Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of S. 2834 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I further ask that the Durbin-Cassidy substitute at the desk be considered and agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.

Mr. President, I ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 310.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 866, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 867, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 868, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged and the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 7535.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hassan substitute amendment, which is at desk, be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourns until 3 p.m. on Monday, December 12, and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Montgomery-Reeves nomination postcloture; further, at 5:30 p.m. all postcloture time be considered expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Montgomery-Reeves nomination; finally, if any nominations are confirmed during Monday's session, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of Calendar No. 457, S. 4216.

I further ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Rubio substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; and the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

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

I ask unanimous consent that the vote scheduled at 12 noon start immediately.

Mr. President, this Friday will be a joyous occasion at Congregation B'nai Tzedek in Potomac, MD--a Shabbat dinner to celebrate Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt's 70th birthday. His Excellency Michael Herzog, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, will be the guest speaker at the dinner. Rabbi Weinblatt founded Congregation B'Nai Tzedek 34 years ago with just a few families. Today, the Conservative synagogue is thriving, with 650 families. The growth and well-being of Congregation B'Nai Tzedek is a testament to Rabbi Weinblatt's vision, persistence, and charismatic leadership.

Rabbi Weinblatt graduated from the University of Maryland with high honors in history. While he was an undergraduate, he helped to establish the Jewish Studies Program and represented the student body to the Maryland State government. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Rabbi Weinblatt has been an adjunct professor at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, teaching Jewish history, Bible, and theology. He is widely recognized as a gifted teacher, speaker, and author. ``Washington Jewish Week'' readers have voted him the ``Best Rabbi in Washington'' on numerous occasions. The ``Forward'' newspaper recognized Rabbi Weinblatt as ``One of the Most Inspiring Rabbis in America'' in 2016. He received the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington's ``Pillar of the Community'' award and a ``Man of the Year'' award from the Greater Washington Chapter of ORT, the global Jewish educational network that prepares students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math--STEM.

Rabbi Weinblatt has served as president of the Washington Board of Rabbis, chaired the National Convention of the Rabbinical Assembly in Jerusalem and in Washington DC, and chaired the prestigious Annual Israel Bonds' Ambassador's Ball. He authored ``God, Prayer and Spirituality,'' a compilation of his sermons, writings, and articles. He is known for his effective use of humor, even when dealing with his own cancer, which he chronicled in ``Living in the Shadow of Death: A Rabbi Copes with Cancer,'' a book one reviewer described as ``a comforter to others . . . [and] also a valuable tool for clergy and health care professionals who interact with and counsel individuals in similar situations.'' He is a frequent columnist for the Jewish News Syndicate, often commenting on the State of Israel.

Rabbi Weinblatt is president of the Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America and has served as director of Israel Policy and Advocacy for the Rabbinical Assembly. He heads the Jewish National Fund's ``Rabbis for Israel.'' In these roles, Rabbi Weinblatt has played a critical role in strengthening the enduring bond between our two democracies, whose diplomatic partnership will celebrate its 75th anniversary next May. Today, in a world in turmoil, in the Middle East region and beyond, our bilateral relationship is more important than ever, and Rabbi Weinblatt can be justly proud of the role he has played in securing this bond.

The mission statement of Congregation B'nai Tzedek emphasizes the collective responsibility to do ``tikun olam,'' to give ``tzedekah,'' and to perform ``mitzvot'' regularly ``as a means of supporting Jewish causes and all people in need.'' The Congregation is committed to making Jewish values relevant and meaningful in today's world and, under Rabbi Weinblatt's inspired leadership, it succeeds. On behalf of my Senate colleagues, I would like to join the families of Congregation B'nai Tzedek; Rabbi Weinblatt's wife Symcha, his children, and grandchildren; his rabbinical colleagues; Ambassador Herzog; and everyone else fortunate to know him as a friend or mentor in wishing him a happy 70th birthday, ``ad me'ah v'esrim!''

Madam President, on December 1, we mark the 34th anniversary of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day calls on us to remember those lost to AIDS and support those who live with HIV/AIDS-related illnesses. On this day, we also raise awareness for the global health crisis and redouble our efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Established in 1998, World AIDS Day marked the first international day for global health. Since then, World AIDS Day has adopted targeted themes to raise awareness and encourage international cooperation. This year's theme, ``Equalize,'' focuses on addressing persisting inequalities in the fight against AIDS. Vulnerable groups such as young women, gay men, transgender people, people of color, and sex workers struggle to access contraception, testing, treatment, and new technologies. Criminalization, discrimination, and social stigmas continue to target these vulnerable populations across the globe. The 2022 ``Equalize'' campaign reminds us that our fight cannot be won until such inequalities are eliminated.

Since the first U.S. cases of AIDS were reported in June 1981, over 700,000 people in the U.S. have died from HIV-related illnesses. As of 2019, nearly 1.2 million people were living with HIV. In 2020, 30,635 people received an HIV diagnosis in the U.S. and dependent areas. My home State of Maryland is not immune to this issue. As of 2021, over 32,000 Marylanders over 13 years old are living with HIV, with 773 new diagnoses that same year. Furthermore, recent data shows that minority populations remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDs. In 2020, Black Americans accounted for 42 percent of HIV diagnoses, while Hispanic/Latino Americans accounted for 27 percent of HIV diagnoses. This is evidence of the persistent health challenge HIV/AIDS presents Maryland and the U.S.

Fortunately, scientists have made significant strides in developing antiretroviral therapies--ART--against HIV infections over recent decades. Thanks to breakthroughs in the private and public sectors, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration--FDA--has now approved more than 30 medicines

to treat HIV infection. These treatment regimens help extend and stabilize the lives of those living with HIV while reducing further risk of HIV transmission.

I particularly applaud Maryland's scientific community and academic partners--including the National Institutes of Health--NIH--the Walter Reed Army Institute of Infectious Disease Research, the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University--for their groundbreaking research initiatives. For example, NIH-funded research, including clinical trials, to develop pre-exposure prophylaxis--PrEP--medication designed to prevent high-risk individuals from contracting HIV.

Thanks to cutting-edge advancements in treatment, Maryland has reached significant milestones in reducing HIV case numbers. For the first time in over three decades, Maryland reported fewer than 1,000 new cases in 2018 and continues to remain below the 1,000 new case benchmark as of 2021. State-supported efforts such as safe-sex education programs, condom distribution, and the expansion of prophylactic medications have all mitigated HIV transmission. The Maryland Department of Health's antiretroviral therapy campaign has also contributed to viral suppression for 60 percent of the State's HIV patients. Additionally, city and county needle exchange programs have broadened efforts to reduce the circulation of unclean syringes, provide testing for infectious diseases such as HIV, and extend resources for substance abuse.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act--ACA--Americans diagnosed with HIV or at risk of transmission have more meaningful access to healthcare coverage and health insurance. Today, Americans cannot be dropped or denied coverage because of pre-existing health conditions such as HIV. The ACA also gives States the option to expand Medicaid, the largest payer for those who need HIV treatment in the country. The ACA's investments in community health centers' Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative is an integral part of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

The ACA has also established new health plan standards or essential health benefits that must be covered under certain health plans. Benefits such as prescription drug services, hospital inpatient care, lab tests, HIV screening, PrEP, and other preventive services aim to preserve the health of those with HIV while mitigating further transmission. Under the ACA, most health insurance plans must provide preventative services, including HIV testing for those aged 15 to 65. PrEP to inhibit HIV is also provided for HIV-negative adults at high risk for contracting HIV. I am proud to cosponsor the PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2021, which would expand access to PrEP and work to reduce disparities among those recommended and prescribed the medication through multiple initiatives, including eliminating out-of- pocket costs for the medication.

These investments in an infrastructure to test and treat HIV have helped reduce the spread of HIV/AIDs, but have also been essential in curbing the spread of mpox. It has provided natural points of care for testing, access to treatment, and education to populations also vulnerable to contracting mpox.

However, HIV/AIDS is not an issue the U.S. faces in isolation. Outside the U.S., the global HIV/AIDs epidemic remains a grave public health challenge. In 2021, approximately 38.4 million people lived with HIV across the globe, including 1.7 million children between 0 and 14 years of age. Last year, roughly 1.5 million people contracted HIV. Nevertheless, the international community has made significant process in HIV testing and treatment over recent decades. By the end of 2021, 28.7 million people with HIV, about 75 percent, were receiving ART, while approximately 68 percent of all people with HIV reached viral suppression. In 2021, an estimated 650,000 people died from AIDS- related illnesses worldwide, down from 2 million people in 2004 and 1.4 million in 2010.

Since its inception in 2003, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief--PEPFAR--represents an extraordinary commitment to global health, aiming to prevent, diagnose, and treat HIV infections. Over nearly 20 years, the U.S. has invested more than $100 billion in the global response to HIV/AIDS. Because of this, we have made significant inroads in access to testing and ART.

In 2021, PEPFAR provided HIV testing services for more than 50 million people and supported ART for nearly 19 million people. As of today, U.S. leadership through PEPFAR has saved an estimated 20 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections. PEPFAR now operates in over 50 countries, training hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers and providing critical support to healthcare systems. PEPFAR is a powerful example of sincere, effective, and transparent U.S. global health leadership and cooperation.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced a stark reminder that we must swiftly respond to global health crises. It demonstrates that diseases cannot be easily confined to national borders and regional spheres. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted HIV treatments and prevention services, separating patients from healthcare providers. Vulnerable populations have also been disconnected from educational and counseling services while economic downturns exasperated social and economic inequalities. Marginalized populations and now more susceptible to HIV infection and less likely to access necessary services than before the pandemic's onset. Our interconnected world demands American vigilance, conscientiousness, and our strong investment in global health systems.

Our battle against HIV is far from over. The U.S. must continue to define global health leadership and facilitate cooperation with our foreign partners and allies. I commend President Biden for his enduring support for PEPFAR. I also recognize international partnerships, including the Global Fund along with faith-based organizations and civil society for their long-held commitment to eradicating HIV/AIDS. Most importantly, I want to recognize those living with HIV/AIDS across the globe. Your dignity, fortitude, and endurance testify to the extraordinary power of the human spirit. And in accordance with that drive and spirit, we will prevail in this fight.

Mr. President, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8404, the Respect

for Marriage Act. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the Senate companion version of this measure, S. 4556, which has been introduced by Senator Feinstein.

The House passed this legislation by a bipartisan vote of 267 to 157 in July 2022, and the Senate is now poised to pass this legislation with a strong bipartisan vote as well.

In 2010, Maryland began to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages that were legally performed in other States. And in 2012, Governor Martin O'Malley signed a law guaranteeing Marylanders the freedom to marry regardless of their gender, which was later upheld and confirmed by the voters of Maryland in a statewide referendum.

In 2015, the Supreme Court held in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that the Constitution protected the right of same-sex couples to marry and therefore granting this right nationwide. Let me quote just a few passages from this historic decision, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy more than seven years ago: ``Especially against a long history of disapproval of their relationships, this denial to same-sex couples of the right to marry works a grave and continuing harm. The imposition of this disability on gays and lesbians serves to disrespect and subordinate them. And the Equal Protection Clause, like the Due Process Clause, prohibits this unjustified infringement of the fundamental right to marry.''

Justice Kennedy concluded in part that: ``No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.''

So why are we here today, if Obergefell is still the law of the land? We are here because the Supreme Court of the United States decided to strip away a woman's fundamental reproductive rights this summer. The Court overturned its Roe v. Wade decision--and a half century of associated precedents--in its radical Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision.

In that decision, Justice Thomas wrote a concurrence which warned that the Court should ``reconsider, [in future cases], all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.'' These decisions protected the right to access contraception, the right to have same-sex relations, and the right to enter into a same-sex marriage, respectively. Do most Americans really want to turn back the clock on these civil rights, in terms of being able to responsibly plan the size of their family, make personal medical and healthcare decision with their doctors, and fall in love and marry their partner of their choosing, regardless of their gender? I don't think so.

The dissent in Dobbs correctly pointed out: ``The lone rationale for what the majority does today is that the right to elect an abortion is not `deeply rooted in history': Not until Roe, the majority argues, did people think abortion fell within the Constitution's guarantee of liberty. The same could be said, though, of most of the rights the majority claims it is not tampering with.''

The dissent continued: ``The majority could write just as long an opinion showing, for example, that until the mid-20th century, `there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain [contraceptives].' So one of two things must be true. Either the majority does not really believe in its own reasoning. Or if it does, all rights that have no history stretching back to the mid-19th century are insecure. Either the mass of the majority's opinion is hypocrisy, or additional constitutional rights are under threat. It is one or the other.''

I am therefore pleased that the Senate came together in its best traditions to form a bipartisan working group--led by Senators Baldwin and Collins--to codify the right to be married regardless of your gender and to rescind Federal laws to the contrary that are still on the books. I thank Leader Schumer for giving this working group additional time after the mid-term elections to reach compromise language that enjoys broad bipartisan support in the Senate, which can overcome a filibuster.

According to the Human Rights Campaign and a recent Gallup poll, 71 percent of Americans now support marriage equality, compared to only about 27 percent in 1996, when President Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act--DOMA.

As Senators Baldwin and Collins recently wrote in a compelling op-ed: ``Individuals in same-sex and interracial marriages need, and should have, the confidence that their marriages are legal. These loving couples should be guaranteed the same rights and freedoms of every other marriage . . . This legislation has earned bipartisan support in Congress because it grants same-sex and interracial couples the certainty that they will continue to enjoy the same equal treatment under federal law as all other married couples. . . . [W]e should be able to agree that same-sex and interracial couples, regardless of where they live, both need and deserve the assurance that their marriage will be recognized by the federal government and that they will continue to enjoy freedoms, rights and responsibilities that come with all other marriages.''

This legislation has three major components. First, this legislation would formally repeal the Defense of Marriage Act--DOMA--of 1996. Section 2 of DOMA purports to allow States to refuse to recognize valid civil marriages of same-sex couples. Section 3 of the law carved out all same-sex couples, regardless of their marital status, from benefitting from any Federal statutes, regulations and rulings applicable to all other married people. This provision denied same-sex couples roughly 1,100 Federal benefits and protections.

Second, the legislation establishes that ``place of celebration'' is the standard of recognition for Federal benefits of a same-sex marriage, in terms of recognizing a marriage as legal if valid in the State it was performed. The legislation would also guarantee Federal marriage benefits if a State rescinded same-sex marriage recognition.

Third, this legislation guarantees that legal marriages are given full faith and credit by every other State. Article IV, section 1 of the Constitution provides that ``full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state, and the Congress may be general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.'' This section of the legislation additionally gives the Attorney General enforcement authority to carry out its provisions and creates a private right of action for any harmed individual.

The compromise language in the Senate measure clarifies that it will have no adverse impact on religious liberty and conscience protections. The revised legislation would explicitly protect all religious liberty and conscience protections available under the Constitution or Federal law, including but not limited to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The amendment clarifies that nonprofit religious organizations will not be required to provide any services, facilities, or goods for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage.

President Biden is absolutely correct when he stated: ``The right to marriage confers vital legal protections, dignity, and full participation in our society. No person should face discrimination because of who they are or whom they love, and every married couple in the United States deserves the security of knowing that their marriage will be defended and respected.''

The Biden administration supports passage of this

legislation, stating that ``H.R. 8404 would repeal the

Defense of Marriage Act, an unconstitutional and

discriminatory law, and would enshrine the right to Federal

recognition of marriage for same-sex and interracial couples.

This legislation would strengthen civil rights, and ensure

that the promise of equality is not denied to families across

the country.''

The Senate should pass this legislation and send it to the

House for its consideration and

passage in December. I am hopeful that President Biden will

sign this legislation into law before the 117th Congress

adjourns sine die. This would be another major bipartisan

accomplishment for this Congress and mark an important step

forward on our unfinished march for civil rights, as we

strive to form a more perfect union, establish justice, and

guarantee equal rights and equal justice under the law for

all Americans.

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

Mr. President, I rise to make a unanimous consent request in regards to legislation that has already been passed by the committees of authorization.

This is a bill that deals with fighting corruption globally. I need not remind

my colleagues that ``corruption threatens the United States' national security, economic equity, global antipoverty and development efforts, and democracy itself.''

That was a quote in regards to President Biden's published memorandum of establishing the fight against corruption as a core United States national security interest.

We have heard this over and over again. I was in the White House a few years back, and the National Security Council was convened because of the spread of corruption globally. It presents a national security threat to the United States of America, and we find that many countries are moving in the wrong direction in anticorruption measures, and there are identifiable issues--independent judiciary, dealing with antibribery status, dealing with public disclosure-type requirements. There are things that are pretty well-identified internationally as necessary in fighting corruption.

Yesterday, I was in a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with one of our closest allies, Georgia; and their judiciary is no longer independent, presenting real problems for our national security interests.

So I have worked in a bipartisan manner with colleagues on the Republican and Democratic sides to develop a system whereby we would be able to determine which countries in the world need our attention in our bilateral relations and in the tools we have available to help them deal with creating an anticorruption system in their own governments.

And we worked together to figure out how we can do this in a manner that would implement the types of results we need from our State Department.

So the legislation that we crafted would have the State Department rank countries in the world as to whether they are in tier 1, 2, or 3.

Tier 3 would be the countries of our concern. These are the countries that are not taking steps to deal with systemic corruption that they have in their system that does not comply with international standards.

Tier 2 are countries that have not met those international standards, but they are taking the right courses.

And tier 1 are those countries that have met these international standards.

Now, this is not unique. We have done similar types of work in our State Department identifying problems with trafficking, trafficking in humans. We have similar types of work in our State Department to identify religious tolerance and freedom. We have similar efforts to deal with basic human rights. So this is a system that we have worked in the past.

But it goes even further than that. The legislation gives the capacity in the State Department, in the missions in those countries that are in tier 3, to have a point person to help deal with the country to make the corrections that are necessary, to assist them.

This is an effort to try to get countries on the right path to fight corruption. Because, you see, many countries are trying to become democratic states; but if they don't have the tools in place to protect them against corruption, they are going to find that they are not going to succeed in their efforts. So this is really an important step forward in order to build more democratic states around the world. It gives the right capacity to the State Department in its missions. I am pleased with the support I have gotten from many diplomats around the world, from many people in both branches of government. This bill is bipartisan. It has been--we have had markups in our committees and passed it in our committees, and I am hopeful that we can get a unanimous consent today to move it through the Senate so that hopefully we can catch up with the work that is being done in the House. We can reconcile any differences that may exist, but we will at least have this bill ready to move to fight corruption.

So I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 88, S.14. I further ask that the committee-reported substitute be withdrawn, the Cardin substitute be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the title amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I am disappointed that there is an objection, but I appreciate my friend from Pennsylvania's willingness to sit down and continue to try to work this out.

We have met with several Members who have had some similar concerns, and I thought we had resolved most of those issues. I am fully prepared to continue to work with the Senator from Pennsylvania, and, hopefully, we can find a common spot.

I would just point out that we have strategic partnerships with so many countries around the world that our State Department is very clear that we are not going to abandon our core principles in that relationship. We might need their help on a security issue, but if their human rights do not meet international standards, that will be raised.

We know that, in many bilateral meetings that we hold with Senators or that the administration holds with heads of state on important subjects, they mention human rights because it is an important value that we have in our relationship. We do the same in the trafficking of persons. We do the same for religious freedom. We do the same in so many other areas. Corruption is a growing problem globally, and we need to elevate the importance of that in our bilaterals and the importance of that in supporting internationally recognized standards.

But I understand the gentleman's concern. I will take him up on his offer. I will try not to bother him on Thanksgiving itself; but, perhaps, we can work together and find a way that we can move this forward.

With that, 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.