Floor Statements

Mr. President, on a few other matters. This morning Prime Minister Kishida Fumio became only the second Japanese Prime Minister to ever formally address a joint meeting of the Congress.

The best way the House can heed Prime Minister Kishida's words is to pass the national security supplemental as soon as possible, to approve defense funding, not just for Ukraine, but also for the Indo-Pacific.

If we want to protect against the Chinese Communist Party endangering Taiwan, the House should quit stalling and pass the supplemental. If we want to prevent handing Putin a victory in Europe, the House should do the right thing for democracy and pass the Senate's aid package now.

Mr. President, on another matter, today is a big day for America for commonsense gun safety reform.

This morning, the Biden administration announced a rule expanding background checks and closing loopholes for online sales at gun shows, a direct result of the bipartisan gun safety law passed 2 years ago.

This gun safety announcement has been decades in coming. It is the first significant expansion of background checks since I led passage of the Brady Bill way back in 1993. Today's announcement expanding background checks shows change is possible when both sides work together, even if progress is hard and halting. After all, a few years ago, this announcement would have been unimaginable.

Because Democrats and Republicans both, together, cast aside the influence of groups like the NRA and worked together, today's announcement has been made possible. The expansion of background checks will save lives. It will be easier to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands. It will show parents, kids, and teachers, and Americans everywhere impacted by gun violence that Congress is listening.

We have a lot of work to do. But today is a clear step in the right direction.

As all through the Brady law, today's announcement on background checks is a proud moment and a galvanizing one. We should build on these historic bills passed in 2022 and cure our Nation of the disease of gun violence.

Mr. President, finally, just a note. Yesterday, I led a group of 40 Senators introducing a bill that would curtail judge shopping and restore fairness to the judicial system. I will work with my colleagues to enact this important legislation.

We here in Congress have a duty to hold the Federal judiciary accountable. And when the Federal judiciary is being exploited by dangerous practices like judge shopping, it is both proper and appropriate for Congress to exercise oversight authority.

Some of my Republican colleagues have suggested it is unconstitutional for Congress to oversee its judicial branch. That is ridiculous and avoids a plain reading of the Constitution. Even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court--hardly a liberal--agrees that judge shopping is a problem and ought to be addressed.

Congress has clear authority under the Constitution to exercise oversight of the courts. We will continue weighing legislative options to ensure the Federal judiciary is committed to equal justice under the law.

I move to recess until 3 p.m. on Monday, April 15, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the Senator from Arizona (Ms. Sinema), and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow), are necessarily absent.

Madam President, I have four requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. President, former President Trump reminded us just a few days ago that he--he--is to blame for the grotesque reversal of women's personal freedom. He said it himself. He said he is ``proudly the person responsible'' for the annihilation of Roe v. Wade.

Let me repeat those words because the American people need to hear it over and over again. Donald Trump said he is ``proudly the person responsible'' for ending Roe.

Yesterday, we saw another consequence of a post-Roe America. The Arizona Supreme Court upheld a Civil War-era law banning abortion almost entirely, without exceptions for rape or for incest. The Arizona Supreme Court's decision goes as far as to suggest that doctors can be prosecuted for assisting in an abortion. All of these regressive MAGA judges on the Supreme Court, in some of the other Federal courts, and in the State courts--all come from Donald Trump and he, appointing MAGA judges, and his goal to restrict women's freedoms and to have Roe v. Wade be annihilated.

Make no mistake about it. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans own the consequences of the Arizona Supreme Court decision. Does anyone seriously doubt that, should Trump become President again, he won't try to add even more extreme jurists to the bench so he can continue his assault on women's reproductive freedoms? Of course, they will. If Trump and MAGA Republicans get into power they would see to it that reproductive freedoms are curtailed even more, from the local level to the national level.

Even in his remarks the other day, when he was trying to cover up what he did, he couldn't resist saying he is ``proudly the person responsible'' for the annihilation of Roe v. Wade. He couldn't resist because that is where he is at. We know that.

And don't take it from me. House Republicans included a national abortion ban in the Republican Study Committee budget. And remember, the Republican Study Committee includes a majority of House Republicans and their leadership, and they came out for a national abortion ban.

On IVF, Republicans try to talk a good game about supporting access to reproductive services, but not 1 month ago--not 1 month ago-- Republicans blocked legislation in this Chamber that would have preserved IVF protections under Federal law. And, while

Donald Trump hopes people forget, he himself is on record supporting a national abortion ban when he was President.

So, unsurprisingly, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are now trying to hide their antiabortion records because they know how dangerously out of step their views are with the public. But they can't help themselves, as the President's speech showed 4 days ago. Again, he had to repeat that he was responsible--the one responsible--for the abolition of Roe.

Make no mistake, that is what they will do. And, make no mistake, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans will have to answer to the American people for what they have done to fundamental liberties in this country--today, tomorrow, and in November.

Mr. President, on impeachment, as we enter the height of the spring season, there is a lot on the Senate's agenda. We continue to confirm more judges and nominees. We must ensure FISA authorities are renewed during this work period.

Off the floor, we continue to work on a host of issues, like lowering the cost of prescription drugs, increasing travel safety, and AI, and so much more.

As busy as we are, one issue the Senate will soon have to address is the House vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. As everyone knows, yesterday, Speaker Johnson announced he is delaying transmitting the articles to the Senate until sometime next week.

Our plan over here has not changed. The Senate is ready to go whenever the House is. We want to address this issue as expeditiously as possible.

And, as I said yesterday, impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements. That sets an awful precedent.

So, when the time comes for the Senate to receive the Articles of Impeachment from the House, we will be ready. In the meantime, we are going to keep working on legislation that matters to the American people and do it in a bipartisan way whenever we can. The American people demand, expect, and deserve nothing less.

Mr. President, now, on the proposed merger of Capital One and Discover, earlier this week, I sent a letter to Capital One and Discover asking for more information about their plans for a multibillion-dollar merger. If history has taught us anything, it is that, when big financial institutions get even bigger, it can have serious consequences for consumers and small businesses alike. Higher interest rates, bigger fees, diminished competition--these can all be at stake. So my letter asks some questions to both Capital One and Discover that the American people deserve to have answered before this merger goes forward.

We need to know about market shares in this industry. We need to know about potential increases in fees. We need to know if any workers will be laid off. We need to know how consumers are being made aware of this planned merger. Capital One and Discover are two of the largest credit card-issuing institutions in America. If this merger continues as planned, the new company would likely become the largest credit card issuer in the United States of America, with over 400 million customers.

So, before these two companies merge, the American people deserve answers to these questions to be sure they won't receive the short end of the stick.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, yesterday, former President Trump reminded the entire country that, if there is anyone to blame for the annihilation of Roe v. Wade and the grotesque reversal of women's personal freedoms, it is Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

On Truth Social, yesterday, the former President said he was ``proudly the person responsible'' for putting radical jurists on the Supreme Court for the explicit purpose of overturning Roe.

Let me repeat that so all of America knows the real truth.

Former President Trump said, yesterday, he was ``proudly the person responsible'' for putting radical jurists on the Supreme Court for the explicit purpose of overturning Roe.

Does anyone think that, should Trump become President again, he won't try again to add even more extreme jurists to the bench so he can continue his assault on women's reproductive freedoms?

To this day, Donald Trump continues to boast of his extreme views on the right to choose, and we all remember his support for a national abortion ban. No matter how much he might want people to forget, people won't.

The president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a major anti- abortion rights group, reminded everyone, yesterday, that they will still support Donald Trump because, when push comes to shove, they know, should former President Trump return to office, he will continue supporting a Federal abortion ban and continue to erode women's rights. After all, this is the Donald Trump who, when he was President in the past, said women who seek reproductive care deserve to be punished. That is what he said: They deserve to be punished.

And that is the bottom line. If Republicans get into power, they will not hesitate to push for a national abortion ban. Many Republicans in both Chambers have been on record supporting a national abortion ban for years. A national abortion ban, for instance, was included in the Republican Study Committee budget released just 2 weeks

ago--an organization that counts the majority of House Republicans, including their leadership, as members. So Republicans cannot hide from this.

Republicans know that their views are dangerously out of step with the public. Here in Congress, Republicans have claimed to support access to IVF and paid lip service to supporting women's access to reproductive services. But Americans know actions speak louder than words. Not 1 month ago, Senate Republicans blocked legislation to preserve IVF, and Speaker Johnson has publicly opposed Federal action protecting it.

So Republicans and Donald Trump can try to hide their anti-abortion records all they want, but the American people will see right through it today, tomorrow, and in November.

Now, Mr. President, on Ukraine, 775 days since Vladimir Putin began his illegal invasion, the war in Ukraine now stands at a bitter and decisive stalemate. Russian forces today control about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. As one recent headline from the Washington Post put it, ``With no way out of a worsening war, Zelensky's options look bad or worse.''

Now, let's be very clear about one thing: The tide of the war is shifting against Ukrainians not because they are giving up, not because they aren't brave enough, or because they are somehow inferior to Russian soldiers. They are not; they are superior. No. Ukraine is losing ground on the war because it is running out of the tools it needs to wage war to begin with. Ukrainians are low on ammo, on soldiers, on weapons, on antiaircraft defenses.

And let's be blunt: The biggest reason Ukraine is losing the war is because, here in the U.S. Congress, the hard right has paralyzed the U.S. House of Representatives from taking necessary action. That is it, plain and simple--no ifs, ands, or buts.

It has now been 56 days since the Senate passed a national security supplemental package with robust military aid to help Ukraine. It passed with just about every Democrat and close to a majority of Republicans voting for it. This package could mean the difference between victory and defeat for Ukrainian fighters. In fact, President Zelenskyy himself said as much when he spoke to the Senate in December.

But sadly, alarmingly, tragically, Speaker Johnson has sat on his hands for nearly 2 months now as the supplemental package collects dust in the House.

House Republicans have refused to move because an increasingly vocal pro-Russian, pro-Putin minority seems to be running the show within their ranks--a contingent that takes its marching orders directly from Donald Trump. As one former House GOP Member called them, they are like the ``Putin wing'' of the Republican Party.

The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee recently said in an interview that Russian propaganda has now ``infected a good chunk of my party's base.'' That is a Republican talking about what has happened to the base--the hard-right base of his party.

Even the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee admits that some within his own party are becoming evangelists of Russian propaganda. As he said just a few days ago, ``We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti- Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor.''

That is what the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee said: We are hearing pro-Russian messages being uttered on the House floor.

Ronald Reagan is rolling in his grave.

Speaker Johnson has to decide for himself whether or not he will do the right thing for Ukraine and for America or if he will allow MAGA Republicans and the Putin wing of the Republican Party to hand Vladimir Putin the victory he seeks.

History, Speaker Johnson, is watching. History is looking right over your shoulder. Do the right thing.

Mr. President, on student debt, this week, President Biden announced a new executive action to relieve the burden of student debt for another 30 million Americans--30 million Americans--a little less than 1 out of 10 of our population. When you count their families and spouses, it is even more. The President's new student debt plan is great news for everyone, particularly for borrowers in communities of color, who are disproportionately impacted by the student debt crisis.

For too long--far too long--the burden of student debt has held borrowers of color back from reaching the middle class and beyond. President Biden's plan will deliver much needed relief for these borrowers and many more and give them all the chance at achieving the American dream.

Democrats will continue to do everything in our power to lower costs and make college more affordable for everybody.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the President of the Senate be authorized to appoint a committee on the part of the Senate to join with a like committee on the part of the House of Representatives to escort His Excellency Kishida Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, into the House Chamber for the joint meeting on Thursday, April 11, 2024.