Floor Statements

Mr. President, every 5 years, Congress comes together to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration--FAA. This reauthorization includes legislative changes related to aviation safety, new technology, support for the aviation industry and its workforce and more.

In July 2023, the House defeated an amendment to the bill proposing the addition of 14 flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport--DCA.

However, the Senate Commerce-approved bill includes an amendment to introduce 10 additional flights to the airport. This proposal to add flights at an already strained DCA would adversely affect service quality, increase delays, and lead to more cancellations for all passengers.

Yesterday, DCA experienced a close call as two planes narrowly avoided a collision. This incident echoes a similar incident in March 2023 where two planes almost collided on DCA's runway. These near- misses underscore the critical need to safeguard the airport from additional flight operations.

DCA was originally designed to accommodate 15 million passengers. The airport is now projected to handle 25 million passengers this year.

In 2022, DCA ranked third in the Nation for its high cancellation rate among the busiest airports. Today, approximately 20-22 percent of flights departing and arriving at the airport are affected, leading to an average delay of 67 minutes.

The DCA slot-perimeter rule serves as a crucial mechanism for managing congestion and restricting nonstop flights at DCA. Its primary objective is to maintain a delicate operational and economic equilibrium among DCA, Dulles International Airport--IAD--and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport--BWI.

DCA and Washington Dulles International Airports--IAD--were federally designed and operate as a unified system on behalf of the government. Recognizing the constraints imposed by aircraft noise and community impact at DCA, Congress implemented the slot and perimeter rules. Dulles International was strategically positioned to serve as both the primary airport for regional growth and as an international gateway.

Ensuring operational stability has also facilitated a harmonious relationship with Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International--BWI--ensuring that the broader interests of the region are effectively addressed. Our airports play a pivotal role in granting Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia access to the global economy, thereby generating employment opportunities and fostering regional growth.

The connectivity offered by our regional aviation network has been a driving force behind the relocation of major corporate headquarters such as SAIC, Hilton Hotels, Nestle USA, and Volkswagen of America to the area.

Changes to the slot perimeter rule at DCA will have profound impact on the economies of Maryland and Virginia, negatively impact service, and delays and place a strain on an already overburdened DCA.

The safety of the public should be of the utmost concern in the FAA bill. And increasing slots at this airport undermines that safety.

As passenger volumes recover from the pandemic impacts and return to

serving nearly 75 million annual passengers, the need to maintain the balance of air service across all three airports is amplified.

My colleagues and I who represent the States of the National Capital Area region welcome a collaborative and open process should changes to our region's airports' operations be necessary. We ask that colleagues respect the need to work with us when changes are sought. As the House and Senate work toward a final FAA reauthorization bill, we oppose any proposals to add additional flights at DCA.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Dianne E. Rennack, specialist in foreign policy at the Congressional Research Service-- CRS--for her distinguished career in service to Congress. Ms. Rennack retired on March 29 after more than 39 years with CRS, during which time she has made exceptional contributions to Congress as an expert on sanctions policy and foreign affairs legislation. Ms. Rennack has called Maryland home for many decades, making it a home for her family. She has dedicated her time to Maryland through volunteer work at Shephard's Table and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, once being named Volunteer of the Year.

Since 1985, Ms. Rennack has informed Congress on some of the most important foreign policy issues of our time. Congressional committees have relied on her nonpartisan sanctions policy expertise to shape legislation and inform their oversight activities. Her knowledge of executive-legislative branch relations and general foreign policy authorities has been a critical resource for Congress and long made her a pillar of the institutional memory of Congress

For years, Ms. Rennack was the driving force behind updates to the Legislation on Foreign Relations compendium, a resource used across the foreign policy community. She provided leadership at crucial times in CRS history, serving 3 years as head of FDT's foreign policy management and global issues section. Ms. Rennack is also known among her colleagues for her commitment to substantive collaboration and mentoring. Her dedication to sharing with junior colleagues the expertise she has earned over nearly four decades of service will have a lasting impact on the work of Congress.

Throughout her career, Ms. Rennack has personified CRS's mission of providing authoritative, objective, nonpartisan, and timely service to Congress. In recognition of her wide-ranging achievements on behalf of the Congress, she received the CRS Directors Award in 2019 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2024.

In conclusion, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dianne Rennack for her outstanding contributions to the Senate community and the country and offer her best wishes in her retirement.

Mr. President, for the Committee on Foreign Relations I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 478, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Madam President, on Tuesday morning, March 26, I received a phone call early in the morning informing me of a major tragedy in our community.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a vital link on the I-95 corridor. It is a bridge that is about a mile and a half long. It goes across the channel that is for the Port of Baltimore, and it is incredibly important to our local economy and to our image. It is iconic to Baltimore.

I was shocked to see the image. There was a video that showed that this bridge--a mile and a half long--came down in a matter of seconds. It was hit by a vessel, the Dali. That is a container vessel. It is about the size of the Eiffel Tower, a little less than a thousand feet long, fully contained with containers. Over several thousand were on the Dali at the time.

It lost power, and, when you lose power on this type of vessel, you cannot steer. It hit the main support beam of the suspension bridge, and it collapsed almost immediately. Within a minute, it was down.

It was just a tragic sight to see. When we saw this sight, we recognized that there was loss of life. That was our first concern, as to how many people were trapped on that bridge and how many people were at risk of losing their lives.

I want to tell you that there was an immediate Federal response. I am going to show you a picture of what we saw on the morning when we woke up. You saw the bridge before. This is the bridge that came down in a matter of a minute, less than a minute. This is the Dali, fully loaded with containers.

You can see that the bridge is actually lying in part on top of the Dali ship, actually entrapping some of the containers. And this is the main channel--the 50-foot main channel--to the Port of Baltimore, completely blocking the Port of Baltimore.

There was an immediate Federal response, and I want to thank President Biden. He initially said that the government would be there to do whatever was needed, whatever we called upon. He called each member of our stakeholders--the Governor, our mayor, Senator Van Hollen, Congressman Mfume, and myself--and pledged the full support of the Federal Government. In a matter of literally hours, the personnel and resources of the Federal Government were deployed to Baltimore.

So I just really want to thank the President, first, for this immediate response, and let me just bring you up to date on some of the facts concerning this tragedy.

We now know that six immigrant workers lost their lives. They were trapped in the water and could not escape. They were on the bridge at the time that it collapsed. They were doing dangerous work--keeping our roads safer, building America. They went to work early that morning to work on the bridge--or late at night--and did not return home.

I need to point out that the first responders saved lives. We have looked at the recordings. In a matter of just a couple of minutes after the pilot broadcast an SOS, basically saying they lost control of the vessel and it was aimed toward the bridge, the first responders went into action. Miraculously, they closed the bridge within those couple of minutes, so that there were no passenger cars on the bridge when it collapsed.

They were able to rescue two of the workers. One was able to escape the bridge by being called off the bridge. The other went into the water and was rescued and had, basically, minor injuries.

But we lost six souls from this tragedy, and our prayers, our thoughts are with those families. We have not yet brought closure to those families. You see, we are still in a recovery mission to locate the remains so the families can bring full closure.

The Port of Baltimore is so critical to our economy. The 50-foot channel that is 700 feet long, which is totally blocked by the bridge collapse, basically shut down the Port of Baltimore.

Now, the Port of Baltimore has been a port of commerce since the 1700s. It is the third largest port in the United States. It is the largest port for roll-on, roll-off of automobiles, of farm equipment, and construction equipment. It moves about $80 billion--$80 billion--of import-export products a year. It is estimated that there is between $100 and $200 million of cargo moving every day through the Port of Baltimore. It moves 1.1 million containers a year through the Port of Baltimore.

So, as you can see, this catastrophic event--yes, it affected the people of Baltimore and our workers, but it also affected the entire nation. Twenty thousand workers are directly dependent upon the Port of Baltimore, and their jobs have been put at risk.

But the supply chains of autos affect auto dealers throughout our Nation. The farm equipment that comes through the Port of Baltimore affects farmers throughout the Nation. The raw materials, the coal, the steel, the aluminum, the iron--and the list goes on and on and on-- affect our entire country. In fact, 20 percent of the exported coal from the United States is exported through the Port of Baltimore. So, yes, we have workers who are out of work, and one of our top priorities is to help them during this period of time.

I met, for example, with a truckdriver. He has two employees. This is typical. Remember, moving 1.1 million containers--many of those goes by truck. Most of those trucking companies are small businesses.

As the Presiding Officer knows, in the Small Business Committee, we are very concerned about the strength of small businesses during these types of events. I am very pleased that we were able to get the Small Business Administrator to Baltimore, and an emergency declaration was made. But it not only affects small businesses in Baltimore, with this emergency, but also in Pennsylvania, also in Virginia, also in Delaware, also in West Virginia, and also in DC. This is a national issue.

Our next priority is to reopen the channel. This is a vessel that is almost a thousand feet long and is fully loaded. I am going to show you a photo that shows you the challenges that we have.

This is the Dali, which you can clearly see. This is the bridge that is lying on top of the Dali. It is actually trapping a lot of the containers. This is part of what came down. This is a 4,000-ton piece of the bridge that is on the bow of the ship. That is going to have to be removed.

We have looked at underground photos of what is underneath the channel from the collapsed bridge, and we see a real mess. We see concrete, rebar, steel, all mixed together. And here is the challenge-- and I want to give a shout-out to the Army Corps. I want to give a shout-out to the divers who have been under dangerous conditions and have been going down and taking a look at what is in the channel. Once they remove a piece of the bridge, they are going to have to cut it and make it into smaller pieces to be able to remove it. We don't know whether that will cause a shift in the debris.

Our first priority is the safety of the people performing this work. It is like cutting a spring. You could have a reaction. And we have to do surveys

again after each one of the removals. This is very, very difficult work, and it is being done by true professionals. And, again, I thank the Federal Government for providing the experts who are all now in Baltimore, figuring out how to get that channel open.

And we are going to need a replacement bridge. This is a main corridor along the I-95 east coast of the United States, and 30,000 vehicles travel through it a day. So we need to replace that bridge. The bridge was built in 1977, 1.76 miles. It is an engineering marvel of its time for a suspension bridge, and it took 5 years to build. So we have an enormous challenge.

I had the chance to personally visit the site. Actually, I think I took this photo from a Coast Guard vessel. You see it. It is just a horrific site to see the work that is being done.

But I want to give a shout-out to the unified command headed by the Coast Guard. They started the day of the tragedy, and they have been there every day, 24/7, leading a unified command that includes the Army Corps of Engineers, which will do most of the salvage work within the channel itself. The Coast Guard, of course, is keeping everyone safe.

We also have the Department of Defense because we need some of their equipment in order to be able to move the debris.

It includes the Department of Transportation. Secretary Buttigieg was there the day of the incident. I talked to him early in the morning. A few hours later, I was with him at the site. And his team has been there every day, and he has returned to provide relief.

I want to thank him for giving us the emergency relief funds, immediately approved, so we could start doing the work in regards to the traffic problems that we had and starting to plan for the replacement of the bridge. I want to thank him for that. Those emergency funds of $60 million were desperately needed. We got it immediately thanks to the commitment of the Biden administration.

I want to thank Administrator Guzman, of the Small Business Administration. She was there. I talked to her, I think, a day or two after the episode. She came to Baltimore and had a roundtable discussion to talk to the small businesses as to what they need. They are doing EIDL loans, and they have set up business recovery centers-- one in Dundalk and one in Baltimore City--so the businesses can get the help they need on site.

And I was there. I have met with a lot of small business owners. They have lots of questions. They impressed upon me the urgency of their needs and that we need to coordinate our response.

I want to give a shout-out also to the Department of Labor, which has been there. They have provided us with displaced worker grants in order to help those who cannot get work so that we can deal with those who have been directly impacted.

Mayor Scott of Baltimore has been one of our true great leaders throughout this. County Executive Olszewski from Baltimore County and County Executive Steuart Pittman from Anne Arundel County--all have been involved in this, along with Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Mfume.

I want to thank our colleagues. Senator Schumer was right there at the beginning, saying he is there to help wherever the Senate can.

I want to thank Senator McConnell for his comments, where he said: In situations like this, whether it is a hurricane in Florida or an accident like this, the Federal Government will step up.

Now, the result of this has been that we have provided support for the families of the victims who lost their lives. We have met with the workers--the ILA workers--and we are trying to make sure they can get through this period of time.

We have met with small business owners.

The engineers here have been unbelievable. The Army Corps has been here 24/7. They have opened two alternative channels--one 14 feet, one 11 feet. That gets just a minimal amount of traffic through. But they are working on the northern part of the channel--that is not where the Dali is, but the other side of the channel--to open a 35-foot channel by the end of this month. If we can do that, that will return about 75 percent of the business to the Port of Baltimore, which will be extremely important for our economy. By the end of May, the engineers believe they can have the entire 50-foot channel opened.

In the meantime, we have improved Tradepoint Atlantic. Tradepoint Atlantic is not affected by the bridge. We were able to secure a grant for Tradepoint Atlantic in 2020 to help prepare it as a port facility. Those funds were reallocated in a matter of days from the accident so they could use it to pave 10 acres of property for roll-on/roll-off cargo that would normally go to a port inside of the bridge that will be now offloaded and can be done immediately.

The bridge. We already started with the design of the bridge. It may take some time. Remember, it took 5 years to build this originally. It may take more time before we can get that done. We need your support. We are going to need our colleagues to help us through this.

In Minnesota, the full-cost legislation was passed in a matter of days. We are going to be coming to Congress asking for some help in regard to the funding to make sure that 100 percent of it is paid for by the Federal Government. We recognize that when you have a catastrophic event like this, that we come together as a nation. We have done it in the past, and we are going to ask for help this time.

I know that there is going to be third-party liabilities. We hope there are moneys that can be recovered from those responsible for this tragedy--insurance proceeds, et cetera. Those funds will go to reimburse the taxpayers. We are going to be aggressive getting every dollar we can. But it cannot delay the opening of the channel and rebuilding of the bridge. We have to make sure that is done as properly as possible. Right now, traffic is detoured. It is a mess through that area. We have to get that bridge replaced.

The story of the Francis Scott Key Bridge does not end here. We will rebuild the bridge. In the 70 years that bridge has been open, the capacity has grown. Cargo capacity has grown in our region by 3,000 percent. The Port of Baltimore will remain strong and we will, as Governor Moore said, be ``Maryland tough'' and ``Baltimore strong.''

I want to thank my colleagues for their understanding of this tragedy and their support as we move forward to open the Baltimore channel and to rebuild the bridge.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, before I start my remarks in regard to Sudan, I want to thank Senator Murray for her incredible leadership in regard to the appropriations issue and Senator Collins.

It took a lot of work to get us to where we are now. I urge my colleagues to cooperate so we can get this vote before the government shutdown at midnight. It is a bill that I think we all can support and be proud of. It is not everything that we wanted, but I think the priorities have been protected, and I thank the chairwoman for what she has done in that regard.

Sudan

Mr. President, in 2018, as the Sudanese people took to the streets to demand change after decades of war, a young woman climbed on the roof of a car. Protesters captured the ``Lady Liberty'' moment. As she pointed her finger in the air, she read a poem that would become one of the slogans of the Sudanese revolution:

The bullet does not kill. It is the silence of the people

that kills.

It is the silence that kills.

I come to the floor today because we cannot be silent about Sudan. We must hold those committing war crimes accountable. I urge the Biden administration to take the critical diplomatic steps to end the conflict in Sudan.

In 2018, when protesters brought down the brutal and genocidal regime, two-thirds were women. They dreamed of a Sudan that was free of oppression, harassment, and sexual violence, a Sudan that would transition to democracy after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule. But, today, Sudanese women face the brute force of a vicious war between two armed factions: the SAF, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the RSF, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Both committed abuses during the civil war in Darfur. In the last year, their actions have been absolutely brutal. They have killed detainees and indiscriminately bombed civilians. They have conscripted children as soldiers. They have looted supplies and attacked aid workers.

One woman told NPR:

If they couldn't steal it, they burned it.

They are targeting non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur just as they did 20 years ago. Last month, videos emerged of troops chanting ethnic slurs as they paraded the streets, holding decapitated heads.

According to the United Nations, 15,000 people were killed in just one attack; more than 8 million people have fled their homes; 25 million, including 14 million children, need humanitarian assistance.

In addition, Sudanese women face the widespread use of rape as a weapon of war. A 21-year-old survivor said:

I cannot even count how many times I have been raped.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have failed. Cease-fire after cease-fire has been violated. In fact, the violence has intensified. Last December, I called for a special envoy for Sudan in S. Con. Res. 24. I am pleased to see that the Biden administration has named former Congressman Tom Perriello as our Special Representative. I strongly urge the administration to fully staff his office as quickly as possible so that Mr. Perriello can hit the ground running. We have lost too much time as it is.

Mr. Perriello has four Herculean tasks ahead of him. First, he must establish a single diplomatic forum to negotiate a cease-fire. We need one effort that involves Africa, Middle Eastern, and European partners, along with partners from multilateral organizations. Second, he must bring warring parties to the table.

The United States has imposed sanctions on the SAF and RSF. We need others to join us as we pursue additional targets. We must make it clear to the parties--and their foreign backers--that the cost of continued conflict is higher than the cost of coming to the negotiating table.

In the past, Middle Eastern nations, Turkiye, and even Russia have picked sides in Sudan. A recent United Nations report found evidence that the UAE was giving arms to the RSF. According to Sudanese and regional diplomatic sources, Egypt is helping the SAF.

We must be clear: No nation should be providing arms or support to these groups.

Third, the Special Envoy must galvanize the humanitarian response. The SAF is blocking cross-border humanitarian assistance from Chad. There are reports that they are obstructing assistance to areas controlled by the other side. That must end.

At the same time, it is a moral stain on the international community that the U.N. appeal for Sudan is funded at just 4 percent. The United States is by far the biggest donor. We put our money where our mouth is. Partners with interests in Sudan, including neighboring countries and especially those in the Gulf, need to do the same.

Finally, the Special Envoy must start the conversation about addressing impunity once and for all.

Last year the International Criminal Court announced an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United Nations Human Rights Council established an independent factfinding mission to investigate abuses. On December 6, Secretary Blinken announced he had determined that members of the SAF and the RSF had committed war crimes and that the RSF and allied militias have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

The sad truth is, what is happening in Sudan is in, large part, as a result of the lack of accountability for our previous abuses. Many of those involved in today's conflict committed war crimes in the past and were never held accountable.

Maybe things would be different if former dictator al-Bashir had been tried at the Hague. Maybe the SAF would have reformed if high-ranking officials had been held accountable for their atrocities. Maybe the RSF would not exist if the Janjaweed had been accountable for their crimes in Darfur. Maybe if General Hemedti had not been getting flown on the Emirati jet and welcomed by Africa heads of state, things might be different.

One thing is for sure, such crimes must not go unpunished. As chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will continue to fight for justice and a resolution of this conflict.

To those who continue to commit war crimes in Sudan, know that we will keep fighting to bring you to justice, no matter how long it takes.

To the women and the young people across Sudan who dream of an inclusive political process with civilians in the driver's seat, do not give up hope.

And to the international community and those in the United States who value human life and dignity, now is the time to step up. Now is the time to put an end to this cycle of violence that has plagued this region for generations. Now is the time to end the silence.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise in opposition to this motion. It does not do what the Senator from Texas says.

Our sanctions are critical national security tools. The U.S. Iranian sanctions are the strongest economic sanctions in the world. The Cruz amendment would eliminate the waiver that is available for national security interests.

This provision would effectively limit the use of the waiver in any instances of which has met the significant threshold; for example, use for accommodating humanitarian or basic human needs, including food and medicine and to pay for vetted third-party, non-Iranian vendors. It would also impair our ability to maintain the international coalition and support of our sanctions against Iran.

Motion to Table

And for all those reasons, I move to table the motion to concur with the Cruz amendment No. 1804 and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague Senator Boozman in introducing legislation that reauthorizes and makes improvements to the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program has historically had strong bipartisan support, and it has been my honor to champion this program's reauthorization since I was elected to the Senate in 2007. I am pleased to welcome Senator Boozman to this effort after many productive years working with Senator Portman. This is a critical program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that supports habitat conservation work throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Migratory birds undertake awe-inspiring journeys, from as far north as the boreal forests of Canada and the Artic, to Latin America and the Caribbean. Their journeys require ``habitat anchors'' that the species have relied on for tens of thousands of years to stop over as they make their migratory journeys. The wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide one such critical stepping stone for the 500 hundred species that travel along the Atlantic Flyway.

The program enables the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support conservation partners along migratory flyways throughout the Western Hemisphere. This is the only Federal grant program that ensures that the links in the full migratory chain have the conservation support they need.

Since 2002, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program has provided more than $89 million in grants to support 717 projects in 43 countries. The projects funded have positively affected more than 5 million acres of bird habitat and spurred partnerships on multiple levels, contributing to an additional $346 million. It has fostered international cooperation and has evolved into a powerful conservation alliance.

Throughout my time in the U.S. Senate, I have worked to improve programs, increase authorization levels, and make funding more accessible. Still, historic funding levels have been disappointing. Congressional appropriations for this popular program are far below what is needed to support this important work, especially as climate change continues to put undue stress on our bird populations and their habitats.

Migratory birds rely on water and its associated habitats--lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, swamps, marshes, and coastal wetlands--for breeding, resting and refueling during migration, and wintering. Yet increasing human demand for water, along with climate change, pollution, and other factors are threatening these precious aquatic ecosystems. Global headlines are sounding the alarm: 35 percent of the world's wetlands, critical to migratory birds, have been lost in the last 50 years. Birds provides critical ecosystem services, and when species are lost, their functions and benefits to particular habitats are lost as well. Birds are important to people and the planet; this is exactly why I have made their protection one of my highest priorities in Congress.

Today, I am celebrating the important improvements this bill makes to the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation program and committing to working in a bipartisan manner to provide increased resources to this worthy endeavor.

Mr. President, this Women's History Month, I find it more important than ever to celebrate and recognize the contributions of women to society. Women's rights are under attack in the United States and around the world. Since the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we have witnessed policies that are taking away a women's constitutional right to control their own bodies, with many legislators passing harmful abortion restrictions. But, as President Biden said in his State of the Union, ``They have no clue about the power of women in America.''

This year, the National Women's Alliance has chosen the theme of ``Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.'' To contribute to this theme, I want to honor Maryland's many famous female activists and community leaders throughout history who promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

First, a woman whose contributions cannot be overstated is Harriet Tubman. An abolitionist and political activist best known as the conductor of the Underground Railroad who emancipated an estimated 300 enslaved people. A paragon of freedom and justice, she was born in Dorchester County, MD, in March of 1822. She was also the first American woman to lead an armed military raid, acting as a spy and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, she continued to fight for civil rights, leading the charge for women's suffrage with other significant figures such as Susan B. Anthony. The fight for gender equality

continues today, as I lead my colleagues in working to recognize ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Second, I want to recognize Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and nature writer, who catalyzed the global environmental movement. In her home in Silver Spring, MD, Rachel Carson wrote ``Silent Spring,'' which outlined the dangers of chemical pesticides to humans and the environment. The pesticide industry pushed back against her, branding her as crazy and communist, but she persevered. Through her continued research and advocacy, ``Silent Spring'' led to the banning of DDT and other pesticides and ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. She has been an overwhelming influence on my work to preserve our environment and the Chesapeake Bay.

I also want to honor Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, a Black civil rights activist who took a stand against segregation. Kirkaldy, a Baltimore native, was riding a Greyhound bus back home from Virginia in July of 1944 when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a White couple. When her case made it to the Supreme Court, she was represented by Thurgood Marshall, and the Court ruled that segregation violated the Constitution's ``protection of interstate commerce.'' Her bravery paved the way for the Civil Rights Movement going forward, including the monumental Brown v. Board of Education decision and Rosa Parks' similar act of resistance in Alabama. Strengthening civil rights and promoting equity has been a major part of my legislative agenda in Congress and before that in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Another incredible female activist I would like to highlight is Pauline Woo Tsui, a Chinese-American anti-discrimination activist who immigrated to the United States during World War II to escape Japanese occupation. A Montgomery County resident, she supported her family by working at the U.S. Army Map Service, while she also served as manager of the Federal Women's Program, advocating for the rights of around 700 female employees. She cofounded the Organization of Chinese American Women and served on the advisory board for the State Department for International Women's Year in 1975. As a civil servant and activist, Pauline set a standard for gender equity and ensuring girls had access to education worldwide.

I would additionally like to honor Carmen Delgado Votaw, an author, community leader, and public servant. She was born in Humacao, PR, and settled in Bethesda, MD, in 1962. Serving as cochair of the National Advisory Committee for Women and president of the Inter-American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States, she was instrumental in the civil rights movement for Latinx people. She also became the first Latina chief of staff to a Member of Congress, and she worked to address challenges faced by Puerto Ricans.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Sharon Brackett, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who became the first transgender woman elected to public office in Maryland. She pushed Howard County to pass a bill that added gender identity and expression to its anti-discrimination laws and served on the Democratic Central Committee starting in 2018. Further, she was named CEO and president of Tiresias Technologies, as engineer-in-residence at the 3D Maryland Innovation + Prototyping Lab, in Columbia.

While these are only a sampling of change-making women in Maryland, they are a symbol of the drive and power that women have brought nationwide. Women outnumber and outvote men, and their continued leadership will be instrumental in promoting the values of the United States: liberty and freedom for all.

Madam President, on a cold January morning, less than a year after being elected our Nation's first President, George Washington set out in a carriage drawn by six horses, headed to Federal Hall to fulfill his duty under our new Constitution, which read:

The President shall from time to time give to Congress

information of the state of the Union.

One of the few firsthand accounts of that speech came from Senator Maclay, who said:

The President was dressed in second morning, and read his

speech well.

Not exactly a hot take, but Senator Maclay wasn't one for glowing praise.

More than two centuries later, I had the privilege of watching, from a few rows back, as President Biden delivered the State of the Union Address earlier this month. And I must tell you: Joe Biden didn't just ``read his speech well''; he was electrifying. Despite the tremendous challenges we face around the world today, I came away feeling optimistic about our Nation's future,

and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I came away strongly supportive of many of the administration's foreign policy priorities.

To appreciate what this President has accomplished, we need to remember where he started. We need to remember the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID pandemic--a pandemic that experts estimate killed almost 30 million people worldwide.

We need to remember how the global economy was on the brink of collapse--supply chains failed; unemployment surged; there were fears that we were headed for a repeat of the Great Depression.

And we need to remember, from ASEAN to NATO, the disenchantment of our allies. One senior European diplomat said back in 2020:

The transatlantic relationship has never been this bad. The

trust between the U.S. and Europe is not there anymore.

Now, I am not going to sugarcoat the world we face today. The Hamas attacks against Israel were one of the worst days in Jewish history, and it has led to a terrible humanitarian crisis for the Palestinians in Gaza. China's efforts to expand its authoritarian influence stretch from the smallest Pacific Island nation to the largest continent in the world--Africa. And Putin continues to wage a campaign to restore the former Soviet empire and annihilate the Ukrainian nation.

These are serious threats. To counter them, we need serious American leadership around the world, leadership that is rooted in values that promote human rights, that defend democracy, and that are driven by something I know Joe Biden has--basic decency.

Sitting and watching the State of the Union, I was struck by the strength of President Biden's moral compass. This is not a President who stands only for himself; he stands for all of us. This is not a President who stands idly by as our climate is destroyed; he has passed landmark legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. This is not a President who seeks revenge against public servants for their personal views; he revitalizes our foreign policy and national security workforce. This is not a President who invites the Russians to do ``whatever the hell they want'' or threatens to pull out of NATO; he brings our allies together to stand up for Ukraine's independence. This is not a President who idolizes dictators and encourages autocrats; he prioritizes human rights and civil society movements around the world.

President Biden's foreign policy is focused on the future--a future for Europe, whole and free; a future for an Indo-Pacific that is thriving and at peace; a future with a two-state solution that gives security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians for generations to come.

This will not be easy, but sitting at the State of the Union, I was encouraged by the bipartisan support I felt in the room when it came to foreign policy. Even Speaker Johnson seemed to be nodding his head as the President talked about Ukraine.

There have been many State of the Union speeches since George Washington spoke more than 200 years ago. They have been printed on paper, broadcasted over the radio and on television, and shared on clips across the internet; but throughout history, Presidents' speeches to Congress have given us hope.

In 1947, at the dawn of the Cold War, President Truman said in his State of the Union Address:

If we maintain and strengthen our cherished ideals, and if

we share our great bounty with war-stricken people over the

world, then the faith of our citizens in freedom and

democracy will be spread over the whole earth.

This is still true today.

To the political prisoners in Putin's jails, do not give up hope on freedom.

To the human rights defenders uncovering violence and assassinations, do not give up hope for justice.

To the war-stricken people of the world who are hungry and forced to flee their homes, do not give up your hope for democracy.

To our allies and partners across the globe, know that the United States stands with you.

And remember that if we come together and stand up for each other, we can build a world that is safe and peaceful and prosperous.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.