Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 435, S. Res. 436, S. Res. 437; S. Res. 438, and S. Res. 439.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. President, I would just note that one of these resolutions condemns anti-Semitism, which we see on too many campuses these days.

Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, October 30; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, 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 Maddox nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

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, yesterday morning, Democrats and Republicans reached an important agreement to move forward on three bipartisan--underline bipartisan--appropriations bills: MILCON-VA, Agriculture, and Transportation-HUD.

We will begin voting on amendments as soon as this afternoon and keep going through the rest of the week and into the next. It is my hope that with bipartisan cooperation, we can wrap up our work on these bipartisan appropriations bills sometime next week.

And this will be the Senate working as it should, both parties cooperating, debating amendments, working through differences, without grinding the legislative process to a halt. Democrats promised our Republican colleagues that their voices would be heard, and we are making good on that promise. Forty amendments will be considered, many of them bipartisan, on issues ranging from telehealth funding for veterans, fixing infrastructure hit by natural disasters, to investments in rural America.

We worked closely with Republicans to put these appropriations bills together. If passed, the bills will make a huge difference for American farmers, for our infrastructure, for housing, and for our military bases and veterans.

Bipartisanship isn't easy. On the contrary, these days it is exceedingly difficult, but we are moving forward thanks to the good work of our appropriators, especially Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins. They have set the tone from the start here in the Senate that bipartisanship should lead the way.

It was true in the Appropriations Committee; I hope it remains true here on the floor because we are going to need bipartisanship in all that we do

during this time of divided government.

Bipartisanship will be essential for passing these appropriations bills; bipartisanship will be essential for keeping the government open in less than a month; and bipartisanship will be essential for passing the President's national security request.

I would say to my colleagues in the House, my Republican colleagues, if you try to do things not in a bipartisan way, it is going to lead to cul-de-sacs, gridlocks, and other things that hurt the American people.

Both parties recognize we must support our allies in Israel against Hamas. Both parties recognize that we must support our friends in Ukraine against Putin. Both parties know that we must fight the scourge of fentanyl coming through the border, outcompete the Chinese Government, and support Taiwan.

So to my Republican colleagues, House and Senate, let's work together to ensure that passing the supplemental remains bipartisan because only things that win support from both sides will make it to the President's desk.

I thank my colleagues on both sides who have shown that bipartisanship is still the key to getting things done here in the Senate. And, now, because of that bipartisanship, the appropriations process is finally--finally--moving forward.

Artificial Intelligence

Mr. President, on our AI Insight Forum, yesterday, the Senate held our second bipartisan AI Insight Forum. This one was focused on our North Star for AI, and that is innovation.

It was an amazing 3 hours. We learned so much about all the things we need to do on AI as well as things we still don't know. The biggest takeaway from our AI Insight Forums so far is that government has to be involved on AI, and that was the consensus among everybody yesterday, just as it was a few weeks ago. Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, and everyone in between knew that government had to be involved.

But after yesterday's conversation, I will add a few more things we agreed to. First, as you know, at the last forum, everyone agreed that the government had to be involved, but after today's forum, there was universal agreement that Congress had to be prepared, not just to be involved but to invest significant resources in AI innovation, both inside the government and outside, helping companies and universities and others because the government can do things in terms of dollar investments that others simply can't. The awesome power of the Federal Government and its ability to provide resources is way beyond the capability of any one company, university, et cetera.

One number mentioned yesterday was about $32 billion in nondefense Federal spending, which is what the bipartisan National Security Commission on AI said we need in their 2021 report. It doesn't have to happen all at once, but it is important we prioritize these investments now and continue over time. Just about everybody in the room agreed that $32 billion is really a floor not a ceiling, so we are going to need--if we want to stay No. 1 in AI, if we want to get our arms around it, if we want to make sure the good is maximized and the bad is minimized, we are going to need significant Federal dollars.

AI is another reason that we must fully appropriate the funds authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act, and that came up many times. There are many things that we authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act that haven't been appropriated. We have to do those things if we want to stay in the lead economically and in AI.

The second point that was made was that Congress doesn't have a lot of time to act because AI moved so fast and is growing in its complexity. We need to be proactive, not reactive. That is one reason we have made these AI Insight Forums a priority.

A third point that was made was our race against the Chinese Government. China is not waiting to invest in AI, just as they didn't wait on science and chips. With the CHIPS and Science bill, we met them--maybe even exceeded them--by putting in some real investments. We must do the same thing with AI or we will fall behind. And many of the speakers noted that if China gains the lead in AI, they will become the No. 1 economy in the world. They will set the values--authoritarian, not democratic values--and Americans will suffer.

So this investment in AI must be done; otherwise, we will fall behind China, something we don't want to do, and both parties agreed that is the case.

And particularly a point made by some of my Republican colleagues, we will fall behind on national security. If China gets ahead of us in AI and applies that to national security and we don't do what we are supposed to do, we will really have some problems. So that is point 3.

And point 4, just to reiterate, is that we need innovation. We need the government to help create innovation, both on the transformational side--creating new vistas, unlocking new cures, improving education, strengthening national security, protecting global food supply--but also, and this is harder, on sustainable innovation. That means to minimize the harms that come from AI like job loss, racial and gender bias, and economic displacement because if we don't have some guardrails, the whole thing, the whole AI enterprise, could go off the rails, and that would be of real detriment to this country and to our world.

The private sector does a good job on positive transformational innovation. They need some help. The government needs to be involved, particularly in setting an ecosystem that works, in providing some of the resources to smaller companies so they are not dwarfed by the larger companies. But only the government can provide the guardrails for sustainable innovation.

It is not reasonable to expect all companies to act on their own and even less reasonable that they would act in concert, even if a few do. The challenge will be a balance between placing guardrails and preserving innovation.

It is a tough challenge, but, you know, as Theodore Roosevelt said, we are in the arena. And if not us, who? No one will do it.

So, again, yesterday was an exciting, illuminating, eye-opening conversation. Thank you to all the Senators who came yesterday from both sides of the aisle. And let's note, we are still just at the beginning. We will continue to hold bipartisan AI Insight Forums in the weeks and months to come and encourage the relevant committees to begin drawing up bipartisan legislation.

New York

Mr. President, on the Second Avenue subway, New York City is in the midst of an infrastructure renaissance, from the Gateway Tunnel to East Side Access to Penn Station Access. Today, I have even more great news for New York. I am proud to announce that the Second Avenue subway will receive $3.4 billion in Federal funding to advance to phase 2 of its construction.

I have worked myself to the bone for years fighting for Federal funding for the Second Avenue subway, and I want to thank my colleague who has been along my side as we do this, and that is Congress Member Adriano Espaillat, who represents the area in Congress, and he, too, has been a champion for funding.

Thanks to the investments we made in our bipartisan infrastructure law, Second Avenue subway has now received the largest capital investment grant in the history of the program, the CIG Program. So this is no longer abstract. Billions of dollars passed in Congress, but now it is across the country like here in New York and in East Harlem, in particular, it is becoming real--real in terms of jobs and real in terms of better transportation.

The Federal funding will mean tens of thousands of good-paying jobs in New York, and expanded services will benefit more than 300,000 riders on the Second Avenue subway every single day. That is more people than most cities have so it is important to do.

Most importantly, the subway will now expand into East Harlem, which has desperately needed better access to public transportation. When work on the Second Avenue subway is complete, people in East Harlem will have an easier time getting to work, going to the doctor's office, getting to school, and so much more. And it is not just an easier time. The studies show when there is transit, people get better and

more high-paying jobs because they can find these jobs and then get to them easily and don't say: Well, it is such a long commute, I can't go work there.

So thanks to President Biden, thanks to our Democratic and Republican bipartisanship action in the Senate, which I was so proud to help lead, New York continues to reap the benefits of our agenda: stronger infrastructure, more manufacturing jobs, lower prescription drug costs, and more opportunity.

I thank the administration for awarding New York this game-changing Federal grant, and we will keep going to improve life for New Yorkers as we are doing for all Americans.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 2:15 p.m., the Senate vote on the Rubio No. 1237 and Kennedy No. 1354 amendments, and that at 5:45 p.m., the Senate vote on Lankford amendment No. 1232, with all previous provisions remaining in effect.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, last week, President Biden addressed the Nation from the Oval Office to affirm that America will stand with her friends and allies in the face of authoritarians like China, Russia, and Iran, who seek to annihilate democracy.

The future of democracy around the world faces the greatest threat since the end of the Cold War. At this pivotal moment in history, America is once again called upon to rise to the occasion and to lead the way.

President Biden has now sent Congress a supplemental funding request with aid for our ally and partner Israel, aid for our friends in Ukraine, and funding to outcompete the Chinese Government and secure our southern border from threats like fentanyl. We must pass this supplemental as soon as we can with bipartisan support for a simple and important reason: It will make the world safer for the United States, for our allies, and for our democratic values.

In Europe, Vladimir Putin continues his onslaught against the Ukrainian people, and it is foolish to think he will stop there. In the Middle East, Hamas's brutal terrorism murdered the most Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust and threatens our strongest ally in the Middle East. Democrats and Republicans alike know that if Putin, Hamas, or other adversaries succeed, it would endanger Americans around the world.

Now that Congress has received the President's request, I will make it a top priority for the Senate to act quickly, decisively, and most importantly, with strong bipartisan conviction.

Bipartisanship must lead the way as we take up the President's supplemental request.

To my Republican colleagues, let's work together to ensure that this process remains bipartisan, because only things that win support from both sides will make it to the President's desk.

Democrats and Republicans agree we must stand with Israel. So let's pass this supplemental, with humanitarian aid to help civilians in Gaza and elsewhere, as soon as we can.

Democrats and Republicans also agree we must stand with Ukraine. After all, over 70 Members voted for Ukraine funding last month in our CR. So let's pass this supplemental as soon as we can.

And both sides want to outcompete the Chinese Government, secure our border from threats like fentanyl, and provide humanitarian aid to minimize civilian casualties in both Israel and Gaza.

All of these priorities are bipartisan. All of these provisions are included in the President's request. So let's get to work in the coming weeks to pass this supplemental package quickly and with strong bipartisan support.

With the House of Representatives in paralysis, the Senate will not wait to act. We will step into the breach and make sure the business of legislating continues. And if we act with enough bipartisan conviction, I believe it would go a long way to pushing the House to getting its act together and following suit.

The world will watch very closely what actions we take in Congress over the next couple weeks. We must send an unmistakable message to the country, to our allies, and to our adversaries that America will always spring to the defense of our allies in their hour of need. That is why we must pass this supplemental as soon as we can.

Mr. President, now, on appropriations, Democrat and Republican appropriators continue making progress on an agreement to move forward on three bipartisan funding bills here on the floor. We worked all last week to clear the objections from some of our Republican colleagues, and we kept talking over the weekend in good faith.

We are not there yet, but it is my hope we can reach an agreement to begin voting on amendments very soon, in all likelihood by tomorrow morning. But, again, we need a little more time to keep working.

Here in the Senate, unlike the chaos of the House, most Members on both sides want to see bipartisanship because we know that is the only way things move forward in divided government. A clean Senate appropriations process, without poison pills or dilatory tactics, is one of the best ways we can show our desire for bipartisanship is serious, and I am optimistic we are nearly, nearly there.

I thank the Senate appropriators, Chairman Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and all the other Members, on both sides, for bringing us close to an agreement. I hope to see one very soon.

Mr. President, now, on our second AI Insight Forum, later this afternoon the Senate will hold our second bipartisan AI Insight Forum, focusing on our North Star for AI: innovation. Our forum begins at 3 today in the Kennedy Caucus Room, and I encourage my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to attend.

We had a strong bipartisan turnout for our inaugural AI Insight Forum, and I hope we will see the same today. It is important to show how bipartisan and how seriously we are taking AI here in the Senate.

Today's AI Insight Forum includes some of the Nation's leading voices in labor, academia, business, tech, civil rights, and others, coming together to hold an unvarnished, candid, and urgent debate on AI. The topic today will be how Congress and the private sector can foster innovation. We will talk about the need for transformative innovation-- the types of AI systems that will create new vistas, unlock new cures, improve education, protect national security, preserve the global food supply, and more. But we will also talk about the need for sustainable innovation--innovations that can solve the deep challenges of AI, like increasing transparency and security, and reducing bias and risk. And this means supporting effective guardrails, because everyone agreed at our last forum, from one end of the spectrum to the other, that if the Federal Government doesn't impose some guardrails, there will be none, and the whole invention of AI could come tumbling down.

We need to prioritize both transformative and sustainable innovation. We must find a balance between innovation and guardrails, without going too far in one direction and hurting the other.

And I want to thank my colleagues in our bipartisan AI little gang-- Senators Round, Heinrich, and Young--for helping to organize and run today's AI Insight Forum.

Again, for the information of Senators, our forum begins at 3 p.m. today in the Kennedy Caucus Room. I hope to see you all there.

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

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 198, H.R. 4366; that during the consideration of Calendar No. 198, H.R. 4366, Murray-Collins substitute amendment No. 1092 be considered an Appropriations Committee amendment for the purposes of rule XVI, with no other rule XVI points of order waived by this agreement; that H.R. 4366, H.R. 4368, as reported by the House of Representatives on June 27, 2023, and H.R. 4820, as reported in the House of Representatives on July 24, 2023, serve as the basis for defense of germaneness under rule XVI for any floor amendments and that it be in order for floor amendments to amend the substitute in more than one place; further, that the only amendments in order to the Murray-Collins substitute amendment No. 1092 be the following amendments, if offered, and that at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the Republican leader, the Senate vote on the amendments: Moran, No. 1250; Daines, No. 1185; Sullivan, No. 1216; Sullivan, No. 1221; Peters- Cornyn, No. 1283; Rosen, No. 1117; Schatz, No. 1120; Booker-Tuberville, No. 1175; Tillis-Welch, No. 1264; Reed, No. 1202; Britt, No. 1270; Kelly-Tillis, No. 1116; Hirono-Moran, No. 1113; Warnock-Cornyn, No. 1351; Smith-Ricketts, No. 1134; Rosen-Crapo, No. 1220; Cardin, No. 1277; Padilla, No. 1140; Shaheen, No. 1131; Klobuchar-Moran, No. 1203; Kelly, No. 1133; Padilla, No. 1139; Ossoff-Braun, No. 1255; Merkley- Crapo, No. 1352; Ernst, No. 1177; Stabenow, No. 1115; Vance, No. 1210; Rubio, No. 1237; Kennedy, No. 1354; Braun, No. 1182; Hawley, No. 1200; Cruz, No. 1296; Blackburn, No. 1349; Budd, No. 1243; Cramer, No. 1241; Paul, No. 1217; Paul, No. 1347; Cruz, No. 1249; Lankford, No. 1232; and Lee, No. 1121; further, that 60 affirmative votes be required for the adoption of the following amendments: Cramer, No. 1241; Paul, No. 1217; Paul, No. 1347; Cruz, No. 1249; Lankford, No. 1232; and Lee, No. 1121; further, that upon disposition of the amendments listed above, the Senate vote on adoption of substitute amendment No. 1092, as amended, if amended, with a 60 affirmative vote threshold required for adoption; that the bill, as amended, if amended, be read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, with a 60 vote affirmative threshold required for passage; finally, that upon disposition of the bill, the Committee on Appropriations be discharged from further consideration and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 662, the Scott-Rubio substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, with a 60 affirmative vote threshold required for passage, without intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, yesterday, I joined with Senate colleagues for an all-Senators classified briefing on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

At the briefing, I asked Secretary Austin when he needs emergency funding for our ongoing efforts, and what he said was clear. He said: ``We need it,'' and in very strong terms, he said the word ``yesterday.'' The Israeli leaders we met over the weekend used the same exact word, ``yesterday.'' That means the Senate cannot wait, and we will not wait. We also talked about the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza at our briefing.

As was made clear yesterday, the intelligence community assesses that according to the current analysis and available intelligence, Israel is not to blame for the explosion of the hospital in Gaza. As was made clear yesterday--and I checked this, and I was allowed to say it from our intelligence community--the intelligence community assesses that according to the current analysis and available intelligence, Israel is not to blame for the explosion of the hospital in Gaza. Our intelligence believes it was an errant rocket from terrorists aligned with Hamas in Gaza.

Spreading inaccuracies, as Hamas so often does at painful times like this, is supremely risky and only endangers more human life. There is a lot of misinformation circulating in the chaos of this war, and it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that we don't fan the flames and increase tensions, particularly when we are relying on a very, very difficult issue from a source that is known to lie all the time.

We all know, of course, the loss of any innocent life is terrible. The loss of innocent Israeli life, Palestinian life, any innocent life. I saw the pictures of the children in the hospital. I feel very badly about it. We have to condemn that at every turn.

But when seeking the truth, it is imperative--utterly imperative-- that people don't merely take the first thing they hear and run with it, particularly when it comes from a group like Hamas, known to spread lie after lie after lie. We should not sprint to believe the word of organizations like Hamas, a terrorist group, while ignoring the facts and findings of our own intelligence.

That is why I was pleased President Biden made clear that our intelligence indicates terrorists in Gaza were responsible for this tragedy. I was also

glad to see that the President in Tel Aviv yesterday was on point: America will stand with Israel. America will help them defeat Hamas.

But he also said everyone must be deliberate at this moment, and we must unequivocally work to protect civilian life during conflict. That is a really tough job, particularly when Hamas puts hostages in the middle of civilian populations, rockets, military equipment in the middle of civilian populations and uses them as shields.

But even having said how difficult this is, Israel, being a democracy, has to live to a higher standard. And we made that point-- all of us--when we visited Israel, as much as we wanted the Israelis to know we stand by them and will give them the equipment that they need.

This morning, the Senate will pass a bipartisan resolution affirming that the Senate stands firmly with Israel and firmly against Hamas. Hopefully, the Senate will speak in one voice that Israel is our friend and that Hamas's attack is reprehensible and that we will stand with our friends to defend themselves.

Our resolution has overwhelming--nearly unanimous--support in the Senate on both sides. We are working with the few who have some problems to solve their problems so we can get this done.

By the end of the week, the President will send the Senate a supplemental request to provide Israel the military intelligence, diplomatic, and humanitarian aid it needs. When the Senate receives this request, we will spring into action and move it as soon as we can.

Secretary Austin was clear: They need these funds yesterday, especially right now as extremists have brought the House of Representatives to complete paralysis. The world needs to see a U.S. Senate united in action. Democrats and Republicans in this Chamber must send an unmistakable message that the work of legislating is not going to stop over here because of chaos in the other Chamber. And if we act with enough bipartisan strength, it is my hope that it could help the House snap out of its delirium and get back to the business of governing, not letting a small hard-right group simply tie the House in a knot because they are not getting their way. Every day counts immensely.

Mr. President, now, on a detained journalist. Unfortunately, yesterday, authorities detained a journalist with dual U.S.-Russian citizenship on specious charges of failing to register as a foreign agent. Alsu Kurmasheva is now the second American journalist detained by Russia this year after Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal was arrested in March.

We unequivocally condemn Russia's unjustifiable detention of Alsu Kurmasheva and of Evan Gershkovich, and we demand they be released immediately.

It is no secret that Russia has a long and disturbing history of unjustly detaining U.S. citizens, especially members of the free press. But let me be clear: Journalism is not a crime and should never be met with persecution, intimidation, and suppression.

America stands with Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, and their families.

Now on the minibus, over the course of this week, I have worked closely with Democratic and Republican appropriators to move forward on the bipartisan Senate appropriations process. We have made a lot of progress this week trying to reach an agreement on amendments. We are getting close to an agreement, but we are not there yet, so we will keep working today.

Here in the Senate, unlike the chaos of the House, most Members on both sides want to see bipartisanship because that is the only way things move forward in a divided government. And the Appropriations Committee, under the leadership of Chair Murray and Ranking Member Collins, have done a very good job passing out all the bills with overwhelming bipartisan majorities, many of them unanimously.

But there is one crucial point: When we came to agreement to move these bills, both sides committed to stopping poison pill amendments because that would risk ending the process. Sadly, a small group on the other side have tried adding poison pills, and we have been dealing with them over the last few weeks. I am optimistic that we will work through these poison pills and pass these bipartisan bills soon.

Democrats made a commitment to our Republican colleagues to pursue regular order as much as possible because we want to get these appropriations bills done. We have committed to having debates and votes on relevant, non-poison pill amendments. I think there are 39 or so lined up. But while we are getting close, the work is not done.

We are going to keep working today. If people want to know why it is moving slowly, it is because of Republican insistence on poison pill amendments. But that is not going to stop us. We are going to keep moving forward, and we are going to try to vote on amendments soon.

So, once again, thank you to the whole Appropriations Committee on both sides. I am optimistic we can get this done.

Finally on our wonderful Senate Historian. An old quote goes:

To study history means submitting yourself to chaos, but

nevertheless retaining your faith in order and meaning.

That is a great quote, very relevant today in this Congress. I don't imagine that the author of that line was thinking about the U.S. Senate, but I cannot think of a more apt description of the duties of the Senate Historian.

For the last 8 years, the Senate has been blessed with the wonderful erudite Historian, Betty Koed--only the third Historian ever and the first woman to hold the position.

Sadly, this week marks the end of Betty's remarkable tenure in the Senate, which dates back to her earliest days as Assistant Historian in 1998. So she began in the Senate Historical Office the same year I began running for the Senate. I didn't know her at that point, but I am sure glad I have gotten to know her now.

It is a great undertaking to chronicle the history of an institution so unique, so rich with significant events, so influential in the landscape of our Nation. But for the last 25 years, Betty has done that with the utmost professionalism, devotion, and a bit of a flair.

Every week, she gives us a little history lesson at our Tuesday lunches, and every Member looks forward to hearing what she has come up with, and it is amazing. We learn a lot, and we enjoy it.

As Senate Historian, Betty was tasked with the extraordinary responsibility to preserve, protect, and promote the history of the Senate and the multitudes of Members who served in this Chamber. She has not only been a student of Senate history but a teacher of it as well. Thanks to her work developing education programs and exhibits, generations of Americans will have the means to learn about the Senate and the U.S. Capitol.

I was proud to lead a resolution with Leader McConnell and all other 98 Senators commemorating Betty's decades of service and officially designating her--congratulations, Betty--as ``Historian Emerita'' of the United States Senate.

So on behalf of a grateful Senate, a grateful country, and a very grateful majority leader, I thank Betty for her service and wish her the best moving forward.

Congratulations, Historian Emerita.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 417, submitted earlier today; that at 1:45 p.m., the Senate vote on adoption of the resolution; that if the resolution is agreed to, the preamble be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table without intervening action or debate.