Maggie Hassan

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Mary Lawler of Jaffrey as January's Granite Stater of the Month. After retiring from a 50-year nursing career, Mary has continued to volunteer at Monadnock Community Hospital--MCH--for the past 12 years, helping to welcome new employees and set them up for success. Mary has always had a close connection to the hospital, which is where her mother worked as a nurse and where Mary herself started her career, working in the operating room. MCH is also where Mary gave birth to her children. She says that the hospital staff is very close- knit, with everyone making an effort to be friendly and make people feel comfortable. The hospital's focus on taking excellent care of patients and building such a strong community is a big part of what draws her to continue volunteering even at age 86. Mary hopes to keep volunteering as long as possible. Her medical experience lends itself to many different potential roles at the hospital, but she most often volunteers in the human resources department because that is where they need her help the most. Mary is driven by the example that her mother set when she worked at the hospital; Mary was inspired to become a nurse in part after seeing her mother's career, and she has always admired her mother's compassion for others. Mary's work ethic, generosity, and kindness is emblematic of the Granite State spirit of rolling up our sleeves and pitching in to help out, recognizing that, regardless of our stage in life, we can always make a difference. I am proud to recognize Mary's dedication to supporting the staff and the patients of Monadnock Community Hospital.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Paige Youschak-Thompson of Laconia as December's Granite Stater of the Month. Paige is known throughout the Lakes Region for her service to different organizations. Although she has always volunteered, she became more active when her daughter was in school, and now, with her daughter an adult, volunteering has become the equivalent of a full-time job. Paige volunteers 5 days a week for more than 40 hours a week. Paige will never say no when someone asks for her help. Although she does not have a favorite cause or organization, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, a local thrift shop, has a special place in her heart since it is where she first started to consistently volunteer. In addition, Paige is especially fond of helping kids in the community and believes in giving all children a chance, regardless of their income level. She worked with a local boutique to help provide free prom dresses to girls who may otherwise not be able to have one. Paige is also the chair of the community engagement committee for the Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction, which helps local children and families in need; it has distributed more than $8 million over the last 40 years to the community. Paige's strong pull towards volunteer work stems from her deep and lifelong desire to be a person who helps out and holds space for others. Paige makes other people happy in any way that she can. Being able to help the community brings her great joy, and she plans to continue volunteering for as long as she can. Paige showcases the Granite State spirit of giving every day of the year, and I am honored to name her Granite Stater of the Month. Especially as we enter the holiday season, I hope that we can all aspire to give our time and support to our community as freely as Paige does.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Connor Nicol of Hampton as November's Granite Stater of the Month. For the last 3 years, 15-year-old Connor has helped to ensure that servicemembers who died overseas are remembered. Connor creates dog tags for people to carry, or place somewhere prominent, so that servicemembers' names and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Connor was inspired to create the military identification tags, commonly called ``dog tags,'' while watching a movie about World War II, and he was struck by how young the servicemembers were. Knowing that many servicemembers never came home, he wanted to make sure that those who died overseas are always remembered. Using information from the National Archives, Connor has now made dog tags for 40,000 servicemembers who died in the Korean war, and he has recently expanded the project to create tags for those who died serving in the Vietnam war. The tags have been distributed across the country, including to veterans service organizations, church groups, Scout Troops, and schools. Connor works to ensure that the tag goes to someone who actively wants it and is dedicated to honoring the name of the servicemember. In addition to keeping the name and memory of the fallen servicemember alive, the tag also serves to remind the person carrying it of the sacrifice these men and women made in service to our country. Connor's goal is to create and distribute dog tags for those who died in additional overseas conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam war, and the Global War on Terror. If you would like to request a tag, you can do so through his website, www.wewillremember.us. Connor's dedication to respecting and commemorating military service is a strong reflection of the Granite State spirit of patriotism. In New Hampshire, we honor those who keep our country safe, secure, and free. I thank Connor for his work to make sure that those who died in service to our country will never be forgotten.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Dr. Reiko Johnson of Newfields and Dr. Nathan Swanson of Durham as October's Granite Staters of the Month. The duo is working to provide free dental care for patients in need, including recently hosting a Dental Day of Caring this past month. In March 2021, recently vaccinated and with an urge to give back to her community, Dr. Johnson began looking for medical volunteer opportunities. In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she had provided telehealth services as a primary care provider at Catholic Medical Center, and she was itching to be face-to-face with patients again. When she was not able to find a volunteer clinic in the area, she decided to take matters into her own hands and start her own mobile clinic, modeled on a free health clinic that she had previously volunteered at in Hampton. Dr. Johnson established the Volunteers in Medicine of New Hampshire-- VIM-NH--and held its first free clinic in January of this year, providing primary and acute care services for uninsured and underinsured patients and connecting them to long-term primary care providers. However, over the months that followed, it became clear to Dr. Johnson that many of the clinic's patients had critical dental issues that she and her volunteers were not equipped to deal with. To address this issue, Dr. Johnson partnered with Dr. Nathan Swanson last month to host VIM-NH's first Dental Day of Caring. Dr. Swanson had learned about Dr. Johnson's work from Emily Komerska, a UNH pre-med student and longtime family friend, and he immediately knew he wanted to get involved. During the event, which took place at Dr. Swanson's office using his equipment, the 4 volunteer dentists and 6 assistants provided 19 extractions, 10 fillings, and 1 root canal--donating $11,531 total in services. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Swanson's partnership is a shining example of the Granite State spirit of coming together to help people in need. Many of the clinic's patients, including people experiencing homelessness and people without insurance, would not be able to receive this vital care otherwise. I applaud Dr. Johnson and Dr. Swanson's dedication to making a difference, and I look forward to seeing how they continue their Dental Day of Caring initiative.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Barbara Hays of Bow as September's Granite Stater of the Month. Barbara leads a group of women at her senior living center who make fidget and lap quilts to donate to local hospital patients and veterans. When Barbara retired after decades of working at a telephone and communications company, she found herself with a desire to make a positive difference in her community during her new free time. With a friend, she began sewing small lap quilts and donating them to Concord Hospital. During one dropoff, the nurses at the hospital asked if she had ever considered making fidget quilts. These quilts have zippers, elastics, and different fabric textures sewed on to provide sensory stimulation for patients with Alzheimer's and other health challenges. Barbara wasn't familiar with this type of quilt, but she was eager to try a new way to help people. She watched videos on YouTube to learn how to make them, and earlier this year, she helped start a workshop for the women at her senior living center in Bow to start making them together. They began to meet twice a month in the community room, each putting together different parts of the quilts. This past June, Barbara put together a Fidget Quilt Showcase at her White Rock Senior Living Community in order to showcase 40 quilts that the ``Happy Quilters of White Rock'' had made. In addition, she invited some nurses to join to explain how these quilts can help keep patients' minds busy and prevent them from picking at an IV, for example. Afterward, the group donated a total of 70 fidget quilts to the Visiting Nurse Association, Concord Hospital, the Tilton Veterans Home, and the Manchester VA Medical Center. Barbara's initiative is emblematic of the Granite State spirit of generosity in many ways. Not only do the fidget blankets make a tremendous difference in the lives of patients with Alzheimer's or dementia, but her quilting group also brings people together at her senior living center. Barbara made sure that even those who had no experience quilting could participate, creating a sense of belonging for everyone. I commend Barbara for making a positive difference in her community, and I am sending the ``Happy Quilters of White Rock'' my well wishes as they start another round of quilt-making this year.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I want to offer my condolences to Dianne's family, to her colleagues in California, to the Speaker Emerita, to my colleague Senator Padilla, and to so many of our friends and colleagues who are watching today. I wanted to rise just because I am one of the newer women in the U.S. Senate, and I wanted to acknowledge the difference that Dianne Feinstein's example and work has made for me, for my constituents, for our daughters, and our granddaughters. When I came to the Senate, the bipartisan women's dinners were long- established. I didn't have to think about how I would get to know my women colleagues and share experiences and learn the ropes from them because Dianne Feinstein and her other colleagues who were early pioneers in the Senate had already done some of that work for us. I didn't have to think about whether there was going to be a women's bathroom right off the floor that I could use just the way the men use their bathroom in quick moments because Dianne Feinstein and others had paved the way. I didn't have to think about whether I would be accepted in the same way that Dianne Feinstein had to because she had already done that really difficult work of being that much better than everybody else to make sure that she never let women down and that she never let her constituents down. This morning, after Senator Murray called us and said that we are all going to be on the floor, I was rushing to get ready, and to Senator Murkowski's point, I put on different shoes than I was planning to. They were shoes that Dianne had admired. She had the same pair, and she told me they were good ones to wear. I wore a scarf--it is not one Dianne gave me but because I thought Dianne would think it would add a little something to my presence today. In the last few months of her service, Dianne graced us with her dignity and with her friendship. She had a way of sitting down next to me in caucus lunch and checking in. She knew I had had some particular caregiving challenges at home, and she would always say to me: Who is with Ben right now? Ben is our son. How are things with the family? I am not sure people really understand that women still have family responsibilities that aren't easily transferable. She wanted me always to know that we had made a lot of progress but that there was still progress to make. And in her way of nudging us and being an example for us, she was reminding us that we still have work to do and she was counting on us to do it. The last meeting that my senior Senator and I had with Dianne about an issue that was really important to our State and we needed a vote on, she had been home in California recuperating, and she had just made it back to the Senate. And we went to meet with her in her hideaway, and I, frankly, didn't know what to expect. I didn't know how her health would be. She had a memo--it wasn't a short one--that laid out the entire issue that we were there to talk to her about. She went through that memo, several places, and said: Well, I read here that this is the case, and I read there that that is the case, and you both are telling me that you think I should vote in a particular way. We went back and forth about a couple of issues. We reinforced our arguments, our belief in why she should vote to support our position. She asked us questions. She knew her stuff. She had read the memo. And she said for a number of reasons--and she laid them out--that she would vote with us. She had muscle memory that pulled her up to her full height. She had the intellectual discipline and memory to understand how to cut to the chase and make sure she understood the essence of the issue we were dealing with. And she was reminding us of what you are supposed to do to serve your constituents, your State, and your country as a U.S. Senator. May her memory be a blessing. I yield the floor.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Madam President, I am honored to recognize Georgia Merrill of Brentwood as August's Granite Stater of the Month. For the past 8 years, 14-year-old Georgia has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the New Hampshire Food Bank through her Peach Project initiative. When Georgia was 6 years old and driving in a car with her grandmother, she saw a homeless person on the side of the road holding a sign that read, ``I'm hungry.'' It was a moment that stuck with her and inspired her to give back to her community. She went home and asked her mom if they could set up a bake sale with proceeds going to people like the man she had just seen on the road. Georgia--along with her mother Erin, her dad Josh, and brothers Owen and Miles--started holding bake sales, with sales going to the NH Food Bank. Georgia's nickname is Georgia Peach, and so they decided to name the initiative the ``Georgia Peach Project.'' Georgia's parents were touched by their daughter's commitment to helping those in need and worked with Georgia to take the project even further. Georgia started new projects, and they spread the word about them on social media and got other families in their community involved. Now, the project's various initiatives include making and selling bracelets with proceeds going to the NH Food Bank, holding a food collection, passing out cards to classmates at school encouraging them to donate, and hosting a community holiday concert. In addition, every year, they organize a holiday stroll partnering with local organizations and families who commit to decorating a part of the walk. The event also includes a bake sale, a silent auction, and live entertainment--with all donations from the night going to the NH Food Bank. Since the start of the Peach Project, Georgia has raised more than $66,000 for the NH Food Bank. Her commitment to serving her community at such a young age is an inspiration for all of us. After she saw a neighbor in need, it was clear to her that she needed to bring her community together to do whatever it could do to help. Georgia's ability to think about the needs of those around her and then act to address them exemplifies the Granite State spirit of generosity, and her work demonstrates that you can always make a difference by getting involved in your community.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues and share my deep concern and outrage regarding Senator Tuberville's decision to block the promotions of hundreds of servicemembers. I want to take a moment and share why I believe this action weakens our national security, hurts our servicemembers who are in harm's way, ignores the wishes of the American people, and betrays our country's bipartisan commitment to our servicemembers. By blocking the promotions of hundreds of servicemembers, the Senator from Alabama is preventing our military from being properly staffed and led. This diminishes our military's effectiveness and combat-readiness. Senator Tuberville has told us that he is doing this not because he has any concern with these officers' ability to command; instead, Senator Tuberville tells us he is blocking these promotions simply to advance a personal political agenda to take away reproductive freedom from female servicemembers. It is not only outrageous but bitterly ironic that, while the Senator from Alabama trusts women in uniform to defend our country, while he trusts them to keep all of us safe, while he trusts them to risk their lives for our freedom, he does not trust them to make their own healthcare decisions. Senator Tuberville's decision to block these promotions not only hurts female servicemembers, it makes America less safe. What did Senator Tuberville even accomplish by what is truly a reckless stunt? Can my colleague from Alabama explain how blocking promotions for servicemembers strengthens our national security? What kind of message do we send to our allies and our adversaries that America's combat readiness can be undermined because of one Senator's partisan stunt? And can he tell us why the health, safety, and daily lives of servicemembers are less important than his own personal and political agenda? Our brave men and women in uniform put their lives on the line in order to protect our freedoms. We could not freely assemble here in this Chamber without their dedication and sacrifice. There simply is no U.S. Senate without the service of our Armed Forces. Our servicemembers place their trust in us to ensure that they are properly supported, including by being sufficiently staffed and led. Let me be very, very clear: Senator Tuberville's actions mark nothing less than an abdication and betrayal of that trust. It is also clear that in pushing this personal partisan agenda, the Senator from Alabama is deeply out of step with the majority of Americans. He is not representing the American people. I know--as I think all of us do--that Americans, regardless of their views or political party, share a common love of country. We stand united in support of our servicemembers because our servicemembers do not risk their lives for red States or blue; they fight for the freedom of all Americans, and they deserve the support of all Americans. Bipartisan support for servicemembers has exemplified our country at our best. No issue, no matter how important, should stand in the way of ensuring that our military has the support and leadership that it needs to succeed. I was reminded of this in April, when I was on a congressional delegation trip and visiting the Northern Command out in Colorado Springs. I met with one of the people who Senator Kelly talked about, Rear Admiral Cheever. He hosted the visit, and he coordinated it. I had a wonderful briefing from him and his leadership team about issues of cyber security, about our quantum readiness. As you heard Senator Kelly say, Rear Admiral Cheever has been nominated to become a vice admiral and command the Naval Air Force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet--even more responsibility. He is ready to do it. The Senator from Alabama doesn't disagree that he is ready to do it. But as we left that day, he told me that his promotion was in limbo because of the hold that our colleague from Alabama has put on his promotion. We need him in that position. He and his family and his fellow service men and women need him in that position and are waiting for the Senator from Alabama. It is fitting that we are discussing this issue on July 26, for it was on July 26, 1947, that the National Security Act of 1947 was signed into law. This law established the Defense Department, an institution with officers whose promotions the Senator from Alabama is blocking today. This law was passed with overwhelming support from leaders of both parties. In 1947, of course, the Senate was full of debates and even bitter disagreements on all sorts of issues, just as it is today. But Senators understood that while we can debate all day on any number of issues, we owed it to our servicemembers and the American people to stand united in our efforts to support our military and to keep Americans safe, secure, and free. In the same manner, our military works together despite their own personal differences or political views. My father served in World War II and survived the Battle of the Bulge. He told me that the members of his unit came from all sorts of different backgrounds. They, no doubt, held many different views, but on the battlefield, those differences weren't important. What mattered was their common bond as Americans, their common love of country, and their common commitment to freedom. What my father's generation did and what our servicemembers do every day is nothing less than extraordinary. Compared to their courage, the political and dangerous game that Senator Tuberville is playing seems very, very small. No Senator, no matter their party, has the right to put their personal and political agenda ahead of our national security and our servicemembers' freedom and safety. I urge my Republican colleagues to join me in opposing Senator Tuberville's efforts to undermine our bipartisan commitment to our servicemembers and our national security because, ultimately, this kind of reckless, partisan game does not reflect who we are as Americans. On distant battlefields and in faraway places, thousands of miles from their homes, our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives and confront great dangers so that all of us--including my colleague from Alabama--can be safe, secure, and free. While my colleague stands in the way of promotions, our servicemembers stand in the way of our greatest foes. We can't ever repay the debt that we owe those who served, but we owe them nothing less than our full support, and that starts with ending this reckless stunt, uniting as Americans, and advancing these overdue promotions. I yield the floor.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Lt. Stephen Holmes of Candia as July's Granite Stater of the Month. Stephen, a Marine Corps veteran and a firefighter, is working to destigmatize mental health among first responders by visiting New Hampshire fire departments and sharing his own experience dealing with PTSD. At age 17, Stephen enlisted in the Marine Corps infantry and went on to serve three tours of duty in Iraq. On his return home 4 years later, he wanted to continue helping others through public service and decided to join the Exeter Fire Department. However, it soon became clear that he was struggling with serious symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anger, and he was diagnosed with PTSD at the Manchester VA. Stephen took a leave of absence from the Exeter Fire Department due to his mental health, and during this time, Stephen's wife gave him a book on meditation, which turned out to be his saving grace. After trying many other therapeutic techniques recommended by his doctors, Stephen found that meditation worked best for him to help him feel at peace. Stephen did not stop there. After returning to the Exeter Fire Department, he wanted to use the lessons he had learned to shed more light on the issue of first responders' mental health. With the help of other Fire and EMS professionals, Stephen began visiting one fire station after another to share his mental health struggles and the importance of seeking care. Already, many of his peers have started receiving mental health treatment, Stephen's story having provided the push that they needed and the validation that it is okay to need help. Many first responders might believe that they cannot seek help, since they are the ones that the rest of us rely on in a crisis. However, first responders often need mental health care precisely because of how high-pressure their jobs are and the suffering that they see, which is why Stephen's work is all the more important--he is sharing his firsthand experiences, breaking down stigma, and letting first responders know that it is okay to seek the care that they need. Stephen exemplifies the Granite State spirit of commitment to community and person-to-person advocacy to bring about positive change. I am deeply grateful, as I know his fellow first responders are, for his bravery and compassion in sharing his personal experiences, and I look forward to seeing how he continues to change people's lives.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, today it is my pleasure to recognize the 100th anniversary of Laconia, New Hampshire's Motorcycle Week. Over the last century, riders from New Hampshire and across the country have gathered in Laconia--the heart of New Hampshire's beautiful Lakes Region--to gather with friends, celebrate their shared passion for motorcycles, and ride together. Many consider Laconia's Bike Week to be the oldest national motorcycle rally in the country. For decades, it was the largest motorcycle rally in the United States, and it still draws more than 300,000 people a year, which helps support the economy of the Lakes Region and the rest of New Hampshire as Bike Week participants patronize our small businesses. Laconia Bike Week is a well-known and beloved tradition for countless Granite Staters and bikers near and far. For many, just the name Bike Week evokes fond memories of Laconia rallies from past years, from cruising New Hampshire's highways and scenic byways, to spending time with friends, old and new. Bike Week, of course, does not happen without effort; it takes time and dedication from the event organizers, who each summer come together to make this week possible. Nor is it by chance that this event takes place in New Hampshire; Bike Week is a part of the very fabric of the Granite State. Bike Week shows off our State's natural beauty; a ride through Laconia, with an open road ahead and a breeze from Lake Winnipesaukee blowing by, reminds us of why Granite Staters are always proud to call New Hampshire home. For bikers and nonbikers alike, the roar and thunder of engines, the thrill of zooming down a highway, the dazzling tricks and stunts performed at rallies--summon up our State's spirit. One of the many pieces that makes Bike Week special is that riders have also regularly used the event as a means to raise awareness and support for critical issues facing New Hampshire and our country. In 1957, riders raised money to help fund polio research and support families who were grappling with that disease. This year also marks the 35th anniversary of the Meredith POW/MIA Awareness Vigil and the 30th anniversary of the Freedom Ride to honor American POW/MIA servicemembers, spearheaded by the Northeast POW/MIA Network. Over the past few years, more than 2,000 motorcyclists have joined the Freedom Ride to commemorate the sacrifice of POW/MIA servicemembers and raise awareness for the missing servicemembers who have not been found. The Freedom Ride reminds servicemembers, their families, and all Americans that POW/MIA servicemembers--both those who have returned and those who remain missing--will never be forgotten. These acts of recognition and service have helped make Bike Week into a New Hampshire and American institution. For 100 years in Laconia, Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life have come together-- united by their shared enthusiasm and their deep love for our beautiful country--and worked to make our community and our country a better place. One does not have to be a biker to appreciate that this spirit of enthusiasm, service, and love of country embodies New Hampshire--and America--at our best. On behalf of Congress and all Granite Staters, I offer my congratulations to the event organizers for 100 years of Laconia Motorcycle Week. I have no doubt that Granite Staters and Americans across the country can look forward to it for generations to come.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Madam President, I am honored to recognize Robert and Linda Burlock of Berlin as April's Granite Staters of the Month. For half a century, the couple has shown tremendous dedication to their community by continually welcoming new families and residents moving into the East Side of Berlin. Throughout the time that Robert--``Bobby''--and Linda have lived on Grafton Street in Berlin, every time newcomers have arrived, they have made it their personal mission to welcome them. They are the unofficial ambassadors for the neighborhood. One time, when Bobby saw from across the street two newcomers struggling to move their furniture, he sprung up to help. He originally had taken days off of work to relax and lay back, but instead, he spent the next few days helping the newcomers settle in. Another time, when a neighbor's father passed away, Bobby helped her clean out her father's garage, a task that would have been daunting if done alone. When heavy snow covered Grafton Street, Bobby would send over a buddy with a snow plow to his neighbors' yards, and when their front yards were overgrown with grass, he would offer to mow their lawns. Linda worked in lockstep with her husband to welcome the newcomers, always inviting them over for drinks and quickly forging strong friendships. For every new neighbor, she would always make a dish to send over as a welcome gesture. Beyond any single act of assistance, Bobby and Linda have developed a sense of community in Berlin that is truly special. When their longtime neighbor and good friend passed away a few years ago, a newcomer moved in from New Jersey. Although he kept to himself at first, Bobby and Linda were determined to get to know him, and soon enough they were good friends. Bobby says that he now sees his new neighbor as another son. Bobby and Linda's generosity leaves a lasting impact on the people that they assist, showing neighbors, new and old, that everybody counts. And they set an example for all Granite Staters by showing that each and every one of us can make a difference in our own community. I hope that all Granite Staters are inspired by Bobby and Linda's story and follow their example of extending kindness to strangers, since our communities are only as strong as their individual members. Bobby and Linda are a shining example of the Granite State spirit of kindness and generosity, and I am glad to honor the neighborhood spirit that they have created on the East Side of Berlin.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Madam President, today it is my esteemed pleasure to honor MAJ Sara Miller for her outstanding military service and her exemplary work in my office for the people of New Hampshire. Sara is truly a servant leader who excelled in her year in my office and then for a year and a half as an Army liaison with the Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison. A dedicated mother, wife, and soldier, Sara is leaving her current assignment and--with her husband Daniel, who is also an Army major--heading to Fort Carson, CO, for their next duty assignment. As a dual military family, the Millers know service and sacrifice better than most. MAJ Sara Miller was born in Lancaster, PA, and moved to Marietta, GA, in 1997. A natural athlete, Sara was recruited out of high school where she earned a scholarship to play soccer at Newberry College in Newberry, SC. After graduating in 2010, her Army career began when she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army's Adjutant General's Corps. Over the past 13 years, Sara's primary responsibilities have been ensuring that units under her purview met all personnel readiness requirements to accomplish a variety of critical missions. Her duty assignments included Fort Bragg, NC, and Fort Carson, CO, before she began her time here in Congress. Sara has served in a variety of Adjutant General's Corps positions at the battalion, brigade, and division level. She also served as commander for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), at Fort Bragg. During her deployments overseas, Sara has consistently shown courage, dedication, and leadership. She served during four deployments to the Middle East, including tours to Qatar in 2012, 2013, and 2015, where she helped support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. Her last deployment was to Afghanistan in 2019 as part of the 4th Infantry Division Headquarters, where she was second in charge of personnel for U.S.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate National Infertility Awareness Week, which since 1989 has honored the people, doctors, researchers, and others for their work in destigmatizing infertility and raising awareness of the challenges many people face when trying to start a family. Creating life and starting and nurturing a family are, of course, foundational experiences that bring challenges, rewards, and great joy. For millions of people, however, infertility is a barrier to having children, affecting approximately one in five Americans. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of doctors, scientists, and researchers though, our country has made great strides in helping better understand infertility and provide treatments and support for people who are struggling to start a family. Tens of thousands of children were born last year alone thanks to IVF. And organizations like Resolve: The National Infertility Association have been instrumental in supporting people who struggle with infertility, as well as raising awareness about this critical issue. Unfortunately, many couples still face financial and other barriers to using this procedure, and I urge my colleagues to consider ways that we can make it easier and more affordable for people to start a family in this way. If we believe that everyone in our country counts and should be free to reach their full potential, then we need to do more to ensure that more Americans are able and free to start a family, so they too can partake in one of life's most rewarding journeys.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Madam President, I am honored to recognize Alex Ray and Lisa Mure of Holderness and Susan Mathison and Steve Rand of Plymouth as March's Granite Staters of the Month. The group of friends started a nonprofit, Common Man for Ukraine, that has raised more than $2.6 million for Ukrainian children impacted by Putin's unconscionable invasion of Ukraine. Following the onset of the war, the group wanted to figure out how they could help the Ukrainian people. Through their membership with the Plymouth Rotary Club, Alex and Steve connected with Rotarian leaders in Poland, which was already seeing an influx of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict. And then Alex, Susan, Steve, and Lisa jumped into action. Within just 2 weeks, the four friends were on the ground in Poland and Ukraine meeting with Ukrainian and Polish Rotary Club leaders about the needs of local displaced person camps, orphanages, and safehouses for displaced children. When the group returned to New Hampshire, they began to raise funds, with the first donation being $500 from the Plymouth Rotary Club. Since then, they have raised more than $2.6 million to purchase 750 tons of food for their partners in Poland. The NH Fisher Cats AA baseball team also hosted a benefit game to raise funds. The group has not let up in their efforts over the past year. They have visited Poland and Ukraine three more times to evaluate the changing needs on the ground in coordination with their Rotarian partners. In addition to packing warehouses with essential goods, they also delivered those relief supplies themselves to safehouses and orphanages for children impacted by the war. This past Christmas, they brought personal solar lanterns, food, generators, and presents to 21 Ukrainian orphanages, so that the children could experience literal and symbolic light throughout the various power outages. When the Granite Staters arrived with the supplies, the children excitedly came outside in the cold to greet them, and they were able to share Christmas greetings and carols despite the language barrier. The four volunteers bravely returned to Ukraine on the war's February anniversary to deliver supplies to 14 additional orphanages and safehouses. The work that Alex, Susan, Steve, and Lisa have done with their nonprofit organization is an incredible testament to the impact that Granite Staters can have, even across the world, when they are helping others. They refused to stand by during a devastating war and the subsequent refugee crisis, instead boldly finding a way to directly help Ukrainian children. Alex, Susan, Steve, and Lisa embody the Granite State spirit of taking on a challenge directly in order to make a real difference, and I know that they will continue to make New Hampshire proud through their work in Poland and Ukraine.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. Well, Mr. President, thank you to my colleague Senator Booker for that kind introduction and as important, if not more, for his great comments about the importance of the Affordable Care Act to our constituents, to our communities, to our State, to our country, to the cause of human dignity. I rise today to join my colleagues in commemorating the passage of the Affordable Care Act 13 years ago. I am so grateful to be here not only with Senator Booker but Senator Wyden and Senator Casey and grateful for their advocacy and their efforts to really help people understand the difference that this law has made for the people of our country. I want to take a moment to discuss the difference that this law has made for the people in New Hampshire. I also want to build on what Senator Booker just talked about by talking about the growing bipartisan support for Medicaid expansion and how that shows just how much we can accomplish when we put politics aside and we work together. It also shows the urgent need that we have for remaining States to follow New Hampshire's bipartisan example and adopt Medicaid expansion. The Affordable Care Act, and Medicaid expansion in particular, has done more to improve the health of the people of our country than any law passed in the last 50 years. This law was based on a simple proposition that when everyone has access to quality, affordable care, our country is stronger and our people are more free. Our people are more free because, as the adage goes, when you have your health, you have everything. We do not fully appreciate these words until we or someone we love falls ill. Facing health challenges is never easy, but it is easy to forget how much more daunting they used to be before the Affordable Care Act. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans now have the freedom and peace of mind of knowing that they will not be denied access to affordable healthcare, even if they lose their job or have a preexisting condition. For too long, many Americans had to pay painfully high premiums or were even denied coverage altogether just because they had a preexisting condition. These conditions range from diseases like cancer and diabetes to pregnancy or asthma. Often, people with these conditions are the very people who need care the most. No matter your political party, all of us should be united in celebrating that the days of denying someone coverage on account of a preexisting condition have ended. Granite Staters know the difference that the Affordable Care Act has made. As Governor, I led the effort to get Medicaid expansion done, signing it into law in March of 2014. Only a handful of months later, the plan was implemented, thanks to extraordinary work by the employees of our State's Department of Health and Human Services. Medicaid expansion has made an incredible difference for tens of thousands of Granite Staters. Medicaid expansion has made our people healthier and our workforce stronger. Since 2014, the uninsured rate in New Hampshire fell by over 40 percent. More than 200,000 Granite Staters have participated in expanded Medicaid. All of us in this Chamber have entered public service with the hope that we will help our communities and our country. Make no mistake, behind these statistics, and similar statistics for other States, are countless stories of people whose lives were transformed or even saved by the law. For many, it made their families more financially secure. For others, it allowed them to address longstanding health challenges that prevented them from participating in the workforce. I want to share one of these stories. The Affordable Care Act has made a great difference for people struggling with addiction and substance misuse. Some may not know this, but in many States, Medicaid expansion marked the first time that substance misuse treatment was covered by Medicaid. This is particularly important for a State like New Hampshire, which has been hit hard by the substance misuse crisis. Whenever I talk about expanding Medicaid, one of the first people I think of is a woman I met in Manchester named Ashley. For nearly a decade, Ashley struggled with heroin addiction. At one point, she was arrested, and eventually her then-husband overdosed, but that was not the end of Ashley's story. In 2016, she became one of the tens of thousands of Granite Staters who have received substance misuse or mental health treatment covered by New Hampshire's Medicaid expansion. She went into recovery, found work, and has rebuilt her life. Ashley now works for a recovery community organization, helping others get the help and support that they need. None of this would have been possible without Ashley's strength and perseverance or if we failed to expand Medicaid. Ashley's story is a reminder of why Medicaid expansion matters for so many Americans. It has helped countless people get the care that they need to be healthy, have a job, and participate in their communities. The benefits of expanded Medicaid for people like Ashley is, in part, why Medicaid expansion has gained bipartisan support over the last decade. Even when partisan politicians have been slow to act, voters from both parties have come together and pushed Medicaid expansion forward. Just last November, voters in South Dakota voted to expand Medicaid. They were the latest in a long line of Republican-led States whose voters went to the polls and passed Medicaid expansion, including Nebraska, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Utah. These ballot initiatives only passed because voters from both parties stood together, and we can learn from their example. This growing bipartisan consensus is an example of our capacity to solve problems when we work together. This has certainly been true in my own State. It was not that long ago that Medicaid expansion was at the center of our most polarizing, partisan debates. I know because I was in the middle of them as Governor. The debates were long, and the negotiations tough, with a divided State legislature. But, ultimately, we adopted bipartisan Medicaid expansion in New Hampshire. By listening to each other and finding ways to work together, we were able to put people's health ahead of politics and get it done. Just recently, the New Hampshire Republican-controlled State Senate voted unanimously to support reauthorizing the expanded Medicaid Program. What was once a political lightning rod is now an essential part of our public healthcare system. It has also strengthened both our economy and our workforce. Workers are more secure in seeking new and better jobs, knowing that if they have to switch insurance plans, they will not be denied coverage on account of a preexisting condition. And people who couldn't get healthcare for a medical condition and, in turn, couldn't work because of their condition, can now get health insurance, get the treatment that they need, and join the workforce. In short, this law has become a fundamental part of our State's promise to do right by Granite Staters. New Hampshire's bipartisan Medicaid expansion as well as the bipartisan efforts in other States are an important reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together. When we take the politics out of an issue, when we care more about whether an idea is good rather than whether it is red or blue, we can accomplish tremendous things. We can make our country a better place because, ultimately, the Affordable Care Act was nothing less than a step forward for the cause of human dignity and freedom. To be sure, there is much more work we need to do to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare, and I welcome my colleagues to join me in bipartisan efforts to do just that. Having listened to my colleague Senator Casey just a few minutes ago, I want to note my agreement with him that cutting Medicaid or repealing the Affordable Care Act are not measures that will meet that goal. I also urge Governors and legislators in the remaining States that have not expanded Medicaid to follow the bipartisan example that New Hampshire and other States have set. Look at the difference it has made in my State and in States across the country. This is an effort that has the support of majorities in both parties and should unite all Americans. Thank you to everyone in this body and in legislatures across the country who made the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion a reality. I sincerely hope that we bring the same bipartisan commitment that Medicaid expansion enjoys now to tackle future challenges, because today is a reminder that, when we leave partisan debates in the past and find ways to work together, we can build a country that is stronger and more free. With that, Mr. President, I am very proud and grateful to yield the floor to my colleague Senator Wyden, who has been such an extraordinary leader in improving and expanding access to healthcare and dignity for all Americans. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. HASSAN

Ms. HASSAN. I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.