Floor Statements

Madam President, 78 years ago, 4-year-old Anastacio was living in Tularosa, NM, a city 40 miles away from the Trinity test detonation site.

Now, little Anastacio didn't know it at the time--none of the families there did--but the world they were living in was contaminated in radioactive particles from the first nuclear test.

And Anastacio grew to be a big family man, hunting and growing on the land enriched by a ditch system, an acequia system, that provided ample water and nourishment--great-grandparents, grandparents, mom and dads, children, and babies all eating and drinking contaminated food and water sources.

Later in life, Anastacio Cordova developed prostate cancer and tongue cancer. The cancer metastasized to his neck and throat before becoming inoperable and consuming his body.

His daughter Tina recalls him being only 125 pounds at the time of his death in 2013.

Today, March 7--11 years ago on this day--Anastacio left us. For Anastacio's family, this was just one heartbreak from a long list of family members who have died or became seriously ill from radiation exposure.

Tina Cordova--Anastacio's daughter--made it her life's mission to fight for justice and compensation for her family and the thousands of victims of our Nation's nuclear weapons program.

This is Tina. Rosalie is holding her. Tina is with us today. Bernice Gutierrez is here with us as well. This is Henry Herrera, from Tularosa, NM, and Beatrice Gutierrez and her friends at a very young age.

Now, Tina will be my guest tonight at this year's State of the Union, and I am honored to have her by my side in this cause.

Let me change that. I am honored that she allowed me on this journey with her to help other people.

Now, she was with me in Belen, NM, when the President of the United States, Joe Biden, was visiting to talk about some of the incredible opportunities that have been created for economic growth. When I was speaking before the President, I saw Tina in the audience. And I spoke momentarily about the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and about her, only to be surprised that when the President of the United States followed me, he looked at Tina and looked at everyone in the room and the cameras and said: You have my support to get this done.

Yesterday, the President of the United States issued a statement, a SAP, showing support for the passage of this legislation--the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments--in addition to language that Senator Josh Hawley has included in bringing attention to families who need help and need to be seen and heard and deserve compensation based on storage flaws and exposure to each and every one of them.

This is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation, an effort reaching out to colleagues in both Chambers, every one of our friends, asking them to take a hard look at this. Please give us a chance. Let us earn your support.

Not long ago, when Senator Hawley had an amendment with this language in it, ``Oppenheimer'' was hitting theaters across America, and everyone was talking about it, a film that was made in New Mexico.

Some people may recognize this from that film. Sixty-two U.S. Senators that day stood up and raised their hand and said: Yes, the United States needs to move forward, take responsibility, give recognition to all of these families across America. Unfortunately, it was not included in the National Defense Authorization Act.

Well, on Sunday, there is something happening in America called the Oscars. And there are a lot of incredible actors and actresses who will be recognized because of the story they told with ``Oppenheimer.'' That story left out an important part, the families we are fighting for today.

While many of them will receive Oscars, no doubt, I hope that none of those actors and actresses who are up giving their remarks when they receive an Oscar for telling the story of Dr. Oppenheimer forget about these families, that they think about them. And the same advocacy that I have heard from many of these incredible artists, I hope one of them is willing to say something. But if not, I hope they reflect on it.

Now, I will close by saying this. This particular legislation is not just about New Mexico or Missouri. This legislation will help our brothers and sisters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, across New Mexico, Utah, and Guam. It will provide more support to uranium mineworkers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Missouri and Tennessee and Alaska and in Kentucky. We have to get this done.

Now, I want to add that since this bill has been scheduled for a vote, I have heard from more colleagues about their communities that have been harmed by our Nation's complicated nuclear legacy. Specifically, people in Pike and Scioto out in Ohio; Armstrong County, PA; and communities near the Hanford site in Washington have been exposed to radiation, and they deserve justice too.

Senator Brown, Senator Casey, Senator Murray, and Senator Cantwell, you have my commitment that as this effort moves through the legislative process, I will work with you to also deliver justice for your constituents so we can work as a family.

As I close, I ask all my colleagues to please--please--take a look at this. Please reflect. Sixty-two votes on the first vote. I hope we can send a message to all of those advocates and families across America that they are heard and seen and that we will see a stronger showing this afternoon.

Generations of families wiped out by lung, stomach, prostate, thyroid, skin, breast, and tongue cancer didn't get the glossy Hollywood treatment. And the U.S. Congress has not made any significant progress in correcting these injustices since 2000. Shame on us.

A lot of us have been praying about this and reflecting on it. And I certainly hope that we have a resounding vote in just a few short minutes to show our American brothers and sisters that we love them too.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise in support of Senator Hawley's motion to table.

And I speak today on behalf of: Annie, Henry, Cipriano, Rosemary, Tina, Louisa, Francisco, Laura, Wilbert, Charles, and the thousands upon thousands of people who have endured the agony and suffering brought on by our nuclear weapons testing in New Mexico and across the country.

In July of 1945, Annie was in her kitchen with her family when, all of a sudden, they heard a boom. The next second, they were on the floor holding onto one another, trying to comfort each other, because around them windows were shattering and walls were crumbling.

When they went outside, they thought that it started to snow, but it was ash falling from the sky. Some families, who were away from the community, later that night returned, only to find clothing that they were hanging on a drying line full of this ash that they didn't know where it was coming from.

Both Annie and her youngest sister Marcie were the only two children living in their little home--their casita--in Capitan, NM. Both have died from cancer.

Henry was just 11 years old when the bomb went off. He recalls thinking the world was ending. Henry watched as his brother, his nephew, and niece all died of cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 63. I am sorry to say that we lost him in 2022.

And it is not just the downwinders who were impacted. Cipriano worked in the uranium mines for 8 years. Now, the personal protective equipment he was given: a single paper mask, one per shift. That mask was useless after into the first hour because it would get covered with something that we have known to be called yellowcake, the particulate from the uranium mine ore that would cover everything, including places where some of these uranium mineworkers would go to have their lunch. And they would try to clean the dust off, but they could never keep up with it because it just kept accumulating.

Some folks were told: Just wait until you get home to shake the yellowcake--the dust--off your clothing, because in those mines, sometimes they would spread water to keep the particulate down. Well, they got the miners' clothing wet. So the yellowcake would stick to it. It was hard to peel off. So wait until you get home and it dries to shake it off.

Many of these families--namely the Navajo uranium mineworkers--lived in a one-home generational house. So if you go home and start shaking your clothing filled with a yellowcake that then dries off, what are you doing to grandma and grandpa, to your siblings, to your kids, and maybe your grandkids when that particulate is now all around you?

Cipriano lived with shortness of breath since he was in his twenties. Later, he developed pulmonary fibrosis, kidney failure, and he eventually needed a kidney transplant. He, too, sadly, passed away.

All of these stories, medical traumas, and generational pain are happening on our watch. And while millions of people flocked to the theaters this summer to see a big blockbuster that told the story about this Trinity test that took place--some of us know what that is--in the Tularosa Basin, the first place that a nuclear bomb was set off on American soil to test it. But not much was mentioned about these families who are dying of cancer today.

You know, some Navajo elders, some women, some grandmas--as we call them--came to Congress when I was a Member of the House to testify. And during one of those conversations, one of those elders asked a question back to those of us who were on the dais. And she said: Are you waiting for all of us to die so that the problem goes away?

I don't know what to say to her when I go home--and I will see her right now--because this legislation, which we all fought for--and I want to thank Senator Hawley for finding a way for us to work together to fight for the families in and around Missouri, working with Senator Crapo, and every one of you for making this happen. And we passed this with a bipartisan strong vote out of the Senate. It has now been taken out of the NDAA in this conference. What do I tell these families?

There is a lot that I have learned in this body: the challenges and frustrations that exist for our constituents, for each and every one of us on occasion. But I have also learned--especially here in the Senate--that the fight is never over; that there is always something that can be done. When I listen to the brilliant parliamentarian team, they teach me on how I can do my job better for the people that I represent. I know that a ``yes'' vote on this might be challenging; but for the families in States all across America, what can we do to help them?

In the same way that this body came together to pass incredible pieces of policy to help victims due to exposure--I will point most recently to an act this Congress took after 9/11 when we got together in a bipartisan way and we said we are going to pass the Zadroga Act-- and that act was not only passed once, but then it was extended for, like, 90 years because it was the right thing to do. And it costs some money. But it was the right thing to do.

There is a liability from the United States of America to these families. I believe that the CBO should actually be using this as a pay-for, because when there is a liability from the United States of America and you fix it, it actually creates credit, a path forward to pay for everything else. But for some reason, the CBO does not release this aggregated data to help us better understand what is happening here.

So I plead and I urge with my colleagues that we find a way to do the right thing here; that going forward, we find a path to get this done.

And I want to say thank you to all the staff and the Members who know about these families now. You have taken time to understand them. And many of you have given me advice on how we can do things better. And I thank you for that. The families thank you for that. So I hope that this fight will not be forgotten.

I urge my Republican and Democratic leadership to work with us to help pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments.

I thank Senator Hawley.

And I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I want to express thanks for the leadership of my colleagues from Texas and Massachusetts and for the work they have done in this space, bringing more and more attention to something that doesn't impact our daily lives until we need it most, when there is often an emergency, as there was in New Mexico about 2 years ago, when the world's attention was on our beautiful State and we suffered the worst fires in our State's history.

Now, these were forest fires that received so much attention in our State because they were started by the Federal Government. How, you might ask. These were prescribed burns that went out of control.

Now, when cell phones were not working, when other methods of media were not able to connect because powerlines were going down, it was one local radio station, KNMX, an AM station in Las Vegas, NM, that was streaming more and more news to volunteers coming in on their time off, radio personalities ensuring that people would know what was happening because they were being told to evacuate from their homes, folks driving home from work in rural areas. As Senator Cruz points out, when there is no news connectivity, no other information coming in, we depend on AM radio.

I just don't understand why there is opposition to this. I was hoping Senator Cruz and Senator Markey and I could come to the floor today to celebrate the passing of this important legislation, not to sit and listen to that objection.

Just to point this out, in local news reporting, predominantly through AM radio, and in New Mexico because of the fires, we heard from the FEMA Administrator--from Administrator Criswell--who said ``AM radio is one of the most dependable ways that we can reach individuals across this country to get warnings out there.''

We saw this play out firsthand in New Mexico, and, as we have been reminded, this is not just a challenge in my State or in Texas or in Massachusetts but in every one of the 50 States across the country. The Federal Government should be doing more to make it easier for Americans to access potentially lifesaving emergency broadcasts--plain and simple.

With natural disasters happening every day in every State, I wanted to clarify a few points, some of which I heard today.

One, I heard a claim that the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will force manufacturers of electric vehicles to completely redesign the drivetrain. I heard a little bit about that today.

Here are the facts. The fact is that car companies have already solved this engineering challenge. We have already heard of the number of companies that have come forward. With the 20 letters that Senator Markey sent out, 10 companies responded--Honda, Hyundai, Land Rover, Kia, Lucid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, and Toyota--that they already figured this out. Brilliant engineers at those companies figured this out.

Some of the folks who are objecting to this are flying rocket ships and, I would argue, have some of the most talented engineers in the world working for them. Challenge them to solve this challenge, as the other 10 companies have. Sometimes, it just means insulating some cable a little bit more, not because it impacts the vehicle but because there might be a little bit of static coming in.

I would rather have a little static and receive the lifesaving information than not even have access to it.

I have heard that the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would increase costs for new vehicles by thousands and thousands of dollars by these vehicles. Well, again, 10 companies have already figured this out, and they are making it happen.

But here is the concern that I have. I see access to AM radio as a lifesaving feature--important information that we all depend on. I had heard that seatbelts would be too costly when that was being put forth as a requirement in vehicles to help save people's lives. When there was a conversation about airbags saving people's lives, I heard and I read that it was too expensive, that that shouldn't happen. We don't need airbags in vehicles.

When we were all debating about the inclusion of backup cameras to prevent the deaths of little kids in cars, there were many who were saying: Oh, it is too expensive. It cannot be done.

I am very concerned that when it comes to moving this technology forward that the same tired excuses are brought forward. This body has a chance to be able to get this done, and I hope that we can see something put on the floor here soon because more and more vehicles getting on the road without AM radio are jeopardizing the lives and safety of our constituents.

The last thing I will say is this--and this is about a conversation with a small radio owner in New Mexico, out of Sante Fe, at KSWV. I was speaking to him before I came down, and he was reminding me about the core physics of electromagnetic spectrum around AM, and the Presiding Officer touched on this. It is everywhere. As a matter of fact, KOB--a station in Albuquerque, NM--touches a little more than half the State with their broadcasts.

It is pretty incredible what this spectrum can deliver in our communities. We should maximize the reach of emergency alerts over AM radio and wireless networks. The physics and the electromagnetics of this are plain and simple, and that is why I certainly hope that we can get this done.

To the Senator from Texas, I have so much more to offer, and I was going to offer it in the Record because the argument is strong; it is compelling. We have got to get this done. I certainly hope that we will see some floor time and get this done because it could mean someone's life in our communities after not getting the information they need to get out of their community or out of their home because a tornado or a hurricane or a fire is on them.

No more excuses. Let's get it done.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Madam President, communications and technology are at the forefront of policy today. From protecting consumers to establishing competitive and open markets to using spectrum and fiber to close the digital divide, the Federal Communications Commission is the expert Agency to establish regulations, policy, and recommendations to Congress.

Before us today is a genuine and passionate public servant. Anna Gomez has proven herself to be a prominent leader in technology and telecommunications, and I urge my colleagues to support her confirmation.

Ms. Gomez is more than ready to assume her next role in public service as our fifth and final FCC Commissioner. As I often say, folks know the difference between fast internet, slow internet, and no internet. I rise today before my colleagues to voice my support for a deeply qualified person who knows the difference between fast internet, slow internet, and no internet. She has the experience to bridge those divides.

Today, one in five families in New Mexico are living without a reliable connection to the internet. Ms. Gomez has worked on bringing more reliable and affordable ways to connect Americans to the internet almost as long as the term ``digital divide'' has been around. I was a strong advocate for the President to nominate Anna, and her reception here in the Senate is proof that she is the right choice. Anna's professional record is impeccable, and her path is an inspiration.

During her confirmation hearing, Ms. Gomez shared her story of scraping, borrowing, and working her way through college and through law school. Beyond law school, Ms. Gomez's experience in the White House, the State Department, the U.S. Senate, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the FCC shows us all that she is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to work.

I am confident that with her issue-oriented experience at every level of the congressionally mandated responsibilities of the FCC, she will be ready on day one. Protecting the public interest and advancing universal service for broadband and broadcast services is a passion for Ms. Gomez.

Anna's voice as the first Latina to serve on the Commission since my fellow New Mexican, Gloria Tristani, is very welcomed. I know that many of my colleagues here know that numbing sense of fear one can have when your constituents are in the midst of danger from a wildfire or a hurricane or a flood, with no way to reach them. Having reliable access to broadband connectivity during an emergency can mean the difference between someone coming home or not.

Anna Gomez has worked on securing reliable communication access for our first responders all across the country. As we continue to encounter more and more climate disasters, these efforts made by Ms. Gomez will continue to play a critical role.

Moreover, the Federal Communications Commission has never been more important in our Nation's history. These technologies have proven their value and demonstrated huge potential. However, the complexities of these ever-evolving technological wonders are multifaceted, intersectional, and complex.

Americans need the force of a fully appointed Federal Communications Commission to protect consumers, to guarantee competition, and foster innovation. The mission and work of the FCC has never been more important to the future of our Nation.

Anna Gomez will play a pivotal role in setting the course for our country into the next digital generation. I urge my colleagues to work together to bridge these digital divides; and today,

I urge you to vote yes on the confirmation of Anna Gomez to be a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I want to commend Mr. Hawley and Mr. Crapo for the work they have done here and all of our colleagues and staff who have contributed to telling this story and the support that I expect to see today and that I hope will get this across the finish line.

Almost 80 years ago, New Mexico became ground zero for the detonation of the first nuclear bomb. Millions of people across the country traveled to theaters this weekend, and they saw a blockbuster centered around this infamous date. But not enough people have focused on the collateral damage caused by our Nation's nuclear weapons testing. People who sacrificed on behalf of our country for national security purposes, working day in and day out, in States like Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, North Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and others--they deserve our support.

Folks have traveled to Washington with lung cancer, oral cancer, asthma, heart problems, begging us to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. A few years ago, an elder from the Navajo Nation traveled here to testify, and she looked us all in the eye, and she asked a simple question: Are you waiting for us all to die for the problem to go away?

I ask this body to show these victims compassion, understand their pain and suffering so that they know it has not gone unnoticed.

I respectfully ask for your vote.

I yield back.

Madam President, I come before this Chamber alongside my colleagues from Maryland and Nevada to talk about the importance of our small businesses in New Mexico and across the country.

I also want to thank the chair of the Small Business Committee, Mr. Ben Cardin, for the work he has consistently done, his leadership in this space, but his understanding of what is happening across the country and the need to fight alongside our small businesses to make things better for them. So I want to thank the chairman as well.

For the past 2 years, the Senate Democratic majority and the White House have made it our mission to support and revitalize the small businesses that are the backbone of our local communities. We have been hard at work building economic security for the middle class, putting people back to work, and investing in the American dream.

I know every Senator in this Chamber and all Americans have a small business they depend on to get from one place to another, from one day to the next. For me, one of them is in Santa Fe, NM, Midtown Bistro, an incredible location run by a very extraordinary family. Anytime you want a good meal and a warm welcome, you just go on down to Midtown Bistro. This was the dream of restaurant owners Edmund Catanach, Melissa Salazar, and Angel Estrada--to make folks feel at home, and they do.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, restaurants and small businesses all across America struggled to make ends meet without daily customers or revenue. Midtown Bistro, like so many family-owned small businesses, looked to the Federal Government and received a grant to keep things running and fulfill payroll each and every week. Melissa said that without those funds, they would have had to close their doors after decades of serving the Santa Fe community. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

Edmund, Melissa, and Angel's story is the story of thousands of small business owners who earned grant funding from the Federal Government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are extremely proud to have secured more than $169 million in restaurant revitalization funds for restaurants like theirs throughout New Mexico. And that does not include everyone.

One of the first things congressional Democrats did when President Biden took office 2 years ago was expand the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program. These expansions helped the smallest businesses--especially in rural areas--that were still hurting from the pandemic try to get back on their feet, keep workers on the payroll, keep their doors open.

Democrats have always made it a priority to help folks who need it most. This kind of relief is vital for keeping the heart of America's economy alive.

For a lot of people, it is the late-night diner that serves up the best cup of coffee in the country before the morning work shift begins or the local cobbler, who knows exactly how you like your work boots to be resoled, or the plumber you can call any time of the night to fix a leaking pipe.

All of these small businesses started with a dream, a desire to make things better, to help people. I know the heartbreak COVID-19 brought on a lot of our small businesses and people all across America--local staples that bring so much vibrance and life to our communities.

However, in the face of a nationwide tragedy, our small businesses didn't throw in the towel and call it quits. Instead, they got creative, like Midtown Bistro turning an outdoor space into a new way to safely reach their community. Our small businesses continued to provide vital services that helped our economy and kept it afloat through these really tough times. For that, I just want to say thank you to all of them.

This Chamber must continue supporting the countless small businesses that keep our economy and our country moving forward. Senate Democrats will continue pushing for expanded opportunities for small businesses to access the capital and credit they need to start or expand businesses, which will, in turn, get more Americans back on the job, create more opportunities and more successful ventures.

One big hurdle that keeps small businesses from unlocking their full potential is not being connected to affordable, high-speed internet to create a website and access the online economy.

I am very proud to have been part of the team and a family that is going to make that possible for people all across the country. There are many ways we can work together, but I am very proud of my colleagues, of what I have learned, and, again, I thank our chairman for leading the conversation in that committee and driving home policies so that we can act to make a difference in the lives of those who have invested in and started small businesses.

We can do more and we can do better, but I am very proud of how we have been able to get things done that make a benefit in people's lives today.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I am honored to be here with Senator Heinrich to recognize a friend, a mentor, and a true American hero. I rise today to honor and pay my respects to a great American hero and friend we recently lost.

Hiroshi ``Hershey'' Miyamura was born on October 6, 1925, to Yaichi and Tori Miyamura in Gallup, NM. In growing up in a household of seven children, Hershey's parents left their homeland of Japan to settle in New Mexico in the hopes of creating a better life for their children. While he never thought of himself as a serious student, Mom and Dad hoped he would be. As a child, Hershey's mind was otherwise occupied with tales of Hopalong Cassidy riding on his steed--the larger-than- life-hero who saves the day.

He later remarked in life that he always liked ``the good guys'' on and off the big screen. This is why it did not surprise anyone when Hershey's determined perseverance to join the U.S. Army finally became a reality. This dream became possible when the Federal Government created a battalion of mostly Japanese Americans during the Second World War.

In a time when prejudice toward Japanese Americans was at an alltime high, Hershey remained firm in his conviction that he would serve under the flag and country his parents worked so hard to make their home, refusing to let tolerance extinguish his desire to serve our Nation at the highest level.

Hershey joined the Army shortly before Japan's surrender in World War II, training as a machine gunner--a job he excelled at. When the Korean war began, he was recalled to service. As a corporal, he was entrusted as a squad leader in the Second Battalion, Seventh Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division.

Even in the fog of war, Hershey was focused and selfless. He never lost sight of the friends he served alongside with. His fellow Americans were at the heart of everything he did.

Fighting with the bayonet secured at the end of his rifle during a nighttime ambush by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Hershey ordered his squadron back to safer grounds, providing first-aid treatment when he could. Staying behind to cover their withdrawal, Corporal Miyamura fought off over 50 enemy troops before he was badly wounded and captured.

For the next 28 months, he was a prisoner of war--all the while, his wife Terry did not know if her husband was dead or alive. Hershey suffered tremendously during this time. It is an agony that is almost impossible to imagine, and the strength of Hershey and Terry represents the very best that we all have, the very best in each of us.

On the day of his release from the prisoner-of-war camp, Hershey would recall that day with pristine detail: the first sight of the Star-Spangled Banner blowing in the breeze, knowing that he was almost home.

Returning to Gallup, NM, Hershey was greeted by a beaming crowd of family and friends, and military flyovers welcomed him home. For a moment, he was lost, but he was never forgotten.

Hershey would go on to be awarded the Medal of Honor, our Nation's highest military declaration for valor, by President Dwight Eisenhower, a revered figure Hershey looked up to as a tested and admired World War II general.

After the war, he worked hard in Gallup as an auto mechanic and small business owner, doing what he could to send his three kids off to college. He lived out the last days of his life just as he lived the first days of his life, as a source of joy and light.

A soft-spoken and honest man, Hershey Miyamura witnessed the deepest evil and yet still chose joy. He chose to be a source of light to all who knew and loved him.

Hershey continued to tell and retell his story to future generations with humility and that ever-present smile, beaming ear to ear.

I want to remark on the clarity and sharpness he had, seemingly unfazed by the years that aged him. Talking with him and learning about his legacy of service was like being taken back to the dirt roads of South Korea alongside him. Hershey's experiences never left him.

As for all the western cowboys and the Hollywood ``good guys'' he dreamed of as a child, I think it is fair to say Hershey far surpassed them and turned himself into a larger than life, real American war hero.

Hershey passed away 2 weeks ago. He was the second-to-last living Korean war Medal of Honor recipient. His legacy and impenetrable faith will live on through all of us who loved him and know him, who have the honor of continuing to tell his story.

I would encourage everyone across America to learn this story and to lift Hershey up.

Hershey is survived by his sons, Mike and Pat; his daughter Kelly; his granddaughters, Megan, Marisa, and Madison; his grandson Ian; his five great-grandchildren; his sisters, Michiko, Suzi, and Shige.

May God watch over and bless his family.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 246, on Executive Calendar No. 1037, Steven M. Dettelbach, of Ohio, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Had I been present, I would have voted yea.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the previous order, it be in order to offer my motion to instruct at this time.

Madam President, I have a motion at the desk to instruct conferees.

Thanks to a bipartisan effort in the Commerce Committee, the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act includes nearly $17 billion to support research, development, and supply chain support at the Department of Energy National Laboratories, including key technology areas, such as high-performance computing, advanced energy technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and advanced manufacturing. The House bill also includes robust support for our National Labs.

This strong investment is critical to maintaining and strengthening U.S. competitiveness and security, especially as global R&D expenditures rise in these transformative industries.

Our National Labs are a research crown jewel, and other countries are taking notice of our progress. In fact, China is working to build out their own national lab network modeled after our own DOE Labs. Inaction would leave the United States at risk of being rapidly outpaced.

New Mexico's own Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories are leading the way in developing cutting-edge technologies in key focus areas and driving innovation in critical national priorities, such as next-generation microelectronics.

The Department of Energy's experience working with universities, collaborating with the private sector, and protecting American intellectual property from theft makes it a pillar of the U.S. innovation ecosystem.

Vote on Motion

Mr. President, I want to start by thanking all the Senators who have come to the floor to make the case for democracy and for voting rights. The right to vote is the heartbeat of our democracy. It is a symbol of the progress that we have made in this Chamber and the promise that we have made to the next generation of Americans.

This legislation will protect the right to vote for all, safeguard against election sabotage, end partisan gerrymandering, and limit the influence of dark money in politics so that billionaires and corporations cannot buy elections. Protecting our democracy should not be partisan; it should be a moral and civic imperative for every one of us.

As a former U.S. Senator from New Mexico, the late Dennis Chavez, who served in this Chamber for 27 years until his passing in 1962, said:

Either we are all free, or we fail; democracy belongs to

all of us.

Our democracy faces clear and present dangers posed by Republican-led State legislatures across the country. Some lawmakers want to curtail the right to vote--not for all Americans but for the most vulnerable and historically disenfranchised. And if we think it is bad now with what has happened in these State legislatures over these last few months, it is about to get a lot worse.

History will not look kindly on inaction at this critical moment, and we must show the American people that we will not flinch when faced with a choice to protect our democracy and let it crumble before our eyes.

There is a pattern of rampant discrimination that is disenfranchising countless Black and Brown voters across this country.

In 2005, Jesus Gonzalez became a naturalized citizen. On the same day he swore an oath to the United States, he sought to register to vote in Arizona. He was rejected, so he tried again after he obtained a license, but again he was rejected. It was then that Mr. Gonzalez, a school janitor, sued the State. His case made its way to the Supreme Court, which in 2013 ruled in his favor and struck down Arizona's law. Mr. Gonzalez was 1 of 31,000 voters in Arizona affected by such a discriminatory law.

Just this past September, the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund joined other civil rights organizations in suing Texas over its discriminatory voting legislation known as S.B. 1. We have heard a lot about it today. Among other things, S.B. 1 seeks to curb the assistance available to limited English-proficient voters.

In 2006, MALDEF successfully sued Texas after the State legislature sought to dilute the Latino vote. In that case, LULAC v. Perry, the Supreme Court found that Texas violated the Voting Rights Act by denying Latinos the ability to elect a candidate of their choosing.

In 2017, MALDEF again sued Texas after the city of Pasadena sought to weaken the Latino vote by changing the way the city elected city council members.

These are just some of the chapters of a long history of voter suppression.

We also know that voter suppression of Native Americans is real, and it is intentional.

Until 2020, North Dakota voter ID laws required a residential street address. Now, that may sound like common sense to some folks, but for those of us who live in rural communities and for my brothers and sisters who live in Native American communities, we all grew up with rural route boxes. My address growing up was Route 1, Box 102, not because I didn't want a street address named after my grandparents like it is today; that was the address.

Because of that law in North Dakota, many Native Americans, like Richard Brakebill, who is a Navy veteran, have been denied the right to vote because of an expired driver's license and a Tribal ID that--get this--did not have a current residential address. It had the post office box that was his address.

In 2020, the candidacy of Joseph Dedman for county sheriff--a member of the Navajo Nation--was challenged in Arizona because he included post office boxes, which are often the only form of address for rural Native American households--it is the only one they can obtain--on his petition for office.

In 2020, Arizona's Pima County closed the early voting center on Pascua Yaqui lands and spent nearly $200,000 in legal fees rather than reinstate the voting center.

South Dakota provided a fully funded polling place and early voting and registration opportunities to the 12 non-Native American residents in Gann Valley, but--get this--they refused to provide the same services to the 1,200-plus residents in Fort Thompson on Crow Creek Tribal lands.

In 2021, Kimberly Dillon, a citizen of Rosebud Sioux Tribe, joined the Oglala and Rosebud Sioux Tribes in suing South Dakota for requiring voters to register at State agencies and DMVs, which were hours away from Tribal lands. They were making it harder for people to register to vote by saying: Drive 3 or 4 hours away. Those are tough roads to drive on.

Many Native Americans like Kimberly went to great lengths to submit their voter registration applications to those State agencies, but the agencies never sent them to the local election offices even after they traversed and got the job done in making that journey. They just want to submit them to let them get registered to vote. As a result, her right to vote in the 2020 Presidential election was taken away.

Kimberly asked:

How many other people faced this violation of our basic

freedom to vote? We cannot allow voter suppression to

continue in South Dakota or anywhere in Native America.

These are American citizens whose rights were taken away from them for partisan advantage. Jesus and Kimberly's voices were taken away from them just like countless other Americans who face the same discrimination.

Nineteen States have passed 34 laws making it easier to sabotage election laws and target voters of color, and not all of them had a supermajority of two-thirds vote.

In 2016, Representative David Lewis, a Republican State lawmaker in North Carolina and member of the general assembly's redistricting committee, said:

I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan

advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats

[representatives] . . . because I do not believe it's

possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats.

This is not new. This has been going on decade after decade. The only thing that is different now is that in 2013, when the Supreme Court gutted the enforcement provisions of the Voting Rights Act, Republican- led legislatures don't have to hide behind it any longer. Now they just say they are going to draw for partisan advantage. They are going to change the rules to keep certain communities from voting, making it harder for people to get to that ballot box.

This is nothing new, and shame on all of us for not acting when the Supreme Court told us this in 2013. That is on all of us. But we are here today.

We are also seeing an uptick in violence as a result of the lies across the country--the Big Lie. The Department of Homeland Security has seen an increase in calls for violence as a result of these baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election. We are losing honest election officials and poll workers because of threats against their lives due to conspiracy theories and lies pushed by the former President.

The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will protect the vote of working families across the country. Only one archaic parliamentary measure prohibits all this progress.

The filibuster does not increase deliberation in this Chamber. It does not incentivize compromise. So while some claim that amending the filibuster will further the country's division, I disagree. Right now, it is only aiding and abetting obstructionists and opponents of progress when it comes to voting on civil rights legislation.

While the filibuster is not mentioned a single time in the Constitution--

So the importance of us being here today goes right in the face of having this conversation as a debate. I appreciate my Republican colleagues who have come to the floor to engage in some debate, in some colloquy.

I, like Senator Kaine, came to the Senate a bit naive. I thought debate happened here all the time. I came here thinking that I could offer an amendment at any time, that I could offer a unanimous consent at any time. That is not the case. This is not the Senate that our Founders envisioned.

Now, if you feel moved to oppose a piece of legislation, if you are passionate about an issue, you should have the courage to come to the Senate floor in front of your colleagues and the American people.

You should not be allowed to vote it in from behind closed doors. This Chamber has changed, just as the times have changed. So it is the responsibility of every one of us to make sure that the Senate works better, not for us but for the American people.

Now, in closing, in 1805, Vice President Aaron Burr suggested that the Senate remove from its rules the ``previous question motion,'' which allowed the Chamber's simple majority to end debate on a bill. He viewed the rule as completely unnecessary and urged the Senate to clean up its rule book because after everyone had spoken and debated, they would vote.

A year later, the Senate removed the previous question motion, leaving a loophole that allowed the minority to take advantage and use what we now know as the filibuster. Unfortunately, Burr could not foresee the obstructionism of decades to come.

In the following decades, pro-slavery Senators co-opted the filibuster to protect the interests of White southern enslavers. Men such as John Calhoun abused the filibuster to obstruct civil right efforts.

And according to historians, between 1917 and 1994, 30 measures favored by the sitting President and simple majorities in the House and Senate--half of which addressed civil rights--they all died, thanks to the filibuster.

The same procedural tool proved to be even more useful to southern Senators who sought to block civil rights legislation, including antilynching bills. Not until 1964 did the Senate successfully overcome a filibuster to pass important civil rights legislation and subsequent voting rights legislation.

Now, history should act as a teacher to all of us, and history will remind us who voted today on the side of the people. I am proud that this effort includes my Native American Voting Rights Act, which will ensure Tribes and Native Americans and Alaskan Natives and voters on Tribal lands will have equal access to the electoral process. Access to the ballot box is the cornerstone of our democratic system, and without equitable access to it, we cannot stand on the world stage and claim that we are all leaders in the fight for liberty and justice for all.

Now, my Republican colleagues have proven time and again that they are not interested in acting on this issue. Washington Republicans have made the political calculation that they have a partisan advantage here. They are too comfortable shrugging their shoulders and sitting on the sidelines while States chip away at the right to vote.

I know where I stand. All we are asking for today is the opportunity to vote on this critical piece of legislation after everyone here has said their piece.

I urge my colleagues to do the right thing today, to do right by our democracy, and to send the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act to the President's desk.

I yield the floor.

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.