Mike Crapo

Mr. CRAPO

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

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I celebrate the life of a remarkable American, Orley Waite, who passed away in February, just 2 months shy of his 100th birthday. I came to learn of Orley's extraordinary life and legacy from his granddaughter, who serves on my staff. Orley was part of our country's Greatest Generation, who helped secure Americans' and our allies' freedoms in World War II and then returned home to help build our country into the strongest in the world. Orley was born in Bunkerville, NV, but later made his home of 66 years in Huntington Park, CA. After attending Virgin Valley High School, where he excelled in track and field, football, and basketball, in 1941, he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Eastern States. He then joined the Army during World War II and served in Germany. His service included fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and helping liberate Dachau Concentration Camp. Orley returned from his World War II service and made a life and career in one of the most important ways possible: creating a family and shaping young minds to be ready for future success. He attended Utah Agricultural College, Utah State, where he met and married Mary Loughney on July 15, 1947. They moved to California, where Orley received his master's degree in education at the University of Southern California. He then dedicated more than 30 years to working for Los Angeles Unified School District. Throughout his career in education, he had many assignments, including math and science teacher, coach, and head counselor at Gage Junior High, Carmelita Junior High, Jordan High School, Fremont High School, and Fairfax High School. He influenced and encouraged many on their early educational paths and helped create opportunities as they learned and grew. He also contributed significantly of his time and talents to his community. As a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orley held many leadership positions in the church, including bishopric counselor, bishop, stake presidency counselor, ward mission leader, seminary teacher, and high council member. He was also a member of the local Water Board for more than 50 years and served on the parks and recreation committee for the City of Huntington Park. Orley was a husband, father, teacher, missionary, church, and community leader and so much more to the many who knew him, loved him, and benefited from his remarkable life. As I honor Orley Waite, I extend my deep condolences to his friends and family, including his children and their spouses: Orley ``Bill'' Jr. and Carol; Wallace and Donna; Carole; Joseph and Gail; Robert and Melinda; Martha and Curtis Hadlock; Jesse and Victoria; his 22 grandchildren; and 37 great- grandchildren. The current turmoil and atrocities our world is witnessing in Ukraine reinforce just how precious freedom is and how much World War II Veterans and American servicemembers before and since have given to secure the foundations we hold dear. Orley Waite left a lasting legacy for all Americans with his service to our Nation and his decades of advancing educational opportunities for so many. God bless him and his lovely family.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson and Representative Russ Fulcher, I congratulate Bruce Reichert who retired after being the host, one of the main writers, and executive producer of Idaho Public Television's Outdoor Idaho for more than 35 years. Devoting 35 years to any occupation is certainly a remarkable commitment, but particularly so when your job takes you to Idaho's rugged and hard-to-reach places. From exploring Idaho's mountain ranges and headwaters to examining what it is like to live and work in Idaho's ``Spud Country'' and seeking out some of our State's most storied barns, Bruce has given Idahoans a view of what lies beyond the roads, trails, and ridges. For example, he was executive producer and host of the award-winning ``Canyonlands Calling,'' showcasing the magnificence and beauty of the Owyhee Canyonlands, where collaborative efforts to manage these lands were achieved with private and Federal agencies. As Bruce has said, ``It's a state you can easily get lost in, both literally and figuratively. I know I speak for all who work on Outdoor Idaho--it's an honor to share our state with fellow Idahoans. Idaho is truly the keeper of special places. Esto Perpetua. May she live forever.'' The other shows Bruce has produced include ``Idaho Geology: A Convergence of Wonders,'' ``State of Change,'' ``50 Years of Wilderness,'' ``Salmon Reckoning,'' ``Sawtooths on My Mind,'' ``Pend Oreille Country,'' ``Land of the Lost River Range,'' ``Idaho Headwaters,'' and ``Beyond the White Clouds.'' He has earned a number of recognitions for his work. This includes multiple Emmys, Edward R. Murrow, and Press Club awards. Bruce, thank you, for your excellent work all these years to tell Idaho's stories and shed light on the people, canyons, mountains, aquifers, prairies, lakes, fish, and wildlife that make Idaho such a magical place. You obviously realized long ago how truly special our great State is and have devoted your career to enabling others to get a sense of this spectacular treasure. Congratulations on your remarkable career.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Reserving my right to object, let me begin by saying my friends and colleagues across the aisle are right about one thing: Gas prices are incredibly higher right now in this country. The effort to blame this on what has happened in Ukraine, however, overlooks the real cause of the phenomenal rise in gas prices that we have seen for a year before Putin even invaded. Definitely, the invasion did increase pressure on gas prices, but the problem is that this administration's policies have dramatically reduced the supply in the United States and Americans across this country know how supply and demand impacts price. The gas tax holiday that is now being proposed is not a solution; it is a political gimmick that would not stop skyrocketing gas prices or inflation. In fact, Larry Summers said in a Wall Street Journal podcast: I think a gas tax idea is saved only by its triviality from being one of the worst public policy ideas of the decade. It will have little effect over any reasonable horizon on gas prices. It will be counterproductive from an environmental point of view. It is the ultimate policy gimmick. Rather than accept responsibility for 14 months of reckless spending or the more than 40-percent increase in gas prices that had already occurred before the Russian invasion, Democrats want to blame higher gas prices on the Russian invasion or corporate greed. They also want to ignore the consequences of their relentless attacks on the American oil and gas industry, the administration's overly bureaucratic permit and regulatory process for domestic energy production, and the misguided policy decisions like canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline. The solution to rising gas prices is not a tax holiday, which would offer little relief but threaten infrastructure investments and worsen our national debt situation; nor is the solution a tax on American companies who increase their production of oil and gas to try to help us become more energy independent; nor is it stimulus checks, which have the potential, as the past ones have, to increase gas prices even further and push inflation even higher; nor is it to encourage other hostile regimes to produce more oil. The only lasting solution to our current problems is to bolster American oil and gas production to replace not only Russian imports but to facilitate exports to support our allies and end their dependence on Russia. Indeed, I, along with a number of my Republican colleagues, have sponsored proposals to enhance energy independence and undo many of President Biden's misguided energy policies. Republicans believe we can and should be doing more to unleash America's domestic energy potential, reduce reliance on volatile foreign actors like Russia, and deliver cost savings to middle-class families across the country. Hard-working American families need real relief, not political gimmicks, and that is why I oppose this gas tax holiday. I urge my Democratic colleagues to abandon the reckless spending-and- tax policies that have already failed but which seem to be contemplated in the President's newly reintroduced budget and support proposals that will actually lower prices for everyday Americans. For those reasons, I object.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, we congratulate Idaho-connected athletes Jake Adicoff, Dani Aravich, Jesse Keefe, and Josh Sweeney for their hard work and dedication in representing the United States at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games. We also congratulate Sam Wood, Jake Adicoff's friend and guide, on his important role in helping to earn three medals. Jake Adicoff, of Sun Valley, with Sam Wood, earned three medals in Nordic skiing. They were instrumental in earning a gold medal in cross- country skiing for the U.S. 4x2.5-kilometer mixed relay team. They also earned two silver medals: one in long-distance cross-country skiing and one in sprint cross-country skiing. These were the third Paralympic games for Jake Adicoff, who also won a silver medal in the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games. Jake, now a four-time Paralympic medalist, graduated from Wood River High School before Bowdoin College and earned three medals in cross-country skiing in the 2021 World Championships: gold in middle-distance, silver in sprint, and bronze in long-distance. Boise native Dani Aravich competed in Nordic skiing in her second Paralympics. She finished eighth in the sprint cross-country, ninth in the middle-distance cross-country, 11th in the middle-distance biathlon, and 13th in the sprint biathlon. Dani graduated from Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, where she competed in cross-country running and track and field, and later she competed in these events at Butler University. In his Paralympics debut, Jesse Keefe, of Bellevue, competed in multiple Alpine skiing events. He placed ninth in the slalom, 15th in the super combined and giant slalom, and 22nd in downhill. Jesse, an avid outdoorsman who started skiing at age 2 and won his first race at age 3, placed first in the 2021 U.S. National Championships in the giant slalom and slalom and placed third in the super-g. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Josh Sweeney, who received a Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan, competed in Nordic skiing in his second Paralympics. He earned 16th in the long-distance cross-country, 19th in the sprint cross-country, and 24th in the middle-distance cross-country. Josh Sweeney is originally from Arizona and currently a Boise resident. He also earned a gold medal in the Paralympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 on the U.S. sled hockey team. From 2010-2013, he played on the San Antonio Rampage, a club sled hockey team made up entirely of injured military athletes, and he played on the Dallas Stars club team in 2012, helping the Stars earn the 2012 USA Hockey Sled Classic title. These athletes have pushed themselves remarkably far to compete in their respective events. Their examples of strength and triumph serve to inspire fellow Americans and people around the world. As we share in congratulating them on their achievements, we are reminded of the remarkable work it has taken each of them to reach their goals.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I rise in strong support for Senator Schumer's request for unanimous consent for the Senate to proceed to the en bloc consideration of H.R. 6968, the Russian oil ban, and H.R. 7108, the Russian permanent normal trade relations legislation. I want to thank Senators Schumer, Wyden, Wicker, Paul, Cardin, Murkowski, Manchin, Lankford, Risch, Menendez, Cornyn, and Sullivan. It is a long list of Senators who worked hard on this legislation to get us to this point. They exemplify how you can be both principled and reasonable. I want to especially again thank Senator Schumer. We did work carefully and long together. We spent tireless days working to try to make sure that this worked out. We, I think, both acknowledge that we respect the good faith that each of us has shown in moving this forward and getting it to this point. Thanks to the efforts of all of these Senators, the Senate is in a position to pass these important bills. Importantly, their efforts in this Chamber reflect the best of what Ukraine desperately seeks to preserve and that which Vladimir Putin is determined to destroy: freedom and representative government. That is why the legislation at issue is so important. It strikes directly at Putin and cuts off the lifeblood for his war machine and his autocracy by banning U.S. imports of Russian energy products, including petroleum, natural gas, and coal. It places Russia and Belarus in the same pariah status as North Korea and Cuba for trade. The congressional action, including the certification criteria in the bills, is critical because it signifies a standing commitment to the Ukrainian people and to our NATO allies that is more durable than Putin's machinations in Ukraine. This legislation will inspire our allies to take similar actions against Russia. As President Zelenskyy told us when he asked for the ban, ``[It] can be called an embargo [or it can be] just morality.'' Because this legislation is so critical to the support of Ukraine, we must act in unison on these bills and call on Speaker Pelosi to promptly vote on this legislation in the House, where it will also receive a resounding vote in favor. Therefore, I strongly second Senator Schumer's request and also ask that the Senate agree to it.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, along with my colleagues Senator and Representative Russ Fulcher, I recognize the life of an extraordinary Idahoan, Lane R. Williams, who passed away in February. Lane was the former owner of Midvale Telephone Exchange and is remembered for his commitment to advancing opportunities for others. This includes his role in keeping the Weiser area north to McCall connected through his telephone company. His obituary reads, ``Lane left behind a legacy of championing the underdog and empowering people by creating possibilities and opportunities. He did this in part by being an educator of many, including years spent working with migrant workers as a teacher. He always believed that education was the key to empowerment.'' In 1977, Lane took over Midvale Telephone Exchange from his parents and, with his wife Mary Gaile, began expanding service to five Idaho communities and to the remote Cascabel community in southern Arizona before building four additional areas throughout Arizona. This expansion is credited with enabling more than 4,000 people in rural areas to have internet and phone service and employing over 45 people. In 2008, Lane created an employee stock ownership plan, ESOP, and sold the company to his employees to help ensure their continued employment and security in retirement. Lane was one of those industrious and inspiring people who figure out ways to help and encourage improvements in their community, and do them. Some years after his beloved wife Mary Gaile passed, he met his wife Elsa Freeman, who again enlightened his life with love and companionship. The two bought and restored the Midvale Mercantile. The project's benefits to the community include, providing jobs, a local grocery source, community kitchen, community garden, and lodging for travelers. They also started Midvale Marketplace, Inc., a nonprofit focused on identifying community needs; creating service, education, and employment opportunities; and developing and supporting sustainable economic growth. Lane was also instrumental in developing the Weiser River Trail, and worked hard to maintain and improve the park and trail. As we recognize the good Lane Williams did for his treasured community of Midvale and far beyond, we extend our deep condolences to Lane's friends and loved ones, including his wife Elsa Freeman, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His love, compassion, and open-heartedness will endure in the many lives he touched during his life well lived.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson, and Representative Russ Fulcher, we honor Idaho's community colleges during this Community College Month. In order to meet the needs of a competitive job market, the importance of providing Idahoans with the opportunity to enhance their education has grown tremendously. Idaho's four community colleges are a central part of preparing young people and adults for postsecondary education, successful careers, and productive lives. Our community colleges not only link students to Idaho's 4-year institutions through cooperative agreements, but also provide dual enrollment opportunities for students pursuing advanced learning while in high school through partnerships with the K-12 sector. Through collaboration with Idaho's business community, Idaho's community colleges also help grow the skillset necessary to prepare students for Idaho's workforce. The recognition of April as Community College Month by the American Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Community College Trustees provides an opportunity to spotlight the valued role of Idaho's community colleges in enhancing Idahoans' quality of life and contributing to Idaho's economic success. We commend Idaho's community colleges and the educators who inform and inspire through these local assets for being a conduit for opportunities for so many Idahoans.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson and Representative Russ Fulcher, we congratulate Brian Ness on his retirement after 13 years of outstanding service as director of the Idaho Transportation Department, ITD. In 2009, Brian Ness was appointed to serve as director of the Idaho Transportation Department, and he has been responsible for an annual budget of approximately $800 million and leading 1,650 employees. We have greatly valued his input on advancing Idaho transportation priorities, including through the Federal appropriations process and other infrastructure-related proposals. He also testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Research and Technology in 2019 on ``The Need for a National Surface Transportation Research Agenda.'' Director Ness has devoted considerable time utilizing his experience as a transportation professional to help lead a number of related organizations. He has served on the boards of directors and in many other leadership roles for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTO; the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, WASHTO; the Transportation Research Board, TRB; the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, ARTBA; and the Idaho Rural Partnership. His leadership roles include the Governor appointing Director Ness to chair the Idaho Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Testing and Deployment Committee. Additionally, in 2019, Director Ness became president of the ARTBA's Transportation Officials Division. He also served as president of WASHTO in 2015. Throughout his career, he has earned many recognitions for his remarkable work and led teams that have received many honors. For example, since Director Ness joined the ITD, it has received nearly 170 national awards for its programs and projects, including the prestigious Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation. ITD has also won an extraordinary 17 AASHTO President's Transportation Awards. Director Ness also received the 2016 Navigator Award from the national organization, Route Fifty; was named Trine University's--formerly Tri- State University--2014 Alumni of the Year; AASHTO's President's Award for Administration in 2013; and was honored in 2012 as Leader of the Year by the Treasure Valley Chapter of Women's Transportation Seminar. Before becoming director at ITD, Director Ness worked for 30 years at the Michigan Department of Transportation, holding a variety of positions in research, operations, aeronautics, construction, and project development. He earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Tri-State University and a master's degree in public administration from Western Michigan University, and he is a licensed professional engineer in Michigan and Idaho. We understand the ITD's employee-driven innovation program started during Director Ness's leadership is credited with saving nearly $35 million, creating 691 customer-service improvements, and saving 540,000 contractor and employee hours. Thank you, Brian, for your focus on ingenuity, efficiency, accountability, and results all these years at the helm of the ITD. Your work to empower employee-driven innovation and support emerging leaders will no doubt have lasting effects on government efficiency and countless individual careers. Thank you, especially, for your service to Idaho, the transportation department and its employees, and congratulations on your retirement.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, reserving the right to object. I rise to address Ukraine's perilous situation. There is broad agreement in this Chamber and in the House of Representatives that America's response in all areas to Russia and Belarus's aggression against Ukraine must be comprehensive and strong. Leveraging the benefits of the U.S. trade relationship with Russia is just such a response that will add to the pressures on Putin to rethink his actions in Ukraine and punish him for what he has already done. On March 8, the Democratic and Republican leadership in the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means reached an agreement on precisely that type of response. The bicameral, bipartisan agreement is called the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act, and its provisions include banning Russian energy imports, including various forms of petroleum, natural gas, and coal; moving Russia and Belarus to the same pariah trade status as North Korea and Cuba; providing the President additional authority to raise tariffs on Russia and Belarus even further; calling on WTO members to take similar actions to deprive Russia of its trade benefits; and sending a crystal-clear message to Russia's dictator, Vladimir Putin, that he will never see these trade benefits restored until he reverses his aggression, stops threatening our NATO allies, and recognizes the right of the Ukrainian people to live freely. None of this is controversial, and all of it is necessary. Yet only a day after the deal was made and with neither warning nor explanation, the House split the energy ban from the trade status provision and bifurcated the two measures further by imposing separate standards on Putin's actions in Ukraine before any President can think to restore these trade benefits to Russia without congressional approval. Each bill passed by over 400 votes, but the House decided to only transmit the bill on Russia's trade status, its permanent normal trade relations, or PNTR piece, even though it had passed more than a week after the energy ban. The important point is that our House colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree both restrictions need to happen. Some may wonder why the urgent need for the congressional energy import ban after President Biden provided one in his Executive order. Speaker Pelosi was asked just that question when she put the new House version of the import ban up for a vote, and she stated, correctly, to her House colleagues: ``You're here to legislate.'' Absolutely, that is why we are here. And our legislative response-- more especially its certification requirements--must deliver an unmistakable message to Putin: no relief until you stop your aggression and recognize Ukraine's inalienable right to live free and choose its leaders. The energy ban and its trade status revocation are complementary, and they must work together. While President Biden's Executive order to ban Russian oil was a positive step, the Senate and House need to impose tough conditions on Putin's treatment of Ukraine to be met before any President seeks an end to the energy import ban. These conditions are like those Congress had done in the bipartisan CAATSA legislation, which we negotiated when I was the Banking Committee chairman during the Trump administration. Enacting a Russian oil ban will demonstrate to the Ukrainian people and our NATO allies that Congress is committed to cutting off Russia's funding for its war effort. Many of our allies, including in Europe, are debating whether to adopt an energy ban against Russia. By the U.S. Congress acting definitively and with certainty through our congressional action, our allies will all be more encouraged to take similar stands against Russian energy exports, which account for over a third of Russia's budget. I seek to continue our bipartisan tradition by introducing text that is as close to the original deal as possible, except in two respects, that respond to the points made by our majority leader--both made to facilitate our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. First, I am making a single technical correction, made at the request of Senators Manchin and Murkowski, to comport with the timeline of the President's Executive order regarding the oil ban so that no delay such as was mentioned as a possible problem will exist. This edit is necessary to avoid that delay, and it solves that problem. Second, I have revised the certification criteria that would allow the restoration of trade benefits to match exactly what the House passed. The original deal provided that benefits could not be restored until Russia withdrew its forces and stopped posing an immediate threat to NATO allies and partners. To secure bipartisan support, I yielded to what the House passed: that Russia need only reach an agreement with the President to withdraw its forces rather than have definitively withdrawn them and that Russia not pose a threat to NATO members as opposed to NATO members and their partners. Again, this is to match what the House has requested. Mind you, I have many colleagues on my side who would like to do many more things, and I agree with their requests. But on the trade front, I am willing to make these concessions to get this done. My view is that we should act quickly. I agree with the majority leader on this. We must do it together, and we must do it today. There is no reason to wait for another revenue bill to come from the House before we act. So let us mark the bravery of the Ukrainian people by passing the strongest legislation we can, today, in the trade space. Accordingly, I am asking the Senator to modify his request to take the firm, comprehensive action against Vladimir Putin that circumstances require. I would like to ask that the Senator modify his request to make it in order for the Crapo substitute amendment, which is at the desk, to be considered and agreed to and that the Senate vote on the passage of the bill as amended.

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, reserving the right to object and just briefly.

Mr. CRAPO. I would like to say to my colleague Senator Cardin, I believe we could easily work the global Magnitsky legislation into whatever we do today. I don't believe there will be objections to moving ahead on that. It is not included in what I submitted because that was not a part of the original four-corners agreement which I am proposing. I think that could be added. I also have colleagues on my side of the aisle who have other items they would like to see discussed because the idea we are talking about here is to move ahead with no amendments on legislation that is major. And I am willing to discuss that as well, but I believe we need time to work this out. We can get this done today. And even though the House is not in session today, our passage of global legislation on this entire issue would send a powerful message that the House could affirm when it does come back into session next week. So I will still need to object, but I will commit to my colleagues on the other side that I will work with you today to try to iron out these differences. I need to have assurances that these other pieces that, for some unexplained reason, the House has not been willing to put into this package can be put into a package that will pass. And if we can get to that point, we can move today. So I commit that I will work with you; but at this point, I must object.

Mr. CRAPO. I thank Leader Schumer.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, I congratulate three Idaho athletes who competed in the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. I commend Andrew Blaser, Chase Josey, and Hilary Knight for their diligence and dedication that resulted in them representing our great State and country on this world stage. Four-time Olympic medalist Hilary Knight, of Sun Valley, once again competed with distinction on the U.S. women's hockey team. The team earned a silver medal, and Hilary scored one of the team's two goals in the final game. In the 2022 Olympic Games, she scored her 12th career Olympic goals, becoming the second leading scorer in U.S. Olympics Women's Hockey history. With 15 career Olympic assists, Hilary also ranks second in most career assists. She played in her 22nd career Olympic Game, giving her the record for the most Olympic Games played in U.S. women's hockey history. This follows her earning a gold medal in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang; a silver medal in the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi; and a silver medal in the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Two-time Olympian Chase Josey, of Hailey, earned seventh place in the snowboard halfpipe. Chase completed two frontside double cork 1080s and a cab double cork 1260 in his third run of the 2022 Olympics, earning 79.50 points. He earned sixth place in the halfpipe in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang and was fifth at the 2021 world championships. Nick Blaser, of Meridian, who ranked 28th in the world, competed in his first Olympic games on the U.S. Olympic Skeleton Team. With three competitors, the team was characterized as ``small but mighty.'' Nick, who came in 21st place at the 2022 Olympics, was a top pole vaulter and hurdler at the University of Idaho before competing in skeleton after college. These athletes lead through their examples of dedication and persistence. As younger generations watch, they show us all how to turn preparation into achievements. Thank you, Olympians, for representing Idaho and our country so well in the Olympics, while overcoming the added pressures of training and competing during a global pandemic, in a high-risk and dangerous political environment. We commend you for your extraordinary hard work and commitment.

Mr. CRAPO

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

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, our Nation's seniors deserve meaningful solutions that increase prescription drug access and affordability. This bill, unfortunately, would double down on the deepest flaws in our current healthcare system and usher in a host of new problems from fewer treatments to more bureaucracy. And, yes, it is almost certain under this legislation we would see launch prices for new drugs actually increase. The solution is not to go and double down on a failed socialist theory of price-fixing and work to make our market better. Even setting aside the overwhelming implementation challenges and technical issues that this legislation would present from the outset, the provisions included would do far more harm than good, particularly for the very older Americans they are intended to help. I would note from the outset there is talk about wanting to have process and a vote. This legislation was just introduced today. It just got a bill number today. There has been no vetting of this legislation in the committee, which is the regular order of this Senate. There has been no public analysis. There has been no public review. There has not been any hearing on this legislation. There has been not any negotiation on this legislation. I heard numbers thrown out here about what a savings this would be. CBO has not scored this legislation, and there are serious flaws with it. Under this proposal, we would see a staggering decline in the game- changing research and development that our universities, medical centers, and entrepreneurs conduct every day, as vital investments in the cures of the future would decline. As countless studies of price control mandates like the one before us today have concluded, these policies would slash new drug discoveries in the years to come, jeopardizing some of the highest risk projects, in particular. Potential treatments targeted at conditions affecting seniors at high rates, like certain cancers, would likely suffer the greatest impact, as Medicare would become increasingly stagnant and unable to meet the evolving needs of rapidly aging populations. After coming in under budget with satisfaction rates soaring and premiums remaining remarkably stable, Medicare Part D would lose the market-driven structure that has made it such a success story for so many seniors. Instead, we would move closer to a government-run healthcare system--which is the ideal and the goal--where bureaucratic price controls like these would become the norm. The vast majority of Americans, in my opinion, still reject the notion of a government-run healthcare system and price controls in place of a free market. Meanwhile, our frontline healthcare providers have weathered a truly unprecedented 2 years of pandemic, and they would face a sweeping, immediate, and drastic payment cut as this legislation aims to advance immediate payment reductions under Medicare Part B with direct implications for doctors and other healthcare professionals across all settings. In the face of widespread provider burnout, retirements, closures, and consolidation, these cuts risk accelerating trends that already jeopardize access to healthcare for far too many Americans from all walks of life, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The VA, which has been referenced here, for its part, would inevitably see higher healthcare costs as any discounts or other price concessions that lower drug costs for our Nation's veterans would disappear. Previous payment systems along these lines that have been suggested in the past have resulted in a host of unintended consequences, from higher launch prices to withheld rebates and discounts. Our veterans do not stand to gain from being tied to this unvetted and failed new proposal. As we confront unprecedented challenges at home and abroad, we must look to consensus-driven solutions that meet Americans' everyday needs, including prescription drug access and affordability. We can agree on that. Members across the political spectrum have developed bipartisan drug pricing policies that could make a meaningful difference for workers and families. I have introduced legislation which is waiting in the committee for a vetting rather than coming to the floor here to try to get it brought to the floor without even going through Senate regular order. My legislation is called the Lower Cost, More Cures Act. Here is just a quick summary of what it contains: a hard cap on annual out-of-pocket spending for all seniors under Medicare Part B, with an installment- based monthly payment option; reforming of Medicare Part B benefits to reduce seniors' cost-sharing burdens and incentivize plans to negotiate the best possible deal for enrollees; increasing Part D plan choices; increasing options; and reducing prices. My bill does have an out-of-pocket monthly insulin cap at $35. That, you might remember, is the insulin cap that President Trump put into place. That is the kind of approach we need to follow. It also includes establishing a chief pharmaceutical negotiator to combat foreign freeloading and ensuring the best trade deals that achieve American success in dealing with these price discrepancies that are driven by terrible behavior from our counterparts in other parts of the global economy; strengthening our consumer-oriented oversight through our cost-comparison tools and price transparency measures and robust reporting requirements in the drug supply chain; facilitating value-based arrangements where private and public sector payers can pay based on patient outcomes, driving better results for patients; and restructuring payments for drugs administered in the doctor's office or hospital outpatient department to encourage physicians to deliver cost- effective treatment options where appropriate clinically. My point is, there are a lot of solutions that can work within the consistent free market and private sector solutions that we have solved here and are working on to make them better. We have an opportunity to lower prescription drug costs without threatening access to therapies or cures or the future handling of giving an advantage, frankly, to our global rivals like the Chinese. With a bipartisan and bicameral effort undertaken through regular order, we could make a major impact on these issues. This legislation, unfortunately, does no such thing. It is thoroughly unvetted, showing no signs of technical assistance or practical feasibility. It has not, as I said, received a CBO score or even an informal analysis or a committee hearing. It did not advance through regular process in the Senate. I see that our time is running out, and so I will end my comments at this point but just ask my colleagues to let us engage in regular order in the Finance Committee in the Senate and work these issues through. There are a lot of ideas on the table. Let's work them through rather than try to cram through one side's idea on the very day the bill was introduced in the Senate. I object.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleague Senator Jim Risch, we honor Idaho State Senator Patti Anne Lodge for her 22 years of service in the Idaho State Senate. Senator Lodge, an educator for 35 years and agribusiness owner, is a dedicated servant of the community. Her determination and patience are hallmarks of her attentive problem solving. The list of committees, councils, task forces and boards she has led and devoted her time and talents to is extensive and diverse. They include her chairmanship of three senate committees: State affairs; judiciary and rules; and health and welfare. She has also cochaired the joint millennium fund committee and criminal justice reinvestment oversight committee, to name some of her many other leadership roles. Her service stretches far beyond the State senate and well into the communities she represents, as she has served on the Boys & Girls Club Advisory Committee, Idaho Meth Project Advisory Board, Nampa Chamber of Commerce, Caldwell Chamber of Commerce, and so much more. She has led local Republicans with distinction, serving as precinct chairman, Canyon County GOP chairman, president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women, on the board of the National Republican Women, and more. It is no surprise she has earned many awards and recognitions for her committed service. They include her recognition as the Idaho Republican Senator of the Year in 2010 and Idaho Fraternal Order of Police Legislator of the Year in 2014, her induction into the Idaho Republican Hall of Fame and so many more honors. Throughout, Senator Lodge has worked hard to be a good steward of tax dollars, promoted jobs and educational opportunities, backed personal accountability and responsibility, and, overall, she has been a thoughtful, steadfast advocate for Canyon County residents, including the small family farmers and ranchers who call this wonderful part of our State home. Thank you, Senator Lodge, for you decades of service on behalf of Idahoans. In addition, thank you to your friends and loved ones, especially your husband Edward J. Lodge; children Mary-Jeanne, Edward R. and Anne-Marie; and grandchildren, who have shared your time with our great State all these years. We congratulate you on your extraordinary career and wish you well.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I honor Herbert M. Franklin, who passed away on November 16, 2021. He has left a meaningful and beautiful mark on the heart of our Nation's Capital. Mr. Franklin's true affection for the history and buildings of our exceptional Capitol and Washington, DC, was put to great use through his service as executive officer to George M. White and Alan M. Hantman, the 9th and 10th Architects of the Capitol, from 1989 until Mr. Franklin's retirement in 2001. In that capacity, he acted as chief of staff for all administrative policies and actions of the agency, which has over 2,000 employees and is essential to the preservation and maintenance of this marvelous structure and its grounds. His appreciation for architecture, politics, and gardens showed in the thoughtful proficiency he put into the many important projects under his purview. Among his accomplishments, he served as project director for the design and construction of the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, the 1995 refinement of the Capitol Center Visitor Project, the National Garden Project, and the renovation of the U.S. Botanic Garden. Additionally, Mr. Franklin served on the National Capital Memorial Commission. While on the commission, he worked on a special task force that also included the Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission. The group was asked to draw up a master plan for the placement of memorials in the capital city, with the challenging objective of preserving the remaining open space on the Mall for particularly significant memorials. Through his role at the Architect of the Capitol, he also served on the D.C. Zoning Commission. A person needed only to take a tour of the Capitol with Mr. Franklin to see just how deeply he loved it, the people who work in these halls, and the processes and procedures at the core of its operation. He delighted in his work and took very seriously his charge to guard and honor our Capitol. Susan Hawkes Wheeler, chief of staff for my Washington, DC, office, is one of the very lucky people to have benefited from one of Mr. Franklin's tours. He gave Susan her first and best tour of the Capitol, and I am so glad he did. Her visit with his warm and hospitable family was instrumental in her deciding to join my staff just a few weeks later. And she is just one of many who benefited from his experience and guidance throughout his extraordinary life and career. Mr. Franklin's admiration for architecture and the building arts also showed in his volunteer work, as he was instrumental in the founding of the National Building Museum. In 1977, he was part of a small group that created the Committee for a National Museum of the Building Arts, in response to concerns over the fate of the historic Pension Building in Washington, DC. Mr. Franklin drafted the legislation that eventually led to Congress establishing the National Building Museum in 1980. He later served as its counsel, sat on its executive committee, and was chairman of its board, among his many contributions. Mr. Franklin also devoted considerable time to leadership roles for many other organizations. He taught at American University, was a guest lecturer at numerous colleges and universities, and was very involved in the governance of the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC, including as its president. He also authored and coauthored several published articles and books. Mr. Franklin graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, he started his legal career in his hometown before coming to Washington, DC, during the Kennedy administration as a lawyer in the Housing and Home Financing Agency. In 1965, he served as the director of the Business and Development Center for Urban America, Inc. before becoming the first development administrator for the city of Middletown, CT. He couldn't stay away from his beloved Washington, DC, for long, though, returning in 1968 to serve in a leadership role for the National Urban Coalition, where he staffed a national task force on urban revitalization. In 1973, Mr. Franklin became a founding partner in the law firm of Lane and Edson, P.C. in Washington, DC, specializing in real estate finance and development. He was in private practice until joining the office of the Architect of the Capitol in 1989. I extend my condolences to Mr. Franklin's wife of 61 years, Barbara Braemer Franklin; daughter Marcia; son and daughter-in-law Jonathan and Sharon; son David; grandchildren Stephanie, Noah, Sophia, Norah and Sarah; and other family and friends. Thank you for sharing Mr. Franklin with us and our extraordinary seat of government he loved so much. We are all, no doubt, bettered by the respect, intellect and calm he put into the measured problem-solving that typified his service to our country.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, the current voting rights proposals or so- called voting rights proposals that the Democrats are proposing are not about increasing access to the ballot box. According to the Washington Post, the 2020 election saw the highest voter turnout in 120 years, and 94 percent of the voters said that voting was easy. These bills are really a power grab that would circumvent and federalize our entire elections process, stripping States of their constitutional authorities. These power grabs would force taxpayers to pay for political campaigns, expand the practice of ballot harvesting, prohibit important voter ID laws, keep deceased people and those who have moved out of the area on voter registration rolls, and federalize election laws, which would violate the U.S. Constitution's clear directive that States administer the elections, to name just a few. Article I, section 4 of the U.S. Constitution delegates the election processes to the States. This is a Union of 50 States. States are the best equipped to implement and enforce election policies that protect the integrity of all future elections. Although many who have spoken today would have you believe that States across this Nation are seeking to violate the rights of American citizens and restrict their access to voting, the laws that are being proposed and adopted by the States are doing just the opposite. They are helping to expand voter access and improve security at the polls. There are a lot of myths and untruths running rampant because the Democrats seem to want the public to think there is this widespread voter suppression in Republican-led States, which there is not. A couple of myths and the facts: Myth: Republican State legislatures are enacting laws that will roll back early voting. The fact is that the States are expanding early voting. Georgia's bill, for example, which has been attacked, allows for and provides for--mandates 17 days of early voting with two additional optional Sundays of early voting. The list goes on. Arizona allows 26 days. Iowa allows 20 days. Texas, another State that has been attacked, allows 17 days. The fact is the States are expanding early voting. Myth: States are implementing voter ID for vote-by-mail in order to disenfranchise voters. The fact: As vote-by-mail is increasing in the States, the States are implementing some of the same safeguards--the same safeguards--that are used for in-person voting to ensure a secure election, such as voter ID, which the legislation before us seems to want to prohibit. Recent polls show that 80 percent of the people support being required to show ID in order to vote, including 62 percent of Democrats. Myth: Prohibiting ballot harvesting and requiring people to vote in their own correct precinct constitutes discrimination outlawed by the Voting Rights Act. Fact: In a recent Supreme Court case, the Court ruled 6 to 3 against this claim. Arizona law mandates that voters must vote in their assigned precinct, and those who vote early by mail cannot have anyone other than a household member, a family member, a caregiver, a postal worker, or an elections official collect their ballot; in other words, supervised ballot collection. This law effectively bans the practice of ballot harvesting. The Democrats seem to want to expand, even mandate, ballot harvesting in the legislation we are being asked to support tonight. Myth: States are improperly purging eligible voters from their voter rolls. Fact: States are taking reasonable measures to ensure their voter rolls are accurate, which makes elections more efficient and fair. States are simply implementing a time-honored practice of cleaning up voter lists, removing voters who have died or who have moved or who have been declared incompetent by a court or convicted of a felony, a time-honored practice in many of the States across this Nation. Myth: Recent changes in Georgia to prevent people from giving bottles of water is inhumane and targets minority communities. Fact: The law allows poll workers to set up self-serve water stations for voters to use. The statute prevents political organizations-- political organizations--from giving people in line things like meals, water, or gifts. Once again, this is a longtime honored practice in States. This law of anti-electioneering or anti-vote-buying is standard practice in many States, including many of my colleagues' blue States like New York, New Jersey, and President Biden's home State of Delaware. So let's get on to the filibuster. The argument is, since the Republicans won't accept these long, directed, so-called reforms of our election laws, that we should eliminate the filibuster in the Senate. That is the last thing that should be done in the Senate. President Biden himself has argued against eliminating the filibuster, and according to a recent report, Democrats used that filibuster over 300 times in 2020. In 2005, then-Senator Joe Biden gave a passionate floor speech defending the Senate filibuster, saying that this is a key procedural tool and ending it would ``eviscerate the Senate'' and do a ``disservice to the country'' and would ``upset the constitutional design.'' In another floor speech, then-Senator Biden further argued the reason Republicans in Congress were attempting to end the filibuster was because they controlled ``every level of government.'' He went on to point out that the reason to have the filibuster rule was so that ``when one party controls all levers of government, one man or [one] woman can stand on the floor of the Senate and resist the passions of the moment.'' Again, in 2005, Senator Chuck Schumer also said that eliminating the filibuster would be a ``doomsday for democracy'' that would turn our country into, in his words, a ``banana republic.'' Former Senator Robert Byrd wrote about preserving the filibuster. We heard it many times today. He said: We must never, ever, tear down the only wall--the necessary fence--this nation has against the excesses of the Executive Branch and the resultant haste and tyranny of the majority. He went on to say: The Senate has been the last fortress of minority rights and freedom of speech in this Republic for more than two centuries. I pray that Senators will pause and reflect before ignoring that history and tradition in favor of the political priority of the moment. As Leader McConnell quoted on the floor yesterday, ``[T]he smallest majority we have ever seen in our politics is trying to change the rules for how people get elected in every State.'' You may recall, Republicans were asked to do this exact thing when we controlled every lever of government, and we refused to make that change because of the importance of the filibuster to this institution. Eliminating or weakening the legislative filibuster would destroy the intentional design of the Senate to be the world's most deliberative body. It would allow any small majority in the Senate to strip the voice of millions of Americans considered in the minority. Removing the ability to filibuster legislation would reduce the incentive for the Senate to forge broad agreements and force further debate and would likely increase divisiveness rather than efficiency. I urge my colleagues to vote against this Federal takeover of our State's constitutional right to manage their own elections, and I urge my colleagues to reject this unfounded assault on the Senate filibuster.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I congratulate Lindsay Nothern, a cherished member of my staff who is retiring from Senate service. In Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous poem about how to measure success, he concludes, ``to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.'' I am among the many who have breathed easier because of Lindsay. He has represented me, spoken for me, written for me, and provided outstanding counsel. He has aptly communicated the needs of Idahoans and kept Idahoans informed about the happenings in Congress. For example, this includes him taking a direct interest and involvement in advocating for Idaho domestic violence victims and Idahoans affected by Cold War era above-ground nuclear testing, often referred to as ``downwinders.'' He has taken on each challenge with great compassion and persistent optimism. Prior to joining my staff, Lindsay was a journalist and worked in news management. He also served as press secretary for former Idaho Governor Phil Batt and campaign press secretary for Representative Mike Simpson. Lindsay has been with me since I began my Senate service in 1999. I am so grateful my then communications director insisted on waiting until Lindsay was available to bring onto the staff. Lindsay has been with me ever since, moving from press secretary to communications director in 2011. Throughout, Lindsay has been patient, kind, empathetic, a great listener, and a trusted adviser. Thank you, Lindsay, for your service to this extraordinary branch of our government, and, most importantly, your service on behalf of the great people of Idaho. I understand you have said you have had two of your three wish-list jobs--bartender, radio disc jockey, and cabdriver--and you still have one job on your list left to do. Thank you for diverging from that list to be such a valuable part of my staff for all these years. I hope that in your retirement, you may reach all your dreams and more. You have certainly earned it. Thank you for your outstanding help and guidance, and congratulations on a very successful career.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson and Representative Russ Fulcher, I congratulate Andy Brunelle on his remarkable career in government service. Andy is retiring on January 31, 2022, after 27 years with the U.S. Forest Service. For more than 20 years, Andy has worked with our offices in his position as the Capitol City Coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service. In this position, he has represented both the U.S. Forest Service Region 1 and Region 4 and the seven National Forests in Idaho as he has served as a liaison working with State and local government officials, Agency directors, Idaho's congressional delegation, and interest groups in Idaho on issues of statewide concern. Given the importance of the natural resources and species habitat on the more than 20 million acres of Federal forested land in Idaho he has acted on behalf of, Andy has worked on many challenging issues over the years. This includes working closely with our delegation concerning improving and extending the Secure Rural Schools Program, a vital resource for Idahoans. We thank him for his thoughtful, helpful, and pragmatic work for the betterment of our great State and country. Andy began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 1995 after serving as special assistant for natural resources in the Office of Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus. From 1988 to 1995, he was the Governor's key staff person on a wide variety of natural resource issues, including challenging issues such as water quality, Federal lands management, and protection of Snake River salmon. Additionally, he served on the Northwest Power Planning Council, Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission, and City of Boise advisory committees. Andy also dedicates considerable time to serving on boards of nonprofit organizations, including the Boise WaterShed Exhibits Environmental Education Center, Idaho Environmental Forum, Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Harris Ranch Wildlife Mitigation Association. As we wish Andy well in his well-earned retirement, we express our deep gratitude for dedicating so much of his time and talents to enhancing, sustaining, and conserving such an essential part of our State's treasures. Thank you, Andy, for your decades of dedicated work and skilled problem-solving on behalf of Idahoans, and congratulations on your retirement.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson, and Representative Russ Fulcher, I congratulate Andy Brunelle on his remarkable career in government service. Andy is retiring on January 31, 2022, after 27 years with the U.S. Forest Service. For more than 20 years, Andy has worked with our offices in his position as the Capitol City Coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service. In this position, he has represented both the U.S. Forest Service Region 1 and Region 4 and the seven National Forests in Idaho as he has served as a liaison working with State and local government officials, agency directors, Idaho's Congressional Delegation and interest groups in Idaho on issues of statewide concern. Given the importance of the natural resources and species habitat on the more than 20 million acres of federal forested land in Idaho he has acted on behalf of, Andy has worked on many challenging issues over the years. This includes working closely with our delegation concerning improving and extending the Secure Rural Schools program, a vital resource for Idahoans. We thank him for his thoughtful, helpful, and pragmatic work for the betterment of our great State and country. Andy began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 1995 after serving as Special Assistant for Natural Resources in the Office of Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus. From 1988 to 1995, he was the Governor's key staff person on a wide variety of natural resource issues, including challenging issues such as water quality, federal lands management, and protection of Snake River salmon. Additionally, he served on the Northwest Power Planning Council; Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission; and City of Boise advisory committees. Andy also dedicates considerable time to serving on boards of nonprofit organizations, including the Boise WaterShed Exhibits Environmental Education Center; Idaho Environmental Forum; Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited; and Harris Ranch Wildlife Mitigation Association. As we wish Andy well in his well-earned retirement, we express our deep gratitude for dedicating so much of his time and talents to enhancing, sustaining, and conserving such an essential part of our State's treasures. Thank you, Andy, for your decades of dedicated work and skilled problem-solving on behalf of Idahoans, and congratulations on your retirement.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I congratulate Idaho Operation Lifesaver on its 50-year anniversary of working to keep people safe around railroad tracks and railway crossings. Thank you to all those involved with this highway/rail safety effort for advancing rail safety across Idaho and our country. Idaho Operation Lifesaver was started in Post Falls, ID, in 1972 and was adopted in other States and nationally. According to Idaho Operation Lifesaver, the average number of highway/rail incidents was 12,000 annually when Idaho Operation Lifesaver was created. Idaho Operation Lifesaver is credited with a 43-percent decrease in incidents in its first year following a 6-week public awareness campaign started through cooperative work between then-Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho State Police, and Union Pacific railroad. This effort is currently supported by 78 volunteers across our great State of Idaho who assist with providing safety presentations to school groups, driver education classes, community members, professional drivers, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders. The group's focus on education, engineering, and enforcement is also part of its Officer on a Train Program, employed for the past nearly 30 years to decrease car-train collisions. Through the program, Idaho State Police Troopers and Officers from local police departments work together to stop drivers committing track safety violations to prevent collisions, prevent trespassing on railroad property, and save lives. Idaho is filled with problem-solvers and doers. So it is no surprise this railway safety effort got its start in our great State. I congratulate Idaho Operation Lifesaver on this significant milestone. I wish all those involved with Idaho Operation Lifesaver well, as you continue to work to keep people safe from rail accidents across our State and Nation.

Mr. CRAPO

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I congratulate KTVB News anchor and journalist, Mark Johnson, on his remarkable career, as he retires after 40 years in the television news business. Mark's dedicated career started in television sports in Missouri in 1981, brought him to Idaho, then took him to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania before, thankfully, bringing him back home to Idaho and KTVB in 1996. He served as KTVB's sports director before his 2003 promotion to serve as the station's main anchor. He is well-described by the station as, ``A constant in the lives of generations of Idaho families, Mark Johnson has watched 30 years of Idaho history unfold from his spot in the KTVB studio.'' He has understandably earned significant recognitions for his work. This includes KTVB earning regional Emmy awards for the News at 10 while Mark was a pivotal part of the team as lead anchor and his winning of a national Edward R. Murrow award for his work involving the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. In addition to the time and talent he has committed to reporting, he has also supported many community efforts. His heartfelt appreciation for and deep interest in the people of Idaho and its valued spaces are reflected in his thoughtful journalism. Those who have had the opportunity to work with Mark and know him consider themselves lucky. His calm demeanor during challenges and his sense of humor have shaped the way many have faced the events that are part of daily life, and it is clear he will be greatly missed in the anchor chair. Mark, as you start your next chapter, I wish you more, well-earned time with your many friends and loved ones, including your wife Chris; daughters Hannah, Lindsey, Alexa, and Grace; and grandson. I congratulate you on an amazing career and thank you for bringing Idahoans the news for all these years.