Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Burr and I be permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each prior to the vote.

Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the Biden administration's nomination of Robert Califf to be the FDA Commissioner.

As FDA Commissioner during the Obama administration, Mr. Califf showed blatant disregard for the unborn and for the health and safety of women and girls when he weakened safety and reporting requirements for a dangerous chemical abortion drug.

In fact, this past December, the Biden administration went further and announced it would eliminate entirely the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion drug. This very reckless decision promotes mail order, do-it-yourself abortion-on-demand and disregards the growing threat to women's health posed by chemical abortion drugs. For example, without physician in-person screening, women are denied the opportunity to be screened for dangerous conditions like ectopic pregnancies, which can cause life-threatening complications.

Mr. Califf has refused to distance himself from the FDA's decision to abandon vulnerable pregnant women to the reckless and predatory actions of the abortion industry. Mr. Califf has a track record of putting an extreme abortion agenda above the science.

The nomination of Robert Califf to be FDA Commissioner endangers the well-being of unborn babies, women, and girls, and I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing his nomination.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Jane Lee Hamman of Jefferson County as Montanan of the Month for her patriotism and dedication to serving her community, State, and Nation.

Jane's selfless contributions began at a young age when she started volunteering for Meals on Wheels with her parents. Jane also joined her parents in supporting Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the civil rights movement, believing in equal opportunity and advancements for all people based on their character, not the color of their skin. Her life mantra is, ``living to advance freedom, knowledge and justice for all.'' I think I speak for all who know her when I say she truly embraces these ideals.

Jane's love for her country is on full display in her monthly column she writes for the Boulder Monitor newspaper. The goal of Jane's column is to preserve liberty, educate readers about America's vision of the Declaration of Independence, and celebrate our Constitution. She also shares her values of patriotism and volunteerism with others while serving as the lay leader of the Clancy United Methodist Church and as the Oro Fino Chapter Registrar of the Daughters' of the American Revolution. Additionally, Jane has been appointed by Governor Greg Gianforte to the Montana State Board of Education and is the chair for the North Jefferson County Public Library District Board of Trustees.

I have no doubt that her love for the great State of Montana and the United States of America influences every person she meets. It is my honor to recognize Jane for her commitment to serving her community, State, and country while spreading Montana values of service and patriotism.

Keep up the great work, Jane.

Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Tony Colter of Powell County as Montanan of the Month for his many years of leadership in resolving forestry and timber issues and his dedication to making Montana a better place to live for all Montanans.

Tony is a founding member of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Working Group, which was formed in 2011. The group brings Montanans with diverse interests together to collaborate with Forest Service staff and community members to promote collaboration and transparency when solving forest-level issues in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

Tony's leadership and passion for the Working Group has impacted the lives of many of his fellow Montanans. He has been instrumental in helping develop science-based restoration strategies, forging diverse partnerships, and improving Forest Service projects through collaborative approaches and recommendations.

Fellow members of the Working Group say that Tony cares deeply about the group's vision for the Forest, and his passion and charisma made him a valuable leader and representative for the Working Group. They say that learning from and working alongside Tony was an honor.

Tony also worked for many years at Sun Mountain Lumber in Deer Lodge. His former coworkers, friends, and colleagues all agree that his efforts have made a lasting impact. Bryan Lorengo with the Montana Logging Association said, ``The one thing that sticks out about Tony is his calm demeanor and willingness to listen first while respecting people's opinions and views even though they might be opposite of his own.''

It is my honor to recognize Tony for his leadership and commitment to bettering the Forest and serving his community. Through his passion for advancing the Working Group's mission for and dedication to solving forest-related issues, I have no doubt that Tony's hard work has made the great State of Montana a better place to live.

Congratulations on your retirement, Tony. You make Montana proud.

Mr. President, I rise today ahead of the 49th anniversary of the Supreme Court's tragic decision in Roe v. Wade. You might ask: What does that have to do with voting rights? It has a lot to do with voting rights because, after all, you can't have the right to vote without first having the right to life.

Every year, for nearly five decades, thousands of pro-life Americans have faithfully gathered here in DC and across this country to mark this dark day by marching for life and being a voice for the voiceless.

This year's official March for Life comes at a turning point in our Nation's history. On December 1 of last year, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the landmark 15-week abortion case out of Mississippi, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

This is the first case in our generation that presents the Supreme Court of the United States the best opportunity to right its historic injustice and finally overturn Roe v. Wade.

The Roe decision has resulted in the deaths of more than 63 million innocent babies--63 million. In fact, as I stand here and speak today, 2,363

preborn children are being killed in this country--2,363 are killed every single day.

These precious lives were created by God and intended for this world but were violently deprived of their lives because they were deemed unwanted, unfit, or simply inconvenient. And because they are so small, without voices of their own, far too many, for far too long, have ignored their desperate cries. Because of Roe, States have virtually been powerless to stop this tidal wave of bloodshed.

What is more, Roe's extreme abortion regime has made the United States a global outlier on abortion. We are just one of seven nations, including China and North Korea, that allow abortions on demand--just one of seven nations--past the point babies feel pain, all the way up until the moment of birth. It is barbaric.

Because of science and technology today, it is impossible to ignore the humanity of that little baby growing in the womb. Thanks to incredible 4D ultrasound technology, we can watch babies grow. We can hear their hearts beat. We can watch them yawn, even suck their thumbs.

We have come a long way since 1973. It is time our laws catch up with the science. Overturning Roe will not--I repeat, will not--ban abortion nationwide. And I am sad to say that some of my colleagues are not being truthful on what it might mean if Roe v. Wade is overturned. It will not ban abortions nationwide. It will return the power to pass pro-life laws to State and Federal lawmakers.

In fact, according to a recent Marist poll, 80 percent of Americans are opposed to abortions after the first 3 months of pregnancy. That is an overwhelming majority of the American people. But because of Roe, their voices are being silenced. It is time for the Supreme Court to allow State and Federal lawmakers to rightfully represent their constituents and protect the most vulnerable among us.

It is time that we as the United States of America--a nation who is supposed to be the leaders in the world of human rights--recognize what happens to be the theme of this year's March for Life, which is that equality begins in the womb.

The Dobbs case before the Supreme Court gives the Court a chance to finally restore justice and equality of the most vulnerable among us, in the spirit of this Nation's long history of progress in civil rights.

In listening to oral arguments in the Dobbs case, I was struck by something Justice Kavanaugh said.

If you think about some of the most important cases, the

most consequential cases in this court's history, there's a

string of them where the cases overruled precedent.

Justice Kavanaugh cited most notably Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which outlawed a separate but equal, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson decided in 1896. It took 58 years for the Court to recognize the obvious truth that racial segregation was wrong and overturn its grievous error in Plessy. Justice John Marshall Harlan showed tremendous courage as the lone dissenter from the Court decision in Plessy.

Now, it has taken 49 years for the Court to consider the obvious truth that all life must be protected. It has taken 49 years since Roe v. Wade for the Court to reconsider this wrongly decided case.

In the spirit of Justice Harlan, who dissented in Plessy, I would like to share a quote from another great dissenter proved right in the course of history, and that is Justice Byron White. Justice White, with his 1973 dissent, joined by Justice Rehnquist, in Doe v. Bolton, the companion case to Roe v. Wade wrote as follows:

With all due respect, I dissent. I find nothing in the

language or history of the Constitution to support the

Court's judgment.

The Court simply fashions and announces a new

constitutional right for pregnant mothers and, with scarcely

any reason or authority for its action, invests that right in

sufficient substance to override most existing state abortion

statutes.

The upshot is that the people and the legislatures of the

50 States are constitutionally disentitled to weigh the

relative importance of the continued existence and

development of the fetus, on the one hand, against a spectrum

of possible impacts on the mother, on the other hand.

As an exercise of raw judicial power, the Court perhaps has

authority to do what it does today; but, in my view, its

judgment is an improvident and extravagant exercise of the

power of judicial review that the Constitution extends to

this Court.

The Court apparently values the convenience of the pregnant

mother more than the continued existence and development of

the life or potential life that she carries. Whether or not I

might agree with that marshaling of values, I can in no event

join the Court's judgment because I find no constitutional

warrant for imposing such an order of priorities on the

people and legislatures of the States. In a sensitive area

such as this, involving as it does issues over which

reasonable men may easily and heatedly differ, I cannot

accept the Court's exercise of its clear power of choice by

interposing a constitutional barrier to state efforts to

protect human life and by investing mothers and doctors with

the constitutionally protected right to exterminate it. This

issue, for the most part, should be left with the people and

to the political processes the people have devised to govern

their affairs.

Justice White was correct. I share that belief. The Court's decision in Roe was a travesty of constitutional law and human rights, one that should follow Plessy v. Ferguson to the ash heap of history.

In the Dobbs case, I pray that we see the Supreme Court do precisely this: correct this historic injustice and uphold Mississippi's 15-week abortion law.

For the pro-life movement, overturning Roe is not the end; it is just the beginning. States across the country stand ready to protect life and provide support for pregnant moms facing crisis pregnancies.

I pray this year's March for Life marks the final anniversary of Roe v. Wade and heralds the dawn of a new day, where every life is protected.

I want to thank the thousands of Americans across the country who will be joining this year's March for Life. I would also like to thank the hundreds of Montanans who joined me just last week in Helena for last week's March for Life. I stand with you, and we will continue to fight to protect all life.

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

Mr. President, today, I have the distinct honor of recognizing John ``Big John'' Quintrell of Helena, MT, for bravely serving our Nation during the Vietnam war and for his dedication to supporting the heroes who fought alongside him.

John served honorably in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 with the Wolfhounds. I understand there are some Wolfhounds watching tonight. The Wolfhounds are the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. And he received honors, including the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.

Upon returning home, John was met with hostility and was shamed for his sacrifice in Vietnam by his fellow Americans. For the next 35 years, John, like so many of our veterans, kept that pain to himself.

In 2004, John opened a box--a box filled with items that brought back memories of Vietnam--and he was inspired to host a reunion for his fellow Vietnam veterans.

For the very first time in over 35 years, these men were reunited. John's reunion gave these often-forgotten heroes a sense of peace, a sense of acceptance, friendship, and healing. And following that successful reunion, John and the other Wolfhounds were on a mission to find others who served beside them.

And since 2004, John has connected with over 125 Wolfhounds, and many have attended 1 of the 9 reunions John planned. After hearing John's story, his children and grandchildren worked to keep these reunions going and the legacy alive.

John's support for his fellow Wolfhounds extends far beyond the reunions he planned. In 2018, John decided to document the stories of the Wolfhounds and their time in Vietnam. To date, John has conducted over 90--90--video interviews, and because of John's work, future generations will have the opportunity to hear their relatives' firsthand account of service in Vietnam.

John decided to share his own story by publishing a book entitled ``My 365 Days With the Wolfhounds in Vietnam,'' and he did that in 2021.

John's honest account of his experience in the Vietnam war has given countless veterans and their family members a sense of understanding, as well as healing. After years of suppressing memories of his time in Vietnam, John now shares his story. He shares his story with others and encourages them to share their own experience and find their own path to healing.

A big thanks to John's passion, and because of his dedication in supporting his fellow veterans, many soldiers are once again proud of their sacrifice to our great Nation. You see, John epitomizes the heart of a Montana veteran, whose selfless service has reached far beyond the battlefield. So I want to thank John. I want to thank John for his service to our great country and for the kindness he has shown to the heroes who served alongside him.

John, keep up the great work because you make Montana proud, and you make America proud.

Madam President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Craig Price of Richland County as Montanan of the Month for his generosity and service to the Sidney community.

Craig embodies the values and spirit of a Montanan. Through his upbeat attitude, generosity, and passion for volunteerism, Craig has become a pillar of the Sidney community. He has been an active member of the Sidney Lion's Club for 46 years, where he has helped with important initiatives, including Highway Clean Ups and the Meals on Wheels program.

Craig's enthusiasm for supporting Sidney's youth has made the difference in the lives of countless young Montanans. After working for 18 years as an educator and guidance counselor, Craig has dedicated countless hours to mentoring Sidney High School students involved in the school's Leo Club and instilling in them the same Montana values of generosity and service to their community. He also works with young students each year through the Lion's Club Plus Optics program, screening children for eyesight problems.

Craig's selflessness and passion for volunteerism has not gone unnoticed. He has rightfully received numerous awards for his service including the Lion's Club International President's Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Sidney Leo Club. Craig also received the Citizen of the Year award in 2021.

I have no doubt that the Sidney community is eternally grateful for Craig's countless hours of service and his devotion to instilling Montana values in the next generation. It is my honor to recognize Craig for his commitment to serving his neighbors in the Sidney community and for making Montana a better place. Keep up the great work, Craig. You make Montana proud.

Mr. President, I rise today ahead of one of the most important moments in our decades-long battle to protect life.

When our Founding Fathers laid out the Declaration of Independence, they talked about life, they talked about liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They called them certain unalienable rights endowed by our Creator. The reality is you can't have liberty and the pursuit of happiness without first having that unalienable right given by God, and that is the right to life.

Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Mississippi late-term abortion case Dobbs

v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

This puts our Nation at the crossroads of history. Our Nation has a moment to finally modernize our laws. We have got the aptitude to catch up with the great advancements seen in science, in technology, and medicine that indisputably show the humanity of unborn children.

We have the opportunity to end an extreme judicially imposed abortion regime that is aligned with nations such as China and North Korea. The United States is just one of seven nations that allows late-term abortions.

We have the opportunity to write a new chapter of American history where the people's elected representatives get to decide abortion policy in this country.

The Supreme Court of the United States has the chance to right a historic injustice and finally overturn Roe v. Wade. Our Court's nine Justices have the opportunity to reconsider a wrongly decided case.

And, by the way, that wrongly decided case that became case law, it was nine men in black robes that really have overruled the will of the people. It wasn't a State legislature. It wasn't the U.S. House. It wasn't the U.S. Senate. It was nine men in black robes in 1973 that has since resulted in the death of over 62 million innocent babies--62 million.

They have the opportunity to reverse this horrific decision that imposed abortion on demand until the moment of birth across the United States. They have the opportunity to recognize that Roe was based on flawed and outdated science and that the right to abortion, which Roe invented, has no support in the text, the history, or the structure of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has an opportunity to restore the Constitution and defend our most fundamental right, and that is a right to life.

Now, let's go back to 1973, when Roe was decided. Many things were different than they are today. Why? Well, one reason is because science and technology--and certainly fashions--have advanced greatly.

Our phones in the 1970s went from large brick-like devices with antennas--in fact, the first cell phone call was placed in 1973, the very year that Roe v. Wade was decided. They were called bricks. They were about 2\1/2\ pounds. Compare that to these thin, touchscreen smartphones that we fit in our pockets today that are less than 6 ounces in weight.

In the 1970s, computers were the size of an entire desk, and now we have laptops that can be as thin as literally a child's story that I read to my grandchildren over the Thanksgiving holidays.

Now, when we drove in the seventies, compare that to what we drive today. I am thankful that has changed.

And in the seventies, if you were a woman at the doctor getting an ultrasound at 15 weeks of pregnancy, you would have seen something like this. That is hard to recognize, but that was the technology that some ultrasounds had--the best--back in the seventies.

But, today, an ultrasound of a baby at 15 weeks, when they are using the latest 4D technology, looks like this. You literally can see this little one here at 15 weeks sticking her tongue out--15 weeks.

A baby this size is who Mississippi's historic, lifesaving law would protect from the brutal violence of a late-term abortion. That is a 15- week baby. If you don't believe me, take out your smartphone, google ``15-week baby,'' and click on--images.--

Roe and Casey made it illegal for States like Mississippi to enforce laws that protect babies like this one on the grounds that this baby could not survive outside the womb. It was a point called viability.

Roe and Casey's viability line is arbitrary. It is unscientific. It is morally repugnant because, in 1973, babies could survive outside of the womb at 28 weeks of pregnancy. Today, babies are surviving outside the womb as early as 21 weeks but not yet as early as 15 weeks.

It is barbaric to deny lifesaving protections to a helpless, pre-born child like this one simply because she cannot survive outside the womb.

The reality is, even a full-term, 40-week-old baby needs nurturing, care, and medical assistance to survive outside the womb. A full-term baby delivered at 40 or 41 weeks still requires the nurturing and the care of the parent to survive outside the womb. They have got to be fed. They have got to be kept warm. They have got to be taken care of. They can't do it on their own.

Martin Luther King once said: ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.''

This is also true in the case of the Supreme Court's prior unjust decisions on abortion. In fact, the logic of Roe and Casey's viability test undermines the moral coherence of civil rights protections for everyone who is unable to survive without assistance from others. That includes infants, young children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

A pre-born child is not a ``potential life,'' as Roe so wrongly concluded. This precious child and all children inside the womb, at any stage of development, are whole. They are distinct. They are living human beings. They are fully human and fully living. They are beautifully living children made in the image of God, who should be protected by the law.

Now, we have come a long way since 1973. Our laws must now do the same. As you just saw, at the time that Roe v. Wade was decided, it was very hard to clearly see a baby in the womb. But because of science and technology today, it is impossible to ignore the humanity of this growing baby.

If I took this image and we had the American people say, ``What is that?'' they would say, ``That is a baby.''

At 15 weeks, a baby has arms and legs, can hiccup, can yawn. The heart is fully developed. At 15 weeks, the heart has already beaten 15 million times. That baby has distinct facial expressions. It can hear the voice of the mother and respond. It can taste, suck a thumb, and, as you can see in that other image I had, even stick out her tongue.

I am a father of four and grandfather of two. We have another grandchild coming any day. Our daughter's due date is December 3. It is Friday. My wife and I, who have been married now 35 years, have our favorite way of tracking our grandbaby's growth. This didn't happen in 1973, but today we have apps on our phones. I have been using an app called Sprout. There are several out there. I downloaded it. I can see how my little grandson is doing in each week of the pregnancy. It is remarkable--remarkable. We have been following this little baby now since week 8. We are at week 40 here this weekend. This cutting-edge technology is at the tip of our fingers--something we couldn't imagine 50 years ago. We have that at the tip of our fingers. Our laws must catch up with the advancement of science and technology.

It is very important that we are clear about what overturning Roe would mean for our country because there is a lot of misinformation out there. Let me state this as clearly as I can. Overturning Roe will not--let me say that again--will not ban abortion nationwide, as many on the left like to claim in an attempt to mislead Americans. That is absolutely false. It will not ban abortions nationwide. Instead, it returns the power to the States. It returns the power to Federal lawmakers, allowing them to protect the most vulnerable and act on behalf of the people they are elected to represent, because today under Roe, State lawmakers are robbed of their ability to represent the values of their constituents. Yet, because of Roe, the will of the people of Mississippi to protect life is obstructed.

According to a recent Marist poll, 80 percent of Americans are opposed to abortions after the first 3 months--that is 12 weeks--of pregnancy. That is an overwhelming majority of the American people, but because of Roe, their voices are being silenced.

It is time for the Supreme Court to allow the States and Federal lawmakers--those of us who are elected, who are held directly accountable by the people--to protect the most vulnerable among us. It is time that we, as the United States of America, a nation that is supposed to be a leader in the world on human rights, recognize that innocent babies in the womb deserve equal protection under our laws.

I am sure many of my colleagues and most Americans would agree that nations like communist China and North

Korea egregiously violate human rights. Yet when it comes to abortion, sadly, America stands with them. There are just seven countries, and we are on that list. The United States is a global outlier on abortion. We are just one of seven nations that allow abortions on demand past the point where a baby feels pain, all the way up, in fact, until the moment of birth. Standing with North Korea and China on abortion is horrifying. It is a disgraceful place for the greatest country in the world to be. We must do better.

I want to thank Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, her entire team, and the Mississippi Legislature for their unwavering support of life. We stand with you. Millions of Americans stand with you, young and old. They are praying for this momentous moment that will be occurring before our Court tomorrow.

As we stand here today, we are mere hours away from a pivotal point in our Nation's history. I pray that we remember tomorrow as the turning point that closes a really dark chapter of our Nation's history and heralds the dawn of truly a new day in America for those who have no voice to finally have a voice; one that honors the human dignity, the God-given potential of all life; one that positions the United States as a leader in the world, that stands up and puts an end to the horrific violence of abortion, especially painful late-term abortions. I pray that we see the Supreme Court of the United States correct a historic injustice, that they would uphold Mississippi's 15-week abortion law and send Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history.

For the pro-life movement, overturning Roe is not the end but just the beginning.

As I stated earlier, this does not ban abortions nationwide. What it does is it will return the decisionmaking back to the States.

No matter how the Court rules, we will continue to fight on the State and Federal level to pass laws to end the violence of abortion. We will not rest until the day that every life is protected under laws from conception until natural death.

I want to thank my colleagues for being here today to talk about the importance of the Dobbs case. I want to thank my friend Senator Lankford for helping me with this fight for life. I am grateful to the two Senators from Mississippi, where this case originated, this law originated. I am grateful for Senator Wicker, who is here today, and I know he has some comments he wants to share as well.

I yield the floor.

Madam President.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, border security is national security. That is why I rise today to speak on my amendment No. 4236, to block President Biden's outrageous taxpayer- funded handouts to illegal immigrants who broke the law and entered our country illegally.

At a time when American families are struggling because of Bidenflation, when families are paying more for everything from gas to groceries, to heating their homes, the President wants to give up to hundreds of millions of your taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants as a reward for breaking the law.

Don't forget, we still have a crisis on our southern border, and we should be doing all that we can to secure our southern border, not incentivize illegal immigration.

These taxpayer-funded handouts to illegal immigrants are outrageous, and I would urge my colleagues to allow a vote on my commonsense amendment.

Therefore, I ask unanimous consent to modify the request to include my amendment No. 4236.

I object.

Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing MAJ Daniela Ragen, U.S. Army National Guard, of Broadwater County, as Montanan of the Month for her service to our Nation.

Daniela knew from a young age that she wanted to be a soldier. As soon as she enlisted in the Army, Daniela faced a challenge--a language barrier. She persisted and studied tirelessly to pass her English exams with high scores--so high she was accused of cheating and was forced to retake the exam. That didn't deter her. She retook the exam and passed again with flying colors.

Following a period of service on Active Duty, Major Ragen joined the Arizona National Guard, where she continued her career as an analyst in the Joint Counter Narcotics Task Force. Major Ragen then enrolled in the selective 15-month officer candidate school, where she was 1 of only 6 participants who graduated from a starting class of 21 students.

In addition to serving her country, Daniela has served the great State of Montana as a coordinator for the Montana National Guard Counter Drug Program. In this position, Daniela represents the best of both the National Guard and the State of Montana through her values of service, leadership, and persistence. She was even selected by her colleagues to serve as the chair for Northwest Region Advisory Committee for the National Counterdrug Program.

On top of being an exemplary Montanan and soldier, Daniela is a wife and a mother of five children, one of whom is currently serving in the Montana National Guard. Her husband, LTC Chase Ragen, is also a long- serving officer in the Montana National Guard.

Major Ragen truly embodies the values of a soldier and the spirit of a Montanan. It is my honor to recognize Daniela for her resilience, courage, and commitment to serving her great State and country. Keep up the great work, Major Ragen.

Mr. President, this month marks the first anniversary of the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family. The historic coalition that issued this declaration was formed by a diverse group of countries committed to advancing women's health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that there is no international right to abortion, upholding the importance of the family as foundational to society, and defending the sovereign right of Nations to make their own laws to advance these core values, without external pressure. The Geneva Consensus Declaration was signed on October 22, 2020, by 32 countries from every region of the world, representing more than 1,600,000,000 people, which committed to working together on the core pillars enshrined in the declaration, and five countries have subsequently signed. Although President Biden removed the United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus Declaration earlier this year, at least temporarily, the coalition is alive and growing, currently consisting of 36 countries.

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the text of this landmark document and the names of the 36 signatory countries.

Mr. President, today I have the honor of recognizing Madison County commissioner Jim Hart for his 15 years of service to the citizens of Madison County, MT.

Jim was sworn in on January 1, 2007, and never looked back. He tackled a variety of tough issues impacting a large county in southwest Montana. From the Barney Bridge to the Ennis-Big Sky Airport, local infrastructure was critically important to Jim and his constituents.

Fellow Madison Commissioners Dan Allhands and Ron Nye shared a quip that Commissioner Hart often told them and fellow Madisonians after local projects were completed. They said, ``You done good.'' And I agree. Jim's calm demeanor was an effective tool in his toolbox that allowed him to be especially effective serving his constituents and rise in stature across our great State.

Commissioner Hart became only the second commissioner in the history of Madison County to be elected president of Montana Association of Counties, otherwise known as MACo. Commissioner Jason Strouf from Custer County and MACo's current president said, ``Commissioner Hart is a truly honorable and kind leader who has been steadfast in his service to Madison County as well as all counties in Montana. Our members, through Jim's tenure as MACo President, quickly became familiar with-- and learned from--his quiet yet resolute governing skills. It has been an honor and a privilege to know Commissioner Hart.''

I am grateful for Jim's dedication and passion to serving Montana. He has surely left Madison County with large shoes to fill.

Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Daniel Hutchinson of Roosevelt County as Montanan of the Month for his acts of heroism and leadership following the tragic Amtrak derailment that occurred in Joplin, MT, last month.

Daniel and his son Joshua were two of the 141 passengers on board the Empire Builder train headed to Seattle on September 25, 2021. That afternoon, tragedy struck. The train derailed in rural Montana between Joplin and Chester. After the crash, Daniel didn't hesitate to jump into action and help fellow passengers aboard the train.

His years of military training prepared him to act swiftly and selflessly to identify injured passengers and help others off the train. Daniel immediately took control of the situation, making his way through the train and calling out to locate trapped or injured passengers.

After the accident, Daniel stated that he said a prayer thanking the Lord for putting him in the right place at the right time. He did everything he could to get others out of harm's way, and I believe the passengers Daniel helped are also saying a prayer of thanks for his heroic actions.

His kindness and leadership extend far beyond that fateful day. Daniel's son, Joshua, describes him as a good neighbor, an avid outdoorsman, and an advocate for veterans. Joshua says his dad is a true Montanan in every sense of the word, and I couldn't agree more.

It is my honor to recognize Daniel for his quick and decisive actions on the day of that horrific accident and for his everyday acts of service that make Montana a better place.

Mr. President, first of all, I want to thank the Senator from Utah for his courtesy.

Thank you, Senator Lee.

Unanimous Consent Request--S. 2196

Mr. President, Americans across the country, people around the world, and myself believe that in this room, they know that President Biden is failing at our southern border. That is not a secret. We have had months of record-shattering numbers of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border.

We have had unfathomable amounts of illegal drugs produced by Mexican cartels--meth, fentanyl, heroin--coming into our country. It is making its way across that southern border and into States like my home State of Montana.

Many of you have probably heard me say that Montana is a northern border State with a southern border crisis. Well, that is true. The crisis at our southern border, created by President Biden, is out of control, and we all know we must do something to change the status quo to protect our families and our communities.

But what I am here to talk about today is how President Biden is also failing at our northern border--the border between the United States and Canada. While our southern border remains wide open to illegal drugs, illegal immigrants--many potentially COVID-positive or unvaccinated--our northern border remains closed because of President Biden.

The hypocrisy here is stunning. It is infuriating. It is unexplainable. There is no reason or rationale behind President Biden's decision. It can't be because of COVID-19 or because of vaccination rates. Canadians are over 80

percent vaccinated--80 percent. Haitians, on the other hand, coming across the southern border, have less than a 1-percent COVID vaccination rate. So if COVID-19 and the vaccination rates were the issue, then why did President Trudeau lift his restrictions and start allowing Americans to travel to Canada on August 9? It makes no sense.

President Biden is prohibiting Canadians from traveling into the United States. They can't come into Montana.

Who is paying the price for President Biden's hypocrisy? Montanans are paying the price. Montana families and Montana businesses are paying the price. Montana border communities and northern border communities across the country are paying the price. President Biden's inexplicable policies are hurting Montana's economy, destroying jobs, shuttering businesses, and hurting our families.

In fact, let me give you an example. Great Falls, MT, which proudly calls Malmstrom Air Force Base its home, reported that they have seen a 20- to 25-percent decrease in revenue due to the continued border closure. This is, sadly, the story we are hearing from many communities and business owners across Montana as Canadians are no longer able to come visit our beautiful State.

This has been going on for far too long. Since the President will not do the right thing, to use some good old-fashioned Montana commonsense to listen to Montanans and open our northern border, I have introduced a bill to do just that.

And, by the way, I have seen some of my colleagues across the aisle join me in calling on this administration to reopen the northern border, and I am grateful for that, but actions speak louder than words.

Today, we have the opportunity to stop putting the power in the hands of President Biden to make the right decision here--he hasn't made it-- because we know that won't happen. Today, we can pass my bill, called the Restoring the Northern Border Travel Act, and require the Biden administration to reopen the northern border. Let's help revitalize Montana. How about the other northern border States? Let's put an end to this irrational closure and this hypocrisy. A wide open southern border and a closed northern border, it doesn't make any sense.

So I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in passing my bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 2196 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I am grateful for the support the Senator from Delaware has offered here. The reason I am down here asking for the unanimous consent this evening is to provide a sense of urgency to try to get this done now.

President Trudeau opened up the Canadian border on August 9, and President Biden has kept the border shut down to Canadians coming in during that entire time. It doesn't make sense. COVID is a concern. We agree on that. However, it should not be a concern at the U.S.-Canadian border, with Canadians having an 80-percent vaccination rate.

Canada began letting fully vaccinated Americans cross the border 2 months ago. Canada has a higher vaccination rate than the United States. I find it a bit hypocritical to talk about the concern about vaccination rates and relating that to the northern border and, at the same time, the southern border is wide open with vaccination rates, for example, of Haitians of less than 1 percent.

So anyway, we want to get this resolved. We are seeing businesses and families suffer in northern border States. This administration continues to have a wide open southern border policy while keeping the northern border closed. Montana can't figure that one out. Many of us who live in northern border States see the same thing. The hypocrisy has to end. The travel at the U.S.-Canadian border needs to be restored immediately.

I yield the floor.