Floor Statements

Madam President, first, I want to thank my colleague from Massachusetts for her very important comments about a very important, well-qualified nominee.

Oxford High School Shooting

Madam President, today I rise to speak about a heartbreaking tragedy that far too many American families and communities are familiar with. Americans have learned that gun violence can happen in any place, at any time, in any State, and in any town.

This time, the community is Oxford, MI, home to about 20,000 people in northwest Oakland County. It is a place with beautiful lakes and bike trails. It is a place where people know each other. It is the kind of place where the neighbors might drop off some Christmas cookies or clear your sidewalk after a snowstorm since they were doing theirs anyway. Now, it is the kind of place that has been needlessly, senselessly shattered by unspeakable violence.

It was a typical Tuesday at Oxford High School, home of the Wildcats. The Oxford band and orchestra had recently

returned from a trip of a lifetime, performing at Disney World. Student leaders were celebrating a successful Thanksgiving food drive--almost 5,500 cans of food collected for the local food pantry. Athletes in winter sports were getting ready for Meet the Teams Night. But in an instant, everything changed. Everything changed.

We are still learning the details, and, frankly, that is not what is important. What is important is that, thanks to the cold efficiency of modern weaponry, it took mere minutes for a gunman to shatter a community. Thankfully, law enforcement officers showed up within minutes, but still, 11 people were shot. Tragically, four students have died. We hope and pray that there are not more deaths, but several other Oxford students remain in the hospital in critical condition. A typical Tuesday in a typical high school in 2021 in America.

Madisyn Baldwin was a 17-year-old with a beautiful smile. According to her grandmother, she was a kind and patient big sister and an artist. She had already been accepted to a number of colleges.

Justin Shilling, also 17, was cocaptain of the school's bowling team and also loved to golf. He worked at Anita's Kitchen, a Lebanese cafe in nearby Lake Orion, where his boss said everyone loved him.

Tate Myre, aged 16 and a tight end and running back on the Oxford football team, had recently been honored by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association. He was also an honor student who was known as a leader both on the field and in the classroom.

And Hana St. Juliana was just 14 years old. She was passionate about volleyball and basketball. Her teammates say they will never forget her kind heart and her silly personality and her passion for the game. They have dedicated their upcoming season in her memory.

Madisyn, Justin, Tate, and Hana--four lives that were just beginning, four losses that have left their families and their community struggling--struggling--to understand.

And we certainly know that Oxford is not alone. This year alone, there have been shootings at 29 schools in our country--29 schools-- from Rigby Middle School in Rigby, ID, to Timberview High School in Arlington, TX, to Heritage High School in Newport News, VA. No community is immune. Just ask the grieving residents and the grieving parents of Oxford.

This community will come together. They already have. They will hold prayer vigils and deliver casseroles and wrap their arms around these shattered families. But, in God's name, why should they have to?

High school students should be sharing memories of last month's band trip or celebrating a successful food drive or looking forward to the spotlight of Meet the Teams Night. They shouldn't be ducking for cover in their classrooms or fighting for their lives in the ICU because they just happened to be in the wrong hallway at the wrong time, and they certainly shouldn't have their names mentioned during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate after yet another school shooting in 2021 in America.

Madisyn, Justin, Tate, Hana, and the more than 100 Americans who are killed by gun violence every day deserve more than thoughts and prayers. They deserve action to keep them safe, and we certainly will focus on this in the days ahead. What I know for sure right now is that we must refuse to settle for a world in which a typical Tuesday turns into such tragedy.

My deepest, heartfelt sympathies to everyone in Oxford and throughout our State. I share in their grieving of this senseless, senseless tragedy.

I yield the floor to my partner and colleague in the U.S. Senate, Senator Peters.

Mr. President, I have 5 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:

Madam President, I rise today to speak in support of Robert Bonnie's confirmation as Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

If confirmed, Mr. Bonnie will oversee three Agencies at the USDA that are absolutely critical to the well-being of our Nation's farmers and ranchers and to our shared goal of addressing the climate crisis.

Taken together, the Farm Service Agency, the National Resources Conservation Service, and Risk Management Agency provide the first line of defense for our farmers and ranchers against droughts and floods and wildfires and other extreme weather.

These Agencies will also lead our efforts to provide voluntary solutions to help our farmers and ranchers lead the way in addressing the climate crisis.

In my home State of Michigan and across the Nation, producers are facing unseasonable freezes and thaws and dramatically unpredictable conditions that disrupt the planning and harvesting schedules they rely on for their livelihoods and for our food supply. As the climate crisis affects the way the agriculture sector operates, the work of the USDA and its staff to provide resources and knowledge for our farmers and ranchers is absolutely critical.

Without crop insurance, without disaster assistance, without our conservation programs, our farmers and ranchers will be left even more vulnerable. That is why we need competent, experienced leaders who are ready to lead these Agencies from day one.

Leading this mission area is a big responsibility but one that I know Mr. Bonnie is well-qualified to tackle. Throughout his career, Mr. Bonnie has built strong partnerships with farmers, with ranchers, with foresters, with communities.

This is also his second time leading a mission area at USDA as he was confirmed by voice vote as Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment in the Obama administration. There, he oversaw key public- private partnerships with foresters and private land owners, while leading the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

While working at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University, Mr. Bonnie worked closely with rural communities to tackle pressing conservation issues.

And at the Environmental Defense Fund, Mr. Bonnie focused on incentive-based approaches to promote stewardship on private lands.

At his hearing in the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, Democratic and Republican members alike praised Mr. Bonnie's extensive credentials and his commitment to tackling the climate crisis and boosting farm income at the same time.

That approach has earned him the support of many, many of the Nation's most respected farm and food organizations, including the American Farm Bureau and the National Farmers Union.

I am pleased to add my support to his nomination and urge my colleagues to vote yes on this extremely well-qualified nomination.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum unless we--are we at a point to move forward on the vote?

I yield back all time and ask that we proceed to the vote.

I withdraw my motion.

Madam President, I rise today to honor all of the brave Michigan veterans who have served in our Nation's military.

When the scourge of slavery threatened to tear our Nation in two, Michiganders selflessly marched to war. When fascism rose in Europe, Michiganders built an Arsenal of Democracy and kept freedom alive. And when terrorists attacked our own country 20 years ago, Michiganders stood up and signed up. Over and over again, Michigan men and women have served our country to protect our freedoms.

These veterans all fought different battles and had different missions. But all of them were patriots. All of them--and their families--made incredible sacrifices. And all of them were willing to lay down their own lives to protect their fellow Americans and this Nation we love.

Perhaps there's no better Michigan example of this than Charles S. Kettles. Charles was born in Ypsilanti in 1930 and fell in love with flying while attending Edison Institute High School in Dearborn. Aviation was in his blood; his dad was a military pilot.

In 1951, Charles was drafted into the Army. He attended Army Aviation School and served tours in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. He retired from Active Duty in 1956 and continued to serve in the Army Reserves.

During the Vietnam war, the Army was in desperate need of helicopter pilots. So in 1963, Charlie volunteered for active duty and learned to fly the UH-1D, ``Huey.''

Those skills would save lives on May 15, 1967. Then-Major Kettles volunteered to lead a flight of six Hueys on a rescue mission.

Charles's helicopter came under fire, but he kept on flying. After the second rescue flight, his helicopter was leaking fuel, and his gunner was severely wounded. He found a helicopter that wasn't leaking and went back to rescue the stranded men.

On the way back to the base, he learned that eight troops had been left behind. Without a second thought, he returned to the landing zone.

His helicopter was hit by gunfire and a mortar round. Yet somehow, Charles made it back to the landing zone, picked up the stranded troops, and brought them safely back to the base. In total, he saved 44 lives that day.

Typically, the Medal of Honor must be awarded within 5 years of the heroic act. But this kind of heroism has no expiration date. In 2015, I introduced legislation with Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to allow Charles to receive the Medal of Honor. In 2016, he did.

And earlier this year, it was an incredible honor to be there when the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor was renamed after Charles. Lieutenant Colonel Kettles saved lives back in 1967, and the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center is saving lives today.

``We got the 44 out,'' he said during his Medal of Honor ceremony in 2016. ``None of those names appear on the wall in Washington. There's nothing more important than that.''

Humility, a spirit of service, and the willingness to sacrifice. Michigan's veterans have done so much for us. It is our solemn duty to keep each and every promise we have made to them.

Thank you.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, the Senator will speak further about what he is attempting to do, but I want to make it clear, first of all, that this bill isn't about protecting access to food assistance for moms and babies or ensuring children continue to receive healthy school meals. This actually is, unfortunately, a bill that is in search of a problem.

And if my colleague Senator Scott wants to work with me on eliminating barriers to access to SNAP or the WIC Program or school meals, I would be more than happy to work with him on it.

But let me just say this: This bill, again, is in search of a problem because there is no rule requiring vaccinations for families to receive food assistance, and no one in the administration is proposing that.

So let me just say that again: There is no rule requiring vaccinations for families to receive food assistance, and no one in the administration is proposing that.

So if we want to work together on how to support families in our country to help make sure children have the healthy food that they need in schools, that is terrific. But rather than spending time on bills like this, we should be encouraging people to get vaccinated to protect their families, protect themselves, and protect their community.

But this bill addresses something that is just not real nor will it be real.

And so I would object.

Mr. President, unfortunately I was unable to attend the rollcall vote No. 389 on the confirmation of Todd Robinson to be Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Had I been able to attend, I would have voted in support of his nomination.

Madam President, for more than 100 years, scientists have shown that burning fossil fuels creates carbon pollution that heats up and builds up in our atmosphere. It just doesn't go away. It just keeps building up more and more and more.

And for more than 100 years, we kept on burning fossil fuels anyway. In fact, we have given major--as a Congress--major, permanent tax benefits for the past 100 years to the fossil fuel industry. Now we are experiencing the full force and the huge cost of that choice, and it is growing even faster than many predicted.

This week, I published a report that outlined how extreme weather events are becoming more destructive, more dangerous, and more expensive, thanks to the climate crisis.

Last year, the U.S. Senate set an awful record. We had 22 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in one year--the most ever. In total, these 22 disasters cost the Nation almost $100 billion in damages, and 262 Americans lost their lives in severe storms and heat waves and wildfires.

2020 may have set a record, but, unfortunately, it is a record that is going to be broken probably this year. Over the past 5 years, American taxpayers have spent an average of $126 billion a year in damages due to these disasters. And the total cost of these disasters over the last 15 years tops $1 trillion, and growing every single day, every single year.

We are debating right now a budget--a Build Back Better Budget--and it involves investing in a number of important things over 10 years at about $350 billion a year, and we are going to spend that very soon just on climate damage if we don't get ahead of this.

I know the Presiding Officer is leading on this in a very important way, which I thank you, for the issue around clean electricity policies. We have a lot of work to do. Nobody is going untouched. No State is untouched--from Montana to Mississippi, to Massachusetts, to Michigan.

Last week, President Biden was in Idaho surveying the terrible damage caused by wildfires. He said: ``We can't continue to ignore reality.''

He is right. The reality is carbon pollution is the root cause of the climate crisis. Pollution goes into the atmosphere. It doesn't leave. It just gathers there more and more and more and more, and we are seeing what is happening as a result of that.

If we don't combat the climate crisis now, the destruction and the deaths will continue to go up and up and up. If you think taking action is expensive, consider the cost of inaction.

Who pays the bill?

Well, we all do. We all pay the bill.

Then there is the personal cost. I am thinking of a landowner who lives on the same wooded acres his grandfather owned--or at least he did until a drought-fueled wildfire destroyed his home and the forest that surrounded it.

I am thinking of the small business that lost its roof and all of its inventory when a hurricane and the resulting storm surge hit a small beachside community.

I am thinking of all the Michigan growers I know who are one early freeze or dry season away from being unable to keep the family farm going, and I am thinking of those 262 families who lost someone they loved and will never be the same.

We owe it to those families to take action so that the climate crisis doesn't continue to cost people their lives and their livelihoods, and we owe it to American taxpayers to do all we can to avoid the worst impacts of this crisis.

We know what we need to do. We know what we need to do. We need to cut carbon pollution. That is what we need to do. There are big interests on the other side--oil and gas and coal interests. There is a lot of money--big special interests that keep trying to tell us this isn't real. You know, what you are seeing right in front of your face, what you are experiencing in your life, isn't real; it is pretend; it is not really happening. They put a lot of money into trying to stop what we are doing, but we have to take action. We have to take action. We know this is about carbon pollution; it is also about methane pollution and other greenhouse gases.

We can start doing something about it by passing the Build Back Better budget that the President has proposed. The Build Back Better budget will make electric vehicles more affordable and ensure that they are built right here in the United States. I want them built in Michigan, but at a minimum, we want them built in the United States. That is really important because we know that the transportation sector is the single largest source of carbon pollution that is driving climate change. Electric vehicles are a major part of the solution but not the only one, but they are a major part of it.

The question is not whether they will be built; it is where they will be built--whether they are going to be built in China, where they are spending over $100 billion right now to capture the entire market, including electric batteries as well as the vehicles, or whether we are going to make it in America.

My goal is to make these vehicles in America. I have often said that Michigan workers are the best in the world. I believe that. Under the Build Back Better budget, they will lead this world. American workers will lead the world if we are smart about doing what we need to do to invest in America.

The Build Back Better budget also provides clean energy tax incentives, and it funds clean energy procurement so we can make the electricity we need to power the vehicles without carbon pollution. It helps ensure that the technologies we need to transition to clean energy are built right here in the United States by providing tax credits for manufacturers to retool and build new plants to produce advanced energy parts.

It will hold polluters accountable and make sure they are held responsible for their actions. It will invest in important clean electricity policies. It will invest in climate-smart agriculture so that farmers and ranchers and foresters can continue to be an even bigger part of the solution, and it will restore our forests and make them more resilient to wildfires.

The Build Back Better budget, alongside the bipartisan infrastructure package, which is also very important, will make our infrastructure more resilient and tackle the main driver of the climate crisis: carbon pollution.

Best of all, these investments will also create millions of good- paying American jobs. That is the great part. As we are transitioning in Michigan, we are seeing jobs that are being created as part of the clean energy economy.

It is true that these policies represent significant investments, but it is also true that the cost of inaction is much, much higher. Inaction has consequences--so many different consequences--for us, for our children, for our grandchildren, and we can't afford those consequences. We just can't afford those consequences anymore.

So, on behalf of all of our children, on behalf of our grandchildren, now is the time to act. We must take this moment because we are running out of time. We must take this moment to act to address the pollution that is creating this climate crisis. We can do it--we know what to do--but now is the time to act and get it done.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, unfortunately, I cannot support the amendment offered by my good friend and ranking member.

This amendment would restrict the USDA's ability to support a transition to clean fuel economies. Rural communities, especially rural utilities and rural electric co-ops, can help lead the transition to clean energy and create good-paying, clean energy jobs at the same time. We know that. We need to provide the USDA with the tools and the resources and the flexibility to make that happen.

It is important to know that our rural partners are asking to be a part of this transition. They don't want an amendment that locks them from being able to do that.

We all know that tackling the climate crisis is imperative. Just yesterday, the U.N. put out another report showing that the climate crisis is spiraling out of control.

Our budget will ensure that the United States will not only compete but lead the world's race toward a clean energy future, and certainly rural America is an important part of that.

So I would urge a ``no'' vote.

Vote on Amendment No. 3103

Mr. President, first, this amendment is just plain anti-pickup trucks. Let's start there. When our farmers and small businesses and families are buying their next pickup truck or SUV, we want them to have the incentive to purchase a new all-electric truck like we have seen now being produced by the companies.

With the price ceiling in this amendment--there is a price ceiling-- they would not be allowed to receive the incentive that consumers buying small cars would receive.

The fact is, more people buy pickup trucks and large vehicles than people who buy small vehicles. So we eliminate more carbon pollution when people who drive trucks and SUVs choose all-electric vehicles like the great ones that are now coming out into the marketplace.

So I would ask you to vote no and stand with pickup truck owners across the country.

(Applause.)

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about Michigan families. Our families are a lot like families in every other State. Families in Michigan worry about making ends meet. It is something that keeps them up at night a lot of times.

Parents of young children wonder how they will be able to pay for quality childcare. The costs may be as much or more than their rent. I know for my daughter and her husband, it is more than their mortgage payment for their three children. A mom wonders how she will feed her kids healthy meals in the summer when there are no school meals. Parents of older children worry about how they will be able to pay for their college tuition. Seniors in Michigan wonder why their hearing aid or their glasses or their trips to the dentist aren't covered by Medicare right now. They should be. And with our budget, they will be. And they want to know why their medicine is so expensive.

And then we have Michigan farmers diligently planning cover crops for healthier soil while directly battling the effects of the climate crisis and the destruction of their crops, and they need support to help them do more. They want to do more. All of our families wonder if we will be able to tackle the climate crisis in time to save lives and land and jobs. Their worries are our worries.

That is why Democrats are committed to passing the Build Back Better Budget. Let me also say that I congratulate all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have, through their hard work and leadership, brought us to this point of passing part 1 of President Biden's Build Back agenda, which is the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and I am enthusiastically supporting it.

So the Build Back Better Budget is the second piece, and it is focused on keeping historic economic growth going, and it is a game changer for our families. It really is. It is a game changer for our future, and it does four things, simply. It lowers costs for Americans--those things that keep folks up at night when they are trying figure out how to juggle all the costs coming in for themselves or their families.

It is going to cut taxes for American families, continue the biggest--maybe ever--tax cut that has gone to American families that we passed in the American Rescue Plan.

It is going to create millions of jobs while tackling the climate crisis. As we saw the report today, it said what we knew, but we have to be very serious about what comes next here in tackling the climate crisis.

And the great news is this: The great news is that we can cut costs and cut taxes and create millions of jobs and tackle the climate crisis and pay for it. We pay for it just simply by saying that the wealthy will pay their fair share. It is only fair that everybody be contributing to America and everybody be contributing to building back better in our country.

The Build Back Better Budget will cut costs for the things that keep families up at night: the cost of food, childcare, home care, price of medicine, college tuition. For the first time, seniors will be able to have their hearing aids, their glasses, and their dental care that they need covered by Medicare. I know a lot of folks think it already does cover those things. It does not yet, but we want that to happen.

And families will have paid leave when they need it. That is really important because no family should worry that a birth of a child, an illness, or the need to care for an aging parent will leave them in a financial hole that they can never get out of.

Speaking of support for families, about a month ago, Michigan families began to receive monthly help based on the number of children in their family. This is for families across the country. It is a tax cut that was made possible by the American Rescue Plan passed by Democrats in Congress and signed into law by President Biden.

Our families today are receiving up to $250 a month for each child age 6 to age 17 and up to $300 for each child under age 6. It is estimated that around 92 percent of Michigan families, that Michigan children will benefit from this tax cut that we passed in the American Rescue Plan.

And the tax cuts in other parts of the American Rescue Plan are now beginning to cut child poverty in half. I will say that again: child poverty in half this year, not 5 years from now, not 10 years from now, this year. What a great thing that we should all be excited about. And it not only helps children and families being lifted out of poverty, but it helps the whole economy. It helps strengthen us as a country.

Unfortunately, when Republicans are in the majority, tax cuts always seem to go to people who need it the least: the wealthy and the well connected. This tax cut is going to people who need it most: American families. And the Build Back Better Budget doubles down on this tax cut, extending this, resulting in one of the largest tax cuts for American families ever, cutting taxes for American families.

The Build Back Better Budget will also create millions of jobs, including in agriculture and rural communities. The Build Back Better Budget will ensure that the United States will not only compete but will lead the world's race toward a clean energy future. And I know our Presiding Officer cares deeply about that and is a leader in that, and it is exciting to see what we can do through this budget.

Currently, Chinese companies produce 60 percent of the parts for wind turbines, 80 percent of solar cells, 80 percent of battery cells, and it is time to bring those jobs home, and there is no reason that we can't. Through the right support and incentives, we can bring those jobs home.

Investing in technology will ensure that these parts are made in America

and will create good-paying American jobs--nearly 2 million jobs per year over the next 10 years. That is 2 million, then 2 million, then 2 million, then 2 million over the next 10 years.

And it will help us address the climate crisis head-on through critical policies and incentives that will reduce U.S. carbon emissions 50 percent by 2030. That is essential.

We are investing in farmers who want to keep leading the charge to combat the climate crisis, while making sure we have the resources to restore our forests, make them more resilient in the face of climate- driven wildfires. We are fulfilling the promise of a climate-smart future by investing in research at land-grant and agricultural universities like my own alma mater, Michigan State University.

The Build Back Better Budget will lower costs for families; it is going to cut their taxes; it is going to create millions of good-paying jobs, while we are tackling the climate crisis. And we simply just have to make sure the wealthiest people in this country step up and are paying their fair share.

Folks in Michigan work really hard to provide for their families. It is time to reward that hard work, not just wealth. It is unacceptable that some of the world's most profitable companies and billionaires pay little or no tax at all; that is despite their profits and their fortunes growing every single year.

Under the Build Back Better Budget, no one who makes under $400,000 per year will see their taxes go up. Let me say that again. No one under a $400,000 a year in income will see their taxes go. Instead, the typical American family will see their costs and their taxes go down.

For too long--far too long--when Republican colleagues have been in charge, the wealthy and huge corporations have come first, receiving special treatment over and over again. I think it is about time we put the American people first.

And, by the way, I have heard so many colleagues on the other side of the aisle come to the floor over and over again lamenting that we are going to increase taxes. So for the record, let me just say that I don't think it is increasing taxes to tell a billionaire they have to pay more than zero. And that is what we are talking about here, just people paying their fair share for the majority of Americans in this country who are working hard to have a fair shot to work hard and to make it and to know that somebody is going to have their back. And that is what the Build Back Better Budget is all about.

So let me just say again: It is time to lower costs for the big things that keep families up at night. It is time to cut taxes for American families. It is time to create millions of jobs, which we can do. This is the great news: We can create millions of jobs while tackling the climate crisis, which we must seriously tackle. And it is time for the wealthy in this country to pay their fair share. Michigan families, families across the country have been waiting long enough. They are ready for us to build back better.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I just wanted to lend words and support to what Majority Leader Schumer just said about Rich Trumka.

I send my prayers and love to Barbara, his family, and everyone in the labor movement.

What a strong, vibrant, committed leader. We have worked together on so many different issues, and it was always about: Is this going to create good-paying jobs? Are workers going to be able to have their voice in the workplace? Is their standard of living going to increase? What are we doing for folks? Are we bringing jobs home? Are we creating jobs here? What are we doing for the backbone of our country, which are working men and women?

So I just want to indicate my profound sadness and shock and my love and support for all of those who I know are very sad and grieving at this moment.

Thank you.

Mr. President, I rise to speak about the bill in front of us.

For a long time, the people in Michigan have been waiting. For years, they have been told it is ``infrastructure week.'' Unfortunately, for all the talk, Michigan's infrastructure remains weak.

This lack of investment has real cost for our businesses and our communities and our families. I am thinking of the single mom who drives to work every day and can't afford to keep making car repairs caused by massive potholes, an everyday occurrence.

I am thinking of the small business whose deliveries keep being delayed because of the weight limits on a nearby bridge.

I am thinking of the farmer who wants to harness the power of precision agricultural to include his bottom line. Unfortunately, he can't because his internet is too slow.

And I am thinking of that farmer's children, who need the internet to keep up with their school work, but struggle to find a good connection.

I am thinking of all the folks who would love to choose electric the next time they buy a car, but worry about finding a charging station.

And I am thinking of the kids in Flint and families across the country, who should never have to worry that the water coming out of their kitchen sink is unsafe after traveling through lead pipes or becoming contaminated by PFAS.

All these folks want some investment in that infrastructure. And now, 1,656 days after President Trump was sworn in and promised swift action to rebuild our infrastructure, President Joe Biden, working with a hard-working group of Democrats and Republican Members in the Senate, is leading us to get this done.

My colleagues on both sides of the aisle and their hard-working staff members deserve to take a bow. This legislation is chockful of bipartisan wins that will strengthen our country from Seattle to Saginaw, to Sarasota, and communities of every size in between.

This legislation isn't just going to finally fix our cracking roads and crumbling bridges and spotty internet; it is going to create good jobs, tackle the climate crisis, help us remain competitive with other countries around the world that aren't sitting around waiting for us to catch up.

As a Michigan driver, one of the parts I am most excited about is the money to fix our roads and bridges.

Hey, Governor Whitmer, now you can get some help to fix those roads.

And because we are the Great Lakes State, transportation in Michigan doesn't just mean trucks and trains and cars. This bill uses $11.7 billion to modernize infrastructure, such as the aging Soo Locks--so critical to our economy, for the country, and for the Great Lakes region.

And it includes $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to clean up contamination, restore wetlands, and fight invasive species.

I want to thank my partner and cochair of the Great Lakes Restoration Caucus, Senator Portman, for working on this. That is the single largest investment ever made in the Great Lakes Initiative.

This will make a big dent in resolving areas of concern, like the Detroit River and the Rouge River, which were polluted decades ago.

While we are on the subject of water, it is way past time for Michigan families and families across the country to feel confident that the water coming from their taps is safe to drink, and this bill takes critical steps toward achieving just that. It includes $15 billion to replace lead pipes, and another $10 billion to tackle the PFAS contamination that plagues our communities all over Michigan, as well as the country.

Healthy families and a healthy economy also require high-speed internet. We are in 2021. The past 18 months proved that as our whole lives moved online. We saw all of the gaps in high-speed internet services across the country. So I am very pleased that this bill includes $65 billion to ensure that folks can get connected whether they live a block from Gratiot Avenue or 25 miles from Highway 31.

This bill also takes action to change the trajectory of the climate crisis and invest in more resilient infrastructure. It invests in charging infrastructure so that folks who have been thinking

about buying that new F-150 Lightning or a Chevy Volt or a Jeep Wrangler can make the leap to electric with confidence. We can't wait any longer because China certainly isn't waiting.

Because this legislation also includes my Make It in America Act that I introduced with Senator Braun, the American taxpayer dollars we will be investing will go to American manufacturers and American workers. It adds new guardrails so that Federal Agencies can't buy products made in Mumbai instead of Monroe, MI, when those products are available in Michigan. It also calls for products purchased by Federal Agencies to be incorporating more domestic content. It makes the Made in America Director and the Made in America Office a permanent part of the Office of Management and Budget. That will ensure that American workers and American jobs receive preference regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.

This legislation doesn't just benefit big companies; it also calls for Agencies to use the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which is extremely effective in Michigan and across the country. That means small- and medium-sized manufacturers will have more opportunities to sell their products to the Federal Government and provide materials for federally funded infrastructure projects, including all those roads and bridges we will be rebuilding.

I have often said of the farm bill that it has Michigan on every page. I have got to say this bill comes pretty darned close.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, to invest in America, and to finally get Infrastructure Week translated into action.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today, I stand here with colleagues--my partner, Senator Peters, and, of course, Senator Reed and other colleagues--to pay tribute to an incredible leader and my dear friend who dedicated his life to serving the people of his beloved State of Michigan and this Nation--Senator Carl Levin.

Senator Carl Levin was many things: a crusader for truth and justice, in the real sense of the word; a man of strong convictions; a mentor to so many of us.

He was a Senator's Senator and a tireless advocate every day--every day--for the people of Michigan.

He was also my friend, and it was truly an honor of a lifetime for me to represent Michigan alongside Carl Levin for 14 years of his 36 years that he served in the Senate.

Thirty-six years is a long time, but Senator Levin remained effective and at the same time humble right up until the final day he served. That is because integrity never goes out of style and Senator Carl Levin never wavered in his dedication to do what was right--what was right for the people of Michigan and our country.

Perhaps he will be remembered most--although there are so many things--for his incredible leadership on the Armed Services Committee. Patriotism was a lot more than a flag pin or a pledge to Carl Levin. He understood more than anybody what it takes to defend our Nation. Perhaps no one has done more to ensure that our men and women in uniform are battle ready with the supplies and technology that they need and the fair pay and benefits they have earned.

In fact, Senator Levin worked so hard on behalf of our military that he received a Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. There is a suite of offices at the Pentagon named after him, and there is a naval destroyer currently being built in Maine that will probably bear his name: the USS Carl M. Levin. It was so inspiring to be with him during the naming ceremony in Detroit back in 2016.

It is fitting that he should be honored in this way because Carl Levin always believed that our government could be a force for good. This belief was passed down to him from his parents, who saw firsthand how the New Deal rescued families from desperate poverty.

A young Carl Levin admired Harry S. Truman, especially Senator Truman, who drove cross-country investigating defense contractors who were committing fraud and wasting billions of dollars. I think Truman himself would have been incredibly impressed with Carl's leadership of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

A former civil rights attorney, Carl Levin relished the chance to cross-examine those he suspected of ripping off taxpayers and the public. His committee room was never a literal trial by fire, but he certainly turned up the heat on unscrupulous executives, special interests, or anybody who tried to get rich at the expense of everyday Americans. Those executives were sweating because they knew that Senator Levin had done his homework. He would dig so deep that he knew more about what they were going to say than they would.

Carl Levin could topple a tycoon with nothing more than a stack of subpoenaed documents. And we saw him do it. In 2007, he shined a light on abusive practices by credit card companies, leading to laws that required more transparency. Even today, your credit card statement contains more disclosures and more information, thanks to Senator Carl Levin.

His fellow Michiganders got to see a kinder, gentler side of Carl as well, and I know we did as colleagues. And I will never forget how his eyes sparkled when he smiled, with his glasses down on the end of his nose.

His heart was always in Detroit, where he was born and raised and lived his entire life. Meanwhile, his soul was nourished by the tranquility he found in beautiful northern Michigan in the Upper Peninsula, especially Isle Royale.

Carl helped Detroit make one of the most spectacular comebacks in American history, and everywhere you look, you can see evidence of his hard work. The Levin Center at Wayne State Law teaches future attorneys and business leaders and lawmakers and public servants how legislative oversight can be a tool for change and a force for good. He led the way on getting Federal funding for Detroit's beautiful International RiverWalk, which, today, features 3 miles of parks, nature areas, and breathtaking waterfront views.

In the midst of the Great Recession, we worked together closely to rescue our American auto industry, which for years had been battered by the forces of globalization. Carl Levin understood that manufacturing is the backbone of our State's economy and that our country needs to make things in order to have them.

As a member of the Small Business Committee, Carl also understood the importance of small business. In fact, in getting dressed today, I was looking at what I could wear that would symbolize Detroit, and I picked out a necklace that reminds me of what motivated Carl in Detroit with small businesses.

Amy Peterson is a Detroit entrepreneur who wanted to empower women who have employment barriers, and Senator Peters and I have both visited her shop. So, in 2013, she created Rebel Nell jewelry out of graffiti that had fallen off of walls on the sides of buildings. Today, she is incredibly successful, and she is empowering and employing women throughout the Detroit area.

Carl loved efforts like that. He championed small businesses, folks who wanted to--one after the other, have an idea and get it going.

Carl also understood that our landscape, our soil, our water are part of our Michigan way of life. That is why he pushed for years to have land at Sleeping Bear Dunes protected as wilderness--our beautiful dunes.

Senator Levin fought for the National Marine Sanctuary at Thunder Bay in Alpena and for the creation of the Keweenaw National Historic Park. It was an honor partnering with him in every single fight to protect our Great Lakes.

I can stand here for hours listing Senator Carl Levin's accomplishments, but they still only are a small testament to his character, his compassion, his humor, his strength of conviction.

President Truman once said:

Make no little plans. [Make no little plans.] Make the

biggest one you can think of and spend the rest of your life

carrying it out.

Senator Carl Levin lived those words every day. He wanted to make our State and our country the best it can be, and he spent his life doing everything he could to make that happen.

I wish his beloved wife and life partner Barbara; his brother and best friend Sandy; his nephew and our colleague Andy Levin; his wonderful daughters Kate, Laura, and Erica; his grandchildren; and all of the family my deepest condolences and profound gratitude for your willingness to share this great man with all of us

I yield the floor.

Madam President.

Madam President, I rise today in support of S. 1251, the Growing Climate Solutions Act. I first want to thank my partner in this landmark legislation, Senator Braun, and my partner and ranking member on the committee, Senator Boozman, for his leadership and helping us improve this bill and getting it to where we are right now.

Our farmers and ranchers are battling the consequences of carbon pollution and other greenhouse gases every day. They are on the frontlines every day. Producers are having to deal with higher highs and lower lows more so than ever before.

Even as we speak, the Southeast is recovering from catastrophic flooding as a result of Hurricane Claudette, and the West is facing record heat that threatens the health of farmers and farmworkers in an unprecedented wildfire season. Nearly half of the country is in drought, including 90 percent of my home State of Michigan--90 percent. It could not be clearer that climate is in crisis.

The good news is that farmers and foresters are already leading the way on the climate crisis, as my colleagues have said, through their many conservation efforts. They work to reduce their impact every day through conservation practices that cut down on emissions and store carbon in their soil and trees.

According to the National Academies, scaling up these climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices in the United States could offset the annual emissions of nearly 110 million cars. And I am from the car State, Madam President. I still want you to buy an automobile. But this is very significant.

The Growing Climate Solutions Act is a key piece of the enormous potential that land-based solutions have to help solve this crisis. This bill gives producers even more effective tools to lead and new opportunities for economic successes as well.

The bill equips producers to succeed by doing three things. First, it sets up a network of trusted outside experts and third-party verifiers, certified by the USDA, to provide technical assistance and help producers generate and sell their voluntary carbon credits, which, by the way, Senator Lee's amendment would gut, which is why I do not support that amendment.

Then it creates a comprehensive online resource, a one-stop shop, to help our farmers get the information they need and create income by providing sustainable practices through voluntary carbon markets and traditional USDA conservation programs.

Finally, it sets up a very important advisory council made up of a majority of farmers and foresters with tremendous diversity, as well as representatives from the research community and the private industry, to help guide the USDA as they put this together.

The bottom line: It gives them the opportunity to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to design a carbon market that works for them, not Wall Street. In other words this, bill puts farmers and foresters first.

More than 175 advocates, organizations, and companies support this bill. They see it as a win-win for agriculture and the environment. That coalition is mirrored in the broad support we have here in the U.S. Senate, with now upwards of 55 cosponsors who have joined in this bill. Given today's politics, that says a lot about what this bill represents.

Solving the climate crisis is a critical challenge for all of us, and today we are taking landmark steps toward supporting agriculture and forestry leadership in addressing this.

I encourage all of my colleagues to vote yes on the Growing Climate Solutions Act, to vote no on the Lee amendment, which would essentially gut the bill, and allow us, in this tremendous bipartisan effort, to move forward on something very important.

I yield the floor.

Vote on Amendment No. 2119

Madam President, I would ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote occur immediately.

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about how far our Nation has come in the past 6 months.

Just for a moment, think back to where we were in January. Every day, hundreds of thousands of Americans were being diagnosed with COVID-19, and on many days, more than 3,000--or even 4,000--of our moms and dads and brothers and sisters and children and friends and neighbors were dying of this horrible disease. Meanwhile, millions of Americans were out of work just 6 months ago, and small businesses were unsure whether or not they could reopen safely. During these cold, dark days, it was easy to wonder if things would ever get better.

But something else happened in January. On January 20, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn into office, and with their inauguration came a laser focus on defeating this horrific disease and getting our country moving again.

They had some amazing tools in their arsenals: vaccines that proved to be more effective than anyone could have hoped--thank goodness. And I am so proud that Michigan workers at Pfizer have played a big role in producing these lifesaving vaccines and getting them shipped all over the country.

When President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, only 5 percent of American adults had received at least one shot. Now, only 6 months later, 70 percent of Americans over age 30 have received at least one shot. That is a total of 300 million vaccine shots in only 150 days, and we are seeing the results.

This week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was able to drop our State's pandemic restrictions. That is great news for our small businesses and our restaurants and our entertainment venues, just in time for peak travel season in beautiful Michigan.

Nationwide, more than 2 million jobs have been created since President Biden took office--2 million jobs since he took office just 6 months ago. Half as many people are applying for unemployment each month as were in January. And, next month, families will begin to receive advance child tax credits that are going to lift half of the poor children in our country out of poverty--incredible. These monthly payments of $250 or $300 per child will help families pay for the things they need to care for their children, and it will also boost the economy.

We have made amazing progress, and it wouldn't have been possible without leadership from the White House, around $20 billion in funding for vaccines from Congress, the dedication of our medical professionals, the hard work of our small businesses that have done so much to keep their employees and their customers safe, and the willingness of so many Americans to literally roll up their sleeves to protect themselves and each other.

It is true that we have a lot more to do, of course. Many families and communities are still struggling to get back on their feet. We need to continue to support our small businesses that have been through so much.

We know that some States and regions are lagging behind on vaccinations for a number of reasons. That is so unfortunate because we know that these vaccinations are safe, they are free to receive, and they are amazingly effective. The numbers prove it.

On January 23, 3,322 Americans died of coronavirus in a single day, and, yesterday, 370 people died of coronavirus in the United States. Of course, that is still 370 too many lives lost. Each one of those lives was precious, and our hearts are with everyone who is grieving.

There is still a risk that variants will spread and cases could rise again, especially in areas with low vaccination rates, which is why it is so critical that people get vaccinated. It is so important to get vaccinated, not only for yourselves but for your friends, for your neighbors, and for your children.

We have come a long way--a really long way--in the last 6 months. It is really amazing, and it is just in time for the Fourth of July. Americans have a lot to celebrate this Independence Day. It is a day when we give thanks for our Nation and for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and this year we have a few extra freedoms to celebrate: the freedom to get together with friends again, the freedom to eat dinner at a favorite local restaurant, the freedom to attend a live music event or go to a movie, the freedom to live our lives with a lot less fear--a lot less fear--and the freedom to give our loved ones a hug. And I know I am cherishing every hug I can give my 95-year-old mom.

All of these freedoms are thanks to science and an administration that believes in science, and the willingness of Americans to trust the science.

To my fellow Americans, thank you for that.

Thank you to our President, and happy Fourth of July.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have 8 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:

Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 9 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs

The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

committee on energy and natural resources

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet

during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

committee on environment and public works

The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

committee on finance

The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 10:30: a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

committee on foreign relations

The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 11 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

committee on the judiciary

The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 9 a.m., to conduct a hearing.