Floor Statements

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, gas prices have set new alltime record highs every day for more than 2 weeks. Overall inflation is the worst it has been in more than 40 years. And the Biden administration is preparing to follow their botched Afghanistan retreat with a disastrous nuclear deal that would help Iran and hurt America.

But this week, the Senate Democrat majority is not taking action on any of those things; the Senate is instead spending the week cramming more far-left bureaucrats into the executive branch, where they will keep making these problems even worse.

Later today, Senate Democrats want to confirm as Assistant Administrator for EPA someone who has previously researched the environmental impact of football tailgating and concluding it would be best for the environment if the authorities--listen to this--banned charcoal grills and gas generators. This is no joke. Dr. Christopher Frey literally coauthored a research paper that argued that ``the most environmentally responsible policy would be . . . a universal ban on idling, charcoal grills, and old generators''--just the nominee the American people need confirmed by Memorial Day weekend.

So, honestly, where do they find these people? The same nominee wrote in defense of the illegal, job-killing so-called Clean Power Plan. As a past chairman of the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, he worked to politicize its work from outside.

Things aren't going any better at the committee level. This morning, the HELP Committee deadlocked on the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal, whom President Biden wants to put on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Kotagal is a liberal plaintiff's lawyer who is best known for rewriting Hollywood legal contracts to push movie casting toward racial quotas, gender quotas, and sexual orientation quotas. The President has found the one person in America who thinks liberal Hollywood is not woke enough.

The nominee also has a record of hostility to American energy. She has been both an official spokeswoman and a registered lobbyist for a far-left group that wants to eliminate fossil fuels. She is on the board of another organization that has frivolously sued the State of West Virginia over energy issues.

The American people know Washington Democrats' policies hurt working families. They have seen that in our colleagues' legislation. And it is more of the same when it comes to the nominees they are picking to design and carry out their tsunami of regulations.

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

Mr. President, on the campaign trail, Candidate Biden made some big promises for America's economic recovery. His campaign published ``the Biden Plan to revitalize Main Street and invest in small businesses'' and another ``to give America's working families the tools, choices, and freedom they need to build back better.'' So just how have the working families and small businesses fared with President Biden and the Democratic Party calling the shots? Sixty-nine percent of Americans say our economy right now is bad. Even more--77 percent--say they are pessimistic about costs rising even more in the coming months. Just last month, one longstanding measure of optimism among small business owners reached its lowest level on record.

Month after month, the historic high inflation Democrats helped unleash with runaway spending last spring is taking its toll on Americans' hope for the future, but more immediately, it is taking its toll on their wallets. More than a third of Americans say they are having difficulty paying for usual household expenses.

Just last month, the price of a gallon of milk was 16 percent higher than the year before. Gas prices are scraping the stratosphere. In Kentucky, the average price for a gallon of regular reached an alltime high 2 weeks ago. Today, it is 20 cents higher than that.

In Lexington, one resident who drives a rideshare put it this way:

I'm not trying to be a billionaire, I'm just trying to pay

some bills.

She is facing more pain at the pump, and so are the folks paying even more to fill up trucks, tractors, or delivery vans with diesel.

The costs behind small business owners' headaches are behind consumers' hardship.

But somehow, as our Nation reaps the effects of their first year of one-party control, Washington Democrats are operating as if the exact opposite conditions were afoot. After their spending bonanza helped kick off historic inflation, they want to pile on the biggest tax hikes in history. After their radical day 1 climate agenda hammered the most affordable forms of American energy, they want to double down on far- left fantasies.

As the Biden administration passed its 100th day in office, I urged the President to ``recommit to solving our nation's actual problems.'' Well, here we are, approaching his administration's 500th day in office. By now, America's working families have figured out for themselves that the so-called ``Biden Plan'' for them is just a fast track to historic hardships.

Madam President, the Country Music Highway cuts through seven counties in eastern Kentucky that have produced some of the finest singers in American history, from Loretta Lynn, to Chris Stapleton, to Ricky Skaggs. Now, this formidable list of world-famous Kentucky country artists has a new member: Noah Thompson. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Noah for becoming the first Kentuckian to win ``American Idol.''

A few months ago, few people--even in Noah's hometown of Louisa--had ever heard America's best new vocalist perform. Noah was working as a construction worker at Addiction Recovery Care, had never sung publicly, and hadn't even been musically trained. When Noah's best friend Arthur signed

him up for ``American Idol,'' the singer worried about making it past auditions, never imagining he would earn the ``golden ticket'' to Hollywood, let alone become a finalist.

But Arthur believed Noah had a special talent, and, after several arduous rounds, he emerged victorious after receiving the most votes out of 16 million cast by fans all across the country. In the process, he brought the ``American Idol'' camera crew back to Louisa to film a hometown video with community leaders, his family, and thousands of fans. He shined a light on eastern Kentucky, sharing the special culture and history that makes the region such a hotbed for musical talent.

Throughout the contest, Noah radiated humility and warmth. Labeled the ``king of `aw shucks' '' by one of the judges, he entered every round of competition with the best of Kentucky's attitude and spirit. Even when Noah caught COVID-19 and had to isolate in his hotel room, he performed cheerfully and continued to win viewers' hearts.

I am proud of Noah for winning this contest and jumping headfirst into what I can only imagine will be a successful musical career. And I am proud of Louisa, KY, for producing such a fine young gentleman to represent the Commonwealth on the national stage. On behalf of the Senate, I share our congratulations with Noah and wish him the best as he pursues his dreams as a recording artist.

Mr. President, Americans' concern about violent crime is the highest it has been in 6 years, and the statistics plainly show why that is. Between 2019 and 2020, the murder rate shot up by the largest 1-year increase in over a century, and the rate has kept on rising.

Nearly 60 percent more law enforcement officers were killed in 2021 compared to 2020. Cities all across America set alltime record highs for homicides last year. My hometown of Louisville, KY, was one of those cities. We also now average more than one carjacking every 48 hours.

Innocent citizens across America know this situation has literally spiraled out of control, but, unfortunately, the Biden administration and Senate Democrats continue to team up and find new ways to go soft on crime. The nomination and confirmation of Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court crowns a deliberate effort by Democrats to make the Federal judiciary literally softer on crime. They are specifically intentionally stuffing the Federal bench full of men and women whose starting perspective tilts toward sympathy for criminals rather than victims.

Even the New York Times had to admit this ``concerted push by the Biden administration'' to prefer nominees with ``experience in criminal defense work'' is ``a sea change in the world of judicial nominations.''

The Times continued:

The type of high-profile murder cases handled by some of

Mr. Biden's nominees would have been considered disqualifying

only a few years ago; now the president, who himself served

briefly as a public defender early in his legal career, is

actively seeking to name more jurists who have [that kind of]

experience.

So, Mr. President, we are not arguing that public defenders ought to be excluded from the nomination process. Clearly, their work is important. Everyone deserves a lawyer, even the most heinous criminals. But the American people are not exactly clamoring for President Biden to dramatically tilt the entire judiciary toward the criminal-friendly perspective--least of all during this historic crime surge.

This week, with a long list of serious problems facing the country, the Democratic majority has decided to spend floor time on another judicial nominee with this one particular background, a second nominee who appeared during her committee hearing to be unfamiliar with a basic concept in trial law, and a third nominee whose

pro bono record includes helping sue the New York City government over policing and trying to reverse another person's robbery conviction. So I would urge Senators to oppose these controversial nominees.

I am proud to be one of many Republicans joining a new resolution from Senator Cassidy begging this all-Democratic government to prioritize solutions for the violent crime wave. To start, the administration should stop this willful--willful--campaign to make the judiciary systemically softer on crime. Innocent Americans can't afford it.

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

Madam President, yesterday, in a bipartisan landslide, the Senate advanced legislation to get more arms and assistance to the innocent people of Ukraine.

Senators Collins, Cornyn, Barrasso, and I just returned last night from Europe. Our first stop was Kyiv. It was moving to feel some of the impacts of Putin's aggression, to see a free and independent nation made to literally fight for its life. But it was also inspiring to witness the bravery and the determination that have united Ukrainians in the face of this onslaught.

Ukraine has had more than its share of domestic political differences in recent years. Putin must have thought some Ukrainians would welcome--would actually welcome--invading Russian forces. Instead, both Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking Ukrainians have united in defense of their sovereign nation. Some predicted Ukraine would fold in a few days and Russia would stroll right to Kyiv. That was wrong too. Ukraine is tough, and Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands, with life moving back toward normalcy despite the continued threat.

Our delegation was honored to meet with President Zelenskyy. He expressed his gratitude to the United States for our leadership and support on a bipartisan basis, as well as for other countries that have stood by his people in their time of need. America is not the only free country that has Ukraine's back. President Zelenskyy was moved by certain European countries who have given Ukraine, in his words, literally ``everything they had.'' Of course, other European countries can and should do more to help Ukraine. And the administration should lead an effort to ensure broad, sustained international support for Ukraine.

America's support for Ukraine has highlighted the limits to our stockpiles of certain munitions and shortcomings in our own defense production capacity. A number of European countries have dipped even deeper into their weapons inventories. They will need a refill as well.

As our European friends wake up from their ``holiday from history'' and increase defense spending, I hope the United States will be a reliable supplier of advanced weaponry to our NATO allies, a textbook win-win.

Our delegation reiterated to President Zelenskyy the bipartisan consensus which the Senate demonstrated with last night's vote. The United States of America has Ukraine's back and will stand with our friends until they win.

Ukraine is not asking anybody to fight their fight for them. They are only asking for help in getting the resources and tools they need to defend themselves. And we and our friends and partners across the free world will stand behind Ukraine until they achieve victory as they define it. The outcome of this fight has major ramifications for the West, and the Ukrainians should not be left to stand all alone.

As an overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Senate reaffirmed yesterday, America's decision to support Ukraine is not some frivolous act of

charity. It serves our own national security and strategic interests for international borders to continue to actually mean something. It serves our own security and interest to impose massive costs on Putin's long-running campaign of violent imperialism. And it directly and powerfully serves our national interest to deter potential future wars of aggression before they start.

So, Madam President, I assure you that President Xi and the CCP are watching Ukraine carefully. There is a concrete reason why democratic Asian countries like Japan and Taiwan are rooting hard for Ukraine to prevail. Moreover, if we are stuck in a long-term strategic competition with China, we will want a stable, secure, and strong Europe on our side.

Speaking of America's national interest, our delegation also visited what we hope and expect will soon be the two newest members of the NATO alliance. We arrived in Stockholm and Helsinki just as the leaders of Sweden and Finland announced their nations will seek to join the alliance that has secured peace in Europe for more than 73 years.

It was an honor to have robust discussions with Prime Minister Andersson, Defense Minister Hultqvist, and key parliamentary leaders in Stockholm; and President Niinisto, Prime Minister Marin, Defense Minister Kaikkonen, and parliamentary leaders in Helsinki. I gave them my assurance as Senate Republican leader that I fully support both Finland's and Sweden's accession. I will do all I can to speed treaty ratification through the Senate.

Finland and Sweden are impressive and capable countries, with military capabilities that surpass many of our existing NATO allies. As new members, they would more than pull their weight.

These two nations' geographic locations are strategic. They have well-equipped and professional armed forces. Their military and high- tech industrial bases are robust. There is already significant interoperability that connects their defenses and NATO's. I will have more to say on this subject in the days and weeks ahead. Finland and Sweden would make NATO even stronger than it stands today.

Finally, it must be noted that our delegation was not the most important group of Americans shipping out to stand with our friends in Europe--not by a longshot. There are 100,000 American soldiers currently stationed in Europe to bolster the peace and shore up NATO. This includes the Kentucky-based V Corps.

And we received word just last week that 4,700 members of the 101st Airborne from Kentucky's Fort Campbell will also travel to Europe in the coming months. The Screaming Eagles have a long history of defending America's national security interests in Europe. I am proud of these brave men and women for being ready to deploy at a moment's notice. I am proud America can make this peaceful contribution to our allies' sovereignty and strength in Europe, and I am proud of the entire Fort Campbell community for keeping these men and women well- prepared for this mission.

Madam President, now on another matter, by early 2020, before the pandemic, Republican policies had helped create one of the best economic moments for working Americans literally in our lifetimes. Unemployment was low, inflation was low, and real take-home pay was rising steadily. In fact, we had wages rising faster for the bottom 25 percent of the wage scale than for the top 25 percent.

The incoming all-Democratic government was handed a reopening economy and a million vaccines going into arms per day. The country was packed with optimism and primed for a comeback. But through their far-left policy choices, Washington Democrats have driven our economy right into the ground. Inflation is setting 40-year records in consecutive months; gas and diesel prices have set new all-time highs on consecutive days; and sticker shock continues to cause headaches for Americans buying household essentials.

One college student in California said that buying groceries has him ``taking extra loans to pay for my expenses. I'm maxing out my credit cards.'' A woman in Virginia reports she has taken to visiting three different food stores in one trip to make sure she is getting the best prices on everything she needs. A warehouse worker in New Jersey says she and her husband are spending more time hunting for coupons.

It's not a lot, but I'm trying to buy healthy things that

also fill us up.

Overall grocery prices have jumped 10 percent in the past year, just one part of why many Americans say the Biden economy is not working for them. Fewer than one in four American consumers say the current economic conditions are even somewhat good, and fewer than one in five say the Biden administration's policies have done anything to help.

Democrats made runaway reckless spending their new normal here in Washington. So historic, painful inflation has become the new normal for working families everywhere else.

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

Madam President, for months, the brave people of Ukraine have been fighting valiantly in a war they did not ask for. Their defense of their homeland from the Russian invasion has already far surpassed the expectations of all the skeptics.

Ukraine is not asking anybody else to do their fighting for them. They ask only for the resources they need to defend themselves against this lawless aggression.

I strongly support the next package of lethal military assistance which the House has passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. I hope the Senate can reach an agreement to consider and pass this legislation today. The Ukrainians need it. We need to do it today.

Helping Ukraine is not an instance of mere philanthropy. It bears directly on America's national security and vital interests that Russia's naked aggression not succeed and carries significant costs. If Ukraine fails to repel Russian aggression, there is no question that the threat to America and European security will actually grow.

Our Nation's history is packed--packed--with painful reminders that America cannot wish away global problems that affect us and our allies simply by burying our head in the sand.

I applaud the strong Republican vote for this crucial assistance over in the House and urge my Senate colleagues on both sides to help us pass this urgent funding bill today.

Madam President, now on another matter, 2 years ago, the Democratic leader addressed a crowd on the steps of the Supreme Court and threatened Justices if they didn't rule the way he wanted. Now far-left crowds are surrounding Justices' private family homes. They want to use intimidation to influence the outcome in a pending case. It should be easy for leaders to condemn. All Americans should agree

that judges and juries ought not to be subjected to threats or intimidation campaigns.

Admirably, some on the political left have spoken out against this fringe element. The Washington Post editorial board has condemned this. The No. 2 Senate Democrat, our colleague from Illinois, said:

I think it's reprehensible. Stay away from homes and

families.

His counterpart across the Capitol, the No. 2 House Democrat, Leader Hoyer, said:

We need to protect Supreme Court Justices and their

families, period. We're a nation of laws, not of violence,

not of intimidation . . . laws.

That was Steny Hoyer.

But Leader Schumer and the White House will not follow suit. They won't condemn the harassment. They have basically endorsed it. And top Democrats are standing in the way of concrete action.

A few days ago, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to give the Supreme Court's in-house police force some additional authorities they need to do their jobs. This isn't controversial stuff. It cleared this Chamber unanimously. But House Democrats have been unwilling to promptly pass it.

Congressman Jeffries suggested yesterday this uncontroversial bill might be shunted into a lengthy committee process. Why in the world would that be done? These are essentially clerical fixes. They breezed through the Senate without objection. But House Democratic leadership wants to drag this out with hearings and markups, while mobs assemble at people's houses?

I hope this is some misunderstanding. I hope Democrats are not intentionally stalling these security measures until after the Court has issued its rulings. This would be reprehensible.

At the end of Pennsylvania Avenue, either President Biden or Attorney General Garland has apparently decided not to enforce Federal law. Like I explained on Monday, section 1507 of the Criminal Code makes it a crime right now to picket or parade with the intent of influencing a judge at locations that include a judge's residence. That is the law right now. People have been doing exactly that for days and days right now. But the Garland Justice Department is nowhere in sight.

One would think a DOJ, run by the former chief judge of the DC Circuit, would need no prodding--no prodding--to protect judicial safety and judicial independence. But at least so far, the Attorney General was quicker to pounce on concerned parents at school board meetings.

The Governors of Maryland and Virginia have had to write a joint letter to the Attorney General begging him to make his U.S. attorneys do their job and uphold the law.

So, yesterday, I sent the DOJ my own letter asking the very same question. The Senate needs answers right now, and the Court needs security right now.

Madam President, on a related matter, yesterday, we observed the beginning of ceremonies honoring National Police Week. Soon we will mark Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Tens of thousands of law enforcement personnel from across the country will gather here in our Nation's Capital to honor the service and the sacrifice of their fallen brothers and sisters.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Kentuckians who have traveled here for the ceremonies. I am meeting with several of these law enforcement leaders this week to express my gratitude for their service.

The Commonwealth is home to every type of law enforcement officer you can imagine, from big city beat cops to smalltown sheriffs. They take a great risk every day to protect and to serve.

This week, I am thinking especially about the law enforcement officers Kentucky lost in the past year whose names will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial tomorrow--heroes like Graves County jailer Robert T. Daniel, who sacrificed his own life to save endangered inmates as a tornado bore down on their workplace in which he was employed; community pillars like Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Brandon Shirley, who was shot and killed while working a second job in his uniform; role models like Louisville Police Officer Zachary Cottongim, who was struck and killed by a car while attending to an abandoned vehicle on the side of the road.

Yesterday, I met with Officer Cottongim's widow and former partner who are here in Washington for tomorrow's memorial. We are all praying for them as they mourn this tragic loss.

I am proud to cosponsor the resolution that officially designated National Police Week this year. America's law enforcement personnel are always there when we need them most. The least--the least--Congress can do is have their backs.

Madam President, as I said earlier today, the Ukraine people are fighting valiantly in a war they didn't ask for. Their brave self-defense has literally shocked the skeptics and inspired freedom- loving people all around the world.

Ukraine is not asking us to fight this war. They are only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion, and they need this help right now.

Sending lethal assistance to Ukraine is not just some kind of philanthropy; this conflict has direct and major consequences for America's national security and America's national interests.

Russia's aggression cannot--cannot--be allowed to continue cost-free.

I understand my friend and colleague from Kentucky would like changes to the bill. Those changes are not acceptable to the Democratic majority, as we have just heard. So I think there is a simple way to solve this. We should vote on Senator Paul's amendment, and then we should pass the supplemental, and we should do it today.

Mr. President, this all-Democratic government has managed a unique kind of economic turnaround. They took an economy that was ready to soar, turned it around, and drove it into the ground. American families are being crushed by 8.5 percent inflation. Democrats' policies have unleashed the worst inflation in more than 40 years.

Last March, the Senate Democratic leader said:

I do not think the dangers of inflation . . . are very

real.

At that time, the most recent inflation figure was 1.7 percent. Inflation has more than quadrupled since Leader Schumer said he wasn't worried.

Now, remember, the same Democrats predicted the Republicans' 2017 tax reform bill would harm the economy and hurt working people. Instead, what it produced is the best economic moment for American workers in modern history. Falling unemployment, low inflation, and wages grew faster for the bottom 25 percent of earners than for the top.

So Democrats' worldview has been proven absolutely wrong. But, of course, last year, they put it into action anyway. Democrats dumped $2 trillion on a recovering economy and paid people a bonus to stay home from work, even after vaccines were available, and the American people are hurting as a result.

American workers' real average weekly earnings declined 3.6 percent over the last year. Inflation has more than wiped out the average worker's wage gains. President Biden has handed the average American a big pay cut--a pay cut.

The cost of the essentials that families need have been skyrocketing. Gas prices are now the highest they have ever been in American history--ever. Americans are now paying roughly $4.40 per gallon. That is up about 2 whole dollars from when President Biden put his hand on the Bible. Grocery prices have shot up 10 percent

over the past year. Housing costs are up more than 6 percent. Clothing is up nearly 7 percent. Each category is the worst it has been since at least the early 1980s.

Remember, if and when the inflation rate begins to gradually slow, that does not mean all of these sky-high prices for goods and services will actually fall back down. In many cases, this painful and preventable inflation will be baked into prices going forward. These Democratic price hikes will likely be American families' new normal at the checkout counter, a permanent--permanent--direct result of their failed policies.