Floor Statements

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week it is my privilege to recognize Thompson Shoes of Manchester, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.

Thompson Shoes in Manchester was founded by Gary and Keith Thompson in 1958 as the first of nine shoe stores owned by the Thompson brothers. Keith ran the Manchester location until 1990 when the location was purchased by Tracy Bessey. The current owners, husband and wife duo Todd and Shelly Schrader, purchased the Manchester Thompson Shoes location from Tracy Bessey on January 1, 2011. Under the Schrader's ownership, Shelly serves as president, with Todd serving as vice president. The store offers a variety of athletic shoes, dress shoes, and boots. In addition to shoes, they also carry socks and offer shoe sizing services to customers at the store. The Shraders have also built a special bond with Keith Thompson and Tracy Bessey over the years. Both former owners have paid regular visits to the store's events since 2011.

Small businesses are often successful because of the hard work and dedication of their team. Dianne

Oberbroeckling has spent 38 years at the Thompson Shoes Manchester location, working for all three owners and serving three decades of customers. Gary and Keith Thompson passed away in 1993 and 2023 respectively, leaving behind a legacy of community service, hard work, and dedication to customer service.

Thompson Shoes in Manchester is actively involved in both the Manchester and Delaware County communities and has been recognized for its hard work. They are involved in the Maquoketa Valley, West Delaware, and Edgewood-Colesburg school districts by supporting both students and athletics programs. Since 2018, they have hosted the Move for Mimosas races. The races are free of charge and allow participants to try out new shoes from various vendors while enjoying a mimosa. They also sponsor the Hero Hustle, an annual triathlon and duathlon supporting the police, fire, and ambulance departments of Delaware County. In 2022, they won the Manchester Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year award for their continued dedication to the community. Thompson Shoes in Manchester celebrated its 65th business anniversary in 2023.

Thompson Shoes' commitment to providing quality shoes at a great price in Manchester, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate Shelly and Todd Schrader, and the entire team at Thompson Shoes for their continued dedication to Iowans. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success.

Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Carver Pump of Muscatine, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.

In 1938, Carver Pump was founded by brothers Ralph and Roy J. Carver in Matherville, IL, as a specialty manufacturer of self-priming pumps that are designed to prevent air pockets from forming while pumping fluids. Shortly after its founding, Carver Pump began providing pumps to the U.S. and the Allied navies during World War II. In 1941, Roy restructured the company and relocated to its current home in Muscatine, IA. Since World War II, Carver Pump has remained committed to providing high-quality pumps to the U.S. Navy. Currently, every Navy ship-building program, which is responsible for the ship construction of the U.S. Navy fleet, relies on a centrifugal pump from Carver Pump. Due to their hard work, Carver Pump received certification for their high-quality management systems by the International Organization for Standardization. Their pumps are used in a variety of industries, including mining, agriculture, automotive, and maritime. Roy J. Carver passed away in 1981, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, philanthropy, and business excellence. Today, Carver Pump is run by Carver family member Andrew Carver.

Carver Pump is an exemplary family business. Multiple generations of the Carver family have worked at the company and been recognized for their contributions to both the pump industry and philanthropic efforts in Iowa. In 2019, Roy and his wife Lucille were posthumously awarded the Muscatine Community College Legends award for their continued legacy in Iowa. The Roy J. Carver Trust was also posthumously established and has been involved with the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Augustana College. At the University of Iowa, the Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Roy J. and Lucille Carver College of Medicine are named after Roy J. and Lucille in honor of their continued support of the university's academic and athletic programs. In 2023, Carver Pump celebrated its 85th business anniversary.

Carver Pump's commitment to producing high-quality pumps in Muscatine and supplying critical products to help the U.S. military is clear. I want to congratulate Andrew Carver, the Carver family, and the entire team at Carver Pump for their continued dedication to providing high- quality pumps throughout the world. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Geater Machining and Manufacturing of Independence, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.

Geater Machining and Manufacturing was founded by Duane Geater in Independence, IA, in 1962. The company started with Duane, a single employee, and Collins Aerospace as their first client. In 1964, the company took on the name Geater Machining, Co. and started a manufacturing division. The company moved to a new location in Independence in 1965 before constructing their current 42,000-square- foot headquarters in 1976. In 1994, Duane retired and his son Scott Geater took over as president. Under Scott's leadership, Geater Machining and Manufacturing added 20,000 square feet to their current location in 2023. Duane Geater passed away in 2012, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, service, and manufacturing excellence.

Geater Machining and Manufacturing is an exemplary family business. Three generations of the Geater family have worked at the company, and their products have been instrumental in U.S. history. On May 2, 2011, SEAL Team Six carried out Operation Neptune Spear and killed Osama Bin Laden. The helicopters used to transport them on the mission were equipped with radio equipment manufactured with Geater Machining and Manufacturing parts.

Geater Machining and Manufacturing is actively involved in both the Independence and Buchannan County communities and have been recognized for their hard work. They are actively involved in student outreach, including hosting tours of their facilities, classroom activities, and apprenticeship programs for local students. They won the Heritage Award for setting the industry standard by Rockwell Collins at their Annual Supplier Conference in 2015. In 2016, they were awarded the President's Award for top supplier by Rockwell Collins. In 2016, they were also highlighted by Manufacturing Today for their contributions and history in the manufacturing and machining industry. Due to their team's hard work, Geater Machining and Manufacturing celebrated its 61st business anniversary in 2023.

Geater Machining and Manufacturing's commitment to providing high- quality precision machining, sheet metal fabrication, and finishing operations to customers throughout the United States while maintaining their Independence roots is clear. I want to congratulate the Geater family and the entire team at Geater Machining and Manufacturing for their continued dedication to providing high quality parts to clients across the country. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I have had the firsthand opportunity to see the impact that small businesses have on local communities and the work of dedicated public servants to ensure that they remain the backbone of the economy. Today, I would like to recognize Mr. William Shear, a public servant who has dedicated over 20 years to America's small businesses and wish him a happy retirement.

Mr. Shear serves as the Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO. In this role, he has distinguished himself as an expert on the Small Business Administration's disaster assistance lending, government contracting, and small business credit programs. In his time at GAO, he served as Acting Director for Physical Infrastructure and was Assistant Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment. Mr. Shear is a graduate of the University of Chicago with both a master's degree in public policy and a Ph.D. in economics. In addition to his time at GAO, he is a former lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught city and regional planning.

Mr. Shear is no stranger to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. As the Director of Financial Markets and Community Investment, he has testified numerous times before the committee as a champion of saving the American taxpayer their hard- earned dollars. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and Hurricane Sandy, Mr. Shear was there to provide answers with his insight and knowledge on disaster assistance. His testimonies provided the committee with meaningful solutions that assisted the small businesses in our home States and communities.

I want to congratulate Mr. Shear on his outstanding career at GAO. We appreciate his dedication to America's small businesses and the expertise he provided to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. I would like to associate myself with the comments of the chair.

Mr. President, I am privileged to be on the floor this evening in what in the military we would call a joint operation. So this evening, I am joining my marine colleagues, Senator Sullivan of Alaska and Senator Young of Indiana, and my Air Force colleague from the great State of South Carolina. I, of course, served 23 years between the U.S. Army Reserve and the Iowa Army National Guard, deploying once for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 to 2004, where I was the company commander of 150 soldiers that ran convoys from Kuwait up into Iraq, supporting our warriors to the north.

We are also joined in the chair this evening by another veteran, the Senator from Michigan in the chair, Mr. President, Naval reservist. So we truly are a joint operation under the color of purple. So thank you so much.

I am going to throw down just a little bit of how we got into this situation and a little bit more about who I am because I am pro- military, obviously, but I am also pro-life as well. I served in the Iowa State Senate. And during the time that I served in the State senate, I was a pro-life leader. I was the go-to gal for our pro-life issues in the Iowa State Senate, participating and leading in legislation to advance life, as well as participating in marches for life, in the great State of Iowa.

Coming into the U.S. Senate, then I became a member of the pro-life caucus. I have led on a number of efforts when it comes to life. Predominantly, though, one that our pro-life community has really appreciated is the effort to defund Planned Parenthood and redirect those dollars to eligible providers of women's healthcare, such as community health centers.

In February of 2023, we saw President Biden unveil his abortion travel agency plan. OK? What does this mean? It means that President Biden decided that he would send young women--whether they were family members, whether they were servicemembers--he would allow them to travel. He would send them to other States to receive abortions, that being supported by taxpayer dollars.

We feel this is wrong. It goes against the Hyde amendment. That is where President Biden put us.

Secretary Lloyd Austin implemented that plan in February, again, of 2023. And in March of 2023, then I led--I led--on the effort to overturn this policy. I introduced and led the legislation to reverse the DOD's travel abortion policy.

It was twice voted on in the Armed Services Committee during the National Defense Authorization Act process--twice voted on; twice defeated in the committee. Now, that is in the U.S. Senate.

So, again, I am pro-military, and I am pro-life. I also do not relish the fact

that I am standing on the floor this evening as we try and bring these nominations forward, but I understand the national security risks that are out there and the detriment to readiness as we continue to hold over 450 of the finest men and women that have served their Nation honorably under the flag of our Nation in our uniform.

So I will go through one by one. I have a binder full of nominees, and I do hope that our colleague from Alabama will allow us to bring them up one by one for a voice vote. Again, I have many biographies here--fabulous, incredible men and women.

And with that, I will yield to my colleague from South Carolina.

Thank you to my colleague from Indiana. I truly appreciate it.

I will now go through the biographies of the men and women who rightfully deserve to be promoted, to be moved into their next position of authority.

And I am going to start by continuing with MG Heidi J. Hoyle, Calendar No. 48, for the grade of Lieutenant General and deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Army. And I would like to highlight MG Heidi J. Hoyle, who is currently the director of operations for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics.

Upon her graduation from Virginia in 2004, she was assigned as an instructor in the Department of Systems Engineering at West Point. She served as the 242nd Ordnance Battalion executive officer, with a deployment to Afghanistan and support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In 2010, she was selected for command of the Special Troops Battalion of the Third Sustainment Brigade in Fort Stewart, GA. And while stationed there, she deployed in support of the Iraq war.

She has distinguished her career, having been awarded the Legion of Merit, folks, not just once, not twice, but three times. She has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal not once but twice.

This is an extraordinary woman. And I will point out that I enjoyed my service very much. I appreciated my time in service. But I also have a daughter who is serving now. And my daughter--to MG Heidi J. Hoyle, General Hoyle, I hope that my daughter is following in your footsteps. My daughter is assigned to the 3rd Sustainment Brigade in Fort Stewart,

Heroes. And a Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

It is officers like these whom I am proud to be a staunch advocate of because the Army community needs them. We need more Army command officers in the fight, not out of the fight. This is why I am standing up tonight in support of LG John S. Kolasheski and his promotion to deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Europe-Africa.

Next, we have COL Jack J. Stumme. I am rising to talk about Jack J. Stumme. He is a Colonel under Calendar No. 284 for the grade of Brigadier General.

COL Jack J. Stumme is currently serving with the U.S. Army Europe- Africa as a command chaplain. Colonel Stumme has given years of service to our military and to his faith, serving as command chaplain for United States AFRICOM, the 18th Airborne Corps, and a staff chaplain for the Office of the Chief of Chaplains.

I firmly believe that Colonel Stumme's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this appointment, and I speak with experience here. Our chaplains truly do God's work for the men and women who serve. That is why I am providing a voice this evening for Chaplain Stumme and his promotion to Brigadier General.

Next, I rise in support of Col. Matthew S. Allen. Matthew S. Allen is an Air Force officer--Calendar No. 336--and he has been selected for the grade of Brigadier General.

I would like to highlight Col. Matthew S. Allen, whom many of us know because he works directly with Members of Congress. Colonel Allen is the director of the Office of Legislative Affairs for U.S. Special Operations Command, the position dedicated to maintaining the good relationship between U.S. Special Operations Command and Congress.

And you will notice that a number of these biographies that I read earlier this morning, they were those who served within Special Operations Command and Joint Special Operations Command.

He is the direct link on all legislative issues that deal with Special Operations resources, authorities, and oversight, collaborating directly with the House of Representatives and us here in the Senate to ensure full authorization of U.S. Special Operations Command's annual budget.

Colonel Allen grew up in a military family with assignments all across the globe. He graduated high school in Fairfax, VA, received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and was selected as a special tactics officer following graduation.

Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Allen was the commander of the 24th Special Operations Wing, where he prepared special tactics forces to conduct special operations against threats to the homeland and to protect U.S. interests abroad.

Colonel Allen has been privileged to command at the squadron group and wing levels and led joint operations for Special Operations task forces throughout the Middle East, the European theater, and the Indo- Pacific region.

He has served in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve and was the recipient of the Air Force's 2006 Sijan Leadership Award. He has spent his career in Special Operations, the air staff joint operational assignments, as well as numerous combat and contingency deployments.

I personally know Colonel Allen. He is an incredible officer within the Special Operations community. He definitely is an officer we need in the fight.

I thank you and salute you, Colonel Allen, and I do hope that we are able to move you on very soon to your well-deserved appointment to the grade of Brigadier General.

Next, I rise to highlight the career of Maj. Gen. Sean M. Farrell, U.S. Air Force, who is Calendar No. 339. Major General Farrell has been selected for the grade of Lieutenant General and has been appointed to the position of deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Major General Farrell is currently the deputy commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command. In this role, he oversees the study of Special Operations requirements and techniques, ensuring joint interoperability and equipment standardization.

In addition, he prepares assigned, attached, and augmented forces to conduct special operations against threats to protect the homeland and U.S. interests abroad.

He was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Florida State University. He has a bachelor of science, a master of science from Wright State University, and a master of science in national resource strategy from the National Defense University.

He is a command pilot with over 3,500 flight hours in the AC-130H Spectre--that is bad; that is bad--AC-130W Stinger, AC-130U Spooky--we all know Spooky, Dan, right?--and C-130E Hercules aircraft, and has flown combat missions in Bosnia and Afghanistan.

He has commanded at the squadron group and wing levels, having commanded the 16th Special Operations Squadron, the 27th Special Operations Group, and the 1st Special Operations Wing.

He has distinguished his career, having been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with valor device for acts of heroism above what is normally expected while engaged in direct combat with exposure to enemy hostilities and personal risk.

It is officers like this that I am proud to be a staunch advocate of within our Special Operations community. We need more Special Operations command officers in the fight, not out of the fight. And that is why I stand tonight and give voice to Maj. Gen. Sean M. Farrell on his promotion and his assumption of position at U.S. Special Operations Command.

Next, I rise in support of BG Lawrence G. Ferguson. He is Calendar No. 384, which contains a list of Army officers who have been selected for the grade of Major General. BG Lawrence G. Ferguson is the commanding general of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).

Brigadier General Ferguson is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, who cross-commissioned into the U.S. Army.

He attended the Army Ranger School, then served with the 101st Airborne ``Screaming Eagles'' Division. He earned a master's degree in American

history from Mississippi College, and he was an Army War College Fellow at Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy.

He served with the 7th Special Forces Group and has commanded at all levels from Captain through Colonel and served throughout Latin America and the Middle East. He has served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve in the Army's special missions unit.

His experience has included, more recently, deputy commander of operations, 82nd Airborne Division; chief of staff, U.S. Army Special Operations Command; commanding officer, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne); and chief of staff, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).

And this evening, again, I am giving voice to those who cannot on the floor of the U.S. Senate this evening, BG Lawrence G. Ferguson on his promotion to Major General.

Next, I rise to talk about another officer within Calendar No. 384, and this officer has been selected for the grade of Major General. Now, this is BG Steven M. Marks, who is currently the deputy commanding general for 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).

Are we seeing a pattern here? A pattern here? OK.

Brigadier General Marks was raised in Columbia, MO--State to my south--and earned his commission from the University of Missouri ROTC in 1982.

He served in a variety of tactical assignments in the Airborne Field Artillery Regiment and Special Operations units.

He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College and has a master's degree in defense analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.

Brigadier General Marks has commanded in Afghanistan at every rank from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel and serving most recently as a commander of Special Operations Task Force Northeast.

He commanded the U.S. Army Garrison in Italy before returning to Joint Special Operations Command as the director of J5.

He is a decorated officer with awards to include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.

And, again, it is officers like this that I am proud to stand for on the floor of the U.S. Senate. I am a staunch advocate of those within our special operations community. We need more of these men and women in the fight, not out of the fight. And that is why I stand tonight for BG Steven M. Marks and his promotion to Major General.

So, folks, that does conclude the nominees that I had for this evening, and I want to reemphasize that it is the bad policy of the Biden administration that we are in opposition to. All of us here--I know all of us--are adamant supporters of life. We stand for life. But we also stand for other innocents and the innocent men and women who are serving in uniform today and continue to serve without advancement in their career fields while their families are hanging in the balance.

My colleague from Utah mentioned earlier: We have so many executive orders. We see the executive branch running away, taking additional authorities--and I am paraphrasing. It is because Congress has gotten lazy and sloppy. Those were two of his words--lazy and sloppy. Members of Congress didn't want to do the work. But aren't we getting lazy and sloppy when we hold hostage innocent people?

I understand that we have the opportunity to do these holds, but sometimes we have to work very hard to overcome adversity, just as these men and women have.

So let's find a way. Let's lobby other Members here within this body because that is our job to do so, not hold these members hostage to ever-changing demands.

Now, we would have asked for individual voice votes tonight because that is what has been asked for in the past but, unfortunately, has not been honored.

So, again, I stand for life. I will be an ardent supporter of life, and I will continue combating that, but I will not do it at the expense of these individuals. I will work with other members to find a way to overturn this egregious policy which President Biden and Secretary Lloyd Austin have put into place. So let's find a way to overturn the policy and advance these men and women.

And with that, I yield to the Senator from Alaska.

Mr. President, I do want to thank my colleagues for coming to the floor this evening and especially Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, a fine marine. He has deployed in service

to our Nation. And, as well, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Senator Todd Young of Indiana--all veterans, all have served in uniform, understand the significance, the importance of getting these nominees over the finish line. Again, all pro-life, my colleagues here as well--adamantly pro-life. We are pro-life.

There has got to be another way to overturn this policy, change the policy. That is our jobs. It is not the jobs of these nominees. It is our job to make sure the policy is right.

It is President Biden's fault we are in this situation. It is Lloyd Austin's fault that we are in this situation. It is Chuck Schumer's fault that we are in this situation.

And I understand that a Senator has the prerogative, has the right, in this body to put blanket holds on nominees. But, folks, you know, my mom and dad always had a saying: Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should.

Yes, you can put blanket holds on these nominees, but what is that doing to our Nation right now? It is not solving the travel policy. That is our job. We have to figure this out. And it is not getting these men and women into the positions that are needed for our readiness and our national security.

So we, as pro-life Senators, need to figure this out, and we need to work with our House Members. We need to work with the majority here in the U.S. Senate and find a path forward. It is up to us to do that.

Again, thanks to my colleagues for coming down tonight for, one, supporting life--we all support life--but also supporting the military. We can have not just pro-life Senators and not just pro-military Senators; we can have both. And that is whom we are representing tonight.

Thank you, Senator Sullivan. I will yield back to the Senator from Alaska.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Worth Brewing Company of Northwood, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.

Worth Brewing Company was founded by husband and wife Peter Ausenhus and Margaret Bishop in 2007. Peter started in the brewing industry as a homebrewer while working in the publishing industry. Prior to founding Worth Brewing Company, he made a career transition and worked at Summit Brewing Company, a microbrewer based in St. Paul, MN. Worth Brewing Company opened in the 1886 Worth County State Bank building on historic Main Street in Northwood, IA. During their early years, Peter both renovated and operated the brewery while Margaret ran her engineering consulting business upstairs. Due to their growing business, Peter and Margaret moved Worth Brewing Company across the street to the 1896 International Order of Odd Fellows--IOOF--Erickson building in 2015. Worth Brewing Company reopened in the new location in 2016.

Worth Brewing Company has seven year-round beers on their menu and a specialty beer every month. In addition to beer, they also host ``Pizza Fridays,'' food trucks, and have a rotating list of drink specials. Worth Brewing Company also hosts live music, pub trivia, the ``Books A- Brewin''' Club, and other community events. In 2023, Worth

Brewing Company celebrated their 16th business anniversary.

Worth Brewing Company is actively involved in the Northwood community and has been recognized for contributions to the microbrewery and historic preservation industries. In 2019, Worth Brewing Company won the Adrian D. Anderson Award from Preserve Iowa for their preservation of the IOOF-Erickson building. Previously, in 2016, they were awarded the Preservation at its Best by Preserve Iowa for their work on the IOOF-Erickson building. In 2015, Governor Terry Branstad visited Worth Brewing Company to congratulate the business on their expansion from the 1886 Worth County State Bank building to the IOOF-Erickson building. Peter Ausenhus and Margaret Bishop are actively involved in animal charities and historic preservation philanthropies in both the Northwood community and the State of Iowa.

Worth Brewing Company's commitment to providing quality beers, ciders, and arts in Northwood is clear. I want to congratulate Peter Ausenhus, Margaret Bishop, and the entire team at Worth Brewing Company for their continued dedication to Worth County. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Brannon Monument Company of Dubuque, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.

Brannon Monument Company was founded by Henry Kies in 1926 as Kies Monument in Dubuque, IA. In 1961, Vince and Mary Lou Brannon bought Kies Monument and shortly thereafter changed the name to Brannon Monument Company. In 1991, Vince and Mary Lou's son Michael Brannon started working at the company. Michael purchased the family business from his parents in 1993 with his wife Stasia and moved the company in 1996 to a larger location. Brannon Monument Company

moved again in 2021 to a new location and now includes Novak and Brannon Monuments in Marion, IA, and Manchester Monument Company in Manchester, IA. Vince Brannon passed away in 2004, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, service, and dedication to the Dubuque community.

Brannon Monument Company has been instrumental in building memorials to honor our Nation's veterans. They were a key partner in the construction of the Dubuque Veterans Memorial Plaza, which honors Dubuque veterans who fought in major military conflicts. On July 4, 2019, the Buchanan County Veterans Memorial opened with members of the Brannon family in attendance for the dedication. Brannon Monument Company has been involved in building veteran memorials in Central City and Kolona, IA, as well as Platteville, WI.

In addition to providing memorials, Brannon Monument Company is also actively involved in the Dubuque community. Michael and Stasia Brannon are famous in the Dubuque community for their yearly Halloween decorations that were covered by the local newspaper. Michael is a member of the Monument Builders of North America, where he served as president from 1999 until 2000. He has also been a member and served as the president of the Monument Builders of Iowa. Brannon Monument Company has been involved with local philanthropic efforts in the Dubuque community, including Rotary International, Mercy Service Club, Alzheimer's Association, Oldorf Hospice House, and the Boys and Girls Club. In 2023, Brannon Monument Company celebrated its 97th business anniversary.

Brannon Monument Company's commitment to providing high-quality memorials in northeast Iowa is clear. I want to congratulate Michael and Stasia Brannon, Mary Lou Brannon, and the entire team at Brannon Monument Company for their dedication to the Dubuque community. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Mr. President, the world is on fire because of Joe Biden's failed leadership and ongoing weakness. Our enemies are on the march. Our servicemembers are under attack by Iran-backed proxies. And our country is under greater threat than it has been in years.

Innocent lives are on the line here at home and abroad. At home, the Biden DOD is waging a war on the unborn--a war that is immoral and unlawful.

I am a mother. I have carried a baby girl in my womb who is now a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and my baby girl is now carrying a baby of her own. And I am proudly, adamantly, and unabashedly pro-life. I always will be. That is why I have--I have--led the legislation to overturn this woke Dodd policy and will not rest in this fight for life, especially as we work through this year's Defense bill.

Abroad, our friend and ally Israel is under assault by ruthless Iran- backed Hamas. Jewish babies have been murdered, burned in ovens, and some even stripped from their mothers' wombs.

As a 23-year combat veteran and retired lieutenant colonel of our great U.S. Army, I firmly believe the Pentagon should be focused on protecting innocent life, not destroying it.

Joe Biden and Secretary Austin are weak and woke. The architects of this immoral policy should be held accountable. Anyone trying to insert their radical agenda into the military has no place in the Pentagon. No Senator should support any person or dollar that threatens the lethality of our warfighters.

Catering to the far left does not win wars or keep Americans safe. Our servicemembers have been failed by their Commander in Chief, and we must do right by them and the security and protection of our own Nation.

For over 9 months now, Chuck Schumer has used our military men and women as political pawns, refusing to allow the Senate to do its job of vetting and voting on military nominees. Only when Republicans forced the majority leader's hand did he finally relent and move on a few of those nominees.

Tonight, we are once again standing up for valiant individuals who have answered the call to selfless service. Unlike in the past, when promotions were quietly approved en bloc with no discussion, tonight we will be highlighting the distinguished careers of each and then putting their nomination before the Senate for confirmation individually by voice vote.

And with that, I will yield the floor.

Madam President, I know this is a frustrating exercise, but we are going to flesh out some of these nominees tonight, truly incredible individuals who have served our Nation through thick and thin. These are folks who deserve to be promoted.

So I rise today to talk about Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot on his promotion to the grade of General and his nomination to be the next Commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD.

General Guillot is from Tucson, AZ, and he is a proud graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. I am sorry he could not get into West Point. He has successfully commanded a flying squadron operations group, two flying wings, a numbered Air Force, and has admirably served on numbered Air Force, major command, and combatant command staffs.

He is an expert in his field, as demonstrated by having been an Air Force Weapons School instructor and graduate of the National War College.

General Guillot is a decorated warfighter and a senior air battle manager by training who is currently the Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command. He has been instrumental integrating air, missile, and drone defense systems across the Middle East--experience that is applicable to the challenges facing NORTHCOM's air and missile defenses.

I believe that General Guillot's qualifications, his record, and his outstanding character make him the right nominee to serve in this important role.

So we can confirm this nomination by voice vote right here, now, and therefore I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 236, Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot to be General; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, if I can just address this very briefly before we move to my colleague from Indiana, I have a discharge petition that was signed at our conference lunch the other day for Lt. Gen. General M. Guillot. That discharge petition was signed by Senator Tuberville, meaning that Senator Tuberville believed that we should be voting on General Guillot. I was asking for a voice vote for General Guillot this evening.

I am not sure how we remedy this situation, but I can tell you we will keep working on these nominations, and we will get answers someday, and they will be confirmed someday if we have the intestinal fortitude to do what is right by our military men and women, who have absolutely nothing to do with the policy that was put in place by Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, we have got another incredible officer that we are bringing to the floor this evening for a voice vote, and I do hope my colleague from Alabama will explain to everyone out there who is watching why he has asked for individual votes, and, when given the opportunity, he is objecting to individual votes. I feel like we are in a holding pattern. But maybe he will care to explain that to us in a moment.

But, right now, I do want to focus on this really incredible officer. I have had the opportunity to work with this officer, and I will talk about the most recent time that I interacted with him.

I am bringing to the floor right now VADM Brad Cooper on his nomination to be the next Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command.

I just saw Admiral Cooper in Bahrain. The day I saw him in Bahrain was October 7--October 7, the day that Hamas overran defenses that separated the Gaza Strip and Israel; the day that Hamas went into Israel and murdered babies, raped women, cut babies out of their mother's stomachs, killed innocent elderly men and women, abducted Americans and took them into the Gaza Strip. That is the last day that I saw Brad Cooper--October 7, the terrorist strikes against Israel.

Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command--what region is that? That is the region where Israel is located. They need fine men and women at U.S. Central Command. This is an area where we have seen great terrorist threats.

Our dear friends, the Israelis, are struggling under the weight of Iran-backed terrorist proxies. At U.S. Central Command, we need leadership.

I am bringing forward VADM Brad Cooper. I will remind the body, just as I did with General Guillot, that I passed around the Republican conference the other day a discharge petition, which means we would have a vote on VADM Brad Cooper. One of the signatures on that petition is of my colleague from Alabama. He agreed to vote on this nominee, and we are giving him the opportunity to vote on this nominee, who will be the Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command, where we have what could be World War III brewing. Our friends the Israelis need every last good man and woman that the United States has serving in these important positions.

A little bit about VADM Brad Cooper: He is the son of a career Army officer. He attended high school in Montgomery, AL. Vice Admiral Cooper joined the Navy and received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy. He is a career surface warfare officer. He served on guided missile cruisers, guided missile destroyers, aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and successfully commanded both the USS Russell and the USS Gettysburg.

If anyone knows Admiral Cooper, he is a very humble man. He is very proud of the extraordinary men and women with whom he served on sea duty during his 9 deployments and 13 real-world operations all around our globe.

He has served in a variety of positions throughout his career, and he has been nominated to serve in the U.S. Central Command as their Deputy Commander.

He has been instrumental in maintaining the stability and security of the Middle East regions' maritime environment through NAVCENT. His skills and experience gained in this position at NAVCENT make him absolutely the right choice to be the Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command, and I am excited to see him confirmed.

So, Madam President, we can confirm that nomination by voice vote tonight--tonight. We will vote on this man: 9 deployments, 13 real- world operations. He is a warrior.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 196, Charles B. Cooper, II, to be Vice Admiral; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, we see another one bite the dust. It is a good thing I still have that discharge petition, and we will see Vice Admiral Cooper on the floor once again, and I hope that my colleague will choose to support him.

So I served in the Iowa Army National Guard, and I am really proud of that service. So I deployed overseas with the Iowa Army National Guard as a young Company Commander. I was the first female to command my unit. It was the same unit that my father had served in when he was a young Sergeant in the Iowa Army National Guard. He was a mechanic. He is the salt of the Earth.

And I was so proud to grow up and serve alongside some really incredible Iowa Army National Guardsmen. They worked so hard. They worked so hard on that deployment, Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Now, I was gone from 2003 to 2004. My daughter, she was 3 years old when I deployed, and she was nearly 5 years old when I returned home. So my daughter--again, she is a Second Lieutenant serving Active-Duty U.S. Army. And she told me--it has probably been a year ago--she had read an interesting statistic about children who have mothers that served in uniform. And she told me that that statistic was that 80 percent of the children who have mothers that wore the uniform will go into the service.

She said: Mom, I didn't have a choice. So she did; she went into the U.S. Army. And I encouraged that, and I am so proud of her for her service. Again, she is a young officer. I know she is disappointed by what she sees today--in particular, this evening.

And what I want the folks to know--and in a roundabout way I am coming to this. But all of these holds are affecting our men and women in the military. They are affecting the families of these men and women. Like I said, 80 percent of the children whose mothers wore the uniform are more likely to go in than those who didn't have a mother who served.

But right now, today, 37 percent of Active-Duty families are likely to recommend military service--37 percent. They see what is going on today.

And I have heard my colleague say we shouldn't be injecting politics into

the military and that President Biden did that and Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, did that. But what are we doing to these military men and women? Politics are being injected right here, today. We have men and women who deserve to be promoted, to serve where their country knows they are needed.

And our military families today are saying: You know what, I don't want my kid serving in the military because they will be used as political pawns.

That is dishonorable, and it is abhorrent. So I served. Col. Dan Sullivan served. We understand the significance of service and being willing to lay down your life for a fellow countryman.

This next gentleman that I am bringing forward, we have something in common because this gentleman is a native of Spencer, IA. He enlisted into the Iowa Army National Guard. OK? He enlisted in 1981. He also was salt of the Earth, just like my father, who enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard.

This gentleman is LTG James J. Mingus. He has been appointed to the grade of General and nominated to be the next Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. Again, he enlisted into the Iowa Army National Guard in 1981. He graduated from Winona State University in Minnesota, our neighbor to the north, and he commissioned into the Army infantry.

During more than 38 years of service, Lieutenant General Mingus has commanded at every echelon from company to brigade in addition to working in key staff positions in both Army, Special Operations Forces, and joint units. He is a decorated warfighter with extensive combat service. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom 12 times from 2001 to 2012.

Lieutenant General Mingus has distinguished himself with honor, having been awarded for meritorious achievement in a combat zone. He is a hard-working public servant who knows the needs of our soldiers and their families.

I have full confidence that he will continue to modernize the Army and maintain our highly trained and lethal force to fight and win our Nation's wars. The problem is, he can't do it if he is not serving in that position.

I firmly believe that his qualifications, record, and character--and, of course, his great home State of Iowa--make him the right nominee to serve in this important role.

Therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: War hero Executive Calendar No. 288, James J. Mingus, to be General and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, now, I have the honor and privilege of talking about MG John W. Brennan, Jr., on his appointment to the grade of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army and his nomination to be the Deputy Commander of U.S. Africa Command.

Major General Brennan is currently serving as Special Assistant to the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. This is no paper pusher, Madam President--and I have heard that phrase.

Army Special Operations play a crucial role in competition and deterring great power war. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure this deserving officer, who earned this promotion, is confirmed to this key national security position.

The good Major General is a decorated warfighter with extensive combat service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the Inherent Resolve Campaign, having recently served as Commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve just last year. He distinguished himself with honor, having been awarded a Bronze Star with ``V'' for valor.

I firmly believe that Major General Brennan's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this promotion, and I look forward to confirming him to be the Deputy Commander of U.S. Africa Command, a very important position. Again, ``V'' for valor.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 130, John W. Brennan, Jr., to be Lieutenant General and Deputy Commander, U.S. Africa Command; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, another great, decorated officer--and we are going to keep going because these men and women deserve to be confirmed.

Madam President, I am going to talk now about CAPT Frank Schlereth on his appointment to the grade of Rear Admiral, lower half, in the U.S. Navy. CAPT Frank Schlereth is currently serving as the Senior Defense Official and Defense Attache within the U.S. Embassy, Israel.

It is crucial at this time in history to ensure this deserving officer, who earned this promotion, is recognized for serving in a key position to national security and regional stability. The Captain is a two-time Naval Attache, having served in Athens, Greece; and Tel-Aviv, Israel.

He has extensive experience within the Defense Intelligence Agency Directorate of Operations, having served as the Chief of Operations for the DIA, Defense Attache Service, and the East Asia Division Chief.

He is a decorated warfighter with extensive combat service, having deployed to Afghanistan in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a team leader in support of a sensitive collection mission.

Captain Schlereth distinguished himself with honor, having been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat ``V'' for valorous achievement in a combat zone during his deployment.

I also believe that the Captain's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this appointment and promotion.

Therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 103, Frank G. Schlereth, III, to be Rear Admiral (lower half); that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, we will proceed to COL Peter G. Hart.

I call to the floor Executive Calendar No. 94, COL Peter G. Hart, to the grade of Brigadier General.

Colonel Hart is currently fulfilling a crucial role as an Army Strategist for the U.S. Central Command. As a 23-year combat veteran and retired Lieutenant Colonel of our great U.S. Army, I am proud to stand up for this valiant officer who has answered the selfless call to service and earned this promotion in the U.S. Army.

Again, I want to talk about making these individuals political pawns in the grand scheme. So the VFW had recently done a survey. And they did surveys in every State and overseas territory of their members.

These are veterans. Polls indicate there is a growing wedge between the veteran community and the colleagues on this side of the aisle and ``political decisions that harm the troops will affect the decisions of BFW members in upcoming elections.''

People don't like men and women who are used as political pawns, especially those who are sworn to be apolitical. Those are the men and women

who serve in uniform. There is a growing division. It will continue to grow wider.

So, therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Colonel Peter G. Hart to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, under Executive Calendar No. 94; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, we have another opportunity to vote on another outstanding officer. This one is COL Scott D. Wilkinson, and he has been promoted to the grade of Brigadier General.

As an Army veteran myself, I know and I understand the importance of recognizing this deserving officer who earned his promotion in the U.S. Army. He is a decorated warfighter. He distinguished himself with honor for meritorious achievement in a combat zone during his deployment.

As a Captain--a young O3 is what we call them in the Army--Colonel Wilkinson provided precision close air support over a 6-hour period using night vision goggles, with zero illumination, in a complex urban environment, enabling the assault and exfiltration of a combined joint task force under heavy enemy fire.

I am proud to be here on this floor as well standing shoulder to shoulder with my Marine Corps friend, Col. Dan Sullivan of Alaska.

You can read through this little, brief description of COL Scott D. Wilkinson.

For those of us who have served and have been part of a team and have been deployed, we understand the significance of having close air support.

I served as a Transportation Company Commander when I deployed, and I will tell you that having close air support--knowing they were a phone call away--always made my drivers and me feel a lot better about things. I know Colonel Sullivan, as an infantryman, also understands what it is to have that close air support and how important those men and women overhead are during battle.

So, COL Scott D. Wilkinson, I am really glad to give you close air support tonight. Those of us who have worked on a team understand how significant it is to have one another's back and make sure these men and women are protected.

With this close air support, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: COL Scott D. Wilkinson to be Brigadier General in the U.S. Army under Executive Calendar No. 94; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Madam President, we are going to move next to COL Joseph W. Wortham II.

I call to the floor Executive Calendar No. 94, COL Joseph W. Wortham II to the grade of Brigadier General.

Again, we are seeing a pattern. We have Colonel Wortham. He is a decorated warfighter and, again, as a Captain, as an O3, his brave and decisive actions saved the life of a severely wounded American and defeated a large enemy force in Iraq in 2005.

My colleague Colonel Sullivan, Senator Sullivan from Alaska--we have been talking about what it is to serve and the way these heroes have reacted in combat. Because of Colonel Wortham's actions in combat, he saved the life of a fellow countryman, saved the life of an individual willing to lay down his life for his country.

Colonel Wortham was willing to do the same. He saved the life of a severely wounded American, and he defeated a large enemy force in Iraq in 2005. Again, he was part of an incredible team. He didn't turn his back on his teammate; he saved his life. It is crucial to ensure that this deserving officer, who earned this promotion, is afforded the opportunity to be recognized.

Colonel Wortham, again, is part of a glorious team and was first commissioned into the Army in 1996 through Auburn University's Reserve Officer Training Corps.

During his 25 years of service, he participated in operations in Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon, as well as combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. His understanding of Kurdish culture and training in the Turkish language proved essential for his repeated deployments to the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria.

I firmly believe that Colonel Wortham's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this promotion, and by the fact that he went through Auburn University's ROTC Program.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: War hero who saved the life of a fellow soldier, COL Joseph W. Wortham II, to be Brigadier General in the United States Army under Executive Calendar No. 94; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Next, Madam President, we will move on to CAPT Thomas A. Donovan--CAPT Thomas A. Donovan, for appointment to Rear Admiral (lower half). Captain Donovan is currently serving as the Executive Officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

I know Captain Donovan, and I know of his service. I will not go into details tonight on this floor. I will explain it

to Members who are on this floor, off the floor, if they would like to talk about Captain Donovan.

I truly believe that we must stand up for the security and protection of our Nation, and I am proud to recognize this deserving officer, who earned this promotion, and highlight his selfless call to serve.

I firmly believe that Captain Donovan's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this appointment and promotion.

Now, again, I know Captain Donovan. I know him quite well. There may be mumblings over some of these younger officers. We have spent just a brief time talking about them on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Those who are out watching on C-SPAN, or maybe in clips tomorrow, will understand why some of these presentations are very brief.

For those in this Chamber that don't understand why these presentations are very brief, they shouldn't be here objecting to these nominations. I will let that sink in.

OK, CAPT Thomas A. Donovan.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: CAPT Thomas A. Donovan to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the Navy, under Executive Calendar No. 97; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

And I am very sorry to hear that.

Again, we have got another very short presentation here. I will have to explain it to my colleagues that maybe haven't served why they are brief.

Madam President, I call to the floor Executive Calendar No. 97, CAPT Joshua Lasky, for appointment to Rear Admiral (lower half).

As a 23-year combat veteran myself and a retired Lieutenant Colonel of our great U.S. Army, I am proud to stand up for this valiant officer who has answered the selfless call to service and earned this promotion in the U.S. Navy.

I firmly believe that Captain Lasky's qualifications, record, and character make him exceptionally eligible for this promotion. And, again, I will have to visit with folks off the floor to explain more about Captain Lasky. He is fully deserving of this promotion, and I am very sorry to acknowledge that he also will probably be objected to-- one more hero that will be objected to this evening.

So not only have we seen Senator Schumer dragging his feet on these nominations, but tonight we have had the exceptional opportunity--I think we have had maybe 40 of these nominations brought forward, but we are still dragging our feet on these. We are voting on them one by one, one by one, one by one--just as our colleague asked, one by one. These are men and women of honor. They are sworn to uphold the Constitution, the very Constitution that my colleague is saying he is protecting. They are sworn to uphold, and they would do it with their blood. Some of these men have done it with their blood. I am waiting.

So, Madam President, we can confirm this nomination by voice vote right here, tonight, individually--individually brought up, just as my colleague has asked.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: CAPT Joshua Lasky to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the Navy under Executive Calendar No. 97; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, our next nomination is a fine officer serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Our colleague from Alaska, Col. Dan Sullivan, also serves in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. I will read a little bit about this gentleman, and we will take an individual vote on the floor this evening, I am hoping, because this gentleman does deserve to be promoted and placed into his next position.

So this gentleman is Maj. Gen. Leonard F. Anderson IV, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, to be Lieutenant General and Commander of Marine Forces Reserves, Commander Marine Forces, South.

So here is a little bit about the good General. The Major General most recently served as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. He does have some prior experience as well in serving as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, but Major General Anderson also served in a marine aviation logistics squadron. So it is interesting that the Executive Calendar number for Maj. Gen. Leonard F. Anderson is 248 as I also--not in the Marines, but I served in an aviation support battalion, which is a logistics battalion, supporting aviation, the 248th Aviation Support Battalion. This gentleman has

served in the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron, and his experience has allowed him to support those men and women who are in the air, similar to the circumstance we talked about prior with a pilot who provided close air support during combat. These are the guys and gals who keep those aircraft up, flying, fueled, maintained--ready to go.

So this is an important position he is going into. It is the Marine Forces Reserves, Commander Marine Forces South, and I am hoping we will be able to take a vote on him this evening.

Therefore, Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 248, Leonard F. Anderson IV to be Lieutenant General and Commander Marine Forces Reserves Commander, Marine Forces South; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

OK, Madam President. We are just going to keep going. We have quite a few exceptional men and women who are proud to defend our glorious Nation. Many of them, again, have served in combat. We just came out of 20 years of the Global War on Terror, and we know what service is. Many of us know what service is. The Presiding Officer--her father certainly knew what service was, so I thank him very much for his service to our Nation.

So we will proceed to Executive Calendar No. 262, Timothy D. Haugh. I apologize to the gentleman if I am mispronouncing his name. It is H-A- U-G-H. He is a member of the U.S. Air Force, and he has been nominated to be the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency.

At a time when we see many nations around the world using grey-zone techniques to infiltrate various infrastructures in the United States of America and that of allied nations, we know how important Cyber Command is to protect not only our military assets but then to track and push back against those foreign agents who are going after civilian infrastructure as well.

Lieutenant General Haugh's 32-year career has been exemplary, and he has commanded intelligence and cyber commands at every level as the Commander of 16th Air Force, Air Forces Cyber, and Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber, where he was responsible for more than 44,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations.

The Lieutenant General most recently served as Deputy Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. Anyone, if they are paying attention, understands how important Cyber Command is. Again, the Lieutenant General has served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. We would love to see him confirmed this very evening, with a single vote, into the position of Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, and Director of the National Security Agency--an extremely important position.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 262, Timothy D. Haugh, to be Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, and Director of our National Security Agency; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, our next nominee as well is hoping to be confirmed this evening, again, by an individual vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Just as my colleague has asked, has demanded, my colleagues and I this evening are attempting to satisfy that demand for single votes on the floor of the U.S. Senate. We are providing that avenue of opportunity this evening and are hoping that we will see the confirmations of some of America's finest fighting men and women, who have absolutely nothing to do with the policy that has been proposed by Secretary Lloyd Austin.

In front of us, we have MG Charles D. Costanza. He is a member of the U.S. Army. He is being nominated as Lieutenant General and Commanding General of V Corps.

Over Major General Costanza's 32-year career--again, another plus 30 years of experience and decorations during war--he has served as the Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division, the Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Army Forces Command, and the Director of Training for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff. Major General Costanza's deployments include to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Major General Costanza has most recently served as Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command.

Once again, as an individual vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination of this fine individual: Executive Calendar No. 290, Charles D. Costanza to be Lieutenant General and Commanding General, V Corps; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

OK. We will move on to the next conferee, and we will bring to the table now No. 291, James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant General, and this is a fellow marine.

``Oorah.''

OK. A fellow marine.

To my good friend and colleague, Col. Dan Sullivan, Senator Sullivan of Alaska, we have Maj. Gen. James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant General and Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources Headquarters of U.S. Marine Corps.

Brigadier General Hanson has most recently served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations for Air Combat Command. A number of us who serve in the Senate have worn the uniform of our Nation and have deployed, and we understand how important these activities are, especially when you have a good friend at Mobilization and Operations for Air Combat Command.

Through the mobilization process, there are a lot of logistics there in moving folks around. So we know that Brigadier General Hanson is very well qualified to move into this position at Programs and Resources at the Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps. He has served in numerous positions at the squadron, the group wing, and numbered Air Force and Combatant Command levels as an Active-Duty and traditional Reservist and individual mobility augmenting member.

General Hanson has flown the A-10 and F-16 in a variety of operational assignments and is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours and over 200 combat hours. He has deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, Willing Spirit, and Enduring Freedom.

Mr. President, I bring forward to you for an individual vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate, as requested by my colleague. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 291, James H. Adams III to be Lieutenant General; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, so I am going to pick up where my colleague is leaving off. We will keep on with the Space Force theme as we go forward here.

I am bringing forward another really fantastic nominee, and this is Maj Gen Douglas A. Schiess. And I apologize again if I am getting these names wrong, but, heck, maybe we will get them confirmed tonight, and we won't have to read it again on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

So Maj Gen Douglas A. Schiess, U.S. Space Force, to be Lieutenant General and Commander, U.S. Space Forces--Space/Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander--again, serving in a joint force, just as Senator Sullivan and I are operating as a joint force here on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

We have another really great nominee with a lot of years of service to this incredible country. He has a 31-year career. And we have heard a lot of these guys. They are 30-plus. We have seen some lower officers just being promoted to Brigadier General. But let me tell you, these men and women who have over 30 years of service are to be commended. As my colleague from

Alaska has said, they have been put on the bench. I would think we would want the players with the most experience, the most finesse, the means to get a job done--I think we would want them in the game.

So Maj Gen Douglas Schiess has that 31-year career. He has commanded 4th Space Operations Squadron. He has been with the 45th Operations Group, the 21st Space Wing, and the 45th Space Wing. He deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, and Inherent Resolve. Most recently, he served as the Vice Commander for Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force.

Those who have paid attention in the last handful of years as we have developed our U.S. Space Force understand that this is a very important domain moving forward. So not only do we have land, sea, and air; now we have space as well.

I am very hopeful that we will move forward on this nomination-- again, 31 years of honorable service. He certainly deserves to be placed in this position of authority, Mr. President.

So I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 392, Douglas A. Schiess to be Lieutenant General and Commander, U.S. Space Forces--Space/Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, we will move on to the next individual vote, as requested by my colleague from Alabama. Here we are moving on the floor of the U.S. Senate. I am glad to be joined by a number of colleagues in the Chamber this evening to support our men and women in uniform.

I do want to make the point--because we continue to talk about these incredible nominees and their service to our Nation during times of war and times of peace--I do want to bring it back to the reason that we are here. It is because of the abhorrent policy that has been put into our Department of Defense by a political nominee, Secretary Lloyd Austin. He is the civilian in charge of the Department of Defense. Again, it is about an abortion policy that has been placed in the Department of Defense.

I will remind everyone once again that I am a pro-life woman. I am also a veteran and a combat veteran, at that. I do believe in protecting innocent life. I will continue to fight for innocent life. It was my amendment that was taken up in the Armed Services Committee earlier this year as we debated this policy during the debate on the National Defense Authorization Act.

I have been a pro-life leader for well over 30 years now, since I was a young woman going through Iowa State University; making my career in the civilian workforce; then going into the Iowa Senate, where I was a proud defender of life; and now into the U.S. Senate, where I continue fighting for life in ways that make sense.

We have civilian nominees who can be held and held responsible for this very, very bad policy at the Department of Defense. The men and women who are being brought forward tonight by Senator Dan Sullivan, by Senator Todd Young, by Senator Lindsey Graham, and myself, they have nothing to do with the DOD abortion policy--nothing to do with the DOD abortion policy.

I have joined in life marches. I have given life speeches. I have objected to the practice of abortion, late-term abortion, in Western Iowa, in Council Bluffs. I have done this, as I said, for three decades--three decades. I challenge anybody in this Chamber to be more pro-life than I am or more military than I am. I have served, and I have borne a child.

So our next nominee is Michael Guetlein. He is a Lieutenant General, U.S. Space Force, to be General and Vice Chief of Space Operations-- another incredible individual, a 32-year career. He also has served in command, leadership positions, at the flight, squadron, division, directorate, Program Executive Officer, and field command levels.

Lt Gen Guetlein's commands include the Director of Remote Sensing Systems and the Commander for the Rapid Reaction Squadron. Lieutenant General Guetlein most recently served as the Commander of Space Systems Command.

So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 292, Michael A. Guetlein for appointment to the grade of General with assignment as Vice Chief of Space Operation; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, we will continue again with the U.S. Space Force theme.

We have another gentleman: Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting of U.S. Space Force to be General and Commander of U.S. Space Command--again, a very, very important position to have. As we are working in the gray zone areas, we need to know that our space assets are protected, and we have the right man for the job.

So this is Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting. He has a 34-year career as a Space Operations Officer. He has commanded the 13th Space Warning Squadron, the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and Joint Space Operations Center, the 21st Space Wing, and the Combined Force Space Component Command and 14th Air Force.

Lieutenant General Whiting most recently served as the Commander of Space Operations Command--again, a gentleman who has absolutely nothing to do with DOD abortion policy, a man who has honorably served his country in uniform for 34 years.

We are probably going to see and witness the back-benching of Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting this evening, but, as my colleague from Alaska says, maybe not. Maybe we will see a man of honor step forward and voice vote on the confirmation of this officer by allowing us to move forward individually, as requested, on votes on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

So, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 328, Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting for appointment in the U.S. Space Force to be General and Commander, U.S. Space Command; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; and that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, this one hits home. It is another nominee from the Navy. Hey, I am Army, but I love my Navy brothers and sisters. I love them all. This one is a Navy sister.

This is Executive Calendar No. 347, Heidi K. Berg to be Rear Admiral. RDML Heidi K. Berg has--and as I was reading through these nominees, this struck me because she has an over 30-year career.

Now, I know--because I was commissioned over 30 years ago--I know what a difficult climb it has been for women who were entering into the U.S. armed services at that time. Those women who entered in the seventies, eighties, nineties--they were trailblazers. They increasingly were put into positions of authority.

This Rear Admiral, Heidi Berg, has commanded in some very significant positions. She has commanded the Navy Information Operations Command in Bahrain, the Navy Element of

the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Joint Military Intelligence Training Center.

Rear Admiral Berg's operational tours include Navy Security Group Activity in Rota, Spain, where Berg flew over 1,000 hours as a Communications Intercept Evaluator on board EP-3E aircraft in support of Operations Provide Promise/Sharp Guard, aboard the USS LaSalle, Italy, and as Director of the International Security Assistance Force Red Team at ISAF headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Most recently, Rear Admiral Berg served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy. And, again, we have had a number of women who have been brought up this evening in this debate, many of them having decades-plus experience. And I can tell you that women who were commissioned and have served over these last number of decades, they are to be commended. They have broken down barriers and allowed other women to see her and be her.

So for You, Admiral Heidi K. Berg, I commend you.

And I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 347, Heidi K. Berg, to be Rear Admiral; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

And there is another one that, as I said, you can see her; you can be her. Unfortunately, young ladies won't see her, at least for a while.

Mr. President, I have a couple here more before I turn it back over to my colleague from Alaska.

We are on a Navy theme again. So we have in front of us Michael T. Spencer, to be Rear Admiral Lower Half. He is a Navy 06, a Captain in the Navy, to be Rear Admiral (lower half).

Captain Spencer's 30-year naval career has been exemplary. He has commanded VFA-102 and CVW-11 and served in leadership positions for Fighter Squadron VF-211 Carrier Air Wing CVW-1 and VFA-213. His deployments include aboard the USS Nimitz, the USS John C. Stennis, the USS Enterprise, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and the USS George Washington, and again, most recently, on the USS Nimitz.

Again, an admirable career. We are bringing him up for an individual vote on the U.S. Senate floor, as requested by my colleague from Alabama. So we will try once again.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 327, Michael T. Spencer, to be Rear Admiral (lower half); that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Another one that I have known for a number of years now-- this one is in the U.S. Army--and I am very proud to be able to bring forward this nomination this evening--again, an individual vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate, as asked by our colleague from Alabama. I hope that we can get this one over the finish line tonight.

So this nominee is Executive Calendar No. 390. It is Douglas A. Sims II. And he has been nominated to be Lieutenant General and Director of the Joint Staff.

We have brought up so many incredible individuals this evening. All of them are incredibly important positions.

Now, if you are familiar in the military, we do have a Joint Staff. And as a Director, this gentleman would be making sure that that Joint Staff operated seamlessly. Things just don't happen in the military, especially when you don't have the right leadership in the right positions.

So we have Lieutenant General Sims. He has a 32-year career. He has served as the Commanding General of the First Infantry Division, the Deputy Director for Regional Operations and Force Management, and the Deputy Commanding General for Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan.

Let me say that again: the Deputy Commanding General for Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan. The weight of his authority.

Lieutenant General Sims has completed three deployments to Afghanistan and two to Iraq. Most recently, Lieutenant General Sims, an exemplary man serving in the U.S. Army, served as the Director for Operations of the Joint Staff J-3.

Mr. President, I am going to try again. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Executive Calendar No. 390, Douglas A. Sims II, to be Lieutenant General and Director, Joint Staff; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. President, we have just a couple more to go as we wrap up the evening. We have been reading off these nominations as fast as our staff could get them to us, and I guarantee that my colleague, Senator Sullivan of Alaska, and I would go all night if we could. We won't keep you in the Chair, Mr. President.

But we have seen a number of really incredible human beings come in front of us. Before I move on these nominations, that is what I want all of us to remember.

For those who might be viewing this evening, those who will read through this tomorrow, I want them to understand that these are human beings. They are men and women who serve our country for all different reasons.

I can't speak for Col. Dan Sullivan, but I know that when I decided as a young woman to serve my country, it was truly because I wanted to serve my country because I believe that our country provided great opportunities for kids like me who came from nothing.

I literally came from nothing in Southwest Iowa. I am the first in my family to graduate from a 4-year school. My brother did not have the opportunity to go to college. He went into the workforce. My sister has an associate's degree from a community college. My parents are both high school educated, and I am blessed that they were high school educated.

I had the great opportunity to attend an agricultural exchange while I was at Iowa State University, and that ag exchange took me to the USSR in 1989, to a place we now know as Ukraine. After living on that collective farm with my Ukrainian brother and sister and their family-- no running water, no refrigerator, no car, no telephone. The kids I lived with had never traveled off of the collective farm.

After that experience and coming back to the United States, I understood that, growing up on a tiny little farm in Southwest Iowa, that I was so very blessed to be an American.

My country afforded me all kinds of opportunities. Even though I came from a family without means, I could do anything. And I tell you what, when I was that kid, that 19-year-old kid who had traveled to the Soviet Union and back, I can tell you that my grandparents, at that time, would have never believed that that little kid would grow up and become a U.S. Senator.

But what I took from that experience was that I was blessed. Dan was blessed. Coach is blessed. I think all of us are blessed by virtue of our birth and our citizenship here in the United States.

So it was that experience that led me into the U.S. Army ROTC Program at Iowa State University because I didn't come from wealth or means, but what I did have was my service. And I knew that I needed to give back to my country and protect the values that we all hold dear. And I do not question anyone who serves in this U.S. Senate. We are all sent here for a purpose.

But I do know that many of these men and women whom we have talked about tonight, they believe in their country as well. They are human beings. Many of them have backgrounds just as I do. They are flesh and blood, and they have chosen to wear the uniform and the flag of our United States.

They have done that without any mental reservation. They have stepped forward to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And they do it because they believe in our country. And it is really unfortunate that tonight these men and women have been denied their promotions. We have done the best that we can to honor the request of a fellow Senator that these nominations be brought to the floor and voted on individually.

And I really respect men of their word. I do not respect men who do not honor their word. We have brought forward nearly 60 nominees. Every one of them have been denied an opportunity to move forward.

They have given more than most of us have. Certainly, they have given more than I have in this Chamber. They have given more than Dan has given in this Chamber. We talked about many that had over 30 years of honorable service, and we are punishing them for what all of us here believe to

be a very bad policy at the Department of Defense--a policy that they have absolutely nothing to do with.

There are 379 nominations as of the end of October, concerning 375 general and flag officers here in the Senate for consideration. Of the 375 officers, 362 are currently impacted by a blanket hold as they wait here on the Senate floor pending confirmation.

We gave opportunity to nearly 60 of them this evening. These military families are in limbo. The families of 172 officers have been disrupted by these holds. Again, these are men and women. They have families who are being impacted. Their salaries are being impacted. Their retirements are being impacted. They had forced cancelations of coast- to-coast moves with homes that were sold. Many of them are now living in temporary housing and paying out of pocket for storage without any clarity about the length of time that they will be in this hold.

Many of their children were disenrolled from current schools and-- and--again, these are innocents--they are unable to reenroll in school or enroll in a new school since they do not have a permanent address. And there were many spouses who had employment that was terminated. That is a kick in the seat. I was a military spouse. I understand how difficult it is doing those PCS moves from duty station to duty station because your country demands it and having to start your life all over again.

So I am going to bring up these last two nominations, and maybe we will see a result, again, bringing the nominations individually to the floor of the U.S. Senate to be voted on. I anticipated a man of his word would honor his word. We haven't heard an explanation. But I will tell you, this was not time wasted tonight. I will do this all over again. I will do it all over again.

I am bringing forward now Capt. Frederic C. Goldhammer to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the U.S. Navy, under Executive Calendar No. 97. Captain Goldhammer has a 28-year career, actually over 28 years now, and he has held several command positions, including while deployed aboard USS Enterprise, USS Nimitz, and USS Eisenhower, supporting Operation Southern Watch, Joint Endeavor, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Captain Goldhammer also completed Individual Augmentee assignments as an Air Planning Officer for the Coalition Combat Air Operations Center in Saudi Arabia, Liaison Officer to the U.S. Army's 18th Airborne Corps in Afghanistan, and as a Combat Search and Rescue Watch Officer for the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet staff in Bahrain.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of the following nomination: Capt. Frederic C. Goldhammer to be Rear Admiral (lower half) in the U.S. Navy, under Executive Calendar No. 97; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

And our final nomination this evening--so I mentioned that I was a former military spouse, and Senator Sullivan had brought up First Ranger Battalion. And those who have served around many of those in the Rangers, they understand that there is a--there is a stanza of the Ranger creed that is ``I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy.''

We have talked about those who have saved the lives of other men and women in uniform. We heard about the marine who saved a life of many other men and women in uniform and went to retrieve those who have fallen so that they wouldn't forever be in the hands of the enemy.

We have heard about women who led the way, as well, with their service and showing other young women that they could serve and do great things for the Nation that has given them so much. We have heard so many stories about heroics and combat, ``V'' for Valor, Silver Star. We have heard brief resumes of warriors we really can't go into on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Again, those of us who served understand why we can't do that.

But these are people. They are human beings. They are flesh and blood. They have done everything they possibly can and given more than most for their country: duty and honor, their service, sacrifice for this Nation.

And what is this body, this Nation doing to them? This will be remembered. It is a dark evening. This will be remembered. I want to thank them so much for their service to our country. We will continue pressing forward because we will not leave them to fall. We will not leave them to fall.

So, with that, I will turn the floor back over to my colleague and thank you--oh, excuse me, I haven't completed this final nomination.

Oh, we have more. We could go all night, Dan. We have done it before.

But I am going to move on Col. Kevin J. Merrill to be a Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force. Col. Kevin Merrill most recently served as the Deputy Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements for Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command.

Previously, Col. Merrill was the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations for the Air Force Special Operations Command,

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 6 minutes on my amendment.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment, No. 1177, and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, thousands of calls to the VA from veterans seeking mental health care went unanswered over the past year, and that was just at the Atlanta VA.

One veteran in the midst of a mental health crisis called 10 times over a 3-month period and could not get the care she needed, much less anyone to answer her calls, so she ended up in an emergency room. Other veterans who made VA appointments say their therapists didn't even show up.

Meanwhile, a manager at the Atlanta VA responsible for overseeing the scheduling of veterans' appointments actually called in to a meeting from a bubble bath and posted this selfie on social media with the caption:

My office for the next hour.

Another VA staffer lamented:

It's almost as if this employee is making a mockery of all

the veterans. I can sit here in my tub and relax, and you

just have to wait.

And that is exactly what is happening.

While this bill provides nearly $320 billion for the VA, what good is it to give the Agency all of this money if the VA isn't even answering the phone or showing up for appointments with our veterans?

This isn't just a problem at the VA either. Desperate travelers are waiting hours on the phone or in line, hoping to speak with someone at the State Department about passport delays that are causing vacation cancelations, and seniors calling the Social Security Administration are increasingly having their calls go unanswered altogether as the Agency shifts toward remote work.

Frustrated Americans are sick and tired of being put on hold while many Federal employees are phoning it in, ``working'' from home.

In his 2022 State of the Union Address, President Biden pledged that ``the vast majority of Federal workers will once again work in person.'' A year and a half later, government employee unions are still fighting off efforts to bring their bureaucrats back.

Only one out of every three bureaucrats is fully back in the office, according to a recent Office of Personnel Management survey. Some said they never report to a physical office.

Seventy-five percent or more of the office space at the headquarters of most Federal Agencies is not even being used. Taxpayers are picking up the cost of maintaining these mostly empty buildings.

If Federal employees can't be found at their desks, exactly where are they? The work locations of over 281,000 employees were redacted by the Biden administration to a Freedom of Information request filed by the nonprofit group Open The Books.

Well, folks, time is up for Biden's game of bureaucrat hide-and-seek. I am offering an amendment making the Biden administration account for the location of every bureaucrat who works for the VA and every other Department funded by this bill. My amendment also requires taxpayers to be told the financial and environmental costs of maintaining empty offices and the impact remote work is having on veterans' care and the response times of other government services.

To all of my Senate colleagues, don't claim that you are taking care of veterans just because there is a spending increase for the VA in this bill. We need to work together to ensure that the VA is actually showing up and caring for our veterans.

My amendment will provide some much needed accountability to monitor if that is happening. Our veterans answered the call of duty. Now it is time for Federal employees to do the same.

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on my amendment.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Crayons 2 Pencils of Norwalk, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week during National Women's Small Business Month and National Veterans Small Business Week.

Owned and operated by husband and wife duo Matt and Jill Larsen in Norwalk, IA, Crayons 2 Pencils is an early learning center and recreation center providing childcare services to the Norwalk community. Following her career in corporate America, Jill's start in early childhood learning and development was in 2008, when she taught 13 kids in her home. In 2015, Jill partnered with her friend Cindy Gavin to use the same childcare curriculum in each of their homes. In 2016, Jill and Cindy were able to move their childcare operation into one location when they opened the Crayons 2 Pencils Early Childhood Center. Over the years, they have grown to 63 employees, with additional positions available over the summer months. Crayons 2 Pencils currently provides care to 281 children.

In 2020, Matt joined Crayons 2 Pencils full-time as a jack-of-all- trades driving the school bus, organizing construction projects, and handling the technology and security systems. In 2022, Crayons 2 Pencils opened the Crayons 2 Pencils Recreation Center, which serves preschool through third grade and is equipped with a gym, sand volleyball court, stage, and additional classrooms. In 2023, Crayons 2 Pencils celebrated their seventh business anniversary.

Service to our country is integral to the Larsen family. Matt has served in the Iowa Air National Guard for 18 years and was deployed to Iraq. Following in Matt's footsteps, their son Jayden also serves in the Iowa Air National Guard, in addition to being a member of Iowa State University's Spirit Squad with his sister Joslyn.

Crayons 2 Pencils is also actively involved in the Norwalk community. They are active members of the Norwalk Area Chamber of Commerce, being one of the sponsors of the second annual Celebrate Norwalk Party in City Park in 2023 and hosting the Norwalk Career Fair in 2021. They have also served as a valuable resource to other childcare centers in the area by mentoring and teaching courses on childcare to directors and employees.

Crayons 2 Pencil's commitment to providing outstanding childcare services in Norwalk, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate Matt and Jill Larsen and the entire team at Crayons 2 Pencils for their continued dedication. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Secret Serenity Salon and Spa of Harlan, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week during National Women's Small Business Month.

Founded by Tami Kloewer in 2007, Secret Serenity Salon and Spa is a full-service salon serving customers in western Iowa communities. Secret Serenity Salon and Spa offers hair, nail, and skin care services, as well as a spa and retail store in their shop. Secret Serenity Salon and Spa started with Tami as the only employee but has grown to now employ 21 full- and part-time employees. In addition to their in-store services, their retail store offers a variety of beauty care products for all types of skin and hair needs. In 2023, Secret Serenity Salon and Spa celebrated its 16th business anniversary.

In addition to providing beauty services, Secret Serenity Salon and Spa is also actively involved in the Harlan community. In February 2022, Secret Serenity Salon and Spa participated in a Women's Health Night event hosted by Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. The event provided local women with routine health screenings while Secret Serenity Salon and Spa offered free chair massages to participants. The team has also supported philanthropies to help the local schools, retirement centers, and hospital. Secret Serenity Salon and Spa is a member of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has hosted the chamber's annual Holiday Open House. Owner Tami Kloewer is also involved in the Iowa community. In 2020, Tami Kloewer was nominated to serve on the Iowa Board of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences by Gov. Kim Reynolds and served on the board until 2023.

Secret Serenity Salon and Spa's commitment to providing beauty care in

Harlan, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate Tami Kloewer and the entire team at Secret Serenity Salon and Spa for their continued dedication to providing beauty care to Iowans. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Madam President, I just returned from a mission to the Middle East, where I had the unique opportunity to lead a bipartisan delegation to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Israel. We had planned this visit long before the heinous attacks by Iran-backed Hamas, with the goal of strengthening the Abraham Accords and our relationships in the region.

In the UAE, I led a discussion with their Crown Prince and President about increasing cooperation between our two countries to further security, peace, and prosperity. I left feeling more determined than ever to intensify our efforts to advance growth across the Middle East and beyond.

In Saudi Arabia, I met with Muhammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom. During this visit, we discussed the prospect of an Israeli-Saudi peace deal to further the dream of a thriving and integrated Middle East.

The delegation left that very meeting optimistic that the Crown Prince was dedicated and committed to this dream--a dream, for many of us, like myself, who served in the region after 9/11, a dream that was rocked the next morning when we heard the news that Israel was at war once again.

At this moment, there was no question what my bipartisan delegation needed to do. It was our job to ensure our ally Israel understood clearly that America is and will always stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

Our delegation was briefed at the highest levels as we completed our visit in Saudi at the Prince Sultan Air Base, where we witnessed integrated air and missile defense systems in action, something my bipartisan DEFEND Act helped to ensure.

We continued into Bahrain the next morning to meet with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Once again, a meeting that was intended to be another step on the path to regional security took a very different turn. The Crown Prince provided his insight into the current situation in Israel and his assessment of the causes and potential scale of the conflict. He also spoke of a peaceful future and highlighted the longstanding relations between Bahrain and America, noting the history of bilateral ties and his commitment to achieving mutual aspirations.

Our final stops in Bahrain included the U.S. Naval Support Activity and Task Force 59, which integrates unmanned systems and artificial intelligence to help ensure maritime security and to deter Iran's illegal activities in the Gulf.

The situation in Israel continued to degrade, and I made the decision that we were ultimately going to accomplish what we set out to achieve. Despite all attempts to stop us, I led our bipartisan delegation to Jordan in preparation for a cross-border drive into Israel.

Upon our previously unscheduled arrival, we met with His Majesty King Abdallah II of Jordan, where he painted a dire picture of regional escalation and the need for stability in the West Bank. He was open and honest about his concern that Iran would capitalize on the chaos by using their other proxies to further escalate the conflict. He discussed the tensions within Jordan and the need for the United States to once again lead and establish peace through strength.

The King's clear-eyed insight into the savage nature of Iran-backed Hamas was chilling, and his concern for escalation was felt by every member of our delegation.

It was clear that what we were about to walk into was chaotic and uncertain and not for the faint of heart. But, in unity, our bipartisan delegation pressed on, and on October 10, we set foot in Israel.

We first met with Eli Cohen, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and received an update on the war. Here, we heard, for the first time, the true nature of the atrocities that the Hamas savages were conducting-- rape, beheadings, dragging bloody bodies into the streets--and among those dead were American citizens. The Israeli Foreign Minister made it very clear that the threat Hamas poses to civilization is no less than what the United States faced with ISIS in Iraq, where I served, and in Syria, and I couldn't agree more. These terrorists are monsters, and they deserve nothing short of destruction.

We then spoke with the family of Chaim Peri, an 80-year-old peace activist and father of five who was kidnapped from his home during the invasion. We heard firsthand accounts of the inhumanity of the attack: the destruction of their home, the violence his family endured, and, ultimately, that one of his sons was murdered in defending the family.

Shaken but not deterred, the delegation carried on to Tel Aviv, where we met with Opposition Leader Lapid, the Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and, ultimately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We heard increasingly graphic accounts of torture and mutilation of civilians. We ultimately witnessed a nation that was and is truly in an existential fight for survival against a psychopathic terrorist organization whose stated goal is destruction of the State of Israel and killing as many Jewish people as possible.

Let me tell you, there was no daylight between the political factions in Israel on what needs to be done. The complete and total destruction of Hamas is the greatest near-term priority for Israel. Reestablishing deterrence against all others who seek the destruction of Israel is critical.

I am here to say that, in these goals, the United States must not waver in our commitment to our greatest ally in the Middle East. Now is not the time for weak-kneed leadership and ongoing appeasement of the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism that risks the lives of Americans and our allies at

home and abroad and allows Hamas to wreak havoc in Israel.

Now is the time for strong American leadership, one that understands the threat a war waged by Iran-backed proxies is to our own national security here in the homeland. With Americans still being held hostage by Hamas and the death toll of our fellow citizens continuing to rise, this moment demands clarity from our elected officials. Not only today but in the coming days and months, as Israel fights to secure their most basic human right--the right to life--the United States must stand resolute in our support.

May God bless the families who have lost a loved one, and may God bless Israel as she defends herself from Hamas's brutal attacks.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize M's Machine and Manufacturing Company of Monona, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week during National Women's Small Business Month.

M's Machine and Manufacturing Company was founded by Phil Murphy and Chet Allen in Monona, IA, in 1981 as a way to provide original equipment manufacturers--OEMs--CNC machine services. In 1989, Virginia Drahn purchased M's Machine and Manufacturing from the original founders and continued their legacy while being a female-owned and operated business. In 2008, Virginia sold the company to family members Casey, Candace, and Cory Drahn, with Casey currently serving as the president and Candace as vice president. Four generations of the Drahn family have worked at the company, which is still a woman-owned provider of CNC machine services. They offer CNC machine parts to the agriculture, automotive, industrial, and medical industries throughout the Midwest and have customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. M's Machine and Manufacturing Company has grown to 32 full-time employees and celebrated its 42nd business anniversary in 2023.

M's Machine and Manufacturing Company and the Drahn family are Clayton County and Monona community staples. In 2017, they were featured on KCRG's ``Made in Eastern Iowa'' segment, highlighting their business's growth and success as a women-owned manufacturer. The team at M's Machine and Manufacturing Company not only works hard, but they also give back. They have participated in National Manufacturing Day, an event held on the first Friday of October and have hosted local students to learn about manufacturing and encourage them to pursue jobs in the industry.

M's Machine commitment to providing OEMs with high-quality CNC machine services in Monona, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate the Drahn family and the entire team at M's Machine and Manufacturing Company for their continued dedication. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week it is my privilege to recognize Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing of Pilot Grove, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week during National Women's Small Business Month.

Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing was founded by Ben Steffensmeier in 1982 as a one-person welding shop. He founded the business 2 years after graduating from Fort Madison High School in Fort Madison, IA, and learning how to weld from Joe Mertens and Paul Conrad. In 1985, the one-person shop expanded after Ben hired his brother Glenn Steffensmeier and in 1986 moved the business to their current city of operation, Pine Grove. Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing started as a local shop that helped local farmers and has grown to service several big-name clients. In 2000, his wife Jenny started working at the company in a part-time capacity. Jenny eventually took over the day-to-day control of the company in 2011 following Ben's battle with Frontotemporal Dementia. In 2015, Ben

Steffensmeier passed away leaving behind a legacy of hard work, resilience, and excellence in the welding profession.

Today, Jenny Steffensmeier continues to lead the company and has grown to include 12 employees, including 4 of her 5 children working at the company in varying capacities. While in this position, Jenny Steffensmeier has been recognized for her contributions to the welding and manufacturing industry as a female president. She is an alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, a program that promotes, highlights, and educates small businesses and their importance in the U.S. economy. She has been featured on the Iowa Business Report radio program, Southeastern Community College ``Friends'' profile, and the ``Talks at GS'' episode where she joined Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for a conversation on small businesses. Jenny also serves on the boards of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and the Iowa Economic Development Authority. In April, 2022, I had the opportunity to tour Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing with Jenny and her daughter Rachel as part of my River to River Tour. Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing's hard work has paid off; in 2023, they celebrated their 41st business anniversary.

Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing's commitment to providing high-quality commercial welding and manufacturing services in Pilot Grove, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate the Jenny Steffensmeier, the Steffensmeier family, and the entire team at Steffensmeier Welding and Manufacturing for their continued dedication. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.