Cindy Hyde-Smith

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Evann Berry for her contributions and dedicated service as a member of my personal office staff. A native of Jackson, MS, Evann earned her bachelor of science in biological engineering at Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University. After her college tenure, Evann began her professional career by serving as an emerging leader scholar for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, followed by an internship with the office of the late U.S. Senator Thad Cochran. In May 2016, Evann was hired as a full-time staff member for Senator Cochran, where she easily proved how indispensable her talents were for serving the good constituents of Mississippi. Following Senator Cochran's retirement, Evann maintained a model work ethic within my office that has proven to be a testament to her good character. Evann's contributions throughout her tenure have been invaluable to the legislative functions of not just my office but my predecessor's office as well, and her insightful input will be missed. I, along with the rest of my office, have benefitted from Evann's knowledge and experience. Her personal qualities are impeccable. She is a hard- working, courteous, and intelligent young woman, who has a strong sense of responsibility, good judgment, and a pleasant demeanor that makes her an easy person to like. Mr. President, Mississippi and our Nation have been well-served by the diligence, dedication, and commitment to excellence Evann provided on a daily basis. She has put forth her best efforts to reflect credit on me, our State, and the U.S. Senate and has been successful in doing so. I will miss Evann's good counsel. She has my appreciation and gratitude for the notable job she has done in the Senate. I wish Evann all the best in her future endeavors.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, the American people elected President Trump based in part on his promise to negotiate better trade deals with foreign nations--first among them, our largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. The President and his administration wasted no time in working with these two neighbors to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement to reflect today's economic reality. Those talks produced the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, which the President unveiled more than 1 year ago. When NAFTA was written more than a quarter of a century ago, the internet was in its infancy and few could have foreseen the increasingly globalized and digital economy we have today. USMCA takes us into the 21st century, updating antiquated rules to prohibit the theft of trade secrets, reward American innovators, and improve cross- border e-commerce, while also providing increased market access for American businesses and benefits for American workers in more traditional sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. Market access is very important to agriculture and to our Nation's economy in general. Ninety-five percent of the world's population lives outside of these United States. Without good trade agreements that give us free access to the world's marketplace, we cannot prosper in agriculture or any other business that depends on exports. The USMCA will result in a fairer deal for U.S. businesses and consumers. Today the American people should ask why it has taken more than a year for the House and Senate to take up, debate, and pass an agreement that will boost the American economy and job creation. Manufacturers, farmers, and other businesses in my State of Mississippi certainly want to know why we have not done that. The truth is, House Democrats have delayed taking action because they want first to deny President Trump a win for as long as possible and, secondly, to secure last-minute favors for Big Labor. It is ironic that these same Democrats and big labor groups now oppose USMCA because of environmental protections or labor rights. The truth is, they are largely responsible for the original NAFTA, which they now claim incentivized a mass exodus of U.S. companies to Mexico and decimated our manufacturing sector. Unfortunately, Democrats' inexcusable foot-dragging is just hurting American consumers and businesses. For years, Mississippi has worked aggressively to increase the market penetration of its manufactured goods and agricultural products in foreign markets. My State exported $11.8 billion in goods in 2018--a 61-percent increase over the past decade. Foreign trade accounts for almost 10 percent of Mississippi's GDP. More than 50,000 workers and large manufacturers, medium and small businesses, and farms played a role in producing these goods for use around the world but primarily to Canada and Mexico, my State's largest trade partners. The bottom line is, the USMCA represents an important new tool for Mississippi to expand its ability to sell more of what we produce to consumers abroad. There is no good reason for the House to have held up this 21st century trade agreement, and it is time to finally take a vote, send it to the Senate, and get it done. We all are benefiting from the strongest U.S. economy and lowest jobless rate in decades. Congress needs to do its job to help maintain and strengthen this economic growth. USMCA will create more certainty for businesses and increase business confidence, which improves the state of the world's economy. Let's pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and spend more time on accomplishing as much as we can on issues that will actually make a difference in the lives of the American people. I yield the floor.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Madam President, I am pleased to commend David Brinton for his contributions and dedicated service as a member of my personal office staff. A native of Tupelo, MS, David earned multiple degrees from Mississippi State University, including a bachelor of business administration degree with a major in business economics, a master of public policy and administration, and a master of arts in economics. Following that, David turned his attention to studying law, graduating cum laude with his juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center, while working part time. David's contributions throughout his tenure have been invaluable to the legislative functions of my office, and his insightful input will be missed. I, along with the rest of my office, have benefitted from David's knowledge and experience. His personal qualities are impeccable. He is a hard working, courteous, and intelligent young man, who has a strong sense of responsibility, good judgment, and a pleasant demeanor that makes him an easy person to like. Mississippi and our Nation have been well-served by the diligence, dedication, and commitment to excellence David provided on a daily basis. He has put forth his best efforts to reflect credit on me, my State, and the Senate, and has been successful in doing so. I will miss David's good counsel. He has my appreciation and gratitude for the notable job he has done in the Senate. I wish David, his wife Julia, and their son Henry, all the best in their future endeavors.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. 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.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, in my maiden floor speech on May 9, I spoke on behalf of thousands of Mississippians suffering from consecutive months of catastrophic flooding in the South Mississippi Delta. Today I rise again to speak on behalf of thousands of Mississippians who are still suffering from catastrophic flooding, which started in January and continues to disrupt the lives of residents in the Mississippi Delta and my State overall. Floodwaters must recede before damages can be fully assessed, but we already know that more than 600 households have suffered severe damage, nearly 400 families have been displaced since February, and agricultural losses will likely exceed $800 million. Much of the necessary infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and drainage culverts are beyond repair. In June, LaTamela Taylor--13 weeks pregnant--and Darron Wilson died when their car lost control and sank into the floodwaters. Something must be done. My colleagues might ask: How could an area more than 11 times the size of Washington, DC, remain underwater for nearly 7 months? How could floodwaters swamp more than half a million acres of homes, businesses, highways, forests, and farmlands spanning six Mississippi counties for so long? The answer is quite simple. Similar to New Orleans, a complex system of levees and floodgates constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers protected the roughly 1,446-square-mile Yazoo Backwater area in West Central Mississippi. This levee system protects the areas when the Mississippi River is high and the floodgates are closed. However, these same protections become the problem when the river is high, floodgates are closed, and excess rainfall occurs. The interior creeks and rivers have no way to drain, and the result is a bathtub-like effect. Unlike New Orleans and numerous Federal flood control projects up and down the Mississippi River, there is no mechanism to remove the trapped water from the Yazoo Backwater area. Aside from evaporation, pumping is the only viable option for removing vast amounts of water that have no place to go. This year, the Mississippi River remained above flood stage longer than anytime in recorded history. The floodgates to prevent the Mississippi River from backing up into the Yazoo Backwater area were closed in January. Above-average rainfall occurred in the months thereafter, and here we are today with a disaster on our hands. For nearly 7 months, more than a half million acres of land--866- square-mile area--has been underwater. Little attention outside of Mississippi was paid to the lives lost, the destroyed homes, or the displaced families. Roughly, 225,000 acres of agricultural crops have been destroyed or will go unplanted this year. Hundreds of thousands of acres of Timberland ruined. Whitetail deer, black bear, turkey, and other wildlife are starving to death and spreading the disease, as you can see from these pictures. Wetlands have become lakes. Stagnant, contaminated water continues to threaten human and environmental health. The list goes on. Paul Hartfield, an endangered species biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said: ``This is biblical proportion. Nothing like this has ever been seen.'' While he is correct in that the current situation in the South Mississippi Delta is a complete disaster--the worst backwater flood since 1973--devastating flooding in the area has become almost an annual occurrence. This year marks the 10th time the Yazoo Backwater area has flooded since 2008, each time causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The area residents cannot sustain this, and they certainly do not deserve this. According to U.S. census data, roughly 35 percent of the residents of the six-county area live in poverty. The median household income is $31,187 per year below the national average. This perpetual flooding plagues agriculture production, which has damaged the primary economic mainstay in this region and increased unemployment. I fear what the 2020 census will reveal. In a 1982 environmental impact statement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stated the following: Flooding in the Yazoo Area is historic and will continue as long as pumps are not constructed to complete the flood control system for the area. The flooding will continue to damage crops, homes, roads, and other improvements in the area project. In a 2007 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the Corps stated the following: The no-action alternative would not eliminate any of the flood damages the area has historically experienced. Existing Yazoo Backwater flood duration and frequency would continue to adversely affect residential and nonresidential structures. Flooding would also have adverse impacts on the standard of living for residents, interrupting daily practices and travel to work, school, and church. The Corps of Engineers was accurate in its predictions. Mississippians are living these predictions out in real life, and they have for years. It is time for the people of Mississippi to receive the level of flood protection promised to them by the Federal Government in 1941. It is time for the Corps of Engineers to complete the last remaining unconstructed feature of a 77-year flood control effort--the Yazoo Backwater pumps. The people of Mississippi are beyond ready to see this crisis resolved. They are, frankly, extremely frustrated with the Federal Government. More than 17,000 people have signed a petition to remove an Environmental Protection Agency 2008 regulatory veto preventing construction of the pumps. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and many other State leaders and organizations have been overwhelmingly in their support and advocacy for the pumps. I am grateful for this administration's responsiveness to Mississippi's perpetual flood problems and needs, and I will continue to work with the administration, relevant Federal Government agencies and departments to see this through. As I continue working to provide greater predictability and regulatory certainty for Mississippians and the American public, I am committed in my capacity as a U.S. Senator to proposing commonsense reforms to the laws governing the regulation of our Nation's waters and permitting process. For this reason, I, along with the senior Senator from Mississippi, have introduced the Flood Reduction, Wildlife Habitat, and Water Quality Improvement Act of 2019. This legislation seeks to make commonsense reforms to section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Our bill mirrors the directives outlined in Executive Order No. 13807 issued by President Donald Trump on August 24, 2017, and would establish greater discipline and accountability in the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure projects. More specifically, it would prohibit EPA from vetoing a Corps of Engineers flood control project specifically authorized by Congress. This is a basic constitutional principle of separation of powers. Further, upon enactment, it would immediately nullify any prior veto determinations made by EPA if said actions had resulted in severe flooding and damage to life and property. In closing, the arguments I have heard in opposition to this project are not valid. Pumps will save lives, property, local infrastructure, wildlife, and the environment. As we are here going about our daily lives, enjoying the comfort of the home we will return to today after work, these Mississippians are just trying to get through the next 30 minutes to keep their sanity and emotions intact. The real-life experiences Mississippians have endured over time tell the true story. It is time for the Federal Government to make good on its promises. It is time to construct the pumps.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, in my maiden floor speech on May 9, I spoke on behalf of thousands of Mississippians suffering from consecutive months of catastrophic flooding in the South Mississippi Delta. Today I rise again to speak on behalf of thousands of Mississippians who are still suffering from catastrophic flooding, which started in January and continues to disrupt the lives of residents in the Mississippi Delta and my State overall. Floodwaters must recede before damages can be fully assessed, but we already know that more than 600 households have suffered severe damage, nearly 400 families have been displaced since February, and agricultural losses will likely exceed $800 million. Much of the necessary infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and drainage culverts are beyond repair. In June, LaTamela Taylor--13 weeks pregnant--and Darron Wilson died when their car lost control and sank into the floodwaters. Something must be done. My colleagues might ask: How could an area more than 11 times the size of Washington, DC, remain underwater for nearly 7 months? How could floodwaters swamp more than half a million acres of homes, businesses, highways, forests, and farmlands spanning six Mississippi counties for so long? The answer is quite simple. Similar to New Orleans, a complex system of levees and floodgates constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers protected the roughly 1,446-square-mile Yazoo Backwater area in West Central Mississippi. This levee system protects the areas when the Mississippi River is high and the floodgates are closed. However, these same protections become the problem when the river is high, floodgates are closed, and excess rainfall occurs. The interior creeks and rivers have no way to drain, and the result is a bathtub-like effect. Unlike New Orleans and numerous Federal flood control projects up and down the Mississippi River, there is no mechanism to remove the trapped water from the Yazoo Backwater area. Aside from evaporation, pumping is the only viable option for removing vast amounts of water that have no place to go. This year, the Mississippi River remained above flood stage longer than anytime in recorded history. The floodgates to prevent the Mississippi River from backing up into the Yazoo Backwater area were closed in January. Above-average rainfall occurred in the months thereafter, and here we are today with a disaster on our hands. For nearly 7 months, more than a half million acres of land--866- square-mile area--has been underwater. Little attention outside of Mississippi was paid to the lives lost, the destroyed homes, or the displaced families. Roughly, 225,000 acres of agricultural crops have been destroyed or will go unplanted this year. Hundreds of thousands of acres of Timberland ruined. Whitetail deer, black bear, turkey, and other wildlife are starving to death and spreading the disease, as you can see from these pictures. Wetlands have become lakes. Stagnant, contaminated water continues to threaten human and environmental health. The list goes on. Paul Hartfield, an endangered species biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said: ``This is biblical proportion. Nothing like this has ever been seen.'' While he is correct in that the current situation in the South Mississippi Delta is a complete disaster--the worst backwater flood since 1973--devastating flooding in the area has become almost an annual occurrence. This year marks the 10th time the Yazoo Backwater area has flooded since 2008, each time causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The area residents cannot sustain this, and they certainly do not deserve this. According to U.S. census data, roughly 35 percent of the residents of the six-county area live in poverty. The median household income is $31,187 per year below the national average. This perpetual flooding plagues agriculture production, which has damaged the primary economic mainstay in this region and increased unemployment. I fear what the 2020 census will reveal. In a 1982 environmental impact statement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stated the following: Flooding in the Yazoo Area is historic and will continue as long as pumps are not constructed to complete the flood control system for the area. The flooding will continue to damage crops, homes, roads, and other improvements in the area project. In a 2007 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the Corps stated the following: The no-action alternative would not eliminate any of the flood damages the area has historically experienced. Existing Yazoo Backwater flood duration and frequency would continue to adversely affect residential and nonresidential structures. Flooding would also have adverse impacts on the standard of living for residents, interrupting daily practices and travel to work, school, and church. The Corps of Engineers was accurate in its predictions. Mississippians are living these predictions out in real life, and they have for years. It is time for the people of Mississippi to receive the level of flood protection promised to them by the Federal Government in 1941. It is time for the Corps of Engineers to complete the last remaining unconstructed feature of a 77-year flood control effort--the Yazoo Backwater pumps. The people of Mississippi are beyond ready to see this crisis resolved. They are, frankly, extremely frustrated with the Federal Government. More than 17,000 people have signed a petition to remove an Environmental Protection Agency 2008 regulatory veto preventing construction of the pumps. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and many other State leaders and organizations have been overwhelmingly in their support and advocacy for the pumps. I am grateful for this administration's responsiveness to Mississippi's perpetual flood problems and needs, and I will continue to work with the administration, relevant Federal Government agencies and departments to see this through. As I continue working to provide greater predictability and regulatory certainty for Mississippians and the American public, I am committed in my capacity as a U.S. Senator to proposing commonsense reforms to the laws governing the regulation of our Nation's waters and permitting process. For this reason, I, along with the senior Senator from Mississippi, have introduced the Flood Reduction, Wildlife Habitat, and Water Quality Improvement Act of 2019. This legislation seeks to make commonsense reforms to section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Our bill mirrors the directives outlined in Executive Order No. 13807 issued by President Donald Trump on August 24, 2017, and would establish greater discipline and accountability in the environmental review and permitting process for infrastructure projects. More specifically, it would prohibit EPA from vetoing a Corps of Engineers flood control project specifically authorized by Congress. This is a basic constitutional principle of separation of powers. Further, upon enactment, it would immediately nullify any prior veto determinations made by EPA if said actions had resulted in severe flooding and damage to life and property. In closing, the arguments I have heard in opposition to this project are not valid. Pumps will save lives, property, local infrastructure, wildlife, and the environment. As we are here going about our daily lives, enjoying the comfort of the home we will return to today after work, these Mississippians are just trying to get through the next 30 minutes to keep their sanity and emotions intact. The real-life experiences Mississippians have endured over time tell the true story. It is time for the Federal Government to make good on its promises. It is time to construct the pumps.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I object.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I object.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I object.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, 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.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 283, submitted earlier today.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that 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.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 1:45 p.m. tomorrow, the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of Calendar No. 375; that the Senate vote on the nomination with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. 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.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Thursday, July 25; 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, and the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues in commemorating the 50th anniversary of American astronauts becoming the first humans to walk on the Moon. It was 50 years ago that the United States met one of the biggest challenges it had ever set for itself. Through determination, hard work, invention, and innovation, the United States fulfilled President Kennedy's vision of reaching the Moon before the end of the 1960s. I remember that time very well, for July 16, 1969, was my dad's 37th birthday. We were vacationing in Florida, at the Spyglass Inn on the beach. We were so excited to be close to Merritt Island, FL, where Apollo 11 was being launched. We were in our hotel room, watching the television. That is one vacation I will never forget. As a young girl, I remember watching those first astronauts step foot on the Moon. It was with great awe that I watched Apollo 11 lift off from the Earth and watched the lunar module land safely on the surface of the Moon. With a lot of amazement, I watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as they announced ``the Eagle has landed'' and then as they took those first brave steps on the Moon. It was with great pride that I watched them plant the American flag on the Moon. Those brave NASA astronauts of the Apollo program today continue to serve as an inspiration that we are capable of anything we set our minds to. Equally important is the reminder that those astronauts could not have reached the Moon without their having the support of the thousands of men and women who were both in NASA and in the aerospace industry. It is a reminder that we are at our best when we work together. While NASA's mission has changed and evolved over the last 60 years, the aerospace industry continues to play a vital role in our quest for knowledge and America's national security mission. In my home State of Mississippi, we are very proud of the conspicuous roles our citizens play in our Nation's space exploration and endeavors. Since the earliest days of America's space program, Mississippi has played an important role in the quest to explore the stars. For more than 50 years, the John C. Stennis Space Center, in Hancock County, MS, has dutifully tested and approved NASA's largest rocket engines, including the Saturn V rockets that took our astronauts to the Moon and, later, the engines for the space shuttle program. Stennis is today testing engines and rocket stages for NASA's Space Launch System, which will again take humans beyond low-Earth orbit. I am pleased, much like in the Apollo days, that Mississippi has an important role in the SLS program. As we are fond of reminding everyone, ``The road to space goes through Mississippi.'' However, Stennis isn't only known for its rocket testing to support NASA missions; it also proudly bears the title of the ``Federal City'' and is one of the Federal Government's best places to work. With a 13,800-acre area that is surrounded by a 125,000-acre buffer zone, it has allowed dozens of our Federal and private sector tenants to take advantage of its unique isolation and security to serve our Nation's interest across many sectors, perhaps most notably in the field of oceanography and meteorology. The meteorological and oceanographic modeling and forecasting capabilities at Stennis provide naval commanders with the information they need to make good decisions that affect the safety of ships and sailors around the world every single day. The Navy's largest supercomputer is located at Stennis. The unique Federal city of Stennis Space Center covers exploration from the bottom of the ocean to the far reaches of the universe. It is America's largest rocket test complex--an impressive tsunami and weather buoy production site--and is a place where elite Naval Special Warfare personnel conduct highly advanced riverine and jungle training by using cutting-edge unmanned systems technology. Stennis also houses several private initiatives, such as Aerojet Rocketdyne's engine assembly facility, Lockheed Martin's Mississippi Space & Technology Center, a Rolls Royce test facility, and Relativity Space. The national and international scope of work that takes place at Stennis every day creates a local, direct economic impact of nearly $600 million and has nearly $1 billion in its global impact. As we mark this 50th anniversary, I am pleased that Stennis Space Center is helping to inspire, encourage, and prepare students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math-related careers--the talents we will need to get to Mars and beyond. Since its inception more than 60 years ago, NASA has pioneered scientific discovery and captivated the Nation. These capabilities are especially important in today's world, where innovation and fostering an interest among our youth in the science, technology, mathematics, and engineering fields are vital to the United States' continuing to be a success in this world. I am proud that Mississippi plays a vital role in our Nation's work to meet the technological challenges of today and tomorrow. This work occurs not only at Stennis Space Center but also at so many other related businesses across the State of Mississippi. The people of Mississippi look with pride at our role in the United States' having reached the Moon 50 years ago, and we look forward to the decades ahead when the testing, technology, and innovation taking place in our State helps the American space program reach new, monumental achievements. I believe the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing can and should inspire generations of people around the world to explore and push the boundaries of what they believe to be possible.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. I object.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, each Memorial Day we, as Americans, take time to honor the heroes who gave their lives in service to our country, from those who died in the creation of this great Nation to those who today risk their lives in the most dangerous corners of the world. As we approach this Memorial Day, I want to take a moment to honor the heroes still among us who served in the Second World War. There are fewer than half a million of these veterans still living, and we lose more than 300 every day. These men and women of the World War II era are truly heroes here among us. In the great battle between good and evil, these heroes advanced over rough terrain against bombs and bullets and tanks. Today, their battle is against the unrelenting march of time and the inescapable effects of aging. For these veterans, whose valor many of us only know from history books or movies, we still have the opportunity and sacred duty to express our gratitude, so we honor them as we aspire to be greater than we are. If we desire to serve more than ourselves, we must honor them. On this Memorial Day, I take time to draw special attention to one of these heroes, who is now hospitalized in Mississippi. Ninety-four years ago, Thomas O'Loughlin was born in an Irish- Catholic community in New Jersey. When his country called him to war, Tom responded and made his first trip to Mississippi, courtesy of the U.S. Army, for training at Camp Shelby. He deployed to the European Theater where, in January 1944, he was captured by the Axis forces and held as prisoner of war for more than a year before liberation. Following the war, Tom served as a guard during the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi war criminals. One of the prisoners in his charge was Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess. Following the Nuremberg Trials, Tom continued serving his country in the Armed Forces, once again serving in combat with the 811th Engineer Aviation Battalion assigned to the Fifth Air Force in Korea. He returned to civilian life in 1952, eventually making his way back to Mississippi. Keeping his Jersey accent and Irish sparkle, Tom made Mississippi his home and married Rachel Pitts, a Southern belle. They settled down in Laurel, MS, and like many members of the Greatest Generation, Tom dedicated himself to serving his community as a sponsor for those facing addiction. Even now, he calls from his hospital bed to encourage sobriety and offer support to those who still turn to him for help. To honor Tom O'Loughlin, I had a U.S. flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. I pray his health returns, and I ask we all offer prayers of gratitude for Tom and the other World War II veterans across our country, for they truly are heroes here among us.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Woods Eastland of Indianola, MS, for his service and contributions while serving as the 83rd president of Delta Council. Founded in 1935, Delta Council is a widely respected economic development organization representing business, professional, and agricultural leaders in the Delta region of Mississippi. I commend the Delta Council for its continuing role in improving the quality of life in this unique part of our Country. Woods Eastland's tenure as Delta Council president began in June 2018. Under Mr. Eastland's leadership, the Delta region has benefitted from his extensive experience in farm policy, water resource issues, and economic and community development, among other major issues that Delta Council addresses. Mr. Eastland graduated from Vanderbilt University and earned a juris doctorate from the University of Mississippi. A Navy veteran, Eastland began farming following his military service. He was also CEO of StaplCotn for over 24 years, where he led the largest cotton marketing firm in the United States, headquartered in Greenwood, MS. Upon his retirement, he became Chairman of the Board for another 8 years. In addition to Delta Council, Eastland serves his church, community, and Delta region through numerous leadership roles. I am pleased to offer congratulations to Woods Eastland and to share this appreciation with his wife Lynn, their two children, and grandchildren, at the time of the 84th annual meeting of the membership of Delta Council in June.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, in commemoration of National Police Week, families from across the country are gathering in Washington to pay respect to law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty last year. Mississippi tragically lost four officers who are being recognized this week at ceremonies in Mississippi and here in the Nation's Capital. On May 17, 2018, Officer Emmett Paul Morris, 61, of Louin, was killed in a car crash. Having served the Raleigh and Reservoir Police Departments, Officer Morris was described as ``a kind man who had the spirit of service.'' Patrolman LeAnn Simpson of Philadelphia, MS, died in an automobile crash while responding to a call on November 24, 2018. She was just 23 years old. Prior to joining the Philadelphia Police Department, Simpson was a sergeant in the U.S. Army. The loss of two other officers from Mississippi last year has special significance to me because they had dedicated themselves to protecting my hometown of Brookhaven in Lincoln County, MS. Officers James Kevin White, 35, of Sontag, and Corporal Walter Zachery Marshall Moak, 31, of Brookhaven, lost their lives in a terrible standoff on September 29, 2018. Corporal Moak served with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office before serving with the Wesson and Brookhaven Police Departments. Officer White, in addition to being a police officer, served in Iraq with the Mississippi National Guard. I join the families and communities of these four Mississippi officers in remembering their lives and expressing sincere gratitude for their service. Sadly, their sacrifice did not end our losses in Mississippi. Mississippians just yesterday, this past Monday, paused to mourn a veteran Biloxi police officer, Robert McKeithen, as he was laid to rest after being gunned down outside the police station on May 5, 2019--last Sunday. These officers and Trooper Kenneth ``Josh'' Smith of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, along with the more than 160 officers from around the country who lost their lives, deserve national recognition. Law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to help keep us safe, and any loss of an officer deeply affects entire communities. I greatly admire members of the law enforcement community who remain steadfast in the dangers of their noble profession. We acknowledge their brave service and fortify our support of their work to protect our families and our communities. I yield the floor.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH

Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I respect the time-honored practice of this body which encourages new Members to listen and observe before speaking on the floor. There is value in humility--knowing when to talk and when to listen. First, let me say it is a great privilege to represent the people of Mississippi in the United States Senate. I am working hard to support the needs of all Mississippians and to justify the confidence placed in me by the people of my great State. Today I rise to speak on several important topics. First and foremost, I rise to honor Officer Robert McKeithen, a 24-year-decorated veteran of the Biloxi Police Department who lost his life in the line of duty this past Sunday night, May 5. Officer McKeithen was described by his chief as ``an unbelievably fine policeman.'' He was an Air Force veteran, a husband, and a father who dedicated his life to serving the people of Biloxi, my State, and our Nation. His loss is a tragedy and a stark reminder that law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to keep us safe. Officer McKeithen's family, colleagues, and friends certainly have my deepest sympathy.