Lisa Blunt Rochester

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Will the Senator yield for one more question?

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. As you talked about the small businesses, Senator, I was reminded that, as we look at who is actually purchasing this healthcare in the marketplace--a lot of people don't even know they are on ACA and receiving the tax credit--that half of them are small businesses. I come from Delaware. We are urban, suburban, rural, and coastal. And so we also know that a quarter of farmers and ranchers are getting their healthcare this way. And then we think about the fact that this issue is disproportionally affecting red States, not just blue States. All Americans are going to be hurt. This is why your ringing the alarm is so important. And I would ask a very simple question: Is there a connection between the healthcare crisis that we are in and an authoritarian regime?

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, as America confronts a period of darkness, still I rise, full of bright hope. Why bright hope? ``Bright Hope'' was the name of the church that my grandmother attended for 70 years in Philadelphia. But, for me, it is more than just a name. It is a call to action. It is a feeling. It is what drove me to run for the U.S. Senate and what keeps me going in my darkest of times. So once again, I rise with bright hope and tremendous humility to deliver my maiden speech as Delaware's 58th U.S. Senator. My presence here would not have been possible without my God, my family, and the people of the great State of Delaware who have put their trust in me. The word ``trust'' is important here because this is not a time when Americans are eager to trust their elected officials. Partisan tensions are so high right now that we can barely talk to each other, let alone work together. So the question is this: Are we to be one people, bound together by common spirit, sharing in a common endeavor? Or will we become a divided nation? As much as I would like to take credit, those are not my words. They are the words of the late great Barbara Jordan, the Congresswoman from Texas, the conscience of her Congress, who, in the midst of our Nation's bicentennial in 1976, spoke about the ``collective spirit of our nation,'' about the deeply troubling reality that people did not trust their government. And she offered a path forward, saying: For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future. We must address and master the future together. It can be done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of national community. We are now 50 years removed from the bicentennial, and our present is rhyming with our past--wars built on false pretense, painful economic downturns, incomplete recoveries that leave many behind, and Presidents who abuse their power. The problems persist. So how do we, before our tricentennial in 2076, build what Barbara Jordan called our common spirit? How do we restore the belief that a more perfect union is even possible? How do we rekindle bright hope for America? These are big questions, but they are not confined to the Halls of Congress. Go into any coffee shop, a sports game, or a family home, and Americans are saying the same thing and asking the same questions. I saw it firsthand in the grocery store about 10 years ago when a dad with three kids in front of me in line put back a bunch of grapes because they were too expensive. It shook me to the core. You see, the year before that, my husband Charles, the love of my life, played a game of basketball before his business meetings, ruptured his Achilles tendon, and blood clots went to his heart and lungs. At the age of 52, the love of my life died, and I was consumed with grief. But seeing that dad woke me up from my own pain. I would be OK. At that moment, I decided I had nothing to lose and everything to give. Having never run for anything in my life, I decided to run for Congress. I spread a huge piece of white paper on my living room wall, and I started to write. I asked: Why me? Why now? What for? And the answers appeared--three words that have driven me forward, three words that have given me bright hope: purpose, peace, and planet. It was clear that if we can help Americans live their purpose, provide peace, and protect our planet, I believe we will be able to rebuild the trust we have lost. It begins with purpose. I am a big believer that a good-paying job or starting a business can help us find purpose and that the dignity of work is essential to what it means to be an American. I have often said that if I had another middle name, it would be Lisa Blunt ``Jobs'' Rochester. For me, I got my first job at the age of 14, and I flipped burgers, worked retail. I was a CEO. I even served as Delaware's secretary of labor. As a matter of fact, in Delaware, a union leader said to me: You can't spell ``labor'' without ``L-B-R.'' I know jobs. I love jobs. And I can tell you, we need a new and different approach to jobs in this country, especially as we look to the future of work in the age of artificial intelligence. With reports that AI is poised to push unemployment rates upwards of 20 percent in the next 5 years, we need big, bold solutions now. Fortunately for us, America has a track record of taking on historic challenges and transforming them into opportunities for success. When the Soviet Union started the space race in the 1950s, we pushed American innovation to new heights. The groundbreaking research from that era still impacts us today--GPS systems, weather satellites, the COVID-19 vaccine, even the internet. We need to harness the innovative spirit that landed us on the Moon and apply it to our economy. We must mobilize our Nation's leading labor experts, supply chain strategists, and economic innovators and pursue the future instead of waiting for it to come to us. From workforce development and apprenticeship opportunities to emerging technologies, our common goal must be for everyone to succeed and find purpose in a rapidly changing economy. Access to economic opportunity is a good start. But many families derive their sense of purpose from where they live, the communities they belong to, the place they call home. Growing up, my family lived with my grandparents--my mom's mom, my dad's mom. We lived in apartments. We lived in public housing for a short time. But I will never forget the exhilaration I felt on the day we moved into our own home, a place that was truly ours. But for millions of Americans, that feeling is out of reach. Instead, home ownership feels impossible. And the rent in America is too doggone high. Yet, for too long, the Federal Government has been missing in action. Our Nation's zoning frameworks date back to the 1920s--100 years ago. Times have changed, and it is time we get back in the game. That is why, a week ago, I was proud to unveil my very first policy agenda as a Senator, ``The New Way Home''--a blueprint that will touch every corner of the housing crisis. Together, we can expand housing supply, build stronger communities, make housing more attainable, unlock innovative housing models, and invest in smart tax policy. Together, we can chart a path to a new way home and help Americans find purpose, even peace, in the stability that comes with a roof over your head. Peace--that is something we all need right now, isn't it? I studied international relations in college, and I have lived and traveled and worked in over 30 countries. My son was even born abroad. I fundamentally believe that we need peace at a global level. But today, I want to talk about the need for peace at a more personal level--the peace that comes with knowing our purpose and having a steady job and a place to call home and the peace that comes when we can take care of our families. Not every family looks the same, but we all want the same things: quality healthcare, affordable childcare, and the comfort of knowing that Social Security and Medicare will be there for us too. Last summer, I sat at a kitchen table with a mother of young children, one with disabilities. She was taking care of her aging father as well--a role that she inherited from her mother because her mother passed away from all the stress. And I will never forget the look of frustration in her eyes. She was drained physically, mentally, and emotionally from all the administrative hoops and barriers and things she had to jump through and financially from all the bills she had to pay. She was barely holding on. How are we supposed to rebuild trust in our government, rekindle bright hope in our democracy, when families are struggling to care for their aging loved ones and their children at the same time? We have failed the sandwich generation, their children, and their parents as well. We now have a patchwork of solutions in States, but we are not working together as a nation. We have an opportunity to provide peace of mind and create jobs by investing in childcare and healthcare, but that is only half the battle. We must also focus on those caring for aging parents by addressing the urgent shortages in home care and nursing workforces. It is also time to revolutionize Medicare, to truly uplift Americans living in their twilight years, because we all deserve peace of mind, of knowing that we can retire with dignity. Ultimately, the solutions are clear. By simplifying access to care and making it more affordable, we give families the tools they need to strive while strengthening our economy, and we have the power to give our families peace of mind. But none of this will be possible without a planet. Who doesn't want clean drinking water and clean air? How is this controversial? Yet there are many communities in America where unsafe water, dirty air, and playgrounds built on brownfields are still a reality. In 2022, I was able to work with the Ellendale community in their decades-long fight for clean drinking water. It is still one of the proudest moments of my career thus far. But for many across this country, there are Ellendales everywhere, many communities that still need champions in this Chamber, especially as we confront the threats of climate change. Let me be clear. As the junior Senator from the lowest lying State in the Nation, from our farms and our beaches to our environmental justice communities, in Delaware, we know climate change is real. Now is not the time to pull back from our oversight of Agencies like the EPA and FEMA; now is the time to lean in. With rising insurance rates pricing people out of their homes and recordbreaking disaster seasons draining State and local budgets, the health and wealth of our Nation depends on our collective action to preserve and protect our environment. Purpose, peace, planet--this is how we can earn the trust that has been lost, how we can rekindle bright hope in our democracy, because when people have a good job, a roof over their head, the ability to care for their family, and a healthy planet to call home, they will know they have a government that works for them. It is on all of us, the people that serve in this Chamber, to meet this moment. And if we are successful, 50 years from now, as we celebrate our tricentennial, Americans will not need to read a speech from 2025 and say these are the challenges of our time, too. They will, instead, be able to freely write the next chapter of the American story. Mr. President, I will end where I began--with bright hope. I often said: Bright hope shines brightest in the darkness. Right now, a lot of people are asking me how I still have bright hope in the moment that we are in. Well, let me tell you, I have bright hope because God mended my broken heart after the death of my husband and blessed me with the opportunity to serve my State and my country. I have bright hope because I stand here as a descendent of the enslaved men and women who built this place. I have bright hope because I prayed in the Gallery on January 6, and I am here, alive, standing firm for democracy and love. I have bright hope because in the words of the renowned poet Langston Hughes: I, too, sing America. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause, Senators rising.)

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I thank the Presiding Officer and I thank, also, Senator Durbin for providing this opportunity to speak up against this rescissions package. When I ran for the Senate, I never thought that I would have to stand up to defend ``Mr. Rogers,'' ``Sesame Street,'' and ``Curious George,'' but here we are. And it is hard to believe that, about 56 years ago, Fred Rogers himself actually came to the Senate to advocate for PBS funding. And in his closing, he shared a song that he wrote to help teach children how to deal with their feelings of anger. The lyrics ask: What do you do with the mad that you feel? I find his words really poignant at this moment of incredible strife in our country because Mr. Rogers reminds us that we all have ownership over our actions. In his words: It's great to be able to stop when you've planned a thing that's wrong. And respectfully to my colleagues across the aisle, this is wrong, and the American people need you to stop. Stop prioritizing big corporations over the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The strange thing is, this is actually a corporation that the Trump administration is refusing to protect, and it is the one American families rely on for news, for education, and for public safety and weather reports. This harmful package, which had bipartisan support--funding that was approved by Congress--would cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which could force local TV and radio stations to close. It would gut funding for programming like PBS NewsHour, a trusted news and public affairs show. It would cut funding for PBS Kids, a trusted and safe source of children's programming. And speaking of trust, while only 33 percent of Congress is trusted, 66 percent of Americans trust PBS. And who will be most hurt by these cuts? Families in low-income and rural areas. Why? Because not everyone can stream Netflix or watch Ms. Rachel on YouTube. In Delaware and across our country, there are thousands and thousands of families who still don't have access to the internet in their homes, which means PBS is the best, most stable source of information for those households. And this package could cut them off. These are programs with generational impact from ``Sesame Street,'' which has been teaching young children like my granddaughter to count and spell since 1969; to ``The Gilded Age,'' a show I love, that gives a dramatic glimpse into the history of our country. PBS, to me, is like a living library, granting access to art, food, culture, travel, and history across our Nation and the world. But it is not just educational; it is not just cultural. It is lifesaving. PBS covers 97 percent of American households, ensuring lifesaving alerts reach communities when other systems fail. They support our country's emergency alert system, including earthquake early warnings, amber alerts, and warnings when severe weather is imminent. This is vital service, and cutting funding for these programs would be devastating. My colleagues, as we embark on the 250th anniversary of our country, our goal should be expanding participation in this great American experiment through education, information, and knowledge. These form the foundation of an informed citizenry, and informed communities create a stronger democracy. As I close in the words of Randy Farmer, the chairman of Delaware Public Media, my home State's NPR affiliate, who said: Independent journalism is the lifeline we depend on for a free and informed democracy. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provides access to independent, nonpartisan journalism. To me, it is the epitome of public service. So to bring it back to where I started with Mr. Rogers, I urge my colleagues to stop what they have planned because it is wrong. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I have a motion at the desk.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading be dispensed with.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, in one of the richest countries in the world, we have maternal and infant mortality crises. In fact, we have the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy nations. Today, Medicaid is the single largest payer of maternity care in the United States, covering 40 percent of births nationwide and nearly half of all births in our rural communities. Obstetric units, particularly in rural hospitals, are closing at alarming rates--actually creating maternity deserts in this country. And a reason why? Low Medicaid hospital rates. To be blunt, now is not the time to be slashing the Medicaid program. My amendment would stop cuts to Medicaid used for vital hospital services, especially for labor and delivery rooms. Leader Thune said it himself earlier today, that Medicaid should be for pregnant moms. So, my colleagues, we have a choice. Do we stand for billionaires or do we stand up for moms and babies? For Democrats, the choice is clear, and I urge my Republican colleagues to vote yes on the motion to support families over billionaires. I yield the floor. Vote on Motion to Commit

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the motions to commit be printed in the Record: Motion to Commit With Instructions Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes that-- (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; (2) would strike any provision limiting Medicaid state- directed payments; and (3) would preserve access to hospital labor and delivery units to protect the 40% of births nationwide and nearly 50% of births in rural communities that are financed by Medicaid. Motion to Commit With Instructions Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate with instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes that-- (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and (2) strike provisions that would undermine the access of the people of the United States to affordable, high-speed internet, including cuts to broadband funding, deployment, and access programs. Motion to Commit With Instructions Ms. Blunt Rochester moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate with instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes that-- (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and (2) would require federally funded lead service line removal projects to be completed within 10 years of the date of enactment of that bill. Motion to Commit With Instructions Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes that- (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and (2) would create an above-the-line tax deduction for primary care, dental, and mental health workers serving in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Motion to Commit With Instructions Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER moves to commit the bill H.R. 1 to the Committee on Finance of the Senate with instructions to report the same back to the Senate in 3 days, not counting any day on which the Senate is not in session, with changes that-- (1) are within the jurisdiction of such committee; and (2) would create a tax cut for veterans recently separated from military service.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, there are moments in our lives when everything changes, when the world shifts underneath you and a new reality forms. These are moments when you remember exactly where you were, what you were doing, and who you were with. June 24, 2022, was one of those days. Three years ago, I marched with my House colleagues to the Supreme Court. I stood in solidarity with Democrats and Republicans alike. We felt shock, disbelief, anger, and sadness at the loss of one of our fundamental rights. On that day, Roe v. Wade was overturned, and for many, their lives were turned upside down. Since then, extreme Republicans and President Trump have said that abortion is a States' rights issue--States' rights. Yet, over the last 3 years, we have watched as quietly and purposefully they have chipped away at our rights, chipped away at our bodily autonomy, because the goal has always been a national abortion ban. Three Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justices and the Dobbs decision later and we are still watching this unfold. Anti-abortion extremists have been piecing together a puzzle that, when it is completed, will create a national abortion ban, and they add a new piece each and every day. Over the next hour, my colleagues and I will lay out what the Republican national abortion ban looks like, what it means for everyday Americans, and what we can do about it because these efforts will hurt all of us--especially young women, women of low income, women in rural areas, and women of color. For me, this is personal. I could have lost my daughter-in-law because she did not get the care she needed. And I remember getting a call on Christmas morning. I was in the kitchen, I was cooking, and I heard my daughter-in-law on the other end of the phone say: Mom, my water just broke. It is too soon. She went to the hospital, but, again, the hospital we went to could not provide the care that she needed for the miscarriage that she was having, and they sent her home. I remember thinking about all the committee hearings that I had on the Health Subcommittee in--the Health Committee in the House and how the data was clear that we in this country have a maternal mortality crisis, that Black women die three times the rate of our White counterparts, and all I could think was, we have to get you somewhere. And we did. Fortunately, Ebony is here alive today. Fortunately, Ebony was able to have my beautiful granddaughter--because of IVF, I might add. But stories like these are all too common. It disproportionately affects Black and Brown women. We face reproductive challenges. We have a higher mortality rate. We have higher rates of reproductive cancers. We have higher rates of preterm births. Like I said, this is personal. We are here today to show the American people that we did not forget about the Dobbs decision, especially because the majority of Americans--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--believe that we should have legal and safe abortions. We are here today to tell the Republican Party: You can't have it both ways. You can't claim to be the party of personal freedom while telling us what to do with our bodies. President Trump, you can't claim to be the fertilization President while making it more dangerous for women to give birth. You can't claim to be the party of strong economic growth while cutting Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare for many women who need it to participate in the workforce--and all to give tax breaks to people who already have all of these resources. We are here today to show extreme Republicans across the Nation that we see what you are doing--quietly assembling the pieces of the puzzle. And when it is completed, it will strip Americans of their access to abortion care in red States and blue States. We are here to show just how important it is that we fight this reconciliation bill. Whether you call it a ``Big Bad Bill'' or whether you call it a ``Big Ugly Bill,'' whatever you call it, this is the moment for people to speak up because it is just another piece of the puzzle, and we are here to shine a light on the ultimate goal of a national abortion ban. I stand here, and I think about the young women I saw as I came to this floor. I think about my niece. I think about my daughter and I think about my granddaughter and the fact that they now have less rights than I did, than my mother did, and than my grandmother did and that today it is important for us to not forget and to make sure that we recognize what this is all about and that we want the best for our young people in this country. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, as I close out this time, I had written prepared remarks for my closing, but a word keeps ringing over and over in my head, and that word is ``freedom.'' As I stand here, why today is so important is because it is again another chip chipping at our freedoms. I stand here as a Black woman who has, in our history, knowledge of what it means for your bodily autonomy to be taken. I stand here, today, looking at a picture of my granddaughter, who I want to have the same rights that I had growing up. Today, we mark a 3-year anniversary, but we also have an opportunity to commit to what our future will look like. This very week, we potentially will see a bill on this floor that will again chip away--chip away--at healthcare, when we know that 40 percent of the births in this country are through Medicaid; chip away at our rights. So I thank my colleagues for their powerful words today. I thank all of the advocates who came and spoke to us today, all of the individuals who are still fighting the good fight to make sure that we have the rights that we deserve. I will end with a story of an individual who I just met today. Her name is Nancy Davis, and she is a patient in Louisiana. She said: When I was 10 weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my baby, and dangerous for me. Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my family and I could begin healing. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the Supreme Court issued the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the legal right to abortion. The fallout from that decision was fast, with states across the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion bans. My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton Rouge. Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve the loss of the pregnancy at home with my family, I had to scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion care. I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in, forced to travel 1,500 miles to get the care that I needed and deserved. I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care, but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own decisions about my own health. I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental rights. I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my doctors agreed. But local lawmakers who will never know me or understand my situation had the final say. The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I was then. Today, let's turn that outrage into action. Spread the word about what is coming to this floor. Make sure that people stand up, use their voices, use this moment. Freedom. That is what this is about--freedom. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, you can see and feel and hear the anger, the disappointment, and the concern for the future of our country. Senator Alex Padilla is probably one of the first people that took time to sit down with me as a freshman Senator to prepare me for this job. He serves this body and his State with intelligence and with grace and with poise. So to see my colleague pushed, manhandled, taken to the ground, arms put behind his back--this person who anyone who meets will say is more of a gentle giant than someone who deserves that kind of treatment. It blows my mind. I think that is the thing. I am shocked. I am numb. I am angry. I think part of it is because Senator Padilla is a Senator, but there are people every day right now across this country who are facing this kind of concern about their treatment when peacefully trying to exhibit the voice of America. But also, for him, he was just doing his job of oversight. Similarly, some of us also have spoken up about LaMonica McIver from New Jersey, also a Member of Congress doing her job--oversight. If we don't have that ability as Senators and Congresspeople, what does that mean for all of the citizens of this country? So in this moment, this is a pivotal moment. This is an opportunity for our leadership here in this Chamber as well as the other Members on the Democratic side and the Republican side to say: This is unacceptable. That is really what this is about. When the incident happened, we were all on this floor, and I remember seeing the video and the shock that I felt. It literally took my breath away. And I turned to other Members on the floor to say: Have you seen this? And they had not seen it. I walked across the aisle to my Republican colleagues. Republican colleagues had not seen it. And there was a sense of shock as well. So what remains to be seen is what we do with that shock, what we do with that indignation, what we do with the fact that Alex Padilla was doing his job on behalf of his constituents and on behalf of this country. That is what remains to be seen: Where do we go from here? You have heard folks talk about free speech, peaceful assembly, the ability to do our job of oversight, but ultimately what this is about is the foundation of this country. I am just shaking my head. I am shaking my head, but I am also resolute in the fact that we were called here for this moment. As bad as things may be, as bad as they may seem, we were called here for such a time as this, and the question is, What do we do with this time? So I ask my colleagues again on both sides of the aisle to speak up against not only this incident but the incidents that we are seeing across this country. I ask my colleagues to come together on behalf of not only the American people but the democracy on which this country stands. I will continue to stand with Alex Padilla. I will continue to stand with those folks around this country who are facing this same kind of unacceptable behavior. Lastly, I would also mention that we do have a role and a responsibility. There are three branches of government. Thank God for the courts right now holding it down. But this moment is the moment. There won't be a light switch that says ``Oh, democracy is gone.'' That is not how it happens. I have heard my good friend Chris Murphy talk about that, that it is piece by piece, moment by moment, we see it chipped away. Well, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to make sure we do not let this slip away. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

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

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, according to Secretary Kennedy, the Trump administration is committed to building the most compassionate Department of Health and Human Services in the history of the United States. So I went to the dictionary and looked up the term ``compassionate.'' It means: ``a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress, together with a desire to alleviate it.'' Yet the proposed Republican budget would make historic billion-dollar cuts to the programs real Americans rely on. Instead of alleviating distress, this ``Big Bad Bill'' would actually exacerbate it. And late, late last night, House Republicans added even more distress to their Medicaid cuts, changes that would cut care and prevent access to care for millions of Americans; changes that would cut funding that ensures safe, healthy births for newborns; changes that will endanger our parents and grandparents who live in nursing homes. So I rise today and seek true compassion from my colleagues and ask in the words of the famous song: ``Where is the love?'' I rise today because I have been getting call after call, email after email, meeting with person after person, all worried sick about cuts to Medicaid. And I want to share some of their stories today. I want my colleagues to hear their names and understand the trade-offs they are making to support tax cuts for the wealthy, while failing to shrink the national debt. Again, I am going to say that again: while failing to shrink the national debt. Here are their stories. Emmanual lives in Sussex County. When I met with him recently, he told me that if we pull the thread of Medicaid, his whole life would unravel. Emmanual calls himself a CP warrior, and he doesn't let cerebral palsy or his wheelchair stop him. For Emmanual, Medicaid is more than prescriptions and doctors' appointments. It is about freedom and independence. Participating in Medicaid allowed him to get and keep a job. Access to Medicaid is how he went from being homeless to being employed, housed, and financially secure. It is what enables his wife to be his primary caretaker, while also allowing them to live together as husband and wife. He struggles to plan for his future and that of his family because his life depends on decisions that we make here in this body. Joy. Joy lives in Wilmington with her 34-year-old son, who she says is severely autistic. He received amazing services from the Delaware Autism Program when he was in school and now attends their day program at Point of Hope. And you guessed it; Point of Hope is funded through Medicaid. Joy is literally terrified of what could happen if these cuts close that program. She doesn't know where her son will end up if they lose the support that Medicaid provides and she can no longer take care of him. And Nancy. Nancy lives in Dover with her 19-year-old son Christopher, who was born prematurely. Christopher coded in the NICU and suffered a brain injury. As a result, he is on a Medicaid waiver since he was 8 months old. For the last 19 years, Nancy has advocated for her family, as well as countless Delawareans. She built her life around caring for Christopher in their home versus an expensive long-term care facility. Medicaid covers the medical equipment Nancy rents to keep Christopher alive. Medicaid covers the skilled medical professionals that help Nancy care for her son and give her respite. Nancy told me that Christopher's life depends on this budget. In her words, this debate about funding cuts feels like the rug is being pulled from under her. Emmanual, Joy, Nancy, and Christopher--these are just a few of the stories that I have been told since our Republican colleagues started their crusade against care. These are real people with real needs that Medicaid fills--real people whom we shine the light on and not ignore. And I want my colleagues to hear their names. I want them to remember the names of the people in their own States who are imploring us to stand up and protect their access to care: the Emmanuals, the Joys, Nancys, the Christophers. So whether you are a person of faith or just somebody who cares about your neighbor, now is the time to move from the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated to the ``Platinum Rule''--to treat others the way they want to be treated, with real compassion, and to start with protecting Medicaid. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Madam President, yesterday when the budget resolution came to the floor, I introduced an amendment. It is a simple, straightforward piece of legislation that will protect American consumers by prohibiting tariffs that increase the costs of building a house. About 2 days ago, we passed a bipartisan resolution reversing President Trump's unnecessary national emergency on Canadian imports. That is right. Our closest ally to the north is now on the receiving end of a senseless trade war. Essential groceries and food products, building supplies, materials that impact our national security, all of these things and more that cross the border are now each and every day in jeopardy. I recently asked the Federal Reserve Chairman: Are tariffs a tax? And he said: Well, you will pay either the tariff at the exporter level, the importer, the retailer, and/or the consumer. And who is most likely to feel the pain? I and most economists believe it is American families and small businesses. When it comes to the cost of building materials, home buyers are going to bear the brunt of the burden. All of this in the same week that the Trump administration said it would ``shake up'' the Agency that oversees Federal housing loans. I wrote to the administration on Monday to get just some clarity on what does ``shake up'' mean, because I believe--and I know--that this will ultimately mean higher mortgages and higher rents. At this rate, in just a few weeks' time, the cost to build a home is going to go up. The cost to own a home is going to go up. The cost to rent a home is going to go up while we are in the midst of a housing crisis, all thanks to reckless policies of this administration with the support of my Republican colleagues. Picture this: You are a young couple living in Wilmington, DE. You have been married a few years and have been saving to buy your first home. You were smart. You have been investing with the intention of putting 10 percent down. You have nearly $40,000 in investment that you were ready to sell to cover your downpayment. You are almost there--almost there. That $400,000 home that you were eyeing has been on the market for a few months now, but then this administration slaps tariffs on half the world, and the market drops. There goes your $40,000. There goes your downpayment and your dream of homeownership. Or think of a couple in Dover. They have been living in their home for about 10 years, and they are looking to sell it. They have saved up about $20,000 to redo their kitchen so that they can increase the value of their home. They want to update it and then put it on the market--so a new refrigerator, maybe a new dishwasher, update the cabinets and flooring, the works. But with the tariffs, what would have once been covered by what you saved--now it is just a drop in the bucket. A house is made of many imported materials, and these tariffs increase the amount consumers will have to spend each and every step along the way. Let's look at a new build from the ground up and how the President's tariffs will make it more expensive. According to the New York Times, the United States became the biggest importer of cement in 2023. Cement is a key component in laying the foundation of a home, and these tariffs could raise the price of cement alone 18 percent--just the foundation increased by 18 percent. So now you have spent the money to build the foundation, and it is time for the framing. Well, the cost of lumber is expected to go up 4 percent. You will need exterior windows and doors too. Those materials could go up 11 percent. Want a roof? Anybody want a roof? Another 21 percent bump. Siding--7 percent increase. How about some water and electricity? Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical parts could cost as much as 8 percent higher. Insulation and drywall are expected to cost 20 percent more. Add another 17 percent bump for countertops and cabinets and an 11- percent increase for appliances too. These dollars add up. It is a compounding effect and an avalanche of increased costs at a moment where investment accounts, savings accounts, and retirement funds are starting to drain. I actually met someone this morning who was ready to retire from their job this year, and he said: I can't retire. I am going to have to just wait until the dust settles. For so many across our Nation, these tariffs mean more than an increase in price. It can cost them their dreams, their financial future, a literal roof over their heads in a place called home. Now, I am pretty sure that President Trump ran on an agenda of lowering costs, but what we are seeing here are broken promises and a shakedown of working families to line the pockets of his billionaire friends. When I came to Congress back in 2016, I was driven to serve when I saw a dad and three kids in front of me in the supermarket put back grapes because they were $9. It wasn't soda; it wasn't candy; it was grapes. Many times over the years, I have thought about that dad and those kids. I think about them today. And the reality is that this administration's policies are only making it harder for them to make ends meet. I am sorely disappointed that my Republican colleagues refuse to stand up for their States and their constituents despite knowing how harmful these tariffs will be. The rest of the world knows. As a matter of fact, it is why we are seeing the stock market perform at its worst. It is a collapse that we have not seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. So let's be clear. These 19th-century trade policies do not prepare us for the 21st-century economy. Instead of a national, well-thought- out, and comprehensive strategy that includes strengthening our supply chains, this administration is approaching trade like they are approaching government efficiency--with a chain saw, a woodchipper, and a hatchet. It gives new meaning to the phrase ``using all the tools in your toolbox.'' The problem is, they are using the wrong tools. The uncertainty being created will, in fact, stop investments, hurt innovation, and lead to layoffs and less hiring and stunted growth. This budget does not reflect the needs of our constituents or the times. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this budget resolution. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. I would ask my colleague, the great Senator from the State of New Jersey, if he would yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. I want to begin by thanking you so much, Senator Booker, for your leadership, and thank you for the opportunity to ask you a question. As I stood and listened to you, I was reminded of why we are in this place in the first place. I see my colleague--the Presiding Officer, a member of my class--and I think one of the key things that you talked about was ensuring that we recognize that we are all in this together. I think it was even Martin Luther King who said we may have come over on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now. We may have come over on different ships. I feel like, in this very present moment, we have to recognize we are all in this together. And, to your point, when we think about the importance of Medicaid to this country, a lot of people don't even realize that they are on Medicaid. They might think of a health program that they are on, but they don't even make the connection with the fact that they are on Medicaid and that almost half of the babies in this country are born because of Medicaid. And it is not just from birth; it goes all the way to seniors who are aging with dignity because they have access to Medicaid, and it is allowing their family members to go to work because they don't have to worry about that family member. And so I wanted to, No. 1--in addition to asking my question--say thank you to you for not only shining a light on these potentially dangerous cuts but also ringing the alarm. It is alarming that we are faced with this kind of question of do we take money from those who are in need and are connected--because we are all connected--and give it to a few. As I think about our work on maternal mortality and how we are trying to make sure that our country is not only one of the richest in the world but the lowest in our maternal mortality numbers, as we look at issues of families who might have a family member who has a special needs child, or when I went home on our recess break, I was able to meet with folks from our developmental disability council. I heard a gentleman named Emmanuel. He is a wheelchair user. He said to me something that just stuck. He said: If you pull the thread of Medicaid out of my life, it will unravel. He had been sleeping in his car before Medicaid. He wasn't sure if he was going to have employment before Medicaid. And even he and his wife thought about what impact it might have, whether they were able to stay married or whether he would have to go into a facility. So I want to thank you for shining the light and ringing the alarm. And I want to ask you, what do you think will be the impact on children in this country without Medicaid?

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Would the gentleman yield for another question?

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. As the former executive of a city, a major city in this country, can you talk a little bit about the impact that these cuts will have on cities, municipalities, and States, because some might think: Oh, this is just a nice issue? No, this is an economic issue as well. If you can talk a little bit about the impact that this is going to have and why mayors across this country should care, why Governors across this country should care, and city councils. Why should they care?

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. I will end my questions at the moment by saying, again, thank you so much, Senator Booker, for your leadership. We have had an opportunity to work on food as medicine--

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER.--maternal mortality. There are so many more important things to work on. But the fact that you are spending your time, your energy, and your intellect to stand up for millions of Americans, I commend you for that. I am grateful to serve with you. I had the opportunity to serve with John Lewis in the House and get in good trouble, and I am glad to be here with you in the Senate. I yield back.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 311 and ask that it be reported by number.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, this amendment would prevent the wrongful termination of Federal employees who protect the health and safety of all Americans. At a time when our country is facing unprecedented workforce shortages, the Trump administration is thoughtlessly and callously firing thousands of public servants at the Department of Health and Human Services and other Departments, putting all of us at risk. What does this mean? It means delaying cures for cancer. It means higher prescription drug costs for seniors, which we fought so hard to lower. It means higher maternity mortality rates and more American women dying needlessly while giving birth. Who are these public servants? They are scientists, emergency preparedness experts, the frontline healthcare workers whom we call heroes. Bottom line: It is the people who keep us safe and healthy. While Republicans work to cut taxes for billionaires, they are slashing the healthcare workforce our communities rely on. On behalf of our constituents and our country, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, on the eve of the vote for the nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services, I stand before you acknowledging that I will vote no on the confirmation of Mr. Robert F. Kennedy. I stand before you tonight after looking at his abilities, his background and qualifications, and his character. For me, I listened to my constituents and the calls that we have received into our office. And I have read articles. I have looked at petitions and lawsuits. I have listened to podcasts, and even watched a video that he produced. There were inconsistencies in his positions, and so that is one reason that I could say no to this candidate. Even as the former deputy secretary of health and social services from Delaware, I thought about the potential for another pandemic in our country and would he be ready for the job? I thought about the fact that I come from a State that is also an agriculture State, and we are right now dealing with issues and concerns and fears about avian flu. Would he be ready for the job? I have thought about senior citizens in my State who are on Medicare and children with special needs who may be on Medicaid, and the fact that in our hearing and also in my one-on-one conversation with him, he confused the two. Even within a week's time, he did not learn the differences between the two. That was concerning enough, but tonight, in the time that I have, I want to also say I stand here as a grandmother, and I think about my granddaughter Lennox and her ability to, No. 1, be safe in school, because she is vaccinated, and she is with other children who are vaccinated and no longer have to worry about things like polio. I think about her ability to have reproductive freedom over her own life, when Mr. Kennedy has changed his positions so many times on where he stands on reproductive freedom and the right for her to choose what she wants for her life. But I think one of the most troubling things that took place during our meeting was that he was not familiar with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, EMTALA, while we literally have a crisis in maternal mortality. It is important to me that the person who holds this job understands those basic things--Medicare, Medicaid, EMTALA-- and that we face a challenge for women's lives being saved. I asked him specifically if he agreed about making sure that, if someone was having complications during their pregnancy, that they should get the care that they need. This is both something that is being experienced across the country, but it is also personal for me. A few years ago, after my son and daughter-in-law went through so much to get pregnant through IVF, on Christmas morning, I remember beginning to make the family dinner, and I got a call from my daughter- in-law saying: Mom, something is wrong. My water broke. She was only about 5, 6 months pregnant--about 5 months pregnant. And she went to a hospital. And I got to that hospital, and because I knew, from my former jobs, of the statistics, particularly for Black women and maternal deaths--I saw her sitting in a wheelchair in the waiting room not being attended. The hospital ended up telling her she needed to go home and just basically wait it out. For that whole month afterward, my son and my daughter-in-law stayed in my house. They slept in my bed. We supported each other. But because of the miracle of IVF, they were able to conceive again, and 2 years ago this weekend, I became a grandmother of my granddaughter Lennox. Tonight, I stand here on behalf of the children who want and need to be healthy. I stand here on behalf of the women across the country who need to know that there is a Cabinet Secretary who understands the need for emergency care, who understands the rights of women to make choices with their doctors and their families, and, if they have a pastor or a rabbi, with their rabbi and their pastor. As someone who has focused much of my career on health and social services and dealing with health disparities, it is important that we do better as a country with our health status and that we are healthier. But I go back to the beginning. Does the candidate have the qualifications, the background, the character, and the ability? For this candidate, unfortunately, the answer is no. And tonight, I stand here for all of the children of our country, all of the families of our country, and I will be voting no on this nomination. I yield the floor.

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. For children with disabilities, I vote no.