the commercial unmanned aircraft systems, the uas, both commercial but in some respects even military, conventional grade -- >> you can watch the rest of this program if you go to our website c-span.org. we will leave it here to keep our over 45 year commitment to live gavel to gavel congressional coverage and take you to the u.s. senate this afternoon. live coverage here on c-span2. the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. the chapla, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. great are your mercies for us,

for you are a god of compassion. all day long we put our hope in you. ank you for fueling this hope with your compassion and unfailing love. gi us the humility to depend on your guidance as we strive to live for your glory. lord, forgive us for our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. use our lawmakers to accompli your rposes, as you shothem the path they should choose. remind them that you are a

friend to those who choose to do your will. we pray in your marvous name. amen. the presiding ofcer: please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. i edge allegiance to the fla of the united states of america, and to the republic for which ittands, one tion under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the presiding officer: the clerk will read a communication to the senate. the clerk: washington, d.c. november 18, 2024. to the senate: under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standi rus of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable tammy duckrth, aenator from perform the duties of the chair. signedpatty rray,

president pro tempore. the presiding officer: 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, embry j. ki, of florida, to be united states circuit judge for the 11th circuit.

support this allf us admired. for your leadership. over the past five years a wireless champion. prosperity is.

his letter for it. important work that morning ideas. i'm glad to be with leonard. the state. by any definition among the greatest intellectuals. the operation and engagement of

academics and vietnam era foreign policy shows ratr modestly define the role split genera ability on which it has no particular confidence. [laughter] observed writing aut economics expert working in this field is not asking intellectual wha simply a professional. inspire work for intellectuals and professional scholarships both disciplinary very the

expertise. the american ideals. all to the credit o execution order so once again i'm grateful for my time in washiton and institutions in a briefly shared our agents. the first thing is in during ideas in the. i'm sure last year's would agree

an idea worthy of an editorial page like work, straininghe will of the majority. the united states and it would take american leadehip security a prosperit, and idea you underpinned partnerships and relationships god willi, simply smart to come. it's impossibleo preserve visions that skip that. it's notecause anyone in thi roomedialveryone of this.

perhaps those on both the left and the rightor film american prophecy has become a dirty word. the power is no lger about preserving power exceptionalism but instead it's fine. abandon the pursuit of knowledge and indoctrination professional scholarship to lower institutions ideas and around dividuals.

ideas from before institutions. the truths simply inescapable. ere is evidence b what's most certainly not isnforcing fusions defending. people in theenate of these ideas. [laughter] [applause] in the institutions in the

ignition within the debate and it has built o this. it was clear to me if you want to defend this lacunae to protect the evidence exercising the right to political speech. take you to politically uncoortable places. i have those directions on political speech and campaigns and adds only amendment.

[laughter] the's no one's about as unpopular ashey come. unprecedented in america. [applause] democrats on the supreme court and republicans and they didn't care for me eitr. that is the impossie but we don't get the ideas without risk of the instituon themselves, that must have been even more

vividly there in the fight to preserve minorities protections in theenate. he told me 851 of the most consequential debates would be scrapping the legislative filibuster for unlimited debate. in 1994 in the senate the filibuster and now the republican voted for it plus respect for an institution. [appuse]

will serve the nation for concert fences, the broad coalition. yet in two years ago our democrat colleaguesith these characteristics and the senate filibuster for short-ter gain. [applause]

[applause] their founding service and the federal judiciary, it was never mentioned. the 90-year-old package. an institution betrayed fundamental misunderstanding of the idea o which they assign.

thank goodness the sate is empowering, blocking the court preventing the withholding of security funding and theonsent on nominees to misunderstandhe role of a judge. advancement first and foremost

the product america. [applause] [applause] evidencef prosperity here at home. the underpins of the most successf military alliance in world history. [laughter] is. [applaus the bravest in this political

moment and listen. america's closest allies american-led security cooperation nlecting their own responsibilities but here in washington, the institution of american leadership. members of my own party contend that somehow markets of adversaries.

it is throughout american history. 37% of gdp. 37% ofdp. in korea 37% of gdp. it is far more costly than pouring. but today we spent less than 3%

an american leadership. it is even more impossible today. it is world's progress. leader. mr. schumer: madam president, the senate gavelsn this week with a lot to do. off the floor we'll keep working on government funding, the ndaa, and try to move the ball forward on a farm bill and helping communities battered by disaster. and on the floor, the senate will focus this week on confirming more of president biden's judicial nominees. the majority will keep working to confirm as many of president biden's judicial nominees as we can before the end of the year.

that will be one of the senate's top priorities. we'll begin today by voting on the confirmation of embry kidd to ser as circuit court judge for the 11th circuit. judge kidd boasts an impressively legal else may and is exceptionally qualified to serve on the feral bench. i'm confident he'll make a great addition to the 11th circuit. if confirmed judge kidd would be the 45th circuit judge in the -- and the 216th federal judge confirmed to a lifetime appointment under president biden and this senate democratic majority. the judges we've confirmed represent perhaps the widest range of backgrounds and experiences ever seen under any president. we have more judges that worked as pubc defenders, legal aid atrneys, civil rights lawyers, federal prosecute oars -- prosecutors, voting rights and more people of color than we've ever had under one administration. and after we vote today, we'll keep going. tonight i'll file an additional

judges who will move forward on this floor this week. we also have several nominees coming out of the judiciary committee on thursday. and we'll workuickly to move them out of this chip better and on to -- chamber and on to the bench. let me repeat. e senate is going to keep prioritizing judicial and administrative confirmations this week, this month, and for the rest of the year. now, on disaster aid. in addition to confirming more judges and administrate officials, the sene alsoas much 230 do on the legislative side. we must keep the governmt open after december 20. we mus pass the annual defense authorization bill, the ndaa just as we've done for over six decades. we hope t keep making progress on the farm bill. i see the senator from michigan here. and she's working diligently on that. but today i want to focus on disaster aid, something both democrats and republicans have long supported and which impacts

people in every state of the country. earlier today, the office of management and budget released a letter addressed to congress calling for swift actn on disaster aid. along with a detailed breakdown of where thatoney is needed. right now a host of federal programs from various agencies are running critically low on the funding they need to function. in some cases like the sba, small business administration, funding is already dried up. without congressional action, the federal government may not be ready to respond to the next wave of disasters when they strike. without congressional action, communities that are trying desperately to rebuildill be left in the lurch. many of the programs in need of replenishing focus on the long-term elements of disaster recovery. when disaster strikes, obviously e first priority is getting people out of danger, providing for their immediate needs, but then homes need to be rebuilt,

schools need to be reopened, farmers need to help recover for their losses for crops, roads and bridges and railways need funding for repatience businesses need -- repairs,bitions need loans to get back on their feet. all of these priorities are running critically low on federal dollars. a month ago speaker johnson said that getting disaster aid would be a priority upon his congress's return this month. i hope the speaker honors that commitment and works with democrats to get disaster aid done as soon as we can. we should not kick the dan down the road or withhold vital resources to properly help communities. it is a long-standing tradition that when any community is hit by disaster in this great country, we all rabble did i together -- rally together to help our fellow americans. with just a few exceptions, this has almost been nonpartisan many. that's how it should be on issues like this that impact communities of all kinds and in all places.

we must work together to get disaster aid done as soon as possible so that we'll be ready the next time disaster strikes. i yield the floor. and i note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

give us all the credit but the cost of living and open border. from the current administration. not that we didn't run a better campaign without mostly give credit terrible administration

for four years. [lghter] 's. >> one of the things is that you're stepping down as leader but not going well. you'll be in the senate two years what are you most worried about the. >> we have collected sharing purpose and the ukrainians.

and they are all talking to the. and i'm going to bail and megan had a right. rength and well below that 77 77%. >> that's longer-term but there's a war going on in ukraine.

what are your specs? >> i think the most important thing russia,. pplause] [applause] >> i felt all along tried to tell them what success is rain is what they can and do. they have to live in their.

in ukraine and israel they are to say what victory i ction. . mr. mcconnell: i've spoken before about the ongoing campaign to undermine the federal judiciary. left-wing activists and elected colleagues alike continue to make their disapproval of constitutional orthodoxy known at all levels. and federal judges who are worried about where things are headed are in a bind. they can't retaliate using their office because they swore an oath to uphold the law without

respect to persons. they can't go on social media to defend themselves or put out press statements. that's because the american people rightly expect their judges to focus on deciding cases, interpreting the law, and not engaging inrisis commications. ofourse orbing the founders -- of course, the founders anticipated somef this dynamic by giving feral judge life tenure. they hold theirffices until they give them up, regardless of how loudly law professor may complain. so recen unanswered attacks may not have professional

consequences for individual judges, but they do have an alarming effect on the judiciary as a wle. the article iii brah lks congress' power of purse, it can't exercise fce like the presidt. legitimacy of its judgments or its power -- for its power, and ese constant attacks are designed to erodehat legitimacy. leftist law professor and journalists attack the urts, they know they can affect the stitutn while their targets have to jt sit there and take it. and that's why i'm so vocal and consistent in my dense of the

federal judiciary. tables turn.ery rarely, the sometimes a judge does get a chance to resnd to tse who seek to undermine the integrity the judiciary. it actually happened just last week. at the latest federal socty conventi, judge edith jones of the fifth circuit was on a panel of one of the field. mr. marshall: -- mcconnell. mr. mcconnell: many of our colleagues who know judge jones wouldn't be surprised to hear that in this academic context she let the law professor have it. when he complained that this is unfair and he wanted to talk about abstract legal principles

of judicial integrity, she pulled out his tweets denigratin conservate judges in texas. the reaction from liberals in the legal academy, although i repeat myself, was outrage. how re, they said, a judge of tongue lashing they give conservative judges every day? when they're the ones that get punched right in the nose. soudos to judge jones for stanng up for her colleagues. she proved yet again why she is shea a lion of the bench and even if organizations like the american bar assiation and the american law institute continue to refuse to defend the judiciaryrom partisan attacks, our federal judges can know that

i at least wilbe in their corner. now, on another matter, i'd like to pay tribute to an organization that has dedicated 40 yrs to protecting america's children. the national center for missing and exploited children has saved literally thousands of lives, and i hold it in particular high regard because its roots run deep in kentucky. over 40 years ago, when i was a local -- politician the issue had yet to receive the national focus it deserved. thankfully two public servants, ernie allen and john raven, had vision and drive on this issue when few others did. john and ernie proposed to me

that jefferson county create a special unit brinling -- bridging local services and law enforcement to combat the problem. together i believe we created the first police social services team in the nation dedicated to working child abduction and exploitation cases. the team pioneered new techniques like a statewide finger printing effort that met much success, enough success in fact that other jurisdictions adopted our model eventually leing congress to establish a national center in 1984. today the nationa center quarterbacks platforms like amber alerts, an essential tip line mobilizing datand child welfare professionals to help thousands of families avert tragedy.

to date their work has directly led to the recovery of over 400,000 children. last year they recorded a success rate of 88%. so i'm honored to recognize the national center for missing and exploited children on 40 years of immense service to our country. i know parents all across america are thankful for the peace of mind that should the unspeakable ever occu this fine organization stands ready to bring their children home.

a senator: madamesident. the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. msstabenow: thank you, madam president. for more than two years i've been worki with colleagues on both sides of the aisle toass my sixth farm bill, the third one that i've either been chair or ranking member ofs chair of the senateommittee on forestry.re and nutrition and i met with farmers aoss the country who have made clear that crop insurance is their number-one risk management tool. farmers who made clear tt a farm safety net must be the backbone of support for all

farmers and not just a handful of mostly southerncommodities. i metith families who are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet, as food insecurity in our country continues to grow. and i've met with rural communitiesho are struggling to access the bas things they need to thrive, like access to health care, including mental health, child care, clean drinking water, and high-speed internet that we are all working to addres the farm bill has alway been the place where we put the power of the feder government at support farmers and families and communities. that is the coalition that has always been the foundation of a successful bipartisan farm bill.

in may, the house released a proposal that would put immense taxper resources into a handfulf mostly southern commodity programs. i'm not saying that is don't need support.se farmers they do, but it can't be athe expense of millions of other farmers and ranchers in this country, farme in theiddle of the country, farmers who grow frts and vegetables, who run smaller and diversified operations or lack access to the tools and support that is overwhelmingly favored in the house bill. d the lar increases in farm subsies should not be paid for on the backs of families in need. or the broader needs of our small towns and rural communities. in the spring i unveiled our

decratic proposal, a 90-pe section-by-secon bill to try to refocus our negotiations on holding the farm bill clition together and actually getting a bill passed. not robng peter to pay paul, but instead taking a balanced approach that supports all of agriculture, our families, and rural communities across the country. but unfortunately thidid not spark the serious negotiation i hoped for in order to put forward a bipartisan fm bill that can both pass the house, pass the senatend be sned by e president of the united states. so today i'm introducing my rural prosperity and food security act, a 1,397 page bill, madam president. this is it. this is a tremendous amount of

hard work that's gone on both from my staff -- and i want to than an incredibly smar creative team of people and great staff on both sides of the aislehat have worked with us, an olleagues on both sides of the aisle. this particular farm bill has over 100 bipartisan bills incorporated init. and this is the fl text of the farm bill that i believe should pass and cass pan, and -- and can pass a needs to be passed for our farmers and others so impacted by the farm bill. it's a robus bill. it includes $39 billion in new resources above the farm bill baseline. $39 billion me in funding above the normal farm bill seline it puts more farm in the farm

billor allf our commodities, not at the expense, though, of rural communities or american families that are critical to together.he farm bill coalition it provides farmers with the certainty of a five-year farm bill. d this is really important. we can do ad hoc help, but our faers need the certainty of five-year policy so they can go to the bank, so they can get the financing they ne, so they can know how to plan. so this does that, and at the same time responding to current needs, we're going to move up payments so thate can respond now to more urgent needs. right no that need to happen. also authorizes a permanent disaster program to ensure we have a process in place when disasters like hurricanes,

helene and milton strike. and this new program will put a consistent pross in place so faers have certainty, and the usda can get the money out the door. no more scam belling. no more leaving farrs behind. our farmers deserve this. it also makes a significant investment in title 1 for the 22 row crops that receive the lion's share of the resources availablen the house proposal. we know, i know republican colleagues primarily are focused on title 1. and so we do a number of things to be able to increase support. we me up agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage program payments by six months, so that farmers receive assistance faster so they can keep their operations going. one of the things that i've been concerned about w so much

reliance is it doesn't pay out for aear and a half or two years. so we have farmers that need help now, and we can fix that by putting dollars into speeding up the payments. and that's what we do in this bill. it also increases the effective reference prices tt trigger help by as much as 15%, with all 22 commodities getting at least a 5% increase for the fir tim in a decade. the rural prosperity and food improve crop insurance, ain, the number-one risk management tool that fmers have told us ey want -- crop insurance. it makes it more affdable and ensures that all farmers have access to this critical to. it provides more coverage to more farmers at a lower cost. this crop insurance responds

program and it's important that we continue to make that as affordable as possible. importantly, i include a prision that will parally reimrse farmers crop insurce premiums and what's called n.a.p. fees to put cash in need it right now.ho urgently we can use the structure in policies of a farm bill rathe than ad hoc asstance and jus move up the payments, provide more assistance right now and do it while we're passing a five-yea farm bill. that's what we shld be doing. the bill strengthens support for specialty crops whichre almost half of what we grow, madam president, our fruits, vegetables, nuts and horticulture in this country. it it strengthens support for specialty crops.

sures farmers have the support they need t make sure we've got american fruits and vegetables on our tables this is a significant investment in all fmers and all of agriculture becauserankly farming is one of the riskiest businesses out there. maybe the riskiest. i don't know if other people get up and look at the weather every day to try to figure out what's going to be happening for them. but it's getting even riskier now because o what's happening with the climate crisis, and we know that. the majority leader was talking about disaster assistance being put out. critical, i strongly support it for farmers as well as for communities. but that' going to get more and more and more because owhat's ppening in the atmosphere and what's hpening with climate change. how many once-ia generation storms or dughts need to hit our farmers over the head before we take this csis seriously? this bill will roll t historic

investment we mad in the flation reduction act into the farm bill baseline for the future. we take dollars for voluntary conservaon programs that e farmers are using. right now that is outside the farm bill seline. we can make a tremendous, tremendous move forward for farmers by moving it io the farm bill baseline while keeping the language regarding climate. popular voluntary conservation programs that goirectly to farmers, that's whate're lking abou and this will make our farmers more resilient because it's very simple. you put more carbon in e ground, you have healthier soil. you take more carbon out of the atmosphere, it's healthier for everybody. so this is a win-win, and we growers and embrace thert our

made.tments tha we have already i also am including new investments in biofuels. i see our preding officer, who has been such a leader in illiis and acrs the country. so important for jobs, so important a another place in which we ca have a cleaner environment and cleaner fuels and more bs. we put more into the loan programs and local foods, ade. the list goes on and on, including a down pment on a much-needed ag research moonshot. we need reinvesting in the ture o agriculture and the future of our food supply. but a fm bill is not just about investing i our farmers and ranchers. but it's also about investing in the communities they call home. we know that rural communities are shrinking, and it's getting harder and harder to pass the farm on to the next generation.

and ts bill, we are betting that rural prosperity is it improves quality of life for rural families by improving rural health care, including mental health services. also child care, rural child care, which is so critical and so often not available. it grows the middle class by creating good-paying jobs in manufacturing and entrepreneurial shp and small businesses in rural america. it increases our investment in connecting communities to high-speed internet, which everyone in this chamber agrees is essential to our success in thworld. whether it's a chi being able to do her homework or a chi being able to see a doctor or a small business being able to access the rket, beyond their

rule main street, that all starts with reliable high-speed internet. we made joorj steps in the infrastructure bill we staffed, but there's more to be done and there's more focus to be put on the rural communities to get that done. and this bill makes sure that rural communities are not left behind when it comes to federal government. ces of the when it comes to securing federal grants, i know my hometown can't compete with detroit when it comes to staffing. so we leveled the playing field by investing in the resources rural communities need to compete for hiring grant writers and planners and advisors to provide technical assistance so that they can get the resources that they need. and, finally, it's discouraging to me that the needs have

families -- of nds of families have been lost in this debate over the last two years. yes, the farbill must support the farmers, yet, the farm bill must ensure that farming in pa rural -- and a rural way of life can thrive today and into the future. yes, the farm bill is where we put the support of the american people behind the men and women who feed and cloth and fuel this country. and i would challenge anyone to look at my record as the leader of the senate aginga -- agriculture, nutrition and forestry commission and say with a straight face i'm n stalwart behind farmers and ranchers. but there's also the mom who is single and needs a little bit of

help to put food on the table for her kids so her children can thrive. at a time when food insecurity rates in our country have increased for the second year in a row, it's absolutely unacceptable for anyone to attempt to cut snap and other nutrition programs. i refuse to leave this mom behind, not on my watch. we should be investing in the farm bill nutrition programs that are at the heart of the family safety net in this country. our rural psperity and food security act does that. it does that. and lays the groundwork to see a future where we could actually end hunger in america, it protts nutrition assistance and draws a clear line in the sand that we will not wk away

from the progress we have made to keep families fed in this country. this is a bill that keeps farmers farming and families fed and rural communities strong, all of which are critically, critically important. and it is a rust bill that is paid for by using the same resources our republican colleagues in the house used to pay for their ll. but we don't divide the broad bipartisan coalition that's the foundation of the farm bill to do it. in my time leading democrats on the committee, i locked arms with republican leaders, like senator pat roberts to defend programs that may not have been my priority, but it meant holding the coalition together. that's how you get legislation done, that's how you do it on a

bipartisan basis. farm bills failed to pass the house in 2012 and 2018 because republicans included cutting food assistance in their bill to pass it. n't have the votes they couldn't pass it. in 2018 the farm bill passed the senate with an historic 87 votes, and the only no votes were 13 nays by republicans. just let me underscore that. so we know how to do this and get a bipartisan bill done. it is -- that is robust for our farmers and ranchers and communities and our families. now, frankly, today, as i look to the future and what comes if we don't get a farm bill done, i

have a lot of question marks because front025, the road map for the incoming trump adminiration, actually eliminating our plc. the very programs the house republicans make their top priority. it would also gut crop insurance. it would terminate u.s. sugar production and slash trade programs. i don't know what's going to happen to that. maybe nothing. but it should worry everybody that that's the vision that is out there, and frankly, i think that's why it's no secret why the house farm bill that came out of committee on a primarily bipartisan vote last spring has not been put up for a house vote on the house floor. because i don't think, be and

republicans tell me, they don't have the republican votes to pass it. the last time i checked, the chamber will be similarly divided next congress. in the 119th. so i would encourage my republican colleagues to join with us -- to join with me t get this done now. to do what we need to do for farmers, provide they senator, provide -- certainty, and more help. to do it now. i encourage my republican colleagues to rethink their proposal to make the largest cut to the supplemental nutrition program in more than 30 years, that's not the way we get a bill done. i would encourage them to join us to pass a meaningful five-year farm ll now. there's no reason we cannot and

a bill that provides immediate assistance within the farm bill for what our farmers need. the rural prosperity and food security act is robust, adding 9 billion to the farm bill baseline. it's bipartisan with over 100 bipartisan bills included. and it balances the needs of farmers, ranchers, families, and rural communities. coalition together which is critical for the future of any farm bill. and i firmly believe that it is the best and probably the only pass to pass -- path to pass a five-year farm bill this year. i urge myolagues to come together and consider this bill seriously. thank you, madam president. i yield the floor.

mr. durbin: madam president. the presiding officer: the senior senator from illinois. mr. durbin: madam president, i hope that many people tuned into the presentation that senator stabenow just made. those of us who serve in the united states senate know as chairman of the senate agriculture committee, she not only walks the walk, she talks the talk. she has passed a farm bill, no mean fe, she has showner own expertise in achieving that goal and her understanding of a very complex piece of legislation. would the senator from michigan yield for a question? ms. stabenow: yes, absolutely. mr. durbin: could you be kind enough to say for the record when the current farm bill expires. . stabenow: the current farm bill sxierls at the -- expires at the end of december.

mr. durbin: would youxplain to those who a not familiar with what happens if we do nothing. ms. abenow: if we do nothing, then a number o programs revert to what is called a depression e era policy and there is something called the dairy cliff whh is what my are worried about because it would go to a pre structure that would throw the dairy industry into heaval. mr. durbin: when you say depression era programs are you literally talking about the 1930's? ms. stabenow: yes, it throws it back to policies of the 1930's. mr. durbin: and dire consequences for dairy interests, for example? ms. stabenow: yes. mr. durbin: if we fail to come together on a bipartisan basis before t end of the year that is what we will face with the new administration? ms. stabenow: yes, we could pass

an extension and throw this into the lap of everyone next year. it doesn't do anything for the farmers, those who want do -- to ad hoc payments, we have short-term help, we have a five-year farm bill and we can get it done now, 100 bipartisan bills included in the bill. this is a bipartisan effort even know not -- though not endorsed on a bipartisa basis. our farmers and ranchers would be better if we get this done. mr. durbin: onhe senate's hedule, we have bn told we haventil the middle of next month to do our business. ms. stabenow: right. this means now. mr. durbin: i would add t that, weave many worthy judicial nominees on the calendar to consider too. so there is a work to be done. ms. stabenow: there is.

thank you s much and thank you for being a valuabl member of the committee. i would just say where we know and you know leading judiciary committee, where there is a will, there is a way. wh people want to come together, we can get something done and get it done by the end of the year, but people have to decide they really want a bipartisan bill and are willi to come together to do that. mr. durbin: the key to that i think goes back 60 years ago when we married nutrition programs and agriculture programs so that people living in the city of chicago, for example, who hear over and over that illinois is an agriculture state, but don't have any evidence of it other than what is on the table for their family to eat, will have this bill. ms. stabenow: there is no question and we have extensive evidence that when a bill it put forward on the floor that cuts the nutrition title, it never

passes, 2012 in the house, 2018 in the house when republican colleagues only put a bill on the floor that -- that cuts nutrition, they do not get the bipartisan support and it fails every time. this feels like groundhog day to me every single time. and so i would hope that we would learnrom those lessons and do what we did in 2018 in the senate and come together and get a bipartisan bill. mr. durbin: so we all know tt making it mor difficult for families to keep food on the table. and welso know that low-income people face that. and what are the nutrition programs tt are part of the farm bill that can help them? ms. stabenow: let me say the basic program is called sn, supplemental nuttion assistance program. it's about $6 a day for an individual. so a mom gets $6, her child gets

$6. mr. durbin: that's not a lot. ms. stabenow: not when you go to the grocery store, no it certainly isn't. we added support for food banks, we add additional assisnce and incentives i you're buying fresh fruits and getables, we do some oer kinds of things, but the basic is snap and going -- we gave an update that hadn't been done in 50 years in snap in the lt farm bill and it added -- that $6 now includes $1.35hat was an update based on costs over a 50-year basis and that's what folks are arguing about. and going forward, cbo said ther would be an update every five years for snap and that's what our republican colleagues are fighting about.

mr. durbin: i see my colleag from minnesota is on the floor. i want t say this exchange is stabenow from -- senator ator abenow. we does her homework and understands there are real-life issu people face andeal people waiting for us to get our job done. thank you for doing this in moving the debate along. i hope we can get it done before the end o the year and descbed. consequences you i yield the floor. ms. klobuchar: madam president, i wouldn't to reiterate what the chief whip has said here, that senator stabenow has over and over again against all odds been able to negotiate a bipartisan bill. when you look at the pa bills, you can correct me if i've -- if

i'm wrong, it's been majority democrats in the senate on these bills well represented by the two senators from illinois who are both in this chamber today. but i just think the fact that you have over a hundred provisions in here, bipartisan, it's really important to note. because there's absolutely no way we can do this unless we do this together. and the other thing, while we're going to miss you dearly, as we go into next year we know there's going to be a major debate of tax reform which of course there should be, that will be dom nating a lot -- dominating a lot of our senate time and other issues. my concern -- and you can address this -- is that we not let this important bill which as you have pointed out and senator durbin has pointed out is so important for ag. and when we see these input costs, whether we s the weatr conditions that our farmers have been suffering through but also important f conservation efforts as well as nutrition for this nation.

and there's absolutely no way we're gng to be able to do this unless we have those three legs in this bill, not to mention t economic development and research. so i want to commend you and just ask you that one last question about how important it is that your bill includes a hundred bipartisan provisions and that we continue that work and d anythinge can to finish this by the end of the year. ms. stabenow: thankou so much. an thank you, senator klobuchar, for your current leadership and fute leadership in the area of agriculture and nutrition, forestry. i would say at any other time that putting forward a bill would be a staing point and then we'd notiate and work together whi i've been trying to do for two years. weut something out in may. we have been working and negotiating. but nowere we are. and s this is sort of - the bill is more like the end, not the beginning. this we could pass. a hundred different provisions that are bipartisan.

and more than at. there's a lot of t titles. the are 12 titles of the farm bill, as you know, and a numbe of them we have negoated. that's what's s frustrating. we have a number of those where we have a lot of agreement. there's been a lot of good work that's come together. but this one area in terms of who gets the bulk of the presources, where they go, do we continue to honor what we did on conservation as it relates to climate which is hitting farmers over the head, and do we try to pay for any ofhe -- what farmers need. and i agree. i agree. but do we en say to the mom who's getting $6 a day, you're going to pay for that. and that's when i go no. and i know you feel the same way. we've never said that. we've never said that. we've always said the resources

and nutrition stay in the nutrition title. we've also always said if you want to expand that, then lieu for savings within the tiling. so we don't -- the title. so we don't put money in or out in the nutrition title. but somehow we see this sense of being stuck. so next year -- you mentioned next year. i would just say i think this is incredibly risky for our colleagues from agriculture states who want very much to get a bill done. and i know there are many. i looked at the fact that the house has not been able to bring their house republican bill to the house of representatives which has the majority of republicans that can't pass it. and what happens next year with that. at some point it has to be bipartisan and it has to be balanced and hold the whole farm bilko willings together -- bill

coalition together. the only question is, is it now or are you in a situation amidst tax cuts and everything else next year to try to put this back together to get it done? i would say farmers need certainty now. we c move up payments and get them more help now, that there are legitimate concerns farmers have in terms of costs. we need to do that now. and i would love it if all the ag groups came in and said we want to get this done now. now, i'm not naive enough to assume that's going to happen because of the politics of the world that we're in, but from an ag standpoint it should. so i appreciate both of you very much. a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from vermont. mr. welch: i jus want to add my voice of support. why do we need a farm bill? because we need farmers. and we need food. and one of the wonderful things

about our farmers is they do a job that is incredibly hard to do. it's a job that is filled with uncertainty. what's the weather going to be today? what are the prices on the futures market tomorrow. what's going to happen in our neighborhood. it's incredibly uncertain. but the farmers love the work. and who among us works harder than farmers? maybe coal miners about you not many more. so they stand for hard work and feeding america. the second thing is farmers need stability because they he no control over things that profoundly affect them. bu the other thing is farmers actual are the custodian of our landape. and they in all of our communities, whether it's dairy, say, in vermont, or it might be wheat or corn in illinois or cherries in michigan, they are

providing a benefit tall of us who are not farmers and can't take on the courage they have to do that work. and onhe conservation title, i've talked to a lot of farmers in vermont. they are so appreciative that i addition to feeding us wit nutritious food, they have a chance to actually get se income to help us conserve the land. that's a good thing because that's another income stream for the farmers. so this should not be a fight amongst t opposing sides. what do we have to do to provide stability to the farmers? they've got to get a fair price for their crop and if they're the whole issue of conservation and reducing carbon emissions, they've got to get some income for that and that's in the farm bill. let's pass a farm bill because we need farmers, we need food, and we need a cleannd hlthy environment. thank you. mr. durbin: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from ilnois.

mr. durbin: i want to thank the senator fm vermont and remind people that his comments maket clear this is not just a midwestern issue. it affects the whole nation fm one side to the other. as i said, senator stabenow has been our leader i hope we can get a break tlou inhe coming days and weeks. i would like to speak on a separate topic that is timely. hard to bieve it's been less than two weeks sincehe last election. two weeks. if i seems longer, it's because you may have been following what's happened since. already the president-elect donald trump is selecting his proposed members of his cabinet. last week it came- when 2 came to the department ofjustice, mark who is overseeg the team for the department of justice warned, and i quote, career department of justice lawyers must beully committed to implementing president trump's policies or tyhould be leave -- ty should leave or be

fired. end of quote. he shamefully slandered these nonpartisan public servants as, quote, a deep state, whatever the heck that is. and mr. mitchell, an adviser to president trump argued that, quote, every lawyer in the voting section and likely the civil rights division nds to be terminated. of course the president may set policy directives, but the department of stice is not and shld never be any president's personal law firm. civil svice -- servants have an independent duty to uphold the conitution and laws o the united states and should never be under pressure to tak illegal action. during his first term then-president tru tried to use the department of justice to overturn the 2020 presidential election as dailed in the senate judiciary committee's subverting justice report. unfortunately, president-elect

trump has alrea made it clear inis second term he will again undermine the rulef law and weaponize the department of justice to seek revenge on his perceived enemies. the clearest illustration of trump's rolve to remake the justice department into his personal political law firm is his intent to nominate former congressman matt gaetz to be attorney general. let mee clear. former congressman gaetz is the least qualified personnd the most radical person ever t be nominated to be attorney general. while he is a laer, he practiced law for only a short time. been distinguished by his er h extremism. for example,ormer congressman gaetz has regularly called for iminating the justice nominated to lead. now been he also wants to abolish the justice department's components, st prominently the federal

bureau of investigation, the bureau of alcohol,tobacco, fiarms a exploves if they do not come to heal his words. last year he iroduced legislation to eliminate the atf. former congressman gaestz' main qualification seems to be unquestioning loyalty to donald trump. why do i keep referring to mr. gaetz as former congressman? that's due to theost serious concern about his being entrusted wit this new responsibility. while m gaetz just won election in the 118th congress is still in session, he resigned his seat in the house of representaves last week. why? whyould he quit the hou at this point if he's just been reected? it was an apparent attempt to prevent the house ethics committee from releasing a damaging report on hisersonal alleged misconduct. mr. gaetz has been accused of

engaging in sexual misconduct with a nor, illit drug use, sex trafficking, bribery and investigations into his alleged conduct. i might remind those listening to debate, we're talking about donald trump's choice to be the attorney general of t united states of america. these grave public allegations against mr. gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve. let me add that president-elect tr trump's announced intent to offe mr. gaetz' nomation without even a standard fbi background check that every presidential appointee undergoes is completely unacceptable. madam president, as chair of the senateudiciary committee for the last four years, and a member of that committee for over 20 years, i can tell you that people have been eliminated

from consideration for judgeships and other important appointments because they smoked a jot. because they smoked a marijuana cigarette, eliminated from they've also been elimited from consideration if they didn't file the proper tax or nanny.or payin a baby-sitter i've had members' nominees excoriated because of poetry they wrote whilehey were in college. and nowe have the president-elect saying we're not going to be dng an fbi background che on a man who could be attorney general and may call for recess appointments so the senate loses its opportunity for advise and const. the hardening thing that occurred i the last several days a numberf republicans have stepped up in calling a house committee toe release this report on mr. gaetz so we can

review it if he's truly going to be t nominee of president trp in this capacity. the senate has a constitutional duty to provide -- advise and consent and it's crucial that we consider all the information necessary. before considering this nomination, the senate jiciary coittee must review this ethics report from the house from a bipartisan committee, equal numbers of democratsnd republicans who have released it. last thursday all democratic members of the senate judiciary commite requested the house ethics committee provide these materials to us immediately. there is substantial precedent for the release of these mateals in both chambers. th house ethics committee released a preliminary report of a former congressman before they left coress. it stated, quote, the general policy against issuing reports is outweighed b the responsibility of the committee to fully inform the public regarding the status and results

of efforts up to date of the representative depr -- departure from ngress. it's difficult to imagine a more compelling circumstance where there's a theeed to inform the public of an ethics investigation than when the subject has been nominated to be the tion's top law enforment officer. it is also deeply troling that mr. gaetz is not the only example of president-elect trump's intended nomineesho would lead the department of justice and weaponizeo seek he also plans to nominate tom saur as solicitor general. mr. blanche and mr. saur happen to be t of donald trump's personal defense attorneys in the actions taken against him and they now woulde poised to be his attorneyst the justice department. mr.

-- mr. gaetz would be a disaster a the next attney general. i am committed to ensuring my colleagues of both parties have every fact at hand to understand s danger. i will do everything i can to ensure that donald trump cannot turn the department of justice into his personal law firm and i'll defend the career public rvants who work at the justice departnt and have dedicated their lives to defendinghe rule of law. president-elect trump won the election fair and square, but that doe't mean he's entitled to choose extreme, unqualified loyalists to fill his cabinet. the senate must fulfill its constitutional rponsibility to advise and consent madam present, iield the floor.

the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. helmy: i come to the floor today as a new jerseyan, as the only arab american serving in thenited ates senate and as a human being utterly devastated by the unfathomable scale of human suffering taking place right now in gaza and the west bank as a direct consequence of the israel hamas conflict. this war has already claimed an estimated 44,000 lives across gaza and the west bank. almost half of those killed by the bombshells and bullets of this war have been women and children, teens, toders, infants, not to mentionhe millions moreov who have been displaced and teatene by famine and lness. 0 can to current estimates, every hour this conflict claims the lives of 15 innocent people,

every single hour. it is reported that fully rebuilding gaza and the west bank after the war would take at least 200 years ormore, literally centuries from now. well beyond our lifetimes. it should not459 what one's nationality is or one's ethnicity, these shocks should shock sour conscience to t very core, on our watch right before our eyes we are witnessing one of the most rapid did hesakeses of human life. let me be clear about aouple things. have always and continue to firmly, unquestionably support israel's right to exist and defend itself against all forms of terrorism and those who sponsor terrorism. i visa meantly contemp hamas and the attack against israeln october 720, 32, of which 00 innocent israelis lost the lives. a dark day in history during

which hamas also took hundred of innocent hostages, including u.s. citizens. one of the hostages is new jersey reserve rent edan alexanr, a high school graduate who should be immediate lid returned home safy along with all remaining hostas. all human beings should be deaf statisticed by the widespread loss of human life and suffering on all siteds. but e i have some real -- some hard questions about what is causg the scale of suffering in gaza and the west bank and alleviate it in any significant way. these questions are not abstract. they sm from what i have seen and heard with my own eyes and ears. during a recent trip to jordan-to-seas the statef humanitarianssistance in gaza, the west bank, and lebanon, wt i saw was this -- theris de facto blockade of even the most basic aid supplies geing through the crossing,

the only viable point of entrance for aid to gaza and the west bank. this blockade haseverely restricted the amount of aid to make it to the desperate palestinians whose lives literally depend on it. just today it was repted that arly 100 trucks transporting lifesaving aid were violently loed at gunpoint. the effects of this choke point have resulted in other absurd outcomes. i recently toured warehouses including one that u.s. secretary state blinken toured himself stocked to the very brim, partularly, practically overflowing with lifesaving aid supplies. safe transport of those supplies intoaza or the west bank where just miles away men, children, and families are literally starving. these are pallets upon palettes of food and wintercizedents to

keep families warm. all of it just sitting there because of a man-made blockade. what i heard was this -- i met with medal surgeons and doctors, t jordanian armed forces serving in ga, who recounted harrowing stories, attempts to keep children alive and operations in makeshift tents. these frontline providers, heroes, told me the number of partlly operational hospitals are resorting to using everyday clothes to stitch up patients or after sgeries because they have run out of the appropriate medical supplies. that should appall everyne of us. israel's recent passage o two laws tootallyan unrwa from operating anywhere in palestine problem even worse.ke the it's irrefutable that unrwa is the primary on-the-ground provider of services on ground to the people of gaza and the west bank.

shutting down unrwa at this time is shutting down the very nerve center of human aid a assistce within palestine. these insights have left me with many questions. do tse actions intent on limiting aid into gaza and the west bank, taken under the pretense of security operations, coly with international humatarian laws and norms? are these the actions we ould expect from one of our closest democratic allies in the world? perhaps these are questions for people far more versed in the matters of war and legal compance than me, butembers of this body should be asking these same questions and many are and i thank them for their bold ldership. and what exactly are we doing to ensure that our allies in the middle east are ling up to the humanitarianrinciples and human rights that we claim to embrace and enforce around the world? my conversations have revealed a deep desirfor the united states to take a more aggressive role in protecting innocent civilians sufferi from the

brunt of this war. and on occasion we have done i thank the biden administration fo their efforts thus far to alleviate the choke points and expand the snow aid into the region many. i also think it is important that the administration agreed statement that, unrwa remains the backbone of all humantarian response in gaza a that no organization can replace or substitute unrwa capacit and mandate to serve palestinian refugees and civilians in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance, close quote. however, so much more needso and must be done. as we enter a new congress and a new administration takes office next year, the united states government will and should continue debating the enormously complex policy and geopolitical issues that are at stake in the middle east. but i am not here to opine on the gourd onknot of middle east policy noro i pretend t have

cure-all solutions to problems that have been plaguing the republican for mandecades. i've traveled through several statesver the last two months and spoke with many stents, arab and muslim american many others who are deeply concerned with the crisis. the conversations were thoughtful and rlected the complexity of the situation. one can call terrorism what it is -- terrorism. one can stand up andupport israel and theewish people worldwide and yet one can spe to the truth that the humanitarian crisis i gaza and the west bank is simply unacceptable. when i asked a young man what i hold to seekers he said to me simply, i want to see the world say and show that the life of a palestinian child is jus as luable as the life of a child anywhere else in theorld. i simply will conclude where i began -- my fervent plea is for all o us to see what is happening in the middle east through theens of our humanity. first and femost, no human

should be worth less than another based on which part of the checkpot orrows -- or crsing they may live on. if we keep the principle at the center of our approach, we can do better for people who so deice prattly demand and need our humanity. madam president, i yield the madam president, i yield the

trying to move the ball forward on the farm bill and helping mmunities battered by disaster on the floor the senate will focus this week on confirming more president biden's judicial nominees. the majority will keep working to confirm as many of president biden's judicial nominees as we can before the end of the year. that will be one of the senate's top priorities. we will begin by voting on the confirmation with every kid to serve as circuit court judge for the 11th court dirt -- district. it is exceptionally verified. i am confident we will make a

great addition to the 11th see it get. the 216 federal judge confirmed to a lifetime appointment under president biden and this senate democratic majority. the judges we have confirmed represent perhaps at the widest range of backgrounds and experiences under any president. we have more judges that work as public defenders of legal aid attorneys, civil rights lawyers, federal prosecutors ce up voting rights lawyers to more women of peoplef color that we have had in any one administration. after we vote today we will keep going. tonight i will file additional judges that will move forward on this week. we have several nominees coming out on thursday and will work quickly to move them out of this chamber and onto the bench. let me repeat. the senate is going to keep prioritizing judicial

confirmation this week, this month and for the rest of the year now on disaster aid. in addition to confirming more judges than officials ascended also has much to do on the legislative side. we must keep the government open after december 20. we must pass the annual defense authorization bill the nda just as we have done for over six decades. we hope to keep making progress on the foreign bill from the senator of michigan here working diligently on that. today i want to focus on disaster aid. something both have long supported and impacts people in every states of the country. earlier today the office of management and budget released a letter addressed to congress calling for swift action on disaster aid. right now a host of federal programs and various agencies

are running critically low on the funding they need to function. in some cases like the small business administration fundings already dried up. without congressional action the federal government may not be ready to respond to the next wave of disasters when they strike. without congressional action, communities that are trying desperately to rebuild. ey will be left in the lurch. many of the programs in need of replenishing focus on the long term disaster recovery. when disaster strikes it is getting people out of danger providing for their needs. but then homes need to be rebuilt. homes need to be re- reopened. recovering the losses from crops roads and bridges and railways need funding for repairs and businesses need loans to get back on their feet. all of these priorities are running critically low.

a month ago speaker johnson said getting disaster aid would be a priority upon his congress' return this month. i hope the speaker honors that it works with democrats to get disaster aid done as soon as we can. we should not kick the can down th road or withhold vital resources the federal government eds. it is a long-standing tradition that when any community is hit by disaster in this great company we all rally together to help our fellow americans. with just a few exceptions this has almost been nonpartisan. that is how it should be on issues like this thatmpact communities of all kinds and all places. getting disaster aid done as soon as possible sohat we will be ready the next time disaster strikes. i yield the floor. >> i've spoken before about the ongoing campaign to undermine

the judiciary. left-wing activists and left-wing colleagues alike continuing to make their disapproval of constitutional orthodoxy known at all levels. and, federal judges who are worried about where things are headed. they cannot retaliate using their office because they swore and oath to uphold the law without respect to persons. they cannot gon social media to defend themselves or put out press statements. that is because the american people rightly expect their judges to focus deciding cases interpreting the law and not

engaging in crisis communications. of course the founders anticipated some of this dynamic by giving federal judge life tenure. they hold our offices until they give them up. regardless of how loudly law professors may complain. recent unanswered attacks may not have professional consequences for individual judges, but they do have an alarmi effect on the judiciary the article 34 congress. like the president.

instead it relies on the legitimacy of its judgment. these constant attacks are designed to erode that legitimacy. the law professors and journalists attac the courts seemingly with immunity. they just have to sit there and take it. that is why am so vocal and consistent on the federal judiciary. sometimes, very rarely, the tables turned. sometimes the judge does get a chance to respond to those that seek to undermine the integrity of the judiciary. it just happened last week at

the latest federal society convention. they were on a panel of the field marshals. any of our colleagues we know judge jones would not be surprised to hear in this academic context she let the law professor have it. when he complained that this was unfair wondering to talk about abstract legal principles of judicial integrity she pulled out his tweets denigrating conservative judges in texas. the reaction from the liberals in the legal academy although i repeat myself was outrage. how dare they said.

the tongue lashing they give conservative justice every day. they always cry foul when they are the one they get punched right in the nose. standing up for her colleagues she proved yet again the line of the bench and even organizations like the american bar association continued to refuse to defend the judiciary from partisan attacks. federal judges can no that i at least will be in their corner. now on another matter i want to pay tribute. to an organization. using america's children. the american center for missing and exploited children saving literally thousands of lives.

i will hold in particular because it is roots run deep in kentucky. over 40 years ago when i was a local official, the issue of missing and exploited children yet to receive the national focus you deserve. thankfully, toublic servants had vision and drive on this issue when few others do it. the jefferson county bridging social services and law enforcement for the problem. to gather, i believe the nation dedicated to child abduction and exploitation cases. the team found newtek the statewide fingerprinting effort

that let much success, enough success in fact that other jurisdictions adopted our model. a national center in 1984. today, the national center quarterback like amber alerts and essential to applied a mobilizing the vast network of data resources and child welfare professionals to help thousands of families adver tragedy. to date, their work has direcy led to the recovery of over 400,000 children. last year they recorded a success rate of 88%. so i'm honored to recognize a national center for missing and exploited children on 40 years of the country.

we are thankful for the peace of mind that should the unspeakable the organization's stands ready to bring their children home. a senator: madam prident. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. helmy: i note e absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

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i have met with world communities but the things they t thrive like access to healthcare including mental health, child care and high-speed internet we are all working address. it's always been the pce where we put the power of the central government at work in a bipartisan way to support farmers and famies and

amenities. that is the coalition that is the foundation of a successful bipartisan farm bill. house released a proposal to put immense taxpayer resources into a handle not. it can'te at the suspense of millions of others this country. should not be on the backs of

families in need. in the spring i unveiled proposal in a section by section will try to refocus on negotiations holding the farm bill coalition together not robbing peter to pay both but instead a balanced approach our families and rural communities across the country. unfortunately this did not start the negotiation'd hoped for. but the united states.

prosperity and security act teen hundred 97 page,his is it. the tremendous amount of work that is common. incredibly smart and creative team of people. fulltext that should pass and past and needs to be passed. a call? the presiding officer: s. a senator: i request that it be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objectn. mr. cassidy: we had an election ii weeks ago, i'm not here to gloat, but it's an important observationhat americans let

their voices be heard overwhelmingly t go in a different direction. they voted for -- against the atus quo. the american people feel their government is not serving the theay it should. they're struggling to afford trips to the grocery stores and struggling to pay for flood insurance. americans have relied on the national insurance flood program. it covers families lik those in louiana, pictured here. for knows watching -- for those watching on tevision there's a bch of hes water. you c tell where the street is because there water in the street. there's a little bi of green around the homes but you can tell that communi is flooded.

for many flood insurance is the only oion to have - to have protection against sething like this. but the program is noterving americans the way it should. skyrocketing insance premiums caused by fema's new assessment program has left many people in louisiana and families around the nation with no way to protect their ho. it makes flood insurance unaffordable and puts the entire program at fancial risk. now despite congress never approving this, it unfairly jacks up rat driving people to drop their coverage. let meepeat that. despe congress ner approving risk rating 2.0, this program, by nfip, is jacking up rates, foing people to dropheir coverage. i hear the story from folks in louisiana constantly and that's what motivated me and my team to

release a detailed report breaking down the current state of nfimp and how it reached this point and what congress can do to make flood insurance affordable again. we found what people in louisiana and americans across the country alrea know the national flood insurance program is broken. by the y, this is 19 pages. it's n 60- 600 pages of legalese, it's not something to read to cureinsomnia, it's 19 pages that a senator, that a staff person, that someone and with 19 pages, you can d understand a complex progr and understand with why it's failing the people it's intended to serve. and weid ts in the goal that would help get a program that is affordable, accountable and sustainable, as opposed to the

one fema created that is unaffordable and forcing americans to drop affdable coverage. afr storms like hurricane helene, this is not just oceans, it's inland, we should listen to the american people when they say they are not okay with the status quo. let's look at some of the things in the report. i warn you, it's notood news. first, we found that the average flood insurance cost n- every state -- in every state rose following risk rating 2.0, that is fro those who saw a spike in their insurance premiums in the first year. nfip premium in louisiana increased b 234%, resulting in 52,000 people in louisiana dropping their policies last year alone. that's 52,000 louisiana

homeowners dropping their policies because it was no longer affordable in just one year, and i represe louisiana, t it's not justouisiana where this is a issue. nearly half a million americans nationwide have dropped their coverage. third, fema itself now predicts up to one million policy holdsers nationwide could lose flood insurance coverage in the next decade. they admit that their pricing is going to devastate thebility of americans to affd this program. that said, fema still refuses to be transparent in terms of how they're calculang premiums, th lack of transparency leaves policy holders in the dark. this is the reaso that we pushed to delay the program's implementation wn it was annoced in 2019, my office workedith the trump administration to delay the risk ting 2.0 becau of this lack

of transparency and how fema was calculating rates. when the biden administration took over, they allowed rk rating 2.0 to move forward even though concernsere never addressed. with high premiums and a result of 52,000 peopleropping coverage in louisiana. a fourth key finding that en -- ase investigated in fip and the lawsuits against risk rating 2.0 continued, it became clear tha fema never had the authority to implement risk rating 2.0 without congressional approval. again, i repeated it earlier, i'll repeat it again. fema never had the authority to implemen risk rang 2.0 without congressional approval. they never consulted congress and we never passed it. they went around congress and

their explanation i think is filmcy. it's like when you cch your child doiomething they know th should not do, risk rating 2.0 did not adhere to the proper procedure in the rules branch. it runs cnterto what congress intended and fema had no rig to do what they did. so these are the four key findings of the report. one premiums rose in ery state, two, they rose astronomically in places le louisiana, three, up to a million policy holders will drop their coverage because they can no longer affd itnd fouh fema side stepped coness to implement this without authority. this findings reflect whyhe american people ovehelmingly voted for change. the status quo is unacceptable. the nfip is in desperate need need of reform for years and now

we have an opptunity to listen to the american peop on this issue. now, being too afraid to touch serve politicns well, but it ts the american people back. enough is enough. nfip affects every state. on this chart, you'll see states in dark yellow, they have been hit by flooding the most, california, the president -- she can see that right there, through the gulf coast, uphe atlantic, including a sta like nnsylvia, which is on the top of the atlantic and ten missouri. all those have had more than $1 billi of nfip claims since 98. the 44 states other than this

have had over$54 billion in claims. this is a national issue. my message to colleagues who rely on the nfip, let's find a way to step forwar congress must pass a comprehensive nfip package that protects filies from premium your risk of foding and asing simplifies the claims process by cutting red tape. ma must reevaluate its pricing methodologynd focus on afford ability as congress intended. and fem must roll back risk rating 2.0 and make sure that fema doe not go rogue doing things withoutongressional approval. we must demand that congress listens to the feedback from ate and local stakeholders. i hav be a plan to make

insurance affordable for all americans. i'm encouraging my colleagues to join. let's end the skwoek. with -- status quo. with that i yield and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call:

for anyone to cut snap and other nutrition programs. i refuse to leave this mom behind. not on my watch. we should invest in the nutrition programs at the heart of this country. good securityct does that and lays the groundwork for a future

ere we can actually end hunger and america. nutrition assistance and draws a clear line in the sand that we will not walk away on the progress we've made place in this country. she kee families that and rural communities that are critically advised. robust bill pay for using the same resources republican politics in the house use to pay for their bills but we don't divi the coalition. i locked arms with republican leaders to dend programs that may not have been my priority

but holding the coalition together. that how you get legislation on do it on a bipartisan basis. farm bills failed to pass in 2012 and 2018ecause of republicans included food assistance in their bill. they pass it. in 2000 the farm billassed the senate with historic 87 votes and the only 13 names by publicans. we know how to do this and get a bipartisan bill passed renters and comnities and our fa

families. today as i look at the future and what comes if we don't get a farm bill done, have a lot of questions because project 2025 roadmap for the incoming trump administration proposes delimiting this in the bill is programmed house republicans makes a top priority that crop insurance and terminate u.s. sugar production. i don't know what's going to happen to that. maybe nothing but it should worry everybody that is the vision out there. i think that's why it's no secret why the house farm bill

primarily partisan bill has not been put up for a vote on the house for they are not the can bills to pass and the last te i checked, the chamber will be divided next one 19th. i would encourage my republican colleagues joined it this done now do what you need to do to provide help did do it right now. i would encourage you to rethink proposals toake the largest cuts to nutrition assistance program and more than 30 years.

i would encourage them to join us to pass a five-year farm bill now. there's no reason we can't. the buildup provides immediate assistance within the farm bill for whatre our states. the good security act is robust adding 39 billion the farm bill baseline, bipartisan with over 100 bipartisan bills the need for farmers, plaintiffs and families and rural communities. fraud coalition together which critical and i firmly believe is probably the only path for the bill this year.

i urge you to come together and consider this bill. thank you. i fueled the flo. >> senior senator from illinois. >> those who serve in the u.s. senate no she not only works it but she talks to talk. shs shown her own expertise and understanding of the complex piece of legislation. >> would you be kind enough to say in the current farm bill

expires? >> the current farm bill expires end of december so we have to do something before we leave. >> explain for those not familiar? >> if we doothing, a number of programs revert to what's called deession era policy and something called the dairy trend everybody is wored about because of a pricing structure that would completely throw the dairy industry into upheaval so this is not okay. >> when you say depressio era programs, are you literally talking about the 1930s? >> yes. the policies of the 30s. >> so failed to come together on a bipartisan basis end of the

year, that's the reality we face in a new administration. >> yes, we could pass an extension, it doesn't create any more certainty for farmers. those who want to do ad hoc limits, it's not going to work so the reality is we have short-term health and although we have five-year farm bill and u can get it done, 100 partisan bills farmers and ranchers will be a whole lot better if we could get this done. >> currently we literally have until the middle of nt month. >> right.

in there is work to be done. >> and thank you valuable member of the committee. we know you know what to come togeer to get something that is done by the end of the but they have to decide they really want a bipartisan bill and wiing to come together to do that. that he did that years ago programs and agricultural programs so people living in the city of chicago over and over agriculture statement don't have any evidence of it is much interest in this bill farmers

downstate. >> evidence one of bill is on the floor it never passes. i would he we would learn and do wt we did come together on the bill. >> making it more difficult for families and we know low income face that would've the ways we can help them but like the basic progra supplemental nutrition

assistance program is about $6 a day individual. not when you go to the grocery store. at support for banks and additional view by rush and vegetables, we do other kinds of things but the basic is snap and give an upde that hasn't been done and still is in our dollars 35 thousand update read 50 basis and that's what folks are arguing about.

it would be an update every five years of about percent. >> i just want to say and why we arepr going to- uorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schatz: i ask unanimous consent that we start the vote now. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the is there al sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: the erk: ms. baldwin. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs. blackburn. mr. blumenthal. mr. booker. mr. boozman. mr. braun. mrs. britt. mr. brown. mr. bu. ms. butler.

the clerk: ms. cantwell. mrs. capito. mr. cardin. mr. carper. mr. casey. mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. mr. cornyn. ms. cortez masto. mr. cotton. mr. cramer. mr. crapo. mr. cruz. mr. daines. ms. duckworth. mr. durbin. ms. ernst.

the clerk: mr. feerman. mrs. fischer. mrs. gilliand. mrgraham mr. assley. ms. hassan.. mr. hawley. mr. heinrich. mr. helmy. mr. hickenlooper. ms. hirono mr. hoeven. mrs. hyde-smith. mr. johnson. mr. kaine. mr. kelly. mr. kennedy. . king. the clerk: ms. baldwin. mr. barrasso.

mr. moran.ell, mr. merkley, mr. mullin. ms. murkowski mr. murphy. mrs. murray. mr. ossoff. mr. padilla. mr. paul. mr. peter mr. reed. mr. risch. mr. romn. ms. rosen. mr. rods. mr. rubio. mr. sanders.

e clerk: mr. schatz. mr. schmitt. mr. schumer. . scott of florida. mrscott of south carolin mrs. shaheen. ms. sinema. ms. smith. the clerk: ms. stabenow.

mr. sullivan. mr. tester. mr. thune. mr. llis. mr. tuberville. mr. van hollen. mr. vance. mr. warner. mr. warnock. ms. warren. mr. welch. mr. whitehouse.

the clerk: mr. whitehouse. mr. wker. mr wyden. mr. yog.

thclerk: senators voting in brow tler, duckworth, durbin, klobuchar, murray, peters, schatz, sinema, wner, an warren. senators voting in t negative- cassidy and romney.

mscoez masto, aye. ms.tabeno aye. the clerk: ms. baldwin, aye.

the clerk: mr. graham, no. mr. sanders, aye.

the clerk: mr. hickenlooper, aye. the clerk: mr. tuberville, no.

the clerk: mr. ricketts, no. the mr. crapo, no.

the clerk: ms. collins, no.

the clerk: mr. manchin, no. the clerk: mr. barrasso, no. mr. booker, aye. mr. tillis, no.

the clerk: ms. smith, aye. mr. reed, aye.

the clerk: mr. cornyn, no. the clerk: mr. wicker, no. ms. ernst, no. mrs. bri, no.

mr. padilla, aye. mrs. capito, no. the clerk: mr. thune, no.

vote:

the clerk: mr. whitehouse, aye. the clerk: mr. grassley, no.

the clerk: mr. boozman, no. ms. cantwell, aye. ms. rosen, aye.

the clerk: ms. hirono, aye. mr. paul, no. the clerk: mr. carper, aye.

the clerk: ms. murkowski, no. mr. kaine, aye. the clerk: mr. lankford, no. mr. kelly, aye. rida, no.

the clerk: mr. lee, no.

the clerk: mr. marshall, no.

the clerk: mrs. fischer, no. mr. moran, no. mrs. gillibrand, aye. mr. sullivan, no.

the clerk: mr.tester, aye. mrs. hyde-smith, no.

the clerk: mr.cruzno. mrs. shaheen, aye. mr. cramer, no. mr. scott of south carolina, no.

the clerk: mr. welch, aye.

the clerk: mr. king, aye. the clerk: mr. johnson, no.

vote:

the clerk: mr. cotton, no. the clerk: mr. wyden, aye.

the clerk: mr. helmy, aye. mr. cardin, aye. mr. van hollen, aye. the clerk: mr. heinrich, aye.

the clerk: mr. rounds, no. mr. ossoff, aye. ms. lummis, no. mrs. blackburn, no.

the clerk: mr. markey, aye.

the clerk: mr. murphy, aye.

the clerk: mr. risch, no. mr. merkley, aye.

the clerk: mr. casey, aye. mr. kennedy, no. mr. warnock, aye.

the clerk: mr. schmitt, no.

ms. hassan, aye.

vote:

the clerk: mr. bennet, aye. the clerk: mr. lujan, aye.

the clerk: mr. mcconnell, no. mr. mullin, no. mrbudd, no.

the clerk: mr. hawley, no.

the clerk: mr.blumenthal, aye.

the clerk: mr. young, no.

the clerk: mr. coons, aye.

the clerk: mr. hoeven, no.

vote:

the presiding officer: is there appears to be. the clerwill call the roll. vote: a the clerk: ms. baldwin. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs.lackburn.

mr. blumenthal. mr. booker. . boozman. mr. braun. mrs. britt. mr. brown. mr. budd. ms. butler. ms. cantwell. mrs. capito. mr. cardin. mr. rper. mr. casey. mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. ms. rtez masto. mr. cotton. mr. cramer. mr. crapo. mrcruz. mr. daines.

ms. duckworth. mr. duin. ms. ernst. mr. fettman. mrs. fischer. mrs. gillibrand. mr. graham. mr. grassley. mr. hagerty. ms. hassan. mr. hawley. mr. heinrich. mr. helmy. mr. hickenlooper. ms. hirono. mr. hoeven. mrs. hydsmith. mr. johnson.

mr. kaine. mr. kelly. mr. kennedy. mr. king. ms. klobuchar.

the clerk: mr. lankford. mr. lee. mr. lujan. ms. lummis. mr. manchin. mr. markey. mr. rshall. mr. mcconnell. mr. merkley. mr. moran. mr. mullin. ms. murkowski. mr. murphy. mrs. murray. mr. ossoff. mr. padilla. mr. ul. mr. peters. mr. reed. mr. ricketts. mr. risch. mr. romney. ms. rosen. mr. rounds. mr. bio. mr. sanders. mr. schatz. mr. schmitt. mr. schumer.

mr. scott of florida. mr. scott of south carolina. mrs. shaheen. ms. sinema. ms. smith. ms. stabenow. mr. sullivan. mr. tester. mr. thune. mr. tillis. mr. tuberville. mr. van hollen. mr. vance. mr. warner. mr. warnock. ms. warren. mr. welch. mr. whitehouse. mr. wicker. mr. wyden. mr. young. the clerk: senators voting in

the affirmative -- baldwin, booker, brown,butler, carper, casey, coons, duckworth, heinrich, helmy, kaine, king, lujan, murray, ossoff, padilla, sanders, tester, van hollen, warren, welch, whitehouse, and wyden. mrs. shaheen, aye. senators voting in the negative -- barrasso, cotton, hoev, hyde-smith.

the clerk: mr. cardin, aye. mr. murphy, aye.

the clerk: mr. merkley, aye. mr. young, no.

the clerk: mr. blumenthal, aye.

the clerk: ms. hirono, aye.

the clerk: ms. hassan, aye..

vote: the clerk: mr. grassley, no.

the clerk: mr. ricketts, no. the clerk: ms. klobuchar, aye.

the clerk: ms. cantwell, aye. mr. mullin, no.

thclerk: mr. wicker, no.

the clerk: mr. lankford, no. mr. schatz, aye.

the clerk: ms. smith, aye.

the clerk: mr. durbin, aye. the clerk: mr. reed, aye. ms. stabenow, aye.

the clerk: mr. cornyn, no. mr. cassidy, no.

the clerk: mrs. britt, no.

the clerk: mr. graham, no. the clerk: mrs. blackburn, no.

the clerk: mr. schmitt, no. the clerk: mr. scott of florida,

no. mr. budd, no. mr. johnson, no. mr. marshall, no. vote:

the clerk: ms. collins, no. the clerk: mr. cruz, no. the clerk: mr. paul, no.

mr. risch, no. mr. crapo, no.

the clerk: ms. lummis, no. the clerk: mr. hawley, no.

mrs. capito, no.

the clerk: mr. peters, aye.

the clerk: mr. sullivan, no.

the cler mrs. gillibrand, aye.

the clerk: ms. rosen, aye.

the clerk: mr. mcconnell, no. mr. lee, no.

the clerk: mr. hickenlooper, aye.

vote:

the clerk: mr. schumer, aye.

the clerk: mr. thune, no. mr. moran, no.

the clerk: mr. kennedy, no. mr. markey, aye. mr. tilly, no. -- mr. tillis, no.

the clerk: mrs. fischer, no. mr. boozman, no.

the clerk: mr. kelly, aye.

the clerk: ms. cortez masto, aye. the clerk: ms. murkowski, no.

mr. scott of south carolina, no.

the clerk: mr. warnock, aye.

vote:

the clerk: mr. warner, aye.

the clerk: on this vote the yeas are 48, the nays are 39, and the motion is agreed to. mr. schumer: madam president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: can i have the tention of all the members? the presiding officer: order in the senate. mr. schumer: thank you. i'm asking unanimous consent th any remaining roll call votes this eveng be ten minutes each. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. schumer: i move to pceed to executive session to consider calendar 539. the presiding officer: t question is on the motion to proceed. at t moment there is not ond?

sufficient second. mr. schumer: madam president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. schumer: i give a sufficient second. the presiding offir: the appears to be sufficient second. the clerk will call the roll. vote: the erk: m baldwin. mr. barrasso. mr. benn. mrs. blackburn. mr. blumenthal. mr. booker. mr. boozman. mr. braun. mrs. britt. mr. brown.

the clerk: mr. budd ms. butler. ms. cantwell. mrs. capito. mr. cardin. mr. carper. mr. case mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. mr. cornyn. ms. cortez masto. mr. cotton. mr. cramer.

the clerk: mr. crapo. mr. cruz. mr. daines. ms. duckworth. mr. durbin. ms. ernst. mr. fetterman. mrs. fischer. mrs. gillibrand. mr. graham. mr. grassley. mr. hagerty. ms. hassan. mr. hawley. mr. heinrich. mr. helmy. mr. hickenlooper.

ms. hirono. mr. hoeven. mrs. hyde-smith. mr. johnson. mr. kaine. mr. kelly. mr. kennedy. mr. king. ms. klobuchar. mr. lankford. mr. lee. mr. lujan. ms. lummis. mr. manchin. mr. markey. mr. marshall. mr. mcconnell. mr. merkley. mr. moran. mr. mullin. ms. murkowski. mr. murphy. mrs. murray. mr. ossoff. mr. padilla.

mr. paul. nal nal mr. peters. mr. reed. mr. ricketts. mr. risch. mr. romney. ms. rosen. mr. rounds. mr. rubio. mr. sanders. mr. scha. nal mr. schmitt. mr. schumer. mr. scott of florida. mr. scott of south carolina. mrs. shaheen. ms. sinema. ms. smith. ms. stabenow. mr. sullivan. mr. tester. mr. thune. mr. tillis. mr. tuberville. mr. van hollen.

mr. vance. mr. warner. mr. warnock. ms. warren. mr. welch. mr. whitehouse. mr. wicker. mr. wyden. mr. young. the clerk: senators voting in the affirmative --

baldwin, bult butler, casey, cortez masto, durbin, hassan, heinrich, hirono, kaine, kelly, lujan, markey, murphy, murray, ossoff, peters, rosen, schatz, smith, staben, welch. mr. cardin, aye. mr. warnock, aye. senators voting in the negative -- blackburn, cotton, crapo, graham, grassley, hyde-smith, lankford, lee, moran, murkowski, paul, tillis.

mr. carper, aye. mr. merkley, aye.

the clerk: mr. scott of south carolina, no. the clerk: ms. cantwell, aye. mr. marshall, no.

mr. mullin, no. the clerk: mr. king, aye. mr. teer, aye. mr. whitehouse, aye.

mr. warner, aye. mr. bennet, aye. the clerk: mr. helmy, aye. mrs. capito, no. mr. coons, aye.

the clerk: ms. collins, no. mr. hawley, no. vote: the clerk: ms. klobuchar, aye.

mrs. mrs. shaheen: aye. the clerk: mr. wyden, aye. mr. reed, aye.

the clerk: mr. risch, no. mr. johnson, no.

mr. sanders, aye. mr. tuberville, no.

the clerk: mr. schumer, aye. mr. brown, aye. mrs. gillibrand, aye.

mr. wicker, no. mr. hickenlooper, aye.

the clerk: mr. mcconnell, no. ms. warren, aye.

ms. duckworth, aye. mr. young, no. the clerk: mr. blumenthal, aye.

the clerk: mr. barrasso, no. mr. hoeven, no.

the clerk: mrs. britt, no. mr. schmitt, no. mr. budd, no. mr. ricketts, no mr. booker, aye.

the clerk: ms. lummis, no.

the clerk: mrs. fischer, no. mr. boozman, no.

the clerk: mr. cornyn, no.

the clerk: mr. padilla,aye. mr. cruz, no. mr. thune, no.

the presiding officer: the yeas are 47. the nays are 36. the tion is agreed to. the clerk will report the mi nomination. the clerk: nomination, the judiciary, amir h. alley of the distributes of columbia to be united states district judge. mr. schumer: i send a motion to the desk. the presing officer: wl report the motion to invoke cloture. the clk: we, the undersigned

senators in accordance with the provisionsf rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate othe nomination of executive calendar numbe 539. i r amir alley to be united states district judge for the district of columbia signed b 17 senators as follows. the presiding officer: is there obction? woiks. mr. schumer: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the queson is on the motion to proceed. a senator: [inaudible]. the presiding officer: is ther objection? is there a sufficit second? the erk will call the roll. schumer before we call the roll, mr. president, we're going to