A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate vote on the cloture motion with respect to the motion to proceed to S. 4668 at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the Democratic leader, no earlier than September 15 and no later than September 23.

Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent that all pending amendments and motions be withdrawn and the only amendments remaining in order be the following to be offered by the sponsor or their designee and with 2 minutes of debate, equally divided, prior to each vote: Collins No. 6732; Collins No. 6750; and Budd No. 6747; further, upon the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate vote in relation to the Budd amendment, if offered; and upon disposition of the amendment, the Collins amendment No. 6732, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, with 60 affirmative votes required for passage; finally, if passed, the Collins amendment to the title, No. 6750, be agreed to and the title, as amended, be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; further, that following disposition of H.R. 6500, the cloture motion with respect to the Blanche nomination ripen and, if cloture is invoked, all time be expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination and, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session; provided, that it then be in order for the

Senator from Ohio Mr. Husted or his designee to move to proceed to S. 5271 and present a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed and the motion ripen immediately and the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture without intervening action or debate; provided, that if the cloture motion is agreed to, the motion to proceed be agreed to and that there be up to 2 hours of debate on the bill, with no amendments or motions in order, and that upon the use or yielding back of that time, the bill be read a third time and the Senate vote on the bill with a 60-affirmative vote threshold required for passage; further, if cloture on the motion to proceed is not agreed to, it then be in order for the majority leader to make a motion for the Senate to adjourn pursuant to this order and if the Senate has agreed to a motion to adjourn pursuant to this order, when the Senate completes its business on Saturday, August 8, following the recognition of the majority leader to dispense with wrapup items, the Senate convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business conducted, on the following dates and times: August 10 at 10 a.m., August 13 at 8 a.m., August 17 at 1:30 p.m., August 20 at 11:30 a.m., August 24 at 12:30 p.m., August 27 at 8 a.m., August 31 at 11:30 a.m., September 1 at 12:30 p.m., September 4 at 10 a.m., September 8 at 1:15 p.m., and September 10 at 3 p.m.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum calls with respect to the Blanche nomination and the cloture motion on the motions to proceed to S. 5271.

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

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 6747 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, 9 months ago, both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly voted to close the hemp loophole. It happened right here. They wanted to stop intoxicating hemp products being sold and marketed to kids. It is no accident that these products are made to look exactly like something that a kid would want.

Emergency departments have seen a 461-percent increase in cases of pediatric cannabis poisoning, and most of those were children 4 years old or younger.

This body agreed right here 9 months ago that we wouldn't compromise the health and safety of the American people--especially our kids--so today, I am simply asking my colleagues just to reaffirm a decision we made 9 months ago right here.

My opponents have asked: What is the harm in a monthlong delay? I am going to tell you. The goal is not an extra month to work on policy, as many have said. The well-oiled hemp lobbying machine has already had 9 months to do that. The real goal is to jam us in December on a must- pass package and to permanently entrench their intoxicating products into the machinery of government.

Opponents say that this would stop research into hemp-derived products for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who rely on Medicare, but what does allowing unregulated, intoxicating edibles on gas station shelves have to do with CMS' ability to study hemp- derived products for pain relief? Not a thing. Not a thing at all.

So once again, I ask my colleagues to join me in doing what we have already done 9 months ago. Support my amendment. Just vote no to table this and close this dangerous loophole, just as 76 of us, Republicans and Democrats, did just 9 months ago.

Mr. President, I ask for remaining time.

Mr. President, I rise this evening on behalf of myself and Senator Sheehy and several others, Democrats and Republicans. I represent farmers, small businesses, brewers, and consumers in my State, and I urge my colleagues to table Senator Budd's amendment and give this body 4 more weeks to work toward legislation that supports a thriving hemp industry, ensures proper regulation, and protects kids from dangerous products.

As is, the bipartisan continuing resolution that is before us delays a ban on naturally produced hemp products for 4 weeks while taking synthetic hemp derivatives off the market. That is important to note. That is included in this continuing resolution.

The original ban, the broad ban, the entire ban--and I know that in my State, we have safety rules in place that have worked very well. The product is taxed. We have not had issues with it since we put those rules in place.

The original ban was tucked into a bill to reopen the government last November. Many Members didn't have the chance to learn about it. There had been no hearings. Now they have learned more. Bills have been introduced in the Senate and the House--bipartisan bills--to regulate this market.

Back then, that ban moved forward without input from the people who would be impacted. In my State alone, hemp products brought in $16 million of State tax revenue in 2025.

Senator Budd has raised concerns about certain hemp products, and I agree with him. That is why bad actors that sell synthetic products will not be allowed to sell them, in this continuing resolution.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to table this amendment and maintaining the bipartisan agreement included in the continuing resolution.

Motion to Table

Mr. President, I move to table amendment No. 6747, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, using a photo ID to vote is common sense. It is an issue Americans broadly support. So tonight, this early morning, I am offering a clean, simple straightforward bill to require a photo ID to vote in America.

Voters can use a driver's license, a state-issued ID, passport, military or veterans ID, or Tribal ID. No additional restrictions. No tricks. No games. No prohibitions on absentee voting.

Thirty-six States require some form of photo ID. Photo ID laws have been tested in elections across this country, and they work. So tonight, I am asking my colleagues to answer one simple question: Should you have to prove who you are when you vote?

Americans think we should, and tonight, we will find out if their Senators agree. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill to establish nationwide photo ID standards and give Americans better-run and honest and fair elections.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, colleagues, here we are after months and months and months of continuing to debate this bill, which still hasn't passed. We should be debating how to bring costs down for working families across the country.

I would love to hear from my colleagues how we are going to get out of this war in Iran. Instead, here is this measure again, which is not a simple voter ID bill. As written, it is stricter than most voter ID bills in States that already have a voter ID law in place.

But this goes even further, requiring voters to include a copy of their ID when they vote by mail, as well as tens of millions of Americans who vote by mail. This bill would do away with secret ballots as we know it. So colleagues, I urge you to vote no on this measure.

Vote on Motion