Deb Fischer

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to voice my strong support for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or the USMCA. When I travel the State of Nebraska, I always hear directly from our farmers and our ag producers. Nebraska's farmers have endured some of the most challenging setbacks in recent memory. The severe flooding from last spring devastated thousands of acres of our farm and our ranch land, brought hundreds of livestock deaths, and destroyed barns, countless grain bins, hay, and critical farm equipment. This list of daunting obstacles continues to grow. Last July, the Gering-Fort Laramie-Goshen irrigation tunnel collapsed and cut off a crucial source of surface irrigation water to the western region of our State for several weeks. Only a few days earlier, a devastating fire broke out in a Tyson beef processing plant in Holcomb, KS. The plant processed about 6,000 head of cattle every single day. That is roughly 6 percent of the total fed cattle processing capacity in the United States. The effects of the plant's closure rippled throughout the entire cattle industry and the beef processing chain. This is all in addition to 5 years of low commodity prices, the unfair small refinery exemptions for oil refiners, and the cloud of uncertainty over trade. While all of these factors have caused anxiety and unpredictability, there is one solution that Nebraska's farmers, ranchers, ag producers, manufacturers, and hard-working men and women have made clear, and that is the passage of the USMCA. Nebraska's farmers and ranchers have a different lifestyle than most people. Their patience is steadfast. They plan for the long term. They can envision how they want their land to look, not only next year but 100 years into the future. It is in their DNA, and families are fed around the world because of it. They are optimists, but they are realists. As Secretary Perdue recently said, ``they know you can't plant in August and harvest in September.'' That is exactly right. Our producers have remained patient during these tough and turbulent times because they know that there is an opportunity for a better, long-term trade solution on the horizon. The USMCA would replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and bring the deal into the 21st century, while fortifying our strong trading relationships with Canada and Mexico and growing critical market access for Nebraska. The heart of Nebraska beats in the same rhythm as agriculture. It is who we are, and as the world knows that it is what we do better than anyone. So it is not hard to understand why our State needs this deal. America's neighbors to the north and south are the destination of 44 percent of Nebraska's total exports. In 2017, Nebraska shipped $447 million of agricultural products to Canada and a staggering $898 million to Mexico. These exports include hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Nebraska's high-quality corn, soybeans, ethanol, and beef. Specifically, the USMCA maintains and strengthens those markets for corn and soybeans. It also allows U.S. beef producers to continue to grow their exports to Mexico, which have risen 800 percent since NAFTA was first ratified. In 2018 alone, Nebraska exported over $250 million dollars of beef to both countries. It is important to note that the benefits of the USMCA extend far beyond our farmland. Agricultural trade between Canada and Mexico supports nearly 54,000 jobs in the State of Nebraska. According to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska's $6.4 billion in agricultural exports in 2017 translated into $8.19 billion in additional economic activity. For the good of our State and our Nation, these markets need to be protected. The USMCA goes even further than NAFTA. It adopts labor and environmental standards that Democrats have long advocated for. It requires that 40 to 45 percent of auto content be made by workers who earn at least $16 an hour by 2023. This will undoubtedly help close the gap in labor standards between our Nation and Mexico. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, the deal includes new provisions to prohibit the importation of goods produced by forced labor. The USMCA addresses violence against workers exercising their labor rights, and it ensures that migrant workers are protected under labor laws. The deal brings labor obligations into the core of the agreement, and most importantly, it makes them fully enforceable. On top of that, the USMCA deploys the most advanced, comprehensive set of environmental protections of any trade agreement in our Nation's history. The list of environmental protections includes first-ever articles to improve air quality, support forest management, and ensure procedures for studies on its environmental impact. New provisions protect a variety of marine species, such as whales and sea turtles, and there are prohibitions on shark finning. Unlike NAFTA, the USMCA provides enforcement mechanisms that will ensure that all countries not only meet but strengthen their environmental responsibilities. Lastly, I want to point out to my Democrat colleagues the support the USMCA is receiving on both sides of the aisle. I recently heard Tom Vilsack say this: I think under any evaluation, from the U.S. agriculture perspective it clearly is a better deal. So, with that our hope is that it gets done, and gets done soon. These are not the words of some Trump administration official. These are the words of President Obama's former Secretary of Agriculture. Here is another quote from Dan Glickman: We have a good agreement. We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is a good deal for America and particularly a good deal for farmers at this vulnerable time. Again, this isn't support from some Republican Member of Congress. This is support that is voiced by President Clinton's former Secretary of Agriculture. What is more, all former Agriculture Secretaries since the Reagan administration have voiced their full support for the USMCA. We have seen the headlines of endorsements, and one especially caught my attention. The title of a recent op-ed read: ``Democrats Should Give Trump a Win on His Trade Deal with Mexico and Canada.'' Well, this piece wasn't composed by a conservative publication. It was penned by the editorial board of the Washington Post. Finally, a group of 14 House Democrats sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi last July urging her to take up the USMCA for a vote. The letter reads: ``Canada and Mexico are by far our most important trading partners, and we need to restore certainty in these critical relationships that support millions of American jobs.'' Both sides of the aisle agree that the USMCA is a significant win for farmers, ranchers, ag producers, and America's economy as a whole. Nebraska's farmers and ranchers have maintained patience in these tough times. They deserve to know without a doubt that they will continue to have access to their two largest markets and closest trading partners. As I said earlier, farmers aren't just thinking about themselves. They are planning for the future generations that will proudly carry on their life's work and continue feeding our world. Right now, we have an opportunity to come together around a commonsense, bipartisan agreement that will benefit the American people both now and for years to come. Now it is up to Congress to deliver. I urge Speaker Pelosi to stop needlessly delaying this vote, and I encourage all of my Democrat colleagues not to allow politics to stand in the way of sound policy. It is time to push the USMCA over the finish line. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear. In about an hour, Members of the Nebraska congressional delegation, Governor Ricketts, and House and Senate leaders will gather in Statuary Hall to dedicate a statue in his honor. I am proud that the State of Nebraska put forth his statue because America needs to hear his story. When Joe Starita, a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and esteemed author, speaks on Chief Standing Bear's life, he often begins with reciting a quote from novelist, poet, and farmer Wendell Berry. Wendell Berry once wrote: If you do not understand where you are, you do not understand who you are. If you live in Nebraska, you understand this fully. This knowledge doesn't come from maps or directions. It springs from a true love of the land--working on it, cultivating it, raising a family, building strong communities, taking pride in your life's work, and the sweat and tears that generations of your family put into it. It means enduring its disasters and enjoying those cool peaceful nights full of stars. Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe understood this. Imagine his surprise when on a cold January day in 1877, he and his Tribe were told to leave their beloved land. His Tribe had lived on their reservation for more than 200 years, and now they were being forced to travel nearly 600 miles to the south to Indian territory in Oklahoma. Under the threat of bayonets, the young and old, men, women, and children packed up their possessions and began to walk. By the time the Tribe reached the territory, they were enduring the scorching months of summer. Harvest season had passed, and the Tribe could not grow crops for the winter months. Starvation was rampant, and mosquitoes swarmed the reservation with malaria. After a year and a half, the Ponca lost over one-third of their Tribe, including Chief Standing Bear's son. In the final moments of his life, his son made him promise that he would be buried in the Ponca Tribe's homeland in Nebraska. To give his son the sacred burial he wanted, Chief Standing Bear led a 600-mile quest back to Nebraska, but with only an estimated 2 days of travel left ahead, he was stopped by the U.S. Cavalry and arrested. Chief Standing Bear was thrown in prison and was forced to prove that he had God-given rights as a human being. During this time, word began to spread throughout communities about his journey. Suddenly, people began to rally around this devoted father's story. Eventually, cries for justice resulted in a historic trial in the U.S. District Court in Omaha. The lawyers made their arguments. Then the judge granted Chief Standing Bear the opportunity to speak. The Chief rose and stood in silence while the packed courtroom anxiously waited. What followed was one of the greatest speeches in American history. Turning to face the judge, he held up his hand and said: This hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be of the same color as yours. I am a man. The same God made us both. Reports tell us that when Chief Standing Bear was finished speaking, the courtroom was filled with sounds of sobbing. A local Omaha World Herald reporter recounted that he saw tears on the judge's face. GEN George Crook, the defendant in the case, was one of the first in the sea of people to shake the Chief's hand. Days later, the judge ruled in favor of Chief Standing Bear. At long last, the landmark decision extended ``equal justice under law'' to Native Americans. Nearly 75 years later, a courageous woman carried a similar message of equality in Montgomery, AL. Rosa Parks, whose statue is also in Statuary Hall, knew that standing strong for her God-given dignity was worth risking everything she had. Months after her arrest, she said she ``would have to know for once and for all what rights I had as a human being and a citizen.'' I will close with this. The room we will gather in later for the dedication ceremony is known as Statuary Hall. Until 1857, the House of Representatives met there, and their business was overseen by another statue, Clio--the muse of history. She was the source of inspiration for the political leaders at the time and served as a reminder that they were part of history. She is still there above the door leading to the Rotunda, keeping notes, documenting who we are now and where we are going. Today she will turn a new page. In Statuary Hall, the very room where she observed Congress shamefully passing the Indian Removal Act, we will dedicate a statue to honor the life of Chief Standing Bear. It is another important lesson in our Nation's story that in the end, with bravery, determination, and empathy, human freedom will always prevail. It is a great honor to celebrate the life and contributions of Chief Standing Bear. I know his statue will inspire millions of visitors who visit the U.S. Capitol every year. I am proud that Chief Standing Bear's legacy and the message of equality lives on in our great cathedral of democracy. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to voice my support for Brian Buescher, President Trump's nominee to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Near the end of 2017, both Senator Sasse and I were given notice that Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp would assume senior status on Nebraska's Federal bench. Many people may not know this, but the case docket for the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska is among the busiest dockets in the Nation. In recent years, the district has carried some of the highest per-judge criminal caseloads in the country, which surpasses judicial districts that include New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. That is why it is critical to both Nebraska and our Nation that the Senate delivers an exceptional judge to fill this vacancy without further delay. In this spirit, both Senator Sasse and I worked quickly to begin the open-application process. Nebraska is the proud home of many brilliant legal minds, and we thoroughly studied every application and interviewed qualified candidates. After an extensive search spanning the course of a few months, Senator Sasse and I came to a conclusion. We would recommend to President Trump that Brian Buescher be nominated as the next judge on Nebraska's Federal district court. Mr. Buescher is a proud husband and father of five children who have been his biggest cheerleaders throughout this long confirmation process. He grew up in Clay County, NE. There he learned the importance of hard work at a young age on his family's farm, where they raised corn, milo, wheat, alfalfa, hogs and cattle. It is also from this upbringing that he developed a keen appreciation for how the law directly affects the everyday lives of Americans and even more so for those who live and work in America's heartland. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Brian was accepted into law school at Georgetown University. He thrived both in and out of the classroom. He was editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Journal of Ethics and vice president of the Georgetown Law Student Bar Association. Mr. Buescher is currently a partner at Nebraska's largest law firm, Kutak Rock. He is chairman of the firm's agribusiness litigation team and oversees large, complex commercial litigation, which includes environmental law, food law, real estate, class actions, product liability, and banking. He has gained invaluable experience as a litigator, and his resume speaks for itself. His success includes favorable rulings in cases heard by Nebraska and Iowa's State and Federal courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska. Time after time, case after case, he has demonstrated his commitment to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. In 2017, the American Agricultural Law Association awarded him the award for Excellence in Agricultural Law in Private Practice. The American Bar Association rated Mr. Buescher as ``qualified'' by an overwhelming majority. His 20 years of litigation experience has unquestionably prepared him for his next life chapter as a U.S. district court judge. Nebraska's former secretary of State, John Gale, recruited Brian to serve on the Nebraska State Records Board. Secretary Gale noted that ``Mr. Buescher reflects the highest level for the qualities needed for a district judge, ranging from intelligence, integrity, professionalism, attentiveness, character, and skillful articulation to a deep understanding of the rules and procedures of the courtroom.'' While everyone who has worked with him praises his legal acumen, those who know him on a personal level speak to his integrity and his character. One of his friends from college who has known Brian for a quarter of a century praised his commitment to serving the community and his qualities as a husband and father. His friend concluded: ``I can say with complete confidence what kind of person Brian is and that there is nothing that should give you hesitation about his confirmation.'' By all accounts Brian Buescher has enthusiastic support in Nebraska for his superb legal work and fairminded disposition. I was proud to introduce Mr. Buescher at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last November. I sincerely hoped that my Democratic colleagues would see Mr. Buescher for who he was--a sharp legal mind and a man of high character. However, my Democratic friends on the Judiciary Committee deployed unjust, bigoted attacks instead of using reason and open-mindedness. They could not criticize his solid record nor his judicial philosophy. So they reverted to attacking his personal religious beliefs. Both the junior Senator from California and the junior Senator from Hawaii questioned Mr. Buescher's membership in the Knights of Columbus. For anyone who may be unaware, the Knights of Columbus is not a radical interest group. It is not political at all. The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Roman Catholic fraternal organization. Their motto is ``In service to one, service to all,'' and they are founded on the core principles of charity, unity, and patriotism. Over the last decade, the Knights of Columbus have donated $1.1 billion to charities and performed more than 68 million hours of volunteer service. In 2017 alone, local councils donated and distributed over 105,000 winter coats for underprivileged children through their ``Coats for Kids'' program. They have raised more than $382 million in the past three decades to help groups and programs that support the intellectually and physically disabled. Whether it is providing food and shelter for refugees, rebuilding homes for families that are struck by natural disasters, volunteering at veterans medical facilities, or simply having pancake breakfasts to raise money for local schools, the acts of charity and kindness of the Knights of Columbus are truly inspiring. That is why I was shocked to hear that Mr. Buescher received a letter from the junior Senator from Hawaii following his confirmation hearing that suggested he leave the Knights of Columbus to ``avoid an appearance of bias.'' The notion that being a Knights of Columbus member is disqualifying to serve on the Federal bench is disturbing on its own, but holding religious tests for our judicial nominees blatantly ignores the Constitution and tears at the fabric of our core American values--the freedom to worship and pray as we choose. Fortunately, the Senate passed a resolution earlier this year that condemned unconstitutional religious tests for nominees. President Kennedy endured anti-Catholic attacks throughout his 1960 campaign, and for me it was exceptionally troubling to see that rhetoric return to the Senate in 2019. Now we will have another chance here in the Senate to send a clear message that we share our Founding Fathers' contempt for religious tests for public office by confirming Brian Buescher to the Federal bench. In closing, I think it is important to reiterate that reverence for our Constitution and our laws is part of what it means to be an American. My friend Peggy Noonan characterized this best a few weeks ago in her Wall Street Journal column. She described a young politician in 1838 who gave a speech to a Midwestern youth group about public policy and the political events at the time. The last of our Founding Fathers had recently died, and in their absence, our Nation felt lost. The Founders were a visual representation of American values and modeled our first principles in their behavior. After their deaths, these core values were being forgotten and mob rule began to rise, threatening our Republic. The young politician had a solution: Our people should transfer reverence for our Founders to reverence to the laws that they created. He said: ``Only reverence for our Constitution and laws'' will protect our Nation's political institutions and retain the ``attachment of the people.'' The speaker that day, in 1838, was Abraham Lincoln, who was 28 years old at the time. He understood the delicate nature of our laws--that when our laws collapse, everything else in our Nation can crumble with it. I believe that to love our country we must respect our Constitution and apply the laws fairly to all. When we do so, we not only honor our past, but we protect the future generations of this great Nation. We can do that here in the Senate by appointing exceptional judges to the Federal bench, and I can say with great confidence that Mr. Buescher will be one of them. He is a well-qualified nominee and a man who possesses high ethical standards. I have no doubt that Brian Buescher will honor his family, our State, and our Nation with his service on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of his nomination. I yield the floor. Nomination of Wendy Williams Berger

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, today I want to recognize my deputy communications director, Chanse Jones, who is leav1ng my office in early July after more than 4 years of service to the State of Nebraska and to me. Although he is a Mississippian by birth, Chanse has become an adopted son of Nebraska. He started with me in Washington as a press assistant in 2015. I quickly learned he was someone with a big personality, big ideas, and a lot of creativity, so I promoted him to the role of deputy press secretary. He worked hard, and it wasn't long before he became my press secretary and then my deputy communications director. As the years went by, Chanse came to love and be loved by so many communities across the State of Nebraska. He joined me for many road trips all across the Good Life. These trips took us from Omaha to Scottsbluff, to my ranch outside of Valentine, to the northeast part of the state, and many places between--the stories he could tell about our ``adventures.'' During these journeys, Chanse endeared himself to Nebraskans with his charming nature. He is a delight, and he made friends just about everywhere he went. While on the road, he also captured Nebraska's beauty in many ways, including through wonderful photographs that I will forever cherish. When carrying out his job responsibilities whether in Nebraska or in Washington, Chanse always brought a sense of fun to every task. He has been a dear friend to me and a fierce protector. He is also an original ``Friend of Fred'' and godparent of my goldendoodle, Fred Fischer. In fact, he helped us find Fred and was with us when we rescued him a few years ago. The three of us, Fred, my husband Bruce, and I, are certainly going to miss Chanse's company. I want to thank Chanse for his friendship and his service to the people of Nebraska over the years. I wish him all the best in this next chapter of his career, and I am excited to see what life has in store for him.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on the fiscal year 2020 Defense authorization bill. I want to begin by thanking the chairman and the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for their leadership and for their hard work in crafting this bill and managing it on the floor. The bill before us today is the worthy successor to last year's John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act. Like its immediate predecessor, this bill's overarching objective is to reorient the Department of Defense toward the great power competition that our Nation faces today. Overall, the bill supports a total of $750 billion in defense spending, which includes $642 billion for the Department of Defense's base budget, $23 billion for the Department of Energy's defense activities, and another $76 billion for overseas contingency operations. This meets the level of spending requested by the President and provides the Department of Defense with real growth above the rate of the inflation in recognition of increasing threats our Nation faces. The bill also supports the All-Volunteer Force, providing a 3.1- percent pay raise for our men and women in uniform. It meets the President's request with respect to end strength for an Active-Duty force of 1,339,500 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, which has jurisdiction over nuclear forces, missile defense, and national security space programs, and the U.S. Strategic Command, to which Nebraska is home. I am fond of quoting the statement of former President Obama's Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, that ``Nuclear deterrence is the bedrock of our security and the highest priority mission of the Department of Defense.'' That was true in 2016 when he said it, and it is even truer today as Russia and China continue to expand their nuclear arsenals and deterring great power conflict becomes the central focus of our military. With this changing security environment in mind, this bill fully funds the nuclear mission of the men and women of USSTRATCOM, including the sustainment of our nuclear forces, as well as the modernization of our triad, our nuclear command and control systems, and the Department of Energy's nuclear complex. This legislation builds upon last year's support for the supplemental systems announced in the President's Nuclear Posture Review by authorizing funds for the deployment of low-yield ballistic missile warhead. Numerous senior military leaders have testified that this is what is necessary to address gaps in our current deterrence posture. The fiscal year 2020 Senate NDAA also supports the Navy's ongoing study of restoring a sea-launched cruise missile capability in order to further enhance deterrence and also to reassure allies. Moreover, the legislation includes a requirement for the administration to submit a report assessing four major categories of nuclear arms that are currently not captured by the New START Treaty. As many of my colleagues are aware, the administration has announced its intent to pursue a more comprehensive approach to arms control beyond the traditional bilateral limitations of land-based ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and our heavy bombers. The administration's logic is simple: Threats are shifting. As Russia invests in new and novel nuclear systems that are not captured by the New START Treaty and China's arsenal expands, a new approach is needed that accounts for these new dynamics. In support of this effort, this provision would require that the administration provide a comprehensive assessment of these factors. Additionally, the Strategic Forces Subcommittee authorized resources for a number of key unfunded priorities for our warfighters. This includes an additional $113 million for the development of the next generation of GPS receivers to ensure the U.S. military continues to have access to resilient position, navigation, and timing capabilities, and an additional $108 million for the Missile Defense Agency to continue the development of space-based sensors to track advanced threats, including hypersonic weapons. Finally, it fully authorized critical bilateral US-Israel cooperative missile defense programs. The critical resources this bill provides will be appreciated by our strategic partners and our men and women in uniform around the globe, as well as those in each and every State here at home. I am honored to represent the men and women of Offutt Air Force Base, the 55th Wing, and the Nebraska National Guard, and I am proud to say that this legislation authorizes several critical investments that not only support our uniformed men and women in Nebraska; it better enables them to fulfill their roles in defending this Nation. By passing the fiscal year 2020 NDAA, we keep the ``fighting 55th'' Wing flying. The bill authorizes full funding for the Air Force budget request to support the C-135 family of aircraft. It supports significant upgrades to the capabilities of the RC-135 Rivet Joint, the continued conversion of KC-135 tankers to WC-135R nuclear detection aircraft, and enables the ongoing OC-135 Open Skies recapitalization. Just as critically, the bill helps the Air Force to evolve its ISR capability and move toward a more survivable, networked environment, with manned, unmanned, and sensors all acting as key components to give battlefield commanders the best information possible. To achieve this, the bill includes two amendments I authored that will direct the Air Force to examine the integration and dissemination of data from surveillance platforms like the RC-135 to the warfighter. While the bill authorizes these important new investments, it also provides funding to address ongoing disaster recovery efforts, which are essential to restoring military installations that were affected by the recent flooding in Nebraska. Rebuilding Offutt Air Force Base and the Nebraska National Guard's Camp Ashland are top priorities, and I am happy to report that the bill authorizes millions of dollars in funding to aid in the continued process of cleanup, design, and construction for the facilities that were destroyed. Because I believe Nebraska's bases are a core component of the Nation's defense, I was also proud to offer two amendments that further support the process of rebuilding. These measures increase the cap on minor military construction for recovery at bases impacted by recent disasters and encourage the military services to work quickly to rebuild Offutt Air Force Base and Camp Ashland. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to work together to support this disaster recovery effort. Many key military installations have been affected across several States, and the work to rebuild these bases must be a collaborative effort. We owe it to our men and women in uniform to do this together. For 58 years, the NDAA has been the subject of a bipartisan consensus in Congress. Despite other disagreements that may arise and the significant debates we face, this bill has long been a unifying subject of agreement on Capitol Hill. There is good reason for that, and a record that spans a half century does not happen by accident. The fact is that no matter what other issues arise, an area where we must forge agreement is in supporting our servicemembers and enabling the defense of the Nation. This year, we had a productive markup, with substantive debate on the issues in this bill. The process worked the way it was intended, and we emerged with a strong bipartisan consensus on the bill before us. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation so that we can continue our tradition of authorizing full funding for the military and ensure that this legislation is signed into law on time. In that same spirit, it is essential that we take the next step and work to secure a budget agreement that not only supports a robust top line for national defense, but that we do so swiftly to give the Department of Defense the predictable funding they need to plan and budget for the coming year. Passing NDAA is only half of the job. Yes, we must authorize full funding for our military, but if we are truly committed to our military men and women, we must also vote on the defense appropriations bill to fund what we do here this week on NDAA. As we continue to debate the fiscal year 2020 NDAA, we should all remember the reason we have this debate every year. One of the primary responsibilities of Congress is to provide for the common defense. That responsibility is written in the Constitution, and it is an oath each of us swore to uphold. I am reminded of that oath frequently when I am back home in Nebraska. Each time I shake hands with a Nebraskan in uniform or meet a family member with a loved one overseas, I think about the responsibility we have and the debt we owe the ones who serve. Over the years, countless sons and daughters of the heartland have answered that call to service. They are regular men and women from every background and every walk of life, united by their desire to safeguard their homeland and protect the cause of freedom. Yes, they are regular men and women, but they are also exceptional Americans, and their spirit and their sacrifice are examples that we should remember every day. I hope we can come together in the spirit of service and work together to swiftly pass the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, I rise today to discuss what is happening at our southern border, and I call upon my colleagues in Congress to act quickly to address this humanitarian crisis. Last month, terrifying reports surfaced of an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who traveled with an 8-year-old boy across the U.S.-Mexico border near Arizona. When Border Patrol agents apprehended him, the man claimed that the boy was his son, but the agents learned 4 days later that he wasn't. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Homeland Security investigations reported that the man claimed that ``he had looked for a child in Guatemala to cross the United States-Mexico international border with as he was told that it was easier to get into the United States with a child.'' The illegal immigrant allegedly paid the boy about $130 to ``rent the child'' and an additional $130 for a fake birth certificate. Tragically, this is a story we are hearing more and more about as the border crisis rages on. Homeland Security investigators are working to understand the extent of troubling cases on our border, where adults are using children who have no family relation in order for them to become eligible for release after they are apprehended. The practice has been occurring frequently enough that the Department of Homeland Security now refers to it as ``child recycling rings.'' Smugglers and cartels are well aware of legal loopholes that incentivize these criminals to manipulate vulnerable populations. Our current legal framework makes it easier to turn a profit by smuggling individuals with young children. DHS has recorded nearly 4,800 migrants in 2019 who have falsely identified themselves as family units. Recently, we received the welcome news that the Trump administration reached a deal with Mexico to ensure better immigration enforcement at the border. This agreement was an important step in the right direction at a time when our Nation needs it most. Both countries have declared a shared goal of upholding the rule of law on both sides of the border. I am grateful for the President's hard work to secure our border, to keep this country safe, and to continue our trade with a key partner. This deal is a critical step forward, and it is taking place not a moment too soon. Illegal border crossings at the southern border have reached staggering rates this past spring. Last March alone, there were more than 103,000 apprehensions, and in April there were another 109,000. In May apprehensions at points of entry reached over 144,000. That is a 32-percent increase over the month of April. We have had over 100,000 apprehensions on the border each month for 3 months in a row. Sustained numbers like these haven't been witnessed in over 12 years. The question remains: What concrete steps are we taking as a nation to stop this? Our Border Patrol agents, who are working as hard as they possibly can, cannot keep up with the record surge of people coming into our country without authorization. Our ability to provide the care and attention for detained individuals is at a breaking point. As we know, this includes tens of thousands of innocent children. Acting Secretary McAleenan recently testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee where he noted that in the last 40 days alone, DHS has taken into custody 60,000 children. He also testified last month that border officials saw a record day of over 5,800 border crossings in a single 24-hour period. This comes in addition to the largest single group ever apprehended at our border--1,036 people. Facilities along the border haven't just reached full capacity. They are overflowing. On June 10, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that they had fewer than 700 beds available to place 1,900 unaccompanied children who had already been processed by Customs and Border Protection. This is forcing HHS to place children with sponsors at higher rates than the program has experienced in its history. It also increases pressure to find space for the influx of children within CBP facilities, which were not built for this purpose in any way. HHS desperately needs additional funding to expand its bed capacity so that they can keep pace with the increasing numbers of unaccompanied children. At this rate, HHS may not have the necessary funding to continue their care programs beyond the month of June. The situation is clear. Congress needs to act, and we need to act right now. Chairman Shelby recently announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee will vote soon on a $4.5 billion package. Over $3 billion would be directed to help resolve the humanitarian crisis by increasing the care for unaccompanied children and expanding those shelter facilities. The remaining $1 billion would fortify our security missions. To the ears of the American people, this may sound like an overdue, commonsense relief effort, and that is because it is. Unfortunately, our Democratic friends have prioritized their starring role in the political theater over our country's emergency at the southern border. Over 6 weeks ago, the administration sent an urgent plea to Congress asking for more money to secure our border and improve the conditions for tens of thousands of children. It is unacceptable that Democrats in the House and right here in the Senate are playing politics at a time when our Nation needs stability. In the coming weeks, Senate Republicans will be waiting at the table to work toward bipartisan solutions to address the crisis at the border and provide the funding that is desperately needed. I hope that my Democratic colleagues will meet us there. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to continue my tribute to Nebraska's heroes and the current generation of men and women who have given their lives while defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of these Nebraskans has a powerful story to tell. I will reflect today upon the life of LCpl Brent Zoucha of the Marine Corps. Brent was born in Central City, NE, but he grew up in nearby Clarks, which is a small town of about 350 residents. While growing up, Rita, Brent's mother, described him as having a great smile and always goofing around. Brent was the youngest of four. He had two older brothers, Dominic and Dyrek, and an older sister, Sherri. As the youngest of the bunch, Brent had to learn to adapt in the household. This would require him to wake up early to ensure he would have hot water when he got ready for the day. He was also known for acquiring his brother Dyrek's clothes as they were similar in size and only a few years apart. Brent loved sports cars--a passion that pushed him to work at the local gas and oil shop at the age of 14. Because he was an easygoing youngster, Brent got along with all of his siblings extremely well. He loved sports and followed many professional teams, especially the New York Yankees and the Green Bay Packers. He had a very large baseball card collection and a special interest in the legendary Babe Ruth. While living in Clarks, Brent developed his athletic ability and participated in basketball and track and field. His 6-foot-5-inch frame made him a perfect fit for both basketball and the high jump, and he was excellent at both. Rita, Brent's mother, fondly remembers the day that Brent came home while holding the rim and parts of the backboard to the basketball hoop at the school. He told her he had dunked the basketball so hard that he had broken the entire hoop. While Rita was worried about paying for a replacement, all Brent could do was laugh and smirk at his great athletic achievement. Like many small town Nebraskan boys, Brent also spent much of his time hunting and fishing. He also had a strong bond with his animals and even trained one of his chickens to fly onto his shoulder on command. During high school, when Brent wasn't working at Pollard Propane & Oil, he could be found hanging out with his friends on the weekend or with Meghan Hammond, his long-time girlfriend. While in high school, his older brother Dyrek enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Brent was inspired by his service to serve our country. Shortly after graduating from High Plains Community High School in May of 2005, Brent enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. The extreme discipline that his brother and other marines routinely displayed greatly interested him. He graduated from the Marine Corps Depot at San Diego in September of 2005. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, CA, which was the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Coincidentally, he was assigned to the exact unit his older brother Cpl Dyrek Zoucha was in. Shortly after arriving at Twentynine Palms, he and his brother found out they would both soon be deployed to Al Anbar Province in Iraq. This particular area of Iraq saw the majority of its fighting and counterinsurgency from 2004 until 2007. So Brent arrived in the heat of battle. Initially, fighting between insurgents and the marines in this area involved heavy urban warfare. However, the strategy evolved to focus on ambushing soldiers and Iraqi security forces. While he was on deployment, Rita would send Brent care packages and talk on the phone with him when she could. She remembers talking on the phone with him in early June and sending him a care package of fig cookies and the game of Monopoly for a reminder of his hometown comfort, but this was the last conversation they would have and the last care package Rita would send to Brent. While conducting a combat mission on June 9, 2006, Brent and four other marines came across an IED. Tragically, Brent and the four other marines lost their lives due to the wounds they sustained. The entire Central Nebraska community was in complete shock upon learning of Brent's death. Services were held on June 21, 2006, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Clarks, and the funeral took place at the Calvary Cemetery. American flags and Patriot Guard Riders lined the streets from the church to the cemetery. Rita later received condolence letters from all over the United States, including from President George W. Bush, then-Senator Hagel, Governor Schwarzenegger, and numerous fellow soldiers and marines. Rita continues to honor those who have served by working at the local VFW. If you visit Clarks today, you will see Brent Zoucha Memorial Lane, which has been dedicated in his honor. Rita will always cherish Brent as the ideal son who loved his life and everyone around him. I am honored to tell his story. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, yesterday I had the privilege of joining President Trump in Nebraska and Iowa for the official announcement of the year-round sale of E15. The announcement is the product of years of work across party lines to fight for the hard-working agriculture producers in Nebraska. If you ask any family who lives in rural America, they will tell you how important fuel prices are in their lives. With longer-than-average daily commutes to work or to drop off their children at school, escalating gas prices make life more difficult for everyone. A needless barrier has restricted consumers from filling up their vehicles with E15 fuel during some of the busiest months of the year-- the summer driving season. Each year, from the beginning of June to mid-September, retailers were unable to offer fuels with higher blends of ethanol without a Federal Government-issued waiver. This means that renewable solutions to reach our Nation's vital fuel needs have been needlessly anchored to an older era. The ban on the year-round sale of E15 has robbed Americans of an opportunity to save money at the pump with the purchase of a cleaner fuel. Nebraska stands proudly as the largest producer of biofuel west of the Missouri River. We are home to 25 ethanol plants, which produce a total of more than 2 billion gallons of renewable fuel each year. According to the Nebraska Ethanol Board, our ethanol plants provide over 1,300 good-paying jobs to Nebraskans, and this creates a $5 billion impact on our State. As I have said before, for Nebraska and much of the heartland, restricting the year-round sale of E15 was equivalent to benching our best player during the most important game of the season. For years, I have been fighting to put an end to this unnecessary ban that has restricted our farmers, retailers, and consumers for far too long. In 2017, I introduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, with the senior Senator from Iowa, to put an end to this decades-old regulation. The bill sought to extend the Reid vapor pressure waiver to ethanol blends above 10 percent. At the same time, I began holding very productive discussions with President Trump on the importance of E15 to the people of Nebraska but also to the people of rural America. The President agreed that this commonsense solution was needed. Last year, I was very proud to join him at the White House as he directed the EPA to allow for the year- round sale of E15. Yesterday we turned a new page as President Trump's directive officially became a reality for farmers and ethanol producers. It was great to accompany the President, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to deliver this encouraging news. We landed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and headed to the SIRE ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, IA. There, we heard President Trump give a speech highlighting the essential role of our farmers, ranchers, and the ethanol industry. We also heard from a few Nebraskans on how this is impacting them. The first speaker was Kevin Ross. He is from Iowa. He is a sixth- generation farmer, and he is vice president of the National Corn Growers Association. He said: I work in the greatest industry we have in this country, and that's agriculture. We are blessed by God to have the science that has let us achieve new heights in production. Whether that's yield of corn, the efficiency of this ethanol plant, or gains in my cattle, agriculture continues to do more with less. . . . The economic benefits and the clean air delivered through biofuels are wins for the seventh generation on my family farm and wins for all U.S. citizens. Another guest speaker was Randy Gard. He is the chief operating officer of Bosselman Pump & Pantry and Bosselman Enterprises, located in my State of Nebraska at Grand Island. He said: Today is a great day for the American farmer, the ethanol industry, fuel retailers, and the American consumer. After consulting with their customers, this company started offering E15 fuel a few years ago. Mr. Gard continued: We started to install the infrastructure, started to put all the marketing information behind it, and we came up with something fairly simple but compelling. We said E15 is simply better fuel and it costs less. . . . It was easy for our employees at our stores to articulate, easy for our customers to understand, and it must have worked because in 2017, our sales of E15 increased over 300 percent. In 2018, they went up another 225 percent. And with the help of President Trump opening the door for year-round E15, our newest projections for this year show an increase of another 400 percent. Hearing the confidence of Nebraskans is encouraging, and this is why I have been determined to make the year-round sale of E15 a reality for them. The nets that have constricted innovation and market expansion in rural America for far too long have now been cut, and the news couldn't come at a better time for our farmers and for our rural communities. Last March brought unimaginable setbacks due to the historic flooding that ravaged through Nebraska and large regions of the Midwest. On top of higher input costs, tighter margins, and decreased commodity prices, these factors have created anxiety for our farm families. The lift of the year-round ban on E15 gives ag producers some much needed certainty during these very difficult times. America's consumers and retailers will also reap the benefits. They will no longer face confusion at the pump, as E15 will be labeled consistently, regardless of the season. With more competition in place, consumers can make the best fuel decision for their families and for their wallets. Retailers will no longer need to make those unnecessary, expensive adjustments to their infrastructure every year to accommodate for this regulation. The year-round sale of E15 implementation comes on the heels of more great news. EPA Administrator Wheeler recently announced that he signed a final rule which will implement legislation that I was proud to champion, the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method Act, also known as the FARM Act. This bipartisan legislation protects farmers, ranchers, and livestock markets from misguided, burdensome EPA reporting requirements. Due to regulations that were originally meant to address industrial pollution, chemical plant explosions, and the release of toxic materials into the environment, farmers faced uncertainty about reporting animal waste emissions on farms and ranches and other operations. These reporting regulations were not intended to affect livestock or animal agriculture. Yet our agriculture industry worried about this unnecessary burden for years. I have heard time and again directly from Nebraska's farmers and ranchers on how these regulations were cause for concern. The FARM Act implementation delivers a permanent fix to this issue by providing ag producers with exemptions to animal waste reporting requirements. In closing, I want to thank the bipartisan group of my Senate colleagues whose years of determined efforts paved the way for the fruition of these important measures, and I want to offer my sincere thanks to President Trump for following through on his commitment to rural America. I look forward to seeing the positive results that these commonsense, bipartisan measures will bring to hard-working men and women in the good life and throughout America's heartland. I am proud to fight on behalf of Nebraska's farmers, ranchers, and ag producers, who continue to fuel and feed the world. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I, too, would like to thank the senior Senator from Maine and the senior Senator from California for organizing the colloquy we are having on the floor today in recognition of a very historic moment. To have Senator Collins be a leader here in the U.S. Senate has been just a wonderful experience for me and to share with her the last 7 years that I have been here. She is truly a leader, and she is a mentor to both men and women here in the Senate. I always tell people, if you want to see a true legislator, you need to watch Susan Collins. Mr. President, I rise today with great honor and pride to join my colleagues in recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Senate passage of the 19th Amendment, which did pave the way for women's constitutional right to vote in this country. Today we celebrate this historic milestone, and we honor the suffragists, women of courage who were pioneers and leaders. These women who fought for their God-given right to vote in the greatest democracy the world has ever seen must be remembered. Nearly 100 years ago, with picket signs in hand, Alice Paul led hundreds of brave suffragists to the White House to advocate for the essential role of women's right to vote in this Republic. Today, almost a century later, women make up half of the electorate. According to the Pew Research Center, more women voted than men in the 2018 elections. As I stand today in this Chamber alongside the women of the Senate, I am so grateful for the strength of the women who came before us. On this historic day, I would like to reflect on some of Nebraska's strong and very influential women who have made a difference. Susette LaFlesche Tibbles served as a translator for Chief Standing Bear during his famous speech when he fought for Native Americans to keep their land. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather is renowned for her work chronicling life on the Great Plains. And biographer, historian, and teacher Mari Sandoz invested in the next generation of creative writers. I also think of women in politics from my home State of Nebraska who inspired me to serve my community, my State, and my country. I think of Kay Orr, Nebraska's first female Governor and the first female Republican Governor in the United States. I think of Virginia Smith, my congressional Representative and the first woman from Nebraska to hold a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Let's not forget the stories of the suffragists and all of the women throughout our Nation's history whose courage and brilliance changed the world. It is because of them that we stand today in the hallowed Chamber of the U.S. Senate, with a record number of women serving in Congress and record numbers of women exercising their constitutional right to vote. We will never forget the path that brought us here today and the pioneers who fought for the rights of millions of women to participate in the core function of our Republic. I encourage my Senate colleagues to swiftly pass the resolution before us today, and I hope in doing so that it serves as encouragement and inspiration for future generations of women who will continue to write America's story. Thank you again to Senators Collins and Feinstein and to all of my colleagues for sharing their stories, their past, and their future vision for this country. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to continue my tribute to Nebraska heroes--the men and women who have given their lives defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of these Nebraskans has a powerful story to tell. Today I will reflect upon the life of Nebraska Army National Guard SPC Blake Kelly. Blake was a typical smalltown Nebraska boy. Born and raised in Shelby, NE, which has a population of just over 700, Blake lived next to the city park. His parents, Randy and Patty, have lived in the same house for 44 years. Blake's early life was filled with football, track, lifeguarding at the local swimming pool in the summer, band major duties, and playing the drums. In fact, he met his future wife, Christina, at band practice in 1997. He loved to play the drums, and the neighborhood, well, always knew when he was practicing. When he was old enough to cruise around Shelby, his dad, Randy, bought him a 1976 Dodge Charger. Every smalltown Nebraska boy needs a car. Blake knew everyone around town and everyone knew him. He was always happy and eager to help someone solve a problem. In high school, one of his teachers encouraged him to join the National Guard. For Blake, this was an opportunity to spread his wings and go to college using the Guard's tuition assistance program. In 2000, between his junior and senior years in high school, he went through Army basic training at Fort Jackson, SC. Before graduation in 2001, he asked Christina to marry him. After becoming engaged and graduating from high school, Blake attended advanced training at Fort Knox, in Kentucky, that included Ranger training. He returned home in September 2001 just as life in the United States was changing forever following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Shortly after, Blake enrolled at Southeast Community College in Beatrice to study animal science. There he became interested in rodeo and joined the school's rodeo team. The year 2002 was a busy one for Blake, filled with school, National Guard training with the 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry, known as the Cav, and wedding planning. He and Christina tied the knot on September 7, 2002, just as the Cav was preparing to deploy to Bosnia. At that time, early Active-Duty Army resources were devoted to fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but the United States still had significant commitments to peacekeeping operations in the Balkans. The Cav's mission was an ideal one for the National Guard and a critical element in our national security. The Cav arrived in Bosnia in January 2003, and just before Blake left Nebraska with the unit, Christina learned that she was pregnant. In Bosnia, Blake delved into the mission at hand. He was always ready and eager to serve, and he connected well with the local population. Unit chaplains needed help, and so he embraced his Catholic faith even more deeply by becoming a Eucharistic minister and actively supporting chapel programs. On July 29, 2003, Blake was killed in an accident involving his convoy and a local vehicle. The loss of Blake was the first casualty of a deployed Nebraska Army National Guard member in over a decade. His community and the entire State were shocked. He was buried at St. Mary's Catholic Church in rural Nebraska on August 6, 2003. The entire town turned out for the funeral, as did freedom riders from throughout Nebraska. Blake's son Simon was born in September 2003, the month the Cav returned home from their deployment. Today, Simon is a freshman in high school, and Christina maintains a tight relationship with Blake's family. Randy and Patty, his parents, still live in the same house in Shelby. In 2014, the town of Shelby dedicated a veterans' memorial, and Blake's family played a prominent role in the dedication ceremony. Blake's spirit lives on, and he is remembered in so many ways. SPC Blake Kelly embodied the pride of his small town and his State. He served his country with distinction, and he loved his family. I am honored to tell his story. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, recently I came to the Senate floor to speak about the airborne leg of the nuclear triad. Today I rise to discuss the value of another leg of the triad--our intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. Following the brief deployment of the Atlas and Titan ICBM weapon systems in the early 1960s, the United States deployed the first Minuteman ICBMs in support of the strategic deterrence mission. Over half a century later, today the United States deploys 400 Minuteman III ICBMs, each carrying a single warhead. While the Minuteman III system was deployed in the 1970s, much of its technology dates to the previous decade. The system was originally designed for a 10-year service life but has sustained an exceptionally high availability rate and is expected to remain in service through the 2030s, thanks to a series of life-extension programs. But we cannot extend the current system beyond 2030, and that is why we are now developing its replacement--the ground based strategic deterrent. Doing so will require resources in a budget- constrained environment and, perhaps for that reason, we are hearing renewed calls to abandon the triad and cut our ICBM force. However, this step would be foolish and dangerous to the United States and to our allied security for several reasons. First, ICBMs are highly reliable and always ready. That is why they are regarded as the most responsive leg of the triad. Unlike bombers and submarines, which may require time to arm or maneuver, the ICBM force provides the President the ability to promptly respond if deterrence fails. This virtue is often mischaracterized as a source of risk. The system's rapid response is described as a ``hair trigger'' by critics who often paint chilling pictures of 400 ICBMs automatically flying to their targets and causing Armageddon, either by accident or as a result of cyber interference. I want to be clear that there is no ``hair trigger'' about our ICBMs. We have many safeguards put in place to ensure the system operates only as intended. For example, our ICBMs are actually targeted on the open- ocean spaces as a means of ensuring that, even if all of our safeguards failed and a missile somehow managed to launch by accident, it would land in the ocean and not accidentally start a nuclear war. The critics conveniently fail to mention this. Former STRATCOM commander General Robert Kehler recently testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he said: ``It isn't the same thing at all as thinking about a Wild West hair trigger . . . . It's not the way it works.'' The high readiness of the ICBM force also provides an important hedge against uncertainty. Since we no longer maintain bombers on nuclear alert, the ICBMs and the submarines reinforce each other so that a technical failure in one leg of the triad does not render our day-to- day deterrent inoperative. Those who advocate for doing away with the ICBM force must account for the fact that, under their proposals, in such moments there would not have been an additional leg of the triad to ensure our Nation isn't left without a nuclear deterrent. As our nuclear forces continue to age, reliability challenges will only grow. Critics often describe the ICBM force as being vulnerable, even going so far as to call our missiles sitting ducks. It is true that silos are not hidden, they aren't mobile, and they can be targeted. But, again, this is a misunderstanding of what actually is the strength of the ICBM force. In his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Hyten stated that the ICBM force ``creates the most significant targeting problem for an adversary, because there are 400 separate targets across the United States. All would have to be independently targeted by an adversary. That targeting problem is hugely problematic and creates a significant advantage for us.'' Simply put, destroying 400 hardened and geographically dispersed silos is an extremely difficult proposition. Only Russia possesses the capability to destroy our ICBM force. No other nation on Earth can do so, and it would greatly diminish Russia's arsenal in the process. That is not a vulnerability. As General Hyten clearly states, it is a significant advantage for our Nation. For these reasons and many others, Republican and Democratic administrations alike have maintained ICBMs as part of our nuclear forces for decades. The role of ICBMs has been reconsidered and reviewed many times, and their value has been repeatedly reaffirmed in a bipartisan manner. For example, last November the report by the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission stated that the triad presents insurmountable targeting challenges for adversaries, imposes disproportionate costs on adversary defenses, and hedges against unforeseen geopolitical or technological changes. Mr. President, I will close by saying that our ICBM forces make key contributions to our overall nuclear forces and, as Members on both sides of the aisle agree, they are an essential ingredient to the bedrock of our national security--our nuclear deterrent. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. 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 11, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the proposal to establish a United States space force. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Foreign Relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at 2.30 p.m., to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Kate Marie Byrnes, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia, Edward F. Crawford, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to Ireland, and David Michael Satterfield, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, all of the Department of State. Subcommittee on Communication, Technology, Innovation, and The Internet The Subcommittee on Communication, Technology, Innovation, and The Internet of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on illegal robocalls.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to commend the incredible work done by the men and women of Offutt Air Force Base during the historic flooding that has affected the State of Nebraska. Offutt Air Force Base is home to some of our Nation's most essential missions. The men and women of STRATCOM stand constant vigil. They provide command and control for the U.S. nuclear deterrent and maintain watch over space operations, missile defense, and global strike. Airmen of the 55th Wing execute some of the most sensitive and complex missions, ensuring that battlefield commanders and the Nation's decision makers have the most up-to-date intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information available. The Air Force's only weather wing, the 557th Weather Wing, provides timely, accurate, and relevant weather information at any time and for any place around the globe. Throughout Offutt, many other tenant units work in tandem with base leadership to fulfill vital missions that support our national security. These men and women pride themselves on being ready for every threat, but the arrival of a once-in-50-year weather event provided a test unlike any other they have previously faced. In 2019, Nebraska has seen severe flooding--the worst and most widespread natural disaster in the history of our State. When the waters began to rise, the lives of those at Offutt and the base's critical equipment were put at risk, and the response was immediate. With less than 48 hours to prepare, highly essential aircraft such as the RC-135 were quickly routed to safe locations. The planes that could not be relocated were moved to higher ground. Contingency plans were put in place to ensure continuity of operations. Across the installation, scores of airmen turned out to answer the call and move sensitive electronics and valuable equipment away from the reach of damage, fighting as a team against the oncoming flood. Personnel worked around the clock to fortify facilities with more than 235,000 sandbags and 460 flood barriers to minimize damage as much as possible. These men and women mounted a Herculean effort to defend their base and do everything possible to protect their fellow airmen. Across Offutt, we have seen a remarkable demonstration of what makes this base so very special: everyday airmen offering to do all they could to protect the base, personnel working tirelessly to ensure the highly critical operations of STRATCOM and the 55th Wing were not negatively impacted, and, above all, a unifying spirit of dedication and purpose that showed the world that, when disaster strikes, there is nothing that can keep the men and women of Offutt Air Force Base from answering the call of duty. I am extremely proud to have the privilege of representing everyone who makes this base such a key part of our national security. There is no finer representation of what it means to serve than the selfless work of the personnel at Offutt who responded to this emergency. Despite the outstanding efforts made in preparation for this natural disaster, Mother Nature took a toll on the base. At the flood's peak, one-third of Offutt Air Force Base was underwater. Eighty facilities at the base have been impacted, and waters crested at a depth of 16 feet. More than 3,000 personnel were displaced from their work centers, and 1.2 million square feet of office space was underwater. The damage across the installation is extensive, and it will take a concerted effort to ensure that the impacts from the flooding are resolved and that the base is fully restored. I urge my colleagues to work together with the Nebraska delegation to ensure that when the full accounting of the impacts from the flood are assessed, we provide the Air Force with the full resourcing it needs to repair that damage. The good news is, our service men and women at Offutt are already hard at work on the process of putting Offutt back on its feet. As the water recedes, personnel have been working hard to account for the damage and take action to resume the operations that were suspended as a result of this disaster. One of the signature sounds of the Bellevue, NE, community is the distant rumble of the engines of the aircraft that depart from and land at Offutt every day. During the flooding, that unmistakable sound was absent. Now that sound is back at Offutt. Last week, the runway was certified for operation, and the first of our relocated planes came home. We should not operate under any misperceived notions that repairing Offutt will happen overnight. This is going to be a step-by-step process. But with the hard work of the Air Force, Congress, and the local community, we can rebuild Offutt Air Force Base even better than it was before. I wish to offer my thanks to everyone at Offutt Air Force Base who dedicated their time and energy to responding to this disaster. I also want to thank the heroic men and women of the Nebraska National Guard who provided aerial damage assessment during the flooding. Thank you to the countless members of the Bellevue and Omaha communities who donated food, equipment, and offered to volunteer during the flooding. As we look to the days ahead, I am confident that both Offutt and Nebraska will emerge from this disaster stronger. Now is a time when we must focus on the future. We will rebuild and ensure that Offutt remains Nebraska Strong. Thank you. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to speak to the historic flooding that has devastated hundreds of communities throughout my home State of Nebraska. After a long, cold, and snow-filled winter, the catastrophic storm known as a bomb cyclone struck Western Nebraska with extreme blizzard conditions, while the central and eastern portions of the State were ravaged by record-setting floods. What were small streams became raging rivers, pouring over the banks, and breaching levees to flood towns and farmland. The floods, which carried car-sized blocks of ice in some areas, isolated entire communities and deposited sand, mud, and debris over large areas of our land. Homes have been destroyed, roads and bridges ripped apart, businesses and schools forced to close for an uncertain period of time. It is with a heavy heart that I say that three Nebraskans have lost their lives as a result of this storm: James Wilke, a farmer from Columbus; Aleido Rojas Galan of Norfolk; and Betty Hamernik of Columbus. I send my sincere condolences to their families. Their loved ones will not be forgotten. Cities like Fremont and farms across the State became islands, leaving people and livestock stranded. The bomb cyclone has demolished thousands of acres of family farmland and ranchland, resulting in a devastating number of livestock deaths and demolished farms, grain bins, hay supply, and farm equipment. One farmer recorded that he lost 700 of his hogs after 7 feet of floodwater swept through his land within minutes. A top concern for our ag producers is how do we replace ruined feed and the countless miles of washed-out fences. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture initially projects that the damages will total a loss of $440 million in crop losses and another $400 million in cattle losses. The devastation continues to grow as our farmers and ranchers across Nebraska assess lost land use and more livestock deaths. I heard from ranchers in Central and Western Nebraska who fought through this blizzard during calving, and what I heard most was that even though they suffered losses, they knew of others who were worse off. Farmers stood looking at once fertile land now covered with sand, mud, and unimaginably huge slabs and chunks of ice. They are worried what the future will bring. I agree with Gov. Pete Ricketts, as he has called this catastrophic weather ``the most widespread disaster we have had in our state's history.'' Water from the Missouri River and Papio Creek has overwhelmed the southeastern side of Offutt Air Force Base and rendered some parts of the base as inoperable. I welcomed Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson to survey the flood damage at the base. Some buildings were filled with nearly 8 feet of water. Offutt leadership provided us with a preliminary damage assessment and discussed the response efforts that were successfully taken by the airmen. At the flood's peak levels, one-third of the base was affected, causing tens of millions of dollars in damages. I will continue to work closely with Secretary Wilson to ensure that Offutt receives the funding to meet the needs of the base and to restore one of America's most important national security assets. According to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, 81 of our 93 counties, 98 cities, and 5 Tribes have declared states of emergency. This covers over 59,000 square miles, which is about 76 percent of Nebraska. To put this in perspective, well over 1.7 million Nebraskans are affected by this storm. That is more than 95 percent of our State's population. The Governor has estimated that more than 2,000 homes and 340 businesses are damaged or destroyed. Significant damage to Nebraska's critical infrastructure is still being assessed at this time, but the Nebraska Department of Transportation released a preliminary estimate of $200 million that is needed to reconstruct hundreds of miles of roads and to repair or replace 15 bridges throughout the State. Nebraska is hurting. However, as our Nation has seen the sheer power of this storm, I want America to understand the courage, strength, and resiliency Nebraskans have shown in response. Overwhelming loss and grief have been met with stories of bravery and heroic efforts of our neighbors and first responders. Ordinary Nebraskans, without any prior training, grabbed their personal boats, jet skis, trucks, and planes to save their neighbors who experienced life-threatening situations. There have been countless stories of heroes who disregarded personal risk to help their neighbors in need--Nebraskans helping Nebraskans, neighbors helping neighbors. Hundreds of volunteers in Fremont stepped forward to fill sandbags and create barriers to protect the city from floodwater. Local pilots in affected cities across Nebraska have flown their personal planes to deliver and evacuate people who have been surrounded by water. In Boyd County, firefighters continued to stay on the job and rescue those in need, even after their own homes were flooded. In the Nebraska Panhandle, one State patrol officer even scaled a barbed-wire fence to rescue a calf that was frozen to the ground. Last week, a staff sergeant with the Nebraska Guard was helping lead rescue efforts in Fremont, where the town was left without fresh food and water for 2 days because of the surrounding floodwater. She said: As we approached the town, I saw people coming out of their houses, standing on street corners, waving and clasping their hands in joy. . . . As we began carrying bottled water into the store, an elderly lady, who had been waiting for hours hugged me and was overcome with emotion. . . . She was so thankful and relieved knowing that even in difficult and trying times, there are Nebraskans doing things ``the Nebraska way'' by watching out for our most vulnerable citizens. That is who we are. These stories are inspiring, and they speak to the character and integrity of my fellow Nebraskans. I have been traveling across Nebraska to see the impact of this disaster firsthand. In Omaha, I joined Governor Ricketts at the Nebraska Strong phone-a- thon for relief and support for flood victims. The event, sponsored by the Nebraska Broadcasters Association, raised nearly a half million dollars to benefit the American Red Cross in Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. In Winslow, I met with families and residents of the area who had been hit hard by the floods. Every structure in that town was flooded. I spoke to a mother of three who told me she had just 15 minutes to gather her children and her family's belongings before the floodwaters entered their home. Winslow Volunteer Fire Chief Zachary Klein, informed me that his team was able to get boats to help with their recovery efforts. Chief Klein and his team saved 29 local residents from their flooded homes. In Plattsmouth, the town's water treatment facility is currently powered down and inaccessible. Like many affected communities across Nebraska, their main concern is being able to gather the facts and to make decisions about how they can move forward with their lives. In Valley, I toured the devastation in the community with Mayor Carroll Smith and Councilwoman Cindy Grove. Large piles of wreckage can be found everywhere in town as people begin that cleanup process, but the people of Valley are resilient. Residents have started a donation center where people in need can get clothes, equipment, and other supplies as needed. More than 150 people have signed up as volunteers. I also spent some time with local residents and city and county personnel in North Bend. The community is understandably concerned about how their community will rebuild their lives, but it also warmed my heart to listen to stories of how the town is pulling together to support one another. Time and again, I heard of how proud the North Bend community is of their volunteers who are managing donations and distributing food and supplies to those in need. I want all Nebraskans to know that my office stands ready to help in any way that we can. Recently, I led the Nebraska delegation in a letter to President Trump outlining the extent of damage to our State and the projected cost of recovery. I want to thank the President for his rapid approval of Governor Ricketts' expedited request for Federal disaster assistance. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and I discussed the crisis that ag producers are facing. He assured me that USDA is committed to assisting our farmers and ranchers in any way they can. I also visited with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao by phone to share with her how this historic storm has damaged our critical infrastructure. The Secretary and the Department of Transportation, as a whole, are ready to help Nebraska. I spoke with Major General Bohac to discuss the Nebraska National Guard's flood response, the ongoing state of emergency, and ways my office can assist with their relief efforts. In the coming days and weeks, I will continue to work closely alongside Governor Ricketts to assist in coordinating Federal relief efforts for our State. I have spoken to President Trump and shared with him the needs of our State as we recover. He reassured me that Nebraskans will receive the help we need. I take great pride in the way our State has pulled together in this disaster. To know communities like Fremont, Plattsmouth, Columbus, Ashland, Norfolk, Spencer, or Niobrara is to know the definition of strength in unity and an unwavering pride in your State and country. Above the floodwaters, you will still see the American flag waving proudly in all of these communities. If you know Nebraska as I do, you know our State is filled with towns like these from one side to the other. I am proud to represent our great State every day in the U.S. Senate. Though much is uncertain for the victims of this disaster, our communities are rallying to endure and recover from these historic weather conditions. I close by offering my sincere thanks to our State and local officials, our emergency responders, and National Guard, who are working around the clock to provide lifesaving assistance to our citizens in need. We have much work to do, but Nebraskans are resilient, we are tough, and we are compassionate. Hour by hour and day by day, we will get through this difficult chapter in our State's history, and we will remain Nebraska Strong. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I would first like to address the harsh and very inclement weather that is sweeping across the State of Nebraska. My prayers are with the Nebraskans who have been affected by the damaging storm. This massive storm they are calling a bomb cyclone has brought blizzard conditions, hurricane force winds, and dangerous floods to Nebraska. Some people have had to evacuate their homes. Others have been working tirelessly for the safety of their livestock. I thank our emergency responders, the State, and local officials who are helping the citizens of our State during this time. I want all Nebraskans to know that my office stands ready to assist you in any possible way. Honoring our Armed Forces Sergeant Cory Ryan Mracek Mr. President, I rise to continue my tributes to the current generation of men and women who have lost their lives in Iraq and in Afghanistan while defending our freedom. Each of these Nebraska heroes has a special story to tell. I recall today the life and service of SGT Cory Mracek, who was a native of Hay Springs, NE. Though Cory spent most of his life in Hay Springs, he was born in Chadron, NE. Both of his parents, Pat and Jim, were born and raised in Nebraska as well. As a young child, Cory was always trying to have a good time. He was often found either laughing or trying to make others laugh. Cory talked a lot, starting at age 1. Pat, his mother, fondly remembers that Cory was a curious child, and when they would go into stores, Cory would always touch different items because he wanted to know more about them. He was an easygoing kid, and he loved watching Sesame Street on a regular basis. Cory was close to his grandfather, and they would often go places together and spend time together. Both of Cory's younger sisters, Stacy and Heather, came into the world when he was a young child, and he had a very close relationship with both of them. As is often the case with siblings, though, they sometimes quarreled. Like many kids his age, Cory was fascinated by ``Star Wars'' and ``The Simpsons.'' The original ``Star Wars'' movies came out when Cory was young, and he had all kinds of ``Star Wars'' figurines and action figures around the house. Cory attended several small schools in northwest Nebraska before enrolling in Hay Springs High School. Around the time Cory started high school, Michael Jordan was changing the sport of basketball all over the world. The Chicago Bulls' legend became Cory's sports hero. His bedroom was covered with Michael Jordan posters, basketball cards, and memorabilia. During his high school years, Cory became involved in many extracurricular activities. Fishing was one of his favorites, and he would often go to nearby Walgren Lake, southwest of Hay Springs. In high school, Cory was also involved in basketball and football, where he played fullback. Pat vividly remembers when she worked in the eastern part of Nebraska one week so that Cory could attend Tom Osborne's Big Red Football School for 3 days. This was a popular football camp that many teenage boys in Nebraska participated in over the years. At Hay Springs High, Cory wasn't too fond of actually going to school, but he was more than capable. He scored a 30 on his ACT, and his armed services vocational aptitude battery score was also exceptionally high. After graduating from Hay Springs High School, Cory attended Chadron State College, just down the road from where he grew up. While at Chadron State, Cory had a hard time finding a good job. With his high marks on the test, Cory decided to enlist in the Nebraska Army National Guard. He graduated from basic training at Fort Sill, OK, in 1996. After 1 year, Cory transferred to the Active Army because it provided him with a year-round job. Cory's military occupation specialty was 13- bravo or cannon crewmember for artillery, and he was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Immediately after joining the Active Army, Cory was deployed to South Korea for 1 year. He enjoyed his time in Korea, and he participated in the tradition of the Manchu Mile, a daunting, 24-mile march in full combat gear across Korea's mountainous terrain. Cory was also involved in the honor guard. In January of 2001, Cory returned home to Nebraska and transitioned back to the National Guard. Months later, the September 11 terrorist attacks changed our Nation and the world. The events of that fateful day ignited deep patriotism within Cory. While he and his parents were outside their home holding up candles in memory of the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks, Cory told his mom that he was going to transition back to the Active Army to serve his country. In early 2002, Cory transitioned back to the Active Army from the Nebraska National Guard. Cory then deployed to Korea for a second time--this time for 15 months, serving near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. When he returned from Korea, Cory was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg and completed airborne school in November of 2003. Shortly after, Cory received notice that he was deploying to Iraq. Cory arrived in Iraq for his deployment in January of 2004. Pat had already sent care packages over for Cory so they would be there when he arrived. On the morning of January 27, 2004, Pat instant-messaged with Cory to catch up and see how things were going. Later that same day, Cory and his reconnaissance platoon were performing a mission near Iskandariyah, Iraq. This particular area of Iraq saw major combat activity and sectarian violence from 2003 to 2007. During Cory's reconnaissance mission that day, his platoon came across an IED. Cory and two other U.S. servicemembers were killed by that explosion. On Wednesday, February 4, 2004, at the Chadron State College gymnasium, more than 600 family members, friends, and military officials gathered to celebrate and honor the life, service, and sacrifice of SGT Cory Mracek. He was eulogized by many, including his two sisters, Stacy and Heather. He was laid to rest at the Gordon City Cemetery next to his grandfather. The funeral procession from Chadron to Gordon was a short drive by western Nebraska standards--46 miles. From Chadron to Hay Springs to Rushville, people lined the streets to pay their respects, wave American flags, and salute Cory. For quite some time, Cory's parents thought about the best way to memorialize him. Eventually, Pat came up with the perfect tribute: renaming the local Chadron, NE, post office after Cory. Pat had previously worked at the post office for 10 years, and she asked GEN Roger Lempke, Retired, who is now a member of my staff, how we could make this happen. I had the privilege of working alongside former U.S. Senator Mike Johanns on legislation to rename the Chadron Post Office the ``Sergeant Cory Mracek Memorial Post Office.'' The bill was passed by Congress, and it was signed into law on November 2014. To this day, Cory's mother, Pat, remains heavily involved in many veteran and military organizations. She is the president of Nebraska Gold Star Mothers and the cochair of the Honor and Remember Nebraska Chapter. Both Pat and Cory's father, Jim, would like our Nation to remember how happy Cory was. He liked to laugh, have fun, and enjoy life. I join Nebraskans and Americans across our country in saluting Cory's willingness to serve and the sacrifices he and his family made to keep us free, and I am honored to tell his story. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, Democrats have put forward proposals claiming that it is the duty of the Federal Government to create a so- called Green New Deal. My colleagues have listed a variety of goals, like net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within a decade, good jobs for all, and a sustainable environment and infrastructure, but they haven't proposed any specific policy changes or a roadmap of how to reach these goals. The reason for that is clear. As the resolution's authors have said, these proposals would require a massive Federal Government takeover and reorganization of our country as a whole. We are learning that what it would take to accomplish these goals is unrealistic. We should call the Green New Deal exactly what it is--an attack on what should be the limited role of the Federal Government in our lives. I want to address Nebraskans directly, and I want to analyze a few details that are part of this resolution's attack on rural America, which is an attack on Nebraska because our State's economy and the well-being of all Nebraska families is reliant on a strong agricultural economy. One section of the resolution speaks to our Nation's agriculture sector. Properly managing our environment is important, and Nebraska's agricultural producers who feed and fuel our world know better than anyone about conservation and stewardship. This is a serious issue, and it deserves a serious and a sensible approach. The early fact sheets that came out describing the Green New Deal offered mind-boggling proposals, like eliminating cows. This idea was so ridiculous that the Democrats balked and distanced themselves from this concept. In fact, while the Nebraska Democratic Party announced their support for the Green New Deal, Nebraska's Democratic Party chairman recently apologized to fellow Nebraskans for the anti- agriculture ideas that are included in it. Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa Governor and former Secretary of Agriculture in the Obama administration, was spot-on with his comments about the greatness of American agriculture during a congressional hearing in 2016. He pointed this out: Every one of us that's not a farmer, is not a farmer because we have farmers. We delegate the responsibility of feeding our families to a relatively small percentage of this country. Eighty-five percent of what's grown in this country, it's raised by 2- to 300,000 people. It is an incredible freedom that we take for granted . . . and rather than being criticized, we ought to be celebrating these people . . . and we don't do it enough. I could not agree more. Nebraska farmers and ranchers feed a hungry world. Our soybeans, dairy, wheat, pork, eggs, and potatoes reach family dinner tables around the globe. Nebraska is known as the Beef State. We are the No. 1 exporter of beef in the Nation. In 2017, Nebraska exported well over $1 billion in beef products. Our beef producers are known around the globe as the best at what they do. Here are some facts. Fact: According to a recent USDA report, beef production accounts for only 3.3 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Fact: According to a Smithsonian article published in 2016, wetlands account for nearly 22 percent of global methane emissions. I would suggest to you that no one wants to eliminate wetlands. Nebraska ag producers care for our land and our water, and our cattle producers already have elevated levels of water regulations. For example, our feedlots must maintain a livestock waste control facility permit from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Existing and new livestock operations must be inspected by the DEQ to determine if a waste control facility construction permit is required. Our producers also need a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit if their livestock facility has the potential to discharge into surface waters. As I said, Nebraska is the Beef State, but we are also the Cornhuskers, and the two go hand-in-hand. Nebraska is a top producer of corn, and that corn is fed to livestock and establishes Nebraska as the No. 1 cattle on feed State in the Nation. Our producers do this while conserving our natural resources--our land and our water. Consider this: The Omaha-based Lindsay Corporation recently developed a tool that connects to the center pivot irrigation system and remotely controls the water based on the irrigation prescription for each individual field. The company estimated that since the tool was launched, it has saved over 21 billion gallons of water, over 34 million kilowatt hours of energy, and over 57 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions globally. Nebraska also has a unique system of 23 natural resources districts. The districts are managed by locally elected boards. The boards have tax levy authority to support conservation efforts tailored to each of the district's unique needs. Through this process, we regulate our groundwater more than any other State, and it is an effective use because our local communities are the ones in control. No other State in the country has this advanced form of ground and surface water management. Because of the adoption of more efficient irrigation systems by our corn and soybean producers, water applied in three natural resources districts in Nebraska has decreased significantly, conserving our water. Nebraska's producers also take good care of our soil. Our natural resources districts can require landowners to manage soil erosion on their land and connect them with cost-sharing programs to help implement effective soil management practices. The use of planned grazing on our ranches--my family's ranch included--improves the amount and the diversity of grass available to cattle, and cattle improve the overall health of that rangeland. The Natural Resources and Conservation Service estimated that soil erosion and planned or, as some call it, rotational grazing practices have saved over $80 million in annual damages from flooding or erosion. Additionally, with the adoption of no-till farming practices in row crop production, combined with cover crops like millet and rye, we have vastly improved the health of our soil. The bottom line is this: Ag producers are conservationists who utilize proven practices to manage our land and water resources. As more facts have come out, we have learned that the cost alone of the Green New Deal is astounding. One estimate by the American Action Forum found that if the deal were fully enacted, it would cost anywhere from $51 trillion to $93 trillion over the next 10 years--$93 trillion. That is a staggering expense that our families, our businesses, and our economy simply cannot afford. One of the main goals of the Green New Deal is a mandate to move our country to 100 percent renewable energy and achieve carbon neutrality within the next decade. The American Action Forum's estimate warns that households would shoulder this weight with up to a nearly $4,000 increase in their yearly electric bills, and if our country relied on foreign energy, those rates would skyrocket even higher. Higher electricity bills are a concern for me, and they are a concern for Nebraska families, but my colleagues across the aisle don't seem fazed. Recall that in 2009, former President Obama said he was willing to have the average household pay nearly $1,600 per year to reduce carbon emissions by 15 percent. Hard-working families said then that they could not afford that. So how can people now afford up to spending $4,000 a year? Attempting to move to all renewable energy would also mean shutting down every nuclear, coal, and natural gas plant. According to some estimates, this would cost Nebraskans and the American people $7 trillion by 2030. If we eliminated the use of natural resources like gas, oil, and coal production, the United States would rely on other countries to supply our energy. The United States leads all G20 countries with the best record of carbon dioxide emissions reduction in recent years. From 2005 to 2017, the United States reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 862 million tons--a 14-percent cut. Comparatively, in the same timeframe, India increased its carbon emissions by 1.3 billion tons, and China raised its emissions by 4 billion tons--a 70-percent increase. Though China is moving toward plants with higher efficiency, China already accounts for nearly half of the global coal consumption. The Green New Deal misses a crucial point: The United States is already making voluntary changes to lead the world in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. A line from the 16-page resolution reads that the Green New Deal would include ``overhauling transportation systems in the United States to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.'' A background document released by the Green New Deal's author called for a plan to build out high-speed rail and replace every combustion engine vehicle at a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary. As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Transportation and Safety Subcommittee, I welcome all commonsense, bipartisan proposals to improve our infrastructure so that we can provide the safe and efficient movement of our people and our goods. Yet the Green New Deal is a far cry from a commonsense proposal. The call to replace every combustion engine wouldn't just hurt our Nation's infrastructure; it would mean scrapping our personal cars and the commercial trucking industry. It would mean eradicating planes and air travel altogether. Don't forget that we are a Nation of vastness. Light rail is not feasible. It is not feasible in many parts of our country, and people in sparsely populated areas have a right to receive services, participate in commerce, and have transportation options that meet their unique needs. In closing, as the activists continue to push their wish lists, I am going to continue to focus on addressing those regulations that make life difficult for families and businesses in Nebraska. Excessive regulations cause our ag producers to focus on mountains of paperwork instead of on ways to innovate and implement new practices so they can continue being good stewards of our land. The key to finding realistic solutions in addressing carbon dioxide emissions lies in the hands of America's innovators, not in the heavy hand of the Federal Government through an economic takeover. In moving forward, I am going to work on updating the aging infrastructure that our citizens rely on in their everyday lives. I am going to fight for policies that will help to promote economic growth and help families across this country provide for their loved ones, and I will continue to highlight the good work our farmers and ranchers are doing to protect our air, water, land, and wildlife. I yield the floor.

Mrs. FISCHER

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

Mrs. FISCHER

Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, in the 116th Congress, I am once again chairing the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, which oversees our nuclear forces. Over the coming months, I will be coming to the floor to discuss specific components of our nuclear deterrent and their contributions to the defense of this Nation. Today, I rise to speak about the critical role strategic bombers play in our nuclear triad. The triad is known for its flexibility and resilience, and bombers contribute to this flexibility in important ways. They are highly visible, and they can be forward deployed. They can be used to signal resolve to our adversaries and commitment to our allies. This benefit is not theoretical. Bombers have been used in exactly this way many times, particularly on the Korean Peninsula. Bombers are also recallable and, when armed with standoff weapons, they can offer the President a variety of tailored response options in a crisis. As the oldest leg of our nuclear triad, bombers have a long and distinguished history. In some ways, the story of the strategic bomber begins in the great State of Nebraska. In the early 1940s, Bellevue, NE, was home to the Martin Bomber Plant, which was located on the land that is now Offutt Air Force Base. The Martin plant, with the help of thousands of Nebraska workers, built and modified the Enola Gay and Bockscar. These two B-29 bombers went on to deliver the Little Boy and Fat Man nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II and ushering in the nuclear age. The horrific destruction of these attacks established the deterrent power that has prevented conflict on a global scale ever since. As ballistic missile technology evolved, the bomber continued to be the mainstay of our nuclear deterrent forces through the early 1970s. Although bombers carried the heavy load for many decades, today we no longer rely on them in the same way. Nuclear-armed bombers have not been on 24-hour ready alert status since the end of the Cold War in 1991, and the responsiveness that alert-status bombers provided now resides primarily with our ICBM forces. The strength provided by the other legs of the triad have allowed us to take our nuclear capable bombers off alert and use them for conventional missions. When we send B-52 bombers to Afghanistan to complete a conventional mission, we exercise the triad's flexibility. When U.S. B-2 bombers struck targets in Libya, we utilized the triad's flexibility. These examples clearly demonstrate that the flexibility of the triad is not an abstract concept. It is something our forces use every single day. Our current nuclear bomber force consists of 46 B-52 and 20 B-2 aircraft. While we rely on this highly capable but aging fleet, we also look ahead to the future of the bomber force, and that is the B-21. As the B-21 development progresses, it is important to remember the lessons learned from the last time we developed a nuclear bomber, the B-2. As the Cold War ended, nuclear tensions cooled and the need for an expensive nuclear-capable stealth bomber seemed to diminish. Even though the B-2 had already been developed and significant resources spent on research and development, Congress decided to reduce the final order from 132 aircraft to 20. In so doing, the per-unit cost of the airframe rose to $2 billion. The Air Force has said it plans to buy at least 100 B-21s, but many in this Chamber believe more are likely required to meet the conventional mission the Nation expects our Air Force to perform. The nuclear triad is the bedrock of our national security, and the airborne leg continues to contribute to the strength and resilience of our nuclear forces. It is our responsibility to ensure that this capability is modernized, particularly as the global security environment transitions to one of long-term strategic competition. I yield the floor.