Patty Murray

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. I object.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I move to table the motion to proceed to H.R. 6126. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, we cannot send the message to our allies or to the world that America only stands by some of its allies, that our word is only good some of the time. We also cannot send our adversaries the message that they can simply wait us out, allow us to become distracted, allow our resolve to waiver, and that the United States will eventually fail to respond to all of the pressing challenges we face. Our adversaries are watching carefully to see if we will let Putin win, and the answer must emphatically be, absolutely not. I have said it before; I will say it many times again. We cannot just do half our job here. That is not just wrong, it is dangerous, and it is naive. There are fundamental flaws in the arguments I have heard from my colleagues for splitting up this aid. Let's start with this one: the argument that somehow we haven't debated Ukraine aid, even though we have been debating this even longer than aid for Israel and even though we have already been forced to punt this aid to an ally in need before. Ukraine can no more afford a delay than our allies in Israel. Ukraine is at a critical point in a brutal war to defend its sovereignty against Putin's bloody invasion. Abandoning Ukraine is the same as surrendering to Putin and sends a message that he can invade any democracy he would like with impunity. Fortunately, Members on both sides of the aisle do understand this, and clear, overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate have shown they support aid for Ukraine. We absolutely cannot allow Ukraine aid to get left behind yet again when they are at a critical moment in their heroic fight to protect their homeland and their future as a sovereign democracy. If my colleagues really wanted more debate on this, we had a robust debate last week, and there was a very strong showing from Senators who discussed at length why it is so important that we keep this aid together in one package. Here is the key point that was raised time and again in that debate: The global challenges we face are all connected, and they are all urgent. We have to be strategic enough to understand that. Do you know who met with Putin last month? The leader of Hamas. Do you know who is watching how committed we are to our allies in Ukraine? The Government of China. When it comes to the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza, let's get something straight: Making sure people have food and water and medical care is not just the right and moral thing to do, it is also very clearly in our national interest, as it promotes long-term stability and security. Hamas is hoping we ignore the humanitarian needs in Gaza. It is hoping it can drive more people to despair and then anger and then, ultimately, extremism. In this critical moment, if we only respond to some of the challenges before us, not only will the other challenges continue to fester, but we will be sending a dangerous message about the limits of American leadership in the world. For our commitments to mean something in the world, they have to be ironclad. For our adversaries to take American leadership seriously, they have to know that we will stand by our allies, that we will stand up for democracy, and that we will stand up to dictators. The way we do that is by passing a strong, unified security package with support for Ukraine and Israel, humanitarian assistance, and smart investment in the Indo-Pacific to support our partners and strengthen deterrence. I am continuing to work on this package to get it done, and that work cannot be more important, nor could it be more urgent. If my colleagues are serious about making sure we act quickly, I urge them to support us in that effort.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following Senators be permitted to speak prior to the scheduled recess: Senator Merkley, Senator Lee, and Senator Cornyn.

Mrs. MURRAY. I object.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, for all of these well-stated reasons, I object.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, there are some fundamental flaws in the arguments my colleagues are making for the Senate to do only half of its job, to say nothing of the partisan, so-called pay-for here--which is a giveaway to billionaires--that actually costs our Nation money and sets a dangerous precedent that our allies are fair game to be used as partisan bargaining chips. First, we should not be pitting funding for Israel against funding for Ukraine and other needs. There is no need given the widespread support for providing assistance to both nations on both sides of this aisle. There is strong support for providing the assistance the President requested for Israel, and there are also bipartisan supermajorities in both the House and Senate in favor of Ukraine aid. That is because most of us on both sides of the aisle understand that while there are important differences, the challenges we and our allies are facing around the world today are connected. Just last month, over 300 House Members voted for Ukraine aid, so pretending that this doesn't have the votes to pass the House simply doesn't pass muster. There is strong support here in Congress to address these urgent priorities in one package, and that is exactly what I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do right now. Secondly, our allies in Ukraine can no more afford a delay than our allies in Israel. Ukraine is at a critical point in a brutal war to defend its sovereignty against Putin's bloody invasion. We must not give Putin a win and throw Ukraine to the wolves for political expediency. After all, what sort of message does it send about our commitment to our allies if we delay Ukraine aid further, especially after we have already missed our earlier opportunities to get this done? For American leadership to have any weight in the world, our word has to mean something. Our commitments have to be ironclad. That means we do not abandon our allies in their time of need, period. Failing to stand by Ukraine now will only embolden Putin and other dictators looking to trample democracies, which brings me to my last point. While the challenges we and our partners face across the globe have different natures and nuances, we have to be strategic enough to understand that they are connected, they are urgent, and they should be addressed as part of one package. The Chinese Government is watching how we respond to Putin's aggression in Ukraine. Putin is wanting the Hamas attack to give him an opening to distract the world from aiding Ukraine against his brutal invasion. In fact, we know that a Hamas delegation visited Moscow recently. So let's stop pretending there is no common thread. And, make no mistake, Hamas is hoping that we ignore the humanitarian needs in Gaza so it can drive people to despair and anger and, ultimately, extremism. When it comes to humanitarian aid, making sure that people have food and water and medical care isn't just the right and moral thing to do. It is also very clearly in our national interest, as this promotes long-term stability and security, combatting hopelessness that can spiral into new threats. Our adversaries are watching closely to see whether we have the vision to recognize how these crises are related and the resolve to come together and respond forcefully to them. We need to send a strong message, and the way we do that is by passing a strong security package. We are working together right now to get that done, and I urge all of our colleagues to support us in those efforts.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I am going to ask unanimous consent, but before I do, I just want to respond to the Senator and say we have a proposal that covers Israel, humanitarian aid, Ukraine, and the border. We are working to get that done, and I welcome the input from our Republican colleagues so that we can be a strong United States of America and address the issues we all need to address.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 2 minutes prior to the vote, followed by Senator Sanders, who will speak for up to 10 minutes.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I have always strongly advocated for the NIH because I know the work that they do--as so many world-class institutions, including several in Washington State--isn't just cutting edge; it is lifesaving. This Agency, the NIH, holds the hope and future of patients across the country in its hands. So it is of the utmost importance to me to make sure we have an experienced leader at the helm of NIH, and Dr. Bertagnolli is an excellent choice to lead the Agency at this critical moment. You need a steady hand to be a cancer surgeon after all. Her credentials go far beyond her record of accomplishment as an oncologist. She is a respected researcher and a proven leader. She has served on the board of directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Cancer Society, and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. She was the CEO of Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC, a not- for-profit focused on making sure rural communities are included in clinical studies. Of course, now she is the head of the National Cancer Institute, where she has led the research strategy and goals for President Biden's Cancer Moonshot Initiative. In addition to that which she brings to this role, she also brings a strong personal connection, which she spoke about at our HELP Committee hearing. She brings the personal experience of growing up in a rural community, where she watched her uncle travel across the State to provide care to patients and where she watched her father fight cancer while care was far from home. And she brings the most recent personal experience of receiving a cancer diagnosis and then of receiving care that was made possible by NIH research. It is clear that those experiences will inform how she approaches her new role at the NIH, and I know patients will be better for it. I also want to take a moment to recognize that, in the field of biomedical research, where women have long been severely underrepresented both in clinical trials and in the workforce, it will be truly meaningful to have such an accomplished woman serving in a role that has real power to tackle issues like improving diversity in clinical trials, fighting sexual harassment that has pushed too many women out of the field, and tearing down other barriers to achievement and equal representation for women in medical research. Dr. Bertagnolli is the right person to ensure the NIH stays on the cutting edge of innovation and research and fulfills its critical mission to promote health, improve equity, keep our Nation competitive, and give patients across the world real hope for the future. She has the experience in medicine, research, and management needed for this role. Most importantly, she has a deep understanding of what the NIH's work means for families in this country who are counting on medical breakthroughs. I am proud to be voting yes. I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, for the information of the Senate, starting at 2:30 p.m. today, the following amendments are expected to be called up and made pending: Cruz No. 1249 and Lee No. 1121. Upon disposition of the amendments, the Senate will vote on adoption of the substitute amendment No. 1092, as amended, and on passage of H.R. 4366, as amended; further, that upon disposition of H.R. 4366, the Senate will vote on passage of H.R. 662, as amended, and that all previous provisions of the order from October 24 remain in effect. So for the information of all Senators, there will be four rollcall votes beginning at 2:30 p.m. today.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, we have a bipartisan package before us. This amendment that is being offered would slash funding supported unanimously in our committee in the Ag and T-HUD bills--kicking women and kids off of WIC or gutting funding for our farmers and agricultural research, making our food supplies less safe; laying off air traffic controllers, leading to flight delays and cancellations; booting people from their homes as housing assistance would be cut off; eliminating resources for communities to invest in important local infrastructure needs and a lot more. This would be catastrophic. The bills we are considering today have been carefully drafted. They are written to the spending levels that were set by the debt ceiling agreement that the House Republicans and the President agreed on. Congress passed it in July, so I urge my colleagues to vote no.

Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I want to thank everyone who has worked with me and the senior Senator from Maine to get our bipartisan spending package here. Over the last few days, we have had a truly robust amendment process and considered 40 amendments, and this vote is now our chance to get Congress back on track so that we can fund our government in a bipartisan way, avoid another massive, end-of-the-year omnibus, and address pressing issues like aid to our allies, disaster relief, childcare prices, and more. By passing this bill today, we can send a crucial message to the American people and the world that, yes, Democrats and Republicans can work together; and, yes, the United States is still strong and still responsive to the challenges before us. So I urge everyone who wants to avoid another year-end omnibus, everyone who has worked with us to put this package together, to vote with us to pass it. Let's get the job done. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, what we have just done is really important, and I want to thank everyone who helped us get here: my vice chair, the senior Senator from Maine; our subcommittee leaders, the Senators from Arkansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Hawaii, and Mississippi; and all of our colleagues--all of our colleagues--who worked hard to craft and strengthen these bills. I want to thank Senate leadership and, of course, all of our tireless staff who have met every challenge this process has thrown at us. Today, months of hard work paid off. We just passed a strong bipartisan spending package--the only bipartisan spending bills in Congress, by the way--and we did it with an 82-to-15 vote. So let us be crystal clear about what that means. Unlike the funding measures we have seen pushed through the House, these are serious and reasonable bipartisan bills that can actually be signed into law. They are the product of months of hard work, careful negotiation, and thoughtful input from Members on both sides of the aisle. They stick to the spending levels that House Republicans and President Biden signed and negotiated and that we all passed into law this past spring. And despite the tough funding constraints, these bills move our country forward, not back, with important investments to keep our promise to our Nation's veterans, to get Americans where they need to go safely, to increase our housing supply, address the homelessness crisis, support our farmers, our ranchers, and keep American families healthy and safe and more. What we have done here--finding common ground to produce reasonable, bipartisan bills--is not just a template; it is the only way to get our jobs done in a divided government. There is a clear lesson from the last few months here in Congress, and it is that we must work together, not retreat to extreme partisan corners. So let us be clear to my colleagues. We have a lot more work to do. Our mission here isn't just to send a message or pass a bill through the Senate. We have to work to get these bills signed into law. And I don't just mean these investments but crucial funding in all of our bipartisan appropriations bills. While we may need another CR before our work is done, we absolutely have to remember: Long-term CRs are no way to govern, and they certainly are no way to lead. When we operate under long-term CRs, our Agencies are stuck in neutral. They cannot plan for the future. They have to delay initiatives and investments. They are far less equipped to meet the pressing challenges we face. Governing by CRs hurts families who need a government that works reliably, seriously stunts our economy and American innovation, and dangerously impedes our national security. I think we all know that our competitors across the world are not putting their budgets on autopilot. They are doing everything they can to get ahead, and they are hoping that we fall behind into the chaos of partisan infighting. We cannot let that happen. We need to pass full- year funding with the investments we need to keep the United States strong and safe and competitive--especially in a moment that truly calls for American leadership. There is no question we have got our work cut out for us, but today, we have shown a clear roadmap for how we can get our work done. So I am talking with my vice chair about the next set of bills we will work to move in the Senate and continuing work to move a comprehensive, bipartisan supplemental funding package. We need to start conferencing our appropriations bills. That will require House Republicans to get serious about governing, to get back to the spending agreement that they negotiated and work with us to finalize these bipartisan bills. It is critical that happens. We do not have time to waste. The clock is ticking. The American people are tired of watching Congress wait until the last second before kicking the can down the road. Our constituents do not want to see chaos. They do not want to see shutdowns or threats, and they don't want to see our country's future limited by CRs. They do want to see their elected officials roll up their sleeves, sit down at the table, and do the hard work of governing to help people and solve problems. That is what we have done today. So let's get to it, and let's get our work done. I yield the floor.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I want to make clear that I also worry about the influence of Chinese entities, but this amendment is not the answer. This amendment could have far-reaching, unintended consequences that would affect our Agencies' ability to fulfill their missions and serve people. If this amendment passed, the VA could face challenges in obtaining products for essential mission needs, like pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and IT. This amendment could negatively impact the procurement of meat for the school meals programs. For example, Smithfield is owned by a Chinese company. This amendment would actually prohibit the USDA from purchasing hogs from any U.S.-based farmers owned by Smithfield. Is that what we want? It could also prevent Americans from understanding the security challenges related to Chinese-made drones because this amendment would mean the FAA would no longer be able to purchase drones made by Chinese entities to conduct critical counter-UAS research, testing analysis, or training. We should have more time to carefully consider the impact of this amendment and the serious, unintended consequences it could have before adding it to this legislation. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, before I speak, I just want to take a moment to speak to the gut-wrenching shooting that occurred in Maine last night. The situation, I know, is still developing, and I am sure there will be more to say about what the Lewiston community is going through and what steps we, as a nation, must take to prevent gun violence. But even as we get more information, it is painfully clear this was a horrific blow to a close-knit community, and I want my colleagues from Maine and everyone in Maine to know that my heart goes out to them, everyone who is affected by this tragedy, and I think I speak for all of us when I say the Senate stands with both of our colleagues from Maine. Amendment No. 1182 Mr. President, now to the task at hand. Last Congress, Senate and House Committees on Appropriations leaders reinstated the practice of congressionally directed spending--or CDS--with bipartisan support. CDS is an important way for Senators to advocate for their States and the communities they know best through their investments in projects to improve transportation and drinking water infrastructure, support workforce development programs, childcare centers, so much more. So at the beginning of this year, the Senator from Maine and I laid out a robust process to accept CDS requests for fiscal year 2024, and that process included extremely important guardrails: requiring each Senator who requested a CDS to certify neither they nor their immediate family members have any financial interest in the project, to ensure that each funded project is clearly identified in the reports with the requesting Senator's name and posted on our committee website, required Senators to publish their CDS requests on their own websites, established an audit process with the GAO, prohibited for-profit entities from receiving CDS funding, and established a total limit on the amount of funding that could be dedicated to CDS in our Senate bills. Across the three bills in this funding package, the committee received nearly 7,000 CDS requests from 66 Senators on both sides of the aisle. Then our staff worked diligently to review all of those requests to make sure they met Agency eligibility requirements and complied with Senate rules and the additional guidelines we had set--if the project met those requirements, eligible for funding. We respect the projects that Senators choose to request and their decisions on CDS priorities for their States and their constituents. And through the CDS process, Congress is exercising our constitutional power of the purse. After all, we all know better than anyone about the needs of our States and our constituents. So I oppose this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mrs. MURRAY

Mrs. MURRAY. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MURRAY

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

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I now ask that following disposition of the Looman nomination, the Senate vote on Vance No. 1210 and, finally, that there be 2 minutes for debate, equally divided, prior to each amendment vote.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I have been working incredibly hard alongside my colleagues to make sure we have an open, bipartisan appropriations process and to keep this process moving, which is why I am glad to say that in a moment, I will call up and ask for unanimous consent to adopt by voice vote the first series of amendments to the appropriations minibus. These are amendments that will further strengthen a package of bipartisan appropriations bills--bills, I should mention, that passed our committee unanimously. We worked hard in committee to ensure this package reflects input from Members across the aisle and across the country. While we may not agree on everything, the votes we are taking now are an opportunity for Members on both sides to provide additional input on this bipartisan package, debate those ideas, and put them up for a vote. This is an important step forward as we work to pass this package in the Senate, keep the appropriations process moving, and in the coming weeks, deliver absolutely essential supplemental funding as well. I am delighted that we are going. I will turn it over to my vice chair who has been working alongside of me to get this moving.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to commit H.R. 4366 and amendment No. 1205 be withdrawn.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, as provided under the order of October 24, I call up the following amendments to Murray-Collins substitute amendment No. 1092 en bloc: Moran No. 1250, Daines No. 1185, Sullivan No. 1216, Sullivan No. 1221, Peters-Cornyn No. 1283, Rosen No. 1117, Schatz No. 1120, Booker-Tuberville No. 1175, Tillis-Welch No. 1264, Reed No. 1202, Britt No. 1270, Kelly-Tillis No. 1116, Hirono-Moran No. 1113, Warnock-Cornyn No. 1351, Smith-Rickets No. 1134, Rosen-Crapo No. 1220, Cardin No. 1277, Padilla No. 1140, Shaheen No. 1131, Klobuchar- Moran No. 1203, Kelly No. 1133, Padilla No. 1139, Ossoff-Braun No. 1255, Merkley-Crapo No. 1352, and Stabenow No. 1115.

Mrs. MURRAY. I know of no further debate on those amendments. Vote on Amendment Nos. 1250, 1185, 1216, 1221, 1283, 1117, 1120, 1175, 1264, 1202, 1270, 1116, 1113, 1351, 1134, 1220, 1277, 1140, 1131, 1203, 1133, 1139, 1255, 1352, and 1115