Richard Blumenthal

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, reserving the right to object.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, today I rise to recognize Lions Clubs International as it celebrates 100 years of outstanding service in Connecticut. In the winter of 1921, Lions Clubs International, now the world's largest service organization, dispatched an organizer to Connecticut to form the first Lions Club in New England, the Bridgeport Host Lions Club. Throughout their century of service, these volunteers have worked diligently to help set up a fresh-air camp for Bridgeport's youth, create a vision clinic at Bridgeport Hospital, purchase x-ray devices at St. Vincent's Medical Center, provide dental services for the indigent at Park City Hospital, and a litany of other community projects. Lions Clubs in New Haven, Greater Hartford, New Britain, New London, Greenwich, Waterbury, Meriden, Torrington, and Bristol would soon follow. Today, approximately 160 clubs with over 4,600 Lions are serving their communities, many collaborating with local governments to act as dependable volunteer arms. In 1925, a future Connecticut resident, Helen Keller, would have a profound impact on the mission and very future of Lions Clubs International with her simple plea: ``Will you not help me hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided? I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?'' Connecticut Lions not only embraced her message, but also did much more, donating monies and time to support their communities locally and globally. Lions Clubs across the State have sponsored parades, festivals, and school projects, as well as raised funds for building equipment to improve the quality of life for children, the disabled, seniors, and veterans. Connecticut Lions have taken families in need shopping to make their holidays brighter. In support of the health and well-being of their communities, Lions Clubs have donated ambulances, school buses and other vehicles, and vital equipment to our local emergency response teams, senior centers, and social services agencies. Perhaps the most critical area of focus for Lions Clubs has been in vision care. In their ``crusade against darkness,'' Lions Clubs have raised enormous sums for research into blindness and eye disease. The Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation was chartered in 1956, establishing an eye research clinic under the auspices of Yale University, and later helped establish a second research facility with the University of Connecticut. Thanks to the work at these clinics, thousands of children and adults have benefitted from quality care and research. Connecticut Lions have also established three District Lions Low Vision Centers to improve the quality of life and independence of those suffering from low vision. I have personally visited one of these centers and listened to healthcare providers and patients discuss how important and valuable these centers are. For those still struggling with hearing and vision issues, the Connecticut Lions have supported the Connecticut Radio Information System with donations, volunteer readers, and other assistance. Guide and service dogs have been sponsored by Connecticut Lions, helping to restore the independence of the blind and visually impaired in their communities. Connecticut Lions have also been deeply involved in providing relief from disaster and tragedy. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut Lions secured sizeable grants from Lions Clubs International Foundation to purchase and distribute critically needed equipment for our first responders and healthcare workers. When Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the State's shoreline, our Lions Clubs provided meals for first responders and volunteers who worked tirelessly to rescue people and restore services following the storm. Immediately following the Sandy Hook tragedy in December 2012, the Newtown Lions established a community fund to address the short-term and long-term needs of individuals arising from that tragic event. To date, they have raised more than $11 million for those affected by posttraumatic shock disorder, including many children of Sandy Hook Elementary School. Connecticut Lions recognized the desperate need of Hurricane Katrina victims, donating thousands of dollars and making multiple trips with shipments of vital supplies. Connecticut Lions have collected and provided food year-round, working with meal centers, food banks, and food share programs to distribute directly to our homeless and those in need. Police and first responders in many towns were provided with ``Homeless Kits.'' In the face of tragedy and immense need, the Connecticut Lions have never forgotten the importance of looking to the future. Connecticut's youth have been a significant part of Lions Club service programs. Leadership, Experience, Opportunity--LEO--Clubs give our youth an opportunity to serve their communities and develop their leadership skills. The Lions Quest program brings schools, families, and communities together to promote the development of healthy and responsible young people through social and emotional learning, character development, and a commitment to community service. The International Peace Poster Contest has provided an opportunity for children to express their visions of peace through art and creativity. Outstanding students striving to reach higher academic achievement have been provided significant scholarships as rewards for their incredible work. We are proud of our Connecticut Lions who are, each one, a solid citizen contributing significantly to their community and beyond. They strive for new ways to serve others and to address the needs of their communities. Connecticut Lions are adept at recognizing needs, planning projects, organizing fundraisers, and rolling their sleeves up to get the job done. ``Where there is a need, there is a Lion!'' For 100 years, our Connecticut Lions have proudly demonstrated their motto: ``We Serve''

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session for a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 27, and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Miller nomination, postcloture; that at 11:30 a.m., all postcloture time be considered expired; that following the cloture vote on the McCabe nomination, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; that if cloture is invoked on the McCabe nomination, all postcloture debate time be considered expired at 2:30 p.m.; finally, that if any of the nominations are confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment because it essentially shreds the bill. It removes core provisions. It would prevent the Department of Justice from tracking hate crime incidents that don't rise to the level of criminal conduct. That provision is contrary to policy of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. It would eliminate a provision from the NO HATE Act that I have advocated that funds creation of State-run hotlines so we know more about these hate crimes. It would eliminate a judge's ability to order that a person convicted of hate crimes undertake educational classes and provide that kind of remedy as a condition for supervised release. In short, it eliminates some of the most important provisions of this bill. I strongly urge opposition to this amendment.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am honored to follow our distinguished Judiciary Committee chairman and whip, Senator Durbin, who has fought so hard for the principles and values that are embodied in the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which is part of the legislation. It is, indeed, bipartisan, and, hopefully, we will pass it today. The fact is that this August marks two excruciatingly sad anniversaries. It will be 4 years since Heather Heyer was killed when a White nationalist drove his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters, and it will be 5 years since Khalid Jabara was shot and killed on his own front porch by his neighbor, an avowed and virulent racist. The temptation is to get lost in the numbers and statistics about hate crimes. Make no mistake, these statistics are horrifying, especially the surge in hate crimes directed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The FBI reported just over 7,300 hate crimes in 2019. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that there was an average of 198,000 hate crime victimizations in 2017. Hate crimes are vastly underreported. One of the objectives of the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act is to spur greater reporting so we know the horrifying dimensions and magnitude of this problem and we can better fashion solutions to fight them. But what is most important to remember about each of these 198,000 incidents is that they involve real people, real communities, lives torn apart, communities torn asunder. In the most heartbreaking cases, they involve real lives that are lost forever, real families who will never see their loved ones again. The NO HATE Act that the Senate is considering today is named for two of those people: Heather Heyer and Khalid Jabara. For just a few moments, I would like to spend this time on the Senate floor honoring them and their families. We are here because of them. Heather Heyer was counterprotesting the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA, on August 12, 2019, when she was murdered by a White supremacist who purposefully ran his car into a crowd of protesters, also injuring 19 other people. Heather is remembered as a young woman with a big heart. She devoted her life to the fight for justice and equality. The foundation named in her honor notes that ``Heather was a young woman deeply involved in taking a stand against injustice when she didn't have to do so,'' who ``spoke passionately'' about what she believed in. She was just 32 years old when she was murdered. Khalid Jabara was shot on the steps of his own home, his family's home in Tulsa, OK, by a neighbor who had been harassing the Jabara family for months. That family had come to America to flee civil war and religious persecution in Lebanon, only to be terrorized here by their racist, murderous next door neighbor. Khalid is remembered for his sense of humor and unfailing devotion to his family. He cared for our entire family, our friends, and people he didn't even know. He created every Jabara family joke and filled their lives with love and laughter. Jabara was 37 years old when he was murdered. Today's vote honors the memory of those two individuals and the thousands of other individuals who have been victims of similar hate crimes--un-American, abhorrent, unacceptable. Today, we make a statement that we will not accept those kinds of hate crimes in America. I am grateful to the entire Jabara family and to Susan Bro, Heather's mother, for their unfailing devotion to ending hate and their courageous advocacy in support of the NO HATE Act. I also want to thank my partner in this legislation, Senator Moran of Kansas. We would not be here today without his support and bipartisan cooperation on this bill. There will always be hateful people who want to lash out violently at the world. They will lash out at Muslims, at Jews, at African Americans, at Asian Americans, at Pacific Islanders. But America is above it. America is better than they are. And we owe Heather Heyer, Khalid Jabara, and every other victim of hate crimes--from the Orlando nightclub massacre to the shooting in El Paso--the kind of action we are taking today. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, I feel very privileged to be here today to speak on behalf of Vanita Gupta, a dedicated public servant who is devoted, deeply devoted, to equal justice, civil rights, and the rule of law. I have seen firsthand, and I know I am not the only one who has done so, her consummate dedication to the integrity of the Department of Justice, which is so vital to be restored at this moment in our history. The support for her reflects a broad, professionally and ideologically diverse coalition of individuals and organizations that know she is eminently qualified to be Associate Attorney General. When she is confirmed, she will not only be the first civil rights lawyer but also the first woman of color to serve as Associate Attorney General. She is, in effect, the leader we need in that position now. And we need it right now. The Attorney General needs her right now. He has said so. And we should be proud to confirm this eminently qualified woman. Hers is the character that the Department of Justice requires to help restore trust and credibility. Now, the fact is that she has been a target of a smear campaign, a vial and despicable campaign of lies and deception that are completely unfounded. These attacks are based on demonstrable lies and mischaracterizations. Her previous tenure in the civil rights division makes absolutely clear her commitment to enforcing the law with integrity and honesty, with balance and insight. She has a proven record as a consensus builder and as a leader. And her work with law enforcement is the reason why she has such support among law enforcement leaders, and that support is across party lines. In fact, every major law enforcement organization refers and supports her nomination. Try as they might, unfortunately, our Republican colleagues continue to smear her. She has never--she has never called for defunding the police. She has never said many of the lies that are attributed to her. And even more than being unfounded, these attacks are really the height hypocrisy. It is unconscionable that Republicans would criticize this lifelong public servant and Justice Department veteran after they silently sat by when there was no Senate-confirmed Associate Attorney General for nearly 3 years during the Trump administration. The outrage that they feign should fall on deaf ears. Our moment of reckoning is soon. It is not just our moment of reckoning; it is a moment of reckoning for the Nation because, in the last year, we have faced a global pandemic. We have grappled with racial justice issues that have been ignored for too long, and we have defended against an onslaught of hate and extremism. We are at a pivotal moment. We urgently need her kind of leadership to combat domestic terrorism, extremist violence, and hate crimes. In fact, we are in the midst right now of considering a measure that will help combat hate crimes, including my No Hate legislation. We know hate crimes are surging, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been the target of them, particularly the alarming wave of vitriolic attacks most recently. Vanita Gupta has been a leader in the fight against hate crimes. As the head of the civil rights division, she was the Nation's chief civil rights enforcer and prosecutor. And while leading that division, she also headed the first prosecutions under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the Federal hate crime law to include, among other things, crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation--crimes motivated by whom a person loved. During her confirmation hearing, she committed to using the Department of Justice tools to investigate and prosecute hate crimes where they happen and to use its bully pulpit to prevent hate from festering in communities around the country. The plain truth is that Vanita Gupta is the right person at the right time for this job. The Senate should confirm her as supremely qualified for this eminently important assignment, and it should do so swiftly with bipartisan support. Thank you. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, there is no last word tonight. There is no final saying here. There are no final names. Nora Beller, Tito Roman, Aaliyah Eubanks, Dominick Boston, Brad Keel, James Ray Huddelston--we could be here a long time. But the tragedy is there will be more names, 100 more, at this time tomorrow night. And every one of these names is a future cut short. Every one of them is a life that could have given so much, bringing more light and joy, pride, grace, dignity. My colleagues have come to the floor with great eloquence. I want to thank them. But the most eloquent part tonight is the names. And we should take inspiration from the courage of their families, the strength of the survivors, advocates, and activists who are forming a political movement that is creating ripples turning into waves that will overcome. They will overcome the intransigence and cowardice of colleagues who fail to heed the American public, and they will be held accountable. Thank you. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am honored to follow my colleagues Senators Murphy and Bennet, two fellow champions of this cause. Again, again, we have stood here so many times to advocate for measures that very simply would make Americans safe. And I don't accept that it will be our last gasp. I don't accept that we will ever go away, that we will ever abandon this cause, no matter how long and how hard it is. Senator Murphy and I were in Sandy Hook the afternoon of that massacre. We went through an excruciatingly heartbreaking, gut- wrenching, stunning experience, but nothing compared to the children who were taken out of the school. Nothing compared to the teachers who shepherded them. Nothing compared to anyone who lived through it or the emergency responders who had to see the scene of carnage that day and, of course, nothing approaching the trauma of parents and loved ones. So our club, as he called it, is one that pales in significance to the club of survivors and victims. It is more than the names we read tonight. It is the children who take cover when that code is rung. It is the teachers who suffer the apprehension of wondering whether that day will be the one when there is a shooter. It is the parents of all children who send their kids to school and wonder whether, at the end of the day, they will see them again. At some level, maybe not all, maybe not always, not every day, but that fear in the gut, that powerfully important apprehension is there for many. When I was in elementary school, the fear was of nuclear annihilation. And the drills we did were to dive beneath our desks, as though somehow those desks could be protected in the midst of a nuclear attack. Absurd as it seems looking back, every one of us, during those years, wondered would that be the day. And on the days before the Cuban missile crisis, it became more real than ever. And for that generation, it was the fear For this generation, gun violence is the fear that lurks constantly in the heart, in the back of the mind, and always a presence. The names that we are going to read tonight are a very partial list of the injuries because we are reading the ones who died, but many others were injured severely and horrifically: bones shattered, flesh torn, futures changed forever, and, of course, the emotional trauma of living through it. But we have to read these names because it is part of our responsibility to make them real and to remind ourselves, as much as anyone, that this issue is a matter of life and death in the way that few others that we debate in this Chamber evoke. At the beginning of the Judiciary Committee hearing the other day, just this week, we had a moment of silence. But we cannot be silent. Yes, we will offer thoughts and prayers, but we cannot be silent, and we must do more than speak. We must act--honor with action. We cannot let these brave, wonderful souls go gently into this good night. We must rage, rage against the dying of the life. And that is what we are doing by reading these names, reminding ourselves that we cannot accept these deaths as a normal. Even with the pandemic receding, we hope, the epidemic of gun violence continues. A gun, a firearm, especially an assault weapon, makes fatal and irreversible some of the most serious problems. Whether it is domestic violence, suicide, or simply a profoundly disturbed young man walking into a grocery store, or a racist and misogynist man going into a spa, the involvement of guns and firearms makes those incidents deadly. The names that I will read will be of all ethnicities and religions and backgrounds and races because firearms can be an equal opportunity killer. But Senator Murphy is right that communities of color suffer disproportionately. And in Atlanta, who can doubt that a hate crime turned deadly, potentially, because of that gun. Dominick Boston, Brad Keel, Ildiko Papp, James Ray Huddleston, Glenda Swain Toms, Kayla Marie Keatts, Ethan Delicat, Paula Marie Booth, Raymond Robinson, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Hyun Jung Grant, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Suncha Kim, Xiaojie Tan, Young Ae Yue, Paul Andre Michels. Last week, eight lives were taken by gun violence, and they should be remembered and their lives counted. Delaina Ashley Yaun was a 33-year-old newlywed and mother of two, including a daughter she gave birth to this summer. She put her family above all else and cared for family members and friends who needed help or a place to stay during tough times. Her manager said: Her heart was so big. She loved people. He describes how she would feed diners at the restaurant where she worked who were homeless and bring them home to offer them showers and clean clothes. One friend described Delaina as ``a light. She just made everybody happy. She loves to smile and joke and hang out with her kids and make sure they always had fun. She was a happy person.'' Hyun Jung Grant was 51 years old. She worked as a schoolteacher in South Korea before immigrating to the United States. She was a hard- working and loving single mother of two, who loved karaoke, dancing, and electronic music, and made the world's best kimchi stew. One of her sons, Randy, wrote: She was a single mother who dedicated her whole life to providing for my brother and I. It is only my brother and I in the United States. . . . She was one of my best friends and the strongest influence on who we are today. Daoyou Feng was 44 years old. What we know about her from her friends is that she was sweet and kind. That is how she was described by her coworkers as well. Soon Chung Park was an active 74-year-old mother and mother-in-law. She lived in Atlanta. She moved there several years ago to be closer to friends. And she was well on her way to living past 100. Because of the pandemic, she missed chances to visit her family in the Northeast but was planning to move back this summer to be closer to relatives and friends. Her son-in-law described that Soon ``just liked to work. It wasn't for the money. She just wanted a little bit of work for her life.'' Suncha Kim, 69 years old. She was married for more than 50 years, and she was a fighter and a rock for her two children and three grandchildren. She was a hard worker and enjoyed line dancing. Suncha came to the United States around 1980. She spoke little English and worked two to three jobs, putting her children first and always seeking to help others. She volunteered by cooking and fundraising. One of her grandchildren wrote: My grandmother was an angel. . . . As an immigrant, all my grandmother ever wanted in life was to grow old with my grandfather and watch her children and grandchildren live the life she never got to live. Xiaojie Tan, killed that day, before her 50th birthday. She was a dedicated wife, mother, friend. She was devoted to her job and dedicated to her fellow employees. Her husband said: She donated and gave money to her employees and treated them so well. She was always celebrating their birthdays, doing good things for them. She was curious, hard-working, and caring, always filled with joy. She worked long hours, every day, to give her family a better life. Her daughter said that Xiao was her best friend and that ``[s]he did everything for me and the family. She provided everything.'' Yong Ae Yue, 63 years old. She was an amazing mother of two sons and loved to cook Korean food. She came to the United States in the 1970s, and after being laid off during the pandemic, she was excited to be back at work. She enjoyed visiting friends, watching movies and soap operas, and reading. She always loved to read and have her dog at her side. Paul Andre Michels. He was a 54-year-old Army veteran, one of nine children, and he had been married for more than 20 years. He loved to fish and collect rare coins. He treated everyone like he was their uncle and did what he could to help others. One friend said of Paul that ``[h]e would give you the shirt off his back.'' His younger brother, John, said: He'd loan you money if you needed it sometimes. You never went away from his place hungry. My home State of Connecticut is not immune to gun violence. Sandy Hook is the best known of the tragedies, but there are others--many, many, many others--all around the State, in big cities, in small towns, in rural areas, suburban. Nobody is immune. Nobody is protected against gun violence so long as the pipeline, the iron pipeline, even with Connecticut's strong laws, draws guns across State borders. Here are some of the names and stories of people whose lives have been taken in Connecticut: Jaqhawn Walters was killed on September 19, 2020, in Hartford. He was 24 years old. His mother Trician writes: There was an altercation with someone inside a store. The fight was broken up, but the other young man still shot him and then stood over him a second time and shot him again. Jaqhawn was a college graduate. He was known as a big basketball player for Albertus Magnus. He played overseas for two seasons before COVID hit. My son saw a lot of gun violence growing up in the city, and he became victim to it even though he tried his best to beat all odds with a bachelor's degree in communications. He even played in Argentina as a professional basketball player, mentored kids through basketball. He got a proclamation for his work at the Parker Memorial Center and the Village, where he worked with troubled kids. Jaqhawn's coach at Albertus Magnus described him as ``the type of kid that got along with everyone. His likability crossed every age generation. When I ran camp, 8-year-old kids, instantly, he was the guy. They'd all gravitate toward him. Same thing with our team. They loved him. Opponents loved him. I've gotten a lot of texts, and I got one from a Northeast coach who said, `He had that thing where he'd drop 30 [points] on you, and every opponent not only respected him but genuinely liked him.' '' Another coach said: Jaqhawn was very, very rooted in the Hartford community, and he loved his town. So he was always going to be one of those people that came back and gave as much as he was able. Another coach said: He had such an impact. The guy had so much more to give. That is the story of every one of these victims: so much more to give; so much more to give back, whether to Hartford or sons and daughters or parents. Ethan Song was killed in Guilford on January 31, 2018, 12 days after his 15th birthday, with an unsecured firearm in his neighbor's house. He lived a life filled with laughter, adventure, and passion. He lived with adoring family members Kristin and Michael Song. Ethan loved to ski and hike and play spikeball too. He helped his mom Kristin in finding homes for abandoned puppies. Ethan loved food. He and his dad Mike ventured to find the best lobster roll in New England. They sampled 15 locations. He loved lacrosse, and he was good at it, making the all-star team one season. He was always interested in his family's history. He tried to learn all that he could about his grandmother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and went so far as to divert a family trip to the UK to see the Anne Frank house in the Netherlands. Ethan was also fascinated by his grandfather's experience as a decorated intelligence officer in the Korean war. I am always so inspired by Kristin and Michael Song and Ethan's sister, their strength and courage, their joy in life, and their unquenchable loyalty and love for Ethan. I have stood on the green in Guilford announcing my introduction of Ethan's Law, a safe storage law that they have championed with grace and dignity and power beyond words. And let's say it out loud: This gun violence is every parent's worst nightmare, every parent's worst fear--going to school, going to a neighbor's house, going to a grocery store--wrong place at the wrong time: a neighbor's house where a firearm was unsafely stored, watching the emergency response team pull to that neighbor's house and knowing something is terribly, terribly wrong. Every parent's worst nightmare. And Lori Jackson's parents know very graphically about that nightmare because their daughter, Lori Jackson, of Oxford, CT, came to their house seeking refuge from an estranged husband. And that night, while her infant children slept, Lori Jackson was gunned down by that husband, who was under a protective order which should have barred his having a firearm, but at that point Connecticut law applied only to permanent protective orders. She was killed by that man even though he was under a protective order. She was 32 years old. She was a loving daughter and a mother of twins. And her mother also was severely injured. And her parents, with that same grace and dignity and strength and courage, have championed protection for domestic violence victims and survivors. She had so much to give--like Ethan, like so many others. And we remember Noah, Charlotte, Jack, Olivia, Dylan, Catherine, Avielle, Jessica, James, Josephine, Caroline, Benjamin, Chase, Ana, Grace, Emilie, Madeleine, Allison, Daniel, and Jesse--20 beautiful, innocent children taken at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown more than 8 years ago. We remember them for bringing bursts of light and laughter into the lives of their family and friends, for bringing love into the lives of all who knew them, and for their joy and boundless energy. Only 6 years old, but they had so much to give, and their lives cut short at Sandy Hook that day. And we remember the heroism of those brave, courageous educators that December morning: Victoria, Lauren, Anne Marie, Rachel, Mary, and Dawn. We remember their courage, some of them physically shielding students with their own bodies, running unhesitatingly toward danger, barricading classrooms, drawing on all their reserves of calm and professionalism to protect and shield the children in their care. We read these names, I feel, almost as a form of prayer. We cannot save any of these victims, but we know we can save others. And that is our work. As John F. Kennedy said in his inaugural speech, ``here on earth God's work must truly be our own.'' Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Casey for his very powerful remarks and all of my colleagues for coming to the floor tonight in this event that Senator Murphy and I are helping to lead. Now I recognize Senator Van Hollen of Maryland, a great friend and colleague who knows a lot about this topic.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, we are working today in the shadow of a truly hideous, horrific series of murders that occurred yesterday in Atlanta, GA, and I want to start by expressing my sympathies to the families that are affected, families of innocent women who were gunned down heinously by a murderer there. Eight lives were taken by that gunman, six of them Asian women. There is an active, ongoing investigation, and I have no intention of prejudging the outcome. Justice must be done, and I have confidence in the law enforcement authorities of Atlanta that they will assure that justice is done. So we don't know for sure what the gunman's motivation was, but we know eight of the women were Asian, and we know for sure that this horrific shooting rampage is only the latest egregious incident in a sickening, despicable trend of anti-Asian-American, or AAPI, violence that has terrorized the Asian-American community over recent months. And we know many of these incidents were, in fact, hate crimes motivated by bias, bigotry, and prejudice. Now, hate-motivated violence, as Attorney Garland said at his confirmation hearing, ``tear[s] at the fabric of our society . . . make[s] our citizens worried about walking [on] the streets and exercising even the most normal rights.'' And he is absolutely correct. It tears at our society. It degrades our trust in each other and in the fairness of America and the survivability of values and rights that are central to our democracy. The increase in violence against Asian Americans must end, and we all know it. We all say it, but we must do it. In Congress, we must do everything in our power to provide law enforcement and prosecutors with the resources and the tools they need to overcome it, to successfully fight it, which they can do. And they need the will and determination to wield the tools and resources that we give them because they have to not only investigate, as they will this gunman, but also to effectively prosecute and assure just punishment. We don't know for sure the motivation. We have evidence. And we can't say for sure how many hate crimes there have been against Asian Americans or others in our great country, but we have a pretty good idea where it all came from. The rise in anti-Asian-American violence started with the previous administration, who failed to address and manage the COVID-19 pandemic, and rather than listen to the scientists and work to stop its spread, it sought to scapegoat a part of our country. It sought to scapegoat Asian Americans with xenophobic and hate-filled rhetoric. Words have consequences. We all say it. We all know it. And we must denounce the words that spur and spew hatred and cause or contribute to hate crimes. Hate crimes are a growing scourge. The numbers are surging, whether it is against Asian Americans, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, Black Americans. When it is against Americans, it is against America. Words do have consequences. Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks violence and harassment against the AAPI community, Asian Americans, received more than 1,100 reports of COVID- related harassment, discrimination, and assault in its first two operational weeks last March. And now it has recorded more than 3,800 incidents since the start of the pandemic--3,800 incidents of harassment, discrimination, and sometimes physical assault--spurred and encouraged and condoned by public officials who used that hate-filled rhetoric to cover their own failures in dealing with the pandemic. As the investigators and prosecutors go forward, we will learn more, and we need to let them do their jobs. But that doesn't mean we should remain silent, nor does it give us an excuse to be inert. We need to denounce that kind of rhetoric. We need to take action. I have proposed a measure called the NO HATE Act, which would provide more training for investigators and more resources for hotlines because these hate crimes are typically and repeatedly unreported, and it would provide more incentives for reporting and new penalties--or encourage the imposition of penalties--that truly fit the crime. Hate crimes are corrosive to our social fabric. They corrupt the pillars of our society, and their effect is unmistakable. They traumatize and terrorize the communities that are their targets--in this case, Asian Americans, who have become more and more fearful as these incidents have multiplied. We all have a part to do in stopping this scourge. And we know that it is rampant, in part, because of the White supremacists and domestic terrorism and violent extremism that showed its ugly face in this Chamber earlier this year. It showed its brutal, cruel force in this building. It is the same virus and cancer that is metastasizing in this country today. And its visible forms are the assaults, harassment, and discrimination that may well have been reflected in those murders yesterday. I hope the NO HATE Act passes, but it won't be for a while. I hope we can take other action, but it will take time. And in the meantime, we can all take it as a moral imperative as our duty to denounce--not condoned by our silence--these groups and their extremist ideologies in White supremacists that perpetuate and expand the virus and cancer of hate crimes and hatred. Hate speech--fighting words--incitement in our society.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

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

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I recognize Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas, a dedicated public servant who is celebrating 25 years on the Federal bench on March 11. Born and raised in Montana, Judge Thomas's skill as a decisionmaker was evident from the start. Even as a high school debater, he earned the respect of competing schools with the combination of his success at meets and affable spirit. Both his tenacity and good nature would be enduring legacies. Judge Thomas went on to attend Montana State University and obtain his J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law. He was twice appointed to the Board of Regents of Higher Education as a student member. After graduating, Judge Thomas entered private practice. A quick learner with a deft ability to understand even the most complex cases, he became a senior partner. During his tenure in private practice, Judge Thomas specialized in commercial litigation, along with bankruptcy, government, and media law. He further applied his expertise as the standing bankruptcy trustee for all bankruptcy cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana's Billings Division. Judge Thomas also helped shape future lawyers by serving at Rocky Mountain College for over a decade as an adjunct instructor in law. On July 19, 1995, recognizing Judge Thomas's outstanding record, President Bill Clinton nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Thomas in January 1996, and he served as a judge for nearly two decades, before becoming chief judge on December 1, 2014. Throughout his impressive career, Judge Thomas has earned the confidence of his colleagues and the American people. He is a respected leader who is trusted for his sound judgment and integrity, as well as beloved for his warm personality and wit. These qualities landed Judge Thomas on President Barack Obama's short list of candidates to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010. Thanks to his extraordinary commitment public service, his intelligence and legal acumen, and his commitment to justice, Judge Thomas is a credit to our Nation's judiciary. His fairness on the bench, along with his tireless work ethic and compassion, sets a model for all of us. I applaud his many accomplishments and hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas on attaining 25 years on the Federal bench.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Madam President, I couldn't be prouder to stand in the Senate Chamber today and speak on behalf of Miguel Cardona, shortly to be confirmed by this body as the next Secretary of Education. Miguel Cardona is a man of deep commitment to his community and, with pride, a product of the Connecticut education system. I couldn't be prouder to support him because President Biden couldn't have made a better choice to be the next Secretary of Education. Miguel Cardona's story is inspiring and compelling, a testament to the extraordinary support he has enjoyed from his parents, from the community of Puerto Rico, who lived in Meriden, the support he enjoyed from the public schools and institutions of higher education in Connecticut. His powerful and compelling story should be inspiring to all America because he has lived the American dream. And for anyone whose language may be something other than English as their first language, he has shown that people coming to our public schools, with English as their second language, should see no bounds to what they can accomplish. He came to the public schools of Meriden as a second-language learner of English. He was raised in Meriden by Puerto Rican parents. He found an early passion for education. And his skill and dedication went beyond his own life. He did extraordinarily well and attended two Connecticut institutions of higher education--Central Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut--eventually earning his doctorate in education. But he went back to Meriden. He dedicated his life to the education of others, beginning as a fourth grade teacher in Meriden and then becoming principal--the youngest in the State--and eventually assistant superintendent before just about a year ago being appointed as commissioner of education in the State of Connecticut. His climbing looks meteoric and miraculous, but it was based on hard work and a dedication and passion to education for others, because he saw it in his own life and how it enabled him to live the American dream. For all of his accomplishments and that meteoric rise, he has remained deeply rooted in the Meriden community, deeply committed to his roots in Puerto Rico, and deeply committed to his family. His parents, who should be so proud of him, are an inspiration to all of us who know them and who have seen their work in Meriden continue. Even as he has climbed the professional ladder, they have remained rooted and active and energetic in benefiting others in Meriden. So to his parents, I say thank you for sharing with us Miguel. To his family, thank you for supporting him throughout his enormous journey and adventure. His extraordinary accomplishments have led him to this place of consummate prominence in the educational professional community, and now he will do great things for the cause of education in our country, not just Connecticut. His service never stopped in the classroom. He brought that knowledge of what happens in the classroom to establish policy in Connecticut in an enormously challenging time. He took over as commissioner of education on February 26, 2020, at the time of COVID-19 lockdowns and school closures, which began just a couple of weeks after he assumed that responsibility. But as he has done throughout his educational and professional career, he consistently reaffirmed his commitment to students, parents, and teachers because they are the core of our educational system, especially students who have been potentially left behind. His bold vision and dedication to students and their families is exactly what we need now in an Education Secretary, providing direction and support to our Nation's public schools--direction and support after a time when leadership was so sorely lacking and commitment to public education was so unfortunately inadequate. As we know, COVID-19 has challenged educators, students, families, and school administrators, day in and day out, during this very difficult and painful period. Disadvantaged students who lack support and resources at home have been left behind. Teachers are strained and stressed by changing environments and a lack of resources. Parents are concerned and overwhelmed, managing their children's schooling and their own work at home. Students in higher education are drowning in student debt that has left them crippled financially and unsure about their future. These challenges pose a grave threat to the future of our children and our educational system, and we need a leader just like Dr. Cardona--one whom we have lacked, one who can regain our Nation's trust and reestablish faith in the leadership of our educational community at the very top in the Department of Education. He is someone who will put students back on their feet, in their confidence and their trust in education. He is someone who will put teachers, parents, and students first, above special interests, because he has lived American education as the American dream. In Connecticut, he has seen firsthand in his own life how education can transform futures and enable all of us, through our children, to live the American dream just as he has done. And he will do it in a way that is inclusive, that respects the drive for racial justice, because he has lived that movement in his own life--the movement for racial justice. To end disparities and inequities are part of Miguel Cardona's agenda because it is his life. It is in his DNA, and it is part of his heritage and his family. And that is the reason why I am so proud of his success, but also of his vision and his dedication to the future of American education. I urge my colleagues to vote yes for his confirmation. You will be proud you did, just as I am proud to stand here in support of him. He has lived the American dream, and he will open it through his vision and his courage for countless other young people who desperately need that faith in their country and its schools. Today, American public education has a future that is bright and promising with Miguel Cardona's leadership. I am proud to say he is a product of Connecticut. His roots are there, and so is his vision and hope and faith. I yield the floor.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, in this impeachment trial, every Senator was a juror, but also a witness and victim of the violent insurrection Donald Trump incited. The case was straightforward. Former President Trump instigated an armed riot seeking to overthrow a lawful election and possibly even injure or assassinate elected officials. I spent most of my career enforcing laws, including two decades as Connecticut's attorney general. In this role, I learned the power and the significance of accountability. When wrongdoers enjoy impunity for their actions, they and others like them are emboldened. The first time former President Trump was impeached by the House, he had pressured a foreign government to corrupt the American election process, extorting a vulnerable, fledgling democracy to help him cheat in a Presidential election. This time, former President Trump's attack on American democracy was more direct and violent. The insurrectionists forced us to flee for our lives, to place desperate, seemingly final calls to loved ones. A Capitol police officer died protecting us. I have the same fear now, only greater, that I felt at the close of former President Trump's last impeachment. By again refusing to hold former President Trump accountable, the Senate is paving the way for another would-be tyrant to break laws and norms to retain power. We in the Senate are obligated to uphold our oaths to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Our oaths obligate us to hold former President Trump to account for his incitement of a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, the symbol of American democracy around the world. The case against Donald Trump was proven convincingly with videos and voice recordings so powerful that this printed word can never capture their force. The former President's offense in this case is as dangerous as it is straightforward. He spent months of his Presidency telling and retelling the ``Big Lie.'' The lie that no matter how the American people voted at the ballot box, he was the only legitimate winner of the 2020 Presidential election. That the election was stolen from him, that anyone who disagrees is un-American, a traitor. As Manager Lieu explained at trial, at a certain point in his efforts to undermine the 2020 election, ``Trump ran out of non-violent options to retain power.'' Donald Trump encouraged, emboldened, and even helped build a mob of violent extremists that he invited to Washington, DC, and incited to storm the Capitol. While some Members of Congress were serving the former President in seeking to subvert American democracy by objecting to vote counting, Trump was imploring the mob to do the same. He told supporters to ``never give up'' on the ``Big Lie.'' He told them that ``this election was stolen from you, from me, from the country.'' He said, ``if you don't fight, you are not going to have a country anymore.'' He told the insurrectionists to go to the Capitol, and he even lied to them that he would be going with them. The resulting violence, clearly foreseeable, was horrifying. They marched to the Capitol. Rioters broke windows and breached the building. They killed a 42-year-old Capitol Hill police officer and Air Force veteran, Brian Sicknick. They did stop the vote counting, if only temporarily. They injured many. Members of Congress removed congressional pins to avoid identification from the mob. Senators ran from the Senate Chamber. They ran for their lives. Rioters flew a Confederate flag, a symbol of hate that did not fly in the Capitol even at the height of the Civil War. Donald Trump watched this deadly attack unfold with glee from the Oval Office. On national TV, he told the insurrectionists that he loved them. ``I know you're hurt,'' he consoled the rioters. ``We love you. You're very special.'' He did not lift a finger to help anyone threatened with violence, including his Vice President. As a result of former Donald Trump's incitement, an angry mob stormed the Capitol with every intent to harm elected officials and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. Not only has the world lost Brian Sicknick, two other Capitol Police officers have died by suicide. Several members of the mob were killed. The Senate's failure to convict increases the specter of another would-be tyrant, as well as Donald Trump, seeking again to mobilize a mob to overthrow democracy. Violent extremism has been emboldened. It is a present, immediate danger. My colleagues know that former President Trump lost the 2020 Presidential election. They know that more than 60 courts tossed out his attempts to drum up baseless allegations of voter fraud. They know that the director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a lifelong Republican, certified the election was safe and secure. And they know that former President Trump incited the insurrectionists to attack the Capitol on January 6. Democracy is not our default state of being. Democracy thrives only so long as the institutions that support it thrive. And democratic institutions will only thrive and persist through hard work, active work, dedicated work of our elected officials. For 4 years, former President Trump continuously attacked our basic norms and institutions of democracy. For 4 years, he normalized chaos. Our job now-- Republicans, Democrats, Independents--is to restore. We must dedicate ourselves to restoring the rule of law, the protections of rights, and the integrity of institutions. And that task starts with accountability for all those who perpetrated the damage.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I send a question to the desk for the House managers.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am honored to follow my colleague Senator Brown on an issue that should be close to all of our hearts, which is strengthening our VA so that it can provide more assistance, more help, and more support for our Nation's heroes. I had the great opportunity last Sunday to spend time at the West Haven VA Hospital, where literally thousands of vaccines are being administered hour by hour to our veterans. Around 25 percent of the veterans of Connecticut eligible to receive it have had vaccinations administered to them. That 25 percent is way above the 10 percent of the entire population of our State, and it is a great beginning. Under the leadership of Al Montoya at the West Haven VA and his remarkable team, our Nation's heroes are receiving the vaccinations they need and deserve. More than 8,000 already--and the staff of the VA, 2,500--have received vaccinations. Not all want it, but the VA is reaching out to them--literally, person by person--to ask them to come and ensure them that this vaccine is safe and effective. Most assuredly, it is. So the VA is moving forward, but much more needs to be done. A lot of that VA target population is among the most vulnerable by virtue of age, by virtue of preexisting conditions, by virtue of their service and exposure and comorbidity. That is why this plan, the American Rescue Plan, in its distributing COVID-19 vaccines to veterans, is so critically important. There are 9,000 VA patients who have died of coronavirus. Although 1 million nationwide of our veterans have received vaccinations, there are many, many more who have not. These vaccines are reaching the arms of veterans, but the VA system needs support and the investment to do its job. Likewise, this pandemic has imposed mental health burdens on our veterans. The veterans who are shut in--likewise, the veterans who have no homes and veterans in all parts of the country--have been stressed and strained just like everyone else--in fact, maybe more so. Medical health services available through telemedicine are more important than ever, but they alone are not going to accomplish this purpose. Again, what we have seen in Connecticut through the CBOCs, what is accomplished from telemedicine, and what is provided through counseling all show additional investment will produce even better care for our veterans. A lot of our veterans have debts. Some of them are medical debts. They need help. This American Rescue Plan provides assistance for them. I have been a longtime advocate of extending VA healthcare to more veterans. I am proud this plan would allow struggling veterans to get more healthcare at the VA, but relieving veterans from the burden of medical costs is not enough. We need to deliver stimulus payments, unemployment insurance, and aid to small businesses so that we can lift the broader economic pain brought on by COVID-19. Veterans are part of our general population, and those general programs are part of what we owe them. All of these programs need more oversight and more vigorous scrutiny as we go forward in order to prevent the kind of waste or delay that we have seen sometimes in veterans' programs. That is why the funds for the VA would be directed, in part, to oversight by the VA Office of the Inspector General. Through oversight by the inspector general, in combination with rigorous congressional oversight, we can ensure that these dollars are being spent effectively and in accordance with congressional priorities in a way that best supports our veterans. A broader plan is also necessary, a broader infrastructure plan that will, for example, reconstruct and rehabilitate the West Haven hospital. It dates from the 1950s. It has a new shell, but its structure is aging and aged, degrading and sometimes, in some ways, decrepit. The VA has done a great job of sustaining and maintaining it, but this reconstruction is absolutely necessary. A capital investment must be made as our VA facilities, our ports and airports, roads and bridges all are in need of vital repair and reconstruction. That is part of the broader plan that must be undertaken. Priority must be given to those VA facilities. Just a few months ago, we suffered in Connecticut a tragic accident when two workers at that VA hospital were killed while they were doing maintenance. It was unnecessary, avoidable, preventable, but it demonstrated the weaknesses and defects in the construction that remains in that hospital. It must be remediated and improved. The best way to do it is through a new building, not just a new exterior, not just cosmetic work but, truly, an infrastructure program that keeps faith with our veterans. There is no excuse for delaying this COVID-19 rescue plan. Delay is unconscionable. Time is not on our side. We need decisive, bold, and big action to meet the needs that our veterans have and that all of the American people have in this time of unique, painful, and continuing crisis. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Secretary of the Senate be authorized, in relation to the pending impeachment trial of former President Trump, to print as Senate documents those documents filed by the parties to be immediately made available to all parties, and that at the conclusion of the trial, those douments be printed together as a Senate document.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I am really honored to follow my colleague from Massachusetts, Ed Markey, one of the premier founders-- the father--of E-rate, who knows better than anyone how investment in online learning and connectivity can make a crucial difference in all of our lives--in the lives of seniors, in the lives of people who live in communities of color, and in other underserved areas of our country. Most importantly, it can make a crucial difference in the lives of schoolchildren. Most crucially, right now, the simple, stark fact about this pandemic is that it has locked out of classrooms millions of students around the country. We need to get those students back into the classroom, and it has to be done safely. In the meantime, online learning is going to be critical for them. Yet substantial numbers--most especially in communities of color--lack the connectivity and the devices they need to open classroom doors. In many of those households, working parents simply can't be around to supervise their children. It is more than just the nuts and bolts of devices; it is learning about how to learn online, but at the very least, the nuts and bolts have to be there, and that is why this American rescue program is so critical to the lives and learning of these millions of students. The simple fact is that this homework gap is no longer a gap--it is a chasm. The homework gap has turned into a homework chasm and a homework crisis that threatens to set back students by months and even more. The fact is, right now, students are estimated across the country to have lost 3 to 5 years. In communities of color, that loss may be even worse, and once students have suffered that loss in learning, catching up, overcoming it, and bridging that gap is very difficult and sometimes impossible to do, which is a lifelong potential setback for them. We are, in effect, disadvantaging American education by allowing this homework chasm to continue. The American rescue program provides a model--it provides money but also a model in how the homework gap can be bridged and the chasm avoided. We have made a promise. America makes a promise to its students that the basics of education will be provided so they can have an equal chance at the American dream. We are failing to keep that promise. Now, there is really nothing mysterious about how to bridge this gap. In fact, I am proud to say that my State of Connecticut has done it very significantly--I am tempted to say ``has done it,'' but nobody is perfect. Connecticut has built a program called Everybody Learns at the initiative of our Governor, Ned Lamont, who has used Federal money from the CARES Act. We have used significant private philanthropy--for example, from Ray and Barbara Dalio, great citizens of the State of Connecticut, and their foundation, which has contributed mightily, particularly in the Hartford area, where the leadership of Mayor Luke Bronin has been absolutely critical. What they have done, very simply, is provide tens of thousands of tablets, the kind of devices that are necessary for students to connect, and they have provided hot spots so that students have that way of reaching the internet. No mystery-- simply hard work and money. Most important, commitment. I am asking my colleagues today for that same commitment to our Nation and to Connecticut, which needs to finish the job of connecting. The Secretary of Education--or the nominee for that position--Miguel Cardona, knows very well the importance of online learning. He has championed it in Connecticut. Yesterday, he testified about it to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and he is going to be a very steadfast advocate, a trusted champion for online learning. But he, too, needs the tools and the resources. Think of it not as a spending item, not as a funding measure; it is an investment. It is an investment in the basics of devices and connectivity. It is an investment in our young people. Connecticut has made that investment, and we should not be skimping or cutting corners on our young people. We should not be, in effect, shortchanging them at this critical time when connectivity, broadband, online learning are really the lifeline for them. Let's put them online with this lifeline and give them the ability to continue their education, even as the pandemic locks them out of classrooms. They may be physically no longer in person, but online, they can connect. If they are denied that online access, they will be truly locked out of learning, not just locked out of their classroom, and that would be a disgrace for this Nation. I thank my colleagues for what I hope will be their commitment to continuing American teaching and education online during this unparalleled, uniquely painful and difficult time in our Nation's history. We can make it is easier for students. We can save them the homework chasm and the homework crisis. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. I yield the floor.