Roger Marshall

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, late last Monday, an unprecedented leak of a draft Supreme Court document opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health was published. In reaction, SCOTUSblog, a leading Supreme Court blog stated: This leak is the gravest, most unforgivable sin. Chief Justice Roberts called the leak ``absolutely appalling.'' Yet the White House is mute on this point. And folks back home in Kansas? Well, they are aghast as well. They all agree--at least every Kansan I have talked to--this leak is a blow to the integrity of the Court and a blow to our faith in this hallowed institution. In the days since the leak, we have also seen Democrats and their activists utilize another frequent strategy they deploy when things don't go their way: violence and disruption. We have all seen the disgusting multitude of images of pro-life offices being vandalized and bombed, and we all bear witness of Catholic masses disrupted on Mother's Day--on Mother's Day, of all days. Is nothing sacred in this country anymore? We have seen the threatening violence at the personal homes of Supreme Court Justices. Yet, for days, the White House was quiet. And just like the riots of the summer of 2020 and the looting that continues today, the White House turns a deaf ear to violence, and they swallow their tongue when the violence supports their own agenda. Listen, these threatening so-called protests at the Justices' homes are a violation of the law of this land. They are not valid protests. These are attempts to intimidate and influence the Court to destroy the independence of this judiciary. This violence is wrong. It is evil. It is an attack on Christianity. It is an attack on the faith and values that this Nation were founded upon. Americans know it. We all feel the hatred. I have to note, Americans understand the majority leader has provided no such condemnation but, rather, has decided to once again bring back his ``Abortion on Demand Act'' to the Senate floor. This bill is the most egregious, the most horrific attack on the lives of unborn children and the health of moms in American history. If Democrats had their way, these babies--these twin babies I delivered more than a decade ago--could have been aborted the moment prior to the C-section. The overturning of Roe v. Wade simply returns this emotional issue back to the States, to the elected voices of the people--no more, no less. The Mississippi Dobbs case simply protects life after 15 weeks, when a baby can feel pain, when a baby can recognize its mom's voice, when a baby can recognize the voice of its sibling. But let me tell you exactly what the Democrats' extreme ``Abortion on Demand Act'' would do. It goes far beyond Roe v. Wade. This bill invalidates any and all State laws that protect not just the unborn child but the health and well-being of the mom as well. It likely leads to American taxpayer dollars funding abortions at home and around the world. Next, it is truly an attack on our faith. This bill will tie up faith-based hospitals in courts for not offering abortion services. This bill allows sex-based abortions. It eliminates the requirement for informed consent of the patient or parental consent. This bill eliminates conscience protections. As an obstetrician myself, this hits near and dear to my heart. This bill is an attack on my faith and an attack on the faith of many doctors and nurses who refuse to take part in abortions. They would be forced out of their professions. They would be forced out of medical schools, out of residency programs. So many aspiring students would decide not to go into medicine. This bill is a total disregard to the mother's health by placing no value on the mom's life and well-being. This radical bill eliminates the health standards of a surgery center for this procedure to be performed in a surgery center. In fact, this bill would allow these services to be offered in a garage or a back-room apartment. Shockingly, it provides the right to provide abortions to any healthcare provider--not necessarily a physician but to certified nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, a physician assistant. This bill will lead to the death and infertility of many, many women. This procedure is not a simple procedure. It should not be placed in the hands of inexperienced people. This type of procedure is only done after 4 years of undergraduate, 4 years of medical school, and probably 2 or 3 years of residency. In the most skilled of hands, this type of procedure can lead to serious loss of life. Finally and more specifically, this bill strikes down State laws that restrict telehealth abortions. These are chemical abortions, and they would become a common means of birth control--again, leading to many, many more visits to the emergency rooms for these women who are taking medicines unsupervised. Finally, I have to correct something one of my friends across the aisle said. He stated that we from the pro-life community would not treat women with ectopic pregnancies. Nothing is further from the truth. This case of Roe v. Wade has nothing to do with treating ectopic pregnancies. I personally have treated hundreds of women with ectopic pregnancies. I believe that life begins at conception, but treating an ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening situation for the mom. And the Catholic Church supports the treatment of ectopic pregnancies. But that is the type of scare tactic my colleagues across the aisle want to use. Finally, let me just conclude with this: I never imagined I would be fighting harder to save the lives of moms and babies on the floor of the Senate than I did in the emergency room or the delivery room in my obstetrics practice for some 30 years. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Dr. Josh Davis, of Wichita, KS. Dr. Davis is an emergency room physician at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. Like many of us, Josh was deeply disturbed by the widespread human suffering caused by Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine. What makes him different than most, however, was his resolve to be a part of the solution. After seeing the images of Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homes, Josh knew he needed to help. On April 14, he boarded a plane to war-torn Ukraine, not knowing where he would be going or what he would be doing. All he knew was that he was going to help those in need. While in Ukraine, Josh helped transport medical supplies and patients, while also providing refugee children with much needed medical treatment. He also brought two suitcases full of gauze, bandages, rubber gloves, and other much-needed medical supplies with him. While in Ukraine, he saw firsthand the destruction and suffering that war brings. The biggest lesson learned for Josh was that this widespread suffering cannot be stopped by the actions of a few, but that change will only come from the actions of many. He has already begun to make plans to return to Ukraine in order to provide further medical support and relief. I would like to thank Josh for all that he has done. He has been an exemplary representative for the great State of Kansas, and the United States of America. His service to others makes us all proud. I now ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Josh Davis for his selflessness and service to those in need, as well as in wishing him the best of luck in the future.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Ryan Pfeifer of Topeka, KS. Ryan was presented with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award at a recent Washburn Rural High School assembly. This award has an outstanding reputation in the teaching world. To some, it is known as the ``Oscars of Teaching.'' This award celebrates teachers' work with students and shines a light on their future work as educators. In addition to the financial award, he was given mentorship and support, along with an all-expenses-paid trip to a forum where other recipients come together. The Milken Educator Award looks to honor unrecognized teachers. It has teams of administrators and State education departments vetting out finalists for the award. Teachers are unaware they are nominated, so when Pfeifer was called down to the gym floor to receive the award, he was thrilled. Ryan has a way with his students. Students describe him as relatable and dedicated, which is a great reputation to hold. He even gave up his regular planning and advising period to provide additional support for students. I truly believe that he deserved this award. He has helped so many students live up to their potential. A previous award winner, Brad Nicks, said ``He's always stood out as one of those exceptional educators, somebody that builds really important relationships with students.'' I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful impact Mr. Pfeifer has had on his students and to honor him for this great accomplishment.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize the 100th anniversary of the El Dorado Band. The purpose of the El Dorado Municipal Band is to provide musical entertainment in the summer for the city of El Dorado and to provide the opportunity for musicians from high school age and above to perform. The band began as the El Dorado Boys Band in the early 1920s, and is one of the oldest municipal bands in Kansas. The band's first public home was a traditional round band shell at Gordy Park in the heart of El Dorado. Its current home is a permanent band shell at Forest Park, located at Ninth and Taylor. This outdoor brick and concrete performance space was constructed in 1939 through the Works Progress Administration, WPA. The El Dorado Municipal Band celebrates 100 years of continuous performances with the 2022 summer concert season. Despite wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and other obstacles, the band continues to bring the young and old together, both on stage and in the audience. The band partners with veterans' organizations to celebrate Flag Day. It also holds old-fashioned ice cream socials and bake sales that help fund music scholarships to deserving youth at Butler Community College. The 2022 performance season will kick off with a director's concert, bringing back all of the surviving directors that have stood before the Municipal Band. It will also feature the world public premiere of ``El Dorado Fanfare,'' a music composition by Ed Huckeby commissioned to celebrate 100 years of music. In addition to local performances each Thursday, the Municipal Band has been invited to perform for the Kansas Bandmaster's Association as a featured ensemble. I am honored to be from El Dorado and associated with this great band. I remember hearing the band play and have always enjoyed the time shared with my family listening to their music. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this wonderful municipal band and congratulate them in celebrating 100 years of music.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today during national small business week to honor and recognize Dan and Jan Smoots of Emporia, KS. The Smoots were recently announced as the Small Business Administration's Small Business Persons of the Year for Kansas, and once you hear why, it is clear to see they are more than deserving of the award. The Smoots' business, Fanestil Meats, was recognized in part for surviving multiple flood disasters on the Cottonwood River. Their facility's foundation is just south of Emporia in the flood plain, making it susceptible to flooding any given year. Yet, through the hurdles, the Smoots persevered to keep their business running. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic brought on a whole new set of challenges for the Smoots, but once again, they trekked along. With 100 employees to take care of, along with unprecedented supply chain disruptions, they had to be resourceful through this new challenge. Thankfully, Fanestil Meats was able to secure a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program, which the Smoots say was instrumental in keeping the business afloat throughout the pandemic. Moving forward, Fanestil Meats is now constructing a new 40,000- square-foot meat-processing facility that will replace the original plant and help expand the worldwide reach of their beloved product, the Party Time Ham. The new facility is located adjacent to the cold storage warehouse, retail store, and administrative offices that were constructed in 2015 in Emporia, KS. This award is truly an honor that everyone at Fanestil should be proud of. The Smoots have worked long and hard to expand and improve this business since they took over in 1997, which is no small task. Yet, thanks in part to the Smoots' ownership, Fanestil continues to rise to the occasion and prosper, even when faced with adversity. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dan and Jan Smoots for their dedication to their business and for representing Kansas greatly.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Zach Clemence, one of the outstanding University of Kansas--KU--players who helped lead the team to their National Championship game victory. Zach, who plays forward for the team, was a highly touted prospect for the Jayhawks coming out of Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, KS. This is Zach's first year with the Jayhawks, and he ends the season as a National Champion. I want to congratulate and thank Mr. Clemence for all the hours he put into practicing and helping form this outstanding team. It takes great dedication and determination to get to where he is. No doubt, his effort and energy during games or in practice played a major factor in the KU winning the National Championship. This victory will not be forgotten by Kansans and will go down in history. We thank Zach for all he has done to represent the great State of Kansas. We all thoroughly enjoyed watching KU play this season and certainly can't wait to see what Zach accomplishes in the future. It is my honor to congratulate Zach, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this wonderful victory and in wishing Zach nothing but the best in the future.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Chris Teahan of Leawood, KS. Chris was one of the outstanding University of Kansas--KU--players who helped lead the team to KU's fourth NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. He is a fan favorite who committed to the Jayhawks as a guard as a walk-on for the team and has made an impact on the program ever since, even earning a spot on the All-Academic Big 12 Second team last year. He currently holds a sports management degree and plans to pursue a graduate degree as he leaves KU basketball as a super-senior and a national champion. Chris attributes a lot of his success to his mom for pushing him to be the best. He said he looks back on the time they spent together in the gym as special, even if it came in moments he didn't want to be there. She knew he had it in him; he just needed to see it, too. I want to congratulate and thank Mr. Teahan for all the hours he put into practicing and helping form this outstanding team. This victory will not be forgotten by Kansans. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this wonderful success and wish him nothing but the best in the following years.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Christian Braun of Burlington, KS. Christian was one of the outstanding University of Kansas--KU-- players who helped lead the team to their National Championship game victory. He is a fan favorite who was nominated for Academic All- American and an American All-Big 12 First Team honoree in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Braun's former coach Ed Fritz said that what makes him stand out is his honesty. He is not afraid to be quick to praise or hold teammates accountable. I think this quality is what helped KU get to the National Championship and is a great reflection of Kansas values as a whole. His performance in the championship was nothing short of spectacular. He showed great leadership and dedication in getting the team to this win. I want to congratulate and thank Mr. Braun for all the hours he put into practicing and helping form this outstanding team. It takes great dedication and determination to get where he is. The hours spent practicing and perfecting his game helped KU get to this National Championship. This victory will not be forgotten by Kansans--or at the very least in Overland Park where Christian has his own day now after winning this championship. Thank you for all you have done to represent the great State of Kansas. We all thoroughly enjoyed watching Christian play and can't wait to see what he does next. It is my honor to congratulate him, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this wonderful win and wish him nothing but the best in the future.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to memorialize and honor one of my great friends and mentor, our former Kansas State University President Dr. Jon Wefald who passed away on April 16 after a long and illustrious life serving higher education and the State of Kansas. His work at K-State brought the university to great heights, and his realized dreams will live on forever in K-State lore. My wife and I first met Dr. Wefald at a student recruitment dinner in Great Bend we were cohosting, where his energy was contagious and palpable. He was a young university president with a vision and a purpose we all wanted to be part of. He made every student in the room know they were each important, and K-State would help them realize their dreams. We remained friends up until the time of his passing with regular communications and advice. I will miss him. Dr. Wefald served as K-State's 12th president from 1986 to 2009 and is credited with growing the university into a top 10 land-grant university. During his 23 years of leadership, the university added 2.2 million square feet of new buildings. He also helped philanthropy increase from $6 million a year to nearly $100 million annually. Under his leadership, K-State quickly became one of the Nation's distinguished research and doctoral universities. Enrollment increased from 16,000 students to more than 23,000 under his tenure, and with the growth in students came a monumental growth in research funding from $18 million annually to nearly $134 million. Both of these increases have led to astounding innovations from all parts of the university. Last, but not least of his achievements, Dr. Wefald was also in charge of hiring the iconic football coach Bill Snyder, which led to the greatest turnaround in NCAA sports history. We all mourn the loss of this beloved K-State president who shaped countless students' and faculty members' lives. His leadership, passion, and dedication to K-State and the great State of Kansas will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and K-State family. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful career and life of Mr. Jon Wefald. 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 Jerry Farley, the president of Washburn University. Dr. Farley announced his plans to retire and transition to a president emeritus role, where he and his signature bow tie will remain a part of fundraising and international student recruitment. Farley was born in Oklahoma, but moved to Topeka in 1997 after spending 25 years in various administrative roles in Oklahoma, including the role of vice president at Oklahoma University. On July 1, 1997, Farley became Washburn University's 16th president. During his leadership, Farley's vision to change Washburn from a commuter school to one that prioritized campus life has become a reality. With his wife Susan serving by his side through the years, they have helped influence and nurture student to work hard and leave the university as leaders. During his tenure, Washburn University added several buildings to its campus, including the $20 million Living Learning Center residential hall, as well as the addition of Washburn Tech, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Laboratory, and a statue honoring one of the Ichobods' favorite sons, the late great Senator Bob Dole. In addition to his hard work and dedication to help build the reputation of the University, Dr. Farley always did an outstanding job of representing the State of Kansas and Washburn University as a whole. His leadership does not go unnoticed. As we celebrate his legacy, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful career of Dr. Jerry Farley and wish him and Susan nothing but joy and happiness in his next chapter of life.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize Caleb Smith of Newton, KS. Caleb is the recipient of the 2021-2022 Kansas principal of the year. Caleb has shown outstanding leadership at Newton High School in order to earn this award. His passion for the students, working with the staff, and creative ideas to enhance technology at the school all contributed to this great success. Caleb found out about this honor Monday, April 11, following a school scavenger hunt where he walked all over the campus to find his students presenting the award to him. Superintendent Fred Van Ranken celebrated Caleb saying, ``Mr. Smith has done an outstanding job of trying to create an amazing culture at Newton High School and within the Newton communities, and it shows. I am so happy for Caleb to be recognized at the state level for what he and his team are doing at USD 373.'' This is an honor that Caleb should be immensely proud of. After reading through countless quotes from fellow teachers and Newton students, it is clear that Caleb has a true passion--and immense talent--for teaching our future leaders. This award is a testament to all of his hard work in providing outstanding education for all students that walk through his classroom. I am ecstatic to hear about the impact this great Kansan is having on our future generations. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Caleb Smith of Newton, KS.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I am here today to talk about the extraordinary accomplishments of the University of Kansas's men's basketball team. As the Nation saw on Monday night, KU beat the University of North Carolina in the NCAA championship game, doing so in a historic fashion. The game started strong for the Jayhawks, taking an early 7-0 lead, but after some back and forth, North Carolina seemingly broke the game open, ending the first half on an 18-3 run to go up 15. This deficit proved to be the largest ever overcome in an NCAA championship game. Going into the locker room, one could only imagine the sense of determination running through their minds. To win this game, they literally needed to pull off the biggest comeback in championship history in front of thousands of Kansas schoolchildren who look up to these young men as role models and student-athletes. How would they respond to this adversity? This question was answered as the referee handed the ball to a Tar Heel player and he looked up to see a Jayhawk in his face. The Jayhawks had a look of champions in their eyes. This game meant too much to everyone back home to give up. They stormed out of the locker room after inspirational words from power forward David McCormack, who started the half by giving Jayhawk fans back home something to cheer about with an electrifying, signature Jayhawk alley- oop. That play ignited a 20-6 run that brought the Jayhawks within 1 point. In true Kansas fashion, the Jayhawks ramped up their defense and began executing the fundamentals of basketball Kansans learn in the front driveway and haymounds across the state. The game became a slugfest at that point with KU and North Carolina trading body blows back and forth until McCormack sank one last shot to take the lead with just over a minute left. That shot ultimately sealed this KU team's spot in the history books, brought KU its fourth NCAA national championship, and added to their lead as the winningest basketball program in NCAA history. For all of us who saw the game, it was clear that this championship lived up to the March Madness hype. Every Kansas basketball fan will remember this team for their ability to share the ball--or as Coach Self says, ``to not let the ball stick.'' Each game during this tournament seemed to have a different hero, but in this historic championship game, every player was a hero, and everyone's contributions were necessary to win. This Jayhawk team made us all proud to be Kansans and delivered the greatest final game comeback ever. This group should relish in that fact, and I hope they also understand the enormity of the impact they have made with this title on so many fans, young and old alike. This team gave us hope and entertainment to distract us from a challenging past couple of years. They showed up every day and did their job. With this title, current KU students now have the experience of a lifetime, alumni and fans everywhere are connected forever through this one game, and every little girl and boy across Kansas has learned what hard work, teamwork, and a never-give-up attitude can accomplish. To the players graduating or heading to the draft,I wish you the best of success and happiness in your future endeavors. To Coach Self and everyone else returning, I look forward to current and future generations of Kansans cheering you on and celebrating the tradition of Kansas Basketball. ``Rock Chalk!''

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor and recognize Leo Khayet of Overland Park, KS. Leo has raised more than $200,000 in an effort to help Ukrainian people in Odessa evacuate the country as Russia continues its attacks. These invasions hit close to home for Leo. When Leo was younger, his family had to make the hard decision to relocate from Belarus for a better life. He lived in refugee camps in Austria and Italy for five months prior to arriving in Kansas City in 1989. Leo is now an entrepreneur in Overland Park, which gave him connections to multiple different businesses in the Kansas City area. When Russia invaded in late February, Leo gathered his resources from these leaders andorganizations making his efforts to help possible. Thus far, Leo has been successful in helping 2,000 Ukrainians flee to safety in Moldova. In an effort to continue helping victims of the war in Ukraine, Leo is planning on hosting another Zoom call and inviting more prominent business leaders in the area to gather and keep providing this humanitarian aid. It is truly honorable what he is doing to help the people of Ukraine. Leo said it best: ``In this case, this has really brought out the best of the community here in Kansas. They're ready to save people who they have no clue who they are, that live thousands of miles away, they don't even share a common language with them, besides the fact that we're human beings and I think that is amazing.'' It truly is amazing to see what one man's ambition and determination can do to bring a community together and help those in need. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the noble act of Leo Khayet and thank him for his dedication to help Ukraine.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, let me start by thanking the junior Senator from Iowa for her leadership. I thank Senator Ernst for fighting for freedom. Thanks for showing me the way to continue to fight for those who need help. This weekend, together, we witnessed the worst of mankind, but we also saw the best of humankind, and that would be the Polish people and the job that they have done welcoming--yes, welcoming--almost a million refugees from Ukraine over a period of about 2 weeks. They didn't just welcome them. They gave them food; they gave them clothing and shelter. And then more than that, they helped process them and get them to a location, to a friend, to a relative, buying them plane tickets, putting them on trains. I have done missionary healthcare work all across the world, and what we saw the Polish people doing there was absolutely incredible. Half of the Polish people have taken a refugee into their own homes. But like I said, we also witnessed the worst of humankind, the worst of mankind, and that would be Vladimir Putin's war on the people of Ukraine. One Ukrainian woman--her name was Olena--whom I spoke with said: The Russians are attacking Ukraine from the north, from the east, and the south. With their missiles, they can reach every place of our country--there is no safe place in Ukraine any more. Everything can be targeted: hospitals, kindergartens, maternity wards, hospitals, everything. And another Ukrainian we spoke to, Daria, said: In the city of Mariupol, almost every single building was hit by a Russian bomb or a Russian missile. People are residing in bomb shelters. They are cut from electricity. They are cut from aid, food, and from water. They are melting snow to drink water. Russians are deliberately throwing bombs into hospitals. And, again, I am quoting Daria. There is only one hospital remaining. One of the hospitals was a maternity hospital. Men were trying to evacuate a woman who was in labor, and she died with her unborn baby. Another pregnant woman--her name was Mariana--was going down the stairs. She survived. She gave birth. They don't have food now to feed the mother. I don't know if the baby girl is still alive. There are thousands of people dead, but it's impossible to bury them. The bodies--it's a horror movie which is happening--people are dead on the streets. These stories are heart-wrenching, and there is no doubt the world needs to step up and we need Europe to lead. And I am so proud to report the buzz across Europe and the buzz across Germany as we landed, that the Germans are committed once again to this transatlantic partnership and a willingness to commit dollars and funds to this NATO alliance and to the security of the world. That said, there is so much more that we can still do short of boots on the ground. And like my Ukrainian friends remind me: This war didn't start with Russia on February 24. And this is Olena again. She said the weakness of the United States started much earlier: Since the beginning of November, we've been shouting out loud to help arm Ukraine, sanction Nord Stream 2--why did the U.S. lift sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and basically give the green light for Putin to move forward in Ukraine? We clearly warned that that might happen--we were not heard. Earlier this month, the Ukrainians said that they met with Secretary Blinkin and they begged him to please send air defense systems now. But weeks later, they still don't have them. This is day No. 26 since Russia invaded, and the Ukrainians are telling us they are not seeing any American weapons yet. I asked them to describe to me what they needed to win this war, and their answer was very simple: maximum military assistance as it relates to weapons, including, MiGs, A-10s, Javelins, Stingers, drones. Look, the Ukrainians can win this ground war, but the problem is Russia is launching bombs from their own airspace, from their own land, from the seas as well. What they need are missiles that will intercept the Russian bombs. Another Polish woman we met said: We were ready as Poland to give these MiGs-- This is a Polish woman speaking now. We were ready as Poland to give them the MiGs, but the Biden administration didn't want us to provide them. And what happened--instead of consulting us, the Biden administration decided to go public without the Polish Government even knowing that this was the case. The impression in Ukraine is that the White House is undermining the giving of weapons from our allies to the Ukrainians, that they are thwarting the transfer of these weapons. One of the Ukrainians even went so far as to say she wanted to steal the MiGs because there was just no other option. This war was completely preventable had the United States projected its strength. The United States can do so much more. President Zelenskyy has begged us, the United States, to lead more, but this administration is following the footsteps of President Obama by leading from behind. They have been slow to react at every step. This is a portion of a cruise missile that hit in Ukraine. Two Ukrainian diplomats describing to me what happened, where 35 people were killed by the cruise missile. This was launched by Russia on one of the days that President Biden said what NATO will not do to help Ukraine. Let me say that again. This was launched the day that President Biden said what NATO will not do to help Ukraine. This is the very telegraphing that has, yet again, proved to be deadly. As Ukrainians pointed out to us, this is what led to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. In their words--the words of the Ukrainians, not mine--they say this administration is operating what they call an ``Afghanistan syndrome.'' The Ukrainian people don't need speeches. They don't need words. They don't need resolutions. They don't need Americans forming committees and praying about it. They need more than our prayers. They need action. They need action. I call for a war tribunal to be formed and Putin and his generals to be held accountable and put on trial for crimes against humanity. The world needs to seize his personal assets and the assets of his oligarchs, and we need to use those personal assets to rebuild Ukraine. The world needs to stop doing business with Russia today. Don't wait on your governments. Don't wait on the sanctions. I call on every business in the world to stop doing business with Russia today. And finally, the United States needs to implement our sanctions today, not yesterday. We don't need to delay until June 24 a waiver on energy payments from Russian banks. We still have so much more we could do short of putting American boots on the ground. We need to send this military aid yesterday--not tomorrow, not next week. It is not a time to debate. Give them the damn weapons. The brave Ukrainian people will use them. They will fight to the death, but they have to be empowered to do it, and every day we wait, thousands more will die. I want to finish on a positive note. I am so proud of these young men and women, American fighters in the Big Red One, the 1st Infantry Division of Fort Riley, KS. They have been there for years training Ukrainians, training our partners. Some of the folks will ask me back home: Are we going to be safe? I have got all the faith and confidence in the world of our soldiers, of our military--all the confidence in the world of these men and women that are willing to put their lives on the line. And let me reassure you also that the Ukrainian people are not going to give up. They are not going to give up. They are going to fight for every inch, every mile of their home soil. In Poland, Olena and Daria told me just before we departed: America is the leader of NATO. Every NATO country is looking at what America is doing and not doing. What America is saying and what America is not saying. We know that there are NATO countries here on the border who have weapons which we need, but they simply need backup from America. We will win this war. But, at which price will we win this war? Help us win it at the price of less casualty. That's what we are asking the United States. Like I said earlier, the Ukrainians can win this war. There is a path to victory. I believe in them, but the world has to step up. We have to empower them. We are doing so little of what we could be doing. I was taught at a young age: Of him who much is given, much is required. And the United States has been given so much. We are still the leader of the free world. It is time we start acting like it. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a truly incredible and historic individual. Dan Cnossen is a textbook definition of honor and bravery. His story began when he was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy after high school. In 2003, he completed the grueling process. Over the course of the next 6 years, Dan was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan where he rose in rank to becoming the officer in charge of an 18-man SEAL platoon. In 2009, late on a night mission in the mountains, Dan stepped on an improvised explosive device and lost both of his legs. Later, he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Valor. Over the next 2 years, Dan fought for his life. He endured 40 different surgeries, while simultaneously reintroducing himself into civilian life--neither an easy task on their own, but coupled together creates one extraordinary obstacle. While Dan was in rehab, though, he was introduced to the sport of cross-country skiing and biathlon. Dan pushed himself and was dedicated to earning a spot in the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Team, leading to an incredible--and ongoing--career. In 2018, Dan outstandingly won a gold medal, four silvers, and one bronze. In addition to his 2018 medals, he also earned the honor of Best Male Athlete of the Games. Most recently, at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games, Dan made his country proud once again by winning gold in Cross Country Skiing Mixed Relay. I think his motto ``keep going, keep covering ground'' beautifully sums up his journey so far and should serve as an inspiration for those who get to hear his story. His Paralympic career has been remarkable to see, and it is with great pride that I get to share Kansas as a home to such an outstanding individual and athlete. I ask my colleagues now to join me in recognizing Dan and his unbelievable story.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I object.

Mr. MARSHALL

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

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, we finished up some three or four townhalls this weekend, bringing us, I think, over nine. And I will tell you this, Americans know they are being lied to. They know the decisions coming out of the White House and the CDC are politically driven. Let me tell you this for sure: Kansans are mad, and they are upset, and they know this lie is continuing, and their anger continues to grow. And at the end of every townhall, I can tell you, two or three people will grab me and say: Please, please keep fighting for our freedoms. This is what else they tell me. They tell me they don't trust the CDC anymore, that the CDC has lost their reputation; and I am telling you, it will be difficult for them to ever get it back. Now, they are being told that we have to wear masks on airplanes for another month or so--another horrible decision coming from the White House, more ill advice from the CDC. And all the time we know that these masks--with these masks comes a psychosocial downfall, that it creates problems. But the CDC continues to lust for control--to control our lives and exert their control over us, over me, over our children and our grandchildren. My concern is this: The CDC continues to make decisions as if they are in a vacuum without consideration of the big picture. Let's just take a moment and talk about where we are today. Ninety- five percent of Americans have some level of immunity--95 percent. New infections are down 94 percent, hospitalizations down over 80 percent. As far as we know, there is no new variant of concern anywhere in the world that is rearing its ugly head right now. What do we truly know about the science and the benefits of wearing a mask? What do you know about the risk of wearing a mask? Well, I asked the CDC that same question, I am sure, over a year ago now. I asked them for the studies that support their recommendation to wear masks-- some 80 studies. I looked at every one of them. I would say half of them weren't worth the paper they were printed on--poor scientific quality, cherry-picking data--but most were still very inconclusive. A few suggested masks might help if they are worn perfectly, if it is the right type of mask. Some of the studies even said that masks were harmful. Now, I will acknowledge that in a perfect world that, for a brief period of time, wearing an N95 mask properly could theoretically give a person benefit. But we now know and have now proven that cloth masks have offered little benefit, and they may actually make viruses and infections more common. Does the CDC really believe masking would help in an airplane? And if they did so, why wouldn't they suggest we wear N95 masks, and why do they allow cloth masks? It just seems very inconsistent. The big problem is always compliance. Seatbelts don't work unless you wear them. An airbag on the car doesn't work unless you have it turned on. Just look around. Nobody can wear these masks for hours and hours at a time without touching their nose and touching their mouth and adjusting the mask. Then we take it off to eat and to drink just for moments at a time. In the real world, it doesn't make any sense that the mask would work and certainly not in schools. I think that has been well-proven. I think we look at Sweden as a country whose mortality is a fraction of ours from the COVID virus, a fraction of its neighboring countries-- a country that had very limited use of masks without mandates as well. I think the big opportunity with airlines is they made a big investment in air exchange. We know air exchange works. From our experiences in surgical centers, we know that when we moved to the modern air exchangers, that a number of infections--post-op infections for joint replacements--went down significantly. We always knew the air replacement was a big part of this. But, no, this administration continues to want to control our lives. Their healthcare infectious disease czar, Dr. Fauci, decreed that even after airline executives gave testimony that masks were of no benefit, Dr. Fauci decreed that he didn't think masks would ever come off on airplanes. Why? Why would he make such a bombastic, ignorant claim? It is time to stop all the mandates. It is time to stop all the travel mask mandates. It is time to let our people go. I yield the floor. Vote on S.J. Res. 37

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor and recognize Barry Feaker of Topeka, KS. Barry has served the homeless and impoverished since 1986 as executive director of the Topeka Rescue Mission, TRM. He plans to step down from this position but continue to serve as strategic adviser. TRM is a Christian organization that works with community partners to give shelter, meals, clothing, and other needed items to homeless and impoverished individuals. They do this by sharing the love of Jesus Christ with every person they encounter. Barry has served the Topeka community for 36 years. In April 1986, 15-20 homeless individuals were staying at TRM per night. By 2019, that number has grown to an astounding 200-300 people per night, a true testament to Barry's work and determination over the years. As he finishes out his time as executive director of TRM, I hope he is able to reflect on the impact he has had on the Topeka Community. He not only expanded the services they provide and number of people working at TRM, but also increased TRM's annual budget from $70,000 to $5.3 million. Along with that, he increased operating one singular men's shelter, to two shelters, a warehouse, a distribution center, and a Children's Palace. Barry offers his role with excitement for what is ahead at TRM. He believes it is time for the next generation to take control. He believes that the job is not done and there are more people in need than ever. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the wonderful career of Mr. Barry Feaker and wish him nothing but joy and happiness in his next chapter of life.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. I thank Senator Scott for leading this issue. Mr. President, every moment of every day is precious, but none more so than when war has engulfed your home. It was just 3 weeks ago today, what now feels like an eternity, that Russian forces first invaded Ukraine's sovereign border and launched a deadly, unprovoked attack on the people of Ukraine. And since that day, the world has watched in horror as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent civilians--including children--have perished from gunfire and explosive weapons. More than 2 million people have now fled their homes. Among the Russian targets have been a bread factory, a maternity ward, and a nursery. Despite enduring the suffering and being greatly outnumbered by Russian force strength and military might, the Ukrainian people have bravely defended their homeland, an inspiration for the entire world. Here at home, though, President Biden has been doing his best to fool the American people into thinking he is a wartime President, but his track record tells a different story. To say the President is leading from behind is an understatement. The President's handling of the Ukraine invasion has been littered with missteps and tardiness nearly every step of the way, his words and actions seldom lining up. In December, the administration slow-walked a shipment of military arms that would have hardened Ukraine's defenses. It took nearly a month for the package to be approved and the armaments to arrive in Ukraine. In January, Senate Republicans moved to stop sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. President Biden dispatched his allies in this Chamber to filibuster the bill and allow the project to be slowed down. A month later, the President finally came around and moved to impose sanctions on the project. Last week, I introduced with 10 of my Republican colleagues to ban Russian oil imports. Democrats in the Senate joined in calling for an announcement of such an action during his State of the Union speech, but none was made. Always afraid to lead, it would be a full week later when President Biden would finally impose the import prohibition. This President has repeatedly been late to act. His failure to show strength and take proactive maneuvers empowered a war criminal to move to reclaim one of the most prized former Soviet republics, a land rich with wheat and corn and sunflowers. I was on a phone call with many of my colleagues last weekend with President Zelenskyy. And my friends across the aisle were so excited, they were so motivated, wanting to move quickly to place ammunitions and MiG-29 jets in the hands of the brave Ukrainians. But no; cowardice is contagious. Democrats in Congress have now taken a page out of our President's playbook by settling on a process that would deliver this most recent round of military aid to Ukrainians more than a week after President Zelenskyy laid out his country's need to Members of Congress. And the MiG fighter jets that are so desperately needed by the Ukrainians, they remain grounded and out of the hands of the sieged. Instead of a stand-alone bill or attaching this invaluable relief to the short-term CR that will be signed to keep the government open while the massive 3,000-page bill is enrolled and sent to the President, they are insisting that it remain part of the omnibus in order to sweeten a sour bunch of grapes--once again, delaying lifesaving aid by many days. At a time when our national debt is over $30 trillion and our government spent almost $2 trillion extra on government programs this year already, the bill increases discretionary spending on more than $45 billion. Indeed, we won't let a crisis go to waste. It also funds the administration's tragically misguided attempts to electrify our electric fleet and implement the Green New Deal. All the while, we are witnessing a self-imposed Biden energy crisis because they have killed our domestic oil and gas industry by declaring war on American energy. Today, I would ask the Democrats partying in Philadelphia with drag queens and sampling Pennsylvania beers that they should jump on the next Amtrak train and come back and help us pass this Ukrainian aid immediately. Let's not force it into an omnibus that makes the Ukrainian people wait 5 more days before it would be officially signed into law. I support the much needed Ukrainian aid. We would pass it as a stand-alone piece of legislation today. I yield the floor.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to recognize the incredible performance and achievement from Kansas's own, Ms. Pyet DeSpain. Pyet took home the grand prize during FOX's inaugural ``Next Level Chef'' season and is officially the first Next Level Chef. A native of Kansas City, KS, Pyet developed a passion for cooking while helping in the kitchens of her family's taquerias and restaurants. This passion for the kitchen led her to attend Le'Cole Culinaire to pursue a culinary education and career. A chef and an entrepreneur, Pyet started her own business, ``Pyet's Plates,'' back in 2016 to promote her passion for wellness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices. A lifetime of hard work and dedication to her craft has culminated into Pyet earning her Next Level Chef title and a hefty cash prize as a nice bonus. The skills that Pyet developed throughout her time spent in kitchens across the country allowed her to succeed on the inaugural season of ''Next Level Chef,'' and I am sure that the lessons learned from this season will help Pyet to develop into an even more talented chef, entrepreneur, and restaurant owner. I look forward to seeing how Pyet's passion for good food, healthy lifestyle choices, and respect for tradition will develop into future culinary endeavors. I ask my colleagues now to join me in recognizing this outstanding achievement by Pyet DeSpain. She has made her family, friends, community, and State incredibly proud, and we are all rooting for continued success throughout her career.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor a true hero from Olathe, KS Officer Erik Clark. His brave actions during an active shooter situation at Olathe East High School helped keep an already tragic situation from taking students' lives. On Friday, March 4, a senior student at Olathe East was called into the administration office after a tip that he had brought in a gun to school. A few minutes into meeting with the assistant principal, the senior wouldn't open his backpack, prompting Officer Clark--the school's resource officer--to step into the situation. Shortly after Clark arrived, the student pulled out his weapon and began opening fire. In a flurry, Clark responded and returned fire, ultimately shooting and subduing the student, but not without himself and the assistant principal being wounded as well. Both, however, have thankfully been discharged from the hospital. I pray that something like that may never happen in those halls or any others across America again, for even though there were no fatal wounds, the scars of trauma everyone at Olathe East will surely run deep. Lastly, I want t thank this brave officer for being so courageous to dive headfirst into peril on that day. If it were not for Officer Clark, this situation could have turned out to be a much darker day in Olathe. As the son of a police chief, I know the risks our men and women in blue take on each day. I admire Officer Clark for continually working to ensure our safety. He has shown what true valor looks like, and Olathe East is safer because of him. I ask now that my colleagues show this same admiration and recognition for Officer Clark and that he may stay safe protecting his community.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, I rise today to honor a school administrator that went above and beyond the service to his students, Dr. Kaleb Stoppel. His brave actions during an active shooter situation at Olathe East High School helped keep an already tragic situation from taking students' lives. On Friday, March 4, a senior student at Olathe East was called into Dr. Stoppel's office after a tip was submitted saying the student brought a gun to the school. Dr. Stoppel first asked the student to open his backpack, which he did not comply with, prompting the school's resource officer to step into the situation. Shortly after the officer arrived, the student pulled out his weapon and began opening fire. In a flurry, the officer returned fire, ultimately shooting and subduing the student, but not without himself and Dr. Stoppel being wounded as well. Both, however, have thankfully been discharged from the hospital. I pray that something like that may never happen in those halls or any others across America again, for even though there were no fatal wounds, the scars of trauma for everyone at Olathe East will surely run deep. Lastly, I want to thank Dr. Stoppel for being so responsive to the situation and keeping students out of harm's way. Had he not investigated the tip, this tragedy surely would have been much graver. Olathe East is safer because of him. I ask now that my colleagues show this same admiration and recognition for Dr. Stoppel and that he may stay safe while educating our future leaders.

Mr. MARSHALL

Mr. MARSHALL. I rise today in support of S.J. Res. 38, a resolution to terminate the COVID-19 national emergency declaration. After nearly 2 years of living under this state of emergency, the American people are worn out and yearning to breathe free. They long for their God-given freedoms and for leaders to take their side. We as a nation must begin to learn to live with COVID. The robust powers this emergency declaration provides the Federal Government are no longer necessary, and Congress must debate and ultimately repeal them in order to begin the process of unwinding the powers the government took hold of during the peak of the crisis. As we contemplate what returning to normal means, most Americans accept that COVID will likely never be entirely behind us, and setting zero COVID cases as a victory condition is more harmful than good. That being said, of course, we have to respect the virus and protect the vulnerable, but we also must accept that personal responsibility, not government mandates and restrictions, must govern our approach to the virus going forward. We must repeal this emergency declaration today to deliver a symbolic victory to our citizens that normalcy is around the corner and that limited government and our constitutional rights still reign supreme. It is high time to stop talking about restrictions and the unknown. We must chart a new course to victory today that respects the virus and our freedoms. Let's look back on the recent history of this national emergency declaration. On March 13, 2020, President Trump first declared the national emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease outbreak. Two days prior, following an alarming rate of transmission, the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Little was known about the rapidly spreading virus at the time, but President Trump's declaration was intended to grant himself, as Chief Executive, additional authorities to bolster the Federal Government's efforts to control the virus and ease the burden on our healthcare system. Less than a week later, California became the first State to issue a statewide stay-at-home order, and lockdowns, mask mandates, school closures, and capacity limits commenced all across the Nation. These were the earliest and most frightening days of the pandemic, when our understanding of the virus was minimal and all measures were needed to react to a globe contagion unlike anything seen in nearly a century. Almost a year later, and just over a month after his inauguration, in February 2021, President Biden justifiably went on to extend the COVID- 19 national emergency declaration for another year, a requirement under the National Emergencies Act that had it not been acted on, would have resulted in the automatic termination of the declaration. At the time of President Biden's initial extension, only 50 million doses of the vaccine had been administered, and eligibility was largely limited to healthcare workers, first responders, and the most vulnerable populations. It would still be weeks or months before all adults would be eligible in all 50 States. Viral treatments and therapeutics were scarcely available to the public. All the while, the potentially more severe and contagious Delta variant was brewing in other regions of the world before it was detected and became the dominant variant here at home. The situation on the ground in the United States has changed drastically since those early stages of the pandemic. Thanks to American innovation and Operation Warp Speed, the United States has now multiple vaccines available to all Americans over the age of 5. Everyone ages 12 and older is eligible for a booster shot if they want that inoculation. In fact, more than 550 million shots have been administered in the United States, with 215 million people fully vaccinated, including 89 percent of individuals 65 and older. Additionally, the FDA has authorized two oral antivirals, and monoclonal antibody treatments are available for those at high risk of becoming seriously ill. Well done. Well done. Omicron is now the dominant variant in the United States, accounting for 97 percent of the cases. While more contagious, Omicron tends to result in more mild symptoms in infected individuals. In Kansas, the daily case average in recent weeks has decreased 99 percent. Let me say that again. The daily case average has decreased 99 percent. Hospitalizations are down about 80 percent, and deaths are down 98 percent. Nationally, we are seeing drastic decreases in these same three categories as well. But perhaps even more importantly, today, at least 94 percent of Americans have some level of immunization. Accordingly, States in every corner of the Nation are repealing indoor mask mandates, including blue States that have most adamantly enforced them. Yes, indeed, freedom-loving Americans who are worn out by the draconian lockdowns and mandates are giving a sigh of relief. Despite all these advances in our position of a much greater understanding of the virus, President Biden stealthily extended the national emergency declaration once again on a late Friday afternoon 2 weeks ago. Next, let us lay out some of the effects these policies have had on the American people and why we must abandon this approach, shrink the Federal response, and move toward a more nimble and effectively locally based community strategy that allows individual citizens and local health officials to exercise and promote old-fashioned self- responsibility and individual choice. The first COVID-19 wave in the spring of 2020 took the world by surprise. The spread of the cases globally and in the United States was met with government-ordered lockdowns abroad and here at home. In just a few weeks, lockdowns put more than 10 million Americans out of work, with 6.6 million people applying for unemployment benefits in the last week of March alone. These lockdowns, some of which extended for months in certain States, and the subsequent mandates and requirements that still remain in place have had dramatically negative impacts on our quality of life and had been minimally beneficial. A recent study from Johns Hopkins University found lockdowns only reduced the COVID-19 death rate by 0.2 percent--0.2 percent--2 out of 1,000. These researchers noted that while ``lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted.'' These costs have been felt at an alarming rate in a number of aspects of American life. Drug overdose deaths rose by 30 percent in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded. Symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and the use of mental health care among adults increased by 36 percent from August 2020 to February of 2021. The numbers for our children are even more troubling--our children, our grandchildren. The CDC found between March and October 2020, emergency department visits for mental health emergencies rose by 24 percent for children ages 5 through 11 and 31 percent for children ages 12 to 17 years. In addition, emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts increased nearly 51 percent among girls ages 12 through 17--51 percent--in early 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. School closures in the 2020-2021 academic year left students, on average, 5 months behind in mathematics and 4 months behind in reading. Disadvantaged and low-income schools disproportionately, of course, felt that impact. These societal ills have been compounded by mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and isolation orders. Keeping this emergency declaration in place will cause--will cause--public health officials and governments at all levels to maintain the possibility of allowing them to remain or resurrecting them. And much like America's alcohol prohibition a century ago, these mandates will make criminals out of all of us, as we all are guilty of disregarding them at one time or another. This only creates more disrespect for law and order. We can't allow this to happen. And I have to add this: The mortality rate from COVID for the United States is 75 percent higher than Sweden's--75 percent higher than Sweden's--despite Sweden issuing no shutdowns or mask mandates. Not surprisingly, Sweden's economy is humming ahead of ours at a 5-percent rate above prepandemic levels. All this being said, once again, I beg this administration and the national media to stop fearmongering, to share all the science, and, please, let our people go. The Democrats' COVID obsession has also resulted in out-of-control spending and massive debt. Congress has appropriated $6 trillion. That is 6 times 10 to the 12th--6 with 12 zeroes after it--$6 trillion to respond to this crisis. This means Federal spending to combat the pandemic has well surpassed the $4.1 trillion the United States spent waging World War II. Throw in the roughly $1.5 trillion on World War I, the Korean war, Vietnam, and the Gulf war combined, and it still would not exceed what has been spent on COVID relief. Let me say that another way. We borrowed from my children, my grandchildren, your children and grandchildren. We borrowed and spent more money on COVID than all the major wars combined form the 20th century. While the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed with nearly unanimous consent in both this body and the House, President Biden and the Democrats in Congress insisted more was needed. Despite warnings from economists on all ends of the political spectrum that it would harm our economy, Democrats rammed through a highly partisan $1.9 trillion more of a spending package that has overheated our economy. This bill was in response to a problem that was already fixing itself. Shockingly, I have to point out, only 9 percent of this funding was related to healthcare, and less than 1 percent was dedicated to vaccines. Instead, the funding, like the drawnout, unnecessary, heavy- handed health restrictions, was meant to implement drastic changes in our way of life and system of governance and expand Big Government socialism, not to mention it has resulted in the highest level of inflation we have seen in this country in 40 years. As one economist put it, the U.S. stimulus has been in a ``category of its own'' and has resulted in more inflation than almost any other advanced economy in the world. With hundreds of billions of dollars of funds for schools and State governments unspent, the President announced during his State of the Union that he plans to send a supplemental COVID relief funding request to Congress. Our Nation's emergency posture to this virus is driving out-of-control spending, fueling inflation, and strapping our children and, again, our grandchildren, with more than $30 trillion in debt. Indeed, at this time, our national debt is a greater threat to our Nation than COVID. This alone is another reason to end this declaration. Now let me turn to the executive's emergency authority--the executive branch's emergency authority and Congress's role in delegating those powers. Since article II of the Constitution does not grant the President emergency powers, all such authority is granted by Congress. Many of these authorities are provided through three laws: the National Emergencies Act, which is what we are focused on today; the Stafford Act; and the Public Health Service Act. All three have been applied by this administration to the COVID response, but the National Emergencies Act grants congressional oversight over a declaration by the President. Before I get into the need to exercise that congressional authority, let me quickly discuss what repealing this emergency declaration will not do. Let's talk about what it won't do. First, terminating this emergency declaration will not impact the title 42 order currently in place and being exercised at our southern border that allows border officials to expel illegal aliens. Again, this will not impact title 42. The crisis at the United States-Mexico border has been fueled by this administration's decision to resume catch-and-release, halt construction of the border wall, and promise half a million dollars to immigrant families who broke our laws. As a result, the number of illegal aliens crossing our southern border is at the highest level in more than 20 years under President Biden. I can assure you, Republicans' intention is not to take away the only tool being utilized at our southern border to stem the tide of illegal immigrants pouring in. The authority for this order lies within the Secretary of Health and Human Services' public health emergency declaration made on January 31, 2020, under the Public Health Service Act. The most recent internal review of title 42 submitted by CDC Director Walensky on February 2 found that the order needed to remain in place. Republicans agree--we agree--that the external threat of COVID coming across the border unchecked from other nations preserves the need for this order to remain in place and for us to pass legislation outside of these emergency declarations to further secure our porous border. Second, terminating the emergency declaration would not impact the waivers issued by the HHS Secretary. Let me say that again. Terminating the emergency declaration would not impact the waivers issued by the HHS Secretary. These critical flexibilities--including increased access to care via telehealth--have been crucial to our ability to combat the virus. The telehealth waivers will not be impacted by removing the NEA. And, in fact, I am a cosponsor of legislation to make many of these successful telehealth waivers permanent, and we must do so after the public health emergency expires, and we return to normal. Until today, Congress has failed to fulfill our duty and oversight responsibilities laid out in the National Emergencies Act, ceding immense, unchecked power to the executive branch. We must, as the Democratic Representative from the great State of Kentucky, Romano Mazzoli, stated when this bill was being debated in 1975. I will quote Representative Mazzoli, the Democrat from Kentucky. Consciously and deliberately [we must] force ourselves to come to grips periodically--and ultimately--[deal] with the vexing problems of national emergencies. The blame as well as the glory will be on the shoulders of the Congress. . . . But that is as it is supposed to be--that is the responsible course. The blame and the glory should remain on the shoulders of Congress, and that is why we are here today. We are here today to debate this responsible course moving forward. While the COVID-19 emergency declaration has not utilized all powers provided to the President, major actions have been taken as a direct result of the declaration. Our Ready Reserve remains active, our Coast Guard is stretched, and the staggeringly expensive student loan relief remains in place. More importantly, though, this declaration drives our Federal Government to maintain its massive emergency response infrastructure and drives leftwing politicians in Congress to push harmful mandates and unrestrained spending. These powers are no longer needed. We have tools to minimize the impact of this virus and truly live with it. This idea of living with COVID is not a fringe position held by Republicans. Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy recently said it was time to, and I will quote him, ``learn how to live'' with it. Democratic Governors in Nevada, Rhode Island, New York, California--I will say California again--Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, and Oregon have announced they are lifting certain mask mandates and easing other restrictions. Internationally, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand are working towards ``living with COVID'' phases. Just last week, the British Prime Minister announced that part of his ``living with COVID'' plan would even include the repeal of legislation and legal requirements for those who test positive for COVID to self-isolate. While President Biden claimed during his State of the Union Address that--and I will quote him--``we are moving forward safely, back to . . . normal routines,'' his actions don't match his words. His call for a ``reset'' and claims to be loosening government intrusion into our lives by way of COVID restrictions are only half-truths. We know this because all these next items are true: Despite being presented with the devastating effects of lockdowns, school and indoor mask mandates, and other restrictions, the President renewed the Federal Government's national emergency declaration again. In fact, the President just hours ago issued a veto threat of this resolution should it make it to his desk--the President promising a veto before we even have this vote on the Senate floor. The CDC continues to hide data points they believe would be ``misinterpreted'' by those outside of the swamp they view as ignorant. The people--the people--are so much smarter than they are given credit for. This data gives information on who is receiving booster shots, the effectiveness of vaccines for certain age groups, and figures related to reinfections. This allows the Federal Government to suppress information that contradicts their one-size-fits-all policy and approach and preserves intrusive government policies. Next, despite the President patting himself on the back for relaxing mask mandates, we still have in place the CDC order that requires masks on airplanes, in Ubers, and on your children's schoolbuses. The administration has only withdrawn one of their vaccine mandates, the OSHA mandate on employers with more than 100 employees, after--only after--the Supreme Court struck it down. Three mandates are thankfully enjoined by the courts, but deadlines for the CMS mandate on healthcare workers are beginning to be enforced. Just yesterday, on this floor, 44 Senate Democrats voted to keep the mandate in place despite its constitutional violation of State police powers, harm to an already weak healthcare workforce, and outdated science that guided the promulgation of the rule. Next, the President's National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan asks Congress to approve funding that would expand the production of vaccines to 1 billion doses a year. That equates to three doses for every person--three doses per American. Do they plan to mandate these? Dr. Fauci recently led us to believe that indeed might be the case, and I will quote Dr. Fauci: ``The potential future requirement for an additional boost . . . is being carefully monitored in real time.'' While we prevented separated members of the military from receiving dishonorable discharges for choosing not to get the vaccine, the Defense Department has kicked out hundreds of our bravest service men and women. How can the President downplay the progress we have made in our ability to combat the virus? And, more importantly, how can he continue to pursue an invasive and coercive Federal response that has eroded our freedoms and spread misery throughout this Nation? Does he not hear the cry of the people who have given him the power to be President? As the United States enters the third year of COVID-19, 70 percent of Americans agree that it is time we accepted that COVID is here to stay and that we just need to get on with our lives--70 percent of Americans. We can't get Americans to decide where to go to lunch together, let alone on an issue this big, and 70 percent of Americans maintain these policies are no longer about science or about public health or the will of the people. That is all a guise. This is about power and using a global pandemic to grow government and lurch our Nation toward socialism. The suffering caused by the government's actions has had an immense impact on the daily lives of Americans in ways that will take years to correct, if ever. We now know that these actions were wrong. The same people who argued to keep this emergency declaration in place are the same people who were wrong in their advocacy for these government actions. They were wrong when they told you not to be afraid to go to Chinese New Year celebrations when the first cases were detected in the United States. They were wrong when they said it was racist to suspend inbound travel from China. They were wrong when they called you a conspiracy theorist for believing it was possible for this virus to have developed in nature or to have leaked from a laboratory. They were wrong when they told you lockdowns must remain in place. They were wrong when they told you masking your children was the only way they could attend in-person classes safely. They were wrong when they told you massive stimulus spending was necessary and would not lead to inflation. They were wrong when they told you that inflation would be transitory. And they were wrong when they denied that natural immunity provided a strong defense against COVID infection and severe symptoms. They were wrong when they denied that natural immunity provided a strong defense against COVID infection and severe symptoms. They have been wrong nearly every step of the way during the response to this pandemic--always a day late and a dollar spent in the wrong direction. Yet here they are, these same individuals who now reside in the White House and hold majorities in Congress, telling us it would be detrimental to our own health to repeal the President's national emergency declaration. Their motivation is not genuine. It is a blatant effort to further extend the massive accumulation of power that the Federal Government has extended across America for the last 2 years. Today, the Senate has an opportunity to act to rein in this control and reassert our article I authorities. The Constitution demands it. The authors of the National Emergencies Act demand it. The protection of American liberties demands it. We have the tools to protect the vulnerable and our populous is near full herd immunity, with 94 percent of Americans having some level of immunity now. Let's not listen to those who have wronged us and have been proven incorrect countless times before throughout this pandemic. Let's listen to common sense and reason. Let's listen to science, and let's listen to the people. Let's abandon the COVID obsession and groupthink that has infiltrated the highest ranks of government, and let's return the ability to make decisions related to the virus back to the American people. I yield the floor.