the democratic committee for issues young people care about, what do you think of their ability to do that? >> i think it's worth making clear what the role of the dnc is. it's not setting the platform necessarily for the democratic party, especially across the country. they're there to provide back end support. >> as we leave this, a quick reminder, you can continue watching on our our website, c-span.org. a look at the u.s. capitol as the senate is about to gavel in, expected to look at army secretary and repeal for oil and gas rule. live coverage

we are waiting for a senator to come to the floor to speak. after that they will move forward with a joint resolution to

lawmakers trying to finalize a funding package before the. govmented runs out of money in 17 days. follow live coverage here on cspan2.

mr. thune: mr. president. the presiding officer: i recognize the majority leader. mr. thune: thank you, mr. president. i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. thune: mr. president, yesterday evening we invoked cloture on the nomination of jamieson greer to be u.s. trade representative. mr. greer is admirably qualified for this position. he spent most of his career specializing in trade law and has extensive international experience. he served as a missionary in brussels, received a master's degree from two paris institutions, served as a law clerk for the european court of justice and was stationed in both turkey and iraq as a member

of the air force. most significantly of all, he spent three years of the previous trump administration serving as chief of staff to then-u.s. trade representative robert lighthizer who spoke highly of mr. greer's work. he is, in short, very well prepared for this role. mr. president, one of my top priorities when it comes to trade is expanding opportunities for our nation's agriculture producers like the many farmers and ranchers in my state of south dakota. the biden administration frequently seemed to have no interest in trade beyond negotiating on climate and labor issues. witness the fact, mr. president, that there was not a single fda negotiated during the biden administration. not a single one. all the opportunities across the globe to enter into trade agreements to open up and provide access to america's farmers and ranchers and small business people.

that was a real disservice, mr. president, to america's ag producers and to our small businesses. trade is critical to the continued success of american agriculture. 20% of u.s. ag products are exported yearly and exports provide substantial farm income. soybeans and corn alone accounted for 22% of all u.s. exports by value in 2024. but thanks in part to the biden administration's almost complete inaction on trade, the current agricultural trade deficit is at an all-time high. mr. president, that's an area of our economy where we've always run trade surpluses. historically. consistently over time, decade over decade we've always run trade surpluses in agriculture until the last few years under the biden administration where we started racking up not only deficits, but now record trade deficits. they are at an all-time high. and i have to say that's a real problem for ag producers,

especially considering the other challenges they have been facing. and it's something that needs to be addressed. and i know that the trump administration's committed to meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers and i'm looking forward to working with mr. greer to expand opportunities for our agricultural producers. i'm very encouraged by the fact that mr. greer has expressed his commitment to working closely with the senate finance committee of which i am a member and with congress. president biden's trade representative was completely uninterested in working with congress, so it is very encouraging to hear mr. greer's commitment to communication and collaboration. i look forward to a close partnership between the administration and congress in the coming months and years as we work to expand opportunities for american producers. mr. president, this afternoon we're going to vote on a resolution to end the energy emergency that president trump declared upon taking office. apparently, according to the

resolution's authors, this energy emergency declaration isn't justified, and mr. president, in response to that, i'd like to just read a headline from "the washington post" last march, and that headline is, and i quote, amid explosive demand, america is running out of power, end quote. now, let me just repeat that, mr. president, for my democrat colleagues. amid explosive demand, america is running out of power. running out of power. the article stated, and i quote again, vast swaths of the united states are at risk of running out of power as electricity-hungry data centers and clean technology factories proliferate around the country, leaving us grasping for plans to expand the nation's creaking power grid, end quote. there was this headline from another major news outline in

december, quote, more than after the u.s. faces blackout risk in next decade, the nerc finds, end quote. again, more than half the u.s. faces blackout risks in next decade. large swaths of the u.s., ■the article noted, could experience rolling blackouts due to capacity shortfalls during extreme weather events in the next decade, according to a grid reliability analysis released tuesday. the mid continent independent system operator faces the highest risk of energy shortfalls starting as soon as this summer, according to the report from the north american electric reliability corporation, which can force grid operators to trigger rolling outages to prevent wider system harm. end quote. mr. president, these aren't niche publications.

these are mainstream media outlets, mainstream media outlets reported on the fact that, and i quote again, america is running out of power. if my democrat colleagues don't consider that an emergency, i just don't know what to say. mr. president, as these articles and others make clear, the united states' electric grid is extremely shaky, thanks in substantial part to a movement to shut down fossil fuel fired power plants before reliable sources of clean energy are available to replace them, america is running out of power, even as we face huge new power demands. the boom in data center construction in particular to power the rise of artificial intelligence is placing, and will place, vast new demands upon the grid. a recent cnbc headline noted, and i quote, data centers powering artificial intelligence could use more electricity than entire cities, end quote.

more electricity than entire cities. mr. president, if we continue on our current course, there is a very real risk that we are not only -- we're not going to be able to meet that demand, that we're going to end up with widespread brownouts and blackouts or electricity rationing or de facto rationing forced by sky high energy bills. now, mr. president, i realize that this is an inconvenient truth to my democrat colleagues. why? because it interferes with their plans to force the united states off conventional energy. if democrats acknowledge that we are rapidly approaching an energy crisis, they might have to actually consider the consequences of their energy plans. to consider what might happen when you put immense new power demands on an already shaky grid by forcing americans into

electric vehicles, to consider what might happen if you drastically limit domestic and oil production, even as the nation requires to -- continues to require conventional fuels. so i do understand why democrats would prefer not to acknowledge our national energy emergency, but acknowledge it or not it's th there. go we don't take action, we're going to be facing some very serious problems in the very near future. i'm grateful to have a president who recognizes and acknowledges the energy emergency facing our nation, and i look forward to working with him to unleash american energy production and achieve a secure, affordable and reliable energy future for the american people. mr. president, i yield the floor, and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll.

quorum call: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks.

we are waiting for a senator to come to the floor to speak. we will wait for them to come back and repeal a biden appeal for lease

holders to submit an archaeological report before beginning production. they are also trying to finalize a funding back age before the government runs out of money in 17 days. follow live on c-span 2.

good morning, everyone. i'd like to start with last week, videos of protesters yelling at members of congress went viral, right. the content focused ob the confrontation not the why. some of the people that hijacked the town halls are happy with the bloated status quo. they want the bloated status quo to continue. they don't want to get our country back on track. to make matters worse the dnc chair openly suggested that the outrage at the town halls across the town halls were orchestrated. this is the truth.

getting us out of nearly 37 trillion in debt it's not going to be easy. president trump and white house republicans started the conversation on wasteful spending. 77 million voices outweighed those voices at the town hall. we listened to the american people. they told us they wanted change. buckle up, that's exactly what we are giving them. our friends on the other side of the aisle, please, keep going down the path of defending and advocating for government, waste, fraud, and abuse. the message is clear, we see whose side they are on. look no farther than their newest messaging strategy.

the minority leader unveiled it last week. it's called share your story. can you guess whose story they are sharing? it's government employees. look a locksmith from the national park. not the stories of lives lost due to illegal immigration. they are not asking to share those stories. not the stories of innocent lives that were lost due to fentanyl from across the border or hard-working americans struggling to make ends meet. democrats are sharing the stories of government employees. this sad attempt o of fear mongering that make democrats look more deranged. it's absolutely insane they believe making government work more efficiently is a bad thing.ti er. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent the quorum be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: so, mr. president,

over the last month, it's become clear how donald trump and republicans governor. donald trump and republicans have focused on things most americans don't care about or don't like while refusing to focus on things americans actually do care about. donald trump and republicans have focused on things most americans don't care about or don't even like while refusing to focus on things americans actually do care about. exhibit a of these things that americans don't like is what's happening today in the house of representatives. as soon as possible, house republicans will advance a budget resolution clearing the way for perhaps the most draconian cuts to medicaid in american history. all so republicans can cut taxes for their billionaires' club and have the american people pick up the tab and pay the price.

this is in the category of things americans really don't like. there's only one proper way to describe the republican plan that's moving through the house this week -- radical. radical. the republican plan radically hurts american families while addictly helping the -- radically helping the billionaires' club. republicans are so eager to cuts taxes for billionaires, that they increased the deficit by a trillion dollars or more to make room for their sweetheart deal tax cuts for billionaires like elon musk. republicans are also pushing for trillions in cuts for working and middle class americans, endanger everything from medicaid to nutrition programs to housing assistance and so much more. the republican bill could cut as much as $880 billion from medicaid alone.

that means 80 million americans, kids, veterans, people with disabilities, rural americans, the elderly are all at risk. and why? why are republicans putting these people at such risk and hurting things that benefit them, not waste, things that actually go to people and help them. they're doing it to make life easier for the billionaires' club, they're doing it to cut taxes for the ultra wealthy. last week here in the senate during vote-a-rama, i pushed an amendment that said we should have no tax breaks for billionaires. i pushed a bill for no billionaire tax breaks if even $1 of medicaid spending was cut. what's more important? helping people get health care, helping the elderly stay in nursing homes, helping our veterans, especially those who may be out of work from getting

the health care they need? what's more important or a tax breaks for someone who's very wealthy already? well, on both amendments, the one that said no tax breaks for billionaires and the one that said no tax breaks for billionaires even if $1 of medicaid spending was cut, both times republicans overwhelmingly said no. let us hope -- let us hope, maybe a distant hope, but let us hope that house republicans show more courage, more compassion, more common sense to reject these horrible, harmful, radical cuts. this is not what the american people signed up for in this election. billionaire tax cuts is a clear example many of things americans don't like. just look at all the backlash republicans are seeing in their town halls. republicans know this. republicans know that cutting taxes for wealthy billionaires

is something most americans don't like at all. they didn't campaign on it. oh, no. i didn't hear any of our republican colleagues who were running and go home and say, i want to cut taxes for billionaires, all those that's the first thing they're doing when they get here. and yet republicans seem to be full-steam ahead all the same. this is of course part of the pattern i'm talking about. over the last month, donald trumps and republicans have focused on things that americans don't like while refusing to focus on things americans actually do care about, like inflation, rising prices. you already see americans are upset with the trump administration because prices continue to rise, as they have over the last many years. donald trump promised to bring

down costs on day one. he said the first day he's elected he's going to start bringing costs down, but instead inflation has gone up, grocery prices are up, pork, chicken stake, eggs are up 15% from last month, all while the republicans are focused on things that americans either don't like or care about. americans don't like, for instance, pardoning violent insurrectionists. it was one of the least popular things we have seen. a recent poll in "the washington post" was clear, it was the first major decision donald trump made as president. most americans don't care if you call it the gulf of mexico or the gulf of america or something else, most americans don't care about building hotels in gaza or annexing canada. these are the things that donald

trump is focused on to distract people from the fact that he doesn't have real solutions to the things americans really worry about. of course there are things republicans are focused on that make things actively worse. most americans don't think it's a good idea to get into a trade war with our closest allies, that's going to make grocery trips to the store more expensive than they are now. most americans do care about making government more efficient. while everyone certainly supports cutting waste, americans don't like the harmful chaos that elon musk and doge have unleashed. they don't want to see a rich billionaire treated federal workers with immense disrespect. make no mistake, americans did not sign up for doge to endarj their medicare and medicaid payments. that hurts the american people and what doge is doing is chaos.

americans know that the chaos being unleashed by doge is causing a lot of larm to the -- harm to the country. americans don't want to see air traffic fired in droves. that is danger in airplanes, airports and security checkpoints. 0 we don't want to see the v.a. starved of resources. someone came over the other day and said my brother is in a v.a. hospital. he has a rare disease and several people were let go. who will take care of him? they don't want to hear about cuts to the veterans crisis line where veterans who come back with ptsd have a place to call. that is not government effi efficiency, that is more chaos, marm, and hurt.

can you imagine the callousness firing people who operate the suicide crisis line as reported by the staff at the v.a. it is a cruel and vindictive way to treat american heroes and our american families did not sign up for doge to cut the 9/11 survivor program. the people who rushed to the towers, the brave heroes, police, fire, first responders, and others who rushed to the towers the day after that horrible day of 9/11 and got illnesses in their lungs and gastro intestinal tracks and now are getting some help. 9/11 families didn't sign up to cut that. but that's precisely what doge tried to do. we pushed back and i'm glad that president trump and doge reversed themselves on that issue. they should be reversing themselves on many other issues also that hurt people so badly.

but the takeaway is very clear. what doge is doing not making government more efficient. it's creating more chaos. and if there's one thing americans don't want in these turbulent times is more chaos. rather than actually cut waste and government in a smart way, a careful way, an efficient way, rather than putting the needs of working people first, donald trump, elon musk and the republican party have plunged basic government services into chaos and taken a meat ax at government programs for american families all for the sake of cutting taxes for billionaires and mega corporations. republicans are focused on the wrong things, they're helping the wrong people and ignoring the vast majority of americans they promised to serve. under donald trump's republican

party, billionaires win, american families lose. so let me say it once again. over the last month, it's become clear how donald trump and republicans govern. donald trump and republicans have focused on things americans don't care about or don't like while refusing to focus on things americans actually do care about. i yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the clerk: ms. alsobrooks. >> for every democratic talking point. they talk about medicaid cuts. everybody will be thrown according to democrats into all these horrible situations. there is one problem. the word medicaid is

not in the bill. this bill doesn't even mention the word medicaid a single time an yet, all democrats are doing is lying about what's in the budget. they don't want to talk about the truth of what we are voting to start. we are voting to start a process. there is nothing in the process. allowing 11 committees to open view on c-span to have hearings in march where you can all watch, you can hear the debate. you can watch the amendments fly back and forth. we will debate how government can work better for the people of the country. mr. barrasso: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. barrasso: mr. president, i just come to the floor having listened to the minority leader, the democrat senator from new york say something to the effect that he thought president trump's policies were not popular with the american people. and as he was saying this, i recall a poll -- a

harvard-harris poll conducted just last week. trump's policies, the key thing he won election as president of the united states, huge popularity of what the president is doing today, promises that he made prior to the election, promises kept now that he's in the white house. let's look at number one, deportation of illegal immigrants who committed crimes. 81% of the american people, that includes a lot of democrats say that is a very popular position taken by president trump and now being enforced by president trump. eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures, 76% of americans graechlt what have seen happen with doge? what we have seen is actually pointing out fraud and waste in government, the american people are supportive. and then of course closing the

border. again, 76% of americans, republicans, democrats, independents, all across the board support what president trump is doing. president trump ran for office against a party that is a party of high prices and open borders. and it's because of those things that president trump won, and republicans won the house and senate. so now the minority leader comes to the floor and says what president trump is doing are unpopular. they sure are in terms of wasteful washington spending and closing the border which is the two reasons that r president trump and republicans won the election in november. so let's talk about the things the american people care about. republicans, president trump, all of us promised to get america back on track. that's what we said we would do. that's what we are doing right now. we committed to cutting washington's wasteful spending. we committed to reducing the size of a bloated government.

this is going to make life more affordable for all americans. president trump and republicans are now doing exactly what we promised we would do. we're rooting out waste, we're rooting out fraud, and we're rooting out abuse by a bureaucracy all across a bureaucracy. and we are ripping it out root and stone. the department of government efficiency uncovered more than $55 billion in savings. who benefits from the savings? the american taxpayers. u.s. taxpayers were spending $2 million. you take a look at this list. $2 million to develop, quote, sustainable recycling models in the balkans. we've canceled that. u.s. taxpayers were spending $19 million on, quote, biodiversity

conversations in nepal. that's been canceled. u.s. taxpayers were spending $47 million to improve, quote, learning outcomes in asia. cancel that. u.s. taxpayers were spending $1.5 million on, quote, voter confidence in liberia, africa. well, we've canceled that. u.s. taxpayers were spending $21 million for voter turnout in india. canceled. more savings are on the way. the environmental protection agency administrator lee zeldin who we recently confirmed to that post, he uncovered $20 billion, with a b, $20 billion in taxpayer money that the biden epa shoveled out the door in their last days before leaving office. this was a slush fund and it was funneled to eight left-wing climate groups.

all of this was in the service of the left's extreme radical climate agenda, an agenda that makes energy more expensive and life less affordable for american families. so who received these taxpayer-funded, undeserved gifts? anybody remember georgia democrat governor's candidate stacey abrams? she was one of them. her left-wing organization got a $2 billion kickback from the biden administration. i'm so glad that ambassador zeldin caught this scam and is working to clawback the money for the taxpayers of this nation. i heard the minority leader admit just this morning, he said of course there's some wasteful spending. he didn't mention any of those things, didn't point out to what it is. but i don't hear him say what wasteful spending he wants to cut. in fact, i haven't heard any democrats say what wasteful

spending any should be cut. what about that $2 billion that's been sent to stacey abrams? democrats added almost $5 trillion to our debt in four years. joe biden and democrats' reckless spending caused painfully high prices. cutting wasteful washington spending has been long overdue. president trump and republicans are uncovering massive evidence of wasteful washington spending, and we're stopping it. democrats seem more upset that the waste they support is now being exposed than the massive waste itself. instead of defending the indefensible and the obscene level of spending, what are they doing? what are the democrats doing? they are demanding that the courts intervene. hey, let's get the courts involved. this is the next chapter of destructive democrat behavior. democrats have now filed over 80

lawsuits in wunl month against the trump administration. often they go judge shopping. what are they looking for? they're looking for partisan activist judges. so how does that work? well, last month -- it's unbelievable. last month the state of new jersey wanted to sue the administration, so they filed suit not in new jersey, but in massachusetts. they sued in a district where 11 of the 13 district judges were appointed by democrat presidents. they didn't think they could accomplish what they wanted to accomplish in their home state so they go to massachusetts, one of the most liberal states in the country. that is not a coincidence. it's intentional, it's premeditated. what's the aim of it? it's to obstruct president trump's popular cost-cutting efforts. let me tell you how far the democrats are taking this.

earlier this month a federal judge in new york issued a knee-jerk order that forbids political appointees from accessing records within the treasury department. the judge actually went so far as to block the secretary of the treasury scott bessent from accessing important data within the agency he runs, confirmed to serve by this very body, by the united states senate. and you get a judge saying he doesn't have access to the treasury records. a federal judge blocks a senate-confirmed secretary of treasury from getting the information he needs to do to run the u.s. department of the treasury. that's where the democrats are headed. district court should not get to micromanage the executive branch. if that's what democrats want to do with the courts and that's

why they filed 80 lawsuits so far. it's not based on the law. it's not based on policy disagreements. this is based solely on political disagreements. this is the real crisis we're facing in america. it's what i hear about in wyoming, heard about it this past weekend. it's the unelected, unaccountable, heavy-handed federal bureaucrats who have taken america off track. we're getting america back on track. the american people are being strangled by washington's wasteful spending, by burdensome red tape. according to a poll last month from the associated press, almost two in three americans say government inefficiency is a major problem. the bureaucracy must be accountable to the american people, and they are there to serve the american people. americans voted in november for more accountability. they voted to drain the swamp. this is the swamp i'm talking

about, and that's exactly what president trump is doing. working with president trump, senate republicans are going to deliver on our mandate. it's going to involve massive change in washington, because it's time, mr. president, to get america back on track. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. mr. durbin: mr. president. the presiding officer: i recognize the senator from illinois. mr. durbin: mr. president, did you see over the weekend elon musk, the richest man in the world, dancing on a stage with a chain saw? did you see that? most americans did. that was his approach to doge, government efficiency, take a chain saw to it. put an agency like usaid in the wood chipper, in his words. does this sound like an approach to make government more efficient, or does it sound like an unelected individual who has been given authority by this president to lop off tens of thousands of jobs day it in and

day out. yes we've gone to court. many of the agencies of the government, their employees and representatives have gone to court. they have been successful in the overwhelming percentage to receive temporary restraining orders and the like because on its face serious questions are raised as to the authority of this president. we've got a time-honored traditions when it comes to things like impoundment of federal funds. the president cannot make that decision unilaterally. the power of the purse happens to be with the article 1 agency of our government, the legislature. not with the article 2 agency, the executive. and t■here'sa consequence when the president decides to do this unilaterally, he is being challenged in court and he should be challenged in court. this is not just a political issue as one senator just described. it is more importantly a constitutional issue and a legal issue, and it's going to be resolved ultimately by the court. perhaps the president will win

some of his cases and lose others. but this is a legitimate exercise of the authority under the constitution. and i might add that this notion that we're going to start lopping off air traffic controllers and people responsible for aviation safety, i would just say to those who are for that and believe that's draining the swamp, pay attention to what's happening across america. these terrible aviation disasters like the one that happened here in washington, d.c. should be taken seriously by us every day. and putting people in charge of these departments who don't have adequate staff to monitor the flights in our nation is an act of irresponsibility, as far as i'm concerned. the same thing is true with avian flu. yes, the price of eggs is terrible, and one of the reasons is avian flu is killing off the flokz of laying hens. and as as consequence we have fewer eggs and higher prices. there is concern avian flu is

going to jump from these birds and fall into the human chain and we'll face another pandemic. do we want that? no. but the information that we're going to lop off employees responsible for public health one after another and somehow make this a safer nation is irresponsible. should it be challenged in court? of course it should be, and i stand by that. i say to the senator and others who make these comments think about what you're inviting here, to give the president authority 24 congress has, authority under the congress to give it away. are we going to give p away our responsibility under the constitution because of the popularity of this president with some members? i pray that we won't. on a totally different subject, mr. president, i'd like to tell you about one of my constituents. he's a man from new lenox, illinois. it's in the suburbs of chicago. late last year he received an urgent phone call from someone claiming to be a deputy in the will county sheriff's office.

this self-proclaimed deputy informed my constituent that he had missed jury duty. as a result, the deputy said there's a warrant out for your arrest. the man was stunned. don't worry, the deputy further explained. the man could avoid arrest and put the whole matter behind him. all he had to do was pay the fine. but he couldn't pay it by check or credit card. the deputy directed the man to a local crypto currency amt machine and told him to deposit $15,000 into the machine, pay the fine, and all would be forgiven. if you've been following the news, you might have guessed by now the man on the phone wasn't a sheriffs deputy at all. he was a scammer. and once my constituent deposited his money into the crypto amt, it was gone. gone. there was no way to trace the transaction to the scammer and no way to get the money back. this is just one example of growing, an alarming trend of

crypto amt fraud. there are now more than 30,000 crypto currency amt's in this country being used by criminals to cheat americans out of their hard-earned savings to the tune of $114 million in 2023 alone. most of the victims are senior citizens. while these scams aren't all identical, they generally play out just like the one i described. a stranger calls and pretends to be from the government or the victim's bank. they make claims of unpaid fines, a frozen bank account, a credit card in default, or even threaten arrest. the scammer then tells their victim that they must immediately go to a crypto amt at a nearby grocery store, gas station or convenience store. often the scammer will try to stay on the phone with the victim throughout the scam, warning of dire consequences if they don't make their payments immediately. it's a way of preventing their

victim from getting a moment to get their breath and realize what's going on. once the victim arrives at the crypto amt, the scammer will walk them through the process, deposit real money, buying a -- crypto currency. last summer, in my hometown of illinois, someone removed an amt from the store after witnessing senior after senior walk in, talking on their phone, looking stressed and depositing cash into the machine. he he said, quote, 100% of the time we saw somebody at the machine, they were being scammed. this is a small store in springfield, illinois. it wasn't just happening. it wasn't just happening. #-sz

i love what you said earlier. . who are those in the community with saving? all of them all of them. i know this is a moment. he feels scary and around.

you're doing exactly the right thing demanding justice. the possible opportunities. we legislating agitating. that's what we are doing. never ever, it's about their turning to do this every single day.

it's always the money. [cheering] >> we still got to do. buffalo. [cheering] >> greetings from buffalo new york. i'm here is the climate crisis lives in my home and a couple of

years later companies have been reined in years ago lost homes, family structures community structures all the while oil, gas and coal billionaires are stealing from us in his letter and absolute that the power to with this backlog, that would put me under if i even made it to the jail. we have some of all the housing in the country lost my house, my home was built in 1920 because of structure national will cast

the national fuel cast raised our rates again about something back. i will stand the lowry trusted the talking flowering dresses, it looks any in buffalo new york. but we had to celebrate what will it valentine's day, we call it love day. and to pay the gas bill otherwise my community

organization 88. i will create jobs now these army kind and this planet only one with got. pride in the richest three men in this country have more money than the blogger trying to take more it out of you. takes everyday people on elon musk.

this has to be a full on rainbow coalition for real. working in the enslaved growth this country so for me personally i look at this as work and the focus is on women and children, those who are marginalized, it is a crisis, not climate change so we need

you to contact congress right now when let's right now. tell them to stop. [cheering] >> i'm going to turn it over when you think diabolical illinois work congressional district. [cheering] have to stand with each and every one of you unveiling the richest people in our great this has been done before will be

even worse we let it happen. massive tax breaks to the 1% to the deficit in medicare which is what they want and they never trip down when they do that stuff there richest americans, cap but 1%, the 0.1% fewer of them only 13% of our country. in our country -- oklahoma.

a senator: i ask unanimous consent to call off the quorum. the presiding officer: without objection. the question is on the nomination. a senator: i ask for the yeas and nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll. vote: 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.

the clerk: mrs. capito. the clerk: mr. cassidy. ms. collins. mr. coons.

mr. cornyn. the clerk: ms. cortez masto. smal s i'll recognize washington state that in boston your about

largest tax increase in his generation ignoring congress enjoys and finance committee like public and colleagues are standby. every district across the country. by opening new rockets but tariffs president trump is imposed will hurt the cost of living spirit are hundred dollars and additional 27 $3400

a year. low and middle income workers couldn't promise will be the hardest hit. according to usda 60000 and any other strict in the country. and what is being done to the cars are we not concerned about retaliation that a trade war brings? and they will raise without costly and i should be the top of the committee because of

commerce of the ways and means committee and they used to agree with this when there is a tax cut in the white house the initiative sidestep congress and the biden administration refused to recognize the constitution requires congress the at the center of trade and stated in order to succeed in the driver seat and deciding whether to approve a trade agreement they go through, the president be trying the trade agreement usage

unit trade agenda will require the congress every single play zero. under the trump administration and harris under his powers insulting you for any emergency power in the past few years but trade overreach and sign on to a letter criticizing treasury without going through joint my republican colleagues calling out biden for signing the trade deal with japan on critical minerals approval.

president trump's puzzles door biden's terms on the economic impacts. where's the outrage now? biden signed a deal with taiwan to ratify that agreement jason smith stated, what is to clearly encouraging that it represents a bipartisan additional authority and republicans to have interest and i welcome the chance to work together. >> welcome back, thank you for your prior service and thanks for this impactful conversation

today. my comments regarding trade, on the current straight office chair. i become alarmed by strict of discriminatory regulatory framework which has a direct negative impact. in your opening address these issues and trump first-term office great strides in the driving force trade should be marketed on this petition and we now understand traditional trade is no longer our economy will economic and global influence that would say digital straight we are able to put in terms of lease standards and regulations

in place that help for the future and our leadership for digital trade went the wrong direction when it came to enforcement, we allowed the chinese part of expand the global economic residents that contrast our american values and other initiatives in place in this space and these taxes are regulatory frameworks and targeting u.s. businesses command trump for signing executive work to directly address position of u.s. businesses and workers. that is just the beginning and we need to find ways to better

support our trade sector and defend against contracts economic growth. i appreciate your comments. as we look at holy focus on the ccp which has to be a priority a bipartisan group having when this competition in the economic space i become concerned the last four years united states and other nations especially china stepping back on the short trade leadership new localization and how should bring enforcement priorities.

>> motivated by looking at the barriers in the markets and they were effectively competing them. whether it's dataflow or discrimination but those are prevalent matters so the primary motivation is not replicated in other markets, maybe we will make it in the chinese market we want to make sure they do not get exported in other regions. i think our trade markers who accompanies in the markets want to engage with them they are provisions in the u.s. and the not fighting with those

governments they integrated those in their own provisions so it wasn't just about u.s. tech companies, it balanced and these are and they serve in the ballpark and restrict data and access. >> thank you. >> public and colleagues who are pro- trade advocates in this and here to support this proposal on the trading partners and know

well farmers and ranchers as well as other u.s. exporters on retaliatory. support they offer the cost of the tax cut for the wealthy and the corporations if you use tariffs, they can be rescinded with no ability for congress to intercede and you start trickling deficit even worse. it will create leverage but the president cost to raise revenue and tariffs, this would create incentive not to give into this

dealmaking in place. isn't it true exporters are the first to retaliatory tariffs on their goods. >> we have seen some of that in the past i think the worse some of these issues written but it is instructive they came terms of the currency and regulatory policy and a lot of challenges we face and trade relationship with other countries and the challenge have everybody tries to protect their own farmers. >> tariffs as a long-term source

of revenue, why did other large economies do this? >> thank you question the trade enforcement tool and in other countries raise revenue and they raised revenue for the legal justification. >> get them in the parties, and

this is the camping the reason how you think it is still early in the state living you leave getting there is an important role in his nations and many of the rules was not long will and even the they haven't done the work in the agency after agency,

it's the ita, how do we enforce this? >> i think the real question whether will be able to resist this greater bring in more trade enforcement but under water at our baseline so further restrictions addressing these,

it is a real concern. then. this is more timely than ever and i would think 99% of the people think the is to school no clue about how we been abused trade practices across the in that they will actually do something about. i think it's great. in the constitutional to remind mike democratic colleagues biden was the guy the white house and explain the this is the trump

era and not in the budget so. our, i think it's critical they do trade as they are using that the in the want to bring attention to a different route have been this country and released under trade by countervailing duty orders being undermined by other means of fraud and debate the state of ways to stop shipment to a short attention is now being

undermined. has successfully challenged the unfair trade practices listen and like company and surveilling remedies said that they had to do that they have undertaken exporters and importers around the region for the debating these duties. what you think. they have to spend 70 and the

street remains it is imposing opportunity in the trade lost to the users the letter for american businesses charging contract to an act improvement to the trade custom enforcement law. one of hr 12 at of this legislation fraud while supplementing to act of the invasion and a couple questions his can you say how we can address the issue we can ensure

they are being adequately protected unfair trade practices? >> it is a major problem absolute address it and can use this to address the problems and other important changes we need to make included the level playing field what enhanced ability to address this shipment trying to lower company so these are all significant problems and

to point out what address clues as well. they are not subject so it could get out and they are circumvention and available another improvement make it available. >> if you could drop a few coastal systems so allowing systems to initiate these. and the ability to enforce our trade law that absolutely should

be this mechanism. >> thank you, i will back. >> i want to thank our witnesses for being confidence. the question about trade enforcement is timely bipartisan, i will the conversation we are currently having and the president is overreaching. does not what congress intended to emerge not far left the president causing more chaos and confusion and jeopardizing great relationships with our allies

and trading centers the and all caps costs onto americans. choice will said, i believe the goods and china's worse on the field point out like this bipartisan bill and i don't think and endorsement laws initiative and u.s. laws.

and doctor kirby represented want to introduce the crime presently fighting a minute ago. they are grossly negligent of these u.s. trade close as well as i think this sums concrete solution to put six american workers in the anti- market and doors. can you expand upon all steelworkers and impacted by crime loopholes? you think provisions would help

suppress the united states? like this religious at one of the challenges particularly by china going out of china is command control is dominate as a dozen others are companies best that are very expensive in order to get those remedies in place something from chinese food is in place by two 100% or more at this level other than starting

out we have these orders in place they are impacted it's ongoing. it's getting is urgent issues to help solve these problems. >> you talk about the leveling the playing field to point out fighting this act, wrote this bipartisan solution is we should prioritize is ready trying to consummate i agree with my

colleagues describe his early have israelis and china their country and it is often this result as well and put in these capacity.

it was originally intended and it really enhances our companies and workers in the spike it is an opportunity will reduce prioritize these and if i present with. >> we must reflect on security interest and putting america first is not dream to suggest they are beneficial to the north, south and the compromise on action from china during the

united states the and what role trade families protect on unfair foreign competition the goals currently like for companies that are workers. in their unsubsidized provide level playing field and there are limitations they are

leveling the playing field talking about will address these third market. the government and they are real spartans and address every time a company moves what their questions and there is more money trade and address the duties and level the playing field circumvention address the certification as well as investigation by a nonresident

and report monkey act. we talked about some already things that want to appeal and the burden is not just on companies involved in these and they are not available and that is a significant problem and they are available to us. >> what are china doing? engagement is already and engage in practices through our

country's with a costly change country of origin to avoid declassify the product to bring the outside they look undervalued and pay less often look at of operation and try to avoid that we need to take action on the leveling the playing field directing tariff act for chinese companies and they try to avoid parents. >> i am concerned with unfair

way to this, do you think this is an issue that should be prioritized? >> absolutely and we have done these letters in this part of. >> i now recognize five minutes. >> thank you, researchers. in an assertive and we do know how important those relationships are for business and farms. i do think trade should at least be fair for american producers

that heard a lot about issues. many of my father supports a usda these agriculture trade issues in the dairy market in canada is critically important the fair opportunity to compete i am disappointed to news playing a level field on the photos, have to slow down to get all my words and. and a few questions i would like to do some of that, the importance of access for agriculture how they relate to commodity prices how can trade

enforcement in short access to these markets? greenhouse minutes and have a follow-up ethically. >> 44% of our very goes to canada and after all these years finally went back to. was that a access? 440 trade agreement when we started with mexico with 100 million, obviously number one trait deal in the next thing enforcement that's partly important.

going back you mentioned rather than asked the problem, they agree on compensation but never fix the problem they have no interest in fixing the problem. this is a difficult thing for u.s. farmers and we are very competitive. we care other countries and the farmers i had a great conversation. our goal is to expand consumption so we are trying to increase around the world. >> maybe comment on bases,

commodities prices. >> i believe it was senator does that is the way we look at it, 18% of dairy and 15 to 20%. we grow in abundance and dependent on other customers around the world. >> this morning americans are expecting higher prices.

>> i expand on that teachers trade agreements and exporters and american workers. >> i joined with politics on both sides of the aisle in the last administration actions and great disappointment articulated today the republican majority in the house that seems and also give them up subject of this hearing is about priority but we should be focusing on in the state improving the lives of citizens economic growth raising

wages and families work family security and building wealth during the cost of living in bringing inflation down to global markets for american exporters manufacturers and farmers and americans jobs. american manufacturers the action so far. number one 40. the exact opposite we saw effect with tariffs in the united states and bailing out from his and from the white house we

raising prices for americans depend on north america's supply chains and reliant on canada and fresh produce that consumers have come to expect available year-round. they are uncertain for small and medium-sized companies currently united states broke their businesses. these businesses need certainty that comes in the form of stability equitable and sprint system to result trade agenda has rattled demonstrating priorities are not focused on helping american workers.

>> i appreciate your remarks. i sat down with a round table conversation in my district and was surprised to discover my district was only one in the conversation started with one of the attendees voting on the most productive in the world and far more food than necessary. here is the thing, a low-margin enterprise american growers are excluded. many other products, many are left on the vine are in the field and the forms will either shut down and there will be another bailout is just dairy farmers facing challenges. the focus on lowering costs that means more access for american

workers and communities we are strongest when we work with our allies and partners. we prioritize opportunities in the market for smiled did for businesses to invest in trading for workers and businesses. i fail to see the trade policy going back the moment. instead of looking for ways to lower costs president trump altered nearly every trade agreement his position as a global leader. ...

fair trade is the foundation for strong american economy butter businesses and workers have been forced to compete on . form competitors particular china exploit our trade laws and cheat the system by slumping our markets by subsidize goods, stealing intellectual property and undercutting american industries. it's time we confront these had on and reversed the trend that we see caving to her adversaries. i'm grateful for the return of american first policies and i was glad to see ustr and the department of commerce will conduct a review of all u.s. trade agreements tariffs and economic policies to strengthen domestic industries and enhance national security. insert even mentioned today in

response to concerns expressed by the constituents representative and i with 29 of our colleagues in the house reintroduce the leveling of the playing field to point no to equip companies and the department of commerce for the tools to take on the bad actors, mr. chairman i asked for unanimous support to enter into record for a variety of stakeholders who industries have benefit from the bill. >> without objection. >> are bill updates trade gravity law and creates new laws to combat repeat offenders to expedite investigation apply beautiful consequences including going after chinese subsidize manufacturers through the developing broda initiative, as you outline so many of the global trading partners engage in trade practices and pulleys to harm american companies and workers. i'm also concerned about the impact of transnational subsidies in chinese overcapacity into the country. it's clear the unfair trade practices make it a lot harder for american workers to compete,

you mentioned support of the leveling of the playing field 2.0, can you expand on the importance of tackling cross-border subsidies in circumvention. >> thank you congresswoman and thank you for your leadership on the level the playing field 2.0 is a crucial piece of legislation and it addresses many of the issues that our companies are experiencing and the problems that they face the vice president: on this vote the yeas are 66. the nays are 28. the nomination is confirmed. under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will be immediately notified of the senate's actions. the presiding officer: the

majority leader. mr. thune: i ask unanimous consent that senator kennedy be recognized for up to 15 minutes and upon the use or yielding back of time, then make a motion to proceed to calendar number 15, s.j. res. number 11. the presiding officer: without objection. the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. kennedy: mr. president, i rise today for two reasons. number one, i'm losing one of my best colleagues. she's sitting right here next to

me, miss jess andrews. jess has run any communication shop for -- i don't know. how many years? -- five years. you know, i try to hire really good people and certainly jess is one of them. she's a very moral person. she's whip smart. but when you hire good people, you know you're going to lose them because good people, capable people like jess are ambitious people and they want to move on to new positions. jess is becoming deputy chief of staff to our new senator from ohio, and i wish her well and i just wanted to thank her publicly. jess andrews is the real deal. and she has just done an extraordinary job for the people of louisiana and for the american people, and i am so, so grateful. i congratulate our new senator

from ohio. he's getting a good one. so thank you, jess. mr. president, the second reason i rise is to talk about a regulation that i'm trying to get rid of. but i want to begin with this observation. nearly five years ago when he was running for president, i remember like it was yesterday. president biden said, quote, i guarantee you we're going to end fossil fuels, end quote. i guarantee you, he said, and from a god country and the american people, i guarantee you, he said, we're going to end fossil fuels. and he tried. for four years he tried. here's why i point that out. the first wells drilled in the gulf of america -- i know some people call it the gulf of mexico.

i don't want to get off into that discussion. but the first well drilled offshore in the gulf of america was drilled 87 years ago in 1938. since then we have drilled i think 6,000 wells. there's 6,000 platforms in the gulf of mexico. now, before an oil company drills a well, on its own volition and at the suggestion of the department of interior, the oil company surveys the sea bed. just makes sense for safety reasons, but also for the sake of history because we want to look for shipwrecks. we have found i don't know how many shipwrecks, mr. president. i had it written down. 4,000 shipwrecks. we've surveyed the entire gulf of america in the 87 years since we started drilling there.

we have surveyed 311,652 square nautical miles, the surface area of texas and california put together. that's how we found 3,000 shipwrecks. and it's cost hundreds of hundreds of millions of dollars so we knows what' there. we knows what' there. well -- we know s what's there. in september 2004, the department of interior in a midnight regulation in an effort to try to further hurt fossil fuels passed a new rule, and they said look, we know we surveyed the entire gulf and we know we found 4,000 shipwrecks and we know that the area that we surveyed is the size of california and texas put together. but every time you drill a

newell, we want -- new well, we want you to survey again. well, why? i mean, what's the benefit? we know what the cost is. it costs anywhere from $10,000 to a million dollars to resurvey again. it just makes no sense. and a third of the production in the gulf is from independent oil companies. maybe the majors can support this but if an independent oil company has to survey what's already been surveyed, it can add, as i said, $10,000 to a million dollars to well costs. what's the point? i can tell you what the point is. somebody over at boem, the bureau of ocean energy management, the department of interior, hates fossil fuels. somebody or some bodies. now, i'm not saying that the person who came up with this

rule is the dumbest guy in the world. but that person better hope that the dumbest guy in the world doesn't die. because this is just bone deep down to the marrow dumb. this is the kind of spending porn that we all ought to abhor. so i'm going to try to kill the regulation today under what, as you know, mr. president, is called the congressional review act. and we'll be voting on that -- we'll be voting on that shortly. and i hope that -- i realize that common sense, as i've said before, is illegal in washington. this is not a normal place. but i hope folks who still have common sense will vote to get rid of this foolish rule. thank you, mr. president.

i yield the floor. mr. president. the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. kennedy: i move to proceed to calendar number 15, s.j. res. 11. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: motion to proceed to calendar number 15, s.j. res. 11 providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, united states code, of the rules submitted by the bureau of ocean, energy, management related to protection of marine archeological resources. mr. kennedy: i ask, mr. president, for the yeas and the nays. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the clerk will call the roll.

vote: 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. daines. ms. duckworth. mr. durbin. ms. ernst. mr. fetterman. mrs. fischer. mr. gallego. mrs. gillibrand. they overall level of trade is too small in the grocery tax working families will be required to pay is far too high

for this ever work nevertheless the self-proclaimed president is pushing forward by firing 65 irs workers responsible for tax enforcement in today congress is about to vote on one beautiful bill this solution to the voting republican concern about our initial debt the king of debt will approvejanuary the seventh

we are going to have prices down. i think you will see pretty drastic price reduction. if anybody can find the reductions. i would like to know about it what is drastic is the approach being taken with this republican budget in the fact that beginning this weekend my texas consumers rely on mexican produce will pay 25% more as a result of the new trump tariff tax, for the nation's farmers these tariffs promise more pain the type of pain that they got during the first trumpmr administration when taxpayers were out billions of dollars for welfare payments when farmers lost their foreign markets. as the president of the illinois farm bureau recently said our firm recently could not afford the uncertainty of a potential trade war. it is the same story for the people in my area that are struggling over high housing

prices trump totally ignored the warning of the national association of homebuilders that tariffs would ultimately be passed on to homebuyers in the form of increased housing prices and would disrupt supply chain which will delay building. what about american workers, while promising economic pain we have yet to see proper lease any credible plan for bringing good manufacturing jobs back to the united states. i've been critical in the past of democratic and republican administration for not vigorously enforcing the trade agreements, particularly with respect to the environment to prevent a global race to the bottom. but the destructive chaos that is trump's tariff policy driven as it is by the desire to raise cost for working families in order to give billionaires another tax break is no response to the lack of trade enforcement either real or imagined. we must continue to focus on those wrongs instead of the

illusion that occurred through much of today's hearing. i yield back. >> i now recognize myself for five minutes. i want to say thank you to the panel particularly and privilege to represent new york's 24th district in upstate new york a sprawling district all the way from the st. lawrence to the river down to the southern tier and i represent the fifth-largest dairy district in the entire country the largest agricultural district in the northeast and the birthplace of the industrial revolution. for decades u.s. trade policy has allowed other countries to take advantage of american farmers and businesses without repercussion. under president trump leadership america is finally fought back against these policies that apollo to america's critical industries, inhibited america's farmers access to global markets, i fully support these efforts it applied president trump for his america first trade policy memorandum issued on the first day of this

demonstration. requiring a wholesale review of u.s. trade policy and insuring the supports u.s. interested national security to benefit american workers, farmers and businesses, with the dairy state in mind i would like to direct my question to ambassador dowd you highlighted how canada has repeatedly failed to comply with the dairy market access commitment which has left many of the dairy quotas unfilled every year since implementation. while i strongly support the underlying principles of usmca for the updated roles coming off of the old trade bill and when it comes agricultural promises of insuring u.s. dairy access to canadian markets canada has continued to abuse and restrict canadian markets for dairy. i strongly disagree and i know that you do with the dispute settlement panel decisions last november that canada is actually

not increasing the usmca commitments. i shall turn you over to every dairy farmer in my district will tell you that they disagree as well. can you elaborate real quickly on how the united states should address this issue to ensure the dairy producers have the full benefit of the usmca regarding this particular you could talk about whatever the issues are and hear him every day from our farmers. >> thank you there are two issues and how canada administers the quotas. they're very good at allocating those processors which are in essence competitors rather than allocating those to food service and retailers and be willing to utilize u.s. product. in terms of the overproduction or abundance of skim milk powders that they sell third the country markets, we address that and usmca and have restrictions on that in terms of their class seven but the term that we used

earlier when the hearing was moved the cheese on us they slowed us into a different class to try to push more of the product into the u.s. and elsewhere, this is the reason ambassador lighthizer wanted to have a situation where every so often you renegotiate and you sit down and have conversations about the trade agreements. i think it's a very good thing to do and this gives us an opportunity with canada to sit down. >> what specifically do you think the president should do on our team right now in dealing with this issue affecting us every day. >> i think we have to continue to lean on. there was a term used earlier about rattling cages. i think from my perspective and agriculture and all the easy stuff was done along time ago in trade, we rattled cages the first time around the two of us to great effect with regard to china and the usmca and japan and i would like to see us do that again in canada and particularly with european

union. >> i appreciate that. my next question i want to talk to investor garrett, my district i talked about the dairy canal we are home to some of the most important copper fabricators in the entire nation paul revere started the copper business and what is my will district but in my region really important that we talk about in dealing with the tariffs when it comes to the ability of china to jump into the region. i fully acknowledge without issues over the years a lot of the plans have been moved overseas and they're not available many of the copper suppliers are required to work with canada. i know these have been positive in some of the tariffs on canada and particularly dealing with the copper manufacturers can you tell me how the trump administration can best combat the chinese efforts to undermine the critical u.s. industries like copper and i know i'm running out of time but quickly just state how we can deal with the issue with canada and

getting smelting and or supply chain back in the copper fabricators bring the supply chain back but it can be done overnight can you address that really quickly. >> thank you congresswoman. i think there are number of things that the trump administration can do to enhance enforcement of duty laws to address unfair trade by china and in turn can help with supply chain in north america as well and i think will have carry-on benefits from that. also increasing enforcement of one agreement imposing tariffs on chinese imports hertz violations in phase one trade agreement can also address the problems with chinese imports. and addressing evasion of chinese imports and getting around the various tariffs and trade enforcement efforts that are engaged by chinese companies. there is a variety of efforts that they can employ and i think

there will be very much enhance training enforcement going forward. >> we appreciate that, i do want to forget the limiting process summary my own district two. we know that the supply chain needs to come back and were very committed to that and we want to make sure were continuing to move in that direction we have a great opportunity i yelled to mr. schmucker for five minutes. >> this is an important hearing i what is a first obviously we have great american workers produces manufacturers and companies that create wonderful products and are interested in markets available around the world. it's important discussion. started with the omega first trade policy memorandum president trump as shown he's going to undertake a comprehensive review of our existing trade policies to ensure we have fair market

access for those products in their industries. i will say we congressional republicans are ready to work with the president to hold the trading partners accountable and enforce a level. playing field i have a number of topics that are specific to my district, some you already touched on. one is regarding dairy and i appreciate congresswoman bringing that up. i serve on the 11th congressional district which is the largest dairy producer in the commonwealth of pennsylvania and the tenth largest in the country. very, very important. you already talked a little bit about it but i'm wondering if you could talk about the real impact on american farmers if we don't get this right if canada continues to go against the spirit of the usmca in regard to the dairy policy? >> i think has a particular impact in new york and

pennsylvania that's where the people in canada are in the toronto and ontario that's where the folks live that's our natural market just as much as it is to our population centers in the u.s. but i want to make particular emphasis on the european union with regard to dairy as well. we talked today about the lack of ability to export this we provide the european union country specific into the u.s., they don't give us any leeway in that regard there is somebody certification requirements and process requirements now they're talking about in your part of the world, the european union wants to come on an interview are farmworkers it's a discussion with regard to whether or not they're going to trade with us. the list goes on and on and it's high time that we engage with europeans on the subject of

agate trade. >> i definitely agree aiding an influenza of course my district is the largest egg producing district in the country i believe aiding influenza has considerable impact, we are all concerned about the price of eggs and what are the things we can do is vaccines. i'm just curious and may not necessarily be trade related but there's a policy not to do the vaccines because of potential impacts on trade for the broilers for meat but yet france and other countries have the vaccine for a while i think it's probably time and i know the administration is working on this that we allow vaccinations for our layers, i'm just wondering if you had any thought on that. >> is a big issue in the dairy industry and were very supportive of vaccines and we

have one coming, we heard blanco is working on one and there are trade implications to this it is a very important point to the best of my understanding congressman these vaccines are differentiated vaccine, devo vaccines it means you can tell the difference from an animal that's been vaccinated versus got the virus in the wild and being able to differentiate one from the other solves the trade issue. it allows her trading partners to say that the vaccinated bird or whatever it is versus what goes on from getting actual virus that should resolve the trade issues as we develop the devo vaccines. does anybody else care to weigh in on that now okay also i concerned with actions taken by our closest allies like canada to impose local content requirements for online

streaming platforms last congress i had a letter with congresswoman and chaz asking for increased oversight on this issue so i was pleased to see president trump highlight that as a matter to investigate. are these requirements structured to specifically target american companies do you think and how our american artist and companies formed by this unequal treatment? >> absolutely targeting u.s. firms it is the bulk of the payments that we all lay on don u.s. streaming companies. what i think is particularly unfortunate is the u.s. streaming companies or actually a platform that helps canadian artists and producers in the world. it's a double way on me where were helping the canadians do something helpful and yet were being taxed in order to do that. the agreement does prohibit the rule of discrimination on the

basis of a nationality which is how they are implementing this. i do think it does require investigation and action. >> thank you i am out of time. the gentleman yields and i recognize the gentleman from ohio mr. miller for five minutes. >> thank you very much thank you chairman into our witnesses for their time and testimony here today, today this committee examines an essential pillar of america's economic strategy trade enforcement policy ensuring fair trade is not just about protecting american industry it is about defending our workers, strengthened our businesses in securing long-term economic growth and security. for too long we seen other countries china among them engage in unfair trade practices consistently whether through state subsidies force technology transfers and intellectual property theft burdensome regulations it out right noncompliance with existing trade agreements they manipulated the system advantage

inconsistently once again do this like clockwork. while the united states had strong enforcement tools at our disposal, the question is whether we are utilizing them effectively and adapting to new threats of changing global economy. trade agreements play a crucial role and leveling the playing field for american businesses reducing trade deficits in ensuring the united states exports and imports compete under fair and enforceable rules. when these agreements are effectively negotiated and enforced they provide manufacturers, farmers and service providers with access to new markets while safeguarding against unfair competition. strong enforcement of trade agreements is critical to prevent bad actors from exploiting loopholes undercutting american industries and harming our economic stability which i believe canada and mexico have negated the usmca we down south in the 318% dairy tariffs on the united

states from day one president trump has made it clear that the era of unchecked ions fair trade practices is over thankfully under his leadership we demanded a more balanced trade agenda committed to expanding market access for american farmers and manufacturers in effort to restore a position as a global economic leader. ambassador it's great to see you again i hope you're doing well. last year i joined several colleagues in a letter calling on the biden administration to address the growing agricultural deficit and mentor beforehand. i'm concerned with the treatment of american exports especially the challenges facing dairy products, exported to canada and the eeo. as you noted in your comments earlier the united states currently has the dairy trade deficit of nearly $3 billion alone with the eeo. can you speak about the structural trade barriers that are driving the massive deficits and what role can you enforceable trade agreements play in addressing the market

access barriers. >> there is no question the eu treats us poorly in agriculture and has for a long time. then subsidies protectionism. it isn't just that you have to meet the standard in terms of food safety or whatever it is to get into europe you also have to meet the process, protocol and every step along the process. if you don't follow every step in the process then you don't have access into some bridal protectionism really at the end of the day it's been the case we've had this conversation since the 1980s we've always talked about subsidies in europe and now they are not shy about it anymore, they're making it clear if we come up with a way in dairy to meet some of the processing the requirements and standards all the sudden they come up with new ones they move things around to prevent this from having access.

>> they continue to move the goalpost back an extra 5 yards to make their always moving in agriculture and i think my frustration is and 32 years in washington we have always let them so from the notion of a reciprocal trade relationship we have a $26 billion trade deficit in agriculture with the european union. we have a $3 billion trade deficit dairy with european union we are exactly what the president has discussed in agriculture and the treaty relationship and act between the u.s. and eu. >> all were trained to do is get our allies toppled to the same agreement that they signed willingly to operate in good faith which is incredibly sad that they decided to vacate those agreements, thank you to the response to that question is great to see you again i minute try to get the same quick. if not we consummate it for the record. to the panel started with you ambassador what tool should congress consider more effectively address and specific trade distortion such as concern

from industrial overcapacity and digital service. years in which tools can ensure a play fair playing field for american businesses. >> thank you first and foremost i would say passing the level of the playing field 2.0 addresses a number of the problems that you are mentioning specifically and among other things that we talked about that some here today addresses the cross-border subsidies and allows commerce to duties and subsidies that are provided by one government to accompany in a third country that addresses the problem of country hopping where our companies and workers have to bring multiple investigations to try to address unfair trade. it addresses the distortion that resulted cost in various markets from the overcapacity problems of china for instance. it allows us to adjust cost and would allow commerce to adjust cost where there has been distortion due to subsidized

imports or inputs that are coming from nonmarket economies as well that is an essential set of tools that addresses circumvention innovation as well you also need reforms to the imports and protect act to greater address the problems with asian network sprinting through transshipment and misclassification as well and at this point companies are setting up the shell companies in the elaborate operations to try to get around the duties and we need to take stronger enforcement action. >> we will get there. thank you ambassador thank you very much. >> thank you, the gentleman yields i would like to thank the witnesses were. we'll witness your testimony this is an important issue and i think the ranking member and everyone here who has been terrific. please be advised members have two weeks to submit written questions to be answered later in writing those questions in your answers will remain part of the formal hearing record without the subcommittee stance

adjourned.

the clerk: mr. ricketts, aye. mr. lankford, aye. the clerk: mr. blumenthal, no. the clerk: mr. cotton, aye.

the clerk: ms. blunt rochester, no.

good morning, everyone i want to start with last week videos of protesters yelling at members of congress went viral. but the content focused on the confrontation not the why. some of the people that hijacked those townhomes are happy with the bloated status quo they want

the bloated status quo to continue. they do not want to get our country back on track into make matters worse even the dnc chair openly suggested that the outrage of the town hall across the country was orchestrated. but here's the truth getting us out of nearly 37 trillion in debt is not going to be easy president trump and white house republicans have started the conversation on wasteful government spending and 77 million voices outweighed those voices at the town hall. we got marching orders, we listen to the american people and they told us they wanted change and local law that's exactly what were given them. our friends on the other side of the aisle police, keep going

down the path of defending and even advocating for government waste, fraud and abuse, the message they are sending is clear and we see whose side they are on. look no further than their newest messaging strategy the minority leader unveiled it last week. it is called share your story can you guess whose story they are sharing its government employees like a locksmith from yosemite national park not the stories of lives lost due to illegal immigration. they're not asking to share those stories, not the stories that were lost due to fentanyl that came from across the border not the stories of hard americans struggling to make and meet, democrats are sharing the

story of government employees and the attempted fear mongering that makes democrats look even more arranged. it's absolutely insane that they think making government work more efficiently is a bad thing. remember government efficiency is a constitutional crisis in the democrats mind they continue to defend and advocate for waste fraud and abuse. they don't want it to stop. democrats are ignoring the american people and siding with the swamp. they keep defending dei employees and usaid republicans fight the bloated and inefficient bureaucracy and we find it for the american people. for years we heard about delays at the irs, lost social security

checks mistreatment at the va, did the democrats do anything about it did they set up a listening session to help people tell their stories. no, they only care about washington and bloated bureaucracy in d.c. it is truly a shame despite the american taxpayers wishes. they're doubling down on the broken system and they are the ones that broke it while democrats keep displaying their derangement telling out of touch stories, let's talk about those who can't tell their stories like laken riley who was raped and murdered by an illegal alien. did the democrats tell their story about zach cohen that data fentanyl poisoning to the democrats set up a hotline to listen to their stories or have a pastor in michigan stephen who was killed by an illegal immigrant did they tell their stories? no you know why, they cannot

tell their stories because they are dead, yet democrats are soliciting sob stories from bloated bureaucrats with six-figure salaries, give me a break, now it's time for us to tell her story and that's what we're going to do we're going to turn our attention, house republicans will focus on saving lives in taxpayer dollars then president trump has been clear he wants one big beautiful bill that unlocks his full agenda not just part of it, everything. that is what our one big beautiful bill does, this week house republicans will take the next steps in the process to deliver president trump's full agenda the house budget resolution invest and border security and our national defense. it also saves taxpayer dollars by rooting out waste, fraud in abuse.

it will encourage investment in the energy industry to increase production and to actually lower cost if we don't pass this bill americans will suffer the largest tax increase in history. the budget committee tasked with unanimous gop support and remember this is just a starting point to unlock the process. after the resolution passes committees will begin the real work, the work to find savings and create investment, savings and or budget to make america competitive and investments to make our country secure that's with the president and the american people want and who would go against their agenda. were hoping the president keep his promise, the american people gave us a decisive mandate secure the border unleash american energy, restore peace through strength and make america competitive again if we

remain united we can pass the transformational legislation and when we do we will be remembered as the most successful conference in american history. i will now turn it over to representative tim moore from north carolina to speak about the budget as he serves on the budget committee. thank you. >> good morning i appreciate the opportunity to join republican leadership team today in support of the house budget resolution that puts america back on the path of fiscal responsibility and economic prosperity, before coming here i was a member six weeks. it feels a lot longer. just saying. the time i've been here i've had the opportunity to see how things work but for 22 years as a member of the statehouse and ten as the speaker of the statehouse i had a part in changing our budget that make north carolina one of the most competitive states in the

country we took a budget shortfall entered into a surplus, we cut taxes and frankly we did a lot of the things that i'm see this leadership teamwork to try to do at the national level that success ultimately happen will happen here because we prioritize taxpayers the hard-working people and not bureaucrats. as a member of congress that would help bring the same common sense attitude and track record that we did in the state and i tell you all of the new members of congress have come in with the same view of what we can do to help move the country in the right direction. the american people spoke this year they spoke loudly and president trump was in the white house in the upper republican majority in the house and republican majority in the senate and the bodies are ready to go to work to get this done. this is a huge step forward in that direction addressing energy independence in the border and finally raining and out-of-control spending it is great to see this happening.

they say the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and over again to expect a different result. finally we see real change in washington to get this buddy better control and there's a lot of fear mongering out there right now, people claiming that this will be cut not will be cut. nobody's going to want to hurt hard-working american people that's not anywhere in here those realize that some folks are telling. this bill will rein in wasteful spending it all rain and fraud and abuse and it'll do all of those things and i want to give a shout out to the leadership team for being so engaging i tell you as a new member of congress that every member has been invited to be a part of this process we had weeks and weeks with a listening session being fully briefed and i tell you chairman harrington of the budget committee worked very hard to reach out to everyone to make sure everyone's voices were included. i am proud to be here with the leadership team today and proud

to be in support of the budget bill. thank you. >> on november 57700, 0000 americans gave donald trump a mandate to deliver honor america first agenda. americans voted to secure our borders, unleash american energy, grow the u.s. economy and bolster the great military and prevent the largest tax hike in american history. they voted to make america great again by reversing the damage joe biden ian kamala harris did to our country over the last four years. and house republicans have put forward a budget that establishes a clear path to do just that. now is the time to act and get a budget over to the senate. it is important to remember that the budget resolution merely unlocks the opportunity for committees to begin drafting legislation. that is where the real work is going to begin.

i caution the media against echoing democrats hysteria on where savings will come from. the budget resolution is a blueprint to save america and rain and reckless and wasteful spending while delivering on president trump's campaign promises. we have been given a historic opportunity with the trump trifecta and every member of our conference plays an important role in ensuring that we get it done. this is our moment, now it's time to go out there and do it. i turned over to the majority leader steve scalise. >> thank you is a really important week when you think about what we laid out in our agenda the culmination of months of work has gone into what we are doing this week to deliver on the mandate that president trump, house republicans and senate republicans were given by

voters across the country in november. the voters said they wanted a secure border, we delivered in this budget and that were going to pass it this week. voters said they don't want a tax increase and believe me that was on the ballot because donald trump said i want to keep the 2017 tax cuts in place we don't want it increase for anybody and we want to build on it. he added more things. kamala harris said she wants to tax cuts to expire resulted in a multi trillion dollar tax increase on the american people, the voters decided very clearly with president trump they didn't want the tax increase to hit and we deliver that in this budget. the american people said in november they want more american energy to be produced. we deliver in this budget. we do a lot of other things to but it all starts by getting the budget pass. as you watch the process start you would think the democrats would want to be joining with us

in recognizing that the american people asked for all of these things that we will be doing. but what are the democrats doing they are all going to vote no every democrat will vote no on this budget. they're knocking to go to the american people be truthful and say why they are voting no they want washington to keep more of your money so you don't get the money back, they wanted multitrillion dollar tax increase they said it during the campaign and they lost but they still want the tax increase so they will although no, they don't want a secure border, they said it for the last four years and they still have not accepted the results of the election, what do they do if they can't deal with the truth they have to lie, listen to what you been hearing the last couple of days. some of you have been reporting it. i'm going through the budget, this is the house republican budget that was passed

unanimously by republicans every democrat voted no, go through this entire bill, do you know every democrat talking point where they talk about the horrible things that this budget is going to do they talk about medicaid cuts everybody's going to be thrown according to democrats into all the horrible situations, there's only one problem the word medicaid is not even in the bill. this bill does not even mention the bill medicaid one time and all democrats are doing is lying about what is in the budget because they don't want to talk about the truth of what we are voting to start. we are voting to start a process, this is not in the process at about 11 committees in congress to openview on c-span to have hearings in march where you can watch and you can hear the debate and you can watch the amendment by back-and-forth where we will debate how government can work better for the people of this

country how we will deliver as republicans on the promises that were made in the mandate given by the voters in november and democrats are against all of that. so instead of sitting back and licking their wounds that they are completely out of touch with the american people and the only choice is to resort to lying about what's in the vote today. there is no medicaid in this bill there are no medicaid cuts in this bill but that's all they say, they're talking about millionaires and billionaires never talking about elon musk. democrats are so infatuated with elon musk that they will vote against low tax rates for hard-working middle-class families. do you know the last time we checked elon musk does not work for tips but you know who does millions of hard-working americans that will get the no tax on tips promise that president trump made that we

will deliver on started with the passage of this budget millions of americans will benefit from the provision that we are going to add into a reconciliation bill. you know the average pay for a tip worker in america, the average pay is $32000 and we will be helping millions of those families the average $32000 so they don't have to pay tax on tips or they don't want to have the 87000 new irs agents that biden added going after them trying to get them to pay thousands more in taxes when all they're trying to do is put food on the table for their families working two or three jobs. again that is not elon musk that we are talking about that is millions of families average 32000 year that democrats will be voting. >> they will be voting democrats against helping millions of small businesses in america. over 130 million families in

america will see their individual tax rates go up. when democrats hit the red button and vote no on this budget. house republicans are committed to defending those families to stay data for those families and stopping a tax increase from hitting those families. the corporate rate is already locked-in. it's a permanent rate actually 1%. we are not talking about the big multinational corporation they are lying about millionaires and billionaires when millionaires and billionaires are even 1% of who benefits. 99% of the people with the tax increase of no vote are people that make less than a million dollars, less than a million dollars that you democrats want to see a tax increase on while they lie and use the names of billionaires, they are going to be taken in the got the hard-working people of america we don't want that to happen, that's why we're going to move the budget starting this process and start delivering on the mandates that we will all give.

the man is the most patient person i know listening to everybody who has every issue and i know a lot of you are saying do you have the votes are you going to vote and i've heard this guy is a no. every big vote we've taken and i been the whip before in the minority whip majority with the majority leader every time we had a big vote on the house floor were talking about all the way to the moment the vote closes during the vote were talking to members, look at every big vote that we've had today is no different, sure we still talk to the speaker we were in the meeting last night for over an hour talking to a lot of members that had questions. we ended up meeting with everyone and then finishing as a yes vote we still have more conversations to have today just like we do on any day of any big vote were knocking to stop working because millions of people are counting on us to deliver for them the mandate that they gave us introducing

the speaker of the house. thank you so much, good morning it's a big day. in america andn capitol hill i'm glad to see full participation. a lot going on i would think the leadership team for their extreme reworking their patients it's been going on for quite some time this day in this week and the consequential actions that will be taking as a house republican majority to move the ball forward, i want to think representative to more very talented member for north carolina 14th district and it sounds like he's done this before. he has he was the speaker of the house in north carolina for ten years is an example of the high-caliber of the freshman class and the new members house republicans to doing just doing extra ordinary work. he took on the heavy load early on in the budget committee not an easy assignment but i thank you for the work in all of our colleagues chairman jodey arrington and all the budget members have been working so hard. before i get to that, let me say

last week marked one month of the trump administration it's been a month it seems like much longer than that because so much has been accomplished. what a difference of 30 days have made. america once again has a real leader in the white house and you see the effects produced taking action to make america safer, stronger and more efficient, we are delivering on our campaign promises. it was not just the promises that president trump is to promises a house republicans and just as we promised i was on the campaign trail all last year end what around the country and i told them these things would happen. just as we promised by using the executive authority and instructing federal agencies to follow the law the legal border crossings are now down dramatically, you heard some of the numbers. illegal alien encounters are down 87%, knowing god awaits her down 93% this is what real leadership looks like. deportation of violent illegal aliens are well underway as you no. other areas just as we promised on the world stage america is

showing strength again. we maintain peace through strength at the core principle of our party president trump understands that, he more than understands and acts upon. before he took office he secured his cease-fire agreement and a return of hostages in gaza. columbia quickly reversed they reverse the course and vowed to accept citizens who were in america illegally from that country. canadasm and mexico quickly agrd to bolster their border security canada now has a borders are and they are going to help us make sure the fentanyl does not flow over the border. just as we promise president trump is making transformational change to the bloated federal bureaucracy. every single person understands, the government is too big and does too many things and it does almost nothing very well. we've got to fix that and we will. . . .

the clerk: mr. hawley, aye.

there target and house republicans and common sense overarching. not only are we taking about plans but we will codify the agenda. we cannot on wind. we plan to take up resolution earlier today which is a major step for the america first agenda. you heard leader police explain -- 54, the nays

are 42, the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 15, s.j. res.providing for congressional disapproving under chapter 8 of title 5, and so forth. the presiding officer: under the provision of hb5so2, there will

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