Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have a motion to commit at the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the

following motion to commit be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise to speak to Baldwin amendment No. 1139. Wisconsin families need a tax break, and that is what I am working for. This budget will fast-track enormous tax breaks for the wealthiest few. It increases the deficit and puts Medicare and Medicaid on the chopping block to pay for it.

I don't think it is right to ask the middle class to pay for tax breaks for the top 1 percent with cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and rising deficits--deficits that will surely be used by my Republican colleagues to continue to justify an unwillingness to invest in the essential pillars of economic security for families.

The entire reason reconciliation was created was for deficit reduction, which the majority claims to care so much about. My amendment is very simple. It would reinstate a point of order, known as the Conrad rule, against reconciliation legislation that increases the deficit. Let's not use reconciliation to add to our deficit.

I urge my colleagues to support my commonsense amendment that has been cosponsored by Senators Warner, Whitehouse, Kaine, Coons, King, Wyden, and Van Hollen.

Mr. President, in 2 days, unless Congress acts, the Federal Perkins Loan Program--the Nation's oldest Federal student loan program--will expire, leaving thousands of students with one fewer option to help them afford a higher education.

Since 1958, the Perkins Loan Program has existed with broad bipartisan support and has provided millions of students a stronger path to the middle class.

In the 2016 to 2017 academic year, the program has served more than 770,000 students with financial need across more than 1,400 institutions of higher education. In my home State of Wisconsin alone, Perkins provided aid to more than 23,000 students who are working hard to achieve their dreams.

Colleges and universities are invested in Perkins. This program operates through campus-based revolving funds that combine prior Federal investments with significant institutional resources. While Congress stopped appropriating new funds for Perkins more than a decade ago, these schools continue to invest in this program because they know it works, and the campus-based nature of the program allows them to target aid to students they know are in the greatest financial need.

I am here to call on all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the extension of this critical program and investment in our students across America.

Two years ago, we allowed this important program to lapse, but thanks to the tireless efforts of students, institutions, advocates, and a bicameral, bipartisan majority in support of Perkins, we were able to advance a compromise that ensured that this source of support continued to be available to students in need.

Once again, we are facing a deadline. Once again, there is strong bipartisan

support for extending the Perkins Loan Program. Last week, Senators Portman, Casey, and Collins joined me in introducing the Perkins Loan Program Extension Act, which would provide for a 2-year extension. My fellow Wisconsinite, Representative Mark Pocan, together with New York Representative Elise Stefanik, have introduced a House companion bill that is supported by over 225 of their colleagues--a bipartisan majority in that Chamber.

I am here to call on my colleagues to act once again and support a 2- year extension of the Perkins Loan Program. And while I look forward to a broader conversation about improving Federal supports for students as we look to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, we cannot once again sit by and watch it expire as America's students are left with uncertainty.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1808, a bill to extend the Federal Perkins Loan Program for 2 years; that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration and the bill be considered read a third time and passed, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I am certainly disappointed that my effort to extend the Perkins Loan Program today was just blocked by my Republican colleague, but I want to say that it is an honor to serve on the HELP Committee, where we do some very impressive bipartisan work.

I understand the Senator's concern about the program and his belief that we must simplify. I share his desire to work on a broader reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and I look forward to that broader conversation about our Federal financial aid programs. However, I do not think it is right or fair to end this program, with nothing to replace it, to the detriment of students in need.

Also, I cannot agree that the compromise we hammered out 2 years ago was an agreement to wind down the program. I guess it is the perspective that we each bring to this subject, because I believed we were acting to ensure that the Perkins Loan Program could continue until we could discuss changes, improvements, and reforms to it and all Federal financial aid programs as part of broader legislation to improve higher education. We have yet to get to that bigger conversation, and it would once again be unfair to let this program end now without the benefit of a holistic assessment of the many ways the Federal Government helps to make college affordable for students across this country.

I will continue to fight to extend this support for America's students, and I hope the chairman of the committee will once again work with me and the bipartisan supporters of this program to find a path forward for the Perkins Loan Program.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues in expressing actually a combination of outrage and heartbreak that Washington is still working on yet another partisan plan to take healthcare coverage and guaranteed protections away from families across this country. This is despite a clear message Americans--and Wisconsinites alike--have sent to Congress that they want us to work across the party aisle to make things better and not worse. This latest repeal plan totally ignores that message.

This plan would make things far worse, not better. It would make things worse by allowing insurers to charge older Americans an age tax. That is a worry that Greg from Stoddard, WI, has shared with me. Greg told me that he and his family can't afford for things to get worse. He has no idea how he and other older Wisconsinites will be able to afford higher costs for healthcare. Greg's sons, both of them, have diabetes, and they are already struggling with the skyrocketing cost of insulin.

It would make things worse by dramatically weakening guaranteed protections for those with preexisting conditions, allowing insurers to cut coverage for essential health benefits and charge more for needed care. As someone who was branded with those words ``preexisting condition'' as a child, I understand how this repeal would hurt Wisconsin families and families throughout America.

It would make things worse by eliminating the premium tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments that help thousands--thousands--of Wisconsinites afford healthcare coverage, and estimates show this particular plan offered in the Senate could significantly cut funding for my home State of Wisconsin by almost $3 billion in the year 2027.

On top of this latest repeal plan, it has to be added that the Trump administration continues to play dangerous political games and engage in sabotage against the Affordable Care Act and Wisconsin's healthcare system, and it does so at the expense of families seeking affordable insurance. Instead of working to lower healthcare costs, the Trump administration continues to threaten to withhold the critical cost- sharing reduction payments that help reduce deductibles and out-of- pocket costs for Wisconsin families. Instead of giving healthcare providers certainty and working to stabilize the healthcare marketplace, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for higher premiums next year.

In addition, just last week, the administration slashed funding to States for their outreach and education efforts to help more people sign up for healthcare. Wisconsin's trusted Navigator Programs had their funding cut, without explanation, by almost 50 percent, despite a long record of actually exceeding their enrollment goals. This would mean fewer people in rural Wisconsin will receive the support and assistance they need to obtain affordable healthcare coverage.

Instead of making things worse, we should be making things better by getting the job done on bipartisan solutions that lower costs, that expand coverage, and make healthcare more affordable. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions--the HELP Committee--is trying to do just that.

Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray have shown great leadership in bringing us together to work across party lines on solutions that work for the American people. Our committee has heard from leaders from across the country. These are leaders and experts who play different roles in the healthcare system, and they are telling us how we can work together to make things better.

We have had a set of four hearings over the last 2 weeks, and throughout these hearings we have received a consistent message. That message is that now is the time to work together to stabilize the health insurance market and to make healthcare more affordable.

I believe we need to be doing more to increase the enrollment of younger and healthier adults in the marketplace. We should be exploring bipartisan solutions to increase outreach and coverage for those over 6.1 million young adults who are still uninsured. Slashing the funding for outreach, education, and assistance to them will further destabilize the market and lead to higher costs for everyone.

It is past time to stop this partisan nonsense. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do just that by ending these partisan attempts to take people's healthcare away and make them pay more for less care.

The people of Wisconsin--frankly, the people across this country-- have sent a clear message. They have sent a clear message that they don't want us to take people's healthcare away, and they have sent a clear message that they want us to work together, to work across the party line to make things better, not worse.

I believe that if parties can look past this partisan debate, if we can do the people's business, then we can find common ground. Let's do that by getting the job done on bipartisan solutions that stabilize and strengthen the healthcare marketplace. Let's do that by getting the job done on solutions that would lower healthcare costs for all American families.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I ask unanimous consent to make brief remarks and engage in a colloquy with the chairman and ranking member.

Mr. President, I have filed Baldwin amendment No. 329. This deals with the subject matter of ``Buy American'' in the National Defense Authorization Act.

I have long been a strong supporter of our manufacturing sector, of our national security, and I believe this amendment strongly supports both.

All week we have been going back and forth about whether we are going to vote on amendments to this measure. The Senate is supposed to be an institution where we can debate and bring our ideas forward, represent our States, represent the hard workers of this Nation, and I reserve the right to object to this unanimous consent request because I am frustrated, on behalf of those I represent, that we are not going to see a vote on this ``Buy American'' amendment.

I would additionally note the unique status we have--actually, in this case, a Statement of Administration Policy indicating strong support for the amendment that I have filed. To me, the ultimate test will be what is in the final bill that is signed into law. I am going to continue to push on, but I am, again, disappointed that this Senate is not operating in a fashion where we can offer amendments, debate those amendments, and have votes on those amendments.

I wish to yield to both the chairman and ranking member, as we have had discussions on this subject matter during these negotiations.

Mr. President, I had reserved the right to object, but I will not object to proceeding to the vote to move the NDAA forward. I would note that this amendment is germane

postcloture, and I still would like to see the Senate operate in a manner where Senators can bring forth their amendments, can debate them, and can get votes.

I yield back.

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

Mr. President, I rise to speak about an amendment that I have submitted to restore ``Buy American'' standards that support our workers and our national defense. My amendment presents an opportunity to work across party lines to strengthen our national security and to support the hard-working men and women in Wisconsin and across the country.

In fact, President Trump supports exactly what my amendment seeks to achieve. In addition, the Parliamentarians have confirmed that my amendment is germane postcloture. Given that the President agrees with me and the amendment is germane, I am calling on the Republican leadership to schedule an up-or-down vote on my amendment so that Senators have a chance to show their support for the workers who help keep America secure.

Let me explain what my amendment would do. The National Defense Authorization Act would eliminate a number of important ``Buy American'' laws for certain critical defense components for Navy ships and other defense programs.

My amendment, entitled the Supporting America's Defense Workers Act, would prevent the elimination of these critical ``Buy American'' protections, which give preference to American companies for government contracts funded with taxpayer dollars. It is a commonsense ``Buy American, Hire American'' policy that supports our domestic industrial base, our workers, and our national and economic security.

Current law requires that certain critical components like valves, air circuit breakers, machine tools, anchor chains, propellers, passenger buses, chemical weapons antidotes, and photovoltaic devices be supplied by American companies or certain qualified companies located in closely allied countries, such as Canada.

Section 863 of the Defense bill would enact a harmful sunset provision on these current requirements, eliminating them entirely at the end of fiscal year 2018 and consequently opening up taxpayer-funded defense contracts to unfairly subsidized foreign competition and placing American jobs at risk.

Opening these procurements up to foreign sources would have the additional effect of undercutting American steel and iron producers because foreign manufacturers of these components do not use U.S.- sourced raw materials. Section 863 would weaken these sectors of the U.S. defense industrial base and jeopardize the stability of companies located in States across this country and the manufacturers of those components. This would, in turn, harm our military's ability to rely on secure and stable sources of critical defense components in an increasingly

dynamic global security environment. If domestic sources for critical defense components exit the market, our military could be forced into relying on countries that don't share our interests, including strategic adversaries like China or Russia, for parts and supplies.

I want to emphasize that my amendment does not add any new requirements or preferences to defense acquisitions. Rather, it maintains the existing requirements that have worked for years to create a secure supply of critical parts for our Nation's defense.

Again, to be clear, my amendment does not force the Department of Defense or the individual services to do anything that they are not already doing. Indeed, DOD and the services have complied with these requirements for years without complaint and without injury, and it is important to note that these domestic content requirements can be waived. They can be waived for cost; they can be waived for schedule or noncompetitive reasons. In other words, the government retains flexibility under these laws.

Strengthening our defense industrial base should be a bipartisan issue. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, President Trump has said that he agrees with me. He registered his opposition to section 863 in his Statement of Administration Policy, which states: ``The Administration strongly objects to Section 863.''

The Trump administration goes on to say:

The existing procurement requirements act as a key

guarantor of strategic supply chain security. They protect

DOD's ability to reliably source goods such as chemical

weapons antidotes and components for naval vessels, among

others.

Eroding ``Buy American'' requirements also runs counter to two Presidential initiatives--President Trump's Executive order directing the Pentagon to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and his ``Buy American and Hire American'' Executive order to better enforce current domestic content laws.

I believe we must take steps to ensure that American products are prioritized when American tax dollars are being spent. Domestic preferences help our manufacturing sector and ensure that critical products meet our high standards. This is particularly important when we are talking about defense products used to ensure that our servicemembers are safe and effective.

In sum, voting for my amendment means voting not only for the creation of well-paying American jobs but also for ensuring that the items used by our men and women in the military are of the highest quality and will continue to be available.

This amendment is supported by the American Shipbuilding Suppliers Association and the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

A strong defense industrial base means a strong and secure America. My amendment has the bipartisan support of President Trump, and I believe it deserves a vote and the support of all of my colleagues in the Senate.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the 100th anniversary of the 88th Regional Support Command. I am humbled to recognize the men and women who are bravely fighting for our country's freedom.

The 88th Regional Support Command, RSC, began as the 88th Infantry Division, ID. Organized in August 1917 at Camp Dodge, IA, the members of the ``Cloverleaf Division'' fought among the Allied Forces in the Alsace Campaign. They returned home following the war, and the Army demobilized the unit in June 1919.

Three years later, the 88th reformed within the Organized Reserve, with headquarters in Minneapolis and subordinate units elsewhere in Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota. The 88th ID mobilized in 1942 to serve the United States in World War II. It was one of the first units comprised solely of drafted soldiers. Despite a lack of experience, the 88th quickly gained a reputation as an effective unit of well-trained soldiers, which the Germans referred to as the ``Blue Devils.''

The 88th ID fought on the front lines during the 1944 Italian campaign. Its arrival provided much-needed relief to the allied soldiers fighting on the Italian front. Led by Major General John E. Sloan, the 88th was the first division to enter the newly liberated Rome. After 100 straight days of activation, the Blue Devils were finally scheduled to receive a much-needed respite from the war. However, MG Sloan quickly instituted a training regimen that kept his soldiers in fighting condition, and they were ordered to head north to combat the Germans and provide support for American soldiers in Northern Italy.

For 344 days, the 88th Infantry fought to protect our American values during World War II. At the beginning of the war, MG Sloan promised, ``the glory of the colors will never be sullied, as long as one man of the 88th still lives.'' Although many lives were lost, the 88th Infantry Division was deactivated in October 1947, having fulfilled MG Sloan's promise.

In April 1996, the 88th ID was redesignated as the 88th RSC. Headquartered in Fort McCoy, WI, the 88th RSC provides logistical and administrative support for Army Reserve soldiers. Whether they are providing training logistics, equipment maintenance or medical support, the members of the 88th RSC are making a difference for servicemen and servicewomen from Wisconsin all the way to the Pacific Coast.

Today the 88th ID lives on through the 88th Regional Support Command. Having fought in the Vietnam war, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the soldiers of the 88th RSC continue to support the more than 55,000 U.S. Army Reserve soldiers, families, and civilians across the United States. I am proud to recognize 100 years of their remarkable service and accomplishments.

Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company on their 150th anniversary. I am so pleased to honor this great Wisconsin company.

Throughout its history, family has always been at the core of the Leinenkugel business. The family's brewing tradition began well before they came to America. Jacob's father, Mathais, was a brewer and brandymaker from Meckenheim, Germany, who settled with his family in Sauk City, WI. Mathais passed his craft on to his four sons who, in turn, opened their own breweries throughout Wisconsin. Their passion for brewing quality beer remains at the heart of the Leinenkugel family 150 years later.

While it is now the fourth-largest craft brewer in the United States, the nascent company had only two employees: Jacob Leinenkugel and his partner, John Miller. Jacob brewed the beer, and John delivered it. Their German brewing methods, combined with excellent grains grown in rich Wisconsin soil and the State's pure water, made Leinenkugel's small brewery an instant success. The hard-working lumberjacks in the logging town of Chippewa Falls were Jacob's first loyal customers. Word of Leinenkugel's beer spread quickly, and its popularity expanded rapidly throughout Northern Wisconsin.

When Jacob passed away in 1899, running the company fell to his son- in-law, Henry Casper, and then to his eldest son, Matt, in 1907. Working alongside his sisters and brothers-in-law, the second generation of Leinenkugel's leadership quickly took the company to new heights.

The brewery experienced its first major test with the passage of Prohibition in 1919. While many American breweries cut their losses and closed shop during this period, Leinenkugel's adapted to the new American reality and began brewing Leino, a nonalcoholic version of their popular beer. Unfortunately, Leino was no match for the real thing and was soon discontinued. Thanks to quick thinking, they pivoted once again and began bottling soda water. By the end of Prohibition, Leinenkugel's was the largest bottler of soda water in the area.

After the repeal of Prohibition, Matt Leinkugel's wife, Katherine, and his sister, Rose, mortgaged their homes to finance updates to the brewery's equipment to save the company. Thanks to the resourcefulness of these women, the Leinenkugel family was able to restore the brewery to its pre-Prohibition glory. Leinenkugel's expanded yet again in the mid-20th century to the greater Midwest area and developed new varieties of beer that would meet the diverse needs of its newest customers.

In 1988, the Miller Brewing Company purchased Leinenkugel's, allowing the brewery to distribute products across the country. Today the brewery is an industry leader that produces 25 different styles of beer. For every 10 shandy-style beers consumed in the United States, nine are produced by Leinenkugel's.

Despite their national success, the Leinenkugels have never forgotten their Wisconsin roots or their commitment to their hometown of Chippewa Falls, WI. Jake Leinenkugel, who led the company until his retirement in 2015, said he and his wife, Peg, will always live in Chippewa Falls. The couple was named ``Chippewa Valley Philanthropists of the Year'' in 2007 for their ongoing contributions of time and money to local causes.

The Leinenkugel family has also maintained a strong commitment to the conservation of natural resources, particularly the freshwater that is a key component in Leinenkugel's products. The family created Canoes for a Cause, a stewardship program aimed at preserving waterways by removing trash, debris, and invasive plant species. They have held Canoes for a Cause events in Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, and Cleveland, often collecting more than 1,000 pounds of trash in a single day.

Today, C.J., Ellie, Matt, and Kirk Leinenkugel carry on the Leinenkugel's legacy. They are the sixth generation of Leinenkugels to continue Jacob's tradition of excellence, taking a small, local brewery and turning it into one of the most successful breweries in the Nation. No matter how many employees or distributors join the team, Leinenkugel's will always remain a family company that, to its core, defines what it means to be kind, hard-working Wisconsinites and genuine Americans.

Madam President, I intend to offer the following motion to commit H.R. 1628 with instructions, on behalf of myself and Senator Hirono, to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to eliminate provisions that threaten to make healthcare unaffordable for those with preexisting conditions. I ask unanimous consent that it be printed in the Record.

The motion is supported by Senators Blumenthal, Durbin, Stabenow, Feinstein, Leahy, Brown, Harris, Franken, Carper, Coons, Udall, Shaheen, Van Hollen, Menendez, Reed, Manchin, Cardin, Murphy, Duckworth, Warren, Wyden, Whitehouse, Heinrich, Warner, Klobuchar, Nelson, Bennet, Markey, Booker, and King.

Mr. President, I rise this evening to help deliver a message from American families to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. The American people have sent a clear message to Washington. The message is that they do not want us to go forward with this partisan--and mean--healthcare repeal bill. But, incredibly, we are today about to embark on a vote to do the exact opposite.

What is happening in Washington this week is that we are completely ignoring the message that Wisconsinites and the hard-working American families across this country have sent for us to hear. Haven't you been listening?

To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, have you been listening to the calls pouring in from families in your States? Have you been listening to the voices of parents and their children, the schoolteachers and doctors, and the working people who are daily struggling to get ahead? These messages have been sent to Washington. They have been sent loudly and for too many months--in fact, for too many months for you to possibly not have heard them. The American people don't want to pay more for less care. They don't want the age tax or the higher premiums this plan is offering. People with preexisting conditions don't want to be thrown into a high-risk pool or priced out of the coverage they have today. They don't want bare-bones insurance that doesn't cover the essential services and lifesaving care they may need. They don't want their loved ones who depend on Medicare for nursing home care or their disabled children who rely on Medicaid funding at school to have their care put at risk through caps and cuts. The American people don't want a plan that will make things worse.

It is hard for me to believe that Washington hasn't heard this message because I have been listening.

I have been listening to people like Jean. Jean is from Baraboo, WI. She told me that she is scared because her Crohn's disease would cost her a fortune if her preexisting conditions were not covered. She told me that she needs the healthcare she has today because ``my husband ruptured a disk in his back that prevented him from getting a job that promised us coverage. So now he works multiple jobs.''

I have been listening to Mary from Kenosha, WI. I met with Mary recently, and she told me about her son Kyle. Kyle, at a young age, was diagnosed on the autism spectrum and was never expected to learn to even speak. When Kyle was 7, medical professionals spoke with Mary and said that Kyle might have to be removed from his home and left to be cared for in an institution. But Mary had hope, and thanks to Medicaid, Kyle was able to receive some very specialized medical therapy for his autism, and he was able to remain at home. He was able to receive an education. He was able to get his driver's license, and now Kyle is attending college.

Mary is terrified, nonetheless, that this bill's drastic cuts to Medicaid would rob Kyle of the care he needs to achieve the independence that he has worked so hard for during his entire life. Mary told me about her concern for so many other families with similar situations.

I have been listening to Greg. Greg is from Stoddard, WI. He has no idea how he and other older Wisconsinites will be able to afford higher costs for healthcare. Greg's sons, both of whom have diabetes, are already struggling with skyrocketing insulin prices.

I have been listening to the Schaumberg family in Seymour, WI. Their daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect. She had to have open heart surgery at 5 days of age. Now, Zoe is guaranteed coverage without being denied or charged more, but Zoe's parents are scared that this repeal plan will make things worse. When Zoe's mom, Chelsey Schaumberg, was told about how this plan would weaken the guaranteed protections and care that people have today, she said

this in her letter to me: ``To me, it's like they're taking the American Dream from her . . . kids in Wisconsin with preexisting conditions . . . are counting on you to protect that right.''

This isn't right. This isn't fair. It is not who we are.

If my colleagues who have been drafting this plan behind closed doors have not been listening to the messages of fear and anxiety from the American people, maybe they will listen to why this proposal is very personal to me.

When I was 9 years old, I got sick. I got really sick. I was in the hospital for 3 months. Following getting out of the hospital, I required significant followup care for nearly a year before I regained my full strength and fully recovered.

But when it came to health insurance, it was like I had a scarlet letter. My grandparents, who raised me, couldn't find a policy that would cover me, not from any insurer and not at any price. They had to pay for my care out of pocket, and I can tell you they made some major sacrifices to do so, all because I was a child who had been branded with those terrifying words ``preexisting condition.''

So what are we doing here? It is time to stop the partisan nonsense. The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take away people's healthcare. They sent me to fight for people like Zoe, Kyle, and Jean. What I hear from people in Wisconsin is that they want us working together to protect the care people have and to make it more affordable.

We should be working together to lower costs like skyrocketing prescription drug prices. We should be working together to strengthen the insurance market and give people more options. But we should not be working on partisan repeal legislation that will make things worse, that will leave millions uninsured, that will make healthcare more expensive, and that will price families out of the care they have today.

It is time we listened to the messages that are being sent to Washington. It is time we worked together across the partisan aisle to do our jobs--the jobs the American people sent us here to do on their behalf.

I hope the congressional majority will join me and my colleagues to work together to strengthen healthcare and to move our country forward.

I thank the body.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, in the spirit of the ``Decade of Vision,'' I am pleased to recognize July as Dry Eye Awareness Month. In 2009, while serving in the House of Representatives, I was proud to sponsor the successfully passed H. Res. 366, which recognized the 40th anniversary of the National Eye Institute and designated 2010-2020 as the ``Decade of Vision.'' This resolution sought to bring awareness to our Nation's challenges in vision health, especially as our population ages and the incidence of chronic diseases that may cause vision impairment grows.

Dry eye is one of these growing vision health challenges that affects more than 30 million people in the United States. It occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly or they are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too quickly. It can range from discomfort to a painful chronic and progressive condition that leads to blurred vision or even vision loss. Dry eye is one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to eyecare providers. It is a particularly burdensome issue for our brave soldiers who were engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Veterans Administration reports that upwards of 70 percent of traumatic brain injury-exposed veterans have dry eye symptoms.

Research supported by the National Institutes of Health and its National Eye Institute has improved our understanding of this condition. Dry eye can have many causes, including environmental exposure, side-effects from medications, eye surgery, eyelid disorders, immune system disorders, contact lens wear, cosmetic use, aesthetic procedures, and an increasingly common cause: staring at computer or video screens for too long without blinking, which may have a disproportionate impact on our younger generations.

I want to recognize an important educational opportunity during Dry Eye Awareness Month this year. The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society's ``Dry Eye Workshop II Report'' will be published in ``The Ocular Surface Journal,'' updating the definition of dry eye and addressing its greater impact on vision health--the first such reexamination since 2007. Report highlights were presented at a July 12, 2017, congressional briefing, accompanied by a ``Test Your Tears'' screening and presentation of research posters.

The vision community and its coalition partners are uniting to recognize this growing vision health problem, and I stand in support of these awareness and educational efforts.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life and legacy of Ted Shannon, whose passing marks the end of an extraordinary life spent in service to country, community, and family. Ted committed his life to the pursuit of justice and equality. Ted and his late wife Dorothy were incredible pillars who had a great influence on me as I entered a life of public service.

Ted Shannon showed up. In service to his country, he became a civil affairs officer in July of 1941 during WW II, attached to the British 8th Army during the occupation of Italy. In his subsequent post, he served as executive officer for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in Paris.

He showed up as a leader in education, whether it was in his role as a Ford Foundation higher education adviser for five Middle Eastern countries in Lebanon--the nation of his ancestors--or as a highly regarded UW-Extension faculty member and dean for more than three decades.

Ted Shannon showed up. Along with Dorothy and fellow travelers from the New Deal era, Ted supported progressive causes at all levels of government for more than half a century. I cannot recall an event, large or small, for a progressive organization where I did

not see Ted and Dorothy pitching in, providing leadership and encouragement no matter how challenging the cause.

He showed up as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Ted met and married the former Dorothy Judge while at Yale pursuing his Ph.D. on the GI bill and shared his life with her until her passing in 2003. Ted was father to Tad, Sara, and Pam. Ted showed up as a hunting and fishing companion to son, Tad, and sage adviser on matters of food, music, languages, and world travel to Sara and Pam. He enjoyed outdoor adventures with his dear friend, Bill Threinen. Ted, Dorothy, Bill and Connie Threinen were friends and compatriots in advancing beloved ideals and forward-thinking causes for decades. A few years after Dorothy's passing, Ted married second wife, Kate Foster, of Eau Claire and continued his life of service for another 9 years.

Ted showed up. He was a doer. He walked the talk. Ted's multifaceted legacy is perhaps best illustrated by the words of Cuban poet Jose Marti: ``Men of Action, above all those whose actions are guided by love, live forever.''

The life of Ted Shannon serves as inspiration for anyone who seeks to create a world of peace, dignity, and opportunity for all. I miss him dearly.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the 100th anniversary of a great Wisconsin company: Oshkosh Corporation.

Oshkosh Corporation began ten decades ago when cofounders William Besserdich and Bernard Mosling believed they had created something that would change transportation in America. Their new technology would improve vehicle steering and drive capacity, two factors that were essential for navigating unfinished roads. While the engineering was groundbreaking, they could not find a manufacturer who would purchase and build their designs.

Faced with possible failure, William and Bernard moved on to plan B: manufacturing and launching their own vehicle. On May 1, 1917, they founded the Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company that soon issued its four- wheel drive truck prototype, known as Old Betsy, using the duo's innovative technology. The company's rapid growth led them to move the production facility from Clintonville to Oshkosh, where it was renamed the Oshkosh Motor Truck Manufacturing Company.

Over the next 3 years, the Oshkosh Motor Truck Manufacturing Company grew exponentially as a defense supplier for the U.S. military. In 1945, the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy presented Oshkosh with the ``E'' award for excellence in wartime production. Throughout the 1940s, companies like Auto Body Works, Inc., and Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering, which would later become part of the larger Oshkosh Corporation, made their marks on the military industry. The success of these companies built the foundation for Oshkosh Corporation's current success.

The escalation of the Cold War led to Oshkosh's first major defense contract. They produced 1,000 WT-2206 snow removal vehicles that allowed the Air Force to remove snow for bomber planes. Throughout the 1950s, the company continued to produce high-quality, technologically advanced trucks for various branches of the military. As our country transitioned out of a wartime economy, the company's focus shifted, resulting in the 1967 name change from Oshkosh Motor Truck Company to Oshkosh Truck Corporation.

Over the next several decades, Oshkosh continued to grow, as did its subsidiaries. Whether it was defense or construction, Oshkosh is known for its consistency, advanced technology, and efficient designs. In the area of defense, the Oshkosh name has become synonymous in the minds of U.S. servicemembers with quality, durability, and safety. From heavy- duty trucks, to the lifesaving MRAP--which was rapidly produced by skilled and patriotic Wisconsin workers in order to accelerate the safer vehicle's deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan--to the current production of the joint light tactical vehicle, Oshkosh boasts an unparalleled track record of delivering leading capability to our men and women in uniform. That is a record I have been honored to support throughout my time in Congress. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked to secure the funding required by the Armed Services to meet their need for tactical vehicles.

I have also been proud to represent Oshkosh in the Senate because the company has a steadfast commitment to its employees. Whether it was 1917 with two employees, 1972 with 500 employees, or present day with over 12,000 employees across the world, Oshkosh provides for its employees with scholarships, employee safety, and support. On the production floor or in the office, Oshkosh Corporation employees' remarkable dedication can be seen throughout the organization. I have been honored to meet many of these talented workers, including speaking with hundreds at a recent all-hands call at the Oshkosh Defense facility in Wisconsin.

Oshkosh's success has also lifted the fortunes of hundreds of Wisconsin companies throughout its various supply chains. Oshkosh is a true linchpin of my home State's manufacturing economy, and both its commercial and government programs support thousands of good-paying, skilled jobs. Just last year, I had the opportunity to partner with Oshkosh Defense and the Wisconsin Procurement Institute to strengthen this vibrant network by convening an event to build relationship's between Wisconsin suppliers and Federal agencies.

I would also like to commend the company's current leadership, including president and CEO Wilson Jones, and John Bryant, the president of Oshkosh's defense unit, both of whom I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. Similarly, I want to recognize the tremendous contributions made by their immediate predecessors, Charles Szews and John Urias, respectively. The steady hand provided by these leaders will ensure that the company is an integral part of Wisconsin's economy for another 100 years.

Now, 100 years after the creation of ``Old Betsy,'' Oshkosh Corporation and its brands continue to lead the industry; yet the company has remained firmly committed to its strong ethics and employee-centric culture. For the last ten decades, Oshkosh Corporation has cemented its international reputation for innovation and excellence. I know Oshkosh leadership and frontline employees will continue to hold themselves to this high standard, as they continue to grow and contribute to our great Wisconsin economy. I am so pleased to add my voice in celebrating this monumental anniversary.

Mr. President, I rise tonight to join my colleagues in our fight to protect the health and economic security of the American people.

I am here to express my deep concern, anguish, and disgust with the fact that instead of working across party lines, working together to protect healthcare, instead, the majority is writing secret legislation behind closed doors--legislation that is going to make the American people pay more for less care and take healthcare coverage away from millions of American families.

I am disgusted because this issue is very personal to me. When I was 9 years old, I got sick. I got very sick. I was hospitalized for 3 months. I eventually recovered, but when it came to health insurance, it was as if I had a scarlet letter. My grandparents who raised me couldn't find a policy that would cover me, not from any insurer and not at any price. They had to pay for my healthcare out of their pockets, and they made incredible sacrifices to do so--all because I was a child who had been branded with those words ``preexisting condition.''

No parents or grandparents should have to lie awake at night worried that if their child has an illness or an injury, they will have no way to pay to cover their care. No child should have to lie awake at night hearing the whispered tones of their parents wondering how they might pay the bills to care for an ill child. It is not right, it is not fair, and it is not fundamentally who we are, but that is exactly what people were wondering last night in America, and they will do so again tonight. Families across this country will go to bed anxious and scared because of the partisan politics happening right here in Washington-- the politics that is moving forward with a plan that will make things worse and not better for the American people.

This isn't just personal for me, it is personal for the Wisconsin families I work for. I have listened to them, and I am here to give them a voice.

This is personal for Jim from Appleton, WI, and for Jim's daughter who has multiple sclerosis. Jim told me that his family needs strong protections for people with preexisting conditions so that his daughter can continue to receive treatment that her family can afford.

This is personal for Greg from Stoddard, WI, who has no idea how he and other older Wisconsinites will be able to afford higher costs for their healthcare and for Greg's two sons, both of whom have diabetes and are already struggling with skyrocketing prices for insulin.

This is personal for Barbara from Madison, who is deeply concerned about cuts to Medicaid because her son has a disability and he relies on Medicaid to work and to live independently.

This is personal for Chelsey from Shelby, WI, whose daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect. Right now, Zoe is guaranteed access to coverage without being denied or charged more because of her preexisting condition. Chelsey wrote to me and said: ``I'm pleading to you as a mother to fight for the . . . kids in Wisconsin with preexisting conditions that are counting on you to protect that right.''

Does the congressional majority really care more about finding 50 votes for a secret plan than it does about the health and well-being of Zoe? Sadly, it appears they do. It appears they are more concerned with finding 50 votes for any legislation, no matter how harmful it is, just so they can notch up another partisan victory and so that they can move on to other things on their political agenda. They are not listening to American families or Wisconsin families, who will be left behind.

I want to tell you what the consequences are going to be when Washington does not listen to Wisconsinites like Jim and his daughter, from Appleton, or Greg and his two sons, from Stoddard, or moms like Barbara, from Madison, and Chelsey, from Shelby. The consequences are that things are going to get worse, like they do under the House-passed Republican plan.

If you are older, you are going to pay an age tax. A 64-year-old in Wisconsin might have to pay increases in excess of $10,000 more in premiums. If you have a preexisting condition, like I do or like almost 2.5 million Wisconsinites do, the guaranteed protections and care that you have today may not be here tomorrow.

If you live in rural Wisconsin, this plan will only make it harder to access affordable, quality healthcare. For some living in northern Wisconsin, this plan could cost them up to $6,000 more a year than they pay today.

Our rural hospitals are already struggling to keep their doors open, and this plan could make those challenges even worse. By the way, rural hospitals are often the lifeblood of their communities, the largest employers in many counties in which they exist. So if rural hospitals-- even a few of them--are forced to close, it will not only make it harder for people to gain healthcare, it will also mean that people will lose their jobs.

If you rely on Medicaid for nursing home care or if, like Barbara, you have a disabled child who relies on Medicaid to live independently in the community, the House-passed bill cuts Medicaid and puts that care at risk. If you are one of the 35,000 veterans in Wisconsin or nearly 2 million veterans across the country who rely on Medicaid for healthcare coverage, your care will be at risk.

The House Republican proposal will both dramatically increase and shift healthcare costs to Wisconsin taxpayers and onto the shoulders of families for things like substance abuse treatment and mental health services.

It will make it harder in our State's fight and America's fight against the opioid crisis and could make the epidemic our country is facing even worse. Put simply, this plan will hand over more control to insurance companies, weaken health insurance protections, raise costs, and provide less care for the American people.

The American people cannot afford to sell a home or take out a second mortgage or home equity loan or spend their life savings or max out their credit cards or go bankrupt just to get the healthcare they need. It is not right. It is not fair. It is not who we are.

It is time to stop this partisan nonsense. The people of Wisconsin did not send me to the Senate to take away people's healthcare. They sent me to fight for people like Jim and Greg and Barbara and Chelsey and their children. Let's listen to these Wisconsinites. Let's take repeal off the table, and let's work in a bipartisan way. Let's work together to improve the healthcare people have today and make it more affordable, not more costly. Let's work in a bipartisan way. Let's work together to make things better, not pursue partisan plans to make things worse.

I call on my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to come out from behind their closed doors to join us in this fight to stop leaving people behind and start helping them get ahead.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise to recognize the first anniversary of a horrific tragedy that shook this Nation. One year ago, in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, we all witnessed an unthinkable act of hatred and terror at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL. It was Pride Month and Latin night, and dozens of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, along with friends and family, were gathered simply to have fun in what should have been a place of acceptance, affirmation, and safety. In a matter of moments, what should have been a celebration turned into one of the worst mass shootings in American history--a targeted act of terror and hate, an attack on the freedoms we all hold dear. These 49 innocent people lost their lives in this attack, and 53 others were wounded. Many, many others bear the emotional scars.

This was not only a deadly act of domestic terrorism; it was a hate crime--a crime that targeted victims because of who they were and was designed not just to harm its victims but to terrorize everyone in the community.

Last year, I came to the floor to read the names and tell the stories of the victims of this massacre in Orlando, because we cannot and we must not forget these men and women. Their stories need a voice. Today, I rise again to remember the victims.

As I did 1 year ago, I come to the floor to ask my colleagues to find the courage to stand up, speak out, and act to confront the rising tide of hate crimes and discrimination in America. We must never forget the victims of this hate crime, and we must honor them with action.

While the Pulse shooting was an unimaginable horror, it is, sadly, far from the only act of violence that has been perpetrated out of hatred. Even before June 12 of last year, we had seen an alarming increase in reports of hate crimes against LGBTQ people but also against racial and religious minorities and immigrants. In the aftermath of a divisive election, we saw hundreds of documented instances of discrimination, harassment, and even violence against members of minority communities as well as increased hostility within our Nation's schools. In this year alone, at least 11 transgender people have been murdered, most of them women of color.

The fact is that many members of racial, ethnic, disability, and religious minority communities, as well as LGBT people, live in very real fear for their safety. They are scared, and it is

incumbent upon President Trump as our Nation's leader to demonstrate to them and to all Americans that discrimination and violence against any individual because of who he is, whom he loves, and how he worships will not be tolerated in this country.

When I stood here last year, I called for a greater investment in the Federal Government's effort to both try to prevent hate crimes and fully investigate and prosecute them whenever they happen. After President Trump took office, I was joined by a number of my Senate colleagues in urging him and the Attorney General to support robust funding for the Department of Justice's programs that combat bias- motivated crimes. I believe a documented increase in hate crimes demands an increase in the resources that are committed to fighting this problem. Yet the budget put forward by President Trump and Attorney General Sessions seeks no increases. In fact, it proposes cutting more than 100 staff from the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.

This administration has failed to step up and speak out against this disturbing trend across our country or to commit the resources necessary to fight it.

Instead of showing the moral leadership our Nation needs in the face of increasing hatred and division, President Trump and his administration have taken steps to roll back our Nation's progress in many areas, including progress for the LGBT community.

Rather than issue a proclamation recognizing Pride Month and committing to address the many challenges still facing LGBT Americans, President Trump recently issued an Executive order that could open the door to discrimination with Federal taxpayer dollars.

Rather than stand up for transgender students facing bullying, harassment, and discrimination, this administration rescinded guidance to schools about the rights of those vulnerable young people under Federal law.

Rather than building on the steps taken to better understand the needs of LGBT people by simply counting us, the Trump administration has walked back efforts to ask about LGBT Americans in Federal surveys at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Census Bureau.

Simply put, President Trump has not lived up to his vow to be a President for all Americans.

But where I come from, in Wisconsin, our State motto consists of one word: ``Forward.'' I believe that no matter who is in the Oval Office, our country must move in only one direction--forward.

Remember, while Pride Month is, of course, about celebration--of who we are and of how far we have come--it is just as much about bravely standing up and speaking out so that others will not feel compelled to live in silence.

To the survivors of the Pulse shooting and the families and friends of those who were murdered and who feel the wounds of this tragedy most deeply, we hear your voices and we are inspired by your strength.

As a community, we have never been deterred by tragedy and will not be now. One of the early leaders in our fight for equality was Harvey Milk, and he was also struck down by violent hatred. Harvey Milk famously said: ``Hope will never be silent.''

So today I rise to remind us of the power of hope in the face of tragedy. We must continue to work to pass on to the next generation a country that is more equal, not less. We must remain strong in fighting any rollback of progress, large or small.

There is more work to be done to ensure that all Americans are protected from hatred and discrimination, and the work toward full equality for LGBTQ people and their families remains far from complete.

For myself and those who stand united this Pride Month, we are guided by our uniquely American values. It is about freedom--the freedom to realize our founding belief that all Americans are created equal under the law. It is about fairness--whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans deserve to be treated just like their family members, their friends, their neighbors, their fellow workers. It is about opportunity--about whether every American gets to dream the same dreams, chase the same ambitions, and have the same shot at success.

This is the promise of America, and we must fight to make sure we keep it.

I yield the floor.