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just a community center? no, it's way more than that. comcast is partnering with a thousand community centers to create wi-fi enabled sore students from low income families can get they need for anything. support comcast along with these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> senate lawmakers are working on judicial nominations. later in the day they will be in recess, president biden will speaking with senate democrats during their caucus lunch. we take you live to the senate floor here on c-span2. the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray.

loving king of the universe, thank you that nothing can separate us from your love. remind us that we are surrounded by your unconditional positive regard regardless of our faults and failures. help us to see that our anxieties and fears, our doubts and disappointments, cannot diminish your affection for us. today, bless the members of this legislative body. give them wisdom to see what needs to be done and the courage to do it. help them to persevere

in doing your will, knowing that a productive harvest is certain. we pray in your loving name. amen. the president pro tempore: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. president pro tempore under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. morning business is closed. under the previous order, the senate will proceed to executive

session to resume consideration of the following nomination, which the clerk will report. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, colleen, r. lawless, of illinois, to be united states district judge for the central district of illinois. a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from georgia's recognized. war mr. warnock: i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will -- the president pro tempore: the presiding -- the president pro tempore: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

this means the merrick garland amid special counsel special counsel --

c-span.org and c-span now. cbs painted this by saying attorney general merrick garland testifies before senate amid special counsel probes . the special counsel document found not only president biden's residence the former president terms. if you look at the washington times this morning merrick garland said will clobber for the fbi. the headline they used at the hearing from yesterday and nbc with this headline. growing decisions to charge protesters in the attorney general had questions about federal prosecution but the story saying attorney general merrick garland's testimony before the senate wednesday he

did when they had the prosecution of protesters on both sides of the abortion. this focus on two fronts, the department of justice had protesters under statute that makes crimes it to protest outside of the supreme court justice home and in the abortion demonstrator was charged under federal law highlighting the fact that one of those was ted cruz. you can see that exchange on our website and c-span now up but here's part of the exchange yesterday with texas republicans senator ten crews and attorney general merrick garland. >> your failure to act to protect the safety of the justices and their families was an obvious product of political bias. do you agree with roe v. wade, you disagree with the dobbs decision and the department of justice under this president was perfectly happy to refuse to enforce the law and allow threats of violence and those

threats finally materialized with nicholas roski 26 old man from california who traveled across the country was arrested outside the home of justice capitol with a handgun, a knife and burglary tool and said he came back to kill justice kavanaugh because he was outraged by the opinion. of course you are prosecuting the individual for attempted murder in a single case to enforce the law for the department of justice to lock doesn't apply for an opinion we don't like. >> when the dogs draft was leaked, it is something no attorney general in the history of the department is ever done before for the first time in history, i ordered united states marshals 24/7 to defend every -- >> is a judge you are familiar

with that. >> i am -- >> as the department of justice, have you brought a single case against any of these protesters justices under section 207? >> you asked whether i sat my hands and quite the opposite. >> let me try again. as the department of justice brought us evil single case? is some give a speech on the other thing you did. >> the job of the u.s. marshals to defend -- >> answer is no? >> justices in the number one. >> the answer is no, you know it's no, i know it's no, everyone here knows it's the. you brought a case on this, yes or no? as we have done is defend the lives of the justices and marshals. >> that's just some of the topics he will show you more

when it comes to your view of the justice department, look at the department of merrick garland situation and you can call from (202)748-8000 democrats, republicans (202)748-8001 and visit to 027-48-8002. text available to a 274-88001 and from facebook when it comes to his assessment of the justice department he dislikes the word politicize in partisan. my view is they do import work and people want to know, they should look at the cases they bring but instead we have disagreement about rating former president comes home this is off our twitter feed saying it appears the department of justice is reluctant to pursue law when it comes to president trump, former president trump and members of the congress

supported january 6 attempt to overthrow the government. over two years now i wouldn't hesitate. from facebook saying the job focusing on the wrong things and it's larry from new jersey saying the attorney general must have things to do, the political grandstanding. that's how you can reach us on the various sites and when it comes to the justice department, the hearing estate still available on our website and our app. democrat line about the justice department, doug. your first up. go ahead. >> i want to wish everybody a good morning and i think the justice department is doing the best job they can. i think it's like this, her publicans don't want nobody on their party charged with anything but the democrats do

anything, though them under. >> when you say the justice department is doing a good job, what would you do to define that? >> they go by the law and do the best job they can,mr they can't charge everybody with everything. there are too many crimes going on in this country -- is morningy thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the four-alarm fire on main street in buffalo, new york, yesterday. and i want to especially offer my condolences to the buffalo fire department, which lost one of its firefighters, jason arnaud, in the line of duty during this horrible tragedy. our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well. i want to thank all of the first responders who were on the scene. we're profoundly grateful for all you do to keep us safe every day. now, on the president's visit to

our caucus lunch this afternoon, later today, senate democrats will welcome president biden to the capitol for a special caucus lunch to talk about our agenda for the 118th congress. i predict that today's conversation will reemphasize a couple of important points. unlike the other party, democrats are united. we have a great story to tell about our work over the last two years. and we are ready to keep working in a bipartisan way to make life better for the american people. in the last two years -- if the last two years focused on getting our agenda passed into law, one of the focuses of our lunch will be on how the next two years will be about implementing that agenda. legislation must and will continue, but implementation will also be a top priority. democrats are making sure that americans see our agenda, see our agenda in their own

backyards, on their way to work, and when they balance their check books. americans will see our agenda as the roads, bridges, and house though use every day finally get the fixing so needed and americans will see our agenda in action, as manufacturing good-paying maufacturing jobs, high-end jobs, return to our shore, as new innovations get developed here at home. we'll also talk with president biden about one of the most important priorities that defines our party, building ladders to help people get into the middle class and helping people who are already in the middle class stay there. we'll continue protecting social security, medicare, and medicaid from the hard right. we'll keep investing in infrastructure jobs and good-paying union jobs. and we will hold abusive corporations accountable for putting profits over people's safety.

we'll also make sure that once people make it into the middle class, they have the tools to stay in the middle class. that's precisely the reasoning behind our work on ira, chips, and science, on pushing for student debt relief and increasing pell grants and so much more. i expect we'll also discuss how we'll keep americans safe, and keep democracy alive in the 21st century. one year into putin's violent assault on ukraine, the support for ukraine will hold firm. and that, praise god, has been very bipartisan, leader mcconnell and i are united in that regard. so we'll focus on taking an all-of-the-above approach to outcompete president xi and the chinese communist party. chips was an important step in that direction, but we cannot relent. the administration has already taken a few executive actions that will increase our ability to bring jobs back here and

prevent the chinese from taking our intellectual property, but we cannot rest on our laurels. finally, very importantly, we'll talk about how democrats will preserve our unity in the months ahead. the story here in congress over the first few months of 2023 has been one of contrasts, democrats are united on helping average americans, while the republicans are divided, paralyzed by chaos and so many of them doing the bidding of the ultrarich and the very well-connected and powerful. republicans like to talk about standing up for average folks and fighting wokism, whatever that means, but look at what they've actually done this year. they've given cover to wealthy tax cheats, escalated their war on women, even tried to push a national sales tax that would raise taxes significantly, up to 30% for average families. how the heck is an average family going to pay 30% more for everything they buy?

what planet are these folks on? nowhere else is the contrast between democrats and republicans more glaring than when it comes to raising the debt ceiling. president biden, senate and house democrats have been clear from the very beginning that we are united on what our plan is, both sides must come together and raise the debt ceiling without engaging in hostage-taking, brinksmanship, or political blackmail. speaker mccarthy however is unable to unite his conference or explain exactly what the republican plan is. the hard right is demanding that we agree to spending cuts in exchange for their votes. but to this day, there is no consensus and no clarity about what cuts republicans want. speaker mccarthy, it's march 2. where is your plan? it's march 2, leader mccarthy. you've been talking about a plan for a while. where is it? where is your plan?

you say social security and medicare is off the table? but until the american people see a plan, they cannot just take the speaker at his word that social security and medicare will be safe, because so many on his right flank, so many mainstream republican members even, have long pushed to have these programs changed. and there is more americans have to worry about. what is the republican plan on medicaid? or funding the police? on pell grants? on defense? on food for kids? will all these things get cut in their plan? again, this goes back to the central problem with the republican house majority -- it will be exceedingly difficult, and in all likelihood impossible, for them to unite around a plan that they can pass with their 220-some-odd votes and that the american people will accept and like. this contrast, mr. president, is

going to keep growing and growing in the months ahead. during today's lunch, we'll talk about the president with how -- about how we can make sure americans see and under the contrast. i thank president biden for his time, and i very much look forward to having him here at our capitol. now, on insulin, yesterday's news that elie lilly is capping costs at $35 a month is a very big deal. that will make an number difference for the millions of americans that rely on this drug to manage their diabetes. i commend eli lilly for taking this much-needed step. frankly, this should have happened a long time ago. there's no excuse for monthly insulin costing $600, $700, $800 a month, and people quaking if their boots whether they can take half a doze, a quarter of a dose, no dose at all and get sicker. we're happy this country ends its terrible practice of keeping

insulin prices high, and they deserve commendation, but it brings up a few other points. first, eli lilly's announcement is good progress, but still not close to enough. there is no substitute for legislation, such as the legislation you have been offering, mr. president, senator warnock, there is no substitute for legislation that locks down a mandatory and permanent cap on insulin for all americans, not just those who'd get insulin from certain companies. second, lowering insulin costs is a good policy that everyone on both sides should get behind. this should not be a democratic issue or a republican issue. it's something that affects people in every city, in every state. and third, now is the time to finish the job and pass a bill to put a $35 cap on insulin for all americans. last year, we democrats made good progress in the inflation reduction act to lower insulin to $35 for seniors on medicare.

it's my hope, it is my hope, to soon bring a bipartisan bill to lower prescription drug costs and cap insulin costs at $35 for everyone, for everyone on the floor -- for everyone, to the floor, and pass it with support from both sides of the aisle. let's get this done. so important for the american people. we democrats are going to do all we can to get it done. hopefully in a bipartisan way. finally, on fox news, and there's a lot to talk about, mr. president. we learned that rupert murdoch admitted during a deposition that he and fox news executives knowingly, knowingly broadcasted the big lie on their network despite many of them knowing it was completely bogus. and when asked if he could have stepped in to stop it, mr. murdoch claimed that he could have but chose not to. and he expressed regret for

nothing doing so. with all due respect, expressing regret is not enough. i repeat, expressing regret on an issue so vital to the future of our democracy is just not enough. so when rupert murdoch and fox news executives and hosts have done what they have done is dangerous. when people doubt that elections are on the level, that is the beginning of the end of this wonderful democracy. elections are a wellspring. when people don't believe they're legitimate, democracy starts flying out the window in some other form of autocracy comes in. we're for the there yet. but fox news and its commentators who have lied have helped sow some evil seeds in our body politic. the wellspring of democracy is elections and it's why this wonderful great experms has endured for so -- experiment has endured for so long.

when conspiracy theories like the big lie are allowed to grow, when they're given a prime time slot on cable news, well, we all saw what could happen on january 6. and that's why i wrote a letter with lead every jeffries to mr. murdoch this week demanding that he should do what he should have done a long time ago. first, stop spreading lies about the election. second, stop sowing division. third, stop weakening faith in our democracy. fourth, stop the commentators who continue to repeat the big lie, even after so much of fox, including mr. murdoch, admitted it was a lie and admitted they regretted that it happened, stop them from doing it again. expressing regrets is simply, simply not enough. in the light of mounting evidence that fox news knowingly misled their viewers, it's alarming. it's disturbing. it's highly inappropriate for speaker mccarthy to share

highly sensitive camera footage of the january 6 attack to tucker carlson, one of the biggest peddlers of the big lie. one of the people who's done more to destroy faith in this democracy than just about anyone else. releasing this footage publicly reveals the location of security cameras across the capital grounds making it harder and more dangerous for our brave capital police officers -- capitol police officers who defended the capitol that day to do their job. so giving someone is disingenuous, fundamentally is dishonest as tucker carlson as to what happened in the election, giving him exclusive access to this type of sensitive information is a grave mistake, a grave mistake by speaker mccarthy and feeds into the propaganda he's already put on fox news' air. i yield the floor.

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mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: the american people are deeply concerned about the collapse of law and order in our country. 39% of new york residents say they feel less safe than they did one year ago. last month 63% of likely voters in chicago said they felt personally unsafe from gun violence and crime. and by the way, on tuesday those chicago voters tossed out the incumbent mayor. americans see this problem going from bad to worse. more than 70% of the country expects we'll see crime rates rise even higher this coming year. unfortunately, my fellow kentuckians know this as well as anyone else.

in my hometown of louisville, youth homicides tripled between 2018 and 2021. in fact, since the onset of the pandemic, louisville has seen the second worst increase in youth homicides among more than a dozen similar u.s. cities. total homicides have slightly subsided from their record high in 2021, but they're still sitting in the triple digits. one louisville couple whose 19-year-old son was murdered by a convicted felon in 2019 summed up the way everybody's feeling. here's what he said. homicides may be down but it's not down enough. of course crime is not limited to the most callous acts of murder. there's also a literal rash of brazen theft. just two days ago, two days ago, the town of somerset in my state

was stunned when their local car dealership was robbed point blank. a group of masked thieves stormed the showroom and drove no fewer than six high-end cars right off the lot. the nationwide decline in law and order hasn't been happenstance. today's democratic party has made a deliberate safety to make public safety of its citizens a lower priority than repeat criminal offenders. this has happened at the federal level where prominent democrats have spent years, years amplifying antipolice rhetoric that tangibly and probably hurts law enforcement and certainly leads to more crime. it's happened at the local level where liberal mayors and city councils around the country have waged rhetorical wars against their own police departments and sometimes actually followed through ole cutting funding.

the left's soft on crime campaign has even infiltrated the legal system itself. far-left political donors have worked to get radical district attorneys elected in and around major cities. many of them have promptly instituted what apartments to a blanket amnesty for whole lass of crimes. for example, in los angeles, the district attorney's refusal to go after major misdemeanor offenses has brought his office's prosecution rate down to half of what it was under his predecessor. the commonwealth attorney over in fairfax county has repeatedly declined to pursue justice against perpetrators of child sexual assault. and the former district attorney in boston who made headlines for declaring the charges involving 15 different serious crimes would be, quote, outright dismissed, end quote, was actually rewarded by president biden with a promotion to be the

u.s. attorney for her whole state. to make matters worse, in the midst of the violent crime surge that democrats' actions have helped cause, their administration's department of justice is focused on many of the wrong things. a year and a half ago attorney general garland instructed the department, including the fbi, to go sniffing around stories of concerned parents voicing opinions at local school board meetings. in the middle of a violent crime rate, the administration's priority was extra supreme court for moms and dads exercising their first amendment rights? just last fall armed fbi agents were sent to rural pennsylvania to arrest a father at home in front of his young children because the man had defended his son during an earlier minor alter indication outside --

altercation outside an abortion clinic. apparently under this administration the crime of protesting while conservative can bring fbi agents to your house with guns drawn. then just a few weeks ago a memo leaked from the bureau's richmond, virginia, office that talked about needing to put informants in church pews, in church pews so the fbi could spy on catholic americans with religious views they deemed overly, overly traditional. our major cities are beset with murders and carjackings, but these democrats are focused on subjecting god-fearing americans to this junior varsity jay edgar hoover act. it is nonsensical. i don't think for a minute they've simply turned up the security evenly across the board. in fact, it's been quite the

opposite. while the biden-garland doj seems take natically oversell louse about harassing citizens, they're currently asleep at the switch when far-left activists are flouting actual, actual federal laws. when fringe activists advocated for violence against sitting justices at the supreme court, when crowds spent months picketing outside justices' private family homes in direct contradiction of federal law, the attorney general didn't lift a finger. the biden administration simply refused to enforce black-letter federal law that forbids picketing and protesting at judges' private residents. that's the law. this willful failure to enforce the law made the president and attorney general willing partners in the improper pressure campaign that the leak of the draft opinion was surely designed to spark in the first place.

mr. mcconnell: forget this, as the senior senator from utah has pointed out, there have been more than 80 recorded attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers since the start of last year and 130 attacks on catholic churches. do you know how how many of the attorneys that attorney general garland has managed to charge? a grand total of two. suffice it to say the attorney general had a lot to answer for in front of the oversight

hearing yesterday. but there was no evidence of a course correction coming. for example, the attorney general wouldn't give ranking member graham a straight answer on designating mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. he wouldn't give a straight answer about whether we should expand mandatory sentencing law or the fentanyl crisis. he seemed to believe the status quo was okay and the department of justice has the tools it needs. if true, it would make the administration's failures all the more galling. he couldn't satisfy a question from one senator about not charging drug traffickers under current law. in other words, basically cherry piccing their way around penalties to make current law

softer on lethal drugs. look, the american people want and deserve law and order. getting murders off our streets and foreign poison out of our neighborhoods are among the most governing basic responsibilities you could possibility think of. either the biden administration does not agree or just cannot deliver. ms. stabenow: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. ms. stabenow: thank you, mr. president. two important things i'd like to speak about today. and let me first start with a confirmation vote we will be having this afternoon on judge

jonathan j.c. grey to serve as the u.s. district judge for the eastern district of michigan. both senator peters and i are strong, strong supporters and thank president biden for nominating him and we look forward to our colleagues joining us in a bipartisan vote, just as we had on the cloture vote to make sure that he is confirmed today. senator peters and i were both honored to introduce him and his family during his hearing in the judiciary committee in november, and i know that his family is so very proud of him, as we are. judge grey is an outstanding choice to serve the people of michigan because he's been doing just that. judge grey is currently serving as united states magistrate judge for the eastern district of michigan. as a magistrate judge, judge grey has presided over both civil and criminal cases. before that, he served as an

assistant united states attorney in the eastern district of michigan and the southern district of ohio where he prosecuted criminal offenses. during the past ten years, 95% of judge grey's practice has been in the federal courts. whether as a magistrate judge or an assistant u.s. attorney. he also worked as an associate at a law firm in chicago where he practiced labor and employment law and served as law clerk for two federal judges. given his incredible breadth of experience, it's no surprise that the american bar association's standing committee on the federal judiciary unanimously found him to be well qualified for this position. judge grey was born in mississippi and a proud graduate of morehouse college and the georgetown university law center. he is a deep believer in giving

back both in michigan and through his alma maters. i can't -- i can think of no better place for judge grey to continue to serve the people of michigan and our country than on the united states district court for the eastern district of michigan. and both senator peters and i urge our colleagues to vote yes to confirm jonathan grey this afternoon. mr. president, as everyone knows, i'm incredibly proud msu spartan. i earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees from michigan state university. i've been so proud to represent the university in the michigan legislature, in the u.s. house, and the united states senate.

i'm a spartan as is senator peters. and i'm horrified and heartbroken and i'm angry because we're mourning three lives that were lost on februare to campus and randomly started shooting students. areil anderson, brian frazier, alexandria vernier were full of hopes and dreams and so much promise. areil graduated from grosse pointe north high school in 2021. she was known for her confidence, kindness and incredible drive. she was studying to become a

surgeon. brian, age 20, graduated from grosse pointe south high school where he competed on the swimming and diving teams. he was studying business, was president of phi delta theta fraternity. and alexandria, her friends called her aleks, was a -- alex, she was a 20-year-old graduate, where she excelled in basketball. she was studying anthropology and had hoped to graduate next year. areil, brian, and alex had their whole lives ahead of them and my heart aches for everyone who loved them and is missing them today.

we also know that gun violence isn't just about the ends that are ended. it's also about the lives that are forever -- forever changed. at sparrow hospital in lansing, part anns are still fight -- spartans are fighting to survive. thousands more community members have been left with scars you can't see but they're there. they hurt as much as take as much time to heal as anything else. it's crucial that we ensure that everyone receive the mental health care that they need at this time. last year my initiative to bring high-quality mental health services to communities across the country was signed into the law in the gun bill that we passed and right now it's helping to make a difference in meeting the needs in east

lansing, lansing, mid-michigan community. and i want to thank the community mental health authority of clinton and eaton counties for working so closely with michigan state university right now to provide support for everyone who needs it. so many different things are happening on campus and across the community. just one example, counselors from community mental health have set up a place in the east lansing public library where they're providing resources and immediate support from therapists and people are volunteering it their time to help make this happen as well. they brought in support animals to comfort those in pain. clinics like community mental health don't just provide help after a crisis, though, this is about helping people every day. helping people in the first

place so that there's a place to call, and there is, and the people in the community, family members concerned, people in neighborhoods seeing something they're concerned about need to call and ask for help. but better mental health isn't enough. we also need to make it harder for people who arm others to get their hands on guns. because it's one thing if you are somebody who is unstable and have a knife. it's another thing if you have a gun. the consequences are very different depending on what you're holding in your hand. firearms are now the leading cause of death for american children and teens. think about that. not car accidents, not cancer -- guns. we can change that. we must change that. the michigan legislature is be

taking action to strengthen our state's licensing process and background checks, require safe storage and pass a red flag law. what we did last summer was provide dollars to states to develop red flag laws, and i'm so proud of our governor and the new house and senate state legislatures. i'm grateful as a citizen, as a mom, as a grandmother whose children are in the schools they are taking these actions. at a federal level last year, i was proud to support the safer communities act, which is an important step, but we need to do so much more. we need to pass a military assault weapons ban, legislation that i'm cosponsoring. and while we're at it, let's

close the gun show loophole and make sure that all guns sold in america require a background check. it's just common sense. we owe it so aeril, brian and alex, and the whole mental health community and to those impacted across the country. these stories are way too common and should be absolutely unacceptable to everybody. thoughts and prayers are not enough. it's pretty hollow, mr. president, as you know, as we've all spoken up about, it's pretty hollow when we're not willing to take the actions that can save lives, and that's the way that we remember those that have been lost. one of the most important things, the most beautiful things about michigan state and our entire michigan community is how we came together to support

one another. it's amazing. i've been incredibly touched of the stories of how people helped one another, both on the tragic night and from the days since, from the dispatchers and first responders who immediately and commonly responded to a chaotic and dangerous scene. to the selfless staff at the hospital giving comfort and lifesaving care every day, to the east lansing resident and everyone across michigan who greeted students when they came back to campus. and the incredible support shown by our rivals. an incredible amount of michigan university students came to show solidarity and support at the same time spartans were gathered at the rock. a number of well well over reasn

sports team -- woafl wov -- then airplane toll fly above michigan state's campus with a banner that read, we are with you spartan strong, love ohio state. the msu community and the community of east lansing are so grateful for the outpouring of support. we'll get through this, but we shouldn't have to. but we will get through it. we just need to take action. to stop this from happening again. we are all spartan strong. i yield the floor,

mr. president. mr. peters: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. mr. peters: mr. president, 15 months ago, i spoke here on the senate floor to commemorate the victims of a shooting at oxford high school in oxford, michigan. mr. president, just over two weeks ago, as a gunman opened fire at michigan state university, our state lived through yet another nightmare. another routine evening turned tragic, another community was left scarred by unimaginable gun violence. and another three families will never see their children come home.

just after 8:00 p.m. on a crisp monday evening, gunfire erupted at msu's burkey hall. as the alerts poured in, students all across campus huddled in fear. some block aided their dorm -- blockaded their dorm rooms and turned off the lights. others grabbed whatever objects were nearby, in case they needed to fight back. parents called their children to check in if they were safe, and worried if it could be the last time that they spoke. those near the gunman hid under tables and ran for their lives. one student said it sounded like a stampede as they tried to escape. in the end, three of their classmates did not make it. three students who had their entire lives ahead of them were

stripped of their futures in an instant. arial anderson, a 19-year-old from harper woods, was a sophomore. she enjoyed roller skating, photography, and live concerts. a committed student, she was working to graduate early and embark on a career as a pediatrician. she had a fierce intersect and a deep -- fierce intellect and deep love for her family. touching everyone in her life with a kind and gentle spirit. alex vernier was 20 years old. she was a junior from clawson, and was studying to become a forensic scientist. she was a gifted student-athlete in high school, excelling in softball and basketball and volleyball, and a dedicated member of her community. friends and teachers described her as a leader and a giver.

someone who was always smiling. one of her peers remembered she was, quote, the very best of us. brian fraser, the 20-year-old sophomore from grosse pointe had an infectious smile and sense of humor that could brighten an entire room. as president of his fraternity, he demonstrated a commitment to service and to leadership. he had been studying business and economics when his life was cut short. as a father and a fellow spartan, my heart breaks for these gifted students, for their families and friends, and the time that was stolen from them. my heart breaks for those who survived, who will carry the weights of this horrific memory

for years to come. and while this scene unfolded, first responders and law enforcement officials bravely leaped into action, dedicated doctors and nurses have worked around the clock to help the five students who were critically injured. and i'm grateful to these men and women for their tireless work. at the same time, i know that the students and staff at msu and the broader east lansing community will need time. they will need time to heal in the wake of this tragedy. but they shouldn't have to do that work alone. we can honor them by taking meaningful action, and we must do that now. last year congress showed that commonsense reform is still possible, with the passage of the bipartisan safer communities act, the most significant legislation to address gun

violence in nearly three decades. it invested in mental health resources, expanded school safety measures, enhances background checks and includes new guidelines to make sure we keep guns from getting into the wrong hands. and while it's clear that this law did not go far enough, it has begun to make critical changes. we're already starting to see its benefits reach my state. last week senator stabenow and i welcomed $8 million in federal funding to the michigan state police. this investment will help combat drug violence and enhance crisis intervention programs all across the state of michigan. but there's so much more that we can and we must do. we must pass legislation to expand federal background checks to all gun sales, a measure that

i helped reintroduce here in the senate, and one supported by the overwhelming majority of the american people. we can enact reasonable limits on high-capacity magazines and close dangerous loopholes. we can pass red-flag laws while still respecting the rights of law-abiding, responsible gun owners. and we can invest in first responders, like those who so bravely answered the call at michigan state. the choice is ours to make. we can honor these young adults by making change, or we can play politics and let the cycle continue. but for arial, alex, and brian, and the students and staffed a michigan state, and for ever family torn apart by gun violence, we must choose to act.

madam president, i yield the floor. mr. thune: mr. president, is the senate in a quorum call? the presiding officer: we are not. mr. thune: mr. president, if you ask any republican what kind of energy policy he or she supports, you likely hear the phrase an all-of-the-above energy policy. today, i want to take a minute to talk about, first, what we mean by an all-of-the-above energy policy, and second why we support this kind of policy. so mr. president, what is an all-of-the-above energy policy? well, as the name suggests, an all-of-the-above energy policy is an energy policy that

embraces the full spectrum of available energy resources, both renewable and conventional. it's important not to ignore the conventional part, as many of my colleagues across the aisle would like to do. it's not enough to embrace renewable energy, even multiple types of renewables. for reasons i'll discuss, any energy policy that doesn't discuss conventional as well as renewable energy is insufficient. it places both our energy security and energy affordability in jeopardy. back to my explanation. as i said, an all-of-the-above energy policy is an energy policy that embraces the full spectrum of available energy sources. it embraces wind, solar, hydropower, biofuels, biomass, geothermal, nuclear, oil, and natural gas, and more. that's the definition, mr. president. now, why is an all-of-the-above

energy policy important? why not, for example, eliminate fossil fuels from the mix? why not choose one or two renewal fuels and put all our nearnls into advancing those one or two technologies to hasten the clean energy future? there are a number of reasons why those options and any option that doesn't embrace the full range of available that's correct technologies are a bad idea. first of all, the fact is we are simply not yet at the point where we can rely solely on clean energy technologies. we will still need conventional energy, and we'll continue to need conventional energy sources, in particular natural gas, for the foreseeable future. my state of south dakota derives a huge portion of our electricity generation from renewables. notably wind and hide row electric, totaling about 82% of utility scale production in

south dakota. but conventional fuels, nevertheless, play an essential role in energy generation in south dakota. wind, like solar and other renewables, by its nature, is intermittent. even in places like south dakota, where wind is a regular feature. because technology has not yet advanced to the point we can store up sufficient renewable energy to power an electric grid, even places like my state rely heavily on renewables -- that rely heavily on renewables for generation, depend on coil and natural gas to keep -- coal and natural gas to keep the power on sufficiently. california is another state with sniffle production from hydro power and solar. but the availability of those sources is affected by variables like cloud cover and drought. while california generally gets a lot of sunshine, again, the technology to effectively store energy from those renewables, at

the scale necessary to power california's grid, is simply not here yet. it's probably fair to say that one reason california's electricity grid is known for being unreliable is because the state is overly reliant on renewables, without sufficient backup from conventional energy sources to meet demand. now, i think we're unquestionably going to get to the point where he we can stoe renewable energy more efficiently and on a large scale, but we're not there yet. it's important to rec into iz that fact, and to -- to recognize that fact and to recognize the availability of consistent, reliable energy in this country is still dependent on a consistent reliable supply of conventional energy sources. mr. president, in all of the -- an all-of-the-above energy policy isn't just a reliability imperative. it's also a national security imperative. having a secure and stable energy supply is critical to our nation's security. our military bases and hospitals

can't afford energy blackouts. again, having a secure and stable supply requires embracing the full spectrum of available energy sources, including the conventional energy sources that ensure the reliability of our nation's electricity supply. embracing the full spectrum of available resources includes developing domestic resources so we are not overly reliant on supplies from other countries. the energy challenges and soaring costs countries like germany have faced, owing to heavy reliance on russian energy, are a timely reminder of the importance of developing domestic, defense energy supplies. mr. president, aside from energy security and reliability, an all-of-the-above energy policy is essential because we don't yet know exactly what a clean energy future will look like. there are still a lot of challenges with renewables and clean energy technologies.

we've not yet developed the technology to store renewable energy on a large scale or without significant efficiency laws. there are a number of other challenges with clean energy technologies. electric car batteries, for example, are heavily reliant on critical minerals. we currently rely heavily on other countries, not all of them politically or environmentally friendly, for our critical mineral supply. environmentalists are loath to tap our own natural resources. the same constraints affect batteries necessary to expand commercial and residential energy storage. while wind and solar energy are producing record amounts of electricity, each have their own end-of-life challenges for recycling and disposal as at y are replaced. nuclear power provides a valuable source of clean energy, but construction costs are

staggering and we still haven't fully arrived at a solution for storing nuclear waste. and the list goes on. this isn't to say that american ingenuity won't solve many so of these challenges or that conventional energy has none of its own, but that is exactly why we need to keep exploring all these technologies and the opportunities and challenges that they present. and the fact of the matter is that our energy -- our country's energy future will continue to be multifaceted, not relying exclusively or predominantly on one or two energy technologies. for one thing, different areas of the country will have different availability with renewables, like wind on the great plains. and even if we significantly improve the storage and transmission situation, it's likely it will always be most efficient for different areas of the country to rely most heavily

on the energy resources that they have closest to home. so as i said, it's important that we move forward with developing the full range of energy resources and not attempt to put all of our eggs in the same basket, or to have the government pick winners and losers. excessive government direction runs the risk of diminishing or cutting off innovation into technologies that could be the future of clean energy. we should be encouraging exploration of all clean energy avenues, and then see what the market ultimately gravitates toward. which is likely to be the technologies that are simultaneously practical, affordable, and effective. the clean energy evolution away from coal to cleaner burning natural gas was driven not by top-down direction from government, certainly not government id lolgs -- ideologues here in washington,

but by private industry, which saw the next wave of energy production and harnessed it. finally, mr. president, we need an all-of-the-above energy policy to keep energy affordable for american families. exploring energy and production or forcing a move to renewable sources before we have the technology available to ensure that renewables can deliver are reliable and affordable supply is a good way to make americans' energy bills continue to soar. mr. president, an all-of-the-above energy policy is the way to guarantee an affordable and reliable energy supply. and members of both parties, both parties should be embracing an all-of-the-above approach to american energy. unfortunately, however, that's not the case. instead democrats are pursuing increasingly extreme green new deal policies designed to

discourage investment in explosion are ration -- exploration of, and production of conventional energy without regard to whether or not we use -- we are anywhere near to having the resources and technology to move beyond conventional energy. the so-called inflation reduction act the democrats passed last august contained a series of tax hikes on conventional energy production that are driving up americans' energy bills. it also contained a lot of funding for green new deal fantasies that are likely to achieve nothing more than wasting taxpayer dollars. mr. president, i am a big and long-time supporter of clean energy. i have a record that goes back to my days in the house of representatives. and i am confident that we will get to a day where we will be able to rely almost exclusively on clean energy technologies, especially when you factor in

carbon capture paired with clean natural gas. but we are not there yet. until that day comes, we need to embrace and all-of-the-above energy policy for energy security, for energy reliability, and to keep americans' energy bills affordable. mr. president, i hope that more of my colleagues across the aisle will come to realize this reality before they seriously impair the stability and security of our nation's energy supply. mr. president, i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from west virginia. mr. manchin: first, i want to thank my good friend, the assistant minority leader from south dakota for a very, very good review of exactly where we are. and i agree wholeheartedly except for a little bit of the ira. we might have a little difference of opinion there because i think it really is an energy security bill and we're

all going to work with and together to make sure an all-of-the-above energy approach is what we're going to take. with that i want to thank him. i think it was very good and as one democrat, i agree wholeheartedly. i would like to work with you on that. i ask unanimous consent that i, senator cornyn, and senator bennet be permitted to complete our remarks prior to the scheduled votes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. manchin: mr. president, i rise today to thank my friend from oklahoma, senator james lankford for continuing the senate's long tradition of delivering president george washington's farewell address earlier this week. it's an annual reminder of what is great about america, but it is erie how his warnings ring true today even that you it -- thousand it was delivered some 207 years ago. he warned of the dangers of putting the will of political party ahead of the will of the nation. he also warned against the accumulation of debt and encouraged us to cherish public credit. as a very important source of

strength and security. my personal relationship with this and understanding is my grandfather affectionately known as papa joe, he would always say joe, if you have unmanaged debt, you will make cowardly decisions of how you live your life. and yet here we are today. watching party politics and out of control spending threaten the very foundation of our great nation. this is exactly what george washington was talking about and he was so right 227 years ago. and what's so wrong with washington today and what the american people are really sick and tired of is going osm the american people have had enough of the gimmicks and budgetary games that we play in congress and it's got to stop. i venture to say -- i would venture to say that there are very few accountants, professionals in this field and accounting professionals that have expertise that could make any sense out of our scoring and how we expense. the scoring and expensing. what we think it will cost and

what actually does. and how they transfer those back and forth. it's almost unbelievable. the american people deserve the truth and every republican and every democrat, we have the responsibility to tell them the truth. so let's start with the facts. fact one, 2013, federal spending was less than 3.5 trillion dollars. today it's more than $6.2 trillion. in ten short years, less than ten. that's an 80% increase. we've increased our expenses voluntarily $2.8 trillion in a very short time. it's hard to believe, truly is. fact number two, last year's total revenues were $4.9 trillion. $4.9. which left us with a deficit of $1.4 trillion. no matter what anyone says, this is from cbo. this is our scoring people. fact number three, we've been spending more than -- we bring in -- think about this, all of us, think about it. we've been spending more than we

bring in in our government every year for the past 21 years. every year. and the debt that has resulted is absolutely crippling. think about it, 21 years. how many can do that, how many citizens, how many of your constituents, my constituents, west virginia, new mexico, texas, wherever they may live. how many can run a deficit that long and still have a home, have a family, be functioning, any way, shape, or form. most of us couldn't even make it 21 days. okay. you've got to balance things out and make adjustments. i've never seen anything like it and we basically, i guess if you have a printing press, you don't have to worry. well, fact number four, the years of fiscal irresponsibility have brought us to the crisis that we face today. our debt as we stand here and speak to you before today, is $31,460 billion. that's our public debt which equals over $94,000 for every

man, woman, and child in west virginia. and in the united states. and in new mexico. and in texas, and in everywhere else. $94,000 per person in our great country. this year we're going to spend more than $600 billion just on debt. just on basically servicing the debt of the nation. that's like getting a credit card and you owe $5,000 on your credit card. but you have to pay $340 just the interest that month. and all you can do is pay the interest. you can't even touch the principal because you're barely able to pay the interest. but think about this. just the interest on our debt is more than $5,000 per household in america. $5,000. if everyone fulfilled their obligation, i guess. how can anyone with a straight -- with really a straight face deny that we have a problem. how can any of us no matter what part of the political spectrum we come from. it doesn't have to be this way.

and the american people deserve better than this. our problem really isn't a republican problem or a democratic problem. it's an american problem. it truly is. every american. we have a problem. and only as we start putting our country first and acting as americans can we fix it. it can't be this total political division. it's not my fault. it's your fault. it's their fault. and vice versa depending on where you're standing i guess in the body here and what political identity you have to you. president trump added and the people want to say whose fault is it. it's all of our fault. under president trump we added an estimated $7.5 trillion to projected debt levels. from legislation and executive orders, including $4 trillion that was not directly because of covid. $7.5 trillion in those four years. under president biden we've added more than $5 trillion to projected debt levels from legislation and executive orders and including more than $2.5

trillion not related to covid. so whoever you want to blame, we're all at fault. my democratic friends don't want to say a word about our out-of-control spending and outright refusing to even talk to republicans about reasonable and responsible reforms. all we hear is about we have to have a clean debt ceiling. a clean -- we're going to pay our debts. we have to pay our sins of the past but can't we at least sit down and discuss, just discuss how did we get here so fast? faster than any time in history in a ten-year period, how did we accumulate this much debt. can we talk about that and see if there's a pathway forward. my republican friends refuse to offer any specifics and some have threatened default which is absolutely not on the table, cannot be on the table, and will not happen. i can assure you. we'll never solve the problems by each party running in opposite directions and we'll only be able to change course by coming together, embracing common sense, and finding common

ground. just think of our own lives. when we go home, leave these bodies, when we go home and congress, 535 of us go back to our home place, go back and sit down at our kitchen table, work with our families and look at where we are financially, just think about it. it doesn't really have to be this way. they really expect better and should be getting better, every person in america. so really what should we do? first and foremost, the president and congress need to do our jobs right now, no exceptions or excuses. let me tell you, what i'm going to be telling now is something we've not practiced since i've been here for 12 years. we need to pass a budget on time. pass a budget on time. that's by september 30. the president is already a month behind schedule when he submits his budget next week. it was due on february 6. now, the dates i'm going to give you, that comes out of the balanced budget and emergency deficit control act of 1985. we have a piece of legislation that tells us the guidelines and

the timetables that we should do that to run this great country of ours. by april 1 the senate budget committee needs to report their budget resolution. by april 15 the house and senate need to reconcile the differences they may have in their budgets. and then by september 30, we must approve all spending bills. and simply saying we shouldn't go home until we get it done. we really shouldn't. if we don't pass a budget, we as the elected leaders from the president all the way down, we shouldn't get paid, period. think about this. the american workers they don't get paid if they don't get their job done. they don't get paid if they don't work. and neither should any of us. i don't know how ever to make us follow the guidelines. we have a piece of legislation we haven't followed since 1985. so the only thing i know is maybe the money would stop us from not doing our job and start doing our job.

that's why earlier year i was proud to introduce the budget no pay act to hold members of congress accountable and we should do our job or not get paid. i've introduced as common sense, tom coburn, my dear friend and god rest his soul from oklahoma, we started this in 2011. i got here. tom said i think it's something you would like, joe. i jumped on it with tom and have been on it ever since. the continued weaponization of the debt and deficit and the political games we all play need to stop. they need to stop. this may seem like common sense to most americans, it will be a huge accomplishment for congress if we just operated in a timely fashion. the savings would be great and no one has to bear any cuts just to get it done on time. talk to the military. talk to anybody. how devastating cr's are, continuing resolutions, omnibus bills at the end, all the things that happen. it's been 20 years since we passed a budget on time.

we haven't had a real budget at all, even a late one since 2016. a late one 2016 but we haven't had a real budget in 20 years. i don't know how everybody else does but i can tell you, if you're out of sync that bad, you better sit down and work something out. last year neither the house nor the senate budget committee even bothered to pass a budget out of the committee. even bothered to do one. it's unbelievable. and if you're listening at home and this sounds absolutely pathetic and crazy, that's because it is. no one is holding our feet to the fire. we're not holding our own feet to the fire. it's unacceptable we run the single largest entity in the universe without a budget in place. let me tell you, any household and any business that does not recognize what their income and outgo is are not going to be in business long. you're not going to be profitable. you'll probably be bankrupt as an individual. 21 years of running deficits. can't do it as an individual or

a business can't do it. nobody in this type of an economy and this type of structure of a government can operate and survive. as governor i used to hold weekly -- and governors are response because i think there are 46 states that have a balanced budget amendment. that means we as a chief executive officer in our states are responsible for balancing the budget. we sit down every week like clockwork, my financial people would come to my office every tuesday afternoon. it was baked in every day. every tuesday. and we would sit down and go over any adjustments that might need to be made and we've been making. when the financial crisis hit in 2008 and 2009, we were doing it sometimes ties a day for stay ahead of the curve by not falling into the trap and having a deficit. we had to make tough cuts but we lived through t. west virginians came through it and we were better financially than ever blf because we stayed ahead of the curve. now as united states senator, i'm embarrassed to say not only are we not living within our means, we don't want to discuss it and talk about it, would the

problems may be. we need to stop digging our heels in and work our differences. when it comes to dealing and with controlling our spending and lifting the debt celling. at least we can talk about it. at least we can agree that we have a problem. at least we can come together and find out how did we get to where we are so quickly. maybe we can put together together some ideas so we can create long-lasting legislation and create fiscal accountability. congressperson jeffries and house speaker mccarthy need to put it up for a vote. this needs to p a the debt ceiling clock is ticking. can't afford to wait any longer. we need to serve as true fiduciaries for our country. projections are that in a few short years, the national debt as a share of the economy will be the highest it has ever been

in the history of this country. the debt will exceed -- will exceed -- the prior record of 106% of gdp, which we set after world war ii. think about when we were the highest debt ever until now, the highest debt, and what happened to cause that debt. the united states of america entered the war on all fronts. we saved the world from fascism. we basically helped rebuild europe. we had something to show for that. what do we have to show for it now? what do we truly have to show forethe debt that we've incurred right now? most use 2050 as a benchmark. you pick whatever you've heard, the 2050 that you may fit in. but 2050 has been the high-water mark. if we continue down the path that we're on, we will have accumulated by 2050 nearly $130

trillion of public debt. we're $31.46 trillion right now. just to service the interest on the debt, just to service the interest on the debt will be $5 trillion a year. this is by c.b.o. this is not me or anybody else coming up and trying to scare the -- this is what these young americans are going to be trying to facing by 2050. not only that someone can tell me that this could even be plausible, but think about -- think about everyone here, think about everyone in this great body, think about your family, think about your constituents. our national debt weakens our economy, our security, it weakens the trust americans have in their government and it weakens our role in the world. it weakens our role in the world. and i'll tell you, my grandfather again -- papa said, unmanaged debt, which we have a runaway train right now --

unmanaged debt we'll make curdle -- cowardly decisions. i'm asking all of you to join me in calling for, first, an honest public sector without accounting tricks. a short-term deal to bring down our out-of-control spending right now this year. and a plan to deal with our longer-term fiscal challenges. the common sense approach offers the accountability americans want, the responsibility approach that we need and the results that we deserve. my constituents have begun to ask me, how serious a crisis can we face if we continue to ignore our nation's debt? i think he have he laid out the seriousness of our financial situation if we continue on the path we're on. from president washington to a more modern-day warning from our then-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff in 2011 admiral mike mullin, my first armed

services meeting. he was testifying before the senate armed services. he was asked the question, what's the greatest threat our nation faces? we thought it was going to be china, russia, whatever it may be. without skipping a beat, without missing a reasonable doubt would, he said, the debt of our nation is the greatest -- greatest threat that we face, the debt of our nation. just like the warning of our founding fathers in his farewell address, those words are even truer today than they were then. if you love your children, if you love this country, you'll stop the madness and start acting reasonably and responsibly to get our government's financial house in order. it's long past due. the partisan politics can wait. there's always times to have arguments and disagreements. but the looming debt crisis cannot. it cannot basically have the disruption that we have and the discourse and political toxic atmosphere that we have here. we've got to come together for sake of our great country. so as i close, i want to say,

may god bless -- which he has blessed this great country -- and by all means help the united states of america to be even better than we are today. thank you, mr. president. and i yield the floor. mr. cornyn: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cornyn: mr. president, during my time in the senate and even prior when i had the honor of serving as texas attorney general, i spent a lot of time in our border communities working with the mayors, county judges, private landowners, not governmental organizations and law enforcement at every level. the majority of these men and women have lived along the texas-mexico border for their entire lives. they've witnessed the impact of policies from washington from different administrations. they've seen spikes and dips in

migration. they've reaped the benefits of legitimate trade and commerce. and they've dealt with the consequences of security failures. in short, they've seen a lot. but virtually everyone agrees that they've never seen anything like president biden's present border crisis. over the first two years of the biden administration, we've broken one record after another when it comes to migration. here are some shocking statistics -- u.s. customs and border protection logged nearly 2.4 million border crossings during a single year. during one month alone, the agency encountered more than a quarter of a million migrants. the scope and scale of this crisis is absolutely unprecedented, and it's having a major impact on our border security missions.

when highly trained and professional border patrol agents are spending their time passing out meals and doing administrative tasks, they aren't able to do what they trained for, which they want to do, which is to stop drugs like fentanyl, which killed more than 70,000 americans last year alone. i was able to meet with some parents who lost their teenage children to fentanyl poisoning last week in hayes county school district right outside of austin, texas. it was among the most emotional events that i've ever atensed because these parent -- attended because these parents had happy, healthy children going to high school who took something that they thought was a relatively innocuous pill, only to find out it was contaminated with a

minute amount of fentanyl, and it took their lives. these parents want us to stop the flow of these drugs across the southwestern border. well, when the border patrol is not on the front lines, they're not able to stop the transnational criminals, the cartels, or other people on the watch list from sneaking that the united states. a few weeks ago i traveled with a bipartisan dell nation of senators -- delegation to senators to el paso and then to yuma, a sleepy little agricultural community. and the border patrol sector chief told us that they encountered people speaking as many as 200 languages from 176 different countries at that little sleepy border community

in southwestern arizona. well, as it turns out, there is a major airport in mexicali, in northern mexico, just across from yuma, and people are literally flying there from around the world and turning -- from around the world around turning up at the border asylum. these are people exploiting the vulnerabilities in our system. something we can and should fix. but so far there's been no cooperation in order to fix our broken asylum system. over the years i've had the pleasure of taking a number of colleagues to the texas southern border to see these dynamics up close and learn from the experts on the ground. the distinguished presiding officer comes from a border

state and i must say, my impression is that for many people who don't live in a border state or have the experience that we have as border state senators, most of what they think they know about the border they've learned in movies or by reading novels. in other words, it's not reality. well, that's why it's so important to go to the border. as i mentioned, in january a bipartisan group of seven of our colleagues joined me in el paso and then yuma, but in el paso, a place where president biden finally visited the day before we got there, the circumstances were so severe that migrants were sleeping on city sidewalks in freezing temperatures because shelters were at a capacity. they've been overwhelmed, like everything else on the border. my colleagues were able to see

themselves the impact of this crisis on law enforcement, on the nonprofit organizations like catholic charities and others who are trying to help these migrants in very difficult circumstances. it was a busy and productive trip, but i'm eager to return this evening to the texas southern border with another group of colleagues -- senators thune from south dakota, senator wicker from mississippi, senators fischer and ricketts from nebraska, and senator britt from alabama will join me for a series of tours and meetings in the rio grande valley starting this evening. we'll receive a tour of the border from some of the dedicated law enforcement officials who protected -- who protect it. we'll get a look at one of the border processing centers and learn about the challenges they're facing due to the sheer

volume of miggens agrees crossing -- volume of migrants crossing the border every day. one reason for this increase is not because of poverty or credit violence in communities in central america, it's because of what the border patrol calls a pull factor. that you can come to america's doorstep and make your way into the united states and live the rest of the your life because there are no consequences to coming to the united states outside of a legal, orderly, human process. that's why we're seeing this unprecedented border crisis; as a result of those policies and that perception, which is reality. we'll talk to local law enforcement officials as well, the sheriffs, the private landowners on how this flood of humanity is being -- is

impacting their communities. we'll receive briefings about efforts to secure the border. we had attorney general garland testifying -- testifying in front of the judiciary committee yesterday and we asked him about the 108,000 americans who died as a result of overdoses from drugs that come across the southwestern border, and he said, we will well, we're -- well, we're doing everything we can. eventually he said, well, we need more money. and then he said, well, this isn't really my job. he said, that's the job of the department of homeland security. in other words, he was passing the buck and, meanwhile, the flood of humanity continues and the flood of deadly drugs continue as well. but it's important that as many senators as possible see and understand the dynamics of what's happening. if we're going to have a shot at

fixing this mess, which can only happen on a bipartisan basis, then everyone needs to know what we're up against. i appreciate my colleagues -- these colleagues as well as other colleagues who've taken the time to visit the border and learn from the people who know it best. they are the true experts, and i'm grateful for everything they do to promote the security and prosperity of our border communities. i'm especially thankful that they take the time to share their perspective with our other senate colleagues, so we can work together to hopefully, finally address this crisis. mr. president, on another matter , today is texas independence day. a day for texans to celebrate our unique history and honor the brave men and women who shaped it. it was 187 years ago on march the 2nd, 1836 that texas

adopted its declaration of independence from mexico. if you read that declaration of independence in 1836, it bears a lot of similarities to what our founding fathers declared when they declared their independence from england. but independence from mexico happened in the context of the struggle perhaps best remembered by the battle of the alamo which laid some of the groundwork for eventual victory. one courageous defender of the alamo was a man named william bart travis, a lieutenant colonel in the texas army. during the battle, his fellow soldiers were outnumbered ten to one. ten to one by the forces of mexican dictator antonio lopez desanta ana. on february 24 of that year with his position under siege, lieutenant colonel travis wrote

a letter pleading for reinforcements. and i'd like to read it. it was addressed to the people of texas and all americans in the world. fellow citizens and compatriots, he wrote. i am besieged, by a thousand or more of the mexicans under santa anna. i have sustained a continual bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. the enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion. otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. i have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. i shall never surrender or retreat. then i call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and of everything dear to the american character, to come to

our aid, with all dispatch. the enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to 3,000 or 4,000 in four or five days. if this call is neglected, i am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country. victory or death. signed: william barrett travis, the travis letter is one of the most treasured documents in texas history and it lays bare the ideals and character of the people who founded our state. people characterized by their courage, by their sacrifice, by their devotion, by their fortitude. and as deep and strong and

enduring since of independence. here in the senate, both democrats and republicans from texas have had the honor of reading the fabled travis letter over the years. this tradition actually goes back to senator john tower, who began his career in the senate in 1961. i'm glad that tradition continues today to ensure that the words of william barret travis live on and the generations of texans and americans can appreciate the courage and sacrifice they demonstrated at that time. so today i'd like to express my gratitude for these texas patriots, many of whom would later serve in the united states congress, including sam houston, whose senate seat i'm honored to now occupy. their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. mr. president, i yield the floor.

the presiding officer: the senator from colorado. mr. bennet: thank you, mr. president. i wanted to come to the floor and share a few words about an upcoming vote we're going to have this afternoon, i guess it will be now, on gordon gallagher, president biden's nominee for the u.s. district court for the district of colorado. judge gallagher comes to this floor with a stellar reputation in colorado and nearly 25 years in service to others.

as a defense attorney for both indigent and paying defendants, a prosecutor in mesa county, and as united states magistrate judge for the district of colorado. the judge credits his devotion to public service to his grandfather who served as an air navigator during the second world war and was shot down over eastern europe on its 49th mission. after the war, gordon's grandfather came home to continue the fight for america's highest ideals, working to integrate housing in his local community. and his example stuck with gordon, so he did a family tripy trip to colorado when gordon was just 8 or 9, like everybody who comes to our state, he fell in love with it and fell in love with the rocky mountains. after years later as a student at mcalster, he fell in love

with a coloradan, his wife christine. gordon would eventually follow christine back to colorado where he earned a law degree from the university of denver. after graduating, gordon practiced in a law firm representing small businesses and served for nearly four years as deputy district attorney for mesa county, colorado. later he launched his own firm as a defense practitioner and began working with the office of alternative defense counsel, representing clients who couldn't afford their representation. he spent over a decade in this role, fighting for the american ideal that everyone, no matter what their means, deserves equal representation before the law. in 2012, gordon was appointed a part-time magistrate judge, the united states district court for the district of colorado, a position he holds to this day. senator hickenlooper and i

recommend judge gallagher to this position because unlike anyone currently on the district court, he has spent the majority of his career on the western slope of colorado, a rural mountainous part of our state, with a specific perspective on issues that range from public lands to natural resourceses to federal regulation. we need that perspective on the federal bench. it's been too long. we haven't had an appointee from the western slope of colorado in over 30 years. judge gallagher is the perfect nominee to bring that perspective to the bench. over his career on the west slope, gordon's work ranged from representing a young man charged with manslaughter of his best friend to securing rehabilitative services for members of the southern ute and mountain ute tribes to hearing traffic complaints in small-town courts because sheep herders

blocked the local highway. i know i'm not saying anything that the presiding officer hasn't seen in new mexico. as a presiding judge, gordon has presided over most stages of a felony docket from motions and pleas, post conviction proceedings and sentencing, a level of participation in federal criminal cases far beyond a typical magistrate judge. he has worked on a vast array of issues including criminal, civil, patent, pro se and environmental legislation including many cases with difficult trade-offs between natural resources extraction, conservation and recreation. these issues are common for the u.s. district court for colorado and they require someone with judge gallagher's deep and direct experience. more than that, everyone we have spoken with tells us how much judge gallagher enjoys being on the court and how he cherishes the opportunity to serve our country just like his grandfather. judge gallagher's entire career

has prepared him for this position. he has proven his character. his integrity and legal acumen over a distinguished 25-year career. he has my full and enthusiastic support. i want to thank my fellow colleagues on the judiciary committee for advancing his nomination with overwhelming bipartisan support. they saw what an exceptional judge he would make, and i wholeheartedly agree. i hope we'll have a large bipartisan support, vote to support judge gallagher in his confirmation. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the question occurs on the nomination. is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote:

vote:

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the presiding officer: on this vote, the yeas a 50, the nays

are 41. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary. gordon p. gallagher of colorado to be united states district judge for the district of colorado. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the senate stands in recess until 1:45.