Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 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.

Madam President, I have two 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, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 926, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to and 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 Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 505, S. 4776.

I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Sanders substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.

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

I ask unanimous consent 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 Calendar No. 557, H.R. 3254.

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 Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6829 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Now, Mr. President, I have great, great, and wonderful news. Just now, after so much work, we have finally reached the end zone and are sending the HEARTS Act to the President's desk. We scored a touchdown for America's children. Today, the Senate unanimously passed the HEARTS Act, and with it, we are giving schools across America the tools they need to save lives.

Just yesterday, I was in Buffalo, NY, at Cheektowaga High School with Damar Hamlin and members of the community for this very cause: making sure that every school has AEDs and the ability to teach CPR.

Damar Hamlin's story is a powerful reminder that in a cardiac emergency, every minute counts. He learned that when he had his cardiac arrest on the football field, and all Americans learn that all the time. It is especially true when it comes to our children.

Over the past few months, Damar and I have worked tirelessly on the HEARTS Act so we can increase funding for schools to purchase more AEDs and ensure students and staff know how to use them. Many Members in both Chambers have likewise worked relentlessly on this bill. It is a bipartisan bill, it is a commonsense bill, and most importantly, it is a lifesaving bill.

Mr. President, this bill will save lives. When our young athletes have a cardiac arrest or need some other form of CPR, there will be the AED equipment at the school, and there will be trained personnel who know how to apply the AEDs and CPR. It is going to save lives. It is a beautiful thing.

I have to salute Damar Hamlin. After his bout with cardiac arrest, he went forward and said: I have to change this and get the AEDs available to everybody. He came and visited me in Washington. I said: I want to help. And together, we have been a great team.

I told Damar that passing this legislation, which has just happened, is his first Super Bowl ring; winning the Super Bowl, which I believe the Bills will do, will be his second Super Bowl ring.

With the passage of the HEARTS Act, we are putting AEDs within the reach of more schools and children. Studies show that schools with AEDs and CPR-trained staff are seven times--seven times--more likely to save a life during a cardiac emergency. That statistic is now a promise we are making to every parent, every teacher, every student in America, that they will have the resources they need.

I want to thank Damar Hamlin for his courage, his partnership, his dedication. He is both a strong man and a humble and modest man, a beautiful person. I count him as a friend. He turned a personal tragedy into a mission to save others. Again and again, Damar would tell me ``Let's make history'' on this bill, and today, history is being made.

I would like to thank the NFL for their support. I would like to thank the Buffalo Bills for their support. I would like to thank all of those who worked to make this possible. To every colleague here in this Chamber who helped get this bill across the finish line and to the staff who worked so hard on this bill, especially Gunnar Haberl, a proud member of the Bills Mafia--and we went to Cheektowaga High School. His father is a PE teacher there, and I met him yesterday as well. I can tell you, Mr. Haberl is so proud of what Gunnar has done. He is right here. Not Mr. Haberl--Gunnar. Gunnar, as I said, is a proud member of the Bills Mafia, who doggedly worked on this piece of legislation.

So today is a good day. Because of the HEARTS Act, more lives will be saved, more families will be whole, and more communities will be prepared.

And, of course, go Bills--on to the second Super Bowl ring for Damar.

Now, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1097 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Committee on Finance be further discharged from consideration of H.R. 3797 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3801 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6960 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 7872, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Con Res. 43.

I ask unanimous consent the concurrent resolution be agreed to; that the Carper amendment at the desk to the preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 836.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consideration of S. Res. 924, which is at the desk.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 925, which is at the desk.

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