Senate
Page S2653 · Official textThe Senate met at 3 p.m. and was called to order by the President pro tempore (Mr. Grassley).
Monday, June 8, 2026
Vol. 172, No. 96 · 119th Congress, 2nd session
Prayer
Page S2653 · Official textThe Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer: Let us pray. Eternal God, we give our hearts to You, for You are good and Your mercies endure forever. You rule the day and the night. You are our hope for the years to come. Lord, we thank You for Your faithfulness, Your guidance, and Your unfailing love. Strengthen our lawmakers when they are weak, give them wisdom when they are uncertain, and give them peace in every season of their lives. Help them to trust You with their cares, to walk in Your ways, and to reflect Your goodness to those around them. Lord, bless their families and all who are in need of Your grace. May Your presence comfort our Senators and Your truth lead them each day. And, Lord, thank You for our new summer 2026 page class. We pray in Your sovereign Name. Amen.
Pledge of Allegiance
Page S2653 · Official textThe President pro tempore led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows:
Text printed in the Record (174 characters)
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Reservation of Leader Time
Page S2653 · Official textThe PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Budd)
Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved.
Morning Business
Page S2653 · Official textThe PRESIDING OFFICER
Under the previous order, the Senate will be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
The Senator from Iowa.
Anniversary of D-Day
Page S2653 · Official textOn June 6, 1944, the United States and Allied nations led that historic invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. Two days ago, there was a remembrance of that occasion at a place called Omaha Beach.
Nearly 160,000 Allied troops, 5,000 ships, and 13,000 aircraft supported the assault against Hitler-dominated Europe. That allowed the Allied Powers to gain a foothold in Europe, and 11 months later Europe was free of Adolf Hitler.
While victory eventually followed, D-Day came with very heavy casualties. Thousands of paratroopers died before they even landed out of the sky, and amphibious tanks faced rough surf, and only 2 of 29 tanks made it ashore.
Courageous infantrymen who stormed Omaha Beach were also severely disadvantaged and met with a brutal welcome from German artillery.
On D-Day alone, more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded. More than 2,000 were American servicemen.
Knowing this history ought to prepare us for today and tomorrow and well into the future because these sacrifices remind us of a hard truth; that failing to confront aggression early deepens the cost as time goes on. That lesson is something that we should keep top of mind as we continue efforts to address aggression today, whether it is Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iran's destabilization efforts across the Middle East, or rising tensions with China.
These challenges are different than they were in World War II, but the pattern is very familiar.
As we reflect on the anniversary of D-Day, we should be reminded not only of the bravery of those who fought but the united front that made that victory possible.
That same unity forged by America's doctrine of "peace through strength" will determine whether we preserve peace or pay a far higher price in the future.
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.
Recognition of the Majority Leader
Page S2653 · Official textThe PRESIDING OFFICER
The majority leader is recognized.
Immigration
Pages S2653–S2654 · Official textMr. President, sometimes, I have to wonder if Democrats remember the last election and how 4 years of recordbreaking illegal immigration on President Biden's watch helped hand the House, the Senate, and the White House to Republicans, because to watch the Democrat Party right now, you would think that 2024 never happened. Democrats not only haven't rejected the open borders philosophy of the Biden administration; they have doubled down.
At least we had the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Biden. Now, every Senate Democrat is on record as wanting to shut down those Agencies. That is right. Democrats voted to defund--to defund--the agents who stand guard on our Nation's borders and help prevent dangerous individuals from entering our country. They voted to defund the agents who remove criminal illegal immigrants who do make their way into the United States.
And when I say "defund," I mean defund. Democrats opposed giving these Agencies a single dollar. And I hope--I really hope--that my Democrat colleagues are not going to attempt to defend themselves by claiming that they simply wanted reforms of these Agencies and that Republicans wouldn't give them to them, because as the record amply, amply reflects, Democrats were offered reforms again and again. The White House not only made reforms on its own; it repeatedly offered Democrats a robust legislative package. But Democrats weren't interested, presumably because they somehow thought that "defund law enforcement" and "abolish border security" would play well for them in November.
Of course, I am pretty sure most Americans don't think we should eliminate security at our Nation's borders or open the floodgates for unchecked illegal immigration. But that hasn't stopped Democrats from embracing "defund the police 2.0."
I am happy to report that, as of Friday, Democrats' crusade to defund border security and law enforcement is well on its way to failure--for now--for now, at any rate. Senate Republicans passed legislation to fund Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the next 3 years to ensure that Democrats can't try defunding these Agencies again this fall. But it is deeply disturbing that we are in this position, that we are having to use the reconciliation process just to get normal appropriations passed for border security and immigration enforcement.
The damage that Democrats caused in the 2026 fiscal year has been immense: two recordbreaking government shutdowns, critical workers at DHS left for months without pay, government workers lined up at food banks, TSA agents quitting in droves. And that is not to even mention what could be irreparable harm to the appropriations process here in the Senate.
And then there is our subject today, "defund the police 2.0"--the Democrats' resolute refusal to spend a single dollar protecting our Nation's borders or deporting criminals here in our country illegally.
It is absurd that Republicans are having to act unilaterally to fund basic national security responsibilities.
What is the Democratic Party going to propose defunding next? The DEA? The FBI? Our Nation's military? Where exactly does this insanity end?
The Democrat leader has repeatedly attempted to cloud the issue, going so far as to make the insane suggestion that Congress somehow has to choose between our national security responsibilities and addressing the challenges facing hard-working Americans--to which I say not only can we walk and chew gum at the same time, but we have an obligation to do so. It is our responsibility as Members of Congress to work to alleviate not only the economic challenges facing Americans but to protect our Nation's security, and that includes securing our borders and attempting to ensure that criminals, drug traffickers, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals do not make their way into our country and that, if they do make their way in, they are identified and deported.
As long as Republicans are in charge, we will be focused on both the economic challenges facing our country and on securing peace and safety for hard-working Americans. On our watch, there will be agents at our borders to prevent terrorists, traffickers, and other dangerous individuals from making their way into our country, and there will be agents to take criminal illegal immigrants off of America's streets.
I only wish I could say the same of our Democrat colleagues.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The Democratic whip.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Pages S2654–S2656 · Official textMr. President, I met a woman at a hearing, from Chicago, which I am honored to represent. Her name was Marimar Martinez.
On a Saturday morning, last October, Ms. Martinez decided she had some spare clothes that she was going to take to her church to give to people who needed clothing. She got in her car on Kedzie Avenue and was driving along, when she ran into a group of ICE agents, who stopped her.
She is Hispanic and appears to be Hispanic, and they decided to question whether or not she was in America legally. She had committed no crime, violated no law. She was just driving, looking Hispanic, which was enough for them.
Before it was all over, she was driving away from the scene and was shot five times by the ICE agents. How this woman survived, I will never know, but she did. And, of course, she had to go through a lot of hospitalization and a lot of trouble. But she insisted to the ICE agents that she had never violated the law.
And when it was all over, they sought her out at a hospital and arrested her and then, within days or weeks, dropped all charges. They argued, in the original charge, that her car had crashed into one of the ICE agent's cars and therefore she had committed a criminal act.
When it was all over, that car was removed from the scene and never produced again. They took it to New England, for goodness' sake, from Chicago so that no one could actually look to see if there was any damage on it. There wasn't.
Marimar Martinez survived. It was nothing short of a miracle. She was swept up into this hysteria that President Trump started at his rallies, where he would get up and say over and over again: We have to stop these rapists and murderers and terrorists and the criminally insane and child predators who came across the border under the Biden administration. We are going to get them, and we are going to send in people to make sure that happens.
In came the ICE agents. Did you happen to watch what happened in Minnesota? Did you notice the two innocent individuals who were protesting for sure but were not violating the law, who were shot down and killed in Minneapolis?
That is what has happened here and what has led to what the Republican leader just described, the difference between Democrats here, Republicans there, about how we should handle this issue.
Let me say here again what I have said many times. I was chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I am now the ranking Democrat. Immigration is one of our issues, and here is what I think is the bottom line I feel everyone agrees with--I hope they do. The bottom line is this: We should never knowingly allow a dangerous person to come into this country. Short declarative sentence: Never knowingly allow a dangerous person to come into this country.
Second, if someone is in this country and wants to stay, wants any kind of legal status, and commits a dangerous crime, they are gone, no ifs, ands, or buts. They are gone.
Third point, we need an orderly process at our border. We cannot accept all of the people in the world who want to immigrate to the United States at this moment. There has to be an orderly process.
Those, I think, are the three basic principles that most Americans agree on. Some will disagree.
But I come to this issue with a personal agenda. My mother was an immigrant to this country. She was brought here at the age of 2. Hers was a poor family from Lithuania that came to the land of opportunity--East St. Louis, IL, where I was born and raised.
My grandfather worked jobs that required manual labor, as immigrants do. They took jobs other people wouldn't consider. And here, the next generation produces a grandson who was elected to the U.S. Senate.
That is my story. That is my family's story. That is America's story. We are a nation of immigrants--some brought here involuntarily, some came here voluntarily--and it has made us a great nation. I am proud of it.
In my office just a few steps from here is my mother's naturalization certificate by my desk. I want everyone who comes to my office to know I am the proud son of an immigrant. I don't believe immigrants are inherently evil or bad. I think just the opposite--they are people who come here and work themselves to death so that their kids have a better life.
We have now reached a mindset in this country that anyone who wants to come here is suspected of a crime or dangerous conduct. We should do a background check for sure. But listen to what happened.
I have been in the Senate for a number of years, and 20 years ago, I introduced a bill called the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act basically said: If you were brought to the United States as a child, grew up in the United States, and have nothing serious in your background that raises any question; if you went to that school every day and pledged allegiance to that flag believing you were part of America, you deserve a chance to earn your pathway to citizenship.
That is what the DREAM Act said.
Lucky for me, one of my colleagues in the Senate by the name of Barack Obama was a cosponsor of my bill. Turns out he got a promotion from the Senate and became President of the United States.
I wrote him a letter cosigned by Senator Richard Lugar, Republican of Indiana, asking him by Executive order to try to create a mechanism like the DREAM Act that gave these kids brought to America a chance to earn their way to citizenship. He came up with something called DACA.
Under DACA, these young people, if they would step forward and identify themselves to the government--they are undocumented--if they identify themselves to the government, if they were brought here as children, we would give them a chance. But the chance was simply this: You can legally work in the United States, and you won't be deported. Every 2 years, you have to apply for DACA again--every 2 years--pay a $600 fee every 2 years, and go through a lengthy criminal background check. If you pass it, you get DACA for another 2 years.
Mr. President, 980,000 young people stepped forward in the United States to sign up for DACA. How are we doing with these people from DACA? Pretty good. They are teachers. They are nurses. They are doctors. They are policemen. They are serving in our military. They are proving the point they wanted to make: They love this country; they believe they are part of this country. They are not the problem. They have never been the problem.
So what is the Trump administration doing to them? Denying them another opportunity to sign up for another 2 years. Their time is up. They are ready to do it, and they are holding them back. Sadly, they are deporting these young people who have done nothing wrong except try to prove themselves to be loyal Americans.
So when you look at the environment here created by the Trump administration on the issue of immigration, you see overwhelmingly that you have to sit and listen to the whole story. Of every seven people who are arrested and deported by ICE under the Trump administration--out of every seven, six of them have no criminal record. They are not the rapists and the murders and the terrorists. They are people who live next door to you. They go to the same church you go to. They are the ones who just took care of your sale at the convenience store. They are doing their thing in America, and they are not breaking any laws, and the Trump administration has said they still have to be deported. That, I think, is too much.
When it comes to this debate over funding ICE, what the Republican leader--and he is my friend. John Thune is my friend from South Dakota. We disagree on a lot of politics. I respect him as a person. We disagree on this issue. And when he talks about these individuals who are involved with the ICE agents and Border Patrol and such and how they need to be funded, what he doesn't mention is we have already funded them for this year and last year.
Do you know what the funding level is for those Agencies? It is more than the appropriation for the U.S. Marine Corps--more than the appropriation for the U.S. Marine Corps for these ICE agents who insist on wearing masks and don't want to be held responsible for what they are doing in the streets of Chicago and Minnesota and other places.
I think it is reasonable to say to them: You should be held to the same standards as any law enforcement official in America.
My State troopers in Illinois don't wear masks. The sheriff's deputies don't wear masks. The policemen in Chicago don't wear masks. They wear video cameras, which we are insisting that these ICE agents also carry. They have their names above their badges so that you know who they are and can hold them responsible for any misconduct.
It is not unreasonable to do this. The Republicans say: No. We will make the rules.
You probably saw--maybe you didn't; it was a Chicago occurrence, and we all saw it--when they broke down the door of a man's home and went in and said: You are undocumented. We are going to deport you.
They dragged him out, and he was wearing a bathrobe. They took him out of the shower. It took 2 or 3 days to finally square it away. He was an American citizen. They had the wrong house. They had no warrant to tear down his front door; they did it anyway.
That sort of thing should stop. ICE agents should play by the same rules as policemen, professional law enforcement all across America. That is what we feel on the Democratic side. We are getting nowhere on that issue on the Republican side.
So I think the bottom line is this: We want a safe country, but we also have values. We don't want to mistreat people who are doing a good job in their lives and serving us in very important ways.
I think about my State of Illinois and most other States, and we have a very serious problem finding caregivers in daycare centers for children, for disabled people, and certainly for our parents and grandparents who are in nursing homes and places. Who are those caregivers? Go in and take a look. Forty percent of them are immigrants. They are the ones who make sure your mom and your grandmother are treated with respect and have a chance for decent human treatment during the course of a day. We want them gone? Who is going to take their place? We know better. These are tough jobs. They don't pay an awful lot of money. These folks deserve a lot more than they are currently being paid.
The reality is immigrants are critically important.
The Farm Bureau is a very conservative organization in my State of Illinois. Politically, I know they are on the other side for most issues from me. But I always welcome them each year to hear what they have to say. They came to see me recently and talked about farm labor, migrant farm labor.
There was a lady who has an orchard in Southern Illinois that is pretty well known for peaches and apples and the like. She said: Senator, I can't get the local high school kids to take any job at my orchard. I can't even get them to go to the fruit stand--and I put in an air-conditioner--to sell fruit to people who drive by.
I have to deal--if I am going to deal with anybody--with migrant labor, people that I have known and who have worked for me for years. Now they are afraid to come to the United States. Will you help me?
I said: I will try to help you if I can, but the bottom line is that they are scared, they are frightened of what is going to happen to them if they come to the United States.
Is that a healthy thing?
This lady said: I am not going to be able to keep this orchard for another year or two if I can't get workers to pick the fruit and sell the fruit as part of the operation.
A lady from a dairy farm in Northern Illinois, hundreds of miles away--same story. She said: We don't have enough kids. We used to have a lot of kids in dairy farm families. We don't have enough kids anymore. We need migrant labor to come in and help us on the farm.
That is part of America.
It is a job that most people don't jump to take, but it is an important job and an important part of our future.
So I would just say to my friend the Senator from South Dakota: We ought to be able to work this out--don't you think?--it seems to me, if we are reasonable.
There are people like Stephen Miller, who works in the White House and advises the President. He doesn't like immigrants. I know Mr. Miller. I have worked on the other side of the table from him for a long time. I know what his values are. He just doesn't like them, and he is pretty clear about that. He inspires a lot of the conduct coming out of the White House. But there are others sitting on the other side of the aisle, the Republican side, who I know feel differently who would be willing to sit down and work.
Is it possible for a partisan U.S. Senate to write a comprehensive immigration bill that both sides agree on? The answer is clearly yes. There were eight of us, four Democrats and four Republicans. I was on the Democratic side with Schumer and a couple other Senators, and the Republican side was led by John McCain. We put together a comprehensive immigration bill and brought it to the floor, Democrats and Republicans, and passed it with over 60 votes.
It can be done, but you have to have people who are willing to sit down and say: Let's be honest about it. Keep the bad guys out, but give those DACA kids, for example, a chance to be part of America's future.
That is what I think is the middle ground most Americans would agree on. It is still something I think we should aspire to.
I don't know where we are going next on this immigration matter, but I worry about what is going to happen to a lot of people that I represent in Chicago. They are so frightened in the Hispanic communities in Chicago that they have stopped going to church, and some won't send their kids to school. They are just afraid of what is going to happen--somebody is going to be arrested, somebody will be deported or, like Marimar Martinez, God forbid, be shot on the street because they look too Hispanic.
That is the reality of where we are today. We are a better nation than that. We can do a better job than that. We can't leave the debate where it is: Who is in favor of law enforcement and who isn't?
I am in favor of law enforcement. I certainly was in favor on January 6 when the insurrectionists mobbed this Capitol and ran us out that door of the Senate because they were coming into this Chamber, rifling through our desks, aping for cameras. That was the reality. They attacked the law enforcement in this building that protected all of you, still protects you to this minute, and protects me and everyone else who works here--the Capitol Hill police. A hundred and forty of them were victimized by those insurrectionists.
Some people are trying to rewrite history and say this didn't happen. They have a problem. It is called videotape. Videotape tells the story, and we all saw it.
So let's respect law enforcement for the job they are doing. Let's not give them impossible tasks. Let's not ask them to wear masks, for goodness' sake, so people don't know who they are. America is better than that.
Nomination of Todd Blanche
Pages S2656–S2657 · Official textMr. President, last week, President Trump announced that he intends to nominate his former personal attorney Todd Blanche to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States.
When Blanche was under consideration to be Deputy Attorney General, the No. 2 position at the Justice Department, I reminded him of the importance of DOJ maintaining its independence from the President and the pull of politics.
Regrettably, over the past year, he has disregarded that call and erased that line, placing loyalty to President Trump above all else and damaging the independence and credibility of the Department in ways that will have ramifications for decades.
It appears that blind loyalty has paid off for Blanche, which is exactly how President Trump incentivizes his appointees to compromise their integrity.
How did Blanche earn the nod? I will tell you.
During his brief audition as Acting Attorney General, Blanche took the weaponization of the Department to new extremes.
He presided over the creation of a $1.8 billion slush fund that would funnel money to allies of the President, including January 6 insurrectionists who beat up cops, in a purported legal settlement between the President and the government he runs.
It gets worse.
As part of that settlement, the IRS is permanently barred from auditing past tax returns of President Trump, his family, and related companies.
Let me state this another way: The President of the United States sued the government he runs in order to get cooperating Federal agents to give away taxpayer dollars to the President's political allies and permanently shield the President, his family, and his companies from accountability for any past tax crimes.
And Blanche acted exactly how President Trump expected him to: He advanced Trump's personal interests at the expense of the American people.
While deploying the Justice Department as a shield for the President and his cronies, Blanche has also used our top law enforcement agency as a sword against Trump's political opponents.
He brought a paper-thin indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization that has a long history of exposing violent White supremacist extremists who are allies of this White House.
And he brought DOJ's second baseless, vindictive indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. This prosecution was personally ordered up by the President, who despises Comey for overseeing the investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
Blanche's misconduct as Acting Attorney General is just the most recent link in a chain of controversies that has surrounded Blanche during his tenure at DOJ--controversies that demand transparency and answers.
Last week, appearing before the House Oversight Committee, former Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawmakers, "[Todd Blanche] was in charge of the process and the entire release of the Epstein files."
Setting aside Bondi's failures in leadership on this issue, Blanche's direct role in the Department's failure to follow the law and protect the victims and survivors of Epstein's abuse is disqualifying.
These failures follow the inexplicable transfer of Ghislane Maxwell, Epstein's coconspirator, to a minimum-security prison after Blanche personally conducted an inappropriate and ineffectual 2-day interview with her.
Such a move is unprecedented for someone convicted of the crimes she committed and rightly received bipartisan scrutiny.
Survivors deserve an Attorney General who will ensure transparency and fairness in the justice system; instead, many of them were exposed while the network of people around their abusers remained redacted.
When Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, my Democratic colleagues and I will press him for answers and urge him to comply fully with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Consider Blanche's own words when, at an April press conference, he made clear that he was so devoted to President Trump that he would serve him in any capacity, even if he was not chosen to be the Attorney General nominee.
He said that if he was not nominated, his message to the President would be "[t]hank you very much, I love you sir." He added that "I don't have any goals or aspirations beyond" serving Donald Trump.
That should tell the American people all they need to know about where Blanche's loyalty lies.
That love manifests as slush funds, partisan prosecutions against those the President feels have slighted him, and redirecting DOJ resources from protecting the American people from grave threats to treating the American people as grave threats.
Blanche has helped Trump achieve the goal that he couldn't in his first administration: fully warping the Department of Justice, the Nation's top law enforcement agency, into his personal law firm; corruption with doors wide open; political loyalty to the extreme; and a willingness to ignore the values of the Constitution.
When the Senate considered the confirmation of Todd Blanche to be Deputy Attorney General a year ago, I voted no.
The independence of DOJ has been decimated under Blanche's authority. I had no confidence in him before, and after everything we have seen, I doubt we can have confidence in him now.
After his fingerprints were found all over this so-called "Anti-Weaponization" fund, a few of my Republican colleagues signaled he may face hurdles on the road to confirmation.
Will any of them muster the courage to join Democrats in actually holding Blanche accountable and demanding answers regarding the host of concerns I have outlined today? Time will tell.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The Senator from Iowa.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
Page S2657 · Official textMr. President, 87,000, that is how many lives were at risk in August 2024 when Austrian security services thwarted a devastating terrorist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.
Many of these lives could have been young girls from around the world, including Americans. Now this tragedy was halted because, thanks to section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Austrian authorities were able to cancel the concert and apprehend the plotting terrorists, all because U.S. intelligence Agencies were able to share critical intelligence gathered under section 702 authority before the attack occurred.
In 4 very short days, title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, including this essential service, expires. We can't let that happen.
Section 702 happens to be our most nimble and effective intelligence collection tool. Section 702 equips our military with a strategic advantage. It protects our troops overseas, and it keeps terrorists, foreign adversaries, and dangerous illicit drugs from harming Americans, enabling over 90 percent of synthetic drug disruptions.
It helps our intelligence and law enforcement community to defend our homeland from attacks, and it is essential for protecting our cyber security infrastructure.
Title 7 then is critical to our national security, but it doesn't just protect us from security threats; it also protects us from government abuse and government overreach.
Now, if title 7 expires, not only do we lose section 702's utility, we also lose all of its civil liberties, privacy, transparency, and accountability measures. There is a dangerous assumption that the program will function seamlessly if this statute expires on Friday.
Well, I hope the certifications issued a few months ago will still apply in the event of the statute lapsing. This is not a certainty. There will be high-stakes litigation and a very real possibility that intelligence collection will cease, at least temporarily. And in this work of intelligence gathering, minutes do matter. Letting 702 lapse is a real gamble that we can't afford to take.
So let's be very clear, if section 702 lapses, our adversaries will benefit greatly and Americans will suffer. In other words, we will be less secure in our safety as well as our privacy. Over the last few weeks, I have worked closely with Senators Cotton and Warner, the administration, the national security community, and Members of the House to develop a product that delivers meaningful reforms while maintaining section 702's essential operational effectiveness.
This product is bipartisan, bicameral, and it strikes the right balance. The reforms in our bill build on the substantial reforms passed by the Congress in 2024. Again, I want to be clear that the reforms of 2024 that goes by the acronym RISAA are working. FBI query compliance is at 98.9 percent, with the remaining noncompliant queries due to typos and other harmless errors.
This isn't the same program plagued by abuse a few years ago that civil libertarians rightly condemned and by their condemnation brought about some of the reforms in the 2024 bill. Because our bill builds on what the House sent us a few weeks back, it retains and strengthens the provisions and the good progress made by our colleagues in the other Chamber and, at the same time, adds 11 additional reforms that deliver real transparency and accountability.
So let me list just a few. First, it requires the Justice Department to rescind and replace the Department of Justice memo drafted by the previous administration that, quite frankly, illegally restricts congressional oversight access to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
Now, why the previous administration didn't want to carry out the transparency requirements of the last Congress, I don't know, but they didn't do it.
Secondly, it gives Congress a voice in the amici appointment process by requiring leadership to submit a bipartisan list of candidates to whom the FISC court is obliged to give the highest preference.
Three, it levies criminal penalties on those who willfully violate querying standards.
Fourth, it limits and clarifies the definition of an "electronic communication service provider," thus addressing a concern of civil liberties groups across the political spectrum.
Fifth, it requires the FBI monthly to submit U.S. person query justifications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the Civil Liberties Protection Officer for review.
And, sixth, it requires noncompliant queries and abuse to be referred to the inspector general.
Now, there is other points that could be made, and I could go on, but I think the point is very clear when it comes to transparency and accountability that we have added to what was started in 2024.
There is no doubt that this bill is a compromise. That is how things are done in the U.S. Congress and, particularly, in the Senate. This bill isn't the clean reauthorization called for by the administration. This bill also isn't the maximalist approach called for by some skeptics of this program.
This bill reflects what the American people expect and the American people deserve: the reauthorization of a very important national security tool but coupled with meaningful guardrails and transparency.
If title 7 lapses, not only will these thoughtful and thorough reforms fail to become reality, but we will lose many of the key reforms instituted in the last reauthorization of 2024.
This section 702 is the most transparent and most scrutinized intelligence collection in history. If it lapses, so does Congress' essential insight into and oversight of its functions.
So we owe it to our constituents to protect them from threats, from terrorists, and other adversaries, but also to defend their privacy and civil liberties. Our bipartisan, bicameral, thoughtful bill accomplishes both goals.
I appreciate the collaboration with my colleagues Senator Cotton and Warner, and I appreciate the collaboration and engagement from the administration and from our national security partners.
I am grateful for the engagement from the House of Representatives. We got this bill to a very good place, and it is the kind of a bill that should have significant support from both sides of the aisle.
Now, we need to finish this job. We need to put aside partisanship and do what is right by the American people. We need to advance this bill to the President's desk and reauthorize this very critical program.
My Democratic colleagues should recognize that walking away from this deal isn't hurting President Trump; it is hurting the American people.
I hope my colleagues appreciate this bill for what it is, and I pray that we can consider this bill later this week. And I urge everyone in this Chamber to vote yes on reauthorizing section 702 in this very careful and very thoughtful way now before the U.S. Senate.
I yield the floor.
Recognition of the Minority Leader
Page S2657 · Official textThe PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Hyde-Smith)
The Democratic leader is recognized.
Anti-Weaponization Fund
Pages S2657–S2658 · Official textMadam President, well, just about everyone in America hates Trump's slush fund, but every Senate Republican but one is culpable for allowing Trump to go forward with the slush fund. Again, people in America hate the fund. Every Senate Republican allowed Trump to go forward with the slush fund. They supported a reconciliation bill that had no restraints on Trump's corrupt slush fund even after Democrats forced vote after vote in trying to ban the fund. The American people will remember how Senate Republicans sided with Trump instead of them, and it doesn't bode well for the GOP.
Yesterday, Trump showed how empty Todd Blanche's promise is to drop the MAGA slush fund. Asked whether he would stop trying to give cash payouts to his corrupt cronies, convicted criminals, and January 6 insurrectionists, Trump said:
Text printed in the Record (69 characters)
If it was up to me, I'd pay them the kind of money that they deserve.
What they deserve? The only thing January 6 insurrectionists deserve for maiming police officers is to sit in a prison cell, but Donald Trump and Senate Republicans think the rioters deserve a cut of Americans' paychecks.
Trump went on to say:
Text printed in the Record (81 characters)
I think the weaponization fund is a great idea, and so do many other Republicans.
Listen to that, America. Donald Trump has no intention of dropping his slush fund.
You don't have to be a Senator to see just how corrupt--just how crooked--Trump's slush fund scheme is, but Senate Republicans chose not--not--to outlaw Trump's plan to line his pockets with Americans' tax dollars. Senate Republicans are complicit in Trump's corruption.
Democrats set up a procedure and used reconciliation to show exactly where Republicans stood on the slush fund, and the American people were aghast. Republicans could have supported Democratic amendments to ban the slush fund permanently. Republicans could have voted for our amendment to prevent taxpayer-funded payouts to violent January 6 rioters. Republicans could have stood with the American people, but, instead, they reaffirmed their loyalty to Trump and his corrupt administration.
Iran
Page S2658 · Official textMadam President, yesterday marked 100 days since Donald Trump launched one of the most foolish misadventures in the history of American foreign policy. Trump launched his disastrous war with Iran without a clear objective, without a coherent strategy, and without a care for how it would endanger our brave servicemembers and hurt the American people.
One hundred days later, Trump still has no idea how to extricate America from this mess of his own making, and he still doesn't seem to care that the American people are struggling to bear the costs at the gas pump every day.
Trump said it himself:
Text printed in the Record (51 characters)
I don't think about Americans' financial situation.
He doesn't think about it--the No. 1 issue facing the American people, and he doesn't think about it. What kind of President is that?
Trump had better start thinking about Americans' financial situation because, as it becomes more and more dire, Americans are becoming more and more livid. Costs on everything from gasoline to groceries to consumer goods are through the roof because of Trump and his war. American families have spent an extra $750, on average, these past 100 days to meet the rising costs of Trump's war, and every time Americans go to the pump and see a gallon of gasoline costing well over $4, they know whom to blame--Donald Trump.
For 100 days, Trump has claimed that peace is just days away, only for negotiations to crumble over and over and over again. Trump's efforts at peace by press release won't stop the fighting. Congress need to reassert its powers under the Constitution and end this war. Soon, Senate Democrats will force another vote on a War Powers Resolution to end the war--the ninth opportunity we have given Republicans to do their jobs and dig themselves and Trump out of this hole.
The walls are closing in on Trump and the U.S. economy. Republicans need to find their courage and end this war.
New York Knicks
Page S2658 · Official textMadam President, on the Knicks' playing tonight, New Yorkers love the New York Knicks. Some of us remember the good old days when the Knicks won the championship with Debusschere and Bradley at the forward, with Willis Reed in center, and with Earl the Pearl and Clyde as the point guards. Those were the glory days, and the glory days are back.
So, with the New York Knicks set to play the San Antonio Spurs in a few hours, tonight ought to be all about the game, the players, and the fans, but Donald Trump wants to make tonight all about himself like he always does. Midtown has to shut down. Bars near the Garden are about to take a huge hit on what should be their biggest night of the year, and free watch parties near the arena have been canceled because Trump can't bear letting anyone else be the center of attention for one night.
After waiting nearly three decades to see the Knicks play in the finals, New Yorkers deserve better than this.
Knicks fans would give Trae Young wearing a Reggie Miller jersey a warmer welcome than the one they will give Donald Trump when he walks into Madison Square Garden tonight. Knicks fans know that tonight is about New York, not about any one New Yorker.
Best of luck to the Knicks tonight. You will hear us from the streets of New York to the Senate floor: "Knicks in Four!"
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.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Naval Weapons Station Crane
Pages S2658–S2659 · Official textMadam President, Indiana sits at the crossroads of America, but we also sit at the crossroads of more than just freight traffic and geography. Indiana is also the crossroads of our country's defense industrial base.
Indiana's defense and manufacturing industry is helping to make America stronger each and every single day. And now that one of our most important military assets, the Naval Weapons Station Crane, will be getting a one-star Reserve flag officer, Indiana's defense industry will be stronger than it has ever been before.
And I just wanted to come to the floor today, as we begin this week, and talk about the important role that Indiana is playing in leading America's defense industry.
Indiana has one of the highest concentrations of manufacturing jobs anywhere in the country, and we have a great business environment, which is why we have a major defense footprint. In my backyard, in Fort Wayne, IN, a number of companies are located there, like BAE Systems, L3Harris, Raytheon, Ultra Maritime, and General Dynamics. They all call Northeast Indiana, where I live, home, employing thousands of Hoosiers.
Indiana leads the Nation, as well, in steel production, and the steel mills in Burns Harbor forge the steel plates that make up our Navy's ships.
And Indiana is home, as well, to some of the brightest minds that are working in national security and national defense. We have top engineering schools that send their graduates to Crane Navy base. Schools likes Purdue, Notre Dame, Trine, and Rose-Hulman pump out a lot of engineers who get good-paying jobs at Crane and in a number of these defense companies.
At Purdue University, the Hypersonics and Applied Research Facility is running some of the most advanced wind tunnel tests anywhere in the world, and the results of those tests will help better our advanced missile technology.
Purdue also has a presence at Crane at the WestGate@Crane Technology Park, a 750-acre campus dedicated to the research and development of hypersonics, energetic materials, and micro-electronics.
At Notre Dame, the Hypersonic Systems Initiative is focused on researching and developing advanced hypersonic flight vehicles. Notre Dame is also part of the Naval Engineering Education Consortium, a Navy-funded research and workforce bridge that allows Notre Dame students and faculty to work on hypersonics projects that are taking place at Crane Naval Base.
But perhaps more important than all of that, our coveted asset is the Crane Naval Weapons Station. Crane is the third largest Navy base in the world. A lot of people don't even know it exists, and it is in Indiana. In less than a decade, Crane has made nearly 2,000 new hires and has had over $3 billion of economic impact on the State of Indiana. It has been incredible to watch Crane grow into a truly state-of-the-art defense industrial powerhouse.
Earlier this year, I took part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Prometheus project at Crane. Prometheus will be a leader in the production of solid rocket motors, which are vital for critical munitions that are increasingly in short supply. And I was proud to fight hard here in Congress to secure $150 million in the One Big Beautiful Bill to help projects like Prometheus take off. Crane is doing some of the most advanced missile and hypersonic testing and development anywhere in the world. I also helped secure almost half a billion dollars for the MACH-TB Program, a joint Department of War effort to accelerate hypersonics testing, which is also taking place at Crane.
Crane is also, by the way, managing the MACH-XL Program, another Department of War initiative designed to accelerate the development, testing, and production of affordable high-speed hypersonic weapon systems. And Crane is also leading the development of the Navy's nuclear sea-launched cruise missile, also known as SLCM-N.
I could go on for a long time. I am very proud of what happens at Crane and what is going on in Indiana. I have only scratched the surface of the incredible defense projects taking place in my great State. But it is precisely because of how important our defense industrial industry is, especially at Crane, that I applaud Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao's decision to assign a one-star flag officer to Crane--a really important development for our State. This is the most significant expansion of Crane since its creation. It will bring game-changing new authorities and manpower to our State and further cements Indiana as the heart of America's hypersonic enterprise.
The one-star position will be responsible for integrating the Navy's nuclear sea-launched cruise missile and conventional prompt strike weapons systems into and onto surface ships and submarines. It will bring more manpower, more authority, and high-skilled jobs to Indiana while strengthening Crane's role in protecting our country. Our country will be stronger because of this move that Secretary Hegseth and Acting Secretary Hung Cao have made.
President Trump and Secretary of War Hegseth are rebuilding our Nation's military to make it even more lethal than it already was, and part of making our military stronger is by revamping our defense industrial base. Look no further than the great State of Indiana, which is leading the charge and showing the rest of the country what a robust defense industrial base can look like.
Hoosiers will continue to work hard to make our country safer, and I look forward to welcoming this one-star Navy admiral to Crane when he arrives later this year.
I thank the Presiding Officer for her time. I love to brag about Indiana and our defense industrial base and all the great things happening in our State to contribute to our national defense and our national security.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Britt)
The Senator from Indiana.
Waiving Quorum Call
Page S2659 · Official textMadam President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Mattivi nomination.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The Senator from Kansas.
Nomination of Anthony W. Mattivi
Page S2659 · Official textMadam President, the Senate will, here this evening, soon vote or at least begin the nomination process to vote for Tony Mattivi to serve as a U.S. district judge for the District of Kansas.
I have often said that one of the most important responsibilities given to the U.S. Senate is that of providing advice and consent on judicial nominations.
Over many years, I have had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Mattivi, and I have seen firsthand his dedication to public service, to our justice system, and to our country.
He is a graduate of the Metropolitan State College of Denver and Washburn University Law School in Topeka, KS. During law school orientation, he met his wife Mary, who now serves as a Shawnee County district judge, a State judge, and they have three children.
Mr. Mattivi served as a Federal prosecutor for more than 20 years, handling complex cases on behalf of the Department of Justice involving drug trafficking, violent crime, and terrorism.
Following his time in Federal service, Mr. Mattivi was confirmed as the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, providing him with additional capabilities and utilizing his capabilities in additional law enforcement responsibilities. He has provided strong leadership at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the KBI, and he has made the public safer, as is his priority.
I am the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice, and in that regard, I have worked with Mr. Mattivi throughout his time as the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He has demonstrated his devotion to serving Kansans and improving the judicial system, and I am confident his experience in the courtroom and in law enforcement will aid him well on the Federal bench.
During the White House's selection process to fill vacancies in Kansas' U.S. district courts, I met again with Mr. Mattivi and had a serious conversation about this position--this being his becoming a district judge for the Federal District of Kansas. As he has throughout his career, he continued to impress me with his qualifications, experience, and commitment.
For these reasons, I urged the White House to nominate him, and I am confident Mr. Mattivi will serve Kansans well in performing this role. I now urge my colleagues to join me in supporting his nomination to serve as a U.S. district judge for the District of Kansas.
Madam President, that concludes my remarks about Mr. Mattivi, and I now ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Cloture Motion
Pages S2659–S2660 · Official textThe 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: 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. 744, Anthony W. Mattivi, 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 Husted, John Boozman, Mike Crapo, Katie Boyd Britt, Eric Schmitt.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Under the previous order, 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 Anthony W. Mattivi, 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 Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Risch), and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).
Further, if present and voting: the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) would have voted "yea," the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted "yea."
I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley) are necessarily absent.
The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 49, nays 42, as follows:
Text printed in the Record (930 characters)
Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McConnell McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tuberville Wicker Young
Alsobrooks Baldwin Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Lujan Markey Murphy Murray Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden
Bennet
Booker
Cramer
Fetterman
Graham
Klobuchar
Merkley
Risch
Tillis
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ricketts). On this vote, the yeas are 49, the nays are 42. The motion is agreed to.
The motion was agreed to.
Executive Calendar
Page S2660 · Official textThe PRESIDING OFFICER
The clerk will report the nomination.
The senior assistant executive clerk read the nomination of Anthony W. Mattivi, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The majority leader.
Order of Business (Executive Calendar)
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the postcloture time with respect to Executive Calendar No. 744 be expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow; finally, that if the nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Legislative Session
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 745.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The clerk will report the nomination.
The senior assistant executive clerk read the nomination of Anthony J. Powell, of Kansas, to be United States District Judge for the District of Kansas.
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows:
Text printed in the Record (549 characters)
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of Executive Calendar No. 745, Anthony J. Powell, 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 Husted, John Boozman, Mike Crapo,
Katie Boyd Britt, John R. Curtis.
Legislative Session
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 765.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The question is on agreeing to the motion.
The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The clerk will report the nomination.
The senior assistant executive clerk read the nomination of Brock Dahl, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State.
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Page S2660 · Official textMr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The cloture motion having been presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
The senior assistant executive clerk read as follows:
Text printed in the Record (561 characters)
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of Executive Calendar No. 765, Brock Dahl, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State.
John Thune, Ted Budd, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Chuck Grassley,
Katie Boyd Britt, Roger Marshall, John Boozman, John
Cornyn, Tim Sheehy, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Rounds,
Tommy Tuberville, Bernie Moreno, Tim Scott of South
Carolina, John Barrasso, Steve Daines, Shelley Moore
Capito.
Legislative Session
Page S2660 · Official textMr. 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.
Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026
Pages S2660–S2661 · Official textEMERGENCY PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON REFUGEE ADMISSIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print the attached letter in the Congressional Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
Text printed in the Record (7,554 characters)
Washington DC, June 8, 2026. President Donald J. Trump, The White House, Washington, DC.
Dear President Trump: On May 21, 2026, you issued an Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026, increasing the refugee admissions goal from 7,500 to 17,500. We offer the following observations and recommendations on your Administration's shameful efforts to gut the refugee admissions program.
We have identified multiple legal defects with the Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026. First, your Administration did not conduct the appropriate consultation required by Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 207(a)(2) before the President may increase the refugee admissions goal in response to an unforeseen refugee situation. INA section 207(e) defines an appropriate consultation as including "discussions in person by designated Cabinet-level representatives of the President with members of the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and of the House of Representatives to review the refugee situation or emergency refugee situation." The purported consultation on May 21 occurred with the Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, and no attempts were made to ensure that members of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate could attend. Prior to the consultations for Fiscal
Year 2026, there are no recorded instances of a consultation occurring without at least one cabinet level official. The consultation therefore did not meet statutory requirements for an appropriate consultation. This follows multiple instances in the first Trump Administration when the Executive Branch violated the Refugee Act by failing to hold timely and meaningful consultations with Congress.
We also observe that there is no "unforeseen refugee emergency" in South Africa justifying an increase in the refugee admissions goal. Congress created a process in the Refugee Act of 1980 under which the President can increase the refugee admissions allocation when a crisis resulted in an unexpected impact on countries of first asylum or when a U.S. response would alleviate grave humanitarian concerns or promote national interests. The Senate Judiciary Committee report on the Refugee Act (S. Rept. 96-256) listed the following examples: a "sudden exodus of people from a country where there had been no refugee flow before," "a substantial increase in the number of refugees in an area of the world where 'normal flow' refugees were anticipated, but urgent new numbers developed," or "any catastrophic circumstance affecting an asylum area requiring immediate action."
No such unforeseen emergency was described by the Administration's briefers during the consultation or through supplemental materials. To justify the increase in refugee admissions, your designees pointed to an increase in ongoing reports of "rhetoric" attacking Afrikaners by the South African government. However, in your Executive Order issued on February 7, 2025, entitled, "Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa." you cite "hateful rhetoric and government actions" by the South African government against Afrikaners--if we accept these representations as accurate, continued rhetoric was not unforeseen. Similarly, the Report to Congress on Proposed Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026 discusses a raid by South African officials on a U.S. Refugee Processing Center. By all accounts, the U.S. government had contracted officials to work in the Center without lawful work authorization, and enforcement action against individuals working unlawfully could hardly be called unforeseen. During the consultation, your designees further admitted that South Africa's official policies regarding Afrikaners have not changed since the previous consultation in November 2025.
By contrast, there are numerous forced displacement crises and conflicts worldwide that would justify an emergency increase in the ceiling, including, for example, in Sudan, Burma, and Haiti. During the consultation, some members raised resettlement of refugees from Iran, including religious minority community members and political dissidents. Escalating violence in South Sudan, including attacks on civilians, led 100,000 people to flee into Ethiopia in March 2026 alone. Since the November 2025 consultation, escalating violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo between the Congolese Armed Forces and M23 rebel group led more than 40,000 people to flee to Burundi in a single week. Since early March 2026, more than one million people in Lebanon, or 20 percent of the country's population, have been internally displaced due to escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
Your designees also stated that only Afrikaners are being considered for an exception to the bar on refugee admission. On January 20, 2025, you signed Executive Order 14163, putting an indefinite pause on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This Executive Order allows the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to admit refugees to the United States on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the entry of such noncitizens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States. On December 19, 2025, the Secretary of State designated this authority to the Deputy Secretary, the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, and the Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom.
During the consultation, however, the designees noted that only Afrikaners are currently being excepted from the Executive Order and could not describe a process by which any other applicant for refugee admission may be considered for an exception. There were 42.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2025, including many who present no threat to the security or welfare of the United States, and whose admission would be in the national interest of the United States. For example, many refugees remain separated from their families in the United States. Thousands of Afghan allies remain stranded abroad after risking their lives to serve alongside our servicemembers. There are also 123,000 fully vetted refugees who were in the pipeline to come to the United States on the first day of this Administration, 12,000 of whom had their travel to the United States scheduled. During the consultation, your designees stated these refugees will remain stranded until the policy is changed. We urge you to consider additional refugees for exceptions to the ban on refugee admission under Executive Order 14163.
The U.S. refugee admissions program has been the gold standard of vetting and served as a key diplomatic tool for 46 years. The program was created by Congress with the express purpose to give "statutory meaning to our national commitment to human rights and humanitarian concerns." Your decision only to admit as refugees members of a group favored by your Administration is a betrayal of our nation's longstanding bipartisan commitment to serve as a safe haven for those fleeing persecution. We urge you to conduct an appropriate consultation that complies with the law and to admit refugees impacted by the emergencies described above.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin,
Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary.
Alex Padilla,
Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration.
Remembering Barney Frank
Pages S2661–S2662 · Official textMr. President, Barney Frank was one of the brightest Members of Congress I have ever had the pleasure of serving with. He was smart, outrageous, colorful, and courageous. Most importantly, he was a good man. Barney passed away last month, and I would like to take a moment to recognize his lifetime of public service.
Born in Bayonne, NJ, Barney discovered his interest in government at the age of 10 watching Senate hearings on his father's television set. Barney said in his own words: most children were interested in becoming "a cowboy, a boxer, or a puppeteer. I preferred the idea of sitting behind an impressive dais grilling colorful Mafiosi." To feed his passion, Barney volunteered for Adlai Stevenson's second Presidential campaign in 1956 while he was in high school, and the next year, he arrived at Harvard University to study public policy. Barney remained in Massachusetts for 56 years, rising in the ranks of government from executive assistant to the mayor of Boston to the Halls of Congress.
Anyone who met Barney knew that he was the last person you would want to argue with. His sharp tongue and acerbic retorts were legendary, and Barney was never afraid to use his talents to defend the causes that he believed in. Fortunately for our country, his cause was often that of the disenfranchised and powerless. Elected in 1980--the same year as President Ronald Reagan--Barney fought against the Reagan administration's attempts to cut government programs that helped working families, and he passionately defended the Legal Services Corporation, which was facing backlash for assisting the United Farm Workers. Barney's political acumen was as strong as his intelligence, and he achieved huge success for a new congressman.
Yet Barney's early years in the House are perhaps best remembered for his courageous decision to come out as gay at a time when LGBTQ+ people were still banned from serving in the Armed Forces or holding a security clearance. That decision took guts. No congressman had ever come out of the closet willingly before Barney, and many had warned him that doing so would jeopardize his ability to reach higher office. But Barney refused to take the easy way out, and in 1987, he became the first openly gay Member of Congress. Barney had already been a staunch advocate for gay rights long before he came out; he even introduced the first gay rights bill in Massachusetts history as a State representative in 1972, and he continued that fight long after he announced his sexuality. Barney worked to remove homophobic provisions from America's immigration laws, advocated for funding for AIDS and HIV research and treatment, and fought passionately against the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community at every level of government. By the time Barney left Congress, gay people were able to openly serve in the military, sodomy laws were declared unconstitutional, and hate crimes based on an individual's sexuality were explicitly prohibited by law.
Behind Barney's brilliant wit and courage was also a statesman who was just as comfortable crafting bipartisan compromise as he was delivering a soundbite. Barney was indispensable in picking up the pieces of our economy in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Not only did he work with the Bush administration to prevent the crisis from deepening, but he also joined forces with Senator Christopher Dodd to pass the Dodd-Frank Act, the largest reform to Wall Street and the American financial system in the post-war era. This bill created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an Agency tasked with defending American consumers from dishonest business practices; it regulated the securities and derivatives markets that brought our Nation to financial ruin; and it increased capital requirements for banks to avoid future defaults. While Barney wished that the rules enshrined in Dodd-Frank went further in protecting Americans, it still made a meaningful difference for millions of families.
Before leaving office, Barney had one more accomplishment he was determined to achieve. On July 7, 2012, Barney married his partner Jim Ready and became the first Member of Congress to be married to a same-sex partner. I am pleased to say that while they were the first, they are no longer the only partnership in this category. While more must be done to end discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, it is worth recognizing Barney and Jim's contributions to equality in America. Loretta and I would like to offer Jim our deepest condolences for his loss.
Barney refused to allow the prejudice and bigotry of his time to define him. His courage and intelligence were an inspiration to many of his colleagues, and his legacy is still felt in Congress today. He will be missed.
National School Lunch Act
Page S2662 · Official textMr. President, I rise to recognize the 80th anniversary of the National School Lunch Act. Eight decades after President Harry S. Truman signed the legislation into law, we celebrate a program that has nourished generations of American children and helped build a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous nation.
As a former public school board member, I have seen firsthand the powerful connection between nutrition and learning. Children who have access to healthy meals are better prepared to succeed in the classroom, participate in extracurricular activities, and reach their full potential. That simple truth has guided the program.
Arkansas is proud to be part of this success story. Every school day, school meal programs serve hundreds of thousands of Arkansas students, giving them access to the nutrition necessary to learn, grow, and thrive. These meals not only support academic achievement but also promote long-term health and well-being.
We have also worked to build on the success of the National School Lunch Act and extend nutrition support beyond the school year. The Hunger-Free Summer for Kids Act, signed into law in 2022, delivered the most significant modernization of summer feeding programs in more than 60 years. By permanently expanding noncongregate meal options, the law helps ensure that children in rural and underserved communities can continue receiving nutritious meals when school is out of session.
These efforts built on a long, bipartisan tradition of strengthening child nutrition programs, including support for school breakfast programs, summer meal initiatives, and policies that connect America's farmers, ranchers, and producers with the schools that serve our children every day.
The mission of the National School Lunch Act remains as important as ever. The program continues to nourish children in Arkansas and all across the country and invest in the future of our Nation.
Eighty years of feeding hungry students, supporting families, and creating opportunities for success is a record worth celebrating. I look forward to building on that legacy for generations to come.
Tribute to Brigadier General Wilkinson
Page S2662 · Official textMr. President, I rise today to honor an exemplary leader, dedicated public servant, and distinguished soldier: Brigadier General Scott D. Wilkinson. Since 2024, General Wilkinson has served as both military deputy chief of legislative liaison and as chief of legislative liaison. In these roles, he has helped maintain strong relations between military and congressional leaders, ensuring that Congress is well informed of our Armed Forces' critical missions. He brought a wealth of experience to these positions, having previously served as chief of the Senate liaison division.
Throughout his time working with Congress, he has demonstrated a commitment to our national security that has remained constant throughout his more than 30 years of military service. He deployed in support of Operations JOINT ENDEAVOR and JOINT GUARD in Bosnia-Herzegovina; to Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE in Eastern Europe; and to combat in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, FREEDOM SENTINEL, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and YUKON SCEPTER. His awards include the Legion of Merit with three bronze oakleaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal with four bronze oakleaf clusters, and the Meritorious Service Medal with silver oakleaf cluster, among numerous other decorations.
Tennessee is lucky to call General Wilkinson one of our own. He served for many years at Fort Campbell, ultimately assuming the positions of commander of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and deputy commander for Support of the 101st Airborne Division. Prior to his service in the legislative liaison office, he most recently served as commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. Throughout his assignments, his exemplary leadership has set a standard worthy of recognition and emulation by the soldiers he led and mentored.
As General Wilkinson's time at the Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison comes to a close, I extend my deepest thanks to General Wilkinson, his wife Mindy, and their family for their extraordinary service and sacrifice to our Nation.
Tribute to Senior Airman Larry Thomas
Pages S2662–S2663 · Official textMr. President, in addition to accepting the call to serve our Nation's military, many of our veterans have also accepted an even higher calling: being a parent. But what is more is many of them were also influenced to serve by their own parents. That is true for Senior Airman Larry Thomas of Eufaula, AL. As the son of a WWI veteran and the brother of a WWII veteran, when the call to join arms came for Larry, he knew he had to do his part and join the Air Force.
Larry took time off from earning his education at Auburn University to valiantly serve the United States when we needed it the most. He spent 4 years in the early 60s at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida serving our country at the onset of the Vietnam war. During those four years, he supported flight operations and even earned a Presidential Unit Citation for his squadron's help in the first-ever human orbit around the earth in 1962.
But finishing his degree was always in the back of his mind, especially after he met and married his late wife Jean, who was a lifelong educator herself. Larry and Jean married in Walton County, FL, and welcomed home their first two of three sons Channing and Sean while there. After Larry left the Air Force, he kept his promise both to himself and his wife and finished his degree; he graduated from Troy in 1969 exactly 10 years after his high school graduation. The Thomas family finally relocated back to Larry's roots in Eufaula and welcomed their third son Derek in the 70s. And Larry has never left. He went on to work in various roles in textile mills, sales, and more over the next three decades, all the while instilling many of the values he learned from the Air Force in his sons. Whether it be discipline, decision making, keeping your word, working hard, or maintaining order, Larry's time in the uniform was not confined to himself but a shared bond between all the Thomas boys.
To Larry, being a good father, husband, and grandfather is the most important role he has ever had--and his time in the military helped shape him into a father. After retiring in 2011, he has stayed involved in the Eufaula community by serving on the board of directors of the Eufaula Housing Authority and as a part of the vestry at St. James Episcopal Church. He is truly a pillar of his community, but more importantly, of his family.
In June, we celebrate Father's Day. We appreciate the fathers--like Larry--who have helped instill patriotism in the next generation. It is my honor to recognize Larry Thomas as the June Veteran of the Month.
Message from the President
Page S2663 · Official textA message from the President of the United States was communicated to the Senate by Ms. Kelly, one of his secretaries.
Executive Message Referred
Page S2663 · Official textAs in executive session the Presiding Officer laid before the Senate a message from the President of the United States submitting a nomination which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (The message received today is printed at the end of the Senate proceedings.)
Messages from the House
Page S2663 · Official textAt 3:02 p.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by Mrs. Alli, one of its reading clerks, announced that the Speaker has signed the following enrolled bill:
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S. 254. An act to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of producers of Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal ivory products, and for other purposes.
The enrolled bill was subsequently signed by the President pro tempore (Mr. Grassley) ____ At 4:15 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. 2913. An act to authorize support for Ukraine, and for other purposes.
H.R. 8646. An act making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes.
Enrolled Bill Presented
Page S2663 · Official textThe Secretary of the Senate reported that on today, June 8, 2026, she had presented to the President of the United States the following enrolled bill:
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S. 254. An act to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of producers of Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal ivory products, and for other purposes.
Executive and Other Communications
Page S2663 · Official textThe following communications were laid before the Senate, together with accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as indicated:
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EC-3745. A communication from the Senior Advisor, Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to a discontinuation of service in an acting role for a position covered by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 for the position of Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-3746. A communication from the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines" ((RIN1902-AG39) (Docket No. RM96-1-044)) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
EC-3747. A communication from the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation, and Energy Efficiency, Department of Energy, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Renewable Energy Production Incentives" (RIN1904-AF76) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
EC-3748. A communication from the Associate Administrator for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled "Implementation Status of the Innovative Water Technology Grant Program October 2025"; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-3749. A communication from the Division Chief, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Implementing PATRIOT Act Improvements: Contraband Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco" (RIN1140-AA31) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-3750. A communication from the Chief of Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Revising Machine Gun Definition in Response to Supreme Court Decision" (RIN1140-AA60) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-3751. A communication from the Division Chief, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Changes to National Firearms Act Tax Remittance Provisions" (RIN1140-AA83) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-3752. A communication from the Assistant to the Board, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Consumer Leasing (Regulation M)" (RIN7100-AH11) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
EC-3753. A communication from the Assistant to the Board, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Appraisals for Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans Exemption Threshold" (RIN7100-AH12) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
EC-3754. A communication from the Assistant to the Board, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Community Reinvestment Act Regulations Asset-Size Thresholds (Regulation BB)" received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
EC-3755. A communication from the Assistant to the Board, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled "Truth in Lending (Regulation Z)" (RIN7100-AH10) received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
EC-3756. A communication from the Acting Secretary of Labor, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Department's Semiannual Report of the Inspector General for the period from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3757. A communication from the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Legislative Affairs, Department of the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Semiannual Reports from the Inspector General and Inspector General for Tax Administration for the period from October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3758. A communication from the Associate Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Agency's Semiannual Report of the Office of Inspector General for the period from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3759. A communication from the Associate General Counsel for General Law, Department of Homeland Security, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to a nomination for a position covered by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 for the position of Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, received in the Office of the President of the Senate on June 3, 2026; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3760. A communication from the Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Farm Credit Administration, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Administration's Semiannual Report of the Inspector General and the Semiannual Management Report on the Status of Audits for the period from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026 received in the Office of the President pro tempore; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3761. A communication from the Director of Congressional Affairs, Federal Election Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Commission's Semiannual Report of the Inspector General for the period from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026 received in the Office of the President pro tempore; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-3762. A communication from the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Semiannual Report of the Inspector General for the period from October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026 received in the Office of the President pro tempore; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Reports of Committees
Pages S2663–S2664 · Official textThe following reports of committees were submitted:
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By Mr. LEE, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute:
S. 2033. A bill to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on existing programs, rules, and authorities that enable or inhibit wildfire mitigation across land ownership boundaries on Federal and non-Federal land.
Executive Report of Committee
Page S2664 · Official textThe following executive report of a nomination was submitted:
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By Mr. BOOZMAN for the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
*Glen Smith, of Iowa, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development.
*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.
Introduction of Bills and Joint Resolutions
Page S2664 · Official textThe 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. SCHATZ (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn):
S. 4695. A bill to establish a private right of action against a person who transmits unsolicited intimate visual depictions; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mr. BLUMENTHAL:
S. 4696. A bill to establish an express cause of action for violations of the right to record, observe, or peacefully protest law enforcement activities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mr. SCHIFF:
S. 4697. A bill to provide for design and safety requirements for autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
By Mr. JOHNSON (for himself and Mr. Tuberville):
S. 4698. A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize the use of investigational individualized medical treatments by patients diagnosed with a life-threatening disease or condition or severely debilitating illness, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
By Mr. WARNER:
S. 4699. A bill to restore funding to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
By Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Warren,
and Mr. Van Hollen):
S. 4700. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income tax for qualified conservation contributions which include National Scenic Trails; to the Committee on Finance.
By Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mrs.
Murray, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr.
Hickenlooper, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Merkley, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Gallego, Mrs. Shaheen,
Ms. Smith, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Coons, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms.
Rosen, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Warner, Mr.
Schiff, Mr. Reed, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Cantwell, Mr.
Heinrich, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Van Hollen,
Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Murphy, Mr.
Fetterman, Ms. Blunt Rochester, and Ms. Alsobrooks):
S. 4701. A bill to protect freedom of travel and reproductive rights; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mr. GALLEGO (for himself and Mr. Ricketts):
S. 4702. A bill to amend the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to counter subsidies provided by the Government of the People's Republic of China, to protect critical United States industries, and to strengthen United States economic and national security competitiveness; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
By Ms. ROSEN:
S. 4703. A bill to prohibit Federal funds from being used for certain legal financial settlements, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Ms. ROSEN:
S. 4704. A bill to prohibit Federal funds from being used for certain legal financial settlements, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Ms. ROSEN:
S. 4705. A bill to prohibit Federal funds from being used for certain legal financial settlements, to provide funding for the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mr. MARKEY:
S. 4706. A bill to amend section 1977A of the Revised Statues to equalize the remedies available under that section and to amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to provide any legal or equitable relief available under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
By Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. Reed):
S. 4707. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to establish a policy for the Department of Defense on maximizing autonomy and artificial intelligence systems, to establish requirements relating to Department review and verification of autonomous weapon systems, and artificial intelligence capabilities, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
By Mr. LEE:
S. 4708. A bill to improve the security of the Arctic, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
By Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mr. Kaine):
S. 4709. A bill to amend the Arms Export Control Act to modify a limitation relating to exports and transfers of defense articles and services under the AUKUS partnership, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Submission of Concurrent and Senate Resolutions
Page S2664 · Official textThe following concurrent resolutions and Senate resolutions were read, and referred (or acted upon), as indicated:
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By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Van
Hollen, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kaine, Mr.
Gallego, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Alsobrooks,
Ms. Hirono, Mr. Welch, Mr. Booker, and Mr.
Whitehouse):
S. Res. 756. A resolution expressing support for the designation of June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2026 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month"; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mr. CASSIDY (for himself and Mr. Warnock):
S. Res. 757. A resolution designating June 11, 2026, as "National Seersucker Day", designating every subsequent Thursday through the last Thursday in August 2026 as "Seersucker Thursday", and designating June 2026 as "Seersucker Appreciation Month"; considered and agreed to.
By Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Justice,
Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Padilla, Mr.
Boozman, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Banks, Ms.
Collins, and Mr. Hoeven):
S. Res. 758. A resolution expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2026 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month" and June 27, 2026, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day"; considered and agreed to.
By Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself and Ms. Murkowski):
S. Res. 759. A resolution recognizing World Oceans Day and celebrating the maritime heritage, ocean leadership, fisheries stewardship, and coastal communities of the United States; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
By Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mr. Coons):
S. Res. 760. A resolution recognizing the United States-Philippines alliance on the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines, and the 10th anniversary of the landmark arbitral award upholding Manila's sovereignty against escalating aggression and lawfare by the People's Republic of China in the South China Sea; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Additional Cosponsors
Pages S2664–S2665 · Official textAt the request of Mr. Cassidy, his name was added as a cosponsor of S. 410, a bill to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Blumenthal, the name of the Senator from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 455, a bill to amend section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations, to clarify the powers of immigration officers at sensitive locations, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Rosen, the name of the Senator from Nevada (Ms. Cortez Masto) was added as a cosponsor of S. 547, a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study and issue a report on grant programs to support the nursing workforce. At the request of Ms. Smith, the names of the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Ossoff), the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Merkley), the Senator from Washington (Ms. Cantwell) and the Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar) were added as cosponsors of S. 1157, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a review to evaluate the status of research on lung cancer in women and underserved populations, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Cortez Masto, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Armstrong) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1574, a bill to amend the Stored Communications Act to include Tribal courts as courts of competent jurisdiction. At the request of Mr. Scott of South Carolina, the name of the Senator from Maine (Ms. Collins) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1889, a bill to repeal the sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. At the request of Mr. Whitehouse, the name of the Senator from Alaska (Ms. Murkowski) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2096, a bill to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the Transition Assistance Program and Solid Start Program to address mental health issues, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Banks, the name of the Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. Fischer) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2955, a bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to establish Federal penalties for the knowing and intentional administration of any abortion-inducing drug to a woman without her informed consent, if the abortion-inducing drug has been shipped or transported in interstate commerce, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Cortez Masto, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Armstrong) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3041, a bill to allow the U.S. Marshals Service to assist in certain Tribal criminal matters, and for other purposes. At the request of Ms. Collins, the names of the Senator from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester) and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) 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. Cornyn, the name of the Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. Fischer) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3332, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Curtis, the name of the Senator from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3400, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require coverage of hearing devices and systems in certain private health insurance plans, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Blumenthal, the names of the Senator from Wyoming (Ms. Lummis) and the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) were added as cosponsors of S. 3492, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities to permit essential caregivers access during any period in which regular visitation is restricted. At the request of Mr. Lujan, the name of the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff) was added as a cosponsor of S. 3892, a bill to prohibit retail food stores from price gouging and engaging in surveillance-based price setting practices, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Van Hollen, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin) 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. Kennedy, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4419, a bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to require only foreign entities to report beneficial ownership information, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Peters, the names of the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand) and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin) were added as cosponsors of S. 4573, a bill to designate the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership, and for other purposes. At the request of Mr. Marshall, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford) was added as a cosponsor of S. 4604, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify certain percentage depletion rules with respect to oil and gas wells. At the request of Mr. Lujan, the name of the Senator from Nevada (Ms. Cortez Masto) was added as a cosponsor of 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. At the request of Mr. Durbin, the name of the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) was added as a cosponsor of S. Res. 260, a resolution expressing support for the designation of June 6, 2025, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2025 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month".
Senate Resolution 756--Expressing Support for the Designation of June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2026 as "National Gun Violent Awareness Month"
Pages S2665–S2666 · Official textSENATE RESOLUTION 756--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF JUNE 5, 2026, AS "NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY" AND JUNE 2026 AS "NATIONAL GUN VIOLENT AWARENESS MONTH" Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Padilla, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Alsobrooks, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Welch, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
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Whereas each year in the United States--
(1) nearly 47,000 individuals are killed and nearly 97,000 individuals are wounded by gunfire;
(2) nearly 19,000 individuals are killed in homicides involving guns;
(3) nearly 27,000 individuals die by suicide using a gun; and
(4) more than 400 individuals are killed in unintentional shootings;
Whereas, since 1968, more individuals have died from guns in the United States than have died on the battlefields of all the wars in the history of the United States;
Whereas, in 2025, nearly 15,000 people were killed in gun homicides or nonsuicide-related shootings;
Whereas, in 2025, more than 230 people were unintentionally shot by a child under 18;
Whereas, by one count, in 2025 in the United States, there were at least 406 mass shooting incidents in which at least 4 people were killed or wounded by gunfire;
Whereas, nationwide, more than 88,000 military veterans died by gun suicide from 2004 to 2023;
Whereas, every year in the United States, more than 4,400 children and teens are killed by gun violence, and more than 17,000 children and teens are shot and wounded;
Whereas more than 15,000 people in the United States under the age of 30 die because of gun violence annually, including Hadiya Pendleton, who, in 2013, was killed at 15 years of age in Chicago, Illinois, while standing in a park;
Whereas, on June 5, 2026, to recognize the 29th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (born June 2, 1997), people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to--
(1) Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun violence; and
(2) the loved ones of those victims; and
Whereas June 2026 is an appropriate month to designate as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month": Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports--
(A) the designation of June 2026 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month" and the goals and ideals of that month; and
(B) the designation of June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day", in remembrance of the victims of gun violence; and
(2) calls on the people of the United States to--
(A) promote greater awareness of gun violence and gun safety;
(B) wear orange, the color that hunters wear to show that they are not targets, on National Gun Violence Awareness Day;
(C) concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during the summer months, when gun violence typically increases; and
(D) bring community members and leaders together to discuss ways to make communities safer.
Senate Resolution 757--Designating June 11, 2026, as "National Seersucker Day", Designating Every Subsequent Thursday Through the Last Thursday in August 2026 as "Seersucker Thursday", And...
Page S2666 · Official textMr. CASSIDY (for himself and Mr. Warnock) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
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Whereas seersucker was introduced to the United States in the South in the middle of the 19th century;
Whereas seersucker suits were popularized in the United States in the early 1900s by New Orleans businessman Joseph Haspel at his Broad Street facility in New Orleans, Louisiana;
Whereas, as a lightweight, hard-wearing fabric, seersucker is mostly worn and enjoyed by the people of the United States during hot summer months;
Whereas former Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi brought Seersucker Thursday to Congress in 1996, and after the day went unobserved in 2012 and 2013, then-Representative Bill Cassidy, with the help of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, revived the tradition in 2014;
Whereas the Senate will remember the historic service of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, who shall forever remain a part of this tradition, which Senator Raphael Warnock will continue in her stead;
Whereas the name "seersucker" originates from the Persian phrase "shir-o-shakar", meaning "milk and sugar", alluding to the alternating textures of the fabric;
Whereas the seersucker textile is made of cotton, linen, or silk (or combinations thereof), woven on a loom with threads at different tensions, creating alternating stripes of smooth and puckered textures that do not lay flat on one's skin, which is what makes the fabric so breathable;
Whereas cotton is an important crop that producers in the United States, including 3,500 family farms in Georgia, strive to cultivate in the highest quality; and
Whereas one of the alternating stripes in seersucker is frequently in a color, typically blue, but sometimes gray, green, tan, red, pink, or another color, which, in combination with the white stripes, creates the iconic pattern so well known today: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates June 11, 2026, as "National Seersucker Day";
(2) designates every subsequent Thursday through the last Thursday in August 2026 as "Seersucker Thursday";
(3) designates June 2026 as "Seersucker Appreciation Month";
(4) recognizes the contributions of the hard-working people of the United States through the wearing of seersucker, the unique warm weather clothing known as the working person's uniform;
(5) encourages Senators to support the objectives of National Seersucker Day and Seersucker Thursday;
(6) encourages local governments in the United States to build partnerships with local organizations and other members of the clothing industries and enthusiasts to promote the wearing of seersucker; and
(7) invites the people of the United States to don their warm weather finest on National Seersucker Day and every Seersucker Thursday.
Senate Resolution 758--Expressing Support for the Designation of the Month of June 2026 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month" and June 27, 2026, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress...
Pages S2666–S2667 · Official textSENATE RESOLUTION 758--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE 2026 AS "NATIONAL POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AWARENESS MONTH" AND JUNE 27, 2026, AS "NATIONAL POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AWARENESS DAY" Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Justice, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Banks, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Hoeven) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Text printed in the Record (5,115 characters)
Whereas the brave men and women of the Armed Forces, who proudly serve the United States, risk their lives to protect the freedom, health, and welfare of the people of the United States, and deserve the investment of every possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being;
Whereas nearly 3,500,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed overseas since the events of September 11, 2001, and have served in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas the current generation of men and women in the Armed Forces has sustained a high rate of operational deployments, with many members of the Armed Forces serving overseas multiple times, placing those members at high risk of enduring traumatic combat stress;
Whereas, when left untreated, exposure to traumatic combat stress can lead to severe and chronic post-traumatic stress responses, commonly referred to as post-traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, or post-traumatic stress injury;
Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that approximately--
(1) 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom suffer from severe or chronic post-traumatic stress responses;
(2) 12 percent of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf war have post-traumatic stress in a given year; and
(3) 30 percent of veterans who served in the Vietnam era have had post-traumatic stress in their lifetimes;
Whereas the diagnosis known as post-traumatic stress disorder was initially formulated in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association to describe and categorize the symptoms and behavioral complications of severe traumatic stress;
Whereas the symptoms and behavioral complications of severe traumatic stress have historically been unjustly portrayed in the media, stigmatizing individuals living with post-traumatic stress;
Whereas electro-magnetic imaging has shown that severe traumatic stress causes physical changes in the brain;
Whereas many post-traumatic stress responses remain unreported, undiagnosed, and untreated due to--
(1) a lack of awareness about post-traumatic stress and the persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions; and
(2) a lack of access to mental health treatment;
Whereas, without timely redress, traumatic stress responses can worsen over time and lead to severe consequences, including self-harm;
Whereas exposure to trauma during service in the Armed Forces can lead to post-traumatic stress;
Whereas post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk of anxiety, depression, homelessness, substance abuse, and suicide, especially if left untreated;
Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress have created challenges for veterans seeking employment;
Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and veterans service organizations, as well as the larger medical community, both private and public, have made significant advances in the identification, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of post-traumatic stress and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but many challenges remain;
Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress can help to eliminate the stigma attached to the mental health issues of post-traumatic stress;
Whereas additional efforts are needed to find further ways to eliminate the stigma associated with post-traumatic stress, including the recognition that post-traumatic stress is often a reparable injury, and an examination of how post-traumatic stress is portrayed by the media;
Whereas timely and appropriate treatment of post-traumatic stress responses can diminish complications and prevent suicides; and
Whereas the designation of a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and a National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day raises public awareness about issues related to post-traumatic stress, reduces the associated stigma, supports resilience, and helps ensure that those individuals suffering from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates--
(A) June 2026 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month"; and
(B) June 27, 2026, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day";
(2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well as the entire medical community, to educate members of the Armed Forces, veterans, the families of members of the Armed Forces and veterans, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress;
(3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to foster cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic stress, understanding that personal interactions can save lives and advance treatment;
(4) encourages the leadership of the Armed Forces to support appropriate treatment of men and women of the Armed Forces who suffer from post- traumatic stress; and
(5) recognizes the impact of post-traumatic stress on the spouses and families of members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
Senate Resolution 759--Recognizing World Oceans Day and Celebrating the Maritime Heritage, Ocean Leadership, Fisheries Stewardship, and Coastal Communities of the United States
Page S2667 · Official textMr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:
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Whereas the ocean has shaped the history, security, economy, and identity of the United States since its founding;
Whereas 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America;
Whereas, for 250 years, the United States has grown into a global maritime leader through naval strength, exploration, scientific discovery, commerce, shipbuilding, fisheries, aquaculture, and ocean innovation;
Whereas the United States is home to vibrant coastal communities and working waterfronts that serve as economic engines supporting millions of jobs in fishing, shipping, tourism, energy, recreation, marine transportation, seafood production, research, and trade;
Whereas the ocean economy contributes trillions of dollars annually to the United States economy and supports millions of American workers;
Whereas generations of American fishermen, mariners, shipbuilders, scientists, members of the Armed Forces, port workers, and indigenous communities have contributed to the strength and prosperity of the United States;
Whereas the strength of the United States Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines has defended the shores of the United States, protected freedom of navigation, safeguarded international commerce, prevented the occurrence of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing from occurring in United States waters and abroad, and strengthened America's maritime leadership throughout the world;
Whereas the United States has developed world-class ports, maritime infrastructure, shipbuilding capacity, and ocean technology that have helped power economic growth and global trade;
Whereas the United States has preserved and celebrated its maritime heritage through historic ships, lighthouses, museums, waterfronts, and educational programs that honor the Nation's seafaring traditions;
Whereas the United States global leadership is due to its excellence in ocean science, mapping, exploration, and innovation through the work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, academic institutions, Federal agencies, and private sector partners;
Whereas scientists estimate that a majority of the ocean remains unexplored, making ocean exploration one of the last great frontiers for scientific discovery and innovation;
Whereas 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), landmark bipartisan legislation that was signed into law in 1976;
Whereas the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act established a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, strengthened United States fisheries management, protected American fishermen from foreign overfishing, rebuilt fish stocks, and helped create one of the most successful and sustainable fisheries management systems in the world;
Whereas commercial, recreational, and Tribal fisheries support food security, sustain cultural traditions, strengthen coastal economies, and contribute to the maritime heritage of the United States;
Whereas American seafood producers, processors, and fishing communities continue to provide high-quality domestic seafood while supporting jobs and economic growth across the United States;
Whereas 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the Marine Debris Program established under the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.);
Whereas bipartisan efforts through the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-265; 132 Stat. 3742) and related legislation have strengthened the country's response to marine debris, supported innovation and international engagement, and protected coastal communities, waterways, fisheries, and marine ecosystems;
Whereas marine debris and microplastics threatens navigation safety, coastal tourism, fisheries, working waterfronts, marine wildlife, and human well-being; and
Whereas World Oceans Day is celebrated annually on June 8 to recognize the importance of the ocean to the people, economy, heritage, and future of the United States and the world: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes June 8, 2026, as World Oceans Day;
(2) celebrates the ocean's vital role in the history, heritage, economy, security, and future prosperity of the United States;
(3) honors the contributions of America's fishermen, mariners, members of the Armed Forces, scientists, explorers, shipbuilders, port workers, indigenous communities, coastal communities, and working waterfronts;
(4) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and its role in strengthening American fisheries, supporting coastal economies, preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, protecting the country's seafood resources, and ensuring long-term fisheries stewardship for future generations;
(5) recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Marine Debris Program and bipartisan congressional leadership through the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-265; 132 Stat. 3742) to reduce marine debris and protect coastal communities and waterways; and
(6) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to advancing maritime leadership, ocean exploration, scientific discovery, economic opportunity, and responsible stewardship of ocean resources for future generations.
Senate Resolution 760--Recognizing the United States-Philippines Alliance on the 80th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations, the 75th Anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United...
Pages S2667–S2668 · Official textSENATE RESOLUTION 760--RECOGNIZING THE UNITED STATES-PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE ON THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, AND THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDMARK ARBITRAL AWARD UPHOLDING MANILA'S SOVEREIGNTY AGAINST ESCALATING AGGRESSION AND LAWFARE BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
Text printed in the Record (11,998 characters)
Whereas the United States and the Philippines have maintained diplomatic relations for 80 years, which was founded on the basis of deeply interconnected strategic and economic interests and close bonds between the people of both countries;
Whereas there are more than 4,000,000 Filipino-Americans living in the United States, and approximately 300,000 United States citizens permanently residing in the Philippines, including a significant population of retired United States military veterans;
Whereas the United States-Philippines partnership was forged in blood, when more than 20,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Filipinos were killed in the Philippines campaigns during World War II;
Whereas, following the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Philippines between 1941 and 1945, the former United States commonwealth secured its official independence on July 4, 1946;
Whereas the United States and the Philippines signed an Agreement Concerning Military Bases in Manila on March 14, 1947;
Whereas, on August 30, 1951, the United States and the Philippines signed the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines (referred to in this resolution as the "Mutual Defense Treaty"), which is the United States's longest-standing mutual defense treaty in the Indo-Pacific region;
Whereas the Mutual Defense Treaty clarifies the United States-Philippine collective intent--
(1) to resolve international disputes peacefully;
(2) to undertake separate and joint development of the capacity to resist attack; and
(3) to consult with each another whenever the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of the United States or the Philippines is under threat of external armed attack in the Pacific;
Whereas the Mutual Defense Treaty is the foundation of our security alliance and all other enabling defense agreements between the United States and the Philippines, including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, done at Manila April 28, 2014;
Whereas the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement allows for a strengthened United States military presence in the Philippines--
(1) to increase bilateral cooperation and interoperability; and
(2) to provide training to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, with increased rotation of United States military personnel and assistance devoted to strengthening the territorial defense and humanitarian and maritime operations of the Philippines;
Whereas, in February 2023, the United States and the Philippines committed to designating 4 additional agreed locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, increasing the total number of such locations from 5 to 9;
Whereas these agreed locations--
(1) have strategic value for the United States and the Philippines;
(2) increase confidence in the bilateral alliance; and
(3) provide real opportunities for operational cooperation to advance shared security priorities;
Whereas the Mutual Defense Treaty serves as a deterrent against the increasing territorial aggression by the People's Republic of China in the South China Sea;
Whereas, in 2009, the People's Republic of China began unlawfully extending its territorial and sovereignty claims in the South
China Sea under its "nine-dash line" construct, which violates the territorial rights and internationally recognized exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam;
Whereas, in June 2012, the People's Republic of China seized de facto control of Scarborough Shoal;
Whereas, since 2014, the People's Republic of China has substantially expanded its ability to monitor and project power throughout the South China Sea via the construction of militarized artificial islands;
Whereas, on September 25, 2015, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping stated during a White House press conference that "China does not intend to pursue militarization" of the Spratly Islands and China's outposts would not "target or impact any country";
Whereas, on July 12, 2016, the arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea unanimously decided to invalidate the People's Republic of China's claim to nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea, including areas determined by the tribunal to be part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and continental shelf;
Whereas, despite the decision being final and legally binding, the People's Republic of China, which refused to participate in the arbitration, has continued to reject and further violate the decision;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has employed a variety of assertive and aggressive tactics against the Philippines, including through research vessels, state-subsidized People's Armed Forces Maritime Militia swarming fleets, the China Coast Guard, and the People's Liberation Army Navy vessels, to coerce and enforce its arbitrary and unlawful territorial claims in the South China Sea, such as by ramming, shadowing, blocking, encircling, firing water cannons at, and using military-grade lasers against Philippine civilian ships and military vessels;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has repeatedly denied the Philippines from lawfully delivering humanitarian supplies to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal;
Whereas, in April 2024, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines launched the Luzon Economic Corridor to catalyze mutual economic growth, create jobs, strengthen connectivity, and improve transport and logistics, energy, and digital infrastructure along the corridor connecting Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas;
Whereas, on June 17, 2024, coast guard sailors from the People's Republic of China brandished knives and other weapons in a clash with Philippine naval vessels attempting to resupply marines on Second Thomas Shoal, resulting in a severe injury to a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
Whereas, in March 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, while visiting the Philippines during his first trip to an Indo-Pacific partner, committed--
(1) to deploy additional advanced military capabilities to the Philippines;
(2) to conduct bilateral training between both nations for high-end operations;
(3) to prioritize bilateral defense industrial cooperation; and
(4) to launch a bilateral cyber campaign;
Whereas, in April 2025, the Chinese Coast Guard temporarily deployed on Sandy Cay, an unoccupied reef located 2 miles from Manila's largest outpost in the South China Sea, and placed a Chinese flag, indicating an intention to annex, expand, and possibly militarize the feature;
Whereas, in May 2025, the United States and the Philippines conducted Exercise Balikatan 2025, which included participation by more than 14,000 American, Filipino, Australian, and Japanese service members and the first deployment of the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS);
Whereas, on August 11, 2025, a China Coast Guard vessel collided with another People's Republic of China vessel while aggressively swarming a Philippine Coast Guard vessel that was conducting a humanitarian mission within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone;
Whereas, in October 2025, China Coast Guard vessels intercepted a Philippine maritime patrol boat near Thitu Island, a major civilian-inhabited feature held by Manila;
Whereas, in December 2025, China Coast Guard ships fired water cannons at Filipino fishermen near the disputed Sabina Shoal, injuring 3 people and causing significant damage to 2 fishing vessels;
Whereas, in March 2026, a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel locked fire control radar on a Philippine Navy vessel conducting a sovereignty patrol near Sabina Shoal;
Whereas, in April 2026, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that Chinese military forces fired tactical illumination flares directly into the flight paths of passing Philippine maritime surveillance aircraft, which severely threatened flight safety;
Whereas, in April 2026, China deployed a massive 352-meter floating barrier across the mouth of Scarborough Shoal's lagoon, completely severing access for Filipino fishermen;
Whereas, in April 2026, the United States and the Philippines announced plans to establish a 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone within the Luzon Economic Corridor under the Pax Silica initiative;
Whereas, in May 2026, the Luzon Economic Corridor steering committee formally expanded to include 8 additional global partners, namely Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, positioning the corridor as a multi-billion-dollar multilateral alternative to the People's Republic of China's predatory infrastructure deals;
Whereas, in May 2026, the United States and the Philippines hosted the largest Exercise Balikatan, which included notable developments, such as--
(1) participation of 17,000 troops, including troops from Japan, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand;
(2) the deployment of Japanese combat troops on Philippines soil;
(3) the first deployment of Japan's Type-88 surface-to-ship missile outside of Japan; and
(4) the real-time sharing of command-and-control data among allies to jointly defend against maritime aggression;
Whereas, in May 2026, a United States Coast Guard vessel joined Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels for a joint patrol sailing between 35 and 40 nautical miles from the contested Scarborough Shoal;
Whereas, in May 2026, commercial satellite imagery revealed that the People's Republic of China placed a possible structure at Scarborough Shoal;
Whereas July 4, 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Philippines;
Whereas July 12, 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of an international arbitral tribunal's ruling overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines in its dispute with the People's Republic of China regarding the South China Sea; and
Whereas August 30, 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates the 80th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and the Philippines;
(2) celebrates the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States of America and the Philippines and the longstanding alliance between our 2 nations;
(3) condemns the People's Republic of China's refusal to accept the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Ruling that rejects its illegal and expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea;
(4) appreciates the trust of the Filipino people in our bilateral alliance and their support for increased defense cooperation and United States military presence in the Philippines;
(5) supports the United States-Philippines alliance's expanding strategic focus on economic and supply chain security through the Luzon Economic Corridor, Pax Silica, and other measures to strengthen our partnership on critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, energy, transport, and logistics;
(6) acknowledges the determination of the people and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to resist coercion by the People's Republic of China;
(7) condemns the People's Republic of China's unprovoked aggression and political lawfare in the South China Sea to enforce its unlawful territorial and sovereignty claims;
(8) rejects the People's Republic of China's coercive and destabilizing plans to establish a so-called "national nature reserve" at Scarborough Reef;
(9) reaffirms that Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on the Armed Forces, public vessels, or aircraft of the Philippines, including the Philippine Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea;
(10) considers aggression by the
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People's Republic of China in the Philippines' internationally recognized exclusive economic zone to be a direct assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity;
(11) urges the President to continue to take appropriate and necessary actions in response to escalatory behavior of the People's Republic of China in order to restore deterrence and to help the Philippines defend itself;
(12) supports the unwavering commitment of the United States to deepening security cooperation with the Philippines, including advancing Philippine defense modernization and enhancing interoperability through military exercises, training, joint patrols, and increased information sharing;
(13) supports other nations growing their political and security partnerships with the Philippines;
(14) commits to advance cooperation among the United States, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and other partners; and
(15) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, respecting maritime rights under international law, and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Authority for Committees to Meet
Pages S2668–S2669 · Official textMr. 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 Monday, June 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., to conduct a business meeting.
The Subcommittee on Seapower of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet in closed session during the session of the Senate on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 5:15 p.m.
The Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet in closed session during the session of the Senate on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 6 p.m.
The Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet in closed session during the session of the Senate on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act
Page S2669 · Official textMr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 645 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
Text printed in the Record (251 characters)
A bill (S. 645) to award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the individuals and communities who volunteered or donated items to the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, during World War II from December 25, 1941, to April 1, 1946.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 645) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows:
Text printed in the Record (5,271 characters)
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act".
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Home-front volunteerism was integral to the victory of the United States during World War II. Numerous exemplars of patriotism emerged throughout the Midwest, galvanizing the rural United States and the rest of the country supporting the war effort.
(2) The North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, was one of the largest volunteer efforts of World War II.
(3) Canteen services boosted morale in the United States by providing free, wholesome entertainment to troops traveling across the country. Approximately 120 community-based canteens operated in the United States during World War II.
(4) The North Platte Canteen greeted and served food to approximately 6,000,000 United States troops traveling across the United States from December 25, 1941, to April 1, 1946.
(5) On December 17, 1941, the residents of North Platte, Nebraska, received information that a train of Nebraska National Guardsmen would be traveling through North Platte en route to the West Coast of the United States. Although the train carried members of the Kansas National Guard, residents of the community welcomed the men from Kansas with food and other items as an appreciation for their service.
(6) On December 18, 1941, Rae Wilson, of North Platte, proposed to her community the idea of establishing the North Platte Canteen so that residents could greet United States troops en route to serving the United States in the European Theater or the Pacific Theater.
(7) 55,000 individuals, the majority of whom were women, from 125 communities in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas donated food and volunteered at the North Platte Canteen for approximately 5 years.
(8) The North Platte Canteen provided hospitality to as many as 24 troop trains per day. During a 1-month period, the volunteers at the Canteen served over 40,000 homemade cookies, 30,000 hard-boiled eggs, 6,500 doughnuts, 4,000 loaves of bread, 3,000 pounds of meat, 450 pounds of cheese, 60 quarts of peanut butter, 1,350 pounds of coffee, 1,000 quarts of cream, 750 dozen rolls, and 600 birthday cakes.
(9) The North Platte Canteen principally operated at the Union Pacific Railroad station in North Platte, Nebraska, with volunteers from local communities, organizations, churches, schools, and other groups, and without Federal assistance.
(10) $137,000 in cash contributions supported the operations of the North Platte Canteen for almost 5 years. The funds were raised through benefit dances, scrap-metal drives, school victory clubs, donation cans in local businesses, and from the relatives of troops who traveled through the North Platte area.
(11) In December 1943, the North Platte Canteen was honored by the United States Army with the presentation of the Meritorious Wartime Service Award by the Secretary of War.
(12) In 2004, the 108th Congress passed a resolution recognizing the heroic efforts of those who made enormous sacrifices to make the North Platte Canteen a success during World War II.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to the individuals and communities who volunteered or donated items to the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, during World War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the "Secretary") shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Lincoln County Historical Museum.--Following the presentation described in subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska, where the medal shall be available for display as appropriate and made available for research.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--Medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025
Pages S2669–S2670 · Official textWOMEN AND LUNG CANCER RESEARCH AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES ACT OF 2025
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 308, S. 1157.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
Text printed in the Record (201 characters)
A bill (S. 1157) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a review to evaluate the status of research on lung cancer in women and underserved populations, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic, as follows:
Text printed in the Record (3,522 characters)
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025".
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY REVIEW TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE LUNG CANCER PREVENTION
AND TREATMENT IN WOMEN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall review and, as necessary and appropriate, update Federal programs, activities, and strategic plans related to lung cancer research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for purposes of--
(1) identifying and addressing knowledge gaps and improving health outcomes related to lung
cancer in women and populations with few known risk factors;
and
(2) improving lung cancer screening rates among populations
recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task
Force to receive such screening.
(b) Content.--The review under subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) a review of findings from research on lung cancer in
populations described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection
(a), the status of ongoing federally funded research on lung
cancer in such populations, and knowledge gaps related to
lung cancer in such populations;
(2) consideration of additional research opportunities,
including through interagency collaboration and
multidisciplinary projects, that would--
(A) eliminate knowledge gaps in research on lung cancer in
women, including an evaluation of any environmental and
genomic factors that may be related to the etiology of lung
cancer in women;
(B) improve screening rates among populations described in
subsection (a)(2); or
(C) foster advances in technology and interventions,
including biomarker testing, to improve lung cancer risk
assessment, diagnosis, and treatment; and
(3) a review of current public health strategies, and
consideration of alternative evidence-based strategies,
related to lung cancer screening and diagnosis, including an
assessment of the need for additional public awareness and
education.
(c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of
the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a
report on the review conducted under subsection (a),
including--
(1) a summary of research findings, ongoing research
projects, and knowledge gaps described in subsection (b)(1);
(2) a description of any changes made by such Secretary or
the head of any other Federal agency to Federal programs,
activities, or strategic plans based on the findings of the
review; and
(3) any additional changes to Federal programs, activities,
or strategic plans recommended by the Secretary based on the
review, and any statutory or other barriers that impede
implementation of such changes.
Mr. THUNE. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was agreed to.
The bill (S. 1157), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
Resolutions Submitted Today
Page S2670 · Official textMr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 757 and S. Res. 758.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolutions en bloc.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolutions were agreed to.
The preambles were agreed to.
(The resolutions, with their preambles, are printed in today's record under "Submitted Resolutions.")
Orders for Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Page S2670 · Official textMr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9; 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 the Senate recess from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. tomorrow for the weekly conference meetings; and that the Senate proceed to executive session to execute the order on the Mattivi nomination at 2:15 p.m.
The PRESIDING OFFICER
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Adjournment Until 10 A.m. Tomorrow
Page S2670 · Official textMr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.
There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:28 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Nominations
Page S2670 · Official textExecutive nomination received by the Senate:
Text printed in the Record (68 characters)
TODD BLANCHE, OF FLORIDA, TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL, VICE PAMELA BONDI.