Floor Statements

Madam President, the U.S. Senate, indeed, our entire Nation, is mourning the loss of a great leader, an American patriot, our colleague and friend, Senator John McCain.

I first met John McCain when I was a young staffer in Senator Bill Cohen's office and John was serving as the Navy's liaison officer. As a fellow Senator for the past 21 years, I knew him as a trusted colleague, a courageous legislator, and a close friend.

John was a true American hero who devoted his life to serving his country. Courage and character were the hallmarks of his military service as well as his work in Congress. In the Senate, he was a consequential leader on the most critical issues facing our country. John McCain was one of our Congress's most respected voices for a strong national defense and for good government. His word was as much his bond in Washington as it was to his brothers in arms in Vietnam.

I would like to share with my colleagues a story, I believe, that demonstrates the essential character of John McCain.

In November of 2010, John was part of a congressional delegation on its way to a security conference in Nova Scotia. Bad weather caused their flight to be diverted to Bangor, ME, where I live. I shortly received a phone call to come to the airport, and I went and welcomed John and my colleagues on their unplanned visit.

As it happened, the Troop Greeters of Maine were at the airport at the same time. This legendary group of citizens has greeted more than 1.5 million servicemembers either leaving to go overseas or returning home since 2003; never missing a single flight, even in bad weather or the middle of the night. The Presiding Officer, I believe--who also has served her country so well, Senator Ernst--was one of those who was greeted by the Troop Greeters in Bangor, ME.

Rather than fly out when the weather cleared, John and the others in the delegation agreed to stay and join me with the long line of these patriotic Troop Greeters to await the arrival of the airplanes.

I remember when I told John that there was a plane that would be arriving shortly and then there was another one in a couple of hours, he said: Of course, we will stay.

Well, you can imagine, having gone through the gauntlet of Mainers greeting and welcoming the troops back home, hugging them, cheering them, giving them cell phones, thanking them for their service, that all of a sudden the troops realized they had just shaken hands with John McCain; the legendary John McCain, who was so popular with servicemembers. I saw them literally do a double take when the first group went by, shook his hand, and then turned around and said to each other: Wasn't that John McCain who just shook our hands?

They then came back and of course posed for pictures and chatted with him and held up the rest of the line, who were very eager to see John.

I will never forget how thrilled these troops were to be greeted, when they

were first setting foot back on American soil, by a true American hero, John McCain; someone who had served our country with such courage and character.

By the end of the day, John had spent 3 hours greeting two planeloads of soldiers. He loved greeting them and posing for pictures. It was such a heartwarming, unexpected event and a very special moment. It not only gladdened the hearts of the troops but also of the Troop Greeters, who were thrilled to have their hero with them.

It was vintage John McCain that he stayed even after the weather had cleared and greeted each and every one of those troops.

John McCain did what he thought was right, regardless of the political consequences. He had absolutely no interest in scoring partisan political points on the Senate floor. He welcomed and would listen to good ideas, whether they came from the Democratic or the Republican side of the aisle. While he was always open to new evidence, good ideas, and was capable of changing his mind, he was unshakeable when he was convinced of the appropriateness of a course of action.

John was impatient. He wanted to get on with solving the problems facing our country. He had no use for the political games that, sadly, far too often are played in the Senate.

One often overlooked aspect of John was his love for the environment. I once visited him at his beloved ranch in Sedona, and I was surprised when he took me all over the property, pointing out birds, naming them, and clearly taking such delight in the wildlife. Until that moment, I did not know of his interest and love for nature.

Later on, I accompanied John on a trip he organized to the Arctic to see the permafrost melting and to meet with Native Alaskans. We also traveled to Antarctica, where we spent 4 days meeting with scientists who told us of the impact of global warming.

He took me on so many trips and broadened my horizons. Four times we went to Afghanistan, four times to Iraq. We went to Yemen. We went to Libya and met with Colonel Qadhafi before he was overthrown and killed. John taught me so much on these trips.

The principles that guided John's life are best summed up by his own words from his beautiful autobiography, ``Faith of My Fathers.'' He said: ``Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom you rely, and who rely on you in return.''

John McCain was a statesman and a dear friend who was devoted to a cause greater than himself, and that cause was the United States of America.

It has been an honor to serve alongside him for nearly 21 years in the U.S. Senate. Although he will be deeply missed by all of us, he leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that will inspire Americans for generations to come.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, what a pleasure it is to be here on the Senate floor with such determined advocates on behalf of the families all across our Nation who are dealing with this devastating disease of Alzheimer's.

I spoke earlier in the week about the many terrific provisions in this bill on the Defense appropriations side and on the Labor, Health, and Human Services part of the appropriations package, but I am delighted to be here today to shine a spotlight on the additional funding for Alzheimer's disease.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, it has been such a pleasure to work with my colleagues, including Senator Moran, Senator Capito, and our leader, Chairman Blunt, on this shared priority year after year. I particularly want to recognize the extraordinary leadership of Chairman Blunt in making sure that adequate funding is provided for this devastating disease.

Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the Nation, and it is increasing at unprecedented rates. Like many families, mine too has known the pain of its devastating consequences. Today, an estimated 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's.

In addition to the human suffering it causes, Alzheimer's is our most costly disease at $277 billion a year, with Medicare and Medicaid covering $186 billion. Without a change in the current trajectory, the number of Americans with Alzheimer's is expected to triple to as many as 14 million by 2050, costing more than $1.1 trillion per year and bankrupting the Medicaid system.

Fortunately, Congress has taken significant actions and in this bill recognizes the urgent need to continue our investment full speed ahead.

Since the 2011 signing of the National Alzheimer's Project Act, known as NAPA, which I coauthored with former Senator Evan Bayh, we have increased funding for Alzheimer's by $1.36 billion. Seven years ago, NIH received only $440 million for this research, compared to more than $5 billion for another very serious disease--cancer. Since that time, we have steadily boosted Federal research dollars for Alzheimer's--to $936 million in 2016, $1.4 billion in 2017, and $1.8 billion last year--but this bill before us achieves a milestone because by adding another $425 million for this research, the total funding for the first time will exceed the $2 billion mark. This is the largest increase in history, and it allows us to reach the level that experts have advised us is necessary to find a means of prevention, effective treatments, or ultimately a cure by the year 2025.

This has been a bipartisan commitment. Alzheimer's doesn't care whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or a Green. It does not discriminate. This robust commitment promises returns such as we have seen for cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Fueled by Federal support, researchers are beginning to understand more clearly the complex biology of Alzheimer's with sophisticated new tools that are leading to better imaging agents and therapies.

NIH research is laying the foundation for precision medicine through the Accelerating Medicines Partnership for Alzheimer's Disease, which will produce more targeted therapies that I believe will lead to a means of either preventing or at least delaying the onset of this disease. With NIH funds, scientists are also exploring possible risk factors, including diet, heart health, diabetes, and exposure to environmental toxins. Results from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial released last month found that lowering blood pressure is associated with reducing the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Through a $25 million NIA grant, the Jackson Laboratory in Maine is co-leading the Alzheimer's Disease Precision Models Center with Indiana University--the first of its kind--to accelerate the most promising research into therapies from the bench to the bedside. This is exactly the kind of collaboration and sharing we need to make a difference.

As chairman of the Senate Aging Committee and founder and co-chair of the Senate Alzheimer's Task Force and as a Senator representing the oldest State in the Nation by median age, I am committed to making 2020 the dawn of light for Alzheimer's to alter the path for generations to come. The robust support in this bill represents a historic step forward that will promise dividends in the future. As glimmers of light seep through this door that has been shut tight for far too long, we must continue to push forward. We cannot let up on the accelerator of funding.

We need to improve the lives of those living with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. How many of us have seen an elderly parent caring for a beloved

spouse with severe dementia? It takes a toll not just on the victim of the disease but on the entire family and particularly on the caregivers. That is one reason I have introduced the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act with Senator Cortez Masto. This bipartisan bill would promote public health knowledge and awareness of Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline, and brain health by supporting implementation of the CDC's Healthy Brain Initiative: Public Health Road Map. BOLD now has 48 cosponsors, I am delighted to report, and we are on track to consider the bill soon in the HELP Committee, led by Senator Alexander and Senator Murray. BOLD follows our previous efforts, such as NAPA, and, together with the extraordinary increase in NIH funding that we are providing today, these congressional actions are poised to usher in a whole new era in our battle against this devastating disease.

I have visited research laboratories all across the United States-- the Mayo Clinic, NIH here in the Washington area, Jackson Laboratory in the great State of Maine, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard--and I have seen what is going on in the labs due to the increases in NIH funding we have provided. It is so exciting. I am convinced that if we sustain this commitment, we will be able to avoid such tragedy for so many American families, as well as avoid the tremendous burden of our Nation's most costly disease.

Again, I salute Chairman Blunt's efforts to continue to press forward and thank him for his leadership and strong support of biomedical research.

I yield the floor to the chairman of the subcommittee, Senator Blunt.

Thank you, Mr. President.

It has been 11 years since a Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill has been considered on the Senate floor, so let me begin my remarks this morning by commending the chairman and ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee, Senators Shelby and Leahy, for their determination to report each and every one of the appropriations bills so they can be considered, fully debated, and amended in the regular order. I also commend the subcommittee chairman, Senator Blunt, and the ranking member, Senator Murray, for their leadership in creating a bipartisan bill.

This bill will make critical investments in medical research, opioid abuse prevention and treatment, the education of our students, and strengthening America's workforce.

I appreciate so much that the subcommittee accommodated so many of my priorities in crafting this bill. It has my very strong support. I am particularly pleased that the bill includes another $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health. Robust investments in biomedical research will pay dividends for many American families struggling with disease and disability, just as such research has enabled us to prevent, treat, or cure other serious illnesses.

Notably, this year, for the first time, the bill reaches the milestone of providing at least $2 billion a year for Alzheimer's disease research--the amount that the advisory council to the National Plan to Combat Alzheimer's Disease has calculated is needed to find an effective treatment for this disease by the year 2025. Tomorrow, I will join Senator Blunt and others of my colleagues delivering separate remarks dedicated to this milestone achievement, but I did want to briefly highlight that investment now.

As founder and the cochair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, I am also pleased this bill continues to recognize the importance of investing in diabetes research. Since founding the caucus in 1997, funding for diabetes has increased more than sixfold, from $319 million in 1997 to $2 billion in 2018, and that is only appropriate. We know treating and caring for older people with diabetes consumes approximately one out of three Medicare dollars, so this is a very expensive disease as well as one that causes a great deal of heartache and damage to those who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life. I have also worked very hard with the Juvenile Research Diabetes Foundation on type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in childhood and is a lifelong disease. The investments we have made have helped us make real breakthroughs in diabetes treatment. The bill provides a $60 million increase for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders at NIH. As the NIH's lead agency for diabetes research, this continued investment is critical to preventing diabetes, improving the lives of more than 30 million Americans, including 12 million seniors already living with the disease, as well as providing the foundation to ultimately discover a cure for type 1 diabetes.

This bill provides $3.7 billion in the fight against the opioid epidemic that is gripping our country. Sadly, in my State of Maine, the crisis has actually worsened with drug-related overdoses claiming the lives of 407 people in Maine last year, according to the new statistics from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

The crisis in Maine shows no signs of abating. Indeed, the contamination of heroin with fentanyl has made this crisis even worse, taking the lives of even more who are in the grips of addiction. While I am very hopeful the Senate will consider a comprehensive opioids package put together by the Senate HELP Committee, to which many of us contributed in the weeks ahead, it is imperative that the funds provided in this appropriations bill reach our communities without delay.

This legislation also funds key priorities for vulnerable seniors, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which I know is of interest to the Presiding Officer because he represents the State of Alaska, and that program is critical there, as it is in the State of Maine. It funds the State Health Insurance Program, Meals on Wheels, and other essential programs that make such a difference to our seniors.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, I am particularly delighted that this bill provides a $300,000 increase to the administration for community living for the establishment of the family caregivers advisory council. This council was created by a bipartisan bill that I introduced with Senator Baldwin, the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, and it will help develop a coordinated strategic plan to leverage our resources, promote best practices, and expand services and training for our Nation's caregivers.

I am sure everyone here has had the experience of a parent who is already older taking care of a disabled spouse--perhaps someone with Alzheimer's disease, which is 24/7 for that caregiver. Caregivers need more support and assistance. They need to know where to go. We need to expand respite care, which is the No. 1 concern I hear from caregivers. Respite care in rural areas is extremely difficult to find. The hearings we have held in the Aging Committee have also put a spotlight on the mobility challenges that many seniors face as they age, such as difficulty climbing steep staircases that can lead to devastating falls, performing routine household chores, taking care of themselves, or being able to drive. This bill provides a $4 million increase for the creation of a new aging and technology program to support the development of assisted technology for seniors with disabilities in rural areas. The University of Maine Center on Aging is doing such interesting work in this area after collaborating with assisted living facilities and talking directly to older Americans to find out what they need. Sometimes it is merely a matter of renovating a bathroom or putting up grab bars, installing sensors to make sure the refrigerator door is being opened regularly so you know the older American is eating properly. Sometimes it is more complicated than that. This center will help us explore how technology can allow more of our seniors to age in place and stay in the comfort, security, and privacy of their own homes, where many of them long to be.

Maintaining access to care in rural areas is essential, and, thus, I also support the inclusion of $71.5 million for the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program. This bill also calls on the Federal Government to remove arbitrary barriers around collaboration between rural and nonrural health providers that could inadvertently close off opportunities. We have seen that happen in my State, where a community health center that is located in Bangor, ME, is trying to help a very rural community, Jackman, ME, which unfortunately recently lost its nursing home and was using the local hospital for assistance. We need to have more collaboration and not let arbitrary bureaucratic rules prevent that kind of cooperation. It is paramount that we do not discourage innovative approaches in healthcare.

On a related note, I also applaud the inclusion of increased funding to support community health centers, which serve approximately 27 million Americans, including upward of 186,000 individuals in the State of Maine. Community health centers will only continue to play a larger role in healthcare delivery as we seek to reduce overall healthcare costs, as well as provide greater access to behavioral health and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services.

In addition to key health and aging priorities, this bill also supports essential programs at the Department of Education. Notably, this bill provides increased investments in title I, which helps our public schools serve low-income students. The student support in academic enrichment grants, which help to provide students with well- rounded education, is an important program that brings art, music, and technology to our rural community schools. I also strongly support the increased investment in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, which has provided opportunities to children with disabilities and helped many of them reach their full potential. Across the State of Maine, superintendents, principals, and teachers tell me that one of the most effective ways we can support education overall is to better fund the Federal share of IDEA. That would help every single school district.

When IDEA became law in 1975, Congress set a goal of providing 40 percent of the excess cost of serving students with disabilities. I regret to say, we are nowhere near reaching that goal, but this increase in funding for IDEA represents a step forward toward fulfilling that commitment, and I hope we can do more next year.

This bill also funds teacher and school leader professional development, and the Rural Education Achievement Program, a law that I coauthored several years ago to bring additional resources to small and rural schools. Students in rural America should have the same access to Federal dollars and a good education as those living in urban and suburban communities. REAP has helped to provide equity for small rural schools in Maine and across the country. It has helped to support an array of activities, such as new technology in classrooms, distance learning opportunities, and professional development.

Here is a great example. REAP funding has helped Maine's small island schools connect together to create an island reading program using video conference technology that this program made affordable. In other parts of Maine, REAP has helped schools acquire new technology hardware, software, and to expand teacher training.

Having worked at a Maine college before I came to the Senate--Husson University--I know firsthand this bill's important investments in higher education, including Pell Grants and the TRIO Programs. The University of Maine is one of those institutions that has a great TRIO Program. It will help low-income and first-generation students access college education. TRIO often makes the difference in a student's ability to attend and complete a college education.

Funding for apprenticeships and workforce development programs are

also key priorities that will strengthen Maine's workforce, preparing people with the skills and experience they need to succeed.

I could go on and on, but there are many others seeking recognition. Let me just end by urging my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2019 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. It is good and much needed legislation.

Thank you.

Mr. President, in 2010, Bangor Daily News journalist Christopher Cousins wrote a touching essay on a fishing trip he had taken with his young son to the Maine lake where he and his father had fished throughout his childhood. It was his first trip back since his father's death 3 years earlier.

That remarkable essay exploring the special bond between father and child and the powerful link between fond memories of the past and hopes for the future took on added poignancy on August 15 when Chris passed away at age 42. At this difficult time, I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Jen, and his sons, Caleb and Jacob.

As a husband and father, Chris was devoted to his family. As a consummate journalist who worked for several Maine newspapers, he was devoted to the best ideals of his profession. His work covered a wide range of subjects, but it consistently demonstrated a commitment to the truth and to providing his readers with the information that is the lifeblood of democracy.

Chris joined the Bangor Daily News in 2009, covering local news in southern Penobscot and Somerset Counties with a keen understanding of the issues that concern the people of Maine. In 2010, he covered the Maine Gubernatorial race with extraordinary energy and insight.

In 2013, Chris became State house bureau chief for his newspaper. Always tenacious and unfailingly fair, he earned the respect of politicians on both sides of the aisle and throughout the halls of government. His work ethic, skill as a writer, and belief in accountability led to a better understanding of the complex and often contentious issues that confront our State.

Chris's passing is a great loss to the people of Maine, his many friends, and his colleagues at the Bangor Daily News. It is a heartbreaking loss to his wonderful family, and I hope they will find comfort in knowing that his contributions and accomplishments truly made a difference to people throughout Maine.

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

Mr. President, as a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, let me begin my remarks by thanking Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Durbin, as well as Vice Chairman Leahy, for their leadership on the committee and their advocacy for the men and women who defend our Nation.

At a time when the threats to our Nation are increasing rather than decreasing, the work of the Defense Subcommittee is vitally important to ensure that our men and women in uniform, as well as our DOD civilian employees, have the training, ships,

planes, vehicles, and other equipment they need to defend our country.

The bipartisan bill reported out of the committee reaffirms the strategic importance of our Navy and our shipbuilding programs by including funding for three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2019, while also including $250 million in advance procurement funding for an additional destroyer in fiscal year 2020. This funding signals our strong belief that the Navy should sustain an aggressive rate of growth for large surface combatants in fiscal year 2020 and beyond in order to project strength in an increasingly dangerous and complex world.

In recognition of national security imperatives, the Navy's own 2016 fleet structure assessment increased the target number for large surface combatants to 104 ships from the 88 ships called for under the previous 308-ship Navy requirement. Maintaining a steady and predictable production profile for large ships will not only protect the help of our shipbuilding industrial base but also ensure that the Navy maintains an adequate number of these ships into the future.

In Maine, we are very proud of the vital role Bath Iron Works plays in contributing to our national security by building and maintaining ships for the fleet. BIW is known throughout the fleet for the high quality of its ships that are built there, with many Sailors using the motto ``Bath built is best built.'' BIW employs the finest shipbuilders, engineers, and designers in the world. This bill rightly recognizes the great value that these tried and tested warships bring to the Navy.

I am also proud of the continued investment this bill makes at our Nation's public shipyards. The additional $350 million provided for facility sustainment, research, restoration, and modernization, as well as the $176 million for shipyard investment acceleration, will help the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME, and other public shipyards keep our Nation's submarines at sea for years to come.

This bill also makes critical investments in research and development programs that are being carried out in partnership with research institutions such as the University of Maine. These programs include producing jet fuel from Maine's forest biomass, using structural thermoplastics for Army ground vehicles, conducting cellulose nanocomposite research for the Army, developing hybrid composite structures for the Navy, and participating in the Navy's advanced hull form development initiative, among many other essential research and development projects.

Our legislation invests in cutting edge, fifth generation aircraft by funding 89 F-35 aircraft. These state-of-the-art planes are truly the future of aviation, and I am proud of Pratt & Whitney's contributions to this program through its construction of the F135 engine at its facility in North Berwick, ME.

Additionally, our legislation procures eight heavy-lift helicopters for the Marine Corps. The rotating drive shafts are a critical component of this aircraft and are produced at Hunting Dearborn's facility in Fryeburg, ME.

The National Guard, as the Presiding Officer is well aware, provides our country with both a strategic and operational reserve which has proven itself time and again.

I applaud the bill's inclusion of providing $900 million to the National Guard and Reserve equipment account to modernize our Reserve Forces and ensure their full interoperability with the Active-Duty Force.

Finally, the committee report ensures that Congress has sufficient oversight over any efforts to close or realign facilities of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. DFAS, as it is called, maintains a highly efficient facility in Limestone, ME. It is responsible for payments to our servicemembers, DOD employees, vendors, and contractors. Given this critical responsibility, I applaud the work done by the hundreds of hard-working employees at Limestone, and I welcome their continued support of our Armed Forces.

I am very pleased that we are proceeding the Defense appropriations bill, as well as the Labor-HHS appropriations legislation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass both bills in one package this week.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my defense fellow, John-Paul Mantone, be granted floor privileges for the length of the current debate on the appropriations bills that are before us.

Mr. President, I call up the following amendments and ask unanimous consent that they be reported by number: No. 3464, No. 3522, No. 3524, and No. 3402.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to proceed with a closing statement for up to 3 minutes.

Mr. President, as we near completion of the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, which has been included in the appropriations package before this Chamber, I wish to thank all of my colleagues for working collaboratively with us.

The managers' amendment incorporates 14 T-HUD amendments, which adds to the deliberations that produced the bill that we brought to the floor. In drafting this bill, the ranking member, Senator Jack Reed, to whom I am very grateful for his bipartisan collaboration, reviewed more than 800 requests and input from 70 Senators from both sides of the aisle. This truly is a bipartisan product. I also want to thank the staff for their diligence and commitment throughout this process.

Our Transportation-HUD bill makes important investments in our infrastructure and housing programs that will benefit communities and vulnerable families, seniors, young people, homeless veterans, and so many others across the Nation. Improving our infrastructure is also essential for economic growth, personal mobility, and the creation of jobs.

I am pleased that we were able to bring this spending bill to the floor so that Members have a full opportunity to analyze and debate this legislation rather than the past practice of moving all the appropriations bills in one enormous, 1,000-page omnibus. That is a great credit to the Senate, to the Appropriations Committee, and particularly its leaders, Senator Shelby and Senator Leahy, and to the majority and minority leaders as well. All of them worked together and made it a goal for us to report all 12 appropriations bills from the Appropriations Committee and bring them to the floor for full and open debate. That is how the process is meant to work. I want to thank my Members on both sides of the aisle and urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. President, I wish to also speak about clarifying FDA regulations on ``added sugar'' labeling requirements. It is very important to our pure maple syrup and honey producers in the State of Maine.

I rise to thank my colleagues, including Chairman Shelby, for including in the managers' package an amendment that I offered with Senators King, Sanders, Hoeven, Shaheen, and Leahy to help protect our pure maple syrup and honey producers from labeling requirements that could create widespread consumer confusion and negatively affect these industries.

Although FDA's ``added sugars'' labeling requirement is intended to help educate consumers about a product's contents, complications arise when it is applied to single-ingredient sweeteners like maple sugar or honey. The rule would require the label to state that all sugar in these products as ``added sugar.''

The Maine Maple Producers Association, along with the individual producers it represents, believes that the term ``added sugar,'' when used with a

single ingredient sweetener, will confuse consumers and misrepresent the product's standard of identity.

Consumers may assume that high fructose corn syrup or cane sugar has been added to the maple syrup, which directly conflicts with the pure and natural image of the product.

Our amendment would ensure that no funds are used to enforce the ``added sugars'' requirement on any single ingredient sugar, honey, agave, or syrup that is packaged for sale as a single ingredient.

I am grateful that FDA has acknowledged the serious concerns expressed in the public comments and by Members of Congress, by declaring its intent to ``swiftly formulate a revised approach.'' While we are committed to ultimately achieving an exemption for single- ingredient sweeteners, passage of this amendment is another signal of strong bipartisan, bicameral opposition to the requirement.

This is a commonsense solution to avoid harmful unintended consequences of a well-meaning rule, and I thank my colleagues for their support.

Mr. President, I commend the Senators who are the authors of this amendment. The Senator from Kansas, Mr. Moran, has discussed this issue with me many times, as have the Senators from New Mexico who feel very strongly about it as well. I know the Senators from Colorado are also cosponsors.

As chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the funding for Amtrak, I support this amendment. Amtrak's national network is vital for the hundreds of communities across the country it serves, particularly in the more rural areas of our country.

At a hearing I chaired this past May with the ranking member, Senator Reed, Amtrak committed to not making service changes in advance of new authorizing legislation. It also committed to consulting with the communities it serves before making changes that would affect the residents of those communities. We fully expect Amtrak to stand by the commitments that were made at our May hearing.

This amendment conveys our longstanding support for long-distance passenger rail service, and I encourage my colleagues to adopt it.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, we are continuing to make progress on this package of appropriations bills. Speaking for the managers on this side of the aisle--the Republican chairman of the subcommittee--I request that our colleagues file amendments at the desk by 1 p.m. tomorrow.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be called up and reported by number: Senator Manchin's amendment No. 3553, Senator Paul's amendment No. 3543. I further ask consent that at 5:45 p.m. today, the Senate vote in relation to the Manchin and Paul amendments in the order listed and that there be no second-degree amendments in order to the amendments prior to the votes. Finally, I ask that there be 10 minutes, equally divided in the usual form, between the two votes.

Mr. President, I rise to urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment offered by the Senator from Kentucky.

Make no mistake about what this amendment would do. It is an 11.4- percent, across-the-board, indiscriminate, meat-ax cut in important programs, and as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee has pointed out, it would violate the bipartisan agreement we just reached earlier this year.

In addition, let me give you just one example of what the impact of Senator Paul's amendment would be. If you look at the section 8 housing program, which helps some of our most vulnerable citizens, this amendment's passage would mean that 275,000 low-income seniors, disabled individuals, homeless veterans, and families with small children would lose their housing assistance and become at risk of homelessness. I don't think that is what we want.

Thank you.

Mr. President, in 1959, a new summer playhouse opened in Brunswick, ME, with a performance of the popular operetta ``Song of Norway.'' In 2018, the Maine State Music Theater presents its 60th season with professional productions that range from ``Singin' in the Rain'' to ``Saturday Night Fever.''

It is a pleasure to congratulate Maine State Music Theater on this landmark anniversary and to thank the casts, crews, supporters, and volunteers who, for six decades, have delighted audiences and enriched the cultural life of our State.

The oldest professional musical theater in Maine, Maine State Music Theater was founded by Victoria Crandall, a truly remarkable entrepreneur and artist. Born in Cleveland, she studied piano at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, toured with the USO during World War II, and was an accompanist for such show business legends as Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante.

After working in theatrical productions on Broadway, Ms. Crandall struck out on her own in 1959 to pursue her dream of establishing her own theater company and chose the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick as the place to make her dream come true. Rejecting the prepackaged shows often used in summer theaters, she presented originally designed productions--as many as nine per season--that earned rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.

Ms. Crandall passed away in 1990 at the age of 81 while in New York City casting roles for that year's season. At the time of her death, she had staged 186 productions in Brunswick that were seen by more than 1.5 million people.

Ms. Crandall's legacy is carried on by accomplished performers and technical personnel, many of whom have gone on to achieve success on Broadway and in Hollywood. With dedicated management and strong community support, Maine State Music Theater has expanded its offerings to children's programs, outdoor concerts, film and lecture series, and an educational fellowship program for those developing careers in the theater. The 2017 season set a new record for attendance, with more than 95 percent of the house sold for the four main productions.

Maine State Music Theater is a true gem of the Maine arts scene and a highlight of the State's glorious summers. I offer the company all the best on this 60th anniversary and wish them great success for many years to come.

Madam President, I am pleased to begin the Senate debate on the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Our bill has been included in the appropriations package now before this Chamber.

Let me begin my remarks this morning by thanking Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy for their leadership in advancing these appropriations bills in record time. It is great to see the Senate getting back to regular order in moving the appropriations bills across the Senate floor, allowing for robust debate and amendment, and then bringing those bills to conference with our House counterparts. That is the way the system should work, as opposed to all of these bills being bundled together in an enormous, many thousand-page omnibus appropriations bill. I am very pleased to see the progress that we are making.

I also want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of my friend and colleague Senator Jack Reed, who serves as the ranking member of the T-HUD Subcommittee. I have worked very closely with Senator Reed in drafting this bill. We have also received input from more than 70 Senators, with in excess of 800 requests, each of which we very carefully evaluated. So I can assure this Chamber that this legislation is truly bipartisan.

The T-HUD bill provides $71.4 billion for our Nation's critical infrastructure and housing programs. This bill continues the significant infrastructure investments provided in fiscal year 2018 for our Nation's highways, bridges, airports, transit, and rail networks. As a result, communities across this country will be able to improve their transportation infrastructure to enable more efficient and safer movement of people and goods. Improving our infrastructure is essential for our continued economic growth as well as for personal mobility.

The fiscal year 2019 T-HUD bill continues the increases for infrastructure programs resulting from the 2-year budget agreement that was reached by Congress and the administration. I would note, however, that the budget agreement does not provide for the long-term funding structure necessary for our Nation's transportation infrastructure. I want to strongly encourage the administration to work with the authorizing committees to provide that long-term, sustainable funding for transportation before the FAST Act expires at the end of fiscal year 2020.

Our bill provides $1 billion for BUILD grants, previously known as the popular TIGER grants program. These grants have supported not only much needed infrastructure projects but also jobs and economic growth in each and every one of our home States. I want to provide my colleagues with an indication of just how popular this program is and how strong the demand is.

In the 2017 round of TIGER grant applications, the Department of Transportation received 452 applications requesting more than $6 billion, well above the $500 million provided last year, which could fund only 41 projects. You can see that the demand far exceeds the amount of funding. So we are taking action in this bill to double the funding for BUILD grants. That will help many more projects become a reality. I have seen in my own State the investments in bridges, ports, and transportation projects that have made such a difference.

I would now like to turn to the aviation provisions in our bill. We provide $17.7 billion in budgetary resources for the Federal Aviation Administration, or the FAA, which fully funds air traffic control personnel, including more than 14,000 air traffic controllers and more than 25,000 engineers, maintenance technicians, safety inspectors, and operational support personnel. The bill also provides $1 billion for the FAA Next Generation Air Transportation Systems Program, also known as NextGen, and $168 million for the popular Contract Towers Program. The NextGen Program is so important to the modernization of our air traffic control system, and we have consistently funded that program, and it is being implemented in a way that is going to make a real difference.

Consistent with the FAST Act, $46 billion is made available for the Federal-Aid Highway Program from the highway trust fund. In addition, the bill provides $3.3 billion from the general fund for our Nation's highways, of which $800 million is for bridge replacement and rehabilitation in rural areas of our country.

The American Society of Civil Engineers conducts a comprehensive assessment of our Nation's infrastructure every 4 years. Its most recent report card from 2017 shows that America's infrastructure remains poor and in desperate need of investment. In fact, the engineers award a grade of only D-plus for our Nation's infrastructure.

To give you some statistics to emphasize why we are receiving such a low grade, let me talk about our Nation's bridges. One in nine of our Nation's bridges is rated as structurally deficient, and the average age of our country's more than 600,000 bridges is 42 years old. Our national highway system contains infrastructure that is now well past its useful life. Some bridges are more than 100 years old, and many are unable to accommodate today's traffic volumes.

I was recently in Piscataquis County, where a TIGER Grant Program was allowing the replacement of some very old rural bridges. The amount of rust on these bridges and the narrow width made them extraordinarily dangerous. They were at risk of being posted so that traffic could go across only in one direction. When you looked up at the trusses, you could see where trucks loaded with lumber had dented the trusses because they were far too low. They were built for a different era. It is important for safety reasons--as we have seen with bridges collapsing in this country or having to be posted--that we make this kind of investment.

Our bill also invests in our Nation's rail infrastructure by providing $2.8 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration. This includes $1.9 billion to Amtrak for the Northeast Corridor and National Network, continuing service for all current routes.

In May, our subcommittee held a hearing in response to serious rail accidents, such as the tragic derailment last December in Washington State. Our bill continues to fund positive train control implementation to improve the safety of our trains. In addition, the bill provides $255 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Grants Program and $300 million for the Federal-State partnership for the State of Good Repair Grants Program. These investments in rail will help ensure that both passengers and freight move more safely and efficiently throughout our country.

The State maritime academies play a critical role in training the next generation of U.S. mariners. Our bill provides $40 million for the maritime academies as well as an additional $300 million for a special purpose vessel to be used as a training school ship.

In accordance with MARAD's guidance, the new training ships will go to replace existing training ships in the order in which these ships are expected to reach the end of their useful life. That is the only logical way for us to proceed.

Last year, we appropriated funds to replace the 57-year-old ship used by the New York State maritime academy, and this year's funding will go to replace the Massachusetts Maritime Academy's aging vessel. Again, we are going in the order that the Maritime Administration tells us these ships will be at the end of their useful life.

It would be great to be able to replace all of the ships at the same time, but we simply can't afford to do that, and that is where prioritizing the ships as the agency recommends comes in. Replacing these ships is, however, important to providing training capacity for all six of the State maritime academies, including the one that I am very proud of, the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. It will ensure that cadets receive the training hours they need to graduate on time and join the workforce.

In the area of housing, our priority is to ensure that our Nation's most vulnerable families and individuals do not lose the assistance they are now receiving, which prevents many of them from being at risk of homelessness. Therefore, the bill provides the necessary funding to keep pace with the rising costs of housing these families in order to avoid their becoming homeless. Much of the increased funding covers the higher costs of rental assistance for the most vulnerable among us, including our homeless veterans, our youth, our disabled citizens, and low-income seniors.

Senator Reed and I share a strong commitment to reducing, and someday ending, homelessness. We have therefore included $2.6 billion for homeless assistance grants. We have also made critical investments to reduce homelessness among our veterans, our youth, and survivors of domestic violence. Specifically, to assist our homeless youth, we have provided $80 million for grants targeting this underserved population.

I visited a wonderful youth shelter in Lewiston, ME, called New Beginnings. I was so impressed with the work they were doing with teenagers, in particular, many of whom had been exiled from their homes--as much as I hate to say it--or abused or otherwise found themselves homeless. Because of the safety of this shelter, they were continuing their schooling, they were learning life skills, and they were safe. Yet, I will tell you, this is the only shelter in the State of Maine that is devoted solely to the needs of homeless youth.

There is such a need in this country. There are other shelters that try to accommodate young people in the State of Maine and are doing their best, but this is an area where we need to provide more assistance.

To better support youth who are exiting the foster care system, the bill includes $20 million for family unification vouchers. That is the real gap in our system. What happens--and I know that many Members share my concern--is young people ``age out'' of the foster care program, and they may have nowhere safe to go.

For our Nation's senior population, many of our seniors receive section 8 housing, but our bill also includes $678 million for housing for older Americans. Of this amount, $10 million will provide grants to nonprofit and State and local entities to do home modifications for low-income seniors, enabling them to stay in their own homes and to age in place.

I am very excited about this program because of hearings I have held in the Senate Aging Committee, which I am privileged to chair. What we have learned is, oftentimes, upgrading and putting grab bars in a bathroom, widening door openings, putting sensors on the refrigerator door--doing modifications like that can allow our seniors to stay where they want to be, in the comfort, security, and privacy of their own homes. Not only will these low-cost home modifications enable seniors to remain in their homes, but they also reduce the need for more costly nursing homes and other assisted housing options.

For our Nation's homeless veterans, the bill provides $45 million for the highly successful HUD-VASH Program, including $5 million to serve our Native American veterans living on Tribal lands. Despite the administration, once again, proposing to eliminate this effective program, the subcommittee continues to provide adequate funding.

This program is a real success story. Since we initiated it in 2010, veterans homelessness has fallen by 46 percent. Let's continue our work to reach the goal of ending homelessness altogether among our veterans.

Another important issue--and a passion of our ranking member, Senator Reed, and I--that is addressed by the bill is lead paint in homes, which is of

particular concern to families with children under the age of 6. Our bill provides $260 million to combat lead hazards. These grants will help communities protect children from the harmful effects of lead poisoning.

Again, I have seen this in my home State. Lewiston, ME, our second largest city, has very old housing stock, and it has a great deal of lead paint. Grants are helping this city deal with this problem, thus improving the health and safety of pregnant women and young children and avoiding disability and developmental problems for those young children.

These grants will help communities across America protect children from the harmful effects of lead poisoning. While our bill certainly helps vulnerable families, it also recognizes the challenges facing local communities. Boosting local communities is critical to job creation and helping our community neighborhoods thrive and our families obtain financial security.

The bill supports local development efforts by providing $3.3 billion through the Community Development Block Grant Program. That is one of the most popular programs we provide. If you talk to any mayor or town council, they will tell you how flexible the CDBG Program is and how, as the mayor in Maine with whom I recently met told me, it helps them customize the funding to meet the program needs of their communities. It may be infrastructure. It may be affordable housing. It may be sprucing up the downtown. It may be supporting local businesses. This is a great program. It is not a Washington dictated program. It is one that responds to local needs.

We also provide $1.4 billion for the HOME Program. The CDBG and the HOME Program support the development of infrastructure projects, community development, affordable housing, economic development, and job creation.

I appreciate the opportunity to present this legislation to the Chamber. As we begin debate on the Transportation-HUD bill, I urge my colleagues to support the investments in this bill, which will pay dividends to our communities, our veterans, our children, our low- income families, and our seniors. Our bill was unanimously reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee. We are certainly open for business for amendments.

I commend my friend and colleague Senator Reed for his hard work and for that of our staffs on both sides of the aisle in crafting this bill.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, before the two Senators from Missouri leave the floor, let me express my personal condolences to them, which I know are shared by each and every Member of this body. The tragedy in Missouri is absolutely heartbreaking for the families, for the community, and for the State, and I want our two colleagues from Missouri to know that we stand with them during this very difficult time.

Amendments Nos. 3405 and 3422 to Amendment No. 3399

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be called up en bloc: Heller amendment No. 3405 and Durbin amendment No. 3422. I further ask consent that at 2:15 p.m. today, there be 5 minutes of debate, equally divided in the usual form, and that following the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate vote in relation to the Heller and Durbin amendments in the order listed and that there be no second-degree amendments in order to the amendments prior to the votes.

Mr. President, I rise in support of Senator Durbin and Senator Wicker's amendment. It would direct the Amtrak inspector general to update a report from 10 years ago that examined Amtrak's on- time performance. Some Amtrak routes, particularly along Amtrak's national network, are experiencing frequent delays, which makes train travel a less dependable option and discourages ridership.

Ten years ago, the IG report found that the delays were the result of host railroad dispatching practices, track maintenance, speed restrictions, insufficient track capacity, and, often, external factors beyond the host railroad's control.

The information that the Amtrak IG will collect in this report will be used to identify ways to improve coordination between Amtrak and the freight railroads.

I commend the authors for their amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Vote on Amendment No. 3405

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise to speak on my resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day. I am pleased to have been joined in sponsoring this resolution by the senior senator from West Virginia, Senator Manchin, and 22 of our Senate colleagues.

The Purple Heart's history goes as far back as the founding of our Nation. General George Washington established what is now known as the Purple Heart Medal when he issued an order establishing the Military Badge of Merit on August 7, 1782. General Washington wished for the award to be used to recognize meritorious action performed by members of the Continental Army, and it took the form of a purple heart.

The Military Badge of Merit was discontinued after the Revolution and was not revived until 1932, when the Purple Heart medal was authorized as its official successor decoration. On February 22, 1932, the 200th Anniversary of the birth of George Washington, then-Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur resurrected the award, and it was re- designated as the Purple Heart. Quite appropriately, this reestablished Purple Heart Medal exhibits the bust and profile of George Washington.

It is around this time that the Purple Heart became synonymous with those unfortunate heroes who were killed or wounded in combat. Since 1932, the U.S. Military has awarded more than 1.8 million Purple Hearts.

Just as the Purple Heart Medal has held a special meaning to its millions of recipients and their families, it also has special significance to me and my family. My father, who died earlier this year, was a proud World War II veteran who was wounded twice during the Battle of the Bulge. He earned two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star, and it was from him that I first learned to honor and respect our veterans.

Mr. President, the Purple Heart is a reminder that freedom is a gift purchased at the greatest possible price, and it is for that reason that I am sponsoring this resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day. I believe it is vitally important for all Americans to learn the history of this important military award, and to understand and honor the sacrifices of the many men and women in uniform who have earned the Purple Heart. I am grateful to all of my colleagues who have joined me in supporting this important resolution.

Mr. President, Ensuring that more Americans are better prepared financially for retirement is one of my top priorities.

That is why I rise today to introduce the SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act with my colleague from Virginia, Senator Mark Warner. Our legislation will provide greater flexibility and access to both employees and their employers seeking to utilize the popular SIMPLE plans as an option for saving for retirement.

According to the non-partisan Center for Retirement Research, there is an estimated $7.7 trillion gap between the savings American households need to maintain their standard of living in retirement and what they actually have. A recent Gallup poll found that only 51 percent of working Americans believe that they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement. Though this is the highest percentage of confidence in nearly a decade, we must continue to work to ensure that even more Americans will have the resources they need to enjoy their ``golden years.''

Another contributing factor is that employees of small businesses are much less likely to participate in employer-based retirement plans. According to a study by the PEW Charitable Trusts, roughly 30 million U.S. private-sector full-time workers continue to lack access to a work-based plan to save for retirement.

SIMPLE retirement plans were established in 1996 to encourage small businesses to provide their employees with retirement plans that are less costly and easier to navigate. A business with 100 or fewer employees can create a SIMPLE retirement savings account so long as it does not offer another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act would help to expand access to SIMPLE plans by increasing the contribution limit for most small businesses. This would achieve two important goals, Mr. President: first, it would encourage more small businesses to offer a retirement savings benefit to their employees; and second, it would allow employees of small businesses to save even more for retirement each year on a tax-deferred basis.

This legislation is a win-win proposition for retirement security. There are many small employers that simply cannot afford a 401(k) plan. For them, this legislation would provide enhanced savings opportunities. At the same time, the legislation is carefully constructed to prevent employers with a 401(k) plan from dropping that plan to adopt a SIMPLE plan. And the legislation preserves strong incentives for small businesses that become more successful to move from a SIMPLE plan to a 401(k) plan. We believe our approach will encourage businesses and their employees to take steps to save for retirement, and eventually move towards a more substantial retirement package, like a 401(k) plan.

In my home state of Maine, the vast majority of businesses are eligible to sign their employees up for SIMPLE Plans. Financial advisors from Presque Isle to Portland have shared their concerns that neither employees nor their employers are in a good position to save for retirement. We must give

small businesses and employees a better opportunity to save for retirement and this legislation will provide such an opportunity. I urge my colleagues to join Senator Warner and me in supporting the SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, Ensuring that more Americans are better prepared financially for retirement is one of my top priorities.

That is why I rise today to introduce the SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act with my colleague from Virginia, Senator Mark Warner. Our legislation will provide greater flexibility and access to both employees and their employers seeking to utilize the popular SIMPLE plans as an option for saving for retirement.

According to the non-partisan Center for Retirement Research, there is an estimated $7.7 trillion gap between the savings American households need to maintain their standard of living in retirement and what they actually have. A recent Gallup poll found that only 51 percent of working Americans believe that they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement. Though this is the highest percentage of confidence in nearly a decade, we must continue to work to ensure that even more Americans will have the resources they need to enjoy their ``golden years.''

Another contributing factor is that employees of small businesses are much less likely to participate in employer-based retirement plans. According to a study by the PEW Charitable Trusts, roughly 30 million U.S. private-sector full-time workers continue to lack access to a work-based plan to save for retirement.

SIMPLE retirement plans were established in 1996 to encourage small businesses to provide their employees with retirement plans that are less costly and easier to navigate. A business with 100 or fewer employees can create a SIMPLE retirement savings account so long as it does not offer another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act would help to expand access to SIMPLE plans by increasing the contribution limit for most small businesses. This would achieve two important goals, Mr. President: first, it would encourage more small businesses to offer a retirement savings benefit to their employees; and second, it would allow employees of small businesses to save even more for retirement each year on a tax-deferred basis.

This legislation is a win-win proposition for retirement security. There are many small employers that simply cannot afford a 401(k) plan. For them, this legislation would provide enhanced savings opportunities. At the same time, the legislation is carefully constructed to prevent employers with a 401(k) plan from dropping that plan to adopt a SIMPLE plan. And the legislation preserves strong incentives for small businesses that become more successful to move from a SIMPLE plan to a 401(k) plan. We believe our approach will encourage businesses and their employees to take steps to save for retirement, and eventually move towards a more substantial retirement package, like a 401(k) plan.

In my home state of Maine, the vast majority of businesses are eligible to sign their employees up for SIMPLE Plans. Financial advisors from Presque Isle to Portland have shared their concerns that neither employees nor their employers are in a good position to save for retirement. We must give

small businesses and employees a better opportunity to save for retirement and this legislation will provide such an opportunity. I urge my colleagues to join Senator Warner and me in supporting the SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr President, I am pleased to introduce with my colleague from Alabama, Senator Jones, the Taxpayer Identity Protection Act of 2018, a bill that seeks to help prevent American taxpayers and seniors from falling victim to identity theft and tax refund fraud.

As of May 17, the IRS had received more than 141.5 million individual income tax returns for the 2018 filing season. Of that number, nearly 75 percent were eligible for refunds. These refunds are not a gift from the Federal government--they are the return of funds belonging to taxpayers that were over-withheld from their paychecks last year. In the past few months, millions of American families have been eagerly awaiting these tax refunds, money they may need to pay off debts, medical bills, and plug gaps in the family budget. Unfortunately, for many Americans these refunds have not yet come.

Taxpayers are not the only ones eagerly awaiting these refunds. Criminals have figured out that, in many instances, it is cheaper and easier for them to steal taxpayers' identities and hijack their tax refunds than it is to traffic in drugs or rob banks.

Identity theft-refund fraud occurs when a criminal files a false tax return using a stolen Social Security Number and other sensitive personal information from sources like hospitals, schools, or assisted living facilities, often by recruiting employees to steal that information. The fraudster then uses this information to prepare fraudulent tax returns.

The thieves make sure to file early, as soon as the tax filing season opens in January, to increase the odds that they can get a refund before the real taxpayer files his or her return. The criminals are known to hold what they call ``make it rain parties,'' where they bring stolen laptops to a motel room with Internet access, and work together churning-out scores of fake returns.

These fraudsters work under the premise of ``file early, file often.'' Once the thieves file the fraudulent tax return, the IRS processes it and issues a refund. With each refund worth on average $2,778, the money can add up quickly.

This is not a victimless crime. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 371,000 complaints of identity theft, including 82,000 complaints related to employment or tax-refund fraud. Taxpayers who have their refunds hijacked by fraudsters often have to wait years to get the refunds to which they are legally entitled. Many are re-victimized year after year. A substantial number become victims of other forms of identity theft. Worst of all, victims are often the most vulnerable: elderly citizens who earn so little they are not even required to file a tax return. The IG estimates that 76,000 low-income elderly citizens were victims of tax-fraud identity theft in 2010 alone.

In 2016, the Lewiston Sun Journal published a story about a couple, Rick Zaccaro and his wife, Bonnie Washuk, who were victims of tax refund fraud. They had filed their taxes in late January 2015, and when Rick, a retired financial analyst for the Postal Service, was checking the status of their return online in early February, he learned that they were the victims of identity theft. Someone had filed and claimed a tax refund using their names, dates of birth, and Social Security Numbers. That claim was paid while their legitimate tax filing, with their appropriate W2s, was in limbo. It took months of worrying, frozen bank accounts, and a lot of calls to multiple government offices for them to try and straighten things out. When they did finally receive their refund, they also received something called an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number--better known as an IP PIN.

To provide relief to some victims of identity theft, the IRS began issuing IP PINs to eligible taxpayers in fiscal year 2011. An IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers that allows their tax returns and refunds to be processed without delay and helps prevent the misuse of their Social Security Numbers on fraudulent income tax returns. If a return is e-filed with their Social Security Number and an incorrect or missing IP PIN, the IRS's system automatically rejects the tax return until it is submitted with the correct IP PIN or they file on paper. If the same conditions occur on a paper-filed return, the IRS will delay its processing and any refund that may be due while the IRS determines if the return actually belongs to the taxpayer.

In addition to victims of identity theft, in 2013, the IRS began a pilot

program in which it offered IP PINs to all taxpayers, not just those who were victims of identity theft, who filed their federal tax returns as residents of Florida, Georgia, or the District of Columbia. According to the IRS, these three locations have the highest per-capita percentage of tax-related identity theft in the country. Taxpayers in these three jurisdictions are not required to use an IP PIN but may opt-in to the program if they want the extra layer of identity protection.

In preparation for the 2018 Filing Season, the IRS issued nearly 3.5 million IP PINs to taxpayers, up from 770,000 in 2013. According to the IRS, as of February 28, 2018, it had rejected approximately 7,376 fraudulent e-filed tax returns, and as of March 15, 2018, it had stopped 1,442 paper-filed tax returns from posting to the Master File.

The Taxpayer Identity Protection Act of 2018 would expand and make permanent the IRS's IP PIN pilot program to help combat identity theft refund fraud across the nation. Specifically, our bill would authorize the IRS to incrementally expand its pilot program nationally, in phases, over a five-year period. Scaling out the program would give all taxpayers the opportunity to further protect themselves from falling victim to tax refund fraud and identity theft, while also saving taxpayers billions of dollars every year. The IP PIN pilot program has worked to protect against identity theft and the IRS supports its expansion over the next five-years. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the adoption of Taxpayer Identity Protection Act of 2018.