Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to join my good friend from Arkansas, John Boozman, who is the ranking member on our Ag Committee. He has organized this colloquy that we have to talk about how important it is that we support our farmers and ranchers. I mean, in my home State of North Dakota right now, we have terrible drought, and our farmers and ranchers are up against it. I think the Presiding Officer-- I think in your State, you are having real drought as well.

So it is a tough time for our farmers and ranchers, and we need to be out there doing everything we can to help them and support them, but instead, the Biden administration is looking at tax increases. That is going to be a big, big problem for them. So we are here today to talk about that.

Our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world, and they continue to navigate bottomed-out commodity prices, complex global trade uncertainties, unpredictable weather, as I said, including drought this year in North Dakota and across much of the West, and also the COVID pandemic. So they have been dealing with all of these things.

Throughout these numerous challenges, our producers have continued to put food on the shelves at supermarkets and on the tables of families around the world, not just in this country but around the world. In this country, every single American benefits every single day from what our farmers and ranchers do, and that is, produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world.

Yet, rather than help improve the economic outlook for our producers and strengthen our ag supply chain, the Biden administration has put forth tax-and-spend policy proposals that would further increase the cost of food production, harm family farmers and ranchers, and reduce our economic growth, all as we are working to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trillions that Democrats in Congress have already spent this year have led to a $2.2 trillion deficit through the first 9 months of the fiscal year, and we are on track to end the year with a deficit of more than $3 trillion, the second largest deficit since World War II. With our national debt already at $28 trillion, we simply cannot afford to spend more.

The American people are beginning to feel the impact of those spending policies. The prices of consumer goods are increasing at the fastest rate since 2008. Just last week, the Department of Labor released data showing that inflation has increased to 5.4 percent, the largest year-over-year gain since 2008. This includes farm country, where producers are facing increased costs for everything from fertilizer to fencing supplies, to combines and tractors.

As we watch inflation grow faster than American workers' paychecks, wiping out wage gains and leaving American families behind, the Biden administration is planning an even larger, $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend package that will bring economic harm to American workers, small businesses, and farmers and ranchers.

For example, the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress have proposed to eliminate stepped-up basis, a tax provision that prevents family-owned farms and ranches from being hit with a crippling tax bill when a family member passes away.

Under current law, when passing down a family farm or ranch to the next generation, the tax basis is stepped up to fair market value, preventing a large tax bill on the next generation of farmers.

In addition to increasing the tax bill on multigeneration farmers and ranchers, repealing stepped-up basis would add significant complexity to farmers' and ranchers' tax-filing process. In fact, when a Democratic Congress previously tried to repeal stepped-up basis in the 1976 Tax Reform Act, it was labeled by the New York Times as ``impossibly unworkable.'' Congress at the time must have agreed because the provision was never implemented and was ultimately repealed 4 years later in 1980.

The impacts of a repeal of stepped-up basis would not only be felt by our farmers and ranchers, but it would also impact small businesses and their employees and supplementary services.

A recent report from Ernst & Young estimates the repeal of stepped-up basis would result in the loss of 80,000 jobs in each of the first 10 years after the repeal and the loss of 100,000 jobs in each subsequent year--80,000 jobs to 100,000 jobs.

Similarly, a study by the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center determined that more than 97 percent of the representative farms in its 30-State database, including North Dakota, would be impacted by a proposal to eliminate stepped-up basis, with an average additional tax liability totaling nearly $725,000 per farm.

While the administration claims these changes would impact only 2 percent of farms, they have provided no explanation or data to support those assertions.

With the average age of farmers in our country now nearing 60 years old, now is not the time to burden the next generation of young farmers and ranchers with massive, complex tax bills.

In addition, the Biden administration has proposed to eliminate the use of 1031 like-kind exchanges, a provision that has been in the Tax Code since 1921, which allows farmers and ranchers to defer taxes on land transfers when they continue their investment in similar land assets.

Farmers and ranchers use the 1031 like-kind exchanges for many reasons. This includes consolidating land parcels to reduce time and money they spend moving equipment, supplies, and commodities from one place to another. Producers also consolidate cropland closer to their livestock barns, crop storage facilities, or even as part of the estate planning process to help young or beginning farmers join their business.

In short, in the middle of the recovery from a global pandemic, President Biden is proposing a massive tax-and-spend bill that will harm our economic recovery, increase the cost of consumer goods, reduce American competitiveness globally, and disproportionately hurt our small businesses, our farmers, and our ranchers.

Instead, we need to get our debt and deficit under control and ensure U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace, while positioning our farmers, ranchers, and ag supply chain to continue to produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to mark Military Appreciation Month and to pay tribute to the many military members and veterans who have sacrificed in service to our Nation.

This month provides an opportunity to show our immense gratitude to all those who have donned a uniform in our Armed Forces. The freedoms and blessings we enjoy as a nation have been secured by their hard work and determination. Military Appreciation Month culminates in Memorial Day--the date set aside to honor the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation.

While we honor their memory on Memorial Day, we remember their loss every day and extend our gratitude to their loved ones, as well as to those who continue to serve.

We also recognize that those who serve do not serve alone. The friends and families of those in the service of our country also serve, and those who have lost loved ones know too well the cost of our freedoms. I believe that we best honor and pay tribute to our military members by thanking them, both past and present, and by ensuring they have the resources and support they have so richly earned.

As a member of the Senate Defense and Veterans' Affairs Appropriations Subcommittees, I have worked with my colleagues to ensure that our veterans and military members are properly trained and equipped and receive the care, benefits, and recognition they were promised. Our servicemembers and their families have given much in defense of our Nation, and the State of North Dakota, especially, has a rich tradition of military service.

My State is home to some of the country's most premier Air Force installations, including the Minot and Grand Forks Air Force Bases and Cavalier Air Station. We have more than 7,300 Active-Duty servicemembers who are currently serving in North Dakota and performing missions that are essential to our national security. In addition, more than 4,400 men and women serve in the North Dakota National Guard. Currently, more than 53,000 veterans call North Dakota home.

We are grateful for the many servicemembers and veterans who have served our country, and we honor their service every day but especially during Military Appreciation Month. We will never forget the sacrifices of those who gave their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms that we are so blessed to have today and every day

Tribute to Lynn Aas and John Sinn

Mr. President, there is no better example of service and sacrifice than that of our ``greatest generation.'' I would like to honor two World War II veterans, as well as the Kiwanis Club of Minot, ND, of which they have both been lifelong members. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Minot Kiwanis Club, as well as the 100-year birthdays of two Kiwanis members, Mr. Lynn Aas and Mr. John Sinn.

Since its founding on May 27, 1921, the Kiwanis Club of Minot has helped to make my home town, where I grew up, a better place to live. As a former member myself of this organization, I deeply appreciate its continued dedication and contributions to the community and the surrounding area. Some examples of its work include donating books to schools, supporting the arts, and raising money for local service organizations like the Boy Scouts, the Juvenile Drug Court, and the Domestic Violence Crisis Center. In these ways, Minot's local Kiwanis chapter helps realize the mission of this international organization and makes a real difference to families and children in the region.

For two individuals who have been lifelong members of that group, in the very same year the organization turns 100, it is their 100th birthdays as well. As part of the ``greatest generation'' and as World War II veterans, Lynn Aas and John Sinn have both been important parts of the Minot community in so many ways and have set a great example not only in their service but

in the service they have delivered throughout their lives even after World War II.

A native of McLean County, ND, Lynn Aas fought as a rifleman in the historic Battle of the Bulge. He served with the 17th Airborne Division of the 193rd Airborne Infantry and received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the French Legion of Honour medal. Following the war, he returned to his home State, where he earned his law degree from the University of North Dakota.

In addition to being a lifelong Kiwanis member, he served in our State's legislature for four sessions. He was the president of the Minot Chamber of Commerce; served on the board for the United Way; and has been a longtime supporter of Minot State University and of so many, many other worthwhile things. His family and my family have been friends for as long as I can remember--truly, a great American.

Also, John Sinn--another veteran of World War II--has his 100th birthday as well. As a member of the 386th Infantry Regiment, John Sinn served in the European theater, where he earned the Bronze Star. He returned home to farm with family members in Ryder, ND, eventually going to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1957.

He retired in 1989, more than 30 years ago. However, rather than taking a well-earned rest, he has continued to serve the community as a volunteer. Included among his volunteer efforts, he is best known for his work to improve and maintain the Scandinavian Heritage Park--a beautiful Scandinavian park in the community. It is truly an iconic outdoor museum. It is central to the community's identity and is home to the annual Norsk Hostfest, the largest celebration of Scandinavian culture and history in North America.

The Presiding Officer is invited any time he would like to come join us. It is a wonderful festival with wonderful food, and the best view of the park can be found at John Sinn Outlook, which is a testament to his many contributions.

We recognize the hard work, dedication, and service of Lynn Aas, John Sinn, and the entire Minot Kiwanis Club as they celebrate their 100th birthdays this year. It is therefore appropriate to take this time to recognize their hard work, their dedication, and their service, and I have submitted a statement honoring that today.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Minot, ND, as well as the 100-year birthdays of two Kiwanis members, ND, constituents, Mr. Lynn Aas and Mr. John Sinn.

Since its founding on May 27, 1921, the Kiwanis Club of Minot has helped make my home town a better place to live. As a former member of this organization, I deeply appreciate their continued dedication and contributions to the community and surrounding area. Some examples of their work include donating books to schools, supporting the arts, and raising money for local service organizations, like the Boy Scouts and the Juvenile Drug Court and Domestic Violence Crisis Center. In these ways, Minot's local Kiwanis

chapter helps realize the mission of this international organization and makes a real difference to families and children in the region.

At the same time, two notable Kiwanis members, Mr. Lynn Aas and Mr. John Sinn, are celebrating their 100th birthdays this year. As part of the ``greatest generation'' and as World War II veterans, Lynn and John have both been an important part of the Minot community and set a great example for their fellow Kiwanis members.

A native of McLean County, ND, Lynn Aas fought as a rifleman in the historic Battle of the Bulge. He served with the 17th Airborne Division of the 193rd Airborne Infantry and received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the French Legion of Honor medal.

Following the war, he returned to his home State, where he earned his law degree from the University of North Dakota. In addition to his time as a Kiwanis member, Lynn served in our State's legislature for four sessions, was the president of the Minot Chamber of Commerce, served on the board for the United Way, and has been a longtime supporter of Minot State University.

As a member of the 386th Infantry Regiment, John Sinn served in the European theatre, where he earned the Bronze Star. He then returned home to farm with family members in Ryder, ND, eventually coming to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1957.

John retired in 1989, more than 30 years ago. However, rather than taking a well-earned rest, he has been hard at work serving the Minot community. Among his efforts as a volunteer, he is best known for his work to improve and maintain the Scandinavian Heritage Park.

This is an iconic outdoor museum that is central to the community's identity and home to the annual Norsk Hostfest, the largest celebration of Scandinavian culture and history in North America. The best view of the park can be found at John Sinn Outlook, a testament to his many contributions.

It is therefore appropriate to take this time to recognize the hard work, dedication, and service of Lynn Aas, John Sinn, and the entire Kiwanis Club of Minot as they all celebrate their 100th birthdays this year.

Madam President, I rise today to talk about how Congress can work together in a bipartisan way to pass infrastructure legislation, following my colleagues from Ohio, from Wyoming, from Iowa--and my colleague from North Carolina is here as well--with a real desire to come up with an infrastructure package, but we want it to be bipartisan.

Republicans and Democrats agree that investing in our national infrastructure is necessary to increase economic growth, ensure global competitiveness of American businesses, and create new, high-paying jobs. In fact, just last Congress, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved a 5-year surface transportation reauthorization bill, which included about $300 billion for roads and bridges. That actually represents a 27-percent increase over the FAST Act. We really feel that bill, with its bipartisan support, creates a starting point--a starting point on a bipartisan basis--for the negotiations that we should have in developing the infrastructure package.

Tonight we expect the President will outline his American Jobs Plan, but unfortunately it is not focused on infrastructure. It is a massive, $2.25 trillion tax-and-spend bill that dedicates less than one-third, just over $600 billion, toward actual traditional infrastructure.

The administration's plan would increase the corporate tax from 21 percent to 28 percent, resulting in reduced wages, increased costs for consumers, and a reduction in economic growth.

The Biden plan would revert the U.S. tax system to a worldwide tax system, increasing taxes on U.S. multinational corporations, reducing the competitiveness of American businesses, and driving U.S. jobs and profits to other countries. The 2017 tax bill brought the United States into a territorial tax system for the taxation of multinational companies. It has worked. From 1985 to 2017, 85 U.S.-based multinational corporations took advantage of corporate inversions, resulting in a $19.5 billion tax revenue loss to the U.S. Government. Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there have been no corporate inversions. The Biden plan would abandon this successful approach.

Further, the administration has proposed a $35 billion tax increase on U.S. energy producers, endangering U.S. energy independence, costing U.S. jobs, and empowering foreign energy production. A recent study from the National Association of Manufacturers shows that nearly 1 million jobs would be lost in the first 2 years alone if this tax increase goes through.

Tonight we expect to hear from President Biden on additional proposals to increase taxes on American workers as well as increase our debt and deficit. For instance, we have seen reports today that the President is going to seek to repeal stepped-up basis. Now, while the administration indicates there may be some exceptions, repealing stepped-up basis would place a significant and complex tax burden on small businesses and particularly family farms and ranches, not only in my State of North Dakota but across the country.

Right now, the average age of our farmers in America is about 60 years old, and we need to get the next generation into farming, but they can't do it if they have to sell the farm to pay the tax.

A repeal of stepped-up basis would increase the cost of capital, discourage investment, reduce the wages of workers, and stunt economic growth in both the immediate and long term. A recent analysis from Ernst & Young shows that eliminating stepped-up basis will result in the loss of 80,000 jobs a year for the next 10 years and a loss of nearly $10 billion in GDP growth per year.

While we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should not be constraining economic growth by increasing taxes and regulation. Instead, we should maintain the pro-growth, low-tax regime put in place in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and make targeted investments in traditional infrastructure, while reducing regulatory barriers to provide long-term certainty to Americans.

Last week, I met with President Biden at the White House to share this very message--that Republicans stand ready to work with the administration and our Democrat colleagues on the infrastructure package, in a bipartisan and targeted manner, focusing on updating our roads, bridges, railways, airports, broadband, and other traditional infrastructure.

We also support investing in energy infrastructure, including enhancing the 45Q tax credit to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technology, as well as pipelines to provide the safe and efficient transportation of our natural resources.

We should be working together for the American people to enact policies that will improve our national infrastructure. To this end, I want to highlight a number of bipartisan proposals that I have been working on with my colleagues across the aisle.

I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Smith, Senator Capito, Senator Whitehouse, and others to enhance the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration.

Also, Senator Smith and I have legislation that would empower rural electric and telecom cooperatives to refinance existing debt, reinvest in improved energy efficiency, and expand broadband delivery to more of their rural customers.

Likewise, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Wyden and I have introduced a bill that would encourage private investment in infrastructure by expanding private activity bonds and creating a new infrastructure tax credit.

Additionally, I have introduced legislation with Senator Bennet that ensures that our farmers, ranchers, and producers have the regulatory flexibility needed to safely and efficiently move their products-- livestock, in particular--to market while ensuring the safety of all road users.

We don't need to burden hard-working Americans with increased taxes in order to pay for this. There are a number of potential options to provide the necessary revenue for a targeted infrastructure package. For example, we can make modest changes to our user-fee-based highway trust fund system, ensuring that electric vehicles pay into the fund. We can repurpose unused Federal spending, including using funds from the recent American Rescue Plan Act. We could also use revenue generated from energy production on Federal lands. These are just a few of the ideas we put forward.

Last week, Ranking Member Capito of the Environment and Public Works Committee, along with the ranking members of the Banking, Commerce, Energy, and Finance Committees, unveiled the framework of an almost $600 billion infrastructure package, which focuses investment in traditional infrastructure.

We should use this framework and begin working through regular order in a committee-driven process to produce a bipartisan, targeted infrastructure bill that does not increase taxes on American workers. That way, we truly upgrade our infrastructure, create jobs, and keep our economy growing.

That is the right approach. We need to work in a bipartisan manner to get it done.

And with that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record, North Dakota Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4010 as passed by the Sixty-seventh Legislative Assembly of North Dakota.

The material follows:

Sixty-Seventh Legislative Assembly of North Dakota in Regular Session

Commencing Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Mr. President, I would like to thank the Senator from Montana for offering this amendment and to speak strongly in support of the amendment.

In 2015, S. 1 authorized the Keystone Pipeline. So we have voted on this before, and we have approved it. We need to do it again.

Look, whether you are for traditional sources of energy or renewable sources of energy or both, we need the infrastructure to move it around the country as safely as possible in an environmentally sound way on a dependable basis. That means we need transmission lines, and we need pipelines.

Let's come together. Let's continue to build our energy future, not to mention the 11,000-plus jobs directly involved in working on this pipeline. But

for energy independence and energy security for our country, for good- paying jobs, energy is foundational to everything we do in our economy. Let's support this amendment.

I yield back to Senator Tester.

Additional Cosponsor

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the $1.9 trillion spending bill that we expect we will be considering probably starting tomorrow.

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted our communities, causing heartbreak and grief for hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones. At the same time, it has turned our economy upside down, and it has shuttered small business, as well as schools and churches.

Without a doubt, it is during a pandemic that we here in Congress should be coming together and working to provide relief for those who are struggling, and it is for that very reason that I am proud that Republicans and Democrats have worked together. We worked together over the past year on a very bipartisan basis--a bipartisan basis--to pass five different pieces of legislation to address the pandemic.

In March of 2020, we passed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act by a vote of 96 to 1. We passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act by a vote of 90 to 8, and the landmark Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, which is the one I think most people are very familiar with. That provided $2.2 trillion in relief, and it passed the Senate unanimously. It got every Republican and every Democratic vote.

Last summer, we unanimously passed legislation making adjustments to the Paycheck Protection Program, providing further support for our small businesses and additional funding for hospitals, for healthcare providers, as well as for COVID-19 testing. We passed it unanimously.

In late December, just over 2 months ago, we provided an additional $900 billion in relief, including direct payments to individuals, $120 billion in additional unemployment insurance, $25 billion in rental assistance, $25 billion in nutrition and ag assistance for our farmers, and $325 billion in additional support for small businesses--again, with an overwhelming bipartisan vote--bipartisan. All five of these were passed with big bipartisan votes--some of them unanimously--and much of that money has yet to be spent.

Now Democrats in Congress and the administration want to pass, on a partisan basis with only Democratic votes, a massive $1.9 trillion bill with no input from Republicans, unlike the previous COVID-19 relief bills that we worked together on to pass to respond to this COVID epidemic.

In the House, the bill passed. It didn't get any Republican votes, and it didn't even get all the Democratic votes. It was passed solely with Democratic votes, no Republican votes, and some Democrats voting against it as well. And, again, we haven't even spent the $900 billion we just passed on a bipartisan basis in December.

Also, the bill includes billions in spending for nonpandemic-related programs, including $480 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

As a matter of fact, here is just some of the things in here that don't relate to COVID: $50 million for ``climate justice,'' $50 million for family planning funding without the Hyde protections, $112 million for Speaker Pelosi's Silicon Valley subway, $135 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities, $135 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $200 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, $12 billion in foreign aid, and $30 billion for public transit, of which $4.5 billion is for New York City's subway system. How does that relate to addressing COVID?

Again, like I said, we just passed $900 billion in December, which has yet to be spent, that does address COVID. So we need to focus on spending the money that we have already provided. We need to make sure that it gets to the needs. We need to get our economy opened up. We need to get our kids back in school. Those are the priorities right now.

And then, when we look at this bill, in addition to spending on things that aren't related to COVID, let's also look at how the funding is allocated. The bill provides $350 billion in funding to States, Territories, and localities. But

it is not based on population. Instead, it is based on unemployment. Well, that unfairly awards the States that shut down over those that stayed open. And the reality is that what we really need to do is get the vaccine out so, again, we can open up our businesses and make sure we get our kids in school. That has got to be the priority now. But how do you go forward with that kind of a formula that isn't fairly delivered as well?

Under this flawed methodology, in this bill the city of New York would receive about $4.3 billion. That is actually more than 36 States would get. Also, the city of Chicago would receive $1.98 billion. There are 20 States that wouldn't get that amount. Los Angeles would receive $1.35 billion, which is more than 13 different States would receive. In addition, L.A. County would receive $1.95 billion, bringing that valley's total to $3.3 billion. Why is that the allocation formula?

Republicans stand ready to work with our Democratic colleagues to provide the necessary support to fill in any remaining gaps and provide targeted COVID-19 relief to our healthcare workers, continue vaccine distribution, safely reopen our schools, and provide help for those in our communities who are struggling the most. But we cannot support this $1.9 trillion partisan bill which will add to our national debt on the backs of hard-working Americans

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 887 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, this amendment ensures that we don't implement a carbon tax, and I am joined on it by Senator Lankford and Senator Cramer.

Simply put, a carbon tax is a national energy tax, and it is a regressive tax. Raising the cost of energy through a tax or fee hits hard-working families the most, making it more expensive to heat their homes, drive to work, and put food on the table.

In addition to keeping the lights on, every sector of our economy depends on access to affordable and reliable supplies of energy. A carbon tax increases the cost on our manufacturers, exporting American jobs abroad to other countries with fewer environmental regulations, meaning global emissions would actually increase. Instead of pushing new taxes, we must, instead, focus on innovation and making emerging technologies like carbon capture, utilization, and storage, or CCUS, commercially viable.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment.

Mr. President, stand up for working families and vote yes.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Vote on Amendment No. 887

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to engage in a colloquy with my colleagues.

Madam President, I rise today to speak about a very important issue not only for my home State but for our country, and that is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, also referred to as the USMCA.

This is the agreement that would replace NAFTA. It will increase exports, expand consumer choice, raise wages, and boost innovation not just for our country but also for two of our strongest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, as well.

In the United States the U.S. International Trade Commission's analysis found that the USMCA will raise GDP by nearly $63 billion and create more than 176,000 jobs. The implementation of this agreement will also benefit my State, as it will secure and expand market access for our ag producers, and that is true for all of our ag-producing States across the country. It will help to grow our manufacturing base, as well, for our manufacturing States, such as Ohio. I see that my good friend and colleague from Ohio has just joined us. It will provide important support and help for the technology sector and energy sector. All of our different industry sectors stand to benefit from this agreement.

Access to foreign markets is critical for American agriculture and for our producers, who have maintained an ag trade surplus for more than 50 years. We produce far more than we can consume in this country, and we need access to markets in Canada, Mexico, and beyond.

My State of North Dakota is the ninth largest producer of ag goods, exporting and shipping $4.5 billion worth of ag products around the globe, for example, in 2017.

Farmers and ranchers depend on free and fair trade to sell the highest quality, lowest cost food supply, not just in our country but in the world. We produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply. That benefits every single American every single day, and it benefits many other people around the globe if we are able to export to these other countries.

According to the International Trade Commission report, the USMCA will increase U.S. ag and food exports to Canada and Mexico by $2.2 billion. This agreement secures existing market access, makes ag trade fairer, increases access to the Canadian market, and supports innovation in agriculture, which is why it is critical that Congress consider and pass this agreement as soon as possible.

Passage of the USMCA will help to secure market access in Canada to U.S. farmers and ranchers as the agreement maintains all existing zero- tariff provisions on ag products. Canada and Mexico are crucial markets for U.S. agriculture and the USMCA gives the certainty that these markets will continue to remain open for business.

I have more, but some of my colleagues are here. So I will turn to them, starting with my colleague from Indiana, somebody who has been active in business for many years. He built a business from scratch, from nothing to, I believe, more than 1,000 employees. He is certainly somebody who understands the importance of business and understands the importance of markets and access to those markets, and trade and export. So I turn at this point to the good Senator from Indiana for some of his thoughts on this important issue.

I would like to thank the Senator from Indiana. Like our State, it is a major ag State. It also has manufacturing and many other areas. The USMCA is very important to the State of Indiana. I thank the good Senator for his comments today.

I turn to the senior Senator from Iowa--another State that certainly has a big part in ag--and ask for his comments on the importance of the

I would like to thank the Senator from Iowa not only for his work on agriculture but also his leadership on the Finance Committee, which is so important to advancing USMCA.

We will now go from the Midwest to the South. This is an agreement that benefits all regions of the country. I now turn to the good Senator from the great State of Arkansas

I would like to thank the Senator from Arkansas for his words and also his leadership in agriculture.

Now I turn to the Senator from Ohio, who I think is going to touch on some of the aspects that are beneficial for the manufacturing sector.

The Senator from Ohio.

I want to thank the Senator from Ohio. I introduced him as the Senator from Ohio because that is what he is right now, but I could have also said that he is the former USTR, U.S. Trade Ambassador, so I guess I could have said Ambassador Portman, and he was also the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. So when he gets up and talks about the comparison of USMCA versus NAFTA, he certainly knows what he is talking about, and I appreciate his being here and the compelling case he makes based on many years of work and truly understanding these trade agreements and being part of developing them.

So, again, my thanks to the Senator from Ohio. I appreciate him very much.

Now I am going to turn to somebody who appreciates the farmer the way I do, and that is the junior Senator from Iowa.

I want to thank the Senator from Iowa and turn to somebody who, although he is very young, has been working very hard for agriculture for a very long time, and that is the Senator from Kansas, who also happens to be our Ag Committee chairman.

I thank the Senator from Kansas and our Agriculture Committee chairman.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent for up to an additional 3 minutes of time to allow the Senator from Colorado to make a few remarks, and then we would turn to the Senator from Vermont for his comments.

Madam President, I turn to the Senator from Colorado.

Madam President, I thank the Senator from Colorado. Again, the message is clear: We need to pass USMCA, and we urge our colleagues not only in this Chamber but in the House to do that and get this done for our country, across all sectors of our economy.

With that, I turn to the Senator from Vermont and express my thanks and appreciation to him.

Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 5 minutes on the NDAA.

Mr. President, I rise to speak on the importance of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 legislation that authorizes $750 billion for defense, consistent with the administration's budget request and the National Defense Strategy Commission report.

The NDAA is a critical piece of legislation. It supports our Armed Forces, our men and women in uniform, and provides for the defense of our Nation. Among its notable provisions, the bill supports a 3.1- percent pay increase for the members of our armed services, the largest in nearly a decade and very much deserved by the men and women in uniform who protect us.

It establishes a Space Force and ensures that America retains its leadership in this critical domain. It opens the way for significant investments in new weapons systems, such as hypersonic missiles and directed energy weapons along with missile defense and cyber security capabilities. It also responds to concerns about family housing across the Department of Defense.

Importantly, the bill continues to provide for the modernization of our nuclear forces. This legislation fully authorizes fiscal year 2020 spending on our nuclear deterrent, including support for all three legs of the Nation's nuclear triad. It also fully authorizes the warhead life extension programs at the Department of Energy.

I want to highlight a couple of amendments I worked on and are included in the legislation relative to modernizing our nuclear triad. One of the amendments that has been included requires that the Air Force and the National Nuclear Security Administration report to Congress on the development of the next intercontinental ballistic missile and the W87-1, which is a modified warhead that will be placed on the new ICBM for decades to come.

It is vital that the Air Force's missile development program, known as the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, GBSD, be synchronized with the W87-1 warhead so that a decade from now, we have a complete new weapons system that is ready for deployment. My amendment will help ensure that the deployment will happen on schedule and avoid unnecessary delays in that development.

The other amendment highlights the importance of our Nation's ICBM force and demonstrates how ICBMs enhance deterrence as a part of the triad. ICBMs provide the most prompt and most dispersed segment of our nuclear forces, and they magnify the deterrent power of our nuclear triad.

I commend my colleagues for their support of these amendments, which is a strong statement of the continuing importance of the ICBM and the need to ensure that it is modernized along with the rest of our nuclear forces in order to keep us safe.

The bill is also critically important for military activities in my home State of North Dakota. Specifically, we worked to secure a number of provisions to support the missions at the Minot Air Force Base, which is home to two of the three legs of the nuclear triad. Importantly, the NDAA authorizes funding for B-52s, including the procurement of new engines. As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, I have worked to authorize and appropriate money for new engines which will help modernize the B-52 and extend its life for years to come.

The NDAA also advances replacement of the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters that provide security for the missile fields, and it supports the construction of a new helicopter facility at Minot to house the Huey replacement. It also makes a strong commitment to the Long-Range Stand Off, LRSO, Program that will provide a new nuclear cruise missile for the B-52, as well as continuing to advance the investments in GBSD.

The bill also supports priorities at Grand Forks Air Force Base, which is home to the Global Hawk, which provides important intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities for the Air Force. In fact, it was the Navy version of the Global Hawk which was recently shot down in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.

The bill authorizes more than $240 million for the Global Hawk Program and more than $115 million for the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node that is carried on the Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft. These investments in the Global Hawk have been a priority because the Global Hawk BACN system is urgently needed to provide communications support for operations around the world.

Finally, I would like to emphasize support for items that some of my colleagues put forward that I think are critically important both for my State and for the Nation as a whole.

I am pleased to cosponsor an amendment from Senator Graham that commits us over the next decade to building our capacity to produce plutonium pits. We must build up this capacity so we can extend the life of our nuclear stockpile and preserve our nuclear deterrent in the future.

I also cosponsored an amendment from Senator Murkowski that requires the Defense Department to report on Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic, which is an area of the world where we need to build up our capabilities in the coming years.

I would similarly express my support for Senator Hawley's amendment that requires a report from our military commanders on their ability to deter aggressive actions from Russia and China. I hope that can be included on this legislation as well.

The bill also includes an important provision from Senator Klobuchar that I cosponsored to help ensure that the children of National Guard and Reserve servicemembers have access to additional support services in schools.

I cosponsored a provision from Senator Baldwin, who joins me on the floor today, that will protect veterans' benefits if and when they have to file for bankruptcy. I am pleased to cosponsor her amendment.

All of these items demonstrate just what a large undertaking the National Defense Authorization Act really is. It includes thousands of provisions and represents a lot of work from many Members in support of our military servicemembers and their families.

I look forward to passing the legislation today and moving it to conference and getting it enacted into law for our men and women in uniform.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I am pleased to come today and join my colleagues to highlight the VA MISSION Act--legislation we passed to provide our veterans with access to health and long-term care closer to home. This month, I had the opportunity to join a Senate delegation in Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D-day. We had the honor of meeting with some of our veterans who landed on the beaches of Normandy, and we were reminded, once again, of the tremendous sacrifices our Nation's veterans have made to preserve our way of life and keep our Nation free.

Given their service and sacrifice, the least that our Nation can do is uphold its commitment to provide our veterans with the healthcare they have truly earned. Over the last year, we have been working with the VA to ensure that the MISSION Act is properly implemented so it truly benefits our veterans. This bipartisan legislation not only strengthens the VA's ability to provide care for our veterans, but when the VA is unable to do so, it gives our veterans more options to seek care in their home communities. This has been a top priority for veterans in my home State of North Dakota and across the country.

The VA MISSION Act removed the arbitrary 30-day, 40-mile eligibility requirement that prevented veterans living within 40 miles of a VA facility from being eligible for care in their home community. Now, when a VA Medical Center or community-based outpatient clinic isn't able to provide the services a veteran needs, our veterans are able to access healthcare services in their local community.

Additionally, the VA MISSION Act contains provisions from the veterans access to long-term care and health services legislation I had introduced, which allows non-VA, long-term care providers--so now long- term care providers, nursing homes and others--to enter into veterans care agreements with the VA. These agreements will help cut through the bureaucratic redtape at the VA and help veterans access nursing home and other long-term care in their communities, including home-based care services--again, providing not only healthcare but long-term care to our veterans closer to home, in their home communities and closer to their loved ones.

We are continuing to work with the VA and long-term care providers to ensure that providers that want to treat veterans are able to do so without unnecessary burdens, meaning without additional inspections, without additional redtape that in some cases, causes our long-term care providers--whether it is nursing homes or in-care providers--to not accept VA reimbursement. This makes sure that they can take VA reimbursement and that the rules and requirements are the same as if they are taking Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement. This is very important for our veterans, but it makes sure that we streamline the process so those nursing homes or those home-based and community-based services in a community provide those services to our veterans and take VA reimbursement to do it.

Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our Nation, which is why we continue working to implement the VA MISSION Act properly and ensure it meets our goal--meets our goal of providing veterans access to healthcare and long-term care closer to home.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to discuss why we needed to reform the confirmation process. It was absolutely necessary to ensure that the Senate is able to approve the President's nominees in a timely manner.

Delays and obstruction have prevented qualified nominees from being confirmed. In fact, at the pace the Senate has been going, it would take more than 5 years to process the remaining nominees. Clearly, the process isn't working.

In the Senate, we take our advice and consent role very seriously. We all want to ensure that we have capable and qualified individuals serving in important positions. Delays in the confirmation process often have nothing to do with the qualifications of the candidate.

These nominees have been vetted and approved by the appropriate committee, only to spend weeks or months waiting to be considered by the full Senate. Currently, there are more than 100 nominees awaiting confirmation on the Senate calendar. That is because our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have been using the filibuster to delay all of the nominees--even routine, highly qualified nominees.

In past administrations, a cloture vote was only required for high- level or controversial nominations that required additional deliberation or debate. Under President Trump, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have required cloture on hundreds of nominees, which means instead of approving these nominations in a timely manner, it often takes 3 days on the Senate floor before a final vote is taken. That is because, following a vote to invoke cloture, there is an additional 30 hours of floor debate after an intervening day.

During the first 2 years of the previous 3 Presidencies, there were a total of 24 cloture votes. During the first 2 years of President Trump's Presidency, the Senate forced a cloture vote on 128 nominations. Think about that--24 for the prior 3 Presidents and 128 cloture votes on President Trump's nominations. For President Obama, during his first 2 years--to compare President Trump to President Obama's first 2 years--12 for Obama. There were 12 for President Obama and 128 for President Trump.

So let me provide another example. During the 8 years of the Obama administration, the Senate confirmed 272 district court judges. Since President Trump has been elected, the Senate has confirmed 53 district judges--272 to 53 district court judges. At that pace, only 195 district court judges would be approved over a full 8-year period, far less than the 272 during the Obama administration.

These delays impact qualified individuals across the Nation. For example, Peter Welte, the nominee to be the U.S. district court judge for the District of North Dakota, was nominated by President Trump more than 77 days ago. It has been about 230 days since Drew Wrigley, nominee to be U.S. attorney for the District of North Dakota was originally reported by President Trump--230 days. These are qualified nominees from my home State of North Dakota and the Presiding Officer's home State of North Dakota who have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. Yet both are still waiting for confirmation by the U.S. Senate. They need to be out there doing their job. They need to get confirmed.

That is why we voted today to reduce debate from 30 hours to 2 hours for nominees like district court judges as well as many executive branch nominees, while retaining the 30 hours of debate for high-level nominees--for circuit court judges, Supreme Court judges, and for Cabinet positions. We did not change the confirmation for nominees to the highest levels of government, including the Supreme Court, circuit court, and for Cabinet-level officials.

This reform does streamline the process for other important nominees who have languished on the Senate calendar for far too long. This is a commonsense reform to ensure that there is still debate on nominees, while making the process more efficient and effective so we can get qualified nominees confirmed and working for the American people, as is our job.

With that, I yield the floor.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Rules for the 116th Congress be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I extend my thoughts in regard to the comments made by the senior Senator from Texas in the need for border security. I appreciate his comments, and I, certainly, agree with them.

North Dakota State University 2018 FCS Title Victory

Madam President, I rise to take a minute to recognize the incredible achievements of the North Dakota State University Bison football team today.

On January 5, it earned its record seventh national championship title. For 7 out of the last 8 years, it has been the national champion.

In a hard-fought victory, NDSU defeated the Eastern Washington University Eagles by a score of 38 to 24 in Frisco, TX. With that win, the Bison have now won an unprecedented, as I say, seventh NCAA Division I football championship series championship, setting a record for the most FCS titles of all time. The Bison now have a total of 15 NCAA championship titles. In addition, the team completed the 2018 football season with a perfect record of 15 wins and zero losses, displaying just an extraordinary resilience and skill.

This achievement puts the 2018 Bison in, truly, elite company as it has become only the fifth team to cap off an undefeated season with a national championship title. The 2018 team joins the 2013 NDSU team in accomplishing this impressive feat.

Further, NDSU is one of only five FCS teams to have ever won back-to- back titles. NDSU is the deserved holder of the longest title winning streak in FCS history, with its obtaining five titles in a row from 2011 to 2015. It has been victorious in every FCS title game in which it has played.

After the title game, NDSU quarterback Easton Stick became NDSU's record holder for the most passing yards, having a total of 8,693 passing yards in his college career. He also became the NCAA record holder for the most all-time FCS wins by a quarterback, having a total of 49 career wins.

I also recognize the impressive achievement of NDSU's head coach, Chris Klieman. During his 5 years as head coach, he led the Bison to an outstanding record of 69 wins and only six losses, winning four national championships in the process. Coach Klieman's achievement of four titles in 5 years equals the NCAA's FCS record for obtaining the most titles as a head coach. Coach Klieman and his entire staff instilled character and perseverance in the members of the NDSU Bison football team.

While I know it is bittersweet, I am sure that Bison Nation will join me in wishing Coach Klieman the best of luck in his continued career as the new head coach of the Kansas State University Wildcats next season. We welcome Matt Entz as the new head coach, who was formerly the defensive coordinator. He has, certainly, been part of this great dynasty.

Finally, I recognize all of Bison Nation for its vibrant and unwavering support of the team during another successful season.

As they have grown accustomed to doing, the welcoming residents of Frisco, TX, saw a mass of Bison fans flock to their town for the FCS championship game. They were warm and wonderful in terms of their hospitality. Approximately 20,000 fans traveled from North Dakota and other areas to support our great team. They turned the stadium into a sea of green and yellow as they passionately cheered on our beloved Bison.

The Bison victory was not only a victory for the NDSU football team but for our State as the team brought yet another trophy back home to North Dakota. I congratulate the team, the coaches, and our great, great fans on another national championship.

Go, Bison.

Again, I am so proud of our great team, and I appreciate the opportunity to take this time to recognize its achievements.

I am pleased to yield the floor to my fellow Senator from North Dakota.

Madam President, I would like to commend my fellow Senator from North Dakota on his heartfelt comments today and express my support and agreement with him and with those comments.

He mentioned a number of pieces of legislation that he is cosponsoring. I am pleased to see that. I, again, have signed onto legislation to support life in this Congress, as I have in previous Congresses.

We will have the March for Life at the end of this week. I look forward to that. Last year, my wife and her sister actually walked in the March for Life. I have always made a practice of greeting our participants in the March for Life from North Dakota, and I certainly look forward to seeing them again here this year.

With that, I thank you for this time to make these comments, and, again, to extend a warm welcome to my colleague from North Dakota. I have worked with him for many years, and I very much look forward to working with him now here in the Senate.

Thank you.