John Hoeven

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the National Defense Authorization Act. I want to begin by thanking the chairman of the Armed Services Committee and also his ranking member, Senator Jack Reed. I think Senator Inhofe and Senator Reed have both shown tremendous leadership on behalf of our men and women in uniform, working together in a bipartisan way. The Presiding Officer, as a member of our military still today, can certainly vouch for the importance of this legislation. The way they worked together and got this done, I think, is exactly the way people would want the chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee to work on behalf of our military. So I thank the good Senator from Oklahoma and his ranking member. It is really an outstanding effort. This is a very important piece of legislation. Of course, it is something that we need to get done on behalf of our military, the finest men and women in uniform in the world. This is an incredibly important support. I thank not only the chairman and the ranking member, but I also thank all of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee for their diligence and for their efforts to reach a conference agreement on this National Defense Authorization Act. This is a critical piece of legislation that supports our Armed Forces. This year, the conference agreed to $738 billion in overall funding authorization. I am a member of the Defense Appropriations Committee, so I work on the other side of the equation to make sure that those authorizations are funded. Obviously, this includes numerous provisions and investments that build readiness, modernize our force, and preserve our status as the world's preeminent military power. In addition to providing a 3.1-percent pay raise for our men and women in uniform--the largest increase in nearly a decade--the agreement also includes important provisions to support our servicemembers and veterans. I am proud to have worked on some of those and backed, of course, not only those provisions but other provisions that make this very good legislation for our men and women in uniform. Similar to legislation I helped introduce earlier this year, the NDAA extends TRICARE Reserve Select eligibility to all guardsmen and reservists, including those who also are Federal employees. That is effective beginning January 1, 2030. That is something that I know members of our Guard and Reserve felt was very important. It also includes the Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act, which repeals the current military widow's tax to ensure that surviving military spouses receive their full survivor benefits. Another bipartisan bill that I wrote together with the Senator from New Hampshire, Mrs. Jeanne Shaheen, the Air Traffic Controller Hiring Reform Act of 2019, is included in this legislation as well. It enables the FAA to prioritize the hiring of veterans and graduates of FAA- Certified Collegiate Training Initiative schools, like the University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aviation and Aerospace, and it removes the current 10-percent hiring pool limitation. That is very important for our universities that provide training in air traffic control, and it is very important for the FAA and for the safety of aviation in our country, making sure that we have qualified air traffic controllers out there managing air traffic in the national airspace. The NDAA also includes several more important measures that I was pleased to cosponsor, one that helps ensure that the children of National Guard and Reserve members have access to additional support services in school, as well as another provision that corrects the disparity in the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to protect veterans' benefits in the event they file for bankruptcy. There are many other important priorities in this legislation that go to my particular State, whether it is the MQ-9 program that our National Guard runs out of Hector Field in Fargo or whether it is the Global Hawk's mission at the Grand Forks Air Force Base or the B-52 and ICBM mission at Minot Air Force Base. All of these installations and our Guard, of course, play an incredibly important part in terms of the overall defense of our country, as well as so many other aspects. Things that we have come to rely on, whether it is flood, fire, hurricane, or anything else, who do you turn to first? It is always the National Guard. They are always there, and they are always ready. Of course, they do an amazing job when we send them overseas or in any military capacity, but they do such an amazing job for us in so many other situations. Like I said, in any kind of disaster, fire, flood, or emergency, they are there for us. The NDAA legislation also includes an amendment that I sponsored that requires the Air Force and the National Nuclear Security Administration to regularly report on their progress in developing the new ICBM and replacing its warhead. This measure will foster interagency cooperation and in turn help ensure the replacement for the Minuteman III is on schedule. Not only do we need to authorize these programs, but, as I said, we also need to provide the funding for them as well, which we do through Defense appropriations. As the Presiding Officer knows, we will be taking up that legislation soon, as well. That is the other side of the coin, that we need to make sure we get done this week, in a timely way, for the full year so that our military knows they have not only the authorization but the funding to move forward with these programs. There is no question that we have the finest military in the world and that we have the finest men and women who put everything on the line for us to serve in that military. We need to make sure we not only get these programs authorized, but that we fully appropriate the funding for those programs to support our tremendous men and women in uniform. There is no way for us to say thank you enough for all they do, but it is very important that we get our job done here and provide this very important support for them. With that, I thank you. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, once again, I rise to voice support for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The time to pass the USMCA is now. This agreement will increase exports, expand consumer choice, raise wages, and boost innovation throughout North America and especially here in the United States. It is clear that the USMCA is good for the country and good for our economy. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the USMCA will raise the GDP by nearly $63 billion and create more than 175,000 jobs in the United States. No one knows agriculture better than American farmers and ranchers, and technology has made them more efficient than ever. They have maintained an ag trade surplus for the last 50 years by exporting the best products around the world. American agriculture needs access to foreign markets to reach its full potential. The same is true for my State of North Dakota, which is a powerhouse in terms of ag product. We shipped $4.5 billion worth of ag products around the globe in 2017, which made us the country's ninth largest exporter of ag goods. Our farmers and ranchers depend on free and fair trade in order to sell the highest quality, lowest cost food supply to the world. We lead the Nation in the production of a variety of crops, including that of hard red spring wheat. Every summer, about 7.5 million acres-- one-fifth of North Dakota's farmable acres--are carpeted with rows of wheat. Currently, Canada automatically downgrades imports of U.S. wheat to the lowest designation--for animals only--regardless of the quality of the wheat. We grow the highest quality wheat in the world, and this unfair trade practice puts growers at a disadvantage when sending wheat to Canada. Having access to Canadian markets is a big win for growers, for a quarter of our State's wheat is grown within 50 miles of a Canadian grain handling facility. By eliminating the automatic downgrade of U.S. wheat, growers have access to an additional market where they will receive a premium price for their high-quality products. The USMCA ensures that North Dakota wheat growers will be compensated fairly when selling their products in Canada. These are the types of provisions that are provided for in the agreement--making it very clear that we need to get it passed. In addition to wheat, U.S. dairy products will see increased access in the Canadian market, which is estimated to be worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars. The agreement also provides for increased access to the Canadian market for other ag products, like poultry exports--chicken, eggs, and turkey--as well as others. These examples are just some of the many benefits for American agriculture in the USMCA. By maintaining all zero-tariff provisions on ag products, the USMCA will secure critical market access for U.S. farmers and ranchers. Canada and Mexico are critical markets for U.S. agriculture, and passing the USMCA will give our producers certainty that these markets will remain open for business. Our farmers and ranchers are facing real challenges right now. Severe weather has destroyed crops or has made it impossible to harvest, and unjustified retaliatory tariffs have disrupted markets and driven prices lower. That is why Congress needs to approve the USMCA. Now more than ever, farmers and ranchers depend on stability in our trading relationships with Canada and Mexico--our Nation's two largest trading partners. The failure to ratify this agreement would be detrimental to agriculture producers across the country, including in the Presiding Officer's home State. I believe the USMCA has strong, bipartisan support in the Senate, but the implementing legislation must originate in the House. That is why I urge my colleagues in the House to do what is best for the American people: take up and pass the USMCA as soon as possible. That means agreeing to the provisions in the USMCA and putting it on the floor for a vote in the House to get this process started. We need the leadership in the House to agree to take the implementing legislation and put it to a vote on the floor of the House. I think it would pass with a large bipartisan majority. Then and only then can we take up that legislation here in the Senate, which, I believe, would pass with a large bipartisan majority. We are ready to go. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I will submit my full comments for the Record as others have done. But you can tell, as we continue to go here--and we know that we have a hard stop on the vote at 5 p.m.-- Senators just want to be here to express their admiration and their appreciation and their gratitude to Senator Isakson. We wish Johnny and Dianne the very best in their next endeavors. It is hard to see Senator Isakson leave this body. He has added so much in an amazing and wonderful way for the time that he has been here. It is not just that, hands down, if we were going to vote as to the Senator who everybody appreciates the most, hands down, he would win that in a bipartisan vote. There is not a question about it. At the same time, each of the Senators has remarked on something substantive and important that Johnny has done and they have had a chance to be part of--legislation that affects this Nation and the great people of this country in a real and meaningful way. I want to talk about that for just a minute, and that is the VA MISSION Act. As the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, there is no question that Senator Isakson led the effort on behalf of our veterans in so many instances. He passed legislation and did many things to help our veterans--things that will help our veterans, not only today and tomorrow but for years and years to come. Included among those accomplishments is the VA MISSION Act. I had the opportunity to work with him on making sure we could include language in that legislation that would not only make sure that veterans have access to healthcare, medical care--both institutional VA care and from private providers-- but also that they could access those VA benefits for long-term care and for home- and community-based care. It is legislation that, thanks to Johnny, we were able to include in the VA MISSION Act. So it is not just about medical care for those veterans. It is about making sure that they can use VA reimbursement to go into nursing homes in their communities if they need nursing home care or if they need home- or community-based care. Again, it is not only the medical care but the long-term care for our veterans that will make the difference for them today, tomorrow, and in the years and years to come. This is the kind of legacy that Senator Isakson leaves. To Johnny and Dianne, we say thank you, and God bless you. We wish you the very best. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Graham, Tester, and Murray be allowed to complete their brief remarks before the vote previously scheduled for 5 p.m.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues from Iowa, Texas, and Alaska in calling for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA. VAWA was foundational to addressing domestic violence and sexual assault and supporting survivors in their recovery. VAWA expired earlier this year, and it is critical that the services and tools offered through the law are reauthorized so we can continue to help and empower survivors. Additionally, it is important that we make it known that crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking are not tolerated. Senator Ernst will be introducing this legislation, which I am cosponsoring, to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. This bill includes key Tribal provisions, such as expanding Tribal criminal jurisdiction and upholding Tribal sovereignty while amending the 2013 VAWA, and providing increased funding for Indian Tribes to address violence committed against Indians on their lands. A Department of Justice report found that more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, and Native women are significantly more likely to experience cases of stalking and physical violence by an intimate partner. Under Senator Ernst's VAWA bill, Indian Tribes will be allowed to train more lawyers and Tribal court judges, further strengthening the Tribal criminal justice system; have access to increased data and reporting on the subject of missing and murdered Indians; and will require the Department of Justice to issue annual reports to Congress in order to thoroughly track the progress of the special criminal jurisdiction and better determine trends of violence committed on Indian lands. The Committee on Indian Affairs has held hearings on violence against Indians and missing and murdered Native Americans. As chairman of the committee, I introduced legislation that would increase resources to Indian victims of crime. The Senate majority VAWA includes my SURVIVE Act, which would provide Indian Tribes with a 5-percent Tribal set aside of the Crime Victims Fund. Prior to our work on this initiative, Tribes were accessing less than 1 percent of this important funding. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have included a Tribal set- aside in the three previous fiscal years of criminal justice science packages, which underscores the importance of passing authorizing language, such as my SURVIVE Act. This VAWA bill also includes Savanna's Act, a bill I am cosponsoring, named for Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a pregnant woman from the Spirit Lake Nation in my home State who went missing and was found murdered 8 days later. Savanna's tragic death did not go unnoticed and has helped to raise awareness about missing and murdered Native American women. Savanna's Act will help to address cases of missing or murdered Indians by directing the Attorney General to review, revise, and develop law enforcement and criminal justice guidelines; improving access to Federal criminal databases; holding Tribal consultations with Indian Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations when the Department of Justice develops and implements guidelines; requiring training and technical assistance to Indian Tribes participating in the guidelines implementation process; and mandating data collection and reporting by the Department of Justice. The Senate majority VAWA includes these important Tribal bills, and I am proud to be a cosponsor of Senator Ernst's bill. There are many great provisions in this VAWA bill, and I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will give it serious consideration. We must act to reauthorize VAWA in order to help support survivors and provide them with the assistance they need to recover. Reauthorizing VAWA also sends the important message that crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking are not tolerated in this country, and that we will continue to support survivors. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to recognize and thank our veterans and their families. I commend the good Senator from the State of West Virginia. I appreciate her remarks and her incredible support for our veterans. Frankly, I want to mention my admiration for her having just completed the Marine Corps Marathon. I think that is absolutely remarkable. I know she is an avid runner, but to complete a marathon is no small achievement. Of course, to do it as part of the Marine Marathon is another great way to honor our marvelous and wonderful veterans. My father was in the Marine Corps, so I have a special affinity, of course, because of that as well. I appreciate all of our amazing, wonderful veterans. I am really honored to join my colleagues. I know the good Senator from Kansas is next. As he chairs our Ag Committee, he and I have had a lot of opportunity to work on agricultural issues. He is also another member of the Marine Corps, and I know he has served with great distinction. Again, it is a great honor to be here today and to join my colleagues in honoring our phenomenal veterans. In June, I had the opportunity to join a Senate delegation in Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. We had the honor of meeting with some of the veterans who had landed on the beaches of Normandy and were again reminded of the tremendous sacrifices that our Nation's veterans have made to preserve our way of life and keep our Nation free. It really was an honor to meet with some of those veterans and to be there in Normandy on the 75th anniversary. To see where they had landed and then to talk with them about it was an incredible way to relive history and, of course, to honor their incredible sacrifice. We also recognize that those who serve do not serve alone. We appreciate, too, the sacrifices of their families and their loved ones, who have supported them and our Nation's veterans in their service, who have done so throughout the history of our country, and who serve today, along with their veteran family members--their husbands or wives or sons or daughters, whoever they may be--who have donned the uniform to serve this great Nation. We honor their service and the service of all those who are in harm's way today. While we set aside a day each year to express our gratitude, every day, we are reminded of the dedication of those who have served to protect our freedom and our liberties. Our veterans cannot be thanked enough. Given their service and sacrifice, the least our Nation can do is to uphold its commitment to provide our veterans with the healthcare, benefits, and recognition they have so richly earned. In the Senate, we have passed landmark legislation, including the VA MISSION Act, to support our veterans and provide them with the care and services they have earned. The VA MISSION Act strengthens the VA's ability to provide care for our veterans, and when the VA is unable to do so, it gives our veterans more options by allowing them to seek care in their home communities. This has been a top priority for veterans in my State, in the rural State of North Dakota. Giving veterans more options closer to home for healthcare and long-term care is and must continue to be an absolute priority. We are also continuing to work with the VA and long-term care providers to ensure that the providers who want to treat veterans are able to do so without undertaking unnecessary burdens. We are helping veterans access long-term care--nursing home care, home-based care-- closer to home and near their loved ones. In the course of their dedicated service, our military members make sacrifices in many ways. This includes injuries both seen and unseen. We owe our veterans the best possible care in treating these wounds. That is why we have been working to improve and strengthen the VA's mental healthcare and suicide prevention programs. This includes expanding access to alternative treatment options, like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, HBOT, for veterans who have not benefited from traditional therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Additionally, I am a cosponsor of the Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act--legislation introduced by Senator Boozman--that would expand and better coordinate services that are aimed at preventing veteran suicide. As chairman of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I recognize that Native Americans serve in our Nation's Armed Forces in higher numbers than does any other ethnic group. That is why I continue to advance legislation, like our bipartisan Tribal HUD-VASH Act, that supports Native American veterans. Additionally, we are working to provide our veterans with resources and opportunities to help them continue to utilize the skills they learned in the military as they transition back to civilian life. One example is our effort to help veterans receive training to be commercial pilots. Last week, the Senate passed its fiscal year 2020 Transportation funding bill with provisions from the American Aviator Act. I introduced the bipartisan legislation with Senator Baldwin so as to expand commercial pilot training opportunities for our veterans. Our country needs commercial pilots, so it only makes sense that we leverage the skills our veterans learned in the military to help them meet this need. It is good for our country, and it is good for our veterans. These are just a few examples of our efforts to support our veterans. Our freedom has been secured by the sweat and sacrifice of the courageous men and women who throughout our history have bravely done what has been needed in order to protect our Nation and our way of life. We honor the courage and sacrifice of this Nation's veterans by ensuring they have the resources and support they need and have earned. To veterans in my home State of North Dakota and to veterans across the country, we say thank you, not only on Veterans Day but every day. May God bless these brave Americans and this great country they serve. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Arkansas for his work and also my other colleagues, those who have already spoken and the good Senator from Montana, who is going to speak right after. This really has been a bipartisan effort to make a difference, and I appreciate all my colleagues who are here today and who have done so much to advance this work, as well as the Senator from Kansas, who I believe will be speaking here in just a minute. I join my colleagues today to discuss our Nation's effort to battle the opioid abuse epidemic that has taken far too many lives and has affected communities both large and small. Our first responders, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, and medical facilities are fighting this crisis on the frontlines. That is why we worked to advance a comprehensive approach that assists these key players and empowers States and localities to combat this public health emergency. Last year, Congress passed and the President signed into law bipartisan legislation--the SUPPORT Act--to help families and communities impacted by addiction. This law supports prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts. Additionally, the SUPPORT Act contains language that I was able to cosponsor to prevent the sale and shipment of illicit and dangerous drugs. This aligns with the goals of my Illegal Synthetic Drug Safety Act, which closes a loophole that has enabled bad actors to circumvent the law to distribute synthetic variations of drugs, like the powerful drug fentanyl, by labeling the products as ``not for human consumption.'' While these variations are technically different, they hold the same dangerous risks as the original drug. The law also includes the Synthetic Tracking and Overdose Prevention Act, or STOP Act--another measure I cosponsored that requires shipments from foreign countries sent through the U.S. Postal Service to provide electronic data. This enables CBP to better target illegal substances like fentanyl and prevent them from being shipped into our country from places like China and other countries. These measures are important steps in keeping deadly drugs like fentanyl out of our communities; nevertheless, there is more to do, and we continue working to combat the opioid abuse epidemic from all sides. Just this week, I co-led a letter with Senator Shaheen encouraging the FAA to work with airlines to get opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone included in the airlines' emergency medical kits. As chairman of the Senate Ag-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee, I worked to secure $20 million in our fiscal 2020 funding legislation to support telemedicine grants that will help rural communities to combat opioid abuse as well. Additionally, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have supported the good work of Senator Blunt, the chair of the Labor- HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, to provide strong support for opioid abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives through the Department of Health and Human Services. The Labor-HHS- Education bill provides $3.9 billion for such efforts, including $800 million for the National Institutes of Health to develop pain management alternatives to opioids, as well as to study opioid addiction, and $200 million to support the great work done by our community health centers, to enable them to expand prevention and treatment services and provide access to opioid overdose-reversal drugs. Also, these bills include language I helped author that places a focus on addressing the challenges facing rural communities struggling with this ongoing crisis. The bill gives States greater flexibility in how they can use opioid abuse funds, including allowing some resources to be used to address stimulants like meth, which remains a substance of high concern in many of our rural States, including my own. We need to move forward with the Labor-HHS appropriations bill and the other full-year funding bills, including the Defense appropriations bill, which I believe we will be voting on this week, because they are vital to our national security and provide certainty for our military and our servicemembers. Passing these full-year appropriations bills will ensure that we fund important priorities, from national security to vital support for our ag producers, to combatting the opioid abuse epidemic we are talking about here today. We worked hard to pass the SUPPORT Act to provide our healthcare providers, first responders, and law enforcement with the tools to prevent drug abuse, treat those suffering from addiction, and assist those in recovery. While progress is being made, we need to continue working together to advance full-year funding bills to keep moving the ball forward in the fight against opioid abuse. We can combat the epidemic, stem its tide, and save lives. I again want to commend my colleagues and will defer to my colleagues from Montana and Kansas. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to speak on the appropriations bill that is now before the Senate. I would like, however, to defer to the ranking minority member on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee for his comments, and then I would reserve the rest of my time.

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Oregon for his work and also express appreciation for the bipartisan approach to the appropriations bill. This is regular order. This is how we are supposed to do things. It is not just the Ag appropriations bill, it is the other bills we have included in this package that includes Commerce-Justice-Science, T-HUD, as well as our Ag appropriations bill and Interior. This is the work of the Senate. This is regular order. This is how it should be done. So I am appreciative of the bipartisan approach taken not only on our bill but on these other bills and the fact that we now have them on the floor. I hope it continues in terms of regular order and bipartisanship that enables us to advance these bills in regular order. Then we have the other appropriations bills as well. We moved all 12 of these bills through our full Appropriations Committee in a bipartisan way. Now we need to do the same thing on the floor and then go to conference with the House to get this done. We have a continuing resolution in place until November 21, so it is imperative that we continue this work and that we do it in this way. I am pleased to introduce the 2020 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. This legislation passed out of our Appropriations Committee, as I said, in the case of this appropriations bill, with unanimous support out of the full Appropriations Committee. I am pleased to bring it to the floor. The other bills we have included now in this package had broad-based bipartisan support as well, as the Presiding Officer knows being a member of the full committee. I am pleased to join my colleagues on the Subcommittees on Interior; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; Commerce, Justice and Science. For now, my comments will be focused on our bill specifically, the Ag appropriations bill. Right now, farmers across this country are really up against it, no question about it. Whether you are from North Dakota, Oklahoma, points in between--east or west or north or south--our farmers are really up against it. In North Dakota, we have had unbelievable flooding. From snowstorms to rainstorms--but pretty much nonstop rain and other challenges that have left our fields swamped. We have a great diversity of crops, most of which have not been harvested because we can't get farm equipment out in the field in order to conduct that harvest. Earlier this year in May, we worked to advance supplementals to address the hurricanes--the other wildfires we had out in California, the hurricanes that hit the Southeast, and other weather disasters. So in that supplemental package we passed back in May, we included assistance that we call WHIP+ for the Midwest farm country, anticipating not only that we needed to address the flooding and problems that occurred this spring but if there were additional flooding coming. Of course, that is exactly what happened. So we worked to ensure that there is disaster assistance legislation passed that will help. Now we need to advance this appropriations bill to make sure we continue to support our folks not only due to the challenges they face because of weather issues but also low commodity prices and the real challenges we face due to trade right now. We need to keep advancing on all these fronts. Of course, this legislation is an important part of that. It includes support for our producers, funding for ag research, housing and business loan programs for rural America, domestic and international nutrition programs, and food safety and drug safety because we also fund the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, as part of this bill. Again, these are very important priorities for this body that we need to take up and pass. The subcommittee has made difficult decisions in drafting the bill, and I am proud of the work that has been done to this point. It is written to our allocation of $23.1 billion, which is $58 million above the current enacted level. We worked hard to invest taxpayer dollars responsibly, funding programs to provide assistance to our farmers in rural communities and supporting programs that provide vital direct health and safety benefits and safeguards for all Americans not only through the USDA but, as I said, the Food and Drug Administration. Agriculture supports more than 16 million jobs nationwide and forms the backbone of our rural communities. Our farmers are the best in the world, and what they do benefits every single American every single day. We have the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the history of the world, produced by our farmers and ranchers. It benefits every single American every single day. So we are talking about good farm policy and good ag policy. We are talking about something that benefits every single American every single day. Again, I thank Senator Merkley for the bipartisan working relationship we have had on our committee. I think this bill reflects a well-balanced compromise on a lot of the issues we had, not only among the members but on both sides of the aisle, and I hope my colleagues will join me in passing this important legislation. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise to support the USMCA--the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement--along with my colleagues. You heard a number of them already. You will hear more. It is compelling. It is time to act. We are ready to go. This legislation has to start in the House under fast track. We need the House to move forward. There is no question that the bipartisan support is there. Bipartisan support is here in the Senate, and bipartisan support is there in the House as well. It is just a matter of bringing the legislation to the floor and getting it passed. The benefits of this agreement are very clear. It will increase exports, expand consumer choice, raise wages, and boost innovation throughout North America and especially here in the United States. An analysis by the U.S. National Trade Commission found that USMCA will raise GDP by nearly $63 billion and create 176,000 jobs in the United States. It is clear that we need to move forward. The agreement will secure and expand market access for our ag products for an ag State like mine. It will grow our manufacturing base for manufacturing States like Ohio, whose good Senator is here to my right. It will provide important modernizations for our technology sector for States like the Presiding Officer's State. It is certainly a high-tech State. It will solidify the United States as the global energy leader. We are now, as you know, exporting energy in a bigger way than we ever have before. This just builds on that momentum. These are all significant wins for our States individually and for this country as a whole. As I said, ag is certainly a big issue for us in North Dakota. The USMCA really makes an important difference and a helpful difference for us in agriculture. For the last 50 years, our country has had a trade surplus. Our farmers and ranchers can outcompete anyone in the world. They produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world, and we have a positive balance of trade in agriculture. We need these types of trade agreements in place to continue that positive balance in our agriculture trade. In my State, for example, we shipped $4.5 billion of agriculture products around the globe in 2017, making us the ninth largest exporter of agriculture goods among the 50 States. Our farmers and ranchers depend on being able to do that. What we are seeing right now are low commodity prices in our country, which is making it very difficult for our farmers and ranchers. The best way to work out of that is with trade agreements that allow us to sell more globally. According to the ITC, when fully implemented, USMCA will increase food and exports to Canada and Mexico by $2.2 billion. This agreement secures existing market access, makes ag trade fair, increases access to the Canadian market, supports innovation in agriculture and more, which is why it is so critical that we pass this legislation as soon as we can. By maintaining all zero-tariff provisions on ag products, USMCA will secure crucial market access in Canada and Mexico for our farmers and ranchers. Canada and Mexico are critical markets for U.S. ag products. To give you some examples, Mexico is the No. 1 buyer of U.S. corn and DDGS, distillers dried grains with solubles; and Canada is the No. 2 buyer of U.S. ethanol. Additionally, Mexico is the No. 2 buyer of U.S. soybean meal, oil, and whole beans. Canada is the No. 4 buyer of soybean meal and the No. 7 buyer of soybean oil. Again, you are talking about two very large markets for ag products, for manufacturing products, and for technology--two incredibly important partners. I can go on. Again, I want to be respectful of my colleagues on the floor. This is one of those cases where it is clear. This is absolutely beneficial to our country. The point is, it is a bipartisan issue. I think, whether you talk to Members of the Senate or to Members of the House, they will tell you this is a bipartisan issue. This is a trade agreement that is good for our country and good for two very strong allies and neighbors. Obviously, Canada and Mexico are two very large trading partners. We have been on the floor before asking for the House to advance this legislation. If we could start the legislation here, we would. We would pass it right now, and we would pass it with a bipartisan vote, but it requires the House to get started. I hope that all of our colleagues will visit with their counterparts from their respective States in the House and urge that this bill be brought to the floor, passed in the House, and delivered to the Senate so we can pass it for the President to sign and put it into effect for Americans across this great country. I yield the floor.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following leader remarks, on Tuesday, October 22, the time until 12 noon be equally divided between the two leaders or their designees. I further ask that all postcloture time on Treaties Calendar No. 5, Treaty Document No. 116-1, expire at 12 noon tomorrow and that the Senate vote on the ratification of the treaty.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 368, submitted earlier today.

Mr. HOEVEN. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 200, H.R. 150.

Mr. HOEVEN. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Tuesday, October 22; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of Treaties Calendar No. 5, Treaty Document No. 116-1, under the previous order; and, finally, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the caucus meetings.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. HOEVEN

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

Mr. HOEVEN

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

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I thank the good Senator from Mississippi. This weekend, our Nation will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. This was a tremendous feat for our country. In recognition of this true American triumph, I am cosponsoring a Senate resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. Our resolution recognizes the vision of President Kennedy and the hard work and the ingenuity of the men and women of NASA who made it possible for our Nation to achieve what seemed to be an impossible goal at the time. Like many Americans, I can still remember the excitement of seeing the American flag planted on the Moon and hearing Neil Armstrong say the famous line, ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' Truly it was a giant leap. NASA not only helped develop technologies to put astronauts on the Moon, but these technologies have benefited industries, including our military, the medical field, energy, and many others. We all know NASA is a premiere center for scientific research and technological advancement, but it is important to remember that NASA's mission includes not only space but also aeronautics. As our Nation did during the space race, we are now working to stay at the forefront of new technologies, including unmanned aerial systems. In particular, I want to highlight the research NASA is doing right now in support of unmanned aviation. NASA is designing an unmanned air traffic management system that will provide air traffic control for unmanned aircraft operations. This traffic management project is critical to unlocking the potential of unmanned aviation, from package delivery to pipeline inspections. NASA is at the forefront of this effort to make unmanned flights safe and efficient for a multitude of operators. North Dakota works right along with NASA toward this goal, with a UAS test site that is helping advance all aspects of unmanned aviation. In fact, they were recently selected by the FAA to host an unmanned traffic pilot program and have developed a strong partnership with NASA to research, develop, and demonstrate this technology. I continue to support funding for unmanned traffic management research because I am confident that NASA, with the help of its industry partners, as well as our test site in North Dakota, will meet this complex technological challenge. By making a relatively small investment in unmanned traffic management research today, NASA is going to help unlock billions of dollars in economic activity in the not-too- distant future. We have worked hard to ensure that North Dakota is an important part of exploring this new NASA frontier, and we are thrilled to help realize the wide variety of benefits that unmanned aviation will bring, making our Nation more prosperous and secure, and we can only imagine where we will be 50 years from today. I yield the floor to the great Senator from the great State of Mississippi.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to engage in a colloquy with my colleagues.

Mr. HOEVEN

Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I rise today to speak about a very important issue not only for my home State but for our country, and that is the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, also referred to as the USMCA. This is the agreement that would replace NAFTA. It will increase exports, expand consumer choice, raise wages, and boost innovation not just for our country but also for two of our strongest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, as well. In the United States the U.S. International Trade Commission's analysis found that the USMCA will raise GDP by nearly $63 billion and create more than 176,000 jobs. The implementation of this agreement will also benefit my State, as it will secure and expand market access for our ag producers, and that is true for all of our ag-producing States across the country. It will help to grow our manufacturing base, as well, for our manufacturing States, such as Ohio. I see that my good friend and colleague from Ohio has just joined us. It will provide important support and help for the technology sector and energy sector. All of our different industry sectors stand to benefit from this agreement. Access to foreign markets is critical for American agriculture and for our producers, who have maintained an ag trade surplus for more than 50 years. We produce far more than we can consume in this country, and we need access to markets in Canada, Mexico, and beyond. My State of North Dakota is the ninth largest producer of ag goods, exporting and shipping $4.5 billion worth of ag products around the globe, for example, in 2017. Farmers and ranchers depend on free and fair trade to sell the highest quality, lowest cost food supply, not just in our country but in the world. We produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply. That benefits every single American every single day, and it benefits many other people around the globe if we are able to export to these other countries. According to the International Trade Commission report, the USMCA will increase U.S. ag and food exports to Canada and Mexico by $2.2 billion. This agreement secures existing market access, makes ag trade fairer, increases access to the Canadian market, and supports innovation in agriculture, which is why it is critical that Congress consider and pass this agreement as soon as possible. Passage of the USMCA will help to secure market access in Canada to U.S. farmers and ranchers as the agreement maintains all existing zero- tariff provisions on ag products. Canada and Mexico are crucial markets for U.S. agriculture and the USMCA gives the certainty that these markets will continue to remain open for business. I have more, but some of my colleagues are here. So I will turn to them, starting with my colleague from Indiana, somebody who has been active in business for many years. He built a business from scratch, from nothing to, I believe, more than 1,000 employees. He is certainly somebody who understands the importance of business and understands the importance of markets and access to those markets, and trade and export. So I turn at this point to the good Senator from Indiana for some of his thoughts on this important issue.

Mr. HOEVEN. I would like to thank the Senator from Indiana. Like our State, it is a major ag State. It also has manufacturing and many other areas. The USMCA is very important to the State of Indiana. I thank the good Senator for his comments today. I turn to the senior Senator from Iowa--another State that certainly has a big part in ag--and ask for his comments on the importance of the USMCA.