Floor Statements

Mr. President, as a University of Louisville sports fan, Saturday, June 28, 2025, is going to be a memorable day for me. My friend and Louisville legend Tom Jurich is receiving a long-overdue honor from the University he helped build into a national sports powerhouse.

From 1997 to 2017, Tom served as athletic director for UofL, my alma mater. During those 20 years, I witnessed firsthand his work to build an athletic department that is one of the best in the country. And on Saturday, he will make his first visit back to campus for a celebration on the street lined by sports facilities that he made possible, Floyd Street.

The University of Louisville, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, and many of Tom's family and friends will commemorate him by renaming a portion of Floyd Street as Tom Jurich Way. I wish I could be there in person to celebrate my friend, but I know that he and his family and all those that love him will cherish the memories that he helped create at the University of Louisville.

As Tom told a local Louisville reporter in 2023, ``I just wanted Louisville to become a destination . . . not a place you passed through--but one people aimed for.'' Well, Tom got his wish, and now, that destination takes us to Tom Jurich Way.

Mr. President, the WDRB-TV sports journalist Eric Crawford paid tribute to Tom Jurich in a recent article. I ask unanimous consent that the article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, when Iran's proxies launched a full- scale war on Israel, October 7, 2023, President Biden pledged an unwavering commitment to Israel's security. That was the right message in the moment.

But as I warned publicly at the time, Israel needed more than just rhetorical solidarity. Like Ukraine, Israel needed precious time, space to maneuver, and materiel support to defeat a shared enemy. And yet, as in Ukraine, America's commitment has indeed wavered. Our support has not been ironclad.

Instead, under the previous administration, American support was delayed, restricted, and paired with attempts to micromanage Israel's operations and even interfere with Israeli politics. And at every turn, the progressive left and isolationist right hyperventilated about the specter of so-called forever war.

Fortunately, Israel held its ground. Israelis certainly weren't enthused about a ground war in Gaza. Their leaders knew that war would be difficult. But they knew it was unavoidable so long as Hamas terrorists still refused to release its hostages. They also knew lasting security meant changing Iran's calculus, not just responding to attacks from proxies.

So Israel decided to turn Iran's terrorist assets into liabilities. Despite the pearl-clutching here in Washington, our allies simultaneously decapitated Hezbollah and crippled Hamas. Their bold operations created a new opportunity for Lebanon to claw back its sovereignty from a terrorist state within a state.

Meanwhile, the collapse of the brutal Assad regime in Syria brought down a Russian vassal and Iran's favorite corridor of weapons and terrorist finance.

These are the circumstances President Trump inherited. What to do with them has been the subject of quite some debate. Some of his advisers and supporters came with Obama-Biden-era talking points, ready to urge him to continue his predecessor's policy of constraining Israel. Some had argued publicly that America had no vital or existential interests in the Middle East or claimed the region was a distraction from other priorities. They warned of forever war.

Some seemed to push for nuclear negotiations with parameters eerily similar to the nuclear deal the President withdrew from his first term. They even proposed Iran could keep enriching uranium, until the President, rightly, correctly, quashed that idea.

These mixed messages emboldened Iran and its proxies. After all, why give up if administration officials saw the Middle East as little more than a distraction or if they seem as fearful of restoring deterrence as the previous guys?

So Hamas kept holding hostages. The Houthis kept targeting Israel and Red Sea commerce. And the Islamic Republic kept marching toward a nuclear weapon. And in response, Israel took the next logical step to restore deterrence.

Once again, innovative and decisive strikes destroyed Iran's air defenses and imposed immediate--immediate--costs on Tehran. Leaders across Israel's politics stood united behind the daring operations.

Ah, but here in America, the same restrainers, anti-Israel progressives, and self-proclaimed realists warned again of regional conflagration if the President intervened alongside or even supported Israel's strikes.

The President's own--his own--Director of National Intelligence traveled to Hiroshima to record a bizarre video, not as a warning against Tehran's nuclear ambitions but presumably against American or Israeli operations to blunt them.

Now, fortunately, the President rejected the pleas of appeasers and isolationists. The strikes he ordered dealt a massive blow to Iran's nuclear program, bolstered American credibility, and strengthened U.S. and Israel leverage to end Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorism for good.

Thanks to Israel's historic efforts for more than a year and a half, Iran's ability to threaten regional stability is massively degraded. Not since before the Islamic Revolution has there been such an opportunity for America, Israel, and our Arab partners to reset regional dynamics on such favorable terms.

Achieving it has required no large-scale deployment of U.S. ground forces. It required only supporting our friends. Israel is a close ally and a strategic asset, not a liability. And the strategic return on our investment in assisting Israel is incalculable. Standing with our Israeli friends offers a powerful lesson about American leadership, the value of alliances and partnerships, and the real nature of peace through strength.

And this lesson extends far, far beyond the Middle East.

If America refuses to apply it elsewhere--like Ukraine--we do so at grave risk to our own interests. But that is

exactly what some in Washington seem to be doing.

Congress recently learned that a senior DOD official conducted a review of DOD security assistance efforts and--listen to this-- concluded that the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, among other programs, was wasteful. This is a Republican administration panning a program created by the Republican Congress in 2015 to counter President Obama's toothless response to Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine.

I would like to see the analysis behind the administration's decision to zero out USAI in its fiscal 2026 request. I would like to hear them try to explain away the massive return on investment of America's security assistance to Ukraine and the previous lessons we have learned from our Ukrainian partners.

The Secretary of the Army has, rightly, called Ukraine--listen to this--``the Silicon Valley of warfare.'' Do his colleagues at the Pentagon think this assessment is wrong or do they just not think access to cutting-edge, modern combat is valuable?

Well, here is the truth: USAI and other security efforts have helped us, measurably, address shortcomings in strategy, capabilities, and production capacity that would have gone ignored until it was too late.

It is an inconvenient reality for isolationists and restrainers, but for a tiny percent--a tiny percent--of our defense budget, we helped a smaller military resist invasion by a vastly larger one and degrade a major U.S. adversary.

As with Israel, Ukraine is fighting an adversary of the United States. Our support does not entangle us in a far-off foreign conflict. For Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, America is the main enemy, the Great Satan. If these adversaries beat our friends, the threat to America becomes a thousand times greater. We should be grateful for friends so willing to defend our collective interests against common folks.

Partnership with Ukraine is teaching us what modern warfare could mean for U.S. forces when they do face direct conflict. It has tested our assumptions about munitions inventories, expenditure rates, electronic warfare, and the duration of conflict.

Without Ukraine's experience with U.S. weapons, we would have been surprised to find some advanced systems quickly rendered inoperable on future battlefields. The money we invest in USAI on weapons for Ukraine expands our own production capacity in the process and will improve the quality of our own munitions.

Supplemental appropriations on Ukraine and Israel, in turn, backfill our own stocks with brand new capabilities--not just 155-mm rounds but air defenses and long-range fires, with specific investment in solid rocket motors.

These investments help us prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific, and production would be slower in the absence of our partnership with Ukraine. Not doing more to address our growing defense needs isn't a failure of foresight. It is a failure of political will.

Everyone wants to see an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, but the price of peace matters. If we want enduring stability in Europe, we can't fall for an illusory peace. We should know enough history not to dismiss this as merely ``a quarrel in a faraway country, between two people of whom we no nothing.''

It is a major war of conquest in Europe--the most significant since the days of Nazi Germany--and allies and adversaries half a world away are watching it closely for clues about America's resolve.

Certainly, Europe's deepening commitments to collective defense will make real peace more enforceable. The President's insistence has driven much of this progress. Putin's brutality has reinforced it.

Since 2022, our European NATO allies have made historic--historic-- investments in defense, often buying from us. Many are preparing to make even larger commitments at this week's NATO summit. All of that is good news. But we can't expect allies to continue signing up for 3.5 and 5 percent commitments if America insists on falling further behind.

Likewise, we can't expect Putin to end his aggression if he thinks America's abandonment of Ukraine is just a matter of time. And we can't expect anyone to take America's threats and commitments seriously if we are content to let our own strength atrophy.

A base budget request that cuts defense spending in real terms doesn't show Moscow we are serious, let alone Beijing. Leading from behind would be bad enough, but this is just plain falling behind.

The strongest deterrence is denying an adversary's objectives through military means. Israel is restoring this deterrence in the Middle East. Ukraine is achieving it by holding its own against Russia, but it needs help.

Recently, I have asked administration officials simple questions, like: Who is the aggressor in the conflict?

The answer is pretty obvious. But a second, equally simple question seems to actually trip them up: Who do we want to win? Who do we want to win?

The President made the right call to stand with Israel. I hope he will also decide to stand with Ukraine, prevent Russian victory, and start reversing a dangerous downward trend in our defense budgets.

I hope he will recognize Russia's attempt to ``tap him along'' for what it is. Putin is getting mixed messages from us. He thinks he has time. He believes the West is weak and divided.

But the President, at very little cost, can shatter that illusion. It is time to impose sanctions, raise the price of Russia's aggression, redouble security assistance to Ukraine, and drive the Kremlin to seek peace. It is time for deterrence through denial.

There is no surer path to a just and enduring peace, no better way to demonstrate that peace through strength actually means something, no clearer sign to allies and adversaries watching closely, from the Western Hemisphere to the Indo-Pacific, that America still has the will to lead.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, on March 11, 2025, Kentucky lost a distinguished athlete, businessman, and mentor to many. Ulysses Lee Bridgeman, known to most as ``Junior,'' wrote history on the basketball court, throughout Kentucky and beyond. His dedication for championing others' successes and imprinting a substantial difference on our community will not be forgotten. I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring the life of Junior Bridgeman.

Junior was a renowned athlete who helped lead the University of Louisville men's basketball team to their third Final Four during his senior year in 1975. He then was selected eighth in the

NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, then quickly traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he spent 10 out of his 12 seasons playing professional basketball. He played 711 games and scored 9,892 points, where he holds the record for third most games played and the ninth most points in franchise history. In addition to his historic playing career, he was a mentor to many rookies, teaching them how to manage and navigate their newfound salaries as professional athletes.

During his time in Milwaukee, he began investing in fast food companies. As he left the league, his business ventures dramatically grew and so did his philanthropic efforts. He focused his service on youth education and community development. He was a key driver in opening Louisville's West End School, a tuition-free boarding school that instills academic rigor, character development, and responsible action in students. At the heart of Junior's legacy rests a profound desire to empower others to great success.

Junior made meaningful contributions to Louisville throughout his career, including during his time serving on the board of trustees for the University of Louisville and Simmons College of Kentucky. He served on many local boards such as PGA of America, Churchill Downs, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Jackson Hewitt, Governors Scholar Program, Crusade for Children Foundation, Louisville Arena Authority, and others. His passion for Louisville spread throughout the Nation as he would host one of the most notable charity fundraising galas the night before the Kentucky Derby. These events brought together many celebrities and public figures, widening the audience of the event. In each of these endeavors, Junior was committed to opening doors and fostering growth for those that would otherwise not have the opportunity.

Although Junior was known for his athletic career and vast business ventures, his dedication to his faith is what set him apart. He was an active member of the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, and his service to the Lord can be seen in each of his good works. Through his commitment to serving those in need, his eagerness to give graciously, and his immense sense of humility, we remember him as a trailblazer of benefaction and progress in the Commonwealth. I would like to express my personal condolences to Junior's wife Doris, his three children, and all those who knew and loved him. The impact and legacy Junior Bridgeman leaves behind is a testament to the instrumental role we can all play in each other's lives and our communities.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a driven and highly accomplished Kentuckian Alecia Webb-Edgington. Alecia was recently named 2025 Person of the Year by the Covington Education Foundation in honor of her work impacting the northern Kentucky community as president of the Life Learning Center. I ask my colleagues to please join me in applauding Alecia on her award and recognizing her outstanding career of public service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Alecia spent the bulk of her career on the frontlines of our communities with the Kentucky State Police, where she served for 15 years. The Governor's security detail and undercover narcotics were just two of Alecia's many assignments as a trooper. It was during this period when she met her husband and greatest supporter Ted. She finished her time with KSP working in the role of chief information officer. After her retirement, Governor Ernie Fletcher appointed Alecia to be executive director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, making her the first woman to hold the office.

When her political appointment came to an end, Alecia knew her call to serve was far from over. From 2009 to 2013, Alecia represented the 63rd District in the Kentucky House of Representatives, climbing the ranks and eventually becoming vice-chair of the Education Committee. As the daughter of a career educator, Alecia values and prioritizes the advancement of education. Her passion is abundantly evident in her work. Alecia's success in Frankfort pushed her to run for Congress, and although her campaign fell short, she knew there was more she could do to serve the public.

An opportunity was presented to Alecia that would take her to Washington, DC, to serve at the State Department as a senior police adviser in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. With excitement for the job and an enthusiastic push from Ted, Alecia made the jump, commuting back and forth to DC in this new adventure. Within the old Yugoslavia and North Africa portfolio, she specialized in issues of trafficking and rule of law in post-conflict countries. She worked with folks who had suffered through tremendous conflict, striving to turn their lives around. While the position was a complete mystery to Alecia when she started, the work was fascinating and very rewarding. She eventually decided to put her newly developed skills from the State Department to use helping Kentuckians at the Life Learning Center.

Since 2016, Alecia has been the president of the Life Learning Center in Covington, KY, leading a team focused on helping the at-risk population receive the education and skills necessary to succeed in the workforce and in life. Her work has made a significant impact on the northern Kentucky community and has won her many well-deserved awards, including the Covington Education Foundation's 2025 Person of the Year. Along with her two Kentucky State Police commendations, Alecia has received several other significant distinctions like the Kenton County Pioneer Award and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Community Award.

Alecia's also serves on the board of Notre Dame Academy and the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment

Board. Community is the heart of her focus in all her endeavors. She is a proven leader with exceptional experience whose talent inspires her peers and colleagues to follow her with a high level of confidence. Her impact on the lives of others is inspirational, and I am grateful for her devotion to our Commonwealth and our Nation. Again, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating Alecia on her award and recognize her outstanding career of service.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Dr. Robert ``Bob'' Jackson, the 14th president of Murray State University, who will be stepping down from the helm after more than 6 years of leadership. Dr. Jackson is a true public servant who has devoted much of his career to serving Kentuckians through his efforts to transform Murray State University and improve higher education across the Commonwealth. I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating my friend Bob on a well-deserved retirement.

After graduating from LaRue County High School, Bob began his journey at Murray State University 43 years ago last fall. He studied finance and quickly developed an affinity for the institution, joining Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and meeting his wife Karen. Together, the couple shared fond memories of Greek life, attending Racer sporting events and competing in ``All Campus Sing'' on the steps of the Pogue Library. No doubt, Bob and Karen's time as students instilled in them a strong sense of pride for Murray State. Both have used their exceptional talents to give back to the university and community.

Corporate finance and investment banking are part of Bob's diverse work background, but his passion for higher education in Kentucky is evident by the public service that fills his resume. Bob was elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1997 and used his term in Frankfort to focus on postsecondary education and pension reform, garnering praise from legislators on both sides of the aisle. In another role, his deep knowledge of State and Federal policy allowed him the opportunity to advocate for Murray State University as its senior adviser for government relations. Bob also served as the head of the Murray State University Foundation before being tapped to lead his alma mater as interim president in 2018. Less than a year later, Bob was officially appointed president, and his tenure has been nothing short of pure excellence.

Nearly every aspect of Murray State University has seen generational change under Bob's leadership. The university shifted its focus toward recruitment and retention during his administration, leading to an overall increase in enrollment of 5 percent between 2018 and 2024. Working with six board chairs and 26 regents, Bob helped solicit some of the largest private donations in school history, while cementing the planned additions of a new school of nursing, veterinary sciences building, and residential hall on campus. Success has been abundant for Bob even amidst significant obstacles like the pandemic, during which I was proud to work with him to help secure over $6 million in Federal funding for Murray State. Bob showed tremendous resilience shepherding the university through this difficult time, and for that, we are all grateful.

Bob's vision for Murray State has always focused on putting the success of its students first. His selfless demeanor in each task at hand is a testament to his character, always giving credit where it is due. Optimism drives Bob's leadership as he often says, ``Our best days are ahead of us.'' While this may be true, the days of his presidency will be hard to beat. I wish Bob well in his retirement and know he will enjoy spending more time with family and traveling to new places. Again, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Dr. Bob Jackson's career of public service.

Mr. President, pursuant to Senate Rule XXXIII, the Committee on Rules and Administration adopted the U.S. Senate Health and Fitness Facilities Regulations, on May 6, 2025, which supersede and replace the current ``Guidelines for Senate Tennis Courts,'' ``Regulations for the Senate Health Facility in the Office of the Architect of the Capitol,'' and ``Regulations Governing Use of the Senate Health and Fitness Facility.''

The updated regulations consolidate rules for the use of the fitness facilities, including the Senators' gym, staff gym, and athletic courts. The updated regulations define eligible staff for membership purposes and reflect current operational practices.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the regulations as adopted be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, pursuant to Senate Rule XXXIII, the Committee on Rules and Administration adopted the U.S. Senate Hallways and Balconies Regulations, on May 9, 2025, which supersede and replace the current ``Display of Flags and State Senate Seals in Hallways Outside Senator's Offices.''

The updated regulations include a new scope and definitions section, updated language for unobstructed hallways and the display of flags, and memorialize the renumbering and policies for the use of Senate balconies.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the regulations as adopted be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I want to take a moment today to recognize a friend and leader from western Kentucky, State Senator Danny Carroll, who continues to represent his home district, Kentucky's second District, so well since elected in 2014. Earlier this year, Senator Carroll announced his retirement as president and CEO of Easterseals West Kentucky, where he led an organization dedicated to providing services for children with disabilities and special needs for the past 15 years. As Danny prepares to step down as president, I would like to honor his years of service and dedication to this important organization.

Danny began his path of public service in the Paducah Police Department. The Paducah community is very grateful for his 24 years of public protection, eventually working his way up to assistant chief. He retired from law enforcement in 2012 and was soon after recruited to become the president and CEO of Easterseals West Kentucky. A couple years later, Danny was elected to the State senate, but his devotion to the Easterseals West Kentucky never faltered.

Over the past 15 years, Easterseals West Kentucky was transformed into a reliable resource for children with disabilities and their families. Danny played a pivotal role in the nonprofit's success, leading it through many milestones. In 2013, Danny and his team opened the Lily Pad, a facility providing pediatric care for those most in need throughout the region. In 2023, they opened the Lori Center, which assists children with autism. These essential resources will continue to serve the children and families of west Kentucky long after Danny's retirement.

Under Danny's leadership, the nonprofit underwent drastic improvements to existing services helping lead to an increase in the number of Kentuckians served. I am proud to say that because of Senator Carroll's hard work, he is leaving Easterseals West Kentucky equipped and ready to continue all their incredible services.

Along with his impeccable service to Kentucky, Danny remains an active member of his community along with his loving wife Teressa and two children.

While Easterseals West Kentucky will miss his constant devotion and positive attitude, his retirement is well-earned. I know Danny will continue serving the Commonwealth as a Kentucky State Senator, and I ask my Senate colleagues to please join me in recognizing his years of service leading Easterseals West Kentucky.

Madam President, I rise today to congratulate my friend and fellow Kentuckian Craig Williams for receiving the Defense Community Champions Award. He is one of 18 recipients this year across the country honored for making a difference in the defense community. I ask my colleagues to please join me in recognizing his impressive achievement, which is well deserved.

In his early years, Craig dutifully served our Nation as an Army translator solidifying his dedication to our country and to missions bigger than himself. This was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to his career of dedicated public service. After returning to the States, Craig refocused his attention on a pressing local issue that impacted thousands of his fellow neighbors in Richmond, KY, where over 500 tons of chemical warfare agents were stored at the Bluegrass Army Depot (BGAD).

President Ronald Reagan's call for a global prohibition on chemical weaponry spurred much needed attention to the disposal of our Nation's stockpile. The Army's initial plan to destroy these weapons through incineration was cause for concern due to potential poison leaks into the greater Madison County community. Craig jumped into action, pursuing the daunting task of taking on the bureaucracy and holding our government accountable for the promise it made to safely dispose of these chemical weapons. While Craig and I may have seemed like unlikely political allies, I believed his cause was just, and I was ready to help him push government in the right direction to keep Kentuckians safe.

Our first victory together dates back to my first term in the U.S. Senate, when we put a stop to new munitions entering the Commonwealth. The success continued thanks to Craig's tireless advocacy work. In 1991, he founded a coalition consisting of over 40 representatives from around the world known as the Chemical Weapons Working Group. Within just 2 years, Craig and his group successfully lobbied Congress to delay the incineration of the chemical weapons, forcing a further exploration of safer options. Thus began a 30-year march toward the final goal of total disposal.

I am proud to have helped Craig by fighting to bring home over $7 billion in Federal funding to support the responsible destruction of these munitions. This project was nothing short of a team effort. Through Craig's work on the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission, he served as dependable eyes and ears on the ground, ensuring effective communication and transparency between government and the public. Our relationship was built on trust, and it proved invaluable as we worked together to meet the needs of this project. In July 2023, our hard work alongside community partners paid off as the last chemical weapons at BGAD were destroyed.

Craig is well known for his work and was honored in 2006 with the Goldman Environmental Prize, an award inspired by the Nobel Prize. His story is one of true passion for the well-being of his neighbors and community. Our accomplishments together are proof that government functions best when working in tandem with the people it serves. I am confident Craig will continue to tackle the issues that matter most to him and will serve the public vigilantly in all of his future endeavors. Once again, I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in congratulating Craig on this distinguished award.

Madam President, I rise today to recognize Katy Hagan, who has retired after 18 years of service on the staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As a budget analyst at the Defense Subcommittee, Katy dedicated her career to the security of our Nation and the well-being of servicemembers and their families. Her attention to detail and excellent analysis ensured that the Congress passed legislation each year to further our Nation's interests and keep our country safe.

Katy Hagan joined the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in February 2007 under Chairman Ted Stevens and went on to serve under Chairs Inouye, Cochran, Durbin, Shelby, and Tester before I took up the gavel this year. She served each with dedication and performed her duties to the best of her ability. Katy's colleagues over the years attest that her professionalism, analysis, and guidance greatly contributed to every product that the subcommittee produced for the past 18 years.

Katy's expertise in the operations and maintenance appropriation was greatly valued and respected by her colleagues, the services, and all whom were fortunate to work with her. She diligently engaged with each of the services and made smart recommendations based on her extensive information gathering. With each passing year, Katy brought an even greater wealth of institutional knowledge to this appropriation, making outstanding recommendations for each continuing resolution, Senate bill, supplemental, reprogramming action, and enactment.

It is difficult to sum up the gratitude Katy's colleagues hold for the devotion and care she brought to her work. The billions of dollars under her purview throughout her years on the committee were reviewed with a keen eye toward warfighter needs and the best use of taxpayer resources. Her recommendations, leadership, and counsel were greatly valued by her team. She is already deeply missed.

On behalf of all the past chairs, Senators, and staff who have worked with Katy over the years and who know firsthand the importance of her expertise and contributions, I would like to express our appreciation for her service. Katy, we wish you all the best in the next chapter. Thank you.

Mr. President, I want to take a moment today to congratulate Candace McGraw, CEO of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), on her upcoming retirement. Candace has been a friend and a leader in northern Kentucky for many years, and I would like to join her family, friends, and colleagues in celebrating her great success.

Over the last decade, CVG has undergone a complete transformation, today a national leader in aviation and e-commerce. Taking the helm in 2011, Candace brought a big vision to the airport, setting it on an upward trajectory right from the start. At a time when technology was rapidly becoming a part of our daily lives, Candace reimagined CVG as a powerhouse for e-commerce, expanding its cargo operations and forging historic partnerships with major shipping companies across the country. Under her leadership, CVG has not only become Kentucky's busiest airport--serving more than 9 million passengers annually--but also one of the fastest growing cargo hubs in the Nation. Candace's leadership proved invaluable during the pandemic when our airports and their workers found themselves right at the center of this unprecedented crisis. As passenger travel ground to a halt, CVG's robust cargo operations kept essential goods on the move all across the Nation. Even amid the challenges of the pandemic, CVG rose to become a vital e- commerce hub, setting records for air cargo and demonstrating the strength and foresight of Candace's vision.

The growth Candace worked so hard to forge at CVG has been a huge source of strength for communities in northern Kentucky. Under her leadership, the airport has nearly tripled its economic impact, today bringing in over $10 billion for the local economy. That has meant more jobs, more commerce, and more prosperity for thousands of families across this growing region. Over the years, I have enjoyed partnering with her on my work in the Senate, teaming up to overhaul airport infrastructure and aviation operations in the Commonwealth.

Because of the efforts of Candace and the airport's many dedicated staff, CVG consistently receives national recognition. Skytrax named CVG the Best Regional Airport in North America now eight times under Candace's leadership, and just this year, it earned the title of Best Airport in North America for customer experience by Airports Council International (ACI) World. Today, CVG ranks among the fastest growing airports in the United States. It should also come as no surprise that Candace herself has been widely recognized for her impact on the aviation industry. In 2019, Airport Experience News named her Director of the Year, and last year, she received the Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award from ACI North America.

Beyond her work at CVG, Candace also served her community as chairwoman on the board of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, our State's largest business association. Here, Candace worked hard to improve the business landscape for workers and job creators in the Commonwealth. Fortunately, even as she steps down from this role and her responsibilities at CVG, Candace's experience and leadership will continue to be invaluable assets to the aviation industry at the World Governing Board of Airports Council International, where she serves as the first female chair in the organization's history.

In her retirement, I know that Candace looks forward to spending more time with her husband Joe and their children, time she has certainly earned. I want to thank my friend for her leadership and dedication to CVG and northern Kentucky. Her steady hand has guided the airport through some of its most consequential years, leaving it stronger than ever. When she steps down at the end of June, Candace will leave behind a legacy of innovation, achievement, and extraordinary growth. So I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in celebrating Candace's remarkable career and wishing her the very best in the years ahead.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the rules of procedure for the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library for the 119th Congress be printed in the Congressional Record.

Mr. President, my views on America's interest in Ukraine are well known. I spent the better part of the last 3 years, here on this floor, pointing out the glaring connections between European security and the security of America's interest all across the globe--core national security interests that determine our prosperity.

Ukraine's victory and stability in Europe is squarely in the interest of the United States--our interests. Europe is our largest trading partner. Russia is a thuggish autocracy with an economy smaller than Italy's. The Russian economy is smaller than Italy's. There is simply no equivalence. There is no grand realignment opportunity that has gone unnoticed.

So let me start with this. The most harmful possible outcome of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, for U.S. interests, would be this headline: Russia wins; America loses.

Russia wins; America loses.

We can't let that be how this ends, but look at where we are right now:

On one side, fellow members of the most successful military alliance in world history, with a combined GDP of more than $17 trillion, are openly--openly--planning for a world in which America does not call the shots and where our word no longer carries any weight. These are the closest allies and partners who have worked hand in glove with America, bought American equipment, and taken America's lead. But, if America turns its back on them, they will look elsewhere for guidance, for coordination, for weapons, and even for trade.

On the other side is Putin's Russia and its $2 trillion GDP, where Kremlin officials now say that America's current ``foreign policy configurations'' now ``largely align with our vision'' and that hiccups in the U.S.-Ukraine relations are ``useful'' because they drive a wedge between America and our European allies. That is how the Russians look at this.

Well, it is not hard to imagine why they look at it that way. Freezing lethal assistance and intelligence support to Ukraine made Russia's job a lot easier. It was easier to hit Ukraine's defenders along with its schools, hospitals, and nurseries; and after 3 years of immense progress toward a stronger and more capable Transatlantic Alliance, with greater commitments to burden-sharing and European leadership, the West that had resolved to check Putin's neo-Soviet ambitions is now in danger of being consumed by internal recrimination.

What welcome news for an autocrat whose grip on power depends on the endurance of a wartime economy.

The will to force Putin to make serious concessions in the interests of lasting peace is fragmented, and too many on this side of the Atlantic seem to believe, foolishly, that his appetite will be satisfied in eastern Ukraine. His appetite will be satisfied in eastern Ukraine. This is the same mistake made by the architects of the Minsk I and Minsk II agreements. The circumstances are not crying out for a Minsk III.

Somehow, this doesn't sound like the makings of a successful deal for America. Somehow, these don't seem like the conditions for advancing America's interests in European peace and security, let alone pretending to mediate a dispute between equals.

Russia wins; America loses. It is not too late to avoid that outcome, but it will require that America and our allies operate from the same set of facts. So let's talk about actual facts.

First, the dollars and cents: America's total Ukraine-related spending comes in at $175 billion--not $350 billion but half that much. As a share of GDP, 11 European countries have allocated more Ukraine- related spending than the United States. In real terms, total European aid is twice--twice--U.S. spending, with more military aid than America, more budgetary assistance than America--period. Those are the actual facts.

Our allies' increasing investments have been good news for American security and the strength of our alliance. They have meant expanding arsenals and industrial capacity along with bigger defense budgets for buying American for now.

But what if--what if--even in having established the correct math, you think it is still too much to spend on helping to degrade a major American adversary without putting a single American servicemember in harm's way--not a single American servicemember in harm's way? What if you still think, somehow, we are getting a raw deal?

Consider where most of the Ukraine-related spending--$120 billion-- has actually gone: to investing in U.S. capabilities and expanding our own defense industrial capacity. We are already $120 billion closer to restoring the sort of forces and capacity we will need to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific than we were 3 years ago; or consider-- consider--the value of the operational and tactical lessons the U.S. and our allies are drawing from Ukraine's battlefield experience. The conflict in Ukraine is a battle lab--a glimpse at the future of warfare--and our Ukrainian partners are innovating faster than American industry is often able to. Concerned about the next major conflict? We are learning how to prepare better for it. U.S.-made systems are literally feeding performance data back to us.

The American people are not getting fleeced. I am going to say it again. The American people are not getting fleeced--far from it--but if we mistake surrender for peace, we will be risking far worse.

China is watching what we do. So are America's allies and partners in Asia. To believe that we can torch our credibility in one region and not tarnish it in another is foolish. When we treat withholding assistance from Ukraine like a cudgel and insist that the victim of aggression is the side that has to

make concessions, what should we expect other partners to conclude?

Now, I have heard that Ukraine needs to be prepared to ``do difficult things.'' I am curious which difficult thing our frontline partners haven't been doing for the past 3 years, like defending besieged towns and cities, like burying their sons and daughters. Will Russia be expected to do difficult things as well, like ending its onslaught? By what means are we prepared to compel them? War is hell, and the worst consequences are always borne by innocent civilians in flight and by brave soldiers holding the line.

Ending the war in Ukraine is a noble aim--preventing war, even more so. But peace is different than surrender, and being honest about who is to blame doesn't hinder lasting peace; it enables it. Why should we be less willing to call Russia out for its brutal aggression than we are to call Hamas or Hezbollah out for theirs? Would we be afraid to call Iran out if it had nuclear weapons? Is that the lesson we want the world to draw from this conflict?

Ronald Reagan epitomized peace through strength, not by just saying the words but by action. He called the Soviet Union an Evil Empire at the same time as he dealt productively with Gorbachev.

In July of 1983, he spoke to the people of the captive nations of the Soviet Union and communist regimes.

He said:

[T]o every person trapped in tyranny, whether in the

Ukraine, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, or Vietnam, we send

our love and support and tell them they are not alone. Our

message must be: Your struggle is our struggle, your dream is

our dream, and someday, you, too, will be free.

In the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine got its chance at freedom. Putin intends to extinguish it. Ukraine is serious about a just and stable peace. How do we know? We know because the Ukrainians preferred it overwhelmingly until their neighbor chose war instead again and again.

I will reserve my skepticism, my disdain, and my condescension of the authoritarian thug who treats the slaughter of innocent children like a sport, and anyone who cares about not getting played for a sucker should do the same. In the face of our hesitation, Putin has escalated. He has insulted the sincere pursuit of peace. It is a crystal-clear reminder that what he is after isn't an end to the bloodshed. America cannot afford to get played. So let's not.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the rules of procedure for the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library for the 119th Congress be printed in the Congressional Record.

Mr. President, the Committee on Rules and Administration has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 119th Congress. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on behalf of myself and Senator Padilla, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.