Floor Statements

Mr. President, every year, Fairleigh Dickinson University in my home State of New Jersey honors its heritage and history by bringing together alumni, friends, and partners to celebrate Charter Day. It is a wonderful tradition on campus, often requiring months of planning in advance by a legion of dedicated staff, all to recognize the people and the places that make FDU a shining beacon for the Garden State.

Today, on this year's Charter Day, it brings me great pleasure to join the Fairleigh Dickinson community as they recognize the esteemed author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist: Ms. Micheline Nader. As a member of the FDU board of trustees, Ms. Nader is tasked with providing sage counsel to the university's leadership, including its president, Dr. Michael Alvaltroni. However, in addition to her duties as a trustee, Ms. Nader is a testament to the different ways that one can answer the call to serve. Ms. Nader began her legendary career as a trail-blazing hospital administrator who, in addition to her business acumen, successfully translated her experience into a second calling as a writer helping support others. In both of these roles, she has helped individuals overcome obstacles, unlock their potential, and achieve long-lasting wellness and success.

Ms. Nader is a visionary leader who has never let anything slow her down. After all, it was her drive that led her to found the Blue Dolphin Healthcare Group, a pioneering chain of nursing homes that give seniors the care, support, and fulfillment they need to enjoy retirement. Her best-selling books have also provided guidance for others to leverage their passions to foster personal growth and create social impact.

From founding and leading her own company to currently serving as president of her family nonprofit, Ms. Nader is an inspiration for New Jerseyans everywhere. In addition to serving on the Fairleigh Dickinson University's board of trustees and on the advisory board of the Silberman College of Business, Ms. Nader is a staunch advocate for the next generation of leaders. Her mantra of LEAP--lean, execute, align, and program--has been used countless times by leading figures to transcend the past and create a new future.

I join her family, friends, loved ones and her devoted husband Dr. Francois Nader, in thanking Micheline for her many years of service to New Jersey and the communities who call it home. It is my distinct honor to submit this recognition into the Congressional Record so that it may stand the test of time alongside her numerous contributions and accomplishments.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of Felice Gorordo, the nominee to be the U.S. Alternate Executive Director of the World Bank.

At a time when China is increasingly willing to use its economic power to pressure other nations to do its bidding, when Latin America is trying to recover from the economic impact of the COVID pandemic, when Putin's war in Ukraine threatens the food supply of developing nations around the world, strong, dependable leadership at the World Bank has never been more important. And Felice Gorordo has the experience and vision the United States needs to tackle the challenges the World Bank faces today.

His journey starts the way mine does. He is the son of Cuban exiles who fled dictatorship in their country. His parents came to the United States in search of the American dream. His dad was in law enforcement, and his mom was a teacher. From them, Felice learned the importance of public service.

He will be a tireless advocate for the democratic values that our Nation and both of our families hold so dear, and he will succeed because of his commitment to helping others, which he has demonstrated throughout his life and career.

Felice founded Raices de Esperanza, which means the ``roots of hope.'' It is a nonprofit that empowers young people in Cuba through technology and entrepreneurship. He also worked for both the Bush and Obama administrations in advancing the U.S.'s national interests--no matter which party was in the White House.

He should be in this post because, in the wake of COVID, his understanding of finance, economic statecraft, and technology will help the United States and its like-minded partners make the concerted push to prevent economic collapse in the developing world.

He should be in this post because we need to make sure that China doesn't continue getting away with their malign influence at the institutions that we, the United States, created to shape the international order.

If confirmed to his post at the World Bank, Felice will advocate for our values. He will stand up for democracy and human rights. So I urge my colleagues to support the nomination of Felice Gorordo to the post of U.S. Alternate Executive Director for the World Bank.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, from dark prison cells in Tehran to the FSB's prison in Moscow, autocrats and dictators are unjustly detaining innocent Americans as pawns to advance their geopolitical goals. So I come to the floor today, as families of these Americans have gathered in Washington, to shine a spotlight on the plight of their loved ones and to support passage of the Supporting Americans Wrongfully or Unlawfully Detained Abroad Act of 2023, which is a bipartisan effort I am leading with the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Risch, as well as Senators Shaheen and Hagerty.

This bill would make a simple yet meaningful change to lessen the burden on these families as they work toward the release of their loved ones. It would allow the State Department to cover travel and lodging costs for families to advocate for their loved ones' release in Washington. It would also advance efforts to support the mental health and well-being of detainees and their families.

It will eliminate a completely arbitrary distinction under U.S. law. Currently, if your loved one is being held hostage by a nonstate actor--for example, a terrorist group like ISIS or al-Qaida--the government pays the costs for limited family travel to Washington, but if your loved one is being unlawfully detained by a foreign government--Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and the like--there is no such funding available. This doesn't make any sense, and Senator Risch and I are trying to fix it on behalf of American families who find themselves in unbearably difficult and painful circumstances.

This bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Let me repeat that--unanimously. It is not and should not be controversial. This is the least we can do for families who lie awake wondering if their son or daughter, sister or brother will return home, who wonder if there is something else, just one more thing they could do to make a difference that would break the deadlock of their loved one's captivity--maybe one more meeting with a U.S. Government official or a Member of Congress; maybe the right confluence of events to bring their child back home.

So I ask this body to give these families just a little bit of peace as they navigate an unimaginable nightmare. Surely cutting a bit of redtape, getting them a train ticket or a plane ride to Washington once or twice a year, is not too much to ask.

I am here to seek passage of this bill. I was going to seek a unanimous consent request. I understand that my colleague, the Senator from Kentucky, Senator Paul, has a fiscal issue. I just met with him. We look forward to hopefully working it out and then being able to return to the floor to seek its passage.

Until then, 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 come to the floor today in support of Dr. Gupta's nomination as Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues.

Around the world today, women's rights and fundamental freedoms are under attack. In Ukraine, an untold number of women and girls are undergoing the brutal sexual violence accompanying Putin's war. In Iran, security forces have killed female protesters in the street. In Latin America, a wave of femicides has gone unanswered. In Saudi Arabia, women still need a man's approval to marry. In Afghanistan, the Taliban are erasing women from the public sphere, denying them the right to an education or the ability to work. In China, the government has sent ethnic minority Uighurs into concentration camps, forcing Uighur women onto birth control, forcing them to have abortions, and even forcing them to be sterilized.

This has got to stop, and it is unacceptable. We cannot and must not stand idly by as such horrors continue.

One way we can fight back is by making sure U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance prioritizes the protection of women and girls in all corners of the globe.

Dr. Gupta is an excellent and well-qualified choice to lead such an effort. She would bring decades of experience working to empower women. She has fought to increase the economic security and political participation of women. She has pushed for an end of pervasive violence against women and girls.

And from her time as Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF to her work as President of the International Center for Research on Women, Dr. Gupta has demonstrated global leadership on women's issues and commitment to advancing gender equality through U.S. foreign policy efforts.

As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I am confident that, as Ambassador of Global Women's Issues, she will work tirelessly and effectively to advance the rights of women and girls worldwide.

Dr. Gupta should have been confirmed last Congress, but we cannot go back in time. But what we can do is act now. Mr. President, I strongly support Dr. Gupta's nomination and urge my colleagues to vote for cloture.

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.

I ask unanimous consent that the vote that was supposed to take place at 1:45 p.m. commence immediately.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, for the Committee on Foreign Relations I report favorably the following nomination list which was printed in the Record on the date indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that this nomination lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be able to complete my full statement prior to the vote.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to support two remarkable, dedicated, and exceptionally qualified nominees to serve on the U.S. District Court of New Jersey: Mr. Michael Farbiarz and Mr. Robert Kirsch. Both nominees represent the best that our State has to offer. Both have served with distinction in various roles. Both deserve to be swiftly confirmed to the district court.

Consider the distinguished public service career of Mr. Farbiarz. A resident of Glen Ridge, NJ, he has served as an assistant U.S. attorney, as cochief of the Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit, and general counsel of the New York-New Jersey Port Authority. His relentless work ethic in every role has made him a shining star in New Jersey's legal community--a representation that is not given but earned.

And whether serving in the leadership roles that he has had, enforcing our laws as a Federal prosecutor, or providing legal counsel to those who serve on the Port Authority commission, his breadth and depth of legal experience prepare him well to continue his service to the Garden State as a fair and effective Federal judge.

Like Mr. Farbiarz, Robert Kirsch is a dedicated public servant who has been capably serving on the Superior Court of New Jersey for over a decade. A native of South Orange, he was sponsored for his position by then-State Senator Tom Kean, Jr., a Republican, and was appointed by Governor Corzine, a Democrat.

Throughout his tenure, Judge Kirsch has consistently earned bipartisan support in his long and impressive career in public service. He holds a wealth of experience both as a jurist and a former Federal prosecutor, and while presiding over a busy docket of criminal cases, Judge Kirsch has consistently chosen to do what is right, not what comes easy.

Outside of the courtroom, Robert Kirsch is a devoted advocate for public safety and the well-being of his community. In particular, he has led a passionate effort to improve New Jersey's juvenile justice system, earning him numerous awards and widespread recognition. This commitment to fairness and impartiality--values he has demonstrated throughout his career--will surely be an asset while serving on the Federal bench.

I submit to my colleagues that Mr. Farbiarz and Judge Kirsch are two phenomenal nominees to fill New Jersey's final judicial vacancies. They have earned ``well qualified'' ratings from the American Bar Association. They have letters of support from both the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey.

In short, they are the final pieces of the puzzle as I, alongside Senator Booker and the Biden administration, have worked to fill not one, not two, but eight vacancies that were existing. There was a judicial emergency on the District Court of New Jersey. At the beginning of the last Congress, the number of vacancies was so dire that it was deemed a ``judicial emergency.'' In one of the busiest courts in America, work ground to a halt as a result, creating a backlog that delayed justice for victims of crime and plaintiffs in court.

We had our work cut out for us, but by putting our heads down and our noses to the grindstone, Senator Booker and I can now proudly say we have shepherded eight well-qualified nominees through the process. These are individuals who believe in precedent; who are not judicial activists; who are, in essence, in the mainstream of the law. All that remains is for this body and our colleagues to join us in confirming these final two nominees to their roles.

It will be a great day for the State of New Jersey and for our country as we vote to elevate Michael Farbiarz and Robert Kirsch to the Federal bench. We thank them both for their incredibly dedicated service, and I certainly look forward to thanking my colleagues for their dutiful consideration of these two nominees on the floor.

With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.