Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today in remembrance of the 1-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, a disaster of unprecedented magnitude that devastated North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.

On the evening of September 26, 2024, this historic storm struck the Blue Ridge Mountains, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake, putting the livelihoods of thousands of North Carolinians on hold, and shattering many communities.

As we approach this solemn anniversary, I want to reflect on the lives that Hurricane Helene took with her. One hundred eight lives were tragically lost in this disaster, leaving their families grieving. To this day, five individuals remain unaccounted for, leaving their loved ones without answers.

In their loss, we are reminded of the comfort and hope found in the 23rd Psalm:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of

death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.

God has been with us in grief, and he is now with us in recovery.

But when I look back on this past year, what is most visible is not destruction; it is resilience: neighbors helping neighbors, communities coming together, and the people of the Appalachian Mountains leaning on faith and hope and determination to carry us through the aftermath of the storm.

A year ago, when Helene first hit, there was no way in or out of the mountains. When I was able to get through, I was in contact with numerous local leaders who tried to describe what was happening on the ground. I saw the impact firsthand thanks to North Carolina agriculture commissioner Steve Troxler when we surveyed the devastation together in a forestry helicopter. Shortly thereafter, I made the first of many on- the-ground visits to the affected towns.

What I quickly saw was the tremendous work being done by Samaritan's Purse and Baptists on Mission, along with many other faith- and community-based organizations and nonprofits that stepped up to help. Companies like Lowe's, Walmart, AT&T, Verizon, and many more stepped up significantly in contributing funds and resources to support rebuilding efforts.

I spoke to local heroes--our first responders--some of whom had not been home in days and were left unsure of the status of their own homes and families. In Fairview, two landslides claimed the lives of 11 members of the Craig family, and they had lived on that land for over a century. I embraced residents as they wept--shaken by their unimaginable loss--as they were left to navigate the uncertainty of just how to move forward. But what struck me the most was the willingness of ordinary people to step up with extraordinary courage and put themselves at risk to save a life.

In Spruce Pine, Eddie Hunnell jumped into rushing waters to save a stranger whose home was being washed away.

Junior Singleton--75 years old from Avery County--woke up to water in his basement that was rising quickly. As neighbors gathered at his home on high ground, he recognized someone was missing. He waded through the floodwaters to get his neighbors out of their home and safely to higher ground.

Medics in Mitchell County, during the shelter-in-place order, responded to a teen boy experiencing a seizure. They had to cut their way through downed trees to reach the boy's home and deliver lifesaving care.

In Yancey County, Mountain Heritage High School students are partnering with Rebuilding Hollers to build tiny homes for Hurricane Helene survivors. Their work restores not just shelter but the hope that people can begin to rebuild their lives.

In Madison County, the catastrophic flooding in Hot Springs--home to just 520 people--gave rise to the Rebuild Hot Springs Area organization. Together, this small town and its neighbors have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help families return home and businesses to reopen. Though challenges remain, on May 2, the town officially reopened its doors to welcome visitors once again.

In Henderson County, chief Steve Freeman led Bat Cave's volunteer fire department through Helene by urging evacuations, coordinating rescues, and conducting welfare checks for weeks without any power. He expanded his crew, patrolled the rivers daily, and built a spirit of unity, helping neighbors endure and rebuild together.

In Chimney Rock, which was one of the hardest hit towns, manager Stephen Duncan and mayor Peter O'Leary are charting a path forward. With nonprofits like Spokes of Hope, the Great Needs Trust, and Amish partners from Pennsylvania, the community is rebuilding Main Street with reclaimed wood and donated supplies, restoring not only buildings but a sense of hope.

Large sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are now back open. The parkway serves as a lifeline to the travel and tourism industry in Western North Carolina, and it is the foundation of the small business economy. Work is ongoing on the most damaged sections of the parkway, and those stretches are slated to reopen next year.

Now, while we have seen some successes as folks work to return to normal, there is still a lot of work to do to make sure Western North Carolina is stronger than it was before those fateful days. As we shifted from response to recovery, communities spent millions of dollars of their own to clean up and rebuild with the promise of Federal reimbursement. They have been met with unnecessary bureaucratic gridlock as the Federal Government reviews grant applications and slow- pay funds.

I have talked to local officials about how the slow pace of reimbursements was putting a strain on their general budgets that are still reeling from the economic impacts of lost tourism and businesses that never reopened. I have continued to fight to make sure our communities have the support that they need from their Federal Government to get these critical reimbursement checks signed and out the door for the people of Western North Carolina.

As we approach the 1-year anniversary of the most expensive and deadly natural disaster in North Carolina's history, we have much work still to do. The backlog is too long. There are still tarps on homes. Roads and bridges remain unbuilt. Needs are great, and help is just too slow. But we are finally starting to reduce the backlog of projects awaiting Federal reimbursement. President Trump and I know that the needs are still urgent, and we are working together to get Western North Carolinians the help that they need.

We couldn't have come this far without the local leaders who have shouldered the weight of the crisis and guided their communities toward recovery. I want to thank all of the county commissioners and mayors, county and town managers, and local emergency management directors in all of the impacted counties who have stood on the frontlines of this disaster, never once faltering in their commitment to serve.

To the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, churches, and volunteers who answered the call in our darkest hours, thank you. Your courage saved lives, and your sacrifice gave us strength.

To the people of Western North Carolina--those who have borne the brunt of this disaster--it is because of your resilience that homes are being rebuilt for families to continue making memories; that students are returning to classrooms and are determined to keep learning; and that small business owners are reopening their doors against all odds.

It is your unyielding spirit that has inspired all of us throughout North Carolina and across the Nation. I will continue to speak up for you in the U.S. Senate and know that your loss will never be forgotten.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I have five requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders.

Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, September 8, and that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of Calendar No. 291, Edward Artau, and at 5:30 p.m., the Senate execute the order of Wednesday, September 3, with respect to the Artau nomination.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

In my capacity as the Senator from North Carolina, I ask consent that notwithstanding the order of July 1, 2025, I be permitted to address the Senate to propound an order.

In my capacity as the Senator from North Carolina, I ask that the order of Tuesday, July 1, with respect to the Senate's reconvening be modified so that the Senate be in session on Monday, July 7, at 10:15 a.m. for a pro forma session only with no business to be conducted; and that the existing order for the Senate to reconvene on Monday, July 7, now occur on Tuesday, July, 8, with all other aspects of that order remaining in place.

I further ask that all members of the Republican caucus have signing authority through Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Madam President, I rise to recognize and commend the outstanding efforts of our law enforcement community in western North Carolina for their role in the success of Operation Uptown Funk. Now, that is a pretty creative name, but it is a very serious issue. It was a yearlong investigation into drug trafficking in Appalachia.

This coordinated operation has involved law enforcement agencies from Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, and Transylvania Counties in North Carolina as well as Greenville and Spartanburg Counties in South Carolina, and it has been supported by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This is nothing short of a strong testament to the commitment of our law enforcement officers to put the welfare of our communities first.

Over the course of this investigation, authorities confiscated more than $175,000 in illicit funds, 20 firearms, and 30 pounds of illegal drugs, including substantial quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. More than 30 individuals from Henderson County have been arrested and are being held accountable for their role in this dangerous drug network.

These results are not just statistics. They represent lives saved, overdoses prevented, and neighborhoods that can breathe easier knowing that they are a lot safer.

In a region still working to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, dismantling this trafficking ring has brought a renewed sense of hope and security for Western North Carolinians.

On behalf of the people of North Carolina, I extend my deepest gratitude and congratulations to Sheriff Lowell Griffin of Henderson County, Sheriff Quentin Miller of Buncombe County, Sheriff Bill Wilke of Haywood County, and Sheriff Chuck Owenby of Transylvania County. I also want to thank the dedicated men and women within their departments--especially the Henderson County Drug Interdiction and Criminal Enforcement Unit, or DICE--for their service. Their courage has protected countless families and made it clear to drug traffickers they will find no refuge in the mountains of our beautiful Western North Carolina.

It is my honor to represent a State whose law enforcement professionals lead with tremendous integrity and commitment to our citizens. I will continue working in the U.S. Senate to ensure that they have the tools, resources, and support they need to keep our communities safe.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the naming of

naval ships is a long and proud naval tradition that goes back to America's first frigates commissioned by Congress. Then, as now, the naming of a ship is not just a top-down affair. It demands the input and consideration of the journey men and women who constructed her, as well as her prospective crew and captain, right down to the lowest ranking sailor.

Those individuals are known in naval tradition as plank owners, and that title brings with it an honor that they were the first to sail aboard a ship that will serve our country for generations. That is an honor that transcends political partisanship and differences of opinion, and it belongs to the sailors.

It is no secret that the last administration took a top-down approach to the naming of our newest class of USNS oilers. In doing so, they broke with important naval customs and traditions and robbed the USNS plank owners of the chance to name these vessels after what mattered most to them.

It is true that civilian leaders in Congress and the White House have always had a say in ship naming as well. George Washington selected the names of our first six frigates, but he did so from a list provided by the plank owners--the ships' crews and captains.

Navy tradition, like the name of a ship, lives in the hearts and minds of every sailor, and these traditions are vital to preserving the morale and fighting spirit of our forces. Resetting the stage is not a political issue. It is bringing things back in line with naval custom and tradition. It will allow the Secretary of the Navy to consider the input of new ship plank owners so that he can name this class of ships after the things that matter most to America's sailors.

For these reasons, I object.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of Greensboro Police Officer Michael T. Horan.

Officer Horan served our Nation in uniform for 18 years as an Active Reservist in the U.S. Coast Guard and joined the Greensboro Police Department in 2017, where he served on the department's violent crime reduction team, crimes against persons unit, patrol districts two and four, special events team, and as a rapid deployment and active shooter instructor. Officer Horan was known by his colleagues for always being willing to mentor the younger officers in his department and, oftentimes, took the rookies under his wing.

For Officer Horan, the call of duty had no boundaries, and in 2019, he received a lifesaving award for rescuing a father and son from rip currents while on vacation with his family in Emerald Isle, NC.

On Monday morning, December 23, 2024--just 2 days before Christmas-- the Greensboro Police Department received a report about a suspect with a handgun inside a grocery store on Lawndale Drive. Like he always did, Officer Horan responded to the call. When he arrived on the scene, he encountered the suspect who, without warning, pulled out his weapon and took Officer Horan's life in an instant.

This year, on January 9, members of Officer Horan's family, as well as many members of the public, gathered inside Greensboro's Westover Church to say their final goodbyes. The service concluded with a 21-gun salute to memorialize Officer Horan's last watch.

Michael was devoted to his family and his community. Throughout his career, he was always committed to public safety. He will forever be remembered as a leader who put his city's most vulnerable first, and may his commitment to selfless service be an example to us all.

Now, I ask that you join me in a moment of silence to honor the memory of Greensboro Police Officer Michael T. Horan.

Mr. President, I rise today to memorialize a servant leader of the great State of North Carolina. Mayor Karen Alexander of Salisbury went to her heavenly home far too soon on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at the age of 73 years young. Her colleagues and I will remember her as a loving, caring, and kind leader, always putting the needs of her city and the people she served above herself. She lived her life by the teachings of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: ``And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,'' 2 Timothy 2:24-25.

As an architect by trade, she founded her firm in 1989, where she led numerous renovation and design projects across the city. She was first elected to the city council in 2013. Not long after, she began serving as the mayor of Salisbury from 2015 to 2017 and later returned to the office in 2019. And she served as the president and board member of the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

Her initiatives as mayor brought new life to Salisbury's historic downtown area, improved public safety, and made life better for the city's residents. Throughout her career in public service, she was known for building consensus with class and grace.

Her relationships with her colleagues are described as being genuinely invested in the success of others. Her loving family will remember her as nurturing and supportive. As her daughter-in-law, Christy Mason Almazan, shared, ``Karen had a way of making you feel like the very center of her attention. Her love was immense, and her presence was radiant.''

The motto for the State of North Carolina is ``Esse Quam Videri,'' Latin for ``to be rather than to seem.'' I believe that Mayor Karen Alexander of Salisbury truly lived up to that standard and set the bar even higher.

Now, I ask that you join me in a moment of silence to honor the memory of Mayor Karen Alexander, a great North Carolinian who dedicated her life to public service.

Mr. President, on March 19, 1925, the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce held its first annual meeting. For 100 years, the chamber has played a vital role in the growth and development of Rowan County, serving over 800 members and representing 60,000 employees.

Rowan County has a strong history of entrepreneurship and innovation, serving as the birthplace of some of North Carolina's most iconic businesses. In 1917, during a nationwide sugar shortage, the popular cherry soda Cheerwine was first crafted here. By the 1920s, it has become a favorite soft drink across the region, cementing its place as a symbol of Southern culture for over a century now. Likewise, in 1957, a modest local grocery store called Food Town opened its doors in Rowan County. Just a few decades later, it rebranded as Food Lion, and now is a household name with over 1,100 stores across 10 States, serving millions of families across the Southeast.

Since its founding, the Rowan Chamber has been a driving force behind the county's economic growth and business success. As a hub for collaboration, the chamber brings together businesses and community leaders, harnessing their collective expertise to tackle local challenges and advance economic development throughout the region.

From the beginning, the Rowan Chamber has been at the forefront of prioritizing community development. In their first annual report, in 1925, the chamber celebrated its efforts that brought Catawba College to Salisbury, promoted a new creamery for farmers to produce dairy products, and advocated for better roads. In more recent accomplishments, the chamber has been at the forefront of business advocacy, workforce and leadership development, and funding for transportation and education. The Rowan Chamber has also successfully advocated for infrastructure projects that have led to increased economic development across the county. The Yadkin River Bridge Project, I-85 four-lane expansion, the Old Beatty Ford Road exit, the Rowan County Airport expansion, and the development of the Paul E. Fisher Gateway Building are just some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by the chamber's concentrated efforts.

As a small business owner, myself, and a member of the Senate Commerce and Small Business Committees, I appreciate the efforts of President Elaine Spalding, the board of directors, and everyone at the Rowan Chamber of Commerce for their work to support business leaders and keep North Carolina an attractive place to live and work.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 40, S. 216.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

I know of no further debate on the bill.

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.