Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3646, introduced earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I am here today to pay tribute and to honor and to mourn the passing of an American farmer, a Kansas farmer, an entrepreneur, a businessman, a philanthropist, a good friend, and mentor, Cecil O'Brate.

Cecil was a strong advocate for Kansas and was committed to helping others succeed, and he is worthy of our tribute today and into the future.

Cecil was born in 1928 in Enid, OK, during the Great Depression. He became a Kansan; graduated from Syracuse High School in our State; and before completing college in 1948, he left school to farm 3,000 rented acres in Kansas. Ironically, at the time of his death, he owned and operated tens of thousands of acres of farming land, including the original 3,000 he leased.

Through investments in Southwest Kansas communities and support for various organizations in Kansas and across the country, Cecil O'Brate and his wife Frances have positively transformed countless lives.

He established a business called American Warrior in 1984, which became one of Kansas's largest independent oil and gas producers in our State. And in 2013, Cecil and Frances established the O'Brate Foundation, which awards college scholarships and teaches life skills to students, most of whom grew up in the foster care system or below poverty level. Cecil loved to help other people succeed, particularly young people.

He gave generously to many charities, and I have no doubt that the O'Brate Foundation will continue to provide educational opportunities to Kansans for years to come. I have had the privilege of speaking at the O'Brate Scholars event in Manhattan, KS, and it was moving to see how Cecil's generosity was transforming the future of those young men and women.

Despite achieving great means and influence, he remained dedicated to the Kansas and midwestern values he learned as a young man on the farm fields in Hamilton County. And Cecil conducted himself always with humility and authenticity.

He lived in Garden City for 60 years. To nearly everyone Cecil met, he would share that there is no substitute for an honest day's work, an inquisitive mind, and a desire to always do more. His life was a testament to those principles, and he lived them each day with authenticity and purpose.

In many ways, Cecil O'Brate, his family, his business, exemplify the American dream. A boy who grew up in the Great Depression was successful in business, utilized that success to help other people, and in the process became a friend of President George W. Bush. I call it the American dream. It is what we are here to make sure remains alive and well for our citizens today and the citizens who follow us.

I pay tribute and respect to Cecil O'Brate--all the good work and the person that he was, the human being that he was.

Robba and I are praying for his wife of 76 years, Frances; his four sons Patrick, Michael, Steve, and Mark; and the entire O'Brate family and the community of Southwest Kansas.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to continue the conversation that I have just appreciated hearing from my colleague from Texas, Senator Cornyn.

I am once again on the floor to call attention to and express my great concern for the continuing humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border.

Since President Biden took office, we have seen the largest year-to- year increase in migrants crossing our southwest border. Congress has provided resources for physical security, for walls and fencing and personnel; however, to keep our Nation safe and secure, we need to change the administration's policies.

While money and programs are important, the green light that this administration's policies provide to encourage people to come here has to come to an end. These are policies that encourage more migrants to attempt to enter our country illegally, and then, once they enter, there is no consequence.

I am increasingly concerned about this administration's carefree attitude toward those seeking to abuse our asylum system and increase the use of administrative parole. These policies bog down the asylum system, making it harder for those it was designed to protect and help to utilize it while also stretching thin our border personnel.

In fiscal year 2023 alone, the overworked men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection had approximately 2.5 million encounters along the southern border. The number of encounters in 2020--only 3 years earlier--was only 458,000. At the time, we thought that was a terrible number to deal with, but it has gone from 458,000 to 2.5 million in 3 years.

The vast majority of those encounters are with people who claim to be seeking asylum in our country. When someone arrives at the southern border, whether they present at a designated point of entry or not, that person only needs to say they are seeking asylum to be able to take advantage of the policies instituted by President Biden and by Secretary Mayorkas. Without being detained, these individuals are provided an asylum hearing date at some time several years into the future. Unsurprisingly--no surprise here at all--the majority of those released under this process then fail to report as they were directed.

In December of 2023, border authorities were forced to deal with more than 10,000 migrants crossing daily. In response to this, President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas suspended rail service and closed the international crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso. This greatly harmed our carriers' ability to move goods across the North American rail network and to the North American consumers who rely upon them. Closing the crossings limited grain exports from Kansas and elsewhere by nearly a million bushels a day, and it had negative impacts on many other agriculture commodities as well.

I raise that point because it is an example of where we are trying to take something from here to fix the problem there. That is not a plan or a policy, and it will not have a successful outcome because it is so damaging when we remove Border Patrol from a railroad crossing to try to impact the consequences of people crossing elsewhere along the border. I join my colleague Senator Ricketts in calling for Secretary Mayorkas to immediately reverse that harmful decision.

The magnitude of this crisis is felt all across the country, and it is impacting every facet of our daily lives. A high school in New York was recently forced to turn to remote learning for students because their classrooms are being used to house nearly 2,000 migrants. Every State is a border State now, and rather than providing tangible help to legitimate asylum seekers, we are robbing our students of their educations to make certain that migrants don't have to spend a night in a tent.

A historic level of crossings at the southern border has not only created a humanitarian crisis and put an incredible strain on our immigration system, but it has seriously compromised our national security. That is a topic of conversation here, as it should be, and I believe that our country is facing one of the most dangerous times in its history, with the forces that are allied around the globe to our detriment.

The border, our southern border, is a significant component of protecting our national security. The cartels that operate in Central America are sophisticated, adaptable, and ruthless. Not only do they take advantage of individuals who are attempting to trek to our southern border by forcing them to pay thousands of dollars to fund their operations and subject them to abuse and murder, but they use these individuals to their strategic advantage. They will send thousands of individuals across the border at the same time and attempt to overwhelm and distract law enforcement while cartels bring guns and deadly drugs like fentanyl undetected across those borders.

In addition to cartels, our national security is threatened by potential espionage and terrorists. The last time I was at the border, which was several months ago, I witnessed the apprehensions of two Chinese nationals. What are Chinese nationals doing crossing our border illegally?

As a member of the Appropriations Committee and as the top Republican on the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, it is a priority of mine to ensure our Federal law enforcement has the resources necessary to keep Americans safe.

Yesterday was National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and I use this opportunity to thank the committed men and women who leave their families every day to go out and protect and serve our communities and our country. In the face of risk and challenge, these officers continue to exemplify strength and courage and resiliency.

I can tell you, when I speak to law enforcement at home in Kansas, almost without exception, the conversation turns to the circumstances at the border and the consequences of the illegal activity that is occurring there and then in Kansas as a result of those border crossings.

Securing our southern border can't just be left to our frontline law enforcement to handle alone. It is also law enforcement across the country that is now struggling to make certain that the citizens across the country are safe from what happens at our border.

We must prioritize additional border security measures that include a physical barrier and investments in new technology. We must enforce our immigration laws and work to reform our immigration so that we reward those who follow the law, and we must disincentivize the illegal crossings.

President Biden's and Secretary Mayorkas's years of inaction in addressing this crisis have allowed a horrible--a horrible--situation to get worse.

I take this moment to thank my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Lankford.

We are, hopefully in the near future, addressing the issue of the world, its condition, and what it means to the safety and security of Americans.

As I said a moment ago, I think we are in a very dangerous time for Americans. The future of our country, as always, is at stake, but with the actions of Russia in Ukraine; with what is taking place with Hamas in Israel; with China's desire to expand and spread its influence around the globe, to the detriment of the United States; and with Iran and its terrorist activities, national security should be a top priority. It is something that the Constitution of the United States vests in us as being our primary responsibility--to protect and defend the United States.

So we are in the process of figuring out our response to the circumstances the United States faces around the globe, with an effort to be supportive of our allies and to create challenges and difficulties to win over our adversaries.

I applaud Senator Lankford's efforts, who is negotiating a border policy to be included in our national security appropriations process. It belongs there. It is important there. It is a national security issue, and it is necessary to be included for us to be able to take care of the issues we face around the globe.

I stand ready, as Senator Lankford knows, to work with him and to work with my colleagues. We want to hold this administration accountable. We

want to promote a sound border security policy, and we want to put an end to this crisis. We want to put an end to this crisis for the well- being of the people of the United States of America and my constituents at home in Kansas.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, the list of things that we can do but haven't done is extensive. It is long.

We need to chip away at that list and get our work done as 2023 comes to a close. Today, I want to highlight the urgent need to pass a long- term--a long-term--not a continuation of little, short extensions but a long-term FAA reauthorization legislation.

The current FAA reauthorization expired on September 30, in which a subsequent extension was passed until the end of this year--that is not many days away.

Congress is now progressing toward another short-term extension until mid-March 2024.

I serve as the lead Republican and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and I stated at the very beginning of my tenure in that position the importance of passing a long-term reauthorization. And I am here today to continue to beat that drum.

Continuous short-term extensions are detrimental to the Agency, the industry, and the flying public. This is about public safety. We have been genuinely and rightfully concerned about the flying public, and reauthorization of the FAA bill, as we have developed it, is an important component of making people safer as they fly.

Multiple-year reauthorization is necessary for long-term planning and growth of the civil aviation industry.

I come from the air capital of the world, Kansas, and we know the importance of this piece of legislation in our ability to compete globally and to defend our Nation in this time of national security needs.

Multiple-year reauthorization allows for planning and growth, including the maintenance and modernization of aviation infrastructure and technologies. If the United States is to remain a leader in the aerospace domain, it is critical that we provide the FAA the resources and the tools they require.

We spent months working on the legislation. It is designed to and will improve the capabilities of the Federal Aviation Administration. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an FAA reauthorization, and they did so last July. Unfortunately, the Senate has yet to move a bill out of the committee.

In November, the Aviation Subcommittee convened once again to address the close calls and near misses that have recently plagued our Nation's air space--incidents that indicate, now more than ever, that our aviation system needs certainty and stability provided, in part, by long-term authorization by Congress.

While I was pleased to see my colleagues come together this past October in a vote of 98 to 0--98 to nothing--in the Senate to confirm Mr. Mike Whitaker as the FAA Administrator, I implore--I request--my colleagues to once again find that collaborative spirit, that way forward, to address FAA reauthorization.

Our colleague in the House, the House Transportation chairman, Sam Graves, recently held a hearing on the consequences of a failure to pass a long-term FAA reauthorization bill. While the hearing touched on a myriad of issues that continued FAA extensions would present, the witnesses particularly highlighted these items: airport programs and project delivery impacts due to uncertainty in planning; the inability of the FAA to adjust to emerging technologies; and workforce issues for the entire aviation system, particularly air traffic control staffing, which has led to continued delays and cancellations for the flying public.

Mr. Rich Santa, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, summarized it this way--and I am quoting him:

The single most important action Congress can take for the

safety of the national airspace system would be to pass a

long-term, comprehensive FAA Reauthorization bill [and put

it] into law before the end of the year.

Our aviation system cannot make needed advancements and improvements if we continue to allow the status quo, which has near-term and long- term implications.

So, once again, I stand ready to work with my colleagues, the chairman and the ranking Member of the full committee; my colleague Senator Duckworth from Illinois, my chairman of the subcommittee that I am the ranking member of. I stand here ready to not only encourage my colleagues but to put my work where my mouth is and make sure that we take every step possible to find that sweet spot, that needle--which I don't think is that small of a needle hole--to get us FAA reauthorized long term. Our aviation system depends upon it and, most importantly, my Kansas constituents and all Americans depend upon, for their safety, this piece of legislation.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Texas Senator Cruz, and I appreciate his leadership. He is here to make the effort to see that we reauthorize, on a temporary basis, the FAA. He is absolutely right; it has to be done before the end of the year. We are creating more uncertainty every day, every hour that we fail to do so. It is regrettable that the Senator from Texas is here to do that. It is almost a question in my mind, When do we have an agreement that is not an agreement?

We have been down this path several times now in which we believe we are ready to markup, only to find that something else stands in the way.

I was here earlier today to talk about the importance of a long-term reauthorization. And while I am here to support the short-term extension, only to get us to the point of a long-term reauthorization, it is significant that we do what we need to do today, and that means it is then an opportunity for us to complete our work in the early year--the few first weeks of January 2024.

We came together to confirm an FAA Administrator. We can do this. We did it 98 to zero. I implore my colleagues to allow this opportunity to have this short-term extension take place, and, most importantly, I implore my colleagues that we find this path forward for the safety of those Kansans and the safety of Americans who utilize our airways.

Our country's economic interests, our public's safety interests all come together. It is a mistake for us to have short-term extension after short-term extension. One last time, let's do it today and complete our work.

We should be able to do this, and I ask that we extend the FAA today and complete our work in January. I thank the gentleman from Texas for his efforts to accomplish that goal.

Madam President, this is a sad day. When we thought we had a victory for those across the Nation who are awaiting an organ for transplant, we found that they were thwarted by a system that was allied against them--a corrupt system, an internal system that worked to their detriment and not to their well-being.

And we thought, with the passage of this legislation--signed into law by President Biden--that we were finally giving those waiting for a transplant something called hope, something that is so important to them and their family members waiting on a kidney, waiting on a liver.

The only pleasure I take in today's conversation on this Senate floor is that I am allied with Senator Grassley, the senior Senator from Iowa, who is one of the most effective Members of this body in our country's history. He has been an advocate, and we successfully worked together along with a number of our colleagues--Republicans and Democrats--to reform this corrupt system. And I join my colleague Senator Grassley in voicing serious concerns regarding the way the Health Resources and Services Administration is implementing this piece of legislation, the legislation called Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act.

It was an amazing effort to right a wrong when we started down this path with this legislation. Nothing was easy. There was no cooperation from HHS or from OPTN. The only thing they did was try to keep us from having any success in reforming the sweetheart circumstance in which they operate.

I remember the day in which the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in front of our Appropriations Committee, conceded that we were right and that we had won the battle and he was our ally in fixing the problem. But now, a few shorts months later, it is evident that that is not the case when it comes to the implementation of the law.

It is not unclear. Certainly, the organizations that we were trying to dismantle and replace with better services without a bias-- certainly, they knew what we were about. They know the intent of the legislation, and we know the letter of the law.

My involvement in OPTN reform stemmed from concerns with the 2018 liver allocation rule HHS developed with guidance from the Nation's Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, UNOS, and some New England-area organ procurement organizations.

The liver allocation rule that they developed led to organs being taken from areas of high donation rates, like Kansas and other rural areas, to areas with low donation rates, like densely populated urban areas. It meant that people across the country were waiting longer for a transplant. It meant that, in that waiting period, people died; loved ones were gone. Not only was the liver allocation rule egregious, it demonstrated a bias of UNOS, which has had a monopoly on the organ transplant network contract for years.

As more documents were released through court rulings--this issue went to court--judges ordered UNOS to respond. Those responses demonstrated, in evidence, incompetence and bias. It became apparent to Congress and to thousands of Americans whose lives depended upon receiving an organ someday--an organ transplant--that something was terribly amiss.

Over the past year, Senator Grassley and I, along with other Senate colleagues, have worked to make the congressional intent behind this legislation as clear as possible. No one opposed this legislation, but even if you disagreed with something, every Senator ought to insist that Federal Agencies implement the law as it is spoken in the letter of the law and, if any confusion, to look at the intent of the law. Every Senator ought to demand that of every piece of legislation and every Agency or Department.

Our goals were good: to increase the competition for this contract, to eliminate this good-old-boy network, and to eliminate UNOS's influence on OPTN. Unfortunately, in roundtables and committee hearings, both HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson and the HHS Secretary affirmed their understanding of Congress's intent. That is not the unfortunate part. It is that they affirmed it but now don't live by it.

They assured us that they shared our goals of increasing competition for OPTN bids and removing the abundance of conflicts of interest.

As HRSA starts this process of implementing the bill, it has become clear what they told us must be not what they meant. HRSA has decided that competition for the broad support contract will be restricted based upon attack status. That does not ensure fair, robust competition; it narrows the field and makes it much more likely we have the same system we had before. It is clearly contrary to Congress's clear direction.

Additionally, HRSA has named the current UNOS board members as members of the new ``independent'' board. With these announcements, HRSA has made it clear they do not intend to follow the law. Instead, HRSA has decided to remain in lockstep with UNOS, an organization that is proven--completely proven--to be undeserving of running our Nation's transplant program.

This isn't just some bureaucracy that is doing something that doesn't make sense to us. This is an Agency, a bureaucracy, a system, that is damaging the capability of Kansans and Americans to get lifesaving treatment with the transplant of an organ.

I expect, I ask, I insist, demand, HRSA to resolve our concerns by working with us in a timely fashion to implement the bill according to congressional intent, according to the letter of the law, and ensuring that UNOS does not maintain its dangerous stronghold over the network.

Congress passed this legislation because we knew that thousands of lives were at stake--thousands of lives of Americans who were on a waiting list to receive lifesaving organs.

This law requires a transparent, competitive contract process. But HRSA must get it right. The American people deserve a fair and effective organ-transplant process that saves lives and

best serves patients who are waiting for an organ.

I can't think--again, it saddens me so much to know the number of people who thanked us, who contacted us to tell us thank you for giving us hope that we will have an organ to transplant to save the lives of our mother, our father, our sister, our brother, our grandparents. What better time of the year than this holiday season--this Christmas season--in which we ought to restore that great gift called hope to these people who wait today for a better answer than what we see to date from our Department of Health and Humans Services.

I, again, thank Senator Grassley for his leadership. I appreciate the opportunity I have had to work with him side by side. I commend him for his work that predates me--all for the well-being of people from his State; Madam President, your State; the people of my State; the people of America.

Please, please do this in a way that saves lives and gives hope for a better future for all Americans.

Madam President, I am of the view that one of the most consequential votes that any Senator will make in their time in the U.S. Senate is one that we are facing now: the national security supplemental. I am here to encourage its passage--a national security supplemental to address the crisis at our southern border, to support Israel's right to exist, and to counter Russian, Chinese, and Iranian aggression.

Addressing these issues serves our national interests, and it is within the capacity of the Senate to mitigate these crises, to reduce the consequences of these crises with strong legislation, and to do it before the end of the year.

National security starts with border security, and I applaud my Republican colleagues for working to find a consensus on an emergency supplemental for addressing the President's failed policies at our southern border.

It is time for Senate Democrats and the White House and Republicans to continue their work, to get back to work, and to negotiate a bill that can pass the U.S. Senate. We must and we should show the American people that the Senate can be an institution that can come together in a responsible way to meet the most pressing challenges our Nation faces.

I saw a headline in the Wall Street Journal here recently: Does Congress even work these days? It is a call, a responsibility, that reminds us that we have serious and significant work to do together. Those pressing needs, those challenges we face, are support for Israel to defend itself against terrorism, resources for Ukraine, and policy changes to secure our southern border.

First, it is in our Nation's best interest to stand with our oldest ally in the Middle East, Israel. Hamas has stated its intent to wipe Israel off the map, even saying the terrorist attacks of October 7 were just the beginning. Now is not the time to waver in our support for Israel. We must provide Israel with the means to defend itself and destroy the terrorists.

The United States must also work to prevent escalation from Iran and other adversaries who may use this opportunity to escalate the war against Israel. Hezbollah, entrenched in Lebanon, to the north of Israel's border, will find no safe harbor if it attempts to intervene. Iran's leaders must know that the fury of the United States awaits if they become directly involved. We will stand against terrorism and its enablers and supporters.

Second, the success of Ukraine's defense against ongoing Russian invasion is vital to the national interests of the United States. The success of Ukraine is vital to the interests of our own country. Should Russia fully conquer Ukraine, which remains Putin's goal, more Russian forces would be spread across NATO's border, requiring more resources from the West--America and our allies in Europe--to be committed to defending those allies against further Russian aggression. I don't think we can make the mistake. Russia's failure in Ukraine will make America safer and will make our allies safer.

Congress has a critical role in providing the resources necessary not just to end the war but ending the war on terms favorable to Ukraine and our European allies. To date, a majority of the funding provided to Ukraine has been directly injected back into the U.S. economy through the development, production, and purchase of U.S.-made weapons to replenish U.S. stockpiles.

Following the leadership of the United States, European nations are helping shoulder the burden to support Ukraine's military and have made serious commitments to match those of the United States.

Supporting our partners and allies abroad cannot come at the price of ignoring the security interests faced here at home. The administration's failure to control the border has created not just a humanitarian crisis but a national security crisis. The crushing influx of illegal border crossings has included an increase in the number of encounters between U.S. Border Patrol agents and individuals the FBI has on its Terrorist Watchlist.

Our border is a humanitarian problem, but it is a problem for the well-being of the United States and its national security interests as well. As of September 15, border agents have encountered more than 150 individuals on the Terrorist Screening Database at the southern border. These levels of encounters are astonishing, considering there were only 11 such encounters with these dangerous individuals from 2017 to 2020.

I have been on the border, I think, at least three times in the last year or so, and from conversations with, certainly, our Border Patrol agents but also our law enforcement agents as well, the number of illegal and foreigners coming into the United States who have the potential of providing terrorist threats and acting on terrorist behavior in the United States is only growing.

Our lack of operational control over the border has exacerbated the drug crisis, as we know, in our communities as well. The border is the single most important line of defense in disrupting these drug trafficking and distribution networks, and it is no overstatement to say American lives depend on a regulated border.

Madam President, I stand ready with my Republican colleagues, as they do, to find substantive proposals to mitigate this crisis. During an Appropriations hearing last month, I was dismayed that Secretary Mayorkas chose not to engage on the issues and, instead, fell back on the argument for comprehensive immigration reform.

I agree that major changes to our immigration code are in order and have agreed to that belief since my earliest days in Congress. However, since I have been in Congress, we keep waiting for comprehensive reform, and, as a result, we do nothing--nothing to make our country safer, nothing to mitigate the humanitarian crisis unfolding on our soil, nothing to increase our national security.

Support for Ukraine and defending our southern border are not mutually exclusive. We can and must do both. It is time to come together and resolve our differences on these urgent national security issues. The most sustainable and responsible route to a safer and more secure United States requires the Senate to take seriously our borders and ensure that our partners and allies are prepared and equipped to defend themselves against our enemies.

To my constituents in Kansas and across the country, this is a dangerous world we live in, and the decisions that we make in the next few days and few weeks--certainly, in the next month--have a consequence on the safety and security of Americans today and Americans in the future.

This ought not be a U.S. Senate that doesn't do its work. We ought to continue the efforts until we get a result, and I hope that occurs quickly.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, today, I would like to discuss one of the many critical topics we face in the country, in the Congress, in the Senate--Federal spending. We are certainly focused upon the issues that we are trying to bring together in regard to an emergency supplemental, in regard to supporting Ukraine and Israel, combatting China in the South Pacific and around the globe, Iran terrorist activities, and, as the gentleman from my neighboring State of Nebraska indicated, issues involving our national security at our own borders.

Today, I want to take just a step back and indicate that we were on a path and I wish we would get back on a path of making certain that the appropriations bills that the Senate Committee on Appropriations has considered, amended, and approved are brought to the Senate floor.

There are 12 appropriations bills annually. The full committee has considered all 12 and passed all 12, but the Senate, this body, which is again using this week to consider nominations, still has all but three of those bills yet to consider. It is important that Federal spending is provided to keep our government open and functioning and functioning and open for the American people.

This topic has dominated a lot of conversations nationally now for months. We are operating under a continuing resolution that funds the Federal Government at its current level until mid-January or early February, when that current continuing resolution then expires.

I certainly support the efforts of Senator Collins and Senator Murray, the vice chairman and the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. I support their work. It is my hope that Leader Schumer will allow those appropriations bills and that process to continue. Three out of twelve is insufficient, and the consequences of our failure to address the remaining bills are consequential.

When considering appropriations bills, it is critical that, in my view, two core principles are established. First is that we must get our Federal spending under control. We borrow way too much money. The consequence will come to haunt us economically. Our ability to respond to national security issues is diminished when our spending is out of line with our revenues. Second, it is our duty to draft appropriations bills that are judicious, responsible, carefully tailored, and that we establish priorities and determine what the Nation's highest priorities are for the coming or current fiscal year.

Congress must start this work immediately and not wait for the final moments, not wait until the middle of January or the beginning of February. Otherwise, we are on a path once again to another continuing resolution or, as we said we would not do again, a significant and huge omnibus in which these bills are all packaged together, reducing transparency, reducing the understanding of not only members of the American public but reducing the capability of U.S. Senators to fully understand the nature of the bill and not giving the opportunity for my colleagues who don't serve on the Appropriations Committee to amend and alter the bills that our committee has approved.

A CR puts spending on auto pilot. It is the antithesis, it is the opposite of what these principles involve. The idea that the Federal Government should be funded next year at the same level as last year is wrong, and it is wrong that the same amount of funding ought to go to each program. Some things maybe ought to be eliminated. There are some things I know that should be eliminated. There are things that maybe are receiving the right amount of money. There may be things that are deserving, as the priorities change, of additional spending.

The best hope to avoid another CR and to avoid a much criticized omnibus spending bill at the end is to continue the process--the process we started on fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills, to consider them on the Senate floor and to move them forward.

Over the past 9 months, the Senator from New Hampshire, Senator Shaheen, and I have worked to craft the appropriations bill for the subcommittee that we lead called Commerce, Justice, Science and to balance those two core principles: fiscal responsibility with thoughtful allocation of scarce resources.

The CJS bill, one of 12--one of those bills that have yet to be considered on the Senate floor, the Commerce-Justice-Science bill-- provides funding for a host of Federal Agencies that play a critical role in the lives of every single American and certainly every single Kansan: the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, NASA, the National Weather Service, the National Science Foundation, and just a host of other activities which enjoy broad bipartisan support both here in Congress and among the American people.

With respect to fiscal responsibility, this bill, Commerce-Justice- Science for fiscal year 2024, cuts budget authority--actual Federal spending--by $1.3 billion compared to the amount of money that was enacted in the previous fiscal year, fiscal year 2023. That is about an amount equal to 1.5--1\1/2\ percent below the current level of spending. So we are cutting spending in our appropriations process.

American families face painful cuts and challenges in their own budgets, and I think they can expect--or ``should expect'' is the way I guess I would say it--should expect government to prove that it can make the same kinds of difficult decisions. The fiscal year 2024 CJS bill crafted by Senator Shaheen and me delivers on that obligation, and I thank my colleagues on our Appropriations subcommittee, both Republicans and Democrats, for working together to accomplish that goal.

In Congress, every once in a while, we have a vote on the penny plan, the seemingly impossible to achieve notion that we should at least be able to cut Federal spending by 1 percent, one penny out of a dollar. Senator Shaheen and I have found a way to make that a penny and a half, a little more than 1 percent--1.5 percent. That is a savings of more than $1.3 billion.

The second core principle that I approach in the appropriations process is that Congress must make careful and deliberate decisions about how we allocate resources. Our opportunity to do that comes from certainly the assistance of our experts in our budget arena but also a significant number of hearings in front of the committee in which people have the opportunity to come highlight each Agency, each Department, their budget priorities, and give

us a chance to ask questions and to pursue what the right balance is. We owe that obligation--making the right decisions--to the American taxpayer.

There are also areas that are vitally important where we from time to time include increases where appropriate to address new threats, new challenges, and new areas that are critical to the United States in our maintaining our competitive edge and our national security.

For example, in the fiscal year 2024 CJS bill, we provide resources to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST--home to some of the world's best scientists--to ensure that we understand both the promise and the pitfalls of artificial intelligence.

NASA stands on the verge of returning the first humans--perhaps, in this case, it sounds like the first woman--to the Moon in over 50 years. It was vitally important that we provide NASA with the resources necessary to execute the Artemis mission. There may be those who would say that is not a priority, but the Chinese would like nothing more than to beat us back to the Moon and to become the world's preeminent space power. We will not--should not--allow that to be the case.

The National Weather Service needs to recapitalize its weather satellites. These satellites are vital to people in Kansas as we predict the weather and determine the safety and economic well-being of our State. They are vital to determining new severe weather patterns, and they will save lives.

These examples are just a few of why it is important that we have an annual appropriations process to make the changes to address things that Americans care about and to deal with the things that have changed in our lives across the country.

America's needs and priorities are not static, they are not the same, nor should government's decisions on how to spend taxpayer dollars be, either.

This bill, the fiscal year 2024 CJS bill, even in the context of its savings, still manages to make responsible investments to address the newest and most important challenges facing our country.

I want to spend a moment longer on discussing the funding and oversight of the Department of Justice.

Crime. Crime across the country is increasing. It is a problem for almost every American and certainly every American family, and it is deserving of being prioritized by the U.S. Senate, the Congress, and the administration.

Like many Americans, I have serious concerns with many of the policies coming from the Biden Department of Justice. Many new regulations issued by ATF threaten to trample core constitutional rights and are often a solution in search of a problem. DOJ's investigative priorities are often designed to satisfy the loudest activist rather than the everyday American and their real concern, including skyrocketing violent crime across the country and in the State of Kansas. Crime is affecting even our safest communities, and Kansans and Americans are concerned about what Washington is doing to keep their families safe.

Fentanyl is also a crisis--has been and continues to be and grows. It is a growing crisis in our country. This is not just an assertion; again, the numbers speak for themselves.

After a year in which more than 100,000 Americans lost their lives to fentanyl and with the highest increase in deaths among infants over 1 year old, President Biden's budget for DOJ requires hiring only four new DEA special agents, the Drug Enforcement Agency's agents. Yet the President's budget request indicates that the DOJ needs more than 1,200--one thousand two hundred--new attorneys, primarily at the division that files civil lawsuits.

The DOJ's priorities have been and are misguided. When I became the top Republican--the chairman--on the CJS subcommittee, I made it a priority to meet with countless DEA, FBI, and ATF special agents, deputy U.S. marshals, prison correctional officers, intelligence analysts, and prosecutors in the field. I am immensely impressed by their professionalism, their courage, and their dedication to keeping the American people safe. Indiscriminate, thoughtless budget cuts will result in fewer deputy marshals to apprehend violent fugitives, fewer FBI agents to investigate terrorists and intelligence threats from China, fewer DEA agents to combat the Mexican cartels, fewer Federal prosecutors not just to arrest violent criminals but to send them to prison.

Instead of defunding Federal law enforcement, we should use the appropriations process to prioritize and to make deliberate and judicious decisions about the Department of Justice's priorities. This means providing funding for the core activities critical to public safety while rejecting these proposals that make less sense or no sense from the Biden administration.

To that end, the CJS bill cuts funding for the Department of Justice by $817 million--a more than 2-percent cut. Within that amount, funding for the FBI's construction account is cut by $591 million. These are exactly the types of careful cuts we were able to achieve while maintaining the jobs of thousands of agents and intelligence analysts and others who help us combat violent crimes, child predators, Mexican cartels, and foreign intelligence agents.

Additionally, in working with my Republican colleagues on the committee, we were able to address some of the worst errors and abuses by the DOJ in recent years. During the committee markup, I secured new legislative language to prohibit funding for the investigation of parents who peacefully protest school board meetings--a DOJ initiative epitomized by the outrageous school board memo. Senator Rubio, my colleague from Florida, secured new legislative language prohibiting the Department from targeting Americans for their religious beliefs.

To my colleagues who have deep reservations about the policies of the Department of Justice, know that I share those concerns; yet I believe we have prepared a responsible bill that makes meaningful investments in the Department of Justice and its law enforcement mission. The CJS appropriations bill is a credible demonstration of fiscal responsibility while making judicious and careful investments in programs and services that Americans strongly support.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, thank you for the opportunity to address my colleagues here on the Senate floor today.

I come here with a smile on my face because the individuals I want to recognize today are friends, and they are wonderful people who have made a difference in the lives of many of their fellow citizens back home in Kansas.

I want to recognize a lifelong Kansan who has served her family, her community, and her State. Peggy Dunn has been serving the city of Leawood as mayor since 1997 and has cultivated a flourishing and beautiful community. In January, Mayor Dunn's last term will come to an end. Her dedication to the city of Leawood will not be forgotten, and she will be greatly missed.

Peggy J. Dunn was born in greater Kansas City and has been serving the city of Leawood for 31 years. Prior to being mayor, she was a city council member for 4 years until she was sworn in as mayor in 1997.

Mayor Dunn has played a critical role in the growth of Leawood, and during her years in office, many, many notable developments have been made. Shopping centers such as Park Place and Town Center, Mission Farms and Prairiefire have brought immense expansion and success to the area. Buildings like the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection reveal the architectural beauties of the city. These developments were deliberately planned and came to fruition with guidance from Mayor Dunn.

Mayor Dunn has dedicated her life to creating a lasting community by forming relationships with Leawood's business leaders, volunteer organizations, religious communities, and residents, working together for the city's success.

I have seen her meet people and I know when I meet her--every time there is a conversation, you know that she cares about you. She listens, and she cares that way for the people of her city and the people of the State of Kansas.

Through Mayor Dunn's work, new fire stations, police headquarters, and courts protect the community. Beautiful parks, golf courses, and recreational centers provide opportunities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy what the city has to offer. Mayor Dunn is a servant leader. She is an innovator, and she is totally dedicated to her community.

Leawood, the city, has close relationships with sister cities. In 2003, Mayor Dunn and Mayor Peter Weiss of the Gezer region in Israel signed a resolution in agreement to become sister cities. Since then, Mayor Dunn has hosted delegations from abroad and traveled to Israel multiple times. Additionally, Leawood dedicated the I-Lan Park to its sister city in Taiwan. The park is home to a lovely Taiwanese garden, an open play space, and a piece of art called Cloud Gate.

Through Mayor Dunn's leadership, Leawood has a very bright future ahead.

Mayor Dunn's family has played a key role in her success as a leader. She has 4 children with her husband Terry and 14 grandchildren. I guess, needless to say, Mayor Dunn has plenty to keep her busy as she retires as mayor.

Thank you to her family for supporting Peggy during her tenure.

I congratulate Peggy on her retirement and wish her the very best in the future.

Thank you, Mayor, for all you have done for the city of Leawood, its citizens, and all you have done for the State of Kansas.

Mr. President, for two decades, Michael Boehm has served as the mayor of Lenexa, KS, and he will now retire in January, having served as the longest serving mayor in the city's history.

Mike has built his life and career in Lenexa. He is a lifetime resident, and Mike knows the ins and outs of his community. I have never met anyone who knows more about Lenexa than Mike Boehm. He understands the unique importance of every single business on Main Street and the men and women who run those businesses.

During his 20 years as mayor, the population of Lenexa has grown by nearly 20,000 residents. That is remarkable growth, and it is a testament to the quality of the community he has led.

Under Mike's leadership, downtown Lenexa was transformed with the relocation of city hall and the development of a new downtown district known as City Place. With new shops, restaurants, parks, and public spaces, Lenexa is attracting new families and young people who want to put roots down in Kansas. Mike also worked to open the Lenexa branch of the Johnson County Library system, as well as to bring the District Aquatic Center to the city of Lenexa.

I admire Mike's leadership and determination for the city. I have always, always appreciated my conversations with Mike, whether he is visiting me here in Washington DC or when I am meeting with him in Lenexa. He is a true public servant, and the city and State are better because of Mike's service.

I have enjoyed many times conversations on the phone and in person, with solid and good advice about what is in the best interest of the people of Lenexa and Johnson County and Kansas. Mike has been significantly helpful to me as we have worked to try to make sure good things happen in all places across our State.

I congratulate Mike on his retirement and look forward to seeing what this next chapter holds for him.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

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

Madam President, today, I join many who mourn the passing and I honor the life of a Kansan I had the privilege of knowing and working with: Nestor R. Weigand, Jr.

Mr. Weigand was a blessing to all who knew him, and he improved the lives of many around him each and every day of his life.

He was raised in Wichita. Nestor's family later moved to Minnesota, where he attended St. Thomas Academy school, and later graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame in 1960. Nestor then went on to serve his country in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Following his time in the Reserve, Nestor devoted much of his adult life to the real estate business. It was a tremendous passion of his. It wasn't just a job; it was something he enjoyed and loved doing, something he found satisfaction in, in putting a buyer and a seller together, in making a project work.

He originally joined the family real estate business in Kansas in 1961. His hard work led him to become the president and CEO of J.P. Weigand & Sons in 1983. Through this role, he succeeded in building one of Kansas's most respected businesses.

Continuing his passion for real estate, Nestor was elected to be the president of the Kansas Association of Realtors in 1978 and eventually became the president of the National Association of Realtors 10 years later. Nestor worked tirelessly in his role to improve the lives of Kansans and Americans by fighting for fair housing laws throughout the country.

Weigand real estate agent Alissa Unruh said:

One of the most impressive of his personal attributes was

that Nestor would call every employee and agent on their

birthday like clockwork. [He] never missed my birthday in 20

years.

Nestor cared about details, and he cared about people. In 1990, with no prior political experience, Nestor made the decision to run for Governor of the State of Kansas, and while he ended up, by a very small margin, on the short end, his expertise and knowledge was something I truly admired and have learned from during my time in public service. His race for Governor earned him an appreciation by many Kansans who might not otherwise have met him.

Before running for public office, one of the first people I sought out was Nestor Weigand, for some advice. I enjoyed conversations with Nestor over breakfast and lunch and greatly benefited from those conversations and his wisdom.

Often in Washington, DC, here in the Nation's Capital, or in my travels across the country and certainly across Kansas, when I would tell somebody outside the State of Kansas that I am from Kansas, they would say: Well, do you know Nestor Weigand?

He had many, many friends in many places. He was a giant in the real estate industry and made a huge difference in people's lives.

Not only was he an expert in real estate, but he was also a leader of the Wichita community and understood the people of the State of Kansas. Nestor was a booster for Wichita, for Sedgwick County, and for our State.

Nestor took his commitment to his community seriously. He sat on so many boards, including being a board member and chairman of Wesley Hospital for over 40 years.

Nestor's life truly reflected the love for business, for real estate, his passion for public service, and his dedication to people. He knew lots of people, but he knew them well, and they knew him and they respected him.

You meet Nestor Weigand, and you decided this was the real deal, a person who cared about you and who wanted to see good things happen in your life.

His legacy will not be forgotten. He is already dearly missed. Robba joins me in our prayers for his children, his grandchildren, and the entire Weigand family.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.