Susan Collins

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Jon Tester once said he didn't know how his Senate colleagues saw him, but he hoped it was, first and foremost, as a farmer. Beyond his ability to drive a tractor or lug a container of beef raised on his Montana ranch to Washington, we have seen in Jon the best qualities of that noble occupation: hard work, resilience, and common sense. With his wife Sharla, Jon still farms the land near Big Sandy, MT, that has been in his family for more than a century. He was brought up to believe that public education, strong families, and civic engagement form the foundation of our democracy, and he has demonstrated that conviction as a teacher, school board member, and leader of the Montana State Senate. In the U.S. Senate, Jon has been an advocate of rural America and its farmers and ranchers, small business owners, sportsmen and women, and Tribal Nations. He has championed responsible energy development, improving schools, and expanding high-quality healthcare to underserved communities. It has been a pleasure to work with Jon on many issues. Maine and Montana share the distinction of having two of the highest percentages of veterans in the Nation, and we have joined together to honor America's patriots by both strengthening the benefits veterans have earned through their service and ensuring that our Armed Forces today have the resources they need to defend our Nation. As cochairs of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in this Congress, Jon and I crafted two bipartisan bills to fund our national defense priorities. In addition to countless engagements with senior military officials, Chairman Tester held more than 20 hearings and classified briefings--more than any other Subcommittee--performing oversight of the Department of Defense. Many of our meetings were classified, held without cameras or the press. Jon's focus was always on what our troops needed to keep our country safe. From investments to modernize our Nation's nuclear triad to accelerating space-based capabilities, I can attest that our work together has made our Nation's military stronger in the face of increasing threats from China and Russia. We also served as cochairs of the Congressional TRIO Caucus and introduced the Educational Opportunity and Success Act to reauthorize and strengthen Federal programs to support underserved students. Every spring, we lead the Public Schools Week resolution to recognize the importance of education and the contributions of our teachers. Jon was among the group of 10 Senators who negotiated the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. From transportation to broadband, the most significant investment in infrastructure since the interstate highway system in the 1950s is bringing lasting benefits to our Nation. Jon has contributed to our country and served his state. I commend my colleague Senator Jon Tester for his outstanding service and wish him bountiful crops for many years to come.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, it is with a combination of pride and sadness that I rise to pay tribute to a truly extraordinary Senator and a good friend, Senator Mitt Romney. I rise to praise his intelligence, his imagination, and most of all his integrity. That is what has marked and characterized his service throughout his life but particularly here in the Senate. It is a day of sadness because I can't imagine the Senate without Mitt Romney. As a Senator and as a Governor, as a Presidential candidate, as the founder of a successful business, as the savior of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and as a pillar of his faith, Mitt Romney has brought intelligence, knowledge, experience, and, once again, integrity to every task he has undertaken. He meets every challenge with determination and a talent for bringing opposing sides together to forge solutions. He is always focused on getting to yes, on using common sense, and on achieving a result. I have had the pleasure of teaming up with Mitt on so many important issues, many of which he has mentioned. He was among the group of 10 Senators who negotiated the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. From transportation to broadband, the most significant investment in infrastructure since the interstate highway system in the 1950s is bringing lasting benefits to our Nation. Mitt was also key in crafting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act-- landmark, commonsense gun safety legislation that helps to protect America's children, keep our schools safer, and reduce the threat of violence across our country, while preserving the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. Mitt's unshakable belief that the American people must have faith in our elections and that they are free and fair was evident in his countless contributions to the Electoral Count Reform Act, which ensures an orderly transition of Presidential power. Perhaps most impressive, his support for the Respect for Marriage Act demonstrated his fundamental fairness by helping to ensure that millions of loving couples in same-sex marriages will continue to enjoy the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities afforded to all other marriages, while strongly protecting religious liberty. And I give Mitt so much credit for forging the religious liberty protections that, combined with the protections for same-sex marriages, enabled the enactment of the Respect for Marriage Act. He was the one who drafted the religious liberty provisions that were so key. There are other areas where Mitt has been a key player and ahead of his time. From identifying the threat posed by Russia more than a decade ago to pushing Congress and the administration to develop a strategy to better counter the challenge presented by China, Mitt has worked extensively on American foreign policy and national security. He has been a champion for Ukraine and a strong supporter of supplying aid to that brave country in its time of peril. Most of all, Mitt has reminded us over and over again of our $36 trillion national debt and the need to put our trust funds on solid ground. In fact, I think that a great post-Senate responsibility that Mitt could take on is a commission to look at all of those trust funds. He has proposed legislation to do just that. I can't think of a better person to head that commission. Mitt announced his decision to step down from the Senate with these words: While I'm not running for reelection, I'm not retiring from the fight. As he and his wonderful wife Ann move on to this next phase of their lives, I am sure that this outstanding leader will continue to fight for the core values that have made America great.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Senator Joe Manchin often recalls these words of wisdom from his grandmother: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Knowledge and caring define Joe's public service, both here in the Senate and as Governor of his beloved West Virginia. He has always been knowledgeable on the issues and offers practical solutions to real problems. He cares so deeply and so personally about the people he serves and, just as important, about the values that define America. With our Nation increasingly polarized by extremists on both the far left and the far right, Joe is something that we need more of: an extreme moderate. As fiercely independent as the people of the Mountain State, he has demonstrated time and again the strength to stand against the destructive trend of hyperpartisanship, for Joe understands that politics is the art of compromise. He knows that working with those on opposite sides of an issue, figuring out what matters most to each side, and negotiating in good faith produces the best legislation that will withstand the test of time. Joe has been such a positive force throughout his Senate service. In 2013, he was among the first Senators to join in forging an agreement to end a destructive government shutdown that was causing so much harm to our economy and to the faith of the American people who deserved to have their government operating. It was a courageous act for a freshman Senator, but he did it because it was the right thing to do. In his firm stand--which we heard about again today--against eliminating the filibuster, we see another example of his courage and respect for this hallowed institution. He understands that this longstanding tradition of the Senate protects the rights of the minority and produces better legislation because it forces us to work together. Joe has also been such a dear friend, and it has been a privilege to work closely with him on so many vital issues. After the turmoil following the 2020 election, we joined together to lead the bipartisan negotiations that produced the Electoral Count Reform Act. Joe was also, as we have heard from his colleague from West Virginia, 1 of the 10 Senators who negotiated the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the most significant investment in American infrastructure since the establishment of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s. He was vital in securing that long overdue victory for the American people. Being an extreme moderate is not a job for the faint of heart. It means taking a lot of incoming fire from both sides of the political spectrum. But Senator Joe Manchin never flinches, and he always puts progress and problem-solving ahead of partisanship. It has been such an honor to work closely with Joe on countless issues and to call him my dear friend. And, yes, I have had some wonderful times on that boat, the details of which will remain forever sealed. I wish him and his wonderful wife Gayle all of the best in the years to come. And I just have to say, Joe, I will miss you so much. (Applause.)

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, first, let me thank the Senator from New Hampshire, Senator Shaheen, for her extraordinary leadership on diabetes. She has worked night and day on this issue the entire time she has served in the Senate. Together we formed a bipartisan partnership that recognizes that diabetes affects men and women and children of all races, political affiliations, parts of the country. It is ageless. It simply does not care. During American Diabetes Month, it is critical that we continue to raise awareness about the burden of diabetes on the 38 million Americans living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This is an astonishing 12 percent of the U.S. population, and it includes more than 116,000 adults in my State of Maine. For those with type 1 diabetes in particular, there is no day off from this disease. I know so many children who were diagnosed as children with type 1, and this is a disease they will have for the rest of their lives, absent a cure. They include a 10-year-old boy whom I met my very first year in the Senate, in 1997. I will never forget his looking up at me and saying: Senator Collins, I wish I could just have one day off each year from my diabetes--my birthday or Christmas--just one day. It was then that I knew I had to dedicate my efforts toward better treatments, earlier diagnosis, and one day a cure of this devastating disease. Since then, my life has been enriched by getting to know so many people who have type 1 diabetes. I think of Aidan Sweeney, whom I first met at a Children's Congress, where children from all over the United States came to Washington to talk about what it was like to have type 1 diabetes. Aidan was just a toddler when he came with his mother Caroline Sweeney to testify before Congress. She testified for him. Today, he is a thriving college student in Boston. I think of people like Ruby Whitmore, one of my neighbors in Maine, who has had diabetes since a very young age. I think of my niece Nicole Wiesendanger, who has kept a log, a journal of her journey with type 1 diabetes. I think of Bek Hoskins, whom I met just this past year, who, because of the price of insulin, felt that she could not take the full amount that she was advised to take by her doctor and ended up in the emergency room of a hospital, very ill. I am appalled to learn of the experience of Senator Shaheen's granddaughter, who has lived with type 1 since she was just 8 years old and was recently denied care that she requires. I agree with Senator Shaheen that we must hold insurance carriers accountable when they apply unreasonable utilization management techniques that benefit the companies at the expense of everyday Americans and that contradict the best treatment for the person with type 1. Doctors and patients in Maine are frustrated with the unfair burden these practices add to the burdens these individuals are already coping with. We must and we can do better. Diabetes is also one of our country's most costly diseases in both human and economic terms. It is the leading cause of kidney disease, blindness in working-age adults, lower limb amputations, heart disease, and stroke. Approximately one in four healthcare dollars and one in three Medicare dollars are spent treating people with diabetes. Diabetes cost our Nation $413 billion in 2022, and medical expenditures for individuals coping with diabetes are roughly 2.6 times higher than expenditures for those without the disease. As the founder and the cochair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, I have been proud to lead this bipartisan resolution designating the month of November as ``American Diabetes Month.'' My hope is that it will increase public awareness and support for Federal policies and investments that will help us to better treat, prevent, and ultimately cure this disease. I join Senator Shaheen in thanking our many Senate colleagues for supporting this resolution and passing it by unanimous consent on Tuesday. While American Diabetes Month is an important opportunity to raise awareness about the burden of diabetes, it should also be a time to celebrate the progress that we have made in improving the lives of millions of Americans living with this disease. One example of progress is the sustained Federal investments in programs that help prevent and treat the disease and its complications, including the Special Diabetes Program, which, as Senator Shaheen pointed out, is set to expire at the end of this year. We cannot allow that to occur. Earlier this month, I was proud to lead a bipartisan letter to our Senate leadership, signed by 55 Senators, emphasizing the importance of the Special Diabetes Program. From new technologies like the artificial pancreas systems to new therapies to delay the clinical onset of type 1 diabetes, this program is improving the lives of people with diabetes today and accelerating the progress to cures. I remember when I first became involved in this issue, the number of daily finger pricks that were necessary, the alarms that had to be set during the nights so that parents could check on their children with type 1, the burdensome large pump systems that were used. We have come so far with the closed-loop artificial pancreas, the continuous glucose monitors that can send a phone message and an alarm to a parent if a child's blood sugar has become too high or too low. We have come a long way. But it has taken investment, and that is what we must continue. Through continued Federal investment in biomedical research and prevention programs and by passing bipartisan legislation to address the high costs of insulin, like our INSULIN Act, as well as broader pharmacy benefit manager reform, Congress has the opportunity to continue to build on this progress for the benefit of those living with diabetes. Madam President, I look forward to continuing to partner with Senator Shaheen and the members of the Senate Diabetes Caucus that we cochair to advance policies, to remove barriers to care, to lower the costs of insulin, and to support the critical research and prevention programs that are so important to the quality of life to those millions of Americans living with diabetes. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled vote occur immediately.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize LaShawnda Smith on her retirement after 29 years of service with the Senate Appropriations Committee. LaShawnda first joined the committee in 1993 as a detailee from the Department of Veterans Affairs, working on what was then the Subcommittee on the VA, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies. She later accepted a role at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Congressional Affairs. It was not long, however, until she would find herself back on the committee as a detailee, this time on loan from HUD. LaShawnda eventually joined the committee full-time in 1995 under the leadership of then-Chairman Mark Hatfield and Vice Chairman Robert Byrd. Since then, LaShawnda has faithfully served under the Republican leadership of Senators Ted Stevens, Thad Cochran, Richard Shelby, and now me, providing support to the committee and its various subcommittees. Anyone who has worked with LaShawnda knows what a dependable member of the Senate community she has been. She has helped the wheels of the Appropriations Committee move forward in service to the American people throughout her career. LaShawnda will be missed by her colleagues and friends, and she deserves this Chamber's collective thanks for her dedicated work as she leaves to spend time with her family in Tennessee, including her daughters Dominique and Briana, two granddaughters Nyelah and Nyani, and two grandpups Lucci and Cairo. The committee will miss LaShawnda's steady, stabilizing presence, and we wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement from the Senate and in her new full-time role as a doting grandmother.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, before I begin my remarks on the continuing resolution to fund the government, I do have to take just a moment to note that today is National Lobster Day, and that is extremely important to the State of Maine. Just last week, I treated the Members of my caucus to a wonderful lobster lunch, complete also with Maine potatoes and Maine wild blueberry pie. That should be an incentive for people to become Republicans, I would think, to get that annual lobster lunch. But it is an iconic industry in my State. If you ask people about the State of Maine, lobster always comes up. So I do want to acknowledge that Senator King and I have once again this year noted that September 25 is National Lobster Day, and we appreciate the support of our colleagues. Government Funding Now, Madam President, I rise to urge passage of the government funding measure that was approved by the House of Representatives earlier today. The bill, which is known as a continuing resolution, or a CR, is straightforward. Most important of all, it prevents a government shutdown. Government shutdowns are inherently a failure to govern effectively. They have negative consequences all across government. They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents or members of our military or air traffic controllers, to report to work but with no certainty that they will be paid. We simply cannot allow that to occur. Other harmful impacts have been outlined by the Secretary of Defense and all of the service Secretaries who point out that new defense programs cannot be started when there is a government shutdown--that inevitably increases costs to the taxpayers--and programs that should be terminated or trimmed are continuing to be funded at current levels. So we can't have--or stopped altogether, as people cannot do their work--so we cannot have a government shutdown. This continuing resolution is not perfect, but it is an effort to extend current year program levels through December 20, with limited exceptions aimed primarily at preventing program disruptions and preparing for the Presidential transition and inaugural activities. I would also note that this temporary funding bill includes $231 million for the Secret Service's immediate protection operations following the two recent assassination attempts on the life of former President Trump. All of us are aware that there also is a plot by the Iranian Government to assassinate President Trump. So we need to make sure we are providing robust protection. While the first attempt on President Trump's life, the Secret Service has conceded, was due to poor communication and other failures, the Secret Service has also asked for this additional funding. It is absolutely essential as they deal with the increased threat environment and ensure that our current President and Vice President and Presidential candidates are all fully protected. As I mentioned, the Secret Service has acknowledged that the security failure on July 13 was not a result of a lack of resources. The additional funding in this bill will help to surge support to meet emergent personnel, equipment, and logistical needs. It will also allow for the Department of Defense to be reimbursed for the activities that it provides and will now resume for former President Trump. The continuing resolution also allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, immediate access to more than $20 billion for its Disaster Relief Fund to sustain disaster assistance during the period covered by this CR. This funding resolution is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations. It is essential that it be adopted in order to prevent a government shutdown, and I urge its adoption.

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I do think it is important to point out that the House passed this bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today to introduce two bills: the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregiver Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act. These bills, which I am introducing today with my colleague from Virginia, Senator Warner, would enable family caregivers to better save for retirement. Family caregivers play an essential role in American society: caring for this Nation's children and elderly. While providing many vital services for their loved ones, these caregivers often suffer economically. According to a new study from the Edward Jones Grassroots Taskforce, 64 percent of women say their caregiving duties have negatively impacted their ability to save toward their long-term financial goals. In fact, an average 26-year-old female making $60,000 a year leaving the workforce for 5 years to raise her children will lose close to $1 million over her lifetime due to lost retirement assets and wage growth. Those taking care of an aging parent often face similar experiences. While it is difficult to put a dollar amount to the value of the devotion, time, and services that these caregivers provide, the Alzheimer's Association has estimated that in 2023, family caregivers provided $350 billion in uncompensated long-term care. For this reason, the American retirement system needs to change to benefit family caregivers. Our legislation would enable family caregivers to contribute to their retirement funds without significant income. Currently, contributions are capped to Roth IRAs at $7,000 or yearly income, whichever is less; therefore a family caregiver earning less than $7,000 annually is severely limited in their ability to contribute to a retirement account. The Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregiver Act, would eliminate the income cap for family caregivers, enabling them to contribute to a Roth IRA through other savings accounts up to$7,000 annually. In addition, our current retirement system allows those over the age of 50 to contribute more money to their retirement than the statutory limit, the idea being that those in their fifties have more discretionary income than they did when they were younger to put towards retirement. Using the same logic, the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act would give family caregivers extra years of maximum catch-up contributions for every year they were sidelined from the workforce to be a family caregiver. These complementary bills would allow family caregivers to invest more in their retirement funds now and later. These complementary bills would allow family caregivers to invest more in their retirement funds now and later. They have earned to support of important stakeholder organizations that represent family caregivers, including the Alzheimer's Association and the Alzheimer's Impact Movement. In letters that support these bills, they write, ``Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer's or another dementia. Alzheimer's takes a devastating toll on caregivers.'' I am grateful for the support of these groups who know how important these retirement reforms will be to the financial security of caregivers who sacrifice for their loved ones. I urge my colleagues to support our legislation. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bills be printed in the Record:

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today to introduce two bills: the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregiver Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act. These bills, which I am introducing today with my colleague from Virginia, Senator Warner, would enable family caregivers to better save for retirement. Family caregivers play an essential role in American society: caring for this Nation's children and elderly. While providing many vital services for their loved ones, these caregivers often suffer economically. According to a new study from the Edward Jones Grassroots Taskforce, 64 percent of women say their caregiving duties have negatively impacted their ability to save toward their long-term financial goals. In fact, an average 26-year-old female making $60,000 a year leaving the workforce for 5 years to raise her children will lose close to $1 million over her lifetime due to lost retirement assets and wage growth. Those taking care of an aging parent often face similar experiences. While it is difficult to put a dollar amount to the value of the devotion, time, and services that these caregivers provide, the Alzheimer's Association has estimated that in 2023, family caregivers provided $350 billion in uncompensated long-term care. For this reason, the American retirement system needs to change to benefit family caregivers. Our legislation would enable family caregivers to contribute to their retirement funds without significant income. Currently, contributions are capped to Roth IRAs at $7,000 or yearly income, whichever is less; therefore a family caregiver earning less than $7,000 annually is severely limited in their ability to contribute to a retirement account. The Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregiver Act, would eliminate the income cap for family caregivers, enabling them to contribute to a Roth IRA through other savings accounts up to$7,000 annually. In addition, our current retirement system allows those over the age of 50 to contribute more money to their retirement than the statutory limit, the idea being that those in their fifties have more discretionary income than they did when they were younger to put towards retirement. Using the same logic, the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act would give family caregivers extra years of maximum catch-up contributions for every year they were sidelined from the workforce to be a family caregiver. These complementary bills would allow family caregivers to invest more in their retirement funds now and later. These complementary bills would allow family caregivers to invest more in their retirement funds now and later. They have earned to support of important stakeholder organizations that represent family caregivers, including the Alzheimer's Association and the Alzheimer's Impact Movement. In letters that support these bills, they write, ``Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer's or another dementia. Alzheimer's takes a devastating toll on caregivers.'' I am grateful for the support of these groups who know how important these retirement reforms will be to the financial security of caregivers who sacrifice for their loved ones. I urge my colleagues to support our legislation. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bills be printed in the Record:

Ms. COLLINS

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 today to point out that we are only 12 days from the end of the fiscal year and to call upon the majority leader to bring the appropriations bills to the Senate floor. We have wasted the last 2 weeks. We have spent time voting on issues that were not nearly as time-sensitive. By the end of July, the Senate Appropriations Committee had held hearings on, thoroughly considered at full committee markups, and reported for consideration by the full Senate 11 of the 12 appropriations bills, roughly 96 percent of the discretionary funding permitted by the caps. All of the bills--all of them--received strong bipartisan support. We advanced six of the bills unanimously. Unanimous support for any bill in today's Senate is no small feat and a testament to the hard work and seriousness of our committee members on both sides of the aisle, led by our chair, the senior Senator from Washington. But what has happened after the committee reported its bills? Nothing. They have languished on the Senate calendar. Instead of taking up the Senate committee-passed bills--including bills that passed unanimously--that we passed earlier in the summer, the Senate has spent this month processing nominations and taking show votes aimed at scoring political points. Show votes: We had another of those yesterday. We voted for the second time on the exact same bill on IVF. What was that? That is not what the Senate should be doing at this critical time. That was simply an attempt by the majority leader to score political points, and I think that is highly unfortunate. We need to get back to legislating, and surely funding our government is an imperative. The Founders envisioned the Senate as a deliberative institution. As I indicated, by July, the Senate Appropriations Committee had advanced the fiscal year 2025 Defense appropriations bill by a vote of 28 to 0. It was unanimous. The bill would provide our military with the resources it needs to confront the global threats facing the United States, which combatant commanders have described to me as being the worst and most dangerous in 50 years. Our bill rejects the administration's budget that would have led to the smallest Air Force in history and would have yielded the seas to the growing Chinese navy. The committee, instead, called for a 3.3 percent increase in defense funding levels compared to last year. Our bill strengthens our military across all domains: air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace. Our bill would also provide our brave men and women in uniform the pay and benefits that they deserve. It would fund a 4.5-percent pay increase for most of our service men and women and a 5.5-percent pay increase for the most junior enlisted personnel. These are just some of the highlights of the bill. Our bill includes $37 million for Navy shipbuilding, the largest shipbuilding budget ever. It begins to reverse the dangerous decline in the number of Navy ships. For the Air Force, the bill provides additional funding to make nearly 500 more aircraft available than the President's budget request would allow. The bill addresses the changing face of warfare with $1 billion for counterdrone capabilities to address this evolving threat. The growing use of drones by Iran and its proxies as well as Russia in its attacks in Ukraine have demonstrated that warfare has changed and so must our strategies and budgets. These are just some of the highlights of this critically important appropriations bill that we should have been debating, amending, and passing on the Senate floor. Mr. President, don't take just my word for it. I would ask unanimous consent to submit for the Record letters on why we need a full-year defense appropriations bill and describing the harm of long continuing resolutions. One of the letters is from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. One is from the Secretary of Defense. One is from the Chief of Naval Operations. One is from the Commandant of the Marine Corps. One is from the Secretary of the Navy. One is a letter from The Military Coalition, representing more than 5.5 million current and former servicemembers, their families, and caregivers. One is from the Aerospace Industries Association. I could go on and on. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that those letters be printed at the end of my remarks.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, here is my point. It does not have to be this way. If the Senate majority leader had prioritized bringing appropriations bills to the floor, we could be in conference now with our Senate colleagues on some of the most important funding bills and send them to the President's desk prior to the October 1 start of the fiscal year. The Senate is not doing its job. We should be considering these bills, not engaging in show votes.

Ms. COLLINS. I yield the floor.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I just want to thank the distinguished ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for his extraordinary leadership. He has charted a future for defense spending that recognizes the extraordinary threats that we face, and it has been a real honor to work with him. I yield to the Senator from Alabama, Mrs. Britt.

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I just want to thank the Senator from Alabama for her eloquent words, her passion, and her leadership. She is absolutely correct that there is no reason for us to be in the situation that we find ourselves in just 12 days before the start of the new fiscal year. There is no reason why the Defense appropriations bill, the military construction VA bill, the Labor HHS bill, the CJS bill--I could go on and on. There is no reason why the Senate appropriations approved bills could not have been brought to the Senate floor. They are important. Funding the government is critical. And as the distinguished Senator from Alabama points out, when we go on to continuing resolutions, we cause enormous harm, which is why I entered into the record all of those letters from the Department of Defense and to other organizations. And here is the other point: As the Senator from Alabama has pointed out, we end up spending more money. It costs us more money because contracts are put on hold, new starts are delayed, and programs that should be trimmed back or eliminated continue to be funded. This just is not how the Senate should operate. And I implored the majority leader more than once to bring the appropriations bills to the Senate floor, and it is harmful to our Nation and particularly to our national defense that these bills were not brought to the floor. I yield the floor.

Ms. COLLINS

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

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

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today to introduce the Armed Forces Crisis Intervention Notification Act. This legislation is in response to the October 25, 2023, tragedy in Lewiston, ME. On that day, 18 Mainers were killed and 13 injured during the worst mass shooting in Maine's history. For 2 days, Lewiston and the surrounding communities were locked down and people were frightened as law enforcement searched for the shooter. It was a horrific event that Mainers will never forgot, nor should we. The phrase ``Lewiston strong'' continues to echo across our State as we remember those whom we lost nearly a year ago. The victims were enjoying time with their family and friends at a local bowling alley and a restaurant. They included four members of Maine's deaf community who had gathered at the restaurant that evening to play cornhole. They also included a 14-year-old high school honors student, an Army veteran who served tours in Iraq, and a volunteer coach for a youth bowling league. They were parents, husbands and wives, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Lives were forever changed on that day as families continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones. The shooter was a sergeant first class in the Army Reserve. In the aftermath of the shootings, I led the Maine delegation in requesting an independent review by the inspector general of the Army to help us better understand what happened and what could have been done differently to help prevent this tragedy. I said then that I wanted to use the results of that review--as well as the findings of a separate investigation by the Army Reserve and the independent commission established by the Governor of Maine--to inform potential Federal legislation that could help prevent future shootings. The Army Reserve and the Army inspector general released their reports in July, and the independent commission appointed by the Governor released its report just last month. I commend the commission for its thorough report, and I thank the chairman of the commission, former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Daniel Wathen for his leadership. All of these investigations revealed that there were numerous missed opportunities to potentially intervene and prevent this horrific tragedy. In many instances, there was a clear lack of effective communication and coordination. For example, the independent commission concluded that the local sheriff's office was ``justified in pointing out that the Army Reserve did not share all relevant information it had about [the shooter's] behavior.'' In its report, the commission went on to explain that had Army Reserve personnel ``presented a full and complete accounting of the facts, the [sheriff's office] might have acted more assertively.'' The findings of these investigations into the Lewiston shootings also serve as a stark reminder that members of our Armed Forces are not immune from mental illness. So, today, I am introducing legislation that is designed to help address these significant issues. If enacted, my bill will move us closer to achieving our goals of making our communities safer and ensuring that servicemembers in crisis get the assistance they need to prevent injury to themselves and to others. This bill is premised on my belief, which is supported by the findings of the investigations, that State crisis intervention programs should be fully utilized by our military when appropriate and with adequate due process protections. This can only happen, however, if relevant information is shared in a timely and effective manner. The Armed Forces Crisis Intervention Notification Act would facilitate that kind of communication and coordination between the Armed Forces and the relevant State, county, and local authorities that was lacking during the months leading up to the mass shootings in Lewiston. Specifically, this bill would direct the Armed Forces to fully utilize State crisis intervention programs in certain circumstances where the risk of harm is the greatest--namely, when a servicemember is determined to be unfit to possess military firearms due to that member making serious, credible threats of violence against themselves or against others or when a servicemember has been involuntarily committed to a hospital that specializes in caring for people with mental illness. ``Fully utilize'' is defined in the bill to mean taking action available to third parties under a State crisis intervention program and providing relevant material facts to appropriate law enforcement or judicial personnel. In the case of the Lewiston shooter, Robert Card, the Army Reserve determined that he should not have access to military weapons and facilitated his treatment at a mental hospital, but regrettably, it did not provide civilian law enforcement in Maine, where he resided, or in New York, where he was training, with all of the relevant information that it had. This bill would direct that such information be provided to the appropriate authorities through an established process so that the authorities can make fully informed decisions about whether to take additional steps pursuant to a State crisis intervention program. The bill also facilitates information sharing by directing the branches of our Armed Forces to fully participate in judicial proceedings authorized as part of a State crisis intervention program. This means that the branches of our Armed Forces would be required to produce upon request evidence as part of those proceedings. This provision is especially meaningful. If this bill had been law prior to the shootings and Maine law enforcement had initiated proceedings under the State of Maine's yellow flag law, the Army would have been directed to produce evidence that could have resulted in the shooter losing possession of his personal weapons--the weapons that he used to murder 18 people--and at the same time, he could have received additional treatment for his severe mental illness. I have worked for months to carefully craft this legislation, which also reflects the findings and recommendations of the three separate investigations I previously described. While drafting this bill, I solicited input from the relevant stakeholders--including the Army, veterans service organizations, and sportsman's groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. Responsible gun ownership is part of the heritage of many Maine families. The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine has long been an effective voice in our State for preserving this heritage and protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans, while recognizing that there are extreme circumstances in which action must be taken to intervene in order to prevent gun-related violence. I thank them for their thoughtful input and advice. The product of this collaborative and consultative process is a bill that is carefully constructed. It is a bill that is designed to save lives. It is important to note once again that this proposal protects the due process and Second Amendment rights of servicemembers. It would not create a Federal crisis intervention program or impose new requirements on States or alter existing State programs or direct States to adopt such crisis intervention programs. The bill preserves the ability of States to craft their own crisis intervention programs. The Armed Forces would simply operate within each State's framework, provided that the State programs adhere to the due process and Second Amendment protections already specified by Congress in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Moreover, if a current or former servicemember seeks to regain possession of his or her firearms through a judicial proceeding, he or she would be entitled to evidence from the military that could be helpful to his or her case. This legislation also does not affect the military's existing authority to disarm servicemembers of their issued weapons in a broad range of situations that are unrelated to a serious, credible threat of violence or involuntary commitment to a mental hospital. We often search for something good to come from a terrible tragedy. After shoppers were killed in Buffalo, NY, and schoolchildren and teachers were murdered in Uvalde, TX, we came together in this Chamber to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. I was honored to be part of that effort, which I believe has saved lives. Indeed, in June, the Department of Justice announced that it had charged more than 500 defendants under the provisions of that law that target unlawful trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms. I coauthored those provisions to help take dangerous criminals off the streets, and that is exactly what is happening. Nothing that we can do can take away the pain, the shock, and the understandable anger felt by the families who lost loved ones last October, but we can and we should take legislative and administrative actions in response to the Lewiston tragedy. By taking such actions, we have a chance to help servicemembers in crisis. We have a chance to help protect our neighbors, our families, our communities. We have a chance to save lives. Let me end by thanking my colleague from Maine Senator King for cosponsoring this legislation. I urge the rest of our colleagues to join us in this important effort.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today to introduce the Armed Forces Crisis Intervention Notification Act. This legislation is in response to the October 25, 2023, tragedy in Lewiston, ME. On that day, 18 Mainers were killed and 13 injured during the worst mass shooting in Maine's history. For 2 days, Lewiston and the surrounding communities were locked down and people were frightened as law enforcement searched for the shooter. It was a horrific event that Mainers will never forgot, nor should we. The phrase ``Lewiston strong'' continues to echo across our State as we remember those whom we lost nearly a year ago. The victims were enjoying time with their family and friends at a local bowling alley and a restaurant. They included four members of Maine's deaf community who had gathered at the restaurant that evening to play cornhole. They also included a 14-year-old high school honors student, an Army veteran who served tours in Iraq, and a volunteer coach for a youth bowling league. They were parents, husbands and wives, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Lives were forever changed on that day as families continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones. The shooter was a sergeant first class in the Army Reserve. In the aftermath of the shootings, I led the Maine delegation in requesting an independent review by the inspector general of the Army to help us better understand what happened and what could have been done differently to help prevent this tragedy. I said then that I wanted to use the results of that review--as well as the findings of a separate investigation by the Army Reserve and the independent commission established by the Governor of Maine--to inform potential Federal legislation that could help prevent future shootings. The Army Reserve and the Army inspector general released their reports in July, and the independent commission appointed by the Governor released its report just last month. I commend the commission for its thorough report, and I thank the chairman of the commission, former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Daniel Wathen for his leadership. All of these investigations revealed that there were numerous missed opportunities to potentially intervene and prevent this horrific tragedy. In many instances, there was a clear lack of effective communication and coordination. For example, the independent commission concluded that the local sheriff's office was ``justified in pointing out that the Army Reserve did not share all relevant information it had about [the shooter's] behavior.'' In its report, the commission went on to explain that had Army Reserve personnel ``presented a full and complete accounting of the facts, the [sheriff's office] might have acted more assertively.'' The findings of these investigations into the Lewiston shootings also serve as a stark reminder that members of our Armed Forces are not immune from mental illness. So, today, I am introducing legislation that is designed to help address these significant issues. If enacted, my bill will move us closer to achieving our goals of making our communities safer and ensuring that servicemembers in crisis get the assistance they need to prevent injury to themselves and to others. This bill is premised on my belief, which is supported by the findings of the investigations, that State crisis intervention programs should be fully utilized by our military when appropriate and with adequate due process protections. This can only happen, however, if relevant information is shared in a timely and effective manner. The Armed Forces Crisis Intervention Notification Act would facilitate that kind of communication and coordination between the Armed Forces and the relevant State, county, and local authorities that was lacking during the months leading up to the mass shootings in Lewiston. Specifically, this bill would direct the Armed Forces to fully utilize State crisis intervention programs in certain circumstances where the risk of harm is the greatest--namely, when a servicemember is determined to be unfit to possess military firearms due to that member making serious, credible threats of violence against themselves or against others or when a servicemember has been involuntarily committed to a hospital that specializes in caring for people with mental illness. ``Fully utilize'' is defined in the bill to mean taking action available to third parties under a State crisis intervention program and providing relevant material facts to appropriate law enforcement or judicial personnel. In the case of the Lewiston shooter, Robert Card, the Army Reserve determined that he should not have access to military weapons and facilitated his treatment at a mental hospital, but regrettably, it did not provide civilian law enforcement in Maine, where he resided, or in New York, where he was training, with all of the relevant information that it had. This bill would direct that such information be provided to the appropriate authorities through an established process so that the authorities can make fully informed decisions about whether to take additional steps pursuant to a State crisis intervention program. The bill also facilitates information sharing by directing the branches of our Armed Forces to fully participate in judicial proceedings authorized as part of a State crisis intervention program. This means that the branches of our Armed Forces would be required to produce upon request evidence as part of those proceedings. This provision is especially meaningful. If this bill had been law prior to the shootings and Maine law enforcement had initiated proceedings under the State of Maine's yellow flag law, the Army would have been directed to produce evidence that could have resulted in the shooter losing possession of his personal weapons--the weapons that he used to murder 18 people--and at the same time, he could have received additional treatment for his severe mental illness. I have worked for months to carefully craft this legislation, which also reflects the findings and recommendations of the three separate investigations I previously described. While drafting this bill, I solicited input from the relevant stakeholders--including the Army, veterans service organizations, and sportsman's groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. Responsible gun ownership is part of the heritage of many Maine families. The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine has long been an effective voice in our State for preserving this heritage and protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans, while recognizing that there are extreme circumstances in which action must be taken to intervene in order to prevent gun-related violence. I thank them for their thoughtful input and advice. The product of this collaborative and consultative process is a bill that is carefully constructed. It is a bill that is designed to save lives. It is important to note once again that this proposal protects the due process and Second Amendment rights of servicemembers. It would not create a Federal crisis intervention program or impose new requirements on States or alter existing State programs or direct States to adopt such crisis intervention programs. The bill preserves the ability of States to craft their own crisis intervention programs. The Armed Forces would simply operate within each State's framework, provided that the State programs adhere to the due process and Second Amendment protections already specified by Congress in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Moreover, if a current or former servicemember seeks to regain possession of his or her firearms through a judicial proceeding, he or she would be entitled to evidence from the military that could be helpful to his or her case. This legislation also does not affect the military's existing authority to disarm servicemembers of their issued weapons in a broad range of situations that are unrelated to a serious, credible threat of violence or involuntary commitment to a mental hospital. We often search for something good to come from a terrible tragedy. After shoppers were killed in Buffalo, NY, and schoolchildren and teachers were murdered in Uvalde, TX, we came together in this Chamber to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. I was honored to be part of that effort, which I believe has saved lives. Indeed, in June, the Department of Justice announced that it had charged more than 500 defendants under the provisions of that law that target unlawful trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms. I coauthored those provisions to help take dangerous criminals off the streets, and that is exactly what is happening. Nothing that we can do can take away the pain, the shock, and the understandable anger felt by the families who lost loved ones last October, but we can and we should take legislative and administrative actions in response to the Lewiston tragedy. By taking such actions, we have a chance to help servicemembers in crisis. We have a chance to help protect our neighbors, our families, our communities. We have a chance to save lives. Let me end by thanking my colleague from Maine Senator King for cosponsoring this legislation. I urge the rest of our colleagues to join us in this important effort.

Mrs. COLLINS

Mrs. COLLINS. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, on September 5, 1924, a new hospital opened its doors in my hometown of Caribou, ME, and admitted its very first patient. Today, I join people throughout the region in celebrating a century of expert, compassionate care at Cary Medical Center. It is fitting that this 100th anniversary coincides with Cary being named as one of the Nation's Top 100 Great Community Hospitals by Becker's Hospital Review. This latest addition to the long and impressive list of national awards and recognitions underscores what CEO Kris Doody said when that announcement was made this summer: ``Working at Cary Medical Center is not just a job. It's a calling.'' From the start, Cary has been a community hospital with the emphasis on ``community.'' It was built on the foundation laid by Dr. Jefferson Cary, a physician as devoted to the people of northern Maine as he was to the practice of medicine. He came to Caribou in 1877, a time when house calls, even in the frigid winter, were made by horse and buggy, medical supplies were scarce, and payment for services was often made with farm products and firewood rather than cash. His skill as a physician was matched, as a friend put it, by his ``untiring devotion to the cause of humanity.'' When Dr. Cary died in 1912, he left the bulk of his estate to Caribou. His bequest enabled the construction of the original hospital and created a legacy of generosity and support that the people of Caribou and the neighboring communities continue today. The new Cary Medical Center, built in 1978, offered greatly expanded facilities and new technology, but the focus on patient-centered care remained unchanged. Cary Medical Center is a nationally recognized leader in providing quality healthcare to rural veterans. Maine has one of the highest percentage of veterans in the country, and we Mainers are proud of our State's commitment to protecting our Nation. We also are proud of our State's care for the brave men and women who have served in uniform, and Cary has led the way. One of the most significant milestones in Cary's storied history came in 1987, when our Nation's first community based outpatient clinic for veterans was established in Caribou. That pioneering work has been of great benefit to America's 3.5 million rural veterans who now receive care close to home at nearly 730 CBOCs throughout the country. The commitment by Cary Medical Center, the Veterans Administration, local veterans, and the entire community transformed healthcare for the men and women who defend our freedom. Based on that success, Cary was selected in 2011 as one of just five sites nationwide for the Access Received Closer to Home pilot program. Maine's successful ARCH program paved the way for the Veterans Community Care Program that enables rural veterans to access the care they need in their communities. Veterans throughout American are grateful for Cary's leadership. From professional education to diabetes care, oncology, and women and children's health, Cary Medical Center offers an ever-expanding array of services. These expansions are made possible by generous community support, led by the active and dedicated professionals and volunteers. The Cary team of physicians, nurses, technicians, staff, and volunteers are joined by grateful and supportive people throughout Aroostook County. Through its partnership with Tufts Medical School's Maine Track Program and Cary's partnership with Pines Health Services, Cary Medical Center is a leader in strengthening rural healthcare. The selection of Cary as a pilot site for the Maine Medical Center and Dartmouth Institute Healthcare Improvement Project further demonstrates Cary's commitment to excellence. My family, like so many others in Aroostook County, has close ties to Cary. My father served as chairman of the board of directors and actually signed the mortgage when the new hospital was built. Decades later, my brother Gregg chaired the board, and today, my niece Clara is a board member. For many years, my uncle Doug Collins, an internist, practiced medicine in Caribou and at Cary. The wonderfully compassionate and skilled healthcare providers at Cary cared for both of my parents during the final days of their lives. I am personally grateful for the leadership of all who have served in this outstanding community hospital. More than a century has passed since Dr. Jefferson Cary practiced medicine, and he could not have foreseen the dramatic advances in healthcare since that time. But he had a vision that his generous gift to the community would benefit future generations. Thanks to the efforts of so many, that vision is a reality. My congratulations to Cary Medical Center for 100 years of going above and beyond, and my best wishes for the years to come.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on Saturday, September 7, I was pleased to join the people of New Gloucester, ME, in celebration of the town's 250th anniversary. It is an honor to recognize this milestone for a town with such a storied and compelling history. Nestled in the northern part of Cumberland County, New Gloucester was first settled in 1739 under a Massachusetts Bay Colony grant by 60 inhabitants from Gloucester, MA. These early settlers built a small establishment above North Yarmouth where they enjoyed bountiful fishing from the Westcustogo River, today known as the Royal River, which originates at Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester. Named in honor of their hometown, the early settlers hoped New Gloucester would be to them what Gloucester had been to their parents: a place of opportunity and prosperity. Conditions on the early northeastern frontier were not always easy, and the settlement had to be abandoned for nearly a decade amid the tumult of the French and Indian War. Ultimately, however, the resilience and determination of those who would make New Gloucester their home won out. Settlers returned in 1754 and erected a blockhouse within a large palisade which protected and housed 12 families until it became safe to build individual homes, with the town rapidly growing into the friendly, tight-knit community locals know today. New Gloucester boasts abundant natural beauty with its idyllic countryside and rolling hills, which have been tilled by hard-working farmers for generations. Today, it is home to Pineland Farms, one of Maine's largest food producers and best-known brands, as well as many family-owned farms who continue the work of their families going back generations. The town is also unique for its rich cultural and religious heritage. The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, which sits at the western end of the town, is home to the last active Shaker community in the world. The village contains a barn, library, and museum which share knowledge of the Shaker's way of life and contain artifacts and heirlooms telling the group's story. It remains an important center for the community, hosting events year-round that include tributes to the history of the native Wabanaki population, harvest festivals, and much more. I joined hundreds of townspeople and many more from across the State for a parade and fair held in commemoration of the town's anniversary. The fair featured over 60 community groups, crafters, and vendors, multiple historic displays, and live music. I so enjoy celebrating Maine's rich history, and Saturday's events were a wonderful example of what unifies the wonderful communities across our State. New Gloucester's 250th anniversary is a time to honor the great people who have made the town such a beautiful and welcoming place to call home. It is my pleasure to offer congratulations and best wishes to them for this very special milestone.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to support passage of two bipartisan bills aimed at continuing the significant progress we are making in treating and, one day, preventing and curing Alzheimer's disease. These bills--S. 133, the National Alzheimer Project Act, or NAPA, as it is referred to, Reauthorization Act, and S. 134, the Alzheimer Accountability and Investment Act would help coordinate the tools of the Federal Government toward reaching these important goals. And I would note, on the floor is the cochair of the Alzheimer's task force in the Senate, Senator Markey, along with the other two cosponsors we are fortunate to have, Senators Warner and Capito. When I first joined the Senate in 1997, there really wasn't much of a focus on Alzheimer's in Washington. It was often called senility and was thought of not as a disease but just as part of growing old. To increase public awareness of Alzheimer's disease, to advance research, and to bring the disease to the forefront of the Congressional agenda, I founded the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's in 1999 here in the Senate. A true milestone in focusing our efforts was the passage of the Bipartisan National Alzheimer's Project Act that I coauthored with then-Senator Evan Bayh in 2011. Before we passed that legislation, which became known as NAPA, there was no coordinated strategic plan to focus our efforts to defeat this devastating disease and ensure that our resources were maximized and leveraged. NAPA tackled this problem by convening a panel of experts to create a coordinated strategic plan to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by the year 2025, an ambitious goal, to be sure. The expert council updates its plan annually. While the 2025 goal regrettably will not be met, it was still important to set an ambitious objective in order to spur research and to instill hope. And, indeed, since then, researchers have made great strides in understanding this complex disease. To put our progress in context, 20 years ago we knew of only four genes that were associated with Alzheimer's disease. Now, researchers have identified more than 70 associated genetic areas, opening multiple new avenues for potential prevention and treatment. There is another point that helps put this into perspective. In the early 2000s, the only sure way to know whether a person had Alzheimer's was through an autopsy. Since then, the National Institutes of Health Research has led to the development of imaging techniques, biomarker tests, and data-driven approaches to enable more precise and earlier diagnoses. And, most recently, decades of NIH research have paved the way for disease-modifying therapies targeting amyloid plaques' role in certain dementias. After directing this decade of progress, the National Alzheimer's Project Act law is scheduled to expire soon. We must reauthorize the law to ensure that research investments remain coordinated to maximize their impact. Toward that end, I introduced the NAPA Reauthorization Act with Senator Warner, which would extend NAPA through 2035 and modernize the legislation to reflect the strides that have been made to better understand the disease, such as including a new focus on promoting healthy aging, reducing risk factors, and supporting family caregivers. The NAPA Reauthorization Act will allow the important work of the expert panel to continue through 2035. Among its provisions, the bill would reauthorize and expand the Advisory Council that assists annually in the development and evaluation of the National Plan. It will also ensure that underserved populations, including individuals with Down syndrome who are at greatly increased risk for Alzheimer's as they age, are included in this important work. I have also introduced the Alzheimer's Accountability and Investment Act with my colleague from Massachusetts who has been such a leader in this area. It would continue through the year 2035 a requirement that the NIH submit an annual budget directly to Congress, estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA's research goals. Only two other areas of biomedical research--cancer and HIV/AIDS-- have been the subject of special budget development aimed at speeding discovery. This ``bypass budget'' helps us understand what additional funding is required to find better treatments, a means of prevention, and ultimately a cure. As cochair along with Senators Warner, Capito, and Markey of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's, I am committed to this effort both on a personal level as well as professionally as a Senator concerned about the impact on our families and our healthcare budgets. On a personal level, I know just how devastating this disease is. I just recently lost my brother-in-law to the disease. My father, grandfather, and two of my uncles also succumbed to Alzheimer's. It is truly a heartbreaking disease. It is heartbreaking when you talk to a loved one and receive only a confused look in reply. Alzheimer's disease is also one of the greatest health challenges of our time. It is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and nearly 7 million Americans are living with the disease. It is also one of the most expensive diseases for society, costing an estimated $360 billion last year alone. Reauthorization of NAPA and the Alzheimer's Accountability and Investment Act would ensure our country is maintaining momentum in our fight against Alzheimer's, just as our investments in research are beginning to translate into promising new treatments. Both laws have no mandatory spending effects, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Both bills are cosponsored by nearly half the Members of this Senate. Both bills have wide-ranging support from national stakeholders, including the Alzheimer's Association, Us Against Alzheimer's, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the National Down Syndrome Congress. And both bills were reported out of the Senate HELP Committee with broad bipartisan support last summer. In order to change the trajectory of this disease that otherwise is projected to claim the minds of 13.8 million seniors and nearly surpass $1 trillion in annual costs by 2050, Congress has a responsibility to pursue effective public policy. Ultimately, I think we are going to discover that this is a multifactorial disease, and that is why all of the research that is going on is so critical to finding effective treatments, a means of prevention, and, one day, a cure. And that is the purpose of these two bills.

Ms. COLLINS

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, so as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 182, S. 133.