Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Mr. President, I am here to say happy 40th birthday to C-SPAN2, broadcasting democracy in the Senate to the American people. I have to confess to you that, 40 years ago today, I voted no on the Senate being televised. I thought it would hurt the decorum of the U.S. Senate. Whether it has hurt the decorum of the U.S. Senate or not, I am not going to make a judgment on that today. But I do tell you that, on reflection, I am glad that the Senate is televised to make government more real to the American people. So I guess I would have to confess that I cast the wrong vote 40 years ago. So now, for four decades, C-SPAN2 has served as an essential conduit between the U.S. Senate and the American people. Since its launch on June 2, 1986, C-SPAN2 has offered uninterrupted, unfiltered access to the debates, the votes, and the deliberations of the U.S. Senate so people in this country that watch the Senate on C-SPAN2 get the news unfiltered, directly to you, the American people. The American people don't have to rely on biased journalists to get their news when it might really be distorted. And when I say "distorted," too often at my town meetings in Iowa--and I had 12 of them last week--I hear people say: How come you can't get along? In other words, Republicans and Democrats don't seem to be talking to each other. I always try to explain that there is more partisanship than there should be, but I also say there is not as much as you, as an Iowan, actually see because you see on television Members of the Senate always disagreeing. When there is agreement, you never see much about it. So this is your opportunity to listen in the U.S. Senate, to get it unbiased, in a way that you would not from journalists. Also, C-SPAN2 operates without any public funding or any government oversight. The continued success of C-SPAN2 is due to the funding that is provided by platform operators such as cable, satellite, and now even streaming services. These platforms should continue to make delivery of C-SPAN2 a priority, and I am sure they will because Americans then can watch Congress in action in realtime. So I say once again: Happy birthday, C-SPAN2. Your coverage of the Senate helps democracy work and provides a true public service. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant executive clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The majority leader is recognized.

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

Mr. President, as we begin our proceedings this morning, I want to take a moment to recognize a milestone here in the Senate. On this day 40 years ago, C-SPAN broadcast the U.S. Senate for the very first time. On June 2, 1986, the American people were able to turn on their televisions and see the Senate come to order and their Senators engage in debate until the gavel dropped later that day. Gavel-to-gavel coverage. That is the C-SPAN way. And over the last 40 years, C-SPAN hasn't missed a beat. It has captured 43,830 hours of Senate proceedings, broadcast 169,000 speeches by hundreds of U.S. Senators who have served in these Halls, and captured the moments--large and small, historic and human--that make up the U.S. Senate. On that first day 40 years ago, the Senate was considering an education bill, and what a fitting topic of discussion for C-SPAN's first day covering this Chamber. Education is C-SPAN's entire mission. C-SPAN urges its viewers to "make up your own mind." And for 40 years, C-SPAN has enabled the American people to make up their own minds about what we do here in the Senate. It has helped countless American students see the legislative process in action, and it has ensured that what happens here is lost neither to the day's news cycle nor to history. And I trust that C-SPAN will continue to offer the American people a front row seat to the Senate for many decades to come. Mr. President, C-SPAN captures a lot of our work here in Washington, but just as important is the work that Senators do back in our States. Last week, the cameras were off here in the Chamber, and Senators were back at home hearing from the people that we all represent. I spent last week back home in South Dakota traveling around my State and hearing directly from South Dakotans. I had a chance to catch up with mayors of Webster and Lennox. Mayor Danny Fergen of Lennox took me around the city. He showed me new housing developments in Lennox. I saw that city's infrastructure needs, and we went down Main Street to a few businesses--including El Mariachi restaurant. I also spent some time up in northeastern South Dakota. As I mentioned, I met with the mayor of Webster Mike Grosek, and I dropped by a few local businesses that are benefiting from the permanent tax relief Republicans delivered in the Working Families Tax Cut. I went to the Three22 Kitchen & Cocktails in Aberdeen and saw the Main Street expansion that the owners had undertaken, including the first rooftop lounge in the city. I visited "Quite Possibly the Coolest Store Ever!"--the Hitch'n Post--a family-owned business that has been an icon in Aberdeen for over 50 years and was recently named one of America's best western retailers. And then over at the Meathouse in Andover, I had a conversation about the local agricultural economy with the ranchers who run that business and who take pride in their home-raised beef. I have always valued the opportunity I have had lately to spend some time hearing from South Dakota's young people. This past month, I have been in classrooms in Winner and Rapid City and Sioux Falls, and we have had a number of school groups visiting Washington, DC, as well. I attended the Dakota Relays at the beginning of May and then the State track meet this past Friday. And last week, I had the privilege of speaking at Boys State at Northern State University and then at Girls State at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. It is always a pleasure to get to talk with young people and to hear what is on their minds and what their dreams are for their futures. And I suppose that is because, on any given day here in the Senate, that is what our focus as Republicans boils down to: cultivating a brighter future for young people and for all Americans, a future that is secure with greater prosperity and more opportunities to get ahead. That is our focus here in the Senate, and it is what we continue to work toward every day. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant executive clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered. The Democratic leader is recognized.

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

Mr. President, well, first, on the announcement of an attempted appointment of Bill Pulte: Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence is another Trump low. A guy who can file such baseless, political, and outrageous charges against political officeholders he doesn't like can't be entrusted to protect our national security. Pulte has already proven himself willing to act as a Trump puppet, and now Donald Trump wants to put him in charge of the Nation's intelligence, a place where integrity is demanded? A man who doesn't have an ounce of integrity is being put in that position, which demands total integrity, by Donald Trump. The Director of National Intelligence is supposed to speak truth to power, but Donald Trump appears to have chosen Pulte because he speaks power's truth instead. Americans need an intelligence chief loyal to the facts, the intelligence, the security of the Nation, not the political interests of one man. At a time of growing threats around the world, this nomination raises a fundamental question: Is the President looking for independent intelligence or political validation? His fiascos in foreign policy, most recently in Iran, show he doesn't listen to facts or intelligence. He is going to get in even more trouble with Bill Pulte in this very sensitive job. The intelligence community exists to protect the American people, not to serve as another instrument of Presidential retribution. Mr. President, now, on the slush fund, the only way to ensure Trump's $2 billion, taxpayer-funded giveaway to Trump's MAGA allies never sees the light of day is to abolish it by law. The only way to make sure that Trump's slush fund never sees the light of day is to abolish it by law, not to trust the word of a corrupt President who stands to benefit the most from it. The same goes for the license Trump gave himself and his family to commit tax fraud with impunity. Any promise from Trump is worthless, and when it comes to ending his blatantly corrupt slush fund or his blank check to commit tax fraud, Trump barely promised anything in the first place. That is why the first amendment I will offer on the Republican reconciliation bill will be to ban Trump's slush fund permanently and to revoke his family's free rein to commit tax fraud forever. Trump doesn't get to make off with at least $100 billion his family owes on taxes, and he doesn't get to use your tax dollars to pay off the MAGA right--not on our watch. Again, the only way to ensure his $2 billion, taxpayer-funded giveaway never sees the light of day is to abolish it by law, not to trust the word of the corrupt President who stands to benefit the most from it. We need to set the record straight about what exactly the Trump administration did and did not commit to yesterday. Trump's Department of Justice put out a statement saying that it would abide by the recent court order that temporarily blocked Trump from using Americans' tax dollars to pay off his MAGA loyalists and billionaire friends and violent insurrectionists who maimed our Capitol Police on January 6. Let's be clear. The Trump administration hasn't made any commitment to kill the slush fund permanently, nor has it pledged to revoke the broad immunity from tax audits that Trump granted himself and his family. Can you believe it, America? Trump and his family still get to cheat their way out of paying their taxes and then use your tax dollars to line their pockets and give handouts to his billionaire cronies, criminals, and cop-killing insurrectionists? Trump's slush fund is corruption at its absolute worst. America has seen a lot of corruption from this administration, but this corruption--I don't think we have seen anything like it in our entire history. Trump shook hands with himself, suing his own government, and then settling the case so he could steal your tax dollars, America--all at a time when families are struggling to make ends meet amid skyrocketing costs. What do Republicans have to say? What do they have to say about this? What are our Republican colleagues saying about this god-awful slush fund? Well, after the DOJ's meek statement yesterday, one of my colleagues across the aisle said Trump's slush fund is "a moot point." A moot point? Trump's far-right radical rewards program is anything but moot. Trump and the GOP didn't suddenly find their conscience. They simply hit a temporary roadblock. If Senate Republicans are truly concerned about Trump's corruption, then prove it. Ban the slush fund by law permanently. If Republicans revisit their reconciliation bill this week, as I said, the very first amendment I will offer will be to ban Trump's slush fund permanently and revoke his family's free rein to commit tax fraud. The corruption is so grievous that toothless Republican guardrails won't cut it. Democrats won't settle for half measures. We are going to kill this slush fund permanently, and we are going to bury it and bury it deep. Mr. President, on Rubio coming to the Hill, Secretary Rubio has a lot to answer for when he testifies before the Senate today--on China, on giving kickbacks to Russia, on Ukraine, on withholding arms to Taiwan, on this administration's ridiculous rhetoric on NATO, on the disastrous gutting of foreign aid that is leaving Americans vulnerable to one infectious disease after another, on Iran, on foreign corruption. The list goes on and on and on. And today, with all these questions, all these bungles, all these terrible--terrible--missteps that hurt America--today will be the first time Marco Rubio, the National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, testifies before the American people since the start of Trump's disastrous war with Iran--first time. The war has been going on over 60 days. He is finally coming to the Hill to talk about it. Yesterday, Trump said he finds the peace negotiations with Iran "very boring." And that he "couldn't care less" if they are over. I want to tell you, Donald Trump, who cares: our troops who are in harm's way; their families; Americans across the country who are sick of paying the immense costs of this disastrous war, including paying $4.50 a gallon at the pump. Secretary Rubio needs to answer whether he cares about ending this war. I urge my colleagues as well to ask Rubio to address recent reports that the Trump administration left a loophole open for the past year and a half that allowed China to acquire, potentially, hundreds of thousands of cutting-edge American AI chips. These chips are essential to America's national security and to our economic competitiveness, but Chinese companies linked to the Chinese military have funneled them through foreign firms with seeming impunity. By failing to protect this vital technology, the Trump administration has threatened our lead in the AI race and weakened our national security. Either the Trump administration failed to identify the loophole, suggesting gross incompetence, or kept it open willfully, which is very, very dangerous. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Kuhlman nomination.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, last Monday was Memorial Day. It is a day that all around the country we honor those who gave their lives so that we can be free. Some say Memorial Day is the saddest day of the year. Our colleague Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas is a combat veteran, and he served as part of the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. He has written a book. It is a bestselling book on the New York Times Best Sellers list. It is called "Sacred Duty." In that book, he points out that Memorial Day is not the saddest; it is the most noble day of the year. They are powerful words, and they were on my mind last Monday in different cemeteries around the State of Wyoming. I started in Douglas, WY, as I always do, at 7 a.m. They do a flag-raising ceremony. They take it all the way up to the top and then bring it down to hold its final position at half-staff. Then I went to Lander, WY, to the Mount Hope Cemetery, and then joined the ceremonies in Ten Sleep, WY. These are sacred places, and each year--Memorial Day--as I travel the State, I try to talk about something I have seen happen since the last year, because in each of these cemeteries, people gather in respect and in reverence. We do this all around the country. You know, in Wyoming, I try to add a special touch to what has happened in the last year because we have tens of thousands of servicemembers and veterans and military families who serve our country, and they know what it means to serve and sacrifice on behalf of the American people. This year, I talked about SSG Tyler Pickett from Saratoga, WY. I spoke about him earlier this year on the floor. In the year 2000, 26 years ago, he enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from Saratoga High School. It was something he had looked forward to doing all of his life. He became part of the legendary 10th Mountain Division. He was deployed to Iraq. On June 8, 2008, he was killed by a suicide bomber in Kirkuk, Iraq, and the bomb, of course, was supplied by Iran. Sergeant Pickett was 28 years old. I spoke at his services in Saratoga in 2008. He was a brave and beloved son of Wyoming. It is almost 18 years to the day since Sergeant Pickett gave his life for our Nation. Earlier this year, I spoke with his mother Sheri Peterson. She is a Gold Star mother. She told me that after 18 years, she finally feels some relief in the loss of her son and the weight that her son's death has put upon the family. She said it was because now the Ayatollah Khamenei is dead, the person who is responsible for supplying the weapon that killed her son. She said: When you speak with President Trump, please tell him "thank you" from our family. This is a Gold Star mother speaking. She knows that we have a President who remembers our fallen members not only with words but by actions on behalf of our Nation. Stories like Sergeant Pickett's remind us of the cost of freedom and the debt we owe to these fallen heroes. This year is the 250th anniversary of the founding of our Nation. We are about to celebrate that 250th birthday. Exactly 1 month from today, July 2, is the anniversary of when the Continental Congress officially voted to declare our independence. The Declaration of Independence was adopted 2 days later. That is why we celebrate the Fourth of July. That is the day our Nation was born. America's central idea, the Declaration of Independence, is the root of every American idea. This is the document. This is instantly recognizable all around the world. You put it up, and people are like: Oh, there it is. In many ways, it is a work of art, it is a masterpiece, and it beautifully expresses what we as America stand for. It has set us as a nation on a course of freedom, liberty, and greatness. We don't read it enough. We really should. The central sentence is that we are "endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." "Unalienable." That single world sums up the heart of this great American experiment. It means that we the people are the source of the power, and the power is on loan from us, the people, to the government, not the other way around. Our Founding Fathers also deeply believed in a Creator. God is mentioned four separate times in this Declaration of Independence. You can't explain the majesty of this great country without the Supreme Being. The Declaration of Independence is an inspiration to every generation of American. It belongs to us--to all of us. You know, when we think about the Declaration of Independence, we think about freedom, and we think about liberty. A lot of people use those words interchangeably. They say: Oh, it is the same thing. But it is not. Freedom and liberty are not interchangeable. Their meanings are different. Freedom is the ability to think and to speak and do what we want. Liberty refers to the rights and the privileges granted and protected by our laws. Thus, the difference. I would say today, let us be worthy of our history and of our heroes and of our heritage. Let us live out the spirit of 1776. Let us carry on that spirit for the next generation. As we prepare to celebrate the 250th birthday of our Nation, I remain optimistic that our Nation's best days are ahead. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will call the roll.

The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, on March 15, 2026, I made public an FBI agent's interview statement. That agent was involved in a conspiracy called Crosswind, which was a code-named investigation into former Trump adviser Walid Phares. That statement, made under penalty of perjury, exposes widespread abuses within then-Special Counsel Mueller's operation. That operation is kind of history, but it leads us up to something more current. For example, the statement noted that multiple personnel were removed from then-Special Counsel Mueller's team because they "saw concerning things and voiced their concern"--that word "concerning" meaning they knew something wasn't right going on in Special Counsel Mueller's team investigating the whole thing about Russia's involvement in the first election of Trump. That statement--remember, that statement was made just this year--noted that former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe referred to President Trump in a derogatory manner. In other words, were they unbiased in their investigations? And I think I will show you where they weren't very unbiased in that investigation. A Justice Department attorney wanted to remove and water down McCabe's negative tone about Trump from McCabe's interview summary, so it looks to me like another coverup attempt. The statement--and again, this is an FBI agent who served on Mueller's team and was under oath when he gave this statement--noted that Mueller's right-hand man Aaron Zelinsky exhibited clear bias against President Trump. And that political infection at the top trickled down to everyone else, because this FBI agent said the Mueller team created throughout the office space characters and cartoons that were very anti-Trump. To wrap it all up in a bow, the FBI agent's statement discusses violations of security protocol, mishandling of classified information, and more potential FISA abuses. For example, one Justice Department prosecutor is alleged to have brought a classified notebook to a meeting without the proper carrying bag. This prosecutor also was alleged to have traveled from her house, which means she had stored classified information outside of a classified facility. This is the same Justice Department that prosecuted Trump for allegedly mishandling classified information. Remember, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago, all in an attempt to ruin Trump politically, financially, and, of course, with the end goal that they were hoping to put him in prison. Of course, the partisan media has neither reported these jaw-dropping findings nor the blatant and potential criminal FISA abuses. The FBI agent said the FISA on Crosswind shouldn't have been renewed, and other FBI personnel held that very same view. The agent's statement said: "As the investigation progressed, the facts that we originally thought meant one thing were learned to mean something else. Per reporting from another agency and what we learned from the investigation up to the point of the third renewal"-- Meaning the FISA renewal-- "there were no corroborating facts that tied Crosswind to certain facts that we thought were originally true." This FBI agent--again, I want to remind you that he was under oath when he gave this statement. The agent then "pointed out these specific corrections to the application"--meaning the FISA application--"in numerous instances throughout the FISA-certified copy process. This was circa 2018. I sent these edits to Kevin Clinesmith, who said, `We can't send this to DOJ."' That is the same Clinesmith who admitted to criminally altering an email connection with a FISA application during Crossfire Hurricane, which, as we all know, was yet another effort to get Trump and his associates, even if it meant breaking the law to get Trump. The FBI agent also testified about Crosswind that there were overzealous thoughts and bias that permeated the investigation and a "let's get him" attitude. Even with these known material defects and objections to filing the FISA renewal, then-Special Agent Walter Giardina "signed it as Case Agent," according to this FBI agent's statement under oath. If the statements by this FBI agent are true and accurate, the FISA application process described was a false filing intended to improperly target a known innocent person. These are criminal allegations that the Justice Department and the FBI ought to fully investigate. In fact, this FBI agent implored the FBI to do just that. This agent encouraged the FBI to get copies of the FISA and the predicating documents. This Senator asked for the same, and the government has failed to produce these important documents. And I don't know why they would be afraid to let this Senator have access to those documents, because transparency is going to bring accountability. And for the sake of justice and for the sake of exposing things that have been political weaponization in our government, they should be exposed so they don't happen again. Now, Crosswind wasn't the only investigation this FBI agent gave a statement about. So this brings us more up to more recent months, at least the recent year and a half. The agent also discussed the known defects of the case against Trump adviser Tom Barrack. The agent said the "get someone" attitude that led to the FISA renewal and search warrants also led to the investigation of Tom Barrack. The agent's statement noted that these matters "relate to ethical dilemmas." The FBI agent further stated that "there was no authority for the [Special Counsel's Office] to open a case on Tom Barrack." Even the FBI Washington Field Office had, at that point in time, declined to open a case on Barrack, and yet this FBI agent said: "Giardina didn't want to open a case on Barrack but wanted to keep people happy." So you do illegal things just to keep people happy. That is not right. And the fact that we have this FBI agent's statement to verify all of the wrongdoing that went on in this whole process, that is obviously no basis to criminally investigate anyone. What the Biden Justice Department and the FBI did to Barrack and his staffer Matthew Grimes is worthy of note as another lesson of what the government should not do. Barrack gave an interview to the government way back in December 2017 and June 2019. Grimes also gave interviews. It appears they cooperated. Then, years later--4 years later and 2 years later in another instance--the Biden administration Justice Department, in July 2021, decided to indict both Barrack and Grimes for acting as an agent of a foreign government, for obstruction, and for false statements. They were arrested by more than 20 Federal agents going to their homes. At first, the government asked that Grimes not be given bail. The government said that he was a flight risk, among other things. Grimes, a 22- and 23-year-old at the time the crimes were alleged to have occurred, was detained for 5 days and eventually released--can you believe this?--on $5 million bond. Barrack's bond was set--can you believe this?--at $250 million, even though he had no criminal record. Barrack and Grimes took their fight to a jury trial, and the jury acquitted Barrack on all nine counts. Grimes was acquitted of the two counts against him. So I would like to share three quotes from that trial. During the trial, the judge told the government:

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I mean, I've had patent cases that I tried involving algorithms that were easier for the jury to figure out than this one is going to be.

Then a further quote from the judge also said, about some of the government's theories in the case, that they "were right in line between barely permissible inference and impermissible speculation." And then there is the third, and last, quote from an alternate juror, who stated publicly after the verdict:

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I thought much of the prosecution's evidence was very misleading and misrepresented the truth.

So that is what you have with political weaponization going on in the American Government. So now, to sum up, year after year, my investigative work has exposed the overt bias by Federal law enforcement against Republicans. Here, the same political government Agencies were involved in Crosswind, the Barrack case, and Crossfire Hurricane. These cases went nowhere. My Democratic colleagues never raised a finger about any of these abuses. My Democratic colleagues did the opposite and went on partisan television every day, falsely claiming crimes occurred. And you can see from what I have said today and what the FBI's statements--the agents' statements--say, that there was no crime. But it appears the real crimes were committed by the Biden-Harris government investigators. Now, bringing this today, and the responsibility of President Trump's administration, it is clear that this administration has a responsibility to fully investigate these matters. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy)

The Senator from Montana.

Steve Daines (R-MT)

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 5 minutes before the scheduled rollcall vote.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Steve Daines (R-MT)

Mr. President, today, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of confirming Katie Lane to serve as the next judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. I have known Katie a long time. In fact, she attended kindergarten through 12th grade in my hometown of Bozeman. In fact, we went to the same high school. I was a little ahead of her. We are both Bozeman High Hawks. She spent her childhood summers skiing, camping, and hiking, which instilled in her a deep and profound love of the Treasure State and the values that truly make it the "Last Best Place." But then she went on to do even bigger things. She went on to attend George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where she graduated with highest honors. She then clerked at both the trial and appellate levels of the Federal judiciary for two Federal judges. She returned to Montana to serve as the deputy solicitor general under Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, from 2021 to 2023. During her time in Helena, Katie worked zealously to defend Montana's laws and challenge Federal overreach. She litigated cases in both State and Federal courts on issues important to Montanans, including defending the Second Amendment, multiple land use and grazing rights cases, as well as defending Montana's coal industry. As Montanans know well, Federal judges play a critical role in our daily lives. For many years, we have dealt with an activist judiciary that repeatedly rules against the interests of Montanans. That is why it is essential we pick principled, thoughtful jurists who are committed to upholding the Constitution and making decisions based on the rule of law, not on personal politics or viewpoints. With this in mind, Senator Sheehy and I are confident that Katie is the right choice to serve Montana as our next Federal judge. Her values are rooted in Montana and grounded in the Constitution. Katie's distinguished record of public service and experience in both the Federal and State judiciaries makes her well-qualified to serve on the Federal bench. I am confident she will be fairminded; she will be principled; and she will bring honor, decency, integrity and--let's face it--a lot of smarts to the bench. I cannot recommend Katie highly enough, and I urge my colleagues to vote today to confirm her without delay.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Lane nomination?

Gary C. Peters (D-MI)

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second.

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

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet) is necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 46, as follows:

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Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy 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 Moran Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young Alsobrooks Baldwin 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 Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden Bennet Rounds

The nomination was confirmed. (Mrs. CAPITO assumed the Chair.) (Mr. SHEEHY assumed the Chair.)

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Armstrong)

Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Cloture Motion

Pages S2487–S2488 · 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 legislative 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, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of Executive Calendar No. 743, Jeffrey M. Kuhlman, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. John Thune, Tim Sheehy, Pete Ricketts, Mike Rounds, John Barrasso, Ted Budd, Jim Banks, Rick Scott of Florida, Todd Young, David McCormick, Shelley Moore Capito, Jerry Moran, Jon A. Husted, John Boozman, Mike Crapo, Katie Boyd Britt, Eric Schmitt.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

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 nomination of Jeffrey M. Kuhlman, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas, shall be brought to a close? The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.

The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant executive clerk called the roll.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet) is necessarily absent. The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 52, nays 46, as follows:

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Executive Calendar

Page S2488 · Official text

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The clerk will report the nomination.

The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Jeffrey M. Kuhlman, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas.

Nomination of Jeffrey M. Kuhlman (Executive Calendar)

Page S2488 · Official text

Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Jeffrey M. Kuhlman to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Mr. Kuhlman has only practiced law for 9 years, focusing primarily on the defense of government entities and employees. In one case, Mr. Kuhlman represented five juvenile detention officers who held 17-year-old Cedric Lofton in a prone position for nearly 40 minutes. Cedric, a child in foster care who was experiencing a mental health crisis, went into cardiac arrest and died. Mr. Kuhlman claimed that the wrongful death suit should be dismissed because Cedric's death was his fault, arguing: "He only died because he was fighting and because he was in an air deficit." Mr. Kuhlman blamed a minor in the midst of a mental health crisis for his own death. I asked Mr. Kuhlman whether he regretted any arguments he made during this litigation. He responded with an unequivocal, "No." Of Mr. Kuhlman's top 10 most significant cases, 4 involved representing law enforcement officers accused of using excessive force. In responses to written questions, he confirmed that he has never represented individuals harmed by law enforcement using excessive force. During his hearing, I asked Mr. Kuhlman about his work representing the Marion County Commission, County Sheriff and a sheriff's deputy in a lawsuit after local law enforcement raided the offices of the Marion County Record and related properties in August 2023. The incident received national news coverage and raised freedom of press concerns. The county paid the Record's publisher a $3 million settlement and provided a formal apology. During his hearing, Mr. Kuhlman said that he worked on several cases he believed received unfair media coverage. In light of these statements and his prior work on the Marion County Record case, I asked Mr. Kuhlman in written questions to identify those cases and explain why he believed the coverage was unfair. He declined to respond because he felt "it would be improper to comment on news coverage from media outlets because . . . [there] may be instances where media outlets are involved in litigation in the District of Kansas." Apparently, it is appropriate for Mr. Kuhlman to claim that some of the cases he worked on received unfair media coverage during his hearing, but it is inappropriate for him to identify those cases and explain why he believed the coverage was unfair in written questions. I find this to be conveniently evasive. For these reasons, I will oppose Mr. Kuhlman's nomination.

Recess

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

Under the previous order, the Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m.

Thereupon, the Senate, at 1:03 p.m., recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassembled when called to order by the Presiding Officer (Mrs. Moody).

Vote on Kuhlman Nomination (Executive Calendar)

Page S2488 · Official text

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Kuhlman nomination?

Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL)

I ask for the yeas and nays.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second.

The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant executive clerk called the roll.

The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds).

I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet) is necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 52, nays 46, as follows:

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The nomination was confirmed.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Banks)

Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Illinois.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Executive Calendar)

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Mr. President, do you remember when the ICE agents were in the city of Chicago? I can't forget it. Things were happening in the city I am honored to represent I had never seen before. We had these people who were kind of in uniform, but not really, wearing masks, carrying guns, and they were pursuing "the worst of the worst." They were looking for rapists, murderers, terrorists, the criminally insane, child predators, on and on. And they certainly were looking for people who came into the United States and didn't have legal immigration status. They frightened a community in a way that I had never seen before. People in parts of Chicago who had lived there peacefully, quietly, without any problem for years reached the point where they were afraid to go to the grocery store. They stopped going to church. They didn't know what was next for the ICE agents. They patrolled the streets. They went after individuals. They arrested some. They detained others. There is one scene that is still in my memory. The scene was when they decided that there was someone living in a home who was an illegal person, they crashed down the front door and broke it down. They took this man out of the shower. They wrapped a towel, bathrobe around him, and took him off to be arrested. Turned out he was an American citizen. He had committed no crime. They were just wrong. And people said: Wait a minute. You mean the ICE agents can crash down my front door? They didn't have a warrant from a court or anything to authorize it. They just did it. "Can you do that in America," people were asking. It is a basic question. It is not clear, the answer, if you look at the conduct of this administration when it comes to the ICE operations. There is one thing that is clear: this little book called "The United States Constitution." Let me read you a section of it when it comes to your right as an American. Fourth Amendment:

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The right of the people to be secure in their persons, [homes], papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Bill of rights, fundamental to who we are as Americans. Something we take for granted. It is my home. You are not coming into my home unless you have got some judge that has approved it and you have gone through the right process. You can't decide, just because you are wearing a badge, to crash down my front door. Well, we have an interesting debate going on this week in the U.S. Senate that goes right to the heart of that amendment, the Fourth Amendment. Later this week we are expected to consider legislation to reauthorize a rather obscure area of the law, section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. What is this FISA all about? It is all about 9/11. I have been around the Senate for a few years, and I can remember the tragedy of 9/11, the thousands of Americans who lost their lives and the fear we had as to what was next, our determination to keep our country safe. I am proud to be a Democrat, but I will tell you I think President George W. Bush, a Republican, handled that tragedy in a superb way. He led our Nation in a time when we needed leadership. He made it clear to us and said words that I still recall, that this war on terrorism was not going to be a war against the religion of Islam. He said it was a peaceful religion. I remember that pronouncement he made because it was considered to be courageous, politically courageous, for him to say that the group that attacked us, their religion should not be held against them. I am not going to dwell on that, although I do want to salute President George W. Bush again for his courage in leading us in that moment. But we decided also that we weren't going to be attacked again. No. We are going to prepare ourselves. We are going to defend ourselves. We are going to create Agencies of our government that have the authority, the power, and the resources to keep us safe. Never again; no 9/11. And so we created a brandnew structure of intelligence Agencies in America. I have been in Congress for a number of years, familiar with the old way we did things, served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. It was going to be a new day, a new organization, and we were going to do everything we can to make sure that 9/11 never happened again. We created the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and that basically said: We are going to listen to and hear and pay attention to our enemies. We are going to stop them before they hit us. Most Americans would say: Good. That is why we elected you. For years, Congress--although despite this--has avoided confronting a fundamental flaw at the heart of our surveillance authority. Under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the government collects communications of foreigners--foreigners--overseas without a warrant from any court. But, in the process, the government, unfortunately, over the years collects millions of communications of innocent Americans--people they are not authorized to surveil. Once collected, the government can search these communications without a warrant from any court. So here we have this question about the possession of your privacy as an American citizen being assaulted by your government, despite that Fourth Amendment. Every American needs to understand that this law, which I referred to, allows the government to listen to your phone calls, read your private messages that have been collected under section 702. The government does all that without any court approval. They are not breaking down your front door; they are listening on your phone. This is a fundamental flaw that I have worked to change for a long time. And over and over again, every administration--both political parties--said: Senator, don't lose any sleep. It is just a little problem. We will take care of it. But the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on warrantless searches is not an optional decision by the government. That Fourth Amendment is a core safeguard of liberty guaranteed by our Constitution. Every single Member of the Senate--Democrats, Republicans--raised their hand and took an oath. What was that oath all about? To uphold and defend this little book. As detailed in a recent report by the nonpartisan Brennan Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the National Security Agency have abused section 702 for years--years. These abuses, according to the FISA Court, have been "persistent and widespread." The government itself has reported hundreds of thousands of unlawful searches using this authority. In other words, 702 is directed toward foreigners, remember? They are using it against Americans. They are collecting information about people who are not even covered by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As further detailed in the Brennan Center report, the government has used section 702 to spy unlawfully on many people. Whom have they spied on? Members of Congress, congressional staff, judges, journalists, protestors, political donors, even women on dating apps. Go figure. That is going to make us safer in America? Past attempts at reform have not solved the problem, and I have been at this for many years. As the Brennan Center explained, "The current system of section 702 oversight relies almost entirely on the executive branch self-policing to prevent, detect, and report abuses." In other words, the fox is watching the chicken coop. That is a flawed system under any administration. Under this administration, it is especially alarming. The FISA Court has already raised concerns about how this Trump administration is using the powers that I have described to you this afternoon. But the Trump administration is keeping the latest opinion of the court secret from the American people. I have seen it. I invite every Member of the Senate to go and see it. I am not going to betray anything that is secret or confidential, but I guarantee you that if you will take time out of your busy schedule to go down to what we call the SCIF to order up a copy of a document--I won't be any more specific--and take the time--it will take you a little time to read it, your opinion of the role of FISA and the rights of Americans will be impacted for sure. We can't wait to fix 702. Now is the time to do it. Now is the time to say we can have both liberty and security. I credit my colleague from Oregon Ron Wyden, who came up with that phrase, and it says it all. Can we be safe in America and still be free? Is it possible? I think it is. This issue is even more urgent because of the Trump administration's disregard for the rule of law. The question before Congress is whether we will grant warrantless surveillance authority to President Trump and MAGA loyalists like FBI Director Kash Patel and the new--announced today--Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte for the rest of this administration. I am not going to go into the suggestion of Mr. Pulte to head our intelligence Agencies. I will simply just say: totally unqualified. The current administration has repeatedly targeted political opponents. We have seen it all across the board, including former Fed Chair Jerome Powell, former FBI Director James Comey, and New York attorney general Letitia James. It has attacked independent institutions like the Privacy and Civil Liberties Board. I know that because I had a hand in creating it. We said if there is going to be all of this surveillance going after enemies of the United States, let us make sure there is a Board of five people who will be watching these activities and reporting the excesses to Congress if changes need to be made. What did the Trump administration do to the five-member Privacy and Civil Liberties Board I just described? They removed the three Democrats on the Board so it couldn't function. The courts have a responsibility here as well. They fired career law enforcement officials and public servants at the FBI and the Department of Justice. They have cleaned shop. These people would have been responsible that a program like 702 be lawful and nonpartisan. They are gone, removed by this administration--so the watchdogs that we built into the system to make sure that no President, no administration, goes too far in the exercise of their responsibilities and duties. Yes, we want a safe America, but, yes, we want it to be a lawful country too. We want it to abide by the Constitution, and those of us who swore an oath to uphold and defend it have the first responsibility. In the hands of a government that has treated the Constitution as an afterthought, Congress should not place blind trust in the hands of an administration which clearly can use this surveillance power for political purposes. It is not hard to imagine what this President and his handpicked FBI Director Kash Patel could do with unchecked surveillance powers. Are my fears of Mr. Patel warranted? Read his words, his own book that he wrote about his view of government. And just for convenience, he provides not an index but a list of his political enemies--his political enemies. Now, this man is the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has the power of the surveillance, which I have described to you. Trust him? It is not hard to imagine why this President chose him for political reasons. What happens when the administration uses section 702 to spy on Americans, perhaps those who protested the murder of two innocent people in Minneapolis during the ICE raids? They used to spy on Black Lives Matters protestors. Is it hard to imagine that they would extend that to those who question the masked ICE agents' activity? What happens if journalists have their texts and phone calls snooped on because they dare to report controversial news about this administration's misconduct? Any Member of Congress who wants to ensure there are checks on this out-of-control administration should not vote to reauthorize the authority of 702 without meaningful guardrails. I want 702 to continue to be strong, to be legal, to be constitutional. We can make it such.

SAFE Act (Executive Calendar)

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Mr. President, fortunately, Congress does not need to choose between protecting national security and preserving Americans' constitutional rights. We can do both. As Senator Wyden said, we can have liberty and security. That is why I went along with my Republican colleague from Utah Senator Mike Lee. We have introduced a bill called the SAFE Act, which would reauthorize section 702 with basic, practical safeguards to protect privacy and civil liberties. Specifically, our bill would require the government to obtain a judicial warrant before accessing the contents of Americans' texts, emails, phone calls, and other private communications, with notable exceptions for emergencies and special circumstances. That is exactly what we believe the Constitution requires of us because the Founders, rightly, understood that no administration should be given a blank check to invade a citizen's privacy without the oversight of an independent judge, without the protection of the Fourth Amendment. Some argue there is simply not enough time to enact significant reforms before section 702 expires. They are wrong. This is a perennial claim every time this debate rolls around. I have heard it over and over: Gosh, it is a shame we can't correct the mess of 702, but we have got to move on for other important business. Even if the authority temporarily lapses, which I don't believe it will, the surveilling program can continue under existing law, as it has in the past. The time to finally protect Americans from warrantless surveilling under section 702 is now, not later--not next time, now with this Congress and this Constitution. We have heard false promises too many times before. And with power in the hands of this President, we just can't afford to wait any longer. If Congress cannot protect Americans' constitutional rights under these circumstances, when will it do it? I oppose the reauthorization of warrantless surveillance powers under FISA section 702 without guardrails to better protect the privacy of Americans. I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Indiana.

Border Security (Executive Calendar)

Pages S2490–S2491 · Official text

Todd Young (R-IN)

Mr. President, I cannot be the only Member of this body to notice that several words and phrases are used a lot less on the Senate floor these days. Among those words and phrases are "open borders," "illegal crossings," "catch-and-release," and "migration surges." You see, these terms have been dropped from our debates and are no longer in the news because President Trump and Republicans in Congress helped largely close the border--close the border to illegal immigrants. With support from this President and this Republican Congress, our law enforcement personnel ceased catch-and-release and stopped the record migration surges. This--this--is what the American people elected us to do: to end the chaos at the southern border and block the flow of illegal immigrants into our communities. And we did these things so effectively, it has almost gone unnoticed. Of course, there were some Members who denied there was a crisis in the first place. There were all sorts of commentators who decided to look the other way. The numbers from one administration to the next tell a different story, though. Let's revisit those numbers. From 2021 to 2024, over 10 million illegal immigrants crossed the southern border, and this was by design. You see, President Joe Biden paused deportations. He laxed requirements for asylum seekers. He ended construction of a border wall. If you go down there today, you see remnants of it. He suspended "Remain in Mexico." The previous administration created an influx of illegal immigrants and, in the process, endangered public safety and taxed resources in communities along and far from the border. These policies also undermined Americans' faith in legal immigration. They undermined faith in legal immigration. Yes, my constituents understand we are a nation of immigrants, but our faith was shaken because the previous administration prioritized lawbreakers over those who wished to come to America legally and embrace our values. As soon as he was inaugurated, President Trump increased the number of troops along the southern border. He began deporting illegal immigrants, and he reinstated "Remain in Mexico." And Republicans in Congress, we did our part too. In the Big Beautiful Bill passed by this Congress and signed into law by President Trump a year ago, we increased resources to secure the border and to combat drug smuggling and human trafficking across the Nation. The bill contained funding for additional Border Patrol agents. As a result, the screening and vetting of illegal immigrants increased markedly. And we increased funding for the Department of Justice, and that enabled the hiring of additional immigration judges to clear out the backlog of asylum cases. Now, today, the results speak for themselves. These numbers are compelling. They are breathtaking. In November 2024, there were 106,333 reported border encounters. In January 2025, the number dropped to 61,465. Think about that. From November 2024 to January 2025, the number dropped from over 106,000 to 61,000. It was down to 8,000--8,326 to be exact--by the next month. And a year later, in April 2026, apprehensions on the southern border were 94 percent lower than the monthly average during the Biden administration presidency. Imagine that: 94 percent lower. What about the seizure of drugs? The seizure of drugs--cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana--has increased, by weight, 60 percent--60 percent--since just April of 2024. And we just marked an entire year of zero releases at the southern border. Now, a nation that does not control its borders--that cannot enforce its laws--is a nation that willingly surrenders its sovereignty or, as Ronald Reagan once put it:

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A nation that cannot control its borders is not truly a nation.

Todd Young (R-IN)

Abandoning our right to determine who participates in that process--indiscriminately allowing all comers to enter our country--it endangers our citizens, it burdens our taxpayers, and it makes a mockery of the rule of law. It is also dangerous to the immigrants themselves, many of whom perish on their way to our southern border. Americans realized this, even if some of their leaders did not. And this is why President Trump and congressional Republicans acted with a bias for action so that we might end the border crisis. And how can you tell? The relative silence in the mainstream media and on this floor from many of our Democratic colleagues tells you all you need to know. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Senator from Minnesota.

C-SPAN2 (Executive Calendar)

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Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Mr. President, today we mark 40 years since C-SPAN began its coverage of the U.S. Senate, bringing the work of this body directly into people's living rooms. It doesn't seem very radical right now. We are all used to it. But back then, it was revolutionary. C-SPAN's commitment to providing a crucial connection between the U.S. Senate and the people we serve has remained strong ever since that day 40 years ago. That commitment can be seen in the incredible volume of coverage since June 2, 1986, when C-SPAN2 was born. And the presiding officer on that late spring day? Senator Chuck Grassley. Altogether, C-SPAN2 has recorded more than 43,000 hours of Senate sessions, capturing more than 169,000 Senate floor speeches--169,000. These recordings have preserved the voices of 359 different Senators, including 185 Republicans and 167 Democrats and 7 Independents. These hours include memorable moments like that of Senator Bob Dole on that first day of televised coverage, saying, "No longer will the great debates in this Chamber be lost forever"; of then-Senator Tom Harkin, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, closing his farewell speech in American sign language; or of the Dalai Lama serving as the Senate guest Chaplain in 2014. All of those moments would have been lost to history, but they were captured by C-SPAN. As we celebrate these last four decades of coverage in the Senate, think back to 1986. Prince, whom we sadly lost 10 years ago, had recently released his eighth album, "Parade"; the film "Top Gun" was released; and, yes, the Bemidji State Beavers of Bemidji, MN, won the Division III men's ice hockey national championship. But back then, Senators were hesitant to embrace C-SPAN2--the lighting wasn't great in those first few years--but they eventually came around to see this great asset to our democracy for what it is: a way to shine the light on the work in the Senate and a way for Americans, whether they agree with us or not, to stay up to date on what is happening. When there are big votes or big debates going on, people tune in or they see the clips and the coverage later. It is not just the people who are able to come to Washington--as exciting as that is--to sit in the Chamber, as some people are doing today, but what this does is extend it to everyone. Last year, on its 39th birthday, Senator Grassley and I passed a resolution celebrating all that C-SPAN2 had accomplished. In our resolution, we urged all television providers, including streamers, to carry C-SPAN because we need to make sure that access to C-SPAN keeps up with changing technologies so that every household in America can see their elected Representatives--the work they do, the positions they take, the votes they make. Since our resolution passed, YouTube TV and Hulu have begun carrying C-SPAN on their platforms. Now we need to extend that beyond. C-SPAN's live coverage across multiple platforms continues to keep the American people informed and keep them engaged with their democracy. Thank you again to Senator Grassley for working with me to highlight C-SPAN's critical role, and thanks to him for presiding over the Senate on that first day of coverage 40 years ago. I am sure he doesn't look one bit different today. And thanks to everyone who has had a hand in C-SPAN's continuing, important role in our democracy over the last 40 years. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Curtis)

The Senator from Louisiana.

Department of Homeland Security (Executive Calendar)

Pages S2491–S2492 · Official text

John Kennedy (R-LA)

Mr. President, we both know that there are people in Washington who like to muddy the water to make it look deep. They don't want the American people to know the truth because, for these people to which I am referring, truth is a concept that does not interest them. Politics does. Now, there has been a lot of controversy in and around the U.S. Senate for the last 2 weeks. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that the Senate has been functioning like a broken arm with the bone sticking out. That is not anybody's fault, in my judgment, on my side of the aisle. It is certainly not the majority leader's fault. So I want to try to refocus us on the issue. I don't really want to talk about the ballroom or the Anti-Weaponization Fund or any of the myriad of issues that my Democratic friends tried to inject into our discussion. I want to talk about the issue, and the issue is this: Are we going to fund the Department of Homeland Security, or are we not? Part of DHS, as we call it, as you know, Mr. President, is funded. But a very important part is not: the Border Patrol and ICE. We are paying them as best we can out of another pool of funds that is about to run out of money. Why are they not funded? Because my Democratic colleagues have refused. At one point my Democratic friends agreed to fund Border Patrol and ICE. And then they changed their minds, and they said: No, we are not going to do it, which forced Republicans, if we want to see that portion of DHS funded, to proceed under what we call reconciliation where we don't need Democratic votes. I regret that that is the case, but we are doing what we have to do. Why are we having this controversy? I don't get it completely. I don't. Unless you are industrial-strength stupid, you know that illegal immigration is illegal. And that is what our Border Patrol agents and ICE agents do--they enforce the law. And we have a problem with respect to immigration. During the Biden administration, with the encouragement of some--not all, but with the encouragement of some but not all Democrats, open the borders. They said: Come on in. And about 8 to 12 million--some say 20 million--people did. Some of them were good people and are good people. They are still breaking the law. Some of them who are here are not. They are rapists and they are murderers and they are sex traffickers and they are drug dealers and they are pedophiles. We don't know which is which. We don't know where they are. And it falls to the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security, in part through Border Patrol and ICE, to find out. Now, why did this happen? Why do we now need Border Patrol and ICE more than ever? You know, I have thought about that a lot. It could be just pure, plain vanilla incompetence. It could be that the people that President Biden put in charge of immigration and securing the border were not qualified to play dead in a western movie. It also could be, and could have been, intentional. I think some of my Democratic friends--not all of them. I am talking the Platner wing of the Democratic Party, the Mayor Mamdani wing of the Democratic Party, the Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez wing of the Democratic Party, the wing of the Democratic Party that is in control--some of them believe that vetting people at the border is racist. They do. It doesn't matter that every other country in the world vets people at their border. These members of the--whatever you want to call it--progressive wing, loon wing, woketopus wing--whatever you want to call that wing of the Democratic Party, they think that vetting people at the border is racist. There are other folks who support open borders for political reasons. I think they honestly think that if they admit a bunch of people into America in violation of the immigration laws or not, that it is a rich source of potential voters. We are not supposed to say that, but I really do believe that. Not much happens around here that doesn't have a political bent to it. But regardless, we have a problem, and that is what we have to deal with. And that is what we are going to be voting on, I hope, in the next couple of days. If you disagree with the law--this is America. You are entitled to disagree with it. I get it. Try to change it. Go change it. But you can't just ignore our immigration laws. They are not some second-tier statutes that you can ignore without consequence, that you can ignore when you think it is convenient. They are the law, and we have to enforce the law. And more to the point, we have to clean up the mess that President Biden and some of my Democratic colleagues in the Platner wing, the Ocasio-Cortez wing, the Mamdani wing--whatever you want to call those Democrats who created it. And more even to that point, we have to have Border Patrol and ICE officers to do it. We have to. The other point I would make: We see the pushback by this wing of my Democratic friends' party. We see what is going on in New Jersey. It is despicable. Look, you have the right to protest. That is as American as the NFL or baseball. You have the right to protest. You don't have the right to protest violently. And what we have seen at the Delaney Hall detention center: We have seen ICE officers and some Border Patrol officers; we have seen the protestors cursing at them and spitting at them and threatening their families and hitting them and scratching them and biting them and blocking ingress and egress in and out of the detention center. They are breaking the law, and they have been arrested. I think the Border Patrol and ICE and the State law enforcement officials in New Jersey have shown a lot of restraint. But what the protestors did--not all of them--was illegal. It was illegal. You can't hit a cop just because you don't like him. And here is a free tip. I know you know this, Mr. President. Most Border Patrol agents, most ICE agents, most cops, they will leave you alone unless you do illegal stuff. But if you do illegal stuff, they are going to enforce the law. So let me end as I began. We need to vote to fund Border Patrol and ICE. These men and women are running out of money. I am sorry that my Democratic colleagues have taken the position that they want to defund ICE. They have every right to believe that. I am sorry that they have taken the position they want to defund the Border Patrol. My Democratic friends have every right to believe that, but they are wrong. I have the right to my opinion. And if they don't want to fund them, they need to go change the immigration laws. Until then, we have got to enforce them, and we are going to have the chance here in the next couple days. And all we are going to be voting on--you are going to see all kinds of amendments and talking about everything in the world. All we will be voting on: Do we or do we not want to fund Border Patrol and ICE? Do we or do we not want to enforce America's immigration laws in accordance with due process and the rule of law? And that is the issue that is going to be before us. And I am ready to saddle up and ride. I am ready to get to it. I am tired of all the rhetoric and the tangential issues. I am tired of all that. Let's get after it. Let's do the right thing. I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

The majority leader.

Legislative Session

Page S2492 · Official text

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Haskell Free Library and Opera House

Page S2492 · Official text

Peter Welch (D-VT)

Mr. President, on June 10, Vermont and Canada will come together to celebrate the inauguration of a new entryway on the Canadian side of the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a building that straddles the U.S.-Canada border. For 200 years, Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec, have functioned as one community. Citizens of the United States and Canada--but born in the same hospital, colleagues in the same factory, and teammates on the same sports teams. They even drink the same water. They also shared the same cultural center, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. A surveyor's error in 1771 mistakenly mapped the border between Quebec and Vermont roughly \3/4\ mile north of the 45th parallel, and the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 finalized the physical coordinates, cementing the original surveying error in place, somewhat arbitrarily dividing properties and roads between the U.S. and Canada. For over a century, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has stood as a symbol of lasting goodwill and mutual friendship. Since 1903, this small but mighty beacon of bi-nationalism has been welcoming people in from both sides of the border with nothing more than a strip of black tape on the floor to demarcate the international border, allowing both Canadian and U.S. citizens to enter the library through the U.S. door in Derby Line, VT. Where else can you see a theater production in which much of the audience is seated in one country, while the performers onstage are in another? While it has been a challenging period of shared history that brought us to this moment, we celebrate the continuation of the library's commitment to continue sharing municipal services and resources such as this one, just as Martha Stewart Haskell had originally envisioned. The municipalities of Stanstead and Derby Line, located in Quebec and Vermont, are committed to community collaboration in all of its forms. June 10 will be a celebration of what we here in the Northeast do best: embrace community, and embrace collaboration--especially between neighbors. Thank you to all of the members of this very special bilateral community who are working together to help make this happen.

Remembering Prince Rogers Nelson

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Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of the late artist and musician Prince Rogers Nelson. A global legend, a Minnesota icon, Minnesota's Purple North Star, Prince was a once in a generation talent from the moment he stepped on stage for the very first time. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Prince rooted his life and work in Minnesota, building his home and studio Paisley Park just 20 minutes southwest of Minneapolis. Prince filmed various scenes from his iconic film "Purple Rain" in the city and pioneered the "Minneapolis Sound" in the late 1970s and 1980s that influenced music for decades to come. It was that sound, and Prince's remarkable voice and vision, that propelled him to historic heights. He sold 39 studio albums and 150 million records worldwide. Prince won seven Grammys, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year he was eligible. Throughout his extraordinary life, Prince always called Minnesota home. He wrote a song about the Minnesota Vikings, appropriately titled "Purple and Gold." In 2015, when the Minnesota Lynx won their third WNBA championship, he held a concert at Paisley Park. And just a few days before his passing, Prince hosted a dance party there and made a brief appearance. Prince envisioned that Paisley Park would be open to the public one day and now, as a museum, recording studio, live music venue, event space, and education organization, Paisley Park is dedicated to fulfilling that dream and keeping Prince's memory alive and connected to his hometown. As we continue to mourn his loss, we also continue to celebrate his life, his legacy, and his music. This year's 10th anniversary celebration in the Twin Cities brings together people from around the world and from all walks of life to celebrate the contributions and impact that Prince had on the community. Like most Minnesotans and Americans, I remember listening to Prince for the very first time. His talent and creativity changed music forever, and he will forever be missed. So today, I rise to honor Prince and his legacy as we mark Minnesota's 10-year celebration.

Recognizing Utah's Appointees to the Service Academies

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Mike Lee (R-UT)

Mr. President, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize 17 exemplary men and women who are among the best and brightest that Utah has to offer. These individuals have answered the call to service and have received appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy. As a member of Congress, it is my privilege under title 10 of the U.S. Code, to nominate a number of young men and women to these iconic service academies. But receiving a congressional nomination does not guarantee acceptance. To be admitted, each applicant must meet--on his or her own merits--the academies' rigorous standards. I am happy to report that each individual has done this and more. They have demonstrated impressive mental and physical aptitude. Perhaps more importantly, they have shown their high moral character and capacity for leadership, courage, honesty, prudence, and self-discipline. They maintain a steadfast commitment to serve and stand up for our country. I can say without hesitation that you would be hard pressed to find a more accomplished, talented, patriotic group of American citizens anywhere. They will be a credit to our Nation as they begin their journeys in Colorado Springs, Kings Point, West Point, and Annapolis. I look forward to seeing what they accomplish in their academic years and beyond. It is my honor to recognize and congratulate these fine Utahns in the U.S. Senate:

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Rieder N. Birch will be attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point after graduating from Park City High School. He earned the AP Scholar with Distinction Award for his high number of AP classes and excellent test scores. He was a member of the National Honor Society, Fly Fishing Club, Youth Group Bible Study, and Especially for Athletes where he was an officer. He played lacrosse for the high school team and a local club team. He worked on a local mayoral campaign, coached lacrosse, and was a counselor at Basin Recreation Camp. Sebastian William Bodily accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. A 2025 graduate of Park City High School, Sebastian has successfully spent this year at the Naval Academy Preparatory School. In high school, Sebastian was captain of the football and track & field teams, where he held multiple state and school records. He helped his fellow students in the Hope Squad and was vice president of the Investment Club. He has followed his Marine father's advice in life's challenges to "adapt and overcome." Matthew Jackson Cernyar will join the cadets and his brother at the Air Force Academy. He prepared for the academy by taking a large number of AP and concurrent enrollment classes while maintaining straight A's. At Wasatch High School he served as president of HOSA, and vice president of both Turning Point USA and the Let's go to the Moon Club. He was on the wrestling team, track & field team, and captain of the cross country team. Jack worked with special needs students as a peer tutor and through his church's ministry. Ayaan Garg will be joining his brother at the U.S. Naval Academy. The Providence Hall High School graduate was a member of the Navy Junior ROTC where he served in several leadership positions and earned the NJROTC Student of the Year Award three times. He played on the tennis team and ran on the cross country team. Ayaan was the Service Officer for the National Honor Society, the Health and Ecology Instructor for a Youthlinc humanitarian trip to India, and the Mayor Pro-Temp on the Lehi Youth City Council. Jacob Nicholas Hamblin, a graduate of Corner Canyon High School, will be attending the Air Force Academy. Jacob stayed busy in high school with both academics and sports. He took a number of AP classes while maintaining straight A's. He was captain of the high school swim and mountain bike teams. Both sports prepare him to compete in triathlons where he won the U.S. National Off-Road Championship. Jacob is inspired by his father's service in the Army Reserves and Utah National Guard to always be his best. Mei Li Han will be joining the cadets of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point after studying this last year at the University of Utah and interning in my Washington, DC office. She graduated from Park City High School where she was captain of the mountain bike team and president of the National Honor Society. She was a member of the Park City Ski and Snowboard and Ski Mountaineering teams. She also found time to take fourteen AP classes, participate in orchestra, and complete the U.S. Senate Youth Program. Marshall Stephen Huber will be attending the Air Force Academy after graduating from Brighton High School. He was a captain of the track & field team and the football team. He earned the 5A Offensive Lineman of the Year, First Team All-State, and Scholar Athlete of the Year awards in football. Marshall was a member of Especially for Athletes and served on the Leadership Council. In addition to being a leader on the field, he leads his peers as they work together to clean elementary schools, and is an example to his siblings. Isabel Avery Illian, from Cedar City, chose to accept an appointment to the Air Force Academy. Her time at SUCCESS Academy, a charter school tied to Southern Utah University, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA, prepared her well for an academy. She earned team and state honors on the track & field and cross country teams. Izzy plays viola for the Symphonic orchestra and Orchestra of Southern Utah. She achieved a Superior Rating in the State Viola Solo and Ensemble competition. She also volunteered at an elementary school with kindergarten and first grade students. Keira Marie Jones worked hard to prepare for the Naval Academy and is sure to have received good advice from her brother. The gymnastics standout graduated from Springville High School with a 4.0 GPA and a challenging academic courseload. As vice president of the senior class, president of the National Honor Society, and an officer in the Key Club, Keira led numerous service projects and completed over 95 hours of service herself that included repainting park benches, making comfort kits, and working at the local food bank. Ellen Renee Kennedy graduated from Waterford School and has been attending the University of Utah. She has accepted an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. An academy graduate inspired her to find meaning and purpose, so she is taking her talents to the Army. She served in student government and volunteered with animal shelters and the Park West Bees. She was captain of the volleyball team and most valuable player on both the high school and club teams. She was the assistant coach of a high school team during college. Caden Roger Kerrigan will follow his grandfathers into the Navy, having accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. From Draper, he graduated from Juan Diego Catholic High School where he took a high number of AP classes, was awarded the AP Scholar Award, and represented his school at Boys State. Caden has been recognized as a natural leader--as captain of the wrestling team, coach for both wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, a sports referee, supervisor at multiple jobs, and older brother to his siblings. Preston Callister Lang will join the midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy after graduating from Snow Canyon High School. Preston is a straight-A student who scored a 36 composite on his ACT has prepared himself both academically and physically for the academy. He was captain of the wrestling team and represented Utah three times in the U.S. Marine Corps 16U/ Junior Nationals Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships. He helps others by coaching youth wrestling and performing acts of service as a member of his church youth group. Edward Anthony Jonathan Peek will be attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after his graduation from Judge Memorial Catholic High School. AJ was a member of the state champion basketball team that went All-State three times. He also played football and lacrosse. He served as captain of the basketball team and as a counselor at Camp Elim youth camp. AJ enjoys making music by playing piano and writing and recording his own pieces. Gianni Michael Renzetti is on his way to Kings Point, New York to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. From Clinton, Gianni attended Northridge High School. As a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC, he earned the Air Force Sergeants Association Award and the American Veterans Award. He served as Cadet Chief Master Sergeant and Cadet Executive Officer. He was selected to attend the highly competitive AFJROTC Flight Academy where he logged over eighty hours of flight time and earned his private pilot's license. Jacob Garrett Scott will trade the mountains of the Wasatch Front in Midway for the Colorado Front at the Air Force Academy. A graduate of Wasatch High School, Garrett kept a 4.0 GPA with sixteen AP classes and six concurrent enrollment classes. He was a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC, president of the Let's go to the Moon Club, the Hive Newsletter, the Milkmen Quartet, and vice president of Interact. He was captain of the cross country team and on the long jump team. He is a co-founder of Sycamore Swing and a host on the Heber Valley Railroad. Berkley Jan Smith, after graduating from Mountain View High School and spending a year at the Georgia Military College as a Falcon Scholar will enter the U.S. Air Force Academy. Berkley has been preparing herself by taking a range of AP, concurrent enrollment, and college classes. She was a leader in the Mountain View Dance Company, a member of the mountain bike team, Model UN, and Mock Trial where she earned honors. She served as vice president of the Georgia Military College chapter of Turning Point USA. Conor Lorin Squires, a graduate of Lone Peak High School, will be attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Conor served on the Alpine Youth Council and as a leader in his church youth group. With these groups and on his own he found countless ways to volunteer in his community, including assembling food kits, setting up flags, helping refugees and those with special needs. He maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school while still participating in several sports and extracurricular activities.

Mike Lee (R-UT)

It has been inspiring to nominate each of these exceptional young men and women. They give me great hope for the future of our armed services and confidence in the destiny of our Nation. To these 17 appointees, and to all their future classmates from around the country, I commend your achievements and your demonstrated lifelong commitment to service. While this is but the beginning of your journey, I urge you to remember the foundation of your success thus far. You would not have arrived at this point without the dedication and example of your parents, family, teachers, coaches, and mentors. Moreover, you would not have arrived at this point without your own sacrifice and hard work. Strive to continue on the path of strong moral character and to keep love of country as a guiding principle. Look to the past with gratitude and to the future with conviction. If you stay this course, I have no doubt your future holds great things in store.

Tribute to Deputy Sheriff Silas Taylor and Dispatcher Stacy Wood

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Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Bourbon County Deputy Sheriff Silas Taylor and Bourbon County Dispatcher Stacy Wood for their extraordinary actions in saving the life of a woman stranded in rising floodwaters on April 2, 2026. On that day, a woman was trapped inside her vehicle after it was caught in high water along a flooded roadway. Unable to escape and with the cold water rising to her head, she faced a life-threatening situation. Throughout the ordeal, Dispatcher Wood remained on the phone with the victim, providing reassurance and critical assistance as emergency responders rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, Deputy Taylor immediately assessed the danger and, without hesitation, entered the floodwaters to rescue the stranded woman. Acting alone and swimming against the water's current, he pulled her from the vehicle and brought her to safety. His quick actions and courage saved her life. This rescue serves as a powerful reminder of the dedication and selflessness displayed by first responders every day. Dispatcher Wood's calm professionalism and Deputy Taylor's decisive actions exemplify the highest standards of public service. As a former marine and member of a family with deep roots in Bourbon County law enforcement, Deputy Taylor continues a proud tradition of service to others. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Deputy Taylor and Dispatcher Wood as they receive the Life Saving Award. Their bravery and unwavering commitment to duty reflect the very best of Bourbon County and the State of Kansas.

Tribute to Dr. James Gary Adcox

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Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Dr. James Gary Adcox for a lifetime of service to our Nation, our veterans, and the field of higher education. A first-generation college student from Antioch, TN, Dr. Adcox exemplifies the power of hard work, perseverance, and service. He honorably served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years, retiring after a distinguished career that included leadership positions at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Headquarters Space Command. Throughout his military service, he provided critical support to servicemembers, wounded warriors, refugees, and military communities around the world, earning the respect of colleagues and commanders alike. Following his retirement from the Air Force, Dr. Adcox dedicated more than two decades to advancing educational opportunity and student success. His leadership has been especially impactful for veterans, Active-Duty military personnel, first-generation students, and underserved communities. Through innovative programs such as the University of North Georgia's SOAR initiative and his work establishing support services for student veterans, he has helped countless individuals pursue their educational goals and achieve lasting success. Dr. Adcox has also contributed significantly to higher education policy and access through his service on numerous State and regional boards and task forces, helping strengthen opportunities for students across Tennessee and beyond. His many honors--including the Dr. John McCurdy Leadership Award, the President's Service Award, and his designation as president emeritus of the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators--reflect the extraordinary impact of his life's work. Dr. Adcox's career has been defined by leadership, service, and a steadfast commitment to helping others succeed. I am proud to recognize his contributions and thank him for the lasting difference he has made in the lives of students, veterans, and communities across our country.

Message from the House

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At 3:59 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 bills, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate:

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H.R. 1041. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting certain information to the Department of Justice for use by the national instant criminal background check system, and for other purposes. H.R. 6047. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amounts for the payment of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary.

The message further announced that the House agreed to the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 6644) to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes, with an amendment, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate. The message also announced that pursuant to section 201(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431), and the order of the House of January 3, 2025, the Speaker appoints the following individual on the part of the House of Representatives to the Commission on International Religious Freedom for a term effective May 26, 2026, and ending May 14, 2028: Mr. Theogene Anthony Mills III of Sunshine, Louisiana, to succeed Mrs. Maureen Ferguson. The message further announced that pursuant to section 306(k) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242k), and the order of the House of January 3, 2025, the Speaker appoints the following individual on the part of the House of Representatives to the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics for a term of 4 years: Mr. Bruce Greenstein of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Measures Referred

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

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H.R. 1041. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting certain information to the Department of Justice for use by the national instant criminal background check system; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H.R. 6047. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amounts for the payment of certain disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation under the laws administered by the Secretary; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Executive and Other Communications

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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-3678. A communication from the Assistant Secretary of Defense, transmitting legislative proposals that the Department of Defense requests be enacted during the second session of the 119th Congress; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3679. A communication from the Assistant Secretary of Defense, transmitting legislative proposals that the Department of Defense requests be enacted during the second session of the 119th Congress; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3680. 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 Turkmenistan in the amount of $1,000,000 or more (Transmittal No. DDTC 26-014); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3681. 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 defense articles, including technical data, and defense services to Canada, India, and the United Kingdom in the amount of $50,000,000 or more (Transmittal No. DDTC 25-104); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3682. 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 Japan, Denmark, and the Netherlands in the amount of $100,000,000 or more (Transmittal No. DDTC 25-149); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3683. A communication from the Senior Bureau Official, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting, pursuant to section 36(b) (1) of the Arms Export Control Act, the Air Force's proposed letter(s) of offer and acceptance to the Government of Ukraine for defense articles and services estimated to cost $108.1 million (RSAT Case 26-51); to the Committee on Foreign Relations. EC-3684. A communication from the Director, Administrative Office of the United States Courts, transmitting, pursuant to law, the twenty-first report to Congress on crime victims' rights; to the Committee on the Judiciary. EC-3685. A message from the President of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report of the continuation of the national emergency that was originally declared in Executive Order 13405 of June 16, 2006, with respect to Belarus; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Executive Reports of Committee

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The following executive reports of nominations were submitted:

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By Mr. WICKER for the Committee on Armed Services. Army nominations beginning with Brig. Gen. William E. Temple V and ending with Brig. Gen. Brian F. Wertzler, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on January 15, 2026. (minus 2 nominees: Brig. Gen. Tracey L. Poirier; Brig. Gen. Kendrick D. Traylor) *Army nomination of Maj. Gen. Constantin E. Nicolet, to be Lieutenant General. *Air Force nominations beginning with Lt. Gen. Daniel H. Tulley and ending with Maj. Gen. David G. Shoemaker, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on April 30, 2026. *Army nomination of Maj. Gen. Guillaume N. Beaurpere, to be Lieutenant General. *Navy nomination of Rear Adm. Joseph F. Cahill III, to be Vice Admiral. Army nomination of Col. Michael W. Brancamp, to be Brigadier General. Navy nomination of Rear Adm. (lh) Carey H. Cash, to be Rear Admiral. Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, for the Committee on Armed Services I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators . The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Air Force nominations beginning with Ruben Adorno and ending with Taylor A. Youtsler, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Air Force nominations beginning with Michael R. Abbott and ending with Jay R. Zeigler, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Air Force nominations beginning with Kathryn L. Abbott and ending with Jonathan G. Yap, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Air Force nominations beginning with Corbin A. Aldridge and ending with Sung B. Yi, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Air Force nominations beginning with Donald J. Adkins and ending with Zheng Zhong, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Air Force nominations beginning with Kaila W. Acres and ending with Jaimie M. Wyckoff, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on May 12, 2026. Army nomination of Timothy M. Benedict, to be Colonel. Army nomination of Gladys E. Scales, to be Colonel. Army nomination of John M. Heaton, to be Colonel. Army nominations beginning with Andy Buissereth and ending with Eric S. Slater, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on April 30, 2026. Army nominations beginning with Kevin A. Chesnut and ending with Trevor R. Robles, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on April 30, 2026. Army nomination of Jeremy D. Reed, to be Major. Army nominations beginning with Joshua T. Kresowaty and ending with Mary C. Penniman, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on April 30, 2026. Army nomination of Matthew S. McGuire, to be Lieutenant Colonel. Army nomination of Michele L. Buratti, to be Colonel. Marine Corps nomination of Scott M. Carter, to be Lieutenant Colonel. Marine Corps nomination of Steven M. Warner, to be Lieutenant Colonel. Marine Corps nomination of Garrett W. Vetter, to be Lieutenant Colonel. Marine Corps nomination of Michael J. Simpson, to be Lieutenant Colonel. Marine Corps nomination of Steven A. Bolt, to be Major. Marine Corps nomination of Samir J. Glenn-Roundtree, to be Major. Navy nomination of Jess A. Vaught, to be Captain. Navy nomination of John H. Ross, to be Captain. Navy nomination of John D. Morris IV, to be Captain. Navy nomination of Frances S. Thomas, to be Lieutenant Commander. Navy nominations beginning with Daniel J. Clark and ending with Stephen M. Thomas, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on April 30, 2026. Navy nomination of Jami Lea G. Buckley, to be Commander. Navy nomination of Jeffrey T. Chewning, to be Captain.

*Nomination was reported with recommendation that it be confirmed subject to the nominee's commitment to respond to requests to appear and testify before any duly constituted committee of the Senate. (Nominations without an asterisk were reported with the recommendation that they be confirmed.)

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. SCHIFF: S. 4650. A bill to amend the Plant Protection Act to improve plant pest and disease preparedness for specialty crops; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Mr. Lujan): S. 4651. A bill to amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to increase access to Federal crop insurance for specialty crops; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. SCHIFF: S. 4652. A bill to amend the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to reauthorize the specialty crop research initiative and establish a specialty crop mechanization and automation research and development program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. YOUNG: S. 4653. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for loan interest payments made with respect to certain vehicles; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. SCHIFF: S. 4654. A bill to amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to expand agricultural market access, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. Kaine): S. 4655. A bill to allow the Farm Credit Administration the option to examine low-risk Farm Credit System institutions under a 24-month cycle; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mrs. GILLIBRAND: S. 4656. A bill to provide for secure and accountable use of artificial intelligence by the Department of Defense, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services. By Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Ms. Alsobrooks): S. 4657. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. BANKS (for himself and Mr. Kim): S. 4658. A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to include Parkinson's disease in the list of illnesses and diseases deemed to be proximately caused by employment in fire protection activities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. By Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself and Mr. Graham): S. 4659. A bill to provide additional election security funding to States providing voter registration information to the Department of Homeland Security; to the Committee on Rules and Administration. By Mr. SCHIFF: S. 4660. A bill to provide appropriations to the Secretary of Agriculture to make payments to producers of specialty crops; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Mr. Padilla): S. 4661. A bill to amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to provide permanent disaster assistance for specialty crops, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. GALLEGO: S. 4662. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to ensure that high net-worth individuals cannot avoid paying taxes on their income and assets; to the Committee on Finance. By Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself and Mrs. Moody): S. 4663. A bill to appropriate sums for the Secretary of Agriculture to provide block grants to States for losses of revenue as a consequence of certain freezes or cold weather conditions; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. By Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. Husted): S. 4664. A bill to authorize the Safer Choice Program within the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. By Mr. CURTIS: S. 4665. A bill to require the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress for countering Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America; to the Committee on Foreign Relations. By Mr. LUJAN (for himself and Mr. Schatz): S. 4666. A bill to require officers and employees of the Department of Homeland Security to receive training with respect to Indian tribes, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Mr. Wyden): S. 4667. A bill to provide for the modernization of electronic case management systems, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. CRUZ (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Schmitt, and Mr. Coons): S. 4668. A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, students athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. By Mr. HAGERTY (for himself, Mr. Budd, Mr. Lee, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Mr. Ricketts): S.J. Res. 194. A joint resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Body-Worn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Temporary Amendment Act of 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. By Mr. HAGERTY (for himself, Mr. Budd, Mr. Lee, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Mr. Ricketts): S.J. Res. 195. A joint resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Temporary Amendment Act of 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Additional Cosponsors

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At the request of Mr. Grassley, the name of the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley) was added as a cosponsor of S. 180, a bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the use of grant amounts for providing training and resources for first responders on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other potentially lethal substances, and purchasing such containment devices for use by first responders. At the request of Mr. Lee, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 737, a bill to require certain interactive computer services to adopt and operate technology verification measures to ensure that users of the platform are not minors, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of South Carolina, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1182, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education that authorize antisemitic events on campus from participating in the student loan and grand programs under title IV of such Act. At the request of Ms. Cortez Masto, the name of the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1186, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to apply prescription drug inflation rebates to drugs furnished in the commercial market and to change the base year for rebate calculations. At the request of Mr. Tillis, the names of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) and the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Sullivan) were added as cosponsors 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. Tillis, the name of the Senator from Nevada (Ms. Cortez Masto) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1335, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude debt held by certain insurance companies from capital assets and to extend capital loss carryovers for such companies from 5 years to 10 years. At the request of Ms. Cortez Masto, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1404, a bill to combat organized crime involving the illegal acquisition of retail goods and cargo for the purpose of selling those illegally obtained goods through physical and online retail marketplaces. At the request of Mr. Tillis, the name of the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1441, a bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit entities to assist such entities in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, and for other purposes. At the request of Mrs. Shaheen, the name of the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Warnock) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1500, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage from imposing cost-sharing requirements with respect to diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations. At the request of Mr. Kelly, the name of the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1541, a bill to support the national defense and economic security of the United States by supporting vessels, ports, and shipyards of the United States and the U.S. maritime workforce. At the request of Mr. Daines, the names of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford) and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy) were added as cosponsors of S. 1547, a bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Cotton, the names of the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Kelly) and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) were added as cosponsors 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. Cramer, the name of the Senator from Mississippi (Mrs. Hyde-Smith) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1716, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to improve health care coverage under vision plans, and for other purposes. At the request of Mrs. Blackburn, the name of the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1748, a bill to protect the safety of children on the internet. At the request of Mr. Paul, the name of the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Young) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1847, a bill to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to clarify the treatment of certain association health plans as employers, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Wyden, the name of the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2059, a bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Padilla, the name of the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2298, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to promulgate an occupational safety and health standard to protect workers from heat-related injuries and illnesses. At the request of Mr. Marshall, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Armstrong) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2355, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency. At the request of Ms. Murkowski, the name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Husted) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2903, a bill to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to require a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with such a plan to provide an exceptions process for any medication step therapy protocol, and for other purposes. At the request of Mrs. Shaheen, the name of the Senator from Maine (Mr. King) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3226, a bill to provide for the creation of the missing Armed Forces and civilian personnel Records Collection at the National Archives, to require the expeditious public transmission to the Archivist and public disclosure of missing Armed Forces and civilian personnel records, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Collins, the names of the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Smith), the Senator from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen), the Senator from Washington (Ms. Cantwell) and the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) 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 Mr. Hickenlooper, the name of the Senator from California (Mr. Padilla) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3323, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to codify the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. McCormick, the names of the Senator from Mississippi (Mrs. Hyde-Smith) and the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) were added as cosponsors of S. 3524, a bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Van Hollen, the name of the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3981, a bill to amend the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 to extend the sunset, to require a determination with respect to the imposition of sanctions on certain persons of Burma, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Murphy, the name of the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4121, a bill to prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a Federal election site. At the request of Mr. Gallego, the name of the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4421, a bill to amend the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act to expand review by Congress of actions relating to sanctions imposed with respect to the Russian Federation. At the request of Mr. Booker, the name of the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Kim) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4454, a bill to amend the Consumer Product Safety Act to remove the exclusion of pistols, revolvers, and other firearms from the definition of consumer product in order to permit the issuance for safety standards for such articles by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. At the request of Mr. Ricketts, the name of the Senator from Mississippi (Mrs. Hyde-Smith) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4464, a bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions in choosing between meat and poultry products and cell-cultivated protein products, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Murphy, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4535, a bill to establish the Strength in Diversity Program, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Scott of Florida, the names of the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Young) and the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Banks) were added as cosponsors of S. 4586, a bill to require a review of the national security risk posed by communications equipment and services produced or provided by certain entities, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Hirono, the name of the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Barrasso) was added as a cosponsor of S. Res. 741, a resolution designating May 2026 as "National Wildfire Preparedness Month". At the request of Mr. Blumenthal, the name of the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) was added as a cosponsor of S. Res. 752, a resolution expressing support for the designation of the month of May 2026 as "Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration Awareness Month".

Text of Amendments

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SA 5451. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

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At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. __. LIMITATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES. (a) Limitations.--Section 315(a)(1)(C) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(C)) is amended by striking "to any other political committee" and inserting "to an independent expenditure committee or any other political committee". (b) Definition.--Section 301 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30101) is amended by adding at the end the following: "(27) Independent expenditure committee.-- "(A) In general.--The term `independent expenditure committee' means a political committee which-- "(i) makes independent expenditures aggregating $5,000 or more during a calendar year; or "(ii) makes contributions to other independent expenditure committees aggregating $5,000 or more during a calendar year. "(B) Treatment of separate accounts.--The term `independent expenditure committee' includes an account of a political committee which is established for the purpose of making independent expenditures or contributions to other committees making independent expenditures.". (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to contributions and independent expenditures made during the first calendar year which begins after the date of the enactment of this Act and each succeeding calendar year. ______

SA 5452. Mr. TILLIS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 33; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

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At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. ___. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND; REALLOCATION TO FRAUD ENFORCEMENT. (a) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Settlement agreement.--The term "Settlement Agreement"-- (A) means the settlement agreement styled Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, No. 1:26-cv-20609-KMW (S.D. Fla.), executed on or about May 18, 2026; and (B) includes any implementing order, memorandum, directive, agreement, modification, or successor instrument with respect to the agreement described in subparagraph (A). (2) Anti-weaponization fund.--The term "Anti-Weaponization Fund" means any fund, account, claims process, compensation mechanism, or successor entity established or contemplated pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, by whatever name designated. (3) Covered activities.--The term "covered activities" means any of the following: (A) Establishment, capitalization, staffing, or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund. (B) Review, processing, administration, auditing, or adjudication of claims submitted under the Settlement Agreement. (C) Issuance of monetary awards, reimbursements, debt relief, attorneys' fees, compensation, grants, transfers, or other financial benefits pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. (D) Implementation, defense, or enforcement of any order of the Attorney General issued to carry out the Settlement Agreement. (b) Restriction on Use of Appropriated Funds.-- (1) General restriction.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds appropriated or otherwise made available by any Act of Congress, including amounts available under section 1304 of title 31, United States Code (commonly known as the "Judgment Fund"), may be obligated, transferred, reserved, committed, administered, or expended for covered activities. (2) Restriction on settlement authority.--The Attorney General may not use any funds appropriated to the Department of Justice, or exercise any authority under section 516 or 519 of title 28, United States Code, to negotiate, execute, implement, or defend any agreement, order, or instrument that would obligate funds of the United States for covered activities. (3) Construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the authority of the Attorney General to settle or compromise claims against the United States in matters unrelated to the Settlement Agreement. (c) Reallocation.-- (1) Sense of congress regarding use of funds.--It is the sense of Congress that the funds that would have been used by the Attorney General for covered activities, but for the restrictions under subsection (b), should instead be used for fraud prevention and enforcement activities, in accordance with this subsection. (2) Appropriation.--In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Department of Justice for fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $1,700,000,000, to remain available until expended, for fraud prevention and enforcement activities, including-- (A) investigations and prosecutions under sections 3729 through 3733 of title 31, United States Code (commonly known as the "False Claims Act"); (B) procurement fraud and grant fraud enforcement; (C) public corruption investigations; (D) forensic auditing and data analytics capabilities; (E) coordination initiatives with inspectors general of Federal agencies; (F) recovery of improperly obtained Federal funds; (G) criminal and civil fraud litigation; and (H) anti-fraud technology modernization, including advanced data analytics and case management systems. (3) Reporting.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Attorney General shall submit to the Committees on the Judiciary and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing the use of funds made available under this subsection, including the number of investigations initiated, cases filed, and amounts recovered. (d) Construction Regarding Rights and Claims.-- (1) No vested rights from settlement.--No person or entity shall acquire any legally enforceable right, entitlement, expectancy, or property interest arising solely from the Settlement Agreement or from any proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund process, unless expressly authorized by an Act of Congress enacted after the date of enactment of this Act. (2) Savings clause.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to-- (A) prevent any person from pursuing any claim against the United States through any judicial or administrative remedy otherwise available under law independent of the Settlement Agreement; (B) affect any right or claim arising under sections 2671 through 2680 of title 28, United States Code (commonly known as the "Federal Tort Claims Act"), section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the "Privacy Act of 1974"), or section 6103 or 7431 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that does not depend upon the Settlement Agreement for its existence; or (C) waive, modify, or limit the sovereign immunity of the United States except as expressly provided in this section. (e) Rule of Construction Regarding the Judgment Fund.--The restriction under subsection (b) constitutes a limitation on the availability of the permanent, indefinite appropriation under section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, with respect to covered activities, consistent with the authority of Congress to impose conditions on the Judgment Fund as recognized in the legislative history and judicial interpretation of such section 1304. (f) Supersession.--To the extent of any inconsistency with any provision of the Settlement Agreement, or any order, directive, or action of the Attorney General issued pursuant thereto, this section shall supersede the provision, order, directive, or action, as applicable. (g) Severability.--If any provision of this section, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the remainder of this section, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected.

Text of Senate Amendment 5451

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Text of Senate Amendment 5452

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Authority for Committes to Meet

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Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Mr. President, I have four 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 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a subcommittee hearing. The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 3 p.m., to conduct an open nomination hearing.

Privileges of the Floor

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Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that privileges of the floor be granted to my first-session summer interns Fabian Sotomayor, Siena Farr, Skye Kaquatosh, Isabella Chavez, Austin Gunderson, Sofia Jordan, Jenna Shea, Daria Mantei, Sophia Pilgrim, and Madison Arreola for the month of June; my summer intern coordinators Hayden Arko and Owen Umatum; my Senate Committee on Indian Affairs interns Kalila Arreola, Sophia Fafatas, and Sebastian Robbins for the months of June, July, and August 2026. Finally, I ask for privileges of the floor to be granted to my Sea Grant Knauss fellow Kate Fitzgerald for the duration of the 119th Congress.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Appointment

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The PRESIDING OFFICER

The Chair announces, on behalf of the Majority Leader, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 100-458, sec. 114(b)(2)(c), the reappointment of the following individual to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development: The Honorable Roger F. Wicker of Mississippi.

Orders for Wednesday, June 3, 2026

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Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3; 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, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; further, that if Senator Whitehouse or his designee makes a motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 188, the Senate vote on the motion to proceed at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow.

The PRESIDING OFFICER

Without objection, it is so ordered.

Adjournment Until 10 A.m. Tomorrow

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