Patty Murray

Ms. MURRAY

Ms. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Baldwin be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions today.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, let me add my thanks to Senator Portman for his tremendous work here. I wish him the very best in his future as well.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, last month, Lois Curtis, the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Olmstead v. L.C.-- which affirmed the rights of people with disabilities to live in their own communities--passed away from pancreatic cancer. Today, I join so many touched by Ms. Curtis' advocacy in mourning her passing, remembering her life, and paying tribute to the invaluable contributions she made to civil rights. Ms. Curtis, a Black woman with intellectual and mental health disabilities, spent her childhood and young adult life living in State institutions. But she wanted to get out of the institution she had been confined to and finally have the ability to live in her own community. So she took her case to court in 1995 and eventually became the lead plaintiff in Olmstead v. L.C., in which the Supreme Court ruled for the first time in 1999 that unjustified segregation of people with disabilities constitutes discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark ruling established that people with disabilities have the right to receive the services and supports they need to live in their own communities, not just State institutions. Ms. Curtis' courage and refusal to accept the status quo helped propel the disability rights movement, made our country more just, and improved the lives of so many people with disabilities. After winning her case and gaining her independence, Ms. Curtis dedicated her life to advocacy work and became a renowned artist. In 2011, she showcased her artwork in the White House for the anniversary of the Olmstead decision. Ms. Curtis' life's work improved the lives of so many across our country. She will be remembered fondly.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to print the following letter in the Record.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, let me just say at the start, title 42 is a public health tool, and how it is used should be guided by public health experts, looking at data, looking at science--not politicians looking to score political points. And let's be clear, drug trafficking is a serious problem and one we do have law enforcement agencies responsible for. We should leave that work to them and support their efforts. But instead of proposing real legislative solutions to address drug trafficking based on what will keep people safe, Republicans want to use title 42 now as the means to keep out anyone seeking asylum and create a political talking point. And while I welcome the opportunity to work with my Republican colleague on serious bipartisan solutions to address drug trafficking, I object to this at this time.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a copy of the transmittal and commitment letters from the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives regarding reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, Medical Device User Fee Amendments, Generic Drug User Fee Amendments, and Biosimilar User Fee Act.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, last week, Republicans made clear that despite the clear outcry from people across the country, overturning Roe was just their first step. Republicans want a national abortion ban. Republicans want to force my constituents to stay pregnant even when they do not want to be and to go after the doctors who provide abortion care. I am here today to continue to say in no uncertain terms that Democrats are not going to stand for it. While Republicans are busy threatening the rights of women in every State across the country and threatening doctors with jail time, Democrats are here to defend abortion rights and defend the doctors who provide that care, because even before Republicans dropped their national abortion ban bill, I was hearing from providers in my home State of Washington who are facing a huge influx of patients due to Republicans' extreme bans. Just yesterday, the Texas Tribune shared the heartbreaking story of a woman who learned that the pregnancy she had wanted so badly was incompatible with life, that her daughter was developing without a skull or brain. But because Republicans in Texas think they know better than this woman or her doctor, she had to travel for treatment from Dallas all the way to Seattle to get the care she needed. Providers on the ground in my State tell me there are so many more patients being forced to make a trek like that. They are worried about caring for them, and not just because it is for so many more patients, not just because Republicans are straining resources and causing a healthcare crisis that puts women's lives at risk; healthcare professionals are also deeply worried about how Republicans' extreme laws threaten their practices. They are terrified Republicans will take away their livelihoods and even their freedom just for doing their jobs, just for providing the care their patients need--care that is, once again, completely legal in my State. They are right to be scared. When it comes to Republicans' extreme, no-holds-barred anti-abortion agenda, the writing is on the wall, and it has been for some time. Even before this latest bill, Republican State lawmakers were already drafting legislation that would make it a crime to provide abortion care to a resident even in another State where it is legal, and they were doing this while at the same time trying to claim they didn't want to throw doctors in prison. On top of all of that, they were standing in the way of the bill I will offer today to protect healthcare providers. This is a really straightforward bill. It simply protects doctors providing legal abortion care. The last time I tried to pass it, the junior Senator from Indiana said he was concerned about this bill ``allowing abortions for anyone who crosses the State lines and is not a resident of that State.'' In other words, Republicans are worried about all the patients I mentioned earlier who are traveling to Washington State seeking abortion care that they urgently need. Republicans don't think they should be able to travel to Washington State to get healthcare, and they want to allow other States to target Washington State doctors, to threaten them for providing legal abortion care. That is extreme. It is not what doctors want, and it is definitely not what the American people want. Women and men across the country do not want politicians making their healthcare decisions and throwing their doctors in prison. They want to be able to make their own decisions about their own bodies, their own families, their own future. They want doctors to be able to focus on doing their jobs, not fearing a jail sentence. So I urge my Republican colleagues to step aside and allow us to pass the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act. This legislation is so straightforward. It protects doctors providing legal abortion care, and it ensures that they can practice medicine and save lives without fear of legal threats and intimidation. It makes clear that the attacks we have seen on doctors are unacceptable and that politicians should not be harassing or scaring or investigating, threatening, or punishing doctors for providing care that is perfectly legal, that patients want, and that in many cases is even necessary to save lives. If Republicans have been doing what I have been doing, if they have been actually listening to doctors and patients, then they should reverse course and let us get this commonsense bill passed. But if they continue blocking these steps, if they continue ignoring the outcry from every corner of the country, if they continue to undermine the health of patients seeking care and the freedom of healthcare providers doing their jobs, they should know we are not going to stop pushing back. There is too much at stake. So, Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 4723; that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am deeply disappointed. I am not surprised. We continue to see Republicans show their true, harsh colors, and the contrast with Democrats could not be more stark. We simply want people to get the healthcare they need and let them make their own medical decisions. Republicans want to ban abortion nationwide. We want to protect doctors. Republicans want to threaten and penalize or even jail them just for doing their job, even when they are following their State's laws. Mr. President, rest assured, I will continue speaking up for our healthcare providers, for families, for patients. And as we continue to see this extremism, I want to assure everybody that I am not going to stop fighting. Mr. President, someone should be allowed to travel out of their own State to get the healthcare they need. It is unbelievable that the Republicans block this bill. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Jodie Fingland, a dedicated public servant who passed away on September 4 after battling a long illness. Jodie devoted her life's work to expanding educational opportunities for students across the country, and she will be remembered for her wonderful, caring personality. I join my staff and so many others who had the privilege of knowing and working with Jodie through her tireless work at the Department of Education in mourning her passing and remembering her life. Over the years, Jodie held many different positions at the Department of Education in the Obama administration. She served as chief of staff, deputy assistant secretary, and principal adviser for legislative affairs all in the Office for Legislation and Congressional Affairs, and worked closely with the Senate and House in these roles. Whether briefing Members of Congress, preparing the Secretary for a committee hearing, or providing strategic advice to senior managers at the Department, Jodie was known for being kind, calm, and extremely knowledgeable. She was particularly known for her skill in higher education policy. Jodie dedicated her career to the advancement and improvement of education for all, and her work impacted so many students, educators, and families across the country. She will be remembered fondly.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask to speak as if in morning business.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, yesterday, my Republican colleagues introduced a national abortion ban and made it clear that they are coming after the rights of my constituents and they are coming after the rights of people across the country. This atrocious bill threatens the people of Kansas who just voted overwhelmingly to protect abortion rights. It threatens the hundreds of thousands of people in Michigan who just signed a petition for a referendum vote to protect abortion and States like mine which already have strong abortion protections on our books. Up to now, Republicans have tried to play down their abortion extremism. They have tried to run away from the consequences of their extreme agenda, even as patients have been denied prescriptions that they need, even as doctors have been forced to wait until patients' lives are in danger before they can take action, even as healthcare crises they have caused spill across State lines to disastrous effect. But despite their empty rhetoric about leaving it to States, the truth has been painfully clear: They think they know better than women when it comes to reproductive healthcare decisions. They have shown, again and again, they do not trust women to have full control over their own bodies, and they are also willing to go after doctors. They have blocked the most basic bills like Senator Cortez Masto's bill that would have made sure people can still travel to other States for legally available care or my bill making sure that doctors in States where abortion is legal cannot be punished for doing their job. Over and over, they have stood in the way of Democrats' efforts to protect women's abortion rights, and it is crystal clear why. This bill shows the true Republican position. They want to ban abortion for everyone, in every single State, and they want to punish doctors. They want to put them in prison for doing their jobs. So, to anyone who lives in a blue State like mine, anyone who thinks they are safe from these attacks, here is the painful reality: Republicans are coming after your rights, and you don't have to take my word for it. The Senator from South Carolina said yesterday: If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you we'll have a vote on our bill. There it is. It couldn't be clearer. That is the MAGA agenda for all 50 States: rights stripped away and doctors in prison. Regardless of your circumstances, regardless of what is best for your health, regardless of your family plans--of your hopes or your fears or your dreams for your future--Republicans want to control your personal decisions. They don't trust you to have full control over your own body. This is horrifying. When he unveiled the bill yesterday, the Senator from South Carolina also said I'll make a prediction: we stay on this and we keep talking about it, maybe less than a decade from now, this will be law. ``This will be law.'' This is the future that they want--a national abortion ban. Well, let me tell you something. The Senator from South Carolina may not have been paying attention, but Democrats are already talking about this issue every week, every day, every opportunity. And women across the country have been with us, fighting for the right to abortion and fighting back against Republicans' harmful attacks. We saw it in Kansas. We are seeing it in Michigan. And I am seeing it everywhere I go in Washington State. I have been talking to doctors and patients and women and men across our country, and they are outraged--outraged--that Republicans want to take away their rights, that Republicans want to put doctors in prison. And I am too. I have never been madder. So here is my message to Republicans: If you want to go after my constituents' rights, if you want to go after women's bodies and futures, if you want to pass a national abortion ban like this extreme bill, you are going to have to go through me because Democrats are going to keep standing up for women and men across the country who do not want their rights taken away. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I rise today in support of the nomination of Judge Salvador Mendoza, from my home State of Washington, to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. I was honored to recommend Judge Mendoza for this seat to President Biden and to introduce him before the Senate Judiciary Committee in May. I was thrilled to see him advance out of the committee in a bipartisan vote, and I couldn't be happier to support him today and to strongly urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for his confirmation to the bench. Judge Mendoza is a lifelong Washington State resident and a tremendously qualified candidate to join the Ninth Circuit Court. He has served as a district court judge for the Eastern District of Washington since 2014, when he was confirmed by the Senate with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of 92-4. In his time on the bench in the Eastern District, he has presided over nearly 1,500 cases--including appellate cases--where he treated every party who came before him with fairness and respect. And before that, he served Washington State as a Superior Court Judge. He also has experience as a prosecutor, in the State attorney general's office, and as a solo practitioner, where he often represented defendants who could not afford their own attorneys. He also worked to establish the first drug court in Benton and Franklin counties, along with prosecutors, defense attorneys, mental health professionals, and other judges. From representing those without means, to establishing drug courts, to serving with distinction on the Eastern District Court, Judge Mendoza has been a trailblazer, focused on building a more fair and just legal system that works for everyone--not just the wealthy and well-off. Judge Mendoza's many years of public service and even-handed application of the law have earned him not only the support of people across the State of Washington, but also the respect of both Democrats and Republicans. It is why my bipartisan judicial merit selection committee, which includes top Republican lawyers, recommended him to serve in his current district court judgeship 8 years ago and why he was confirmed to that judgeship in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. And that should be no different today. Beyond just his impeccable professional qualifications, Judge Mendoza will bring an important perspective to one of the most consequential appellate courts in this country: the perspective of someone whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and worked as farm laborers, maids, and factory workers to build a better life for their family; the perspective of someone who, as a child, worked beside them on farms in the Yakima Valley; the perspective of someone who was the first Latino Federal judge in the Eastern District of Washington and who would break new ground once again as the first Latino from Washington State to serve on the Ninth Circuit. Confirming Judge Mendoza will bring us even closer to building a Federal bench that reflects the diversity of the people it serves. That is especially important to me and to the many people across the country who don't currently see themselves represented on our Nation's courts. I have no doubt--and based on his record, I think there can be no doubt that serving on the Ninth Circuit, Judge Mendoza will carefully review each case as an appellate judge, respect every party that appears before him, and protect the rights of the American people. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting his confirmation.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, last weekend, 10 people were tragically killed in a plane crash near Whidbey Island, WA, sending waves of shock and sadness through the entire State. Today, I join with communities across Washington in honoring their memories and grieving this immeasurable loss for their families and friends. One of these 10 people was Sandy Williams, a beloved member of the eastern Washington community, and a powerful civil rights advocate who worked to lift up Black voices across the State. Sandy Williams was born and raised in Spokane Valley and, starting at a young age, worked hard in pursuit of equality and justice. In fact, when her middle school offered a home economics class for girls but wouldn't allow them to take the shop class with the boys, she refused to take no for and answer and pushed back until she and other girls were allowed to take shop. Her fight for fairness and equality would lead her to leave an indelible mark on eastern Washington which she loved so dearly, in so many ways. Sandy helped establish the Pride Center at Eastern Washington University to support LGBTQ+ youth. Sandy also served eastern Washington as its member of the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs. And she worked nonstop to lift Black voices and create a community where everyone is heard, included, and empowered. In 2016, Sandy started publishing a newspaper called ``Black Lens''-- that she ran out of her home--to tell the stories that mattered most to Black Washingtonians. Sandy was dedicated to a vision of eastern Washington where Black people could come together as a community and worked hard to make that vision a reality by helping create the Carl Maxey Center. The Carl Maxey Center is a testament to Sandy's legacy; it remains a hub of economic, social, and cultural activity in Spokane. It provides rental assistance, social services, business support, resources for students, and more. It helps plan beloved events like Unity in the Community and the Riverfront Park Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. And it will continue to be an example of Sandy's steadfast commitment to community. Through her advocacy, through her example, and through her action to make dreams realities, Sandy made Washington State a fairer, more just place, and her legacy and impact will endure for generations to come. Sandy is survived by her daughter Renika, her brother Rick, and many loved ones in Spokane.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that there be a period of morning business for debate only until 4 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, and that Senator Schumer be recognized at 4 p.m.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, but for everything good this bill accomplishes, we have not yet addressed a critical issue families face today: access to high-quality childcare. There is a childcare crisis in this country, and the time to address it is now. There can be no more excuses. We cannot simply vote on this package and call it a day. Our childcare system isn't just stretched thin; it is broken. Talk to parents, talk to businesses, talk to anyone, and it is painfully obvious that our childcare system isn't working for families, providers, or our economy and hasn't been for some time. Right now, families from Seattle to Spokane are stressed. They are staying up late at night, trying to figure out how on Earth they are going to find a childcare opening or how they are going to afford it if they ever get off a wait list. When they can't find and afford childcare, as is all too often the case, parents--moms in particular-- have to leave their job and stay out of the workforce, all while childcare workers are being paid poverty wages, struggling to make ends meet and provide for their own families, and they are leaving their jobs for better paying work at fast food chains and big box stores, which pay them more than their childcare position. We have to do better for kids, for moms, for workers, for our economy, for everyone, or this is just going to keep getting worse. I know all of my colleagues have heard me say this before--you have probably heard me say it 100 times--but I want to be clear: The childcare system is on the brink of collapse, and parents are telling us every single day this is an urgent crisis. The emergency support that we did provide in the American Rescue Plan was hugely helpful, but it is going to run out, and soon, and families who are already at their wits' end will feel the pressure. So we need to lower the cost for families as we fight inflation. We need to expand parents' options so they can go back to work and support the childcare workers caring for and educating our kids each and every day. Now, I have been putting forward proposal after proposal to do exactly this, and I am working with anyone I can to make progress here because this isn't a ``my way or the highway'' proposal. It never was. I hope my colleagues know that is not how I operate. What I am talking about here is delivering a lifeline to kids, to moms, to our childcare industry, not to mention the businesses and industries that desperately want to hire more workers. I am deeply disappointed that Congress has failed to meet this crucial moment for our families and our childcare providers, so let me just say this: I have been fighting for childcare my entire career, since before I ever got here to the U.S. Senate. In fact, for a very long time, I was the only person in the room fighting. So I am not going to stop anytime soon. And guess what. I am not the only one fighting today. There are parents and advocates across the country who are fighting for this, who know how critical this is for our families. There are small business owners who understand how critical this is to strengthening our economy--real people, not some army of invisible lobbyists. So I am here right now to be a voice for them, and I am asking everyone here in Congress to step up and speak for these families too. We have to get this done. We must make this a priority. We must address this urgent crisis before it is too late. So I want everyone to know I am going to stay in this fight for moms and for our kids, and you better believe, one day, we are going to win this. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I go back home to Washington State every week, and I talk to young people in Seattle who are urgently calling for bold climate action. I talk to families in Yakima County who are deeply concerned by a wildfire season that gets worse every year and parents in Vancouver who are trying to figure out how they can afford their kids' medication and make ends meet. This summer has broken records in Washington State and not in a good way. Energy prices and temperatures have both spiked. People from Seattle to Spokane are feeling the stress, and they are feeling the heat. Climate disasters have become an everyday reality in every community across the country. Washington State has seen droughts and wildfires and floods and heat waves that literally made our roads buckle. Families desperately need us to tackle rising costs and rising temperatures because we cannot build a stronger economy if we do not build a more sustainable economy, and that is why we need the Inflation Reduction Act. It will reduce costs for families, it will reduce emissions, and it will even reduce the debt and deficit. The climate investments in this bill are, in a word, historic. They won't just bring down carbon emissions by a whopping 40 percent; they will help us establish real energy independence from dirty fossil fuels and foreign adversaries. They will save lives by reducing air pollution and supporting conservation efforts happening in rural Washington State right now to prevent wildfires and protect families and address the climate crisis. This legislation will make historic, first-of-its-kind, economy-wide investment in clean energy that will create millions of good-paying clean energy jobs, including in Washington State, and it will bring down families' energy costs for people who are struggling to keep the AC on in the summer or the heat on in the winter or lights on year- round. It will help weatherize homes and install energy-efficient appliances and heat pumps and rooftop solar panels and more. This bill will offer huge cost savings for clean or electric vehicles, new or used, and give companies a good reason to build more of these cars in America. We aren't just cutting energy costs, though. No one should have to worry about whether they can afford the healthcare they need, but I have heard from countless patients who worked their whole life, who saved their money, but still had to work an extra job or move in with their family or even ration their prescription just to make ends meet. Lifesaving medicine doesn't do any good if people can't afford it. That is why this bill will finally give Medicare power to negotiate. We are going to force drug companies to the bargaining table, and patients everywhere are going to benefit. It will also cap seniors' annual drug costs and cap insulin at $35 a month and protect patients from companies that are jacking up prices on them with reckless abandon. It extends the healthcare coverage relief that helped millions of people save thousands of dollars on their healthcare this year. This isn't just saving people money; this is going to save lives-- patients who are rationing their prescriptions, afraid to see their doctors not because they are scared of getting a diagnosis but because they are scared of the price tag. If that is not the goal when we come to work every day, then I don't know what is. But the Inflation Reduction Act won't just bring down families' everyday costs; it will bring down the deficit by more than $300 billion because every cent of this bill is paid for by closing loopholes used by enormous corporations. There is no reason a company making a billion-dollar profit should pay a smaller tax rate than a mom-and-pop shop in Washington State or a firefighter or a teacher in Walla Walla, WA, so Democrats won't let it fly any longer. Those big billion-dollar companies? They are going to pay no less than the same 15 percent in taxes that many of our small businesses already pay. Those stock buyback schemes that line the pockets of corporate executives and Wall Street investors but do nothing for working families? They are going to be taxed so companies pay their fair share. As for everyday Americans, they won't see their taxes go up one penny. Make no mistake, the Inflation Reduction Act represents historic progress. There is simply no reason anyone should be against these policies and many reasons to get this done now. This is not a bill for Democrats or Republicans; it is legislation that will help all Americans--lowering prescription drug costs, making healthcare more accessible and more affordable than ever, and pass the largest investment in climate action in our country's history--all paid for.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, let's be clear about what is going on here. This amendment is an attempt by Republicans to derail our ability to get this bill across the finish line and deliver for families in our country. Title 42 is a public health tool, and how it is used should be guided by public health experts--looking at data, looking at science--not politicians looking to score political points or, in this case, Republicans trying to stop a bill that lowers costs, lowers emissions, and lowers the deficit. I urge my colleagues to vote no. Vote on Amendment No. 5384

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, lifesaving medicines don't do any good if people can't afford them. That is why it is so important that we do help people get the medicine they need, especially insulin. It is exactly why we need to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which does take historic steps to lower costs, and it caps patients' insulin costs at $35 a month. If Republicans really want to help patients get insulin, they will help us get this bill signed into law instead of trying to derail it with amendments and trying to weaken the insulin provision Democrats want to pass. We are fighting to make sure that no one has to ration their insulin and put their life at risk. I hope some Republicans will join us in working to make this lifesaving medicine affordable and pass this bill--hopefully soon--here today. But I do urge my colleagues to reject this amendment so we can get to that point.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask consent to speak for 1 minute prior to the Senator from South Carolina moving to waive the Budget Act.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, 37 million people in our country have diabetes. And it is absolutely wrong that many of them cannot afford the insulin they need to live. I have heard from people in my State who risk their life and ration their insulin to make ends meet. All the while, drug companies are jacking up prices. The cost of insulin has tripled over the last decade, and it is not like it is three times better. The reality is, the cost of insulin isn't just out of control; it is devastating people and not just seniors but workers and students and parents who are just trying to get insulin for their kids. We have an opportunity here to make a difference and permanently cap insulin at $35 a month. It will save money. It will save lives. This should not be a hard vote to cast. A budget waiver will continue allowing people to get insulin at $35 a month. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle not to remove this provision from the underlying bill.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections of that act and applicable budget resolutions for purposes of the pending amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. When we are facing the challenges in this country and helping our constituents to lower costs, it is outrageous that Republicans are trying to define pregnancy, of all things, on this floor on this day after hours of voting on amendments. I urge a ``no'' vote. Vote on Motion

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, let's be clear about what is going on here. This is a procedural attempt by Republicans to derail our ability to get this bill across the finish line and deliver for families in our country. It is actually outrageous that Republicans are trying to talk about pregnancy when in this country, right now, they are forcing women to stay pregnant no matter their circumstances, pushing cruel and extreme abortion bans. Republicans are now resorting to tactics like this to distract from the fact that they don't have any serious reasons for working so hard to oppose this bill that lowers costs, lowers emissions, and lowers the deficit. I urge my colleagues to vote no.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, I am very concerned that this bill would overrule FDA experts and do so without even going through regular order. We should be setting a very high bar for doing anything like this. I do appreciate my colleague's concern that he is bringing to the floor today for growers in his State. Greening disease is a serious and alarming environmental issue. But skipping regular order here today to override FDA's experts and meddle with its longstanding process for modifying food standards of identity does not get to the root of the problem. So, today, I object.