June 8, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3971 in our national defense, which could The PRESIDING OFFICER. Also on the board of Denver’s highest per- have very serious consequences for our without objection, it is so ordered. forming charter school, the School of national security. NOMINATION OF REGINA M. RODRIGUEZ Science and Technology in my old dis- Less than 3 years ago, the bipartisan Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I want- trict. Somehow, she finds time to men- National Defense Strategy Commission ed to come to the floor today to share tor young lawyers from underrep- released a report warning—warning— a few words about Regina Rodriguez, resented communities. that our readiness had eroded to the President Biden’s nominee for the U.S. The evidence is overwhelming: Re- point where we might struggle to win District Court for the District of Colo- gina Rodriguez is an exceptional nomi- the war against a major power like rado. Gina’s nomination comes to this nee with a distinguished career and Russia or China. And while we have floor with broad, well-earned support commitment to service. She has blazed made some real progress since then, we across the State of Colorado. My office trails in Colorado and in Colorado law still have a lot of work to do to ensure has received a flood of letters on her through the sheer force of her intellect, that our military is prepared to defend behalf. All of them testify to her char- hard work, and character. Regina and our Nation and meet the threats of the acter, her hard work, and her commit- her family are what we mean when we 21st century. The Biden budget would ment to service, justice, and the rule of send us right back to the situation that come to this floor and talk about the law. American dream. we faced 3 years ago. She learned all of it from her family. I guess it is not surprising that a She has my full and enthusiastic sup- Her mom’s family knew injustice first- budget that fails to be serious about port, and I want to thank my col- hand. During the Second World War, fiscal realities would fail to be serious leagues on the Judiciary Committee about national security realities, but it they were relocated from California to for advancing her nomination with is deeply concerning that the President the Heart Mountain internment site in overwhelming, bipartisan support. doesn’t seem to understand the impor- Wyoming, joining over 10,000 people They saw what Colorado already tance of investing in our national de- whose loyalty was questioned by the knows, which is what an exceptional fense. U.S. Government based solely on their judge Gina would make, and I whole- President Biden has made the prior- Japanese ancestry. heartedly agree. I urge my colleagues ities of liberal interest groups the top Her mother Linda went on to become to come together and confirm this out- priorities for his administration— a teacher and administrator in the standing nominee in a big bipartisan whether that is canceling the Keystone Denver public schools, my old school vote. district. Her father Peter was a Mexi- XL’s good-paying jobs and economic With that, I yield the floor. growth to please the environmental can American who went from living in I suggest the absence of a quorum. left or overturning the Mexico City a railroad boxcar on the South Side of policy so that taxpayer dollars can go Chicago to earning a nomination for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The to fund abortions overseas. the NFL Hall of Fame. clerk will call the roll. On the question of abortion, Presi- Education and hard work trans- The legislative clerk proceeded to dent Biden’s budget abandons decades formed her parents’ lives, and Regina call the roll. of bipartisan compromise and elimi- has always sought to live up to their Ms. SMITH. Mr. President, I ask nates the Hyde amendment, which pro- example. Gina grew up in Gunnison, unanimous consent that the order for tects taxpayers from having their tax CO, but her family moved around the the quorum call be rescinded. dollars used to fund abortions here at country because her dad coached foot- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without home. You would think that if we can’t ball. She graduated with honors from objection, it is so ordered. agree that the human rights of unborn the University of Iowa, which I know is children should be protected, we should not the only reason Chairman GRASS- Under the previous order, the ques- at least agree that a taxpayer LEY supported her nomination but tion is, Will the Senate advise and con- shouldn’t be forced to pay for the kill- probably was an important one, and sent to the Neals nomination? ing of unborn children. then returned home to earn a J.D. from Mr. CRAPO. I ask for the yeas and Almost 60 percent of Americans op- the University of Colorado Law School. nays. pose using taxpayer dollars to pay for After starting at a private firm in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a abortions, but President Biden has Denver, Gina joined the U.S. Attor- sufficient second? made it clear that his allegiance to the ney’s Office. The Department of Jus- There appears to be a sufficient sec- radical abortion left trumps the opin- tice noticed her talent, and she went to ond. ions of the American people. So his work for the Attorney General on al- The clerk will call the roll. budget eliminates the Hyde amend- ternative dispute resolution—a new ap- The legislative clerk called the roll. ment and imposes a number of other proach at the time meant to avoid pro-abortion measures, like additional lengthy trials through arbitration and Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the government funding access for the Na- mediation. She helped to mainstream Senator from Vermont (Mr. SANDERS) tion’s largest abortion provider, the approach for all U.S. attorneys, is necessarily absent. Planned Parenthood. saving the government countless hours The result was announced—yeas 66, The Biden budget might be good news and taxpayers’ countless dollars over nays 33, as follows: for liberal interest groups, but it is bad the years. [Rollcall Vote No. 220 Ex.] news for the American people and bad Gina’s leadership in Washington YEAS—66 news for our country. I hope that my earned her a promotion back in Den- Democratic colleagues will think twice Baldwin Grassley Peters ver, where she rose to become Chief of Bennet Hassan Portman before forcing this massive government the Civil Division in the U.S. Attor- expansion onto the American people. Blumenthal Heinrich Reed ney’s Office. She was the first Latina Booker Hickenlooper Rosen I yield the floor. to hold that position and quickly de- Brown Hirono Rounds I suggest the absence of a quorum. Burr Hyde-Smith Schatz The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- veloped a stellar reputation among col- Cantwell Kaine Schumer pore. The clerk will call the roll. leagues and judges. Capito Kelly Shaheen The senior assistant legislative clerk Today, she is one of the most re- Cardin Kennedy Sinema spected trial lawyers in Colorado and Carper King Smith proceeded to call the roll. Casey Klobuchar Stabenow Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask has received reward after reward for Collins Leahy Tester unanimous consent that the order for her work. Coons Luja´ n Tillis Her commitment to the community Cornyn Manchin Toomey the quorum call be rescinded. Cortez Masto Markey Van Hollen The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. has been just as impressive. She is a Duckworth Menendez Warner PADILLA). Without objection, it is so founding board member of Colorado Durbin Merkley Warnock ordered. Youth at Risk, a nonprofit that helps Ernst Murkowski Warren Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I ask kids stay on the right track. She Feinstein Murphy Whitehouse Fischer Murray Wicker unanimous consent to complete my re- served as one of Colorado’s higher edu- Gillibrand Ossoff Wyden marks. cation commissioners and still serves Graham Padilla Young VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 Jun 09, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G08JN6.006 S08JNPT1 ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with SENATE S3972 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 8, 2021 NAYS—33 Rounds Sinema Warner lation: Senators CORNYN, BENNET, Rubio Smith Warnock Barrasso Hagerty Paul Sanders Stabenow Warren BURR, GILLIBRAND, BLUNT, HEINRICH, Blackburn Hawley Risch Schatz Tester Whitehouse SASSE, FEINSTEIN, COTTON, KING, RISCH, Blunt Hoeven Romney Schumer Tillis Wicker Boozman Inhofe Rubio DURBIN, SCOTT, MENENDEZ, Scott (SC) Toomey Wyden Braun Johnson Sasse BLUMENTHAL, and HASSAN. I mentioned Shaheen Van Hollen Young Cassidy Lankford Scott (FL) those cosponsors to show the breadth Cotton Lee Scott (SC) NAYS—28 of concern in the Senate about these Cramer Lummis Shelby Barrasso Hagerty Paul Crapo Marshall Sullivan injured employees. Blackburn Hawley Cruz McConnell Thune Risch For several years, American per- Blunt Inhofe Daines Moran Tuberville Sasse sonnel serving our country in Cuba, Boozman Johnson Scott (FL) NOT VOTING—1 Braun Lankford Shelby China, and elsewhere have experienced Cassidy Lee Sanders Sullivan unexplained, serious medical harm, in- Cotton Lummis Thune cluding, in some cases, permanent The nomination was confirmed. Crapo Marshall Tuberville Cruz McConnell brain injuries. Their conditions are be- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Daines Moran lieved to be the consequence of a mys- ´ LUJAN). Under the previous order, the terious, directed energy weapon used motion to reconsider is considered The PRESIDING OFFICER. The yeas are 72, the nays are 28. by an adversary. made and laid upon the table, and the As we investigate the source of pre- President will be immediately notified The motion is agreed to.