Floor Statements

Madam President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 61.

Madam President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion filed today, March 6, be waived.

Madam President, so, this Thursday, President Biden will release the third budget proposal of his Presidency, one of the most important chances all year to emphasize the contrast between Democrats' and Republicans' vision for the country.

When Americans see President Biden's budget proposal and compare it to the nasty plans coming from Republicans, the contrast will be glaring and unmistakable.

First, President Biden's budget will focus on creating opportunity for average Americans. He will keep his promise not to raise taxes for anyone making less than $400,000 a year. He will show how Democrats will keep Medicare solvent for another two decades. And he will lay out a plan--a realistic, serious plan--for lowering the deficit by $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

Republicans love to talk about cutting the deficit, but Democrats have actually done it. The Inflation Reduction Act lowered the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars, and we cut the deficit while also cutting prescription drug costs and expanding tax credits for millions of middle-class families.

Now, compare President Biden's budget to the nasty vision laid out by our Republican friends. While the President's budget will keep taxes and costs low for the vast majority of families, Republicans went on record wanting to raise taxes by 30 percent for millions of Americans through their recent national sales tax proposal.

While the President promised no new taxes for people making under $400,000, the very first bill House Republicans passed helped rich tax cheats get away with paying little or nothing in taxes. And while President Biden and Democrats have been clear that Social Security and Medicare are not on the table, Republicans have proposed raising the retirement age and privatizing certain elements of Medicare. The result: fewer benefits for retirees, higher premiums for Medicare beneficiaries.

We cannot overlook the threat Republicans also pose to Medicaid, which tens of millions of middle-class Americans rely on to ease the burden of paying for nursing homes and assisted living. Democrats want to preserve and strengthen Medicaid, but Republican proposals would cut Medicaid by $2.2 trillion and end coverage for millions of Americans. That average middle-class family--let's say they are 40, 50 years old, and they are worried about paying for the kids' college, but they also have a parent in a nursing home. Right now, Medicaid would pay for it if the parent doesn't have the resources. With these cuts, that burden will fall on tens of millions of American families in the prime of life.

Finally, the President will make clear that in order to strengthen Social Security and Medicare and to lower the deficit responsibly, the ultrarich must pay their fair share. There is no--no--conceivable scenario where wealthy CEOs should ever pay a lower rate than nurses and teachers and firefighters, but that is precisely how Republicans preferred it when they cut taxes for the ultrarich under Donald Trump.

It is as if Republicans care more about making sure the rich stay rich than they do about building ladders to the middle class, than they do about keeping middle-class people in that position.

Now, when President Biden called out Republicans for targeting Social Security and Medicare, they erupted with feigned outrage during his State of the Union. But, to this day, Speaker McCarthy and House Republican leadership have failed to present their own plan to the American people.

Speaker McCarthy, it is now March 6. Where is your plan? Speaker McCarthy, where is your plan? The President is about to release his budget. Are you going to release yours anytime soon? Enough with the dodging. Enough with the excuses. Show us your plan, and then show us how it is going to get 218 votes on your side of the aisle.

Americans deserve to see for themselves what Democrats and Republicans propose for the future of the country. Republicans should come clean with the American people about what cuts they are pushing and explain how those cuts will cause unnecessary pain for millions of Americans across the country.

Madam President, now on rail safety, it is a busy time for the Senate, as we get to the bottom of what went wrong last month in East Palestine.

Last week, my colleagues Senator Brown, a Democrat, and Senator Vance, a Republican, introduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023. I promise to work with them and with colleagues on both sides to push this bill forward.

This Thursday, the Environment and Public Works Committee, under the able leadership of Chairman Carper, will also hear from Norfolk Southern's CEO Alan Shaw. I expect a candid, honest, clear-eyed discussion about how we can prevent another East Palestine in the future. And while I am glad that Norfolk Southern's CEO is testifying, we cannot have an open debate, an honest debate, in Congress about rail safety unless Republicans acknowledge how they spent years opposing safety rules intended to prevent accidents similar to the one in Ohio.

The story of rail safety deregulation over the last decade has been a disturbing tale of Republicans placing profits over people and currying favor with the rail lobby, all at the expense of workers' and families' safety.

As far back as the Obama administration, Republicans pushed numerous bills to weaken environmental standards, delay safety upgrades, and even prohibit--prohibit--Federal funding for Amtrak.

Under President Trump's watch, it became easier to transport flammable liquids and hazardous materials without proper oversight. Under President Trump's watch, it also became easier to cut back on staffing requirements while operating a train. And it was the Trump administration that killed proposals to expand electronic brake requirements across the industry. The reason for that delay? The Trump administration thought it was ``not economically justified.''

You can't come up with a better slogan for Republicans' attitude toward rail safety than this: not economically

justified. Imagine the message that sends to small towns across America like East Palestine, with rail lines running right through them.

I want to be clear. A full investigation into the cause of the East Palestine derailment must be complete before we know the specifics behind the accident, but it doesn't take an expert to see that, if you spend years trying to cut back safety regulations, if you spend years doing the bidding of the rail lobby, then, in the long run, communities like East Palestine are at greater risk of accidents--and so are so many of my communities in upstate New York, where two of the major national rail lines run through the State, one across the center of the State near where the Erie Canal ran, going through Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, and down the Hudson River; and the other across the southern tier.

In fact, now, this weekend, we saw yet another Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio, near Springfield. Thank God, nobody was hurt.

So I look forward to hearing from Norfolk Southern's CEO this week. I look forward to working with both sides to increase rail safety through legislation. But Republicans need to acknowledge that accidents like the one in East Palestine don't happen out of the blue. They become more likely when maximizing profits is crowned king above everything else, even above people's safety.

Madam President, on the IRS Commissioner, today I filed cloture on the nomination of Daniel Werfel to serve as Commissioner for the IRS.

For the information of all Senators, this will set up the first procedural vote on this nominee as early as Wednesday.

Mr. Werfel was reported out of the committee with bipartisan support, and it should be no different on the Senate floor. Confirming someone as qualified as Mr. Werfel as IRS Commissioner is crucial to making sure Americans take full advantage of all the tax credits we approved last year through legislation like the CHIPS and Science bill. It is also crucial for deploying resources we approved to go after rich cheats and ensure middle-class families are not needlessly audited while those at the top get by scot-free.

The Senate has a responsibility to make sure the IRS is fully staffed to handle its enormous workload--all the more important this year because of the new tax credits we approved through bills like CHIPS and Science last Congress.

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

I understand there is a bill at the desk due for a second reading.

In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceeding.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 7; 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 following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Ballou nomination postcloture; further, that all postcloture time on the Ballou nomination be considered expired at 11:30 a.m. and that the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination; that the Senate recess following the cloture vote on the Schopler nomination until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that if cloture has been invoked, at 2:15 p.m., the Senate vote on confirmation of the Schopler nomination, and if cloture has been invoked on the Subramanian nomination, the confirmation vote be at 4:30 p.m.; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

Madam 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.

Mr. President, before I get into my remarks this morning, I want to offer my thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the four-alarm fire on Main Street in Buffalo, NY, yesterday, and I want to especially offer my condolences to the Buffalo Fire Department, which lost one of its firefighters, Jason Arno, in the line of duty during this horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well.

I want to thank all of the first responders who were on the scene. We are profoundly grateful for all you do to keep us safe every day.

Mr. President, now on the President's visit to our caucus lunch this afternoon, later today, Senate Democrats will welcome President Biden to the Capitol for a special caucus lunch to talk about our agenda for the 118th Congress.

I predict that today's conversation will reemphasize a couple of important points. Unlike the other party, Democrats are united. We have a great story to tell about our work over the last 2 years, and we are ready to keep working in a bipartisan way to make life better for the American people.

If the last 2 years focused on getting our agenda passed into law, one of the focuses of our lunch will be on how the next 2 years will be about implementing that agenda. Legislation must and will continue, but implementation will also be a top priority.

Democrats are making sure that Americans see our agenda--see our agenda in their own backyards, on their way to work, and when they balance their checkbooks. Americans will see our agenda as the roads and bridges and highways they use every day finally get the fixes that are so needed, and Americans will see our agenda in

action as manufacturing--good-paying manufacturing jobs, high-end jobs--returns to our shore, as new innovations get developed here at home.

We will also talk with President Biden about one of the most important priorities that defines our party: building ladders to help people get into the middle class and helping people who are already in the middle class stay there.

We will continue protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from the hard right. We will keep investing in infrastructure jobs and good-paying union jobs, and we will hold abusive corporations accountable for putting profits over people's safety.

We are also going to make sure that, once people make it into the middle class, they have the tools to stay in the middle class. That was precisely the reasoning behind our work on IRA, on CHIPS and Science, on pushing for student debt relief and increasing Pell grants, and so much more.

I expect we will also discuss how we will keep Americans safe and keep democracy alive in the 21st century. One year into Putin's violent assault on Ukraine, the support for Ukraine will hold firm, and that, praise God, has been very bipartisan. Leader McConnell and I are united in that regard.

So we will focus on taking an all-of-above approach to outcompete President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party. CHIPS was an important step in that direction, but we cannot relent. The administration has already taken a few Executive actions that will increase our ability to bring jobs back here and prevent the Chinese from purloining our intellectual property. But we certainly cannot rest on our laurels.

Finally, and very importantly, we are going to talk about how Democrats will preserve our unity in the months ahead. The story here in Congress over the first few months of 2023 has been one of contrasts. Democrats are united on helping average Americans, while Republicans are divided, paralyzed by chaos, and so many of them doing the bidding of the ultrarich and the very well connected and powerful.

Republicans like to talk about standing up for average folks and fighting ``wokeism''--whatever that means--but look at what they have actually done this year. They have given cover to wealthy tax cheats, escalated their war on women, even tried to push a national sales tax that would raise taxes significantly--up to 30 percent--for average families.

How the heck is an average family going to pay 30 percent more for everything they buy? What planet are these folks on?

Nowhere else is the contrast between Democrats and Republicans more glaring than when it comes to raising the debt ceiling. President Biden and Senate and House Democrats have been clear from the very beginning that we are united on what our plan is: Both sides must come together and raise the debt ceiling without engaging in hostage-taking, brinksmanship, or political blackmail.

Speaker McCarthy, however, is unable to unite his conference or explain what exactly the Republican plan is. The hard right is demanding that we agree to spending cuts in exchange for their votes. But to this day, there is no consensus and no clarity about what cuts Republicans want.

Speaker McCarthy, it is March 2. Where is your plan? It is March 2, Speaker McCarthy. You have been talking about a plan for a while. Where is it? Where is your plan?

You say Social Security and Medicare is off the table. But until the American people see a plan, they cannot just take the Speaker at his word that Social Security and Medicare will be safe, because so many on his right flank--so many mainstream Republican Members even--have long pushed to have these programs changed.

And there is more that Americans have to worry about. What is the Republican plan on Medicaid or funding the police, on Pell grants, on defense, on food for kids? Will all of these things get cut from their plan?

Again, this goes back to the central problem with the Republican House majority. It will be exceedingly difficult and, in all likelihood, impossible for them to unite around a plan that they can pass with their 220-some-odd votes and that the American people will accept and like.

This contrast is going to keep growing and growing in the months ahead. During today's lunch, we will talk with the President about how we can make sure Americans see and understand the contrast. I thank President Biden for his time, and I very much look forward to having him here at our Capitol.

Mr. President, now on insulin, yesterday's news that Eli Lilly is capping insulin for patients at $35 a month is a very big deal. That will make an enormous difference for the millions of Americans that rely on this drug to manage their diabetes.

I commend Eli Lilly for taking this much needed step, but, frankly, this should have happened a long time ago. There is no excuse for monthly insulin costing $600, $700, $800 a month and people quaking in their boots about whether they can take half the dose, a quarter of the dose, no dose at all and getting even sicker. So we are happy to see that this company ends its terrible practice of keeping insulin prices high, and they deserve commendation.

It does bring up a few other points.

First, Eli Lilly's announcement is good progress, but still not close to enough. There is no substitute for legislation, such as the legislation you have been offering, Mr. President, Senator Warnock. There is no substitute for legislation that locks down a mandatory and permanent cap on insulin for all Americans, not just those who get insulin from certain companies.

Second, lowering insulin costs is a good policy that everyone on both sides should get behind. This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It is something that affects people in every city in every State.

And, third, now is the time to finish the job and pass a bill to put a $35 cap on insulin for all Americans.

Last year, we Democrats made good progress in the Inflation Reduction Act to lower insulin to $35 for seniors on Medicare. It is my hope--it is my hope--to soon bring a bipartisan bill to lower prescription drug costs and cap insulin costs at $35 for everyone--for everyone--to the floor and pass it with support from both sides of the aisle.

Let's get this done. It is so important for the American people. We Democrats are going to do all we can to get it done, hopefully, in a bipartisan way.

Mr. President, finally, on FOX News--there is a lot to talk about this morning. Earlier this week, we learned that Rupert Murdoch admitted during a deposition that he and FOX News executives knowingly--knowingly--broadcasted the Big Lie on their network despite many of them knowing it was completely bogus. When asked if he could have stepped in to stop it, Mr. Murdoch claimed that he could have but chose not to, and he expressed regret for not doing so.

With all due respect, expressing regret is not enough. I repeat, expressing regret on an issue so vital to the future of our democracy is just not enough. What Rupert Murdoch and FOX News executives and hosts have done is dangerous. When people doubt that elections are on the level, that is the beginning of the end of this wonderful democracy. Elections are our wellspring. When people don't believe they are legit, democracy starts flying out the window and some other form of autocracy comes in. We are not there yet, but FOX News and its commentators who have lied have helped sow some evil seeds in our body politic.

The wellspring of democracy is elections, and it is why this wonderful, great experiment has endured for so long. When conspiracy theories like the Big Lie are allowed to grow, when they are given a prime time spot on cable news--well, we all saw what could happen on January 6.

That is why I wrote a letter with Leader Jeffries to Mr. Murdoch this week, demanding that he should do what he should have done a long time ago: First, stop spreading lies about the election; second, stop sowing division; third, stop weakening faith in our democracy; and fourth, stop the commentators who continue to repeat the Big Lie even after so many at FOX, including Mr. Murdoch, admitted it was a lie, admitted they regretted it happened. Stop them from doing it.

Again, expressing regret is simply not enough.

In the light of mounting evidence that FOX News knowingly misled their

viewers, it is alarming, it is disturbing, and it is highly inappropriate for Speaker McCarthy to share highly sensitive security camera footage of the January 6 attack with Tucker Carlson, one of the biggest peddlers of the Big Lie, one of the people who have done more to destroy faith in this democracy than just about anyone else.

Releasing this footage publicly reveals the location of security cameras across the Capitol grounds, making it harder and more dangerous for our brave Capitol Police officers who defended the Capitol that day to do their job. Giving someone as disingenuous, fundamentally dishonest as Tucker Carlson when it comes to what happened in the election--giving him exclusive access to this type of sensitive information is a grave mistake--a grave mistake--by Speaker McCarthy and feeds into the propaganda he has already put on FOX News's air.

I yield the floor.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent.