Cory Gardner

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, early last December or at least sometime later last year, people in Wuhan, China, began showing symptoms of what was at that time an unidentifiable respiratory disease in increasing numbers. We now know that virus as COVID-19, and it has completely upended our way of life in the United States and around the globe. This virus has infected over 3.5 million people around the world and killed, tragically, over 68,000 people in the United States, and that includes over 900 incredible and great Coloradans, my home State. We certainly mourn with those families who have lost loved ones, and we will keep fighting for a path forward as we get through this together. I want to commend in the strongest terms possible our frontline workers, whether it has been our first responders, our healthcare professionals, or those who have allowed us to continue to enjoy a safe and secure food supply; people in the essential businesses who each and every day don't complain but go to work to help make sure our communities can get back to work. The list of heroes in our communities, those who have given so much, goes on and on and on. I think it is important to recognize that as we have addressed the coronavirus challenge in this country--the measures we have taken, the steps that have been laid out by mayors and governors and the President--they have been to comply with guidances and health directives and to comply with the best science and scientists our country has, not out of fear of the coronavirus, not because people are afraid of COVID-19, but they have done it out of love--love for their community; love for their parents and grandparents, whom they hope to keep safe and healthy; love for our country, to stop the spread and flatten the curve. So to all of our incredible healthcare workers, the frontline workers, essential workers, grocery store clerks and gas station workers, mechanics at farm equipment dealerships that have remained open to keep tractors running during planting, to our ranchers and farmers who have kept our food supply flowing: Thank you. People everywhere across Colorado are hurting, obviously, because of this pandemic. I have heard numerous stories across our great State. I have held telephone townhalls in every congressional district in Colorado, speaking directly with Coloradans who have lost their jobs, who are unsure about how they will feed their family, and who have endless questions about what the future holds for them. I have heard from restaurant workers in Denver who were laid off when their restaurant closed. I have heard from restaurant owners who have done everything they can to keep their restaurant workers employed-- preparing meals and providing them to the hungry and the homeless. A small business owner in Monument, CO, shared with me how difficult it was to lay off 35 dedicated staff members but not having a choice. I have talked to businesses in El Paso County near Colorado Springs who used the last prepaid minutes on a cell phone to participate in our townhall to try to figure out where they could get food. I have talked to elderly Coloradans who were afraid to go to the grocery store because they didn't know if they had special hours. They had an underlying condition, and they didn't know if they could go safely. Our staff was able to help this person get the groceries they needed and the disinfectant they had requested and leave some information about the special hours that grocery stores around the town were holding for people who needed a little bit more social distancing--more space, more time, a safer environment to go out. But the effects of the coronavirus aren't because somebody intentionally decided to hurt our economy, but they are hurting because of the necessary public health actions their government has taken. It is in large part the government's responsibility to help get them through this because it was the government that said to them: Stay at home. Close your doors. Don't go to work. It is our responsibility to provide the help that our economy needs to get moving again, to get people back to work, because it was the advice of governments, from the local levels to the Federal level, that said: These are the things you need to do to stop the spread and flatten the curve. Throughout this entire health epidemic, I have approached it with a three-prong strategy. Throughout this process, this three-prong strategy has been the focus I have used to approach what we as a country must do to get through. These are not steps that should be taken one at a time. You don't accomplish step 1 and then attempt to accomplish step 2 and then maybe get to step 3. These are things that need to be done all at the same time as we move on our path to recovery. First, we must obviously address the immediate health crisis. The second prong is, we must make sure we are providing real-time assistance to real individuals who are really hurting across the State of Colorado and the country. The third prong is to make sure that we are supporting our businesses through this crisis, to make sure that when the health emergency is over, we have an economy that is able to snap back and run strong. These steps have to be done all at the same time--not step 1, then 2, then 3--but the first prong, the steps taken to flatten the curve and stop the spread, has been absolutely critical and will continue to be critical. Congress has taken many steps to support the health response, including $175 billion to support healthcare providers, $17 billion to the Strategic National Stockpile for medical equipment and supplies, and a recent infusion of $25 billion to support testing, including dedicated funding for States and Tribes. We have also spent money to support scientists as they rapidly developed and produced new testing technologies and worked to get them to the market as quickly as possible. But it is going back to that bravery of our frontline healthcare workers, our first responders, our public health experts, as well as the innovation of our scientists who have served as beacons of light during this difficult time and will help us get through this health emergency. On prong 2, providing individuals with the assistance they need, we have continued to do that and must continue to do that to address this health emergency because when we started the very first steps, we said to every American: Please stay home. Figure out how to socially distance. As a result, unemployment claims have skyrocketed to record numbers as Americans grappled with work reductions, job loss, and overall changes to our daily lives. It is important that Congress acted quickly to provide individuals with immediate assistance. In the CARES Act, we provided direct individual assistance to millions of individuals and married couples across the State and across the country. We allowed Federal student loan borrowers to defer payments for 6 months without interest or penalties. We established a temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program for those who are self-employed or independent contractors whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic--people who otherwise might not have had a place to go. One consistent message I have heard from countless Coloradans as I have spoken with them during the pandemic is that they appreciate our bipartisan efforts. It is beyond that. It is not simply a bipartisan effort where Republicans and Democrats are working together; it is actually nonpartisan because Republicans and Democrats realize there is no reason to bear that mantle of ``party'' because so many people are hurting, and we know what needs to be done for the country to work together, to be nonpartisan, and to provide the relief real individuals need in real time. We have to keep fighting in this nonpartisan way and this bipartisan way to make testing more widely available, to support State and local governments, to advocate for frontline and essential workers, and to set up our economy to return as strong as it was before the pandemic. Thank goodness our economy was as strong as it was when we went into this. Imagine where we would be if we had a weak or struggling economy as we entered the health emergency. Prong 3 requires support for businesses. The economic relief that was provided through the Paycheck Protection Program under the CARES Act continues to be an essential tool for our small businesses and families across all four corners of Colorado. Over $10 billion in round 1 and round 2 of the Paycheck Protection Program has been delivered to keep people on the payroll in Colorado. The Paycheck Protection Program was created to keep employees on the payroll and to help keep bills paid so that workers can keep their jobs, salaries, and benefits--they can keep them--and so small businesses can hit the ground running when they are able to resume operations. Think about the millions of small businesses in our country responsible for over $6 trillion in salary every year in this country. We often talk about small businesses being the backbone, the foundation, and the bedrock of our economy, and it is absolutely true. Small businesses employ nearly half of all American workers, and they make up 99.5 percent of all Colorado businesses, employing more than 1.1 million Coloradans. Because of clarifications to the program I fought for, just last week I heard from three rural hospitals in Colorado that received Paycheck Protection Program loans through their local community bank. They were within a matter of a week or weeks of having to lay off employees and in some cases, shut down. The access to the Paycheck Protection Program was an absolute game changer for these critical and vital rural hospitals. Now these hospitals can continue to provide both critical healthcare services to their communities and jobs for their employees, and in many communities, these rural hospitals are the largest employer in that community. These actions and programs are essential cornerstones to our recovery, but we must finish laying the foundation to ensure our economy snaps back and runs strong. While governments can allow businesses to open, the American people simply won't return--they won't fully return to the economy until they have confidence that the virus is under control. The first step to tackling any problem, of course, is seeing it, and that is especially true with COVID-19. How do we see it? Through widespread testing. Widespread testing is key to seeing the bigger picture in the fight against this virus. Our country's well-being both medically and financially relies on our ability to see where the illness is and where it is not and where it is spreading and where it is declining. That, in turn, depends on our ability to ramp up testing capacity. Rapid testing for COVID-19 and further research into the benefits, applications, and development of that body of testing will help show which Coloradans have been exposed to COVID-19 and the percentage of our population that has already recovered. This will better inform local schools, businesses, and governments as they make their own determinations about the path forward. It will help provide peace of mind for Coloradans as they start to visit their families, reschedule doctors' appointments for routine preventative services, and return to their jobs. It will also help States and local health departments decide what type of other responsive measures are necessary. My approach to this pandemic has been an all-hands-on-deck approach. When the Governor calls me and says our State needs more tests, more masks, or more equipment, I get to work fighting to find that assistance. Working together with the Governor, leaders at the Federal level, and our allies abroad, we have been able to secure hundreds of thousands of masks and tests for our State, and we are working around the clock for more. Without effective widespread testing and a corresponding strategy that leverages and improves public health infrastructure to support monitoring, we cannot have a real-time response to the virus. Rapid testing and the ability of public health departments to inform individuals with positive cases quickly so they can take appropriate action and further prevent the spread is critical to making sure our entire economy is not forced to shut down in the future. The dollars we have provided through various phases of action as it relates to the health emergency will help provide that testing to help mobilize new testing, to invent the kind of testing we need--an antigen-based test, an antibodies test--the opportunities we have to rapidly let the people of this country know what is happening, what is not happening, and how we should tailor our public policies to fit the spread of the virus and the decline of the virus and the reopening of our economy. We need a test that is so ubiquitous that people can buy a Big Gulp at 7-Eleven and buy a COVID-19 test and keep it in their car or keep it in their first aid kit so that if they wake up in the morning with a sore throat, they can test and they can have the actual results. Instead of shutting down a household or a community or a country, we can get the results to implement better public policies then and there. Congress must also make sure that the Paycheck Protection Program continues to be funded and improved where needed to better support America's small businesses and the employees they are able to keep on the payroll as a result. We must make the program flexible enough to be effective, and we must make the rules so clear--so clear--that people will be competent that they can use it. I have seen the headlines about big businesses taking this money when they might not really need it, but I have also talked to 15-employee companies that have needed $30,000 or $40,000 to pay their workers and that are now terrified of crossing Federal prosecutors. I heard from a Coloradan I have known my entire life who is working with her son's business. This is an essential business that has remained open because of the role they play in our food supply. They went to the bank, and they got a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program. They were very excited that they would be able to keep their doors open, and then they received a letter that said: Hey, are you sure you needed this loan? Maybe you didn't. Now they don't know whether they should keep it. They are terrified to use it. While we have to make sure our programs aren't abused, we also have to make sure we don't create a chilling effect on businesses that truly need it. I understand the need to be careful about who gets this money, but when we are scaring businesses that we all agree need assistance the most, maybe things have gone too far and Congress is no longer helping. Congress should act to make rules that are clear. We should help guide those rules to be clear and bring confidence to the program to make sure that people can be at work, keep their jobs, and keep their benefits. When the foundation is secure and we have this foundation secure, we should then explore the immediate opportunities for economic activity and employment--the opportunities that will benefit every American and create the conditions for a quicker recovery. Until the American consumer is fully back, with confidence in our economy, we need to look for ways to fill the gap. We have long talked about the need to refurbish our infrastructure. Now is the time to do it. This health crisis has laid bare the cyber desert that exists in many of our rural communities. We should make a concentrated effort to make rural broadband a reality. We should fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and put funding towards our deferred maintenance projects across our Federal lands that we all cherish so much. That will create immediate jobs building roads and maintaining trails and creating the kinds of job opportunities that many of our high mountain towns desperately need as a result of this health emergency and now economic emergency. I have introduced a bill that has the President's support and both sides of the aisle, and certainly the ideas are supported across both Chambers of Congress--the Great American Outdoors Act. Communities throughout the Nation would benefit, and these funds would help contribute to a strong and growing outdoor recreation economy--one of the largest drivers of our economy in Colorado and in many States. In short, we need to take some big and bold steps to make sure that our economy is back on track and to help accelerate it once again. We need these big steps because we have taken a hard shot in the last couple of months. We also need to support mental health efforts. Prior to the pandemic, 70 percent of Colorado's mental health need was unmet, and on average, one Coloradoan died by suicide every 7 hours. Before COVID-19, I was working on a number of legislative efforts to improve mental health support, and COVID-19 has only underscored just how time-sensitive these matters are--particularly my legislation, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act. In a mental health emergency, it is almost impossible to remember the current 10-digit hotline. Sometimes there is more than one 10-digit hotline. So establishing 9-8-8 as a national suicide prevention hotline will save lives and help more Americans in need to access critical mental health support. S. 2661, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, is more than smart policy that will help save lives; it is a statement that our government recognizes the crisis and is working across party lines to address it. Establishing 9-8-8 as a national suicide prevention hotline will save lives and help more Americans who need access to critical mental health support. I have been proud to push for this three-digit hotline and funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and I will keep fighting to make suicide prevention services more accessible. Let's come together, and let's get this done. Access to mental health care is especially important during this trying time filled with grief and uncertainty for so many people, and we must ensure we are doing everything we can to prevent these devastating outcomes from occurring. But no matter how bleak our situation looks, it is important to remember that America has faced its fair share of challenges. Together, we have persevered and persisted through world wars, economic disasters, the September 11 terrorist attacks, and much, much more. While this virus will not be the last challenge our country faces, we know that this, too, shall pass, and together, we will make it to the other side stronger than ever. I have faith and confidence in the American people and in our ability to pull together and to continue to meet this challenge head-on. Colorado has been that shining example of resiliency in so many instances, and it will continue to be. Over these last several months, I have spoken directly to countless Coloradans, all unsure of what the future holds, but they are certain we will get through this by looking up to that great Rocky Mountain horizon. Coloradans everywhere are stepping up and meeting this challenge in the spirit of our great country. They are donating food, they are donating personal protective equipment, and they are donating time, talents, and their blood. Individuals and businesses across Colorado and across the country are seeing needs and responding to those in need. To the brave healthcare providers fighting around the clock, the reliable farmers and ranchers working day in and day out to keep food on the table, and all the essential workers who continue to selflessly put themselves at risk to ensure others are taken care of first, I give my deepest thanks and praise. In Colorado, we have lost two first responders on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19. Deputy Jeff Hopkins served in the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, and he had been serving there since 2001. On April 1, he passed away from COVID-19 at the age of 41--1 day after he was diagnosed with COVID-19. His death was determined to be a line-of-duty death, which is a reminder to all of us that our brave first responders are in harm's way every day but especially during this pandemic. We also recently lost Paul Cary, who worked as a firefighter and paramedic in Aurora for more than 30 years. Paul was 66 years old, and he selflessly drove--selflessly drove--27 hours straight to New York in an ambulance to help out in the battle against COVID-19. While there, he was tending to patients and transporting them to hospitals. After falling ill with the virus, Paul died on April 30. Coloradans lined the streets to give him a hero's farewell. To Deputy Hopkins, to Paul Cary, and to the countless heroes like them who are risking their own lives for our health and safety every day, thank you. First responders and medical professionals all across our State continue to make countless sacrifices on our behalf. The long hours and time away from family and loved ones, the undeniable mental toll this pandemic takes on those on the frontlines and the health risks--these sacrifices don't go unnoticed. We must do everything we can to make sure the first responders of COVID-19 have the resources, the support, and the personal protective equipment needed to fight this pandemic. We will never be able to fully show our deep appreciation for our healthcare providers, frontline employees, and first responders who are working to keep vital parts of our country moving. We have to do everything we can to try to make up what they have done for us in big ways and small ways every day. In Colorado, we don't look back; we look forward. We look out across the Great Plains, the Great High Plains, up to that majestic Rocky Mountain horizon for that next optimistic day. In the middle of the health emergency, a couple of weeks ago, I received a letter in the mail, and it had a pair of pliers in this letter, and I really didn't know what it was. It sat on my desk, and I opened it up not knowing what it was. I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to share an item on the floor that was sent to me during the health pandemic.

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, in the letter, this pair of pliers came, and I opened it up, and here is what it said: Senator Gardner, I want to thank you and everyone at your office profusely for everything that you have done for me. You have allowed for me to continue receiving uninterrupted benefits and care for combat injuries I have sustained while serving as an Officer in the U.S. Army. In 2014, you came to visit me in the Ward of Walter Reed, while I was still bandaged and pretty beat up, missing my dominant hand and looking overall pretty haggard. You told me a story about the Korfs (My Mom's side) [of the family] in Yuma County. At this point, I realized who the letter was from, and I remembered very clearly the story I had told this young soldier. You told me a story about the Korfs (My Mom's side) in Yuma County walking into your family's hardware store and stress- testing pliers. It was a story I had received from my granddad about these two brothers who would come in years and years ago--decades ago. They would grab a pair of pliers on the parts counter, and they would squeeze them, and they were so strong that they would snap the pin in the pliers. I told him that story. He wrote in his letter: Apparently my ancestors wouldn't buy a pair if they didn't stand up to the grip of the man that I can only imagine was pretty strong in the arms. While I'm sure they only broke a few sets and got away with it by being [expletive], I've enclosed a pair as recompense. After you visited, I took that story with me. After 5 years as an amputee, I've been an Infantry Officer and I spent years training as a Special Forces Officer--the only amputee to ever pass Assessment and Selection. It's been inspiring to grip this set of pliers and try to snap them. And then he wrote: Sometimes our tools break, sometimes it's our fault, sometimes they're not flat sturdy to begin with, sometimes these tools have just been used to the point of failure. Every time, though, what really matters is what we do once that tool is broken. We fix it, get a new one, or we improvise something better. Either way, we figure out how to finish the job, because people are depending on us to get it done. Carey G. DuVall, CPT U.S. Army, Ft. Bragg, NC. We face a tremendous challenge unlike we have ever faced in our lifetimes, and, while we are going to use every tool we have to help fix what has happened, we know that every one is not going to be perfect. But we have to keep trying because that is what the American people do every day. They make it work. They fight. They get back on their feet. We have to be in this fight with them. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, it is great to be back on the floor of the U.S. Senate. It is a heavy obligation that we have before us. On March 17, I was contacted by the Tri-County Health Department to notify me that on March 11 I had been in a meeting with a Coloradan who later tested positive for COVID-19, and at the advice of the Tri-County Health Department and the attending physician in the Capitol, I entered self-quarantine to protect my colleagues, our community, and our family. That time has now expired as of this morning. I certainly regret the fact that I missed a vote that passed 90 to 8 to complete phase 2 of our help to address COVID-19. I wish I had been here because the vote would have been 91 to 8. Throughout that time I was in quarantine, I had an opportunity to visit with thousands and thousands of Coloradans through telephone townhalls in every congressional district to hear from individuals who have lost their jobs, to hear from business owners who were terrified about what happens next, to hear from parents who are at home with their kids who are out of school, not knowing if they go back at all to school; how to figure out how Zoom works, how to figure out how Skype works, how to figure out how technology works to teach their kids at home. Throughout this process I adopted a three-pronged approach to what we must do as a country to get through the crisis at hand. No. 1, we have to address the immediate health epidemic: what we are doing to, as the experts say, ``flatten the curve'' to stop the spread; to provide the resources, the tests, the protective equipment that we need through our States to make sure that they can fight this invisible virus; what we can be doing to give them the tools and the skills they need for the heroic efforts of our frontline healthcare providers--the doctors, nurses, clerical staff, janitors, classified workers--all of the people who have been so heroic to provide healthcare to our people. That is phase 1, making sure we stop this epidemic and address the needs of the American people. Prong 2 of this three-pronged approach is about making sure that we provide individuals with immediate assistance: people who are terrified about what happens to their job, how they are going to make ends meet, what they are going to do to put food on the table, how they are going to pay their rent, how they are going to pay their mortgage, will they have a restaurant to go back to. That is prong 2 of this approach. Prong 3, of course, is to get our businesses up and running again to make sure that when this health epidemic is over--this health emergency is over, we can make sure we have an economy that snaps back and runs strong. We will do that because we as a country will rise together. We will do it united. We will do it because we in this country know how to overcome great challenges. We are taking these measures to quarantine and self-isolate not because we are fearful of the virus, not because we are afraid of what will happen if we don't, but we are doing it out of love for each other. We are doing it out of love for our neighbors, community, our parents, our grandparents, and our children. We take the guidance of health experts and public policy experts seriously because we want to share that love with people to stop the spread so that we can avoid the surge that can overwhelm our healthcare systems because we know, under the best case scenarios--the best case scenarios--we are looking at a situation that can utilize 95 percent of every hospital bed in this country for the next year. We do this out of love for each other and for our community and to protect one another. In Colorado right now, we have roughly 1,000-plus confirmed COVID-19 patients. We have lost 12, perhaps more by the time I am giving this speech today, in Colorado. These lives, those who have tested positive, their loved ones are all in my prayers today. The Governor of Colorado obviously is issuing the emergency declarations. I spoke with the Governor a few minutes ago to talk about how we can continue to provide the resources that Colorado needs. Over 2 million people across the Denver metro area are now in some kind of a shelter-in-place order, ordered to stay at home. Our Nation is uneasy, our future is uncertain, and the level of anxiety that our country faces is the highest I have ever seen it, but we don't need to have uneasiness about our future because we will rise together; we will come together as a nation to overcome this. We know that our future, the future of this Nation, will be prosperous again; that our economy will be thriving again; that our communities will be able to celebrate what we have overcome because that is what we do in this great Nation. We rise. We rise together. We stand together. Coloradans have stepped up in every way possible. In a uniquely Colorado way, you have hemp businesses that are now producing cotton swabs for medical needs; you have whiskey distilleries that are producing hand sanitizers for hospitals and for home healthcare; we have protective equipment that is being donated by the Denver Broncos and by the marijuana industry and by so many other businesses across the State of Colorado which are stepping up in ways that make all of us proud. They are checking on their neighbors. They are checking on their friends. They are making sure that elderly people in their church whom they have met are OK, making sure that we check in with our loved ones and those around us. We have been able to get successful tests up and running in different places across Colorado, helping different organizations and different healthcare facilities find new ways to process this overwhelming burden. As this place has passed phase 1, which gave millions of dollars to the State of Colorado and so many States around the country, and as we passed phase 2, which prepared additional testing and nutrition programs and other ways to meet this challenge, we now turn to phase 3. Phase 3 addresses all three prongs of my approach and addresses the health emergency. It addresses assistance to individuals, and it addresses the ability of our economy and businesses to snap back when we address this health emergency. It needs to pass now. It should have passed days ago. I don't think the American people give a hoot whether this idea was a Republican idea or a Democratic idea. I can tell you that on my tele- townhalls I did and in my conversations I have had with American people around the State of Colorado, they haven't once said to me ``Well, we hope the Republican-only version passes'' or ``We hope the Democratic- only version passes.'' That is not what they are saying. They are saying ``Do your doggone job because we are scared about what happens next.'' So pass the relief that we need to get them back on their feet, to make sure they know they are going to be able to have food on the table and to pay rent. I can't imagine what somebody who for 50 years built a small business must be going through every hour we delay, wondering if that 50-year dream is going to stand and survive. Shame on the people around here who said ``You know what, let's have 1 more day of delay, 1 more hour of delay'' because a Republican could get their way or a Democrat could get their way. When I was at home, not once did I hear anybody say ``Could you stall a little bit more for partisan purposes?'' The American people are rising above the fray. They are meeting this challenge in the spirit that I hear in every conversation I have. They are donating blood. They are sharing that love I talked about with their neighbors and their communities. They are figuring out new ways to be together even when we are supposed to stand apart. That is what the American people are doing. And we are bickering about phase 3. We will have phase 4 and phase 5, but do you know what we have done? Instead of patting ourselves on the back, do you know what we have done? We have managed to get back, I hope, to the starting line. We didn't run through the tape. We haven't finished the job. We have made it, I hope, to a place where we can now know we are back at the line and we can run together to fix what will be tremendous needs and to address the tremendous needs of this country and to answer the anxiety every single one of our constituents has. That is what Congress should do. That is what Congress must do. I am glad and I will be proud to vote for this bill today because we have to get this job done, and there is more work to do. We have to make sure people understand that the recovery benefits they are going to be receiving will help answer that anxiety, to hopefully give them hope, and that the new categories of unemployment insurance that have been created under this will also give them the ability to know it is going to be OK, to know that the small business loans that are being made available will help that restaurant stay in business. You know, I talked to Eve in Aurora, and she didn't know how she was going to survive because, yes, she converted her whole business to takeout, but she didn't know how successful that would be. To Roberta in Pueblo, who had the same questions about how her restaurant was going to survive, this small business loan will be able to help people pay payroll, to bring those back onto payroll whom they may have let go because they didn't know how they were going to make ends meet, to pay them, to pay their utilities, to pay their rent, to pay their mortgages, and to have that loan forgiven to keep this economy in a place where it will be vibrant again because that is what we do in this country. We don't look back; we look forward. And in Colorado, we look up at that great Rocky Mountain horizon, and we don't look down. We look up, and we see the next horizon, and we strive for that optimistic next day. That is what we do in Colorado, and I know this country does the same. You know, I talked to a 70-year-old Coloradan in Weld County, CO, who, on a tele-townhall--you could hear it in her voice. She didn't know what she was supposed to do because she was older than the experts say should be out and not following guidance, but, she said: I can't find the disinfectants and the cleaners that I need. How do I find that? So we were able to find her relief. The grocery stores have stepped up, and they have provided special hours for people. They are delivering to people like the woman I spoke to. They are providing information to their communities. They have clerks, they have cashiers, and they have people stocking the shelves who are on the frontlines of this fight as well, keeping our communities safe. So to all of them, I say thank you for the work you are doing each and every day. It is important to recognize in this country that we have seen great challenges. I remember my grandmother, who passed away this past year, talking about her experiences in the Great Depression. This country has been through the Great Depression. We have been through the great recession. We will make it through the great infection. That is what we do as a country. That is who we are as a people. The Senate will approve this bill today, and the House must approve it without delay--no excuses; no delay; pass the doggone bill now. The American people have expected this for a long time. It shouldn't have taken this long. Do your job. Do our job. Get this done. We will act out of love for our communities. We will act out of compassion, and we will rise to the spirit that has made this country great. I have heard so many of my colleagues come together and talk about wartime footing, or they have talked about how we have mobilized in a way that maybe the people have never seen in their lifetimes. It has reminded me, though, of what Thomas Paine wrote in ``The Crisis'' during our Revolution, which, actually, George Washington read to his troops. Here is what Thomas Paine said: I call not upon a few but upon all; not on this state or that state, but on every state; up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and repulse it. We were taught in Sunday school that our struggles lead to perseverance, that perseverance leads to character, and that character gives us hope. We will get through this, America. We will start with this bill. We have a lot more work to do, but to my colleagues: Do our jobs. Get it done. No excuses. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I come to the floor to remember the life and service of a Colorado hero and to reflect on an upcoming anniversary of an event during World War II. The hero's name is Felix Sparks--a name that may very well be familiar to the people of Colorado. Felix Sparks was born in Texas, though. We have a lot of Texans in Colorado, but this one made the right choice and stayed in Colorado. He was born in San Antonio, TX, in 1917, and he spent his childhood around Miami, AZ, where his family and father worked in a mining company. He was in high school during the Great Depression and was the eldest of five siblings. Soon after graduating from high school, Felix decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. Upon completing his enlistment, Felix enrolled at the University of Arizona and completed the Citizens' Military Training program, which earned him a commission as a second lieutenant. Mr. Sparks then went on to pursue a pre-law degree. He had just finished his first semester of that effort when he was ordered to report for duty to the 157th Infantry Regiment in Colorado. He was ordered to report at the very beginning of World War II. That year was 1940--right before the United States officially entered World War II. Neither Felix Sparks nor the American people knew it at the time, but World War II was about to change the history of the United States and the world forever. Felix would be on the frontlines of one of the most pivotal moments of World War II. As a little bit of background on his work, along with the National Guard units from Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico, Colorado's 157th Infantry Regiment mobilized in support of the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division in Oklahoma, also known as the Thunderbird Division. The division set sail for North Africa in June 1943 for its first mission--the invasion of Sicily. Over the next 511 days, Felix Sparks and his fellow soldiers in the Thunderbird Division would participate in so many well-known combat operations in Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome- Arno, Southern France, the Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, and Central Europe. It was an incredibly well-documented, decorated campaign. Yet, of these 511 days, Felix Sparks most often recounted one day in particular more than any other. That day was April 29, 1945. On April 29, 1945, LTC Felix Sparks was the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, and on that day, that April day, after so many days of fighting and after what they had already seen, the 157th Infantry Regiment, along with units of the 42nd Infantry Division and the 20th Armored Infantry Division, led the liberation of approximately 32,000 prisoners at the Dachau concentration camp. Although his unit had suffered thousands of casualties over the course of the war, what Lieutenant Colonel Sparks and his soldiers discovered at Dachau was beyond compare. Felix Sparks described that day as one of the darkest days of his lifetime and, I can only imagine, one of the darkest days of lifetimes put together. Along with many of his fellow soldiers, he would spend the rest of his life reliving the horrors of what he witnessed at Dachau. As they neared the camp, the American forces discovered nearly 40 railroad cars that were filled with decomposing bodies. Felix Sparks said the ``stench of death was overpowering'' and that what he saw at the camp made Dante's Inferno seem ``pale compared to the real hell of Dachau.'' Inside the camp were even more bodies and more than 30,000 survivors--survivors of one of the darkest places in one of the darkest moments in world history. We say we must never forget the horrors of the Holocaust, but Felix Sparks and the Americans who liberated Dachau didn't have a choice. They could never forget and will never forget. Felix Sparks said: The men of the 45th Infantry Division were hardened combat veterans. [We had seen so many fights.] We had been in combat almost two years at that point. While we were accustomed to death, we were not able to comprehend the type of death that we encountered at Dachau. There is no going back. There is no forgetting. There is no trying to erase from memory the horrors of Nazism and seeing it up close. The liberation of Dachau would be one of the Thunderbird Division's final missions during World War II. The division was officially deactivated on December 7, 1945--4 years after Pearl Harbor. Following the end of the war, Felix Sparks attended the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder, CO--my alma mater. He graduated in 1947 and started a law practice in Delta, CO, while he also served as a district attorney. In 1956, Felix Sparks was appointed as the youngest ever--in Colorado's history--associate justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. Then, in 1958, Felix accepted the role of director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, where he was instrumental in the development of sustainable water policies for the State. For those not familiar with Colorado, this is an incredibly important position. We are a State whose history is written in water. Yet that wasn't enough for Felix Sparks. It was not all. Felix Sparks wasn't just serving in his civilian life; he continued his military service as well. After returning home from World War II, Felix had joined the Colorado Army National Guard. He would go on to serve in and take command of the Colorado National Guard for nearly 30 years between the two--both service and commanding. He retired at the rank of brigadier general. As both a civilian and a soldier, Felix Sparks truly exemplified servant leadership. His sense of duty to our Nation and to my home State lives on today, and I am proud to honor his legacy and life of service. Felix Sparks died on September 24, 2007, at the age of 90. He is buried in Wheat Ridge, CO. Along with a number of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, I will soon be introducing a resolution to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp during World War II and to honor the service of Felix Sparks, as well as of the courageous personnel he fought alongside and of the brave men and women they saved along the way, and in memory of the tens of thousands who were brutally and savagely murdered by the Nazi regime. We must never forget what happened. Unfortunately, far too many Americans and far too many people around the world may put aside these moments of our darkest time in history and forget or can't name a ghetto or a concentration camp today. That is something that we have to fix, that we have to correct, that we have to continue to speak of--the horrors that can never be repeated in the darkest times of our history. I invite all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. We already have the Senators from the States that participated in the Thunderbird Division so that we may remember the lives lost to the atrocities of the Holocaust and to World War II and remember the tens of thousands who were spared by the brave acts of our Nation's military. We must never forget. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution in one more showing to never forget. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. GARDNER

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

Mr. GARDNER. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I come to the floor with somber news for Colorado and our country. It is about a gentleman I have talked about many times on this floor and across Colorado--Donald Stratton, a veteran of World War II, who was on the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. Our country has suffered a great loss this past week with Mr. Stratton's passing. A gallant man, Donald Stratton served his country, his family, and our great State with honor, pride, and courage. He was the type of person who only comes around once in a generation and was someone whom I was lucky to have gotten to know and certainly proud to have worked with. It is with great emotion that I come to the floor to share his story once again. I am sure it will not be the last time, but it is certainly the most personal time that I have ever shared this story. Donald Stratton was born in a tiny town in Nebraska--Red Cloud--in 1922. Its population today is of 900 or so people. I didn't have a chance to look up how big it was when he was born in 1922. I imagine it may have been a little bit bigger. It has certainly faced the fate that many rural communities in America have. It has seen times of growth and times of loss. Certainly, the people of Red Cloud know they have lost a great hero as well. Donald Stratton wrote in his memoirs on December 6, 1941, as a young Nebraskan sailor, that he felt like the luckiest boy from Red Cloud because he was in an incredibly beautiful part of the world. In fact, he wrote in his memoir that he was in the Navy, seeing the world, and was stationed in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. He was 19, and his entire life stretched before him. That next morning, December 7, 1941, would change forever Donald Stratton and his country. In his book, he talked about that day, December 7, 1941. A little after 5 a.m., he had awoken, on his cot, about an hour and a half before sunrise. He writes: I stretched, rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and folded up my cot. I stored it in the incinerator room, then went below to shower. After, I dressed for the day in the typical casual clothes that sailors wore on Sundays--a clean pair of pressed, white shorts and a white T-shirt, along with my sailor's hat. A few minutes later, a 5:30 reveille sounded over the intercom, and the ship stirred to life, he talked about. Below decks, men tumbled out of their hammocks and headed to the showers. A few hours later, at 7:55 that morning, after a Sunday morning breakfast, he heard airplanes and bombs in the distance as the attacks on Pearl Harbor began. By 8:06--11 minutes later--two-thirds of his body would be engulfed in flames. He was at his station, directing anti-aircraft guns, and trying his best to fight off the surprise attack by the Japanese. At that moment, a 1,700-pound armor-piercing bomb was dropped from 10,000 feet above the USS Arizona. That bomb came crashing down through four steel decks, where it reached the ammunition magazine, causing a series of explosions and shooting a fireball 500 to 600 feet in the air, engulfing Donald Stratton and his shipmates in even more flames. That Sunday morning of December 7, aboard the USS Arizona, were 1,512 officers, sailors, and marines. The attack that day--that 1,700-pound bomb and so many others--killed 1,177. Only 335 brave people survived that morning. Donald Stratton was one of those 335 sailors. His story of survival happened because of a sailor who was stationed next to the USS Arizona on a ship called the Vestal. He was a sailor by the name of Joe George. On that morning, as they were trying to fight back, they had been trapped in their tower. Donald Stratton and five of his other shipmates were burning--trapped on that tower--as the ship was going down. Joe George, a sailor aboard the Vestal, saw them and saw what was happening. He tried many times to throw a rope over to the USS Arizona to provide help. Finally, he succeeded. Out of the smoke and out of the flames, a lifeline from Joe George to that tower was seen, and they were able to affix it to the tower. Miraculously, Donald Stratton and these other sailors were able to shimmy across the rope, over the burning water, to safety on the Vestal. Despite their terrible wounds, they made it to the Vestal. This story led to an incredible fight again by Donald Stratton. After he spent a year recovering from the burns that were over almost all of his body, he told his parents that he couldn't just abandon the fight, that he couldn't abandon his country, that he had to go back to duty. With that, he went back into service for his country. But the fight Donald Stratton gave for this country and for his fellow sailors didn't stop there. After he served in the Navy, after he left it, he knew he had to spend the rest of his life fighting for the man who saved his life and his fellow shipmates. It wasn't like people left the ship at the end of the day on December 7 to go back to the office and fill out reports and say: Well, it was a busy day at the office. These things happen. America was at war. Thousands of lives had been lost. In the fire, in the smoke, and in the fight, what Joe George had done for Donald Stratton and those other brave sailors was lost for that time. Donald Stratton went back into service. He went back into the fight. He spent the rest of his life trying to find the man who saved his life. He spent a decade-plus looking for Joe George, finding out who he was. After he found out who he was, he spent 16 years fighting the Navy so that Joe George would be recognized for his heroic actions. Donald Stratton went to the Arizona Legislature, and he went to the Colorado Legislature. They passed resolutions asking that Joe George be recognized for his acts of bravery and his courage. He then came to this Congress. Lauren Bruner, Donald Stratton, and the other members who survived the USS Arizona--the remaining few of the USS Arizona--came to the Senate and said: As fewer and fewer of us are able to celebrate and to commemorate December 7 each and every year, would you please celebrate one more life--Joe George's? On December 7, 2017, the Navy recognized Joe George with the Bronze Star and the ``V'' for valor device. I have a picture of Donald Stratton as he said goodbye one more time to his fellow shipmates on December 7, 2017. He thanked Joe George for saving his life and probably never fully understood why his mission didn't end that day while so many others' missions did, but thank God he was able to continue the fight for this country. While Donald Stratton was on the brink of death, he knew he had to get back into the fight, and he did. He went back into the Pacific theater. He wrote in his book: Though I may have left Pearl Harbor on a stretcher, I had returned on a destroyer. I had recovered my strength, as had my country. I was ready to meet what was coming, and I had a boatload of reinforcements with me. Donald Stratton came back, fighting for our country and fighting for the man who saved his life. He wrote in his memoir that, in life, the only question that matters is ``Have I lived a good life?'' He wrote that he wonders if he will be remembered when he is gone. He wonders who will remember him and why. Please know that we will remember you eternally and your family for what you have done for this country. I introduce a resolution to recognize and remember Donald Stratton's life because there are only a few remaining brave men and women who survived that day, who survived that war, who fought for us so many years ago. I hope all of my colleagues will support it so that this American hero and his incredible life can be remembered by our Nation forever. The first time I met Donald Stratton, he told me his story. He told me what he had done. He told me how he and his wife had met and how he had gone back into the fight after receiving such severe burns that his wife used to take a bristle brush to them to help his skin feel better. I asked how he did it and said: Mr. Stratton, I am pretty sure I never could have done what you did. In his kind of ``ah, shucks'' demeanor from Red Cloud, NE, he said: ``Well, Cory, everyone has to be somewhere.'' It was not the response I thought I was going to get, but everybody does have to be somewhere. Thank God Donald Stratton was on that boat on December 7, 1941. Thank God Joe George was on that boat on December 7, 1941. Thank God that rope was thrown over to the tower to save his life. Thank God Donald Stratton returned to the fight to stand up for this country, to continue his fight for Joe George, and to have an incredible family who continues to share in his legacy today. Thank God for all of them. Thank God for all of the men and women who were there that day and what they have been able to do to fight for this country, to stand for this country, to pay back the blessings of this country as we must fight each and every day to pay back the blessings they so generously bestowed upon this Nation when they stood up, because they were there. We know that Donald Stratton has joined his fellow shipmates. That reveille at the Pearly Gates must be quite spectacular. He passed away at his home in Colorado Springs on February 15, at the age of 97, next to his beloved wife. He joins Lauren Bruner, another survivor of that morning on the USS Arizona, who came to my office to fight with him for Joe George--Bruner, a shipmate who passed away on September 10 of last year and who was interred in the USS Arizona this past December 7 on the 78th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. I pray that they all rest in peace as they join their family in arms. This Saturday, the community of Colorado Springs and our State will hold a memorial service for Donald Stratton when he will be lain in his final resting place next to his daughters in Nebraska. As we say goodbye to this hero, let us all do it with thanks to Donald Stratton and to the two remaining survivors of the USS Arizona today, Lou Conter and Ken Potts. To every brave man and woman who serves our country, we are eternally grateful. I am going to miss him.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, over the last several months and last several weeks, the American people have watched Washington convulse in partisan accusations, investigations, and endless acrimony. That division reached its high watermark as the U.S. Senate carried out the third Presidential impeachment trial in our Nation's history. We saw, over the last 2 weeks, an impeachment process that included the testimony of 17 witnesses, more than 100 hours of testimony, and tens of thousands of pages of evidence, records, and documents, which I successfully fought to make part of the record. I fought hard to extend the duration of testimony to ensure that each side could be heard over 6 days instead of just 4. But what we did not see over the last 2 weeks was a conclusive reason to remove the President of the United States-- an act which would nullify the 2016 election and rob roughly half the country of their preferred candidate for the 2020 elections. House managers repeatedly stated that they had established ``overwhelming evidence'' and an ``airtight'' case to remove the President. Yet they also repeatedly claimed they needed additional investigation and testimony. A case cannot be both ``overwhelming'' and ``airtight'' and yet incomplete at the same time. That contradiction is not mere semantics. In their partisan--their partisan--race to impeach, the House failed to do the fundamental work required to prove its case, to meet the heavy burden. For the Senate to ignore this deficiency and conduct its own investigation would weaponize the impeachment power. A House majority could simply short-circuit an investigation, impeach, and demand the Senate complete the House's work--what they were asking us to do. The Founders were concerned about this very point. Alexander Hamilton wrote, regarding impeachments: ``[T]here will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties, than by real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.'' More recently, Congressman Jerry Nadler, one of the House managers in the trial, said: There must never be a narrowly voted impeachment or an impeachment substantially supported by one of our major political parties and largely opposed by the other. Such an impeachment will lack legitimacy. Last March, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: ``Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there's something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don't think we should go down that path, because it divides the country.'' The Framers knew that partisan impeachments could lead to impeachments over policy disagreements. Legal scholars like Charles Black have written that policy differences are not grounds for impeachment. But policy differences about corruption and the proper use of tax dollars are at the very heart of this impeachment. Nevertheless, that disagreement led the House to deploy this most serious of constitutional remedies. The reason the Framers were concerned about partisan or policy impeachments was their concern for the American people. Removing a President disenfranchises the American people. For a Senate of only 100 people, to do that requires a genuine, bipartisan, national consensus. Here, especially only 9 months before an election, I cannot pretend the people will accept this body removing a President who received nearly 63 million votes without meeting that high burden. The House managers' other argument to remove the President-- obstruction of Congress--is an affront to the Constitution. The Framers created a system of government in which the legislative, executive, and the judiciary are evenly balanced. The Framers consciously diluted each branch's power, making all three separate but equal and empowered to check each other. The obstruction charge assumes the House is superior to the executive branch. In their zeal, the House managers would disempower the judiciary and demand that the House's interpretation of the sole power of impeachment be accepted by the Senate and the other branches without question. They claim no constitutional privilege exists to protect the executive branch against the legislature seeking impeachment. They go further and claim that a single Justice--a single Justice--exercising the Senate's sole power to try impeachments, can actually strip the executive of its constitutional protections with a simple decree. In Federalist 78, Hamilton wrote: ``[L]iberty can have nothing to fear from the judiciary alone, but would have everything to fear from its union with either of the other departments.'' If the House managers prevail, the House would have destroyed our constitutional balance, declaring itself the arbiter of constitutional rights and conscripting the Chief Justice to do it. To be clear, the executive branch is not immune from legislative oversight or impeachment and trial, but that cannot come at the expense of constitutional rights--certainly not without input from the judiciary. After all, since Marbury v. Madison, ``[i]t is emphatically the duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is.'' Without this separation, nothing stops the House from seeking privileged information under the guise of an impeachment inquiry. But the House managers say that no matter how flimsy the House's case, if the Executive tries to protect that information constitutionally, that itself is an impeachable offense. That dangerous precedent would weaken the stability of government--constantly threatening the President with removal and setting the stage for a constitutional crisis without recourse to the courts. With that precedent set, the separation of powers would simply cease to exist. Over the 244-year history of our country, no President has been removed from office. The first Presidential impeachment occurred in 1868. The next was more than 100 years later. Now, 50 percent of Presidents have been impeached in the last 25 years alone. A tool so rarely used in the past is now being used more frequently. It is a dangerous development, and the Senate stands as the safeguard as passions grow even more heated. These defective articles and the defective process leading to them allow the House to muddy things and claim we are setting a destructive precedent for the future. Of course, bad cases make bad law. The House's decision to short- circuit the investigation--moving faster than any Presidential impeachment ever, and a wholly partisan one at that--certainly makes for a bad case. So, again, let me be clear about what this precedent does not do. At the outset, this case does not set the precedent that a President can do anything as long as he believes it to be in his electoral interest. I also reject the claim that impeachment requires criminal conduct. Rather, this shows, first, that House committees cannot simply assume the impeachment power to compel evidence without express authority from the full body and corresponding political accountability. Second, the House should work in good faith with the Executive through the accommodation process. If that process reaches an impasse, the House should seek the assistance of the judicial branch before turning to impeachment. Finally, when Articles of Impeachment come to the Senate along partisan lines, when nearly half of the people appear unmoved and maintain adamant support for the President and when the country is just months away from an election, in these circumstances, the American people would likely not accept removing the President, and the Senate can wisely decline to usurp the people's power to elect their own President. It has been said in this trial that the American people cannot make that decision for themselves. I couldn't disagree more. I believe in the American people. I believe in the power of our people to evaluate the President, to make their decision in November, and to move forward in our enduring effort to form a more perfect union. I do not believe a Senate nullification of two elections over defective Impeachment Articles is in the Nation's best interest. So let's move forward with the people's business and bring this Nation back together. Let's rise up together, not fight each other. Not all of us voted for President Trump. Not all of us voted for the last President or the one before him. Yet we should work to make our Nation successful regardless of partisan passions. Passion, positively placed, will provide our Nation with the prosperity it has always been blessed with. Partisan poison will prove devastating to our Nation's long-term prosperity. We must not allow our fractures to destroy our national fabric or partisanship to destroy our friendships. If we come together, we will succeed together, for surely we are bound together in this, the great United States of America. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Chief Justice, I send a question to the desk.

Mr. GARDNER

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

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, over the last several years, Congress has had significant debates on trade--the importance of trade, what it means to our markets, what it means to exports, and what it means to States like mine, that being Colorado. The USMCA is incredibly important as we turn to that debate this week. NAFTA and what it meant to Colorado was incredibly significant and the number of jobs that it created as was the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the number of jobs that its agreement created. We have seen the benefits of trade in a State like Colorado for a number of years, and we see the opportunity for additional trade agreements in the future. This past year and this past Congress, we adopted the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, which created U.S.-Asia trade partnership opportunities in energy--renewable energy and traditional energy. This week, Congress turns its entire focus to the USMCA and its modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement. We have to continue looking for new trade opportunities--ways to open up trade around the globe. It is vitally important to agriculture, to our electronic sector, and to our service sector. People of all walks of life and business in Colorado understand the importance of trade and what it means to our industry. If we don't seek out new trade opportunities--it is not like we operate just by ourselves--we know what will happen. We will see China, India, and other countries displace us. We will see them build new supply chains and go around the United States, and we will end up losing those market opportunities, those investment opportunities, and the jobs that go along with them. If we don't open up new trade opportunities, farmers and ranchers in my home State will suffer. We have already seen incredibly low commodity prices hurt our agricultural communities. One way to overcome that is to open up new markets and create value-added opportunities in those new markets. That is how we can add one more potential tool to our ag economy to help make it survive and thrive. We have new product flows all the time out of our State, and this USMCA agreement is one more way we can create that new flow of opportunity. The North American Free Trade Agreement supports, really, 14 million jobs around the United States. Those are thousands of jobs in all 50 States. Despite its benefits, however, we can always do a better job of making sure it meets the needs of our modern-day economy by modernizing NAFTA. Modernizing NAFTA to increase market access, to expand energy exports, to maximize domestic energy production, including having provisions on intellectual property and e-commerce, will make this agreement even more beneficial to the United States. If you think back to 1994 and the timeframe of pre-iPhones and pre-iPads and of so much of the technology that we have today, this agreement was in place before that. That is why modernizing this agreement makes sense. As I mentioned, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is incredibly important to the State of Colorado. Out of 750,000 trade- related jobs, there are nearly 220,000 jobs in Colorado--a great pro- trade State--that are directly related to the USMCA. Canada and Mexico are our State's largest trading partners. Obviously, that makes sense, for right in the middle is our State. Amongst Colorado, Canada, and Mexico, we trade more than $2.7 billion worth of goods and support the 220,000 jobs that I just talked about. Colorado's farmers produce nearly half of all of the potatoes that Mexico imports from the United States. We also supply about 97 percent of all U.S. beverages to Mexico. Mexico has certainly been able to tap the Rockies when it comes to our beverage production in Colorado. Our biggest export--beef--accounts for more than $880 million worth of goods that are shipped to Mexico and Canada. In 2018, Colorado exported to Mexico more than $45 million worth of milk, cream, cheese, and related dairy products. Meanwhile, we have exported about $2.2 million worth of those products to Canada. The USMCA will reform Canada's protectionist dairy policies and help American dairy farmers access the dairy markets in Canada so that we can increase our exports to Canada in cream, milk, cheese, and other dairy areas. We sent more than $31 million worth of cereals, like wheat, to Mexico in 2018 and more than $2 million worth to Canada. Even our sugar and candy manufacturers benefit from trade with Mexico and Canada. I just had a meeting with the Western Sugar Cooperative of Colorado. We talked about the importance of trade and about getting this trade agreement right. Both countries have received more than $14 million a piece worth of Colorado's sugar and confectionery exports. Increased trade with these countries will also benefit the beverage industry in Colorado. As I mentioned, 97 percent of the beverages that Mexico imports are from Colorado, and we shipped more than $63 million worth of beverages to Canada in 2018. Beyond commodities like wheat, dairy, and sugar, Colorado's electronic manufacturers shipped to Canada more than $105 million worth of its goods in 2018, and Mexico received about $60 million worth of our electronic goods. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement includes new digital provisions to account for our changing landscape of new technologies, advanced manufacturing products, and it tackles the issue of cross- border dataflow, which is something that was just, basically, in its very infancy when NAFTA was enacted. We know that the USMCA is a better opportunity for us to gain even more jobs, more income, and more opportunity for the State of Colorado. We know that these trade agreements add to the household incomes across our State and that it benefits our economy. This agreement brings opportunity to all four corners of our State. New customs and trade rules will cut redtape and make it easier for Colorado's startups and entrepreneurs to sell their products into Canada and Mexico. U.S. agricultural and food exports are expected to rise more than $2 billion every year if the USMCA is adopted. So many goods in Colorado that are in our top 10 exported items are ag related. This $2 billion-a-year increase will mean there will be significant opportunities for Colorado's agriculture. Obviously, I am very encouraged by the Senate Committee on Finance in its reporting the agreement out favorably last week. I was honored to support the USMCA this morning by voting for the agreement--voting it out of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and out of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which are two of the committees on which I serve. I look forward to its expeditious passage here in the U.S. Senate. I live in rural Colorado. I am surrounded by wheat farms, corn farms, hog producers, feed lots, and I know how important trade is to our State. This agreement to modernize and continue our agreement with Canada and Mexico is critical to the survival of agriculture in Colorado and this country. I know, with new markets opening around the world, this agreement will continue to be the keystone of Colorado's trade. We stand to benefit tremendously, enormously from this update. Our farmers and ranchers are counting on us to get this done, and our manufacturers are counting on us to get this done. Our economy depends on our getting this done. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I come to the floor to speak about the policy of the United States toward the Islamic Republic of Iran. I commend the administration for taking decisive action last week in Baghdad against Tehran-backed terrorists planning an imminent attack on American targets. The administration's action with Qasem Soleimani was not only decisive but necessary and legal under longstanding Presidential authority to protect American lives from imminent attack. It is our obligation, it is our duty to protect American lives, especially when our national security agencies and personnel know the imminent danger of attack. The President made the right call at the right time to neutralize the threat and to save American lives. Imagine having done nothing--having done nothing--and allowing the attacks to proceed. That is exactly what happened. At yesterday's classified briefing, General Milley and our national security personnel made it clear: The death of General Soleimani saved lives. Our duty in Congress is to protect the United States, its people and interests, diplomats, and our men and women in uniform around the globe. The actions taken by our military in Iraq undoubtedly saved American lives and addressed a clear, compelling, and unambiguous threat. The world should not mourn Qasem Soleimani--a man whose name is synonymous with murder in the Middle East as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, which is designated as a terrorist organization under U.S. law; a man who was personally designated as a terrorist battlefield commander by President Obama. The Quds Force was the tip of the spear for the regime in its terrorist activities abroad and is responsible for thousands of deaths across the region. Most importantly, according to the Pentagon, Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of over 600 American servicemembers in Iraq. GEN David Petraeus, who commanded our forces in Iraq, stated last week that in his opinion, taking out Soleimani was bigger than bin Laden, bigger than Baghdadi. In other words, President Trump rid the world of an extreme and lethal enemy of the American people--someone who was actively pursuing and had killed and taken American lives. I fail to understand how anyone can question this decision or its rationale. I know they certainly did not--and rightfully so--when President Obama took out bin Laden. We expected an Iranian response, and on Tuesday, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against bases in Iraq hosting U.S. troops. I condemn these attacks in the strongest terms, and we are fortunate that they did not result in any casualties. I do not want war with Iran, but the President did not take this action in a vacuum. Contrary to claims by some of my colleagues in this very Chamber, it is Iran that has escalated tensions, not the United States. Over the last several months and years, Iran has sharply escalated its malign behavior against the United States and our allies. On June 13, the IRGC attacked two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane. On June 20, the IRGC shot down a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle in international space. September 14, Iran sponsored an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities, temporarily cutting off half of the oil supply of the world's largest producer. December 27, Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah carried out a deadly attack against a base in northern Iraq, killing an American civilian-- killing an American. The administration appropriately retaliated against this group on December 29. Then, on New Year's Eve, Iran-backed militias besieged and damaged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for 2 days, forcing the administration to take prudent measures to prevent further violence. When Soleimani was caught plotting additional attacks against American targets, the administration took lawful and appropriate action. I now urge Tehran to take the opportunity to deescalate tensions immediately. The administration must also continue taking all necessary steps to keep our troops, diplomats, and countries safe, and to regularly consult with Congress on next steps. It is my hope that diplomacy ultimately prevails, but we must not repeat the mistakes of the past. Iran's enmity toward the United States stretches over decades, not just months or weeks. Following the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the ruling mullahs held 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days, releasing them only on January 20, 1981, the day President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. Two years later, on April 18, 1983, a truck laden with explosives rammed into the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 17 Americans. On October 23, 1983, a similar attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut killed 241 American servicemen. Overwhelmingly, the evidence led to Iran and its wholly owned subsidiary, Hezbollah, as the perpetrator of these attacks. The Iranian regime has not changed in 40 years. It targeted and killed Americans during the Iraq war, supported Shiite militias, and supplied deadly explosives used to target our troops. Iran continues to prop up the regime of the murderous Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The Iranian regime regularly refers to the United States as the Great Satan and threatens our ally, Israel, which they call Little Satan--threatens to wipe them off the face of the Earth. The mullahs continue to grossly abuse the human rights of their own people, as demonstrated by recent bloody crackdowns on protesters in Iran that have claimed hundreds and hundreds of innocent lives. Despite all of this, in 2015, the Obama administration rewarded Tehran with a sweetheart deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which paved a patient pathway to a nuclear weapon for Iran, lifted all meaningful sanctions against the regime, and did nothing to constrain Iran's malign behavior in the region. Iran used the billions of dollars that were provided in the JCPOA to dramatically increase its terror funding and its military funding. The Trump administration rightly exited the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed crippling economic sanctions against the regime. They have been clear with Iran that the door to diplomacy remains open if Iran changes its behavior and complies with international norms. On May 21, 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a speech at the Heritage Foundation, which clearly stated the administration's objectives: Iran must forgo its nuclear aspirations, cease its support for terrorism, and respect the human rights of its people. Secretary Pompeo said: Any new agreement will make sure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and will deter the regime's malign behavior in a way the JCPOA never could. We will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations, and we will not renegotiate the JCPOA itself. The Iranian wave of destruction in the region in just the last few years is proof that Iran's nuclear aspirations cannot be separated from the overall security picture. Secretary Pompeo was clear that once Iran changes its behavior, it will reap the benefits, stating: [The United States is] prepared to end the principal components of every one of our sanctions against the regime. We're happy at that point to re-establish full diplomatic and commercial relationships with Iran. And we're prepared to admit Iran to have advanced technology. If Iran makes this fundamental strategic shift, we, too, are prepared to support the modernization and reintegration of the Iranian economy into the international economic system. I hope the latest events have made it clear to Tehran that the United States will never back down from protecting our people, our interests, and our allies. Now the ball is in Tehran's court to choose the path of peace or the path of confrontation. It is my sincere hope that they choose the path of peace. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the commendable actions of the group known as All American Beef Battalion, which provided an immeasurable service to our veterans, active servicemembers, and their families at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO, on Veterans Day. Bill Broadie, a veteran who was injured during the Vietnam war, was dismayed to find on his return home that anti-war protesters were not just opposed to the conflict, but actively directed their ire at troops returning from the war. After the events of September 11, 2001, Broadie--now a cattleman in Kansas--wanted to provide a service that showed the troops about to deploy into war that their service would not go unappreciated. In 2008, the All American Beef Battalion was born. Broadie utilized his cowboy instincts to come up with an innovative way to show the appreciation he and so many American men and women feel toward these brave servicemembers: a ribeye steak dinner for the servicemembers and their loved ones. With that purpose, the volunteers at the All American Beef Battalion have served over 400,000 people across 26 States, including my home State of Colorado, where they have hosted these dinners at least 10 times. On November 10, 2019, they served 150 veterans and their families at the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 143 in Colorado Springs, CO. This provided a wonderful way for these men and women to celebrate our Nation's 101st Veterans Day and, as a special treat for the former U.S. Marines present there, the 244th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. Our country's military servicemembers, both veterans and Active Duty, sacrifice so much in defense of our freedoms. I am so pleased that the All American Beef Battalion has found a unique way to show these brave men and women how much we appreciate their service.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I rise to give thanks to the brave men and women of law enforcement in Colorado and across the country. Every holiday season, I am reminded of the sacrifice that these brave officers make in order to make sure that everybody's holiday season is enjoyed safely and that every day is enjoyed safely and securely. Across the United States this year, 115 law enforcement officers have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. In Colorado, we honor those who lost their lives this year. Master Trooper William Moden was killed earlier this year when he was struck by a vehicle as he was investigating a crash. He served the Colorado State Patrol for 12 years. Corporal Daniel Groves was also killed by a passing vehicle while assisting another driver during the blizzard last winter. Corporal Groves also served the Colorado State Patrol for 12 years. Unfortunately, I also come to the floor to honor three other brave men and women--you can see them here--who have given their lives just this past month. Sergeant Joshua Voth served the Colorado Department of Corrections and was stationed at the Canyon City Correction Facility. He was killed this month when an issue with the boiler caused an explosion. Sergeant Voth was 28 years old and leaves behind his wife and three children. He served at the Canyon City facility for 3 years and helped teach inmates valuable skills to help smooth the plan to rehabilitation. We also lost other beloved members of our first responder community. They need to be remembered and honored as well. Ken Jones, a member of the Summit Fire and EMS, was killed on December 7 while responding to a fire at Copper Mountain. Ken served in that department for 20 years and was known by his colleagues as ``a firefighter's firefighter.'' Travis Davis, the deputy chief of operations for Summit Fire and EMS, remembers him as an ``Oak'' and said everyone in the organization learned something in Ken's steady and calm demeanor. We thank Ken and his family for two decades of service and send our sincerest thoughts to all those who knew him. I also would like to recognize Troy Jackson, a former assistant chief of operations for the South Metro Fire Rescue, who passed away just yesterday morning after a battle of what is believed to be job-related cancer. Chief Jackson was first hired in 1990 and served nearly three decades before stepping away in 2016 due to his health. He was open about his battle with cancer, in hopes that he could teach other firefighters how to avoid these risks. We thank Chief Jackson for his service and send our thoughts and prayers along to his wife and two children. Each one of these officers and firefighters we lost this year was a neighbor or loved one, a member of the community, and an extraordinary Coloradan who gave their life to protect their communities. While we remember those whom we lost this year, we must also continue to celebrate those who continue to serve today.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, in August, I was fortunate to award Officer Michael Lohman of the Greeley Police Department with the Congressional Badge of Bravery for his heroic actions apprehending the driver of a stolen vehicle in 2017. While at the driver-side window of the vehicle, the driver pulled a gun on Officer Lohman, who immediately engaged with the driver to take the weapon. The driver pulled Officer Lohman into the vehicle and began accelerating, dragging him along the street. Officer Lohman kept his cool and was able to pull the suspect from the vehicle while it was still moving and apprehended him with the help of other officers. These actions saved the lives of anyone in the path of that vehicle, as well as the life of his partner who was at the passenger side of the vehicle when the gun was pulled. These actions give our communities peace of mind, knowing that heroes like Officer Lohman continue to keep all of us safe. But we know every brave action doesn't get the recognition that it deserves. Every day, there are law enforcement and first responders who act with complete selflessness. They do this not to seek recognition or praise, but simply because it is what they were called to do. Jamie and I would like to send our thanks to the families of our law enforcement and first responders. Every day these men and women say goodbye to their loved ones, unsure of what that day will hold for them. I am sure these goodbyes are much more difficult during the holiday season, but without the love and support of those at home, the jobs of law enforcement and our first responders would be that much more difficult. We thank them for their continued sacrifice.

Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I would also like to take a moment to say thanks to the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police. They work long hours to ensure that Members of the staff and Members themselves are able to carry out their duties safely. On top of that important duty, they also protect the public who comes to visit to express their opinion, to express their right to assemble and free speech in the Capitol and beyond, not only to tour this beautiful Capitol Building, but to make sure their thoughts are heard on our Nation's policy issues. I know every one of my colleagues will join us in expressing our gratitude to law enforcement and first responders not only in Colorado, but across this Nation this holiday season. They will give up time with their own families to make sure that others are safe. To all those who defend that thin blue line, thank you, and God bless. You have my enduring support. May you all have a happy and blessed holiday season. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I agree with my colleague from Alabama, Senator Jones. Senator Jones and I haven't been here as long as some of our other colleagues have been, but I think it is probably fair to say that when Senator Jones and I have a colleague who is departing or if the Presiding Officer has a colleague who is departing, there will be one day of farewell. Maybe there will be an hour's window in which we can come to the floor to say thank you or there will be a reception in the Mansfield Room. I think it is fair to say, as has my colleague Senator Jones, that I have been in line for a long time to get to this day to say thank you to Johnny Isakson. These tributes started when Senator Isakson first announced he would be retiring from the Senate. It is very fitting that they continue through this day because of the work he has pursued and because of his accomplishments but also because of the humanity that rests in his heart. All of us are better off because of his work. In my knowing him, I hope that a little bit of Johnny Isakson rubs off on all of us and that we can be here today, knowing that we are a better institution, better leaders, and better public servants because of his model. Senator Isakson has done a lot of things that have been discussed on the Senate floor. I don't know how much I can add, but I am going to add a few things to the kind words that have been said. So many people have said such great things. The first time Senator Isakson and I had an opportunity to really work together was on something that will benefit generations of Coloradans. It was the VA hospital in Colorado--something that may have shaved off some of the patience Senator Isakson has, which seems to be unending at times. This one, though, I am sure, took a little bit of a toll--the frustration with a very crazy collapse of a VA facility that had taken over a decade and--gosh--hundreds of millions of dollars to complete. It was a project that started out in the nineties but that didn't get done until about a year ago or so. It was a project that had started out at $300 million but that had ended up being over $2 billion. Through it all, Senator Isakson was mindful of a very simple purpose, which was that this facility was to benefit the veterans who had given so much to this country. The first thing Senator Isakson said to me was: Don't worry. We are going to get this done, and we are going to make reforms so that this never happens again. Under Senator Isakson's leadership, we have seen changes at the VA, and we have also seen changes about how new facilities are going to be completed and built so that we can avoid the kinds of mistakes that led to the delays in Colorado. Ultimately, Senator Isakson knew that this would be the crown jewel in the Rocky Mountain region for veterans' service and veterans' care, and that is exactly what it continues to be. We have Senator Isakson to thank for the completion of that and the time on task it took to get the job done. Senator Isakson held a field hearing in Aurora, CO, with, I think at the time, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson to find out what had happened, why the delays occurred, and then to fix it and to hold the people accountable who were responsible for the delays. That is the kind of leadership Senator Isakson provided. Throughout that process, I think I threatened to rename the colonoscopy unit after a couple of people, but for Senator Isakson, we should name the town after him for the work he did to complete that facility. I remember the first time I gave him a little bit of a treat from Colorado in order to thank him for his work. It was a box of Enstrom Toffee from a family company in western Colorado. It was a pretty incredible treat. I gave it to him and thought he had never had this before. He looked at it, and he said: Oh, Enstrom Toffee. I love this stuff. I used to give this out to my clients when I was in real estate. So I couldn't even surprise him with what I thought was a very special Colorado treat. Johnny is the kind of person who has the ability to cut through problems, to cut through the smoke, to cut through the haze and the fog of a challenge and go right to the merits of it, to very concisely riff on any issue at a moment's notice, cut to the heart of a problem, and provide a solution to that problem and to that challenge. As the old saying goes, you are known by the company you keep. When one looks around this Chamber, one sees the people who came to pay their thanks to Senator Isakson. It is pretty good company. He has done such great things for Georgia and for this country. I can't thank Senator Isakson enough for his leadership, for helping us all out in Colorado, and for making this country a better place. Senator Isakson, thank you for all that you have done. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize a great Coloradan, Bobi Garrett who, after 21 years, is retiring from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory--NREL--in Golden, Colorado. NREL is a crown jewel of research and development in the energy field, where its employees show up to work each day dedicated to finding solutions to the problems that we currently face not just in Colorado, but the United States and the world as well. Bobi has been with NREL since 1998, starting as the associate director for strategic development and analysis and is currently the deputy laboratory director of strategic programs and partnership, as well as chief operations officer--COO--of the facility. Bobi's work is vital to the performance and effectiveness of NREL, and her extensive expertise in the energy field has been instrumental in the laboratory's success. Bobi started her career in energy and engineering when she graduated from Montana State University in 1976 with a degree in chemical engineering. She was just one of seven women in her engineering class. In addition to her NREL service, Bobi serves as an ambassador for Clean Energy Education and Empowerment, a program that helps women with careers in energy, and currently as a board member of CO-LABS, an organization dedicated to increasing Colorado's global standing in research and technology. Bobi has worked tirelessly in her career to ensure that the future is brighter for generations to come. Her dedication to this effort earned her a spot in Denver Business Journal's ``Top Women in Energy'' in 2015, a well-deserved honor. We are proud to have Bobi in the great State of Colorado, and we look forward to her future efforts to make the world a better place.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I come before the Senate today to recognize a historic milestone in the Colorado agricultural community. The Colorado farm bureau is celebrating 100 years of representing farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and every aspect of agriculture in Colorado. I grew up in the Eastern Plains, the very heart of agriculture. In fact, the county I grew up in is one of the largest corn-producing counties in the country and, certainly, economically speaking, one of the top agricultural communities in the State. Our livelihood, our neighbors--everything--depend on agriculture. In fact, when there is a downturn in agriculture, it is not just the next day that our community feels that. It is that next hour that the community feels the impact. It is the same with a good agriculture economy. It is not just tomorrow that we will feel the impact, but immediately we will feel the impact. I grew up working in a family farm equipment dealership where you got to know everybody in the community, not because of the kind of operation they had but because of the kind of person they were, the kind of relationships you built, and then, of course, the opportunities to do business in those communities. There are ebbs and flows, good times and bad times, times of prosperity and times of difficult predicaments in rural America, in agriculture. In the 1980s, I grew up watching one of the hardest times agriculture faced--watching a number of banks face foreclosures, a number of farmers face foreclosures. I watched as people I knew my whole life sold their farms, gave up farming, and closed their businesses. It wasn't that long ago--in fact, just a few years ago--that we saw some of the highest priced commodities this country had ever seen for a very long time. The golden years of agriculture occurred just a couple of years ago because of all-time high prices. That is not the situation we are facing today. Once you have worked in the agriculture industry, I think you develop a very deep understanding and appreciation for the men and women who have our farmers' backs through the good times and the bad times, like the Colorado Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau plays a vital role in the wellbeing of all aspects of agriculture. It gives rural communities a prominent voice when the government is debating policies that impact their farms, their finances, and their families. The Colorado Farm Bureau began in 1919, when a group of farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, rural doctors, shopkeepers, and tradesmen in 10 local counties met to form what was termed a ``Farm Bureau.'' Their goal was to make the business of farming more profitable and the community a better place to live. The organization struggled through the years and almost died out in the 1930s. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, a group of people across Colorado organized to breathe new life into that Farm Bureau in Colorado. Ezra Alishouse, C.J. Phillips, Arthur Andersen, and others sold memberships to rebuild the organization. As a group of farmers naturally would, the Farm Bureau persisted and grew. They grew the Farm Bureau to become the largest farm organization in the State of Colorado and expanded the support they provided to ag communities throughout the State. In the 1940s, farmers and ranchers were having a difficult time insuring their operations. So the Colorado Farm Bureau created a farm insurance casualty company. They began offering farm insurance in 1948. Later in the 1950s, they began offering life insurance for those in the agriculture community. Today, the Colorado Farm Bureau represents 23,000 member families, 45 local county Farm Bureaus, and is one of the largest farmer-led organizations in the State of Colorado. The Colorado Farm Bureau has a simple mission: to promote and protect the future of agriculture and rural values. They show people the agriculture industry up close, why it is important to all of us, and the success of our rural communities. The Farm Bureau offers leadership training for young professionals, scholarships, college programs, health and safety trainings, helpful resources to farmers, and support when it is needed the most. Through the Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation, the Farm Bureau has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support victims of natural disasters in Colorado, whether that is a drought or whether that is severe blizzards. They represent, improve, and promote all aspects of agriculture in Colorado and have helped to develop the industry into the economic powerhouse it is and one of the strongest drivers of Colorado's economy. Every year I have been honored to join the Colorado Farm Bureau and have the Colorado Farm Bureau join me on our annual farm tour. That is a tradition I first started when I came to the House of Representatives. Every fall we would go to the Eastern Plains of Colorado and the Western Slope of Colorado and talk to everyone from peach growers in Palisade to corn growers in Kiowa and beyond, and we had opportunities to learn how we can help every nook and cranny of the State when it comes to agriculture. This year, we have traveled to 15 different counties across Colorado, visiting family farms, ranches, and agricultural businesses. We held roundtables with locally elected officials. We went to a wind farm and talked about the impact that renewable energy is having in positive aspects for our farmers and ranchers. This farm tour wouldn't be possible without the Farm Bureau and the others who helped put it together and make sure we see these important issues that we are facing. In the past, we have turned to them for their expertise in policy, their insights, experience, and their partnerships as we champion efforts that will help and benefit rural Colorado. They have been a great partner in providing agricultural producers with the resources and certainty they need to protect private property rights, to protect our waterways, to ensure that farmers are treated fairly in the Tax Code, and, recently, in helping to relocate the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management to Grand Junction. The Farm Bureau is a regular presence in Washington. I think all of us know that. Colorado Farm Bureau members have played an important role in developing policy. They are not afraid to get their hands dirty and of the hard work it takes to get good legislation passed. The Colorado Farm Bureau takes on difficult issues and has a real impact on people's lives. Their dedicated work and their willingness to take on difficult issues has also earned them national recognition. In 2005, the Colorado Farm Bureau was recognized by the Department of the Interior in Washington for their work at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources to protect the mountain plover. This created a win-win partnership that the government and the private sector could work in together to preemptively protect the species without listing it on the Endangered Species Act. The Colorado Farm Bureau was instrumental in opening up 300,000 acres of land for data collection and research on the mountain plover's nesting and population status. Through that effort, they were able to avoid listing, develop better management practices, and help to grow the mountain plover population. I look forward to continuing to hear from Colorado Farm Bureau members and farmers and ranchers across our State, as this Chamber-- this body--debates new trade opportunities, new agricultural policies, and anything that could impact farmers back home. Their contributions will be especially valuable as we continue to open up new markets for Colorado producers, invest in rural communities, and manage our public lands. Last month, the Senate passed a resolution I introduced with my colleague, Senator Bennet, celebrating this historic 100th anniversary, recognizing all of the Colorado Farm Bureau's past, present, and future efforts to promote and advocate farm and ranch interests. I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me today in celebrating the Colorado Farm Bureaus's rich history and contributions to the ag industry, not just in Colorado but across the United States. Congratulations to the Colorado Farm Bureau for your 100 years of being a strong voice for farmers, ranchers, and our rural communities in the ``Centennial State'' and for all your work to protect the Colorado way of life. I look forward to continuing our work together with the Farm Bureau in seeing what we can accomplish for the next 100 years of agriculture in Colorado. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

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

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, on September 10, just a few months ago, Lauren Bruner, a veteran of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, passed away. Mr. Bruner wasn't just any veteran. He was a veteran who served on the USS Arizona during the attack that morning. On Saturday, December 7, millions of Americans across the country will pay tribute to the attack at Pearl Harbor National Memorial to commemorate what happened that morning, which brought the United States fully into the Second World War. Aboard the USS Arizona were 1,512 officers, sailors, and marines. The attack that day on December 7 killed 1,177 of them, and 335 brave people survived that morning. Lauren Bruner, who passed away September 10, was one of four who were on that ship that December morning in 1941 who have survived. Lauren Bruner passed away at the age of 98, and on this Saturday, his ashes will be interred at the USS Arizona to join his shipmates--those who were lost that morning and others who have joined their fellow sailors, marines, and officers since. Three men remain that are veterans of that war from the USS Arizona: Lou Conter, 98 years old; Ken Potts, 98 years old; and Donald Stratton, 97 years old from Colorado Springs, CO. Ken Potts and Don Stratton will join together for most likely the last time this Saturday as they will watch a live video feed of the ceremony at Pearl Harbor at the USS Arizona Memorial to view the interment of their shipmate, Lauren Bruner, at the USS Arizona. The Senate was able to play a small role in recognizing what brought Don Stratton, Lauren Bruner, and the others together. You see, on that morning, when their ship was bombed, Lauren Bruner had been shot in the leg and Donald Stratton was on fire. The two of them and four of their other shipmates were on a control tower as the ship was on fire when a rope appeared. It was a line from the USS Vestal, a ship next to the USS Arizona. A line was thrown from a sailor named Joe George. They tied to the tower and were able to shimmy across 70 feet from the burning USS Arizona--while they were on fire--to the USS Vestal, to their safety. Lauren Bruner had 70 percent of his body burned and was shot in the leg. Don Stratton suffered burns and spent a year in the hospital as a result. He went back into the service to continue the rest of the war. This Chamber in Congress helped make sure that the gentleman who threw that rope, that lifeline from the USS Vestal to the USS Arizona, received final recognition for his act of heroism. Joe George went for decades without recognition for his act of bravery to save these six sailors. He was able to receive just a couple of years ago, on December 7, 2017, the Bronze Star, in recognition of his acts. December 7, 2017, also marked the last time that Donald Stratton was able to join the memorial service to commemorate December 7, Pearl Harbor. I have this picture here that I will show of Donald Stratton, who again this weekend will be joining Ken Potts as Lauren Bruner is interred to join the other men and women who lost their lives that morning. This is an opportunity for us to once again say thank you to the 2,403 people overall at Pearl Harbor who were killed, to the people who survived, who went on to fight the Second World War, and our veterans today who live and continue to live a legacy that was given to them that December 7 morning. On Saturday, as we join our families and do weekend work, I hope we will take a little bit of time to reflect once again on a dark chapter in American history that led to a great American century, to be thankful to the men and women who served our country, to the men and women who fight for our Nation each and every day, to the people like Ken Potts and Lou Conter and Donald Stratton, who continue to remind us each and every moment why this Nation is worth fighting for. I yield the floor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I have 8 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 Commerce, Science, and Transportation The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Environment and Public Works The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the nominations of Sean O'Donnell, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency. Committee on Foreign Relations The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 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 Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 10 a.m , to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Paul J. Ray, of Tennessee, to be Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Committee on the Judiciary The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 10 a.m , to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Andrew Lynn Brasher, of Alabama, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, John Charles Hinderaker, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, Joshua M. Kindred, to be United States District Judge for the District of Alaska, Scott H. Rash, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, and Matthew Thomas Schelp, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri. Subcommittee on Personnel The Subcommittee on Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 3 p.m., to conduct a hearing. Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support The Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support of the Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize a great Coloradan, Charles Hanavan, who will be inducted into the 2020 Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. Charles has been a bedrock to the Colorado farming community and has been committed to upholding the legacy of family farming. Charles was a longtime leader within the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, in which he served as president from 1968 to 1970. Following that, he spent the next 11 years as vice president. During his time, he called on all residents, smalltown businessmen, farmers, and ranchers in rural communities to work with one another in order to prosper. In a memorable speech, he stated: ``We must build and not destroy our rural towns, build and not eliminate our independent farmers and ranchers; we need and must have a coalition for survival.'' In 1991, he was granted honorary life membership and awarded Meritorious Service to the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union for his countless efforts to the organization and the community. Furthering his commitment to rural farming communities, Charles served with the National Association of Rural Rehabilitation Committee Board, which helped farmers establish themselves when banks would not offer them loans. Additionally, he served on the Colorado Highway Commission, the Colorado Farm Service Agency State Committee, as well as the Colorado Rural Rehabilitation Corporation. Through all of his roles, Charles has continued to seek innovative practices to improve agricultural operations in the state. Charles is married to Patsy, and the two are the proud parents of 12 children, 33 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. His father settled on a farm south of Arapahoe in 1919, and they still own and operate that farm today. Charles is a true example of what it means to be committed to family and community, and he is extremely deserving of this prestigious honor.

Mr. GARDNER

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize a great Coloradan, Don Shawcroft, who will be inducted into the 2020 Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. Don is a fourth-generation Coloradan from the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado, whose leadership has helped push the State's agricultural industry forward. Don graduated from Brigham Young University from the agricultural economics department. From there, he served as the State board member for the San Luis Valley to the Colorado Farm Bureau for many years and was vice president for 10 of those years. In 2010, he was elected president and in 2013 was elected to serve on the American Farm Bureau Board of Directors. Additionally, Don has served on the Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Board, a role in which he is on the boards of all its wholly owned subsidiaries, which most recently include the Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance Company. Outside of the numerous Farm Bureau roles, Don has found time to be the director of the San Luis Valley Health and Mountain States Legal Foundation, further contributing his commitment to the State of Colorado and its communities. The Shawcroft family has been ranching in the San Luis Valley since the late 1800s, and Don is continuing the family partnership. He is the husband to Ann, and the two have raised 6 children and have 17 grandchildren. The first time I saw the family farm, I was struck not only by the great beauty of the homestead, but by the pride and twinkle in the eye of a proud Colorado farmer. The State of Colorado is fortunate to have Don's continued commitment to his community and the Colorado Farm Bureau, and he is beyond deserving of this honor.