Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise to urge passage of the funding bill that was approved by the House of Representatives earlier today. Now, let's be clear on what this bill is and what it is not.

It is a stopgap measure, which is known as a continuing resolution or often called a CR. It is straightforward. It continues current funding levels for government until November 21. That gives Congress the time that we need to continue our work on the annual appropriations bills.

It is not a yearlong CR. Republicans do not want a yearlong CR. The reason we are operating under a yearlong CR for the first time in history for the Department of Defense, which is causing tremendous difficulties, is because the then-majority leader Senator Schumer refused to bring a single appropriations bill to the Senate floor in the last Congress despite the hard and bipartisan work of the Senate Appropriations Committee. So let's be clear on that.

Once again, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have worked hard over the last several months to advance annual appropriations bills and carry out our constitutional responsibility of the power of the purse.

Last month, the full Senate passed with overwhelming bipartisan support our first package of fiscal year 2026 annual appropriations bills. They included the bills funding agriculture and the FDA; military construction and veterans affairs; and the legislative branch.

This marked the first time since 2018--7 years ago--that the Senate approved annual appropriations bills before the August home State work period.

In the intervening weeks, the leaders of the relevant Senate subcommittees have been working very hard with their House counterparts on both sides of the aisle to reconcile the differences between the House and the Senate bills.

We hope to have final versions of these three bills soon that can be considered in both Chambers, enacted, and sent to the President for his signature.

In addition, Majority Leader Thune has already expressed a willingness, indeed a commitment, to bring another package of fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills to the Senate floor next month.

This is a welcome change from the last year when then-majority leader Senator Schumer refused to bring a single one of the 12 annual appropriations bills to the Senate floor for consideration. Those are the facts.

The result of that obstruction was a full-year continuing resolution for fiscal year 2025 and a delayed start to our current appropriations process.

To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who want to avoid a similar fate for fiscal year 2026, I say, work with us to complete the annual funding bills, just as we are doing in committee. Pass this clean CR, which has no poison pills, so that we can prevent disruptions to vital programs on which the American people rely while Congress completes its work on the annual funding bills. It should be that simple.

Government shutdowns have negative consequences across government and across the Nation. They require certain government employees such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, among others, to report to work with no certainty on when they will next receive their paycheck.

Shutdowns put critical investments in our national defense on hold, training exercises could be limited, which could hurt our Nation's readiness. New programs would be paused, delaying new capabilities from getting to our warfighters.

Under a shutdown, Federal funding for important national priorities would be halted, including grants to State and local law enforcement and other first responders, new funding and support for the Head Start Program and child welfare services, as well as formula grants to States that support older Americans and individuals with disabilities.

Most day-to-day operations at our national parks would cease. The first week of October is usually peak foliage in Downeast Maine. It is a time when visitors flock to Arcadia National Park in Maine--the crown jewel of Maine. In previous shutdowns, park personnel were kept to a minimum. Visitor service centers were closed. Restrooms were not maintained. Trails were not cleared. All of this affects the visitor experience and has a ripple effect, harming our local small businesses when tourists decide to cancel their reservations.

Instead of supporting a clean CR to prevent a government shutdown, congressional Democrats, sadly, have put forth a partisan alternative that is full of poison pill riders and significant policy changes.

This is not a clean CR just extending existing funding levels until, well, in their case, until the end of October, in the case of what I thought was an agreed-upon bipartisan date, November 21, as the House bill would do.

Most appalling--and I want to make sure that all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle realize this--the Democratic version of the continuing resolution would repeal the $50 billion fund that I authored to help our rural hospitals that are on the brink of closure. I am sure that is a problem in the Presiding Officer's State as well.

In Maine, we have already seen one hospital closure this year, and this fund is vital to other rural hospitals across the State and across the Nation that are struggling to stay afloat and provide essential healthcare to their communities.

Now, I support extending the enhanced premium tax credit for health insurance, but unlike appropriations, that issue does not have a September 30 deadline. It should be a priority for us to take up before the end of the year because, as has been mentioned by the vice chair, insurance bureaus across this country have approved substantial rate increases--24 percent in the State of Maine--so we do need to act. But that is a significant policy change, and the deadline is not September 30.

I urge my colleagues to abandon this brinksmanship that does not serve the American people well, that is unworthy of this Senate, and adopt this straightforward bill sent to us by the House, which the President is willing to sign into law without any further delay and which will avoid a completely unnecessary and harmful shutdown of government.

This would allow us the time to complete the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process and continue our work to find a path forward on the enhanced premium tax credit.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation with my colleague from Virginia Senator Kaine that would reauthorize the only federally funded programs specifically designed to develop a healthcare workforce focused on the care of older Americans. The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act would reauthorize two programs important to training specialists who care for our older adults: the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards Program.

The number of Americans age 65 and older is growing. In 2020, there were just three States in which senior citizens outnumbered children: Maine, Vermont, and Florida. Today, there are 11 States that have more seniors than children, and Maine has the oldest population in the Nation. The percentage of the U.S. population over age 65 rose by 3 percent, to 18 percent, in just 1 year.

The fact is, the United States is facing a shortage of geriatric health professionals and direct service workers to support our aging population. The American Geriatrics Society projects that we will be short some 1,700 geriatricians by the year 2036. Fewer than 7,000 of our Nation's nearly 1 million physicians are board-certified geriatricians. We need to train 1,600 geriatricians per year over the next 9 years to fill that gap.

Complicating this shortfall is the fact that as many as 90 percent of our older adults either have or will develop one or more chronic health conditions. So you put together many chronic conditions, an aging population, multiple medications, and changes that naturally occur in aging, and you have a situation making caring for older adults ever more complex and challenging. In any given year, it is expected that 30 percent of older adults will require specialized geriatric care.

Today, there are 42 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs in 37 States. I am pleased that since the last

reauthorization in 2019, this list has expanded to include such a program in the State of Maine. It is located at the University of New England.

For Maine, with an aging population of more than a quarter of a million Mainers over the age of 65 and only 36 geriatricians, there is an acute need to train more geriatric health professionals and direct service providers quickly to meet this growing demand. Maine's program, known as AgingME, has brought much needed support to communities and families throughout the State. For example, AgingME has worked with other training and geriatrics-serving partners to develop a postgraduate credentialing program in geriatrics. Students who participate in the program complete more than 2,000 hours of training in medically underserved communities and rural areas of Maine.

AgingME has also worked to increase the number of community-based learning programs, such as falls prevention education programs in rural areas. It has also helped to connect family caregivers with resources for Alzheimer's and related dementias through its website and through partnerships with Maine's Area Agencies on Aging.

Nationally, the geriatric workforce program has produced significant outcomes. In 2022, the most recent reported year, Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs trained nearly 72,000 students, professionals, patients, caregivers, and faculty. These programs were also able to offer faculty development training programs and activities, provide outreach and education to families and caregivers on care delivery for older adults, and train patients in self-management of their conditions. More than 2.2 million individuals have been trained through these programs, of whom 57 percent were patients and their caregivers.

And all of us know the vitally important role that family caregivers play in taking care of their older relatives, often their parents. But we also know that they need help in doing so, including training. Approximately a third of the courses offered focused on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Patients and caregivers also took courses on other topics related to the health needs of older adults, such as geriatric health, emergency response training, and community health.

Our legislation would also reauthorize the geriatrics career advancement award program. Established in 1998, this program was created to increase the number of faculty engaged in geriatric education.

Transitioning from clinical training and practice into an academic faculty role can be challenging. It requires gaining new skills as an educator, skills not typically taught in clinical training programs. Geriatrics Academic Career Awards support early career development for emerging leaders by providing funding that supports their efforts to develop skills as an educator in geriatrics.

The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act would reauthorize these two vitally important programs at a combined amount of $48.2 million per year over the next 5 years. It really is a modest investment that will help ensure that our older Americans have the expert care that they need, that their caregivers are provided with training, that other support employees and healthcare providers receive the skills that they need as well. Together, these programs will continue to train the current workforce and family caregivers while developing a cadre of emerging leaders in geriatric education in a variety of disciplines.

In doing both, we can help to ensure that our aging Americans will be cared for by a healthcare workforce specifically trained to meet their unique and often complex health needs for decades to come.

This will lead to improved care for older Americans while saving valuable resources and reducing unnecessary costs.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to strengthen and extend these two important programs.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation with my colleague from Virginia Senator Kaine that would reauthorize the only federally funded programs specifically designed to develop a healthcare workforce focused on the care of older Americans. The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act would reauthorize two programs important to training specialists who care for our older adults: the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards Program.

The number of Americans age 65 and older is growing. In 2020, there were just three States in which senior citizens outnumbered children: Maine, Vermont, and Florida. Today, there are 11 States that have more seniors than children, and Maine has the oldest population in the Nation. The percentage of the U.S. population over age 65 rose by 3 percent, to 18 percent, in just 1 year.

The fact is, the United States is facing a shortage of geriatric health professionals and direct service workers to support our aging population. The American Geriatrics Society projects that we will be short some 1,700 geriatricians by the year 2036. Fewer than 7,000 of our Nation's nearly 1 million physicians are board-certified geriatricians. We need to train 1,600 geriatricians per year over the next 9 years to fill that gap.

Complicating this shortfall is the fact that as many as 90 percent of our older adults either have or will develop one or more chronic health conditions. So you put together many chronic conditions, an aging population, multiple medications, and changes that naturally occur in aging, and you have a situation making caring for older adults ever more complex and challenging. In any given year, it is expected that 30 percent of older adults will require specialized geriatric care.

Today, there are 42 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs in 37 States. I am pleased that since the last

reauthorization in 2019, this list has expanded to include such a program in the State of Maine. It is located at the University of New England.

For Maine, with an aging population of more than a quarter of a million Mainers over the age of 65 and only 36 geriatricians, there is an acute need to train more geriatric health professionals and direct service providers quickly to meet this growing demand. Maine's program, known as AgingME, has brought much needed support to communities and families throughout the State. For example, AgingME has worked with other training and geriatrics-serving partners to develop a postgraduate credentialing program in geriatrics. Students who participate in the program complete more than 2,000 hours of training in medically underserved communities and rural areas of Maine.

AgingME has also worked to increase the number of community-based learning programs, such as falls prevention education programs in rural areas. It has also helped to connect family caregivers with resources for Alzheimer's and related dementias through its website and through partnerships with Maine's Area Agencies on Aging.

Nationally, the geriatric workforce program has produced significant outcomes. In 2022, the most recent reported year, Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs trained nearly 72,000 students, professionals, patients, caregivers, and faculty. These programs were also able to offer faculty development training programs and activities, provide outreach and education to families and caregivers on care delivery for older adults, and train patients in self-management of their conditions. More than 2.2 million individuals have been trained through these programs, of whom 57 percent were patients and their caregivers.

And all of us know the vitally important role that family caregivers play in taking care of their older relatives, often their parents. But we also know that they need help in doing so, including training. Approximately a third of the courses offered focused on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Patients and caregivers also took courses on other topics related to the health needs of older adults, such as geriatric health, emergency response training, and community health.

Our legislation would also reauthorize the geriatrics career advancement award program. Established in 1998, this program was created to increase the number of faculty engaged in geriatric education.

Transitioning from clinical training and practice into an academic faculty role can be challenging. It requires gaining new skills as an educator, skills not typically taught in clinical training programs. Geriatrics Academic Career Awards support early career development for emerging leaders by providing funding that supports their efforts to develop skills as an educator in geriatrics.

The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act would reauthorize these two vitally important programs at a combined amount of $48.2 million per year over the next 5 years. It really is a modest investment that will help ensure that our older Americans have the expert care that they need, that their caregivers are provided with training, that other support employees and healthcare providers receive the skills that they need as well. Together, these programs will continue to train the current workforce and family caregivers while developing a cadre of emerging leaders in geriatric education in a variety of disciplines.

In doing both, we can help to ensure that our aging Americans will be cared for by a healthcare workforce specifically trained to meet their unique and often complex health needs for decades to come.

This will lead to improved care for older Americans while saving valuable resources and reducing unnecessary costs.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to strengthen and extend these two important programs.

Mr. President, I rise today to wish the town of Hudson, ME, a very happy 200th birthday. The people of Hudson are proud of their hometown and the generations of hard-working and caring people who have made it such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families.

Hudson's incorporation in 1825 was but one milestone on a long journey of progress. For thousands of years, the region, with its pristine waters and vast forests, was the hunting grounds of the Penobscot Tribe. Early settlers began arriving around 1800 and turned those resources into busy lumber mills, followed by a furniture factory and cooper shops.

The wealth produced by the land, and by hard work and determination, was invested in a church and several schools to create a true community. In 1824, the settlement became a plantation--a pre- incorporation designation unique to Maine--called Jackson, in honor of the hero of the War of 1812 who would later become our Nation's seventh President. In 1825, the plantation was fully incorporated as Kirkland, after an early settler. Finally, in 1855, the name was changed to Hudson, recognizing the Massachusetts hometown of many residents.

During the Civil War, Maine contributed a higher percentage of its population to abolishing slavery and preserving our Union than any other State, and Hudson played a significant role in contributing soldiers and supporting the war effort. Today, the Veterans Memorial Park stands as an inspiring tribute to all the men and women of Hudson who have defended our freedom throughout history.

Little Pushaw Pond, Pushaw Lake, and the lovely connecting stream running through fields and forest give Hudson a refreshing rural feel. At the same time, the nearby city of Bangor and the flagship University of Maine campus at Orono offer the arts and entertainment activities that make life in Hudson truly the best of both worlds.

The energy that so many have devoted to this year's exciting bicentennial celebration is but one example of the spirit that has guided Hudson from its founding to today. Thanks to those who came before, Hudson, ME, has a wonderful past. Thanks to those who are there today, it has a bright future.

Mr. President, I am about to propound a unanimous consent request that will allow this body to proceed with three appropriations bills that were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support.

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, and at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the Democratic leader, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 121, H.R. 3944, and the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that during the consideration of H.R. 3944, the Collins substitute amendment, No. 3411, which is the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill and the Agriculture appropriations bill, be considered an Appropriations Committee amendment for purposes of rule XVI, with no other rule XVI points of order waived by this agreement; that H.R. 3944, as engrossed by the House of Representatives on June 25, 2025, and H.R. 4121, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee on June 25, 2025, serve as the basis for defense of germaneness under rule XVI for any floor amendments and that it be in order for floor amendments to amend the substitute in more than one place; that the following managers' package of amendments be considered and agreed to en bloc to No. 3411: The Paul amendment No. 3070, Shaheen-Grassley No. 3430, Smith No. 3025, Hirono No. 3409, Rounds No. 3081, Rounds No. 3082, Budd-Shaheen No. 3416, Hawley No. 3080, Rosen-Cortez Masto No. 3208, Cornyn No. 3073, Hirono No. 3110, Shaheen No. 3431, Klobuchar No. 3418, Crapo-Rosen No. 3163, Blumenthal No. 3433, Booker-Tuberville No. 3200, Moran No. 3190, Crapo-Merkley No. 3220; and that upon adoption of the managers' package, the only amendments in order be the following amendments, if offered, to No. 3411; that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the Democratic leader, the Senate vote in relation to these amendments: No. 1, Merkley amendment No. 3114, Blumenthal No. 3432, Murphy No. 3447, Van Hollen No. 3115, Duckworth No. 3466, Tuberville No. 3413, Kennedy No. 3414, Kennedy No. 3415, Scott No. 3113, Johnson No. 3428; further, upon disposition of the amendments listed above, the Senate vote on adoption of the substitute amendment No. 3411, as amended, with a 60-affirmative vote threshold required for adoption; that the bill as amended, if amended, be read a third time and the Senate vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended, with a 60-vote affirmative threshold required for passage; finally, notwithstanding passage of H.R. 3944, as amended, if amended, it be in order to consider amendment No. 3412, this is the Legislative Branch appropriations text; the Senate vote on adoption of amendment No. 3412, and if adopted, H.R. 3944 be further amended and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that, where applicable, the amendments be called up as modified to reflect that they are drafted to the substitute amendment No. 3411.

Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to each vote in relation to H.R. 3944.

Mr. President, I just want to thank our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. It has taken a great deal of work, good faith, and negotiation to get to this point.

I particularly want to thank the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray, for her leadership in this area. I want to thank all of these subcommittee leaders on both sides of the aisle and the members of the subcommittee for really doing an exceptional job in drafting the bills that I hope we will pass and send on to the House for negotiation in conference.

Mr. President, notwithstanding Rule 232, I ask unanimous consent that upon disposition of Calendar No. 121, H.R. 3944, as amended, if amended, the Senate vote on confirmation of the Rinaldi nomination, and following disposition of the nomination, the Senate execute the order in relation to the Woll and Kent nominations.

Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity, also, to thank Leader Thune for his willingness to bring these appropriations bills before the full Senate. I also thank our Democratic counterparts for working with us to come up with this rather complex time agreement. But it is one that will allow different voices to be heard on both sides of the aisle.

I am very pleased that the Senate is proceeding to consideration of these appropriations bills. Congress has responsibility--a constitutional responsibility--under article I for the power of the purse. We are executing that responsibility by proceeding to these bills. These bills all mean a great deal to each of us.

I want to give my colleagues just some idea of the amount of input that these subcommittees on the Appropriations Committee have received from our colleagues. To give you an example, on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, we have had, literally, thousands of requests of support, of suggestions from our colleagues from more than 87 of our colleagues. That is very typical. In fact, this past week, when we reported the Defense appropriations committee bill, I think we reached a record high of 95 Senators weighing in with their suggestions, their requests for funding, their suggestions for programmatic changes or support. Those 95 Senators requested and submitted more than 14,000 different letters or inquiries or suggestions for us.

My point is that a great deal of input has gone into the drafting of these bills. That is the way the process should work.

We have had a thorough committee process, with hearings and input from noncommittee members. We have marked up these bills at the subcommittee and full committee levels, and that is what we like to see.

I am very proud of the fact that Maine, the State of Maine, which I am so proud to represent, has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the entire Nation. That is why the funding that is provided by this bill has a special meaning to me, because I know that my State has more than done its part, and I want to ensure that our veterans have access to the benefits and the healthcare they have earned.

My own father was a World War II veteran who was wounded twice in the Battle of the Bulge, earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. It was wonderful to go to the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge and to actually talk to a veteran who had been in the same division as my father. It was deeply moving.

When you read about the bravery of those in that historic battle, which was a turning point in World War II, you can't help but be filled with a sense of awe and gratitude to those who have sacrificed so much for our Nation.

I know that the Presiding Officer has also done his part for our country, and I am grateful that he is presiding today as we take on the Military Construction and Veterans' Administration bill.

We also will be taking up the Agriculture appropriations bill--again, a very important bill for the State of Maine. I grew up in Northern Maine, where potatoes are the major crop, along with broccoli. Maine is also known for its great, wild blueberries. The University of Maine is known for its agricultural research program, and there is funding for that in this bill.

In short, those two bills, plus the bill for the legislative branch, are the ones we will consider today, and I hope at some point we can return to the Commerce-Justice-Science bill--another very important bill that passed easily from our committee.

I would note that the Agriculture appropriations bill was reported by our committee unanimously. Every one of the bills was passed with great bipartisan support.

So I just wanted to give that general background.

We will shortly begin processing the amendments, and there will be very little time for both sides to speak, but I am hopeful that we can make the kind of progress we want to see and use the August time--I am not going to call it a recess or a work period--to talk with our House counterparts, to do some conferencing and get these bills signed into law before the start of the fiscal year on October 1. That is the way the system should work.

Mr. President, in a moment, we will begin votes on an appropriations package that includes the fiscal year 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and the Agriculture, FDA, and Rural Development appropriations bills. We will also have the opportunity to consider the fiscal year 2026 Legislative Branch appropriations.

These bills were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in overwhelmingly bipartisan votes.

I gave a longer floor speech last week on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs funding bill, so I will focus my comments now on the Agriculture-FDA and Legislative Branch appropriations.

The Ag-FDA bill was approved unanimously by the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month. It is a carefully crafted bill that supports our farmers and rural communities; the safety of our food supply; critical Federal nutrition programs like the WIC Program; and medical research and advancements.

The bill invests in agricultural research that is vital to our farmers as they work to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of our food supply. The dollars invested in these programs, like the potato and blueberry research lines that are so important to my home State of Maine, have yielded significant improvements to the industries they support.

The bill also invests in research facilities across the country, like the University of Maine Forest Health Lab, to ensure that we can continue to lead in agricultural innovation.

This legislation also supports the administration's request in the areas of food safety and rural housing, and it provides much needed investments in animal and plant health programs to protect our agricultural and natural resources.

It also maintains support for our rural areas to ensure that communities in Maine, and, indeed, across the country, have accesses to the resources they need to continue to thrive in these challenging times.

Turning now to the fiscal year 2026 Legislative Branch bill. This legislation provides funding for Congress and the offices and agencies that support our work.

It provides an increase for the Capitol Police to help them meet the expanding mission requirements to keep Members safe and Members' staff and visitors to the Capitol Complex safe. The number of threats against Members of Congress has, unfortunately, increased significantly over the past few years. This bill reflects a bipartisan commitment to address these security concerns.

Again, I want to thank the vice chair; Senators Boozman and Ossoff, the chair and ranking members of the MILCON-VA Subcommittee; Senators Hoeven and Shaheen, the chair and ranking member of the Agriculture Subcommittee; and Senators Mullin and Heinrich, the chair and ranking member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, for their hard work and dedication.

Finally, let me note that these are fiscally responsible bipartisan bills, and I urge my colleagues to support them.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to execute the order with respect to Calendar No. 121, H.R. 3944.

Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 3411 and ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. President, first, let me announce to our colleagues that we are on the verge of an accomplishment that we have not done since 2018, and that is, pass appropriations bills across the Senate floor prior to the August recess.

(Applause.)

That is exercising our constitutional responsibility for the power of the purse, and it would not have happened without the extraordinarily hard work of the members of the Appropriations Committee. My colleague the vice chair, Patty Murray--Senator Murray has been determined to reach this goal.

I also want to commend the leadership of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and I hope Legislative Branch Subcommittees for their work on the fiscal year 2026 bills.

Again, I think we can all be pleased that the Senate lived up to its responsibilities tonight.

Let me just end by thanking Leader Thune for bringing these bills to the Senate floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, it is so disheartening that the Senator from Maryland is not taking to heart the eloquent words of the Senator from Kansas.

Let me make a point very clear.

The Senator from Maryland is not being denied the opportunity to offer an amendment on this issue. Indeed, the unanimous consent request which the Senator from Kansas put forth specifically recognizes, makes room for, allows the Senator from Maryland to offer his amendment. What we cannot do is guarantee that he will be successful in his amendment. That is the way the legislative process works. But he is not, in any way, being denied the opportunity to offer his amendment, to debate his amendment, to make the case for his amendment. Yet he is opposing this unanimous consent agreement. That is so disappointing because I know that the Senator from Kansas and the Senator from Maryland have worked together to craft an excellent bill and an important bill.

The Commerce-Justice-Science bill supports programs that enjoy overwhelming bipartisan support and are critically important to communities in every single one of our States, including the State of Maryland. The State of Maryland, for example, has the Goddard Space Flight Center. It is funded functionally at $200 million above the fiscal year 2025-enacted level.

There are many other provisions in this bill that directly benefit the State of Maryland, represented by the Senator.

There are programs in this bill that need our support. It includes the National Weather Service. It warns Americans of life-threatening weather events. It includes everything from tornadoes in the Midwest; hurricanes in the gulf and on the Atlantic seaboard; ice and snow storms; blizzards in New England and in the Northeast in general; flooding events such as the tragic flooding that we saw in Texas just recently and, just last night, the risk of catastrophic tsunamis in the Pacific. The American people are counting on us to ensure that the Weather Service is able to execute its safety-of-life mission as well as to deliver a reliable forecast each morning.

The legislation funds public safety programs that are so important to our police departments, our sheriffs, law enforcement in general, the

Mr. President, the information required by rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate related to congressionally directed spending items is included in the Committee reports (Senate Reports 119-37 and 119-43) that are referenced in Senate amendment No. 3411 to H.R. 3944. I hereby incorporate that information into this disclosure by reference.

Madam President, the information required by rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate related to congressionally directed spending items is included in the committee reports (Senate Reports 119-37, 119-43, and 119-44) that are referenced in Senate amendment No. 3038 to H.R. 3944. I hereby incorporate that information into this disclosure by reference.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill with my colleague Senator King that will help the hard-working loggers across this country affected by severe storms and natural disasters. This legislation would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide payments to eligible logging businesses that have experienced at least a 10 percent loss as a result of a federally declared disaster. In Maine alone, logging has a roughly $582 million annual economic impact and is the backbone of the forest products economy.

In Maine and in many places across the country, the logging industry has felt the effects of severe weather events and warmer than normal winters. Each winter, Maine experiences many storms. Two particularly bad storms, in December 2023 and January 2024, were designated Federal disasters. These storms were detrimental to many industries, but especially logging, as the winter months are usually the best months for loggers to harvest timber when the frozen ground makes access easier. The rainstorms saturated the ground, and the mud made it much more difficult to operate and transport heavy logging equipment without disturbing the soil underneath.

These storms also closed bridges and roads on important trucking routes, hindering the movement of equipment and employees to logging sites. For example, the December 18 storm washed out a bridge on a vital trucking route that forced an 80-mile detour for wood being distributed to both northern and southern markets. According to the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, this December wind and rainstorm in Maine resulted in more than $2.5 million in losses.

Despite these documented losses, there is currently no Federal program to assist loggers who have been affected by federally declared disasters. That is why I am introducing the Logger Economic Assistance and Relief Act, which would authorize income replacement for logging contractors equal to 10 percent of eligible gross lost revenue from the previous calendar year. Funds received under this program can only be used for operating expenses. Our legislation is modeled off of the successful Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program, which I created during the COVID pandemic to provide much needed aid to our timber harvesters.

I am grateful for the Professional Logging Council of the Northeast and the American Logging Council's support of our legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join in this effort to support one of our country's core economic drivers in times of natural disasters.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill with my colleague Senator King that will help the hard-working loggers across this country affected by severe storms and natural disasters. This legislation would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide payments to eligible logging businesses that have experienced at least a 10 percent loss as a result of a federally declared disaster. In Maine alone, logging has a roughly $582 million annual economic impact and is the backbone of the forest products economy.

In Maine and in many places across the country, the logging industry has felt the effects of severe weather events and warmer than normal winters. Each winter, Maine experiences many storms. Two particularly bad storms, in December 2023 and January 2024, were designated Federal disasters. These storms were detrimental to many industries, but especially logging, as the winter months are usually the best months for loggers to harvest timber when the frozen ground makes access easier. The rainstorms saturated the ground, and the mud made it much more difficult to operate and transport heavy logging equipment without disturbing the soil underneath.

These storms also closed bridges and roads on important trucking routes, hindering the movement of equipment and employees to logging sites. For example, the December 18 storm washed out a bridge on a vital trucking route that forced an 80-mile detour for wood being distributed to both northern and southern markets. According to the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, this December wind and rainstorm in Maine resulted in more than $2.5 million in losses.

Despite these documented losses, there is currently no Federal program to assist loggers who have been affected by federally declared disasters. That is why I am introducing the Logger Economic Assistance and Relief Act, which would authorize income replacement for logging contractors equal to 10 percent of eligible gross lost revenue from the previous calendar year. Funds received under this program can only be used for operating expenses. Our legislation is modeled off of the successful Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program, which I created during the COVID pandemic to provide much needed aid to our timber harvesters.

I am grateful for the Professional Logging Council of the Northeast and the American Logging Council's support of our legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join in this effort to support one of our country's core economic drivers in times of natural disasters.

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

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to complete my remarks before we proceed to the vote.

Madam President, today, the Senate has the opportunity to begin the consideration of an appropriations bill that is vital to those now

serving in our military as well as those who have served--our veterans.

I urge my colleagues to support cloture on the motion to proceed to the fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill when we vote this afternoon. This bill addresses key military infrastructure needs, including housing improvements for military families, and it takes care of our Nation's veterans, to whom we owe an enormous debt--a debt that can never be fully repaid.

I am the daughter of a World War II veteran, who was wounded twice in the Battle of the Bulge and who earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. I know, from my father's service and from his example, how deep our gratitude should be to our veterans.

I want to commend the subcommittee chairman Senator Boozman and the ranking member Senator Ossoff for their cooperative work on this important bill.

In a moment, I will describe some of the major aspects of this appropriations bill, but, first, I would like to share a few thoughts on how we have arrived at this point.

When Vice Chair Murray and I took the helm of the Appropriations Committee last Congress, we committed to working together to get our committee back to the business of writing bills and advancing them through regular order so that each and every Senator could have a voice on the Senate floor in offering amendments, debating the bills, and voting on them. This is a fundamental responsibility of Congress.

I want to express my gratitude to the Senate majority leader Senator Thune for giving us the opportunity to bring the first of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills to the Senate floor.

I would note that this is something that did not happen last year under Democratic control of the Senate despite our Appropriations Committee working so hard and reporting 11 of the 12 fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills; but not a single one was brought to the Senate floor by the Democratic leader.

Now, there is no doubt that this is a challenging legislative environment. We are currently operating under a yearlong continuing resolution. The delays in completing the fiscal year 2025 process and the fact that we are in the first year of a new administration has contributed to a late and incomplete budget request from OMB. In the face of these challenges, the members of the Appropriations Committee have worked so hard--for months--in analyzing the President's budget request, holding dozens of hearings, reviewing the enormous number of requests and inputs from other Senators, getting input from outside groups that were affected, and drafting legislation. So far, our committee has reported 4 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, and we have another two on the agenda for this Thursday.

I would point out to the Presiding Officer and to everyone who is listening that each of these bills reported to date has been approved by overwhelming bipartisan support, reflecting the collaborative approach taken by the Appropriations Committee.

Turning now to the bill at hand, last week, our committee reported, by a vote of 26 to 3, the House-passed Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill with a Senate substitute amendment. The Senate's version includes vital resources to support our servicemembers. It also invests in critical military infrastructure. For example, it includes funding for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME--a pillar of our defense infrastructure that maintains and modernizes our Navy's submarine fleet. It invests in the Air National Guard's air refueling wing in Bangor, ME, known as the MAINEiacs, which delivers essential aerial refueling support to military operations around the globe. These are just two of the many examples of how this bill helps to sustain key defense installations in Maine and across the country.

The bill also includes funding to ensure that our veterans receive the care and the benefits that they have earned through their service to our country. Millions of Americans wear the honorable title of ``veteran,'' and I am proud that our great State of Maine has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the entire country. This bill includes funding for the VA healthcare system, including Maine's only VA hospital, Togus. It includes investments to improve mental health care, such as veterans' suicide and homelessness prevention programs. It includes support for family caregivers--something that former Senator Elizabeth Dole has worked so hard on--and it expands care for rural veterans.

I am also proud that my hometown of Caribou, ME, was the location of the VA's very first community-based outpatient clinic, known as a CBOC, allowing veterans to receive care much closer to their homes. This model was so successful that today the VA operates more than 750 of these CBOCs across the country. The Senate measure also funds important veterans' benefits, such as disability pensions, the GI bill, and employment training programs.

I know from my colleagues that the Senate's substitute amendment was put together with input from 89 Senators who submitted a total of 989 requests.

I see my colleague the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee on the Senate floor. I am sure he can relate to these numbers.

My point is, this is not a bill that simply reflects the views of the members of the Appropriations Committee. The members of this committee went through 989 requests from 89 Senators in drafting this legislation. So it clearly reflects the input of our colleagues, just as it should.

Before I close, I would like to thank Vice Chair Murray for her leadership and commitment to an appropriations process that works.

I am hopeful that cloture will be invoked today to allow us to proceed to consideration of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill. Discussions are underway on whether to add to this vehicle the Legislative Branch appropriations bill, which was approved with only one dissenting vote, and the Agriculture, FDA, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which received unanimous support when our committee reported those bills earlier this month. I will have comments on those other bills at a later time. Another possible addition is the Commerce-Justice-Science bill, which was also reported last week from our committee.

Finally, I would note that the responsibility of the purse is vested in Congress through article I, section 9, clause 7 of our great Constitution. That clause dictates that ``no Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.'' The appropriations process is one of the key ways--it is the key way that Congress carries out this significant constitutional responsibility. We must not abdicate our constitutional responsibility for the purse.

I ask my colleagues for their support.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to vote for cloture on the motion to proceed on the bipartisan fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

I want to thank the majority leader for bringing this important legislation to the Senate floor.

This bill would address key military infrastructure needs, including housing improvements for military families, and would provide the funding to ensure that veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned through their service to our country.

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported this measure in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 26 to 3.

I ask my colleagues to support the motion to allow the Senate to begin to work its will on this important funding bill and to fulfill our constitutional responsibility.

I yield the floor.