employees -- powerhouse with 13,000 employees and the operations in 20 countries. just as importantly, he has dedicated his rebuilt company to helping support the families who lost loved ones on 9/11. he created the cantor fitzgerald relief fund to ensure that the families of employees who were killed received health care and millions in financial support. and he continues to serve as a board member of the national september 11 memorial. over the next few years, mr. lutnick will lead on key issues vital to the success of america's economy. expanding commercial access to midband spectrum, keeping the gulf open for oil and gas exploration, and spurring a resurgence of manufacturing in america. mr. lutnick will ensure that american taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and that

congress gets the benefit of the bargain on legislation like the chips and science act. mr. lutnick has earned the support of nearly 50 organizations and associations, from agriculture to aviation, broadband to manufacturing, companies across the spectrum support president trump's selection of howard lutnick to serve as the secretary of commerce. as the wireless association put it, quote, mr. lutnick's leadership will bring a fresh, innovative approach to the department of commerce. he will advance policies that promote innovation, foster economic growth, and strengthen america's position as a global leader in wireless technology and digital transformation. mr. president, it is my hope that given the bipartisan support mr. lutnick received in committee, that the full senate

will follow suit and agree he is the forward-looking leader focused on jobs that we need at the department. i urge my colleagues to support howard lutnick's nomination for secretary of commerce. mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the lutnick and loeffler nominations be waived. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. mr. cruz: i ask unanimous consent that the scheduled roll call votes begin immediately. the presiding officer: without objection. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the presiding officer: the clerk: senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby bring to a close debate on the nomination of howard lutnick, of new york, to be secretary of commerce.

the presiding officer: by united states, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the ske is -- the question is, is it the sense of the senate that howard lutnick, of new york, shall be secretary of commerce. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. the clerk: ms. alsobrooks. ms. baldwin. mr. banks. mr. barrasso. mr. bennet. mrs. blackburn. mr. blumenthal. ms. blunt rochester. mr. booker. mr. boozman. mrs. britt. mr. budd. ms. cantwell. mrs. capito. mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons. mr. cornyn. ms. cortez masto.

mr. cotton. mr. cramer. mr. crapo. mr. cruz. mr. curtis. mr. curtis. mr. daines. ms. duckworth. mr. durbin. my extraordinary sister is here as well as addison's brother rick and my sister-in-law abbey and my closest friends come down to support me. my father is a professor of american history. taught me how to appreciate

life. when i was 14, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer she decided when you die before then, was going to live. she pulled me class so i rushed and said, are you okay? is okay, let's go. drove to new york city we went to the opera and a late night dinner, super late and get to on time. my mother died in february of 1978 when i was 16 years old. a year end a half later, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. he wanted to make sure i left to start college in the fall. drop me off at school and a week later therapy treatment at a local hospital and the nurse gave him the wrong dose and he died right then and there. september 12, 1979.

we don't know is heartbreaking but losing both is something entirely different. like shattering. without support from extended family, with my 15-year-old brother in school nearby college sleep with me and my doorman on the weekend. the next year will spend the next two years living with her should. the three of us became inseparable but as you can imagine, the pain suffered and 657 of my other friends and colleagues. the company was to the top five i get emotional, sorry. no one in the office about. some child to his first day at kindergarten he was 12, i hosted

a call with my surviving employees and laid out two choices. we attend our friends funerals or we could try to rebuild the company and take care of the 658 families we lost that day. this phone call led to one of the most extorted events in history, all of our employees, both to 25% of their salary so together we raised $180 million in five years for those families like employees my soul to heaven. respected to pay back the 2008 in each and every one of those employees that will.

my entire career. rebuilding the past 23 years, my greatest achievement after 9/11 the county of 1000 employees. today the company employs 14000. i'm so proud of my friends. i saw the strength of the americans. in terms of pain. need healthy businesses, small, medium and large and great american workers to drive our economy. i will dedicate myself making sure americans have the greatest opportunity for success. outcome driven leader and i will take a thoughtful reverse approach leave this department and serve our country. thank you, thank you, mr. chairman and look forward to your questions. >> thank you very much should for that heartfelt statement

with your background is impressive. not only have you led financial services, real estate brokerage to rebuild in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, i appreciate your willingness to serve the nation. let's start with the general question. why do you want to be secretary? the world to show the great economy and care of americans be part of the administration historic trump administration should drive our economy's gross

and support and dedication for american people. and you told this committee that you plan to your interest in accordance to federal law and regulations. can you explain what your plan is? and whether you will consult with the agency. she all of my interest and everything for the office and reached agreement to do that. within 90 days so therefore no

conflict. i made this decision and made enough money in my life and take care of myself and my family. now my chance to serve the american people. and i've made a public and going forward, i was always going to support the department and met with them and the conflict to serve will have a secretary of us. the cia mobile agency the federal government including federal government. the past several years with all worked closely on a bill that

would require identify federal spectrum are efficiently used bringing up that fact from dominic and next generation wireless technology and stay ahead of our adversaries are strong economic growth the u.s. pipeline to expand access. will you commit to working mostly myself or members of the committee. why spectrum important? >> why should they care?

>> we start by the end tia as sort of a minor and advisor to the administration. this amounts held by the department of defense. successful leader in the world. >> i look forward to working with you on that.

his the existing biological opinion comes up and she had to go through texas slowly only called and notoriously on these biological opinions. if it fails to get done on time, it could shut down oil and gas operations. can commit to speak the fire to make sure the deadline this? back i will start to make sure the deadline and we do our job on time rigorously and get in his.

she jane o'donnell and in all. >> i don't understand, i will study the, the speed restriction in our businesses so they need to be studied. how about we put that at the top? thank you. >> thank you for your symbol of resiliency. sharing the most personal moments is hard to do no matter how much time. i want to go as fast as i can short answers in the territory, do you believe the investments

we've made preserve? >> an excellent down payment. we need to get it right them and get it right. the way of necessity, is an excellent down payment. >> no it together? and the responsibility together? we are hearing that they will maybe separate that. >> i want to do it right and understand how to do it. >> i did that on 50% of the budget and there's no policy and the law of that so the way my

colleagues and i get this management is put it into law and of the women of every administration but we will talk aboutan that later. let's turn to the rulemaking. i see you as a great toolmaker calendars we face as a nation. to get to you are about this, how are you going to go about this task let's the best ideas about why it is so important. if you want to move faster like you got to. my way or the highway but usually that doesn't work the ramifications, the best thing we can do is work together collaboratively. did you advise the president or anyone on this? >> i did not.

>> okay help me on this treasury issue? should the london exchange. i don't understand as it relates to hierarchy and address the situation why do you believe settling good for u.s. treasury the people he did not didn't understand. all u.s. treasury are held by thanks and federal reserve. written of course america and the partner was the london stock exchange which has been

registered 2000 so a lack of understanding of the press, bad for knowledge. >> i personally don't think -- tried to make pockets of this default and i didn't appreciate it so i know this very well. treasury secretary just got asked by my colleague senator cornyn last week what he thought he was like no, ever. u.s. treasury failure should never have london making decisions before we decisions so i'll ask you for the record. i we can get a better answer. on the one-to-one issue, heather had a problem should as an exchange, hugh came in.

my question is, are you prepared for what you think the market have a one-to-one ratio that's unstable? points should be public, completely backed by u.s. treasury one 100% but how prove that if necessary? met in order for u.s. audit and you can't change the rules if someone who bought stable, he can't change price. he withdrawal, change the price. >> so you really believe in a robust audit process. >> for sure. >> is gerald, for me, no.

>> i'm not trying to be clever. other than the one-to-one backing. >> i'm trying to answer. >> you as an investor, did anybody on a one-to-one backing flex. >> it has a bond. >> now it's back again, export controls importing china dealing with a.i. i do have concerns crypto and others should but this issue and

the amount of illicit markets, the analysts who do this come from a roll robust system. $19 million could be illicit activity by the north koreans, russians and chinese. what do we do about that? >> the number one statement, the u.s. dollars, these are just things people use so is the largest stable points of the use it more than circle, a ratio of the blaming apple criminals use apple bonds. it's just a product. i think it's is the product. they said it was oil and law enforcement.

they follow all law enforcement. >> that's like saying you get a request from the fbi or d.o.j. you're going to comply should with illicit activity. when you know your customers and money laundering requirement, why are we taking more seriously potential $19 billion illicit market going against the united states so obviously we have other ways to track dollars and use those and that's how we are successful. fentanyl, it's really helped them and they can correct them but the big illicit market, wanting to know activists crypto oversight, what do you recommending we do to get a

handle on that? >> no business with anyone appropriate. the sum time their product was bought by someone and use it inappropriately, it's important -- >> the secondary markets? should. >> i'm over my time so thank you and you just into that for the record or burnout? >> a.i. tools used by the u.s. government between the block chain of stable going will rid the world of criminals using chains for public illicit activity. our ability to oversee and return was a.i. tools will eliminated. >> thank you for that answer and we will follow up we need an aggressive complexity conflicts of interest in general is a big

challenge here. >> thank you and i think you covered the issue of spectrum but we look forward to working with you on that. i want to come back to the broadband equity deployment program. i didn't vote for the program but it provided the two billing dollars to expand to rural areas. single household. the biden administration included requirements envisioned by congress including climate change mandates, great regulations, labor requirements and other items. a lot of underserved areas i can

use the program so you to working with states to remove these so. >> i'm going to work to make sure the benefit of the bargain. let's do it efficiently and quickly use satellites, wireless and fiber. cheapest and most efficiently canada commit to working with you to make sure the state execute deliver on the promise is made will you work to ensure it's only used for actual broadband structure bills? you absolutely should. >> i also mentioned artificial intelligence but i believe need

to craft a legislative work that revives basic accountability for a.i. models without these regulations. the biden administration a.i. as a threat is encouraged to see the executive order reversing biden's sweeping a.i. executive: work developing comprehensive strengthen global leadership and a.i. so i want to talk generally confirm how you approach a.i. regulation and harness. >> the department of congress is let the world. cyber technology and fools are the gold standard of the world. leverage that model into standards for artificial

intelligence. useful we are great at and leveraged vatican rather than thinking that, we want to make sure we protect and defend our country but we want to make sure we need. it has to be an american driven leadership and its fundamental. leverage what we are great at standards and practices like we did in cyber that will encourage private sector be a dominant winner we are in america will make sure we went and a.i. >> we want to be the leader in this and i hope as we move forward and have a bill and i hope we have an opportunity to work on this. i have a minute left in them

noting that. as reminder i use a minute prior to my question time. [laughter] he said three minutes. it wasn't really but -- [laughter] thank you, mr. chairman. >> this is why senator thune is the leader. [laughter] we talked to my office about how i truly believe they are going to leave the global economy and i know you share this and experts through the world bipartisan progress on that front. not everything has been done, we know that and we want to continue america's leading and competitive edge. one way we've done that groundbreaking investments in semiconductors despite the land in thousand lakes was actually never about fish. [laughter]

i want to follow up on her question secretary has fundamental doing admirable work. if you are going to continue to operate the program. >> it is vital for america would bring in semiconductorno manufacturing to the united states of america. we need domestic manufacturing and chips act was an excellent campaign would begin that process and study it, we need to make sure you get the benefit of the bargain domestic fracturing in america democrat but are you going to keep operating this? funds have to be distributed the work has to be done coming out of. >> i expect to do enormous work make sure. we get money out appropriately and correctly and built in america it is vital and i'm going to help.

>> are you concerned about the freeze that would have affected that program now on a temporary school because the judge? >> it gives me time to be confirmed and study the documents with them so i can help get out the door and get done. we need manufacturing, i agree and i will do everything i can to make that happen. >> you and i talked about the department and they went for other reasons. they are not making as much money. i personally have worked with the people who do train steel dossier. we care about this and it made a big difference. ...

>> i think the members of the commerce department are extraordinary. we have asked when your site is, extremely people with deep intellect and deep knowledge and my job is going to be to leverage them to make them feel heard and we were going to be responsive and we will create a great department of commerce that the people of the respected, heard, and their knowledge use to the betterment of america which is why they are there. they are going to know i support them. >> we talked about tariffs briefly. targeted or across-the-board i

gave him a preference toward targeted tariffs far comment period weigh in on that. >> i prefer across-the-board. when you pick one product in mexico they will pick one product. we picked avocados, they pick white corn. we picked tomatoes, they pick yellow corn. all you're doing is taking on farmers which is not going to happen. my way of thinking, and i discussed this with the president, is country by country, macro. let america make it more fair. we are treated horribly by the global trading and environm. they all have higher tariffs, nontariff trade barriers and subsidies. they treat as poorly. we need to be treated better. we need to be treated with respect and we can use tariffs to create reciprocity, fairness and respect. >> i'm sure we will be discussing this more. the last thing just the broadband funding and a bipartisan infrastructure law.

all of us on this committee have worked on things like improving mapping. senator wicker and i worked on that. you're welcome. the work that must be done on getting broadband some of the farthest corners of our country. we have an investment once in a generation investment under the bipartisan infrastructure law. and again the freeze would have affected this work temporarily on hold. talk about your support for broadband. >> you past the bill and they have put up any of the money. nobody has gotten broadband. it's time for a new commerce secretary to get broadband out to people. i want to give congress the benefit of the bargain which is you appropriate money for broadband, let's get in the hands and let's do it. the pause gives me time to be confirmed and to study and get the team working on it.

when that pause in to get out the door and get it done. >> i'm out of time. thanks. >> senator wicker. >> mr. lutnick, i look forward to working with you. it's going to be a fun, productive for the american people. the leader was correct. some members of this committee voted for the infrastructure act and some of us didn't. it was bipartisan. we all agree broadband is one of the infrastructure issues of our time. it's really the rural electrification issue of the century. do you agree with that? >> it is vital to american. >> acidly vital. i would point out because we talked about it a lot that, that not one single household has been connected. i'm told there's been an endless round of back-and-forth to crochet shins about the application process. it seems to me a man like you is going to be able to cut through

that and at least tell the states yes, your application, we know what that's about and we're going to respond to your application. >> i expect the states to provide the most efficient way, the most cost effective and effective way to get broadband to every house. i heard a story where they were planning to run fiber for $200,000 to house that was worth $125,000. the waste of america is over in the commerce department. we are going to get broadband to people but were going to do at cost effectively but get it and get to the benefit of the bargain. >> if i can squeeze in, i'm glad we mention noaa. noaa, national data buoy center is at the stennis space center in mississippi. it is the national premier rocket propulsion facility.

in the next few months will you come see us and let me show you the great potential we have there at the stennis space center? >> sounds fun. >> okay. very good. let's say by april. >> give me until may. >> all right, good. we've got a deal. also in addition, in addition to infrastructure, the chips and science act has been mentioned favorably. we mentioned the chips and science act as it connects with this fiscal years ndaa. one of the things we did in the chips and science act was 220, well actually $10 billion authorized for 20 regional tech hubs. the first round has largely been approved. in ndaa refunded $220 million.

it was authorized for 10 billion. 229 for tech hubs, at the potential for another $280 million for a second round. now at this point i understand your department has a choice. it can either double up on those that are already been awarded or it can try to drive regional growth and global competitiveness by looking at other applications. that is what i hope you will do. i just want you to understand there are a lot of us the want to work with attorney what you to work with congress to maintain and grow the tech hub programs. particularly in rural areas. and i would suggest that the southeast did not do so well in

the first application. what you agree to take a closer look at assets in the southeast region, including biotech, logistical expertise, academic research, national labs as well as workforce and areas that are already collaborating to deliver biotechnologies that meet commercial needs faster? >> again i would be happy to. >> thank thank you very muc. i look forward to working with you. >> senator schatz. >> we are hearing anyone is done for the five minutes is up. mr. lutnick, thank you for taking the time. thank you for your willingness to serve and for your families willing to to support you in this endeavor. i want to start with the census, the work of the census bureau is critical to the functioning of our democracy. it's included in our constitution both article one section two and the 14th mac the federal government to conduct an accurate census. the 14th amendment specific requires account of the whole number of persons in each state.

not a trick question but to get you on the record. if confirmed what you ensure the work of the census bureau is carried out in an apolitical manner? >> i want you to the 14th amendment of the tray constitution rigorously. >> and what you make sure the bureau prepares to open a census accounts for the person? >> since the first sense of the 14th amendment of that causes we will count each whole person, i promise you we will count each whole person. that's what the constitution says and we will stick right to it rigorously. >> thank you. this has been a bit of a lovefest, so -- >> oh, stick to it. [laughing] >> depends on how you answer, sir. >> fair enough. >> let me quote something from last year i was sort of a point of contention among people who care deeply about noaa. from project 2025, and a court,

noaa should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated, sent to other agencies, advertised or place under the control of states and territories. do you agree with that? >> no. >> iq. we are still a lovefest. on to fish. i want to talk to you about the hawaii longline fishery. we are one of the largest food producers of the state, certainly the largest exporter of any kind of agricultural product in the state. if you're eating good all he on the east coast this a good chance it was on a fedex plane overnight. if you're eating bad he, i don't know where comes from. not from us. we have an unusual management situation because of international fisheries commission western central pacific fisheries commission is also important noaa. i want to motion is agreed.

the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of kelly loeffler of georgia to be administrator of the small business administration, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum has been waived. the question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of kelly loeffler of georgia to be administrator of the anthill business administration shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the check will call the roll. vote: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks. ms. baldwin. mr. banks.

>> members of the committee, it's truly an honor to be before you today as president trump's nominee for the administrator of the small business administration. i miss humbled to be a today as i was serving alongside many of you in the u.s. senate and i've appreciated the opportunity to meet with you nearly every member of this distinguished committee in recent weeks. i'm especially grateful to president trump for entrusting me with the privilege and responsibility of serving america's 34 million small businesses. there is no stronger advocate for these job creators that are present and i share his commitment. if confirmed i will work tirelessly with him to make small business great again. i want to thank my incredible husband, my wonderful family and friends who have joined us here

today and in person and via broadcast. most importantly i give all thanks and glory to god. as someone who spent my life working in small businesses, starting them, growing them and helping them succeed i know small business is big business for america. they comprise 99% of all businesses. they create two out of every three new jobs and going early half of the private sector workforce. they are the opportunity and innovation engines that drive prosperity and growth, and the power of the american economy is much as the power the american dream. in his first term president trump made historic strives to empower job creators and makers alike driving small business formation, a blue-collar boom and through historic tax cuts country deals antiregulation. his agenda create 7 million new jobs, delivered historically low

poverty and record employment for minority communities. his first-term accomplishments were so great that following the 2024 election small business optimism report is largest jump since 1980. that was more than two months before he even took office. small business is in my dna. i grew up the fourth generation on our farm in illinois. that wonderful parents didn't have degrees but they had faith and grit. relentlessly to sustain our farm and small trucking company, risking everything to provide for us navigating volatile commodity markets and complex regulations. in facing countless day-to-day challenges. it's where my midwestern work ethic was ingrained. working in our soybean fields and waiting tables at local restaurants, preparing me for lifetime of drawing and starting businesses. i became the first in my family

to graduate college. later earned my mba and became the only cfa ever to serve in congress. since in a help go he started into a fortune 500 company. of a launch a financial tech company as the founding ceo and first employee. i recall managing budgets and excel spreadsheets, hiring my first team member and working with regulators as much as i recall ringing the bell went to of those companies went public. in the senate i strongly supported president trump's historic agenda and pandemic response. having spent years as a small-business owner i made made it my mission to serve as their voice. i spent much of 2020 delivering relief, traveling the state of georgia a meeting with main street entrepreneurs like eric and rachel in savannah.

you're struggling to navigate the ppp program. alone we help them get didn't just say the restaurant, it saved the jobs of 35 georgians. i'm so proud to say they are still in business today. the matter the business the challenges are consistent, from managing inflation and capital to hiring a skilled workforce and weathering uncertainty. job creators in the last four years have faced rising demands to comply with new rules often drafted with unknown costs and conflict. this complexity crushes growth, picks winners and losers and denies opportunity to those who dare to dream of a better future. if i i had the honor of being confirmed i. will leverage my decades of business experience to champion america's entrepreneurs. we will cut red tape and modernize this agency while restoring the accountability and transparency that taxpayers deserve. i will crack down on fraud with a zero-tolerance policy while

shifting sba's focus from washington, d.c. back to main street across america. if confirmed i will collaborate across government and the private sector to deliver efficiency and results. importantly, we will responsibly and urgently meet the challenge of disaster relief. i am committed to serving all who are impacted from north carolina to california to hawaii. each taxpayer dollars entrusted to the sba should have an economic multiplier effect, delivering productive capital to grow manufacturing, , strengthen world converts, create jobs and develop critical technologies like ai and chips. i believe we must continue to empower entrepreneurs from all walks of life including women and veterans. above all the sba's founding mission needs urgent restoration. empowering small businesses and growing our economy, that's

exactly what the america first agenda does by ending inflation, cutting taxes, unleashing american energy dominance, slashing regulation and brainbu can waste, fraud, and abuse across government. -- reining in -- small business have lost ground burdened by inflation, big government regulation and uncertainty that threatens the very existence of main street. president trump's proven agenda will restore the small business economy, marking every turn to made in america with a golden era of prosperity and growth. at the sba that needs meeting today's dynamic challenges alongside america's entrepreneurs not by sitting in washington or working from home. we will honor their jobs by doing ours. small businesses are the risktakers, job creators, taxpayers, innovators and the providers of first jobs to former waitresses like me.

they represent the best of american free enterprise. like president trump i signed the front of a paycheck. we both understand there is nothing small about small business. chair ernst, ranking member markey and committee members, thank you for your dedication to small business. i welcome your questions and i would be honored to earn your support to serve as the next administrator of the small business administration. thank you. >> thank you for your testimony. before we move to questions the committee has received several letters of support for senator loeffler nomination and ask unanimous consent to enter into the record letters of support from the following organizations. america's small business development centers, independent committee to bankers of america, independent women's forum, job b creators network, national association of development

company, national retail federation, small business investor alliance, small business and entrepreneurship council, national association of government guaranteed lenders, international franchise association, national restaurant association, georgia public policy foundation, governor of georgia brian kemp, association of women's business centers, economic and community development institute, u.s. black chambers incorporated, at the national small business association. without objection, so ordered. so at this time we will go ahead and move on to questions. i now recognize myself for five minutes of questions. senator loeffler, in our conversation you made it clear given your time in the senate you understand the role of congress. you denoted, you denoted give your business experiences, you view us as your board and the taxpayers as your shareholders

with responsibilities to all of us to ensure the sba moves forward in the right direction. unfortunately the biden administration did not share this view. i repeatedly requested information and those requests were ignored. can you commit to provide this committee with the documents and information requests in a timely manner? >> absolutely. i look forward to a collaborative and responsive relationship. >> i think that is essential for good partnership between congress, the small business administration and our constituencies. that's it we serve so thank you for that. last year sba failed to alert or provide the committee with information before the agency ran out of funding for its disaster assistance program. can you commit to more transparent, timely and forthright dialogue between the sba and this committee, should

you become a minister? >> absolutely. this should never happen again. under my watch and will not and we will work to make sure we have all the controls in place. >> thank you for that answer. we know it's extreme important to me that we right size the sba and get it on a clear course to deliver its mission. within your first 100 days as administrator what would would be your primary goals and objectives to get the sba back on track? >> thank you for the question. i enjoyed the time were able to spend together with you and your staff. i think your leadership of this committee is critical and i appreciate the work you've done today. i look forward to working with his entire committee toward the aims of restoring the small business committee, small business administration to

serving small businesses and supporting economic growth in this country. that's our north star. in order to do that we must have accountability of this agency. it's in dire need of restoration and that starts with shoring up the financial situation. the fact that this agency has not been able to pass an audit for four years is a disgrace. we must make sure that we are accountable to taxpayers, that our programs a solvent, and working toward the aims of serving small businesses. so obviously we are going to get our financial house in order and do it quickly and we are going to do that in addition to making sure the programs are working for small businesses and taxpayers. we know that the core 7(a) program loan program is in need of oversight in terms of understanding the rising delinquencies and defaults. we will take a hard look at that. we we'll make sure the disaster funds are resourced and

accounted for and that there are no more situations where americans in in a crisis ared with months of not having disaster relief. we are certainly going to get this agency back to work. i am grateful for president trump's rapid action to his executive order to return to work. we are going to make sure we are people at work committed to the success of small businesses that have the heart for small business but also have that sense of accountability to taxpayers. >> thank you so much for that. as you talk about the audit we know we need transparency within the small business administration. hearing that is music to my ears. i began my elected career representing the taxpayers of montgomery county as their county auditor, and i'm just excited to know that you will follow through on that

commitment. i also serve as the chair of the senate doge caucus and we have a public mandate and a very rare opportunity to expose and rollback programs for what they truly are, multimillion dollar boondoggles. sba is not immune to this which provides us extraordinary opportunity to streamline and disrupt their bureaucracies and their status quo. what you commit to examining programs to root out fraudulent actor? >> this is critical because we are over four years past covid. the last administration took a pass on rooting out fraud in these programs. i appreciate your work and your legislation to continuing covid collections make sure we go after those who want to defraud the government. we will have a zero-tolerance policy toward fraud but also toward waste and

abuse. we will route that out within the agency and those that seek to exploit the program. >> thank you very much. at this time i will turn the gavel over to senator curtis while i i go vote and i will recognize ranking member markey for your question. >> thank you madam chair very much. on monday night president trump's budget office issued a memo that directed agencies to cut off all federal spending outside the payments to individuals. the trump administration issued his order even though this spending was authorized and appropriated by congress and intended to benefit the american people. my first question is very straightforward. do you believe this action by the president to cut off federal funding authorized and appropriated by congress was lawful? >> i disagree with the premise of your question, because the

money was certainly come with regard to the agencies discretion in many cases but i fully agree with president trump's decision to stop wasteful spending. it resulted in a landslide victory that many americans were waiting for relief against excessive government spending that speedy again, he controls all programs. he did not freeze programs that had waste, fraud, and abuse. he froze all programs. do you think that was lawful that he can freeze all programs? >> with all due respect i completely disagree not all programs were frozen at all. he specifically in the omb called out programs related to illegal dei programs and programs that effectively linked to the green new deal that picks winners and losers. i think americans breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the waste, fraud, and abuse is going to get out of this, and spirit wait a minute.

no, no, no. on the next eight omb did put out a statement saying funds for small businesses are not subject to the order. he did not single out these programs initially. they were under this freezing. it had to be clarified and that's good for small businesses. but only for now. this uncertainty, the cloud which was placed over the head of small businesses across the country, that could return at any moment. it's a dangerous precedent that the president set. so speedy if i could add, there was speedy let me finish. i hope that you would hold president trump to upholding the law. if president trump asked to do anything illegal or unconstitutional in your role as sba administrator, would you say no? >> the president is not going to ask me to do that.

i'm not going to great hypothetical situation here. i will faithfully uphold the law president trump is fighting for americans -- >> the president has already acted illegally twice in the last five days. he fired the inspector general that was illegal. under the law. he froze all funding on monday night. that was also against the law. so it's not as though he won't ask you to do something illegal, unconstitutional. he's been doing it all week and this is the first week. let me, since its creation in 19 -- >> transit if i could just for the record note that these were not illegal actions. i support the present action. it's in his right to select the members of the executive branch. that's what -- >> the president violated the statute by firing the inspector general. it requires 30 days notice.

it's a statute passed by congress and signed by president is a violation of law. he doesn't have the ability to be a team. [talking over each other] >> let me move on to sbir which is had staggering success across the country and especially in massachusetts. overall massachusetts has received 26,000 sbir and sbir grants to $9 billion in funding. i believe in these programs and their potential for supercharging our economy, as is programs have in massachusetts and states all across the country. you mention sbir should be awarded on a merit basis. i agree wholeheartedly, that marriage drives innovation. will you commit to working with me and the committee to ensuring that any sbir, sbt are,

reauthorization efforts maintains a merit-based process and does not limit innovation? >> absolutely, ranking member markey. if i had on her become from i look forward to working with you and i know we have a lot of common ground in support of small businesses particularly the sbir. from those watching of the small business innovation research programs that allows the united states to be at the forefront of technological, , biomedical and other types of national security related technology, research and innovation, it's so important to this country. thank you. >> thank you madam chair. >> i now yield five minutes to myself. i'm so pleased to have you with us. i will call your senator at least for now. when you came into my office i appreciated the connection we made about small businesses in our own lives and in your family. like many of the members here we

can all identify with statistics in our state. i don't think they're different in mind. it's 99% small business, over half of all the employees in the state are small business. it's such an important part of our economy. yet they often lack the resources and don't have some of the advantages of large businesses. one of the things we discussed was how to best hook up the resources of your administration with no small businesses in our state. if i'm ever correctly, you offer to come out to our state and of getting a not so i will take a yes for that. as part of that nudges you coming out but helping to educate my small businesses about what's available to them and how they can access those. we look forward to your visit. >> thank you. i'm excited about visiting utah and excited to you in a senate and appreciate meeting you and your staff in a basement office. i used to have a basement office. it's a great way to start.

>> like a small business. we talked about i had a small business before i came here. my father was a small business owner, my grandfather was a small business owner. my daughters and children small businesses. one of the things i don't think america realizes is most of the small businesses struggle to keep the lights on. it's hard paycheck to paycheck. they don't have a lot of money to do a lot of things other people do. part of that is they don't have the money for lawyers and attorneys to deal with excessive regulations that sometimes we can put on the view from washington. i believe regulations are disproportionately hard on small businesses. share with me what you can do to lighten this burden and i would make sure here in washington we are not the biggest problem of small businesses? >> thank you for recognizing that vital issue to america's 34 million small businesses. many who have fewer than nine

employees. in answering your question i would like to speak to small businesses in say you have someone that if confirmed will understand what it's like to have a small business, to worry about meeting payroll, let alone paying the bills. small businesses have lost ground. the sba can be a way of helping small businesses combat what is been a tough for you if we do play the resources appropriately imprudently so small businesses who need it most have access to that, be it through capital, technical assistance or other ways of supporting entrepreneurship in this country which is so vital to our advancement on a on a globe but also within the local community spirit these are the business sponsor the softball

teams, that provide the first job, and they're the ones that never work from home. they show up. they turn out their commitments to the customers and that's what we're going to with the sba. >> appreciate that. better policy in general. we know we'll talk about tariffs in the upcoming days. these are disproportionately hard on small businesses. would love to invite you to work with the administration and the senate as we move into were bartenders are a reality got how to help small business accommodate better to those tears. things like a different one runway timeframe and windows hit the small businesses. could you come and begin deal with our small businesses and what might be one of the most difficult challenges? >> if i had the honor of being

confirmed will be a voice for small business. let me assure you there is no bigger small business champion then president trump. he will make sure small business have the voice of the table but i think it's important we look at the data. not hyperbole that happen sometimes in the media. president trump with successful in implementing tariffs in his first term also successful at keeping inflation right around that 2% mark which is, you know, some facts that the media always overlooks. you have my commitment that small businesses would be considered in all the decisions we make and that's something i know first hand from president trump. he is their biggest advocate. >> thank you, senator curtis go for managing the chair. i now recognize senator hirono. >> thank you madam chair.

ms. loeffler, the welcome. as part of my response but as a of this committee as well as the of the committee's on which i said i asked the following questions of all nominees who come before any of my committees. since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests or sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature? >> no, senator. >> have ever faced discipline or entered into a somewhat related to that type of conduct? >> no, senator. >> during the pandemic you oppose planned parenthood health centers receiving loans for ideological reasons even though like other nonprofits they were eligible for loans. as later determined by sba's own inspector general. last week the president fired the ig without proper notice as required by law. it's clear president trump

thinks he can do whatever he wants. as the administrator and should you be confirmed would you commit to implementing sba programs in a fair and impartial manner? >> that me first say i hope that we could be able to meet. i have requested several meetings. i keep the people of maui in my prayers. i know they're still struggling through the disaster that occurred about 18 months ago and hope we can work together. let me correct with all due respect the premise of your question. i objected to the planned parenthood receipt of covid relief loans because they did not fit the parameters of those speeded actually, you do know the ig said to the contrary position. all i'm asking is whether you can be there in the partial, a a

very important position as you say. so just an affirmation that you can do so is what i'm asking. >> senator, i will faithfully uphold all of the laws and ethics rule. >> the thing is as a major with president trump, the laws that he likes of the ones he likes and the ones he doesn't like he considers them to be illegal but i will move on. as a senator yuko spotted the resolution recognizing brian sicknick the u.s. capitol police officer was brutally attacked during the january 6th insurrection and who later died. last week the president issued blanket pardons for the january 6th insurrectionists, including those responsible for attacking officer sicknick. do believe with the president's decision to pardon the violent offenders, yes or no? >> yes, i strongly support president pardon.

these individuals were denied due process and its time to get past medical persecution in this country. that's what americans voted for speeded there were not deny due process because they were tried and found guilty of some of them even admitted their guilt. i am disappointed you agree that these violent basically criminals should be pardoned. let me get to the lahaina wildfire. in 2023 lahaina i expect wildfires that devastated the entire community including schools, homes, businesses and more. key to recovery has been what i've described as the federal family of agencies which includes fema in sba. last week the president proposed eliminating fema and he said quote let the states take care of the tornadoes and hurricanes and all of the other things that happened, end quote. i see the devastation and

lahaina and the role fema and sba played in recovery. the sba itself provided hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to help lahaina recover. recovery. it would be a huge mistake to eliminate sba's role in disaster response relief and have states and for themselves. do you agree with the president's recent comments that state should be left to fend for themselves during and after natural disasters? >> i disagree with the premise. the present strong support disaster relief. he was on the ground just last week in north -- >> unfortunate he also said -- >> we do support the continued relief. >> say support the continuing involvement of sba and recovery. >> and the present has been clear that that individual systems will not be paused. >> i'm glad to do support the

continuing role, important role of sba. when you are running for u.s. senate, you -- time flies. >> yes. the senator's time has expired. >> are going to do a second run? >> we can do a second round, yes, senator hirono. >> i'll submit that question for the record. >> thank you, senator hirono. next i will recognize senator budd for five minutes of questions. >> thank you, chair. senator loeffler, congratulations. thanks to your family and your friends for being here. and for leaving the role in private work twice to serve our country. so thank you for your what you're willing to do. your state and my state and several others have gone through quite a lot since late september with hurricane helene.

in the moments where wasn't in western hotel and myself i was able to see comp was able to look up and see a television. it was you standing there i believe in -- with president trump committing that if you were reelected he would support. he's lived up to that. he's been back to western north carolina. i believe he is our rebuilder in chief. one of the things we saw was that the sba under president biden, it failed to notify congress in the taliban about the depletion of the disaster relief fund, and didn't fulfill the reporting requirements along the way. so if confirmed how would you ensure timely and accurate reporting to congress regarding disaster account balances and funding needs and how would you address the transparency failures that we saw during the biden administration? >> thank you for this important

question. let me assure you my prayers are with the people of western north carolina. i know the president was there recently and is truly the rebuilder in chief as are many private enterprises in your own state. i think them for the dedication across the southeast and my prayers are with the people of georgia and all impacted. let me see what happened on october 15, when congress was shocked by the news that despite assurances two days earlier of the disaster relief funding had run out. in business this would never be tolerated and we see examples of this everywhere within this agency that i know we're all trying to get our arms around and trying to make a quick correction on. you have my commitment we will ensure disaster relief funding is there for hard-working americans when they need it. i look forward to your feedback

on how the response has been so we can strengthen the program, and having the transparency so this committee is routinely apprised of the status of the agency across all vectors that we're serving the american people on. >> so the sp disaster loan program was critical in supporting small businesses as you mention in your are remarks. and also being there to help communities during crises but we have recent disasters like hawaii or for us, helene, that really revealed a lot of shortcomings in sba management and oversight. these have led to funding shortfalls like transparency, administrative inefficiency, that hinder the time of disaster response and recovery. people of western north carolina and i know north georgia felt these failures firsthand when you need assistance most. instead they were left waiting due to the mismanagement during the time of dire need.

when you commit to working with my office and this committee to address the shortcomings and ensure the sba is fully prepared to respond effectively to the needs of businesses in north georgia come western north carolina and the other states that are in need of really? >> you have my commitment. >> the numbers paint a troubling picture for small businesses. there was a survey from 2023-2024, intuit quickbooks small biz index, intuit quickbooks small business index. it's a small businesses employment declined to 51,000 jobs. it also said that revenue fell on average for this business about $12,000. that's a lot for small business. that's also the steepest year-over-year decline since the obama administration of 2015. that same time the 2024 goldman

sachs 10,000 small business voices survey revealed 77% of small businesses are deeply concerned about their ability to access the capital that they need to operate reliably. small businesses make up the bulk of our economy. president trump said small business is big business. this level of decline is i would imagine you think is will is unacceptable. how can we expect to see a new golden age for our small businesses? >> absolutely. thank you for that question. president trump is restoring the golden era for all americans a strengthening our economy, making our country more safe and secure antitrade wasteful text are spending is not driving up inflation. they are looking at 20% higher costs on at least 10% lower

revenues. that's an unsustainable situation for our employers who are putting it all on the line. small businesses have my commitment i will have their back. >> thank you, senator budd. i never recognize senator schiff for five minutes of questions. >> thank you madam chair. it's an honor to serve on this committee and represent california's 4.2 million small businesses including tech startups, nonprofits, childcare centers, rural businesses, the arts and entertainment industry and women and minority-owned businesses. that number is growing daily and i'm very proud represent these incredible business owners, innovators and hard-working employees. i appreciate the conversation we had last week. i think it was last week. the weeks have seemed endless these days. as you know very well horrific wildfires and high winds have ravaged california over the last month, displacing thousands of families and destroying homes,

schools, places of worship and countless small businesses. as the fires of impacted the livelihood of innumerable california's it is crucial we know california will have the full support of the federal government to respond to recover and rebuild. we must rebuild resiliently. the sba provides disaster assistance for homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses of all sizes affected by natural disasters. i got to see this in operation visiting the discovery resource centers in los angeles, in westwood and in pasadena. sba was on hand in larger numbers to help small business owners and homeowners find what resources were available to them to help them recover and rebuild. i do want to go the concern about the freeze on federal

funding. there has been a subsequent statement saying the freeze order has been lifted but not the freeze. none of us would know how to make heads or tails of that but what concern is even if we, the administration says that helped individuals will not be affected by this, if federal funding to sba is curtailed that means sba cannot make loans to individuals and to small businesses, and at a time when californians desperately need that help. any delay, any uncertainty will add additional injury. i have also been distressed by some of the calls to condition funding to california. california has contributed more to the recovery of other states in any of the state of union.

i want to ask you first of all to recommit to something we discussed privately about a century if confirmed that all allstate not just california but all states receive speedy relief for disaster victims and survivors without regard for whether a state is red or blue or green or yellow or anything else here are you committed to in a colorblind political affiliation blind way, make sure sba assistance is speedily provided to small businesses in every state? >> i appreciated our time in your office discussing this important matter. my prayers are with california but our efforts will be there as well as president trump delisted by his first official trip. typically president might thought outside the country. he went to california. he appointed a task force.

i think the president actions have demonstrated his support for disaster relief. he's done it effectively in his last term and i will support his efforts and leadership to ensure the people of california have the resources they need under president trump's leadership. >> let me just say i was grateful the president came to los angeles. i felt that he saw the damage he could not help but be moved and i think and hope that he was. i have concerns about some of statement is made about time disaster assistance to the passage of completely unrelated voter id laws are frankly any other unrelated policy matter. let me also raise the need to not just with respect to disaster in california but also want to make sure the sba is proceeding apace with a sense of urgency, that it is official and effectively processing loan applications.

i realize the balance is difficult because you have to avoid fraud and there was massive fraud among some who are applying for a covert relief. we do not want to see that repeated. nevertheless, we don't want to see excessive delays either. frankly i think firing the inspector general harms the ability to ferret out waste and fraud and abuse. but are you committed to doing everything you can to provide speedy attention to sba applications while providing at the same time safeguards to avoid fraud? >> yes, i am. thank you. >> thank you madam chair. or mr. chairman. [laughing] >> thank you very much. i'll bet of the chair i like about myself. it's great to see you. thank you for being willing to do the job. as you and i discussed will be met in my office i loved serving with you. you were a terrific send your end up so glad you're willing to do this job.

it's going to be a great service or country. let me ask a question or two to start with about the priorities at sba. i notice on day one of his administration, the last president issued an executive order directing federal agencies to adopt a broad racial equity agenda. that was a focus of sba over the last four years. according to one report i for the largest program that uses racial preferences in the federal government is the eight a program run by sba. to be a little for it copies had to show various racial and other characteristics in order to access funding. a federal court in tennessee ruled it unconstitutional. another federal court struck down a similar requirement also administered by sba, the restaurant revitalization fund. president trump has now thankfully with his own executive order said were going to put a stop to these dei programs. how do you see lamenting that and we get sba refocus on

helping small businesses, the matter who the owner is, the matter where they are, there will be no tipping of the skills in order to fit some bureaucrats agenda? we're going to help those in need, distance to do, execute them. tells what you will do about that. >> thank you. i appreciate the time we spent in your office discussing these matters. importantly, president trump's eo overturns a device and illegal dei program that was spread throughout the government, taken within the sba. this will allow us to reduce the burdens on small business for costly application of needless programs but moreover, the best way we can serve small businesses is making sba lend available to all who qualify as opposed to picking winners and losers and pitting americans against one another. you have my full commitment we will route that out and make sure it is broadly available to all who qualify. >> that's a fantastic answer. let me ask you about another

priority. while the fast administrations small-business of menstruation was focus on this dei agenda, what it was not do with helping people in rural areas like most of my state. in fy '24, sba made 103,000 loans, only 12,000 of those went to rural businesses. that's just over 12%. of 56 windows bain capital last fiscal year, only 6 quintillion went to rural businesses. that's just 11%. you want to talk with inequity, there's an imbalance between urban and rural. we cut urban centers in my state as well. i'm all for small businesses and urban centers getting what the qualify for what would you agree that our small businesses in rural america are extremely important, often the lifeblood of our cuties like a small town where, 4000 rely on small businesses. what we do to make sure small business in rural america is a priority, that they are getting access to the funds the qualify

for and we're doing every thing we can to help these small businesses revitalize these community? >> not only do i agree, i've been to. i was raised in a family of fourth-generation small business. my nearest tenth at 600 people in in it. i saw the hard work they did call the complexity of dealing with increased federal regulation even back then. we have to ensure small businesses in rural communities are getting the support they need. i i understand it firsthand andn no, we can do better and we will do better because this is an area we can grow in terms of bringing manufacturing, made in america again can come back driven by rural america. and paying attention to people that haven't forgotten about. that's what president trump does. he remembers the forgotten many women working so hard in this country to make it work.

>> i welcome your focus on this and look forward to working with you. let me ask you about fraud and waste and abuse. he talked about this. your answers have been heartening. you referenced it at the height of the pandemic congress enacted the so-called cares act to provide very necessarily to millions. we also have the same time created a special inspector general to monitor any fraud and abuse in the program. for reasons they continue to elude me the last administration when he can office almost immediately limited the remit of the special inspector general and then tried to defend it. now we find out hundreds of billions of dollars were wasted were fraudulently dispersed or not properly paid back under these programs. would you agree we need the special inspector general, we need that office to be properly funded, we needed to be, given the jurisdictional authority

that deserves? senator ernst has a built make sure they get that jurisdictional authority. we do support that and talk to us about the need to be rooting out fraud and abuse and corruption? >> absolutely. if i'd confirmed i look forward to working with this committee level higher standard of accountability to act with urgency, to have a zero-tolerance policy with regard to fraud and to making taxpayers whole. we have to get back to that accountability and getting those funds back into taxpayer hands as soon as possible. >> thank you. now i recognize senator shaheen. >> thank you. congratulations, senator loeffler, on your nomination and thank you for your willingness to serve. welcome to all your family and friends were here with you this afternoon. new hampshire, like many of the states represent on this committee, has over 99% of its businesses who are small businesses. i agree with the fact that small businesses are the lifeblood of

this country. two-thirds of jobs are created from small businesses. my favorite statistic about our small businesses is that they create 16 16 times more pates than large businesses. so it's critical we provide assistance to ensure that they thrive. i heard from one of our businesses in new hampshire yesterday that sells agricultural equipment to universities, and to help research feed efficiency to help farmers. he was worried that the halt to funding this week, so the order that freezes spending, caused him to worry about his businesses. what would you say to that business owner so that they are reassured that the orders are going to continue? >> i appreciate the chance to meet with you in your office and with your staff and your leadership in this committee as

well. ..

while the courage situation, the uncertainty creates and so many people who fit from those rooms and the fact that it is broad and far-reaching. i enjoyed the opportunity to meet with you and thank you for coming in. one thing we discussed, the fda. the importance of ensuring the field offices and not reduce staff members so can you

reassure us will make sure the district offices have the support they need and able to backup in the way that helps small businesses? >> absolutely. if confirmed, i can assure you we will put an emphasis on the field and we can be out with entrepreneurs and small businesses not only deliver capital but this counseling they need to date. we know when all businesses have the mentorship they need to fill in any gaps, they are more successful never heard so many great stories from small businesses, i know you hear them everyday who rely on that extra little help, i've seen them in

our own communities. i look forward to visiting your state as well. >> we look forward to having you come to new hampshire. one of the most important roles you will have a spokesperson, i was pleased president trump continues to maintain the administrator as a member of the cabinet. one of the issues i've been proud to work on and we need to pick continue to focus on helping them access foreign markets because 99% of records are outside of the united states and 3% of small and medium sizes in the u.s. i would hope you would commit to engineering support in the

program and helping small businesses get into those markets. >> certainly that program, the very appealing program to understand how we can broaden our work with experts and small businesses can play a role in. i look forward to working with you and the entire committee and deliver more when. >> senator young for five minutes. >> it's great to see you here today and congrats on this nomination. good to see your husband behind you as well. when my father heard that i was going to set on the small

business committee, i can't tell you how excited he was. he perhaps deceived us to be known as the most powerful committee. it's not always known for that but the most important committee to my dad because my dad was getting started, he relied on support, loans in particular to help them grow his business and for him it was the most important committee he traveled around, we traveled around are very state. we seek most jobs these days are created by large enterprises because those come and go, great for living cutting but usually a smaller enterprise. we can optimize policies so more people start small businesses and grow into larger businesses. that's economic development.

if confirmed, how are you going to work to ensure small businesses competitive today and resilient tomorrow? >> i agree with your dad, i couldn't be more humbled by this awesome responsibility that empower our small businesses. it's incredibly powerful. as a number of things we can do make small businesses more competitive. respecting a small business is about free enterprise in the about the government's we had look at ourselves and say what are we doing? the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, small business administration, kelly loeffler of georgia to be administrator.

people to start this is going to take a while today, do we have an announcement? we have two items on our agenda and as 331 functional act because it's listed on the agenda for the first time and over until our next meeting. last week the democrats exercise their right under the committee rules to hold patel's nomination

seven days. obviously we had to order that hold from last week so today is the day we vote on this normally and we all know mr. patel, like other nominees undergo rigorous vetting. he is no exception. before hearing, he produced more than 1000 pages and slows over 1000 interviews. he underwent an fbi background investigation. financial disclosure and worked with ethics officials to identify and resolve potential conflicts of interest and his hearing he answered questions for more than five hours and

provided 147 stages of responses to written questions. for details of his life subjective attacks during the character screwed up time. mr. patel spent his whole career fighting for righteous causes. a public defender representing the accused and the power of the state. investigating the weaponization of our legal system and served in key national committee rules protecting margins from foreign

enemies and perceived support for former fbi agent, former federal and state prosecutors and organizations representing more than 680,000 law officers. mr. patel's resume, accomplishments and support armed why he's the best person for this job. considered our next fbi director because the fbi has been infected by political bias and wetness against the american people. is there patel knows it, exposed it and mr. patel has targeted an nfl plenty of examples to show

what's wrong with the fbi. he was instrumental in exposing crossfire hurricane. he showed during the investigation the democratic national committee under polls allegations against president trump the department of justice -- ing officer: the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: mr. president, i rise today to speak about a century-long dispute, 100 years plus there's been a dispute about the federal designation of north america's tallest mountain. it's a pretty majestic picture, but it does nothing to really convey the amazing grandeur of denali. it is majestic. it is breathtaking. it is something that, as

alaskans and as a lifelong alaskan, there is not a day, there is not a day when i am able to see denali and just say -- just kind of breathe deep, because it's that extraordinary. and in my hometown of anchorage, where we're about 250 miles away from denali, and on the clear days, when you are on the road just about a mile from my house, just a little bit of elevation, you can see the mountain. and we talk about it that way. we say, she's out, the mountain's out today, the big one is out today. it is an extraordinary -- an extraordinary gift from god, really.

snow-blanketed crevasses, the ridges are just gleaming in the sun, how this mountain connects earth to sky beyond, it is -- it's just extraordinary. again, this picture is beautiful. obviously, on a summer day there is never a time when it is not -- when she is not covered in snow. but denali can also be one of the coldest, most treacherous places on earth. it has storms in the middle of winter. you expect that. but it has storms in the middle of july that obey no rules. it has its own rules. denali creates its own weather. it literally creates its own weather. i had an opportunity to go up on ruth glacier on my birthday. my birthday happens to be the end of may. it was going to be an extraordinary big-ticket item,

it was a big-ticket item, but we were chased offer that mountain after about 40 minutes because the weather, which when we had arrived at the mountain was pretty great, and in 40 minutes she was shutting down, and we were either going to be spending the night there, which was not prime condition to do, or we were getting off, and in order to get out safely you respect her. but it is a place where you respect the nature around you, because what can be that perfect day can descend with wind and snow into chaos. it falls on you so quickly you can't see your own footprints in the snow. the lives that have been lost and the legends of the stories

told remain, but no matter what happens with the weather, as transitory as all that is, denali stands resilient and true. for centuries, the qua quaqon asbaskans have lived, loved, thrived in the shadow of this great mountain. they've been in the waterways, the valleys, hills and ridges. alaska natives have persevered in one of the most challenging climates, and have done so in harmony with the food supply and surrounding around them. denali is quaqon for the great one, for the great one. this is how native people have always known it. as the great witness of untold stories from their ancestors. the very first ever map to label

the mountain read denata, and this is a transcript of denali. again, the great one. the first mountaineers to summit the peak called it denali. it's interesting to know that the first individual to actually summit was not the mounts nears who had -- mountaineers who paid for the climb, but the alaska native guide who took them safely and successfully to the top. it is that same native people, those same mountaineers that were baffled that anyone would dare to modify the originative name. and yet, in 1917, the mountain was not named denali, and there's a fair amount of legend that comes with that as well. that there was a trapper that

came out of the woods, this was during the early days of the president mckinley administration, and he said, out of respect, let's honor the new president. but much like native lands, health and culture, you just don't come in and say we're going to disregard, we're going to disrespect the rightful name, the name that had been in place for generations, for thousands of years. and so since that time in 1917, the board on geographic names has received over 20,000 letters and signatures, most of them, the vast majority of them, call for the name denali to be res restored. this massive mountain commands a reverent name, a steadfast name, not the name of an individual, a person who comes and goes, who

may have had an impact for a brief moment in time, but this is ageless, timeless, the great one. 20,310 feet tall, the tallest mountain in north america. so when you have something that is that significant, that is that connected as part of the land in ways that are beyond just a mere name, but again a reverence with which you speak of this piece of land, this geography, when alaskans leave our home state and boast outside to people, whether we're spinning a globe or just talking about it, we say that's denali,

that's the great one, she's out today. so that is why today i have introduced legislation that would officially restore the federally recognized name of this quintessential mountain as denali. now, this is not the first time i've done this. this is actually the fourth congress that i have introduced this legislation. maybe i'm persistent, but i think alaskans are just very resilient, and we will continue to be. we will continue to be because this magnificent mountain is something that each of us hold in our heart, that we hold dear. for these last 100 years or so, we've continued to call our great mountain denali, regardless, around we'll continue to do that 100 years going forward. denali existed before any person, and it will remain long

after we are dust. so, i share this with my colleagues today, letting you know that we've put this legislation out there. my introduction follows on the actions of the alaska state legislature. both the house and senate have moved a resolution urging us in congress to move forward with this and officially restore the federally recognized name. and so, i'm pleased to be able to begin that process today. now, mr. president, i want to shift gears for just a moment. colleagues know that i am the chairman of the senate indian affairs committee. i've been on this committee since i came to the senate, and it is a position that i hold very close. i represent a constituency of alaskan natives back in my home

state. we have over 100 tribes in the united states of america. so my responsibility to them as their federal representative is one that i take very, very seriously. there have been -- there's been a fair amount of confusion, i think, uncertainty that has been brought about by many of the executive orders, some of the federal actions that we have seen, whether it's funding freezes or programs that are being put on pause, but one area that i want to make very, very clear to colleagues as i have sought to make clear to those that are part of the incoming administration, that when we're speaking about our indian tribes and our tribal programs and the federal funding that they

receive, they do not receive this due to -- they do not fall into the category, if you will, of diversity, equity, inclusion. and so, when the executive order was announced in the very first week of the trump admin administration, there was confusion as to whether or not indian and tribal programs were imp impacted. and in that confusion i think a lot of undue stress and anxiety. and so i immediately asked the omb, i met with mr. vought personally, and i asked him to take steps immediately to reaffirm the unique treatment,

the programs and services to indian tribes based on their political and their legal status, which is recognized in our u.s. constitution, in our treaties, in our many federal laws and policies, to ensure that there is no disruption to our federal tribal programs. we know our supreme court has affirmed our indian tribes are a unique political class. this is not a racial one, and their sovereignty and their trust relationship with the federal government must be upheld. and i shared this in a letter to the acting director of omb. we have seen, at least in a couple of the departments already, that they clearly understand this distinct legal and political relationship. the department of interior very

quickly moved to add clarification. on the 30th of january, the department of interior issued a secretarial order that acknowledges that nothing in their order should be construed to affect the activities that implement the legal requirements, independent of the e.o.'s, including the statutory authorities treaty and/or trust obligations of the department to our tribal nations and to our native hawaiian community. so i appreciated that very clear message coming out of the department interior so early. i think it could be used as that model, template for other agencies. it's not just with interior that we see tribal programs. it is in other areas.

we have just recently seen out of the department of health and social services that they recognize that as well. we are working, again, to make sure that any tribal programs have the clarity that they need and assurance that they and the beneficiaries will not be impacted. we have a trust responsibility. we have an obligation that is clear, and so avoiding any confusion, misunderstanding or anxiety is something i think we owe to our indigenous people's across the country. i'm thankful that many within the new administration have stepped up to work with us to clear up any confusion that may be out there. so with that, mr. president, i

yield the floor.

still suspended without. other whistleblowers have confirmed the pi intentionally stranded me withheld possessions to maximize the pain of life suspension. a new era of accountability and whistleblower protections is long overdue. in other good and mcguire was

promoted upper echelon of the fbi that the federal agents to arrest nonviolent catholic protests catholic pro life protesters. in these kinds of abuses and risking taxes and subjects. i was offended by her being rewarded rather than held accountable. a small step toward ending the weaponization could come.

fbi whistleblower after witnessing a sexual predator district attorney to use the power office to abuse women, i reported their wrongdoings to the federal judge although allegations were classified, the fbi suspended later revoked my parents security clearance. u.s. attorney responsible for the misconduct was named by president biden to leave the department of justice criminal investigation and fbi special agent responsible for the retaliation against me was promoted to be the third highest fbi official retired after a young female subordinate. i wanted -- eight year process

to be reinstated only to have the d.o.j. affirmed the fbi's ramification on my security clearance in december of 2024 licensing my removal see how we living a security clearance as a tool to retaliate and ruin will professionally. i know you're tired of listening to this so that's why i said and lastly, from another fbi whistleblower, i watched the fbi become an institution, not of the people the select few who know the system and process to their advantage. those people need to leave as a whistleblower, i stand ready to help return the fbi to his

earlier days of glory return america's trust in what was an incredible institution. now how can anybody listen to these statements from the fbi to know that there's a culture not totally into with what law enforcement agencies ought to do and can prove that everything is okay? please law enforcement agencies are out of control, drunk on power and blinded by political infection. it's time to force them to recognize theypr answered the congress and we the people. thoset -- session and be in a period of morning business for debate only with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the committee on commerce, science, and transportation be discharged from further consideration of s. 146 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk

will report. the clerk: s. 146, a bill to require covered platforms to remove nonconsensual depictions and for other purposes. the presiding officer: without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed to the measure. ms. murkowski: i ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 79 submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 79 honoring the memories of the victims of the senseless attack at marjory stoneman douglas high school on february 14, 2018. the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure. ms. murkowski: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made

and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the consideration of s. res. 80 which was submitted earlier today. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: senate resolution 80 expressing gratitude to the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies, the architect of the capitol, the sergeant at arms, the secretary of the senate, law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, and volunteers for their support in making the presidential inauguration a success. the presiding officer: without objection the senate will proceed to the measure. ms. murkowski: i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. murkowski: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn to then convene for pro forma session only with no business being conducted on friday,

february 14, at 9:00 a.m. further, that when the senate adjourns on february 14, it stand adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on tuesday, february 18, that following the prayer and pledge, senator wicker be recognized to deliver washington's farewell address as provided under the previous order. following his remarks the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and the senate be in a period of morning business for debate only until 5:30 p.m. with senators be permitted to speak for up to ten minutes each and at 5:30 p.m. the majority leader be recognized. for the information of all senators, senators should expect a procedural vote at 5:30 p.m. in relation to filing cloture on the patel confirmation followed by a confirmation vote on the lutnick nomination and further votes are possible. if there is no further business to come before the senate i ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the

senate stands adjourned until carol, looks, home decor in excess of nonprofit operation anytime that the spanish off the order.