Christopher Coons

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Go ahead.

Mr. COONS. At, apparently, another time, I look forward to having the opportunity to hearing some substantiation of the wild charges just made by my colleague from Ohio. I did as much research as I could before appearing in what I had understood, mistakenly, to be the foundation of his objection. Now I look forward to figuring out how this nominee to serve again as an ambassador is an advocate of far-left gender therapies of some kind. Let me make two simple points, if I can, in response to the comments I just heard on the floor. As someone who chairs the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds our development efforts around the world, and particularly in Africa, and as someone who was just in five different countries across the continent, to characterize China's engagement with Africa as one that promotes development in a positive way that is respectful and uplifting, and our engagement as simply ``hectoring,'' badly misses decades of the United States' being the No. 1 supporter of public health across the continent. We are just now celebrating the 20th anniversary of President Bush's signature initiative, PEPFAR, which has saved 25 million lives. The Chinese do not invest in public health anything like the scale and scope the United States does. The Chinese, it is true, don't ask questions about the suppression of minorities, about the mistreatment of journalists, about the closing of political space, about domestic repression, and the United States does. So, if that is to be characterized as hectoring, then I would be glad to stand up for hectoring. We do challenge autocrats across the continent of Africa, and we do stand up for democracy. We also invest significantly in human development at a time when China invests principally in airports and soccer stadiums and highways. So I would be happy to have a debate at any time that my colleague from Ohio chooses to stay long enough to have the discussion about the foundations of our engagement in the developing world. I also, frankly, take exception to his characterization of a talented, long-serving member of the Foreign Service who represented us as a confirmed ambassador in both Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Let me make the core point that I intended to make earlier, but in order to accommodate my colleague's need to be interviewed on television, I cut my comments short. In Sudan today, a newly emerged war is raging between two militaries. Thousands of people are at risk. In particular, Americans are at risk. It is the African Union--a continent-wide organization headquartered in Addis, in Ethiopia's capital--that could and should be the entity that leads to peace in Sudan. To not have a confirmed ambassador is to weaken our ability to engage with the AU and to engage with the leaders of these two military factions in Sudan. For too much of the 2 years of the Biden administration, we have struggled to get confirmations here on the floor of the Senate of talented nominees. We have worked closely together to make sure that we have overcome some of the holds and some of the blocks to nominees in the past. I am disappointed and frustrated by the spurious argument by my colleague as to why he is standing in the way of this particularly capable, seasoned, and experienced member of our Foreign Service. I had imagined, based on previous statements made by my colleague, that he might be objecting to something she said on the occasion of George Floyd's murder, and I came to the floor today with significant, detailed content from the previous administration, making it clear that she wasn't acting simply on her own, that she wasn't acting on some leftist agenda, but that she was acting in response to the direction from both the Africa Bureau and the Deputy Secretary of State. I had thought he might also be referencing a posting that was made on the occasion of a pride event, of an LGBTQ pride event--something that happens in Embassies all over the world and that reflects a shared commitment by the American people to human rights that is understandably part of diversity and inclusion. My hunch is that I will have to wait for another time for my colleague to prioritize debate on the floor of the Senate over making his way to a cable television hit, but I respect my colleague. He is someone who has written a very compelling book, who has been elected by the people of Ohio, and whom I expect to have the opportunity to get to know. We have only served together now for several months, and today was literally the first time we had exchanged words. So I hope there will be more reason and more substance to his opposition to this nominee than what I heard on the floor tonight, and I look forward to engaging with him in that discussion and that debate. With that, I conclude my remarks on this particular topic, and once handed the closing remarks, will speak briefly and then close the floor.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, which I think is now, that it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 20; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; and that following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 28, S. 870.

Mr. COONS. For the information of the Senate, there will be two rollcall votes at 11:15 a.m. and one vote at 1:45 p.m.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, today I would like to talk about S. 316, a bill to repeal the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq. It is well past time to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs. Congress must reaffirm its constitutional authority over war powers, and this vote goes a long way toward asserting the way in which our leaders choose to wage war and use force. Iraq is now a key partner for the United States in the Middle East. I hope the vote today will not only affirm our cooperative and strategic relationship with the country, but also begin a new chapter in U.S.-Iraq bilateral relations. While I was unable to vote in person in its favor, I support the passage of this bill without amendment.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on a topic I have been dreading for months, the departure from my office of my senior adviser and close friend, Jeff Sanchez. After 4 years of dedicated, tireless, outstanding service to me, the people of Delaware, my family, and our country, Jeff is moving on to an exciting new adventure. He didn't want a big farewell party, but he is going to have to endure, before he goes, the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate reflecting the contributions of this remarkable public servant. Jeff is from California, a graduate from Chapman University. He spent a decade on the Hill working for Steny Hoyer, Senator Patty Murray, and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. In my office, he has risen quickly, four promotions in 4 years. He became a central part of my senior team, giving me valued, strategic advice on a whole range of issues, from policy and politics to operations and communications. My team in DC and Delaware quickly came to rely on Jeff. While I have a lot of very positive and humorous input from them, given the press of time, I will read just a few. One staffer said: [Jeff] was the air traffic officer for the office but also [at times] the pilot guiding all staff to a smooth departure with our member and a safe, comfortable landing. Another staffer said: Jeff is a Swiss Army knife. There is nothing this guy can't do. Tireless worker. Great writer. Strategic thinker. Gets the policy and the politics. And my favorite: When Jeff walks in[to] a room, everything just starts working better. His first role in my office was moving me. I mean, physically moving me. I quickly became respectful of his skills. We have driven the streets of DC and Delaware, from Georgetown to Capitol Hill. And while he mostly stayed under the limit and obeyed traffic laws, when it came to getting me to Union Station and getting me home, he was more Mario Andretti than Uber. Sometimes my blood pressure was elevated, but we always arrived safely and on time. From the snows of Davos to the hills of San Francisco and from the streets of Madrid, we traveled to remarkable places together. One of the most striking things about Jeff is the more time you spend with him, the more time you want to spend with him. As we got to know each other better and spent time talking, during our drives, about our families and our hopes for the future, we became closer, and I am so grateful. Jeff has allowed me to offer what I hope has been meaningful advice on life's challenges and opportunities. I have lots of things to poke fun at Jeff. He has a mischievous wit, his own share of quirky habits, and charming preferences. Like a hobbit, he eats a first and second lunch, always from Cups. During late nights when I was tied up here on the floor, he would turn down the lights and deejay for our colleagues--something called Club Jeff. And while he is a foodie, his highest culinary loyalty is Cheesecake Factory. Jeff's parents, Maria and Carlos, are wonderful people from Quito, Ecuador. He is proud of them, and I hope you know, we are proud of you. To Maria, Carlos, Shane, Ronald, his beloved nanny Eloysita, and grandmother Rosa, it is important for you to hear that you raised an amazing and incredible young man, whose integrity and work ethic exceeds anything I have seen among others, and you are the base for his success here in the Senate and in life. I have been blessed to know Jeff, both professionally and personally, and we have come through some of the most challenging and difficult moments in our country's recent history together: President Trump's two impeachments, Joe Biden's Presidential campaign, my own reelection to the Senate, January 6, the whole Biden Presidency, and two of the most legislatively frenetic years in history and a global pandemic. During the pandemic, a core group of six of us came into my offices day in and day out and worked hard. We spent a huge amount of time together--hard days and long nights, working through that crisis. Through the pandemic, Jeff was always there. He has made me a better Senator and a better colleague. He is responsible for and shares in my biggest successes, and his contributions to me, to the country, and to our State are too numerous to mention. I will close with James 2:18: Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. In a town that has its fair share of self-promoters, Jeff has devoted himself to others and does so with humility, discretion, and poise. In an institution where there is often a scramble to occupy the spotlight, Jeff chose to labor behind the scenes and give credit to others. In a culture where some feel entitled to professional awards, Jeff has earned everything he has achieved many times over. It was no surprise that once Jeff decided to look for new opportunities, he has had many compelling options. I am proud of him and the next steps he will take in his life. When I shared the news that Jeff would be moving on from our team, the three most important women in my life--and I don't mean Morgan, Chelsea, and Trinity of our office, but I could; I mean my mother, my wife, and my youngest, Margaret--were so sad to see him go because they have come to trust and admire him the way so many of his colleagues do. He is genuinely a member of our family, and we will deeply miss him. While Jeff is leaving my office next week, he will always be a part of that small group of people I most appreciate, admire, and respect. I look forward to the lifetime of friendship I know we will share. I yield the floor.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, in accordance with rule XXVI, paragraph 2 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I ask unanimous consent for myself as chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics and for Senator Lankford as vice chairman of the committee that the rules of procedure of the Select Committee on Ethics, which were adopted February 23, 1978, and revised November 1999, be printed in the Congressional Record for the 118th Congress.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, for myself as chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics and for Senator Lankford, vice chairman of the committee, that the Annual Report of the Select Committee on Ethics for calendar year 2022 be printed in the Record. The committee issued this report on January 31, 2023, as required by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the achievement of the Stennis Center for Public Service's service-oriented students, following the publication of their journal, the ``Public Service Review.'' For all who are looking for encouragement about the future of our country, I want to bring to your attention the most recently published issues of ``Public Service Review,'' produced by the Stennis Center for Public Service. ``Public Service Review'' features inspiring and informative stories from young leaders who share in their own words their experiences, insights, hopes, and dreams as they engage in public service through internships, jobs, and activities in their communities and throughout the world. The publication, available on the Stennis Center's website at www.stennis.gov, provides a glimpse into the future for all who care deeply about the future of American democracy. As they explore the challenges and rewards of public service, the commitment of these young leaders to help keep our Nation strong and free is truly inspirational. The 33 authors featured in the 2022 issues are Adam Duffy of Ohio State University, Alex Siegal of Columbia University, Alexandra Dorotinsky of University of New Haven, Amanda Guilardi of American University, Anna Zmistowski of University of Maine School of Law, Catherine Lawson of Texas A&M University, Jaydn Smith of Hastings College, Owen Rosenberg of American University, Alexandra Schindewolf of Rutgers University, Ava Goble of University of Hawai'i, Ben Savercool of California State University, Chico, Caroline Rykard of University of Georgia, Diana Grechukhina of Salisbury University, Disha Jhaveri of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Drew Ficociello of George Washington University, MAJ Matt Romanowski of Princeton University and U.S. Army, Ethan Sanders of Oklahoma State University, Jagaar Halverson of Grand Canyon University, Jennifer Rivera Galindo of Florida International University, Kathleen Griffith of University of South Carolina, McKayla Steineke of Northeastern University, Mia Robertson of Mississippi State University, Alanna Cronk of Georgetown University, Mini Ganesh of Harvard College, Natalie Gilbert of Georgetown University, Anum Syed of West Chester University, Avinash Maniam of Rutgers University, Mignely Nunez of Indian University Bloomington, Natalie Salazar of Carnegie Mellon University, Niklas Kleinworth of University of Idaho, Sydney Smith of Claremont McKenna College, Victoria Izaguirre of Texas A&M University, and Zach Blair-Andrews of University of South Florida. ``Public Service Review'' provides these young leaders an opportunity to write about their experiences and inspirations in their own words, sharing stories of challenge and hope as they engage in public service in a variety of formats and focus on a range of causes that draw their passion. Not only do their stories inspire those of us engaged in public service here in Congress and elsewhere, but their experiences provide insights and guidance for younger students as they look for ways to become involved in public service. On behalf of my colleagues, who I serve with on the Stennis Center Board of Trustees, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Tom Daffron, U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, and former U.S. Representative Martha Roby, I commend the Stennis Center for this excellent publication and urge you to read it and share it with others who will benefit from reading these inspiring stories.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize an excerpt of this article by George Black, honoring the legacies of Senator Patrick Leahy and Tim Rieser, that was originally published in the New Republic on December 19, 2022. I ask unanimous consent that the following excerpt honoring Senator Patrick Leahy and Tim Rieser be printed in the Record.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, on behalf of some of the 400 Senators with whom Senator Leahy, Chairman Leahy, has served, I just wanted to rise as one of the most junior to have served with him to express my gratitude for what he has done for so many of his colleagues as a mentor, a role model, and a friend. Annie and I are so grateful to you and Marcelle for the warm welcome you gave us when we first arrived a dozen years ago, and I will never forget our first encounter. Some know that when I was elected in 2010, I was nicknamed ``the accidental Senator'' because I had an opponent who had said something awkward on television about being a witch, and I won by a decisive margin, despite being initially viewed as a real, real long shot. So, when I had been here just a few weeks, I was summoned to the office of the chairman of the Judiciary Committee--the President pro tem. As I sat there, he had a fire burning in the fireplace of this majestic office. He thundered at me for a few minutes: I am thinking of an obscure county-elected official--someone no one thought could win, someone with none of the qualifications or experience for a U.S. Senator, someone 99th in seniority. Who am I thinking about? I shrank back in my chair and said: Why--why, Mr. Chairman, clearly, you are thinking of me. He goes: No. Me. When I first got here as a 33-year-old former county prosecutor, everyone said I was an accidental Senator. Today, you call me chairman and President pro tem. Don't ever forget this moment and how it feels-- your awe of this place. In every election, promise me you will go find someone who is a long shot--an unexpected winner--and invest some time and effort in them. Then, to make the meeting more memorable, he handed me a generous check with which to hire staff counsel for my Judiciary subcommittee. Patrick, I will never forget that first encounter. It would be enough if that were the only time you had shown me generosity and kindness, but there are dozens and dozens more, like the codel that Annie and I joined you and Marcelle on when we went to Haiti, to Cuba, and to Colombia. We got to go to a mountaintop and see the remarkable Kogi people, who are pre-Colombian, and they witnessed to us about the impact of climate change in a moment I will never forget. You took me along with you to visit Alan Gross in a Cuban prison. You showed me what this place can do and what an American who is dedicated to leading with our values can accomplish. As your successor in chairing the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I am passionate about continuing your work to ban landmines and to fund the victims of war; to ensure that our commitment to clean up the legacy we left behind in Vietnam is carried out; and to ensure the Leahy Law--one of the many things you have done that bears your name--is justifiably moved forward. In those first 6 months, you gave me a chance to do a field hearing in Delaware with you, as a new member of the Judiciary Committee. In some of these last weeks together, you have shown us, yet again, what it means to be committed to your State; to leave a legacy of decency, kindness, persistence, thoughtfulness; and to insist on a Senate where Senators keep their word. You have had an incredible staff who has been wonderful to work with. You have honored your family in your service, and you have inspired a younger generation of Senators to continue in the way that you have led. While I know I will never cast 17,000 votes, it is only my hope that, someday, many years from now, I can thunder at some very junior Senator and share with him the story of this most seasoned and most admirable President pro tem, my friend. Thank you, Patrick. Thank you, Marcelle. You are wonderful colleagues and friends. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I would like to thank my colleague and senior Senator. As a member of the Delaware bar myself for 30 years and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I could not be prouder of the moment we are about to participate in here in the U.S. Senate confirming the next member of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. It was 30 years ago that I was a clerk on that same court for Judge Jane Roth of Wilmington, DE, a distinguished jurist, a remarkable mind, and a great leader in the Delaware bench and bar. And I am thrilled that, as we left Thursday evening, we had, by a bipartisan vote of 57-to-39, the cloture vote that set up the confirmation vote that is about to happen here; and of those votes, nine were from our Republican colleagues. Frankly, she should be confirmed here unanimously, as she was by the Delaware State Senate, but we are in a more divided, more partisan time, and I am thrilled that we had as strong and bipartisan a vote in the committee and here in the Senate as we have. It reflects the fact that Justice Tamika Montgomery-Reeves is a highly qualified, well-rounded, skilled nominee to the Third Circuit. The Third Circuit is one of those Federal circuit courts that provides a critical role. The most important cases in our country go to Federal courts, although Delaware jurists would disagree, and of the courts that hear those cases--overwhelmingly district courts--only a few of those cases are appealed and make it to a circuit court, and a tiny number of cases make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. So for the States represented on the Third Circuit--Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands--this is likely the last stop for almost every major appeal. And in just a few moments, someone known for her skill, her intellect, her patience, her compassion will be confirmed by this Senate and sent on her way to serve on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She is very highly regarded in Delaware as a member of our supreme court. She is someone highly regarded by our bench and bar. We have, in front of our committee, letters of endorsement from Governor John Carney as well as former Governor Jack Markell. And as you heard from my colleague, the Delaware State Senate unanimously endorsed her. She served on the Delaware Court of Chancery, the premier business court in our country, from 2015 to 2019. And she is a trailblazer: the first Black woman to serve on the Delaware Court of Chancery and on the Delaware Supreme Court and soon on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Her confirmation today will add diversity to a court that represents three States and the Virgin Islands, which are demonstrably diverse. And in our country, this helps to further advance representation and justice. I want to thank my chief counsel, Cassie Fields, for playing a central role in shepherding her nomination through the committee and through this floor. And I want to close by saying that I want to express my deepest personal thanks to this native of Jackson, MS, this graduate of the University of Mississippi and University of Georgia School of Law, who, through the good offices of Chancellor Bill Chandler, found her way to practice in Delaware, to service on the Delaware Court of Chancery; through the help and leadership of our State Senate and our Governor to service on our State supreme court; and in just a few moments, to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. To Justice Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, to your husband Jeffrey, your sons Jackson and Tyson: Congratulations. Know that our President and our Senate is proud of you, has confidence in you, and looks forward to your years of service on this most important Federal Circuit Court. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I rise to also offer to my thoughts on the career and service, the personality and the values of Senator Rob Portman, one of a number of retiring colleagues whom I will dearly miss. I was somewhat surprised by the timing of Senator Blunt's farewell address and missed the opportunity to also speak to his departure. They have in common an important shared characteristic: a passion for getting things done, for being a Senator who serves their State and Nation, who works across the aisle and delivers real solutions. Stop taxing death and disability--that is the first bill that Rob and I got to the President's desk and signed into law. Under the previous administration, it had a very catchy name, and it was a simple solution to a pRoblem most of us had never heard of, which was that if someone who had taken out student loans died and thus was unlikely to repay them and those student loans were discharged as a result of their permanent disability or death, that benefit was taxed, and the tax attached, in the case of one of my constituents, to their parents, to the estate of the deceased child. When I first talked to Rob about this on the floor, he said: That is a terrible thing; we should stop it. From that simple germ grew a dozen different legislative initiatives. Before this Congress ends, we will get the reauthorization of the End Wildlife Trafficking Act and the reauthorization of Rob's landmark work in tropical rainforest and coral reef preservation to the President's desk. We had the chance to travel the world together. We had a remarkable trip, as did Senator Klobuchar, to Ukraine--although I think our trip was just a little bit more comfortable on the train than yours. But it was a memorable opportunity to visit the Ukrainian refugees with their own incredible Embassy staff and to present the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center to President Zelenskyy. I am also, I must say, grateful for your leadership on the Respect for Marriage Act, which is today going to the President's desk. It was in August, as we traveled to five countries in Africa, together with our spouses and a great bipartisan group you helped pull together, to look at how human development can be the key to wildlife conservation in countries across the continent where too often there is instability that leads to the loss of biodiversity and to an increase in lawlessness and terrorism, and we found a way to craft together a potential legislative solution that I look forward to carrying in the years ahead. To Jed, to Will, and to Sally, you have a remarkable dad. To Jane, thank you for being such a delightful, engaging, and supportive partner. My wife Annie and I will deeply miss you and Rob as colleagues here in the Senate, as a legislative partner, and as a personal friend. God bless you on the next chapter of your life, and we look forward to staying in touch. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess following the vote on the Murphy nomination until 4:30 p.m.

Mr. COONS

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

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I join my colleague from our home State of Delaware in ensuring that Jim Gardner's four decades of leadership in our community, in our local news, and in laying down a marker for what it means to be a real journalist, a trusted and loyal and important part of community leadership--that his service will be remembered and recognized in the Congressional Record. Jim Gardner, as my colleague laid out in great detail, born and raised in New York City, turned on to journalism as a student at Columbia University by reporting on the historic Columbia riots in 1968 and then began his remarkable run with WPVI-TV Philadelphia on June 1, 1976. I have had the honor of being in the newsroom and talking with Jim as he has prepared for a broadcast, of getting a sense of just how good and balanced and thoughtful a journalistic leader he is. For all of us, it is a real loss that, four decades later, Jim has anchored his last regularly scheduled 11 p.m. broadcast. He is still anchoring the 6 p.m. news. I will tell you, Jim, my wife Annie and I love watching you. You have given us a sense of continuity, of community, and of character in our local news, unmatched in so many other communities around our country. You are a genuine treasure, a jewel of the Delaware Valley, and we will miss you deeply. You have interviewed Popes and Presidents, local elected officials and international leaders. You have contributed to our understanding of our place in the world and brought us closer together. I just wanted to say to you personally, congratulations on your retirement. I know that you will get to spend more time with Josh, Jenn, Emily, and Jesse, and your grandson Henry. Thank you to Amy. As my colleague and friend Tom Carper said, it is our spouses who often experience the highs and the lows of our public service, and I know your family has supported you through this remarkable work. It would be impossible to list all the stories that you reported on or contributed to, but know, Jim, that you have left a lasting legacy in the hearts of the millions of people who have watched you over decades and felt that they were brought a little bit closer to their world. Thank you, and we look forward to recognizing you in the Record of the United States Senate. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to be recognized not withstanding the order that no business be conducted during today's pro forma session.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the order that no business be conducted during today's pro forma session, it be in order for committees to report legislative business from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, and that the Senate stand in adjournment in accordance with the orders of September 29 and October 11, 2022, for previously ordered pro forma sessions.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I rise to address three different topics, if I might. First, this week, the Senate of the United States did something important, something that is genuinely a big deal. We ratified a treaty. This is something we don't do often enough, and it bears repeating what this Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is. By a vote of 69 to 27, a big bipartisan vote, this Senate ratified a treaty that will reduce global warming by a full degree Fahrenheit-- something critical to the future of the planet--and we do it in a way that is a win for American manufacturing, a win for American exports, and a win for our planet and creation. Some of you may remember, a long time ago, we discovered a problem--a growing hole in the ozone layer that was being caused by propellants, by CFCs. So the world came together to eliminate CFCs and replace them with a new generation of artificial propellants and refrigerants known as HFCs. That was good news. The hole in the ozone layer had largely been addressed, and the threat of skin cancer and being bombarded by radiation that that posed was largely resolved. Yet, this next generation of chemicals, HFCs, had an unexpected additional problem. They are 1,000 times worse for global warming, for climate change, than carbon dioxide, so much so--and they are so broadly used in every industrial setting--that it has led to a rapid increase in global warming. Well, the solution was actually invented in Delaware. It is the next generation of chemicals that is much less harmful to the climate and to the environment, effective as a refrigerant, being manufactured now in places across the United States, and that, if exported to the rest of the world, can grow thousands of manufacturing jobs. I just wanted to take a moment and celebrate. The projections are there will be as many as 33,000 new manufacturing jobs in the United States, some in my home State of Delaware but spread across the country; over $1 billion in new exports that will impact just this year the American economy because of this; and a 25-percent increase in the exports of American-made refrigerators and air-conditioners and so forth. This was a rare moment of bipartisan consensus where we were able to come together and address a global challenge and create more opportunity here at home, and I thought it bore some celebration as we conclude this week. Mr. President, earlier this week, our President, Joe Biden, stood before the world at the United Nations General Assembly and continued his forceful, clear, and strong effort to call on the world to enforce the U.N. Charter and to push back on Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. Since February, when Putin's forces swept into Ukraine and threatened to overrun the entire country, the West has pulled together, and allies and supporters of the Ukrainian people from around the world have imposed sanctions on Russia and Russian oligarchs; have provided funding and support and assistance to millions of Ukrainian refugees who have flooded throughout the rest of the world; and, critically, have provided financial support for the men and women of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who just in recent days made a dramatic breakout in northern Ukraine, recapturing an area the size of Delaware--more than 3,000 square miles--in a rapid advance east of Kharkiv. President Biden has asked this body, in a bill we will take up in just a few days, to provide $11.7 billion in additional support for Ukraine. The Presiding Officer and I are appropriators, and we know how precious the resources of the American people are. And I am grateful that, on a broad bipartisan basis, we have provided tens of billions of dollars in humanitarian relief for refugees, in support for the Government of Ukraine, and in critically needed military support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is because the Biden administration has delivered the most advanced and targeted long-range artillery systems we have, called HIMARS, that suddenly the Ukrainians are making real advances on the battlefield. We must continue this critical support. President Zelenskyy has pulled together and mobilized the Ukrainian people in a remarkable show of determination, a fierce resistance. Despite being badly outnumbered by a much greater military force with advanced and sophisticated weaponry, Ukrainians have fought bravely and with enormous determination. They deserve our continued support. In just recent weeks, there have been some real signs of progress in opening the Black Sea ports of Ukraine so that grain can be exported to a dozen hungry countries, in making progress on prisoner-of-war exchanges between the Russians and the Ukrainians, and in protests in Russia. In an act of desperation, President Putin has called up hundreds of thousands of reservists in a mobilization to try to push back against Ukrainian forces. Russia is losing this fight. They are losing on the ground in Ukraine; they are losing in the court of public opinion; and they are losing strategically. My entire life, we had thought it was unlikely that Sweden or Finland would ever join NATO--the most successful multilateral security arrangement we have ever engaged in as a nation--but because of Russia's aggression against Ukraine now, both Sweden and Finland are seeking admission to NATO. This body acted quickly to ratify their admission to NATO, and we are down to just a few countries. In New York, I had a chance to meet with President Erdogan of Turkey to convey to him both our appreciation of his help in getting the grain out of the Black Sea ports of Ukraine but the urgency of expanding NATO to secure it against further Russian aggression. It is my hope that we will move quickly as a united NATO alliance and that we here in this body will act quickly to provide the additional assistance to the Ukrainian people, government, and armed forces that our President has sought. Earlier today, we took up a vote on the DISCLOSE Act. Since 2010, when the Supreme Court of the United States issued an ill-conceived opinion in the case of Citizens United, we have seen a flood of dark money steadily become more and more pernicious in its impact on our politics and our policies. Here in Washington and now around the country, wealthy individuals, corporations, and shadowy special interest groups have contributed hundreds of millions--now billions of dollars across several election cycles that have undermined the integrity and fairness of our elections that are at the very heart of our democracy. This bill would do a simple thing. It would require full disclosure of all corporations, trade associations, nonprofits engaging in electioneering. They would have to disclose any donors of $10,000 or more over any 2-year period. It wouldn't solve all the problems created by Citizens United, but sunshine is the best disinfectant, and it would allow the American people to know who is truly behind the dark money- funded ads that now bombard citizens in competitive elections around our country. Tragically, it was a straight party-line vote today, and we were not able to proceed to take up and vote on the DISCLOSE Act. In the end, one party continues to defend the practice of dark money flooding our elections, while another is seeking to open up clarity for the general public and our electorate on who is giving money to whom. We should have had a vote on the DISCLOSE Act. Instead we failed to get to that bill because we could not get in this Chamber 60 votes to move ahead. It is my hope that the American people are paying attention and realize on whose side we are on in this fight over transparency in our elections. With that, Mr. President, I offer my thanks. I yield the floor to my colleague from Michigan.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that there be a period of morning business for debate only until 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; and that Senator Schumer be recognized at 3 p.m.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. With that, I yield to my colleague from the State of Illinois.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Madam President, I rise briefly to speak to a unanimous consent request that I am going to make in just a moment. I am pleased that we are about to consider the nomination of Dr. Monde Muyangwa, to be Assistant Administrator for Africa for USAID. This is a critical post, one we cannot afford to leave vacant at a time when the humanitarian needs, the development opportunities, the strategic challenges that we see in Africa need to be met by an outstanding development professional. As the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine continues to cause skyrocketing fertilizer costs, widespread food crises, the people of Africa need to know that the people of the United States will support them, will work with them, and will be a great partner in their development. I am about to ask unanimous consent for the confirmation of a nominee who has a long and deep experience in this area. The director of the Wilson Center Africa Program, long-time dean of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University, a professor, a nonprofit leader, a development professional, a Rhodes Scholar--someone who will represent us very well. Madam President, with that, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the follow nomination: Calendar No. 815, Monde Muyangwa, to be an Assistant Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, you and I have had the blessing of traveling to South Africa together, so I know you know, as I do, that it is a critical nation, not just on its own terms as a country of 70 million people of a multilingual, multifaith, multiethnic democracy working to achieve the incredible promise enshrined in its Constitution, working to achieve the vision of a liberation struggle, but it is also a country that is critical to regional security and for the path of the globe and to the security and stability of democracy in this century. This is why I stand to speak briefly on behalf of my friend, Reuben Brigety, the nominee to be our next Ambassador to South Africa, whose confirmation we will take up in just a few moments. Reuben is someone I admire deeply. He attended the Naval Academy, served in the U.S. Navy, was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State both for African Affairs and for Population, Refugees, and Migration. I met him as Ambassador to the African Union, knew him well as dean of the Elliott School at GW. He took on the challenge of service as the president of the University of the South, better known as Sewanee; and now our President has nominated him to represent us in South Africa. As we have seen in recent votes and actions at the United Nations and in discussions and debates around the world, African countries--in this moment, during this war in Ukraine, in the face of Russia's aggression--are turning away from us. They are not believing the reality that it is Russian aggression that is causing food scarcity and fertilizer prices to spike, and they are more than not taking Russia's side on this. We cannot take these relationships for granted. The United States, for decades, has been a close development and public health partner of South Africa. We have to send our best, and Ambassador Brigety is the right person at the right time to advance the critical relationship goals that we have between the United States and South Africa. Tribute to Alexandra Davis Mr. President, one of the blessings of serving here in the Senate is getting to know natives of New Jersey, like yourself and like my foreign policy adviser, Allie Davis. I will do my best to get through these next few minutes of remarks without being unduly emotional, but she deserves a catch in the throat and a tear in the eye because Allie is someone who from the moment she came to join my team 6 years ago has been a remarkable person--a person of great spirit and character, someone who also spent time in South Africa as a young person. After graduating from the University of Delaware, a tour as a Fulbright in South Africa prepared her to join my team as a foreign policy fellow. As she was just confessing to me in my office a few moments ago, she knew far less about governance and politics than I imagined. She carries herself with remarkable grace and confidence. She steadily has risen to be a legislative aide, a legislative assistant, and now my foreign policy adviser. I don't have the time--but I wish I did--to detail all the pieces of significant and important legislation she has helped shepherd through to success. She has critically supported my leadership on the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations team. She has been critical as we have worked to address this moment of global hunger. She has helped get the Global Fragility Act from concept to enactment. She has helped make the Development Finance Corporation a powerful tool for development. She helped shape and craft the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, and she nearly single-handedly, at a time when I was confident this could not be done, got the Sudan Claims Resolution Act through this Congress and fundamentally changed the arc of the search for democracy in Sudan. We had the chance to travel together on a Presidential mission to Ethiopia, during which she had truly memorable encounters with its head of state and an opportunity to see and participate and help drive diplomacy firsthand. We traveled together to so many other countries: from the UAE to France to Georgia to Italy and, perhaps most memorably, to Sudan, where I was honored to receive one of their leading national awards, which really was an award in recognition of her work on behalf of the Sudanese people. She goes to serve the House Foreign Affairs Committee, whose chairman I accosted last night at an event, and said: You are causing great harm to me, and I resent deeply the fact that you are causing this most talented and skilled and trusted member to leave the Senate and go to the House. But she joins as a member of their professional staff, a great team. And I know that we will continue to work hard and to work closely together in the years and decades ahead. A great friend, a great colleague, and someone to whom I wish great success in the many years ahead. With that, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the nomination of Reuben Brigety to be Ambassador, and I offer my greatest thanks to Allie Davis for her talented and skillful service on behalf of the people of Delaware. I yield the floor.

Mr. COONS

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

Mr. COONS

Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 1 minute of floor time to speak to the impending nomination.