Floor Statements

Madam President, I am here tonight to take a moment to recognize the contributions of a member of my staff, Air Force Maj. Grace Miller, who has spent the last year working in my personal office as part of the U.S. Air Force Congressional Fellowship Program.

Before Grace departs my office at the start of the new year, I express my appreciation to Major Miller for all of her tremendously beneficial and hard work and her dedication to the service of our Nation.

Grace's 15 years of service in the U.S. Air Force developed her leadership capabilities and demonstrate her commitment to serving others. These attributes have made her an invaluable asset to our team as we work to serve Kansans, servicemembers, and veterans.

Before joining my office, Grace's assignments took her around the world in service to our country. Grace earned her commission from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. As an aircraft maintenance officer, Grace has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve, taking her across the Middle East.

Major Miller's commitment to service also extends to teaching. She taught English at the U.S. Air Force Academy, earning her the academic rank of assistant professor and serving as executive officer to the dean of the faculty.

Grace joined our team in January of this year. She, since then, has fully embraced Kansas, its people, and the challenges they face day in and day out. Grace's personal interactions with Kansans and Kansas veterans, in particular, have helped drive meaningful policy in a time when our past and present servicemembers have needed it the most.

She has spearheaded the Senate passage of the ``Six Triple Eight'' Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021, which recognizes the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion--the only all-African-American, all- female battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II. The 6888, as this battalion has come to be known, sorted millions of pieces of backlogged mail so troops serving on the frontlines could hear from their families and loved ones from home. Their efforts boosted morale and directly contributed to our servicemembers' fighting spirit, particularly toward the end of the war.

Grace has been a tireless advocate for these women, and I commend her dedication. The bill currently awaits passage in the House.

Furthermore, throughout the chaotic and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, Grace was an indispensable resource for veterans and Afghan refugees. She continues to assist innocent Afghans seeking refuge from the Taliban's tyrannical hold on the country.

I want to highlight her efforts in this regard. She was tireless and was here morning, noon, and night--always with the goal of trying to make sure those who should be on a plane out of Afghanistan were able to be so. It was an emotional issue and a trying issue and something that she never conceded: the belief that she couldn't make a difference. Man, she made a difference in so many people's lives. It gives me the chills to tell the story of her dedication to this cause. I am so grateful; many Kansans are grateful; many Americans are grateful that she cared so much.

I will be sad that she will be leaving our office at the end of the month, but I know that she will serve the Air Force well as she transitions to the Air Force Legislative Liaison Office in the House of Representatives.

It was a real pleasure having Grace in our office, and I hold her in the highest regard personally and professionally. She is a significant asset to our Nation and to the U.S. Air Force. Grace represents the best of what the Air Force has to offer, and I know she will continue to benefit the future of our Nation.

I hope that her experience in our office is something that lends itself toward her further professional advancement within the Air Force and an understanding of our democratic process.

There is no group of people I hold in higher regard than those who serve our Nation, and I want to reiterate my gratitude to Grace for her service and dedication.

Once again, thank you, Grace, for all you have done for Kansans and for Americans in the year that you have spent in our office. You have been a model of selfless service and leadership. I know that you will continue to do great things throughout your Air Force career and your life of service, wherever that path may lead.

Grace, thank you so much.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, it is an honor to be here this afternoon to address my colleagues of the U.S. Senate, and it is an honor that you sit in the Chair as I do so, as I pay tribute to the Honorable Senator Bob Dole.

I was in church on Sunday. I got out of church--it is Advent; Christians are preparing for Christmas--only to learn that during that church service, Bob Dole had died. It has been the topic of conversation by Kansans ever since--not that kind of curiosity conversation that sometimes you have when someone passes away but that deep respect, that concern, that care, that appreciation for a life well-lived.

Senator Dole grew up down the road from where I grew up. I remember kind of the earliest conversation with my own dad about World War II experiences was that Bina Dole, Bob Dole's mother, as well as my grandmother were on party lines, and the conversation between my grandmother and Mrs. Dole was the terrible circumstance that her son Bob Dole had experienced in the battlefields of Italy.

My dad, who served in World War II and served in northern Africa, Italy, was in the neighborhood, and the request of one neighbor to another, one party line participant to another: Do you think there is any way that Ray could find out how Bob is doing?

So my earliest recollection, my earliest understanding of the life of Bob Dole was as a soldier, a member of the Army, a person who served in World War II and was horrifically injured. My view is--and I don't know this, but having known Bob Dole and having seen the consequences of his life, what I think is true is that that experience, the near-death experience, the expectation not to survive, and the long road to recovery created in Bob Dole, in his mind and heart, a different circumstance and a different result than if that never happened.

People talk about Bob Dole's life as a Member of Congress. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960. I was asked over the weekend: When did you meet Bob Dole? And I can't remember the first instance, but he was my Congressman. I was engaged in Republican politics as a teenager, and Bob Dole was always there at every gathering. And so I grew up in politics around him, but never with the--other than the sense that this is somebody we really respect.

In 1968, Congressman Bob Dole became Senator Bob Dole and his life in this body and his life in the House of Representatives culminated in amazing achievements on the legislative battlefield.

But when people ask me, ``What do you remember or what made Bob Dole Bob Dole?'' my view is his service to America in World War II. I think it made him more aware of people who were struggling, people who had disabilities. I think he saw the challenges that people from across the country faced as a result of their service. He saw the challenges that people in foreign countries experienced in World War II.

And when we look at his legislative achievements, we often think--at least I think of three--Americans with Disabilities Act; food aid--what I call the

Dole-McGovern bill, but many people call the McGovern-Dole bill that helps feed hungry people, particularly children around the world--and his service to other veterans.

His work on this floor resulted in many Americans and, in fact, many citizens of the world having a better shot at life. On my maiden speech on the Senate floor, I recognized the circumstance of me, now a U.S. Senator, serving in what we would call in Kansas the Dole seat and the tremendous challenge that caused for me knowing that those footsteps-- my feet would never fit in those shoes. I sit and work from the Dole desk. This drawer has his name sketched in it, and it is a reminder to me about those shoes left unfilled.

When I get frustrated with this place--which is not infrequent--I will put on my running shoes and I will walk to the Lincoln Memorial. But in the last decade, that allows me not only to go by the Vietnam Wall and come back by the Korean War Memorial, but now I can stop and pay my respects at the World War II Memorial. That is only because Bob Dole cared about those he served with.

Bob Dole demanded that there be a memorial to those who served in World War II. But he did more than demand, did more than insist. He helped plan it, he recruited volunteers, he raised the money.

So today we have the chance--and I assume this week we will be at the World War II Memorial paying respects to all World War II veterans, but we will emphasize the service of Bob Dole who made that place to pay those respects possible.

I try to visit with every Honor Flight that comes to Washington, DC. And in the beginning days of that Honor Flight, almost everyone-- perhaps everyone who came was a World War II veteran. My own dad got to see the memorial built in his honor because Bob Dole made it possible. My dad came here on an Honor Flight, and Bob Dole was there that day, just like he was at almost every circumstance in which veterans were coming to Washington, DC, particularly World War II veterans. Bob Dole didn't stand there for the glory of his service. He stood there to thank others who served in that war. He was there not to take the podium, not to be the public official, but to be the fellow soldier who served. There are lots of things we can commend and express our gratitude for what Bob Dole did, but he saw honoring veterans as a lifetime responsibility and opportunity.

It has only been a few years since veterans coming to the World War II Memorial didn't get to shake the hand of Bob Dole. Finally, at the age of 96, 95, it became physically impossible to do that. But he was there at every opportunity for as long as he could.

He served 36 years in Congress, 79 of his 98 as a public servant and servant of the Nation in the military. And in addition to the legislative accomplishments, he was a decent person. He exhibited civility. He had warmth. And no elected official--no offense to my friend and colleague who knew Senator Dole so well, Senator Roberts, no offense to Pat, but no one could compete with Bob Dole's wit.

My guess is, as an injured soldier spending months in a bed in a VA hospital where, incidentally, he shared the hospital with Daniel Inouye, who was also gravely injured, and later these two soldiers who survived battle and rehabilitation became fast friends--one a Republican, one a Democrat. The Republican-Democrat thing didn't mean that much. It was the shared service, the sacrifice of these two World War II heroes that brought them together and maintained that friendship.

Bob Dole exhibited that wit. In fact, I had so many people after Bob Dole's 1996 run for the Presidency--he appeared on shows in the evening, late-night talk shows--I don't know, hundreds of times people would say: If I had only seen that side of Bob Dole, he probably would have been elected President.

He had the capability of causing people to smile, and it could take the edge out of a difficult circumstance because of his wit.

We are going to spend some time honoring Senator Dole this week. I want to make certain that I use my opportunity that Kansans have given me to express on their behalf. Not every Kansan--in fact, not very many Kansans will be in Washington, DC, and not many people will be able to have the public eye and ear to express their thoughts. But even this weekend and throughout the time that Bob Dole has been in office and the time that Bob Dole was no longer in office, Kansans have held him in the highest regard. They have appreciated his service. They respect him even in disagreement.

I have seen disagreements. I have been in rooms where Senator Dole was there. He voted for the bill that raised taxes on financial institutions and something to do with farmers, and they were there to complain. But Bob Dole had such stature that no one could complain very long about a vote he cast, especially when he explained that you can't get everything you want here, but we can make things better if we give a little here to get a lot more there. A lesson--a lesson--for us today.

On behalf of all Kansans, I express their care, their love, and their sympathies and condolences to Senator Elizabeth Dole, his wife; to Robin, his daughter; to other family members, nieces and nephews.

I also express my condolences to all those who worked for Senator Dole in his office, whether it was his Kansas office or the office of the majority or minority leader. There are so many people in Washington, DC, today--in fact, I looked to see how many U.S. Senators served with Bob Dole during his tenure here that still serve today.

I heard Senator Leahy on the floor earlier this afternoon; Senator Grassley. Senator McConnell, I heard him as well. Senator Shelby, Senator Feinstein, Senator Murray, Senator Inhofe, and Senator Wyden all had the opportunity to serve with the Kansas Senator--the Senator from Kansas, Bob Dole. I can't imagine that doesn't influence the way they do their work and the way they look at the U.S. Senate.

But to those who served in his office as members of his staff--and many of them have gone on through nominations and confirmations to become hugely important people in agencies, departments, and bureaus across this government--his mentorship lives on.

Another legacy of Bob Dole is all the kids who were interns, all the young men and women who worked here for him, all the people who were influenced to have a little bit different approach to the rest of the world, a little bit different attitude toward people who they might disagree with, and a chance to bring the values that Bob Dole exhibited in his public life to more people across the Nation.

I don't know how to sum up, but I assume I will have a few more opportunities this week to express the life of Bob Dole, to express the value of the life of Bob Dole. This afternoon, it is not a conclusion, but it is an ending of these remarks.

I thank Senator Dole for being a Kansan with a lot of common sense. I thank Senator Dole for his willingness to serve our Nation, put on the uniform, go through the terrible experience of his injuries and his rehabilitation. I thank Kansans who helped him through that experience.

Most of my life I heard the stories of Bob Dole's hometown of Russell, KS. Again, I grew up within 15 miles of Russell. Upon his return from the VA hospital to his hometown, the community rallied to his survival, his success, his rehabilitation.

There is the story of cigar boxes in the drugstore where he worked as a soda jerk in high school. The businessmen and -women, the people, the farmers and laborers, the workers put nickels and dimes, a few dollars here and there, into the cigar boxes around town to make sure that Bob Dole and his mom and dad had the resources to recover.

Maybe it takes us back to that value of coming from a small town where people know each other and care about each other; where on a party line, two worried mothers could have a conversation about their sons in service; where a community knows the importance of respecting and helping those in need.

To the people of Russell and to the people across Kansas, thank you for the manner in which you have treated and respected a man worthy of our respect.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, today I would like to recognize the birthday of Dr. Arris Johnson. Mr. Johnson is a lifetime Kansan and a personal friend who has reached the remarkable milestone of turning 100 years old this past weekend.

Dr. Johnson was born on November 28, 1921, and attended grade school in Decatur County. He never strayed far from his roots attending college at Fort Hays State University and graduate school at Kansas State University. He still resides in Hays with his wife, Virginia.

Just 6 weeks before his graduation from Fort Hays State, he was called to serve our Nation. In 1945, Dr. Johnson enlisted and served in the Elbe River region for the U.S. Army during World War II. It was his work in the Red Cross division that began his interest in teaching and counseling work.

Following his service, Dr. Johnson returned to Kansas and continued his education, receiving his master's from Kansas State University before returning to Fort Hays State to teach counseling for nearly three decades.

After retiring in 1985, he was named the freemason grandmaster for the State of Kansas. Additionally, Dr. Johnson was further honored with the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a continuing concern for humanity; support spiritual, cultural, and educational objectives; and exemplify the highest standards of character. These characteristics could not describe Dr. Johnson more appropriately.

Dr. Johnson is a loving husband to his wife Virginia Johnson, and they will celebrate their 75th anniversary in January with their family and friends. They continue to reside in Hays, KS, where I hope they enjoy many more years together.

It is clear to everyone that knows Dr. Johnson that he has made the most of his 100 years. His contributions to Kansas and our Nation are worthy of commendation. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and soldier, Arris is a tribute to the ``Greatest Generation,'' and a grateful Nation and State thank him for his service.

I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing a happy birthday to Arris and a profound thank you for his work in our community. His exemplary service to America and his local community is emblematic of what makes America a great Nation.

Mr. President, for nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade has been a disaster for our country and its citizens. Sixty million unborn lives have been lost to abortion, and our politics have been distorted by a ruling that deprives the American citizen--the voter--of the right to determine questions on which there is constitutional ambiguity.

The Senate confirms individuals to the judicial branch to be judges. They are to judge, not to legislate. Listening to those whom we represent and proposing legislation on their behalf is our job here in the Capitol and the job of our representatives in State legislatures throughout all 50 States. The separation of these powers is crucial to how our democracy functions.

Yet previous iterations of the Supreme Court have seen fit to usurp this legislative power, particularly as it relates to abortion.

In doing so, a majority of these unelected judges and Justices have relied upon specious jurisprudence to eviscerate State laws that protect the unborn.

You don't need to take the word of a conservative Republican from Kansas. Writing when she was a circuit court judge, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg explained:

Roe v. Wade . . . invited no dialogue with legislators.

Instead, it seemed entirely to remove the ball from the

legislators' court.

One more liberal law professor acknowledged that ``Roe short- circuited the democratic deliberation that is the most reliable method of deciding questions of competing values.''

These assessments are exactly right. The fallout of Roe, and affirmed by Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992, is obvious. A vacancy to the Supreme Court has become a cage match--a fight here in the U.S. Senate. Someone as eminently qualified as Amy Coney Barrett should have been confirmed unanimously.

Today, many of my Democratic colleagues support packing the Supreme Court with more Justices because they believe the Court will block their agenda, which is ironic because for nearly a half century, virtually every State ever to provide protection to unborn babies has been foiled by the judicial branch. Something terribly wrong has happened to our democracy when so much energy is focused on the Court.

Again, quoting then-Justice Ginsburg on Roe's attempt to put the issue of abortion to bed, she said in 1985, the Court's ``heavy-handed judicial intervention was difficult to justify and appears to have provoked, not resolved, conflict'' and in 1993 declared that the ruling ``prolonged divisiveness and deferred stable settlement of the issue.''

Given these examples of our polluted discourse, no one can reasonably say that the politics of abortion have improved since then. In fact, it has only gotten much worse.

What has improved, however, is our understanding of the science of embryology. Regrettably, it is not enough to say a unique human life begins at the moment of conception for it to receive protection. But we know when unborn babies feel pain; we know when they can survive outside the womb; and a remarkable 4D ultrasound reveals what we already knew: These unborn babies are fully human and deserve the right to life, and yet our legal regime denies them that right.

Because of Roe, a child in America can be terminated for any reason-- any reason--up to the moment of its birth. That places the United States in the company of China and North Korea. Surely, a democracy founded on the belief that all people ``are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness'' has a greater respect for human life than these brutal communist regimes.

Tomorrow's Mississippi case will test that proposition. However, there is no doubt that the reversal of Roe will not end the practice of legal abortion. Several States have already enacted permissive abortion laws that would remain even on Roe's demise.

The point here is that my effort and the effort of my colleagues and millions of other Americans to defend life will continue regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in the coming months, including in my State of Kansas. These efforts will depend on civil persuasion of our neighbors and responsive State and Federal legislators. We will need legislation that protects the unborn and assists new families in caring for their child.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear the most significant abortion case in the last 30 years. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This case provides the Court the opportunity to relinquish the legislative power it has assumed and return it to the people and their representatives. The Court will be better for it, and so will our politics. And most importantly of all, millions of future voices will get to have their say in the process too.

I now yield the floor to my colleague, the Senator from Nebraska, Senator Fischer.

Madam President, I rise today to express my opposition to President Biden's nominee to be Comptroller of the Currency, Dr. Saule Omarova.

Although not the most publicly known office, the Comptroller of the Currency is a prominent and influential position that regulates and supervises all national banks. Given the undeniable importance of this office to the economy and to Americans, it has long been kept free of divisive politics and extreme views.

While I talk about the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and I talk about banks, my concerns are certainly more than just the financial institutions that are in our country's economy. It is the people, their customers who are served, that bother me or worry me the most.

Rather than offer practical ideas for strengthening our Nation's banks, Dr. Omarova advocates for the elimination of all commercial banks--the very financial institutions she should be interested in partnering with. Instead, she wishes to replace them with one bank--one bank--the Federal Reserve.

While the Comptroller might not have direct control of the Federal Reserve's structure, the reach of the position cannot be understated. The Office of the Comptroller is a member of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and even the Board of the FDIC, an Agency Dr. Omarova hopes to eliminate.

Although the doctor claims to support community banks, her plan would relegate them to mere franchises of the

larger Federal Reserve, and her comments have alarmed many Kansas community bankers. They have grave concerns about her policies that would ``end banking as we know it.''

One Kansas banker says:

I have severe concerns with the President's nominee to be

the Comptroller of the Currency. Her support of moving the

payment system entirely through the Federal Reserve and her

commentary in favor of abolishing the FDIC moves the entire

banking system toward a government-controlled financial

system. Eliminating the dual banking system would be

disastrous for entrepreneurs and consumers alike in the

marketplace.

Another banker from Kansas said:

We expect our regulator to supervise safety and soundness

for banks in the system, not to propose and force feed social

agenda items to us.

Local lenders--I certainly know this in the State of Kansas--are the cornerstone of many small towns, and the Comptroller should appreciate the value that community banking brings, what I call relationship banking. They provide crucial lending services for the underbanked populations in rural and urban areas alike. Eliminating the one-on-one, personal approach that allows community banks to thrive will do permanent damage to financial inclusivity and will further push people out of the financial system.

I have often said to my colleagues in Washington, DC, that economic development in many places in Kansas is whether or not there is a grocery store in town. It didn't take me too long to realize that that answer, of whether or not there is a grocery store in town, often revolves around whether or not there is a community bank--a relationship bank--in town, one that makes decisions, certainly, on the wellness and the ability of the loan to be paid, but what is in the best interest of the community? How can I make my community and my customers better off for the way this bank operates?

Another Kansas banker noted it appears that Dr. Omarova is comfortable with a banking model ``that lacks luster and the agility to serve the diverse nature of the American banking industry.''

With a banking model that would provide no incentive to create innovative new products, consumers would no longer benefit from the financial modernization that has brought so many people into the banking sector, so many customers to the banking sector. Consumers are best served by a financial system that offers competitively priced loans and lets lenders invest back in their local communities.

We must continuously work to improve our financial sector for everyone, but forcing consumers to bank with the government would do so much more harm than good. Kansans want less government in their lives, not more, as this would be.

Under Dr. Omarova's proposal, the government would have mandatory seats on bank boards and be able to control investments in ``socially sub-optimal'' activities, a subjective definition that can be interpreted to stifle investment. She believes Federal bureaucrats should handpick who gains access to credit--all but ensuring leftist ideas would be funded.

Confirming her to this office would provide Dr. Omarova with ample opportunity to deny funding to industries she finds politically unfavorable, including bankrupting our domestic energy companies, something she spoke about.

While Dr. Omarova cheers on companies' bankruptcies, jobs disappear, families go without income, and that American dream that is so important to all of us is crushed.

Unfortunately, the doctor's confirmation hearing this morning only deepened my concerns. Her views have no place in the role of the Nation's top bank regulator.

She is entitled to her views. She is entitled to her radical views but not as the Nation's top bank regulator.

By nominating Dr. Omarova, President Biden looks to fundamentally reshape banking from a market-driven industry to a one-size-fits-all government entity. The thought of a centrally planned economy and a banking system like that is not only unworkable, but it is radical-- radically wrong.

Even if these ideas are just for the sake of some academic thought, Dr. Omarova's suggestions have consequential impacts. This is a very powerful position, and we cannot--we would take her views lightly at our own risk.

I urge my colleagues to reject this nominee.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, thank you for recognizing me. I rise this afternoon based upon an announcement earlier today. I rise in the memory of former Kansas Congressman Dennis Moore, a man who lived a life of service to our Nation. He was a friend, and I am sad to hear of his passing today.

Dennis, above all, was a kind man. He was a loving husband to his wife Stephene and a doting father and grandfather.

He was born in Anthony, KS, and went on to earn degrees from the University of Kansas and then Washburn University School of Law. He served our country with the U.S. Army Reserve and then Kansas for 12 years as the Johnson County district attorney. He was known for integrity and for a strong moral compass, which he carried with him to the Halls of Congress when elected in 1998.

Dennis's approach to politics was one-on-one, person-to-person, and oftentimes with his iconic guitar not too far out of his reach. It was this personal approach that paved the way for him to be the first Democratic Member of Congress from Kansas elected in that district in 37 years. As the Kansas City Star headlined today in their memorial to him, ``Strumming a guitar instead of flinging mud''--doesn't that sound good?--``Strumming a guitar instead of flinging mud, Dennis Moore changed Kansas voters' minds.''

He was a six-term Member, and in many ways, we spent those 6 years working together. He and I shared that period of time, and I have great respect for him and the way he served the people of the Third District of Kansas.

That respect for him only grew when I witnessed the way he and his wife Stephene faced his battle with Alzheimer's with a determination to use their experience to help others. They made a choice to make this private and devastating diagnosis public because they knew it would bring awareness to the realities of the disease.

Especially after his diagnosis and for as long as he was able, Dennis was a tireless advocate for the Alzheimer's Association. In 2018, I was humbled to receive an inaugural award in his name, the Dennis Moore Alzheimer Champion Award, from the Alzheimer's Association of Central and Western Kansas.

He was vocal about what he went through and sincere in his urging for others having memory problems to see their doctor. In his free time, he still kept himself busy strumming his guitar at senior centers.

One area where we always agreed was the need to invest in finding a cure for Alzheimer's, and in 2014, Dennis shared his experience with this harrowing disease in front of my Senate Health Appropriations Subcommittee colleagues.

The executive director of the Kansas Alzheimer's Association, Fe Vorderlandwehr, had this to say about Dennis:

After Congressman Moore was diagnosed with Alzheimer's

disease, he became a fierce advocate for the Alzheimer's

Association, championing the need for an increase in

Alzheimer's research with the NIH. He became the face of the

disease amongst his former colleagues in Congress as he

testified about his battle with Alzheimer's and the need for

research to keep other families from going through what he

was going through. Through it all, he kept a wonderful sense

of humor and his passion for music.

I leave you with the Congressman's own words, and he said this:

Alzheimer's is a bipartisan issue, and I urge my former

colleagues to unite behind it, allotting the necessary

resources to fight a public health crisis that millions of

families just like mine are facing.

Dennis was a genuine, warm, decent man who lived an inspiring life that we can all learn from. His legacy will be the way in which he gave others battling Alzheimer's both courage and hope.

Robba and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his children and grandchildren and to Stephanie, his wife, and to all of those who knew him.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 3 minutes.

Mr. President, last week, I was on the floor expressing my concern about things that I heard while home, and the odd thing seemed to be that they were things that I would never expect to be true. And

often that has been the case over the years. You hear something from a constituent or read in the paper or see on the internet, and it is like, this can't be true.

And the one that stands out to me this week is this intention by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services to pay up to $450,000 per person of families who illegally crossed our border and were detained separately.

This is an absurd policy decision. It gives greater incentives for people to come to the United States and make that dangerous trek to our border. How can it be fair to our law-abiding American citizens?

This is a situation that makes no sense to me. And it is something that the Biden administration ought to immediately reject as out of bounds for commonsense and good judgment and, certainly, something that is damaging to the ability for us to have a lawful, sovereign border, and something that is very damaging to the citizens of this country but also to those who make the humanitarian challenge of traveling through Central America and Mexico to our sponsor border.

I yield the floor.

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

Madam President, $28 trillion, $9,700 per person. It is common for Members of this Senate to stand on the Senate floor and debate the pricetag of spending bills and legislation that costs millions, billions, and even trillions of dollars. These numbers are so large that for many people--perhaps even for us--it is incomprehensible and unrelatable.

Today, I would like to take a moment to talk about dollars and cents. In Kansas, the current average price for a gallon of gas is $3.09. Last year, the average cost per gallon of gas in Kansas was $1.93. This means filling up a 15-gallon tank will cost you an extra $17 every time you fill up your car at the pump. If you fill up your vehicle once a week, that is an additional $904 you spent on gas this year as opposed to just last year.

Electricity prices are up 5.2 percent this year. The average monthly electric bill for a residence in Kansas last year was $113.52. A 5- percent increase is an additional $68 per family.

This winter is going to be expensive for American families, particularly in the Midwest, as households are expected to see their heating bills jump as much as 54 percent compared to last winter, making it the most expensive winter since 2008.

Thanks to inflation, the price of eggs is up 9.9 percent. A used car is going to be about 24 percent more expensive. Chicken has a 7.2- percent increase in cost, in price.

In fact, these realities are being reflected by media across the country.

Newsweek's headline: ``Your Thanksgiving Turkey Could Be the Most Expensive Ever.''

MSNBC: ``Thanksgiving is now less than a month away and it's shaping up to be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday.''

CBS News: ``On the table for Thanksgiving this year? Higher food prices.''

NBC News: ``This Thanksgiving, be prepared to fork over more dough for your feast.''

And The New York Times: ``This Year's Thanksgiving Feast Will Wallop the Wallet.''

This is horrible news for almost every Kansan and for every American, and it is especially damaging to those who are already struggling to pay the bills because their hard-earned dollars just don't go far enough now.

An extra $17 at the gas pump or $68 on an electric bill and an extra 50 cents here or there is quickly adding up, for middle-class and low- income families, to be a major challenge.

These dollars add up to tough decisions, like: Will we be able to make our mortgage payment this month? Do we forgo a Thanksgiving meal this year so we can keep the heat on? Can we afford to make the drive across the country to see the grandparents for the holidays?

The current trajectory for inflation doesn't look good either. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Sunday that the United States hasn't experienced the recent inflation levels in a ``long time'' and expects higher inflation to continue into 2022.

Part of inflation--a significant portion of inflation is caused by government spending, and the Democrats' out-of-control spending and policies have sped up the rate of inflation, creating these higher prices for families.

In particular, President Biden's effort to restrain American oil and gas production--this one is not about spending, but it is about policy. President Biden's efforts to restrain American oil and gas production while, oddly, hypocritically, strangely, appealing to OPEC to increase the global oil supply in the face of high gas prices at home has resulted in higher energy prices, which could drive inflation even higher in the months to come.

It is time for Congress to turn off the spending spigot. The Democrats' nearly $2 trillion spending package that passed at the beginning of this session, in January, did nothing to help with our labor shortage or to improve the supply chain. It, instead, accelerated inflation around the country. We have been slow to turn that spigot off, and we have exacerbated it since the arrival of a Democrat majority and President Biden in the White House.

The Democrats are awfully busy trying to fill their campaign promises by passing their tax-and-spending spree, and they are too busy to worry about the damage they are causing American families. More spending will only exacerbate our current inflationary circumstances, and the path that the

Democrats have charted involves massive amounts of spending that will lead to higher prices for everyone.

As Americans face higher prices at the gas station and grocery store, we must work at fixing our supply chain issues, returning to being energy independent, helping Americans return to work, and reining in our spending to slow down the rate of inflation. This out-of-control spending is jeopardizing our economy and hurting Americans.

To my colleagues--to my Democrat colleagues, in particular--rather than assuming a mandate by the voters and pushing the tax-and-spend spree legislation with 51 votes, let's work together. Let's work together to get government spending and borrowing in check. If this is done, it will be done for the well-being of all Americans.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Hanover High School in Washington County, KS. I want to offer my congratulations to the students, staff, and coaches of the Wildcats football, volleyball, boys basketball, and boys track team for winning the Kansas 1A DII High School State Championships during the 2020-2021 academic school year.

After the challenges of the pandemic, the ability of these student athletes to succeed in the classroom and on the field is admirable. Continuing education and supporting student athletes is a top priority in Kansas, and these students exemplify how resilient our children are and the importance of being a part of a team. Achievements such as these do not happen overnight; they take the support of families, friends, teachers, coaches, faculty, staff, and volunteers. It takes a community, and Hanover should be proud.

The Hanover Wildcats started the year coming out strong when the volleyball team won the State title for the first time since 1979 in straight sets against Attica High. The eight-man football team championship game against St. Francis, leading 46-24, ended a perfect 11-0 season. The boys basketball team went on to win Hanover's seventh State championship with a 24-1 record, while the boys' track team rounded out the year coming back against the odds to clinch the first place spot in the final relay at the State track meet, leaving with a lead of eight points.

These young men and women have set an example for all of us, demonstrating that success in life comes to

those who are willing to set goals and work hard to achieve them. Not only did they perform with exceptional mental and physical fortitude, but they also displayed remarkable sportsmanship while prioritizing work in the classroom and studying hard. This impressive display of prudence after a challenging school year demonstrates the grit of Hanover students in the face of difficulties.

I once again extend my congratulations to these student athletes, as well as Principal Matthew Mattos, Athletic Director Scott Hutchison, and trainer Paige Radomski.

I wish each of these young men and women continued success in the classroom and in their athletic pursuits.

Mr. President, I speak today to recognize the 3 million men and women, Americans, who have served our Nation in the two decades since September 11, 2001, in what has become known as the Global War on Terrorism.

The days during--in just the last month--during this botched and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, were a terrible time of reckoning for our Nation. I am angry, discouraged, and concerned about the way and the manner by which the United States of America departed.

President Biden's announcement in April to completely withdraw American troops by September 11 without taking appropriate security precautions, including preparation for a return of the Taliban to Kabul, was irresponsible and will damage America's interest for years to come and endanger the lives of thousands of women and children in Afghanistan.

Additionally, the lack of urgency to do right by the thousands of Afghans who worked alongside Americans will forever be a source of shame for this administration. But as I said many times before, the withdrawal from Afghanistan was not the fault of the men and women in uniform.

In the days following September 11, 2001, the call to service was answered by thousands--thousands--of Americans who sought to defend the United States. These men and women left behind their families and careers to serve a greater good. I cannot think of anything more honorable than stepping up to defend our homeland from a threat that was, at the time, relatively unknown.

For most of our men and women in uniform, the Global War on Terrorism has been the primary mission of their entire careers. I run into people regularly who tell me about their service, and they saw what happened on 9/11 in New York City at Ground Zero. They saw what happened in the fields of Pennsylvania and what happened at the Pentagon. They decided it was their moment to step forward and defend and protect their Nation, to make sure that freedom and liberty remained the hallmark of who we are. And all of the sacrifices they and their families have made were in support of that effort and it was an effort they believed in and I certainly hope they still do.

Those who stepped forward to serve, eradicated vast networks of terrorists who wished to do America harm, making it absolutely clear that no one can harm Americans without our swift and certain retribution. They also brought Osama bin Laden to justice, destroyed the ISIS caliphate, and eliminated its founder.

In Afghanistan, our men and women serving in the military brought hope to a brutalized, war-torn country for the first time in decades. Incredibly, an entire generation in Afghanistan came to age knowing what it feels like to see freedom and to feel freedom.

Tragically, we saw Afghanistan quickly fall to the Taliban. It happened because of a haphazard and unorganized withdrawal process that has made our country and our world a less secure place. We all saw the images of terror and desperation as Afghans tried to flee their fate, many at the cost of their lives. We saw the footage of the chaos, the tear gas, and the explosion. We lost 13 lives of our honorable brave men and women in uniform to an attack outside the airport gates as they tried to rescue innocent families from their Afghan brothers and sisters in arms.

These scenes captured our Nation's attention, rightfully so. But unfortunately, in the days that followed, mainstream media's interest in Afghanistan began to wane. Take a look to see what is happening in Afghanistan now. See the desolation, the death, the destruction, the hunger, and the fear. This failure to have attention on what is going on in Afghanistan must not and should not be the case. We must continue to honor those who served and who will serve our country in the future.

We should consider S. 535, the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act. This bill was introduced by the Senator from Iowa, Senator Joni Ernst, herself a veteran. It will authorize the location of a memorial on the National Mall to truly honor those who served to eradicate terrorism. It will honor the 3 million men and women who served and especially the thousands of servicemembers who gave that ultimate sacrifice--their lives. This memorial will also honor, heal, empower, and unite soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coasties who made those sacrifices.

I would guess many of us in the U.S. Senate have seen--we witnessed some of the healing that personally occurs in times that have met with the Honor--as I have met with the folks who have been here on the Honor Flights, those visitors who gather at our war memorials to remember, to be together, and, yes, to heal.

Last week, I was at a number of our memorials here in our Nation's Capital with a group of over about 160 Vietnam veterans from Kansas. I have been visiting with those veterans in almost all of the visits of Kansans who come here, and in those visits, I met the World War II veterans, the Korean war veterans, and the Vietnam war veterans who have a place of honor on the Mall where they can go to meet other veterans, to lay flowers, to pause and reflect, and remember the brothers and sisters that they have lost.

Just this weekend, back in Valley Center, KS, the Moving Wall--a tribute to those who lost their lives in Vietnam; the thousands, the 627 Kansans who lost their lives in Vietnam--was a place in which people gathered to do exactly that.

I hope someday I will be able to attend an Honor Flight to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial and meet with the generation of veterans who fought to bring peace to the Middle East and who fought to bring the United States into a safer and more secure place. It will be my honor and privilege to do so.

I am here on the Senate floor to pay tribute, to honor and respect, and to tell those who served in the Global War on Terrorism that we respect them; we thank them for their service; and we love them.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I am joined on the floor today by my colleague from Missouri, Senator Blunt, and we rise today to welcome the FIFA World Cup selection committee to Kansas City and to express our strong support for Kansas City's bid to serve as the 2026 World Cup host city.

I express my gratitude to the leadership of Mayor Quinton Lucas and to the leadership of Kathy Nelson from the Kansas City sporting authority, the president and CEO.

Our community, our joint community--Kansas City, people may know, is on two sides of the State line--the Missouri side of the State line and the Kansas side of the State line. Sometimes we are rivals, but in many instances, we are allies and friends, and that is the circumstance we are here today.

Kansas City boasts a rich history of both professional and amateur sports. Kansas City is the home of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame; the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; as well as the 2020 Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs; the 2015 World Series champions, the Kansas City Royals; and the two-time Major League Soccer Cup champions, Sporting KC. It is also the hometown of our world- renowned football coach, Ted Lasso.

Sporting KC has energized the region's diverse and passionate soccer fan base--a fan base that I am confident is ready to pack up their bags and head to Arrowhead Stadium, the loudest stadium in the world, to cheer on the U.S. men's national team and other nations that compete there.

Soccer has become an even larger part of the culture of Kansas City after U.S. Soccer's National Development Center officially opened in Kansas City, KS, in May of 2018. The NDC is the perfect location--the perfect location--for any team to recover, practice, and prepare for their upcoming matches.

Spanning more than 50 acres, this 81,000-square-foot, state-of-the- art practice, education, and medical facility includes three natural grass fields and two artificial turf fields, with a two-story coaching pavilion, and houses the Children's Mercy Sports Medicine Center.

Kansas City has been host to other major sporting events. The city regularly welcomes thousands and thousands of fans for events such as the Big 12 men's NCAA basketball championship and the NCAA March Madness and will be the location for the 2023 National Football League--the NFL--Draft.

Due to major investment in Kansas City's transportation and infrastructure--something that both Senator Blunt and I and our colleagues, Senator Hawley and Senator Marshall, have worked on--Kansas City is well equipped to support soccer fans from around the globe. They will be welcomed at a brandnew Kansas City International Airport, which is currently undergoing a $1.5 billion renovation restart for a state-of-the-art terminal that is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

In 2020, Kansas City also became the first major metropolitan area to offer bus transportation free of charge. Additionally, the Kansas City Streetcar offers free fares with stops just a short walk from many magnificent dining and dynamic entertaining experiences in Kansas City.

Early in my postcollege career, I had an office in downtown Kansas City. The circumstances of Kansas City today and that long time ago when I was a worker in downtown Kansas City are significantly different. The entertainment opportunities are immense--the

arrival of a major, magnificent Sprint Center; hotels, new, large, elegant--all have arrived in Kansas City in just the last few years.

I am confident the entire Kansas City region is ready to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup a resounding success and is excited to add this prestigious tournament to its sporting history.

Again, we welcome the World Cup selection committee to Kansas City today and to the State of Kansas and to the State of Missouri. We welcome them. They are being welcomed to a world-class city known for its heartland hospitality.

I yield to the Senator from Missouri.

Mr. President, I want to use the opportunity of the Senate floor today to call to the attention what I think is an alarming proposal that would allow the Internal Revenue Service to track nearly all inflows and outflows of Americans' bank accounts.

I heard this story--I heard this proposal while I was home in Kansas, and my reaction was: I assume this is just something on the internet, something that people are perhaps fabricating. Surely no one seriously is proposing that every transaction of $600 in one's bank account and $600 out of one's bank account is something that the Internal Revenue Service should be monitoring and recording, or that records would need to be provided to the IRS with that information.

It is one of those thing I thought, well, that is just some crazy something that somebody is talking about. But, lo and behold, unfortunately, I have learned that, over the years--sometimes my constituents have brought me things in the past that tell me the story. It is, like, I can't believe that would be true, but let me check it out; and far too often, it turns out that it really is someone's proposal in the Nation's Capital.

Most Kansans would react to this concept by saying: I can't believe it is true. And then: Make sure you do something to keep it from happening.

In this case, it is apparently true. And not only is it true, it is true because it is supported, it is proposed by the Biden administration.

It is the Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, who believes and testified that this is a good idea. It is Charles Rettig, the IRS Commissioner, who believes that this is important to accomplish. It is not just somebody's ideas. It is somebody who has something that-- because they have something to say that matters that can cause it to happen is for this.

For the IRS knowing how much money a Kansan earns, that just isn't enough. How much an American earns, it isn't enough to know our income. Now the IRS wants to know how you spend that income.

This is an invasion of privacy that focuses on account flows, not just on income, and it intrudes on virtually every American.

The claim that this will help tax wealthy cheats--I am all for taxing wealthy cheats, but instead, this isn't that. It gives the government the unprecedented access to nearly every working American's bank account.

Rather than listening to the enormous pushback from Americans and eliminating from consideration this invasive mandate, Democrats are simply suggesting to tweak the proposal depending on the revenues needed to fund this massive tax-and-spend spree that is around the corner.

In recent weeks, I have heard from more than 1,000 Kansans who are alarmed at this massive expansion of IRS reach and authority, this invasion of privacy. The last thing my Kansas constituents would want when it comes to their own bank account is more bureaucrats watching and dictating how they live their lives. This provision is a threat to their privacy. They see it that way, and it is.

Kansas relies heavily on small-town banks and credit unions to provide rural communities and their citizens with lending services to finance a small business expansion, to allow a family to pay for college, or to buy a home.

The relationship between our bankers, our credit unions, and their customers and clients is a special one. It is personal. That private relationship between a banker and their customer is one that is based upon trust. The banker no more wants to be in the middle of invading their customers' privacy. Mandating that banks report to the government their customers' account activities will significantly breach the trust that a customer, a client has with their banker.

These financial institutions are often run by just a handful of employees, and are often a family operation handed down from one generation to the next. We have lots of small local banks and credit unions already knee-deep--perhaps waist-deep--in red tape; something they have to deal with every day, and something we have tried nearly every day to reduce or eliminate.

Our bankers and credit unions spend millions of dollars to comply with the anti-money laundering policies, and those often yield minimal results.

This proposal would turn our banking system into an extension of the Internal Revenue Service while forcing local banks to shoulder the cost. And these costs, of course, ultimately would be paid for--guess who--the customer, the citizen.

So not only are we--would this proposal allow our privacy to be intruded upon, but we would be paying as it happens.

Unfortunately, the IRS has increasingly politicized and--has been politicized and has a history of targeting disfavored groups and individuals, and has proven incapable of protecting taxpayers' data from leaks.

Entrusting this bureaucracy, the IRS, or, really, any other bureaucracy in Washington, DC, with the supervision of your personal finances is no way to close a tax gap.

At a time when the American people are more weary than ever of the Federal Government and their Agencies, this proposal will do nothing but further increase that distrust.

Democrats in Congress and particularly in the Biden administration should prioritize strengthening the faith in the financial service, not pursuing these kinds of policies that will push underbanked Americans away.

Ultimately, this plan will not achieve its stated goal of increasing tax revenues. Rather, it will lead to more harassment of average Americans and those who work at their financial institutions.

It is clear to me that there is an attempt here to leave no stone unturned to find every possible way to tax everyday Americans in order to fund a massive spending spree.

So while we hoped that this proposal was just idle talk, something that somebody said over a cup of coffee at the local doughnut shop or the cafe, something that when we went to find out if there was any truth to it we discover: Oh, no, I could tell my constituents this isn't happening, this is just something that somebody is gossiping about.

But no. It is a serious proposal by the Biden administration, and it has serious consequences to the well-being, financial, but perhaps more importantly, the privacy, something that Americans deserve, something that Americans request, and something that is already too often lacking in our lives--privacy--and in this case, privacy from the Federal Government.

I yield the floor.

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

Madam President, I rise this afternoon to bring further attention to the growing humanitarian and national security crisis we see at our southern border.

President Biden's and Vice President Harris's handling of the southern border has been as incompetent as it has been inhumane. This is not a partisan view: their own special envoy to Haiti has resigned in protest.

This administration is in denial; it is in denial about the scope of this crisis. Migrant crossings into the United States have already reached historic levels and, as I speak, thousands continue to arrive along our U.S.-Mexico border.

Since taking office, President Biden and Vice President Harris have shirked responsibility for this crisis by placing blame on the historic levels of illegal crossing on everything from COVID-19 to climate change, to former President Trump. They are hoping Americans will forget that President Biden's first order of business was to repeal nearly every immigration policy of the previous administration.

The Biden administration's talking points say our borders are closed, but their actions indicate just the opposite. More than 12,000 of the Haitians who gathered under the bridge in Del Rio over the past week have been released into the country.

This is not a new policy--tens of thousands of migrants who have illegally crossed our border have been released since President Biden took office. Many were released without a court date and given nothing more than a list of ICE offices around the country, with instructions to report within 60 days.

Unsurprisingly, it was reported in July that nearly 87 percent of 50,000 individuals released without a court date fail to report as directed. This is a clear message that, if you make it to the United States, you will be allowed to stay without facing repercussions. This encourages families to make the dangerous trek north and entrust their safety to dangerous drug cartels at the risk of being murdered, assaulted, or trafficked because the reward is worth the risk.

The Haitian refugees who recently began arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border are evidence of that mindset. They believed the administration's actions, not their words. They watched as thousands were allowed to stay in the country, and they gambled that they, too, would get the same treatment; that after living nearly a decade in countries like Brazil and Chile, now is the time to come.

Nearly 9 months into the Biden Presidency, it is irrefutable that this administration's policies are fueling, are increasing the crisis both for our security and the humanity of people.

The historic levels of crossing at the southern border have not only created this humanitarian crisis and put an incredible strain on our immigration system, but have seriously compromised our national security.

In April, a few months ago, I visited the border and had the opportunity to speak with Agents of the FBI and DEA to hear firsthand how the crisis has affected their operations and the challenges it has created for them in carrying out their mission to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and apprehend major drug traffickers.

The cartels that operate in Central America are sophisticated, adaptable, and ruthless. Not only do they take advantage of individuals attempting the trek to our southern border by forcing them to pay thousands of dollars to fund their operations and subject them to abuse, rape, and murder, they use these individuals to their strategic advantage. They will send thousands of individuals across the border at the same time in an attempt to overwhelm while cartels bring drugs and guns undetected.

Just today, the DEA issued a public safety alert to warn against the alarming increase in counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and meth that are being trafficked in the United States. Thus far this year, more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been seized--a rate that puts 2021 on a path to more seizures than the last 3 years combined. This is no coincidence.

The administration's decision to continue ignoring this humanitarian and national security crisis is allowing a horrible situation to get even worse. Actions always speak louder than words. The Biden administration must take immediate action to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.