflexive opposition to U.S. pro-
know his hand was forced by bipartisan ministration has not addressed a plan ducers is creating serious risks for our
support in the Congress. to do that. From day one, the adminis- security, not to mention the high
There has never been a more critical tration has taken actions that under- prices that consumers pay at the pump.
moment to reevaluate our reliance on mine America’s energy security and We are blessed to live in a resource-
rogue regimes for our energy supply. If send even more business to Russia and rich country, and there is no reason to
we want to protect ourselves and our Saudi Arabia. put the energy security of the United
allies from the whims of a power-hun- Only hours after being sworn in, States and our allies at risk because
gry dictator, we need to get serious President Biden cancelled the permit President Biden worries about angering
about energy security. to the Keystone XL Pipeline and halted the progressive radical left of his own
In recent years, conversations about all new energy leasing and permitting political party.
energy policy have been consumed by on public lands and waters. If the Biden administration con-
debates about the environmental im- His administration has effectively tinues to wage war on American fossil
pact of fossil fuels, which are impor- discouraged investments in new pro- fuels, it will create huge vulnerabili-
tant, but often, they are not well in- duction here at home, and the U.S. is ties for the United States and our al-
formed. producing significantly less oil. It is lies.
Some of our colleagues have proposed now down by 1.2 million barrels per day Now, I am not suggesting we revive
everything from fracking bans in the from pre-Biden administration days. the 1970s oil export ban and implement
Green New Deal to net-zero carbon Without question, the most logical isolationist energy policies, but we do
deadlines. response to the current global energy need to take decisive action to reduce
Well, those efforts may bring down
crisis is to boost production of U.S. en- the world’s reliance on authoritarian
America’s share of global emissions,
ergy sources. We can reap the economic regimes.
but it would come at a grave cost to
benefits of strong production here at Just as the pandemic led us to re-
global energy security. And the truth
home and supply our friends and allies evaluate vulnerable supply chains, this
is, whether it is the Russians or the
with reliable energy around the world war in Ukraine has opened our eyes
Chinese or India, developing nations
and, in the process, enhancing their en- and, hopefully, given us the oppor-
with growing economies, they may pay
lip service to some of the goals of a ergy security, making them less de- tunity to reevaluate global energy se-
carbon-free future; but this is at the pendent on people like Vladimir Putin. curity.
But producers aren’t able to turn on I hope this crisis will serve as a reset
same time that China is building more
coal-fired powerplants than any other a dime. They are not able to increase button for those energy security ef-
nation on Earth. their capacity overnight; but it is im- forts, and I hope we can find some com-
So they really say one thing and do portant for us to begin to take the mon ground between Democrats and
another, for fairly obvious reasons. steps now to strengthen our domestic Republicans to reconsider the ideolog-
They understand that constraining energy production in light of the devel- ical and reflexive opposition to Amer-
your own energy supply will have a opments in Ukraine and in Europe. ican fossil fuels because the con-
negative impact on their economy and The sooner the Biden administration sequences in terms of world peace and
job growth and stability in each of views oil and gas producers as nec- energy security are too serious not to
those countries. essary rather than expendable, the bet- revisit those preconceived notions be-
But I want to be clear: I support ef- ter off we will all be. fore the Ukrainian invasion.
forts to diversify our energy sources That is not what the White House has I yield the floor.
and reduce emissions. That is why in suggested, by the way. In fact, they The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Texas we embraced what is called ‘‘all seem to be suggesting a completely dif- ator from Wyoming.
of the above’’ as an energy strategy ferent route. Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I
that includes oil and gas, nuclear, The Biden administration doesn’t come to the floor first to associate my-
wind, solar, you name it. We embrace want to supply Europe with more self with the remarks of the distin-
all of it. American energy; he wants to help guished senior Senator from Texas, and
But we have learned a long time ago them shift their reliance from one oil- I agree completely with his comments
that solar and wind energy are depend- rich dictator to another. Good-bye, regarding what is happening right now
ent on the weather, for example, or the Russia; hello, Iran; hello, Venezuela. in Ukraine on the ground and what is
time of day, because the Sun doesn’t The administration is looking to other happening with energy in America and
always shine and the wind doesn’t al- rogue regimes to supply the energy our need to become energy independent
ways blow. That is why you need a reli- that should be produced here in Amer- again. To go from this current position
able base load of electricity and en- ica. of what had previously been energy
ergy, primarily fuel from natural gas, The White House is trying to revive dominance to now energy dependence—
some from nuclear and the like. the ill-considered Iran nuclear deal, we need to return to the days of energy
On top of that diversification of your and the White House press secretary dominance for the United States be-
energy supply which has proven to be acknowledged that a new deal would cause it is not just about our national
so important and so successful in re- mean more oil from Iran for global security, it is about security for our
ducing emissions yet maintaining en- markets. friends and allies around the world so
ergy security, Texas companies are It is reportedly considering a trip to they don’t have to be dependent on the
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
also making serious strides in energy Saudi Arabia to ask the Kingdom to likes of the killer and the thug Vladi-
innovation. We are finding new ways to pump more oil—not here in America, mir Putin.
sequester carbon emissions, for exam- but go to Saudi Arabia, hat in hand, So I come to the floor today to talk
ple, and other ways to make our most and say: Will you please produce more about what is going on in Ukraine and
available and affordable energy sources oil to help us bring down the price of the war in Ukraine and the global im-
cleaner. gasoline? plications thereof.
I believe we need to do more to en- We even hear that the Biden adminis- Right now, the world is watching in
courage innovation and diversification tration is trying to ease sanctions on horror as Vladimir Putin continues
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S1038 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
with his onslaught. Russia has now At the same time, it has become ezuela, they say; or don’t buy any at
shelled two nuclear facilities. Russia nearly impossible to build a natural all.
continues to attack civilian targets. gas pipeline in the United States. You On Thursday, the Secretary of Trans-
Russia has allegedly used cluster say: No, it can’t be possible. Well, the portation said a possibility was ‘‘work-
bombs near schools and hospitals. We President’s lackeys—lackeys—on the ing out something with Iran.’’ Remem-
know that dozens of children have been Federal Regulatory Commission re- ber those people? They are the ones
killed. Russian troops have even at- cently decided to change their approval who every Friday have a demonstra-
tacked an orphanage and a kinder- process for natural gas pipelines. As tion where they chant ‘‘death to Amer-
garten. It is heartbreaking, and it is Putin’s army surrounded Ukraine, Joe ica’’ and burn the American flag. He
also barbarism straight out of Hell. Biden’s lackeys on the FERC changed wants to work something out with
The world is right to be outraged by the way they approved pipelines. They them.
these vicious attacks, and we know did it as inflation hit record-high num- Let me remind the people who are
how these attacks have been paid for. bers, with war looming in Europe. It is watching that Iran is the No. 1 state
We know how Vladimir Putin has fund- astonishing. JOE MANCHIN called them, sponsor of global terrorism. Iran is on
ed his aggression. These atrocities were as did I, as the chairman and ranking the verge of a nuclear weapon. Now
all paid for through Russian energy. member of the Senate Energy Com- Democrats want to give Iran a windfall
Energy is the reason that Vladimir mittee—called them in front of the of American dollars.
Putin can afford to invade Ukraine. It committee last week, a hearing last The last time Democrats bribed Iran,
is the cash cow that drives his mili- Thursday—and asked them to explain the Secretary of State was John Kerry.
tary—oil and gas from Russia. Half of He admitted right out that some of the
themselves, why this attack on Amer-
Russia’s economy is based on energy, money would go to terrorists, and we
ican energy.
and nearly half of Europe’s imports of You know, our country produced lots know that some of it did. Democrats
energy come from Russia. So, as I said, of oil before COVID. We are producing signed the check anyway. Pallets of
energy is the cash cow that has funded some now, but we are still a million cash were delivered to Tehran. Now
the war. barrels a day below where we were dur- Democrats are talking about doing it
Russia is the No. 2 producer of crude all over again.
ing the peak prior to COVID. So when
oil in the world, and Putin is the No. 1 Oh, and think about John Kerry.
supply and production at home is
rival to the United States in terms of What did he say in an interview with
down, prices go up.
energy production. Well, under Joe the BBC just a week and a half ago, as
Earlier today, gasoline prices hit the
Biden as President, there has been a lot Russian troops were on the border sur-
highest price ever—ever—but prices
less competition for Vladimir Putin. It rounding Ukraine? He said he hoped
were way up even before Russia in-
is not for lack of American energy re- that what was happening there ‘‘did
vaded Ukraine. The day Joe Biden took
sources, and it certainly is not for lack not distract’’—‘‘did not distract’’—
office, gas prices were $2.38 per gallon
of American energy workers. No, it is from the climate agenda. Oh yeah, we
nationwide. Today, the average is $4.17.
because of the reckless policies of wouldn’t want the death of all those
It cost more than $5 a gallon in left-
President Joe Biden and this adminis- people to distract from your agenda,
wing California. They may be happy to Mr. Kerry, former Senator Kerry,
tration.
On Friday last week, I was in Chey- pay the price. People in Wyoming are former Secretary of State. But he is
enne, WY, at the State capital, where I not, where they drive lots of miles to not just the former, he is the current
spent 5 years as a State senator prior and from work. In Wyoming, the num- climate spokesman for this administra-
to coming to the U.S. Senate. Every ber of miles driven is the highest per tion. He is the voice of climate in this
member of the Wyoming Legislature, capita anywhere in the country. administration. So that must mean
Republican and Democrat alike, under- We know what happens to families
that Joe Biden doesn’t want it to dis-
stands fully that the resources we need when gas prices go up and they have to tract from his climate agenda either.
to power our country are here in the put more money in the tank that could It is time to wake up.
United States. We have the energy in have otherwise been used for food, for Over the weekend, the Biden admin-
the ground. Yet this administration is clothing, for school supplies for the istration officials went to Venezuela.
not allowing us to use it. We have the kids. According to media reports, they dis-
workers ready to go, plenty in Wyo- I understand that a gallon of gas in cussed easing sanctions on Venezuelan
ming and around the country. The Los Angeles now is at $7. oil.
Last year, a typical working family Nicolas Maduro is one of the world’s
Biden administration continues to
paid about $1,000 more to fill their tank biggest cheerleaders for you know who?
block us from producing more Amer-
over the course of the year than they Vladimir Putin. He supports Russia’s
ican energy.
Those legislators I talked to on Fri- did the year before Joe Biden became war in Ukraine. He apparently called
day—they know. Every one of them President. It is a direct result of the the Kremlin to say that just this past
knows that on Joe Biden’s first day in policies of this administration. And week.
office, he killed the Keystone XL Pipe- this year, it is likely to be a lot higher This means that the Biden adminis-
line. They know because they follow because this administration’s policies, tration is actually actively considering
the news, and they know because Joe environmental-extremist driven, are and pursuing, as they were on Satur-
Biden bragged about it. He said: Look making energy at home much more ex- day, replacing oil from Russia with oil
at me, I am going to kill the Keystone pensive. from a Russian client state in our own
XL Pipeline. And he did with an Execu- So today, after 2 weeks into the war, hemisphere. It is bad energy policy. It
tive order on day No. 1. Joe Biden has announced a ban on Rus- is bad foreign policy. It almost seems
Since then, he has blocked oil and sian oil. It is about time. to be something out of ‘‘Alice in Won-
gas leases on public land. Quarter after On Saturday, a number of us were in derland.’’ Yet, it still makes more
quarter after quarter—we are now in a Zoom call with President Zelenskyy, sense than the third idea that Demo-
the fifth quarter in a row where he has the brave, heroic, courageous President crats are floating: Let’s just let energy
blocked all oil and gas leases on public of Ukraine. He said: prices go higher and higher.
land. No auctions for those leases have If [we] had started sanctions months ago, The White House Press Secretary
been held. there would not have been a war. said that we should just stop using oil
He also stopped exploration in the Now the question is, What is going to altogether. She says the solution to
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
Arctic. The Russians are exploring for replace the Russian oil? Because up high gas prices and war in Europe is
energy in the Arctic, but, no, not Joe until today, Joe Biden was eager to just stop using gas. This is delusional.
Biden. Nope. After you, Mr. Putin. You buy Russian oil—eager. So the question The idea that we can immediately
go get it and sell it. And we know how is, What is going to replace the Russian transition away from oil and gas is a
he is using the money. So Joe Biden de- oil? Well, it darn well ought to be fairy tale. It is a dangerous fairy tale
cides he wants to handcuff America American oil. Democrats have basi- at that.
from doing the same thing—exploring cally floated a couple of proposals. Buy None of these three solutions pro-
for energy in the Arctic. it from Iran, they say; buy it from Ven- posed by the Democrats is in the best
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1039
interest of our Nation, our Nation’s en- mined by the majority leader or his particularly in rural Iowa, whom I hear
ergy security, or our Nation’s national designee following consultation with about, have told me, if DIR fee
security. Oil from Iran and oil from the Republican leader; finally, that clawbacks do not get under control,
Venezuela is just as dangerous as oil there be 2 minutes for debate, equally pharmacists will not survive. Of
from Russia. Changing our entire econ- divided in the usual form, prior to each course, we hear—maybe not every day,
omy overnight is not an option in the vote, all without further intervening but we hear quite often—about those
real world. action or debate. small pharmacists going out of busi-
There is only one answer that works, Also, in an effort to speed up the ness, and these DIR fees are often cited
and that is the answer that the Amer- votes, I ask unanimous consent that all to us as one of the reasons. This will
ican people are pleading for. The solu- votes after the first vote be 10-minute then leave Iowans without access to
tion to Russian oil is more American votes. Members should be notified to the local pharmacy for medication
oil. We must replace Russian oil with get here and to stay around so we can therapy management and for other
American energy. To do that, we need get this done. care.
to produce more. We have the re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there I have a bipartisan solution to solve
sources. We have the workers. We have objection? this problem that ends DIR fee
the expertise. What we need is the lead- Without objection, it is so ordered. clawbacks.
ership out of the White House in Wash- Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor to
In 2019, the senior Senator from Or-
ington, DC, and we are not getting it. the Senator from Iowa.
egon and I negotiated and introduced a
We ought to produce enough Amer- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
bill that we entitled the ‘‘Prescription
ican energy to supply our allies and, ator from Iowa.
Drug Pricing Reduction Act,’’ also
above all, to bring down prices for peo- PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
known as Grassley-Wyden. I don’t even
ple here at home. That is why I have Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President,
care if it is known as Wyden-Grassley.
introduced legislation called the ES- many Iowans rely on pharmacists who
The Grassley-Wyden ends DIR fee
CAPE Act, to escape what is happening operate independently or as part of a
clawbacks. This will reduce out-of-
with this control of our energy and the small community pharmacy chain.
pocket expenses and provide phar-
increase in prices. It stands for Energy This is especially true in rural Iowa,
macies with financial predictability.
Security Cooperation With Allied Part- but I will bet it is true in a lot of other
This move may even keep rural phar-
ners in Europe. This bill expedites the rural States as well. In Iowa, we have
macies viable.
sale of American natural gas to our over 300 independent pharmacists, and
On top of my legislative efforts in
NATO allies. many work in multiple rural commu-
Grassley-Wyden, I commend the Cen-
I also led a letter with every Repub- nities. These pharmacies are small
ters for Medicare and Medicaid Serv-
lican on the Energy Committee and businesses serving Iowa communities
ices for issuing a proposed rule to end
sent it to President Biden the morning like Muscatine and Sioux City.
These pharmacies want a level play- DIR fee clawbacks. I am not sure that
after his State of the Union Address.
ing field to compete with anyone that proposed rule exactly does what
Our letter details 10 specific plans, 10
whether that is a big chain or whether the Grassley-Wyden bill does, but it is
specific actions the President can take
it is another independent pharmacy. still a step in the right direction, and I
today to produce more American en-
Yet the pharmacists I hear from are welcome that. In welcoming it, I have
ergy.
being hurt by retroactive direct and in- submitted comments, asking the Cen-
We are much better off producing and
direct remunerations. I am going to ters for Medicare and Medicaid Serv-
selling energy to our friends than being
refer to them as ‘‘DIR’’ fees. They have ices to strengthen the proposed provi-
forced to buy it from our enemies.
What President Biden and the Demo- to work with pharmaceutical benefit sion as much as the existing statute al-
crats don’t seem to believe is the unde- managers in regard to those fees, and lows. Of course, we ought to finalize
niable truth that energy security is na- there are conflicts between them that I that proposed rule without delay.
tional security. For ourselves and for hear about all the time. This all deals In addition to ending DIR fee
our allies, we need more American en- with Part D Medicare plans. What I am clawbacks, I am committed to passing
ergy. talking about with regard to direct and Grassley-Wyden. I hope, now that
I yield the floor. indirect remunerations and these nego- Democrats worked on Build Back Bet-
I suggest the absence of a quorum. tiated fees with PBMs are what are ter last year with provisions that they
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sometimes known as clawbacks. thought would reduce pharmaceutical
clerk will call the roll. Every day, seniors go to the drug drugs—and it doesn’t seem to be mov-
The bill clerk proceeded to call the store, and they probably always pay a ing—that, instead of going the partisan
roll. copay. These seniors then rightfully way, they would take a look at a bipar-
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I believe that they are paying the lowest tisan way of trying to get something
ask unanimous consent that the order amount possible, but that is not always done on prescription drugs and, at the
for the quorum call be rescinded. the case. After the patient pays and same time, end the DIR fee clawback.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without leaves the pharmacy, the Part D Medi- This bill, as a whole, besides dealing
objection, it is so ordered. care plan or a PBM, a pharmacy ben- with the clawbacks, will lower pre-
ORDER OF PROCEDURE efit manager, contacts the local phar- scription drug costs in a comprehensive
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I macist to claw back a certain amount manner. It actually takes on Big
ask unanimous consent that, at 4:50 paid. That is where this DIR fee comes Pharma. You probably know that, in
p.m. today, all postcloture time be con- in. This action actually lowers the cost this body, there are some people who
sidered expired on H.R. 3076; that of the drug, but the patient doesn’t say we should just leave Big Pharma
amendment No. 4955 be withdrawn; know it. Because of these DIR fees, alone, but I know that they do wonder-
that the bill be considered read a third seniors pay a lot more than they need ful work. I know they have to have
time; that if a budget point of order is to for the pills they get at the phar- their money for research, and I know
raised and a motion to waive made, the macy. they have to be able to market their
Senate vote on the motion to waive; One Iowa rural pharmacist told me products in a free market way, but
that if waived, the Senate vote on the that DIR fees, clawbacks, are not only when you have these big pharma-
passage of the bill; further, that upon costing the patient more in the form of ceutical price increases maybe a couple
of times a year, it is time we do some-
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
disposition of H.R. 3076 that, notwith- a higher copay, they are also costing
standing rule XXII, the Senate proceed that local pharmacy. From 2010 to 2020, thing about it.
to executive session and vote on the Part D Medicare plans and the PBMs Besides this clawback provision,
motions to invoke cloture on Calendar increased the DIR fees by over—can Grassley-Wyden caps out-of-pocket ex-
Nos. 547 and 719; that if cloture is in- you believe this?—104,000 percent. DIR penses, eliminates the doughnut hole,
voked on any of these nominations, the fees now total over $9 billion a year. and in dealing with these price in-
Senate vote on confirmation of the Pharmacists, especially those oper- creases every year, it caps rising prices
nominations at a time to be deter- ating independently in rural areas but at the inflation price index. It also
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S1040 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
brings more sunshine and account- For as long as I have been in Con- in the Postal Service Reform Act.
ability, particularly to the pharmacy gress, I think I have met with every From listening to Kansans, I have rec-
benefit managers. Postmaster General, and I have really ognized for years that Congress must
Nobody seems to be able to tell us delivered two messages—one related to act with the Postal Service on a more
anything as to what goes on between this point I am making right now, sustainable path, and this week, the
the health insurance companies, the which is the solution to the Postal Senate will finally address this long-
pharmaceutical companies, the PBMs, Service’s financial condition can’t sim- standing issue—address it in a way
and the local pharmacists and then ply be reducing the services. I have that a bill will become law.
how that affects the consumer. We also suggested that instead of hiring Congressional action on postal re-
ought to know exactly where those high-priced consultants, the Post- form will allow the Postal Service to
moneys go and what those negotiations master General and the Postal Service continue serving rural America with-
are, and Grassley-Wyden does some- should consult with their own employ- out the possibility of imminent service
thing about that. ees about suggestions of how to deliver reductions and the uncertainty of the
So I urge my colleagues to join better service in a more effective and future of the Agency.
Wyden and me in that effort. efficient way and save revenue. From the veterans waiting on crit-
I yield the floor. Serving rural States like my own, I ical medications to be delivered from
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- understand well the crippling impact the VA, to the farmer in rural Kansas
ator from Kansas. that losing postal service would have needing a part for his or her machin-
H.R. 3076 on rural communities across the coun- ery, to the grandparent just waiting to
Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I try; that is why I have repeatedly send a birthday card to a grandchild,
have taken the opportunity—well, all acted on my conversations with Kan- this legislation puts us on a path to
the time I have been in Congress—to sans by encouraging congressional making certain the Postal Service can
speak in support of Congress acting to focus on Postal Service issues and have continue to be relied on to deliver
reform and improve the Postal Service. worked to get postal reform legislation when it matters most.
I am here again today, and I am passed for nearly a decade. I thank those who work in the post
pleased with what I think is going to My colleague on the Senate floor office and the Postal Service in my
transpire here within the next hour. I with me this afternoon, Senator Tom home State of Kansas, many of whom I
again express my strong support for Carper of Delaware, I have joined him know, and—despite the challenges pre-
the Postal Service Reform Act, and I on many occasions in the past several sented because of the U.S. Postal Serv-
urge my colleagues to support this sessions of Congress. We are cospon- ice’s decisions over the past decade—
critical, important piece of legislation. sors—lead Republican and lead Demo- have worked hard to make sure that
The U.S. Postal Service is an indis- crat—in reform legislation, and I have the mail is delivered and delivered on
pensable piece of American infrastruc- met with him and the Postmaster Gen- time and make sure that their cus-
ture nationwide. Back in my home eral of the U.S. Postal Service numer- tomer, the postal patron, is cared for.
State of Kansas, the rural communities ous times. We recognize that smart re- To ensure the Postal Service main-
are especially reliant on the Postal forms were needed to make certain the tains its vital public services, I urge
Service for the essential public services Postal Service could compete in this my colleagues in the Senate to support
the Agency and its employees provide. digital age, increase revenue, and not the Postal Service Reform Act when it
However, due to the closure of nu- become a taxpayer liability. arrives on the Senate floor shortly for
merous rural processing facilities in Several provisions of the legislation a vote.
Kansas and post office consolidations that Senator CARPER and I have intro- Madam President, I yield the floor.
and closures, the quality of service and duced are included in the Postal Serv- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
efficiency of the Postal Service has sig- ice Reform Act we are considering ator from Delaware.
nificantly declined. The reduced effec- today: the elimination of the Mr. CARPER. Madam President, I
tiveness of the Postal Service hurts prefunding requirements of retiree stand in solidarity with my friend from
Americans across the board, but it has health benefits, allowing the Postal Kansas. I say to Senator MORAN: Thank
the most detrimental impact on rural Service to enter into agreements with you for your great leadership and for
places like Kansas. other governmental entities for new allowing me to be your wingman as we
For as long as I have served in Con- avenues of revenue, and making 6-day do our best, not just to save the Postal
gress, Kansans have detailed to me the delivery permanent by law. Service, but to make sure that they are
adverse impact the declining quality of In so many instances in my conversa- robust and germane to the futures—
the U.S. Postal Service has had on tions with Kansans at a townhall meet- germane to the future and integral to
their lives and have expressed the need ing or on the street or talking to the the future of our country as they have
for reforms to improve its efficacy. newspaper editor, the lack of timely been for the last 200-plus years.
The concerns I hear from Kansans delivery of the mail has become in- When folks in Delaware gathered—we
are characteristic of the larger picture. creasingly a problem; and what would had about 25 men who gathered in a
The Postal Service is struggling to one expect when the Postal Service is place called Dover, DE, on December 7,
keep up with its service commitments closing post offices, shortening its 1787. We voted, after debating for 3
while still maintaining fiscal stability. hours and, most importantly, closing days a draft Constitution. We adopted
Over the past decade, the Postal Serv- processing facilities? it unanimously and sent it off to the
ice has slowly—and sometimes quick- I hope to make the case to the U.S. other 12 Colonies.
ly—eliminated services; and in that Postal Service after passage of this leg- One element in the Constitution that
elimination of services, it created what islation that the postal processing fa- was sent to us from Philadelphia by
I call a death spiral: shorter hours, cilities that have been closed in Kansas our Founding Fathers was the creation
fewer post offices, mail processing fa- should be considered for reopening—in of a Postal Service—a Postal Service.
cilities further away and fewer of fact, should be reopened. Today, the It has been mentioned before that the
them. mail will leave a rural community, go first Postmaster General was Ben
This makes life extremely difficult to some neighboring State—Nebraska Franklin, of all people. What the
for Kansans, especially rural and high- or Texas or Missouri—only to be re- Founding Fathers had in mind was a
ly rural Kansans who rely upon the turned to the postal patron who lives a way to bind us together as a country—
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Postal Service to deliver essential block from the person who mailed the to bind us together as a country. The
items like medications because there letter to begin with. We need the re- idea of being able to communicate
simply isn’t a pharmacy for pickup de- turn of those postal processing facili- through the mail, that was important;
livery nearby. And the customer looks ties, and their departure had dramatic the idea of fostering greater economic
for delivery services outside the U.S. and consequential effects upon the growth, that was important. But they
Postal Service when the service is in- Postal Service. also were looking for a way to pull us
sufficient, and the Postal Service con- I am pleased that the efforts of my together as a new nation, and the Post-
tinues then to lose more revenue. colleagues and I have culminated now al Service was integral to doing that.
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1041
Over the years, the Postal Service You still haven’t fully offset the the size of a football field—every 100
has changed. For the most part, I think healthcare costs for your pensioners. minutes. If you go out on the West
it has changed in good ways. It used to For us, that was a concern, but not an Coast, you had wildfires each year—
be people got their mail by going to enormous concern, because our pen- last year bigger than my State. Tem-
post offices that were maybe in the sioners had access—they were covered peratures in the Arctic Circle reached,
community where they lived or close under Medicare. I think, last year, 90 degrees—90 de-
to the community where they lived, Unfortunately, for the Postal Serv- grees. There were more named hurri-
but they had to go to the post office to ice—the Postal Service has paid into canes in the last year than any year in
get it. Medicare for years for their employees. history. The hottest summers on
Eventually, the mail was delivered to Unfortunately, when those retirees record.
farms and to homes and to businesses reach the age of 65, they don’t have full Something is going on here, and what
across the country, and people didn’t access to the full benefits of Medicare. it is, is way too much carbon in the air.
have to leave their homes to get the That is not right. These are benefits A lot of that carbon is coming from
mail. There was a time, not that long paid for by the employee of the Postal mobile sources, including the vehicles
ago, when we didn’t have the internet, Service, and this legislation fixes that we drive, including the fleets like the
and if we wanted to communicate—we to make sure that the right thing is Postal fleet. The Postal Service’s fleet
wanted to send letters to people or done. The benefits that have been paid is about 25 years old on average. They
cards to people, a lot of gifts to peo- for through Medicare are actually in- have the opportunity here to update
ple—we would use the Postal Service. ured to and flow to the pensioners of that. The cost of moving to electric ve-
Today, we can use the internet. The the Postal Service. hicles and having charging stations is a
internet doth taketh from the Postal The other thing that I would mention cost that the Postal Service says—I
Service—taketh and giveth away. A lot is 6-day service. I used to see—good think somewhat generously—that we,
of folks, well, they just hit a ‘‘send’’ service by the Postal Service would be as taxpayers, need to help underwrite
button for a birthday card or a Christ- maybe 1-day service for local maybe in that cost.
mas card or any kind of holiday card. the same city, 2-day service maybe to Having said that, the Postal Service
They used to send the actual cards; a other parts of the State, 3-day service and their calculation for buying gas
lot of people don’t do that anymore. coast-to-coast; and the legislation that and diesel-fired vehicles to replace
If you look at the financial condition is before us today calls for delivery their fleet, I believe—my under-
of the Postal Service, one of the things within 6 days. For me, that is not good standing is they are using, as an as-
that has happened most noticeably in enough, and my hope is we can come sumption for the cost of gas and diesel
the last 10, 15, 20 years is a drop in first back and somehow better replace or fleet, $2 a gallon charge for gas and die-
class mail, and a large part of that is better restore the term service. sel going forward—$2. We would like to
from the internet. I would like to say Having said that, the Postal Service see $2, wouldn’t we? That is just basi-
again the internet taketh and it giveth has a Board of Governors; and every cally understating by half the cost of
away. now and then, Presidents have the op- gas and diesel for future of the fleet,
One of the great things that comes portunity to nominate people to serve and that needs to be fixed.
out of the internet is that a lot of peo- on the Board of Governors. We have the We have a great opportunity to make
ple are ordering items over the inter- opportunity to vote them up or down. sure that the Postal Service is not just
net for purchase. A lot of people order We need people on the Board of Gov- delivering the mail rain, snow, or
food, but a lot of people order clothes; ernors who are very good at figuring shine, but they are also doing so in a
they order shoes; they order all kinds out: How do we help the Postal Service way that helps us on the climate crisis
of things. And you know who has a monetize the burden of going to every side. We can do both, and we need to do
chance to deliver it? The Postal Serv- single mailbox in the country 6 days a both.
ice. The Postal Service delivers, not week? How do we do that? How do we I will close by saying this: I want to
just 1 day a week, but 7 days a week. help the Postal Service turn that into thank and applaud the leadership of
They are omnipresent. financial opportunity, much as they our chair and ranking member of the
And as we hear Johnny Cash—every have with UPS and FedEx? And are committee of jurisdiction here—our
time I turn on my TV, I hear Johnny there other ways, as well? Delivering chair, GARY PETERS, and ranking mem-
Cash singing ‘‘I’ve Been Everywhere, medicines is a great example there, and ber, ROB PORTMAN. Thank you and your
Man,’’ and the Postal Service still goes there are other examples—vote by staffs for your work on this and for a
everywhere, man. mail. I think we are only scratching lot of other folks who have worked on
They also have a great partnership the surface on vote by mail. Those are this before—most certainly, JERRY
with—believe it or not—UPS and a all ideas that help the Postal Service MORAN and his team.
great partnership with FedEx. FedEx monetize and realize revenue from this I especially want to thank the mem-
and UPS, they don’t want to go to responsibility to go to every mailbox in bers of my staff who have worked on
every mailbox in the country every the country. these issues forever.
day. The Postal Service does it at least One last thing I would mention that And my friend SUSAN COLLINS—
6 days a week. And what the Postal is not in this legislation is postal vehi- SUSAN is not on the floor right now,
Service does in a partnership with UPS cles—postal vehicles. There are a our Senator from Maine—but she has
and FedEx is take a handoff and deliver bunch of them—I think well over spent, God knows, plenty of time and
the last mile, last 5 miles, last 10 miles 150,000 across the country. Almost effort working with me and others on
to the places that the Postal Service is every one is gas- and diesel-driven. these issues.
going to go to anyway. You have seen others—UPS, FedEx, This is not the end. This is not the
I mean, one of the challenges that Amazon, others with big fleets—are end in terms of what we need to do on
the Postal Service has had to try to transitioning away from gas and diesel, Postal. This is maybe the beginning of
balance their books, their finances, and they are doing it rather quickly. the end; this the end of the beginning,
comes—I remember when I was Gov- We are seeing the same kind of trans- but it is a good end of the beginning.
ernor of Delaware and going to the rat- formation in the vehicles that we We need to build on this and go forward
ing agencies, and the rating agencies drive. Why is it important? Because we on this, and I hope and pray that that
said to us—before they lowered our have way, way, way too much carbon is exactly what we do.
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credit rating a long time ago—they dioxide in the air. It is creating not I yield the floor.
said: You don’t have a pension fund. just climate change, but it is creating The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MUR-
You haven’t funded your pension costs a climate crisis. PHY). The Senator from Rhode Island.
for your pensioners. And so we created My State—we are the lowest lying Mr. REED. Mr. President, I notice
a pension fund fully funded. State in the country. My State is sink- the arrival of Senator HAWLEY. I think
After we had done that—later on, we ing. The seas around us are rising. we are both prepared at this point for
finally got a AAA credit rating years Down in Louisiana, every 100 minutes, me to make a unanimous consent re-
later. One of the things they said is: they lose a piece of land to the ocean quest, and I would like to do so now.
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S1042 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—EXECUTIVE year. That turns out to have been a the space of barely 6 months. The Af-
CALENDAR very poor decision. ghanistan debacle is the worst foreign
Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- Now, today, deterrence having failed, policy debacle in this country’s history
sent that the Senate proceed to execu- the Russians engaged in an illegal in- since Vietnam—although stay tuned,
tive session to consider the following vasion of a sovereign nation, threat- the way this administration is going—
nominations: Calendar Nos. 599, 477, ening the stability of Europe, the secu- and what has this Congress done about
and 472; that the nominations be con- rity of Europe, and, of course, endan- it? Who has been held accountable for
firmed; the motions to reconsider be gering our own national security, what it?
considered made and laid upon the is the President doing? What is Presi- I have come to this floor over and
table with no intervening action or de- dent Biden doing? Is he turning back over and over to ask for account-
bate; that no further motions be in on American energy production? Is he ability. Has someone been fired? No.
order to the nominations; that any re- sanctioning the Russian energy sector? Has someone been relieved of duty? No.
lated statements be printed in the No. I was here just a few weeks ago after
RECORD; and that the President be im- Just today, finally, he was dragged the Washington Post reported on a
mediately notified of the Senate’s ac- kicking and screaming to finally agree 2,000-page investigation done by Cen-
tion and the Senate resume legislative that this country will no longer import tral Command into the fall of Afghani-
session. Russia’s blood oil. Remember, he had stan. Since that time, my team and I
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there us importing over 670,000 barrels of have been through all 2,000-plus pages.
objection? Russian oil every single day. Today, he I would just like to point out that we
Mr. HAWLEY. Mr. President. announced finally, belatedly, we won’t learned about this investigative report
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- do that anymore. But what is he doing not from a hearing conducted by this
ator from Missouri. instead? He is going to every petty dic- body but from an investigative report
Mr. HAWLEY. Mr. President, reserv- tator on the face of the map and beg- by a newspaper. I am glad somebody
ing the right to object, I want to say at ging them to make up the difference. has some interest in what happened in
the outset that it is always a privilege We learned that the President’s team Afghanistan. Sadly, it seems not to be
to work with Senator REED on the has been in touch with Maduro’s re- this Chamber.
Armed Services Committee in every gime—the murderous Maduro regime— Here are some of the things that we
capacity we get to work together, and in Venezuela and is preparing to offer learned in this 2,000-page investigative
I look forward to that going forward. them a special package that will ease report about Afghanistan:
What we are being asked to do—the the restrictions, ease the sanctions, We learned from GEN Scott Miller,
Senate is being asked to do today, how- ease the punishment on that outlaw re- who was the commander of U.S. forces
ever, is to fast-track nominees for lead- gime and get them to make up the dif- in Afghanistan in early 2021, that he
ership positions in the Department of ference in oil production from Russia. was extremely worried from May 2 on-
Defense to carry out a foreign policy We learned that the President is po- ward as he saw key districts fall. In
that is manifestly failing. This admin- tentially planning a trip to Saudi Ara- fact, General Miller testified to us that
istration is careening from one crisis bia to ask the Saudis to increase their he warned Secretary Austin and Gen-
to another, endangering the security of oil production to make up the dif- eral Milley, Chairman of the Joint
the American people, endangering the ference from the Russians. I wonder if Chiefs, as early as March or April that
security of the world. the topic of Jamal Khashoggi will the Afghan security forces might col-
When the Senator mentioned just a come up in those meetings. I certainly lapse rapidly once we withdrew forces.
moment ago the situation in Ukraine, hope it will. Now this report documents it and
you don’t have to look any further President Biden once said that he says, indeed, there is evidence that he
than there to see the crisis—the latest would make Saudi Arabia ‘‘pay the was very worried, that he was warning
crisis that the Biden administration price, and make them in fact the pa- that the collapse of Afghanistan would
has led this Nation into. riah that they are.’’ I guess that is no come quickly, he was warning that it
To begin with, the administration longer the policy of the U.S. Govern- would be imminent. But what did the
failed to deter Vladimir Putin and his ment because here is what we are re- Biden administration do? Did they
Russian invasion before it happened. duced to under this administration: We order the evacuation of our civilians?
They failed to actually check Putin are reduced to begging our enemies— Did they plan for the possible fall of
when it would have really mattered. our enemies, the dictators of the the Afghan Government? No. The re-
How did they do this? Well, for start- world—we are reduced to begging them port goes on to detail that the National
ers, when President Biden came to of- to bail out a foreign policy that is fail- Security Council and the State Depart-
fice, he opened up Russia’s pipelines, ing, not least because this administra- ment showed a total lack of urgency
and then he shut down America’s pipe- tion will not allow American workers right up until the final hours before
lines. He handed our energy independ- to turn on American energy. the fall of Kabul.
ence that the Senator was just men- I take it from the President’s re- We learned that RDML Peter Vasely,
tioning—he handed our energy inde- marks and from the President’s policy who took over for General Miller last
pendence away. He gave it away. And that he has no objection in principle to spring and commanded U.S. forces in
who stepped in to fill the void? The pumping more oil and gas. Apparently Afghanistan during the final stages of
Russians. he doesn’t, so this can’t be about cli- the withdrawal, provided assessments
What is Russia? It is not so much a mate change. He is fine with more oil weeks before the fall of Kabul that the
country as it is a gas station, and production but not in this country, not trajectory of Afghanistan was in a
Putin is pumping and pumping and by American workers. Heaven forbid downward spiral—this is a quote from
pumping. What is financing his war in American workers be put back to work. the report—and was likely not recover-
Ukraine? It is not least our energy Heaven forbid American workers actu- able.
policies that are giving away our en- ally earn more. Heaven forbid the The report goes on to say this: Rear
ergy independence, giving away our en- American people be able to pay less at Admiral Vasely ‘‘was trying to get the
ergy dominance, and green-lighting his the pump, as Joe Biden’s prices drive Ambassador to see the security threat
energy production. That is what Joe gas prices through the roof. No, this is for what it really was.’’ There were as
Biden did when he first came to office— the policy of weakness, fecklessness many as 10 districts falling every day,
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
green-lighting his production, shutting that this President has given us. getting closer and closer to Kabul.
down our production. Let’s not forget where it began. It ‘‘The embassy needed to position for
But what else? President Biden had began with Afghanistan. And that is withdrawal, but the Ambassador didn’t
the opportunity to provide lethal mili- the reason I am here on the floor today get it.’’
tary aid to Ukraine last spring when in particular. These are just a few of the details in
the Ukrainians first requested it. He It has been months now—months— this 2,000-page report showing that our
said no. In fact, I believe he said no re- since the fall of Afghanistan. This ad- military commanders warned over and
peatedly for much of the year last ministration has lost two nations in over and over that Kabul was on the
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1043
verge of collapse, that the security Missouri was trying to convey is ‘‘do and he would become the Assistant
dangers were mounting, that civilians our job.’’ One of our fundamental jobs Secretary of the Air Force for Man-
needed to be evacuated, and that we is to review, vote on, and confirm or power and Reserve Affairs, the senior
needed to change course, and this ad- not confirm nominees to critical posi- official within the Department of the
ministration did nothing. What hap- tions in the Department of Defense, Air Force with responsibility for mili-
pened as a result? Thirteen service- and this effort has completely frus- tary and civilian personnel policy and
members are dead, including one from trated that goal of doing our job. the readiness of Air Force and Space
my own State. We have seen repeated blockage of Force personnel.
I will never forget talking to his fam- nominees who are fully qualified, forc- Ms. Rachel Jacobson was reported
ily, his father, less than 48 hours after ing votes—and the gentleman from out of the committee in October of last
this young man, LCpl Jared Schmitz, Missouri is talking about we should year, and she would become the Assist-
lost his life, along with 12 others who have had votes this week—forcing ant Secretary of the Army for Energy,
bravely served this country, giving the votes because one or two people object. Installation, and the Environment. She
uttermost of their devotion. But it And, of course, the final outcome is 90 will be responsible for managing the
didn’t have to be that way. votes, 85 votes in favor of the nominee. Army’s physical footprint and, particu-
Here is my point: This body should be The will of the Senate was very clear: larly, she will oversee contracts that
hearing from these commanders, from These people should be in their office, would increase installation resilience
these men and women who have testi- doing their jobs, helping us maintain and the modernization of Army infra-
fied in this report, who have given evi- our security, not subject to the whims structure, particularly with regard to
dence about what happened in Afghani- and the will of one or two people. energy, which is one of the issues that
stan. We should be hearing from them The nominees I just referred to are we are talking about with great em-
in public, under oath—no more private three individuals nominated to critical phasis today and in the proceeding sev-
briefings; no more closed-session brief- positions within the Department of De- eral weeks.
ings. We should hear from Secretary fense. The Armed Services Committee All of these positions are critically
Austin. We should hear from General held hearings on all three of these important to the Department of De-
Milley. We should hear from the com- nominations months ago, and all three fense. And I am unaware of any sub-
manders—General Miller—under oath. stantive objection to these nominees
were reported out of the committee by
They should come and testify about on the basis of their qualifications. The
voice vote. I am unaware of any objec-
this report. sooner they assume their offices, the
We should do our job, and until we tions to these nominees relating to
their qualifications for the positions better for the Department’s ability to
do, I will not consent to allow the Sen- tackle the challenges on behalf of serv-
ate to bypass regular order and fast- for which they have been nominated.
I need not remind my colleagues that icemembers and their families.
track the nominations of yet more I also think it is important to recog-
leadership positions to continue car- with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a
war of choice against a modern, func- nize some of that discussion about the
rying on a failed policy. I will not do it. situation in Ukraine. The Biden admin-
There is a crisis in Ukraine. There is tioning democracy, how critical it is to
have people in place in the Department istration sent $650 million in aid—mili-
a crisis in Afghanistan. Crises multiply
of Defense. tary assistance and aid—to the Ukrain-
across the world at the hands of this
It is very difficult to complain about ian Government in the last year, far
administration, and still, this Congress
the policy of the administration when surpassing anything that was done in
refuses to reverse course and refuses to
there has been a deliberate attempt for the Trump administration. In fact, we
provide the most basic oversight that
more than a year to delay critical spent many hours here on the floor of
it is charged with providing.
I don’t think it is too much to ask, in nominees from taking their position in the U.S. Senate in an impeachment
the face of this, in the face of these dis- that Department. proceeding based on what many of us
asters, that we have the curiosity to at And, more importantly, I think this thought was the attempt by then-
least have an open hearing, to at least is a trend that was observed by the President Trump to use military aid to
ask who should be accountable and Commission on the National Defense extract a political concession from
what should be done. Strategy under President Trump. It President Zelenskyy. That is quite a
So I want to say again, I appreciate said: stark difference than what President
Senator REED’s earnestness on this The implementation of the National De- Biden’s administration has been doing
issue. I appreciate the fact that he fense Strategy must feature empowered ci- for the last year.
doesn’t control the floor. vilians fulfilling their statutory responsibil- There was a reference made to deal-
My final point, I would note, as I ities, particularly regarding issues of force ing with Saudi Arabia. Well, President
look toward the clock here, last week, management. . . . Strong civilian oversight Trump’s first trip overseas was to
if my memory serves, of the 4 days we is an essential hallmark of civil-military re- Saudi Arabia to cavort with his
lations codified in the Constitution and em- friends, the Kings and Princes of Saudi
were in session, we took a total of four braced throughout the nation’s history.
votes in the U.S. Senate last week. If Arabia. His son-in-law made multiple
these nominees were as important as What is frustrating that principle? trips over there, and it wasn’t in the
they say they are, we could have voted Actions like today, where fully quali- spirit of condemnation; it was in the
last week. We could have voted earlier fied individuals who pass by voice vote spirit of businesslike behavior, I would
today. through the committee are held up. If say. Khashoggi was killed by agents of
Now, Senator REED doesn’t control there is a weakness—that has been MBS, the Crown Prince, but the details
the floor, but I might just note to the identified by other sources in the Na- of the report were never released by
majority leader that maybe instead of tional Defense Strategy at the Depart- the Trump administration. President
taking a vacation tomorrow, which I ment of Defense—it is in one case the Biden released those details, earning, I
gather is the plan, that maybe the Sen- lack of sufficient civilian leadership think, the enmity of the Crown Prince.
ate ought to be here and working, and and continuity, and that is exactly So this story of the ineffectuality of
maybe we ought to be here and voting, what this action today will continue to the Biden administration is com-
because until there is some account- foster. pletely, in my view, without basis.
ability for what happened in Afghani- For example, Mr. Ashish Vazirani What we have seen—and I think the
stan, for what is happening with this was reported out of committee on De- Presiding Officer recognizes it as a
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
administration’s foreign policy, I am cember 8 and would become the Deputy member of the Foreign Relations Com-
going to ask the Senate to observe reg- Under Secretary of Defense for Per- mittee—is probably the most sophisti-
ular order and do its job and to vote. sonnel and Readiness, the No. 2 official cated development of an alliance to op-
With that, I object. in the Department in charge of mili- pose tyranny that we have seen in
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob- tary and civilian policy and the readi- many, many years.
jection is heard. ness of our Armed Forces. When the whole world is united by
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I think one Mr. Alex Wagner was reported out of the diplomacy of this administration
of the messages that the Senator from the committee in October of last year, to stand up against Vladimir Putin—
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S1044 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
and I must say practically the whole Unemployment now is hovering Again, the advocates for the oil com-
world. That is an amazing demonstra- around 4 percent. Gross domestic prod- panies, the advocates for special tax ar-
tion of diplomacy and statesmanship. uct has been significant and much rangements, the advocates to continue
And it happened because of the leader- more so than the preceding several to pump oil and pump oil and pump oil
ship of the President, the leadership of years. But we do have problems eco- are playing right, in my sense, into the
Secretary Blinken, the leadership of nomically, and some of those problems hands of Putin because if our world
Secretary Austin. And, again, when are related to the international oil sup- economy is based on hydrocarbons,
you have Switzerland joining in sanc- ply. Now, we certainly don’t need Rus- then Russia is going to make some
tioning a country—the greatest neutral sian oil and I have said we should stop money. If our world economy is based
nation in the world—that is a remark- importing it and I am glad that this on other sources of power—alternative
able accomplishment. morning the President announced the sources of power—then his cash reg-
We still have a long way to go. The United States will officially ban the ister is going to ring close to zero.
outcome is still very much uncertain, importation of oil from Russia, deny- I am pleased that President Biden lis-
but to date, the President and his ad- ing Putin a key revenue source for his tened to me and others in Congress and
ministration has done an extraordinary illegal war. This is something both decided to tap into the Strategic Petro-
job. Democrats and Republicans have called leum Reserve to help bring down the
Afghanistan is an issue that we have for, and the American people should price of oil. He wisely coordinated the
dealt with for 20 years. One of the first release of 60 million barrels with our
know this policy choice will likely af-
things we did was to ensure that in the international partners. The action
fect the price of gasoline.
National Defense Authorization Act, But even if we don’t use Russian oil, sends a reassuring signal to markets,
there was an independent study which everyone needs to know that petroleum but we may need to release more to
will be conducted, but it is not going to is traded on the world market, and the tamp down prices. We also need to in-
focus on the last 2 weeks; it is going to United States is part of that world sist that our Middle East partners do
focus on 20 years. It is going to assess market. The chaos Putin is sowing in more to increase production to help
whether the decision to invade Iraq Europe will continue to have an effect stabilize prices and meet demand in
was a critical strategic mistake—which
here regardless of where we get our oil. Europe.
I think it was. That is why I opposed it We should also ask domestic oil and
Our energy policy of overreliance on
originally. gas producers to pitch in. Despite the
It is going to look at the Doha agree- fossil fuels is a matter of national secu-
rity, and it is time we embrace all that other side of the aisle’s claims about
ment, in which the Trump administra-
it entails. the economy, Big Oil is earning some
tion basically said, ‘‘We are leaving,’’
The reality of a world market, com- of its highest profits in years. They are
which gave the Taliban one of their
bined with the impact on regular not simply passing on the cost—addi-
greatest psychological and, indeed, in a
Americans who need to fill up their tional cost—to the consumer reluc-
way, military weapons because they
cars, means the United States will tantly and grudgingly and sadly.
went from village to village and said:
have to make some tough choices on ExxonMobil and Chevron, for example,
Here it is, signed, sealed, and delivered.
They are going. And when they go, who whom we buy from if we are not buying reported a combined net annual profit
are you going to be with, Ghani or us? from Russia. We will have to more of nearly $38.6 billion in 2021, but are
So in any way to estimate the culpa- carefully consider what we are export- they investing those profits in new pro-
bility, the responsibility of our role in ing, how we will prevent profiteering, duction, particularly when they have
Afghanistan, it will take that kind of and what pain people should expect at 14 million acres in unused leases? No.
20-year look by independent experts the pump. Instead, they are issuing higher divi-
who are concerned to find the truth, If the climate crisis, raging fires, his- dends and buying back stock to boost
not to find a political argument. toric droughts, and flooding aren’t share prices. These windfall profits
I am just very disappointed that we enough to convince our colleagues on should be used to help consumers, not
are going to continue to avoid our duty the other side of the aisle of the need their billionaire investors.
to ensure that there are civilians in the to kick our oil addiction, I hope the na- Of course, the easiest way to insulate
Department of Defense who are able to tional security and economic ourselves from higher costs is to be-
carry out the policy of the United vulnerabilities exposed by Russia’s in- come more energy efficient. When we
States, which is the basic principle of vasion of Ukraine will be enough. As consume less, we pay less. That is why
civil and military relations in the long as we base our energy future on I have long advocated better fuel econ-
United States and in the Constitution oil, we choose to make ourselves vul- omy standards for cars and trucks,
of the United States. nerable. something that the last administration
ENERGY Unfortunately, many of my Repub- worked against. Yes, the Trump admin-
Mr. President, retaining my time, I lican colleagues don’t seem to recog- istration tried to derail an increase in
would now like to resume my com- nize that reality. Instead, they focus gas mileage that the automobile com-
ments with respect to the energy situa- on never-built pipelines geared toward panies were in favor of. Even when
tion and the United States. exporting our oil, not using it here in automakers said we should keep the
As I indicated previously, the inva- the United States. Most of the oil that tougher standards, Trump said no.
sion of Ukraine has revealed the vul- was going through the pipeline that Why? Let’s be more dependent on gaso-
nerability that our dependence on oil President Biden—I think, because of line. It is not only to this country’s oil-
creates for our economy and for aver- many, many considerations—decided producing benefit. Guess what. Putin
age Americans trying to fill up their against was destined for exportation, benefits and others benefit.
cars and pay their heating bills. not for use here in the United States, Fortunately, the Biden administra-
The fact is, the United States has or they make claims about energy pro- tion has a broader vision for a clean en-
sufficient domestic production to meet duction under Democratic Presidents ergy future that eases the burden on
our energy needs today. We are pro- that either contort or suspend reality. consumers.
ducing more oil and refined product It is time—to borrow the phrase from While there is much more to do, the
than ever before. Oil production was up my Rhode Island colleague, Senator bipartisan infrastructure law took im-
more than half a million barrels a day WHITEHOUSE—it is time to wake up. In- portant steps on this front. It invested
from January to December of last year deed, their solution to higher gas $7.5 billion to build out a national net-
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
and is expected to rise even more this prices is more oil dependency. work of electric vehicle charges, $5 bil-
year, which I would assume would The bottom line is that we need to lion for electric buses, and $90 billion
mean that more and more Americans accelerate the transition to clean, re- to improve public transit systems.
are working in the oilfields and else- newable energy sources that aren’t It also includes $65 billion to upgrade
where. In fact, I believe, last year, the subject to worldwide scarcity and ma- our power infrastructure, including by
workforce grew about 6.6 million jobs, nipulation by our adversary. There are, building thousands of miles of new, re-
which we hadn’t seen in the last year however, things we should do in the silient transmission lines to facilitate
or two of the Trump administration. short term to help consumers. the expansion of renewable energy. And
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1045
we can’t just look at transportation be- league from Rhode Island. I would say to make concessions, but we were actu-
cause consumers are also facing the ‘‘all of the above’’ energy, so I do sup- ally doing the right thing for the coun-
pinch on home energy prices. port the energy efficiency he was talk- try here in saving the post office.
Now, last year, I worked to secure ing about and other opportunities to And I regularly hear about this from
$4.5 billion in the American Rescue ensure we have the ability to be energy my constituents across Ohio; I am sure
Plan for the Low-Income Home Energy independent. But at a time when the you hear the same. You hear it from
Assistance Program to help consumers price per gallon is over $4, on average, your veterans. You hear it from some
pay their energy bills. In the coming we also need to produce more in this of your rural residents who depend on
days, we will pass an omnibus appro- country. the post office for a lot, including their
priations bill to provide base funding And here we are at a time where we lifesaving medications. Families rely
for that program, which still lacks the have an Executive order from the on the post office to deliver their rent
resources to help all who qualify for as- President, saying we are going to checks on time, to pay their utility
sistance. But we need to do more. freeze all leases on public lands and bills, to get their Social Security
We also need to make other long- waters. We have an Executive order checks.
term investments. In his State of the from the President, obviously, stopping In Ohio, we have got no-excuse absen-
Union Address last week, President Keystone XL Pipeline. tee voting. That has worked really well
Biden emphasized the need to weath- We have an Executive action by the for over a decade now. But if you are a
erize homes and businesses to be more President to rewrite the policies with voter in Ohio, you want to get your ap-
energy efficient, which in turn lowers regard to permitting that are in the plication in time, and you want to get
energy costs and reduces greenhouse waters of the United States that are your ballot in, in time. That all de-
gases and emissions, and I cannot agree very important to energy projects. So pends on the post office. Small busi-
more. we have got to do it all because, other- nesses in Ohio reach their customers
It is why I have led the fight to fund wise, without certainty, we are not primarily through direct mail now;
the Weatherization Assistance Pro- going to get the oil and gas production that is through the post office.
gram, which received $3.5 billion in the we should have here to be able to sub- So this is really important that we
bipartisan infrastructure law. This pro- stitute what we are getting from places put the post office on a sound financial
gram has helped more than 7 million like Russia. footing. And, by the way, it can’t be
low-income families reduce their en- The President did the right thing by done just with an act of Congress.
ergy bills by making their homes more What we are doing is complementing
banning the Russian oil, but we ought
energy efficient. what the Postmaster General and the
to also be doing the right thing with
It saves participants nearly $300 in postal Board is doing in terms of seri-
regard to North American production.
energy bills a year, and a Department I stand today to support the Postal ous reforms at the post office. They
of Energy study found that in 1 year, it work together. In fact, the Postmaster
Service bill that is before us. We are
reduced carbon emissions by more than General said this bill he strongly sup-
nearing the end of a long journey to
2.2 million metric tons, the equivalent ports because it gives him the head-
help the Postal Service and to help the
to taking more than a half a million room he needs, the financial breathing
Postmaster General to be able to im-
cars off the road. room he needs to make the other im-
To make the most of this invest- plement needed reforms.
portant reforms to save the post office.
Last year, Senator PETERS—who I
ment, this week, I introduced the What do we do? First, we eliminate a
see is on the floor here—and I intro-
Weatherization Assistance Program very burdensome prefunding require-
Improvement Act along with Senators duced the Senate version of the Postal ment for retiree health benefits. Con-
COLLINS, COONS, and SHAHEEN. Our bill Reform Act. We had 28 cosponsors, gress mandated this a decade or so ago.
would make critical updates, including equally divided between Republicans Regardless of age, current employees
increasing eligibility, raising the per and Democrats. have to be prefunded. This has crippled
unit funding level for weatherization Why? Because the Postal Service is the post office financially. By the way,
projects, and setting aside funding to not a partisan issue. It is something no other Federal Agency has to do this,
make critical health and safety repairs that all of us should agree on. We need and private sector companies don’t do
in conjunction with weatherization to save our Postal Service; otherwise, this. This is prefunding. The money
projects. Together, these reforms will we are going to be in big trouble. In the will be there, but it is a matter of hav-
make the program more effective and next few years, I believe it would go in- ing to prefund it that is crippling the
will help it serve even more households solvent otherwise. I believe we would post office financially.
across the country. be here talking about a big bailout. Second, we require the post office
These are significant steps, but we This is not a bailout. In fact, there is employees who are retiring, who have
need the full package of climate energy no appropriation in this legislation. been paying into Medicare their entire
reforms that the President has been The post office is really important to careers, to enroll in Medicare Part B
calling for, including tax credits and my constituents—young, old, rural, and to access Part D—something, by
grants that would make clean energy, urban, everybody. That is why we have the way, that almost every private sec-
clean vehicles, and other clean tech- seen such strong bipartisan support tor employer does. They are already in
nologies more affordable and better. when this bill passed the House of Rep- Part A.
If we do these things, we will make a resentatives by a vote of 342 to 92—that Third, we require the Postal Service
huge difference in the lives of Ameri- rarely happens in the House—and to maintain its current standard of a 6-
cans today and for generations to strong bipartisan support last night day-a-week delivery through an inte-
come. when the Senate cloture vote was 74 to grated delivery network of mail and
Just a final thought, I think one of 17. packages together so that those who
the greatest nightmares that Vladimir Saving the post office is the right rely on the Postal Service for their
Putin has is a world that is powered by thing to do. Let’s face it. The fact of medications and other important needs
electricity, not generated by hydro- the matter is, the Postal Service is de- are properly served. That 6-day-a-week
carbons, a world in which the gasoline livering less and less more profitable delivery, by the way, is really impor-
and oil that he has in Russia is not first-class mail to more and more tant to my constituents and to a lot of
worth $150 a barrel but $1.50 a barrel. places. That economic model just does your constituents if you talk to them
We can do it, and it will be one of the not work, and that is a recipe for ruin about it, particularly in the rural
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE
most significant national security en- if we don’t adjust to this new reality areas.
deavors when we accomplish that. and make some necessary changes. The Congressional Budget Office esti-
I yield the floor. Is it hard to make changes? Of mates that after all of this, this bill
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- course, it is, but it is the right thing to will result in a savings to the taxpayer.
ator from Ohio. do. We have talked about it for years The savings over the next 10 years is
H.R. 3076 here. Finally, we came together, Re- $1.5 billion.
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ap- publican and Democrat, neither of us I would also like to note what this
preciate the comments from my col- got exactly what we wanted, both had bill does not do because there has been
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S1046 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
some misinformation out there. One, it Let’s move forward on this bill. Let’s nity by requiring the Postal Service to
does not appropriate new funds to the make sure the post office is healthy post weekly local performance data on-
post office, period. Two, it does not going forward for all of our constitu- line.
change the accounting or costing ents. It will also ensure this vital institu-
structure for packages and letters so it I yield the floor. tion continues to deliver mail at least
does not disadvantage private-sector The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- 6 days a week. By passing the Postal
carriers. That is very important to me. ator from Michigan. Service Reform Act, we can ensure the
This is the status quo that we are put- Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask Postal Service is able to provide reli-
ting in place here. It does not change unanimous consent to be recognized for able service to families and small busi-
the accounting or costing structure for 5 minutes of remarks. nesses, veterans, seniors, and rural
packages and letters. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without communities who rely on this essential
Third, it does not allow the Postal objection, it is so ordered. service each and every day for years to
Service to enter into new commercial Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, in just a come.
services like postal banking. That is few moments, each of our colleagues By passing this legislation tonight
also very important to me. will have the opportunity to cast a his- and quickly sending it to President
And contrary to the claims of this toric vote to pass groundbreaking leg- Biden’s desk, this body can show the
bill’s opponents, this bill does not im- islation that will ensure that the U.S. Nation that Congress can indeed build
pact the solvency of the Medicare hos- Postal Service can continue its nearly consensus; we can work on a bipartisan
pital trust fund. That is the trust fund 250-year tradition of delivering service basis and get things done for the Amer-
we all talk about. It is going belly-up to the American people. ican people. Together, we can enact
in 2026. It does not affect it, period. The Postal Service is one of our Na- historic, meaningful change and im-
CBO has actually written us something tion’s most trusted and storied institu- prove the lives of our constituents.
saying that, but it just makes sense. tions. Since the founding of the United I urge my colleagues to vote in sup-
People are already in Part A. And this States, the Postal Service has become port of this long-overdue bill so that
bill does not increase the Medicare a vital part of the fabric of our Nation we can take a historic and significant
Part B and Part D premiums based on for generations. step to bring the Postal Service into
the CBO analysis. Why? Partly because It has served as an indispensable pub- the future and ensure it can continue
it is such a small number of people. lic service that not only delivers crit- providing essential services to the
Only 25 percent of postal employees ical mail, like medications and finan- American people, as it has done for
were not already in Part B and Part D, cial documents, but also helps families nearly 250 years.
so additional ones make very little dif- all across the country stay connected I yield the floor.
ference. But part of it is they are pay- with each other. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. MAR-
ing their premiums. The Postal Service is the only mail KEY). Under the previous order, all
So let’s pass this bill. We also have a carrier that delivers to every commu- postcloture time is expired, amend-
budget point of order before us that is nity across our Nation and serves more ment No. 4955 is withdrawn, and the
coming up next. I want to be clear, than 160 million households—no matter bill is considered read a third time.
again, CBO’s estimated $1.5 billion sav- how remote. The amendment (No. 4955) was with-
ings over the 10-year budget window However, in recent years, we have drawn.
that we have to use around here. How- seen how burdensome financial require- The bill was ordered to a third read-
ever, CBO has estimated that this leg- ments drove the Postal Service to use ing and was read the third time.
islation would likely increase on budg- cost-cutting measures that com- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
et deficits by $5 billion or more in at promised delivery services. And that is ator from Florida.
least one of the four 10-year periods be- why this bipartisan bicameral bill is so POINT OF ORDER
ginning in 2032. vital. It will help the Postal Service Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President,
I would like to make three quick overcome unfair policies that threaten the pending measure, H.R. 3076, Postal
points: First, none of this deficit is re- its ability to effectively service the Service Reform Act of 2022, would in-
lated to the Medicare hospital insur- American people. crease on-budget deficits by $5 billion
ance trust fund for Part A. Again, that Since introducing this bill, I have or more in at least one of the four 10-
is the trust fund that we talk about a worked closely with my ranking mem- year periods beginning in 2032.
lot here because we are concerned ber, ROB PORTMAN, and our 26 other This increase violates section 3101 of
about it, and it could be exhausted as Senate cosponsors from both sides of the 2016 budget resolution, which pro-
early as 2026. CBO has said that trust the aisle, as well as Chairwoman MALO- hibits consideration of legislation that
fund will not be affected. Second, NEY and Ranking Member COMER on would cause a net increase in on-budg-
CBO’s deficit only addresses on-budget the House Committee on Oversight and et deficits in any of the four 10-year pe-
direct spending. It actually excludes Reform, to craft these consensus re- riods beyond the current budget win-
all future savings to the post office, forms and secure the strong bipartisan dow.
which are off-budget. support we have seen in both the House I raise a point of order under section
Let me give you an example of that. and, hopefully soon, in the Senate. 3101(b) of S. Con. Res. 11, the concur-
The premiums that Postal Service em- I am grateful to each of my col- rent resolution on the budget for fiscal
ployees are going to pay, that is not leagues for their hard work and for year 2016.
part of the calculation. their cooperation and their willingness The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Third, and finally, this budget point to compromise during this process. ator from Vermont.
of order ignores that postal workers Our legislation, which it has been 15 MOTION TO WAIVE
are entitled to Medicare Part B and years in the making, will eliminate the Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, pursu-
Part D like any other eligible Amer- unnecessary requirement for the Postal ant to section 3101(c) of the fiscal year
ican worker. The bill simply requires Service to prefund the cost of retiree 2016 budget resolution, I move to waive
future Postal Service retirees to access health benefits and will integrate post- section 3101 of that resolution for pur-
these benefits; the 25 percent that al retirees healthcare with Medicare. poses of the pending measure, and I ask
don’t already do it. Private-sector em- Together, these reforms will save the for the yeas and nays.
ployers require their retirees to do the Postal Service more than $49 billion The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a
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same thing. Of course, no one raises and ensure this essential public serv- sufficient second?
these budget points of orders on them. ice, which is dependent on revenues There appears to be a sufficient sec-
Right now, the post office is in trou- from products and service fees to fund ond.
ble, folks, and if we don’t do something its operations, is set on a path for long- The yeas and nays are ordered.
and do something significant, working term financial stability. There will be now 2 minutes of debate
with the post office to make their own This historic legislation will also en- equally divided prior to a vote on the
internal reforms, we are going to be in sure every American knows what is motion to waive.
big trouble as I said earlier. going on with the mail in their commu- The Senator from Florida.
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March 8, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1047
Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, Mr. THUNE. The following Senators pact the solvency of the trust fund. So
as I have said repeatedly, I absolutely are necessarily absent: the Senator the Medicare hospital trust fund we all
support getting something done to re- from Tennessee (Mr. HAGERTY) and the worry about, predicted to expire in
form the Postal Service, but it cannot Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. INHOFE). about 2026, this does not affect it at all.
come at the expense to American tax- The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 68, Postal Service employees are already
payers. nays 30, as follows: in Part A. And it does not increase the
The Federal debt has already surged [Rollcall Vote No. 70 Leg.] Part B or the Part D premiums.
above $30 trillion, and it just keeps YEAS—68 What this does do is it saves the post
growing and growing. Baldwin Gillibrand Padilla
office, which is incredibly important to
I wrote to the Congressional Budget Bennet Hassan Peters all of our constituents—to our veterans
Office, asking what the future cost of Blumenthal Hawley Portman who get their prescription drugs
this bill would be to Medicare and how Blunt Heinrich Reed through the mail, to people who are
Booker Hickenlooper Rosen
it would impact the debt. While they Boozman Hirono voting by mail, and to people who are
Rounds
could tell me there would be at least $5 Brown Kaine Sanders relying on the Postal Service to pro-
billion in new deficits, they couldn’t Burr Kelly Schatz vide them with what they need to be
Cantwell King
provide data past 2031, when Medicare Capito Klobuchar
Schumer able to survive.
will be most affected by this proposal. Shaheen This is an important bill that has
Cardin Leahy
Sinema
Here is what we know for certain: Carper Luján
Smith
been worked on for 15 years. I thank
This bill doesn’t reduce costs; it just Casey Manchin my colleague Senator PETERS from
Cassidy Markey Stabenow
shifts them from one unfunded govern- Collins Marshall Tester Michigan for working on a bipartisan
ment program to another. Coons McConnell Tillis basis on this.
This bill adds at least $6 billion in Cortez Masto Menendez Van Hollen Let’s get it done tonight.
Cotton Merkley Warner
new costs to Medicare, with no way to Warnock
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Cramer Moran
pay for it, and adds at least $5 billion Daines Murkowski Warren ate majority leader.
to long-term Federal deficits. That is Duckworth Murphy Whitehouse Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, every
unacceptable. It is why I am raising a Durbin Murray Wicker day, the U.S. Postal Service faithfully
Feinstein Ossoff Wyden
point of order today. We have to stop delivers for the American people.
driving America deeper into debt and NAYS—30 Today, the Senate is finally delivering
finally be accountable to the American Barrasso Hoeven Rubio for the post office.
taxpayers. Blackburn Hyde-Smith Sasse Today, we can happily say that the
Braun Johnson Scott (FL) postal reform is now signed, sealed, and
I urge my colleague to vote no on the Cornyn Kennedy Scott (SC)
budget point of order. Crapo Lankford Shelby delivered for the American people. Be-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Cruz Lee Sullivan cause of today’s bill, the Postal Service
ator from Vermont. Ernst Lummis Thune will be stronger, more efficient, and
Fischer Paul Toomey
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, let me Graham Risch Tuberville
better able to serve more people, and
congratulate Senator PETERS and Sen- Grassley Romney Young we did it on a bipartisan basis.
ator PORTMAN for their work. For over a decade, the USPS—one of
NOT VOTING—2
This is a bill that has been looked at the most important institutions in
Hagerty Inhofe
and worked on for a very long time, American life—has been on an ominous
and I am glad that in a few moments The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this trajectory: shrinking revenues, fewer
we are going to pass it. vote, the yeas were 68, and the nays delivery routes, and finances in des-
I know that the people of Vermont were 30. Three-fifths of the Senators perate need of a revamp. These prob-
and all over this country are increas- duly chosen and sworn having voted in lems led to late deliveries, reduced
ingly concerned about the long delays the affirmative, the motion is agreed hours, and increased costs. And when
they are experiencing in getting the to. the Postal Service suffers, America
mail they need. Senior citizens and The motion was agreed to. suffers.
veterans are not getting the prescrip- The PRESIDING OFFICER. There Today, after much hard work, the
tion drugs they need on time. Working will now be 2 minutes of debate equally Senate is providing the Postal Service
families have been forced to pay late divided prior to a vote on passage of a much needed reset. The legislation
fees because it is taking much longer the bill. we are about to pass is the most sig-
than normal with the Postal Service to The Senator from Ohio. nificant step that Congress has taken
mail their bills. The Postal Service Re- Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I rise in a long time to strengthen USPS. It
form Act is a step forward in address- in support of the Postal Service bill be- will guarantee delivery services 6 days
ing those concerns, and I am very fore us. It is important reform. People a week, put the Postal Service on a
proud to support this bill. know this needs to be done. The vote in path to solvency, and will ensure that
This is a bill that will save the Post- the House of Representatives was 342 to we care for our dedicated postal work-
al Service billions of dollars a year by 92. It has to be done because the Postal ers, all while saving dollars.
ending the absurd Bush-era mandate Service’s business model just doesn’t This postal reform bill is a win-win-
forcing the Postal Service to prefund 75 work—having to deliver more and more win: a win for bipartisanship, a win for
years of future retiree health benefits packages and fewer and fewer more our postal workers, and most impor-
for employees who haven’t even been profitable first-class mail pieces to tantly, a win for the tens of millions of
born yet. It protects 6-day delivery more and more addresses. So we have Americans who rely on the Postal
service and gives the Postal Service got to do something to reform it. Service every single day, from seniors
the ability to offer new consumer prod- Let me tell you what this bill does do to veterans, to small businesses, to
ucts and services. and what it doesn’t do—first of all, rural Americans, to everyone in be-
The bottom line is, the Postal Serv- what it does not do. It is not an appro- tween.
ice is enormously important to people priation, so there is no money here I want to really give a special shout-
all over this country. This bill going into the Postal Service from the out to my colleagues who made this
strengthens the Postal Service and will taxpayer. It does not change the ac- possible for us to pass this bill. Sen-
guarantee that the people of our coun- counting or the cost structure for ators PETERS and PORTMAN led the
try get the quality service they de-
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packages and letters. That way, it does charge, Senator CARPER worked long in
mand. not disadvantage the private sector the vineyards on this bill, and so many
I yield the floor. carriers some were worried about. It others as well.
VOTE ON MOTION TO WAIVE also does not allow the Postal Service Of course, I want to thank the half a
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to enter into new commercial services million postal workers who kept our
question is on agreeing to the motion. like postal banking that we are country going every single day, espe-
The clerk will call the roll. against. Contrary to claims of some of cially during the pandemic. While so
The legislative clerk called the roll. the opponents, it actually does not im- many other services were shut down
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S1048 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 8, 2022
during COVID, the post office kept de- motion on the Gonzalez nomination be Hoeven Murphy Sinema
Kaine Murray Smith
livering goods and supplies and medi- withdrawn. Kelly Ossoff Stabenow
cines across the economy. They are The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is Kennedy Padilla Tester
public servants of the highest order. there objection? King Peters Thune
So it is a great day for our postal Not hearing an objection, it is with- Klobuchar Portman Tillis
Leahy Reed Toomey
workers, and it is a great day for the drawn. Luján Risch Van Hollen
American people. The cloture motion, on the nomina- Manchin Romney Warner
The bill has been in the works for tion of Ed Gonzalez, of Texas, to be an Markey Rosen Warnock
over a decade, and today, after so much McConnell Rounds Warren
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Secu- Menendez Sasse Whitehouse
work, we are all thrilled to have finally rity, was withdrawn. Merkley Schatz Wicker
gotten it done. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Moran Schumer Wyden
VOTE ON H.R. 3076 Who yields time? Murkowski Shaheen Young
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill Mr. SCHUMER. We yield back all NAYS—19
having been read the third time, the time, Mr. President. Blackburn Johnson Scott (FL)
question is, Shall the bill pass? The PRESIDENT pro tempore. All Boozman Lankford Scott (SC)
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas time is yielded back. Braun Lee Shelby
Cotton Lummis Sullivan
and nays. Cruz Marshall
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a f Tuberville
Hawley Paul
sufficient second? Hyde-Smith Rubio
There appears to be a sufficient sec- CLOTURE MOTION
NOT VOTING—3
ond. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Pur- Hagerty Inhofe Sanders
The clerk will call the roll. suant to rule XXII, the Chair lays be-
The bill clerk called the roll. fore the Senate the pending cloture (Mr. KING assumed the Chair.)
Mr. THUNE. The following Senators motion, which the clerk will state. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. HAS-
are necessarily absent: the Senator The senior assistant legislative clerk SAN). On this vote, the yeas are 78 and
from Tennessee (Mr. HAGERTY) and the read as follows: the nays are 19.
Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. INHOFE). CLOTURE MOTION The motion is agreed to.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Are We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- f
there any other Senators in the Cham- ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
ber desiring to vote? Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
The result was announced—yeas 79, move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
nays 19, as follows: nation of Executive Calendar No. 547, Maria clerk will report the nomination.
[Rollcall Vote No. 71 Leg.] L. Pagan, of Puerto Rico, to be a Deputy The senior assistant legislative clerk
YEAS—79 United States Trade Representative (Geneva read the nomination of Maria L.
Office), with the rank of Ambassador. Pagan, of Puerto Rico, to be a Deputy
Baldwin Graham Padilla Charles E. Schumer, Alex Padilla, Chris- United States Trade Representative
Barrasso Grassley Peters
topher Murphy, Edward J. Markey,
Bennet Hassan Portman (Geneva Office), with the rank of Am-
Blumenthal Hawley Reed
Gary C. Peters, Brian Schatz, Jack
Reed, Tammy Duckworth, John W. bassador.
Blunt Heinrich Rosen
Booker Hickenlooper Hickenlooper, Sheldon Whitehouse, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
Rounds
Boozman Hirono Sanders Tim Kaine, Richard Blumenthal, Chris- ator from Pennsylvania.
Brown Hoeven Schatz topher A. Coons, Margaret Wood Has- UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—EXECUTIVE
Burr Kaine
Schumer san, Patrick J. Leahy, Debbie Stabe- CALENDAR
Cantwell Kelly
Capito Kennedy
Shaheen now. Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I am
Sinema
Cardin King
Smith
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. By here today for two purposes. I will
Carper Klobuchar unanimous consent, the mandatory
Casey Leahy Stabenow start with the first.
Cassidy Luján Sullivan quorum call has been waived. The first is to rise in support of ad-
Collins Lummis Tester The question is, Is it the sense of the vancing the nomination of Elizabeth
Coons Manchin Thune Senate that debate on the nomination
Tillis
Watson to serve as the Assistant Sec-
Cortez Masto Markey
Cotton Marshall Van Hollen of Maria L. Pagan, of Puerto Rico, to retary for Congressional and Intergov-
Cramer McConnell Warner be a Deputy United States Trade Rep- ernmental Affairs at the Department of
Daines Menendez Warnock resentative (Geneva Office), with the Labor.
Duckworth Merkley Warren rank of Ambassador shall be brought to
Durbin Moran
Ms. Watson is a highly qualified
Whitehouse
Ernst Murkowski Wicker
a close? nominee who was nominated in April of
Feinstein Murphy Wyden The yeas and nays are mandatory last year, almost a year ago now. She
Fischer Murray Young under the rule. has spent most of her career advo-
Gillibrand Ossoff
The clerk will call the roll. cating for workers through labor and
NAYS—19 The senior assistant legislative clerk economic policy.
Blackburn Lankford Scott (FL) called the roll. Ms. Watson previously served as
Braun Lee Scott (SC) Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
Cornyn Paul
labor policy director and chief labor
Shelby
Crapo Risch Toomey
Senator from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS) counsel on the House Committee on
Cruz Romney Tuberville is necessarily absent. Education and Labor. Given her labor
Hyde-Smith Rubio Mr. THUNE. The following Senators expertise and commitment to public
Johnson Sasse
are necessarily absent: the Senator service, she would be an enormous
NOT VOTING—2 from Tennessee (Mr. HAGERTY) and the asset to the Department of Labor.
Hagerty Inhofe Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. INHOFE). It is past due that the Senate con-
The bill (H.R. 3076) was passed. The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 78, firm her nomination.
f
nays 19, as follows: Ms. Watson is one of many excellent
[Rollcall Vote No. 72 Ex.] pro-worker nominees that have been
EXECUTIVE SESSION YEAS—78 put forward by the Biden-Harris admin-
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under Baldwin Carper Durbin istration.
the previous order, the Senate will pro-
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Barrasso Casey Ernst Working families and unions built
ceed to executive session. Bennet Cassidy Feinstein the American middle class, and work-
Blumenthal Collins Fischer
There will now be 2 minutes of debate Blunt Coons Gillibrand
ing families and unions helped to make
equally divided. Booker Cornyn Graham the Nation what it is today—the
The Senator from Michigan. Brown Cortez Masto Grassley strongest, most powerful nation in the
CLOTURE MOTION WITHDRAWN Burr Cramer Hassan world.
Cantwell Crapo Heinrich
Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I ask Capito Daines Hickenlooper Every worker in America deserves to
unanimous consent that the cloture Cardin Duckworth Hirono be paid a living wage and treated with
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