John Barrasso

Mr. BARRASSO

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming's 2017 honoree, Peter Wold. Since 1978, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming has been working to make a positive difference in the lives of children. Their mission is to inspire all youth, especially those who need them the most, to reach their full potential and to be productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Their activities provide the children in our community with a sense of competence, usefulness, and belonging. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming is grateful for Peter's contributions to their critically important mission. On September 20, 2017, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming will be hosting the 19th Annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast. Every year at this event, the Boys and Girls Clubs honors a member of the community who has made outstanding contributions to both their organization and the city of Casper. It is a wonderful celebration. Peter Wold is a perfect honoree because of his commitment to the youth across the State of Wyoming. Peter is a successful businessman, philanthropist, and family man. He is a native of Casper, WY. Peter attended Colorado State University and earned a bachelor of science degree in biological science. He started his career at a trout farm in Idaho and later became one of the most influential landmen in the State of Wyoming. Peter followed in his father John Wold's footsteps at Wold Oil Properties, a family owned and operated oil and gas company characterized by consistency and western values. Since 1993, he and his brother Jack Wold have owned and managed the company. Peter is currently the President of Wold Energy Partners and CEO of Wold Oil Properties. Throughout his career, Peter gained valuable experience and knowledge of Wyoming industries, businesses, and communities. Since 1979, he has been managing member of Hole-in-the-Wall Ranch. Peter was a representative on the Bureau of Land Management's National Public Lands Advisory Council. Previously, Peter served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Wyoming Enhanced Oil Recovery Commission and a member of the board of directors of the Independent Petroleum Association of Rocky Mountain States. He is an active member of the Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen and the American Association of Professional Landmen. Peter Wold also served on the corporate boards of Arch Coal Corporations and Oppenheimer Funds. The Wold family has a proud tradition of public service and helping the people of Wyoming. Peter represented Natrona County in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1989 to 1992. His passion to give back and sense of duty to the people of Wyoming was instilled in him by his father, John Wold. John Wold served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1957 to 1959 and the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1971. He was the first professional geologist in the U.S. Congress. Peter's son Matthew continued the family tradition of public service when he interned in my Washington, DC, office during the summer of 2007. Peter Wold continues to devote his time, talents, and resources to help promote programs that develop the mental and physical well-being of youth across Wyoming. In addition to supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs, Peter Wold is also a member of the board of trustees for the YMCA of Natrona County. He played an integral role in getting a new facility to serve the needs of the children, families, and members of the Casper community. Through his work with the Wold Foundation, Peter supports numerous projects and programs aimed at assisting Wyoming youth, such as the Natrona County School District History Day competition and the Little Hands Casper arts education program. His generosity to youth organizations will ensure the future of Wyoming is strong and vibrant. Peter Wold and his family truly represent the strong Wyoming values of hard work, generosity, and compassion. Peter Wold and his wife, Marla, have three children, Abbie Long and her husband Steve, Matthew Wold and his wife Katie, and Joe Wold and his wife Chelsey, as well as four grandchildren, Hayden, Harper, Ellie, and Annie. Casper and Wyoming are a better place thanks to the contributions of this exceptional family. It is with great honor that I recognize this outstanding member of our Wyoming community. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in extending our congratulations to Peter Wold for receiving this special award.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, over the last several weeks I have spent a lot of time traveling around my home State of Wyoming, and the Presiding Officer may have in his home State of Arkansas as well. We all do. We talk to a lot of people and hear from a lot of people as we travel around to the rodeos, the fairs, and the parades. One of the things I have been hearing more and more about because I am seeing it daily in Wyoming--I know both Senator Daines and Senator Tester, both Senators from Montana have talked about it--has been the incredible forest fires that have been raging in the West. There are more than 1 million acres of land burning in the West. Smoke is spreading all around the West, certainly in Wyoming--fire as well as smoke--impacting people, impacting land, impacting the soil, air, water, and impacting life, as well as property. The damage that is happening is dramatic, and in many ways it is similar to the kinds of comprehensive damage and destruction we are seeing with the big storms hitting, like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which is on its way to Florida. These are incredible storms, and the people of Wyoming want to express and share their sympathy for the people who have lost family members, who have lost property, and those who are still in danger. We also know in Wyoming that people are wanting to volunteer, wanting to go to help by collecting food, supplies, clothing, taking up collections, as well, in churches, schools, and communities because that is the American spirit. Today I come to the floor to express my admiration for the resilience of the people of the West, as well as the resilience of the people of Texas, Louisiana, and all Americans who are today dealing with the disasters they are facing in their homes. The other things I heard a lot about--and this will not surprise us-- are the concerns still out there regarding the Obama healthcare law. A lot of people in the media seem to think the discussion about that healthcare law is over. I can tell you, for the people of Wyoming, they are still very concerned about what we are seeing in terms of the collapse of the healthcare system, fewer choices, and higher prices. For them, the conversation is not over, and they want to make sure it is not over in Congress either. ObamaCare is still failing, and the American people are certainly still suffering, so we need to do something about it. We need to act. There was an article by the Associated Press in the paper on Monday that summed up the situation. The headline was ``Millions who buy health insurance brace for sharp increases.'' The article goes on to say: ``Millions of people who buy individual health insurance policies and get no financial help from the Affordable Care Act are bracing for another year of double-digit premium increases, and their frustration is boiling over.'' The article says that these are mostly middle-class folks--hard- working people who may be self-employed or work for small businesses that can't afford to offer insurance. It goes on to say that these millions of Americans ``pay full freight and bear the brunt of market problems such as high costs and diminished competition.'' That is the exact situation people are facing in Wyoming, and I assume in the Acting President pro tempore's home State of Arkansas as well. The ObamaCare exchange in my State has only one company selling insurance. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. Democrats in Congress who supported the healthcare law said that it was going to create more competition and would bring down the prices and costs for families. In September of 2009, President Obama said that ``without competition, the price of insurance goes up and quality goes down.'' So what is the situation now? All summer long we have heard about insurers who are giving up, pulling back, and dropping out. Millions of Americans will have fewer choices when it comes to their health insurance plans and opportunities in 2018. On August 24, the largest hospital system in New York State announced that it was going to stop selling an ObamaCare insurance plan it had launched just 4 years ago. This is the home State of the Democratic leader in the Senate, someone who has come to the floor supporting the healthcare law. The company is blaming the flaws in the Obamacare law and the fact that we haven't been able to do the reforms we need to do. Things I proposed and things that make sense to me--the Democratic leader will not allow us to address the many, many flaws of ObamaCare. Meanwhile, the people of his home State of New York are losing another option to get the coverage ObamaCare requires by law for them to have. They are not alone. People living in 47 percent of all counties will have only one option for coverage next year, so millions of Americans are stuck in an insurance monopoly under ObamaCare. Monday was the deadline for insurance companies to say what they will need to charge next year. People across the country continue to be very worried about how much more expensive their health insurance will be. The lack of competition is one reason for the skyrocketing prices, but other big reasons for the increase in prices are actually the tax increases that were put in place when ObamaCare was passed. The healthcare law included $1 trillion in new taxes. One of the biggest ones hitting hard-working families is a tax on every health insurance plan that gets sold. It is called the health insurance tax. There was a new study last month that found this tax is going to raise prices by about $500 per family next year. The tax alone is raising the cost $500 per family next year. That is just to pay for one of the taxes. Republicans want to get rid of the tax. That was part of our repeal-and-replace plan. Every Democrat voted no--voted no--to removing the taxes, so premiums are continuing to soar because the healthcare law is unsustainable, and the taxes are unbearable for hard-working families. We have to do something to help people and to reverse the damage caused by ObamaCare. I voted for the repeal legislation in July, and I am going to continue to work to replace ObamaCare. But until that happens, I am glad to see the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is looking into other ways we can make changes to ObamaCare. The committee is working on ways to stabilize the individual market for next year. They are going to hear from Governors and State insurance commissioners about giving States more flexibility in dealing with some of the healthcare law's mandates. The committee is also going to be listening to doctors and to patients. When I talk to doctors and nurses and patients back home in Wyoming, they tell me that the healthcare system we have now under ObamaCare isn't working. I see it every day. What I hear and what I see when I visit the hospitals and when I go back to my old medical office is that we need to replace it with something that actually makes healthcare more affordable. That was a big part of the Republican reform effort: Let the States do what works for their State and for the people who live there. The Obama healthcare law is still hurting Americans. It is not getting better on its own. It is up to us in Congress to do all we can to help Americans who have been trapped in the ObamaCare death spiral. I yield the floor.

Mr. BARRASSO

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

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Nomination Hearing'' on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at 2:30 p.m., in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Committee on Finance The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``America's Affordable Housing Crisis: Challenges and Solutions.'' Committee on Foreign Relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 11 a.m., to hold a hearing entitled ``Nominations.'' Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to hold a meeting during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at 10 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building. The Committee will hold Subcommittee Hearing on ``Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act: NOAA and Council Perspectives.'' Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight The Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on August 1, 2017, at 10 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate office building, to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Oversight of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund Program.''

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, President Trump has been in office for just a little over 6 months. We had an election. The American people said they preferred the Republican vision for the direction this country should go, but it just seems today the Democrats in the Senate think the inauguration never happened. For more than 6 months, Democrats have engaged in a historic effort to obstruct the work of the Trump administration and the U.S. Government. Normally, on inauguration day, the President gets a substantial number of people confirmed to his Cabinet. The idea is to let the President get his team in place so then they can go about hitting the ground running. President Obama had six of his Cabinet Secretaries confirmed on Inauguration Day in 2009. All of them were confirmed by voice vote. They didn't even have to do a rollcall. People agreed, in a bipartisan way, to let the President have his nominees. Republicans in the Senate did nothing to try to block any of those Cabinet Secretaries for President Obama. We understood it is best to give the new President a chance and for all of us to work together when we can. President George Bush had seven people nominated and confirmed on his first day in office. That is the way it usually worked but not anymore. Now, Democrats aren't interested in giving a Republican President a chance. They weren't interested in working together. Last January, President Trump only had two people confirmed to his Cabinet on inauguration day. There were two people ready to get to work on the day he took office, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security. These were the only two jobs the Democrats let the President fill. By the end of January in 2009, President Obama had 10 of his Cabinet Secretaries in place. His Cabinet was almost entirely set by the end of the month that he took office, January 2009, but because of ongoing obstruction by Democrats in the Senate, President Trump still only had three Cabinet Secretaries in their jobs by the end of January. That is an incredible level of obstruction when you compare it to what has happened historically. It didn't stop with members of the Cabinet, and it didn't just end in January. Democrats have continued to make the Senate jump through procedural hoops. In President Obama's first 6 months of office, 206 people were confirmed to serve in his administration. In President Trump's first 6 months, Democrats continued to block the way, allowing us to approve only 55 nominees for those first 6 months. So President Obama had nearly four confirmations for every one of President Trump's over the same period of time. The difference is stark and the reason is simple: Democrats have been putting up roadblocks, one after another, on even the most noncontroversial of nominees. It is not how things worked in the past in previous administrations. Many of these nominees for important jobs would get approved by what we call in the Senate unanimous consent or by a voice vote. Republicans have been willing to let a lot of Democrats take their jobs without wasting time on rollcall votes and running out the clock. In President Obama's first 6 months in office, Republicans allowed 182 of his nominees to be confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. That is almost 90 percent of the jobs filled in those first 6 months by unanimous consent--general agreement--but in the same time, the Democrats only allowed five of President Trump's nominees to get through without a rollcall vote. That is the level of Democratic obstructionism. They have been blocking judges, Cabinet Secretaries, and other high- ranking officials. Many of these nominees even had Democratic support. It is interesting. Democrats have supported many of these so they weren't controversial at all. Democrats in the Senate forced us to file cloture 34 times on people nominated to fill important jobs in the U.S. Government. We had to force the Democrats to act. In President Obama's first 6 months, there were only eight cloture votes. There is no way Democrats can argue that they had principled objections to these 34 nominees where we had to file cloture on their nominations. The only explanation is that they did not want the President to have his team in place. When you take a look at these 34 people whom we had to go ahead and file cloture on, half of them ended up getting 60 or more votes for their confirmation so they had support by Democrats as well as the Republicans. There was no reason--no need to slow them down other than obstruction of the President. One nominee whom we had to file cloture on and go all the way through the process even received a unanimous confirmation vote--a rollcall vote in the U.S. Senate--100 to 0. Yet the Democratic leader made us file a motion to proceed and get a cloture vote on this individual whom then they approved 100 to 0. Why the need to go through this? Democrats blocked him as long as they could. Yet not a single Democrat then stood to vote against him when his name was called for a rollcall vote. So why are Democrats blocking votes on people whom they then intend to support and do support with their votes? They are just trying to slow things down. The Democratic leader actually admitted that was his plan during the debate over confirming the No. 2 person at the Pentagon. It is someone whom the Senate actually confirmed with 92 votes in his favor. Yet they slowed him down. Then he received 92 votes. Republicans wanted to speed up the process a little. Senator Schumer objected. Did he have a problem with the nominee's qualifications? No. The Democratic leader said on the floor: ``We would be happy to consider the nominee in regular order, and maybe once things change a little bit in healthcare, we can.'' It had nothing to do with the person who was nominated, nothing to do with anything, according to Senator Schumer, other than the fact that we were discussing healthcare in this country. It had nothing to do with the importance of the position that was going to be filled in the Pentagon. It was all because Democrats were trying to stall the debate over healthcare reform. There are the numbers: nominees confirmed in the first 6 months for Obama, 206; President Trump, 25. Republicans are trying to keep the Federal Government functioning by filling these jobs that had been empty. Healthcare is a very separate thing. Both of these are important. The only thing they have in common is the Democrats have been playing politics with both of them. It is not normal. It is not acceptable. The Democrats' blockade against President Trump's nominees has caused what I believe has been a dangerous backlog. We still have 84 people who have been nominated by the President for positions in the government who have cleared the committees and are now just waiting for a vote on the Senate floor-- slowed down by Democratic obstruction. Democrats are trying their best to drag this out, it seems to me, as long as they possibly can. The Senate rules say that means up to 30 hours of debate once we vote to move forward on a nomination. Maybe that is too long. Senator Ron Johnson wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post over the weekend with the headline: ``Let's break this Senate logjam.'' He suggests we cut the time back from 30 hours of debate to 2 hours of debate. That would certainly speed things up, and maybe that is the step we are going to have to take if this level of obstruction continues. Whatever we do, we cannot allow this logjam to continue. These are important jobs--important positions. The American people deserve to have someone doing their work. Last Friday, after the healthcare vote, Senator Schumer called for us to work together. He said: ``There are things we can do rather quickly, including moving a whole lot of nominations.'' I am going to hold the Democratic leader to his word on this. Let him show that he meant what he said. We should be able to clear the decks of these 84 nominees who have come through the Senate committee, who have been approved by the committee and are waiting here to be confirmed. We should do it by unanimous consent. If Democrats object to one or two of them, let's have a rollcall vote so we can get it on the record. It is time to stop this mindless obstruction that serves no purpose except to delay. Thank you, Madam President. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Dakotah for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Dakotah is a native of Casper, WY. She currently attends the University of Wyoming, where she is studying economics and journalism. 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 Dakotah for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Conor for his hard work as an intern in the Senate Republican Policy Committee. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office as well as to the State of Wyoming. Conor is a native of New York. He currently attends Boston College, where he is studying 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 Conor 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 Caren for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Caren is a native of Texas. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where she studied environmental sustainability. 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 Caren for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Jessica for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Republican Policy Committee. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Jessica is a native of Cheyenne, WY. She currently attends the University of Wyoming, where she is studying secondary education social studies. 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 Jessica for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Maridi for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Maridi is a native of Casper, WY. She currently attends the University of Wyoming, where she is studying international studies and French. 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 Maridi for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Amanda for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Amanda is a native of Casper, WY. She currently attends the University of Wyoming, where she is studying business management and Spanish. 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 Amanda for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Connor for his hard work as an intern in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Connor is a native of Nevada. He currently attends Linfield College, where he is studying 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 Connor 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 Samuel for his hard work as an intern in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Samuel is a native of Wilson, WY, and a graduate of Boston College. He studied environmental 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 Samuel 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 Elizabeth for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Republican Policy Committee. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Elizabeth is a native of New Jersey. She currently attends Villanova University, where she is studying political science. 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 Elizabeth for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Kayla for her hard work as an intern in my Casper office. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Kayla is a native of Casper, WY. She currently attends Casper College, where she is studying international studies. 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 Kayla for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Charles for his hard work as an intern in my Cheyenne office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Charles is a native of Gillette, WY. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, where he studied history. 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 Charles 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 Patrick for his hard work as an intern in my Casper office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Patrick is a native of Casper, WY. He currently attends the University of Wyoming, where he is studying organizational leadership. 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 Patrick 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 Christopher for his hard work as an intern in my Cheyenne office. I recognize his efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Christopher is a native of Wheatland, WY. He currently attends the University of Wyoming, where he is studying 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 Christopher 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 Elizabeth for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Elizabeth is a native of California. She currently attends Johns Hopkins University, where she is studying international studies and history. 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 Elizabeth for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to Kaitlyn for her hard work as an intern in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. I recognize her efforts and contributions to my office, as well as to the State of Wyoming. Kaitlyn is a native of Oklahoma. She currently attends the University of Oklahoma, where she is studying political science and history. 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 Kaitlyn for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It was 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 next journey.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, Wyoming has a longstanding tradition of recognizing individuals who make invaluable contributions to agriculture and communities across our State. Each year, Senator Enzi and I have the pleasure of introducing these honorees as they are inducted into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame. This year, Keith Geis will be honored as one of these outstanding individuals during the 105th Wyoming State Fair. In Wyoming, we talk a lot about the code of the West. ``Take pride in your work,'' ``Always finish what you start,'' and ``Ride for the Brand'' are just a few tenets of the creed that motivates the way we live in Wyoming. Growing up on a dairy farm in Wheatland, Keith learned these principles early and abides by them today. Across the state, Keith is well known for his steadfast commitment to strong Wyoming communities. After starting his career in banking and spending nearly two decades with the Farm Credit Services of America, Keith has served as the president of Platte Valley Bank in Wheatland for 15 years. In addition to his work at the bank, Keith is exceptionally active in his community. The list of organizations, boards, and associations that have benefited from Keith's leadership and involvement is long. He has served, among others, as a member of the Platte County Economic Development Board of Directors, as chairman of the Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom, and as a member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust Board of Directors. Most notable, however, is Keith's focus on the youngest members of our Wyoming communities. Keith and his wife, Marie, have two children, several grandchildren, and have served as foster parents. Keith knows that a community's strength is in its future, and he has worked hard to ensure that the next generation will be as dedicated to our State as he is. As president of the Platte Valley Bank in Wheatland, WY, Keith works with agriculture producers every day, including young people whose 4H or FFA project may become a lifelong passion. His work to ensure the next generation of farmers and ranchers will have the capital and an understanding financial officer is renowned across the State. Selection as a member of the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame is about more than a good calf crop or strong growing season. The people who grow crops, raise livestock, and provide the capital to make ranching possible are the people who give of their time to school boards, economic development groups, and even nursing home boards. Keith is one of the people who makes our Wyoming home so special. It is with great honor that I recognize this outstanding member of our Wyoming community. Keith makes outstanding contributions to families across the State and sets an exceptional example for current and future generations of farmers and ranchers. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in congratulating Keith Geis as one of the 2017 inductees into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I want to take a moment to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the city of Cheyenne, WY. The city of Cheyenne is an irreplaceable catalyst in Wyoming's birth and development. Christened on July 4, 1867, Cheyenne was named after the Cheyenne Tribe found in the Dakota territory. As the population jumped from 400 to 3,000 and beyond, Cheyenne earned nickname ``The Magic City of the Plains'' in reference to how it seemingly sprouted overnight and kept on growing. This unfettered momentum showed enough potential that in 1886, 4 years before Wyoming became the 44th State, the construction of a State capitol was approved in Cheyenne. Among these barren plains, a wellspring of prosperity and opportunity was found for the independent, brave folks who were willing to work hard to build it. In that, Cheyenne's legacy perfectly captures Wyoming's spirit. Cheyenne, WY, is a railroad town through and through. General Grenville Dodge, chief engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad, selected this dusty spot as a connecting point in the Nation's first transcontinental railroad. Thousands of men and their families came here to lay track up the Gangplank, the unique geography that allows a gradual grading from the plains to the Laramie Mountains. Supply stores, banks, and dentists all sprang up in their wake to accommodate the booming town. Now, Interstate 80 runs alongside the Gangplank from Cheyenne to Laramie, where the climb from the plains to the mountains continues today. On March 3, 2006, the Cheyenne Train Depot become a national historic landmark, solidifying the railroads irremovable stitching in the fabric of Cheyenne, WY, and the rest of the Nation. During Cheyenne's first fragile years, soldiers were stationed at Fort D.A. Russell to protect the railroad. The base was established on the same day as the city, and construction began in October 1867. It later became the F.E. Warren Air Force base that continues to be crucial to Cheyenne today. The base was expected to last 6 months, then to dry up along with the town itself as folks followed the train tracks to find more work. However, Cheyenne endured--and the base along with it. It became a permanent Army installation in 1884, and soon ramshackle wood housings were replaced with brick buildings. In 1930, it was renamed F.E. Warren Base by President Herbert Hoover to honor Wyoming's first Governor, Francis Emroy Warren. It was officially renamed F.E. Warren Air Force Base in 1949, making it the oldest continually active base in the Air Force system. The base is currently responsible for 15 missile alert facilities and 150 Minute Man III missiles and is known throughout Wyoming as a fixture in the Cheyenne community. The F.E. Warren Base and some 4,000 personnel on site continue to be a massively positive presence in the Cheyenne neighborhood, especially at Cheyenne Frontier Days. As with the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, there would be no Cheyenne without Cheyenne Frontier Days. The first frontier day took place on September 13, 1897, kicked off with a parade led by Buffalo Bill Cody. This event started as the brainchild of passenger agent Frank Angier, hired by railroad officials to increase the number of passengers. This was following the devastation of the prosperous cattle trade by the blizzards of 1886 to 1887, which killed thousands of cattle and the businesses of their barons. Cheyenne needed a boost, and the Cheyenne Frontier Days became the perfect solution. The first rodeo was attended by 400 folks, and more and more have been coming back ever since. Today Frontier Days is the world's largest outdoor rodeo, while also boasting world famous musical acts. In 2016, 259,193 people attended the event to watch professional cowboys compete for over $1 million while enjoying the festive celebration of cowboy culture. This event symbolizes the western spirit that beats from within Cheyenne throughout the rest of Wyoming. In honor of the 150th anniversary of Cheyenne, WY, I urge my esteemed colleagues to visit this ``Magic City'' themselves. I congratulate all the folks who work to preserve Cheyenne's rich history and continue its valuable legacy. I stand proudly with them in celebrating this historical achievement.

Mr. BARRASSO

Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about what I saw happen over the Fourth of July in Wyoming while visiting with people, visiting with patients, doctors, and nurses. What I am seeing is that the pain of ObamaCare continues to worsen. The healthcare crisis we are seeing across this country continues to grow. The crisis is rising, the choices are disappearing, and the American people are desperate for Congress to step in and do something to help rescue them from the rising costs and collapsing choices of the Obama healthcare law. It is interesting. When the Democrats passed ObamaCare, the Democratic leader at the time, Harry Reid, said that we would all get an ``earful of wonderment and happiness.'' Those were his words about how great the law was. Well, every weekend at home in Wyoming and I am sure in the Presiding Officer's State of North Carolina, we get an earful, too, and it is not about wonderment and happiness over ObamaCare. What I hear from patients, doctors, and nurses at home is that ObamaCare is hurting them, hurting our communities, hurting our State. I hear about the rise in premiums. I hear about the declining number of options, the collapse of ObamaCare. We have one choice in Wyoming. We used to have two. Both lost money in spite of very high premiums. What we saw is that one ended up going out of business, and the one we have in business--the only one we have--is still losing money. We are fortunate because we have at least one provider providing coverage. There are now 40 counties across America where no one will be selling ObamaCare insurance next year--no one, not a single company will be selling ObamaCare insurance. In Nevada, where prior Senator Harry Reid is from, only three counties are going to have anyone selling on the ObamaCare exchange-- only three of the counties in the entire State, the State that Harry Reid represented in the Senate for many years. People living everywhere else in his home State will have I think one choice, maybe more, but in terms of these counties, no one is selling ObamaCare insurance at all. The State health insurance exchange put out a statement in his home State that said that the people living in the rest of the State face what they described as a healthcare crisis. Democrats predicted wonderment and happiness about ObamaCare, but there is a healthcare crisis all across the country. People in that State are going to have no access to the insurance plans the Democrats promised them under ObamaCare. A lot of Americans are not much better off or in better shape right now. There was a headline in the Independence Day edition of USA TODAY that said ``1,370-plus counties have only one ACA insurer.'' The article was about a study that was done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They found that people living in 1,300 counties have no choice when it comes to the ObamaCare plan; there is just one company offering the mandated coverage. Washington says you have to buy it; not many people want to sell it. Washington doesn't seem to care. Democrats don't seem to care about the fact that what they promised was a marketplace and what we have ended up with is a monopoly. Remember when Democrats promised there would be more competition? Essentially there is none. When there is none, we end up with less competition and generally with higher prices, which is what people across the country are seeing. Prices have essentially doubled in ObamaCare marketplaces over the last 4 years. That is why a lot of people are finding out that while they may still have access to coverage, it is so expensive, they can't afford to buy it--because they are down to one choice. Health insurance companies keep releasing information about how much higher they expect rates to go next year, which continues to be a problem. I have seen the headlines. ``Another ObamaCare Rate Shock.'' Look at what is happening in Tennessee. Earlier this year, Aetna and Humana both said they were dropping out of ObamaCare exchanges completely. Cigna is one of the last big companies that are still willing to sell these plans. Well, they say they are going to have to raise premiums by 42 percent next year. Look at what is happening in Georgia, just across the border from Tennessee. Blue Cross Blue Shield is asking for an average rate hike of 41 percent in Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had an article about it just last week. They said Blue Cross might charge as much as 75 percent more for one plan next year. That is ObamaCare. Remember President Obama saying that if you like your plan, you can keep your plan? Those plans are gone. Remember President Obama saying that rates would drop by $2,500 a year for people? That is not what we saw. What we are seeing is what is continuing today. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is saying that Blue Cross Blue Shield may charge as much as 75 percent more next year. They quoted one man as saying: ``That's a breath taker.'' Another woman quoted in the article responded to these price increases by saying simply ``Yikes!'' That is what people are facing all across the country. I remember President Obama, leaving office, forcefully defending it and being proud. There is very little to be proud of here. People all across America are having the exact same reaction as they see how much their own insurance companies are raising their rates all across the country. That is not the wonderment and happiness the Democrats said we would be hearing about when this was passed. The high prices are a big reason so many people are dropping their insurance coverage. They can't afford it. The people most likely to drop out, we find out, are, of course, the young people. Gallup came out with the results of a recent survey on Monday, just 2 days ago, with big headlines all across the country. What they found is that 2 million fewer Americans, under ObamaCare, have insurance today than they did at the end of last year, just 6 months ago. There have been 2 million fewer over the last 6 months. So, in just 6 months, 2 million people have gone off insurance. Most of them are young, and according to the survey by Gallup, they basically say they dropped it because it was just too expensive. They do not feel that they are getting value for their money. These 2 million people are not talking about the wonderment and happiness of ObamaCare. They are just leaving it behind. Democrats said people would love ObamaCare. They said ObamaCare would bring down prices. It has not. They said it would increase competition, but they did not get that one right either. None of this is happening. Now the Democrats are starting to say that having Washington-mandated health insurance is not enough. They say we need health insurance to be run entirely by Washington. Apparently, they did not learn the lesson that said that the Washington-mandated insurance--having to buy a Washington product--would be good enough. Now they are recognizing that it is not good enough. They are saying that we need Washington in charge of all of it. They call it single-payer healthcare, but let's talk about what it is. It is government-controlled healthcare--government-mandated, government-controlled, government-run, one-size-fits-all healthcare. It is a single payer, with the American taxpayers paying the bill. We see what happened in California when its legislature passed a similar thing in the State senate. They asked: What is the cost? $400 billion. What is the budget of the entire State of California? $190 billion. So what they proposed in the State senate has passed in the State of California and costs twice what the entire budget is in the State of California. To give what the people of California have been promised by the State senate, they are going to have to raise taxes on people, and then you will get the rationing of care and the lines and the waiting time. It is what happens around the world with government- mandated, government-run insurance. We see that in Canada, and we see that in England. I was practicing medicine prior to coming here to the Senate. I was an orthopedic surgeon in Wyoming. I knew we needed to do healthcare reform, but ObamaCare was the very wrong reform. Democrats were wrong then, and all of the talk about government-run healthcare is wrong today--wrong today for the people of this country. Look, we understand that we need a better solution than ObamaCare. That is what I hear about every weekend in Wyoming. We need to put patients in charge, not the government. With the Democrats and the speeches they are giving and the bills that have been cosponsored in the House by a majority of the Democrats, they want to put the government solely in charge of healthcare in this country. We need to have people at home making their own decisions, making their own choices, and not have Washington, DC, imposing its one-size- fits-all approach. We need to give people options, not mandates. People deserve choices. That is what the American people want. That is what Democrats promised years ago, but they never delivered. That is what Republicans are committed to giving the American people today--doing it now so that patients can get the healthcare they need from doctors whom they choose and at lower costs so that patients can make the decisions, not Washington. That is where we are today as we continue to debate and discuss healthcare in this country at this time. Just coming back from Wyoming, I visited with many folks--many former patients, a number of doctors whom I had worked with over the years, and nurses. I was at several hospitals. I just heard, unilaterally, across the State of Wyoming that ObamaCare continues to be a burden on the people of the State. They want freedom. They want choice. They want flexibility. They want to make decisions for themselves, not have Washington dictate to them and, certainly, not have government controlling healthcare in this country. I yield the floor.