Martin Heinrich

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Dr. Joseph Suina for his service to our Nation. Dr. Suina is a former Cochiti Pueblo Governor, a University of New Mexico professor emeritus, and a Vietnam and Marine Corps veteran. Recognition of Dr. Suina's service is long overdue. But before I speak about his military service, I want to take a moment to recognize what Dr. Suina's decades of leadership have meant for Cochiti Pueblo and for New Mexico as a whole. Over the course of his life, Dr. Suina has served as a Governor for his Pueblo and a Tribal council member. He also served as the president and CEO of the Cochiti Community Development Corporation and as the chair of the Cochiti Language Revival Committee. But before all of that, Dr. Suina grew up in Cochiti Pueblo, within the adobe walls of his grandmother's home. He has recounted the nights she would sing to him in their native language and tell him stories of her childhood, well before electricity and cars had made their way to the Pueblo. As a young boy, he was shunned by his teachers for speaking his native language at school and experienced the stark contrast between the teachings of his grandmother and those of his nonnative teachers. Through it all, Dr. Suina found strength in his culture, later leading him to become a champion for keeping indigenous language and culture at the center of Native American education policy. Dr. Suina worked for decades as a professor in the University of New Mexico's College of Education, and he directed the Institute for American Indian Education, serving Tribes across the Southwest. His scholarship focused on how maintaining connection to tradition, culture, and language improves educational outcomes for Native students. He also developed new methods for assessing student learning and training programs for educators who teach Native students. And over the years, Dr. Suina has mentored countless teachers whose work continues to make a difference for New Mexico's children and children throughout the entire Southwest. You can see the results of his work in so many communities, but especially in his home community of Cochiti Pueblo and at the Keres Children's Learning Center. The center is an indigenous language revitalization school that has become one of the very best early childhood and primary education centers in the entire country. It is a living testament to Dr. Suina's visionary leadership and education. The legacy of Dr. Suina's life of service to Cochiti Pueblo, to New Mexico, and to our Nation will be felt for generations to come. And, today, I would also like to recognize Dr. Suina's service to our Nation as a marine. In the early 1960s, just 3 days out of high school, Dr. Suina enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He went on to serve two tours of duty in Vietnam, in 1964 and in 1966. He was wounded in his second tour and earned a Purple Heart on March 22, 1966. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. Tomorrow, Dr. Suina's friends and family members are gathering together at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque to recognize his service to the Nation, and I am honored to have helped play a role in retrieving the medals that Dr. Suina earned as a marine and that he will receive at that gathering. You see, back in the 1970s, Dr. Suina's house was broken into and his service medals were stolen. As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Suina earned the Purple Heart Medal, which was one of the Nation's oldest and most distinguished medals. The Purple Heart is awarded to U.S. servicemembers who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action. Dr. Suina also earned the following awards: the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Combat Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Rifle Sharpshooters Badge, the Pistol Expert Badge. And he also earned a Gallantry Cross Medal from the Republic of Vietnam. I was deeply honored to help retrieve these medals that recognize Dr. Suina's incredible bravery and sacrifices. And, before I finish, I also want to commend Dr. Suina for the ways that he has raised the visibility of the physical and often invisible wounds that impact veterans with PTSD. In recent years, Dr. Suina has spoken about how he saw these wounds in himself, in his fellow Vietnam veterans, and in the veterans of his father's generation who served in World War II. Many of these veterans have come home with trauma that went unrecognized. And I am so appreciative that Dr. Suina is working to bring recognition and healing to himself and to his fellow veterans. And on behalf of so many New Mexicans and so many Americans, I want to express just how profoundly grateful we are for Dr. Suina's lifetime of courage and of service.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Devon Gorbey, Wasem Gawish, Max Katz, Cynthia Bailey, Cliff Ho, Will Murray, Jon Yap, who are all fellows in my office, be granted privileges to the floor until January 2, 2025.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, nearly 80 years ago, in Central New Mexico's Tularosa Basin, at a place we now call the Trinity Site, the world as we knew it changed. The Trinity test was the first detonation of a nuclear weapon in human history, and the families who lived downwind from the Trinity explosion have lived the consequences of that day for every moment of their lives. These families were never told that the white dust falling around them that day would contaminate their bodies, would contaminate the bodies of the children they had yet to bear, that it would contaminate the crops and the water and the livestock that they had built their communities around. They were never told about the kinds of cancers they would get, the conditions they would suffer through, or the loved ones they would lose. These families still to this day have not received the recognition or the compensation for what they endured so that our Nation could be victorious in the Second World War. Nearly a century later, 80 years now, these folks deserve better. They deserve justice. It is long overdue for Congress to finally, finally amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, RECA, to include the Trinity downwinders, to include all Americans who were directly impacted from our nuclear tests and program, and to include the uranium workers who were exposed to radiation in service to our national defense. That is what we are voting on this week in the U.S. Senate. Today, we have a chance to finally deliver justice for the Trinity downwinders and for all Americans who were exposed to radioactive nuclear materials. I want to thank especially the Presiding Officer as it has been one of the honors of my career to fight alongside him for this expansion of RECA for our entire congressional careers. I want to urge all of our colleagues to stand with us on the right side of history today and to support this legislation.

Mr. HEINRICH

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

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, I have seven 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:

Mr. HEINRICH

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

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HEINRICH

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

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent that we begin the noon scheduled vote immediately.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I just want to make a point that we need a complete security package. All of these things are related, and all of them reinforce not only our allies and innocent civilians but also our own security and the future of the direction of the free world. We are not going to turn our back on Ukraine. How many meetings did we have via Zoom or actually in person with Zelenskyy where so many of our colleagues said we would always stand with Ukraine after all that Ukraine has been through. And I remember being in briefings where people were predicting that Ukraine would crumble in a matter of days. And they stood up to the Russian aggression and they continue to stand up to Russian aggression and they have actually pushed Russia back. That isn't just in Ukraine's interest. That is in the interest of the free world. We need a security package that supports our allies in Israel, that supports the innocent civilians in Gaza that are also the victims of what Hamas has done. And we need a security package that stands with our allies in Ukraine. Mr. President, I would offer the rest of my time to my colleague from Hawaii.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I know of no debate on the nomination.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, our Nation has experienced a series of recent natural disasters: the tragic Maui wildfires, flooding in Vermont and California, and the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia. Communities in my home State of New Mexico have been impacted by destructive floods and mudslides following last year's historic wildfire season. We must get these Americans the help they need during these difficult times, and we must do it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this bill would do the opposite. On Friday, the Biden administration announced that producers impacted by disasters last year are now eligible to apply for critical emergency assistance. H.R. 662 would delay that funding, essentially stopping the application process that the U.S. Department of Agriculture just got underway. In addition, the administration already has the authority under law to provide funding to States through block grants. So this bill is both counterproductive and unnecessary. For these reasons, I would urge my colleagues to vote no.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I yield back all time on our side. Vote on Veto Message

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, the substitute amendment contains the Appropriations Committee-reported versions of three bills: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Agriculture; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. I rise today as the chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. I just want to urge all of our colleagues--all of them--to support the Agriculture bill that the Appropriations Committee reported out on a unanimous and bipartisan 28-to-0 vote. The fiscal year 2024 Agriculture appropriations bill provides nearly $26 billion to continue the important work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and of the Food and Drug Administration. This includes support for American farmers and food producers, protections for our Nation's food supply, and investments in important conservation and clean water programs. As we drafted this bill, our subcommittee made difficult decisions on how best to invest taxpayer dollars in line with the agreement forged earlier this year by both President Biden and--I would point out--House leadership. I am proud of the incredibly collaborative approach taken by Ranking Member Hoeven to make this a truly bipartisan bill. Our subcommittee held substantive hearings. We considered nearly 3,000 requests from our Senate colleagues, and we worked in an incredibly bipartisan manner to address all of the ways that these Agencies serve our Nation and our constituents. Every single State, including my own State of New Mexico, has farmers, families, and rural economies that will benefit directly from the investments in this legislation. At the core of this bill is our commitment to ensuring that families can put food on their tables and that no child goes hungry. The committee-reported bill includes $6.3 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. It safeguards the enrollment of over 6 million women, infants, and children across this Nation in this vital nutrition program; and we will continue to monitor the impacts of rising food costs and the increased participation of families in WIC. We must deliver on the goal of providing every eligible family with the full benefits that they need to keep healthy and nutritious food on their tables. Few Federal aid programs garner such broad bipartisan support as WIC, and I am confident that my colleagues will continue to sustain this essential program, just as they did when the Presiding Officer was chair of this Appropriations subcommittee. Equally important, this bill fully funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and child nutrition programs so that kids across the country will continue to receive healthy school meals. Children should be able to focus on learning and growing, not on the worries about when or if they will get their next meals. This bill also provides a $20 million increase for the Food and Drug Administration to support its mission of protecting the safety and security of our Nation's food supply. As we head into another winter flu season and see potential new upticks of COVID cases, this bill will ensure that the FDA has the resources it needs to keep our Nation's drug supply safe. This bill maintains our support for vital agricultural research and our Nation's next generation of researchers through funding for both the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. These funds support scientific discovery at land grant universities and research centers all across this great Nation. These programs protect our Nation's current food supply and ensure the long- term viability of American agriculture. I am also pleased with the $922 million that we provided for conservation efforts around the country. In the face of a rapidly changing climate and the weather impacts that that has, it is essential that our farmers and producers have access to technical assistance and the tools that they need to implement best practices on their working landscapes. Importantly, this bill makes key economic investments in rural America as well. Many rural communities, including in New Mexico, are burdened by a lack of affordable housing as their housing stock continues to age and construction costs increase. The bill provides over $30 billion for rural Americans to achieve homeownership, the majority of whom will be first-time home buyers. It also fully funds the rental assistance program, which provides a lifeline for many low-income families in rural communities. These funds are coupled with almost $2 billion for business and industry development to increase job growth and revitalize rural economies. Finally, this bill underscores our commitment to global food security by maintaining funding for vital international food aid programs. These programs support developing countries and provide for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities. As conflict and climate threats around the globe contribute to rising levels of famine and poverty, these programs demonstrate our Nation's leadership in the fight against world hunger while also building new markets for our agricultural exports. The agriculture portion of this minibus appropriations package is a bipartisan, comprehensive bill, and I am proud to see it before the full Senate for consideration. I want to take just a moment here at the end to recognize the members of our subcommittee and all of their staffs, from both the majority and the minority, for their incredibly tremendous efforts to negotiate this bill. I yield the floor.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, across more than five decades in public service, Governor Joe A. Garcia of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo was a leader among leaders, for his community and all of Indian Country. He was also a dear friend and close mentor. In so many ways, New Mexico will not be the same without him. Governor Garcia was a three-time Governor of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, where he oversaw the Self Governance Initiative, under which the Pueblo now runs all of its Bureau of Indian Affairs programs. He was serving as the Pueblo's Head Councilman at the time of his death. Governor Garcia served for two terms as the president of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving sovereign Tribal Nations. He also served as the vice president of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Fe Indian School and as the chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council-- now named the All Pueblo Council of Governors--which represents 20 Pueblos located in New Mexico and Texas. In addition, Governor Garcia was a member of the Tribal Leaders Task Force, where he served as cochair for 3 years for the Federal Communications Commission. He was also a cochair of the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration--SAMHSA--and cochair of the Tribal Transportation Self Governance Program Negotiated Rulemaking Team. As a young man, Governor Garcia served in the U.S. Air Force. After his military service, he earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico. Governor Garcia worked on the technical staff at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 25 years, working on electronics design and development for data acquisition systems. He also taught courses in computers, electronics, lasers, and math at the Northern New Mexico College from 1979 to 1983. Governor Garcia fought to advance the mission of Tribal sovereignty over education through his leadership at the Santa Fe Indian School-- SFIS. The SFIS became the first former Federal Indian boarding school where a Tribal organization--the All Indian Pueblo Council--contracted for the education of their children. Since the signing of the Santa Fe Indian School Act in 2000, the Pueblo Governors have held the school's land in trust and established an educational program based on the right and responsibility to educate New Mexico Indian children in a way that supports their cultural and traditional belief system. Governor Garcia championed both increased funding and support for SFIS and the establishment of Tribally controlled educational systems across Indian Country. On a personal note, I was fortunate to be among the many who learned from Governor Garcia--his wise counsel and advice and the example he set for all of us to follow. I will never forget sitting down with him years ago when he first encouraged me to run for the U.S. Senate to represent our great State. My thoughts are with his wife, Oneva, his daughters Melissa and MorningStar, his six grandchildren, two great- grandchildren, and all those in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico, and Indian Country who knew and loved him. The legacy that Governor Garcia built over decades of steadfast advocacy for Tribal sovereignty, educational sovereignty, and the cultural preservation of Pueblo communities will be felt for generations to come.

Mr. HEINRICH

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

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Madam President, I have five 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:

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. I ask unanimous consent to start the regularly scheduled vote.

Mr. HEINRICH

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. President, I would ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business.