Mazie Hirono

Ms. HIRONO

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to reiterate my strong support for Dilawar Syed to serve as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Mr. Syed is highly qualified and widely supported as a nominee who has the backing of numerous business groups and organizations. In many ways, he is the picture of the American dream. He is a business owner, entrepreneur, and job creator who was born in Pakistan and educated in the United States. Over the course of his career, Mr. Syed has founded and run several companies in the tech and healthcare sectors. He also has firsthand experience dealing with challenges small businesses faced during this pandemic. During the COVID-19 crisis, Mr. Syed chaired a task force to help other businesses in the State of California survive and rebuild from the pandemic. His experience in and commitment to the small business sector are clear. That is why over the past 2 years my Democratic colleagues and I have made a concerted effort to get Mr. Syed confirmed. As Deputy Administrator, he would largely be responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the SBA. Working with Administrator Guzman, he will play a critical role in ensuring that small businesses across our country have the support they need to continue growing. This work is vital to Hawaii's economy. More than 99 percent of the businesses in our State are small businesses, and nearly half of all employees in Hawaii work for a small business. A strong, fully staffed Small Business Administration is essential for these small businesses in my home State and millions more across the country. Despite his stellar qualifications and the importance of the SBA, for nearly 2 years my Republican colleagues have blocked Mr. Syed's nomination to serve in this important role. I sit on the Small Business Committee, and we have had numerous times where we would call a markup in order to enable a vote on Mr. Syed's nomination, and the Republicans would simply not bother to show up. They just wouldn't even bother to show up. My Republican colleagues have at different points wrongly accused Mr. Syed of being anti-Israel. They have chastised him for utilizing legal SBA pandemic relief loans and raised other baseless objections to his nomination. One wonders why the Republicans so eagerly raise objections to nominees like Mr. Syed who are obviously qualified for their nominated positions. But despite their baseless bluster, the facts are clear: Mr. Syed is well qualified to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and his confirmation will make our economy and our country stronger. While it never should have taken this long--2 years--I am glad that tomorrow this body will vote on Mr. Syed's nomination to serve as Deputy Administrator. As I said, it has taken far too long to have someone as qualified and as committed--to have his vote occur. I look forward to voting to confirm Mr. Syed and to working with him to strengthen small businesses in every corner of our country. I yield the floor.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, later this month, on June 14, we will welcome Hawaii businesses to our Nation's Capital for the seventh annual Hawaii on the Hill. These businesses will have an opportunity to hear from government leaders, Federal officials, policy experts, and others about the important issues facing small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States. The businesses will also have an opportunity to showcase their products and share what we have to offer from the Aloha State. Since the inaugural event in July 2014, Hawaii on the Hill has been very successful. But such success would not be possible without the dedication, commitment, and hard work of business owners from our State, who make this event possible every year. We are excited to welcome them back to Washington, DC, for the first time since the pandemic. Recognizing this dedication, I would like to acknowledge one particular business owner who has been with us since the very beginning: Mabel Hashisaka, of Kauai Kookie. Mabel's story is pretty remarkable. Her father immigrated from Japan to Hawaii in 1905. She was born in Lihue, Kauai, and graduated from Waimea High School in 1946. At a time when many girls did not go to college, Mabel attended the University of Hawaii, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology, and then attended Indiana University, where she graduated with a master's degree in education. She was then a school teacher on Hawaii Island for many years. In 1965, she decided Kauai needed more ``omiyage''--or gifts that visitors could bring back to share with their family and friends--so she started Kauai Kookie. She began by making chocolate macadamia nut shortbread cookies and serving them on the side of plate lunches at the Big Save grocery store that her father owned. The cookies gained popularity, and soon, customers were coming in just for the cookies. Mabel purchased a used stove and oven from another Hanapepe business for $100 and hired a few employees. Kauai Kookie was born. More than 50 years later, Kauai Kookie remains a Kauai community staple. During the pandemic, the company delivered food to families in need with their ``Souper Sundays'' program and provided ``Kookies for Heroes'' to first responders on the front line. Kauai Kookie now bakes over 50,000 cookies and other baked goods each day and also offers salad dressings and marinades. It has two locations on Kauai, the original factory in Hanapepe and the bakery and cafe in Kalaheo. Kauai Kookie products can be found throughout Hawaii, in specialty stores in the continental United States, and overseas. The products are made with some of the finest ``Made-In-Hawaii'' products like macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, and Kauai Makaweli poi. Kauai Kookies originally came in eight island flavors--Kona Coffee Macadamia, Chocolate Chip Macadamia, Peanut Butter, Guava Macadamia, Coconut Krispies, Cornflake Crunch, Macadamia Nut Shortbread, and Almond--but have since expanded to many more varieties and flavors. Mabel claims that she is not a baker and that her philosophy has always been to hire someone smarter than her to help with the business. But despite her humble approach, it is clear she has built something truly impressive that has an important place in the community. Today, she still lives on Kauai with her husband Norman and her two daughters Ann and Ruth, who lead the company. So even to this day, her legacy continues. Mahalo, Mabel, for your contributions to our State as a recognized business leader. You continue to inspire all of us to ``just do it.''

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This month is an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of AANHPI communities and the critical role we have played throughout our Nation's history. From trailblazers like Patsy Mink and Anna May Wong to our own Vice President Harris, members of our community have long been leaders in government, science, business, the arts, and more. But while we celebrate our community, this month is also a reminder of how much work remains to advance equality and equity for our community. The AANHPI community has long been the target of racism and discrimination in this country. Among other challenges, our communities are still combating anti-Asian violence, suffering from health disparities, and experiencing sex trafficking and violence at alarming rates. The AANHPI community is the fastest growing demographic group in the United States. In the past 20 years alone, the number of Asian Americans in the United States has nearly doubled. But we are not a monolith. AANHPI communities come from dozens of countries and speak countless languages. The diversity makes our community and our country stronger. That is why, in a moment, I will seek unanimous consent to pass a resolution recognizing AANHPI Heritage Month. This resolution highlights many of the leaders of our community throughout history and some of the triumphs and challenges we have faced throughout the years. It affirms the important role our communities continue to play in the story of our Nation and has bipartisan support. As in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 209.

Ms. HIRONO. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to; that the Hirono amendment at the desk to the preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, earlier today, every Member of this body received a briefing on the ongoing threat Iran presents to our national security and that of our allies around the world. It was a stark reminder of the serious challenges and threats the United States and our allies face around the world. It also underscores the importance of ensuring our military is ready and able to respond to any threats that may arise. Right now, though, one Senator is willfully undermining our readiness. I happen to chair the Readiness Subcommittee on the Armed Services Committee. Our servicemembers can only do their jobs if they are in place to do so, and, right now, the Senator from Alabama's hold on 196 general and flag officer promotions is preventing these brave men and women from entering new roles in which they are urgently needed. Since March, the Senator from Alabama has refused to allow movement on any of these promotions, depriving our military of critical leaders in key posts around the globe. Among the nearly 200 promotions currently on hold is the next commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, who is responsible for overseeing the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, a critical infrastructure investment in our public shipyards in Hawaii and across the country. The blanket hold also includes the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, or DLA. DLA oversees the defense supply chain for all services and will be essential to the safe defueling and closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on Oahu, a leak which impacted over 90,000 people living on Oahu. The Senator from Alabama is also holding nominees to command the Fifth and Seventh Fleets, which are responsible for deterring threats from Iran and China, respectively. For any Member of this body to willfully degrade the readiness of these units is, in my view, unthinkably irresponsible. To be clear, these are not controversial nominees. These are decorated, patriotic men and women who have devoted their adult lives to serving our Nation and who wish only to continue doing so. My colleague from Alabama is placing a blanket hold on close to 200 promotions in the DOD because he disagrees with DOD's commonsense, humane policy to allow travel for servicemembers seeking reproductive services. Thousands of servicemembers are posted in States that do not allow them to receive reproductive services necessitating this travel. This is a policy my colleague objects to, resulting in his hold on these promotions. The travel policy does not include paying for abortions. How many times must this point have to be made? Why do my colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to read into the policy that which is not there? Nowhere does the policy allow the DOD to pay for abortion. There is no language in this policy that talks about facilitating the provision of abortion. Show me this language. You can't because it is not there. This is a travel policy for reproductive services. So my colleague from Alabama is more concerned with pushing his ideological agenda than with the realities our troops face, even if that means depriving servicemembers of critical healthcare. In addition to undermining our national security, this reckless hold is creating chaos for these servicemembers, many of whom will have to relocate their families and put their children in new schools. These promotions are carefully timed to ensure critical positions don't go unfilled, and also that the servicemembers and their families can transition into new homes and schools with as little disruption as possible. Beyond being reckless and fundamentally ill-informed, the Senator from Alabama's--I consider it a stunt; it is a slap in the face of our servicemembers. They should be able to do their jobs without political interference, without someone putting their ideological agenda ahead of the need for us to make these decisions. For the sake of our servicemembers and our country, we need to end this dangerous blockade. That is why, in a moment, I will be asking the Senate to confirm Calendar No. 85. If confirmed, this nominee would command the Navy's Seventh Fleet, which at any given moment has almost 75 ships and submarines and over 27,000 sailors and marines, operating and in contact with both the Chinese and Russian Navies. Encompassing many allies, partners, and competitors, the Pacific and its forward-deployed fleet should not be left without its appropriate commander. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 85; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Ms. HIRONO

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

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, I rise today to express my strong support for Julie Su's nomination to serve as our next Secretary of Labor. As we continue working to rebuild and strengthen our economy, it is critical that the Department of Labor is led by someone committed to protecting the rights of all workers, and that person is Julie Su. From combating wage theft to expanding workforce training, Acting Secretary Su has spent her life fighting for workers. For the past 2 years, she has served as Deputy Secretary of Labor alongside Secretary Walsh. Together they helped make life better for workers across the country. Thanks to their hard work, our country has added a record 12.6 million jobs over the last 2\1/2\ years. What is more, unemployment is at its lowest level in more than 50 years, a testament to the hard work of Secretary Walsh and Deputy Secretary Su. And before coming to Washington, Julie spent decades fighting for workers in her home State of California as Secretary of Labor in California, Commissioner of Labor, and as a civil rights attorney. Beyond her stellar professional track record, Julie's personal history informs her commitment to building an economy that puts workers first. Like me, Julie is a daughter of immigrants. Her mother came to America from China on a cargo ship, unable to afford a passenger ticket. After arriving in the United States, she got a good job with a union with predictable hours, paid sick leave, and a reliable income. That job helped Julie's mother and father go on to become business owners themselves, ultimately running a franchise pizza restaurant and a laundromat. Thanks to her parents' hard work, Julie went on to attend Stanford University and Harvard Law before receiving a prestigious MacArthur Genius award for her work fighting for undocumented garment workers in California. Julie Su is a relentless advocate for workers, and she also knows how to build consensus. It is no wonder, then, that she enjoys broad support from business and labor alike, garnering the endorsement of groups including the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Majority, the AFL-CIO, and dozens of labor unions across the country. She has the support of leaders like Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, who said last month that Acting Secretary Su is ``straightforward, very knowledgeable and a passionate advocate for workers and their families. President Biden has made the right choice for Secretary of Labor''--and Secretary Walsh himself, who said that he has ``the utmost confidence in [Julie's] ability to sustain the work of the department and advance the President's vision of an economy that puts workers first and leaves no one behind.'' I couldn't agree more. Confirming Julie Su should be a no-brainer, just like it was 2 years ago when every Democrat in the Senate voted to confirm her as Deputy Secretary of Labor. But special interests are working hard to block her nomination, lobbing unfair attacks and intentionally misrepresenting her record. In States like West Virginia, Montana, and Arizona, massive billboards have been erected suggesting that Deputy Secretary Su's confirmation would harm our economy. They claim--outrageously--that she is somehow working to destroy franchise businesses like the one her own family ran. In reality, she has worked to ensure workers at all franchise businesses have basic protections so that those businesses and their employees can thrive. They claim that she has worked in the so-called gig economy--another lie. What she has done is crack down on corporations like Uber, exploiting hard-working Americans for their own profit, because Deputy Secretary Su understands that our economy can thrive only if workers have the dignity and support they deserve. What we are witnessing is a coordinated campaign by those on the right to discredit Julie Su and her impressive record, but her credentials are as clear as can be. And as we enter Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would be remiss not to also mention the important role Acting Secretary Su will play as the only AAPI Cabinet-level Secretary in the Biden-Harris administration. Confirming Julie Su as Secretary of Labor is one of the most important things we can do to support workers, strengthen small businesses, and ensure our economy works for all of us--for working people. I look forward to voting for her nomination; and, for our country and our economy, I hope this body will confirm Julie Su without delay. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, reserving the right to object, I rise today in opposition to S. 613, legislation that would ban transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender. My Republican colleagues falsely claim that allowing transgender women and girls to play sports is harmful to cisgender women and girls. They continue to hurl insulting lies about transgender girls dominating sports. But what is true is that these bans are deeply harmful to transgender girls, particularly transgender girls of color, girls who are gender nonconforming, and cisgender girls as well. These ``sex tests'' invade every girl's privacy and open the door to harassment for anyone who is perceived as ``different.'' If my Republican colleagues were actually worried about women and girls in athletics, they would join in our efforts to address unequal athletic opportunities in school, unequal pay, sexual abuse and harassment, and more. But this isn't about supporting women and girls; this is about power and control. My Republican colleagues are obsessed with controlling women's bodies and our lives, as we are seeing yet again today. But instead of being honest about what they are doing, many on the other side claim that this bill is somehow a defense of title IX. That couldn't be further from the truth. Title IX says: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. As someone who knew and was friends with Patsy Mink, the author of title IX, I can tell you she would be standing right next to me to say title IX in no way or shape supports what my colleague is attempting to do. Patsy spent her entire life fighting to advance equal opportunity for women and girls. It would pain her to know that the bill she fought so hard to make law is being twisted by Republicans to discriminate against the very people it was designed to protect. Republicans have the wrong priorities. We shouldn't be banning anyone from playing sports. We should be fighting the discrimination that all women and girls--trans, cis, or otherwise--continue to face in athletics, in the classroom, and in the workplace. For these reasons, I object.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, we are going to be working on the NDAA, and I suggest to my colleague to go ahead and put an amendment--or whatever he wants--in the NDAA. Then let's take a vote on whether or not this policy should stand.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and as chair of the Readiness Subcommittee, I rise today deeply opposed to the dangerous posturing of my colleague from Alabama in playing with our national security. That is what it is coming down to. In the Senate, we have a long history of bipartisan support for our armed services and our servicemembers. What is not usual is for one Member of the Senate to put a hold on hundreds of nominees--let's face it--for political and ideological reasons. I don't know how else you would characterize his actions. So while we may disagree about military policy--obviously, we do--we have always kept the readiness of our forces above politics. Now the Senator from Alabama is intentionally politicizing our military. The Senators can stand there all they want and say they are not politicizing. Oh, really? I beg to differ. The Senator is blocking numerous promotions simply because he is upset that the DOD is doing its part to protect our servicemembers and address their needs. Our servicemembers who are women have a need to access appropriate reproductive care. Now, this wasn't an issue before because--guess what--we didn't have a Supreme Court that upended almost 50 years of a constitutional right that women in this country had. Why is this important? Because we never had a Dobbs decision before. But now we have, and that is what we have to live with. Because of the Senator's reckless posturing and unyielding stance, the promotions of more than 160 flag officers--men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving our country--are already being delayed, and these delays pose a grave and growing threat to our national security and the readiness of our troops. In the next several months, we are set to consider the nominations of nearly half--nearly half--of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including the Chairman. At a time when we face growing threats around the world, leaving these roles unfulfilled would have catastrophic consequences for our military and our national security. Just yesterday, Secretary Austin was before the Armed Services Committee, on which Senator Tuberville and I both sit. Secretary Austin told us that ``not approving the recommendations for promotions actually creates a ripple effect through the forces that makes us far less ready than we need to be.'' What is worse is that this hold is all because the Department of Defense is allowing servicemembers to access reproductive healthcare-- something well within the Department's authority. As a result, as I mentioned, of the Supreme Court's disastrous Dobbs decision, nearly 80,000 women servicemembers--do you know what? If the Senator cares about recruiting and retaining servicemembers, how about wanting to retain and recruit female servicemembers? So with this Dobbs decision, we now have 80,000 women servicemembers who are stationed in States where they can't fully access reproductive care. To address this crisis brought on by the Supreme Court's decision, the DOD adopted a commonsense policy to allow those servicemembers to travel to get the care they need. To be clear, this policy does not cover the cost of abortions. We are not talking about taxpayer-paid abortions. It would be really great if we could just adhere to facts. The Senator says that this is really a roundabout way to pay for our abortions. No. This is a very direct way to meet the needs of our female servicemembers to get the healthcare and the reproductive care that they so plainly need. Secretary Austin has said that the health of our servicemembers must be a top priority. Who can argue with that? I couldn't agree more. I applaud Secretary Austin's leadership on this issue, but, clearly, my colleague from Alabama is more concerned with pushing his ideological agenda than the realities our troops face. Our servicemembers put their lives on the line for our country. They deserve better than to be used as political props. Frankly, this obsession that the Republicans have to have power and control over women's bodies--what is up with that? For the sake of our country and our troops, I urge my colleague from Alabama and my colleague from Utah to drop this dangerous crusade and confirm the military nominations en bloc. I yield the floor.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today, on International Women's Day, to urge my Republican colleagues to join us in protecting our individual rights and freedoms and to support the Women's Health Protection Act. You have heard from a lot of us on the floor today, and we are going to repeat certain things, but these are things that bear repeating because this issue of abortion is all about who gets to decide. Is it the individual or a bunch of politicians? You can see where I am coming from. When the rightwing, ideologically driven Supreme Court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent of abolishing an individual's right to get an abortion, that was just the beginning. The Dobbs decision opened the doors for extremist Republicans who have made clear they will stop at nothing to control our bodies. It hasn't even been a year since the Supreme Court upended our right to bodily autonomy, and, already, abortion is entirely banned in 12 States, meaning more than 20 percent of the U.S. population lives in States where abortion is illegal. There are 21 States that have enacted 36 bills to restrict or ban abortion; and in 12 States, constitutional amendments have been proposed to limit abortion access. Just this week, Florida Republicans filed a 6-week abortion ban--6 weeks--which is before many women are even aware they are pregnant. After the Dobbs decision, the Republicans claimed abortion would be dealt with in the States as States' rights. This is what we in Hawaii would call a shibai argument. Clearly, abortion has never been about States' rights. So their unrelenting efforts to limit bodily autonomy is about taking away the very individual rights and freedoms that Republicans claim to care so much about. Beyond State legislatures, Republicans in the Senate have introduced a nationwide abortion ban. Any day now, we are waiting for one extremist, Trump-appointed Federal judge in Texas to decide whether to institute a nationwide ban on mifepristone, which is the safe and effective medication that Americans have relied on for more than 20 years--for more than two decades--and that accounts for more than half of the abortions in our country. Regardless of this decision in Texas, after threats from GOP Attorneys General from 20--20--conservative States, Walgreens stated they would no longer dispense medication abortion pills in numerous States, including in States where medical abortion remains legal, although they now appear to be walking that back after provoking a public outcry. What is next--banning contraception? There are even Republican State lawmakers who are introducing bills to allow the death penalty--the death penalty--for women who have abortions. There is no end to what extremist Republicans will do to control our bodies. Whether you live in States like Hawaii, California, or New York, or in States where Republican legislatures have already passed laws, our freedom is at risk. Our bodily autonomy is at risk. For pregnant people across the country, that means their health, and even their lives, are at stake. Pregnancies carry many risks, and the United States already has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country. It is unbelievable that a country like the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. These risks are even greater for women of color, women with disabilities, and transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. People will die without access to safe, legal abortions. A recent study found, if Republicans institute a nationwide abortion ban, maternal deaths will rise by 24 percent across the country. So, today, I urge my colleagues to stop pandering to the political extremism in our country and join us in passing the Women's Health Protection Act to codify the right to an abortion in Federal law and protect all people across the country. I yield the floor.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2022. This no-cost bill allows the head of any Federal Agency with a representative serving on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to award competitive prizes for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance the ability of the United States to understand, research, or monitor coral reef ecosystems or to develop management or adaptation options to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems. Federal Agencies with a representative serving on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force include the Department of Commerce, DOC; the Department of the Interior, DOI; the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA; the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA; the Department of Defense, DOD; the U.S. Coast Guard, USCG; the U.S. Department of Justice, DOJ; the U.S. Department of State, DOS; the U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA; the National Aeronautic Space Administration, NASA; and the National Science Foundation, NSF. In addition to Federal Agencies, other members of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force include the States of Hawaii and Florida, the territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Corals serve myriad ecosystem functions, which include serving as a source of food, a place for recreation and tourism, a source for coastal protection, and an important part of local cultural practices, to name a few. A number of studies have been conducted to place a monetary value on the importance of coral reef ecosystems in Hawaii. A U.S. Geological Survey, USGS, study published in 2019 estimated the flood protection value of coral reefs in Hawaii alone at $836 million annually. When accounting for all U.S. coral reefs, so those in the waters of Hawaii, Florida, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the same study estimated the flood protection value to increase to $1.8 billion. Another study published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, in 2011 estimated the total economic value of Hawaii coral reefs to the American people to be $33.57 billion. There is no doubt the importance of corals to our Nation. Unfortunately, there are currently a number of variables that are threatening the health of our Nation's coral reefs. These variables include climate change-driven warming of ocean temperatures and ocean acidification, unsustainable fishing, and pollution. As a result of global bleaching events and disease outbreaks corals are projected to decline significantly over the coming decades. In an effort to mitigate the impacts of declining coral health, this no-cost bill prioritizes programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems. Allowing Federal Agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to enter into private-public partnerships via prize competitions, as this bill does, will allow for the advancement of innovative research that will advance our Nation's ability to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems. Time is running out to ensure that coral reef ecosystems remain the vibrant habitats that so many aspects of our society's functioning have come to rely upon. Innovative solutions at no extra cost to the American people, such as those supported by this bill, are desperately needed to reverse the damage that our Nation's coral reef ecosystems have experienced over the past decades to ensure that they will be around to benefit Americans in the coming decades.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2022. This no-cost bill allows the head of any Federal Agency with a representative serving on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to award competitive prizes for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance the ability of the United States to understand, research, or monitor coral reef ecosystems or to develop management or adaptation options to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems. Federal Agencies with a representative serving on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force include the Department of Commerce, DOC; the Department of the Interior, DOI; the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA; the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA; the Department of Defense, DOD; the U.S. Coast Guard, USCG; the U.S. Department of Justice, DOJ; the U.S. Department of State, DOS; the U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA; the National Aeronautic Space Administration, NASA; and the National Science Foundation, NSF. In addition to Federal Agencies, other members of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force include the States of Hawaii and Florida, the territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Corals serve myriad ecosystem functions, which include serving as a source of food, a place for recreation and tourism, a source for coastal protection, and an important part of local cultural practices, to name a few. A number of studies have been conducted to place a monetary value on the importance of coral reef ecosystems in Hawaii. A U.S. Geological Survey, USGS, study published in 2019 estimated the flood protection value of coral reefs in Hawaii alone at $836 million annually. When accounting for all U.S. coral reefs, so those in the waters of Hawaii, Florida, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the same study estimated the flood protection value to increase to $1.8 billion. Another study published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, in 2011 estimated the total economic value of Hawaii coral reefs to the American people to be $33.57 billion. There is no doubt the importance of corals to our Nation. Unfortunately, there are currently a number of variables that are threatening the health of our Nation's coral reefs. These variables include climate change-driven warming of ocean temperatures and ocean acidification, unsustainable fishing, and pollution. As a result of global bleaching events and disease outbreaks corals are projected to decline significantly over the coming decades. In an effort to mitigate the impacts of declining coral health, this no-cost bill prioritizes programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems. Allowing Federal Agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to enter into private-public partnerships via prize competitions, as this bill does, will allow for the advancement of innovative research that will advance our Nation's ability to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems. Time is running out to ensure that coral reef ecosystems remain the vibrant habitats that so many aspects of our society's functioning have come to rely upon. Innovative solutions at no extra cost to the American people, such as those supported by this bill, are desperately needed to reverse the damage that our Nation's coral reef ecosystems have experienced over the past decades to ensure that they will be around to benefit Americans in the coming decades.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, reserving the right to object--Senator Rounds, I do not object to the substance of your bill. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am very much in favor of the contributions made to our country by Native Americans and certainly the Native American veterans. However, for a long time, I have been trying to get a very simple technical fix to the Violence Against Women Act that would allow Native Hawaiian organizations to serve Native Hawaiian women. As we all know, VAWA provides support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence, and stalking. Tragically, Native women across the country--that would be Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, American Indian women--experience disproportionately higher levels of sexual violence, which is why VAWA includes STOP grants to provide funding for eligible Native organizations, nonprofits, including Native Hawaiian organizations, to serve Native women. However, in spite of the fact that Native Hawaiian women are represented among the disproportionately high number of survivors of gender-based violence and sex trafficking, and despite the fact that Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible for these grants, because of a drafting oversight, these Native Hawaiian organizations eligible for these grants cannot serve the Native Hawaiian community. It would likely shock many of my colleagues to learn about the gender-based violence and sex trafficking numbers in Hawaii and of sex trafficking survivors in Hawaii. Over 70 percent are Native Hawaiian women and girls. But yet, Native Hawaiian organizations cannot actually serve Native Hawaiian women through these grants. By passing this simple technical fix, we can ensure that Native Hawaiian women can access the benefits and support included in the critical Violence Against Women Act. I am very glad that my colleague from Hawaii is presiding as we have this debate. So now I would ask if the Senator would modify his request so that immediately following the disposition of S. 1725, the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 7, which was introduced earlier today; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate?

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I would just like to commend my colleague for his work with the Native American veterans and for working with me to pass S. 7, which is a very necessary bill for Native Hawaiian women. Aloha.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague from Rhode Island, Senator Whitehouse, for his long and strong advocacy for cleaning up the scourge of dark money in our country. Our country was built on the founding principles of democracy, where every person has a say--a democracy where the American people can make their voices heard in free and fair elections and we the people can decide the direction of our country. But in 2010, the Roberts Court, in an obvious act of judicial activism, struck down corporate campaign contribution restrictions found in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. Suddenly, the Supreme Court said that corporations are people who have First Amendment constitutional rights to make campaign contributions. This decision opened the floodgates to billions of dollars of dark money to influence our elections, our Courts, and our thinking on issues from gun safety to abortion. When the Supreme Court held that political speech by a corporation is protected by the First Amendment, it left for Congress just the narrow authority to take action to require disclosure of donor names. After knocked-down, dragged-out negotiations in the U.S. House in 2010--I was there--the House passed a disclosure bill, only to see it fail in the Senate very narrowly without the support of a single Republican. Back then, we had the chance to require political spending disclosures so that the American people could see who was contributing millions to influence election outcomes. So here we are, more than a decade later, and now it is not millions but billions of dollars flowing undisclosed into races across the country. Our country is awash in undisclosed money that is subverting the will of the American people. When 85 percent of the American people support reproductive freedom, 65 percent of the American people support gun safety, and 63 percent of the American people support protecting the right to vote and Senate Republicans are preventing us from even having a legislative debate on the floor on these issues, what does that tell you? It tells you that too many elected officials are no longer answering to the people but, instead, to the secret donors and corporations who are funding their campaigns. But it is not just elected officials that have been influenced. Mega- corporations and the ultrawealthy have spent millions to stack our courts. One dark money group already spent more than $30 million in total on the nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, where they sit, in my view, busily overturning precedents such as Roe v. Wade. For the sake of our democracy, we need to get rid of the anonymous spending influencing our elections and our courts. That is a goal that everyone should be able to get behind regardless of whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. In fact, many of my Republican colleagues agree. The senior Senator from Iowa said dark money is ``attacking the independence of the judiciary.'' Another said dark money is ``sowing public distrust in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court.'' There is bipartisan agreement to limit dark money, but, sadly, we know Republicans too often say one thing and then do another because not a single one of them so far has voiced support for even considering the DISCLOSE Act, which we will be voting to advance today, a bill that would increase transparency and accountability in political spending, a bill that would do the very thing that some leading Republicans have called for. When given the chance, I hope my Republican colleagues will step up for the American people and not their special interest donors. We shall see. We cannot accept a country where billionaires and corporations can secretly buy our elections, choose our leaders, and determine the fate of our country. I yield the floor.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2022. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to continue partnering and collaborating with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, ROD. ROD is a fungus, Ceratocystis, that was first found in Hawaii in 2014 and has since killed over a million native Ohia trees. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has partnered with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of the Interior in efforts to detect and respond to the spread of ROD. Sustained efforts, such as those supported by this bill, are necessary to protect Ohia trees, which comprise 80 percent of Hawaii's native forests. Over the past 8 years, ROD has been detected on Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. Efforts are currently underway to educate the public to reduce the spread, research transmission vectors of ROD such as humans, beetles, ungulates, and weather events, and test ROD resistant varieties of Ohia. This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Geological Survey, to continue providing resources for the purposes of researching ROD vectors and transmission. It also requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to work with the State of Hawaii and other local stakeholders on ungulate management in control areas on Federal, State, and private land. Finally, the bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to continue providing resources to prevent the spread of ROD and restore the native forests in Hawaii and to also continue to provide financial and staff resources to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, IPIF, located in Hilo, to continue research on ROD. The bill authorizes $5 million in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to carry out these actions, which are necessary to protect and restore Hawaii's most abundant native tree--Ohia--for future generations.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Natural Infrastructure Act of 2022. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, to establish a Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program. This program, which would be a joint effort by the U.S. Forest Service FS and the U.S. Geological Survey USGS, would seek to further research on the use of natural solutions to address evolving infrastructure needs across the country. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Interior to assess the costs and effectiveness of select natural infrastructure projects on an annual basis. The bill defines natural infrastructure as constructed landscape features and systems that employ nature-based solutions that promote, use, restore, or emulate natural ecological processes. These features, when compared to grey infrastructure solutions, are often more cost- effective, increase community resilience to climate change impacts, and attract community support. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that our country's need for infrastructure repairs through 2025 totals over $4 trillion. In order to meet our country's short- and long-term infrastructure needs, research is needed to inform the decisions being made by the people charged with addressing these infrastructure needs--civil engineers, local governments, developers, and the construction industry. The Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program established by this bill directs USGS and FS to work with colleges and universities to advance ongoing natural infrastructure research efforts to inform future infrastructure projects. The bill also establishes a stakeholder advisory group to inform the Secretary of the Interior on appropriate research topics to be assessed by the Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program. The bill authorizes $4 million in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to implement the Joint Natural Infrastructure Program. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to publish an annual report on no fewer than 30 natural infrastructure projects across the country to assess the cost and effectiveness of the projects as well as provide recommendations on ways to improve future natural infrastructure projects in terms of construction, costs, and effectiveness. The selected projects should be diverse in terms of both geographic location as well as project type. These reports, coupled with the research generated by the Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program, will help inform future infrastructure projects as we seek out cost-effective solutions all across the country that maximize human and environmental benefits in the face of evolving challenges, including the increasing impacts of climate change.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2022. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to continue partnering and collaborating with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, ROD. ROD is a fungus, Ceratocystis, that was first found in Hawaii in 2014 and has since killed over a million native Ohia trees. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has partnered with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of the Interior in efforts to detect and respond to the spread of ROD. Sustained efforts, such as those supported by this bill, are necessary to protect Ohia trees, which comprise 80 percent of Hawaii's native forests. Over the past 8 years, ROD has been detected on Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. Efforts are currently underway to educate the public to reduce the spread, research transmission vectors of ROD such as humans, beetles, ungulates, and weather events, and test ROD resistant varieties of Ohia. This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Geological Survey, to continue providing resources for the purposes of researching ROD vectors and transmission. It also requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to work with the State of Hawaii and other local stakeholders on ungulate management in control areas on Federal, State, and private land. Finally, the bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to continue providing resources to prevent the spread of ROD and restore the native forests in Hawaii and to also continue to provide financial and staff resources to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, IPIF, located in Hilo, to continue research on ROD. The bill authorizes $5 million in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to carry out these actions, which are necessary to protect and restore Hawaii's most abundant native tree--Ohia--for future generations.

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, the Natural Infrastructure Act of 2022. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, to establish a Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program. This program, which would be a joint effort by the U.S. Forest Service FS and the U.S. Geological Survey USGS, would seek to further research on the use of natural solutions to address evolving infrastructure needs across the country. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Interior to assess the costs and effectiveness of select natural infrastructure projects on an annual basis. The bill defines natural infrastructure as constructed landscape features and systems that employ nature-based solutions that promote, use, restore, or emulate natural ecological processes. These features, when compared to grey infrastructure solutions, are often more cost- effective, increase community resilience to climate change impacts, and attract community support. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that our country's need for infrastructure repairs through 2025 totals over $4 trillion. In order to meet our country's short- and long-term infrastructure needs, research is needed to inform the decisions being made by the people charged with addressing these infrastructure needs--civil engineers, local governments, developers, and the construction industry. The Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program established by this bill directs USGS and FS to work with colleges and universities to advance ongoing natural infrastructure research efforts to inform future infrastructure projects. The bill also establishes a stakeholder advisory group to inform the Secretary of the Interior on appropriate research topics to be assessed by the Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program. The bill authorizes $4 million in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2023 through 2033 for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to implement the Joint Natural Infrastructure Program. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to publish an annual report on no fewer than 30 natural infrastructure projects across the country to assess the cost and effectiveness of the projects as well as provide recommendations on ways to improve future natural infrastructure projects in terms of construction, costs, and effectiveness. The selected projects should be diverse in terms of both geographic location as well as project type. These reports, coupled with the research generated by the Joint Natural Infrastructure Science Program, will help inform future infrastructure projects as we seek out cost-effective solutions all across the country that maximize human and environmental benefits in the face of evolving challenges, including the increasing impacts of climate change.

Ms. HIRONO

Ms. HIRONO. Madam President, when the extreme far-right Supreme Court overturned Roe, my Republican colleagues lauded this horrendous decision, claiming that a woman's right to an abortion should be left to the States. But now they are admitting what we knew all along: that this was never about States' rights. This has always been about Republicans using their power to control women and our bodily autonomy. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the American public supports reproductive freedom and despite the fact that voters across the country are overwhelmingly voting to protect this freedom, Republicans are pandering--I think that is a really good word, apt word--pandering--to the extreme MAGA base and have now introduced a nationwide ban on abortion after 15 weeks. Why 15 weeks, you ask? Because that is what the senior Senator from South Carolina who introduced this legislation said he would ``feel comfortable at.'' So we now have a Republican Senator attempting to restrict the bodily autonomy of women across the country because that is what he feels comfortable at. It is not enough that the overturning of Roe has created fear and confusion all across the country. We now have the introduction of a nationwide abortion ban further adding to the chaos. This is not some sort of hypothetical debate or ``hysteria,'' as some of my Republican colleagues have claimed. If Republicans take control of the Senate, we now know what they will do. They will work to pass a national abortion ban, which would mean even in my home State of Hawaii, which was the first State in the country to decriminalize abortion even before the Roe decision--we did this in Hawaii in 1970. And for voters in States who are pushing back against their radical legislators and exercising their right to bring the issue of abortion to the ballot, including States like Kansas and Michigan, this bill would overrule their efforts. But, of course, to add to their utter hypocrisy, if States like Texas or Mississippi want to be even more restrictive, even more harmful to women than a 15-week ban, that would be A-OK, according to the Senator from South Carolina and his extreme bill. Allowing Republicans to regain control of Congress would be catastrophic not only for women, but for our entire country because when we women can't control what we do with our bodies, of course this impacts our families, our communities, our economy. So this November, people are going to have a choice: Do you want to let extreme MAGA Republicans tell you what you can and can't do with your own body, or do you want to hold these politicians accountable for pushing their far-right extreme agenda and perpetuating the chaos, confusion, and fear of women, families, communities, and our healthcare professionals? Let's not forget all the doctors who are out there wondering how they can provide the kind of care that they are trained to do right now, how they can do that in the face of this kind of ban in so many States across the country, not to mention a nationwide abortion ban. The chaos and confusion being experienced all across the country following the Dobbs' decision has only multiplied by this nationwide abortion ban bill. Talk about government overreach. I hear my colleagues talking about how it should be States' rights or government should not be telling us what to do. The word ``hypocrites'' doesn't even go far enough to call them out on what they are doing. This is an outright attack on women in this country. That is how I see it. That is how more and more women and those who support our right to make decisions about our own bodies, that is how we see it. And why? Because that is what is happening. This is literally a call to arms in our country. I yield the floor.