Tammy Duckworth

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to honor someone who has changed the lives of millions of Americans, though until this moment, they may have never heard her name: Kalina Thompson, my chief of staff, who is leaving our office at the end of the month, after more than a decade by my side. Kalina and I did not meet as kids. We met when I was already a Congresswoman. But in a way, it still feels that we grew up together, as we learned from each other and leaned on one another from my early days in the House, finding out what it truly means to serve this great Nation, to lead, to not just get through long workdays in order to simply make it until tomorrow, but to make sure that tomorrow is even better than yesterday for the good of those coming up behind you. Kalina is someone whose passion for public service is matched only by her compassion for others. And don't be fooled by her soft voice; when she believes in something she will fight harder than you can imagine to transform a pipedream into a reality, to do some good, to do right by a constituent who is desperate for someone, somewhere to lend them an ear or a hand. You know, it is rare to find someone whose North Star so closely aligns with your own, but that is what I found in Kalina; a kindred public servant, a trusted sounding board, a truthteller who will call me out when I am wrong. She somehow stays unshakable, even in moments of chaos, and beyond it all, a fiercely loyal friend. We were there for one another as we each became mothers, and we were there for one another as we worked day and night to make sure that other new moms would have an easier time than we did. It is thanks in large part to Kalina that my FAM Act became law, helping ensure that nursing moms traveling through airports would have access to private, clean, and accessible breast-feeding rooms. She recognized that we would never expect a traveler to eat lunch in an airport bathroom stall. Yet, for so many new moms, they had no choice but to breast-feed in one. She saw a wrong, and she righted it. It took 5 years, but in doing so, whether they know it or not, she bettered the lives of countless women across this country. So every time you are heading to your airport gate and see one of those breast- feeding pods, think of and thank Kalina. I know I do. That is just who she is. She is someone who so thoroughly and thoughtfully thinks of others that sometimes she does forget to think about herself. So it doesn't matter that folks in question are halfway down the block or halfway across the world, if she hears of someone in need, she will go sleepless until she exhausts every avenue of service. I have watched her sacrifice time with her own family to do everything possible to help families escape war-torn countries in the Middle East. She has made calls to fellow moms across the globe just to let them know they are not alone, that we are fighting for them, that we would never stop fighting for them. She has redefined the word ``compassion'' with every call she made, every ounce of hard work she put in, every time she went the extra mile for a stranger thousands of miles away. Kalina is also a leader who has taken the lessons she has learned along her own career journey, and she used them not just for herself but for all of those climbing the ladder rungs of success behind her. As legislative director, then as deputy chief of staff, and now as chief of staff, she has made sure that the women in our office always-- always--know and fight for their worth. Now, because of her, there is a whole generation of female staffers that believe in themselves more fully, and Congress is a better place because of it, because of Kalina. I could go on and on about the constituents Kalina has helped, the bills she has helped to pass, the lives she has changed, the lives that she has saved, starting with her own work fighting to pass the Affordable Care Act; but let me just tell one more story. As Democrats, we like to say that we are the party of middle-class families, which is true. But Kalina took it upon herself to make sure our office didn't just offer the standard family Senate policies for staffers, when it came to things like FMLA or parental leave. No, she wanted to set a new bar for congressional offices. She said to me: If we want our constituents to truly believe that we would fight for their families, then we have to fight for the families of those who come to work for us every day as well. And it wasn't simple. At first, it seemed like it would be too big of a resource hit to actually go through with the plan she was proposing. Could our budget afford it? Could our workforce afford it? It would have been easy to just scrap the idea, to backtrack, to stick with the status quo. But Kalina refused, arguing that if we want to actually live up to our policy ideas, to our political party's ideals, it starts with us in our own backyard. And you know what? She was right. So we became the first office in either the House or Senate to grant 16 weeks of paid leave to new parents. And then we extended our family leave policy. We made sure that we didn't just talk the talk as Democrats, but that we also walked the walk as employers. And because of her, staffers have been able to go care for their fathers battling cancer; because of her, new moms have had the time necessary to look after themselves and their little ones in those precious all-important first few months after birth. Because of Kalina, no one in our office has had to make the impossible choice between earning the paycheck that puts food on their table and being there for an ailing mom, sister, child, or spouse. Try as hard as she might, Kalina could not singlehandedly change family leave policy for the entire country. But this was a proof point, making it clear that it is possible for an office to be there for its staffers and do its work without missing a beat, because it actually benefited our office in the long run to provide those 16 weeks of leave, as staff members have served longer than they otherwise would have, sticking with us for long tenures, knowing that we will be there for them when it matters most during their toughest, most trying times. And I will say, she and I don't agree on everything. There are some differences that have divided even our office right down the middle. For instance, Kalina and our former legislative director Steph would literally sit in our office in those cubes in Cannon and horrify the rest of us by happily digging into a giant mason jar of sauerkraut, eating sauerkraut right out of that jar, for instance. But on nearly everything else, I just feel beyond fortunate to have found a partner so courageous in everything that she takes on, from learning English in America after moving from Bulgaria as a little girl to her ``Love Story'' karaoke performances to going head to head with the Senate Rules Committees to help me change our Chamber's bylaws to let parents take newborns onto the Senate floor. No challenge has been too daunting for her and no task too small. She simply cares. It is who she is, and it is why I am endlessly grateful to have been able to have her by my side for so long through so much. Let me finish by saying thank you to Kalina, of course, but also her family--Sandy, Wills, and Sofie--for lending your wife, your mom to us for those countless late nights and weekends. Kalina, I will miss you more than I could ever say, but just know how proud all of us are of you and how lucky I feel that I got to watch you grow into the force for good that you are today. Bon voyage, my friend. I know you are going to continue to do good for the rest of the world. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, along with my colleague Senator Mike Crapo, we join in honoring Jennifer Anderson, registered dietitian, for her commitment to children's health. We thank her for sharing about her work with the Senate Moms group. As the founder of Kids Eat in Color and the CEO of BetterBites, Jennifer Anderson supports parents navigating the challenges of feeding their children well by sharing education, strategies, and resources focused on nutrition and eating. She also works with healthcare providers by offering resources and an accredited continuing education workshop to prevent and treat Avoidant/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and extreme picky eating in patients. Jennifer's career of over 20 years has focused on nutrition and public health. She earned a master of science in public health from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and worked as a nutritionist information specialist and consultant at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After utilizing her experience to navigate her own children's growth struggles and extreme picky eating, she dedicated her expertise to supporting other parents. Our staff lead the Senate Moms group, a bipartisan group of more than 200 moms employed by the U.S. Senate. The group's regular meetings and internal resources in the Senate help working moms feel united and supported in navigating the Senate workplace and raising children in the Washington, DC, area. Thank you, Jennifer, for your inspiring work that empowers families and healthcare professionals to advance children's health and nutrition. You have encouraged the many moms who help keep the U.S. Senate functioning day-to-day. We wish you the best in all the future offers you.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a remarkable achievement by one of my constituents and a beloved member of the Chicago community. Mr. Joabe Barbosa, a graduate student from Brazil pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at Roosevelt University, completed a monumental and inspiring undertaking last Sunday: running every street in Chicago. He traveled more than 4,000 miles across all 77 of Chicago's neighborhoods becoming, by all accounts, the first individual to do so. I commend Mr. Barbosa for his incredible accomplishment. Completing the run is impressive in its own right, but what moved me most was Mr. Barbosa's inspiring message of community, humanity, and joy. On every run, in every video, Mr. Barbosa found local families inviting him in to share a meal, neighborhood children wanting to race, communities welcoming him as one of their own, and Chicagoans sharing their stories of togetherness and love. In a time when division dominates the airwaves, I thank Mr. Barbosa for showing the best of our shared humanity and reminding Chicagoans of the wisdom and truth captured in the enduring words of Dr. Maya Angelou: ``We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.'' This past weekend, Mr. Barbosa finished his extraordinary run in true Chicago fashion, gathering thousands of his neighbors to run alongside him from Oak Street and Michigan Avenue to Buckingham Fountain to help him spread a joyous message of love and community. Mr. Barbosa, I thank you with all my heart for telling this story and for showing the world that Chicago truly is the greatest city in the world.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to begin the next vote immediately.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026. This critical legislation honors the memory of an Illinoisan who should still be with us today by taking action to address a crisis unfolding inside our Federal, State and local correctional facilities in Illinois and across the country. Blake Schwarz was a corrections officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Thomson, IL. He was proud of the work he did every day to keep his community and his colleagues safe. In 2023, Blake died by suicide, leaving behind his wife Michelle and never getting the chance to witness the wonderful smile of his soon-to-be-born daughter. I am heartbroken that Michelle and her family must live with the aftermath of a loss that was preventable. I had the privilege of sitting down with Michelle last year. She did not come to my office looking for sympathy. She came to make sure that Blake was not just a statistic. She came to make sure no other family in this country has to endure what hers has endured. The legislation I am introducing today is the direct result of her advocacy, the advocacy of Blake's colleagues at FCI Thomson, and the advocacy of law enforcement professionals across our country who refuse to let their colleagues feel abandoned to take on the struggles of mental health alone. We ask our law enforcement officers to do a job that few Americans understand and even fewer are willing to do themselves. The job is extremely difficult and physically and mentally demanding. Corrections officers in this country die by suicide at a rate estimated to be as much as seven times higher than the rate for the general population. More than one in three corrections officers live with post-traumatic stress disorder, and far too often, corrections officers struggle with their mental health alone because of a culture that stigmatizes any perception of weakness and a fear that they will lose their job if they do seek treatment. This fear and stigma keep people silent. The Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act gives corrections officers, who risk their lives every day, access to the mental health care they deserve that aids their critical work and prevents tragedies. With my legislation, corrections officers will have readily accessible mental health care both on and off duty. It also confronts the fear and stigma that keep officers silent by guaranteeing that an officer's badge will never be on the line because that public safety officer sought appropriate care for a mental health issue. Blake Schwarz is gone, and nothing we do here will bring him back. But it is my honor and privilege to introduce this legislation to ensure that his name is attached not to another statistic but to a law that saves lives. I commend Michelle and all the dedicated men and women of FCI Thomson for their bravery, hard work, and steadfast advocacy. I urge every one of my colleagues to take Blake's story as a painful reminder that we must do better for our corrections officers and prevent future tragedies.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I just listened to my colleague on the other side of the aisle who raised concerns about my War Powers Resolution, and I am disappointed--but not in any way surprised--that they continue to carry the President's water on this war. I would welcome the chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations scheduling oversight hearings for Secretary Rubio. I mean, as a former member of the committee, the Secretary should be used to testifying before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He should schedule them because we and the American people are owed actual answers on this administration's conduct, planning, and diplomacy during this war of their own making. And right now, American servicemembers are already in harm's way 6,000 miles east. These troops are ready to do their jobs no matter the risk or the sacrifice required of them, just as our brave American troops have always done time after time and tour after tour. So to me, it is tragic that even as they continue to do their duties, our President and Members of Congress from the Republican side of the aisle seem so ready to neglect their own duties. I want a democratic Iran. I want to see its people free from the iron grip of its brutal authoritarian regime, and I am not about to shed a tear for the previous Ayatollah's death. But that does not mean we should not be gravely concerned by the consequences of Trump's actions in his war of choice. Look, I know there are solemn and urgent times when our military must be called upon to defend us. To determine when that is, there are four questions we should be asking. No. 1, is the threat significant? No. 2, is the threat imminent? No. 3, is the military the most effective tool for the goal at hand and that there are no other tools that can do the job? And No. 4, would the military be counterproductive to its most solemn mission of protecting America? With this unconstitutional, unjustified, and unwanted regime-change war in the Middle East, Trump has traded deterrence for instability and chaos and made all of us less safe in the process. It is time for us to rein him in. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today as a U.S. Senator, of course, but also as a former soldier who served in uniform the last time a President rashly sent our men and women into an unjustified war in the Middle East. I spent nearly a year in Walter Reed Army Medical Center recovering from injuries I earned in Iraq. Every morning, as I struggled to sit up straight, every time I was rolled into yet another surgery, I made sure to read the poster I had next to my hospital bed. It was a framed copy of the Soldier's Creed, the words that those lucky enough to wear the Army uniform live by. That same framed copy now hangs by my desk here in DC. As I glanced at it this morning, I realized there is perhaps no greater proof that Donald Trump never deigned to serve a day in his life than the mockery he makes of the Soldier's Creed's commitments every single day he has been in office. The creed may be associated with the Army, but the sentiments hold true for all of those who wear the uniform of this great Nation. Its 13 lines tell us to be disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained, proficient, and to look out for those who look out for us, to look out for one another. Donald Trump is supposed to be our servicemembers' Commander in Chief. The very, very least we should expect of him is to epitomize the standards that we ask our troops to swear by, to live by. The very, very least we should expect of the Commander in Chief is to be as competent, disciplined, and professional as the men and women whose very lives hinge on his capacity to lead, on that competence and professionalism we expect to see in the White House. The creed makes clear that our troops will never quit, that they will never leave a fallen comrade behind. Yet ``Cadet Bone Spurs'' is someone who will always quit. And every hour he orders our servicemembers to remain in unnecessary, growing danger, he is proving that Donald Trump does not give a damn about leaving a comrade or so, so many comrades behind. Every moment that Donald Trump leaves our heroes mired in the muck of this illegal war of choice with Iran, he is showing that he cares more about saving face than leading our troops. So I come to the floor today with a simple question. Our military men and women go out there every day and do their jobs, no matter the risks--all on Donald Trump's orders. So I ask you, Mr. President: Why the hell can't you do your job too? Why can't you live up to the same level of proficiency as our troops? Look, I am proud of every mission I completed in Iraq, but I would never ever wish another endless, needless, unjustified war like the one I served in on anybody else. I wouldn't wish it on the heroes who are packing up their rucks right now, knowing they may never touch American soil again. I wouldn't wish it on their families, who are being forced to spend their days anxiously awaiting news from half a world away. And I wouldn't wish it on the American people, who want their President to focus on bringing the costs down here at home, not starting new, expensive, taxpayer-funded wars continents away. But Trump either doesn't understand or he simply doesn't care about that. From the moment this conflict began, the President has tried to shroud his incompetence behind the valor of our servicemembers. When asked to justify his illegal actions, Donald Trump has tried to hide his cowardice behind our heroes' courage. He has tried to act as if questioning why we are at war is the same as questioning the skill and bravery of our troops themselves. It isn't. And I am here to call bullshit on the President of the United States because I know that our military will always do the best job possible. When given a mission, our servicemembers will say: Yes, I will serve. They don't say: Why me. They don't ask: Will I be safe? No. They dust off their boots, they show up, and they do what is asked of them to the best of their ability every single time, time after time, tour after tour, no matter the risk, no matter the sacrifice. They will always, always execute their orders to the maximum capability of their professionalism, and they are proud to do it. That isn't the problem. The problem here is that the person who is supposed to be leading them spends more time talking about his Marie Antoinette ballroom than he does sitting in the Situation Room, trying to get us out of this war. The problem is the guy who claims to be making America great again looks at the word ``America'' and only sees the letters ``M'' and ``E'' in the middle of it. The problem is that the Commander in Chief not only has no idea what the end state is like for his war of choice but probably doesn't know what the term ``end state'' means at all. The problem is that even in the last 2 weeks, the man who is in charge of our Nation's nuclear codes has himself gone increasingly nuclear. He is not believing literal war with Iran is enough. He has now gone on to proverbial war with the Vatican, choosing to pick fights with the Pope, of all people--the Pope. Rather than trying to engage in any semblance of real diplomacy to end the conflict in the Middle East, he has threatened to annihilate an entire civilization, terrifying people overseas and here at home, who are understandably worried about retaliatory strikes. Now, after 1 half-assed day of so-called negotiations with Iran, he has whipsawed to the next risky frontier in the region--a dangerous, complex, partial military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, launching it at our Nation's expense with no justification, no explanation, or any real plan as to what comes next. His only plan seems to rely on the valor, willingness to sacrifice, and professionalism of our military men and women. But let me tell you, that is not enough. They need a true commander. But Trump is Trump, and he is actively, unabashedly telling us how to ignore what we are all seeing with our own eyes. He is trying to declare ``mission accomplished,'' despite his obvious failures at every single turn. He is declaring ``We did it. We're winning'' after all signs point to the opposite. We are still at war. Americans are still at risk. Civilians across the region are still dying for no reason that anyone can truly articulate. In reality, the only thing that Donald Trump has accomplished over the last 6 weeks is more chaos. Because of his choices, a new, young Ayatollah is in charge who seems even more radical than his father was. Thirteen American heroes have been killed and hundreds more wounded. More Gold Star parents are grieving their children. More American families are struggling to avoid the spiking gas prices. They are unsure if they can pay even more every time they go to the gas station, but they have to because they need to get to work; they have to take their kids to school; they have to take their aging parents to the doctor. The farmers of Illinois, the farmers of this great Nation have seen, at a time when we should be planting, their input costs skyrocket because of Donald Trump's war of choice. Look, war is always tragic, but when it is preventable, when it is unjustified, it is not just tragic, it is a travesty. Trump wouldn't let himself be dragged by the bone spurs to serve in Vietnam, so how dare he--how dare he--drag our Nation into a war of his choice today? But this draft dodger--this five-time draft dodger--is too infatuated with maximum pressure to make a serious effort at even minimum diplomacy. Once again, the Trump foreign policy doctrine has proven reckless, senseless, and dangerous--a doctrine in which fact and fiction are one and the same, one in which our Commander in Chief seems to come to military decisions by virtue of temper tantrums and announces them via tweet in the middle of the night and one in which avarice outweighs advice every single time. Look, unlike Trump, I actually know what it is like to leave your blood soaking into the desert sand a half a world away. I know what it is like--I know what it is like--and what is at stake for the troops this administration is sending into harm's way. We must safeguard their valor and their professionalism by doing our jobs. I can tell you this: It is a whole lot easier to cover your eyes and order other Americans to sacrifice their children and sacrifice themselves if you don't have to do any of the sacrificing yourself. It is easier to send other people's children to fight in a war if you know your own children are cozy in a penthouse suite somewhere. It is easier to ignore the everyday realities of war from inside the hallowed halls of the White House where you have McDonald's being DoorDashed to the Oval Office. But it is nearly impossible--it is near impossible--if you have been actually outside the wire yourself. So I have come to the floor today to keep true a promise I first made over two decades ago. I ran for Congress not because I wanted to be in Congress, not because I wanted to be a Congresswoman or a Senator. I ran for Congress to honor the men and women who carried me out of that bloody war zone. I made a promise that when the drums of war started beating again, I would be in a position to make sure that our elected officials fully consider the true cost of war--not just in terms of money but in human lives and in the sacrifices of the men and women who wear the colors of this great Nation. That was the vow I made to the troops I deployed with and to all of those who have served since I hung up my uniform. I am here today under this great Capitol Dome to keep that most sacred oath because right now, thousands of our troops are ready to do their jobs even if it means laying down their lives. And it is tragic, it is disgusting to me that even as they prepare to do their jobs, our President and some Members of this Chamber seem so eager to neglect their own. So as those drums of war echo louder than they have ever in years, I am here to remind Donald Trump that he does not have the authority to unilaterally force us into war. He may never have read the Constitution, but I have. So let me direct his attention to article I, which makes clear that only Congress--only Congress--has the power to declare war. We are the ones tasked with deciding when and how Americans are sent into combat. We are the ones charged with that most solemn duty. Yet Trump is acting as if article I simply doesn't exist, as if obeying the Constitution is optional, as if our founding document is just a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper that he can crumble up and toss into the garbage can at will. This should not, must not be a partisan issue. No matter if you are struggling to pay rent or if your name is plastered in fake gold on a building on Fifth Avenue, no one can ignore the Constitution, especially if you have sworn an oath to defend it. No matter if you are a Mar-a-Lago worker who is pulling down double shifts or if you are the President of the United States, no one is above the law. Look, I believe fully that there are certain solemn and urgent times when our military must be called upon to defend us. There are certain moments when the threat in question is significant and imminent, instances when military force is the most effective tool at hand, and when using it is necessary to protect America and her interests. The thing is, from what little information the Trump administration has shared publicly that he hasn't immediately contradicted--and sometimes in the same sentence--this was not one of those times. If the administration thinks that I am wrong and there was an imminent, reasonable, actual threat to America, then guess what. The floor is theirs. Come to the Senate. We are just 20 minutes from the White House. It is not hard to find. It is even faster in your motorcade, Mr. President. It is not hard to find us. We are the building with the big dome on top. We are only a 20-minute walk. Trump knows where the Capitol Building is. It is the spot he told the insurrectionists to march toward on January 6. So, if his team actually believes that the war is justified, then they need to come to Congress and do their jobs: Explain their case and give the American people a say through their elected representatives, the Members who sit at every one of these desks in this Chamber. They need to respect the American people enough to finally tell them why they are being forced to bear the costs of this conflict, both in dollars and cents and daughters and sons. They need to respect our servicemembers enough to prove why war with Iran is worth having more children grow up without their moms or dads. They need to make it clear that they have thought this through and well enough that they can actually articulate what an end state with this war of choice in Iran would even look like. When their case has been made and when the debate here in Congress is completed, then the Members of this Chamber must vote. It is our duty. Yes, it is our burden. It is the least we can do for those who are willing to sacrifice everything to safeguard this democracy. But if the Trump administration refuses to do that--if they refuse to adhere to the Constitution--well then, it begs the question: What are you hiding? What are you hiding, Mr. President? We already know you are incompetent. What else are you hiding? Look, we have now been at this war of choice--of Trump's choice--for a month and a half. Thousands are dead or are grieving, wounded, and suffering. Only someone as inept and unfit, someone as callous and cruel as Trump would see this as winning. Only a draft-dodging coward would think that this is the right way to engage in a war. Only a man so unqualified to be Commander in Chief would be proud to keep on risking our heroes' lives without even having a concept of a plan for how to get them back home without risking more graves at Arlington. We can't let this chaos continue unchecked. As our troops continue to sacrifice whatever is asked of them, we Senators--we Senators--need to do the absolute minimum required of us. That is why, this week, I am calling up my War Powers Resolution, demanding that the Trump administration finally end this illegal war, and calling for some actual public oversight and accountability on behalf of the American people. It will come to the floor for a vote shortly. So, to my Republican colleagues, you have a choice--a simple one, really. You can vote with me to end this conflict and show that you actually care about putting America first, like you claim; or you can vote to put Trump's ego first, proving that, when push comes to shove, you care more about protecting Trump's thin skin than the Constitution that you swore to defend. At this point, it is pretty clear. Donald J. Trump will always be more interested in looking out for his own self-interest rather than truly serving America's interest. So my question is, if any of my Republican colleagues are actually brave enough to stand up and tell Donald J. Trump--the five-time draft- dodging coward--``enough.'' I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, late last year, I had the pleasure of meeting with family caregivers from Illinois. These heroes selflessly take care of their loved ones when they are in a time of need, even at the expense of their own goals or plans. I heard the story of Brittany Hogan, one of the 2.2 million family caregivers in Illinois, on the anniversary of her mother's passing. Brittany had been her mother's caregiver and kindly shared more about her mother's life. It is on Brittany's behalf that I am speaking today. Marilyn McGuire spent 35 years as a public servant, working as a timekeeper for the Chicago Police Department. Marilyn brought generosity and a sense of humor to everything she did, and her coworkers loved Marilyn, treating her with great affection and even nicknaming her ``Beautiful.'' Marilyn was spirited and thoughtful, even with the complex health challenges she faced. As Marilyn battled scleroderma, lung disease, and many infections, Brittany became her full-time caregiver and advocate. Throughout these challenges, Marilyn was a fighter, never giving up or letting her spirit grow weak. Her passion for bringing people together and notoriety as the longtime host of family holiday events shone through, even from a hospital room, where she often played music and made guests comfortable as they came to comfort her. Even after her passing, Marilyn continued to give to others, requesting her body be donated to science in the hopes that her struggles could help someone else down the road. Marilyn was a generous and compassionate Illinoisan, and her legacy lives on in her daughter Brittany and her advocacy work for family caregivers.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I thank Senator Murphy. Every day since he started this embarrassment of a war, Donald Trump has saluted our troops with one hand and given them the middle finger with the other--because despite the lies he tells on Truth Social, he is actively making the choice to use our heroes as cannon fodder. From the moment this conflict began, Trump has tried to shroud his incompetence behind their valor. When asked to justify his actions, he has tried to hide his ignorance and cowardice behind their courage. He has tried to act as if questioning why we are at war is the same as questioning the skill and bravery of our troops themselves. It isn't-- not at all. I know that our military will always do the best job possible. When given a mission, our servicemembers don't say: Why me? They don't ask: But will I be safe? And they sure as hell don't run to their podiatrist crying ``bone spurs.'' No. Instead, they pack their rucksacks; they lace up their boots; they show up. And they do what is asked of them--time after time and tour after tour. They will always--always--execute their orders to the maximum capability of their professionalism, and they are proud to do it. The problem is the man who is giving those orders. The problem is that the Commander in Chief not only has no idea what the end state looks like in this war of choice but probably doesn't even know what the term ``end state'' means at all. Look, I ran for Congress so that when the drums of war started beating I would be in a position to make sure that our elected officials fully considered the true cost of war, not just in dollars and cents but in human lives of our heroes as well. So as those drums sound louder than they have in years, I am here today because, despite what he thinks, Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally force our Nation into war. He may have never read the Constitution, but I have. So for the third time since this war began, let me direct his attention to article I, which makes clear that the President does not have the power to declare war--only Congress does. We are the ones tasked with deciding when and how Americans are sent into combat. We are the ones charged with that most solemn duty. Yet Trump is acting as if article I simply doesn't exist, as if obeying the Constitution is something that is optional, as if our founding document is just a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper he can crumple at will. Refusing to allow him to get away with this should not--must not--be a partisan issue. No matter if you are struggling to pay rent or your name is plastered in fake gold on a building on Fifth Avenue, no one can ignore the Constitution. No matter if you are a Mar-a-Lago worker pulling double shifts or the President of the United States, no one is above the law. And no matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican, you should know that our military men and women will always do their jobs. So it is beholden on us as legislators to do our jobs before more of our warriors lose their lives in service of theirs. Right now, our duty is to demand accountability. It is to get answers. It is to make sure that their mission is justified and feasible and worthy of the sacrifices we are asking our military to make. That is why I am here today: to make sure that we never again get ourselves into an ego-driven forever war, just like we experienced the last time a President rashly sent our sons and daughters into an unjustified war in Iraq. I am here now to stop a man who was never brave enough to serve in uniform himself from using our heroes as cannon fodder. Look, I am no dove. I know there are certain solemn, urgent times when our military must make the call and be called up to defend our Nation. There are certain moments when the threat in question is significant and imminent, when military force is the most effective tool at hand, when using it is necessary to protect Americans, and when using military force would not create more threats than it eliminates. Trump has shown no evidence that this was one of those times. Yet he has had almost a month to do so. But if the administration actually does believe that this war is justified, then they need to come to Congress and tell us why. We are not hard to find. The Capitol is the building with a big dome on top. It is about a 20-minute walk from the White House. They just need to walk through our doors and actually do their jobs. They need to explain their case, respecting the American people enough to tell them why they are being forced to take on the cost of this conflict. They need to prove that they have thought this through, that they can tell us what their plan is to stop this war. They need to show us that they have even a concept of a plan of how to get to an end state in Iran that would make us safer, not more threatened. Then, when their case has been made, when Congress' debate is done, we in these Chambers must vote. It is our job. It is our responsibility. It is our burden. Look, centuries ago, our Nation's Founders feared that one day, America would be burdened with a Chief Executive who would be too fond of conflict and chaos and that that leader's affinity for bloodshed would have unthinkable consequences for the Nation at large. That-- that--is why they placed the power to declare war in the hands of Congress, not a single person. Trump won't bear the cost of this war that he started. His children won't serve in harm's way. Even though they could volunteer, none of them have. He has been lining his pockets with corrupt billions since the moment he took office, so he won't worry about how far the cost of gas has been driven up by his actions. No. It is the American people. They are the ones who suffer in wars of choice, so it is the American people, through their elected representatives, who should decide when war is worth that cost. As those elected representatives, it is our obligation to consider the interests of our constituents over those of one man and to stop our Nation from teetering further into this nightmare. That is what we are doing here this evening as we vote on Senator Murphy's War Powers Resolution. Americans deserve better than unanswered questions, unjustified conflict, and unnecessary tragedy. Our men and women in uniform sure as hell do as well. So until we get some answers, I will keep coming to this floor; I will keep voting to withdraw our sons and daughters from hostilities with Iran. I am going to keep working to prevent the boots on the ground that the President so casually, so callously threatens when he talks to the press. I am going to keep demanding that the administration end this deadly vanity project if they cannot justify the cost we have already been forced to bear, both in dollars and cents and daughters and sons. It is the least we can do for those willing to sacrifice the most for our Nation. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, it wasn't too long ago that Donald Trump won the 2024 election, in large part, due to his promise to get our Nation out of foreign wars and bring prices down for Americans across this great Nation. Well, 18 days into his war of choice in Iran that is costing taxpayers over a billion dollars each day, the American people can see with their own eyes that he has broken and continues to break those promises. Gas, food, housing, basic everyday necessities, costs are skyrocketing, not falling. Wars? Thirteen servicemembers are dead, over 200 have been wounded, and thousands more Americans are located in the Middle East with a target on their backs because of his choice to start a war with Iran, a choice he simply had no right to make unilaterally, but that did not stop him. Thirteen American lives and at least 1 billion taxpayer dollars a day are far too high a price to pay for an unauthorized and needless war that Trump himself cannot articulate a coherent or consistent justification for. So I am here today to support the Senator from New Jersey's War Powers Resolution that would reassert the American people's constitutional say over decisions of war and peace through their elected representatives and put an end to this unjustified, illegal war. And I join Senator Booker in demanding that the majority leader immediately hold public hearings that bring members of the Trump administration under oath and force them to justify why they are sending our sons and daughters into harm's way halfway around the world and tell us their plan for keeping Americans safe. The truth is, I wish I didn't have to be here doing this, and I am angry that it is not even the first time this month that I have had to come here to beg my Republican colleagues to do their jobs and stop shirking their constitutional duty to the American people and our troops and hold a public hearing on the immediate risks, ongoing objectives, and plan to end Trump's illegal war of choice. Look, our troops will always do their jobs to the best of their ability just as they have since Operation Epic Fury began. We all agree that they are doing an incredible job in very dangerous circumstances, but they deserve leaders in Washington who will do our jobs and actually ensure that their mission is justified, actually feasible, and worthy of the sacrifices we are asking them and their families to make. They don't deserve a Commander in Chief who hides his draft-dodging incompetence behind their valor by acting as if criticizing his bad and even illegal decision is the same thing as criticizing our troops-- because it is not. My Republican colleagues know as well as I do that the Constitution gave the American people the authority to send our troops to war through their elected representatives in Congress. We in these Chambers are the ones tasked with deciding when and how Americans are sent into combat. We are the ones charged with that most solemn duty. Yet, Trump is acting as if article I simply doesn't exist, as if obeying the Constitution is optional, as if our founding document is just a yellowing, crumpled piece of paper he can crumple up at will. Refusing to allow him to get away with this should not and must not be a partisan issue. I ran for Congress so that when the drums of war started beating beneath this Capitol dome, I would be in a position to make sure that our elected officials fully considered the true cost of war, not just in dollars and cents, but in human lives as well. Look, I am no dove. I know there are certain solemn, urgent times when our military must be called upon to defend our Nation. There are certain moments when the threat in question is significant and imminent, when military force is the most effective tool at hand, when using it is necessary to protect America and her interests, and when using military force will not backfire and create more threats than it eliminates. Trump has shown no evidence that this is one of those times. He has had weeks. While his administration avoids accountability to the public, American heroes keep dying. American diplomats have been targeted and displaced, and American families who have been stranded in the region are fearful of their safety. Here at home, American farmers who are heading into the planting season are facing skyrocketing costs of fertilizer and diesel fuel trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, a challenge that will result in many of them losing their family farms. If they actually believe that this war is justified, then the administration needs to come to Congress and do their jobs, to explain their case and give the American people a say through their elected representatives. They need to respect the American people enough to actually tell them why they are being forced to bear the cost of this conflict. They need to prove that they have thought this through enough that they can tell us what their plan is to stop the war and get to an end state in Iran that would make us safer, not more threatened. Then, when the case has been made and when Congress' debate is done, we must vote. It is our burden. It is our responsibility. It is the least we can do for those who are willing to sacrifice everything to safeguard our democracy; but until and unless they do that, we here need to do everything we can to force the administration to do their part. We can start by passing this the War Powers Resolution offered by Senator Booker. So, to my Republican colleagues, please, join us in finally reining in this unjustified war and in demanding that the administration come before the American people and publicly attempt to convince us that the mission is worthy of the sacrifices it requires. Then, after we have had that debate, we can show a fraction of the courage of our warriors and cast the tough vote. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I come to the floor to honor and commemorate a man whose service to our State and Nation was extraordinary. Ryan Whitehouse was the director of national legislation for Illinois Farm Bureau and advocated relentlessly for Illinois' farmers and rural communities across the Nation for over 12 years. Ryan unexpectedly passed away late last year. Agriculture is a critical part of Illinois' economy, culture, and identity, and the organizations that represent our farmers on the national stage, like Illinois Farm Bureau, have no easy job. But Ryan made it look easy. He had a way of bringing people together, and I looked forward to every interaction I had with him, not only for my conversations with him, but knowing that he would be introducing me to even more of our State's best-in-the-world farmers. Ryan has touched the lives of so many people, not only in Illinois, but around the country. Ryan was kind, well respected, and a strong leader who gave over a decade of his life to the tireless work of advocating for the best interests of our farmers and donated his free time to fighting against childhood cancer as part of multiple fundraising event boards for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. My staff and I had developed a strong personal and working relationship with him and will greatly miss his guidance and friendship. To Ryan's family and friends, I have no words to ease the pain of this profound loss, but I hope you find some comfort in knowing how deeply admired Ryan was. His absence is strongly felt here on Capitol Hill, all over Illinois, and across the country. Ryan, from Galena to Cairo and Quincy to Danville, your efforts to make people's lives better have made a substantial impact. Illinois and the United States are stronger because of you, and your endlessly kind and caring presence will be dearly missed.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I come here today to support Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution. You know, I am proud of every mission that I completed in Iraq, but I would never wish another needless, endless, unjustified war like the one that I served in on anyone else. I wouldn't wish it on the heroes whose blood would be soaked into that desert sand. I would not wish it on their families, who would spend their days anxiously awaiting for news from half a world away. I wouldn't wish it on the American people, who are desperate for their President to focus on bringing their costs down here at home, not on starting new, expensive, forever wars continents away. So I am here today to keep a promise I first made two decades ago. I ran for Congress so that when the drums of war started beating once again, I would be in a position to make sure that our elected officials fully considered the true cost of the war not just in dollars and cents but in human lives as well. That was the vow I made to the troops I deployed with and to all those who have served since I hung up my uniform. Today, I am speaking here under this great Capitol dome to keep that most sacred promise because, sadly, right now, American servicemembers are already in harm's way 6,000 miles east in what could be yet another preventable war. These troops are ready to do their jobs no matter what, just as they have done time after time, tour after tour. So, to me, it is tragic that even as they prepare to do their jobs, our President and certain Members of this Chamber seem so ready to neglect their own. As we all know, on Saturday morning, without any known imminent threat to America or American interests, Donald Trump launched an illegal military campaign against Iran. Look, I want a democratic Iran, and I want to see the Iranian people free from the iron grip of its brutal, authoritarian regime, and I am not about to shed a tear for the Ayatollah's death. He was no friend of the United States' nor to his own people. He was responsible for the brutal murders of thousands of his own citizens in just the past few months alone. However, my first concern is always going to be the national security of the United States, and I am troubled because of the consequences that are sure to come because of Trump's actions. Our troops and Americans all around the world are at greater risk because Trump wanted to thump his chest and look like a tough guy on TV. For no real reason he can explain, Trump is marching us closer and closer to another costly, bloody, protracted conflict--a war without any defined end state and even without a concept of a plan for how to prevent the chaos and instability that will come next. Far from making America greater or better or stronger or whatever new adjective he is using this week, Trump's actions have made our Nation and our allies less safe. He has made them less secure. By continuing to strain our military with wars of choice, Trump is handing a gift to bad actors like Russia and the PRC, as his never- ending chaos makes it harder for our Armed Forces to focus on defending our critical interests in places like the Indo-Pacific. So, no, Trump's actions over the past 72 hours--or ever--haven't put America first; they have made the situation for America worse. The sad fact of the matter is that what we are facing today is in large part a manufactured crisis. Iran is no ally of ours. We have been adversaries since long before Trump took office. I have always condemned their proxy activity and ballistic missile program, and I certainly agree that they cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. But we can't forget that Donald Trump is the one who pulled the United States out of the very deal that was limiting their weapons development program. Trump is the one who made sure Iran no longer had to play by the rules and curb their nuclear production. Trump and his inability to conduct foreign policy are what made today's nightmare a reality. His historical incompetence is what gave them the matchbox and the motivation to start a fire, and now he is angry that it is starting to catch. He is mad because they are doing the very things his actions encouraged them to do. It is circular logic which has already had fatal consequences--fatal for the six American heroes who have already lost their lives in this conflict and fatal for the hundreds of civilians who have already become the most horrible kind of collateral--moms and dads who this evening should be able to sit down and eat dinner with their little girl, who should be able to kiss their little boy goodnight, who should be able to go bed dreaming of a tomorrow that doesn't include missiles or misery. Now he has created a power vacuum in Iran, resulting in an unstable regime that is willing to do anything to hold on to power. Now he has created an open invitation for well-funded, organized terrorist groups to swoop in and snatch away any chance the Iranian people have for freedom and self-governance. War is always tragic, but when it is preventable, it is not just tragic but a travesty too. Trump wouldn't let himself be dragged by the bone spurs to serve in uniform when his country needed him, so how dare he try to drag us into yet another war of his choice today. But this draft dodger is too infatuated with maximum pressure to consider even minimum diplomacy. Once again, the Trump foreign policy doctrine has proven reckless, senseless, and dangerous--a doctrine in which fact and fiction are one and the same and one in which avarice outweighs advice every damn time. It is shameful--terrifying--that we have a Commander in Chief who seems to come to military decisions by virtue of temper tantrums and announces them via tweet, a President who doesn't seem to care if he keeps to the path of fire and fury that he has been treading; our own homeland will be in greater danger, more wounded warriors will be sent to Walter Reed, and more fallen heroes will be laid to rest in Arlington; a President who is so obsessed with being the tough guy, that he doesn't seem to give--well, doesn't seem to care; a President who is happy to squander the lives of our heroes for his own personal gain. Now, after this weekend, he has officially traded deterrence for instability and chaos and made us all less safe in the process-- Americans, certainly, but also our partners in the region and the Iranian people themselves, who did not ask for any of this; Iranian families who suffered decades under the Ayatollah's tyrannical iron grip and who, at long last, want to feel safe and secure. Look, Trump may have run to his podiatrist instead of running toward danger in Vietnam, but I actually know what it is like to leave your blood, your sweat--your limbs--in a war zone half a world away. So I know what is at stake for the thousands of troops this administration is getting ready to send into harm's way, and I can tell you this: It is a whole lot easier to cover your eyes and order other Americans to sacrifice if you don't have to sacrifice anything yourself. It is much easier to ignore the everyday realties of war from inside the hallowed halls of the White House, but it is nearly impossible if you have been outside the wire yourself. So as those drums of war echo louder than they have in years, I am here today because, despite what he thinks, Donald Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally force us into war. He may have never read the Constitution, but I have. So let me direct his attention to article I, which makes it clear that the President does not have the power to declare war; only Congress does. We are the ones tasked with deciding when and how Americans are sent into combat. We are the ones charged with that most solemn duty, yet Trump is acting also if article I simply doesn't exist, as if obeying the Constitution is optional, as if our founding document is a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper he can crumble up at will. Refusing to allow him to get away with this should not--must not--be a partisan issue. No matter if you are struggling to pay rent or your name is plastered in fake gold on a building on Fifth Avenue, no one can ignore the Constitution. No matter if you are a Mar-a-Lago worker pulling double shifts or the President of the United States, no one is above the law. Look, I believe there are certain solemn, urgent times when our military must be called upon to defend us. There are certain moments when the threat in question is significant and imminent, instances when military force is the most effective tool at hand and that using it is necessary to protect America and her interests. The thing is, from what little information Trump has shared publicly so far, this is not one of those times. But if the administration thinks I am wrong, then the floor is theirs. We are only a 20-minute walk from the White House. It is not that hard to find us here. We are the building with the big dome on top. If they actually believe that this war is justified, then they need to come to Congress and do their jobs, explaining their case and giving the American people a say through their elected representatives. They need to respect the American people enough to actually tell them why they are being forced to bear the costs of this conflict, both in dollars and cents and daughter and sons. The White House needs to respect our servicemembers enough to prove why war with Iran is worth turning more moms and dads into Gold Star parents. They need to prove that they have thought this through enough, then they can tell us what an end state in Iran would look like. Then, when their case has been made, when Congress' debate is done, we, in this Chamber, must vote. It is our duty; it is our burden; it is the least we can do for those willing to sacrifice everything to safeguard our democracy. But if the Trump administration refuses to do that, if they refuse to adhere to the first article of our Constitution, well then it begs the question: What are they hiding? This week, we will vote on Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution, and I am well aware that many of my colleagues are claiming to have a difficult time deciding how to vote. To them, let me say this: We ask a lot of tough things of our troops and military families. Serving in a combat zone is hard. Hugging your husband or your wife, your father or your daughter, for the last time before they deploy, not knowing if you will ever see them again, that is hard. The least we can do here in return is ensure that we Senators take our duties as seriously as our military men and women do theirs. So to my Republican colleagues: Please, think about the fact that Trump cared so little about your beliefs on this matter that he willfully, illegally circumvented our Chamber entirely, preferring to sow chaos and fear, leaving Americans in a lurch and their elected representatives in the dark, choosing to start an unlawful war rather than simply ask for your expertise for your constitutionally mandated vote. And think about that Trump still has not been able to tell us of an imminent threat to American interests that would have actually required military action anywhere near this scale. And then after reflecting on all of that, all I am asking is that you vote for what you know is right. Moving forward, I will come back to the Chamber every afternoon, if necessary, to remind the Nation of the hard lessons learned the last time a President rashly sent our sons and daughters into another unjustified war in the Middle East, trying to ensure that this time we do right by our troops, trying to ensure that this time we actually fully, soberly consider the consequences of Washington's decisions on those who serve and their families. God bless each and every one of our troops in harm's way right now. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the recent 250th anniversary of the U.S. Postal Service, USPS, and the 120th anniversary of the American Postal Workers Union, APWU, Chicago Local 0001. Our Nation's Postal Service, first established by the Second Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, and later modernized by Congress to become the U.S. Postal Service on July 1, 1971, was created to connect individuals and communities across the country. Today, USPS continues to serve communities and is relied on for its ability to conduct last-mile deliveries that have rapidly increased in the era of e-commerce. As USPS passes this incredible milestone, we must ensure that USPS continues to grow by improving its on-time performance, seeking new business to grow mail volumes, and investing in the Postal Service's most valuable asset, its dedicated workforce. In my home State of Illinois, APWU Chicago Local 0001 and other unions began organizing to strengthen worker rights and protections over 100 years ago, when labor protections barely existed. The leadership, dedication, and great sacrifices made by APWU Chicago Local 0001 empowered postal workers to negotiate fairer wages, establish safer workplaces, and secure far better health benefits. Simply put, APWU Chicago Local 0001 has been instrumental in advancing postal workers' rights, safety and dignity. I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in commemorating the USPS's 250th Anniversary and commending and thanking the dedicated postal workers--past and present--of APWU Chicago Local 0001, who have served their fellow APWU sisters and brothers over the past 120 years, and helped connect communities throughout Illinois and across our great Nation.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, next week marks the anniversary of my Alive Day. That is the anniversary of the last day I ever woke up, laced up my boots, and climbed into my Black Hawk helicopter; the day when an RPG shot my helicopter out of the Iraqi sky; the day that I could have died; the day that I probably should have died but didn't, thanks to the courage of my buddies who risked their lives to save my own. So I come here this afternoon, battle wounds and all, not because I am scared of war--I am not; been there, done that; got the t-shirt. Titanium legs don't buckle, by the way. What I am scared of, however, is that the United States is stumbling into an armed conflict because of a five-time draft dodger who is using our military to pretend to be a tough guy on the world stage. What I am troubled by is that a man who was never brave enough to serve in uniform himself seems to care more about thumping his chest than keeping our troops out of danger. What I am worried about is that Donald Trump's obsession with making America great again is making Americans less safe again. Two months ago, without even seeking congressional approval, the Trump administration began carrying out airstrikes against boats in international waters near Venezuela, claiming he was targeting fentanyl traffickers and drug cartels. Since then, without due process, dozens of people have been killed in these strikes. What he is doing is un-American, unconstitutional, and downright dangerous--dangerous for our servicemembers whom he is placing at greater risk of retaliation, dangerous for Americans who should be afraid that Trump is using military might to kill people without due process or proper evidence, and dangerous for our democracy if we keep speeding down this path. Bringing the force of the U.S. military down on drug traffickers is both ineffective and unwise, as drug trafficking is fundamentally a law enforcement matter, not a military one. This is yet another instance of Donald Trump wildly abusing our military, trying to blur the lines between our servicemembers and law enforcement. We saw it when he sent the National Guard to intimidate peaceful protesters in Los Angeles or when he similarly threatened Chicago and Portland before he was stopped by the courts. We have even seen it in this Capital City, where I am speaking today, when he forced troops to carry rifles around the quiet streets of our Nation's Capital. Now we are witnessing it stretch from DC to the Caribbean Sea as Trump is, once again, unilaterally--and unconstitutionally--using our troops however he sees fit, rule of law be damned. To put what he has done another way, the President has ordered repeated military strikes against civilians without congressional oversight, and he has claimed that such military action is justified because he himself, in his ultimate wisdom, has deemed these civilians to be criminals, which leaves us to ask: What is to stop him from arguing that anyone he dislikes deserves the same treatment? What is to stop him from naming any of his enemies as a terrorist, then unilaterally deciding to use the military to hunt them down without congressional consent? To be clear, I will never ever support trafficking illegal drugs into this country. I believe we should use the might of law enforcement to track down drug traffickers, but that is not why we are here today. Why I am here is to sound the alarm on the incredibly slippery slope that Donald Trump has set us careening down. Even if the administration can actually give us proof that those killed on board were all criminals, well, then they should have been apprehended by law enforcement and tried in the judicial system. That is how ``law and order'' works. But Trump doesn't seem to care. In his world, he is a judge, jury, and executioner. In his mind, the justice system can be discarded at will. The military is his plaything, with fewer and fewer guardrails to keep the rest of us safe. He believes there are no checks on his power--no checks at all--other than the ones going into his own pockets, signed by his rich friends. The United States exists today because a few brave patriots saw a tyrant who cared more about the gold in his coffers than the people in his colonies, and then our Founders decided to form a more perfect Union where enforceable guardrails would check executive greed. They pushed those chests of tea into Boston Harbor; they fought a revolution; they did the hard, messy work of forging a democracy because they knew that a man who believes he wields all the power but fears no consequences is a danger to those who fall under his rule. While Donald Trump may be a wannabe King rather than a Monarch by blood or title, what was true then is true now: He doesn't seem to care that his strikes are clearly escalatory actions that will only harden our enemies, put our troops in greater danger, and our families at greater risk of retaliation. He does not care that this campaign is draining military resources, hurting its readiness, and wasting untold sums of taxpayer money. He probably isn't aware of the second- and third-order security consequences of his decisions. He probably doesn't even know that already, because of his decisions, a Marine Expeditionary Unit has been forced to relocate to SOUTHCOM, leaving our troops in Europe and the Middle East without the emergency support they rely on in worst case scenario moments, leaving our troops there hanging. He just wants to look strong, and he doesn't care that, in the process, he is making our Nation weaker. Look, I first ran for Congress so that when the drums of war started beating, I would be in a position to make sure that our Nation's leaders fully consider the true cost of war, not just in dollars and cents but in the sacrifices of our heroes and their families. Now, with those drums beginning to echo once more, I am here today to, once again, keep my promise because, sadly, worryingly, infuriatingly, Trump has already started a conflict and now seems intent on expanding it. He has already threatened land strikes against Venezuela, with seemingly no concern over the fact that only Congress--this body, not the President--has the authority to declare war. We are the ones tasked with deciding when and how we send our troops into combat. We are the ones the Constitution charged with that most solemn duty. And, today, we are the ones who must be the adults in the room because Trump is, yet again, acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum on a playground, acting as if obeying the law is optional, acting as if the Constitution is nothing more than a yellowing piece of paper that he can rip up at will. Those are just some of the many, many reasons why, today, I am voting yes on the resolution to block the administration from continuing to illegally use military force within or against Venezuela. This should not be a partisan issue. No matter if you are a factory worker pulling double shifts or the President of the United States, no one is above the law. No matter if you are struggling to pay rent or your name is plastered in fake gold on the front of a building on Fifth Avenue, no one can overrule the Constitution. Listen, if the Trump administration actually believes there is an ongoing credible threat of armed conflict, then they must bring their case to Congress and give the American people a say through their elected representatives. They must respect our servicemembers enough to prove why war is worth turning more moms and dads into Gold Star parents. And they must testify about what the end state of these military operations would actually look like. Then, when their case has been made, when Congress's debate is done, we should vote. After all, it is our duty. It is the least we owe to the warriors who deserve to know why we are putting them in harm's way. On Veterans Day, I am sure we will see Donald Trump wrap himself in the flag in the morning, but you can be sure that he will have found a way to abandon our troops again by the afternoon because Trump has made a habit of giving our troops the middle finger. Well, I am sure as hell not going to let him get away with that. So as many times as is necessary, I am going to keep coming back to this Chamber. I am going to keep raising my voice and keep demanding what is actually in our Nation's best interest because I don't make decisions of war and peace based on how tough I want to look on Truth Social. As I celebrate my Alive Day next week, I am going to do my damnedest to make sure other troops get to come home to their families too. It is just one small way I can honor those buddies who saved my life, every other veteran, and all those still in the uniform of our great Nation today. If only this five-time draft dodger hadn't cried ``bone spurs'' when his Nation needed him the most, then maybe he would understand the first thing about what it means to actually honor those who serve. I yield the floor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam President, in the last few months, we have seen President Trump force military troops, uninvited, into American cities--first into Los Angeles, then into our Nation's Capital, and now into Chicago. Let's be clear: Ordering our troops to intimidate the very Americans they were willing to risk their lives to protect does nothing to make our Nation stronger. It is just another move straight out of an authoritarian 101 playbook. A move that tramples on civil rights instills fear among Americans and distracts our troops from their core mission of keeping Americans safe from actual adversaries who wish to do us harm. Our National Guard signed up to serve and protect this country, not to protect one man's thin skin. That is why, today, I am introducing a provision that would reduce the misuse of the military for nonmilitary purposes. It would install commonsense congressional oversight by requiring Congress to approve any redirection of expensive military assets to support law enforcement for longer than 30 days. This is essential to protecting against civil rights abuse, including the use of military bases for detentions or providing DOD surveillance to support policing on U.S. soil. To be clear, my provision would allow States facing situations that overwhelm their capacities from natural disasters and public health emergencies to benefit from research in military and logistical support for a month. It would also help ensure that America's elected representatives, not a wannabe dictator, get to decide whether to bring in military readiness of such extraordinary measures. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle care about respecting our troops as much as they claim to, they have no choice but to join me in voting yes.

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 3210 to amendment No. 3748 and ask that it be reported by number.

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam President, this is a bipartisan amendment that deals with a longstanding, multiyear issue supported by 49 State adjutant generals. When the National Guard units are mobilized by their Governors and paid for by the Federal Government, our antiquated reimbursement system for reimbursing the National Guard for maintenance of their Federal equipment leads to long delays for States to receive the promised funds. This amendment only modernizes our payment system to ensure that the Federal Government more efficiently reimburses States to ensure that Federal National Guard equipment that is used for title 32 or State Active-Duty missions of our Guard, such as responses to natural disasters, can be adequately maintained. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, one of the proudest moments of my life was the first time I ever laced up my boots, put on my uniform, and raised my right hand to swear my oath to the Constitution as a member of the Illinois Army National Guard, and I cherished every day that I got to wake up and call myself a soldier. And it is because I love our military so deeply that I refuse to let a five-time, draft-dodging coward abuse it for his own personal gain. At Quantico last week, Trump told our top military leaders that he wants American servicemembers to ``train'' against the same citizens they swear an oath to protect. Last month, he essentially declared war on Chicago, one of the largest cities in the country that he leads, with a meme from a Vietnam war movie about the loss of all humanity when military action is unchecked by ethics or the laws of war. And this week, he made good on his threats, forcing hundreds of National Guardsmen into our city, against the will of the people of Illinois or its legally elected representatives. For months, Trump has fabricated claims of chaos and crime on American streets to justify false claims that there is a need to deploy troops into our cities against local officials' wishes--first to L.A., then DC. And he isn't stopping there. He is also attempting to deploy troops to Portland, though a Federal judge he appointed blocked his efforts there twice because, in his own hand-picked appointee's words, Trump's claims about why they are needed were ``untethered to facts.'' Another way to put that is that he is lying. In the last few weeks in Chicago, we have seen Trump's agents detain innocent Americans, deny citizens their right to legal representation, point weapons at civilians, zip-tie children, arrest elected officials, ransack apartment buildings, injure journalists, and shoot a priest in the head with pepper balls for the so-called crime of peacefully praying for nonviolence. They have even shot two people, leaving one--a father of two young children--dead, making dubious and unsubstantiated claims in their attempt to justify their use of lethal force. It is obvious what Trump is doing. He is targeting and punishing the cities who dare to push back against his abuse of power. And while he is currently targeting blue cities with his lies, if these deployments are not stopped, there will be nothing to stop him--or any future President--from doing this to anyone, anywhere, for any made-up reason that is also untethered to reality. So let's be clear. Ordering our troops to intimidate Americans in their own communities doesn't make our Nation safer. Policing Americans in their own communities is not the National Guard's job. They can't make arrests, and they are not adequately trained to carry out police duties in urban environments. These deployments are yet another Trump move straight out of the Authoritarian 101 textbook. They further jeopardize civil rights while distracting our troops from executing their core mission of keeping Americans safe from the real adversaries who wish us harm. We know that Trump's actions are not about law and order--because if he cared about law and order, he wouldn't gleefully refuse to coordinate with State and local officials. He wouldn't have literally defunded our police by freezing and slashing Federal dollars that help hire, train, and equip law enforcement. He wouldn't be diverting Federal resources and agents away from operations that investigate drug cartels and drug traffickers, from missions that identify and disrupt foreign terrorist plots, and from actions that protect our families from cyber attacks to do it. But he is. And instead of supporting and expanding proven violent crime prevention strategies, he is wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to terrorize law-abiding citizens who are exercising their First Amendment rights. Trump is taking our troops away from their missions just to do his personal bidding, forcing them to confront peacefully protesting Americans, instead of using their time to train to protect our Nation in case of future conflicts with America's adversaries around the world. Our troops didn't sign up for this. They signed up to defend Americans' rights to free speech, not to intimidate Americans from exercising that right. Our troops are willing to die to defend this country, not to defend one man's ego. Los Angeles did not ask for this; Washington, DC, did not ask for this; Portland did not ask for this; Chicago did not ask for this; our servicemembers did not ask for this. I am relieved to announce that just moments ago I secured a Senate hearing in the coming weeks with witnesses from the Trump administration where I will ask tough questions and demand answers on these unjustifiable actions because I refuse to stay silent as our military and our servicemembers' sacrifices are disrespected and abused by a man who was never brave enough to serve himself. I cannot let him keep giving our troops the middle finger while eroding the hard-won trust and confidence they have earned from the American public over generations of military service. These days, I may no longer be wearing my Army uniform, but it still hangs proudly in my Senate office. And now, I spend a lot of my time seated on the Senate floor rather than beneath my Black Hawk's main rotors, but my core mission is still the same as when I was in the National Guard: to keep America as strong and as safe as she should be. If only Donald Trump cared about doing the same. I yield the floor and recognize my colleague, the senior Senator from the great State of Illinois.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, it is with great pride and gratitude that I rise to celebrate the public service career of Ms. Ronna Erin Beckmann, who is departing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, after 21 years of service in congressional and intergovernmental relations, first at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC, and then at the EPA Region 5 headquarters in Chicago, IL. Ronna's dedication to EPA's mission, her extensive experience, and deep expertise was always evident in her ability to carry out meaningful, and often complex, engagement with diverse communities and congressional offices across the six States, including my State of Illinois, as well as Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, and 37 Tribes. Ronna shepherded our offices through endless challenges, such as devastating floods in East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights, IL, and the train derailment in East Palestine, OH, to comprehensive lead abatement and major regulatory milestones that helped protect the health of our residents. Ronna handled each situation with incredible care, tailored to the specific needs of the unique issue and area. Ronna has always gone far above what was required of her, including attending endless community events and meeting with our offices weekly to ensure the people of Illinois felt seen, informed, and protected. Simply put, Ronna's work changed people's lives, and because of her dedication and service, the people of Illinois and the entire Region 5 are closer to achieving our ultimate goal of ensuring environmental justice for all. My staff and I cannot thank her enough for helping us fulfill our constitutional responsibility to oversee, and work with, EPA to better protect our constituents' public health against dangerous pollutants, toxic exposure, and other environmental harms. Ronna's dedication, tact, and emotional investment in the Region 5 communities she served will be greatly missed. As an Illinois resident herself, I hope Ronna knows that her character and leadership had untold positive impacts on the people of Illinois and the Nation. I thank her for her over 21 years of dedicated service to EPA and wish her well on her next endeavor.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

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

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I rise to celebrate the 100th birthday of Lester Crown on June 7, 2025. Lester Crown is a dedicated leader, philanthropist, entrepreneur, activist, father, son, husband, and--to me--a loyal and cherished friend. Rooted in the Crown family and their business is a tradition to support Illinois' economy and its people. From a young age, Lester became a familiar face in the family's construction business, Material Service Corporation, MSC. Deciding to further his passions in science and business, Lester graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in chemical engineering and Harvard University with a master of business administration. Following his education on the east coast, Lester decided to come home to Illinois and began to work full-time at MSC, eventually becoming the company's CEO. After MSC merged with General Dynamics, Lester continued in a leadership role and served on the board until 2006. With Lester's leadership, the company acquired stakes in companies that have had an outsized role in our State and Nation, including real estate, finance, telecommunication, and even our favorite Chicago Bulls. Those who know Lester have seen his passion for service and philanthropy up close. He continues to champion causes that provide Chicagoans--and all Illinoisans--the opportunity to prosper. Through Crown Family Philanthropies, he works to advance just and lasting social impact in Chicago and far beyond, and his decades-long dedication to the Jewish community has been exemplary. In recognition of his continued work, Lester has received many awards, including the Order of Lincoln, the highest award bestowed by the State of Illinois, Making History Award from the Chicago History Museum, the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, and the Blessed are the Peacemakers Award from the Catholic Theological Union. Lester has made a profound impact through business, philanthropy, and service to his fellow citizens. Please join me in wishing Lester a wonderful 100th birthday.

Ms. DUCKWORTH

Ms. DUCKWORTH. I ask for the yeas and nays.