policy makers that you talk to, how much do they care? >> yeah, policy makers care deeply about it, there is a variety of players here, and members of congress who have prioritized this over the years and senator grassley comes to mind in the u.s. senate, but it makes the department more efficient as they pursue this audit and i know in this previous section, more focus on doge and i think the audit department will be a part of that. you have to know what you have and where you have it. i heard a story the other day because the marine corps audit, they found spare parts necessary for the f-35, our fifth generation fighter critical for our navy, marine corps and air force because of the audit and the result was that about 50 plus f-35's that were grounded were actually actually able to be put into use and that--

correct. >> the u.s. weapons to allies, again from the survey 43 support givingeapons to allies, thats down 5% from last year. within that group 54% support sending weapons to israel, 55% support-- >> we are going to leave this program at this point for live coverage. u.s. senate. today lawmakers are considering house approved 2025 defense programs and policy bill for ndaa. a final vote on that bill is possible today. live coverage of the senate here on c-span2. ... the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain will lead the senate in prayer.

the chaplain: let us pray. lord, we come to you today full of gratefulness. we thank you for the staff who work in this chamber, for the capitol police who keep us safe, for the pages who are eager to help, and for the doorkeepers who love this institution. may we not take for granted the craftsmen and women who are building the inaugural platform, for the food service workers and the appointment desk employees and the staff at capitol facilities. most of all, we praise you for the life of chaplain black. we pray for him and his continued recovery and for dr. monahan and the attending physicians office who cared for him so well. we are all members of your body with different gifts and roles. as we work, please remind us

that it is better to serve than to be served. we pray in your strong name. amen. the president pro tempore: please join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. of 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. the president pro tempore: the clerk will report the pending business. the clerk: house message to accompany h.r. 5009, an act to authorize wildlife habitat and conservation programs and so forth and for other purposes.

[inaudible conversations] >> distinguished guests, the president of the united states and dr. biden, accompanied by second gentleman douglas m off . ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ready? good evening, everyone. great to see you all. our behalf of president biden,

first lady joe biden and my wife, vice president harris -- [cheers and applause] welcome to the white house and happy pre-hanukkah. and to the president and first lady, thank you so much for your friendship, your kindness, your support over these last four years. we are forever grateful and we love you so much. just looking around this room, nbc so many familiar faces, and i'm reminded of when i first came into this role as the first ever second gentleman -- [applause] and many of you have heard me say this before. now, i thought being the first man ever in the fall was going to be a pretty big deal. and it was. but it turned out that being the

first jewish person ever to be an white house -- [applause] wasn't even bigger deal. and i promise i would continue as second gentleman to live openly, probably, and with joy as a jewish person. [applause] and that's exactly what i did. and with, was love and encouragement i was able to do that every step of like so thank you, kamala. kamala and i probably post -- at the vice president residence actually two, we posted under posted shabbat dinners, welcome students at her home for russia shauna. we held passover seder and sang. and every hanukkah rely light armor nor and place in the window for the entire world to see.

and this year we're going to do it again. [cheers and applause] this year as we prepare to leave a legacy of our time at the vice president residence, we planted a pomegranate tree. this tree commemorates both have pain and perseverance of the jewish people, and also honors the victims of october 7 and those who were taken hostage on that horrific day israel,till bd captive. but even as we saw and we continue to grow, i walk around with my head held high, my shoulders and chest back, so proud to be a jew. [cheers and applause] and everywhere i i went i encouraged our temerity to do the same. not to cower and not to live in fear ever. and in spite of this scourge of

anti-semitism, we came together and i was proud to host many of you at a roundtable at the white house where we discussed had overcome this. and then we work together to create the first ever national strategy to counter anti-semitism. [applause] and we could not have done it without this guy, president biden. [applause] we really couldn't. this is historic. and i want to thank you for that and your steadfast leadership and commitment for prioritizing this strategy and making sure that we got it done. and after the strategy was complete, i traveled around the country and around the world building coalitions and uniting people of all different backgrounds. because we know hate is like a venom coursing through the veins of our democracy. we all need to be against it.

so i worked this that doesn't stop you. does not stop when we leave the white house. so tonight i'm rededicating myself to fighting anti-semitism and hatred of all kinds. [applause] going to continue to speak out when it matters most and going to continue to show up for our community when these challenges persist. last july the honor of visiting the town where my great grandparents were from in the old country. i never thought that this kid born in brooklyn, raised in jersey, whose great-grandparents fled persecution from what is now poland, would be standing here today in the white house with the president of the united states. i am so honored to have served as your nations first ever second gentleman. and i thank you for welcoming so warmly. but now please join me in welcoming deputy national

security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, anne neuberger. [applause] >> good evening, everyone. as we gather here in the white house to honor hanukkah, i think about the power of this moment, telling the story of gods miracle and the faith that jews have held onto for centuries. the power of miracles that have brought each of us here, the woman whose name i i carry, my great-grandmother, lost her life in auschwitz. my grandmother survived and bore her number from auschwitz on her arm and in her heart. from her my parents taught me to be deeply grateful for the gift of welcome at america provided us. and to so many of the families

in this room whose histories are tied to the hope we found by ladies liberties torch. it's a house uniquely appropriate that honig is the final holiday we celebrate with president joe biden here at the white house. because this is a holiday that celebrates faith, hope, and the power of a little light to dispel a whole lot of darkness. over the course of his entire life and career, president biden has embodied that enduring spirit. in his personal life, , his faih and even the darkest hours inspires us all to find strength during our own challenges. and as president we all recall his historic trip to israel soon after october 7. [applause]

as our people reeled from pain, president biden came to pay a visit. he came to mourn with us, to hold us through our suffering and remind us to never lose hope. that's president joe biden, always inspiring people to lead with dignity, integrity and faith. and to spread their light in the darkness. as a community our deep appreciation, mr. president, is more than words can ever say. [applause]

and much, much more. the interesting work. be a part of everything accomplishment actually can't wait to get started. without a turn over to our with mr. emmer. >> the end of this congress

marks a turning point in history. in this election cycle americans overwhelmingly rejected a democrat party that puts illegal immigrants over american citizens. a commander-in-chief who doesn't know which way is up, vice president who thought she could awkwardly laughs off her role in breaking everything from the economy to the border. and a senate majority leader who allowed house republicans historic commonsense legislation to collect dust on his desk. americans chose a new era. r47 president will make his triumphant return to the white house in 34 days and he's ushering in a new golden age of america, under president trump's leadership are republican trifecta will hit the ground running on day one to undo the damage democrats have done by securing the border, fixing the economy, unleashing american

energy and extending the trump tax cuts. we will work with president trump outstanding cabinet picks to deliver on our america first agenda. these guys will shake up the status quo in washington to success what americans voted for and what they want. i must confess i'm looking forward to a cold christmas in minnesota but i think i can speak for everyone on this leadership team when i say we also can't wait to come back in january to get the job done. with that i pattern over to or majority leader steve scalise. >> majority id both parties on a temporary extension of government funding. there continues to be good progress, but appropriators are still working on finalizing an agreement. obviously, we're getting closer to the december 20 deadline, so time is of the essence for republicans to reach an agreement with us that we can act on quickly.

democrats will continue working in good faith with our republican counterparts on a strong c.r. that will prevent a shutdown, while also delivering critical disaster relief for the american people. on the ndaa, last night the senate voted to advance the ndaa by a strong margin of 83-12. the ndaa is now on a glide path to final passage. everyone knows this ndaa is not perfect, but it still takes a strong stand against the chinese communist party. these are things that i've pushed very hard for. it boosts the use of a.i. for our national defense, another thing i care a lot about. and expands tech innovation programs for communities across the country. a third thing that is very, very important and good. it has many good things democrats fought hard for. i'm gratified it has all these. the chinese communist party, the use of a.i. for defense, and

expanding tech innovation. of course, it has bad provisions we democrats would not have added, and other provisions we would want left out entirely. i'm particularly glad this year's ndaa expands the tech hub program i created with senators young, cantwell, and others in the bipartisan chips and science act. these funds will transform communities in upstate new york, the midwest and across the country into the next epicenters of innovation. it also includes bipartisan measures on a.i. to expand our a.i. infrastructure and strengthen america's edge against the ccp, the chinese communist party, in this critical technology. so important to our national security and to the u.s.'s technological leadership. i thank my colleagues for both sides for their good work on the ndaa, especially chairman reed and ranking member wicker. we hope to send the ndaa to the president's desk as soon as possible.

on drones, this afternoon i will come to the senate floor to stand with senator peters to pass legislation i've cosponsored to respond to the recent reports of unusual drone activity. the fbi, dls and dod -- dhs, dod support this bill. our legislatures will explicitly authorize state and local authorities to conduct drone detection and help them better coordinate with federal law enforcement, with the multiplicity of drone sightings and so many drones in the area, many harmless for recreational use, but many that -- there are still many questions about, federal authorities agree that they can't respond to these incidents alone, and they need help from local authorities. but unfortunately, the local authorities do not have the authority right now. it's only in the domain of the federal government. for all we know, the recent

drone incidents are for the most part, maybe all part, benign. they can be disruptive like when they impact airport operations or approach bases. people are understandably anxious about seeing things in the night sky without clear answers to what is going on. the people in new york and new jersey have a lot of questions, still haven't gotten answers from the feds. the worst part is that right now local officials have very little in terms of resources and oversight authority to do anything about these incidents. so this afternoon i will join senator peters to try and fix that, and i thank my friend from michigan for his good work on this bill. finally, mr. president, on senator brown's retirement, this afternoon a beloved colleague of ours will deliver his farewell address. my dear friend senator sherrod brown of ohio. if there's one statement that captured sherrod brown best, it is this -- workers look at sherrod and say he is one of us.

workers look at sherrod and say he is one of us. now, elected office wasn't part of the brown family tradition, but fighting for justice certainly was. sherrod says, and he said it many times -- i've seen that smile on his face when he says it -- he says he inherited his activist bent from his mother, a georgia native who marched on the front lines of the early civil rights movement. sherrod's mom taught him and his brother, charlie, who i went to law school with, i knew charlie before i knew sherrod, the power of political activism and the moral duty we all have to serve our neighbors. sherrod got the message early. his first taste of politics came in high school when he was elected president of the student council. right away he became a proud thorn in the side of the principal, organizing

anti-vietnam war protests and pushing for racial equality in the educational system. during his senior year in college sherrod was recruited to run for state rep. admittedly, his parents weren't thrill. his dad told him with a little tough love, i will not be voting for you. you are too young. do you think sherrod listened? would anyone who knows sherrod today think he listened? of course not! he didn't listen. he won in a stunning upset, also typical of sherrod. at 21, he became a state rep. during those years, he would spend his friday's not at home -- fridays not at home, but the local union hall in mansfield, ohio, united steelworkers 169. he did nothing but listen. he listened to the workers before their shift, they talked about that their job, families, kids, about the union. keyed keep up with the latest news -- they'd keep him abreast of the latest news about strikes

and reminisce about heroes in the labor movement. they talked literature together, "the grapes of with regard to the," "joe hill" and the drive to achieve the american dream. those friday's at the union would shape sther odd's world -- sherrod's world view. it caught him that our country was built up from the middle class, and the middle class was built by unions and union workers. my family knows the same thing. everything sherrod did in politics from then onward was in service to this truth. so when he came to congress many years later, it's no surprise one of his very first votes was opposing nafta, fearful of the devastating consequence for ohioans. decades later, he brought back to ohio -- he has brought back jobs to ohio, helping break ground on some of the largest

manufacturing projects in the state's history through the chips and science act. and we made sure, sherrod and i and some others together, it will be done through union labor. i insisted on that in the chips and science act. sherrod was in my ear, making sure that happened all the time. years before we passed the aca, sherrod was one ever the leading proponents for -- one of the leading proponents for health care access. he refused health coverage on his own as a congressman and senator until we passed the aca. he was the relentless force behind the buy america provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure bill, ensuring america's roads and bridges and highways were built from american-made steel and iron and con concrete. on pension reform -- this is something we so much cared about -- sherrod was the author and champion of the butch lewis act, putting money in the pockets of retirees who faced the unthinkable prospect of seeing

benefits dry up. it wasn't an abstract idea for him. he knew the lewis family. they came here and lobbied. it was all about people, and then working out from people how you could make their lives better and america better. the record goes on. sherrod is a leader for wall street reform, saving u.s. auto jobs, lowering prescription drug prices, protecting the right to organize at work, investing in apprenticeship programs, expanding the child tax credit, protecting workers on the job and so much more. it's amazing, amazing what he did. he was here 18 years, and amazing what he accomplished for working people. it's a record that anyone would be very, very proud of, and we are also proud of sherrod's record. the common theme to all this is a phrase sherrod has embraced his entire life, the dignity of work. it's something he repeats again and again.

he's named his bus tours on it. he also talks about the canary in the coal mine, that when there are bad signs coming from certain places about working people, we better all listen, because it's the canary in the coal mine. i think he wore a canary in the coal mine on his blazer every so often. finally, let me end at the beginning, with a quick and humorous moment from sherrod's youth. as a high school senior, sherrod got together with his friends, paul and john, to organize a rally in mansfield to honor the very first earth day in 1970. this is what he did. he organized rallies. some people went to ballgames. some watched tv. some went to restaurants. sherrod organized rallies. they expected a good turnout. but they didn't expect a thousand people to descend on downtown mansfield, which wasn't that big a city. as sherrod described it, we did this really cool march and we

had really big crowds, but we got -- when we got to the square, and none of us had thought about what you do when you get down there, we didn't have any speakers. so we said oh, shoot, we just disbanded. now, he wouldn't -- only in sherrod's account, he didn't use the word shoot. isn't that a vintage sherrod story? he never made that mistake again. he was the speaker at so many of the rallies. i knew he would be a great senator. when he first decided not to run, he was a house member in 2006, i spent a lot of time in the house gym and we spent time on the bikes next to each other panting and sweating and convincing him with his great talent and passion for workers, he would be needed in the senate. i'm so glad he decided to run because he has done so much and left an amazing imprint on this

body. the story sherrod accounts for is he is who he always has been, unflinching, passionate, warm wanted welcoming around -- he will shun a tailor made suit for one close to his home, he will always prefer to ponder a line from martin luther king or a worker from whom he heard something, a man with a gifted mind, he has such a gifted mind and this is a true compliment, an even more gifted heart. thank you for everything, certioraried. -- serd. we -- sherrod, we wish you and connie the very best.

[inaudible question] >> yet, we carefully assessed it. we can do all of it right now but what you will see reflected in the final package is 10 billion to start that. in addition to that the usda moved some things around and they've added 2 billion for specialty crops they announced late november. help is on the way. i've talked the last 24, 48 hours eight hours a number of leaders in the agricultural

community who say the gray relieved by that. they understand is that everything but it is something to bridge the gap and allow the lenders and creditors to help those who are preparing plant the crop in the spring. the timeline sequence is important and we think we're giving them a big boost of relief at exactly the right time in the nick of time frankly. there's always more to do, always more to do but this is an important step for congress and i think for people involved understand that and sends a signal to lenders and creditors congress will not abandon our food producers. if you have small family farms and ranches go out of business they can't make it one more year, can't get a loan to do, they are gone. the kids moved to the cities and that is no family farm. he might've noticed very few people start family farms. these are third, fourth, fifth generation operations. you have to have them, after diversification in the food supply, half producers so we are fruits and vegetables and nuts and all the things we need.

farmers and ranchers provided to america. we cannot rely of the countries. the food supply is directly related to national security. all these things are being factored in. congress is doing the very best they can under difficult circumstances and that will be a big boost to the industry. [inaudible question] >> no, look, i'm not worried about the speaker vote. everybody knows we had difficult circumstances. when doing the best they can. with regard to the vote, yeah, i hope and in working towards majority of our group. one of the things they can be is if we can push this through a rule which i prefer and allow for a pay for for a lot of this then that is something that's important to lot of our members. we also recognized in the midst of providing thinks the federal government is responsible g we have a large national debt. we are excited about the opportunity next year of having

the deluge effort and offering programs instead of appropriate getting back to the basic functions of government so we can reduce that to emphasize the scope of government but the size and scope of the national debt. all these are to be the interest come all of them bows together. these are choices lawmakers estimate but we'll get the job done as it always do. we will keep moving forward and in january we have a new lease on all this. we're excited about that. i look forward to the opportunity. merry christmas, happy hanukkah don't be. i hope we don't see you again here before the end of the year. thanks very much. [inaudible question] >> i won't comment.

mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the proceedings under the quorum be

dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: for many years running, a familiar morning ritual has played out just a few steps from my desk here in the capitol. a lamp turns on, and an embroadered pillow reads not my circus, not my monkeys. inverbally a cold diet coke is cracked open, perhaps a reflection of peggy noonan's observation that the possibility of quiet revenge keeps one

peppy. my deputy chief of operations opened her office for business. she works at a busy crossroads. just about everything is time sensitive, confidential, or otherwise important that is heading my way stops at her desk first, and that's by design. there is no one else who would spend and accumulate institutional capital in my name with steph's confidence, no one else who has such an awareness of my priorities, no one else who embraces other duties as a sign with her unwavering devotion. this might sound like the sort of high praise any within of --

one of my colleagues would give to a close advisor of two decades. i'm sure it's what each of them would want to say about a bright, instinctive ee fusively patriotic staffer who finished college a year and a half early and poured herself into public service at the highest level. i don't doubt that each of our colleagues is fortunate to enjoy the fierce loyalty of their staff, but i'm quite certain i'm the only one in the senate who's been blessed by the fierce loyalty of stef. there's no portfolio or more acc accurately known collection of portfolios anywhere in washington quite like the one i've landed to stef.

and that makes sense because there's no one else who could handle it quite like her. around my office is where colleagues come for guidance and gut checks. across the entire senate any number of people can think of times when stef's wisdom, discretion, candor, loyalty, diplomacy, tact, or political savvy had made all the difference. i can think of hundreds. no one else sees the whole board from policy objectives to political considerations to protocol sense activities -- sensitivities to personal circumstances like stef does. it may have something to do with the fact that she's seen my

senate office operations from just about every advantage point over the years. for stef, there's been no task too small, no job that wasn't worth doing right, and as it turns out, this approach has been contagious. stef's role so often demands uncompromising efficiency and the utmost discretion, and yet she still seems to seize every opportunity to bring my team closer together as family. of course stef's other duties as assigned include covering much larger groups than the professionals i'm proud to call my invery corner of the buildin her name is synonymous with

mastery of the protocols that transform the capitol into a national stage. this is a place where america inaugurates our presidents, it is farewell to fallen heroes and bestows our highest honors, very little takes place without stef's input or orchestration. when you think about it, this diplomatic grace and eye for detail makes sense coming from someone who probably hasn't missed a british royal wedding or an olympic opening ceremony in her entire life. don't worry, stef cheers for team u.s.a. loud and proud. stef has shown grace under the

most challenges. when the pandemic arrived, her ability to balance competing interests was invaluable, not just to me but to the entire senate. her approach to big thorny questions about protecting senators and staff while upholding our duties helped us make the right calls. when there were any number of ways to make the wrong ones. in truly unchartered territory, stef's poise was decisives many faced a blank page and a daunting task, she took action. not because it would be easy because because it -- but because it had to be done. for years this has been something of a theme. if it had to be done, it had to

be stef. had to be airtight and discreet, had to be stef. had to navigate political and personal sensitivities just right, had to be stef. in this job it's important to have a few people around you who really do know every aspect of your life, who you can trust without question, who will guard your confidences and who will give you honest feedback. i'm tremendously fortunate and proud of the countless ways stef rises to these responsibilities over and over again. but i'm hardly the only one who gets to take pride in what stef has accomplished. i share that distinction with her family who made stef who made her who she is, with her

parents and sisters, and the one whom he rush -- whom she rushes home to, her husband scott and beloved daughter lilly. i'm not sure my words here can begin to capture the significance of the first and last person i speak to everyy. but there's perhaps no better illustration of stef's love for our country and for the senate than her sacrifice of times with the loves the most. so, stef, i'm so grateful to you for everything you've done both for the senate and for me.

>> we are now going to bail out fema because -- of course want help people who have been incredibly crushed by the step city hurricanes and everything like that but as of -- release by fema to us 40% of the money that they don't have to relieve people -- went to covid relief i don't know about you guys but we are congress. i don't understand why we have to stand by and say that's okay. i don't know about you guys, we spend a lot of money on covid. why do we keep spending money on covid? they say it's the law.

we just had another chance to change the law because we are lawmakers and yet we continue to say instead of correcting with the money shouldn't be going were going to increase spending where it needs to go because we've been told -- with made a bad, bad vote on so screwed in my opinion. we keep on saying we want to take the deficit and the debt seriously but we keep on voting to increase it. you can't have it both ways and you get back us up in a corner and say we were supposed be prepared for, something we know existed all along and then pretend like shoot now it's an emergency because we were not proactive. this is a responsible government we need to get serious about what were talking about. we can't be looking to the doge to tell us what to cut next. if we don't handle non-discussions that which makes up three-quarters of our spending and we don't tackle this problem and have some real solutions, then 21% of social

security will be cut within that decade. i don't see anybody else in the next ten years, this is a one chance with the trifecta to solve this problem. i think we have to have bipartisan participation. i've talked to settle at others but what we get to save with to solve this. we can have read rick. we can't just have talked. we have to have something proactive instead of reactive. we keep backing ourselves in the corner with the timeline and we have to in order to get it passed add more instead of cat. that's not the way were going to tackle this. we are talking out of both sides of her mouth. [inaudible question] >> i'm frustrated with a lot of things. [inaudible question] >> i've not had a specific conversation with the speaker so i don't -- i'm going after read the bill to find out how frustrated, i'm frustrated with whole approach because once again we're adding to the deficit without having any clear plan for the i have seen outside about where we make cuts. tell me, you guys are reporters.

with a real cut to come in because all i hear is we have to say things and and not any substantial way were going to cut this deficit. the doge is a great idea. it's a great idea. [inaudible question] -- unless we're talking -- i'm concerned about the pbm cut. i want to clip pbms badly but the pharmaceutical companies are way too excited about this which makes me worried unintended consequences just like normal we clip the pbms, pharma makes more money and once again the consumers are the ones that suffer. we had to do something more cooperative. he can't go after one thing and let somebody else benefit of it. we have to make sure the people at once benefiting. that's are responsible to not, not, not pbms, , the hospitals. it's the people. nobody cares how much doctor makes. we keep on saying will make a 2.8% cut to the doctors this year on reimbursements. what does that what does it do?

it forces doctors and hospital system go about 15%. unintended consequences. we do it all the time. who paid for it? the patient. they had an increase of 8% in their premiums. because of a a great policy tg to save the day. this is my frustration with the system. [inaudible question] >> it's supposed to come up soon. i didn't hear today but them come up soon. i heard were maybe going to vote on thursday. that's that 72 hours. i want to take a good look at this text and make choice f fs the ability to briefly and look through the fine print to know if i'm going to vote for this or not. >> does the speaker talk but the 72 hour? >> he didn't. did you do anything but the city to out? >> try to get out in less than 72 hours. >> there you go. that would be good.

[inaudible question] >> it's our job. if we have to be a friday, saturday or christmas or new years eve it's our job. august has a primary function which is to present a budget that we need to do our jobs. i don't care long we have to stay here. there you go. >> thank you, guys. [inaudible question] >> of course. 1400 pages, still haven't seen the text. multiple subject matters. and for healthcare legislation in the context of extenders piled on the back of a three-month cr with about 110 billion unpaid for 25 fight healthcare policy, half of which paperwork. gimmicks and shuffling around the deck. things like e15 which we we d have a full debate on is not the way to do business.

we said we would do something different since we been given the majority again. we're adding 330 billion in literally totally unpaid for additional deficit spending just since november fifth, in 45 days. i don't see how that is doing what we're supposed to be doing. [inaudible question] >> right now we will keep trying move forward the conference itself owns this, right? the conference needs to decide whether we're serious about spending and talk about we get a new mandatory spending reform, bend at the curb. we just voted on a $250 billion shift that will shorten the time when social security expires or goes bankrupt. we are fundamentally unserious about spending. as long as you're a bank check you can't shrink government and you can't live free. [inaudible question]

>> well, we are evidently going to take 1800 page document they want to pass it in at more debt. more frustrating. opposite of what the doge commission is trying to do. a voting for it? no, i'm not. [inaudible question] >> i think if we're going to continue and that you set this we're going to continue to let the democrats use the shut the government down i dare you comee will continue to capitulate we will be in the same box. now was a time american people spoke 76 million and gave us a clear signal. [inaudible question] >> i like mike. i'm frustrated with the outcome. i'm frustrated with what we give. the american people didn't bargain for this and they will not understand this. ask a different topic at a different time. i want pay-fors, i want a rule

we can that the american people see what we vote for multiple against. put us on the line. that's whatth the 're not. mr. thune: we're not? okay. thank you. the presiding officer: thank you. mr. thune: mr. president, my office recently released the 2025 senate calendar. as everyone knows our schedule next year will be aggressive. friday votes will be the norm. we're not going to be having much in the way of recess in the first one hundred days. that's because we have a lot of work to do and will not get it done on an an abbreviated schedule. one of our first priorities will be confirming president trump's nominees. the american people handed president trump and vice president-elect vance a decisive mandate in november and we're going to honor it by making sure president trump has the people he needs in place as soon as possible starting with the heads of the cabinet departments. democrats can certainly make the schedule a little less painful if they accord the president

some of the deference the republicans did. one way or another we're going to get the job done. that means some nights and weekends, so be it. our other early priority and another reason why the schedule will be particularly aggressive in the first 100 days is passing a reconciliation passage with a once in a generation investment in procedure security and immigration enforcement. the border enforcement crisis under president biden has left a gaping hole in our national security and undermine respect for the rule of law. and that ends in january. enforcing the law and protecting the integrity of our borders will become administration policy on day one and the senate will back up the president's efforts. the package we'll be taking up will include substantial resources to increase the number of immigration and customs enforcement officers and border patrol agents, increase

detention space and provide barriers and technology to secure the border. we'll focus on security issues like addressing military readiness. other priorities include kicking off efforts to use the congressional review act to undo some of the biden administration regulations that are weighing down our economy. of course continuing work on a reconciliation package to expand the tax relief republicans delivered for americans during the first trump administration. i mentioned our national security priorities, mr. president. let me just say that national security is going to be a priority for republicans throughout the year. we are finally now considering the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2025 here in the senate this week, almost three months into the new fiscal year. under republican leadership, the ndaa will not be put on the back burner.

i'm also committed to ensuring that we return to regular order consideration of appropriations bills. i will devote stenive time to -- extensive time to appropriations bills when they are ready to avoid an end of the year pileup and problematic continuing resolutions, something with which right now we are very familiar. deciding how taxpayer money is spent is a serious responsibility and deserves serious floor time. members should plan to take a lot of amendment votes during this process and throughout the year. that will mean taking tough votes at times, but that, folks, is what we were sent here to do. finally, mr. president, members should expect to take up a farm bill in 2025. we're now more than a year overdue on the next bill p and farmers and ranchers in my state and around the country are waiting for washington to update farm programs to reflect current agriculture needs.

and i'm committed to bringing a bill to the floor in the coming year. mr. president, there are no two ways about it. 2025 will be intense, but we have a real opportunity here to deliver for the american people on continued tax relief, on border security, and on national security and beyond. mr. president, we are going to seize the day. mr. president, i yield the floor. i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin. the clerk: ms. baldwin.

will make a big impact american and make efficient and cost-effective can't wait to get started election cycle from of americans rejected the property that puts illegal immigrants

over commander-in-chief doesn't know which way up watching the laugh of the world. senate majority leader to allow possibilities just. americans chose a new era. he's ushering in a golden age of america the ground running to do the damage by securing the border, fixing the economy, unleashing american energy extending accept and work with president trump outstanding cabinet takes to deliver on our

america first agenda. jacob the status quo exactly what voted for and what they want and looking forward to a cold christmas in minnesota i think i can speak for everyone who can't wait to come back here in january. >> the judgment for minnesota, the cold weather can be quote enough, it's probably warm for you i wish you all a merry christmas and we have a lot to do the rest of this week productive year end important in the page the last four years of this disaster.

as we finish up government fundingand one have on american energy and runaway spending

driven and the city are born showed lower cost to build i live how you can support so we came together ever seen closely with president trump campaign and that the american back

choice secure the border and trump common. bill after bill to show biden cares administration if you know the critical incident the buildup of threat emerges border is it is not always release out the map so that we can start

moving. start problem with that in so we are ready to go day one to address these problems by joe biden and kamala harris good morning, merry christmas.

what to tell you segment president is the oath of office surfacing 100,000 new jobs. america is already the second. officially begins january 4. the cabinet appointees the

president get in here excited that early part of baxter. thanks to the leadership team check capacity. an extraordinary team and i want to despite the challenges about

disastrous legislation in history that illegals have been arrested. for only americans -- uorum call. ms. baldwin: i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. baldwin: thank you, mr. president. i rise in opposition of the national defense authorization a act, a position i do not take lig lightly. i have supported the final passage of each ndaa that has come before me in the senate, up until now.

from my tenure in this body, and well before me, there has been a pro productive, bipartisan tradition when it comes to this bill that authorizes funding for our military, supporting those in uniform and keeping our country safe. most years we come together on a very quintessential country-over-party deal, one that i would argue is all too uncommon but still this was an important annual ritual that carried serious consequences. this is not to say that we do not have our differences. of course we do. but we know our commitment is bigger than those differences. this year that commitment to our servicemembers, to the people we all represent, and to our security and safety was broken. it has been broken because some republicans decided that gutting the rights of our servicemembers

to score cheap political points was more worthy. let's be clear -- we're talking about parents who are serving our country in uni uniform, having the right to consult with their family's doctor and get the health care they want and need for their transgender children. that's it. they want the right to get whatever health care is best for their child, something i imagine all parents want. and the health care we are talking about here can sometimes be lifesaving. some folks estimate this will impact between 6,000 and 7,000 families in the military. i for one trust these servicemembers and their families to make their own decisions about health care, without politicians butting in. it's flat out wrong to put this provision in this bill and take away a servicemember's freedom

to make that decision for their families. look, this problem has a solution, a simple one at that. my amendment would strike this provision that guts our servicemembers' rights, and i was glad to have 20 colleagues join me in supporting it. and we should pass it. it's unfortunate that some of our colleagues decided to force this harmful provision in this national defense authorization a act, because otherwise i would have been proud to support it. this bill has great things for my home state of wisconsin. this bill invests in our most valuable asset, our people and i am thrilled to see we are giving our junior enlisted troops a well-deserved pay raise, more than 14% and boosting a pay raise of nearly 5%. this invests in the health and

well-being of our troops and our families. making telemental health se services available regardless of where the patient is and so much more. a long-standing priority of mine in this bill and beyond is ensuring when we use taxpayer dollars we are supporting american workers and the american economy. when it comes to our national defense this notion is essential for our safety and security. that's why i'm glad to see steps minored in supporting the made in america economy. the ndaa puts strategies in place to make sure that we are sourcing things domestically from high-tech batteries to navy warships. these suppliers are not only providing the highest quality products but also creating and

supporting good-paying jobs across the country and wisconsin is home to many of them. whether it be fairbanks morris or military installations, wisconsin is crucial in our country's defense and i'm excited to see that this bill recognizes our contribution, making sound investments in the wisconsin rapids army national guard readiness center to support the stroops to stay a -- troops to stay ahead. of all of the smart investments we are making in our troops, families, and their security, some folks poisoned this bill and turned their backs on those in service and the people that we represent. this bill should embody the best of us from elected officials, coming together without partisan

agendas to keep our country safe and support those in uniform. sadly, that's not what happened. and in turn if we pass this bill as is, we're going to rip away the rights of our servicemembers to get the health care they want for themselves and their children. it's wrong and i encourage my colleagues to vote no. i am delighted this morning to be joined by colleagues who share these concerns and would yield to senator kim for his remarks. mr. kim: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. kim: thank you, mr. president. i rise today to call my colleagues to call for section 708 to be removed from the bill. as you know i am new to the united states senate. i come to the floor with great

humility and great urgency. while i'm new to the united states senate, i have had the honor of serving in the past six years in the united states house of representatives, just on the other side of this building. during my time as a member of the house, one of the things i have been most proud to work on are issues involving our military servicemembers and their families. as a house member, i rechtd the -- represented the only triservice base in the country, i represented tens of thousands of military families who signed up to serve our country. when you talk to military families, the last thing you want to hear about is politics. in fact, the last thing they want to talk about is politics. military families often struggle with sufficient housing or putting food on the table, they face inadequacies on health care, they often face barriers to finding work. while it is only the servicemember who swears the oath, it is the whole family

that serves. speaker johnson sought to politicize this national defense authorization act by inserting a dangerous provision after the army services committee in the house and senate came to a bipartisan agreement. this under mines trusts in negotiations and sets a dangerous precedent for what is widely considered the last true space of bipartisan legislation. section 708 would harm those who serve by denying health care for military families. by banning tricare from covering gender affirming care, we are standing in the way of military families and the health care their doctors have prescribed. we are putting politics into a bill where it simply does not belong. we are sending a signal to our military families that if your loved ones are tranned gender, we don't have -- transgender, we don't have their backs.

as a former ranking member on the house armed services committee, there is a lot about this defense authorization act to support. our junior members will receive a 14% pay raise and all others will receive a 5.4% pay raise. there will be additional funding to improve military construction of housing so they will have better roofs over their heads and we made progress in improving access to health care. these are all wins, they are bipartisan, they build our stronger national defense. that is all the more reason to strip section 708 from the bill. we shouldn't play politics from our national security. we shouldn't target transgender youth and spread fear into a community that has seen so much hate towards it. we should support an ndaa that

supports our servicemembers and their families, all of them, without politics or prejudice. i hope my colleagues join me to that end. thank you. ms. hirono: mr. president. the presiding officer:the senator from hawaii. ms. hirono: mr. president, i rise today to acknowledge the work we have done on a bipartisan basis to draft this year's national defense authorization act, ndaa. at more than 1,800 pages, this bill contains wins for our country, our military, and our

servicemembers. it provides a raise to all servicemembers with an even bigger raise for junior enlisted troops. it invests billions in needed military infrastructure in hawaii and throughout the indo-pacific region. investments that are critical as away work -- as we work to support our allies and partners in the region. i'm proud that it contains a provision i fought for to create a new major mishaps classifications to ensure better oversight and accountability for major incidents like the 2021 fuel spill which impacted over 93,000 people. all of these provisions, and many more, will support our military, our servicemembers, and their families. in fact, our priorities should be supporting the men and women

of our armed forces and their families. and that includes making sure they have access to quality health care. but instead of focusing on the things that matter, such as health care, republicans demanded the influence of a provision prohibiting try care from covering gender affirming care for minors. despite efforts to stop this provision, to strip this provision from this bill during conference, it's in there. by many estimates, there are thousands of transgender children of servicemembers who are currently receiving gender-affirming care from tricare. under this bill those children would not be able to access the health care they need despite their parents' approving the care. we know what happens when

tranned gender and -- transgender and nonbinary children are refused care. according to the journal of adolescent health, rates of depression, anxiety and suicide all increase. there is no question that this provision will cause concern for servicemembers worrying about their children not getting the health care that they need. and, of course, this will cause trauma to the servicemembers, their children, the entire family. we didn't have to do this, mr. president. we didn't have to impose this cruelty on our servicemembers and their families. i thank senator baldwin for introducing an amendment to stop this unnecessary cruel provision to strip this provision from this bill, an amendment i and others are proud to cosponsor. we know that this fight is not

over. i yield back. thank you, mr. president. a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. markey: thank you, mr. president. and i want to thank senator baldwin for her leadership on this issue of -- for helping us to focus upon this threat to the rights of americans that is being propounded in this defense bill. i want to thank senator merkley. i want to thank everyone who is joining with senator baldwin on this fight because today we are considering the national defense authorization act. and embaded within its language -- embedded within its language would be a ban of tricare coverage for

transgender. it would be the first anti-lgbtq plus law passed by congress in decades, since the 1990's, there's been no anti-lgbtq law which has passed. and it passed -- if passed into law, it would force thousands of americans of the military to decide between service to their country and guaranteeing their child can get the health care which they need. this language is the product of a nationwide campaign against transrights. a campaign that has facilitated harassment of teachers, bomb threats to children's hospitals and attacks on transgender people. this is the same campaign that drives legislators from state capitols to capitol hill. we have seen this playbook before. for decades republicans attacked

the right to abortion. they slowly chipped away, state by state, law by law, and today there is no constitutional right to abortion. and now they've turned their attention to servicemembers' families. we must fight off efforts by politicians to force themselves into exam rooms. they think they know better than trained health care providers and patients. they do not. the only expertise they are exhibiting is an expertise in oppression, suppression, and repression of health care freedom and their attacks will not stop there. freedom isn't lost all at once. it happens one inch at a time. and as the senate author of the trans-bill of rights, this is an inch that i insist that we

cannot give. at its best, this institution has affirmed the rights of every american. on this floor we have expanded access to health care, guaranteed americans' civil rights and protected same-sex marriage. today we have the opportunity and responsibility to fight discriminatory attacks on servicemembers, their families and their health care providers. we must strike this language. and if we do not, we must vote no on the entire bill. to every transmember, every servicemember and their family and communities, i will not turn my back on you. i am with you. together, we will keep fighting. again, i thank senator baldwin for her leadership on this issue, and with that, mr. president, i yield back. ms. baldwin: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from wisconsin.

ms. baldwin: i want to thank my colleagues, senator kim, senator hirono, senator markey for participating in in deet -- in this debate today and for standing firm. as i said earlier, historically the ndaa has embodied the idea that there is more that brings us together than separates us. that our servicemembers and national defense are not to be politicized, that we put our country over party when the chips are on the table. unfortunately, this year that was ignored, all to gut the rights of our servicemembers to get the health care that they need for their children. with that i encourage a no vote on the ndaa, and i yield back. m

map. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. map quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

the presiding officer: the senator from texas. mr. cornyn: mr. president, i'd ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. cornyn: mr. president, it seems hard to imagine that it was 23 years ago when 3,000 americans were killed in a terrorist attack in new york city and here in washington, d.c. at the pentagon. the families of those who lost loved ones that day have been seeking access to justice just like any other victim could and should be able to here in the united states. to that end we reintroduced the justice against sponsors of terrorism act, or jasta which was a monumental step to

allowing those families who lost loved ones to achieve long overdue closure in a court of law. it did not put our thumb on the scale. it didn't say they were entimesed to anything -- entitled to anything. it said they were entitled to present their arguments and the facts to a court of law, just like any other american citizen should be able to do so here in our country. these terrorist attacks on 9/11 were a tragedy for our entire nation, but for some that day was as personal tragedy as well. men and women who lost loved ones during the terrorist attacks deserve to have their day in court. thanks to jasta as it's called, the justice against sponsors of terrorism act, that is now possible. this legislation, the ensuring justice to victims of terrorism act provides important updates and technical edits to the original bill.

to show you the sort of bipartisan support that this carve youth in foreign sovereign immunity law received, it passed 97-1 back when it originally passed and it passed over a presidential veto by president obama. the bill before us today does not expand jasta's original scope as intended by congress, but it does correct certain judicial misinterpretations that fly in the face of the clear text and the history of this legislation. when president obama vetoed jasta leading to the only veto override during his presidency, he listed a parade of harmful potential foreign policy outcomes to justify his refusal to stand up for american victims of terrorism. none, none of these predicted negative outcomes have come to pass. and jsat -- jasta has been the

law of the land for nearly a decade. these technical corrections will not change that fact. it will ensure that the families of the victims of these tragic attacks on 9/11 receive the justice they deserve, and i hope it will advance out of the senate today. to that end, mr. president, i would ask unanimous consent that the committee on the judiciary be discharged from further consideration of s. 28 -- 2082 and notwithstanding rule 20, that the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table. the presiding officer: is there an objection? a senator: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from arkansas. mr. cotton: reserving the right to object. i first would like to begin by joining my colleague from texas and mourning the loss of the

nearly 3,000 innocent americans who died in the september 11 attacks. we must never and we will never forget them. i also want to extend my prayers to the families who lost loved ones that day and bear the weight of their loss in their hearts every single day. however, i must object to this bill today because it hasn't yet received the careful consideration and deliberation that the subject warrants. first, in contrary to some suggestions, the bill would enact more than mere technical corrections to earlier legislation. rather the bill's provisions would significantly change how a highly technical area of u.s. law is interpreted. but the judiciary committee hasn't held a hearing or a vote on this bill. not the fault of the senator from texas, to be sure, but a fact nonetheless. i also question whether the foreign relations committee should evaluate the bill as well given its consequences for our foreign policy.

second and speaking of foreign policy, the bill could have far-reaching and consequential itch indications for our policy -- implications for our policy in the middle east. thanks to israel's artful diplomacy and incredible military, iran's so-called access of resistance lies in rubble in gaza, lebanon and syria with iran itself therefore exposed on its flanks for the first time in a generation. i would suggest that this highly promising yet highly sensitive moment that all our efforts should be focused on uniting our friends and our allies in the region to put an end once and for all to the threat of a nuclear armed terrorist sponsoring iran. finally, this bill do have -- could have the unintend ed recovery for the 9/11 litigant cases him the courts will likely need to reopen and relitigate past decisions based on the changed law while a disproportionate amount of any

future recovery could go primarily to insurance companies and lawyers. instead of the families of the victims. if any recovery comes at all. for these reasons i must object today while suggesting that the new congress revisit the matter with the hearings, regular order, and full consideration that the subject deserves. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the objection is heard.

democrats continue on a strong dr. on this passage. in these are a.i. for national defense. the third thing is very important on the chinese communist party and in addition

democrats but not added. i'm particularly glad program was created. these will transform across the country and innovation and it is part of a i and the chinese communist party in the technological leadership. on the desk.

plus legislation unusual activity department of homeland security. rome sightings and there are so many in response to that will bodies do not have authority and

they parts. and people are understandably anxious to have answers to what's going on. you haven't gotten. the worst part right now and authorities about these and i think my friend for his good work my dear friend, ohio. if there's one statement is this.

he is one of us. elected office will support of it. all marched on the front line and a new early before i knew gary moral duty we'll have and was elected president and

thrilled about. you think ...? of course not. and talk about their job and it

is together that is depicted. forever. our country was built in the middle class. service. it is no surprise the devastating decades later going back to ohio and brought jobs back to ohio.

relentless the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 928, honoring the life of nebraska community leader john

edmund gottsch. mr. ricketts: i ask unanimous consent that the resolutionen agreed turkeys the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. ricketts: mr. president, mr. may i proceed? the presiding officer: proceed. mr. ricketts: mr. president, i rise today to honor a great nebraskan and a great american -- john edmund gottschock. he was born in omaha and grew up in a small town called rushville. he was as boy scout and he went on to attend the university of nebraska, majoring in political science and journey aim. -- journalism. his father started the sheridan county star and john worked there as well, getting his break into journalism, the newspaper business. in 1972, john bought the "sydney

telegraph" and became mayor of the town of sydney. he eventually worked his way up to become the publisher and ceo in 1998. and he remained that until -- sorry, until 2009 actually, 1989. got those numbers flipped around. john and his wife carmen were extraordinary people. he led the "omaha world herald" into the new age and led efforts to increase the technology and it spread throughout the state of nebraska. it made the "omaha world herald" a standard for how a newspaper should be run.

he himself was known for his integrity and his courage. he was never shy about being direct with a budding politician to let that politician know when he believed that politician might have erred. and he was one of those people that cared about the community. as i mentioned, he was a boy scout. he served as chairman of our local midamerican council of boy scouts but also became national president of boy scouts of america. he served as chairman for the board of governors for the uso. he cared about our americansst veterans -- he cared about our veterans. he cared about our military people. he also cared about the arts. he was chairman of the omaha performing arts center. he and his wife carmen cared about people. together they fostered more than 100 infants awaiting adoption.

john was an outdoorsman and a conservationist. he really was one of those people we would describe as a renaissance man. running a fantastic business, giving back to the community, he was the kind of american that built this country. john passed away last month, leaving a legacy that is having a lasting imprint in our community of omaha, state of nebraska and indeed our entire country. i greatly admire john gottschalk for the kind of man he was, the example he set for the rest of us. he will be greatly missed, and i

will miss him greatly.

rise in opposition. i have support the final passage has come before me. my tenure in this body there has been a productive bipartisan mission when it comes to authorizing this country together party deal.

in not to say we do not have it. and in these differences. it's all we represent security and safety. it is more worthy. be clear talking about parents and serving in uniform having the right front families to get healthcare they want and need for their transgendered children. ...

>> and we should pass it. it's unfortunate some of our colleagues decided to force this harmful provision in this

national defense authorization act because otherwise i would've been proud to support it. this bill has some great things for our service members and my home state of wisconsin and measures i have long pushed for. this bill and best in our most valuable asset, our people. i'm thrilled to see where giving our junior enlisted troops and well-deserved pay raise, more than 14%, and boosting pay for all others by nearly 5%. this legislation and ask in the health and well-being of our troops and their families, a limiting co-pay for contraception for our troops and their families on tricare. making telemental health care services available regardless of where the patient is, and so much more. a long-standing priority of mine in this bill and beyond is ensuring when we use taxpayer dollars we are supporting american companies and american

workers and the american economy. when it comes to our national defense this notion is essential for our safety and security. that's why i'm glad to see steps forward in supporting the mate in american economy. the ndaa puts strategies in place to make sure we are sourcing things domestically from high-tech batteries to navy warships. these suppliers are not only providing the highest quality products but also creating and supporting good-paying jobs across the country. and wisconsin is home to many of them. whether it be the companies like fairbanks morse or oshkosh defense or the military installations like fort mccoy, wisconsin is crucial in our country's defense and i'm excited to see this bill recognizes our contribution making sound investments in wisconsin rapids army national

guard readiness center to support the training our troops need to stay ahead of tomorrow's threats. despite all of the common ground we found and all of the smart investments we are making in our troops their families and our securities some folks poisoned this bill and turned their backs on those in service and the people we represent. this bill should embody the best of us as elected officials come together without partisan agendas to keep our country safe and support those in uniform. sadly, that's not what happened and in turn if we pass this bill as is we are going to rip away the rights of our service members to get the health care they want for themselves and their children. it's wrong and i encourage my colleagues to vote no. i am delighted this morning to be joined by colleagues who

share these concerns and would yield to senator kim for his remarks. >> mr. president? >> senator from new jersey. >> thank you, mr. president. i rise today to join my colleagues to call for section 708 of the ndaa to be removed from the final bill. as you know i am new to the united states senate. i come to the fore today with great humility but also great urgency. because while i'm new to the united states senate i have had the honor of serving the past six years as a member of the united states house of representatives just on the other side of this building. during my time is new about one of the things i've and most probably work on her issues involving our military service members and their families. as has i represented joint base mcguire the only try service

joint base in the country. because of that represented tens of thousands of military families who signed up to serve our country. when you talk to mildred found us last thing want to about is politics. the last thing they want to talk about his politics military families often struggle with sufficient housing or putting food on the table. they face inadequacies in healthcare military spouses face barriers to finding work. while it is only the service member who swears in the hope it is a whole family that serves. i come to the fore with great urgency because speaker johnson sought to politicize this important national defense authorization act by inserting a dangerous provision after the armed services committee in both the house and senate came to bipartisan agreement. this action undermines trust in o note the conference agreement the senate is voting on this week. congress has passed a bipartisan defense authorization bill every year without fail since 1961, a

remarkable feat and increasing partisan senate, it's even more remarkable. every year when the final text comes, there are inevitably numbers on both sides of the aisle -- members on both sides of the aisle who like some provisions and dislike others. that's what compromise is all about. this year's text is no different. it includes a historic pay raise for junior enlisted troops, provides continued support for ukraine's territory integrity and baltic security cooperation. this bill authorizes important military construction projects. it reauthorizes my read act to continue quality basic education programs for vulnerable children around the world. at the same time it also continues troubling restrictions that make it unnecessarily difficult to finally close the detention center at guantanamo bay and fails to include important provisions i sponsored that would have excelled pfas

remediation and enable the skilled daca holders to enlist in the military to address our recruitment challenges. there's one provision in the conference agreement that troubles me, a provision that would ban certain medical treatments for transgender children of servicemembers. it eliminates the ability of military families to work with medical pro -- professionals and make their own decisions about the health care needs of their own children. that's why i'm a cosponsor of senator tammy baldwin's amendment to remove this language from the bill. mr. president, i'd like now to highlight an important milestone. this coming saturday, december 21, will mark the sixth anniversary of the first step act blood pressuring law. -- act becoming law. it resulted from overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the house and senate, coming together to pass landmark criminal justice reform. i was honored to be the lead democrat sponsor of this legislation along with the lead republican sponsor senator chuck

grassley. senators cory booker and mike lee joined us. the first step act acknowledges the obvious, the vast majority of people who are incarcerated will some day be released so we must prepare them to successfully return to their communities. in the last six years, this law has safely and effectively reduced populations in overcrowded federal prisons, reuniting families and revitalizing communities. the first step act looked toward the future by providing opportunities for the incarcerated people to reenter society successfully. it helped to reform harsh drug sentencing laws of the past and remedy their effects. i authored bipartisan legislation, the fair sentencing act of 2010 reducing the unjust 100-1 sentencing disparity between crack powder, cocaine offenses. under the first step act the fair sentencing act reforms were made retro active allowing those who still serve sentences imposed before the change in law to be resentenced.

i am thankful for the tireless efforts of many dedicated advocates and families who never gave up hope that this bill would become the law. since the passage of the first step act six years ago, i met with many americans who have successfully rurped home because -- rurped home because of this historic legislation. the first step act has been a tremendous success. of more than 40,000 people released under this law through january of this year, only 9.7% have been rearrested or returned to custody. compare that to the bureau of prisons overall recidivism rate of 45%, five times that number. unfortunately some elected officials are now calling for a return to the punitive policies of the past despite the success of the first step act. here's the reality. we all deserve to be -- live free from crime, but the war on drugs with the inflexible mandatory minimums did not make communities safer. instead the so-called war on

drugs filled the prisons with young, mostly african american men and at the same time the price of illegal drugs went down and the use of illegal drugs went up. the strategy didn't work. the first step act shows that we can do more than just be tough on crime. we can be once and for all smart on crime. and achieve accountability without excessive punishment and incarceration. it is our job in congress to thoughtfully respond to the enduring crisis of substance abuse in america. we should provide more opportunities for those who are incarcerated to reenter society successfully, reunite with their families and contribute to their communities. and we need to build on the bipartisan success of the first step act and work together to craft new policies to reduce crime in america. six years ago the first step act was signed into law by president donald trump. durs his first term in office. lead republican sponsor chuck grassley was chair of the senate

judiciary committee. with donald trump returning to the office and senator grassley returning as chair of the judiciary committee, we have the opportunity to build on the success of the first step act. six years ago we wrote the blueprint for reimagining rehabilitation and protecting public safety. we know that it works. we must remember that passing this law was just the first step in a long journey toward rethinking rehab and reversing failed approaches. today as i reflect on what we achieved by correcting our past wrongs an investing in the power of second chances i also recognize that more must be done to make our justice system fair and to keep america safe. we should learn from the experiences of individuals who have been incarcerated under misguided policies and are now seeking to reform the criminal justice system for the future. as we celebrate this anniversary, i'll continue to work with my colleagues to reform outdated sentencing laws and improve conditions of confinement and rehabilitation within our federal prison system. mr. president, i have three

requests for committees to meet during today's section of the senate owe he owe session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. durbin: i yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

quorum call:

>> grateful to the democratic policy and communications committee for joining me here today. my thoughts are with vice chair ted lieu who is attending to some family matters as well. it's clear the american people want us to tackle the affordability crisis.

they voted to lower their own costs. they didn't vote to lower corporate tax rates. donald trump and house republicans have decided your concerns are not as important as the billionaire donors that he is made promises to. trump repeatedly said during the campaign he would bring costs down there at a rally in pittsburgh he said quote, a vote for trump means your groceries will be cheaper. in north carolina he said quote come from the day i take the oath of office we were rapidly drive prices down. fast-forward to today and he's already abandoning that promised working people, telling "time" magazine that actually driving costs down is quote, very hard. was he lying the whole time, or has something changed? it is hard. it is hard to lower the costs of living if you spend all your time and energy trying to pass a

massive tax cut for billionaire billionaires. at the expense of the american people. serving your billionaire cabinet over the people who put you in office. some of the same companies that charge these prices is who he is not advocating for. under trump and the republican-controlled congress the american people will pay more for less. house democrats have planned to bring down the cost of living for working families by banning corporate price gouging, holding more homes to tackle the affordability crisis and cutting taxes for working americans to give them the briefing room they need. with alec deal to the dpcc chair, debbie. >> thanks, pete. i want to thank pete for all of his hard work in organizing the caucus, , preparing us for the 119th caucus. and we're going to really be ready for next year.

we are ready come house democrats are ready for what lies ahead. so we're going, if there are things that will help the people who represent, we will be working with everybody, and if they're going to be doing things that are going to only help donald trump's france, the billionaires, we are not when you sit by and be quiet. we are prepared for the work ahead. i'm pretty good example of where, well, we will probably -- we are popping up all together on our site someday. tears are a tool and toolbox. if you're from an out-of-state, manufacture, you've got steel, i'm going to work with them to protect my workers. but there also things that last saturday at home i sat with a group of people in ann arbor. i had a young man who voted for trump who said to me democrats didn't take seriously the discussion about the cost of a

dozen eggs. that really matters to somebody like me who is 27 and can't make enough money. and now he's saying it's hard to lower the costs. we are going to work to lower those grocery prices. we've been doing it and we're going to continue to do it. he talks about we're not going to let people defund public services like veterans care or take care of her kids, or what seniors rely on. in his most recent is a story about privatizing the post office which would hurt world americans the most. and especially seniors and others who depend upon the united states postal service to deliver their medication. i'm going to ask him, is the agenda we are hearing right now the agenda that works for everyday working men and women? house republicans want to give tax breaks, but who's going to get the tax breaks? those everyday working men and women we're going to fight for? they will give a lot of benefits

to the ultra-wealthy. i'm one of those people to think the wealthy should have to pay their fair share and corporation should be paying their fair share. democrats are the ones that are going to put working families first. we always do. we are the party of social security and medicare, the party of job creators and, quite frankly, road repairs. the party of common sense gun safety, and our hearts again go out to the families as we watched another senseless not understandable shooting in wisconsin yesterday. we are not going to stop fighting for you, so i want to thank you for being here. i'm wishing all of you a happy holiday season entering this over to my cochair. >> thank you, debbie. good morning, everybody. this is my last week you before we head back over to our families and communities for holiday break, closing at what

is been a very eventful year and a very eventful 118th congress. congress. through it all every step of the way our house democratic caucus of made it clear we put people over politics and we're focused on the working founds are focused on. we show up every day to make life better for the american people and to do the work that they send us your to do. bringing down costs, keeping our government funded and open, giving families high-quality affordable healthcare. our communities send us your to solve problems and that has minimal continue to be our focus as we head into the 119th congress. unfortunately the same cannot be said for house republicans. it's been a few weeks since with the results of the election and in that time they have made their priorities for the next few years completely clear. they want sweeping tax breaks for the richest and wealthiest americans paid for with deep cuts to social security and

medicare. they have attacked lgbtq americans. they had plans for nationwide abortion ban and they will support terrorists that will bring paint on working families. that's just what the house republicans have been up to. donald trump has been busy starting a project 2025 walking back on his campaign promises and filled his cabinet with unqualified and alarming pics. his extremism and it is completely out of touch with our communities. while we will always work to find common ground on any issue we will not yield to this, not now i'm not throughout the 119th congress. now, our job as the dpcc is to make sure our caucus has the tools to communicate these priorities decisively to the american people and we are very, very excited about the work ahead. thank you, and for more unhappy to turn it over to lori trayvon.

>> thank you, lauren. thank you to chair aguilar for hosting us. the american people made it clear in november what they want from washington, lower costs, better jobs and a clear focus on issues that matter most to working families. but what they didn't dids donald trump undermining and defunding the government services that actually work for them. that's why many americans were understandably shocked by yesterday's announcement that president-elect trump is seeking to privatize the united states postal service. millions of americans rely on the mail every day for their life-saving prescriptions, to pay the bills, receiver social security benefits, and during the holidays, male other customers. they do it through the usps because they can do it in a timely fashion and at a cost

they can afford. that's why you in and you're at the postal service is when one of the most trusted reliable agencies in our country. tell me how gifting the service to wegener cdao will raise prices to pad the bottom line helps working families who will be forced to pay more. you can't because it doesn't make any sense. this this is a classic bait d switch by trump who since election day has proven he's willing to say one thing on the campaign trail but do another in office. in fact, in addition to taking steps to increase american shipping and delivering cost president elect is also walking back his promise to lower grocery prices. he's not even in office yet and he's decided that it's just too hard. let's be clear. house democrats will not give up on the fight to lower prices for working families and willing to work hard with any of our colleagues who are serious about joining us in that effort.

but privatizing the united states postal service will do the opposite. it will raise prices for families and house democrats will oppose any effort like that that will hurt hard-working americans. thank you, and is to my pleasure to turn it over to my fellow cochair, matt. >> thank you, larry. good morning, everybody. like chair dingell i want to express my condolences to the families and the people who lost their lives or loved ones in the horrible shooting that happened yesterday. i love the maya angelou quote when soma tells you they are, believe in the first time. when donald trump went to the outer a headquarters and said i'm going to work for you, i believed him. when he goes to billionaires and oil executives and said you give me x amount of contributions and i will do everything i can to make sure you make more money, i believed him then. what we're seeing now -ism living up to the

l mr. tillis: p thank you, mr. president. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the senate stands in recess until 2:15. >> the u.s. senate now in recess for the weekly party caucus lunches. lawmakers are considering the house approved 2025 defense ndaa. a final vote is possible today. congress is facing a government funding shutdown and must pass additional federal spending legislation by midnight friday to avert a federal shutdown. live coverage of the scent when they return at 2:15 p.m. eastern here on c-span2. >> halls of congress talking about firing unelected bureaucrats when their target civil servants and people who help make our government work. this is donald trump living up to the promisese