food security and provide for our national security. and we shouldn't accept crushing food prices for families just because this congress can't reform an antiquated h-2a program. and we can do something about this this week before we go home with this proposal. sometimes the politics of an issue like this seem so hard that you're defeated on it before you even get started. and that's not been the case with this coalition of people from all over america. they have all they can contend with every single day, as i said with rising inputs, costs, with the trade issues that we've been

dealing with. you know, they've got every reason in the world not to spend a moment trying to actually pass this piece of legislation. but it's so important to them because this labor issue is so critical to the future of american agriculture and they know t and they have a sense of urgency about it. and they want us to overcome our fears and our political concerns to come together and do what the house of representatives did, which is pass a bipartisan bill. and i guarantee you, mr. president, if we do that, if we do that here in this chamber when people go home, what they're going to hear is, thank you. thank you for listening to us. thank you for respecting our work in american agriculture. and thank you for standing up for our country during a difficult economic moment in world history. thank you, mr. president.

i yield the floor. and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call:

story funny because among many things, destroying perseverance, and the face of unspeakable hatred and is also his home is your for many jewish americans, targeted recently by anti-semitism at after decades of hard-working, it is terrifying to see today, that entice imagism is on the rise in america we must do everything we can to some bit data no matter what it may be, there's all americans of goodwill, to take a stand against the forces of bigotry, and intolerance are many other, who are trying to use their platforms to make anti-semitism more acceptable in our country and we must oppose them at every turn. la faith for the forces of intolerance will lose needed just as they did in the days of

hanukkah when they led the jewish people against an oppressive majority. but the fight is long, and all of us must do our part. so as we continue observing the festival of lights, i say to the colleagues into the jewish americans across the country, happy holiday. and thank god that in this country, freedom of religion intolerance as part of their watchword, unlike it was newell days of judah mcafee. and on the albany, appropriators are icing on the clock to finish the last item in order to do list for 2022, and package it will keep the government funded into next to fall braided and another extremely busy weekend for appropriate is a members and their staffs and i was on the phone, holding on friday, saturday, sunday. every ten minutes another call with my colleagues with the

committees and my staff and my great staff, who hardly slept this weekend, to help finalize deal. sitting i was the first night of hanukkah but forcefully heading spend 75 percent that night, on the phone with my colleagues and staff. my family course was very understanding and i appreciate that is been hard to come by, that are part of the appropriations process, sleep is hard to come by and truly heart stopping word final come the staff on the clock, where the clock working diligently to keep our government funded i think all of them for their great work it printed much of my focus today and tonight and tomorrow will remain on getting this meanness done and despite having a little bit more work to do, it continues heading in the right direction we must rent the whole process up and running final passage before the end of the week. i don't be easy but we are

working hard so that we can get it done, before the end of the week, and be with our families for christmas. once the home live under dominant this comes before this and i'm confident both sides will find things in it that they can enthusiastically supporting we all know that the army of us will be the best way to ensure the cats, veterans and small businesses about hundred military have full access to vital services and programs they depend on the hands are going to be everything that anybody wants, that's for sure. it is far preferable to scr, which will leave the country high and dry and certainly preferable to a government shutdown and it will also allow the senate to pass the electoral count back into law, with my colleagues in the rules committee, so there's clove you chart and blunt have got done great work on finalizing the critical, absolutely critical, for supporting a friend is in ukraine and for fully implementing bipartisan bills like chips and science in the

back out and more as a just as both parties cooperating on bipartisan achievements like chips and gun safety and veterans benefits and respect for marriage and joe under so much more carless finish the session by passing by working together in good faith any of the floor, and help the absence of a quorum. >> the biden administration for another, the budget proposals the republicans knew that it was literally wrong for the country. the administration wanted to get the funding for the armed forces after inflation, while massively increasing spending on own defense. republicans were taken the presence of the bizarre position inflicted on its head. the bipartisan government funding bill that the senators like you and shelby finished negotiating. it does exactly the opposite with the biden administration first proposed.

this bill provides a substantial real dollar increase in the defense baseline. in a substantial real dollar cut to the nondefense, nonveterans baseline. let me say that again, president biden wanted to cut the defense spending and grove liberal domestic spending and real dollars. in the congress is rejecting the biden administration's vision enjoying the exact opposite. this bill will grow defense spending and cut on defense, nonveterans spending after inflation. just last week, the senate passed the national defense authorization act on an overwhelming bipartisan basis. sinners on both sides acknowledge and president biden

and the administration have failed to request the little resources that are service members and commanders actually needed. and so on a bipartisan basis, we ignore the administration's request and authorize twitter armed forces actually needed. the landmark investments, and the upgrade and modernizing our armed forces that we just laid out in the nda, what happened unless congress follows through an appropriate limiting to pay the bills. is it senators joni lanky have given us, the opportunity to achieve herd and make good on our commitments and the nda, by following through with actual funding and americans want

nation to remain preeminent global superpower. a lot of country to remain the mightiest civilization the world has ever seen. we want to help ukraine and keep competing with russia and keep pace with huge investments that china is making in her own military and new technologies. so is a strange position to say the least when republicans in congress have to poke and prod the democratic commander-in-chief into sufficiently adding men and women that he actually commands. as i said all along, funding are armed forces, is amazing governing duty. republicans are not going to let her democratic colleagues demand x-ray left-wing goodies in exchange for doing the job and

finding out troops. the president's own party does not get to take on national defense hostage and demand rewards. and so grateful that her democratic colleagues back down and accepted our position. in the bipartisan bill that are colleagues of negotiated equips our armed forces with resources they need. while cutting nondefense, nonveterans spending in real dollars and this is a strong outcome for republicans much more importantly, the outcome better nations security actually needs as i want to thank our distinguished colleagues senator shelby for the hard work and look forward to reviewing the full text senate. and i've saved my tribute for the most senior retired republican member, for leaks in

the years but even with mayor days remaining until the end of his term, or colleagues calendar is been quite packed, but not with fancy farewell parties over the final chapter of help state negotiations and tireless legislation work on behalf of his state, coronation, and in particular our armed forces. it is no surprise that senator richard shelby final days in the senate, see him running through the tapes and burning the literal midnight oil. in the state of alabama has set prolific and powerful senators to this chapter over its history but richard shelby has surpassed them all. is not just the longest-serving senator from alabama, he is the most influential. an event is one of the most

effective legislators the united states senate has ever seen. growing up outside of the birmingham richard shelby was not automatically predestined for the halls of power, but even before our friend had gone into the fullness of his commanding - and i understand that young richard shelby was never afraid to throw his weight around predict whether he was fighting for his team on the football field, reporting himself between classmate and bully on a street car. and is he a man, there was hardly any academic or athletic test richard didn't pass with flying colors. the way i hear it, the most important test was ensuring good pretty girl named inez, was delivered to back home in time for curfew after their first

date. and that was entreated by the time this handsome young man, but she also loved and respected her own family and so she declared that if richard was late dropping her off on the first date, that it would be the last. thus, a partnership for the ages, was born. ever since then shelby's first campaign victory in 1970, the people have, have had national campaigner, a trail blazing problem solver, and an intellectual giant looking out for their interest. in addition to annette shelby, it also gotten richard in a package deal. doctor annette shelby was charted in this course of her own here in washington including becoming the first woman to hold tenure professorship at

georgetown business school. meanwhile, across the city, the other half of the shelby partnership is developing a partnership for visionary leadership during congress heard were richard is concerned, word visionary is neither throwaway praise, nor exaggeration, it is simply accurate pretty people on the senate like to say the richard shelby does not just see down the road, he sees down the road and also around the corner. in a public is not just known how how to fight for alabama and individual issues debates, that each day has brought, he has also invented creative new forward-looking visions admissions that nobody else had dreamed of. the methodically, said about turning them into reality.

and richard is trying his efforts on a small number of core priorities. in the places he is most to make an outsized difference. once one of those big priorities is identified, like a dog after a bone. take the city of huntsville, the story goes, a few decades ago it was a sleepy town by the tennessee border. and today, it is a booming technological of cutting-edge industries like space exploration, missile-defense heard take the port of mobile, and we understand it, the spark was number hundred richard saw firsthand the latest international shipping info structure, that was rapidly taking shape in asia. i think the marlis this, the

singapore, they can do this, why not mobile. and so today what used to be a small inland on the golf coast is now a booming upper shipping and transformation. enter the sending ripples across prosperity across the entire region. but even our visionary colleagues prolific foresight it can truly under occasionally it is limits pretty and richard's good friend and her former colleague bill graham clement your judgment is which to the republican party way back in 1983. and he immediately work on his good buddy, to follow suit. [background sounds]. but even after events i'm told

involved involved multiple white house lunges with dragon, even after robert heard, had been accused of senator shelby barbering, definite republican tendencies. which of a friend until after the republican's landslide victory in 1984, the finely crushed under across the threshold join our team. for the rest is history. the iconic phrase chairman shelby, could refer to our colleagues starting sensitive oversight at the helm of the intelligence committee. or, his mastery of the most complex matters is head of banking committee or this time letting us that he had to institutional priorities is

rules committee chair or more recently, leaders are calling is been a number one or number two slots on top of the appropriations committee directing the american people's money to keep national priorities and most especially our constitutional duties providing for the common defense. but richard's washington expertise never came at the expense of his home state. just the opposite, the national renown it richard shelby accrued, was just about way by which his beloved alabama game much more more above its weight. long line of shelby staffers can

learn there's no need for roadmap for gps, when the senator himself in the car. our printed knows every single backroad and highway. it is of a good meeting three and if there's ever a time to stop in for lunch or coffee, just because what and richard will know a handful of the folks inside.

[applause] of xp neck and so i think that is part of the living constitution, when the means, had i also would stress that you have an original copy, couple of them of the federalist papers and again i will say, for getting back in after the 2020 n when i was sure of the house republicans conference, and the discussion was underway about are people going to object to the electoral votes in my view was absolutely not, congress does not have the authority to object. except in very narrow circumstances that there is a constitutional infirmity in the electors and the founders did not intend in the constitution does not provide that congress chooses the president i remember, how was so struck

there was one moment when we were going through the process of the debate inside of the republicans in the house, at a fake a copy of the federalist papers and you know hamilton talks about how important it will be for example, that the electors do not meet in one place of the electors meet out in the individual states, on because they were worried about political influence and political pressure by the electors and when you think about the thought process and how the founders were, in terms of understanding the dangers that we would face, the documents speaks to us today i want to give you whatever example of betterments and while we were going through the exhibits, a colleague of mine from california and i cosponsored legislation to reform the electoral outbreaks and we admitted negotiations with the senate and they have the version in the house has our

version. at one point the negotiations over the last few weeks, were sort of stalled. and so when i said ten federal rhetorical legs in the senate hello the questions in the letter was, have you actually read the federalist to 68. [applause] >> we did not get a response but. [laughter] [laughter] >> when i am hopeful. so there is progress, there is but there is also still a lot of pain in the nation and we are so divided right now what you think it's going to take for the country to heal. >> you know i think that it takes from elected officials, responsibility and i do think the certainly one of the lessons that i've learned in the last couple of years, as how

important is to walk away from reflective partisanship and this does not mean that obviously, that everybody's going to agree on every issue we have big disagreements and we should. but the best place for us to be as a country is where we can succumb let's have a disagreement this debate the issue and let's assume the person on the other side once i have a bait enter to debate and let's elect people who want to do that. in this last election in the midterms, after they've never actually voted for a democrat,. [laughter] >> but endorsed several and campaigned for a number of democrats have this last cycle. they included people like alissa's on sunday endorsed abigail these are women that i served with in congress who

there both democrats and gotten to know both of them through government national security issues and what i think about the kinds of people are country needs, we need people like that in many people who are serious and substantive do homework la how to start thinking about elections and elected officials and sort of putting the same sort of standards of playing the same sort of standards that we would if we were hiring people for other jobs. but that means that we need more candidates more people to run for office is you have to have a choice of the people who are willing to step up and run so that we can demand excellence. >> i think you may have kind of answer the question that i'm about to ask you just now but there are generational divides. and at the family foundation we are listening a lot to young americans we are prioritizing really artisan to the jen z now hoping to build the future and

one thing that we are hearing is our desire to reach across the aisle and 80 percent of them actually were sing there willing to work with somebody they do not agree with some were fighting to redefine collaborations, collaboration historically has been about 20 people have similar opinions and common ground, and working together but we have seen that that doesn't necessarily hold up with the changes in politics. so how can we give this generation role models and they have grown up in a time when they have never experienced in america that isn't divided. >> well, i have five children and so i spent a good amount of time with people that generation and look, i will tell you that over the course of the last couple of years, some of my

moments of greatest hope have been with young people prayed that is partly because what you're mentioning, that they don't seem to me, think about the world in terms of that i want to be a member of this political carrier that's political party. i've had somebody experiences recently, william people said to me, i might not agree with you on any issue but how to fight for the constitution and i want to live in a country that is characterized by freedom and i think that making sure that we hold ourselves to that same standard them i think that white not just young people but frankly when all americans demand, and should demand is that elected officials teach out of respect and treat the voters with respect that you have enough respect for the voters to actually engage in talk about the issues that read i am very

hopeful about our country when a spent time with young people this nation because i really think that they will there's a commitment there in the dedication and he saw in the midterms again where the young people turned out to vote numbers and you don't normally see that i think that is fundamentally important it. >> you've also talked about the decline in civic vertebrate hundred and i think you called something perhaps that we needed a constitution with care for elected officials, newly elected official. [laughter] [laughter] [applause] [applause] >> de of any thousand what we can do before they get into office. [laughter] >> that we might infuse civics education back into the classroom. >> you know is so important and i think that part of it is happened in education and i say this as a mom, is people look at

that the flaws that are country, had the tragedies of our story that you often have said, evidence and reason to turn away from the founding documents prayed but i think that it is just the opposite and i think we need to make sure people understand that we are not a perfect nation but think only way that we made progress towards becoming a more perfect union is through the foundational documents of the republic about recognizing and understanding of the freedoms that the constitution protects and guarantees to us. one of the most important things that i think we need to understand that we need to educate ourselves about us what is the role of off mean. ... quorum call:

we ensure our young people understand. understand does not mean being naïve about this nation being naïve about our founding. but it requires that we are able to say even though we are not a perfect nation, we are the most perfect nation is ever existed. [applause] we need to teach our children that. [applause] plugs are growing up in the home of a vice president, and you think you are destined?

were these the questions at the dinner table? >> conversations were more like how were going kill the dent in the car? [laughter] i was not a very good driver when i was young. [laughter] we had the normal conversation. because both of my parents or students of american history i took a picture of the washington portrait that hung in hamilton's home i can show my mom my parents are watching on a live stream if they got the text and figured out this evening. the benefit and the blessing of having parents who love this nation we studied our history was very special. food certainly discuss politics. but my parents made sure we

spent time understanding our history. my dad would take my sister and me to visit civil war battlefields. we groaned about it a lot at the time. both of us have taken our own children to do that now. i think that was one of the most important lessons of growing up in understanding the importance of american history. cracks tell me a little bit about the book and what it was like? >> it was very special. we have written two books together and i helped him on the third one. i helped him on his memoirs. and that was very special. it is not often that as an adult you have a chance to sit with the parent and talk about their lives. an island to stories about my dad i had never known before. he told me when we were working on his memoirs about the

experience he had when he was a young man at the university of wyoming. he had gone to yale for a a while and did not do so well. he dropped out then dropped out again, it's a long story. [laughter] ended up at the university of wyoming. it was september of 1963 and president john f. kennedy came to speak at a laramie. my dad told me the story of what it felt like for him to be there in the fieldhouse at laramie and to hear john f. kennedy talk. to hear president kennedy talk about public service and service to our nation. and watching president kennedy's motorcade pull away. and of course he was killed just a couple of months later. but after my dad told me the story which i had not heard

before i went home and googled the speech. you can listen to an audio of it. it was a very special thing to be able to hear president kennedy at the speech that meant so much to my dad. i also told the story at an event a couple of months ago and the democratic leader. he said you know i had the exact same expense as a student at the university of maryland and president kennedy came to see in exactly the same motivation the opportunity to work with my dad, right has a memoirs then write the book we did about foreign policy very, very special time. cracks or maybe someone in the audience tonight saying that about you. so in my day when we wanted we got together with people whom we

had common ground and people who fought like us, we made signs, we held rallies we mark sometimes it. and as i said earlier we know it today changed from one perspective when the winds of politics change. at the foundation instead of just working with like-minded people and instead of always looking for common ground we want to work with people we don't necessarily agree with and instead of common ground we want to work for common. we do not have to agree. do you think it is possible with the current status to bring people together to do that? >> i do pretty think certainly the nation is very divided. there's a whole range of reasons why including the effects of social media which i am not sure anyone knows the answer too.

but certainly does not encourage civility. and i think adds to the divide. but i think one of the most important things for people to understand, i saw this one is working in the middle east and i think history if you study history what is because changed over the years not just around the united states but around the world. i think almost always i think you could say without exception you find people who cared deeply about the causes in which they are working and are willing to dedicate time and energy to accomplish their goal. it's one of the most important lessons for young people today. you can make a difference. it's not just a platitude.

but at the same time you have an obligation to make a difference. and you have to recognize what an unusual thing it is. most places around the world and most times in history have not been free. they've not been free to choose who leads them they're not free to fight for the causes they believe. that's true in many countries around the world today. you face death or imprisonment for standing up for your belief. i think as americans we have an obligation to understand what a unique and special blessing it is that we can make decisions about our future, our destiny and the causes we want to fight for. young people especially need to know is to be engaged, to be engaged, active, educated. educate yourself. know if you are going to go out

and advocate on behalf of the principal or a candidate or a belief so that you can advocate for those goals in which you believe. also want to switch gears for one minute. you've mentioned what you have learned and you had your introduction by mentioning your five children. what is your work life balance? we've got a lot of working in the audience, crux of my children now our youngest is a sophomore in high school. throughout the 27 now years of being a mom, 28 sorry. [laughter] my oldest daughter is probably watching thinking don't you know how old i am a mom? i have done i've been a

stay-at-home mom sometimes i work part-time i worked full-time sometimes i don't think you ever probably as a mom feel like i've got it's a perfect is working out right now. but kids give you perspective. my youngest son after one of the hearings on the select committee last summer i came home had been a lot of news coverage about he met me at the door and said mom, i am so proud of you. it is a wonderful the hearings are done and we please now focus on my learners permit. [laughter] >> i know that feeling. i know i saw this as a child, it

is important for children to see their parents engaged in causes bigger than themselves. i had at moment in the immediate aftermath of january 6 where i was sitting at dinner with my husband and our two sons who are our youngest. i looked at my boys across the table and i had this realization i've grown up in a country where we all take for granted we are going to have a peaceful transfer of power. it just never occurred in the united states certainly since the civil war that we would not have a peaceful transfer of power. i looked at my sons and thought are they going to be a generation that cannot say that? my commitment to making sure that my kids do grow up in a country where they know the peaceful transfer of a power they know it is guaranteed is currently made even more

complete as a mom and making that commitment. [applause] so, looking ahead to next year what is on the horizon? >> i don't know. i do think it is really importance and the issues we've been talking about here tonight i want to continue to be involved in issues that have to do with our constitution and education and young people. this country has so much potential. and our citizens when you look at what happens in the midterms and how at the end of the day people fundamentally rejected crazy.

[applause] [applause] and i think making sure people have good candidates. making sure people get in and run for office and doing everything i can relate to help continue to make sure people understand and love american history and learn from it. you realize we are not that many generations away from the civil war, from the founders appeared there is a new book i'm going to give john meacham about plug he has a new lincoln biography out. and meacham does a wonderful thing in his book or he takes

you on the walk that lincoln took every morning from the boardinghouse where he lived at the library of congress, up the steps to the capitol into statuary hall where the house met when lincoln was a member of the house. but you realize, meacham talks about lincoln having been in the house chamber when john quincy adams was also a member of the house and lincoln was in the chamber when john quincy adams collapsed and died a few days later. you realize how young we are as a nation. you realize there are not that many generations that separate us from those great figures of history. but also when you think about how young we are as a nation we are the world's oldest democracy. that is a really important thing to remember and understand when you're thinking about the incredible blessing we have and how easy it could be to lose it.

>> the end of the exhibit downstairs really brings us up to today but if you have not been to the exhibit yet i so encourage everyone it is a phenomenal. there are these big lights that talks about america is for the dreamers. the exhibit ends on a note of hope, what gives you hope? >> i think america gives me hope. and as complicated, as intense, as difficult as our political battles sometimes are, at the end of the day we have throughout history come together and moved forward. and that gives me hope.

when you think about the issues and challenges we are dealing with, and you think about the fact that this is a nation where people want to come. people want to be in the united states. you think about what does that mean? i'm a very firm believer we have to secure our borders. but we also have to be sure we understand and recognize why people want to be here. the blessing and the opportunity this country provides is unmatched. that is something we should be really proud of and really humbled about. fundamentally america gives me hope. you cannot be pollyanna about it certainly when you we've been through what we have been through. i had absolutely hoped for more from my fellow republicans when

the chips were down. so many active in a political way. but i think that as a nation we have come through very difficult times before much more difficult times before. and i think when you look to the future we have tremendous potential. that requires who we are really willing to do what is required by our oath. willing to work together in a civil way. and to come to solutions will help lead us all to the future. >> before i wrap us up, is there any other comment you want to make on the process or today or tomorrow? >> i have a lot to say. [laughter] you know, i think what we have

seen and what we have lived through and what we need to continue to stand against to turn away from a rejection of our fundamental constitutional protections. one way to think about it is we only defend a constitution when it serves our political purposes then we won't ever be able to call on it as a shield when we need it. it is a shield for us. to live in a republic where the constitution as a protection of our first amendment rights of our second amendment rights, all of the rights and the constitution you have to be willing to stand up for even when it is not politically especially when it is not

politically beneficial. i think when you look at what we have been through, you look at how quickly a very complicated and sophisticated in many ways, plot was formed to use many different efforts to try to overturn an election. we all have to be vigilant. i think on some level we get complacent. we think that cannot happen in the united states. but it can, it did. our capitol was attacked. it was attacked by citizens it was attacked by people frankly who donald trump preyed on their patriotism in so many ways he. on people's patriotism and he turned it into a weapon. he told people if you love your country you have got to fight and you have to take back the

country. it was a lie and it continues to be a lie. we all, everyone of us have to reject that. say we do not accept that. we reject the lies. we are going to hold people accountable we are going to work together to make sure we defend the constitution moving forward. [applause] [applause] [applause] talks so in the spirit of the holiday season that we are in, i want to thank everyone for coming tonight. i want to thank you congresswoman cheney not just for showing up tonight but showing up consistently to come straight from the hearings to come here, to share.

[applause] [cheering] [applause] [cheering] [applause] [applause] >> thank you for all of us for showing up for democracy. i think as we all go through this exhibit you are the face thank you. >> thank you. [applause] [applause]

>> a few days ago under front of a town hall in northern, president threatened a missile strike on athens. greece is afraid of our missile. they say typhoon missile will hit athens. and then he addressed the greek

people directly and said quote, it will unless you stay calm". this is a nato member directly threatening to target athens, a city of 3 million civilians. according to the united nations, an intentional attack on civilians, and intentional attack on civilians is a war crime. and so mr. president, i come to the floor today to condemn the recent actions of the turkish president which are not only disturbing, they are totally unacceptable. for years, early one has pursued

repressive antidemocratic policies at home and abroad. from criminalizing insults of turkey to freedom of expression, to the suppression of dissent and political opposition figures. order one has a jailed and silenced so many pro democracy and human rights activists that at one point there were more lawyers and journalists in turkish jails than anywhere else in the world. the government can try to hide the truth about the armenian genocide. persecuting writers and historians. in 2081 of the journalist who wrote about the genocide was assassinated on the streets of istanbul. as violent as the tenure has been at home his foreign policy has been absolutely awful. on the eve of the war, turkey

sold $77 million of military equipment that was used to attack innocent armenians. so it is no surprise that one met entire ron this summer with the russian and iranian president. some of the world's most brutal dictators. just look at the leaders he collaborates with. it is because he shares their world view. and you can see this clearly in the way he approaches the region. five decades after turkey's illegal occupation of cyprus, to want is still soaking division on the island. last year he proposed reopening the town in an attempt to spread turkish influence.

that is a violation of un security council resolutions that was condemned by the european union. in this september, one threatened to reinforce the 31000 turkish troops in cyprus with more land, naval, area weapons. clearly it looks at pollutants illegal annexation that is what makes presidents recent comments about launching a missile attacks on greece so disconcerting. we have seen him challenge greek sovereignty. some recent fighter jets over the greek islands. so his threats to strike athens fits a pattern of turkish claims to what is greek territory.

he has said turkish forces may land in greece suddenly one night. he seems to be increasing his illegal autocratic behavior in the run-up to the elections in turkey next year. in november he launched an air artillery and drone assault on kurdish cities in northern sierra and suggested ground forces would soon follow. payback time turkey's ministry of national defense tweeted announcing the operation against the kurds who have long been a target of his wrath. attacking the very forces that are essential u.s. partners in combating isis. and in doing so putting at risk u.s. troops in sierra. he is been out for revenge at home too. just last week one of the political rivals the popular

mayor of istanbul was sentenced to prison for two and a half years. the charge, insulting members of the supreme electoral council. the charge, insulting members of the supreme electoral council. that would be the equivalent of an american be put in jail for two and a half years for insulting some state electoral commission in case the prison sentence did not send a clear enough message to one might be using this regression as a diversion no doubt from the dire failure of his own economy. he might be doing it out of spite. or he might be doing it because he is a thug.

but one thing is clear, the united states must take the turkish presidents acted seriously. those who simply say he's a lot of bluster they do so at risk. they say putin was bluster and to hold him accountable for his behavior when he violates international law. or challenges democratic norms or allows his forces to commit human rights abuses. i'm calling for free and fair election in turkey for mass in the international community of democracy to condemn jailing of his political opponent. and i am demanding all overflights of greece and every

last turkish soldier out of cyprus. and i think given all of this recent behavior united states should not be putting f-16 fighter jets in his hands. that is why is chairman of the foreign relations committee i will not approve any f-16s for turkey until he holds his campaign of aggression across the entire region. i'm sure this will not make meet many friends. on the president has criticized me personally calling me an enemy of the state. but if he stands up -- or i should save standing to human rights abuses makes me an enemy, if calling out turkey for arming and enabling that massacre of innocent armenian civilians makes me an enemy, if demanding

turkey recognized greek sovereignty makes me an enemy, that is a badge i will wear with honor. so my colleagues here in the senate i will close by saying do not be afraid to stand up for american values in the face of aggression. to the international community do not hesitate to hold turkey accountable for violating international law. to the citizens living in the shadow of the high point missiles, to not forget the united states stands shoulder to shoulder with you. and to those people in turkey who still hope for a free democratic future do not give up. one day soon, with your bravery with its peace and prosperity we will return to your homeland. madam president i yield the floor.

>> abide administration put out their budget proposal republicans new it was literally wrong for the country. the administration wanted to cut funding for the armed forces after inflation while massively increasing spending on nondefense rate republicans taken president's bizarre position and flipped it on its head. bipartisan funding bill that senators leahy does exactly the opposite of what the biden ministration first proposed. this bill provides a substantial real dollar increase to the defense baseline and a substantial real dollar cuts to the non-defense nonveterans baseline.

let me say that again, president biden wanted to cut defense spending and grow liberal domestic spending in real dollars. congress is rejecting the biden ministration vision and doing the exact opposite. this bill will grow defense spending and cut non- defense non- veteran spending after inflation. just last week the senate passed the national defense authorization act on overwhelming bipartisan basis. senators on both sides acknowledge president biden and his administration had failed, failed to request the level of resources that our service members and their commanders actually needed. so on a bipartisan basis we ignore the administration's request and authorize what are

armed forces actually needed. but the landmark investments in upgrading and modernizing our armed forces that we just laid out in the nda a will not happen unless congress follows through and appropriates the money to pay the bills. that is what senator shelby and leahy have given us the opportunity to achieve. make good on our commitments by following through with actual funding. americans what our nation to remain the preeminent global superpower. we want our country to remain the mightiest as asian the world has ever seen. we want to keep helping ukraine.

keep out competing russia. and to keep pace with the huge investments china is making in their own military and new technologies. though it is a strange position to say the lease and republicans in congress have to poke and prod the democratic commander-in-chief into sufficiently funding the men and women that he actually commands. but as i said all along funding our armed forces is a basic governing duty. republicans are not going to let her democratic clothing to build extra goodies in exchange for doing their job and funding our troops. the president's own party does not get to take our national defense hostage and demand rewards. so i am grateful or democratic colleagues back down and accepted our position. the bipartisan bill our colleagues have negotiated

equips our armed forces with the resources they need while cutting non-defense nonveteran spending and real dollars. this is a strong outcome for republicans and much more importantly it is the out combination security actually needs but so i want to thank her distinguished colleague for his hard work and look forward to reviewing the full text of the sentence. now, madam president i've saved my tribute to the most senior retiring republican member for late in the year. but even within mere days remaining until the end of his term our colleagues calendar has been quite packed. not with fancy farewell parties, but with the final chapter of high-stakes negotiation and tireless legislative work on

behalf of his state, our nation, and in particular our armed forces. it is no surprise that senator shelby's final days in the senate see him running through the tape and burning the literal midnight oil. the state of alabama has sent prolific and powerful senators to this over its history. richard shelby has surpassed them all. he is not just the longest living serving senator from alabama he is the most influential. our friend is on the most effective legislatures in the u.s. senate has ever seen. richard shelby was not automatically predestined for the halls of power. but even before our friend had

grown into the fullness of his commanding stature to understand young richard shelby wasn't never afraid to throw his weight around when he was fighting for his team on the football field, putting himself between a classmates and a bully as a young man there's hardly any academic or athletic tests that richard did not pass with flying colors. that is why i hear it's, the most important test ensuring a pretty girl named annette was delivered back home in time for curfew after their first date. i was intrigued by this handsome young man she also loved and respected her own family. she declared if richard was late dropping him off thus a

partnership for the ages was born the people of alabama intellectual giant looking out in addition they've also gotten richard a package deal. doctor annette shelby chartered and historic course of her own here in washington. including become the first woman to hold a tenured professorship at georgetown business school. meanwhile, across the city the other half of the shelby partnership is developing a reputation for visionary leadership here in congress. where richard is concerned the word visionary is neither

throwaway praise or exaggeration. like to state richard shelby does not just see down the road, he sees down the road and also around the corner. our colleague is not just on how to fight for alabama for individuals and states but each day has brought. he is also invented creative new forward-looking visions and visions that no one else had ever dreamed of. then methodically set about turning them into reality. strangest efforts of a small number of core priorities at one time. the places he's most convinced he can make an outside difference. i spend like a dog after a bone.

take the city of huntsville. as the story goes a few decades ago it was a sleepy town on the tennessee border. today it's a booming technological hub for cutting edge industries like space exploration and missile defense. or take the port of mobile, the way i understand it the spark was an overseas trip or richard saw firsthand the latest international shipping instructor that was rapidly taking place down in asia. i think the sentiment was more or less this, if singapore can do this, why not mobile? so today what used to be a small inlet on the gulf coast is now a booming hub for shipping. a transformation that is sending ripples of prosperity across the entire region.

but even our visionary colleagues prolific foresight occasionally hit its limits. richard's good friend our former colleague phil gramm had the good judgment to switch to the republican party way back in 1983. he immediately started working on his good buddy to follow suit. but even after inoffensive i am told and involved multiple white house lunches with president reagan, even after robert byrd accused senator shelby of harboring quote definite republican tendencies, it still

took our friends until after republicans landslide victory in 1994 to finally cross the threshold and join our team. well, the rest is history. the iconic phrase chairman shelby could refer to our colleagues find steering sensitive oversight at the helm of the intelligence committee. or, is a mastery of the most complex matters as head of the banking committee. or, his time at lending a steady hand to institutional priorities as rules committee chair. or, more recently, the years our colleague has spent in the number one or number two slots on top of the appropriations committee directing the american people's money into key national

priorities most especially our constitutional duty to provide for the common defense. but richard's washington expertise never came at the expense of his home states for just the opposite the national renown richard shelby accrued was just a pathway by which his beloved alabama became more and more above its weights. a long line of shelby staffers have learned there is no need for roadmap or a gps when they have got the senator himself in the car. our friend knows every single back road and highway exit. he knows every good and if there

is ever time to stop in for lunch or coffee, just pick a spot in it richard will know a handful of the folks inside. how exactly header colleagues sustain this level of sharpness and influence over such an historic career? well, for one thing understand the seasoned chairman is a frequent visitor to quote the health committee. medicines moniker for the senate likewise i have on good authority that at one point our friend had an extension of having more books checked out his name from the library of congress than any other member in any chamber. occasionally though, having such a voracious reader for a colleague can lead to trouble. years ago, shortly after the

passing of president reagan i was wrapping up a meeting with my banking committee colleagues and i halfheartedly, at half wondered whether we could find a way to honor with the place on our currency. no particular malice toward alexander hamilton i loosely suggested what about perhaps the 10-dollar bill? but little did i know i was sitting across from the most recent person in america to finish out the new release the biography of hamilton. this is the book that would go on to inspire the hit music bowl and spark a big renewed interest in hamilton which shelby had spent weeks eating up every single page in admiring hamilton

as a junior more north every chapter. so let's just say a few minutes later i was back at the drawing board. it's difficult to imagine the senate without richard shelby. but i am not too concerned the officer will hold true. as much as richard has love the institution and excelled in it, we know our colleague can imagine life be on the senate just fine. there will be even more time to stay a student of history. even more time for duck hunting with good friends. visionary brainstorming for alabama and our nation won't stop, oh no. our friend will get to balance it out with a whole lot more time with his beloved annette's, their two sons and their grandkids. more time to enjoy the home states that has been literally

transformed by richard's passion and vision. richard, thank you very much. thank you very much for your outstanding career. cook's men present let me start by wishing jewish americans everywhere a happy start to hanukkah. i celebrated the first night with my family in new york. and i hope my colleagues who observe hanukkah were able to do the same. the story of hanukkah is among the many things the story of perseverance in the face of unspeakable hatred. it's also a lesson that his home this year for many jewish americans targeted recently by anti-semitism. after decades of hard work it is terrifying to see today that anti-semitism is on the rise in america. we must do everything we can just stomp it down. no matter what our face may be

of course i ask all americans of good will to take a stand against the forces of bigotry and intolerance. there are many out there trying to use their platforms to make anti-semitism more acceptable in our country. we must oppose them at every turn. i have faith the forces of intolerance will lose in the end. just as they did in the days of hanukkah when they led the jewish people against the oppressive majority. but the fight is long and all of us must do our part. so, as we continue observing the festival of lights by state to colleagues in jewish americans across the country, happy holiday. and thank god that in this country freedom of religion intolerance is part unlike it was in the old days of judah maccabee. on the omni appropriate is racing around the clock to

finish the last item on our to do list for 2022. an omnibus package like the government funded into next fall. there was another extremely busy weekend for appropriators, members and their staffs. i was on the phone all day friday, saturday, sunday every 10 minutes another call with my colleagues, with the committees my staff, my great staff who hardly slept this weekend to help finalize a deal. sunday night was the first night of hanukkah. but unfortunately i had to spend 75% of that night on the phone with my colleagues and staff. my family of course was very understanding and i appreciate that. sleep is been hard to come by for many a part of the appropriations process. while the world enjoyed a truly heart stopping world final staffer on the clock working diligently to keep our government funded. i think all of them for their

great work. much of my focus today, tonight, tomorrow it will remain on getting the omnibus done. despite having a little more work to do the optimist continues heading in the right direction. we must wrap the whole process up and vote on final passage before the end of the week. it won't be easy but we are working hard so we can get it done before the end of the week to be with our families for christmas. once the option of us comes before the senate i am confident both sides will find things in it they can enthusiastically support. we all know the omnibus to be the best way to ensure kids, our veterans, our small businesses in military continue to have full access to vital services and programs they depend on. it's not going to be everything anybody once that is for sure. it is far press are preferable to a cr which will leave the country high and dry and certainly preferable to a

government shutdown. the omnibus will also the senate to pass the electoral counts act into law which my colleagues on the rules committee senators klobuchar and blunt have done great work on. and finalize omnibus is critical, absolute critical for supporting her friends in ukraine and fully implementing bipartisan bills like chips and science in the packed act and more. so just as both parties cooperate on bipartisan achievements like chips, gun safety, veterans benefits, respect for marriage and so much more, let's finish this session by passing an ominous working together in good faith pretty yield the floor nurse the absence of corn.

this also works the george w. bush administration, several members of congress in joining us this morning to talk about presidents and divided congress. first of all, doctor troy you are with the bipartisan policy center. what is your organization's focus and mission? >> at the presidential leadership within the center we are chum up the presidency how

important it is as an institution and that need to maintain its relevance and the respect for the office and this time of a logical term altered. they are concerned and fascism on the right and so the bipartisan policy center which is a player for bipartisan solutions that this is the perfect place. quickly things of the leadership challenges right now for president joe biden coming into this divided government? >> biden has a number of significant challenges. first of all he has lost control much of the republicans have control but the democrats do not have control. also the senate remains very closely divided we have an economy where people are very concerned about what is going on. with the rise of authoritarian nation including russian china. there's a host of challenges going on around the world. biden as winners a little aged

and it is a very tough time to deal to a lot of challenges. jimmy carter said didn't think they could do the presidency and agent much older than he was at the time. it's a very hard job too. >> our guess is the author of several books for an your experience as a presidential historian on your experience working for the george w. bush administration, what does history tell us especially this close to the divided government presidents being able to function and lead during a closely divided government like this? >> we've had many. a closely divided government in our history. and we generally do not like it when one party is dominant. so if you are going to be a successful leader yet to figure how to navigate through a period by the government and get things accomplish for the american people. >> as part of the problem they

continue to bang the drum for their sides as opposed to working together they're banging the drum for the next election. >> yes politicians are always bang the drum for the next election. it's more of an issue of geographic sorts of northeastern liberal republicans and southern democrats now you have people much more in the they live in the ideology matches for a number of people have talked about c-span and transparency and legislators can't have behind-the-scenes negotiations because they go back home and they get yelled at for initiating the evil other side. >> is going to ask what are the motivations perfectly for the minority party to negotiate with that side? because i like to look at like orrin hatch who just died last year he was a conservative and a solid conservative produce

obsolete liberal. but they found ways to work together because they knew if they did not work together things were not get done. and so the legislatures recognize working with the other side is the only way to get long-standing legislation does not get jim through the reconciliation process and withstand the test of time. those legislators consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 441 is which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 441, an act to provide for for the conveyance of certain property to the tanana tribal council located in tanana, alaska, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. the senate will proceed. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 682 s. 3308. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 682 s. 3308, a bill to authorize the colorado river indian tribes to enter into lease or exchange agreements and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute agreement be agreed to, the bill be considered read a third time and passed and motions to to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 59 h.r. 478. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 59 h.r. 478, an act to direct the secretary of the interior to take certain land located in panal county, arizona, and to

trust for the benefit of the gilla river indian community and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i know of no further debate on this bill. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill is passed. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 175 s. 1402. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 175 s. 1402, a bill to amend the native american languages act to ensure the survival and continuity -- and continuing

vitality of native american languages and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the schatz substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the bill as amended to considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i know of no further debate on the bill as amended. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill as amended is passed. mr. schatz: i ask that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: thank you. madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 176 s. 989. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 176 s. 989, a bill to establish a native american language resource center in furtherance of the policies set forth in the

native american languages act. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding? without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the schatz substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i know of no further debate on the bill as amended. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the bill as amended is passed. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to immediate consideration of calendar number 432 h.r. 4881. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 432 h.r. 4881, an act to direct the secretary of the interior to take into trust for the

pasaquahaci tribe in arizona certain land and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. schatz: i further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, that motions to reconsidered the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 683 s. 3168. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 683 s. 3168 a bill to amend the white mountain apache tribe water rights quantification act of 2010, so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendments be withdrawn, the schatz substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill

as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the ?ead proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar 684 s. 4104. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: 684 s. 4104, a bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the hawalapi tribe and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn, the schatz substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and that motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: thank you, madam president. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call:

bipartisan policy center's also if the george w. bush administration for several members of congress for joining us this morning to talk about presidents and divided congress for first of all doctor troy you are with the bipartisan policy

center. what is your organization's focus and mission? >> of the presidential leadership initiative are the five players and policy center were done with the presidency how important it is as an institution. the make its relevance and respect for the office and this time of a lot of fully cultural mulch. that's the hallmark or freedom and fascism on the right socialism on the left for the bipartisan policy center which is a place of strives for bipartisan solution. >> what he thanks of the leadership challenges right now for president joe biden coming into this divided government? >> biden has a number of significant challenges. first was lost control the house i'm not sure republicans have control but the democrats do not have control. the house senate remains very closely divided. we have an economy where people

are very concerned about what is going on. they have the rise of authoritarian nations including russian china. there's a host of challenges going on around the world. in biden as we all know is a little aged. it's a very tough time to deal with a lot of challenges and jimmy carter said he didn't think he could do the presidency at an age much older than he was at the time. it's a very hard job it. >> our guest is the author of several books been your experience of presidential historian and president working for george w. bush administration, what does history tell us especially this close of divided government. being able to function and lead during closely divided government like this? >> we have had many periods of closely divided government in our history. we generally don't like it when one party is dominant.

if you are going to be successful leader you have to figure how to navigate the divided government and get things accomplish for the american people. >> is one of the problem the sides continue to bang the drum for their size as opposed to working together there banging the drum for the next election? [laughter] yes politicians are always begging the drum for the next election per the issue of geographic sorts of northeastern liberal southern democrats have that are much more linked to the geography than the ideology of a number of people of talked about c-span's transparency. legislatures everything is on camera they go back home and get yelled at from the evil other side. >> is going to ask about that what are the motivations vertically the minority party to negotiate with that side?

in a divided government scenario. >> like to look up your butt oren hatcher died in the last year. he was obviously liberal. they found ways to work together they knew they did not work together things are not get done. the only way to pass significant long-standing legislation that is not get jim through in the reconciliation process. it can stand the test of time but those legislators were willing to recognize the other side has a different perspective but also want to pass things to help the american people. those legislators are more likely to get things done. >> you that there's enough of those legislators in congress? >> we have a new congress. it seems to me there are fewer. i think these things go in waves. i think it's a very partisan time. i don't think it will last forever meaning 2030 a new era

we think people think in a straight line extrapolation to whatever's happening now is going to continue in the same way on interrupted. >> is with bipartisan policy center. talk about governing and divided government is the house takes control of the u.s. house. our republicans (202)748-8001. democrats 202-74-8800 and two. >> text 202-74-8003. doctor troy want to play a comment from president biden. this is right after the election they not been fully decided in terms of republicans controlling the house. but it was clear they had not made the inroads that some had predicted a fort republicans.

the comments on working in a bipartisan manner, here is what he said pick what you do not do you need to do anything differently. if republicans control the house don't you need to recalibrate to some extent to work across the aisle with a republican-led house? >> let me put it this way but i meant was i don't have to change any policies of already passed. that's what it said they want to go after. until i have a simple proposition i have a veto. that is what i mean i do had to recalibrate what i'm going to continue to fund -- mike if we are going to continue to fund the infrastructure bill. or we are going to continue to fund the environment et cetera. i hope -- there is growing pressure on the part of the american people expecting both parties and all elements of both parties to -- to work out their

substantive differences and not just were not going to do that because when you benefit that party. by just making it personal. it remains to be seen what the makeup of the house will be. but i am hopeful that kevin and i can work out how we will proceed. >> troy is the president too optimistic there? >> well, first of all he seemed a little tired in that clip. the second thing is one thing i've been a little disturbed by with president biden as he often talks a good game of bipartisanship. buddies done a couple of things i think it's in the eye of the district i like the fact known

as a bipartisan problem solver and a dealmaker. but i think you need to take some steps himself to make sure is not unnecessarily a leading the other side when he wants to make the exit deals with elective 'talked positively likely speaker to be kevin mccarthy. i'm optimistic and i hope the second part of his first term we will try and avoid some of the sharper comments that is made in the first few years. what you mentioned bipartisan work report on a couple of examples with senator ted kennedy, senator orrin hatch. woody think the characters of others men and others like them that allow them to work in that manner? not really regarding worrying about the media in the public criticism back home? >> i don't think it's the media that they are worried about. i think they're worried about a primary challenge.

much more worried about a primary challenge from their left if they are democrat or right if they're republican but never losing an actual election. i think it makes a little harder i don't think ted kennedy worried about losing the eye don't think orrin hatch worried about losing the republican primary in utah. how does one change we have seen the parties have lost the power. if the parties lose power the people are the representative of the party with the incumbent senators is much harder for them to be able to make a bipartisan deals without facing the challenges. >> written in a number of books mentioned and frequently published in publications like last of the wall street journal. your opinion pieces traditional george w. bush are among the leaders to make a jewish holiday

part of the american story. first night of hanukkah last night on the mall, closure point in your article about comic on the wall street journal? >> i know a lot of people talk about christmas and the positions of christmas it's important to point out with almost 200 years of hanukkah traditions are part of the american story. the presidential story i love presidential history. i define all these cases is strong fighters i think it just and very encouraging multiple people coming together feeling comfortable maintaining the still been part of the larger american universe and nation.

we saw the events at the mall attorney general merrick garland came up and spoke to the crowd. in a more secular society the united needs has become as it got harder? you work for a very strong christian george w. bush. lizzie got harder to show your faith as an elected official? they are more likely to cite the bible than the first century. i think there is some comfort in looking to religious traditions. i also my own personal experience of the bush white house is but could not have been more common date of my own religious beliefs to keep the sabbath, the white was a very tough environment people working seven days a week. but they respected the fact i

took a day off or sabbath. things were legitimate i found a very accommodating environment that something we were able to celebrate. or going to larry in st. joseph, missouri talk about divided government i have a question for your guests. we are talking about i've split congress were republicans are controlling a house. if the house or i'm sorry in the house of representatives even the republicans cannot get along with themselves.

how do you see that creating more conflict trying to get legislation passed and things like that? thank you. thank you, you will have a merry christmas and happy hanukkah. >> singulair you divided caucuses what he's talking there somewhat in the republican party regards the challenge kevin mccarthy hasn't getting elected speaker. >> is a good question by larry at a project the holiday wishes. they create some unusual alliances. we had met years of the republican speaker will not bring a bill to the floor unless fences support of the caucus. if speaker mccarthy feels he does not get reliable votes from his own caucus he might say well, it's a mess passed legislation like budget billing. going to work with the democrats at the republicans won't give me the votes i need to get where i'm going to go. once you have this unusual

alliances bright traditional party lines you could see things past you don't expect to see past and that division top. >> to california wando on the republican mine. >> i would like to know all this program about anti- trump. trump's going to on trial but i like to know when does the defendant trump get to speak? a trial without a defendant? some bite inside all morning and biden's face. but no mainstream media is to trump to speak for himself. when does trump get to have his say? with mainstream bashing bricks picking up the on the previous hours conversation at the results of the generous six committee about tying in the bipartisan nature of that. does that committee help or hurt

bipartisanship? >> and there was some bipartisan aspect to it. i think they would've been better off if they had gotten a more traditional bipartisan way. let the republicans pick their people presided there some people the republicans want to put on the democrats thought were not cooperative. i get that. that's how it works in congress. they pick their people they work through these things. i am not sure if another committee committee has uncovered some interesting things. >> history indicated people think stalemates. that usually the case? >> i don't think that's really the case. the government lead some real steps forward. after the republicans took over 1994. we had a welfare reform had a balanced budget act. we were that not only reducing

but reducing debt. i think sometimes divided government ronald reagan never had a republican house did not always have a republican senate. he was able to get things done legislatively by working across the aisle. >> from his historical perspective are the things are there items that president biden could used to his advantage in terms of working with the republicans on something like immigration reform? >> i think there are number of things we could see immigration conformance quite contentious i would put that on the first list. but reorienting how we think about china for example is one thing we could do. working on telemedicine at all sorts of approaches the close during the pandemic rate cybersecurity something both parties get behind. i think there are some real

accomplishments in this congress on things both parties do not see as the most contentious issues forcing immigration. it's one of the more partisan. foreclosure from richard up next in oceanside, california the democrat line. >> pardon me, merry christmas john. >> good morning. >> thank you for taking my call. i wanted to mention historical perspective i am an old guy now, i think back to the times of the early 60s and john kennedy. chris chaffee may have known about he is the premier of our friends in russia at that time. he is a bit of a rabble-rouser. one thing he was notorious for doing is calling the russian communist party called them like

most of us. we bury ourselves. is that we will not bury you you will bury yourselves. i was on the podium and the un. and they banged on the podium and made a lot of trouble. i kind of think he was right. i wonder historically what the gentleman thanks about that. john kennedy was able to get things done. ronald reagan was able to get things done for they can work across the aisle. i'm kind of losing hope you'll ever do that again. things do go up and down. but i know a lot of people here they are pretty radical. that's about all it got to say about it. i just wanted to comment on, think of your time merry christmas. >> thank you.

>> is a really interesting question. i appreciate your historical perspective. he was indeed an antagonist of the u.s. with some real challenges. our biggest challenges are internal part we do things for ourselves that our enemies may not be capable of doing. again that does not mean the current partisan situation we are and is always going to be is a partisan as it is now. i also think historical perspectives in the '90s people thought that was at the time hyper partisan. there is no way of getting along things wereum going to beat terrible now we look back at the '90s is a pretty good time. sometime historical perspective changes how you do something and viewed differently the time it happens. >> the 94 election gingrich had a much bigger majority in the u.s. house because he did and

they worked in the senate. they past some things but i think working with clinton was the most effective strategy for getting stuff done. especially with the welfare bill and the balanced budget act. particularly the republicans. i don't understand why they are not getting along and trying to get things done as well particularly general mccarthy trying to become speaker of the house. that causes confusion to me as well as kristin cinema became

turning on her own party that made her. i don't understand how can we fix these problems to make the country better because democrats and republicans i just don't understand why it's going out of control especially the ukraine situation what can you do to correct those situations as well what can we do about it. >> guest: first of all in terms of ukraine it's been somewhat encouraging it's terrible what the russians did but they are not performing in a great way militarily. they talk about all of the

technical blunders beyond the strategic vandeventer in ukraine the tactics on the ground and in the air are not working and it really reveals that they are a bit of a paper tiger so i think that is encouraging from our perspective and a second, she did come in as a democrat and i guess the democrats made her, but the democrats have been harsh even though she was 93% supportive of president biden she didn't want to bust up the filibuster. i don't think that we should be busting the filibuster, and i think the level she got is not warranted given where she votes overall. i recognized she's switching to become a republican i don't think she can win the primary in arizona so i think she is in the pathway to stay or going the independent route, something joe lieberman for an example did in the past. >> host: in terms of joe mccarthy, there is about five

republican members who say they are not going to support him but there was an interesting report this morning about how the republicans who were not those five are working to shore up kevin mccarthy and nothing but in this group and i think he is doing a good job of trying to make sure he's got the vast majority of the republicans because he needs that in order to become speaker, which i believe he will. >> host: good morning. republican line. >> caller: good morning. merry christmas and happy new year's, everybody. first off, i don't have any questions just because i really don't trust anything i hear on any news broadcast or any political talk or anything like that. when you have an illegitimate president and you've stolen an election from 100 million people then you want to know why there's no bipartisanship, i mean, how can you treat so many

people and then go after your opponents and try to lock them up and try to smear them. another point is i think that the main problem with america is the media. if people turn their tvs off and there was no more television, i think the country could flourish and there wouldn't be near as many problems. as far as the january 6th debacle, that is you had the trump people at the rally then they show up at the e-uppercase-letter and there is already a rider to going on. do you have all these people, police officers letting them come in. trump offered of the national guard. nancy pelosi is in charge of that. she should have called for it. there was, let's see let me catch my breath. >> host: there are several things there and to be clear, nancy pelosi doesn't have

control over the national guard and the district of columbia. >> guest: jerry is mentioning a number of concerns some republicans have. a little more care on the facts, trump got 74 not 100, so he is onto something when he talks about a larger level of distrust in the media. people feel they are not getting their fair shake from the media and i think part of it is as you have these alternative media sources they go to fox news and then you have let's say republicans are not watching "the new york times" were reading and "the new york times" says our fan base or listeners or readers are 90 presumed 90% liberals sothen they serve s and it does affect "the new york times" i think it has moved in more of a gender driven direction you feel the agenda when you are reading they are trying to force it on you

whether it is in the four spaces of the cultural pages or the news pages. i think i would like to get back to more of a hard news situation where the reporters report the facts and don't see themselves as actors and play. >> host: what do you think is behind that in the media organizations in your words the agenda behind some of that reporting? >> "the new york times" in particular recognizes it has a lot of power and sway and they use that to try to change the narrative but it's backfired against them because it used to be everyone read "the new york times" and now all you your increasingly is it's amazing how many of my friends on the right side don't even read it. so i think they have harmed themselves in that respect. in general there are more orders today and not hard news gatherers. i think that is a problem. but you also see reporters

pushback when there are reporters that act too much like an activist and the newsroom says we are supposed to report the facts -- >> host: let's hear from chris in hyattsville maryland. chris is on the democrats line. good morning. >> caller: you mentioned how the bush administration was very accommodating to your religion. i think that the united states is actually far too accommodating to religion and religious beliefs. we have people under the shroud of the religious beliefs trying to deny people services and we have the evangelical preachers going around with political speech, hate speech and getting tax deductions or tax-free benefits being nontax or nonprofit entity. i want to understand who decides

what is religious belief in america and why they have the benefit they are allowed currently. >> host: financial question. >> caller: what is the difference between religious belief and someone's simple thought for example if i believed in being against gay marriage but i'm not religious, a person that is could use that as a excuse to deny service. who decides what is religious belief and what is not and why should the religious belief receive those benefits in any way? >> we have an amendment that exercises the religion so we do

have a system where people are allowed to exercise their religious beliefs and when you get to the question of who decides and when things get too complex they are the most difficult and challenging questions on this issue they ultimately go to the supreme court and that's how we decide it. but if it is a country that has a combination i'm happy we have these kind of combinations. there's also some ways in which the state has an interest limiting certain accommodations. for example you can't have everybody say we can't join the military. we had the conscientious objector status but there are also things the state has to do in order to maintain for example if we believe they don't pay taxes i don't think the supreme

court would uphold that. >> this is from the metro section of the post. the picture headline the festival of lights begins, anti-somatic attacks have made many jews in the area anxious, not just the washington, d.c. it's more of a national issue. what do you think is going on? >> guest: i'm extremely concerned about the rise of anti-semitism in the last few years. your seeing attacks on the streets of brooklyn, graffiti in the elite high schools where i live. your seeing kanye west talking about anti-jewish waves with the former president of the united states. so it seems to me there's an emergency from multiple different sources from the left and from the right and i think that each political party likes

to say if you're conservative it's just on the left and if you are liberal it's on the right. it's happening on both places and is something that emerges when society is in distress. when people are worried and concerned and you feel like things are not working. >> do you think the former president missed an opportunity to avoid that conversation and secondly, to more strenuous leverage actively of kanye west? >> i think he should have rejected him but he shouldn't have had them there either so that is extremely problematic and i think we need to speak out against it. doesn't matter if you're republican or democrat. and also, the hate crimes taking place on the streets of brooklyn that are not being prosecuted there was a piece the last few

years and people had gone to jail for beating up jews on the streets of brooklyn. that's also wrong and i think democrats and republicans should speak out against that. >> host: go ahead on the republican line. >> yes. good morning. speaking of anti-semitism, i feel the members of congress are anti-semitic on the left. the squad and number of others aligned with the squad have ultimately been anti-israel and anti-jew and also the democrats have moved so far left, i don't see how the two sides can never compromise. i feel the left has become so woke they allow things like

tranny story our, letting people out of jail, rapists, murderers, and some of these so-called progressive cities. they are so diametrically opposed i don't see how they can ever work across the aisle. joe biden said he would bring people together. the opposite is true. thank you very much. >> there's a good book out by my friend called woke anti-semitism that does talk about the phenomenon of anti-feminism going hand in hand but i would caution slide to avoid conflating the squad, whom i have problems with every democrat and you can make compromises with republicans. at the same time recognizing

maybe they are not going to be a part of this so i think what i mentioned earlier we are going to have to see some unusual alliances we will have the bipartisan legislation happened and that is what we are going to be looking to. >> host: going back to the government, jimmy carter was the last president we had that had complete unity of government, democratic control of the house in his four years. did that help or hurt you? i guess that is one way to view it. it's one of the worst reputations of the presidency. it's not necessarily the best thing to have the government of one party of the entire term and one of the things carter did wrong as he alienated his own democratic members of congress and didn't provide enough tickets for the inauguration for speaker of the house and he went

as they tell him to bring members of congress to the white house to play tennis or watch a movie so he would do it and then he would leave and not to talk to them after and he would say to his staff i did a movie with him but that doesn't with the staff wanted him to do. he wanted them to work with him and jimmy carter wasn't going to. this was democrat on democrat and he didn't do i go to job at it. >> host: and is on the lien in maine on the democrats line. >> caller: thank you. two points. one is media like the post and "new york times" do include very right wing columnists. i would like to point out the role in overturning the constitutional protections from

religion. the constitution protects us from the imposition of the religious doctrine and practice by the state. about four decades it's been at the hub of a network with money from big donors to dubious anti-democratic entities that he has been the architect of the supreme court which has a majority of people who are basically racist, right-wing religious extremists who are overturning our constitutional right under the influence and that isn't just the supreme court. that is in the judiciary across the country. he's been a useful man to people who have a lot of money and have

aggregated that money through an affair economic injustices and they are using it to overturn what we know is american democracy and that reaches from the supreme court to the insurrection. >> a couple points. there are columnists at the post and "new york times" and there should be conservative posts. i'm talking about when your agenda and ideology, i think that is a bigger problem. i think for a long time, the recognition was that you should have a straight down the middle news page and then the editorials would reflect either right or left as a better way to go about it. a second in terms of leonard liao that is a friend of mine, he is the chief strategists at the federalist society and he

has indeed tried to promote a certain type of originalist judge when the supreme court and of the courts in general did not really believing this idea of ever journalism and the judges felt like they could make things up according to what they felt was the right policy. and in the federalist society they've undertaken a conservative revolution where we say let's look back to the original text of the constitution to determine what judges should decide when they are looking at cases. and even on the supreme court that we are all originalist now that's what we do we look at the text and i think that is important in american history and i would reject some of the more negative characterizations. >> host: next up is patrick in maryland. the democrats line. >> caller: i just have a

question. with kanye west talking to donald trump is it the son-in-law that is if the religious faith of judaism but doesn't go with the diplomatic's. >> what is your question about him? >> you think he's going to be upset. we are going to come back in some other form so now this, is that not going to affect the relationship? >> host: i'm not exactly clear of his question. let's go to john and in pennsylvania. good morning. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. the gentle man that he said that its anti-israel, i am a conservative and i would probably say they are not anti-israel. they are probably calling out israel for how they are violating a lot of international courts particularly with the settlements on the west bank.

that's kind of my main point and how the palestinians are forced to travel and what they go through and it's a problem they are creating and perpetuating. the fact that i say that doesn't make me anti-israel. i'm stating fact and they are bringing that to light which i don't see a problem with. >> there's a distinction between being critical of certain policies of the israeli government and being anti-semitic and i think there is something like it's all about the benjamin's which is in the jewish stereotype that crosses the line into anti-semitism if you cross the line of the government, that does not and there's been a lot of debate about what level of criticism the government is equivalent to anti-semitism and after he was imprisoned for many years now

and israel, he created a series of distinctions if you are demonizing israel or having double standards about israel and how you compare the human rights record versus other countries that are much worse and you don't criticize those other countries that's when you are bleeding over into anti-semitism. simple criticism the government isn't anti-semitism but when you act in this certain way and demonize or have these double standards, that's when you are going over the line. >> host: with your perspective as the presidential historian the trump administration efforts and of abraham accords and the moving of the u.s. embassy in israel, it was the most amount of change in the policies during the trump administration in your experience. >> i'm really glad you mentioned that because this gets back to the idea i talked about a couple of times. we think things are always going to continue and then we have the abraham accord and of there was the recognition that it's not just of the middle east conflict

in israel but the middle east conflicts, multiple conflicts in the abraham accord to solve between israel and some of the gulf arab states and a couple of others. i think this can help shift things in a positive direction in the future so that we can have some kind of peace deal when they recognize that there are benefits to be had. >> host: senior fellow at the bipartisan policy center. thank you for being here. happy hanukkah to you and your family. >> host: happy holidays. our guest is the executive vice president of the robert wood johnson foundation. she's also worked in immunization, the chicago department of health, cdc and as a pediatrician here with us to talk about the winter outlook for the flu, for covid and rsv. i think the headline at usa

today sums it up. everyone and their brother is sick and altering patterns, flu, rsv it seems harsh. what are you seeing? >> i think that is exactly right. we were talking earlier. right now this is typically a hard time for people with respiratory illnesses that i think because of the pandemic and the lack of mixing the last few years everyone is getting less and you and and more susceptible so we are getting hit hard with covid, influenza at the same time. >> host: "new york times" has a pretty good chart that graphically shows this year compared to the past year and the headline shows 2022, 23. the spike in the respiratory

illness cases as opposed to the previous three years. is it a case where the flu for example is the worst that we have seen in previous strains? >> there's always the question i think people want to know. what is this influenza season going to look like and every season is different but we see it is january or later and that is why they start early in october, november some people have time before that activity peak. going back much earlier the number of people seems pretty high. the strain circulating right now is a predominant strain and we know the people that are

vaccinated have more protection from it. >> host: tell us about rsv and what is it? why is it worse this year than other years and why do we see more cases of it? >> [inaudible] we know that it would be circulating and what happens is they get a severe runny noses. most upper respiratory infections cause congestion. this particular leads to more respiratory physical problems

breathing, sneezing, coughing. this particular isn't a new hire. what's happened is we haven't seen much activity the last couple of years where people are getting sick with it. what is your best guidance as we are in the holiday season, what is your best guidance for people who may be concerned whether they are evidencing the call for a runny nose or something like that, what are your thoughts? >> i think we learned a lot during the pandemic. the past couple of years while we've been wearing masks and social distancing, not going out

while we are sick, we are seeing a drop. they work for covid as well as other respiratory infections. when people are sick they need to stay home. they shouldn't go to work, they shouldn't be with other people no matter what it is. whether it's covid, rsv if you are sick you can transmit to others. staying home when you are sick is number one. number two with a serious infection like [inaudible] avoid any crowded spaces, wearing a mask if you do go out.

all those things are critically important without effective they can be moving forward with other respiratory infections. >> host: with the robert wood foundation we are talking about the flu for rsv you she just talked about for covid-19. for those in the eastern and central time zones, (202)748-8000. a mountain and pacific, 8001. if you have a question or comment, (202)748-8003. this is from fortune had a headline in the last week or so that said the omicron the sub variance dominating the u.s. have an alarming ability to evade medical treatment scientists worn. so what could a spike in covid look like for the u.s. this

year? >> one of the things that's different is that it's pretty effective preventing hospitalizations. less than 20% of the population that's received the vaccine. it's concerning as we are seeing the raises go off now and they can protect people. in addition to that the antiviral medications are high risk for getting serious infections and should be prescribed. it's critical that people get

vaccinated now. if people get vaccinated and get the treatment that is appropriate we can minimize the impact of what happens. if people don't do those things it could be another bad season. >> host: if you were to look the next six months down the road at the future of covid to sub variance, what are scientists saying we will see? >> it's hard to know. we have the variance circling right now that are different so we do see these strains emerging and end up getting vaccinated and less people are susceptible the other thing that would be wrong if i don't comment on this

we need to make sure the medications and treatments and vaccines are equally available to everyone. some are working on a basis that can't take time off work at it's hard to get access and also to the treatments that are not in this area. everyone can take advantage of these preventive measures as well as the options. >> host: and other thing i would like you to address is the vaccine fatigue leaving the u.s. vulnerable to the flu and that's not just among the people who didn't get initially vaccinated about folks who have had vaccines in the past got boosters and things like that that the idea. how do we overcome that?

>> over the course of my public health career it's happened. we lose motivation and get complacent. that happened with childhood vaccines whether it is measles or things like that where people just don't see the threat or the value and i think that happened a bit with covid in terms of people continue to die and be hospitalized. we are not seeing it in the numbers we needed previously. as we see the numbers rising again i suspect there will be an increased demand better requires those kind of things that is what the public health actually

does. that is a critical role they play helping people to see the need and the value and the importance and then helping them to balance the risks and the benefits. >> the white house announced last week that it was once again reissuing free covid the tests for people through the u.s. postal service available to be mailed to people. what is your guidance for when people should use a test? a runny nose, high fever, should you be testing yourself for covid? >> i was pleased to see they are being made again. going back to what i said earlier in this pandemic we have seen and i quit using a certain

people having access to testing to prevention measures to treatment all the kind of things make vaccines available and working with organizations to help promote and break down barriers to people getting vaccinated. so it's seeing these test kits available again. right now there are so many respiratory viruses circulating it's hard to know when you get a cough or runny nose or fever. to take a test to understand if you have covid but if you don't it doesn't mean you are not likely to transmit it especially

if you have underlining health conditions if you are at higher risk but it shouldn't give free license to be with your friends and family. you should still take the precautions and stay home. >> host: the executive vice president with the robert wood johnson foundation. we are talking about it so you can hear the flu, covid and rsv. a2001, 8000 for the eastern and central time zones. mountain and pacific time zones (202)748-8001. first in ohio.

i think that there's too many other variables to say especially since 90% of the people who died from the vaccine with the elderly. people could have covid but i think it was blown out of proportion and they can shake it off and maintain masks are effective, but there's too many other variables to say that that vaccine is effective. >> over a million people have died in the united states because of covid. when you compare those that have been vaccinated versus those

though many people were vaccinated and did get sick and some did die, when you compare who died and who was hospitalized based on whether you were vaccinated or not vaccinated it's highly effective so how effective based on the overall. >> host: palm springs california. charles, good morning. go ahead. >> caller: my question was regarding the increase in mortality related to whatever may or may not be. >> what's your specific question on that?

>> i didn't hear a specific question [inaudible] we are going to go to justin in tarpon springs florida. i had a question about a guy named benjamin tillman and i wondered why his statute is still up. >> host: we are going to go to fred in denver, colorado. you are on. go ahead. >> caller: what is the efficacy of the current vaccine and how is it measured? when we had to the outbreak the people who started wearing masks, there was a precipitous drug and flu cases because

people were very effective with masks. why isn't masking more emphasized? >> guest: that is a great question. we did see there were prevention measures people were using during the covid outbreak the past couple of years. one was very mild as a result. that can help prevent many infections not just covid. that is accurate. the influenza vaccine remains the effectiveness of the vaccine in terms of what it will cost because there season is the opposite of hours.

if there's a good match it's highly effective in terms of preventing any kind of infection. in the years there often is good benefit for serious hospitalization so there is variability for the next is effective in terms of the successful hospitalization. this particular season there is a good match. it's a good match the vaccine is highly effective and the other thing although we are seeing a bit of a peak in the influenza activity, i'm not sure i should say that, it looks like we are plateauing from the perspective nationally there's always a

chance and a second wave from age one or be so if people haven't been vaccinated yet it's not too late to get vaccinated and people should because there could be another wave. >> host: so just because you haven't been vaccinated yet, the vaccine would help for a later variant which may come up later in the spring. >> guest: that's right and you could always get another infection with a different strain so it's recommended that you get vaccinated. they protect against the strains with of the chance that we would be protected. >> host: let's go to mary in spring hill florida. good morning. >> caller: hello. i have a question about getting

a free flu vaccine and if you would have any influence on the. i have a daughter that is a diabetic and insurance that is a low wage and it costs her $50 to get a flu vaccine, so she didn't get it. >> guest: when i was working for the foundation i was a public health official in the chicago health department for many years. people who didn't have insurance could get vaccinated. what i suggest doing is reaching out to the public health agency to see if they have programs like that because many do that kind of work. there is no program for providing free vaccines throughout the nation.

there are some adults that fall through the cracks so some departments will try to fill that gap. >> host: next is ronnie and modesto california. >> caller: it's bonnie. >> host: go ahead, yes. >> caller: i'm fully vaccinated. i believe in vaccination all the way. i recently came down with flulike symptoms and got tested. i don't have covid or rsv. i've got something floating around but it's a lot milder because of all of my vaccinations i believe in. i'm older and i've got diabetes. my days are numbered. i don't want to cut them short

because of my own stupidity. it is important when you have underlining health conditions. if you are older those kind of things definitely increase the risk for serious complications for covid and rsv and influenza with influenza and covid there are many cases people can be treated if it is covid or influenza it will help minimize the symptoms and keep them out of the hospital. if you have respiratory symptoms and feel sick to get tested for covid or influenza. >> host: part of a column in "the new york times" by jessica who is an opinion writer with "the new york times" writes this morning about her and her daughter having the flu and the

headline of the piece was the etiquette of kids and cost. covid changed the way we look at being sick. it used to be socially acceptable that if your kid was feeling run down you send them to school what we realized there was a dangerous way to be operating so now we have a different level of comfort. you don't know if someone is coughing and they have covid or they aren't being mindful or if they are on a third week of an asthma flare and they are not contagious. it's really shifted the way we think about when and where we should go if we have any respiratory symptoms. people didn't feel they could

afford to miss work that they were indispensable and it makes it possible. it would be in their best interest to continue to maintain because we don't want people to be coming into the office and the same for children. it's more consistent and they are much more compliant. i think we've learned a lot of good lessons from the pandemic and hopefully they will help us move forward to the other seasons as well. >> host: denise in san jose california.

welcome. >> caller: my daughter's husband came home from work with covid so she got it but they were vaccinated so not terribly concerned. she just thought of this will keep me out of the hospital being vaccinated but she's so sick they don't know what to do now because the vaccination didn't work with her. she postponed getting treatment because she thought she was safe being vaccinated to so we don't know what to do. >> guest: if your daughter is feeling sick it doesn't mean she can't get treated now. it's critical to reach out to her health care providers to talk with them about how she's doing and then they can advise her on ongoing care.

there are other ways of treating people that are sick with covid so if you do you still can get treatment and she should definitely protect her healthcare provider. >> how is the supply? >> i haven't heard concerns. what i've heard more concerns as the distribution is not as easily available to all people and that's what keeps me up at night. as we've done early on people that have more resources and are able to take time off work and people that are generally do better during health outbreaks or disease outbreaks would do better and the same who have resources, communities of color

haven't had access to as others have so in addition to making the medication available for free, it's also got to be made available and accessible ways so everyone in the country can access. i think it's incredibly important to think that the claimant is available throughout the u.s. >> host: the executive vice president at the robin wood johnson foundation since june of 2019. nine months before we were slammed into the pandemic of march 2020. how has the organization work and in particular changed since the pandemic because of the pandemic? >> the foundation is the largest health foundation in the united states focused solely on health and over the course of the 50 years that we've been in existence to always focus on holding those that are most vulnerable cap and does the

pandemic and racial violence that we saw with the economic upheaval the concerns are realized to focus in on those that have been marginalized in the past. when we looked into saul who was most impacted it was the communities of color, the poor and the rural communities comic, people that have been marginalized not getting the support and resources they needed to prevent themselves from getting sick or if they got sick from getting the care and treatment they needed so the foundation is recognizing and doubling down the efforts to make sure we are working on those and looking at these upstream factors. when you look at some why were they more likely to be hospitalized, some didn't have the ability to work from home. people didn't have the ability to take time off work to get

vaccinated. people were living in very crowded housing conditions and didn't have transportation to get the services they needed. when the next pandemic comes along, focusing on those that have been marginalized. >> we have about 15 more minutes left with a request. the (202)748-8000, and the eastern and central time zones and for the mountain and pacific's, (202)748-8001. we will hear next from sally in ohio. >> caller: yes thank you for taking my call. my concern has to do with rsv as you are aware i'm sure.

to ones that affect mature adults and so on it seems to be in possible for me to locate and 95 masks. diagnosing, preventing or treating rsv in adults. >> your question is an important question. i think rsv has often impacted adults as well as children. we focus more on children because they were more likely to be hospitalized but we know it in practice adults as well. to actually be developed and

vaccines being studied right now are targeted toward adults and pregnant women. the older adult vaccine is meant to prevent but the pregnant women it's also to prevent of their unborn babies so they have a level of unity and there are some vaccines that are available or in the pipeline to become available in the relatively near future not this season, probably next season. the key thing for the prevention measure perspective washing hands, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded spaces, going to well ventilated places. avoiding the places they could get sick and they have to go to places they could get exposed wearing masks is a good idea.

always wash your hands really well because if you're touching things you could acquire the infection as well so those kind of things are important for people to consider. >> she also said she had trouble finding and 95 masks. are there reports across that in the country, are they available either in person or and pharmacies were available online? >> i haven't heard about the problems of and 95 masks. those are definitely available. so it's more online, looking in your pharmacies but wearing other cloth masks can help prevent disease as well so if you cannot find one others work as well.

>> a lot of viruses running around la, la county and hospital beds and lowest availability since the pandemic began and a similar story across the country and hospitals. what makes a person so sick either a youngster, child or an adult where the doctors say you needed to be in a hospital what is the tipping point where somebody isn't well enough to be home with the flu but needs to be in a hospital bed? with nebulizers and medications so you could do those kind of things that we wouldn't do that for the baby having difficulty breathing and requiring oxygen. all those kinds of things are red flags for hospitalization so

for older people as well and how comfortable they are breathing obviously because they require oxygen or their other symptoms, low blood pressure, all those kind of considerations and one that is necessary to be hospitalized. so it's better to be home to get your care. so making sure you get the oxygen to your body that you need to those can be provided in the hospital. >> host: we will go to linda next calling from connecticut. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. i have received my booster about a month ago and the night before i took tylenol about an hour before, i took to baby aspirin.

when i had the shot it bled all the way down my arm and left a bruise on my arm for weeks. my concern i got in because of the cancellation and i just sort of forgot my concern could it havebeen injected into a blood vessel or because i took the tylenol and aspirin and because of the accessing bleeding is the shot ineffective normally i don't bleed like that. i was rather horrified when i saw that and i really don't know how to proceed at this point. >> host: how are you doing now, have you recovered? are you feeling, has your bruise gone away for example? it's gone away. my arm is a little sore but i also have arthritis so i'm not sure how to factor that in but the bleeding was so excessive it just kind of freaked me out a

little bit. if there was any bleeding it was maybe just a pinpoint drop or no bleeding and this was a shock to me. the pharmacist that gave it said are you on blood thinners and i said no forgetting that i had taken the aspirin and the tylenol. >> it may have been the aspirin itself that contributed to the problem. i've given lots and lots of vaccines through my career. i don't know your medical history well and it's best to talk to your healthcare provider to talk through the risk of if you are adequately vaccinated or should think about getting vaccinated again so just because i don't really know your

background and your other medical issues it's best to talk to your healthcare provider to determine if he or she thinks it is necessary to get vaccinated again. >> host: cincinnati to hear from suzanne. good morning. >> caller: good morning. mentioned my question about the vaccine for older adults. i had my flu shot and latest coronavirus scene this last friday. i would like to say one thing and i would like your comment on it. it's a very important that people inform their physicians informed their physiciansof ally are taking and don't count on every physician you seem to inform every other physician. that should happen but it doesn't always. i couldn't take the medication because i have atrial fibrillation and i was told by a

physician he was glad that he spotted i was on this because he said that there would have been dangerous indications from me taking them together and they could have been a life-threatening counteraction between the two medications so i i'm trying to get the message out that people need to be sure all the doctors if they are seeing more than one, all the doctors need to be aware of the medications and supplements that they are taking. .. y: i ask the quorum to be dispensed. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: mr. president, i have one request for a committee to meet during today's session of the senate. it has the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed

to the immediate consideration of the following bills, which him following bills received from the house in block. hr 6427. h.r. 8260. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measures en bloc? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the bills en bloc be considered read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask the chair lay before the senate the message to accompany s. 1466. the presiding officer: the chair leaves before the senate the following message from the house. the clerk: resolved that the bill from the senate s. 1466, entitled an act to authorize the director of the united states geological survey to establish a

regional program, so forth and for other purposes, do pass with an amendment. mr. kelly: i move to concur in the house amendment and ask unanimous consent that the motion be agreed to and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the committee on veterans affairs be if discharged and the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc, h.r. 6064, h.r. 6604, h.r. 6961, h.r. 7299, h.r. 7335, if and s. 4949. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding with the measures en bloc? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the bills en bloc be considered read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made

and laid upon the table, all en bloc. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of s. 365 and that the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 365, a bill to amend title 18 united states code and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the blackburn substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed amendment that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the judiciary committee be discharged from further consideration of s.

4719, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 4719, a bill to protect children against sexual abuse and exploitation and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged, the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the grassley substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 589, s. 3388. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 589, s. 3388, a bill to amend title 38, united states code, and so forth and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure?

without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the tester substitute amendment which is at the desk be considered and agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 874 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 874 expressing the sense of the senate that the activities of the transnational criminal organizations, including the use of illicit economies, illicit trade and trade-based money laundering pose a risk to the interests of the united states and so forth. the presiding officer: is there objection to the proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed

to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. kelly: i ask to dispense with the quorum. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the committee on health, education, labor, and pensions be discharged from further consideration of s. 4978 and the senate proceed to its immediate

consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. 4978, a bill to amend the public health service act, to reauthorize the state offices of rural health program. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. kelly: i ask unanimous consent that the barrasso substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill as amended be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kelly: i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

quorum call:

to take a stand against the forces of bigotry and intolerance. there are many out there trying to use their platforms to make anti-semitism more acceptable in our country. we must oppose them at every turn. i have faith that the forces of intolerance will lose in the end. just as they did in the days of hanukkah when judah maccabee led the jewish people against an oppressive majority. but the fight is long and all of us must do our part. so as we continue observing the festival of lights, i say to colleagues in jewish americans across the country, happy holiday. and thank god that in this country freedom of religion and tolerance is part of our watchword unlike it was in the old days of judah maccabee. on the omnicom appropriators are racing around the clock to finish the last item on our to

do list for 2022. an omnibus package that will keep the government funded into next fall. it was another extremely busy weekend for appropriators. the members and their staffs. i was on the phone all day friday, saturday, sunday and every 10 minutes every another call with my colleagues, with the committees and my staff, my great staff who hardly slept this weekend to help finalize a deal. sunday night was the first night of hanukkah but unfortunately had to spend 75% of that night on the phone with my colleagues and staff. my family of course was very understanding and i appreciate that. sleep is been hard to come by for many part of the appropriations process. and while the world enjoyed a truly heart stomping world cup final, staff are on the clock working diligently to keep our government funded but i think all of them for the great work.

much of my focus today, tonight, tomorrow it will remain in getting on the bus done. despite having a little more work to do the omnibus continues heading in the right direction. we must wrap the whole process up in a vote on final passage before the end of the week. it won't be easy but we are working hard so we can get it done before the end of the week and be with our families for christmas. once the omnibus comes before the senate i'm confident both sides will find things in it i can enthusiastically support. we all know the omnibus will be the best way to ensure kids, our veterans, our small businesses in military continue to have full access to vital services and programs they depend on. it's not going to be everything anybody wants that is for sure. but as far press preferable to acr which will leave the country high and dry. it certainly preferable to a government shutdown for the

omnibus will also love the senate to pass the electoral contact into log which might colleagues on the rules committee center klobuchar blunts have done great work on. and finalize the omnibus is critical, absolute critical for supporting our friends in ukraine and fully implementing bipartisan bills like chips and science in the packed act and more. so just as both parties cooperate on bipartisan achievements like chips, gun safety, veterans benefits, respect for marriage and so much more at let's finish this session by passing an omnibus to work together in good faith. i yield the floor and notice the absence of a quorum. exabyte administration put out there budget proposal. the republicans knew it was literally wrong for the country. while massively increasing spending on non- defense.

republicans are taking the president's bizarre position and flipped it on its head. the bipartisan government funding bills that senators leahy and shelby have finished negotiating, does exactly the opposite of what the biden administration first proposed. this bill provides a substantial real dollar increase to the defense baseline. in a substantial real dollar cuts to the non-defense, non- veterans baseline. so let me say that again. president biden wanted to cut defense spending and growth liberal domestic spending in real dollars. but congress is rejecting the biden administration's vision and doing the exact opposite. this bill will grow defense

spending and cut non-defense, nonveterans spending after inflation. just last week the senate passed the national defense authorization act on an overwhelming bipartisan basis. senators on both sides acknowledge that president biden and his administration had failed, failed to request the level of resources that our service members and their commanders actually needed. so on a bipartisan basis we ignored the administration's request and authorize what her armed forces actually needed. but the landmark investments in upgrading and modernizing our armed forces that we just laid out in the nda will not happen unless congress follows through and appropriates the money to

pay the bills. that is what senator shelby and leahy had given us, the opportunity to achieve, make good on our commitments by following through with actual funding. americans went our nation to remain the preeminent global superpower. we want our country to remain the mightiest civilization the world has ever seen. we want to keep helping ukraine. keep out competing russia. and keep pace with the huge investments china is making in their own military in new technologies. it is a strange position to say the lease and republicans in congress have poked and prodded a democratic commander-in-chief and sufficiently funding the men

and women that he actually commands. but as i said all along, funding our armed forces is a basic governing duty. republicans are not going to let her democratic colleagues demand extra goodies in exchange for doing their job and funding our troops. the president's own party does not get to take our national defense hostage and demand rewards. i am grateful our democratic colleagues back down and accepted our position. the bipartisan bill that her colleagues have negotiated equips our armed forces with the resources they need while cutting non- defense, nonveterans spending and real dollars. this is a strong outcome for republicans. but more importantly the outcome the security actually needs. some of the thinker distinguished colleagues enter

hard work and look forward to reviewing the full text soon. now, madam president i've saved my tribute from a senior retiring republican member for late in the year. but even with mere days remaining until the end of his term, our colleagues calendar has been quite packed. not with fancy farewell parties, but with the final chapter of high-stakes negotiations and tireless legislative work on behalf of his states, our nation, and in particular our armed forces. it is no surprise that senators shall be his final days in the senate see him running through the tape and burning the literal midnight oil. the state of alabama set

prolific centers to this chapter over its history. richard shelby has surpassed them all. he's not just the longest-serving senator from alabama, he is the most influential. our friends on the most effective legislatures the united states senate has ever seen. growing up outside depression here in birmingham shelby was not automatically predestined for the halls of power. but even before our friend had gone into the fullness of his commanding stature, i understand young richard shelby was never afraid to throw his weight around. whether he was fighting for his team on the football field are putting himself between a classmate and a bully on a street corner.

as a young man there is hardly any academic or athletic test that richard did not pass with flying colors. the way i hear it, the most important test was ensuring a pretty girl named annette and was delivered back home in time for curfew after their first date. annette was intrigued by this handsome young man. but she also loves and respected her own family. she declared of richard was late dropping her off the first date would be the last. thus, a partnership for the ages was born. and ever since the shelby's first camping victory in 1970 the people of alabama have had a natural campaigner, a trailblazing problem solver and intellectual giants looking out

for their interest. and in addition to a net shelby they've also gotten hold richard and the package deal. doctor annette shelby has charted a historic course of her own here in washington. including become the first woman to hold a tenured professorship at georgetown's business school. half the shelby partnership here in congress. richard is concerned the word of visionary is neither throwaway praise nor exaggeration. it is simply accurate. people are on the senate like to say richard shelby's not just seen down the road. he sees down the road and also around the corner.

our colic has not know just how to fight for alabama and the individual issues and debates that each day has brought, he is also invented creative new forward visions and missions that nobody else had dreamed of. and then methodically set about turning them into reality. richard has trained his efforts on the small number of core priorities at one time. the places he is most convinced he can make a difference. once one is big priorities is identified, he is like a dog after a bone. take the city of huntsville. as the story goes a few decades ago it was a sleepy town by the tennessee border. today it is a booming technological hub for cutting-edge industries like space exploration and missile defense. or take the port of mobile.

the way i understand it the spark was an overseas trip richard saw firsthand the latest international shipping infrastructure that was rapidly taking shape down in asia. i think this sentiment was more or less this, if singapore can do this, why not mobile? so today at what used to be a small inlet on the gold coast is now a booming hub for shipping. a transformation that is sending ripples of prosperity across the entire region. even our visionary colleagues prolific fourth site occasionally hit its limits. richard's good friend former colleague phil gramm had the good judgment to switch to the republican party way back in 1983.

he merely started working on his good buddy to follow suit. but even after a term involved multiple white house luncheons with president reagan, even after robert byrd had skeptically accused under shelby of her "definite republican tendencies, took our friend until after republicans landslide victory in 1994 to finally cross the threshold and join our team. well, the rest is history. the iconic phrase chairman shelby could refer to her

colleagues time steering sensitive oversight at the helm of the intelligence committee, or his master the most complex matters is head of the banking committee. or, his time lending a steady hand to institutional priorities as a rules committee chair. or, more recently the years our colic is spent as the number one or number two slot on top of the appropriations committee directing the american people's money into key national priorities. most especially our constitutional duty to provide a common defense.

richard's washington expertise roots. just the opposite. the national renown richard shelby accrued was just a pathway by which his beloved alabama became much more and more above its weight. a long line of shelby staffers have learned there is no need for a roadmap or a gps when they've got the senator himself in the car. our friend knows every single back road and highway exit. he knows every good and if there is ever time to to stop in for lunch or coffee, just pick a spot in it richard will know a handful of the folks inside. how exactly head or colleague sustain this level of sharpness and influence over such a historic career? well, for one thing i understand

the seasoned chairman is a frequent visitor to quote the health committee. that is is a moniker for the senate jim. likewise i have on good authority that at one point our friend held an extension having more books checked out in his name from the library of congress than any other member in either chamber. occasionally though, having such a voracious reader for a colleague could lead to trouble. years ago shortly after the passing of president reagan i was wrapping up a meeting with my banking committee college when i halfheartedly had wondered whether we could find a way to honor the gipper with a place on our currency. with no particular malice towards alexander hamilton i

loosely suggested about what about perhaps the 10-dollar bill? little did i know i was sitting across from the most recent person in america to finish ron and turanose gigantic new release biography of hamilton bird this was the book they would go on to inspire the hit musical in inspire a revival of hamilton. he spent weeks eating up every single page admiring hamilton as a genius more and more with every chapter. so, let's just say a few minutes later i was back at the drawing board. it's difficult to imagine the senate without richard shelby. but i am not too concerned the opposite will hold true. as much as richard has love this institution and excelled in it,

we know our colleague can imagine life be on the senate just fine. there will be even more time to stay a student of history. even more time for duck hunting with good friends. visioning brainstorming for alabama and our nation won't stop, oh no. our friend will get some balance it out with a whole lot more time with his beloved and nets, their two sons, and their grandkids. more time to enjoy the home state that has been literally transformed by richard's passion and vision. richard, thank you very much for an outstanding career. >> a few days ago in front of a town hall in northern turkey,

president threatened a missile strike on athens. greece is afraid of our missile. they say the typhoon missile will hit athens. and then he addressed the greek people directly and said quote, it will unless you stay calm". this is a nato member, directly threatening to target athens, a city of 3 million civilians. according to the united nations, an intentional attack on civilians, and intentional attack on civilians is a war crime.

and so i come to the floor today to condemn the recent actions of the turkish president they are not only disturbing but totally unacceptable. for years he has pursued repressive antidemocratic policies at home and abroad. from criminalizing insults of turkey and freedom of expression to the suppression of dissent and political opposition figures. has jailed and silenced so many pro democracy and human rights activist that at one point there were more lawyers than journalists and turkish jails than anywhere else in the world. his government continues to try to hide the truth about the armenian genocide. prosecuting writers and historians. in 2081 of the journalists who

wrote about the genocide was assassinated on the streets of istanbul. as a violent as tenure has been at home, his foreign policy has been absolutely awful. on the eve of the war, turkey sold him $77 million in military equipment that was used to attack innocent armenians. so it is no surprise he met in tehran this summer with the russian iranian president. some of the world's most brutal dictators. just look at the leaders he collaborates with. it is because he shares their worldview. and you can see this clearly in the way he approaches the

region. five decades after turkey's illegal occupation of cyprus, he is still stoking divisions on the island. last year he proposed reopening the town in an attempt to spread turkish influence. that is a violation of un security council resolutions that was condemned by the european union. and this september he threatened to reinforce the already 40000 turkish troops in cyprus with more lands, naval, aerial weapons, ammunition and vehicles. clearly he looks at putin's illegal annexation parts of ukraine and is taking notes. and that is what makes his recent comments about launching missile attacks on greece so disconcerting.

we have seen them challenge greek sovereignty repeatedly. the summer he sent fighter jets over the greek island in the genie and see. so his threats to strike athens fits a pattern of turkish claims to what is greek territory. he has said turkish forces may land in greece quote suddenly one night. he seems to be increasing his illegal autocratic behavior in the run-up to the elections in turkey next year. in november he launched an air artillery and drone assault on kurdish cities in northern sierra and suggested ground forces would soon follow. payback time turkish ministry of national defense tweeted announcing the operation against the kurds who had long been a target of his wrath. attacking the very forces that are essential u.s. partners in combating isis.

and in doing so putting at risk u.s. troops in sierra. he has been out for revenge at home too. just last week one of his political rivals the popular mayor of istanbul was sentenced to prison for two and half years. the charge, insulting members of the supreme electoral council. the charge insulting members of the supreme electoral council. there will be the equivalent of an american been put in jail for two and half years for insulting some state electoral commission or the federal election commission or any entity as such. and encase the prison sentence did not send a clear enough a message the court also imposed a political ban on the mayor.

he might be using this aggression and repression as a diversion no doubt from the dire failure of his own economy. he might be doing it out of spite. or he might be doing it because he is a thug. but one thing is clear, the united states must take the turkish president's actions seriously. those who just simply say oh, he has a lot of bluster. they do so at risk. they said putin was bluster and we have a war on the european continent. we need to hold him accountable for his behavior when he violates international laws or challenges democratic norms or allows his forces to commit human rights abuses. that is why i am calling for free and fair elections in

turkey. i am asking the international community of democracies to condemn his jailing of his political opponents. i went our allies to use their leverage to try and prevent further incursions into northeastern sierra. and i am demanding key in all overflights of greece and pull every last turkish soldier out of cyprus. and i think, given all of this recent behavior the united states should not be putting f-16 fighter jets in his hands. that is why is chairman of the senate foreign relations committee i will not approve any f-16s for turkey until he holds his campaign of aggression across the entire region. now i am sure this will not make me many friends and president has criticized me personally calling me an enemy of the state. but if i'm standing up to human

rights abuses makes me an enemy, if calling out turkey under him for arming and enabling the massacre of innocent armenians civilians makes me an enemy, if demanding turkey recognize greek sovereignty makes me an enemy, then that is a badge i will wear with honor. in search of my colleagues the senate i will close by saying do not be afraid to stand up for american values in the face of his aggression. to the international community, do not hesitate to hold turkey accountable for violating international law page of the citizens living in the shadow of his missiles, do not forget the united states stands shoulder to shoulder with you. and to those people in turkey who still hope for a free democratic future, do not give

up. one day soon, with your bravery, with your peace and prosperity, you will return to your homelands. madam president i yield the floor.

quorum call:

clicks call the committee to order it is wonderful to be here for the last hearing with my close friend and ranking member blunted. i'm going to say a few words about him shortly. but it is fitting i would say we are ending with is an important oversight hearing because it has defined so much of our work during the last two years and we are forever grateful to the men and women of the capitol police. it is a part i know of cinderblocks you will always find him as you know during the holiday season you'll find him with them every step of the way.

it was my privilege and their families presented earlier this month for their courage. and senator blunt and i have the bill we are very excited and had the honor of the congressional gold medal being bestowed upon the police. next month will mark two years since january 6 since the peaceful transfer of power that historically we have seen that day electoral count that day when the ballots counted from each state. when we solve this disrupted with an insurrection. as we know is more than assault on a building it was an assault on our democracy. it was an actual life and death situation for so many of our officers on that day.

we have heard testimony at our joint hearings with the homeland security committee that we all took part in. our officers are performed heroically under unimaginable circumstances suffering many injuries and in some cases a loss of life are tragically five officers passed away following the attack. capitol police officer brian died the next day. for others officers died in the days and months that followed. capitol police officer howard in d.c. metropolitan police officer jeffrey smith and others. many more suffered injuries in many more suffered emotional trauma that day. later that spring we also lost officer billy evans who gave his life defending our capitol right there at the front senate gates. many of us remember billy personally i've been honored to get to know his family and kids. we owe it to the officers who

stand in defense of the capitol to make sure they have the resources and support they need. and i want to acknowledge first of all the departments work to expand mental health support for officers. including establishing the howard good center for wellness after we passed a funding for in lester's emergency appropriations legislation. after that heroic day senator blunt and i as i mentioned worked with senator portman and senator peters to hold hearings and issue a bipartisan report with the homeland security committee with the recommendations that could be implemented without delay. this is our six hearing on capitol security during this congress. significant progress has been made to implement our recommendations for the charge of protecting the capitol to put into effect more than 75% of the capitol police inspector general

has improved its handling by hiring a new intelligence director in sharing information with rank-and-file officers. priorities operational planning for large-scale events and use the resources in lester's emergency appropriation budget legislation to let the officers have the training and equipment that they need. we will never forget the stories of the right gear left in the bus is locked. we'll never forget stories of what a high percentage but what a high percentage of our officers and some attacking them gear they did not even have on themselves. the department also face a difficult task of confronting short phone officers and generally six the place even more pressure on those protecting our capitol. i appreciate your work, chief, to take this head on, to restore

morale and confidence in your ranks. i still remember when i knew the morale was improving about six months after the attack. i remember how difficult it was in those weeks and months afterward. but about six months after the attack i was outside in the parking area i was standing there in one of the officers was talking to me. one of your other officers was on bike patrol. he put up his megaphone. [laughter] and he said officer in the name of the guy was talking to, do you need backup? do you need backup? i thought at that moment whatever had been going on there had been some improvement in morale that people can once again have a little moment of fun in appreciate the surroundings they are in. as i told your officers including last week, they are the ones on the front line every single day for our safety and also the frontline of what visitors to the

c-uppercase-letter. your efforts have paid off, chief, is the department met its goal to hire 280 officers this year. and it is on track to do the same next year. your work to recruit more officers and overcome attrition has been integral to reopening the capitol. we had tour groups back for nearly nine months now and the visitor center reopened about seven months of a purchase last week another interest of the senate office buildings open we will open at least one more in january when the public galleries are planned to be open as well. we know it has been a long, long in coming but we understand your plan to ensure safely and slowly and surely open up some of these areas because we could not do it all at once. and we still cannot do every single thing we were doing before. there has been significant progress but there's also much more to do. i know you know one of those goals is to confront the

dramatic rise in threats targeting members of congress. while the department is hard more threat assessment agents and open to field offices to counter these threats more must be done. chief i know you have presented a proposal to the capitol police force laying out resources the department needs to be effective given the current threat landscape to ensure members are safe when they are away from the capitol. one of things we also talked about in that last meeting with senator blunt and i attended was about the prosecution of these cases. which is not under your purview, one thing that is not. that making sure they occur and it already contacted the justice department about that. another thing we should do without delay his past bipartisan proposal with senator cruz to provide for the removal of members of congress private information from the internet similar supervision for federal judges that is just included in the nda. i continue to work to get this done by the end of the year. i look forward to hearing from

you today, chief. now before i turn it over to senator blunt, i wanted to talk a little bit about his work and recognize the importance of his service. not just to this committee but to our capitol into our country. through our work leading the rules committee, sometimes he has been share sometimes i have been chair. sometimes it just doesn't matter who is chair because we work together so well. i have gotten to see firsthand german blunt former chairman now ranking member blunt deep respect for our constitution, for the senate in our democracy. as a former top election official in missouri, senator blunt's experience and benefited our committee as we work to support the work of election administrators including highlighting the rise in threats in the hearing we did last year. and since coming to the senate, senator blunt's love for this institution has come through in his efforts to make this a

better place to work. that includes not okaying every request we get from every member, but whenever we can we try to do that. it includes joining with me too reform the outdated process of reporting and handling sexual harassment claims on capitol hill. many great improvements were made and have been helpful with the institution. it includes updating the rules when we work to ensure senator duckworth in future parents can bring their babies to the senate floor. he's also been a great partner to me on many other issues. including the cochair of the travel tourism caucus and past ages several times. he cochaired the adoption caucus with me. got a number of bills passed over the year. he himself the parents of an adopted child charlie that he loves so much. he has taken that heart and put

that in the issue as well. above all senator blunt's career here has been defined by service. he is more interested in getting things and then getting the accolade. i know talking to your wife abby, there's been a lot of accolades in recent months. buildings named after you, airports named after you, all well deserved. but what i will most remember about senator blunt is that moment on january 6 it was just the two of us and vice president pencil walking through that corridor than in the morning have been a place of celebration. walking through the broken glass these spray-painted columns to do our job. and when we came back then it was about 4:30 a.m. in the morning what is all done and democracy had prevailed he and i decided to go downstairs to look at the damage to the parliamentarian office and other offices. it was a horrendous site pictures broken their own

personal belongings all over the floor. we knew then our work had not ended that day. but our work had just begun to protect the security of the capitol. what i most remember in a typical as we walked out of that office the sun is coming out he turned to me see you tomorrow. he said tomorrow is here. but i will. we are also excited senator fischer will actually be the ranking member when she came to the senate i tried my best and were really excited she's going to be filling in here and becoming the ranking member. but boy were all going to miss

you. angus came in specifically to recognize your work. we thank you for all you have done. [applause] pics thank all of you, quickly point out there plenty of recognition information. she's doing her job to make sure you keep that in some balance by representing the other side, the question of how capable i may or may not be. but glad to be here with all of you. this is a unique committee and the opportunity all the time and sometimes almost to involve some days. it's a daily operation of the senate. those of us who have done management things and a chance to have a little bit of that management desire fulfilled for the chance to really work directly with the chief and the

library of congress and the smithsonian. the disc visit to the capitals were dramatically changed. we appreciate their kind words. both in 2017 and dramatically in 2021. two of the four people that joined the first vice president biden in 2017 and vice president pence in 2021 to go through the process of certifying the election and then only a few days later, two weeks in 2021. the exact same location great capitol police force to defend the capitol.

for the whole world for the transition of power. from that day the chairman has some gavels to use that day as necessary. here is one for you and they say the 59th presidential inauguration of gerry 20th of 21 we worked on so many things it's almost made the work of this committee as we come from two or three different issues working on adoption, to travel, to visa, to commerce all at once. great friends and i look forward to that continued. look forward to working to others on the rules committee.