Floor Statements

Mr. President, in about an hour or so, we are going to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Scott Bessent to be the Treasury Secretary of the United States, and I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this motion.

A Treasury Secretary heads the Agency charged with supporting economic growth, representing U.S. interests before foreign nations and global financial markets and organizations, managing the Federal Treasury, and overseeing financial institutions--to name just a few of those important responsibilities.

Past successful Treasury Secretaries have understood business and financial markets, as well as foreign policy, national security, budgets, and regulation.

Mr. Bessent's impressive background positions him for similar success. He has worked for the last three decades as one of the sharpest minds in the global financial industry. He has decades of academic, professional, and leadership experience relative to these positions.

When it comes to Mr. Bessent's qualifications, there is no room for debate. His background and training are tailor-made for this role, and he has the demeanor and character to be an effective Secretary.

His powerful presentation at his hearing about his desire to serve in government in order to make a meaningful difference was impressive to all. It includes restoring prosperity and opportunity that our Nation experienced during President Trump's first term in office.

As Mr. Bessent stated, accomplishing key tasks like extending vital tax cuts for all Americans is literally a pass-fail exercise, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that we succeed.

I strongly agree with a sentiment that my colleague Senator Graham shared at the nomination hearing that if qualifications--and I might add character--are one's test, voting to confirm Mr. Bessent is one of the easiest we could ever take.

In prior Congresses, I have joined with many of my Republican colleagues in voting for well-qualified Treasury Secretary candidates put forward by a Democrat President, even though I didn't agree with all of the positions they advocated.

Mr. Bessent's candidacy ought to enjoy similar support, and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me in advancing his nomination.

He is the right person for this job, and I commend President Trump in making such an excellent selection.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I expect that sometime this evening, the Senate will move to the consideration of the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal two Social Security provisions: the windfall elimination provision, pronounced ``WEP,'' and the government pension offset, GPO.

I agree with my colleagues that the WEP and GPO should be improved to ensure that teachers, firefighters, police officers, and others receive fair treatment under Social Security; however, I am disappointed that the Finance Committee did not have the opportunity to examine ways to address the WEP and GPO that would be fair to all Social Security beneficiaries and not hurt Social Security's long-term solvency.

In its current form, the Social Security Fairness Act would cost nearly $200 billion over the next 10 years and exhaust the balance of the old-age and survivors insurance trust fund roughly 6 months earlier for all Social Security beneficiaries. The share of OASI benefits that could be paid when the trust fund is exhausted would be smaller under this bill than under current law, meaning all Social Security beneficiaries will see their Social Security benefits reduced earlier, and their benefits then will be even smaller than they would have been.

I filed an amendment that would delay the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act until changes are made that would offset the bill's negative impact on Social Security's actuarial balance as determined by the Social Security Board of Trustees. The amendment does not specify what the changes should be or how the changes should be determined.

While I continue to have concerns with the approach taken in the Social Security Fairness Act, at the very least, this amendment needs to be adopted so that we do not have a negative impact on Social Security's solvency and impact the Social Security benefits of all Social Security recipients.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment when it comes up. That will be the Crapo amendment No. 3331.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 3331, and I ask that it be reported by number.

Madam President, throughout this entire debate, no one has denied that this bill will raise the insolvency of the Social Security trust fund and cost our hard-working Social Security recipients to lose $200 billion in Social Security benefits when it does go insolvent.

My amendment simply would delay the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act until changes are made that would offset the bill's negative effects on Social Security's actuarial balance as determined by the Social Security board of trustees.

Let the Finance Committee fix this bill.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we join in honoring Roger Christensen for his decades of service to Idahoans as Bonneville County Commissioner.

Roger Christensen of Idaho Falls has been a steady, experienced hand at the helm of Bonneville County for the past 30 years. He became commissioner in January 1995 and has served faithfully until his upcoming retirement in January 2025, giving him the distinction of being the longest serving Bonneville County commissioner. Roger has led the Bonneville County Board of Commissioners as its chairman for the majority of his time as commissioner. He has dedicated those years meaningfully, as he has been influential in strengthening the fiscal health of the county. This financial discipline has helped the county provide for necessities and plan for the future, setting it on a more secure economic path.

Throughout, he has lent his experience in accounting, business, and as a college professor to advancing local priorities in the county that has grown considerably over his tenure. Some of the many efforts he moved forward and resolved over the years include relocating the Bonneville County Fairgrounds and selecting judges, to name just a couple. When facing considerable challenges, he kept a perceptive focus on completing the task at hand. His work has been marked by principles of transparency, treading lightly, forging partnerships, aiming for a smooth and simple government, and well-reasoned decision-making.

In addition to his service as commissioner, Roger has pursued his passion for community service through many other capacities. He served in leadership roles for the Idaho Association of Counties, including his service as the association's president in 2009. He dedicated 14 years to service on the Catastrophic Health Care Cost, CAT, Program Board; 4 years to the Supreme Court Drug Court Oversight Committee; 2 years to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties; 21 years to the Magistrates Commission; and 16 years to the Eastern Idaho Regional Sewer District.

Thank you, Roger, for your unwavering leadership of Bonneville County. You can retire knowing you have made a lasting, positive impact. And you have, undoubtedly, etched a clear example of outstanding governance in the minds and hearts of all those who have been fortunate enough to know you and benefit from your service. We wish you all the best for a retirement filled with more time with your wife, grandchildren, and many other loved ones.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we congratulate Wes Collins as he retires from serving as Butte County Commissioner.

Wes Collins has served the people of Butte County in multiple positions spanning over 33 years. He began his career in Butte County as a deputy sheriff in 1991 and served in the capacity until he was appointed sheriff on September 8, 2003. During his tenure as sheriff, he ably took on many responsibilities. He was the Butte County emergency manager for 10 years, a member of the Idaho Sheriffs Association's Marketing Committee, played an instrumental role in Safe & Drug Free Schools from 2005 to 2018, served as president of the Butte County Sheriff's Christmas for the Children Wish Upon a Star Program from 2003 to 2018, and served on the Butte County Board of Guardians and the Pretty City Committee.

Wes has always been willing to step up and ensure the individuals of his community received the care they needed. Wes played a notable role in the region's search and rescue efforts, especially involving mountain climbing accidents. He contributed to public safety by responding to incidents in challenging terrains like Mount Borah, where climbers often encountered difficulties. Collins was also recognized for his involvement in documenting mountaineering history, including a significant traverse of the Lost River Range, which highlighted his personal climbing achievements and contributions to Idaho's climbing community. Wes served as Butte County sheriff until his retirement from law enforcement in 2018. Following his retirement from law enforcement, Wes believed he still had something to offer the community, so he ran for the open commissioner's seat and won.

Wes took office as a Butte County commissioner on January 14, 2019, and continued his work to improve the communities of Butte County. As commissioner, Wes has played a key role in ensuring local tax dollars are being spent thoughtfully. He has served on various board positions, including the Moore Community RV Park Project, Rural Development Association, and the 3B Juvenile Corrections Facility Board. Wes has been an institution in Butte County, and his leadership will be missed.

Beyond his service to the communities, Wes is an avid outdoorsman, never missing an opportunity to hike to a mountain lake to fish, downhill ski, hunt, and practice photography. Many of his prints are hanging in the county buildings.

Wes, thank you for your decades of service to Idahoans. We congratulate you on a career well spent and express our heartfelt gratitude for keeping Idahoans safe and strengthening the communities and landscapes we hold dear.

Mr. President, I pay tribute to Roy Hansen, who has been an integral part of my Senate staff for more than 20 years. Roy's dedication to public service and his remarkable contributions in the areas of technology,

growing opportunities for Idaho's youth, and constituent services have left an indelible mark on the Senate and the citizens he has served so faithfully.

Roy Hansen began his career in public service in 2003 as an intern in my Boise office while attending Boise State University, where he earned a bachelor of science in political science with a focus on public law and political philosophy and a master of public administration specializing in State and local government. After showing his data analysis acumen, he, thankfully, became a full-time member of my staff in December 2003 as the web developer and deputy systems administrator. Roy quickly demonstrated his visionary leadership in technology, and, in 2015, Roy was promoted to systems administrator and IT director.

Roy's keen interest in creating technological solutions that lead to efficient and effective government has been evident throughout his work to streamline our ability to efficiently advocate on behalf of Idahoans and communicate with the constituency and each other. He has been instrumental in leading many efforts to modernize the office's digital storage and archiving systems, develop the public website and intranet systems, provide digital data collection and data analysis support for statewide survey projects, develop and maintain our customized scheduling system, manage systems and processes that tens of thousands of Idahoans use every year to communicate with my staff and me, and so much more.

His efforts have greatly enhanced our office's digital capabilities, providing more efficient and effective service to the people of Idaho, and he has dedicated considerable time to training and supporting staff across various platforms. He is perpetually available to help with any rising technological need of staff, be it helping to access share drives, dealing with glitches, and always kindly and patiently responding to user errors. His leadership and innovation in digital engagement were instrumental in the office earning the Congressional Management Foundation's Silver and Gold Mouse awards for excellence in providing constituents with services and information through electronic means.

Beyond his technological contributions, Roy is deeply committed to cultivating the next generation of public servants. His internship experience influenced him to help create a formalized, continuous internship program in the State offices so more Idahoans benefit from the internship opportunity he valued. This internship program continues to thrive today, thanks in large part to Roy's efforts. He has also played a key role in supporting numerous policy and educational initiatives encouraging and supporting students, including the Congressional Award Program, the ``We the People'' High School Civics Competition, the U.S. Senate Youth Leadership Scholarship Selection Committee, and military academy appointment ceremonies.

Roy has faced the many technological changes over the past decades with curiosity, know-how, and inventiveness. Currently, he is leading efforts to evaluate and integrate emergent artificial intelligence technologies and applications within the office, demonstrating his forward-thinking approach to governance and service. He also gets called upon to help with any number of necessary tasks from managing office inventories and vendor contracts, to State office security, to remodels, and so much more. No task has proven too big or too small for him to take on with his can-do spirit. The bottom line is, Roy has a great ability to smooth the edges of any challenge and keep things running efficiently.

Roy also remains deeply connected to his Idaho roots. Born in Idaho Falls and a graduate of Rigby High School, Roy resides in the Boise area with his wife of 25 years, Jessica, and their three children: Garrett, Everett, and Grace. He enjoys spending his free time camping, fishing, and playing the piano.

Roy Hansen has been an exceptional member of the Senate family, combining his deep knowledge of public administration, his passion for technology, and his unwavering commitment to public service. I extend my deepest gratitude and congratulations to Roy for his dedicated service to the Senate and the people of Idaho, and I look forward to his continued contributions in the years to come.

Mr. President, I pay tribute to Staci Lancaster, an indispensable part of my Senate staff for more than 20 years. Staci's writing acumen and understanding of the policy process have proven invaluable assets to the Senate and work on behalf of Idaho's citizens.

Staci Lancaster, nee Stevenson, graduated from the University of Washington, Seattle, with a bachelor's degree in political science and communications. During her senior year of college, Staci interned for then U.S. Representative Richard Norman ``Doc'' Hastings and was tasked with a unique opportunity to work on drafting a bill to enable the transfer of a park within Washington's fourth congressional district. Staci also interned with the victims assistance unit of the King County Prosecutor's Office.

Although she initially had plans of attending law school, Staci's remarkable work for Representative Hastings earned her a full-time position on his staff in 1998, advising him on issues related to agriculture, trade, the judiciary, immigration, labor, foreign affairs, defense, transportation, and education. Staci joined my office in 2003 to handle agriculture and environment issues and later served as my minority staff director for the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Rural Revitalization and, then, the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness. Staci's planned 1 to 2 years in Washington, DC, quickly turned into 12.

Staci left Washington with her husband Arlen--whom she met in my office and to whom she has been married for 19 years--in August 2010. I have had many staff over the years, but none quite like Staci. Her impeccable attention to detail and writing skills are irreplaceable, so when she approached me about remaining on staff and working remotely as part of the communications staff, it was an easy decision. She has served as my most trusted staff writer ever since. Staci advises my writing on a wide range of issues from detailed policy papers for the Senate Finance Committee, to op-eds on veterans and rural issues, to highlighting encouraging and uplifting stories like adoption.

Staci's background growing up in a farm town gave her a deep respect for farming and ranching and has allowed her to thrive in her work on agriculture and trade policy. Her passion for others stretches her work even further. She recalls working on the authorization and expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program, which provides a variety of free, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to children at eligible elementary schools. That work has come full circle as she now relishes in hearing about fresh produce at her daughter's local school, as well as others across the country.

As the daughter of a Vietnam war veteran and granddaughter of World War II veterans, Staci's reverence and commitment to Idaho veterans comes naturally. She has compiled beautiful summaries of Idaho's veterans and their services to others and jumps at every opportunity to honor their heroic dedication to our Nation.

Beyond her professional scope, Staci is a devoted mother and wife who enjoys walks and enriching her mind through reading. She is an active member of her local community and has served as president and service committee chairwoman for the Rotary Club of Lander, as well as a member of the Museum of the American West Board of Directors and Lander Valley Farmers Market Board of Directors.

Staci resides in Lander, WY, with her husband Arlen, their daughter Gracie, and their dog, Addie.

Staci Lancaster is a rare gem of the Senate who holds a deep understanding of the legislative process and the needed communication of important issues. She has a heart for positive stories, as well as for policy issues that improve the lives of so many across the country, and her knowledge is often reflected in thoroughly detailed explorations of complex issues. Staci is a go-to resource for staff at every level in

my offices, having provided counsel, friendship, and patience to all. She has a kindness and approachable demeanor unmatched in these halls of Congress.

I am eternally grateful for Staci's dedicated service to the U.S. Senate and the people of Idaho and congratulate her on a job very well done. I look forward to her contributions in the years ahead.

Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, I congratulate Idaho athletes who competed in the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. This includes Annie Carey, Chari Hawkins, Marisa Howard, Matteo Jorgenson, Alyssa Mendoza, and Kate Shoemaker, who we commend for their extraordinary perseverance that resulted in them competing on this world stage.

Catherine ``Annie'' Carey, of Boise, ID, competed in track and field events in the Paralympic Games Paris 2024, where she earned sixth-place finishes in both the 200-meter dash and long jump. Her career highlights leading to her debut participation in the Olympics include her earning bronze medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and long jump at the ParaPan American Games Santiago 2023. She also competed in the ParaPan American Games Lima 2019.

First-time Olympian Chari Hawkins, of Rexburg, ID, competed in track and field for the U.S. team and earned 21st place in the women's heptathlon. Chari earned eighth in the heptathlon at the 2023 World Championships, an event in which she also competed in 2019. She also competed in the indoor pentathlon at the 2022 World Championships, and some of her career highlights include 2022 U.S. National Pentathlon Champion at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Indoor Championships; USATF Athlete of the Week in 2022 after winning the pentathlon; and the bronze medal at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships.

Marisa Howard, a Boise State University graduate who joined the Boise State track and field and cross-country staff as an assistant coach, competed for the first time in track and field in the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In the Paris Olympics, she placed 24th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Prior to competing in the Olympics, Marisa Howard placed fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2023 Pan American Games, and she was a silver medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Matteo Jorgenson, a first-time Olympian and graduate of Boise High School, represented the U.S. in cycling in the Paris Olympics, where he earned ninth place in the road race. Matteo's Olympics participation follows his distinction in a number of international cycling competitions. This includes his first-place finishes in Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen in 2024. He also placed second overall in the Criterium du Dauphine and eighth overall in the Tour de France also in 2024, following a first-place overall finish in the Tour of Oman and second place overall finish in the Tour de Romandie, both in 2023.

Alyssa Mendoza, of Caldwell, ID, placed ninth in featherweight boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Her debut Olympics competition followed her earning a number of medals at U.S. and international competitions that include earning medals at three international competitions last year: bronze at the 2023 Gee Bee International Tournament; silver at the 2023 Czech Republic Grand Prix; and bronze at the 2023 Strandja International Tournament. She also earned gold medals at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships, 2022 USA Boxing Summer Festival, and the 2022 National Golden Gloves. USA Boxing notes Alyssa Mendoza is the first qualified Olympic boxer from Idaho.

Kate Shoemaker, of Eagle, ID, is a two-time Paralympian and two-time Paralympic medalist. She earned a bronze in the individual freestyle at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024, where she also earned fifth in the individual championship test. Kate helped her U.S. equestrian team earn a bronze medal at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 where she also earned a fourth-place finish in the individual freestyle and a seventh-place finish in the individual championship test.

Idaho Olympians and Paralympians show us all what is possible as they turn their hard work into achievements by facing challenges with perseverance. Thank you, Olympians and Paralympians, for representing our great State and country so well in this extraordinary arena. We thank you for your outstanding examples as we commend you for your remarkable hard work and commitment.

Mr. President, along with my Idaho congressional delegation colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, we honor and thank Nils Johnson for his years of service to Idaho. We know that we are joined by all those who served in the Idaho congressional delegation from 1991 until now, particularly Senator Larry Craig, who was Nils' boss during his tenure in the U.S. Senate. Those former Members of Congress include: Senators Dirk Kempthorne, the late Steve Symms, and the late James McClure; and former Representatives Raul Labrador, Bill Sali, the late Helen Chenoweth, C.L. ``Butch'' Otter, Walt Minnick, Richard Stallings, and Larry LaRocco.

Originally from New Hampshire, Nils has dedicated much of his professional career to working on behalf of Idahoans, and we are profoundly grateful. Although he left working for Congress more than 20 years ago, he continued to serve Idaho through other positions, including his current position as director of legislative and regulatory affairs at Holland & Hart for the past 17 years, where his focus has been on issues of particular importance to Idaho among Western States. This includes public land and natural resource management, Western water quality and quantity, nuclear waste, Federal and State mining, Federal energy, and Federal appropriations issues. Previously, he served as a senior consultant at MGN, Inc., and he was principal and partner at McClure, Gerard and Neuenschwander, Inc.

Throughout, he has utilized and built on his significant experience in both Houses of Congress and natural resources to advance needed improvements to Federal policy. Nils had a more than 15-year career as a hydrologist for the U.S. Forest Service before coming to the Hill. This knowledge base undoubtedly shaped his approach to his work in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as Republican staff director of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Mining, Energy, Interior, and Insular Affairs and his later more than a decade of service as director of natural resources, environment and energy and senior legislative assistant to U.S. Senator for Idaho Larry E. Craig. Working on natural resources issues for Idaho requires tackling some of the most pressing challenges in our great State, where the productivity and beauty of our public and private lands also carry competing interests requiring his practical and thoughtful problem solving. He established himself as a mentor for younger, newer staffers throughout the delegation and provided insight and leadership as our State has navigated some difficult natural resources and energy issues.

Upon leaving the Senate in 2000, we have also greatly benefited from Nils' steadfast management of a regular breakfast on Capitol Hill for the past 20 or so years. These breakfasts, called the Idaho Industries Breakfasts, have been held regularly in Washington, DC, when Congress is in session. They bring together representatives of Idaho's businesses and producers with the Idaho congressional delegation and staff for valuable, informal personal gatherings. The breakfasts have been instrumental in broadening friendships and advancing the many common interests in our vast but still deeply connected State. It is impossible to quantify the relationships that have been strengthened and the progress Nils has had a hand in shaping through his unwavering commitment to organizing these forums all these years.

As we thank Nils for the years of hard work he has devoted to Idaho and our country, we wish him well as he retires from DC life to spend more time between Maryland and South Carolina with his family, particularly his six grandchildren. We hope the years ahead afford him the fulfillment of more time spent enjoying the natural resources he worked to sustain through his decades of sound and pragmatic work. Nils, we congratulate you and wish you all the best.

Mr. President, I join in acknowledging National POW/MIA Recognition Day this September 20, 2024, in heartfelt memory of Idaho's and all of America's prisoners of war (POWs) and missing in action (MIA).

In August, Idaho welcomed home Lieutenant Allan Wesley Knepper. He was finally laid to rest at home in Lewiston, ID, on August 2, 2024, after making the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great Nation during World War II. The airplane he was piloting was shot down on July 10, 1943, and he was listed as MIA for decades. He was brought home because of the love and respect of his family and people who knew him and many others who worked together to share information, find him, and return him home. This included the diligent research of his friend's son and work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) the Agency primarily responsible for recovering America's servicemembers.

Lieutenant Knepper's return and the steady return of other veterans across our country is encouraging as they show what can be achieved when relatives, friends, and investigators are able to share knowledge and work together. That is one of the reasons I continue to press for the enactment of the Bring Our Heroes Home Act, which I joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen, in re-introducing this Congress. This legislation would help eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America's POWs and MIA.

Thank you to the POW/MIA families and veterans who keep the pursuit of facts at the forefront of our national conscience. I commend the individuals and groups, such as the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. of Pocatello, ID, and across our country who keep a steady spotlight where it needs to be, on pressing forward until every American servicemember is brought home.

Idahoan Lieutenant Knepper's service and return were highlighted at the June unveiling of the DPAA's 2024 POW/MIA Recognition Day Poster. This year's poster features the words ``Honoring their sacrifice. Earnestly searching for those still missing.'' In honor of their sacrifice and POW/MIA Recognition Day and with a heavy but hopeful heart, I join our grateful country in praying for all those who await answers about lost servicemembers and thanking America's servicemembers,

veterans, and their families for their extraordinary commitment to our country. May our country continue to earnestly search for those still missing until they are all at last returned home.

Mr. President, with election politics front of mind, doomed-to-fail show votes have become an all too frequent occurrence in this Chamber. But there is no more obvious show vote than the one scheduled to happen today, immediately before the August recess.

In today's attempt to score political points, the Democrats are moving to a bill, H.R. 7024, that has been languishing for 6 months in the hopes of fabricating a narrative that Republicans don't support small business, children, or alleviating poverty. However, if my Democrat colleagues were serious about delivering relief to small businesses and working families, they would have worked out a solution with Senate Republicans in earnest on a pathway that would gain broad support from our Members.

While there are plenty of provisions in this bill that my colleagues and I support, the proponents have known since before it was released that Senate Republicans would need to change the bill in order to gain substantial bipartisan support.

It is now August, and it has been months since any real attempt at outreach or engagement has taken place, which suggests that my colleagues are not actually serious about passing a bill but are instead focused on election year messaging.

There is plenty of evidence that today's theatrics are clearly posturing.

First, there are several components of the bill that are noncontroversial and have overwhelming bipartisan support, like disaster tax relief and double-tax relief provisions on activity between the United States and Taiwan. That some Democrats have chosen to block these bills, including providing needed tax relief to fire and hurricane victims, to prove a point demonstrates true cynicism.

In the same vein, Democrats claim that Republicans are abandoning small businesses by not passing this bill, but it is Democrats who have held the R&D expensing hostage for years. Republicans have shown time and again their desire to pass R&D expensing, including in an overwhelming, 90-to-5 motion led by Senator Young back in 2022. Yet Democrats continue to block efforts to pass it.

If Democrats were serious about helping small businesses, they would stop using them as a political football.

Members are also aware of the recent data on fraud in the employee retention tax credit, or ERTC, program. Senator Tillis requested unanimous consent to pass a bill that would end the fraud-ridden program back in February, but the bill was blocked by the Democrats. If someone is to blame for not ending the ERTC fraud, it is not the Senate Republicans.

Democrats knew the bill couldn't pass the Senate in time for this tax filing season, but now they want to make changes long after tax filers have filed their 2023 tax returns and received their refunds. This bill would require the IRS to reprocess millions of 2023 taxpayer returns. This is an IRS that still has backlogs in the millions, including identity theft case delays that the National Taxpayer Advocate has described as making ``a mockery of the right to quality service in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.''

If Democrats were serious about providing taxpayer relief, they would not pile additional work on an IRS that still cannot carry out basic taxpayer services.

For all my Democrat colleagues' past calls for regular order in the Senate, one would think the Senate Republican request for a Finance Committee markup on this bill would have been well received. Instead, those requests, which began in January, have continued to go ignored.

Instead of moving through regular order and engaging my colleagues and me, the bill's proponents have used the better part of this year on a public pressure campaign littered with misinformation. That is unfortunate because the bill does get a lot of things right.

However, the critical flaw with the bill is that it fails to provide meaningful tax relief to working families and instead goes too far toward the Democrats' goal of turning the child tax credit into a subsidy untethered to work, which is fundamentally contrary to what the credit was created to do.

For those who accuse Republicans of not caring about children, I would remind my colleagues that it was the Republicans who created the child tax credit. It was intended to provide tax relief to working families. Yet more than $30 billion of the cost to expand the child tax credit in this bill--about 91 percent of the money in this bill for the child tax credit--would go to individuals who pay no income tax. That isn't tax relief; it is a subsidy.

The bill's child tax credit provisions treat working-family taxpayers as an afterthought. Not only do families with a Federal income tax liability receive a mere 9 percent of the bill's child tax credit benefits, they also would be left waiting for that tax relief until 2 years after the benefits accrue to those with zero income tax liability.

I raised these concerns repeatedly before the bill was released. Unfortunately, by merely questioning the ratio skewed towards subsidies and asking whether working families should receive more tax relief, I and other Senate Republicans have been maligned for not caring about children and alleviating poverty.

While Senate Republicans have also been accused of playing politics, the timing of today's vote, coupled with the lack of meaningful engagement since January to reach a compromise, confirms that the strategy was always a ``take it or leave it'' proposition in the Senate.

If my Democrat colleagues want to show that they are serious about supporting small businesses, providing disaster tax relief, alleviating double taxation on activity between the United States and Taiwan, and eliminating fraud in the ERTC program--all bipartisan proposals--then I call on them to separately pass Senator Young and Senator Hassan's bipartisan American Innovation and Jobs Act that would reinstate R&D expensing; the bipartisan Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2024; the bipartisan and bicameral United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act; and Senator Tillis's bill to end the ERTC program.

On the child tax credit, it bears repeating that Republicans--the ones who I have already said created the child tax credit--doubled that child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 in 2017 for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and provided additional help to low-income families by lowering the phase-in floor and increasing the refundability of the credit. That doubled child tax credit is still law. It has not expired. It is still in full force and effect. If the Democrats are serious about helping these working families, I am ready to push for an extension of those changes beyond 2025.

I have maintained a willingness to negotiate a bill that provides meaningful relief to Americans now--a bill that a majority of Republicans in this Chamber can support--but today's senseless show vote further demonstrates that Democrats are not serious about doing so.

For that reason, I will be voting no on cloture and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, we honor Theodore ``Ted'' Howard, who passed away on May 3, 2024, at the age of 76. Ted Howard, also known as ``His Good Road,'' was a strong, competent, and deeply revered leader for the Shoshone-Paiute

Tribes, a rich source of cultural history and a tremendous Tribal ambassador.

Ted was born in an extraordinary place, and to Idaho's great benefit, he, thankfully, returned in adulthood and advocated for the people of the Duck Valley Reservation. The Duck Valley Indian Reservation is nearly 289,819 acres that straddles the Idaho-Nevada State line in the beautiful and remote, high desert of Owyhee County, ID, and Elko County, NV. Approximately 1,700 of the 2,000 members of the Shoshone- Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley also live on the Duck Valley Reservation. Ted served his people admirably for decades through his roles as Tribal Chairman, from 2017 to 2021, and as the Director of Cultural Resources for 25 years for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes.

Ted used his skills as a certified pilot to assist with medical emergencies and survey and protect remote Shoshone-Paiute cultural sites in the area. He has also helped overcome considerable natural resources challenges, including the Murphy Complex Fire in 2007. This enormous fire that burned an estimated more than 650,000 acres among other difficulties left the Duck Valley Indian Reservation without power for nearly 2 weeks. In a news story about the fire, he reflected, ``It was just one of those times when we had to make the best of the situation.'' This quote is emblematic of his approach. He faced difficulties with calm, resourcefulness, and strength.

From Owyhee County to Washington, DC, we valued working with Ted with his knowledge and capabilities. He was a central partner in helping the locally driven Owyhee Initiative become the law that reinforced the collaborative efforts to manage the magnificent landscape he cherished. Throughout, he worked hard to ensure the lands remain a sacred place for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. He was also instrumental in advocating the needs of the Tribes as we worked to advance the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act and, later, the legislative fix to allow the Tribes to collect interest owed from the Settlement Act. Ted led efforts of Tribes across the Great Basin working for the repatriation of their ancestors.

Ted was raised as a cowboy and was known for his skill on a horse and working with leather. He took those lessons of hard work and commitment to everything he did. He was renowned for his service to the people. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 16 and served two tours in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Ted's commitment to his heritage was evident through his service as a Sundancer, taking part in the annual summer solistic ritual, focusing on the greater good of the community, reconnecting with the earth and receiving spiritual guidance from ancestors. He was widely respected for his extensive cultural and spiritual knowledge of traditional Shoshone and Paiute ways and spoke both languages fluently. He freely passed on that knowledge to future generations.

With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to Ted Howard, who was heartwarmingly and fittingly described by his stepson Phil Gover as chief, teacher, healer, leader, mentor, guardian, friend, outdoorsman, cowboy, pilot, and soldier. We extend our deep condolences to Ted's wife Gina, his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, other loved ones and the many friends he made throughout his life. We also join the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes in mourning the loss of one of their great leaders. We will miss him greatly and have utmost respect for the lasting legacy he has left through his thoughtful work on all of our behalves.

Mr. President, with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we join the community of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County in celebrating the centennial of the Bonneville County Courthouse.

In many ways, the courthouse is a lasting symbol of the area's growth and achievements. In 1919, when area citizens voted to bond the courthouse, which had an original construction cost of $268,880, the Bonneville County Heritage Association reports, ``Bonneville County was known as one of the big, wealthy and progressive counties of the state with the smallest indebtedness of any county.'' Architects Lionel E. Fisher and Charles Aitkins designed the courthouse in the neoclassical style. Construction began on December 1, 1919, and was completed on March 16, 1921. The community has since grown up around it--developing and progressing into modern-day Bonneville County. The population of Bonneville County was 17,501 at the time of the 1920 Census when the courthouse was built and now surpasses 130,000 people, contributing to the area's diverse geography and economy that includes family farms producing an abundance of agriculture products and world-renowned energy research at the Idaho National Laboratory.

For more than 100 years, this grand and eminent courthouse, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 10, 1979, has served this area of the Gem State with distinction. The courthouse has the largest original stained-glass skylight in a county courthouse in Idaho, was constructed of sandstone from Boise, and its original grand marble staircase and tile floor in the upper rotunda has withstood the test of time. From the Native Americans, explorers, trappers, and traders who have passed through and put down roots in this area of our great State to the current residents of Idaho Falls who have built businesses, families, and beautiful lives, there is no doubt the courthouse has witnessed significant achievements.

We join in congratulating those who built, maintained, and who have carried out important work in the Bonneville County Courthouse over the past century. We wish the residents of Bonneville County well and congratulate Idahoans on this milestone in the county's and Idaho's history.

Madam President, I rise today in support of S. 4072. I introduced this legislation and pushed for this vote to ensure that no fiscal year 2024 funds can be used to implement, administer, or enforce the Environmental Protection Agency's tailpipe emissions rule.

I deeply appreciate the support of the Senators who have spoken today. Senator Manchin, a Democrat, made it very clear that this is a bipartisan piece of legislation basically based on the fact that it violates the very deal that was made earlier to help us look at transitioning away from emissions that are harmful to the environment.

If you listened to Senator Manchin, he made it very clear that we don't have the capacity to do this right now. He talked about some critical points. Senator Ricketts just pointed out that we don't even have the capacity today to provide the necessary electricity.

Let me explain this. I was talking--and have talked to a lot of experts--to an expert recently in global warming issues. This person told me that we can have all the electric vehicle mandates we want, but if the road is not clean, then the solution will not be clean. What did that mean? That means that if the electricity that we rely on is not made by renewable sources, the mandate will be ineffective.

That is a critical point to be made because today, as has been indicated, our major source of the load is natural gas. The very electricity that is created in this country to utilize on the roads if this mandate goes into place is not going to be the sort of clean load that is necessary for this massive effort to transition to a completely electric vehicle economy.

The damage will be suffered by the American people in many different ways, but one of the critical ways that damage will be suffered is that whether it is with regard to the critical minerals that are needed-- which this administration is not assisting us in helping to improve in the United States and strengthen in the United States--or whether it is based on other aspects of developing that load they need, the American people will see the problem in our economy, and China will be the beneficiary.

It will be China who is the one who can economically accomplish these objectives and send these electric vehicles to us or the batteries that these electric vehicles require. China is not working with clean load either. As my colleague from Wyoming talked about, they are putting out unclean load, in the terms of this debate, every single day, at massive amounts higher than ours.

So what are we going to do? We are going to make the United States vehicle industry dependent on China. We are going to make the United States citizens, who drive cars and trucks, dependent on China and reduce our economic independence from China's anticompetitive pressures. That is what this debate really is about. The EPA's rule is the most aggressive form of tailpipe emissions standards ever crafted and imposes a de facto electric vehicle mandate on the American people.

Under the rule, automakers must decrease their average fleetwide emissions by more than 50 percent--down from the current 192 grams of CO2 per mile to just 85 grams per mile--in less than 10 years in order to be compliant.

The only way these standards could possibly be met is through the mass production and adoption of electric vehicles--a fact of which the Biden administration and the Biden EPA is well aware--once again, increasing our reliance on China.

The rule effectively regulates gas-powered vehicles--cars and trucks--out of the marketplace, which, make no mistake, is the goal of this administration. As a result of the rule, internal combustion engine--or ICE--vehicles, which still represent the overwhelming majority of new car sales in the United States, can make up no more than 30 percent of new sales by 2032, if automakers are even able to be compliant with these standards.

The rule represents yet another attempt by the Biden administration to use the rulemaking process to force its costly climate agenda on Americans and pick winners and losers in our free market. These emissions standards go too far and will restrict affordable vehicle choices for families, harm U.S. businesses, degrade our energy and national security, and hand the keys of our automotive industry over to China,

which currently dominates the entire electric vehicle supply chain and has no intention of reducing the carbon intensity of its economy anytime soon.

The personal decision of what a consumer chooses to drive should not be made by Washington, let alone by circumventing Congress.

I urge my Republican colleagues and my Democrat colleagues to join me in voting yes on this legislation to prevent American taxpayer dollars from being used to implement, administer, or enforce this disastrous EPA rule.

I yield back my time.

I ask for the yeas and nays.