Joni Ernst

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, just 1 percent of the U.S. population serves in the defense of our great Nation. America owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to this small number of citizens who give so much to protect our freedoms and our way of life. May is Military Appreciation Month, so on behalf of the people of Iowa and me personally, I want to thank each and every one of the women and men of our Armed Forces and their families. We may celebrate you in May, but we appreciate you every single day. You are the ones whom we call upon to defend our Nation from our foreign adversaries and rogue actors who intend to harm us. You are the ones we called upon when COVID-19 seeped into our borders and shut down America. You stood guard to ensure our way of life succeeds. Thank you for being the greatest fighting force on the face of the planet. After 23 years of my own military service, with great pride, I now get to watch as my daughter soon embarks on her career as an Army officer. Libby, thank you for your willingness to serve and the sacrifices you have committed to. While serving in the military is one of the most rewarding experiences, it is not easy. As we approach Memorial Day, we must all take time to remember the servicemembers and their families who have paid the ultimate price, laying down their lives for our great Nation. Iowa has lost 158 of our sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2 in Panama or Grenada, 7 in the first Persian Gulf war, and 867 in Vietnam. Our Korean and world wars numbers were in the thousands. While I won't be able to individually honor all of these heroes, today I would like to echo a few names in remembrance of Iowans we lost in the defense of our Nation. Honoring Our Armed Forces Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey E. Bohr Madam President, Marine GySgt Jeffrey E. Bohr, Jr., is from the tiny farm town of Ossian. He was 39 years old when he was killed on April 10, 2003, after a 7-hour gun battle in front of a Baghdad, Iraq, mosque. Gunnery Sergeant Bohr served a 20-year career as an Army Ranger and then a Marine. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, CA, at the time of his death. He was the first Iowan killed by enemy fire in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. Gunnery Sergeant Bohr left behind his wife Lori, who is also a native of Iowa. Honoring Our Armed Forces Sergeant James C. Kearney III Madam President, Army SGT James C. Kearney III--I know him as Jamie. He was an Iowa National Guardsman from Emerson, which is 10 miles from where I grew up. I knew Jamie before he enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard. He was very excited about his enlistment, and he told me about his excitement and how he felt that he had found a place that truly rewarded him. He was 22 years old when he died on November 1, 2004, in Salerno, Afghanistan, from injuries he sustained when his convoy was attacked by enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire in Afghanistan. Sergeant Kearney was assigned to 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, in Glenwood, IA, at his death. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant and awarded a Bronze Star with a ``V'' device for valor. He was the first Iowan killed in Operation Enduring Freedom, and our community misses Jamie to this day. Honoring Our Armed Forces Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaime S. Jaenke Madam President, Navy PO2 Jaime Jaenke was a naval reservist and a native of Iowa Falls. She is beautiful, isn't she? She was 30 years old when she was killed on June 5, 2006, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, when a roadside bomb struck the Humvee that she was riding in. She was assigned to the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25, based in Fort McCoy, WI, at her death. She was posthumously awarded the Navy- Marine Corps Commendation Medal with ``V'' for valor. She left behind her daughter, Kayla. She was the first woman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom from Iowa. Honoring Our Armed Forces Lance Corporal Adam Franklin Wolf Madam President, LCpl Adam Franklin Wolf is from Eldon. He was 25 years old when he was killed on June 20, 2014, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune, NC. He is Iowa's most recent fatality. His twin brother and family survive him. Honoring Gold Star Families Madam President, another group of strength and resiliency I want to acknowledge today is our Gold Star families. They are the ones left behind in battle and in war. We owe it to the heroes who gave their all to protect and care for their families and their communities. To every Gold Star family, thank you. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and continue to make every day. I assure you, you are not alone or forgotten. I would like to take just a brief moment of silence in honor of those we lost in combat or due to everlasting combat injuries. Thank you. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, for years prior to the COVID pandemic, U.S. taxpayer dollars were being funneled into Communist China's state-run Wuhan Institute of Virology. After COVID appeared in the vicinity of the Wuhan Institute, instead of cooperating with efforts to discover the source of the outbreak, Chinese officials instead ordered the destruction of some of the coronavirus samples and blocked access to the lab. China continues to obstruct international efforts to discover the origins of COVID, refusing to allow independent scientists to review the database of coronaviruses that were being studied in the Wuhan Institute. Providing additional U.S. funds to subsidize any state-run lab in China, especially the Wuhan Institute of Virology, goes against the very purpose of the underlying bill, which is to support more research in the United States to better compete with China. My amendment would assure that not another dime of taxpayer dollars goes to subsidizing Communist China. With that, I yield.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I want to thank my senior Senator from Iowa for being the lead Republican on this bill, and I am rising today as well to support my colleague in her request today for consideration of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. Our service men and women--all of them--are volunteers. They represent some of the best our Nation has to offer. They choose to serve. They swear to protect against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to defend the Constitution. In this day and age, they face many risks, but they should not face the risk of sexual assault from within their own ranks. For years, the military has struggled to reduce the number of sexual assaults within the ranks. Yet we have seen little progress in defeating this scourge. The stories from survivors are heartbreaking: servicemembers who are attacked by their own teammates; servicemembers whose lives are turned upside down; servicemembers who are abandoned by their chain of command; servicemembers who receive no justice; and servicemembers who are left with the scars, often physical but always psychological, of a terrible experience. I know these stories not just from the retelling by survivors of sexual assault but from being a survivor of sexual assault myself. It is time we take new action to stop these attacks, to bring justice for the victims and to prevent these actions going forward. Our bill, with over 60 cosponsors, Republicans and Democrats from all political philosophies, and the endorsement of veterans groups, survivors groups, and individual servicemembers, does that. And our bipartisan bill takes steps to ensure the unit commander is still involved and aware of what is going on within the unit. This bill also puts in place measures for the prevention of sexual assault. It increases security on our bases and stations. It trains leaders from the top to the bottom on developing a better command climate. It reinforces training on prevention of sexual assault. If a foreign power were to attack any of our service men and women overseas, there would be a stampede of Senators coming to the floor and demanding action. Now I hear only the footsteps of those coming to stop us from consideration of something that would help prevent attacks on our service men and women by one of their own. It is time for action, and I urge my colleagues to pass this time agreement. Mr. President, with that, I yield to the Senator from Connecticut Senator Blumenthal.

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I want to take just a very brief moment and thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee because this is a very significant move that is being proposed by Senators Gillibrand and Grassley and those of us who are cosponsors of this legislation. It is time to act. It is time to act. If we can go back into previous years, I have been one of those nay-sayers. I have said to others that I was very torn about removing this decision from a commander's purview. I was torn. But we have not seen improvement when it comes to the areas of sexual assault and other serious crimes within our Nation's armed services. So it is time to take very bold action. It is time to take bold action. I do share those concerns as so eloquently stated by Senator Gillibrand that we are making a bold proposal that we believe now fit for those who want prevention, like myself, those who want to reform and improve and professionalize those prosecutors within the military system. We can bring that together and move it forward, but that is not going to happen if we see it watered down through the process of the NDAA. I would love to see this bill in its entirety passed. If that can happen through the NDAA, so be it. But as Senator Gillibrand just stated, we have worked on legislation before to see it come to fruition in the Senate through NDAA, but not have it passed and signed into law. So I do share those concerns, and I have not had assurances that we could pass the bill in its entirety. I would also ask that we take this up for consideration on the floor. I think it is that important to move forward. There are a lot of survivors out there who would like to see this move forward. I believe that now we also have a swell of military members who would like to see this bill in its entirety move forward. This body as a Senate--not just as Senate Armed Services Committee members, but this body as a Senate--this body as a Congress, we do have civilian oversight of the military and our civilian oversight takes into consideration those members, our constituents, who are asking for this change. Believe me, I am hearing from my constituents on this change. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, during my recent travels across Iowa on my 99-county tour, I couldn't help but notice the number of ``Help Wanted'' or ``Now Hiring'' signs on storefronts along nearly every highway and Main Street. In an era where we seem to live through one unprecedented occurrence after another, the dire job situation has become the latest extraordinary event as millions of Americans remain unemployed, despite an abundance of jobs that need to be filled. In fact, the number of available jobs has reached an alltime record high, 8.1 million positions that need to be filled. And 44 percent of all small business owners have openings they cannot fill, another record. What makes this all the more stunning is that the Nation's unemployment rate increased last month to 6.1 percent. There are now more than 9 million jobless Americans, and nearly a third of those have been unemployed for a year or more. In Iowa, the number of unemployed slowly inched upwards in February and March, and we continue to have more job openings than we do job seekers. There are more than 62,000 job listings posted on the Iowa Workforce Development website, which exceeds the total number of Iowans filing for unemployment benefits. The jobs span a variety of occupations and locations in the State, and employers are desperate to fill them. The police department of Iowa City is urgently trying to hire 10 officers and is offering a $5,000 signing bonus to new recruits. And I should note that another factor here could be the ongoing efforts to defund the police being pushed by folks on the left. The owner of the Blind Pig restaurant in Cedar Rapids is paying higher wages plus a $500 sign-on bonus, but even that isn't enough to attract workers. He says in the past he would get up to 50 applicants when he placed a ``Help Wanted'' notice, but now he might get 2. Yep, that is it. Two, he said, if he is lucky. So what gives? Part of the problem is that the government pays folks more to stay home than to go to work. I have heard from restaurant owners in Bellevue who need about 36 employees between their two locations and can only find 20. They have been forced to suspend plans to expand, costing additional jobs and stifling economic development. Similarly, the owner of a small business in Cedar Rapids that offers good-paying jobs that don't require a college degree was turned down by three separate people because they chose to stay on unemployment instead. I have also heard from folks who run in-home care services in West Des Moines and Cedar Rapids about their difficulties hiring providers for their professional care teams. Again, this is all due, in large part, to the Federal Government's excessive unemployment perks. This may have made some sense a year ago, when there was plenty of uncertainty. But due to the success of Operation Warp Speed, we now have vaccines; and COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are trending down. Despite thousands being out of work in Siouxland, local businesses can't find the workers they need. The store manager of Sam's Mini Mart says: ``People come in here and say, why work when I don't have to, when unemployment's going to pay me?'' He goes on to say: ``We've even upped our wages, our starting wages, and nothing seems to work.'' Paying people not to work is not helpful. It is delaying us from returning to normal, prepandemic life. For our businesses in Iowa, ``normal'' means operating at full capacity. If we are going to begin erasing the damages caused by the last year of the pandemic and get our economy moving again, we cannot continue to let Democrats disincentivize work. Thankfully, in Iowa, our great Governor, Kim Reynolds, has already taken steps to curb the excessive Federal unemployment that has kept Iowans on the sidelines and created these challenges for our employers. Now, we need to do more nationwide. As a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am hoping to lead a bicameral effort to end the enhanced perks at the Federal level. The Get Americans Back to Work Act, which I helped put forward, decreases the extra Federal unemployment benefits to $150 per week at the end of this month and then fully repeals them at the end of June. It is time for Congress, the Biden administration, and State leaders across the country to do their jobs and help Americans get back to work. With that, I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great American and an exceptional member of the United States Air Force. On this occasion, I believe it is fitting to recognize Lt. Col. Anthony ``Tony'' Santino's distinguished service and dedication to fostering the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and this Chamber. Lieutenant Colonel Santino has distinguished himself through his professional character and leadership by serving this Nation in uniform. A leader and expert communicator, he has provided exemplary service to our country while assigned to the Air Force Senate Liaison Office. Tony is a senior missileer, operating at the highest levels of America's nuclear enterprise, ensuring the United States and its allies are strategically prepared to defend this great nation from external threats. Prior to his current assignment, Tony had the privilege of being an Air Force fellow for Representative Liz Cheney. In addition to his numerous and impressive professional accomplishments, it is worth noting he flawlessly balanced his duties, evidenced by his ability to allocate personal time to selflessly volunteer as local neighborhood math tutor, where Tony's enthusiastic service empowered DC youth and inspired community partnership. His passion for not only the organization he works for but also the community in which he resides is unrivaled. As a legislative liaison in the Air Force Senate Liaison Office from November 2019 to May 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Santino expertly performed his duties without reservation. His strategic thinking and strategic foresight helped to strengthen and improve our national security. Tony accomplished this by utilizing his in depth Air Force knowledge with numerous engagements between Congress and the Department of the Air Force. During this assignment, Tony conducted congressional engagements to provide Members of Congress and staff insights into the Air Force we need and Air Force required to support the national defense strategy. Tony transformed congressional engagement norms amidst coronavirus limitations, leading more than 40 remote and virtual engagements between Air Force senior leaders and U.S. Senators, exponentially increasing trust and mutual understanding. Tony's innovative efforts and trusted credibility on Capitol Hill enabled the passage of foundational legislation in support of Air Force priorities, securing more than $170 billion in annual requirements and directly contributing to the stand-up of the United States Space Force. All of these conversations and engagements helped stakeholders understand the defense equities and impact on national security. Tony remained engaged with Members of Congress to ensure all were informed, advised, and educated on initiatives important to the Air Force and the citizens of this great country. Due to his direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensure the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded. After concluding this challenging assignment, Lieutenant Colonel Santino will move to his next duty station at Vandenberg AFB, where he will be the director of operations for the 576th Flight Test Squadron. Tony has sacrificed much in service to our Nation. I am eternally thankful for Tony's selfless service and superb work with my office and the Senate over the past 18 months on issues important to the State of Iowa and this great Nation. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept our country safe and strong.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, Washington has been on a dizzying spending spree over the past couple of months, passing trillion-dollar bills right and left. It is nearly impossible to calculate the total cost. And now, President Biden and the Democrats in Congress are proposing several trillion dollars in even more spending. With tax day approaching on May 17, the time has come to pay the bills for all of these government giveaways. And guess who will be forced to pay for it? Well, of course, it is the American people. Right now, Democrats are hoping to finance their ongoing spending splurge by increasing taxes on hard-working Americans across this country. One of the key tax hikes included in the President's so-called American Families Plan would hit farm families especially hard. The Biden proposal would eliminate a protection that allows Iowa farm families to pass down their assets to the next generation without a tax penalty. The Farm Bureau says the end result would be a significant tax increase on our farmers and ranchers. This is the last thing the ag sector needs as they continue on their economic recovery. While hiking taxes on our farmers who help feed and fuel our Nation every single day, my Democratic colleagues also want to give a tax break to high-income coastal elites. And don't just take my word for it. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez, the leader of the socialist squad in the House, says the Democrats' proposal to repeal the cap on the State and local tax deduction is ``a gift to billionaires'' and ``a giveaway to the rich.'' Never in a million years did I ever think that I would agree with AOC, but there is no arguing on that particular point. Those aren't the only parts of the Democrats' tax strategy that make no sense. According to recent reports, their demand to raise taxes on capital gains could actually cost the government money. The calculation is that if rates get too high, people will just stop selling their assets. Well, here is an idea: Rather than taking more of Iowans' hard-earned dollars to pay for their plans, maybe Democrats could stop their reckless spending. But let's be honest, that probably won't happen. They are the party of tax and spend, after all. Rather than raising taxes, my friends across the aisle could start by collecting the $380 billion in taxes that is already owed, but not paid, every year. Current and retired government employees alone owe over $3 billion in delinquent taxes. Why should Iowans be paying the salaries and benefits of those who aren't even paying their own tax bill? They shouldn't. And that is why I am helping lead an effort that would collect the billions in back taxes owed by Federal employees. Another solution: We could bring in billions of dollars by closing a tax loophole that literally goes all the way to China. If the communist regime was treated the same as a U.S. citizen, it would be required to pay taxes on interest from our debt to China. But as a result of a three decades old treaty, communist China is exempt from paying taxes on these profits. Instead of increasing taxes on farm families and working Americans, the Biden administration should collect the hundreds of billions of dollars that is already owed to us and close the loophole that treats communist China better than our own U.S. citizens. Right now, to pay off your annual Federal tax bill, you would have to set aside every penny you earned from January 1 until mid-April, every single penny. Folks, Washington should be working for you, but it turns out you are working for Washington, and you can't even claim the government as a dependent on your tax return. This plot to pickpocket taxpayers to pay for the left's unpopular progressive policies is bad for our Nation's economic recovery and even worse for working Americans who get stuck with the bill. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of Iowans across our State to recognize the distinguished career, dedication, and lifelong hard work of Mr. Ryan G. Tucker as he concludes his time as president of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association, IFDA. As many who know him will tell you, Ryan grew up with a spirited commitment to his community, his family, and to others. A native of Sumner, it did not take long for Ryan to begin working in the trade. As a student at North Iowa Area Community College, Ryan started as an employee at Fullerton Family Funeral Home in Mason City. He would go on to study at Worsham College of Mortuary Science, earning an internship in Fort Dodge under a former IFDA president, Scott Graham. His experiences early on in his career have led him to where he is today, as co-owner of Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly, Readlyn, Shell Rock, and Denver, serving Iowa families with his critical work. Ryan assumed his role as president of the IFDA at a time unlike any other, as the COVID-19 pandemic tragically took hold early last year, but, in the face of enormous challenges and uncertainty, Ryan displayed steadfast leadership for his colleagues that surely allowed for countless families to find comfort in such difficult times. Ryan guided the IFDA through the pandemic, being especially focused on ensuring the hard work of our State's funeral directors could continue with safety top of mind. At the pandemic's start, Ryan issued daily briefings to IFDA members that became vital. He provided information about best practices, updates on policies and proclamations by the Governor and State government, and materials to make sure that Iowa funeral directors could continue to serve families while adhering to public health limitations. Ryan's lifetime of work, his dedication to his craft, and his leadership in a uniquely challenging time have all undoubtedly made a positive impact on the lives of countless Iowans. As he takes the next step in his distinguished career and steps down as president of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association, we wish him, his wife Kayla, and his two sons, Colby and Griffin, all the best, and we thank Ryan for everything that he has done for our State and our communities.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, it has been nearly 100 days since President Biden delivered his inaugural address, promising our Nation ``unity, not division.'' He called on all of us to ``listen to one another,'' noting that unity ``requires more than words.'' I was there, and I was listening. I was hopeful that he actually meant what he said. But that very same day, as soon as he reached the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, President Biden seemed to forget his own words as he began signing a record number of Executive orders. With the stroke of a pen, he unilaterally created a new migrant crisis by reversing the previous administration's successful policies and ceasing construction of the wall. He also killed thousands of jobs for American workers by canceling the XL Pipeline. And that was just his first day on the job. Since then, the President and his Democratic allies in Congress have used a partisan process to fast-track trillions of dollars of new spending for their pricey pet projects. Despite the President's call for us to listen to one another, the Democrats are planning to, once again, fast-track another $2.2 trillion package being sold as an ``infrastructure'' bill, even though it spends less on roads and bridges than it does on parts of the Socialist Green New Deal and other progressive priorities. And then right after that, they want to ram through another $1 trillion for so-called human infrastructure. The Democrats are threatening to end the right of Senators to debate by abolishing the filibuster so they can shove through their extreme agenda. This would fundamentally change the Senate, which has long been known as the world's--not just America's but the world's greatest deliberative body, in which every State has equal representation and every Senator is given a voice in our national conversations. It is an interesting twist for the party that just a year ago proudly resisted nearly every effort put forth to address the problems facing our Nation. For purely partisan political reasons, Democrats even filibustered-- yes, they filibustered--the JUSTICE Act that would have provided police reform following the deaths of George Floyd and others. This week, the Nation will have the opportunity to hear from the author of that bill, my dear friend Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is delivering the Republican response to the President's address this evening. No one better represents the type of positive leadership we need to unify our Nation than Tim. He truly is the perfect voice for the American dream. Growing up in a poor, single-parent household, Tim's mother worked hard to make ends meet. Despite some early challenges and setbacks, Tim successfully started his own business and was chosen, time and again, to serve in public office. As a Senator, Tim is focused on creating opportunities for others by tapping into the potential of individuals and communities. Tim listens, and he works hard to bring people together. Folks, that is what President Biden promised to do, but he is not living up to that promise. Frankly, the President only seems to be listening to the far-left progressives within the Democratic Party who live on their own liberal ``Fantasy Island.'' He and his liberal allies on the left are pushing tax hikes on working Americans, while giving tax breaks to wealthy coastal elites. They are bringing back corrupt and costly earmarks. Democrats want to defund our police and abolish ICE. They want to remake nearly every aspect of our economy with their radical Green New Deal. The Democrats are plotting to pack the Supreme Court with ultraliberal Justices and destroy that institution. And to pad their numbers in Congress, Democrats are attempting to make Washington, DC, a State. Does that sound like the unity and bipartisanship we were promised on day one? It sure doesn't, folks. If President Biden actually listened to the voices of Americans who live outside of the DC swamp, he wouldn't be hearing a demand for any of those radical proposals. The Senate is split 50-50, while Democrats hold a razor-slim majority in the House of Representatives. And according to a recent Gallup poll, an overwhelming two-thirds of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States. Based upon those responses, it sounds like the Democrats' radical agenda is dividing, not unifying, our country. Iowans want Democrats and Republicans to set aside partisan differences and work together on our national interests. They want students to be able to safely return to their classroom and for folks to go back to work. Iowans want us to fix our roads and bridges and expand broadband to rural areas. They worry about the growing global influence of Communist China and the humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border. They want us to protect the American dream for future generations. Folks, we can do this. President Biden, if you are listening, please hear me out. Giving into the deafening demands of the loudest on the left and attempting to silence half of the country will not solve our problems. It will only divide us more. To succeed, we need to consider the voices of all Americans and speak to what unites us so we can overcome our challenges. And we can overcome these challenges together. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I rise to speak in opposition to the nomination of Mr. Colin Kahl to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. The position of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is essentially the third most senior leadership position in the Department of Defense. It requires a leader of tremendous experience and knowledge, someone with the ability to separate politics from policy. With the many national security challenges our Nation and the Pentagon face, this position requires a measured, rational, and deliberate leader. It needs a leader who puts the safety and security of the American people ahead of scoring one more point on the political board. The head of policy at the Pentagon needs to be someone we as a country can trust with some of our most delicate secrets. The reality is, Mr. Kahl does not meet the standard for this position. Secretary of Defense Austin and his Deputy, Dr. Kathleen Hicks, have affirmed before the Senate what the national defense strategy articulated: The most pressing strategic challenge facing our country is Communist China. We know the threat from China is long-lasting and very serious. The complex actions and efforts of the CCP are disrupting the global order and reducing our national security. These actions demand expertise in the development and leadership of our national defense. When it comes to President Biden's pick for the head of defense policy, Mr. Kahl--well, Mr. Kahl lacks any meaningful experience and has only a sparse record of thought on China or anything in the broader Indo-Pacific region, for that matter. The United States cannot afford this lack of knowledge and experience in a top Pentagon official. Now, folks, we can also look to his judgment as a matter of concern. Mr. Kahl has a record of leniency toward Iran--the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism--and belligerence to Israel. On Iran, I would note that this administration is already not taking seriously the threat Tehran poses. Iran flagrantly continues to enrich its uranium and inch closer and closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon. We, the American people, cannot afford for this administration to play footsie with Iran and kowtow to its demands of sanctions relief. Based on Kahl's record, he would be one more advocate at the table pushing to get the United States back into the failed Iran nuclear agreement. Frankly, when it comes to Iran and Israel, Mr. Kahl couldn't be more wrong in his understanding of who our friends are and who the real threats to America are. If I am honest, I am deeply dismayed that we are even to this point in consideration. The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy must be a steadfast, measured, and discreet public official. Mr. Kahl has proven to be the complete opposite. He is brash and unserious in his public rhetoric. In fact, he has called Republicans ``the party of ethnic cleansing,'' and he played the role of Chicken Little in claiming ``we are all going to die'' if one former White House adviser were replaced for another. His hysterical--yes, hysterical--public comments may have even compromised classified information. That is why I have joined with many of my colleagues in calling for an FBI investigation of his handling of classified information. In having led troops overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom--serving in our military for over 23 years--I believe our servicemembers deserve someone who will take a serious, nonpartisan outlook to policy, apply measured thought to his actions, and real, qualifying experience to a most critical job. Mr. Kahl is far from meeting that standard. I strongly, strongly oppose his nomination and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, when you hear the word ``infrastructure,'' what comes to mind? For folks across Iowa, it is roads; it is bridges, locks and dams, ports, waterways, and broadband. But according to the Biden administration, infrastructure is now a buzzword that encompasses just about every item on the progressive wish list. As a result, the President's infrastructure proposal takes a very sharp left turn by including everything from elements of the socialist Green New Deal to higher taxes on American workers. Some of my Democratic colleagues are even urging the President to include a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the infrastructure package. How about we make the wall on our southern border infrastructure? Probably to no one's surprise, once again, the Senate majority leader is plotting to pass the bill in a totally partisan process. Folks, we really need to pump the brakes. The Democrats are steering us the wrong way on this issue. Infrastructure is an issue that has always enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress. We may disagree on how much to spend or how to pay for the costs, but we all agree that maintaining and improving our roads, bridges, ports, and waterways is one of the most important roles of the Federal Government's. There is no reason to drive us apart on such an important issue that typically brings us together and impacts all of our States. But President Biden is on a one-way street to more gridlock. Only about 5 to 6 percent of the $2.2 trillion of the Biden proposal is dedicated to roads and bridges. The Biden plan spends less fixing potholes and repairing roads than it does on promoting electric vehicles and perks for the coastal elites who drive them, and you had better believe that this could have a devastating impact on Iowa's ethanol and biodiesel industries, which support our States' local economies. Even the liberal Washington Post is taking issue with the Democratic administration's claim that 19 million jobs will be created by the proposal. The real number is less than 3 million. Each job created by this so-called American Jobs Act will cost our taxpayers $865,000, and because American workers will bear the brunt of the higher taxes in the Biden plan, that will mean lower wages. These costs are sure to give taxpayers road rage. There is no reason to take this radical left turn. Last Congress, the Democrats and the Republicans on the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, which I serve on, worked together to unanimously pass out of committee an important infrastructure bill to help fix our roadways. This highway bill provides us with a great starting point to move us forward in the right direction--toward a bipartisan infrastructure plan. This 5-year, $287 billion bill was the largest highway bill in history, and it was supported by Senators from across the political spectrum who represented States from Vermont and New York to Alabama, Mississippi, and, of course, Iowa. In hailing from a very rural part of Iowa, I am all for looking at ways to invest in broadband expansion, to support our roadways, and to make sure we have the right infrastructure in place to combat flooding in my home State. Those are true infrastructure needs and are the ones that I believe would get strong bipartisan support in a 50-50 Senate, but by throwing in progressive policy wish list items and noninfrastructure-related provisions, the Biden plan is headed down a dead-end street. The President needs to do a U-turn and start working with the Republicans on a bipartisan roadmap for America. By putting aside the partisan pet projects--projects like the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project--and picking up where we left off, with the unanimously bipartisan highway bill, we can steer the infrastructure bill into the passing lane under the Senate's regular order. So, folks, let's come together and literally start building some bipartisan bridges. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, it has become all too easy for pundits and politicians to reduce the security of our borders to a bumper sticker or billboard slogan. As someone who appreciates the value of human life, as a survivor of sexual assault, and someone who cares deeply about the safety and security of women and children across the globe, I am horrified that we continue to put border security at the bottom of our policy to-do list. On January 31, 2016--the same day as her college graduation--Iowan Sarah Root was killed by an illegal immigrant named Edwin Mejia. He was drag racing, with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit. Despite repeated requests by local law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement failed to detain Mejia because of a catch-and- release policy that ultimately allowed him to escape the country. Unfortunately, this is the same policy that President Biden supported during the Obama administration. Still, more than 4 years later, Mejia remains a fugitive, denying Sarah's loved ones any sense of justice or closure. After today, I will have now live UC'd this bill twice, and I expect the same thing to happen today as did last time; that it will be objected to by my Democratic colleagues. As a mother, I cannot fathom the grief that Sarah's family, her mother and father Michelle and Scott, her brother, and her friends continue to feel after such a devastating loss. Sarah had her whole future in front of her, but her opportunity to make her mark on the world was tragically cut short. At the same time, while Sarah Root's mother and father grieve, a child, without a parent, continues to make the perilous journey at the hands of a smuggler. Many arrive here dehydrated and malnourished and subject to unspeakable atrocities, from rape to assaults. Since Inauguration Day, we have seen record numbers of children at the border, a heartbreaking humanitarian crisis. Before then, the Migrant Protection Protocols, or the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy, was in place and helped keep migrants safely in Mexico until the United States had a chance to process them. This policy singlehandedly reduced the need for bed space in the United States, protected migrants from that treacherous journey through Mexico, and kept our facilities from being dangerously overcrowded. Border Patrol agents were able to return to their originally assigned duties of patrolling for drugs and human traffickers. But as we have heard time and again, and something that is very true, elections have consequences. President Biden, before he even had the chance to unpack, made serious changes to immigration policies--changes that have resulted in the national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. First, he rolled back the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy, and that is a big reason why we have a crisis at the border today. Instead of keeping migrants in Mexico and deterring those from making the dangerous journey north, the vacancy sign is on. But the reality is, we are out of space. It feels as if the Biden administration is starting to see the reality of the disaster they created at our southern border. They are now walking this reversal back and asking the Mexican Government to reinstate the previous administration's policy. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an Executive order suspending all domestic deportation proceedings. If Sarah Root's story played out today, Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not pick up her killer, and the same tragedy could happen again and again. Although nothing can bring beautiful Sarah back to her family, we can ensure that the Federal Government never makes this mistake again. Today, I rise to call upon my Senate colleagues to help make that happen, to stop another tragedy like Sarah's from happening with a simple and clean fix. I am asking the Senate to join myself and 22 of our colleagues and pass my bill, Sarah's Law. Sarah's Law is simple: It requires that ICE take custody of a person who is in the country illegally if they are charged with a crime that seriously injures another person. It also mandates a better victim notification system that lets victims and their families--like the Root family--know what happened to their loved ones. Sarah's Law is about as commonsense an effort as there is. It recognizes the simple fact that all criminals should be held accountable for their actions--all criminals--and not simply allowed to slip back into the shadows. If Sarah's Law is passed, people who are in this country illegally and murder another person would be prioritized for deportation if released. Who could be opposed to this? In fact, a previous vote on this bill in the form of an amendment was supported by the majority of the Senate and was bipartisan. No family should ever have to endure such a tragedy, especially one that could have been prevented. Madam President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 80 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. Further, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I appreciate the comments of my colleague, the Senator from Illinois, but there is no doubt that we have a problem in the United States today. Our immigration system does need to be reformed, but it does need to be done in a bipartisan manner. This, when presented as an amendment on the floor of the Senate, was a bipartisan-supported amendment, and it deals with those who are charged with bodily injury of another person or of murder. That is what happened in Sarah's case. ICE is given the opportunity to detain an individual, but in this case, ICE chose not to, even though a young woman was murdered by a man operating under multiple assumed names with no familial ties in the area. The man was allowed to slip back into the shadows, and Sarah Root's family will likely never ever see justice. So the pendulum swings both ways. I would much rather see Edwin Mejia face justice than allow the family of a young murdered woman to go without. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, it has been a year now since the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. It put the world into an unprecedented global lockdown, and we are still in the dark about how the pandemic even began. Folks, this isn't entirely an accident. The virus emerged in one of the world's most closed societies, ruled by a ruthless authoritarian regime with no tolerance for truth or transparency. And, even today, after 2\1/2\ million people around the world have died, the Communist Party of China refuses to fully cooperate with efforts to learn how COVID-19 made the cross-species jump from bats to humans. Finding the source isn't about assigning blame; it is about understanding the cause and preventing a similar occurrence from happening again. Here is what we do know: COVID appeared in the vicinity of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a laboratory where studies were being conducted on bat coronaviruses. After the outbreak began, Chinese officials ordered the destruction of coronavirus samples. In the months just prior to the first case of the new pathogen being publicly identified, researchers at this state-run lab reportedly became sick with COVID- like symptoms. Years ago, U.S. officials who visited the institute sent warnings back to the State Department that studies were being conducted on dangerous coronaviruses from bats that could be transmitted to humans in a lab which had ``serious'' safety problems. Some of that research was even being subsidized by U.S. taxpayer dollars, including a study published less than 2 years before the pandemic that found the first evidence that humans could be infected with coronaviruses from bats. You heard that correctly, folks. Your tax dollars were paying for dangerous studies on coronaviruses in a lab in China that our own government officials had warned was unsafe. This all raises many questions, the first being, How much were we actually paying for this endeavor? And that should be relatively easy for anyone to discover since a law renewed by Congress every single year requires all projects supported by the Department of Health and Human Services to include a pricetag disclosing the cost paid by taxpayers. But noticeably absent on the study from the Wuhan Institute: the cost. A review of numerous other projects supported by HHS found that cost information was missing from all of them--all of them. Covering up information that the public has a right to know about might be how things work in Communist China, but it isn't how it should work here in America. This isn't China, folks. Our laws aren't optional, especially for those who are supposed to be enforcing them. Maybe we can't force China to be forthcoming, but we should be able to expect our own government to be open and transparent. That is why I am asking the HHS Office of Inspector General to launch an investigation to compel the Department to comply with the law. I am also introducing legislation to require every project funded with your taxpayer dollars to disclose the cost paid by you. This is just one of the bright ideas to shine some light on how your money is being spent that I will be unveiling this week to commemorate Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of open government. A transparent government is one of the most fundamental principles that make our government--of the people, by the people, for the people--work. Decisions are made every day in Washington that impact families and communities in Iowa and across the country. We all benefit when we bring this information to light, especially when it involves how our tax dollars are being spent. That is why I am also working to create an alert system to notify the public whenever a project goes $1 billion or more over budget or falls 5 years behind schedule. Some good news: My bipartisan bill was just reported out of committee this morning, so boondoggles, you better beware. Another bill I will be supporting will require hospitals and insurers to reveal rates to patients before they receive their medical care. This commonsense effort would allow patients to know the costs associated with their healthcare in advance so that they can make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Finally, I am calling for more transparency from the Department of Education when it comes to COVID spending. Taxpayers should be able to see clearly how well States and school districts are doing at spending tax dollars provided to help schools safely reopen. Knowledge is the power that allows every citizen to hold those entrusted to make our decisions accountable. After all, the only reason to keep taxpayers in the dark about any of these decisions is because they can't withstand the scrutiny that results when all of the facts come to light. With the Sun now setting an hour later as a result of daylight saving time, we are all reminded just how much a difference can be made with a little extra sunlight. After all, sunshine is the best disinfectant because to stop waste, we first need to be able to spot it. With that, I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Madam President, in this country we are so blessed to call home, every woman, no matter her background--like growing up on a small farm in Iowa--can be the next first. After serving in the U.S. Army Reserves and the Iowa Army National Guard--a historically male field--I became the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. I was also the first woman to represent the great State of Iowa in Congress. Now, just 6 years later, women make up a majority of the Iowa congressional delegation. Iowa is also blessed with a fierce female Governor in Kim Reynolds and some extremely talented and strong women leaders in our State legislature. Today, there are over 140 women serving in Congress--more than ever before in U.S. history. Because of the suffragettes and so many other determined women who stepped up and broke the barriers society placed on us, female trailblazers across this country are writing new pages in history books every single day. Women have made strides in the boardroom, on the playing field, in the military, and through elected office. But this pandemic has been tough on women in the workforce, threatening to derail the progress we have made. Before COVID, women made up the majority of the U.S. workforce, but 1 year later, women have lost over 2 million jobs--nearly 1 million more than our male counterparts. There are many reasons for this but two major factors. First, moms tend to be the sole caregivers in the family. With schools going remote and childcare centers closing, working moms have been forced to choose between their careers and their children. Second, women tend to work in fields that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, such as the hospitality industry, restaurants, education, and retail. We absolutely need to focus on getting these women back into the workforce and on their feet so that they can support themselves and their families. The focus needs to be on three things: first, safely reopening our schools; second, expanding access to childcare, which I have worked with the Presiding Officer on--thank you very much; and producing, distributing, and administering the vaccine as quickly as possible so folks can get back to work safely. If I were able to choose the theme for Women's History Month based off of this past year struggling through the pandemic, it would be ``Overcomer.'' Woman to woman, we all, no matter what we do, are overcomers by nature. Moms, you overcome so much every single day when you work tirelessly at the thankless and never-ending job of caring for your children and for your families. You have the one and only job that you cannot simply clock out of, especially this year, when many of you had to balance being a teacher for the first time in your life. Women in the workforce, you overcome stereotypes daily and have continued to smash glass ceilings and set new standards in corporate America. Your resilience and strength alongside our historic women's rights heroes continue to shape a bright future for all young girls across this country. In honor of Women's History Month, I challenge everyone to remember the sacrifices it took to secure the freedoms and opportunities we women enjoy today and continue to build on these opportunities for the next generation. Whether that is in your local community or State or Federal Government, we are a better nation because of the contributions of women in all walks of life, in all fields of service, and in both Chambers of Congress, and it is important to continue to remind folks of that. It is my hope that each and every young woman, no matter your hometown or your background, will see the opportunity and potential that lie ahead. Many of us have heard this really outdated quote: ``Act like a lady, but think like a man.'' Well, I think history has proven that, instead, we should say: ``Act like a woman, and think like a woman'' because we are powerful, we are fearless, we are smart, and we are strong just the way we are. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Thank you to the Senator from Florida as well and for sharing his personal story and why it is so important that we have transparency on bills like this COVID package. Over the course of the pandemic, Congress has worked together-- Republicans and Democrats--to pass five overwhelmingly bipartisan bills providing COVID-19 relief to the American people, and I think we would all agree that that relief was much needed. Now, in March, we passed the largest stimulus package in American history. And just a few months ago, we passed the second largest. But what the Democrats aren't telling you is that much of the $900 billion we passed in the most recent relief package, and even some of the CARES Act money, has yet to be spent. And, frankly, folks, we don't even know exactly who has spent what money Congress has doled out over the last year. I have long said, the American taxpayer deserves to know where and how their money is being spent. Bottom line, we need transparency and to know what has and has not been spent so far. This commonsense effort will help us get this information. Until we have those details, we should not continue throwing money to Washington bureaucrats, and we certainly should not support this partisan $1.9 trillion package that includes many items that are completely unrelated to COVID-19. I agree with my colleagues that there is more that we can do to help expedite the vaccine distribution and promote access to childcare so our parents can return to work. But, folks, this is not Monopoly money. This is real money. We have a moral obligation to our future generations to spend responsibly. Iowans and all Americans deserve transparency before we add trillions of dollars to their tab. With that, I will yield to the Senator from Oklahoma.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, with a one-party monopoly of Washington, DC, Democrats are back to their old spending habits. Most of the $1.9 trillion within the Democrats' ``COVID'' package has absolutely nothing to do with COVID. Unlike the previous five pandemic relief bills that were approved with overwhelming bipartisan support, Democrats have shown no interest in working with Republicans and are instead fast-tracking this highly partisan bill through Congress. Now, the bulk of this budget-busting bill is devoted to fulfilling a wish list of longtime liberal priorities, including billion-dollar bailouts, progressive program expansions, and pricey partisan pet projects. And let's talk about a few of those. Look at this right here, a New York bridge to Canada. That is $1.5 million for a bridge connecting the State of New York to, yes, another country, Canada. What about this one: the cleverly worded provision that earmarks-- yes, I said it, folks. Earmarking is already happening right here--$140 million to a subway in Silicon Valley in California. What does that have to do with COVID? And a whopping $350 billion blue-State bailout that rewards the States that have imposed the strictest lockdowns. Folks, we should be rewarding the States that demonstrated leadership by finding ways to safely stay open, not those that shut down our schools, closed our businesses, and killed our American jobs. But, most importantly, COVID relief should stay focused on COVID. There is still about $1 trillion of COVID funding that Congress previously approved that hasn't even been spent yet. Yes, folks, $1 trillion. So why in the world are we looking at spending yet another $2 trillion, of course, on things that are not even related to COVID? That isn't to say that there aren't needs, because there are. We know that all across our country. But instead of bridges and bailouts, the money should be focused on immediate help to get our moms and dads back to work. And to do that, we need to do a few things: No. 1, let's safely reopen our schools. Let's, No. 2, expand access to quality, affordable childcare. And, No. 3, let's distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible. While the bill does actually provide some assistance for these purposes, even here, the Democrats show how out of touch they are with what is actually happening on the ground. For example, nearly $15 billion is included for the childcare and development block grant. You would think that is a good thing because it is needed. At a time when so many moms are being forced to choose between their careers and children as a result of school closures, the support is needed. But a loophole in the bill that is coming over from the House allows millionaires to use up this program, which was created to make quality childcare affordable for working parents who are struggling to make ends meet. Yes, millionaires qualify for this assistance, not just our struggling families. And while additional funding will certainly help many, expanding eligibility to those millionaires who have the financial means to afford their own nannies will not. While the bill also extends the unemployment benefit, and it does provide an extra $400 per week for those who are out of work because of the pandemic--there, again, another loophole--there is no limit placed on the eligibility. That means someone who may be out of work but is still earning $1 million or more qualifies for these bonus payments. Now, you might laugh--you might laugh--and ask: How many people would apply for unemployment assistance if they were making $1 million? Well, folks, the answer is thousands. During the great recession just a decade ago, more than 3,000 individuals with adjusted gross incomes of $1 million collected unemployment benefits. Because this bill doesn't cap who may receive support, jobless millionaires may end up collecting as much as $1 million in enhanced unemployment assistance every week. This is like a reverse millionaires' tax. The Democrats are paying millionaires not to work with taxes paid by lower income workers. How do you like that socialist scheme? So if you are a coastal elite living in California or New York and maybe making a million bucks despite being out of work, this bill is especially generous for you. But, folks, this isn't Monopoly money. This is the real deal, and someone has to eventually pick up the tab. Sadly, it is going to be paid out of the pockets of essential workers and others who are continuing to work, those who pay taxes and keep America running. Now, as an eternal optimist, I am hopeful that when this bill comes before the Senate, my Democratic colleagues will actually work with us to cut the pork and refocus the bill on what it should be focused on: the immediate needs of the COVID pandemic--not a fancy subway, not a bridge to Canada, and, certainly, not wealthy State bailouts. Focus on the immediate needs of the COVID pandemic. And if not, I am afraid the Democrats will just keep passing go and collecting hundreds of dollars from hard-working taxpayers across this country, only to pay for their pricey partisan pet projects and wish- list items that have nothing to do with COVID. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, from the streets of Portland and Seattle to right here in our Nation's Capital, lawlessness has ensued all too often across our Nation over the past year. I have consistently called it what it is--anarchy. And, folks, we need to be absolutely clear on this: Anarchy cannot be tolerated in our Nation. The mayhem that we have seen over the last year has put our families, our communities, and our law enforcement in danger, and tragically it has led to death and destruction. In what will probably come as no shock to the American people, a nonpartisan watchdog organization found that the Federal Government has spent more than $14 billion of our taxpayer money, our hard-earned dollars, on Federal contracts and grants in five major cities where civil unrest, also known as anarchy, goes unchecked and police are unable to do their jobs--14 billion with a ``b'' dollars paid to local leaders and city officials who are failing to do their jobs. Let's keep talking about these dollar figures, folks. According to recent reports by local media in Oregon, leftwing protests in Portland have caused roughly $2.3 million in damage to Federal buildings since they broke out last summer. The near-nightly standoffs with police involved graffiti, broken windows, firecrackers, as well as Molotov cocktails. According to one U.S. attorney in Oregon, cleanup at the courthouse and four other government buildings has cost more than $2 million, and that number could keep going up because the repairs are ongoing. Last year, I pushed for a review of any Federal funding that was going to the cities and States that were allowing anarchy to run rampant. It was a simple ask: Scrutinize any future Federal funding that might flow into these lawless jurisdictions. Specifically, I asked the Office of Management and Budget to look into and report to the American people the amount of taxpayer dollars local officials used to either sustain these autonomous zones or the amount needed to repair the damage done during the chaos. Thankfully, last year, the Federal Government began to do just that, but, folks, just last week, President Biden reversed this effort, and I would like to know why. I agree with our new President that peaceful protests are a cornerstone of our democracy, but smashing windows is not protesting and neither is looting. Burning small businesses that are the modest nest eggs of hard-working Americans and actions like those are totally unacceptable. I don't think there is anyone in the Senate who would disagree. So why, then, is President Biden reversing course and preventing this review from going forward to simply examine the funds that are going to the very places where lawlessness continues to be unanswered? Too often over the last year, local leaders have prevented law enforcement and emergency responders from being allowed to carry out their jobs and protect the public. Yet millions of our taxpayer dollars have still been doled out to these cities. I will continue to stand strong and be a voice for the hard-working taxpayers of this country. If city and State leaders abdicate their job to protect citizens and allow anarchist jurisdictions to prevail, the Federal Government and Iowa taxpayers should absolutely not foot the bill. Anarchy is never OK--never OK--and taxpayers should never subsidize it. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, the experts, the health officials, and the data have made it clear, we can and we should safely reopen our schools. But parents, students, and even some teachers are asking the question: Why have we failed to do that? There is a pretty simple answer. Politicians are putting political interests ahead of the livelihoods of our kids and of our families. According to the science presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, schools can dust off their books and safely open up classrooms to students with commonsense precautions. Transmission of COVID among students is relatively rare, and classrooms have not been a significant source of community transmission, according to the CDC. Furthermore, the CDC says ``it is possible for communities to reduce the incidence of COVID-19 while keeping schools open for in-person instruction.'' So what is the holdup? Despite his CDC's own advice, President Biden's administration continues to play games, to ignore the science, and to send mixed messages to the American people. Their lack of clarity and their reluctance to get students back in the classroom is a detriment to our children, our working families, and our economy. Just recently, President Biden's own CDC Director stated that the ``vaccination of teachers is not''--not--``a prerequisite for safe reopening of schools'' and that ``there is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen.'' But shortly after her statement, the White House Press Secretary moved the goalposts once again, claiming that the Biden administration's aim is to have more than 50 percent of the schools offer ``some teaching'' in person ``at least one''--one ``day a week'' by the 100th day of Joe Biden's Presidency. One day a week, folks. Yes, you heard it right, have kids in school only one day per week and no sooner than the end of April. Just days after this, after coming under immense pressure from the American people, including folks on the left, the President moved the goalposts again and threw his communications staff under the bus--a schoolbus--for the one-day-a-week goal. Folks, our youngest generation is falling behind. Virtual learning does not give them the attention they need to be successful, and the isolation it creates has had an enormous impact on their mental health. But it is not just impacting our kids. The closure of schools and childcare centers has disproportionately impacted women, most notably our moms. An analysis from the National Women's Law Center found that 275,000 women left the workforce in January alone, with many staying home to care for their kids and often becoming their de facto teachers and tutors. Women across the country have made enormous strides in all fields of service, and our moms shouldn't be forced to put their careers on hold because our schools, at the direction of this administration, are failing to do their jobs. In Iowa, because of Governor Reynolds' bold leadership, many of our kids have safely been back at school since August. The Iowa General Assembly passed and the Governor signed legislation to require safe in- person learning in our State's public school system. Now the rest of the country needs to follow Iowa's lead and get our kids safely back in the classroom. At the Federal level, I am helping lead an effort that would require schools to offer a safe in-person learning option to students by April 30, 2021. It is increasingly clear that the Biden administration, one that prides itself on following the science, is actually more loyal to leftwing special interests than the well-being of our kids. Science, not special interests, should be guiding these decisions, and that means Washington should not be locking students out of the classroom. This type of meddling is precisely why I have always been leery of the overinvolvement of the Federal Government in education. So to get our bureaucrats and special interests out of way and to put students first, I am helping lead that effort to require schools to offer safe in-person learning to our students by April 30, 2021. To guide us through this pandemic, I suggest we follow these revised and updated three r's of education: first, respect the science; second, reopen our schools safely; and third, return students, teachers, and learning to the classroom. It is long past time schools across the country follow the science and the data. Let's do the right thing by safely getting our kids back in the classroom and help get our parents back to work. The well-being of our children, our working moms and dads, and our Nation's economy depend on it. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. ERNST

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, this amendment reflects the intent of S. 80, Sarah's Law, which would amend the mandatory detention provisions of the INA to require the detention of anyone unlawfully present in the United States who is charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. It honors the life of a girl from Iowa, Sarah Root. Her life was tragically cut short by a drunk driver who was illegally here in the United States. Sarah's Law currently has 21 cosponsors. One of the first things the Biden administration did was stop prioritizing violent aliens for deportation. This amendment reflects that DHS should not implement such policies. I thank Senators Tillis, Moran, Grassley, Sasse, Inhofe, Hyde-Smith, Lee, Rick Scott, and Hoeven for joining me in this effort, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 132 and ask that it be reported by number.

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, a $15 Federal minimum wage would be devastating for our hardest hit small businesses at a time when they can least afford it. These small businesses, like restaurants and childcare centers, provide vital services for working families and are the lifeblood of our rural communities. The CBO estimates that raising the Federal minimum wage to $15 would result in 1.3 million jobs lost--this during the worst period of job loss since the Great Depression. The cost of living in States like Iowa is very different than the cost of living in States like New York or California. We should not have a one-size-fits-all policy set by Washington politicians. We all support higher wages, but a $15 Federal minimum wage would be counterproductive to this goal. I thank my colleague Senator Tim Scott for working on this with me, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes.

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, I call up my amendment No. 767 and ask that it be reported by number.

Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, do I have time remaining?

Ms. ERNST. We withdraw the request for the yeas and nays.