Floor Statements

Thank you.

First of all, I want to thank the chairman for all the hard work. People don't realize that this is, in my opinion, the most significant vote of the year. It has been one we have been through for a long period of time, and it is necessary, and I like the way it turned out. It is really good.

I am pleased that the Senate is voting today for the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. I have said it before, and I am not the only one saying it: The world is more dangerous than I have ever seen it before in my lifetime. Typically, there is bipartisan agreement on this fact, and that is why this bill has gotten done for 61 years in a row. It is almost always bipartisan, and for this year's bill, that is definitely the case. We have worked together for a long period of time. I have worked closely with my friend Chairman Jack Reed, and both of us made sure that that would be the case.

The Armed Services Committee agreed, almost unanimously, to boost President Biden's inadequate defense budget by $45 billion. This additional funding will address record-high inflation rates and ensure that we are able to implement the little blue book that we talk about all the time. It has worked very successfully in the past. It will be working successfully long after I am gone too. So additional funding will address record high inflation rates, and we are ensured that we will be able implement the little blue book the way we have done it in the past.

We need to prioritize defense. It is as simple as that. The NDAA addresses the National Defense Strategy in concrete ways. We need to get this done. We are going to get it done, and we will get it done this evening.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support this year's National defense authorization bill. Let's extend our track record of getting this bill done, and let's show our troops that we love them and that we support them.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, after months of deliberating, just like that, the most important bill we work on every year has passed the Senate.

There is an old document that no one reads anymore called the Constitution. It tells us what we are supposed to be doing here: providing for our national defense. That is why Congress has passed a Defense authorization bill for 61 years in a row. This year will be No. 62. I am proud to have been involved in quite a few of those.

Just like prior years, Republicans and Democrats came together and made compromises on the many provisions in this bill. And it is a good thing we did because we face threats like I have never seen before in my life. We have got a bill that addresses many of these threats and helps provide our military with all the tools needed to do their jobs.

This bill includes a significant topline increase and provides a blueprint for where we need to invest to deter China. It fully supports our nuclear modernization program. It also takes the first step to restoring America as the Arsenal of Democracy by expanding munitions production. It includes multiple provisions that strengthen America's frontline partners, including Ukraine and Taiwan. We continue to take care of servicemembers, including by repealing the COVID vaccine mandate and strengthening parents' rights at DOD schools. It is also important to note that we kept poison pills out of the final text that could have jeopardized passage of this critical bill. This is a good bill. It is not the bill I would have written on my own, but I am proud to vote for it today.

Lastly, I would like to thank a few people who put in a ton of work on the NDAA. That starts with Chairman Reed, who has been a great partner and friend. I would like to thank the Armed Services Committee staff, who have worked tirelessly to make this bill a reality, including the majority staff director, Liz King.

On my staff, there are many who have had a hand in crafting this bill. They worked the late nights and early mornings to make sure we had a bill to vote on today. First on that list is my Republican staff director, John Wason. John has been serving this country his entire life, first in the U.S. Army, then at the House Armed Services Committee, and now here in the Senate. None of this would be possible without his leadership.

On the minority staff for the committee, I want to thank:

Rick Berger

Scott Richardson

Greg Lilly

Jennie Wright

Adam Barker

Kristina Belcourt

Allen Edwards

Katie Magnus

Sean O'Keefe

Brad Patout

Jason Potter

Brian Slattery

Katie Sutton

Eric Trager

Adam Trull, and

T.C. Williams

On my personal staff, I want to thank:

Dan Hillenbrand

Wendi Price

Kim Cutter

Sarah Klotz

Sofia Rafiq

Mark Powers

Ellen Brown

Jake Hinch

Jake Johnson

Alexandra Slocum

Bennett Crow

Davis Bunn

Laurie Fitch

Lauren Pickett

Whitney Sterling

Isabelle Colleti

Laura Hill, and

Richard Balzano

And the hard-working floor staff:

Robert Duncan

Chris Tuck

Tony Hanagan

Katherine Foster

Brian Canfield

Max Boyd

Maddie Sanborn

Charlotte Ueland, and

Noelle Ringel

I am very grateful for all of their service.

As I finish my time here in the Senate, I can leave knowing that we have done all we can to support our troops for another year and we have succeeded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for as much time as I shall consume.

Mr. President, as I reflect on my 28 years serving in the U.S. Senate, I am reminded of the lessons I learned from my former colleagues and friends who have served beside me in the Senate. I had the privilege of serving with many great titans for a fairly long period of time. Some maybe thought too long. I had the privilege of serving with the people whom I have known very well--people like Orrin Hatch and Mike Enzi, friends I miss dearly. I single them out because they are no longer with us.

In Senator Hatch's farewell speech in 2018, he reflected on the striking shift in polarization and partisanship of the Senate, and he yearned for the days of Members finding common ground and breaking bread together.

Orrin reflected on this in his farewell speech. He said: Could two people with polar-opposite beliefs and from vastly different walks of life come together as often as Teddy and I did? And the answer is yes. Can conservative Republicans and Democrats come together today? All the time, and they will in the future. But you may not hear about it because it is not newsy. The media doesn't really care if everybody loves everybody.

Then there is Barbara Boxer. Not too many people who are making their last speech talk about Members of the other party, but I will do this. I have shared this story many times with all of you about how former Senator Barbara Boxer of California and I worked together for many years as chair and ranking member of the EPW Committee to get things done. You can't get two more ideologically different Senators than Barbara and me--Barbara, a proud Democrat of the most far left State in the Nation, and me, a

proud Republican from the most conservative State in the Nation. But we were able to see past our ideological differences to work together, and we did. We got stuff done. We passed landmark legislation, from highway bills like the FAST Act to the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act. You remember that. Most people still remember that. We did it, and we did it time and time again.

Every Wednesday, as Republicans in this meeting in the Senate where the chairmen will go--I shouldn't probably be telling all you guys what Republicans do. But they go around the room and give an update on what their committee is working on. And I would always say at that time: Now is the time to hear from the committee that gets things done.

And I can say that--that Barbara Boxer and I got things done. And do you know what? We actually enjoyed it. Nobody believed that we would enjoy it so much and actually get things done.

Then there is Jack Reed. Today, I have a similar relationship with the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I am a Republican, and he is a Democrat. Jack is from Rhode Island, a very blue State, but we have worked together for years to pass the annual Defense authorization bill, which is the most important bill we pass every year.

I believe the secret to getting this bill done--and any bipartisan bill, for that matter--is determination, but also trust and respect in the Member that you are sitting across the table from, a lesson Senator Hatch set very well. In working with Senator Reed over the years, he has my trust, and I have his respect. And it is why we have been successful in what I consider to be the most significant thing that we do every year.

For me, I was a builder and developer prior to running for public office and never contemplated getting involved in politics until one day on the job in South Texas. I was told that I needed more than a dozen permits to build a single dock. Now, that didn't make much sense to me, and so I decided at that time to run for office and try to get things done where people in this body are actually responding favorably.

I remember when I first came to the Senate from the House. After I gave a very spirited speech on the Senate floor, Senator Byrd came up to me and he said: Young man, the Senate doesn't work like the House. Let me tell you about the Senate. That day happened to be November 17, 1994, which was my 60th birthday. Until the day he died, I was still ``young man.'' And Senator Byrd explained to me--and this is something that a lot of the new Members who are just being sworn in as we speak, and are here for the first time, realize--that this is discipline and major differences. If you make enemies in the Senate, you are wiped out. That is not true in the House. I spent a lot of years in the House before.

Also, I remember friends across the aisle, like former Hawaii Senator Danny Akaka, who led our Prayer Breakfast each week; Ted Kennedy, who I helped out of the Capitol during one of the September attacks that was taking place; and former Majority Leader Harry Reid, who would sometimes move our voting schedule around so that I could get home and watch my grandkids' football games.

And then there is the one that we all love, Susan Collins, who is well-respected because she makes this institution a better place, and not just because of the Maine lobster rolls that are her signature fare for the eating groups.

Real friendship does exist in the U.S. Senate, but nobody knows it. It is a big secret around here.

Then there is a bipartisan Bible study that we have. Some of you know about the Senate Bible study that meets every Thursday in my hideaway in the Capitol. I have made a point not to miss a Thursday Bible study in 28 years. So I have a record going. There is no one who is going to beat it. Well, they could beat it, I suppose. After I was first elected to the House in 1986, I attended a Bible study led by a guy named Tom Barrett.

I am going to tell you a story that most people don't want to hear, but one day, Tom Barrett and a Member of Congress from Kansas invited me to the Members' dining room after Bible study. Keep in mind, this was 1986.

They said to me: Inhofe, we think that--we have been with you now for over a year, since you got here, and we think you never really accepted Jesus.

Well, I got mad. Who is this young guy there telling me about Jesus?

And they said: All right, when did you ask Him?

And I said: Well, every day.

They asked: How long have you and Kay been married?

At that time, we were newlyweds. We were probably, I think, celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary.

And they said: Do you propose to Kay every day?

And I said: No.

And they replied: Why?

And I said: Because we are already married.

Well, bingo, that meant something. And I thought--I was a little cautious because these guys were younger, and I wasn't sure I knew them that well. I said, just in case they were right in the Members' dining room at 2:30 in the afternoon on September 22, 1988, I reaccepted-- reaccepted--Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Now, that is life- changing.

OK. Now there is Africa. Since joining the Senate, I have made 172 African country visits, alongside good friends from here, like Mike Enzi, John Boozman, Mike Rounds, Trent Kelly, Tim Walberg, and arguably my closest friend, Mark Powers, a real brother, but it all started with Doug Coe. You see, people think of Doug Coe as having been someone who was a great diplomat. He had political influence and all that.

Years back, an article about Doug said this:

The extent of Coe's influence in American politics is

[real] . . . important figures have acknowledged his role on

the national and international stage. For instance, speaking

at the 1990 National Prayer Breakfast, President George H. W.

Bush praised Coe for his quiet diplomacy.

Not many things are quiet around here. Doug spent his years in the countries across the world taking Jesus's name to the Kings. I remember him asking me for 8 years. He said: Inhofe, I wish you would go to West Africa.

And I had no interest in going to West Africa.

And he kept saying--and this lasted for 8 years. For 8 years, I said no to this guy, but he was very persistent. And I can't tell you why it happened, but then finally I said yes. And I still to this day can't figure out how that happened. But that changed lives, including mine, and it all came from Doug Coe.

You know, I would like to mention some of these people who were really heroes around here that most people don't even know. They don't remember. But they go back and they look them up and they see what great contributions they made. Not many people are aware of this, but here in the U.S. Senate, every Wednesday morning, we meet in the Spirit of Jesus. This is something Doug Coe started many years ago during the Eisenhower administration. It is scripturally based, Acts 2:42. We get together, eat together, pray together, fellowship together, and talk about the precepts of Jesus together.

I will always be thankful to Doug for his efforts to quietly speak of Jesus in most every country around the world.

Over my 172 African country visits as a Senator--sure, I did my military job while I was there--but I developed a deep love and appreciation for the people of Africa whom I will hold here with me forever.

One thing from my visits remains clear. Building meaningful and lasting relationships with African leaders is vital if the United States is to have a role on the African Continent. I was proud to lead the effort to establish AFRICOM. Some of you don't remember this, but AFRICOM didn't exist for a long period of time. Every other part of the world did but not Africa. But we set that up as a separate combatant command in 2007, and I have seen the benefits across the continent since that time.

The presence of U.S. military across Africa means a great deal to our friends and is a worthwhile investment for the United States. A strong and robust relationship with the United States has helped spur economic growth and regional stability across the continent.

I think it is important to talk about these things that other people don't talk about. I have faith that my colleagues in the House and Senate will continue the United States-African friendship long after I have retired from the Senate.

Western Sahara. Western Sahara. Over the years, I have been very outspoken about the situation in Western Sahara. A few years ago, I visited the Sahrawi refugee camps. I visited the children who lived there. They were joyous and happy and ordinary children who didn't know yet that they were part of the frozen, forgotten conflict, where their hopes and dreams were dying a cruel death.

I urge my colleagues to remember our ideals of democracy and extend that to the Sahrawians. Don't let the world forget them. I urge everyone in this body to stand strong to support Western Sahara's right to self-determination and reject Morocco's relentless attacks on Western Sahara.

Ethiopia. Then there is Ethiopia, a nation that is close to my heart for many reasons. The human suffering happening there is heartbreaking. Instead of focusing on the importance of creating lasting friendships with the Ethiopian people, some in the U.S. Government look for ways to punish them. Nineteen of my African visits have included Ethiopia, where I have watched firsthand the economic transformation that occurred.

Their middle class is growing; they have become a regional superpower; and they are a good friend of the United States of America. Their military is professional, capable, and they are punching above their weight in the war against terrorism that continues to plague the continent.

They promote regional peace and security by being one of the top contributors to the United Nations when they are called upon. Hopefully, we can find ways to grow this friendship, the Ethiopian friendship.

Then there is Zegita Marie. Now, many of you already know that I have an adopted granddaughter who was born in Ethiopia. Her name is Zegita Marie. We call her the Z-girl. She has a very special story and has grown up to be a very impressive star. Knowing the joys of adoption in my own family, I have worked to ensure all families who choose to adopt can.

In 2017, when Ethiopia decided to close intercountry adoptions, I worked directly with my friend then-Prime Minister Hailemariam so the families who were pending adoptions were able to complete their adoptions to bring their children home. That was a major thing, a major undertaking. You wouldn't think it would be. That should be natural.

Now, the Constitution. Yes, you have heard me say this line before. There are two things we should remember here in Congress: infrastructure and defense. That statement rang true 28 years ago when I got to the Senate, and it will ring true in the years to come.

Infrastructure--and we have gotten a lot done together on that front over the years. We passed bipartisan landmark infrastructure legislation from SAFETEA-LU to MAP-21, to the FAST Act, all of which rebuilt our Nation's crumbling infrastructure so the future generations of Americans still have safe roads and bridges to cross.

Before 2005, Oklahoma--my State--was a donor State to the highway trust fund. Now, what that means is we were paying more into the highway trust fund than we were receiving out of it, and of course we were going to change that.

SAFETEA-LU created a fair formula for apportionment so Oklahoma--I just want to say this. I want to make sure that people in Oklahoma, since I am bugging out of this place, realize some of the things that I have done. I know it is controversial in some circles to say this, but I have been one of the staunchest defenders of congressionally directed spending also known as earmarks. And an ``earmark'' must be defined as something that is both authorized and appropriate and should be the job of Congress to decide how the American people--how their taxes are spent, not unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch. And that is what we are trying to get away from when we are looking at why we should be using earmarks.

We have worked across the party lines to ensure the National Defense Authorization Act is signed into law every year. And as I said earlier, the NDAA is the most important bill that we do every year and for a good reason. This year will be the 62nd time that the NDAA has been signed into law--62nd time.

And I am proud to have had a hand in crafting the last 28 years of that bill. The Defense authorization bill ensures that our service men and women have the training, equipment, and other resources they need to defend America, here and on the road.

It also ensures that the families of the men and women who serve are taken care of. Some elected leaders criticize our military spending, but they need to know that our greatest expense in the military is taking care of our troops and building schools for the young people and how important that is. And why does it cost more for us to do that than other countries? than communist countries? It does because we do actually take care of our people.

With growing threats from China, Russia, Iran, and others around the world, it is more important now than ever that our troops have what they need to counter this aggression. Ronald Reagan used to say we maintain the peace through our strength, and that continues to be true today. After all of these years serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have come to know with certainty that America cannot lose its focus on fully investing in its defense capabilities.

And I have got to say this about Oklahoma. Oklahoma has come out pretty well. You all don't need to feel sorry for Oklahoma because I will take care of that. They are very happy right now. Oklahoma has five major military installations. From training pilots to building bombs, each is unique in its mission to support our military.

Since 1988, we have gone through five BRAC rounds. That is Base Realignment and Closure Commissions. And in each round, the Department of Defense closed bases and military installations in accordance with their performance. This is something we ought to be doing. And in each round, Oklahoma and the Department of Defense grew its presence in Oklahoma. So Oklahoma has done very well in that period of time.

I am going to tell a story here that will surprise a lot of people because the star of the story is--none of these kids will remember, except for reading about it--Ronald Reagan. When I was about 6 years old, my dad was a claims adjuster in a building where Ronald Reagan was an announcer for WHO radio, a sports announcer in Des Moines, IA--my dad and Ronald Reagan. In fact, I thought he was--I was about 6 years old at that time, and I thought that he was related to me. My dad and Ronald Reagan used to play the pinball machine together. He would come out to the house, and I always thought he was an uncle or some relative.

When I was young, my family moved from Des Moines to Tulsa--Tulsa, OK--but we never missed a Dutch Reagan movie, which is what my dad called him, Dutch Reagan.

We would drive--I remember one time we went all the way down from Tulsa to Durant, OK, and that was before turnpikes. We drove for hours to watch a Dutch Reagan movie. Never missed one of those. It is not a big deal, but it is to me, and I am the guy who needed it.

Fast-forward to when, as mayor of Tulsa and Ronald Reagan was President, when President Reagan wanted someone to tout his domestic agenda, he used me. We would appear on all the TV shows, sometimes together, and tell the people what they needed to know and what was happening in the administration.

I will always remember when, as mayor of Tulsa, I pushed the construction of a low-water dam on the Arkansas River. It ended up being one of the largest public projects in America that was totally privately funded. It had a lot of opposition, but it is pretty amazing. Go back and read about this, and you will see that anything Ronald Reagan wanted, he got.

Then there is the Wiley Post flight around the world. Now, people may not know who Wiley Post is. Everyone knows who Will Rogers is. Well, Wiley Post and Will Rogers were both pilots. The difference is, Wiley Post had just one eye and he was good. In fact, they were together when they died.

Back in 1991, I was still in the House, and a few friends and I created a Wiley Post 1931 flight around the world in my twin engine Cessna aircraft. It is hard to believe that was 30 years ago when we made that trip that left out of Oklahoma, with several stops on the east coast, then in Europe, and then in the Soviet Union. Wiley Post had my plane beat on the travel time. He did his in 8 days; it took me 16 days.

Looking back, I am not sure how Tom Quinn and I survived those stops in the Soviet Union. I remember praying: Lord, you got more for me to do. Get me out of this mess.

Fighting far-left environmentalists, it is no shock to anyone that the Washington Post has dubbed me public enemy No. 1 for radical environmentalists for decades now.

For much of my time in the Senate, I was chair and ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Throughout that time, I pushed back against the Obama administration's far-left policies designed to upend the--sought to upend the lives of Oklahomans, like the Paris climate agreement, the waters of the United States rule, the Clean Power Plan, and many others. These policies were really about giving Washington bureaucrats sweeping control over the lives of millions of Americans. We are debating a lot of these same issues today, and I expect these disagreements will continue into the future.

Lastly, I want to take a second to say thank you to all of my current and former staff. They are hanging around out here now. I didn't get much work out of them today. They were pretty busy, but my staff knows that once they leave my office, they always have a place here. We have become very close. We don't have people who leave; they become friends.

I lovingly call my former staff the Has-Beens. It is something of a mark of honor. And to all of you, thank you. You are all about to be Has-Beens.

Most importantly, to my family: I love you.

When Kay and I got married 63 years ago, I could never imagine I would be standing here today with 20 kids and grandkids saying goodbye.

Thank you to all you guys for all you have done all these years, and thank you for putting up with me.

To Kay, my best friend and rock, I can never put into words what you mean to me.

Finally, I want to say to the people of Oklahoma that I really thank you for what you have done for me all these years. Thank you very much. I love you guys.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following intern and fellow from my office be granted floor privileges until November 18, 2022. They are J.P. Cooper and Laura Hill.

For 43 years, Ms. Black has served the Nation with honor and professionalism. Now, as she retires from her position as Deputy Director, General and Flag Officer Matters in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel and Policy, we are privileged to thank her for her four decades of service.

During Cheryl's time with the Department of Defense, she worked diligently to ensure every general and flag officer recommended for promotion or appointment was thoroughly vetted prior to a nomination being submitted to the Secretary of Defense, the President, and the Congress for confirmation. Because of her dedication to our general and flag officer corps, we all live in a safer and more prosperous nation.

Mr. President, we are proud to honor the achievements of Ms. Cheryl Black, and on behalf of a grateful nation, we salute her 43 years of service to our great Nation. We offer her our thanks and congratulate her on a well-earned retirement.

Mr. President, the National Defense Authorization Act is the most important bill we pass every year--and especially the most important bill we pass for our troops. This year is no different.

Some may disagree with me, but let me point you to an old document not too many people read anymore, called the Constitution; it tells us what we are supposed to be doing here: defending America.

This is a responsibility I do not take lightly, and I know my colleagues share in my desire to get this bill passed. I am particularly eager to get this bill passed because, as you all know, it is my last NDAA to shepherd through the Senate, and there has been a lot of them at this point.

Specifically, I want to take a moment to recognize my good friend, Jack Reed. We are both Army veterans and understand that the most important thing we do all year is the NDAA, where we work to get the troops what they need to do their jobs and make sure they are taken care of. I don't think there are two closer friends than Jack Reed and myself here in the Senate, and I am proud to have worked on my last defense bill alongside him.

This bill is truly a bipartisan, comprehensive product. We have already agreed to more than 70 bipartisan amendments in the manager's package of amendments, and those numbers don't include the hundreds of provisions written by Members that are already in the bill.

It is easy to forget what brings us together around here, but the National Defense Authorization Act is a bill we must put aside our differences and pass every year. We are about to enter the 62nd year of passing the NDAA with far-reaching, bipartisan support.

Senator Reed, the Armed Services Committee, and I, we worked hard to make this a bipartisan bill--in the base text, in the committee mark, and now with this manager's package of amendments authored by many Members of the Senate.

We are one step closer to getting this product to the finish line and making sure our military is provided for in the coming years.

I can't think of one thing we have come together to pass for over 60 years straight other than the NDAA. It truly is remarkable.

I thank my colleagues for their contributions, I look forward to our continued debate on this important bill--the most important bill we will do all year.

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

Mr. President, there is this old document that no one reads anymore called the Constitution, and I think some of my colleagues should give it another read today.

The Constitution tells us what Congress is supposed to be doing here in DC, and that is national defense. It is right there at the top. Now, some of my colleagues don't agree with it. They don't have that as the No. 1 concern. I think the majority do, but there are some who don't.

I would say this: For 61 years now, for 61 years in a row, Congress has fulfilled this duty by passing the National Defense Authorization Act to strengthen the common defense and support our troops. That is 61 years. That is a long track record. And this year will be my 62nd, and I am proud to say that I have had the opportunity to vote on over half of them in that timeframe. So I think I have a pretty good understanding of what it takes to get this bill done and the significance of this bill.

The way this typically works is the House does their bill; then the Senate does ours; and then we go into conference and create a bipartisan, bicameral conference report. That is commonly, normally what takes place. But that takes time. It really takes months. You know I have been in a position of being active in this for a long period of time. So when I look at the legislative calendar right now, I get concerned. The days are ticking down, and, frankly, we are running out of time to get this bill done, to do it the right way, and we are talking about the most important bill that we consider all year. Now, some people don't agree with that, but I certainly do. This tells us our ability to defend and help America to survive.

Senator Reed and I believe deeply in this bill. We held a markup on June 15 and reported out a strong bipartisan bill. That was 3 months ago. Now, we have got an election in November that will likely eat away at the limited time that we have.

We saw last year what happens when this bill isn't given enough floor time. Last year, Majority Leader Schumer waited until the last possible moment to try to jam through the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act, without debate right before Thanksgiving. If he delays it again, we don't get an open amendment process where every Senator has a chance to improve the bill. Now, we are talking about every Senator--not just the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee but all the others who are out there who have an interest in how to make this a better bill.

We have a virtually unlimited amendments process that we have enjoyed in the past. Now, if he delays, we get jammed in negotiating a conferenced bill with the House. The whole process would take longer, which leaves our military with more uncertainty and prevents them from moving out and getting things done. There are real consequences to waiting this long. It is bad for this institution. It is bad for our troops. It is bad for our national security.

Now, I understand some of my colleagues, including the majority leader, have different priorities than I do, but I think this is the most important bill that we do all year. So this year, that is as true as ever. We have threats. We have two countries out there, Russia and China; they have capabilities that we never believed they had, and some capabilities are better than ours.

Now, people have this assumption--when I go out to Oklahoma or anywhere around the country and I talk about what we are doing here and explain to them that we have other countries out there, we have threats that are there, most people now agree that we are in the most threatened position that we have been in in a long period of time and the scope of threats that we have.

Senator Reed and I deeply believe in this bill because it responds to those threats and it takes care of our troops. We finished markup 3 months ago. We could have gotten started--we could have been finished by now.

I have to admit, Mr. President, that I have a selfish motive. Now, how many Members of this body are going to stand up and admit they have a selfish motive, other than me? And that motive is that I want to get this bill done because it will be the last national defense authorization bill of my career. I want to make sure it is done right. I would hate to leave here without finishing the NDAA, without fulfilling our promises to our troops and the American people. I would hate even more to see the bill's six-decade track record broken. For the last 4 years as chairman and now ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, I have fought tirelessly to pass this bill.

I know the majority leader doesn't want to be responsible for the demise of Congress's last remaining annual authorization bill. There is really no time to waste. We are out of time now. The Senate is going to have to do, now, the NDAA.

With that, I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, today, I would like to recognize and honor the life of my friend and fellow aviator, Tom Poberezny, after his passing earlier this week. It is no coincidence that this week is the annual Experimental Aircraft Association--EAA--AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, an event that Tom was monumental in propelling to a world-level aviation event.

Tom and I got to know each other at this event, and I am grateful for the fellowship we built over a shared love of aviation. Like his father, the founder of EAA Paul Poberezny, Tom was first appointed chairman to EAA AirVenture in 1977. At the time, it was simply a national gathering of small plane enthusiasts. Under his leadership, it grew into an international event with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Like me, Tom was a lifelong aviation enthusiast. There is no doubt that Tom had a long-lasting impact on the aviation community, from his involvement with the U.S. National Unlimited Aerobatic Team to his presidency of EAA. As president of EAA, Tom had a leadership role advocating for sport pilots and light-sport category aircraft, and he spearheaded the construction of the current EAA Aviation Center headquarters and museum complex in Oshkosh, WI.

Tom recognized the importance of growing the next generation of aviators. In 1992, he led the creation of the Young Eagles program designed to give young kids an opportunity to experience flight in a general aviation airplane while educating them about aviation. In 2003, Tom played a pivotal leadership role as a member of the Centennial of Flight Commission to commemorate the Wright Brothers' historic first flight.

When Tom retired from EAA, his work wasn't finished. He served on the boards of several organizations including Angel Flight West, which provides free air transportation for passengers in need of medical treatment far from home.

Throughout the years, Tom was recognized for his notable contributions to the aviation community. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame, and 20 years later, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Tom's dedication to aviation serves as an example for us all, and his legacy will stand the test of time.

Most aviators know Tom's history, but what they may not be aware of was his close relationship with individuals in the aviation community. I was with Tom at Oshkosh since 1979, the very first year I went with my two young aviator sons. We didn't miss a single Oshkosh in 43 years, and each reunion was one of my happiest moments. We are part of the Tom Poberezny family, and for that reason, the relationship is very special.

Kay and I join his family in their grief and in celebrating the life of Tom Poberezny, a remarkable champion of aviation.

Mr. President, today, I honor a superb leader, liaison and warrior. After 2 years of service as Director of the Navy Senate Liaison Office, Chase Patrick is deservedly moving on and assuming the responsibilities of a rear admiral, lower half. I believe it is fitting to recognize Admiral Patrick's distinguished service and dedication to fostering the relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Senate.

While I was just starting my time in the Senate in 1994, Admiral Patrick was graduating from the University of Virginia that same year. He showed his value quickly upon joining the Navy and has been consistently relied upon for his exceptional leadership and unparalleled work ethic. A surface warfare officer by designation, Admiral Patrick has led our Nation's young men and women on shore and at sea, most prominently in command of USS Chafee (DDG-90), where the Navy selected him to receive the Vice Admiral Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership and Commander Destroyer Squadron 50 and Task Force 55.

Admiral Patrick has excelled in numerous other leadership positions in the Navy, most recently as the director of the Navy Senate Liaison. In Washington, DC, and around the globe, Admiral Patrick filled the role that was initially created and held by the late Senator John McCain after his return from Vietnam as a Navy Captain. Decades later, Admiral Patrick had the job of leading the Navy Senate Liaison Office through the COVID-19 pandemic, relentlessly coordinating congressional delegations for our Members and our staffs during the most troubling of times and ensuring continuity between this Chamber and the U.S. Navy.

Over the course of the last few years, Admiral Patrick led six congressional delegations to 10 different countries. He escorted over half of the Members of this Chamber on travel and became a trusted adviser and friend to many of us. I have had the pleasure of traveling with Admiral Patrick on several trips, including his first trip as director of the Navy Senate Liaison Office. He distinguished himself by going above and beyond the call of duty to facilitate and successfully execute each and every congressional delegation, despite any number of weather, aircraft, and diplomatic challenges.

This month, Admiral Patrick departs Washington for Naples, Italy, to serve as the director of Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Africa and Sixth Fleet. This Chamber will feel Admiral Patrick's absence. I join many past and present Members of Congress in my gratitude and appreciation to Admiral Patrick for his outstanding leadership and unwavering support of the missions of the U.S. Navy. I especially recognize his patient and supportive family, his wife Mrs. Paurenia Patrick and his children, Sara, Chase, Jr., Harry, and Oliver. I wish this Navy family ``fair winds and following seas.''

Mr. President, today, I want to recognize and offer my sincere congratulations to Scott Robinson, director of the Port of Muskogee, on his retirement after 31 years of service. I have had the pleasure of working with Scott for a number of years, and we have done a lot of good work together.

When I came to Congress, I set out with the notion to let the world know that Oklahoma is navigable, and with Scott's help, we have been able to do that. He has been a long-time advocate for Oklahoma's inland waterways, serving on various waterways boards and commissions and testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Through his advocacy and leadership, Scott and I worked quickly to help the Port of Muskogee recover after the historic 2019 floods that decimated the Arkansas River Basin, including working to deliver millions of dollars to ensure the port could rebuild for the future. Under Scott's tenure, the port has grown tremendously as he oversaw the port's expansion of property that has allowed industries to invest over $2 billion into the port's facilities and create more than 2,500 jobs. Because of Scott, the port is a true multimodal transportation hub for the region.

As port director, Scott never missed an opportunity to highlight the importance of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System-- MKARNS--and its contribution to the long-term strength and security of the U.S. economy, including supporting thousands of jobs, and providing billions of dollars in sales impacts and transportation costs savings. His tireless work throughout the years has ensured that the Port of Muskogee and MKARNS system will continue to serve Oklahoma and our Nation for decades to come. Oklahoma and the entire Nation have benefited greatly from his leadership, and his legacy will not be soon forgotten.

Congratulations again, Scott, on your well-deserved retirement.

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

Mr. President, much has already been said on this floor as we express our love and admiration for our friend and former colleague, Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. He was not like any other Senator. Orrin was the best of all of us, and our household is very sad to hear of his passing.

I will never forget the time he took to answer calls from an obscure State senator from Oklahoma. If you haven't figured it out, that was me. He had a way about him with everyone he met, an unwavering kindness and gentle nature that Kay and I will miss deeply. You don't see a lot of that in the U.S. Senate. We were close long before I was even in the House. Orrin was the one whom I would go to for wisdom. We had the same love for Jesus and everything that we hold dear.

I will always remember his humor, but he also gave his best advice. He was not just a friend but a confidante. Whether he was talking about Scripture or history, he had a way of saying things that brought people together. You don't see that today. You see people fighting each other, and that is what people always say. When I go back home to Oklahoma, people talk about, why don't you guys get along? Well, we do. It just doesn't come across that way. But it did with him.

I think back fondly on everything that we did while Orrin was in office. Despite strong opposition at the time, myself and Senators Hatch, Chambliss, and Thune were able to pass an amendment permitting the Air Force to enter into a multiyear procurement for a total of 60 F-22s during the 2007 NDAA. The NDAA is something we pass every year. It is the National Defense Authorization Act. And that happened that year. Now, that turned out to be one-third of our total force in one effort, one NDAA effort.

The argument against the amendment at the time was that we didn't need such an air-dominant fighter, but we knew we were making an investment in the future of our defense. Orrin had that foresight. He was always looking to the future. In advancing years,

people would joke around about it because he was looking at the next generation. He showed that foresight always when others didn't.

Not only that, but together we worked very closely to ensure the future of our Air Force depots. I remember the codel. A codel is a group of Members who go someplace to examine things. I led a group codel, along with Senator Hatch and Senator Chambliss, which toured each one of our depots as part of the initiative to restore their funding. This is something that we had to do at that time because our previous administration had not done an adequate job.

Now, Orrin--you know, you think of him as always a serious person. He wasn't. Most of the time, he was poking fun at himself. I remember laughing often when he was around. Together, we supported funding for these Air Force depots that continue to be vital to our home States of Oklahoma, Utah, and Georgia, but we had fun while doing it. That was Orrin's way of doing it. He always had fun.

For those of you who are not familiar with our Nation's depots, they are state-of-the-art maintenance and repair facilities for the Air Force's aircraft. We do this ourselves because we can't trust anyone else to get them done. Simply put, our Nation would not be able to rule the skies without the critical maintenance and repair work that is performed on our incredibly complex aircraft.

To ensure our Nation will always have our Nation's depots, there are laws commonly called core and 50/50 laws which preserve the depots' maintenance. I know that a lot of people are not familiar with the term ``depot,'' but it is critically important for our survival.

Throughout my tenure on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I greatly appreciated the legal analysis that Senator Hatch provided my staff and me when the executive branch would send over suggested changes to these critical laws.

Now, there were many times when, after reading those proposals, Senator Hatch would raise the alarm, and my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee and I would then turn to do battle, and sometimes we had to do what was necessary, but we did it together.

After the Obama administration canceled the NASA project Constellation, which was supposed to replace the space shuttle, there was a real question whether the civilian solid rocket motor industry, which employs thousands of people in Utah, was going to survive. Obviously it did survive, and that was due to Orrin Hatch. Using his considerable legislative skills, Senator Hatch was able to insert language in the fiscal year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that directed the new heavy-lift Space Launch System be built to lift, from inception, 130 tons--an objective which at the time could only be accomplished by using solid rocket motors.

And he did it. He did it. He looked out into the future. This is back when he was actually in advanced years himself. As a result, a few weeks ago, NASA rolled the SLS out to the launch pad for testing before it carries the astronauts to the Moon in what is projected to be 2025.

I was also very impressed by how Senator Hatch used his prominence to promote the use of Hill Air Force Base. Whenever there was an Air Force official within hearing distance, Senator Hatch would espouse the strength and capabilities of the Hill, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, and he did so very persuasively. The results were there, and he was the guy who did it. In fact, I honestly believe that one of the reasons Hill was chosen to receive the first three squadrons of F-35s is that Orrin Hatch was always advocating for Hill with the Air Force senior leadership.

Now, one of the things that I loved about Orrin Hatch was his placement of obscure words into many of his speeches. He would say things that were so obscure that no one would know what he was talking about. No one in the Senate wanted to believe that they didn't understand what he was talking about, but they didn't. He would use words that no one really had any idea what they meant. I actually wrote these down some time ago.

``Bovarism.'' That was defined, by him, as having an exaggerated, especially glamorized, estimate of oneself. I think we know what we are talking about there.

``Cockalorum'' is a small man with a big opinion of himself. We know that.

``Furphy'' is a false report or a rumor.

When asked why he insisted on using that kind of vocabulary, Senator Hatch would beam his boyish grin and chuckle and respond:

I like confusing the Democrats.

He had a very peculiar way of trying to get to know volunteers. He would get people who had no status in life. He would have people who were driving cars. Many of them were young people who were escorting him to different places just to make speeches or something. He had a peculiar way of trying to get to know volunteers--people who no one else paid any attention to. If they were driving him to events, without fail, he would always compliment the volunteer about his car. It could be an old junker car, but, nonetheless, he would talk about it because he knew young people were proud of their cars. I am talking about the young volunteer could have been driving a 50-year-old Yugo, with the floor rusted through, but I can assure you that Senator Hatch would find something nice to say about the volunteer's car.

My personal opinion is that one of the best ways to know someone is to listen to him pray. When we address our Creator, we reveal who we really are. Many of us waited around and listened and waited for Orrin to give one of his prayers. He had that kind of a love that everyone enjoyed. For those who have listened to this or who have read this record, I want to present the genuine Orrin Hatch to you--a person whom we all came to know and love.

In 2010, Senator Hatch was chosen to say the main prayer at the 57th National Prayer Breakfast here in Washington. It has been going on for 60 years, and we have had our 60th now. This is something that will last forever.

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record, at the conclusion of my remarks, the full text of Senator Hatch's prayer for peace and tranquility in front of that crowd of 4,000 people on that February morning 12 years ago.

Today, I believe Orrin Hatch fully enjoys the peace and tranquility that he prayed for. All of that is to say, Orrin Hatch will be missed dearly by me and by the many friends of Orrin Hatch's. We have lost a true hero and one of my closest personal friends. Kay and I are praying for Elaine and their family and loved ones as they go through this difficult time.

So today is goodbye to my friend.

God bless you, Orrin Hatch.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, for 24 years, Chief Crutchfield has served the nation with honor and professionalism. Now, as he retires from his post as Assistant Director for General and Flag Officer Matters in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel and Policy, we are privileged to thank him for his decades of service.

Mr. President, in addition to extensive service around the country, Don also deployed overseas three times, including 13 months in Iraq in 2004, 9 months in Afghanistan in 2012, and 8 months in Kuwait in 2014. He answered the call to duty time and time again with absolute selflessness, and we all live in a safer and more prosperous nation because of Americans like him.

Mr. President, we are proud to honor the achievements of Chief Warrant Officer Donald Crutchfield, and, on behalf of a grateful nation, we salute his service. We offer him our thanks and congratulate him on a well-earned retirement.

Mr. President, this week, the Democrats are forcing yet another show vote on the so-called voting rights legislation. They claim the right to vote is under attack by the States, and there is nothing that could be further from the truth.

Ahead of the 2020 elections, everyone from Vice President Kamala Harris to Eric Holder to Stacey Abrams claimed that they were experiencing a wave of voter suppression. Now, that is very significant--a wave of voter suppression, as if they have to do something to change our system.

And the facts are so clear on that. You know, people lie around here, but the facts don't lie. The Census Bureau reported that the turnout in last year's election was 66.8 percent. Now, that was the highest voter turnout of the 21st century, and that turnout was higher across all demographics, as well as including minorities.

More than 90 percent of Americans think it is easy to vote. More than a third of them think the rules should be more stringent than they are today, and there is a good argument for that. But that argument is prevailing right now.

So once you see that the Democrats' Big Lie of rampant voter suppression is clearly false, why are they pushing this election takeover bill? They want to nationalize elections, putting the Federal Government in charge of something that the Constitution clearly says belongs to the State.

And just a few examples of what the bill would do: It would line the pockets of candidates with taxpayer dollars in order to run for office. It would restrict commonsense voter ID, supported by over 75 percent of the Americans, and mandate mail-in ballots and allow ballot trafficking--trafficking, that is when the unsupervised political operatives collect and submit absentee ballots--and it would make election day a Federal holiday, costing somewhere close to $1 billion each time that it would be used.

Now, you don't have to take my word for it on how radical this is. Oklahoma's election board secretary--keep in mind, as in most States, it is nonpolitical, nonpartisan in any way, and the guy's name is Paul Ziriax. He has called Schumer's legislation a ``recipe for chaos.''

Democrats can feel the American people turning against their agenda. And so they are desperate to rig elections in their favor, and they will do so by whatever means necessary--even killing rules that make the Senate the Senate.

This would poison bipartisan compromise in the Senate forever. My Democratic colleagues want you to forget that they were for the filibuster before they were against it. Just 5 years ago, 33 Senate Democrats, including then-Senator Harris, penned a letter demanding that we defend and retain it forever. So they were demanding that we retain the filibuster. But now they changed their mind, which means that they either have amnesia or that they see an opportunity to force their radical agenda on the American families.

If Democrats get their way on the filibuster, they won't stop taking over our elections. They will also pass their Green New Deal, their abortion on demand, amnesty, and pack the Supreme Court with activists to uphold their unconstitutional agenda.

I want to close by sharing a comment on the filibuster. The quote is this:

Getting rid of the filibuster has long-term consequences.

If there's one thing that I have learned in my years here,

once you change the rules and surrender the Senate's

institutional power, you never get it back.

Now, I didn't say that. That was said by President Joe Biden. He said it just in those words, and that might be the first time that we agree on something.

Likewise, Senator Schumer also said that getting rid of the legislative filibuster would be ``doomsday for democracy.'' And I happen to agree with him on that, too.

I have served the people of Oklahoma in the Senate longer than anyone in history, and I feel strongly that the one thing that has protected our democratic Republic and ensured bipartisanship more than any other single thing is the Senate's protection of the voice of the minority.

That is what we are famous for. There is no one else that has that as a function to do it, and yet I am seeing some of the things that are going on right now.

President Biden said--keep this in mind--back in 2005: We have got to keep the filibuster.

Then in 2021, just the other day, he said: We have got to kill the filibuster.

He said that yesterday.

Senator Schumer, back in 2005, said killing the filibuster will be ``doomsday for democracy,'' and now Schumer wants to kill the filibuster.

Senator Coons said, back in 2018: ``I am committed to never voting to change the legislative filibuster.'' And now he is supporting killing the filibuster.

Senator Klobuchar, back in 2017, said: ``Let's keep that 60-vote threshold in place,'' which is the filibuster.

And now she said, just a few days ago: ``I would personally get rid of the filibuster.''

So here is what we are faced with: We know what is right, and we know what is wrong. It is very clear. Yet they are desperately trying to take a position that they have had for a long period of time. So we will continue to protect it. Both the President and Senator Schumer are trying to kill the filibuster, and we are not going to let that happen.

Mr. President, I am very pleased that the Senate is finally voting on the fiscal year 2022 Defense authorization bill. It is the most significant bill of the year.

There is an old document that nobody reads anymore called the Constitution. It kind of tells us what we are supposed to be doing around here, and sometimes we forget. We are talking about national defense. That is what we are supposed to be doing. That is why Congress has passed a defense authorization bill for the last 60 years. This will be the 61st year in a row. It will pass. It will pass in about another half hour from now. It is going to pass because it has passed in the past, and everyone realizes this is the most important thing we do here. A lot of people don't say that, but it is true.

Every year, we come together--the House and the Senate, the Republicans and the Democrats--and put our differences aside and build this bill together and show our servicemembers that we really support them. I think that is so important.

All we have to do is argue about this bill, and what we are doing is reflecting on the people who are out there on the line, out there making the sacrifice and losing their lives in many cases. It is important that they know this is the most important thing we do, and that is exactly what we did this year.

It looked a little different this year because the Senate didn't take up the bill until after Veterans Day. I was critical of Senator Chuck Schumer. We filed our bill--Senator Reed and I filed this on September 22. We didn't take it up until November 17. That is 2 months that was wasted that we could have used and used very productively. We don't need to do that. We can't let that happen again.

It is the most important bill we do all year, and it shouldn't be left to the last minute. That is especially the case right now because we face threats like we have never before in my lifetime faced. We have China and Russia. They are growing and modernizing their militaries at a rate that we have never

seen before and using their new technology to menace their neighbors. We are seeing Russia build up forces on the Ukrainian border, most likely intended to be used for them to attack. We feel that is what is happening now.

We have seen evidence that China is testing hypersonic missile technology that we don't even have. We don't have hypersonic missile technology like the Chinese have. Those of us who have studied what happened in World War II, we swore we weren't going to let this happen. And for a long period of time, we had the best of everything. In one area where America should have the best of everything, we didn't have the best of everything.

So we have seen threats and are seeing threats now that we haven't seen before. Yes, on the Ukrainian border--we know what is happening there. We know 100,000 people are ready to go in. The Russians are there. Now we are seeing China use things that we don't even have today.

At the same time, following a disastrous withdrawal, terrorist organizations are resurging in Afghanistan. I think we all remember in Afghanistan--what happened when the President went in and we had a withdrawal when we shouldn't have had a withdrawal. Our allies and partners are questioning our credibility and commitment because of that debacle.

Iran continues to expand its nuclear program, and North Korea continues its own provocations.

In short, we have no shortage of challenges to our security and our military supremacy. The security situation with both China and Russia has gotten far worse since the Armed Services Committee first advanced this bill back in July. It has gotten worse over the last few days and certainly every week.

I can't think of a more necessary bill to pass right now, as we are going to do in another short period of minutes. This Defense authorization bill is the most important bill we have. I worked together with Chairman Reed, Senator Reed, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Rogers, and the Armed Services Committees in both Chambers to build a bill that will help us respond to all these threats. We worked together. We worked together in the committee for a long time.

People think, well, this is only something that we are doing--those of us who are in the position to be providing the leadership in our military--that we do once a year, but I can tell you right now, after we do this--I think it will get passed today and will be signed--we will start again on next year already.

Our final product is a responsible, bipartisan path forward to strengthen the national security and gives our troops the resources, training, equipment, and benefits they deserve. We are talking about our troops. They need it. We don't want them to have close fights out there. We don't want them to have equipment that isn't the best equipment.

I am afraid that we are in a situation right now where that is the case. The first and most important way to do that is by boosting the defense top line by $25 billion. That is what we did. The very first thing that we did was to bring that up to something where it is $25 billion over President Biden's request.

I know defense isn't Biden's top priority, but we showed that it is a bipartisan priority in this Congress. In fact, it was the 2018 NDS. This is the NDS. This is the National Defense System. This is in 2018, and we had six of the smartest Democrats in this field and six of the smartest Republicans. We got together and put together this thing called Providing for the National Defense. This was the Defense Strategy Commission. It is one we have been following since that time, and it shows that we can get things done. This is what we refer to. This is our pattern, and a budget cut like the President wanted isn't going to get us there.

In total, this bill authorizes almost $778 billion for the Department of Defense and for nuclear programs at the Department of Energy. This increase supports many of the military's unfunded priorities, things they need that President Biden's inadequate budget couldn't meet, plus things Congress agrees that the Department must fund in critical areas.

And we provided a 35-percent increase above the President's budget for military construction, the largest MILCON that we have had in over 10 years. We also provided a $4.7 billion increase for shipbuilding, allowing our military to purchase five new battle-force ships, which will be key in our priority theater, in the Indo-Pacific. And I think we know what the Chinese have been doing with their ship program.

We bolstered support to key allies, like Taiwan and Ukraine. This year's NDAA actually increases funding for the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative by $50 million, giving Ukraine some $300 million in defense, which is also in our defense too.

And the bill includes strong bipartisan support for our nuclear deterrent, which is the cornerstone of our national security. We fully fund the nuclear modernization, which is a top priority for our military and will solidify support for a key leg of our nuclear triad. Our triad system is one that we have adhered to, and it is something that is working. This actually supports a key leg of that nuclear triad, which is the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent.

The bill works at every turn to maintain our military supremacy and in some areas to spur us to catch up in other areas where we have fallen behind. We have fallen behind China and Russia in certain areas, and we don't like that. And this is what we are trying to correct at the current time.

One area where we do that is in cyber security. We have people, not just experts on the outside. There is one of the members of our Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Mike Rounds, who probably knows more about cyber security than any one of the advisers that are out there. The bill creates a whole-of-government approach, the public-private partnership to detect and disrupt our adversary's cyber operations.

We also accelerate innovation in key emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, hypersonic weapons, quantum computing, and 5G. We are doing these things. We are just not doing it as fast as we should, and this is one of the reasons that we are going to pass the most important bill of the year in just a few minutes.

Our bill takes numerous steps to harden our industrial base and remove Russia and China from our national security supply chain.

Of course, our top priority, this year and any year, is our troops, the brave men and women who have volunteered to lay down their lives, on the line, for our country. This year's bill gives them a well- deserved pay raise and improves health. By the way, these are things that people who sometimes talk about the fact that we are spending some money--I don't know how many times I have heard people say: Well, we spend more on defense than China and Russia together.

Well, that is true, but we do something that China and Russia doesn't do. The most expensive item we have is taking care of our troops, making sure that the kids of our troops have schools to go to that are good schools, that we have good housing.

They don't care about things like that, but we do, and we spend more on our military, and people try to use that against us. Well, our people are first, and we are the only country that believes that.

It prevents servicemembers from being dishonorably discharged for refusing the coronavirus vaccine. This is something where we changed a system that otherwise would have offered a dishonorable discharge, and it is in this bill.

So it is a good bill. It is not perfect. No bill is perfect. There are some things I would have had in this bill and I am sure that Senator Reed would have had in this bill that didn't make it.

Before we close, I do want to thank the good people who work so hard on this bill on the floor. People don't realize that. You go back to the real world and you talk to real people, as I do when I go back to Oklahoma, and they point out that they don't believe that people are really working. But in the case of the military, they are.

I just have to say the hours that they work. I had occasion to talk to the group about John Wason--John Wason is the minority staff director--and about the number of hours that he works and that his team works. And I am going to read the names of this

team. Senator Reed is going to be reading the names of the majority on the team.

But I think it is important that people understand that we have committee staff who work hard, and we are very thankful for the people who provide all that effort.

On his team, John Wason has Rick Berger, Tom Goffus, Scott Richardson, Greg Lilly, Marta Hernandez, Jennie Wright, Adam Barker, Allen Edwards, Katie Magnus, Sean O'Keefe, Brad Patout, Jason Potter, Brian Slatterly, Katie Sutton, Eric Trager, Adam Trull, T.C. Williams, Robert Winkler, and Annie Caputo.

From my staff I had Luke Holland, Dan Hillenbrand, Don Archer, Dan Holder, Sam Trizza, Esther Salters, Jake Johnson, Jake Hinch, Alexandra Slocum, Victor Sarmiento, Dixon Yonan, Leacy Burke--what would we do without Leacy Burke?--Laurie Fitch, and Naomi Walker.

And sometimes we forget about the hard-working floor staff. Nobody ever mentions that. We have a lot of the same people who have been there for a number of years, and we couldn't operate without them. And they were really busy on this bill. And that is Robert Duncan, Chris Tuck, Tony Hanagan, Katherine Foster, Brian Canfield, Max Boyd, and Maddie Sanborn.

I am grateful for all of their services.

And don't forget: This is only half of the battle. After this, we have to go through and after we have made the priorities that we have made, the appropriators will get busy and do what they have done to be a part of this effort, which is the most significant effort that we are having.

So today I encourage all of my colleagues to support this year's National Defense Authorization bill--I know they will--and extend our 60-year track record of getting this bill done. And let's tell the troops that we love them and we support them.

With that, I yield to Chairman Jack Reed.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business for such time as I shall consume.