John Barrasso

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today during Police Week to pay tribute to Sergeant Nevada Krinkee. Here he is. He was a member of the police force in Sheridan, WY. He was a beloved officer in Sheridan. He was well-known for his selflessness. His colleagues will tell you he always put others first. His death in February of this year, in the line of duty, was absolutely tragic, and it shook our State. Sergeant Krinkee was the first officer in Wyoming, since 1997--the first one this century--to die by homicide in the line of duty. It is actually the first line-of-duty death in the history of the Sheridan Police Department. Sergeant Krinkee made the ultimate sacrifice for the community he loved and the community that he swore to protect. He was only 33 years old. In March, I attended his funeral in Sheridan, WY. It was so large they had to move it to the community college--the great auditorium there, the field house. What was moving was the outpouring of folks from all around the community, as well as the State, as well as the country. They were there to honor Sergeant Krinkee but were also there to support his wife Karla and their young daughter Bella. More than 1,800 people attended in the community of Sheridan, WY. They flooded in from across Wyoming and from across the country. Many of them who were there to mourn his death and honor his family had never actually met Sergeant Krinkee. It was the largest single event in Sheridan, WY in 40 years. It was 40 years ago that Queen Elizabeth visited Wyoming and had a similarly sized turnout. Law enforcement officers traveled from every corner of our State. They came from tiny towns. They also came from big cities across the West. All came to pay their respects to the man and to their brother in uniform. As police cars escorted the family to the memorial service, citizens of Sheridan, WY, lined the streets of the community--four deep--waving American flags. It was absolutely beautiful to behold. One of the newspaper reporters asked a man from Wyoming, who drove over 100 miles to be there, why he came that far to attend the funeral. After all, this was somebody he had never met. He had never heard of Sergeant Krinkee before he had been killed. He responded: I stand for those who have stood for us, and I will until the day I die. Well, that says a lot about the people of Wyoming through and through. One of the greatest blessings of our great Nation is the men and women of law enforcement. Police officers have one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs in our Nation, and they do it with confidence and with compassion. Today, officers need to deal with dangerous criminals, and they often do it in the face of continuous criticism. It is alarming. Police officers across the country are coming under attack from criminals and the soft-on-crime politicians who coddle them. Sadly, more police officers have been killed or injured by gun violence in the line of duty in 2023 than ever before. Politicians who support criminals rather than police and demonize and defund the police hold responsibility. The police, as a result, have been demoralized and endangered. We also see crime--violent crime--right now in America at a record high. Compared to 2019, murders are up 17 percent, and aggravated assaults are up 8 percent. Let me be clear: Defunding the police has made our communities less safe. For police officers, it has turned the badges on their sleeves sometimes into targets on their backs. Law enforcement officers love their communities. They love them enough to give their lives to protect those communities. These are incredible men and women. To me, each one is a hero, and we are grateful for each and every one of them. They wear the badge. They protect our communities despite all the risks. To me, it is the definition of selflessness. To the men and women of law enforcement, you are everyday heroes, and you are among us every day. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Sam for his hard work as an intern in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Sam is a native of Virginia. He is currently a sophomore at George Mason University. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Sam for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Alex for his hard work as an intern in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Alex is a native of Florida. He recently graduated from George Washington University with a master's degree in professional studies. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Alex for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Julianne Beech for her hard work as an intern in my office in Cheyenne, WY. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Julianne is a native of Cheyenne. She is a freshman at Laramie County Community College, where she studies political science and international studies, with a minor in international relations and comparative politics. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Julianne for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Reese for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Reese is a native of Laramie. He attends The University of Wyoming, where he studies international studies and political science. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made him an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of his work is reflected in his great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Reese for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have him as part of our team. I know he will have continued success with all of his future endeavors. I wish him all my best on his journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about a great win for the American people and for America's energy future. I want to start by saying something that I know Vladimir Putin is going hate to hear, and that is that Russia's choke hold on America's uranium supply is coming to an end. Putin's war machine has now lost one of its cash cows. America is finally starting to take back our nuclear energy security as well as our energy future. Last week, this body unanimously passed legislation that I sponsored--bipartisan legislation--to ban the import of Russian uranium. It will soon become law. This victory is tremendous and transformative, and it is truly bipartisan. I am very grateful for Senator Manchin, Senator Risch, Senator Lummis, Senator Heinrich, Senator Coons, and Senator Marshall for their critical work in helping get this bill into law. I also want to thank House Energy and Commerce Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Together, we all worked to make America safer as well as more prosperous. I am especially pleased because my home State of Wyoming has world- class uranium resources. For years, Russia has used its nuclear monopoly to flood the market with uranium. Russia's monopoly could do so only because it owned, ran, and manipulated the entire situation and had it done by the Russian Government. Putin tried to corner the global market. He used enriched uranium to enrich himself and to further his dangerous ambitions. Russia has been undermining America's nuclear industry for decades. As a result, Putin now controls 50 percent of the world's enrichment capacity. Today, he supplies 24 percent of America's enriched uranium. Putin's control is so vast that currently, today, the equivalent of 1 out of 20 homes in America is powered by uranium enriched by Russia. My legislation ensures that Americans will no longer count on Russia to turn on our lights. Even worse, Putin uses the money from selling uranium to pay for his war efforts in Ukraine. For 2 years, America has unintentionally helped fund Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That is not how we stand up for democracy. America can't talk about stopping Vladimir Putin's march through Europe while also helping fund it. When it comes to national security, actions matter more than words, and our allies want to see consistency. Banning the sale of Russian uranium in the United States shows Putin that the world is united against him. With our legislation, Putin will lose $1 billion in revenue each and every year. By banning Russian uranium, we are striking a serious blow to Putin's war machine. Perhaps what is most important about this legislation is what it does to boost America's energy. We are helping America become the global leader once again in nuclear energy. I have spoken to leaders of many American nuclear utilities. What I hear constantly is that they are ready to transition away from Russian uranium. They point out that expanding our enrichment capacity here at home can be expensive. It takes time, it takes money, and it takes certainty. This legislation provides American uranium producers with the support they need. The bill also dedicates dollars for strategic investments to help jump-start America's nuclear supply chain. Of course, we are not starting over from scratch. No, we are not. Wyoming is ready to power American reactors with Wyoming nuclear fuel. My home State of Wyoming is America's energy breadbasket. We are America's leading uranium producer. We have large uranium resources, and we will keep building upon them. We have Crook County, Campbell County, Converse County, and Sweetwater County. They are ground zero for making sure America has the uranium our Nation needs. Wyoming has the uranium to free America from dependence on Russia, and we are ready to deploy it. I have great confidence in Wyoming's energy resources and, of course, in Wyoming's energy workers--remarkable individuals. Through their hard work, America will once again be a world leader in uranium production, conversion, and enrichment. America's nuclear supply chain must begin with American-mined uranium and end with American-made fuel. Russia's control of the world's nuclear fuel supply is coming to an end. It is good news for Wyoming, it is good news for America, and it is good news for the world. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to recognize and honor the 50th anniversary of the Art Museum at the University of Wyoming--UW--in Laramie, WY. This important cultural icon will celebrate the occasion during its annual fundraising gala on May 18, 2024. The University of Wyoming Art Museum prides itself on connecting people from all walks of life to experience the power of the arts and cultural heritage. It possesses over 11,000 art objects in its permanent collection. Regional, national, and international exhibits and local activities are designed to engage visitors in thoughtful dialogues regarding our collective humanity. This well-esteemed museum had humble beginnings. In 1971, UW Art Department Chair James Boyle and Art History Professor James Forrest established the university's first museum dedicated to art. Both believed a university needed a tangible collection of all genres of art, media, and cultures in order to have a viable visual art program. Forrest became its first director. The small museum was housed in the lower level of the fine arts building. Its two exhibition spaces occupied what are now dance studios in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. During this time, the museum focused on building its collections and conducting outreach around the State. In 1988, Director Charles Guerin recognized the need for a larger space to display UW's collections. He applied for--and received--a $400,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, NEA. This grant was the largest ever awarded by the NEA at that time. A robust capital fundraising campaign followed. Supporters, donors, and artists raised an astonishing $7.5 million for the first phase of the new art museum facility. The University of Wyoming broke ground on the project in October 1990. The 137,000-square-foot building took 3 years and cost $19 million to complete. On September 10, 1993, then Wyoming Governor Mike Sullivan and UW president Terry Roark cut the ribbon to officially open the Centennial Complex. Today, it houses the art museum and the American Heritage Center. Internationally acclaimed architect Antoine Predock designed the iconic Laramie landmark. His inspiration for the cone-shaped building was an ``archival mountain,'' mirroring neighboring Medicine Bow Peak to the west and Pilot Knob to the east. The galleries of the art museum represent the rendezvous sites of the pre-settled West, where people gathered to trade, socialize, and exchange ideas. For 50 years, the UW Art Museum has placed art at the center of education. Its ``Museum as Classroom'' concept features innovative educational and public programs for all ages. The Ann Simpson Artmobile and the Touring Exhibition Service were created in 1982. These remarkable outreach programs share quality artwork with Wyoming communities that often have limited access to original art. The dedicated staff also create on-site programs for K-12 students, teenagers, and adults. These community-based activities enhance and expand our understanding of art, culture, and personal creativity. Private contributions--through donations, endowments, and fundraising campaigns--account for over 60 percent of the museum's operating budget. It also receives Federal grants and funding from the State of Wyoming. This generosity allows the museum to continue its important mission of sharing the transformative power of art through exhibiting, preserving, and interpreting visual culture from around the world. The success of the UW Art Museum comes from the dedication and hard work of its staff and many volunteers. Lead by director and chief curator Nicole Crawford, the museum employs 10 full-time staff: Nicole Crawford, Director and Chief Curator Debra Littlesun, Assistant Director Michelle Sunset, Curator Emily Conner, Master Teacher (pre-K through 12 program) Sarita Talusani Keller, Artmobile Educator Will Bowling, Education & Public Programs Manager Molly Marcusse, Collections Manager Sterling ``Stoney'' Smith, Chief Preparator Anthony Teneralli, Collections Preparator Jon Cabera, Marketing Coordinator The museum's national advisory board provides guidance and direction to ensure its longevity. My late wife Bobbi served on the board with great commitment for many years. Current board members are: President Lisa McElwee Vice President Melissa Lyon Secretary/Treasurer Susan Miller Past President Sue Sommers Student Representative Cierra Roberts Yancy Bonner Brenda Bland Anne Brande Nicole Choi Alyson Hagy Jody Levin Kelly Milam Katy Rinne Nancy Schiffer Sue Simpson-Gallagher Jay Schneiders Fred Von Ahrens Kathryn Boswell, Emeritus Member Mary Horton, Emeritus Member Felicia Resor, Emeritus Member On May 18, 2024, patrons and supporters of the UW Art Museum will gather for the annual UW Art Museum Gala: ``A Hat Ball.'' This year's gala mirrors the museum's special 50th anniversary exhibition, ``The New West: University of Wyoming Art Museum at Fifty.'' Open from July 2023 to May 2024, the exhibit explores the role of the museum and its place in the American West. It is an honor to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University of Wyoming's Art Museum. This wonderful place, which is Wyoming's only academic art museum, offers free general admission to more than 20,000 visitors annually. It is a great place to visit, explore, and engage with the art on display. I send my best wishes to the UW Art Museum for a prosperous future.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, it is good to be here with my friend and colleague who just addressed the body on this legislation. I remember he said: Who is going to be on the other side of the position that he has taken? Well, I am the face of the person who is on the other side. I am here with students from Wyoming, 4-H kids, who understand from an agricultural standpoint what kind of vehicles families in Wyoming want and need and the freedom to choose the kind of vehicles that they drive, the practicality of what they can afford and of what they know will work for them. They are from Sheridan and they are from Gillette, WY, and they are here because they support the freedom to choose what kind of vehicles people want to drive in America. It is not just Wyoming; it is all across the country. I want to thank the Senator from Idaho who wrote this legislation, because he is the driving force behind this very important bill, which I am here to support. This legislation that we are talking about today would prohibit any government money from going to fund Joe Biden's obscene attacks against American cars and American trucks. Every day, people in Wyoming rely on their cars and their trucks to get to work, to get to school, and to do the daily work of our economy: agriculture, ranching, farming. There are great distances that people travel in Wyoming, and they need reliability. They need vehicles that they can trust, that they can count on. This bill today is about defending their freedom, and it is against those who want to take away that freedom. What President Biden and the Democrats are trying to do is to force Americans to switch to electric vehicles--vehicles that many people don't want, can't afford, and that aren't practical for them in their daily lives. The actions by the Democrats and the EPA aren't driven by facts. They are driven by that party's blind faith in their climate religion, a faith that says we need to prioritize--as the President has told the EPA--climate over energy for our country that is affordable, available, or reliable. How is that way out? How do people feel about that? Which do you want? Do you want energy that is affordable, available, and reliable? Well then, you are going to be for this piece of legislation that we are talking about today. But for the climate alarmists who continue to come to this floor and harp about the issues, let me point out to them the inconvenient truth. The inconvenient truth is that the American people do not want to buy EVs, and they actually are voting with their feet. They aren't buying electric vehicles. They simply aren't interested in that car or the truck that they know is too expensive, too unreliable, and, for them, too inconvenient. That is what it is about. The public has absolute legitimate concerns about the lack of charging stations around the country and the time it takes to recharge. But EV batteries, they lose their charge in the cold of winter. Well, we have longer winters in Wyoming. We also have longer roads to drive to get from work or school to home. EVs certainly do not inspire confidence. They don't inspire confidence for those of us who live and drive in States like Wyoming or the West, with our cold winters and our long distances. So the President of the United States wants to force the people of Wyoming and across the country to buy EVs anyway. He doesn't care about this. He is from a small State, Delaware. I don't think he has any clear understanding of the vastness of the Rocky Mountain West. I have heard him in a number of his comments, and it is clear that he doesn't understand the people who live in the Rocky Mountain West. But Joe Biden does understand that he has had and placed a heavy hand on the EPA so that they can tell us what to buy, what to drive. I am against all of these sorts of obligations and mandates. The EPA wants to dictate that 7 of 10 vehicles, new cars, sold need to be electric. By comparison, EVs make up less than 1 in 10 cars being sold today--and what has happened now, late Friday afternoon on Good Friday, right before Easter, new mandates on trucks as well that clearly aren't practical, expensive mandates, unaffordable. They talk about the benefits. The benefits are highly exaggerated. This self-righteous Biden administration imposes punishing, political, and penalizing fines on the carmakers who don't comply with their mandates. This isn't right. This Biden car ban, it is bad for consumers; it is bad for the economy; and it is bad for American jobs. Look, if this regulation goes into full effect, the impacts are going to be devastating. Republicans reject all of these unjustified, unnecessary restrictions. Democrats are the party of regulating every room in your home, and now they want to move to the garage after banning gas stoves and natural gas. They want to control our lives. It is coercive. To me, what they are doing is a crusade against consumer choice, convenience, and affordability. The focus in Washington should be on lowering prices, producing more American energy, focusing on energy that is available, affordable, and reliable. The people of Wyoming, across the West, we are America's energy, powerhouse, bread basket for American energy. We do it with the kind of respect for the environment that one would expect and want and demand, and we do it that way. We understand what Americans want. The Senator from Idaho's legislation is what we need to do to put Americans not in the back seat but in the front seat. That is why we are here today talking about this. It is so interesting, when the EPA, with their truck mandate, they talked about how much carbon they would avoid putting in the atmosphere over the next 30 years. Now, I think their numbers are exaggerated. But the amount that they are talking about saving from putting into the atmosphere in 30 years is what China and India combined put, added, in the atmosphere every single year. So the Democrats say: OK, China and India, OK, drill 30 holes in the bottom of the boat. And the U.S. in that time, we are going to patch one of them up. Aren't we great. Well, we are not, and it is wrong to take away the choice of the American people from what they want, what they can afford, and what is practical in their lives. I think it is just time to put a stop to Democrats' mandate madness. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, first, I would like to congratulate and commend the comments by the previous speaker, the Senator from Alabama, who makes important points that are important for the history as well as the future of this country. I rise today, as he did, to speak about the impeachment of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Mayorkas. I bring with me today to the floor ``The Federalist Papers'' written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay and refer to Federalist 65. As I stand here and look at the pages in here and pages in the book and the pages in the front of the Senate Chamber, I would recommend to them that they read ``The Federalist Papers.'' I recommend the same to my intern who is here on the floor today, Eve Hawkins, and to the students in the Galleries. There is a lot to learn about the country and a lot to learn about our history, our heritage, and the reason we have the Nation we have today. Federalist 65 talks about impeachment. This is about the abuse and violation of public trust. Hamilton goes on to say that impeachment is an important power to remedy ``injuries done immediately to the society itself.'' This is the case we are here to talk about today and why I bring the book along. The charges against Secretary Mayorkas are serious, are substantive. The facts in support of them are compelling. They deserve careful consideration by this body. Secretary Mayorkas must be held accountable. His duty as Secretary is to protect the homeland. That is not what has happened. Instead, he refuses to secure the border. The House charges that Secretary Mayorkas has ``willfully and systematically refused,'' they say, ``to enforce border security laws.'' Secretary Mayorkas wants to open our borders so the entire world, from Beijing to Belize, can come in. He has turned a secure border into a welcome center. Remember, in September of 2021, the Secretary issued a shocking priorities memorandum. Our country has been shaken as a result of that memorandum, and it has not been forgotten. The memo severely limited who ICE was allowed to arrest--that is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also revived the catch-and-release program and abused parole laws. In fact, the Secretary bragged on MSNBC that he had-- Secretary Mayorkas--``rescinded so many Trump immigration policies, it would take so much time to list them.'' For people who prefer a secure border for our Nation and care about our Nation's security, this is an admission of willingness to ignore the law of the land. It also provided an open invitation for illegal immigrants or, as the Biden administration calls them, ``newcomers.'' After 3 years of open borders, the number of illegal crossings is up to at least 9.2 million people into this country illegally. Crimes are up. Drug overdose deaths across America are up. What about the number of deportations of criminal illegal immigrants? Well, they are not being sent back. Deportations are down. Arrests are down. Illegal immigrants are not being detained. Murderers, rapists, other criminals--they are not being deported. That is a decision that is coming out of this administration and the Secretary of Homeland Security. Americans like Laken Riley and Ruby Garcia--they have been brutally murdered. America is less safe. Secretary Mayorkas claims--he has come to the Senate and claimed; he has come to the House and claimed--that the border is secure. People laugh knowing how untrue it is. It is a lie to the Senate, a lie to the House. It is such a serious matter, though; it is hard to laugh. Meanwhile, our country is losing control of our borders to the cartels and to the criminals. Every fairminded person knows that these are serious charges, and the Senate must hold a full and fair trial. It is our constitutional duty. The House has done its job. Yet Senate Democrats--each and every one of them--are refusing to do theirs. It seems, this week, that the Democratic leader is scheming-- scheming--to bury these charges against Mayorkas without a full and fair trial. The Constitution demands there be one. The Senate majority leader's actions would turn the Senate from the world's greatest deliberative body into the world's quickest dismissal body. The Senate majority leader is not here on the floor today. He seems to be afraid of allowing the case against the lawless actions of the Secretary of Homeland Security to even be presented to the American people. His plan to bypass the trial breaks the rules, breaks the standards, and breaks the traditions of this body. Let us set the record straight: The Senate has always done its constitutional duty. We know the history. The House has sent impeachment articles to the Senate 21 times in the history of this country, and the Senate has never dismissed those articles without the official first resigning. Seventeen of those cases went to trial right here in the Senate and ended in decisions of either guilty or not guilty. Three of the cases were dismissed during the trial. The reason why is that the official resigned or they were expelled before a verdict was reached. One of them never went to trial because the official resigned before the trial began. The Democratic leader doesn't seem to care about any of this, not at all. He wants to ignore the charges against Mayorkas without a trial at all. This would be disastrous for the Senate and for our Nation. So, within the next week, the Senate Democrats must make a choice: Will they provide the transparency that the American people demand, the accountability that American citizens deserve? Or will the Democrats-- each and every one of them--vote to bury these serious charges before the Senate is allowed to hear a single piece of evidence? The Senate Democrats have now established a history of coddling criminals, people who have come to this country illegally. All 100 Senators have a solemn responsibility to work to keep our Nation safe and secure. Without a full and fair trial, there will be no accountability. Republicans want the Senate to do what it has always done--allow the House to present its case, allow the Senate to hold a full trial, and let the American people hear the truth. Holding a full and fair trial is a matter of transparency and accountability. Avoiding a trial would be an act of partisanship at the expense of public trust. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak about the President's most recent attacks upon the freedoms of the American people. This week, the Biden administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, announced that it is going to put stringent new limits on gas-powered cars. In effect, this delusional new regulation is attempting to kill the sale of gas-powered cars in America and, in doing so, try to force every American to buy an electric car. President Biden seems to want to regulate every room in the house of the American people. He started in the kitchen with our stoves, continued throughout the house, and now he is headed to the garage. This is a coercive crusade, and it is a crusade against consumer choice. It is a crusade against convenience and also against affordability. Last year, less than 1 in 10 of the vehicles sold in this country were electric vehicles. Under this new rule, Biden is demanding that the EVs make up two-thirds of all new car sales by the year 2032. Apparently, the administration thinks it is smarter than everyone else. They want to pick what you can drive and punish people who choose to drive something different. Why? Well, it is all in the name of the smug superiority of the coastal elites who think they ought to be running the country. Now, this is the crux of the new Biden car ban. Driven by this blind faith in the climate religion regardless of the cost to our country in terms of energy being affordable, available, or reliable. The costs are real, and they are expensive. The benefits are theoretical, unproven, exaggerated, and certainly burdensome. President Biden is pushing ahead anyway. To Democrats, what kind of cars Americans drive isn't a practical question; it is one based on theology. Their war against gas-powered cars amounts to what I believe is foolishness at best and leftwing lunacy at worst. Americans reject and continue to reject this unwelcomed intrusion into our lives. They reject it for good reason. They know that this Biden car ban will drive their lives into the ditch. Certainly, that is the case for the people of my home State in Wyoming. It is bad for the families in my home State. It is bad for the workers in my home State. It is bad for American national security. Farmers and ranchers count on their vehicles. It can be a matter of life and death. People know not to run out of fuel, not to run out of gas. They know what it is like in the winters. They know to always be fully prepared and fully loaded with gas before they head out on the roads in Wyoming. They want their vehicles to be reliable and affordable. We have, in Wyoming, cold winters, vast distances. Electric cars are not meant to benefit and survive in either. President Biden's push to force Wyoming drivers to buy expensive vehicles they don't want, don't need, and most families can't afford is ridiculous and an abuse of power. Electric cars are a reasonable choice for some people. They aren't a reasonable choice for everyone, and that is why these new administrative rules are so unreasonable. Electric cars should never be Americans' only option. And no one should be forced to buy a vehicle at a time they can least afford it. Because of what we have seen with Bidenomics, that time when people can least afford things is turning out to be right now. People are suffering from the costliest regulatory agenda in history and also for increasingly higher interest rates for auto loans. Trying to force families to buy expensive new vehicles they don't want and can't afford is completely out of touch. It has also become clear that Joe Biden's car ban is going to lead to a steep loss of jobs in the auto industry, particularly union jobs. We heard loud and clear from the unions about it. As the CEO of Ford Motor Company, Jim Farley, said last year, electric vehicles will require 40 percent less labor to make than the typical traditional gas-powered vehicle. According to one estimate, the transition to EV production will kill about 117,000 auto jobs in the United States. Another estimate puts that number much, much higher. It is already hitting home for some automakers and autoworkers. The owner of Chrysler laid off 1,200 employees at his Jeep plant in Illinois. Ford cut 3,000 white-collar jobs last year. The reason for the layoffs, both companies say, is the EV transition. By pushing ahead with this Green New Deal fantasy, Joe Biden is pushing hundreds of thousands of union workers off the assembly line and into the unemployment line. Plus, the Biden car ban puts activist demands ahead of America's national security. I mean, that is what is happening. President Biden is rejecting what is needed by American workers to try to appeal to a group of voters influenced by a TikTok climate influencer who visited the White House, met with John Podesta, and is now trying to drive the administration's energy policy. When we take a look at the electric batteries that are used to power these vehicles, where are they coming from? Well, 80 percent of the world's electric batteries right now are coming from communist China. Communist China controls 60 percent of the critical minerals that are used to make these batteries. When Joe Biden and the Democrats try to force-feed electric vehicles to Americans, it is a recipe for more dependence on the dictators and the despots, including the Chinese Communist Party. We need to change course. We want to stop Biden's mandate madness. We are working to put American drivers, not Washington bureaucrats, back in the driver's seat for when people make decisions in this country. Americans should be able to make their own decisions about what type of vehicle works best for them and be able to buy it. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, every year on this floor, a Senator reads George Washington's Farewell Address. This year, Senator Cardin, who is retiring from this body, was given the honor of reading the address. It is so that we in the Senate remember the lessons from George Washington. So let's reflect on what is in George Washington's Farewell Address, and it is this quote: Foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. Well, the majority leader of the U.S. Senate certainly knows that because 4 years ago, he quoted these very same words. Yet he ignored them totally today in this body, when it comes to our ally Israel. Hours ago, the senior Senator from New York crossed the line by calling for a new government in Israel. Let's be clear: Israel is a democracy. It makes its own choice about who they want to lead them. It doesn't need to have a Senator from New York's interference. The Senator also made the outrageous statement that the Prime Minister of Israel--in the words of the Senator from New York--is an ``obstacle to peace.'' This is exactly backward. It is the terrorists, the rapists, the murderers of Hamas who are the obstacles to peace. Let us be clear: Demonizing our friends is not going to protect them from the brutality of Hamas. It only works to alienate our allies and puts our common goals of peace further out of reach. Israel deserves an ally that the people of Israel can trust, most especially when they are battling terrorism. The Senators on both sides of the aisle in this body have affirmed that Israel has every right to defend itself. We must also respect Israel's right as a democracy to choose its own destiny.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of an agricultural icon, Pat O'Toole. I am here in a bipartisan way with both Senators from Wyoming and both Senators from Colorado to talk about this remarkable man, who is a true cowboy and a dear friend. Pat passed away from complications following his stroke, on February 25. He was surrounded by his family, including his loving wife Sharon. Pat and Sharon met when they were students together at Colorado State University. They have three wonderful children and six grandchildren. We are honored to be joined today in the Senate Gallery by Pat's wife Sharon, along with their daughter, Bridget, and their granddaughter, Siobhan. Pat and Sharon own and operate Ladder Ranch. It is located outside Savery, WY, along the Little Snake River. The ranch straddles the State lines of Wyoming and Colorado, which is why all four Senators are here today on the floor to pay honor, tribute, and recognition to this remarkable man. It is a large-scale cattle and sheep operation. It has been in Sharon's family since 1881. That is 9 years before Wyoming became a State. We are talking about a long history. Pat and Sharon liked to tell people--they did when they came to Washington, and Pat would when he testified here on Capitol Hill--that they raised ``cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, and children.'' They did it and do it very well. I deeply admire Pat for his passionate work on conservation, on water, and on agriculture. I saw the difference that he made, that Pat personally made, by partnering with others regardless of whether they were Republicans or Democrats. Pat didn't care at all about party affiliations. He was famous for working with anyone, anywhere who was genuinely interested in making life better for our Western agriculture communities. Pat also served Wyoming in the State legislature for 6 years--three full terms. In 2005, Pat was elected president of the Family Farm Alliance. He brought this experience and expertise right here to Congress. He testified many times before the committees in the U.S. House and Senate, and here is a point when he was testifying in a committee in which I was involved. Members in both Chambers quickly learned a valuable lesson. The lesson was this: Pat O'Toole was as reliable in a committee's witness seat as he was in a horse's saddle. As ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and former chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I had the privilege of calling on Pat to testify numerous times before the Senate in both committees. Most recently, he testified at an Energy Committee hearing on extreme drought and on wildfires in the West. Pat's firsthand experience with active forest management as a tool to prevent wildfires provided the committee with a very much needed western perspective, as well as offering solutions. Pat O'Toole leaves behind a legacy driven by his passion for conservation and his love of the land, especially in the Little Snake River Valley. It was such a privilege to help induct Pat and Sharon both into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2002, recognized statewide for their long history of service to the people in the State of Wyoming. Pat truly represented the best of Wyoming and the best of western interests, and he did it with dedication and distinction. It was a great joy to know him and a great joy to work with him. I would like now to yield the floor to my colleague from Wyoming, Senator Cynthia Lummis.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Addison for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Republican conference. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Addison is a native of Virginia. She is currently a junior at the Madeira School in McLean, VA. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Addison for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I just returned from the Middle East. We have 140 members of our Wyoming Air National Guard, and they are currently serving our Nation, and they are stationed in Djibouti. Wyoming is very proud of these brave men and women who are fighting for our freedom. Visiting them was a reminder of what makes America strong. It is also a reminder of the challenges we continue to face. There is a confluence of crises all around the world, from El Paso, TX, to Jerusalem, Israel. These terrible crises did not emerge overnight. They are the direct result of the weakness of the current President of the United States. President Biden has been weak in the defenses of our Nation. It is obvious to me. It is obvious to people around the country. It is obvious to people all around the world. Since he took office, he and the Democrats have taken a wrecking ball to so many different sources of our Nation's strength. They hollowed out America's military power in favor of wokeness. It has impacted and undermined recruitment. They sold out American economic strength. In favor of what? Well, Big Government at home and massive government spending. They traded away America's energy dominance. Why? Well, in favor of Green New Deal fantasies. It does seem that Democrats apologize for American excellence at every turn. They have worked to make us more dependent upon our enemies. President Biden's latest energy disaster--he would call it a move; I would call it a disaster--weakens our Nation even further. The administration announced in January that it would freeze permits for liquefied natural gas exports. I view this decision as astonishingly foolish. Affordable, reliable energy is the foundation of a strong, affordable economy. America's energy revolution created many good-paying jobs all across the country and certainly in my home State of Wyoming. It made us as a nation energy independent--some would go so far as to say energy dominant--and it helped us build the world's largest LNG export industry. It also gave our European allies a secure energy source. This is at the time of Russia's incursion into Ukraine. This is one of the best examples of how American economic strength makes the world safer. The Republicans want to make Europe less dependent on Russia for energy sources and more connected to the United States. That is not what I see happening with this administration. Both by word and action, Democrats and this President make America and our allies more dependent on our adversaries. Attacking American energy dominance is a pattern in this administration. It started on day one. Remember, it was day one that, after the President gave a speech right out here at the Capitol Building about how he wanted to bring the Nation together, he went down and took an ax to the Keystone XL Pipeline, and he opened the floodgates at the same time to the crises we are having at our southern border. The President restricted offshore oil drilling, and he has placed a moratorium on new coal permits on Federal lands--all of these things undermining American energy security. Now comes this blow where he is cutting American natural gas exports. He is denying Americans good jobs, lower prices, and empowering Russia and Iran. Joe Biden has failed fundamentally what should be the goal of any President, which is to make America stronger, safer, more secure. President Biden also has a long list of foreign policy failures. Nobody can forget the deadly and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Taliban terrorists seized $7 billion in weapons. So many Americans were left behind. Thirteen brave soldiers lost their lives, including one from Wyoming, Rylee McCollum from Bondurant, WY. The fall of Kabul was a deadly disaster. In January of 2022, the President made another damaging misstep. He suggested that a minor incursion by Russia into Ukraine would be met with minimal consequences. Weeks later, we saw Russian tanks head into Kyiv. Then there is the chaos in the Middle East. In September 2023, the President's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, made a bold pronouncement. He said: The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades. Eight days later, Hamas attacked Israel. They killed more than 1,200 Israelis. They took hundreds more hostage, including American citizens. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The conflicts in the Middle East are devastating, destructive, and destabilizing. They threaten America's interests and America's allies. Yet President Biden works hard to accommodate our enemies. He is a fair-weather friend to our great ally in the Middle East, Israel. We see that in his maximum-concessions policy towards Iran. Early on, Biden pushed to rejoin Obama's Iran nuclear deal. He was negotiating to lift all sanctions imposed by President Trump. The Biden administration's lack of sanction enforcement and use of sanction waivers simply funded the Iranian regime. Iran used this flood of cash to bankroll Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other terrorists proxies. In turn, the terror proxies attacked America, attacked our allies, and the attacks have only increased since October 7. Iranian proxies have attacked American servicemembers in the Middle East at least 180 times in the past 4 months. Let me say this again--180 attacks on American servicemembers in the last 4 months. We have lost five American troops because of these attacks. As the Commander in Chief, President Biden bears full responsibility for the continuity of crises that he has created. It is no surprise that Americans overwhelmingly believe our country is heading in the wrong direction. America needs to change course. Republicans are the party of American strength. We believe in peace through strength, not dependence on our enemies. Americans deserve a President who is strong and a nation that is safe and a nation that is secure. That is our commitment. So I will tell you, Mr. President, the day I came back from Djibouti, it was very distressing to see the report in the New York Times. They reported that America and this administration have failed to do what it said it would do in terms of Iran selling oil to China--failed. If it hadn't been for the New York Times reporting, the American people wouldn't know because the administration would never tell them that tanker after tanker has moved 59 million barrels of oil from Iran to China. Every one of those tankers ended up in China, and the cash, worth a minimum $2.8 billion, ended up back in Iran. That is the money Iran has been using to fund these 180 attacks on American servicemembers in the last 4 months. We know where the money is coming from. Yet Democrats look the other way. The Secretary of Treasury, hapless as she is, came to Congress and testified--inaccurately, possibly misleadingly--that the administration is doing everything they can. Well, they are not. This administration is looking the other way as a hapless and diminished President Biden continues to be outplayed by Iran, and this is evident to the world. As Joe Biden bungles along, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and communist China continue on the march. We need a strong President to keep us strong and safe and secure. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today in celebration of Joe Arnold, head custodian at Hot Springs County School District No. 1 in Thermopolis, WY. Joe's career as a custodian in Wyoming schools spans 60 years. To honor this outstanding achievement, students, teachers, and administrators will gather on February 21, 2024, to celebrate the renaming of the central administration building to the Joe Arnold Central Administration Building. Joe was 21 years old in 1964 when he began as a custodian for Carbon County School District No. 1 in Rawlins, WY. After 22 years in Rawlins, Joe moved to Thermopolis, where he worked at Hamilton Dome Elementary School. When the elementary school closed, he transferred to the building that now bears his name. Joe's commitment to the school district and its students is unmatched. And his commitment to his community is unmistakable. It is not uncommon to see Joe shoveling snow before sunrise or escorting senior folks to the auditorium for events after school hours. Joe often invests the money he earns as a custodian back into his community. He pays for countless lunches and school field trips for students who cannot afford them. He has even helped with expenses for higher education. Joe's selflessness and generosity are unrivaled. He is the first to place a bid on auction items at fundraising events, then generously donates them back to be auctioned off again. Joe's true passion lies in helping students. As a mentor, he is always there to listen to their problems and offer advice whenever they need it. Graduation announcements and school photos from former students cover the walls of his office. After six decades of maintaining clean and healthy schools, Joe Arnold has no intention of retiring. However, as he arrives at work each day, Joe now sees his name on the building he works tirelessly to maintain. It is with great honor that I recognize the exemplary dedication of Joe Arnold. Hard work is the Wyoming way, and few work harder than Joe. My sincere congratulations to Joe Arnold as the Hot Springs County School District No. 1 Central Administration Building is renamed in his honor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise to oppose the confirmation of Joseph Goffman for Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. My opposition is not about a person. My opposition is about a poisonous idea. The idea of total government control. Mr. Goffman wants to control what Americans can drive, where Americans can work, and what Americans can buy. Mr. Goffman wants to do this by imposing political, punishing, and penalizing regulations. These regulations will cost Americans their future and their freedom. From energy to the environment, Mr. Goffman's record is radical and extreme. Mr. Goffman is one of the main architects of the so-called Clean Power Plan. This was such an extreme overreach that it was struck down by the Supreme Court. Mr. Goffman is also a champion of Joe Biden's out-of-touch, electric vehicle mandates. Mr. Goffman is one of Joe Biden's top generals in Democrats' war on affordable, reliable, american-made energy. By the EPA's own estimates, the regulatory costs imposed by Mr. Goffman's department already exceed $500 billion. Mr. Goffman is determined to keep pushing Democrats' job-killing, radical, out-of-touch, environmental agenda. The Supreme Court has repeatedly shot down the EPA for overreaching in its authority. Mr. Goffman doesn't care what the Court says. He wants to defy its rulings, including the landmark case West Virginia v. EPA. Mr. Goffman had the audacity to tell the New York Times, ``This case does not take anything off the menu.'' President Biden has chosen another unelected, unaccountable, heavy- handed, Washington bureaucrat who believes the rules don't apply to him. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Goffman will not moderate. He will not change. He will not stop. If you want an EPA that is more aggressive, more out-of-touch, and controls more of your life, then vote for Mr. Goffman. But if you want to lower costs, unleash American energy, and protect American jobs, then vote no. Energy-producing States such as Wyoming have been in Mr. Goffman's crosshairs for years. We should not allow him to have his fingers on the trigger. The Senate must reject his nomination.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Sophia for her hard work as an intern in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Sophia is a native of Virginia. She is currently a junior at the Madeira School in McLean, VA. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Sophia for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. You do.

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, we heard a lot about Russia here. We heard a lot about enabling and empowering Vladimir Putin, empowering him financially. I am here today to offer and support legislation that will defund Vladimir Putin; that will take a billion dollars of U.S. money out of his pocket. I am here today and rise in support of H.R. 1042. It prohibits Russian uranium imports. For years, Russia's state-owned nuclear monopoly has dumped artificially cheap uranium into our American market. And as a result of all of this, Russia and Putin have gained a commanding share of the whole world's nuclear fuel supply chain. Russia has driven America's nuclear fuel suppliers out of business-- completely out of business--and Russia has put Americans out of work. That is what I am bringing here today because we are sending, roughly, a billion dollars a year to Russia for uranium. We need to stop that. We need to block it. We are now at a point where the United States cannot even fuel our own next generation of advanced nuclear reactors. If Congress doesn't step in, these advanced reactors will have no other choice than to be dependent on Russian uranium. To make matters worse, we now know that Vladimir Putin is using Russia's nuclear monopoly--to use that money to fund this brutal invasion of Ukraine that we have just been discussing here on the Senate floor. Russia's nuclear monopoly has also helped Putin evade sanctions and provide equipment and materiels to Russia's military in Ukraine. None of this should surprise us. That is who Vladimir Putin is. He has created--created--Russia's nuclear monopoly. We shouldn't be shocked that he has turned it into his piggy bank and his toolkit for his regime. It is time the American people in this country stop funding Russia's nuclear monopoly. We can do this, and we could do it right here today, by ending Russian imports of uranium into the United States. Ending Russian imports would provide certainty to America's nuclear fuel suppliers--those suppliers that Russia cannot undermine again. We cannot allow that to happen. It would also ensure that we are not financing and continuing to finance Putin's war in Ukraine. On Monday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1042 with unanimous support. This bill would end imports of Russian uranium within 90 days and, therefore, end this billion dollars a year of American money going to fuel Russia's war machine. H.R. 1042 is a companion to a bipartisan bill that I have introduced along with my bipartisan cosponsor, Senator Manchin, as well as Senator Risch--both of whom are on the floor right now. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed out our bill in May. It is a bill that we developed in collaboration with America's nuclear industry and the Department of Energy and other Agencies. As I get ready to offer a unanimous consent request, I would yield to Senator Risch for a brief statement.

Mr. BARRASSO. Thank you, Senators. Madam President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1042, which was received from the House; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, first, I want to congratulate my friend and colleague from Nebraska for his excellent remarks because I am seeing the same thing in Wyoming that he is seeing in Nebraska. He is a former Governor of that State. He knows the people of the State. He goes home and visits with his constituents, his friends, his family, and they know the impact of Bidenomics and the expenses it has had on their lives and how much more money people are having to spend as a result of the really irresponsible actions of the Democrats and this administration. I hear about it every weekend. When I was at a grocery store, a lady, last week, had a little plastic bag, and she said: This shouldn't cost $100 for this bag of groceries. And she is right. Border Security Mr. President, the other thing that I hear about at the grocery store, in addition to the issues that the Senator from Nebraska was talking about, is the issue of the border, and I come today to the floor to talk about America's broken southern border--what we need to do about it, what the concerns are, what I hear about every weekend-- because every time Americans turn on their TV, they see it. They see what is happening at the southern border--the flood, the waves of individuals coming across the border, not being stopped, not being checked, and then moved into the neighborhoods across America. Well, last week, Senator Schumer put a national security bill on the floor. The problem is it lacked serious border security policy changes, things that we need in this Nation. Republicans voted against it because we know national security starts with border security. We are going to stand firm until serious changes are made. Since last week, the scope, the scale, the seriousness of the Biden border crisis has accelerated. One week ago, an all-time record high of over 12,000 illegal immigrants crossed the southern border. To put that number into perspective, President Obama's Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson, said this in the past. He said a thousand encounters a day--a thousand encounters a day--would overwhelm the system. Well, it was 12,000 each day last week--some days 10,000, some days 11, some days 12--record numbers each and every day, 10 times the number that President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security said would overwhelm the system, day after day after day. So let's be clear about what is happening with Joe Biden and the White House and Democrats in the majority in the U.S. Senate. Well, the Democrats and Joe Biden have gambled with American's safety and security. The border--the southern border--is now a hotspot for terrorism and trafficking like we have never seen before in this country. This body heard last week from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher Wray. He testified in front of the Judiciary Committee. Director Wray said this: ``Post October 7, you've seen a veritable rogues gallery''--rogues gallery--``of terrorist organizations calling for attacks against us''--the United States. The head of the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, said: ``I see blinking lights everywhere.'' Everywhere he is looking, he is seeing the threat. Are any of the Democrats in the Senate listening to him? Is there any concern from the Senators on the Judiciary Committee? Well, Director Wray isn't the only person to warn us that the threat of terrorism aimed against Americans is increasing. The Homeland Security Secretary for President Obama mentioned it in the past, and, now, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas--the current one for President Biden--said: We are definitely in a heightened threat environment. I agree with him. President Biden would have us believe that the border, as he said, is ``safe [and] orderly and humane.'' I don't think he has been there in a long time to actually see what is going on, because that is not what I witnessed just a few weeks ago when I went down there with a group of Senators. So what is the reality? Well, the reality is President Biden has created the deadliest, most dangerous, and most disastrous border crisis in our Nation's history. Democrats' definition of border security is very different from what I am hearing about at the grocery store in Wyoming, because the Democrats' definition of border security is to just make it easier for illegal entry into the country: Wave them all through. Come on in. Everything is fine. Well, it is not. Illegal immigrants ought to be turned away. Democrats are waving them through in record numbers. So why is this happening? Well, it is happening because the Biden administration is manipulating the law of the land. The administration is hiding behind such terms as ``asylum'' and ``parole,'' and they are using that to quickly process and move inland migrants from all around the world by the thousands. The night I was at the border, I was with late-night midnight patrol. People from all around the world were coming in--three from Moldova. They had to go through lots of different countries before they got to come up through Central America. And, oh, by the way, they paid those cartels dearly--the criminal element trafficking humans to be deposited then at our border's edge. Our laws are no longer used to determine who gets in and who stays. The illegal immigrants make that decision, and that is wrong. Simply, if they show up at the border, Joe Biden waves them all through. That is the policy of the Democrats in this body. They utter a few magic words and are released into the country. Under President Obama--under President Obama--about 21,000 people a year requested asylum. They are fearing for their lives. They are feeling concerned. They are fearing what happens in their home country--21,000 in a year under President Obama. So what has happened with Joe Biden now? The Border Patrol agents say that the number that was a full year from President Obama happens every 2 days, with Joe Biden and the Democrats from this body looking the other way: Things are fine; things are secure. Two days equal a full year from the Obama administration. It is absolutely preposterous to argue that all of those people qualify for asylum. We know they don't. We know it. The American people know it. The President ought to know it. The Members of this body ought to know it. Ten thousand illegal immigrants, day after day, will quickly add to over 10 million illegal immigrants into this country during 4 years of the Biden administration. President Biden is allowing it to happen, and Democrats in this body are encouraging him all the way. This administration has turned what was known to be a notice to appear into a license for illegal immigrants to disappear into the homeland. Well, the payment for Biden's breakdown of law and order is now coming due. The blinking lights, as the head of the FBI said, are everywhere. If the Senate finally acted to secure the border, this Nation would be safer, and people would rest assured in my home State of Wyoming and, certainly, in big cities like New York and Chicago, where the mayor of New York said the illegal immigrants are overwhelming the system, destroying the city. It is indisputable. So where can the Senate start? Here is an idea: Let's fix our broken parole and asylum system. Republicans want border enforcement, border security, real policy changes to keep our community safe. The American people don't have that today. So it is no surprise that they are angry and they are afraid. This needs to change. Real border security is a top national security need. Republicans don't need another recordbreaking day to understand that this crisis requires swift, serious, and substantive action. Republicans have solutions--solutions to make our communities and our country safer. The President and the Democrats in this body need to include these measures in any national security bill. Otherwise, there will not be a national security bill. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to talk about America's wide-open southern border. I want to add my voice to that of the senior Senator from Kansas who just made eloquent remarks right here on the floor of the Senate about the disaster--the Democratic disaster--at the southern border. As he pointed out--and as I will add my voice to his--it is a clear and present danger to our national security what is happening at the southern border. And national security starts with border security. The senior Senator from Kansas and I were just meeting with other Republican Members of the Senate to review yesterday's numbers at the southern border--the number of illegal immigrants coming into this country--an all-time record high of over 12,000 illegal immigrants coming into this country from all over the world. That is the crisis that people all across the country who tune in to their TV see is happening in our Nation and to our Nation. So here we are on the floor of the Senate, and Senator Schumer, the majority leader, wants to vote on $100 billion in national security assistance--and he wants to do it today, and we are going to do it today. That request lacks serious and significant changes that are needed to secure the southern border. Without serious and significant changes, this bill will not pass. Mark my words, Republicans will vote against it. Republicans and Democrats have very opposing views of what is needed at the border. Republicans want to stop the flow--and it is actually a flood--of illegal immigrants coming across the border. Democrats want to just wave them on through. Republicans want border enforcement, border security, real policy changes to keep people out and to keep communities safe. We don't have that today in Democratic and Joe Biden's-run America from the standpoint of the White House and the Democrats in this body. What do Democrats want to do? Oh, they want lots of money for sanctuary cities, big slush funds. Give it to the mayor of Chicago. Give to it the mayor of New York. And, of course, they want guaranteed benefits for illegal immigrants. That is what they are asking for. They are not going to get a Republican vote for that at all, not a single one. Republicans know that border security must be a key element of any bill that we talk about on this floor that deals with national security. For my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who may ask why, let me clarify. Our southern border is now the most dangerous border crossing in the world--in the world. Under President Biden, our border has become a magnet for criminals, for drug dealers, for terror suspects. The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are warning all of us. Democrats may want to cover their ears and not want to hear any of these warnings, but we are being warned by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. And the FBI Director said it yesterday in the Senate: Cartels are smuggling fentanyl in from Mexico. It is killing hundreds of Americans every day. The number coming on the Terrorist Watchlist continues to increase. I think it was the head of the FBI yesterday who said: Since October 7, all lights are flashing red for a terrorist attack in America. Joe Biden's border policies are the deadliest, the most destructive, and the most disastrous in American history. The cost of this crisis is too large to bear for families, for communities, and even for law enforcement. That is why Republicans are so focused when there was a bill on the floor--and we had a secure briefing yesterday on national security. That is why Republicans are so focused on border security. Democrats have not put a single bill on the floor of the U.S. Senate this year that would stop the flood of illegal immigrants. Democrats seem to welcome this national security crisis at the southern border. It is wrong. It must change. The Biden administration hides behind terms, terms such as ``asylum'' and ``parole.'' And they use those to release millions and millions of people onto our streets, into our communities, into our neighborhoods. And they are bringing with them drugs and crime. And they are killing Americans. The Biden administration wants to turn the other way. Every single American feels the harmful impacts of these policies. Here is what is happening thousands of times each and every day on our southern border--and yesterday it was 12,000, the highest in the history of the country, coming in across the southern border. And they are coming from all over the world. The night I was there on border patrol about 3 or 4 weeks ago, who did we see? People from all around the world, including a group from Moldova. Do you know how many countries they had to go through before they could get to Mexico to come to the United States and pay the cartels to bring them in? That is what we are seeing every day at the southern border. Democrats don't go down there. Oh, no, they are not interested in actually seeing firsthand what is happening on the Rio Grande River at night and during the day. Not interested. Border Patrol agents say, Democrats never show up. Not one time. So individuals enter the U.S. illegally. And they immediately turn themselves into Border Patrol. These are the ones who aren't trying to get away. There is over a million of those too. And what they do when they give themselves up, they claim they are in danger at home. And then what happens? Well, they are released into the streets of the United States. OK. Oh, you may be in danger. Oh, you got the magic words. OK. Here you go. Come right on in. Ten thousand times a day. Twelve thousand times yesterday. And Joe Biden allows it to happen. And the Democrats encourage him. Some Democrats have finally started to admit Biden's policies are actually harming our country. So President Obama's Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told fellow Democrats that the manipulation of our asylum laws--because that is what Biden is doing, it is a manipulation of our asylum laws--is one of the root causes of illegal immigration. At one time, Jeh Johnson said a thousand a day would be overwhelming. Well, it was 12,000 yesterday. Why aren't the Democrats waking up? Senator Schumer, who sits at that desk right there, stands at that podium, and will later today--his hometown mayor--hometown mayor--New York City, Eric Adams said: The flood of illegal immigrants is destroying New York City. Destruction of New York City, and Democrats stand by. Now, they do want to give a lot of money there, but they sure don't want to enforce the law at the border. Chicago is another one of these cities that--Democrats are fearful of having next summer's Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I wonder how many Members of this body are actually going to go, because Democrats across the country are afraid of doing it because Chicago is being overrun right now with illegal immigrants--overrun and overwhelmed. We want to make our country safer, and Republicans do. I am not so sure about Democrats at this point from the way they are behaving with regard to the border. We want to make our country safer. We need to pass serious border security policy changes. Republicans know that we must end the incentives that are fueling the Biden border crisis. And more money to these sanctuary cities and more government benefits to illegal immigrants is not solving the problem. It is inviting more illegal immigrants to come. This is a deadly serious situation. I am not so sure the Democrats who were at the secure briefing yesterday all understood that. I am not sure the Senate majority leader understands that. Real border security is a top national security need. Republicans have solutions to make our communities and our countries safer. These measures must be included in any national security bill, anything that goes to the President's desk, because without them, there will not be a national security bill. The Republicans are ready to vote against what Chuck Schumer is bringing to the floor because it fails to defend our borders and to keep our Nation secure. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, Americans have a constitutional right to own a firearm. Every day people across Wyoming responsibly use their Second Amendment rights to keep and to bear arms. Today is about defending those rights against those on the other side of the aisle who wish to take them away from us. Democrats are demanding that the American people give up their liberty. The Democrat legislation takes away a right, and it does not provide Americans security. Democrats want Washington to ban rifles and pistols because of the way they look. To do this, they describe semiautomatic rifles as assault rifles. They aren't. Any farmer, rancher, or outdoorsman in Wyoming can tell you. These rifles work the same way as popular shotguns and other rifles used for hunting and for personal protection. Instead of facing these facts, Democrats stick to demonizing rifles and disrespecting gun owners. Democrat's ban on assault weapons is an assault on lawful gun owners. There is a contradiction at the center of the gun control debate. Democrats want to enact new laws on law-abiding citizens. At the same time, they ignore the lawbreakers. Almost every single page of the bill that is in front of us today adds new restrictions and new burdens on people who follow the law. It tells what you can buy, what you can't buy. It bans more than 205 rifles, shotguns, and pistols by name. Republicans reject these unjustified and unconstitutional restrictions. Democrat's bumper-sticker solution to ban guns is not about safety; it is about restricting lawful gun ownership. It is about trying to label responsible gun owners as criminals. Democrats are the party of defunding the police and disarming the American people. None of this makes our streets safer. None of this slows the crimewave in America. None of this solves the mental health crisis in our country. The focus should be on mental health, on school safety, and stricter enforcement of current laws. We want Americans to be safe in their communities, their homes, and their schools. The legislation that the majority leader is proposing that is before us today goes way beyond that. I oppose any policies that jeopardize the Second Amendment rights of the people of Wyoming and people across this country. The Second Amendment is freedom's essential safeguard. Without it, there can be no liberty, and there can be no security. So, Mr. President, I object.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Eden for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Republican Conference. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Eden is a native of New Jersey. She attends Cornell University, where she studies communications, as well as law and society. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic, which has made her an invaluable asset to our office. The quality of her work is reflected in her great efforts over the last several months. I want to thank Eden for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It is a pleasure to have her as part of our team. I know she will have continued success with all of her future endeavors. I wish her all my best on her journey.