Thursday, May 14, 2026

Mr. President, last month, a Sioux Falls, SD, police officer responded to a report of a weapons violation. While pursuing one of the suspects, the officer in question was ambushed by the other suspect and shot. Here in DC last month, law enforcement officers on duty at the White House Correspondents' Dinner responded when an individual darted through a security checkpoint with the intent of assassinating the President and members of his administration. One officer was shot, fortunately in the vest. The job of a law enforcement officer is an unpredictable one. Of course, all of life has uncertainty, but when most of us depart our houses every day, we can be pretty certain that we will return that evening the same way we left that morning--in safety. Police officers, law enforcement officers, don't have that same assurance. The job of a police officer is unpredictable. Some days might be very quiet--helping a stranded motorist, writing a speeding ticket, chatting with kids about police work at a school function--but other days--other days--a police officer might respond to a call and be confronted with a gunman. Law enforcement officers never know what kind of day it will be. The Secret Service agent leaving her house in the morning doesn't know whether she will have to throw herself between her principal and danger before nightfall. The sheriff's deputy serving a warrant doesn't know whether it will be a peaceful event or whether he will confront a volley of bullets. Yet, every day, men and women across this country embrace their jobs in law enforcement. They are born protectors who willingly shoulder the risks and dangers to keep them away from the rest of us. This week, we honor them. This week, we observe National Police Week to honor the service and sacrifice of our Nation's law enforcement officers. Tomorrow, we observe National Peace Officers Memorial Day--a day to remember the men and women of law enforcement who have given their lives in the line of duty. This year's Police Week resolution notes that in 2025, more than 200 officers were killed in the line of duty--200 men and women who left their homes in the morning and failed to return to it at the end of the day. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. For these men and women, we were all their friends. As we honor the service and sacrifice of our Nation's law enforcement officers, we also need to honor their families because their families also serve. They say goodbye in the morning to a husband or wife, a mom or a dad, son or a daughter, with the knowledge always at the back of their minds that their loved one may not come home at the end of the day. And every year, for some law enforcement families, that fear comes true, and this week and every week, we should remember them. This Police Week, I want to say a special thank-you to South Dakota law enforcement officers--police officers, sheriff's deputies, State troopers, Tribal police, and the Federal officers who serve our State. I am grateful for all you do to keep South Dakotans safe. I also want to thank the officers of the Capitol Police, who stand guard in this building every hour of every day. We are able to work in safety because of your efforts. Mr. President, we live in a fallen world, and there will always be men and women out there with evil intent. We are blessed to have so many heroic men and women willing to put their lives on the line to protect us. To all of our Nation's law enforcement officers, today and every day, thank you. May God bless and protect you as you go about your work. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant executive clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Recognition of the Minority Leader

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The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Democratic leader is recognized.

Economy

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Mr. President, well, every day, Americans see headlines about rising prices. Just this week, The Economist said: "America faces another grocery-price shock." CNN: "America is in for yet another long spell of price pain." PBS News: "Iran war hits home as gasoline prices fuel significant U.S. inflation jump." Trump will surely try to brush aside these reports of higher costs as "fake news," but Americans don't need to see the headlines to know we are in an affordability crisis. Americans feel the crushing weight of higher costs caused by Trump's disastrous war and failed economic policies every time they walk through the grocery aisle and step up to the gas pump. What Americans do not see is any sympathy, any support, or any plan from Trump and congressional Republicans to lower costs. In fact, they see the opposite. The other day, Trump said:

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I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about [anyone].

Trump's clueless comments make my blood boil. "I don't think about [anyone]?" They make Americans' blood boil. Americans can't understand how a President can be so cold, so callous, and so proud of it. Donald Trump doesn't think about how every time Americans go to the pump, they are paying over $4.50 for a gallon of gasoline--up more than $1.50 since Trump started this war. Donald Trump doesn't think about how a family's weekly trip to the grocery store got even more expensive, with food prices going up in April more than in any month in the past 4 years. Trump certainly doesn't think about how wholesale inflation just hit 6 percent--the highest it has been in nearly 4 years. Donald Trump doesn't think about you, America. Trump is really wrong when he says he doesn't think about anyone. He thinks about himself and only himself, as his past comments have shown. Donald Trump thinks about how badly he wants the American people to bankroll his $1 billion ballroom. If "ballroom Republicans" won't think about the economic suffering of the American people, then they had better start thinking long and hard about their own political futures.

China

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Mr. President, on China, we are just a day into Trump's trip to China, and he hasn't done anything to ease concerns that he might sell out America. He arrived with a posse of billionaires in tow, including his own son, who oversees the family business. This kind of stuff is just incredible. So much for fighting against how China is hurting American workers and poisoning our communities with fentanyl. That would get in the way of Donald Trump and his family profiting off of doing business with the Chinese Communist Party--just hours in, and Xi Jinping has already threatened to "collide or even clash" with the United States if we continue our support for Taiwan. Trump, apparently, didn't say anything in response. He was just mute. For the sake of democracy and the stability of the global economy, Trump must not sell out Taiwan. Trump must also safeguard the interests of American workers, families, and businesses. Trump is continuing to roll forward on selling AI chips to Chinese companies that are linked to the Chinese military. Giving China access to this premiere American technology--something we developed with our know-how, our entrepreneurship, our ingenuity--and just giving it away to China? That is dangerous and threatens the United States' lead in the AI race that is going to shape the global economy for decades. And chips aren't the only way Trump is selling out America. Trump is undermining American autoworkers by letting Chinese vehicles flood the market, and that is something he is very much considering. Communities across this country continue to suffer as Trump fails to secure real meaningful action from Xi to stem the tide of fentanyl that is flowing into our country from China. If Xi outnegotiates Trump--and that has happened almost every time he has negotiated with him in the past--it will undercut American manufacturers and workers who have long been hurt by the CCP's predatory trade practices. When Trump does these negotiations, the only thing he is looking for is a headline so he can see himself on the front page of the newspaper. He doesn't think of what will happen a day after, and it hurts America every time. If Xi outnegotiates Trump and if America emerges from these negotiations weaker than it was before, there will be only one person to blame: Donald Trump.

Iran

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Mr. President, on Iran, every day the costs of Trump's disastrous handling of his illegal war with Iran mount up. The most dire cost is human: 13 American servicemembers killed, nearly 400 wounded. They served with valor. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to them, their families, and their brothers and sisters in arms who remain in harm's way. But that is not the only way the war has cost us, as bad as that is. Trump's war has cost the American taxpayer at least--at least--$29 billion--billion dollars. The war with Iran has cost American families financially, causing inflation to spiral out of control, gas prices to skyrocket, grocery costs to climb. Trump's reckless war has also cost America strategically. Hundreds of installations in the region have been damaged. America's reputation on the world stage has been further tarnished. American munitions stockpiles are shrinking at a time when we need them to deter other aggressors around the world. All for what? What is his goal here? He hasn't achieved any of them. Americans have paid dearly for Trump's blunder in Iran in exchange for little or no gain. The American people may not be benefitting from Trump's war, but our competitors, our rivals across the globe, certainly are. Vladimir Putin couldn't be happier with the Iran war, as Russia rakes in record profits from its energy exports, and the Americans use up munitions that could go to Ukraine. As Trump drags America's reputation through the mud, China now presents itself as a source of stability and reason on the world stage. According to press reports, the Chinese have planned secret arms sales to Iran and now look to Taiwan with greater eagerness, since America has devoted so many of our military resources to Iran. If we want to make sure America stays on top, we need to end Trump's illegal war as soon as possible.

Anniversary of Buffalo, New York, Shooting

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Mr. President, finally, on the shooting anniversary of 4 years in Buffalo, before I close today, I want to say that my heart is with Buffalo as we mark 4 years since the horrific, mass racist shootings that took place at Tops supermarket in 2022. In an instant, 10 beautiful, innocent lives were cut short, and 3 were wounded. They were grandparents and sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, friends, people who deeply loved their community and whose absence we feel every single day. But in the face of hatred and tragedy, Buffalo lived up to its reputation as the city of good neighbors. The families of the victims and the whole community pushed Congress to come together in a way it hadn't for decades, beating back the dark forces of the NRA and passing the first major gun safety bill in more than a quarter century. I worked hand in hand with the families of those we lost in Buffalo to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and their work has undoubtedly saved many lives. We owe it to the victims to not just remember their names but to build a future where no community has to endure the kind of tragedy that Buffalo did back then in 2022. So may God bless the families and all of Buffalo as we remember those we lost 4 years ago today: Ruth Whitfield; Roberta Drury; Aaron Salter, Jr.; Heyward Patterson; Pearl Young; Geraldine Talley; Celestine Chaney; Kat Massey; Margus Morrison; and Andre Mackneil. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The majority whip.

Wyoming

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John Barrasso (R-WY)

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to say that the people of Wyoming asked of Washington, DC, one simple thing, and that is: Let us do what we do best. Let us power the country, and let us feed the country. We have done it for generations, and we will continue to do it for generations to come. The American people want affordable energy. They want energy that they can use, that is available to them, and that is reliable. Wyoming is America's energy breadbasket. We produce 12 times more energy than we consume. Congress is currently discussing new mandates, mandates that would force more and more ethanol into our fuel tanks. The House voted on it just last night. I oppose a year-round E15 mandate. That is what is currently under debate. I oppose it because it hurts small refineries and all of the people around the country who work in these small refineries. In Wyoming, we have several small refineries. They employ thousands of hard-working people. The refineries receive hardship exemptions for something called the renewable fuel standard mandate. Oh, it is a mandate. They depend on these exemptions to survive--"they" being the refineries and the people who work for them. Small refineries already face higher costs under Federal renewable fuel rules. Without additional relief, the new mandate will likely raise gas prices for consumers all across the country by up to 35 cents a gallon. Small refineries have been ignored so far in the current E15 debate. It is time for their voices to be heard. Affordable, available, reliable American energy never comes from a one-size-fits-all government mandate. It comes from regulatory certainty, from permitting reform, and it comes from people who are working hard every day, like our Wyoming energy workers. My message is simple: Let Wyoming do what Wyoming does best. Now, the same principle applies to our ranchers. Americans want U.S. beef on their tables. Wyoming ranchers produce the very best beef in the world. Wyoming beef is safe. It is the highest quality. And, Mr. President, your home State of Montana is known for equal high quality and hard workers. It is our State's No. 1 cash crop, and I am sure it is a high cash crop in Montana as well. Wyoming ranchers care for the land. We support our communities. We are great stewards of the land. Ranching is part of Wyoming's rich history and rich heritage. It is also part of our bright future. Our ranchers do not ask for special treatment. They simply want a fair marketplace. They should not have to compete unfairly against foreign beef. It is Washington's job to ensure that there is a fair playing field. The Trump administration recently unveiled a voluntary label program that is called "Product of the U.S.A." It means Americans can trust what they are buying. Just this week, the administration rolled back the Biden administration's disastrous public lands rule. In Wyoming, nearly half of our land is owned by the Federal Government. The Federal Government is our largest landlord. Federal law has long recognized the value of land that has multiple uses. It is called multiple use. It is in the law. And one of the uses includes grazing. But the Biden rule changed multiple use into no use. They described no use as one of the multiple uses. We don't think of it that way and never have. This was designed by the Biden administration to shut down Federal grazing across the West. It was an attack on the Wyoming way of life, and I aggressively fought back against Biden's punishing regulations right here in the Senate. And I am glad to see the Trump administration overturn it. Our ranchers will now be able to expand their operations and produce more high-quality Wyoming beef. Now I am going to continue to fight for policies that expand American beef production. It needs to be easier, not harder, for Wyoming ranchers to feed America. Let Wyoming do what Wyoming does best.

National Police Week

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John Barrasso (R-WY)

Mr. President, on a separate matter, this week is Police Week. We honor the brave officers all across the country who continue to serve and truly remember those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Yesterday, I met with law enforcement officers from Wyoming here in the Capitol. There was a ranger from the Bureau of Land Management. She is from Buffalo, WY. There were also two police officers from Sheridan, WY, part of the same police department that lost Sergeant Nevada Krinkee, nearly 2 years ago. And they are in Washington, DC, this week to honor Sergeant Krinkee. It was an honor to thank these heroes for keeping our community safe. Every year the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial adds names of fallen officers to its memorial wall. It does this for officers who died in the line of duty in the previous year. It also adds the names of fallen officers from earlier years who, through extensive research, were recently uncovered. It enlists their new names onto the memorial wall as well. This comprehensive rollcall of heroes serves as a living memorial to all of the fallen officers in the history of our Nation. This year, the names of 363 new fallen officers were added. It is a high number. One of the officers is someone who died in the past but research has disclosed should have been named, and that is Marshal Daniel Hansen of the Cokeville Police Department in Wyoming. Cokeville is a small town along the western border of our State. Marshal Hansen wore the badge over a century ago. In a wild land, at the time, dotted by small frontier towns, the difference between civilization and lawlessness was a very thin blue line. On June 21, 1912, the wife of a local businessowner found a blackmail letter. It was signed by notorious outlaws. The note demanded $1,500, which was a fortune at that time. It also threatened to kill her and her family if police were warned. Although any backup was dozens of miles away, Marshal Hansen rode out to investigate. As he did his job, he was shot dead. It is believed that the murder of the marshal had been targeted. More than a century has passed since Marshal Hansen died in the line of duty. Yet his legacy of service, selflessness, and sacrifice lives on. Today, Wyoming officers proudly protect and serve across our State. Officers work double shifts. They answer emergency calls. They stay late into the night. And they do all of this to keep their community safe. And I am always going to support the men and women of law enforcement without apology. Today, Republicans are putting money back into the pockets of law enforcement. Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts law. That new law includes no taxes on overtime. For Wyoming officers, no taxes on overtime--it is not just extra; it is essential. The average tax deduction for no taxes on overtime this year is more than $3,100. Republicans are again delivering safer streets. The Working Families Tax Cut law invests in local law enforcement. It helps officers fight violent crime. This year, violent crime is falling across the board. Murders, robberies, rapes, aggravated assaults are all down compared to last year. Clearly, supporting law enforcement makes our communities safer. By contrast, Democrats in Congress continue to want to defund the police. Democrats have left Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers unfunded since January. Tellingly, the Democrat leader recently said on this floor that ICE and Border Patrol, he said, are two groups nobody respects. Radical Democrats continue to disrespect, to demonize, and to defund the men and women who keep us safe. Republicans are going to ensure ICE and Border Patrol are fully funded, and we are going to continue to stand up for the men and women who keep all of our communities safe. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The minority whip.

Nominations

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Mr. President, later today, the Senate will move 1 step closer to confirming 50 Executive nominees without the consent or agreement of the Senate Democrats. Last year, Senate Republicans made a change in the Senate's rules that has fundamentally undermined Senators' ability to fulfill our constitutional duty of advice and consent. They gave away this body's authority in order to appease the White House. Now, I have been in the Senate long enough to remember a time when this was not even a major issue. It was rare that people would question a nomination. They would usually threaten to but not reach a floor vote. That has changed dramatically. U.S. attorneys--let me use that as an example. Under President Trump's first term, virtually every U.S. attorney of the 94 vacancies was filled by voice vote--no record vote necessary. There was maybe one exception in that period, but virtually all of them were by voice vote. Then came President Biden and a decision by the man who is now Vice President of the United States to force a vote on every single U.S. attorney. It was Vice President Vance who insisted on that, and I came to the floor repeatedly, saying: Why are you doing this? We have done this on a bipartisan basis up until now. He said: We want to vote on every one of them. Well, he got his way, and we stopped filling the vacancies of U.S. attorneys under President Biden. Now, under President Trump's second term, we are having individual votes on each one. I don't believe it should ever have reached that point, but it has, and I just described to you how it reached that point. Still, we have this situation where there are objections and demands for votes time and time and time again. We waste too much time on that. Now, some of these nominees are controversial, and they would have separate votes, but that is rare. By and large, we can have agreement if we do it on a bipartisan basis. Unfortunately, this kind of voting we are going to have today basically says that we are throwing in the towel, that we are not even going to try to make this a bipartisan process, and I am sorry for that. I warned that this new Republican precedent would open the door to jamming through extreme nominees whose only qualification is loyalty to the President. U.S. attorneys are the top Federal prosecutors in 94 districts across the country. We rely on them to be above politics, fairmined prosecutors who protect victims and hold bad actors accountable. They should not be instruments of political retribution ever. But, as I feared, several U.S. attorney nominees in this en bloc package are extreme and, I am afraid to say, unqualified. Last year, President Trump nominated people like Ed Martin, Alina Habba, Lindsey Halligan, and others who are not qualified for the post but committed to carrying out his retribution campaign against President Trump's political enemies. As an interim U.S. attorney, Ed Martin led an unprecedented purge of dozens of career prosecutors in the Department of Justice and FBI agents simply because they did their jobs investigating and prosecuting the attack on the U.S. Capitol. I sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and I am embarrassed for the nominees that come before us. They are so afraid that they are going to say one word or the other that is going to trigger the ire of the President. When you ask them basic questions--who won the election between Trump and Biden in 2020?--they refuse to answer that question. You could take that question to any eighth grade classroom in my State or Montana--you pick it--and those kids know the answer: President Biden won. Of course he did. He got more votes than President Trump. But these nominees are afraid to say it because President Trump has never acknowledged the obvious. He has been engaged in this Big Lie strategy ever since. And they are afraid that if they cross him by saying the obvious, they are going to invoke his resistance and maybe even lose his support for whatever they are seeking--the nomination. The same thing is true when you ask about January 6. Mr. President, you weren't here. I was here, and I will tell you exactly what happened. A mob came to the Capitol and started coming into the building, and we were warned in the Senate Chamber that the Vice President of the United States had to leave because of the danger to him personally. Then they told us: Stay in the Senate Chamber. The mob is going to stay outside. Ten minutes later, they stood up and said: Forget what we just said. Everybody file out as quickly as possible. They have broken the containment and are moving toward this Chamber. And off we went to an adjoining building, waiting until the mob subsided. Over 140 policemen were physically attacked. Two of them died a day or two later. It was a serious moment, and these men and women risked their lives to protect us. That happened, and it was all captured on videotape. We know what happened. As a result of that, some 1,500 people were arrested for their participation in this mob action, and some of them were actually sentenced to time in prison. What happened when President Trump was elected? Full, unconditional pardon of every single one of them. Even those that were physically assaulting the policemen in the Capitol were given a full and unconditional pardon by President Trump. That is a fact. So when we ask these people who want to be lifetime appointments to the Federal bench what happened to the Capitol on January 6, they say: Oh, it was sunny, and there was a little wind outside. Well, didn't you see the videotapes? Of course they did, but they are afraid to acknowledge what actually happened for fear that President Trump will turn on them. The latest is, when we ask them about the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which says that a President can only serve two terms--we ask them a basic question--now, get this--President Trump is serving his second term, right? Yes, he is. Can he run for a third term? I am sorry, I can't answer that. That may be a question that comes before the Federal court. Once again, take it to the eighth graders in my State or yours and ask them the basic question: How many terms can a President serve? Two. The Constitution says it, and the President is in his second term. They are afraid to say that for fear that this President will try somehow to enter into a third term in office. I can't imagine how he would. But they are afraid to answer the questions. Those are the kinds of nominees we are getting before the Senate Judiciary Committee. I have never seen, in 20 years of service on that committee, people who are in such an embarrassing position that they embarrass themselves, their families, and friends who have gathered for them and refuse to answer fundamental, basic questions about the Constitution. I have just never seen anything like it. Ed Martin led an unprecedented purge of all the people that I mentioned earlier. He tweeted from the Capitol on January 6, the day of the insurrectionist mob. I want to quote him. Ed Martin:

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Like Mardi Gras today in DC today: love, faith and joy. Ignore #FakeNews.

Dismissing the violence of the January 6 rioters, Martin said:

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We have to have less judgment on somebody who hits a cop.

I want to repeat that in Police Week because of our bipartisan salute to our men and women in law enforcement. Ed Martin, one of the top guys in the Trump administration, said in reference to what happened on January 6 in this building:

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We have to have less judgment on somebody who hits a cop.

Get out of here. This man is at the highest level of the Trump administration. Although his nomination failed to advance, President Trump continues to nominate people like Martin who defend January 6 rioters and embrace the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen. It is even more of an outrage that during Police Week, when we honor law enforcement's bravery, service, and sacrifice, Senate Republicans are poised to confirm nominees who continue to spread fabrications about the police officers who protected me and other Members of the Senate, Republican and Democrat, from the violent mob on January 6. Take Darin Smith--Darin Smith, nominated to the District of Wyoming. He stood by his radical and dangerous view that Vice President Pence should not have certified the results of the 2020 election. Smith was on the Capitol grounds on January 6--this nominee for judgeship was on the Capitol grounds on January 6--and made the reprehensible claim--listen to this. This is what Smith said: Hundreds of Capitol Police officers who risked their lives that day were guilty of "massive incompetence." Smith blames the police for what happened on January 6. Without evidence, he claimed that rioters who breached the Capitol were victims of entrapment--1,500 victims of entrapment. Moreover, Smith is not remotely qualified to be a U.S. attorney. He is going to be in the package, take it or leave it. Prior to becoming interim U.S. attorney, he had no courtroom or litigation experience whatsoever--none. Smith's lack of experience has had real-world consequences. At least seven criminal defendants have filed motions to dismiss charges brought by Smith because he told members of the grand jury that the defendants were "murderers" and that every case before them involved "bad people." Even the Wyoming U.S. Attorney's Office has admitted Smith's irresponsible and unprofessional comments were "ill-advised." That is the word they used--"ill-advised." Worse than that, Smith has violated these defendants' rights and endangered public safety by putting these prosecutions at risk. He wasn't ready for this job. He still isn't. Another nominee Senate Republicans are rubberstamping today is Phil Williams, nominated to the Northern District of Alabama. He bears many unfortunate similarities to Ed Martin. Neither one had any prosecutorial experience prior to their nomination. Instead, like Martin, Williams' main qualification appears to be he is a podcaster and he makes social media posts in which he spouts MAGA orthodoxy. Like Ed Martin, Phil Williams has whitewashed January 6 and maligned the law enforcement officers--not the mobsters--the policemen who were here protecting Members of Congress, our staff, and visitors. Williams claimed that January 6 rioters were "hunted down"--his words--by law enforcement, whom he accused of "prosecutorial abuse many, many times over." This is a man whose nomination for a lifetime appointment to the Federal court is going to be voted on today, during Police Week. He went on to call the prosecution of January 6 rioters "the Salem Witch trials on a national scale." Williams criticized the 87-month sentence imposed on a rioter named Guy Reffitt, claiming he is, according to Williams, "nonviolent." In fact, Reffitt traveled to the Capitol on that day--January 6--wearing body armor, carrying handguns and cuffs, and planning to kidnap Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell. Prior to his arrest--listen to this--Reffitt, who has been described as "nonviolent," said to his own minor children:

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If you turn me in, you are a traitor, and traitors get shot.

Senate Republicans will also approve Dan Bishop, nominated to the Middle District of North Carolina--another nominee who has no previous experience as a prosecutor. Lifetime appointment to the Federal bench. As a Member of Congress on January 6, 2021, Bishop voted against certifying the 2020 election results. He didn't accept what is clearly the fact: The President lost the 2020 election. President Biden won. Bishop falsely claimed that "Democrats' attack on our elections . . . was coordinated & widespread." Even today, Bishop refuses to disavow debunked theories about the insurrection. He told me: "I have heard credible accounts that black-bloc/Antifa agitators were in the crowd and among the first to vandalize the Capitol building, so I think that leftists participated in and perhaps instigated the mayhem in part"--one of the wild conspiracy theories which he still stands by. There is a clear through line here with these extreme, unqualified nominees. Their MAGA loyalty all but guarantees they will use their post in the U.S. Attorney's Offices to go after the President's political opponents. President Trump has nominated these January 6 apologists for another equally concerning reason: He wants to make the case that the 2020 election was stolen to justify interfering in the 2026 elections, and he wants loyal foot soldiers in the U.S. Attorney's Offices who will help him carry out this mission. Confirming these nominees to top law enforcement positions, particularly given their attacks on police officers simply for doing their jobs on January 6, is disrespectful to law enforcement--even more so during Police Week. I urge my colleagues: Today, when this package comes before us, oppose these nominees. And because this rancid package of nominees is a "take it or leave it" on nearly 50 nominees, by all means, leave it. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Senator from Texas.

Religious Freedom

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John Cornyn (R-TX)

Mr. President, this year, as we all know, we are celebrating America's 250th anniversary. This, of course, is an opportunity for all of us to reflect with gratitude on the many liberties and freedoms that we enjoy--fundamental freedoms not enjoyed by most of the rest of the world--all of which help make America an exceptional nation. America is a country envied by millions or perhaps billions of people around the world who long to experience the liberties we too often take for granted here at home. But it is also true that many countries do not share our values. Instead, they impose authoritarian or theocratic rules on their own citizens, as we have witnessed in recent years. Even on continents like Africa, countries like Nigeria have come under international scrutiny for violating the rights and freedoms of Christians and other religious groups as their legal system has become more and more entwined with theocratic rule--in this case, Sharia law. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a report last July detailing some of these abuses. The report found that Nigeria's enforcement of so-called blasphemy laws has created restrictions on the religious freedom of Christians and other faith groups. Nigeria's Constitution grants authority to local governments to adjudicate their laws through Sharia, or religious, courts. In some states, this has resulted in the charging, fining, and imprisonment of non-Muslims. Twelve states in Northern Nigeria have been permitted to implement laws derived from a Sharia framework criminalizing blasphemy. They have also enforced Sharia-based code punishment that utilizes corporal punishment, including amputation and stoning, for certain offenses. Some state governments in Nigeria have thrown several people into prison for violating blasphemy laws, including a Christian nurse and a humanist, who were both released last year. Several more remain in prison to this day under similar charges, with some even sentenced to the death penalty. In Europe, as a result of massive migration from Middle Eastern countries, there has been an increase in the practice of Sharia law in various Muslim enclaves--frequently, pockets of parallel legal norms in some urban centers. While we as Americans allow freedom of speech and expression and religion, it is hard to imagine a judge in another country imposing the death penalty on someone for having different beliefs or for a judge to throw someone in jail for sending a message online that a religious judge finds offensive, which, of course, would never happen in America because of the First Amendment in part, which protects religious freedom. But this is a road that America could go down if we do not remain vigilant and committed to the foundational principles of individual liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion enshrined in our Constitution. These incidents occurring in Nigeria may seem far away, but they underscore the dangers of what can happen in a country that is not guided by the values that we hold dear here in America, and they offer a glimpse of what could happen in free Western countries like the United States if Sharia law became entwined in a nation's governing philosophy. As I mentioned, because of massive Muslim immigration from the Middle East into Europe, this is happening right now in many enclaves across Europe. Back home in Texas, my constituents have become increasingly alarmed at immigrant enclaves that seek to adopt Sharia law right here in the United States. Last summer, a group of individuals attempted to create a Sharia law compound in Josephine, TX, known as the East Plano Islamic Center, otherwise known as EPIC City. This complex would have been a planned community strictly for Muslims centered around a mosque and a private Islamic grade school. The developers planned to have homes available for sale to noncitizens but restricted to those who would supposedly "contribute to the overall makeup of [the] community." In other words, they would seek to bar people not sharing their same beliefs. This is clearly a very lightly veiled attempt at religious discrimination and, of course, is prohibited by Federal law, including the Fair Housing Act, among other civil rights laws. Naturally, many of my constituents were concerned, as was I. There is something so alarming about this planned community where only residents of a particular faith are welcome and allowed to purchase a home and where principles of religious law like Sharia law would govern daily life, education, and commerce. I wrote a letter to the Department of Justice asking them to investigate EPIC City for potential violations of Federal civil rights laws. Governor Abbott has been instrumental in making sure that this planned community will never come to fruition, and I am thankful for his leadership and remain committed to ensuring that Texas does not ever allow such a community to be created. Furthermore, I plan to introduce legislation here in the Senate to ensure that any attempts to impose or adopt religious law, including Sharia, never become realized. Our country was founded on principles of liberty, equality, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. We cannot shrink from these ideals by allowing certain individuals to advocate or embrace Sharia law, nor can we allow advocates for Sharia law to enter our country and actively work to undermine our Constitution. We welcome legal immigrants from around the world, regardless of religious belief, who want to become Americans through a legal, orderly process, but we want Americans not just in name only but in terms of their willingness to embrace the very values ensconced and protected by our Constitution. We want them to become fully assimilated as Americans, as America always has. By recommitting ourselves to our Constitution and to our founding principles, our country will see another 250 years of liberty and justice for all. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Senator from Vermont.

Sexual Violence

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Peter Welch (D-VT)

Mr. President, multiple press articles and reports by human rights organizations, as well as United Nations human rights investigators, have documented widespread acts of horrific sexual violence against prisoners in the Middle East over many years. These articles and these reports describe--often in graphic, gruesome detail--a consistent pattern of sexual abuse corroborated by multiple sources and in some cases with shocking photographs and videos posted on social media by the perpetrators themselves. These allegations amount to gross violations of human rights, including torture, and if committed by members of foreign military and police forces that receive training or equipment from the United States, they are sanctionable under U.S. law--the Leahy Law. In Egypt, allegations of acts of systemic sexual violence against prisoners are not new. The allegations have been the subject of reports, including by U.S. and Egyptian human rights organizations and the Department of State, for many years. We also know that Hamas militants who invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, committed absolutely brutal acts of sexual violence, including gang rape, against Israelis during the attack and against Israeli hostages. On May 12, a team of Israeli researchers released a report which concluded that sexual violence by Hamas militants against women and men was "systematic, widespread and integral" to the attack. Many of us have condemned those barbaric crimes and called for justice for the Israeli victims. I personally still have vivid memories of hearing personally of the horrors of these attacks from Israeli victims who bravely came and spoke to Members of the U.S. Senate. There is also extensive evidence, both before and after October 7, of a pattern of sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners by Israeli security forces. Allegations of such abuses in Israeli prisons are not new, but they have sharply increased since October 7. So have reports of widespread abuses and killings of Palestinian civilians by Israeli soldiers and acts of violence, including sexual assault and murder by Israeli settlers which reportedly continue to this day. I will not repeat the gruesome details of the attacks reportedly committed against Palestinian prisoners by Israeli soldiers, but I do urge my colleagues, as uncomfortable as it may be, to read the articles by Nicholas Kristof in the May 11 New York Times entitled "The Horror of Sexual Assault in Israeli Prisons," and "The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians." The heinous acts that were described to him by former prisoners and witnesses, if proven in a court of law, would warrant decades-long prison sentences. Despite overwhelming evidence, Egyptian authorities and Hamas officials have denied that forces under their command have sexually assaulted prisoners. Likewise, Israeli authorities, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, while rightly condemning Hamas's acts of sexual violence, dismissed out of hand the reports of similar acts by Israeli soldiers as fabrications. The fact is that these are not isolated reports, nor are victims of sexual violence prone to voluntarily invite the public scrutiny and profound embarrassment that comes with describing being subjected to these types of humiliating mistreatment. Every year, Egypt and Israel receive more military aid paid for by American taxpayers than any other countries, and that is by far. Yet neither of their governments, nor our own, have shown the slightest concern about addressing longstanding allegations of the widespread use of sexual violence against prisoners in their custody. That is unacceptable. It must change. American taxpayer funds are directly supporting foreign military units that have been credibly implicated in rape and other abhorrent acts of sexual violence. The United States has long embraced in its foreign policy the protection of human rights. It is at the heart of the Leahy Law passed by this U.S. Senate. That law directs the Secretary of State to investigate credible reports of human rights abuses. In light of the credible reports of gross human rights abuses, I call upon the Secretary of State to act, to investigate, and to abide by the provisions of the Leahy Law. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Senator from Indiana.

National Police Week

Page S2293 · Official text

Todd Young (R-IN)

Mr. President, most Hoosiers wake up every morning and they see their children off to school or head to work without event, without an incident. They live in safety because a select few of their fellow citizens willingly forfeit their own safety. May 10 to 16 is National Police Week, and it is a useful reminder for all of us of what we owe our law enforcement, particularly our Indiana law enforcement officers, and what more we can do for them. You see, our police officers are the thin blue line between order and chaos. The men and women who wear the badge are our guardians of peace who willingly stand in the way of all sorts of threats to their communities and to our interests. Whether our ears are being destroyed by public disorder, our cars break down, our homes are invaded, when trouble comes, our law enforcement officers are not far behind. Too often, we appreciate them only when we need them, and that is why we have set aside this week to remember them, to honor them. Just as commonly, we overlook the grave danger they willingly face on our behalf. The hero's badge is a criminal's target. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, which carries the names of 24,000 police officers killed in the line of duty, reminds us of this sobering reality. Every year, additional names are added to these rolls. Around 100 police officers die on the job annually, the majority as a result of violent and other serious crimes. In 2024, 85,730--think of that number--85,730 police officers were assaulted in the line of duty. This is dangerous work. Many of these incidents were ambush attacks, when criminals target police officers unexpectedly. According to the National Fraternal Order of Police, such incidents accounted for nearly 30 percent of officer shootings last year. These terrible sacrifices are why since 1962 Americans have honored our law enforcement personnel during the second week of May. National Police Week is an occasion to renew our unwavering support for law enforcement officers. It is an opportunity to recognize and give thanks for their unseen acts of heroism, to honor and remember those who have laid down their lives to protect others, and express our solemn appreciation to the loved ones of officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Let's remember the families. Let's remember the families of these brave men and women and their sacrifices. And remembrance is important; so is gratitude. But these alone are not enough. Our police officers defend us, and we, in turn, can deter and punish those who would do them harm. That is why in the Senate, I am supporting the Protect and Serve Act. This legislation was introduced by my colleague Senator Tillis, and this bill would create a new category of crime for those who attack Federal, State, or local law enforcement officers. It would give Federal prosecutors more tools--more tools--to go after those who deliberately target law enforcement officers by making it a Federal crime to knowingly cause or attempt to cause bodily injury to a law enforcement officer. And under the bill, offenders would be subject to imprisonment for up to 10 years, a stiff penalty for a serious crime. An offender under this bill could receive a life sentence if a death results from the offense or the offense includes kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, or attempted murder. Yes, this legislation is tough, but we need to be tough. This legislation aligns with common sense. We need to better protect those who protect us, and Congress should move this bill this year. So whether they serve at the local, State, or Federal level, our law enforcement officers are the best and the bravest in our community. Laws mean little without men and women sworn to uphold them. So during National Police Week, let's reflect on how much we owe them and show our support for the men and women wearing the badge across Indiana and across America. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The clerk will call the roll.

The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Roger Marshall (R-KS)

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

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Kansas.

Moms.gov

Pages S2293–S2294 · Official text

Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Mr. President, moms.gov, M-O-M-S.gov--moms.gov--I want to congratulate the White House on giving folks out there a one-stop shop. It is for folks that are expecting. It is for couples that are pregnant. And it is especially, I think, for people that want to become pregnant. It is to talk about what to expect when expecting, to talk about folic acid and the importance of prenatal vitamins before you conceive. But a very special area, of my concern, from the moms.gov is to talk about infertility. My colleagues know that I had the honor, in rural Kansas, of delivering a baby most every day for 25 years and had a pretty active infertility clinic as well. In fact, 1 out of 10 couples are infertile. And though I enjoyed every baby I delivered, it was certainly a special joy to help couples through years of infertility and send them home with a baby. So that is why I am so very proud to stand with this administration, which I believe is the most pro-family administration in our lifetime. As I pointed out, the White House launched moms.gov, a one-stop resource for expecting and new mothers: pregnancy care, nutrition, fertility support, childcare--all in one place. You know, it is a simple idea with a big impact. I got on it yesterday just to see what resources were available and trying to hook up expecting moms or folks that are already pregnant with the local easiest clinic to access. But one of the things I was really excited to see on there was Trump RX. Trump RX is so important to the infertile couples because the biggest barrier to infertility treatment, of course, are the very expensive medications--couples spending thousands of dollars each month on these medications, typically, to help them ovulate. Now, Trump RX has already helped 20,000 patients--nearly 20,000 patients--and they have saved almost $15 million on these fertility medications. A new employer fertility benefit will also reach an estimated 750,000 Americans a year. That is 20 percent of all births. So hats off to the administration for Trump RX and helping us treat infertility. What else have they done? In the Rural Health Transformation Fund, they have invested another $50 billion, and, again, with all Republican--Republican-only--votes. That fund is available to help improve many health issues, but, especially, there are opportunities to improve maternal health in rural America, as well, just like the ones where I served and was the only OB for many, many years in the middle of some 50,000 patients. Of course, we just celebrated Mother's Day this past weekend, and I can't help but emphasize that strong families are the foundation of America and one of the pillars that this country is founded upon. So I would ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us and cosponsor our legislation expanding fertility coverage and to continue to support rural maternal health funding. And let's make sure having a family in America is never out of reach because of cost. Hopeful moms and dads are counting on us. Now, let's get that done.

Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors Act

Page S2294 · Official text

Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Mr. President, I would like to rise and talk about the STOP Act, Safeguarding The Overall Protection of Minors--Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors, the STOP Act. Now, I wish we didn't have to introduce this bill. You know, as I pointed out earlier, I got to deliver over 5,000 babies. I just took care of countless adolescent girls, young women as well. So this is a group of patients that I think I understand pretty well and the challenges in their lives. And I certainly understand what irreversible medical interventions do when applied too early, without the maturity for this young lady to understand the consequences. In many cases, the parents don't understand the consequences, and in other cases, the parents may not even know this is going on. Now, across this country, minors are being placed on pathways toward puberty blockers. So it keeps a boy from becoming a man. It keeps a girl from becoming a woman. And we will leave it that simple. There are medications out there that delay puberty, and, by the way, they have significant consequences and complications as well. Others are given cross-sex hormones, and, again, these are irreversible. Once a woman starts growing a beard, even though she stops a hormone, chances are that beard is going to continue. If it has caused her to have male baldness, that is probably likely to never return to normal as well. And, of course, these surgeries are irreversible. They are permanent. They are painful. They cause chronic scar tissue and chronic pain, and, of course, it means they are infertile for the rest of their lives. Can you imagine letting a 13-, 14-year-old boy or girl decide that they will never have children again? Well, so how big of a problem is this? Why are Republicans concerned about it? Well, under extreme pressure, 14,000 minors--14,000 minors--have been manipulated into undergoing life-altering sex-change procedures that leave them, as I said earlier, maimed, sterilized, and psychologically damaged. And my heart pours out to these young men and women. I can't imagine the challenges they go through. And we want to get them the help and the support that they need as well. But these irreversible surgeries and medications are not the answer. Instead they are going to complicate the situation. Look, you know, this practice of transgender surgeries and medications--it is not medicine; it is not caution. In fact, these actions are not medical care. They are child abuse. Think about it. Think about it. Who can argue with me that this isn't child abuse? And, sadly, I think when the history books are written, hundreds of years from now, this may be the darkest chapter in the history of medicine. Our STOP Act--again, the Safeguarding The Overall Protection of Minors Act--simply restores a basic standard. Children should not undergo irreversible procedures they cannot fully comprehend and can't undo. It holds providers accountable and ensures there are real consequences when that line is crossed. This is about giving children the time, the love, and the compassion they deserve before decisions are made that last a lifetime. And if I could, I would like to give a big shoutout to those organizations that have bravely stepped forward to support us: the Students for Life of America, the American Principles Project, and the Religious Liberty Commission. And I know there are others. So thank you for that support. Thank you for caring about children and young adults. So we owe them that protection. We owe our youngsters, our young adults this protection. And I urge our colleagues to support our STOP Act. I yield the floor.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Senator from Louisiana.

John Kennedy (R-LA)

Mr. President, please vote for my S. Res. 526. I also ask that the vote on S. Res. 526 begin immediately. I withdraw that motion, but I still want you to vote for my S. Res. 526.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The Senator from California.

Amending Chapters 83 and 84 of Title 5, United States Code, to Authorize an Increase of the Retirement Age for Members of the Capitol Police

Pages S2294–S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, colleagues, as you know, every year we recognize--let the Record reflect even the U.S. Senate can experience some technical difficulties. We are going to try this again. Colleagues, as you know, every year we are honored to recognize Police Week with thousands of officers from across the United States descending here on the Nation's Capital to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. There are a number of events and ceremonies throughout the week, and the Judiciary Committee in the Senate, among others, is proud to utilize this opportunity to advance policies, legislation, and initiatives in support of women and men in uniform across the country. And I personally am honored to work closely with State and local law enforcement agencies in my home State of California to advance their efforts by strengthening partnerships with Federal support. Earlier today, we considered a slate of bills in the Senate Judiciary Committee that would do just that by improving law enforcement and supporting safer communities. I am proud to say a series of bills came out with overwhelming, mostly unanimous, bipartisan support. That is the Judiciary Committee. In the Senate Rules Committee, Chairman McConnell and I have the particular special responsibility of overseeing the U.S. Capitol Police and ensuring that they don't just have the right policies in place to do their jobs but advocating for the proper resources for Capitol Police to do their very important and unique job, in not just protecting the Capitol Complex and the campus and not just us as Members of Congress and not just our staff but visitors to the Capitol and the Capitol as an icon of our democracy for current and future generations. It is a big job, and the women and men of the Capitol Police department do their jobs well. After all, Congress is the first branch noted in the Constitution. I am grateful for what they have achieved over the course of years, certainly in recent years in the wake of January 6. But as big as their job is, they find themselves in need of reinforcement, and they are working hard to address some staffing shortages. It is not just by the numbers. Let me quote Chief Sullivan, Chief of Police for the Capitol Police, who has shared in testimony recently:

Text printed in the Record (53 characters)

[W]e simply must continue increasing staffing levels.

And he made the reasons for this quote very clear:

Text printed in the Record (223 characters)

[T]he implementation of additional security measures on the Capitol Complex combined with the need to surge resources to address the recent rise in [the] threats has overextended the Department's traditional staffing model.

So the bigger picture, in the longer term, we need to do more to improve recruitment and retention of Capitol Police officers. But today, colleagues, I offer a modest step that we can take. Currently, the Federal law enforcement retirement age is 57, but the Capitol Police Board can increase that up to 60 for officers who may wish to continue their service, to extend their service. We are talking about officers who have served for a long, long time and have a tremendous amount of institutional memory, experience, and expertise. They offer immense value to the department. Senator McConnell and I have a bill to increase that retirement age of the Capitol Police Board to be able to extend the retirement age to 62 instead of the current 60. It allows us to all benefit for a few more years for those veteran officers, with their experience and expertise, who desire to continue to serve. This is voluntary but an important element to what the Capitol Police does and needs. The House unanimously passed a bill just recently--a very similar bill--and after some bicameral and bipartisan discussion, I hope to see this measure signed into law. The Capitol Police union, as well as the department, support these steps, and I believe it deserves unanimous support from the Senate. Mr. President, that being said, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 4530, which is at the desk.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

The clerk will report the bill by title.

The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (158 characters)

A bill (S. 4530) to amend chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States Code, to authorize an increase of the retirement age for members of the Capitol Police.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore

Without objection, it is so ordered. The bill (S. 4530) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows:

Text printed in the Record (748 characters)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION TO INCREASE RETIREMENT AGE FOR MEMBER OF THE CAPITOL POLICE. (a) Civil Service Retirement System.--Section 8335(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking "becomes 60 years of age" and inserting "attains an age determined by the Board, which shall be not less than 57 years of age and not more than 62 years of age". (b) Federal Employees' Retirement System.--Section 8425(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking "becomes 60 years of age" and inserting "attains an age determined by the Board, which shall be not less than 57 years of age and not more than 62 years of age".

I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Armstrong)

The majority leader.

Legislative Session

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 296, S. Res. 526.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The bill clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (91 characters)

A resolution (S. Res. 526) withholding the pay of Senators if a Government shutdown occurs.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the resolution.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Is there further debate? If there is no further debate, the question is on adoption of the resolution. The resolution (S. Res. 526) was agreed to.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

(The resolution is printed in the Record of December 3, 2025, under "Submitted Resolutions.")

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 735.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The question is on agreeing to the motion.

The motion was agreed to.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the nomination.

The bill clerk read the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke, of South Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina.

Cloture Motion (Executive Session)

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.

The bill clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (568 characters)

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of Executive Calendar No. 735, Sheria Akins Clarke, of South Carolina, to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina. John Thune, Ted Budd, Thom Tillis, John Barrasso, Tim Sheehy, Joni Ernst, Jon A. Husted, Katie Boyd Britt, David McCormick, Mike Rounds, John Boozman, Bill Cassidy, Rick Scott of Florida, Josh Hawley, Cynthia M. Lummis, Kevin Cramer, Steve Daines.

Legislative Session

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The question is on agreeing to the motion.

The motion was agreed to.

EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 737.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The question is on agreeing to the motion.

The motion was agreed to.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the nomination.

The bill clerk read the nomination of Evan Rikhye, of the Virgin Islands, to be Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a term of ten years.

Cloture Motion (Executive Session)

Page S2295 · Official text

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.

The bill clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (575 characters)

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of Executive Calendar No. 737, Evan Rikhye, of the Virgin Islands, to be Judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a term of ten years. John Thune, Ted Budd, Thom Tillis, John Barrasso, Tim Sheehy, Joni Ernst, Jon A. Husted, Katie Boyd Britt, David McCormick, Mike Rounds, John Boozman, Bill Cassidy, Rick Scott of Florida, Josh Hawley, Cynthia M. Lummis, Kevin Cramer, Steve Daines.

Waiving Quorum Call (Executive Session)

Pages S2295–S2296 · Official text

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the cloture motion on the nominations en bloc pursuant to S. Res. 690.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will call the roll.

The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Eric Schmitt (R-MO)

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Recognizing and Honoring Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery, for Their Expedition to Explore the Louisiana Purchase

Pages S2296–S2297 · Official text

RECOGNIZING AND HONORING MERIWETHER LEWIS AND WILLIAM CLARK, AND THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY, FOR THEIR EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

Eric Schmitt (R-MO)

Mr. President, I rise today because America needs to remember that our Nation was not built by men who asked permission from history. It was built by men who looked into the unknown and saw more than danger. They saw destiny. Mr. President, 222 years ago today, on May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery departed from the St. Louis area and began one of the most consequential journeys in the history of our Republic. But before they ever set foot in that wilderness, our Nation made its boldest wager yet. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. He bought a continent on paper, sight unseen, believing that the future belonged to a people willing to bet on themselves, endure hardship, and build something greater than themselves. America 250 cannot become a yearlong exercise in nostalgia. It must be a national summons to remember what we inherited, to recover the courage that built it, and to rededicate ourselves to it. Jefferson understood something too many in this city have forgotten. Nations are not forged by committees of caution. They are forged by men with enough faith to act before every risk has been removed. Jefferson gave that honor to a small band of men who turned their restless, adventurous, and fearless American spirit into something that could be passed down for centuries. These were not soft men. They were not managed men. They were men born close enough to the Revolution to understand that freedom is not a theory. It is something fought for, defended, and carried forward across generations. But on the banks of the Missouri that day, there was no great spectacle, no crowds, no fanfare, and no guarantees. From the first settlements in Jamestown to the edge of the frontier in Missouri, every generation of Americans has carried a simple promise forward: that this Nation, this Republic, would belong to her people. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark came from those first families of Virginia in Jamestown. They were raised in the shadow of the American Revolutionary War. They were descended from those who bled for this budding Nation. Their kith and their kin had already fought to carve a nation out of the wilderness--an empire. They inherited not just land but virtue, discipline, leadership, and a willingness to stake everything on uncertain ground. Every mile they gained was earned--through hunger, through bitter cold. Lewis and Clark faced rivers that threatened to sweep them away. They encountered Tribes whose intentions they could not know. They came face to face with grizzly bears, unlike anything Americans had seen before, and still they pressed forward--not because the path was easy but because their mission demanded it. That is what courage looks like--not one dramatic act but a habit formed mile by mile, hardship by hardship, by a people proving themselves worthy of the inheritance that they have received. That first summer, as they passed what would one day become Jefferson City and, later, near present-day Kansas City, they passed on the Fourth of July and paused. Hundreds of miles from civilization, surrounded by uncertainty, they celebrated the birth of this great Republic. They fired their rifles into the sky. They shared an extra ration of whiskey. And they toasted a nation that existed in that moment more in their hearts than in the world around them. Think about that. In the middle of an unknown wilderness, they celebrated freedom. That is America--not comfort first, not fear first. America is men in the wilderness raising a toast to liberty because they knew the Republic was real even when civilization was far away. And the expedition continued. The challenges only grew. Winter came hard and unforgiving. The mountains rose before them. The land itself seemed to push back against every step westward. Avalanches, freezing winds, starvation, exhaustion--staring fate directly in the eye in the high passes of the Rocky Mountains, the Corps of Discovery learned something that has defined the American story ever since: that progress is not given; it is earned--that destiny is not inherited whole; it must be claimed through sacrifice, endurance, and through faith. And so they climbed, they crossed, they endured until, in November of 1805, after more than a year of hardship, on the other side of the Continental Divide, William Clark wrote three simple words: "Ocean in view." In those three words was the answer to every frozen mile, every doubt, every hardship endured along the way. The unknown had given way to proof. The continent was not a barrier. It was, in fact, a bridge. What had been uncertain before became the foundation of a nation stretching sea to shining sea. And from that journey flowed the America that we know today: the river cities of the Midwest and, of course, my hometown of St. Louis, that later was christened the "Gateway to the West," and the beautiful and majestic Gateway Arch that now commemorates that heritage; the industries, the railroads, the settlements, and the towns that would rise across the continent. And the mighty Mississippi became the first economic superhighway. Lewis and Clark did not build all of that with their own hands, but they made it possible. And that path began in my State of Missouri. We often speak in this Chamber about budgets and programs and legislation, but beneath all of that lies a much deeper question: Who are we? Are we still the kind of people who build, who explore, who dare, who believe enough in ourselves to shape the future? Or have we become a nation content to manage decline, a people more comfortable explaining why greatness isn't possible rather than summoning the courage to pursue it? Lewis and Clark did not cross a continent so that their descendants would learn to live small. America was founded on a bold declaration and revolutionary ideas, but not just ideas; it is a nation; it is a people; it is an inheritance purchased by the sacrifice of generations who refused to accept the limits placed before them and entrusted to them to carry forward. From the pioneers who crossed the frontier to the workers who built our industries to the innovators who reshaped the modern world, this country has always been defined by people who honor the past by building something worthy of it. They did not worship ashes, but instead, preserved fire. That is the legacy of Lewis and Clark; not merely that they explored a continent, but that they revealed the character of the people capable of building a civilization upon it, a people who moved forward, a people who endure, a people who built. As America approaches 250 years of independence, that spirit is being called upon once again, the spirit of `76, the spirit of discovery, obtaining a continent, the spirit of St. Louis, the American spirit. Take the inheritance, carry the flag, and build the future. We face different challenges today, sure, but the test is the same. Do we have the courage to still act, the discipline to endure, the confidence to shape our own destiny, or will we allow the flame carried across this continent through hardship and danger to flicker and to fade? I do not believe the American people have forgotten who they are. I believe that spirit still burns. And like Lewis and Clark before us, it is now our responsibility to carry it forward faithfully, courageously, and without apology, not for ourselves alone but for the generations yet to come so that when they look back on us, they will see a generation that merely didn't just curate the future ruins of a great nation; they will see a generation that remembered who we were, a generation that took up the trail, a generation that carried the flag, a generation that kept the flame alive, and a generation who handed this Republic on stronger, freer, and more faithful to its inheritance than we received. Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 729, which was submitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hagerty)

The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (171 characters)

A resolution (S. Res. 729) recognizing and honoring Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery, for their expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Eric Schmitt (R-MO)

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 729) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to. (The resolutions, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record under "Submitted Resolutions.")

Executive Calendar

Page S2297 · Official text

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Iowa.

E15 (Executive Calendar)

Page S2297 · Official text

Joni Ernst (R-IA)

Mr. President, folks, we all know energy security is national security. Right now, what is left of the brutal Iranian regime is holding the world hostage and targeting the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. That is unacceptable. Instead of Americans paying more at the expense of Iranian terrorists, we should be using every tool at our disposal to ensure price stability--especially at the gas pump. That is why I have been a longtime champion of unleashing domestic energy, including higher blends of homegrown ethanol, and giving retailers the choice of offering a lower cost, American-made fuel solution. Last night, the House, through the leadership of the entire Iowa delegation, passed commonsense legislation to unleash year-round E15, which will lower prices at the gas station and at the same time provide new markets for Iowa farmers. Folks, I have heard it over and over again: This is a mandate. This is not a mandate. E15 simply gives consumers yet another, more affordable choice at the pump. It is about choice. Again, it is not a mandate; it is just another choice at the pump. We have seen it work. Thanks to President Trump's approval of summertime sales of E15, this Memorial Day weekend, Americans are estimated to save $110 million just by using E15. That is real savings. And with the House's inclusion of my provision to cut redtape, we can completely avoid costly fuel infrastructure upgrades and unlock E15 at every gas station or truckstop across the country. Congress should be using all the tools at our disposal to give every family the chance to take part in those savings, deliver certainty and stability for consumers, and drive down prices for Americans from coast to coast. It is no surprise President Trump has long supported this "America First" policy that improves affordability and keeps our energy supply secure. Even dating back to 2016, President Trump championed the option for consumers to have access to E15, and earlier this year, in Iowa, he called for Congress to pass E15 legislation and deliver it to his desk so he could sign it without delay. Mr. President, we are on it. The House got it done last night, and now it is the Senate's turn. Let me emphasize for all who are listening that our large oil companies, those truly small oil refineries, our fuel retailers, our ag associations, and the biofuel groups have all created and support this E15 agreement. That is from large oil companies all the way to the farmers--they support the deal that was passed in the House. And I want to thank everyone that has come forward to support the House legislation. There are a few folks out there that don't agree with this deal. These are the so-called midsize refineries. Those midsize refiners are the ones that are gaming the system and are falsely describing what the E15 deal will do. Again, large oil companies and those small oil companies--they agree with our biofuel producers and support the E15 legislation. The midsize refiners that are trying to kill this year-round E15--and I will tell you, there are only six midsize refiners. Six. Those six midsize fuel refiners that are trying to kill this bill made more--just six of these refiners made more in 2026 so far, and will continue this trend, than the 3.32 million family farms have made in 2026. Six. Six refiners are making more than the 3.32 million American family farms. Those are the six refiners--just six--that are trying to kill this bill in the U.S. Senate. So, again, I want to say thank you so much to those large oil companies, the truly small oil refiners, our fuel retailers, our ag associations, and our biofuel groups, and mostly to our American farmers. I want to say thank you so much for coming together to create sensible legislation on E15 year-round that will help every American consumer that is fueling at the pump have another choice--not a mandate but a choice. And I will tell you what--because I use ethanol back home in Iowa, when I am fueling my vehicle--that when I pull up to the pump, the choice I make is the cheaper alternative that supports our American farmers, and that is E15. And I am proud to support it. I am encouraging all of our Members here in the U.S. Senate to support this really commonsense legislation that has come forward from the House. Support our hard-working Americans. There should be absolutely no more delay. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Iowa.

Joni Ernst (R-IA)

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote begin immediately.

Cloture Motion (Executive Calendar)

Pages S2297–S2298 · Official text

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.

The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows:

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We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate and the provisions of S. Res. 690 (119th Congress), do hereby move to bring to a close debate on Executive Calendar Nos.: 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 648, 649, 650, 652, 653, 654, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 694, 695, 698, 699, 700, 701, 711, 712, 714, 715, 716 en bloc. John Thune, Tim Sheehy, John Barrasso, Mike Crapo, Ted Budd, James Lankford, Joni Ernst, David McCormick, Steve Daines, John Kennedy, Pete Ricketts, John Cornyn, Ashley Moody, Jon Husted, Roger Marshall, John Hoeven, Bill Hagerty.

Joni Ernst (R-IA)

Mr. President, I ask consent that the reading of the numbers be waived.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call under rule XXII has been waived. The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on the en bloc nominations, provided for under the provisions of S. Res. 690, shall be brought to a close? The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.

The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll.

John Barrasso (R-WY)

The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Cassidy) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran).

I announce that the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) is necessarily absent. The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 51, nays 46, as follows:

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Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Graham Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Fetterman Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden Cassidy Moran Slotkin The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moreno). On this vote, the yeas are 51, the nays are 46. The motion is agreed to. The motion was agreed to. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Cloture having been invoked pursuant to the provisions of S. Res. 690, the nominations listed therein are pending en bloc. The Senator from North Dakota.

Legislative Session

Page S2298 · Official text

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Fiscal Year 2026 Enforcement Filing

Pages S2298–S2299 · Official text

Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Mr. President, S. Con. Res. 33, the fiscal year 2026 congressional budget resolution, included a provision authorizing the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget to file enforceable levels in the Senate in the event the budget was agreed to without the need to appoint a committee of conference on the measure. The Senate adopted S. Con. Res. 33 on April 23, 2026, and the House agreed to the resolution without changes on April 29. As such, I am submitting the required filing. Specifically, section 4101(b) of the fiscal year 2026 congressional budget resolution requires the chairman to file an allocation for fiscal year 2026 for the Committee on Appropriations and an allocation for fiscal years 2026, 2026-2030, and 2026-2035 for committees other than the Committee on Appropriations. Section 2002 of the fiscal year 2026 budget resolution included reconciliation instructions to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary. Each committee was instructed to increase deficits over the 2026 to 2035 period by not more than $70 billion. Pursuant to section 3001(b) of the resolution, I am holding the corresponding amounts in reserve until the consideration of reconciliation legislation. For purposes of enforcing the Senate's pay-as-you-go rule found in section 4106 of the fiscal year 2018 congressional budget resolution, H. Con. Res. 71, I am resetting the Senate's scorecard to zero for all fiscal years. I ask unanimous consent that the accompanying tables be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

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ALLOCATION OF SPENDING AUTHORITY TO SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 [$ in billions] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Budget Authority Outlays ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Appropriations: General Purpose Discretionary......................................... 1,671.860 1,893.636 Memo: on-budget............................................................. 1,665.209 1,887.059 off=budget............................................................ 6.651 6.577 Mandatory............................................................. 1,803.869 1,780.213 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: The allocation includes adjustments for certain program integrity and wildfire suppression funding pursuant to section 314(g) of the Congressional Budget Act and section 4004 of S. Con. Res. 14, the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2022. It does not include amounts that have been designated as being for an emergency requirement or that have been exempted from budget enforcement by statute. ALLOCATION OF SPENDING AUTHORITY TO SENATE COMMITTEES OTHER THAN APPROPRIATIONS [$ in billions] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2026 2026-2030 2026-2035 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Budget Authority................................... 197.531 1,015.091 2,086.259 Outlays............................................ 178.379 918.246 1,861.845 Armed Services Budget Authority................................... 309.167 1,061.345 2,152.495 Outlays............................................ 339.097 1,185.515 2,280.031 Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Budget Authority................................... 26.176 82.079 274.869 Outlays............................................ -19.359 -147.322 -194.126 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Budget Authority................................... 28.301 110.564 204.019 Outlays............................................ 27.073 134.043 220.987 Energy and Natural Resources Budget Authority................................... 9.300 47.528 102.757 Outlays............................................ 13.832 73.107 133.282 Environment and Public Works Budget Authority................................... 68.466 336.280 663.378 Outlays............................................ 9.776 39.921 62.162 Finance Budget Authority................................... 4,484.121 24,837.788 57,544.012 Outlays............................................ 4,470.945 24,775.446 57,414.014 Foreign Relations Budget Authority................................... 59.209 297.397 593.120 Outlays............................................ 53.850 282.656 578.328 Homeland Security and Government Affairs Budget Authority................................... 192.793 1,008.416 2,126.793 Outlays............................................ 194.041 1,013.008 2,108.178 Judiciary Budget Authority................................... 24.267 143.758 278.128 Outlays............................................ 35.702 249.858 416.919 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Budget Authority................................... 53.768 220.879 389.482 Outlays............................................ 48.271 196.496 363.671 Rules and Administration Budget Authority................................... 0.055 0.287 0.606 Outlays............................................ 0.121 0.479 0.806 Intelligence Budget Authority................................... 0.514 2.570 3.084 Outlays............................................ 0.514 2.570 3.084 Veterans' Affairs Budget Authority................................... 303.305 1,719.352 3,880.041 Outlays............................................ 300.593 1,709.999 3,863.615 Indian Affairs Budget Authority................................... 2.418 11.577 23.451 Outlays............................................ 2.610 12.559 24.194 Small Business Budget Authority................................... 0.000 0.000 0.000 Outlays............................................ 0.001 0.005 0.005 Unassigned to Committee Budget Authority................................... -2,232.970 -12,417.589 -28,448.062 Outlays............................................ -2,077.280 -12,266.015 -28,181.005 TOTAL Budget Authority................................... 3,526.421 18,477.322 41,874.432 Outlays............................................ 3,578.166 18,180.571 40,955.990 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: Includes entitlements funded in annual appropriations acts. Certain budgetary changes related to reconciliation legislation will be held in reserve pursuant to section 3001 of S. Con. Res. 33 until the consideration of such legislation. BUDGET AGGREGATES [$ in billions] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2026 2026-2030 2026-2035 ------------------------------------------------------------------------Spending: Budget Authority............. 5,191.630 N.A. N.A. Outlays...................... 5,465.225 N.A. N.A. Revenue: 4,242.825 23,139.567 51,341.472 Social Security Levels: Outlays...................... 1,509.338 8,584.084 19,834.933 Revenue...................... 1,350.445 7,303.693 16,121.509 ------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: Aggregate figures here exclude spending designated as being for an emergency requirement or exempt from budget enforcement by statute. Budgetary changes related to reconciliation legislation will be held in reserve pursuant to section 3001 of S. Con. Res. 33 until the consideration of such legislation. PAY-AS-YOU-GO SCORECARD FOR THE SENATE [$ in billions] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Balances ------------------------------------------------------------------------Fiscal Year 2026........................................... 0 Fiscal Years 2026-2030..................................... 0 Fiscal Years 2026-2035..................................... 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.s. Government Accountability Office Opinion Letter

Pages S2299–S2302 · Official text

Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following GAO opinion letter dated May 12, 2026, be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Text printed in the Record (11,959 characters)

Matter of: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services--Applicability of the Congressional Review Act to Notice Implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model. File: B-337994. Date: May 12, 2026. On July 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice announcing the implementation of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model, a new process to be used in six states to evaluate whether claims for certain medical items and services comply with Medicare requirements (WISeR Model Notice or Notice). The Congressional Review Act (CRA) requires that before a rule can take effect, an agency must submit the rule to both the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as the Comptroller General. CRA adopts the definition of a rule under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) but excludes certain categories of rules from coverage. We conclude that the WISeR Model Notice is a rule for purposes of CRA because it meets the APA definition of a rule, and no CRA exception applies. Among other things, the WISeR Model Notice prescribes new requirements for Original Medicare providers in selected states by mandating prior authorization or pre-payment medical review of claims for certain services. Given the nature of the changes and because they could potentially affect the determinations made on claims for the selected services, we conclude that the Notice substantially affects the rights and obligations of non-agency parties, specifically providers and beneficiaries of those services. Therefore, the Notice is a rule subject to CRA's submission requirements. On July 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice announcing the implementation of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model, a new process to be used in six states to evaluate whether claims for certain medical items and services comply with Medicare requirements. We received a request for a decision as to whether the implementation of the WISeR Model is a rule for purposes of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). As discussed below, we conclude that the WISeR Model Notice is a rule subject to CRA's submission requirements. Our practice when rendering decisions is to contact the relevant agencies to obtain factual information and their legal views on the subject of the request. Accordingly, we reached out to HHS on January 13, 2026. We received HHS's response on February 20, 2026. Original Medicare Medicare consists of four distinct parts: Parts A, B, C, and D. Original Medicare--sometimes called Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS)--includes Part A and Part B. Part A (Hospital Insurance) "helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care." Part B (Medical Insurance) helps cover a range of medical services and supplies, including physician, outpatient, and some home health care, durable medical equipment, and many preventive services. Medical providers and suppliers submit Part A and Part B claims for services and items to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)--private health insurers that have specific geographic jurisdictions--which process and pay the claims. CMS and MACs employ a variety of techniques to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in Original Medicare. These include publishing "National and Local Coverage Determinations (NCDs and LCDs, respectively) describing the evidence-based requirements and limitations for Medicare coverage for specific medical services, procedures, or devices." MACs also operate a medical review program that includes pre-payment clinical review of medical records and related information to ensure that payment is made only for services that meet all Medicare coverage, coding, billing, and medical necessity requirements. The MAC may use any relevant information they deem necessary to conduct the review, including documentation submitted with the claim and additional information they request from the provider. However, only a small percentage of claims are subject to such pre-payment review. CMS pays MACs for pre-payment reviews based on the MACs' costs to review the claims. Claims are generally submitted to the MACs after the services are rendered, though certain services require prior authorization before the service is provided to the beneficiary. For those services, providers submit a request for prior authorization to the MAC, and the MAC reviews the request based on the associated Medicare requirements, such as those found in NCDs and LCDs, and provides a decision, which can be either provisional affirmation or non-affirmation. WISeR Model Notice On July 1, 2025, CMS issued the Notice announcing the implementation of the WISeR Model, a new process to evaluate claims for certain medical services under Original Medicare. The Notice explains that the WISeR Model will be tested for a six-year period beginning on January 1, 2026, in six states. According to CMS, the model "will focus on testing the implementation of prior authorization and pre-payment review for specific selected services that will be performed by third party entities leveraging enhanced technologies"--referred to as "model participants." The model participants will implement an optional prior authorization process for the selected services to ensure they "are clinically appropriate, evidence-based, and consistent with Medicare . . . requirements." CMS stated that it envisions that the model's use of enhanced technology will streamline the process and identify when services are medically unnecessary, thereby supporting providers in navigating beneficiaries towards more clinically appropriate or higher value care. The Notice states that for the selected services, providers will have the option to: (1) submit a request for prior authorization with supporting documentation to the relevant model participant; (2) submit a request for prior authorization with supporting documentation to the MAC (which will send the request to the model participant); or (3) perform the service without requesting prior authorization and then submit a claim, which will be subject to pre-payment medical review by the model participant and may involve requests for supporting documentation. Under options 1 or 2 described above, if the provider opts to seek prior authorization from either the model participant directly or via the MAC, the model participant will review the request and issue a provisional affirmation or non-affirmation. If the model participant provisionally affirms the request, the associated claim will generally be paid by the MAC. On the other hand, claims associated with a non-affirmed request will be denied by the MAC, and the denial would be subject to the existing administrative appeals process. Under option 3, if the provider opts to furnish the service without requesting prior authorization and then submits a claim to the MAC, the MAC will flag the claim for pre-payment medical review, to be performed by the model participant. The model participant will request documentation from the provider to support the medical necessity of the claim, conduct a medical review, and then communicate its decision to the MAC, which will approve or deny the claim based on the model participant's decision. If the MAC denies the claim, the denial would be subject to the existing appeals process. The Notice states that the WISeR Model does "not change any medical necessity or documentation requirements" and "will require the same information and clinical documentation that is already required to support Medicare . . . payment but earlier in the process, namely, prior to the service being furnished." The Notice further states that the WISeR Model "will not change payment or coverage for the selected services." Regarding the model participants themselves, the Notice states that CMS will implement two three-year agreement periods with participants, which will be companies that have experience using technology-enhanced prior authorization with other payers, including Part C Medicare Advantage plans. The participants will be paid under a "novel payment approach," where they will be compensated based on a share of averted expenses from reducing unnecessary or non-covered services in lieu of the traditional acquisition-based approach. The Notice states that the WISeR Model is being implemented under section 1115A of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1315a, which, according to the Notice, "authorizes the [HHS] Secretary to test innovative payment and service delivery models to reduce program expenditures, while preserving or enhancing the quality of care furnished to Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Program beneficiaries" and allows the Secretary to waive certain statutory requirements as may be necessary to test the models. The Notice states that pursuant to this authority, the agency is waiving specific statutory and regulatory provisions that could be construed as limiting its ability to conduct prior authorization or that could be construed to restrict what entity performs such prior authorization. Congressional Review Act (CRA) CRA, enacted in 1996 to strengthen congressional oversight of agency rulemaking, requires federal agencies to submit a report on each new rule to both houses of Congress and the Comptroller General for review before the rule can take effect. The report must contain a copy of the rule, "a concise general statement relating to the rule," and the rule's proposed effective date. CRA allows Congress to review and disapprove rules issued by federal agencies for a period of 60 days using special procedures. If a resolution of disapproval is enacted, then the new rule has no force or effect. CRA adopts the definition of a rule under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which states that a rule is "the whole or a part of an agency statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or describing the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of an agency." However, CRA excludes three categories of APA rules from coverage: (1) rules of particular applicability; (2) rules relating to agency management or personnel; and (3) rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice that do not substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-agency parties. HHS did not submit a CRA report to Congress or the Comptroller General on the WISeR Model Notice. In its response to us, HHS stated that, in its view, the WISeR Model Notice is a guidance document and the CRA does not apply to guidance documents. At issue here is whether the WISeR Model Notice meets CRA's definition of a rule, which adopts APA's definition of a rule with three exceptions. As explained below, we conclude that the Notice meets the APA definition, and no exceptions apply. Therefore, the Notice is a rule subject to CRA's submission requirements. The WISeR Model Notice is a Rule under APA Applying APA's definition of a rule, the WISeR Model Notice meets all of the required elements. First, the Notice is an agency statement as it is an official document approved by the CMS Administrator and published by CMS in the Federal Register. Second, the WISeR Model Notice is of future effect. An agency action of future effect is one "concerned with policy considerations for the future rather than the evaluation of past or present conduct." The Notice was published on July 1, 2025, and announced the future implementation of the WISeR Model beginning on January 1, 2026. Finally, the WISeR Model Notice implements and prescribes law or policy and describes agency procedure and practice requirements.

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An agency statement implements, interprets, or prescribes law or policy when the action creates new regulations, changes regulatory requirements or official policy, or alters how the agency will exercise its discretion, among other things. The WISeR Model Notice prescribes and implements new requirements for Original Medicare providers in selected states by mandating prior authorization or pre-payment medical review of claims for certain services. The Notice also prescribes and implements a new policy of having such claims reviewed by model participants--companies using enhanced technology, like AI or machine learning--and prescribes a new payment approach for those participants based on averted Medicare expenditures. In addition, the Notice implements section 1115A of the Social Security Act by establishing the WISeR Model pursuant to that section and using its authority to waive certain statutory and regulatory provisions. An agency statement describes agency organization, procedure, or practice requirements when the statement discusses the internal operations of an agency, including statements that govern the conduct of agency proceedings. The WISeR Model Notice describes new procedures for the submission and processing of Original Medicare claims for certain services in selected states. In addition, the Notice outlines the method by which companies participating in the model will be compensated by CMS. Therefore, the Notice also describes agency organization, procedure, or practice requirements. Having satisfied all the required elements, the WISeR Model Notice meets the APA definition of a rule. HHS stated in its response that it did not submit the WISeR Model Notice because it is a guidance document and CRA does not apply to guidance documents. We have addressed in previous decisions HHS's position that guidance documents are not rules under CRA and rejected that interpretation. For example, we previously examined an HHS Information Memorandum informing states that HHS would use its statutory authority to waive certain requirements of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to allow states to test various strategies, policies, and procedures designed to improve employment outcomes for needy families. The Information Memorandum also set forth requirements that had to be met for a waiver request to be considered by HHS. HHS stated that the Information Memorandum was a non-binding guidance document and that guidance documents do not need to be submitted as rules under CRA. We rejected this position, noting that the APA definition of a rule "is expansive and specifically includes documents that implement or interpret law or policy." We also cited previous GAO decisions in which we concluded that "agency guidance, including guidance characterized as non-binding, constitutes a rule under the CRA." Finally, we pointed to relevant CRA legislative history listing guidance documents as an example of APA rules. Like the Information Memorandum at issue in B-323772, Sept. 4, 2012, the WISeR Model Notice implements a new policy and prescribes new procedures for non-agency parties. As discussed above, the Notice satisfies all the elements of the APA rule definition and is a rule under APA, regardless of whether it is a guidance document. CRA Exceptions We must next determine whether any of CRA's three exceptions apply. CRA provides for three types of rules that are not subject to its requirements: (1) rules of particular applicability; (2) rules relating to agency management or personnel; and (3) rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice that do not substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-agency parties. (1) Rule of Particular Applicability The WISeR Model Notice is not a rule of particular applicability. Such rules are addressed to specific, identified persons or entities and determine actions those persons or entities may or may not take, considering the facts and circumstances specific to those persons or entities. In determining whether a rule is one of general or particular applicability, we have noted that a rule need not apply to the population as a whole to be considered a rule of general applicability; rather, all that is required is that the rule has general applicability within its intended range, regardless of the magnitude of the range. In particular, we have determined that a rule is one of general applicability even if the rule is limited to a specific geographic area, so long as the rule does not apply to specific, identified persons or entities. Although the WISeR Model Notice announces the implementation of the model in six states, the Notice is not addressed to specific, identified persons or entities. Instead, the Notice applies to all providers of the specified services in those states, as well as the model participants. Therefore, the Notice is a rule of general applicability. (2) Rule of Agency Management or Personnel The WISeR Model Notice is not a rule of agency management or personnel. This exception applies to rules relating to "purely internal agency matters." These include rules related to controlling, directing, or supervising internal management issues, as well as rules related to personnel issues like pay, leave, or benefits. In contrast, we have determined that rules affecting agency proceedings with non-agency parties do not fall within this exception. For example, in B-337397, Aug. 27, 2025, we concluded that an HHS policy statement rescinding a prior policy generally requiring APA notice-and-comment procedures for certain rules did not fall within the exception because the policy statement changed public participation in certain HHS rulemakings and therefore did not relate primarily to agency management or personnel. The WISeR Model Notice involves neither internal management nor personnel issues. Instead, the Notice establishes new claims procedures for providers of the specified services in specific states. The Notice also establishes a new process by which such claims will be reviewed by model participants and prescribes a new payment approach for those participants. Therefore, the Notice does not meet this exception. (3) Rule of Agency Organization, Procedure, or Practice That Does Not Substantially Affect Non-Agency Parties The WISeR Model Notice is not a rule of agency organization, procedure, or practice that does not substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-agency parties. We have previously explained that this exception was modeled on the APA exception to notice-and-comment rulemaking requirements for "rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice," which some courts have limited to rules that do not have a substantial impact on non-agency parties. The purpose of the APA exception is "to ensure that agencies retain latitude in organizing their internal operations." Following this interpretation in the CRA context, we have only applied CRA's third exception to rules that primarily focus on an agency's internal operations. Rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice include rules addressing the submission of information to an agency by non-agency parties, rules that affect how the agency reviews that information, and rules that affect the type or timing of actions the agency will take based on that submission. The WISeR Model Notice qualifies as a rule of agency organization, procedure, or practice because it establishes new procedures for submitting and processing Medicare claims for certain services in specific states. However, the Notice substantially affects the rights or obligations of non-agency parties. Rules that satisfy this exception do not alter the rights or interests of non-agency parties, though they may alter the manner in which parties present themselves or their viewpoints to the agency. In particular, we have determined that rules that could affect the outcome of an agency proceeding substantially affect non-agency parties and do not fall within the exception. This includes changes to important procedural rights that could affect the outcome, even if they do not alter the substantive criteria used by the agency to make a decision. For example, we reviewed an HHS Policy Statement that rescinded a previous policy of generally requiring the use of APA notice-and-comment procedures for otherwise exempt rules relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. We noted that the Policy Statement eliminated the public's right to notice and an opportunity to submit information that could affect HHS's rulemaking decisions. Accordingly, we concluded that the Policy Statement substantially affected the rights of non-agency parties. Further, in B-281575, Jan. 20, 1999, we reviewed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) interim guidance for investigating discrimination complaints related to EPA permits. The guidance, in part, significantly departed from existing EPA procedures by requiring EPA to make an initial finding as to whether there were discriminatory effects associated with the relevant permit, and, if so, to notify the permit recipient and complainant and afford the recipient an opportunity to rebut EPA's finding, propose a plan to mitigate the disparate impact, or seek to demonstrate that there was a legitimate interest that justified the decision to proceed notwithstanding the discriminatory effect. We concluded that by providing for an initial finding of discriminatory effects and allowing permit recipients to provide input at that stage--including justifications for the discriminatory effects--the guidance gave permit "recipients significant rights that they did not previously possess for obtaining dismissal of [a] complaint," and thereby affected the rights and duties of recipients, complainants, and the affected population. Similarly, courts have determined that a change in decision maker substantially affects the rights and interests of non-agency parties. For example, in National Association of Home Health Agencies v. Schweiker, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit examined the HHS Secretary's administrative instruction regarding Medicare reimbursement for certain home health agencies. Prior to the instruction, those home health agencies had the option of submitting claims for Medicare reimbursement directly to the Secretary or to an intermediary contracted by HHS. The administrative instruction directed the relevant home health agencies to begin using intermediaries for all Medicare reimbursement determinations and payments, eliminating the option of seeking reimbursement from the Secretary. The court determined that the instruction substantially affected the rights and interests of the affected home health agencies because it eliminated their right to deal directly with the Secretary. In a more recent opinion, the D.C. Circuit emphasized that "[t]he crucial element of Home Health Agencies is . . . which staffers have decision[-]making authority." Similar to the administrative instruction at issue in Home Health Agencies, the WISeR Model Notice effectively transfers decision-making authority for certain Medicare reimbursement claims, in this case from the MACs to the model participants. Although the MACs will continue to approve or deny claims, they are bound by the determinations of the model participants for claims related to the specified services.

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With respect to claims that are submitted for prior authorization, those that are provisionally affirmed by the model participant "will be paid in full, so long as all of the applicable Medicare coverage and clinical documentation are met, and the claim was billed and submitted correctly." In contrast, if the model participant does not affirm the prior authorization request, "the MAC will deny the [subsequent] claim." For claims not submitted for prior authorization, the model participant will perform a pre-payment medical review and communicate its decision to the MAC, and "[t]he MAC will then process the claim in accordance with the model participant's decision." Not only does the WISeR Model Notice effectively transfer decision-making authority over certain claims from the MACs to the model participants, that change could potentially affect whether claims are approved or denied given the participants' novel approach to reviewing claims and their compensation structure. Specifically, the model participants will use advanced technologies, like AI and machine learning, to determine whether the relevant services are medically necessary and providers should be reimbursed. In addition, the participants will be compensated based on their ability to reduce payments for unnecessary or non-covered services; in other words, model payments will be "calculated from requests that did not result in a paid claim." This differs from the payment structure for MACs, which are paid based on the costs of reviewing claims. Several medical organizations raised concerns to CMS that the WISeR Model's use of advanced technologies to review claims and the model participant compensation structure could result in inappropriate denials. For example, the American Medical Association (AMA) stated that "AI and other automated tools raise significant risks if not governed properly" and "[o]utdated, incomplete, or biased training data can lead to false positives, inappropriate denials, or unfair patterns of flagging services for certain patient populations." With respect to the compensation structure, AMA stated that "[w]hen third-party entities are paid based on the volume of denied services, there is a clear risk that care that is medically necessary for certain patients will be inappropriately denied in pursuit of savings." AMA therefore included a number of recommendations to mitigate these concerns. Part of the purpose of the WISeR Model is to test "the speed and accuracy of new technology-assisted decision-making," and it is unclear what the ultimate effects of the model will be on coverage determinations in practice. In addition, we note that CMS has included measures to reduce inaccuracy, such as requiring that final non-affirmation decisions be made by licensed clinicians. However, because the purpose of our CRA determinations is to identify whether an action is a rule and should have been submitted to Congress before it took effect, we must assess the potential effects of the rule before they occur, not at some later time when those effects become known. In this case, the WISeR Model Notice transfers decision-making authority over certain Medicare claims to different entities that will use new technology-assisted processes to evaluate claims and will be compensated based on reducing Medicare expenditures. Given the nature of these changes and because they could potentially affect the determinations made on claims for the selected services, we conclude that the Notice substantially affects the rights and obligations of non-agency parties, specifically providers and beneficiaries of the selected services in the six states covered by the model. HHS states in its response that its voluntary models do not alter or affect the rights of any party under any statute absent a voluntary decision to participate in the model and that the WISeR Model does not change substantive Medicare eligibility, coding, coverage, or payment requirements. However, despite HHS's characterization and the fact that a third-party's participation as a model participant may be voluntary, provider participation in the WISeR Model is largely involuntary. Providers in the six states must use the model procedures for claims related to the selected services, including having those claims adjudicated by a model participant. The only choice such providers appear to have is the option to submit a prior authorization request for the service--not required previously--or to have their claim subject to pre-payment medical review by a model participant--a process previously applied to only a small number of claims. And as discussed above, the changes to the claims procedures--including the transfer of decision-making authority to the model participants, the processes they will use to evaluate claims, and their compensation structure--could potentially affect the outcome of claims decisions, notwithstanding that the WISeR Model Notice does not purport to change substantive Medicare eligibility, coding, coverage, or payment requirements. Accordingly, we conclude that the Notice substantially affects the rights and obligations of non-agency parties and does not fall within the third CRA exception. The WISeR Model Notice is a rule for purposes of CRA because it meets the definition of a rule under APA and no CRA exception applies. Therefore, the Notice is subject to CRA's requirement that it be submitted to Congress and the Comptroller General before it can take effect. Edda Emmanuelli Perez, General Counsel.

100th Anniversary of Sargent Corporation

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Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Sargent Corporation on 100 years of exceptional business growth and development. From a humble beginning in Alton, ME, the general contracting company has grown significantly, continuing to work with and for Mainers to better our State, one project at a time. In 1926, Herbert E. Sargent set out to make a living, purchasing a used dumptruck for hauling in the summer and plowing in the winter. Through honest, hard work, Herb offered high-quality services for his community, and demand quickly grew. Just 4 years later, he ambitiously acquired a fleet of trucks and a bulldozer, taking on many more projects. Herb's son Jim took over the family's business in 1957, aiding his father and building on his reputation as an honest, reliable contractor. Two decades later, Jim became company president. In the 1990s, after some very successful projects near Baltimore, Sargent expanded beyond New England to the Mid-Atlantic region. In 2013, the company's employees acquired 100 percent of the stock from Herb R. Sargent, the founder's grandson. Since then, the company has been entirely employee-owned. Today, more than 500 employee-owners throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic remain invested in and supportive of the success of Sargent. Sargent Corporation has bettered communities across the State through various projects, such as recent work at Eastport Airport, the Downeast Wind Farm, the Maine Turnpike, and many more. Through these public and private projects, Sargent's work has improved environmental health, energy production, and transportation infrastructure across the State. Due to the high quality of performance and record of safety at Sargent, the company has won a plethora of awards in my home State, including the Build Maine Award 16 times since 2010. These rewards affirm what I know firsthand about Sargent: The company has maintained their priorities in performance and safety. Sargent Corporation was built on integrity, reliability, and hard work 100 years ago, and as they adapt with the times, these values hold true. Today, I thank Sargent for its tremendous impact on our communities and congratulate it on its milestone anniversary.

50th Anniversary of Sappi North America's Somerset Mill

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Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Sappi North America, Inc., on 50 years of operations at the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, ME. Since opening in 1976 on the banks of the Kennebec River, the Somerset Mill has grown into one of the most technologically advanced paper mills in North America. Today, the mill manufactures high-quality paper products from trees harvested in Maine and is known for its longstanding commitment to its employees and the surrounding community. The Somerset Mill employs approximately 780 skilled workers, making it one of the largest employers in Maine. The facility operates three state-of-the-art paper machines, with a total annual production capacity of 1.25 million tons. The mill produces coated freesheet paper commonly used for magazines, brochures, and direct mail advertising. It is also a leading producer of paper and paperboard used in packaging, labels, graphic papers, and grease-proof paper for food packaging. Project Elevate, a $500 million modernization investment completed last year, doubled the production capacity of Paper Machine No. 2. These recent investments in the Somerset Mill reflect the steadfast devotion Sappi holds to producing quality products and responding to market demands, further strengthening Sappi's position as a leader in sustainably manufactured paperboard. Sappi North America has undertaken significant efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Somerset Mill generates much of its energy on-site using biomass from papermaking byproducts, namely bark and wood chips. Sappi also has an approved Science Based Targets Initiative goal to reduce its carbon emissions by 41 percent by 2030. Additionally, the Somerset Mill holds triple certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. These accolades reflect Sappi's continued effort to maintain the long-term well-being of Maine's invaluable natural environment. Sappi's Somerset Mill has been recognized for its attention to the safety of its employees. In 2023, for the first time in its 50-year history, the pulp mill completed the fiscal year without a recordable injury. The mill also achieved 1 million hours without a Lost Time Injury and received a Gold Award through Sappi's global Safety Recognition Awards program. The mill's impact extends beyond its operations and into the surrounding community. In 2026, Sappi's Somerset Mill leadership was named Large Business of the Year by both the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, Sappi North America CEO Mike Haws was recognized as the MaineBiz Leader of the Year. In 2023, the Somerset Mill received the Somerset County Champions Award at the Heart of Maine United Way campaign kickoff event after raising 30 percent of the county's total United Way workplace campaign contributions. I congratulate Sappi North America and all the employees of the Somerset Mill on this milestone anniversary and thank them for their continued contributions to Maine's economy, paper industry, and communities.

Tribute to Dr. John Raymond

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Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. John Raymond, one of Wisconsin's most distinguished physicians, educators, researchers, and institutional leaders. Serving as president of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) since 2010, Dr. Raymond will be stepping down as President and transitioning to a faculty role in June of 2026. The career of Dr. Raymond is marked by his exceptional commitment to public service and the well-being of not only Milwaukee, but the entire State of Wisconsin. For 16 years he has worked extensively with my office to ensure we create the best possible health legislation for our constituents, while deftly navigating numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. A native of Akron, OH, Dr. Raymond graduated from Ohio State University in 1978 and earned his medical degree there in 1982. He began his career as a faculty member at the world-renowned Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Raymond later became the associate chief of staff of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC, before moving into academic administration as vice president for academic affairs and provost of the Medical University of South Carolina. Eventually, Dr. Raymond came to Wisconsin, assuming his tenure as president of MCW in 2010. Dr. Raymond arrived at MCW with a mandate and a vision he articulated clearly in his installation address: "Strength Through Collaboration." That phrase, far more than mere rhetoric, proved to be the guiding principle of 16 transformational years. Under his stewardship, MCW, Wisconsin's only private medical school, grew from a $798.4 million institution into a $1.61 billion enterprise, more than doubling its top-line revenue and reflecting the profound expansion of MCW's reach, capacity, and national stature. Today, in partnership with Froedtert Health, Children's Wisconsin, and the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, MCW contributes $5.82 billion annually in direct operational impact to our Nation's economy. During his tenure, philanthropic support to MCW increased by 400 percent, research expenditures doubled, and patient visits tripled. These are metrics that speak not merely to institutional scale, but to the depth of public trust Dr. Raymond has cultivated. Among the most consequential contributions of Dr. Raymond's presidency has been his recognition that a great medical institution must serve all corners of the State it calls home. Wisconsin has long faced a serious and growing physician shortage, particularly in its rural communities. Dr. Raymond addressed this challenge head-on. Under his leadership, MCW established regional medical school campuses in Green Bay and central Wisconsin, extending access to world-class medical education beyond Milwaukee and into communities that had long been underserved. Additionally, in August 2017, MCW launched its School of Pharmacy, broadening the institution's scope and training the pharmacists who will serve Wisconsin patients for generations to come. Dr. Raymond's contributions to the Milwaukee community include the ThriveOn King collaboration, a partnership with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Royal Capital Group. MCW built the ThriveOn King building to address social determinants of health and bring economic and social benefits to one of Milwaukee's most historic neighborhoods. The full weight of Dr. Raymond's character and leadership was perhaps most vividly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Wisconsin, along with every other State, faced an unprecedented public health crisis. Dr. Raymond emerged as one of the State's most trusted and authoritative voices, providing regular briefings to area business executives and the public alike, communicating with clarity, calm, and scientific integrity at a time when both were desperately needed. His service during the pandemic earned him the Milwaukee Business Journal's recognition as Executive of the Year in 2020 and Health Care Leader of the Year in 2021. These awards reflect not only professional achievement but the public's genuine gratitude for steady, principled leadership in a time of crisis. Taken together, Dr. Raymond's accomplishments reflect a commitment to Wisconsin that has never been confined to the lecture hall or the laboratory. Rather, he has been a tireless champion of community engagement and health equity. As Dr. Raymond now transitions from the presidency of the Medical College of Wisconsin to a faculty position, we are reminded that the truest measure of an institution-builder is not the scale of what they construct, but the permanence of what they leave behind. Dr. Raymond leaves behind a stronger, more expansive, more equitable, and more deeply woven institution than the one he inherited. For all his contributions to the health of Wisconsin's communities, to the vitality of its medical workforce, and to the strength of its institutions, I wish to express my deepest gratitude and most sincere admiration for Dr. John R. Raymond. As a direct result of his service, the great State of Wisconsin has been made immeasurably better.

Recognizing Allterra Arms

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James E. Risch (R-ID)

Mr. President, as a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. Today, I am proud to honor AllTerra Arms in Boise as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2026. AllTerra Arms began in 2015 when Drew Foster took a pen, a napkin, and his engineering expertise and set out to correct the shortcomings he saw in traditional hunting rifles. His original idea to modify existing models quickly led to the patenting of Drew's own bolt action rifle designs. After 2 years of research, development, prototyping, and testing, Drew and his team created an outdoorsman's dream: a rifle that combines the precision of a benchrest rifle and the reliability of a hunting rifle. Drew's passion lies in the engineering process, and he is delighted to watch his work come to life in AllTerra's rifles. The business designs and manufactures everything in-house, where a commitment to quality and precision shines through. The AllTerra team continues working to perfect the rifle, a task large companies rarely take on. While their unique reinvention has come with challenges, it has also piqued interest and turned many heads in the industry. More than a decade later, Drew and the team pride themselves on never giving up and are confident that their experience and expertise will enable them to conquer anything, no matter what firearm they decide to redesign next. The team at AllTerra Arms is full of outdoorsmen who enjoy Idaho's public lands. They prioritize giving back to community organizations that support and maintain our lands for all to enjoy, including the Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, Safari Club International, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Congratulations to Drew and the AllTerra Arms team on being recognized as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2026. Your dedication to excellence makes Idaho proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Recognizing Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce

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James E. Risch (R-ID)

Mr. President, I rise with my colleagues Senator Mike Crapo and Representative Mike Simpson to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce. The history of Pocatello and Chubbuck begins with the Oregon Trail, which ran through the Portneuf Gap just south of the two cities, drawing pioneers, gold miners, and settlers to the region. The city of Pocatello was founded in 1889 and quickly became a hub for transportation and agriculture. This traffic was followed by stage and freight lines, then the railroad. Pocatello was aptly named the Gateway to the Northwest, as it quickly grew into a trade center and transportation junction. Chubbuck, named after railroad conductor Walter Chubbuck, was incorporated in December 1949. The towns, separated only by a city limits sign, are joined together through the Chamber of Commerce, which works for both communities. The chamber originally began in 1893 as the Pocatello Commercial Club and formally became a chamber of commerce in 1901. What started as a booster-style club quickly expanded in influence to support the construction of the American Falls dam. Then, in 2014, after a few name changes, the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce came into being, with a mission of representing trade in Pocatello, Chubbuck, and the surrounding area. The creation of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce aligned with the region's early boom period. This marked a busy time for early members tasked with recruiting and representing new businesses, coordinating civic improvements, and promoting downtown commerce. Now, 125 years later, the chamber advocates for local businesses at the State and Federal level, promotes tourism, and runs community campaigns, including the Leadership Pocatello-Chubbuck Program, the Youth Pocatello Leadership Program (LEAP), the Chamber Young Professionals, the Chamber Champions Committee, and beautification programs. For more than a century, the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce has played a vital role in shaping the region from a railroad town to one of the largest communities in Idaho. Home to Idaho State University, major corporate headquarters, and multinational companies, the area has emerged as a hub for the Gem State. The chamber has been a driving force in this effort and, more importantly, preserving the heart and soul of Pocatello and Chubbuck. Congratulations to the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce on 125 years. Today, we proudly recognize the chamber's hard work and continued dedication to driving economic growth in Idaho.

Message from the House

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At 12:04 p.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by Mrs. Alli, one of its reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the following bill, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate:

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H.R. 1346. An act to amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes.

The message also announced that the House has agreed to the following concurrent resolution, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate:

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H. Con. Res. 96. Concurrent resolution expressing support for law enforcement officers.

Measures Referred

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The following bill was read the first and the second times by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated:

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H.R. 1346. An act to amend the Clean Air Act with respect to the ethanol waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure under that Act, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Privileged Nominations Referred to Committee

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On request by Senator Tim Kaine, under the authority of S. Res. 116, 112th Congress, the following nomination was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: Juan Segura, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term expiring September 20, 2026. On request by Senator Tim Kaine, under the authority of S. Res. 116, 112th Congress, the following nomination was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: Juan Segura, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Foundation for a term expiring September 20, 2032.

Executive and Other Communications

Page S2304 · Official text

The following communications were laid before the Senate, together with accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as indicated:

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EC-3439. A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency with respect to the Central African Republic that was declared in Executive Order 13667 of May 12, 2014; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. EC-3440. A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency with respect to the stabilization of Iraq that was declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. EC-3441. A communication from the President of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency with respect to Yemen that was declared in Executive Order 13611 of May 16, 2012; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. EC-3442. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to section 36(b)(5)(C) of the Arms Export Control Act, the notification of enhancements or upgrades from the level of sensitivity of technology or capability (RSAT Case 26-0Q); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3443. A communication from the Chief Regulatory Officer, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Signatures on Immigration Benefit Requests" (RIN1615-AD17) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on May 13, 2026; to the Committee on the Judiciary. EC-3444. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to section 36(c) and 36(d) of the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of a proposed license for the export of defense articles, including technical data, and defense services to Malaysia and the Republic of Korea in the amount of $50,000,000 or more (Transmittal No. DDTC 25-108); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3445. A communication from the Acting Chair of the Administrative Conference of the United States, transmitting, a report entitled "Equal Access to Justice Act Awards Report to Congress Fiscal Year 2025"; to the Committee on the Judiciary. EC-3446. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of a proposed license for the export of firearms, parts, and components controlled under Category I of the U.S. Munitions List to the Netherlands and Ukraine in the amount of $1,000,000 or more (Transmittal No. DDTC 26-027); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3447. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled "Report to Congress on Department of State Actions in FY 2025 Pursuant to the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act"; to the Committee on Finance. EC-3448. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled "Report to Congress on Department of State Actions in FY 2025 Pursuant to the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act"; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Introduction of Bills and Joint Resolutions

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The following bills and joint resolutions were introduced, read the first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated:

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By Mr. BANKS: S. 4525. A bill to prohibit certain federally funded research collaborations with certain foreign entities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. By Mr. COTTON: S. 4526. A bill to establish a new ground for inadmissibility for close relatives of foreign terrorists; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. McCORMICK (for himself and Mr. Gallego): S. 4527. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide greater opportunities for veterans to pursue education programs involving emerging technologies, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. By Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Boozman): S. 4528. A bill to provide for the long-term improvement of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. By Ms. LUMMIS (for herself and Mr. Kelly): S. 4529. A bill to require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow the use of commercial-grade steel and concrete in non-safety-related structures at nuclear power plants, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. By Mr. McCONNELL (for himself and Mr. Padilla): S. 4530. A bill to amend chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States Code, to authorize an increase of the retirement age for members of the Capitol Police; considered and passed. By Mr. HUSTED (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, and Mr. Tuberville): S. 4531. A bill to amend section 498A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to prioritize program reviews of institutions of higher education that disburse Federal financial aid under title IV of such Act without verifying the identity of a student whose FAFSA presents a reasonable suspicion of identity fraud; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. By Ms. CORTEZ MASTO: S. 4532. A bill to include smoke in the definition of disaster in the Small Business Act, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. By Mr. GRAHAM: S. 4533. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include the Coast Guard in the requirement to buy certain articles from American sources; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. By Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Ms. Alsobrooks): S. 4534. A bill to amend the Small Business Act to establish a direct loan program for microbusinesses at the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. By Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Warren): S. 4535. A bill to establish the Strength in Diversity Program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. By Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Mr. Curtis, and Ms. Blunt Rochester): S. 4536. A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to authorize grant funds under the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program to be used to increase resilience to extreme temperatures, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Paul, and Ms. Lummis): S. 4537. A bill to repeal the Military Selective Service Act; to the Committee on Armed Services. By Mr. FETTERMAN (for himself, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Warner, Mr. Justice, and Mrs. Capito): S. 4538. A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating Washington's Trail-1753 as a national historic trail, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. By Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Mr. Lankford): S. 4539. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the penalties relating to the disclosure of tax return information relating to contributors to certain tax-exempt organizations, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance. By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Smith, Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Wyden): S. 4540. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve reproductive health care of individuals with disabilities; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Wicker): S. 4541. A bill to ensure that significantly more students graduate college with the international knowledge and experience essential for success in today's global economy through the establishment of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program in the Department of State; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. By Mr. CORNYN: S. 4542. A bill to disqualify aliens from establishing good moral character, maintaining eligibility for asylum, and retaining lawful permanent resident status if they engage in activities in opposition to the United States Constitution, our form of government, or support Sharia law; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Heinrich, and Mr. Booker): S. 4543. A bill to create dedicated funds to conserve butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest United States, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Ms. Rosen): S. 4544. A bill to require a report on countering the smuggling of hydrocarbon products by transnational criminal organizations, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services. By Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Booker, Ms. Warren, and Ms. Baldwin): S. 4545. A bill to amend the America COMPETES Act to establish certain scientific integrity policies for Federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. By Mr. TUBERVILLE: S. 4546. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a national-interest standard for immigration, end certain family-sponsored immigration categories, revise standards relating to good moral character, eliminate the diversity immigrant category, revise public-charge and sponsor-support rules, revise naturalization requirements, reform employment-based immigration and H-1B visas, eliminate Optional Practical Training absent express statutory authorization, revise asylum procedures, require employment eligibility verification, establish additional penalties relating to unlawful presence and visa overstays, revise parole authority, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. SCHMITT: S. 4547. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to strengthen requirements for naturalization, to require instruction on the oath of allegiance and the principles of the Constitution, to establish consequences for fraud and concealment in the naturalization process, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. JUSTICE: S. 4548. A bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a program to promote upland species habitat restoration, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. CORNYN: S. 4549. A bill ensure the reliable delivery of water to the United States under the 1944 Water Treaty, to provide a mechanism to compensate United States agricultural producers for economic losses resulting from delivery shortfalls, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Submission of Concurrent and Senate Resolutions

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The following concurrent resolutions and Senate resolutions were read, and referred (or acted upon), as indicated:

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By Mr. SCHMITT: S. Res. 729. A resolution recognizing and honoring Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery, for their expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase; considered and agreed to. By Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. Hirono): S. Res. 730. A resolution congratulating the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball Championship; considered and agreed to. By Mrs. MOODY: S. Res. 731. A resolution recognizing the 175th anniversary of the founding of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Ms. WARREN (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Smith, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Gallego, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Slotkin, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Whitehouse): S. Res. 732. A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that over 25 years of real-world evidence and hundreds of peer-reviewed studies proving that mifepristone is safe and effective should be respected, and law and policy governing access to lifesaving, time-sensitive medication abortion care in the United States should be equitable, transparent, and based on the best available peer-reviewed evidence-based science; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. By Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Fetterman): S. Res. 733. A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the United States during Public Service Recognition Week and throughout the year; considered and agreed to. By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Justice, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Coons): S. Res. 734. A resolution designating May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day"; considered and agreed to. By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Thune, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. McConnell, Mr. King, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Paul, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Booker, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Graham, Ms. Slotkin, Mrs. Britt, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Husted, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Moody, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Reed, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Welch, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Coons, Mr. McCormick, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Budd, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Peters, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Tuberville, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Young, Mr. Daines, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Justice, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Schmitt, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Kennedy, and Ms. Cantwell): S. Res. 735. A resolution designating the week of May 10 through May 16, 2026, as "National Police Week"; considered and agreed to. By Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Wicker, Mr. King, and Mrs. Blackburn): S. Res. 736. A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 10 through May 16, 2026; considered and agreed to. By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Daines, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Warner, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Barrasso, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Young, Mrs. Britt, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr. Husted): S. Res. 737. A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges of children in the foster care system and to encourage Congress to implement policies to improve the lives of children in the foster care system; considered and agreed to.

Additional Cosponsors

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At the request of Mr. Padilla, the name of the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Kim) was added as a cosponsor of S. 391, a bill to clarify the rights of certain persons who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. At the request of Mr. Graham, the name of the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Budd) was added as a cosponsor of S. 775, a bill to amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 to prohibit the slaughter of equines for human consumption. At the request of Mr. Grassley, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 825, a bill to require the Attorney General to propose a program for making treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder available to public safety officers, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Tillis, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1296, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen disclosure requirements relating to foreign gifts and contracts, to prohibit contracts between institutions of higher education and certain foreign entities and countries of concern, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Kaine, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1369, a bill to support the execution of bilateral agreements concerning illicit transnational maritime activity and to authorize the President to impose sanctions with respect to illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing and the sale, supply, purchase, or transfer of endangered species, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1694, a bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Cotton, the name of the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Tuberville) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1705, a bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to issue standards with respect to chip security mechanisms for integrated circuit products, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1772, a bill to require the inclusion of the Ministry of Public Security's Institute of Forensic Science of China on the entity list maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Hawley, the name of the Senator from Nevada (Ms. Cortez Masto) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1829, a bill to combat the sexual exploitation of children by supporting victims and promoting accountability and transparency by the tech industry. At the request of Mr. Coons, the name of the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1974, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to allow certain public health data modernization grants to be used to track hospital bed capacity, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2125, a bill to require a report on the wealth of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Curtis, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2222, a bill to enhance the security, resilience, and protection of undersea communication cables vital to Taiwan's national security, economic stability, and defense, particularly in countering gray zone tactics employed by the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Padilla, the name of the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2265, a bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, California, and the 2034 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the request of Ms. Baldwin, the name of the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2436, a bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish a grant program to assist with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of point-of-entry and point-of-use drinking water quality improvement products, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Risch, the names of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Grassley) and the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker) were added as cosponsors of S. 2904, a bill to impose sanctions with respect to the shadow fleet of the Russian Federation, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Banks, the name of the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Crapo) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2955, a bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to establish Federal penalties for the knowing and intentional administration of any abortion-inducing drug to a woman without her informed consent, if the abortion-inducing drug has been shipped or transported in interstate commerce, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Coons, the name of the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3188, a bill to establish a Biopharmaceutical Center of Excellence, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Collins, the names of the Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Kelly) were added as cosponsors of S. 3267, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of blood-based dementia screening tests. At the request of Ms. Collins, the name of the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3353, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to States, territories, and Indian Tribes to address contamination by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances on farms, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3640, a bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to include any entity identified as a Chinese military company on the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3857, a bill to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from admitting to the United States any national of the People's Republic of China without a valid visa, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Sanders, the name of the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3869, a bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families. At the request of Mr. Cruz, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3897, a bill to revise administrative procedures relating to public safety officers' death benefits, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Coons, the name of the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4011, a bill to reauthorize the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act of 1998. At the request of Mr. Wyden, the names of the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Reed) and the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand) were added as cosponsors of S. 4364, a bill to provide for the refund of duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. At the request of Mr. Coons, the names of the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) and the Senator from Utah (Mr. Curtis) were added as cosponsors of S. 4392, a bill to promote United States and allied energy and mineral security, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Moreno, the names of the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton), the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Schmitt) and the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Tuberville) were added as cosponsors of S. 4429, a bill to prohibit the importation, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into interstate commerce in the United States of connected vehicles and related software and hardware associated with foreign adversaries. At the request of Mr. Hawley, the name of the Senator from Florida (Mrs. Moody) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4485, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax holiday for gasoline and diesel fuel. At the request of Mr. Welch, the name of the Senator from Michigan (Mr. Peters) was added as a cosponsor of S. Res. 683, a resolution raising awareness of lake sturgeon.

Senate Resolution 729--Recognizing and Honoring Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery, for Their Expedition to Explore the Louisiana Purchase

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SENATE RESOLUTION 729--RECOGNIZING AND HONORING MERIWETHER LEWIS AND WILLIAM CLARK, AND THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY, FOR THEIR EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE Mr. SCHMITT submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas, on May 14, 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis, Captain William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery departed from St. Louis, Missouri, embarking on a journey that would span more than 8,000 miles across the American continent; Whereas May 14, 2026, marks the 222nd anniversary of the departure of the Corps of Discovery from the St. Louis region to explore the vast territory acquired through the Louisiana Purchase; Whereas the expedition endured extreme hardship, including harsh weather, dangerous terrain, disease, hunger, and isolation, while displaying extraordinary resilience and determination; Whereas the Corps of Discovery produced invaluable maps, scientific observations, and geographic records that deepened the country's understanding of the American frontier and laid the groundwork for future settlement, commerce, and development; Whereas the expedition strengthened the sovereignty and strategic position of the United States in North America during a pivotal period in the early history of the United States; Whereas the Lewis and Clark Expedition stands as a lasting symbol of the American spirit of exploration, courage, and national ambition; Whereas generations of Americans have continued to draw inspiration from the perseverance and vision demonstrated by the Corps of Discovery; Whereas, as the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Lewis and Clark Expedition reminds Americans that the Founding generation passed to posterity not only a set of principles, but a country to be explored, strengthened, defended, and passed on; and Whereas the 222nd anniversary of the expedition's departure provides an opportunity to reflect upon the character, sacrifice, faith, courage, and determination that helped build the United States into a great nation: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) honors the enduring legacy of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and recognizes its profound importance to the history, development, and identity of the United States; (2) honors the extraordinary courage, endurance, and patriotism of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery on the anniversary of the launch of their historic expedition from St. Louis, Missouri; (3) recognizes the Lewis and Clark Expedition as one of the greatest feats of exploration and national achievement in the history of the United States; (4) commemorates the vision of President Thomas Jefferson in commissioning the expedition following the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States and helped secure the continental future of the United States by executing the principles of "manifest destiny"; (5) acknowledges the indispensable contributions of every member of the Corps of Discovery, including the assistance provided by Sacagawea, York, and other members, which aided the expedition along its journey; (6) recognizes that the expedition helped establish the geographic, commercial, and strategic foundations for the expansion of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean; (7) celebrates the enduring connection between the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the State of Missouri, the State from which the Corps of Discovery embarked into the western frontier; (8) recognizes that the spirit, self-reliance, perseverance, faith, courage, scientific curiosity, and confidence in the promise of the United States displayed through the expeditious remains central to the character, heritage, and soul of the country; and (9) encourages all Americans to study and reflect upon the legacy of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and its lasting significance in the history of the United States.

Senate Resolution 730--Congratulating the University of Hawaii Men's Volleyball Team for Winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball Championship

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SENATE RESOLUTION 730--CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2026 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Mr. SCHATZ (for himself and Ms. Hirono) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas the 2026 University of Hawaii men's volleyball team (referred to in this preamble as the "Rainbow Warriors"), under the direction of coach Charlie Wade, won the program's third National Collegiate Athletic Association championship title with a final score of 3 to 1, defeating the University of California, Irvine; and Whereas the Rainbow Warriors set a program record for victories in a season: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) recognizes the 2026 University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for their hard work and dedication to the sport and for the excitement they bring to the State of Hawaii; and (2) congratulates the 2026 University of Hawaii men's volleyball team on a successful season.

Senate Resolution 731--Recognizing the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority

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Mrs. MOODY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

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Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority was founded as the Adelphean Society on May 15, 1851, at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia; Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority was the first secret society for college women, founded at the first college chartered to grant degrees to women; Whereas the recognized founders of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority include Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald, Mary Evans Glass, Octavia Andrew Rush, Ella Pierce Turner, Sophronia Woodruff Dews, and Elizabeth Williams Mitchell; Whereas membership of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority stands at over 290,000 lifetime initiates as of the date of introduction of this resolution; Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has established chapters at over 220 colleges and universities across the United States and Canada and has 165 active alumnae associations; Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority is a private membership organization whose mission is to provide women with a meaningful lifelong experience that empowers them to reach their full potential through leadership, educational, philanthropic, and social opportunities; Whereas the objects set forth by the Adelphean Society were the mental, moral, social, and domestic improvement of its members, and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority now recognizes the core values of sisterhood, service, character, and knowledge to be the guideposts by which all members live; Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, whose open motto is "We Live For Each Other", whose collegians log over 300,000 community service hours annually, and whose platforms regularly educate members and the public about the dangers of hazing and the importance of sisterhood in relation to wellness and belonging, consistently raises over $1,000,000 per year for Ronald McDonald House; Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority counts among its alumnae 1 Academy Award winner, 6 Emmy Award winners, 2 Grammy Award winners, 4 New York Times bestselling authors, 6 United States Olympians, 2 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, and 1 recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism and the Peabody Award for Journalistic Integrity, is home to 2 sitting United States Representatives and 1 sitting United States Senator as of the date of introduction of this resolution, and can claim several "firsts", including the first Treasurer of the United States to be named National Director of the Savings Bond Division and the first woman to hold the highest education post in the Federal Government; and Whereas Alpha Delta Pi Sorority will hold its 175th Anniversary Grand Convention in Palm Desert, California, from June 17 through June 20, 2026: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) congratulates Alpha Delta Pi Sorority on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; (2) acknowledges the contributions of Alpha Delta Pi members to education, science and technology, the arts, athletics, government, the military, business, and community service; and (3) recognizes the members of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority for their lifelong commitment to personal growth, friendship, and community enrichment.

Senate Resolution 732--Expressing the Sense of the Senate That Over 25 Years of Real-World Evidence and Hundreds of Peer-Reviewed Studies Proving That Mifepristone Is Safe and Effective Should Be...

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YEARS OF REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE AND HUNDREDS OF PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES PROVING THAT MIFEPRISTONE IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SHOULD BE RESPECTED, AND LAW AND POLICY GOVERNING ACCESS TO LIFESAVING, TIME-SENSITIVE MEDICATION ABORTION CARE IN THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT, AND BASED ON THE BEST AVAILABLE PEER-REVIEWED EVIDENCE-BASED SCIENCE Ms. WARREN (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Smith, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Gallego, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Slotkin, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

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Whereas Congress, by enacting the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), authorized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine, based on the scientific evidence, whether a drug is safe and effective for the intended use of the drug; Whereas Congress authorized the FDA to impose or maintain a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for a drug only where "necessary to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks of the drug" considering certain statutorily enumerated factors; Whereas Congress prohibited the FDA from imposing or maintaining an Element to Assure Safe Use (ETASU) within a REMS program if, inter alia, the ETASU is "unduly burdensome on patient access," considering in particular "patients who have difficulty accessing health care"; Whereas mifepristone is a medication recommended by leading medical authorities for its FDA-approved use to terminate a pregnancy and for its off-label use to manage miscarriage; Whereas mifepristone received approval from the FDA more than 25 years ago, and according to the FDA, the "efficacy and safety have become well-established by both research and experience, and serious complications have proven to be extremely rare"; Whereas the FDA approved mifepristone following a rigorous 54-month review period that included the review of 3 complete phases of clinical trials that involved thousands of participants and that showed mifepristone was safe and effective for termination of an early pregnancy; Whereas, despite mifepristone's exceptional safety record, the FDA still regulates this medication more heavily than 99 percent of prescription drugs; Whereas, in December 2021, after an extensive review of high-quality research and years of real-world data confirming that mifepristone remains just as safe when patients can fill their prescription by mail or at a pharmacy, the FDA concluded that the Mifepristone REMS should be modified to lessen the burdens on patient access and the health care system and, in January 2023, approved this modification to the REMS that removed the in-person dispensing ETASU and added a pharmacy certification ETASU, allowing Mifeprex and its approved generics to be dispensed by certified pharmacies, both in-person and by mail, as well as by or under the supervision of certified prescribers; Whereas numerous peer-reviewed studies since January 2023 have further established that mifepristone remains highly safe and effective; Whereas mifepristone is more accessible when dispensed to eligible patients by mail or at a pharmacy after clinical evaluation and counseling through telemedicine; Whereas few drugs have been studied so extensively after their FDA approval and few hold such an explicit and convincing safety record as mifepristone; Whereas leading medical and scientific organizations, including the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Society of Family Planning, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, recognize that mifepristone is safe and effective, including when prescribed through telemedicine and dispensed to eligible patients by mail or at a pharmacy, and continue to recommend the use of mifepristone as part of an evidence-based regimen to safely end a pregnancy; Whereas the importance of medication abortion is recognized globally, and the World Health Organization has included mifepristone on its list of essential medicines since 2005; Whereas the safety record of mifepristone is demonstrated by its availability in more than 90 countries, including countries without restrictions like the mifepristone REMS; Whereas medication abortion accounted for 63 percent of all abortions in the United States in 2023; Whereas, following the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022), to overturn decades of precedent in Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), as of May 2026, bans have eliminated all or some abortions in 20 States, compounding an already complex landscape and exacerbating the existing abortion-access crisis; Whereas, in the years since the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022), anti-abortion politicians and groups have filed multiple baseless lawsuits against the FDA over its approval and regulation of mifepristone, attempting to use misinformation about mifepristone to justify restricting access to this essential medication nationwide, despite its longstanding safety record; Whereas the impact to the health and well-being of patients across the country would be devastating if any action reduced patient access to medication abortion or increased barriers to prescribing and dispensing medication abortion; Whereas abortion bans and restrictions force patients to travel greater distances for care and face longer wait times, and force some patients who are unable to access care to remain pregnant against their will; Whereas scientific research has demonstrated that restricting access to abortion increases the risk of domestic violence for pregnant people and data suggests that the privacy of a telehealth consultation may increase a patient's willingness to disclose abuse or coercion; and Whereas, due to discrimination, unnecessary restrictions on abortion, including medication abortion, disproportionately push care out of reach for-- (1) Black and Indigenous people; (2) people of color; (3) immigrants; (4) people with lower incomes; (5) people in rural communities; (6) LGBTQ+ people; (7) people living with disabilities; (8) people experiencing intimate partner violence; and (9) other pregnant people who have been disproportionately harmed by systemic inequities in health care: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that-- (1) FDA policies affecting access to medication abortion care in the United States must be based on transparent scientific review of the full body of gold-standard medical evidence, as well as considerations of potential burdens on patient access and the health care delivery system, as required by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); (2) Congress has granted the FDA the authority to regulate prescription drug medications and medical devices based on scientific determinations of their safety and efficacy grounded in the best available peer-reviewed evidence-based science, and without political interference; (3) the FDA has performed multiple scientific reviews of mifepristone over 25 years, each time finding mifepristone to be safe and effective for pregnancy termination, including when mifepristone is prescribed through telemedicine and dispensed to eligible patients by mail or at a pharmacy, based on high-quality clinical research and real-world-safety data; and (4) preserving and expanding access to medication abortion care, including preserving the ability to prescribe mifepristone through telemedicine and dispense to eligible patients by mail or at a pharmacy, is important to ensure equitable access to abortion for patients harmed by statutory, regulatory, financial, and circumstantial restrictions that worsen reproductive health disparities for-- (A) Black and Indigenous people; (B) people of color; (C) immigrants; (D) people with lower incomes; (E) people in rural communities; (F) LGBTQ+ people; (G) people living with disabilities; (H) people experiencing intimate partner violence; and (I) people in other marginalized communities.

Senate Resolution 733--Expressing the Sense of the Senate That Public Servants Should Be Commended for Their Dedication and Continued Service to the United States During Public Service Recognition...

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SENATE RESOLUTION 733--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND CONTINUED SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES DURING PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Fetterman) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, has been designated as "Public Service Recognition Week" to honor employees of the Federal Government and State and local governments, and members of the uniformed services, for their contributions to the United States; Whereas Public Service Recognition Week provides an opportunity to recognize and promote the important contributions of public servants and to honor the people who serve the United States at all levels of government and as members of the uniformed services; Whereas millions of individuals serve the public in government service and as members of the uniformed services in every State, county, and city across the United States and around the world; Whereas public servants provide crucial services to millions of people across the United States, supporting local programs and contributing to local economies; Whereas public service is a noble calling involving a variety of challenging and rewarding professions and highly skilled and trained individuals offering their knowledge, effort, and skills in support of the public; and Whereas the United States is a great and prosperous country, and public service employees contribute significantly to that greatness and prosperity: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) commends the dedication, professionalism, and patriotism of the public servants of the United States who fulfill their constitutional oath and deliver essential services to the people of the United States; (2) recognizes the indispensable role of public servants in strengthening the economy of the United States, protecting the safety and security of the public, safeguarding individual rights, and sustaining the foundations of democratic self-governance; (3) honors the contributions of all public servants during Public Service Recognition Week, May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, and throughout the year; and (4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe Public Service Recognition Week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor and acknowledge the service of those who work on their behalf.

Senate Resolution 734--Designating May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day"

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SENATE RESOLUTION 734--DESIGNATING MAY 16, 2026, AS "KIDS TO PARKS DAY" Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Justice, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas the 16th annual Kids to Parks Day will be celebrated on May 16, 2026; Whereas the goals of Kids to Parks Day are-- (1) to promote healthy outdoor recreation and responsible environmental stewardship; (2) to empower young people; and (3) to encourage families to get outdoors and visit the parks and public land of the United States; Whereas, on Kids to Parks Day, individuals from rural, suburban, and urban areas of the United States can be reintroduced to the splendid national, State, and neighborhood parks located in their communities; Whereas communities across the United States offer a variety of natural resources and public land, often with free access, to individuals seeking outdoor recreation; Whereas the people of the United States, young and old, should be encouraged to lead more healthy and active lifestyles; Whereas Kids to Parks Day is an opportunity for families to take a break from their busy lives and enjoy a day of active, wholesome fun; and Whereas celebrating Kids to Parks Day will-- (1) broaden an appreciation for nature and the outdoors in young people; (2) foster a safe setting for independent play and healthy adventure in neighborhood parks; and (3) facilitate self-reliance while strengthening communities: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) designates May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day"; (2) recognizes the importance of outdoor recreation and the preservation of open spaces in promoting the health and education of the young people of the United States; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe Kids to Parks Day with safe family trips to parks.

Senate Resolution 735--Designating the Week of May 10 Through May 16, 2026, as "National Police Week"

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SENATE RESOLUTION 735--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF MAY 10 THROUGH MAY 16, 2026, AS "NATIONAL POLICE WEEK" Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Thune, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. McConnell, Mr. King, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Paul, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Booker, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Graham, Ms. Slotkin, Mrs. Britt, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Husted, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Moody, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Reed, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Welch, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Coons, Mr. McCormick, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Budd, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Peters, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Tuberville, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Young, Mr. Daines, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Justice, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Schmitt, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Kennedy, and Ms. Cantwell) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas Federal, State, local, and Tribal police officers, sheriffs, and other law enforcement officers across the United States serve with valor, dignity, and integrity; Whereas each law enforcement officer is charged with-- (1) pursuing justice for all individuals; and (2) performing the duties of a law enforcement officer with fidelity to the constitutional and civil rights of the public the officer serves; Whereas law enforcement officers swear an oath to uphold the public trust even though, through the performance of the duties of a law enforcement officer, the officers may become targets for senseless acts of violence; Whereas, in 1962, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 (76 Stat. 676) (referred to in this preamble as the "Joint Resolution"), which authorizes the President to proclaim May 15 of every year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" in honor of the Federal, State, and local officers who have been killed, disabled, or otherwise injured in the line of duty; Whereas the Joint Resolution also authorizes the President to designate the week in which Peace Officers Memorial Day falls as "National Police Week"; Whereas the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, dedicated on October 15, 1991, is the national monument to honor those law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty; Whereas Peace Officers Memorial Day 2026 honors law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty during 2025, including-- (1) Jerry Adamick, Jr.; (2) Antonio Aleman; (3) Nathaniel Ansay; (4) Brendan Arlington; (5) Ercan Aydin; (6) Joseph Azcona; (7) Mark Baker; (8) Cody Becker; (9) James Becker; (10) Sarah Beckstrom; (11) Bruce Bennett; (12) Alton Berrian; (13) Isaiah Patrick Bias; (14) Shawn Braaten; (15) Jesse Branch; (16) Joshua Brashears; (17) Marc Brock; (18) Peter Bruncati; (19) Meagan Burke; (20) Darron Lee Burks; (21) Mark Butler; (22) Joshua Byrd; (23) David Cajuso; (24) Philip Cammarata; (25) Stephen Campisi; (26) Jonathan Campos; (27) Jacob Candanoza; (28) Grant Candies; (29) Richard Carchia; (30) Vincent Carney; (31) Vincent Caruana; (32) William Casey; (33) Jeremy Cassady; (34) Nicholas Cayton; (35) Eric Cespedes; (36) Maruja Clark; (37) Gerard Connors; (38) Kendall Corder; (39) Timothy Corlew; (40) Lauren Craven; (41) Gary Crawford; (42) Allen Credeur, Jr.; (43) Abraham Cruz III; (44) Hector Cuevas, Jr.; (45) Cooper Dawson; (46) Frank Debenedetto; (47) Shiou Deng; (48) Myron Downey; (49) Andrew Duarte; (50) Thomas Duran; (51) Caleb Eisworth; (52) Isaiah Emenheiser; (53) Joseph Esposito; (54) Eric Estrada; (55) Sayer Evans; (56) Gabriel Facio; (57) Robert Fawcett; (58) Marc Fischer; (59) Francisco Flattes II; (60) Theodore Fondrk; (61) Henry Franklin; (62) Patrick Franzone; (63) Jeffrey Friedlieb; (64) Brandon Gaede; (65) Craig Gaines; (66) Dennis Gallagher; (67) Helio Garcia III; (68) Ruben Garcia; (69) Mitchell Georgiana; (70) Cameron Girvin; (71) Donald Gotthardt, Jr.; (72) Steven Greene; (73) Tara-Marysa Guting; (74) Jeremy Hall; (75) John Hamm; (76) Richard Handibode, Jr.; (77) Kevin Hanley; (78) Timothy Hatch; (79) Scott Heimann; (80) Larry Henderson, Jr.; (81) Lee Hendrickson; (82) Thomas Herrick; (83) Katharine Hutson; (84) Didarul Islam; (85) Edward Ivey, Jr.; (86) Devin Jaramillo; (87) Denise Jones; (88) Timothy Jones; (89) Timothy Keane; (90) Joshua Kelley-Eklund; (91) Dennis Kelly; (92) Joshua Kingsley; (93) Donald Kleber; (94) William Krupa; (95) Norman Kunze; (96) Jeremy Labonte; (97) Joshua LaForge; (98) Andres Lahera; (99) David LaJoie; (100) Mark Laskowski; (101) Clint Lawrence; (102) Victor Lemus; (103) Marc Lotter; (104) Lex Allen Love; (105) Brenda Lowery; (106) David Maland; (107) Bret Martin; (108) F. Devin Mason; (109) William May; (110) Eddie Mays; (111) Kyle McAcy; (112) William McCabe; (113) Michael McEntee; (114) Mark Meadows; (115) David Miller, Jr.; (116) Elijah Ming; (117) Jeffrey Montenegro; (118) Albert Morabito; (119) Joseph Morgan; (120) Rhonda Morris; (121) James Motto, Sr.; (122) Justin Mowery; (123) Joseph Murray, Jr.; (124) Raymond Newcomb; (125) John-Christian Nix; (126) Shawn Nixon; (127) Robert Nobile; (128) Kevin Nuckel; (129) Andrew Nunez; (130) Suzanne O; (131) Mark Ondus; (132) Timothy Ontiveros; (133) William Osborn; (134) Joseph Panarese; (135) John Patrick; (136) Kelvin Patrick; (137) David Pepe; (138) Jessie Perez; (139) Bryan Pippin; (140) Michael Pisano; (141) Melissa Pollard; (142) Robert Porfert; (143) David Portalatin; (144) John Radabaugh; (145) Kathleen Radziunas; (146) George Ramirez; (147) Kevin Alexis Ramirez-Vasquez; (148) Robert Ranno; (149) Christopher Reese; (150) Alan Reffsin; (151) Felicia Reilly; (152) Blake Reynolds; (153) Mark Reynolds; (154) Michael Rice; (155) Dennis Ricks, Jr.; (156) Charles Riley; (157) Steven Ringe; (158) Krystal Rivera; (159) Samuel Riveros; (160) Sandro Rizzotti; (161) Alex Roberts; (162) Osmar Rodarte-Paez; (163) Jason Roscow; (164) David Rose; (165) Steven Rozell; (166) Kenneth Salas; (167) Alec Sanders; (168) Frederick Scheidt, Jr.; (169) D. Weston Sherrer; (170) Martin Shields, Jr.; (171) Brandon Sikes; (172) Quintin Silsby; (173) Hunter Simoncic; (174) Cory Slifko; (175) Annmarie Smith; (176) Roger Smith; (177) Michael Snell; (178) Matthew Snook; (179) Lee Sorensen; (180) Todd Spiker; (181) John Stahl III; (182) Albert Stout; (183) Terri Sweeting-Mashkow; (184) Sunny Taylor; (185) Richard Teemsma; (186) Steven Tiboni; (187) Brian Underwood; (188) James Vanacore; (189) Alfredo Varela; (190) Jesus Vargas; (191) Dennis Vitelli; (192) Andrew Wachter; (193) Dennis Wagner, Jr.; (194) Marc Wagner; (195) Phillip Wagner; (196) Jonathan White, Jr.; (197) John Wing; (198) Michael Wood; (199) Clarence Word III; (200) Shannon Wright; and (201) Jason Zdunich; and Whereas, according to the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (also known as the "LEOKA Program"), since the beginning of 2026, 11 law enforcement officers were reported to have been killed in the line of duty: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) designates the week of May 10 through May 16, 2026, as "National Police Week"; (2) expresses unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States in pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; (3) recognizes the need to ensure that law enforcement officers have the equipment, training, and resources that are necessary in order to protect the health and safety of the officers while the officers protect the public; (4) acknowledges that police officers and other law enforcement personnel, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, should be remembered and honored; (5) expresses condolences and solemn appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty; and (6) encourages the people of the United States to observe National Police Week by honoring law enforcement personnel and promoting awareness of the essential mission that law enforcement personnel undertake in service to their communities and the United States.

Senate Resolution 736--Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Hospital Week, to Be Observed from May 10 Through May 16, 2026

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SENATE RESOLUTION 736--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL HOSPITAL WEEK, TO BE OBSERVED FROM MAY 10 THROUGH MAY 16, 2026 Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Wicker, Mr. King, and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas, beginning in 1921, National Hospital Day was established by former President Warren G. Harding to be celebrated annually on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, as a way to honor her role in revolutionizing hospital care; Whereas National Hospital Day was established following the 1918 Influenza Pandemic as a way to foster community trust in hospitals; Whereas, beginning in 1953, National Hospital Week was established and continues to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale; Whereas National Hospital Week is a time of year to reflect on the important contributions that hospital workers make to provide safe, high-quality healthcare; Whereas, in 2026, approximately 6,100 hospitals in the United States provide essential and life-saving healthcare every day in a variety of hospital settings, including-- (1) 1,383 critical access hospitals, which serve as essential healthcare hubs that bring medical services closer to individuals who would otherwise have to travel long distances for healthcare, that provide healthcare to \1/5\ of the United States population residing in rural areas; (2) nearly 1,700 teaching hospitals, of which roughly 300 are major teaching hospitals such as university hospitals or academic medical centers, that provide essential training to future medical providers; (3) 656 non-Federal psychiatric hospitals that are essential partners in addressing mental health and substance abuse disorders across the United States; and (4) 170 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers that are uniquely responsible for providing healthcare to more than 9,100,000 veterans; Whereas, in 2025, hospitals in the United States provided healthcare to more than 35,658,583 admitted patients and in 2025 delivered more than 3,600,000 babies; Whereas, as of March 2026, hospitals employed more than 5,759,900 individuals, including physicians, registered nurses, and allied health professionals; Whereas non-clinical hospital staff, including sanitation workers, food service workers, and many others, work to keep hospitals open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to ensure hospitals are always available to individuals that need healthcare; Whereas hospitals, through direct care and community outreach, can provide the expertise and resources needed to address the unique healthcare needs that exist in rural and urban areas of the United States; and Whereas hospitals work collaboratively to uphold the healthcare system of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 10 through May 16, 2026; (2) recognizes the significant role that hospitals play in the delivery of healthcare in the United States; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe National Hospital Week with appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the importance of hospitals to the everyday lives of patients and communities.

Senate Resolution 737--Recognizing National Foster Care Month as an Opportunity to Raise Awareness About the Challenges of Children in the Foster Care System and to Encourage Congress to Implement...

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SENATE RESOLUTION 737--RECOGNIZING NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND TO ENCOURAGE CONGRESS TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Daines, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Warner, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Barrasso, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Young, Mrs. Britt, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr. Husted) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

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Whereas National Foster Care Month was established more than 30 years ago-- (1) to bring foster care issues to the forefront; (2) to highlight the importance of permanency for every child; and (3) to recognize the essential role that foster parents, social workers, and advocates have in the lives of children in foster care throughout the United States; Whereas all children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent home; Whereas the primary goal of the foster care system is to ensure the safety and well-being of children while working to provide a safe, loving, and permanent home for each child; Whereas there are approximately 331,747 children living in foster care in the United States; Whereas there were approximately 175,008 youths that entered the foster care system in 2025 in the United States, and more than 67,249 youths were awaiting adoption at the end of 2025; Whereas approximately 51,603 children entered foster care in 2025 due to parental drug abuse; Whereas children of color are more likely to stay in the foster care system for longer periods of time and are less likely to be reunited with their biological families; Whereas foster parents are the front-line caregivers for children who cannot safely remain with their biological parents, and foster parents provide physical care, emotional support, and education advocacy, and are the largest cohort of families that provide permanent homes for children leaving through adoption; Whereas children in foster care who are placed with relatives, compared to children placed with non-relatives-- (1) have more stability, including fewer changes in placements; (2) have more positive perceptions of their placements; (3) are more likely to be placed with their siblings; and (4) demonstrate fewer behavioral problems; Whereas some relative caregivers receive less financial assistance and support services than do foster caregivers; Whereas an increased emphasis on prevention and reunification services is necessary to reduce the number of children that enter or re-enter the foster care system; Whereas approximately 15,030 youths aged out of foster care in 2025 without a legal permanent connection to an adult or family; Whereas youth who age out of foster care lack the security or support of a biological or adoptive family and frequently struggle to secure affordable housing, obtain health insurance, pursue higher education, and acquire adequate employment; Whereas foster care is intended to be a temporary placement, but children remain in the foster care system for an average of 22.9 months; Whereas approximately \1/3\ of children in foster care experience more than 2 placements while in care, which often leads to the disruption of routines, including changing schools, and moving away from siblings, extended families, and familiar surroundings; Whereas youth in foster care are much more likely to face educational instability, with a study showing that 75 percent of foster youth experienced an unscheduled school change during a school year, compared to less than 40 percent of youth not in foster care; Whereas children entering foster care often confront the widespread misperception that children in foster care are disruptive, unruly, and dangerous, even though placement in foster care is based on the actions of a parent or guardian, not the child; Whereas 30 percent of children in foster care are taking not less than 1 anti-psychotic medication, and 34 percent of those children are not receiving adequate treatment planning or medication monitoring; Whereas, due to heavy caseloads and limited resources, the average annual turnover rate is between 23 percent and 60 percent for child welfare workers; Whereas States, localities, and communities should be encouraged to invest resources in preventative and reunification services and post-permanency programs to ensure that more children and older youth in foster care are provided safe, loving, and permanent placements; Whereas, in 2018, Congress passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (Public Law 115-123; 132 Stat. 232), which provided new investments in prevention and family reunification services to help more families stay together and ensure more children are in safe, loving, and permanent homes; Whereas Federal legislation during the past 4 decades, including the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-272; 94 Stat. 500), the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-89; 111 Stat. 2115), the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351; 122 Stat. 3949), the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 112-34;125 Stat. 369), the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113-183; 128 Stat. 1919), and the Supporting America's Children and Families Act (Public Law 118-258; 138 Stat. 2947) provided new investments and services to improve the outcomes of children in the foster care system; Whereas May 2026 is an appropriate month to designate as "National Foster Care Month" and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the child welfare workforce, foster parents, the advocacy community, and mentors for their dedication, accomplishments, and the positive impact they have on the lives of children; and Whereas much remains to be done to ensure that all children have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family, regardless of age or special needs: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) supports the designation of May 2026 as "National Foster Care Month"; (2) recognizes National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that children face in the foster care system; (3) encourages Congress to implement policies to improve the lives of children in the foster care system; (4) acknowledges the unique needs of children in the foster care system; (5) recognizes foster youth throughout the United States for their ongoing tenacity, courage, and resilience while facing life challenges; (6) acknowledges the exceptional alumni of the foster care system who serve as advocates and role models for youths who remain in care; (7) honors the commitment and dedication of the individuals who work tirelessly to provide assistance and services to children in the foster care system; (8) supports the designation of May 31, 2026, as "National Foster Parent Appreciation Day"; (9) recognizes National Foster Parent Appreciation Day as an opportunity to recognize the efforts of foster parents to provide safe and loving care for children in need and to raise awareness about the increasing need for foster parents to serve in their communities; and (10) reaffirms the need to continue working to improve the outcomes of all children in the foster care system through initiatives designed-- (A) to support vulnerable families; (B) to prevent families from entering the foster care system and reunite families in cases where reunification is in the best interest of the child; (C) to promote adoption in cases where reunification is not in the best interests of the child; (D) to adequately serve those children brought into the foster care system; and (E) to facilitate the successful transition into adulthood for youth that age out of the foster care system.

Authority for Committees to Meet

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Mr. President, I have three 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: The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet in closed and open session during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 8 a.m. The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 9 a.m., to conduct an executive business meeting.

Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Columbine Day of Service and Honoring the Memories of the Victims, Survivors, and Their Families

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HONORING THE MEMORIES OF THE VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, AND THEIR FAMILIES

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 680.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

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A resolution (S. Res. 680) commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Columbine Day of Service and honoring the memories of the victims, survivors, and their families.

There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 680) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in the Record of April 20, 2026, under "Submitted Resolutions.")

Expressing Support for the Designation of April 2026 as "National Child Abuse Prevention Month", and the Goals and Ideals of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

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EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF APRIL 2026 AS "NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH", AND THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 706.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

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A resolution (S. Res. 706) expressing support for the designation of April 2026 as "National Child Abuse Prevention Month", and the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 706) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in the Record of April 29, 2026, under "Submitted Resolutions.")

Resolutions Submitted Today

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Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 733, S. Res. 734, S. Res. 735, S. Res. 736, S. Res. 737.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolutions en bloc.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolutions were agreed to. The preambles were agreed to.

(The resolutions, with their preambles, are printed in today's Record under "Submitted Resolutions.")

Orders for Monday, May 18, 2026

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Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, May 18; 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 the nominations to be considered en bloc pursuant to S. Res. 690, postcloture; further, that at 5:30 p.m., all postcloture time be expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations en bloc; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Monday's session of the Senate, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Order for Adjournment

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Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senators Schatz, Hirono, and Cortez Masto.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Hawaii.

University of Hawaii Men's Volleyball Team

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Mr. President, on Monday, the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team won the national championship, prevailing over the University of California at Irvine in a four-set thriller. Every player played his part, and the win caps off one of the most successful seasons in the team's history. It also marks the third NCAA championship in men's volleyball. As head coach Charlie Wade said after the game, "Volleyball is a big deal in our community, it just is." For many at home, volleyball is life. If you didn't grow up playing the sport yourself, you had a cousin or a friend or an auntie or an uncle who did. And every person in Hawaii--and I mean everybody--has been to a middle school or high school or college volleyball game. That kind of love for this sport is what has made UH a volleyball powerhouse, and it is why we continue to attract and produce some of the best players in the world. Monday's win wasn't just for the incredible athletes on the court. It was a win for the coaches, the staff, the family, the friends, and the fans who supported them along the way. And it was a win for the entire State of Hawaii. This victory belongs to Hawaii. So congratulations to the `Bows on their well-deserved victory. We are all so proud of you. Aloha. Now, I would like to yield the floor to my great partner representing Hawaii in the U.S. Senate, Senator Hirono.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Hawaii.

University of Hawaii Men's Volleyball Team

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Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)

Mr. President, I am glad to join my colleague Senator Schatz in rising today to recognize the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors men's volleyball team, the 2026 NCAA national champions. As stated, on Monday, the Rainbow Warriors defeated the UC Irvine team to claim the national title for the third time. In the process, they made history by completing the first 30-win season in program history. As a proud University of Hawaii graduate, I join people across our State and beyond in celebrating this impressive group of athletes. Not only is their roster impressive; it is diverse, with players from across the Pacific, from Europe, from the mainland, from across our islands. Tournament MVP Louis Sakanoko came to the University of Hawaii all the way from France. The Big West Player of the Year Tread Rosenthal is from Texas. And let's not forget two of Hawaii's own: Kainoa Wade and Alex Parks. The `Bows' coach Charlie Wade has said that the program they built at UH is unlike anything else on the planet, and part of what makes this team so special and successful is the commitment to embracing and building around their different strengths--players from different countries, different cultures, and different playing traditions coming together to accomplish a shared goal with the understanding that their differences make them stronger. The State of Hawaii has always understood that diversity is something to celebrate, not fear. In our State, cultures don't just coexist; they combine to create something greater than the sum of their parts. Like our State, these Rainbow Warriors show what is possible when we embrace our differences, our diversity. At a time when diversity is under attack, this team just showed the entire country that diversity is a competitive advantage. To Coach Wade, to every player, to the fans in Hawaii who packed the Stan Sheriff Center, cheering at the top of their lungs: Congratulations and mahalo. You made Hawaii proud. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Hawaii.

Congratulating the University of Hawaii Men's Volleyball Team for Winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball Championship

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CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2026 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 730, submitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

Text printed in the Record (181 characters)

A resolution (S. Res. 730) congratulating the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball Championship.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The resolution (S. Res. 730) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to. (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record under "Submitted Resolutions.")