Richard Durbin

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet), the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from Michigan (Mr. Peters), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I would like to comment on the statement on Israel just made by my friend and colleague from the State of Wyoming. I am proud of the fact that President Harry Truman was the first President to recognize Israel's right to exist, and I certainly concur with that sentiment to this day. The creation of the State of Israel after World War II was almost inevitable if this group of people were to exist. The Holocaust was a reminder of the prejudice against many of the Jewish faith and the enduring struggle which they have been engaged in for decades, if not centuries. It was the right thing to do. There have been times in history when Israel stood with us when we desperately needed their help, and there have been times when we have disagreed with their policy. That has never diminished, for me personally or for our Nation, our commitment to Israel's right to exist and our commitment to the values that Israel stands for in the Middle East and around the world. What happened on October 7 was horrific--horrific. Some 1,200 innocent Israelis were killed, butchered, murdered by terrorists under the flag of the Hamas movement. And, unfortunately, they took hostages as well. I don't know the exact number, but I believe it was over 250 hostages who were taken. Some still remain in captivity under the control of Hamas. Israel is defending itself, and it has a right to do that. Israel certainly has a right to exist, and no terrorist organization on its border should be allowed to do so with impunity. My concern--and it was expressed graphically, dramatically, in last Sunday's ``60 Minutes'' program. I commend that program to those who would like to see what is happening on the ground in Gaza. It is estimated that 50,000 people have been killed or seriously wounded among the Palestinians. That goes way beyond any members of Hamas or any terrorist organization. They are innocent people, the Palestinians in the Gaza area, who are simply trying to exist. They are fighting every possible element, not only an act of war with armaments killing innocent people, a large number being women and children, but also the fact that they are restrained from leaving that area and going to surrounding countries, which don't want to see the controversy exported to their borders. Secondly, there is the simple question of humanitarian assistance for the people in Gaza. There is a disparity in the reports from the area. Some report that the humanitarian aid is being held back from the Palestinians--innocent Palestinians--to the detriment of their hospitals and feeding their people. Some suggest that a famine is underway in some parts of Gaza. I don't have any personal knowledge, but, I will tell you, the scenes that were depicted last Sunday on ``60 Minutes'' are heartbreaking. Two doctors from Chicago had gone there risking their lives to volunteer to try to save the children and those who have been the victims of Israeli bombing. And I am sorry to say they have not been as successful as they would have liked to have been. But they reported to us graphically what is going on there with the lack of medical supplies, the lack of hospitals and basic food and sustenance that is needed by the people in that area. By every single measure, this war has to end. If it is going to continue until every Hamas terrorist is killed, I am afraid there will be thousands and thousands of innocent Palestinians lost in the process. Why? Because the Hamas soldiers hide themselves among the general population and use them as their shield. It is a dastardly, deadly strategy which has cost so many lives. Those of us who voted to restrain the weapons that were going to be sent by the United States to Israel did it with the understanding that there were particular weapons--for example, the detonation bombs that weigh a ton or more--that could kill innocent people and have, over and over again. This war must come to an end. This cease-fire should be resumed, and the hostages returned immediately--all hostages returned immediately. I am not making any excuse for Hamas, but I have to tell you, after meeting with the doctors who have been there, it breaks my heart to think this continues every day, and innocent people are in the midst of this gunfire and losing their lives. Whatever your cause may be, wherever you stand politically, we should all keep them in mind as we decide what our future course of action will be.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New York (Mrs. Gillibrand) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and the Senator from Virginia (Mr. Warner) are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am the son of an immigrant from East St. Louis, IL. As a reminder to myself, I keep my mother's naturalization certificate on a table behind my desk in the U.S. Capitol. She came to the United States from Lithuania, fleeing oppression from the Soviet Union, when she was just 2 years old. Little did she know that her youngest son would go on to become a U.S. Senator. This might be my personal story as the son of an immigrant, but it also is the story of America--the American dream. You can find stories like this everywhere, even in places you might least expect them. Take the story of McDonald's. Next week, McDonald's is celebrating 70 years of selling hamburgers, strengthening communities, and connecting people. Since 1971, Illinois has been home to the headquarters of McDonald's, but the multibillion-dollar hamburger chain's history with the Prairie State does not begin there. In the 1920s, Richard ``Dick'' and Maurice ``Mac'' McDonald, two sons of Irish immigrants, headed to California to try their luck in Hollywood. By the 1940s, they had pivoted to the drive-in restaurant industry, opening their first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, CA. With their simple menu and signature Speedee Service System to efficiently serve a large number of customers, McDonald's soon became the talk of California. It was a success, and people noticed. One of those people was Ray Kroc, a traveling salesman from Oak Park, IL. Kroc also was the son of immigrants, his parents were born in Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. Ray became enamored by Dick and Mac's business model and had a vision of expanding the chain across the Nation--with a goal of opening 1,000 restaurants in the U.S. Before long, Ray returned to Chicago with the rights in hand to establish McDonald's restaurants throughout the country. On April 15, 1955, Kroc opened his first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, IL--the City of Destiny. Its first day of sales was $366.12, equivalent to about $4,374 today. A global franchise was born. While this liberal arts lawyer is far from a high-rolling stock broker, I am not shy to say that I knew McDonald's was going to be a success. Not because of any sophisticated financial analysis or detailed market research--I just knew the McDonald's in East St. Louis was one of the few restaurants that always had a line. Today, McDonald's operates 36,000 restaurants in more than 100 nations, and it bolsters economies across the country and world. And there are few more recognizable logos than the McDonald's Golden Arches. Crisscrossing the State of Illinois requires driving hundreds of miles on interstate highways. And after long stretches on the road, I have made my fair share of stops at the Golden Arches. So many stops, in fact, that my wife Loretta and my chief of staff conspired to institute a rule: No more pit stops at McDonald's. You also are sure find McDonald's on your international travels. In fact, I remember being in Moscow when the first McDonald's opened in Pushkin Square. It was January 31, 1990, and I remember seeing the dreary grey colors of the former Soviet Union punctuated by the Golden Arches. It was a vision of hope for many, representing the possibilities available under a free society. But the reach of McDonald's goes beyond hamburgers and french fries. If you are a parent whose child is dealing with the devastation of illness, you have heard of Ronald McDonald House. Providing housing, resources, and support for families with children who are ill or injured, the nearly hundreds of Ronald McDonald House programs across the world keep families traveling for their child's medical needs cared for and together. And McDonald's helps make this effort a reality. The story of McDonald's is one of three sons of immigrants using their drive, ingenuity, and ambition to go from a local drive-in restaurant to one of the most profitable businesses the world has ever known. While the days of 15-cent hamburgers and 20-cent cheeseburgers may be gone, the economic contributions and storied history of McDonald's continues to strengthen Illinois and our Nation. I am grateful Chicago is home to such a treasured American franchise that reminds us of the promise of America. Congratulations to McDonald's on 70 years of leaving a lasting impact.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mrs. Duckworth) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the Senator has left the floor, but to follow up on the comments of the Senator of North Carolina, I would just say that we should all be reminded of the fact that half of the people in America do not know that their futures lie in the Dow Jones average. They may not own stock or they may own it in a retirement account and not follow the stock market on a day-to-day basis. What they do worry about is whether or not they have enough money for groceries and gasoline for the car, to pay the rent or the mortgage, and perhaps to sock away a little money for the educations of their kids. Those are the fundamentals. I think many of them are concerned, as I am, that the volatility of our economy, at this point, does not point in the right direction. It raises a question as to whether or not decisions are being made, particularly on tariffs, that are going to have an impact on ordinary working American families--a negative impact on that basis. I think that we all want to be sensitized to that fact. You can watch CNBC, and you can commune with the economists of note, but for most people, it is pretty basic: Do I have enough money to get to the next paycheck? A lot of people struggle with that every single day. That is the reality that we are faced with.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announced that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from New Hampshire (Ms. Hassan), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden) are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth), the Senator from New Hampshire (Ms. Hassan), the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy), and the Senator from Oregon (Mr. Wyden), are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

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

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, 3 years ago today, this Capitol served as the background for one of the most notable events in recent American history. On April 7, 2022, our country made a monumental stride forward. The Senate confirmed a once-in-a-generation legal talent, a jurist with outstanding credentials and invaluable lived experience, and the first-ever Black woman and former public defender to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justice Jackson's confirmation shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for future women of color to follow in her footsteps. Her name will be remembered in history for generations to come. When the Supreme Court first met in the Capitol Building in February of 1801, there were a million slaves in this Nation of 5 million people--a million slaves in a nation of 5 million people. This very building itself was built with the labor of enslaved people. At the time, neither Black Americans nor women had the right to vote. America's battle to end slavery continued through the Civil War and was followed by decades of efforts to break down lingering racial barriers. Those efforts continue to this day. And our struggle to enfranchise and empower women did not end with the passage of the 19th Amendment. It continues to this day, as we strive to give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons. The confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court honored the history that came before it. It honored the struggles of the past and the men and women who fought for a future where skin color and gender are no longer a barrier to full participation in American society, voting, or seeking the highest positions in our government. America's history is defined by our enduring effort to bridge the gap between that ideal and our slow march toward progress. But with each generation, we edge closer to making that ideal a reality. In 1965, we ensured that the Federal Government could rigorously protect the right to vote--a right that protects all other rights, for that matter--with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Two years later, after passing that civil rights bill, we confirmed the first Black American to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Thurgood Marshall. And more than 50 years later--50 years--we took another step forward by confirming Justice Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Court. I want to give credit where it is due. This was the initiative of President Joe Biden, who made it clear when he was elected President this was his highest priority when it came to the Supreme Court. President Biden kept his word. With Justice Jackson's confirmation to the highest Court in the land, we not only made history, but we also carried on the great American tradition, elevating our Nation's best and brightest legal minds to a sacred position of service, a seat she now occupies for life. There is no one more deserving of this high honor and profound responsibility than Justice Jackson. She is one of the best. She has devoted her life to serving our country, and she has done so at every level of the Federal Judiciary. At every turn, she has upheld the Constitution and faithfully followed the rule of law. She is impartial, thoughtful, and even-handed, evaluating every case from, in her words, a ``neutral posture.'' Since her confirmation, Justice Jackson made her mark on the Court, establishing her status as a sharp and inquisitive questioner of the parties before her. And whether she authors majority opinions or dissents, she always demonstrates a brilliant legal mind. Just a year into her tenure on the Court, Justice Jackson's first major opinion reaffirmed that Medicaid patients unlawfully denied care or abused by healthcare providers can sue under section 1983. Section 1983 is a law enacted following the Civil War, as part of the Ku Klux Klan Act, which allows lawsuits by individuals whose civil rights have been violated. It is a powerful tool for Americans to seek accountability from local, State, and Federal Government officials. At a time when President Trump and unelected ``co-President'' Elon Musk have vowed to cut Medicaid, it is more crucial than ever that we give those who need this program the legal recourse they need if they are denied care or otherwise abused by a provider. In instances where Justice Jackson has dissented from the majority, she makes a clear case for why she reached that conclusion. Nearly 2 years ago, the Supreme Court ended the use of affirmative action in college and university admissions. Justice Jackson issued a strong compelling dissent, and she wrote: [D]eeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life. She continued: And having so detached itself from this country's actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that . . . institutions of higher learning are doing to solve America's real-world problems. Mr. President, it is one of the great honors of my life to preside over the confirmation hearing of Justice Jackson during my time as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Justice Jackson's story is one of breaking barriers and paving the way for future women of color to follow in her footsteps. At a time when the President and his administration are challenging the rule of law in our country as never before, Justice Jackson's presence on the highest Court in the land could not be more important. I am incredibly proud of all she has accomplished so far during her time on the Supreme Court. I know that Justice Jackson will continue to honor all those who came before her and sat on the bench. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Booker), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Ossoff), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Arizona (Mr. Kelly) and the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) are necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.

Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) is necessarily absent.