Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I am here to voice my very strong, enthusiastic support for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination and to urge all of our colleagues in joining me to vote to confirm her.

Judge Jackson is one of the most exceptional Supreme Court nominees I have met, and I am so excited she is on her way to the Supreme Court. It is incredibly well deserved and incredibly good news for our country.

The bottom line for me is always, can I tell my constituents back home in Washington State that if they ever have a case before this judge, this is someone who will listen, who will understand, and someone who will make a thoughtful, fair decision for them based on the laws of our Nation? And the answer with Judge Jackson is a resounding yes.

It is clear from her record she has the experience. It was clear from her hearing that she has a masterful understanding of the law and a seemingly endless supply of perhaps unwarranted patience.

And I think it is clear to anyone, after a few minutes with her, she has heart, compassion, and a commitment to justice.

So it should be no surprise her nomination was met with wide acclaim, including from prominent Republican lawyers and retired judges appointed by Republican Presidents.

As a professional, Judge Jackson's record doesn't merely check the boxes we have come to expect from our Supreme Court nominees: a clerkship for Justice Breyer, experience as a district court judge and a circuit court judge. She also has experience that is less common to the highest Court in the land, and for that reason, all the more important--like her experience on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, a perspective only the retiring Justice Breyer brought to the Supreme Court or her experience as a public defender, something no other Supreme Court Justice has ever had. This is so important and so long overdue.

Being a public defender means developing an in-depth understanding of the legal needs of everyday people. Judges from these kinds of legal backgrounds can be better equipped to understand the experiences of each person before them to recognize the burden laws often place on people who are living with low income or otherwise marginalized, and ultimately to render more informed, more just decisions.

And Judge Jackson's background is more than simply a resume. It is her perspective growing up as the daughter of two public school teachers, her perspective as a working mother with two daughters of her own, and her perspective as a Black woman working in a profession where stories like hers were few and far between.

I have no doubt that perspective will serve her and the people who come before her well as a Supreme Court Justice.

And while her personal story tells us a lot, the way she gracefully and knowledgeably handled her confirmation hearings shows us even more. During a confirmation process that a few Republicans tried to make incredibly ugly, she showed the kind of poise and patience befitting a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Over the course of hundreds of questions, she offered thoughtful answers that demonstrated expert understanding of the law, a carefully considered methodology for how she approaches each case, and an unmistakable commitment to ensuring justice and upholding the liberties of all Americans, not just the powerful and well connected.

And that is so important, especially at a time when so many rights are under attack. We continue to see Republicans pushing through blatantly unconstitutional laws on the right to abortion. We are seeing the tragic consequences of those reckless restrictions every day.

We are also seeing attacks on the rights of workers as they seek to organize or form a union and fight for a better workplace.

We are even seeing attacks on the cornerstone of our democracy--the right to vote--as Republicans have continually pushed through measures to block the ballot box and some even continue to dangerously deny the legitimacy of the last election.

We need a Supreme Court Justice who understands, as Judge Jackson once put it, ``Presidents are not kings;'' someone who understands equal justice is for all, not just the wealthy and the powerful. There are so many critical issues which come before the Court that matter so deeply to the American people--cases about workers' rights or reproductive rights or voting rights or Tribal sovereignty, climate change, gun safety, immigration, and so much more.

My constituents deserve to know the Justices hearing these cases are really going to listen to their concerns, understand their experiences, uphold our Constitution, and defend their rights. They deserve a Justice as thoughtful, compassionate, and committed as Ketanji Brown Jackson.

I first ran for Senate because of the Supreme Court, watching the hearings with Anita Hill. I was frustrated that there was no one on the dais who looked like me, no one asking the questions that I would ask; and for most of the country throughout most of our history, our courts have been the same way. They have not represented the diversity of our Nation--not by a long shot. I am proud to say we are finally fixing that, including in my home State of Washington. And soon, we will take another historic step at the highest level possible. We will vote to put another mom on the Supreme Court.

Ketanji Brown Jackson will make history as the first Black woman to serve on the highest Court in the land, though I am sure she will not be the last, because I know now there are little girls across the country watching as the Senate confirms someone who looks like them to the Supreme Court for the first time ever. They are not just watching history being made; they are watching a barrier fall down, a path open up, and a new future that seems more possible than ever before.

You know, I first ran for office because I watched the Supreme Court process and I was frustrated. Today, I am no less energized, but for a very different reason. Today, I am excited. I am inspired, even. And I hope people across our country watching this are as well.

I hope a future Senator or a future Justice or even a future President is able to talk about what this moment meant to them and what doors Justice Jackson opened for others. I am thrilled to be voting yes on this nomination, and I strongly urge all of our colleagues to do the same.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I met with restaurant owners from all over my State last month--from Seattle to Yakima, to Spokane--and we talked about the American Rescue Plan and how important that was and how that bill made recovery possible for so many restaurants in our State--but not for everyone, and that is why I am on the Senate floor today.

The American Rescue Plan was absolutely a lifeline. It designated more than $28 billion to establish a Restaurant Revitalization Fund that gave restaurant owners the financial support they needed to keep their doors open, to rehire workers, and to deal with the continued effects of COVID-19.

More than 3,500 Washington State businesses have received over $9 billion in Federal loans and grants and debt relief since the start of the pandemic. That is not even considering the flexible dollars that we provided local governments to help local small businesses. Now, that really made a difference and helped a lot of folks keep their doors open and their employees on the payroll, but for many restaurant owners, the funds were gone before they were able to get the same relief their neighbors got.

I don't think it is right that a business on one side of the street in Seattle got Federal dollars from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund but another mom-and-pop shop just next-door and just as qualified--that also got approved--didn't get the money because the funds ran dry.

Now, I know this is true for communities in red States and in blue States--that our restaurants are often the heart of a community. They serve their local favorites that remind us of home. They sponsor our sports teams and community causes. They allow us to get together and share a meal and celebrate with family and friends and make memories. Making these businesses whole is critical for our economy, but it is essential to preserving what makes Seattle ``Seattle'' or Spokane ``Spokane.''

I know many of my Republican colleagues feel the same way. So I want us to look at every possible option to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and get help to every restaurant that applied and got approved but didn't get the same help as everyone else.

We have got good bipartisan bills to get this done. Our legislation would help hard-to-reach businesses and communities apply for the assistance because I really want to make sure we are helping actual small businesses, not giant corporations that don't need it.

Any Senator who has spoken to local restaurant owners knows they are dealing, still, with really tough challenges right now: increased costs from inflation and shortages of everything from straws to chicken wings, and it is not easy to find wait staff and cooks and a lot more. That is why it is so urgent that we get a bipartisan small business relief package--that makes our restaurants whole--over the finish line as soon as possible. So let's do whatever we need to do to get this done and keep our restaurants open.

Mr. President, right now, we are in the midst of a strong economic recovery and record job growth.

But despite the progress we have made, the fact remains that during this pandemic, corporations and rich CEOs made huge profits, while workers still struggle to make ends meet and put food on the table.

If we want to build back an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the very top, then we need be taking action to lower costs, like Democrats have been pushing for, and we need leaders at the Department of Labor who are committed to ensuring workers get every cent of the paychecks they earn and holding corporations accountable when they try to take advantage of workers and commit wage theft.

Dr. David Weil has a long history as a champion for workers, and I come to the floor today to make clear: He is the exact right person to lead the Wage and Hour Division of the DOL.

Dr. Weil is an exceptional choice for this role with just the right experience for the job; in fact, he has already served in this position under the Obama administration. During his past tenure, he proved himself a capable leader, with a steadfast commitment to a simple goal: ensuring workers across the country are paid the wages they earn.

It was under his leadership that the Wage and Hour Division boosted its efforts to enforce the critical set of laws that protect workers against employers undercutting the minimum wage, failing to pay overtime, forcing workers to work ``off the clock,'' and so much more.

These are protections that workers depend on, especially workers who earn low wages, women, and people of color who most often face wage theft.

So we have got to make sure corporations are following them--and that is exactly what David Weil did. He cracked down on corporations who violated the law and denied workers the pay they were owed, and at one point, the division even uncovered an investigation into garment factories that secured $1.3 million in back pay for cheated workers.

While leading the Agency, he also worked to expand overtime pay for 12 million more workers, close loopholes to help stop employers from misclassifying workers in order to pay them less, and crack down on Federal contractors who weren't following the law and paying fair wages. It has been frustrating to see the previous administration undermine these efforts and reverse this progress, but confirming David Weil to return to the Wage and Hour Division is an important step to put workers first and get us back on the right track. A vote for Dr. Weil is a vote to put wages back in workers' pockets and a vote to hold corporations accountable for wage theft.

So I urge all my colleagues to join me today in sending Dr. Weil back to the DOL.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak out against the recent wave of hate attacks on transgender youth happening across our country.

Over the last few months, we have seen extreme Republican lawmakers take unprecedented steps to go after trans children and their families. Not only are they spewing hateful rhetoric around gender identity-- making something personal and something a lot of Americans probably don't think about every day into a cruel political cudgel--but they are also using their political power and legal authority to target trans people, and trans kids, in particular.

Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott made the decision to actively investigate and target parents of transgender kids and providers, making the totally false claim that gender-affirming care is child abuse. In Idaho, just across the border from my home State of Washington, lawmakers got dangerously close to passing legislation that would criminalize providers for giving kids the gender-affirming care they need. In Florida, there is a bill headed to the Governor's desk which aims to erase gay and trans kids, parents, and teachers from our schools by banning any discussion about gender identity or sexual orientation.

While Democrats have been focused on getting our schools back open and helping students catch up after 2 really tough years, Republicans are targeting trans kids and gay students and taking incredibly important and personal decisions away from parents and families.

Right now, it feels like far-right lawmakers are in a race to legislate the most extreme, most hateful bill they can think of, at the expense of trans kids. We all have a responsibility to stand up and make clear this is not right. Trans people are our friends; they are our neighbors; they are our families. Trans kids deserve to be just kids--to play sports, to go to school, to see a doctor, or to get healthcare. They should be able to get the same opportunities as any other child, to learn and grow and play and thrive free from fear and discrimination. And parents deserve to be able to make their own parenting decisions with their medical providers to do what is best for their kids' health. They should not have to worry about what a rightwing politician thinks is best for their kids. And they definitely shouldn't live in fear

that a State legislature is going to intervene in their parenting decisions and hurt their child.

So we have to push back against these attacks on trans kids in every way that we can--in the courts, with legislation, through Executive action, and by speaking out and speaking up because I can tell you, having just talked to my constituents in Washington State, the hurt and fear the Governor of Texas has caused is not staying in Texas. What Greg Abbott said about trans kids has an effect on many States. I wish it didn't, but the truth is: All of those measures are not only really scary for trans families across the country, but they also embolden more hateful rhetoric and even violence against trans people; and it is harming trans kids' mental health no matter where they live.

We have to be louder than Greg Abbott or whoever is taking aim at trans kids. We have to push for legislation like the Equality Act that would send a powerful message of support and fairness for trans and gay Americans. And we have to stand up for a future without this hateful hate, harm, and division that we are seeing and with a lot more compassion for each other. It is not too much to ask.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I got my start in national politics as a parent advocating for my kids' preschool program. I am a former preschool teacher. I am a former school board member. I

am now chair of the Senate Education Committee. I have worked across the aisle on fixing No Child Left Behind. I have also fought against efforts--many during the former administration with Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education--because I felt they took us further from the goal of making sure that every student in our country, no matter who they are or where they live or how much money their parents make, can get an excellent public education and all the opportunity that comes with it.

All this is to say that I could not care more deeply about making sure every child gets the chance to learn and succeed in life, and my belief that parents should be as involved as possible in their kids' education could not be more firmly or personally held. In fact, I can remember the times when, as a U.S. Senator with young kids at home myself, I would try to read all my memos at night and help with their homework. I wanted my own kids to have that support from me, just like I want every parent to be able to be on top of what is going on in their kids' school.

I also know from talking to my own family and so many students and families across Washington State that these last two years have been some of the toughest, most overwhelming times for parents and kids that many of us can remember.

Here in the Senate, our job is to recognize that and do everything we can to get things back on track, which is why Democrats acted quickly to pass the American Rescue Plan and give schools the resources they need so they could reopen and stay open safely.

We also recognized that after 2 really disruptive years, many students would need extra help, so the American Rescue Plan is, as we speak right now, paying for afterschool programs and tutors and summer learning so students all across the country can catch up.

I will remind you that this bill to help reopen schools safely and keep them open passed with zero Republican votes--not one. Not only that, Senate Republicans have come to the floor twice last month alone with ideas about snatching Federal funding away from our schools, and Republican leaders even rolled out a plan that would eliminate the Department of Education altogether. Could there be a clearer message about their priorities?

At all times but especially after the last 2 years, there is no excuse for anything short of an all-hands-on-deck national effort to put students' education first, but, unfortunately, here is what we have got happening: Democrats acted to reopen our schools safely and keep them open. Congressional Republicans, down to the last one, voted no.

Democrats believe that quality public education for every student is a good investment. The Republican Party keeps putting forward ideas to gut public education. Democrats want to lower student debt and the cost of tuition. Republicans are virtually nowhere to be seen on those issues. Democrats want students to learn. Republican legislatures across the country want to ban books.

To sum it up, Democrats want every student to have the ability to get a great education. We are focused on that. We are serious about it, and we are working on it. Meanwhile, Republicans at all levels--and the resolution we are debating today is a case in point--want to use students and parents and schools as political pawns rather than focusing on making sure every single student in our country can get a high-quality education and be able to succeed.

In fact, I just spoke this afternoon with trans kids and parents about what is going on in Texas and other parts of the country. These kids are brave, but they are scared. Their parents are worried about being investigated by the State just because a politician has decided he doesn't like how they are raising their kids.

How are kids supposed to focus on learning when their safety is in question? How are their friends supposed to focus on learning when their classmates are dealing with something like this? Why are parents having to worry about whether they will get investigated for raising their kids according to their beliefs, their doctor's advice, and their kids' needs?

When and if Senate Republicans are truly serious about focusing on getting American students the great education they need and deserve, we will know because Republicans and Democrats might be able to come together again and put students and parents and schools first. I know that is possible because I have worked with Republicans to make this happen.

So today I would like to give my colleague an opportunity to take the first step in the right direction. In a moment, I will ask consent to pass a bill that would help our students.

If we agree we want parents involved in their kids' education and if we agree that this is a moment when students, like so many Americans, are stressed and need us to have their backs, which I really hope we do, then let's send more counselors and nurses to our Nation's schools. Let's prioritize STEM education and advanced coursework and make them available to more of our K-12 students. Let's make students' mental health a top priority so they can focus on learning.

So I will be asking unanimous consent on legislation that would help us all do this--importantly, in a way that seeks parents' input directly on what will matter most to their kids and their communities.

If you are trying to get our schools back on track, this should be an easy yes vote because it will be a vote for students' education, parents' peace of mind, and actually doing something real about the tough challenges students and parents are facing.

I hope my friend from Oklahoma will support it and that moving forward, Republicans will take education as seriously as they claim to and reverse course and join us in working to meet this moment for students' and parents' sake.

At this time, I object to the Senator from Oklahoma's unanimous consent.

As if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the Murray bill, which is at the desk, a bill to appropriate funds for students' academic and mental health needs. Further, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, today, the Senate has finally delivered on something Americans all over the country want: to never have to change their clocks again.

My colleague Senator Rubio and I have finally passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bipartisan bill to finally make daylight saving time permanent.

This past weekend, Americans from Washington State to Florida had to lose an hour of sleep for absolutely no reason. This is a burden and a headache we don't need. Any parent who has worked so hard to get a newborn or a toddler on a regular sleeping schedule

understands the absolute chaos changing our clocks creates and for no good reason. There is enough going on as it is, and we can fix this one inconvenience and stress pretty easily.

And if the House follows the lead of the U.S. Senate, we can make it so no one anywhere has to change their clocks by making daylight saving time permanent.

I hope my colleagues in the House and everyone can understand that no one wants to see the Sun set at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, which it currently does in the winter for those of us on the west coast.

In just this Congress, we have passed major bipartisan bills to strengthen supply chains and promote American manufacturing and make a generational investment in our infrastructure. Let's keep up that bipartisanship and make daylight saving time permanent.

Voters throughout the Pacific time zone have made clear they are ready for permanent daylight saving time. In California, Oregon, Idaho, and my home State of Washington, we have all passed laws to adopt permanent daylight saving time as soon as Congress acts. So many other States are on the same page. These States need us to take action at the Federal level.

This is a simple, commonsense measure that we can all take back to our constituents that does away with the completely unnecessary inconvenience in everyone's lives. No more dark afternoons in the winter. No more losing an hour of sleep every spring. We want more sunshine during our most productive waking hours.

I have said it before, and I will say it again: Americans want more sunshine and less depression. People in this country all the way from Seattle to Miami want the Sunshine Protection Act.

We got it passed here in the Senate. Now the clock is ticking to get the job done so we don't have to switch our clocks again.

So I urge my colleagues in the House to act swiftly, as we have done, to get this bill on President Biden's desk and deliver sunshine to Americans across the country.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, we have had this debate before many, many times.

Vaccines are safe; they are effective; and they are lifesaving. Because of our ability to get safe and effective vaccines out to Americans, nearly 100 percent of our schools are open again. More than 90 percent of people are in communities with low or medium levels of COVID, and people are finally getting back to a sense of normal in their everyday lives. Vaccines have helped to make that happen.

Here we are once again. It is hard to believe this isn't the first or even the second time that a few Senate Republicans have decided they want to risk a damaging government shutdown in order to oppose steps that save lives. I hope, for the sake of the people of this country, it is the last time this happens.

There are problems real families want us to solve. They want us to bring down costs with steps like the Democrats have proposed. They want us to stand up for democracy and the people of Ukraine, who are facing a war and a humanitarian crisis. They want us to learn from this pandemic so we are better prepared for whatever is next. I am going to focus on finding steps that we can actually take to help families, and I believe that is what most of us want too.

I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment, which risks derailing this important bipartisan bill, delaying needed aid to Ukraine, and causing a dangerous government shutdown.

Madam President, I would like to thank the Senator from Vermont, who has been such a leader in addressing the substance use disorder crisis and who I have been proud to work with on this issue. The Senator is correct. The State Opioid Response funding has been important to all States, particularly those hardest hit by drug overdose deaths.

Madam President, I do. Funding cliffs undermine efforts to address the opioid crisis. Without consistent and reliable funding, States cannot invest in or maintain programs that will reduce drug overdose fatalities. Dramatic cuts can lead to the cancellation of programs, firing of staff, and denial of care.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration should prevent significant reductions in a State's SOR allocation in a single year. In other words, funding should be allocated in a way that does not result in unusually large funding reductions between years.

Madam President, I want to first briefly address what is happening in Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are being plunged into a deadly and devastating war. We are already seeing hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the destruction and leaving their lives behind. We have seen heartbreaking images of children huddled in basements--all of this tragedy for no other reason than the cruel ambition of one dictator.

Make no mistake, every life lost, every community torn apart, the fault for this conflict lies solely at the feet of Vladimir Putin.

I strongly support continued efforts to inflict severe sanctions on Russia for this unjustified war of aggression. Russia must pay a crushing price for invading a sovereign democracy unprovoked. This is a time for our country and the world to remain united in strong support of Ukraine and firmly against Putin.

So today I am thinking of my constituents with friends and family and loved ones in Ukraine, and my heart is with the Ukrainian people who only want peace. I want them to know I will continue to do everything in my power to make sure the United States is doing its utmost to support the Ukrainian people.

Mr. President, I rise to speak against the Lee amendment, which we will be voting on in just a minute.

We are working to rebuild our economy, and we are working to end a pandemic that has killed over 900,000 people. So why are a few Senate Republicans, once again, risking a government shutdown and creating problems rather than trying to work with us on the ones that our country already faces?

This is not the first time I have had to point out to a handful of Senate Republicans that shutting down the government in the middle of a pandemic is a bad idea. It should be obvious, but here I am, once again, because my colleagues are here, once again, pretending that the biggest threat to our Nation is not the virus but, instead, vaccines and tests and masks, which have helped to actually save lives. This makes about as much sense as blaming the rescue crew for a shipwreck and threatening to sink the lifeboat unless they don't stop helping.

We all want this pandemic to end; we want our schools to stay open safely; and we want people to be able to go to work safely and go about their lives like before.

We are making real progress toward the goal of putting this pandemic behind us. One way to continue this progress is to do what the vast majority of Senators--Democrat and Republican--are prepared to do: vote to keep the government open so we can work together on funding the Nation's priorities through regular order.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote against this completely unnecessary amendment, against a government shutdown, and for common sense.

I yield the floor.

I yield back our time.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and work of Karen Ferguson, the founder and president of the Pension Rights Center. Karen passed away in December. Today would have been her 81st birthday, and today also marks the 46th anniversary of Karen founding the Pension Rights Center.

Under Karen's steadfast leadership, the Pension Rights Center has been at the forefront of ensuring retirement security for all, from retirees in struggling multiemployer pension plans to women obtaining spousal shares of retirement plans to countless individuals seeking assistance through one of the center's pension counseling projects. The Pension Rights Center was Karen's gift to all of us.

Karen will be remembered for her fierce determination and tireless advocacy on behalf of workers, women, and retirees. She also possessed an unparalleled depth of knowledge on retirement law, a subject many find intimidating. The world has lost a pension superhero. I salute Karen for her decades of service. She will be greatly missed.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 1 minute before the vote.

Mr. President, I urge all of my colleagues to give families across the country the peace of mind and give the hard-working staff at the FDA the experienced, Senate-confirmed leadership it needs by joining me in confirming Dr. Califf today and working with him and FDA to continue protecting families across our country, upholding the gold standard of safety and effectiveness, and putting science and data first.

We previously confirmed Dr. Califf in this role in a bipartisan way, and we recently advanced his nomination out of the HELP Committee with bipartisan support. So I hope today, once again, this qualified nomination passes with the bipartisan support it deserves.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.