Susan Collins

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the American Broadband Buildout Act of 2019, or ABBA. This legislation would help ensure that rural Americans have access to broadband services at speeds they need to fully participate in the benefits of our modern society and economy regardless of whether they live in the largest cities or the smallest towns. I am delighted to be joined by my friend and colleague Senator Doug Jones in introducing this bill. Twenty-five years ago, when the internet was known as the World Wide Web, Americans typically accessed the web using their home phone lines via modems capable of downloading data at just 56 kilobits per second-- too slow even to support MP3-quality streaming music. Today, the threshold for broadband service as defined by the FCC allows downloads at speeds nearly 500 times faster--25 megabits per second. At these speeds, Americans not only can watch their favorite movies on demand in the comfort of their very own living rooms but can also participate in the global economy while working from home, upgrade their skills through online education, stay connected to their families as they age in place, and access healthcare through advances in telemedicine. While the increase in broadband speeds has been dramatic and is encouraging, these numbers mask a disparity between urban and rural Americans. Nearly all Americans living in urban areas have access to the internet at speeds that meet the FCC's broadband threshold, while one in four rural Americans does not. Similar disparities occur in terms of broadband adoption--the rate at which Americans subscribe to broadband service if they have access to it. According to the Pew Research Center survey last year, 22 percent of rural Americans don't use the internet at home, compared to just 8 percent of urban Americans. The bipartisan bill that we are introducing would help close the digital divide between urban and rural America by directing the FCC to provide up to $5 billion in matching grants to assist States and State- approved entities in building ``last-mile'' infrastructure to bring high-speed broadband directly to homes and businesses in areas that lack it. Let me briefly discuss a few key points about the bill that I would like to highlight. First, projects that receive funding must be located in unserved areas where broadband is unavailable at speeds that meet the FCC standards. Narrowing the focus to those areas will ensure that the money goes where it is needed most and will also protect against overbuilding where broadband infrastructure is already in place. Second--and this is important--the bill requires that this Federal funding be matched through public-private partnerships between the broadband service provider and the State in which the last-mile infrastructure project will be built. This means that States and their private sector partners will have ``skin in the game'' to balance the Federal commitment, ensuring that projects will be well thought out and designed to be sustainable. Third, the bill requires that projects be designed to be ``future proof,'' meaning that the infrastructure installed must be capable of delivering higher speeds as broadband accelerates in the future. This will ensure that Federal tax dollars are used to help build a network that serves rural Americans now and in the future without our having to rebuild it every time technology advances. Furthermore, the bill directs the FCC to prioritize the funding of projects in States that have traditionally lagged behind the national average in terms of broadband subscribers and are at risk of falling further behind as broadband speeds increase. Finally, the bill provides grants for states and state-designated entities for digital literacy and public awareness campaigns, highlighting the benefits and possibilities of broadband service and helping to attract employers to rural parts of our country in which broadband services are lacking and yet are essential for a business's success. The key reason to do this is to address the disparity in the adoption rates I have already mentioned, which will help drive down the costs of the service and make it more affordable for everyone. One broadband application that holds special promise for rural America is telemedicine. As a native of Aroostook County--the largest county by land area east of the Mississippi, with fewer than 70,000 residents--I know how important healthcare is to the vitality and even to the survival of rural communities. Often, these communities struggle to attract and retain the physicians they need to ensure their having access to quality care for their citizens. Broadband can help to bridge this gap by enabling innovative healthcare delivery in these rural communities. In an example described to me in a recent letter, hospice workers at Northern Light Home Care and Hospice were able to use the internet and video technology to help support a patient who was living on an island off the coast of Maine--not as far as the seagull flies but hours away in travel time. Although the connection was very poor, the video enabled the hospice nurses to monitor the patient's symptoms and provide emotional support to her family. As the author of that letter, Lisa Harvey-McPherson, put it, ``Our hospice team could be doing so much more with video and telemonitoring technologies if Maine had better connectivity.'' I ask unanimous consent that immediately following my remarks, this letter from Lisa Harvey-McPherson be printed in the Record. Mr. President, in closing, rural Americans deserve to enjoy the benefits of high-speed internet in the same way that urban Americans do, but a digital divide has arisen due to the simple fact that rural areas are more sparsely populated than urban ones and are therefore more expensive to serve. The bill that Senator Jones and I are introducing today would help to bridge this digital divide by funding future-proof broadband where it is needed most and giving a real boost to job creation in rural America. I urge my colleagues to support our bill.

Ms. COLLINS

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

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from Alabama, Senator Jones, to urge our colleagues' support for our amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. It would repeal the Survivor Benefit Plan and dependency indemnity compensation offset, more commonly known as the military widow's tax. This unfair offset is currently preventing as many as 65,000 surviving military spouses--more than 260 of them in the State of Maine--from receiving the full benefits they deserve. The Defense Department's Survivor Benefit Plan, or SBP, is primarily an insurance benefit that military families purchase in their retirement. It provides cash benefits to a surviving spouse or other eligible recipients when a retiree passes away. On the other hand, the Department of Veterans Affairs dependency and indemnity compensation, known as DIC, is a monthly, tax-free payment to survivors and dependents of servicemembers who pass away from service-related conditions. For example, if a military retiree pays premiums into the SBP insurance program, then his or her spouse ought to be able to receive those benefits when the retiree passes away. What we find instead, however, is that surviving spouses receiving these insurance payments have a dollar-for-dollar offset for the separate payments they are receiving from the VA. In some cases, this leads to the total elimination of the Survivor Benefit Plan benefit. In other cases, the offset greatly reduces the benefit. In either case, it is out-and-out unfair and harms the survivors of our servicemembers and military retirees. The average offset amounts to about $925 per month, which is often a significant amount of money that a widow or a widower needs to help support their families or themselves in the absence of their spouses. Military commanders often say that you recruit the soldier but you retain the family. We have an obligation to make sure we are taking care of our military families who sacrifice so much for our country. Our amendment has the support of numerous military and veterans advocacy groups, including the Gold Star Wives of America, the Military Officers Association of America, the National Military Family Association, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and the VFW, among others. More than 75 Senators--three-quarters of the Members of this Chamber--and 340 Members of the House of Representatives support the effort Senator Jones and I have led by cosponsoring our stand-alone bill. In fact, this legislation has been adopted by the Senate in the past numerous times, always by an overwhelming margin or by a voice vote, only to be later stripped out in the conference process. This problem goes back decades, but this year we can finally solve it once and for all. It is time for us to do our duty not only to support the brave men and women who serve in our military but also to support their families. I encourage each of our colleagues to join in this bipartisan effort and support the repeal of the military widow's tax as part of the NDAA.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the town of Grand Isle, ME. As one who was born and raised in Aroostook County, it is a great pleasure to celebrate the generations of industrious and caring people who have made Grand Isle such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. Named for a large and fertile island in the St. John River, Grand Isle is a small town with a rich history. For thousands of years, the river valley has been the home of the Micmac and Maliseet. French explorers, led by Samuel de Champlain, first visited the area in 1604. In the late 1700s, French-speaking Canadians began settling in the area, laying the foundation for the vibrant Acadian culture that is so important in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and as far away as Louisiana. The Acadian settlers created a vibrant community. They cleared farmland, established lumber and grain mills, railroad roundhouses, and thriving general stores. In the 1870s, as railways expanded in the region, the people of Grand Isle joined with their Canadian neighbors on the opposite shore of the St. John River to build a ferry system that used an 800-foot cable suspended above the river to connect the products of their hard work to faraway markets. When the World Acadian Congress convened in Aroostook County in 2014, the descendants of those neighbors again came together to build a replica of that historic ferry. The Grand Isle homecoming held during the Congress celebrated the rich Acadian traditions of great food, music, and dance, and of close-knit families and lasting friendships. Those traditions are preserved and honored at the Cultural Museum of Mount Carmel and its remarkable collection of Acadian artifacts. The museum is located in the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, one of the few surviving 19th-century Acadian churches in northern Maine. That beautiful architectural gem was lovingly restored by the people of the region and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The celebration of Grand Isle's 150th anniversary is not merely about the passing of time; it is about human accomplishment. We celebrate the people who pulled together, cared for one another, and built a great community. Thanks to those who came before, Grand Isle, ME, has a wonderful history. Thanks to those there today, it has a bright future.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Minnesota, Senator Smith, in introducing the School Food Modernization Act to assist schools in updating outdated kitchen equipment, allowing them to provide healthier meals to students. School meals play a vital role in the lives of our young people. More than 95,000 schools participate in the National School Lunch program, serving upwards of 30 million children each day. Many children consume up to half their daily caloric intake at school, and some get their most nutritious meal of the day at school instead of at home. Because school meals are a significant source of daily nutrition for so many, we must consistently aim to improve the program to best serve students. Schools built decades ago often lack the equipment and infrastructure necessary to do more than reheat and serve one or two meal options each day. In 2014, it was estimated that Maine schools alone would need $58.8 million for equipment infrastructure upgrades needed to serve healthy meals to all of our students. I am pleased that the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee has consistently recognized this need, and in Fiscal Year 2019 appropriated $30 million for School Equipment Assistance Grants. Through this funding, Maine will be able to competitively award $85,470 to school districts in need of updated equipment. Nutrition directors at Mount View High School in Thorndike, Maine, used USDA Equipment Assistance funding to purchase a blast chiller to accommodate increased quantities of fruits and vegetables. Thanks to this equipment, the school is now able to quickly and safely preserve the food's freshness while reducing spoilage. Other schools have acquired hot holding cabinets, mobile food carts, and even combination ovens, which prepare foods faster and maintain more vitamin and nutrient content compared with many other cooking methods. Our legislation would codify and improve this successful grant program to better meet the growing need nationwide. The School Food Modernization Act seeks to help school food service personnel offer a wide variety of nutritious and appealing meals to all students. First, the bill would provide targeted grant assistance to supply the seed funding needed to upgrade kitchen infrastructure or to purchase high-quality equipment. Second, it would establish a loan guarantee assistance program within USDA to help schools acquire new equipment. Finally, to aid school food services personnel in running successful, healthy programs, the legislation would authorize USDA to provide support on a competitive basis to highly qualified third-party trainers to develop and administer training and technical assistance, including online programs. I appreciate that some provisions of this legislation were incorporated into previous versions of the Children Nutrition Reauthorization legislation approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee. I encourage our colleagues to continue to support school kitchen equipment needs as the reauthorization process continues. Mr. President, if our school children are going to be able to learn and succeed, they need their minds and bodies to be fully nourished. This bill would help us achieve that goal.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Minnesota, Senator Smith, in introducing the School Food Modernization Act to assist schools in updating outdated kitchen equipment, allowing them to provide healthier meals to students. School meals play a vital role in the lives of our young people. More than 95,000 schools participate in the National School Lunch program, serving upwards of 30 million children each day. Many children consume up to half their daily caloric intake at school, and some get their most nutritious meal of the day at school instead of at home. Because school meals are a significant source of daily nutrition for so many, we must consistently aim to improve the program to best serve students. Schools built decades ago often lack the equipment and infrastructure necessary to do more than reheat and serve one or two meal options each day. In 2014, it was estimated that Maine schools alone would need $58.8 million for equipment infrastructure upgrades needed to serve healthy meals to all of our students. I am pleased that the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee has consistently recognized this need, and in Fiscal Year 2019 appropriated $30 million for School Equipment Assistance Grants. Through this funding, Maine will be able to competitively award $85,470 to school districts in need of updated equipment. Nutrition directors at Mount View High School in Thorndike, Maine, used USDA Equipment Assistance funding to purchase a blast chiller to accommodate increased quantities of fruits and vegetables. Thanks to this equipment, the school is now able to quickly and safely preserve the food's freshness while reducing spoilage. Other schools have acquired hot holding cabinets, mobile food carts, and even combination ovens, which prepare foods faster and maintain more vitamin and nutrient content compared with many other cooking methods. Our legislation would codify and improve this successful grant program to better meet the growing need nationwide. The School Food Modernization Act seeks to help school food service personnel offer a wide variety of nutritious and appealing meals to all students. First, the bill would provide targeted grant assistance to supply the seed funding needed to upgrade kitchen infrastructure or to purchase high-quality equipment. Second, it would establish a loan guarantee assistance program within USDA to help schools acquire new equipment. Finally, to aid school food services personnel in running successful, healthy programs, the legislation would authorize USDA to provide support on a competitive basis to highly qualified third-party trainers to develop and administer training and technical assistance, including online programs. I appreciate that some provisions of this legislation were incorporated into previous versions of the Children Nutrition Reauthorization legislation approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee. I encourage our colleagues to continue to support school kitchen equipment needs as the reauthorization process continues. Mr. President, if our school children are going to be able to learn and succeed, they need their minds and bodies to be fully nourished. This bill would help us achieve that goal.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support for the National Defense Authorization Act and to highlight amendments that I have sponsored or cosponsored to enhance opportunities for servicemembers and their families. The NDAA represents one of the Senate's most important responsibilities. It authorizes funding to support our servicemembers, including those who are serving in harm's way. It sets policy for our Nation's military and authorizes critical national defense priorities. It is vitally important to ensure that our men and women in uniform, as well as our Department of Defense civilians, have the training, ships, planes, vehicles, and other equipment they need to help defend our Nation and its interests. I commend Chairman Inhofe and Ranking Member Reed and the other Members of the Armed Services Committee for their leadership and bipartisan work on this important legislation. They have done an excellent job. This bill contains many provisions that are important to the State of Maine and to our Nation. To cite just a few items, I am pleased that the NDAA includes authorization for three Arleigh Burke destroyers, 94 fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, and six CH-53K King Stallion helicopters. These essential ships and aircraft will help to ensure that our military maintains its superiority in both the seas and skies. I also strongly support the 3.1 percent pay increase that members of the Armed Forces will receive when this bill is signed into law. In addition, the NDAA expresses our commitment to key international partners and allies. For example, the bill includes a full $500 million authorization to continue the cooperative missile defense programs with Israel, which are becoming increasingly vital in that volatile region. It also provides additional security assistance for Ukraine to help check continued Russian aggression on its eastern and southern borders. To build on the impressive work done by Chairman Inhofe and the rest of the committee, I have introduced amendments to improve benefits for military widows, increased access to and awareness of Department of Defense and VA apprenticeship programs, and improved temporary duty travel lodging for DOD employees, such as those serving at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME. The first amendment, which I am pleased to join my colleague Senator Doug Jones in sponsoring, calls for the elimination of a longtime inequity in the Survivor Benefit Plan and the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Plan. This inequity, which causes there to be an offset between the two programs, is commonly known as the military widow's tax. This unfair offset is currently preventing as many as 65,000 surviving spouses--more than 260 of them in Maine--from receiving the full benefits that they deserve. The Department of Defense's Survivor Benefits Plan, or SBP, is primarily an insurance benefit that military families purchase, usually in their retirement, and it provides cash benefits to a surviving spouse or other eligible recipients when the military retiree passes away. On the other hand, the Department of Veterans Affairs Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program, known as DIC, is a monthly tax-free payment to survivors and dependents of servicemembers who pass away from service-related conditions. For example, if a military retiree pays premiums into the insurance program, then, their spouse ought to be able to receive those benefits when the retiree passes away. However, what we find instead is that if the surviving spouse receiving SPB insurance payment is also eligible for the separate payment from the VA, there is a dollar-for-dollar offset. In some cases this leads to the total elimination of the Service Benefit Plan. In other cases, the offset greatly reduces the amount that is received. In either case, it is out and out unfair, and it harms survivors of our servicemembers and military retirees. I am often reminded by our military commanders that you recruit the soldier, but you retain the family. We have an obligation to make sure that we are taking care of our military families, who have sacrificed so much. This problem goes back decades, but this year can be the time that we finally solve it. With more than 75 Senators--three-quarters of the Senate--and 340 Members of the House of Representatives supporting this effort as cosponsors of the stand-alone bill, this is the year. It is our time to do our duty, not only to support the brave men and women of our military but also to honor our commitment to their families. I would urge all of my colleagues to join in this effort and to support the repeal of the military widow's tax as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, and, indeed, Senator Jones and I have introduced an amendment to do just that. Mr. President, the second amendment I wish to discuss is one that I have introduced with Senator Klobuchar. It would authorize servicemembers transitioning to civilian life to carry out skills training, apprenticeships, and internship programs at other Federal Agencies, in addition to the private sector. Currently, the military services are permitted to authorize servicemember participation in job training, including apprenticeships and internships, beginning up to 6 months before their service obligation in the military is complete. In a recent report to Congress, the Department of Defense recommended that we expand this authority to allow for inclusion of Federal Agencies as well as the private sector as participants. I am very grateful to Chairman Inhofe and to Senator Reed for recently accepting this amendment and including it as part of the NDAA managers' amendment. That will ensure that these provisions are included in the Senate bill. This is a win-win for both servicemembers as well as Federal Agencies, as this simple expansion will create new opportunities for individual members of the military and allow the Federal Government to benefit from the talents that our highly trained soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines bring to their careers subsequent to their military service. It is a commonsense reform that will expand access to apprenticeships to our servicemembers and ease their transition. Third is an amendment that I introduced with Senator Cantwell. It would require the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor, to report on their efforts to promote the utilization of apprenticeships and on-the-job training by servicemembers transitioning out of the military. So, obviously, this report is very much related to the earlier amendment that I just described. The dramatic underutilization of apprenticeship and on-the-job training under the GI bill demonstrates the need to promote these vital programs. In fiscal year 2018, fewer than 1,500 veterans participated in apprenticeships and fewer than 1,400 participated in the other kinds of on-the-job training, and that is out of a universe of over a million beneficiaries of the VA's educational programs. One obvious benefit of apprenticeship programs is that graduates learn hands-on skills for jobs that will immediately be available to them, and there are many of these kinds of good-paying jobs available in the State of Maine and elsewhere today. Finally, there is an amendment that I have introduced with Senators Shaheen, King, and Hassan. This would address significant problems that the Department of Defense workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME, and elsewhere in the country have encountered with the Department's Integrated Lodging Pilot Program, which was initially authorized in the 2015 NDAA. The intent of the pilot program was to save money by assigning TDY lodging first at government facilities and then at specific commercial lodging at prenegotiated rates. However, what we have seen with employees at our shipyard is that they are often being forced to stay in subpar or inconvenient lodging--sometimes, in areas that simply are not safe. Workers have shared stories with me and with the other members of the Maine and New Hampshire delegations about being awoken in the middle of the night to the sounds of loud shouts while staying at required government lodging, as well as more serious incidences of robberies and shootings nearby. In other cases, travelers describe staying in remote lodging on military installations without security or desk attendants nearby to resolve standard issues that are ordinarily addressed quickly at commercial hotels--basic things like dealing with room keys that don't work or addressing other problems in the hotel rooms. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, in fact, has directed its travel office to no longer use the Integrated Lodging Pilot Program for travel to at least one installation due to repeated problems with personnel who were promised lodging only to find that it was not even available when they arrived, leaving these workers scrambling to find an alternative place to stay. This was a pilot project that simply did not work. It is for these reasons that I have joined my colleagues from Maine and New Hampshire in introducing an amendment that simply allows this pilot program to end in December of this year as currently scheduled. This program may be something worth revisiting after we straighten out the problems with it--certainly, after Congress reviews the still uncompleted DOD report on the pilot. But for the time being, it clearly has not worked well for the workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and other DOD employees, and it should be allowed to expire at the end of this year. I am very proud of the role that the State of Maine plays in our national defense. From the accounting center in northern Maine to the Air National Guard base in Bangor that refuels so many military aircraft, to contractors like Bath Iron Works, where we will christen a ship on Saturday in honor of our former colleague Senator Daniel Inouye, to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, to countless other smaller suppliers, the State of Maine is essential to our national security. Enactment of this bill is vitally important to the security of our Nation. I would encourage my colleagues to support the underlying bill, as well as these commonsense amendments. I yield the floor.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. I just wanted to thank the majority leader for his very generous comments, as well as acknowledge the good wishes and congratulations from so many of my colleagues, including my colleague from Maine, Senator King. This is a momentous occasion for me, a real milestone. I am proud of the fact that I have never missed a rollcall vote during the time I have been privileged to represent the great State of Maine in the Senate. There have been some close calls over the years, but fortunately I have been able to be present for each one. I realize that I have been blessed with good health and that when I had broken ankles, including one that required surgery, it fortunately happened over the Christmas break, so once again I was able to come back and not miss a vote. But it is the embodiment of how seriously I take the responsibilities with which I have been entrusted by the people of Maine. Voting is a Senator's most solemn responsibility, and I feel strongly about making sure that my State is represented on each and every rollcall vote we take in this Chamber. It hasn't always been easy, but it is such a privilege and honor to represent the people of the great State of Maine. I thank the majority leader, Senator McConnell, for acknowledging this milestone in my tenure in the Senate and in my service to the people of Maine and this Nation. Thank you, Mr. President.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, in 1969, General Electric opened a factory in Bangor, ME. At that time, it was a small operation using old machinery to produce components for turbines that powered only 7,000 homes. Today, 50 years later, the skilled workers at GE Power manufacture equipment that powers more than 1 million homes. I am delighted to congratulate this outstanding company and its dedicated workforce on their golden anniversary. GE Power is a center of excellence for steam turbine rotors and blading. It specializes in gas turbine component manufacturing, which is especially important as natural gas has become an essential contributor to America's growing energy independence and has helped reduce harmful emissions. As this facility has grown, so has its global reputation for innovation and problem solving. That reputation is earned every day by the nearly 400 employees at GE Power. Their ingenuity and dedication have made their plant one of Bangor's most significant employers. They have embraced GE's companywide ethic of philanthropy and service to others, and they contribute to their community in countless ways. The General Electric Company was founded in 1892 by Thomas Alva Edison. The famed inventor and electricity pioneer could well have had Bangor in mind when he said, ``The three great essentials to achieve anything are hard work, stick-to-itiveness, and common sense.'' The men and women of GE Power demonstrate those essentials every day, creating opportunity for themselves and our city, and I congratulate them on this landmark anniversary.

Ms. COLLINS

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

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. I yield the floor.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Educational Opportunity and Success Act, a bill to strengthen the Federal TRIO Programs and improve their administration. Across the Nation, TRIO helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds gain access to a college education and provide many of the supports that they need to prepare for, succeed in, and graduate from higher education programs. I would very much like to thank Senator Baldwin, Senator Capito, and Senator Tester for joining me as original cosponsors. In the State of Maine, TRIO Programs serve students from all over our State and are focused on increasing educational opportunities for first generation, low-income, and disabled students. From 2007 to 2017, TRIO has expanded from 20 programs to 28 in our State and has expanded from serving 6,690 students to nearly 7,500 students in our State. Over the course of my Senate service, I have been so inspired by the stories of countless TRIO students with whom I have talked. They have described to me firsthand the positive impact of these programs on their academic success and on their futures. For example, Autumn Mallet from Bangor, ME, graduated from Bangor High School in 2015, unsure about whether she even wanted to pursue higher education. Neither she nor her parents had any experience with higher education. That is very typical of what I found in talking with students who are enrolled in the TRIO Programs. Autumn decided to enroll at Eastern Maine Community College, where she connected with TRIO's Student Support Services Program. Autumn called TRIO ``irreplaceable'' and her ``full support system.'' The academic advisers were her ``go-to people'' when it came to signing up for classes, finding tutors, navigating financial aid, and advocating for herself. Autumn graduated in May 2018 with an associate's degree in liberal studies and secondary education, and she has gone on to the University of Maine where she is currently earning her bachelor's degree. At the University, she also taps into the resources of the Student Support Services Program. And, very movingly, Autumn is giving back to TRIO. She is a TRIO peer mentor at Eastern Maine Community College, helping students, just like herself, successfully navigate higher education and giving them the tools and the confidence to succeed. For Autumn, TRIO has made all the difference as she has pursued her own goals and helped other students achieve theirs. Congress created the TRIO Programs because it recognized that low- income, first-generation students often face significant financial and societal obstacles to accessing and achieving success in higher education. The Educational Opportunity and Success Act would better serve those students by implementing key reforms. First, and most important, our bipartisan bill would reauthorize the TRIO Programs for an additional 5 years. Second, our bill would instruct the Department of Education to publish guidance at least 90 days before each grant competition, giving colleges and universities adequate opportunity to prepare the successful applications to secure the funding needed to offer the TRIO Programs. Third, our bill would remove the administrative burdens in the application process for these schools, making sure that Federal funds get out the door more efficiently and to the programs and the students they are meant to serve. Under the current administrative process, many colleges and universities experience delays while the Department reviews administrative errors before making all of the grant awards. This reform would help to expedite the grant process. Fourth, our legislation would institute commonsense guidelines at the Department of Education for TRIO grant applications. Let me tell you what happened in 2017. In that year, the Department initially rejected dozens of applications for the Upward Bound Program based on arbitrary, nonsubstantive formatting criteria, such as line spacing and font size irregularities. This was bureaucracy at its worst. One of those applications was from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, which had been a longtime recipient of funding to provide TRIO Programs. Here is what happened with the University of Maine at Presque Isle. It submitted a 65-page application. In that application, the University of Maine of Presque Isle used 1\1/2\-line spacing instead of double spacing in the text appearing in the graphics on two of its application's 65 pages. I am not making this up. For that reason alone, because the spacing was 1\1/2\ lines rather than 2 on just 2 of the graphs in a 65-page application, the Department of Education rejected it--based on that alone. The Department's bureaucratic decision would have denied 960 disadvantaged Maine high school students the chance to fulfill their academic potential. Imagine that--that 960 students, who needed the support of the TRIO Program to be successful, would not have been served because of a tiny formatting error on 2 pages of a 65-page application. It was nothing substantive, just a formatting error. After months of advocacy, I was able to work with the Department of Education and my Appropriations colleagues to reverse this ill- conceived decision, and I am very happy to report that the University of Maine of Presque Isle is today serving those students. Our bill would prevent the Department of Education from rejecting applications simply on the basis of the formatting criteria that it suggests and instead would establish a straightforward process of correction for applications with minor formatting or budgeting errors. This is a commonsense reform that will prevent unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles in the future--obstacles that have a real impact on the lives of the students who are intended to benefit from the TRIO Programs. Fifth, our bill would make it simpler for students who receive free and reduced-priced lunches and Pell grants to qualify for the TRIO Programs. Proving income eligibility can be a barrier to services, and this bill would make it easier to identify potential participants for the TRIO Programs. The bill would also update TRIO eligibility criteria to reflect the most recent requirements for Federal financial aid. This would ensure that TRIO administrators would not have to consult multiple data sources and can instead use a student's most recent financial aid information to determine eligibility for the TRIO Programs rather than having them go through an additional process. Finally, the bill would require the Department of Education to conduct additional virtual training sessions, better ensuring that all areas of the country--especially our small, rural communities--have the ability to know about and access the TRIO Programs. As the longtime cochair of the Congressional TRIO Caucus, I have long supported the TRIO Programs. I have worked to ensure that they are reaching the students who most need them. So many students in Maine and across the country have truly had their lives changed by these wonderful programs, such as Upward Bound. They have been introduced to the world of higher education. They have been given the support they need to succeed. In my State, where so many families simply do not have experience with higher education, the TRIO Programs have made all the difference for their sons and daughters. I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan Educational Opportunity and Success Act.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Educational Opportunity and Success Act, a bill to strengthen the Federal TRIO Programs and improve their administration. Across the Nation, TRIO helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds gain access to a college education and provide many of the supports that they need to prepare for, succeed in, and graduate from higher education programs. I would very much like to thank Senator Baldwin, Senator Capito, and Senator Tester for joining me as original cosponsors. In the State of Maine, TRIO Programs serve students from all over our State and are focused on increasing educational opportunities for first generation, low-income, and disabled students. From 2007 to 2017, TRIO has expanded from 20 programs to 28 in our State and has expanded from serving 6,690 students to nearly 7,500 students in our State. Over the course of my Senate service, I have been so inspired by the stories of countless TRIO students with whom I have talked. They have described to me firsthand the positive impact of these programs on their academic success and on their futures. For example, Autumn Mallet from Bangor, ME, graduated from Bangor High School in 2015, unsure about whether she even wanted to pursue higher education. Neither she nor her parents had any experience with higher education. That is very typical of what I found in talking with students who are enrolled in the TRIO Programs. Autumn decided to enroll at Eastern Maine Community College, where she connected with TRIO's Student Support Services Program. Autumn called TRIO ``irreplaceable'' and her ``full support system.'' The academic advisers were her ``go-to people'' when it came to signing up for classes, finding tutors, navigating financial aid, and advocating for herself. Autumn graduated in May 2018 with an associate's degree in liberal studies and secondary education, and she has gone on to the University of Maine where she is currently earning her bachelor's degree. At the University, she also taps into the resources of the Student Support Services Program. And, very movingly, Autumn is giving back to TRIO. She is a TRIO peer mentor at Eastern Maine Community College, helping students, just like herself, successfully navigate higher education and giving them the tools and the confidence to succeed. For Autumn, TRIO has made all the difference as she has pursued her own goals and helped other students achieve theirs. Congress created the TRIO Programs because it recognized that low- income, first-generation students often face significant financial and societal obstacles to accessing and achieving success in higher education. The Educational Opportunity and Success Act would better serve those students by implementing key reforms. First, and most important, our bipartisan bill would reauthorize the TRIO Programs for an additional 5 years. Second, our bill would instruct the Department of Education to publish guidance at least 90 days before each grant competition, giving colleges and universities adequate opportunity to prepare the successful applications to secure the funding needed to offer the TRIO Programs. Third, our bill would remove the administrative burdens in the application process for these schools, making sure that Federal funds get out the door more efficiently and to the programs and the students they are meant to serve. Under the current administrative process, many colleges and universities experience delays while the Department reviews administrative errors before making all of the grant awards. This reform would help to expedite the grant process. Fourth, our legislation would institute commonsense guidelines at the Department of Education for TRIO grant applications. Let me tell you what happened in 2017. In that year, the Department initially rejected dozens of applications for the Upward Bound Program based on arbitrary, nonsubstantive formatting criteria, such as line spacing and font size irregularities. This was bureaucracy at its worst. One of those applications was from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, which had been a longtime recipient of funding to provide TRIO Programs. Here is what happened with the University of Maine at Presque Isle. It submitted a 65-page application. In that application, the University of Maine of Presque Isle used 1\1/2\-line spacing instead of double spacing in the text appearing in the graphics on two of its application's 65 pages. I am not making this up. For that reason alone, because the spacing was 1\1/2\ lines rather than 2 on just 2 of the graphs in a 65-page application, the Department of Education rejected it--based on that alone. The Department's bureaucratic decision would have denied 960 disadvantaged Maine high school students the chance to fulfill their academic potential. Imagine that--that 960 students, who needed the support of the TRIO Program to be successful, would not have been served because of a tiny formatting error on 2 pages of a 65-page application. It was nothing substantive, just a formatting error. After months of advocacy, I was able to work with the Department of Education and my Appropriations colleagues to reverse this ill- conceived decision, and I am very happy to report that the University of Maine of Presque Isle is today serving those students. Our bill would prevent the Department of Education from rejecting applications simply on the basis of the formatting criteria that it suggests and instead would establish a straightforward process of correction for applications with minor formatting or budgeting errors. This is a commonsense reform that will prevent unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles in the future--obstacles that have a real impact on the lives of the students who are intended to benefit from the TRIO Programs. Fifth, our bill would make it simpler for students who receive free and reduced-priced lunches and Pell grants to qualify for the TRIO Programs. Proving income eligibility can be a barrier to services, and this bill would make it easier to identify potential participants for the TRIO Programs. The bill would also update TRIO eligibility criteria to reflect the most recent requirements for Federal financial aid. This would ensure that TRIO administrators would not have to consult multiple data sources and can instead use a student's most recent financial aid information to determine eligibility for the TRIO Programs rather than having them go through an additional process. Finally, the bill would require the Department of Education to conduct additional virtual training sessions, better ensuring that all areas of the country--especially our small, rural communities--have the ability to know about and access the TRIO Programs. As the longtime cochair of the Congressional TRIO Caucus, I have long supported the TRIO Programs. I have worked to ensure that they are reaching the students who most need them. So many students in Maine and across the country have truly had their lives changed by these wonderful programs, such as Upward Bound. They have been introduced to the world of higher education. They have been given the support they need to succeed. In my State, where so many families simply do not have experience with higher education, the TRIO Programs have made all the difference for their sons and daughters. I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan Educational Opportunity and Success Act.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I have 7 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Foreign Relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 10:15 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Chad F. Wolf, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Jeffrey Byard, of Alabama, to be Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Troy D. Edgar, of California, to be Chief Financial Officer, all of the Department of Homeland Security, John McLeod Barger, of California, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service, and B. Chad Bungard, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Merit Systems Protection Board. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife The Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness The Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness of the Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 3 p.m., to conduct a hearing. Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights The Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, along with my colleagues, Senators Jacky Rosen, Martha McSally, and Amy Klobuchar, I am introducing the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019, a bill that seeks to help combat the abuse and financial exploitation of our Nation's seniors. Our bill would create a semipostal, or fundraising, stamp that would allow Postal Service customers to make a voluntary contribution to raise awareness and combat elder abuse by purchasing this special stamp. The proceeds from this stamp would go to the Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS) Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The funding would allow the ACL to further support the development and advancement of emerging practices to prevent and respond to the abuse of older adults, and would assist DOJ in improving prosecution, data collection, litigation support, and initiatives that prevent elder abuse. Notably, this bill would help to provide needed additional revenue to tackle elder abuse without costing the Federal government a single penny. Abuse of older Americans is sadly prevalent--no matter the person's gender, race, religion, or ethnic or cultural background. Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. Abuse can happen in many places, including a person's home, a family member's house, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. Just as abuse can occur in various settings, there are many types of elder abuse, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation, to name a few. Although there are different types of abuse, it is common for a victim to experience more than one form of abuse. According to the National Council on Aging, approximately one in ten Americans aged 60 years old or older have experienced some form of elder abuse. According to the GAO, financial fraud targeting older Americans is a growing epidemic that costs seniors an estimated $2.9 billion annually. We know, however, that the true number is probably much higher since many of these cases are never reported because the victim is too often embarrassed to report abuse, particularly when it involves a family member. In fact, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that only one in 14 cases are reported to the authorities. In Maine--the State with the oldest population by median age--an estimated 33,000 seniors each year are the victims of some kind of abuse or financial fraud. Moreover, in as many as 90 percent of financial cases, the senior is victimized by someone he or she knows well. A 2017 report of financial exploitation of Maine's older adults found that in most cases, financial exploitation is perpetrated by a family member, typically the victim's own adult child. In a recent case in Maine, police charged a pastor in York County, Maine, with exploiting an incapacitated elderly woman. They say the man befriended the woman while he was volunteering at the assisted-living community where she lived. According to police, the State determined the woman to be incapacitated and assigned her a guardian and conservator. The pastor allegedly took the woman to her bank, withdrew money to have the locks changed on her former home, which had been on the market, and he took down the ``for sale'' sign. Police say the pastor told the woman he would help her return to her house, even though it was not equipped for the wheelchair access she required. He suggested his daughter could live with the woman to care for her. Police say his goal was to ingratiate himself and have access to this woman's financial accounts and property. Fortunately, in this case, the conservator, who was legally responsible for protecting the woman's assets, identified and reported the suspected criminal activity to the police. Combatting elder abuse of seniors is primarily the responsibility of State and local agencies, particularly adult protective services agencies. Prevention and response to cases of abuse require coordinated efforts, including State and local agencies, law enforcement, the social work and medical community, and financial institutions. The Federal government also plays an important role in providing leadership to combat this problem. The Elder Justice Coordinating Council, led by HHS and DOJ, has brought other Federal agencies to the table to coordinate efforts to protect older individuals from abuse. Last year, the DOJ took a major action by directing all 94 U.S. Attorneys' offices to each designate an elder justice coordinator, who will develop strategies to protect seniors in their districts. This will promote greater cooperation between the DOJ and its law enforcement partners. While the best way to intervene in the problem of elder abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first place, when abuse does occur, it is crucial that the perpetrators of the crimes not go unpunished. I worked closely on the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019 with Philip C. Marshall. Philip is the founder of Beyond Brooke, a campaign named to honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, a well known philanthropist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation. In 2015, Mr. Marshall testified before the Senate Aging Committee about how his father mistreated his grandmother and mismanaged her assets while she suffered from Alzheimer's disease. In addition, I am pleased that the non- partisan Elder Justice Coalition, which represents more than 3,000 members, along with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the National Sheriffs Association, and the National Association on Area Agencies on Aging all support our bill. Mr. President, I ask that letters from these organizations appear in the Record immediately following my remarks. Preventing and combating elder abuse require law enforcement and social service agencies at all levels of government to work collaboratively with the private sector. The Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act would assist the Federal government's role to help make that happen. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. The Elder Justice Coalition, Washington, DC, June 11, 2019. Hon. Susan Collins, Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Collins: On behalf of the nonpartisan Elder Justice Coalition which represents more than 3,000 members, I write to congratulate you and Senators Rosen, McSally, and Klobuchar on the introduction of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019, which will create a semi-postal stamp to provide additional funding to the federal government for programs to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The EJC is proud to have worked closely on this legislation with you, your staff and Philip C. Marshall, founder of Beyond Brooke, a cause-based campaign named to honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, who was a well-known philanthropist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a victim of elder abuse and elder financial exploitation. We are pleased that the bill will direct the United States Postal Service to develop the semipostal stamp and use the proceeds from its sales to provide funding to augment the elder justice initiatives at both the Administration on Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services and at the Department of Justice. These programs include prevention, education, data collection, services to protect and support victims, and demonstration projects, in addition to initiatives to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of elder abuse and financial exploitation. Further, the departments will be able to use their resources to support dissemination of the stamp. Thank you again for your leadership on this and other elder justice issues. Please let us know if we can be of assistance in securing passage of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019. Sincerely, Robert B. Blancato, National Coordinator.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, along with my colleagues, Senators Jacky Rosen, Martha McSally, and Amy Klobuchar, I am introducing the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019, a bill that seeks to help combat the abuse and financial exploitation of our Nation's seniors. Our bill would create a semipostal, or fundraising, stamp that would allow Postal Service customers to make a voluntary contribution to raise awareness and combat elder abuse by purchasing this special stamp. The proceeds from this stamp would go to the Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS) Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The funding would allow the ACL to further support the development and advancement of emerging practices to prevent and respond to the abuse of older adults, and would assist DOJ in improving prosecution, data collection, litigation support, and initiatives that prevent elder abuse. Notably, this bill would help to provide needed additional revenue to tackle elder abuse without costing the Federal government a single penny. Abuse of older Americans is sadly prevalent--no matter the person's gender, race, religion, or ethnic or cultural background. Each year, hundreds of thousands of adults over the age of 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. Abuse can happen in many places, including a person's home, a family member's house, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. Just as abuse can occur in various settings, there are many types of elder abuse, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation, to name a few. Although there are different types of abuse, it is common for a victim to experience more than one form of abuse. According to the National Council on Aging, approximately one in ten Americans aged 60 years old or older have experienced some form of elder abuse. According to the GAO, financial fraud targeting older Americans is a growing epidemic that costs seniors an estimated $2.9 billion annually. We know, however, that the true number is probably much higher since many of these cases are never reported because the victim is too often embarrassed to report abuse, particularly when it involves a family member. In fact, the National Center on Elder Abuse reports that only one in 14 cases are reported to the authorities. In Maine--the State with the oldest population by median age--an estimated 33,000 seniors each year are the victims of some kind of abuse or financial fraud. Moreover, in as many as 90 percent of financial cases, the senior is victimized by someone he or she knows well. A 2017 report of financial exploitation of Maine's older adults found that in most cases, financial exploitation is perpetrated by a family member, typically the victim's own adult child. In a recent case in Maine, police charged a pastor in York County, Maine, with exploiting an incapacitated elderly woman. They say the man befriended the woman while he was volunteering at the assisted-living community where she lived. According to police, the State determined the woman to be incapacitated and assigned her a guardian and conservator. The pastor allegedly took the woman to her bank, withdrew money to have the locks changed on her former home, which had been on the market, and he took down the ``for sale'' sign. Police say the pastor told the woman he would help her return to her house, even though it was not equipped for the wheelchair access she required. He suggested his daughter could live with the woman to care for her. Police say his goal was to ingratiate himself and have access to this woman's financial accounts and property. Fortunately, in this case, the conservator, who was legally responsible for protecting the woman's assets, identified and reported the suspected criminal activity to the police. Combatting elder abuse of seniors is primarily the responsibility of State and local agencies, particularly adult protective services agencies. Prevention and response to cases of abuse require coordinated efforts, including State and local agencies, law enforcement, the social work and medical community, and financial institutions. The Federal government also plays an important role in providing leadership to combat this problem. The Elder Justice Coordinating Council, led by HHS and DOJ, has brought other Federal agencies to the table to coordinate efforts to protect older individuals from abuse. Last year, the DOJ took a major action by directing all 94 U.S. Attorneys' offices to each designate an elder justice coordinator, who will develop strategies to protect seniors in their districts. This will promote greater cooperation between the DOJ and its law enforcement partners. While the best way to intervene in the problem of elder abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first place, when abuse does occur, it is crucial that the perpetrators of the crimes not go unpunished. I worked closely on the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019 with Philip C. Marshall. Philip is the founder of Beyond Brooke, a campaign named to honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, a well known philanthropist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation. In 2015, Mr. Marshall testified before the Senate Aging Committee about how his father mistreated his grandmother and mismanaged her assets while she suffered from Alzheimer's disease. In addition, I am pleased that the non- partisan Elder Justice Coalition, which represents more than 3,000 members, along with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the National Sheriffs Association, and the National Association on Area Agencies on Aging all support our bill. Mr. President, I ask that letters from these organizations appear in the Record immediately following my remarks. Preventing and combating elder abuse require law enforcement and social service agencies at all levels of government to work collaboratively with the private sector. The Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act would assist the Federal government's role to help make that happen. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. The Elder Justice Coalition, Washington, DC, June 11, 2019. Hon. Susan Collins, Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Collins: On behalf of the nonpartisan Elder Justice Coalition which represents more than 3,000 members, I write to congratulate you and Senators Rosen, McSally, and Klobuchar on the introduction of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019, which will create a semi-postal stamp to provide additional funding to the federal government for programs to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The EJC is proud to have worked closely on this legislation with you, your staff and Philip C. Marshall, founder of Beyond Brooke, a cause-based campaign named to honor Philip's late grandmother, Brooke Astor, who was a well-known philanthropist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a victim of elder abuse and elder financial exploitation. We are pleased that the bill will direct the United States Postal Service to develop the semipostal stamp and use the proceeds from its sales to provide funding to augment the elder justice initiatives at both the Administration on Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services and at the Department of Justice. These programs include prevention, education, data collection, services to protect and support victims, and demonstration projects, in addition to initiatives to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of elder abuse and financial exploitation. Further, the departments will be able to use their resources to support dissemination of the stamp. Thank you again for your leadership on this and other elder justice issues. Please let us know if we can be of assistance in securing passage of the Stamp Out Elder Abuse Act of 2019. Sincerely, Robert B. Blancato, National Coordinator.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise this evening to introduce legislation with my friend and colleague from Delaware, Senator Chris Coons, called the Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2019. I am delighted to say that we have 22 bipartisan cosponsors for our initiative. Our legislation would make it the policy of the United States to lead an effort to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and young children in the developing world by the year 2030. Due in part to American leadership and generosity, many lives have already been saved. Since 1990, the annual number of deaths of children under the age of 5 has been cut in half. Nevertheless, far too many mothers, newborns, and young children under the age of 5 still succumb to disease and malnutrition that could easily have been prevented. Every day, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes that are related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, more than 15,000 children under the age of 5 die every day from treatable conditions, such as prematurity, pneumonia, and diarrhea, with malnutrition being the underlying cause in nearly half of those deaths. Our bill aims to reach these mothers and children with simple, proven, cost-effective interventions that we know will help them survive. A concentrated effort could end preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide by the year 2030. However, continued American leadership and support from the international community are critical to success. To achieve this ambitious goal, our bill would require the implementation of a strategy to scale up the most effective interventions to save as many lives as possible. This idea is central to our bill. We do not have to guess at what interventions will work. The reality is that more than 15,000 children die each day of conditions that we know how to treat right now. These lifesaving interventions include clean birthing practices, vaccines, nutritional supplements, handwashing with soap, and other basic needs that remain elusive for far too many women and children in developing countries. This is what must change. In addition, our bill would establish a Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator at the USAID, who would focus on implementing the 5-year strategy and verifying that the most effective interventions are being scaled up in target countries. The bill would improve government efficiency across several agencies that would collaborate with the Coordinator to identify and promote the most effective treatments to end preventable maternal and child deaths globally. To promote transparency and greater accountability, our bill would also require detailed public reporting on progress toward implementing this strategy. Finally, our legislation would encourage the USAID to help pay for successful programs that are run by nongovernmental entities. The message that we want to send to all of our partners in the private sector, the nonprofit sector, the faith community, and in local and international civil society groups is this: If you can figure out an effective way to increase the likelihood that mothers and their children will survive childbirth in those first 5 vulnerable years of life, we want to acknowledge your contributions. We realize that the government does not have all of the answers and that if we and our partners in the private sector all work together, whether they be nonprofits, foundations, the faith community, local and international government-sponsored organizations, or civil society groups, we can solve this problem. Improving the health and well-being of mothers and children around the world have far-reaching social and economic benefits as well. The USAID estimates and identifies examples of the return on our investments in numerous priority countries. For example, in Afghanistan, Haiti, Liberia, Nepal, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Yemen, the USAID estimates that its health investments may yield a 9-to-1 return in economic and societal benefits by the year 2035. The USAID also estimates its return on investment in the form of resources mobilized, which is a measure based on additional dollar investments that are made by country governments or local organizations or by cost savings within a health system from increased efficiencies. In Senegal, for example, the USAID estimates $204 million in resources mobilized by 2025, which is a 656-to-1 return on the USAID's investment. In India, it estimates that a $25.5 billion investment by the year 2025 is a striking nearly 3,000-to-1 return on the USAID's investment. Other bipartisan initiatives, such as the successful President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which was started by President George W. Bush, demonstrate that results-driven interventions can turn the tide for global health challenges. In applying lessons learned from past initiatives, our bill would provide the focus and the tools necessary to accelerate progress toward a goal that we should all be able to embrace, which is to end preventable maternal and child deaths. I urge my colleagues to join with Senator Coons and me and our 22 cosponsors in supporting this legislation that will literally save the lives of mothers and children around the world by doing what we know works.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise this evening to introduce legislation with my friend and colleague from Delaware, Senator Chris Coons, called the Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2019. I am delighted to say that we have 22 bipartisan cosponsors for our initiative. Our legislation would make it the policy of the United States to lead an effort to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and young children in the developing world by the year 2030. Due in part to American leadership and generosity, many lives have already been saved. Since 1990, the annual number of deaths of children under the age of 5 has been cut in half. Nevertheless, far too many mothers, newborns, and young children under the age of 5 still succumb to disease and malnutrition that could easily have been prevented. Every day, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes that are related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, more than 15,000 children under the age of 5 die every day from treatable conditions, such as prematurity, pneumonia, and diarrhea, with malnutrition being the underlying cause in nearly half of those deaths. Our bill aims to reach these mothers and children with simple, proven, cost-effective interventions that we know will help them survive. A concentrated effort could end preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide by the year 2030. However, continued American leadership and support from the international community are critical to success. To achieve this ambitious goal, our bill would require the implementation of a strategy to scale up the most effective interventions to save as many lives as possible. This idea is central to our bill. We do not have to guess at what interventions will work. The reality is that more than 15,000 children die each day of conditions that we know how to treat right now. These lifesaving interventions include clean birthing practices, vaccines, nutritional supplements, handwashing with soap, and other basic needs that remain elusive for far too many women and children in developing countries. This is what must change. In addition, our bill would establish a Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator at the USAID, who would focus on implementing the 5-year strategy and verifying that the most effective interventions are being scaled up in target countries. The bill would improve government efficiency across several agencies that would collaborate with the Coordinator to identify and promote the most effective treatments to end preventable maternal and child deaths globally. To promote transparency and greater accountability, our bill would also require detailed public reporting on progress toward implementing this strategy. Finally, our legislation would encourage the USAID to help pay for successful programs that are run by nongovernmental entities. The message that we want to send to all of our partners in the private sector, the nonprofit sector, the faith community, and in local and international civil society groups is this: If you can figure out an effective way to increase the likelihood that mothers and their children will survive childbirth in those first 5 vulnerable years of life, we want to acknowledge your contributions. We realize that the government does not have all of the answers and that if we and our partners in the private sector all work together, whether they be nonprofits, foundations, the faith community, local and international government-sponsored organizations, or civil society groups, we can solve this problem. Improving the health and well-being of mothers and children around the world have far-reaching social and economic benefits as well. The USAID estimates and identifies examples of the return on our investments in numerous priority countries. For example, in Afghanistan, Haiti, Liberia, Nepal, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Yemen, the USAID estimates that its health investments may yield a 9-to-1 return in economic and societal benefits by the year 2035. The USAID also estimates its return on investment in the form of resources mobilized, which is a measure based on additional dollar investments that are made by country governments or local organizations or by cost savings within a health system from increased efficiencies. In Senegal, for example, the USAID estimates $204 million in resources mobilized by 2025, which is a 656-to-1 return on the USAID's investment. In India, it estimates that a $25.5 billion investment by the year 2025 is a striking nearly 3,000-to-1 return on the USAID's investment. Other bipartisan initiatives, such as the successful President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which was started by President George W. Bush, demonstrate that results-driven interventions can turn the tide for global health challenges. In applying lessons learned from past initiatives, our bill would provide the focus and the tools necessary to accelerate progress toward a goal that we should all be able to embrace, which is to end preventable maternal and child deaths. I urge my colleagues to join with Senator Coons and me and our 22 cosponsors in supporting this legislation that will literally save the lives of mothers and children around the world by doing what we know works.

Ms. COLLINS

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

Ms. COLLINS. As the senior Republican woman in the Senate today, I am pleased to begin a series of speeches, along with my good friend from California, the senior Democratic woman Senator, Mrs. Dianne Feinstein, to commemorate a significant milestone in our Nation's history. One hundred years ago today, the Senate finally passed the 19th Amendment, which affirmed the right of women to vote in elections. All of us recall that in 1775, as the Second Continental Congress was forging a new Nation conceived in liberty, Abigail Adams admonished her husband John to ``remember the ladies.'' Despite Abigail Adam's advice, it took nearly a century and a half for women to achieve their rightful place as full U.S. citizens. On June 4, 1919, the U.S. Senate passed the 19th Amendment to our Constitution. The courage and determination exhibited by generations of women and men were rewarded in just two sentences: The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. That is it. Those are the words of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote. It is an honor today to join my 24 women Senate colleagues in cosponsoring a resolution commemorating this centennial. The yellow roses that we are wearing are a historic and enduring symbol of the victory that we celebrate today. It has often been said, as Emerson put it, that ``there is properly no history; only biography.'' The story of women's suffrage is an anthology of remarkable biographies. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott led the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. This marked the first time that American women formally demanded the vote. The convention produced the landmark Declaration of Sentiments. Using the Declaration of Independence as a template, it states: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men and women are created equal.'' The early women's rights movement was closely linked to the abolition of slavery. Lucretia Mott made her position clear. She said: ``I have no idea of submitting tamely to injustice inflicted either on me or on the slave. I will oppose it with all the moral powers with which I am endowed.'' Among the most vigorous advocates of women's suffrage were those who knew too well the lash of oppression, the escaped slaves Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. Another very important incident in the march of history occurred in 1872. Susan B. Anthony and 14 other women in Rochester, New York, illegally voted in that year's Presidential election. They were promptly arrested. Susan B. Anthony was put on trial, convicted, and ordered to pay a fine of $100 or face imprisonment. Imagine--for voting. She bravely refused, saying that she would never submit to this ``high-handed outrage upon my citizen's rights.'' The authorities wisely chose not to pursue collecting the fine. Suffrage leaders realized that nothing short of a constitutional amendment would do--one modelled after the 15th Amendment, which granted the vote to all men regardless of race. With new leaders--such as Carrie Chapman Catt and, later, Alice Paul--stepping forward, a strategy was developed to use every peaceful instrument to change the hearts and minds of political leaders and the public. In addition to marches, rallies, and petitions, they enlisted the power of the pulpit and the press in their just cause. It took more than four decades for this strategy to succeed, and strong Maine women played key roles. Katherine Reed Balentine, the daughter of the legendary Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas Brackett Reed, led the Maine Woman Suffrage Association. Author and activist Florence Brooks Whitehouse became a nationally known suffrage organizer and offered these words to opponents of this cause: ``This you must know; the world is mine, as yours.'' I am proud to report that when the 19th Amendment came to the Senate floor on that historic day, exactly 100 years ago, both of Maine's Senators, Republicans Bert Fernald and Frederick Hale, were among the 56 voting in favor. Following Senate passage, all that remained was for 36 of the 48 States to vote for ratification. Maine became the 19th State to ratify the 19th Amendment, but it wasn't easy. An earlier popular referendum on women's suffrage in Maine got clobbered at the polls by a margin of nearly 2 to 1. Of course, women were not allowed to vote on their own future, which obviously skewed the results. Recognizing the inherent unfairness of the situation, Maine's Republican Governor, Carl Milliken, called an emergency session of the State legislature and ushered the measure through by a vote of 72 to 68. By the summer of 1920, only one more State was needed to reach the magic number of 36. The Nation's eyes were on the State of Tennessee, where the amendment was before the legislature. The outlook was discouraging. After two rollcall votes, suffrage opponents, who wore red roses on their lapels, were in a dead heat with the yellow rose supporters. If the measure failed to pass in Tennessee, the 19th Amendment would not be ratified. At the last possible moment, the youngest Tennessee lawmaker, Harry Burn, despite the red rose that he wore--which indicated you were in opposition--cast his vote in favor of ratification. After evading an angry mob by climbing out of a third floor window in the Maine Capitol Building and hiding in the attic, Representative Burn explained that he changed his mind after he received a letter from his mother, telling him: ``Don't forget to be a good boy'' and to do the right thing. I am sure the Presiding Officer is very familiar with this story. One of my inspirations in public service, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, once addressed the question of what is a woman's proper place. Her famous short answer was this: ``Everywhere.'' The rest of her answer describes the importance of the struggle and the success that we celebrate today. She said: ``If there is any proper place for women today, it is that of alert and responsible citizens in the fullest sense of the word.'' It is a great pleasure to join my colleagues--particularly the senior Democratic woman Senator, Dianne Feinstein of California--in saluting those great, courageous, and persistent women who, over many long decades and through much difficulty, guided our Nation to that proper place by giving women the long, overdue right to be full citizens in this country--the right to vote. Madam President, it is now my great pleasure to yield to my friend and distinguished colleague, Senator Feinstein.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I thank the Senator from California for her remarks and yield time now to the Senator from Illinois, Ms. Duckworth.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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