Floor Statements

Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Tyler Blanchette of Hudson as August's Granite Stater of the Month. Tyler has helped run an annual fundraiser outside his family's home in the middle of the winter to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association and has continued this effort even as he faces his own brain cancer diagnosis.

The yearly fundraiser began on a chilly day in the winter of 2009 when Tyler's older brother Brandon decided to sell hot chocolate on his front lawn to raise money to support Alzheimer's research. The inspiration behind the fundraiser stemmed from their great-grandfather, nicknamed ``Big Papa,'' who was diagnosed with the disease and died from it when Brandon and Tyler were young.

Once Brandon grew older and moved out of the Blanchette's home, Tyler eagerly took over running the event--making the signs, brewing the hot chocolate, and getting the word out to the community.

The fundraiser, named Big Papa's Cocoa Stand in honor of Tyler's great-grandfather, sells hot chocolate for $1 to friends, neighbors, and community members who come by for a hot drink and a good cause. All of the sales go to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and since its founding, Tyler's family has raised approximately $30,000 for the organization.

Four years ago, Tyler was diagnosed with brain cancer, a diagnosis he is living with today. Yet he was determined to continue helping others by running the cocoa stand. Tyler never let his diagnosis stand in the way of his goal to raise money for the organization that is working to find a cure for the disease that took his great-grandfather's life.

Despite incredible adversity, Tyler has exemplified the spirit of the Granite State by forging on and serving his community no matter the circumstances. It is a mark of Tyler's compassion and grit that he continues to operate this fundraiser as he battles his own health challenges. I am proud to honor Tyler for his efforts and will pray for him and his family during this difficult time.

Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Noelle Lambert of Manchester as July's Granite Stater of the Month. Noelle is a Paralympic athlete who founded the Born to Run Foundation, which helps young people who have lost a limb achieve their

dreams by providing them with specialized prosthetics.

A lifelong athlete, Noelle was recruited to play Division 1 lacrosse at UMass Lowell. In her freshman year, Noelle was in a moped accident that severed her left leg.

Noelle did not let this devastating accident stop her from finishing out her college lacrosse career. With the help of nonprofit organizations, Noelle received a specialized prosthetic for running that allowed her to continue competing. A specialized prosthetic like the one Noelle needs can cost up to $50,000 and is rarely covered by insurance, so the help Noelle received from these charities was essential in her return to competition.

Inspired by the nonprofits who helped her compete at an elite collegiate level and determined that others in need of prosthetics receive the help that they need, Noelle started her own nonprofit to help other children and young adult amputees.

Already, the Born to Run Foundation has donated specialized prosthetics to 14 individuals, including one as young as 4 years old. With the assistance of prosthetics provided by Born to Run, individuals have been able to run, weightlift, or simply take a walk on the beach again.

If her work leading Born to Run wasn't enough, Noelle is also a world-class athlete and national record holder who qualified for the U.S. Paralympic Team and is competing at the Tokyo Paralympics in the 100-meter dash in the T63 division.

Noelle's grit, perseverance, and compassion for others represent the best of the Granite State. Her ability to turn a traumatic experience into an opportunity to help others is an inspiration to us all, and I am honored to recognize her.

Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Maurice Mailhot of Berlin as June's Granite Stater of the Month. Maurice, a veteran who served in the Korean war and received two Purple Hearts during his service, worked diligently to help redesign Veteran's Memorial Park in Berlin. Starting with the memorial for the Spanish American War, Maurice worked through northern New Hampshire's grueling winter and into the spring to place each war memorial centrally and in chronological order in the park, creating a tribute worthy of New Hampshire's veterans.

The story of how Maurice came to redesign the park is a testament to his service to his community and his indomitable spirit. A lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, Maurice was asked by his fellow VFW members to lead and coordinate efforts to redesign Veteran's Memorial Park in downtown Berlin. As one of the oldest members of the group, Maurice could have said no and enjoyed his well-deserved retirement, but instead, he not only organized the redesign but almost singlehandedly completed the construction himself.

Maurice, working mostly alone, dug holes around each memorial so that it could be lifted by machinery to a more optimal spot in the park. Maurice also designed a new signpost for the memorial park, replacing an older, wooden sign that failed to reflect the reverence that each of the war memorials is intended to convey. The new sign, made of solid, local granite, was donated by Maurice to honor Berlin's veteran community.

Maurice embodies what it means to be a Granite Stater. Long after his brave service to our country, Maurice continues to serve his community and has gone to extraordinary lengths to honor his fellow veterans. I am grateful not only for Maurice's service but also for his dedication to his community, and I am honored to recognize him.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I am proud to recognize Elizabeth ``Izzy'' McKinney of Londonderry as May's Granite Stater of the Month. A nurse and mother of two young children, Lily and Bryant, Izzy is using poetry, illustrations, and her personal experiences to bring much # needed attention to neurodivergent conditions in children.

When her daughter, Lily, was a toddler, she would flap her arms when she got excited. Izzy and her husband thought nothing of it at first, since Izzy also used to flap her arms when she was a child.

It was not until Lily started kindergarten that Izzy and her husband realized that Lily's arm-flapping was unique. Flapping is a type of self-stimulatory behavior that is common in children with neurodivergence and can help them alleviate feelings of sensory overload.

For a school project that encouraged students to highlight what makes them special, Izzy encouraged her daughter to find things about her that stood out from her peers.

While thinking about her daughter's project, Izzy decided to write her own poem about her daughter's unique physical behavior to demonstrate to Lily that it is okay to be different from friends and classmates, that everyone has unique attributes.

Eventually, Izzy expanded the poem into a children's book called ``What Makes Me Special.'' All the proceeds for the book go toward the High Hopes Foundation of New Hampshire, a nonprofit that provides life- enhancing experiences for children with chronic conditions.

Later, after Izzy's second child, Bryant, was born, Izzy wrote another children's book, this time focused on her son's neurodivergence, dyspraxia. This book is titled ``My Buddy Bryant: A Story of Friendship and Dyspraxia'' and encourages children to embrace each other's differences. All the proceeds for this book go toward the Dyspraxia Foundation USA, which seeks to educate the public about dyspraxia and provide support and resources to families. Izzy also runs her own blog, flappingoodtale.com, about her experience parenting two children who are neurodivergent.

Izzy embodies the best of our State by destigmatizing neurdivergence and promoting acceptance and inclusion. Her books provide a fun avenue to help children and adults understand that including people who experience physical or behavioral differences or disabilities can strengthen our families, our committees, our State, and our country. I wish Izzy all the best as she continues this important work.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Adam Hammill and his business, Exile Burrito of Berlin, NH. Mr. Hammill, a Coast Guard veteran, had the courage to open his business after years of planning in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

After honorably serving our country, both in the Coast Guard and with the Bureau of Prisons, Mr. Hammill turned his passion for cooking authentic Mexican cuisine into a family business and contributed to the revitalization of Berlin's historic Main Street community by opening a restaurant, creating jobs, and offering a new variety of table fare that was previously not available within an hour of New Hampshire's northernmost city.

Opening a new business is always a challenge, but that is especially true for people like Mr. Hammill, who decided to start their business during an unprecedented global pandemic. Mr. Hammill was committed to staying open for his employees and his community by pivoting to a takeout model and implementing safety measures for both his employees and customers. As Mr. Hammill adapted to the ever changing business climate due to the pandemic, he found that as a new business, he was unable to access the critical pandemic relief funding passed by Congress. Mr. Hammill recognized the gap in support and raised this issue with me. As a result of advocacy from Mr. Hammill and other new business owners in New Hampshire, I introduced the bipartisan Recovery Startup Assistance Act with Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana, which President Biden signed into law as part of the American Rescue Plan. Now, thanks to Mr. Hammill's advocacy, new business owners will be able to access payroll assistance through a tailored version of the employee retention tax credit.

Mr. Hammill truly represents the best of the Granite State--serving our country, showing his grit and determination to open a successful business despite unprecedented challenges, and speaking up to help other new businesses like his own. I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next.

Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Olivia Van Ledtje of Durham as March's Granite Stater of the Month. Olivia, a 12- year-old book activist, creates videos--called LivBits--that seek to encourage children around the globe to love books as much as she does.

Olivia began creating LivBits when she was 8 years old as a way to overcome bullying that she experienced. The videos gave Olivia a purpose and allowed her to find her voice.

Olivia's first video, which was uploaded to her mother's social media, went viral and has more than 500,000 views. Since then, Olivia has created many more LivBits about some of her favorite books and even hosted a podcast with authors as a way to get children her age excited about reading.

Over the last few years, Olivia has travelled across the country and around the world to promote her love of reading and inspire others. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olivia hasn't been travelling as much, but because her work is built for the digital age, she is still able to share her message with children and teachers around the globe.

Olivia's passion for and dedication to promoting literacy and inspiring children in New Hampshire and around the world to love reading represents the best of our State. By promoting self-reliance and self-empowerment through discovery and learning, I know that she will continue to do incredible things, and I look forward to everything she will go on to accomplish.

Mr. President, I have a request for one committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

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

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, May 10, 2021, at 5:30 p.m., to conduct a meeting.

Madam President, I am proud to recognize Emily Kim Ae Sun Hunter of Chester as April's Granite Stater of the Month. In response to the surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, AAPI, Emily is organizing a peaceful gathering in downtown Portsmouth to demonstrate support for New Hampshire's AAPI community.

Emily was born in Seoul, South Korea. When she and twin sister were 5 months old, they were adopted by a couple in New Hampshire. Growing up in a predominantly White community, Emily and her sister quickly learned what it was like to be the only people of color in a room. The sisters were also the target of hate, which left a lasting impression on both of the girls.

Emily--now a mentor for Asian-American women at her company and a strong voice in the AAPI community--was shocked and horrified, as so many Americans were, by the mass shooting in Atlanta, GA, that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent.

In response, Emily decided to take action by organizing a peaceful gathering to show support for the AAPI community and help share resources to combat discrimination. Emily, who has never organized an event like this before, has also taken to social media and raised more than $6,500 for AAPI organizations across the country.

Emily's dedication to uplifting members of the AAPI community and encouraging others to do the same embodies the best of the Granite State. Amid a challenging time for the AAPI community, Emily has shown true strength by elevating her message of inclusivity and acceptance. I am honored to name her as a Granite Stater of the Month as we join together to stand with the AAPI community and condemn the un-American attacks that we have seen.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate

proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 152, submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, 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 table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 14; 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 nomination of Gary Gensler to be a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission; further, that the postcloture time on the Gensler nomination be considered expired at 11:45 a.m.; finally, that if cloture is invoked on the Mallory nomination, all postcloture time be considered expired at 3:30 p.m.

Mr. President, for the information of Senators, there will be two rollcall votes at 11:45 a.m. in relation to the Gensler and Mallory nominations and two rollcall votes at 3:30 p.m. on the Mallory nomination and cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 937, relating to COVID-19 hate crimes.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 152 as a further mark of respect for the memory of Officer William Francis ``Billy'' Evans of the United States Capitol Police.

Mr. President, today I would like to recognize Bisson's Sugar House, a New Hampshire institution that is celebrating its 100th anniversary. March is Maple Month in New Hampshire, where maple producers across our State produce more than 90,000 gallons of maple syrup, and the Bisson family represents three generations of this great and tasty tradition.

Lazzare Bisson and his nephew Armand found Bisson's Sugar House in Berlin in 1921, and ran the business together successfully for 15 years. Lazzare then passed the business on to Armand and his wife, Juliette. In 1953, they constructed a new sugar house to support their growing business, and since then, they have welcomed families from New Hampshire and beyond to see their work each spring.

The Bisson family has prioritized preserving the traditional sugaring experience, while also modernizing their operations in order to provide high-quality, delicious maple products to their customers. Each year, the Bisson family taps more than 3,000 trees, and they still boil their sap on a wood-fired evaporator built by Armand and Juliette more than 50 years ago. During the height of the sugaring season in March and April, they make candy with the same evaporator they have used since the 1940s.

Since 1988, Bisson's Sugar House has been run by Armand and Juliette Bisson's niece Muriel and her husband Lucien Blais. For many families, an annual trip to Bisson's Sugar House marks the beginning of spring. As the sugar business has passed from generation to generation, the Bisson family's work has encouraged Granite Staters to treasure our past and embrace the future.

I hope you will join me in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Bisson's Sugar House and sending them best wishes for a successful harvest and many more years of sharing their traditions with the people of New Hampshire.

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 1344 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 2 minutes equally divided.

Mr. President, I believe that every single Member of this body agrees that remote learning is taking an enormous toll on our students, teachers, and our students' families, and that we need to safely get students back into the classroom.

This amendment would ensure that educational agencies receiving relief funds will within 30 days develop and make publicly available a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense amendment to support an objective that we all share: getting our students safely back in their classrooms.

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

Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Vernis Jackson of Portsmouth as February's Granite Stater of the Month. Jackson is the founder of the Seacoast African American Cultural Center and played a critical role in establishing the African Burying Ground in downtown Portsmouth.

Jackson moved to Portsmouth from her hometown of Savannah, GA, in 1963 and in 1974 joined another Granite Stater in organizing the first chartered organization, Kwanza, for African-American women in New Hampshire. The group worked to support young people and communities on the Seacoast; however, Jackson felt that there was more that she could do to elevate African-American achievements in the State.

In 2000, Jackson founded the Seacoast African American Cultural Center, which holds concerts, educational programs, and exhibits to help highlight the contributions, both modern and historical, that individuals of African descent have made to communities on the Seacoast and around the world.

Jackson, who taught for 38 years in the Portsmouth school system, wanted to make sure that the center could be used as a resource for students. Thanks to Jackson's leadership, the center works closely with schools across Portsmouth, including holding art exhibits for middle school students and providing scholarships for high school students of color.

In 2016, the center featured an exhibit featuring dolls of color, and last year it hosted an exhibit showcasing photos from former President Barack Obama's White House photographer Pete Souza.

Jackson also helped lead efforts in Portsmouth to establish the African

Burying Ground, which commemorates the spot where 13 individuals of African descent were buried in the 18th century.

Jackson's work to elevate the stories and culture of African Americans on the Seacoast and around the world represents the best of New Hampshire's efforts to create a more informed, inclusive, and just State that is welcoming of all people and backgrounds. I am honored to recognize her efforts and wish the center continued success.