Floor Statements

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

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a century- long dispute. A hundred years plus, there has been a dispute about the Federal designation of North America's tallest mountain. It is a pretty majestic picture, but it does nothing to really convey the amazing grandeur of Denali. It is majestic. It is breathtaking. It is something that as Alaskans and as a lifelong Alaskan, there is not a day when I am able to see Denali and just say--just kind of breathe deep, because it is that extraordinary.

And in my hometown of Anchorage, we are about 250 miles away from Denali, and on clear days, when you are on the road, just about a mile from my house, just a little bit of elevation, you can see the mountain.

And we talk about it that way. We say: She is out. The mountain is out today. The big one is out today.

It is an extraordinary gift from God, really. Snow-blanketed crevasses, the ridges are just gleaming in the sun. How this mountain connects earth to sky beyond, it is just extraordinary.

And, again, this picture is beautiful--obviously, on a summer day. There is never a time when she is not covered in snow, but Denali can also be one of the coldest, most treacherous places on Earth.

It has storms in the middle of winter. You expect that. But it has storms in the middle of July that obey no rules. It has its own rules. Denali creates its own weather. It literally creates its own weather.

I had an opportunity to go up on Ruth Glacier on my birthday. My birthday happens to be the end of May. It was going to be an extraordinary big-ticket item--it was a big-ticket item, but we were chased off that mountain after about 40 minutes because the weather which, when we had arrived at the mountain, was pretty great, and in 40 minutes, she was shutting down, and we were either going to be spending the night there, which was not prime condition to do, or we were getting off in order to get out safely. You respect her.

But it is a place where you respect the nature around you because what can be that perfect day can descend with wind and snow into chaos. It falls on you so quickly, you can't see your own footprints in the snow.

The lives that have been lost and the legends of the stories told remain, but no matter what happens with the weather, as transitory as all that is, Denali stands resilient and true.

For centuries, the Koyukon Athabascans have lived, they have hunted, they have foraged, they have loved, they have died, they have survived in the shadow of this great mountain.

They have been on the waterways, in the valleys, on the hills, and in the ridges. Alaska Natives have persevered in one of the most challenging climates, and they have done so in harmony with the food supply and the surroundings around them.

Denali is Koyukon for ``the Great One,'' for ``the Great One.'' This is how Native people have always known it, and as the great witness of untold stories from their ancestors.

The very first-ever map to label the mountain read ``Tenada,'' and this is a transcription of Denali--again, the Great One.

The first mountaineers to summit the peak called it Denali. It is interesting to note that the first individual to actually summit was not the mountaineers who had paid for the climb, but it was the Alaskan Native guide who took them safely and successfully to the top. But it is the same Native people, those same mountaineers that were baffled that anyone would dare to modify the original Native name.

And yet, in 1917, the mountain was not named Denali. And there is a fair amount of legend that comes with that as well, that there was a trapper who came out of the woods--this was during the early days of the President McKinley administration--and he said: Out of respect, let's honor the new President.

But much like Native lands, health, and culture, you just don't come in and say we are going to disregard, we are going to disrespect the rightful name, the name that had been in place for generations, for thousands of years.

And so since that time in 1917, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has received over 20,000 letters and signatures, most of them--the vast majority of them calling for the name Denali to be restored.

This massive mountain commands a reverent name, a steadfast name--not the name of an individual, a person who comes and goes, who may have had an impact for a brief moment in time.

But this is ageless, timeless. The Great One, 20,310 feet tall, the tallest mountain in North America. So when you have something that is that significant, that is that connected as part of the land in ways that are beyond just a mere name--but, again, a reverence with which you speak of this piece of land, this geography.

When Alaskans leave our home State and boast to outsiders, whether spinning a globe or just talking about it, we say: That is Denali. That is the Great One. She is out today.

So that is why today I have introduced legislation that would officially restore the federally recognized name of this quintessential mountain as Denali.

Now, this is not the first time I have done this. This is actually the fourth Congress that I have introduced this legislation. Maybe I am persistent; I think Alaskans are just very resilient, and we will continue to be. We will continue to be because this magnificent mountain is something that each of us holds in our hearts, that we hold dear. For these last 100 years or so, we have continued to call our great mountain Denali, regardless, and will continue to do that 100 years going forward. Denali existed before any person, and it will remain long after we are dust.

So I share this with my colleagues today, letting you know that we put this legislation out there. My introduction follows on the actions of the Alaska State Legislature--both the house and the senate have moved a resolution urging us in Congress to move forward with this and officially restore the federally recognized name, and so I am pleased to be able to begin that process today.

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a century- long dispute. A hundred years plus, there has been a dispute about the Federal designation of North America's tallest mountain. It is a pretty majestic picture, but it does nothing to really convey the amazing grandeur of Denali. It is majestic. It is breathtaking. It is something that as Alaskans and as a lifelong Alaskan, there is not a day when I am able to see Denali and just say--just kind of breathe deep, because it is that extraordinary.

And in my hometown of Anchorage, we are about 250 miles away from Denali, and on clear days, when you are on the road, just about a mile from my house, just a little bit of elevation, you can see the mountain.

And we talk about it that way. We say: She is out. The mountain is out today. The big one is out today.

It is an extraordinary gift from God, really. Snow-blanketed crevasses, the ridges are just gleaming in the sun. How this mountain connects earth to sky beyond, it is just extraordinary.

And, again, this picture is beautiful--obviously, on a summer day. There is never a time when she is not covered in snow, but Denali can also be one of the coldest, most treacherous places on Earth.

It has storms in the middle of winter. You expect that. But it has storms in the middle of July that obey no rules. It has its own rules. Denali creates its own weather. It literally creates its own weather.

I had an opportunity to go up on Ruth Glacier on my birthday. My birthday happens to be the end of May. It was going to be an extraordinary big-ticket item--it was a big-ticket item, but we were chased off that mountain after about 40 minutes because the weather which, when we had arrived at the mountain, was pretty great, and in 40 minutes, she was shutting down, and we were either going to be spending the night there, which was not prime condition to do, or we were getting off in order to get out safely. You respect her.

But it is a place where you respect the nature around you because what can be that perfect day can descend with wind and snow into chaos. It falls on you so quickly, you can't see your own footprints in the snow.

The lives that have been lost and the legends of the stories told remain, but no matter what happens with the weather, as transitory as all that is, Denali stands resilient and true.

For centuries, the Koyukon Athabascans have lived, they have hunted, they have foraged, they have loved, they have died, they have survived in the shadow of this great mountain.

They have been on the waterways, in the valleys, on the hills, and in the ridges. Alaska Natives have persevered in one of the most challenging climates, and they have done so in harmony with the food supply and the surroundings around them.

Denali is Koyukon for ``the Great One,'' for ``the Great One.'' This is how Native people have always known it, and as the great witness of untold stories from their ancestors.

The very first-ever map to label the mountain read ``Tenada,'' and this is a transcription of Denali--again, the Great One.

The first mountaineers to summit the peak called it Denali. It is interesting to note that the first individual to actually summit was not the mountaineers who had paid for the climb, but it was the Alaskan Native guide who took them safely and successfully to the top. But it is the same Native people, those same mountaineers that were baffled that anyone would dare to modify the original Native name.

And yet, in 1917, the mountain was not named Denali. And there is a fair amount of legend that comes with that as well, that there was a trapper who came out of the woods--this was during the early days of the President McKinley administration--and he said: Out of respect, let's honor the new President.

But much like Native lands, health, and culture, you just don't come in and say we are going to disregard, we are going to disrespect the rightful name, the name that had been in place for generations, for thousands of years.

And so since that time in 1917, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has received over 20,000 letters and signatures, most of them--the vast majority of them calling for the name Denali to be restored.

This massive mountain commands a reverent name, a steadfast name--not the name of an individual, a person who comes and goes, who may have had an impact for a brief moment in time.

But this is ageless, timeless. The Great One, 20,310 feet tall, the tallest mountain in North America. So when you have something that is that significant, that is that connected as part of the land in ways that are beyond just a mere name--but, again, a reverence with which you speak of this piece of land, this geography.

When Alaskans leave our home State and boast to outsiders, whether spinning a globe or just talking about it, we say: That is Denali. That is the Great One. She is out today.

So that is why today I have introduced legislation that would officially restore the federally recognized name of this quintessential mountain as Denali.

Now, this is not the first time I have done this. This is actually the fourth Congress that I have introduced this legislation. Maybe I am persistent; I think Alaskans are just very resilient, and we will continue to be. We will continue to be because this magnificent mountain is something that each of us holds in our hearts, that we hold dear. For these last 100 years or so, we have continued to call our great mountain Denali, regardless, and will continue to do that 100 years going forward. Denali existed before any person, and it will remain long after we are dust.

So I share this with my colleagues today, letting you know that we put this legislation out there. My introduction follows on the actions of the Alaska State Legislature--both the house and the senate have moved a resolution urging us in Congress to move forward with this and officially restore the federally recognized name, and so I am pleased to be able to begin that process today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of S. 146 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 79, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 80, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma session only with no business being conducted on Friday, February 14, at 9 a.m.; further, that when the Senate adjourns on February 14, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18; that following the prayer and pledge, Senator Wicker be recognized to deliver Washington's Farewell Address, as provided under the previous order; and that following his remarks, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business for debate only until 5:30 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each; finally, that at 5:30 p.m. the majority leader be recognized.

For the information of all Senators, Senators should expect a procedural vote at 5:30 p.m. in relation to filing cloture on the Patel nomination, followed by the confirmation vote on the Lutnick nomination, and further votes are possible.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Rules for the 119th Congress be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I want to thank and acknowledge Senator Schatz, as well as his team on the Indian Affairs Committee, for their work as we have sought to advance S. 1723, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act.

I also want to acknowledge Senator Warren for her help on this and, of course, the Native American Boarding School Coalition and so many of the advocates that really, really have helped us advance this.

As the chairman of the committee has noted, we have worked this legislation over a long period of time, and it is a priority for us in the committee because, for too long--for far too long--this dark legacy of the Indian boarding school era has just kind of sat in the corner, unrecognized and unacknowledged.

From 1819 to 1969, the U.S. Government forcibly removed Native children from their families and Tribes and placed them in boarding schools. These Indian boarding schools, as they came

to be called, were not just education institutions, but, oftentimes, they were viewed as tools to eradicate Native cultures, languages, and traditions to ``civilize'' Native American children--again, a very dark era within our government.

So what we seek to do with this bill is to create a commission to bring light to the generational trauma caused by this time of Indian boarding schools. By allowing people's stories to be heard, we can help honor the experience of victims and their families, facilitate healing, and foster greater understanding and empathy among all people.

I think this is a good step and an important step in helping the survivors of Indian boarding schools and the families and communities that were impacted, to help them find healing. We have heard stories--I have heard stories--of many in my State who attended boarding schools, some in the State of Alaska, some outside the State of Alaska, in the listening sessions that Secretary Haaland led, as Secretary of the Interior, on this very important issue. Again, these are stories that must be recognized. And, again, I thank those who have shared them because, at many times, they were very painful, uncovering scars from the past. But how we can offer ways to pursue healing is what this commission is all about.

Again, my thanks to Chairman Schatz for being such a great partner on this legislation, as well as on so many other matters that we have been able to advance successfully through the committee. And my thanks to the chairman's team and to mine, as the ranking member on the committee. We have done good work. It has been a successful year for the committee.

I am hoping--hoping--that there is a path somehow and that this legislation will actually be able to be taken up by the House of Representatives and signed into law. That would be a good and a fitting ending.

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about commitment--commitment across our Nation--in each of our States and towns and cities and in the villages in Alaska, and the men and women who have made a commitment to their neighbors and to strangers and to the broader community. These are our teachers. They are our nurses. They are our firefighters, emergency responders, and police--public servants who manage applications for Federal and State benefits like SNAP, unemployment, and disaster assistance. They ensure that our elections are well run. They get our streets paved and plowed. They have made their commitment to serve. And for many of these public servants, their States have opted out of Social Security, and so they are not paying into the system.

But many of them have had other jobs in the past or will have other jobs in the future. These are jobs that will require them to contribute into Social Security. In many cases, they have contributed to Social Security for an entire career before taking on a job in public service. And then, when they retire--when folks retire, you assume that the Social Security benefits that you have paid into you are going to be receiving. These are benefits that people are entitled to receive, benefits that they are entitled to as the spouse or the survivor or both.

But for decades now, the commitment that these public servants have given to their communities and to our Nation has been returned with two acronyms that have had devastating consequences for, unfortunately, far too many Americans: GPO and WEP. For many in my State of Alaska, these are like swear words--GPO and WEP, government pension offset and windfall elimination provision.

The Social Security benefits of spouses, widows, and widowers were first cut by the GPO in 1977. Then, in 1983, Congress went after the benefits of the retirees themselves with the WEP. These two provisions have been responsible for reducing Social Security benefits from hard- working Americans who have earned them and then from their spouses, widows, and widowers.

And it is in Alaska where the highest number per capita of teachers and public employees are impacted. So when you look at the map of the United States and those areas where you have the highest negative impact from the WEP provision and the GPO provision, it is, unfortunately, in my home State of Alaska.

And it might not sound like a lot--15,156 Alaskans who are impacted by either GPO or WEP or both. These are all their stories. These are all individual Alaskans who have stories about how this has impacted them--like the retired teacher who is just one paycheck away from homelessness because, after serving for years as a teacher, she lost two-thirds of her earned Social Security benefits because of WEP; or the young Alaska widow who is in dire financial straits following her husband's recent unexpected death, simply because of GPO or WEP; or the senior citizen who taught for over 25 years, then turned to commercial fishing, and then he worked for BLM and the U.S. Forest Service--this is a career track that you see with a lot of Alaskans. His Social Security was cut by over 30 percent. So now, at 82 years old, he is still working to make ends meet. This is not retirement, folks.

These aren't hypotheticals. These are real stories from Alaskans who have reached out to me asking me, as their Senator, to help them. I have been hearing from these folks for the entire tenure that I have been here in the U.S. Senate--hearing about the disparate impact on Alaskans, hearing about the inequity, the unfairness: I have earned these benefits, and yet I am not able to receive the full benefit. Where is the fairness in that?

And so I have not just listened to my constituents; I have responded and stepped forward. In every single Congress since I have been here in the U.S. Senate, I have cosponsored legislation to eliminate GPO and WEP, and proudly so. But it has been very frustrating because, over these 22 years now, I have got constituents who are saying: This is happening to me in realtime right now.

And I have to say: This is hard. This formula is not right. We get it. We have got to address it, but this is going to be expensive. So until we are able to do more wholesale reforms, I don't know how we are going to be able to help you in the Senate.

That is not a satisfying answer to that teacher, to that firefighter, and to that widow.

So I was so pleased to be able to cast my vote yesterday to move to passage of the Social Security Fairness Act. I am proud that 72 of us here in the Senate joined together, and I am truly looking forward to final passage of this important measure before I return home.

And when I get home, I will be able to tell school districts that you are going to have a better chance. It is going to be a little bit easier for you to recruit and retain good teachers and principals because the disincentive to work in a State that is impacted by GPO and WEP is going to be gone for us in Alaska.

I will also be able to tell firefighters and the police and EMS responders that they are not going to have the burden of knowing that their retirement is going to be less secure or their spouse's retirement will be less secure after years of putting themselves on the line in service to our communities.

And I will be able to tell my neighbors and the folks I meet in the grocery store and in the community meetings that their service is not more of a sacrifice than it should be.

I am proud of the work that we have been able to do on behalf of Alaskans and for over 800,000 Americans in other States who are affected by GPO and the over 2 million people in the States who are impacted by WEP.

In the next Congress, it is going to be up to all of us to look at Social Security's solvency from a larger perspective, to work on it, debate on it, and vote on ways to ensure that this vital retirement program is going to continue to ensure that Americans are able to retire with dignity and security.

With that, I yield the floor.

As if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 128, S. 623; Calendar No. 626, S. 4451; Calendar No. 635, S. 4974; Calendar No. 298, S. 2020; Calendar No. 606, S. 3617; Calendar No. 632, S. 4851; Calendar No. 608, S. 3790; and Calendar No. 591, S. 2784.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendments, where applicable, be agreed to; that the bills as amended, if amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the committee-reported title amendment to S. 3790 be considered and agreed to; that the title of S. 3790, as amended, be considered and agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. President, I am really glad to see we can pass eight bills by unanimous consent here. I want to thank my colleague from California Senator Padilla, my colleague from Oregon Senator Merkley, and my colleague from Ohio Senator Brown for helping to work to develop these pairs and to move them forward.

I also want to acknowledge the cloakroom teams--thank you very much; we appreciate that--as well as the ranking member and the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee--Chairman Manchin and Ranking Member Barrasso--and their committee for their assistance.

We have now passed a total of five Alaska lands-related bills in the past couple days. Just last night, my friend Senator Hirono graciously offered a pair that included my legislation to sunset an outdated requirement in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act for Native village corporations to help convey lands to the State of Alaska to be held in trust for municipal uses.

By sunsetting this requirement and allowing our village corporations to regain title to these lands, it will help free up lands for pressing needs such as housing. I hear it all the time when I am out in the villages. We were able to move that measure.

We paired it with a bill from Congresswoman Radewagen to allow American Samoa to more easily make amendments to its territorial constitution. I was out in American Samoa with a group of Members a couple of months ago, and this was a priority for the Congresswoman and for the Governor. So it is good news for them as well.

The four bills that we just moments ago passed are important as well. We have legislation to amend ANCSA to ensure that when aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives receive dividends from their settlement trusts, they do not inadvertently become ineligible for certain Federal assistance programs.

We have another bill that settles Cape Fox's remaining land entitlement to remedy an injustice limiting where they can select lands. This has been going on for more than half a century here, so very important to the people down in the Cape Fox region.

Then we have my legislation to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, to provide for critical research and monitoring systems, upgrade existing networks, and install new detection technology. This helps in a State like mine or a State like Hawaii, where we have people who are living around volcanos.

We included legislation led by my colleague from Alaska Senator Sullivan to extend the Alaskan Native Vietnam Veterans Allotment Program for an additional 5 years. This is to ensure that eligible individuals and their heirs can receive their rightful lands. These are individuals who stood up, answered the call, served in Vietnam, and during their service were unable to make their Native selections. So remedying this has been a long cause of both mine and Senator Sullivan.

So we recognize that this is the end of the year, and all of these measures that have just passed all start with an S-dot, which means they are Senate bills. They are going to go to the House. They may not become law this year. We get that, although hope springs eternal around this place. But I am hopeful that the House can pass potentially some more bills by suspension. If they can't, we can revisit these in the new year, which are absolutely not controversial, but to get them across the finish line in this body is important. I know there are a lot of folks in these communities that are waiting for final action on that.

So I am pleased to be able to actually do some legislating here this evening.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, or (KBNERR), has enhanced appreciation and understanding of Alaska's Kachemak Bay ecosystem for a generation, allowing for tremendous research, partnerships, and educational programs to develop. Given it is the 25th anniversary of the Reserve, it is appropriate to acknowledge the importance of protecting and studying the area, while also commending the work done across the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.

The establishment of this Reserve in 1999, which is the largest in the system, has ensured that 372,000 acres of Kachemak Bay's coasts and estuaries are studied through place-based learning and locally driven research questions. Research and long-term monitoring of the bay's complex ecosystem and surrounding watershed provide communities the information they need to be stewards of natural resources in the region and respond to changing conditions. Additionally, as a sentinel site for the Gulf of Alaska, work done at KBNERR informs natural resource management across Alaska and the Nation.

As part of the University of Alaska Anchorage's Alaska Center for Conservation Science, KBNERR researchers actively participate in community outreach and, through training and education programs, ensure that scientific information is available to decision-makers, the public, and younger generations.

KBNERR and its NERRS counterparts have contributed greatly to habitat protection and economic growth. Across the country, these Reserves have produced thousands of jobs and research positions, protected millions of acres of land, and secured the continued vitality of fisheries and natural infrastructure.

Thank you to the university and KBNERR staff and communities surrounding Kachemak Bay who make it possible to enhance our appreciation and understanding of Alaska's coastal lands and waters, ensuring our natural resources remain healthy and productive well into the future.

Madam President, on March 6, 2021, almost a year to the day after communities across America--and Alaska--shut down in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, this body was voting on the third COVID relief bill, the American Rescue Plan.

Unfortunately, this was a wholly partisan exercise. Rather than advancing a bipartisan consensus effort, one side unilaterally pushed forward the largest spending package Congress had ever advanced, which I was not able to support. However, in the midst of that bogged down, partisan exercise, there was a bright spot of cross-aisle collaboration that brought together Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. In fact, it was one of only three amendments that passed with unanimous support during a contentious process where over 40 votes were taken.

I am speaking of my amendment with Senators Manchin, Portman, Sinema, Collins, and Sullivan to designate $800 million of the K12 education funds in the bill to be used for identifying, supporting, and educating children and youth experiencing homelessness.

I offered this amendment because the first two COVID relief packages did not include any dedicated funding to support this vulnerable population, who were arguably the most negatively impacted by school closures.

At that time, 2,578 Alaskan children and youth were identified as experiencing homelessness. That number grew to 3,554 in the next school year. Unfortunately, we are on pace to break records this school year.

Homelessness has far-reaching impacts on young people, affecting both their personal development and education. Living without a stable home means increased stress, insecurity, and trauma, leading to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

The tolls of their living situation also affects their physical health, increasing the risk of illness, obesity, diabetes, and hunger. Many youth struggle with regular sleep without a consistent place to rest their head. And many turn to substance abuse to cope with hardships.

For youth in school, homelessness often results in frequent school absences, difficulty concentrating, and lower academic achievement, as the instability of their living conditions makes it hard to focus on learning. The likelihood of dropping out of school rises dramatically, and so does the risk of being involved in the juvenile justice system.

Homeless youth may lack access to essential resources like school supplies, quiet study spaces, and nutritious meals, further widening the achievement gap.

Now I am probably not breaking any news to those of us in Congress, who have heard too many stories of young people enduring these incredibly trying conditions.

But I am here today to share some incredible news on this front from the bipartisan work done on this floor to help our youths in crisis.

In my home State of Alaska, we received $2.35 million in these funds, more than eight times its usual allocation.

To see the impact that these funds have had makes my heart sing. What was really incredible was seeing how each district used these funds creatively to meet the unique and specific needs of the kids they serve. By providing districts flexibility in their spending, schools were able to provide everything from school supplies to cell phones to clothing and food.

In the Kenai Peninsula School District, they used funds to help a student access mental health services. This particular student had experienced homelessness and housing instability for the majority of their time in public education. After falling off the radar of the school, the student became an unaccompanied homeless youth due to parental substance use disorder and incarceration.

These homeless youth funds were a lifeline in providing critical mental health services to support this student, giving them tools for coping, and helped place them on a path to sustained stability at a time when they were experiencing incredible uncertainty and didn't have someone in their life to help guide them.

In Anchorage, the school district used these funds to provide Wi-Fi hot spots, since the subsidized broadband internet was no longer available.

These funds enabled the purchase of 15 Wi-Fi hot spots for families last school year and 10 more for this year. You can imagine that for families and youth who are moving from place to place--motels, cars, couches--access to reliable internet to complete homework and communicate with teachers is a particular challenge. No other district program is able to support homeless students this way. ASD's Migrant Education, Indigenous Education, and English Language Learners departments see this as a big need but one they cannot address.

In addition to hotspots, Anchorage School District's program was able to provide car repairs. Now, that might seem like a strange way to help those experiencing homelessness, but districts discovered that car repairs made more economic sense than providing

cab services for young people trying to attend classes. By providing $200 on car repair costs, the district ultimately saved money on transportation, and families had more reliable car services.

Both districts also used funding to bring on additional staff designated to work with homeless students. The Child in Transition Program in the Anchorage School District was able to hire two full-time staff for remote sites and five part-time staff in high schools to support students on campus and connect them to services. These staffers are connecting students and families with identification efforts, checking in on attendance and grades, monitoring and supporting academic progress, and facilitating referrals with community partners.

In fact, one of these staffers was able to build rapport with a student experiencing homelessness who was interested in applying for a job, but didn't know how to start the process. By having a dedicated staff member, who they knew and trusted, the support and resources were there for this student to apply for the position and prepare for their interview. Today, that young person is employed.

These real-life examples highlight what this funding is actually doing on the ground and the incredible, real world benefits it has in the lives of youth and families experiencing homelessness.

We know that the No. 1 risk factor for adult homelessness is the lack of a high school education or equivalent.

The challenges and hardships that youth experiencing homelessness face can set them on the wrong path, severely limiting future opportunities for employment and healthy lifestyles.

These funds are still directly supporting students so they can attend school and have the resources to successfully complete their education.

This funding is helping young people get out of the homelessness cycle permanently.

I am proud to stand here with my colleagues to share the impact of this American Rescue Plan provision.

I was disappointed that we were not able to get a clean 1-year extension done so that we can continue to hear good stories of the work being done in our communities to identify and support homeless youth.

There were a number of reasons that States and local education agencies were not able to fully spend down their funds--from local education agencies not even being aware of the additional flexible funds, to delayed guidelines from the Department of Education on allowable uses.

So without an extension, some States will be returning funds. And make no mistake: These are funds that are still critically needed in our communities. The youth experiencing homelessness in our States still need our support, and we expect to see continued increases in homeless youth.

To be clear, there is more work to be done with homelessness on the rise. I urge my colleagues to work with us to address these issues.

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