Floor Statements

Madam President, I call up my amendment, No. 3115, and ask that it be reported by number.

Madam President, I grew up on a farm in Southwest Iowa, where we took extraordinary pride in the work we did and the livestock and crops we raised.

Our hard-working livestock producers should not have to worry about being subject to onerous regulations and increased production costs due to Federal permits or regulations.

My amendment would prohibit or limit any new Federal methane requirements on livestock that would increase the cost of beef or other critical

products. This ``cow tax'' will just result in higher food costs for Americans at the grocery store at a time when inflation has already caused prices to skyrocket.

This ``cow tax'' could put our local farms out of business. They could devastate our rural communities, which are continuing to feed and fuel the world.

I won't stand by while the Democrats force Iowa farmers and ranchers and American consumers to pay for their over-the-top regulations.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and keep America's farming and ranching operations going and food prices affordable for our hard-working families.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, I would ask unanimous consent that the request be further modified to include my amendment No. 2639, and my amendment is very simple. It requires a public price tag to be put on projects funded with taxpayer dollars by the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation. It allows taxpayers to see exactly how their dollars are being spent, whether it is on an airport, a bridge, or any other project.

Congress has renewed the provision--referred to as the Stevens Amendment--annually for more than 30 years for some Federal Agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor. It was most recently approved by Congress and signed into law as part of both the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021.

The infrastructure bill we are now considering will finance many projects across the country. My amendment would provide some much needed transparency for taxpayers by showing what projects are being funded with their tax dollars and the actual costs associated with them.

In practice, my amendment requires nothing more than a single sentence disclosing the dollar amount paid by taxpayers and what that amount represents of the overall percentage of the project's budget. The only reason to oppose this commonsense transparency is if there is something to hide.

I urge the consideration of my amendment and ask that my colleagues vote yes.

Again, I ask unanimous consent that the request be further modified to include my amendment, Ernst No. 2639.

Madam President, we have all experienced a bit of buyer's remorse this past year. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic had folks stockpiling too much or just doing a little online retail therapy for things they may never use. But when it comes to impulse buying, no one can compete with Democrats in Washington. If running up the taxpayers' tab was an Olympic sport, Democrats would easily take home the gold.

Over the past 6 months, the Democrats have run up trillions of dollars in new spending. And as we are just days away from hitting the Nation's debt limit, these same Democrats are preparing to charge trillions more to the Nation's credit card, paid for by taxpayers, of course, to purchase more of their pricey, partisan pet projects and other items on their progressive wish list.

Their reckless spending spree started in March with their strictly partisan $2.1 trillion, a so-called COVID bill. The Democrats assured us the $1,400 stimulus checks and $300-a-week enhanced unemployment benefits included in the bill would get America back on its feet. Well, folks, this July 28, we have 10 million unfilled jobs. Last week, jobless claims increased. And hard-working Americans are feeling the pinch and paying more for almost everything, from gas to groceries. The Democrats' poisonous progressive policies are failing us, and Iowans and the rest of Americans know it. Yet

Democrats--they just keep on spending.

Right now, the majority leader is plotting to fast-track an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink tax-and-spending bill that could cost more than $3\1/2\ trillion. So what is in this latest bill? More poisonous progressive policies.

One of the most harmful provisions to families everywhere and especially farm families in Iowa is what I like to call the farm-to- table tax hike. The Democrats want to pay for part of their radical agenda by increasing the tax on family farms being passed from one generation to the next. But that tax won't only hit farmers and ranchers; it will increase the cost of producing and purchasing food for all of our families.

Americans recognize President Biden's budget-busting bills are a key factor in the skyrocketing costs; yet the Democrats keep packing their bills with progressive pet policies and projects they know won't make your life better but that will appease their political base. And their answer when things don't get better is always: Wait, we didn't spend enough.

Folks, it is laughable to argue that Washington hasn't spent enough when our national debt now exceeds $28 trillion. The shopaholics who control the purse strings in Congress are addicted to spending other people's money on things we don't need or that we can't afford.

Let's review the receipt for Bidenomics: $2.1 trillion for Biden's so-called American Rescue Plan, which includes $200 billion for enhanced unemployment payments, $1.7 billion for Amtrak, $135 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $50 million for environmental justice grants, plus $3.5 trillion for the proposed reckless tax-and- spending spree.

We still don't even know what goodies are included in this grab bag, but it is likely to include parts of the socialist Green New Deal and doubling the size of the IRS by hiring an army of new auditors. Add on nearly $10 billion for swampy earmarks to pay for pork projects.

The list goes on and on and on, like the world's longest CVS receipt; except you don't expect any savings here, folks.

And when you add it all up, the grand total: $6.8 trillion.

As these bills come due, President Biden's reckless spending spree will leave us with buyer's remorse for years to come. It is time to cut up Washington's credit card and make DC start living within its means, just like every hard-working family across Iowa and America do.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to use a prop during my remarks.

Madam President, President Biden's economic policies are causing nationwide sticker shock.

The price of nearly everything is higher today than it has been since Biden was in the White House the first time. The cost of consumer goods has gone up every month since January, and the markup in prices over the past year is the biggest annual increase since 2008. The Democrats' response to these rising prices is to simply spend more, which is making the problem worse.

Paying people not to work is contributing to worker shortages. Not having enough workers is resulting in service and supply shortages. Combine these two factors with trillions of dollars of government spending, and it all adds up to higher prices on everything for everyone. It is a common story wherever I visit on my 99-county tour. Because of Washington's upside-down economic policies, small businesses are struggling to hire workers, and our families are paying much more for far less.

Put simply, under Bidenomics, the price is up. Everyday products, like

diapers and paper towels, are either increasing in cost or decreasing in size, which is the same result: more money out of our wallets. Whether you are eating in or you are dining out, the one thing you are guaranteed to find on every supermarket shelf and restaurant menu is higher prices.

A pound of sliced bacon has increased a whole dollar in just the past year, and the fast-food dollar menu is disappearing. We are paying more at the pump too. A year ago, a gallon of gas cost about $2.18. Today, the price is just under $3 in Iowa. Nationally, the cost has risen to about $3.15 per gallon and is expected to keep going up throughout the summer. Meanwhile, rising shipping costs are lifting the prices of everything from coffee to furniture.

All in all, Bidenomics has resulted in the biggest surge in inflation in nearly 13 years. For Iowans who are living on a budget, these unpredictable price markups are making every purchase a real guessing game. They keep finding themselves asking if the price is right.

To demonstrate just how much costs are spinning out of control, I have brought the wheel of inflation with me here today. Each of the numbers on the wheel represents a price increase for a common household product. It will tell us exactly how much more Bidenomics is costing hard-working Americans.

So, folks, let's go ahead and give it a spin.

No. 8. In the past year, the price of bacon is up about 8 percent.

Give her a good spin.

OK. No. 5, and it is a black 5. In the past year, the price of clothes is up about 5 percent.

No. 11. In the past year, the price of auto insurance is up 11 percent; and if you go to the 17 there, you will find that hotel rates, the price has gone up 17 percent in the last year.

There are no winning numbers on this wheel. Again, every number represents the increase of a common good American consumers are dealing with. There are no winning numbers on this wheel. No matter how you spin it, we simply cannot afford any more Bidenomics. I think the American people will agree, all of these prices need to come on down. But instead of addressing inflation, Democrats are trying to outbid one another over a massive new government spending program they are calling human infrastructure.

Want to guess what the price tag being floated by the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee for this package might be? Three and a half trillion dollars--all capital letters, folks.

The endless giveaway of cash and prizes may make it appear like Democrats in Washington are running a game show, but we all know that this is not a game. With our national debt approaching $30 trillion, the bills are eventually going to come due. And you know who will be stuck with the tab? Taxpayers.

What runaway inflation doesn't take from working Americans' paychecks, the IRS will take to pay for the Democrats' never-ending spending. We are all going to be paying back the trillions of dollars borrowed to pay for Bidenomics, both in higher taxes and in higher consumer costs, and that price--folks, it isn't right.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I rise to pay tribute to COL David W. Trotter, who has selflessly served our great country as a U.S. Army intelligence officer. He is a fellow alumnus of the Iowa State University Cyclone Battalion and a dear friend of mine.

Colonel Trotter will retire on November 30, 2021, after a successful 30-year military career as an accomplished leader, infantry, and intelligence officer. Dave's leadership abilities were evident early on. I met Dave early in my days at Iowa State, where he served as a personal mentor and driving factor to my own service to this great Nation. From those early days, he grew even more as a leader and soldier, ultimately completing a storied career at home and abroad, in peace and in war. It is fitting that we recognize his service to this great Nation.

Colonel Trotter was commissioned in 1992 upon graduating from Iowa State University as a distinguished military graduate with a bachelor in business. Dave served as an infantry platoon leader in Korea and a company executive officer at Fort Carson, CO. He then was selected as a company commander for 18 months with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment in Fort Lewis, WA. After command, he served as an operations officer for the Des Moines, IA, Recruiting Battalion before being selected for the prestigious 75th Ranger Regiment.

Upon arrival at the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, GA, Dave served as an assistant intelligence officer. He then was selected again for command, where he served as the military intelligence detachment commander. Throughout his time in the 75th Ranger Regiment, Dave deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

As a field-grade officer, Dave served as an operations officer in the XVIII Airborne Corps, G2 section at Fort Bragg, NC. He then served as an operations officer and executive officer within the 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, where he also deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then served again as an operations officer for the Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, VA, before being selected for command of the Army Geospatial Intelligence Battalion at Springfield, VA.

After various staff positions, Dave served as the chief of staff, Afghanistan Ministry of Interior Advisory Group, where he deployed again to Afghanistan in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom Sentinel. After a brief year on staff at Fort Huachuca, AZ, Dave deployed again in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, where he served as the III Corps G2. After redeployment, he was chosen to serve as the Army North senior intelligence officer. He then would transfer once more to Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, TX, where he served as the executive officer to the commanding general of Army North, Fifth Army.

As his final assignment in uniform, COL David W. Trotter was selected to serve as the deputy commander for Joint Base San Antonio and the vice commander of the 502d Air Base Wing.

A highly decorated officer, Dave earned several service awards, including the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster and the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, for his service. He also earned the Ranger Tab, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Dave has deployed in support of combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. He has served at every level and commanded with distinction at the company through brigade levels within the conventional force and within the Army's premier Special Operations Command. He and his family have sacrificed so much to ensure America can be what it is today.

David, congratulations on your successful career and well-deserved retirement. I want to thank you and your family for the sacrifices you have made over the past 30 years. I join my colleagues in Congress and all Americans as we express our deepest appreciation for your service, acknowledge you and your family's many accomplishments and sacrifices, and wish the very best for you, your wife Tami, and your son Ty in the future.

Madam President, in each new Congress, the bill number S. 1 is a sign of the majority's priority legislation. It says a lot about the new Democrat majority that the bill they chose to design as S. 1 prioritizes themselves.

This bill creates a Federal campaign fund to finance the expenses of candidates for Congress. Instead of addressing the important issues that are on the minds of my fellow Iowans--like the rising cost of gasoline, bread, milk, and all sorts of household goods--this bill literally takes money out of the paychecks of working Americans and puts it into the campaign coffers of Washington politicians.

Rather than helping to get Americans back to work, the Democrats' top priority, again, is S. 1. Their top priority is to create a Federal jobs program for political consultants and pollsters, taxpayer- subsidized robocalls interrupting your family dinner, junk mail cluttering your mailbox, and attack ads blaring--yes--on your TV. And, folks, you cannot--cannot--unsubscribe, either, because there is no opting out.

Think about the politician you dislike the most. Now imagine your tax dollars funding their ads and fliers and campaign parties and rallies. That is what this bill does.

That is right. The bill subsidizes politicians' campaigns--your tax dollars helping to elect politicians who oppose your values.

This idea is so unpopular that a New York poll found that the majority leader's own constituents oppose public funding of campaigns by a 3-to-1 margin.

While the Democrats call the bill the For the People Act, a more apt title would be ``Fund the Politicians Act.'' It is about Washington politicians--the same ones who just brought back earmarks to pay for their pet pork projects with your tax dollars, prioritizing themselves.

The bill not only subsidizes the campaigns of politicians, it nationalizes elections. Washington would tell the rest of the country how you can select your representatives. It does so by creating a Federal workaround of State voter ID laws by effectively eliminating the enforcement of State ID requirements at the polls.

Think about what you are required to show an ID to do: drive a car, board a plane, buy a beer--and the list goes on. But Democrats think it is best if we don't require an ID to vote.

The majority of Americans disagree with Washington Democrats, and 77 percent of voters support voter ID. A little known fact is that this includes support by 63 percent of Democrats and a vast majority of Black and Hispanic voters.

It is all part of the Democrats' larger scheme and total power grab to tilt our political system in their favor. First, eliminate the filibuster. Then, rig elections by eliminating election integrity laws like voter ID verification. Then, add new States, like the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, that will elect Democrat Senators. And don't forget the plan to pack the Court.

There are just 50 Democratic Senators, but 60 votes are required to end debate on legislation in the Senate. Therefore, the Democrats must eliminate the filibuster in order to pass S. 1, their priority legislation. That is right--changing the rules in order to fundamentally change our country.

And I would remind folks that my friends across the aisle are seeking to abolish the very same tool--the filibuster--that they used 327 times last year alone when they were in the minority. If they chose to change the rules, they would destroy this Chamber's long, proud history as being the world's greatest deliberative body.

The Senate's current assistant majority leader made it clear--very clear--in 2018, in no uncertain terms, that ending the filibuster would be the end of the Senate as it was originally devised and created going back to the Founding fathers

Because the takeover of elections is just as radical and largely unconstitutional, the Democrats' Court-packing scheme is another key component of enshrining S. 1.

Folks, we can all see this for what it is--a transparent play for permanent political power. This is not about democracy. It is about changing the rules and tipping the scales to favor Washington Democrats.

As a former local elections commissioner, I believe elections are always best kept at the State and local level, and I will continue to push back on my colleagues' attempts to federalize our elections system.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I thank Senator Scott, and I appreciate the time to speak today on this topic. Certainly, I am rising to also support the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act.

The United States should no longer provide any recognition or resources to Hamas, a terrorist organization supplied by Iran disguised as a Palestinian political party. Hamas is a longstanding terrorist organization whose attacks and efforts against peace threaten the lives of civilians and innocents.

Using the population of Gaza as a human shield, Hamas fired more than 1,500 rockets into Israeli civilian areas in an unprovoked attack last month. The attack was not the action of a responsible political party but the violent outburst of an Iranian proxy bent on the destruction of Israel and peace.

Hamas's roots and rationale have very little to do with a broader struggle for freedom of worship or narrow land use disagreements. It is far simpler than that. Iran supplies rockets, and Hamas launches rockets on innocent Israelis because they share a common goal: eradication of the Jewish people in Israel. It is that simple.

Hamas couldn't be more clear in their goals. Their charter states:

There is no solution for the Palestinian question except

through Jihad. There is no way out except by concentrating

all powers and energies to face this Nazi, vicious Tatar

invasion.

No mention of peace or advancement for people--Israel's defensive actions against a terror group that compares their people to Nazis and is dedicated to their destruction are to be expected. Self-defense and protection of citizens is a core responsibility of every country. Hamas attacked innocent civilians, fully expecting them to be attacked in return. Their plan was to purposely create civilian casualties.

We must be unequivocal in support for our ally. The President and Secretary of State must remain strong in American support to Israel and not lose sight of the true threat Hamas's backer, Iran, poses to Israel.

The administration must abandon its attempts to return to the deeply flawed nuclear agreement with Iran. Their attempt to return to the failed nuclear deal only emboldens Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran provides Hamas and other genocidal terrorist organizations with rocket systems, rocket parts, assembly training, and cash support every year. And Iran's goal mirrors that of Hamas: to wipe Israel off the map, bottom line.

Just as no country--Israel or otherwise--would tolerate such terrorism and aggression against its citizens, no true ally would turn their backs on a friend in their moment of need. They certainly would not continue funding the organization responsible for the attack. So now, more than ever, the United States must stand with its ally, condemn the attacks against Israel by Hamas, and affirm our commitment to support Israel's peace and security.

The Stop American Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act ensures no funding will be authorized to the territory of Gaza, the site of Hamas's headquarters, until the President certifies to Congress that these funds can be spent without benefiting terrorist organizations.

The United States must be clear in our unwavering commitment to our ally and ensure no American taxpayer dollar goes to Hamas ever again.

I would like to thank my friend and colleague from the great State of Florida for moving on this piece of legislation I am proud to support.

Again, thank you for your leadership on this.

I yield the floor back to the Senator from Florida.

Mr. President, I rise to support my colleague and friend from New York in the call for the consideration of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. This is an effort whose time is well past due.

For too long, our servicemembers have faced the threat and traumas of sexual assault in their own ranks. We must act to prevent these attacks and hold perpetrators accountable. Sixty-five other Members of this Chamber recognize the urgency of our servicemembers' plight. It is time for debate and consideration.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, you might have missed it, but without much fanfare, the White House quietly released the President's budget on the Friday before a holiday weekend. Maybe we weren't supposed to notice the plan at all, but the contents make it impossible to ignore.

President Biden is proposing higher taxes on working Americans and cuts to our national defense to pay for a massive expansion of the Federal Government, an enactment of the radical progressive demands, like parts of the Green New Deal.

What can't be paid for is simply put on the Nation's ``credit card,'' adding trillions of dollars of red ink. President Biden's budget can be summed up like this: higher taxes, higher spending, and higher debt.

And don't take my word for it. The New York Times wrote that Biden's $6 trillion budget would ``push federal spending to its highest sustained levels since World War II.''

Under the Biden budget, by 2028, Washington will collect more tax revenue as a portion of our economy than at nearly any point over the last 100 years. This tax-collecting scheme even includes a retroactive tax increase. That is right, folks, you may owe higher taxes on past earnings.

Plus, the President would allow the tax cuts for lower income and middle-class Americans to expire in 2025, and the result will be higher taxes for most Americans. Higher tax bills will add additional burdens to Iowa families and small businesses already struggling with the rising prices and inflation being caused by Bidenomics.

So what do you get in exchange for all of these new taxes? For the first time in nearly half a century, taxpayers would be forced to pay for abortions. The Biden budget contains $600 million for electric vehicles. That is a lot of money to subsidize a product

very few Americans, other than upper income individuals on the coasts, seem interested in purchasing.

President Biden would also spend your taxes to double the size of the IRS over the next decade, adding almost 87,000 new employees at a cost of nearly $80 billion. You heard it right, folks--87,000 new IRS agents.

But while the Biden budget promises a bureaucratic buildup at the IRS, his proposal is far less generous to our Armed Forces. The Air Force would suffer a substantial cut in its number of aircraft. The small number of new ships added to the Navy will not keep pace with the growth of Communist China's shipbuilding. This is especially concerning since the CCP now boasts the world's largest Navy and is attempting to expand its naval presence in the Atlantic. You heard that right--not the Pacific but into the Atlantic.

The Army budget would be slashed by more than $3 billion. The resulting troop reductions would leave us with the same sized Army we had on 9/11. While essentially freezing defense spending overall, $617 million of the military's budget would be diverted to fighting climate change.

Folks, who does the President think he will be able to call on should we need to fight off foreign threats--his new Army of IRS agents?

We face new threats around the globe, and lowering our defenses, as President Biden is proposing, will only embolden our adversaries. Americans may fear an IRS audit, but Red China won't.

When America last spent as much as President Biden is proposing, we built, essentially from scratch, the world's greatest military force. And all Americans were called on to play their part in the most noble of causes.

The entire free world will forever owe a debt of gratitude to the ``greatest generation.'' There is no denying that the sacrifices made by these Americans and the resources committed to their mission forever altered human history for the better. The same cannot be said about what is now being proposed, which leaves America weaker in the world, and the debt will be paid by future generations.

The Biden budget is a bust for taxpayers and a boon for DC bureaucrats and tax collectors

With that, I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise again today in support of my colleague in calling for consideration of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. This is an effort whose time has come for serious debate and consideration on the Senate floor.

For 8 years, the Senate Armed Services Committee, on which Senator Gillibrand and I sit, has worked on countless efforts to seek justice for victims of sexual assault, all within the chain of command. Many of these were good provisions pushed by myself and others to reduce the barriers in reporting sexual assaults. Provisions focused on both prevention and professionalization of military courts handling sexual assault cases and efforts to improve the culture and ensure all enlistees receive sexual assault prevention training before attendance at their initial training. This is just to name a few.

What has brought me here today supporting this effort with Senator Gillibrand and Senator Grassley, with 64 cosponsors in the Senate, is that while these efforts were well-intentioned, our plague continues. That is not OK with me as a combat veteran, a former commander, and sexual assault survivor myself.

If our military is going to face the threats of the decades ahead, we will need a force that is free from the threats in its own ranks. As I mentioned, this legislation has 64 bipartisan cosponsors and more than 50 percent of committee members' support.

It is the right bill at the right time, and we must not delay any further. So I join with Senator Gillibrand in a call for consideration of this bill.

I yield back to the Senator from New York.

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

Madam President, just 1 percent of the U.S. population serves in the defense of our great Nation. America owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to this small number of citizens who give so much to protect our freedoms and our way of life.

May is Military Appreciation Month, so on behalf of the people of Iowa and me personally, I want to thank each and every one of the women and men of our Armed Forces and their families.

We may celebrate you in May, but we appreciate you every single day. You are the ones whom we call upon to defend our Nation from our foreign adversaries and rogue actors who intend to harm us. You are the ones we called upon when COVID-19 seeped into our borders and shut down America. You stood guard to ensure our way of life succeeds. Thank you for being the greatest fighting force on the face of the planet.

After 23 years of my own military service, with great pride, I now get to watch as my daughter soon embarks on her career as an Army officer.

Libby, thank you for your willingness to serve and the sacrifices you have committed to.

While serving in the military is one of the most rewarding experiences, it is not easy. As we approach Memorial Day, we must all take time to remember the servicemembers and their families who have paid the ultimate price, laying down their lives for our great Nation.

Iowa has lost 158 of our sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2 in Panama or Grenada, 7 in the first Persian Gulf war, and 867 in Vietnam. Our Korean and world wars numbers were in the thousands.

While I won't be able to individually honor all of these heroes, today I would like to echo a few names in remembrance of Iowans we lost in the defense of our Nation.

Honoring Our Armed Forces

Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey E. Bohr

Madam President, Marine GySgt Jeffrey E. Bohr, Jr., is from the tiny farm town of Ossian. He was 39 years old when he was killed on April 10, 2003, after a 7-hour gun battle in front of a Baghdad, Iraq, mosque.

Gunnery Sergeant Bohr served a 20-year career as an Army Ranger and then a Marine. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, CA, at the time of his death. He was the first Iowan killed by enemy fire in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

Gunnery Sergeant Bohr left behind his wife Lori, who is also a native of Iowa.

Honoring Our Armed Forces

Sergeant James C. Kearney III

Madam President, Army SGT James C. Kearney III--I know him as Jamie. He was an Iowa National Guardsman from Emerson, which is 10 miles from where I grew up. I knew Jamie before he enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard. He was very excited about his enlistment, and he told me about his excitement and how he felt that he had found a place that truly rewarded him.

He was 22 years old when he died on November 1, 2004, in Salerno, Afghanistan, from injuries he sustained when his convoy was attacked by enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Kearney was assigned to 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, in Glenwood, IA, at his death. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant and awarded a Bronze Star with a ``V'' device for valor. He was the first Iowan killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, and our community misses Jamie to this day.

Honoring Our Armed Forces

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaime S. Jaenke

Madam President, Navy PO2 Jaime Jaenke was a naval reservist and a native of Iowa Falls. She is beautiful, isn't she? She was 30 years old when she was killed on June 5, 2006, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, when a roadside bomb struck the Humvee that she was riding in.

She was assigned to the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25, based in Fort McCoy, WI, at her death. She was posthumously awarded the Navy- Marine Corps Commendation Medal with ``V'' for valor.

She left behind her daughter, Kayla. She was the first woman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom from Iowa.

Honoring Our Armed Forces

Lance Corporal Adam Franklin Wolf

Madam President, LCpl Adam Franklin Wolf is from Eldon. He was 25 years old when he was killed on June 20, 2014, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

He was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune, NC.

He is Iowa's most recent fatality. His twin brother and family survive him.

Honoring Gold Star Families

Madam President, another group of strength and resiliency I want to acknowledge today is our Gold Star families. They are the ones left behind in battle and in war. We owe it to the heroes who gave their all to protect and care for their families and their communities.

To every Gold Star family, thank you. Thank you for the sacrifices you

have made and continue to make every day. I assure you, you are not alone or forgotten.

I would like to take just a brief moment of silence in honor of those we lost in combat or due to everlasting combat injuries.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Stephen Voline, a legislative defense fellow in my office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the day.

Mr. President, for years prior to the COVID pandemic, U.S. taxpayer dollars were being funneled into Communist China's state-run Wuhan Institute of Virology.

After COVID appeared in the vicinity of the Wuhan Institute, instead of cooperating with efforts to discover the source of the outbreak, Chinese officials instead ordered the destruction of some of the coronavirus samples and blocked access to the lab.

China continues to obstruct international efforts to discover the origins of COVID, refusing to allow independent scientists to review the database of coronaviruses that were being studied in the Wuhan Institute.

Providing additional U.S. funds to subsidize any state-run lab in China, especially the Wuhan Institute of Virology, goes against the very purpose of the underlying bill, which is to support more research in the United States to better compete with China.

My amendment would assure that not another dime of taxpayer dollars goes to subsidizing Communist China.

With that, I yield.

Mr. President, I want to thank my senior Senator from Iowa for being the lead Republican on this bill, and I am rising today as well to support my colleague in her request today for consideration of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act.

Our service men and women--all of them--are volunteers. They represent some of the best our Nation has to offer. They choose to serve. They swear to protect against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to defend the Constitution. In this day and age, they face many risks, but they should not face the risk of sexual assault from within their own ranks.

For years, the military has struggled to reduce the number of sexual assaults within the ranks. Yet we have seen little progress in defeating this scourge. The stories from survivors are heartbreaking: servicemembers who are attacked by their own teammates; servicemembers whose lives are turned upside down; servicemembers who are abandoned by their chain of command; servicemembers who receive no justice; and servicemembers who are left with the scars, often physical but always psychological, of a terrible experience.

I know these stories not just from the retelling by survivors of sexual assault but from being a survivor of sexual assault myself. It is time we take new action to stop these attacks, to bring justice for the victims and to prevent these actions going forward.

Our bill, with over 60 cosponsors, Republicans and Democrats from all political philosophies, and the endorsement of veterans groups, survivors groups, and individual servicemembers, does that. And our bipartisan bill takes steps to ensure the unit commander is still involved and aware of what is going on within the unit.

This bill also puts in place measures for the prevention of sexual assault. It increases security on our bases and stations. It trains leaders from the top to the bottom on developing a better command climate. It reinforces training on prevention of sexual assault.

If a foreign power were to attack any of our service men and women overseas, there would be a stampede of Senators coming to the floor and demanding action. Now I hear only the footsteps of those coming to stop us from consideration of something that would help prevent attacks on our service men and women by one of their own. It is time for action, and I urge my colleagues to pass this time agreement.

Mr. President, with that, I yield to the Senator from Connecticut Senator Blumenthal.

Mr. President, I want to take just a very brief moment and thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee because this is a very significant move that is being proposed by Senators Gillibrand and Grassley and those of us who are cosponsors of this legislation.

It is time to act. It is time to act. If we can go back into previous years, I have been one of those nay-sayers. I have said to others that I was very torn about removing this decision from a commander's purview. I was torn. But we have not seen improvement when it comes to the areas of sexual assault and other serious crimes within our Nation's armed services. So it is time to take very bold action. It is time to take bold action.

I do share those concerns as so eloquently stated by Senator Gillibrand that we are making a bold proposal that we believe now fit for those who want prevention, like myself, those who want to reform and improve and professionalize those prosecutors within the military system. We can bring that together and move it forward, but that is not going to happen if we see it watered down through the process of the

Mr. President, during my recent travels across Iowa on my 99-county tour, I couldn't help but notice the number of ``Help Wanted'' or ``Now Hiring'' signs on storefronts along nearly every highway and Main Street.

In an era where we seem to live through one unprecedented occurrence after another, the dire job situation has become the latest extraordinary event as millions of Americans remain unemployed, despite an abundance of jobs that need to be filled.

In fact, the number of available jobs has reached an alltime record high, 8.1 million positions that need to be filled. And 44 percent of all small business owners have openings they cannot fill, another record. What makes this all the more stunning is that the Nation's unemployment rate increased last month to 6.1 percent. There are now more than 9 million jobless Americans, and nearly a third of those have been unemployed for a year or more.

In Iowa, the number of unemployed slowly inched upwards in February and March, and we continue to have more job openings than we do job seekers. There are more than 62,000 job listings posted on the Iowa Workforce Development website, which exceeds the total number of Iowans filing for unemployment benefits.

The jobs span a variety of occupations and locations in the State, and employers are desperate to fill them. The police department of Iowa City is urgently trying to hire 10 officers and is offering a $5,000 signing bonus to new recruits. And I should note that another factor here could be the ongoing efforts to defund the police being pushed by folks on the left.

The owner of the Blind Pig restaurant in Cedar Rapids is paying higher wages plus a $500 sign-on bonus, but even that isn't enough to attract workers. He says in the past he would get up to 50 applicants when he placed a ``Help Wanted'' notice, but now he might get 2. Yep, that is it. Two, he said, if he is lucky.

So what gives? Part of the problem is that the government pays folks more to stay home than to go to work.

I have heard from restaurant owners in Bellevue who need about 36 employees between their two locations and can only find 20. They have been forced to suspend plans to expand, costing additional jobs and stifling economic development.

Similarly, the owner of a small business in Cedar Rapids that offers good-paying jobs that don't require a college degree was turned down by three separate people because they chose to stay on unemployment instead.

I have also heard from folks who run in-home care services in West Des Moines and Cedar Rapids about their difficulties hiring providers for their professional care teams. Again, this is all due, in large part, to the Federal Government's excessive unemployment perks.

This may have made some sense a year ago, when there was plenty of uncertainty. But due to the success of Operation Warp Speed, we now have vaccines; and COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are trending down.

Despite thousands being out of work in Siouxland, local businesses can't find the workers they need. The store manager of Sam's Mini Mart says: ``People come in here and say, why work when I don't have to, when unemployment's going to pay me?'' He goes on to say: ``We've even upped our wages, our starting wages, and nothing seems to work.''

Paying people not to work is not helpful. It is delaying us from returning to normal, prepandemic life. For our businesses in Iowa, ``normal'' means operating at full capacity.

If we are going to begin erasing the damages caused by the last year of the pandemic and get our economy moving again, we cannot continue to let Democrats disincentivize work.

Thankfully, in Iowa, our great Governor, Kim Reynolds, has already taken steps to curb the excessive Federal unemployment that has kept Iowans on the sidelines and created these challenges for our employers.

Now, we need to do more nationwide. As a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am hoping to lead a bicameral effort to end the enhanced perks at the Federal level. The Get Americans Back to Work Act, which I helped put forward, decreases the extra Federal unemployment benefits to $150 per week at the end of this month and then fully repeals them at the end of June.

It is time for Congress, the Biden administration, and State leaders across the country to do their jobs and help Americans get back to work.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great American and an exceptional member of the United States Air Force. On this occasion, I believe it is fitting to recognize Lt. Col. Anthony ``Tony'' Santino's distinguished service and dedication to fostering the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and this Chamber.

Lieutenant Colonel Santino has distinguished himself through his professional character and leadership by serving this Nation in uniform. A leader and expert communicator, he has provided exemplary service to our country while assigned to the Air Force Senate Liaison Office. Tony is a senior missileer, operating at the highest levels of America's nuclear enterprise, ensuring the United States and its allies are strategically prepared to defend this great nation from external threats.

Prior to his current assignment, Tony had the privilege of being an Air Force fellow for Representative Liz Cheney. In addition to his numerous and impressive professional accomplishments, it is worth noting he flawlessly balanced his duties, evidenced by his ability to allocate personal time to selflessly volunteer as local neighborhood math tutor, where Tony's enthusiastic service empowered DC youth and inspired community partnership. His passion for not only the organization he works for but also the community in which he resides is unrivaled.

As a legislative liaison in the Air Force Senate Liaison Office from November 2019 to May 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Santino expertly performed his duties without reservation. His strategic thinking and strategic foresight helped to strengthen and improve our national security. Tony accomplished this by utilizing his in depth Air Force knowledge with numerous engagements between Congress and the Department of the Air Force. During this assignment, Tony conducted congressional engagements to provide Members of Congress and staff insights into the Air Force we need and Air Force required to support the national defense strategy. Tony transformed congressional engagement norms amidst coronavirus limitations, leading more than 40 remote and virtual engagements between Air Force senior leaders and U.S. Senators, exponentially increasing trust and mutual understanding.

Tony's innovative efforts and trusted credibility on Capitol Hill enabled the passage of foundational legislation in support of Air Force priorities, securing more than $170 billion in annual requirements and directly contributing to the stand-up of the United States Space Force. All of these conversations and engagements helped stakeholders understand the defense equities and impact on national security. Tony remained engaged with Members of Congress to ensure all were informed, advised, and educated on initiatives important to the Air Force and the citizens of this great country. Due to his direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensure the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded.

After concluding this challenging assignment, Lieutenant Colonel Santino will move to his next duty station at Vandenberg AFB, where he will be the director of operations for the 576th Flight Test Squadron. Tony has sacrificed much in service to our Nation. I am eternally thankful for Tony's selfless service and superb work with my office and the Senate over the past 18 months on issues important to the State of Iowa and this great Nation. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept our country safe and strong.