John Barrasso

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), and the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Risch).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), and the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the Child Development Center of Natrona County as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of its largest fundraiser, the Kids' Art a la Carte Gala. On May 3, 2025, the Natrona County Child Development Center will host its annual fundraiser at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, WY. Proceeds from this special event go directly toward supporting the CDC's services and programming. It is a wonderful opportunity for the community to share its support for the CDC's important mission: providing premiere, family-focused, developmentally appropriate services for Wyoming's kids. The child development center opened its doors in 1967. Over the years, the CDC has helped to ensure that the social, developmental, and educational needs of the children in our communities are being met. Today, this organization, led by executive director Alisha Rone, serves close to 700 children each year. Its team of 120 individuals provide support, advice, and--when needed--intervention to parents and their children. The CDC's early intervention services are key to ensuring the lifelong success of our children. Offering free screenings and educational materials, the CDC provides children in Natrona County with a solid foundation. The center's certified teachers and therapists help provide a plan tailored to every child and their needs. Its accredited preschool prepares kids ages three through five for kindergarten. For children who need extra assistance, there is the CDC+ program. In addition to providing speech, occupational, and physical therapies, the program offers audiology services and reading coaching. The teachers, therapists, support staff, and leadership continue demonstrating selflessness and compassion. This year, the CDC received the Daniels Fund Medal of Excellence and a $250,000 grant. The grant will fund its continued operations and expansion of its services at no cost to participating families. Providing the excellent service the CDC is known for takes a team of talented people. This team includes the CDC's senior leadership, board of directors, foundation board, and dedicated employees. The Child Development Center's Senior Leadership team includes: Alisha Rone, executive director; Lori Kapeles, program director; Jan Hinz, special education director; Geoff Dean, finance director; Shannon Hillibush, human resources director; and Renate Pullen, compliance director. Members of the CDC Board of Directors are: Bryce Row, president; Michelle Larsen, vice president; Patricia Cloud, treasurer; Anna Birch DeWitt; Tayla Trujillo; Ally Orr; Nikki Hawley; Scott Wells; Tony Hager; Bobby Pickle; Brad Diller; and Fleur Tremel. Those serving on the CDC Foundation Board include: Mark Zaback, chairman; Jeff Bishop, treasurer; Robyn Landen; Shannon Orr; Peter Van Houten; Pete Fazio; Isaac Swanson; Dave Dundas; and Alisha Rone. Mr. President, it is an honor celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Child Development Center of Natrona County's annual Kids Art A La Carte Gala. The positive impact the CDC has made on the families and children of our community is genuinely remarkable. I offer my appreciation for all those who support the CDC. Your efforts ensure children in Wyoming have a strong foundation to prepare them for a lifetime of success.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin) and the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Thune). Further, if present and voting: the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Thune) would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Hawley), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), and the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Tuberville).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I am delighted that, today, the U.S. Senate is going to confirm Governor Mike Huckabee to be our U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Governor Huckabee is a fierce friend to one of our closest allies. He is the right leader to have this very important job. This is a man who has visited Israel more than 100 times. He knows its people. He knows its purpose. He knows its potential. He also knows its promise. That is why I am sure that he will receive bipartisan support today. His confirmation will strengthen the unbreakable bond between America and Israel. It is a bond that is stronger than ever under President Trump. Security is the backbone of our special relationship, and shared values are our moral bedrock. Liberty, faith, and opportunity--those are our shared beliefs. That is why America has always supported Israel. Historically, in 1948, America recognized the creation of Israel 11 minutes after its birth. America was the first Nation to recognize a free and democratic Jewish State. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Israel ever since. President Trump's record is proof of America's unwavering support. His first term delivered historic progress. He forged the Abraham Accords and shattered decades of deadlock to bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East. He moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as promised, which is Israel's eternal capital. President Trump recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He stood firm against Iran. The nomination and confirmation of Governor Huckabee improves on that stellar record. Today, the threats facing the United States and Israel are growing, menacing. Iran is racing to nuclear weapons. Iran's hired henchmen attack Israel from all sides. Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, and it continues to hold innocent hostages captive. The Houthis in Yemen are launching drone attacks against Israel. Israel's right to defend itself is not up for debate. America's security assistance to Israel is not a handout. It is necessary to keep Israel safe, and it is necessary to stop terrorism. Republicans understand that. We back Israel unequivocally. Yet Democrats in this body are wavering. Last week, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont tried to cancel $8.8 billion in weapons transfers to Israel. He failed. Every Republican voted with Israel, but 15 Democrats voted against Israel. This isn't the first time this year that Senate Democrats have stood against Israel. Today, there is a loud pro-Hamas fringe, and they are trying to hijack the Democrat Party. It isn't just happening in the Senate; it is happening around the country; it is happening by campus radicals on our Nation's college campuses. This is worse than bad politics. This is dangerous policy. We are at an inflection point in history. Hamas launched a brutal attack against Israel on October 7 of 2023. It was the deadliest single-day attack against the people of Israel and the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Israel continues to fight for its safety and its survival. Faced with this reality, Democrats are still abandoning Israel, and that puts both Israel and America at risk. Here are the facts: Israel is a democracy; Hamas terrorists are butchers. Israel shields its citizens; Hamas uses its citizens as human shields. Israel sends food to Gaza; Hamas steals the food and starves the people. That is why the Palestinian people are protesting against Hamas. Hamas faces the most serious challenge to its rule in 18 years. Israel fights terror. It has every right to defend itself. America has chosen a side. We stand with Israel. Our support is unwavering. It is unbreakable--no apologies made. Peace in the Middle East starts with supporting Israel, not appeasing our adversaries. The roadblock to peace continues to be Iran. President Trump is restoring maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. President Trump is choking off Iran's oil sales with strong sanctions. President Trump is hammering the Houthi terrorists who attack our troops. President Trump has reversed Joe Biden's foolish arms embargo on Israel. This is going to help Israel win the war, and it will help bring home the hostages. President Trump is slapping down sham kangaroo courts that target Israel simply for defending itself. This is leadership. This is moral clarity. The Senate is moving to confirm Governor Huckabee in spite of Democrat efforts to slow it down. We are right to do that. America and Israel share urgent challenges. We also share a sacred cause. Governor Huckabee is the right man at the right time with the right values to carry forward that cause. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Hawley), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), and the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Paul).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to use a prop during my remarks.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Paul), and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. But, Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about a different topic, and that topic is coal--and, specifically, Wyoming coal, which is world-class coal, clean coal, low-sulfur coal. This is Wyoming coal. We need more of it--not less of it--to power our Nation. It is available, affordable, and reliable. This has powered our Nation for over a century. It continues to be a major source of power for our Nation, and we need it far into the future. And today, to that case, President Trump is going to sign an Executive order making clear his commitment to American energy independence. The President is moving very quickly in terms of boosting the coal industry. It is part of his bold plan that the administration has to restore American energy dominance. We have more coal in this country than any other country in the world. It is one of our most affordable, reliable, and abundant sources of energy on the planet. And in America, we can use that coal cleaner than ever before. Wyoming's Powder River Basin produces the cleanest burning coal in the world. Nearly half of all coal produced in America comes from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and our neighboring State of Montana. Wyoming's energy warriors will lead the way. For years, Democrats have held coal captive with reckless regulations, making it harder for us to use American energy and making us more dependent on foreign sources of energy. Joe Biden took coal offline in America. Democrats' war on American energy strained our grid, subsidized unreliable energy, and as a result, energy prices spiked in their administration by 31 percent. That hit American consumers, American manufacturers, American families; and it hurt our economy. Meanwhile, what we know is that China is opening up two new coal- fired powerplants each and every week. It is hard to believe, but they are doing it. They continue to build those powerplants in China. We will talk about what they want to do with that energy and what we need to do in America because President Trump is cutting redtape so we can compete again--compete with China. And coal is making a comeback. Wyoming wins, America wins, but not China. What do Americans want? They want affordable, reliable, available power. We need the energy, and clean coal will deliver it. American energy is rocket fuel for a stronger economy--also, for a more secure Nation. What does more energy mean? It means lower prices for consumers and manufacturers and producers. Electricity demand is projected to double by the year 2050. We cannot meet this demand if we lock up our valuable energy resources, but that is what the Democrats wanted us to do. That was the purity plan that they had the last 4 years. High energy prices under the previous administration drove up food prices, fuel prices, and strained families. All of this hurt our Nation and hurt our economy. President Trump wants to produce more American energy, and that includes coal. Investing in American energy lowers the cost of food. It puts more money back into families' pockets. This is how we need to deal with the energy crunch that we are facing. Plus, this creates more American jobs, brings jobs back to our country. Coal is an engine of our American economy, and the Democrats continue to treat it as an enemy. Everything we do in this country relies on energy. We need more energy, not less. Steel producers, manufacturers, data centers need steady, reliable power if we are going to compete and win. The electricity needed for data centers alone is predicted to increase by up to 20 percent each year over the next 5 years. Coal will help power them. It will give our industry an edge, a competitive advantage. In turn, more workers will find that they get steady, reliable paychecks. Coal miners will also get new opportunities. All of America will get a boost. More American energy also means that data centers, artificial intelligence--which are major users of energy--will grow here in America, not overseas. With it, we can power our economy; we can win the energy race; we can win the AI, artificial intelligence, race against communist China. More energy secures our Nation. Energy security is national security. Republicans understand it. President Trump understands it. That is why he is going to do what he is doing this afternoon at the White House, and I am delighted to have been invited to be part of it. We don't need more liberal energy chokeholds. Energy independence is what matters for our Nation and our future. Europe, last year, spent $23 billion on Russian oil and gas because they didn't have enough of their own energy. That is more money than Europe sent in aid to Ukraine. This shows you that Europe's energy crisis proves dependency upon our enemies for energy is self-defeating. American energy dominance, including clean coal, reduces our Nation's vulnerability. The climate alarmists--and we hear them, and we understand they will come to the floor to talk about this--claim that coal is the energy of the past. They are misinformed. Clean coal is a fuel for the future. It is affordable, it is reliable, and it is ready to go. President Trump knows that. He knows that coal is a key ingredient in an all-of-the-above energy strategy and agenda for our Nation. So I look forward to standing today with President Trump to celebrate this victory for Wyoming and for America and for a strong energy future for our Nation. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor having just listened to my colleague, the senior Senator from New York, the minority leader, talk about the upcoming efforts from the Republicans with regard to America's economy. And if you ask me what is the No. 1 goal of the legislation that is being proposed, it is we want to prevent a $4 trillion tax increase that will hit every working family in this country that the Democrats are for. So he goes on and on about different things in the bill. Let's get down to the purpose of the bill, and it is to prevent a $4 trillion tax increase that the Democrats support.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Justice) and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. McCormick).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cruz), the Senator from Utah (Mr. Curtis) and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Sheehy).

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise to oppose the amendment. I support the Senate Republican budget resolution. The Senate budget resolution extends the debt limit into 2027. The American people want to cut reckless Washington spending. They want their government to be more effective and more efficient. That is what our Senate Republican budget resolution delivers; therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote no on this amendment. Vote on Amendment No. 1760