Ambassador Oversight and Transparency Act

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Ship Agent Licensure Act along with my colleague Senator Whitehouse. This legislation seeks to improve supply chain efficiencies and port safety and security by creating a Federal standard and licensure for independent ship agent companies, just as we already do for transportation intermediaries like Freight Forwarders and Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers, NVOCCs.

Ship agents are one of the most important yet least understood stakeholders in the international marine trade supply chain, but in the United States, there is no Federal licensing for these essential players.

A ship agent can best be understood as the general contractor of the port call, tasked by ship owners and charterers with managing thousands of vendors to ensure a safe, secure, and cost efficient port call. This includes coordinating critical Federal Government clearances and inspections for Agencies that include the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the EPA, USDA, and others. Government officials rely on ship agents to fulfill their critical role of facilitating commerce, and protecting life, property, and the environment. More than any other stakeholder, the ship agent facilitates efficiencies at the Nation's ports of entry, the frontline of the supply chain.

While the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has established minimum international standards for ship agent competency, quality, and fiduciary responsibility, there is no requirement for independent ship agent companies to abide by these, or any set of standards in the United States. Many domestic independent ship agent companies voluntarily certify through third-party accreditation associations in accordance with these international standards, but not all do. When ship agents are not properly trained and do not carry the appropriate bond and insurance, it creates delays and inefficiencies during vessel calls, jeopardizes port entry and clearance, and increases risk for Federal Agencies.

That is why it is critical to require Federal licensing for independent ship agent companies. Indeed, such a licensing requirement represents a unique opportunity for the United States to adopt its own uniform nationwide standards, consistent with the existing international standards, to ensure that ship agents have the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to manage these high stakes vessel calls and help our government agencies fulfill their responsibilities.

I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this commonsense legislation.

Mr. President, today, I am introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Senator Collins and Senator Merkley and Congressman Sarbanes that targets the fundamental goal of public education, which is to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to understand the world around them and their ability to shape it. In the face of a global climate crisis, it is essential that all students graduate with environmental literacy skills to secure and sustain their future. The No Child Left Inside Act will ensure that our students will have the opportunity to develop environmental literacy.

Environmental education provides broad benefits. It has been shown to enhance student achievement in science and other core subjects and to increase student engagement and critical thinking skills. Moreover, it promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging kids to get outside.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how vital understanding the environment is to our own health, well-being, and ability to carry out our daily activities. As the pandemic took hold, Rhode Island's environmental educators sprung into action, creating outdoor learning support opportunities and virtual programs for students as they did school from home. We need this to work on a national level for all students.

The No Child Left Inside Act authorizes $150 million annually to supports States in the development and implementation of environmental literacy plans to integrate environmental education and field experiences into the core academic program in public schools, with an emphasis on professional development in environmental education for teachers. With this funding, States will provide grants for partnerships between school districts and parks, natural resource management agencies, educator preparation programs, museums or other organizations with expertise in engaging young people with real world examples of environmental and scientific concepts. The legislation also establishes a pilot program for outdoor school education programs that offer intensive, hands-on learning experiences, such as residential programs and summer camps.

The No Child Left Inside Act will also help coordinate the Federal efforts on environmental education. It requires the Secretary of Education to establish environmental literacy advisory panel to coordinate and report on environmental literacy activities across Federal Agencies. It also will prove easy access to environmental education resources through the Department of Education's website.

The No Child Left Inside Act has the support of nearly 100 organizations, representing educators, parks, museums, environmental organizations, and community-based organizations at the national, State, and local levels. They stand ready and willing to partner with schools across the Nation. The Federal Government should be a partner too. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring the No Child Left Inside Act.

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Food and Fuel Family Savings Act, FFFSA, along with Senator Whitehouse, Senator Feinstein, and Senator Merkley. Price increases, particularly for basic necessities like food and gas, are weakening household buying power and cutting family budgets across the country. Americans are struggling, and it is critically important that we both address the long-term factors driving inflation and support the millions of families facing higher prices right now. That is why we are introducing this legislation, which would provide eligible individuals and families with debit cards to cover higher food and fuel prices in the short term and help tame inflation in the medium and long term.

A number of factors are driving our current bout of inflation. Pandemic-driven supply chain snarls, a surge and shift in demand towards goods, and corporate consolidation have created an imbalance between supply and demand. Energy prices have risen particularly quickly, as OPEC limits output and oil companies refuse to invest in domestic production to meet growing demand. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also decreased global oil, fertilizer, and wheat supplies, moving prices higher for food and energy. These wide-ranging pressures pushed the Consumer Price Index up 7.9 percent in February--its fastest increase in 40 years.

Hard-working Americans are not at fault for these global price pressures. Yet, these households, which often put a large share of their income towards basic necessities, are being forced to bear the burden of higher costs. Indeed, U.S. grocery prices rose 8.6 percent in February, the largest annual increase in over 40 years, and U.S. gas prices were up a whopping 38 percent. While the wealthiest Americans can afford more expensive everyday goods, higher prices erode working families' buying power and can force them to delay or reduce critically needed purchases. We need to help them.

Our bill would take the burden off the shoulders of working Americans by providing targeted relief to low- and moderate-income individuals and families. It would provide eligible households with debit cards loaded with $600 per family member that work exclusively at grocery stores and gas pumps. The average American household would receive $1,500. Using estimates from Bloomberg economists, this payment should cover the additional $183 the average family will spend each month on food and fuel for the rest of 2022. In other words, our legislation would ensure households can put food on the table and gas in the car this year.

Importantly, this fiscally responsible legislation is fully paid for. In fact, offsets would pay for the cost of the debit cards and slash the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. More than that, it would tamp down inflation in the medium and long term. Indeed, this bill would help families weather today's inflation while cooling price increases in the years ahead.

Congress must continue working on other measures to foster a stronger, more resilient postpandemic economy. Our legislation would aid these long-term efforts while providing Americans the financial help they need right now.

I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. President, the United States places special trust and confidence in the integrity, judgement, and abilities of those men and women chosen to represent the United States abroad as an Ambassador. The Constitution balances the President's need to have officials overseas able to execute U.S. foreign policy as directed by the President, with Congress' interest in ensuring that these officials will serve honorably and ably in the positions for which they are nominated. Apart from the Foreign Service Act of 1980, the Ambassador nomination process has changed very little since our Nation was founded. However, it is fair to say that Presidents of all parties have on occasion appointed individuals Ambassadors whose profiles indicate political closeness with the President more than deep substantive experience in a particular foreign country.

Historically, the majority of Ambassadors are selected from the career ranks of the State Department. Roughly 30 percent of Ambassadors are typically selected outside of those ranks, including from among political supporters of the President. This is not categorically problematic--Ambassadors who are not professional diplomats have long served our country admirably, from Benjamin Franklin in France to former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield in Japan. A foreign country may benefit from having a U.S. Ambassador who has a close relationship with the President and the

ability to elevate issues to the highest levels or the independent gravitas to bring substantial public attention to that country's needs. That said, I do believe it is appropriate to ask Presidents and their Secretaries of State to explain their rationale for choosing Ambassador nominees outside of the Foreign and Civil Services so that the public can understand the rationale for these appointments. This would give both the U.S. public and foreign publics the assurance that the White House is not merely doling out political sinecures but is devoting meaningful thought to these selections.

The legislation I am introducing today with Senator Booker would not constrain the President's discretion to choose appointees but would require him or her to justify these selections and explain to Congress why someone from outside the State Department is the optimal choice to represent America's interests abroad. I am proud to introduce this bill to ensure that U.S. foreign policy and our national security interests are advanced by the most qualified Americans, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that this legislation is swiftly considered by the Senate.

Mr. President, the United States places special trust and confidence in the integrity, judgement, and abilities of those men and women chosen to represent the United States abroad as an Ambassador. The Constitution balances the President's need to have officials overseas able to execute U.S. foreign policy as directed by the President, with Congress' interest in ensuring that these officials will serve honorably and ably in the positions for which they are nominated. Apart from the Foreign Service Act of 1980, the Ambassador nomination process has changed very little since our Nation was founded. However, it is fair to say that Presidents of all parties have on occasion appointed individuals Ambassadors whose profiles indicate political closeness with the President more than deep substantive experience in a particular foreign country.

Historically, the majority of Ambassadors are selected from the career ranks of the State Department. Roughly 30 percent of Ambassadors are typically selected outside of those ranks, including from among political supporters of the President. This is not categorically problematic--Ambassadors who are not professional diplomats have long served our country admirably, from Benjamin Franklin in France to former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield in Japan. A foreign country may benefit from having a U.S. Ambassador who has a close relationship with the President and the

ability to elevate issues to the highest levels or the independent gravitas to bring substantial public attention to that country's needs. That said, I do believe it is appropriate to ask Presidents and their Secretaries of State to explain their rationale for choosing Ambassador nominees outside of the Foreign and Civil Services so that the public can understand the rationale for these appointments. This would give both the U.S. public and foreign publics the assurance that the White House is not merely doling out political sinecures but is devoting meaningful thought to these selections.

The legislation I am introducing today with Senator Booker would not constrain the President's discretion to choose appointees but would require him or her to justify these selections and explain to Congress why someone from outside the State Department is the optimal choice to represent America's interests abroad. I am proud to introduce this bill to ensure that U.S. foreign policy and our national security interests are advanced by the most qualified Americans, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that this legislation is swiftly considered by the Senate.

Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment Act of 2022, which I introduced today.

Hispanic-serving institutions provide incredible opportunities for millions of low-income and first-generation students. I am proud that my State of California is home to 174 HSls and 51 emerging HSls, the most in the country. That is why I launched the first-ever Senate HSI Caucus with my colleague, Senator Menendez--to spotlight and advocate for the 559 HSIs across our country. These critical institutions educate our future leaders and help to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Over the last 2 years, the number of HSls in our country declined for the first time in two decades. A decrease in higher education enrollment among Latino students during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the decrease in the number of HSls, illustrating the need to invest in Latino youth. That is why I am introducing the HERE Act.

If enacted, this bill would support Latino students throughout secondary and postsecondary education. Specifically, the HERE Act would provide $150 million for grants to create partnerships between HSls and K-12 school districts that serve large populations of Latino students.

Schools could use this funding to provide academic support that better prepares students for postsecondary education. They could create new programs to foster a college-going culture by exposing students and their families to postsecondary opportunities. And they could better support students through the college application and transition process. Additionally, schools could use grants to address non-academic needs that serve as barriers to college enrollment and completion--such as childcare, food insecurity, financial hardship, and more.

Latinos are the largest, youngest, and second fastest growing minority population in the United States. While making up 18 percent of our country's population, Latinos comprise 26 percent of prekindergarten through grade 12 enrollment. Latino students are going to college more than ever before,

but they still face lower educational outcomes, including lower grades, lower scores on standardized tests, and higher dropout rates.

As a Senator representing one of the most diverse States in the country, I am proud to work with my leagues to ensure the American dream is a reality for every student.

I want to thank Congressman Joaquin Castro for introducing this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this effort to empower Latino youth.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.