A resolution designating September 25, 2021, as "National Lobster Day".

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I want to start by thanking some of our colleagues--Senators Rounds, Ernst, and Kelly--for cosponsoring the provisions of this amendment, and thank the chairman and ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senators Carper and Capito, for their support as well.

I also want to acknowledge the good work of our House colleague, Congressman Steve Lynch, on championing this issue.

So what is this amendment about? It is a commonsense amendment to ensure that as we work on a bipartisan basis to modernize our infrastructure for the 21st century, we also work together to ensure that new infrastructure projects that flow from this bill and others are financed securely.

Most Federal projects are financed securely by law. Most require some

kind of surety bond. That has been the case for almost 100 years in this country. But because of an odd and old loophole, public-private infrastructure partnerships, or P3 projects, often do not maintain the same level of protection that has been required for public infrastructure projects over time. That can spell disaster for subcontractors, for workers, for taxpayers, and for the success of projects that are not so secure.

We know that contractor defaults can cause costly delays, waste taxpayer money, and leave residents and local stakeholders and project workers in the lurch. In fact, one developer defaulted on a P3 project in Indiana and left subcontractors without pay and left taxpayers on the hook for over $300 million in additional project costs.

This amendment simply requires that P3 projects using TIFIA financing--that is Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act financing--be secured with a surety bond. That way, in the event a contractor defaults, the protections by that bond ensure the completion of those projects. They protect taxpayers, and they ensure that workers and subcontractors and suppliers are paid for their work.

Not surprisingly, this effort is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the American Subcontractors Association, the National Association of Minority Contractors, and a wide range of other contractors, because it will ensure that they are paid for the work they do, and it will also protect taxpayers who otherwise are left in the lurch if a contractor goes belly up and we do not have the protection of this kind of surety bond. That is why this amendment has broad bipartisan support, and I urge its adoption.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my old friend, the Senator from Maryland--my neighbor, Senator Van Hollen--and also my young friend, Senator Ernst, and maybe one or two others that I am not aware of.

The amendment offered by our colleagues requires public-private partnership projects that receive loans from USDOT to obtain something called surety bonds. Surety bonds are a proven tool for ensuring that a loan recipient has appropriate payment and performance protections in place.

By requiring these bonds, this amendment would protect workers, would protect suppliers, and guarantee that any subcontractors, suppliers, and workers would receive the payment they deserve for their work on the project, even if the borrower were to default.

The legislation is based on bipartisan, bicameral legislation that is supported by a dozen organizations, including associations that represent the interests of minority-owned and woman-owned small businesses.

I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield to my colleague, the ranking member of the EPW Committee. I just want to say how pleased I am with the progress we have made today. A lot of amendments were offered and considered. We had the opportunity to vote on them, accept some, some not accepted. But the spirit was good. There is a good spirit in here. And I think if most people around the country who think we never can work together and get anything done had a chance to see the way this place worked today, they would feel better about this democracy.

Mr. President, I am beginning my comments with my mask on for a very specific reason. If you can tell what is populating the mask, they are America's favorite crustacean: the North American lobster.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 335, submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I appreciate the adoption of this resolution.

The American lobster, the North American lobster, is a staple, an iconic product of the State of Maine. It supports our coastal economy; it produces well over $1 billion a year of economic activity; and it supports thousands of families along the coast of Maine.

Some people occasionally refer to the lobster industry, but in reality it is a series of small, sole proprietorship businesses. Almost all lobsters are caught on boats owned by individual owners, with, perhaps, what we call a sternman on board, but it is a series of, as I say, small, independently owned businesses, and that is one of the things that is so special about this industry.

So it is a treat for me to be able to move this resolution, to have it agreed upon unanimously by the U.S. Senate. September 25, 2021, will officially be National Lobster Day.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I want to thank the sponsors of the Van Hollen-Rounds amendment, and I am in full support of this bipartisan amendment. As the chairman explained that public-private partnerships under TIFIA would be backed by the surety bond, which would mean that, in the event of a contractor default, the projects could still be completed, subcontractors and workers paid, and taxpayer investments protected. It sounds like a good commonsense amendment, and I am fully in support.

I would also like to say that the progress we had today is more than encouraging. We are all, I think, very excited about the prospects of what the improvements that this bill will make to our transportation and energy sectors and just the guts of our country in terms of the physical infrastructure.

With that, I yield the floor.

Vote on Amendment No. 2354

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote on the Johnson amendment No. 2245, scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow, occur at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow, August 4.