Floor Statements

Mr. President, after hours and hours of arguments by my Democratic colleagues--not that I woke up this morning with the desire to hear my own voice on the Senate floor--I am here because decades before I ever considered a career in politics, when I was just starting out in the Army, I raised my right hand and took an oath. I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I vowed to protect our Nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

In this moment, at this precipice in our country, I need to make good on that promise, because in the just 18 days since Donald Trump was inaugurated, we have witnessed an all-out assault on the system of checks and balances that our government was founded upon.

We have seen the President both overreach and underdeliver, proving through Executive orders and Twitter marching orders that he cares more about the billionaires who belong to Mar-a-Lago than the middle-class folks he pretended to care about on the campaign trail.

Look, 250 years ago this April, a few brave patriots grabbed their muskets and risked their lives at Lexington and Concord, sacrificing for a country that was still more of an idea, more of an ideal than actual reality. They did so because they could no longer stand living under a tyrannical leader. They did so because they had dreamt up the notion of a government of, by, and for the people. They knew that a system based on checks and balances was the best way to keep this Nation's leaders from turning into the very kind of tyrant they fled England to escape--a system of checks and balances.

Well, 2 weeks ago into Trump's America, the only checks I see are the ones going into the pockets of Trump's rich friends. The only balance I see is Trump's balancing act between ripping off the middle class and endangering our national security. Our system of government is being eroded before our eyes. It is being perverted to work for the few--the billionaires--rather than the many--the people.

It is sickening to see so many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle put their hands over their eyes and pretend they don't see what is happening. They are refusing to speak up as our President turns into more of a despot

every day as his power grabs get more extreme, more insidious, more cruel.

Even if we took the full 30 hours of debate on this nomination, I don't think we could get through all the ways that Trump's absolute disregard for the rule of law over the past 2 weeks has already harmed America and Americans, but let me use my time to try.

Last week, news broke that Trump had declared a blanket freeze on all Federal grants, ignoring the fact that Congress had already appropriated those funds, ignoring that he point-blank did not have the authority to do so, ignoring that his action would and already has hurt countless folks who rely on these grants for their most basic needs.

President Trump may think that he owned the libs by causing havoc in our Federal Government, but what he has really done is create a reality where his own voters who depend on groups like Meals on Wheels are not sure how they are going to put food on the table next week. He may think he destroyed woke culture with this freeze, but no--no, he didn't. Instead, he manufactured a crisis that has left that single mom working a double shift in a South Side nursing home unsure whether her Medicaid will be stripped away in the dark of night. He has created a crisis that has left veterans wondering if they will be able to access the benefits they earned with the blood they were brave enough to shed for our country. He has fabricated a nightmarish reality where homeless shelters might have to close their doors and turn back onto the streets the very at-risk teenagers who rely on their care.

Listen, when I was in high school, my family struggled. My dad lost his job and was unemployed for 4 to 5 years. We eventually ran through all of our savings, and we ended up with no money, and some days, we had no food.

I still remember going to the grocery store and counting out our last five one-dollar food stamps to buy as much bread and baloney as possible and then praying we would have enough to last the week.

I still remember fainting from hunger in my high school English class and waking up on the floor disoriented, not knowing what had happened.

I still remember the hours my dad spent walking from pay phone to pay phone, hoping to find 10 cents at a time so that he could find enough so that my brother and I could each get 50 cents to buy lunch and breakfast at school that next afternoon. A lot of times, that 25-cent hot lunch at school was the only meal I could count on for that entire day.

So as a former hungry kid and now as a mom of two little girls, I cannot imagine the pain of parents who rely on school meals to feed their own kids and who are now terrified that Trump's vanity project of a Federal freeze will force their 5-year-old to go hungry as their grants to fund cafeteria meal programs may now get gutted.

Shame on Donald Trump, and shame on Republicans who can't see to find the ounce of courage necessary to stand up and say what all of us in this Chamber so obviously know: that this is wrong, that this is outrageous, and that this is a wild, unlawful abuse of power.

But Trump didn't stop with the grant freeze. Last weekend, he gave Elon Musk, the world's richest person--someone not elected by the people of the United States of America--the power to cut off aid from the world's most vulnerable people. He gave him authority to dismantle an entire Agency in one illegal fell swoop.

Together, they are now actively gutting USAID, completely undermining the United States' national security and global standing; knowingly, intentionally jeopardizing the safety of countless innocent people worldwide who rely on the organization for humanitarian assistance.

Now bad actors in the communist People's Republic of China and Russia will be able to step in to fill the leadership vacuum that Trump created, forcing folks in need across the world to turn to our adversaries and not us for help.

Let me be clear. USAID is an organization dedicated to doing good around the globe, but the good that it does also has a direct, tangible impact on the safety and economic security of families right here at home in the United States.

It is an organization that helps allies detect fentanyl, in part so we can stop it before that fentanyl comes across our own borders.

It is an organization that helps feed starving families worldwide, but it does so using $2 billion of food purchased from American farmers, with the paychecks going into their red, white, and blue pockets so they can keep their family farms for yet another generation.

It is an organization that helps stop global pandemics.

It is an organization that works to make sure that the poorest children in the poorest countries don't die from drinking dirty water-- a mission that also happens to be critical to our national strength, as when countries experience water insecurity, they are more likely to undergo political instability as well. That increases the odds that their governments fail and power falls into the wrong hands, leading to a sequence of events that often ends up with the kind of immigration crisis we are already facing at our border.

I know there is waste, fraud, and abuse in our government and I am all for rooting that out. In fact, I have written and passed legislation that has successfully done just that. But eliminating an entire Agency with such vital missions is not the way to go about this.

USAID makes up just 1 percent of our Federal budget, and these shortsighted cuts will end up costing the American taxpayer even more in the long term, as there will be more global instability, more migration crises, more pandemics to contend with as a result of this frankly idiotic decision.

It is ironic that the guy in charge of making our government more efficient is making it more costly and more chaotic. Case in point: He has threatened to use American troops to bring home USAID workers if they don't leave their overseas post in the next 30 days--a move that in itself would cost Americans an estimated $100 million. That is Elon Musk spending 100 million more dollars, not saving it.

Elon Musk is unelected, unvetted, and unqualified. He does not have the legal authority to dismantle entire Agencies. Yet, in Trump's America, he is almost a coequal President, and the size of his bank account and how far he is willing to bend the knee is enough for our President to bestow on him unchecked power.

Musk is willing to bow down to Trump's throne made of fool's gold and false promises, so in return, Elon gets to run wild, run rampant. He gets to have access to Americans' Social Security numbers and veterans' personal information. For what reason no one knows and all of us should fear. He gets to hijack our systems to enrich himself rather than the middle class. He gets to stomp on those in need and fire anyone who dares to stand up for what is right or what is legal.

Trump and Musk are not bringing back the good old days of Ronald Reagan. Reagan believed in international aid. Reagan is the one whose name is on the front of USAID's building. They aren't making America great; they are making it authoritarian.

We should all be asking ourselves, if we let them gut USAID, then what is next? The answer is, the Department of Education and then your Social Security and your Medicaid. The things you and your families need to get by are right behind on their list to take out.

Look, Trump ran his campaign on the idea of lowering costs for the middle class. I support lowering costs for the middle class. He said he would reverse inflation on day one. I would love to see him reverse inflation on day one or whatever day we are on now--well, day one has come and gone. So have day two, day three, and day four. Here we are weeks in, and all he has done is break his campaign promises and then take actions that have hurt everyday Americans to help his rich buddies afford yet another private jet.

Under his wide stewardship, egg prices have actually skyrocketed, inflation remains sky high, a needless trade war seems to be getting closer every day, which could raise the price of gas and groceries even further, and all of us are in greater danger from bad actors the world over.

Enough is enough. Enough was enough a long time ago. Donald Trump is unchecked. The scales of our government have become unbalanced. Every

day, those scales tip more and more away from serving the needs of the working class and toward feeding the greed of the billionaires who pal around with the President on his golf course.

It was Ronald Reagan who once said:

The genius of a constitutional system is its recognition

that no one branch of government alone could be relied on to

preserve our freedoms. The great safeguard of our liberty is

the totality of the constitutional system, with no one part

getting the upper hand.

Reagan also described the Constitution as a ``covenant''--a ``covenant'' that, he said, ``we have made not only with ourselves but with all of mankind.''

So, today, I am asking my Republican colleagues to honor the covenant so cherished by their own conservative hero, Ronald Reagan. I am asking them to heed his words, to heed his warning, to heed his plea to us all.

Under Donald Trump, our government is not of, by, or for the people. It is of, by, and for the people with the deepest pockets. E pluribus unum--``out of many, one''--is supposed to signify the strength of foundation and the solidarity of our Nation. Do not let Donald Trump pervert it to mean that, out of the many people, he and his buddies are the only ones who matter.

To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, all I am asking you to do today are the jobs you were elected to do. All I am begging for is that you make good on the oaths you took when you were first sworn into this Chamber--to support and defend our Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Trump is acting as if he believes that the Constitution is just an old, yellowing piece of paper that he can crumble up at his will.

My colleagues, you know better, and you know your constituents deserve better. Please find the courage to stand up and say so. It is the least each of us can do for the country that we are lucky enough to have been elected to protect. You can do that today by voting no on Trump's latest unqualified, unfit Cabinet nominee, Russell Vought--a man who doesn't even care to hide that he will happily rubberstamp Trump's worst instincts.

Now, I would like to take some time to illustrate the very real impact that Trump's illegal actions have already had on the middle- class Americans, and I want to begin by reading some of the many, many letters I have received over the past few weeks from my constituents in Illinois.

First, let's start with Trump's Federal funding freeze. Here is a message we received from Metro Chicago's YWCA, an organization that supports the delivery of over $10 million worth in Head Start funding to childcare providers. Taking funding away from our childcare providers and families is both cruel and counterproductive. It hurts our families, our businesses, and our economy.

This is what the YWCA said:

YWCA Metropolitan Chicago partners with 19 childcare center

providers to enroll 621 children in the Head Start and Early

Head Start program. Many of these centers are ``mom-and-pop''

small businesses.

Due to the callous and irresponsible federal funding freeze

yesterday, the YWCA was unable to access the payment portal

for these critical programs for several hours. They heard

childcare centers across their service population were frozen

out from receiving direct payments as well, payments these

centers depend on to make payroll, feed children, and provide

other resources to children and parents.

Childcare centers in Illinois are scared. Childcare centers across the country are scared.

The childcare businesses YWCA serves typically survive on

profit margins of less than 1 percent. Wages are

astonishingly low, with childcare workers making less than 98

percent of the nation's other workers. They don't have the

funds to float their employees while the President

attempts to threaten our national security and deny

resources for states, localities, and American families

and businesses.

The harm has [already] been done [even with that temporary

funding freeze], and it cannot be undone.

The at-risk children the YWCA serves with Head Start and

Early Head Start funds include those living in poverty,

children in foster care, children experiencing homelessness,

people of color, and children with disabilities.

Their parents and caregivers are hard-working, tax-paying

Americans. When they don't have access to quality childcare,

the Federal Reserve tells us that childcare problems are the

main barrier to job-seeking, the main reason for missed work,

and the main reason for part-time work.

Next, I received several messages from my constituents after they were locked out of their Medicaid accounts in the aftermath of Trump's illegal Federal freeze. Here is what Medicaid means for them:

[I am a single mom in central Illinois. Medicaid] provides

a quality of life for my disabled son, including many

services and supports that I as a single parent for over 25

years would not be able to provide for him otherwise.

[I am a parent in southern Illinois.] Alex's genetic

disability requires many doctors' visits and tests and

medication. She also requires physical therapy and

occupational therapy. She will always require a caregiver.

Medicaid provides caregivers. In the future, Medicaid will

provide day programs when I am not physically able to care

for her and her brother becomes her guardian. Medicaid

provides for her needs now so she can have a good life and

will provide for her needs in the future. As a parent of a

child with a disability, this relieves our stress. As a

parent, we won't live forever, and it gives us peace of mind

to know she has these services to live a fulfilling life!

From a parent in Newton, IL:

Medicaid has been a lifeline for our family for the past 2

years. My daughter has a rare condition called Aicardi

syndrome. She suffers from a whole slew of medical issues.

Medicaid pays for nursing that our primary insurance does not

cover. The state allows me to be paid as her nurse, so we are

able to financially pay for our daily needs, home, and

wheelchair van to transport our daughter. Without Medicaid,

we would not have access to medications, equipment, supplies,

and nursing. These are the things that keep my daughter

alive.

From a parent in Chicago:

My child has a rare genetic disorder. She is medically

fragile and technologically dependent. She requires 24-hour

care and is unable to do anything for herself. Medicaid

allows my family to survive financially by covering all of

the health-related cost. Without Medicaid, we would drown in

debt, and my daughter would have to live in a hospital--

[costing the taxpayers even more money].

From a parent in Elburn, IL:

Medicaid helps me to care for my daughter at home, where

she belongs. It provides the critical support Ava needs--

ventilator care, nursing, and medical supplies--so she can

grow, learn, and thrive with her family. Without Medicaid and

the MFTD waiver, keeping Ava home wouldn't be possible. It

allows us to give her every opportunity to reach her full

potential while keeping our family together. Medicaid isn't

just a program--it's a lifeline for families like ours.

Now, I would like to read some messages from some of the healthcare providers, researchers, and patients in my State who are worried about how the Trump freeze will impact their lives.

One constituent said:

I am a cancer survivor, thanks to research into the early

detection of and into the treatment of cancer. Currently, I

have a friend who is at Vanderbilt Medical Center for the

treatment of his leukemia. I have another friend who is

undergoing chemo for blood cancer and will go to Vanderbilt

for a monthslong treatment in May.

Reports say that all communications and grant reviews, as

well as all cancer research and/or trials have been stopped

[by the Trump administration]. I ask you to do everything in

your power to restart the cancer research and trials so that

lives are not lost.

Thank you for your help.

Another email to me:

My uncle has a genetic disorder. My cousins have [a] 50-50

chance of having [the] same issue. My uncle has been in

several studies at WashU in St. Louis, Missouri. They are

working to identify what causes this gene and then,

consequently, how to treat it.

The new administration has halted all meetings and grant

reviews by the NIH. This funding is VITAL to researching what

causes and how to treat so many diseases, including the one

my uncle is suffering [from].

PLEASE push [to] fully fund the NIH so that we can continue

to research and treat terrible diseases that could impact all

of us and our families.

Next, here is a message I received about how the Trump freeze could hurt staff, researchers, and students at Southern Illinois University:

Southern Illinois University estimate[s] that they have

approximately 550 employees who are paid fully or partially

through federal dollars. A pause in funding the programs they

lead and research they perform in important areas, like

treating and preventing Alzheimer's disease or ensuring that

the food we eat is safe to consume, would keep them from

earning a salary to support their families.

The TRIO Upward Bound program in East St. Louis currently

serves 225 participants between both programs, the majority

of whom come from low-income, first-generation, college-bound

families. These students already face significant challenges,

including academic barriers, limited access to resources, and

a lack of college preparation

support. Any freeze in [the Federal] funding will stop the

university's ability to effectively assist them in overcoming

these obstacles.

The Upward Bound program plays a crucial role in preparing

students for college, providing tutoring, college admissions

guidance, and mentorship, which were at risk due to the

funding freeze. Additionally, our dedicated staff, who work

tirelessly to support these students, faced uncertainty

regarding their employment. This disruption also affects our

broader community as our program serves as a vital resource

for encouraging educational advancement and economic

mobility.

Next, here is an excerpt from an email I got from Ignite Promise, a Chicago nonprofit serving homeless youth in the immediate aftermath of the Trump freeze. The nonprofit had to reach into their own wallet to keep up their work. They said that the freeze turned their sector ``upside down.''

This is their message to me:

Thankfully, we were able to carry out our commitments to

youth over the last 24 hours because we have a small funding

reserve. However, if this is not resolved, these are the

direct services Ignite offers to youth that are at risk:

Essential mental health services and housing for over 500

young people throughout our programs;

Youth, ages 14 to 17, who are victims of trafficking will

lose access to our 24/7 shelter;

Young people at the greatest risk of harm will lose access

to a 24/7 crisis hotline.

This freeze turned our sector upside down and shifted over

100 providers in our CoC to rush into emergency mode.

And the most devastating effect was the fear youth

experienced, assuming their safe and stable supports were

going away, and insecurity our hardworking staff felt for

their employment.

Now, I would like to share a message we received from Beyond Legal Aid Chicago after they learned Trump's freeze would impact their work as a nonprofit that provides legal services to underserved communities and veterans throughout the city of Chicago.

Their message reads:

First, when the freeze went into place, the Notice of

Funding Opportunity for Homeless Veterans Legal Services was

put on hold. Without that funding, we will be unable to serve

Veterans in getting access to the benefits like the ones

featured in this story:

Our client was a 57-year-old Veteran suffering from

service-connected disabilities [and] faced challenges

navigating the VA system. His efforts for a disability

upgrade have been denied, preventing him and his family from

accessing critically needed support. He met our staff at one

of our Veterans' legal clinics. With our legal advocacy, he

was [actually] successfully upgraded to 100% permanent &

total disability status. He is now protected from a rating

reduction by the VA. We raised his monthly benefits. . . . He

is also now entitled to additional benefits: DEA; CHAMPVA for

spouse and children; no cost for VA healthcare; VA dental

care; and a DoD ID card for him and [his] family and access

to bases. His children are now eligible for education

assistance up to $107,136 [for their college education]. This

family's financial situation was stabilized, solidly keeping

them in the middle class by recognizing what this Veteran's

service cost him.

In 2024, using federal funding, we were able to work in

partnership with a homeownership preservation organization in

the South Suburbs to save 64 homes from foreclosure. That's

64 families who now have $19 million-plus in preserved home

value and can pass along the homes to the next generation.

Our legal work saved 64 families from homelessness. Without

federal funding that supported that work, those homes would

likely have been lost, and those families would have faced

housing instability.

Over the course of our 3-year OVW Legal Assistance for

Victims (which we receive through the Department of Justice)

was the principal funding source for our work serving 286

survivors of sexual assault.

They say further:

All of that work, and more, is funded directly by non-LSC

federal grants, all of which was subject to [Donald Trump's]

freeze.

Trump's freeze even impacted members of law enforcement in Illinois. Trump loves to say that he backs the blue and that Democrats want to defund the police, but in reality, it is his actions that are taking money away from our law enforcement officers and public safety, not to mention his pardoning the people from January 6, who actually assaulted the blue--our Capitol Police officers.

In the aftermath of Trump's freeze, police departments

reached out, saying that their High Intensity Drug

Trafficking Areas--the HIDTA--offices were notified that they

may lose funding. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas

program provides support for law enforcement agencies

operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking

regions across the United States.

Illinois is part of two of these regions. They provide crucial assistance, especially to rural agencies, to combat gangs, cartels, and the proliferation of fentanyl in our communities, as well as those that surround us in places like Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and Iowa.

Remember that the next time Republicans claim they say they back the blue, they are actually not backing the blue.

Now, I would like to read a list of Federal programs that could be at risk if Donald Trump proceeds with his freeze and make clear how it would affect the lives of the tens of millions of Americans who depend on them.

Let's begin with Head Start. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal funding for Head Start Programs that provide comprehensive early childhood education for more than 800,000 kids and their families. Teachers and staff may not get paid, and programs may not be able to stay open.

Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal funding for our K- 12 schools because school districts may not be able to access key formula grant funding, including title I, IDEA, impact aid, and career and technical education, which would pose tremendous financial burdens on schools in the middle of the school year.

Food assistance programs. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding for millions of American citizens who rely on nutrition assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunch. These Americans would be left hungry as funding is cut off, and nonprofits that provide additional assistance would lose Federal funding. Some of that funding, especially for SNAP and WIC and school lunches, actually is spent purchasing from our American farmers, who also would be negatively affected.

Disaster relief. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding for public assistance and hazard mitigation grants from the Disaster Relief Fund to State, Tribal, territorial, and local governments and nonprofits that help communities quickly respond to, recover from, and prepare for major disasters, right as so many communities are struggling after severe natural disasters--most recently in California, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Public safety. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal grants for law enforcement and homeland security activities, undermining public safety in every State and territory.

Health services. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal funding for community health centers that provide healthcare for over 30 million Americans, creating chaos for patients trying to get their prescriptions, regular checkups, and more.

Veterans' care. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes Federal grants to help veterans in rural areas access healthcare and grants that help veterans get other critical services, including suicide prevention resources, transition assistance, and housing for homeless veterans.

Support for our servicemembers. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes support for a host of DOD financial assistance and grant programs supporting servicemembers and their families, including the Fisher House, impact aid, community noise mitigation, ROTC language training, STEM programs, and the USO.

Preventing domestic violence. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes all Violence Against Women Act grants as well as funding for victims' assistance and State and local police.

Suicide and crisis lifeline. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding for the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline as well as grants for mental health services.

Life-changing medical research. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes all funding for critical health research, including research on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes, as well as clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center and all across the country, disrupting lifesaving and often time-sensitive research.

Support for small businesses. Donald Trump's illegal freeze would mean that the Small Business Administration would have to halt loans to small businesses, including those in disaster-ravaged communities in North Carolina, Texas, and Florida.

Emergency preparedness. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes critical preparedness and response capability funding used to prepare for disasters; public health emergencies; and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear events.

Support for firefighters. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes grants to support firefighters across the country. This includes grants that help States and localities purchase essential firefighting equipment.

Good-paying jobs in the energy infrastructure. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes grants for critical energy projects nationwide, halting billions of dollars in investments nationwide and jeopardizing good-paying American jobs. The Department of Energy's Loan Program Office would halt loans in 28 States, impacting hundreds of thousands of construction and operations jobs.

Infrastructure projects. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes all federally funded transportation projects across the country--roads, bridges, public transit, and more--including projects already under construction.

Combating the fentanyl crisis. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding for communities to address the substance use disorder crisis and combat the fentanyl crisis.

Programs for American innovation and competitiveness. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes existing grants to support research for AI and quantum computing and any new grant funding, undermining U.S. innovation and competitiveness with the PRC and putting American jobs at risk.

Programs to strengthen our military readiness. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes grants and other assistance appropriated to strengthen military effectiveness and defense capacity, including the Defense Production Act support for the defense industrial base, basic research grants necessary to advance key technologies, and small business support to strengthen our supply chains.

Programs to protect Americans overseas. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes programs that track and combat the spread of infectious diseases, create business opportunities for American companies in emerging markets, combat terrorism, and counter the influence of the PRC, Russia, and Iran. Efforts to ensure the safety and security of Americans implementing these programs are all suspended and could be terminated.

Food inspections. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes whether some States will have to take on the full financial burden of ensuring the Nation's meat supply is safe if Federal cooperative agreements for meat inspections are halted.

Support for Tribes. Donald Trump's illegal freeze jeopardizes funding to Tribes for basic governmental services like healthcare, public safety net programs, Tribal schools, and food assistance.

Pell grants and Direct PLUS loans for parents. Donald Trump's illegal freeze puts Pell grants and Parent PLUS Loan Programs at risk. These grants and programs make college more affordable for millions of Americans, giving them the opportunity to access higher education and a ticket to the middle class. His reckless actions create another barrier to opportunity for Americans.

I would like to switch gears a little bit, and let's talk a little bit about more campaign promises broken by Donald Trump.

During his campaign, Trump constantly attacked people he called ``unelected bureaucrats'' for having too much control over the Federal Government, but now Donald Trump has made Elon Musk, the world's richest man, the most powerful unelected bureaucrat of all, giving him the keys to our government and empowering him to illegally dismantle core Agencies without consulting Congress, not to mention giving him access to all of our Social Security numbers, tax information, and other personal data.

As my colleague Senator Sanders pointed out on Wednesday, Elon Musk spent $277 million to elect Donald Trump President. Since election day, he has become $154 billion richer. Elon Musk's net worth is estimated at $426 billion. Yes, that is ``billion'' with a ``b.'' Meanwhile, the average American salary is only $63,795. The average cost of childcare for just one child per year in the United States is $9,994. The average price of a gallon of milk in our country is $4.47. The average price of eggs in America currently is $5.29 for a dozen, although it is actually increasing as we speak. The average price of gas in the United States is $3.12 a gallon.

In Illinois, the average person's salary is $67,192. The average cost of childcare per year for just one child in Illinois is $11,605. The average price of a gallon of milk in Illinois is $5.52. The average price for a dozen eggs in Illinois is $4.15, which is over a dollar more than the national average. The average price for a gallon of gas in Illinois is $3.26.

So you can see the disparity between the middle class and the billionaires that cozy up to Donald Trump.

And it is not just Musk. Wealthy elites that have more money than most Americans could ever dream of are doing anything to get into Trump's favor because they know he plans on giving them massive tax cuts to line their pockets even further.

Jeff Bezos is just one example. He is from New Mexico, and his net worth is estimated at $250 billion. Meanwhile, in New Mexico, the average person's salary is $57,512. The average cost of childcare for just one child is $8,766. The average price of a gallon of milk is $3.63. A dozen eggs would set you back $5.46. The average price of gas is $2.98.

Next up, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He is from New York. His net worth is estimated at $240 billion. Meanwhile, in New York, the average person's salary is $78,624. The average cost of childcare for just one child is $12,844. The average price of a gallon of milk is $5.05. The average price of eggs is $5.46. The average price of gas is $3.18.

These guys don't represent America. They have no clue what the middle class experience is. They don't care about making the government work for everyday Americans; they only care about making it work for themselves and their buddies.

Donald Trump ran for President on the promise that he would lower the price of eggs. However, since being in office, he seems to have conveniently forgotten that vow. He has also done nothing to stop the bird flu, which has caused the price of eggs to skyrocket even further. In fact, his freeze would stop the research into and the tracking of the bird flu virus that is causing eggs to skyrocket.

The cost of eggs appears to have accelerated since November--the month that Donald Trump was elected President, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the week ending January 18, a dozen eggs cost $5.29--a steep climb from February of 2024, when the price was a little over $3.50 a dozen. In November, the price of a dozen eggs edged up to $3.65, and in December, it rose to $4.15.

Since the moment Trump returned to the Oval Office, he has abused his power, both overreaching and underdelivering, signing Executive orders and issuing commands that are blatantly illegal. Hypocrisy must be dead because Donald Trump used to claim to care a lot about executive overreach back when there was a Democratic President in office.

Here are just a few examples of when, ironically, Donald Trump was complaining about President Obama's Executive actions:

In 2016, this is what Donald Trump said:

We don't want to continue to watch people signing executive

orders because that was not what the Constitution and the

brilliant designers of this incredible document had in mind.

We need people that can make deals and can work, because

right now in Washington, there's total, absolutely gridlock.

In another instance, Trump declared:

He doesn't want to get people together the old-fashioned

way, where you get Congress. You get the Congress, you get

the Senate, you get together, you do legislation. He just

writes out an executive order. Not supposed to happen that

way. . . . You get the Congress.

I am sorry that I am butchering the English language, but I am quoting Donald Trump directly.

You get the Congress, you get the Senate, you get together,

you do legislation. He just writes out an executive order.

Not supposed to happen that way.

Another time, Donald Trump lied and said:

I would build consensus with Congress, and Congress would

agree with me. I'll give you

an example, because I don't like the idea of using executive

orders like our president [does].

He was referring, of course, to President Obama at the time.

It is a disaster what he's doing. I would build consensus,

but consensus means you have to work hard. You have to

cajole. You have to get them into the Oval Office and get

them all together, and you have to make deals.

There are also countless examples of other Republicans' hypocrisy when it comes to executive overreach. I just want to name one.

In 2014, then-House majority leader Steve Scalise had this to say of President Obama:

President Obama has this fantasy that he can just use his

pen to write laws. We don't have a monarchy in this country--

there's an executive branch and the legislative branch, and

the president has to work with Congress to get things done.

Now, on to the topic of USAID and the Trump-Musk decision to gut the Agency--a decision as dangerous as it is heartless, as it is careless.

First, I just want to correct. Steve Scalise was not the majority leader when he said this; he was a Member of Congress at the time.

First, I would like to read several excerpts of speeches given by Secretary Rubio in which he expressed clear support for international aid before he was confirmed.

There is no denying that a globally engaged America comes

at a steep price. But the history of our still young nation

is full of warnings that a lack of American engagement comes

with an even higher price of its own.

Many of our nation's adversaries and rivals have been

emboldened by our uncertain foreign policy. So as instability

spreads and tyrants flourish, our allies want to know whether

America can still be counted on to confront these common

challenges. Whether we will continue to be a beacon to the

rest of the world.

Our legacy is that of a nation that for two centuries has

planted its feet and pushed out against the walls of tyranny,

oppression, and injustice that constantly threaten to close

in on the world, and has sought to replace these forces of

liberty, free enterprise, and respect for human rights.

These principles are also advanced by other elements of

American influence--those that don't require any military

might. For example, consider the countless lives we've saved

from the scourge of AIDS in Africa through the PEPFAR

program. Or consider the economic mobility created by

American trade and investment. These accomplishments prove

that while military might may be our most eye-catching method

of involvement abroad, it is far from being our most often

utilized. In most cases, the decisive use of diplomacy,

foreign assistance, and economic power are the most effective

ways to achieve our interests and stop problems before they

spiral into crises.

Marco Rubio said that.

Marco Rubio, where have you gone?

I would like to also share a news article about Secretary Rubio's prior comments in support of USAID--from CNN--and the title is ``Rubio's years of strong support for USAID stands in contrast to his sudden criticism of the aid agency.'' And I am going to read from the article:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, newly in charge of the

besieged US Agency for International Development, was for

years a staunch supporter of its mission while in the US

Senate, reversing his views only recently as President Donald

Trump and his allies have moved to dismantle the agency.

But a CNN KFile review of Rubio's past comments shows he

has been for more than a decade a major supporter of foreign

aid and USAID, which in fiscal year 2023 distributed more

than $40 billion in foreign aid to more than 160 different

countries.

Rubio's most recent comments directly contradict years of

support and praise he has directed toward USAID, including a

tweet he posted in February 2017 that said, ``Foreign Aid is

not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is

less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.''

During his Fox News interview Monday, Rubio also dismissed

concerns that scaling back USAID's presence could allow China

to expand its influence in developing nations.

But just three years ago, Rubio argued the exact opposite,

urging the Biden administration in a 2022 letter to

prioritize USAID's funding as a key tool to ``counter the

Chinese Communist Party's expanding global influence.''

``We don't have to give foreign aid. We do so because it

furthers our national interest. That's why we give foreign

aid. Now obviously there's a component to foreign aid that's

humanitarian in scope, and that's important too,'' he said in

February 2013.

``Foreign aid as a part of our overall budget is less than

1% of the total amount the US Government spends,'' Rubio said

in one 2017 speech on the Senate floor. ``I promise you it is

going to be a lot harder to recruit someone to anti-

Americanism and anti-American terrorism if the United States

of America is the reason one is even alive today.''

``Anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and

that will bring us to balance is lying to you. Foreign aid is

less than one percent of our budget. It's just not true,'' he

added in August 2019, while speaking to the Forum Club of the

Palm Beaches.

``Foreign aid is a very cost-effective way, not only to

export our values and our example, but to advance our

security and our economic interests,'' he said in April 2012

to the Brookings Institute.

As a senator, Rubio also introduced legislation in 2013 and

2015 to make foreign assistance programs more transparent. A

version of the bill was later passed in 2016.

``A lot of times people say, `Well, cut foreign aid.'

Foreign aid is less than 1% of our budget. But foreign aid

can make a difference when properly used. And if you ever

have a chance, travel to the African continent and you will

meet people who are alive today because the American taxpayer

funded antiviral HIV medications that kept them alive. It

will not be easy to radicalize people who are alive because

the American taxpayer saved their lives and the lives of

their children,'' Rubio said while on the presidential

campaign trail in late 2015.

Where is Secretary Rubio's enthusiasm for USAID now? Time and time again, we see Republicans reversing their stance. Even members of the Trump administration, just a week or so ago, said that they supported programs like USAID, like Marco Rubio, who now have reversed their position.

Mr. President, at this time I will end my remarks.

Madam President, how am I recorded?

Madam President, on behalf of our brave men and women in uniform and their families and all Federal employees, I vote no.

Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor and commemorate the extraordinary life of Jerry Atkinson, who sadly passed away in California, while visiting his grandkids, on December 24, 2024. A proud Illinoisian, his insurance business, and dedication to helping others supported many Illinois families plan and secure their futures.

Born to Bill and Aileen Atkinson on November 28, 1955, Jerry grew up in Westchester, IL. In Westchester, he forged and maintained lifelong friendships that meant the world to him. Some of his fondest childhood memories include George's Standard Service baseball team, games of Off- The-Wall, and all things baseball. He loved sports and was a loyal Bears and White Sox fan.

Jerry had a huge heart and was blessed with great empathy for others. He faced adversity in his own life and was always willing to help anyone and would literally give the shirt off his back to a person in need.

Jerry led a successful agency in the western suburbs, where he gave many Illinois families access to affordable coverage.

Jerry met his loving wife of 43 years, Dawn, at work. They started dating and got married on April 4, 1981, at Christ the King Catholic Parish in Lombard. Soon after, they welcomed their children Kevin and Leah into the world. Jerry's heart expanded even more with the births of his grandchildren Silas and Sage.

He was always grateful for his family's strong, loving bond. He is survived by Dawn; Kevin and Leah, with spouse Jeff; Silas and Sage; siblings Mary Lynn Cali and Bill Atkinson with spouses Phil and Sandy, Dan Atkinson with spouse Mary Ann, and John Atkinson with spouse Bonnie; 11 nieces and nephews; and many great nieces and nephews.

Jerry's passing at the age of 69 marks the end of a life filled with love, passion, and dedication. His legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, and the countless lives he touched.

I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Jerry Atkinson for his unwavering love for his family and his lifelong commitment to service. His story is one of love and compassion that we can all strive towards.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to display a framed item during my remarks.

Mr. President, in these serious times, we need a serious candidate to lead our military. We need someone with merit to lead our meritocracy, someone with moral strength to be in charge of protecting our national strength.

For all these reasons and quite a few more, I will not be voting to confirm the extremely unqualified Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Our troops deserve better than a guy who was seemingly only nominated because he used to host Trump's favorite TV show on FOX News.

I have plenty to say about Mr. Hegseth and the many, many ways in which he would degrade our military readiness. It is no secret I disagreed with Trump on nearly everything during his first term. Yet I still voted to confirm both James Mattis and Mark Esper when he nominated them for this very role. The thing is, Hegseth has never led thousands of people like Mattis had. He never ran an entire Army like Esper did. No, the only thing Hegseth has ever run, he has run it into the ground. The only major organizations he has ever led, he has led into debt.

Pete Hegseth is unqualified, he is unprepared, he is unethical, and, most of all, he is unfit. Mr. Hegseth may talk about how having had dust on his boots makes him worthy of becoming Secretary of Defense. Well, as someone who left her boots in a dusty field in Iraq, let me tell you exactly why he is unfit to lead our heroes.

Mr. Hegseth likes to say that our military is a great meritocracy, and I agree with that. So let's go over his supposed merits for this role.

The Secretary of Defense oversees the Federal Government's largest Agency. They manage a $900 billion budget, along with the 3 million servicemembers and civilians who fall under its umbrella.

During his time in uniform, Pete Hegseth never commanded a unit with more than 200 people. Meanwhile, on the civilian side, both organizations that he led went into debt. In fact, he so badly mismanaged one of them that they had to bring in a forensic accountant to clean up the mess that he had made.

That is it. Those are his only supposed qualifications to head up one of the most complex, important organizations in the world.

Listen, there are plenty of Republicans whose policies I may disagree with but whom I would vote to confirm because I know that they, too, have spent their lives working to keep our country strong and could demonstrate why they are qualified for this role. Mr. Hegseth is not one of those people.

Who knows why Donald Trump picked this guy. Maybe Hegseth's business failures make Trump feel better about his own six bankruptcies. Maybe it is because Hegseth spent years fawning over Trump on FOX News, and Trump's dream Cabinet is a bunch of yes-men who know how to kiss up to him on TV--or maybe it is just that all of ``Cadet Bone Spurs''' draft dodging has left him with no clue as to what kind of leader our military needs.

Look, at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, I gave Mr. Hegseth every opportunity to show me that I was wrong, to prove that he could do this job, that he does know the first thing--or anything--about what it takes to take on this massive responsibility of being the Secretary of Defense. I asked him basic questions that even the most junior folks working in the Pentagon would know, like naming one of the main international agreements he would be responsible for leading. He couldn't name one. I asked him to tell me just a single country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Again, he couldn't give me one--and one of those is our longest treaty ally for 190 years--not a single one of the 10.

This was shocking--yet not surprising--from a man whose main form of policy education has come from reading the FOX News teleprompter. This was pitiful--yet predictable--from a guy who has said that we women do not belong in combat, who has dared to claim that the military is lowering its standard so that we, the poor, fragile, fairer sex--and, God forbid, us moms--can serve. Well, the only standards being lowered today are the ones for Secretary of Defense. Our female servicemembers have earned the jobs that they are in, unlike Mr. Hegseth who won't even say whether he would refuse an unlawful order.

I have next to me a framed copy of the Soldier's Creed--a poster that usually hangs over my desk here in the Senate and has done so for the last 8 years. It is the same copy that hung above my bed at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center when I spent over a year in the hospital recovering from my shoot-down. It is the same poster whose lines I read before I was wheeled into each and every one of my surgeries. It is the same one whose words were repeated over and over to myself on the days when I was in so much pain that I couldn't breathe yet was determined to fight my way back to health so I could serve again next to the buddies who saved my life. These words helped me find the strength I needed when I needed it the most because they reminded me of who I was and that I was a proud member of the greatest fighting force on the face of the Earth, whose duty it was to live up to the sacrifices of my fellow soldiers.

I would like to quote a couple of lines from the creed right now.

I will always place the mission first . . . I am

disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and

proficient in my warrior tasks.

Our troops follow these words every day as we ask them to do the hardest

thing imaginable. We ask them to leave their families, to potentially never hold their spouses' hands again, to maybe never get to see their babies take their first steps. We ask them to do all of that and then walk into enemy fire and be good enough, competent enough, qualified enough that, regardless of the threat they face, they will still be able to do their jobs. We ask them to be so ready for the mission at hand that they can still fly that helicopter, still man that ship, still fight that fire until their very last breaths.

Tell me: How can we ask these warriors to train and perform to the absolute highest standard if we are going to confirm a guy who doesn't seem to care enough to prepare to lead them in any way?

Listen, these are dangerous times on the geopolitical stage. Our adversaries are watching, waiting to see if we really will put in power someone so obviously unqualified.

Mr. Hegseth made a point of saying at Tuesday's hearing that every single warfighter should be hired based on performance, readiness, and merit. And I agree with him. However, he fails to meet every single one of those metrics. He is asking to be handed a job he is not prepared for because of his relationship with Donald Trump, but this role is too important, our troops' lives too precious to let personal ambitions get in the way of the mission at hand.

So let me close with this: Part of being a leader is knowing when you are not competent enough to do the job.

Well, Mr. Hegseth, you are not technically proficient; you are not tactically proficient; and your nomination is an insult to those brave enough to be serving our Nation. So you, sir, are a no go at this station.

I am voting no on Pete Hegseth's nomination to be Secretary of Defense. If my colleagues care more about keeping our Nation strong than genuflecting to Donald Trump, then they should have the courage to vote no as well.

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 ask unanimous consent to yield back all time.

Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable career of Major General (Retired) William D. Cobetto, the former Commander and Assistant Adjutant General--Air, Illinois National Guard. who will retire on January 31, 2025. After retiring from the Illinois Air National Guard in 2015, Major General Cobetto returned to the Illinois Department of Military Affairs in 2019, as a legislative liaison and currently serves as the Chief of Staff-- Illinois Department of Military Affairs.

As the assistant adjutant general, Major General Cobetto was responsible for the command, control, and operations of plans and programs affecting more than 3,000 Illinois Air National Guard personnel located at the 126th Air Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base, the 182nd Airlift Wing at Peoria, and the 183rd Wing at Springfield, IL. His broad range of responsibilities included insuring combat readiness and mission capability of the three major air bases comprised of flying wings, command and control facilities, logistics, and mission support units. Throughout his entire career, Major General Cobetto led by example, providing a steady hand through some of the most tumultuous times in the history of our State and our Nation. The Illinois National Guard is better because of General Cobetto's service.

Major General Cobetto received his commission in 1985 from the Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, TN. During his career, he has served in several key positions. As commander, 183rd Fighter Wing Mission Support Group, he directed and monitored support activities and units ensuring cohesive integration of functions and resources. Prior to that, he provided sound fiscal guidance as comptroller, 183rd Fighter Wing. Of special note, General Cobetto was mobilized in 2003 and served at the Pentagon assisting the Air Force Crisis Action Team and the Secretary of the Air Force Financial Management. During his time as chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Military Affairs/ Illinois National Guard, he coordinated the efforts and resources of Illinois Department of Military Affairs to support the State and Federal missions given the ILNG. He further serves as the agency's main point of contact with the Governor's office and other State and Federal Agencies that work with the ILNG. General Cobetto was previously assigned as the legislative liaison.

Major General Cobetto's leadership, determination, and commitment have no doubt changed lives and helped to make our country safer. As his service career ends, may he continue to be ``Always Ready, Always There!'' and forever take pride in knowing that his exemplary efforts and unwavering professionalism contributed greatly to the success of the Air Force, the Illinois National Guard, and the National Guard mission.

Mr. President, Metra is celebrating 40 years of connecting travelers across Chicago and northeastern Illinois.

Chicago has long been a major rail hub. To this day, the city has more tracks radiating in more directions than any other city in North America. For most of its history, commuter service in Chicagoland was operated by various private rail companies. By the 1970s, however, commuter service was struggling, and rail companies were threatening to discontinue it. In 1974, voters in northeast Illinois approved creation of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), and in 1984, RTA established a special commuter rail division which soon became known as Metra.

That upstart wasted no time growing. In 1987, Metra acquired Illinois Central Gulf's electric line to University Park, took over the route to Joliet, and acquired two Milwaukee District lines and all their assets in 1989. Further growth followed.

Today, Metra operates 11 lines and is the Nation's fourth busiest commuter rail by trips and the largest by route miles. When it comes to beating rush hour congestion on Chicago's expressways, Metra truly is ``the way to really fly.''

Metra is also embracing the future of clean transportation with battery-powered trainsets. By 2028, its riders will be among the first in the Nation to experience battery-powered zero-emission trainsets.

I congratulate Metra on a remarkable 40 years, and look forward to more reliable, affordable, and accessible commuter rail service in the years to come.

Madam President, I ask that the scheduled vote commence immediately.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak on the bill that recently failed, despite my colleagues' assertion that they support access to in vitro fertilization for all Americans.

You know, this morning I was able to pack my daughters' lunchboxes. It sounds mundane, I know, but when I spend just a second thinking about it, even that kind of everyday moment with my girls isn't mundane at all--it is a miracle.

Because after 10 years of struggling with infertility, after being wounded in combat, I was only able to have my two darling girls through the medical marvel that is in vitro fertilization.

The only reason there are PB&Js for me to make for their lunch, the only reason there are teeny sneakers for me to Velcro closed is because after I came home from war, I had the freedom to seek the healthcare I needed to make my dream of going from ``Tammy'' to ``mommy'' a reality.

I was one of the lucky ones, because now, that freedom to get reproductive care is at risk for millions of other women whose most desperate hope in the world is to have a little one of their own. Make no mistake, that isn't some future nightmare; this is our present reality.

Countless women already had their IVF treatments interrupted this year after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling painted women seeking fertility treatment as criminals.

And in this perilous moment for our country, as we stare down November and all the uncertainties that come with it, there is no telling how many more will follow.

Look, I doubt that Donald Trump even knows what the acronym IVF stands for, and half the time I wonder if he can even spell IVF. But despite the incoherent, delusional, and, frankly, embarrassing rambling that came out of his mouth last week, the reality is that he is the reason that IVF is at risk in the first place.

The Dobbs decision is what led us to today's nightmare, taking the power to decide how and when to start families from us women and handing it to politicians in statehouses across the country.

Donald Trump is the one who brags about taking down Roe. Donald Trump is the one who acts like that is something to be proud of. He is like a bank robber who steals cash out of the till and flees the scene and then still expects a reward for calling the police to report a crime.

So while it may now be convenient for him to claim that his support of IVF is as huge as the made-up crowd sizes at his rallies, we know the truth. He is the reason that IVF is in danger. He is to blame. He and every other Republican who cares more about staying good with Trump than about doing good for the Americans they are supposed to be serving.

Many--too many--of those Republicans are in this very Chamber. I know that because today marked the third time in the past 7 months that I have come to the floor begging my Republican colleagues to help me pass legislation I wrote that would protect every American's right to IVF, regardless of what State they live in--a bill that would ensure no doctor or hopeful mom could be criminalized for trying to start a family; one that would permit all health insurers to cover the treatments; and one that would require the Federal health insurance plan to cover reproductive technologies, allowing our troops to preserve their sperm or eggs before deploying to a combat zone.

When I tried to pass it in February, it took the junior Republican Senator from Mississippi what seemed like not even one full Mississippi second to block its passage. Then when I tried to pass it again in June, nearly every GOP Member voted it down.

Today it was the same old cynical story, as Republican after Republican voted no, no, no. And at this point, it is obvious, despite whatever talking

points they force through gritted teeth on cable news, when the rubber hits the road and the vote is called, Republicans will do anything to get out of actually passing legislation that would protect women's right to access reproductive healthcare.

Women in this country have been through enough. What women don't need is a man who was found liable for sexual abuse controlling what we can or cannot do with our bodies. What we don't need are politicians who have sworn fealty to a convicted felon treating us like we are the ones who are criminals.

It is tragic. Republicans only seem to care about protecting life when it supposedly consists of some cells in a medical lab freezer. But what about when that life is a fifth grader whose school day gets shattered by a man with an AR-15 who wants to turn their math class into a massacre?

What about when that life is their neighbor's, who is yet one more woman to bleed out on the delivery table, as the maternal mortality crisis among women of color rages on? Well, then those same Republicans couldn't seem to care less about defending the sanctity of life.

Listen, I am sure that some of my colleagues will try to slink away from taking any accountability here. Per usual, they will shout some ridiculous excuse, like this bill would allow for human-animal hybrids, as if anyone would ever believe that. And, for the record, it would not.

Well, to those folks I say that this afternoon's vote was your chance to put your vote where your mouth is. It was your chance to prove that you believe that every woman in this country deserves the chance to be called ``Mom'' without also being called a criminal. Instead, your true policy beliefs, your hypocrisy, your misogyny showed through.

Look, I went to war to defend this Nation's rights and freedoms. I did it because I believed so deeply in the importance of that mission. I wasn't asking my GOP colleagues to head into combat to show that they cared deeply too. I wasn't asking them to do anything hard at all, actually. All I was asking them to do was to simply support a bill that could have represented millions of women's only chance of starting families.

All I was asking of them was to vote in a way that reflected the position they claim to have when they were spouting talking points on FOX News. They couldn't even do that. So on behalf of every woman who has faced a heart-shattering struggle of infertility, all I can say to my Republican colleagues this afternoon is: Shame on you.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to General Mike Minihan, U.S. Air Force. After 34 distinguished years of exceptional service to our Nation, General Minihan will soon retire from his position as commander, Air Mobility Command (AMC), Scott Air Force Base, IL.

As commander, Air Mobility Command, General Mike Minihan led U.S. Transportation Command's air component, executing the air mobility mission in support of the joint force, allies, and partners with a fleet of nearly 1,100 aircraft. The command encompasses Eighteenth Air Force, the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, the 618th Air Operations Center, 17 wings, and two groups, which provide rapid global mobility from more than 100 locations worldwide. Nearly 104,000 Active- Duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve airmen, and civilians comprise the air mobility Total Force, providing command and control of inter-theater and intra-theater airlift, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation, global air mobility support, and Presidential and senior leader air transport in support of national interests.

General Minihan entered the Air Force in April 1990 after receiving his commission through the ROTC program at Auburn University. He completed undergraduate pilot training in 1991 and has served as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot in the C-130 Hercules. He has commanded in garrison, crisis, and combat and at the squadron, wing, and task force levels. He also held numerous joint, combined and Air Force staff assignments. Prior to his current position, General Minihan served as deputy commander for U.S. Indo- Pacific Command.

As commander, Air Mobility Command, General Minihan radically redesigned and shifted the culture of the command from a force focused on moving cargo, personnel, and fuel to the preeminent mechanism for Joint Force Maneuver. General Minihan re-envisioned Exercise Mobility Guardian in 2023, transitioning the exercise from a service-specific test of air mobility and logistics training executed over the continental United States to a joint and combined large-scale exercise in the Pacific. This exercise displayed unrivaled mobility air power, showcasing America's unique ability to provide rapid global mobility and put the world on notice that AMC can explode into theater to meet any combatant commander's requirements. In addition, General Minihan oversaw the rapid deployment of assistance to Ukraine and, later, to Israel and Gaza, taking appropriate proactive measures to sense and seize the environment to allow the combatant commander to project and sustain forces and demonstrate U.S. resolve and will.

General Minihan retires as a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours and qualifications in C-130, KC-10, and C-32 aircraft. Over General Minihan's distinguished career he has earned numerous joint and Air Force decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, six Air Medals, and seven Aerial Achievement Medals. He has also led his airmen through several joint and Air Force organizational awards recognizing team excellence that include Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Republic of Korea Cheonsu Medal, and the Order of Saint Maurice.

General Minihan has served his Nation for over three decades honorably and with passion and love for his airmen, and we thank him for all he has done for our great Nation.

Mr. President, it is with great pride and gratitude that I rise to celebrate the career of General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, who is retiring after 36 years of honorable service in the U.S. Air Force. General Van Ovost currently serves as the commander of U.S. Transportation Command, where she is responsible for projecting and sustaining our Nation's military power globally to assure our friends, deter our adversaries, and if necessary, respond to win decisively. She has undoubtedly excelled in executing her duties.

In her time as USTRANSCOM's commander, she directed mobility operations supporting the movement of 60 Presidential Drawdown Authorities to deliver aid critical to Ukraine's defense against Russia's unprovoked invasion. Additionally, she has directed mobility forces to respond to the shifting strategic environment in western Africa, unrest in Haiti, and regional threats in the Middle East and the Red Sea, ultimately ensuring the safety of our deployed servicemembers, allies, and commercial shipping fleets from around the world.

General Van Ovost began her career at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Following her commissioning, she graduated from pilot training. Over the course of her time in service, she deployed multiple times and was one of the first women to fly in combat. She is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, which gave her the opportunity to fly over 30 aircraft throughout her career. She commanded two flying wings, served on joint staff and as the chief of staff for Headquarters Air Force, and commanded Air Mobility Command during the noncombatant evacuation operation from Afghanistan, moving over 124,000 evacuees to safety.

General Van Ovost is a mobility leader and strategic thinker who expertly directed those under her command and leveraged commercial support to provide the best options possible for our senior leaders. In every position that she held, she led with unmatched grace, dedication, dignity, professionalism, and respect for all those she encountered. Her character and leadership had untold positive impacts on thousands of servicemembers and their families.

She advanced our Nation's mobility and logistics capabilities, supported our allied and partner nations, and advanced our strategic objectives to defend our citizens.

General Van Ovost is a true military leader, one whom our country is endlessly grateful for having amongst its ranks. I thank her for her over 36 years of dedicated and faithful service to the United States of America.

Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor and commemorate the extraordinary life of Rebecca Wenchi Wong, whose journey epitomizes resilience, sacrifice, and the pursuit of a better future for her family. Rebecca Wong's story is not just a testament to her strength and determination, but also a poignant reminder of the countless sacrifices made by immigrants in search of a better life for their families here in this country.

Born in Shanghai, China, Rebecca Wenchi Wong experienced the severe hardships of famine and political turmoil. Amidst the dire conditions of Communist China, she made the heart-wrenching decision to send her 6-year-old daughter away to safety, so that she might have a chance at life free from hunger and oppression. They were separated for 21 years, enduring the pain of isolation and absence while holding fast to hope of reunion.

In 1982, Rebecca was reunited with her daughter in Shanghai, marking the end of a long and painful separation. Her daughter Chantale Yok-Min Wong, who is now the esteemed U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank, stands as a testament to the love and sacrifices of her mother.

Rebecca's life was marked by service and resilience. Before the Cultural Revolution, she worked as a surgical nurse, eventually becoming the head of the nursing staff. During the poorest periods in Communist China's history, she served as a barefoot doctor, providing essential medical care to rural communities. This selfless service took a toll on her health, but her spirit remained unbroken.

After joining her daughter in the United States in 1990 and along with her son, Rebecca and her husband

Frank Yaoyung Wong settled in San Francisco. Despite their advanced age, they embraced their new life with vigor and curiosity, exploring new cultures and continually learning. Rebecca's sharp mind and strong will made her a central figure in her family and community.

In her later years, Rebecca and her husband became beloved members of the OnLok 30th Street Senior Center, where they engaged in various activities, enriching their lives and those around them. Even in her 90s, Rebecca remained a source of wisdom and care, particularly for her husband until his passing.

Rebecca's passing at the age of 98 marks the end of a life filled with love, sacrifice, and resilience. Her legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and the countless lives she touched.

I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Rebecca Wenchi Wong for her indomitable spirit, her unwavering love for her family, and her lifelong commitment to service. Her story is a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who strive for a better future.

I ask for the yeas and nays.