Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H. Con. Res. 74, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion 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 until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27; and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Garnett nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed during yesterday's session ripen at 3:30 p.m.; finally, that if any nominations

are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to join Granite Staters in mourning the loss of John DiStaso, whose tenacious, in- depth, and effective political reporting reflected--and was a tribute to--New Hampshire's independent, skeptical, and engaged political culture.

John got his start in our State as a correspondent for the New Hampshire Union Leader. Beginning as a staff reporter in 1980, John rose to spend many years as the senior political reporter at the Union Leader, becoming an expert on the most pressing issues facing New Hampshire and the political campaigns that help define the Granite State and the Nation. Ending his tenure at the Union Leader in 2014, John later took his talents to WMUR, where he helped lead the station's political coverage.

For any of us who were the subject of his reporting, it was always clear that

John loved what he did and deeply believed in the importance of journalism to our democracy. He asked tough questions, he chased scoops, and he brought a Granite State lens to everything he wrote. Politics wasn't a game to him, and he took seriously his role of bringing political news directly to the voters.

John is perhaps best known for setting the standard for first in the Nation primary coverage, chronicling our primary for decades. First and foremost, Granite Staters turned to him to get everything that they needed to know as they grilled candidates at townhalls, and made their choices at the ballot box. And John was surely on speed dial for countless national political reporters who relied on him for his insights and analysis on our unique and historic primary, because no one knew the first in the Nation primary better than John.

Day in and day out, John tirelessly reported the news, ensuring that Granite Staters always knew the latest, not only on elections but also on critical issues facing our State, like the substance misuse epidemic. No story was too big or too small for John. Throughout his 40-year career in the Granite State, he interviewed four sitting Presidents, as well as countless New Hampshire elected officials and national leaders.

The impact of this coverage extended far beyond the page or the screen. Granite Staters are some of the most informed and engaged voters in the country, and that is in no small part due to John's deep commitment to sharing New Hampshire political news directly with the people. His passion for reporting helped fuel the Granite State practice of deeply engaged citizen participation in democracy.

John's love of journalism, his understanding of its importance to nurturing and protecting, our democracy, and his commitment to getting it right reflect the very best of New Hampshire--even if he was a Yankees fan. He will be missed.

Mr. President, while we all gather to acknowledge this historic day and prepare to vote to--in my case, at least--confirm Judge Jackson, I rise to bring up another issue. I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass into law commonsense legislation to bring down oil and gas costs for Americans.

As many of my colleagues have discussed on this floor, Americans across the country, including in my State of New Hampshire, are facing higher costs from the grocery store to the gas pump. As we work together to build a stronger, more resilient economy that strengthens our supply chains and invests in American manufacturing, we must also bring relief to American families right now, an issue that has become even more urgent in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has sent gas prices soaring.

As we continue to counter Putin's aggression and inflationary challenges facing our economy, we have an obligation to work together to bring down costs.

That is why I am working to hold Big Oil accountable for profiting off of the pain that Americans are experiencing at the pump. That is why I pushed the administration to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an action I was glad to see the administration take, again, just last week. As we look at all options to bring down costs, one clear way to provide immediate relief is by suspending the gas tax for the remainder of this year.

Earlier this year, my colleagues and I introduced a bill to do exactly that. The Gas Prices Relief Act will temporarily suspend the Federal gas tax through the end of the year, helping bring economic relief to families.

As in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3609; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Before I wrap up, I just want to point out what you just heard--what the American people have just heard--is talking points straight out of Big Oil's playbook.

A gas tax holiday is a commonsense solution that would provide immediate relief for Granite Staters and Americans all over the country. Big Oil holds thousands of unused permits at their fingertips that they could use right now to increase supply. Instead, what is happening is Big Oil is padding its pockets at the expense of Americans.

Let's be clear. This would not take a dime out of the highway trust fund because this bill instructs Treasury to replenish the trust fund, something it has done half a dozen times in about the last decade. This is something that has bipartisan support across the country--Democratic and Republican Governors, Democratic and Republican legislators are moving to suspend their gas taxes. This is something we could do right now to help American families balance their budgets and make ends meet.

While I am disappointed to see my colleague block this critical legislation, I will keep working to bring down costs for American families and get this bill passed.

Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Kateryna Ridley of Dover as March's Granite Stater of the Month. Kateryna, who is originally from Ukraine, is spearheading efforts in Dover to support her home country after Putin's unconscionable invasion of Ukraine.

As Kateryna watched Russia's attack, she agonized over whether her friends and family in Ukraine were safe or had access to essential goods. As she continued to receive worrying calls from friends and family, she decided that she needed to take action to help her Ukrainian community.

Kateryna's effort started with a trip to the store to buy blue and yellow paint, along with wood and other supplies that she used to create small Ukrainian flags. She went on to share her creations over social media, and within 4 days, she received 100 orders from people who were eager to show their support for Ukraine. Today, the total number of orders is well over 300, and Kateryna is donating her profits to help get Ukrainians everyday necessities.

Kateryna also spearheaded efforts to collect donations such as medical supplies, first aid, personal hygiene supplies, and baby items to send to Ukraine. She coordinated with Dover community leaders to organize a donation drive for Ukraine at a recent rally, and she was overjoyed with the response from her community as countless neighbors donated goods and came up to her to express their support and sympathy for the people of Ukraine.

During a time of immense duress--worrying for the safety of her family and friends back at home--Kateryna has found a way to make a real difference. From working in her woodshop for hours, to organizing donations of essential goods to Ukraine, Kateryna is working hard from the Granite State to reach her Ukrainian community during their time of need. I commend her for her efforts and for her spirit, which reflects the best of our State.

Kateryna is one of many Granite Staters, representing our Live Free or Die State, who is stepping up to support Ukrainians amid Putin's horrific war. As the U.S. and our allies continue to impose crippling sanctions on Russia and send military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, individual efforts from people like Kateryna are making a tangible difference in Ukrainians' lives. They are showing Ukrainians and the world that New Hampshire--and the United States--stands with them, for their freedom and democracy.

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

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 550.

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.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 555, 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, finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 23; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 282, H.R. 4521, America COMPETES Act, postcloture; further, that the vote on the motion to proceed occur at 10:30 a.m.; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session of the Senate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

For the information of the Senators, there will be a rollcall vote at 10:30 a.m. on the motion to proceed to the America COMPETES Act.

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

For the information of the Senators, there will be a rollcall vote at 10:30 a.m. on the motion to proceed to the America COMPETES Act.

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

Madam President, I would also like to thank my friend, the Senator from Vermont, who has been a champion for helping address substance use disorders in New England and around the country. I agree that this program has provided essential support to States and communities across the country.

Madam President, I do. The fiscal year 2021 joint explanatory statement accompanying the omnibus appropriations bill directed the Secretary to avoid significant funding cliffs between States with similar opioid mortality rates. For fiscal year 2022, the joint explanatory statement ``notes that large swings in funding between grant cycles can pose a significant challenge for States seeking to maintain programs that were instrumental in reducing drug overdose fatalities'' and directs the Assistant Secretary to award funds in a manner that avoids funding cliffs.

Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Caitlyn Knowles and Bella Donohue of Exeter and Emma Sughrue of Brentwood as February's Granite Staters of the Month. This trio led the Exeter High School girl's hockey team in organizing this year's ``Stick it to Stigma'' game, an initiative to promote discussions around student mental health and show teenagers that they are not alone.

Exeter High School's first ``Stick it to Stigma'' game was in 2017 and is now an annual tradition for the community to raise awareness about students' mental health. The event is in partnership with Connor's Climb, an organization that provides suicide prevention education to young people in New Hampshire.

After last year's event was downsized due to COVID-19, team captains Caitlyn, Emma, and Bella wanted this year's event to bring the community together in a big way and to help reduce the stigma around mental health.

The trio promoted the event to their classmates and shared the word both in school and over social media. The incredible size of the crowd on game day was evidence of their hard work in bringing people together and raising awareness about mental health.

Spectators participated in a Chuck-a-Puck fundraiser to compete for raffle prize money, mingled with new and old friends, and cheered on the teams. Parents, students, and former players also wore buttons and t-shirts with messages of support to raise awareness around mental health, and shared information with one another about mental health resources.

Caitlyn, Emma, and Bella are working to address mental health challenges and share the message that ``it's okay to not be okay,'' a phrase that their coach often tells them. These young women showed enormous leadership in organizing an event that helped bring their community together, all the while shining a spotlight on one of the most important issues facing young people today. They exemplify the Granite State spirit of tackling an issue head on to help others, and I commend them for their efforts.