Floor Statements

Madam President, next week, on October 24, family and friends will gather to celebrate the life of Joyce Leviton, a beloved member of my staff who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. I imagine it will be a rather large gathering because Joyce touched so many people. And while we grieve her death, the event will indeed be a celebration of her life, a life she lived brimming with contagious happiness and enthusiasm and kindness.

Joyce was born and raised in Baltimore and graduated from Forest Park High School and Towson University, earning her bachelor's degree in history in 1966. In 1970, she went to work for the Baltimore City Department of Planning as a community planner for the Third District, a position she held until 1988, when she became chief of community planning. She excelled at her job because she loved it but, more importantly, because she loved people and she loved Baltimore. Joyce had a knack for bringing people together and giving them a voice in their communities and in the city. Everyone was Joyce's neighbor. As I said at the time of her death, ``Joyce is Baltimore and she loved our community and wanted it to be the best it could possibly be, and always went the extra mile. When she spoke about Baltimore, it was from the heart. She was a person who made a difference.''

I was fortunate to have Joyce work on my Senate campaign in 2006 and then join my staff as a trusted senior adviser and community liaison after the election. Joyce would organize groups of people from Baltimore and across the State and bring them to the Capitol for tours and luncheons and lectures. She met and worked with Maryland's arts and humanities and cultural organizations. She was my ambassador. Everyone I met--from all corners of Maryland, it seemed--already knew Joyce and was so fond of her.

The Baltimore Sun obituary referred to Joyce as a ``political junkie.'' That is an understatement. Joyce started working on campaigns at an early age, and she never stopped. She was deeply involved from the national to the State to the local level. As the Sun noted, Joyce was one of the founders of the Second District New Democratic Club in the early 1970s ``one of the first political groups that joined Black and white residents from across the city and resulted in integrated and progressive tickets for city and state elections.''

Joyce was never content to rest on her laurels--or even rest at all. She was a member of the steering committee for the Baltimore City Fair and National Advisory Council of Neighborhood Reinvestment; a board member and vice president of the Citizens Planning and Housing Association; a founder of Women Employed in Baltimore and Live Baltimore, an organization that encouraged people to move to Baltimore; a member of the National Organization for Women; executive secretary of Young Democrats of Baltimore; and an active member of Beth Am Synagogue. She formed or joined book clubs, and she loved to attend cultural events. Joyce was the epitome of a civic activist and absolutely committed to social justice, what we members of the Jewish faith call ``Tzedakah''--making the world a fair and more just place-- and ``Tikkun Olam''--repairing the world. We are closer to that ideal because of Joyce.

Another one of Joyce's lifelong passions was the Baltimore Orioles. She moved to Otterbein in 1981. When Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened in 1992, she could walk to the stadium to attend games, which she did-- often. She was no casual fan. The regular season wasn't enough for Joyce; she enjoyed going to Sarasota to watch the team during spring training.

Joyce loved people, but she especially loved her family: her sisters Susan and Audrey and their husbands Jeffrey Lauren and Peter Martin. She doted on her nephews and nieces and their spouses, Jake (Stephanie Martin), Liz (Shai Lauros), and Josh (Taieri McKenzie) and their children: Max, Lucy, and Emma Martin; Reuben and Micah Lauros; and Lola Lauren. Extended family includes her cousin Neil Tucker, who was more like a brother to her, his wife Laura, and their children Michael, Molly, and Will. She loved to spend weekends and vacations with her family in Rehoboth Beach, Maine, and Vermont.

Everyone who knew Joyce will miss her, but we are all so grateful for the opportunity we had to share her friendship and love. And we are all so grateful for the indelible mark she made on Baltimore and across Maryland.

The Baltimore Sun had a lovely obituary, and I would ask unanimous consent that it be printed in the Record following my remarks.

Madam President, on October 26, the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business Real Estate and Economic Development Advisory Board are hosting their annual ``Lessons from Legends'' celebration. This

year's honoree is my dearest friend, Stanley S. Fine, a partner at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP. Stanley is indeed a legend. As the announcement of the celebration notes, ``The city's skyline and neighborhoods highlight Stanley's vast impact on Baltimore; from office buildings to shopping centers and local businesses, from industrial buildings and office parks to neighborhood restaurants and pickleball courts.'' As his lifelong friend and law partner Ben Rosenberg has said, ``Wherever you look at bright spots in Baltimore, chances are you'll see something that Stanley has helped bring about.'' Stanley and Ben went through grade school, college--Johns Hopkins University--law school--the University of Maryland School of Law--and service in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve together.

My wife Myrna and I have known Stanley since we were all in junior high school together. For us, it is a family affair: Stanley's wife Bailey ran my reelection campaign to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982 and then served as my campaign aide during my first congressional race in 1986; as my district director for 20 years; and, finally, as my State director during my first term in the Senate before she retired at the end of 2012. This couple has devoted their lives to strengthening our community and helping those in need. Stanley and Bailey will be celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary on November 28. They have two lovely adult children Michael and Laura and four grandchildren. Michael and his wife Whitney have two daughters Riley and Blakely; Laura and her husband Ben Liebman have two sons Eli and Brooks.

If I were to recite all of Stanley's accomplishments and awards, I would surely run out of breath. But I will mention a few: recipient of the Baltimore District Council of the Urban Land Institute's--ULI--2016 Lifetime Achievement Award; cofounder of the Baltimore Development Workgroup; director of the Maryland State Lottery Agency and chairman of the Maryland State Lottery Commission; former member of the Baltimore City Planning Commission; and president of a community association. Best Lawyers in America magazine has repeatedly recognized Stanley as ``Land Use & Zoning Lawyer of the Year.'' Baltimore Magazine has repeatedly recognized Stanley as one of ``Maryland's Super Lawyers.''

Stanley's brilliance as a lawyer merely followed his brilliance as an athlete. While he was a freshman at Johns Hopkins University, he played in the first game of Baltimore's box lacrosse league, televised live in 1962, and scored a game-high four goals for his club team, which won the game. He had a wicked left-handed shot. At the university, he was the backbone of a tenacious midfield for the Blue Jays varsity lacrosse team and joined the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity. His athletic skills continue to this day, for you can normally find Stanley in the mornings on a pickleball court. He still has a wicked left-handed shot.

If you didn't know all of this about Stanley, you wouldn't learn it from him. He is inherently self-effacing. He never seeks plaudits or accolades or publicity. He is content to continue finding creative solutions to some of Baltimore's toughest land use challenges by patiently building consensus among all stakeholders: city, county, and State government officials, developers and other business interests, community planners, architects, engineering firms, historic preservationists, and the like.

In 1943, as members of the British House of Commons debated how to rebuild their chamber after Nazi incendiary bombs destroyed it, Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated, ``We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.'' Baltimoreans are so fortunate that Stanley Fine has dedicated his extraordinary life to shaping the city's buildings. I ask my Senate colleagues to join Myrna and me, Stanley's family, and his colleagues, friends, and admirers too numerous to count in celebrating one of Baltimore's true legends.

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

Madam President, I come to the floor today to express my shock and horror at what Hamas has done in its terrorist attack on Israel. It is difficult to comprehend the evil we witnessed last week.

Before Saturday, October 7, 2023, there were over 1,000 innocent Jewish people going about their lives in southern Israel. They were young people at a music festival, grandparents outside of their homes, children celebrating birthdays, mothers with little babies in their arms. Hamas massacred them all. We have not seen this kind of atrocity since the early days of the ISIS caliphate.

Tragically, we must not only mourn the death that Hamas left behind; we must try to rescue the hostages--some of them American citizens-- that Hamas dragged back to Gaza.

For the Jewish community around the world and for all Israelis, this was the most horrific week in generations--some of the toughest in Israel's entire history. So I want to make one point crystal clear: The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with the State of Israel.

Seventy-five years ago, Harry Truman was the first world leader to officially recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its creation. He did that because the United States and Israel share common values. And for over seven decades, the relationship between our two nations has only gotten stronger and deeper.

So despite the pain that many of us feel from these barbaric attacks--and we will continue to feel--now is the time for us to show our total support for Israel, not just in words but by our deeds. This is exactly what we are doing.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the U.S. Embassy team in Israel and our Embassies across the region for their tireless efforts. Even as they themselves have taken cover from rocket fire, American diplomats have stepped up to work hand in hand with Israel to serve over a half a million Americans who are there. In fact, across the Biden administration, public

servants have been working around the clock to help Israel make sure it has everything it needs to defend its people.

President Biden has had several calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu, offering America's full support. He has also ordered the USS Ford's carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean.

A warning that Hezbollah in Lebanon and the regime in Iran need to hear loud and clear: Do not join this conflict. Don't even think about it. The United States and our allies and partners will not tolerate such actions.

Our Secretaries of State and of Defense are working nonstop to coordinate the flow of security assistance to Israel, and planeloads of U.S. defense items have already landed. And they have both been in the region working with our partners to shore up support for Israel.

Congress also has to make sure we do everything we can to help come together to help Israel. Bipartisan congressional support has always been the bedrock of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

In the days since this attack, I have been talking with my colleagues throughout the Senate and the House. I have had several conversations with the Republican ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Risch. I have let the administration know our committee is prepared to work quietly and quickly in a bipartisan manner to support Israel. That is why, earlier today, I introduced, along with Senator Risch and more than 91 cosponsors, a bipartisan resolution that sends a clear message that America stands with Israel-- always has, always will.

And over the course of the next days and weeks and months, I will be leading my colleagues to make sure Israel gets everything it needs to defend itself and its people. That means replenishing Israel's air defenses so that they have what they need to repel the rocket attacks. That means authorizing supplemental money for Israel's defense as it navigates the aftermath of this attack. And, as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that means getting the President's nominee for Ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, confirmed and in his post as soon as possible. We need a confirmed Ambassador in Israel to assist in these efforts.

We also need to be pushing back against the narrative that Hamas is trying to spread across the global community, the idea that there is some equivalency between Israel's security operations and Hamas's terror attacks. There is no equivalency here. This is about Israel's right to defend itself against a designated terrorist organization. It is about freeing abducted citizens--women, children, old people--who have been held hostage.

Now, I am concerned about the safety and welfare of the Palestinians, because Hamas does not care one bit about the safety and welfare of millions of Palestinians, their lives, and their humanity. During their terror attack on Israel, Hamas also killed Arabs, including a heroic ambulance driver who went to help the wounded people at the music festival, because that is what decent human beings do. They help in times of need. Hamas has made them pay with their lives. So most Palestinians want no part of what Hamas is doing, and I believe we must find a way to support safe passage for those residents of Gaza who are trying to get out.

We also need to make sure that innocent people stuck there get the food and water and medical care that they so desperately desire. The best thing we can do for Palestinians in Gaza is to make sure Hamas can never do this again.

Finally, as we look to the future, we must not allow this conflict to derail the normalization process that has been in the works between Israel and Saudi Arabia. This would be an absolute game changer, and Hamas knows that.

Agreeing to normal relations is the stepping stone to peace and prosperity for Israel and for the entire region, including for the Palestinian people. A stable and prosperous Middle East that includes a stable and prosperous Palestinian state is one of the best ways to undercut Iran's resistance ideology and Hamas's goal of destroying Israel.

They don't want a Palestinian state at peace with Israel and accountable to the Palestinian people. We cannot let terrorists win. We cannot let them win, and I know that we will not, thanks to the resilience of the Israeli people.

Early on the morning of October 7, an Israeli journalist who lives near the border of Gaza heard mortar rockets flying overhead. He rushed with his wife into a safe room in his home with his 3-year-old and 1- year-old daughters. When he knew Hamas had infiltrated their kibbutz, he thought:

We're going to die here.

He called his father, who lived in Tel Aviv. His father told him:

You have to be quiet. You have to be locked.

His father, a retired general in his sixties, was going to get in his car and come rescue them. He told his son:

Nobody, nobody can stop me.

Over the next 10 hours, the grandfather fought his way south. He got to the door of his son's house and then found the dead bodies of terrorists outside. He called out to his son to open the safe room door. From inside, one of the girls recognized his voice and shouted:

Grandfather is here. Grandfather is here.

That is when they knew they were safe.

That is the kind of courage Israelis have. That is the kind of bravery that they see in Israel through this terrible tragedy. And we must not rest until our committee, our Congress, and our Nation has done everything we can to support Israel in this time of need.

So to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate, let's work together to support Israel.

And to those who committed these atrocities, we will hold you accountable for these crimes against humanity, no matter how long it takes.

I yield the floor.

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 order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of the nomination of Brendan Hurson to be a U.S. district court judge for the District of Maryland. I urge my Senate colleagues to confirm his nomination.

I joined with Senator Van Hollen to recommend Judge Hurson to President Biden. President Biden nominated Judge Hurson for this position in March of 2023. Senator Van Hollen and I worked to establish a judicial selection committee in Maryland, including an open application process. In particular, we sought out a highly qualified and diverse application pool. Our committee interviewed several dozen applicants. Senator Van Hollen and I then personally interviewed the finalists, those who were considered to be the top candidates, before making any recommendation to the White House.

I strongly agree with President Biden's goal to nominate judges with excellent legal credentials from diverse backgrounds, from both a professional and demographic perspective. Today, we have such an example in this excellent nominee for this district court judgeship.

Judge Brendan Hurson lives in Baltimore and serves as a U.S. magistrate judge in Baltimore. He has been nominated to fill a current vacancy in the U.S. district court for the District of Maryland after the retirement of Judge George Hazel in February of 2023.

Judge Hurson received his undergraduate degree in 2000 from Providence College in Providence, RI, where he majored in public and community service studies with a minor in Black studies. After college, he served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in California as an advocate for poor and marginalized communities in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. In 2005, Judge Hurson graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Maryland School of Law.

After completing a judicial clerkship, in 2007, Judge Hurson joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Baltimore, where he defended individuals charged with felonies and misdemeanor offenses in Maryland's Federal court. He was named senior litigation counsel in 2015.

In 2017, Judge Hurson joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he represented people charged with violating Federal and territorial laws on the islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. In 2008, he returned to the Public Defender's Office in Baltimore.

In February of 2022, Judge Hurson was sworn in as the U.S. magistrate judge and sits in Baltimore. As a sitting magistrate judge, he presides over both preliminary and criminal proceedings, civil lawsuits by consent of the parties, and also coordinates the District of Maryland's Social Security appellate docket. Judge Hurson, therefore, brings a remarkable experience to this position, having served as a Federal public defender for over a decade and a half and now serving as a magistrate judge for over a year and a half.

If confirmed, Judge Hurson will continue to serve in the same Federal court where he now sits as U.S. magistrate judge and where he practiced as a public defender for many years.

The Judiciary Committee favorably reported Judge Hurson by a bipartisan vote in May of 2023, and the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary awarded Judge Hurson a unanimously ``well-qualified'' rating--its highest possible rating.

I was delighted to recommend the nomination of Judge Hurson to President Biden, along with Senator Van Hollen. Judicial nominees must meet the highest standards of integrity, competence, and temperament. I am confident Judge Hurson will safeguard the rights of all Marylanders, uphold the Constitution and rule of law, and faithfully follow the judicial oath to ``do equal right to the poor and to the rich.'' Judge Hurson will serve the people of Maryland well.

Let me conclude by saying I know that public service is a family affair and sacrifice, and I particularly want to thank Judge Hurson's family for agreeing to share him with the people of Maryland in the interest of public service.

I urge my colleagues to vote to confirm his nomination.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, the Committee on Foreign Relations has adopted rules and subcommittees governing its procedures and membership for the 118th Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on behalf of myself and Senator Risch, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of both be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of James O'Brien to be Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasia Affairs.

As Russia continues its brutal assault on Ukraine, as democratic backsliding continues to threaten Central Europe, as we continue to grapple with energy and food security, we must have a fully staffed and empowered diplomatic corps. Vacancies leave a vacuum, and they send the wrong message.

Ukraine is by far one of my highest priorities. It is very clear to me that making sure Russia does not succeed in Ukraine is in the United States' national security interest. Ukraine is not only fighting for itself; if Ukraine loses, Moldova and Georgia are next. Ukraine is on the frontline of our fight to defend democracy and our shared values.

Iran is watching. North Korea is watching. China is watching. When they see the resolve of the United States and our coalition of partners, it stops them from thinking about taking military action elsewhere. That is why we need to continue to show leadership when supporting Ukraine against Russia's aggression.

As the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will do everything I can to show the international community that we stand with Ukraine today and tomorrow. That means ensuring Ukraine gets more air defense and long-range missiles. That means working with our European partners who continue to house and support Ukrainian refugees, supporting humanitarian assistance for those suffering, including children who have been abducted into Russia and families who have been torn apart. That means finding a path for the administration's supplemental request. And, yes, that means getting our nominees to their posts in the European Affairs Bureau.

Without our nominees confirmed and in their positions, who will advocate on behalf of American values in Ukraine and beyond? Who will advance America's national security interests? Who will work to lead our efforts from Washington to shore up our transatlantic alliance in pursuit of stability and peace?

President Putin is helping far-right political parties, individuals, and groups across Europe and beyond who support his agenda. He is attacking the human rights of Ukrainian citizens. He is laying waste to Ukrainian cities. I believe he is trying to commit genocide in Ukraine, and I support an international tribunal into Russian war crimes like the one we saw in Nuremberg after World War II.

Given these challenges, we need someone leading the diplomatic effort on behalf of the American people to confront Russia's aggression. That is why we must confirm James O'Brien today.

Ambassador O'Brien had an impressive hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He presented a compelling vision for how he would lead the Bureau of European and Eurasia Affairs. He laid out the importance of America's leadership on integrating Ukraine, as well as the South Caucasus and the Western Balkans, into the transatlantic economic and political structures. He was reported favorably by the Foreign Relations Committee by a bipartisan voice vote.

Ambassador O'Brien brings a wealth of experience to this position, having most recently worked as the head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, targeting, among others, the Russian oligarchs who thrive on corruption--Russian oligarchs whose corrupt networks are continuing to fuel the war in Ukraine, which in turn impacts global energy and food prices for just about every single person in the world.

Beyond his most recent post, Ambassador O'Brien's professional resume reads like building blocks for this position. Having served as the Principal Deputy Director of Policy Planning and the Presidential Envoy for the Balkans, he will be up to speed if the conflict again erupts in Kosovo. He won't be afraid to call out bad actors in Bosnia and work with those advocating for peace, transparency, and prosperity. He helped establish the Office for Hostage Affairs and worked for the safe return of 100 American citizens. He dealt with scientific and environmental agreements and Russia and Ukraine's post-Soviet transitions. He has been part of initiatives to investigate and prosecute persons responsible for war crimes. He has received numerous awards of distinction from the State Department.

This is a seasoned professional who is ready to take on this high- profile challenge. Once he is confirmed, he will be able to hit the ground running. That sends a signal that the United States cares about what happens in Europe, and right now, we need to show our resolve.

Ukrainians are doing their part. Even as they fight a war to defend their country, they are making good progress on anti-corruption. We need to be there for them and make clear that our support is long term and bipartisan.

We need to stand with Ukraine to make sure it gets everything it needs to defend itself and succeed in this Russian war. Ukrainian success on the battlefield is what will bring Russia to the negotiating table--nothing else. That is why it is time for the United States and the international community to step up. We cannot take a pass on good versus evil.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting yes on cloture for this nominee, yes to advancing our diplomatic efforts to confront Putin's war in Ukraine, yes to promoting American values, and yes to advancing America's national security interests.

With that, I yield the floor.

I ask unanimous consent that the vote scheduled for 5:30 begin now.

Mr. President, I ask consent that the vote begin immediately.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to highlight a historic moment which will help millions of older Americans and families access affordable prescription drugs.

For too long, U.S. families have paid the highest prices compared to other countries, often leading millions of Americans to leave their pharmacy counter emptyhanded. With the passage and implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act under President Biden's leadership, Democrats are answering the call of the American people for affordable, accessible prescription drugs.

No one should have to go into debt to buy the prescription drugs they need to live a healthy, productive life. Yet this is a dilemma many families in the United States face. Twenty-nine percent of Americans either cannot afford their prescription drugs or are rationing them, and the United States stands alone in this among our developed-nation peers.

The United States spends about $600 billion annually on prescription drugs. In 2019, the latest year in which internationally comparable data from OECD is available, the United States spent over $1,100 per capita on prescription medicines. When you compare that to the other OECD countries, it is twice as much.

Getting worse, by 2021 the United States spent over $1,400 per capita on prescription drugs. Americans and Marylanders are struggling to pay for their prescription medications, and it is long past time for Congress to take decisive action to deal with this issue.

Prescription drugs have been lifesaving for millions, but if they are unaffordable, then their benefit is lost. High prescription drug prices drive health inequities that we are fighting to eradicate since groups in fair or poor health struggle to afford their medications.

U.S. prescription drug prices are set through a complicated process by manufacturers, pharmaceutical benefit

managers, and payers. Prices are often disconnected from the health impacts of the products being purchased. Opponents of addressing the high prescription drug prices claim that more affordable prices will come at the expense of innovation.

I must tell you, I disagree with that, and research also tells us that is just not true. To ensure access to innovative treatments and prescriptions, the U.S. Government, thanks to the U.S. taxpayer, makes significant investments in biomedical research. No greater example of this investment is the National Institutes of Health, located in my home State of Maryland, which is the world's largest government funder of biomedical research. Almost all drugs rely on NIH-supported basic science in their development, and the returns on these investments are very high. We have doubled down on this in the CHIPS and Science bill, putting more money into basic biomedical research.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that each $125 million NIH grant leads to $375 million--that is a 3-to- 1 ratio--more in private market value, 33 more patents, and 1 new drug.

Another study estimated that the rate of return on NIH investments is 43 percent and that each dollar of NIH funding leads to an additional $8.40 in private research and development spending. These are great public investments, and it is leading to innovation. It is leading to development of new drugs.

Further, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs also support innovation. Known as the SBIR/STTR Programs, they currently are the largest U.S. Federal Government programs supporting small businesses to conduct research and development. This is just another example of government-supported research that is inspiring new innovation and discovery.

SBIR began in 1982 and currently requires that each Federal Agency spending more than $100 million annually on external research set aside 3.2 percent of these funds for awards to small businesses. SBIR is very selective, with only about 22 percent of the applicants receiving funding. For many small businesses, the SBIR ``serves as the first place many entrepreneurs involved in technological innovation go to for funding.''

Through the SBIR/STTR Programs, NIH supports drug innovation by setting aside more than 3.2 percent of its overall intramural research and development budget, specifically to support early-stage small businesses throughout our Nation. Many companies leverage this NIH funding to attract the partners and investors needed to take innovation to the market.

I have the honor of chairing the Small Business Committee here in the U.S. Senate, and I can tell you the small businesses are the innovators of America. They are the ones coming up with new discoveries.

Thanks to this government program and thanks to these government- supported partnerships, our small companies are leading in biomedical developments. And, I must tell you, thanks to small businesses, they are also growth engines for jobs in America.

For example, Amgen, which was founded in 1980, received an SBIR investment in 1986 as a small company. Today, it is a multinational biopharmaceutical company with over 20,000 employees. That is creating jobs--good jobs--here for Americans.

Despite these significant taxpayer investments, prescription drugs are often priced at levels that limit access to lifesaving drugs, particularly among those who are underinsured or uninsured. Even after accounting for the costs and risks of R&D, evidence shows that the returns on new products exceed the normal rates of return.

For years, Congress has been working on commonsense solutions to increase access to affordable prescription medications, reducing costs for patients and taxpayers. Finally, last year, under President Biden's leadership, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act. This historic law removed a decades-old restriction on Medicare negotiating directly for the price of prescription drugs, finally empowering Medicare to get older Americans the best prices for their prescription drugs.

In the private sector, no plan sponsor or manager would ever accept responsibility without the ability to decide how to negotiate. No private sector company would parcel themselves out in order to negotiate. They would use their full size as their market force. That is exactly what we did in the Inflation Reduction Act to allow Medicare to negotiate using its full market force to bring down the costs of prescription medicines for those under the Medicare system.

It should have been done originally. We got it done in the Inflation Reduction Act. Medicare negotiations will ensure that patients with Medicare get the best possible price on high-priced drugs.

Three weeks ago, the Biden-Harris administration announced the first 10 drugs that will be part of the first round of negotiation. This historic occasion is the culmination of decades of efforts by Democrats to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to Medicare beneficiaries. The 10 drugs chosen for negotiation are taken by 10 million older Americans, representing about $50 billion in annual spending. They are used to treat conditions including blood clots, diabetes, cancer, heart failure, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Another policy included in the Inflation Reduction Act is to increase prescription drug affordability by capping Medicare patients' out-of- pocket costs at $3,000 in just a couple months and then lowering to $2,000 beginning in 2025. This policy will save Medicare beneficiaries from paying tens of thousands of dollars to purchase lifesaving drugs prescribed by their doctors.

And there is more good news. As of this year, vaccines are free in Medicare, insulin is capped at $35 a month, and drug companies are penalized if they raise prices faster than inflation.

All of these policies will make U.S. prescription drugs more affordable for individuals and families who desperately need them. Democrats worked together to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and to make these policies a reality.

Today, I celebrate the progress we have made, and I urge all of my Senate colleagues to join in our efforts to continue making progress and leading the world in developing new drugs to improve health outcomes and to make these drugs affordable to our constituents and lower the costs to the taxpayers of this country.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Shannon Kula, former Senator Barbara Mikulski's chief of staff and a beloved member of the Maryland congressional team and Capitol Hill community. Shannon passed away recently after a long and heroic fight against breast cancer.

As Senator Mikulski remarked, ``Her vibrant, inspirational personality made an impact on us all. She had such dedication, during those long hours--always with a smile and encouraging word. Shannon was a great friend, great advisor and brilliant strategist who took charge of making things happen all while making everyone feel good while she did it. She had a luminous spirit that blessed us all.''

We all know the role that our staff plays in the work and life of the Senate. Shannon helped Senator Mikulski on so many of her accomplishments--from the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, to guaranteeing access to women's preventive healthcare to policies that support military families--Shannon was by Senator Mikulski's side. She also helped organize the bipartisan women Senators and played an important role in helping elect more women to the U.S. Senate.

Shannon played an important role in developing and enacting policies that improved people's lives. She also improved the lives of those who had the good fortune to work with her. The friendships she developed with the Mikulski staff and the wider Senate community were deep and lasting. She led with grace and humor. She mentored younger staff. She set a tone of civility and kindness, even in the rough and tumble world of politics. She was a valued colleague to so many people and a leader of what we in the delegation like to call ``Team Maryland.''

Shannon received B.A. degrees in political science and government and in psychology from the University of Rochester. She was the first person in her family to attend college. While Shannon was working in the Senate, she finished her master's degree and doctorate at Georgetown University, a truly remarkable accomplishment for anyone who knows the long and unpredictable hours Senate staff routinely work. After she left the Senate, she continued to serve, as director of the University of Saint Joseph's Women's Leadership Center and when she ran for a Congressional seat in her home State of Connecticut.

Shannon married her college sweetheart, Dr. Ron Clark, a U.S. Marine who served 20 years in the Corps. Everyone who knew the couple recognized what an incredible team they were. She was a loving aunt who was very involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews, traveling the world with them and encouraging them through their educations and military service.

Shannon's death is a tragedy. But her life was a triumph. I join Senator Mikulski and so many others in our Capitol community in honoring her extraordinary life. May her memory be a blessing to her family and friends; may her life be a continuing inspiration to all who, like Shannon, strive to serve others.