Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 with Senator Shelley Moore Capito. This bill seeks to protect children and their communities from preventable illness during the pandemic and for the long term by making vaccines more accessible. Similar bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Kim Schrier, John Joyce, G.K. Butterfield, and David McKinley.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routine childhood vaccination rates are down, as parents have sought to avoid visits to the doctor and other medical care for their children for fear of catching or spreading COVID-19. These lower immunizations rates raise the very real possibility of a secondary outbreak of an infectious disease such as measles, mumps, or whooping cough. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides federally purchased vaccines to approximately half of all children in the United States, including children who are enrolled in Medicaid or who are uninsured or underinsured, and plays a critical role in ensuring high rates of childhood vaccination. As children return to school in person this fall, the VFC program will be critical to helping children catch up on their routine immunizations to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, much more must be done to update and improve the VFC program to better reflect the challenges of administering vaccines today.

Our bipartisan legislation would modernize the VFC program, addressing barriers to participation among families and their pediatricians. As such, this bill would extend eligibility to children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program, streamlining and filling a gap in program administration. The bill would also ensure that Medicaid can pay appropriately for the administration and counseling of modern, multicomponent vaccines, helping to address vaccine hesitancy. Lastly, the bill includes new reporting requirements to identify disparities and pockets of low vaccination rates.

This legislation has already passed unanimously in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, demonstrating broad, bipartisan support for improving the VFC program and addressing lagging childhood vaccination rates. I look forward to working with Sen. Capito, as well as Representatives Schrier, Joyce, Butterfield, and McKinley towards passage of this legislation in both chambers in the near future.

Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 with Senator Shelley Moore Capito. This bill seeks to protect children and their communities from preventable illness during the pandemic and for the long term by making vaccines more accessible. Similar bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Kim Schrier, John Joyce, G.K. Butterfield, and David McKinley.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routine childhood vaccination rates are down, as parents have sought to avoid visits to the doctor and other medical care for their children for fear of catching or spreading COVID-19. These lower immunizations rates raise the very real possibility of a secondary outbreak of an infectious disease such as measles, mumps, or whooping cough. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides federally purchased vaccines to approximately half of all children in the United States, including children who are enrolled in Medicaid or who are uninsured or underinsured, and plays a critical role in ensuring high rates of childhood vaccination. As children return to school in person this fall, the VFC program will be critical to helping children catch up on their routine immunizations to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, much more must be done to update and improve the VFC program to better reflect the challenges of administering vaccines today.

Our bipartisan legislation would modernize the VFC program, addressing barriers to participation among families and their pediatricians. As such, this bill would extend eligibility to children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program, streamlining and filling a gap in program administration. The bill would also ensure that Medicaid can pay appropriately for the administration and counseling of modern, multicomponent vaccines, helping to address vaccine hesitancy. Lastly, the bill includes new reporting requirements to identify disparities and pockets of low vaccination rates.

This legislation has already passed unanimously in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, demonstrating broad, bipartisan support for improving the VFC program and addressing lagging childhood vaccination rates. I look forward to working with Sen. Capito, as well as Representatives Schrier, Joyce, Butterfield, and McKinley towards passage of this legislation in both chambers in the near future.

Madam President, on behalf of Senator Inhofe and myself, as the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, we rise to commemorate and celebrate the Office of Naval Research and its contributions to our Sea Services, national defense, and the advancement of scientific and technological discovery on the occasion of its 75th anniversary.

World War II underscored how science and technology could determine winners and losers on the battlefield. In the aftermath of the war, Congress established the Office of Naval Research on August 1, 1946, to ``plan, foster, and encourage scientific research in recognition of its paramount importance as related to the maintenance of future naval power, and the preservation of national security.''

Since then, the Office of Naval Research has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research that has resulted in lasting military supremacy not only on and in the seas, but also in the skies, on land, and in space. Its model of effective collaboration between military, government, academic, and industry entities also paved the way for further technological advancement, recreated not only in the other military services but also through National Science Foundation and DARPA. Put simply, its impact is seen and felt not only in our Armed Forces, but in the lives of all Americans.

In its earliest days, the Office of Naval Research pioneered key fields of computing and directed energy. The office brought humans to the highest heights and the deepest depths, and its work led to some of the most consequential technological advancements of the 20th century, including: the laser; Project Whirlwind, one of the first digital computers; the first autonomous robot; and the atomic clock, which made precision satellite navigation possible. The invention of virtually every important sensor and undersea vehicle that has allowed us to explore and better understand our vast oceans is a result of the stewardship of the Office of Naval Research.

Moreover, nearly every platform used by the Navy and Marine Corps relies in some way on technology developed or advanced by the Office of Naval Research. From lifesaving medical advances such as QuikClot, to more lethal and effective ships and weapons, the Office of Naval Research has changed the way we fight and win wars. The Office of Naval Research will continue to shape the future as well; its programs are continuously advancing the fields of artificial intelligence, autonomous weaponry, networking, directed energy, warfighter performance, maritime awareness, and next-generation power.

We are proud to honor the achievements of the Office of Naval Research, and we hope the Members of the Senate will join us in recognizing the incredible innovation and scientific leadership this distinguished organization has provided not only to our sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen, and guardians, but also to the American people over the past 75 years.

Mr. President, for the Committee on Armed Services I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators .

Madam President, first let me thank Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters for bringing us together to recognize an extraordinary gentleman, an extraordinary friend, and, for me, an extraordinary mentor, Senator Carl Levin.

I want to begin by offering my deepest sympathies to Carl's family, his wife Barbara, their wonderful daughters and grandchildren, his brother Sandy, and his nephew Congressman Andy Levin. Those who knew him knew that Carl was, above all else, a loving father, a devoted husband, and a profoundly compassionate man. Today, we mourn with the entire Levin family.

I would like to take just a few minutes to reflect on his remarkable life and legacy. Carl served 36 years in the U.S. Senate and made every single day count. He was a gentleman and a statesman, a true champion for Michigan, for working families, for justice, and especially for the men and women of the U.S. military Throughout his long and wide-ranging career, he carried with him a constant, enduring commitment to service.

From his earliest days growing up in Detroit, Carl understood what service meant. He worked his way up as an auto factory worker and taxi driver to get to law school and then to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, where he dedicated his early career to service as a public defender. From there, he committed himself even further to the people of Detroit, serving 8 years on the city council and fighting constantly to advance the civil rights of his constituents.

His 3\1/2\ decades in the Senate truly defined his commitment to service, and his accomplishments are monumental. While Carl is particularly associated with national defense, as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he was one of the most productive, effective congressional investigators and legislators of his era--or any era. Wielding his gavel on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations with great clout and distinction, he was relentless in going after waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption whenever and wherever he saw it.

He didn't shy from tough issues. He worked tirelessly to expose major corporate tax avoidance and evasion, knowing that it was unfair for working men and women to pay their share while corporations found loopholes to pay nothing.

Carl changed the very way our government worked, using his legislative powers, his backbone, and his brain to take on the most powerful institutions in America on behalf of not just the little guy but a healthier republic.

Serving alongside Carl Levin on the Armed Services Committee was one of the greatest privileges of my life. We liked to joke that we were friends and we traveled together so much because I made Carl feel tall and he made me feel like the most elegant dresser in the United States of America.

I was always intrigued during our 11 trips overseas together--mostly to battlegrounds--when I would try to pack light, my experience in the military having suggested that. Carl would show up with a little bag-- just a little black bag. And I would think, ``How could he get through these 5, 6, 7 days of trips with just that?'' Then I discovered the answer. We would have a meeting with a Prime Minister, for example, and he would have his coat and his tie and his white shirt on and his slacks. And then he would get ready to go to the field. He would just take his coat off or undo his tie, roll up his sleeves, and head out to the field. Then we would come back to have another meeting, and he would put his tie back on. It was the Carl Levin method. And as much as I tried to emulate it, I could not.

He was one of the most incredibly genuine and kind individuals you would ever meet.

When he took on his duties on the Armed Services Committee, he understood that national security is not a partisan issue, and he maintained a spirit of bipartisanship that continues to motivate all of us.

He also understood that national security requires more than just defense. So he was an active supporter of diplomacy and international organizations.

Throughout his life, Senator Levin was a steadying force in turbulent times in global affairs. He was a staunch advocate for NATO, recognizing that our national power is enhanced by strong alliances with other democracies. He also lent crucial support to the START Treaty between the United States and Russia, limiting and reducing the number of nuclear weapons on this planet. And he later supported the Nunn-Lugar legislation that removed many unsecured nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

But, most profoundly, Carl always recognized that the dedication and sacrifice of our servicemembers is fundamental to our military security. I feel that in every critical decision he made, he viewed it through the eyes of those young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines on the ground--what would his decisions mean to them? That is why he traveled to countless outposts and ships to see for himself the needs of our men and women in uniform and to thank our troops personally for their service. And I was privileged to travel with him many, many times and to witness his concern for those who served.

At this moment, my mind is awash with memories and images; for example, in 1997, standing with Carl before a crowd of 50,000 pro- democratic Serbians in Belgrade, calling for a democracy to replace the dictator, Milosevic. It was a moving moment. In 2003, visiting our troops in Iraq--one of the first codels to enter Iraq--to find out for ourselves what was happening; what the troops needed; what we could do to protect them and give them the tools to do their job; and in 2009, crowded together, sitting on the floor on carpets with Afghan leaders in a small village, trying to determine a path forward. Carl always led by example and with decency and integrity.

Later this summer, it will be the honor of my life to speak at the commissioning of the U.S. Navy's newest warship, the USS Carl M. Levin. It is a great and formidable ship, bearing the name of a great and formidable man. I wish more than anything that Carl could be there to witness the tremendous honor for his namesake ship's commissioning. But Carl always did prefer to avoid the spotlight and the fanfare, and, I think, perhaps he will be smiling even wider as he looks from above at the christening of that ship.

Carl's life was defined by service, and we should all be grateful to be part of the legacy that he created in this very Chamber. His loss is immeasurable, but I am grateful for his lifetime of contributions to the people of Michigan and the people of our Nation.

We can best honor Senator Levin by carrying out his ideals and example in what we do here and what we do for the Nation, and, particularly, what we do for the brave young men and women who serve this Nation.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I am reintroducing the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act (VCFCA) along with Senator Merkley, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Brown, and many of my colleagues. This important legislation would extend the bipartisan Military Lending Act's (MLA) protections for active-duty servicemembers and their families to all Americans by imposing a nationwide 36 percent cap on the annual percentage rate (APR) for most extensions of consumer credit.

The MLA was enacted on a bipartisan basis in 2006 to rein in payday and other unscrupulous lenders that targeted American troops with abusive and predatory loans. Unfortunately, the MLA does not protect veterans or Gold Star families from these exploitative practices. Our servicemembers and their families should not lose important consumer protections simply because they retire, separate from honorable service, or lose their loved ones. As such, our legislation would extend the MLA' s protections to veterans and Gold Star families as well as ensure that all Americans are shielded from predatory loans.

Hundreds of millions of American consumers could benefit from a 36 percent APR cap. In states that do not have such a cap, predatory lenders are permitted to offer loans with triple-digit APRs that trap individuals in cycles of debt. For instance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that 80 percent of payday loans are rolled over or renewed within two weeks. This practice can cause borrowers to pay more in fees than the amount of money they originally borrowed, which is a sign of predatory lending and poor underwriting.

According to a coalition of community organizations, payday lenders are known to target the most vulnerable, including seniors, veterans, and low-income borrowers. Many in these communities were already struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic, and continuing to pay exorbitant APRs may cause them to fall deeper into economic insecurity. This is why it's important to extend strong protections against unscrupulous lenders to all Americans.

The MLA's successful track record demonstrates that providing for reasonable, responsible limits on interest rates does not cut off consumers' access to credit. According to a May 2021 report from the Department of Defense, ``credit cards, auto loans, and personal loans are widely available at risk-based rates under the 36 percent [military] APR'' and ``[s]ervice members continue to have ample access to necessary credit.''

Moreover, this legislation would follow the trend in many states towards greater protections against predatory loans. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted APR caps of 36% or lower for payday loans or banned them altogether. Lenders in these states have incentives to offer more affordable loans that borrowers have an ability to repay. The same incentives should apply across the nation.

I thank the bill's supporters, including the Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), the Center for Responsible Lending, Americans for Financial Reform, Veterans Education Success, the Military Officers Association of America, and the National Military Family Association.

I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. President, today I am reintroducing the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act (VCFCA) along with Senator Merkley, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Brown, and many of my colleagues. This important legislation would extend the bipartisan Military Lending Act's (MLA) protections for active-duty servicemembers and their families to all Americans by imposing a nationwide 36 percent cap on the annual percentage rate (APR) for most extensions of consumer credit.

The MLA was enacted on a bipartisan basis in 2006 to rein in payday and other unscrupulous lenders that targeted American troops with abusive and predatory loans. Unfortunately, the MLA does not protect veterans or Gold Star families from these exploitative practices. Our servicemembers and their families should not lose important consumer protections simply because they retire, separate from honorable service, or lose their loved ones. As such, our legislation would extend the MLA' s protections to veterans and Gold Star families as well as ensure that all Americans are shielded from predatory loans.

Hundreds of millions of American consumers could benefit from a 36 percent APR cap. In states that do not have such a cap, predatory lenders are permitted to offer loans with triple-digit APRs that trap individuals in cycles of debt. For instance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that 80 percent of payday loans are rolled over or renewed within two weeks. This practice can cause borrowers to pay more in fees than the amount of money they originally borrowed, which is a sign of predatory lending and poor underwriting.

According to a coalition of community organizations, payday lenders are known to target the most vulnerable, including seniors, veterans, and low-income borrowers. Many in these communities were already struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic, and continuing to pay exorbitant APRs may cause them to fall deeper into economic insecurity. This is why it's important to extend strong protections against unscrupulous lenders to all Americans.

The MLA's successful track record demonstrates that providing for reasonable, responsible limits on interest rates does not cut off consumers' access to credit. According to a May 2021 report from the Department of Defense, ``credit cards, auto loans, and personal loans are widely available at risk-based rates under the 36 percent [military] APR'' and ``[s]ervice members continue to have ample access to necessary credit.''

Moreover, this legislation would follow the trend in many states towards greater protections against predatory loans. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted APR caps of 36% or lower for payday loans or banned them altogether. Lenders in these states have incentives to offer more affordable loans that borrowers have an ability to repay. The same incentives should apply across the nation.

I thank the bill's supporters, including the Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), the Center for Responsible Lending, Americans for Financial Reform, Veterans Education Success, the Military Officers Association of America, and the National Military Family Association.

I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. President, for the Committee on Armed Services I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the RECORDS on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 167, 196, 197, 198, 199, and 200; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order to any of the nominations; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I have 7 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, July 22, 2021, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a closed 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, July 22, 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, July 22, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

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, July 22, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 10 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, July 22, 2021, at 9 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental

Justice, and Regulatory Oversight

The Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 316, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 91, S. Res. 67.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 93, S. Res. 165.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to; the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 105, S. 2382.

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