Roger Marshall

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, this week, after waiting more than 20 years, Amelia Earhart's statue will replace fellow Atchison, KS, native and former U.S. Senator John Ingalls in the National Statuary Hall Collection. Amelia will join President Dwight D. Eisenhower, our Nation's 34th President and Abilene, KS, native, as one of Kansas's two tribute statues in the Capitol Building. President Eisenhower's statue was placed in the Capitol Rotunda in 2003, but Amelia's journey to our Nation's Capitol has taken much longer. Kansans, and especially the people of Atchison, persevered, just as Amelia did in her pursuit of flight, to coordinate and create a bronze statue and limestone base--an appropriate nod to our State's signature natural stone. It was 85 years ago this month that Amelia Earhart vanished over the vast Pacific Ocean. She had already completed more than three-fourths of her trip, which would have made her the first pilot ever to circle the Earth at its equator. Amelia had already made history before this flight. She was the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, and the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States. In defying odds and expectations with each new accomplishment, she became a global superstar and one of the most accomplished pilots in history. While Amelia was a pioneer for aviators everywhere, she is still today a role model for every person but especially for women and young girls who strive to break barriers and achieve their dreams despite the odds being against them. In my home State of Kansas, Amelia's legacy lives on and continues to know no limits. Kansas is home to the Air Capital of the World for good reason. Our State has been home to many aviation manufacturers over the course of a century, and on any given summer's day, with eyes to the sky, you can see crop dusters flying low, dodging trees and power lines, diving upon acres and acres of cropland. Looking farther upward, you might see hobby pilots or executive jets, and often, you will hear screeching fighter bombers and giant jet refuelers, but to see them, you have to strain your eyes forward of the booming sound. Indeed, our spacious land is well fitted for spacious runways, and our faraway horizons that provide endless visibility go on for miles on end, signaling Kansas will remain the Nation's leader in aerospace and drone development. I want to go back for a moment to a young Amelia being brought up in the heartland. Yes, Kansas is where 9-year-old Amelia first took to flight. Listen to this story. Inspired by an exhibit she saw at the 1904 World's Fair, she built by herself a makeshift roller coaster. Recall again she is 9 years of age in this story. She launched her coaster off the roof of her house. After tipping over the edge of the roofline, she said: ``It felt like I was flying.'' Sixteen years later, she purchased her own plane and flew to new heights. Today, I also want to honor the people of Atchison, who have taken great lengths to preserve and tell Amelia's story for all Americans to hear. My wife and I not too long ago enjoyed a great day visiting her perfectly preserved birth home, but the star of the show for our visit--a ``must go see'' for everybody but especially for American history buffs--was the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, which honors Amelia's aviation legacy and inspires all generations in the pursuit of flight. The centerpiece is Muriel, the world's last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E, an aircraft identical to the plane Amelia flew on her final flight. Muriel is named for Amelia's younger sister, Grace Muriel Earhart Morrissey. What I am really excited about at the museum is the immersive STEM exhibits, which take visitors through Earhart's adventurous life, from growing up in Atchison, KS, to the height of her worldwide fame as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Every school within busing distance has to plan a field trip to Atchison in the coming year. Parents should be fighting for the chance to chaperone. Finally, I want to salute Atchison's annual festival in honor of Amelia, which I attended just a couple of weekends ago, celebrating her life and achievements with history lessons, concerts, downtown arts and crafts, a world-class fireworks extravaganza, and a luncheon honoring the Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award recipient. It was there for the first time that I connected with the legend of Amelia and why the hometown folks, nearly 130 years after her birth, fight to preserve her legacy and especially how much she means to the ladies of the community. Amelia flew to new heights and traveled longer distances than ever before, and today, Americans everywhere are joining Atchisonians and Kansans as we all honor Amelia this week out of a shared admiration for her innovative, pioneering spirit. Her fellow Atchison native and statuary predecessor, John Ingalls, coined the motto for our State, ``Ad Astra per Aspera,'' which means ``to the stars through difficulties.'' Amelia Earhart personified that motto by pushing against social boundaries set for women and breaking new records in flight not just for a woman but for all aviators. For generations to come, her spirit and her likeness in Statuary Hall will inspire not only Kansans but also visitors from around the world. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor and recognize FC Wichita's 12-year-old youth girls' soccer team. FC Wichita's 12-year-old youth girls' soccer team recently took the first place title at the U.S. Cup Championship in Blaine, MN. This win is one of the most prestigious victories a youth team can attain, making their team the first in the history of the FC Wichita program to win a U.S. Cup Championship title. FC Wichita went undefeated in five games, which included a 2-1 victory over JaHbat FC in the semifinals and a 3-2 victory in penalty kicks over Minnesota's Manitou FC in Saturday's championship game. The U.S. Cup title was the cherry on top of an outstanding summer for the FC Wichita girls' team in which they also won the Real Colorado Cup. It is my honor to congratulate FC Wichita on such a wonderful season, and I would like to recognize both the players and the coaches for their hard work in this season. Their numerous accomplishments have made the great State of Kansas proud. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the FC Wichita's 12-year-old youth girls' soccer team for their outstanding athletic accomplishments and the determination displayed during their U.S. Cup Championship victory.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Mr. Ralph Hipp of Topeka, KS. Mr. Ralph Hipp announced this week that he will be retiring September 2 after a 48-year career in broadcasting. He first joined the WIBW-TV team in April 1990 as an anchor for 13 NEWS at 10. He briefly left WIBW-TV in the fall of 1998 for his wife's job in Tennessee, but returned to his anchor desk in Topeka exactly 2 years later, and has remained a constant at 13 NEWS ever since. Ralph first thought of retirement more than 2 years ago, but when the pandemic began, he gladly remained part of the 13 NEWS teams to help get everyone through the tough times. The last 2 years were the most challenging and rewarding of Ralph's entire career with WIBW-TV. Throughout his career, Ralph has hosted various programs and segments loved by many in Northeast Kansas. He was a longtime host for the Sunday night scholastic quiz bowl program ``High Q,'' recognized exceptional students of all ages in the ``Good Kids'' Tuesday night segment, and has hosted hundreds of viewers from the famous red couch set since 2006. Hosting this program from the red couch has been a blessing and joy for him, especially throughout the pandemic. Helping people in their time of need is what the business is all about to Ralph, and the Red Couch Program provided him the opportunity to be able to help others. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful impact Mr. Ralph Hipp has had on the WIBW-TV team and to honor him for his 30 years of serving the families of Northeast Kansas in what he calls ``the best job in the world.''

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, well, summer is in full swing, and all across the Midwest, people are preparing for lake vacations, for family barbecues, but new to this year's agenda, they are also preparing for Biden blackouts. The shocking new inflation numbers show Americans already paying 42 percent more for energy than this time last year, but now, due to the White House policies, we may not be able to generate enough electricity to meet demand. Now, let us not forget that under Republican leadership, we had a nation completely in control of our energy security. We were the global leader in energy production, and we were a net exporter of oil products. However, under Democratic leadership, we are making plans for the lights to go out, and I hope everybody has their candles ready to go at home. But it isn't this administration's fault, of course, so just ask them--just ask them. No, this White House states they are powerless to the whims of a global marketplace, and don't bother asking them to own the consequences of their actions. Did President Biden actually believe canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline on his first day in office would not have negative effects on the global energy markets? Think about it. The United States, the largest oil producer in the world, stopping the transport, the importing, of nearly a million barrels a day, over 5 percent of our supply--who could have ever predicted decreasing supply could impact the cost at the pump? And who could have predicted that halting all leasing on Federal lands would impact global supply? I even asked the Interior Secretary if this policy made it more difficult for oil companies to drill, and she couldn't give me an answer. She didn't care. This administration doesn't care about the cost of gas at the pump; that is, until they get it high enough to make driving electric cars more comparable. Don't even think about implying that John Kerry, Biden's climate envoy at COP26, would cause private companies to take coal-powered plants offline and eliminate baseload without a plan going forward. After all, he said in Glasgow: By 2030, in the United States, we won't have coal. We will not have [any] coal plants. Well, we may not have coal, but we will have blackouts. And it was Joe Biden on the campaign trail, in his own words--I am sure you all remember--who said: Kiddo, I want you to just take a look . . . I want you to look into my eyes. I guarantee you, we are going to end fossil fuels. And we wonder why Americans won't invest tens of millions--hundreds of millions--of dollars into this energy sector to drill new oil. Yet this President has declared war on American energy, and every American is paying the price at the gas pump. And yet this President wonders out loud why companies won't invest in any more exploration when it takes 5 or 10 years for a payback on these types of investments. He continues to create uncertainty. It doesn't have to be this way. Republicans have been sounding the alarm on the negative impacts of this administration's policies since President Biden took office. Honestly, this should be surprising to no one. Yet the left seems confounded, stupefied, and without a plan except to turn off your air conditioner and your freezer. Even more, they have resorted to outright lies. In fact, they repeat these lies over and over, hoping America will eventually fall for them. They repeatedly claim they have not been interfering with American energy production and now deceivingly spout they support the industry that they have been vilifying for years. It is clear, we need more traditional fuel production. I know it; the American people know it. And to be completely clear, I think the White House knows it as well. Why else would he have gone overseas to Saudi Arabia to beg for more oil? Why is the White House reaching out to dictators in Venezuela or countries that sponsor terrorism like Iran instead of supporting American production in places like my home State of Kansas? When I asked the Secretary of Energy in committee about the price of gas, she cheekily replied that she drives an electric vehicle. This is the same Secretary of Energy that laughed and found it ``hilarious'' when asked about her plan to increase oil production in America. That is how this administration responds to the pain of the American people: laughing as they ride away in their fancy electric vehicles. All that said, I truly hope that those of us forced to experience a Biden blackout are able to get safely through it. For many, a short- term blackout might prove a mild inconvenience. But with the seasonal heat waves we are seeing across the State of Kansas, across this Nation and the rest of the Midwest, it could lead to life-threatening complications. These Biden blackouts show that it is well past time for the President to stop the climate extremism, stop the anti-American policies devastating our communities, and stop looking overseas to fix problems that we have the answers to right here in America. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor and recognize Captain James Grasela III, Sergeant Lee Ann Shelton, and Officer Dallas Thompson of the Kansas City, KS, Police Department. On January 7, 2022, while the Kansas City Police were conducting a burglary investigation, Officer Thompson found pills crumpled in an envelope belonging to a detained suspect. Captain James Grasela immediately recognized the pills as ones which might be laced with fentanyl. Officer Thompson did everything by the book: placed the pills and envelope in an evidence bag, sealed it, and removed his gloves, yet just minutes later, he dropped to the ground, struggling to breathe. It was only through the quick action of Captain Grasela and the other officers on the scene that Officer Thompson was able to survive. If the officers had not been there to administer emergency medication, Officer Thompson would not have made it home to his two daughters. Thankfully, this accidental overdose did not end in tragedy. Unfortunately, deaths involving Fentanyl are not uncommon in this country. Fentanyl kills more Americans than any other drug and is a clear threat to our society. The fact that it takes less Fentanyl than can fit on the tip of a pencil to kill someone makes this crisis even more severe. I want to honor these officers for everything they do to protect our citizens from the dangers of fentanyl. They put their lives on the line every day to shield Americans from this crisis, as seen this past January. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the bravery of our Kansas City, Kansas, police officers and to honor them for their dedication to protecting their fellow Americans from the scourge of Fentanyl.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and thank Mr. Ron Nutz of Haddam, KS. Last September, I traveled to Washington County and met many outstanding Kansans, amongst them was Mr. Ron Nutz. Ron is responsible for spearheading the construction of the Mark Nutsch Horse Soldier Monument and the 9/11 Memorial in Washington County, KS. Mark Nutsch served as a Ranger in the Army and as a special forces officer, deploying on multiple combat tours. Shortly following the 9/11 attacks on our country, he led his team into northern Afghanistan and fought against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, much of the time on horseback. I would like to thank Ron for the work he has done towards the completion of this project. The monument will depict a soldier on horseback and will also incorporate the stone, lapis lazuli, which is found throughout Afghanistan. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held on June 27. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Ron Nutz for all of his hard work, as well as in wishing him nothing but success in the future.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize the life of Mr. Veryl Switzer of Nicodemus, KS. I stand before you today to mourn the loss of a Kansas State University great, Veryl Switzer. While many may know of Veryl through his football career, his legacy and impact on the University extend far past the gridiron. He came to Manhattan, KS, on a football scholarship in 1950 and would go on to be one of the most well-rounded players in the history of the program. An All-American from 1951 to 1953, Veryl led the team in practically every statistical category on offense and, to this day, still ranks in the top 10 for many punt-return categories. Veryl's athletic achievements were not limited to the football field, as he was the Big Seven Indoor Long Jump champion in 1952. Following an illustrious career for the Wildcats, Veryl would be selected by the Green Bay Packers with the fourth overall pick in the 1954 NFL Draft. Veryl led the NFL in punt return average during his rookie season, but would step away from the Green Bay Packers after just 24 games to serve in the U.S. Air Force. After his time in the military, Veryl played two more seasons of professional football in Canada. He would then go on to work for the Chicago Board of Education for 10 years before making his way back to Kansas State University. Once back at K- State, Veryl developed the first university wide student-minority program, where many campus groups such as the Black Student Union, Ebony Theater, and United Black Voices still exist due to his efforts. A member of both the K-State athletics hall of fame and the football team's ring of honor, Veryl's legacy will continue to live on through the hearts and minds of his family, friends, and K-State fans across the country. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful life and career of Mr. Veryl Switzer. A true inspiration to the State of Kansas, fighting ever fighting for a Wildcat victory.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Mr. Eric Atkinson of Topeka, KS. Growing up on a farm outside of Winfield, KS, Eric would listen to the radio at night as his way to stay connected with current events. Captivated by the transmissions that reached him, he became involved with radio in high school, resulting in a lifelong passion for broadcasting. Eric graduated from Kansas State University with a broadcasting degree and worked several jobs in radio, as well as on the family farm, before the opportunity to host ``Agriculture Today'' arose. He would go on to host the radio program for 39 years, broadcasting over 9,000 shows and interviewing hundreds of agriculture experts and professionals about the issues most relevant to Kansas agriculture. In the 39 years Eric hosted ``Agriculture Today,'' he made it his goal for the show to serve as a platform for agriculture professionals to share their expertise. He made an effort to ask the most relevant questions and discuss important research topics during his time on air. Throughout his time on the radio, Eric has been credited as an accomplished professional who always worked hard to make sure the issues at hand were easily relatable for farmers across Kansas. His substantial presence in farm truck radios across the State as the host of ``Agriculture Today'' will continue to be on the hearts and minds of farmers and agribusiness officials. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful impact Mr. Eric Atkinson has had on the agriculture industry and to honor him for his 39 years of service to Kansas farmers.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Mr. Chris Leon of Wichita, KS. Chris started volunteering for Kansas Honor Flight 8 years ago. Kansas Honor Flight is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to honoring Kansas veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam by sending these heroes on an all-expense-paid journey of honor and remembrance to visit their memorials in Washington, DC. Chris has demonstrated outstanding leadership in his volunteer work with ALLmetal Recycling, and thanks to his efforts crushing aluminum cans, Kansas Honor Flight has been able to send countless veterans on a trip of a lifetime to Washington, DC. Chris is now 31 years old and continues to demonstrate his leadership and support for our veterans through his exemplary volunteer work. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Chris on his visit to Washington DC, and I can't wait to see what he accomplishes in the future. It is my honor to congratulate him, and I hope he knows how much his efforts have contributed to financing the Kansas Honor Flight Program. His deep love for his country and his desire to give back to those who have sacrificed so much are truly an inspiration to us all. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Chris for his wonderful accomplishments, as well as in wishing him nothing but success in the future.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize the staff of the YMCA in Andover, KS. On Friday, April 29, 2022, an EF-3 tornado touched down in Sedgewick County, KS, and left a path of destruction nearly 13 miles long behind. The 165-mile-per-hour winds created by the tornado injured four people and damaged well over 300 buildings in Andover. One of the buildings that sustained heavy damage was the Andover YMCA. The damage done by the tornado would certainly have been much more severe if it wasn't for the quick thinking of the YMCA staff. I would like to honor and thank the staff of the Andover YMCA who helped save those in the building on the evening of the tornado. As the tornado approached, members of the YMCA staff made announcements on the loudspeakers and helped direct individuals to the safest areas of the building, primarily interior locker rooms. As the tornado hit the building, cars were thrown through walls and windows, with many parts of the building being completely destroyed. The staff working at the YMCA that day saved many lives through their quick thinking to move gym-goers to safety. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Andover YMCA staff, as well as in thanking them for all they did to keep their fellow Kansans safe.

Mr. MARSHALL

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

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, this past Saturday, I got to spend the whole morning with the East Central Kansas Model T Club back home. I even got to take a joy ride in a 1921 Model T. Among many stories, I learned Americans were paying only 21 cents a gallon when this car was made. And it wasn't until 1975, 54 years later, that gas had doubled from that price, jumping from 39 to 53 cents--54 years it took to double. I don't have to remind anyone that, thanks to our President's energy policies and his reckless spending, he accomplished a doubling in less than 2 years. As we all know, gas is now over $5 a gallon, if you can believe it or not. We are seeing record prices that have gone now 16 days in a row without a single downtick. And this is why I am here today to ask for unanimous consent to pass the Gas Prices Relief Act, which would bar any Federal agency from finalizing any rule or regulation that would make it harder to produce American fuels. My legislation would send the right signal to American producers and investors. It would show them that the Congress sees the problem and that we are ready to address it. It would set us on a course to bring down prices at the pump, not with more reckless spending and more regulations, but by getting out of the way of American production and allowing them to power the world without more needlessly restrictive rules. With this more than doubling of price, many families back home are telling me they are paying $50, up to $100 a week more for gasoline. And that is $2- to $400 a month, in case you are adding it up. And on top of that, their monthly utility bills have doubled. I am sure this administration will propose more reckless spending to fix that problem, too. Unfortunately, Biden-flation is impacting many Kansas families to the tune of $6- to $700 a month. That is over $7,000 a year. Now, why the increase, you might ask. Now, I am not an economist, but it looks to me like if you increase the regulations on a process, on a business, that is a surefire way to decrease the supply. And as we all know, our President and his policies are ramping up regulations at every step of the American oil and gas business, all the while begging for help from other nations. Indeed, he is fulfilling his campaign promises to destroy American oil and gas. Now, one more thought. As history teaches us, along with reckless spending, energy is always a leading indicator of inflation. If we don't get our arms around this energy crisis and reckless spending, we will never slow down inflation. But it appears our President and his party disagree with this, or else, simply stated, they don't care. Or maybe they want these high prices. It just seems like yesterday I was filling my truck up back home for less than $2 a gallon, and now, again, it is over $5 a gallon across most of the Nation. Rising energy prices add inflationary pressure to everything. It is like a game of dominoes. When the diesel fuel powering our 18-wheelers are costing truckers 80 percent more than it did last year, they are going to have to pass on that rate to their consumers. When businesses are paying 30 percent more for their gas utilities, they are going to have to raise their prices to make up the difference. And Kansans, already paying more just to get to the store, are continually finding that what money they have left is getting them less and less every week. You don't fix a supply-and-demand problem of this nature with price controls or artificial subsidies or more reckless spending. In reality, this is not very complicated. You could fix it by decreasing demand or increasing supply. Now, demand, unfortunately, is not decreasing, which is why we need this regulatory holiday in order to set American energy free. On some level, the administration knows this and, hence, their knee- jerk decision to release a million barrels of oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve every day, reportedly without initially coordinating in a meaningful way with our partners overseas. Obviously, 1 million barrels a day won't cut it. In 2021, the United States consumed roughly nearly 20 million barrels a day. This release is truly a drop in the bucket. The administration knows that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases are purely cosmetic, to try to convince the American people that they have solutions while they run off to beg foreign dictators and terrorists to produce more oil. Instead of looking within, instead of creating more Americans jobs, high-paying jobs, producing the cleanest fuel in the world, they continue their full frontal assault on American production and seek to enrich our enemies, like Venezuela and Iran. But there has been a lot of talk on the left that they are not interfering with oil and gas production in the United States. These claims are simply untrue. On the campaign trail, President Biden promised to end the leasing of oil and gas production on Federal lands, and his climate czar recently said the administration ``remains absolutely committed to not moving forward with additional drilling on public lands.'' Most Presidents brag when they fulfill a campaign promise but apparently not when the results are this bad. It is hard to imagine that this is not all by design. This administration is getting exactly what they want. In the President's own words, the world is currently going through an ``incredible transition,'' and he thinks we will ``be stronger and the world will be stronger and less reliant on fossil fuels when this is over.'' Well, the obvious question then is this: When--when will it be over? The Department of Energy has estimated that demand for oil and gas will increase through 2050. That is a simple fact. Yet we have a President who is perfectly willing to inflict pain on the people who elected him to force his climate policies--his costly climate policies--and ignore the economic reality that the American people are facing. Now, why else would he propose a budget that gets rid of key tax provisions for the oil and gas industry? Why else would he promote policies that will make it more difficult and more expensive to drill? Does anyone think these policies are going to help the American people? Let's talk about the stream of bad policies causing the crippling uncertainty that is making American producers hesitant to increase drilling. Last November, the EPA started the process of updating methane regulations. While the proposed rule they put forward was criminally devoid of any details, their intent was clear: an increase in costly regulations that will harm the oil and national gas industry, run small businesses out of business, and further increase energy costs. On February 18, by a completely partisan vote, FERC issued and made immediately effective two new policy statements that would have had disastrous implications for pipeline development in the U.S., pipelines critical to getting that oil to American consumers. Their off-the-deep- end proposal would have potentially put pipeline operators on the hook for mitigating the emissions of the end user of the product they transport. In other words, to get approval to build a pipeline, operators could have been forced to develop and pay for a way to mitigate the emissions caused by Americans driving to work every day or perhaps by Americans heating their homes or cooking their breakfast. Thankfully, in the face of fierce outcry from opponents on both sides of the aisle, they have temporarily pulled these changes back for further consideration. Though, that likely has more to do with the upcoming nomination process--the renomination process--for FERC Chairman Glick than it does with good energy policy. On March 21, the SEC followed suit and proposed a rule that would require companies to disclose climate emission data, including greenhouse emissions, caused by their suppliers and their customers. This would require companies to calculate and disclose the emissions for how everyday Americans use their products, all in an effort to make doing business with American oil and gas producers seem even more risky and less deserving of financing. And, finally, an issue that is at the top of mind of many producers in Kansas right now, the Fish and Wildlife Service is poised to list the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species. This is despite the incredible work being done by conservationists that have made the lesser prairie-chicken better protected now than ever. If the Fish and Wildlife Service goes through with this classification, it would have serious consequences for oil and gas producers in Kansas and severely limit their ability to increase production, not to mention the impact it will have on our utilities. Once again, let me state, these reasons and more are why I am here today to ask unanimous consent to pass the Gas Prices Relief Act, which would bar any Federal agency from finalizing any rule regulation that would make it harder to produce American fuels. Our legislation would send the right signal to American producers and investors. It would show them that Congress sees the problem and that we are ready to address it. It would set us on course to bring down prices at the pump by getting out of the way and releasing American production and allowing them to power the world without more needlessly restrictive rules and regulations. Good energy policy will fix the current crisis, not more reckless spending. Before I yield, I would like to turn the floor over to the Senator from Montana for his thoughts on the record gas prices we are facing and the need to pass our Gas Price Relief Act.

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I would like to ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of S. 3986 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be made and laid upon the table.

Mr. MARSHALL. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I think we should start calling electric cars coal-powered cars. We should start thinking about a cradle-to-grave environmental impact to some of the alternatives, but I want to reassure to my colleague, the folks on the other side of the aisle, that I want to leave this world cleaner, healthier, and safer than we found it. But on the other hand, we can't create such high inflation with reckless spending and energy policies that stifle American energy. I do believe that there is a balance. I do believe that there are opportunities, but we can't go from zero to 90 miles an hour overnight, nor can we throw the brakes on our current energy supply. I grew up in the oil patch. I lived in the oil patch. The prices of oil are being driven up by the uncertainty created by this administration. Make no mistake about it, the price of oil is people who are thinking about investing, what will they get 2 years from now? It would take 2 years probably to see any type of return on investment from an oilfield exploration. But this President and his policies, his regulations continue to create uncertainty and drive the price up for all Americans. Just the thought of $5-a-gallon gasoline makes my heart shiver. The people I talk to back home, there is no conversation I am going to have without someone bringing up the price of gasoline right now. And I am so proud that we are taking traditional energies, and we are making them cleaner; that we are using biofuels to help decrease the tailpipe emissions through E15 year round and higher ethanol as well. I am proud of the biodiesel that we are using as well. I think that there are incredible opportunities out there, but inflation, reckless spending inflation, driving up the price of gasoline very purposefully is what this President has accomplished, and it is hurting people back home. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL. So I object to Senator Whitehouse.

Mr. MARSHALL. Yes, I specifically object to the motion. My apologies.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I want to talk today about one of the most disturbing human catastrophes in the world. Now, I have recently visited the Ukraine border, and I have done medical mission work around the world from Haiti to Honduras to Africa. I have seen malnutrition and starvation. I have seen trauma. I have seen the consequences of the lack of potable water and sewage. I describe this so when I say our southern border--yes, our own southern border--is a humanitarian crisis, you know I am not speaking in ignorance or hyperbole. And this crisis, this humanitarian nightmare, has been created by our own President's policies. You see, when he was elected, he sent a loud invitation to the whole world; and more recently, when he said he was ending title 42, it was like turning on a stronger magnet. It was like sending a flare, a signal. It was like a giant Times Square billboard telling all the world: Come now, come to the United States. Amnesty is waiting for everyone. As for the cartels--the people traveling, they paid no mind to the court ruling. Instead, they kept coming. And as we speak, the largest caravan to date is on its way, with more than 15,000 people--bigger than my hometown of Great Bend. This invitation, this magnet has made an already treacherous, inhumane situation worse. Our President is, indeed, inviting people to their own peril, to their own harrowing, life-threatening journey. Let me share with you what I saw just 16 days ago on my fourth visit to the border. Upon our arrival and a short drive to the river, we found the Border Patrol and our National Guard hard at work with some 30 migrants in line waiting to be processed. They had turned themselves in. And within moments, within minutes, that line was over 100 people. And at the front of the line were two beautiful young sisters, ages 7 and 9. They were unaccompanied--no parents and no families. I can only imagine what it would have been like traveling over 1,000 miles from Central America to the Rio Grande River without your parents or without a family member. I can only imagine what might have happened to them on that trek. From the river, we traveled to a detention center where the migrants were held for 2 to 3 days. I have to again compliment our Border Patrol; they are doing an incredible job in a humanitarian crisis by providing showers, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and meals. The challenge is 80 percent of our Border Patrol officers are having to function like they are like running a restaurant, like running a hotel, functioning as social workers while our borders are left unguarded. And the get-aways--we haven't talked about the get-aways. Let me tell you the story of one young lady I met. Let's say she was probably 17 years of age from Central America. She or her family paid the cartel some $3,000 to get from Central America through Mexico across the river and into the United States. Now, I don't know if she was raped or violated, but this certainly is a very common situation--all too common during this trek. We do know that some people in her group were asked to smuggle drugs across the border as part of their thoroughfare. Now, after crossing this treacherous river, she was abandoned by her coyote. She was already dehydrated, had dysentery. She was malnourished. She hadn't slept for days. And she was no doubt frightened. Eventually she found refuge at a cartel stash house on the Texas side of the border. Yes, now the cartel has cartel members living in America along the river and, as I later found out, all across America. Next the cartel arranged--of course, for a price--for her to be smuggled via car from a border city to a checkpoint some 60 miles away. Now these journeys, too, are treacherous, as migrants are often placed in containers, in the backs of trucks, or in the trunks of cars. And when they are chased by sheriffs, the drivers recklessly place their own human cargo in peril. But this person wasn't done yet. About 5 miles short of the checkpoint, the human smugglers let her out of the car. Then she had to walk around the checkpoint--probably a journey of 15 to 20 miles-- through the Texas heat, scrub brush, and rattlesnakes. In fact, many days now Texas Rangers find dead, decayed bodies of migrant workers or migrant folks who had not made the trek successfully. So this journey around the checkpoint would take 3 to 4 days. She was given 2 days' worth of water--a milk jug full of water. A couple miles beyond the checkpoint, a new human smuggler, hired and coordinated by the cartel to pick her up, awaits. This is where I met our young lady. We watched as she and four others packed into a small car, and a fifth hopped in the trunk. After a short, high-speed chase, the car finally pulled over and the riders fled on foot. Now, most were apprehended very shortly, including the young lady in this photo. This is when I met the woman in the story for the first time. Again, she hadn't had water for 2 days. Her left knee was swollen and painful. She had multiple cuts that were infected, multiple bruises, and she was semicomatose, fading in and out. She had certainly heat exhaustion and was bordering on a heatstroke. Now, we were fortunate. With some minor first aid, giving her hydration, cooling her down, she is going to make it and she is going to be fine. But for many making this treacherous journey across the southern border, this story ends much more differently and much more tragically. I am asking--I am begging our President to turn off the magnet, to turn off the billboards that advertise for these people to risk their lives, to stop inviting them to their peril and perhaps their death. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President.

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, reserving the right to object.

Mr. MARSHALL. This nominee received a tie vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meaning that he failed to be reported favorably to the floor. This tie vote indicates that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Republicans have significant concerns with this nominee; therefore, he should be discharged per the process laid out in the Senate power-sharing agreement for this Congress, not passed by unanimous consent. Therefore, I object.

Mr. MARSHALL. Reserving the right to object, USAID awarded a $200 million grant for a 10-year viral emergence early warning project known as PREDICT. We have uncovered evidence of possible embezzlement, possible money laundering, and insider threats, as well as other concerns related to the PREDICT and other USAID grant awards. PREDICT was led by a consortium spearheaded by UC Davis and EcoHealth Alliance, which funneled taxpayer dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to conduct risky research on potential pandemic pathogens, including bat coronavirus research. USAID and NIH both awarded multimillion dollar grants to EcoHealth Alliance during the same 5-year period leading up to and immediately preceding the COVID-19 outbreak. EcoHealth is unable to produce to NIH proof of its research, such as lab notebooks and virus samples, so we are simply asking USAID for proof of the EcoHealth research they funded. We requested records from USAID that grant recipients are legally required to maintain. Our requests are, indeed, fact-based. At this point, we believe either the USAID staff is withholding the records from Congress or they have failed to access them through the UC Davis and EcoHealth Alliance. Either option is unacceptable. As such, I object to the unanimous consent motion but look forward to working with the chairman to address these issues.

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President.

Mr. MARSHALL. Unfortunately, the documents were not what we asked for. They are incomplete. They don't give us what we are looking for. But we would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the chairman and try to address--

Mr. MARSHALL. Not that I am aware of.