Rand Paul

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 2, and I ask that it be reported by number.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life of Quincy Ramon Nelson-Sweatt of Rineyville, KY, who passed away Friday, September 2, 2022, at his home, surrounded by his closest family and covered in love. Quincy was born 9 years ago today, on February 1, 2014, to Timothy Sweatt and Natalie Nelson in Elizabethtown, KY. He was a student at Rineyville Elementary School, where he was in the third grade. He chose to be extraordinarily positive in the midst of the most challenging time, bravely facing diffuse midline glioma, a terminal cancer of the brain and spinal cord. He never lost his sweet smile that could put anyone at ease--or the way his copper-brown eyes could light up the whole room. He always took such pride in his appearance. From his haircuts and sun-kissed curls to his outfits, he always loved to look his best. Quincy was truly beautiful both inside and out. Before the date of diagnosis, November 11, 2021, he was a perfectly healthy, active, fun-loving little boy. Within 10 months, he underwent emergency surgery to try to remove the tumor, which was unsuccessful and left him a quadriplegic; he also had 55 rounds of radiation to his brain and spinal cord, along with trying multiple chemotherapy drugs. He endured the toughest days with grace and positivity that was unmatched. He exhibited such joy, which was undeniably shared with anyone in his presence. Whether he was singing and dancing to his favorite songs or snuggling with his mama or his cats, Sprinkles and Peaches, he knew how to savor the time he had. His love for life is indescribable. His list of loves was long and as big as his heart. He loved cars, trampoline jumping, singing to his jams, dancing, playing with his cousins that were like siblings, farming, running outside, and time with his family and friends. His favorite hobbies were singing and listening to music, baseball, go-cart riding, swimming, and playing outside. He was passionate about it all. Quincy was an empathetic and intuitive old soul that made everyone around him feel special and loved. If you ever need inspiration, meditate for just a minute on his life and the love he shared and choose to live with love. Quincy was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother Gwendolyn Sweatt. Quincy is survived by his parents, Timothy Sweatt and Natalie Nelson; paternal grandparent, Timothy Buckler; maternal grandparents, Byron and Mary Nelson; aunt and uncles on his father's side, Frederick Sweatt, Freda Sweatt, and Stephen Buckler; on his mother's side aunt and uncles Erin Riffle (Jason) and Clint Nelson; his cousins on his mother's side Ava, Caleb, Hudson, and Charlotte Riffle; and his cousins on his father's side Dallas, Rashaud, and Nia Sweatt. Quincy will live in the hearts of his family and will be missed more than words could ever describe. Happy Birthday, Quincy.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize officers Cody Woolston and Eric Goldschmidt for their heroic actions on Monday, October 31, 2022. On that day, Officers Woolston and Goldschmidt responded to calls of a woman attempting to jump off an overpass on Breckinridge Lane, which runs over a local interstate. When the two officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman standing on top of the barrier and looking over the highway. Officers Woolston and Goldschmidt tried to talk with the woman, but she was wearing headphones and not responding. When she started to lean more towards the drop, Officer Woolston bravely grabbed her from the barrier, saving her life. The officers then took her to a local hospital to receive help. Upon arrival, she was hesitant to go inside, but Officer Woolston calmly reassured her and took her hand as they walked in together. As a result of his quick actions that saved a life, Officer Woolston was nominated for a 2023 Rise Award. Officers Woolston and Goldschmidt were also nominated for the Louisville Metro Police Department's lifesaving award. Officers Woolston and Goldschmidt are brave servants to the city of Louisville and a true testament to the hard-working Louisville Metro Police Department. I am proud to salute both officers and have no doubt they will continue to be an incredible asset to the citizens of Louisville.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Just moments ago, I made a budget point of order against a 4,155-page bill spending $1.7 trillion that was given to us in the middle of the night at 1:30 in the morning. The point of order was waived, as it always has been by the Senate. It has become far too easy for Congress to escape its own rules designed to prevent reckless spending. There hasn't been enough time for a single person to have read this entire bill. The bill and process ignores soaring inflation, rising interest rates, and our ballooning debt of $31 trillion. Enough is enough. I now ask my colleagues to support my amendment to raise the threshold to waive a budget point of order from three-fifths to two-thirds.

Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, I rise in objection. Do I get my minute?

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, there are probably no more incompetent people in government than those who are in our Antitrust Division. These are the people who, as Blockbuster video was in its throes of demise, decided to block the merger between Hollywood Video and Blockbuster. I don't want to give these people any more money, and I will object to any unanimous consent to make this a voice vote.

Mr. PAUL. Madam President, for years, Members of Congress have lamented their inability to control spending and debt. On rare occasions, though, Congress has actually passed rules to try to tame their primal urge to borrow and spend. From Gramm-Rudman-Hollings to PAYGO, good legislation is out there to restrain deficit spending, only to be universally ignored and rejected by future Congresses. Today's legislation breaks the Congressional Budget Act rules, so congressional leaders have included in this monstrous spending bill language to simply waive the PAYGO rules. Congress has time and time again waived its own rules, and the result has been over $31 trillion in debt, inflation, and a weakened economy. Let's respect the American people by being responsible stewards of their tax dollars and adhering to our own budget rules. The pending measure, Senate amendment No. 6552, contains matter in division O, title X, section 1001(d) that relates to the operation of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, which is matter within the jurisdiction of the Budget Committee. The pending measure was neither reported nor discharged from the Budget Committee. Therefore, I raise a point of order against this measure pursuant to section 306 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

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

Mr. PAUL. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, just last year, we passed an unlimited appropriation for the 9/11 responders. I do believe they do deserve our help, but we amassed an unlimited appropriation for 70 years. As much money as can possibly be spent in 70 years was made available last year. We are in the midst of a $1.7 trillion bill, and yet we have got to add another billion. Is there no end to the amount of money you think we can print without repercussions? I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. PAUL. Time. Time.

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, we all have a great deal of sympathy for the firemen, the policemen, and those first responders who responded to 9/ 11; but like most things government does or gets involved with, they have completely disturbed and destroyed who we are actually helping here. The definition of ``victims fund'' also includes anybody in Manhattan at the time. So, really, Donald Trump is part of this fund as well. Anybody who was in Manhattan is part of this fund. So you dilute what you are actually trying to do--helping first responders--by making your fund so large, so ill-defined, that everybody in Manhattan can apply for your fund. That is why you are short of money. That is why we spend $1.7 trillion in this bill, and yet we come back--the last vote was for a billion, and this is for another 4 or 5 billion. There is no end to this, but it is because government does a poor job of trying to define who they are actually helping.

Mr. PAUL. I object. It has to be unanimous consent. There is a unanimous consent order and agreement. I ask for the yeas and nays, but I don't think you have to.

Mr. PAUL. I object.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, if this is winning, I am getting tired of winning. GOP leadership declared that this bill is a victory--but not unless you define victory as adding over a trillion dollars in new deficit spending. So really, there is a debate--a big debate--within the Republican Party. Which is more important? Is it more important to add $45 billion to military spending, or is it more important not to add $1 trillion in deficit to our overall debt? We now have a $31 trillion debt. We are adding over a trillion dollars a year, and yet Republican leadership says this is a victory because we are getting more military spending. But it is a victory at what expense? Are we actually more secure? Are we more safe? Is our national security more protected by spending more on the military, or is our national security actually more threatened by incurring more debt? I would argue the latter, that $31 trillion dollars in debt is the No. 1 threat to our national security. It is the week before Christmas, and, predictably, Congress is considering yet another $1.7 trillion spending bill that we haven't had a chance to see or even read. Last night, at 1:30 in the morning, the text of this 4,155-page spending spree was released. If you thought Congress couldn't possibly spend more money than it did last year, you would be wrong. The omnibus increases spending by 10 percent compared to last year's budget. You would think that nearly 2 years of 40-year-high inflation would create some hesitation. You would think that a looming recession, spurred largely by exorbitant government spending, would give this Congress pause. But instead of taking a minute to consider what a responsible Federal Government budget looks like, we are, instead, placed behind the barrel of a gun, forcing us to choose between letting government expire or blindly passing a $1.7 trillion spending package that not only does not balance, but, in fact, spends over 10 percent more than last year. How does Congress spend taxpayers' money? Well, here are just a few examples of how your government currently spends money. We found that they spent, last year, $2.3 million injecting beagles with cocaine. It seems that their researchers were curious--despite the pain they inflicted on these dogs--they were curious to know if cocaine causes adverse effects. Guess what. Read the newspaper. Read the news. Look at the addicts across our country. You think you need to inject beagles with cocaine to know that cocaine is a bad deal? And $700,000 was spent to study how male parrots attract their mate. Really? We have got people who go hungry in our country. We have people that are trying to get out from behind poverty, and we are spending $700,000 studying how male parrots attract a female. We spent $187,000 to study whether or not dogs help kids cope. Of course they do. Ask any pet owner. Any pet owner could have told you, and we would have saved the taxpayer $187,000. We spent $118,000 to study if a metal replica, a robot, of Marvel Comics' evil warlord Thanos could snap his fingers--$118,000. Really? They apparently hired some dude to wear metal gloves and then try to snap his fingers. You know what? They found out that it is impossible to make a snapping sound with metal fingers. So robots of the world, be warned: It is hard to snap your fingers. While we continue to spend ourselves into oblivion, almost every single European nation is working to shrink their deficit. We routinely look to Europe, and we say: Look how liberal, look how Big Government, look how socialized--and yet, most of Europe actually balances their annual budget. In 2019, 15 of 26 European countries ran budget surpluses. Another eight European countries ran deficits of less than 3 percent of their GDP. While here in the U.S., in that same year, our deficit exceeded 6 percent of GDP. Europe is a glaring example that fiscal responsibility is possible. It is not a pipe dream. In fact, if we just cut our spending to what we spent in 2019--just 3 years ago--we would actually have a balanced budget today. Instead, we have jumped from a deficit that was 6 percent of our GDP to a deficit that is 12 percent of our GDP. We are adding debt at an alarming rate. We are adding debt at a greater pace than we ever have in the history of our country. Thankfully, some of our predecessors in Congress anticipated this lack of restraint, and they gave us some guideposts. They gave us some rules. They established guardrails and tools to keep our budget in check. For example, there is a rule called the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act--or PAYGO, for short. It requires that if you have new spending, it has to be offset by cuts elsewhere in the budget or elsewhere in the spending bill. Despite equipping our government with this necessary tool, though, Congress, with almost every budget in recent history, abuses its power, spends like drunken sailors, and ignores the fact that a day of reckoning is coming. Unfortunately, Congress has, virtually 100 percent of the time, voted to waive the PAYGO requirements. The American people demand accountability for the damage the Big Government spenders are doing to our families and to our Nation's economic well-being. I will not allow my colleagues to escape accountability by hiding behind 4,000 pages of legislative text. I, therefore, will raise a budget point of order as this bill comes to the floor that will put every Member of the Senate on record as to where they stand on fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, most of the Senators--even if they share my sentiments--they know that this point of order will be waived. They think they can quietly vote this way and no one will notice. Well, when American voters finally notice that people here are saying one thing at home and doing another, are promising balancing budgets and promising that deficits do matter and then come up here and vote the opposite way--one day, the American electorate will wake up and vote these hypocrites out. There are many other points of order that can be raised on this. The budget rules are actually of some value if we would actually obey the rules. Some of the people, you see them. You see them in their States, they are at campaign rallies, they will tell you at townhalls, they will tell you on the Senate floor that we absolutely must get spending under control. They will tell you that the debt is a problem. They will tell you that it is a terrible way to run government to have omnibuses. It is terrible to put $6 trillion together in one bill, release it at 1:30 in the morning, and pass it; and you can read about it and find out what is in it later. I suspect you will find a lot of promises, though, that will be violated as we vote on these PAYGO restrictions. Realize that this is the law. The law of the land says you can't do this. Congress, in passing this omnibus, is breaking the law. The statute says very clearly they cannot do this. The only way they actually can evade responsibility is they change the law. They say: Oh, well, it would be embarrassing to get rid of the law; we will waive the law. So we have laws for decades that could actually right our fiscal house and put us on a course towards balancing our budget, and the rules are waived. They disobey their own rules. Congress does a disservice to the economy every time it waives these points of orders. What good are these procedures if they are never upheld? What started as formal guardrails to keep fiscal health of this Nation strong is now merely just a messaging tool with no real significance that allows Senators to get away with making promises they never intended to keep. That is why, in addition to raising this point of order, I am introducing an amendment to reform our budget procedures by raising the threshold. Let's make it less easy for them to break the rules. Currently, 60 Senators can break the rules. Let's make it two-thirds. Let's make it 67 Senators necessary to break the rules. Why? Because they are bankrupting this country, both sides of the aisle. There is an unholy alliance between both parties. One party wants more welfare; one wants more warfare. It is either the military industrial complex or the welfare industrial complex. But what happens inevitably every year is spending goes up. People come and the journalists question: What will happen? What will happen with Christmas here? The only thing that is known to happen is this body--both parties-- will continue to add to the debt. And there is a day--there is a day when you wake up and the dollar is worthless. Right now, the dollar is losing nearly 10 percent of its value on an annual basis, but there is a day when it is 10 percent a day or 10 percent an hour. Great countries have succumbed to the destruction of currency, and it happens through debt, through deficit financing. And it is coming to us. There is a day of reckoning, unless we wake up and say: Enough is enough. We are going to do the prudent and rational thing: We are going to balance our budget. It is time that we take our Nation's health seriously, and it is time that we show concern for those who are being damaged and devastated by inflation. The inflation at the grocery store, at the gas pump, who does it hurt the worst? It hurts those on fixed incomes, senior citizens. It hurts the working class and the poor. Those who have most of their expenditures that go towards consumption, towards their food and groceries and gas, people who spend 90 percent of what they earn on buying the stuff that allows them to live are the people that are decimated by inflation. So if there are people in this body who do care, who do really care about those who are struggling with the burden of inflation, the best way is to quit digging the hole deeper, quit adding to the debt, and do what even European countries can do; and that is, begin to balance our budget.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Just For You Boutique of Frankfort, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. Across the country you will not find two small businesses with the same origin story. In most cases, the tale behind how one gets started is just as unique as the business itself. Such is the story of Nicole Boyd's business, Just For You Boutique. Nicole, a native of the Bluegrass State, was driving through its capital when she found herself stopped at a red light. As she gazed out the window towards an empty storefront, she couldn't help but notice a big ``Available for Sale or Rent'' sign in the window. It was in that moment that Nicole decided that she would open her own clothing store, right there in that location. Sometimes, all it takes is a self-starting individual to make their dream a reality, as is the case with Nicole. Not long after that fateful stop in Frankfort traffic, Just For You Boutique opened up on March 8, 2016. As an active member of the community, Nicole's favorite aspect of owning her own business is that it enables her to really engage with the people of Frankfort, as she is constantly seeing friends and neighbors walk through her doors. Moreover, Nicole understands that successful businesses put their community first. She often collaborates with other small businesses around Frankfort to offer products and experiences that are unique to Kentucky and to Frankfort specifically. Nicole offers a wide variety of goods in her store, from fashion-forward apparel and jewelry to everyday home goods that could liven up any living space. Nicole pays special mind to feature homegrown Kentucky products, between coffee grinds made by local brewers and handcrafted artisanal soaps from local companies, Nicole makes Kentucky vendors her merchandise mainstay. Given the wide variety of goods she keeps in store, it would only make sense that Nicole would choose to name her boutique Just For You as it is a place where anyone, whether shopping for a gift or for themselves, can find something that is uniquely for them. Part of what makes Just For You Boutique so special is that Nicole understands that strength often comes in numbers. She jumps at every opportunity to amplify her store by collaborating with other small businesses around the State capital, thereby growing the customer base for businesses across Main Street. Just this past Halloween, Nicole participated in a ``Trunk-or-Treat'' trunk show where small businesses all around Frankfort came together in a local park to brave the autumn rain and sell their goods. The Halloween trunk show was just one of many community events that Just For You participates in, as they also enjoy vending their goods at other Frankfort festivals and events. Nicole has even offered a unique promotion where customers can show their receipts from other local businesses to receive 10 percent off their purchase from Just For You Boutique. As an entrepreneur, it is clear the Nicole looks beyond the success of her own storefront and works to support those operating around her. Not only does Nicole do her best to support other small businesses around Frankfort, she runs her store with a charitable heart. When a young lady around Frankfort was diagnosed with breast cancer, Nicole jumped into action. Suzanna, who had spent a lot of time inside Just For You Boutique, designed shirts emblazoned with a pink cancer ribbon with the hashtag #SuzannaStrong. In a show of support for Suzanna, Nicole printed shirt with her design and began selling them in her store, with all proceeds from the sales going towards the cost of Suzanna's medical treatment. It is acts of kindness such as these that sets Just For You Boutique apart from other businesses, as Nicole keeps her finger on the pulse of developments around the community and always keeps an ear out for those in need. I want to commend Nicole on making her dream of owning her own a store a reality and thank her for all that she does to support small businesses. Congratulations to Nicole Boyd along with the entire team at Just For Your Boutique. I look forward to seeing your continued growth and success in Kentucky.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Reserving the right to object, we all agree that racial discrimination is not only wrong but illegal. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other Federal statutes prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The Supreme Court found in the 1973 case McDonnell Douglas Corporation v. Green that using a pretextual reason as cover for discrimination is a violation of Federal civil rights law. Subsequently, the protections sought by this bill are already provided for in Federal law. Using hairstyle as a pretext for racial discrimination is already illegal. But there is reason to believe that this bill is not ready for enactment. When the House Judiciary Committee considered this legislation, some Members questioned whether this legislation would prevent certain hairstyles and lengths out of concern that they may hinder workplace safety or the ability to perform certain critical functions of the job. For example, employers may require certain hairstyles so that personal protective equipment properly protects the wearer. Many questions remain unanswered about whether this bill would prevent employers from imposing race-neutral standards, such as maintaining a hairstyle that makes it difficult to become caught in machinery on a factory floor or the ability to properly wear a helmet at a construction site. This bill would make workers less safe, make it more difficult to start a business and provide jobs, and almost certainly result in expensive litigation and overburdened courts. I object.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Napier Brothers Clothing of Lancaster, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. Mr. Lonnie Napier is a lifelong resident of Garrard County, KY, and he remembers when the county did not look quite like it does today. Mr. Napier grew up in a rural part of Garrard County, and as a boy, he did not know the comforts of running water, telephones, electricity, and in-door plumbing. However, as Mr. Napier grew older, he continued to leave his mark on the community. In 1966, at the age of 26 years old, Mr. Napier was elected to the Garrard County Fiscal Court, the youngest man to ever be elected to such group. From that day forward, Mr. Napier would continue his involvement with local government, even as he began his career in the clothing business. Lonnie Napier opened Napier Brothers Clothing back in 1990, and he has been working at the same location in Lancaster square ever since, making it the oldest small business on the town square. As one might gather from the store's name, Lonnie's business is a family business, having named the store after his two sons, both of which worked in the store during their youth. Today, the store sells all sorts of clothing, ranging from casual wear to clothes suited for working outside, and shoes, ranging from men's and ladies' footwear to work boots suitable for outdoor conditions. According to Lonnie Napier, the most popular item that his store sells is blue jeans, which is no wonder considering the wide selection of blue jeans Mr. Napier keeps stocked in his collection of shelves along the store's wall. Mr. Napier ensures that all products in his store are top quality and that the customer service of Napier Brothers Clothing far exceeds that of his corporate competitors. Given Garrard County's location within central Kentucky, agriculture enjoys a large influence on their surrounding communities. Large businesses such as Tractor Supply directly compete with Mr. Napier's customer base, but corporations simply cannot match the sense of familiarity and geniality that a customer feels when walking into Napier Brothers Clothing. Mr. Napier has a knack for taking care of his customers, always answering their questions and hearing whatever concerns they may have. His amiability as a business owner is one of the many traits that led him to find success in local governance. A highlight of Mr. Napier's political career occurred back in 1984 when he was running for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Initially thinking it was a prank, Mr. Napier finally paid a phone call to a telephone number his friends kept insisting he dial. That phone call led to Lonnie Napier receiving an in-person campaign endorsement from then President Ronald Reagan. In addition to having met former President Reagan, Mr. Napier also had the pleasure of meeting former Presidents George Bush, Sr., and Bill Clinton. Though he occasionally rubbed shoulders with politicians in the big leagues, Mr. Napier never lost sight of his mission to run the best small business in Lancaster. From a country-born boy who grew up having to walk 5 miles to school each day, to a successful Main Street entrepreneur who has consistently looked out for the citizens of Lancaster, Mr. Napier has enjoyed a long and fruitful career in his corner of Kentucky. Congratulations to Lonnie Napier and to the whole team at Napier Brothers Clothing. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Kentucky.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, the proponents of antitrust laws are famously zealous in their desire to eradicate the curse of bigness. To them, big is always bad except, of course, when it comes to the size and scope of government. The same people who supposedly fear the concentration of power in the marketplace celebrate the concentration of power in the State--a State that asserts itself into and nullifies private contracts, breaks up companies it deems too large, and inflicts punishment on those who succeed in the competition for customers. In short, antitrust seeks to cap the amount of success any company or business can enjoy and the benefits reaped by customers. As economist Yale Brozen wrote, antitrust law seems to say that firms should compete but should not win; firms should be efficient enough to survive but should not share the fruits of greater efficiency with their customers. And that is the fatal defect of antitrust policy. Antitrust fails to accept the lessons of economic history that voluntary exchange is a win-win proposition and that consumers are incredibly powerful in a free market system. A company that continues to reward its customers with superior products and innovations will, in turn, be rewarded with greater market share--with more--and will do better than their competitors and they will grow in size. Size is not necessarily a bad thing. The size of a business reflects its ability to please its consumers. But no company can achieve a strong position in the market and rest on its laurels. Consumers are too demanding, and competitors will arise to steal customers away from any firm that ceases to treat its clients well. Unlike players in the marketplace who must take note of consumer trends to survive, antitrust enforcers often fail to see what it is that is right in front of their faces. Just take the issue of video services. In 2005, when Netflix was already several years old and growing in popularity, the FTC--believe it or not--busied itself in blocking a merger between Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. So this is the inside of government. Netflix is beginning to take off, and the antitrust busters--the trust busters-- are breaking up VCR companies and DVD companies. They are going after Blockbuster. This is the incompetence of government, and we should not encourage this. Blockbuster and Hollywood Video no longer exist. Even now, Netflix is one they are worried about. So Netflix was the competitor that put Blockbuster out of business. They wanted to get Blockbuster in order to forbid them from merging. It makes no sense at all. No such fear exists today, though, that Netflix will be a monopoly since they are competing with Hulu, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+, and others, but 5 or 6 years ago, you might have thought: Netflix is going to take over the world, that we have got to break them up. No. If companies please their consumers, let them get bigger. Bigger means they are giving their customers something they want. We didn't need government to break up Netflix. We didn't need government to interfere to ensure competition and innovation. All we needed to do was to let the marketplace work, but standing in the way of the benefits of the market are the antitrust zealots. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has pointed out that enacting this bill would stymie legitimate business transactions between sectors and industries, create needless new bureaucracy, and spur unwarranted litigation. The package is even more nefarious than that. It will take money out of the productive sector--the private sector--and give it to bureaucrats in Washington. As Americans for Tax Reform correctly points out, this legislation would give the Biden administration hundreds of millions of dollars in new funds to pursue a progressive social agenda. They are talking about critical race theory and all of this craziness and injecting this into whether a company can merge or not. This is not something we need to give them more money to do; we need to give them less money. The package of bills here is just the first step to reinvigorating antitrust law. There is no lack of bills designed to empower government control over the marketplace. Take just one bill called the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act, which would presume that any merger of a certain size violates the law and shifts the burden of proof to the merging parties. The government doesn't have to prove that your merging and becoming bigger is bad; you have to prove that your merging is somehow a benefit. People merge--they get bigger--to provide a lower cost and gain market share to gain profit for the consumers. That is what capitalism is based on. That is what Adam Smith really wrote about. According to Robert Bork, Jr., the antitrust bill would enact so many potential ways to prosecute, abuse, and torment companies that government would, in essence, become the real board of directors, and every major company would be ruled by the Federal Government. That is what is coming. That is what they are proposing. This bill today is a small step in that direction, but what they have in the pipeline is more government control of business. The package today is a mere precursor to designating the Department of Justice and the FTC as the central planners of the American economy. This bill seeks to take the power out of the hands of the consumers and hand it to the antitrust bureaucrats. Therefore, I object.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, almost 1 year ago, on December 10, 2021, multiple tornadoes touched down all throughout western Kentucky, including one historic supercell tornado that affected multiple States and ended in Kentucky. Lives were upended as homes, businesses, and towns were completely destroyed. In many places, the destruction was total and absolute. At a time when families were to be preparing for a joyous holiday season, they were instead greeted by sorrow and loss, while being surrounded by an uneasy reality of wreckage and despair. Immediately, local citizens, Kentuckians around the Commonwealth, and people from across the country converged on western Kentucky to help in any way they could. Disaster relief teams sprang into action to meet the needs of those who were impacted and who had lost everything. I am grateful that Kentuckians rose up in the face of this crisis to do whatever was necessary to help and to provide care for our neighbors. While outside organizations and ministries provided essential services, the real heroes of the story are the communities themselves that were destroyed by the tornado. Through this historic crisis, the men and women of western Kentucky have demonstrated resilience and compassion as they care for the communities they call home. From the first responders to the local officials to each man, woman, and child involved, there was remarkable strength demonstrated in the face of adversity. Communities have grieved together, served together, hoped together, and rebuilt together. Today, almost 1 year later, we look back on what has been lost, but also resolve to look forward to what can be achieved together. As we pause to reflect on the destruction of December 10, 2021, we can see the hope that now shines through as towns are rebuilt and communities regain shape. Even in tragedy, Kentucky has shown itself to be resilient and unified. We will continue to press forward and care for our communities.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Slainte Public House of Georgetown, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. The dream behind Slainte Public House was born thousands of miles away from its home in the Blue Grass State, dating back to 2015 when owners Matt and Ashley Nunn traveled to Ireland in celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary. Upon their arrival in the Old Country, the Nunns witnessed how pubs across Ireland offered a space where communities could gather. The couple was struck by how these businesses were so entrenched in their communities, serving a purpose far greater than the stated goals of a typical American bar. Thus, upon their return to their home State, the Nunns decided to try their hand at emulating the communal attraction of the Irish pubs they enjoyed and, in the spring of 2016, opened Slainte Public House. Matt and Ashley's goal for Slainte Public House, or ``The Pub'' as regulars like to call it, is for their community to be strengthened by friendships made onsite. The Nunns sought to create a space that offers its patrons something more profound than just food or drink, but a place where lively discussion is encouraged, hearty laughter is unavoidable, and a tear can be shed every now and then. Today, 6 years after opening, you can ask any Georgetown local, and they will tell you that the Nunns have succeeded in their goal. However, the story of its' Irish inspiration is not the only notable fact about Slainte Public House's creation. In opening Slainte Public House, Matt and Ashley Nunn opened the first licensed bar to operate in Scott County since the days of Prohibition, when the purchase and consumption of alcohol was outlawed. Therefore, the Pub's 6 years in operation makes Slainte Public House the oldest operating licensed bar in Georgetown, KY, a title the Nunns are proud to bare. Though the pub has been operating less than a decade, the building in which the pub is housed has a history of its own. Constructed in 1793, the building once served as the home of George Algair, who resided there in the 1850s. As chairman of the Independent Ticket, Algair represented a group who opposed efforts to outlaw alcohol in Georgetown. Ann Bevin, a Scott County historian, uncovered a quote from Algair that reads ``Give `em license, for they drink with or without it.'' Perhaps Mr. Algair had a talent for clairvoyance as his former residence now gladly serves as the local watering hole for the good citizens of Georgetown. Following Scott County's transformation from a ``dry county'' to a ``wet county'' in 2009, there were many Georgetown citizens who were apprehensive about the opening of Slainte Public House 7 short years later in 2016. Though Matt had long dreamed of owning his own bar, his wife Ashley initially was not on board with the idea. However, when the two traveled across the Atlantic, Ashley finally understood what her husband had been dreaming about. A new convert to the idea, the Nunns took special care in making Slainte Public House a place that could foster the style of fellowship they witnessed in the Irish pubs. Walking into Slainte Public House today, you will find overstuffed chairs, conversation nooks, and tables for board games and cards. Overall, the pub has an atmosphere that is warmed by its regular patrons and the kindness of a tightknit community that has embraced Slainte Public House as a beloved fixture of Georgetown. The Nunns understand that their role in the community extends beyond the walls of Slainte Public House, therefore, the couple has opened their doors to many charitable organizations and causes. Today, the pub sponsors the Finley 5K, Kaden's Cause, Scott County Youth Baseball, the Gathering Place Mission, the Amen House, and Elizabeth's Village. They also have a Charity of the Month Program where donations to different charities are made through sample sales and customer donations. The Nunn's also host fundraisers for various nonprofits, and their pub serves as a meeting place for various local groups, including Scott County firefighters and Bible study groups. In recognizing their contributions to the community Slainte Public House was awarded the 2017 New Business of the Year award by the Georgetown-Scott County Chamber of Commerce. Needless to say, the Nunns' dream of giving back to their community what they witnessed in Ireland has come true, as Slainte Public House has become a beloved institution of Georgetown. Congratulations to Matt and Ashley Nunn along with the entire team at Slainte Public House. I look forward to seeing your continued growth and success in Kentucky.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Rolf Monument Company of Newport, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. All across America's Main Streets, one will find small businesses that offer a product or service more valuable than that which is offered by their corporate competitors. Rolf Monument Company is one of those businesses. Established in 1895, Rolf Monument Co is the oldest business in Newport. The secret behind this main street mainstay is their respectful customer service and high-quality products, which are often sought by customers that are going through some of life's toughest moments. Rolf Monument Company is a premier craftsman of custom memorials, and the owner Tim Rolf takes great pride in providing his customers with products that showcase an unparalleled attention to detail and dignified artistry. Being only the fourth person to run the business since its founding, owner Tim Rolf took the helm of Rolf Monument Company in 1984, and he takes special care in continuing to steward the family company into the modern age. Though his family may not be famous by their name, the work of Rolf Monument Co is well known throughout the tri-state area. Some of the company's most notable works around Newport include the 9/11 Memorial at the World Peace Bell, the Riverwalk plaques, the Northern Kentucky Firefighters Memorial, and the Beverly Hills Supper Club Memorial, which the company is currently designing and building. Perhaps the company's most famous work was a piece commissioned by a movie producer who was then in the production of ``Rain Man''. With the movie being filmed in northern Kentucky, the production crew largely depended on businesses in the northern part of the State to service whatever needs arose while filming. Therefore, Rolf Monument Co was tapped to design the headstones for the fictional parents of the characters played by Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. These movie-famous monuments are on display today at Rolf Monument Company, serving as a reminder of the company's work featured in the hit 1988 movie. In addition to his reputation for providing top-quality products to all his customers, Tim Rolf has been recognized for his service outside of his leadership of Rolf Monument Company. This year, Mr. Rolf was inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame, a group that honors Kentucky military veterans and educates the community about their accomplishments. Mr. Rolf comes from a family that understands the importance of serving our country; he and his three brothers and one sister all having served in the U.S. military. However, the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame not only recognized Mr. Rolf for his contributions during his time in uniform, his induction paid tribute to the fine work he and his company have done to honor many of our fallen soldiers and servicemen. Memorials that are commissioned for veterans often display additional markings and features not usually featured on the average headstone, such as Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts. In a display of gratitude for their service to our country, whenever Rolf Monument Co receives a commission for one of these specially crafted veterans' headstones, Mr. Rolf adds the additional service-specific features free of charge. Of the many services this company offers, the most popular is the creation of memorials for families who have recently lost loved ones. Mr. Rolf understands that these monuments often embody the final step in the grieving process, and Rolf Monument Company takes special care to streamline this process and ensure the family of the bereaved is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Moreover, this same level of dignity is displayed in all the collaboration Rolf Monument Co participates in within the veteran community. Tim Rolf's company often works with AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Vietnam veterans groups. Not only does his company play an important part in the transition of life for Kentucky citizens, but they work tirelessly to pay tribute to the men and women who fought to keep our country free. I want to thank Mr. Rolf for his fine work done on behalf of our Nation's veterans and congratulate him and to the entire team at Rolf Monument Company. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Kentucky.

Mr. PAUL

Mr. PAUL. Madam President, the Constitution is the guarantor of our liberties. So it should come as no surprise that those who crave power to rule over their fellow men always seek to suspend the Constitution by declaring and perpetuating emergencies. This is the trick that always seems to work: Declare an emergency, and exempt yourself from the constitutional restraints on power that are necessary for the preservation of a free society. It is a strategy that has existed since antiquity. As our Founders enshrined in the Constitution a system of checks and balances, so too did the founders of the Roman Republic. But when the crisis emerged, the Romans dissolved the restraints on power. That is how the Roman Republic died and how Caesar became dictator for life. There is a touch of Caesarism in the COVID national emergency. The President told us that the pandemic is over, yet the national emergency remains. When the Senate last voted to terminate the COVID national emergency in March, the White House issued a veto threat. At the time, the White House said: Although we have made tremendous progress in combating the virus, the virus continues to pose a risk to the American people and our healthcare system. Caesar could not have said it better himself. The administration demands credit for how it wielded extraordinary powers, but it can never claim total success, for doing so would rob the administration of the power it so craves. Have we forgotten what emergency powers look like? They look like lockdowns, where livelihoods and lives are destroyed. They look like a travel mask mandate. They look like robbing children of a full education. They look like the closure of places of worship. They look like a vaccine mandate for those working in large companies and the military. They look like an eviction moratorium in which the CDC claims the power to destroy contracts and effectively seize private property. When was the last time you heard the President tell the country it was time to relax emergency powers? His actions validate the argument made in Robert Higgs' classic work ``Crisis and Leviathan.'' Higgs demonstrated that governments justify the exercise of extraordinary powers during an emergency; but when the crisis ends, even if government gives back some of the powers, it will never voluntarily relinquish all its newfound authorities. We are free from these monstrous policies only because the courts forced the President to abide by the Constitution. In restoring the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, the Supreme Court held that ``even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten.'' It bears repeating. The Constitution doesn't go away. We don't dissolve the Constitution just because there is an infection out. The rights you were granted under the Constitution, the rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution, remain in place even in a pandemic. When the Supreme Court ended Biden's eviction moratorium, it found that ``[T]he C.D.C. has imposed a nationwide moratorium on evictions in reliance on a decades-old statute that authorizes it to implement measures like fumigation and pest extermination. It strains credulity to believe that this statute grants the C.D.C. the sweeping authority that it asserts.'' The Supreme Court further concluded that our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully. And when the Court struck down the vaccine mandate, the Court stated: This is no ``everyday exercise of federal power.'' It is . . . a significant encroachment into the lives--and health--of vast number[s] of employees of Federal power. When the courts restored the people's liberty, you could count on the Biden administration to express disappointment and claim that disaster was just around the corner. But the administration, time and time again, was proven wrong; and, now, even the President himself acknowledges what is plain to see for anyone willing to recognize what is in front of one's own face. We are learning to live with COVID. The one thing he does not seem to acknowledge is that the time for emergency measures has long since passed. A President should not be able to unilaterally aggrandize his powers by saying a magic word. If he will not terminate the national emergency himself, it falls to us, the people's representatives in Congress, to act and, in the wise words of one court, remind President Biden that ``there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution.'' Let us end this national emergency and restore the Constitution.

Mr. PAUL

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