Floor Statements

Mr. President, this month of March known as--now, get this--Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism Awareness Month; or, for a short version of it, all of this is also known as blood clots.

Last year, the Senate passed my bipartisan resolution to recognize this issue. I am once again seeking to pass my bipartisan resolution this year.

So you might ask: What is the big deal? Well, sadly, blood clots are still among the leading causes of preventable hospital deaths each year.

Americans who live with the increased risk of blood clots include patients with cancer or just because you are an older American or surgery patients and pregnant women.

Now, there are preventable measures all Americans can take to prevent blood clots. This includes knowing your risks, the signs, and the symptoms of blood clots. You can get more information by going to stoptheclot.org or talk to your local healthcare provider.

A simple way to prevent blood clots is to get up and move if you have been sitting or traveling for a long period of time.

I encourage all Americans to spread the word about the risk of blood clots and how you can prevent them and save your own life.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, today, we are voting on Colin McDonald. He is nominated to serve as Assistant Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney General over the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division.

Historically, the President and the Attorney General have organized the Justice Department to address the pressing needs that face our Nation, and I commend President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for doing so now--right now--to address the ongoing crisis of Federal program fraud.

You think about the ongoing crisis of Federal program fraud--think Minnesota; think Medicaid fraud.

Republicans and Democrats can and should agree that fighting fraud, particularly fraud on the American taxpayer, is important work, and that is true now more than ever.

The Judiciary Committee held multiple hearings on recent fraud in Minnesota. Since then, other fraud schemes have been identified around the country. These shocking fraud schemes target Federal programs that were designed to help people with autism, to help the elderly, and to help small businesses. However, the victims

of Federal program fraud are not just the intended recipients of program funding; the American taxpayers, who entrusted us in the government with their hard-earned money, are victims as well.

The Trump nominee, Mr. McDonald, understands this, and he will fight all fraud against all victims. In his hearing, this is what Mr. McDonald committed to: ``prosecute criminals who exploit the generosity of our country by stealing from taxpayer-funded programs. Every dollar stolen is a dollar that didn't put bread on the table, that didn't reach the hospital bed, that didn't meet the needs identified by Congress. Fraudsters should never be allowed to rip off the United States of America.''

I agree with Mr. McDonald.

What happened in Minnesota and around the country is unacceptable, and we, as elected officials, need to support the Justice Department in stopping this fraud. Confirming Mr. McDonald today as head of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is the very critical first step.

Mr. McDonald is the right person to lead this effort. He spent his entire career in public service as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of California. As a prosecutor, Mr. McDonald handled an array of criminal offenses, and he specialized in investigating and prosecuting fraud, money laundering, unlawful transactions, and tax crimes. He has tirelessly worked to protect the rights of victims. He has never shied away from hard cases; he runs toward those hard cases. At every turn, he has advocated with candor and the highest ethical standards. In doing so, he gained the respect of his colleagues, his opposing counsel, and even the judges he appeared before.

I believe the American people will be in good hands with Mr. McDonald working on their side, and I encourage my colleagues to support this nomination.

I yield the floor.

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

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

Today, I will vote for the new Secretary of Homeland Security. The entire Senate will confirm our colleague the junior Senator from Oklahoma as the Department of Homeland Security Secretary.

Senator Mullin is a welcome addition to the Cabinet. He is a consensus builder and, most importantly, has Oklahoma dirt under his fingernails. I am confident that he will use his business experience-- and, more importantly to this farmer, his rancher experience--to get things done in the Department of Homeland Security.

I am confident, as I talked to him today about the importance of congressional oversight, and I hope he will take congressional oversight very seriously.

My advice to him is: Be transparent and responsive to the American people. Answer our letters. Protect whistleblowers. Hear whistleblowers out.

There is no way a Secretary can know what is going on in the bowels of the Department; and that is why, when people come to you saying, ``Things aren't right, money is not being spent right, and the law is not being followed,'' listen to them.

And as I always say, run the Department; don't let the Department run you.

I wish Senator Mullin all the best as he takes on this new role. I know he will serve his country with distinction. I urge my colleagues to support his nomination.

Mr. President, I come to the floor about a project that I have been proud to support over the years at the Library of Congress. The project is called the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project helps collect, as well as preserve, the stories of American veterans so that future generations can hear directly from the people who have served our country. These are actually videos so you can hear as well as see.

The sacrifices of the men and women in uniform should never be forgotten. Their stories help us to better understand the cost of freedom and the service that has helped keep our country safe and free and strong.

Today, I will be delivering for the ninth year the stories of six more Iowa veterans to the Library of Congress as part of this project. These veterans come from communities across Iowa and represent different branches of military service--this year: the Army, Navy, Air National Guard, and Army National Guard. Their service includes different periods and experiences, even including service during Operation Desert Storm.

These records bring the total number of records that I have submitted for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project to well over 100.

These additional stories will now be preserved at the Library of Congress, where they can help future generations better understand the roles our veterans have played in defending our freedoms.

I am glad that these Iowa stories will be part of such an important project.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, March is Women's History Month. This is an opportunity to celebrate women who have shaped the Nation's history. Americans all across the country this month should share stories about women who have made an impact on their lives and how those same women have paved the way for future generations to pursue their dreams and contribute to American society.

My mother is one of those women. She raised me and my four siblings to treat people with respect and worked very hard. She was one of the first to benefit from the women's suffrage movement.

The women's suffrage movement began in the mid-19th century. So it took 60 years--or maybe 70 years--for the 19th Amendment to finally be adopted, and that was adopted in 1920.

The 19th Amendment, we know, granted women the right to vote. My mother was one of the first women to cast a ballot just 29 hours after ratification of the 19th Amendment. There was already an election scheduled in that part of Iowa. I have spoken about her picture being in the Des Moines Register and the Waterloo Courier. My mother and three other women were pictured there voting.

Even though my mom never bragged about her milestone in U.S. history, she sparked my interest in politics with conversation around the kitchen table.

Since our Nation's founding, women have blazed trails and inspired future generations to break glass ceilings in business, in agriculture, in medicine, in government, in science, in technology and the arts and many others that should be named.

Stories like my mother's are what this month is all about, celebrating the gutsy, hard-won achievements of moms, daughters, sisters, aunts, and wives throughout our 250 years of American history.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I thank Senator Cornyn for his strong remarks in support of honest elections. I come to the floor for a different reason. But in support of what Senator Cornyn said, I want people to know that I have spoken on this issue already and I am not going to speak again, but I support and am a cosponsor of the SAVE America Act.

Sunshine Week

Mr. President, in eighth grade civics and high school government classes, people studying the Congress and article I of the Constitution probably go away from that study with a view that Congress only passes legislation and appropriates money.

I wish they spent as much time on the constitutional responsibility of the Congress to be a check on the executive branch of government. I call that oversight; in schools, it is probably called other terms. I come to the floor today to emphasize this because this is the 21st anniversary of Sunshine Week.

Sunshine Week continues to be a crucial reminder of the importance of open government and transparency. Sunshine Week emphasizes the checks and balances of government. There are 535 Members of Congress that have the responsibility of not only passing laws but to see that the President faithfully executes those laws according to congressional intent and when the President doesn't do that, to call a President out on that point of view. It is too bad we only use 1 week a year out of 52 to emphasize that. But Sunshine Week emphasizes something that is pretty simple: The public's business ought to be public.

It also emphasizes another thing: that transparency and accountability are important checks on the Federal Government. It reminds bureaucrats that they ultimately work for and answer to ``we the people.''

One transparency tool that I value is the Freedom of Information Act. That law requires government to proactively make materials public and also to respond to our requests and the public's requests for information.

After all, if it doesn't deal with national security and people's privacy, the public's business ought to be public. Last year, I held a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing highlighting how important this law is to government transparency, and congressional oversight is a part of my constitutional duty to protect taxpayers and to hold government accountable to the American people. That also applies to 534 other Members of Congress.

Now, a very important way to make this role of checks and balances work is listening to whistleblowers. Whistleblowers play a very critical role in this

duty of congressional oversight. Whistleblowers are, for the most part, in the executive branch of government.

They know what is being done according to the law and money being spent appropriately. They see something wrong, they tell higher-ups in their Agency about it. Sometimes that doesn't happen, or they don't get the actions that they think is appropriate to make sure the law is followed. So then these whistleblowers end up coming to those of us in Congress.

Whistleblowers are patriots and our most powerful tool in rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse--and, of course, misconduct, including the weaponization of our government.

Too often, whistleblowers are treated like skunks at a picnic in the Agencies they work in when they ought to be commended for their bravery. It ought to be easier, not harder, for whistleblowers to report misconduct, particularly to the Congress. Whistleblowers must be protected from retaliation and fully informed of their rights under the laws we have passed protecting whistleblowers.

That is why this Congress, I have introduced legislation to extend the anti-gag provision to cover Federal employees of executive Agency government corporations. This anti-gag provision requires government nondisclosure policies and similar agreements to inform employees that they can blow the whistle to Congress and to the Agencies' inspectors general.

I have also introduced bipartisan legislation clarifying that duty speech whistleblowers have the same burdens of proof as other Federal employees to prove retaliation.

I have worked with the Trump administration to fix the wrongs of the Biden administration for whistleblowers across multiple Federal Agencies. I have urged Secretary Bessent to remedy the Biden-era retaliation against IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler. Thanks to the Trump administration--because this wouldn't have happened without Trump's being reelected--in March of 2025, these whistleblowers were promoted to leadership positions. Of course, let me emphasize, they shouldn't have been fired in the first place. These are two examples of whistleblowers being treated like skunks at a picnic.

I have also worked with the Trump Department of Homeland Security to secure promotions for Customs and Border Patrol whistleblowers Mark Jones, Mike Taylor, and Fred Wynn in May of 2025. These men faced severe retaliation during the Biden administration.

In August of last year, I assisted 10 FBI whistleblowers with their compensation agreements with the FBI. These whistleblowers were subject to demotions, security clearance suspensions, and other retaliation for reporting misconduct at the Biden Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Earlier this year, I worked with the Trump administration to secure an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms whistleblower new employment and a financial agreement. He, like others, was severely retaliated against by the Biden Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms Agency.

Thanks to whistleblowers, we know that partisan FBI agents and Department of Justice prosecutors created and advanced the partisan investigation known as Arctic Frost. Arctic Frost was a vehicle to improperly investigate the entire Republican political apparatus. Subpoenas went out for about 400 conservative and Republican organizations and individuals.

Jack Smith and the FBI secretly obtained tolling data for Republican Members of Congress. Jack Smith and his team issued at least 197 subpoenas targeting these 400 individuals and entities.

By the way, all of these entities and individuals were Republican.

Jack Smith set out--almost the day after Trump announced he was going to seek reelection--to put President Trump in prison, and that all went on during the Biden administration.

I have launched a new Arctic Frost website that outlines my investigations and the thousands of pages of records that I have made public. I would like to note to everybody: A majority of these records were made public through me from whistleblowers, not the government Agency itself, which once again emphasized that if you want the public's business to be public, if you want transparency to bring accountability, you will see the very important role that whistleblowers play in government accountability.

In November last year, I also made public records showing that partisan officials at the Department of Justice and the FBI interfered with investigations into alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton campaign. Despite records showing that FBI agents had evidence the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee intentionally concealed payments that targeted then-Candidate Trump--meaning during his first campaign--Department of Justice officials Richard Pilger and J.P. Cooney declined to investigate. Pilger and Cooney were also at the center of green-lighting Arctic Frost and Jack Smith's elector case against President Trump.

Now, it happens that political infection isn't just a Department of Justice and FBI problem. In November 2024, I wrote to FEMA after reports alleged Agency workers instructed a team responding to hurricane survivors to avoid homes with yard signs showing support for President Trump. Reportedly, at least 20 homes in Florida weren't given opportunities for FEMA assistance. In response to my oversight requests, the Trump FEMA told my office it had fired three employees who had engaged in this type of misconduct for political purposes, which was presumably to hurt President Trump's election efforts.

Through my oversight, I have also exposed flaws in the Health and Human Services program called the National Human Trafficking Hotline. I have also pressed the State Department on then-Secretary Kerry's obstruction of arrests of Iranian terrorists. Third, I have sought to obtain information from multiple Agencies on the Afghan evacuees responsible for the horrific shooting of two servicemembers from the West Virginia National Guard.

The Federal Government isn't the only bad actor that whistleblowers provided sunlight on. Last Congress, the Simon Wiesenthal Center disclosed to my office that Credit Suisse obstructed an internal investigation of the bank's Nazi-linked accounts. In February 2026, I held a bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on this very matter. It revealed that Credit Suisse had maintained at least 890 accounts linked to Nazi officials. My hearing also revealed that UBS--a bank that has since acquired Credit Suisse--has begun similar obstructive conduct.

So, here, I get to the end of my remarks.

As my examples show, whistleblowers are the key to transparency. Sunshine Week, which we are celebrating this week, is an opportunity for the country to highlight the righteous fight for transparency in government.

Again, I repeat: The public's business ought to be public. The transparency of everything that goes on in government brings accountability. Sunshine is essential to making government accountable to ``we the people.''

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have seven 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 have come to the floor before to speak about the value of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the value to all three countries, but most importantly the United States. I am here again in honor of National Agriculture Week.

I would like to continue my review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA for short, and I do it today by thanking President Trump for what he called ``the largest, fairest, most balanced, and modern trade agreement ever achieved.''

I hope that President Trump remembers those words--and they were very appropriate words--as he leads the reconsideration of USMCA today.

One little provision, but an important provision in the USMCA, in 2020, when the agreement was signed, it may have been difficult to see just how big an impact the first ever biotechnology provision in a trade agreement would make and how important the dispute settlement piece would be for that agreement, and, in this particular case, helping American farmers.

It happens that in 2022, Mexico tried to ban genetically modified corn. In Iowa language, we say GMO product. This could have led to more bans and shutting off billions of dollars in markets for U.S. ag products.

After a significant push by this Senator and the junior Senator from Iowa, the U.S. Trade Representative filed a successful dispute settlement in the process that was laid out in the USMCA, and that dispute settlement resulted in Mexico reversing its ban on GMO corn. It was a win for U.S. farmers, processors, and the very large, fair, balanced, and modern United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Now, that is a very small part of this agreement because, overall, the big picture is that USMCA has been a success throughout and for all of our economy, but especially for agriculture.

Now, this agreement--and it is under the agreement--is going through a review process that was called for in that agreement, and the big question is: Will the United States lead Mexico and Canada to continue this agreement to the year 2036?

I am urging this administration that the first few years of the USMCA has been so beneficial to all three countries that it is a no-brainer to continue the USMCA through 2036.

Along this line, I will be meeting with Canadian Senators to talk about how they feel this agreement is going and how successful they think it might be getting it continued.

I hope that it will be continued, and that is what I am urging the Trump administration to see through because, like I say, it is a no- brainer. It should be continued.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, soon, the Senate will debate a bill. The bill is called the SAVE America Act.

The policies in this bill have the support of more than 80 percent of Americans. Some of my colleagues say that the SAVE America Act isn't necessary. They are wrong. There are two fundamental, commonsense reasons as to why 80 percent of Americans support the policies of this legislation.

No. 1, only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in our elections. So this bill simply requires Americans to show proof of citizenship when they register to vote.

No. 2, it requires a photo ID when voting. This helps to ensure the person who is registered to vote in that election is the person who is actually casting that ballot.

The SAVE America Act would give voters peace of mind that Federal elections are conducted fair and square. It would give voters peace of mind that their vote isn't diluted by people who are not eligible to vote.

I am a cosponsor of the SAVE America Act. I support free, transparent, and accurate elections. Every American deserves the absolute confidence that there is no funny business distorting election outcomes.

Let me tell you about the track record in my home State of Iowa.

Voter ID laws in my State have been successful and well received since the passage in 2017. Iowa's voter turnout increased in the 2018 mid-term elections, and turnout has continued to remain very strong. So the proof is in the pudding.

Iowa's track record demonstrates voter ID improves the integrity and security of our elections. It also enhances voter turnout and boosts public confidence in the outcomes of elections.

Nearly a century ago, a Supreme Court Justice said that States are the ``laboratories of democracy.'' Guess what. Iowa has shown voter ID laws work. They don't impede voter turnout, as Iowa has shown. Voter ID boosts the public trust. In fact, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 36 States have voter ID laws on the books. This bill would apply a minimum Federal standard much like other Federal voting laws.

Partisan critics of this commonsense bill are misleading the public with bad information. This bill would not make it harder to vote. Americans ought to be insulted by the arguments being made on the other side of the aisle.

I am confident Americans are capable of bringing a photo ID with them to vote. That happens to be no different than when they drive, when they open a bank account, when they board an airplane, when they buy cold medicine, or sign up for government benefits. These are all examples of people showing ID.

Another argument claims it is unfair to require people to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. That is even more revealing in coming from the other side because it makes the Biden administration's open border policy even more alarming.

After President Biden allowed more than 12 million people to illegally enter our country, protecting the right to vote for American citizens is top of mind to the millions of law-abiding citizens throughout America. Because of the influx of illegal immigrants streaming into our country during Biden's border crisis, it is not surprising Americans want to suppress voter fraud and ensure every ballot is legitimate.

The bill gives voters five different ways to show proof of citizenship, and it gives States the flexibility to create other pathways to show proof of citizenship. For example, for those whose current name doesn't match their birth certificate, they can provide a marriage certificate or other name change verification.

I have been honored to serve in my elective office for many decades. I have worked hard to earn every vote at the ballot box. Public trust in elective officeholders requires public trust in our elections.

Voting rights have a long history in America's march to a more perfect Union. They are enhanced by the 15th Amendment to the Federal Constitution and by the 19th Amendment to the Federal Constitution.

My mother was one of the very first women to cast a ballot after the ratification of the 19th Amendment. I have shown proof of that with placards here on the floor of the U.S. Senate in a speech that shows her picture in the Des Moines Register newspaper and the Waterloo Courier newspaper.

The SAVE America Act doesn't infringe on these hard-fought voting rights. It would preserve the integrity of every vote cast in a Federal election. Election integrity is sacred to our system of self- government.

Losing public trust in the outcome of elections would be a death knell for our fragile American experiment, even though it is 250 years long.

For our Nation's 250th birthday, the SAVE America Act is a gift to current and future generations to strengthen our system of self- government.

This brings me to more commonsense policies included in the bill, as well as the voting issues.

Like many Americans, I am alarmed by the prevalence of gender mutilation surgeries being performed on minors. Protecting children makes our society

stronger. Irreversible damage from gender reassignment surgery should not be conducted on kids. This bill would put an end to this reckless practice on American children. The SAVE America Act would make this policy the law of the land this very week.

On another issue in the bill, America is in the thick of March Madness. Filling out brackets, watching buzzer-beaters, and cheering on Cinderella contenders is a rite of passage during the month of March. I am thrilled to cheer on our Iowa teams in the NCAA Tournament, including two women's teams--the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones--as well as three men's teams--the Hawkeyes, the Cyclones, and my alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa Panthers.

Earlier this month, the Iowa high school basketball tournament brought the best of 32 girls teams and 32 boys teams from across the State to compete in 4 divisions. These young athletes deserve to compete on a level playing field--girls against girls, boys against boys. This is a matter of fairness.

Our bill would guarantee a level playing field for young athletes. Title IX was enacted a few years before I became a Member of Congress. It has been a game changer for women's sports.

Just think of Iowa University's Caitlin Clark. She has blazed a trail for women's sports for generations to come.

The SAVE America Act delivers commonsense government to the American people. As a student of history, I would prophesize that Americans looking back at this debate, 250 years from now, will scratch their heads, because protecting election integrity and protecting women's sports are as American as motherhood and apple pie.

In fact, 80 percent of Americans are able to see eye to eye on these issues. When it comes to elections, 80 percent of the American people support voter ID. I have even seen polls that say that 71 percent of the Democrats support voter ID.

I encourage my colleagues across the aisle to join us and pass the SAVE America Act without delay.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I would like to again remind my colleagues and the Nation about this significant day in the history of the Senate. Of course, America's 250th celebration gives us a special opportunity to reflect on events and on the people who made a mark on our Nation's history. That, of course, would include more than 2,000 Americans who have served in the U.S. Senate since it first met on March 4, 1789.

On another occasion, on this very day 67 years ago, 2 very distinguished Members of this body presided at a special ceremony in the Senate Reception Room. That Senate Reception Room is the beautiful space located just off the floor of this historic Chamber. So, on March 12, 1959, then-Senator John F. Kennedy and then-Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson unveiled the portraits of the five Senators who were unanimously chosen for their ``statesmanship'' and ``leadership in national thought and constitutional interpretation.'' These five Senators are known as the Famous Five: Henry Clay of Kentucky, Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, Robert La Follette, Sr., of Wisconsin, and Robert Taft of Ohio.

In the year 2000, which would have been 41 years after the first portraits were unveiled, another historic review took place. The U.S. Senate approved two former Senators to join the ``Famous Five.'' So, on September 14, 2004, the portraits of Senators Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan and Robert Wagner of New York were unveiled.

I am giving you this history. All I can do is encourage Americans to study these Senators who made a mark on U.S. history from just before the Civil War through the Cold War to make America the more perfect Union that the Constitution's preamble calls on us to do--evolve into a more perfect Union--obviously, expressing, in 1789, that they knew we were not a perfect Union and that it were to be always an evolving principle for the United States of America.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I want to recognize the 40th anniversary of a day we call National TRIO Day.

On February 24, 1986, a congressional resolution declared that February 28 should be designated ``National TRIO Day.'' At the same time, I come here to recognize the achievements of the TRIO programs.

Although there are now six distinct TRIO programs, the name TRIO originates from the Higher Education Act of 1968. That Act consolidated a ``trio'' of programs under one overall program. Today, these six programs include Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers, the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, and sixth, the Staff Development Training Program.

I am a longtime supporter of TRIO programs, and I am a member of the TRIO caucus in the U.S. Senate. As a caucus member, I understand these programs provide critical support to low-income, first-generation college students and prospective students. In 2025, 54 TRIO programs in Iowa served over 18,000 Iowans from sixth grade to graduate programs.

As we mark 40 years of National TRIO Day, I commend the educators; I commend the counselors; and I commend the staff--all who have dedicated their careers to students' success. At the same time, I celebrate the generations of students whose lives have been transformed through TRIO.

I remain committed to supporting these vital programs so they may continue expanding opportunities and building stronger futures for Iowa and for the Nation.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, over the weekend, I was honored to attend a very solemn but dignified transfer of the remains at the Dover Air Force Base along with President Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary Hegseth, and the entire Iowa congressional delegation. We paid our respects to the seven fallen heroes. Barbara and I continue to pray for the safety of our brave military.

Last night, we received the sad news that two more Army Reserve soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command, based out of Des Moines, IA, were killed in Kuwait amid Operation Epic Fury. That includes MAJ Jeffrey O'Brien, who is from Indianola, and he has family in Waukee, IA.

Their heroism should be remembered forever. These soldiers represent the best of Iowa and the best of the United States. We should never forget their sacrifice and their service. Barbara and I are praying for their loved ones in this time of grief, and we also pray for the safety of all soldiers serving in harm's way.

I have a short statement on history and then a short but very necessary statement of bad news, sad news.

Anniversary of the Convening of the First Senate

Mr. President, as we celebrate America's 250th birthday this year, I want to acknowledge the anniversary of the Senate convening on this day 237 years ago.

On March 4, 1789, the U.S. Senate convened for the first time at New York City's Federal Hall. However, this body didn't reach a quorum, so it couldn't do business until April 6, 1789, when the 12th Member arrived.

The Senate began convening in January instead of March in 1935 because the Congress and the State legislatures ratified the 20th Amendment.

The Senate was designed by the constitutional writers to protect States with smaller populations from being silenced by larger States, so obviously two Senators from each State does that. And remember, until 1913, Senators were selected by their State legislatures.

Now, 237 years later, this body's size has grown to 100, and how Senators assume office--by popular election--has changed, but the role of the Senate as a deliberative body has not changed.

Honoring Captain Cody Khork, Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, Sergeant

First Class Noah Tietjens, and Sergeant Declan Coady

Mr. President, this is the sad news. Last night, we received sad news and awful news that four Army Reserve soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command, based out of Des Moines, IA, were killed in Kuwait amidst Operation Epic Fury. That includes SGT Declan Coady, who was from West Des Moines, IA.

I am deeply saddened to learn of the four's passing. They represent the best of Iowa and the best of America. We should never forget their sacrifice and their service.

Barbara and I are praying for their loved ones in this time of grief, and we continue to pray, as I hope all Americans will, for the safety of all soldiers serving in harm's way.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.