Marsha Blackburn

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, the time has come to once again bid farewell to another one of Team Blackburn's esteemed fellows. Over the past year, we have had the privilege of working with Capt. Edward Pritchard, who came to us from the U.S. Marine Corps to serve as our first Department of Defense fellow. It was a strange year to be a fellow here in the Senate, but Ed rose to the occasion and impressed us. He impressed every one of us with his work ethic, humor, and his singular commitment to maintaining the strength and integrity of the U.S. military. It has truly been an honor having Ed on our team, and I think I speak for each and every one of us when I say we will miss him. Captain Pritchard, I thank you for your service to Tennessee and to this great Nation and wish you all the best as you head across the river to the Pentagon to start the next exciting chapter in your already distinguished career.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, on Tuesday, at 3 in the morning, the people at Instagram published a blog post describing another laundry list of product updates they claim will make their platform less toxic for children and teens. And I am sure they thought that the dead of night was the right time to make this announcement, and I don't blame them. If I wanted to pass off something and just give a little lip service and a little deflection and make it look like some type of meaningful reform, I might try a 3 a.m. news dump also. Because what they did was to put up changes on how to handle things on their site with drug use and self-harm and violence and eating disorders and low self-esteem and human trafficking and bullying. What they told us is they know there is violence and adverse content on their site. And, yesterday, at the hearing at our Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the Commerce Committee, Senator Blumenthal and I made it fairly clear to our friends from the Silicon Valley that they cannot escape accountability for what is happening on their site--not from Congress and not from the American people. I am talking about the moms, the dads, the teachers, the pediatricians, who approach me every single day that I am in Tennessee. They are worried about their kids, and the concern is not the product of generational differences. When they were growing up, drugs and eating disorders and bullying were problems, but--you know what, Mr. President--they weren't inescapable. Now these horrible things follow our children every minute of every day, all courtesy of Big Tech. So, yes, when a company like Instagram claims that they are going to do more to support parents and to keep kids safe, Tennesseans listen, but they don't take their word for it. They test it out. They look for evidence of accountability. And with all of these updates that they posted, they didn't give us transparency. They didn't give a timeline for when they are going to be implemented. Basically, they said: We know this is a problem, and we will get around to fixing it at some point in the future. They are still not making changes. I do want to thank Chairman Blumenthal and other members of the subcommittee for staying focused on this issue. This time around, we had Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on the witness stand, and it really was perfect timing. You know, yesterday's hearing was the fifth time this year that the subcommittee has met to discuss what Congress and Big Tech should do to protect our precious children online. It was the fourth time I have personally spoken to someone from Meta, as they now call themselves, which is Instagram's parent. And by this point, I felt like maybe they would come forward with something concrete for us: This is how we are going to get things done. But, no, nothing changes. This week, my staff put themselves through yet another deep dive into the dark corners of Instagram and confirmed that there has been no crackdown on dangerous content, as Instagram has previously claimed. We searched for posts that glorified eating disorders and drug use, and it took them about 30 seconds to find those posts glorifying drug use and eating disorders. And they are not nearly as good at this as the 14- and 15-year-olds who are on this platform are at finding this content. If they can find this content given half a minute and a decent internet connection, then why can't Instagram find this? Why do they continue to deny that it is there? One of the things that shocked me the most with Mr. Mosseri's testimony was his refusal to admit that this content is still pervasive. He was absolutely sure that we were hitting him with anecdotal evidence, and he said as much. But it wasn't just me finding this terrible content on the platform; it was everyone on our committee, Democrat and Republican. There was agreement. We all came to the table with evidence of what we had found online. I will still stipulate that we all share the same goal of protecting our children and teens online, but nothing has made me question that more than watching executive after executive from platform after platform deny the existence of these problems. The time for talking through these problems is over. The people who work for Big Tech at Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Google are all aware of this problem. They don't need congressional hearings to tell them that there are platforms--their platforms--that are hotbeds for trafficking, drug use, bullying, and the glorification of eating disorders. They don't need me to come to the dais with evidence that their current protections don't work and that more of the same won't magically turn the tide. They know it, and we know that they know it. And their knowledge, it hasn't changed a single thing about their business model. Fortunately, we have bipartisan momentum to put some guardrails back on these companies. We are working on children's privacy, data security, and Section 230 reforms. We are also working on a national consumer privacy bill and kids' specific policies to keep minors safe online. No more half measures; no more empty promises. I have been working in tech policy for quite a while now, and I watched companies like Instagram grow from these tiny, great ideas and startups into multibillion-dollar corporations, the largest in our country. Their platforms are integrated into our lives, our culture, our politics. They are upstream from everything. Unfortunately, they are also places where teens can go to buy drugs, bully their classmates, find human traffickers, sex traffickers, and where girls waste away. If anyone deserves an explanation from Big Tech, it is the children and teens and their parents who are suffering because of these companies. I invite my colleagues to join me in holding these companies accountable. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, yesterday, in a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell finally confirmed what we have all known for a long time; that the threat of persistently higher inflation has grown and that the risk of more persistent inflation has risen. He acknowledged to the committee that use of the word ``transitory'' in the media has caused confusion and that it is probably a good time to retire that word and try to explain more clearly what is actually happening with the economy. Now, that is bad news for the spin doctors over in the Biden administration who have spent months trying to convince Tennesseans and the American people that we will be out of the woods any day now, that this is all coming to a fast end. It is back to the drawing board for the White House comms shop. They cannot split hairs over vocabulary words pertaining to inflation. The inflation that we are seeing is real; it is felt; and the consequences of ignoring this are very real. Of course, Tennesseans could have told Washington, DC, this long ago. Out in the real world, they have been dealing with the cost of inflation. Contrary to what the White House would have you believe, inflation isn't just a problem for the rich, and it certainly won't fade into the background after the holidays. I have spoken at length about how inflation has affected Tennessee families and their budgets. Just a few weeks ago, I used the price hike on your average Thanksgiving dinner as an example of how a dollar here and a dollar there can add up to a massive grocery bill that we wouldn't have thought possible even a year ago. But when I tell you that Tennesseans are worried about inflation, I don't want you to think they are only worried about the little extras. It is a helpful visualization, but it is a serious issue. This isn't about the price of turkey. This is about an out-of-control administration pursuing an agenda that has forced families to choose between food and fuel. This is beyond out of touch. It is intentional, reckless activism that started the very moment that President Biden walked into the Oval Office, sat down at the desk, pulled out a pen, and started to sign Executive orders, beginning with killing the Keystone Pipeline. If we forgot everything we know about the modern Democratic Party, it would be easy to write off the administration's pursuit of big spending packages as politics as usual, but we know and have known for a long time, actually, that the Democrats in power view the next few years as an opportunity to tear down what we have and rebuild this country in their own socialist image. That is right. Radically transforming the country, that has been their goal for more than a decade. Now, this is not just bad economic policy; it is a full-blown power grab. How else could you possibly explain the administration's commitment to the idea that we can spend our way out of this current crisis in spite of the mountains of evidence there to the contrary? How else can you explain their decision to respond to collapsing supply chains with a vaccine mandate that we knew was going to make these bottlenecks worse? It only makes sense if you abandon the assumption of good faith, and that is truly a disheartening revelation. The American people are vulnerable, and they are angrier than I have ever seen them become. They are angry because this administration's motivation for pursuing these reckless policies is coming into focus. As a Tennessean told me yesterday, ``I supported President Biden. I thought he was going to be a moderate, and I feel like he became something else immediately.'' The people know with absolute certainty that their President and his allies in Congress are taking advantage to force us down a path that the people have consistently rejected. This is not what they want. They feel like they have lost control of the country, and they have no faith that the leaders of the Democratic Party here in Washington, DC, have their best interests at heart. The American people deserve better than this. This is not what they voted for. This is not what they wanted to see. The White House and congressional Democrats must abandon this disastrous Build Back Broke agenda before the possibility of true recovery slips away from us and before the American people lose all faith in those who asked for and then squandered the privilege of leading this country. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I imagine many of us in this Chamber had a wonderful week talking with Tennesseans--with our constituents. In Tennessee, I will tell you this: We had a fabulous week. And everywhere I went, whether it was the grocery store or somewhere with the grandchildren, I was hearing from people about the issues that are in front of us, and they are really curious to see what is going to end up happening as we take up issues here in DC. And I talked with a lot of our county mayors, who are quite concerned about what is happening with the American Recovery Act funding and how they are going to be able to use that funding. They are very concerned about the infrastructure bill, and, you know, they were really a little bit surprised to find out that so little of the bill actually goes to infrastructure. I think they were really disappointed in that because what they are interested in is money for roads and bridges and highways and ports and broadband, and were really disappointed in the emphasis in the bill on mass transit. So what we have realized is that they have a lot of questions. They look around and they say: Well, in Washington, you have got a lot of spinning wheels going on and not a lot of forward motion. And I have to agree because, in Washington, it does appear that the President and many of my Democrat colleagues are spinning their wheels in the same rut that they were stuck in before the holiday, proving once again that, while they understand very little about the economy, they understand even less about where the American people are. Since day 1 of this administration, the White House has made it clear that governing is not a priority. Governing--working with the House, working with the Senate to find solutions. But, instead, this administration is doing all it can to force the country onto a path that the people have said time and again they don't want to travel this path. It is not where they want to go. By all accounts, businesses are, at least, a year out from a return to normal, which we continue to hear a lot about that. Everybody would like to be back to prepandemic normal. Our supply chains are a mess. Ships that are loaded with goods cannot get to ports. Inflation is, unfortunately, here to stay. It definitely wasn't transitory. Families are having an increasingly difficult time putting food on the table and gas in the car because a dollar doesn't go as far as it once went, and this is something every family is wrestling with. Even with all of this right in front of their faces, my Democratic colleagues are more concerned with how they will leverage these problems rather than how they are going to solve these problems. What solutions that they have proposed are completely divorced from reality and come loaded with more internal political strife than they are worth. This, of course, is the logical conclusion of a year where consensus took a backseat to the whims of the loudest and most radical leftist wing of the Democratic Party. Over the past week, the media has dripped out story after story covering the cost of inflation, the consequences of failing to fund the government, and the upcoming debate over the debt limit. And if you thought the message coming from the White House and from my Democratic colleagues in response to all this was jumbled before, prepare yourself for something even more chaotic in the days to come. My colleagues across the aisle, unfortunately, still seem to be under the impression that Senate Republicans are going to band together to save them from the hole they have dug for themselves. They think we are going to endorse fiscal policy so destructive that many experts who are normally friendly to the White House have refused to support these ideas--and with good reason. They are a socialist, government- controlled agenda. We have been down this road before. So my Democratic colleagues know that going through the motions of bipartisanship isn't going to be enough because we went through this months ago with the debt ceiling and on the matter of funding the government. We would have settled all of these issues months ago if the majority had their priorities in line and if they could articulate clearly to the American people what the priorities are, what the problems are, what the challenges are, and bring forward solutions for the American people to look at and say: Yeah, that makes sense. But that is not what they have done and what they continue to do. Here is the problem with where they are: The priorities of the Democratic Party are not the priorities of the American people. Out in the real world, inflation is a problem. Spending and debt--all of that means something. How you spend your money means something. People understand that. They get it. But according to the majority here in the Democratic-controlled Senate, none of these things actually matter in practice. In fact, the past few months have shown us that among Democrats, there is no real consensus about what, if anything, these major debates mean to them or what is the end game. It is amazing. They can't tell you. If you are here to solve problems or create problems, people are going to figure that out--the American people are. And they know that the question should be: Are you here to solve problems or create problems for your political enemies in a way that ensures you are punishing people? Now, that is the question that people are asking. Is the debt limit a legal fiction or a meaningful check on reckless spending? That is a question that we have heard. Is it just something that gets tossed around? Is funding the government part of your duty or is the appropriations debate just fuel for talking points? I think we know the majority's answers to all of these questions, and I think their answer is probably coming down on the wrong side of where the American people are. Those looking for good faith from the White House are seeming to not find it, nor are they finding any evidence that Democrats in Congress are aware of their moral obligation to be discerning and truthful about how they plan to spend trillions in taxpayer money. There is a reason that the Democrats lied about the costs associated with their massive social spending bill, which reflects the priorities of liberal, leftist activists rather than the priorities of the American people. They claimed it was paid for, but in reality it will add $367 billion to the deficit and cost taxpayers more than another $400 billion. That is why they have not been truthful with the American people that needed more buy-in in order for the Democrats to make this happen--even when they knew the CBO report was going to come and show how much debt was going to be added if this bill got passed. They know the people don't want this big spending bill. They know that the American people know that we cannot afford this. Our children and our grandchildren cannot afford this bill. As my colleague from Texas was saying, it is not $1.5 trillion or $1.75 trillion. It is trillions--trillions--of dollars in spending. And we know how some across the aisle are kind of, with a wink-wink and a nod-nod, saying: Yes, let's get these on the books, and then things will take care of themselves. This week, we are facing the prospect of yet another government shutdown, which means another eleventh-hour opportunity for my Democratic colleagues to complain about Republican obstruction. But what the Democrats in the media and the liberal activists need to realize is that Republicans are not the problem here. The Democrats are in charge of this Chamber, the House, and the White House. And not even the Democrats in power can agree on how much they want to spend and how they want to spend it. If they had consensus and if that consensus came from listening to the people that elected them to serve, we wouldn't be staring at the prospect of another government shutdown. No, you would see Democrats marching to the Chamber in lockstep to vote for a continuing resolution that reflects goals that don't change with the news cycle. But there is no consensus. The people driving the ship have lost all sense of direction, and in doing so, they are losing the faith the American people have put in them. In Tennessee, we would say that our friends across the aisle are in the middle of a good old-fashioned come-apart, and there is one way and only one way to reverse the damage, and that is to stop worrying about politics and pushing a leftist agenda and start worrying about meeting the needs of the American people--not only today but the needs of our children and grandchildren. What are we going to do to their hopes and their dreams for living their version of the American dream? So we should agree, no more blame, no more budget gimmicks--open our eyes to the reality of the situation that we are dealing with. We have a job to do here, and the sooner my Democratic colleagues remember that fact, the sooner they will be able to earn back the faith and the trust of the American people. That is priority No. 1, and it is time for my colleagues to prove that they understand it. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, the Biden administration's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan jeopardized our national security, empowered our enemies, and put thousands of innocent lives in jeopardy. But as the situation devolved, stories emerged of heroic efforts to push back the Taliban's advance and save stranded Americans, allies, and Afghan partners from the clutches of one of the world's most dangerous terror organizations. Today, I want to honor a group of unsung heroes who joined this effort from the home front. Team Blackburn is blessed to include a dedicated and tenacious group of caseworkers and personal staff who treat the needs of Tennesseans like those of their own families. During those chaotic weeks, these people fielded hundreds of panicked calls for help from and on behalf of Tennesseans who were trapped behind enemy lines. They used every resource at their disposal, leveraged every connection they could think of and worked more than a few miracles to bring those Tennesseans closer to home. On behalf of the Volunteer State, I thank the following members of my staff who went above and beyond on behalf of the common cause of freedom: Elizabeth Kelly, Payton Scott, Kayley Russell, Heather Hatcher, Josh Knell, Jeri Wheeler, Dana Magneson, Caroline Diaz- Barriga, Kim Cordell, Mac McCullough, Alexander Gonzalez, Grace Burch, Jay Strobino, John Clement, Edward Pritchard, and Emily Manning.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, it is my privilege to finally congratulate the 2020 Country Music Hall of Fame members-elect Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart, and Hank Williams, Jr. With the postponement of their medallion ceremony until this coming Sunday, I can tell you that Music City is ready to welcome them into the Circle. Dean Dillon, this year's songwriter inductee, is the heart and soul behind some of country music's most iconic hits. With imagery as vivid as a golden sun-drenched memory and melodies as smooth as Tennessee whiskey, Dean captured the attention of music fans and earned the admiration of the industry's most well-respected artists. In Nashville, the good word is that ``it all begins with a song,'' and in Dean's case, his songbook has inspired generations of young writers to give themselves up to the art of storytelling. Marty Stuart, this year's modern era artist inductee, is a jack of all trades and an undisputed master of each of them. He started his journey to the Hall of Fame at the age of 13 and, over the course of his career, earned the respect of his peers with his skills as a musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and television host. Today, he is recognized not only for his contributions to his craft, but for his role as one of the foremost custodians of country music's legacy. Hank Williams, Jr., this year's veterans era artist inductee, bridged generations and genres with his own special blend of family tradition, outlaw swagger, and a singular disregard for the rules. Over the course of five decades and more than 100 appearances on the charts, Hank proved that what many insiders foolishly dismissed as the underbelly of country music was in fact home to musicians and fans alike who preferred to create their own absolution rather than seek it within the glittering confines of the mainstream. On behalf of the entire Tennessee delegation, I thank Dean, Marty, and Hank for their passion and artistry. Your talents are a gift, gentlemen. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I appreciate my colleague from Missouri and his remarks about how we need the other side to work with us. And that is so very true because this administration, the Biden administration, has refused to drag themselves away from the political posturing and move toward actually governing and addressing the problems that the American people would like to see addressed. They have sent this economy into the gutter. Now, think about it. Just a few years ago, we had the best economy that we had had in decades. Unemployment for women, for African Americans, for Hispanics hit an alltime low; wage growth at an alltime high. Now the economy is in the gutter. Our southern border is now in shambles. The hearing we had yesterday with Secretary Mayorkas was so dissatisfying because he did not have facts and figures and answers, and we see a country that is incredibly divided. But at least the American people now know just how in denial the White House is about what is takes to be living in the real world. Their constant attempts to downplay the mess they have made have had the opposite effect, and now everyone knows just how out of touch they are with anyone who regularly pulls in at the gas station to fill up their own car or darkens the door of a grocery store to buy the groceries that they need. Yesterday, I came to the Senate floor and asked the question: What will it take for the Biden administration to take the threat of Chinese aggression seriously? The evidence is staring them in the face, and yet they refuse to acknowledge that there is a danger; that China is our adversary. Certainly, the President's phone call did not give us any comfort in knowing that he understands they are an adversary. And today, I have a similar question: What will it take for the Biden administration to take the American people seriously when they repeatedly warn us that the economy is in trouble? They are living the warning signs every single day. But try as they might to convince us otherwise, this administration's talking points are all about happy talk, better jobs numbers, and the pockets of growth. But this is not anything that is representative of the economy at large. Still, every policy that they proposed this year assumes that the costs of inflation are a myth; that inflation is concocted by Republicans; that it is there as a talking point to scare American families. How completely out of touch can this administration be? They are proving the point that they are elitists; that they live in a bubble. What they keep saying to people is: Oh, you know, it is a dollar here. It is a dollar there. It doesn't really matter that much. But, of course, it does matter. Anyone who has taken the time out of their life to rear a family and any mother who gets up in the morning and she is trying to feed the kids and get them to school and shuttle kids into the minivan and then she is off to work and then they are off to activities in the afternoon, she knows that pennies add up to dollars, which adds up to hundreds of dollars, and it goes quickly--in a hurry. I talked to someone last weekend. They were talking about how a manageable trip to the grocery store now has the potential to just blow their budget. They are somebody who likes to use cash, not credit cards. They put it all in envelopes, and they plan out their expenditures. They are seeing firsthand what this budget is doing to their monthly budget for their family. The sad thing is, this is all happening just in time for Thanksgiving, just in time for the Christmas holidays. But, you know, you don't need to take my word for it. My colleagues don't need to take my word for it. Let's look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics to tell the story. This is a Federal bureau, and they keep this data. Their data is telling quite an interesting story. I have a poster here that actually shows you the percentage increase you are going to see. The Thanksgiving turkey will cost you 6.1 percent more this year than last. If you want to get a ham, that is going to be an extra 12 percent. If you are serving veggies with the turkey and ham, that is an extra 8.2 percent. The price of a cup of coffee for after dinner, that is up 5.7 percent. And the grand finale, the homemade apple pie is up 5.1 percent. And I hope that you weren't planning on driving out of town for your Thanksgiving dinner because gas prices are up $1.23 a gallon since last October. Think about that, $1.23 a gallon--a gallon. Now, this is sticker shock every time you pull into the gas pump. It is sticker shock every time you go to the grocery store. And, as you can see what it was last year, you are seeing these stickers on gas pumps all across Tennessee. Yes, the Biden administration, they can say: I did that. Decisions that the President has made--stopping the Keystone Pipeline, moving us from being energy independent and exporting oil to making us dependent on OPEC, of all things, so that we can drive our cars and heat our homes--it outrageous. I would encourage President Biden and my Democratic colleagues to remember that, when it comes to budgets and families managing their way through this inflation, they can't have it both ways. Back in January, they told congressional Republicans that their bipartisan bailout bill was the only thing standing between the average American family and financial ruin. Now, the very idea that pricing and spending power matters seems extremely unpopular with our friends on the left. Suddenly, they expect the American people to put on a brave face, to treat shortages like a minimalist trend, and to cut back where they can. Do you know what, Madam President? The American people don't want to live in austerity; the American people want to go to the grocery store and find the food that they need. It is stunning, the attitude of the left. It is stunning, the disregard that they have for average American families who are working hard every single day. Of course, people who are now struggling to make ends meet could stay home. They could stay right at home this holiday season. They could park the car, cook a small meal, and swallow their disappointment. But do you know who won't be doing that this holiday season? President Joe Biden. You won't see him making sacrifices to sustain the narrative. I have a feeling I won't see many of my Democratic colleagues passing on Thanksgiving dinner to show solidarity with families who couldn't stretch their paycheck far enough for that Thanksgiving turkey. I would hope that something here in all of this data would remind you. The Bureau of Labor Statistics--that is where I am getting the data. I am hoping it would remind my friends across the aisle that this is not about proving a point. This is about the average American's growing inability to put food on the table. You may not have to worry about an extra $30 or $40 on the grocery bill, but most Tennesseans do worry about that. And for some people spending more isn't even an option. It is time to adjust the priorities of the Democrats. It is time for this administration to adjust their priorities. It is time for them to meet the people where they are and not where they think that the people should be forced to go by their socialist agenda. I would encourage my colleagues: Pay attention to what the people of this country are telling you. Govern accordingly. People are depending on it. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, last week, the Senate passed the Sergeant First Class Sean Cooley and Specialist Christopher Horton Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program Act. I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who lent their support, because creation of this program was a long time coming. I have spent the past few years working with and talking with Gold Star families, and the one thing they have consistently told me is that they want a more powerful voice here on Capitol Hill. This legislation will create a Senate fellowship program open only to Gold Star family members. These fellows will have the opportunity to come to Washington, at no cost to their families, and work within the system our servicemembers work so very hard to defend. And, Madam President, we thank you for your service in defense of this Nation. Just as we here in the Senate are bound together by a duty to serve the country, Gold Star families are also bound together by a common thread of loss, grief, sacrifice. It has been my privilege to work with so many of them, and I hope that these fellowships will create a renewed sense of healing and purpose in the hearts of those who come to work with us here in Washington.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, as I have been saying, it has been so difficult to get people to realize what we are facing from the Chinese Communist Party. They are an adversary, and seeing the evidence of genocide in Xinjiang didn't seem to be enough to persuade people. Then you have the reports that Beijing manipulated multiple international organizations when it comes to the origins of the COVID- 19 virus. That wasn't enough. Hearing the Chinese officials threaten our pharmaceutical and medical supply chains in the midst of a pandemic--that didn't seem to be enough. Watching in horror as the Chinese Communist Party threatened the Hong Kong freedom fighters and as they have threatened our friends in Taiwan--that didn't seem to raise the attention for them that this is not our friend. They are not a competitor. They are an adversary. We have seen these effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on the global balance of power. They still haven't said: We have to deal with China. Not even Beijing going out here and pushing their nuclear power has seemed to push some of our colleagues across the aisle, as they have not paid attention to what is happening with our nuclear deterrent capabilities and what China is doing. So it leads a lot of Tennesseans that I talk to say: What is it going to take for Joe Biden and his administration to take these global threats seriously? If you look at what is going on in China and that doesn't do it, are you looking at Iran? Are you looking at Russia and how they are posturing troops on the Ukrainian border? What is finally going to get them to say: China is an adversary, the new ``axis of evil''--with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. These are adversaries. They are intent on global dominance and taking us down. You know, and I have to tell the Presiding Officer, I think that the answer to that question, if we look at these threats, it really frightens a lot of people. When I talk to our veterans, as I did last week, many of them--it frightens them when they see the nonchalance in attitude of this administration as we talk about these issues that are threatening our Nation's security and freedom at home and abroad. When you talk about inflation, when you talk about crime in the streets, when you talk about what is happening in our schools, when you talk about what is happening globally, people see this as a threat to their life here. They see it as a threat to our security abroad. My hope is that what we will see is real governance and real leadership that will come from the Senate. And also we would like to see this come from the administration, that people would see decisions made in good faith, not decisions made in bad faith or trying to dismantle the institutions of this government. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Yes, indeed, Senator. I am very concerned. The Biden administration has, indeed, weaponized the U.S. Government against workers who love their jobs, against workers who are trying to earn a living and support their families. We have to stand up and defend them. Think about it. The Biden administration is using taxpayer dollars to implement a program designed to fire the very people we need to repair our supply chains, to bring manufacturing plants back online, and to keep the public safe. Yes, our law enforcement officers are very concerned about this, but don't take my word for it. Ask some of these law enforcement unions. Ask the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the National Border Patrol Council what will happen if these mandates force them to fire their unvaccinated agents and officers. They are waving red flags right now because these mandates aren't just impractical and unethical; they are dangerous. They will take these men and women off the frontlines and send them to the unemployment line and make us vulnerable. Am I correct on this point, Senator Marshall?

Mrs. BLACKBURN. I thank the Senator from Florida. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to enter into a colloquy with my friend Senator Marshall.

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Yes, indeed. You are correct, Senator Marshall. As I have said before, Tennessee is a supply chain and logistic State: shipping, transportation, manufacturing. These are things that help form the backbone of our economy, and those industries employ thousands upon thousands of people in our State. I will tell you, these thousands of people are speaking up, just as you have said they are speaking up in Kansas. Every day, I hear from people who see what is happening on the ground, from small business owners to truckdrivers, and they are sounding the alarm bells. They know that Joe Biden's mandate will destroy their industries. They are just not asking for carve-outs; what they are saying is, give us a plan A, a plan B, a plan C; give us options. Senator Marshall, I believe you have taken a different approach to pushing back on some of these mandates.

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, it is no secret that President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates have drawn major opposition here in the Senate. My Republican colleagues and I have introduced multiple pieces of legislation that chip away at the various impractical, unethical, and downright unconstitutional aspects of this latest power grab. Last week, I introduced the Keeping our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act, which would pull essential workers out from under these mandates and stop the White House from unilaterally firing them for refusing to submit to a shot. Think about how ludicrous that is. This, of course, is the heart of the issue. These pieces of legislation are not anti-vaccine. In fact, our opposition isn't about vaccines at all. I have been vaccinated, and I encourage people to talk to their physicians. This is all about the precedent the Biden administration is trying to set; namely, that it is acceptable for the Federal Government to stand between a patient and their doctor and to overrule science and personal choice in the name of their personal political agenda. I think my colleague Senator Marshall knows a thing or two about preserving the importance of that doctor-patient relationship. Is that correct, Senator?

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Thank you, Senator. I am appreciative to the Senator from Kansas and to all of my colleagues who have joined me on the floor today to fight this dangerous precedent set by these mandates. I think it is so vitally important for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to understand that the American people are not interested in playing chicken with Joe Biden--not at all. This isn't contrarian politics to them; this is a line in the sand between a power-hungry President who wants to strip them of their fundamental rights and get them fired from their jobs. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, see, these are individuals on the front line, and they take exception to what is going on with this administration and this Executive order that is forcing them to get a shot that maybe their doctor is saying: Hey, this is not one for you to take. Maybe they are a young woman trying to have a baby. Maybe they are somebody who has a history of heart disease or lung disease or neuromuscular issues in their family and someone has had an adverse reaction. You know what? People are smart. They are going to figure this out and figure out what works best for them. During the pandemic, the essential workers figured this out, and they ought to be exempt. The Biden administration claims that this mandate is the ticket to freedom, return to normal. But here is the problem with this and why that falls on deaf ears. These essential workers returned to normal months ago--if they ever left a normal routine--and their working conditions have been made more difficult now than ever. Businesses are desperate for workers. In August, the U.S. economy had 10.4 million jobs waiting to be filled. That is right, 10.4 million jobs. We are going to get unemployment numbers this weekend on Friday. I think it is going to be interesting to see what those numbers tell us. Oh, the supply chain--I mentioned the grocery store and what I found there. Well, the supply chains are a mess. We need 80,000 truck drivers right now--today--if we want to make an honest attempt at filling the need there to get products to stores. We can't afford the toll these mandates are taking on the supply chain workforce or on law enforcement or border security or the healthcare sector or the airline industry, the transportation and logistics industry. And make no mistake, the day of reckoning is already here. As I said, these workers have figured this out. They are smart. They don't hate the country. And it is ridiculous that some people try to equate those that don't get the vaccine with hating the country. These individuals are not anti-vaxxers. They are not anti-science. What they are is this: They are anti-unconstitutional mandate and a government overreach that is going to interfere in their relationship with their doctor. That is what they are against. Mr. President, don't we all remember the lie of the decade in 2010 with ObamaCare: If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. And what we are looking at right now is something that is an equal overreach: You can't keep your job if you won't get this jab. It is an overreach. People that I am talking to are really anti these mandates that would force them into submission or, in some cases, into poverty, like the young mom that I talked to who works for a government contractor--sole supporter of her family at this point, has one child, wants to have another child, and because of this mandate, she is going to lose her job, a job she loves--and her employer loves her. But she is wanting to make certain she can have that second child. These workers are very pro-freedom, and they are taking a stand on principle. They are pro-freedom. They are pro-individual rights, and what they want is for this administration to stop it, to stop their push to this socialist agenda, stop trying to force them into taking a vaccine, which is another step to having government control of their healthcare. You know, they look at what the Democrats in Washington, DC, are doing, and they see that they are trying to take one vote. They want to win. They want to win on putting everything together--one vote--and then flipping the country to their socialist agenda--one vote: government control of your kids, of your healthcare, of your bank account, of your life, cradle to grave, daylight to dark, sunup to sundown, 24/7, 365. You know, I have to tell you, we thought that when the Obama campaign came out with their little caricatures and cartoon-type character--only it was really frightening--``The Life of Julia,'' we thought, this is ridiculous how Julia never needed anybody or anything but the Federal Government. Well, some of that same crowd in the White House has now come up with ``The Life of Linda,'' and Linda must be related to Julia because Linda has the same type life experiences as Julia. There is no mention of a family or a husband, but Linda has a child. Linda works for the government. The government is in control. See, that is what the Democratic Party wants--socialism. They are very happy with that--cradle to grave; daylight to dark; total control; tell you what to do; tell you what your job is going to be; tell you what you are going to study in school; take control of your children; send them to study whatever they want; and then have them work in a way that the government tells them they are going to work. But what we are seeing play out in this country is the American people standing up and saying: Enough is enough. We don't want your mandate. We are tired of all of your chaotic cycle of gaslighting and government overreach. We are pushing back on your push to a socialist agenda. I am heartened that they are not afraid to say ``no, no, no'' to what the Democrats are trying to push, and they are going to continue to push back because they see what is happening for what it is--a destructive, radical agenda that will destroy freedom of choice, free people, free markets, and opportunity for their children and future generations. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I am beginning to feel a little bit like a broken record when I am here on the floor and talking about all the ways that Tennesseans feel like this administration has backed them into a corner. It doesn't matter if I am going to fill up the car with that rising price in gas, or if I am at the grocery store and could not believe this weekend there is so little on the shelves and they are so short- staffed. People are very anxious about this. I had a lady that just about was not going to let me go there in the dairy section of the grocery store because she was really upset with what this administration is doing. Whether it is inflation or the vaccine mandate, she is really upset with what she would like to call the ``White House P.R. operation.'' And she knows that inflation and supply chain problems are here. It is not temporary. It wasn't transient. It is something that they are dealing with every day, and Tennesseans are seeing this at every stop along their busy days. They have watched this administration abandon the southern border. You know, they don't use that term lightly, but I think it is instructive to focus in on that. This administration has abandoned the southern border. These actions are intentional actions--intentional. Whether you talk to Border Patrol or the local sheriff, they look at what Democrats in Washington are doing, and they see this as being intentional. They also look at how this administration chose to abandon a productive energy policy. In January, we were an exporter--an exporter--of energy. And, today, we have a President--a very weak President--who is groveling to OPEC, begging them--begging them--to sell us more fuel. What a difference. What a difference. And this administration--when I was up in Clarksville where Fort Campbell is located, I was out on post, and I was visiting with Tennesseans there in Clarksville. They feel as if this administration has abandoned our troops, abandoned civilians and allies in Afghanistan as we handed over 20 years' worth of hard-fought territory to the new ``axis of evil,'' which is Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea-- abandoned, left, forgotten about. Over the past few weeks, they have learned that even their recreational social media use might be putting their families at risk. Meanwhile, things here on Capitol Hill are such a mess that, from their perspective, it is neither reasonable nor rational to believe that the Democratic majority is willing to put country before party and politics and fix this mess that this administration has made this year. In fact, the Democrats are so focused on their own Big Government narrative that they have managed to outdo themselves with the mandate from on high that goes further than ever before to control deeply personal healthcare decisions. Of course, the Democrats are no stranger to this. They championed the Affordable Care Act and all its bureaucracy, but this time, they have truly put the full force of the executive branch of the U.S. Government between a patient and a doctor. That is right. The decision is not one you will make with your doctor; it is one that the Federal Government is making and forcing--forcing--on you. This COVID-19 vaccine mandate has people really upset. They see this as a power play. Today, I talked to a lady who works for a government contractor. All of the family's insurance and benefits come through her. Her husband is a small business person, and she has a child with disabilities. She begged me to keep fighting against this mandate. She said: You know, I am in the position that I had to get this--even though a family member of hers had a terrible adverse reaction, and she was concerned being the primary breadwinner for her family and the one that provides their healthcare insurance benefits. And she had a reaction, a bad reaction. But she feels like what we are seeing is another opportunistic power play that betrays the very people who risked their safety to prevent the economy from collapsing during the pandemic--that is right, the essential workers, people who showed up and did their job. The lady I talked to today was an essential worker. She did her job all through the pandemic. The States deemed these individuals essential workers because they showed up. They spent their days transporting food and clothing across the country, stocking shelves in grocery stores, and keeping armed rioters at bay. They never stopped working. They never missed a beat. They put themselves in danger and adapted to circumstances made worse by forced lockdowns. These are the people who couldn't have worked from home if they wanted to. They are the cop on the beat. They are the truck driver who is in the cab of that truck. They are the healthcare worker standing at a bedside. They are an airline worker who is making certain that people are safe and planes are safe to fly. And, now, they are the ones that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and this administration have chosen to threaten with an executive ultimatum: Get the shot, or we are going to get you fired. That is right. Imagine that. The President of the United States says: You go get the jab, or I am going to get you fired from your job--what an ultimatum, what a way to run a country. But that is what he is doing. The White House crossed so many lines with this one: practical lines, ethical lines, constitutional lines. So last week, I introduced the Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act to push this administration back on the rails and protect these essential workers from having to choose between submitting to the mandate or losing the right to provide for their families. It is a simple solution to a very big problem. It would lock in the definitions of essential worker used by the States during the pandemic and then protect those workers from being fired under COVID vaccine requirements. It would nullify the Executive orders mandating vaccines for essential Federal workers and contractors and preempt OSHA from issuing regulations that would require employees to vaccinate if those employees qualify as an essential worker. We are getting a tremendous amount of support for this legislation. On the national level, we have heard from the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Border Patrol Council, and from the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, Tennessee Ambulance Service Association, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the National Association of Small Trucking Companies, and then from several individual officials-- Democrat and Republican alike--and from different organizations. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent this list be printed in the Record.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, it is my privilege to honor an esteemed group of Americans for their courageous stand against the horrors of segregation. It has been said that those about to make history can't possibly comprehend the impact their actions will have on the world; but I think that in this case, the opposite was true. The heroes I honor today weren't fighting to cross a threshold, but for something far more fundamental: the dignity and freedom granted by our Lord God to all men, women, and children. It was a moment of hope and profound consequence that rippled across the country and embraced the potential of future generations. On behalf of the entire Tennessee congressional delegation, I would like to thank the following Tennesseans for their tremendous contribution to the fight against hatred: Jo Ann Crozier Allen Boyce, Bobby Cain, Anna Theresser Caswell, Ronald Gordon ``Poochie'' Hayden, Minnie Ann Dickie Jones, William R. Latham, Alvah Jay McSwain, Regina Turner Smith, Maurice Soles, Robert Thacker, Gail Ann Epps Upton, and Alfred Williams, who comprise the ``Clinton 12''; Dr. Ahmed Alhamisi (Lawrence Graham), Rufus Graham, L.C. Gipson, Emma McCaskill, Ernestine Avery, Margaret Strickland Guinn, Eugene Hawkins, Mary Mahone Bohanon, Ethel Davidson Sykes, Monroe Jones, Leroy Justice, Maxine Officer, Alma McKinney Stevens, Archie Lee, Dorothy Kirk Lewis, Eloise Mitchell, Edward Lewis Threat, Charles Walker, Shirley Hawkins Lawrence, Barbara Jean Sims Thomas, Jessie McClanahan, Webster Jackson, John D. Ghosten, Jr., Evindies Copeland, Mattie L. Scales, and Joe West, Jr., who comprise the living membership of the ``Oak Ridge 85''; and the late Reverend Paul Turner, whose bravery and defiance on December 4, 1956, advanced the cause of integration on behalf of countless generations of young Black Americans. I pray the American people will hold close the example set by these freedom fighters. I thank them for their bravery, their sacrifice, and above all their belief that love can overcome irredeemable evil, if only we have the courage to welcome it in.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I think I speak for all Tennesseans when I confess that, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, I craved the comfort of familiarity. I laid newer books and albums aside in favor of well-worn classics so close to my heart that they, in and of themselves, were cherished memories. We lost so much during that lonely time, but through it all, at least one thing remained constant. Every Saturday night, when I tuned my radio to 650 AM WSM, I heard the fiddles and steel guitars that have welcomed music lovers into the Grand Ol' Opry's circle of friends for the past 95 years. On October 30, 2021, the Grand Ol' Opry will celebrate its historic 5000th Saturday night broadcast. As most country music lovers will tell you, Saturday at the Opry is more than just an ``experience;'' it is the foundation of the format's legacy and the endgame for those who come to Nashville, TN, seeking their place within the ranks of country music's legends. The Saturday broadcast has been on the airwaves longer than any other broadcast program of any medium anywhere in the world. It thrived through its expansion from radio to television and then to digital streaming platforms. It has survived the Great Depression, World War II, multiple global conflicts, civil unrest, devastating natural disasters, and, now, a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic. For 7 months during the spring, summer, and fall of 2020, while life outside the Grand Ol' Opry House ground to a halt, a dedicated skeleton crew of producers, stagehands, and performers came together to create a socially distanced broadcast that was just as welcoming and heartfelt as anything a live audience would expect to see. Today, thankfully, the fans are back in their seats, and those who don't make the pilgrimage to Music City tune in from home with a newfound appreciation for the gift of live music. It is my privilege to memorialize the Opry's ongoing commitment to artistry and entertainment and to honor every single person who worked so hard, against such odds, to bring country music into our homes when we could not seek it out for ourselves. On behalf of the entire Tennessee congressional delegation, I thank you for helping us maintain our bond with the past, our hope for the future, and our belief in the power of music to comfort and inspire when all else seems lost.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, last week, a Tennessee director of schools named Russell sent me an email about a problem he is having with some of his students. The so-called devious lick TikTok trend caught on in his district, and it is more than just a viral gag. The idea behind this devious lick TikTok trend is to destroy school property and document it on TikTok so that all the world can see--the more violent, the better. Here is how Russell described what is going on in his schools: In Cleveland City Schools, we have seen fire extinguishers stolen, mirrors removed from walls, a toilet was removed from its foundation, and multiple other acts of vandalism. I know of stories from other school districts, where even more serious types of vandalism and theft have taken place. He went on to tell me that this trend has caused thousands of dollars in damage, and that he has had to resort to threatening suspensions, court citations and other actions to deter students from demolishing school property--all from a TikTok video trend. I want to state for the record that this is absolutely insane. This is not normal teenage behavior. It is criminal activity, and these kids are posting it online thinking that they are building social media clout. TikTok banned the trending hashtag, but last night, it took a member of my staff about 10 seconds to unearth posts featuring students trashing their school bathrooms. Russell is at a loss as to how to get his students to stop body slamming doors off their hinges, and so are thousands of parents all across Tennessee who are wondering how it is even possible that a tech company is getting away with encouraging criminal behavior in its underage users. They want more than just an apology and a tweak to an algorithm. They are looking for accountability, and I am happy to say that we at the Senate Commerce Committee are working to get that accountability from these Big Tech companies. The issue of Big Tech's toxic influence on children and teens is finally getting some much-needed bipartisan attention from the Senate. Earlier this month, I hosted a hearing in the Commerce Committee's Consumer Protection Subcommittee with Chairman Blumenthal, where we examined Facebook's role in promoting content to teenagers that drove young users into spirals of despair, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Now, our ideas about what Congress should do to force accountability into the equation might differ a bit, but maybe for the first time ever, the relationship between Republicans and Democratic tech watchdogs in this Chamber is far less contentious than the relationship between Big Tech and Members of Congress. And, Madam President, that is something worth noting. If we keep this up, Silicon Valley, as they currently operate, is in for some big changes because, as much as I appreciate our role as lawmakers, I also believe in the importance of our ability to compel transparency from officials and companies that refuse to offer it up voluntarily. Sunlight is often a better disinfectant than legislation. Fortunately, at least some players in tech are reading the writing on the wall. Tomorrow, representatives from YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok will testify before the Consumer Protection Subcommittee regarding safety protocols they have inserted between underage users and the seediest corners of the internet. Yes, I did say ``underage users.'' I want to thank them in advance for agreeing to appear because we are not going to take it easy on them. They should not expect a comfortable day. We have evidence that these platforms have endangered children and teens while collecting--yes, collecting--their personal data and leveraging it through the advertising side of their businesses. The danger is real. As we were preparing for the hearing, my staff hopped on YouTube and searched for ``how to slit your wrists,'' and the videos YouTube spit out--well, let's just say that any questions about how to do such a thing were answered in full, unfortunately. Earlier this year, a 9-year-old boy in Memphis died trying to participate in a TikTok ``strangulation challenge'' that had gone viral. And we know for a fact that child predators use Snapchat to troll for victims. This spring, law enforcement arrested a 48-year-old man for statutory rape after they caught him with a 16-year-old girl. Where did he meet her? On Snapchat. We also have serious questions about data collection and disclosure policies and whether or not the market research tactics that are used by YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok are as invasive and dangerous as the ones that we now know Facebook uses. As the saying goes, if the service is free, you are the product. And if we let them, tech companies will continue grooming our kids into accepting status as commodities and being their product, regardless of who it hurts. Big Tech's relationship with children is a problem, but we also need adult tech enthusiasts to care about their own entanglements with these companies. We need everyone to care about how their own ``virtual you'' is harvested and sold to the highest bidder. Many adult users believe that, because they have lived so much of their lives online, these things don't matter anymore. But, yes, indeed, it does matter, and I will give you just one example of why. For a long time now, we have raised serious concerns about the connection between TikTok and the Chinese Communist Party. We suspect, with very good reason, that ByteDance, which is TikTok's parent company, handed over biometrics and other sensitive user data to the Chinese Communist Party. This app has been Beijing's very best detective, a fact most users aren't aware of and don't want to give a second thought to. Parents are completely unaware that TikTok is owned by ByteDance and that they are in cahoots with the Chinese Communist Party. Parents are unaware that the biometrics and other sensitive data of their precious children is now in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. Madam President, we just cannot afford to continue this. This one app on its own is a master class on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and facial recognition technology, and our most dangerous competitor is using it to corner the market on the world's most valuable commodity: the virtual you. It is all part of Beijing's grand strategy to gain control over strategically important sectors of the global economy. Yes, indeed, they intend to be globally dominant by the time we get to the midpoint of the century; and, yes, indeed, they are an adversary. We see them carrying out more of this agenda via the Belt and Road Initiative programs. And they are doing it online by training us to consume content that is so twisted that it drives young users to violence and to self-destructive behavior. Interconnectivity has benefits and consequences, and, Madam President, it is an urgent need to take action against the consequences. We know from previous investigations that digital content is a weapon. It can damage self-esteem, destroy relationships, and tip the balance of global power in the wrong direction. I hear from Tennesseans like Russell regularly. They will say: We saw this coming a mile away. We have watched this become a snowball rolling toward us. They are appreciative that Congress has finally caught up to them-- parents and teachers who are watching what is happening on social media--and they are ready for us to pull all those Big Tech skeletons out of the closet and put them on display. I will say this: These teachers and parents are not people who are anti-innovation. They don't want to get in the way of private companies offering exciting new products. They appreciate interconnectivity, and they appreciate technology. But what they won't do is tolerate these companies--tolerate them trolling the data of our children, selling it as a product, and then turning around and weaponizing the content against us, the American people. Big Tech needs to understand that we are not going to hold back, and it would be in their best interest to work with us on the issues of online privacy, children's online privacy, data security, and make the virtual space a safe space. Thank you, Madam President. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I so appreciate the remarks of my colleague from Missouri, and it sounds as if he is hearing from his constituents in Missouri the same thing that I am hearing in Tennessee. As a matter of fact, I held a telephone townhall last night. Thirty thousand of our citizens from Upper East Tennessee were on this call, and to say that they are unhappy would be to put it mildly. That really is an understatement. They are angry. They are frustrated. They are exhausted with what this administration is doing. They are angry with how the Federal Government is responding to a host of issues. They really took President Biden at his word for his Build Back Better. They expected that. But that is not what they have gotten. He has made a mess of it, and, indeed, what you have is a ``Build Back Broke'' agenda. And my colleague from Missouri really laid that out. It is ``Build Back Broke.'' That is what they are bringing forward. And that agenda of President Biden's and the Democratic Party has really destroyed a lot of the hopes and the dreams and some of the renewed prosperity of Tennesseans whose job isn't to study the economy but to move it forward. They do the heavy lift every single day. Last night, I spoke with businessowners who feel like they are under attack by this administration and their economic policy. The cost of doing business is going up. They are bleeding customers because they have less disposable income because of inflation, because of the price at the pump. Supply chains are collapsing around them. It is difficult to get raw materials, like lumber and steel. They have no confidence at all in the administration's willingness or ability to solve this problem. They feel as if the administration does not give the ripping flip about what happens to them in Upper East Tennessee. This administration has forgotten them. On top of everything else, these vaccine mandates--now, we are hearing a lot about that, and we are hearing from people who know they are going to lose their job. Many times, these are women who are the sole source--the sole source--of income for their families. These families are very concerned about how they are going to handle inflation, collapsing supply lines, how they are going to handle some of the broken social policies that this administration and their allies are trying to sneak into law. So far this year, we have seen our colleagues across the aisle and down at the White House try to force through provisions of the Green New Deal that would bankrupt your average family and destroy economic development opportunities in rural areas. We know that it is expected that the cost to heat your home this winter is going to increase 30 percent. Now, how do you handle that when you have lost your job? Do you just sit there and freeze? And you are losing your job because of a Federal mandate that says you have to go get a shot in order to keep a job that you love, in order to put food on the table to feed your family. This makes no sense. I also heard from parents very upset about critical race theory and the way this administration is trying to hijack education and force this curriculum, force cradle-to-grave socialism--daylight to dark, 24/ 7, depend on the Federal Government. One of the things that frightens Tennesseans the most and came up regularly on our telephone townhall was the broken border policies. I have said it before; I will say it again. This fear has nothing to do with racism and xenophobia. This administration and my colleagues across the aisle need to get that point through their heads. Tennesseans are afraid because they look at the border. What they are seeing is vulnerability. They see the drugs coming across that border because the drugs end up in their streets: fentanyl, meth, heroin. Every town is a border town. Every State is a border State because Joe Biden's border policy is: Open up the border. Hang out the ``Y'all come sign,'' and give everybody a plane ticket to wherever they are going in the country. And, oh, by the way, if the commercial flights are full, don't worry about it. We will go charter you a jet and send you under the cloak of darkness into Chattanooga or into Knoxville or into West Chester County. That is what concerns Tennesseans. They are seeing what is happening with sex trafficking, with human trafficking. They are afraid of what cartels are doing because the cartels are saying: Thank you, Joe Biden. The door is open. We were not fearful. We are setting up distribution centers on U.S. soils. That is right, the cartels, setting up their distribution centers. Why? Because Joe Biden is weak and feckless and doesn't stand up to protect the southern border. There is another thing that they were quite exercised about last night, and it is the issue of election integrity. Indeed, I had a Tennessean call me at 6:45 this morning, and he said: Marsha, you have got to be kidding me. You mean they want to pass a bill that says anybody can go vote, that you can go vote the day of the election, that you don't have to show an ID to vote? He said: You know, I recently had to show not only a vaccine card but my ID to prove that was my vaccine card to go sit inside at the In-N- Out Burger. This is why people are so frustrated with Joe Biden. This is why they are so frustrated with the Democrats. What are they looking for? They are looking for legislators to have some backbone, to stand up and stand for freedom, not to kowtow to a socialist agenda, because they know if the Democratic leadership and Joe Biden had their way with one vote, they would take one vote, and they would push to a socialist agenda. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, for the past several months, the Biden administration and their officials have devoted their time to one of two things: They have blamed Republicans for problems that they, the Democrats, created, or denying those problems exist at all. As my colleague from Texas said: Don't believe what you are seeing. That seems to be a common refrain. Just last week, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain retweeted the former Chairman of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers when he dismissed rising inflation and collapsing supply chains as ``high class problems.'' Apparently, he thinks those sky-high prices at the grocery store only affect the rich. How wrong they are. On this same day Ron was scrolling through Twitter, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki insisted that the American people just started paying attention to their finances this year. Never before this year have they looked at their finances. She stood in front of the entire press pool, dismissed serious economic pain as a passing concern, and tried to spin the memory of the prepandemic, pre-Biden economy out of everyone's memory. Last week, I saw firsthand the consequences of this policy of deflection. Let me tell you, if you want to see what it looks like when our government undermines and abandons entire communities, you need look no further than our Nation's southern border. What I saw during my recent trip to south Texas was a humanitarian crisis, a healthcare crisis, and a national security crisis. And make no mistake, nothing that is happening down there is the result of some unfortunate accident. This is no everyday failure of leadership. If our so-called border czar cared at all about doing her job, she would know that every single Border Patrol agent needs to hear from her. Law enforcement officers, they want to hear from her. And property owners in the area believe with absolute certainty that this issue on the southern border--this is a fixable issue. It is fixable. Our Border Patrol agents want to do their job, but they are undermined every step of the way by the official policies of an administration that has spent billions of dollars canceling construction of the border wall. That is correct. They are spending your money--your taxpayer dollars, your hard-earned money--canceling contracts, canceling contracts, canceling construction of the border wall. And they have stripped resources that the Border Patrol needs, pulling back resources like surveillance technology, pulling back funding that could help pay overtime for Border Patrol officers. They have pulled all of that back from the Department of Homeland Security, doing it even as the number of migrants who are surging the border is increasing, even as the apprehensions at the border are increasing. They are reducing the resources that the Border Patrol agents have. During conversations with these agents, we all came to the conclusion that most Americans have no idea how truly serious this problem is, which is the logical conclusion of another Biden administration policy of blocking press access to key areas of the border. They do not want you to see or hear about what is going on. They don't want you to see the chaos they have created. And they surely don't want us to see the trail of destruction left by this flood of illegal immigration. So they don't the press down there. They don't want them to get the message out about what is happening, how our southern border is being overrun and our Border Patrol overworked. At this point, not only me, but many of my colleagues--and there are some on both sides of this aisle--have documented for the record the horrific journey migrants undertake from Central America to the United States. And, yes, migrants are coming from 150 different countries through Central America and Mexico to our southern border. We know that the cartels are in complete control of that border on the Mexico side. And do you know what? The cartels, you have to pay them--got to pay them--in order for them to get you here. You get to the river, you got to pay the river tax to a coyote who works for the cartel in order to cross the river. The cartel controls who gets into the United States of America. Yes, it is illegal entry, but think about this: The cartels are in control. In South Texas, there are three cartels that are working that border--different parts of that border. It is big business for these cartels. And, yes, we know about drugs and weapons and sex trafficking and gangs and human trafficking. In South Texas, they have caught members from 88 different gangs--88--who are moving their people into this country. They are not coming here for a better life and a job. They are coming here because, gangs, they carry out crimes. But what many Americans haven't seen and witnessed is the impact all this has on your average border community. When I was in Texas, I had the privilege of speaking to ranchers and other property owners dealing with the nightmare of regularly discovering the remains of dead adult migrants, sometimes discovering children. Traffickers abandon these individuals while they are crossing some of the ranchers' and the property owners' property, just abandoned, abandoning these people right there on the property. These property owners are also forced to spend time and energy repairing damage that is inflicted to their property by the trespassers who are trying to avoid the checkpoints that are north of the border. We are talking about an emotional and a practical toll that has crept outward from the border, away from those remote ranches and outposts, and into communities all across this country. Administration officials started all this with their open border rhetoric, but they could also put a stop to it. How? By holding themselves accountable to the people who are stuck trying to control this chaos--people like Hector and Chris and their fellow Border Patrol agents, who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. They said: You know, it is like doing your job with one hand tied behind your back. And then they say: OK. We are going to try to strap down the other hand a little bit. That is right. That is what it means when you talk about removing resources, removing surveillance, pulling back money so they can't go do the job that they want to do, that they signed up to do, to keep this country safe. Everybody in this administration should spend a few minutes talking with property owners like Susan and like Richard and think about what it must feel like to constantly wonder if somebody has died of exposure in your backyard. This is what they are dealing with every day. The Federal Government is not out there repairing fences that have been torn down. The Federal Government is not out there cleaning up trash. The Federal Government is not there replanting a sugarcane field. No. Ranchers, property owners, they are paying for this out of their pocket because this is happening on their property. The status quo that this administration has created on this border can't last much longer because it is running people ragged, whether they are working the river, working the border; whether they are trying to work their ranch, their cattle, their crops. This is out of control. The other thing that I have noticed as I was on the border and then talking to a lot of Tennesseeans, hearing from people: The American people are afraid. The spin doctors in the White House and in the mainstream media would have us believe that fear is due to racism or xenophobia, but those accusations are misstatements. They are inaccurate. Americans are not afraid of those who seek refuge in our country. Americans are afraid of the documented rise in drug trafficking and gunrunning and sex trafficking. They are infuriated to see their own fellow citizens throwing in their lot with the drug cartels and participating in these trafficking rings. People in their communities are choosing blood money over gainful employment, and they hold these cartels responsible. And they fear the hold the cartels have over some of their neighbors. It terrifies them. But what terrifies them most of all is the knowledge that President Biden, his Cabinet, and his allies in Congress know this, and they refuse to help. We know the problem is fixable, as the Border Patrol agents told me. This is fixable. There are solutions. We know the administration has the power to do it. It is pretty simple. And this is what they have said: Enforce the rule of law. There are laws on the books. Enforce them. Illegal entry is illegal. They say: Start by building the wall. Build it; finish it; get it finished. They need it. They have been saying it for 30 years: We need a wall. We need a wall. Border Patrol and other law enforcement agencies have been asking for this barrier for a long time. And if you were to go down south, you would see for yourself. Everything you need to build that border is there: the equipment, the panels. It is all there. Build the wall. Part of it is up, but we need to fill it in so that we secure that border--and additional funding for security and infrastructure and manpower. Build that wall. Get back to work on it. Next, the administration must stop waging war against President Trump's successful ``Remain in Mexico'' policy. The Border Patrol, law enforcement, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the National Guard--they will all tell you: Yes, get back to building that wall, and while you are at it, go back to ``Remain in Mexico.'' You know what? They want this because it works. It works. Isn't that amazing? It works. So go back to it. We cannot afford to allow the operatives at the helm of the Democratic Party to dictate security policy. We know ``Remain in Mexico'' works, so embrace it. Say: We are doing this because Federal employees, the Border Patrol, are asking us to do this. We must also eliminate catch-and-release and embrace the removal authority granted under title 42. Those are things that we know work. Those are the things at the top of the list with our local law enforcement, with Texas DPS, with our Border Patrol. Those are the things that they say: These could be done right now. Go back to building that wall; go back to ``Remain in Mexico''; stop this catch-and-release; and abide by title 42. Today, President Biden, who hasn't been to the border, should go and say: You know what? This Nation is a sovereign nation; we are going to protect this Nation; we are going to protect our citizens; and, therefore, we are going to take these measures because the Border Patrol says this is what works. The time for treating these policies like political footballs has come to an end. The border crisis doesn't exist in a bubble, and it doesn't just exist at the southern border. What we are seeing along that border is loss of life and loss of livelihoods, and it is happening on a daily basis. How would you feel? How would you feel if they were running across your crops? How would you feel if they were on your ranch? Think about that one. It is clear by now that the White House values their ``woke'' talking points, but there is nothing ``woke'' about the death and destruction we are seeing tear through this border. There is nothing ``woke'' about allowing the cartels to overwhelm law enforcement and leave innocent people entrapped by those cartels to die in the desert. There is nothing ``woke'' about allowing a crisis to fester to make the political case for open borders. Until President Biden and the Democrats prioritize safety and secure the border they abandoned on the day that they took power and control, every town--every town in this country will be a border town, and every State will be a border State; every community will exist under the threat of cartel violence, and every person in America will bear witness to the desperation and loss of life that their President has seen fit to ignore. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom, and the start--the beginning--of those combat operations in Afghanistan. It is a benchmark that makes what has happened on the ground during and since our disastrous withdrawal from Kabul all the more disgusting. Over the past 2 months, we have listened in disbelief as mouthpieces at the State Department, the Pentagon, and the White House talked about the Taliban in the same way they would have addressed a legitimate governing body. Last week, during a hearing before the Armed Services Committee, we saw our civilian and military leaders evade responsibility for the violence, death, and chaos that has occurred on their watch. But we also listened closely as they revealed appalling inconsistencies between the spin from the White House and the reality of the situation on the ground. Here is the reality: Afghanistan is under the control of terrorists. These terrorists have longstanding ties with al-Qaida and the Haqqani network, and those relationships aren't going to take a back seat now that the Taliban is in charge of the entire country. This was no ordinary transfer of power. Afghanistan isn't Germany or France or the United States, and we shouldn't pretend that it is, because it is impossible to act as a legitimate government when your goal is not to govern but your goal is to manipulate through acts of terror. This is what the Taliban is doing, and it is not happening in secret. The cameras are rolling. The world is watching. Inclusivity clearly isn't a priority, as much as the White House would like to make out that it is. The Taliban cleared out the women's affairs ministry and replaced it with ``Ministry for Preaching and Guidance and the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.'' The Taliban's desire to curry favor with China has Uyghurs living in Afghanistan running scared. Afghanistan was a haven for these people during the Cultural Revolution, and now the families of those who fled are afraid that the Taliban is going to round them up--yes, round up the Uyghur Muslims--and sell them--that is right--sell them to the Chinese Communist Party in exchange for economic aid. Fears that the Taliban would weaponize access to the internet became reality before the last American left the country. They are well on their way to creating a tightly controlled online cesspool of dangerous anti-Western propaganda. Meanwhile, the Afghan economy is in the gutter. The Taliban's military campaign shut down basic commerce in much of the country, making food shortages worse and putting a million children--a million children--at risk of starvation and death. Healthcare infrastructure is collapsing. And now the Afghan people are facing the possibility of blackouts because the Taliban can't be bothered to figure out how they are going to pay the electric bill. And what intel we do have suggests that al-Qaida will use this chaos void left by Biden's disastrous withdrawal to rebuild their operations. That is right--al-Qaida is present in Afghanistan. I think it important to understand that all of this violence and disorder barely scratches the surface of what the Taliban is capable of instigating. On August 20, President Biden stated with absolute certainty: ``I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world.'' During last week's hearing, General Milley disagreed with that assessment. I disagree with that assessment, as do many Tennesseeans that I talk with when I am home every weekend. They understand that Operation Enduring Freedom may have come to an end, but that the world is still watching to see how the United States of America is going to respond to one of the most anti-equality, anti-peace, and anti-freedom organizations on the face of the Earth. Our actions and our reactions will inform those from the rest of the world, and it is time for the Biden administration to recognize that and to act accordingly. I yield the floor.

Mrs. BLACKBURN

Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, many artists and entertainers have staked their claim to fame by bending the rules and changing the conventional wisdom that defines their craft. But not many can claim to have made an impact on American culture that is at once musical, political, and spiritual. This month, my friend and fellow Tennessean Lee Greenwood is enjoying some well-deserved recognition for doing just that. Next week, he will celebrate the 40th year of one of the most significant and successful careers in country music history. On behalf of the entire Tennessee delegation, I want to thank Lee for his artistry, his patriotism, and his belief in the power of a song to heal our deepest wounds. We thank him for his friendship, for his commitment to our great State of Tennessee, and we wish him even greater successes in his career. Government Funding Madam President, over the weekend, my Democratic colleagues put on a terrific show for the American people, arguing over which multitrillion-dollar spending bill they wanted to pass first--not if they were going to pass one, but which one they wanted to pass first. And from what I am hearing in Tennessee, they are saying: We don't want either of these. None of this should ever be passed and signed into law. Those that I spoke with also wanted me to pass on a message. It doesn't matter if they were Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian. They said what happened here in Washington over the weekend was just about the most tone-deaf and disrespectful thing that they had seen take place in Washington in a long time. All year, Tennesseans have been asking themselves why is it that the Democrats are pushing so hard to spend more than a trillion dollars on a so-called infrastructure package that really isn't about infrastructure? Why are they fighting so hard for a multitrillion- dollar social spending package that prioritizes all the wrong things? Tennesseans have caught on to this insanity. They know with absolute certainty that every time Joe Biden's government steps in to take control over an aspect of their lives, the goal is not to make their lives easier. The goal is to complicate their lives. The goal is to take away some of their individual freedom, some of their choice. There is no other explanation as to why they would do this in the face of some of the issues that we have, like serious supply chain vulnerabilities, unsustainable inflation--no, it is not temporary--and levels of divisiveness and mistrust that have made even the most unplugged, apolitical people that I know sit up and speak out. The fact that more people are paying attention is really a problem for my Democratic colleagues. They know that there is no chance that the majority of the American people will just go along with what it is that they are proposing. As I said, it doesn't matter if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian. They are looking at this and they are saying: Hey, wait a minute. These guys that are over there, every one of them-- what are they trying to do? They are trying to drive this socialist agenda, tear down our institutions, and build it back as a socialist state--which is exactly why the Democrats are opting for a power grab rather than an honest debate. By seizing that control and taking away that freedom, they are slowly but surely setting themselves up to redefine the relationship between the people and the government. Eventually, this will allow the Democrats to destroy our most important institutions and remake them in the image of the grand socialist future that they are so desperate to build. If you can't beat them--and the Democrats haven't been able to beat the people--then what do you do? They go about--the Democrats--and they just move the goalpost. They have shown this intent time and again over the course of decades, but let's start with more recent events. The Federal healthcare takeover destroyed the concept of the doctor-patient relationship and replaced it with layers of bureaucracy and, now, rationing. Over the past 3 years, my Democratic colleagues have tried multiple times to force through an election takeover bill that would federalize voting. That is right--not local control like we have had but federalizing elections, intentionally exposing conservative voters to an unhinged and violent opposition and making the ballot box vulnerable to fraud. That is what they are trying to do. Earlier this year, we discovered that the Democrats thought that opening up everyone's pocketbook for scrutiny by the IRS would be an acceptable way to pay for their so-called infrastructure package. It is a neat trick. It is also completely and utterly despicable, and people are not buying what the Democrats are selling. They do not want socialism ruling their life. They do not want the United States of America to be a socialist nation. The majority in this Chamber have accused the Republicans in this Chamber of many things, and most of them untrue. But what is true is that we are indeed getting in the way of this reckless, destructive agenda. That is because it is our duty to protect this country and to protect our freedoms. Joe Biden and the Democratic Party control the entire U.S. Government. That is right. We had an election, and you are in charge. That government has already made it clear that--mandate or no mandate-- they have their eye on the prize. And that prize is to take away your freedom, give that over to the government, and leave you living in a socialist nation. All it would cost is all of your money, all of your principles, all of your freedom. That is right. That is the future that they, the Democratic Party, envision for you and your family--they, the Democratic Party, making all the decisions; they, the Democratic Party, winning all the elections because they federalize them and they let the Federal Government decide who wins, with them in charge. If the Democrats wish to make those sacrifices, they are more than welcome to go about trying to do it, because the American people are not buying the agenda that they are pushing. Every day I talk to Tennesseans. What do they want? Freedom--balanced freedom that allows them to experience their version of the American dream, that allows their children to dream big dreams and then live in a country where they can work to make those dreams come true. Preserving that is a worthy fight. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.