Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize an outstanding leader from Missouri, Mr. John Richards. John is the CEO and general manager of Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative out of Marshfield, MO.

In March 2023, John announced he would be retiring at the end of the year to close out a long and distinguished career of over 48 years with Sho-Me Power. He began his career with Sho-Me Power in September 1975 as a supervisor trainee in their accounting department. Less than a year later, John was promoted to an accountant, and in 1979, he became the manager of finance, later referred to as chief financial officer, a position he would hold for 37 years. In 2016, John was appointed by Sho-Me Power's board of directors to become the Cooperative's fifth CEO and general manager.

Mr. President, I rise to speak of the world's most deliberative body. Maybe we were. Maybe we have been. Maybe we can be again. But right now we are not.

This Chamber has spent exactly 0.0 minutes in the first 9\1/2\ months we have been here on appropriations bills--not a second. And, obviously, it leads to omnibuses; it leads to minibuses. This is a bus headed off a fiscal cliff, and we are at where we are at. But the Founders envisioned a place where two Senators from each State would come

here, and you would have elongated, deliberative debate. What we see happening right now is more like scripted Kabuki theater.

You don't get to offer an amendment, unless we know exactly what the final outcome is going to be. For me, why not have open debate? Have people offer amendments. Debate these bills individually on their own merit.

I think the American people think that is actually what happens here. It is not. And when I go back home to Missouri and talk to people about the process here, it is like from a foreign land. It doesn't make any sense. It is not how State legislatures do it. But this vaulted arena of our Republic has been diminished by the fact that we can't have debate on individual appropriations bills.

We didn't have it, by the way, at the last deadline. We extended the deadline to November 17, which is exactly 30 days from now. And for anybody keeping score at home, that is 9 working days, according to the majority leader's calendar--9 working days.

We are going to end up at the exact same place. On top of that, now there is a supplemental funding request coming related to foreign aid. And my message on that would be the same. These disparate issues-- Israel, Ukraine, border, Taiwan--should be debated on their own merits.

There are different considerations. Israel has a lot of support right now. What is happening, the terrorism that has happened, been inflicted upon that country by Hamas and the people, the beheadings, people being burned alive, they have every right to defend themselves. We should consider that request when it comes. It is a very different dynamic when it comes to Ukraine.

We are $112 billion in. No one can define what victory looks like. Seemingly, each round that we get to one of these deadlines, there is more money being asked. It could be $100 billion next year. We don't really know.

These things being lumped together makes no sense. And when it comes to border security funding, color me skeptical of the Biden administration's desire to actually spend that money thwarting illegal immigration. This administration has been hostile to the whole idea. I speak from some experience. My previous job as attorney general of Missouri, we litigated with the Biden administration in court over the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy, title 42, the money that had already been allocated to build a wall that he used for contractors to not build the wall.

This administration is not only complicit, they have encouraged a flood across our southern border. So we ought to have a debate on that on its own as well. And any of the other issues we want to try to lump in or bootstrap an idea that is losing popularity or a proposal that is losing popularity with one that might be popular is something we ought to reject in this Chamber. This is supposed to be the shining example, a unique American institution, a Senate that debates things in long form.

And I come back again. We have spent 0.0 minutes in this place debating the most important thing that we can do each and every year, which is to debate our priorities about funding--what we should increase, what we should decrease. And the result of that, quite frankly, are omnibuses that appear in the middle of the night, no time to read them, that add to our $33 trillion worth of debt. Take it or leave it. If you don't support it, you support a government shutdown.

I think people have had enough. So this is our opportunity. Let us spend the time. Let us be here more than 2 days a week. Let us actually get the work of the people done, debate these bills individually--on their own merit--and restore what this place should be, which is a deliberative body.

I yield back.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the executive director of the Missouri Pork Association, Don Nikodim.

In September, Don announced he would be retiring in January 2024 after 40 years at the Missouri Pork Association as their executive director. He is well-respected by everyone in Missouri's agricultural community, and he is truly a champion for Missouri's pork industry. Under his leadership, the Missouri Pork Association has hit many milestones when advocating for needed policy, educating producers, and ensuring commonsense practices.

From eating ribs and candied bacon at the Pork Place at Missouri's State Fair, to visits to my Washington, DC, office, Don is always a welcoming and friendly face wherever I see him. As a graduate of the University of Missouri, with degrees in animal science, agricultural economics, and agricultural education, Don has always been a wealth of knowledge in the agricultural sector. Those around him always benefit from his expertise. I am glad for how closely I got to work with Don and the Missouri Pork Association, during my time as Missouri's attorney general, as we worked together to combat ridiculous regulations by the Federal Government that hurt our pork industry.

Don will be greatly missed in this role, but I wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement. This is the end of an era for the Missouri Pork Association, and now, they have some very big shoes to fill.

I applaud Don for his over 40 years of commitment, hard work, and leadership in Missouri's pork industry, and I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in honoring his incredible career and unrelenting passion for Missouri's pork industry.

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

Mr. President, I rise to honor a St. Louis great who, although he has thrown his last pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals, has left a lasting impression on Cardinal Nation.

In 2003, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired Adam Wainwright, Ray King, and Jason Marquis in exchange for J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero. Little did we know the impact that trade would have on the Cardinals--the crown jewel of the National League, of course--for years to come.

Wainwright--or Waino, as we call him--just recently notched his 200th win, a huge milestone, which, by the way, in the game today may never be reached again. Starters just generally don't pitch that many games and don't get as many wins. So it is a big milestone. And he is retired from baseball now. He did that in front of thousands of fans at Bush Stadium.

But his career was more than just 200 wins; it was 18-plus years of just nasty curveballs and heart-stopping wins, years of camaraderie and postseason excellence, and countless memories for all of us Cardinals fans.

In his first full season in the majors with the Cardinals, Waino pitched in 61 games and boasted an impressive 3.12 ERA. It was in that first full season that he showed the ice in his veins that he became known for, as he became closer at the end of the season due to an injury to Jason Isringhausen.

In the bottom of the ninth in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Wainwright stood on the mound, bases loaded, with the mighty Carlos Beltran at the plate. Historically, Beltran had kind of owned the Cardinals, even back to his Astros days. You have two strikes on Beltran, and Wainwright kicked back and delivered a knockout curveball that Beltran watched all the way into Yadier Molina's glove. Strike three. The game was over. The series was over. In that moment, the Cardinals headed to the World Series, and St. Louis knew they had a star.

On a personal note, I know exactly where I was when that pitch was delivered. I was at a bar in Kirkwood, near my home. I was at the very last seat of that bar. For every clinching away game for the next 15 years, I and a couple of friends went back to that same place. It had some magic for a while. It ran out, as these things often do.

But it was a great moment and a great way to start his career with the Cardinals.

He would go on to secure the final out in the 2006 World Series with a strikeout by way of his signature 12-to-6 curveball--otherwise known as Uncle Charlie--becoming the only player to close out the World Series in the 21st century as a rookie and delivering a World Series championship that the Cardinals hadn't had since 1982.

Bolstered by his batterymate and self-professed ``brother,'' the legendary Yadier Molina, who retired last year, Wainwright delivered countless gems and showed up at the most crucial moments.

Wainwright tossed seven innings and won his first MLB start against the Astros in April of 2007. While he was injured during the Cardinals' storybook run in 2011, he was a monumental presence in the clubhouse, as he was for over 18 years. He hit a home run on the first pitch of his first at bat in the majors. He pitched a complete game in the winner-take-all game 5 of the 2013 NLDS, fanning six and catapulting the Cardinals into another deep October run.

During the 2022 season that saw the return of Albert Pujols to St. Louis and the end of the Yadier Molina era, Wainwright and Molina set an alltime record for the most starts as a battery at 325. I am pretty sure that record will never be broken either.

Two of the most beloved St. Louis Cardinals, starting there as mere teammates, had an incredible run together, and they are best friends and St. Louis legends.

Although this season has been a difficult one for the Cardinals and not everything we had hoped for, we at least got to see Adam Wainwright reach one more milestone--200 wins--in his farewell season.

A three-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champion, a two-time Gold Glover, and a Silver Slugger, Wainwright's success on the mound is well-documented. But aside from all of those accomplishments on the field, he also shined as an ambassador for the city of St. Louis and the sport of baseball.

The 2020 Roberto Clemente Award winner, which is given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, and community involvement, Wainwright had an unrivaled passion for our community in St. Louis and helping others. He founded a nonprofit in 2013, Big League Impact, which has since raised over $8 million for a host of charitable organizations and foundations. He served as the unrelentingly optimistic beating heart of Cardinals teams that have seen stunning victories and heartbreaking losses.

Despite growing up in Georgia, Wainwright truly embodies what it means to be a St. Louis Cardinal and has served brilliantly as an ambassador for the beloved franchise--a franchise that is steeped in rich history, and some of the greatest players of all time have proudly worn the birds on the bat. It is a franchise that has won more World Series than any other, save the Yankees. I have been blessed, along with family members--my dad and my kids--to watch a lot of those greats over the years. Wainwright is undoubtedly one of those greats, not only for his prowess on the field but for his philanthropy and dedication to St. Louis off the field.

Today, I think I speak for all of Cardinal Nation when I say: Thank you, Waino. It has been a pleasure watching you all these years. Congrats on a fantastic career, and good luck in your next chapter.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO, for 60 years of academic excellence and accomplishment.

Founded in 1963, Jefferson College is the ``Jewel of Jefferson County.'' The college has contributed to the development and progress of Jefferson County and the surrounding region, equipping thousands of students each year with the tools to be successful in a variety of academic disciplines. The college's programs are instrumental in raising up the next generation of teachers, police officers, nurses, and citizens. The college remains devoted to providing high-quality academics at an affordable price, making it a great option for students in any stage of life. Communities are built upon the collaboration of men and women who have been properly trained in their designated fields, and Jefferson College continues to assemble communities of qualified workers and strengthen Missouri as a whole.

I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in recognizing Jefferson College's diamond anniversary, 60 years of scholarship. I hope all my colleagues will join me in celebrating the important work being done at Jefferson College and all the work it will accomplish in the future.

Mr. President, I am here today to talk about my time back in the State in August. It was a great recess in the ``Show-Me'' State. To paraphrase one of our most famous Missourians, Mark Twain, when Congress is in session, no American is safe. So Americans and Missourians could feel safe that their pocketbooks were not at risk for at least a month.

But I was able to get all around the State, the four corners of our State, and tour a couple of really critical military installations we have. Of course, we have Fort Leonard Wood. I was there a couple months ago. It is a critical Army installation. We have Whiteman Air Force Base. Whiteman, of course, is home to the B-2 stealth bomber. I spent some time there visiting with leadership, talking to them, and also getting up to the Rosecrans Air National Guard Base up in the northwest corner of the State, which plays a critical role not just in natural disasters but in wartime. They are in desperate need of the new C-130J aircraft. They give training on all the aircraft, including aircraft they don't have there. So we are certainly advocating for that in addition to some of the big wins we got in the NDAA.

It also reaffirmed--one of my great passions right now is to root out this divisive DEI training we have in our military. The U.S. military has been one of the great meritocracies in the history of the planet. People can rise from the lowest rung of the socioeconomic ladder to ticker-tape parades. There is a reason why there are uniforms, and there is a reason why there are haircuts, but what we don't need to be doing is separating people by race. This divisive ideology is hurting recruitment, and we have real recruitment challenges when we should be focusing on readiness and the threat China poses.

So we were able to get around and focus on some of those issues as well, along with getting around and talking to some of the business leaders. We talked to job producers in Springfield and in Kansas City about how they are dealing with some of the challenges they have in the labor market and also making sure we have great jobs in the ``Show-Me'' State and a ready workforce.

I had the opportunity also, on a lighter note, to have some ribs and burnt ends at the world-famous Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City. And to all those who may think they have better barbecue in Texas or Tennessee or the Carolinas, I got news for you: In Missouri, we have the best barbecue, no doubt. Arthur Bryant's--if you have a Mount Rushmore of barbecue, Arthur Bryant's is the Mount Rushmore. I got to the Sikeston Rodeo, one of the bigger rodeos in the country. I got to the State fair in Sedalia.

One thing that was abundantly clear with everybody I talked to is that Bidenomics isn't working. Regardless of how this administration tries to sell this, Missourians understand what the truth is, and that is that everything has gotten way more expensive. The spending spree has made it tougher for American families to make ends meet--working families--and that is continually reflected in some of the more recent economic reports. For example, rapidly rising inflation has hollowed out savings. Skyrocketing interest rates have made it more difficult for people to afford things.

Since Biden took office, overall prices have increased 16.8 percent. Grocery prices have risen over 20 percent. Electricity prices have risen over 24 percent. Gasoline prices have risen a staggering 54 percent. Auto loan rates are at a 17-year high. Credit card interest rates are at alltime highs. Thirty-year interest rates are at a 23-year high.

Bidenomics isn't working, but it is making working families put in more overtime.

Lastly, I had a chance to catch up with some of the great farmers and ranchers and agricultural leaders at the Missouri State Fair. It is a great State fair. I spent time at the Cattlemen's Beef House, the Pork Place, and the dairy center. I saw the butter cow. I met with folks from the Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Corn, and the Farm Bureau. Everybody was there--the co-ops.

The farmers and ranchers in our State are essential to the Nation's food supply, and times have been immensely tough for them as they deal with rising inflation that has raised the prices on everything from diesel to basic operating costs. Most of this is due to overreach from regulators who have never stepped foot on a farm. These officials are implementing harsher regulations on farmers and doing so in the name of climate alarmism, telling these farmers, who know how to care for their land--they are great stewards of the land--things they have no business telling them.

By the way, Congress never voted on any of this stuff. It is some Deputy Secretary in some Department you have never heard of.

The best thing the government can do is get out of their way and let these folks provide the food our country needs.

It is always great to get around the State. It is one of the great joys of being in office--just visiting with people, real people, listening to what their concerns are. I had a chance to do that. I promised them I would always come and fight for them. Visiting for that month in particular--as we always do but certainly that amount, that block of time--only inspires me to fight even harder.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise in support of this amendment, and I am proud to work with my colleague from Missouri and others in a bipartisan way to provide some relief to the people who have been affected by this.

Here in Missouri, I can tell you--a couple weeks ago, I gave my maiden speech, and I talked a lot about where I grew up. I grew up in a blue-collar town in the shadow of the airport in Bridgeton, and that is the epicenter of where this happened--near the airport, near a landfill.

In those areas in the city and north county, people work hard. They always have. Little did they know that this hazardous toxic waste was being dumped in their water, in the ground where their children play.

And all this amendment does is reauthorize something that has been on the books for decades, and it allows people who have been affected to apply.

So I am proud to support the people who have been affected who are looking for some measure of justice. Nothing will make them whole, but this is a step, and I am proud to work with my colleagues in that regard too.

Vote on Amendment No. 1058

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the work being done by Camp Barnabas in Purdy, MO, a remarkable organization that provides summer camp opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Founded in 1994, Camp Barnabas has compassionately transformed the lives of nearly 100,000 individuals with special needs. When I had the opportunity to visit Camp Barnabas, I saw the tremendous amount of care and professionalism their staff exhibits to ensure that every camper gets to experience summer camp just like every other kid. Their ministry in Southwest Missouri touches countless lives and inspires positive experiences in an environment where everyone can thrive, no matter what hand life has dealt them.

As they undergo a ribbon cutting soon for their new water park, the camp will be offering another unique opportunity for these campers to have an incredible summer and make amazing memories. This new water park is designed to make sure individuals of all abilities can participate and includes an intentional space for sensory relief, a lazy river, splash pads, adaptive slides, and several wheelchair accessible features.

I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the incredible work from Camp Barnabas and share in their excitement as they unveil their new water park features to provide more amazing summer camp experiences for their campers.

Mr. President, Father's Day is coming up. Father's Day is this Sunday.

As a dad--and, actually, my two daughters are coming into the Galleries right now--it is a time for reflection and for gratitude, quite frankly.

I delivered my maiden speech earlier this week, on Tuesday, and a big part of that was of the influence that my father had on my life. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood and seeing him work 7 days a week on the 12 midnight shift and going to events and being a great role model for me is something that I am eternally grateful for.

I have had a lot of different positions or jobs or titles, but the most important one that I will ever have is being a father to my son Stephen and to my two daughters, Sophia and Olivia.

I also mentioned in that maiden speech the inspiration that my son gave me to run for office. Stephen was born with a rare genetic condition and suffers from epilepsy. He is nonverbal. He gave me and has given me, every day, a perspective on what is really important and what my focus is.

I know, for a lot of dads out there, being a father keeps them grounded. It is the most important thing that they will ever do. We all have important business to do even in this place, but being a dad is paramount.

And I have got my two daughters. I talk about Stephen a lot because Stephen, again, was my inspiration. He has profound medical challenges that my wife and I--and Jaime is here as well--deal with every day. If Stephen were here, he would be giving us big hugs. He is a great kid. My two daughters, in their own rights, are incredible people. Sophia is on her journey and is a great kid, a great swimmer. I am just blessed to be her dad. Then Olivia was asking thoughtful questions on the way here. So we know the statistics are just simply undeniable, and that is certainly my story.

But I know that, across the board, in a larger sense, the litany of research related to the positive outcomes that fathers have when they are involved with their children are those of better school readiness and performance, higher self-esteem, greater social awareness. Increased father engagement can play an important role in improving maternal healthcare, in addressing maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, and in bettering the development of the child and the long-term growth of the child.

It was an honor to sponsor this resolution with the Senator from Georgia, my friend, as we shared what we thought was really important to come before this Chamber in advance of Father's Day.

This resolution recognizes what we already know--that the presence of a strong father contributes to a child's life in insurmountable ways. It is hard to calculate what those are. We have some statistics, but we all know that intuitively, and it strengthens our society as a whole. It is important that we recognize that and celebrate that on this Father's Day.

So, to all of the dads out there, have a great Father's Day. I don't know what is on your wish list, but I hope you enjoy it and that we all have a greater sense of gratitude for the most important job we will ever have in our lives.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, it is an honor to be here with all of you to give this maiden speech, and I want to thank the senior Senator from Missouri. We may be the youngest combo. He is younger than I, but he is the senior Senator. He reminds me of that quite often as we speak to groups. But I want to thank him for his leadership. Senator Blunt is also here, whom I followed in the Senate.

When Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention, he was asked what type of government the delegates had come up with. He famously replied:

A republic, if you can keep it.

Those words are as significant today as they were a couple hundred years ago, especially as two major threats loom over our Republic: a supercharged administrative State and the unprecedented stifling of free speech.

If you want to understand some of the frustration that is out there, a lot of it comes from the fact that people believe there is a narrowing of the bandwidth of acceptable speech--what they can say, what they can hear. As it relates to the administrative state, a lot of people are frustrated that no matter whom they send here, they feel like sometimes things never really change, and we must fix that.

But first, let's back up.

Years before Franklin's famous remark, ordinary folks--farmers, blacksmiths, laborers, leatherworkers--who made up the Continental militias achieved something extraordinary. Fed up with an increasingly tyrannical rule of an unaccountable despot thousands of miles away, these ordinary men fought and won our independence at a time that seems very far away but set the stage for the freedoms that we enjoy to this very minute.

That is our origin story. The electrical cord of freedom that has been strung across the centuries is our national identity. We boldly declared to the world that freedom isn't granted to us by a King or a Queen or any government.

We believe in individual rights, a very new concept at the time, and those rights were granted to us by God. Chief among those were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If those words are a mission statement--and they are--the Constitution provides the structure to protect and safeguard those freedoms that we enjoy that have made us the envy of the world. That structure has allowed ordinary men and women to achieve incredible things, to pursue their dreams, to pursue happiness, which is a very uniquely American concept.

I grew up in Bridgeton, MO. Bridgeton sits in North St. Louis County in the shadow of the airport. Bridgeton is a working-class, blue-collar neighborhood, and I grew up in a working-class, blue-collar family.

My grandfather was an infantryman in World War II and returned from the war with little more than an eighth grade education and some money he won playing craps on the Queen Elizabeth on the way home. He started a butcher shop and raised a family. My dad and his brothers and sister all worked there growing up. When I was growing up, I saw my dad working 7 days a week on the midnight shift to provide for his family to give me and my sisters every opportunity to succeed.

Speaking of family, my wife Jaime and my two beautiful daughters are here today, and I am very grateful that they are here to share this moment of this inaugural speech, this maiden speech today.

From an early age, I understood the value of hard work. I saw the value of a society where hard work was rewarded, and I appreciated at a young age how the law provided guardrails for individuals to pursue their dreams. So I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn't know any lawyers growing up, and certainly nobody in my family had any power or prestige, but we believed in this country, and I wanted to fight for people who needed a voice, like the people I grew up around, hard- working people who just wanted to be treated fairly, who did the right things, and worked really hard for everything that they had.

Some of those folks are looked down upon in this town because maybe they didn't go to the right schools or they don't wear the fanciest suits. A lot of journalists will interview these people after elections and wonder what happened. These are my people.

I thought that I could do some good and advocate for them and for protecting those God-given rights that are guaranteed and protected in our Constitution. So I went to law school. I went to college and later earned my law degree.

When my son Stephen was born a few years later, in the mid-2000s, I was working at a law firm, made partner. Life was great. Then one day everything changed in my life forever. My wife Jaime and I noticed that Stephen

had a birthmark on his leg. It looked like an angel's wing. We thought so little of this that Jaime actually allowed me to take Stephen to the doctor.

But when I got there, the doctor had some pretty terrible news. He said Stephen probably had something--which he did--something called tuberous sclerosis, which causes tumors in different organs, including Stephen's brain. Stephen has epilepsy. He is on the autism spectrum and nonverbal. Going through that experience with my son, including a 4- hour seizure, you start to evaluate things. What is important? What do you want to do? Through that process of discernment, I decided that I wanted to do more than what I was doing, and Stephen was my inspiration.

So I ran for office. I ran for the State senate twice and won, was elected and served as State treasurer, was elected and served as Missouri's attorney general, and I am blessed for all the work that I have been able to do on behalf of the people I represented to be a voice for those who needed a voice.

And so I decided to run for Senate, again, to be a voice for people, for all 6 million Missourians but especially the forgotten men and women whom I referenced earlier who work hard every day and just want a fair shake.

So I appear before you today in the U.S. Senate, the most important and deliberative body civilization has ever known. And I believe that. It is an unbelievable story, and, quite frankly, I sometimes find it hard to believe it is my own.

But only in America can a boy from Bridgeton make it here, all the way to the U.S. Senate. And yet each one of us has a uniquely American story to tell. I take this responsibility with great humility. I understand that I have very big shoes to fill--for God's sake, this is Harry Truman's desk. Senator Tom Eagleton, another Missouri attorney general--in addition to the senior Senator and myself who served Missouri in that capacity--also had this desk. When I graduated from the university named after Harry Truman, Truman State University, Tom Eagleton, in 1997, gave the commencement address.

In addition to Truman, I stand on the shoulders of other innovators and leaders and pioneers from my State, the ``Show-Me'' State, from cities named Liberty and Independence and towns called Freedom and Defiance. Missourians have always blazed their own trail.

Whether it was Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery headed west to see what was on the other side of the mountains or Mark Twain changing the world with his words or Edwin Hubble, who mapped the heavens, Missourians and Missouri proudly represent the best of America. Is Missouri a northern State? Is Missouri a Southern State? Is Missouri a Midwestern State? Is Missouri a Western State? The answer to all those questions is yes. We are all of them. We sit uniquely at the cultural and geographic crossroads of America. Missourians are tough and they are honest and have always been skeptical of the Federal Government, 1,000 miles away, telling them how to live their lives. And although we are skeptical of government, we love America.

America was and is a bold experiment in self-government. Before America declared its independence from Great Britain or had a Constitution, the world believed that rights came from a King. The King, in turn, was handed down power simply by being born into a monarchy, certainly not by any achievement or merit. The King was sovereign and free; the rest of us, not so much. We were subjects.

The Founders flipped the script on this concept that had been accepted for literally thousands of years. They challenged the King and boldly proclaimed to the world that everybody else had it wrong. Rights come from God, not Kings or government. This was truly revolutionary and a war was fought over it against the No. 1 superpower on the planet and we won.

We won, which, of course, was a big deal, but the Founders also understood that unless we created something different, a government focused on protecting those rights and our national identity of freedom, we would end up being just like everybody else.

So they brilliantly devised a system of separation of powers and federalism that would spread power out both vertically and horizontally, meant to protect individual liberty. In arguing for the adoption of the Constitution, Madison wrote in Federalist 48:

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and

judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many,

and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may

justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

He also notes in Federalist 47:

[T]he preservation of liberty requires that the three great

departments of power should be separate and distinct.

In Federalist 51, Madison famously notes:

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

The Founders also created a republican--small ``r''--form of government never tried before on this scale and made it accountable to the people. And the virtues of this form of government were certainly extolled in Madison Federalist 10.

The Founders understood human nature. They knew what tyranny looked like and understood that having a government where power is properly spread out and having elected representatives accountable to the people safeguarded liberty and freedom.

They understood that freedom of speech and, more broadly, principles of pluralism were crucial to the survival of the Republic. They also understood that a Republic spread across a continent needed a pressure release valve to resolve political disputes, not through violence, as we see even in the world today, but through elections and free expression.

It is in this vein that I want to return to the two grave threats to the Founders' vision, the principles of separation of powers, our republican form of government, and individual liberty: the administrative state and attacks on free speech.

First, the vast expansion of Federal administrative power that we have seen in recent history is destroying representative government by placing immense power in the hands of the unelected. The article I branch, the people's branch, is being diluted of its rightful role-- willingly, I might add--and the power exerted by this class of experts is doing great damage to a government based on accountability. These unelected bureaucrats can issue rules, regulations, or guidance letters that can destroy people's lives and their liberty and nobody ever elected these folks to anything.

This massive aggregation of Federal regulatory power is eating away at our freedoms and liberties, deepening political division, and cheapening discourse, and it is completely antithetical to the vision the Founders had. It is called the administrative state. And it falls on each one of us here in the article I branch, in this time and place, to fundamentally dismantle it.

When I say ``administrative state,'' I mean the mess of alphabet Agencies that have slowly yet aggressively aggregated and amassed power over the years, promulgating rules and regulations with reckless abandon. See, you can send your elected representative home. You can send them there, send them back, send them home. But these so-called experts are not really accountable to anybody ever. It is out of control. In short, it is a runaway train with an invisible conductor.

If left unchecked, they will continue to amass power bit by bit until our core principles and our liberties that make our country unique are a mere prologue to history. We need deep structural reform, and we need to return power back to where it belongs--in the hands of the Article I branch, the people's branch.

A second major threat to the Republic is the unprecedented stifling of First Amendment rights in new, innovative, and modern ways. The freedom to speak your mind in the public square or in the virtual town square is vital to the health of the Republic. Far too many Americans are being told what they can say, what they can hear, and what they can see. Censorship--censorship--is on the rise. The desire of governments and powerful elites to control speech is hardly new, but America has always stood as the exception.

Long before the Revolutionary War, Americans witnessed the oppression of speech. More than 1,200 times before 1700, the British prosecuted and punished Americans for what they called seditious speech. Sedition laws prohibited criticism of the government based

on the idea that that criticism could inflame the public against the government. But as the Revolutionary War approached, colonists began standing up for free speech. Colonial juries began refusing British requests to issue indictments for criticizing the government. They acquitted individuals accused of criticizing the government. They tossed tea into the harbor to protest taxes, and we printed publications denouncing the King. We were on our way.

We, the American people, wanted to protect the free expression of ideas, and we did so in the very first amendment to the Constitution. We protected it not just for peaceful times but especially in times of crisis or so-called emergencies. It is easy to forget how fortunate we are here in America to have the First Amendment and how terrifying it is to see how frequently now it is being violated.

Recently, government actors colluded with big tech companies--some of the biggest companies and the most powerful companies in the history of the world--to censor and deplatform individuals for not buying in to the approved narrative. Whether you agree with that narrative or not is hardly the point. The point is it is incredibly dangerous. Suppression of speech and censorship is justified now as it has always been but with a new lexicon, calling it misinformation or disinformation; but the goal is still the same: power and control.

We saw the Department of Homeland Security recently attempt to set up an Orwellian disinformation governance board. We saw individuals silenced and suspended from platforms at the government's behest for challenging the validity of mask mandates and lockdowns or for questioning the official narrative of the origins of COVID-19--for simply speaking their minds. It is not the government's job to tell us what we can hear or what we are supposed to believe. Each one of us can make those decisions ourselves--period.

This vast censorship enterprise was at the behest of some of the highest ranking government officials in the country. For example, the Surgeon General of the United States was messaging with senior Facebook executives, demanding that they censor speech more stringently. Whatever your political persuasion is, this ought to scare the bejesus out of every American. Our government is supposed to be protecting our rights and liberties, not infringing upon them. And we have to ensure that this never happens again.

As Justice Hugo Black wrote:

The freedoms [of the] First Amendment must be accorded to

the ideas we hate or, sooner or later, they will be denied to

the ideas [that] we cherish.

In short, we have to be willing to defend somebody's ability to say something we vehemently oppose. We must be willing to protect the rights of citizens to speak their minds free from censorship and fundamentally dismantle the administrative state.

I mentioned that Missouri is at the crossroads of America; but in many ways, America itself is at a crossroads. It is up to us in this Chamber--the most important legislative body in the history of the world--to address these big issues that directly impact the people we serve. We need to fight back against this censorship industrial complex from controlling what we can say and what we can hear, and we need to ensure that the great wall of the administrative state that separates the people from their elected Representatives comes crumbling down.

When I asked Missourians for their vote last fall, I promised them that I would fight for them. I believe that this is the fight, and the goal is to save our Republic and this grand experiment of self- government.

May God bless each one of you. May God bless the great State of Missouri. May God bless the United States of America.

I yield the floor.

(Applause.)

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the service of MG James Bonner of the U.S. Army. Tomorrow, he will relinquish command after nearly three years of leadership at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

During Major General Bonner's tenure, he demonstrated dedicated leadership and played a crucial role in training approximately 240,000 soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, coast guardsmen, and civilians at Fort Leonard Wood. Major General Bonner worked diligently to emphasize the critical mission of the Army and Fort Leonard Wood in regional middle schools, high schools, and universities. He also tirelessly advocated for the fort and its surrounding community, expanding partnerships with local, State, and Federal leaders. Throughout his time, he hosted numerous elected officials, including the Missouri Governor, the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Sergeant Major of the Army, and the Marine Corps Commandant. During each visit, Major General Bonner ensured these strategic leaders witnessed the unique and irreplaceable capabilities and competencies on display at Fort Leonard Wood.

In fact, I had the opportunity to personally witness Major General Bonner's leadership last week when I visited Fort Leonard Wood. My main focus was to meet with military families residing on the installation and discuss ways to improve their quality of life. Major General Bonner joined me during these visits, and I could clearly see his genuine care and concern for the families under his command.

Recognizing Major General Bonner's exceptional talent, the Army has selected him to become the commanding general of U.S. Army North, where he will lead the Army's efforts to defend the homeland. After 3 years of commanding the finest CBRNE, engineer,

and military police soldiers in the Army, I believe there is no one more qualified for this role. I express my gratitude to Major General Bonner for his dedicated service to the soldiers and families of the Fort Leonard Wood community and extend my best wishes for his future endeavors. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to MG Christopher Beck, who will assume command tomorrow. I am committed to continuing my support for the Fort Leonard Wood community and those who train there.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize an outstanding constituent from Missouri, Mr. Marc Roecker. Marc is CEO and general manager of Laclede Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Lebanon, MO, and will be retiring from this position at the end of May. For nearly 42 years, Marc has been a leader in Rural Electric Cooperatives both in Iowa and Missouri.

Over the past 10 years as CEO and general manager, Marc has overseen a significant amount of growth, implemented many technological improvements, and helped navigate the twists and turns of the economy, and he has done it all with a steady hand. He has been a great leader and a great friend of the Ozarks region.

In his community, Marc was selected to serve on the Fort Leonard Wood Institute and Sustainable Ozarks Partnership at Fort Leonard Wood. These groups are focused on fostering the region's continued commitment to national defense and advocating for local and regional development initiatives, as well as the sustainment and growth of Fort Leonard Wood. Marc is a strong advocate for supporting the men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces, both past and present.

Leading up to his retirement, Marc has been asked what he will miss the most. In response, he says he will miss the people he has met over the years: members, employees, board directors, and colleagues alike. He said there is something very special about being a part of an electric cooperative and working with people who are so committed to serving their members.

Laclede Electric Cooperative and the Ozarks region are incredibly grateful for Marc's dedication to the electric industry and Rural Electric Cooperatives. His selfless service to his community is an incredible example of citizenship, and they are all fortunate to call him a neighbor and friend. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Marc Roecker, and I wish him the best in his much- deserved retirement.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Mr. Edgar ``Bee'' Ernest Wilhelms, Jr., of Reynolds County,

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.