Floor Statements

Mr. President, we are now in the third day of this government shutdown, and once again, our Democratic colleagues are going to have the opportunity to vote for a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution that would open the government and allow us to continue working on the appropriations process.

Just to kind of give a little perspective on that, here are the statistics showing all of the Biden-era clean CRs that were passed. There were 13 of them--13 of them during the Biden administration, and 96 percent of the Democrats voted for it. Now they can't vote for a clean resolution. How do you explain that?

Unfortunately, Democratic leadership is demanding more than $1 trillion in new spending just to keep the government open. So instead of voting for this clean CR, they want more than $1 trillion in new spending in a CR that--the CR has no Republican priorities in it; it is just a clean CR.

So how is it we are supposed to put trillions of dollars of Democrat priorities in a CR that goes until November 21? That is what Leader Schumer has said, and that is exactly why this is the Schumer shutdown.

They have taken our government hostage with a list of demands that is really quite astonishing. They want funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants, and they want more subsidies for pandemic-era health insurance, all while actually repealing a $50 billion healthcare fund for rural hospitals that was put in the One Big Beautiful Bill. How does that make sense? In the meantime, vital programs that support hard-working American families have either been shuttered or are very nearly out of money.

Let's end this Schumer shutdown and pass a clean, short-term CR--the same kind of clean CR, mind you, that, as I said, 96 percent of Democrats voted to support 13 times during the Biden administration. That is what this shows.

Let's pass this clean CR, get back to work, and move our appropriations bills through regular order. That is how we are supposed to do it--through regular order. Already, we have made progress in this Congress by doing just that. The Appropriations Committee has passed 8 of the 12 approps bills on a bipartisan basis. As a matter of fact, we just approved, not too long ago, three of them--one of them was my Ag appropriations bill--by big bipartisan majorities here on the floor in the Senate. Compare that to last Congress,

when Leader Schumer refused to allow us to bring any of the appropriations bills to the floor.

In fact, nearly a month ago now, the House requested a formal conference on the three bills that I just referenced that we passed across the floor with large bipartisan majorities, and we are ready to go to conference with them and finish our work on those appropriations bills through regular order, as I just said.

Our majority leader has said very clearly that he is ready to bring Defense appropriations and the Labor-Health bill, which would actually get us up north of 75, maybe even 80 percent of the appropriations process finished. He is ready to bring those two bills to the floor as soon as we are open and operating.

We need to reopen the government to return to our bipartisan appropriations work and get back to conducting the business of the American people.

Another good example is the work we are doing for our ag producers, and I know the Presiding Officer knows about that very well. Every American depends every single day on the high-quality, low-cost food supply that our farmers and ranchers provide.

At the same time, our farmers and ranchers depend on access to markets to ensure they get good prices for the high-quality crops they produce. This is particularly true, for example, for soybean farmers in my State of North Dakota, where we export 90 percent of what we grow--a lot of that going to markets like China.

With harvest season underway, the Trump administration continues to fight for better markets for our farmers and ranchers, but in the meantime, our producers need a bridge to stronger markets and the updated farm safety net which we included as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Due to China's efforts to reduce commodity prices and push up the cost of production, our farmers are having a hard time right now, as you well know.

As the administration works to secure better trade deals for our Nation, it is critical that we don't allow China to use our farmers as a pressure point in those negotiations. That is why I have been working--along with others--with this administration on emergency assistance to bridge that gap while we seek better trade agreements and more export sales for our farmers.

Along with Senate Ag Committee chairman Senator Boozman, we have done a lot of work, and we are ready to go when the President and the Secretary decide it is time to move forward with a plan that will help bridge that gap and keep our producers afloat. Doing so will give the administration's trade team needed leverage in these negotiations with China.

U.S. producers deserve to be treated fairly in the global marketplace, not to be used as a tool by China in their negotiations on fair trade, which we demand.

The administration's efforts are all about securing better trade terms that not only reduce foreign tariffs but eliminate the nontariff trade barriers that other countries use to lock out American farmers and ranchers.

By acting now and providing assistance to our producers during these negotiations, we will send a very strong signal to China that their tactics will not work.

That is how we secure better market access for our producers for the long term. That is exactly what President Trump did in his first term in the negotiations with China. We worked with him on the Market Facilitation Program to keep our farmers in the game. The result was that President Trump secured a $50 billion agreement from China to purchase our ag commodities.

That is what we are working to do again. So let's get this government back open so we can continue that hard work. You know, that is just one example of the work that needs to get done for the American people.

So, again, we are going to have a vote here in a little bit, and once again, I ask that our Democrat colleagues join with us and vote to get this government open. It is a clean, short-term resolution so that we can do the work of the American people.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions which are at the desk: S. Res. 391, S. Res. 392, S. Res. 393, S. Res. 394, and S. Res. 395.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. President, I have three requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in recess until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17, and that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand in recess under the previous order, following the remarks of Senator Durbin.

Mr. President, today I would like to congratulate an accomplished North Dakotan who is providing outstanding service to the Nation in the U.S. Army. BG Rebecca McElwain recently became the new Army budget director, and we look forward to working closely with a fellow North Dakotan in this role.

Brigadier General McElwain was raised on a family farm near Karlsruhe, ND, and graduated from Minot High School. She attended North Dakota State University where she was in the ROTC program. She graduated with a bachelor of science in business administration from NDSU in 1997 and was then commissioned into the U.S. Army Finance and Comptroller Corps. From there, she spent significant time serving abroad, including deployments in Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, with command assignments at every level.

Prior to this new assignment, she served as an Army congressional budget liaison and then the director of the Army's budget liaison office. Through all of her assignments, she brings as wealth of experience that will serve the Army and Congress well.

Brigadier General McElwain and her husband James have a son Andrew. James is a classically trained chef, and Andrew is a recent graduate of the University of Mary Washington and works with the General Services Administration in Washington, DC.

We benefit enormously from talented leaders like Brigadier General McElwain, and we look forward to her continued contributions to the Army and to the Nation. I congratulate her on this new role and look forward to working with her.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

The Secretary of Agriculture has put forth a proposal to move some of the people that work in the DC area, to move those functions out to the country to be closer to the farmers and the ranchers they serve. I very much support this effort. We are at the front end of this effort.

She has testified in front of our Agriculture Approps Committee that she will work with us on it. The Ag-authorized committee is working on it as well. In fact, yesterday, I met with the Deputy Secretary of USDA. He committed to work on it.

We have a good process. We do not need to overly handcuff the USDA as they work to make this transition, which is a transition that we should make. We are working on it in the right way. We are at the front end of the proposal, not the back end.

I ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Vote on Amendment No. 3115

Mr. President, this amendment would be an across-the- board cut. We made targeted cuts, and we had to fully fund WIC, which was a significant increase. So our cuts are actually more than the 2 percent that the gentleman is talking about.

I support his desire to reduce spending, but, overall, we are up a little over 1 percent with that significant increase of about 7 percent in WIC.

Again, I think we have done this the right way. We still have to go to conference with the House. They are about 5 percent below where we are. So I would ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment and defer to my colleague.

Mr. President, I support my colleagues' efforts to find spending reductions. He does make a number of changes that go in line with the President's budget, but he does a number of things that absolutely will not work.

For example, cuts ag research by more than 40 percent. Let me repeat that. He cuts ag research by more than 40 percent. Cuts the FSA. That is most important Agency for our farmers. That is out in farm country where they are--cuts that Farm Service Agency by 20 percent; rural development, cut 20 percent; technical assistance at NRCS by 80 percent.

So, again, we did make reductions. We actually reduced about 2 percent, but then we do fully fund WIC, which caused the increase to 1 percent. I ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the next vote be called.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Fotouhi nomination.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each for debate only.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, and that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Duffey nomination postcloture; further, that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 11:30 a.m., the Senate vote on confirmation of the Duffey nomination and if cloture is then invoked on Calendar No. 103, Allison Hooker, the Senate recess following the cloture vote until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly conference meetings; finally, that if cloture is invoked on the Hooker nomination, the postcloture time be expired at 2:15 p.m. and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Hooker nomination; and that if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session of the Senate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of Senator Whitehouse.

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

Mr. President, I rise during National Police Week, joining my colleagues to recognize the sacrifices of the brave men and women of law enforcement and honor those who choose to serve their communities while experiencing the reality every day that they may not return home to their loved ones.

It was nearly 2 years ago that I stood on the floor here in the U.S. Senate and spoke about one such example of that self-sacrifice in my State of North Dakota. In July 2023, Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin was tragically killed in the line of duty. He and his fellow officers were ambushed while responding to a traffic incident. In addition to Officer Wallin, Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were shot and injured before a fourth Fargo police officer, Zach Robinson, overcame a barrage of gunfire and eventually subdued the assailant.

Last year during Police Week, Officer Robinson was recognized for his courage under fire by the National Association of Police Organizations and received the TOP COP Award for his actions during that tragic event.

At the same time, the name of Officer Wallin, along with another North Dakota hero, Mercer County Deputy Paul Martin, was inscribed onto the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, DC-- a lasting tribute for making the ultimate sacrifice.

We can never forget these officers, and we can never repay all of our police officers for the enormous sacrifices that they make, but we can continue to show respect for law enforcement, honor those we have lost, and recognize the sacrifices of their families and their loved ones.

To honor our men and women in blue, I helped to introduce a resolution, along with my colleague from Missouri and others, commemorating National Police Week and paying tribute to their bravery. National Police Week provides us with the opportunity to come together as a nation to honor the peace officers who put their lives on the line to protect and serve in our communities.

In addition, our resolution recognizes and honors the 233 law enforcement officers that were killed in the line of duty during 2024. Unfortunately, this number has increased since 2023, when 220 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty.

The recent examples we have seen of law enforcement officers being targeted, even in broad daylight, are unacceptable. That is why I have also helped introduce the Thin Blue Line Act, legislation to increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement and first responders. I encourage my colleagues to support legislation like this to protect the men and women of law enforcement.

As we again mark National Police Week, let us recognize the selflessness and commitment of our police officers and the sacrifices they make on behalf of our communities. Today and every day, we recognize the bravery and dedication of our law enforcement to keep our communities safe. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family, and our leaders in our communities. May God bless our peace officers and keep them safe.

I yield the floor.