Jerry Moran

Mr. MORAN

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I rise this afternoon to express my support for the Postal Service Reform Act, a piece of legislation that we expected to be on the Senate floor this week and look forward to it appearing shortly. The U.S. Postal Service has been struggling to stay financially solvent for years, and I am pleased Congress is finally--I say ``finally.'' I think for as long as I have been in the Senate and perhaps as long as I have been in Congress, we have been working to address this issue, and I am pleased we are about to do so. The Postal Service has long been an essential piece of American communication and commerce, but its financial condition has recently, at least, threatened its future. Kansas's rural communities, in particular, where broadband access to brick-and-mortar businesses is limited, rely heavily upon the essential services of the Postal Service as a means of staying connected and competitive. The familiar sight of a U.S. Postal Service truck--the jeep, the truck that goes down our country roads making its deliveries--is part of the daily life for Kansas's farmers, ranchers, businesses, and neighborhoods. For rural America, the Postal Service--their mailman or their mailwoman--is often the glue that keeps those communities connected to the rest of the country. In many instances, we rely upon our postal carriers to make certain that somebody is alive and well, that they are OK in their homes, and report odd behavior or a crime that might occur. Our postal carriers are a significant component of the fabric of our communities. Unique in its ability to reach nearly every address in America, the Postal Service is an indispensable piece of infrastructure, in fact, created by the Constitution of the United States giving us the instructions to provide postal roads. During the height of the pandemic, the Postal Service employees maintained their delivery routes, bringing essential medicines, groceries, and vital supplies to families' doorsteps. We pay a lot of attention to veterans' issues, and I would highlight how important the Postal Service is for those who served our Nation. In most instances, it is how they receive their prescription drugs. It is beyond just handwritten cards and notes, although those are clearly important and, again, an important component of our life. We all enjoy receiving those. But the Nation is reminded firsthand about the irreplaceable role of the Postal Service. As I said, in my earliest days since representing Kansas in Congress, I have advocated for the preservation of rural post offices and commonsense reforms to ensure the Postal Service's stability. With every conversation I have had with the Postmaster General, I have reminded them perhaps they should spend less money on consultants and listen to their employees who might be the best people to tell them what they might do to improve their efficiency and save costs. When a post office closes--and we have had a few of those happen too frequently in Kansas--it creates problems for businesses and families; it may cause significant harm to the local economy; and it certainly makes a difference in the lives of seniors in those communities. For the past several sessions of Congress, the Senator from Delaware, Senator Carper, and I have introduced postal reform legislation and worked together with the goal of putting the Postal Service on firmer financial footing, improving service, and allowing for the development of new revenue streams and enhancing transparency through performance metrics. I have indicated to the Postmaster General in my conversations that the solution to the post office's financial conditions cannot be simply reducing services. The more services are reduced, the less likely Americans will or can use the Postal Service. So closing post offices, shortening the number of days in which mail is delivered, reducing the hours of the post office, slowing the delivery of the mail, closing mail-sorting centers can't be the solution to making certain that the post office has a bright future and that Americans are served. The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, which I hope is on the floor soon for our consideration, was passed by the House last week, and we look forward to its arrival here. It builds upon our previous attempts to accomplish postal reform. Included in these reforms is the creation of a new Postal Service Health Benefits Program and focusing on reestablishing--stabilizing the USPS's finances, instead of funding benefits in advance. The bill will allow the Postal Service to enter into agreements with State, local, and Tribal governments as a new method of revenue for the Agency. I am also pleased that the bill will codify 6-day delivery, which is a provision I have long supported in my role as an appropriator and one that greatly benefits rural Kansas homes, where mail delivery is more difficult. The Postal Service Reform Act represents a great step forward to ensure that Kansans and Americans can continue to rely upon the U.S. Postal Service. I am a sponsor of this bill, and I intend to support it when it arrives in the Senate for a vote and urge my colleagues to join me in doing so. I yield the floor.

Mr. MORAN

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

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, last month, the American Red Cross began sounding the alarm on a national blood crisis, the first they have ever declared. COVID-19 has added extra volatility to the blood supply, and this shortage strains hospitals and patient care throughout America. We continue to face that critical blood supply shortage today, with Kansas's blood supply standing at a 1- to 2-day inventory. I have heard from medical professionals--doctors, nurses, others in Kansas about the tough decisions rural doctors and healthcare providers are having to make, including canceling surgeries, blood transfusions, and possibly not delivering babies because bleeding complications may require blood that these facilities just don't have. My hometown of Plainville, KS, has a population of about 2,000. We are fortunate to have a county hospital with dedicated healthcare professionals and physicians. One of my hometown physicians, Dr. Sanchez, who I am told is not on Facebook very often but posted his plea--his plea for people to donate blood. Dr. Sanchez's Facebook post says--this is his story: Today we had to tell a patient with heart disease that the blood transfusions that had prolonged his life with marked improvement in quality could no longer happen at Rooks County Health Center. My patient and his son were understandably upset. It just so happens that the same patient was told a few days previous that the melanoma cancer that he beat for 40 years back returned. And now no blood transfusion. The doctor said that the hospital is considering canceling surgeries, possibly even not delivering babies. Our stock of common blood type A- positive and donor O-positive blood units are down over 30 percent, from six units to four units. Universal donor O-negative blood has been in short supply for months and maybe for years. Blood supplies are usually replenished at the American Red Cross every 3 weeks, but we have had no new units given or replaced. That is one doctor, one hometown, one hospital--but it is people. It is people in Kansas. It is people in this country whom we know and care for, people we love, people in our families, and people we don't even know. The most vulnerable patients among us rely on blood donations for transfusions to support essential treatments such as those of battling cancer or living with chronic diseases. There is no substitute. There is no alternative. Our Nation can turn to the absence of blood donations. The only answer is for each of us stepping up to donate, helping to end this crisis and contribute to saving lives of those in our communities. The shortage is severe, and it is affecting Kansas health providers and their ability to care for their patients. It will cost us lives. Kansans pull together in times of need, and I encourage everyone in Kansas and across the country to donate. In the United States, every 2 seconds someone needs blood or platelets, and donating blood is one of the most tangible actions we can give to help save lives. Donation centers provide specific guidance on blood donation process and safety measures taken within their centers. You can find a location that is accepting blood donations near you, and you can visit the American Red Cross website. So this is a plea that we all consider donating blood to help save the lives of our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow Americans. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MORAN

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

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I rise this morning to recognize and congratulate the Coffeyville Community College Red Ravens men's basketball team on winning the 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 men's basketball championship. Kansas has an unparalleled history of college athletes, and I am proud to recognize the Coffeyville Red Ravens' contribution to our State's many accomplishments. On April 24, 2021, the Coffeyville Red Ravens brought home their first national championship trophy in nearly six decades. As an underdog in the national tournament with a No. 10 ranking, this accomplishment is a result of hard work, determination, and grit. During the championship game, freshman center Blaise Keita had a career high of 27 points, and Tylor Perry scored 18 points. Additionally, Blaise, Tylor, and Love Bettis were named to the All-Tournament team. The honorable achievements of these players have earned rightful recognition for their commitment to excellence in college athletics. Athletics teach young men and women many valuable skills that serve them throughout their lives. These lessons and this team's accomplishment were not possible without the leadership of Head Coach Jay Herkelman, who has been an instrumental member of the Red Ravens men's basketball program for nearly three decades. As a coach who has shown dedication to his players and his team, he has earned the title of the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association's ``Coach of the Year'' five times. Furthermore, congratulations to Coach Herkelman, who is only 1 win away from reaching the remarkable milestone of 700 wins with the Red Ravens. I am pleased to have introduced a resolution with Congressman LaTurner and Senator Marshall on behalf of these dedicated student athletes, coaches, team, and school, and to have had it unanimously pass the U.S. Senate last week. Thank you to the players, the coaches, and the staff of the Coffeyville Community College Red Ravens men's basketball team for bringing this win home. Congratulations to all in Southeast Kansas, South Central Kansas, those who are students, those who are faculty, and those who lead this college. We are proud of their success. The Coffeyville community has much to take pride in this strong program, and I look forward to their continued success. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today former majority leader and Kansas Senator Bob Dole was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. On December 11, 2021, Senator Dole's hometown of Russell, KS, said their final goodbyes to their favorite son and celebrated his life. I ask unanimous consent that the remarks I gave that day be printed in the Record.

Mr. MORAN

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

Mr. MORAN. First of all, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak for up to 7 minutes and Senator Barrasso be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled rollcall votes.

Mr. MORAN. I yield the floor.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today I want to speak about a piece of bipartisan legislation that Chairman Tester and I introduced with the unanimous support of every member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, both Republicans and Democrats. Consensus is often hard to find, as we know, in this body, but caring for our Nation's veterans--our heroes--has a way of bringing us together. I tell Kansans back home that the Senate on veterans affairs is one of the few places left on which Republicans and Democrats find common ground. I hope that continues, and I hope that spreads. Caring for our Nation's veterans is an honor that we all have, and when you reach an agreement between some of the most liberal members of our committee and the most conservative members of our committee, you know that you have a really good deal. I first learned about the issue of toxic exposure years ago, while attending an event for Vietnam veterans at home in Kansas. After hearing about their struggles with exposure to Agent Orange, I introduced the Toxic Exposure Research Act, which was signed into law in 2016 and mandates research on health conditions of children and grandchildren of veterans who were exposed to toxins during their military service. Our military veterans and their families and their survivors know exposure to toxic substances has become commonplace in modern warfare. Regrettably, the negative long-term health effects are sometimes not identified until long after the time of exposure, leaving veterans to face serious medical issues years after their service. Toxic exposure during military service has created significant healthcare concerns for veterans, going back to mustard gas exposure in World War I and, most notably, the Vietnam generation's exposure to Agent Orange. Despite these clear examples of lasting impact of military toxic exposures, struggles with health conditions associated with burn pits continue to plague the latest generation of veterans who served in the Global War on Terror. I have spoken with veterans across Kansas and held a townhall meeting in my home State on the effects of toxic exposure on our veterans' health. My office continues to receive casework from veterans regarding the burden of proof to gain access to healthcare. This legislation--the one that our committee will consider tomorrow--lessens that burden and creates a pathway for thousands of Kansas veterans and many more thousands of American veterans to receive healthcare for illnesses caused by toxic exposure. For decades, toxic-exposed veterans have faced overwhelming barriers to getting VA healthcare and the services that they deserve. Post-911 veterans are the newest generation of American heroes to suffer from toxic exposures encountered in their military service. These American heroes who put on the uniform and volunteered to go into harm's way on our behalf deserve to have their level of commitment matched by those of us who serve here in Congress. When our government sends troops to war, we make a pledge to care for them when they come home. Veterans who are made sick from service deserve medical care for those conditions. The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act is an important first step in making certain our veterans receive the care they need as a result of their service. I appreciate the entire Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for working together to craft this consequential legislation to care for our servicemembers who put their lives and health on the line for us. I also appreciate every member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee--Senators Tillis, Hassan, Sullivan, Manchin, Boozman, Sanders, Cassidy, Brown, Blackburn, Blumenthal, Tuberville, Hirono, Cramer, Sinema, and Rounds--for working together to better the lives of those who have served. Additionally, I am grateful for the support of many VSOs--veterans service organizations--that represent millions of veterans across the Nation. This legislation is part of a comprehensive and phased approach. This first phase provides the VA with the authority it needs to expand healthcare for combat veterans. For many who are sick and suffering, time is running out, and our first priority is to get these veterans their healthcare now. Our bill would also mandate training for the VA healthcare providers and benefit specialists to ensure a level of competence across the Department to make sure veterans receive exemplary treatment and service. Our legislation would direct the VA to incorporate a clinical screening to inquire about a veteran's potential exposures and symptoms commonly associated with toxic exposure. I talked to a veteran today who said she has been to the VA twice for care and treatment and has never been asked about whether she encountered any substance that could have been damaging to her health during her service. After speaking with these veterans, I have come to understand that this basic and preventive act of screening is not part of enrollment or basic care provided by the Department. That must change. Solutions to this complex problem cannot be generated by Congress alone and require a coordinated and systematic approach that involves partnering with the VA. My view is that we make a commitment to those who serve that we will do our work. This is a significant step in getting us to a point at which we are living up to that commitment and doing it in a way that is not damaging to any other veteran. I urge my colleagues to read our bill, to grow their understanding of this complex challenge, and to join our committee, every single member of the committee, in passing this bill to get one step closer to providing care and relief on one of the most pressing challenges facing veterans today.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today I want to speak about a piece of bipartisan legislation that Chairman Tester and I introduced with the unanimous support of every member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, both Republicans and Democrats. Consensus is often hard to find, as we know, in this body, but caring for our Nation's veterans--our heroes--has a way of bringing us together. I tell Kansans back home that the Senate on veterans affairs is one of the few places left on which Republicans and Democrats find common ground. I hope that continues, and I hope that spreads. Caring for our Nation's veterans is an honor that we all have, and when you reach an agreement between some of the most liberal members of our committee and the most conservative members of our committee, you know that you have a really good deal. I first learned about the issue of toxic exposure years ago, while attending an event for Vietnam veterans at home in Kansas. After hearing about their struggles with exposure to Agent Orange, I introduced the Toxic Exposure Research Act, which was signed into law in 2016 and mandates research on health conditions of children and grandchildren of veterans who were exposed to toxins during their military service. Our military veterans and their families and their survivors know exposure to toxic substances has become commonplace in modern warfare. Regrettably, the negative long-term health effects are sometimes not identified until long after the time of exposure, leaving veterans to face serious medical issues years after their service. Toxic exposure during military service has created significant healthcare concerns for veterans, going back to mustard gas exposure in World War I and, most notably, the Vietnam generation's exposure to Agent Orange. Despite these clear examples of lasting impact of military toxic exposures, struggles with health conditions associated with burn pits continue to plague the latest generation of veterans who served in the Global War on Terror. I have spoken with veterans across Kansas and held a townhall meeting in my home State on the effects of toxic exposure on our veterans' health. My office continues to receive casework from veterans regarding the burden of proof to gain access to healthcare. This legislation--the one that our committee will consider tomorrow--lessens that burden and creates a pathway for thousands of Kansas veterans and many more thousands of American veterans to receive healthcare for illnesses caused by toxic exposure. For decades, toxic-exposed veterans have faced overwhelming barriers to getting VA healthcare and the services that they deserve. Post-911 veterans are the newest generation of American heroes to suffer from toxic exposures encountered in their military service. These American heroes who put on the uniform and volunteered to go into harm's way on our behalf deserve to have their level of commitment matched by those of us who serve here in Congress. When our government sends troops to war, we make a pledge to care for them when they come home. Veterans who are made sick from service deserve medical care for those conditions. The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act is an important first step in making certain our veterans receive the care they need as a result of their service. I appreciate the entire Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for working together to craft this consequential legislation to care for our servicemembers who put their lives and health on the line for us. I also appreciate every member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee--Senators Tillis, Hassan, Sullivan, Manchin, Boozman, Sanders, Cassidy, Brown, Blackburn, Blumenthal, Tuberville, Hirono, Cramer, Sinema, and Rounds--for working together to better the lives of those who have served. Additionally, I am grateful for the support of many VSOs--veterans service organizations--that represent millions of veterans across the Nation. This legislation is part of a comprehensive and phased approach. This first phase provides the VA with the authority it needs to expand healthcare for combat veterans. For many who are sick and suffering, time is running out, and our first priority is to get these veterans their healthcare now. Our bill would also mandate training for the VA healthcare providers and benefit specialists to ensure a level of competence across the Department to make sure veterans receive exemplary treatment and service. Our legislation would direct the VA to incorporate a clinical screening to inquire about a veteran's potential exposures and symptoms commonly associated with toxic exposure. I talked to a veteran today who said she has been to the VA twice for care and treatment and has never been asked about whether she encountered any substance that could have been damaging to her health during her service. After speaking with these veterans, I have come to understand that this basic and preventive act of screening is not part of enrollment or basic care provided by the Department. That must change. Solutions to this complex problem cannot be generated by Congress alone and require a coordinated and systematic approach that involves partnering with the VA. My view is that we make a commitment to those who serve that we will do our work. This is a significant step in getting us to a point at which we are living up to that commitment and doing it in a way that is not damaging to any other veteran. I urge my colleagues to read our bill, to grow their understanding of this complex challenge, and to join our committee, every single member of the committee, in passing this bill to get one step closer to providing care and relief on one of the most pressing challenges facing veterans today.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, confidence in our elections is vital to self-governance, and voting is a fundamental right. This is something that Democrats and Republicans can agree on. Article I, section 4 of the Constitution states that ``Times, Places and Manner'' of congressional elections ``shall be prescribed by the States.'' Over the last year, my Democratic colleagues have introduced and tried to pass several versions of what they call voting rights legislation--the For the People Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. But these wholesome titles are seriously misleading. The bills are partisan power grabs that will give the Federal Government unprecedented power over our elections and weaken the ability of State legislatures to administer their own election laws. Federalizing election procedures would export traditional State authority to the Federal Government and defer decisions on how citizens elect their congressional representatives to Congress. This is inherently less responsive and less accountable. This legislation would undermine State legislatures by sending taxpayer dollars to political candidates for the House of Representatives, weaken popular State voter ID laws, and make updating rolls more difficult. According to a Gallup poll, 80 percent of Americans support voter ID laws. Yet, under this legislation, States would be required to accept essentially any document that includes a person's name as a valid form of ID. If you wanted to dispel the notion that voter fraud occurs in our elections, this is not a good start. One-size-fits-all solutions--the approach the Democrats are pushing-- is completely unfit for Kansas and for the country. Perhaps even more alarming--and this is the point that I would make more strongly than what I just said--more alarming than this Federal election takeover is the Democrats' proposed means of passing it. President Biden and Majority Leader Schumer, realizing the limitations of their slimmest possible majority in the Senate, have advocated for weakening the legislative filibuster, the ability for the Senate to debate legislation until a 60-vote threshold is met. Ironically, Democrats utilized the filibuster vote margin just last week to block sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 Pipeline, making use of the same 60-vote threshold they are so determined to demonize. The filibuster protects the minority. It doesn't necessarily mean Republicans or Democrats. It may mean just somebody with an odd idea. It may mean rural, where I come from, or urban, where other Members of the Senate come from. It may mean the ability for a Member of the Senate to speak on behalf of his or her constituents and advocate for their views. It allows every Senator to have the opportunity to garner more information, to seek out sponsors of a bill, to have conversations, and to pull people together before we decide on how to proceed on legislation. But the filibuster does more than that. It forces us--I am sorry it is necessary to force us, but it forces us to work together. Freedoms and liberties are protected by process. In today's world, too many people want the outcome regardless of how the process works. That process is called the Constitution of the United States. And in our case, there are rules in the U.S. Senate that require a 60-vote for legislation to be considered and passed by the U.S. Senate. In the circumstances that those are eroded, those process issues--I really want to highlight it again. It bothers me so much that in so many circumstances, we set aside process because we want an end result. But in doing so, we erode the personal freedoms of Kansans and all Americans, and those freedoms and liberties are diminished as a result. I would say it is unusual for me to have as many of my colleagues on the floor as there are today while I speak, and in this case, most are Democrats. I would say that if we want to change the U.S. Senate--and I am a critic of the way we do business here. I never enjoyed serving in the U.S. Senate in which it worked well. If we wanted to do something that would actually make a difference as opposed to changing the process by which we consider legislation, how about having committees that actually do their work; how about having hearings and markups and debate? Give me the chance--give all of my colleagues a chance to participate in this democracy of developing legislation. But how many times have I voted on things that are garnered, put together, patchworked together, created by the leadership of the Senate or the leadership of the House or working together, a bill that is proposed by the White House? I want to have ownership. Even if I don't get my way, at least I had the opportunity, and it is the committee process that allows us to do that. Instead of fixing something as fundamental as the Congress of the United States and having committees at work, we are going to change the process by which we can get to a bill or pass a bill and reduce the role that people who have different ideas play in that outcome. Give me ownership of legislation through a committee process. Don't take away my ability to better represent Kansans and Americans and people in the minority by changing the 60-vote rule. Americans voted for a Congress that is nearly a 50-50 split between the parties in the House and a precisely 50-50 split in the Senate. I don't think Americans voted to give one party free rein to implement an unprecedented power grab to nationalize elections and fundamentally reshape the way the Senate passes legislation. Thankfully, there is bipartisan opposition to weakening the filibuster. A majority of Senators agree it would bring about massive uncertainty for Americans who don't want to be subjected to the dramatic political swings when one election occurs and one party is in power and then the next party is in power. There is so much uncertainty because there was never the consensus to build a 60-vote margin for a piece of legislation. We must have confidence in our elections. It matters. I want everyone who is legally entitled to vote to be able to vote. I understand that voting is a fundamental right, but Kansans know what is best for Kansans, and congressional Democrats would be wise not to underestimate our resolve in making our own determinations. I yield the floor.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today is an opportunity for me to remind our colleagues of the value of Senator Johnny Isakson. I particularly want to speak this afternoon about his work in regard to our Nation's veterans. When Senator Isakson retired, resigned from the U.S. Senate, I replaced him as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, but I served the entire time he was the chairman. In fact, I have served the entire time I have been in the Senate and the entire time I have been in the House. And Senator Isakson and Congressman Isakson and I served together in both bodies. I want to highlight for my colleagues and for Americans--and particularly the veterans across the country--that they had an advocate in Senator Johnny Isakson for them, for our Nation's veterans. He knew--he knew--the debt we owe to our veterans and kept that at the forefront of his mind and his heart as he led the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. His service as chairman was motivated by the stories of veterans who had touched his own life. Senator Isakson regularly spoke about two veterans--two veterans who shaped his approach as chairman: his college friend Jackson Elliott Cox III and Georgia native Noah Harris. Jackson Cox volunteered to serve in the Marines in Vietnam and was killed by a sniper a month before he was scheduled to return home. Noah Harris had volunteered to serve in the Army after 9/11 and was killed while serving in Iraq. Both men volunteered to serve their country in the military during times of war, and both men gave their lives in that service. Senator Isakson was compelled by their service to remember and speak about the men and women who gave their lives to defend our Nation and believed that we must also remember and honor those who made it home. Senator Isakson was involved in a number of legislative successes that improved how our Nation serves its veterans after they leave the military, and I want to highlight four of those pieces of legislation. First, the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act finally gave the VA the tools it needed to hold officials accountable following several scandals at the Department and set the expectation that the VA would maintain a high-performance workforce to serve our veterans. Second, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 modernized the archaic benefits claims process at the VA and allowed VA to reduce its appeal backlog from nearly half a million appeals down to around 100,000. Veterans now have choices as to how they appeal benefits decisions and can receive timely decisions rather than waiting and waiting and waiting. Third, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2017, which is known as the Forever GI Bill, revolutionized veterans' education benefits by eliminating the 15-year window after service during which a veteran could use those benefits. It also invested in STEM education, IT and technology certification programs, and benefits for surviving families of veterans. Finally, the VA MISSION Act is legislation I am proud to have championed alongside Senator Isakson. He knew that temporary programs put in place to address the Phoenix wait time scandal needed to be consolidated with existing options for care outside the VA, and I was honored to help him and the rest of Congress see the MISSION Act signed into law to give veterans clear choices on getting the care that best serves their needs. Senator Isakson also felt a strong connection to veterans of the ``greatest generation'' who saved the world in World War II. On a visit in Europe, Senator Isakson came across the grave of Roy C. Irwin, who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge on the very same day that Senator Isakson was born in Georgia. He spoke regularly about the perspective that visit gave him and how he thought about what Roy Irwin and so many others who served had done for him and for all of us. In his last year as chairman, Senator Isakson led a Senate delegation to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-day in Normandy, France. Despite the challenges his health may have posed for such a trip, he knew the importance of showing our World War II veterans and, in fact, the entire world that we remember their sacrifices and that as a nation, we honor the service of that generation and the example they set for generations to come. Senator Isakson did not just remember the sacrifices of our veterans; he acted whenever he could to see to it that the benefits and services their country offered were delivered in the manner they deserved. Before Army 1LT Noah Harris was killed in 2005, he and Senator Isakson exchanged letters, and Senator Isakson noted how Noah would always sign his letters ``IDWIC,'' which stood for ``I do what I can.'' Similarly, Senator Isakson sought to get to yes on solutions instead of just focusing on problems or Senate differences or people's differences. He always worked to do everything he could when someone needed help, and his service to veterans will shine as an example for others--for us--to emulate. We will remember Senator Isakson and the impact he had on our Nation's veterans, and that will be remembered for generations. Senator Isakson served 6 years in the House and 14 years in the Senate. He died December 19 at age 76. Over two decades of service and certainly over two decades of service to America's veterans. I want to extend my condolences to Senator Isakson's wife Dianne and his children, Julie, Kevin, and John. Please know that we are thinking of you all and are praying for you during this challenging and difficult time. May God bless that family, and may Johnny Isakson rest in peace. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MORAN

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

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and honor the upcoming retirement on January 1, 2022, of a true public servant and leader, Dr. Louis Uccellini, Director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. Louis is the epitome of a dedicated civil servant, having spent the past 43 years of his career at both NOAA and NASA contributing to and leading the maturation and advancement of our Nation's weather prediction capabilities. Put simply, there is no aspect of today's weather forecast that Dr. Uccellini hasn't advanced during his storied career. But Louis' contributions span far beyond science. Perhaps most notably, and certainly most visible to the public, are the organizational changes Louis has made to National Weather Service since becoming Director in 2013. The establishment and development of the Weather-Ready Nation program, a paradigm shift that refocused the entire NWS staff and mission, now enables forecasters to use weather information to deliver Impact-based Decision Support Services to emergency managers, which is empowering local officials to help citizens be ready, responsive and resilient to weather events. This is the real purpose of the weather forecast and is allowing the National Weather Service to better perform its mission of saving lives and protecting property. Louis' mark on the National Weather Service will undoubtedly be felt for many years to come. On behalf of my constituents in Kansas and a grateful nation, I personally thank Dr. Louis Uccellini for his service to our Nation; wish him and his wife, Susan, well in retirement; and as Louis would say, ``I'll leave it at that.''

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam 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. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I am here tonight to take a moment to recognize the contributions of a member of my staff, Air Force Maj. Grace Miller, who has spent the last year working in my personal office as part of the U.S. Air Force Congressional Fellowship Program. Before Grace departs my office at the start of the new year, I express my appreciation to Major Miller for all of her tremendously beneficial and hard work and her dedication to the service of our Nation. Grace's 15 years of service in the U.S. Air Force developed her leadership capabilities and demonstrate her commitment to serving others. These attributes have made her an invaluable asset to our team as we work to serve Kansans, servicemembers, and veterans. Before joining my office, Grace's assignments took her around the world in service to our country. Grace earned her commission from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. As an aircraft maintenance officer, Grace has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve, taking her across the Middle East. Major Miller's commitment to service also extends to teaching. She taught English at the U.S. Air Force Academy, earning her the academic rank of assistant professor and serving as executive officer to the dean of the faculty. Grace joined our team in January of this year. She, since then, has fully embraced Kansas, its people, and the challenges they face day in and day out. Grace's personal interactions with Kansans and Kansas veterans, in particular, have helped drive meaningful policy in a time when our past and present servicemembers have needed it the most. She has spearheaded the Senate passage of the ``Six Triple Eight'' Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021, which recognizes the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion--the only all-African-American, all- female battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II. The 6888, as this battalion has come to be known, sorted millions of pieces of backlogged mail so troops serving on the frontlines could hear from their families and loved ones from home. Their efforts boosted morale and directly contributed to our servicemembers' fighting spirit, particularly toward the end of the war. Grace has been a tireless advocate for these women, and I commend her dedication. The bill currently awaits passage in the House. Furthermore, throughout the chaotic and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, Grace was an indispensable resource for veterans and Afghan refugees. She continues to assist innocent Afghans seeking refuge from the Taliban's tyrannical hold on the country. I want to highlight her efforts in this regard. She was tireless and was here morning, noon, and night--always with the goal of trying to make sure those who should be on a plane out of Afghanistan were able to be so. It was an emotional issue and a trying issue and something that she never conceded: the belief that she couldn't make a difference. Man, she made a difference in so many people's lives. It gives me the chills to tell the story of her dedication to this cause. I am so grateful; many Kansans are grateful; many Americans are grateful that she cared so much. I will be sad that she will be leaving our office at the end of the month, but I know that she will serve the Air Force well as she transitions to the Air Force Legislative Liaison Office in the House of Representatives. It was a real pleasure having Grace in our office, and I hold her in the highest regard personally and professionally. She is a significant asset to our Nation and to the U.S. Air Force. Grace represents the best of what the Air Force has to offer, and I know she will continue to benefit the future of our Nation. I hope that her experience in our office is something that lends itself toward her further professional advancement within the Air Force and an understanding of our democratic process. There is no group of people I hold in higher regard than those who serve our Nation, and I want to reiterate my gratitude to Grace for her service and dedication. Once again, thank you, Grace, for all you have done for Kansans and for Americans in the year that you have spent in our office. You have been a model of selfless service and leadership. I know that you will continue to do great things throughout your Air Force career and your life of service, wherever that path may lead. Grace, thank you so much. I yield the floor.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, it is an honor to be here this afternoon to address my colleagues of the U.S. Senate, and it is an honor that you sit in the Chair as I do so, as I pay tribute to the Honorable Senator Bob Dole. I was in church on Sunday. I got out of church--it is Advent; Christians are preparing for Christmas--only to learn that during that church service, Bob Dole had died. It has been the topic of conversation by Kansans ever since--not that kind of curiosity conversation that sometimes you have when someone passes away but that deep respect, that concern, that care, that appreciation for a life well-lived. Senator Dole grew up down the road from where I grew up. I remember kind of the earliest conversation with my own dad about World War II experiences was that Bina Dole, Bob Dole's mother, as well as my grandmother were on party lines, and the conversation between my grandmother and Mrs. Dole was the terrible circumstance that her son Bob Dole had experienced in the battlefields of Italy. My dad, who served in World War II and served in northern Africa, Italy, was in the neighborhood, and the request of one neighbor to another, one party line participant to another: Do you think there is any way that Ray could find out how Bob is doing? So my earliest recollection, my earliest understanding of the life of Bob Dole was as a soldier, a member of the Army, a person who served in World War II and was horrifically injured. My view is--and I don't know this, but having known Bob Dole and having seen the consequences of his life, what I think is true is that that experience, the near-death experience, the expectation not to survive, and the long road to recovery created in Bob Dole, in his mind and heart, a different circumstance and a different result than if that never happened. People talk about Bob Dole's life as a Member of Congress. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960. I was asked over the weekend: When did you meet Bob Dole? And I can't remember the first instance, but he was my Congressman. I was engaged in Republican politics as a teenager, and Bob Dole was always there at every gathering. And so I grew up in politics around him, but never with the--other than the sense that this is somebody we really respect. In 1968, Congressman Bob Dole became Senator Bob Dole and his life in this body and his life in the House of Representatives culminated in amazing achievements on the legislative battlefield. But when people ask me, ``What do you remember or what made Bob Dole Bob Dole?'' my view is his service to America in World War II. I think it made him more aware of people who were struggling, people who had disabilities. I think he saw the challenges that people from across the country faced as a result of their service. He saw the challenges that people in foreign countries experienced in World War II. And when we look at his legislative achievements, we often think--at least I think of three--Americans with Disabilities Act; food aid--what I call the Dole-McGovern bill, but many people call the McGovern-Dole bill that helps feed hungry people, particularly children around the world--and his service to other veterans. His work on this floor resulted in many Americans and, in fact, many citizens of the world having a better shot at life. On my maiden speech on the Senate floor, I recognized the circumstance of me, now a U.S. Senator, serving in what we would call in Kansas the Dole seat and the tremendous challenge that caused for me knowing that those footsteps-- my feet would never fit in those shoes. I sit and work from the Dole desk. This drawer has his name sketched in it, and it is a reminder to me about those shoes left unfilled. When I get frustrated with this place--which is not infrequent--I will put on my running shoes and I will walk to the Lincoln Memorial. But in the last decade, that allows me not only to go by the Vietnam Wall and come back by the Korean War Memorial, but now I can stop and pay my respects at the World War II Memorial. That is only because Bob Dole cared about those he served with. Bob Dole demanded that there be a memorial to those who served in World War II. But he did more than demand, did more than insist. He helped plan it, he recruited volunteers, he raised the money. So today we have the chance--and I assume this week we will be at the World War II Memorial paying respects to all World War II veterans, but we will emphasize the service of Bob Dole who made that place to pay those respects possible. I try to visit with every Honor Flight that comes to Washington, DC. And in the beginning days of that Honor Flight, almost everyone-- perhaps everyone who came was a World War II veteran. My own dad got to see the memorial built in his honor because Bob Dole made it possible. My dad came here on an Honor Flight, and Bob Dole was there that day, just like he was at almost every circumstance in which veterans were coming to Washington, DC, particularly World War II veterans. Bob Dole didn't stand there for the glory of his service. He stood there to thank others who served in that war. He was there not to take the podium, not to be the public official, but to be the fellow soldier who served. There are lots of things we can commend and express our gratitude for what Bob Dole did, but he saw honoring veterans as a lifetime responsibility and opportunity. It has only been a few years since veterans coming to the World War II Memorial didn't get to shake the hand of Bob Dole. Finally, at the age of 96, 95, it became physically impossible to do that. But he was there at every opportunity for as long as he could. He served 36 years in Congress, 79 of his 98 as a public servant and servant of the Nation in the military. And in addition to the legislative accomplishments, he was a decent person. He exhibited civility. He had warmth. And no elected official--no offense to my friend and colleague who knew Senator Dole so well, Senator Roberts, no offense to Pat, but no one could compete with Bob Dole's wit. My guess is, as an injured soldier spending months in a bed in a VA hospital where, incidentally, he shared the hospital with Daniel Inouye, who was also gravely injured, and later these two soldiers who survived battle and rehabilitation became fast friends--one a Republican, one a Democrat. The Republican-Democrat thing didn't mean that much. It was the shared service, the sacrifice of these two World War II heroes that brought them together and maintained that friendship. Bob Dole exhibited that wit. In fact, I had so many people after Bob Dole's 1996 run for the Presidency--he appeared on shows in the evening, late-night talk shows--I don't know, hundreds of times people would say: If I had only seen that side of Bob Dole, he probably would have been elected President. He had the capability of causing people to smile, and it could take the edge out of a difficult circumstance because of his wit. We are going to spend some time honoring Senator Dole this week. I want to make certain that I use my opportunity that Kansans have given me to express on their behalf. Not every Kansan--in fact, not very many Kansans will be in Washington, DC, and not many people will be able to have the public eye and ear to express their thoughts. But even this weekend and throughout the time that Bob Dole has been in office and the time that Bob Dole was no longer in office, Kansans have held him in the highest regard. They have appreciated his service. They respect him even in disagreement. I have seen disagreements. I have been in rooms where Senator Dole was there. He voted for the bill that raised taxes on financial institutions and something to do with farmers, and they were there to complain. But Bob Dole had such stature that no one could complain very long about a vote he cast, especially when he explained that you can't get everything you want here, but we can make things better if we give a little here to get a lot more there. A lesson--a lesson--for us today. On behalf of all Kansans, I express their care, their love, and their sympathies and condolences to Senator Elizabeth Dole, his wife; to Robin, his daughter; to other family members, nieces and nephews. I also express my condolences to all those who worked for Senator Dole in his office, whether it was his Kansas office or the office of the majority or minority leader. There are so many people in Washington, DC, today--in fact, I looked to see how many U.S. Senators served with Bob Dole during his tenure here that still serve today. I heard Senator Leahy on the floor earlier this afternoon; Senator Grassley. Senator McConnell, I heard him as well. Senator Shelby, Senator Feinstein, Senator Murray, Senator Inhofe, and Senator Wyden all had the opportunity to serve with the Kansas Senator--the Senator from Kansas, Bob Dole. I can't imagine that doesn't influence the way they do their work and the way they look at the U.S. Senate. But to those who served in his office as members of his staff--and many of them have gone on through nominations and confirmations to become hugely important people in agencies, departments, and bureaus across this government--his mentorship lives on. Another legacy of Bob Dole is all the kids who were interns, all the young men and women who worked here for him, all the people who were influenced to have a little bit different approach to the rest of the world, a little bit different attitude toward people who they might disagree with, and a chance to bring the values that Bob Dole exhibited in his public life to more people across the Nation. I don't know how to sum up, but I assume I will have a few more opportunities this week to express the life of Bob Dole, to express the value of the life of Bob Dole. This afternoon, it is not a conclusion, but it is an ending of these remarks. I thank Senator Dole for being a Kansan with a lot of common sense. I thank Senator Dole for his willingness to serve our Nation, put on the uniform, go through the terrible experience of his injuries and his rehabilitation. I thank Kansans who helped him through that experience. Most of my life I heard the stories of Bob Dole's hometown of Russell, KS. Again, I grew up within 15 miles of Russell. Upon his return from the VA hospital to his hometown, the community rallied to his survival, his success, his rehabilitation. There is the story of cigar boxes in the drugstore where he worked as a soda jerk in high school. The businessmen and -women, the people, the farmers and laborers, the workers put nickels and dimes, a few dollars here and there, into the cigar boxes around town to make sure that Bob Dole and his mom and dad had the resources to recover. Maybe it takes us back to that value of coming from a small town where people know each other and care about each other; where on a party line, two worried mothers could have a conversation about their sons in service; where a community knows the importance of respecting and helping those in need. To the people of Russell and to the people across Kansas, thank you for the manner in which you have treated and respected a man worthy of our respect. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, today I would like to recognize the birthday of Dr. Arris Johnson. Mr. Johnson is a lifetime Kansan and a personal friend who has reached the remarkable milestone of turning 100 years old this past weekend. Dr. Johnson was born on November 28, 1921, and attended grade school in Decatur County. He never strayed far from his roots attending college at Fort Hays State University and graduate school at Kansas State University. He still resides in Hays with his wife, Virginia. Just 6 weeks before his graduation from Fort Hays State, he was called to serve our Nation. In 1945, Dr. Johnson enlisted and served in the Elbe River region for the U.S. Army during World War II. It was his work in the Red Cross division that began his interest in teaching and counseling work. Following his service, Dr. Johnson returned to Kansas and continued his education, receiving his master's from Kansas State University before returning to Fort Hays State to teach counseling for nearly three decades. After retiring in 1985, he was named the freemason grandmaster for the State of Kansas. Additionally, Dr. Johnson was further honored with the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a continuing concern for humanity; support spiritual, cultural, and educational objectives; and exemplify the highest standards of character. These characteristics could not describe Dr. Johnson more appropriately. Dr. Johnson is a loving husband to his wife Virginia Johnson, and they will celebrate their 75th anniversary in January with their family and friends. They continue to reside in Hays, KS, where I hope they enjoy many more years together. It is clear to everyone that knows Dr. Johnson that he has made the most of his 100 years. His contributions to Kansas and our Nation are worthy of commendation. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and soldier, Arris is a tribute to the ``Greatest Generation,'' and a grateful Nation and State thank him for his service. I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing a happy birthday to Arris and a profound thank you for his work in our community. His exemplary service to America and his local community is emblematic of what makes America a great Nation.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, for nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade has been a disaster for our country and its citizens. Sixty million unborn lives have been lost to abortion, and our politics have been distorted by a ruling that deprives the American citizen--the voter--of the right to determine questions on which there is constitutional ambiguity. The Senate confirms individuals to the judicial branch to be judges. They are to judge, not to legislate. Listening to those whom we represent and proposing legislation on their behalf is our job here in the Capitol and the job of our representatives in State legislatures throughout all 50 States. The separation of these powers is crucial to how our democracy functions. Yet previous iterations of the Supreme Court have seen fit to usurp this legislative power, particularly as it relates to abortion. In doing so, a majority of these unelected judges and Justices have relied upon specious jurisprudence to eviscerate State laws that protect the unborn. You don't need to take the word of a conservative Republican from Kansas. Writing when she was a circuit court judge, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg explained: Roe v. Wade . . . invited no dialogue with legislators. Instead, it seemed entirely to remove the ball from the legislators' court. One more liberal law professor acknowledged that ``Roe short- circuited the democratic deliberation that is the most reliable method of deciding questions of competing values.'' These assessments are exactly right. The fallout of Roe, and affirmed by Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992, is obvious. A vacancy to the Supreme Court has become a cage match--a fight here in the U.S. Senate. Someone as eminently qualified as Amy Coney Barrett should have been confirmed unanimously. Today, many of my Democratic colleagues support packing the Supreme Court with more Justices because they believe the Court will block their agenda, which is ironic because for nearly a half century, virtually every State ever to provide protection to unborn babies has been foiled by the judicial branch. Something terribly wrong has happened to our democracy when so much energy is focused on the Court. Again, quoting then-Justice Ginsburg on Roe's attempt to put the issue of abortion to bed, she said in 1985, the Court's ``heavy-handed judicial intervention was difficult to justify and appears to have provoked, not resolved, conflict'' and in 1993 declared that the ruling ``prolonged divisiveness and deferred stable settlement of the issue.'' Given these examples of our polluted discourse, no one can reasonably say that the politics of abortion have improved since then. In fact, it has only gotten much worse. What has improved, however, is our understanding of the science of embryology. Regrettably, it is not enough to say a unique human life begins at the moment of conception for it to receive protection. But we know when unborn babies feel pain; we know when they can survive outside the womb; and a remarkable 4D ultrasound reveals what we already knew: These unborn babies are fully human and deserve the right to life, and yet our legal regime denies them that right. Because of Roe, a child in America can be terminated for any reason-- any reason--up to the moment of its birth. That places the United States in the company of China and North Korea. Surely, a democracy founded on the belief that all people ``are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness'' has a greater respect for human life than these brutal communist regimes. Tomorrow's Mississippi case will test that proposition. However, there is no doubt that the reversal of Roe will not end the practice of legal abortion. Several States have already enacted permissive abortion laws that would remain even on Roe's demise. The point here is that my effort and the effort of my colleagues and millions of other Americans to defend life will continue regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in the coming months, including in my State of Kansas. These efforts will depend on civil persuasion of our neighbors and responsive State and Federal legislators. We will need legislation that protects the unborn and assists new families in caring for their child. Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear the most significant abortion case in the last 30 years. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This case provides the Court the opportunity to relinquish the legislative power it has assumed and return it to the people and their representatives. The Court will be better for it, and so will our politics. And most importantly of all, millions of future voices will get to have their say in the process too. I now yield the floor to my colleague, the Senator from Nebraska, Senator Fischer.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I rise today to express my opposition to President Biden's nominee to be Comptroller of the Currency, Dr. Saule Omarova. Although not the most publicly known office, the Comptroller of the Currency is a prominent and influential position that regulates and supervises all national banks. Given the undeniable importance of this office to the economy and to Americans, it has long been kept free of divisive politics and extreme views. While I talk about the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and I talk about banks, my concerns are certainly more than just the financial institutions that are in our country's economy. It is the people, their customers who are served, that bother me or worry me the most. Rather than offer practical ideas for strengthening our Nation's banks, Dr. Omarova advocates for the elimination of all commercial banks--the very financial institutions she should be interested in partnering with. Instead, she wishes to replace them with one bank--one bank--the Federal Reserve. While the Comptroller might not have direct control of the Federal Reserve's structure, the reach of the position cannot be understated. The Office of the Comptroller is a member of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and even the Board of the FDIC, an Agency Dr. Omarova hopes to eliminate. Although the doctor claims to support community banks, her plan would relegate them to mere franchises of the larger Federal Reserve, and her comments have alarmed many Kansas community bankers. They have grave concerns about her policies that would ``end banking as we know it.'' One Kansas banker says: I have severe concerns with the President's nominee to be the Comptroller of the Currency. Her support of moving the payment system entirely through the Federal Reserve and her commentary in favor of abolishing the FDIC moves the entire banking system toward a government-controlled financial system. Eliminating the dual banking system would be disastrous for entrepreneurs and consumers alike in the marketplace. Another banker from Kansas said: We expect our regulator to supervise safety and soundness for banks in the system, not to propose and force feed social agenda items to us. Local lenders--I certainly know this in the State of Kansas--are the cornerstone of many small towns, and the Comptroller should appreciate the value that community banking brings, what I call relationship banking. They provide crucial lending services for the underbanked populations in rural and urban areas alike. Eliminating the one-on-one, personal approach that allows community banks to thrive will do permanent damage to financial inclusivity and will further push people out of the financial system. I have often said to my colleagues in Washington, DC, that economic development in many places in Kansas is whether or not there is a grocery store in town. It didn't take me too long to realize that that answer, of whether or not there is a grocery store in town, often revolves around whether or not there is a community bank--a relationship bank--in town, one that makes decisions, certainly, on the wellness and the ability of the loan to be paid, but what is in the best interest of the community? How can I make my community and my customers better off for the way this bank operates? Another Kansas banker noted it appears that Dr. Omarova is comfortable with a banking model ``that lacks luster and the agility to serve the diverse nature of the American banking industry.'' With a banking model that would provide no incentive to create innovative new products, consumers would no longer benefit from the financial modernization that has brought so many people into the banking sector, so many customers to the banking sector. Consumers are best served by a financial system that offers competitively priced loans and lets lenders invest back in their local communities. We must continuously work to improve our financial sector for everyone, but forcing consumers to bank with the government would do so much more harm than good. Kansans want less government in their lives, not more, as this would be. Under Dr. Omarova's proposal, the government would have mandatory seats on bank boards and be able to control investments in ``socially sub-optimal'' activities, a subjective definition that can be interpreted to stifle investment. She believes Federal bureaucrats should handpick who gains access to credit--all but ensuring leftist ideas would be funded. Confirming her to this office would provide Dr. Omarova with ample opportunity to deny funding to industries she finds politically unfavorable, including bankrupting our domestic energy companies, something she spoke about. While Dr. Omarova cheers on companies' bankruptcies, jobs disappear, families go without income, and that American dream that is so important to all of us is crushed. Unfortunately, the doctor's confirmation hearing this morning only deepened my concerns. Her views have no place in the role of the Nation's top bank regulator. She is entitled to her views. She is entitled to her radical views but not as the Nation's top bank regulator. By nominating Dr. Omarova, President Biden looks to fundamentally reshape banking from a market-driven industry to a one-size-fits-all government entity. The thought of a centrally planned economy and a banking system like that is not only unworkable, but it is radical-- radically wrong. Even if these ideas are just for the sake of some academic thought, Dr. Omarova's suggestions have consequential impacts. This is a very powerful position, and we cannot--we would take her views lightly at our own risk. I urge my colleagues to reject this nominee. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, last week, I was on the floor expressing my concern about things that I heard while home, and the odd thing seemed to be that they were things that I would never expect to be true. And often that has been the case over the years. You hear something from a constituent or read in the paper or see on the internet, and it is like, this can't be true. And the one that stands out to me this week is this intention by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services to pay up to $450,000 per person of families who illegally crossed our border and were detained separately. This is an absurd policy decision. It gives greater incentives for people to come to the United States and make that dangerous trek to our border. How can it be fair to our law-abiding American citizens? This is a situation that makes no sense to me. And it is something that the Biden administration ought to immediately reject as out of bounds for commonsense and good judgment and, certainly, something that is damaging to the ability for us to have a lawful, sovereign border, and something that is very damaging to the citizens of this country but also to those who make the humanitarian challenge of traveling through Central America and Mexico to our sponsor border. I yield the floor.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 3 minutes.