social security fairness act which would repeal the windfall eliminations provision and government pension offset from the social security benefit calculation, providing relief for many public employees who have been adversely impacted. make no mistake, we have a problem. we all agree the status quo is unfair and it penalizes millions of hardworking americans whether teachers, firefighters, police officers, among others. but we also have an obligation to honor our promises to ensure that social security is going to be there for the people who have paid into it and have earned it and also those generations who come after. we can fix this problem without blowing a hole in the social security trust fund. this is a $200 billion price tag. we can fix that without having any, any effect on our budget, but it's just unbelievable and no one seems to be really concerned about what we have in the debt we're facing.

of one of the first meetings i had gone to in early 2011, i asked former admiral mike mullen. i said chairman mullening, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, what is the greatest threat facing america. he never hesitated one second. ep said the debt of the nation will bring us down first. the debt of the nation brought down every major society in history. and that's exactly what we're on track to do. we have a fiscal crisis in this

doge. we're spending more than we bring in every year for the 22 years, and the debt that resulted from it is absolutely crippling. most americans couldn't last 22 paychecks, let alone 22 years of spending more than they brought in. years of fiscal responsibility have brought us to the crisis we are today, which is more than $36 trillion in national debt. that breaks down to $104,000 for every man, woman 20, and child. $104,000 for every citizen in america. we will spend more on paying the interest, just the interest on our debt than we do to defend our country. this is the crisis we're facing and we're going into this blindly and it passed with over 72 votes. nobody is thinking about what we could do and how to do it better. there's a problem. we can fix the problem.

government makes tough choices, however, as matters stand, we are choosing to ignore fiscal crisis again. if this thing hits the wall, it increases six months, it advances the insolvency of social security six more months. we're trying to figure out how we can save social security, and we're not doing a thing for the people fixing the problem we have that's within our means to do so. our amendment would replace the wep -- gop ensuring that the workers receive their appropriate benefits. we recognize it has been denied. the social security trust fund is projected to become insolvent in 2033, less than ten years. we need the highest population receiving social security benefits. texas, there's a tremendous amount of people in texas. we need to make sure that retirees are receiving their fair share and we cannot do it

at the expense of all beneficiaries and fugenerations i urge my colleagues to listen to my friend from texas, how he's come about working together knowing it is something that can be done. it's a heck of a fix. we hope that you all would support this amendment and be be -- and be able to make a fiscally responsible fix to the problem we have, taking care of the generations of now and the generations to come. and with that, i yield the floor to my friend. mr. cruz: mr. president, i thank my friend, the senator from west virginia, who is standing here, we are standing here together with a bipartisan plea to the senate to act in al reasonable fiscally -- a reasonable and fiscally responsible way. senator manchin and i are asking in a bipartisan way asking the

senate, don't sell seniors down the river. we all know the united states congress spends like drunken sailors. that's not fair to the sailors because at least they're spending their own money. even in that context, what we saw earlier today was tragic. the vote earlier today was designed to solve a rel problem, the -- real problem, the windfall elimination provision, the wep provision. it was enacted to ensure social security benefits are paid fairly and they recognize the amount that is actually paid into social security. however, when the wep was enacted, it got the formula wrong, and the result is for thousands upon thousands of retired police officers and retired firefighters and retired teachers, they got shortchanged. a very significant number of

those cops, firefighters, and teachers are in my home state of texas. i have heard from countless firefighters, cops, and teachers who have raised that issue. and since 2017, i've been fighting to fix the wep problem. in 2017, i introduced legislation to fix the inequity and to treat our retired cops and firefighters and teachers fairly. my legislation, i worked on very closely, with kevin brady, republican in the house, then the chairman of the house ways and means committee. we had an agreement with the ranking member on the house ways and means committee to get this resolved, but unfortunately house democrats backed out of that agreement. so we didn't fix the wep in 2017. we didn't fix it in 2018, we didn't fix it in 2019, 2020,

2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024. now we have a bill designed to fix the inekt requesties for retired police officers, firefighters, and teachers. so what's the problem? the problem is this current bill simply repeals the wep across the board which is a massive cost to social security. this bill imposes a cost on the social security trust fund of $190 billion. nearly $200 billion. what else does this bill do that we just voted on? it accelerates the insolvency of social security by six months. the social security system right now is scheduled to be insolvent within nine years, by 2033.

as a result of this vote, if the same 73 senators who just voted for this provision stick with it, social security goes broke six months earlier. what does that mean if social security goes insolvent there is an automatic benefits cut of 20% -- over 20% that goes into effect automatically. what did 73 senators vote to do today? to throw granny over the cliff. to hurt social security for every senior citizen in america. now, if that was our only choice, if our only choice was treat the cops and firefighters and retired teachers fairly or do harm to social security and

to seniors, i could understand people making that tradeoff. it's an ugly tradeoff, but i could understand it because we absolutely need to treat retired cops, firefighters, and teachers fairly. but there is another choice. the legislation that i introduced in 2017 and have been fighting to pass ever since. it is bipartisan legislation that i introduced. i have it as an amendment to this bill right now, senator manchin is a democrat, is a cosponsor. what does my amendment do? it fixes the wep problem. it fixes the windfall elimination provision problem, which means it corrects the unfairness for retired cops, for retired firefighters, for retired teachers. but it does so at a much, much more affordable price tag. the cruz-manchin amendment would cost $25 billion over the next

ten years. $25 billion compared to $190 billion, and critically the cruz-manchin amendment has been scored at over 75 years, which when you're dealing with social security, you typically look at the longer window, over 75 years, the scoring shows it as negligible impact. so the senate has an option right in front of it. take care of the cops, take care of the firefighters, take care of the teachers. but at the same time don't hurt the seniors. mr. president, i'm confident that every member of this body goes home to our states, and we tell senior citizen we're going to protect social security. well, you know what.

if 73 senators in this body continue to blow $200 billion hole in the social security trust fund, every senator is breaking their promise to every senior in their states. every senator who votes to impose -- $200,000 of cost, you are costing the seniors. what's so frustrating is this should be easy and this should be simple. i can tell you in the republican conference, i urged my colleagues, i said, listen, let's take this up and finally pass it early next year in the brand-new conference. john thune, the incoming majority leader, committed if the senate did not proceed on

this bill today to take up my amendment on the floor within the first three months of next year. listen, i understand the frustration of the people who have been fighting to get this problem fixed because they've been fighting and fighting and fighting and it's never gotten there so people are understandably frustrated by being treated unfairly. but we have a way to fix this problem, to put more money in the pockets of retired cops and retired firefighters and retired teachers, but do so in a way fiscally responsible and doesn't hurt every senior in america. it saddens me that only 27 of us were willing to stand up and say, we're going to keep our promise to protect social security, we're going to keep our promise to protect the seniors in west virginia and

texas. we're not going to sell -- sell granny down the river. there's still a chance for this senate to reconsider. it would be very simple to take this up. it would be very simple to schedule a hearing in the finance committee early next year. the incoming chairman of the senate finance committee, senator crapo committed to having a hearing early next year. we can fix this problem without blowing a $200 billion hole in the social security trust fund. i would happily yield to my friend from west virginia. mr. manchin: i will say i think what happened is that we have a bill that's hard to vote against. it really is. i understand why there is 73 senators who would vote for it. senator cruz has worked diligently on this year, the wep fix. the bottom line is it never came to committee here. it came out of the house and came right to the floor.

now, whether they thought it was a feel-good vote or whatever. i'm only saying it's not a responsible position for us to take at the debt we are carrying now and putting more and more on. every one of us have fiscal responsibilities at home, every one of our family members, every one of our constituents. we seem to have no constraint here. we saw the $200 billion price tag on this, is there a better way? we basically opposed this piece of legislation because we can fix the inequities done and that can be done in taking care of the people that got left behind and shortchanged. we identify it. the bottom line is we have a fix for it. let us fix it. if you wanted to fix it and have a good bill, you should have put it in committee if it's not, it's going to be done with a commitment from the majority party, let it be fixed. don't throw another $180 billion

on top of it. and then tell your grandparents or your aunts and uncles who are depending on that social security check, like almost 500,000 west virginians, that in 2032, you're going to have a 20% cut in your social security payment. if they're getting $1,000 a month, they will get $800 and not know why it what happened. what happened? how can you let this happen? we can fix that. we really can. we are asking for a consideration of this body to fix it, and fix it right, take care of the inequities, take care of the people who have been shortchanged and take care of the people who are depending on this social security to be solvent. mr. cruz: i thank my friend from west virginia. i urge my body to listen to the reasonable words from the senator in west virginia. the senator from west virginia is going to retire in a few days. we're going to miss joe manchin

in this body. we're going to miss a voice of reason on both sides of the aisle. we have in front of this body a bipartisan amendment that fixes the wep problem, that treats retired cops and firefighters and teachers fair live. have --. but it does so while being responsible and not blowing a whole in the social security trust fund. my dad is 85 years old. my mom is 90 years old. both of them rely on social security. we have a solemn obligation to honor the promises we made to seniors. there's not a senator in this body who hasn't promised seniors i'm going to protect social security. well, if the senate goes forward and passes this bill, 73 senators will be breaking their word. i ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, do the right thing, do the responsible thing, keep your word to the seniors in

your state. i yield the floor. mr. carper: mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from dwarp. mr. carper: -- from delaware. mr. carper: on behalf of the majority leader, i ask the chair to execute the order of december 12, with respect to the house message to accompany s. 4367. the presiding officer: under the previous order, the chair lays before the senate, the following message from the house. the clerk: resolved, that the bill from the senate, s. 4367 entitled an act to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the united states, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, and for other

purposes, do pass with an amendment. mr. carper: mr. president, i move to concur in the house amendment to s. 4367. the presiding officer: under the previous order, there will be up to one hour equally divided. mr. carper: i'd like to yield to the gentle woman from west virginia. mrs. capito: i rise in strong support of the house amendment to s. 4367, what my come p -- compadre did not mention is the title of the bill, the thomas carper water resources act of 2024. i urge a vote in favor. just last week, the house approved this bill by an overwhelming margin of 399-18. this bipartisan legislation is supported by a diverse group of more than 200 stakeholders,

which illustrates the positive impact that the legislation will have on communities across this country. i just want to spend a few minutes kind of discussing the great work of my colleagues in congress and the benefits that the american people will have by the provisions on this bill. at the heart of the legislation is the water resources development act of 2024. the enactment of biennial water resources legislation over the last ten years has been critical to addressing the nation's water resources needs. in august, the senate passed its version of this legislation by unanimous consent. that bill was developed based on more than 1,000 requests submitted by our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. following senate passage, chairman carper and i worked with chairman sam graves and r ranking member rick larsen of the house transportation and infrastructure committee to resource the differences between

the house and senate-passed wrda bill. i'm proud of the agreement and i thank my house colleagues for being such great partners. i would like to highlight some of the ben fits of the wrda bill. it authorizes critical water research studies. these projects and studies support navigation along our waterways and ports. it will protect communities from flooding. and improve our environment. this bill avoids a one size fits all solution and maintains important flexibilities so that the core of engineers -- corps of engineers and nonfederal partners can continue to address the unique water resources challenges across our nation. it also contains directives to the corps to develop comprehensive implementation plans for this bill and our prior wrdas. this enables the corps to focus

energy and resources on fully implementing wrda and prior wrda provisions in order to better reflect the intense of this body and congress. and previous congresses. i also want to highlight some of the ways this bill will directly benefit my state of verb. over eight years -- state of west virginia. in june, 2016, west virginia experienced flooding at historic rates and led to tragic deaths and devastation. this bill provides support for future projects identified by the corps's feeblt study for -- feasibility study for flood risk management. the legislation also increases the ability of the corps to carry out smaller projects for emergency stream bank and shoreline protection, ecosystem restoration, and debris and obstruction removal, which are critical to many areas of my state. the bill also directs the corps to explore -- or expedite

feasibility studies as well as to expedite projects in milton as well as the bluestone dam in hinton. this bill supports many drinking water and waste water projects throughout our state. wrda contains similar wins for states all across this nation. i'm also glad to see that as part of this project the economic development reauthorization act of 2024. the economic development administration is tasked with facilitating economic investment and creating jobs in distressed communities across the country. while eda programs receive annual appropriations for congress, the authorizations for these projects expired in 2008. the legislation reauth reauthorizations -- reauthorizes programs at fiscally responsible levels for fiscal years 2025 to 2029. the legislation reasserts congressional direction over eda's funding decision. it enhances our oversight at the

agency. it preserves locally driven economic development decisions. and it ensures that funding from eda is accessible to distressed communities. it also codifies and authorizes dedicated funding for eda assistance to coal communities program, one of my top priorities for this legislation. this program ensures communities in my home state of west virginia, which were decimated by the downturn of the coal industry, have the resources that we need to recover and grow. the bill also includes consideration of coal communities when eta a -- eda assigns represent tivers. the legislation -- representatives. the legislation also reauthorizes the regional commissions that were expiring or expired. it expands the times of activities those commissions can carry out in their communities and modernize their administrative procedures. the bill also includes a

provision to increase transparency and reduce waste across our federal real estate portfolio. finally, the bill contains a provision that unlocks the significant backlog of funding in the tiffia program and provides funding the state needs to use for transportation funding. it also includes provisions to prevent the backlog from occurring in the future. in closing, i would really like to take a minute to thank the staff and my chairman, chairman carper, but i also want to thank the staff at various federal agencies that have helped with this legislation, helped us formulate it and also the house and senate legislative counsel. i would like to thank as well the staff at the house transportation and infrastructure committee staff, as well. i want to extend my appreciation to the epw subcommittee on transportation and infrastructure, led by chairman mark kelly and ranking member

kevin cramer, for their and their staff's dedication to this. i also want to thank again my friend chairman carper. we've worked together. this is our, i think, second wrda bill that we did together. it's a fitting tribute to your decades of public service to have this piece of legislation named after you. from chairman carper's staff, i'd like to thank courtney taylor, john kaine, lynnia saaby, nicole cam evacy, ryan smyth, claire shanklin, jordan smallwood and tara croft. and from my staff, seated behind me, adam tomlinson, murphy barrett, libby calloway, dan lik -- excuse me, dan lynn carvingy, reb ek -- dan linkowski. i strongly encourage my colleagues to support the house amendment to s. 4367, the thomas

r. carper water resources development act. with the permission of the chairman, i told him i wanted to mention one last thing before his remarks. i want to talk on a separate topic. i would like to pay tribute to my friend, the senior senator from kentucky and our stalwart republican leader, mitch mcconnell. leader mcconnell leaves the leadership table at the end of this congress, as the longest serving senate party leader in united states history. resilience, patience, and determination -- these are the qualities we will remember the mcconnell era by, an era that continues due to his foresight in ensuring conservative principles rule the day in the highest court of the land. if i had to distill the senior senator from kentucky's leadership style down to twin pillars, i'd say they were focus and more focus. he says it's the most important

word in the dictionary for a reason. as a member of his broader leadership team from my early days in the senate, and now as a member of the core leadership team as the senate republican conference vice chairman, leader mcconnell has taught me many valuable lessons and values in his leadership. one of the first lessons was that kentuckians and west virginians share more than a border. we also share a distinct sense of humor. leader mcconnell leads with a sharp wit. his regular jokes at the leadership table will be missed. for example, he used to call former senator richard shelby too big to fail. leader mcconnell leads with humility. he will be the first to remind you of his initial flop on the national stage when his idol, ronald reagan called him mitch o'donnell. leader mcconnell leads with consistency. he's never missed a blue shirt

thursday. he leads with a tough eye, for sure. he's taken countless slings and arrows for his party and institution. all the while, i think he thoroughly enjoyed it. reminds me of my dad in a way. they both have framed cartoons of some of their biggest critics in their office. he leads with moral and philosophical clarity. during more than a few of his 18 years, i'm sure he will agree, being majority leader was perhaps the hardest job in the country. he also referred to his job as that of a grave keeper. everyone may be under him, but nobody is listening. i thank him for the unity he maintained and the clarity of his leadership. so, after 18 years atop senate republican politics, he leaves an indelible mark. i believe that the senior senator calls that the long game. as we know, he's not leaving the senate. he'll just be leading in different ways. he will return to the henry clay desk, a fitting place for him to

finish his life's work here in the senate. there he will be continuing facing our national challenges from the same steely, conservative resolve we've grown accustomed to. between the demanding role of the rules committee and defense appropriation subcommittee, i'm confident he will stay busy. he's assured us he will continue to thoroughly disappoint his critics. thank you, leader mcconnell, for your leadership and service as the nation's longest serving party leader. thank you, mr. chairman of our committee, chairman carper, for letting me give this tribute to our departing republican leader. thank you. the presiding officer: the senator from delaware. mr. carper: before we vote on wrda, this afternoon, i want to express my strong support for this bill, s. 4367, which my friend and colleague shelly moore capito has graciously

named in my honor. you could have knocked me over with a feather when we came to the end of the markup a couple months ago in our committee on this legislation and i asked if any of our members had another amendment they wanted to offer, and no one spoke up but you. you said that you would like to offer an amendment to name this bill in my honor. it's undeserved, but very much appreciated as i prepare to weigh anchor, as we say in the navy, weigh anchor and sale off into the sunrise with my wife, martha. the thomas r. carper water resources development act of 2024 also known as wrda, water resources development act, is the product of not days, not weeks, but months of hard work and partnership with you, senator capito, your staff gathered here today, as well as our house colleagues, congressman sam graves and congressman rick larsen.

this year i am pleased to say that the legislation includes far more, far more nan just the wrda legislation -- than just the wrda legislation. this also reauthorizes the economic development administration for the first time, get this, the first time in 20 years. it also reauthorizes our federal regional commissions and includes important transportation and federal building provisions to increase transparency and reduce federal waste. before we vote today, i'd like to take a minute or two to discuss some of the important things this legislation will accomplish if enacted for the american people. first, this continues the tradition of timely passage of the water resources development act. as senator knows, we try to do this every two years and we are right on the money in terms of meeting that schedule.

as some of my colleagues know, i am a navy guy, the last vietnam veteran sesqui in the united states senate. -- vietnam veteran serving in the united states senate. i have a deep respect for the army corps of engineers. in my state and frankly in all 50 states, the army corps of engineers does extraordinary work for the american people. for example, the corps manages our nation's ports, our waterways, and our coastal systems. the work of the corps is essential for sustaining america's commerce while protecting our environment and our communities. the corps restores our eco areas like the everglades in florida, which are them to not only a number of endangered species but are indispensable parts of our agriculture supply chain as well. the corps also advances flood

and storm management solutions across our country to protect vulnerable communities like the bay beach of delaware. as the largest manager of our nation's infrastructure, the corps and biennial wrda bill play a critical role in job retension. the enact of the bill is essential for enabling the army corps of engineers to meet the needs throughout america. the bill strengthens the corps's ability to strengthen the water needs throughout the america. it authorizes water infrastructure studies and programs that will impact all 50 states. it will impact not just our states, not just the states that

are represented on the environment and public works, all 50 states. and every senator in this body had the opportunity to participate with us on the committee to help make sure the views and needs of their states are reflected in this pavement but -- in this bill. but i think there are something like 200 feasibility studies and some 22 new or modified construction projects that are covered in this legislation. additionally, wrda 2024 collects the corps to expedite the implementation of authorities provided by congress in prior wrda's. increasingly, powerful hurricanes, rising sea levels, and record temperatures underscore the need for the corps to develop and execute a plan to fully implement past reauthorizations as soon as possible in order to better protect our communities. the water resources challenges

facing our communities are only growing in number, and this bill will help us address them. additionally, wrda 2024 also contains a full reauthorization of the economic development administration for the first time in 20 years. let me say that again. for the first time in 20 years. some will recall that the economic development administration, or eda is a federal agency that invests in the development of distressed communities throughout america. through its grant programs, a it helps local communities plan for economic development activities, construct last-mile infrastructure, and mitigate the effect of short- and long-term economic challenges and disasters. by reauthorizing this agency, eda, we have the opportunity to modernize -- this legislation, wrda, we have the opportunity to

also modernize it for today's challenges while building resilient supply chavenlts -- chains. wrda 2024 also updates the laws pertaining to certain federal regional commissions and will establish two new regional commissions, the mid-atlantic regional commission and the southern new england commission. the mid-atlantic commission includes delaware under its purview. finally, it includes important provisions to increase transparency and accountability while also reducing federal waste at the department of transportation and general services administration. as we move today to consider the water resources development act of 2024, i am reminded of an old proverb that goes something like this -- if you want to go fast, go alone. if you want to travel far, go together.

and that's what we've done, we've gone together. and with this bill i'm proud to say that we've chosen consciously that approach. that is how we should approach much of our work in congress, by reaching across the aisle, working together to find lasting solutions. -- where possible to the problems we face as a nation. after all, bipartisan solutions are lasting solutions. the bill before us today is a result of that partnership, not only between members but also between our staffs. before i conclude, i want to the say thank you to senator capito's staff. she was just nigerias enough to mention the names of a number of the members of our staff on the majority side. but also want to mention the u.s. army corps of engineers congressional affairs staff and the staff of the senate legislative council. that includes adam tomlinson, murphy barrett, livvy, calloway,

katherine scar rote, brett jarlyn, dave wethington, deanna edwards and mark marzone. i also want to take a moment and acknowledge the members of my own staff on the majority side and to thank them for the bottom of my heart for all their work, including late nights and long hours. among them are lenea, brian smith, clean air jianglyn, jordan baugh, jordan smallwood, terra courtney taylor and their leader john kaine. in closing, let me urge all of our colleagues to join senator capito and me in supporting what we believe is a an excellent bill, certainly not because my name is aassociated with it but because every state stands to

benefit from the present provisions it contains. i close and just add one last point. i travel every day back-and-forth from delaware to washington. why can't you guys ever work together and get things done in washington, the house and in the senate? this legislation is living proof that we can do that and we can do it well. and we've been doing it with this legislation for years. and with a lot of other legislation that has emanated and come out of the environment and public works committee. i want to commend senator capito for working with me and our democrat and republican colleagues to help make that help again in the last two years. in closing, let me urge all of our colleagues to join senator capito and me in supporting what we blefb is an excellent bill, certainly not because of my name but because every state, every single state stands to benefit from the provisions that this

legislation contains. with that, mr. president, i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. baldwin.

a senator: i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. duckworth: i ask unanimous consent to yield back all time. the presiding officer: without objection, the question is on the motion to concur. a senator: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: the is there a sufficient second? the clerk will call the roll. vote:

the clerk: ms. baldwin. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs. blackburn.

the clerk: mr. blumenthal. mr. booker. mr. boozman. mr. braun. mrs. britt. mr. brown. mr. budd. 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. mr. fetterman. mrs. fischer. mrs. gillibrand. mr. graham. mr. grassley. mr. hagerty. ms. hassan. mr. hawley. mr. heinrich. mr. hickenlooper. ms. hirono. mr. hoeven. mrs. hyde-smith. mr. johnson. mr. kaine. mr. kelly. mr. kennedy. mr. kim.

mr. king. ms. klobuchar. mr. lankford. mr. lee. mr. lujan. ms. lummis. mr. manchin. mr. markey. mr. marshall. mr. marshall. the economy is strong overall and has made significant progress toward our goals over the past two years. the labor market has cooled from if its formerly overheated state and remains solid. inflation hasmr moved much closr to our 2% longer-run goal. we're committed to the maintaining our economy's strength by supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to our 2% goal. the that end today, the federal

open market committee decided to take another step in reducing the degree of policy restraint by lowering our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point. we also decided to continue to reduce our security holdings. i'll have more to say about monetary policy after briefly reviewing economic developments. recent indicators suggest that that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace. gdp rose at an annual rate of 2.8% in the third quarter, about the same pace as in the second quarter. growth of consumer spending has remained resilient and investment in equipment and intangibles has strengthened. in contrast, activities in housr has been weak. overall, improving supply conditions have supported the strong performance ott to u.s. economy over the past year. in our summary of economic projections, committee participants generally expect gdp growthwy to remain solid wih

a median projection of about 2% over the next few years. in the labor market, conditions remain solid. payroll job gains have slowed from earlier in the year, averaging 173,000 per month over the past three months. the unemployment rate is higherren than it was a year ago, but at 4.2% in november, it has remained low. nominal wage growth has eased over the past year, and the jobs to workers gap has narrowed. overall, a broad set of indicators suggests that conditions in the labor market are now less tight than in 2019. the labor market is not a source of significant inflationary pressures. the median projection for the unemployment rate in the s everything p is 4.2% at the end of this year and 4.3% over the next few years. inflation has eased significantly over the past two years but remains somewhat

elevated relative to our 2% longer-run goal. estimates based on ther the the consumer price index and other data indicate that total pce prices rose 2.5% over 12 months ending in november and that, excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core pce prices rose 2.8%. longer term inflation expectations remain well ab anchored as reflected in a broad array of surveys as well as measures from financial markets. the median projection in the sep for total pce inflation is 2.4% this year and 2.5% next year. somewhat higher than projected in september. there after, it falls to our 2% objective. our monetary policy actions are guided by our dual mandate to promote maximum employment and stable prices for the american

people. we see the risks to achieving our goals as rough hi in balance. and we are -- roughly in balance, and we are attentive to the risks on both sides of our mandate. at today's meeting, the committee decided to lower by a quarter percentage point. we've been moving policy toward a more neutral setting in order to maintain the strength of the economy and the labor market while establishing further progress -- sorry, while enabling further progress on inflation. with today's action, we have lowered our policy rate by a full percentage point from its peak, and our policy stance is now significantly less restrictive. we can, therefore, be more cautious as we consider further adjustments to our policy rate. we know that reducing policy too fast or too much could can hinder progress on inflation. at the same time, reducing policy restraint too slowly or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and

employment. when considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target rage for the federal funds rate, the committee will assess the evolving outlook and the balance of risks. we're not on any preset course. in our summary of economic projections, f if omc participants wrote down their individual assessments of an appropriate path for the federal funds rate based on what each participant judges to be the most likely scenario going forward. the median projects that the appropriate level will be 3.9% at the end of next year and 3.4% at the end of 2026. these median projections are somewhat higher thancl in september, consistent with the firmer inflation projection. these projections, however, are not a committee plan or decision. as the economy involves, monetary policy will adjust in order to best from promote maximum employment and price stability goals.

if the economy remains strong and inflation if does not continue to move sustainably toward 2%, we can dial back policy restraint more slow wily. if the -- slowly. 9 if the labor market were were to the weaken or inflation to fall more quickly than anticipated, we could ease policy more quickly. policy is well positioned to deal with the risks and uncertainties that we face in pursuing both sides of our dual mandate. on a technical note, we lowered the offering rate on our overnight -- to align it with the bottom of the target range for the federal funds rate. a typical configuration. technical adjustments of this kind have no bearing on the stance of monetary point the fed has been assigned two goals for monetary policy, maximum employment and stable prices. we remain committed to supporting maximum employment, bringing inflation sustainably to our 2% goal and keeping longer term inflation expectations well anchored. our success in delivering on

these goals matters to all americans. we understand that our actions affect communities, families and businesses across the country. everything we do is in service to our public mission. if we at the fed will do everything we can to achieve our maximum employment and price stability goals. thank you and i look forward to your questions. >> nina. >> [inaudible] new york times. thank you for taking our questions. i wonder if you could talk a little bit about why officials think it's appropriate to cut rates at all in 2025 if inflation is expected to remain firm throughout the year, and what would you expect at this point the timing might look like? would a january cut potentially be possible or does a pause next month seem more likely? >> well, so let me start by saying why we cut today and then move to 2025. so i would say today was a closer call.

but we decided it was the right call because we thought it was the best decision to foster achievement of both of our goals, maximum employment and price stability. we see the risks as two-sided. moving too slowly can undermine economic activity in the labor market or move too quickly and needlessly undermine our progress on inflation. so we're trying the steer between those two risks. on balance, we decided to go ahead with a further cut, and i'll give you some details. downside risks to the labor market do seem to have diminished, and it's clearly still cooling further. so far in a gradualing and orderly way. we don't think we need further cooling in the labor market to get inflation down to 2%. job creation is now well below the level or certainly below the level that would hold unemployment constant. the job fending -- finding rate is low and declining in other measures such as surveys of businesses, things like that, broadly show a much cooler labor

market than there was, than we had in 2019. it's still quite gradually cooling. so we keep an eye on that. inflation, we see that the story as still broadly on track, and i'll tell you why. we've made a great deal of progress, 12 plaintiff month -- 12-month core inflation as i mentioned is estimated at 2.8%. but 12-month inflation has been moving sideways as we are -- very low readings late last year. housing services inflation actually is steadily coming down now, albeit at a slower pace. it's now come down substantially, and it is making progress slower than hoped. and we've had recent high readings from. nonmarket services and bump biness. so -- bumpiness. so i'll just say remember that we coupled this decision today with the extent and timing language that signaled we are at or near a point at which it'll

be appropriate to slow the pace. you asked about 2025. i think lower -- slower pace of cuts for next year really reflects both the higher inflation readings we've had this year and the expectation inflation will be higher. we saw in the sep that risks and uncertainty around inflation, we see it as higher. nonetheless, we see ourselves as still on track to continue to cut. i think the actual cuts that we make next year will not be because of anything we wrote down today. we're going to react to data. that's just a general sense of what the committee feels is appropriate. >> one quick follow-up. why with, i guess, would you make those cuts? what would be the trigger to cut? >> so to cut further after this point, i would say it this way: we reduced our policy right now by 100 basis points. we're significantly closer the neutral. at 4.3% and change, we believe

policy is still meaningfully restrict we've. but as for additional cuts, we're going to be looking for further progress on inflation and strengthening of the labor market, and as loss -- long as they're solid, we can be cautious as we consider further cuts. and all of that is reflected, to your question, in the s everything p which showed the median forecast of two cuts next year instead of four in september. >> [inaudible] the dynamic in 2016 during the last transition to a trump administration where the committee i saw slightly tighter policy in part in expected anticipation of the fiscal policy stance that was seen evolving over year. some of it was a data mark to market exercise, and some of it was anticipation of fiscal. what's the split on this one? how much of this was accounting for inflation data that was

coming in, and how much of it is expecting that there will be inflationary fiscal policy next year? >> i'd say -- i'd point to five or six things. and i'd start, let me start by saying that we think the economy's in a really good place, and we think policy's in a really good place. let's remember the economy's growing 2.5% this year, that inflation has come down by 50% from 5.6% to 2.6%, headline inflation is 2.5% on a 12-month basis. we're actually in a really good starting place here. but since, you know, so what's really driving the slower rate cut path? first thing is growth is stronger, right? we -- the economy grew faster in the second half of 2024 so far, than we had expected, and it's expected to be above our expectations next year in september as well. unemployment is lower and, you know, in the sep you'll see that participants think that the downside risks are less and

uncertainty is less. so that's more strength, right? inflation is higher, as we talked about. inflation's higher this year, it's also higher in the forecast next year. i'd also point out we're closer to the neutral rate which is another reason to be cautious about further moves. but getting to your point, there's also, there's uncertainty, uncertainty the around inflation, i'd point out, is actually hire. it's also in the casee. of some people, some people -- the way i'd say it it is this, some people did take a very preliminary step and start to incorporate highly conditional estimates of economic effects of policies into their forecast at this meeting and said so in the meeting. some people said they didn't do so, and some people didn't say whether they did or not. so people making a bunch of different approaches to that. but some did identify policy

uncertainty as one of the reasons for their writing down more uncertainty around inflation. and, you know, the point about uncertainty is it's kind of common sense thinking that when the path is uncertain, you go a little bit slower. it's not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking in a a dark roomful of furniture. you just slow down. that may have affected some of the people, but there's a range of approaches on the committee. >> you mentioned the risk of uncertainty indexes toward the back of the document. the upside risk the inflation jumped quite substantially. the only thing really that's happened, you mentioned that the disinflationary story remains intact yet the risk weighting has jumped to the upside. the only thing that's happened is november 5th in the meantime. it fair to say that's what's driving the upside risk? >> actually, that's not the only thing that's happened. our forecast for inflation this year i think are .5 higher than

they were in september. as i mentioned, november's is back on track, but, you know, once again we've, you know, we've had a year-end projection for inflation, and it's kind of fall fallen apart as we have approached the end of the year. so that is certainly a large factor in people's thinking, and i can tell you that might be the single biggest factor. inflation has once again underperformed relative to expectations. it's still going to be between the 2.5-3, it's way below where it was, but we really want to see progress on inflation, you know, as i mentioned as we think about further cuts. we're going to be looking for progress on inflation. we have been moving sideways as the 12-window moves. that's in part because inflation was very, very low measured in the fourth quoter of 2023. nonetheless -- quarter. as we go forward, we're going to want to see further progress of bringing inflation down and

keeping a solid labor market. >> chris. >> thank you, chris -- associated press. thank you for taking the question. in september 2018 the fed staff in the teal book discussed the policy of looking through any new tariffs as long as they were one-time increases and inflation expectations remain anchored. could you comment if on if that analysis remains effective and any other thinking on tariffs generally that buck shareful -- that you can share a. >> i do think the september 2018 teal book alternative similar alations are a good place to start -- simulations. i happen to have brought them here with me today. i'm sure you have them too. they're a good starting point. i would just say, you know, it's six years old analysis, but nonetheless this is still, i think, the right questions to ask. and, you know, there were two simulations. one was, one was seen through, one was not. and i'll point you to -- there's some language in the see-through paragraph that considers situations in which it might be

appropriate to see through inflation. then names some conditions in which it might not be. in any case, this is not a question that's in front of us right now. ..

ms. smith, aye. mr. sanders, aye.

>> let me find these numbers. so we have, we have core inflation coming down to 2.5 next year with. that'd be significant progress. you see a slower path. i think that does take onboard that we want to see real progress, but we'd be seeing meaningful progress to get inflation down the that level. that won't be all the way to 2%, but that would be better than this year. this year will be 2.8 or 2.9. that would be meaningful. we also have to think about, you know, the labor market, and while we have the labor market forecast as being in good shape, we are also mindful that it is still out there very gradually cooling, so far an orderly,

gradual way. so it's also something we need to keep our eye on. >> i guess if i could follow up, somebody looked at these projections and also the incircumstance and the extent of the timing -- insertion and the extent of the timing language when the committee thinks it's going to be on hold for a while, and they said, gee, this looks like it could be the last rate cut for if some time. would they be mistaken to infer that? >> that's not the, that's not a decision that we've made at all. let me explain extent and timing. the sense of that wording is to make clear that if the economy does evolve as anticipated, we're at a point in which it would be appropriate to slow the rate cuts. extent is consistent with getting to a neutral stance. clearly, that distance has slunk by 100 basis points -- 14 rink. so that's the the extent question. and we're looking for furthering progress on inflation as well as a strong labor -- to to make

those cuts. timing just suggests, again, we're at a place where where assuming the economy develops as expected, we're at or near a level that will slow the pace of adjustment. so that's what we mean by that. we're not trying to make decisions about the longer run. you know, we are, we're trying to make sensible policy as we go and, you know, i just would emphasize the uncertainty which is it's just a function of the fact that we expect significant policy changes. there's nothing really unusual about that. i think we need the see what they are and see what the effects they will have. we'll have a much clearer picture, i think, when that happens. >> nike. mike. >> michael mckee from bloomberg radio and television. even though you've cut rates by 100 basis points this year, we haven't seen much change in mortgages, auto loan rates or credit card rates. you say you're significantly restrictive. are you running a are risk that

the markets are fighting against you and the economy could be more at risk of a slowdown than you anticipated? >> so the risks that you -- sorry, the rates that you talked about are really longer run rates, and they are affected to some text by fed if policy, but they're also affected by many other things, and locker rates have gone up quite a bit since september as you well know, and those are the things that drive, for example, mortgage rates more than short-term rates do. so we look at that. we look at all financial conditions, and then we look at what's happening in the economy. so what we see happening in the economy, again, is, you know, most forecasters have been calling for a slowdown in growth for a very long time, and it keeps not happening. so we're now well into another year with of growth that looks like it might be 2.5%. second and third quarters were right about the same level. so the u.s. economy is just performing very, very well,

substantially better than our global peer group. and there's no reason to think a downturn is any more likely than it usually is. so the outlook is pretty bright for our economy. we have to stay on task though and continue to have restrictive policy so that we can get inflation down to 2%. we're also going to be looking out for the labor market. we want to keep the labor market pretty close to where it is, pretty close to estimates of the natural rate of unemployment. job creation is a little below the level that would keep it there but, nonetheless, close. and so that's what our policy's trying to achieve. >> if i could follow up by asking about your formulation for beginning rate cuts included the phrase we need to have confidence that inflation is moving down towards our target. given the fact that you raised your forecast for next year, do you have confidence or are you

uncertain about the path of -- >> so confidence was our test for raising rates and, you know, we made -- look at the broader suite. we've made just a great deal of progress. we're, you know, we're well into the 2s in core inflation and around 2.5 or even lore than that. we have been for -- lower than that. we have been for headline inflation. so i would say i'm confident that inflation has come down a great deal, and i'm confident in the story. about why it's come down and why that portends well. and i'll tell you why. again, you do see with housing services inflation which is one that we really worried about, it really has come down now quite steadily at a slower pace than we thought, you know, two years ago. but it's nonetheless steadily coming down as market rents, you know, market rents start to correlate better with, you know, new leases and turnovers. not new -- new leases.

that's happening. that process is ongoing as we expect. goods inflation, which is another big piece of it, has returned right to the range where it was before the pandemic, just for some months this year it kind of moved up in a bumpy way because of used cars and things like that. but e by thfer -- we think overall that should generally be in the -- that leaves nonhousing services and market-based nonhousing services are in good shape. it's nonmarket services, and those are services that are imputed rather than measured directly. and we predict they don't really tell us much about tightness in the economy. they don't really reflect. that's i mean, a good example is financial services which has really gone up in as set quites. and that just -- so that's how that inflation works. so the overall picture, the story of why inflation should be coming down, it's still intact. the labor market is cooler by so

many measures now, modestly cooler than it was in 2019, a year when inflation was well under 2%. so it's not the source of inflationary pressures. not to say there aren't regional and, you know, particular professions where labor is tight. but overall, you're not getting inflation their impulls of significance. so -- impulses. so the story is we're unwinding from these large shocks that the economy got in 2021 and '22 in, for example, housing services and now also in insurance in particular where costs went up. and those are now being reflected later in housing -- it's real inflation, but it doesn't portend persistently high inflation. so we and most other forecasters still feel that we're on track to, you know, to get down to 2%. it might take another year or two from here, but i'm confident that that's the path we're on. and, you know, our policy will do everything it can to assure that that is the case.

>> [inaudible] >> thank you, colby smith with the financial times. so the unemployment rate as of november, while still very low, is within spitting distance of the level that generated a lot of concern about the labor market over the summer in the leadup to the 50 basis point cut in september. hiring has also narrowed to just a handful of sectors. but now the committee appears comfortable skipping cuts at upcoming meetings, so what has changed about the risks confronting the labor market? is there just less concern now on that projector or is it just about there -- on that front? or is it just more upside inflation that now needs to be accounted for? >> the unemployment rate is now the same as it was in july, 4.2%. it's moved up and down, but it's now the same as july. and job creation is lower than it has been, but it's been, it's been -- it's not declining. it's been steady at a level

which, as i pointed out a couple times, is actually below the level that would hold -- not constant, but it's not so far below. so you might, if we have the break even level right and if jobs continue, job creation continues at that level in the establishment survey, then you would get a tenth maybe every other month kind of thing. so gradually declining. we don't have that kind of precision. you're right though, and i read out some of the reasons. we do think the labor market is still cooling by many measures, and we're watching that closely. it's not cooling in a quick or, in a way that really raises concerns. i think, you know, you pointed out participants in the fomc really thought that the risks and uncertainty had improved relative to the labor market, and it's because things have just gotten a little bit better. it doesn't mean the unemployment rate's flat and things like that. nonetheless, we're watching it closely.

>> if the idea is no additional softening labor market is welcome here, what's to prevent that from happening if rates are still restrictive? >> so what i said is we don't think we need further softening to get to the 2% inflation. not that it's not welcome. we don't need it, we don't think. you know, if you had a situation where inflation's moving around by a tenth every few months, that's, you know, we'd have to weigh that against the fact that inflation has in recent months been moving sideways in the 12-month window. so we've got to weigh them both at this point. you know, for a while there we were only really focused on -- mainly focused on inflation. we've now gotten to a place where the risk to the two are what we think broadly, roughly in balance are. and so that's how we think about it. >> steve. >> mr. chairman, i did not hear you use the word recalibration today -- [laughter] and i'm just wondering if the

recalibration phase is over and what you might call this new phase and what are the criteria for changing rates is somehow if different and higher than it was before. thanks. >> we're not, we're not renaming the phase. [laughter] yet. but we may get around to that. but, no, i would say -- we are, though, in a new phase in the process, as i've said. so -- and that's just because we reduced our policy rate by 100 basis points. we're significantly closer to neutral. we still think where we are is meaningfully restrictive, and i think from this point forward, you know, it's appropriate to move cautiously and look for progress on inflation. we've done a lot to support economic activity by cutting 100 basis points, and that's a good thing. i think -- i support the decision, and i think it was the right decision to make. i think for now we are in a place where the risks really are in balance, and we need to see

progress on inflation. and that's how we're thinking about it. so it is kind of a new thing. we moved pretty quickly to get to here, and i think going forward, obviously, we're moving slower which is consistent with the sep if. >> wonder if i could follow up and ask you how much you or the committee are looking through some of the high numbers we've had in the recent inflation numbers. for example, cars being up maybe because of the hurricanes, eggs because of the avian flu, that kind of stuff. and then looking forward perhaps to housing inflation coming down as it did in the recent report. >> so we always try to be careful about not throwing out numbers we don't like, you know? it's just an occupational hazard to look, oh, those high months are wrong. what about the low monthses? we have a very low month potentially in november, you know? it's estimated by many to be in the mid teens for core pce. so that could be idiosyncratically low. we try to look at not just a couple or three months.

we shouldn't -- our position shouldn't change based on two or three months of good or bad data. of we have a long string now of inflation coming down gradually over time. as i mentioned, 12-month, i think 12-month headlines, 2.5. 12-month core is 2.8. that's way better than we were. we still have some work to do is how we're looking at, and we need policy to remain restrictive to get that work done, we think. >> neil. >> thanks, chair -- [laughter] thank you, chair powell. neil irwin from axios. financial markets have been buoyant all year. is the committee comfortable where financial conditions are, or do you see a risk that it could undermine progress on your inflation target? >> so we do look carefully at financial conditions, of course. that's part of what we do. we really look carefully at the performance of our goal variables and how are we affecting the economy. and so what we've seen over the course of just take the last year, we've seen inflation --

well, over the last couple of years with -- come down a lot. we've seen the labor market cool off quite a bit with. that suggests our policy is restricted. we can also look more directly at the parts of our economy that are affected or that are interest sensitive, particularly housing. housing activity is very low, and that's partly, significantly because of our policy. is so we think our policy's working, it's transmitting, and it's having the effects on our goal variables that we would want, you know? a lot of things move financial conditions around as you know, and we don't really control those. but i'd say we see the effects we're hoping to see on the goal variables and the places we'd expect to see it. >> if i may, speaking of assets that have been buoyant with, do you see any value in the u.s. government holding a reserve of bitcoin? >> so, you know, we, we're not allowed to own bitcoin. the federal reserve act says what we can own, and we're not

looking for a law change. that's the kind of thing for congress to consider, but we are not looking for a law change at the fed. >> andrew. >> hey. happy holidays, mr. chairman. thanks for taking our questions. i was wondering if you are satisfied with the way 2024's ending, if you're confident that we've avoided a recession that forecasters were predicting as inevitable a couple years ago. >> i think it's pretty clear we've avoided version. i think growth this year -- recession. i think growth this year has been solid, it really has. private domestic final purchases, which we think is the best indicator of private demand, is looking to come in around 3% this year. this is a really good number. again, the u.s. economy has a just been remarkable, and it's -- when we, in these international meetings that i attend, this has been the story. it's how well the u.s. is doing. and if you look around the

world, there's just a lot of to slow growth and continued struggles with inflation. so i feel, i feel very good about where the economy is and the performance of the economy, and we want to keep that going. >> the other thing i just wanted to ask about was the -- you guys have noted that the unemployment rate is still low. however, employment rates have fallen rather quickly, the prime age rate has fell by about half a point, half a percent, rather, recently. the question, i guess, is do you think there may be more downside momentum in the labor market than the unemployment rate alone is signaling? >> i don't think so, no. i think overall if you you're looking at it, prime age participation is still very high. what's going on in the labor market is that the hiring rate is low are. is low. so if you have a job, you're doing very well. and layoffs are very low, right? so people are not losing their jobs in large numbers, unusually

large numbers. if you are looking for a job though, the hiring rate is low, and that's a signal of lower demand. it has come down. we look for signs like that, and that's clear wily a sign of softening, further softening. i didn't mention it earlier, but i think you can see an ongoing gradual softening in the labor market. again, not something we need to see to get 2% inflation. and, you know, that's part of the reason that explains why we moved ahead today with the action, with an additional cut. so, but you take a step back, the level of unemployment is very low. again, participation is high, wages are at a healthy and ever more sustainable level, wage growth. and so the labor market, this is a good labor market and, you know, we want to keep it that way. >> [inaudible] >> thank you 60-vote clerkhold threshold having been achieved, the motion to concur is agreed to.

a senator: madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from hawaii. a senator: madam president, notwithstanding rule 22, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc. ms. hirono: calendar number 617, h.r. 6062. calendar number 393, s. 2615.

the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measures en bloc? without objection. the senate will proceed to the measures en bloc. ms. hirono: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the bills be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table all en bloc. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. ms. hirono: madam president, this package contains two bills with broad bipartisan support. one of those bills, h.r. 6062, is sponsored by delegate of american samoa. it will repeal a requirement that the constitution of america samoa can only be amended by an act of congress. repealing this provision will allow the people of american

samoa to amend their territorial constitution without further congressional action, a right that they had before 1983. in 2022, america samoa held a constitutional convention and approved five of 11 proposed constitutional amendments. this marked the first time voters had approved amendments since the 1983 change requiring congressional approval. these amendments have been pending congressional action since december 2022. there is no need for further delay. we can restore america samoa's self-determination in their constitutional matters by passing h.r. 6062. in addition to this important bill affecting america samoa, this package includes a bill s.

2615 sponsored by representative mary pelltor and senator murkowski to sunset an outdated requirement in the alaska settlement act for village corporations to reconvene lands for municipal -- reconvey. this would free up lands for needs such as housing and help alaskan natives to realize the full intended benefit of the alaska native claims settlement act. on behalf of the delegate, the representative, and senator murkowski, i ask my colleagues to join me in passing these bills en bloc. madam president, i yield.

>> i rise today for the final time as a united states senator with a heart full of gratitude. when i was growing up in scranton, pennsylvania, my mother would often say to my brothers and sisters and me, quote, count your blessings. count your blessings. she would say that over and and over again. so today i seek to do so here on the floor of the united states senate. i begin with an expression of deep, a abiding gratitude to the people of pennsylvania who conferred upon me the honor of serving them in three statewide public offices for 28 consecutive years, first as auditor general, then as state treasurer and for the last 18

years as united states senator. it's been a privilege to have served our commonwealth, to have served the people of our commonwealth. now for 39 and a half years, i've been blessed by the unconditional love and unfailing support of my wife, therese. the oldest daughter of john and nancy papiano. every day, every day that i've been a public official, delaware the reese has been the foundation -- therese has been the foundation of our family. her love for me and our daughters has been boundless and con constant. i want to thank each of our four daughters who are with us today. and for me just saying their names is like a prayer of thanksgiving. elise, caroline, julia and marine.

that's -- marine that. they, like therese, sacrificed so much while i was in public office. ..

by side, that you could hold sadness and joy next to faith in this nation, even though there's disappointment. and what i rise to talk to these two young boys about is their

dad. their dad is a man named adeel mangi. he is an extraordinary man. i've met many people from new jersey. but this man was so extraordinary that the president of the united states of america chose him because of his qualifications to be a justice on the third circuit court of appeals. that was why he was chosen, but he also happened to be a glass ceiling breaker. he also happened to be somebody that was going to make american history as the first-ever muslim judge, man of muslim faith to be on the circuit court. now, this is extraordinary that we're -- it's 2024 and we've never had someone of the muslim faith, especially because we're a nation that says there's no religious tests.

we're founded on this idea of religious freedom. but somehow with the millions of american muslims, with muslims being here at our found, muslims fighting in every war in american history, we've never had a muslim ascend to the circuit courts. i'd like to read from a letter that your father wrote. it's really powerful. i wish i could read the whole thing. with the permission of the president, i'd like to submit the whole letter into the official record of the united states senate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: and so here he writes about his nomination. when my nomination came before the senate judiciary committee, i was prepared to answer any questions about my qualifications -- philosophy, legal issues -- but i received none. instead, i was asked questions about israel, whether i supported hamas, and whether i celebrated the anniversary of

9/11. even more revealing, however, was the tone. the underlying premise appeared to be that because i am muslim, surely i support terrorism and celebrate 9/11. when i made clear all these claims are false, that i condemned hamas attacks and all forms of terrorism and indeed that it was my city -- my city that was attacked on 9/11, the next republican senators up just repeated the performative outrage. there were children in the audience. these attacks nonetheless continued endlessly for a simple reason. as senator whitehouse revealed on the senate floor, this was an organized smear campaign fueled by dark money. but it did not end there. after jewish groups came to my defense, these same attackers pivoted their focus to a new absurdity claiming that i

supported the killing of police officers, silently is underpinned in my view by the notion that, as a muslim, i surely support violence, including against law enforcement. now, your father goes on to detail not only how this incredible, outrageous smear attacks were false and no basis for it, how hess he'll actually been someone who is who has stood up in his legal career in pursuit of justice, how he had the support of dozens of police organizations, attorneys general from around the country, bipartisan groups of current and former attorneys general, law enforcement groups and more, he ends his letter with the conclusion that these tactics

succeeded in stopping him. -- from even getting a vote on the senate floor from ascending to the third circuit and making history. and your father, your father concluded his letter by saying a truth -- our country faces an incoming tsunami of bigotry and discrimination. it targets muslims, jews, black people, the lgbtq community, and many others. and this is not in the letter, but i remind people that hate crimes are on the rise across our country. back to his letter -- back to your father's letter, it always portends to be something other than what it is. these forces are fueled not only by their proponents, but equally

by the collaboration and the silence of the spineless. they can be defeated only by those who lead voters with courage, no the with -- who sacrifice principles for votes. but courage can be found outside of politics. american muslims are part of this nation's fabric, and will not cower. this campaign was intended to make it intolerable for muslims, proud of their identity, to serve this nation. it will fail. our constitution forbids religious tests for any office of the united states, and american muslims will cherish that fundamental value, even if others apply it only sele selectively. your father continues -- i have battled for justice, even if it meant there would be none

for me. i read that line, osmir and zaran, and it gave me chills, because it reminded me of my own family and stories of people who fought for justice that they would never enjoy. it reblinded -- reminded me of the history in this country when suffrage leaders fought for the vote for black men, the vote, the suffrage for blacks, and they would not enjoy it as women. it reminds me of so many americans who still stood up for principles and ideals that our country proclaims, even when they would not enjoy them. osmir and zaran, your father continues -- the unfortunate fact remains we have a fundamentally broken process for choosing federal judges. there's no longer a system for evaluating fitness for judicial

office. it is now the channel for the raising of money based upon performative mccarthyism before video cameras and for the dissemination of dark money funded attacks that especially target minorities. nominees pay the price, and so does our nation, who will give up the rewards -- who will give up the rewards of private sector success for pluck service, if the added -- for public service if the added price is character nation and the wading through a swamp like this one. this process must be protected to protect nominees in an era of -- excuse me, threats in an era of congressional dishonor, where disinformation reigns and all decency has been aband beyond. i set -- abandoned. i set this forth so this playbook will be recognized the

next time, and there will be a next time, a muslim is nominated to a prominent position of service. he ends with this -- to return to president eisenhower's words, americans must now look at the story of this nomination and ask themselves is this who we are? to these two young boys, he ends, for my children, i hope america one day lives up to president eisenhower's promise, even if not today. for my part, i enter this nomination process as a proud american, and a proud muslim. i exit the process the same way, unbowed.

osmir and zaran, i remember this day and the excitement i felt when i walked into that hearing room, these wood-panelled historic chamber, i remember how it signaled to visitors the gravity of the business that was about to be conducted within the walls, and you two were seated in the front row, just behind your dad. i remember the joy i felt when i saw the two of you, that you were going to witness the ascendency of your father to the highest court in the land, and you two were going to witness the smashing of a barrier and seeing your father, a proud american who happens to be muslim, become the first. i remember your smiles. i remember how they made my whole being smile. your mother sat beside you,

beaming with pride. i sat on the dais so full of joy and the hearing began. i told your dad i didn't know why he asked you to leave the room. i wanted you to stay for the whole hearing, but your mom and dad, wise beyond me, had you leave. at your young age then, i am glad you did not witness what then transpired. it was shameful. not for your family. it was shameful for us as senators. it was shameful for america. you heard your father detail the remarks and the questions that were so degrading and demeaning. they weren't successful. they couldn't degrade or demean the character of your father, but they were degrading and

demeaning. questions that have never been asked in all of american history to a nominee. did you support 9/11, the terrorist attacks that he witnessed? how insulting was that? and they were repeated over and over, demeaning and degrading, attempting to. but your father's character can never be demeaned, can never be degraded, because he stood tall on that day. and in the history in this country of so many women and black men and immigrants and irish and italian and catholics and asian americans, japanese and chinese, who have been insulted and looked down upon and faced bigotry, your father, like generations of other americans who were told they weren't good enough because they were different, your father stood in the saddle and took the assaults, and he never, ever, ever backed down.

con stabilitily and repeatedly -- constantly and repeatedly, he answered the inane questions, the darkness directed towards him. he showed his light. i would be remiss if i didn't tell you over and over again how brilliant your father is, how he got to that seat amidst thousands of talented lawyers across your country. your father stood out to the president of the united states as one of the best. he is a top litigator. he's cherished by his col colleagues. his legal acumen and intersect were part of the reasons i recommended him, because all throughout my state on both sides of the aisle, people told me how amazing your father was, how talented your father was, how this was a lay-up for the court, how he would elevate the judiciary. and what people said about him

wasn't just his legal acumen. they also talked about your dad's character a man who lives by his principles. how he even stood up to the government when it was discriminating against others because they were different, how he represented people who had no one to stand up for their values. he stood up for a man named karl taylor, who was held in prisoner and beaten to death by correctional officers. not only did your dad win that lawsuit for mr. taylor's family, but he helped protect other incarcerated people in new york by having all the prisons agree to install video cameras to stop attacks like that one from ever happening again, to protect other lives. your father has this unrelenting commitment to the ideal of fairness and justice. he's modeled his life after that. he doesn't just believe these

things. he acts in accordance with them. new jersey is lucky to have him on our state bar. we would have been lucky to have him on the third circuit. my mom said something about me that i think is funny. my mom says behind every successful child is an astonished parent. but i will never be surprised by the two of you. i think you two, knowing your parents, are going to grow up to be extraordinary workers in this nation. james baldwin said, children are never good at listening to their el elders, but they never fail to imitate them. i have this faith in the two of you. the reason i'm standing on the senate floor talking to two new jersey children, teenage

boys, 14 and 13, the reason why i'm talking to you is because i know who you are, with only meeting you on that day. you were raised by these model sit sfwlens -- citizens, these great americans whose character shined amidst the darkness of the storm that your family was went through. your father was professionally attacked, for months and months and months. he was trolled on the internet. he faced streams of hate as people built entire million-dollar campaigns to try to discredit him, and yet your dad and your mom never faltered and never flinched, told the president of the united states that they would continue in the the process if the president believed thatll possible for him to serve his nation. it's these attributes of your

parents that i know live in you. and i guess i want you all never to stop believing, like your parents do, in not just the attributes that mark your family and distinguish it, but in those attributes of our nation that we can never stop believing it. this great body failed your father. it failed the american people. it is one of the most painful chapters i've had in public life. the american people deserve a government that just doesn't function in accordance to fairness, but upholds the ideals that are so core to this country, that everyone is created equal. that there should be liberty and justice for all. that's not what happened in this episode.

it's not what happened to your dad. he was treated differently because of his faith. bigotry was used to attempt to demean him. lies were used to discredit him. the broken political system was used to dissuade and intimidate people from standing up for him. it was a dark moment in the senate's history. i tell you this, but your father, whose character i believed in before the process, has shown a character that inspires me now more than ever. i want to ask you two to never stop believing in the ideals of this nation, because it is why your father is who he is. your parents told me their fealty to america, their love of this country has unfaltered.

there's this great tradition of people who love america so much, even when america doesn't love them back. it's people in this country, from mccarthyism to the bigotry and hate of slavery who kept working to change this country and make it better. i ask the two of you to embrace your parents' way, to love america, to believe in her, and to know that this nation needs you and your family. i believe sometimes we have the most difficult moments to make way for better days ahead. i believe in people and their potential and ability to make a difference. we are in a moment right now where too many leaders in our

country subscribe to a politics of division. we're in a moment where we're seeing a rise of hate. i think it's an inflection point, and i think this is the point, and perhaps yours is the generation, to take our nation in a better direction. i believe in many ways your dad's steadfast love of country, and the fact that he is unbowed by this process, i think that that is in many ways the foundation that's going to help us as a nation go forward. i want to end with you with a poem my parents read me. i told your dad and i got emotional when i talked to him earlier today, that when i looked at the two of you, i saw my brother and me.

we were raised by two parents. the first ever to integrate and all-white neighborhood. my parents faced the same kind of awful indignities as many people who are different, that they weren't allowed to buy their house. they had to get a white couple to pose as them. i was just a baby at that time -- in order to be the first black family to move in. on the day of then the house with the white couple didn't show up, when my father did and a lawyer like your fa father, the real estate agent didn't capitulate. he actually pufrmed the lawyer -- punched the lawyer in the face and set the doberman pincher on my dad. we eventually got the owners of the home to sell us the house and moved in, but my parents were conscious my entire childhood that there's hate in this world, bigotry in this world. come through to be in the very house you lived but they never wanted us to stop loving america

and loving other people. they wanted us to know that there are going to be times in life where you're going to face hatred, and that will never define you. what will define you is how you respond to it. and what your father gave america is a master's class on how to respond to lies, bigotry, and hatred organized and financed which your father showed is in that darkness he could bring light. and so my parents who wanted me to be like your dad in life, that if i faced the worst bigotry and hate, that i did not stop loving, that i did not stop loving others and loving americans, they would find ways to inspire me. and so i want to read you all one of the poems my parents shared with me. not the whole poem but a few sections. and so a woman named maya angela

and it's a poem called still i rise. you may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies. you may trod me in the very dirt, but still like dust i'll rise. just like the moons and like suns with the certainty of the tides, just like hopes springing h high, still i'll rise. out of the huts of history shane, i rise. up from a past that's rooted in pain, i rise. i'm a black ocean leaping and wide, welling and swelling. i bear in the tide leaving behind nights of terror and

fear, i rise. into a daybreak that's wonderfully clear, i rise. bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, i am the dream and the hope of a slave. i rise. i rise. i rise. to two young men growing up in a great nation, to azmir and zaaran, i rise today to tell you this is a great nation, to remind you that your father has made it greater, and to tell you that i am full of hope that the two of you will rise up and help our nation re ddeem its difficu

past and seize for itself an even greater future. god bless the two of you and shaw alah. you two will make america even greater. madam president, i yield the madam president, i yield the

>> this is not a speech that i discussing this has been difficult. anyone that was with us last night at that dinner would confirm that. but today on the floor of the senate and for the record, i will confirm that bob casey is pennsylvania's best senator. and now it's difficult to follow babs casey both right -- bob casey both right now, but also

without him i really can't imagine if it. for 18 years bob showed up. he put his head down, he worked and he delivered for pennsylvania. it's been a stream honor to call bob -- supreme if honor to call bob a colleague, a friend and a mentor. during my campaign, bob was be -- by my side. when id had a stroke, he lent me his voice when i was learning how to speak again. i never forgot that. and when i got to the senate two years ago, he became a mentor to me. at a very difficult time if my -- in my life, he stuck by me. because that's who bob is, a friend and an amazing senator.

every day for 18 years he fought for working pennsylvanians, he fought for our rural communities, he fought for seniors and for people with disabilities including myself. he fought for all of us. after 18 years bob casey's legacy is a better pennsylvania. thank you, bob casey. thank you, madam prime minister i yield to the floor. [applause] >> madam. >> translator: >> the senior senator from ohio. >> thank you. i've enjoyed watching senator

fetterman and senator casey and the working to the and how productive that's been for the state of pennsylvania. humility is the foundation of all virtue, and i -- humility, not a common trait in this body perhaps, but humility infuses the the work of bob casey every single day. and we work with his staff, my office, perhaps -- not perhaps, more than any other office. and i feel that what he brings to this, that uncommon humility and uncommon kindness in his personal relationships with his friends in the back row here, an uncommon kindness to the people of pennsylvania, an uncommon kindness with his own staff. and i love watching that. little staff turnover, the kind of energy that they bring, the kind of kindness they bring. and one of the things that a really brought that home to me listening to bob talk a minute

ago was he concentrated on cotivice. bob casey understands that to do this job, the real building blocks of this job is you help people individually. tens of thousands of people he's helped in his offices in, i guess, philly and pittsburgh -- i don't know, wherever all these inferior cities, inferior to ohio cities in pennsylvania -- [laughter] what he's brought in his office in reaching out to people, that really is the building blocks of public service. and he has been a public servant extraordinaire in the way he does his work, in the way he does his job. as i said, he brings that uncommon kindness, that uncommon humility, and it infuses his work. it infuses it in constituent service, in his work many fight fighting for economic justice. he didn't talk that much in his speech about that he's done for

children. i saw three of his daughters and therese downstairs and got a chance the talk to them, and i watched them grow up -- well, therese was already grown up, i watched the daughters -- [laughter] over these 18 years and just the kind of energy to commitment of service, it's been a delight to watch. but he didn't talk all that much about what he's done for children. nobody in this body has focused their work on children as much as bob casey. it's the child tax credit, for sure, but it's so many other things from disabled did, giving kids, you know, from erie to sharon to philly, to bucks county giving them more opportunity -- [laughter] in life than they to ers would have had. -- otherwise would have had. when i think about bob casey, i think of standing up for the little guy. i've heard him talk about trips to the grocery store and how some people in this body blamed inflationen on government spending which, of course, doesn't hold economic water.

but bob is really focused on helping me come to the, to discuss inflation. ny and i go to church, when we go to church on sunday, we often stop at a nearby grocery store, and we talk to people in the checkout line or at the meat counter, walking up and down the aisles talking about how things cost. he called it shrink shrinkflation. what he taught me to say is when you go to the grocery store, you're paying higher prices. you're paying them because of executive the compensation and bonuses. you're paying for those higher prices by stock the buybacks and exorbitant profits, and bob understood that and always fought for the little guy. so i appreciate the function first of all. i appreciate the gentleness of spirit and his uncommon empathy and understanding. he always understood in part because he goes home and listens. he doesn't go home and make a lot of speeches, he goes home and listens to people and

understands their concerns. he brought them here. he made such a difference for pennsylvania, and he made such a difference for ohioans and people in the other 48 states too. and i will always be eternally, i will be eternally grateful to bob casey for that friendship, for the humility that he has shown towards his job and towards the world around him and and just for being a really, really good man. [applause] >> madam president. >> the senior senator from minnesota. >> maaed am president, i -- madam president, i rose from the back -- i rise from the back row with some of my best friends back here and to honor a life everyone gathered here today, bob casey, who's served the commonwealth of pennsylvania for 17 years with honor, dignity and, yes, joy. so before he got here, as he

noted, always a public servant and will serve after he leaves here. that we know for sure. so, yes, we were this great class of freshmen senators together. and as i do remember when bob first led the senate in the pledge of allee e januaries, is this not correct, the day after we got sworn in? there was someone who was particularly rural-bound that worked here at the time bob it should, he thought he had cone such a good job. he comes back to his seat, and -- [laughter] i'm really telling it. and she says to him, you know what, senator? in the united states senate when we say the pledge of allegiance, we put our hanover our heart. he said, that's what you did. no, you were doing it like you were getting sworn in again. he went like this. then i remember -- [laughter] what? that was a true story, thank you. that is one of my virtues. i remember on our first day of our first classified briefing,

we had no idea what we were doing. and they said you go right at this statute, left at this painting, right at -- the two of us are wandering through the halls of the senate, we get completely lost, and all of a sudden we see a group of minnesotans coming over, and they just stop and go, look, it's amy, and she has a guard. [laughter] so not missing a beat, you and -- here was senator bob casey goes all full secret service and i plays the part. we have been friends ever since, and i think so many people here see bob as their friend. so many people in pennsylvania see him that way. therese and bob were over with us last night, and i got to watch the video of his postelection day and one of his neighbors, this man on the street interview who said, well, yeah, i've always been a republican, but bob is such a good neighbor, i voted for him.

i think that's a lot about bob. you know, in 1977 minnesota's happy warrior, vice president hubert humphrey -- and this is the ultimate compliment from minnesotans -- and he said this. the moral test of government is how the government treats those who are in the dawn of life, treats those who are in the twilight of life and treats those who are in the shadows of life. from the moment bob casey got to this place, he saw that as his job. always looking out for people who didn't have a voice. always looking out for people who couldn't afford to hire a lobbyist. always looking out for people when no one else was listening. he did that. he looked out for seniors and people with disabilities, with the able act. and i have been with him when people have come up and told him that because of bob casey and his leadership on that bill when no one else was caring about it in the u.s. senate, they have a

savings and a future life. he headed up the aging committee looking out for people in the twilight of their lifeful he taught to bring -- he fought to bring down prescription drug costs. he stood up for kids on childcare when no one else was doing it. he made adoption easier for americans looking to start families, and that is barely scratching the surface. we have worked on 150 pieces of legislation together, but who's counting? and we're still friends. if -- but what has made bob truly a good friend is you can actually trust him. in an environment where you tell people things and you tell them don't tell anyone -- of. [laughter] and the next day it's either in the news or a colleague down the hallway is saying, hey, i heard about this, not bob with. he keeps your trust. and that way he's been to me like a brother i never had. his friends trust him, his family trusts him, the people of pennsylvania trust him, and i

will add maybe that has something to do with his incredible family. seven brothers and sisters, four daughters -- that must have been a time growing up -- and, of course, therese. when you put all those names in the record, i thought it was going the to be your entire family, and it was going to take up the day's record. so we want to thank you, bob, for everything you've done. we can't wait to hear what you do next. thank you for your public service. thank you for being with a true public servant. thank you. >> mr. president. madam president. [applause] >> the senior senator from new jersey. >> thank you very much, madam president. so much niceness headed towards this guy, it's killing me over here. i want to clear the record, and i have a beef to settle with the good senator from pennsylvania. i will tell you this, i consider myself a person of faith, and i

think that senator bob casey has done something very irreligious, if i must say. i know he grew up as a catholic, i grew up in a baptist church. we're both christians, very different religious faiths. but i have an issue with bob casey because the organizing bible verse that i used to tell people that was how i motivated my life, i come here and you completely eviscerate my allegiance to this bible verse. and so i'm using this -- and forgive me, i might be rule 19'd by somebody for maligning a colleague, but i'm very upset that you have made me lose my if religion a little bit. and i'll give you an example, point of order? [laughter] will the senator yield? no, i will not! [laughter] matthew 25 is really one of the

bible verses that has, for so much of my life are, motivated me. and, you know, then the lord said -- as hungry and you fed me or were you thirsty, and you give me a drink. and it ends with verse 40, and then you shall answer and say unto them, inso much as you have done to the least of these, my brethren, you have done to me p. the least of these is how i thought that that was the calling of my faith to do unto least of these. and for ten years now, eleven years i've been in the senate, you have undermined that idea of doing unto the least of these. now look, bob, you -- if i may call you that, sir -- [laughter] i came into the senate thinking that was our job. but i've watched you for 11 years never see anyone as least.

you have this ray of -- way of looking at everybody is and seeing their grandeur. you see people not as if they are in a lower station in any way, but you have a way of seeing people as if they are a reflection of the define themselves. i had a very humbling experience in the past seven days with good senator from iowa, and we were down in the basement of dirksen with people from the disability community from pennsylvania and from all around america came to give you tribute. and if as i sat there welling up at the tributes to you fromthese extraordinary americans, every person that spoke and that i spoke to afterwards told me that you saw them, that you were a

person that recognized their humanity, that recognized their strength, that saw their character, capabilities and that you were not doing to any least, but that you were elevating everyone and this nation in the process. you pointed out when you remarked about the little lobbyists and how powerful they were in saving health care for all americans. and so i want to tell you in my farewell to you after your speech that when i was coming out of college, my greatest hero in america was not a senator or a politician. it was mary wright edelman. i thought that should be the calling of this country, to focus on children. and i love what she said. so much of america's tragic and costly failures to care for all

of its children stems from our tendency to distinguish, our tendency to distinguish between our children and other people's children. as if justice werety visible. were divisible. i see this framing that has -- those who framed humanity and us versus them. you have this superpower to only see just us. it's not your family and my family, we are family to try not to sound like a famous song. somehow, my friend, you make real the words of one of my favorite poets who simply said, we are each other's harvest, we are each other's business,er

each other's magnitude -- we are each other's magnitude and bond. i look up to you, bob. i see in you, you know, if you ask me what's the difference between a hollywood heart this rob or what -- heart throb or what does bob casey have in common with a hollywood heart throb? i would say nothing at all. [laughter] you are not sexy -- [laughter] you are, you know, not glamorous my church tradition, you had charismatic leaders at the pulpit giving great speeches. you must have gone to a very boring church. [laughter] but somehow you made me aspire to know in the senate a difference between celebrity and significance, a difference

between a show horse and a workhorse, a difference between some nobility that you feel that you are reaching out and reaching down to help others to humbling yourself before god's creations. i end with this framing. mary wright edelman inspiredded me at the beginning of my career, and the way you have focused on children inspires me amidst my middle-aged years as a senator. i still am inspired by people who care about kids. that's why you've been one of my greatest heroes. and so to steal from chris coons who is the first person, i think, that nose swahili in this chamber, i would like to end with some swahili words. the mesi warriors have this incredible tradition. these are the people that are

most valued in their defense of those in the village who might not be able to defend themselves, who are powerful in their fierce fighting capabilities and fight for those who are powerless. when they are out and about, they have agreed that they say to each other -- greeting, and the greeting, if i'm proannouncing it right, and chris coons will correct me later, is -- [speaking in native tongue] and that translates, this is the greeting, to warriors when they see each other, they greet each other. and what it means and the response is -- [speaking in native tongue] which means one warrior says to the other, how are the children? and the response of two warriors is the children are well. this is the indicator for the mesi people of what strongest, what the most powerful, fearsome if fighters are most focused on,

which is the children. you, my friend, are one of the greatest warriors i have ever served with. i know your heart, know your moral compassion -- come a pass. i know how you live your faith every single day and how much you've deepened mine. in the words of the mes irk, i have two things, two words to say -- [speaking in native tongue] thank you very much. [applause] if. >> madam president -- >> the junior senator -- >> madam president, i rise in defense of my colleague from the commonwealth of pennsylvania. [laughter] bob casey is sexy.

[laughter] being fully bald is not the sole indicator of celebrity the or sexiness -- >> madam -- i withdraw my seeking of recognition. >> without objection.

is. . mr. booker: esteemed madam president. the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. booker: i understand that the senate has received the house message to accompany s. 3791. the presiding officer: the senator is correct. mr. booker: as is usually the case. i ask the chair, lay before the

body, the house message to accompany s. 3791. the presiding officer: the chair lays before the senate the following message from the house. the clerk: resolved that the bill from the senate, s. 3791, entitled an act to reauthorize the america's conservation enhancement act and for other purposes do pass with an amendment. mr. booker: i move to concur in the house amendment to s. 3791 and i know of no further debate. the presiding officer: is there further debate on the motion? if not, all in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion to concur is agreed to. mr. booker: i ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: i ask unanimous consent that the judiciary committee be discharged finally

from further consideration and the senate now proceed to s. res. 895. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 895, recognizing the second commemoration of the anti-lgbtq+ attack that occurred on november 19 and 20, 2022, at club q, an lgbtq+ bar in colorado springs, colorado. the presiding officer: is there an objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. booker: i know of no further debate on the resolution. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the resolution is agreed to. mr. booker: i now confidently ask unanimous consent that the preamble be agreed to and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon

the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 934, submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 934, amending the broadcasting and recording procedures of the senate. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. booker: i know of no further debate. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, all in favor say aye. all opposed say no. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the resolution is agreed to. mr. booker: fantastic. i now ask unanimous consent that the motion be considered -- the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: i now would like to ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate

consideration of s. con. res. 46. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. con. res. 46 providing for the corrections in the enrollment of s. 4367. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the senate will proceed. mr. booker: i ask further that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and motion to consider -- to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: madam president, i understand that the senate has received the house message to accompany s. 709. the presiding officer: the senator is correct. mr. booker: as is usually the case. ski that the claire lay -- i ask that the chair lay before the body the house message to accompany s. 709. the presiding officer: the chair lays before the senate the following message from the house. the clerk: resolved that the bill from the senate, s. 1709, entitled to an act to improve

performance and accountability in maté government and for other purposes do pass with an amount. mr. booker: i move to concur in house 709. i know of no further debate in the motion to concur. the presiding officer: is there further debate? if not, the question occurs on the motion to concur. all those in favor say aye. the ayes appear to have it. the ayes do have it. the motion to concur is agreed to. mr. booker: more eyes than an iowa potato. i ask that the motion be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: thank you. i have three requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. the presiding officer: duly noted. mr. booker: i ask unanimous consent that the injunction of the secretary be removed from the following treaty transmitted

to the senate -- you know, i would like to apologize to the body for mispronouncing a word. if the -- if i have lead from the president to reread this section. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: thank you very much. as in executive session, i ask unanimous consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaty transmitted to the senate on december 18, 2024, by the president of the united states of america. agreement under the united nations convention on the law of the sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine, biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, treaty document number 118-2. i further ask the treaty be considered as having been read the first time, that it be referred with accompanying papers to the committee on

foreign relations and in order to be printed and that the president of the united states' message be printed in the record. madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the appointment at the desk appear separately -- oh, i'm sorry. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered with respect to the treaty. mr. booker: thank you very much. i just get so excited sometimes. i apologize. may i proceed? the presiding officer: please. mr. booker: okay. madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the appointment at the desk appear separately, separated in the record as if made by the chair. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. booker: all right. we've got one more page to go. i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, momentarily, that it recesses -- that it is

in recess until 10:00 a.m. on thursday, december 19. further, madam president, that all time during adjournment, recess, morning business, leader remarks, and consideration of the house message to accompany s. 4367 count as postcloture on the motion to proceed to h.r. 82. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. booker: thank you, madam president. madam president, if there are no further business to come before this august body, i ask that it stand in recess under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands in recess until >> the senate has gaveled out for the day. earlier lawmakers approved the bill known as the ndaa which

authorizes nearly $900 billion in spending for 2025. it now heads to president away from the senate floor, members of congress continue to work on a funding bill ahead of this friday's deadline. live senate coverage when lawmakers return here on c-span2. >> here is what's coming up tonight on c-span2. next, we'll hear from pro-life advocates on the impact of the clinton era law protecting access to abortion clinics. afterwards, the commemoration of the u.s. space force, and later senators discuss security concerns in ukraine. >> the house ethics committee will release their report on on former republican congressman matt gaetz by the end of the year.

mr. gait -- mr. gaetz has denied participating in any illegal, activities when he was younger and noted that the justice department investigated and chose not to charge him. his post reads part: in my ngle days, i often sent funds to women i dated, even some i never dated but who asked. i never had sexl contact with someone under 18. i probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than i should have earlier in life. i live a different life now. and a reminder that when the us ethics committee releases the report on the gaetz investigation, we'll have it posted at c-span.org. >> pro-life advocates testify on a bill intended to impact abortion clinics.