Floor Statements

Mr. President, today, I rise to honor the enduring legacy of an outstanding Utahn. As the autumn sun sunk below the mountains surrounding Southern Utah University's sprawling athletic fields, the men's teams had finished their practice for the day. Only under the night sky could one group of young, ambitious, and dedicated women finally take to the empty field, dressed in worn, plain PE uniforms with hand-stitched numbers. In the collegiate sporting era of the 1970s, these female athletes had no access to new equipment or team budgets, let alone scholarships or institutional support. But they did have a leader. Kathryn Berg, of Heber City, UT, proudly led this group of woman athletes as their coach, mentor, friend, and lifelong advocate for gender equality across all sports at the university and the State of Utah. Today, a return visit to SUU must rekindle mixed emotions for Kathryn, both for the enormous strides made for gender equality by virtue for her accomplishments as its associate athletic director and the work still required in pursuit of that goal. The field bears her name.

Despite her decorated career, measured in both awards and the boundless admiration of others, Kathryn Berg would be embarrassed to have the spotlight shone on her life and achievements. That is because she spent her over 33-year career elevating others into such a position. The athletes, families, and individuals who know Kathryn describe her as a humble servant to others, who worked overtime to provide opportunities for girls and women to participate in sports. To accomplish this, she educated herself in sports she knew little about by becoming an expert in the rules and regulations of each sport, took classes, and earned certifications at her own expense. She even became a certified gymnastics judge so she could be a better gymnastics coach. This enabled her athletes to reach their peak athletic and academic performances. An athlete herself, Kathryn played basketball and tennis at Wasatch High School before earning a B.A. and M.A. from Brigham Young University, followed by a doctorate from the University of Utah. She taught and coached at Richfield High School, Lincoln Junior High, and Orem Junior High, respectively, before arriving for a new challenge at Southern Utah University.

At SUU, she served as administrator for all women's sports, including softball, basketball, gymnastics, track and field, volleyball, cheerleading, and synchronized swimming. In Cedar City, she continued to face down the perennial obstacles halting progress for female athletic programs. With no available budget, Kathryn and her athletes had to fundraise for their right to take to the fields and courts. Kathryn stitched together uniforms, spent her own money, and drove the team bus herself. With few female coaching mentors around, she instead learned as she went despite hearing ``no'' to most every request. As a direct result of her relentless advocacy for gender equality in collegiate athletics, countless student-athletes had a chance to compete, to succeed, and to dream.

A giver, a selfless servant, and always present for her friends and family. These attributes accurately describe who Kathryn is as a person and what she means to those who love her, reinforced by abundant examples of humility over the decades. One such example transcends careers or athletics and speaks to the true nature of Kathryn's heart. In 2001, she retired from her successful administrative career in order to care for her younger sister, Charlotte, who suffered from cerebral palsy. She needed full-time care after their parents died, and Kathryn made sure that she was able to live life to the fullest until her passing in 2014.

Kathryn Berg is a founding pioneer of gender equality in collegiate athletics in Utah. Her indelible legacy includes helping oversee SUU's ascension into NCAA Division I, helping establish the Utah Summer Games, and leading the creation of the Thunderbirds' enduring women's intercollegiate athletic program. She is aptly recognized in several athletic halls of fame and received an honorary doctorate degree from SUU. Kathryn is still active in the community, especially as the chair of the Daughters of Utah Pioneer Museum. She provides a scholarship to a senior at Wasatch High School each year and is the No. 1 fan of her family's extracurricular events.

Thank you, Kathryn, for your lifetime of achievement and inspiration for student-athletes everywhere. Your unwavering work will continue to benefit untold generations of female athletes and their families.

Mr. President, I rise to oppose the Paul amendment to the resolution of advice and consent to ratification for the extension of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to NATO.

Like virtually all of my colleagues, I support the admission of Sweden and Finland into NATO. Their commitment to democracy, their military capabilities, and their resolve in the face of Russian aggression is welcome.

With Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, NATO has been united in providing support for the Ukrainians to defend themselves. NATO is also united in its adherence to the revisions of the NATO treaty. The world is watching to see if there are any cracks in that commitment, particularly with respect to its provisions for mutual defense.

We must not in any way appear to be going wobbly on article 5. I fear that the Paul amendment would do just that. Further, Senator Paul's amendment is unnecessary. The NATO treaty specifically states this:

This Treaty shall be ratified and its provisions carried

out by the Parties in accordance with their respective

constitutional processes.

That is in the NATO treaty itself.

So adding the language of the Paul amendment would only add confusion and potentially communicate to the world that this body seeks something in addition to the adherence to the constitutional process that the treaty already requires.

Now, it is well and good for Congress to consider war powers and our role in military conflicts. But doing so as part of the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO while Ukraine is under attack and while Russia may potentially be eyeing violence against NATO nations is surely not the time.

Our commitment to NATO and article 5 must be clear and unambiguous. Throughout our Nation's history, the United States has not once ratified NATO protocols with a reservation.

I am going to say that again to make sure I got it right.

Throughout our Nation's history, the United States has not once ratified NATO protocols with a reservation. Now should be no different. Doing so could send the wrong message to the people of Ukraine, to our other friends and allies. It could even be propagandized as a nod to Putin.

I urge my colleagues to vote down Senator Paul's amendment. Our message must be clear: We stand with NATO, with article 5, and with the admission of Finland and Sweden into our alliance.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary man, a giant among Senators, and a dear friend: Senator Orrin Hatch. He was a man of vision and unparalleled legislative accomplishment.

As the longest serving Senator in Utah's history, his unwavering dedication to our State and country during four decades of public service will be remembered for generations to come. Few individuals have left such an indelible mark on the U.S. Senate. He did this through his legislation. He did it through the relationships he had with other Senators. He did it through bipartisanship. He did it through his relationship with Presidents of both parties.

Like his good friend Ted Kennedy, he was the lion of the Senate. Now, I know that there have been a number of Senators who take responsibility for accomplishing many things, but I don't think there has ever been a legislator who has gotten more done legislatively than Orrin Hatch. Our judiciary, the fundamentals of our economy, even our national character are more elevated and more secure thanks to his leadership, thanks to his undaunted capacity to plow ahead. Sponsoring and cosponsoring more legislation than any other Member at the time of his retirement, he used his time in this Chamber to work tirelessly to help people who sometimes were overlooked. He reached across the aisle to forge strong bipartisan relationships that allowed him to pass landmark legislation.

Orrin Hatch and Ted Kennedy were once signing a bill together, celebrating the same bill, and President Reagan turned to Orrin Hatch and said, ``How is it that you and Ted Kennedy are celebrating the same piece of legislation?'' Orrin turned back and looked at him and said, ``Well, it's very simple, Mr. President. It's very clear that one thing is obvious: One of us didn't read it.''

His sense of humor was well known in this Chamber and throughout our State. His friends often remarked that Orrin could have been a standup comic if he wanted to, but he had too many important things to do to take that job seriously.

He put friendship above politics. He called me in 1994. I was then running for a Senate seat against Ted Kennedy. It was kind of a tall task for a guy from Massachusetts to go up against Ted Kennedy, but I figured someone needed to do it and wanted to see if I couldn't get Ted Kennedy on the right track. But, at that time, Orrin Hatch and I hardly knew each other. We were just distant acquaintances. But he was a close friend of Ted Kennedy's, and he called me and said, ``Mitt, you know I am a Republican too. I am responsible for helping get a lot of Republicans elected, but I am not going to come campaign for you,'' and he said, ``because Ted Kennedy is just that good of a friend.'' Orrin put friendship above politics.

Now, in addition to his legislative accomplishments, Orrin Hatch played a pivotal role in several landmark confirmations while serving as one of the longest chairs of the Senate Judiciary Committee. His positive impact on the State of Utah and the Nation's Federal judiciary cannot be overstated.

When I was asked to run the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, I met with Orrin Hatch and said, ``I am going to need your help.'' He made it very clear that the success of the Olympics, coming, as they were going to do, to our State, would be a high priority for him and that he would do whatever was necessary to support our effort.

Then came the crisis of 9/11 in 2001. I knew that I couldn't invite the people of the world to come to Salt Lake City unless I was 100 percent confident that everything that could be done would be done to keep them safe. Without the

help of the Federal Government, there could be no secure provision for the Games and no certainty that we could be protected.

The morning after the attacks of 9/11, I happened to be in Washington, and I called Senator Hatch on the phone. He at the time was in his Senate office. I asked if we could get together at some point to talk about how we could move forward and provide the security funding that might be necessary to protect our Games. Without hesitation, he said, ``Come over to the office right now.''

I did so. When we got there, we sat down, and he said, ``What do you think you need?'' And I described the need for fencing and personnel to evaluate the security threats that might exist, a military air capacity to secure the skies over Salt Lake City during the Games.

He said: Well, what is the biggest challenge you will face?

I said: Well, Senator John McCain of Arizona has not been a fan of providing support for Olympic Games. He thinks that money has been misused in the past.

He said: Well, it wouldn't be misused now, given what has happened with 9/11. Let's go see John McCain right now.

He picked up the phone and called Senator McCain. Senator McCain said he would be happy to see me and his friend Orrin Hatch. We went over to Senator McCain's office and sat down. Orrin Hatch proceeded to describe how important it was that we host the games and that Senator Hatch get the support that he needed. And, in fact, Senator McCain made it very clear he would not stand in the way of doing anything we needed to secure the games in Salt Lake City.

I owe Orrin Hatch a great deal of credit for helping us to be able to host games in Salt Lake City successfully and to do so without security incident.

I think everyone knows that Orrin Hatch was a man of tremendous faith. He was an advocate to protect religious freedom, and legislation that he authored in this regard still stands in protecting the rights of people of faith in our country today. He dedicated his life to a commitment to Jesus Christ and to the principles of Christianity. He did so in my own faith by accepting callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as both a missionary as a young man and later as a bishop of a congregation.

Orrin Hatch enjoyed life and appreciated all that it had to offer. You may know that he was a composer and has a number of songs and musical performances to his credit. He wrote poetry. He wrote jokes. When I was running for President, he sent me a whole page of jokes he wanted me to use. I must admit, I looked at them one by one. I didn't think they were that funny, but I read them to the people on the bus and they listened to them one by one and the more they listened, the funnier they got. By the time I was finished with the page, they were howling with laughter.

The man had an extraordinary capacity with music, with humor, with legislation, with friendships--really one of a kind.

He also was pretty good at self-deprecating jokes. He told me to lighten up a little bit and be a little more free with my language, so I decided to let ``heck'' and ``dang'' drop into my words from time to time.

His affinity for buffets and bacon were not to be forgotten as well. In his words, we should choose ``to live every day like [it was] Bacon Lovers Day.'' And I hope we will savor life as he did.

Orrin Hatch believed that the people you love and the friends you have are the real currency in life. I believe that deeply. He had a lot of friends, not just in this room but friends throughout these buildings, friends throughout our State.

I remember walking through the Capitol with Orrin Hatch and from time to time someone would come up to him and want to ask him a question or ask for help on some issue of theirs. And instead of doing what most of us do--which is putting our head down and rushing on and pointing out that we have important things to get to--he would stop and bend his very tall physique down to listen to what the person had to say and listen attentively and say he would do what he could to help. I have seen that time and time again with Orrin Hatch.

He always had time for the people he served, and he believed he served all the people of the United States of America. Not surprisingly, he had and still has a lot of friends.

Of course, when you think of people he loves, first on that list would be his wife Elaine and their family. They together raised 6 children and 23 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren. He and Elaine were married for more than six decades. She has been by him every step of his career and his political involvement in our country.

Ann and I send our deepest condolences to Elaine and the entire Hatch family. God be with you until we meet again, Orrin. I hope you feel I haven't let you down taking your place in this great Chamber.

When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the

bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt

we would be supported by the white church. I felt that the

white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be

among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright

opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and

misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been

more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind

the anesthetizing security of stained glass windows.

In spite of my shattered dreams, I came to Birmingham with

the hope that the white religious leadership of this

community would see the justice of our cause and, with deep

moral concern, would serve as the channel through which our

just grievances could reach the power structure. I had hoped

that each of you would understand. But again I have been

disappointed.

I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish

their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision

because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white

ministers declare: ``Follow this decree because integration

is morally right and because the Negro is your brother.'' In

the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I

have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth

pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. In the

midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and

economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: ``Those

are social issues, with which the gospel has no real

concern.'' And I have watched many churches commit themselves

to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange,

un-Biblical distinction between body and soul, between the

sacred and the secular.

I have traveled the length and breadth of Alabama,

Mississippi and all the other southern states. On sweltering

summer days and crisp autumn mornings I have looked at

the South's beautiful churches with their lofty spires

pointing heavenward. I have beheld the impressive outlines of

her massive religious education buildings. Over and over I

have found myself asking: ``What kind of people worship here?

Who is their God? Where were their voices when the lips of

Governor Barnett dripped with words of interposition and

nullification? Where were they when Governor Wallace gave a

clarion call for defiance and hatred? Where were their voices

of support when bruised and weary Negro men and women decided

to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the bright

hills of creative protest?''

Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep

disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But

be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can

be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes,

I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the

rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the

great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the

body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred

that body through social neglect and through fear of being

nonconformists.

There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the

time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed

worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the

church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas

and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that

transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early

Christians entered a town, the people in power became

disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians

for being ``disturbers of the peace'' and ``outside

agitators.'' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction

that they were ``a colony of heaven,'' called to obey God

rather than man. Small in number, they were big in

commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be

``astronomically intimidated.'' By their effort and example

they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and

gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the

contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an

uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status

quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church,

the power structure of the average community is consoled by

the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things

as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before.

If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit

of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit

the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant

social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every

day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church

has turned into outright disgust.

Perhaps I have once again been too optimistic. Is organized

religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our

nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the

inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the

true ekklesia and the hope of the world. But again I am

thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of

organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing

chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the

struggle for freedom. They have left their secure

congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with

us. They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous

rides for freedom. Yes, they have gone to jail with us. Some

have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the

support of their bishops and fellow ministers. But they have

acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil

triumphant. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that

has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these

troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the

dark mountain of disappointment. I hope the church as a whole

will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if

the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no

despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of

our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are at

present misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in

Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of

America is freedom.

Madam President, I rise today to recognize a remarkable Utahn who recently announced his retirement after a long and fruitful career for our great State. David Ure will conclude his civil service following his tenure as director of the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, SITLA.

David's career in public service began with his election to the Utah House of Representatives in 1993. A dairyman and rancher by trade, he successfully balanced his legislative responsibilities with his livelihood, an accomplishment underscored by his Summit County's 1996 Rancher of the Year award. As a legislator, David was instrumental in guiding many pieces of legislation to the Governor's desk, and after spending more than a decade in the statehouse, he continued his public service on the Summit County Council before joining the SITLA board of trustees.

In 2016, Governor Herbert appointed David to serve as SITLA's director. The independent State agency, created to generate funds for Utah's schoolchildren and other trust beneficiaries, flourished under David's stewardship. In this role, he led the agency's operations and administrative functions, including a myriad of energy initiatives and real estate development projects. During David's tenure as director, SITLA's trust grew by 40 percent and added over a billion dollars to the significant benefit of Utah's public education system, State institutions, and communities in need.

David has also served on a number of important State boards, including the Weber Basin Conservation District, Intermountain Healthcare board of trustees for the Heber Valley Hospital, the Park City Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of State Trust Lands.

Thank you, Dave, for your outstanding career of public service to Utah. Your accomplishments will continue to yield positive outcomes for individuals, families, and communities across the State, and they will brighten the lives and livelihoods of generations untold.

Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the entire Jacobsen Construction team on celebrating their centennial of successful operations, an incredible milestone and culmination of their sustained hard work and ingenuity.

As an employee-owned enterprise, each and every member of the Jacobsen community should feel a sense of pride in Jacobsen's legacy of building up communities here in Utah and around the world. Teamwork is the key ingredient of the company's success.

Utah is one of the fastest growing States in the Nation, and Jacobsen has been consistently reliable in helping our State accommodate its growth and remain prepared for major projects and improvements. Jacobsen's presence is felt throughout the State. Its logo displays prominently on a myriad of projects, evidence of the deep and far- reaching impact the company has on Utah's economic strength.

From humble beginnings at the dawn of the 20th century, Jacobsen now holds its head high over our skylines and in our communities, providing us places of work, worship, health, and recreation. As the Jacobsen team reflects on its past century of prosperity, may they continue to build on their success for the next 100 years and many more.

Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding Utahn whose decades of uniformed service will soon conclude. BG Tyler Smith, currently assistant adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, will retire after 36 years of decorated service to Utah and the Nation.

Brigadier General Smith's military service began with his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1986. Soon after, he deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm, earning liberation medals from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, respectively. Upon returning to Utah, he joined the National Guard, attended officer candidate school, and commissioned in the 1457th Engineer Battalion of the Engineer Branch, serving as a platoon leader and company commander. In 2008, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and earned the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge for his efforts and outstanding leadership.

Given his depth of experience and impressive work ethic, the brigadier general earned multiple appointments throughout his career. He served as operations officer in the 115th Engineer Group, commander of the 85th Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team, and range control officer at Camp Williams, UT, where he was also deputy commander of the Utah Training Center before his appointment as garrison commander in 2014. Brigadier General Smith served as director of the Utah Army National Guard's Construction and Facilities Management Office before his appointment as assistant adjutant general.

In addition to the aforementioned awards, he also earned the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Bronze oakleaf clusters; Army Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze oakleaf cluster; Army Achievement Medal with 1 Bronze oakleaf cluster; Army Good Conduct Medal with 2 Bronze Loops; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 2 oakleaf clusters; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star; Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hourglass Device and M Device; Army Service Ribbon (ASR); Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 3; Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon; and the NATO Medal (ISAF).

His professional success is also matched by impressive educational accolades. Before his tenure as assistant professor of military science, ROTC, at Utah Valley University, he earned several degrees himself, including a master of public administration from Brigham Young University and a master of strategic studies from the Army War College.

BG Tyler Smith has demonstrated remarkable character as an exemplary public servant and a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Thank you for your dedication to our great State of Utah and the United States of America. We wish you and your family all the best.

Madam President, I rise today to recognize a remarkable Utahn who has recently announced his retirement after a long career of public service to our great State. Ed Leary has served honorably as commissioner of the Utah Department of Financial Institutions--DFI--for the past three decades, and his retirement marks the conclusion of 45 years at the agency.

His ascendency through the ranks of the agency is a testament to his strong character, wealth of knowledge and expertise, and impressive leadership abilities. From first serving as examiner, to industry supervisor and chief examiner before his appointment as Utah banking commissioner in 1992, Ed Leary garnered the necessary experience to become an indispensable advocate of smart banking policy.

Ed's list of accomplishments during his tenure is a long one. To name just a few, he led his agency's successful effort to achieve accreditation of the Utah DFI, shepherded the development of Utah's industrial banks community, and was instrumental in reforming the regulatory environment to improve conditions for commerce, bolstering Utah's economic might. By virtue of his thoughtful policy advocacy, Ed has earned the trust and admiration of friends, colleagues, and associates in both the public and private sectors.

Thank you, Ed, for your decades of impressive service to the great State of Utah. You have set a robust example for public servants to follow in our financial, housing, and banking communities. We wish you and your family all the best in your next chapter.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the outstanding achievements of the Brigham Young University women's soccer team. This past season, the team closed out a record-breaking year, culminating in their first ever contest for the NCAA Division One Women's College Cup on December 6, 2021.

Although the final match did not end in victory, the Cougars displayed extraordinary determination and tenacity in the championship game against Florida State University. During the entirety of regulation play, followed by two overtime periods, the BYU women's soccer team denied every goal attempt by their No. 1 ranked opponents. Only after an exhaustive overtime did the squad fall just short in penalty kicks, during which the victors are ultimately decided by a great deal of luck.

Despite this heartbreaking final result, the women achieved historic successes. Tallying 77 points during the season, the team led the country in overall goals and was the top scoring offense in the Nation, averaging 3.5 goals per game. They also led the Nation with 226 corner kicks, rounding out their impressive 18-5-1 season record.

Veteran coach Jennifer Rockwood has led the BYU soccer program to a total of 22 NCAA tournament appearances in her 27 years of coaching, a remarkably impressive record. For their efforts, BYU's staff, including Rockwood, Brent Anderson, Steve Magleby, Madie Gates, Rachel Jorgensen, and Carolyn Billings, all earned United Soccer Coaches' 2021 West Regional Staff of the Year awards and the NCAA DI Women's Staff of the Year award.

While the entire team had an exemplary season, individual players received numerous accolades. Mikayla Colohan was named a finalist for both the Class of 2022 Honda Sport Award for Soccer and the 2021 MAC Hermann Trophy. Additionally, forward Cameron Tucker signed a 2-year deal with Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League upon graduation.

Individual performances and accolades are built on the strong foundation of a great team. BYU's impressive team includes seniors Grace Johnson and Makaylie Moore, juniors Ashton Johnson and Natalee Wells, and sophomores Bella Folino, Zoe Jacobs, Ellie Maughan, Rachel McCarthy, Becken Mozingo, Kendell Petersen, Jamie Shepherd, Laveni Vaka, and Olivia Wade. Rounding out the team were freshmen Haven Empey, Savannah Empey-Mason, Paola Garcia, Addie Gardner, Brooke Hale, Ruby Lladek, Kelsey Hoopes, Abbie Kotter, Josie Shepherd, Olivia Smith, Caroline Stringfellow, Daviana Vaka, Tara Warner, and Jacey Wood.

Congratulations to the entire BYU women's soccer program for their historic season. I wish them the best of luck in their continued athletic, academic, and professional pursuits.

Madam President, I have enjoyed the discussion which has been going on with regard to this legislation and have a couple of comments. One is, given the interest and the priority of and the importance of elections, it would have been helpful, prior to preparing this legislation for a vote, if those that were the drafters of this legislation actually invited a Republican--any Republican--to sit down and perhaps negotiate and see if we could find some common ground.

But instead, the Democrat leadership dusted off what they had written before on an entirely partisan basis and then are shocked--shocked-- that Republicans don't want to support what they drafted.

Now, I note that political overstatement and hyperbole may be relatively common, and they are often excused. But the President and some of my Democratic colleagues have ventured deep into hysteria. Their cataclysmic predictions for failing to support their entirely partisan election reform--worked out entirely by themselves, without any input whatsoever from any single person on my side of the aisle-- they are far beyond the pale.

Now, they are entirely right to call out Donald Trump's Big Lie about the last election being stolen. But in the same spirit of honesty, they should not engage in a similar lie that Republicans across the country are making it much harder for minorities to vote and, thus, that the Federal government must urgently displace centuries of constitutional practice that give States primary control over elections.

So dire are the consequences, they claim, that this must be done by shredding the rules of our senior legislative body. They point to Georgia as evidence of political election villainy. The President went there to deliver his crowning argument. But, as has been pointed out by many before me, it is easier for minorities--and everybody else for that matter--to vote in Georgia than it is in the President's home State of Delaware and in Leader Schumer's home State of New York.

In Georgia there are more days of early voting, and in Georgia there is no-excuse absentee voting by mail.

They do decry Georgia's prohibition of political activists approaching voters in line with drinks of water, but the same prohibition exists in New York. And why? So that voters don't get harassed in line by poll activists.

Just like Georgia and New York, many States keep poll activists at length from voters. My Democrat colleagues conveniently ignore the fact that the 1965 Voting Rights Act prohibition of any voting practice or procedure that discriminates against minorities is still in effect. Even today, the Justice Department is suing two States under that law.

Protection of minority voting is already required by law. Protection of minority voting is a high and essential priority for me and for my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

To be clear, I want an election system that allows every eligible citizen in every State to be able to exercise their right to vote in every single election.

So, putting aside the hysteria, let me explain why I don't support the Democrats' bill. First, their bill weakens voter ID. I, along with a great majority of voters of all races, favor voter photo ID. Their bill makes it easier to cheat by accommodating unmonitored vote collection boxes. Their bill opens the gates to a flood of lawsuits pre- and post-election, and it weakens the safeguards of voter registration.

There are other things in the Democrats' bill that I don't support. I am not in favor of Federal funding for campaigns. I also don't think States should be required to allow felons to vote.

Most fundamentally, I think by reserving election procedures to the States, the Founders made it more difficult for a would-be authoritarian to change the law for voting in just one place--here in Washington--to keep himself in office.

Let me add that I think the Democrats' bill is insufficiently focused on the real threat, and that is the corruption of the counting of the ballots, the certification of elections, and the congressional provisions for accepting and counting a slate of electors. This is where the apparent conspirators were focused in their attempt in the last election to subvert democracy and prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Now, I respect Democrats who disagree with my point of view. I hope they will offer me the same respect. People who want voter ID are not racists. People who don't want Federal funding of campaigns aren't Bull Connor. People who insist that vote drop boxes be monitored aren't Jefferson Davis.

Mr. President, I prepared some remarks to give this evening, but I had the occasion to watch President Biden as he spoke in Georgia just a few minutes ago, and he said quite a number of things that simply weren't true. He also accused a number of my good and principled colleagues in the Senate of having sinister, even racist inclinations. He charged that voting against his bill allies us with Bull Connor, George Wallace, and Jefferson Davis--so much for unifying the country and working across the aisle.

More troubling, however, he said that the goal of some Republicans is to ``turn the will of the voters into a mere suggestion.'' And so President Biden goes down the same tragic road taken by President Trump: casting doubt on the reliability of American elections.

This is a sad, sad day. I expected more of President Biden, who came into office with a stated goal of bringing the country together.

Now, our country has defied the odds for a democratic republic. It has survived and thrived for over 200 years. The character of the American people deserves most of the credit for that, but close behind are our vital institutions. Over the last several years, many of us recoiled as foundational American institutions have been repeatedly demeaned: The judiciary was charged with racial bias. The press was called the enemy of the people. Justice and intelligence agencies were belittled. Public health agencies were dismissed. Even our election system was accused of being rigged.

The U.S. Senate is one of our vital democratic institutions, and the power given to the minority in the Senate and the resulting requirement for political consensus are among the Senate's defining features. Note that in the Federal Government empowerment of the minority is established through only one institution: the Senate.

The majority decides in the House. The majority decides in the Supreme Court. The President, of course, is a majority of one. Only in the Senate does the minority restrain the power of the majority. That a minority should be afforded such political power is a critical element of this institution.

For a law to pass in the Senate, it must appeal to Senators in both parties. This virtually assures that the bill did not originate from the extreme wing of either one and, thus, best represents the interests of the broadest swath of Americans. The Senate's minority empowerment has meant that America's policies inevitably tack towards the center. As Senator Biden previously affirmed: ``At its core, the filibuster is not about stopping a nominee or a bill, it is about compromise and moderation.''

Consider how different the Senate would be without the filibuster. Whenever one party replaced the other as majority, tax and spending priorities would change, safety net programs would change, national security policy could change, cultural issues would careen from one extreme to the other--creating uncertainty and unpredictability for families, for employers, and for our friends abroad.

The need to marshal 60 votes requires compromise and middle ground. It empowers the minority. And it has helped to keep us centered as a nation, fostering the stability and predictability that are essential for investments in people, in capital, and in the future. Abandoning the principle of minority empowerment would fundamentally change a distinct and essential role of the U.S. Senate.

But today's Democrats, now with the barest of majorities in a 50-50 Senate, conveniently ignore their own impassioned defense of the filibuster when they were in the minority. Let us be clear that those who claim the filibuster is racist know better.

For President Obama to make this absurd charge after he, himself, made a vigorous and extensive defense of the filibuster just a few years ago is both jarring and deeply disappointing. After all, I don't recall a single claim from Democrats that employing the filibuster hundreds of times over the last several years when they were in the minority was in any way racist.

Over the course of my life, I have found that when presented with a matter of personal advantage that would require abandoning principles, the human mind goes to work overtime to rationalize taking that advantage.

Only a few months ago, some of my Senate Democratic colleagues rationalized that the Senate couldn't function and, therefore, they had to get rid of the 60-vote rule. But then the Senate functioned quite well when it passed the infrastructure bill, armed services legislation, and a bill on innovation.

So, a few months later, some of these colleagues argued that in order to raise the debt ceiling, the 60-vote rule has to go. Then, with bipartisan cooperation, the Senate raised the debt ceiling.

So now, the Democrats' latest rationalization is that their partisan new election law must be passed. But Democrats have filed these voting bills numerous times over numerous years, always without seeking Republican involvement in drafting them. Anytime legislation is crafted and sponsored exclusively by one party, it is obviously an unserious, partisan effort.

Let me note two more truths. The country is sharply divided right now. Despite the truth spoken by a number of good people in my party, most Republicans believe Donald Trump's lie that the 2020 election was fraudulent, stolen by Democrats. That is almost half the country.

Can you imagine the anger that would be ignited if they see Democrats alone rewrite, with no Republican involvement whatsoever, the voting laws of the country? If you want to see division and anger, the Democrats are heading down the right road.

There is also a reasonable chance Republicans will win both Houses in Congress and that Donald Trump himself could once again be elected President in 2024. Have Democrats thought what it would mean for them for the Democrat minority to have no power whatsoever?

And finally, Mr. President, I offer this thought: How absurd is it to claim that, to save democracy, a party that represents barely half the country must trample on the rules of our democracy's senior institution?

Mr. President, I come to the floor to echo the sentiments of my colleague, Senator Marco Rubio. Our annual national defense bill is being held up because Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer are refusing to allow a vote on a provision--the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act--that prevents Chinese goods made with forced labor--slave labor-- from entering the United States. This bill was previously passed by the Senate on a unanimous vote.

The Chinese Communist Party's atrocities against its minorities, particularly Uyghur people, include genocide and crimes against humanity. These are well known. Uyghur women are forcibly sterilized and impregnated by Han Chinese men. Adults are ripped from their families and are sentenced into concentration camps and carry out slave labor. It is estimated that nearly 1 million Uyghur people are being treated this way and held in these camps.

There is no question that it should be U.S. policy to hold accountable those responsible for the forced labor of the Uyghurs and ensure that companies--our companies--are monitoring their supply chains and circumstances of workers making products in China, to make sure those products that are made by slave labor by the Uyghur people are not brought into this country. That is the feeling of the unanimous vote of the Senators, which we already expressed.

Congressional Democratic leadership is claiming that the problem with including this amendment is a technicality, but let's be clear that what is really happening here is there are some corporations that Democrats don't want to offend. For example, Democrats want cheap batteries for their so-called Build Back Better agenda. And nearly 80 percent of the rare earth metals, including other materials like lithium and cobalt and the like that are used to make those batteries, come from China.

And let's underscore this. When companies and politicians avert their eyes from China's predations, from China's slavery, they are effectively paying the cannibals to eat them last. China is coming for them, and it is coming for us.

Now, we have, in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, the opportunity to strike a blow against China's slavery. I implore Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer to move past procedural roadblocks and send a clear, convincing message to China and the world at large that goods produced with slave labor are not allowed in the United States of America.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the esteemed legacy of my friend, Arne Sorenson, who passed away earlier this year. Arne's many accomplishments in his personal and professional life continue to profoundly impact the lives of many. Most recently, Arne's Marriott family, numbering over 120,000 employees, witnessed his high- caliber leadership as he navigated the company through a turbulent period in the hospitality industry. Arne was a faithful and compassionate servant leader, and I will always cherish his friendship.

Arne's contagious spirit of kindness and generosity sets a high standard for what success looks like, in both public and private life. As a business executive, he cared deeply for his employees and customers and continued to serve as president and CEO while privately persevering through extraordinary health challenges. His selfless leadership is an example we can all aspire to.

The culture he helped build and foster at Marriott is unmatched. Arne's decades of experience in the hospitality industry yielded outstanding results for his enterprise, notably the acquisition of over 30 hotel groups, elevating Marriott to be the largest hotel chain in the world. His humility and wisdom often carried the day. He consistently praised and recognized the achievements of his employees and partners and always sought feedback from friends, family, colleagues, and customers.

Above all, Arne was a faithful and loving husband, father, and friend. His integrity and values-based decision making extended from the business world to the benefit of everyone lucky enough to have known him, especially his wonderful family. Arne's wife and four children were his greatest pride, joy, and purpose, and while they now mourn his loss, I hope they may find comfort knowing Arne's light will shine on for eternity. May he rest in peace.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the esteemed legacy of my friend, Arne Sorenson, who passed away earlier this year. Arne's many accomplishments in his personal and professional life continue to profoundly impact the lives of many. Most recently, Arne's Marriott family, numbering over 120,000 employees, witnessed his high- caliber leadership as he navigated the company through a turbulent period in the hospitality industry. Arne was a faithful and compassionate servant leader, and I will always cherish his friendship.

Arne's contagious spirit of kindness and generosity sets a high standard for what success looks like, in both public and private life. As a business executive, he cared deeply for his employees and customers and continued to serve as president and CEO while privately persevering through extraordinary health challenges. His selfless leadership is an example we can all aspire to.

The culture he helped build and foster at Marriott is unmatched. Arne's decades of experience in the hospitality industry yielded outstanding results for his enterprise, notably the acquisition of over 30 hotel groups, elevating Marriott to be the largest hotel chain in the world. His humility and wisdom often carried the day. He consistently praised and recognized the achievements of his employees and partners and always sought feedback from friends, family, colleagues, and customers.

Above all, Arne was a faithful and loving husband, father, and friend. His integrity and values-based decision making extended from the business world to the benefit of everyone lucky enough to have known him, especially his wonderful family. Arne's wife and four children were his greatest pride, joy, and purpose, and while they now mourn his loss, I hope they may find comfort knowing Arne's light will shine on for eternity. May he rest in peace.

Mr. President, from Utah's red rock canyons to our alpine meadows, from the sprawling salt flats to the towering mountain peaks, it is hard to overstate the beauty of Utah's majestic landscapes.

So much about being a Utahn is our connection to and care for our land. These values have been engrained in our culture since the pioneers found refuge here in 1847. We take great pride in the fact that folks from all over the country and all over the world travel to our State to experience these rich and diverse landscapes.

Utah has nearly the highest percentage of its land owned by the Federal Government--nearly two-thirds of our 52 million acres. And of that Federal land, more than 23 million acres is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

This land has been cared for and used by Utahns for generations-- recreationists and sportsmen who take advantage of the access to hike, hunt, mountain bike, ATV, and camp; the ranchers who graze their livestock to provide our food and fiber; the communities that rely on the oil and gas development in the Basin or the coal mines and powerplants to provide more than 70 percent of our electricity; individuals interested in exploring the cultural anthropology of our land; and simply the residents who look to our open spaces for solitude.

Utahns deserve and demand that our public lands be managed by someone they can trust. It is quite obvious that the President's nominee for the Director of Bureau of Land Management, Tracy Stone-Manning, is not worthy of our trust.

Ms. Stone-Manning's history of aiding ecoterrorism is extremely troubling and alone should be disqualifying for the position to which she has been nominated. It would be like nominating Bernie Madoff to serve as Treasury Secretary.

For those who aren't familiar with tree spiking--an action with which Ms. Stone-Manning has been associated--let me offer a brief synopsis. Tree spiking involves hammering a metal or ceramic rod into a tree trunk. Loggers could be seriously harmed or even killed when they cut into the trunk of a tree that has been spiked. And the same goes for sawmill operators who are processing the log in the mill. Ecoterrorists who engage in tree spiking are willing to cause the gruesome injury or death of hard-working Americans who are simply trying to provide for their families.

But it is not only her efforts assisting ecoterrorists that are of concern. Ms. Stone-Manning's blatant dishonesty about being investigated over a tree-spiking incident to the Senate should disqualify her serving as BLM Director.

I take my constitutional duty to provide advice and consent with regard to Presidential nominees very seriously, as we all do. And with limited exception, I believe Presidents, regardless of party, should be able to put into place qualified individuals to lead their team. I have supported several of President Biden's nominees even though I have disagreed with them on particular policy issues because I believe they were basically qualified for the position to which they had been nominated.

Simply put, however, Tracy Stone-Manning's past involvement in ecoterrorism and her attempt to conceal that participation before the Senate make her unfit to serve as Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

I will be opposing her nomination and urge my Democratic friends-- especially those who represent States with large amounts of Federal land--to oppose her nomination as well.