E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 117 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

Vol. 167 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 No. 145 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m., and was The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Naseem Mehyar, Hannah Albert, Eric called to order by the President pro objection, it is so ordered. Vryheid, Elle Wibisino, John tempore (Mr. LEAHY). f Branscome, Shawn Bone, Brian f McDermott, Mary Claire York, Jared CONCLUSION OF MORNING Bomberg, Shannon Smith, John PRAYER BUSINESS Beezer, Noam Kanter, Jordan Blue, Tif- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning fany George, Lucy Koch, Hunter fered the following prayer: business is closed. Hudspeth Blackburn, Kelly Ryan, Dave Let us pray. f Stewart, Melissa Porter, and David Eternal and ever-blessed God, the Strickland. Alpha and Omega, thank You for the LEGISLATIVE SESSION These are some of the individuals gift of this day. Give us the wisdom to who were involved in putting together use it to enrich lives by service to oth- the commerce piece of this underlying INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR ers. Use our lawmakers to continue bill. About 20 percent of the underlying THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUR- Your momentum in our world, enabling bill was the focus of the Commerce FACE TRANSPORTATION IN them to become salt and light to this Committee and its jurisdiction. AMERICA ACT—Resumed generation. I want to thank Ranking Member Lord, as our Senators strive to be The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under WICKER and his staff for the hard work productive members of the family of the previous order, the Senate will re- to pull off what was the bipartisan bill humanity, empower them to do Your sume consideration of H.R. 3684, which that came to the Senate floor as part will. Supply their needs out of the the clerk will report. of this package. bounty of Your celestial riches. If they The senior assistant legislative clerk Our legislation, I think, is a historic fall, may they fall forward as they read as follows: investment to rebuild our transpor- trust You to remain the author and fin- A bill (H.R. 3684) to authorize funds for tation infrastructure, including invest- isher of their faith. Federal-aid highways, highway safety pro- ments in things like megaprojects, ba- We pray in Your great Name. Amen. grams, and transit programs, and for other sically helping to eliminate our prob- purposes. f lems at grade crossings, improve our H.R. 3684 freight network, improve our environ- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, ment by removing culverts, and help- The President pro tempore led the many States in the United States need ing Amtrak better serve the United Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: infrastructure investment, but I would States of America. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the put the State of Washington high on All these were important invest- United States of America, and to the Repub- the list of States that desperately need ments, but we should look at the firsts. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, infrastructure investment. First, we are authorizing for the first indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have been blessed with a growing time megaprojects. Megaprojects often f economy and a big trade economy take up so much of our budget in our based on the Pacific rim and the ac- States and federally they never get RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME tions of the Pacific rim. So we need to funded, but that doesn’t mean they The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under keep moving products. We need to keep aren’t critical to the United States. the previous order, the leadership time moving services, and we need infra- In the Northeast Corridor, we cer- is reserved. structure investment to do so. tainly have megaprojects. In the Pa- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. I wanted to take this opportunity to cific Northwest, we have megaprojects ROSEN). The Senator from Vermont. thank the work done by the Commerce that would be critical, like the Colum- Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I sug- Committee and those who worked on bia River Crossing between Vancouver gest the absence of a quorum. the Infrastructure Investment Act, spe- and Portland, or the Highway 2 trestle The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cifically: Kara Fischer, Michael in Everett. These projects deserve the clerk will call the roll. Davisson, Joanie Lofgren, Zeb Schorr, attention of the Nation and, with this The senior assistant legislative clerk Ronce Almond, Alex Simpson, G.G. first-time authorization, will get so. proceeded to call the roll. Slais, Nicole Teutschel, Jennifer Quan, The bill also puts a historic invest- Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I Matthew Bobbink, Jami Burgess, David ment in freight and in Amtrak. As I ask unanimous consent that the order Martin, Amit Ronen, Stacy Baird, mentioned, the economy of a global na- for the quorum call be rescinded. Devon Helfrich, Patrick Eckroth, ture is demanding that we be able to

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10AU6.000 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S6194 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2021 move competitively our products. But So this transportation legislation Remember, Democrats inherited if we don’t continue to invest in that went through the Commerce Com- three safe and effective vaccines that freight, we are not going to get that mittee, as I said, also, you know, were already rolling out nationwide job done. So this provides $66 billion to makes other investments. This floor and an economy that was primed to improve our passenger rail and freight bill also makes other investments for come roaring back, but our colleagues system, the single largest investment bridge repair, for transit systems, for pressed ahead with a massive spring- that we have had in our Amtrak sys- climate resiliency, and specifically for time spending package that even lib- tem that was funded 50 years ago. our airports. You probably haven’t eral experts said would drive inflation, The Commerce Committee’s bill lays heard too much about that out here on and, of course, it did. the foundation for this funding, which the floor, but in the Commerce Com- Overall inflation has risen at the I believe will do three things. It will mittee, I can tell you that aviation, fastest rate in nearly 13 years. Core in- mean more investment to fix the prob- transportation, and competitive—I flation hit its highest level in almost 30 lems in the Northeast Corridor; more know that the Presiding Officer knows years. Families are getting hit by high- specifically, it will give us the ability this very well; that in Las Vegas or in er prices everywhere, from the grocery to have more sequencing of trains Reno that infrastructure like our air- store to the gas station, to their hous- throughout the United States of Amer- ports is essential to our economy con- ing costs. Small businesses have had ica; and it will provide for new service tinuing to grow. SeaTac is probably trouble reopening because would-be in city pairs that, I hope, will help one of the fastest growing airports in workers are getting a government economies all across the United States the United States right now, and under bonus to actually stay home. with more investments. this legislation, we will also see an im- So the country is still working I know, specifically, the Senator portant improvement for our airports through the side effects of the bor- from Montana, Senator TESTER, is very so they can continue to grow and so we rowing and spending the Democrats adamant about our Amtrak funding can continue to make investments. forced through back in the spring, but and the services that Montana de- I also want to, as I mentioned, thank Democrats don’t want to just refill mands. I want to thank him for his Senator WICKER in the title for vehicle their socialist prescription; they want help on this. safety. These are important provisions to double the dose—double the dose. I want to thank Senator DUCKWORTH that he and I and others on the com- According to what they just released, for her hard work in making sure that mittee—Senator BLUMENTHAL for his Democrats want to unite behind Chair- Amtrak complies with the Americans work on safety legislation that related man SANDERS’ resolution to spend a with Disabilities Act. This is so impor- to both the Northeast Corridor and to staggering $4.2 trillion more. Of course, tant for us to do, and her language, individuals in transportation, includ- outside experts estimate the real cost will be even higher still. making sure that we also have some- ing, with Senator WICKER, the life- If it is even close to fully offset, as one from the disabilities community saving technology, like an automatic they claim it is, this seems almost cer- on the Amtrak board, is the kind of emergency braking system, preventing tain to be the largest peacetime tax thing that should be followed in other child heat stroke deaths, and impaired hike on record. So let that sink in—the examples in this legislation. driving faculties. largest peacetime tax hike on record. I also want to say, for the first time, So I again thank all of the members we are addressing specifically at-grade Even though their rough sketch of of the Commerce Committee for their these tax hikes would shatter Presi- crossings. This is the instance where hard work in getting this legislation as there is congestion in freight, in my dent Biden’s promise not to raise taxes part of this package. on the middle class, families earning State, multiple times the increase in I think we can see that we have some well under the President’s stated freight traffic. Again, you know, a lot firsts here: first investing in threshold would get hit and hit hard. of Midwest product moving to Asia has megaprojects; first in cleaning up our This new reckless taxing-and-spending increased a demand in safety and environmental problems with culverts; spree will fall like a hammer blow on transportation. Somebody quoted one getting our freight product through workers and middle-class families: of our reports that it took freight 3 our most congested corridors with im- fewer jobs, lower wages, more inflation days to get through just the city of proved at-grade crossing; and making pushing costs higher and higher. Chicago because of the amount of con- the major investment so that Amtrak What our colleagues are proposing gestion. can continue to expand. and planning is absolutely jaw-drop- Our job here is to make sure that our So I look forward to working with ping. People want to pretend this is product, made and grown in the United my colleagues as we move through the just business as usual, just liberals States of America, gets quickly to its legislative process and continue to doing liberal things using Senate pro- destinations or we will be outcompeted make improvements in our transpor- cedure. Make no mistake, this reckless by other nations that have an infra- tation infrastructure. taxing-and-spending spree is nothing structure system that can beat us to I yield the floor. like we have seen—nothing. those marketplaces. So this provides, RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER The basic math of their taxing and for the first time, a focused program on The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- spending is toxic enough, but the radi- improving at-grade crossings to con- publican leader is recognized. calism that we will be debating on the tinue to make the investments that BUDGET RECONCILIATION floor goes well beyond dollars and need to be made to keep our freight Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, cents. The policies they want to put be- moving and our public safe. later today, Senate Democrats want to hind this budget resolution read like It also, for the first time, authorizes take their next big step toward playing somebody walked across the Rotunda transportation improvements to repair Russian roulette with our country. to the House and handed the Squad a culverts. Culverts and other transpor- They want to begin pushing through a pen and piece of paper: sweeping— tation infrastructure have done dam- reckless taxing-and-spending spree sweeping—amnesty for illegal immi- age to our environment. They have that was authored by our self-described grants in the middle of a border crisis, done damage to fish; they have basi- socialist colleague, Chairman SANDERS. regulations that are so radical that our cally blocked spawning grounds. They Today, the American people will learn colleague Senator MARKEY said: have caused other infrastructure chal- exactly where each of their Senators The green new deal is in the DNA of this lenges to species all along our coastal stand. . . . budget resolution. All of the things that States. This program will help to im- The American people elected a 50–50 are in [this], we talked about in the green prove that situation by repairing some Senate, an incredibly close House of new deal. of the fish passage that has been Representatives, and a President who Senator MARKEY. blocked for so many years. This is so pledged to govern down the middle and They want to induce 49 other States important for us in the Pacific North- unify the country. But as soon as to make their electric grids more like west, but it is also important through- President Biden, Speaker PELOSI, and California’s; make it more expensive to out the South and for our many, many Leader SCHUMER got the keys, they mine critical minerals we need to com- coastal communities. handed them right over to the far left. pete with China; they want to take

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.001 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE August 10, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6195 working families’ child tax credit and Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask alties when a person straw-purchases a turn it into a permanent welfare pro- unanimous consent that the order for firearm. gram—listen to this—with no work re- the quorum call be rescinded. We need to take this type of gun traf- quirement; they want to tamper with The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ficking seriously. It is time for us to the prescription drug industry in ways WARNOCK). Without objection, it is so stop treating straw purchases like a that would leave Americans with fewer ordered. paperwork misdemeanor. new treatments and fewer new cures; GUN CONTROL As we have learned in the death of they want to put government’s thumb Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this past Officer French, it is a deadly act and on the scale of families’ childcare Saturday, at 9 p.m., Chicago Police Of- should be punished accordingly. choices and selectively subsidize par- ficer Ella French was shot and killed Officer French’s death is also a call ents whose households work the way during a traffic stop on the Chicago to action for the strike force recently Washington wants; and they want to South Side. set up by the Department of Justice to tax more money out of Americans’ Her death is devastating. Officer crack down on regional firearms traf- pockets while reviving a special tax French was 29 years old. She had ficking in Chicago. cut that overwhelmingly benefits served as a member of the Chicago Po- I met with Attorney General Garland wealthy people in blue States. lice Department since 2018. in Chicago when he launched the strike So let’s face it. The brute facts of the Her brother described her as the epit- force 2 weeks ago, and I have written Senate’s rules mean that, if 50 Demo- ome of a good Samaritan. A fellow offi- to him now urging that the strike force crats plus the Vice President stick to- cer said of her: ‘‘She truly showed the immediately prioritize the investiga- gether, Republicans will probably not community that she loved them and tion and prosecution of straw pur- be able to save our colleagues from would do anything for them.’’ chases like the one that took the life of themselves. If all 50 Democrats want to Officer French’s partner was also Officer French. help Chairman SANDERS hurt middle- shot and critically wounded. We pray The strike force was established to class families, even if our colleagues for his recovery. keep a sustained focus on firearms traf- who claim they are moderates want to Two men have been charged by the ficking in Chicago. That focus should follow the far left off this cliff, well, Cook County State Attorney’s Office in include stopping straw purchases and that is their prerogative, but we are the shooting of these officers. A third holding the perpetrators accountable. going to argue it out right here on the man has been charged by the U.S. At- I look forward to working with the floor at some length. Every single Sen- torney’s Office for the Northern Dis- Justice Department and with my col- ator will be going on record over and trict of Illinois for conspiracy to vio- leagues to find ways to crack down on over and over. late Federal firearms laws. the deadly gun violence that straw pur- Senate Republicans will be bringing I hope that justice is delivered swift- chasers help to fuel. forward commonsense amendments ly and fairly for the perpetrators of OPIOID EPIDEMIC that represent what Americans actu- this horrible crime. Mr. President, 2020 set a record for ally want and actually need. Our col- And let me be clear. As devastating drug overdose deaths in America. More leagues can look forward to votes on as her death is, scores of individuals than 93,000 lives were lost in the year national security and funding our are shot every week in Chicago, and 2020. In Illinois, 3,500 of our neighbors Armed Forces; votes to remove back- many lose their lives. For each of their died of overdose, a 27-percent spike door tax cuts for wealthy liberals; families, the loss is just as intense as from the year before. votes to protect family-owned small the loss of Officer French. How did we get to this point? Who is businesses and family farms from And as heartbreaking as Officer responsible for this? crushing tax hikes; votes to encourage French’s death is, it is also infuriating. There is one clear culprit: the phar- schools to finally reopen in person; to We learned yesterday from the Chicago maceutical industry. For years, opioid stop the catch and release of COVID- U.S. Attorney’s Office that the gun manufacturers deliberately lied about positive illegal immigrants coming used to murder Officer French was the risks of their drugs—deliberately. into our country; to protect taxpayers straw-purchased from a gun dealer in These companies have claimed their from being forced to fund the horrors Indiana. pain killers should be prescribed for of abortion. And that is just a sam- What is a straw purchase? It happens common aches and pains. They even pling. Because our Democratic col- when a person who can pass a back- downplayed their addictive nature even leagues missed some deadlines, it has ground check buys a gun and gives it though their research showed that it been an all-out sprint to prepare to a person who can’t. was a very real danger. amendments. Straw purchases have long been the These companies then shipped moun- So I want to thank our nonpartisan way that guns have been funneled into tains of these pills to every corner of Senate clerks and Parliamentarians. They have worked multiple weekends, the hands of those with felony convic- America. They aggressively promoted straight through. They were kept up tions in Chicago, then to the streets, them to doctors, with the backing of late last night processing hundreds of then to deadly incidents. dark money organizations. According to the charges filed yester- This epidemic wasn’t created by amendments, and they are going to be up late with all of us yet again. day by the U.S. attorney, an Indiana some infectious virus; it was created by If President Biden and 50 Senate man bought the handgun from a man corporate greed—corporate greed. In Democrats want to outsource domestic in Hammond, IN, and gave to it a per- the words of Richard Sackler of Purdue policy to Chairman SANDERS, if this son with a felony conviction, who al- Pharma, his company chose to flood historically reckless taxing-and-spend- legedly used it this last weekend to kill our streets with ‘‘a blizzard of prescrip- ing spree is how the modern Demo- Officer French. tions that will bury the competition.’’ cratic Party wants to define itself, if For years, I have been fighting to It ended up burying the users. they want inflation and tax hikes to be toughen our laws against straw pur- As a result, 500,000 Americans fami- their legacy, then Republicans do not chases. Right now, straw-purchasing is lies have had to bury loved ones who currently have the votes to spare the treated—listen to this—as a Federal died of opioid overdoses and addictions American families this nightmare, but paperwork violation for lying on a Fed- since the start of the opioid epidemic— we will debate and we will vote and we eral gun purchase form. Charges are 500,000 Americans, a figure in the same will stand up and we will be counted— rarely brought, and when they are, the range as the 610,000 Americans we have and the people of this country will sentences are often just a matter of lost to COVID–19. The numbers are know exactly which Senators fought months. That needs to change. numbing. for them. I have joined with Senator LEAHY of From 2006 to 2014, drug companies I suggest the absence of a quorum. Vermont and Senator COLLINS of Maine like Purdue Pharma inundated the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to introduce the Stop Illegal Traf- country with 100 billion pain pills—100 clerk will call the roll. ficking in Firearms Act, a bipartisan billion. Let that soak in. That is The senior assistant legislative clerk bill that would make it an explicit roughly 300 opioid pills for every living proceeded to call the roll. Federal crime, carrying felony pen- American over that time.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.003 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S6196 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2021 They flooded communities like the The DEA, this Federal Agency, will The work isn’t over yet, and I ap- rural county of Hardin in downstate Il- soon be proposing its 2022 quotas, and I plaud the State attorneys general for linois. They received enough opioids in am sending a letter urging them to use their extensive work involving these Hardin County for each resident to their new authority and common sense opioid defendants. have a nearly 3-month supply. to rein in the greed of Big Pharma. Legal proceedings continue for sev- Some counties in West Virginia and In the face of all this suffering, new eral other key industry stakeholders Kentucky had twice that level of over- legal challenges have been brought to that have yet to be held accountable— supply. hold Big Pharma accountable for death that includes the Sackler family of One pharma rep even bragged: ‘‘I and despair of the opioid epidemic. Purdue and OxyContin infamy. don’t know how they can even house Thousands of lawsuits from States, The Sacklers are trying to engineer a this many bottles.’’ counties, cities, and victims have been legal scheme to escape liability Another wrote: consolidated in one Federal court in through the bankruptcy court. That is Keep ‘em comin’! Flyin’ out of here. It’s Cleveland, OH. the family that started Purdue like people are addicted to these things. Oh, This movement reminded me of an- Pharma, which was responsible for this wait, people are . . . other breakthrough moment in public opioid crisis. They think they found a That level of greed and disregard for health, when our Nation came together venue now—a bankruptcy court—that human suffering is an outrage, and the to hold Big Tobacco accountable for its is going to get them off the hook or at companies responsible must be held ac- misleading marketing over the dec- least make sure they can protect the countable. ades. We started holding these compa- money that they have made off of this You may be asking: Why haven’t we nies accountable in 1998, with the Mas- criminal enterprise. done that already? ter Tobacco Settlement Agreement. The Sacklers are trying to engineer a It is a good question—because not That settlement was estimated to pro- legal scheme to escape liability for only was the Federal Drug Enforce- vide States with $246 billion over 25 their conduct through the bankruptcy ment Administration aware of this ob- years. But despite the pressing need, court, avoiding future lawsuits, while scene volume of overproduction; they only a tiny fraction—a meager 8 per- paying $4.5 billion, while protecting authorized it. They gave permission. their vast fortunes estimated at over The Drug Enforcement Administra- cent of that amount—was actually dedicated to tobacco prevention and $11 billion. tion of the U.S. Federal Government is That is why Senator WARREN and I cessation activities. responsible for determining the recently teamed up to introduce the Instead, tens of billions from that amount of opioid pills allowed to be Nondebtor Release Prohibition Act, settlement have gone toward filling put on the market each year. They are which would prevent the nonconsen- gaps in State budgets and funding pet effectively the gatekeeper for these sual release of liability through bank- projects like roads and bridges and sta- drug manufacturers and for years— ruptcy proceedings. years—they allowed opioid production diums, even a tobacco museum. Translation: The Sacklers should not As new opioid settlements are quotas to keep increasing. get a discounted ticket to ride into the Between 1993 and 2015, production of reached, we must learn from the sunset protecting their billions of dol- oxycodone increased 39-fold; missed opportunity with tobacco law- lars. They need to be held personally hydrocodone, 12-fold; fentanyl, 25-fold. suits. We must ensure that the funds liable, and the amount charged against In 2016, America’s pharmaceutical in- from forthcoming opioid settlements them should be taken into account. dustry produced 14 billion opioid doses are used to fortify health systems so We must demand that the worst cor- in 2016 alone, enough for every adult they can respond to the current opioid porate actors are held accountable for American to have a 3-week supply of crisis and prevent our next drug epi- their role in this crisis. Far too many opioids. demic. families have suffered as a result of Think about that. Authorized by the All of us know what is going on out corporate greed and malfeasance. there. Even people who acknowledge Federal Government, requested by the RECOGNIZING BARB’S BAKERY pharmaceutical industry, we put a their opioid addiction and are des- Mr. President, sometimes you have quota that Pharma asked for to perate for treatment and need help im- the best of luck in life, and it is not produce 14 billion opioid pills in a year, mediately wait for weeks and months planned. Neighbors of ours in Spring- enough for every American to have a 3- to enter a drug rehab facility. That is field, IL, Tom and Bridget Lamont, week supply. just unacceptable. We need have invited us to join them at their Any wonder that we had an opioid community- and residential-based little house on Lake Michigan in epidemic? treatment. We need to expand naloxone Leelanau Peninsula in the State of I pressed the Drug Enforcement Ad- access. We need to address the child- Michigan. In that time, we have had ministration on this issue years ago, hood trauma often at the root of addic- great experiences together, and we when I learned of this. I asked them: tion and other public health strategies. have come to know a terrific little How can you approve these ever-in- One of the things which I believe is shop called Barb’s Bakery in creasing quotas. Pharma is insatiable. essential, as our kids get back to Northport, MI. After years and years of They will ask for as many pills as they school after the pandemic experience, wonderful service and great pride, they can possibly push into the American is that we need more counselors on the are giving up the business soon. people’s families, especially when DEA scene at the schools dealing with these I have put in the RECORD a tribute to had data that showed this overproduc- kids and this transition back into Barb’s Bakery of Northport, MI. I am tion was fueling a deadly national drug somewhat normal life. These are crit- joined by DEBBIE STABENOW and GARY crisis. ical moments in a child’s formation, PETERS, both Senators from Michigan. A couple years ago I worked with my and I hope that we can have resources Mr. President, donuts have been en- Republican colleague, Senator JOHN available to help them. joying a renaissance in recent years. KENNEDY of Louisiana, to start stem- The best way to hold Big Pharma ac- Today, you can find ‘‘gourmet’’ donuts ming the tide of addictive drugs. We countable is by compelling these com- with flavors like kumquat, beet, guava, passed a bipartisan bill that gave the panies to pay the price for fueling this bacon maple, malted, salted cookie DEA the authority they said they need- crisis, and their restitution should be dough, and blueberry bourbon basil. ed to set commonsense production lev- devoted to helping America heal. But for my money, nothing beats the els. Last month, a bipartisan group of famed cake donuts and cinnamon We changed the law so the DEA State attorneys general announced the twists baked fresh every morning at must—must—consider abuse, overdose framework of a litigation settlement Barb’s Bakery in the small town of deaths, and the public health impact involving Johnson & Johnson and the Northport, MI. There is nothing exotic when determining opioid quotas. Nation’s three largest drug distribu- about Barb’s donuts. They are simple, Our approach worked, partially. Over tors. The companies would pay a total old-fashioned perfection. the past 5 years, the DEA has lowered of $26 billion over 18 years to resolve My wife Loretta and I discovered opioid quotas by an average of 60 per- the suits, in addition to changing their Barb’s Bakery years ago during a vaca- cent. business practices. tion in Northport with our friends,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.005 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE August 10, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6197 Tom and Bridget Lamont, and we have in love with Turkey. She returned I say that simply because it has been gone back nearly every year since. again and again, often bringing friends my experience—I have observed this, as Over the years, we have become friends with her. She bought a house in I said, over the better part of 25 years with the owner, Barb Holcomb, and her Istanbul, which she kept for many now here in the Congress—that every husband Jerry Holcomb—great people. years. And she learned to speak Turk- debate, every fight about spending, When Loretta and I first discovered ish fluently. taxes, and debt, Democrats want to her bakery, Barb’s donuts may have As Barb and Jerry get ready to start spend more and Republicans want to been the primary reason that travelers a new chapter of their lives together, spend less, again with the recognition would make a detour through Loretta and I want to thank them for that every one of those dollars that Northport, a picturesque little village all of the delicious donuts and for their gets spent here in Washington, DC, is at the tip of Michigan’s scenic friendship. And Michigan Senators, coming from an American taxpayer Leelanau Peninsula. That has all DEBBIE STABENOW and GARY PETERS, somewhere across this country. changed now. In recent years, new res- want to join me in saluting Barb and So, as we think about what we are taurants and shops have sprung up Jerry. going to do next, I have to just say it around town. But Barb’s Bakery re- Let me close by saying to Barb: ‘‘Iyi is staggering to me, what we are talk- mains the anchor, both a destination— sanslar.’’ Best of luck, my friends. ing about—the dimensions; the scale; and a local institution. Each morning, I yield the floor. $3.5 trillion in spending on top of $2 it brings local cherry farmers, young I suggest the absence of a quorum. trillion spent earlier this year, much of families, and tourists together over The PRESIDING OFFICER. The which had nothing to do with the coffee and donuts. clerk will call the roll. coronavirus. I try to stop by Barb’s a little after 6 The senior assistant legislative clerk Much of the justification for a lot of a.m., shortly after Barb or Jerry opens proceeded to call the roll. the spending at one time, at least, was the doors. I will get a cup of coffee and Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask that we had to deal with the pandemic, a cinnamon twist, and Jerry and I will unanimous consent that the order for the coronavirus, but that is not the sit with the locals sharing local news the quorum call be rescinded. case now. We still have ongoing issues and figuring out how to solve the prob- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without there. We need to make sure that we lems of the world. Barb starts her objection, it is so ordered. are investing in vaccines and all the workday at 1 a.m. each morning. That BUDGET RESOLUTION things that make sure that people in is when she goes to work to mix the Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, in the this country are able to combat and batter for the next day’s baking. By time that I have been in the Congress, that we are able to get this pandemic 6:30, the benches outside are usually which includes 6 years in the House of behind us. But what we are talking filled with local farmers and retirees. Representatives and now in my 17th about with this $3.5 trillion that the At around 8 am, the late sleepers and year in the Senate, I have been a part Democrats are intending and that we tourists show up. But by 10:30 or 11, the of or witness to or voted on numerous are going to vote on later today—$3.5 last donut has usually been sold—so in- spending proposals and appropriation trillion—their own estimate, not ours. sider tip: Get there early. bills, tax bills, deficit reduction bills, A lot of private estimates out there You can smell the aroma of Barb’s and debt-limit increase bills through suggest that when this is fully imple- Bakery about 2 blocks away. Barb tells the years, and I don’t think I have ever mented over the full window, you are me the butter-yellow, clapboard bakery seen in all my time in the Congress a talking about $5.5 trillion. You add to building was first constructed around spending bill where Democrats didn’t that the $2 trillion that has already 1850. Over the years, it has housed a want to spend more and Republicans been spent earlier this year—all put on dentist’s office, a shoe repair shop, and wanted to spend less. the debt, by the way, all borrowed from now, Barb’s bakery. Maybe that is consistent with our our children and grandchildren—and Barb first start working there when overall governing philosophies. Repub- you are talking about a stunning, stag- she was 13. She bakes her signature licans historically believe in limited gering, insane amount of money. cinnamon twists on massive trays that but effective government, in personal I have heard the analogy used here hold about 6 dozen twists each. On an freedom coupled with individual re- on the floor and other places by Demo- average day, she sells six trays full. sponsibility, in economic freedom, and crats saying: Well, this is like the New Donuts are another big seller—classic in peace through strength. Those are Deal. This is the modern New Deal for cake donuts, plain or chocolate-iced— sort of guiding principles. America. plus the special, seasonal flavors: cher- So when you get into a debate about Well, the New Deal occurred in the ry during cherry season and pumpkin spending and budgets and appropria- middle of a Great Depression, where in the fall. And Barb bakes the best tion and taxes and all those sorts of unemployment rates were running as cherry pies you have ever tasted. things, in all the time I have been high as 25 percent. The New Deal hap- Barb learned how to make her fa- here—and I say this with respect to the pened at a time when—my dad grew up mous cinnamon twists from the women bill that we are going to be voting on in the Depression. I have heard him tell who owned the bakery when Barb was a here in a few moments—Republicans the stories through the years. People teenager. Now, Barb is getting ready to try to spend more efficiently, more ef- were struggling. They were struggling pass that precious knowledge on. After fectively—less, because they know that enormously. The government stepped 40 years of baking for others, Barb Hol- every dollar that gets spent here is in with some programs to help address comb recently sold her bakery to a coming from an American taxpayer. that to get people back to work. young couple from the area, who plan So when the bipartisan legislation But what we are talking about here to keep baking some of Barb’s signa- that the Senate will vote on here mo- is double—double—the size of the New ture treats, mentarily was being considered, it Deal as a percentage of our economy— And Barb and Jerry are looking for- started out at about $2.5 trillion. That double—at a time when we have, and ward to taking a little time off and is what President Biden wanted to the President was crowing about this maybe sleeping late every once in a spend on infrastructure. Democrats in the other day, 5 percent, 5.4 percent un- while. Barb plans to put quite a few the Congress—in the Senate; for sure in employment in this country and 900,000 miles on the royal blue 1970s Cadillac the House of Representatives but in the new jobs created in the last reporting. she just bought. She will continue to Senate here as well—wanted to spend So if you think about where the give generously, and quietly, to the way more than what Republicans want- economy is, we are coming out of the people and the village of Northport, as ed to spend. Republicans, on the other pandemic. People are investing again. she always has. And Barb and Jerry are hand, wanted to come up with a bill People are getting out. They are spend- hoping to do some traveling. that met the needs that the country ing money. We are seeing growth get Years ago, shortly after she grad- has, that was robust in addressing in- back in the economy. We are seeing uated from high school, Barb and a frastructure concerns out there but jobs created. It is literally, to me, the girlfriend took a magical trip through spent significantly less than what definition of ‘‘insanity’’ to pour 3.5 tril- Greece and Afghanistan. And Barb fell Democrats proposed. lion, by their estimate—by a lot of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10AU6.001 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S6198 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2021 other estimates, 5 trillion—more dol- Well, people work for businesses. before us today. Today, Democrats are lars into the economy to literally give Democrats think it is easy. We will taking the first step toward a massive people free everything. just raise taxes on businesses. Busi- and permanent expansion of govern- This isn’t about addressing the pan- nesses are not paying enough. Well, ment that would be paid for on the demic or helping get people back to where do people in this country work? backs of ordinary Americans. And my work. We have programs that do that. They work for businesses. That is colleagues, as I said, on the other side We have unemployment insurance that where they get their paychecks. That of the aisle, will tell you they are just has been in place now for a long time. is where they get their benefits. Wages levying tax hikes on wealthy Ameri- Many of us think the plus-up that the go down when taxes on businesses go cans, but that is not the whole story. Federal Government provided was for up, to a historical fact. Those corporate tax hikes that too long because it was keeping people If you think about what also happens Democrats are proposing, that tax just from going back to work. But the fact when taxes are put on businesses, busi- isn’t going to be paid for by CEOs and of the matter is, we are talking about nesses obviously can do a couple of the board members of corporations. A a massive expansion of the Federal things. They may reduce wages or not huge part of that is going to fall on Government literally to give people hire people or reduce the size of their American workers in the form of pretty much free everything. workforce. But they also pass that on things like lower salaries and fewer op- Not only does that contradict, I with the cost of higher prices to people portunities. think, what this country was all about, out there in the economy who are pay- The Tax Foundation notes that the which in its inception was about free- ing the price for it. That is what we are share of the corporate tax burden that dom and liberty, personal freedom, eco- talking about here. It is just abso- falls on labor is, ‘‘routinely found to be nomic freedom, individual responsi- lutely, absolutely stunning, really, in between 50 percent and 100 percent, bility, providing people incentives to my time in the Congress to observe with 70 percent or higher the most achieve and to do well, making sure something that is being compared to, likely outcome.’’ that we have programs in place, safety historically, the New Deal in a cir- By substantially hiking taxes on cor- nets for those who need that help, but cumstance where the economy is grow- porations, Democrats will be substan- the idea that at a time when the econ- ing and expanding, people should be tially increasing the burden borne by omy is growing and expanding and un- going back to work; and in a time when workers, not to mention reducing our employment is at a fairly low rate his- we have already a $30 trillion debt, as competitiveness in the global economy torically, we are creating jobs that the I said, headed in 2031 to $45 trillion in by once again giving the United States Federal Government would think that debt, and something that literally one of the highest corporate tax rates it needs, in all its wisdom here in dwarfs, as a percentage of the econ- in the developed world. Washington, DC, to infuse $5 trillion. With our economy still emerging We already have inflation. It is at the omy, what was done at the time of the from the challenges of coronavirus, it highest rate in 13 years. Do you think New Deal, parallel the analogy that is is very difficult to understand why pouring a lot of—flooding the economy being used here by my colleagues on Democrats would decide that we should with a whole bunch more money isn’t the other side. There is just absolutely make American businesses less com- going to exacerbate the inflation prob- no rationale for doing this. But that is what it calls for, $31⁄2 tril- petitive on the global stage. lem we already have? Not to mention, And that is the impact of just one of they are talking about paying for it—I lion. According to the budget com- the Democrats’ tax hikes. I haven’t don’t think it will all be paid for. I mittee analysts, it includes $4.2 trillion talked about the probable effects of think a lot of it will go onto the debt. in spending—on discretionary spend- By the way, under this budget that is ing—and increased interests on the their tax hike on small businesses— being proposed today, that the Demo- debt are included. that is right, small businesses—or the crats are, on a one-sided partisan pro- That bill, which was entirely unpaid negative economic effects of their huge cedure, going to vote on, is the biggest for—and I am talking about the $1.9 tax increase on investment. thing that we have seen certainly in trillion bill that was passed in March, And then—then—there is the Demo- my lifetime and will dwarf, as I said, that was ostensibly COVID relief, but, crats’ new death tax. That is right, new anything we have seen in history. The in reality, was more like a list of pay- death tax to add to our already exist- debt at the end of all that—at the end offs to Democrat constituents. ing death tax, which will reduce inher- of all that, 2031, the 10-year budget There were billions and billions of itances for middle-class Americans window—will be $45 trillion, 134 percent dollars for schools, while keeping around the country, not to mention of our gross domestic product. teachers unions happy by omitting any threatening the very existence of fam- There was a day when we were wor- requirement for actually getting kids ily farms and ranches and small busi- ried about borrowing up to 100 percent back in the classroom, even though nesses. of GDP. Well, we have blown past that. schools have barely touched the bil- From the way that Democrats have We have dwarfed that. This is now lions of COVID aid they have already been governing, you would think that completely out of control, completely been given. voters have given them a resounding out of hand. We are talking about a And, by the way, handoffs to States mandate to permanently expand gov- massive amount of new spending to ex- with a distribution formula heavily ernment and implement the socialist pand government and, to the degree weighted in favor of blue States, in- fantasies of the far left. that it is paid for, paid for with taxes cluded bailouts for union pensions, In fact—we all know this—Democrats that are going to hit individuals, that loans for labor unions, and I could go hold a narrow majority in the House of are going to hit businesses, that are on. Representatives, where they lost seats; going to hit small businesses, and that And when we talk about the money and the Senate is equally split between are going to hit farmers and ranchers. that is going to be, you know, in the Democrats and Republicans. When you go down the list of taxes, budget the Democrats are going to And Democrats’ far-left Presidential the tax increases in this proposal, force us to vote on later today, the ad- candidates couldn’t make it out of the again, I mean, I don’t know where you ditional spending that is going to be in Democrat primary. That is right, stop. The idea—the suggestion by the there, that is on top of—on top of—the President Biden was able to win the administration that you are not going trillions that we put out the door last Democrat primary and the general to hit people who make less than year, much of which went to State gov- election because he presented himself $400,000 a year is just absolutely, again, ernments and many of which don’t accurately or inaccurately as a mod- I think, insane. I don’t know how you know how to spend the money they al- erate. can raise $3.5 trillion in taxes and not ready have. We are talking trillions, But despite their lack of a mandate, have an economic impact felt by people much of which went to, as I said, blue Democrat leaders are apparently more who are on the lower end of the income States. and more willing to let the far left of scale. But while that bill wastes a lot of the Democrat party run the show, I mean, think about it. When taxes taxpayer dollars, the problem with which is why we are standing here go up on businesses, what happens? that bill pales in comparison to what is today contemplating a $4.2 trillion

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.009 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE August 10, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6199 spending spree to permanently expand onciliation package. And he is abso- cent of their GDP. Why? Because they the size of government. lutely right, these taxes and this high- know that will make their economy We don’t yet know all the details of level spending is not something that more efficient and they want to beat us Democrats’ budget-busting spending our country can sustain, and I appre- in the economic fight that we have legislation, but what we do know is not ciate his outlining the very specific im- globally. encouraging. In addition to taxes that pacts it would have on the people we We want to win. That is one reason will burden hard-working Americans represent. this is so important. and hurt our economy, Democrats are But this morning, I am also here to The American people, by the way, contemplating a new welfare benefit talk about how the Senate will do understand the need for this invest- with no associated work requirement. something very good today prior to ment. In two of the more recent polls Lots and lots of free stuff, like 2 free getting into the budget resolution. The from CNBC and CBS News, 87 percent years of community college; elements Senate is about to make history. of the American people back bipartisan of Democrats’ most extreme specialist And we have heard over the years—in efforts to fix our roads, our bridges, fantasy, the Green New Deal; amnesty fact, over the decades—about the need and our water systems. for individuals here in our country ille- for us to fix our infrastructure. Every We know that this targeted, long- gally; funding for tens of thousands— President in modern times has talked term investment in core infrastructure yes, tens of thousands—of new IRS about it—President Bush, President is good for the economy. Building out agents; a tax cut for blue State mil- Obama, President Trump, President hard assets make us more competitive lionaires and billionaires; and more. Biden. We have talked about it a lot in the global economy and will create And, by the way, on that point, it is here. There is a joke around town that hundreds of thousands of good jobs for really ironic to me to hear Democrats infrastructure week has come and gone builders, plumbers, electrical engi- come down here and talk about Repub- so many times that people are a little neers, coders, and so many other fields. licans wanting to cut taxes for rich cynical when we talk about it. Economists, including Douglas Holtz- people when this proposal, in this legis- Well, today is infrastructure day. We Eakin of the American Action Forum lation, 50 percent—50 percent of the tax are actually going to see what we have and Michael Strain of the conservative cut, by doing away with the cap on de- been talking about, which is the Sen- American Enterprise Institute, have ductibility of State and local taxes; 50 ate, on a bipartisan basis, saying: You pointed out that this type of spending percent of that benefit goes to people know what, it is time to fix our roads on long-term spending on hard assets making more than $1 million a year. So and bridges. We can do so in a respon- does not further inflation but, in fact, much for worrying about people on the sible way, not by raising taxes on the is counterinflationary. low income of the income scale. American people, but by making im- To me, not only does this investment Democrats want to spend taxpayer portant investments in long-term cap- make sense, but, importantly, what we dollars to hire hundreds of thousands ital assets that will last for years. are doing here today also demonstrates of young people for a Civilian Climate So it is an investment in fixing up to the American people that we can get Corps to fight climate change—Civilian our roads, our bridges, our water sys- our act together on a bipartisan basis Climate Corps. There is no word yet on tems, our railroads, our ports, our elec- and get something done. We can do big whether this is actually an effective trical grids, our broadband network, things on a bipartisan basis if we put way to address our Nation’s climate and expanding that, and more. our minds to it. challenges, but that isn’t going to stop We have had a number of procedural Again, after years, even decades of Democrats from spending billions of votes to get us to this point; and based talking about the need to do this, we dollars to find out. on those procedural votes, I think it is are finally getting it done. I haven’t even mentioned how all this clear that we will have the votes today, Is it exactly the bill I would have new government spending is likely to on a bipartisan basis, to do this impor- drafted? increase inflation. Americans are al- tant work. The Senate will have done No. It is not exactly the bill any Sen- ready facing significant inflation, its job, and we will have achieved a ator in this Chamber would have draft- thanks in part to Democrats’ earlier real lasting bipartisan victory for the ed because it represents a true bipar- flooding of the economy with govern- people we represent. tisan effort. Each side made conces- ment spending. Now Democrats want The bill, called the Infrastructure In- sions to find that common ground. to come close to doubling that spend- vestment and Jobs Act, will improve I want to take this opportunity to ing. I don’t even want to think about the lives of all Americans by making briefly thank my colleagues who have what inflation will look like if they this long-overdue investment of $548 gotten us to this point. We spent a lot succeed in their spending plans. billion over the next 5 years in new of long nights and long days working Thanks to Democrats’ decision to spending to repair, upgrade, and re- to write this legislation, and there has utilize special Senate budget rules for place the crumbling infrastructure all been a group of members who have their tax-and-spending spree, they have of our constituents rely on every day. been particularly committed to it. the ability today to force through this That doesn’t mean the money is One is SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, who is massive spending package on a totally going to be spent, by the way, over the on the floor right now. The work she partisan basis. next 5 years. It is authorized for that did with President Biden early on laid But my Republican colleagues and I period, but we spend over the next 5, 10, the foundation for this. She is also the will do everything we can to protect 15, maybe 20 years on projects all over ranking member of the EPW Com- Americans from the consequences of the country. mittee that produced some of the legis- Democrats’ reckless, reckless legisla- We know we need this investment. lation that we incorporated on the sur- tion. And I hope some of my colleagues The American Society of Civil Engi- face transportation front. on the other side of the aisle—all it neers gives our American infrastruc- But there are so many others. And I takes is one—will intervene before ture a grade of C-minus. They also would like to start with my counter- their party’s taxing-and-spending spree project that our economy stands to part, the lead negotiator on the other turns an economic recovery into an lose more than $10 trillion in economic side of the aisle, Senator KYRSTEN economic disaster. growth in GDP by 2039, should we fail SINEMA of Arizona. The two of us began I yield the floor. to invest in repairs. meeting more than 4 months ago to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- There is an international organiza- have discussions that would then lay ator from Ohio. tion that looks at all the countries in the foundation for our path forward. Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, let me the world, who says who has got the And it was in the context of President start by commending my colleague best infrastructure in the world and, by Biden having proposed a huge package, from South Dakota, Senator THUNE, the way, we are number 13 or 14 on that $2.65 trillion—so-called infrastructure for his explanation of what is before us list now. So many countries are ahead package—and we believed we could pull next after the vote that we are about of us. out real infrastructure from there, to take, and that will be getting into China spends about four times more take the high taxes out, and get some- the budget resolution leading to a rec- than we do on infrastructure as a per- thing done for the American people. I

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.010 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S6200 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2021 commend her for her leadership, for her that either passed the Senate or been looked over carefully to make courage, and for her ability to keep us cleared committees in the Senate in sure we got it right. on track during some tough times dur- this Congress, and that is a tribute to Everyone involved in this effort can ing this process. the quiet bipartisanship that goes on be proud of what this body is achieving From there, it truly became a group at the committee level every day that today. The Senate is doing its job. It is effort, particularly among five Repub- allows us to get these things done with doing its job by helping the American licans and five Democrats, who spent a the requisite knowledge and expertise. people we represent through a historic lot of long days and nights negotiating I also want to thank all of the non- investment in our Nation’s infrastruc- the framework of this legislation. partisan staff here in the U.S. Senate ture that will serve the American peo- Some of us had worked together before for their work as well. I know that over ple for decades to come. at the end of the year in putting to- the past few weeks, especially, the leg- I yield the floor. gether the so-called 908 framework for islative counsel has worked closely The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the COVID–19 bill that passed late last with my staff and the staffs of other of- ator from West Virginia. year, that was also bipartisan. fices to help formalize this proposal Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I ask To my friends and colleagues, Sen- into final text before us today. They unanimous consent that I be allowed to ator SUSAN COLLINS, MITT ROMNEY, worked weekends. They worked late speak for up to 10 minutes, followed by LISA MURKOWSKI, BILL CASSIDY, JOE nights. Senators CARPER and SCHUMER for up MANCHIN, JEANNE SHAHEEN, MARK WAR- The same with the Joint Committee to 10 minutes each. NER, and JOHN TESTER, thank you for on Taxation and the Congressional The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without your efforts these past few months. Budget Office, they have worked objection, it is so ordered. Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, well, it I also want to give special thanks to around the clock to get us to this is great to be on the floor today. I our colleague, KEVIN CRAMER, who point. joined our group late but was instru- And the staff here on the floor, they think we have much to celebrate. We mental in finalizing this agreement. have been here just as early as we have have a lot of tired people, I think, who I want to thank the White House and and stayed just as late as any of us, in have devoted a lot of time and energy especially Steve Ricchetti and Brian fact, later, to ensure that this could be to this effort. And so, after a long week Deese and Louisa Terrell for their sup- possible. I thank them. of amendments, it is time to get this port of this effort and their commit- I also want to thank the more than done. Isn’t it, Senator CARPER, my chair- ment to trying to work in a bipartisan 100 industry associations, unions, and way to get it done. man on EPW? trade groups that came forward to en- We have talked all week about how I also want to thank Senator TOM dorse this Infrastructure Investment the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs CARPER, who just joined us in the and Jobs Act. That includes business Act delivers for the American people, room. Along with Senator CAPITO, he groups, like the chamber of commerce, and I am proud that the foundation of was the EPW chair. He was the ranking the Business Roundtable, and the Na- this bill—the foundations of this bill— member that laid much of the founda- tional Association of Manufacturers. It is, as the Senator from Ohio just men- tion for this legislation, particularly also includes labor groups, like the tioned, based off of the two very bipar- with regards to our roads and our AFL–CIO Building Trades Council, the tisan, unanimously bipartisan, EPW in- bridges. International Brotherhood of Team- frastructure bills that we passed in the I want to thank my other colleagues sters, the Laborers International Union in the so-called G–22, who helped in the spring. of North America. This historic investment reflects our 22 different working groups that were It also includes supporters from all commitment to keeping America safe, formed to help put this legislation to- levels of government, including the Na- improving our global competitiveness, gether: RICHARD BURR, LINDSEY GRA- tional League of Cities; the U.S. Con- and growing our economy. So I am HAM, MIKE ROUNDS, THOM TILLIS, TODD ference of Mayors, who endorsed it; the going to go through a few of the high- YOUNG, JERRY MORAN, CHRIS COONS, National Governors Association. lights because I think they are impor- MAGGIE HASSAN, JOHN HICKENLOOPER, It includes more than 30 agricultural tant for the American people to know MARK KELLY, ANGUS KING, JACKY groups, including the American Farm exactly what this bill does. ROSEN—11 Democrats and 11 Repub- Bureau. It provides $303.5 billion over 5 years licans. These organizations, and so many for Federal highway programs—a 35- And then to my colleagues who voted others like them, have been critical to percent increase from the last bill. with us repeatedly to advance this bill encouraging Members of the Senate to There is a new $2 billion rural surface toward final passage and helped us to do the right thing. transportation grant that will dedicate get to this point by giving us good And, finally, I want to, again, thank resources to the Appalachian Develop- input that was incorporated in the leg- my staff and the staffs of all the Mem- ment Highway System that runs islation—MIKE CRAPO, ROY BLUNT, bers who worked for months to get this through many of our States and other CHUCK GRASSLEY, JOHN HOEVEN, JIM bill to the finish line. We would not be critical projects across rural America. RISCH, DEB FISCHER, ROGER WICKER, here without them. There is no ques- Combined, the overall package in- JOHN CORNYN, DAN SULLIVAN—thank tion about that. cludes $40 billion in dedicated re- you for your input, your encourage- On a personal staff level, I want to sources for bridges—the single largest ment, and your support. thank Kevin Smith, Sarah Peery, investment in bridge infrastructure I want to give a particular thank you Avery Pierson, Anne Gordon, Mike construction of the Interstate System. to my friend and colleague our Repub- Sinacore, Lydia Denis, Adeline Ewing, I am from a small State. I got a lot lican leader, Senator MITCH MCCON- Connor Rabb, Connor Hinson, Kalyn of bridges. I got a lot of bridges, and, NELL. I want to thank him for his en- Swihart, Matt Lloyd, and our entire unfortunately, a lot of them are not in couragement and his support through- comms team: Angie Youngen and Nate the best condition. This would be a out this process, for sticking his neck Dehmlow, Stephanie Mertz, and Chris monumental improvement in what I out. I know he is probably the only per- Mitchell. see every day in my State. son who is as happy as I am in this On my Homeland and Security Gov- The bill authorizes $35 billion for Chamber to see us move forward with ernmental Affairs staff, I want to water projects across the country, with this legislation that will help us find a thank Pam Thiessen, Amanda Neely, a focus on upgrading aging infrastruc- long-term solution to a major bridge, Sam Mulopulos, Cara Mumford, Trey ture. This is a bill that we passed out the Brent Spence Bridge that links our Hicks, Liam McKenna, Jeff Post, and of our EPW Committee. home State of Ohio and Kentucky. Emily Benavides. It invests in innovative technologies I want to thank the committee Again, we wouldn’t be standing here and provides assistance to rural and staffs, who did so much to lay the and about to have this vote without low-income communities to help them groundwork for this legislation. About them working their hearts out, staying keep their water safe and clean. 73 percent of the pages in this final late, getting in early, and ensuring This package represents the largest 2,700-page legislation are legislation that every single part of this bill has investment in clean drinking water in

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.011 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE August 10, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6201 our Nation’s history. That is some- yard line. Maybe not so quite, but I got So thank you, both, very, very much. thing that I think we all can be proud the ball rolling, and I got it moving in It is time to bring this bill home and of. the right direction, and then they did do the work that the American people There is funding for broadband—es- the tough sledding ahead, and I thank expect us to do, which is to find bipar- sential to this 21st-century economy— them for that. tisan, consensus-driven solutions to education, tourism, healthcare, and all I would also like to thank my coun- our Nation’s pressing challenges. And of the things we have realized that terpart, Chairman CARPER. He has been this is a pressing challenge. broadband brings us and how impor- great in managing this bill on the floor Again, I urge a vote of yes on this tant it is for each family and each busi- but also to keep the guardrails on that historic bipartisan bill that will im- ness to have it; ports, airports, locks we established to make sure that the prove our core infrastructure. and dams. Funding for the Corps of En- group—the bipartisan group—was fol- If we pass this important legislation, gineers will improve our water re- lowing along with what the committee I hope that the House will move swift- sources infrastructure, facilitating the had unanimously passed and how we ly—and as a former Member of the movement of goods and mitigating felt would be the most effective way to House, as we all are, the House can flood risks. invest in our infrastructures for the fu- move swiftly when they need to—and Reauthorization of the AML Program ture. get this bill to the President’s desk will provide billions of dollars to clean I would like to thank my entire EPW quickly. up abandoned mine sites. It is impor- Committee team, starting with my I yield the floor. tant in our State. Pennsylvania has got staff director, Adam, who has been The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- a lot of them too. with me for many, many years. What ator from Delaware. We are fighting against climate you don’t know, and what I know, is Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, Senator change, and we are cleaning up our en- that Adam was back in the back with CAPITO has been very, very gracious in vironment. Mary Frances, and they were the traf- her thanks and praise, and it is now her This legislation doesn’t just invest in fic cops through the whole amendment turn to be on the receiving end. our infrastructure, but it will allow process, working with the committees, We have all heard of the Gang of 20 or projects to move more quickly. Far too the different five committees; Repub- the Gang of 22—the Group of 20 or 22— often, infrastructure projects are de- lican, Democrat; leadership, leader- but before there was a gang or a group layed because of the expensive and ar- ship; all of the different individual of 22, there was a gang of 1—the Sen- duous environmental review and per- Members. ator from West Virginia, my native mitting process. So I am going to give Adam 1 day off, State. An environmental impact statement and then I think he will be right back She joined in with the President and under the NEPA Act for highway at it. But he is really irreplaceable to the President’s team to really get the projects takes an average of 7 years. our committee but also to this whole ball rolling and sort of took the hand Think about how long that is and how process. off from what we had done working much more money that costs. And also in the Chamber with us with the administration, meeting with The highway bill unanimously ap- today, Lauren Baker and Murphie Bar- the administration, meeting with the proved by our EPW Committee in- rett have many, many hours of just in- President. cludes numerous project delivery pro- credible depth of knowledge in this But with the President, after our visions to provide a more efficient, pre- area. We couldn’t have done it without meeting, they decided to engage. They dictable process. you. decided to engage with the Senator. Notably, it codifies ‘‘One Federal De- I am going to name the rest of my And, eventually, to use a football cision.’’ One Federal Decision for high- staff who is not here with us: Libby analogy here, she might not have got- way projects would establish a 2-year Callaway, Georgianna Clemmons, who I ten the ball into the end zone, but I say goal for completing environmental re- announced has still not had her baby— to the Senator, you certainly got it views. This isn’t skirting the environ- I announced it last I time mentioned into the red zone, and we are grateful mental process. This isn’t running her; she is still waiting—Marli Collier, for all of your work, and, really, your roughshod over it. This is putting a Travis Cone, Sarah Delavan, Will good humor and good treatment when time clock on it. Let’s move it. Dixon, Elizabeth Horner, Max Hyman, things were tough. It requires predictable schedules co- Tyler Jenkins, Jess Kramer, Jake Ken- Sitting right here on my left is Mary ordinated by Agencies and requires a nedy, Matt Lupes, Kayla McMurry, Frances Repko, the staff director of single environmental document with Taylor Meredith, Jacob Mitchell, our EPW Committee on the Demo- concurrent reviews, providing account- Kelley Moore, Katherine Smith, Travis cratic side. And she is joined today, I ability and transparency. Voyles, and Andy Zock for their tire- think, on the floor by John Kane, by The EPW bill that we passed makes less efforts that have helped advance Mackie McIntosh, and by Tyler Hoff- other commonsense reforms, like al- our committee’s infrastructure legisla- man. And we have Adam over here sit- lowing States to be reimbursed for tion. ting next to the ranking member— early utility relocation necessary for a On my personal team, I would like to Adam. project while the process is ongoing. thank my chief of staff, Joe Brubaker I have gone before through the names Additional provisions in the broader and J.T. Jezierski for their leadership. of your staff, but I will just say you all legislation will extend the FAST–41 I really want to thank Senator CAR- are back here, and we are grateful for permitting reforms, with which Sen- PER’s EPW staff, especially Mary the great support and work that you ator PORTMAN is very, very instru- Frances Repko, who is on the floor have done, each one of you. mental, to help us build other types of with the Senator today, but also Re- I would be remiss if I didn’t thank— infrastructure more efficiently. becca Higgins, John Kane, Greg you don’t get to be floor managers The reforms and investments this bill Dotson, Laura Gilliam, Heather Dan, without somebody in the leadership makes aren’t just for now but for the Mackie McIntosh, Annie D’Amato, saying: Well, we would like you to be next generation. Kenneth Martin, and Tyler Hoffman- floor managers. So to Senator SCHUMER We have had a very lengthy and ro- Reardon for their dedication to this and Senator MCCONNELL, thank you for bust debate on the Senate floor. I process as well. putting your confidence and trust in would like to thank Senators PORTMAN I will say, under Mary Frances’s lead- Senator CAPITO and me. and SINEMA; Senator COLLINS, who is ership and Adam’s leadership on my To the floor staff, the folks who work on the floor; Senator PORTMAN, Sen- committee, I think they have dem- for the leaders, thank you very much ator SINEMA, all of the group of 20. If I onstrated to many committees, and for keeping us on the straight and level start naming them, I am going to leave certainly to us as the chairman and and heading in the right direction. somebody out. But, particularly, Sen- ranking member, that you can have ROB PORTMAN is still here on the ators PORTMAN and SINEMA picked up conversations, communications, and floor. I don’t see KYRSTEN SINEMA. ROB the ball where I left it. You know, I you can work things out. You can work is here. ROB, Senator PORTMAN, suc- would like to think I got it to the 5- things out if you just stick with it. ceeds George Voinovich. He was a dear

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.013 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S6202 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 10, 2021 friend as Governor. We were Governors That bill targets the most impover- the moment for our Nation. And on together and Senators together. I miss ished communities across America to this day, leaders in this body from George every day, but you have more help them meet their drinking and across the political spectrum have than filled his shoes, my friend, and I wastewater treatment needs. come together in shared purpose, in salute you for your leadership. I am proud—we are proud—of the common cause, and commitment to KYRSTEN SINEMA is relatively new work that our committee has done, find a way forward. here, but she has really, really im- made possible by the partnership that I want to close with the thought that pressed a lot of people, taken the bull we enjoy. I think of the work that we there is a lot of bridge money in here, by the horns, never gave up, just did—I think of it as laying the founda- a lot of money to fix bridges all over: wouldn’t give up. And because of her tion. Clean drinking water, wastewater West Virginia, Delaware, Ohio, Maine. efforts and the partnership she has sanitation, roads, highways, bridges, You name it. There is a lot of troubled with Senator PORTMAN, we are here climate really are the foundation on water in our country, troubled water. today. which this package was built. And I would like to think, with this I quoted a couple of times during de- And we tried to provide an example legislation, crafted together across the bate the words of Winston Churchill. to the rest of the Senate and the other aisle, bipartisan, with the administra- Winston Churchill, when he was committees of jurisdiction, and I like tion, we have created a bridge over thrown out of office at the end of World to think that maybe we did that. troubled waters. Think about that: a War II, was asked as he left 10 Downing Leadership is all about leading, and bridge over troubled waters—and right Street: Is this the end? the President sought and encouraged at a time when we really needed one. He replied, famously: This is not the us to try to lead earlier this year, and And we could use a few more as we go end. This is not the beginning of the I think we have met that request and along. end. This is the end of the beginning. then some. I want to thank him. He Sometimes when I travel people ask The end of the beginning. And so it is didn’t give up either. And he has been me—they say: What do you do? What here with us today. negotiating with Senator CAPITO and do you do anyway? We are nearing the end of a debate negotiating with the team, the gang of They don’t know what I do, on the and the final vote on the Infrastructure 22. He never gave up. A lot of people airplane or whatever. I say: I help peo- Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. And said this was a fool’s errand. He never ple. before we take a vote on the adoption gave up. I am proud of him and the They say: How do you help them? of this measure, I just want to take a leadership that he has provided. I think the best way we can help peo- moment to reflect briefly on how this The bill that is before this body ple is help them find a job, have a job bipartisan infrastructure bill came to today builds on the strong bipartisan where they can support themselves and be. work of our committee, Environment their families. We can help make sure Senator CAPITO has already referred and Public Works, as well as the good that they have clean water to drink. to this, but I wanted to reinforce it. In work done by our colleagues on other We can help make sure they have clean February of this year, at my encour- air to breathe. agement, President Biden invited Sen- committees—the Commerce Com- mittee and the Energy and Natural Re- Those are ways that we are helping ator CAPITO, Senator CARDIN, Senator sources Committee among them. My people with this legislation—big time, INHOFE, and me—all senior members of big time—and we will be doing it for a the Environment and Public Works appreciation to all who worked so tire- long time. Committee—to the White House to dis- lessly on this Herculean undertaking. Colleagues, on this day, we can vote cuss the need to make bold investment Now, let me be clear. This legislation to make a downpayment on a brighter in our Nation’s crumbling infrastruc- isn’t perfect. It has been said before. future for our country. I want to ask ture. He asked us, the Environment You will hear that again. I have never you to join me in seizing the day in and Public Works Committee, to lead written a bill that was perfect, and this voting to advance this legislation to- the effort to address that need; to get certainly, even though we had a fair gether. On this day, let us seize the to work in our committee by crafting hand in writing a lot of it, is not per- day. Carpe diem. Carpe diem. and reporting to the full Senate, to fect. In spite of making real progress, I yield the floor. this body, surface transportation legis- it doesn’t go as far as we would like to lation—roads, highways, bridges—as go in advancing equity, the way we RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER well as drinking water and water sani- treat other people—the Golden Rule, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- tation infrastructure, climate change treating other people the way we want jority leader is recognized. legislation by springtime. That was the to be treated—in tackling the existen- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first request. tial crisis of our time, and that is cli- let me, before I begin, thank Senators In the weeks that followed, working mate change. CARPER and CAPITO for managing this together with all 22 members—20 mem- There is much more work to do on bill and doing it in such a fine way— bers, rather, of the Environment and these issues—issues that, in my mind, and their staffs as well. Public Works Committee, that is ex- we have a moral obligation to address. Now, Mr. President, it has been a actly what we did—10 Democrats, 10 So rest assured I will be joining my long and winding road, but we have Republicans working together. In May, colleagues in fighting for progress on persisted, and now we have arrived. we reported out of our committee a 5- these fronts in the days and weeks There were many logs in our path, de- year transportation bill with a unani- ahead. tours along the way, but the American mous bipartisan vote of 20 to 0. But let’s not make the perfect the people will now see the most robust in- By more than a third, we increased enemy of the good. And make no mis- jection of funds into infrastructure in investments in our roads, our high- take, the bill before us does a whole lot decades. ways, and our bridges, with a historic of good. It is the largest long-term in- In a few moments, the Senate will climate title to help address the most vestment in our Nation’s infrastruc- pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, serious challenge facing our planet, ture in almost a century—almost a dedicating over a trillion dollars to and that is the threat of global warm- century—and the largest Federal in- strengthen every major category of our ing. vestment in history when it comes to country’s physical infrastructure. It That Transportation bill is at the public transit, clean energy trans- has been a long time in coming. Our core of the legislation we consider mission, climate resiliency, clean economy is No. 1 in the world, but in- today, along with the drinking water drinking water, and wastewater infra- frastructure ranks No. 13. You will find and wastewater infrastructure legisla- structure. better roads, bridges, airports, and tion that was also reported unani- Now, on this day, the American peo- broadband in the United Arab Emirates mously out of the Committee on Envi- ple are looking for us to strengthen our than in the United States of America. ronment and Public Works earlier this economy and support our communities Today, the Senate takes a decades- year and passed by the full Senate and build for our future. On this day, overdue step to revitalize America’s in- right here, earlier this year, by an 89- we have a President dedicated to mov- frastructure and give our workers, our to-2 vote. ing past partisan divides and meeting businesses, and our economy the tools

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 Aug 12, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G10AU6.016 S10AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE August 10, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6203 to succeed in the 21st century. The bill ing families—middle-class families— Cassidy Kelly Romney Collins King Rosen will make large and significant dif- cope and on climate will restore that Coons Klobuchar Sanders ferences in both productivity and job bright, sunny optimism that has been Cortez Masto Leahy Schatz creation in America for decades to part of this American psyche for cen- Cramer Luja´ n Schumer come. turies. Crapo Manchin Shaheen Duckworth Markey Sinema To my colleagues, particularly the At its core, what we want to do is Durbin McConnell Smith group of 10, then 11, then 22 who this: We want to cut taxes for families. Feinstein Menendez Stabenow worked so hard in a bipartisan way, We want to create millions of jobs Fischer Merkley Sullivan congratulations. Congratulations on a Gillibrand Murkowski Tester while tackling the climate crisis, and Graham Murphy Tillis job well done. Thank you to our com- we want to pay for it by making cor- Grassley Murray Van Hollen mittee chairs and ranking members porations and the wealthy finally pay Hassan Ossoff Warner whose expertise was required at several their fair share. Heinrich Padilla Warnock Hickenlooper Peters Warren stages. And to the staff who sacrificed After we pass the bipartisan infra- Hirono Portman Whitehouse weekends, family gatherings, and most structure bill this morning, Senators Hoeven Reed Wicker often sleep in order to finish this bill, should expect to vote to proceed to the Kaine Risch Wyden thank you. budget resolution, and we will begin NAYS—30 Thank you to President Biden and the process for debating amendments Barrasso Hawley Paul his team at the White House. President shortly thereafter. Blackburn Hyde-Smith Rubio Biden has been in office for only 7 Democrats are prepared to move Boozman Inhofe Sasse months, and already the Senate is Braun Johnson Scott (FL) quickly and decisively through the Cornyn Kennedy Scott (SC) about to pass the first major infra- amendment process so we can finish Cotton Lankford Shelby structure package in over a decade, on what we set out to do before the end of Cruz Lee Thune a bipartisan basis, with his complete Daines Lummis Toomey the work period. The longer it takes to Ernst Marshall Tuberville and total involvement. finish, the longer the Senate will be in Hagerty Moran Young Throughout the process, I have tried session. NOT VOTING—1 to prod the negotiators along when At the start of July, I set two ambi- they have needed it and given them tious goals for this Chamber before our Rounds space when they have asked for it. At August recess. One was to pass a bipar- The bill (H.R. 3684), as amended, was times, it took a deadline to kick nego- tisan infrastructure bill to boost our passed. tiations into high gear; other times it economy, something the Senate has The VICE PRESIDENT. The majority required a few extra days to allow com- not achieved in many years, and this is leader. promise to gel. But when the Senate is a strong and bold accomplishment. The Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, run with an open hand rather than a second was to pass a budget resolution once again, congratulations to all of closed fist, Senators can accomplish with the kinds of transformative those who worked so hard on this very big things. changes I have mentioned. Pundits significant and very important bill, So despite this long road we have called it wishful thinking in a Chamber and now we proceed to the second taken, we have finally, finally reached known for unhurried deliberation. track. the finish line. Well, we are moments away from Of course, we Democrats believe we f achieving the first goal, and I am con- need to do much more. The bipartisan fident that very soon the Senate will infrastructure bill is a very significant SETTING FORTH THE CONGRES- take the first major step toward bill, but our country has other very SIONAL BUDGET FOR THE achieving our second goal. The Senate significant, very important challenges. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT is on track to finish both tracks and Working families need help. Small FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND SET- deliver an outstanding result for the businesses need a leg up. Climate TING FORTH THE APPROPRIATE American people. change threatens the future of our BUDGETARY LEVELS FOR FIS- planet. Our Tax Code needs to be VOTE ON H.R. 3684 CAL YEARS 2023 THROUGH 2031— straightened out. Other parts of our in- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Motion to Proceed frastructure not addressed in this bi- PADILLA). Under the previous order, all Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I partisan bill still need focus, attention, postcloture time is expired. move to proceed to Calendar No. 122, S. and help. The amendments were ordered to be Con. Res. 14, the concurrent resolution So to my colleagues who are con- engrossed and the bill to be read a on the budget. third time. cerned that this does not do enough on Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 122, S. climate, for families, and making cor- The bill was read the third time. Con. Res. 14, a concurrent resolution setting porations and the rich pay their fair The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill forth the congressional budget for the United share, we are moving on to a second having been read the third time, the States Government for fiscal year 2022 and track, which will make generational question is, Shall the bill, as amended, setting forth the appropriate budgetary lev- transformation in these areas. pass? els for fiscal years 2023 through 2031. Once this bill is complete, the Senate Mr. SCHUMER. I ask for the yeas VOTE ON MOTION TO PROCEED will immediately turn to the second and nays. Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I track in our two-track strategy, pass- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a ask for the yeas and nays. ing a budget resolution that will sufficient second? The VICE PRESIDENT. Is there a unlock historic investments in Amer- There appears to be a sufficient sec- sufficient second? ican jobs, American families, and the ond. There is a sufficient second. fight against climate change. The two- The clerk will call the roll. The clerk will call the roll. track strategy is proceeding full steam The senior assistant legislative clerk The senior assistant legislative clerk ahead. called the roll. called the roll. At its core, the Democratic budget— Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is (Mr. PADILLA assumed the Chair.) both parts—is about restoring the mid- necessarily absent: the Senator from Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is dle class in the 21st century and giving South Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). necessarily absent: the Senator from more Americans the opportunity to get The result was announced—yeas 69, South Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). there. Too many in the middle class nays 30, as follows: The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 50, are worried about their future. The [Rollcall Vote No. 314 Leg.] nays 49, as follows: sunny American optimism has turned YEAS—69 [Rollcall Vote No. 315 Leg.] into a sourness, an anger, a divisive- YEAS—50 ness in the land. Baldwin Booker Capito Bennet Brown Cardin Baldwin Booker Cardin Bold, transformative action on both Blumenthal Burr Carper Bennet Brown Carper traditional infrastructure and on help- Blunt Cantwell Casey Blumenthal Cantwell Casey

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