Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record the list of members entitled to admission to the Press Photographers' Gallery for the 119th Congress.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record the list of members entitled to admission to the Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery for the 119th Congress.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record updated ``Member Protection Regulations.''

Mr. President, the language I helped secure in the Agriculture appropriations bill addresses a serious concern regarding the manufacturing and selling of unregulated, intoxicating THC products nationwide.

I led the effort to legalize industrial hemp through the 2014 pilot program and the 2018 farm bill. Unfortunately, companies have exploited a loophole in the 2018 legislation by taking legal amounts of THC from hemp and turning it into intoxicating substances and then marketing it to children in candylike packaging and selling it in easily accessible places like gas stations and convenience stores all across our country. So the children end up being the unknowing consumers of these poisonous products and being sent to the hospital at an alarming rate.

My efforts to close this loophole and stop this from happening are included in this appropriations package. It will keep these dangerous products out of the hands of children while preserving the hemp industry for farmers. Industrial hemp and CBD will remain legal for industrial applications--such as seed, stock, fiber, grain oil--or will be used in drug trials. This language merely clarifies the original intent of the 2018 farm bill, rooting out the bad actors and protecting the growing hemp industry.

While some may masquerade as advocates for hemp farmers, even sometimes threatening to hold up government funding over this issue, I will continue to work on behalf of Kentucky's farmers while protecting our children not only in my State but in yours as well. I would urge my colleagues to do the same.

Vote on Motion to Table

Therefore, I move to table Senate amendment No. 3941, and I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to an accomplished and compassionate Kentucky business leader Dr. Laurence ``Larry'' Benz, the founder of Confluent Health. I have had the opportunity to work alongside Larry, and we have developed a strong friendship. Through military service, professional sports, and now a thriving business career, he has accumulated a wide range of experiences to help grow Kentucky's economy. He will soon be inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame for his transformational leadership abilities and impact on Kentuckians' lives.

Prior to his start in the entrepreneurial space, Dr. Benz served in the U.S. Army as a captain in the Army Medical Specialist Corps. For his devoted service in the military, he received the Meritorious Service Medal. I am thankful for his bravery and unwavering commitment to our country. While still serving, Dr. Benz founded the Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team, a private practice outpatient physical therapy company. Through this work, he effectively pursued his passion for providing Kentuckians with excellent physical therapy access and care. The company went on to become the largest private practice in Kentucky and southern Indiana, eventually expanding into North Carolina and Florida.

After selling that business, Dr. Benz went on to cofound with his wife Dr. Patricia Benz, a well-respected physical therapist Confluent Health. The company helps support businesses that offer rehabilitation services like physical therapy, occupational therapy, chronic pain management, and sports medicine. Confluent Health assists in all the ``behind-the-scenes'' work that goes into keeping these rehabilitation spaces open. Additionally, they help practitioners get access to specialty board certifications and post-professional programs so that they can focus on providing care instead of worrying about the business side of their practices. In 2022, I was glad to join Dr. Benz for the opening of Confluent Health's new headquarters in Louisville, marking a historic investment in our city while delivering first-rate care to Kentuckians.Dr. Benz then took everything he learned in his time as CEO of Confluent Health and stepped into a new role helping grow the Dental Care Alliance. They serve approximately 400 dental private practices across 24 States.

Dr. Benz's excellence in business is paired with a drive to help others and give back to communities. Outside of his professional work, he has shown a commitment to education in Kentucky. In 2011, Dr. Benz was appointed to serve on the board of trustees my alma mater, the University of Louisville, and went on to be elected board chairman last year. Currently, he serves as a member of the UofL Athletic Association and the president's council. He is a proven leader whose expertise is invaluable in both the healthcare and academic spaces. He has been invited to present at over 250 physical therapy programs, national conferences, and MBA programs throughout the country. His vision for future generations of physical therapy providers is founded in the values of empathy and compassion. There is no doubt that Larry has made his mark on the industry and continues to leave a lasting impact each and every day.

Larry's career is one focused on kindness and support. He has emphasized patients' well-being and mental health, along with their physical health. On the provider's side, he has lifted small private practices well beyond what they would have been able to do on their own, in a variety of fields of medicine. He has reached nearly every region of Kentucky over the course of his career, and I admire his and Patty's continued commitment to the Louisville area. I also admire their commitment to their family, with children Aaron, Lauren, Jonathan, and their grandchildren Levi, Johnny, Elliot, and Valora.

Again, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating Dr. Larry Benz on his induction into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and recognizing his profound impact on Kentucky.

Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to my good, longtime friend, U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky Charles R. Simpson III, in special celebration of the upcoming ceremony at the Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse for the unveiling of his official portrait.

Chuck and I have been friends for a while. In fact, our friendship goes all the way back to our internship with Henry Clay.

Jokes aside, I am proud to have known Chuck for so long. We both attended the University of Louisville, but we didn't get to know each other until I came back to Kentucky to begin my law career. We practiced law together for a brief period. I was terrible and hated it. I wouldn't go to myself for a simple will. Chuck was great and loved it. And thankfully for me, Chuck also loved politics, so I got his help in running for Jefferson County judge-executive. We worked hard together on that first campaign. And amazingly, we won by 11,000 votes--a sizeable victory for a Republican in a blue city--and I was lucky to keep Chuck on my team as legal counsel.

Chuck was also there when I first ran for Senate. I headed back to DC, and Chuck stayed in Louisville to build on his law career, but we remained in touch. Only a couple years into my first term, I had the opportunity to recommend a candidate for appointment to the Federal bench. Knowing Chuck's character and legal chops, I didn't have to look any further. President Reagan made the wise choice of nominating Chuck in 1986 to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He served as chief judge for several years, beginning in 1994. Under his supervision as chief judge, the court underwent impressive transformations to improve its handling of administrative matters.

I don't mean to brag in observing that Chuck's appointment turned out to be a great move. He has been an excellent judge who is respected throughout the legal community. He understands complex legal issues very quickly and always hears out both sides in court before making decisions. Judge Simpson's fairness and hard work earned him renown throughout Kentucky. He won the Louisville Bar's Judge of the Year in 2000 and the Kentucky Bar's Outstanding Judge of the Year in 2005.

Chuck's work is inspired not only by his hometown of Louisville, but also by his academic and professional journeys abroad. He brings with him a special set of skills, knowing how to connect with others internationally. He created a special sister court relationship between his court and one in Croatia, and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court William Rehnquist even appointed him to an international judicial council.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the time Judge Simpson made international news on a visit to Russia when he accidentally locked himself in

the courtroom cage usually reserved for the defendant. Apparently, it was quite difficult to find the key--in Russia, go figure. Everyone handled the situation with great humor, and luckily, his travels to other countries such as Cyprus, Slovenia, and many other places, did not include a similar experience--as far as I know.

Devoted to the court and always finding enthusiasm for his work, Judge Simpson kept a sizeable caseload even after achieving senior status in 2013. He has a great sense of humor and his firm dedication to the law and commitment to improving the lives of others drives him every day.

Judge Simpson's involvement in the community extends well outside of work too. He is a loyal member of local, State, and Federal bar associations, and his peers have entrusted him with leadership roles over the years because they know he represents them well and gets the job done. He holds status as an outstanding alumnus of UofL law school and received the Lawrence Grauman Award--the law school's most prestigious award--in 2006, honoring a lifetime record of leadership and service to the legal profession and community. Chuck's success is hard to encapsulate in just a few short pages. You never find him touting his own accolades since he is quick to credit others for his accomplishments, both on the bench and in his personal life.

What he values and celebrates most is his family. Chuck is a devoted husband to his wife Clare, a proud father of their three children Charlie, Pam, and Lauren, and a loving grandfather to all his grandchildren. I have the pleasure of tailgating with Chuck and Clare several times a year to root on the Louisville Cardinals through thick and thin. It was also a joy to have their daughter Pam serve in my Washington office for several years. She was an integral member of the team.

I know the entire Simpson family is beaming with pride today in celebration of this incredible man who devoted his career to serving the public and making a difference.

I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating U.S. District Court Judge Charles Simpson on the special occasion, and recognizing his profound impact on Kentucky, the judiciary, and our country.

Mr. President, I know that many of our colleagues and the American people have seen the tragic news out of my hometown just yesterday. And I am grateful for their thoughts and their prayers this morning directed toward the people of Louisville.

Folks around our county, Jefferson County, need those prayers right now and in the days and weeks to come. The death toll from last evening's UPS crash has continued to rise throughout the day. For the families of these victims and for the injured survivors being treated at area hospitals, life will never be the same. There is a lot of grief welling up right now in Kentucky.

This would be true even in the case of a single life lost. But as local first responders, State officials, and Federal investigators continue their work today, I would like to help our colleagues understand what makes this tragedy such a gut punch in a place like Louisville.

During the day, Louisville International hums with thousands of passengers from all across the country. But around the clock, Louisville is also a hub for global shipping and logistics, business supplies, consumer goods, and Christmas gifts.

If it is going somewhere in short order, it is a very good chance it is passing through UPS Worldport in my hometown of Louisville.

None of this is possible without teams of devoted professionals. Louisville is home to logistics experts, warehouse workers, aircraft crews, and maintainers. They take pride in their work, and their community takes pride in them.

That is why this crash cuts so deep. It is about all of us. Today, Jefferson County schools and many local businesses are completely closed. Neighbors are mourning neighbors. So today will be a tough day in the Commonwealth.

But the people of Louisville are grateful for the swift, lifesaving efforts of our first responders, from local police, fire, and EMS. They trust in the prayers of their fellow Americans.

I want them to know that their representatives here in Washington are making sure that every Federal resource they need is on the ground and headed their way soon. I spoke with Mayor Greenberg this morning. My team and I will continue to stay in close contact with local, State, and Federal officials, including at the FAA and the NTSB, in the coming days.

But first and foremost, I am keeping my fellow Kentuckians in my prayers and asking our colleagues to do the same.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a driven and civic-minded Kentucky business leader William P. Butler. Bill will soon be inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame for transforming Corporex, a company he founded in 1965, into an multi- billion-dollar business. I ask my colleagues to please join me in applauding Bill on his induction and recognizing his company's immense positive impact on northern Kentucky.

Bill took a risk in 1965, starting his career as a young man in real estate. In the beginning, it was hard to do business in the Louisville community due to his youth and inexperience. Bill had to innovate, so he hired staff who knew the landscape well, and in 5 years, his construction company had built 35 buildings across Louisville. He brought proof of these accomplishments back to Covington, which accelerated the growth of his company.

In the 1980s, Bill began dreaming about the potential of Covington and northern Kentucky and decided to invest in new opportunities. He first focused on making the south shore of the Ohio River just as vibrant as its northern counterpart. This project eventually became the RiverCenter, a business complex home to numerous hotels, businesses, and other drivers of economic development. Bill also worked hard turning an area near the CVG International Airport into Circleport, one of Kentucky's foremost business parks spanning over 650 acres. Bill is a one-of-a-kind developer and has certainly made his mark.

While Bill is an accomplished businessman, he is also heavily involved in improving the lives of others in the community. In 2005, he founded the Life Learning Center, which works to deliver education and care to at-risk individuals, helping them find gainful employment and get back on track. In 2024, 100 percent of graduates of the Life Learning Center were either employed or enrolled in secondary education. Graduates also gain access to

ongoing support when they finish the program which bolsters support groups, a dining hall, and a computer lab. Many students even go on to volunteer at the center after they graduate. Bill is not only giving back to his community but also helping the cycle of growth continue by facilitating others in their giving back.

Bill graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in engineering and was granted an honorary doctor of education degree from Northern Kentucky University. He has also shown a commitment to education in Kentucky. His philanthropic work through the Butler Foundation gives scholars tuition assistance at universities in northern Kentucky. This academic year alone, 76 Butler Scholars have been awarded over $400,000 in tuition assistance. These scholarships are part of his larger goal of boosting northern Kentucky's economy and getting bright young minds to stay here in the Commonwealth. He knows how important it is for well-educated young people to join the workforce in the area. Additionally, he served on the President's Advisory Council at NKU from 2003 to 2012.

Bill is a proven leader in all he does: business, community, family, and otherwise. His impact on northern Kentuckians cannot be understated, and I admire his commitment to his hometown. I know his wife Sue, of 55 years, is looking down with utmost pride as Bill joins the ranks of so many distinguished Kentuckians. Again, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating my very good friend Bill Butler on his induction into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and recognizing his profound impact on Kentucky.

Mr. President, government shutdowns have real consequences. I have said that countless times during my time here. Incredibly, it seems to have taken Democrats a month to remember that the proverbial stove is, in fact, already hot. And yet, they aren't ready to turn it off, just turn it down a notch; just low enough that they can take the political heat.

My friend from Delaware is right: Our military deserves a lot better than a government shutdown that jeopardizes their paychecks and the services military families count on. During Democrats' shutdown, the President has had to scrape together unobligated balances within the Defense budget in order to uphold the Nation's promise to servicemembers through another pay period.

I certainly hope he won't have to divert resources from urgent modernization again to make payroll in another 2 weeks, but that ball, of course, is in the Democrats' court. I hope they realize the surest way--the surest way--to help servicemembers and civilian DOD employees is to simply turn government funding back on and pass full-year appropriations.

I know my counterpart on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, of all people, understands this. He knows what would really help our Armed Forces because he and I worked closely together on a full-year bill for Defense that would pay servicemembers and invest more in the capabilities they need to keep America safe.

I am grateful for Senator Coons' collaboration on the bipartisan bill that earned overwhelming support in committee and would add $22 billion above the President's defense request. This, by the way, is the bill that almost every Democrat voted against considering 2 weeks ago.

I know the ranking member cares about the promises we made to the all-volunteer force and the challenges we expect them to make. I know he is concerned about the erosion of Congress's authority to set and fund national security priorities. So am I. And if we cannot appropriate, we will render ourselves completely irrelevant.

The way to provide real certainty and to deliver serious full-year appropriations is to just open the government back up and pass our bill. It is really that simple.

Therefore, I object.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Sheriff Berl Perdue, the president of the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police--FOP-- who will be stepping down from leading this incredible organization after more than 13 years. Sheriff Perdue is a brave public servant who has devoted his whole career to serving and protecting Kentuckians through his roles as a police officer and sheriff of Clark County. I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating my friend Berl on a job well done.

After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University in 1981 with a bachelor of science degree in police administration, Berl went on to attend the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council--KLEC--Basic Police Academy. His determination to lead and make a difference in the community was evident early on. Berl graduated as president of Class No. 141 and started his career with the Winchester Police Department in May of 1982. He joined the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police that very same month, demonstrating his high regard for the organization from the very beginning.

Not only has Berl served his fellow Kentuckians, but he has also served his fellow officers. Starting in 1991 and continuing for the next two decades, Berl served as president of the Winchester/Clark County FOP Lodge No. 34, making a name for himself by strengthening his relationships in the law enforcement community. During this time, he was also elected to serve as vice president of the Kentucky FOP, an office he faithfully carried out for 13 years. Berl retired from the Winchester Police Department in 2006 after 24 years on the force, and rising to the rank of detective sergeant.

Berl continued his service to our great Commonwealth after being elected to the office of Clark County Sheriff, taking office in January of 2007. After only 1 year in office, the Kentucky Sheriffs' Association named him 2008 Sheriff of the Year. In June of 2012, Berl's peers elevated him to the role of State president of Kentucky FOP. I have had the pleasure of becoming friends with Berl over the years, relying on him for wise counsel and frank advice for anything related to law enforcement.

In addition to leading Kentucky FOP, he also served as the 2021-2022 president of the Kentucky Sheriffs' Association, becoming the first person to simultaneously hold both positions. Berl's work ethic and commitment to getting things done allowed him to excel in both roles. His selfless spirit can also be seen in his service on the KLEC and his appointment to serve on the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Review Board.

As Sheriff Perdue's time in this role comes to an end, I want to acknowledge and honor his work representing over 9,800 sworn law enforcement professionals across Kentucky. Berl has shown immense dedication to others, always putting the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police first. His commitment to our great State and Nation is unwavering, and I wish him the best in this next chapter of his life. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him once more and in celebrating Sheriff Berl Perdue's career of public service.

Mr. President, my position on government shutdowns is pretty well-known. There is absolutely nothing to gain in taking basic government functions hostage for eleventh-hour partisan demands.

I hope our Democratic colleagues will relearn that lesson in short order because the American people have plenty to lose from freezing important functions of the Federal Government. Here in the Senate, the Democrat shutdown is taking time we ought to be spending on important outstanding business, beginning with our obligation to provide for the common defense. In particular, our work to deliver full-year Defense appropriations is not finished.

So I would like to talk briefly about what must come next after interim government funding is extended and what is at stake for our national security. The U.S. military is not immune from the disruptive short-term consequences of a government shutdown. But the long-term consequences of going without robust full-year Defense appropriations are far, far graver.

I offered this warning in the spring when, for the first time, Washington told America's men and women in uniform to conduct today's operations and prepare for tomorrow's threats using yesterday's dollars. We put the national defense on a full-year continuing resolution and forced the military services to function for another year--another year--on the anemic defense budget signed into law by President Biden.

A full-year CR is the enemy of readiness, modernization, and efficiency. The armed services want to make their budgets simpler, more efficient, and more flexible by consolidating budget lines. But they can't do that under a full-year CR.

Punting new appropriations directly contradicts--directly contradicts--the Pentagon's stated goal of building a resilient, surge- ready munitions enterprise. The prohibitions on new program starts under a CR effectively put high-priority service modernization efforts literally on ice.

The administration says it wants ``flexible and efficient'' investments. Well, there is nothing flexible, efficient, resilient, or lethal about running the national defense enterprise on a full-year CR, nor will a CR send the consistent signal industry and investors need to pour private capital into the long-overdue expansion of our defense industrial base. If you want to increase our Nation's capacity to produce munitions more quickly and in larger volumes, full-year CRs just might be the worst way to go about it.

I don't mean to sound overly alarmed. God willing, the House-passed, short-term funding extension will give Congress enough time to deliver full-year appropriations and release our military from the constraints of the Biden fiscal year 2024 budget. But I want our colleagues to understand what is at stake this fall.

The President has set some ambitious, important, and overdue priorities for America's national security, and none of them--none of them--come cheap: the Golden Dome for America, an American shipbuilding renaissance, sixth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, the long- overdue modernization of our nuclear force. Reconciliation isn't enough to support these major efforts, and neither is a perpetual freeze at the Biden fiscal year 2024 level.

Reviving the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, reestablishing deterrence--these are priorities we hear about all the time from the President's advisers. I certainly have no problem with rowing in that direction. I am all for high standards of physical fitness, but pushups alone--pushups alone--aren't going to stop Chinese hypersonic missiles. The next major conflict will likely be a test of lethality at very long distances.

That is why I have spent years urging successive administrations to rebuild--rebuild--our global power projection and long-range fires. It is why I criticized the Biden administration for talking about China as the ``pacing threat'' but turning in defense budget requests that didn't even keep pace with inflation.

The administration cannot afford to make this same mistake. So, this week, I was encouraged to hear Secretary Hegseth proclaim a ``Trump buildup'' in the mold of the Reagan buildup that helped end the Cold War. For the record, my fellow defense appropriators and I have been ready to deliver such a buildup since day one, and our bipartisan bill speaks for itself in putting money where our mouth is.

Ah, but here is the rub: We can only make it happen if the administration moves from words to action, and an important step in that process is the national defense strategy.

Historically, the national defense strategy is what administrations use to define threats, identify objectives, and propose coherent plans for aligning resources to actually meet them. But this time around, the stakes are a lot higher. A shortsighted NDS that doesn't align with the President's vision of American greatness and peace through strength could wind up as the pretext to extend Biden-era constraints on our military indefinitely.

Unfortunately, early reports suggest that this risk may be real and that the NDS may turn out eerily similar to the rhetoric of Obama-era officials' who viewed their remit as managing America's decline amid a transition to a multipolar world.

If the NDS ignores the importance of maintaining American primacy, fails to account for the global nature of competition with China, or discounts the value of supporting and integrating allies and partners, it would risk further sabotaging the President's efforts to restore peace through strength.

So I will be interested to read how the Department is applying the lessons and dividends of security cooperation with allies and partners to looming challenges, how it plans to address critical munitions shortages even as its fiscal year 2026 request and reconciliation investment fails to maximize existing production capacity, and how it accounts for the increased likelihood of simultaneous conflict in multiple theaters.

If the administration means what it says about restoring deterrence, it would recognize how plans to reduce security cooperation with frontline NATO allies invite more brazen Russian incursions into the alliance's territory and airspace; it would recognize how China is watching closely for signs of weakening American commitments to European allies, to Ukraine, or to AUKUS partners.

Of course, responsible senior officials who understood the dividends of security cooperation would not have tried an end run around the President to freeze assistance to Ukraine. They certainly would have appreciated that cutting off intelligence sharing to the world's foremost experts in drone warfare might make it harder for the U.S. military to achieve drone dominance.

On that count, I was encouraged earlier this week that the President himself green-lit an expansion of the intelligence cooperation that members of his administration had actually wanted to end.

As our colleagues will recall, the President observed last month that Ukraine can win--the President said Ukraine can win--and unlike some of his advisers, the American people are indicating in clear majorities that they think we ought to help.

By one recent poll, more than 6 in 10 Americans support--support-- sending more arms and military supplies to help Ukraine win. That includes--listen to this: A clear majority of Republicans support helping Ukraine. And the recent voting history of the House of Representatives indicates that poll isn't a fluke. Last month, House Republicans voted overwhelmingly--House Republicans voted overwhelmingly--to reject an amendment to the NDAA that would have barred further

assistance to Ukraine. Listen to this: 72 percent of House Republicans--72 percent of House Republicans--including House leadership, said that continuing to arm Ukraine's defense was a good idea.

So the public is behind it. Republicans in Congress are behind it. We know it is the right thing to do.

Ultimately, the President knows that money talks. He understands that valuable things are expensive. What is true in property development is also true in military procurement. There is no way around it. Take the Golden Dome for example. Building anything close to a continental missile defense shield will, by reasonable estimates, cost several times more than was allocated this year in one-off reconciliation spending, every year, for decades to come.

If the Pentagon isn't even planning to max out its budget request for procuring critical munitions in the short term, why on Earth should our adversaries take any talk of long-term missile defense seriously? Likewise, why should they take American airpower seriously if we are only willing to develop sixth-generation stealth fighters for the Air Force but not for the Navy?

What good are multibillion-dollar aircraft carriers if we are not prepared to equip them with aircraft that can survive modern warfare?

At home and abroad, I am concerned that too many of the President's advisers are unwilling to acknowledge the gap between his stated priorities and what they are prepared to invest to achieve them. If you ask me, the name on the front door at the Pentagon matters a great deal less than whether the services inside are equipped and prepared to deter and win wars, and we are facing real, glaring gaps in critical capabilities.

The ink was barely dry on the One Big Beautiful Bill when senior Pentagon officials began to report to my colleagues and I on the Appropriations Committee that they still faced significant funding shortfalls. Given the high pace of operations in the Middle East and in the Western Hemisphere, it is safe to assume these costs are only going to continue to rise.

So there is a lot going on around this building, but, soon, I hope our colleagues will have an opportunity to go on record in favor of investing in peace through strength. We will have a chance to put our money where our mouth is on reestablishing deterrence and rebuilding the force required to back it up. Our investments in the common defense are a signal of our national resolve.

When the American people spoke last November, I don't think they meant for their leaders to mail in a third year of anemic--anemic-- Biden-era top lines. I don't think the President assembled his policy and budget advisers with a mind to punt in the face of looming threats. When he hired civilian Pentagon leaders to restore deterrence, I think he meant more than just threatening adversaries with a catchy line on camera; I think he meant building the force that threatens them with its very existence.

So if the administration wants a Trump buildup, then let's build one, and once the Democrats' shutdown is over, let's start with serious, increased, full-year investments in our national defense.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record the adopted U.S. Senate Professional Liability Insurance Regulations.

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the original intent of the 2018 farm bill's Federal hemp legislation and the need to restore it.

Earlier this year, a report from the University of Kentucky found that cannabis-related poisonings among Kentuckians under 18 rose by 43 percent between 2023 and 2024. As you can see here, emergency room visits are rising steadily as well: ``Cannabis-Related Emergency Department Visits Climb in Kentucky, Especially Among [Young People].''

Calls to poison control centers in Kentucky regarding cannabis have doubled in the last 5 years, and more than 40 percent--listen to this-- have been about children under 12.

Children all over the Commonwealth, from Laurel County to Jefferson County, are facing serious health and safety concerns due to THC poisoning from hemp-derived products, and so are children all across the country. It is not just a Kentucky problem.

How did we get here? Let's go back to the beginning.

Back in 2014, I lead the effort to secure pilot programs for industrial hemp, and I led the effort to legalize the crop in 2018. This industry has seen tremendous growth, especially in Kentucky. Hemp is used in food, clothing, paper, plastic, and many of our consumer products. Its versatility gave farmers hope for a new and profitable cash crop.

Unfortunately, some companies looking to make a quick buck have been exploiting a loophole in the 2018 farm bill by taking legal amounts of THC from hemp and turning it into intoxicating substances. They take these synthetic chemicals and use them as ingredients in appealing snack and candylike products and distribute them in familiar packaging.

Here, it gives you an example of how these hemp-related, THC-related factors are packaged in candy that looks very much like candy being consumed by kids all over the country. This is, by definition, a real problem.

Children love candy. They can recognize well-known brands of candy before they can even read. As you can see from the chart that we were just talking about, the packaging on these snacks is nearly identical to Oreos, Doritos, or Skittles. Little do kids know that these products are laced with intoxicating synthetic chemicals. Young children are consuming these snacks thinking they are candy, not poison.

On top of that, these products are easily accessible and can be purchased at convenience stores. Some of them are even more intoxicating than actually smoking marijuana. Let me repeat that. Products more potent than marijuana can be bought off the shelf of a gas station.

Look, for years, I have called on the FDA to regulate these products. They have not taken the initiative to do so, which has certainly been an ongoing disappointment.

That is why we are here today. The language I recently attempted to secure in the Agriculture appropriations bill would have kept these products out of the hands of children while preserving the hemp industry for farmers.

For the sake of those misguided by my opponents on this issue, let me clarify a few things: You will hear from some that this language would have meant the total destruction of the hemp industry. Well, obviously, that is wrong. Under my language, industrial hemp, and CBD would have remained legal, period. Period.

Some predicted there would be widespread economic downturn to farmers should this language become law. Wrong again.

Hemp makes up less than one-hundredth of 1 percent of all farmed acres in the United States. I want the number to grow and to grow a lot. That is why I secured the legalization of hemp production back in the first place.

As long as I have been a Senator from Kentucky, I have supported our farmers. I am proud to have served on the Agriculture Committee my entire career in the Senate because of its importance to Kentucky. From the tobacco buyout program to tax relief for the sale of farmland, I have made sure our farmers have the tools they need to be successful in volatile markets. My language would not have changed that.

This language would have remained in the appropriations package had one Senator not derailed the process. You know, it is one thing to call yourself an advocate for hemp farmers, but if you didn't support the 2014 pilot program and you didn't support the 2018 farm bill that legalized hemp production and you would have blocked a major step forward on this appropriations package if it had included my language to close the bad-actor loophole, then what does being an advocate actually mean?

This package funds a significant portion of the Federal revenue, from Agencies that provide critical resources to our farmers to law enforcement, military, and our veterans, just to name a few.

We need the appropriations process to function. Congress needs to do its job and fund the government. And I, for

one, do not intend to be an obstacle. So in order to move the package forward, I allowed my language to be stripped from the bill. But my effort to rule out bad actors, protect our children, support farmers, and reaffirm our original legislative intent will continue.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I would like to pay tribute to my friend Candance Castlen Brake, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Candance is retiring this year after a decade leading the chamber, and I ask my colleagues to please join me in recognizing Candance for her devotion to serving the public and making her community a better place.

Candance graduated from Brescia College in Owensboro in 1993 with a bachelors in history and went to work in her first job for the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce as community program manager. The experience she gained in this role ignited her love for the chamber's work and continues to drive her to this day.

While completing her master's in public administration from Western Kentucky University, Candance began her next career step that involved a 5-and-a-half-year period helping run the Daviess County Fiscal Court as chief of staff to county judge executive W.M ``Buzz'' Norris. There, she assisted in the management of a $35 million budget and 200 full- time employees. This was only the beginning of her robust service in local and county government that built a foundation for her tremendous success as a leader.

Candance's affinity for the chamber brought her back in 2000 as vice president of workforce development and education. She worked with local businesses addressing workforce issues and helping workers transition into new jobs. Candance quickly rose to the rank of executive vice president overseeing a broad swath of operations which focused on economic development in Owensboro.

In November of 2004, Candance was elected city commissioner, where she began the first of three consecutive terms advocating on behalf of Owensboro and facilitating one of the most important developments in city history in the riverfront revitalization project. I was proud to help secure $50 million in Federal funds to renovate Owensboro's riverfront, turning this space into a magnet for economic development. Candance played an integral role in this project, encouraging community and business leaders to think big. What started as just an idea was made into reality through the persistence and tenacity of public servants like Candance.

In 2015, she returned to the Owensboro Chamber as president and led the organization through some of its most pivotal moments with a laser focus on bettering the lives of small business owners. Advocacy efforts under Candance led to the widening of highway 54, lighting of the William H. Natcher Bridge, and countywide broadband. In addition to these infrastructure accomplishments, Candance has worked tirelessly on talent building and retention through the chamber's young professionals group and by founding the Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute. She believes in young talent and has seen firsthand how valuable it can be to a city.

In addition to her career accomplishments, Candance has served on numerous boards such as Kentuckians for Better Transportation, the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Board, and the Brescia University Board of Trustees. She has also received status as a distinguished alumnus from her alma mater for making a difference.

While Candance's career accomplishments are beyond impressive, there is much more to her life. Inspired by her grandfather and motivated by current and past local entrepreneurs, Candance leads with selflessness, always striving to give back. She frequently attributes her successes to the team and ensures those around her feel valued for their work. Candance gives it her all and inspires others to get involved too. I know that she will succeed in the next chapter of her life and is looking forward to spending more time with her husband Nick and adult children Nicholas and Caroline. Once again, I ask my colleagues to please join me in applauding Candance's career of service to the public and to the business community in Owensboro.

Mr. President, as sports lovers, we all have our local columnists who are the go-to source for the ins and outs of our favorite sports teams. In my hometown of Louisville, KY, Rick Bozich, is one of my favorite go-to guys. For 50 years, the Hall of Fame journalist reported on local and national sports in Kentucky and Indiana, 47 of those years covering sports in Louisville. But on July 1, 2025, Rick will be retiring following a long and accomplished career in sports media. And for us sports fans, it is like losing our favorite player. He will be missed.

Rick began his career in Gary, IN, delivering the newspaper to households in his neighborhood. He attended Indiana University, earning a journalism degree in 1975. Following graduation, he worked for a few years at local papers in Indiana, before moving to the Louisville Courier-Journal and Louisville Times. He must have realized quickly that, for a career in sports journalism, few places offer such enthusiastic fans or such deep-seated rivalries as Louisville, KY.

After 34 years at the Courier-Journal, Rick decided to make the jump to television, joining WDRB-TV in 2012. At the TV station, he, alongside his friend and former Courier-Journal colleague Eric Crawford, helped expand the on-air sports department. Every time there was a major sports story, Rick was there, writing about the University of Louisville Cardinals, the University of Kentucky Wildcats, and of course, the greatest 2 minutes in sports: the Kentucky Derby. He has also covered many of the hottest sporting events across the country, including NCAA Final Fours, Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Finals, and the Summer Olympics.

During his long career, he earned honors and awards from national and State press associations. This includes Hall of Fame recognitions by the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. He was also awarded the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby coverage and won an Emmy Award for his sports commentating at WDRB-TV. His work has appeared on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and the New York Times, just to name a few.

I ask my colleagues to join me and all his viewers and readers in honoring Rick and congratulating him on his retirement. While he plans to keep a

close eye on all things sports, I am sure he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Rhonda and his children and grandkids.