Ben Luján

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and share the inspiring story of native New Mexican Mr. Valdemar DeHerrera, a World War II veteran and prisoner of war, who celebrated his 105th birthday on October 8, 2024. Valdemar is one of the last American survivors of the fighting in Bataan and Corregidor in the Philippines during the end of World War II. Valdemar was raised near Taos in the town of Costilla as the third of 14 children. Valdemar helped his family with farming, raising sheep, chickens, cattle, pigs, horses, and crops until dropping out of school in the 10th grade to join the Civilian Conservation Corps. Valdemar did manual labor for conservation projects on rural lands owned by State, local, and Federal governments until he was drafted into the Army at 22 years old. He was sent to train in Fort Bliss, TX, and later deployed to the 515 Coast Artillery in the Philippines. During the war, Valdemar was captured as a Japanese prisoner of war. He survived the Bataan Death March by escaping to Corregidor Island. Shortly after, Valdemar and his fellow escapees were captured by the Japanese. During his 3 years and 7 months in captivity, Valdemar was forced to work at a textile plant in Manchuria. He survived off rations consisting of one cup of rice, two cups of water a day, and foraging for grasshoppers, monkeys, and wild spinach. Valdemar was liberated in Manchuria when World War II ended. He returned to Santa Fe, weighing just 80 pounds, spending months recovering. Valdemar credits his faith and the presence of his guardian angel for his survival. Valdemar has lived a full and meaningful life since his time in the Army. Upon his return home to Costilla, he married Consuelo DeVargas. Valdemar and Consuelo were married until her passing in 2019. Valdemar worked for the State of New Mexico highway department and the Molycorp Mine. Family has played an integral role in Valdemar's life as he raised his 8 children, 19 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren. Valdemar still attends the Bataan Memorial Death March memorial ceremony each year at White Sands Missile Range. I had the pleasure of speaking to Valdemar prior to his 105th birthday. I thanked him for his service and sacrifice during World War II. Valdemar, your service will never be forgotten, and I am forever grateful for your role in fighting for our freedom.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, 41.2 million Americans rely on SNAP to put food on the table, and 40 percent of SNAP recipients are children. The Republican budget resolution before us tonight will dramatically slash nutrition; conservation; other farm programs for our children, families, and farmers--all to pay for the Trump tax scam. And we all know it is only going to benefit the wealthiest Americans. Now, I want to get a farm bill done, and I think most of us here want to do that. Taking critical Federal dollars from our rural communities will make that nearly impossible. And that is not all. This means that costs will go up for families across America at a time when prices are already high. The result: Children and families will go hungry. We all know that that is unacceptable. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, 41.2 million Americans rely on SNAP to put food on the table. I would like to call up my amendment No. 957 and ask it to be reported by number.

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

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, we are experiencing a nationwide shortage of police officers. Police departments are stretched thin, making our communities less safe. In the worst cases, some small departments have disbanded completely. Small towns need Federal dollars to bolster their ranks. The Musk-Trump freeze took funding away from our police departments and law enforcement officials. The COPS hiring program is a lifeline to many law enforcement agencies. COPS hiring grants provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. On behalf of all Americans who care about public safety, I introduce this amendment to provide increased resources for local law enforcement. This is a bipartisan issue. It should be easy. I hope my colleagues just accept it, and we don't even have to have a vote on it. There is no reason to oppose this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I would like to call up my amendment No. 699 and ask that it be reported by number.

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

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, over the past week, Elon Musk and Donald Trump have fired thousands of Federal workers, many of them in New Mexico, without warning. The calls that I get to my office from constituents all across New Mexico are expressing concern, surprise, alarm, not knowing what is going to happen next, worried about a project. A professional whom I spoke to who works for the Bureau of Indian Education, who has a responsibility to help diagnose and support students with disabilities, asked: Do I stay and help these kids? What is going to happen with this stuff? Whether it is our neighbors who work to support the National Labs to keep us safe or our friends who work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture helping our farmers and ranchers feed our Nation--these illegal mass firings are impacting communities across every corner of New Mexico. To sum this up, what I keep hearing from New Mexicans every day is: Please help me. Speak up. Say something. Do something. Bring attention to what is happening to the harm that is being caused in our communities, for all of our constituents. This isn't about Democrats or Republicans; it is about right or wrong. It is about real people. Now, instead of protecting these jobs and helping our fellow Americans, Senate Republicans are pursuing a partisan budget resolution that will make it even harder for families to afford their healthcare, put food on the table, or get an education for their students, for their kids. This is, quite frankly, chaos. And it is chaos that the American people cannot afford. New Mexicans and Americans from all walks of life rely on the programs that Republicans are now attacking. These are programs that feed seniors, veterans, children, the disabled. These are programs that house our veterans, that keep folks warm during these winter months. And why are Republicans ripping these services away from people who need them? To fund this Trump tax scam. Now, it is 2.0. The American people and constituents across New Mexico are the ones who told me back in 2017: This really feels like a scam. What Republicans are saying is middle-class families are going to get everything in here when it comes to a tax cut. But what we saw play out is: If you are making millions of dollars, you did OK, you got the brunt of everything that was in this tax scam. Lying to the face of the American people is what happened in 2017, and it certainly feels the same now. Let's talk about one possible outcome of this budget resolution. In New Mexico, Medicaid covers 75 percent of births, supports around 92,000 children in my home State. Across the country, nearly 40 percent of babies are born with the help of Medicaid. For these babies and pregnant women, this program is vital, offering a chance to grow up healthier and have the best opportunity to succeed. We should all want that for our constituents. That is not partisan. Unfortunately, Republicans have made it clear that they are determined to slash Medicaid. They tried it in 2017. What I hear from my Republican colleagues when they are being interviewed and being asked the question ``are you going to cut Medicaid,'' they certainly attempt to try in every form and fashion to say: No, no, no. We are not going to touch it. We are just going to leave it up to the States. Let me translate what that means. What Republicans in Congress are going to do is work to eliminate every Federal dollar with Medicaid. There is this acronym FMAP. It is a Federal matching program to make Medicaid work across America. That is what they are going after. And if you visit with anyone across America who knows anything about how this program works, they will all tell you, without these Federal dollars, this program goes away. This Republican budget resolution sets the stage for dismantling Medicaid, which could result in pregnant moms and babies losing healthcare. That is just one possible outcome. As I said earlier, the American people deserve honesty and transparency. Look, I understand if my Republican colleagues want to do this. Just own up to it. Tell the American people what you want to do. Let them know. Just be honest with them. That is the least that the American people deserve. Last week in the Budget Committee, I offered a number of commonsense amendments to help lower costs for families, to strengthen border security, safeguard healthcare, promote American manufacturing and businesses, and invest in public safety. And top of mind for many Americans, I offered an amendment to ensure that Elon Musk and his companies are not profiting off the same government that he is dismantling. Elon Musk, who was not elected by the American people, is pursuing an extreme agenda to serve his own interests and greed. All while the American people are paying the price for it. If Republicans are serious about tackling the issues and lowering costs, let's work together. You have partners here ready to do this for the American people. But my Republican colleagues know better than I that what is happening under this President and Elon Musk is the cost of goods continues to go up. I don't know how many of you were at the grocery store this weekend in this Chamber, but if you haven't been, go by it. Go by and try to buy some eggs. You are going to see a sign that limits you to maybe a dozen, maybe 2. And you are going to see the costs going up and up and up--milk, butter. You look at it, you see it, you name it--it is all increasing in price. What happened to President Trump saying on day one he was going to lower the cost of these goods for the American people? It is not happening. Look, to sum this up, Americans will not be able to make ends meet if Senate Republicans dismantle the programs that make our country strong and secure to advance yet another tax scam. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. On behalf of Head Start and on behalf of the nearly 9,000 Head Start students in New Mexico, I wish to be recorded no.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, chaos, corruption, confusion--that is what Russell Vought offers. For the past 2 weeks, my office has received thousands of calls. Worried New Mexicans are taking time out of their busy days to share their stories and plead for help. Last Monday, when President Trump and Russell Vought illegally froze Federal programs and grant money allocated by Congress, chaos erupted in New Mexico and across the country. A single mother of four in Bernalillo wrote to me: I will literally have to choose between feeding my children or paying for them to have private health insurance. I barely make it paycheck to paycheck as it is, this freeze would definitely put us over. . . . Please help our state. A senior from Albuquerque told me: My savings have been wiped out by home care costs after one hospitalization. I am unable to work, and am living solely on Social Security income, most of which is eaten up by insurance premiums. I am dependent on Medicare health treatments. Another constituent of mine wrote: Now, we are scared to lose medical and food. We rely on Medicaid care for procedures and prescriptions that keep me and my husband alive. Without SNAP, we can't afford to eat. A family doctor shared that if the Federal freeze on grants and programs were to be implemented, it would put a family clinic that serves 50,000 New Mexicans in immediate danger of closing. This would leave thousands of patients without access to primary healthcare. Another constituent said: I am working at the Senior Community Service Employment Program to make enough money to live on and pay our bills. This program allows me to make some money to pay bills otherwise I cannot make it through the month. I am so afraid. President Trump's plan is to take away this program. Help please! Another young woman in southwest Albuquerque wrote to me saying: As a type 1 diabetic, I am afraid to lose Medicaid because of the decision of the President. I will not survive without it. I am beyond blessed to have Medicaid because I have made it 12 years of being diabetic and being able to have an insulin pump. Unfortunately, if I go without Medicaid, I don't think I would even be able to afford an insulin pen that only lasts up to 2 weeks. One New Mexican, who works at a school lunch program, called asking: Will the students have food tomorrow? We have no way to make up the difference. A farmer in Silver City said he was concerned about the devastation a funding freeze would have on the farmers and ranchers across New Mexico. A nonprofit that helps people with disabilities find housing and employment said they ``would not be able to function.'' A mother and nurse wrote in to say that stopping his two disabled children's healthcare will destroy their lives. This is just a handful of the countless stories shared with my office in the past 11 days. New Mexicans were scared and didn't know what to do. The Trump administration offered a two-page memo that effectively took away assistance for millions of Americans, Republicans and Democrats, who would not be able to put food on the table, afford their prescriptions, or put gas in their cars because of Russell Vought and the Trump Administration. When asked by reporters in the briefing room if this freeze was going to affect programs that help feed young children, provide veterans with healthcare, or keep the heat on for seniors during cold winters--the White House Press Secretary answered over and over again that this freeze would not affect individual assistance programs. She left it at that, no specific details or plans to share with the American people regarding whether the Trump administration planned to freeze the funding they depend on. What happened was these programs were frozen. Contrary to the lie the White House told the American people, these programs were frozen. Medicaid and Head Start payment portals were frozen with no explanation. After Democrats and the public demanded answers, the portals began to open up again. No explanation was given to the American people, no accountability. Let me be clear, Vought's fingerprints are all over Trump's funding freeze despite not being confirmed. What Russell Vought is doing is bad for our country. I don't need to stand here and wonder or make guesses about what his policies will do if he is confirmed to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. He has already done this job before, and when he did, he broke the law. Let me repeat that. Russell Vought broke the law. He decided that he and President Trump get to determine what programs are funded. Not Congress, as the Constitution requires, not the people of this country, just them. The rule of law still needs to matter in this country, and it needs to matter in this body. Let me also tell you why I don't need to guess what Mr. Vought is going to do. A chief architect of Project 2025, Russell Vought wants nothing more than to have a chance at cutting funding for Medicaid, healthcare and mental health services for veterans, early childhood education for kids, and so much more. I am proud to serve New Mexico. I know that I do not just represent the people who voted to put me in this job. And because I serve them, all New Mexicans, I went into the confirmation process with an open mind. The decisions and the leadership of the person who will take the seat of Director of the Office and Management and Budget will affect all New Mexicans. Under this Presidency, I know this Cabinet will not agree with me on every issue, but I want these positions to be filled by people who will not just serve the Americans who voted for their boss, but serve everyone. I do not have a problem with a Republican running the Office of Management and Budget. I take issue with a nominee who promises to violate the law and strip funding from the American people. I take issue with slashing funding for children's health insurance, moms and dads trying to put food on the table, seniors being able to afford their medicine. I take issue with this nominee who has a record of disdain for Federal employees and ``wants federal employees to be traumatized.'' I take issue with a nominee who, when it comes to our Federal workers, wants to clean house and replace them with political loyalists. Let me end with something personal. Russell Vought believes that kids who attend Head Start ``have worse behavior and academic outcomes than children who do not enroll in the program.'' He signed his name on a document saying exactly this. I am a Head Start graduate standing right now in the well of the U.S. Senate. Early education opens up doors for millions of kids and Russell Vought will try to take it away, take away the opportunity for young children to attain the tools they need to succeed in this world. My grandparents often told me as a kid to leave things better than you found them. Let me tell you what Vought is going to do. He is going to slash programs that people depend on every day to pay for the Trump tax scam. And Russell Vought is going to leave kids, veterans, and seniors footing the bill. He is going to tell parents they have to make an impossible choice: feed their kids or be able to afford medicine for mom. Russell Vought has no interest in the advice of my grandparents. He is not going to leave things better than he found them. The best thing for New Mexico right now is to not support a nominee who has already plunged our country into chaos and confusion. Our country and New Mexicans deserve better than this. I want to thank each and every one of my Democratic colleagues who came to the floor this week to stand up for our constituents and who shared many stories and concerns from across the country over the nomination of Russell Vought. I urge my Republican colleagues to speak with their constituents who will suffer at the hands of Russell Vought as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, a decision and confirmation that would be damaging to our country. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, I especially want to start by giving thanks to our colleague from Hawaii for asking us to come together and have a conversation with the American people. I am a proud Senator from the State of New Mexico--from a small, rural community in the northern part of the State--and I wanted to come down to the floor to continue this conversation as we have heard from colleagues already talk about what this is and what this isn't. It seems to me, when my Republican colleagues last did this, what I heard in townhall after townhall across New Mexico was that, from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, voters, constituents, they just wanted to hear the truth. They wanted to hear what this is and what this is not. So I am going to start off by holding up this report that says that almost 60 percent of the benefit of extending the Republican tax policies will go to the top 0.1 percent of the wealthiest in America-- 0.1 percent of the wealthiest in America--and I am not talking about the other 99.9 percent. Now let's define how much money people who are in the top 0.1 percent in America are making. They are doing very well. They are making $2.8 million per year. It is a lot of money, and they are successful, but it is under the guise of giving middle-class families, hard-working families all across America a tax cut when the benefit goes to the top 0.1 percent. If you are making 2.8 million bucks a year, yes, this is for you. The American people just want to hear the truth. This is not for those hard-working, middle-class families back home--my brothers and sisters, police men and women who fight to keep us safe, the EMS who respond when we need them the most, nurses, teachers, electricians, ironworkers, pipefitters. You know, they are all the folks across America who are doing everything they can to put some food on the table, to keep a roof over their heads, to provide for their kids, and maybe save for retirement if they have a little extra. They are playing by the rules. This golden rule promised that, if you fight hard and you play by the rules, you will do better than the previous generation, and you are going to help your kids and everyone who follows you. So while you are playing by the rules all across the country--and I am talking to everyone not making 2.8 million bucks a year--my Senate Republican colleagues are getting ready to rig the system with a tax cut that is going to give more money to the people in the top 0.1 percent--remember, the people making $2.8 million a year or more. Well, maybe that will let some of those folks buy another jet plane or another yacht if they are doing well as $2.8 million is a lot of money. Now, one of the concerns across the country is, just as it happened before, my Senate Republican colleagues are going to try to do this behind closed doors, all the while making false promises that this will be for you, working-class families, all across America, but at the end of the night, all they are going to do is stick you with the bill. They are going to pay for this, as we have heard time and time again, by eliminating programs that support our veterans, that feed young children or babies, that take care of our grandparents or elders, or by taking away your children's ability to see the same doctors they have been seeing since they were born. Studies show that just extending this Republican tax scam would blow a $4 trillion hole. Let that sink in. Facts. We are talking about the realities of what this will and will not do. The incoming administration is going to try and pass this off as--you heard it here--a middle-class tax cut. That is how they are going to sell this to the American people, but it is not. It is a handout to the wealthiest folks who are making more than $2.8 million a year. The economic analysis makes it clear that this tax scam will drive up the debt and leave working families behind. We all know the way to grow the economy is to invest in the working class, to lower taxes for working families, and to bring industry and innovation back to our communities across the country. The success of our teachers, our nurses, our pipefitters, our firefighters, our police officers, and everyone in between will be the success of building up the economy across America. Now, look, you have heard this from my Democratic colleagues: I and we are ready to work with my Republican colleagues to find better solutions for growing our economy and lowering taxes to prioritize them to target the middle class, to help them, but this scam is horrible. It is why I wanted to come to the floor today to have a conversation with my colleagues and to share the facts about what is happening here with the American people and let my colleagues know across the aisle: Let's work together. Let's truly deliver on a promise to help hard-working, middle-class families all across the country, including in the State of New Mexico. I want to thank again Senator Schatz. I yield to my colleague from Vermont as well, with whom I had the honor of serving in the House and being part of this debate when it happened.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I am here today to commemorate a life of public service dedicated to the expansion of human knowledge and the greater good. On September 6 of this year, New Mexico and the Nation suffered a tremendous loss as Dr. Charles McMillan tragically passed away. Dr. McMillan, or Charlie as he insisted he be called by all who knew him, is perhaps best known for his work as a groundbreaking physicist and visionary leader of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Fittingly, Charlie's early career focused on developing tools and diagnostics for eye surgery. His innovations resulted in several patents and benefited countless patients. Over nearly 20 years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Charlie was instrumental to maintaining and enhancing our Nation's security posture, leading experimental physics, and computing programs that were critical to modernizing the nuclear stockpile. In 2006, Charlie moved to New Mexico and became the tenth director of Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2011. Capturing the Lab's achievements under Charlie's leadership would be nearly impossible, but one area that shines particularly bright is Charlie's work on supercomputing. Charlie not only recognized the critical role of these revolutionary machines for the advancement of scientific discovery and national security, he was able to bring together diverse teams and inspire them to execute his ambitious vision: He was instrumental in bringing Roadrunner online and acquiring Trinity, two of the fastest supercomputers in the world at the time. These computers did critical work on nuclear stewardship and contributed to scientific advancements in areas ranging from advanced battery design to medical drug simulations. The foundations Charlie established resonate to this day through the Department of Energy's Exascale Program, which continues to host the world's fastest supercomputers. Charlie retired as director in 2017, but was recently called back to the Department to help steward its transition into the next age of advanced computing: artificial intelligence. In this capacity, Charlie continued to be both a visionary leader and a scientist's scientist, serving as the connective tissue to unite and inspire the Department during this paradigm shift in technology, exactly as he had done so many times in the past. Charlie's sudden passing came as a devastating shock to the multitude of people he touched throughout his life; the Department of Energy and the national labs are still reeling from this loss. Charlie dedicated his life to his Nation, and always did so with tremendous humility and an infectious curiosity. But he was so much more than a public servant and scientist; he was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. He had a passion for the outdoors, the night sky, and regularly went backpacking with his family to share both. He was also an accomplished musician and shared his talents by performing in several local Los Alamos theater productions. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Janet Robb McMillan, son Paul McMillan and spouse Suzanne Long, daughters Caroline McMillan and Katherine McCurry, her spouse Paul McCurry, and their son Oliver McCurry. Charlie leaves behind an incredible legacy of national service, scientific achievement, and deep personal connections. We are proud that he chose to make New Mexico his home and grateful for the time he spent with us in our community. His significant contributions to the world and his generous spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act yet again. I appreciate this opportunity because as I have learned, every opportunity we get to talk about the families, to share the stories of the families who are dying of cancer and suffering--for the Federal Government has ignored them for decades--we are able to earn one more vote, one more Member who will stand courageously in that well and say: We can do the right thing, and we can ensure that we are going to provide support and coverage for these families. I come to the floor today to share the same concerns as my friend Senator Hawley. I have proudly been working on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act since I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009. Prior to that, my predecessor in the Senate and in the House, Tom Udall, was working on this policy and these issues. I have had the honor of speaking with the late Senator Orrin Hatch--may he rest in peace--about the faults that were made when this legislation was passed in 1990 and amended in 2000, of the families that were left out. After we hear about this approach, we get a chance to talk a little bit more about another idea, and I hope to be able to share some quotes from Senator Orrin Hatch about how we should be working together. But today, Mr. President, for this portion, I want to share the story of Mary Dickson. Mary grew up in the fallout of nuclear testing. She lived downwind of the Nevada test site where an estimated 100 nuclear tests were detonated above ground. She has said that all around these testing sites, Utah families were going about their daily lives, drinking milk from the local dairies, eating vegetables from the gardens that they tended to. Heck, the kids would even mix sugar with snow so they could pretend it was ice cream, she wrote. In my home State of New Mexico, where the first bomb was tested at the Trinity Test Site just miles from the town of Ruidoso and Tularosa, kids at summer camp not only heard the terrifying sounds of the bomb but saw the white ash falling down from the sky. Those kids thought it was snow as well. They went out and played in it because there was no warning. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Government did something worse. They lied to these families and said it was just a drop of munitions. These kids were playing in radioactive waste. These kids ate radioactive waste. Some of these kids are now adults fighting for their lives. Far too many of these adults face cancer diagnoses. Many face a diagnosis that was similar to their parents or their siblings or their grandparents or their neighbors. Mary faced her diagnosis at 30. Others gave birth to babies with birth defects. Far too many died far too young. The Senator from Utah and I agree that the people of Utah deserve justice. I and others, like Senator Hawley, agree that those impacted in other States deserve justice as well. Today's exercise is not the answer. The Senate has already acted twice--once to amend the National Defense Authorization Act with Democrats and Republicans, 61 votes strong. The same people that once said that the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act could not pass through the legislative branch--through the House or through the Senate--they were taken aback that there was this enormous vote and success only a few months later to see another bill authored by Senator Hawley that I was proud to work with him on with the advocates. The advocates should be at the table as we are having these deliberations. Where are their voices? Sixty-nine votes said yes. Now it sits in the U.S. House of Representatives, where recently even Speaker Johnson's office commented on taking action to make sure that this program will not die. I appreciate that. I certainly hope that the families I have had the honor of meeting with, that I know Senator Hawley has met with, that all Senators share and agree that we should take further action on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act meet with them as well. I hope the Senators start with Mary Dickson. Learn her stories. Invite her in. Get to know her, her advocacy, her plight because by learning her story, we are going to help countless others all across America. I strongly urge my colleagues to stand with all the victims. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, let me begin by quoting Senator Orrin Hatch, the primary author of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. In his final years, Senator Hatch said: Updating this legislation is a moral imperative. RECA, as it is currently written, extends benefits only to uranium miners, millers, and transporters who worked until 1972. But an updated bill would extend benefits to those who worked after 1972, many of whom have developed cancer as a result of radiation exposure. Let me repeat that. Senator Orrin Hatch said it was a moral imperative to provide justice to what are called Post-71 miners. And what does this bill offer to these Americans who have suffered for our country? Nothing. What does this bill offer to downwinders in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Montana? Again, nothing. Instead, this exercise is an attempt to undermine the strong bipartisan coalition that passed historic RECA legislation. I hope no one misreads what is happening today. There is a bipartisan coalition, there is a bipartisan group of advocates across the country that is growing and growing. There are more cosponsors in the House. The strongest vote that has ever taken place in the U.S. Senate has already passed this bill. Let me be clear. Our bipartisan coalition will work with anyone who wants to meaningfully help the victims of all radiation and uranium exposure illnesses--including those that voted no when the Senate passed the RECA to the House just a few months ago. But we should help all of them, every one of these families that qualifies. By the way, just because a community is included as a downwind county, it doesn't mean all the people living there benefit from the program. They still have to fight and prove that they lived in this community for a number of years, that their critical illnesses and cancers are those that science shows were due to this exposure. They have to fight. It is not just given to them. There is a whole process associated with the science, and study after study continues to show how these families deserve this help. As a matter of fact, in committee this week, we were having a hearing to help coal miners in America. And some of the experts that were in that room, I asked them about exposure with uranium and the kind of cancers that we should expect, and I asked them specifically about uranium mine workers. And it wasn't surprising when that witness told us that the same uranium mine workers who worked 1971 and before--their cancers--it turns out that the uranium mine workers that worked in 1972 had the same cancer as well. Senator Orin Hatch, through his wisdom and his words and in my conversations with this great leader, said: We have to fix these mistakes. I will close with this. A few years ago, a Navajo elder--and I have shared this with our colleagues before--when she spoke before the House of Representatives, she asked an important question to a panel of Members that were not supportive of expanding RECA, and it was simple: Are you waiting for all of us to die so that the problem goes away? With a simple vote in the House, taking up this Senate legislation that the Senate passed with 69 votes, authored by Senator Hawley, we can answer her question with a resounding: No, we are going to get help to families. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, 78 years ago, 4-year-old Anastacio was living in Tularosa, NM, a city 40 miles away from the Trinity test detonation site. Now, little Anastacio didn't know it at the time--none of the families there did--but the world they were living in was contaminated in radioactive particles from the first nuclear test. And Anastacio grew to be a big family man, hunting and growing on the land enriched by a ditch system, an acequia system, that provided ample water and nourishment--great-grandparents, grandparents, mom and dads, children, and babies all eating and drinking contaminated food and water sources. Later in life, Anastacio Cordova developed prostate cancer and tongue cancer. The cancer metastasized to his neck and throat before becoming inoperable and consuming his body. His daughter Tina recalls him being only 125 pounds at the time of his death in 2013. Today, March 7--11 years ago on this day--Anastacio left us. For Anastacio's family, this was just one heartbreak from a long list of family members who have died or became seriously ill from radiation exposure. Tina Cordova--Anastacio's daughter--made it her life's mission to fight for justice and compensation for her family and the thousands of victims of our Nation's nuclear weapons program. This is Tina. Rosalie is holding her. Tina is with us today. Bernice Gutierrez is here with us as well. This is Henry Herrera, from Tularosa, NM, and Beatrice Gutierrez and her friends at a very young age. Now, Tina will be my guest tonight at this year's State of the Union, and I am honored to have her by my side in this cause. Let me change that. I am honored that she allowed me on this journey with her to help other people. Now, she was with me in Belen, NM, when the President of the United States, Joe Biden, was visiting to talk about some of the incredible opportunities that have been created for economic growth. When I was speaking before the President, I saw Tina in the audience. And I spoke momentarily about the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and about her, only to be surprised that when the President of the United States followed me, he looked at Tina and looked at everyone in the room and the cameras and said: You have my support to get this done. Yesterday, the President of the United States issued a statement, a SAP, showing support for the passage of this legislation--the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments--in addition to language that Senator Josh Hawley has included in bringing attention to families who need help and need to be seen and heard and deserve compensation based on storage flaws and exposure to each and every one of them. This is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation, an effort reaching out to colleagues in both Chambers, every one of our friends, asking them to take a hard look at this. Please give us a chance. Let us earn your support. Not long ago, when Senator Hawley had an amendment with this language in it, ``Oppenheimer'' was hitting theaters across America, and everyone was talking about it, a film that was made in New Mexico. Some people may recognize this from that film. Sixty-two U.S. Senators that day stood up and raised their hand and said: Yes, the United States needs to move forward, take responsibility, give recognition to all of these families across America. Unfortunately, it was not included in the National Defense Authorization Act. Well, on Sunday, there is something happening in America called the Oscars. And there are a lot of incredible actors and actresses who will be recognized because of the story they told with ``Oppenheimer.'' That story left out an important part, the families we are fighting for today. While many of them will receive Oscars, no doubt, I hope that none of those actors and actresses who are up giving their remarks when they receive an Oscar for telling the story of Dr. Oppenheimer forget about these families, that they think about them. And the same advocacy that I have heard from many of these incredible artists, I hope one of them is willing to say something. But if not, I hope they reflect on it. Now, I will close by saying this. This particular legislation is not just about New Mexico or Missouri. This legislation will help our brothers and sisters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, across New Mexico, Utah, and Guam. It will provide more support to uranium mineworkers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Missouri and Tennessee and Alaska and in Kentucky. We have to get this done. Now, I want to add that since this bill has been scheduled for a vote, I have heard from more colleagues about their communities that have been harmed by our Nation's complicated nuclear legacy. Specifically, people in Pike and Scioto out in Ohio; Armstrong County, PA; and communities near the Hanford site in Washington have been exposed to radiation, and they deserve justice too. Senator Brown, Senator Casey, Senator Murray, and Senator Cantwell, you have my commitment that as this effort moves through the legislative process, I will work with you to also deliver justice for your constituents so we can work as a family. As I close, I ask all my colleagues to please--please--take a look at this. Please reflect. Sixty-two votes on the first vote. I hope we can send a message to all of those advocates and families across America that they are heard and seen and that we will see a stronger showing this afternoon. Generations of families wiped out by lung, stomach, prostate, thyroid, skin, breast, and tongue cancer didn't get the glossy Hollywood treatment. And the U.S. Congress has not made any significant progress in correcting these injustices since 2000. Shame on us. A lot of us have been praying about this and reflecting on it. And I certainly hope that we have a resounding vote in just a few short minutes to show our American brothers and sisters that we love them too. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I rise in support of Senator Hawley's motion to table. And I speak today on behalf of: Annie, Henry, Cipriano, Rosemary, Tina, Louisa, Francisco, Laura, Wilbert, Charles, and the thousands upon thousands of people who have endured the agony and suffering brought on by our nuclear weapons testing in New Mexico and across the country. In July of 1945, Annie was in her kitchen with her family when, all of a sudden, they heard a boom. The next second, they were on the floor holding onto one another, trying to comfort each other, because around them windows were shattering and walls were crumbling. When they went outside, they thought that it started to snow, but it was ash falling from the sky. Some families, who were away from the community, later that night returned, only to find clothing that they were hanging on a drying line full of this ash that they didn't know where it was coming from. Both Annie and her youngest sister Marcie were the only two children living in their little home--their casita--in Capitan, NM. Both have died from cancer. Henry was just 11 years old when the bomb went off. He recalls thinking the world was ending. Henry watched as his brother, his nephew, and niece all died of cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 63. I am sorry to say that we lost him in 2022. And it is not just the downwinders who were impacted. Cipriano worked in the uranium mines for 8 years. Now, the personal protective equipment he was given: a single paper mask, one per shift. That mask was useless after into the first hour because it would get covered with something that we have known to be called yellowcake, the particulate from the uranium mine ore that would cover everything, including places where some of these uranium mineworkers would go to have their lunch. And they would try to clean the dust off, but they could never keep up with it because it just kept accumulating. Some folks were told: Just wait until you get home to shake the yellowcake--the dust--off your clothing, because in those mines, sometimes they would spread water to keep the particulate down. Well, they got the miners' clothing wet. So the yellowcake would stick to it. It was hard to peel off. So wait until you get home and it dries to shake it off. Many of these families--namely the Navajo uranium mineworkers--lived in a one-home generational house. So if you go home and start shaking your clothing filled with a yellowcake that then dries off, what are you doing to grandma and grandpa, to your siblings, to your kids, and maybe your grandkids when that particulate is now all around you? Cipriano lived with shortness of breath since he was in his twenties. Later, he developed pulmonary fibrosis, kidney failure, and he eventually needed a kidney transplant. He, too, sadly, passed away. All of these stories, medical traumas, and generational pain are happening on our watch. And while millions of people flocked to the theaters this summer to see a big blockbuster that told the story about this Trinity test that took place--some of us know what that is--in the Tularosa Basin, the first place that a nuclear bomb was set off on American soil to test it. But not much was mentioned about these families who are dying of cancer today. You know, some Navajo elders, some women, some grandmas--as we call them--came to Congress when I was a Member of the House to testify. And during one of those conversations, one of those elders asked a question back to those of us who were on the dais. And she said: Are you waiting for all of us to die so that the problem goes away? I don't know what to say to her when I go home--and I will see her right now--because this legislation, which we all fought for--and I want to thank Senator Hawley for finding a way for us to work together to fight for the families in and around Missouri, working with Senator Crapo, and every one of you for making this happen. And we passed this with a bipartisan strong vote out of the Senate. It has now been taken out of the NDAA in this conference. What do I tell these families? There is a lot that I have learned in this body: the challenges and frustrations that exist for our constituents, for each and every one of us on occasion. But I have also learned--especially here in the Senate--that the fight is never over; that there is always something that can be done. When I listen to the brilliant parliamentarian team, they teach me on how I can do my job better for the people that I represent. I know that a ``yes'' vote on this might be challenging; but for the families in States all across America, what can we do to help them? In the same way that this body came together to pass incredible pieces of policy to help victims due to exposure--I will point most recently to an act this Congress took after 9/11 when we got together in a bipartisan way and we said we are going to pass the Zadroga Act-- and that act was not only passed once, but then it was extended for, like, 90 years because it was the right thing to do. And it costs some money. But it was the right thing to do. There is a liability from the United States of America to these families. I believe that the CBO should actually be using this as a pay-for, because when there is a liability from the United States of America and you fix it, it actually creates credit, a path forward to pay for everything else. But for some reason, the CBO does not release this aggregated data to help us better understand what is happening here. So I plead and I urge with my colleagues that we find a way to do the right thing here; that going forward, we find a path to get this done. And I want to say thank you to all the staff and the Members who know about these families now. You have taken time to understand them. And many of you have given me advice on how we can do things better. And I thank you for that. The families thank you for that. So I hope that this fight will not be forgotten. I urge my Republican and Democratic leadership to work with us to help pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments. I thank Senator Hawley. And I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I want to express thanks for the leadership of my colleagues from Texas and Massachusetts and for the work they have done in this space, bringing more and more attention to something that doesn't impact our daily lives until we need it most, when there is often an emergency, as there was in New Mexico about 2 years ago, when the world's attention was on our beautiful State and we suffered the worst fires in our State's history. Now, these were forest fires that received so much attention in our State because they were started by the Federal Government. How, you might ask. These were prescribed burns that went out of control. Now, when cell phones were not working, when other methods of media were not able to connect because powerlines were going down, it was one local radio station, KNMX, an AM station in Las Vegas, NM, that was streaming more and more news to volunteers coming in on their time off, radio personalities ensuring that people would know what was happening because they were being told to evacuate from their homes, folks driving home from work in rural areas. As Senator Cruz points out, when there is no news connectivity, no other information coming in, we depend on AM radio. I just don't understand why there is opposition to this. I was hoping Senator Cruz and Senator Markey and I could come to the floor today to celebrate the passing of this important legislation, not to sit and listen to that objection. Just to point this out, in local news reporting, predominantly through AM radio, and in New Mexico because of the fires, we heard from the FEMA Administrator--from Administrator Criswell--who said ``AM radio is one of the most dependable ways that we can reach individuals across this country to get warnings out there.'' We saw this play out firsthand in New Mexico, and, as we have been reminded, this is not just a challenge in my State or in Texas or in Massachusetts but in every one of the 50 States across the country. The Federal Government should be doing more to make it easier for Americans to access potentially lifesaving emergency broadcasts--plain and simple. With natural disasters happening every day in every State, I wanted to clarify a few points, some of which I heard today. One, I heard a claim that the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will force manufacturers of electric vehicles to completely redesign the drivetrain. I heard a little bit about that today. Here are the facts. The fact is that car companies have already solved this engineering challenge. We have already heard of the number of companies that have come forward. With the 20 letters that Senator Markey sent out, 10 companies responded--Honda, Hyundai, Land Rover, Kia, Lucid, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis, Subaru, and Toyota--that they already figured this out. Brilliant engineers at those companies figured this out. Some of the folks who are objecting to this are flying rocket ships and, I would argue, have some of the most talented engineers in the world working for them. Challenge them to solve this challenge, as the other 10 companies have. Sometimes, it just means insulating some cable a little bit more, not because it impacts the vehicle but because there might be a little bit of static coming in. I would rather have a little static and receive the lifesaving information than not even have access to it. I have heard that the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would increase costs for new vehicles by thousands and thousands of dollars by these vehicles. Well, again, 10 companies have already figured this out, and they are making it happen. But here is the concern that I have. I see access to AM radio as a lifesaving feature--important information that we all depend on. I had heard that seatbelts would be too costly when that was being put forth as a requirement in vehicles to help save people's lives. When there was a conversation about airbags saving people's lives, I heard and I read that it was too expensive, that that shouldn't happen. We don't need airbags in vehicles. When we were all debating about the inclusion of backup cameras to prevent the deaths of little kids in cars, there were many who were saying: Oh, it is too expensive. It cannot be done. I am very concerned that when it comes to moving this technology forward that the same tired excuses are brought forward. This body has a chance to be able to get this done, and I hope that we can see something put on the floor here soon because more and more vehicles getting on the road without AM radio are jeopardizing the lives and safety of our constituents. The last thing I will say is this--and this is about a conversation with a small radio owner in New Mexico, out of Sante Fe, at KSWV. I was speaking to him before I came down, and he was reminding me about the core physics of electromagnetic spectrum around AM, and the Presiding Officer touched on this. It is everywhere. As a matter of fact, KOB--a station in Albuquerque, NM--touches a little more than half the State with their broadcasts. It is pretty incredible what this spectrum can deliver in our communities. We should maximize the reach of emergency alerts over AM radio and wireless networks. The physics and the electromagnetics of this are plain and simple, and that is why I certainly hope that we can get this done. To the Senator from Texas, I have so much more to offer, and I was going to offer it in the Record because the argument is strong; it is compelling. We have got to get this done. I certainly hope that we will see some floor time and get this done because it could mean someone's life in our communities after not getting the information they need to get out of their community or out of their home because a tornado or a hurricane or a fire is on them. No more excuses. Let's get it done. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

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

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, communications and technology are at the forefront of policy today. From protecting consumers to establishing competitive and open markets to using spectrum and fiber to close the digital divide, the Federal Communications Commission is the expert Agency to establish regulations, policy, and recommendations to Congress. Before us today is a genuine and passionate public servant. Anna Gomez has proven herself to be a prominent leader in technology and telecommunications, and I urge my colleagues to support her confirmation. Ms. Gomez is more than ready to assume her next role in public service as our fifth and final FCC Commissioner. As I often say, folks know the difference between fast internet, slow internet, and no internet. I rise today before my colleagues to voice my support for a deeply qualified person who knows the difference between fast internet, slow internet, and no internet. She has the experience to bridge those divides. Today, one in five families in New Mexico are living without a reliable connection to the internet. Ms. Gomez has worked on bringing more reliable and affordable ways to connect Americans to the internet almost as long as the term ``digital divide'' has been around. I was a strong advocate for the President to nominate Anna, and her reception here in the Senate is proof that she is the right choice. Anna's professional record is impeccable, and her path is an inspiration. During her confirmation hearing, Ms. Gomez shared her story of scraping, borrowing, and working her way through college and through law school. Beyond law school, Ms. Gomez's experience in the White House, the State Department, the U.S. Senate, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the FCC shows us all that she is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to work. I am confident that with her issue-oriented experience at every level of the congressionally mandated responsibilities of the FCC, she will be ready on day one. Protecting the public interest and advancing universal service for broadband and broadcast services is a passion for Ms. Gomez. Anna's voice as the first Latina to serve on the Commission since my fellow New Mexican, Gloria Tristani, is very welcomed. I know that many of my colleagues here know that numbing sense of fear one can have when your constituents are in the midst of danger from a wildfire or a hurricane or a flood, with no way to reach them. Having reliable access to broadband connectivity during an emergency can mean the difference between someone coming home or not. Anna Gomez has worked on securing reliable communication access for our first responders all across the country. As we continue to encounter more and more climate disasters, these efforts made by Ms. Gomez will continue to play a critical role. Moreover, the Federal Communications Commission has never been more important in our Nation's history. These technologies have proven their value and demonstrated huge potential. However, the complexities of these ever-evolving technological wonders are multifaceted, intersectional, and complex. Americans need the force of a fully appointed Federal Communications Commission to protect consumers, to guarantee competition, and foster innovation. The mission and work of the FCC has never been more important to the future of our Nation. Anna Gomez will play a pivotal role in setting the course for our country into the next digital generation. I urge my colleagues to work together to bridge these digital divides; and today, I urge you to vote yes on the confirmation of Anna Gomez to be a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I want to commend Mr. Hawley and Mr. Crapo for the work they have done here and all of our colleagues and staff who have contributed to telling this story and the support that I expect to see today and that I hope will get this across the finish line. Almost 80 years ago, New Mexico became ground zero for the detonation of the first nuclear bomb. Millions of people across the country traveled to theaters this weekend, and they saw a blockbuster centered around this infamous date. But not enough people have focused on the collateral damage caused by our Nation's nuclear weapons testing. People who sacrificed on behalf of our country for national security purposes, working day in and day out, in States like Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, North Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and others--they deserve our support. Folks have traveled to Washington with lung cancer, oral cancer, asthma, heart problems, begging us to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. A few years ago, an elder from the Navajo Nation traveled here to testify, and she looked us all in the eye, and she asked a simple question: Are you waiting for us all to die for the problem to go away? I ask this body to show these victims compassion, understand their pain and suffering so that they know it has not gone unnoticed. I respectfully ask for your vote. I yield back.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, I come before this Chamber alongside my colleagues from Maryland and Nevada to talk about the importance of our small businesses in New Mexico and across the country. I also want to thank the chair of the Small Business Committee, Mr. Ben Cardin, for the work he has consistently done, his leadership in this space, but his understanding of what is happening across the country and the need to fight alongside our small businesses to make things better for them. So I want to thank the chairman as well. For the past 2 years, the Senate Democratic majority and the White House have made it our mission to support and revitalize the small businesses that are the backbone of our local communities. We have been hard at work building economic security for the middle class, putting people back to work, and investing in the American dream. I know every Senator in this Chamber and all Americans have a small business they depend on to get from one place to another, from one day to the next. For me, one of them is in Santa Fe, NM, Midtown Bistro, an incredible location run by a very extraordinary family. Anytime you want a good meal and a warm welcome, you just go on down to Midtown Bistro. This was the dream of restaurant owners Edmund Catanach, Melissa Salazar, and Angel Estrada--to make folks feel at home, and they do. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, restaurants and small businesses all across America struggled to make ends meet without daily customers or revenue. Midtown Bistro, like so many family-owned small businesses, looked to the Federal Government and received a grant to keep things running and fulfill payroll each and every week. Melissa said that without those funds, they would have had to close their doors after decades of serving the Santa Fe community. Thankfully, that didn't happen. Edmund, Melissa, and Angel's story is the story of thousands of small business owners who earned grant funding from the Federal Government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are extremely proud to have secured more than $169 million in restaurant revitalization funds for restaurants like theirs throughout New Mexico. And that does not include everyone. One of the first things congressional Democrats did when President Biden took office 2 years ago was expand the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program. These expansions helped the smallest businesses--especially in rural areas--that were still hurting from the pandemic try to get back on their feet, keep workers on the payroll, keep their doors open. Democrats have always made it a priority to help folks who need it most. This kind of relief is vital for keeping the heart of America's economy alive. For a lot of people, it is the late-night diner that serves up the best cup of coffee in the country before the morning work shift begins or the local cobbler, who knows exactly how you like your work boots to be resoled, or the plumber you can call any time of the night to fix a leaking pipe. All of these small businesses started with a dream, a desire to make things better, to help people. I know the heartbreak COVID-19 brought on a lot of our small businesses and people all across America--local staples that bring so much vibrance and life to our communities. However, in the face of a nationwide tragedy, our small businesses didn't throw in the towel and call it quits. Instead, they got creative, like Midtown Bistro turning an outdoor space into a new way to safely reach their community. Our small businesses continued to provide vital services that helped our economy and kept it afloat through these really tough times. For that, I just want to say thank you to all of them. This Chamber must continue supporting the countless small businesses that keep our economy and our country moving forward. Senate Democrats will continue pushing for expanded opportunities for small businesses to access the capital and credit they need to start or expand businesses, which will, in turn, get more Americans back on the job, create more opportunities and more successful ventures. One big hurdle that keeps small businesses from unlocking their full potential is not being connected to affordable, high-speed internet to create a website and access the online economy. I am very proud to have been part of the team and a family that is going to make that possible for people all across the country. There are many ways we can work together, but I am very proud of my colleagues, of what I have learned, and, again, I thank our chairman for leading the conversation in that committee and driving home policies so that we can act to make a difference in the lives of those who have invested in and started small businesses. We can do more and we can do better, but I am very proud of how we have been able to get things done that make a benefit in people's lives today. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I am honored to be here with Senator Heinrich to recognize a friend, a mentor, and a true American hero. I rise today to honor and pay my respects to a great American hero and friend we recently lost. Hiroshi ``Hershey'' Miyamura was born on October 6, 1925, to Yaichi and Tori Miyamura in Gallup, NM. In growing up in a household of seven children, Hershey's parents left their homeland of Japan to settle in New Mexico in the hopes of creating a better life for their children. While he never thought of himself as a serious student, Mom and Dad hoped he would be. As a child, Hershey's mind was otherwise occupied with tales of Hopalong Cassidy riding on his steed--the larger-than- life-hero who saves the day. He later remarked in life that he always liked ``the good guys'' on and off the big screen. This is why it did not surprise anyone when Hershey's determined perseverance to join the U.S. Army finally became a reality. This dream became possible when the Federal Government created a battalion of mostly Japanese Americans during the Second World War. In a time when prejudice toward Japanese Americans was at an alltime high, Hershey remained firm in his conviction that he would serve under the flag and country his parents worked so hard to make their home, refusing to let tolerance extinguish his desire to serve our Nation at the highest level. Hershey joined the Army shortly before Japan's surrender in World War II, training as a machine gunner--a job he excelled at. When the Korean war began, he was recalled to service. As a corporal, he was entrusted as a squad leader in the Second Battalion, Seventh Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division. Even in the fog of war, Hershey was focused and selfless. He never lost sight of the friends he served alongside with. His fellow Americans were at the heart of everything he did. Fighting with the bayonet secured at the end of his rifle during a nighttime ambush by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Hershey ordered his squadron back to safer grounds, providing first-aid treatment when he could. Staying behind to cover their withdrawal, Corporal Miyamura fought off over 50 enemy troops before he was badly wounded and captured. For the next 28 months, he was a prisoner of war--all the while, his wife Terry did not know if her husband was dead or alive. Hershey suffered tremendously during this time. It is an agony that is almost impossible to imagine, and the strength of Hershey and Terry represents the very best that we all have, the very best in each of us. On the day of his release from the prisoner-of-war camp, Hershey would recall that day with pristine detail: the first sight of the Star-Spangled Banner blowing in the breeze, knowing that he was almost home. Returning to Gallup, NM, Hershey was greeted by a beaming crowd of family and friends, and military flyovers welcomed him home. For a moment, he was lost, but he was never forgotten. Hershey would go on to be awarded the Medal of Honor, our Nation's highest military declaration for valor, by President Dwight Eisenhower, a revered figure Hershey looked up to as a tested and admired World War II general. After the war, he worked hard in Gallup as an auto mechanic and small business owner, doing what he could to send his three kids off to college. He lived out the last days of his life just as he lived the first days of his life, as a source of joy and light. A soft-spoken and honest man, Hershey Miyamura witnessed the deepest evil and yet still chose joy. He chose to be a source of light to all who knew and loved him. Hershey continued to tell and retell his story to future generations with humility and that ever-present smile, beaming ear to ear. I want to remark on the clarity and sharpness he had, seemingly unfazed by the years that aged him. Talking with him and learning about his legacy of service was like being taken back to the dirt roads of South Korea alongside him. Hershey's experiences never left him. As for all the western cowboys and the Hollywood ``good guys'' he dreamed of as a child, I think it is fair to say Hershey far surpassed them and turned himself into a larger than life, real American war hero. Hershey passed away 2 weeks ago. He was the second-to-last living Korean war Medal of Honor recipient. His legacy and impenetrable faith will live on through all of us who loved him and know him, who have the honor of continuing to tell his story. I would encourage everyone across America to learn this story and to lift Hershey up. Hershey is survived by his sons, Mike and Pat; his daughter Kelly; his granddaughters, Megan, Marisa, and Madison; his grandson Ian; his five great-grandchildren; his sisters, Michiko, Suzi, and Shige. May God watch over and bless his family. I yield the floor.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. President, I was unavailable for rollcall vote No. 246, on Executive Calendar No. 1037, Steven M. Dettelbach, of Ohio, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Had I been present, I would have voted yea.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the previous order, it be in order to offer my motion to instruct at this time.