Chuck Schumer

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call for the cloture motion filed today, July 28, be waived.

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, it has been a momentous 24 hours here in the Congress. A legislative one-two punch that the American people rarely see. A little while ago, the House voted to approve the largest investment in decades to lower costs, increase manufacturing, invest in science, and help fix the semiconductor crisis. The CHIPS and Science bill now goes to the President's desk after 3 long years. And, last night, Senator Manchin and I announced an agreement on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a bill that will take historic steps to lower costs, fight climate change, and make healthcare more affordable in this country. Again, the past 24 hours have been a legislative one-two punch that Americans rarely ever see and which will benefit them immensely: first, a bill that will supercharge the American industry and now a bill that will fight inflation and mark a turning point in our fight against climate change. This morning, I met with my Democratic colleagues to review the big wins contained in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and we discussed our plan for passing it through reconciliation next week. With the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, this Senate majority will finally take on Big Pharma and lower prescription drug prices. This Senate Democratic majority will tackle the climate crisis with the largest package on the climate ever. This Senate majority will ensure we close tax loopholes and make the wealthy corporations and individuals pay their fair share, and this Senate Democratic majority will fight inflation and reduce the deficit. The Inflation Reduction Act is common sense; it is bold; and it is very much needed. For decades, many in Washington have promised to address these challenges. But where previous efforts have fallen short, Senate Democrats in this majority will move swiftly to deliver to the American people. Now, there is so much to like in the Inflation Reduction Act. By a wide margin, this legislation will be the largest action on climate change ever passed by the Congress. Like the creation of the EPA and the passage of the Clean Air Act half a century ago, this legislation will mark a turning point in our Nation's commitment to protect our planet for our children and our grandchildren. Through this bill, we will at last put the United States on a path to roughly 40 percent emission reductions by 2030. And it will help us achieve climate justice for communities long left behind, especially communities of color. But that is not all, for many years, people in Washington--including President Trump, including the Republican Senate--promised to lower the cost of prescription drugs, but they failed to follow through. Under this Senate Democratic majority, that is changing. Our proposal will finally lower the cost of prescription drugs by empowering Medicare--for the first time ever--to negotiate the prices of certain drugs in Part B and Part D. We will prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans in the coming months. And through it all, we will ensure that no small business or family making under $400,000 a year will see their taxes go up. Republicans go on and on and on about how this is a tax on the American people. No, Republicans, you try to hide the truth. The truth is this bill will close tax loopholes exploited by the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations and will not touch Americans who make below $400,000 a year. Why don't you say that? Because you know your tax policies are so unpopular with the American people, which we proved in 2017. You tried the same shibboleth then. Oh, we are cutting taxes for the American people. We Democrats make clear to the American people, no, no, no, they were cutting taxes on the very wealthy. And by the time the 2018 campaigns rolled around, they didn't even mention it. We are going to do the same thing now. We are going to tell the truth. Yes, we are raising taxes on very wealthy people and big corporations that pay no money, not on average Americans, and you are afraid to do that. The American people want these tax reforms. They support making sure the ultrarich and big corporations play by the rules and pay their fair share. It is common sense. The American people know that. So when Republicans fret and panic about taxes, the truth is what they really hate is the idea of increasing taxes on Big Business and those at the very top. And they are afraid to admit to the American people that they know they are on the wrong side of the issue. As I said, Republicans should have learned their lesson in 2018 when the American people rejected their tax cuts for rich Americans. We all saw what the results are, what happens when Republicans cut taxes for the ultrarich and corporations: It fuels hundreds of billions in corporate stock buybacks, and since then, stock buybacks have only increased. According to S&P, buybacks are forecast to reach a trillion dollars this year. The American people don't want a tax code that is skewed to the top 1 percent, which is what happened under Republicans, under President Trump when they had the majority. Republicans really know that, so they, in fear--they distract and distort and ignore the fact that under our plan, small business and middle-class families making under 400,000 won't see their taxes go up at all. It is the same thing for the deficit. For years, Republicans have howled at the Moon about lowering the Federal deficit, but when they were in the majority, they blew a $2 trillion hole in our deficit in order to pay for their gargantuan tax cuts to big corporations and the ultrarich. The Democrats' proposal will actually lower the deficit significantly, which will go a long way to easing inflation. If Republicans really care about fighting inflation, if they really care about lowering the deficit as they claimed, they should support our proposal, which would lower the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars. Now, at the end of the day, the American people want us to do a few commonsense things: Lower the cost of their daily expenses like healthcare, protect our planet for future generations, make sure everyone plays by the same rules and has a fair shot at achieving the American dream, and that is what the Inflation Reduction Act will do. These are not easy matters, but we didn't come here to do easy things. To be sure, the work is not done. There is a lot we have to do in the coming days, but I am proud that right now we have a strong, bold package to move on, one that will lower inflation, fight the climate crisis, and help preserve America's place as a nation of immense opportunity into the 21st century. Let us get to work and pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 7334, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time.

Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the bill.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business, it adjourn until 3 p.m. on Monday, August 1; that following the prayer and the pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Hanes nomination; further, that the cloture motion filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 4490, a bill to promote digital citizenship and media literacy, and the bill be transferred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I enter a motion to reconsider the failed cloture vote.

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, for the last century--the whole last century--America's prosperity was anchored on our country's unmatched commitment to science research, technological growth, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. The question before the Senate, then, is simple: Will that prosperity live on in the century to come? Are we on the brink of another generation of American ingenuity, of American discovery, of American leadership? By passing our CHIPS and Science bill today, the Senate says: Yes, we are, and in a loud, bipartisan voice. Today, by approving one of the largest investments in science, technology, and manufacturing in decades--in decades--we say that America's best years are yet to come. This is a very good day for the American people and for American innovation. The legislation is going to create good-paying jobs. It will alleviate supply chains; it will help lower costs; and it will protect America's national security interests. I am confident that future generations will look back on the passage of this bill as a turning point for American leadership in the 21st century. I admit that some of the policies--not all, but some are esoteric, but they are vital. All too often we are told government and business think short term. This is one of the most significant pieces of long- term effect and thinking legislation that we have seen in this body in a very long time. I believe that our grandchildren and our grandchildren's grandchildren will work in jobs we cannot yet imagine because of the investments we are making here today. Like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the recent gun safety law, the CHIPS and Science bill is one of the major bipartisan achievements of this Congress. But reaching this point was anything but easy. On the contrary, the legislation has been several years in the making, and it took a lot of twists and turns before reaching the finish line. It brought together industry, labor, universities, Governors, mayors from both parties and from every region. And I thank my colleagues and their staff for pushing it over the line. In 2019, I approached my Republican colleague Todd Young. We had talked in the gym that he was interested in the same types of investments that I was. And I said: Let's work together on legislation to revive America's commitment to science and innovation. Together, we drafted the first version of the Endless Frontier Act, a bill whose policies shaped today's legislation. A year later, we joined with Senators Cornyn and Warner to begin addressing our Nation's chip crisis by pushing for an authorization of new Federal chips as an incentive as part of the NDAA. And Senator Kelly of Arizona has been a major advocate for getting these chip programs done. So even before this Congress began, Members on both sides knew that we had to work together if we were to keep America competitive in the 21st century. We also knew that if we didn't get there first, our rivals--chief among them the Chinese Communist Party--would likely beat us to the punch and reshape the world in their authoritarian image, a frightening, frightening process. A month after I became majority leader, I directed the chairs and members of our relevant committees to start drafting a legislative package to outcompete China and create new American jobs, with the Endless Frontier Act serving as the core of this effort. I also instructed them to draft legislation to plug the dangerous holes in America's semiconductor industry. I said to everyone, to people on both sides of the aisle, that if both sides work together, I would put a bill on the floor of the Senate later that spring, and that is what happened when we overwhelmingly passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act in June 2021. It took 3 weeks, lots of debate, amendments, just as the Senate ought to work, even on major and difficult legislation, as this has been. Senators Cantwell and Wicker were tremendous leaders in this effort and skillfully managed the floor process. They deserve a great deal of praise not only for passing last year's bill but for their efforts this year as well. A year later, the legislation we are passing today contains many of the critical investments in that bill. Both bills make historic investments in science and innovation--the original Endless Frontier and USICA bill and the bill we are passing today, CHIPS plus Science. Both bills make those investments. We will plant the seeds for developing the tech hubs of tomorrow in places with great potential but which have been overshadowed by cities like San Francisco or Boston or Austin or New York City. The bill will help turn cities like Buffalo and Indianapolis into new centers for innovation, and the result will be countless new, good-paying jobs and a bright future for those areas for years to come. Both bills will help end the chips crisis by offering tens of billions of dollars to encourage American chip manufacturing and R&D. And, if anything, this year's version is stronger because of the ITC provisions. It will create tens of thousands of high-tech manufacturing and Davis-Bacon construction jobs from Albany, NY, to New Albany, OH, and beyond. It is going to lower costs for cars, washing machines, and so much more in the long run because our chip shortage will be alleviated. Both bills establish the National Foundation tech directorate and provide funding to the Department of Energy to achieve new breakthroughs in the technologies like AI, quantum computing, cyber security, renewable energy, 5G, biotech, and other discoveries yet unknown. And both bills provide funding to build wireless communication supply chain to counter Huawei. This was a top priority for my colleague Mark Warner, and I thank him for his efforts in this regard. The bottom line is this: Today's legislation is one of the largest investments in science, technology, and advanced manufacturing in decades. Now, of course, while this bill contains many critical investments in chips and scientific research, there are other major proposals from both sides that are still in the works within the conference committee. That important work must continue. It will. And it is my intention to put the conference committee on the floor in September after the work is complete. So let me be clear. Today is a very good day for the American people and for the future of our country. I believe firmly that, when signed into law, this bill will reawaken the spirit of discovery, innovation, and optimism that made America the envy of the world and will continue to do so. Because of the investments we are approving today, America will be the place where the next transformational breakthroughs in industry and science occur. Nearly 80 years ago, Dr. Vannevar Bush, the head of the U.S. Office of Scientific Research, wrote in a report to President Truman that ``without scientific progress, no amount of achievement in other directions can ensure our health, prosperity, and security in the modern world.'' The name of that report? It was called ``Science: The Endless Frontier.'' It is the inspiration for much of the work we have dedicated to passing this bill today. In the wake of Dr. Bush's report, we created the National Science Foundation, funded the National Energy Laboratories, split the atom, spliced the gene, landed a man on the Moon, and unleashed the internet. We generated decades of American prosperity and fostered an innate sense of optimism in the American spirit. Today, we face the great task of renewing and strengthening that legacy in a world of fierce competition. It is no longer a situation where we can just leave it up to corporate America because we didn't have competition. Now there are nation-states funding and aiding their corporations, and authoritarian governments around the world are doing that and cheering for us to fail--cheering for us, hoping that we will sit on our hands and not adapt to the changes in the 21st century. They believe that squabbling democracies like ours can't unite around national priorities like this one. They believe that democracy itself is a relic of the past and that, by beating us to emerging technologies, autocracies around the world hope to reshape the world in their own image. Well, let me tell you something: I believe in America. I believe in our system. I believe that they will not succeed. I believe that this legislation will enable the United States to outinnovate, outproduce, and outcompete the world in the industries of the future, and I believe that the strongly bipartisan work on this bill revealed that, in this Chamber, we all believe--all of us, Democrats and Republicans--that another American century lies on the horizon. For this, these many worthy reasons, let us pass the CHIPS and Science bill today. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent for 3 minutes.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this is a very good day for the American people, for American leadership, and for American prosperity in the 21st century. After years of hard work, the Senate is passing the largest investment in science, technology, and advanced manufacturing in decades. This CHIPS and Science bill is going to create millions of good- paying jobs down the road. It will alleviate supply chains, it will help lower costs, and it will protect America's national security interests. All too often, our government and our businesses are accused of being too short term, but this is one of the most significant long-term thinking bills we have passed in a very long time. I told our caucus yesterday that our grandchildren will hold good-paying jobs in industries we can't even imagine because of what we are doing right now. And we did it together, both sides cooperating in good faith on some truly difficult issues. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their superb work on this legislation: my colleague Senator Young, with whom I originally authored the Endless Frontier Act, as well as Senator Cantwell, our conference chair, and Senators Wicker and Warner and Cornyn and Kelly. I also want to thank Senators Warnock, Brown, and Sinema for their help and Leader McConnell for his support as well as all members of the conference committee and all the individual Senators--just about every one of us--who helped shape this legislation. These are moments when the Senate is at its very best. This is going to go down as one of the major bipartisan achievements of this Congress, along with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the recent gun safety law. The American people deserve to see more examples like this, of both sides coming together to do very, very big things that will leave a lasting impact on our country. And I am confident that future generations will look back on the passage of this bill as a turning point for American leadership in the 21st century. And we are paying attention to all of America. We are making sure tech hubs will be located not just in the big, big megalopolises like San Francisco or New York City or Boston but in places like Buffalo and Syracuse and Rochester and Indianapolis and Omaha--not just major cities. For decades, it was America's fierce commitment to scientific research, technological growth, and advanced manufacturing that made us the envy of the world. That funding that we put into science created the greatest laboratories, split the atom, spliced the gene, landed a man on the Moon, and unleashed the internet. We generated decades of American prosperity and fostered an innate sense of optimism in the American spirit. And we made the world a safer, more hospitable place for our democratic values. Today, we face the great task of renewing and strengthening that spirit in this century, in a world of fierce competition and hungry authoritarians. It is no longer the case where we can just leave it up to corporate America. Now there are nation-states and authoritarian governments funding and aiding these corporations to come to their shores. Authoritarian nations are cheering for us to fail, hoping we sit on our hands and fail to adapt to the changes of the 21st century. We dare not cede the mantle of global leadership on our watch. We dare not permit America to become a middling nation in the middle of this century. No, we mean for America to lead this century. We mean for America to prosper and grow just as we have done throughout history. It won't happen on its own, but today we are laying the foundation for a bold and thriving future. Today, by passing this CHIPS and Science bill, we are making clear that we believe America's best days are yet to come. I yield the floor. Vote on Motion to Concur

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, another criminal trial arising out of the events of January 6, 2021, is scheduled to begin on August 15, 2022, in Federal district court in the District of Columbia. The defendant in this case is charged with five counts: obstructing the counting by Congress of the electoral ballots for President and Vice President; entering and remaining in a restricted area within the United States Capitol grounds; unlawful parading, demonstrating, and picketing; and two counts of engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct. The prosecution has requested trial testimony, if necessary, from Jeffrey Kent, Director of the Press Photographers' Gallery, which operates under the authority of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, relating to the Gallery's regulation of access to the Capitol by bona fide news photographers and heads of photographic news bureaus. The prosecution is also seeking trial testimony, if necessary, from Nate Russell and Diego Torres, custodians of records in the Senate Recording Studio, which also operates under the authority of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, to authenticate Senate Recording Studio video of that day. Senate Sergeant at Arms Gibson would like to cooperate with these requests by providing relevant testimony in this proceeding from Messrs. Kent, Russell, and Torres, respectively. In keeping with the rules and practices of the Senate, this resolution would authorize the production of relevant testimony from Messrs. Kent, Russell, and Torres, with representation by the Senate legal counsel.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this resolution concerns a request for evidence in a criminal action pending in Ohio State court. In this action, the defendant is charged with inducing panic and aggravated menacing at a Social Security office arising out of threatening statements he allegedly made in a telephone call with an employee in Senator Portman's Columbus, OH, office. Trial in this case is scheduled to commence on July 28, 2022, in Ohio State court. The prosecutor is seeking testimony at trial from Aidan Gavin, an employee in the Senator's office who received the call at issue. Senator Portman would like to cooperate with this request by providing relevant Senate employee testimony and, if necessary, documents. This resolution would authorize the production of relevant testimony and documents from Mr. Gavin, with representation by the Senate legal counsel.

Mr. SCHUMER

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

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 11 a.m. the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur with respect to H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science legislation.

Mr. SCHUMER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this morning--this morning--the Senate will draw a clear line in the sand that America's chip crisis and America's dwindling commitment to science and innovation will not continue under our watch. Within the next hour, the Senate will vote, finally--finally--to move toward final passage of our CHIPS and Science bill. That is what we are calling it, the CHIPS and Science bill. That will put us in a position to finish the work on this bill before the end of the week. It is a major step for our economic security, our national security, our supply chains, and, in fact, for America's future--for America's future. I want to be clear. The proposal we are passing this week contains the majority of key science and innovation measures that the Senate passed last summer. It will make historic investments to scientific research. It will take direct aim at our Nation's chip crisis. Alongside the infrastructure law and our recent gun safety bill, among others, it is one of the most consequential bipartisan achievements of this Congress. I thank all of my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are helping to make this happen. I am confident that future generations will look back on the passage of this CHIPS and Science bill as a turning point for American leadership in the 21st century, but it didn't come together overnight. The legislation has been several years in the making. In 2019, I approached my Republican colleague Todd Young with a proposal to work together on legislation to revive America's commitment to science and innovation. Together, we drafted the first iteration of many policies we are passing this week, the Endless Frontier Act. A year later, I joined with my colleagues Senators Cornyn and Warner to push for the authorization of new Federal chips initiatives as part of the NDAA to address our Nation's growing chip shortage. We all knew that America faced a choice: We could keep underfunding science and innovation and continue to let America fall behind our global competitors, or we could wake up to the challenges of this century and empower the American people to unleash the next wave of discovery and scientific achievement. We knew that if we didn't get there first, our rivals--chief among them the Chinese Communist Party-- would likely beat us to the punch and reshape the world in their authoritarian image. In February of 2021, less than a month after I became majority leader, I directed the chairs and members of our relevant committees to start drafting a legislative package to outcompete China and create new American jobs, with the Endless Frontier Act serving as the core of this effort. I also instructed them to draft legislation to rebuild the capacity of the U.S. semiconductor industry. The pandemic made clear with unforgiving clarity how America's chip shortage was creating a crisis in our economy and national security. So Members on both sides of the aisle--this has been a bipartisan effort from the get-go--got to work. We made a commitment last February that if both sides worked together, we would bring a bill to the floor for a vote in the spring. And that is what we did, and we passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act with overwhelming bipartisan support in June of 2021. A year later, the legislation we are passing this week has many of the same important measures contained in the bill we worked on last summer. For example, last year's bill secured historic investments for science and innovation. This bill does too. Last year's bill offered tens of billions to encourage American chip manufacturing and R&D. This bill does that too and even more with the investment tax credit provisions. Last year's bill provided funding to help build a wireless communications supply chain to counter Huawei. This bill does too. Last year's bill created the National Science Foundation tech directorate and provided funding to the Department of Energy National Labs to help compete with foreign rivals in key technologies like AI and quantum computing. This bill does too. Last year's bill made major new investments in Manufacturing USA and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to strengthen domestic supply chains. This bill does too. Last year's bill created the first-ever program to cultivate the tech hubs of tomorrow in regions around the United States that have enormous potential but have largely been overlooked--not the big megalopolises which have a lot of tech in them, like New York City and San Francisco, but smaller regions that have great talent but have been overlooked. They might be in Upstate New York. They might be in Indiana and many other parts of the country. This bill is making sure that happens. Now, let me be clear. While this bill contains the two major components of the Science and CHIPS bill, there are other major proposals from both sides that are still being worked on in the conference committee. Make no mistake that there are many Democrats and Republicans who have provisions that will be contained in the conference report under Chair Cantwell's leadership, and it is my intention to put the conference committee bill on the floor of the Senate. As I said a moment ago, I firmly believe that passing this bill will be a turning point for American leadership in this century. The benefits of this legislation will reverberate across the country for years and decades to come. For much of the 20th century, America was without peer in our commitment to scientific research, to innovation, and to new, cutting- edge manufacturing, and it led to tens of millions of good-paying jobs and made the United States the unquestioned economic leader of the world. Today, the story is different. Nations around the world are spending tens of billions of dollars to secure this century, much like America secured the last one. Sadly, the Federal Government's commitment to science has waned in recent decades. In fact, as a percentage of GDP, we spend less than half as much as the Chinese Communist Party on basic research--less than half--which is even more devastating given China has spent decades stealing America's intellectual property. With this bill, that is finally going to change. We will not only create the good-paying jobs of tomorrow; we will not only fix our supply chains and bring costs down for American families with this bill; with this bill, we will reawaken the spirit of discovery, innovation, invention, and optimism that made America the envy of the world. We don't mean to let the days of American leadership end on our watch. We don't mean to see America become a middling nation in this century. We mean for America to lead this century. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to give a resounding vote ``yes'' on cloture at 11 a.m. today. PACT Act Mr. President, now on the PACT Act, last night, I filed cloture to prepare the Senate to once again pass the PACT Act, the largest and most important expansion of veteran healthcare benefits in decades and a bipartisan issue to the core--another bipartisan issue. As my colleagues already know, because of a technical error, the House of Representatives was unable to take up our version of the bill that we passed in the spring. The House has now fixed their error and returned the PACT Act back to the Senate. We want to finish our work on the PACT Act before the end of the week. Our Nation's veterans have waited long enough to get the benefits they need to treat complications from toxic exposure in the line of duty. So we have every reason in the world to get this bill done quickly, with the same bipartisan support as the first time around. The need for the PACT Act is beyond question. Burn pits have affected up to 3\1/2\ million veterans since 9/11. Yet the VA has rejected nearly 80 percent of all disability claims connected to burn pits. That is unacceptable and must change. I hope Members work together to fast-track this bill as soon as possible because there is no reason to delay a measure that the vast majority of Senators from both parties agree is necessary. Our veterans, their families, and our veterans service organizations have been urging us to finish work on this bill. Let's keep our promise to those valiant servicemembers and send the PACT Act quickly to the President's desk. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3359 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. SCHUMER. I yield the floor.

Mr. SCHUMER

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate gavels back in for another busy week of an exceedingly busy work period. There is a lot we must continue working on to lower costs for the American people; strengthen healthcare and prescription drug costs, make sure they are low; confirm highly qualified nominees; protect our fundamental rights; and fortify U.S. national security interests. None of this is easy, but we are moving ahead. In a few hours, the Senate will take another important step towards finally passing our bipartisan chips and innovation bill by voting to invoke cloture. After more than a year of hard work on fixing U.S. chip supplies and boosting American scientific innovation, we are on the brink of closing the book and passing these critical investments into law. If cloture is invoked, Members should plan to vote on final passage as early as tomorrow evening or Wednesday. When signed into law, the impacts of this bipartisan chips and innovation bill will last years, if not decades. It will mean an increase in American jobs, increased manufacturing here at home, relief for our supply chains, and lower costs for the American people. Of course, we will also preserve America's security interests. One of the most important struggles of this century will be the fight for global semiconductor supply. Sadly, America is lagging behind. A recent article from the Wall Street Journal revealed that the Chinese Communist Party is planning 31 major semiconductor fabs planned over the next few years in a bid to become the world's leader in new chip factories. American chip producers are working hard to match this output, but they are waiting for Congress to finish work on this bill. Tens of billions of dollars and countless good-paying jobs are at stake. For that reason, I am glad we are close to pushing this bill over the goal line. Of course, there is a lot more to celebrate about this bill. The bipartisan science provisions--many of which I authored in partnership with Senator Young under the Endless Frontier Act more than 2 years ago--will unleash a new wave of American scientific innovation that will last and create millions of good-paying jobs for decades to come. We will invest tens of billions to strengthen the National Science Foundation and plant seeds to cultivate the tech hubs of tomorrow in regions of the country that have tremendous potential but have long been overlooked. When we invest in science jobs, that will keep America No. 1. For decades, the United States was consistently the world leader in innovation and scientific research because we made the investments necessary to stay on top, and the result was millions and millions of good-paying jobs that made us the strongest economy on Earth, the envy of the world. In the last decade, unfortunately, we have slipped from our place on the mountaintop. This bill will help us recapture that goal and that dream. The 21st century will be won or lost on the battleground of technological innovation. This is perhaps the most competitive era in human history. Will American workers, will American tech, will American ingenuity shape the world over the next hundred years in the same way that we have shaped it in the last hundred? I believe we can. I believe we must. When we pass this bill, I believe we will. Let's move forward today. Healthcare Madam President, now on healthcare reforms and reconciliation: Senate Democrats continue our work to advance legislation that will lower costs and improve the lives of tens of millions of American families. Last week, Democrats and Republicans held our bipartisan prescription drugs Byrd bath meetings with the Parliamentarian. As a reminder, this important preliminary step will clear the way for passing our reforms through the reconciliation process. I want to thank Chairs Wyden, Sanders, and Murray and the tireless work of their Finance, Budget, and HELP Committee staffs for working around the clock on this important effort. If you want to fight inflation, then you should support passing this much needed proposal on lowering prescription drug costs. Here is why: For the first time ever, we will empower Medicare to negotiate the price of many expensive and vital prescription drugs, directly lowering what patients and taxpayers pay for these drugs. We will cap Americans' out-of-pocket drug expenses to $2,000 a year. Medicare will offer free vaccines and additional support for the low-income elderly. And, crucially, we will ensure that millions don't see their healthcare premiums skyrocket in the coming months. Let me say it again because it is key, and I say it to our Republican colleagues across the aisle. If you want to help Americans better afford their healthcare and medications, then you should support passing this bill. United States citizens pay more, on average, for prescription drugs than any other people on Earth, all for the exact same medicines that other countries use. The Democratic plan will finally help change that. Too many in this country find themselves in the confounding indignity of having to choose between getting their prescription drugs filled or putting food on the table for their families. The Democrats' plan will finally help change that. And even as working Americans struggle to afford high-quality healthcare and medications, the Nation's largest pharmaceutical companies face little accountability for jacking up prices on consumers. Again, the Democrats' plan will help change that. For months, we have heard Republicans complain and complain about the need to lower costs for the American people. Well, Democrats will present the Senate with a proposal that will do precisely that in a very big way. What will they choose on the other side of the aisle? Will they work with us to lower the costs for prescription medications? Will they shore up our healthcare system and prevent devastating price hikes? Will they finally join us holding Big Pharma accountable? This isn't complicated. Senators can vote to lower costs, or they can vote for higher costs. The American people will be watching. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, today, the Senate had planned to move forward to end the debate on the bipartisan chips and innovation bill. Unfortunately, a number of severe thunderstorms on the East Coast have disrupted the travel plans of a significant number of Senators. To give Members a chance to get back into town safely, I am going to delay tonight's vote on the bipartisan chips and innovation bill until tomorrow morning. I remain hopeful that we can remain on track to finish this legislation ASAP. PACT Act of 2022 Madam President, in the meantime, I will now file cloture on another bill that will dramatically improve the lives of millions of American veterans, the PACT Act, which, when signed into law, will be one of the biggest expansions of veterans' healthcare benefits in decades. As my colleagues already know, because of a technical error, the House of Representatives was unable to take up our version of this bill that we passed in the spring. The House has now fixed their error and has returned the PACT Act back to the Senate. By filing cloture, we should be able to pass this bipartisan piece of legislation before the week is done. Our nation's veterans have waited long enough to get the benefits they need to treat complications from toxic exposure in the line of duty. So we have every reason in the world to get this bill done with the same bipartisan support as the first time around. Again, I want to thank particularly Senators Tester and Moran, who led the way to pass this bill earlier this year, thank all of our colleagues and our veterans and veterans service organizations for helping push this bill through Congress. Unanimous Consent Agreement--H.R. 4346 Madam President, now I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the cloture vote with respect to H.R. 4346 occur at a time to be determined by the majority leader, following consultation with the Republican leader.