Floor Statements

Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 638, S. 2498, the National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act; and Calendar No. 641, S. 2754, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act.

Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-reported substitute amendments be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, all en bloc.

Mr. President, this is not the first time, nor do I believe it will be the last. There have been multiple--and I mean multiple--efforts by my colleagues on the Democrat side to bypass regular order in the Senate and pass legislation without it being vetted as it properly should.

It is true that we have some disagreements with Canada, although Canada is

one of our best trading partners and one of our best allies, and I, for one, have worked very hard during my career to make sure we have strong relations with Canada. But Canada is engaged in tariff and nontariff trade barriers against the United States that President Trump is trying to resolve. Think lumber. Think timber. If we can simply get fair trade with Canada on these issues, we can resolve them.

But the key point here is that doing so by asking to bypass the entire Senate process of developing legislation is not the approach. As chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum in which this debate on our trade policy should be held, I object to this unanimous consent request.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, Senator Wyden, thank you. You are right, this bill is no small potatoes; it is a legacy piece of legislation that will be of massive support and strengthening to American citizens. I thank my colleague Senator Wyden from Oregon for working in a bipartisan fashion with us to draft this legislation.

In fact, all of the colleagues in the Finance Committee have worked with us on this, and all of them have a piece of this legislation, as Senator Wyden has indicated, and I thank them as well.

Every year millions of Americans work diligently to comply with our tax law. When they do, they deserve a tax system that is competent and responsive. Too often, however, taxpayers encounter a system that falls short of those baseline requirements. The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, or TAS Act, is a bipartisan response to this taxpayer frustration. It reflects what the Finance Committee has collectively learned through years of casework and oversight and proposals from both sides of the aisle.

It is designed to provide taxpayers with top-quality service and ensure taxpayers' rights are protected. For example, a taxpayer who files a return should be able to go online and know where he or she stands with the IRS. A taxpayer who calls the Agency should reach a representative promptly. A taxpayer who submits a document electronically should not lose legal rights because the Agency processes it late.

These are basic expectations of tax administration. The TAS Act modernizes the IRS so that it can better meet these and other similar expectations. It expands electronic processing of returns and correspondence so filers receive their refunds faster. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns. It also improves online accounts and callback technology and requires the IRS to provide clearer information about backlogs, wait times, refunds, and suspended returns.

But modernization alone is not enough. A modernized bureaucracy can still be burdensome.

To better protect taxpayer rights, the TAS Act increases access to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals and the Taxpayer Advocate Service. It modernizes U.S. Tax Court procedures. It improves review in innocent spouse cases and other disputes. It unlocks funding for low- income taxpayer clinics. And it increases accountability for unauthorized disclosures of taxpayer information.

These are just a few of the examples of the 65 taxpayer-focused improvements in the TAS Act, which the Finance Committee approved by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26 to 1.

That resounding bipartisan agreement is bolstered by support from the nonpartisan National Taxpayer Advocate and many leading tax practitioners, who agree that this bill will help the IRS administer the law more predictably and more promptly.

Once again, I thank Ranking Member Wyden and the other Members of the Finance Committee for their partnership in shaping and advancing this legislation.

I urge all of my colleagues to support the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act.

Mr. President, at this time, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5349 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the Crapo- Wyden substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the title amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the title, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to modify the order from September 28 to allow 10 minutes of debate, equally divided, at 2:15 p.m., prior to the scheduled rollcall vote.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, first, with regard to Canada. Canada is a great ally and trading partner of the United States. That is true.

It is also true, however, that Canada has for years engaged in nontariff trade barriers against the United States that are unjustified. Think lumber, think dairy, and others. President Trump is trying to stop Canada from these nontariff barriers that are hurting Americans and have hurt Americans for years, and he is doing so by enforcing tariffs.

This is not the first time--nor is it likely the last--that a colleague of ours on the Senate floor has tried to pass unvetted legislation on the floor to address a disagreement with President Trump.

But as the chairman of the Finance Committee, which is the appropriate forum for legislation, I object to the unanimous consent request for S. 5397.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I have four 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:

Madam President, I honor and remember the life of Jeremy Campbell, the brother of Brendan Campbell, a dedicated member of my staff.

As we approach the anniversary of Jeremy's death on October 27, 2025, we are reminded of his goodness and love that were hallmarks of Jeremy's life.

Jeremy enjoyed being outdoors: riding dirt bikes, hunting, fishing, and playing baseball. He spent many weekends at motocross tracks and enjoyed working on race cars with his dad and friends. He spent time working in his yard and mowing the grass for his mom. Jeremy also liked boat rides, golfing, and spending time with his dad.

He was an example of how to overcome significant challenges with a positive attitude, humor, love, and determination. In 2008, Jeremy suffered a traumatic brain injury following a motocross accident. In response, he demonstrated an unflinching resilience as he worked to re- learn how to walk, talk, and eat, along with many other aspects of daily life. His same love for the outdoors brought him a new love for horse therapy, forging a bond with the horses and his instructors at StableStrides.

Jeremy's parents, siblings, nieces, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and the love of his life lost a true, reliable man. His loved ones described him as ``kind, caring and patient. Helping people made his heart so full. He inspired everyone who knew him with his positive attitude, humor, and love.''

I honor Jeremy's life today as one taken too soon, but one filled with love and purpose throughout his 38 years. Since his passing, many have shared how Jeremy touched their lives, how he lent them a helping hand, how he checked on them, how he made them feel safe and, of course, not alone.

I join the prayers for healing and comfort for Jeremy's family and extend very special condolences to his parents Marty and Sherri: May you find consolation in knowing you helped send forward into our world a son who brought light to others. Jeremy is deeply missed, and his lasting, positive impact is felt in the lives of those who were fortunate to know him. As we honor his life, we mourn his loss and cherish his loving memory.

Madam President, I join the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. of Pocatello, ID, in acknowledging National POW/MIA Recognition Day this September 18, 2026.

I am grateful for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's, DPAA, steady and often challenging work to meet its responsibility of recovering America's servicemembers. Each year, the DPAA leads the creation of a poster commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day, as ceremonies are held across the country to honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. The year's poster reads, ``Warrior Ethos: `I will always place the mission first . . . I will never leave a fallen comrade.' ''

Second Lieutenant Charles Atteberry, a World War II servicemember from Parma who had been missing and unidentified for 80 years, is one of the Idaho servicemembers most recently returned home. Through the U.S. military's use of DNA testing, Lt. Atteberry was identified from a mass grave in Taiwan and returned to Idaho in 2025. Lt. Atteberry's brother Lloyd also served in the military as a pilot during World War II and is still considered missing in action since he was reportedly shot down in 1943.

On June 10, 2026, the DPAA also accounted for U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Harold T. Thompson, 24, who was killed during World War II. The DPAA reported, ``In the winter of 1944, Thompson was assigned to the 718th Bombardment Squadron, 449th Bombardment Group, in Italy. On Jan. 30, he was serving as a gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator bomber on a mission to Udine, Italy. The plane was shot down while returning from its mission and was last sighted north of the Isle of Morgo off the Italian coast near the town of Grado. Three crew members made it out of the plane before the crash, but only one survived. The other seven members, including Thompson, were believed to have still been in the aircraft when it crashed.''

As we celebrate Idahoans' return home, we maintain hope for the return of Idaho's other servicemembers, including the eight who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. This includes Major William Ellsworth Lemmons, who was on a visual reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam on June 18, 1967, when the aircraft he piloted failed to return from the mission for unknown reasons and was declared missing. Major Lemmons is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

I thank America's servicemembers, veterans, and their families for their extraordinary commitment to our country, as I remain deeply grateful to those who keep attention on bringing every American servicemember and the DPAA and its partners working steadily to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. personnel to their families and our country.

To support these efforts, I continue to use every opportunity to press for enactment of the Bring Our Heroes Home Act. This legislation would help eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America's POWs and MIA.

We honor America's missing servicemembers and those they served beside by never giving up in our pursuit of finding them and bringing them home.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately execute the order in relation to the Westercamp nomination.

Madam President, in response to the discussion that my colleague from Oregon has just engaged in, far too often, our Nation's healthcare system incentivizes low-value, high-cost services. For years, bipartisan policy makers throughout Capitol Hill and across administrations have endeavored to disrupt this flawed paradigm, especially in the Medicare Program. Unfortunately, despite progress to incorporate new value-based payment arrangements, Medicare's underlying reimbursement structure continues to rely heavily on the volume of services provided, rather than the quality of care.

In addition to failing patients and providers, Medicare's perverse financial incentives contribute to massive waste and abuse. Well- meaning clinicians often face opaque coverage guidelines that can result in denied reimbursements, while malicious actors exploit bureaucratic vulnerabilities to defraud the program.

Through the wasteful and inappropriate service reduction model--work WISeR--CMS is testing whether enhanced technology can help address these systemic failures. For a limited set of nonemergency services with a documented history of abuse and overuse, providers in select States must submit claims for review. Claims that meet existing Medicare coverage requirements are quickly approved, offering providers payment predictability.

When issues arise, board-certified clinicians--not technological machines, board-certified clinicians--intervene to make the final decision. The potential benefit of this ``detect and prevent strategy'' is substantial. For example, Medicare spending on skin substitutes, one of the chosen WISeR model services, increased and--hear this--increased from $256 million in 2019 to $10 billion in 2024. It doesn't even take a technological machine to tell you that something is wrong there.

Proactive, technology-based scrutiny could have detected this outlier spending growth and protected both patients and taxpayers.

Regrettably, misinformation about this model has sparked fears of delays in essential patient care and additional burdens on providers.

Later today, the Senate will proceed to a resolution to stop this important work of the WISeR model. Every Member of this body agrees that patients should have access to high-quality care, providers deserve predictable payment for services, and avoidable waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare should be stopped. Ending this pilot program prematurely will deprive CMS of a useful tool to accomplish each of those goals.

And I urge my colleagues to consider the facts and oppose this resolution.

I yield the floor.

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:

COMMITtEE ON ARMED SERVICES

The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination.

COMMITtEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS

The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

COMMITtEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination.

COMMITtEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a business meeting.

COMMITtEE ON FINANCE

The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

COMMITtEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11 a.m., to conduct a hearing on nominations.

COMMITtEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS

The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination.

COMMITtEE ON THE JUDICIARY

The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct an executive business meeting.

Mr. President, I commend the Administration for Children and Families, ACF, for its achievement in securing the participation of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in the A Home for Every Child Campaign.

This milestone represents a meaningful bipartisan accomplishment: every jurisdiction choosing to join a voluntary effort focused on improving the lives of vulnerable children and families. At a time when consensus can be difficult to achieve, this campaign demonstrates that leaders across the political spectrum can unite around the fundamental goal of ensuring every child has a safe, stable, and loving home.

This initiative is rooted in Idaho, where it is transforming the child welfare system and resolving the shortage of quality foster homes. The Gem State's model has improved foster care outcomes by achieving higher home-to-child ratios, prioritizing kinship recruitment, and preventing both unnecessary placements into care and burnout by current foster families. With the support of every State, that innovative approach is now being successfully implemented at the national level by Dr. Alex Adams, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Family Support, who previously served as Idaho's Health and Welfare Director.

As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I was proud to help enact the Working Families Tax Cuts that made the adoption tax credit partially refundable up to $5,000, helping offset the costs of adopting a child. And the Trump administration announced plans to help foster youth participate in the Trump Accounts created in the law to help the next generation build wealth,

with Idaho pledging to adopt policies that will allow all its foster youth the same opportunity.

By strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and States, ACF is helping transform outcomes for children and families while establishing a model for strategic Federal-State partnerships. I thank the foster families across Idaho and the country who provide the stability and love every child deserves. I commend ACF, participating State and Territorial leaders, and all those working to make this vision a reality.

Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we recognize the 100-year anniversary of the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building, on North Johnson Avenue in Pocatello, ID.

This beautiful and beloved building adds to the appeal and history of the community. Architect Frank Paradice, Jr., designed the timeless brick building with a tiled roof and brickwork accents, and it was built by contractor Alex Mathers from 1924 to 1926. As the Idaho Heritage Trust described, ``This site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Lincoln-Johnson Avenue Residential Historic District, though it stands in stark contrast to the typical craftsman/bungalow-style single family homes that typify the rest of the neighborhood.'' Earlier this year, community members came together to celebrate the grand reopening of the building after it underwent renovation following considerable water damage. Many worked to secure resources and restore this local asset.

Over the past century, the building has been a cherished community treasure for the veterans and military families it pays tribute to, as well as for many others in the community who have used the building for special events. The Bannock County Veterans Memorial Association maintains the veterans memorial building, which is a community center and hub for veterans' support services. Numerous veterans organizations hold regular meetings in its meeting and event space. Local residents have also hosted wedding receptions and other private events in the building over the years, and it has been the backdrop for photographs and other gatherings marking personal milestones and celebrations.

The building also houses a memorial museum for those who have served in all branches of the military, with local servicemembers donating artifacts to its collection. An official replica of Pocatello native Sergeant James Edmund Johnson's Medal of Honor is among the esteemed items displayed at the museum. Sergeant Johnson was one of 48 awardees with significant Idaho connections to receive our country's highest military award for heroism by those serving with America's Armed Forces. His medal is a reminder of the bravery, grit, and unrelenting responsibility to others on which our great State and country are built.

At the February 2026 reopening of the building, Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building historian Miguel Dominic recognized the veteran volunteers who have given immensely in service to our country and continue to sustain the building and serve the community. He reflected, ``May this memorial building continue to stand as a beacon of honor, fellowship and unwavering ideals for generations to come. As we stand together in this memorial building, we honor not only the heroes whose names and sacrifices are remembered here, but also the heroes who continue to serve within these very walls.''

We wish the residents of Bannock County and Pocatello well, as we acknowledge the century the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building has memorialized Idaho Veterans, while framing countless, valuable conversations, achievements, and celebrations. Congratulations to the Pocatello community and Bannock County on this considerable milestone of an Idaho gem.

Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 685 submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to; that 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 the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 686, which is at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to; that 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, the Democratic leader, the Republicans are working to reduce healthcare costs and lower premiums, but this amendment is not in order. Creation of such a point of order is outside the jurisdiction of the Budget Committee and is therefore not appropriate for inclusion in a budget resolution.

Adopting this amendment would jeopardize the privilege of the budget resolution and lose our ability to use reconciliation to reopen the Department of Homeland Security. Therefore, under the provisions of section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I raise a point of order that the amendment offered is not germane.

Mr. President, the focused budget blueprint before us today is necessary to quickly fund ICE, Border Patrol Agents, and support staff.

Since the Finance Committee is not instructed in this budget resolution, this is not a tax, trade, or healthcare reform bill. The budget makes that clear.

Adding a deficit-neutral reserve fund and finance jurisdiction is nongermane, as it expands the scope of the budget resolution.

Therefore, under the provisions of section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I raise a point of order that the amendment offered is not germane.

Mr. President, we just voted briefly, a few moments ago, against the Sanders MFN amendment. This is a similar amendment. It is outside the purpose of the budget resolution.

I encourage Senators to vote no and support the focused budget blueprint before us and quickly fund ICE and Border Patrol agents and support staff.

Vote on Amendment No. 5336

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I rise to speak in opposition to the Speedy Tariff Refund Act of 2026.

I share my colleagues' support for ensuring that any administrative processes are efficient and easy to navigate, especially for small businesses, but this legislation is unnecessary. The bill would require the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to swiftly refund tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The CBP is already in the process of doing just that. In fact, yesterday, CBP launched its new portal through which importers of all sizes may file declarations requesting refunds. The portal is called the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries--the CAPE-- portal. This portal will help CBP manage the expected high volume of submissions to ensure that importers can track the refund process.

CBP is committed to helping the public navigate this portal. In fact, it released written guidance and is holding public webinars, including one held earlier today.

As CBP demonstrated to the satisfaction of the U.S. Court of International Trade, this is a necessary process given the complexities of tariff refund calculations. By all accounts, CBP is now expeditiously complying with the court's order.

For these reasons, I object.

I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The objection is heard.