Floor Statements

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) and the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, I am sure some people who are tuned into C-SPAN think they are watching an alternative universe because all of these Democrats have come to the floor to say something nice about a Republican, but it is Rob Portman--a special Republican and a special friend.

(Laughter.)

We have worked on many things together over the years, but I really think the highlight of it has been the work that we have done together in the past year as cochairs of the Ukrainian Caucus.

I know that you have been there more often than I have, but I also know that your commitment to this issue goes way beyond anything political. It is personal. It is real. It is human. You can feel it.

Rob is the type of person, the type of Senator, who takes his job so very seriously. He put me to shame with the maps that he brought to the floor of the Senate on a regular basis to chart the course of the bravery and courage of the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom and their future and resist the invasion of Vladimir Putin and his thugs.

I know that you have been there to meet with Mr. Zelenskyy, who heads up the Ukrainian effort. I know, as we met this week and many weeks before, that when the Ukrainian Parliamentarians come to town, they look forward to meeting our caucus and particularly meeting the Senator from Ohio because they know that he understands their plight and that he is a voice for them.

It must be difficult to be a native of a small country--so distant from the United States--that is under constant attack, where people are leaving, their lives are being turned upside down, where innocent people are being killed every day, and you are counting on your friends in other parts of the world--the NATO alliance and particularly the United States of America. They find their way here to this Capitol Building with their Ambassador. We sit down, and we talk about the state of the war in Ukraine.

So many times, they look to you, Rob, and they look to our caucus for the kind of message to take back home--a message of hope that they are not in this alone.

Of all of the causes that I have worked on in the course of my senatorial career, this is one that means a lot to me. My mother was born in Lithuania, as I have probably mentioned to you. My feelings about freedom and my feelings about the oppression by the Russians and the Soviets over the years are very strong. That is being played out today in the course of the war in Ukraine.

I thank President Biden for his leadership, but I thank you, Rob, for making this bipartisan. Honest to goodness, that is why it is strong; that is why it is credible; that is why it is a cause that many of us in the Senate take so very seriously. You have made that commitment.

I would like to mention one other issue. I know that you take pride in your legislative legacy--and you should--but back in 2013, you made an announcement that sent shock waves throughout Washington. You became the only sitting Republican Senator to endorse marriage equality. At the time, you attributed your position to a member of your family who was part of the LGBTQ community. You said that your son's courage ``allowed me to think about this issue from a new perspective, and that's as a dad who loves his son'' so very much.

Well, that evolution came full circle when you joined 11 of your Republican colleagues in supporting the Respect for Marriage Act, which protects marriage equality under Federal law. It was one of your final votes in the Chamber and a fitting coating to your proud legislative career.

Loretta and I wish you and your wife, Jane, and your three children all the best as you say farewell to Washington and welcome to Cincinnati or wherever your life may take you next. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with you.

Thank you, Rob.

Mr. President, since 1963, the State Journal-Register, the oldest newspaper in Illinois, has awarded its First Citizen Award to residents of Springfield who have selflessly given their time and resources to help and serve others. This year, the State Journal- Register has selected a central Illinois legend to receive its 2022 First Citizen Award: businesswoman and philanthropist, Evelyn Brandt Thomas.

If you ask Evelyn Brandt Thomas how she is doing, she often replies, ``Better than I deserve.'' She is a true pioneer with deep roots in central Illinois. Evelyn was born in 1923 on a farm in Salisbury Township, just outside of Pleasant Plains. Her father, Albert Brandt, raised horses for the first 12 years of her life. And as life on a farm goes, Evelyn had to do it all. She would handle tractors, gather eggs, and milk the cows, all without the luxuries of electricity or indoor plumbing.

She was ahead of her time. Evelyn graduated from Springfield High School at just 16 years old and went on to receive a degree in accounting from Illinois Business College, an impressive feat at a time when women had few higher education opportunities and even fewer prospects in the fields of business and accounting.

After several years of working in advertising, in the early 1950s, Evelyn and her younger brother, Glen--``GB'' for short--founded Brandt Fertilizer, a company that sold liquid fertilizer to central Illinois farms. At the time, dry fertilizer dominated the local market, but it also would come in heavy, 50-lb. bags that farmers would have to haul all across the farm. GB and Evelyn recognized a need and seized on the opportunity. Their original motto was, ``All You Have to Do is Lift the Hose.'' GB relied on his ``gift of gab'' going farm-to-farm selling this new product to make farmers lives easier while Evelyn handled the financials, which she watched like a hawk. Evelyn and GB were quite the duo, building their business on the principles of honesty and hard work.

Their principles paid off. What started as a liquid fertilizer company operating out of a truck and an office has now grown into BRANDT Consolidated, Inc., a successful agricultural business that sells products in more than 45 countries, has several hundred employees, and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year. And it is still a family business. GB's son and Evelyn's nephew, Rick Brandt, has served as CEO and president since 1995.

But Evelyn's long list of accomplishments goes far beyond profits and sales. Over the years, she has pursued a number of philanthropic projects and given back to central Illinois and the region. She has been a champion of education--especially in encouraging more women to explore careers in agriculture--supporting a variety of institutions of higher learning, like the University of Illinois Springfield and Lincoln Land Community College, as well as nonprofits like the Education Center for the Visually Impaired. Evelyn has established scholarships at the University of Illinois Springfield--UIS--and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She continues to support 4-H, the youth development nonprofit organization where she met her late husband Gordon, and the Future Farmers of America--an organization that prepares young people to be leaders in business and agriculture.

In her work with the Education Center for the Visually Impaired, Evelyn has sought to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. In doing so, she has helped to provide education, training, and development opportunities through services and programs.

For her decades of work, Evelyn has received numerous awards. She received the ATHENA International Award presented by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce in 2009, a Doctor of Humane Letters award from UIS in 2014, and was inducted into the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame in 2020.

I have also been glad to get to know Evelyn's family over the years. In 2019, I worked with Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to help the Brandt family secure the specialized World War II license plate, ``GB,'' in honor of his military service. GB passed away in June 2020 at the age of 94. In January 2020, we held a press event at BRANDT Consolidated, Inc., to celebrate the benefits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement for the agriculture production industry and the Brandt family's global leadership.

How is Evelyn doing? I would say she is doing pretty well for a farm girl from central Illinois. And she deserves it. Evelyn and her family are a true Illinois success story. I want to thank Evelyn for her many years of service to the central Illinois community and congratulate her for receiving the State Journal-Register's 2022 First Citizen Award. Illinois is grateful for all of her service and sacrifice.

Mr. President, it has been nearly 10 months--10 months since that cold, dark morning when I was in the departure lounge at the main airport in Vilnius, Lithuania, with my colleague Senator Chris Coons. We watched on television as Russia attempted to seize another sovereign country in the heart of Europe. I will never forget those early scenes of Putin's horror unleashed on Ukraine.

My friends in Lithuania, who remember Soviet oppression all too well, had warned of Russia's potential strike again in Ukraine, in Europe, and beyond.

Years earlier, I had seen firsthand the seizure of Georgian land by the Russian military in 2008. In 2014, my friend and fellow colleague the late Senator John McCain and I, with a group of Senators, paid tribute to those slain in Kyiv's Maidan Square just as Russia had seized Crimea and was looking to forcibly take other areas of eastern Ukraine.

But Putin and his henchmen failed miserably at understanding Ukraine and understanding their resolve to halt him and his brutality. His initial ploy to quickly topple Ukraine's democratic

government and replace it with a puppet failed immediately. And other Russian military advances in eastern and southern Ukraine have been rolled back time and again.

In fact, Ukraine's military has reclaimed hundreds of villages and more than a thousand square miles of territory--good for them. Quite simply, despite the horrific violence unleashed by Putin, the Ukrainian people have prevailed. Their courage and their sacrifice is inspiring.

And the world has rallied to Ukraine's side, leaving Russia isolated--should be embarrassed--and in retreat of Putin's folly.

Yesterday, I met with our Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield. We are lucky to have her. She is truly a skillful, experienced, and talented person.

She reminded me earlier this year, more than 140 U.N. member states voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution that deplored in the strongest terms Putin's aggression.

It also affirmed the international community's commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Only five Nations dissented--they are the world's worst dictatorships--aligning with Putin to vote against the measure at the United Nations. A reminder that Vladimir Putin has utterly failed in pursuing his twisted nostalgia for Soviet tyranny.

And the NATO alliance has held firm in its strong support to Ukraine--this administration included--providing weapons to help them defend their nation. More than 34 other nations joined us. The United States and several key allies have imposed sanctions on nearly 8,400 Russian oligarchs and their families, 1,500 Russian entities, and 100 Russian vessels. The nations of the free world understand that Ukraine is, in fact, our common frontline in the battle for freedom in this world.

President Biden, too, with Secretaries Blinken and Austin, has rallied unprecedented international support. Other nations clearly understand what is at stake. The struggle for the rule of law over the rule of chaos and brute force, that is what is at stake.

And now it is time for the United States and the rest of the free world to continue to lift up our support.

It can be easy to get impatient, even despair, as Ukraine faces continued Russian bombardment of civilian targets and, in many cases, war crimes specifically designed to terrorize civilian populations.

I would like to show you a recent photo. It shows the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk. He is speaking to defenders in Kyiv in an underground shelter during a recent air strike.

Another of a child here hauntingly looking at a damaged school. He is dressed for school. The building has been destroyed by Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian civil servants are working around the clock to restore access to electricity, water, and heat to allow hospitals and schools to function.

The continued unified support and military assistance of NATO is invaluable, and this Congress has been unified in providing this aid.

Make no mistake, Russia is losing the war in Ukraine. Its leaders now are trying to break the will of the Ukrainian people.

As an amateur student of history, I know that the winter has often been a defense for the people of Russia. Napoleon's advance of his troops on Moscow was stymied by the coldest winter imaginable. They said it was so cold that the birds fell from the sky. And we remember well what the Nazis faced when they invaded Russia in a bitter winter that was also a defense for the Russian people.

Vladimir Putin has turned the tables and, sadly, is using winter as a weapon of war against common Ukrainian people--mothers, fathers, and children.

I want to conclude by showing this one photo because it tells such a story. These are members of the Ukrainian National Philharmonic orchestra, performing in a darkened theater in Kyiv on Tuesday, lit only by battery-powered lanterns. It says it all about the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

Russia will fail.

Slava Ukraini.

Mr. President, Congress has some big decisions to make in just 2 or 3 weeks. The continuing resolution which funds our government is about to expire. One of those decisions will be whether to include important measures to ensure the Food and Drug Administration fulfills its public health mission.

You see, when we passed the last CR in September, we reauthorized the user fees that are necessary to fund this critical Agency. However, the package did not include commonsense changes in the law--bipartisan changes--that really would make FDA a more effective Agency, so we continue to pursue them this month.

One of those measures was the Dietary Supplement Listing Act, a bipartisan bill that Senator Braun of Indiana and I introduced in April.

More than 75 percent of people living in America, myself included--my family too--use a dietary supplement such as a vitamin or a mineral. However, many assume, when reaching for that supplement bottle in the medicine cabinet, that the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Government knows what is in that bottle and knows that it is for sale. That is not always the case.

Dietary supplement companies are not required to disclose to the Food and Drug Administration the ingredients in their products. Let me repeat that. Dietary supplement companies are not required by the Food and Drug Administration to disclose the ingredients in their products. They aren't even required to register that their products are for sale in the United States. An obvious problem exists.

How can the FDA really regulate this market for the safety of American consumers when it doesn't know what is on the market? It can't. It is impossible. So the legislation I have with Republican Senator Braun would require supplement companies to tell the FDA what products they put on the shelf and what is in them--just that basic. It is a simple fix that would improve the safety of the supplement market, and it would basically enhance quality companies selling quality dietary supplements. Others might be penalized by this; good companies would not.

I am glad this legislation received an endorsement from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, one of the largest supplement trade associations in our Nation. They are speaking for the good guys.

I want to emphasize that this is not a partisan idea. Polls show that 9 out of 10 Americans believe that manufacturers should be required to list their products and their ingredients. Ninety percent of Americans believe it.

In October, Scott Gottlieb and Mark McClellan, two Republican FDA Commissioners under Republican administrations, wrote that our legislation represents ``a once-in-a-generation reform.'' They concluded their article and said:

Congress should seize this opportunity to achieve long-

awaited reforms that modernize FDA's regulation, promote

innovation, and provide consumers greater assurance that the

products they use are safe and reliable.

I understand that some oppose the inclusion of my bipartisan legislation in the yearend package. I am willing to work with any of them to overcome their resistance or to take their suggestions very seriously, but let's not move this package to fund the FDA and miss this opportunity. Consumers have waited long enough. The FDA needs to know what supplements are on the market and what their ingredients are to protect consumers. That is a bare minimum.

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Mia Perez to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Judge Perez is an accomplished State court judge with an impressive record as a litigator. And with her confirmation, this Senate will take another important step forward in building a Federal judiciary that reflects the diversity of America.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Judge Perez received her B.A. from Tufts University before returning to Philadelphia to earn her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law. She practiced as a criminal defense lawyer for a decade, serving for 4 years as a State public defender and another 6 years in private practice. In that time, she tried approximately 1,000 cases to judgment, during which she largely representing indigent defendants. For the past 6 years, Judge Perez has served as a judge in the criminal trial division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. She has presided over approximately 400 trials, including 52 jury trials. Judge Perez has also taught trial advocacy at her alma mater, Temple University Beasley School of Law, for more than a decade.

In recognition of her extensive trial experience on and off the bench, Judge Perez enjoys the strong bipartisan support of Senators Casey and Toomey. The American Bar Association has also unanimously rated Judge Perez as ``well qualified'' to serve on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. And if confirmed, Judge Perez would make history as the second Latina judge--and the first AAPI judge--to serve in this role.

I support this outstanding nominee, and I urge my colleagues to join me in doing so.

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Kaine), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Kaine), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock), are necessarily absent.

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Kai Scott to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

A native of Philadelphia, Judge Scott earned her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law after receiving her B.A. from Hampton University. After graduating from law school, she clerked for 2 years for the Honorable Donald Poorman of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Judge Scott began her legal career as a public defender, serving at both the State and Federal levels for 18 years, including 5 years leading the trial unit at the Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. During her time in practice, she tried more than 160 cases to verdict or judgment. Since 2016, Judge Scott has served as a judge in the Criminal Trial Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. In that time, she has authored 60 opinions and presided over 600 trials, including 120 jury trials.

With nearly two decades of litigation experience and 6 years of judicial experience, Judge Scott has been rated as ``well qualified'' for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by the American Bar Association. She also enjoys the strong bipartisan support of Senators Casey and Toomey, and I hope my colleagues will follow their lead in supporting this highly qualified nominee.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Kaine), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm John Frank Murphy to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Murphy's distinguished legal career will make him an asset on the Federal bench. He received a B.S. from Cornell University, a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School before clerking for Judge Kimberly A. Moore on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

In private practice, Mr. Murphy has focused on intellectual property and patent litigation. He has worked on litigation in Federal courts, International Trade Commission investigations, and contested proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition to his IP and patent practice, Mr. Murphy has dedicated a significant amount of time to conducting pro bono work for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania's Prisoner Civil Rights Program. Mr. Murphy has been rated unanimously ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association, and he has bipartisan support from his home State senators, Mr. Casey and Mr. Toomey.

Mr. Murphy's technical expertise and strong background in IP and patent law will be an asset to the district court. I support his nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Kaine), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner), and the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), and the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jerry Blackwell to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Mr. Blackwell will bring outstanding qualifications and deep experience to the Federal bench. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before entering private practice and, eventually, establishing his own law firm. Mr. Blackwell has specialized in commercial litigation, including mass torts, and he has represented Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies in a variety of matters.

But in addition to his success in the private sector, Mr. Blackwell has also answered the call to serve. In 2021, he served as a special prosecutor in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted for the horrific murder of George Floyd. Mr. Blackwell has also committed himself to increasing diversity in the legal profession by serving as a founding member of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and the Minnesota Equity and Justice Project.

Given his broad, extensive experience, it is no surprise that the American Bar Association unanimously rated Mr. Blackwell ``well qualified'' to serve on the district court. He also enjoys the strong support of his home State Senators, Ms. Klobuchar and Ms. Smith. I am proud to support Mr. Blackwell's nomination, and I strongly urge my colleagues to do the same.

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), and the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner) are necessarily absent.