the presiding officer: the senator from from connecticut. mrs. murray: are we in a quorum call. mr. murphy: are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: yes, we are. mr. murphy: i ask that it be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. murphy: i rarely come to

the floor to directly respond to speeches given by my colleagues. i normally like to use the chamber to make arctics on their own merits rather than make arguments against specific colleagues. but yesterday i listened to a speech by senator cruz of texas, and it was one of the most dangerous speeches that i've ever heard given on the senate floor, and it deserves a response. now, i understand that republicans don't want to talk about the economy. they don't want to talk about the fact that we have had more jobs added to the economy in the first five months of president biden's term than any other first-term president. i know they don't want to talk about the rapid expansion of the economy that's happening. i understand republicans don't want to talk about what we're debating on the senate floor right now, which is the biggest bipartisan investment in infrastructure in the history of the country. and i also understand that the

senator from texas doesn't like the new guidance announced this week by the c.d.c., and he's not alone. from what i can tell, a lot of republicans here are upset, as are a lot of nonpolitical americans. nobody likes to wear a mask. nobody likes that the new recommendation is that some americans need to wear them. again, i don't like wearing a mask. i hate it. my kids hate the masks more. but here's what the c.d.c. says. the c.d.c.'s scientists have been carefully following this dramatic increase in cases that we have seen all across the country as the delta variant spreads, even through vaccinated people. first, we can't ignore this, the fact that there has been this huge increase in cases. the national seven-day average is triple what it was from a month ago. we are averaging 40,000 new cases a day. this is a big problem, and it is

overwhelming parts of our health care system. now, i wish this weren't the case, but it requires us to think about adjusting policy. second, the c.d.c. is looking at this new evidence that indicates that even fully vaccinated individuals who become infected with the delta variant can carry the virus and transmit it to others, even if they don't get sick. now, this latest development is important because it allows the delta variant, the more contagious variant, to spread faster. early information from the c.d.c. shows that the delta variant is as contagious as the chicken pox, more contagious than earlier strippings of covid. remember, not every american is vaccinated. for instance, my youngest son is 9 years old. he can't get vaccinated. if the evidence suggests that i can transmit the virus to him, even if my vaccine prevents me from getting really sick, then that matters. finally, with so many americans

still unvaccinated, the virus still has plenty of bodies in which to mutate. right now, the good news is that we have got three authorized covid-19 vaccines that had pretty effective against severe illness, but the worry is eventually the vaccine is going to mutate into a version of itself that is resistant to the current vaccine, and with so many americans choosing to stay unvaccinated and evidence suggesting that vaccinated people who are infected with the delta variant can transmit it to people who are unvaccinated, the c.d.c. has concluded that right now we need to take additional steps to cut down on the pathways that the virus has to spread and keep mutating before it's too late, and we have a virus that our vaccines don't work against at all. now, what is the new guidance saying? it recommends that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings in places in the country where there are a

lot of cases. and since most young kids aren't vaccinated, the c.d.c. is also recommending that when school opens, teachers and kids should wear masks. that's the argument that the c.d.c. is making. that's the evidence upon which they have issued their new guidance. and it's perfectly legitimate to contest the c.d.c.'s decision or the reasons that they gave for making the decision. it is okay for anybody in this body to disagree with the conclusions that they reach. but that's not what senator cruz did yesterday. he didn't come to the floor and argue against the merits of the c.d.c.'s arguments. no. in fact, not once during the speech -- and i watched the whole speech -- did he ever reference the actual reason for the c.d.c.'s new guidance, not once. in fact, he claimed that the c.d.c. offered no explanation. at one point after

mischaracterizing the c.d.c.'s announcement, he asked rhetorically why the c.d.c. changed the guidance. who knows, he said. anyone who listened to that speech or frankly much other speeches that are being given by republicans all across capitol hill this week would logically come to the conclusion that the c.d.c. had offered not a single explanation for the new guidance. and that after creating the impression that the c.d.c. didn't have any reasons for the new recommendation, the senator from texas announced that he had discovered the reason. he said that the real reason the c.d.c. changed their guidance was because the c.d.c. is, quote, an arm of the democratic national committee. and that democrats in congress are, quote, faithful little foot soldiers of the c.d.c. he offered no explanation as to why it would benefit democrats politically or the d.n.c. or the c.d.c. to recommend mask

wearing. he just simply claimed that the c.d.c. was a political puppet of the d.n.c. and the guidance was politically motivated. the closest he came to a more detailed explanation of his claim was when he talked about the school guidance. there the senator from texas claimed without any evidence that the only reason the c.d.c. made this decision was because it was demanded by quote, union bosses and that, quote, the c.d.c. said ma'am, yes, ma'am, we will issue the order demanded by the union bosses. mr. president, that's all made up. and the senator from texas isn't the only republican saying things like this. there are dozens of national republicans making these same wild, unfounded allegations. the political agenda at the c.d.c. that republicans allege is a fiction. it is constructed out of thin air. and it's frankly an insult to the thousands of dedicated nonpolitical public health professionals at the c.d.c. who just go to work every day trying

to keep americans safe. these aren't politicians. these are epidemiologists and scientists and doctors who have worked their entire lives trying to keep this country safe. i'm not saying they get it right every time. i have criticized many of the decisions made by the c.d.c. during the pandemic. it's okay to criticize their decisions. but to claim that they are all corrupt, these politically controlled hacks, that's an outrage. and rhetoric like that is going to get people killed because we are still in the middle of the epidemic. and what anti-c.d.c. republicans are doing through these attacks on our public health agencies is to intentionally undermine people's faith in the nation's preeminent public health institutions right at the moment where we need people to believe in them. i'm not saying they should be immune from criticism, but criticism should be based on the

science, contest the new evidence the c.d.c. says that requires people to wear masks again. but saying that the scientists are deliberately ignoring the science to effectuate some top-secret political agenda, give me a break. and by the way, what political interest is served by recommend that -- recommending that people wear masks indoors again? people hate masks. there is only political down sides to suggest that people start wearing them again. it just belies plain old common sense to say that politics is behind the new guidance. if the c.d.c. was worried about politics, they certainly wouldn't be recommending anybody wear masks again. and by the way, that's all the c.d.c. is doing. they're giving guidance. over and over when republicans refer to this new guidance as an order or, as the senator from texas said repeatedly, an edict. they know that's not true. they know that's not true.

but republicans want to scare you into believing that the federal government has more power than it does. the c.d.c. doesn't require people to do anything. they issue recommendations. but that doesn't suit this narrative. about socialist, statist democrats secretly pulling the strings of their marionettes at the c.d.c. it's ridiculous. it's ridiculous. don't come to the senate floor and make things up. don't destroy people's reputations and careers with wild, unsubstantiated allegations about political motivations. the c.d.c. doesn't get it right 100% of the time, but they don't have some secret political agenda. for the more people believe that they do, the less likely it is that people will follow their recommendations the 95% of the time they do get it right, and that will guarantee that this

virus never disappears. i understand, mr. president, there is an element of the republican party that just wants to destroy all government institutions and is seeking to discredit any evident by any public agency to do good in this country. in normal times, i would argue that that is dangerous, but in the middle of a pandemic, it's deadly. and republicans of conscience should come to this floor and start telling the truth. i yield the floor. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. scott: mr. president, after weeks like this, i find it hard to explain to floridians back home how congress is actually working on behalf of their families. i think it's safe to say that every member of the senate believes we should be investing in infrastructure. for me, it's pretty simple. i believe we should invest in

real infrastructure, roads, bridges, airports, and seaports. as governor of florida, i did just that. over my eight years as governor, florida invested $85 billion in real infrastructure across our state. and we did it while cutting taxes and fees 100 times and paying off a third of our state debt. in other words, we paid for these big investments in infrastructure by growing our economy and supporting job creation. that's what's important to floridians, and i am immensely proud of our accomplishments. so i support doing the exact same thing at the federal level. but what we are doing here just doesn't make any sense. nowhere in the world is -- does business happen like it does here in the united states congress. we started this week with ongoing negotiations about a big infrastructure deal. of course, outside of the small group involved in these negotiations, no one here would

include what was actually being debated. we had no texas. we had no real information on how much was being spent. and we certainly had no idea how this was all supposed to be paid for. but on wednesday, we got the big news, a deal had been reached. well, that might be great, but we still had no real details. we still don't have the text of the bill. now the majority leader expects us to start voting on amendments and maybe even this whole package this weekend. this is insanity. nowhere in the world would this be the process. we're expected to make a decision on spending $1.2 trillion of american taxpayer dollars, and no one in the united states senate has had the chance to even read the bill. typically, the congressional budget office would score a bill like this before the senate considers it. that score gives us important information about the true cost and financial impact of the negotiation on the federal government -- on the legislation

on the federal government and the american people. of course that's not the case with this bill. the c.b.o. hasn't had a chance to review it at all. do you think any company would sign off on a massive expense without all the details? would a family make a huge purchase without knowing exactly what it's for? of course not. that's how things work here in congress, and that's not right. this is exactly why i ran for the u.s. senate to make washington work for florida families and stop this madness of reckless spending and backroom deals that don't deliver and aren't paid for. speaking of pay-fors, well, they just don't exist in this bill. this is how backward and awful washington is. people up here think they can just make big, empty promises and sell it to the american people. they think families would just buy whatever they are selling, no questions asked. it's time for some accountability. my friend from senator, senator braun, recently did a great job of laying out the claims and facts of the so-called pay-fors in this bill.

so i'm going to borrow from him a bit to show what's really going on here. here are just a few of the most ridiculous examples. first, half of this bill is supposedly paid for with $550 billion from the highway trust fund. that fund is $100 billion in the red. the money isn't there. so that's not real. the bill also proposes to use billions of repurposed covid relief funding. i'm. >> for repurposing this money, but we borrowed it to begin with, so it is robbing peter to pay paul. it's not like it's free money. they also want to use $49 billion in savings for delayed medicare and medicaid part-d rebate and another $9 billion pay-for of another year of mandatory see qetion. why would we cut medicare to pay for roads? the 4.6 million seniors in florida deserve better. any savings in the medicare program should stay in the medicare program. let's all remember that the

medicare federal fund is actually heading towards bankruptcy. of course there are a handful of other fee increases thrown in there with lofty and unrealistic revenue estimates that they will claim will get us fully paid for this $1.2 trillion package. what they won't say is these fees will almost certainly increase the costs of everyday goods and make it more expensive to get a mortgage and afford a home. there is no shame in washington. just greed. everyone wants so badly to say they've given you something but they also forget to mention the cost and that you actually have to pay for it. the cost is important. i've said it a million times and i'll say it again, reckless government spending causes higher inflation. it's a proven fact. we're seeing the consequences of reckless spending on conflation across america right now. 87%, 87% of americans are worried about inflation. low and fixed-income families are having to cut back on purchases because of rising

costs. i'm hearing it from families across florida who are worried. a father of three in jacksonville who is temporarily helping take care of two other kids because their father is out of work, he started working a second job driving uber just to pay for groceries that are rapidly increasing in price. his uber job is becoming less and less profitable because of the rising price of gas. gas is up over 50% in one year. a family of four said she used to be able to go to the dproasry store and spend a certain amount for an entire month's groceries. now she can't. $200 of meat is no longer enough to feed her family of five. she is being forced to choose between gas to get to work and groceries for her family and is picking up extra jobs just to make ends meet. i can relate to this. i grew up in a poor family. my mom would take in ironing for extra money. she would give my older brother and me exact change to go to the grocery store but said you have to check the price of everything

because things are going up in price and if you don't have enough money we cannot buy it. a restaurant owner in tampa told me the cost of meat has gone from $9 a pound to $18. gas prices, food prices coupled with the struggle to find workers has been very hard on his business. another family in kissimmee told me how hard it is to keep food on the table because everything is so expensive. they are having trouble keeping their car because of the cost of maintenance and gas. but if he doesn't have a car he wouldn't have a way to get to work to take care of his family. the price of gas affects nearly everyone, and right now average gas prices are up nearly $1 since last year. for a family that fills up their gas tank once a week if they drive a car, that means joe biden raised their expenses $600 a year. if they drive a truck, joibd joibd -- joe biden raised their prices by $1,000 a year. the next time you hear a big promise remember these stories, these are real people bearing real costs of the democrats'

reckless spending in washington. biden and the democrats say they care about real people but have done nothing to help them keep up with inflation. their plan is to spend more money, not less. we have nearly $30 trillion in debt and there are no plans to slow down. and that's exactly what we're seeing in this bill. we can't forget this is just the start. chuck schumer said on the floor yesterday, this is just part one and leads to biden and the democrats' big $5.5 billion tax and spending spree under liberal priorities. these two bills are together. there is no separating them. right now the message that president biden and the democrats here in washington are sending to the american people is clear. they don't care about inflation, they don't care that reckless spending is causing prices to skyrocket. if that's the cost of getting their liberal wish list, so be it. they're not focused on inflation, just more government spending. look at what's happening with

new covid masks and vaccine mandates. i had covid and i got the vaccine. i think people should get vaccinated. that is not what this is about. this is not about taking measured approach and following the science. it is about creating fear and chaos to have power and control you. i'm here to say enough is enough. it's time to wake up to reality. it's time for every fiscally responsible member of the senate to join me to say we don't accept status quo. we won't watch in silence while the futures of our children and grandchildren are mortgaged and this nation is driven deeper in debt with reckless and wasteful spending. we won't stand by while inflation wreaks havoc on families and businesses. we can get spending under control but we have to start accepting responsibility, and the time to do that is now. this is not political. it's good government and its common sense. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor.

mr. durbin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority whip. mr. durbin: mr. president, for almost 20 years the u.s. citizenship and immigration service has been charged with defending america's status as the land of opportunity. the agency has nearly 20,000 employees. they operate in 220 offices around the world where they provide assistance to immigrants seeking a new life in america and help protect america from any foreign threat. but after four years of neglect and mismanagement under the trump administration, uscis is in dire need of leadership. today the senate has an opportunity to provide that agency with that leadership by confirming ur jaddou as

director. ms. jaddou may be the most qualified person ever to be nominated for this job. she has nearly 20 years experience in immigration law, policy, and administration. she's a daughter of immigrants from mexico and iraq. she personally understands the importance of ensuring our nation's immigration system is both accessible and safe. and if confirmed, ms. jaddou would make history as the very first woman to lead uscis. let me tell you a little bit about her background. ms. jaddou began her career working on immigration policy and oversight for nine years in the house of representatives. she worked for my friend and former colleague, zoe lofgren of california, who is the authoritative voice on immigration in the house of representatives. following that role, ms. jaddou served as finish official in the state department and then as chief counsel at uscis. as the agency's highest ranking

legal officer, she sharpened her mastery of immigration law and gained valuable experience navigating uscis administrative complexities and operations. as chief counsel at this agency, she managed more than 200 attorneys who support the work of tens of thousands of uscis employees that are located in offices around the world, and ms. jaddou's extensive background with uscis is exactly what we need at this moment. as i mentioned, the trump administration led a deliberate effort to undermine this agency's work. you remember, anything relating to immigration, the trump administration tried to create a problem. for instance, when the former president trump took office, uscis had approximately 800 million dollars in cash reserves. not bad. four years later those cash reserves had been virtually depleted and putting thousands

of federal employees at the agency of risk at being furloughed in the middle of a pandemic. these federal employees deserve leadership that advocates for their interest and supports their work. ms. jaddou is that person. in fact, the union that represents over 13,000 uscis employees published a letter in support of her nomination writing, and i quote, ms. jaddou is well acquainted with the significant financial and operational challenges facing the agency. u.s. chamber of commerce sent a letter in spoafort her nomination as -- support of her nomination as well. they wrote ms. jaddou's knowledge and experience would be indispensable in providing the critical leadership needed to stabilize the agency. leaders inside government and outside government recognize that ms. jaddou is the legal expert our nation needs to take the reins of this vital agency. given the urgent need for senate confirmed leadership to address the critical issues they face as

well as ms. jaddou's eminent qualification for that position, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting her nomination. mr. president, i'd like to say a word in response to the speech just given by the senator from florida, the junior senator from florida. there's something called the american rescue plan that president joe biden brought before congress. the american rescue plan was his first offering. we've done things before in light of the pandemic. i remember them well. it was march of 2020. we had the american cares act. the american cares act was virtually a unanimous bipartisan support of a policy that was written by president trump as well as members of congress. we stood together, and i'm glad we did because we were going into a pandemic, the likes of which america has not seen for 100 years. it was a dramatic investment in

people, in resources, in businesses to keep america safe through that pandemic, and it worked. at the end of the year, of 2020, we had another bill. this bill was about $900 billion to once again help and deal with unemployment compensation, loans for businesses, help for families, ways to help schools reopen, and we voted again unanimously, virtually unanimously on a bipartisan basis. so in the trump administration, when it came to coming together as a nation, democrats stood with republicans. democrats even stood with a republican president for the good of the nation. i was proud of what we did. i can't imagine what america would have been like without it. then came the election. all bets were off. everything changed. after the election and the big lie, where president trump raced around the country -- still does -- claiming that he

truly won the election and having no proof or evidence to that fact -- we noticed a siring of the bipartisan when it came to dealing with the pandemic and then came the rescue plan by president biden, new president who wanted to address issues still troubling america in light of the pandemic. what happened then when we called the american rescue plan? where was the bipartisanship we had seen during the trump years? completely gone. not one single republican senator, including the senator from florida, was willing to stand up and vote for joe biden's american rescue plan. not one member of the republican party in the house of representatives. so what was it that was in the american rescue plan that was so objectionable that not a single republican would vote for it? well, there were some ideas that turned out to be vital. one of them was to put enough money into the biden administration so that these lifesaving vaccines could be distributed around the united

states of america and people could finally get a shot in the arm and save their lives by it. that was one of the things the republicans weren't willing to vote for. but it wasn't the only one. we proceeded to give loans to businesses again so that they could open up and rehire their employees. not a single republican would vote to support that. and we had $1,400 being sent to each and every family in america, a promise made by president trump, kept by president biden, and not a single republican would vote to support that as well. when you go through the list of things that we did in the american rescue plan, they were valuable. one of them was a tax cut for families, families with children, a tax cut which started just a couple of weeks ago. tax cuts used to be the war cry of the republican party, but when it came to tax cuts for children, not a single republican senator would vote for it. not one. and now they come and they argue this joe biden plan just isn't working. well, i'll tell you what is

working. we have about 50% or 60% of americans vaccinated with at least one shot at this point. i hope we have more so we can put this pandemic behind us. and we've done it because we had a plan to distribute this vaccine across america, and still do. that was something america needed, and not a single republican senator would vote for it. not one. i can't understand their thinking on this. they have lots of criticism about president biden, but when it came to the parts of his program that really made a difference when america needed it, not a single one of them would join us. wouldn't it be good to get back to bipartisanship such as the bill that we're going to be debating on the floor, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which the senator from florida does not support, he said. this notion of bipartisanship appears to be very troubling and difficult for many of my republican colleagues, but we have a chance here, because 16 republicans the night before last cast a vote in favor of moving forward, to really have

an opportunity to do something significant for this country and its economy. an investment in infrastructure is an investment in the future of this country, and i hope that the republicans will join us to see this completed in the next few days so we can move on to other considerations of elements that might be good in this recovery. but we need their help. and to have republican senators come to the floor, refuse to vote for the american rescue plan and criticize even this bipartisan effort is a suggestion that they didn't get the message. america is looking for us to cooperate, come together, to solve problems, not just to create political headlines. we'll have a chance, and i hope we do soon, to vote for this bill. i think it's an important bill. it's going to revitalize this country and keep this economy on the move. i yield the floor. before i do yield the floor, mr. president, i ask consent all remaining time be yielded

back. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. mr. durbin: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote: vote:

vote:

vote:

the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas are 47, the nays are 34678 -- 34. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion is reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's actions.

the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. ms. stabenow: mr. president, i believe -- are we in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are not. ms. stabenow: all right. thank you, mr. president. mr. president, today i stand here with colleagues -- my partner, senator peters, and of course senator reed and other colleagues -- to pay tribute to an incredible leader and my dear friend who dedicated his life to serving the people of his beloved state of michigan and this nation. senator carl levin. senator carl levin was many things, a crusader for truth and justice, in the real sense of the word; a man of strong convictions; a mentor to so many of us. he was a senator's senator.

and a tireless advocate every day -- every day -- for the people of michigan. he was also my friend. and it was truly an honor of a lifetime for me to represent michigan alongside carl levin for 14 years of his 36 years that he served in the senate. 36 years is a long time, but senator levin remained effective and at the same time humble right up until the final day he served. that's because integrity never goes out of style, and senator carl levin never wavered in his dedication to do what was right, what was right for the people of michigan and our country. perhaps he will be remembered most -- although there are so

many things -- for his incredible leadership on the armed services committee. patriotism was a lot more than a flag pin or a pledge to carl levin. he understood more than anybody what it takes to defend our nation. perhaps no one has done more to ensure that our men and women in uniform are battle ready with the supplies and technology that they need, and the fair pay and benefits they have earned. in fact, senator levin worked so hard on behalf of our military that he received the department of defense medal for distinguished public service. there is a suite of offices at the pentagon named after him, and there's a naval destroyer currently being built in maine that will probably bear his nam.

levin. he was so inspiring to be with him during the naming ceremony in detroit back in 2016. it's fitting that he should be honored in this way because carl levin always believed that our government could be a force for good. this belief was passed down to him from his parents who saw firsthand how the new deal rescued families from desperate poverty. a young carl levin admired harry s. truman, especially senator truman, who drove cross country investigating defense contractors who were committing fraud and wasting billions of dollars. i think truman himself would have been incredibly impressed with carl's leadership of the senate permanent subcommittee on investigations. a former civil rights attorney,

carl levin relished the chance to cross-examine those he suspected of ripping off taxpayers and the public. his committee room was never a literal trial by fire, but he certainly turned up the heat on unscrupulous executives, special interests or anybody who tried to get rich at the expense of everyday americans. those executives were sweating because they knew that senator levin had done his homework. he would dig so deep, he would know more about what they were going to say than they would. carl levin could topple a tycoon with nothing more than a stack of subpoenaed documents. and we saw him do it. in 2007 he shined a light on abusive practices by credit card

companies, leading to laws that require more transparency. even today your credit card statement contains more disclosures, more information thanks to senator carl levin. his fellow michiganders got to see a kinder, gentler side of carl as well. and i know we did as colleagues. and i'll never forget how his eyes spar deadly -- how his eyes sparkled when he smiled with his glasses down at the end of his nose. his heart was with detroit where he was born and raised. meanwhile his soul was nourished by the tranquility that he found in beautiful northern michigan in the upper peninsula. carl helped detroit make one of the most spectacular comebacks in american history, and everywhere you look, you can see evidence of his hard work.

the levin center at wayne state law teaches future attorneys and business leaders and lawmakers and public servants how legislative oversight can be a tool for change and a force for good. he led the way on getting federal funding for detroit's beautiful international river walk which today features three miles of parks, nature areas, and breathtaking waterfront views. in the midst of the great recession, we worked together closely to rescue or american auto industry, which for years had been battered by the forces of globalization. carl levin understood that manufacturing is the backbone of our state's economy and that our country needs to make things in order to have an economy. as a member of this small business committee, carl also understood the porns of small business.

and in fact -- understood the importance of small business. in fact in getting dressed today i was looking at what i could wear to symbolize detroit and i picked out a necklace that reminded me of what motivated carl. amy peterson is an entrepreneur who wanted to intowr -- empower women who had employment barriers. in 2013 she created revel nell jewelry out of graffiti that had fallen off of walls in sides of buildings. today she's incredibly successful and she's empowering and employing women throughout the detroit area. carl loved efforts like that, championing small businesses, folks that wanted to one after the other have an idea and get it going. carl also understood that our landscapes, our soil, our

water are part of our michigan way of life. that's why he pushed for years to have land at sleeping bear dunes protected, our beautiful dunes. senator levin fought for the national marine sanctuary at thunder bay in alpena and for the creation of the keylon national historic park. it was an honor partnering with him in every single fight to protect our great lakes. i could stand here for hours listening to senator carl levin's accomplishments, but they still only are a small testament to his character. his compassion, his humor, his strength of convictions. president truman once said make no little plans -- make no little plans. make the biggest one you can think of and spend the rest of your life trying to carry it

out. senator carl levin lived those words every day. he wanted to make our state and our country the best it can be, and he spent his life doing everything he could to make that happen. i wish his beloved wife and life partner barbara, his brother and best friend sandy, his nephew and our colleague andy levin, had i -- his daughters kate and laurie, his grandchildren, all the family my deepest condolences and profound gratitude for your willingness to share this great man with all of us. i yield the floor.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. mr. peters: madam president, i rise today to honor the memory of a true lion of the united states senate, michigan senator carl levin. yesterday carl passed away at the age of 87 surrounded by his loving family. carl was well known as a fierce advocate for michigan and a force of nature in the senate. but the most important thing in the world to him was his family. he cherished his role as a brother, husband, father, uncle, and grandfather. and i know his family and his loved ones are all reeling from this enormous loss. i along with folks all across the state of michigan are praying for them during this very difficult time. over his 36 years of service in the senate, the most ever for a

michigan senator, carl made an immeasurable impact. he served as the chairman of not just one, but two extremely powerful committees. he was simultaneously a zealous, progressive voice in the senate and one of its most bipartisan members. able to forge strong relationships with his republican colleagues and find pragmatic compromise to get results. i remember when carl was first elected to the united states senate, making a very impressive leap from the detroit city council to a statewide office. i was in college at the time, and over the years i closely followed his service and his career in politics. he was someone that i looked up to and came to know as both a role model and as a mentor. he was always gracious with his

time and his wisdom, and i cherish the conversations that we had over the years. from my time years ago serving in the michigan state senate to my time in the u.s. house of representatives. when carl announced he would be retiring in 2014, i sought out his guidance and his blessing to run to fill his seat. as the campaign progressed, he gave me his endorsement and his full-throated support. i was both honored and humbled. when i was sworn in to my first term in the senate, carl presented me with an old map of michigan and a handwritten note. it hangs in my front office to this day, and every time that i walk through the door i'm reminded of carl, of his service and his integrity. carl was a unique figure on capitol hill. he had no interest in the

trappings of power. he saw service as its own reward. and he could be certainly a little disheveled in his appearance. he was very frugal. he wore inexpensive suits, and his loving wife barbara would routinely sew up the holes in his pockets so he would get just a few more years out of those suits. legend has it he once noticed a mustard stain on his shirt and he painted over it with white-out so he could get right back to work. his glasses were always kept precariously perched on the end of his nose and he would fix you with a piercing gaze over those rims. and despite his small stature, he was often an incredibly intimidating figure largely due to that gaze, his intellect and his incredible work ethic. nowhere were his traits more apparent than his role leading

the subcommittee on investigations also known as p.s.: when carl held the gavel, getting a letter or a phone call from his investigative staff struck fear into some of the most powerful and most corrupt figures in america. in fact, folks in washington would quip that under carl's leadership, the letters p.s.i. had a completely different meaning to many people. they stood for, quote, pretty scary investigations. carl used his chairmanship on p.s.i. to stand up for everyday folks. the michiganders and the americans who are working hard every day to pay the bills and are playing by the rules. he was furious when there were people who took advantage of hardworking americans, and there were companies who were making millions and even billions of dollars cheating on their taxes and hurting average taxpayers. over the course of his tenure as chair, he took on the corrupt,

the wrongdoers and the bullies who no one else wanted to stand up to, including the major corporate banks, the mob, and even ruthless dictators. he brought a studious focus to his work, reviewing thousands and even sometimes tens of thousands of pages of documents so that he would know every single detail in that investigation. his investigative staff recounted that when he was preparing for a flight to hong kong, he asked for a binder full of documents related to the latest investigation to review on the plane. his staff put together 1,500 pages of documents for him to read on that flight. when he landed at hong kong, he called and asked his staff to send the next batch. he had already made his way through those 1,500 pages and he wanted to see more. in every investigation, he was tough but scrupulously fair. he was disciplined, laser

focused on addressing injustices, and he was dedicated to seeing a fight through to the end even if it took years. over the years he tackled money laundering, abusive offshore tax shelters, and executives who cooked the books, dodged taxes and cost workers their savings, their pensions, and health care. one of his greatest legacies at p.s.i. was his work to hold back actors in the federal sector for their abuses. after seeing unfair charges on his own credit card and hearing similar stories from his constituents, he launched an investigation into predatory credit practices, including charging interest on debt that was already paid, hiking interest rates even when bills were paid on time, and manipulating charges to try to secure additional fees. after a series of tough oversight hearings and a legislative process that spanned

years, carl's work became the social part of the credit card act of 2009 which prohibited abusive credit card practices and helped more than 1 should million americans -- 100 million americans. he even cast his 11,000th vote during the process of getting that bill passed. whether he was taking on enron or goldman sachs, carl was focused on holding the bad guys accountable and protecting the american people from their misconduct. despite serving at a time when congress was growing increasingly partisan, he managed to bridge the divide. his staunchest conservative colleagues knew that if carl gave them his word, you could count on it 100%. whether he was working working h senator coburn other -- or senator collins, carl was able to cooperatively work with his

republican colleagues, setting an iconic example of how to conduct bipartisan oversight that my own committee staff today still strives to follow. carl carried that same bipartisan principle to his role as chairman of the armed services committee, a role that a. served in for 18 years. whether he was working alongside the late senator john warner or the late senator john mccain, carl found bipartisan, commonsense ways to support our nation's service members, combat waste and fraud within the department of defense, and work tirelessly to strengthen national security and to keep our nation safe. even though carl took on such high-profile, nationally important roles, he never forgot his roots and the lessons he learned about listening to your community during his time as a detroit city councilman. he was a powerful advocate for all of issue, but especially for his hometown of detroit.

i distinctly remember his determination as our michigan congressional delegation fought to rescue michigan's auto industry, when it was on the brink of total collapse. as our senior senator at the time, carl led our delegation with quiet but steady resolve. at a time when so much was on the line for michigan, carl helped fight for general motors and chrysler, which was headquartered in my district, and to save the jobs of michigan autoworkers and everyone who depended on him. carl was a champion for michigan's auto industry and a true believer in the motor city's ability to lead in vehicle innovation. he was such a believer in the future of detroit's auto industry that he even bought unone of chevrolet's first electric vehicles, the chevy volt. carl loved driving himself around even if hisser raddic and

aggressive driving style startled and sometimes scared his staff. although carl was ready to put his own money behind the future of detroit, capitol hill wasn't quite so ready for electric vehicles. without readily accessible charging stations on the hill, carl actually ran an extension cord out of his window of his russell office building to recharge his car's battery. he also fought relentlessly to build public transportation in detroit. he had a vision of light rail that was transport people through downtown detroit. and when he believed inning is, he wouldn't take no for an answer. even when the administration of his own party rejected requests to fund the detroit rail project. i recall vividly a meeting between carl, the detroit representatives, and transportation secretary l.a. hood, and in classic carl levin style, he peered over the rims of his glasses, held a fistful

of papers and shook them at the secretary's direction, as he railed about how we had angels in detroit who were willing to invest in this project, but we need the public sector to support it to get across the finish line. his arguments were persuasive, and today you can ride the q line down woodward avenue in downtown detroit because carl levin was so determined to make it a reality. president obama captured carl levin's legacy effectually when he said, if you've ever worn a uniform, worked a shift on the assembly line, or sacrificed to make ends meet, you had a voice and a vote in senator carl levin. but perhaps carl's greatest legacy is the example he set for all of us. carl's colleagues, his staff, his constituents all agree that one of his most powerful traits

was his insegment frit. he had strong -- integrity. he had strong values and a compass that always pointed north. even years after he retired, as traveled around michigan, folks told me how much they respected carl. even if they didn't agree with him, he was thoughtful, he was considerate. while they may not always agree with carl's votes, they respected his decision-making and trusted what he was doing and thought was best for michigan and the country. those same principles inspired such strong loyalty in his staff that he became known for having staff members who worked for him for decades. carl's fearlessness, thoughtfulness and independence marked the epitome of what it means to be a public servant. he followed his conscience, and he always fought to do what was best for his home state and for his country. carl's principled leadership, i

had dedication to finding common ground, his relentless pursuit of the truth, his constant focus on ensuring our country works for every american should serve as a model for all of us. i'm forever grateful to carl for his leadership, i had mentorship, and for his example. i will always remember the advice he gave me on election night after i was declared the winner. he pulled me aside and said, just remember, gary, in the senate there will be people who will try to pull new all sorts of directions. but never forget where he came from, never forget who you are, and always work to bring people together, despite the partisanship and polarization around you. we live in tough times, bus he reminded me that people back home in michigan are expecting me to get things done and deliver results. its advice that guides me every

day. carl represents the best of public service. he knew the issues appeared focused on what was right for mushed and for our country. he never had an alternative agenda. he didn't chase front-page headlines or the cam ration. he had no desire to be a political celebrity. he just wanted to get things done. carl's light in this world will be sorely missed, but the best thing we can do to honor his memory is to live by the same principles -- integrity and kindness, that drove his leadership in public service senator five decades. carl loved doing his job and he did it with boundless energy, whether it was greeting his constituents on the street or taking some of the toughest issues in washington, everyone was always trying to keep up with carl. if we could all bring just a fraction of his dedication, his integ grid, and his -- integrity and his intellect to his own roles, washington would surely be a much better place.

may his memory be a blessing. madam chair, i yield the floor. mr. reed: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island. mr. reed: madam president, first let me thank senator stabenow and senator peters for bringing us together to recognize an extraordinary gentleman, an extraordinary friend, an for me an extraordinary mentor, senator carl levin. i want to begin by offing my deepest sympathies to -- by offering my deepest sympathies to carl's family, his i.v. -- his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his brother and nephew. those who knew him, knew that carl was, above all else, a loving father, a devoted

husband, and a profoundly compassionate man, today we mourn with the entire levin family. i would like to take just a few minutes to reflect on his remarkable life and legacy. carl served 36 years in the united states senate and made every single day count. he was a gentleman and a statesman, a true champion for michigan, for working families, for justice, and especially for the men and women of the united states military. throughout his long and wide-ranging career, he carried with him a constant enduring commitment to service. from his earliest days growing up in detroit, carl understood what service meant. he worked to his way up pass an auto factory worker and taxi driver to get to law school and then to the michigan civil rights commission where he dedicated his early career to service sasse a public defender. from there he committed himself

even further to the people of detroit, serving for eight years on the city council, fighting constantly to advance the civil rights of his constituents. his three and a half decades in the senate truly defined his commitment to service, and his accomplishments with monumental. while carl was particularly associated with national defense, as the chairman of the armed services committee, he was one of the most productive, effective congressional investigators and legislators of his era. or any era. wielding his gavel on the senate permanent subcommittee on investigations with great clout and distinction, he was relentless in going after waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption whenever and wherever he saw it. he didn't shy from tough issues. he worked tirelessly to expose major corporate tax avoidance

and evasion knowing it was unfair for working men and women to pay their fair share while corporations found loopholes to pay nothing. carl changed the very way our government worked, using his legislative powers, his backbone, and his brains to take on the most powerful institutions in america on behalf of not just the little guy but a healthier republic. serving alongside carl levin on the armed services committee was one of the greatest privileges of my life. we like to joke that we were friends and we traveled together constantly because i made carl feel tall, and he made me feel like the most elegant dresser in the united states of america. i was always intrigued when we traveled and we traveled 11 times overseas, mostly to battlegrounds. i would try to pack light.

my experience in the military suggested that. carl would show up with a little bag, just a little black bag, and how could he get through these five, seven days of the trip? then i discovered, we'd have a meeting with a prime minister, for example. he'd have his coat and his tie and his white shirt on and his slacks. then we'd get ready to go to the field. he'd just take his coat off or, undo his tie, roll up his sleeves. then we'd come back being have another meeting, he'd put his tie back on. it was the carl levin method. as much as i tried to emulate it, i could not. he was one of the most incredibly generous and kind individuals you will ever meet anywhere. when he took on his duties on the armed services committee, he understood that national security is not a partisan issue. and he maintained a spirit of bipartisanship that continues to motivate all of us.

he also understood that national security accomplishes more than just defense, so he was an active supporter of diplomacy and international organizations. throughout his life, senator levin was a steady force through turbulent times and global affairs. he was a staunch advocate for nato, recognizing that our national power is enhanced by strong alliances with other democracies. he also lent crucial support to the start treaty between the united states and russia, limiting and reducing the number of nuclear weapons on this planet. he later supported the nunn-lugar legislation that removed many unsecured nuclear weapons after the collapse of the soviet union. but most profoundly, carl always recognized that the dedication and sacrifice of our service members is fundamental to our military security. i feel that in every decision he made, he viewed it through the

eyes of those young soldiers and sailors and airmen, the marines on the ground, what it would mean to them. that's why he traveled to countless outposts to see for himself to thank them personal lay for their service. i was trilled to travel with him many, many times and witness his concern for those who served. at this point, my mind awash with memories and images. for example, in 1997 standing with carl levin before a crowd of 50,000 pro-democratic serbians in belgrade calling for a democracy to replace the dictator milosevic. it was a moving moment. in 2003, visiting our troops in iraq, one of the first codels to enter iraq to find out for

ourselves what was happening, what did they need, what could we do to protect them and give them the tools to do their job. and in 2009, crowded together, sitting on the floor, on carpets with afghan leaders in a small village trying to determine a path forward. carl always led by example and with decency and integrity. later this summer, it will be the honor of my life to speak at the commissioning of the u.s. navy's newest warship, the u.s.s. carl m. levin. it is a great and formidable ship bearing the name of a great and formidable man. i wish more than anything that carl could be there to witness the tremendous honor of his namesake ship's commissioning, but carl always did prefer to avoid the spotlight and the

fanfare, and i think perhaps he'll be smiling even wider as he looks from above at the christening of that ship. carl's life was defined by service and we should all be grateful to be a part of the legacy that he created in this very chamber. his loss is immeasurable, but i am grateful for his lifetime of contribution to the people of michigan and the people of our nation. and we can honor best senator levin by carrying out his ideals and example he set in what we do here and what we do for the nation, and particularly what we do for the brave young men and women who serve that nation. i yield the floor.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. merkley: madam president, i rise today to add my voice to my colleagues in remembering and paying my respects to our dear friend and former colleague, senator carl levin, whom we sadly lost last night. my colleagues have been sharing their stories and their experiences of this incredible human being, this amazing senator. and i want to share one of my own, a story of how he made an impact on my life and my approach to being a senator. it was back in 2009 when we had an enormous collapse of our economic system, and i came here as a freshman senator, and we were working to say what

happened and how can we prevent this from happening again. and a lot of what happened were enormously leveraged bets made in the wall street casino. and a staff member of my kept saying you've got to read this essay by chairman volcker about how we take and shut down this wall street casino and how it puts our entire economy at risk and will do so again in the future if we don't act. and after two or three times, my team member had approached me on this, i put out an e-mail to all of the senators and said here is the challenge as presented, and here is what we need to do to protect the future economy. would anyone join me in undertaking to establish this volcker rule to shut down the

wall street casino? and the next day i come to the floor of the senate, and carl levin comes up to me and he says about your e-mail from yesterday, about your e-mail, i want to join you in that project. and he knew a lot about this issue, and he had staff members who knew a lot about this issue. and then he went on to say, and you may think because you're new and i've been here for awhile that i'm going to sweep in and take this over. and he said, but i want to tell you i'm not going to to do that. i don't want to do that. i want to work in full partnership with you together. and that's what it became. this full partnership. our team members working closely together, carl and i working closely together, no one leading, if you will, or to

put it differently, leading together. and it had many, many chapters in this effort. it was not an easy path to say the big banks need to change how they operate, but what struck me in how he conducted himself was he expressed not egoism, but altruism. he didn't focus on what he should do to advance himself politically. he wanted to know what we can do to serve the best interests of this nation. not grand standing, but problem solving to make the united states of america work better for everyone. and so we proceeded. during the debate on

dodd-frank, we had an opportunity to put forward an amendment to establish the volcker rule, and colleagues across the aisle were none too happy about that, and it shut down the senate for a full day. and so carl and i kept working during that day to say no, this should be debated, this should be voted on. but eventually our second-degree amendment died when the first-degree amendment was taken down. but our team members had worked through the night to make it a germane amendment so it would have survived had that not taken place. then we went in partnership over to speak with mr. frank, congressman frank on the house side, and congressman frank joined into the battle. and we kept pushing, and eventually in congress the volcker rule was brought to life. and then we started partnering and trying to prevent the rule making from tearing it down,

and carl would call me up and say here's what's happening. what are we going to do? and we would write a letter, and we would call the regulators, and we would kvaalry -- rally fellow senators. he just kept at it like a dog with a bone. he was not going to let go. he was tenacious, saying this matters, every piece of it matters. we're going to get this done. and so when we think about the fact that that wall street casino no longer threatens the american economy because it no longer operates as it did, we have senator carl levin to thank for that. there is so much more he did here, and colleagues have been speaking to other chapters of his work, but this is the chapter i was involved in. i think it says so much about who he was. his policy expertise, his humble approach to the fight, his willingness to take on

powerful actors, that's truly what it is to be a public servant. i wish carl was here so we could have him hear these stories from us directly. i'm thinking now about his colleagues representing michigan who have followed in his footsteps, and they are here -- debbie stabenow, gary peters -- and i know that they're inspired by the example he set. a couple of years ago i had a chance to be in michigan and called up carl so we could get together for dinner and together with his wife barbara. and, boy, he was just interested in every aspect of what we were doing here and how we were hopefully making the senate work better. and just not so long ago he wrote an op-ed about how to make the senate work better by enabling the minority to slow things down, to have leverage, but keep this body from being

paralyzed. so he continued to think and to engage right up to his final days. so, barbara, we're thinking about you. we are holding you and your family in the light, and we're doing so of such appreciation of the life and work of carl levin. thank you, madam speaker.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from minnesota. ms. klobuchar: madam president, i of course join my colleagues in their fond words for carl levin. he was a mentor to me, like so

many, and i'm looking forward to speaking about him as well as my good friend senator enzi, who we also tragically lost this past week in the coming days. but today i am focused on another topic, and that is the olympics. i rise today to congratulate and honor minnesota's own sunni lee who won the gold medal in the all around gymnastics event at the 2020 olympics in tokyo. i got up like many minnesotans at 5:00 in the morning and it was a site to behold. she is the youngest member of the u.s. olympics gymnastics team at 18 she has been competing on the national stages

since 2015. she is officially the best gymnast in the world. suni's journey is a remarkable one. she has trained through the coronavirus pandemic, breaking her foot and sadly experiencing tragedies within her family when she lost two relatives to covid and when a 2019 accident left her father paralyzed. on thursday, july 29, 2021, she led the america's team quest for gold in the all around gymnastics event after the legendary simone biles withdrew but simone biles stayed and was there in the stands. but with the pressure of the world upon her, suni lee, who never thought she would be leading that team, who never thought that this honor would be

hers, gave the performance of her life. suni's difficult and daring uneven bars routine sealed her victory. the routine set a 6.8 difficulty mark and earned a score of 15.3, tied for the highest score by any gymnast in the competition. she defended the american title in the women's all-around gymnastics event marking the fifth consecutive olympic win for an american. she also contributed to the u.s. women's gymnastics team silver medal performance in the team competition. she is a team player and a role model for young men and women around the nation. suni's entire family contributed to her success, and for many of us who watched we saw them in that room cheering her on. her family back in time fled

violence in their native country of laos. her father john lee, built suni a wooden balance beam in their backyard when she was a child because they could not afford to buy one. as she said after her championship performance, we both worked for this. my father sacrificed everything to put me in gymnastics. minnesota, as my colleague tina smith will share with you, minnesota is home to to 31,000. su nirch's family arrived in america in the aftermath of the vietnam war. she is the first meng american to win an olympic gold medal.

she is the first asian american to win the gold in the all around in gymnastics. this is -- this is inspiration to all of us. they also represent her own personal resilience to be able to shine in that moment with such grace under pressure. truly she has captured the hearts of minnesotans and people around the world. madam president, sunni lee's win is a remarkable acheeflt. i am -- achievement. i am pleased to congratulate her and her coach and her parents and her entire extended family. i wish her continued success throughout her gymnastics career and beyond and we can't wait to welcome her home. thank you, madam president.

i yield the floor. a senator: the senator from minnesota. ms. smith: i'm slighted to be here on the floor with my colleague to offer my heartfelt congratulations to suni lee who won olympic gold in the women's all around event in the olympics. she won the gold under difficult circumstances, but she stepped up and gave an astounding performance to bring home gold, continuing the american tradition of excellence in women's gymnastics. her routine on the uneven bars, as senator klobuchar said, one of the most difficult in women's gymnastics, was just stunning. on her way to olympic gold, she

faced obstacles. after beginning her olympics training at age 6, she showed focus and drive to reach the elite level despite injuries. in 2019, her father was paralyzed in an accident but continued supporting his daughter's gymnastics career, while continuing to train during the coronavirus, she suffered a broken foot and the tragic loss of her aunt and uncle to coronavirus. while pandemic precautions meant there were no spectators to cheer her on in tokyo, her family and friends and gymnastic fans cheered her on from afar with watch parties held in her honor. the videos of these gatherings showed the incredible share joy and pride in her incredible

accomplishment and i'm sure she could feel all of that love and support in tokyo. not only is she the youngest member of the women's gymnastic team but the first meng american on the olympics team and the first asian american to be the first all-around champion. minnesota is so proud to call her one of our own. minnesota's governor and st. paul mayor have announced today, friday, july 30, 2021, is suni lee. it's too bad we can't be there to help her celebrate in st. paul. i want to congratulate those who contributed to her victory, her parents, her coach, after suni won her gold, she reminded us all that no one achieves success

alone as she said, this is my family's medal, my medal and my coach's medal. madam president, in this moment i also would like to take an opportunity to acknowledge the awe-inspiring leadership of simone biles -- mental health is an essential part of our well-being. her unwavering support for suni and the rest of her team shows that she is also a great team player and an activist. every olympic medal represents untold hours of hard work and struggle and resilience and suni lee's all-around gold is no exception. so congratulations to suni. we are all so proud of you. thank you for your courage, dedication, and inspiration to

all of us everywhere in this country. thank you, madam president. and i yield the floor.

mr. brown: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. mr. brown: thank you, madam president. with the presiding officer's help and the help of 48 others

in this body, we provided, back in march, an amendment and then in final passage, we provided the biggest tax cut, the largest tax cut for working family. we didn't make much progress in the last four years, but with the election of a new president and a new senate has made all the difference in the world. in my state, 2.4 million children are eligible, and 2.1 million of those -- 2.1 million children last week in the mailbox or in directed deposit in their bank accounts, 2.1 million children were the beneficiaries of $250 or $300

last week. every month, july 15, august 15, september 15, children from zero to 5, parents will get $300 each of those months, if children are 6 to 17, children will get $250. roughly the same in the state of wisconsin, the presiding officer's state, these families will be getting a check in the mail. in a macro big way, it does a number of things, first of all, it drops the poverty rate with america's children by 50%. one thing we do drops the poverty rate by 50%, something government's never been able to do, because of this tax credit, the largest tax cut for working

families. another macro way, people of wisconsin, ohio, and other states will benefit because we're injecting this kind of money. money was sent to the state of ohio to these families and for most of these families, this is -- the wealthiest people don't get this. it's 90%, it's nine out of continue families do that have children. so this money goes directly into those communities. they are going to spend this at their local grocery store, hardware store and so they don't miss work and maybe take their kid to a restaurant. it won't be put in a swiss bank account, but to local communities. that is the big picture. the joy of working on this bill and starting -- i started working on this in 2013, joined

by michael bennet, senator booker, and since he came, senator warnock and senator wyden, the chair of the finance committee, the joy of this is to see how this affects individual families' lives. a couple of weeks ago before the bill -- before the checks were sent out, i did a series of roundtables in brian and finley and cleveland andton and thread -- dayton and toledo and youngstown and cincinnati. i asked what are you going to do with this? many families didn't know it was coming. i heard some interesting comments. after the checks were sent out, i also heard stories. here's what it means to families. one mother said, you know, for the first time i can now send my son to camp for a week, to a summer camp, first time in her life. a father said, you know, i'm now

going to be able to buy for my daughter, she loves fast pitch softball. she's really g. i'm going to be able to buy her the equipment to do that. a number of families said we're now in a position where we can actually without scrounging -- so many american families can barely afford their rent. 25% of american families pay half their income in rent. think about that. one out of four renters pay half their income in rent. one thing goes wrong in their live, their car breaks down, they can end up being evicted. so what this $300 per child or $250 per child, for a lot of families it just relieves the anxiety of the difficulty of putting together the money they need to pay the rent. the last week -- the last week of the -- a month for many families is different from the first three because the last week they start making cuts, not spending as much money on food, all the things they've got to do to pay their rent. this is going to alleviate -- it's going to lift that burden

off so many families. other families that are a little more affluent but still, you know, hanging on to being middle class are now able -- they told me to put $100 aside every month because of this child tax credit, because of the largest tax cut for working families ever, they're going to be able to put aside $100 a month for their child to go to ohio state or to cleveland state or to sinclair community college in ohio. all the kinds of things -- you know, madam president, and i know you have -- in wisconsin have thought about this. the best thing about this, it's not that senator baldwin or senator schumer or senator mcconnell or president biden. it's not them saying to a family, okay, here's some money. here's where you're going to spend it. we're going to help you with this. it's trusting these families. this $250 a month or $300 a month these families get, they get this money and they decide what's best for their family.

that's what -- it's still -- it's still, frankly, madam president, inexplicable to me that everybody on this side of the aisle voted no. every single one of them. they had two chances. they voted no on an amendment, on the bill, and then they voted no on the bill to give the largest tax cut working families ever. we all know around here it's no secret that this side of the aisle likes tax cuts. they just like them for rich people. but they always argue, you know, we cut taxes on the rich and it -- it will trickle down. it will help everybody. well, there's kind of no evidence for that but they keep doing it because they know it plays really well with the rich contributors. but this is what tax cuts are really about, the child tax credit. puts money in people's pockets. it gives them the choice on how to spend those dollars on behalf of tear families and it -- their families and it helps the community because there's more money in the community. you know, we know that. and we know that -- we know that the best kind of infrastructure, the best way to provide infrastructure -- to build

infrastructure in this country is to build a foundation for families. i'm for this bill that we're considering now. water, sewer, highway, bridges. i want to do that but i want to build a foundation for families, too, not just a physical -- a better highway system, a better water and sewer system, but i want to give families broadband. i want to give families a little bit money -- money like this. i want to help families with housing because then that foundation these families can launch their children into a more prosperous future. and that's to me what this is all about. that's why the child tax credit, the most important thing i've ever worked on in my career. and it's -- i think it's one of the most important things congress has done in a quarter of a century. madam president, i yield the floor.