Floor Statements

Hot Springs Police Officer Corporal Brent Scrimshire had earned recognition as the Arkansas Southwest Region Officer of the Year in 2016. Sadly, he lost his life while conducting a traffic stop.

We honor the service and sacrifice of these Arkansans and law enforcement officers all across the country who courageously gave their lives while upholding law and order. Their deaths are tragic and call us to acknowledge their tremendous heroism and selflessness. They also invite us to appreciate the reality that the stakes of this occupation are a lot higher than most others; they are life and death. The perilous nature of policing and law enforcement is something we simply can't underestimate or fail to respect.

I am a proud cosponsor of the Senate resolution marking National Police Week because we must always remember the brave officers whose lives are cut short because of their service and sacrifice.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a prominent conservative leader, Reta Hamilton, for her long-standing commitment to serving and strengthening the Republican Party in Arkansas and nationwide.

Mrs. Hamilton launched her political activism career in 1987. In the decades since, she has made numerous contributions to mobilize the conservative cause--and with great success. Nicknamed ``the Road Warrior'' since her early days, she has driven nearly every highway in Arkansas, supporting, encouraging, and building county committees and Republican Women clubs. She is a longtime Tusk Club member, which denotes her dedication to GOP candidates and ideas.

Mrs. Hamilton's commitment and impact have been widely felt at the local level. She served as president of the Washington County Republican Women in 1989 and more than doubled its membership, for which she received a newly-created award from the Arkansas Federation of Republican Women as well as recognition from the National Federation of Republican Women. The Washington County Republican Committee honored her as Republican of the Year at its 1989 Lincoln Dinner, with Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt participating in the presentation. That year, she was also elected as AFRW third vice-president.

Mrs. Hamilton eventually moved to Benton County and in 1994 was elected secretary of the Benton County Republican Party. She later served as a State committeewoman and was honored at the 1996 Lincoln Dinner as Republican of the Year in Rogers, AR. Mrs. Hamilton was elected one of six electors to serve both in the 2008 and 2012 electoral college.

During her years of involvement in the Republican Party of Arkansas, she became second vice chair and was appointed to the Arkansas Governor's Appointments Committee, as well as a serving a record 14 continuous years on the Executive Committee of the Arkansas GOP.

Mrs. Hamilton was appointed by the State chairman to serve over 10 years on the RPA Rules Committee. A pinnacle of her political career came in 2003, when she was elevated to the position of RPA State chairman. During this time, she was able to refocus the State party and set it on a course to majority leadership. Mrs. Hamilton was elected Arkansas Republican National Committeewoman in 2005 and served until term-limited in 2012. She also served on the RNC Rules Committee from 2010 through 2012.

She was also elected by RPA delegates to serve on the RNC Rules Committee from 1996 to 2016. Mrs. Hamilton was an elected delegate to every Republican National Convention from 1992 through 2020, serving as a Trump delegate in 2016 and 2020.

At the Reagan Rockefeller Dinner in 2016, the RPA awarded Mrs. Hamilton the ``Hi, I'm Frank White'' Award for making significant contributions to build the State party.

Having been involved with the National Federation of Republican Women since 1983, Mrs. Hamilton was appointed to serve as a nonvoting member of the NFRW Board of Directors in 2000 and served until 2020 as a regent and capital regent. She has attended nearly every NFRW biennial convention since 1987. Mrs. Hamilton was honored with an appointment and election to fill the vacancy of national committeewoman from December 2020 to June 5, 2021.

I am honored to call Reta Hamilton my friend, and I am incredibly proud of her efforts to elevate and expand the Republican Party in Arkansas. Her conservative influence on the Arkansas GOP and this Nation has made a difference. The direction of our State and growth of the Republican Party into the majority party demonstrates the power that passion and commitment to one's ideals can have. I hope her example will serve as a lesson to future generations of Arkansans and Republican leaders.

Madam President, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary work of the teachers in Arkansas and across the country.

As we prepare to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, it is clear that educators are in a class by themselves when it comes to resilience. Over the last 12 months, they have shown us what it means to be selfless and brave at a time when both were critically necessary.

I am especially proud of teachers in Arkansas who rose to the challenge of leading classes 100 percent virtually for the first time and then embraced reopening our schools in August 2020. The sudden transition to virtual learning was an extraordinary hurdle, as educators had to learn new technology and new teaching techniques overnight.

For all of us who have learned to use Zoom, it is worth taking a moment to imagine an online classroom with 30 wiggling first graders who want to show you their pets, or that you are teaching calculus to high school students who are preparing for an AP exam while attending class from their car at a Wi-Fi hotspot. Somehow, with great creativity and dedication, teachers embraced this mission and continued to do everything they could to reach each child.

When Arkansas schools reopened in the fall, they were faced with a tremendous new challenge, from masks and social distancing to teaching classes, where some students were at their desks and others were on the screen. Arkansas teachers, once again, did the impossible for their students.

Over the last year, I have heard from educators who worried for their own health and safety but said their dedication to their students was stronger than fear. They learned new skills literally overnight, overhauled the curriculum, and reimagined every aspect of their classroom to comply with COVID-19 guidelines. Somehow, they also made our kids feel safe--safe enough to learn, set an example with their positive attitudes, and let students know how important they were, whether in the classroom or on a computer screen.

As they worked to maintain the academic progress of each child, they also provided a lifeline in an otherwise chaotic time. It is amazing to see the smiles on faces of the kids when they see their teachers. Even though nothing was normal, they gave students an escape back to normalcy by being there and continuing to do what they do best--teach.

When we look back at the heroes of this tumultuous time, it is clear that teachers will be among those we honor as society's most valuable players.

On behalf of the people of Arkansas, I want to thank our teachers for the great work that they have done this year and every year to bring out the best in each child and pave the way to a brighter future.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I join my colleagues today to address the ongoing discussions taking place in Congress among the executive branch and in communities across the country about the state of our Nation's infrastructure and how to improve it to propel our economy forward and enhance the quality of life in Arkansas and every State.

As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I understand the importance of infrastructure investment. I have been a constant advocate for water resources development, surface transportation investments, and the expansion of rural broadband.

President Biden recently released a plan that claims to rebuild America, claims to rebuild its crumbling infrastructure. While I agree that infrastructure investment must be a top priority, I have serious concerns about this particular proposal. The President should look to the successful example of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as a starting point for this critical bill. There are a number of bipartisan infrastructure-related bills in the Senate which have been thoroughly vetted and are ready to be passed. Instead, the administration is trying to reinvent the wheel.

My advice to President Biden is simple. The path to achieve long-term infrastructure improvement is through bipartisanship. Just weeks ago, the Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously passed the Drinking Water and Waste Water Act.

Last Congress, the Committee unanimously passed America's Transportation Infrastructure Act to provide resources and long-term certainty for States and local governments to build safer and more modern highways, railroads, and bridges.

These bills are just two examples of the good work the Senate has been doing to invest in our Nation's crumbling infrastructure. I am pleased to hear this Chamber may begin consideration of the Drinking Water and Waste Water Infrastructure Act this month.

Unlike the House of Representatives and the Biden administration, which continue to undermine bipartisanship by developing and advancing a progressive policy agenda, the Senate has been working in a bipartisan manner to find solutions for our transportation challenges.

If President Biden is listening, my message to him is this: Work smarter, not harder. There is no reason we need to start at the beginning of this process. The Senate EPW Committee has done the work which can and should be the basis for any infrastructure proposal.

I have always said that if you take the ``E'' out of EPW, we actually get a lot done in our committee. For a good example of the type of cooperation that can be achieved, look no further than the work of Senator Inhofe and former Senator Boxer. These two colleagues had little in common. However, they agreed on the importance of infrastructure investment, and they were able to usher major legislation through Congress through a collaborative and deliberative process.

The same is true for Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito. While these two have ideological differences, they have demonstrated their ability to work together to create a bipartisan product.

We want to work with the Biden administration on infrastructure to update basic public services, such as safe roads and bridges. With innovative financing and private sector investment, we will be creating jobs and keeping commodity prices low while remaining competitive in the global marketplace. However, we will not tolerate a partisan process where only one side gets to offer input with the end result being a liberal wish list of projects and priorities that have nothing to do with infrastructure investment.

Infrastructure is about as ripe as any area that we have to actually get something done of a major nature in a bipartisan, cooperative way.

I am back in Arkansas almost every week, and I can tell you what Arkansans want. They want us to be able to disagree while also being able to create a good commonsense policy. A bipartisan infrastructure bill is a way to demonstrate the President's willingness to work across the aisle. I am ready to create a path forward to update and modernize our Nation's infrastructure needs as well as make wise

investments in our water systems, energy grids, and broadband deployment, where there is bipartisan agreement on the urgent need to act.

I yield the floor

Mr. President, we can be proud of the bipartisan work the Senate has accomplished in recent years to expand veterans' benefits. Last Congress, we made significant progress with passage of legislation to enhance education, pensions, burial compensation, and landmark improvements to Department of Veterans Affairs care and services for women veterans, in addition to a groundbreaking initiative to prevent veteran suicides.

I am hopeful we can use this momentum to continue turning legislation into law to ensure we fill the promise our country made to the men and women who served in uniform, as well as their families. We know that too many veterans are being left behind because of current VA policies that prohibit them from accessing benefits and healthcare services they have earned.

Veterans like Bill Rhodes of Mena, AR, a marine who served in Thailand during the Vietnam war era, are pleading with Congress to help them get needed medical care and support. After developing illnesses linked to herbicide exposure, Mr. Rhodes turned to the VA for help. His claim was denied. He did his homework. He spent time looking for documentation to support his claim and realized this is a problem that needs a legislative fix because the Department's policies limit benefits for Vietnam war era for Thailand service.

I am proud to join with my colleague and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Senator Tester, to introduce legislation to help Mr. Rhodes and veterans like him who were exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides while serving in Thailand during the Vietnam war.

The VA accepts that herbicides were used on fenced-in perimeters of military bases in Thailand, but its current policy is too restrictive. Among other things, it prohibits veterans who worked in security- related specialties. It is reasonable to believe that veterans on Thai bases were exposed to Agent Orange no matter what their jobs were or where their duty stations were.

In an article published in the Dayton Daily News, one veteran who served in Thailand said his barracks were along the perimeter, and at the time of the interview, he still hadn't received benefits for his VA claim.

The arbitrary limits on consideration of a veteran's claim to toxic exposure are simply wrong. These misguided technicalities and bureaucratic hurdles need to be addressed. Our bill would eliminate the unreasonable burden placed on veterans to prove toxic exposure.

No veteran should be denied benefits due to redtape. These Americans who served our country, and to this day are paying a high price as a result, have been carelessly hindered by the current limitations on the presumption of toxic exposure to Agent Orange, but they aren't forgotten. We have an obligation to ensure they get the benefits they are due, and I am committed to supporting their cause

I appreciate the determination and tireless efforts of Mr. Rhodes. He said this legislation gives him some hope, but he won't be proud of his work until the bill is passed.

I encourage my colleagues to support our legislation. I look forward to working with members of the Senate VA Committee to eliminate the barriers that prevent veterans from getting the care and resources they have earned.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the hard work and dedication of Ms. Charolette Tidwell and her organization, Antioch for Youth and Family, in Fort Smith, AR. This nonprofit, all- volunteer organization has played an important role in feeding local families for several years, but its efforts in 2020 made it a critical lifeline for thousands of people in western Arkansas.

Last year alone, Antioch distributed more than 3.5 million pounds of food, including almost 1 million pounds of fresh produce, milk, dairy, and cooked meats provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. By hosting regular drive-up events at Martin Luther King Park in Fort Smith, Ms. Tidwell and her team provided help to families who needed it most during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, their efforts meant more than $6 million worth of food went to local residents, making it one of the largest food assistance efforts in the State. More than one in six households in Arkansas is food insecure. In Fort Smith, that number is one in five. Unfortunately, the current crisis has only increased those needs.

I have been honored to visit with Ms. Tidwell and see her impressive efforts to fill the gap in her community in action. Before the pandemic, she was already hard at work with a food pantry, a community garden, and mobile food deliveries to low-income elderly and disabled residents and other struggling families.

She has been an inspiration whose work has been recognized nationwide. L'Oreal Paris honored her in 2017 as one of 10 Women of Worth and in 2020 with the L'Oreal Paris Karen T. Fondu Impact Award for her tireless efforts to address the area's hunger crisis. Last year, she was featured on bags of Lay's potato chips as part of the company's initiative featuring ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

Those awards and acknowledgements speak to the nature of her impact and the vital role she plays within the community. Fortunately, she has once again dedicated herself to meeting a tremendous need with the same compassion and care she brings to every challenge.

I am grateful for Ms. Tidwell, the entire team at Antioch for Youth and Family, and their wonderful partners. With support from the River Valley Regional Food Bank, Feeding America, local businesses, and many volunteers, Antioch continues to make a difference and set an example for organizations across the State and the Nation.

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

Mr. President, in recent days the Biden administration has backed away from its original goal to reopen most schools within the first 100 days. This comes despite new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research recommending that schools can safely reopen for in-person instruction.

Arkansas schools reopened their doors in August of 2020. Currently, the Arkansas Department of Education reports that 67 percent of K-12 students are attending school in-person full time, almost 13 percent have a hybrid schedule, and 20 percent are entirely remote.

Natural State school districts invested in cleaning supplies, barriers, and retrofitting classrooms. Educators thought creatively and found solutions to these new problems. And although every school and community has different challenges, they moved ahead with the same goal: finding the best and the safest way to get and keep children and teachers in the classroom.

I had the opportunity to visit several school districts last fall. I was so impressed with their daily efforts to keep their doors open, keep their staff healthy, and provide the learning that children desperately need.

These heroes need our support. Over the course of this past year, Congress has delivered $113 billion--and over $686 million to Arkansas--to support education through the COVID-19 pandemic, including nearly $68 billion to help bring K-12 students back into the classroom. That money is already hard at work. However, much of it remains to be spent.

Parents can see that virtual learning simply isn't working. If you need more evidence of the unbalanced impact of 100-percent virtual learning, a study by the RAND Corporation in fall 2020 highlighted tremendous areas of concern. Researchers surveyed educators across the country and concluded that State and Federal Governments needed to prioritize making schools safe to attend. One particularly shocking result of the survey found that principals in America's highest poverty schools reported only 80 percent of their students had adequate internet access at home. When schools are virtual, we are knowingly failing 20 percent of those students without even getting to the question of how effective the instruction is or addressing the negative effects on students' social needs and development.

This crisis in education also means that families are falling behind. Women, in particular, are shouldering an incredible burden through this pandemic. In February 2020, women held the majority of nonfarm payroll jobs. They outnumbered men in the workforce for the first time in American history. Today, the number of women in the workforce is at a 33-year low. Much of this is attributed to the outsized role women are playing in balancing their families' financial, educational, and caregiving needs.

Of all the challenges we have faced through the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission of educating children continues to be one of the most critical and complex. It has been rewarding to see educators receive their much needed COVID-19 vaccine. These heroes are essential to our recovery.

Arkansas is setting the example. The Natural State can be proud of the teachers, administrators, and elected leaders who continue to find ways to keep schools open and provide critical services that children deserve. It is time that students in other States have the same opportunities.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Madam President, it is a real honor to be down here with my friend and the chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Stabenow, and I appreciate her cooperation in working so very hard and providing the leadership to get Secretary Vilsack confirmed.

The nomination hearing was held a few weeks ago by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to vet the former Secretary and now future Secretary Vilsack. The timing was unusual, but it displayed the bipartisan nature of the committee. The committee was not officially organized, so the chairwoman and I, because we didn't want to set a precedent and didn't have any precedent in that situation, led the hearing together. I trust, in going forward, that the chairwoman will continue to work with me and our minority members on the committee to assist the Agriculture Committee in a truly bipartisan way. We have the example of her and Senator Roberts in the great job that they did in working as a team.

Secretary Vilsack is no stranger to the Department of Agriculture, in having served as the Secretary from 2009 through 2017. He has an excellent reputation of putting rural America at the top of his agenda. I am a strong believer that past performance is indicative of future performance, so I am confident that Secretary Vilsack will be successful this go-around.

I look forward to strengthening my working relationship with the Secretary so we can find success in supporting those who work at the Department and assisting those whom the Department serves. Whether that success is borne from the Secretary's utilizing existing authorities or through new legislation, I trust that the Secretary will work with Congress as the agriculture community tackles new and existing challenges and works to build on countless past successes.

The Department must continue to work with all producers in order to provide them with certainty and with predictability. Farmers and ranchers find themselves in a curious position and curious times in battling COVID, natural disasters, and turning the tide of a few tumultuous trade seasons. The Secretary must ensure that this administration works with producers of all regions and all commodities and that the Department does not make the hard work of farmers and ranchers more difficult by throwing up obstacles as opposed to opening doors of opportunity.

I look forward to Secretary Vilsack's coming back to the committee in a few weeks to discuss his plans in depth for the Department as was agreed to at his hearing. I believe the discussion will help the committee have a clearer picture of the Department and the work that lays before us. I will be voting to confirm Tom Vilsack, former Secretary and future Secretary. I urge others to do so as well.

Again, thank you to the chairwoman for her collegiality and cooperation.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of Ralph ``Chad'' Colley, Jr., who passed away on January 30, 2021, at the age of 76. Mr. Colley was a hero in every sense of the word. His courage, positive nature, and life of service provided a shining light that inspired everyone around him.

Colley was a veteran of the Vietnam war, a gold medal athlete, an accomplished pilot, a successful businessman, and a tireless advocate for veterans and all Americans with disabilities. His military honors included the Silver

Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Colley was born in Fort Smith, AR, on May 13, 1944. His father served in the U.S. Army, and the family lived in Kansas, Georgia, Germany, and Japan. He attended North Georgia College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics, played football, and ran track. After his graduation in 1966, he followed in his father's footsteps and served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. A year later, he married Betty Ann Putnam, and they shared 53 years together. They had two children, Ryan and Emily.

As part of the 101st Airborne Division, Colley arrived in Vietnam in November 1967. Within 6 months, he was a company commander. In July of 1968, he was commanding the 3/187th infantry company when he stepped on a landmine. The blast led to amputation of both of his legs above the knee and his left arm below the elbow. While recovering, he sent Betty Ann a letter that said, ``I'm banged up pretty bad, but I'm still me.''

He recalled in later years that he was grateful to have only suffered physical injuries. ``I had to get on with it. Plain and simple.'' And, he did get on with it. Although he had to leave his lifelong dream of serving in the military, he did not let this dramatic change of plans slow him down.

Within 2 years of his injury, the Colleys had settled in Barling, AR, where he began selling real estate in 1970. That same year, he was honored nationally as the Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year, obtained his pilot's license, and took up skiing.

Throughout the 1980s, Colley provided leadership to help disabled veterans and was part of efforts to make public facilities more accessible to all disabled Americans. He served as a member and leader with the Disabled American Veterans, DAV, National Amputee Chapter 76 in New York, and with the DAV in Arkansas. Colley was elected national commander for the DAV from 1983 to 1984 and lived in Washington, DC, to advocate for veterans on a national and international level.

Colley also devoted time to helping candidates he believed in, including working on the Arkansas State GOP Executive Committee, the Sebastian County GOP Committee, and on the Presidential campaigns for both George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole. His efforts led to him speak at the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego, CA.

His life was not all policy and politics, and his involvement in the DAV led him to further develop his passion for snow skiing. Colley was a natural athlete and was eventually selected for the U.S. Paralympic Team. During the 1992 Paralympic games in Albertville, France, he won gold medals in both downhill and super-G events. He was 48 years old.

By 2002, Colley had retired. He and Betty Ann shared time between their homes in Barling and New Smyrna Beach, FL. He remained active in veterans organizations and gave his voice and influence to countless projects, including plans for future expansion of the Fort Smith National Cemetery.

In 2017, Colley shared memories of his favorite childhood Christmas with Do South Magazine. When he was 11 years old, his parents hosted holiday gatherings in their small home for all 120 men in the four platoons his father commanded. The expense of providing food for all of those people meant a much smaller Christmas for their family, but they gave all they had to make it a memorable holiday for those homesick soldiers.

Colley wrote:

Of all of the Christmases I've celebrated and all the gifts

I've ever received, which one is, without equal, the most

loving, meaningful, instructional and lasting gift? Why it's

the one I celebrated with more than one hundred big brothers!

These are the six aspects of my best Christmas gift ever: the

gift of empathy, the gift of joy, the gift of brotherhood,

the gift of sharing, the gift of the possible and the gift of

self. This gift has shaped the character of my brother Ken

and me for our whole lifetimes.

I am grateful for the incredible example Chad Colley gave us throughout his life. His values ran deep, influencing every facet of his character and informing his remarkable experiences. My staff recently had the honor of interviewing him for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. He was a man of great kindness and humility who gave credit for all of his accomplishments to his faith and family.

I join Chad Colley's family, friends, and all Arkansans in mourning his passing. Although he accomplished tremendous things personally, like the example set by his parents, I know his legacy will be what he taught us all about kindness, humility, and service.

Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Arkansas Public Broadcasting Service, PBS, for its tremendous work to provide educational resources throughout the COVID-19 health crisis.

Arkansas PBS was recently recognized with five national Public Media Awards from the National Education Telecommunications Association, NETA, including honors for overall excellence for the programing it provided to children, parents, and teachers through Arkansas AMI, Alternative Methods of Instructions.

As the COVID-19 emergency progressed in March 2020, Arkansas PBS upended its weekday schedule and began broadcasting streamlined, curriculum-based programming for children from Pre-K through eighth grade.

When schools first closed in Arkansas, educators were immediately challenged by the lack of internet access in many rural areas of the State. This made the Arkansas AMI project even more important. For many without

computers at home, the programming provided by Arkansas PBS became their classroom.

I am proud of the partnership between Arkansas PBS and the Arkansas Department of Education, which offered students a way to keep learning when they couldn't be at school. This effort was possible because of a longstanding relationship between the broadcast network and education officials who have worked together for many years. With a strong foundation in place, they were quickly and creatively able to pivot and provide classroom learning on a network of stations that reached 76 percent of the State with a simple over-the-air signal. The programming was also available on cable and satellite, live-streaming, on-demand, and various apps that families could access on mobile devices.

I am proud of these devoted Arkansans who rose to meet an incredible challenge, and I am grateful for the work they do every day to make education in our State a priority. This recognition from the NETA is a testament to its commitment to offering quality educational, informative, and entertaining content that benefits the people of Arkansas. We appreciate the hard-working staff of Arkansas PBS and celebrate their accomplishments which reflect so well on the organization and its service to our State.

Madman President, I rise today to honor the life of Mrs. Barbara Hardcastle, who passed away on January 13, 2020, at the age of 94.

Mrs. Hardcastle was trailblazer and a fierce advocate for her community and her State. A native of Fort Smith, AK, she also made her mark in politics and government in California. I was honored to know her, and so I join her friends and family in grieving her loss.

Barbara Turner was born in Fort Smith on April 6, 1927. She graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1944 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Fort Smith Junior College. She

married Ben Hardcastle, a banker and World War II veteran, in 1947, and they would spend almost 63 years together before his passing in 2010.

Early in their married life, Ben accepted a job at the Beverly Hills Savings and Loan, so they moved to North Hollywood, CA. They immediately became active in their local church and, as a result, made friends with many Hollywood actors, including Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Their friendship with the Reagans led to Barbara's involvement in California politics, including playing a key role in his race for Governor of California. She is also credited by many as having introduced the future President to Jelly Belly candy as he attempted to stop smoking. Friends and family say she kept him stocked with the company's signature jelly beans throughout his Presidency.

During their time in California, Barbara became an ordained minister and public speaker. She was also a trailblazing professional, serving as a supervisor and one of the first female executives with the Federal housing agency, Fannie Mae.

Ben and Barbara decided to retire in 1991 and returned to Arkansas, where they continued to be active in local, State and national politics. In addition to helping candidates for all levels of public office, Barbara used her experience to make a difference in the community.

I had many opportunities to work with Barbara over the years, but no occasion stands out more than her determined efforts on behalf of the 188th Fighter Wing when its future was threatened by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, BRAC. She used her organizing skills to rally the community and show visiting BRAC committee members how strong support was for the base. Her leadership and industry helped save the Wing and bring more opportunity to the region.

Barbara was truly a force. Her strong values, hard work, wonderful sense of humor and personal conviction made a difference. I am grateful to have counted her as a friend and hope her legacy will continue to inspire young Arkansans to fight for their communities and their causes with the same determination that she did throughout her life.

Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of an outstanding Arkansan and Cleveland County leader, Judge Gary Spears. After a multiyear battle with cancer, Judge Spears passed away on January 10, 2021.

Judge Spears grew up on a small farm in New Edinburg, AR, and graduated with honors from New Edinburg High School in 1987. He attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he studied agricultural business before marrying his wife Melody. The couple moved to Warren, AR, where Judge Spears worked as a distributor for Big R Ice. The couple eventually returned to New Edinburg in 1996 and purchased the New Edinburg County Store, which they operated together for 10 years.

In 2007, Judge Spears was elected Cleveland County Judge, marking the start of an illustrious 14-year career as the longest serving county judge in county history. His undeniable leadership while presiding over Cleveland County had ripple effects that extended beyond the county borders and brought tremendous benefit to the entire State. A few recent and notable achievements during his tenure include successful efforts to ensure an accurate 2020 census count for Cleveland County and directly overseeing the county's finances during the COVID-19 pandemic by authorizing and approving the disbursement of funds.

Representing the citizens of Cleveland County was a clear passion for Judge Spears. He was also dedicated to farming. On the exact 10-acre plot that his father once farmed, Judge Spears worked diligently to continue his family's unique tradition of ``truck-patch farming.'' He grew various crops, including tomatoes, beans, peas, squash, cucumbers, watermelons, peppers, and much more. In fact, his family's agriculture operation gained deserved recognition in 2019 when they were named Cleveland County Farm Family of the Year.

Judge Spears leaves behind a lasting legacy thanks to the confidence entrusted in him by his Cleveland County constituents. I am confident his selfless leadership as a Cleveland County judge, businessman, and family farmer will guide and inspire future generations of Arkansans.

I want to thank my colleague Senator Hoeven for organizing this very important event.

I think you sense a theme building here. Many of my colleagues have spoken about the economic benefits USMCA holds for their specific States, and I would like to add Arkansas to the list.

According to the Arkansas World Trade Center--which, by the way, does an excellent job promoting trade in my State and growing opportunities for our exporters--Canada and Mexico are Arkansas's top trading partners by far. Arkansas goods and services are exported to 181 countries, but Canada and

Mexico combined for over one-third of our exports in 2017. Our exports to these two countries added $2.1 billion to Arkansas's economy that year. Nearly 69,000 jobs in my State are dependent on trade with Canada, and another 41,000 jobs are affected by trade with Mexico. Arkansas exports about $1.3 billion in goods to Canada and another $182 million in services. I could go on, but we have already covered a lot of statistics here today.

It is important to remember that there are real people behind this data. They are the workers in the paper mills in South Arkansas, the employees of the steel mills in Northwest Arkansas, the family farmers producing rice in the delta, and the line workers at the poultry- processing plants in Northwest Arkansas.

These Arkansans, and many more, work in the industries that produce our top exports to Mexico and Canada. For them and countless others, the announcement that a trade agreement has been reached with Canada and Mexico was very welcome and promising news. Arkansas farmers, business leaders, and workers understand how vital it is to have free but also fair trade, particularly with our neighbors to the north and the south. It helps create the sense of certainty that has been sorely missing for our manufacturers, small businesses, and the agriculture industry.

For our agricultural community, it is particularly crucial that we push this agreement across the finish line. Our farmers face a very tenuous situation right now. Commodity prices are well below the cost of production. Farm incomes in 2018 dropped sharply again for the fifth consecutive year. Total farm debt has risen to levels not seen since the early 1980s. A rainy fall and spring have hampered planting season and, in the case of Arkansas, produced one of the worst floods in the State's history. All this combined has placed Arkansas's rural communities in dire conditions. Far too many family farms are barely hanging on, and, sadly, many more are filing for bankruptcy.

Arkansas has a diverse economy, ranging from aerospace and defense to steel production, to the world's largest retailer, but agriculture is by far our largest industry. It adds around $16 billion to our economy every year and accounts for approximately one in every six jobs in Arkansas.

In my discussions with farmers on how we can help, the same mantra is often repeated: They prefer trade over aid. While they appreciate the President's efforts to ease the pain during these trade standoffs, what they really need are more markets in which to sell their products. They understand that increased trade is the way forward to create a better long-term outlook for their operations.

Our neighbors to the north and south are our natural allies and trading partners. The President's team worked hard to get Canada and Mexico to the negotiating table to formalize a more mutually beneficial agreement. That hard work has paid off in the form of the USMCA. Now Congress has the responsibility to see it through to the end.

Fair trade agreements have become increasingly important to Arkansas's economy over the last half-century. As the world becomes more interconnected, access to global markets is necessary not just for the large corporations that call Arkansas home but also for small and medium-sized businesses that are looking to expand their operations and their footprints. With a level playing field, Arkansas's agriculture, manufacturing, and small businesses can compete with anyone around the globe. Let's help them take a giant step closer to that by swiftly approving USMCA.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Vermalene Smith for her outstanding commitment to supporting our military, our veterans, their families, and her community.

Born in Leachville, AR, Vermalene attended various schools in northeast Arkansas before furthering her education at Memphis State University where she earned her bachelor's degree in accounting and minored in business management. She utilized her acquired skills in a successful accounting career, as well as a decorated career in real estate. The combination of knowledge and community involvement she possessed prepared her for the role she took with former U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson as senior coordinator for the State of Arkansas. She also went on to serve Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller as his financial director and volunteered for the Craighead County Veterans Service Office before becoming the county's full-time veterans service officer in 2009.

In this role, Vermalene plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the County Veterans Service office. From preparing claims for veterans to personally counseling them and their dependents, she has maintained her devotion to fighting for those who fought for us at home and abroad. She has been instrumental in conducting the annual military ball, an event that attracts hundreds of participants including veterans, servicemembers, civic leaders, and local JROTC cadets and their guests and has also played an important role in the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event. Vermalene serves as an inspiration and example to us all and has had a positive impact on countless lives through her diligent efforts and advocacy.

In addition to all of her work for veterans, Vermalene has exemplified what it means to be a good steward of her community. Some of her many roles have included Cub Scout leader, Sunday school teacher, and president of the parent teachers association. She also founded the Northeast Arkansas Republican Women and Northeast Arkansas Veterans Action Clergy organizations. Her involvement continues to impress as she served as chairman of the Craighead County Republican Party and 1st congressional District secretary. Her dedication has enhanced her community immensely and earned her many prestigious honors along the way.

Her numerous awards include Business of Professional Women's Club Woman of the Year, Million Dollar Producer, and the Frank Lady Leadership Award. It comes as no surprise that she also received the Customer Service Award from American Legion Post 53 located in West Memphis, AR, and American Legion District 5, which includes the majority of northeast Arkansas.

Vermalene has spent her career working to advance the needs of veterans and improve Arkansas. Our State is a better place because of her. I wish Vermalene well as she begins her well-deserved retirement.