Joni Ernst

Mrs. ERNST

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Pastor Arthur Arnett as he retires from Aurora Avenue Bible Church after decades of faithful service to his congregation and community. Pastor Arnett spent many of the early years of his life in Des Moines, IA, where his father served as the pastor of Bethel Bible Church, later to be renamed Aurora Avenue Bible Church. Even at a young age, Pastor Arnett demonstrated his passion for service by volunteering for any needed tasks around the church. After graduating from high school, Pastor Arnett studied at the Prairie Bible Institute and worked in a variety of jobs, including truckdriving, mechanical contracting, and cooking. While holding these positions, Pastor Arnett's love of ministry shone through as he discussed and shared his knowledge of the Bible with many. In 1968, Pastor Arnett was called to military service and trained in aviation. Shortly before leaving for a year of service in Vietnam, Pastor Arnett married his wife, Connie Ray, in Tipton, IA. After returning from Vietnam, Pastor Arnett once again devoted his life to ministry and served congregations in Colorado and Kansas. In 1976, Pastor Arnett joined the Seaman's International Christian Association, where he was able to minister to thousands of seamen from all over the world over the course of 12 years. Pastor Arnett was then called back to his home church in Des Moines, IA, where he began ministering on July 8, 1988. And on July 8, 2018-- exactly 30 years later--Pastor Arnett will retire from the pastorate at Aurora Avenue Bible Church. After three decades as a pastor and many more years as a volunteer, Pastor Arnett has been able to deliver thousands of messages and touch countless lives through his faithful service to his community and congregation. I ask my colleagues to join me as I proudly recognize Pastor Arthur Arnett, an Iowan whose lifelong devotion to service epitomizes the great American ideals of hard work, duty, and dedication.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Madam President, I rise today on behalf of Iowa's farmers and ranchers in support of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 or what we refer to as the farm bill. I thank Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for bringing this critical piece of bipartisan legislation to the floor for consideration. Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are resilient--some of the toughest in the face of adversity. But low commodity prices, trade tensions, and unpredictable weather have taken a toll on many of our folks back home. These are the people Americans rely on day in and day out to put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and fuel in our cars. In trying times, it is essential that we provide farmers and ranchers with the certainty and the predictability they need and they deserve. These folks helped guide my priorities for this bipartisan farm bill, which maintains a robust crop insurance, makes improvements to commodity programs, and promotes soil health and water quality. I am thankful that several of my provisions and amendments can be found within this bill. Long overdue reforms to the Conservation Reserve Program will refocus the program's intent on highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land and provide opportunities for the next generation of American farmers to access land to build economically viable farm operations. This bill also strengthens the ARC-County Program, limiting payment discrepancies and ensuring that farmers receive the necessary support they deserve. It also puts farmers first by providing critical support and mental health resources to those in need or those facing tough times. I do want to note one area of the bill where I think we need to do more, and that is on the issue of SNAP reform. Most notably, the bill misses an opportunity to help able-bodied SNAP recipients rise up out of poverty. SNAP is a program that is relied on by children, in addition to elderly Americans, people with disabilities, and many working families who are struggling to make ends meet. No American should go hungry, and SNAP provides critical assistance to our most vulnerable citizens. We also have an obligation to ensure that this safety net does not perpetuate a cycle of poverty and is not abused by those who should not be taking this benefit. Unfortunately, we have seen some shocking stories that show how SNAP has, at times, been misused. For example, I am reminded of the 28-year-old, lobster-eating, Cadillac-Escalade- driving surfer from San Diego, CA, who had not worked in over a year and was receiving food stamps. He was unabashedly abusing the system and taking benefits away from those who need those benefits the most. Surfing is a pretty physically active sport--I think we can all agree to that--and it was safe to presume that this young man was able- bodied. We should not allow this type of behavior to continue, and we should not allow more examples of people taking advantage of a safety net that is set up to help those who need it the most. While this example is an exception rather than the rule, I am concerned that the ability to abuse the system could increase the number of folks who simply choose to sit back and decide they will also ride the free waves, rather than get in the game and return to employment. We need to encourage those who can to start working again. Getting people back to work is the most effective way to prevent poverty, both in the near term and for people's long-term stability. Programs like SNAP should encourage able-bodied adults to participate in the labor force. According to the Census Bureau, 30.5 percent of adults who did not work lived in poverty in 2016. However, on the flip side, just 2.2 percent of full-time workers and 14.7 percent of part-time or part-year workers lived below the poverty line. Folks who are employed are not only better off financially, they also benefit from the sense of purpose and confidence that comes from a job. As I always say, there is dignity in a job. Take, for example, April, a Missouri woman who was on government assistance from the age of 16 to the age of 30, receiving food stamps and housing assistance. When she was caught shoplifting, she was forced to do community service. She volunteered at Watered Gardens, a rescue mission in Joplin, where folks living in poverty get the help they need while they are also working at the gardens. April was so inspired by her time there that she started a women's discipleship center in her community and is now living a fulfilling life. SNAP currently requires able-bodied adults without dependents to work, participate in training, or volunteer for at least 20 hours a week to receive assistance. That is the current requirement, but unfortunately 35 percent of Americans live in an area where work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents have been waived. They have been waived. Of the 1,200 areas where this has been waived, over half have unemployment rates below 5 percent, and over 500 of those areas are at full employment. These waivers were intended for States and communities that are experiencing economic downturns, not States like California, which has a statewide waiver, despite a record low 4.2-percent unemployment. Our economy is booming right now. We have a 3.8-percent unemployment rate. For the first time on record, the number of job openings exceeds the number of Americans looking for work. This is the best possible time for us to encourage work among able- bodied SNAP recipients. That is why I introduced an amendment which would strengthen the waiver process to ensure that areas with low levels of unemployment are not exempt from SNAP's requirement for able- bodied adults without dependents to work, train, or volunteer. I planned to offer this amendment today. I am not going to because I want to keep the farm bill moving for the sake of our farmers, but I do want to see this done at conference. Despite its imperfections, we have a bill before us that will feed hungry Americans, protect natural resources, mitigate risk, and support rural jobs. With heavy rainfall this past week across Northern Iowa, some hard- working men and women are now facing even greater challenges. Flooded fields have producers worrying about crop damage. This all underscores the need for a strong and reliable safety net and timely passage of the farm bill. The goal and absolute requirement is to provide farmers and ranchers across our Nation the certainty and predictability they deserve during difficult times. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to meet this goal by passing this farm bill, and I encourage support. I yield the floor.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, June 14; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed. Finally, I ask that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 5515, with the time until the cloture vote equally divided between the two managers or their designees.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act on the floor today is a bipartisan bill that is focused on ensuring our warfighters are prepared to operate across the full spectrum of conflict and to support the objectives laid out in the 2018 national defense strategy. I am disappointed that we were not able to come together and work through a robust, bipartisan amendment process this year on the floor. We had a great markup, and I am thankful that my colleagues across the aisle were so willing to work together in a bipartisan manner on this piece of legislation. As the chair of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, I worked hard with my ranking member, Senator Heinrich of New Mexico, to ensure the NDAA invests additional funding in innovative technologies so that we can maintain U.S. technological superiority over near-peer adversaries, particularly in the areas of hypersonics, unmanned systems, directed energy, and artificial intelligence. The NDAA provides much needed funding to our Special Operations forces, which are playing a key role in combating terrorist networks and countering growing aggression by adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran. It also fully funds SOCOM's request for the Preservation of the Force and Families Initiative and expands key authorities to provide enhanced support to the families of our special operators. By supporting a total of $716 billion for our Nation's defense, the NDAA provides the flexibility that is needed for our military to make targeted investments for the future. It also addresses issues that deeply impact our servicemembers. I especially thank Senator Warren, of Massachusetts, for her work with me in addressing research and treatment options for traumatic brain injuries. This is an issue that is especially important to me as a veteran, for I have known and worked with individuals who have experienced blasts and rollovers in military vehicles, and we know the implications that come from those who suffer from traumatic brain injury. I urge my colleagues to support the NDAA. This bill is absolutely vital to restoring the health of our military and supporting our national security objectives. Again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is vital we complete our NDAA.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of Senators Merkley and Sasse.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I am here to call up my amendment today so we can save money for our Nation and for our military. Certainly, I am not here to derail the National Defense Authorization Act. I am thankful that again this year we have a great bipartisan bill, and I am hopeful my bipartisan amendment can be made pending today. Amendment No. 2400 is the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act, and it has cleared committee by voice vote and cleared my colleagues on the Republican side on the hotline. However, my minority counterparts have had months to look at this bill now in amendment form, and it still remains blocked. This bill passed the House with unanimous support and has been included in the House NDAA bill. This amendment would establish a cap on former Presidents' monetary allowances, which are currently unlimited and fund resources like office space, staff salaries, cell phone bills, and more. Under this amendment, former Presidents would receive a $200,000 annual pension and an allowance capped at $500,000--a total of $700,000 in annual benefits. It would then reduce the allowance dollar for dollar by each dollar of income a former President earns in excess of $400,000. The national debt is over $20 trillion. We cannot afford to generously subsidize the perks of former Presidents to the tune of millions of dollars. With that, Mr. President, I would like to make my amendment pending. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to call up amendment No. 2400 to amendment No. 2282.

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I do think that is a timely request. Thankfully, the farm bill is being marked up tomorrow in the Agriculture Committee, and I do think that is the appropriate venue to discuss the caps on subsidies for crop insurance. I would agree that is probably a wise thing to take a look at. However, what we are dealing with right now is the fact that we do have former Presidents who are receiving substantial perks from our American taxpayers. So I am disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle continue to block this bipartisan amendment designed to save millions of dollars. Do my colleagues across the aisle think former Presidents should continue to receive unlimited, taxpayer-funded allowances as they make millions and millions of dollars per year from book deals and speaking engagements? It is not uncommon for a former President to command $400,000 per hour-long speech. The average household income in Iowa is about $55,000. That means that in about 8\1/2\ minutes, that former President is making what an Iowa family makes in a year. I wish my colleagues across the aisle would reconsider. I formally object to the modification.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Madam President, I come to the floor to make amendment No. 2400 pending, but it is my understanding that we are almost at an agreement on the hotline. This bill has cleared committee by voice vote and by my colleagues on the Republican side by the hotline. However, my minority counterparts have had months to look at this bill, but it has remained held up on the hotline. The bill passed the House with unanimous support and has been included in the House's NDAA bill. I call on my colleagues across the aisle to clear this bill or else I will fight for a vote on it in the NDAA. My legislation, the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act, would establish a cap on former Presidents' monetary allowances, which are currently unlimited and fund resources like office space, staff salaries, cell phone bills, and more. It would then reduce the allowance, dollar-for-dollar, by each dollar of income a former President earns in excess of $400,000. The national debt is over $20 trillion. We cannot afford to generously subsidize the perks of former Presidents to the tune of millions of dollars. The reality is that post-Presidential life already provides fruitful opportunities on its own, with former Presidents raking in tens of millions of dollars from book deals, speaking engagements, and more. Again, I call on my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, which would save taxpayer dollars that could be used for more worthwhile causes, like our military. I also thank the senior Senator from Missouri for cosponsoring this legislation and making it a bipartisan bill. I thank the Presiding Officer. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Martin A. Treptow who bravely served as a private in the U.S. Army during the First World War. Martin enlisted in the Iowa National Guard in 1917 while working as a barber in Cherokee, IA, and was soon stationed in France as part of the 168th Infantry of the 42nd Division, the famed Rainbow Division. During the assault on Hill 212 on La Croix Rouge Farm, Martin courageously volunteered to deliver an important message to another platoon, despite heavy enemy fire. Martin successfully completed his mission but paid the ultimate sacrifice in doing so. As his belongings were being prepared to send home to his family and friends, Martin's diary was found. His diary included an entry entitled ``My Pledge,'' and Martin had written: ``America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will ensure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.'' I ask my colleagues to join me as I proudly recognize Martin A. Treptow, whose heroic actions and inspiring words epitomize the duty and sacrifice of all the brave men and women who serve and have served the United States in defense of our freedom.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I very much thank Chairman Isakson for his work on this bill. As a veteran, as the spouse of a veteran, as the mother of a young lady who will enter into the service this summer, and as the grandmother to a young man who will begin his enlistment this fall, I thank him for the work he has done. I appreciate your service as well. Thank you so much. Mr. President, ``We can and we must do better for our veterans.'' I spoke those words during my first speech given here on the Senate floor just over 3 years ago. I also spoke about the need to fulfill the promises made to our veterans who have sacrificed everything for our country. At that time, the average wait for a mental health appointment at the VA was 36 days. There were, on average, 22 veteran suicides every single day in the United States. It underscored the troubles within the VA and the urgency to act immediately to help our veterans get the quality and the timely care that they have earned and that they deserve. That is why I introduced on that very day my first bill, the Prioritizing Veterans' Access to Mental Healthcare Act. My bill would have eliminated the distance and the wait time requirements for veterans seeking mental healthcare under the current Choice Program. Every veteran should have the choice to receive care in the community, but they should not be burdened by bureaucratic redtape or strict guidelines that serve as roadblocks to receiving this type of care. To illustrate how burdensome and sometimes ridiculous these guidelines are, I want to share a letter I received from a veteran in Ames, IA. The veteran wrote: I am a disabled veteran who currently receives healthcare at the De Moines VA Hospital. I live 39.7 miles from the De Moines VA Hospital, which means I do not meet the 40-mile VA Choice criteria. While I have not had a bad experience at the De Moines VA, it is burdensome to travel approximately 40 miles when I have had surgeries that require a family member to transport me. I am unable to utilize a nonVA facility in my own backyard. The frustration evident in this veteran's letter has been present in hundreds of letters and stories, and I have received many of those over the years. I am frustrated too. Those who are willing to lay down their lives for our country shouldn't have to jump through hoops to receive the care they have earned. I am thrilled that this week the Senate has the opportunity to do better for our veterans. Just last week, the House passed the VA MISSION Act, which improves how veterans access community care. Under the VA MISSION Act, the VA remains the coordinator of a veteran's care. The VA would still be in charge of scheduling those appointments, ensuring that a veteran is going to followup visits, as well as ensuring that no veteran experiences a delay or a gap in their care. The VA MISSION Act also makes significant improvements to accessing community care. A veteran will no longer be bound by strict distance and wait time requirements, just as I expressed from that veteran who lives in Ames, IA. Instead, that decision rests with the veteran and their provider. If a veteran and their provider determine that it is in the veteran's best medical interest, the VA will be required to offer access to community care. The VA MISSION Act ensures that veterans have a say and a choice in their care. This legislation also includes my bipartisan Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act, also known as the VETS Act, which I introduced with Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. VA providers will now be able to practice across State lines, expanding telehealth services, which can include critical mental healthcare and care desperately needed to veterans in rural and underserved areas. The VETS act will also expand VA caregiver benefits to pre-9/11 veterans, create a commission to evaluate how to modernize VA facilities, increase resources to hire more providers, which is very important, and ensure prompt payment to community providers. I am also pleased to report that this bill has bipartisan support and the support of over 30 veteran service organizations. Funding for the Choice Program is expected to run out at the end of May--in a matter of weeks. The men and women who have put their lives on the line for the freedom of every American deserve better than the status quo. Again, I say that we can and we must do better for our veterans. The VA MISSION Act is a positive step forward toward getting veterans the care they need. That is why I will be voting in support of it. I urge my colleagues to do the same and cast their vote in favor of the VA MISSION Act. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mrs. ERNST. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the city of Altoona, IA, which was founded 150 years ago. Originally named because of its location as the highest point--or altitude--on the Des Moines Valley Railroad, Altoona has continued to reach for new heights since its plot was recorded in 1868. Altoona has come a long way from its turn of the century, coal-mining identity. Today Altoona is home to Iowa's premier entertainment destinations, with seemingly unlimited potential ahead. While Altoona's numerous regional attractions may define the landscape of the city, there is no doubt it is the people of Altoona who define its fabric. Over the years, Altoona's leadership has never forgotten its roots, and despite world-class amenities and contiguous proximity to Iowa's capital and largest city, Altoona continues to maintain that small town feeling that Iowans know and love. There is no better place in America to raise a family than Iowa, and Altoona is a shining example of why. I invite my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to join me in congratulating the city of Altoona on their sesquicentennial, and I wish them another 150 prosperous years.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise in support of the President's nomination of Director Mike Pompeo to serve as Secretary of State. Director Pompeo has a very long record of public service which has prepared him for this very important position. Let's start at the beginning. Director Pompeo was top of his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and he served honorably in the U.S. Army. He is also a graduate of Harvard Law School. In Congress, Director Pompeo was a leader on issues of national security and foreign relations. Finally, and most recently, as Director of the CIA, Director Pompeo has been a successful leader of the world's best intelligence professionals who work to resolve some of our Nation's most sensitive and difficult problems. I have heard on the floor of the Senate recently a number of my colleagues who have called into question whether he should serve as our Nation's top diplomat. He has served in the military. He has served as Director of the CIA. What I want to do is go back to the time he spent at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. I wish to remind the body that in the military, we serve in many missions, but one of them does include diplomacy. As the Presiding Officer understands, as military members--whether a marine or a soldier--oftentimes during conflicts you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with members of other countries. You must have an understanding of the cultural effects and the cultural differences between our nations, and you work to resolve problems. Whether with the indigenous population or whether it is within the military ranks, we serve as diplomats. At West Point, I know Director Pompeo learned this lesson very well. Many of us--whether you go through a military academy or whether you are going through a Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at a university like I did at Iowa State--you learn about what we call the instruments of national power. Those instruments of national power are called DIME. It is an acronym, D-I-M-E. D stands for diplomacy. We learn that, again, as members of the military and as officers in our Nation's military--so diplomacy. The I is information. The M, of course, is military and military action. The E stands for economic action, such as sanctions. Within the realm of diplomacy, we are taught and we work with Ambassadors, and we work through Embassies. We are taught about the realm of negotiations and treaties and various policies that affect different nations around the globe. We are engaging in international forums. Again, working in the defense space, of course, we have many opportunities to engage with leaders from other countries. Diplomacy-- it is the very basis of the instruments of national power that we all learn. I know Director Pompeo, in his capacity--whether serving at the CIA or going back many years to when he served in the U.S. Army, quite admirably, or back at the Academy when he was first taught those instruments of national power, or DIME, that he is well-versed in working with many nations in very difficult circumstances. Again, Director Pompeo has a very long record of public service. Director Pompeo also has had very strong relationships, and he values those relationships. His relationship with Secretary of Defense Mattis will prove invaluable as he works to ensure peace through strength. Additionally, I am confident he will inspire and lead the men and women of our State Department to achieve results for our Nation, and those results will be centered around diplomacy. Director Pompeo understands the threats we face as a nation every day. During a time when the threats against the United States continue to grow around the globe, it is important--important--for President Trump to have his full diplomatic and national security team in place. We must do this. Diplomacy. Diplomacy. Director Pompeo is also the right person to serve as our top diplomat. He will rise to meet the challenges and foster the relationships we need around the world to keep our Nation free, secure, and prosperous. Again, I go back to the instruments of national power: D-I-M-E. The first is always diplomacy. Director Pompeo understands, and I am glad that we as a body will be taking up his confirmation vote today. I urge my colleagues to support this eminently qualified man as our next Secretary of State. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I have 4 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Armed Services The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing on S. 2644 and S. 2559 and following nominations: Mark Jeremy Bennett, of Hawaii, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, Nancy E. Brasel, and Eric C. Tostrud, both to be a United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota, Robert R. Summerhays, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, and Gregory Allyn Forest, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of North Carolina, and Bradley A. Maxwell, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois, both of the Department of Justice. Select Committee on Intelligence The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 2 p.m. to conduct a closed hearing. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oversight of HHS and DHS Effort to Protect Unaccompanied Alien Children from Human Trafficking and Abuse.''

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Anfinson Farm Store, a small business in Cushing, IA, that has been a staple of the community for 100 years. Like many businesses, Anfinson Farm Store will be receiving significant tax relief from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and they are using this as an opportunity to invest in their most important resource: their employees. After the legislation was signed into law, owner John Anfinson, who has owned the business for 46 years, announced that all seven of their full-time employees would receive $1,000 bonuses and 5-percent pay increases. He was also able to purchase nearly $400,000 in new equipment with 1-year expensing. Small businesses make up 97 percent of employers in Iowa, and prior to the passage of tax reform, they were taxed at marginal rates that often reached as high as 45 percent. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a monumental achievement for small businesses, reducing their tax burden so that they can grow and invest in their employees. As we celebrate National Small Business Week, I would like to recognize Anfinson Farm Store and all of Iowa's small businesses, who are the backbone of our economy. I would also like to express my gratitude to the President and my colleagues in Congress for helping to reduce the tax burden on our small businesses.

Mrs. ERNST

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

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to emphasize why the Secure and Succeed Act is the right bill for the Senate to pass this week. I chose to join my colleagues, who have worked hard on this bill for months, for a few important reasons. First, this bill provides a way forward for our DACA recipients. I have said time and again that I appreciate the contributions our DACA recipients are making in our communities. They are our friends, our neighbors, and our churchgoers. I support finding them a way forward. Our bill does this. It does it in a fair and humane way. But importantly, it also adds strong eligibility requirements to ensure the safety and security of the program and stops future illegal immigration. For instance, it does not reward the parents who came here illegally by giving them any type of lawful status and sets reasonable time limits and restrictions on who can apply. Second, it provides immediate and significant investments in our border. We cannot allow this problem to happen again. We have a duty and an obligation to keep our borders secure and our citizens safe. Our bill recognizes that spending money on the border without giving law enforcement strong authorities is like buying a boat without an engine. We need both to keep our borders and our communities secure. Third, our bill recognizes that you cannot view immigration in a silo--it is a bulky issue that represents many legal, economic, and security concerns. Many of these issues are deeply interconnected. Addressing DACA and addressing the border without addressing some of the other issues plaguing our system is a half solution. We must have the President's four principles to make this work. Finally, this is the President's plan. The White House has endorsed this proposal. The President's pen is ready to sign it. I urge my colleagues, let's pass the bill that addresses the right issues in this debate and can actually become law. Let's pass the Secure and Succeed Act. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I would like to start by thanking my colleagues and especially my friend from Iowa, our senior Senator, Chuck Grassley, for his tremendous work on this project and all of those who participated in the discussions on the Secure and Succeed Act. This legislation puts us on the best path forward to provide a permanent solution for our DACA recipients, all while strengthening our borders and entry security. Our legislation addresses the unique challenges faced by the DACA population, many of whom were brought to America by their parents through no fault of their own when they were just children. In Iowa and across our Nation, DACA recipients are an integral part of our community. They are our neighbors, they are our classmates, and they are our fellow churchgoers. This last summer, while I was at the Clay County Fair in Iowa, I was approached by a young lady. She came up to me and said: Senator Ernst, I would like to know where you stand on DACA. So I explained my position to her. Meanwhile, she is pulling out her billfold. Out of the billfold, she pulled out a small card. She showed it to me, and she said: I am a DACA recipient. I said: Well, thank you for taking the time to come up to me and sharing your story with me. She was there with her younger siblings at the county fair, just enjoying the day, and she explained her situation to me. She had been brought into the country by her parents. They came illegally into the country from Mexico. Then she pointed at her younger siblings, and she said: They were born here. They are citizens, but I am not. I am not. As we were standing there at the Clay County Fair, right by the Iowa Army National Guard recruiting booth--I was a member of the Iowa Army National Guard--she went on to explain to me that a while back she had actually met with one of the recruiters, and they had told her: We can't accept you. We can't accept you because you are a DACA recipient. She expressed to me how disappointed she was. She wanted to join our military. She wanted to serve this country--the only country she had known to be her home, the country she loved. Her story and her determination and her desire to serve this country and to defend our freedoms were absolutely clear to me. This bill would allow DACA- eligible recipients to defend the only country they have ever known-- the country they love. That said, I cannot overstate the importance of addressing the legal, economic, and security concerns that are ever present in this debate. A huge priority of mine has been, and remains, to provide border security. Our homeland and our borders must be secure, period. Tragically, human, drug, and sex trafficking are still viable markets in the darkest corners around this world. Unfortunately, we have those corners of the world right here in our own Nation. Ensuring the integrity of our immigration system is essential in working to prevent these bad actors from infiltrating our very own borders. This legislation would direct funds toward bolstering our border control and various degrees of security along the border, such as physical and virtual fencing, radar, and other technologies. It also cuts immigration loopholes and ensures that dangerous criminals are denied entry. This legislation addresses the current debate in a humane and thoughtful manner, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this commonsense pathway forward. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mrs. ERNST

Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I would like to thank the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee for joining us here on the floor today. I appreciate her great bipartisan work on the Agriculture Committee. I am pleased to be a member of that committee. It is truly one of those committees where we set aside any political differences. We actually work for the good of our Agricultural Committee, our ranchers, and our farmers, regardless of the State they come from. We truly do work together to feed and fuel a nation. Thank you very much for joining us today, I say to the ranking member. I wish to thank my senior Senator from Iowa, as well. I am rising today to join my colleague Senator Chuck Grassley and others who have joined us on the floor to support the nomination of Bill Northey as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or the USDA. I have known Bill Northey for nearly a decade and, to be honest, probably a little more than a decade. He is a great friend. He is a great Iowan. Most importantly, he is a tenacious advocate and a true voice for agriculture and our rural communities. He has worked in agricultural policy at nearly every level of government. At a time when we need to tackle many critical agricultural priorities, including the farm bill, which the ranking member just mentioned--that farm bill was last authorized 2 years ago, in late 2014--at a time when the President is rightly focusing on economic development and strengthening rural America, and at a time when our government is focused on streamlining and reducing the burdens of environmental regulations, we must have leadership in this position--as I mentioned, the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA. We must have leadership there that truly gets the real underlying concerns and priorities of America's farmers and ranchers. We need them addressed. Bill Northey is exactly the person to do that. When I think about the importance of getting someone like Bill Northey in this position, I reflect on the young farmer who is looking to begin a farming operation in rural Iowa to feed his or her family, grow a business, and cultivate a legacy in their own community, all while low commodity prices have pinched margins and extreme weather has decimated our crops. That young farmer needs Washington to get out of the way and give them an opportunity to thrive. Bill Northey is the right guy to work these issues. He knows his role in Washington will not be to empower a faceless bureaucracy but to make Washington work for its people and give the agriculture industry the tools it needs to prosper. Bill Northey is that average, everyday Iowan who cares about agriculture and its future. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow have made it abundantly clear that they have no objection to Mr. Northey, as both indicated in a joint statement that said in part: ``Bill Northey is a qualified and respected public servant who knows agriculture firsthand, and he will serve rural America well at USDA.'' The ranking member joined us earlier, and she went a step further by saying to Bill: I know that you are a farmer. You understand these challenges, and know that our farmers need leaders that will speak up for them when their voices are not being heard. He was voted out of the Ag Committee unanimously. Let me state that again. He was voted out of the Ag Committee unanimously. If you didn't hear that, let me say it a third time. He was voted out of the Ag Committee unanimously. Democrats and Republicans believe that Bill Northey is a leader, and he is being held hostage over an unrelated issue. Bill Northey's nomination has become entangled in an unrelated policy dispute. I am very disappointed. Bill Northey is an upstanding man, someone we desperately need to serve in our government. We truly want to drain the swamp. Bill Northey is exactly who we need. He is that everyday American fighting for agriculture. We need him desperately. We may not be able to have him serve in our government because this policy dispute has led to a hold on his nomination. Bill Northey is extremely qualified. He has the experience and the reputation. Most importantly, he has the voice and the heart for American agriculture. I am asking for a quick vote and confirmation of this well-respected, beloved Iowan so that we can get him in place and work on matters that truly are important not just to Iowans and the Midwest but to all of America. Let's free Bill. Let's free Bill, folks. Let's confirm Bill Northey. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mrs. ERNST

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