Floor Statements

Mr. President, if I may continue, I want to speak about a couple of judges that will be before us this week. We will be voting on a pair of highly qualified circuit court nominations.

Despite the ongoing Democratic government shutdown, the Senate Judiciary Committee remains hard at work. We are continuing to hold hearings. We are continuing to advance strong judicial nominees, like the two that I am about to alert my colleagues to.

The first is Joshua Dunlap, for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The second is Eric Tung for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Both will make fantastic circuit judges, and I urge my colleagues to vote for them.

As Maine Senator Collins detailed last week, Mr. Dunlap graduated first

in his class from the University of Notre Dame Law School and then served as a clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Since then, he has earned a stellar reputation as an appellate litigator, throughout his decade-and-a-half tenure in private practice of law.

Mr. Dunlap noted, during his confirmation hearing, that Mainers-- meaning residents of the State of Maine--I will start that quote over again:

Mainers are famously independent.

I am confident that we can expect no less from him as a fair and impartial judge. Indeed, Mr. Dunlap's career demonstrates that he is a thoughtful and sharp lawyer committed to the rule of law, and, in his own words, he believes ``the law should be available to all and applied fairly to every litigant.''

For these reasons, he has earned widespread support, including from his law school, his coclerks, and his law firm colleagues.

I am confident that Mr. Dunlap will make an outstanding judge on the First Circuit. I also trust he will take great pride in serving his State and our Nation.

President Trump and Senator Collins made an outstanding choice in Mr. Dunlap.

Eric Tung is another great selection. He completed his undergraduate degree at Yale and graduated with high honors at the University of Chicago Law School. He clerked for Justice Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court, and he also clerked for Justice Gorsuch, both during his tenure on the Tenth Circuit and upon Justice Gorsuch's elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Tung was a Bristow fellow in the Justice Department's Office of Solicitor General, where he worked on numerous cases before the Nation's highest Court.

During President Trump's first administration, he also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Central District of California. As a Federal prosecutor, Mr. Tung handled a broad array of criminal matters, including firearm offenses, drug trafficking, and fraud.

In recent years, Mr. Tung has focused on civil litigation and appeals in private practice. He was appointed by the chief justice of the California Supreme Court to serve as the sole civil appellate practitioner on the Appellate Indigent Defense Oversight Advisory Committee.

In every facet, Mr. Tung has been an outstanding appellate lawyer. Based on his stellar credentials and his stellar reputation, it is no surprise that his nomination is supported by his law firm colleagues and the various coclerks that he has worked with at the Tenth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Like Mr. Dunlap, I believe Mr. Tung will make a phenomenal judge and serve this Nation honorably and with distinction. I encourage my colleagues to support both of these fine circuit court nominees.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I would like to recognize a fellow University of Northern Iowa Panther, Carol Whitmore of Des Moines, IA. I recognize her for something more important than just being a fellow Panther. She was elected in August as the 117th national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars--VFW for short.

Now here is the significance of Carol's election: Carol is the first woman and the first Iowan to be elected as national commander of the VFW, and I had the pleasure of congratulating her in person during a meeting in my DC office here recently.

After enlisting in the Women's Army Corps in 1977, Carol served our Nation's military for 36 years. She was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a first sergeant for her unit and served as an army nurse, becoming highly decorated.

In recognition of her dedicated years of service, she has received several awards and recognitions, including the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star, six Army Commendation Medals, and the Army Achievement Medal.

In 2012, Carol joined the VFW at Post 9127 in Des Moines, IA, where she continues to serve her fellow veterans. Carol represents the best of Iowa and the best of our veterans.

Our veterans will be well served at the national level for advocacy and her commitment to service.

Besides commending her, I want to commend all the men and women who are now serving in the military and those who have served for protecting American's freedom and liberty.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, the Federal Government has a full lapse in funding and has for 30 days. This is not a new revelation.

I want to alert Senator Schumer to a grave concern I have. On November 1, 42 million Americans including 131,000 Iowa families will lose their food stamps. Food stamps cost 9 billion a month to administer.

I am calling on Senator Schumer to notify 42 million Americans that due to the Schumer Shutdown, their families won't be able to buy groceries with food stamps.

Let's wake up to the fact that Washington is an island surrounded by reality. Iowans in the Real America aren't glued to the TV. Iowans are living their lives, working hard, raising their families. Their world doesn't revolve around Congress. But guess what? Senate Democrats are taking away their food stamps as leverage for unrelated political demands.

Get the word out, Leader Schumer. Don't let Americans figure this out at the grocery store this weekend. That is unfair to the American people. Senate Republicans have voted 13 times to fulling fund government including food assistance. Fourty-four Senate Democrats have opposed fully funding government 13 times. Americans are suffering because Democrats are holding government hostage.

I can't understand why Senate Democrats want Americans to lose access to their food assistance, law enforcement to go unpaid, and air traffic controllers to call in sick for work.

I am begging Senator Schumer to return the government to the American people, as it is their government.

Mr. President, my colleagues may get tired of me braying about great things in Iowa, but I am here again to do that.

The University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital continues to set the standard for pediatric care in our State and our region.

In the 2025-2026 U.S. News and World Report, Iowa's Stead Family was ranked No. 1 in Iowa and No. 12 in the Midwest under a category called the Best Children's Hospitals ranking.

Stead Family Children's Hospital has appeared in rankings every year since the U.S. News and World Report launched these indexes in 2007. These rankings reflect more than numbers; they represent the hospital's commitment to high-quality, compassionate, and innovative care.

Stead is home to Iowa's only level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, offering the highest levels of critical and emergency care.

In 2020, Stead Family also earned the Gold Beacon Award for excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the world's largest specialty nursing organization.

This award recognizes hospital units that exemplify exceptional patient care, strong leadership, and a sustained commitment to safety and quality.

Achieving the gold-level designation reflects Stead Family's success in fostering an environment where collaboration, evidence-based practice, and compassionate care thrive.

The University of Iowa Health Care system has also maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023.

The Magnet Recognition Program is considered the gold standard for nursing quality. Fewer than 10 percent of hospitals in the United States have earned this distinction, and even fewer have achieved redesignation multiple times.

Each of these recognitions affirms what Iowans already know: Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital is a place of hope, healing, and leadership.

The future of children's health in Iowa is bright, thanks to the tireless work of everyone at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, October is National Audiology Awareness Month. It also happens to be the 3-year anniversary of the bipartisan Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act regulations going into effect. You see this on television now--advertisements for the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act. Before this legislation was passed, there was a whole bunch of redtape you had to go through to buy very expensive hearing aids. Now they are more affordable.

While it took too many years for the Food and Drug Administration to issue these regulations following my bipartisan 2017 law, I am glad Americans now have access to safe, effective, and affordable hearing aids over the counter.

While we have known for years that hearing loss is a major factor in a person getting dementia, it wasn't until recently that we found out that accessing hearing aids can decrease the risk of cognitive decline by nearly half.

For many, purchasing hearing aids presents many questions. That is why accessing audiology services can be helpful.

To access audiology services, like a diagnostic test, under Medicare, a physician's order is required. That requires more time and a great number of hoops to jump through. I want people to know that I support cutting this unnecessary redtape. That is why I partnered with my colleagues to introduce legislation called the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act. Our bill will let seniors access a full range of hearing health services provided by licensed audiologists without the redtape.

During Audiology Awareness Month, Americans should be aware that they can access hearing aids over the counter, and Congress is working hard to improve access to those audiology services.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today, I pay tribute to a tireless civic leader from northwest Iowa who led a remarkable life of service for more than a century, richly steeped in family, faith, and citizenship.

On this very day, my friend Vergene Donovan will be laid to final rest, joining her parents Harry and Minnie Bleeker, her husband Ed, both siblings, and her eldest son who preceded her in life everlasting.

Vergene Edna Bleeker was born on March 4, 1924, on her parents' farm near Spencer, IA. For the next 101 years, this outstanding Iowan pursued life with vim and vigor to make her community and our country a better place. Her birth during a late winter blizzard forecasted a gritty resilience that shaped her decades-long devotion to community service and tenacity to overcome adversity. The loss of her father during childhood shaped her tireless work ethic that she put to extraordinary use on the campaign trail for Presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and local candidates for more than eight decades.

She met Edward Donovan, the love of her life, while working at a defense plant in California during World War II. It was love at first sight for these two Iowa lovebirds from Spencer and Spirit Lake. After getting married, they returned home to Iowa and celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on August 24, 2017.

Five months after their wedding day, Ed joined the U.S. Armed Forces and served as a staff sergeant 8th Air Force--European Theater of Operations. He loaded eight missions on D-day. After the war, the Donovans settled down in Spirit Lake and raised a loving family rooted in their Lutheran faith. As an empty nester, Vergene's work ethic and special talents jumped into warp speed. She immersed herself into civic life, getting involved in numerous local boards and committees in Iowa's Great Lakes, from the arts to healthcare and politics. She was a charter member of the Lakes Art Center and served on the Okoboji Summer Theatre, Voluntary Action Center, Spirit Lake Centennial, Homestead Retirement, St. Luke's Lutheran Home, the local and State boards of the American Cancer Society, the Lakes Regional Hospital auxiliary board, Lutheran Women's Mission League, and White House Conference on Families, to name a few.

Vergene blazed a bright trail in grassroots politics and served in various leadership roles at the county and district levels. Serving as district and State board member of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, Vergene edited its newsletter The Iowa Indicator. She donated these and other personal papers to the University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa Women's Archives.

By the grace of God, I crossed paths with Vergene in 1980, during my first campaign for the U.S. Senate. From that day forward, she was a loyal and indefatigable grassroots leader who became a trusted friend to Barbara and me. She served as my county chair in each of my eight campaigns for U.S. Senate.

While her political resume speaks volumes, her humility and generosity defined her approach to servant leadership. Over the course of countless campaigns, she met nine U.S. Presidents, including Eisenhower, Carter, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Trump and befriended three Iowa Governors: Bob Ray, Terry Branstad, and Kim Reynolds.

Vergene received numerous awards for her life of service, including the State and national Outstanding American Cancer Society Award, 1985 and 1986; Outstanding National Volunteer Award, 1986; Harold Morgan Award, 1985; John McDonald Outstanding Republican in Iowa Award, 1995; honorary colonel in the Iowa Militia; and Republican Service Award in Dickinson County, 2002.

Vergene also was listed in Who's Who in American Politics, 18th Edition. That is an understatement. Candidates wanting to win election in northwest Iowa quickly figured out their campaign needed to have Vergene on speed dial if they wanted a successful turnout for events and votes in her neck of the woods.

Although her passion for politics contributed to her vitality and broadened her horizons across northwest Iowa, as well as the State and national political stage, Vergene's love for family, friends, and the Lord are her true legacy. From her treasured classmates of the Spencer High School Class of 1941 to her cherished book and bridge club members, Vergene's charismatic friendship and generosity will be deeply missed.

Each time I was in Vergene's company, she would greet me with a glowing grin and a big hug. We enjoyed many evenings together on the lakes of Dickinson County. Barbara and I are grateful for our decades of friendship with Vergene and Ed and send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones, including her surviving children Jim, DeEtte, and Scott and her beloved 17 grandchildren, 22 great- grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren.

May her memory be a blessing. I have no doubt the members of her family tree will carry forward the seeds of civic stewardship planted by their matriarch and embrace Vergene's devotion to her faith.

To my dear friend, may you rest in peace in the Eternal grace of our Lord and Savior.

Mr. President, I want to thank Chaplain Black for his reminding all of us about the government shutdown and how irregular it is and how we aren't helping people that government would normally be helping.

Today, we will vote on Ms. Rebecca Taibleson, the nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, so I want to take a few minutes to express my support for her nomination.

Ms. Taibleson is highly qualified. She will be serving on the Seventh Circuit. Her resume speaks for itself. She attended top schools and demonstrated academic excellence. She clerked for two Supreme Court Justices--Justice Scalia and now-Justice Kavanaugh when he was on the DC Circuit.

She has extensive experience in both private practice and public service. She has been a Federal prosecutor for nearly a decade and currently serves as appellate chief for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. As a prosecutor, she protected her community from violent criminals and the scourge of narcotics. She is also a member of the Attorney General's Review Committee on Capital Cases.

During the first Trump administration, she worked on detail in the Solicitor General's Office. She drafted numerous briefs and presented oral argument to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her former colleagues in the Justice Department wrote to the Judiciary Committee, commending Ms. Taibleson for tackling some of the most difficult legal questions facing the country and doing so with very thoughtful leadership.

Most importantly, Ms. Taibleson has consistently demonstrated her steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law, even at personal cost. Two moments in her career particularly illustrate her willingness to take positions even at personal cost.

In 2018, she spoke publicly in defense of Justice Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. She chose to stand up and to speak the truth even though she knew that she would become embroiled in that public spectacle that the Kavanaugh nomination brought to the country. Ms. Taibleson's voice during that testimony was courageous and very instrumental in Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation.

The same dedication to the rule of law was evident during her time in the Solicitor General's Office. She raised her hand to handle complex and important cases on behalf of the United States without regard to political pressure or personal benefit. Standing up for the rule of law without fear or favor is exactly what we should want to see in our Federal judges. I see those attributes in Ms. Taibleson.

Ms. Taibleson will make an outstanding judge, and I know she will

serve the people of Wisconsin and the Seventh Circuit with distinction. President Trump made an excellent selection for this seat, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination.

I yield the floor.

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

Madam President, I come to the Senate today to address my recent oversight relating to our Nation's Federal courts and to share some of my recent findings.

This month, I sent letters to a pair of Federal judges regarding their suspected use of artificial intelligence in published court orders. The two judges issued orders that were wrought with serious, inexplicable errors that were of great concern to the litigants, to the public, and to me.

One judge, sitting in the southern district of Mississippi, issued an order that named plaintiffs and defendants who were not even a party to the case. It misquoted statutory text. It erroneously cited evidence that didn't exist in the record, and it referred to sworn declarations by people who had not appeared anywhere in the case.

I have never seen or heard of anything like this from any Federal court. The other judge sitting in the district of New Jersey issued an order with fake quotes and misstatements about case law. The order even falsely attributed quotations to the defendants that apparently were never made, errors like I just described are unfathomable.

Both judges' errors are obviously reckless and unacceptable, but, in fact, it gets worse. When these flagrant mistakes were brought to the courts' attention by counsel in the cases, both judges attempted to minimize their faults. One even referred to the errors as ``clerical.''

Both judges removed their orders from the docket and the public record without even any explanation. This lack of transparency is breathtaking, and the judges' refusal to accept responsibility for their actions eroded public confidence in the competency and fairness of the Federal judiciary.

When litigants or their attorneys misuse artificial intelligence like this and file sloppy briefs with incorrect citations and falsehoods, they are rightly held accountable.

Just recently, we have seen attorneys sanctioned, attorneys fined, removed from their cases, and even referred for professional discipline and disbarment for this kind of conduct.

Well, that is how attorneys are handling it when they misuse or do the wrong thing. In fact, in a case assigned to one of these judges, a magistrate judge publicly chastised a counsel for using artificial intelligence in a brief.

Now, apparently some judges think accountability runs only one way, but we all know they are wrong. As the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently explained, ``The use of AI or other technology does not excuse carelessness or failure to follow professional standards.''

That is true for every officer of a Federal court, attorney, and judge alike.

Now, to their credit, finally, these two judges responded to my letters and explained that they are taking measures to ensure that these incidents never happen again.

Each acknowledges that the errors in their orders arose from the misuse of

artificial intelligence by staff in their Chambers. One judge blamed a law student intern and the other blamed a law clerk for generating the errors. This helps explain how it happened, but ultimately how it happened that way does not matter.

A lawyer can't excuse an error-ridden brief by blaming a paralegal or junior associate, attorneys' names go on their filings, just as judges' names go on their orders. The judges issue orders in their own name that determine the rights of the parties before them.

The buck stops at the judges. It is bad enough that the Federal court order could misstate or pervert the law to the degree that we saw it in these two judges, but I am concerned that these now-public blunders arose in cases represented by sophisticated parties who had the resources and the legal talent to push back and make sure that their clients got justice.

So at the same time, through these errors that I have pointed out, we have to fear that people without resources--that if the same thing happened to an indigent party or a pro se litigant--the truth may never have come to light. I cannot and will not stand for that. All litigants are owed a fair shake in the court.

Our Federal courts must hold themselves to the highest of standards. Our Constitution depends on it. Justice requires it. Americans deserve better from their judges.

Now, to be clear, I appreciate these two judges finally accepting responsibility for what went on in their jurisdiction, and I believe them when they say that they are deploying measures to prevent the same mistakes from happening again. But this should be a lesson, not just for these two judges but for the entire bench and the bar.

Artificial intelligence is a powerful and potentially dangerous resource. Although it may have some role in preliminary legal research, it cannot and must not be a substitute for legal judgment.

The Senate confirms Federal judges. We don't confirm computer software to perform the duties mandated under article III.

As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am committed to safeguarding litigants' rights and ensuring that every party in Federal court receives fair treatment and careful review by article III judges.

I call on every judge in America to take this issue seriously and formalize measures to prevent the misuse of artificial intelligence in their chambers.

I also call upon the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and also the Judicial Conference to quickly develop decisive and meaningful guidance on the use of artificial intelligence by our judiciary.

In the wake of my oversight, Judge Cronan, in the Southern District of New York, implemented a rule in his courtroom to ensure the accuracy of filings. He requires attorneys to disclose any artificial intelligence use and to certify that he or she ``personally reviewed the filings for accuracy.'' I applaud him for taking this issue seriously, and I encourage other members of the bench to consider similar rules and to hold themselves to the same standard as they require of litigants in the court.

I am hopeful that these two unfortunate episodes by the two judges that I referred to will serve as a wake-up call across the Federal judiciary. But if it isn't, I am here today to give a warning: I am watching. All of Congress is now watching. If this issue doesn't get fixed by the judiciary, we will step in to protect the rights of the American litigants using powers available to Congress under the Constitution.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, on behalf of the majority leader of the Senate, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 168, H.R. 5371.

Mr. President, first of all, I want to compliment the Chaplain on each one of his prayers this week. He has made very important in his prayers the importance of opening up the government and ending the Schumer shutdown.

I come to the floor today to speak about the Department of Health and Human Services inspectors general routinely issuing recommendations to improve the operation of healthcare programs and to produce savings for the taxpayers.

Until this year, two very important and top HHS inspectors general recommendations were unaddressed, and they should have been addressed because these are egregious wastes of taxpayers' moneys. No. 1, the report says we should stop duplicative enrollment on two or more State Medicaid Programs of individuals and, second, stopping Medicaid payments for enrollees who have passed away.

The tax bill signed by President Trump July 4 puts an end to this fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid Program. That legislation establishes solutions to stop duplicative enrollments and sending payments out for deceased enrollees and providers. Once implemented, I hope that these recommendations of the inspectors general are satisfied.

Let me give some examples of reasons why these reforms are necessary. In July, the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services found 2.8 million Americans were enrolled in two or more Medicaid or Federal marketplace plans.

It is quite obvious that any enrollee only needs one insurance plan for Medicaid--not both--to satisfy their healthcare options.

Is this duplicative enrollment a new discovery? No. Previously, the HHS inspector general has found that nearly all States have paid managed care insurance companies for enrollees who were enrolled in two different State Medicaid Programs.

In another example, in August, a Louisiana Medicaid Program audit

found that $9.6 million were paid out for deceased enrollees in that Medicaid Program.

In other words, showing how stupid it is to pay for healthcare for people who have died. Now, do you happen to think that Louisiana is an isolated incident? It is not an isolated incident. In the past decade, the HHS inspector general has uncovered similar fraudulent payments paid out for deceased enrollees in at least 17 States.

In addition, State Medicaid Programs have been uncovering fraud but, at the same time, failing to return the correct refund to the Federal Government.

Last year, four States were fined by the HHS inspector general for failing to report and return Federal Medicaid overpayments. Using the resources established in the 2025 tax bill, we will put a stop to this and save taxpayers over $24 billion over 10 years.

While this action might seem like common sense, you have heard me say so often that Washington, DC, is an island surrounded by reality. But now duplicative enrollment payments for deceased enrollees and failing to return Federal money correctly is a stiff to the taxpayers every time it happens.

With these savings, we can protect Medicaid resources for the reason that Medicaid was set up, to help vulnerable Americans like the disabled, like the elderly, like pregnant women, like children, and many more groups of people you can name.

So common sense will now prevail as a result of the changes that the Congress has made in that 2025 tax bill that Congress passed and the President signed on July 4.

I yield the floor.

Recognition of the Majority Leader

Mr. President, I have a short article that I want to put in the Record, and I want to describe it before I ask permission.

In a column published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, October 13, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorganChase, called out the need for investment in national security. He mentions many areas that have been talked about a lot in Washington, like securing supply chains for critical materials like rare earth elements, ramping up defense modernization and innovation, energy independence and resilience, and accelerating advancements in strategic technologies.

The problem is that in Washington here and particularly in the Congress, it has been mostly just talk.

As a private sector leader, Jamie Dimon is putting his money where his mouth is. Congress ought to take note and follow his lead.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Wall Street Journal article by Jamie Dimon, ``Investments for National Security,'' be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. October is the month that we bring attention to the plight of those who have had breast cancer and educate others on the importance of early detection.

My wife Barbara is a 38-year breast cancer survivor. We are fortunate that her breast cancer was detected very early. We know with certainty that early detection can dramatically increase a woman's chance of defeating breast cancer.

A regular mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer early. As screening and treatment have improved, we have also learned more about the accuracy of mammogram tests. However, if you have what is called dense breast tissue, it can make it harder for the radiologist reading the mammogram to see the breast cancer. So last year, the Food and Drug Administration started requiring that all mammogram reports sent to patients must include breast density, which should be described as either ``not dense'' or ``dense.''

If someone is notified that they have dense breasts, they should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss the next steps, as an MRI or ultrasound may be recommended to confirm the mammogram reading.

This new yet simple requirement by the Food and Drug Administration will better inform patients and help them advocate for themselves.

Early detection was critical for my wife. Today, patients will be better informed when they do get checked. As my wife often says: Just keep on getting checked.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum calls with respect to the Moe and Mercer nominations be waived.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, since 1993, Congress has adopted a resolution to recognize this third week of October as National Character Counts Week, and, of course, we are in that week right now.

As Iowa's senior U.S. Senator, I am proud to sponsor the resolution and share that the global headquarters for the Character Counts organization is located in my home State. The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center is located at Drake University.

By the way, Bob Ray was Iowa's Governor for 14 years. So the location in Des Moines makes perfect sense to me because Iowa's values align with the six pillars of character promoted by the national Character Counts organization. These include trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Throughout my public service, I have strived to improve civic engagement and bridge divisions through respectful dialogue. Part of that effort includes my annual 99 county meetings, where I meet with Iowans face to face. No topic is off limit, and Iowans set the agenda.

Each year, the Drake University Ray Center celebrates ``Iowa Character Awards'' to recognize those who embody civic values. The people of Spencer, IA, will receive the ``Community Character Award'' of 2025 in recognition of their efforts to recover from devastating floods the summer of last year.

Like the courageous first responders from 9/11, emergency response teams from across Northwest Iowa pitched in to help the people of Spencer. They didn't stop to consider creed, race, gender, or political affiliation. They were only concerned about those who had the needs caused by the devastating flood. So they simply rolled up their sleeves, and they simply pulled together, neighbors helping neighbors. And, of course, that is the Iowa way.

History tells us how important it is for elected leaders to govern by virtue. At the Virginia ratifying convention, debating whether or not Virginia should ratify the new Constitution, James Madison said:

``To suppose that any form of government will secure

liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a

chimerical idea.''

The American people who elected us are counting on us to live by those standards. National Character Counts Week is a good time to do what is right.

I yield the floor.