Floor Statements

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I had the honor of serving with Senator Marshall in the House. We were classmates. We came in together in 2016. It is kind of ironic to think back to that time because as a freshman, I watched my colleagues try to repeal and replace and repeal and replace and repeal and replace.

Just last week, Senator Marshall and I introduced the PBM Disclosure Act together, a bill regarding PBM transparency. We worked on some important things, but at this moment I can think of nothing more important than addressing our Nation's healthcare crisis. Unfortunately, I cannot support what is being proposed here today.

Now, we all agree that our healthcare system needs improvement. The Democrats have put forward proposals to do just that. As a matter of fact, Senator Wyden, who is sitting on the floor right here, today, has put forward a proposal--a bill--that deals with the issue of fraud. And as he said, he would love his Republican colleagues to join him in that effort.

This bill claims to actually attack fraud. It also claims to fix the premium crisis. But, in reality, it would kick millions of Americans off their ACA healthcare coverage. Premiums would go up for over 10 million people by an average of $1,000. And to top it all off, this bill adds new abortion restrictions. It is yet another harmful proposal from Republicans, while the clock is ticking for the American people.

Almost a dozen proposals have been offered by Republicans in the Senate and the House, in just the last few weeks. That is tantamount to throwing spaghetti up on a wall to see what sticks.

For months, we have asked Republicans to come to the table. During the shutdown, they said they couldn't talk to us about healthcare. Yet they were still holding hearings on a whole host of things.

They spent 6 months before that, in the beginning of the year, passing tax cuts for billionaires. Apparently, that wasn't the time to talk to us either.

The very first bill I sponsored--I cosponsored--as a U.S. Senator, back in January, was the Healthcare Affordability Act, which would have permanently extended the ACA tax credits. Now, it is December, almost a year later.

As I already said, we have received almost a dozen plans from Republicans, and they are still coming in. As a matter of fact, I think one came in last night.

Let us help you help your constituents. Democrats are offering the cleanest, easiest, simplest way to deal with the immediate healthcare crisis, the immediate healthcare cliff that Americans are facing, and it gives us time to improve our healthcare system. It would even give us the chance to review the thousands of plans and concepts of plans that my colleagues are putting forward.

This bill is too little, too late. And for that reason, I respectfully object.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Welch be recognized to speak up to 10 minutes following my remarks for up to 5 minutes prior to the scheduled rollcall vote.

Mr. President, we are 12 days away from the deadline for Americans to get healthcare coverage starting January 1-- 12 days. Time is running out for us in Congress to act.

Ultimately, we can all agree on one thing: Healthcare in America is unaffordable for families, for farmers, and for small businesses alike.

This morning, the HELP Committee held a hearing called Making Health Care Affordable Again: Healing a Broken System. Many ideas were shared. But walking out of that hearing room only heightened my sense of urgency. You see, just 2 weeks ago, Senator Coons and Representative McBride and I met with the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, and the high cost of healthcare took up three quarters of the meeting.

Like many Senators here, my office has received phone calls and emails about how devastating a lapse in ACA tax credits would be for our constituents. James from Selbyville, DE, reached out this morning to tell me his story. He said:

My family's ACA premium will increase 110 percent without

the continuation of the enhanced premium subsidy.

One hundred ten percent.

Let's break this down. The average income for a family of four in Sussex County, DE, is $78,000 a year. With a 110-percent increase, their premium could jump from $241 a month to $507 a month. That is a monthly increase of $266. That is more than the current premium cost. The increase cost works out to an additional $3,192 a year.

How are families supposed to afford this? How is James supposed to keep his family healthy and pay the rent, utilities, groceries? Costs are already high and through the roof for all of these things.

It is time we approach the healthcare crisis with the urgency our constituents deserve, which is why tomorrow I will be introducing a new bill, the Restoring Patient Protections and Affordability Act.

Here are five ways that this bill will help people like James: First, it would extend the ACA tax credits for 3 years, which would prevent health insurance premiums from spiking; second, it would make it easier for working people who want coverage to enroll by cutting redtape because we all have enough on our plates, and no one needs more paperwork to fill out; third, it would force insurance companies to be transparent about enrollment opportunities so that no one falls through the cracks; fourth, it would protect consumers from surprise premium bills; and fifth, it would lower out-of-pocket costs for consumers by reversing the harmful Trump administration regulations that increase premiums, deductibles, and cost sharing back in June.

Senator Wyden and I are introducing this bill because it is time for Congress to stand up for people like James and his family because no one should have to choose between rent and healthcare, between groceries and a checkup, between keeping the lights on or paying for chemo.

It is long overdue we address the health crisis and lower costs for everyday Americans. We have 12 days--12 days--to ensure that people get their healthcare coverage. We have no time to waste, and I urge my colleagues to consider my bill. The clock is ticking.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I actually have written notes here. I came prepared to talk about the importance of the ACA tax credits, and as I sat here, I prayed: What do I even say in this moment?

There is a Scripture that says:

Choose ye this day.

Today, we have an opportunity to make a choice. We have an opportunity to do something that is so plain and so simple.

There is a book in the Bible called the Book of Habakkuk. A lot of people don't even know it. It is like three chapters. In it, it says: We always hear, how long? Not long?

No, in it, it says long. It says pain. It says corruption. It says suffering.

But what it does say is, make a plan and make it plain. So what we come today to say is we have something that is plain and simple and will lift up America. And that is the opportunity to vote, open the government, and restore people's healthcare. It is that plain. It is that simple.

We are not saying you are better than us and we are better than you. We are saying link them together on behalf of the American people.

It is a sad day in America when people have to choose between their healthcare and housing or their healthcare and food. We are not in a pandemic. There are no wars on our shores. This should not be a hard time for us. We are not without resources in this country.

So, today, as many people are being priced out of the American dream, I ask my colleagues: Come to the table. Work with us.

I am so proud to be one of the freshman class--one of the most diverse classes in the history of this Chamber--with Elissa Slotkin, with Ruben Gallego, with Adam Schiff, with Andy Kim, and my sister Senator Angela Alsobrooks.

Five of the six of us came from the House of Representatives. And so for us, it is almost like we have a foot in both worlds. And for us, this proposal is an opportunity to not only pass something here but to pass something in the House that becomes a law and that gets something for the American people.

We also have relationships and have been in conversations with our former House Republican colleagues who also want to get something done. And so, today, again, off script, but in my heart, we are standing here for the American people saying we can end this today.

And we are saying to the President of the United States--I hope you can hear us. We are saying to the President of the United States that you said it yourself after Tuesday's election, this is hurting Republicans. Well, you know what? It is also hurting all of America. And so we hope that you will engage in something that is simple and clear. Open the government and make sure we restore people's tax credits together.

Again, how long? Long if we choose to be. But we have a choice in this moment. And so we hope that you will come to the table. Let's make a deal.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I rise to recognize and welcome the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Washington, DC.

Born Demetrios Arhondonis in 1940 on the island of Imvros, now known as Gokreada, Turkiye, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was elected in October 1991 as the 270th Archbishop of the 2,000-year-old Orthodox Church. As Ecumenical Patriarch, he is the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christianity worldwide, with over 300 million adherents and a history tracing back to the early Christian communities of Roman antiquity.

Patriarch Bartholomew has been a strong advocate for religious freedom, interfaith dialogue, and environmental stewardship. He has been received by multiple Presidents of the United States and Secretaries of State, and in 1997, Congress awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal, one of our Nation's highest honors.

Last September, Patriarch Bartholomew returned to Washington to receive the very prestigious Templeton Prize, awarded in New York City, joining the company of past recipients such as Mother Teresa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama. The Templeton Prize recognizes his outstanding leadership in promoting human dignity and fostering dialogue between faith and science.

The people of Delaware, including our incredibly vibrant Greek Orthodox community, are honored to welcome the Patriarch Bartholomew to the U.S. Capitol. I invite my colleagues to join me in welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Yes, I am.

Will the Senator from Oregon yield for a question?

First let me say thank you, Senator Merkley, for your tenacity, your energy, your compassion, and your love for this country. I mean, really, that is what this is about. That is why you have been standing on this floor for over 20 hours, and I want to say thank you on behalf of the American people.

And I want to say, Mr. President, we are now 21 days into this Republican shutdown and well over 200 days into the Trump administration.

Costs for housing are up, food prices are up, energy costs have gone up, and we are about to see our healthcare costs skyrocket for millions of Americans--all while the President pushes this country to the literal brink of a constitutional crisis.

So let's recap. The Department of Defense is trying to censor the press. This administration is offering deals to universities to teach Trump priorities, taking away independence and academic freedom. They tried to push dissenters off airwaves.

But this is America. And Senator Merkley--you and I know--here, the people have the power, and the power of the people matters. Here, the voices of our communities hold weight, and that is why I stand with you as you ring the alarms.

The people are standing up, they are speaking out, and they are saying: Enough is enough.

What does that look like? It looks like journalists, from MSNBC to FOX News, handing in their DOD press badges, choosing to stand up for their First Amendment rights rather than bowing to the whims of the Secretary of Defense. It means universities are refusing to play ball, declining the offer. It means Americans use the power of their purses to say you will not silence someone like Jimmy Kimmel and he was reinstated.

But it doesn't stop there. It is an unprecedented move by Federal judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans alike that are speaking out on an impending judicial crisis over the Supreme Court's emergency orders.

State governments are joining compacts to protect access to public health for citizens as this administration rips away access to vaccines. Airports across America are refusing to play this administration's propaganda videos. And perhaps most importantly, millions of Americans from across our country have made their voices known and heard.

Seven million Americans did what I think was truly a part of the American spirit by using their voices in a peaceful way, assembling, doing it in a way that was both joyful but also patriotic--and demanding that we in Congress also stand up.

So we are standing up for our communities. And thank you again, Senator Merkley, for doing so. And we are fighting for families across America who are about to see their healthcare coverage go up or maybe even be eliminated.

In this moment, we don't need a King. The people need a President for all of the people--not a $20 billion bailout for Argentina, not a new White House gold ballroom when people can't even afford to pay their rent or to buy a home on their own--and not a Justice Department bailout--all while November 1 is fast approaching and tens of millions of Americans face this healthcare crisis: rising cost or a total elimination of their healthcare or medical debt. Costs are already high--and now this. It is time to do the right thing and to take a stand.

And with the President poised to leave town, we ask that he stay and pull together the partners--the House, which has been out of session. And I came from the House. I don't think I ever saw anything like this where they literally have been missing in action for weeks. As a matter of fact, for our August break, they left in July. This is unprecedented, and we need them back at the table. They need to do the work.

And so my question to you, Senator Merkley: In light of what the President wants to spend money on and what the American people need, does the President have his priorities straight? Are his priorities right on behalf of the American people?

Will the Senator yield for one more question?

As you talked about the small businesses, Senator, I was reminded that, as we look at who is actually purchasing this healthcare in the marketplace--a lot of people don't even know they are on ACA and receiving the tax credit--that half of them are small businesses.

I come from Delaware. We are urban, suburban, rural, and coastal. And so we also know that a quarter of farmers and ranchers are getting their healthcare this way. And then we think about the fact that this issue is disproportionally affecting red States, not just blue States.

All Americans are going to be hurt. This is why your ringing the alarm is so important. And I would ask a very simple question: Is there a connection between the healthcare crisis that we are in and an authoritarian regime?

Mr. President, as America confronts a period of darkness, still I rise, full of bright hope. Why bright hope? ``Bright Hope'' was the name of the church that my grandmother attended for 70 years in Philadelphia. But, for me, it is more than just a name. It is a call to action. It is a feeling. It is what drove me to run for the U.S. Senate and what keeps me going in my darkest of times.

So once again, I rise with bright hope and tremendous humility to deliver my maiden speech as Delaware's 58th U.S. Senator. My presence here would not have been possible without my God, my family, and the people of the great State of Delaware who have put their trust in me.

The word ``trust'' is important here because this is not a time when Americans are eager to trust their elected officials. Partisan tensions are so high right now that we can barely talk to each other, let alone work together.

So the question is this:

Are we to be one people, bound together by common spirit,

sharing in a common endeavor? Or will we become a divided

nation?

As much as I would like to take credit, those are not my words. They are the words of the late great Barbara Jordan, the Congresswoman from Texas, the conscience of her Congress, who, in the midst of our Nation's bicentennial in 1976, spoke about the ``collective spirit of our nation,'' about the deeply troubling reality that people did not trust their government. And she offered a path forward, saying:

For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future.

We must address and master the future together. It can be

done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of

national community.

We are now 50 years removed from the bicentennial, and our present is rhyming with our past--wars built on false pretense, painful economic downturns, incomplete recoveries that leave many behind, and Presidents who abuse their power. The problems persist.

So how do we, before our tricentennial in 2076, build what Barbara Jordan called our common spirit? How do we restore the belief that a more perfect union is even possible? How do we rekindle bright hope for America? These are big questions, but they are not confined to the Halls of Congress. Go into any coffee shop, a sports game, or a family home, and Americans are saying the same thing and asking the same questions. I saw it firsthand in the grocery store about 10 years ago when a dad with three kids in front of me in line put back a bunch of grapes because they were too expensive. It shook me to the core.

You see, the year before that, my husband Charles, the love of my life, played a game of basketball before his business meetings, ruptured his Achilles tendon, and blood clots went to his heart and lungs. At the age of 52, the love of my life died, and I was consumed with grief. But seeing that dad woke me up from my own pain. I would be

Mr. President, I thank the Presiding Officer and I thank, also, Senator Durbin for providing this opportunity to speak up against this rescissions package.

When I ran for the Senate, I never thought that I would have to stand up to defend ``Mr. Rogers,'' ``Sesame Street,'' and ``Curious George,'' but here we are. And it is hard to believe that, about 56 years ago, Fred Rogers himself actually came to the Senate to advocate for PBS funding. And in his closing, he shared a song that he wrote to help teach children how to deal with their feelings of anger.

The lyrics ask: What do you do with the mad that you feel?

I find his words really poignant at this moment of incredible strife in our country because Mr. Rogers reminds us that we all have ownership over our actions. In his words:

It's great to be able to stop when you've planned a thing

that's wrong.

And respectfully to my colleagues across the aisle, this is wrong, and the American people need you to stop. Stop prioritizing big corporations over the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The strange thing is, this is actually a corporation that the Trump administration is refusing to protect, and it is the one American families rely on for news, for education, and for public safety and weather reports.

This harmful package, which had bipartisan support--funding that was approved by Congress--would cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which could force local TV and radio stations to close.

It would gut funding for programming like PBS NewsHour, a trusted news and public affairs show. It would cut funding for PBS Kids, a trusted and safe source of children's programming.

And speaking of trust, while only 33 percent of Congress is trusted, 66 percent of Americans trust PBS. And who will be most hurt by these cuts? Families in low-income and rural areas. Why? Because not everyone can stream Netflix or watch Ms. Rachel on YouTube.

In Delaware and across our country, there are thousands and thousands of families who still don't have access to the internet in their homes, which means PBS is the best, most stable source of information for those households. And this package could cut them off.

These are programs with generational impact from ``Sesame Street,'' which has been teaching young children like my granddaughter to count and spell since 1969; to ``The Gilded Age,'' a show I love, that gives a dramatic glimpse into the history of our country.

PBS, to me, is like a living library, granting access to art, food, culture, travel, and history across our Nation and the world. But it is not just educational; it is not just cultural. It is lifesaving.

PBS covers 97 percent of American households, ensuring lifesaving alerts reach communities when other systems fail. They support our country's emergency alert system, including earthquake early warnings, amber alerts, and warnings when severe weather is imminent. This is vital service, and cutting funding for these programs would be devastating.

My colleagues, as we embark on the 250th anniversary of our country, our goal should be expanding participation in this great American experiment through education, information, and knowledge. These form the foundation of an informed citizenry, and informed communities create a stronger democracy.

As I close in the words of Randy Farmer, the chairman of Delaware Public Media, my home State's NPR affiliate, who said:

Independent journalism is the lifeline we depend on for a

free and informed democracy.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides access to independent, nonpartisan journalism. To me, it is the epitome of public service.

So to bring it back to where I started with Mr. Rogers, I urge my colleagues to stop what they have planned because it is wrong.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with.

Mr. President, in one of the richest countries in the world, we have maternal and infant mortality crises. In fact, we have the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy nations.

Today, Medicaid is the single largest payer of maternity care in the United States, covering 40 percent of births nationwide and nearly half of all births in our rural communities. Obstetric units, particularly in rural hospitals, are closing at alarming rates--actually creating maternity deserts in this country. And a reason why? Low Medicaid hospital rates.

To be blunt, now is not the time to be slashing the Medicaid program. My amendment would stop cuts to Medicaid used for vital hospital services, especially for labor and delivery rooms.

Leader Thune said it himself earlier today, that Medicaid should be for pregnant moms.

So, my colleagues, we have a choice. Do we stand for billionaires or do we stand up for moms and babies?

For Democrats, the choice is clear, and I urge my Republican colleagues to vote yes on the motion to support families over billionaires.

I yield the floor.

Vote on Motion to Commit

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the motions to commit be printed in the Record:

Motion to Commit With Instructions

Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the

Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to

report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting

any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes

that--

(1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee;

(2) would strike any provision limiting Medicaid state-

directed payments; and

(3) would preserve access to hospital labor and delivery

units to protect the 40% of births nationwide and nearly 50%

of births in rural communities that are financed by Medicaid.

Motion to Commit With Instructions

Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the

Senate with instructions to report the same back to the

Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is

not in session, with changes that--

(1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and

(2) strike provisions that would undermine the access of

the people of the United States to affordable, high-speed

internet, including cuts to broadband funding, deployment,

and access programs.

Motion to Commit With Instructions

Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the

Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate with

instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days,

not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session,

with changes that--

(1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and

(2) would require federally funded lead service line

removal projects to be completed within 10 years of the date

of enactment of that bill.

Motion to Commit With Instructions

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the

Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to

report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting

any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes

that-

(1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and

(2) would create an above-the-line tax deduction for

primary care, dental, and mental health workers serving in

Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Motion to Commit With Instructions

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the

Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to

report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting

any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes

that--

(1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and

(2) would create a tax cut for veterans recently separated

from military service.

Mr. President, there are moments in our lives when everything changes, when the world shifts underneath you and a new reality forms. These are moments when you remember exactly where you were, what you were doing, and who you were with.

June 24, 2022, was one of those days. Three years ago, I marched with my House colleagues to the Supreme Court. I stood in solidarity with Democrats and Republicans alike. We felt shock, disbelief, anger, and sadness at the loss of one of our fundamental rights. On that day, Roe v. Wade was overturned, and for many, their lives were turned upside down.

Since then, extreme Republicans and President Trump have said that abortion is a States' rights issue--States' rights. Yet, over the last 3 years, we have watched as quietly and purposefully they have chipped away at our rights, chipped away at our bodily autonomy, because the goal has always been a national abortion ban.

Three Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justices and the Dobbs decision later and we are still watching this unfold. Anti-abortion extremists have been piecing together a puzzle that, when it is completed, will create a national abortion ban, and they add a new piece each and every day.

Over the next hour, my colleagues and I will lay out what the Republican national abortion ban looks like, what it means for everyday Americans, and what we can do about it because these efforts will hurt all of us--especially young women, women of low income, women in rural areas, and women of color.

For me, this is personal. I could have lost my daughter-in-law because she did not get the care she needed. And I remember getting a call on Christmas morning. I was in the kitchen, I was cooking, and I heard my daughter-in-law on the other end of the phone say: Mom, my water just broke. It is too soon.

She went to the hospital, but, again, the hospital we went to could not provide the care that she needed for the miscarriage that she was having, and they sent her home. I remember thinking about all the committee hearings that I had on the Health Subcommittee in--the Health Committee in the House and how the data was clear that we in this country have a maternal mortality crisis, that Black women die three times the rate of our White counterparts, and all I could think was, we have to get you somewhere. And we did.

Fortunately, Ebony is here alive today. Fortunately, Ebony was able to have my beautiful granddaughter--because of IVF, I might add.

But stories like these are all too common. It disproportionately affects Black and Brown women. We face reproductive challenges. We have a higher mortality rate. We have higher rates of reproductive cancers. We have higher rates of preterm births.

Like I said, this is personal.

We are here today to show the American people that we did not forget about the Dobbs decision, especially because the majority of Americans--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--believe that we should have legal and safe abortions.

We are here today to tell the Republican Party: You can't have it both ways. You can't claim to be the party of personal freedom while telling us what to do with our bodies.

President Trump, you can't claim to be the fertilization President while making it more dangerous for women to give birth.

You can't claim to be the party of strong economic growth while cutting Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare for many women who need it to participate in the workforce--and all to give tax breaks to people who already have all of these resources.

We are here today to show extreme Republicans across the Nation that we see what you are doing--quietly assembling the pieces of the puzzle. And when it is completed, it will strip Americans of their access to abortion care in red States and blue States.

We are here to show just how important it is that we fight this reconciliation bill. Whether you call it a ``Big Bad Bill'' or whether you call it a ``Big Ugly Bill,'' whatever you call it, this is the moment for people to speak up because it is just another piece of the puzzle, and we are here to shine a light on the ultimate goal of a national abortion ban.

I stand here, and I think about the young women I saw as I came to this floor. I think about my niece. I think about my daughter and I think about my granddaughter and the fact that they now have less rights than I did, than my mother did, and than my grandmother did and that today it is important for us to not forget and to make sure that we recognize what this is all about and that we want the best for our young people in this country.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, as I close out this time, I had written prepared remarks for my closing, but a word keeps ringing over and over in my head, and that word is ``freedom.'' As I stand here, why today is so important is because it is again another chip chipping at our freedoms.

I stand here as a Black woman who has, in our history, knowledge of what it means for your bodily autonomy to be taken.

I stand here, today, looking at a picture of my granddaughter, who I want to have the same rights that I had growing up.

Today, we mark a 3-year anniversary, but we also have an opportunity to commit to what our future will look like.

This very week, we potentially will see a bill on this floor that will again chip away--chip away--at healthcare, when we know that 40 percent of the births in this country are through Medicaid; chip away at our rights.

So I thank my colleagues for their powerful words today. I thank all of the advocates who came and spoke to us today, all of the individuals who are still fighting the good fight to make sure that we have the rights that we deserve.

I will end with a story of an individual who I just met today. Her name is Nancy Davis, and she is a patient in Louisiana.

She said:

When I was 10 weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my

baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my

baby, and dangerous for me.

Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that

I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my

family and I could begin healing.

Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the

Supreme Court issued the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's

Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating

the legal right to abortion.

The fallout from that decision was fast, with states across

the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion

bans.

My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest

abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to

terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I

was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton

Rouge.

Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve

the loss of the pregnancy at home with my family, I had to

scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion

care.

I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be

in, forced to travel 1,500 miles to get the care that I

needed and deserved.

I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care,

but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own

decisions about my own health.

I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental

rights.

I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my

doctors agreed. But local lawmakers who will never know me or

understand my situation had the final say.

The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I

was then.

Today, let's turn that outrage into action. Spread the word about what is coming to this floor. Make sure that people stand up, use their voices, use this moment.

Freedom. That is what this is about--freedom.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, you can see and feel and hear the anger, the disappointment, and the concern for the future of our country.

Senator Alex Padilla is probably one of the first people that took time to sit down with me as a freshman Senator to prepare me for this job. He serves this body and his State with intelligence and with grace and with poise. So to see my colleague pushed, manhandled, taken to the ground, arms put behind his back--this person who anyone who meets will say is more of a gentle giant than someone who deserves that kind of treatment.

It blows my mind. I think that is the thing. I am shocked. I am numb. I am angry. I think part of it is because Senator Padilla is a Senator, but there are people every day right now across this country who are facing this kind of concern about their treatment when peacefully trying to exhibit the voice of America. But also, for him, he was just doing his job of oversight.

Similarly, some of us also have spoken up about LaMonica McIver from New Jersey, also a Member of Congress doing her job--oversight.

If we don't have that ability as Senators and Congresspeople, what does that mean for all of the citizens of this country?

So in this moment, this is a pivotal moment. This is an opportunity for our leadership here in this Chamber as well as the other Members on the Democratic side and the Republican side to say: This is unacceptable. That is really what this is about.

When the incident happened, we were all on this floor, and I remember seeing the video and the shock that I felt. It literally took my breath away. And I turned to other Members on the floor to say: Have you seen this? And they had not seen it. I walked across the aisle to my Republican colleagues. Republican colleagues had not seen it. And there was a sense of shock as well.

So what remains to be seen is what we do with that shock, what we do with that indignation, what we do with the fact that Alex Padilla was doing his job on behalf of his constituents and on behalf of this country. That is what remains to be seen: Where do we go from here?

You have heard folks talk about free speech, peaceful assembly, the ability to do our job of oversight, but ultimately what this is about is the foundation of this country.

I am just shaking my head. I am shaking my head, but I am also resolute in the fact that we were called here for this moment. As bad as things may be, as bad as they may seem, we were called here for such a time as this, and the question is, What do we do with this time?

So I ask my colleagues again on both sides of the aisle to speak up against not only this incident but the incidents that we are seeing across this country. I ask my colleagues to come together on behalf of not only the American people but the democracy on which this country stands.

I will continue to stand with Alex Padilla. I will continue to stand with those folks around this country who are facing this same kind of unacceptable behavior.

Lastly, I would also mention that we do have a role and a responsibility. There are three branches of government. Thank God for the courts right now holding it down. But this moment is the moment. There won't be a light switch that says ``Oh, democracy is gone.'' That is not how it happens. I have heard my good friend Chris Murphy talk about that, that it is piece by piece, moment by moment, we see it chipped away.

Well, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to make sure we do not let this slip away.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, according to Secretary Kennedy, the Trump administration is committed to building the most compassionate Department of Health and Human Services in the history of the United States.

So I went to the dictionary and looked up the term ``compassionate.'' It means: ``a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress, together with a desire to alleviate it.''

Yet the proposed Republican budget would make historic billion-dollar cuts to the programs real Americans rely on. Instead of alleviating distress, this ``Big Bad Bill'' would actually exacerbate it.

And late, late last night, House Republicans added even more distress to their Medicaid cuts, changes that would cut care and prevent access to care for millions of Americans; changes that would cut funding that ensures safe, healthy births for newborns; changes that will endanger our parents and grandparents who live in nursing homes.

So I rise today and seek true compassion from my colleagues and ask in the words of the famous song: ``Where is the love?''

I rise today because I have been getting call after call, email after email, meeting with person after person, all worried sick about cuts to Medicaid. And I want to share some of their stories today. I want my colleagues to hear their names and understand the trade-offs they are making to support tax cuts for the wealthy, while failing to shrink the national debt.

Again, I am going to say that again: while failing to shrink the national debt.

Here are their stories.

Emmanual lives in Sussex County. When I met with him recently, he told me that if we pull the thread of Medicaid, his whole life would unravel. Emmanual calls himself a CP warrior, and he doesn't let cerebral palsy or his wheelchair stop him.

For Emmanual, Medicaid is more than prescriptions and doctors' appointments. It is about freedom and independence. Participating in Medicaid allowed him to get and keep a job. Access to Medicaid is how he went from being homeless to being employed, housed, and financially secure. It is what enables his wife to be his primary caretaker, while also allowing them to live together as husband and wife.

He struggles to plan for his future and that of his family because his life depends on decisions that we make here in this body.

Joy. Joy lives in Wilmington with her 34-year-old son, who she says is severely autistic. He received amazing services from the Delaware Autism Program when he was in school and now attends their day program at Point of Hope. And you guessed it; Point of Hope is funded through Medicaid.

Joy is literally terrified of what could happen if these cuts close that program. She doesn't know where her son will end up if they lose the support that Medicaid provides and she can no longer take care of him.

And Nancy. Nancy lives in Dover with her 19-year-old son Christopher, who was born prematurely. Christopher coded in the NICU and suffered a brain injury. As a result, he is on a Medicaid waiver since he was 8 months old.

For the last 19 years, Nancy has advocated for her family, as well as countless Delawareans. She built her life around caring for Christopher in their home versus an expensive long-term care facility.

Medicaid covers the medical equipment Nancy rents to keep Christopher alive. Medicaid covers the skilled medical professionals that help Nancy care for her son and give her respite. Nancy told me that Christopher's life depends on this budget.

In her words, this debate about funding cuts feels like the rug is being pulled from under her.

Emmanual, Joy, Nancy, and Christopher--these are just a few of the stories that I have been told since our Republican colleagues started their crusade against care. These are real people with real needs that Medicaid fills--real people whom we shine the light on and not ignore.

And I want my colleagues to hear their names. I want them to remember the names of the people in their own States who are imploring us to stand up and protect their access to care: the Emmanuals, the Joys, Nancys, the Christophers.

So whether you are a person of faith or just somebody who cares about your neighbor, now is the time to move from the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated to the ``Platinum Rule''--to treat others the way they want to be treated, with real compassion, and to start with protecting Medicaid.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, yesterday when the budget resolution came to the floor, I introduced an amendment. It is a simple, straightforward piece of legislation that will protect American consumers by prohibiting tariffs that increase the costs of building a house.

About 2 days ago, we passed a bipartisan resolution reversing President Trump's unnecessary national emergency on Canadian imports. That is right. Our closest ally to the north is now on the receiving end of a senseless trade war. Essential groceries and food products, building supplies, materials that impact our national security, all of these things and more that cross the border are now each and every day in jeopardy.

I recently asked the Federal Reserve Chairman: Are tariffs a tax?

And he said: Well, you will pay either the tariff at the exporter level, the importer, the retailer, and/or the consumer. And who is most likely to feel the pain? I and most economists believe it is American families and small businesses.

When it comes to the cost of building materials, home buyers are going to bear the brunt of the burden. All of this in the same week that the Trump administration said it would ``shake up'' the Agency that oversees Federal housing loans.

I wrote to the administration on Monday to get just some clarity on what does ``shake up'' mean, because I believe--and I know--that this will ultimately mean higher mortgages and higher rents.

At this rate, in just a few weeks' time, the cost to build a home is going to go up. The cost to own a home is going to go up. The cost to rent a home is going to go up while we are in the midst of a housing crisis, all thanks to reckless policies of this administration with the support of my Republican colleagues.

Picture this: You are a young couple living in Wilmington, DE. You have been married a few years and have been saving to buy your first home. You were smart. You have been investing with the intention of putting 10 percent down. You have nearly $40,000 in investment that you were ready to sell to cover your downpayment.

You are almost there--almost there. That $400,000 home that you were eyeing has been on the market for a few months now, but then this administration slaps tariffs on half the world, and the market drops. There goes your $40,000. There goes your downpayment and your dream of homeownership.

Or think of a couple in Dover. They have been living in their home for about 10 years, and they are looking to sell it. They have saved up about $20,000 to redo their kitchen so that they can increase the value of their home. They want to update it and then put it on the market--so a new refrigerator, maybe a new dishwasher, update the cabinets and flooring, the works. But with the tariffs, what would have once been covered by what you saved--now it is just a drop in the bucket. A house is made of many imported materials, and these tariffs increase the amount consumers will have to spend each and every step along the way.

Let's look at a new build from the ground up and how the President's tariffs will make it more expensive.

According to the New York Times, the United States became the biggest importer of cement in 2023. Cement is a key component in laying the foundation of a home, and these tariffs could raise the price of cement alone 18 percent--just the foundation increased by 18 percent.

So now you have spent the money to build the foundation, and it is time for the framing. Well, the cost of lumber is expected to go up 4 percent.

You will need exterior windows and doors too. Those materials could go up 11 percent.

Want a roof? Anybody want a roof? Another 21 percent bump.

Siding--7 percent increase.

How about some water and electricity? Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical parts could cost as much as 8 percent higher.

Insulation and drywall are expected to cost 20 percent more.

Add another 17 percent bump for countertops and cabinets and an 11- percent increase for appliances too.

These dollars add up. It is a compounding effect and an avalanche of increased costs at a moment where investment accounts, savings accounts, and retirement funds are starting to drain.

I actually met someone this morning who was ready to retire from their job this year, and he said: I can't retire. I am going to have to just wait until the dust settles.

For so many across our Nation, these tariffs mean more than an increase in price. It can cost them their dreams, their financial future, a literal roof over their heads in a place called home.

Now, I am pretty sure that President Trump ran on an agenda of lowering costs, but what we are seeing here are broken promises and a shakedown of working families to line the pockets of his billionaire friends.

When I came to Congress back in 2016, I was driven to serve when I saw a dad and three kids in front of me in the supermarket put back grapes because they were $9. It wasn't soda; it wasn't candy; it was grapes. Many times over the years, I have thought about that dad and those kids. I think about them today. And the reality is that this administration's policies are only making it harder for them to make ends meet.

I am sorely disappointed that my Republican colleagues refuse to stand up for their States and their constituents despite knowing how harmful these tariffs will be. The rest of the world knows. As a matter of fact, it is why we are seeing the stock market perform at its worst. It is a collapse that we have not seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So let's be clear. These 19th-century trade policies do not prepare us for the 21st-century economy. Instead of a national, well-thought- out, and comprehensive strategy that includes strengthening our supply chains, this administration is approaching trade like they are approaching government efficiency--with a chain saw, a woodchipper, and a hatchet. It gives new meaning to the phrase ``using all the tools in your toolbox.'' The problem is, they are using the wrong tools. The uncertainty being created will, in fact, stop investments, hurt innovation, and lead to layoffs and less hiring and stunted growth.

This budget does not reflect the needs of our constituents or the times. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this budget resolution.

I yield the floor.