Floor Statements

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Is there a sufficient second?

There appears to be a sufficient second.

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the crisis that we are facing today in America at our southern border.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have created the worst illegal immigrant crisis in American history. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden removed every successful policy that was in place during the Trump administration. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden replaced them with policies that released millions upon millions of illegal immigrants into our country. The crisis, the chaos, the crime--they are all a direct result of the terrible policies by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.

Here are the facts: More than 10 million--10 million--illegal immigrants have flooded into our country. They have done that in just the last 4 years with Kamala Harris and Joe Biden in the White House.

At the same time, deadly drugs like fentanyl are flowing into our communities. Each year, tens of thousands of Americans are poisoned by fentanyl that comes across our southern border.

Our communities in every State are being overrun and overwhelmed by this flood of illegal immigrants.

Let's look at the horrible scenes that are developing now in Aurora, CO, just to the south of my home State of Wyoming. This is a city where members of violent Venezuelan gangs have turned apartment complexes into hell holes. That is exactly what they have done. One residence said, ``It's been a nightmare.''

So how did these gangs find themselves in that situation in that location, and how did the people living in those communities find themselves in this terrorizing situation? Well, according to one report, the Harris-Biden administration, along with the city of Denver, provided the incentives. What are the incentives? Well, Denver offered illegal immigrants 2 months of subsidized rent. The source of the rent money came from Democrats March 2021 reckless tax and spending spree-- $1.9 trillion.

Stop and think about that for just a second. The same law that fueled 40-year high inflation, that caused prices to go up for families all across the country by 20 percent since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came into office, that same bill has now incentivized the worst border crisis in American history.

It was Vice President Harris who came and sat in that chair and cast the critical, tie-breaking vote right here in the Senate for that reckless spending bill. Her one single vote as Vice President, as President of this institution, the U.S. Senate, brought record-high prices and a recordbreaking border disaster.

Look, these problems spill over from the sanctuary cities like those in Colorado, and they hit neighboring States like my home State of Wyoming.

In Laramie County, WY, law enforcement officials say that the number of illegal immigrants in their jails has more than doubled. One of those jailed illegal immigrants is a suspected member of that violent Venezuelan gang that took over the apartment complex in Colorado--a gang that has been described as ``MS-13 on steroids.''

Make no mistake, Vice President Harris is complicit in all of this border disaster.

Now--just, I think, today--Vice President Harris says she wants to secure the border. New language for her. Well, let me tell you, she hasn't done it yet. For the past 4 years, Kamala Harris has been the second most powerful person in the world, and she was appointed by the President to be the border czar. He said she knew how. He had full confidence in her; she knew how to handle the problem. Well, as the border czar, she had the power to secure the southern border and has that power still today. Not doing it.

So let me ask again: Why hasn't it been done? Let me tell you why. Like Joe Biden, Vice President Harris wants to smooth the flow of illegal immigrants. Doesn't want to stop it--oh, no. Doesn't want to stop it; wants to smooth the flow. This is an extreme position and out of touch with the American people.

Like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris opposes the border wall. She actually called the wall a ``stupid waste of money.'' That is what we hear from the Vice President of the United States. That is an extreme position compared to what the American people would like to see happen today.

Kamala Harris also said that building the wall to prevent terrorists from entering the country was the ``height of irresponsibility.''

``[T]he height of irresponsibility'' to try to keep terrorists out of the country. Nope. Come on in, she wants.

This again--Kamala Harris. San Francisco liberal. Extreme position.

Remember, terror suspects are exploiting our vulnerability. The number of terror suspects that we have caught crossing the border has risen by 3,000 percent since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took over the Presidency and the Vice Presidency.

This administration promises amnesty for illegal immigrants. This is an invitation. They are inviting millions upon millions of illegal immigrants into this country. This is an extreme position compared to what the American people want and expect from their elected officials.

What we are seeing across the country are Kamala Harris, Democrats across the board, and sanctuary cities providing free healthcare for illegal immigrants--another extreme position of the Democrats in the White House.

They demand that our hard-earned taxpayer dollars pay for free housing, free preloaded debit cards, and free cell phones for illegal immigrants. The American public hates this. This is their taxpayer dollars. Democrats' open border policies have cost the taxpayers plenty. The numbers are jaw-dropping--$451 billion so far--and the number keeps going up.

Like President Biden, Kamala Harris wants to stop deporting criminals who are here in this country illegally. She wants to stop it. In the past, she said illegal immigration should not be a crime. Well, once again, she is out of touch with the American people. That is an extreme position.

This is the truth: Kamala Harris's policies are no different than the dangerous, disastrous, deadly policies of President Joe Biden's, who signed 49 Executive orders in his first 100 days in office.

This is the problem that our country faces today: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris threw open the borders, and 10 million illegal immigrants have come on through.

When this administration stopped building the wall and ended ``Remain in Mexico,'' Vice President Harris was right there, cheering on Joe Biden. When Joe Biden brought back the failed policy of catch-and- release, Vice President Harris had his back. When Joe Biden wanted to send stimulus checks to illegal immigrants, what happened? Kamala Harris came into this Chamber; sat in that chair; and cast the tie- breaking vote for this radical and reckless policy of sending stimulus checks to illegal immigrants--just giving them more and more free stuff funded by the American taxpayers.

To add insult to injury, Kamala Harris has actually said, then: Well, the border is secure. Nobody believes that. I don't even think she believes it. She should know better. If she does not, that should disqualify her from being a candidate for President or for being President.

On September 22, Vice President Harris claimed we have a secure border. Who is she listening to? Why didn't she go and look for herself? Three days earlier, the illegal immigrant who murdered Laken Riley entered our country.

It is time to close the book on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and their dangerous border policies. It is time for us to get serious about securing the border and making our communities safer.

Senate Republicans have real solutions. It is to finish the wall; it is to end catch-and-release; it is to restore the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy--a policy that worked. Our solution also includes deporting illegal immigrants and stopping illegal immigrants from voting in our elections.

So I return to the question I asked at the beginning: If Kamala Harris wants to secure the border, why hasn't she done so yet?

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today in celebration of Ken Hamilton and his retirement from the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation.

On October 31, 2024, the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation will celebrate Ken Hamilton's retirement after 41 years of service. Throughout his career, Ken has been a strong and effective advocate for the State's agriculture industry.

Ken was born and raised in rural Big Horn County, WY. His dedication to agriculture was sparked from a young age. Ken learned the trade by working on the family ranch, raising sheep and cattle, and trying his hand at irrigated farming practices.

Ken graduated from Manderson-Hyattville High School and earned an associate of arts in pre-law at Northwest College in Powell. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of Wyoming in 1982.

Ken attended the American Farm Bureau Federation work exchange program in Australia during his senior year at UW. While there, he worked for Checkers Pastoral Company and the Colligan Creek Pastoral Company.

Following his return to the States, Ken began his career at the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation as a research and field assistant. He gained valuable skills that soon prompted a promotion to director of field services and then administrative assistant. In 2004, he became the executive vice president.

The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation advocates for farmers and ranchers by protecting private property rights, drafting grassroots policies, strengthening agriculture, and developing educational practices for leadership and advocacy. Ken's life and time at Farm Bureau have been truly dedicated to these principles.

In addition to his work at the Farm Bureau, Ken dedicated his time to various organizations to further conservation efforts and agricultural production. He served on the 2006 Wyoming

Brand Task Force, the State of Wyoming Coal Bed Methane Working Group, the Western Region Air Partnership Dust Forum, the Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee, the Legal Information and Networking Committee, and the American Farm Bureau's general council advisory and the legal information and networking committees.

Ken also served as the Wyoming Capitol Club president, the Wyoming Society of Association Executives president, the Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company secretary, and the Wyoming Farm Bureau general manager.

In response to his unwavering dedication to Wyoming agriculture, Ken was honored in 2015 as one of UW's Outstanding Alumni. In 2023 Ken received a Longevity Award from the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation.

Joining in this momentous celebration is Ken's wife Kathy and his son Ian Hamilton.

It is with great honor that I recognize and celebrate Ken Hamilton. He embodies the Cowboy Code to the fullest. His incredible contributions and positive strides within the agriculture industry are remarkable. He represents the best of Wyoming agriculture. Congratulations to Ken Hamilton on his retirement from the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation.

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

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the need to get our Nation and our economy back on track.

We learned this morning the new numbers have come out on inflation. Prices are higher today than they were the day that the Biden-Harris administration took over--by over 20 percent. I hear about it in Wyoming every weekend; I heard about it this past weekend, how high prices have become and the crushing effect that that has had on families in my State in Wyoming and all around the country. This has been going on now for over 3 years. Prices have continued to go up. And this crisis of high prices has been cumulative. The impact on families--cumulative. And it is, regrettably, causing very hard choices for families to make. It shouldn't be this way.

Here is a recent headline from CBS News. It said: ``More Americans are having to choose between food and energy bills.'' Clearly, this is a reflection on the Biden-Harris administration.

Now, one of those folks who talked about that--the quote is from Stacey Freeman. Ms. Freeman says her energy bills each month cost her hundreds of dollars. She told CBS News: ``Sometimes I have to choose,'' she says, ``whether I'm going to pay the light bill or . . . pay all the rent or buy food or not let my son do a sport.''

That is what has happened under the Biden-Harris administration--the impact of the high prices caused by the massive amounts of government spending passed without a single Republican vote that stimulated an amount of increase in prices--the highest in 40 years.

Ms. Freeman's story is, sadly, all too common. Many Americans are feeling the high cost and the high anxiety related to the high cost of goods and services in their lives. Nearly 4 out of 10--2 out of 5-- Americans say they worry about their ability to pay their own bills. Since 2019, utilities cost the average American almost $300 more each month--not $300 a month, $300 more each month--than what they were paying before. These are the costly and cumulative consequences of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris's war on affordable and reliable American energy.

Mr. President, you ask people anywhere around the country, and they know this is an administration that has strongly come out against American energy. They froze Federal oil and gas leases. They discouraged new energy production. They issued regulations to ban gas- powered vehicles--the kind of vehicles most Americans drive. So it is not a surprise that high energy prices continue to bother and cause pain for American families.

Month after month, year after year, Americans watch their costs go up and, regrettably, see their savings, if they have savings, go down.

The Biden-Harris administration has offered no solutions to our Nation's cost-of-living crisis. Democrats, instead, tell the American people: Don't believe the pricetags at the grocery stores or the price at the gas pump. They want you to believe everything is OK. Americans know that isn't so.

We learned last month that the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is supposed to keep accurate unemployment data--well, they reported faulty numbers. A million jobs touted by the Biden-Harris administration do not actually exist. They never existed. They never were created. Yet the Biden-Harris administration claimed credit for jobs that do not exist.

Meanwhile, we have had 2 straight months where job growth was lower than expected.

America, today, has fewer manufacturing jobs than we did last year. In Michigan, autoworkers are getting laid off. Last month, the carmaker Stellantis announced plans to lay off more than 2,000 American workers from its plants in Detroit. This is the same carmaker that received hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies--a tidal wave of electric vehicle grants--from the Biden-Harris administration, and they are laying off people. Take the money from the government--from the Biden administration, from the Harris administration--and lay off workers.

It is no surprise that last night in the debate, Kamala Harris couldn't even answer the first question when they asked: Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago--are the American people better off now than they were 4 years ago? She could not defend herself, could not say yes, because people are not better off now than they were 4 years ago.

These recent layoffs--they come as they switch their assembly lines from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. Thousands of American workers will soon be put in the unemployment line as a result of what Harris and Biden and the Democrats are continuing to promote.

Democrat regulations, Democrat rhetoric--a rhetoric of impending climate doom--are crushing American jobs. It is no wonder that Biden and Harris are now running from their record, and it is a record of ruin for the economy. Their flip-flops, walk-backs, the coverups--all too apparent.

The American people know that the policies of Vice President Harris have had a chilling impact on our American economy. When then-Senator Harris was rated the most liberal Member of the U.S. Senate, Americans listened. When Vice President Harris said recently that her values had not changed, people listened again. Americans are struggling, and Biden-Harris policies and the Democrat policies are to blame.

Remember how we got here: Democrats passed trillions of dollars in reckless, radical, runaway spending. It was

so unpopular, not a single Republican voted for it. It had to pass with a tie-breaking vote. Who broke the vote? Well, the Vice President of the United States comes to the Senate to cast the tie-breaking vote, and that would be Kamala Harris, now the candidate of the Democrats for President of the United States. Vice President Harris came to this Chamber, sat in that chair, and cast the vote that broke the tie that brought us record-high inflation, 40-year-high inflation.

Americans cannot afford 4 more years of failure. Americans need a break from the damaging policies of Vice President Harris. What Harris is proposing is more wasteful Washington spending. Harris wants to raise taxes on the middle-class, impose socialist-style price controls. She supports banning fracking. She supports banning gas-powered vehicles. She wants to make energy more expensive. That is how she voted, that is what her rhetoric has been, and, as she said, her values haven't changed. Vice President Harris would continue the nightmare of high prices and high taxes.

Let's remember, it was different 3\1/2\ years ago under the Trump administration. Back then, paychecks were going up. Inflation was nonexistent. Americans were breaking free of poverty. Americans were energy dominant. Our southern border was safe and secure. Not anymore. People want to go back to those days of American prosperity again.

So it is time to turn the page from the disastrous policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Republicans will work to lower prices, to unleash American energy, and to get this Nation back on track.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today in celebration of Trudi McMurry Holthouse. Trudi is a remarkable individual whose dedication and generosity make a tangible difference in her community.

On September 18, 2024, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming will recognize Trudi during its 26th Annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast in Casper, WY.

Trudi's dedication to Wyoming's spirit of service is exemplary and commendable. Through her philanthropic efforts, she has significantly shaped the lives of countless individuals, particularly our youth.

Trudi's roots in Wyoming run deep. Her parents, renowned Wyoming philanthropists Neil ``Mick'' McMurry and Susan ``Susie'' McMurry instilled in her the values of the Code of the West. Through their example, Trudi learned the importance of taking pride in her work. She also learned that actions speak louder than words. Mick and Susie shared with her their deep-rooted belief in the power of community service. Today, Trudi continues her parents' legacy of service as the treasurer of the McMurry Foundation.

Since its founding in 1998, the McMurry Foundation has awarded over $104 million in grants. Notably these include large contributions to the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Medical Center, the Casper Family YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming.

The foundation also gives back to ``the little guys,'' including local churches and other small nonprofits. Each year, the foundation provides grants to more than 50 organizations across Wyoming. Priority is given to those ``with potential to make a lasting difference.''

Trudi has the honor of serving alongside her family. Her husband Tyler is the McMurry Foundation Board's vice president. Their daughter Tayla Trujillo is the board secretary and director of foundation affairs. Together with a dedicated team of individuals, the Holthouses remain committed to the foundation's simple principles: ``Pay it Forward'' and ``Build a Better Wyoming.''

One of the cornerstones of Trudi's charitable work is her service on the board of directors for the WYO Complex. This nonprofit was created to fund and oversee the WYO Sports Ranch, a multisport training and recreation center. Trudi and her husband Tyler are the driving force behind this project.

The Sports Ranch, located in Casper, is scheduled to open in early 2025. The facility will host local, regional, and national tournaments, as well as community events and trade shows.

Trudi's parents were well-known for creating a safe and loving environment for the hundreds of children they fostered. This impressed upon her the importance of advocating for disadvantaged youth. As a major supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming, Trudi honors her mother's legacy as a former long-time board member.

Established in 1969, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming seek to ``enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.'' With 11 locations in central Wyoming, the organization is the largest low/no-cost youth development provider in the State. The clubs offer thousands of youth a safe, nurturing environment to grow, learn, and thrive.

Trudi's ongoing support ensures the clubs remain a beacon of hope and opportunity for our children. Her favorite program is WyoTowne, a financial literacy program. WyoTowne gives members lifelong workplace readiness and financial management skills. In Trudi's words, the program ``provides all the kids . . . an important perspective on belonging to a community.''

Trudi's selection as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming 2024 Person of the Year is a worthy recognition of her decades of service to Natrona County and our great State. Her contributions will surely be celebrated by her family: husband Tyler; daughters Alaceia ``Lou'' Davis, Tayla Trujillo (Nathan), Tillie Holthouse, and Ellie Holthouse; and grandchildren Neil and Lavender Sky.

Trudi McMurry Holthouse represents the best this State has to offer. I am happy to join her family, friends, colleagues, and all those who benefit from her generous spirit in congratulating her for this distinct honor.

Mr. President, last week, President Biden gave what many consider to be his farewell address. Americans are eager to say ``farewell'' and, in many ways, ``good riddance'' to Joe Biden and the policies that he has wrought, along with Democrats, upon our country. It has been a record of ruin.

When Americans look at the state of our Nation today, they don't like what they see. Three out of four Americans will tell you that the country is heading in the wrong direction. Prices are 20 percent higher than they were when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came into office. People are forced to cut back, forced to decide whether they can fill their gas tanks or their grocery carts. According to CNN, nearly 40 percent of all Americans say they worry that they can't pay their bills.

So how did we get here?

Well, Democrats passed trillions of dollars in reckless, radical, and runaway spending. It was so unpopular as a proposal--and Congress heard from the American people as to how unpopular it was--it was so unpopular that, at a point, it was tied--the vote--and then they had to bring in someone to break the tie. Who was that person who cast that tie-breaking vote that brought us 40-year-high inflation and the highest prices in 40 years for which so many people suffer today? That person was Vice President Kamala Harris. That is right, Vice President Harris, who is now the nominee of the Democratic Party, running for President. She is the one who came into this Chamber to cast the vote to break the tie that fueled the highest prices that we continue to experience today.

We also have a very long national nightmare occurring at our southern border. That is yet another result of the dangerously liberal agenda of Vice President Harris. We had a secure border 4 years ago. Then Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came into the White House. Biden and Harris canceled the border wall. Biden and Harris canceled ``Remain in Mexico.'' They replaced detain-and-deport with catch-and- release. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris presided over an invasion of our southern border by 10 million illegal immigrants.

Since the time that Vice President Harris was appointed as border czar, millions and millions of illegal immigrants have come into the country, millions and millions of more known ``got-aways'' hiding from authorities have gotten into this country. There is a total, we are looking at, of 10 million illegal immigrants now in our communities.

Many communities across this country are overrun and overwhelmed. Yet Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don't seem to care. They don't seem to care about the drugs and the death and the destruction that are harming American families from coast to coast.

Vice President Harris has a view of border security that, to me, is particularly twisted and tortured. Here is her view, and she stated it: Basically, if you are an illegal immigrant, you are not a criminal, according to Kamala Harris. But if you are an agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, in her words, you are comparable to the Ku Klux Klan. That is from the Vice President of the United States.

She also believes this: If you are an illegal immigrant, you are entitled to free healthcare. If you are an American citizen, she proposes that you would actually lose your ability to choose your healthcare and that private healthcare in this country would be eliminated. No private healthcare for American citizens who would then be forced to pay for healthcare for illegal immigrants--that is the view of the Vice President of the United States and now the candidate for President for the Democratic Party. It is ignorant; it is insulting; and it is out of touch.

If her views are America's policy, millions and millions more illegal immigrants will continue to flood across our southern border. It is a magnet drawing people in.

It wasn't that way 4 years ago under the Trump administration. Back then,

paychecks rose, prices were in check, and poverty fell at record rates. America was energy independent. Gas prices were affordable. Our border was safe and was secure.

None of that is true today, not under this administration or these policies of the Biden-Harris administration. Democrats and this administration at this time in our country will always be known as the party of high prices and open borders.

Most Americans believe that our country is on the wrong track. And I believe most Americans are right; we are on the right track. There is good news, and that is that America can get back on track. We can get back on track with commonsense policies--policies that work, policies the American people are asking for.

Senate Republicans have solutions to the most pressing problems that are facing the American public today. First, we are going to address the No. 1 issue facing Americans. Americans will tell you what the No. 1 issue is they are concerned about, and that is the economy, the cost of things.

We are going to make life more affordable for all families, and that starts with making us energy dominant again and lowering the cost of energy. The Republicans will put a stop to Democrats' punishing political regulations that are just coming at us like a tidal wave since the day this administration began.

We will end America's dependence on Communist China; we will strengthen American manufacturing; and we will put American workers and businesses first.

Republicans also have solutions that will make our communities safer. Republicans will secure the border. We will finish the wall. Republicans will restore a program that worked called Remain in Mexico. This will stop the flood of illegal immigrants and the flow of deadly drugs.

Republicans support our police officers, and we stand against the deadly ``defund the police movement,'' the very movement that Kamala Harris and Democrats proudly support.

Kamala Harris actually came into this Chamber to break the tie for radical nominees by this administration, the number of whom support defunding the police. That is the stand and that is the policy of the Biden-Harris administration.

Abroad, Republicans will restore America's commitment to peace through strength. Here in the Senate, Republicans will protect our institutions and protect the rule of law. We firmly reject Democrats' plans to pack the court and rig the elections.

These are solutions that unite Americans. Joe Biden is leaving behind a catastrophic record of ruin. We cannot afford 4 more years of these policies.

Yet what we see is Vice President Harris and Democrats want to nationalize the dangerously liberal policies of San Francisco Democrats. That is what she is, a very liberal, dangerous San Francisco Democrat. That is her history.

That is how her voting record had been in the U.S. Senate, voted the most liberal Member of the U.S. Senate, more liberal than Bernie Sanders, the most liberal of 100 U.S. Senators.

What we see is that as Vice President, and now Presidential nominee, she wants to bring the California nightmare of high taxes, high crime, and no accountability to every household in America. These policies would crush the middle class.

What do Americans want? Lower prices and secure borders. What are the Democrats? The party of high prices and open borders.

Senate Republicans will lower Democrats' wallet-wrecking high prices. Senate Republicans will work to secure our wide open border and will work to keep Americans safe, at home as well as abroad.

There is no question that Republicans are committed to get America back on track.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Grace for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Grace is a native of Pine Bluffs, WY. She attends Baylor University, where she studies political science. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Grace for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Tyler for his hard work as an intern in my office in Casper, WY. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Tyler is a native of Casper. He attends Casper College, where he studies political science. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Tyler for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Mr. President, at the 112th Wyoming State Fair, Senator Lummis and I will have the pleasure of introducing Philip Ellis as a 2024 inductee into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Philip Ellis is a fifth-generation rancher. He grew up near Chugwater, where he developed a passion for agriculture at a young age. Philip is a University of Wyoming graduate and the current owner and operator of the Marsh and Ellis Ranch.

Ellis has spent most of his life serving the Wyoming ag industry and his community. He had an extensive career in banking, as a young ag lender in Cheyenne and later as the board chairman of the Oregon Trail Bank in Guernsey. While in agricultural lending, Ellis learned how to manage multiple projects and build relationships. This helped him excel in State level agricultural leadership roles.

He has a long history of involvement in organizations supporting the beef industry. Over the years, he has advocated for the agricultural industry. He did this while serving on several policy committees and holding various State and national positions along the way. He continued to advance his leadership in roles at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, where he served as president from 2003 to 2005. Ellis also served on the National Cattlemen's Beef Association board of directors and several policy committees.

In 2015, he rose to the position of president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, where he served the beef industry on a national platform. In 2017, he received the Wyoming Stock Growers Association's Guardian of the Grasslands Award for his outstanding efforts in protecting the natural resources of Wyoming.

Philip's dedication and passion for the Wyoming agriculture and the beef industry makes him an outstanding choice for the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame. It is a great honor to participate in Philip's induction. I congratulate Philip Ellis as a 2024 inductee into the Wyoming Hall of Fame.

Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. On August 21 through 23, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming will celebrate 50 years of operation during its annual Rockies Petroleum Conference in Laramie, WY.

In 1910, Wyoming Governor B.B. Brooks sought to protect the State's oil industry and organized an oil convention. In 1921, The Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Association was formed in Casper, WY, to advocate for oil-based trade and production in the Rocky Mountain States. Governor Brooks served as the first president, along with volunteer Secretary-Treasurer George Jarvis. In 1945, President Paul Stock was elected president.

In 1974, the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Association's Wyoming division office and the Wyoming Oil Industry Committee joined forces to form the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. Wyoming's oil history dates back to 1832 when fur trader Capt. B. L. E. Bonneville traveled to the Wind River Valley. He found oil springs southeast of present-day Lander. The State's first oil well would be drilled there five decades later by Pennsylvania oilfield explorer Mike Murphy. Murphy sold mainly to the Union Pacific railroad, where the oil was used as a lubricant for railcar axles, and to tanners in Utah.

Wyoming's first oil refinery was built in Casper by the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Company in 1895. It was located east of Center Street, near the Chicago and North Western railroad tracks. The refinery produced 100 barrels of oil per day. Several more refineries opened around the State in the decades following. By 1920, there were 16 refineries in Wyoming. Total production capacity was 88,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Today, four operating refineries are located in Casper, Sinclair, Evanston, and Newcastle. They have the capacity to refine 125,850 barrels per day. In 2023, Wyoming ranked eighth nationally in crude oil production with 96.8 million barrels. At its height in 2022, Wyoming had 27,951 producing oil and gas wells. Today, nearly 55 percent of Wyoming's surface lands are owned by the Federal or State government. Federal lands issues are a top priority for the Petroleum Association. The organization advocates for multiple uses for the safe and sustainable development of oil and gas resources. It works to educate landowners on their rights and responsibilities concerning mineral development.

In 2021, Wyoming's petroleum industry employed over 20,000 people with an annual payroll of $3.6 billion plus. Oil and gas producers paid $2.42 billion in taxes in 2023. This helps to fund numerous areas, including education, public infrastructure, and local governments. Today's association members range

from the majority of top producers to small mom-and-pop operations. These account for more than 90 percent of Wyoming's oil and natural gas production. My friends Bruce Hinchey, John Robitaille, and the late Rick Robitaille all served in executive positions with the association. They, along with current President Pete Obermueller and all past and present employees, put in countless hours with the Wyoming Oil & Gas Commission, State legislators, Governors, and the Federal delegation. These entities work together on permitting, BLM Environmental Impact Statements, environmental lawsuits, and so much more.

The Petroleum Association is led by these staff, board officers, board of directors, and management committee: President Pete Obermueller, Vice President and Director of Communications Ryan McConnaughey, Regulatory Affairs Director Colin McKee, Office Manager and Executive Assistant Rachel Sanborn, Chairman Shelley Shelby, Continental Resources, Vice Chairman Gabriel Sepulveda, Williams, and Secretary-Treasurer Peter Wold, Wold Oil Company, Joe Milczewski, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Dan Zilmer, Merit Energy Company, Brett Schuman, Halliburton, Steve Degenfelder, Kirkwood Oil and Gas, LLC, Greg Pulliam, Exxon | XTO Energy, Inc., Paul Sander, Aethon Energy Company, Tim Muniz, Impact Exploration, Nick Piatek, Hilcorp Energy, Frances MacDonald, Anschutz Exploration Corporation, Niko Welch, Vaquero Big Horn, Bryce Ballard, Ballard Petroleum Holdings, Chad McLawhorn, Contango Oil and Gas Company, Chris Fling, Primary Fuels, LLC, Kaylene Gardner, Crowheart Energy, Josh Demorrett, ConocoPhillips, David Bush, Black Hills Energy, Tom Kirkwood, Westco Operating, Inc., Macey Wallace, Ovintiv, Jasmine Allison, PureWest Energy, Jenna Mays, ExxonMobil, Dave True, True Oil, LLC, Kyle True, Diamond Oil, LLC, Hank True, Eighty-Eight Oil, LLC, Paul Ulrich, Jonah Energy, LLC, Teddy Carter, Devon Energy Corp, Tracy Opp, EOG Resources, Inc., Tom VanKleef, Oil Mountain Energy, and Eli Bebout, Nucor Oil and Gas.

It is an honor to celebrate the crucial work done by the association over the last 50 years. My hope is that oil and gas will remain a strong and viable industry for decades to come. Warmest congratulations to the Petroleum Association of Wyoming on your golden anniversary.

Madam President, the Prime Minister of Israel, Binyamin Netanyahu, just delivered a historic speech to Congress. This is the fourth time the Prime Minister has spoken to the U.S. Congress. That is more than the late Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill.

Like Prime Minister Churchill, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke about a battle between freedom and evil. He shared with us welcome news, and that news is that freedom is winning.

Israel is committed to bringing home the hostages, to protecting its citizens from the atrocities that occurred on the October 7 attack.

Meanwhile, the Hamas terrorist network is under more pressure than ever. Half of its senior leadership is dead. Its military chief has likely been eliminated.

Remember, Hamas is a terrorist group. It governs through fear and through violence. Hamas violently rejects the right of Israel to exist and the right of the Jewish people to live in Israel. Hamas hides behind civilians. It uses them as human shields.

Hamas stores its military weapons designed to kill in hospitals, in schools, and in homes. It has stolen billions of dollars of humanitarian aid to build its terrorist tunnels all around the area of the Gaza Strip. This is the same tunnel network where, for 9 months and counting, 116 hostages, including 8 American hostages, have been held by Hamas terrorists.

I stand firmly with Israel as Israel fights to finish the war and defeat Hamas. Sadly, supporting Israel has grown more divisive in this country than I have ever seen it before.

Today, Democrats are abandoning our greatest ally in the Middle East. They are calling to put conditions on aid to Israel. The Biden-Harris administration has delayed the delivery of war-winning weapons.

The Senate Democrat leader meddled in Israeli politics. He proclaimed in no uncertain terms on the floor of this very body that Prime Minister Netanyahu should step down.

The senior Senator from Vermont went even further. Last month, he declared that Prime Minister Netanyahu is a ``war criminal.'' That accusation is disturbing, it is damaging, and it is dishonest.

If that weren't bad enough, Vice President Harris skipped the Prime Minister's speech entirely. The Vice President typically presides over joint sessions of Congress. With her snub of Israel, Vice President Harris is leading the Democrats' Bibi boycott.

Catering to the pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party is not serious leadership--not at all.

The Vice President now wants to be Commander in Chief of the United States of America. Yet she refuses to put politics aside and work with our indispensable ally. Her actions send a defeatist message--a defeatist message to our enemies and a defeatist message to our allies alike.

This is a time when it is so critical for us to restore confidence in America. Here is what we need to do and how to do it: You do it with peace through strength, with strong, steady, and serious support for Israel and for Israel's right to exist.

What is the approach of President Biden today? What is the approach of Vice President Harris? What is the approach of the Senate Democrats, Members of this body? Is it to continue to appease our adversaries and at the same time abandon our friends? This is a dangerous world. It is more dangerous under the failed policies of the Biden-Harris administration.

America cannot continue down the Democrats' path of war and weakness. Keeping America safe requires that America and Israel work together. We heard that today in the joint session of Congress.

Republicans believe in Israel's mission to defeat Hamas. We understand fully what is at stake, and our support is firm. We must unite and bring back peace through strength.

Now more than ever, the American people need to stand with Israel, and I am one of those people who will continue to stand with Israel.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town of Sinclair and the Sinclair Refinery in Sinclair, WY.

The town of Sinclair is undeniably unique and filled with a rich history of rural industrialization. Located in Central Carbon County, Sinclair is home to 366 residents. Its residents are fortunate to live in the charming and quaint ``Oasis in the Desert.''

Frank Kistler, the head of Producers and Refiners Corporation--P&R Co.--came to Wyoming in 1922 to find an area suitable for a refinery location. He chose a site close to the town of Rawlins, along both lanes of the Lincoln Highway. The ground was broken for the refinery in October 1922. The town was not yet established, so corporation officials lived in Rawlins. Workers resided in ``Rag Town,'' rundown tents and shacks on the south side of the Union Pacific train tracks. March 13, 1923, marked the first day of operation for the Producers and Refiners Corporation Refinery. News about the refinery spread throughout the region, and business started to boom.

The land adjacent to the refinery was bought by P&R Co. in 1922-1923 so it could be used as a townsite. The refinery post office began receiving letters using the initials P&R Co. This led to the name ``Parco'' for the new town.

In 1924, Frank Kistler hired Fisher and Fisher, a Denver architectural firm, to design the style and layout of the town. The result was a Spanish colonial revival style, with a central plaza and fountain commemorating Frank Kistler. Most of the original buildings remain standing today, illuminating the town's rich history and development.

With the town established, a community began to form. People flocked to the Parco Inn, a bustling 60-room hotel spanning an entire block. The Parco Inn housed a dry cleaner, bar, cafe, clothing stores, and a barber shop. It was the main attraction for the booming town and remains an important relic today.

Low crude oil prices during the Great Depression caused Frank Kistler's firm to sell the Parco holdings in 1934. The firm was purchased by Consolidated Oil--later Sinclair. The name Parco was changed to Sinclair in 1942. In 1967, the Sinclair Refining Company sold the townsite and buildings to local residents.

During World War II, the oil market improved due to increased demand. The war efforts comprised 24 percent of the Sinclair Corporation's total business. As the oil industry constantly shifted over the years, Sinclair continued to adapt and evolve.

The refinery is a cornerstone for the people in Sinclair and surrounding communities. Sinclair believes ``if you take care of your people, your people will take care of you.'' The corporation focuses on job and community prosperity, which can be seen by their support to the residents of Sinclair and Rawlins, WY.

In 2022, the HF Sinclair Corporation was formed when Sinclair joined HollyFrontier Corporation. The Sinclair refinery is one of two operated in Wyoming by HF Sinclair.

Serving the greater Rocky Mountain region, the Sinclair Refinery runs a mix of Canadian and United States sweet and sour crudes. They process 94,000 barrels per day. The refinery site also contains a 10,000 barrels per day renewable diesel unit. This unit participates in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program pathways in California and British Columbia.

The Sinclair Refinery has 475 employees and an average of 350 contractors. During ``turnarounds,'' there are over 3,000 contractors. Thank you to vice president and refinery manager Jim Ruble and his dedicated staff who keep this refinery in operation.

The town of Sinclair is led by mayor Cullan Meeks, vice mayor Michelle Serres, clerk/treasurer Becky Slater, assistant treasurer Gina Helmetag, and council members Forest Ortiz, David Robinson, and Brennan Dunlap.

On August 17, 2024, the town and refinery will celebrate this momentous occasion, They will commemorate their joint history with many festivities including a parade, lunch, a children's carnival, entertainment acts, and music bands. A fireworks display will close out the celebration.

It is an honor for me to rise in recognition of this significant milestone. I applaud the workers and citizens who have worked tirelessly to contribute to the success of this booming oil town

and refinery. They should be proud to welcome this momentous accomplishment. Congratulations to the town of Sinclair and the Sinclair Refinery on their 100th anniversary.

Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Davis for his hard work as an intern in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Davis is a native of Virginia. He attends Southern Methodist University, where he studies history. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Davis for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Molly for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming.

Molly is a native of Virginia. She attends Vanderbilt University, where she studies law, history, and society. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months.

I want to thank Molly for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.