Floor Statements

Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 403, which was submitted earlier today.

I know of no further debate.

I ask unanimous consent that the preamble be agreed to and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, like most Americans, my wife Ann and I are completely heartbroken by the tragic loss of our friend and fellow patriot Charlie Kirk in a despicable, targeted assassination.

This is a devastating loss for his wife Erika and their two precious kids and the millions, including myself, who felt the impact of Charlie's work and were inspired by his devotion to God and his beliefs.

Charlie was a good man, a devout husband, father, and friend. His life was shaped by his faith and idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great Nation.

I talked to Charlie pretty much every week. I did his shows often. I did his show 2 days before the assassination. We talked about that he was going to be going to another college to visit. I have gone to colleges to visit, and it is uplifting. But Charlie would go, and he would take anybody's question and have a conversation with them. He just was the most wonderful person to talk to, and so many people in this country looked up to him.

Charlie dedicated his life to the idea that the power of our ideas cannot only win the day but start a movement. And that is exactly what he did. As the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Turning Point USA, he and his team worked to build thousands of chapters across the Nation dedicated to educating students about the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.

Charlie inspired millions of young Americans to be involved in the future of their country and make their voices heard. He traveled to college campuses around the Nation to share ideas and talk about them.

Charlie was never afraid to have a conversation. He didn't care if you agreed or disagreed with his ideas. He welcomed the opportunity to respectfully and peacefully debate ideas in the court of public opinion.

Unfortunately, Charlie was taken from us in a disgusting act of political violence on September 10, 2025, but his legacy lives on. Charlie will long be remembered for his love of God, his family and this great Nation and the impact he had on each and every one of us.

We have the opportunity to carry on his memory by believing in the power of ideas, discussion, and the value of our Nation. As we mourn this massive loss, let us gather together in our communities and pray for his family and our Nation. And let us honor Charlie by believing in the power of our ideas to win the day and leave this Nation a better place.

I am proud to have the support of more than 20 of my colleagues to honor Charlie by dedicating his birthday--October 14, 2025--as ``National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.''

I want to thank my Senate colleagues for uniting together to honor a great American patriot, a leader and friend.

Charlie will be remembered for the profound impact he had on our lives and our Nation. On October 14, we will gather together as a nation and pay tribute to his great life.

Now I will yield the floor to my colleague from Tennessee.

Mr. President, I rise, on behalf of all Floridians, to recognize the meaningful visit of Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All-Holiness Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church to our Nation's Capital. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been on the forefront of religious freedom for his entire ministry, and now as the longest serving Archbishop of Constantinople in the two millennia history of Christianity, he has worked to bring people together for the purpose of advancing greater cooperation and mutual understanding. He has been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and, soon, the Templeton Prize. Florida is home to many Orthodox churches, Orthodox Christians, and communities who share deep gratitude for the leadership of His All-Holiness Bartholomew and his mission to serve others. I join with Floridians and the U.S. Senate in welcoming His All-Holiness Bartholomew to the United States and our Nation's Capital.

Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge Florida Christian University on its most recent anniversary. For 40 years, Florida Christian University has served the citizens of Florida and the world by providing students with a world- class education and acting as a pillar of strength and perseverance for Florida students.

I know firsthand that a great education can be life-changing--it serves as the foundation many students need to reach their goals and live their American dream--and it is incredible to see people from all over the globe pursue their dreams in our State.

Florida Christian University plays a vital role in this laudable pursuit by empowering students of faith to pursue higher education and a career with excellence and integrity while remaining rooted in their religious principles. FCU focuses on the whole of the student, fostering a community that ensures the growth and support of its students' academic goals as well as their spiritual well-being.

I commend the hard work and dedication of FCU president Bruno Portigliatti and all those at FCU who have committed their time and energy to providing students with a world-class education over the last 40 years. Thank you for guiding your community and our State in prayer and education. May this milestone anniversary be followed by many more as FCU continues its great success.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I rise today to talk about an issue of great national importance that affects every family in America.

We know the Federal Reserve has been wildly unaccountable for years under Jay Powell's leadership. Beyond his failed monetary policies leading to destroyed markets and misallocated capital, Powell has also overseen regulatory failures and numerous reports of unethical practices among its own members, all of which were overlooked and enabled by the Fed Board's handpicked inspector general.

This malpractice and lack of transparency and accountability have seriously undermined confidence in our financial system. We can work to address this and start repairing the broken trust of the American people today by passing my bill, which is simple: Establish an independent, Senate-confirmed inspector general at the Federal Reserve. Every other government Agency has one. Surely the government's largest Agency should have one. It is just common sense to establish a Senate- confirmed inspector general at the Fed.

This inspector general would finally be independent of the Fed Board, who are the very people they are tasked with investigating in order to bring accountability to the Fed on behalf of the American people.

This must happen now. In recent years, we have seen hundreds of allegations of voting members of the Federal Reserve engaging in shady and unethical investment trades while in possession of insider information about the Fed. We have seen the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and others.

We have seen a complete mismanagement of the Fed's policies while a culture of corruption has arrived at the Fed, and we are seeing billions of taxpayer dollars being spent to renovate the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC, all while the Fed is operating at a loss.

You might wonder, as I do, why no one gets fired or is held accountable and why no changes have been made. It is because Jay Powell is Chair, and the Federal Reserve's inspector general is appointed by and reports to--guess who--Jay Powell and the Fed Board, period.

It is a clear conflict of interest constructed with a perverse pay structure that enables issues to go unchecked and covered up for too long at the expense of the American people. The American people want to know their central bank is doing the right thing. The Fed makes decisions that impact their lives each and every day. For families like mine, growing up without much, the Fed's choices can decide if they can afford their mortgage or put food on the table. Families across our Nation deserve a Federal Reserve that they trust is working in their best interest.

I would like to thank Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, Senator Lummis, and Senator Moreno for working with me on this important bill. I would now like to yield to my colleague Senator Moreno to say a few words about the legislation.

I yield to the Senator from Wyoming Senator Lummis.

Well, first off, it is clear we need changes at the Federal Reserve to bring accountability the American people deserve. I have several bills to address the failures of the Fed and bring accountability on behalf of the American people, and today I ask my colleagues to support my commonsense bipartisan bill with my colleagues Senator Warren, Senator Moreno, Senator Lummis to establish a truly independent inspector general at the Federal Reserve, and I know my colleague from Michigan believes in the same thing.

We have to have accountability. This bill is a great first step to fix the failures and restore trust in the Federal Reserve and it sure works on behalf of the American people. I encourage all my colleagues to support it.

I ask unanimous consent as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, the Banking Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1627, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

First off, I want to thank my colleague for his interest in making sure we have an independent inspector general. I don't think there is a disagreement on that. It is how do we get them on point and the process of getting them confirmed.

So I actually look forward to working with my colleague. Hopefully, we get this done quickly. I mean, there is so many issues--as we all agree--at the Federal Reserve, and we have got to get somebody independent in there. And so we have to come up with the right process where it is not perceived to be political.

So I know my colleagues from Ohio and from Wyoming would like to say something.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 3113 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, first and most importantly, I want to thank my colleagues for their work on these appropriations bills and the support of our agriculture community in this bill.

Our Nation is $37 trillion in debt and running $2 trillion deficits after years of Democrats grossly expanding Federal spending. We have to start somewhere to get our out-of-control spending in check, and the President's budget is a great place to start.

President Trump made a promise to the American people that he would bring fiscal sanity to our Nation and turn the economy around. He wants to balance the budget, and so do I. The President put forward a budget proposal that works toward that goal. We should be passing appropriations bills that respect his requests and the will of the American people.

My amendment would put us closer to the President's budget request for the ag budget as he delivers on his promise to the American people.

I encourage my colleagues to support my amendment and restore fiscal sanity.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the next rollcall vote occur.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the passage of an essential piece of legislation: the Older Americans Act. As the chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and Senator from Florida, I am committed to honoring and supporting the more than 59 million older Americans who enrich our communities. Florida is blessed with a dynamic senior population. In my State and across the Nation, seniors thrive when given opportunities to be active members of their communities and receive adequate support.

This historic bill provided the supportive, community-based framework that has helped generations of seniors age with dignity and give back to their communities and families, all while living rich, vibrant lives. The Older Americans Act continues to impact more than 10 million older Americans a year by promoting social connection and contributing to programs aimed at supplying nutritional services, continued education, and transportation for our aging neighbors. It has improved the life expectancy, health outcomes, and quality of life for millions of seniors, and that is why I am proud to be leading the fight to reauthorize this important legislation alongside my good friend and colleague Mr. Bill Cassidy, Senator from Louisiana and chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

I will continue to fight for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act to ensure it is available to provide this same life- affirming support for generations to come.

Mr. President, I rise to celebrate Helen Parke of Dover, FL, and recognize her 100th birthday. Helen was born on July 7, 1925, in St. Louis, MO, and it was there that she met and married Roy Parke, Jr., in 1943.

After World War II, she worked alongside her husband on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. In 1957, they moved to Dover, FL, to join her father- in-law, who had purchased 10 acres of land for a strawberry farm.

What began as 10 acres of strawberry crop has grown to over 300 acres of strawberries, blackberries, vegetables, and cattle. From a small farm, it has grown to include the legendary Parkesdale Farm Market, which garners lines of visitors, including myself, that come from all over to taste their world-famous strawberry shortcake. It has also expanded to include a plant nursery and a packing/cooling facility that was added under the Parkesdale Farms banner.

Any who have had the opportunity to visit Parkesdale Farms can attest to the hard work and legacy of Helen and her family. Helen has been key to the farm's success and operations; she has hoed plants, packed berries, picked squash, and is a well-known fixture at the market, the nursery, and, of course, the annual Strawberry Festival.

She is rightly very proud of what started as a 10-acre farm and has grown and diversified so much, but she is also a proud mother to 5 children, grandmother to 10, and great-grandmother to 22.

Helen has had a very busy and ``fruitful'' 100 years of life. She has had a lasting impact on the State of Florida, and I wish her happiness for many more birthdays to come.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the servicemembers from the 98th Expedition Signal Battalion, the 297th Regional Support group, the 1st Armored Division, the 200th Military Police, the 303rd Military Policy Company, the 3-321 Field Artillery Regiment, and the 41st Field Artillery Brigade who are currently serving alongside our NATO allies in Estonia. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with them during a recent visit, including several servicemembers from my home State of Florida. These brave American soldiers are currently serving alongside our NATO allies to protect against the threat of Putin's Russia. They are standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies who are putting their resources and citizens on the frontline. For them, the threat of an empowered Russia is not a theoretical one, but a tangible danger they deal with every day on the frontlines of the war. We are happy to support Estonia as they defend themselves and our NATO allies against this threat. I am honored today to recognize and honor the sacrifice of these Americans and the sacrifice of their families as they answer the call to protect their country and its allies.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the incredible service to our State and Nation by Craig Carbone. Craig has served on my team in multiple capacities for over a decade. As my deputy chief of staff when I was Governor of Florida, Craig was an integral part of our success and spearheaded efforts to pass legislation that made our State safer and more prosperous. He also oversaw the appointments process for thousands of boards and commissions in Florida which has had a direct impact on every Floridian. He worked tirelessly to help me get elected to the U.S. Senate, and he has been a vital member of my Senate office since day one. As my chief of staff, he has overseen the passage of critical legislation, led our award-winning constituent services team, and helped countless Americans who needed assistance with the Federal Government. I am so grateful for Craig's hard work and commitment to making Florida and our Nation a better place.

Madam President, I stand today to condemn the anti-Semitic and hate-fueled murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim that occurred last night at the hands of a Hamas sympathizer. This was a sickening, violent, and anti-Semitic attack in our Nation's Capital.

These two young professionals were targeted and murdered because they represented Israel and the Jewish people, with their murderer chanting ``Free Palestine'' after killing them in cold blood.

These were innocents, out for a night together at the Capital Jewish Museum here in DC, just like members of our own staff do each and every week. This anti-Semitism and hate for Israel and the Jewish people is disgusting, unacceptable, and must be condemned on every level. It is despicable, and it is dangerous.

We have seen a rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Israel hate since the October 7, 2023 attacks. We have seen Hamas sympathizers take over college campuses and instill fear in Jewish students. We have seen violent protests on our streets and now in our Nation's Capital. Jewish Americans are afraid to walk outside or live their daily lives. For nearly 600 days now, Israel has defended itself against Iran-backed Hamas terrorists who want to destroy Israel and destroy the Jewish people.

These terrorists murder babies and women in cold blood, take and murder innocent people, and brag about their acts with no remorse. They took innocent people, including Americans, hostage and tortured them. They still hold the bodies of American hostages to deprive their families of closure.

Israel is the United States' greatest democratic ally in the Middle East. We cannot abandon our ally. Thankfully, we have a President who is an ally of Israel and who is working to fight anti-Semitism in the United States.

President Trump is pushing back on colleges and universities that allow hateful anti-Semitic actions on campus that threaten the safety of Jewish students. He has appointed the most pro-Israel Cabinet ever assembled. And he is committed to defending Israel, combating terrorism, and protecting Jewish Americans.

Today, I rise to condemn last night's heinous and anti-Semitic attack on these innocent people. I condemn this hateful rhetoric against Israel and against the Jewish people who deserve the right to live freely and without fear in the United States and around the world.

The United States must always stand with Israel and the Jewish people, and today we join together to remember the innocent lives taken in an act of hate and pay tribute to their lives and the contributions of the Jewish people to our Nation.

Madam President, the fight against anti-Semitism is a bipartisan one. I am grateful for my colleague Jackie Rosen for working with me to draft a resolution that draws attention to anti-Semitism in America and declaring May, Jewish American Heritage Month.

I yield to my colleague from Nevada Senator Rosen.

Mr. President, I rise to recognize the efforts of President Trump and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision to terminate the flawed 2019 Tomato Suspension Agreement. The termination of this agreement is a major win for Florida farmers and tomato growers across the country. By protecting our markets from being flooded by unfairly and artificially priced tomatoes, President Trump and Secretary Lutnick are standing up for American principles and the American farmer. I want to thank Secretary Lutnick for his commitment to ensuring our trade laws work to support American businesses and families.