Floor Statements

Mr. President, as a member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am proud to recognize the Marcuccilli family for the 75th anniversary of an Indiana-based community bank, STAR Financial Bank. Since its founding, STAR Financial has become an essential business in northeast and central Indiana. The bank has continuously prioritized putting their customers and local businesses first, while providing decades of dependable services and accountable staff.

Established by a group of trucking partners from the Marion Trucking Company in 1943, STAR Financial Bank was formed to build financial security for the Fort Wayne community. For that reason, the bank has tailored its practices to support the community and local families. Generally, STAR Financial focuses on three key areas involving arts, education, and economic development. In 2017, the company donated more than $635,000 to Indiana nonprofits, as well as volunteered 3,600 hours of community service valuing over $97,128. Some of the nonprofits include the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, the Fort Wayne Children's Choir. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, PBS 39, Big Brothers Big Sisters Northeast Indiana, Brightpoint, and many United Way chapters.

It is my privilege to honor STAR Financial Bank for 75 years serving the Fort Wayne community. I look forward to STAR Financial Bank's future endeavors, and I congratulate the Marcuccilli family on this significant milestone.

Mr. President, I wish to rise today to formally recognize the retirement of Indiana Senate Pro Tempore David Long. The former Fort Wayne City councilman has over 30 years of public service. He has spent the past 22 years as State Senator representing Senate District 16 and the

past 12 sessions as the chamber's leader.

Senator Long's accomplishments while serving as president pro tempore are a testament to his leadership. He has presided over property tax caps, a series of personal and corporate income tax cuts, the expansion of charter schools and the creation of private school vouchers, and passage of right-to-work law and the Healthy Indiana Plan. Senator Long also has a lengthy record of fiscal prudence and acting as a good steward of hard-working Hoosiers. His legislative accomplishments were married with his consistent production of balanced budgets. Under his tenure, Indiana achieved one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Nation, while also boasting some of the lowest property taxes and income taxes in the union.

I know that I add my voice to a chorus of those that have sang Senator Long's praises and expressed their appreciation for his exemplary service when he announced that he will formally step down on November 6. His steadfast service to his fellow Hoosiers and his leadership of the senate lead to long lasting success for our home State. I wish Senator Long and his wife Melissa a very well-deserved and happy retirement.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service of Indiana Senate Pro Tempore David Long for his years of unwavering service as we wish a fond farewell to a true titan in the history of the Indiana Senate.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump's second nominee to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Judge Kavanaugh's qualifications are undeniable. He has proven over the last 12 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that he is well qualified for this next step in his career.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Judge Kavanaugh in my office just last month. He struck me as a man of great character and integrity. He answered questions directly. He spoke forthrightly. He demonstrated, at once, a strong intellect and a deep humility. He had a wide-ranging conversation with me on issues that are important to the people in my home State of Indiana, including his approach to faithfully interpreting the Constitution of the United States.

As a D.C. Circuit judge, he has carried out his duties faithfully and consistently. He has shown by the record that he understands that the judge's role is to apply the law as it is written; it is not to impose his own policy preferences. He is what you might call a textualist when interpreting statutes, meaning he adheres strictly to the law as it is written. He is an originalist as well, meaning he carefully reviews the history of our Framers when interpreting the Constitution. This is an approach he frequently lectures and writes about as a guest lecturer at Harvard and other top law schools, including Notre Dame Law School back home in Indiana where he gave a guest lecture on his jurisprudential approach in February of 2017. It is also worth noting, it was Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan who hired Judge Kavanaugh to teach at Harvard when she was the Harvard Law School dean. Justice Kagan clearly thought highly of the Judge's reputation and credentials--so highly, in fact, that she hired him to help shape the minds of Harvard Law School students.

In his writing, Judge Kavanaugh reminds us that federalism and the separation of powers ``are not mere matters of etiquette or architecture, but are essential to protecting individual liberty.''

Judge Kavanaugh has also exhibited a willingness to rein in administrative agencies when they exceed their authority under the law. He has consistently held that international laws do not govern national security matters if Congress has not adopted them as domestic law.

After carefully reviewing Judge Kavanaugh's record, I am confident he will be faithful to the Constitution and preserve the integrity of the Supreme Court.

I have to say, Judge Kavanaugh is more than just a highly respected jurist. He is more than an eminently qualified legal scholar and a mind that is well suited for the Supreme Court. He is also a father, a husband, a coach to his two daughters' basketball team, and a man of impeccable character.

Earlier this month, a group of more than 30 parents sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee praising Judge Kavanaugh's character. The judge's two daughters are students at Blessed Sacrament School in Washington, DC, and the judge is the girls' basketball coach. The parents wrote: ``Brett Kavanaugh has been a devoted coach and mentor to our daughters.''

They continued: ``In addition to his long list of professional and academic accomplishments--we hope that the Committee will also consider Brett Kavanaugh's contributions as a volunteer youth basketball coach-- and the service, selflessness, dedication, and commitment his coaching exhibits.''

In 2 weeks, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin its confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh. He is one of the most qualified nominees to ever come before the U.S. Senate, and when all is said and done, the Judiciary Committee will have reviewed more records than ever before for a Supreme Court nominee.

The importance of protecting individual liberty cannot be overstated. I am pleased we are considering the nomination of someone who, by word and deed, has committed himself to preserving freedom.

I look forward to watching Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, and after conducting a thorough and objective review of his nomination, I am confident Judge Kavanaugh will be an excellent addition to our Nation's highest Court.

Thank you, Mr. President.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, August 13, 2018, marked the centennial of women serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. I am proud that Indiana was home to the first woman to serve in the Marine Corps, Opha May Johnson.

Mrs. Johnson was born in Kokomo, IN, on May 4, 1878. Before becoming a marine at the age of 39, she graduated from Wood's Commercial Business College and worked diligently for 14 years in the Interstate Commerce Department.

Like many Americans during WWI, Mrs. Johnson heeded the Nation's call and took the oath without hesitation on August 13, 1918. She was the first of 300 women who worked at the Marine Corps headquarters in Virginia. After 5 weeks in the service, she was promoted to the rank of sergeant and remained on Active Duty until February 1919, 3 months after the end of WWI. Mrs. Johnson remained in civil service until her retirement in 1943.

Mrs. Johnson was the first of a group of trailblazing women in the Marine Corps, and it is with overwhelming pride that I recognize her service to this country. As a marine and Hoosier, I ask that you join me today in honoring Opha May Johnson and all of the courageous marines following in her footsteps.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize Purple Heart recipient Mr. Ricky Raley for his valiant service in the Indiana National Guard Alpha Company, Task Force 1-151. Also known as the Avengers, Task Force 1-151 covered more than 250,000 miles in convoy escorts and were continuously involved in combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Ricky served in Iraq from 2007 to 2008 and was stationed near Tikrit at COB Speicher. He served as a lead gun truckdriver for various patrols and security missions. In 2008, Ricky's truck activated an improvised explosive device, leaving Ricky with sustained traumatic brain injuries.

On April 17, 2009, Ricky was involved in a car accident causing paralysis from the waist down. Since then, Ricky has joined the Boot Campaign, a nonprofit organization providing life-improving programs for veterans and military families. He also works with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, serving on the board of directors for the Kentucky-Indiana Chapter.

To remain active, Ricky has become a devoted handcyclist, training up to 6 days a week. Currently, Ricky is

handbiking from New York to Florida, covering 1,500 miles in 14 days to raise awareness for veterans across the Nation.

As a marine, it is with overwhelming pride that I recognize Ricky for his service to this country. As his journey progresses, I wish him the best of luck, and I look forward to his further contributions to our veterans and the great Hoosier State.

Mr. President, I wish to congratulate Green Banner Publications on their long and fruitful career in the publishing world. As a true family-owned business, the Green family has always served their customers as if they were one of their own. Their network of local and weekly newspapers delivered current events to more than 60,000 homes in southern Indiana.

After 85 years of service, they have made the decision to close up shop and end all publications. I thank them for their longtime commitment, and I appreciate all of their hard work informing thousands of Hoosiers in southern Indiana.

Mr. President, I want to express my appreciation to Dr. George Shambaugh. George is an associate professor of international affairs and government in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. However, over the last year, he served as a fellow on my national security team.

George supported my work related to foreign policy and development, including my work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. George is an exceptionally accomplished and impressive individual who made a significant and durable contribution. His contributions related to economic statecraft, geopolitical energy issues, and transatlantic security have been particularly valuable. It is rare to find such an accomplished and intelligent individual who also brings a humble and eager desire to help however needed.

George will be returning to his post at Georgetown, where I know he will continue to excel as a scholar and professor. I wish him the best in the future, and I look forward to staying in touch with him.

Madam President, I rise today to speak in support of career and technical education, also known as CTE.

As cochair of the Senate CTE Caucus, along with Senators Baldwin, Kaine, and Portman, I am very proud of the work we have done in the Senate to advance CTE and to ensure that our students have the training and the skills needed to succeed in today's ever-changing workforce.

The career and technical education statute was last updated in 2006-- over a decade ago--and it was due for reauthorization 6 years ago. Earlier this week, the Senate passed a historic agreement to update the law and to make a number of important changes. I was proud to help pass this legislation out of the HELP Committee and through the full Senate. Yesterday, the House also passed this reauthorization, sending it to the President's desk.

Here are just a few reasons why investing in CTE is so critical to our country. By 2020, 30 percent of job openings will require some college or a 2-year degree. In the next 10 years, 3 million workers will be required for the Nation's infrastructure needs. We know that high school students who take CTE classes have higher graduation rates, and they are more likely to find employment or attain higher education. Postsecondary CTE programs are also a proven, cost-effective means to obtain a credential or other form of degree.

So it is worth noting that this reauthorization of our Nation's career and technical education law includes important components from legislation introduced by our Senate CTE Caucus.

The Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act and the Perkins Fund for Equity and Excellence Act are just two key bills that help align CTE programs with the jobs of tomorrow and ensure that quality is maintained and strengthened in our CTE programs.

The reauthorization also includes provisions from a bill I helped introduce with Senator Peters to support training for career guidance and academic counselors so they can help inform students of opportunities in the workforce, and it includes a measure Senator Gillibrand and I worked on to encourage professional development change and hands-on learning approaches like makerspaces, which provide students the tools and space needed to build, create, and learn critical skills.

In conclusion, we critically need to update the law to reflect the current and future workforce. I am pleased the House overwhelmingly passed the Senate CTE bill, and I look forward to it becoming law very soon.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator from Delaware for his naval service and for his concern for veterans. It is a pleasure to serve with him.

Amendment No. 2926

Mr. President, as marines, we tend to make interservice jokes when we are in the company of one another, but I know we share a common dedication in making sure our veterans receive the sort of care and support that, of course, they deserve. That is why I rise in support of amendment No. 2926 to the MILCON-VA bill.

Suicide is one of the most serious problems that face our veterans today. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, ``after adjusting for differences in age and sex, risk for suicide was 22 percent higher among Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adults.'' That figure is 19 percent higher among male veterans when compared to U.S. non-veteran adult men and 2\1/2\ times higher among female veterans.

Our veterans deserve the highest possible quality of care. Mental health care services are a critical component of that effort and are essential to preventing veteran suicides. Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs has a solemn duty to ensure that programs designed to protect veterans' emotional and mental health are effective.

The Department of Veterans Affairs launched what is now known as the

Veterans Crisis Line in 2011. While we applaud the VA for administering this program, we embrace the fundamental responsibility of Congress to exercise robust oversight of the Veterans Crisis Line to ensure that this program is actually effective and properly supporting at-risk veterans. That is why I joined with Senator Donnelly and Congressman Banks to introduce a bill to study the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line and the followup treatment these veterans receive.

Amendment No. 2926 is based on the core elements of the original S. 2174 Veterans Crisis Line Study Act. Studying the Veterans Crisis Line is vital to ensure that it is successful in its mission to save as many veterans as we can, and I ask my colleagues for their support.

Thank you.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I wish to thank Dr. Linda L.M. Bennett for her remarkable career as president of the University of Southern Indiana, USI. Dr. Bennett started with the university in 2003 and became its third president on July 1, 2009. She will be retiring on June 30, 2018, after 15 years of dedicated service.

Dr. Bennett truly exemplifies the university's vision, ``shaping the future through learning and innovation,'' and her work hasn't gone unheeded. Under her leadership, the University of Southern Indiana established its first two strategic plans, raising the academic standards, community engagement, and faculty development.

Throughout her career, President Bennett has served with the American Association of Colleges and Universities, Indiana Campus Compact Board, the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference Council of Presidents, and the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Executive Committee. During her tenure as president, USI implemented its first doctoral program, doctor of nursing practice, and expanded its engineering and MBA programs.

In addition to her time as president, Dr. Bennett has contributed to a wide variety of local organizations, including the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Evansville, the Diversity Lecture Series, the Indiana University School of Medicine Advisory Board of Directors, the Red Cross, the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, United Way, Mesker Park Zoo Planning Committee, Holly's House, Joshua Academy, the Wellborn Baptist Foundation, the Mayor's Education Roundtable, the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, and the Rotary Club of Evansville. Over the past few years, Dr. Bennett has received several awards, including the 2015 Rotary Civic Award, the Boy Scouts of America Buffalo Trace Council Distinguished Citizen Award, 2017, the Indiana Commission for Women Torchbearer Award, 2017, and the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana Women of Distinction award in 2018.

Although Dr. Bennett's retirement marks the end of a chapter, it also presents the opportunity for an exciting new beginning. I congratulate her on all of her achievements as USI's president and look forward to her further contributions to the Hoosier community.

Mr. President, I wish to rise today to formally recognize the 90th anniversary of the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, IN. Since its founding on May 14 1928, the Embassy has remained Indiana's leading self-sustaining historic theatre, welcoming more than 130,000 patrons each year. Originally built as a movie palace and vaudeville house, the theatre featured regal entertainment with a complete Page theatre pipe organ. At the height of its popularity, the Embassy frequently hosted decorated artists, including musician Tony Bennett and comedian Victor Borge. It wasn't until the evolution of television that the theater's popularity began to fade.

In 1972, the Embassy was threatened to be demolished, but several Hoosiers in the Fort Wayne community formed the Embassy Theatre Foundation to preserve its historical significance. Now in its 90th year, the Embassy Theatre continues to feature national

Broadway productions and hold various concerts of all genres.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Embassy Theatre for its famed entertainment and commitment to preserving one of Indiana's most historical sites.

Madam President, as a member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am proud to recognize our hard- working Hoosiers and their vital contributions to our economy during National Small Business Week.

This week, I would like to recognize AndyMark, a successful Indiana small business that provides Hoosiers with innovative and competitive robotics products. AndyMark is located in Kokomo, IN, where their staff, who have over 200 years of combined experience, support the Hoosier robotics industry. AndyMark recently announced it is hiring more employees as a result of tax reform. It is important that we continue to support and protect Hoosier small businesses like AndyMark by advancing policies that will help our small and medium-sized businesses grow.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be able to complete my remarks.

Mr. President, I rise today on tax day to recognize this as the very last time Americans will have to file their taxes under the complicated, burdensome, outdated system of the past. Today, we officially kick off a new tax code--one that is simpler, fairer, and allows hard-working Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money.

Since we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last December, success stories have poured into my office from Indiana businesses that are paying their workers more and from constituents who are earning more. Tax reform has provided needed relief across Indiana and across the entire country.

To date, we have found scores of companies in my home State of Indiana that have invested in their employees, invested in capital improvements, or lowered energy rates for consumers. They range in size from large companies, such as Walmart and AT&T, to smaller Indiana businesses, such as Family Express, which has 70 convenience stores across the State and is building 10 more and increasing its starting wage. ``We feel obligated to pass on a significant portion of the tax savings to our staff,'' said Family Express president and CEO Gus Olympidis.

My guest to this year's State of the Union Address was another beneficiary of this historic tax overhaul. Chelsee Hatfield is a young mother of three children and a teller at a rural branch of First Farmers Bank & Trust in Tipton, IN. Chelsee received a raise and a bonus as a result of this tax reform effort. This additional income will help Chelsee go back to school to earn her associate's degree. It will enable her to put money away for her children's future college education. Chelsee represents so many Americans who work in small towns and who live in our rural communities and are going to get a fair shot because of the benefits from tax reform.

The tax reform success stories don't stop there. NIPSCO, or the Northern Indiana Public Service Company, is an electric utility company in Merrillville, IN. It is passing on $26 million in new savings to its customers. Andy Mark, a mechanical and electrical parts supplier in Kokomo, is hiring more employees. Muncie Aviation Company is providing tax reform bonuses for all of its employees. One Hoosier, who lives in Cedar Lake, IN, is growing his third-generation milk-hauling business, and another, who lives in Southern Indiana and works for U-Haul in Louisville, used his $500 tax bonus to pay a bill. These bonuses and raises are allowing more Hoosiers to save for a rainy day, to put more money away towards their child's education, to make repairs to their home, and to keep food on the table.

It is worth noting that when we were debating tax reform, I listened carefully to feedback from my constituents across Indiana. I spent a lot of time traveling the State, holding roundtables, visiting businesses, and talking to folks on the street. I am glad to say that Hoosier voices were heard, and they are receiving the tax relief they asked for. I look forward to continue hearing Hoosiers' tax reform stories, and, like the rest of America, I look forward to this being the last day of the old, outdated tax system.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, earlier today, the Senate passed the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site Act--an effort that I was pleased to lead here in the Senate, alongside my colleague Senator Donnelly. This important legislation commemorates the

Landmark for Peace Memorial in Indianapolis and establishes the site as part of the African American Civil Rights Network. The act would not have passed without the support of both Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell, and I thank both of them and their hard-working staffs for their assistance in this effort.

I also extend my sincere gratitude to Representative Brooks, Senator Donnelly, and Representative Carson for working with me to pass this measure that recognizes a significant moment in Indiana's and our Nation's history.

Two weeks from now, on April 4, the city of Indianapolis will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Senator Robert F. Kennedy's timeless speech in the Circle City. On that fateful evening in 1968, Senator Kennedy was scheduled to be in Indianapolis for a campaign event. As Senator Kennedy arrived in Indianapolis late that evening, he learned of the tragic death of Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, TN. Senator Kennedy decided to speak to the assembled Hoosiers who had come to see him and inform them of the tragic news of King's death. He confirmed the terrible rumors that many were beginning to hear that evening in the course of his words.

Cities throughout America were erupting in riots, in many instances, as they learned of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. However, in Indianapolis, Senator Kennedy spoke to the grief-stricken crowd, and he inspired them. He inspired them to replace the hatred they felt with compassion and love. To this day, Hoosiers warmly remember Senator Kennedy's moving speech, and we recognize his heartfelt words as a reason why Indianapolis remained calm and peaceful while riots swept much of the Nation.

I wish to close today with a quote from Senator Kennedy's speech-- powerful words that still ring true 50 years after he uttered them. These words will forever mark Senator Kennedy's grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

What we need in the United States is not division; what we

need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the

United States is not violence and lawlessness; but love and

wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of

justice toward those who still suffer within our country,

whether they be white or whether they be black.

I yield the floor.