Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Micheal Mahoney of Kansas City. Micheal has been a reporter in the KC area for over 40 years, starting with breaking news, then making a career into politics with a fair, but always tough sensibility.

I have known Mike for a few years now since coming to Congress, and to me, he has one of the best reputations among reporters in the region. The press and Congress are often thought of as adversaries, with journalists always trying to dig into Members to get the best scoop or ``gotcha'' moment, while Members are having to watch their backs. With Mike, that has never been the case. Sure, he would always try to dig, but that was simply to get the best possible info for Kansans, not just to put someone on the spot. Any time I had an interview with Mike, he truly was looking for the heart of a story, with no cheap tricks. He gave everyone involved a fair shot to tell their side and laid everything out crystal clear for viewers to see when the story came on. It is easy to see in each story what was really going on thanks to Mike's integrity in interviews, and talent for storytelling.

As he finishes out his time with KMBC, I hope he is able to reflect on the wonderful career he has had. He has been there to provide outstanding coverage of every political event in Kansas for all to see and even has an Emmy to his name for covering the 1993 flooding along the Missouri River, along with a Mall Dodson National Headliners Award in 1981 for his coverage of the Hyatt Regency Skywalk falling in KC. Furthermore, Mike has been on the board of the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Committee and has even been the grand marshal for the St. Patrick's Day parade. Through it all, he has been one of KC's finest. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful career of Mr. Micheal Mahoney and wish him nothing but joy and happiness in his next chapter of life.

Mr. President, much is grown on Kansas' plains. Crops and pastures stretch as far as the eye can see. Grain elevators replace city skyscrapers, and the whisper of the wind substitutes the screech of sirens and traffic.

What truly makes the prairie special, however, is the people, the people of the plains. Kindness and resilience define Kansans. Churches that seem entirely too big for the tiny towns they tower over are filled on Sundays; and neighbors are checking on each other, sharing food, sharing laughs, maybe sharing a cup of coffee and even a few beers.

And perhaps this is why Senator Bob Dole reminded me every time I saw him: Roger, always remember where you are from.

In every speech I ever heard him give, he always said: Always remember where you are from.

I thought a lot about that this week. What was Senator Dole saying? Why was that so important?

And I think, reflecting, he always wanted to make sure that he remembered his Kansas values and that the people of Russell, KS, shaped his life, to pay honor to them and respect.

This week, Kansans lost a great friend and neighbor. Senator Bob Dole, a personification of the gentle toughness cultivated in the rural Midwest; an advocate for the disabled, the hungry, our veterans and our American way of life; a genuine once-in-a-generation, from the ``greatest generation,'' American hero has been called home.

It was to these same plains that a young Robert Dole returned from war, critically wounded from injuries sustained in 1945 on a battlefield in Italy. The people of Russell had chipped in money-- $1,800 to be exact--into a cigar box on the counter of Dawson's Drug Store, where a young Bob Dole once worked as a soda jerk. These funds were used to help offset the costs of his recovery, and it was a grueling recovery. During his 3-year hospital stay, he spent time in a body cast. He fought horrible infections that shot his temperature to over 109 degrees, which forced the doctors to pack him in ice. He literally underwent dozens of surgeries on his shoulder, his arm, and even to remove a kidney. Bob Dole was once a strapping, muscular three- sport varsity athlete at Russell High School, as well as a KU Jayhawk athlete.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 4868 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, this amendment is simple. It prohibits moneys from this bill to be used to fund or enforce the White House's COVID vaccine mandates on the American people for the duration of the

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize a young Kansan who has truly gone above and beyond to help others, Ms. Avery Herrmann from Sabetha, KS.

Avery has been making jewelry since 2017 to help support the Kansas Honor Flight. She first began designing jewelry after developing staphyloma in her right eye. Doctors had told her and her mother, Mary, that Avery should pick up a hobby to help keep her motor functions developing properly. Mary had made jewelry herself as a child, so she showed Avery the tools of the trade, and she hasn't stopped since.

For a while, Avery had kept up with jewelry making for personal use, but the death of her grandfather Robert in 2016 showed her what she could do to make a difference with her skills. Robert was a Korean war veteran who had previously gone on an Honor Flight himself, which was one of his most memorable experiences. After his passing, Avery started Abundant Love jewelry as a tribute to her grandfather and a way to support veterans in her community. With this new business, she began selling earrings online and at various fundraising events. To date, Avery has raised almost $7,000 through Abundant Love.

Stories like Avery's are what truly show the best of Kansas. I have met with countless veterans on Honor Flights, and each has their own unique and incredible experience like Robert. Avery already is selfless in making and selling her earrings to benefit Honor Flight, but what truly makes this project extraordinary is that she doesn't take a penny for herself. Every single dollar made from Abundant Love goes directly to Honor Flight's benefit. Whether she knows it or not, those veterans appreciate what she does for them, and I join them in showing my appreciation for Avery. I now ask my colleagues to join in me in recognizing Avery for her outstanding service for our Nation's heroes.

Mr. President, I want to start by thanking the Senator from Nebraska for helping to bring to light the significance of the Dobbs Supreme Court case.

For some 30 years, I had the honor, the privilege of delivering a baby most every day of my life. Some 5,000 babies in residency and another 5,000 babies in private practice. Some days, I delivered none. Other days, it was one or two. There were days when I delivered 10, 11, 12 babies a day.

Some of those babies I could fit in the palm of my hand. Other babies--I delivered several babies over 15 pounds.

It has now been almost 4 years since I delivered my last baby, but I am still often asked: Do I miss obstetrics; and let me tell you, boy, do I miss it.

My favorite part of the whole process, as I recall, though, was after a hard, long labor, seeing that baby emerge from the mother, holding that baby in my hands and waiting for it to cry. Sometimes it was crying as it entered into this world, other times it took 5 seconds, sometimes 30 seconds, sometimes a minute or two would go by as we worked on the baby. But my favorite part of every pregnancy was taking that crying baby and handing it over to a new mom and dad. It was absolutely the most spiritual moment of my life--the closest I ever got to seeing what God was truly like, to see a newborn baby in the hands of its mom and dad, with this just total agape love--this unconditional love. It was just the honor of my life to experience that almost on a daily basis.

But today I want to talk about my favorite OB visit which came at 15 weeks, typically. At about 15 weeks after conception, moms would come in for maybe their third or fourth visit. My first question was always: Are you feeling the baby move? And the mom's eyes would light up. Maybe she had had a miscarriage before or maybe it was an infertile couple or maybe this was her third or fourth baby, but when I asked them: Are you feeling the baby move yet, her eyes would light up.

And mom would lie down on the bed, and I would put my hands on her abdomen and feel the size of her uterus to assess how big the baby was. And so often as I put my hands on her skin, I could feel the baby pushing back or kicking back.

And then we put the Doppler on the mom's abdomen and listened to the baby's heartbeat, and usually if there was a brother or sister in the room, that baby's big brother or big sister would squeal: Mommy, what is that noise? What is that noise? And almost every time, as I heard the sibling ask mom that question, you could hear the baby's heart rate increase with excitement. That baby inside the womb knew that was its brother or sister there that was talking, and it was excited to hear that voice. And the mom would respond: Darling, that is your little baby brother or sister. And as mom spoke, the baby's heart rate would slow back down to what it was before--that calming voice.

So that brings me to the Dobbs case. The Mississippi Dobbs case protects life after that 15-week visit I just described.

I recognize and believe that life begins at conception, but maybe not all of America agrees with me on that. But I do believe with all my heart that a huge part of America agrees, we should not allow abortions on babies that can feel pain or that can respond to their mom's voice or their sibling's voices. Right?

Ask yourself that same question. An unborn baby that can feel pain, that knows its mom's voice, should that baby be deprived of life outside the womb?

I struggle as I watch America be one of seven nations that allows abortions after 15 weeks. And I point out that all these other nations are agnostic or totalitarian nations for the most part. And I struggle as I recall the moms and dads who lost a baby at 15 weeks or at 18 weeks or at 23 weeks. I recall their mourning. I recall their tears.

I recall how, in our hospital, we might be struggling to preserve a pregnancy, to save a baby's life, to be resuscitating a baby while in a nearby town the abortion industry is claiming another life at this same gestational age.

I struggle to think we live in a society that allows this barbaric treatment of the unborn. We hope and pray that this landmark Supreme Court case will result in a decision that reflects the values of most Americans and will protect life after 15 weeks.

Unfortunately, because of a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court case, my home State of Kansas has become an abortion destination--an abortion destination. The Kansas Supreme Court has paved the way for unlimited abortions, abortions paid for with tax dollars. That is why, back home, I will be fighting for the Value Them Both Amendment that protects the values of both the mom and the baby.

Look, America does not want an unlimited, unregulated abortion industry. This is not consistent with our values. I believe most Americans value them both. We value both the mom and the baby. I fought my whole life for moms and babies, and I am going to keep fighting for them both.

Mr. President, I yield the floor to my friend and mentor from Texas, who has been leading the fight up here in DC for years. I look forward to his sharing with us what Texans are talking about on the significance of this Dobbs Supreme Court case.

Madam President, today I wish to recognize a fellow Kansan, Jace Ward, for his incredible fight against cancer, inspiring advocacy work, and unyielding display of hope in the face of a terminal illness. At the age of 22, Jace passed away surrounded by family and friends, and today, I commemorate the remarkable accomplishments during his short life.

Jace was born on February 18, 1999, in Wichita, KS. He enjoyed a fantastic childhood in Inman and then moved to Wamego at age 12, where he excelled in school and extracurricular activities. After graduating from Wamego High School in 2017, Jace attended the University of Kansas, studying law and business with scholarships under the Law Education Accelerated Degree Program and the Business Scholars Program.

Following a rollover car accident in February 2019, Jace started to experience eye problems. After an MRI, it was revealed that Jace had an aggressive and particularly deadly form of brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine plioma, DIPG. It generally affects children between the ages of 5 to 9 and has no chance of survival as no effective treatment exists. In fact, only 10 percent of patients survive 2 years after their diagnosis, and less than 1 percent survive past 5 years. Despite these unforgiving odds, Jace decided to make the most of the time he had left.

After being diagnosed with DIPG, Jace transferred to Kansas State University--KSU--on scholarship and majored in business entrepreneurship. He was awarded a bachelor of business administration degree posthumously from KSU, but while he was studying, he also championed advocacy and awareness for pediatric cancer.

While attending KSU, Jace worked vigorously for California-based Emerson Collective as a member of the Health Team, which focuses on advocating and investing funds to combat rare cancers like his. As a member of this organization, he visited with Federal officials in Congress and various agencies at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness. Notably, Jace delivered a keynote address at a congressional briefing on DIPG, spoke to the NIH on patient ownership of genomic data, and met with over 67 congressional offices, including mine. As a Member of the House of Representatives and his Congressman, I cosponsored a House resolution expressing support for honoring a day towards DIPG to raise awareness and encourage research into cures for DIPG and other pediatric cancers.

As a business major keenly aware of private sector dynamics and pharmaceutical manufacturing, Jace also helped establish partnerships with biopharmaceutical innovators and foundations. He regularly brought together foundations to partner with him on aspirations he had to fill gaps in research and patient navigation. Jace conceptualized a DIPG Patient Navigation System to direct patients to molecular diagnostics and clinical trials, attracted the support of 20 top doctors and several foundations to open this novel system in November. Because of Jace, over 300 tumors previously held in storage awaiting funding for genomic sequencing are now being sequenced added to quadruple those available for researchers. Jace inspired an astonishing $5 million in funding for pediatric brain cancer research and treatment, and it is because of him that over 200 patients received expanded access to an investigational drug.

When asked about what he wanted to do with the remaining time he had left and whether he would devote it towards travel or other personal experiences, Jace responded, ``I can't die, I'm busy.'' Jace ignored the ticking clock tethered to him to become a thundering voice for future patients, always putting the need to advance science and protect younger kids and their legacies before his own.

As a physician for nearly 30 years, I am no stranger to cancer or the miracle of hope when faced with the heartbreaking news of a diagnosis. Even during the toughest of times, I have witnessed God in my patient's grace and acceptance; Jace is no exception. I am profoundly honored to have had the opportunity to get to know him and his remarkable family. Jace is survived by his loving parents, Roger and Lisa, and his sister, Brooke.

I ask my colleagues and all Kansans to join me in remembering Jace's courageous fight, his ability to rise to the challenge, and to make a lasting impact in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Madam President, today I wish to recognize Lacy Bower of Hutchinson, KS, for her incredible achievement in attaining not only Girl Scouts's highest honor in the Gold Award, but Boy Scouts's Eagle Scout rank as well. Both are remarkable achievements on their own, but attaining both is truly a remarkable feat.

For her Gold Award, Lacy decided to focus her efforts to helping the Hutchinson domestic violence center with her project, ``A Walk of Love.'' To help the shelter, Lacy worked with the community to collect over $5,000 worth of toiletry items, which she then turned into 200 toiletry bags to donate to the shelter. In addition, she helped establish a continual collection process for these items so the shelter can more adequately provide resources for those that use it in the future.

Of course, that is only half the story. To accomplish the double feat, Lacy needed to create yet another community project for her Eagle Scout rank. Lacy set her sights on repainting the gymnasium of a church in Hutchinson. After plenty of preparation and recruiting, what she initially thought would take 2 weeks only took her 2 days after successfully recruiting help throughout the Hutchinson area during her preparation process.

After achieving these two feats, Lacy has said that she hopes to be an inspiration for young girls to show that they are capable of making a difference and achieving what they want, so long as they put their mind to it. She has certainly set a tremendous example for young women everywhere, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Lacy for her outstanding achievements.

Mr. President, this week's fantasy consideration of the NDAA was a gut punch to our servicemembers and one of the weakest displays we have seen during the Senate Democrats' time in the majority.

Let's not forget there are 25 Senate Members serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee under the skillful leadership of Senators Reed and Inhofe. They cleared their version of the NDAA in July of this year--July of this year, months ago--but the majority leader dragged his feet all the way up until late--late--last night, bringing the NDAA to the floor at the third latest point in the year ever.

Considering China's military rise and the foreign policy disasters this White House has created, one would think delivering a paycheck to our servicemembers and providing funding to increase our military's lethality would be top of mind.

Instead, the majority leader remains focused on reckless taxing, reckless spending, and reckless borrowing that is pushing Americans further into debt, driving up inflation, putting our Nation at a disadvantage, and helping China.

While he pointed his finger at Republicans who simply wanted the opportunity for additional amendments on important subjects, the majority leader is to blame for the fact that the other 75 Senators will not get to offer floor amendments and have an opportunity to help shape our military policy this year. But, regardless, the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the majority leader.

The inclusion of a manager's amendment is standard operating procedure. It is actually the starting point and should not be where this process is stopped. Not allowing floor amendments breaks years of precedent.

What is also standard operating procedure is that the NDAA is a bill that is considered on the floor for multiple days and possibly multiple weeks, not one night. In fact, last year, the Senate debated the NDAA for nearly 3 weeks--3 weeks--starting in June.

This body should be able to vote on a myriad of amendments, such as ours, which would prevent dishonorable discharges for military men and women who are forced to separate from the military because of the COVID vaccine mandate.

Now, as a physician, I support the vaccine, but I also believe in the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship. And I support those who are defending our freedoms and have carefully weighed their decision with their doctor, their loved ones, their spouses, perhaps their chaplain, and decided this vaccine isn't right for them.

Once upon a time, I was that army doctor. And if a strapping, well- fit, 20-year-old Army Ranger or a 19-year-old Navy SEAL or a 22-year- old Air Force pilot walked into my office and said, ``Doc, tell me about this vaccine,'' I would have to say, ``Well, there are certainly benefits to the vaccine, certainly benefits to it, but the risk of having a career-ending complication from this vaccine--like heart inflammation, heart swelling--is greater than the chances of you being hospitalized from the virus.''

Now, that is not true for my parents. That is not true for senior citizens. That is not true for obese people. But a fit, young military person in the prime of their life has a greater chance of having a career-ending complication from the vaccine than they do of being hospitalized from the virus.

And by the way, as I am sitting there talking to this pilot, to this Navy SEAL, to this Army Ranger, I would say: If you have that complication, you are going to be out of action for at least 6 months-- at least 6 months--and chances are you will be grounded the rest of your life. You are going to have a checkmark in your medical history. I don't think you'll probably ever be able to fly a plane again. You are never going to be a special ops person again. You have to be the fittest of the fit.

And once you have a heart swelling, do you think that I am going to be able to clear you for the needs of your job? Your career as a pilot or a special OPs personnel is over.

That is right. Your lifelong dream--the career you have worked your whole life for--is over.

And we are going to give this military personnel a dishonorable discharge over this? That is un-American. It is not what Americans believe is right.

Unfortunately, the sledgehammer policy out of the White House says that one size has to fit all, and there are no exceptions to its mandate. This is the biggest sledgehammer I have ever seen. They refuse to consider natural immunity, even though we know natural immunity to COVID is the same as, if not more powerful than the vaccine.

As a result, President Biden wants to slap a dishonorable discharge on our unvaccinated heroes who put their lives on the line each day to defend our freedoms and our American way of life.

A dishonorable discharge is excessive and beyond harsh. They are disqualified from most jobs. They lose access to the GI bill. They lose VA home loans and medical benefits. They lose military funeral honors.

A dishonorable discharge treats those defending our freedoms as felons. Our American heroes deserve better. It is important to point out that this amendment, the amendment that we hoped to have offered last night, hoped to have votes on the Senate floor, passed the House Armed Services Committee--unanimously passed the House Armed Services Committee--and was included in their final bill, which passed with 316 votes, including 181 Democrats.

That is right. This same amendment passed unanimously out of the House Armed Services Committee, and 181 Democrats on the House side supported this amendment in their NDAA. Over here in the Senate, though, don't let the majority leader fool you; this NDAA process was a closed one as a result of his inability to bring the bill to the Senate floor in a timely manner in order to provide sufficient opportunity for Member input.

I urge the majority leader to change course and allow a robust NDAA amendment process that includes a vote on our amendment when the Senate returns after Thanksgiving.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

It is, indeed. Thank you so much, the senior Senator from Tennessee, for asking me about something so near and dear to my heart--the patient-physician relationship.

I just want to start my remarks by saying that I support the vaccine. I support the vaccine, but I also support an individual's right to decide whether he wants the vaccine or not. That is why I think it is so important to have this patient-physician relationship.

I had the duty and the honor to treat thousands of women with a virus. I learned very quickly that the same virus could cause different problems for different patients, and it was based on their previous medical histories and their underlying medical problems as to what my advice might be.

What my concern today is, is that so many of these heroes of yesterday, the COVID-19 heroes of yesterday, are now being treated so poorly. They are being told to get the jab or else lose their jobs. This mandate is going to lead to unemployment. It is going to lead to more inflation and further disrupt our supply chain. I just wish I could paint a face of all of these people from Kansas who are reaching out to me, saying: Please don't make me make this choice between the jab or my job.

I think of the nurses whom I worked with in Liberal, KS, when the ICU was overflowing. I think of the nuclear engineer folks and the union workers at Wolf Creek Nuclear energy who kept our electricity on. I think of those union workers who work for the Department of Defense contracts in the aerospace industry, and now they are being kicked in the face. They are being told that they are no longer essential, that they are no longer heroes.

Senator Blackburn, I am supposing there are heroes in Tennessee who are now being forgotten as well.

Well, thank you Senator. Indeed, there are more options out there. There are, indeed, more tools in the tool shed that we can use. We plan to oppose any efforts to enforce Joe Biden's vaccine mandate with all the other tools at our disposal, including blocking cloture on any continuing resolution in the absence of language protecting Americans from the mandates. In fact, 50 GOP Senators recently supported this as an amendment to the CR in September.

Senator Blackburn, I know that you also would be concerned about using any type of future funding to enforce this unconstitutional mandate.

Senator Blackburn, absolutely. I can't agree with you more.

One of the big concerns I have is of our safety as well as our national security. I know that both Tennessee and Kansas have Army and National Guard units, and I have been told that perhaps half of the enlisted soldiers have not had their vaccines yet, and I encourage them to do that. But if they get separated from the military, it is going to leave a huge hole in our national security.

I am also concerned about those Active-Duty soldiers who are now being separated from the military as well for refusing the vaccine, and I am concerned about what is going to happen to their records going forward. I was so discouraged when I found out the White House suggested these soldiers get a dishonorable discharge.

In case you don't know what a ``dishonorable discharge'' means, you could be treated like a felon. You lose your VA benefits, and you may lose some of your Second Amendment rights and some of your voting rights as well.

Certainly, again, there is the impact on national security in losing thousands of our soldiers.

Senator Blackburn, I am sure that you have so many people who are reaching out to you of the COVID-19 heroes of Tennessee. I appreciate your bringing this bill to the floor, and I am so happy and honored to support it.

Madam President, I wish to honor two brave citizens of Junction City, KS, Braden and Jayden Harper. These young gentlemen put themselves in the face of danger to save two toddlers from a near fatal accident.

In September, Braden and Jayden were helping their aunt wash her car, when they heard screaming coming from a nearby house. They thought at first it was just other children playing on a trampoline, but soon the screaming sounded more like people in peril. The two boys peered over the fence of a nearby house to find the source of the noise and saw twin toddlers not even 2 years old about to drown in a swimming pool.

The second they saw the situation, Braden and Jayden hopped over the fence and made a beeline for the pool to rescue the two toddlers. Both the twins were unharmed in the incident, thanks to the Harpers.

Because of their efforts, the Harper brothers not only were acknowledged as heroes in school, but also by the Junction City Police Department. Now, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Braden and Jayden for their heroics.

These two young men have truly shown what being a good neighbor and good citizen means. They have made their families and the great State of Kansas proud.

Madam President, today I wish to congratulate Julia Misemer, of Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, KS, on her fourth consecutive State champion title in golf. She is the only golfer to achieve 4-time 6A State champion in Kansas history.

The Blue Valley West senior recorded back to back 73s in the 2-day Class 6A State tournament held at Emporia Municipal Golf Course. Her excellence also helped the Jaguars take home the team State championship. Julia is now a four-time Eastern Kansas League Champion, four-time 6A regional Champion, and four-time 6A State Champion--making her the most decorated golfer in Kansas high school history.

This year alone, Julia has also finished second in the Justin Thomas Junior Championship, second in the Girls Junior PGA Championship, and first in the UHY Kansas City Junior Tournament. She is currently ranked 23rd nationally by the American Junior Golf Association. Julia was also a member of the Junior Ryder Cup Team which participated in an exhibition match at this year's Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Kohler, WI. This incredible career of talent and consistency on the golf course has been rewarded by an offer to play at the University of Arizona, which she accepted.

I take pride in distinguishing Julia Misemer as an exceptional competitor in the world of Kansas high school sports and national junior golf. I look forward to seeing Julia continue her athletic excellence at the collegiate level and beyond.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Julia's achievement and wish

her the best of luck as she begins playing at the next level.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day to defend our freedoms and our American way of life.

Unfortunately, thousands of our heroes are about to lose those very freedoms that they have fought so hard to defend, as Joe Biden's vaccine mandate is threatening them with a dishonorable discharge should they choose not to get the COVID vaccine.

Now, let me be clear, as a physician and a veteran, I am confident the vaccine has saved countless lives, and I encourage every veteran, every American to consider and to discuss with their physician getting that vaccine. I believe vaccinating our servicemembers, though, against COVID-19 is such a very, very important effort. But deep down inside, I am still this real doctor from Great Bend, KS, and I believe in the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship and that every one of our situations is unique.

A soldier's clinical history is unique. There are pros and cons; there are risks and benefits of taking this vaccine. And each of our soldiers all are using common sense--the common sense that God has given them, and I respect their decisions. This administration should too.

Right now, thousands of our servicemembers are not vaccinated. When it comes to our guardsmen and -women in Kansas, only 58 percent are fully or partially vaccinated--a number I am confident would hold true across the remainder of the country.

Unfortunately, the policy out of the White House says that one size has to fit all; that there is no exception, even though we know that natural immunity to COVID is the same as, if not more powerful than, the vaccine.

We have never asked people--especially military folks--to get a vaccine for a virus they are already immune to or a virus that doesn't affect them. It just doesn't make sense.

Because of Joe Biden's vaccine mandate, thousands of American heroes are going to be separated from the service, and they are going to, perhaps, be given a dishonorable discharge.

I want to make sure this body and the American people understand exactly what the significance of a dishonorable discharge is. Soldiers will lose access to medical benefits from the VA. They will lose access to home loans from the VA. They will lose access to the GI bill for further education. They will potentially lose their right to vote in some States. They will lose their Second Amendment rights and access to ammunition. They will lose military funeral honors. They will lose the ability to reenlist in another branch of military. And they will have an extremely difficult time finding employment.

Getting a dishonorable discharge may be the worst checkmark you can get in your life--truly, a scarlet letter. These sort of repercussions sound like they should be reserved for felons. But, no, this is what Joe Biden wants to hand down to our servicemembers. This is insulting, and we must put a stop to it.

For these reasons, I introduced legislation--the COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act--to prohibit the Department of Defense from dishonorably discharging American heroes who choose to not receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

There is no question about it: American heroes should not be treated as felons because of their personal medical choices.

This is one of a number of highly important issues for our national security that Leader Schumer and our colleagues across the aisle have to put on hold while they go back and forth on how to spend taxpayers' money on their radical agenda instead of finalizing the NDAA.

The annual defense bill is the only authorizing legislation that Congress passes every year--60 years in a row, as a matter of fact--but this now is the fourth latest in history that it has been initially brought up for consideration on the Senate floor.

Considering the foreign policy disasters this White House has created, one would think delivering a paycheck to our servicemembers and funding to increase our military's lethality would be top of mind.

Our troops deserve better, and I am calling on Leader Schumer to bring the NDAA to the floor. Our American heroes deserve better than this, and we need to get to my amendment as soon as possible.

I want to thank Senators Cruz, Lankford, Tuberville, Cramer, Johnson, Senators Rick Scott, Kennedy, and Senator Wicker for joining me in this important legislation.

I look forward to continuing to work with them once we submit it as an amendment to the NDAA.

I yield back.

Mr. President, EcoHealth Alliance received hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer grants and contracts, including $65 million from USAID. This company and their research may well hold in their hands the smoking gun to getting to the bottom of COVID's origins, and millions of families who lost loved ones deserve closure.

Any Federal Agency that has given them money must be transparent and provide Congress all information on what EcoHealth used that money for. We asked for this information months ago. USAID has failed to do so, and that is why I am here to object to these two unanimous consent requests.

Therefore, I object.

Mr. President, I wish to honor and recognize a true hero from Phillipsburg, KS, Deputy Sheriff John Miner. On November 4, 2020, Deputy Miner responded to an accident caused by a semi-truck colliding with multiple vehicles in Long Island, KS. What was already a scary situation on its own turned worse when fuel from the semi began leaking and ignited shortly after.

A raging fire quickly started, and suddenly, bystanders realized two toddlers--a 4-year-old and 2-year-old--were stuck in one of the cars caught in the accident. Without a second thought, Deputy Miner performed his duty to protect and serve by leaping straight into the whipping fire to rescue those two children. With just a pocketknife, he was able to cut through the seatbelts trapping them and pulled them out miraculously unharmed. Deputy Miner, however, suffered second- and third-degree burns which required skin grafts. Thankfully, he has since recovered from his injuries.

This valiant story caught the attention of many in Kansas and, now, around the Nation, as Deputy Miner has been awarded the Carnegie medal for an extraordinary act of heroism. This award is bestowed on a select few each year for showing true bravery and courage in the face of danger. Deputy Miner is absolutely deserving of this award after rescuing those two children last year from certain death.

I want to thank this brave officer for being so courageous to dive headfirst into peril. As the son of a police chief, I know the risks our men and women in blue take on each day, and they are the most admirable citizens for continually working to ensure our safety. Deputy Miner has shown what true valor looks like, and Phillipsburg is safer because of him. I ask now that my colleagues show this same admiration and recognition for Deputy Miner and that he may stay safe protecting his community.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following interns in my office be granted floor privileges until October 21, 2021: Dominique Rupp, Mason Witzke, and Francis Prosser.