Raphael G. Warnock

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in

the Record this letter from U.S. Trade Representative Greer.

Mr. President, this letter restricts the President's tariff authority under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. This is a small but meaningful victory for all Americans who continue to suffer under this President's reckless tariffs.

Let's be clear: Putin is a war criminal, and his war machine must be stopped. But we should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin's aggression and putting a check on this President's tariff regime. That is a false choice, and it is one that I am not willing to accept.

And so I hope, in the coming hours, that we go further during the amendment process. I hope my colleagues will join me in stripping out any new Presidential tariff authorities. These are not normal times. This is not a normal President. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don't have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time. And everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling--struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to- school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime.

But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.

I hope this weeklong process was the first step in Congress reasserting its role and placing guardrails on this President's tariff regime.

I urge my colleagues to go back home and talk to ordinary folks outside of the beltway. They will tell you that while they support any efforts to protect our national security--and that is what this is about. This isn't just about Ukraine. It is about our own national security. But we must do everything to protect our national security, while at the same time bolstering the economic security of everyday Americans.

So as we go back home, ask any parent you meet how much back-to- school shopping cost them this year. I can tell you as the father of two small children, that it is much more than they wanted to spend.

When we come back to Washington, we can fight for those parents and build on this work to check the power of this reckless President.

But I am glad that we have gotten as far as we have on this issue. I would like to thank my friend and brother Senator Cassidy for your partnership in this amendment process, and I would like to thank Senators Shaheen and Blumenthal for their efforts to find a solution and way forward to support Ukraine, to protect our national security and our economic security at the same time.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today, I rise to pay tribute to the University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs on its landmark 25th anniversary. I also want to recognize its leadership, including founding dean Thomas P. Lauth, who served from 2001 to 2013; dean Stefanie Lindquist, from 2013 to 2016; interim dean Robert Grafstein, from 2016 to 2017; and current dean Matthew Auer, who has led the school since 2017. For a quarter-century, the School of Public and International Affairs has stood as a beacon of academic excellence, fostering rigorous scholarship and cultivating the next generation of leaders dedicated to public service.

The school has advanced the University of Georgia's core mission of teaching, research, and service by preparing students to shape policy and strengthen communities both locally and globally. Founded in 2001, the school has distinguished itself through an unwavering commitment to academic rigor, public impact, and global engagement. By offering highly regarded programs in political science, international affairs, public administration and policy, and criminal justice, it equips students with the critical skills needed to address complex challenges at every level of government and within the private sector.

The University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs faculty comprises nationally and internationally recognized scholars whose research directly informs public policy and strengthens democratic institutions. Since its inception, the school has grown from 32 full-time faculty members and 1,000 students to more than 75 full- time faculty and over 2,000 students today. Demonstrating this profound commitment to academic excellence, alumni include 8 Truman Scholars, 7 Rhodes Scholars, 3 Schwarzman Scholars, 3 Pickering Fellows, and 36 Boren Scholars.

Furthermore, the school's global impact continues to earn well- deserved recognition. The Academic Ranking of World Universities placed it among the top 10 graduate schools worldwide for the public administration category. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranks the school fifth for Best Public Affairs Programs, third in Public Finance and Budgeting, third in Public Management and Leadership, fourth in Local Government Management, and 12th in Nonprofit Management.

On this 25th anniversary of the University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs, I want to congratulate and thank its faculty, staff, students, and alumni for their enduring contributions to public service, scholarship, and leadership.