John Thune

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I have one request for a committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph (5)a, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: committee on armed services The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., to receive a closed briefing. committee on small business and entrepreneurship The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., to reconvene its business meeting. committee on commerce, science, and transportation The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. committee on energy and natural resources The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing. committee on health, education, labor, and pensions The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on a nomination. committee on the judiciary The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10:15 a.m., to conduct an executive business meeting.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 87, S. Res. 88, S. Res. 89.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table all en bloc.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 3 p.m. on Monday, February 24; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume Executive Calendar No. 21, Daniel Driscoll to be Secretary of the Army; further, notwithstanding rule XXII, that the cloture motions with respect to the Driscoll and Greer nominations ripen at 5:30 p.m.

Mr. THUNE. For the information of all Senators, Senators should expect multiple votes on Monday evening.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, later today, the Senate will vote to confirm former Senator Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration. Small business is in Kelly Loeffler's blood. She grew up on her family's fourth-generation farm in Illinois. In addition to the farm, her dad ran a small trucking company. And, as a young woman, Kelly Loeffler worked in the soybean fields and waited tables at small restaurants in the heartland. And she was the first person in her family to graduate from college, before embarking on a successful career in business herself. As Senator Loeffler put it, she has spent her life ``working in small businesses, starting them, growing them, and helping them succeed.'' Helping small businesses succeed, that is the work of the Small Business Administration. As a former staffer at the SBA under President Reagan, I know how important it is that this Agency be an effective partner and champion of small business, and I know that is how Kelly Loeffler will run the SBA. Most of us know Kelly from her time serving here in the U.S. Senate. She may have only served for 1 year, but it was a critical year for small business policy. Of course, in 2020, the mission was helping small businesses survive. Senator Loeffler worked to help Georgia's small businesses keep their doors open and their employees on the payroll. She sought to ensure critical support was getting to small businesses in her State and around the country. And she was a leader in SBA oversight, especially in ensuring that relief meant for small businesses wasn't going to abortion providers in violation of Federal law. It has been a challenging few years for small businesses. First, there was the pandemic; then, inflation, workforce challenges, burdensome regulations. Natural disasters have struck many parts of the country, and small businesses suffered as SBA allowed its disaster loan account to run dry. America's entrepreneurs are one of America's greatest assets, and they have a big role to play in our future prosperity. Senator Loeffler will be their champion. She will focus the SBA to be a more effective partner to small businesses, help entrepreneurs make their dreams reality, and help our entire economy grow by helping to grow Main Street. She plans to modernize the SBA and make it more responsive to the needs of the Americans it is supposed to serve, and she has pledged to bring accountability and transparency where it is sorely needed. Kelly Loeffler knows there is nothing small about small business. Every decision an entrepreneur makes is a big decision. It is their livelihood, their dreams, and their future that are on the line. Kelly Loeffler understands this, and I look forward to working with her to support small businesses and to strengthen our economy. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 11, which was received from the House.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 53.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following Senate resolutions, which were submitted earlier today: S. Res. 84 and S. Res. 85.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 20; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 13, S. Con. Res. 7; further, that all time during adjournment count equally towards Calendar No. 13, S. Con. Res. 7; and that if any nominations are confirmed during Thursday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, Senators should expect a cloture vote on the Patel nomination at 11 a.m. tomorrow, followed by a confirmation vote at approximately 1:45 p.m.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of my colleagues.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, before I begin, I want to note that this week marks the 500th day of captivity for those hostages still imprisoned by Hamas--500 days, well more than a year deprived of family, home, loved ones, freedom. It is imperative that the rest of the hostages be returned as soon as possible and that the remains of those killed be returned with dignity so that their families may have closure, and I am grateful that the Trump administration is making this a priority. My prayers today are with all those still suffering in captivity and with their families. Mr. President, it only took 4 years--just 4 years for the Democrat leader to become concerned about inflation. Shocking. Last week, the Democratic leader came down to the floor multiple times to complain about January's inflation numbers--inflation numbers that he blamed on--get this--President Trump. That is right. I guess it didn't occur to the Democratic leader that it was actually President Biden who was President for most of January--up until January 20--and, by the way, for the past 4 years. So I guess, what are you going to do? You have to have something to talk about. But it was fascinating to hear the leader complain about inflation being at 3 percent. Inflation was over 3 percent more than 2 straight years during the Biden administration. I might add, mostly way over 3 percent--like 7, 8, 9 percent. I am trying and failing to remember the Democratic leader even expressing half this outrage. By the end of the Biden administration, a typical family had to pay-- get this--$13,000 more per year to maintain the same standard of living that they had enjoyed when President Biden took office--$13,000 more per year as a result of Biden inflation. I would be very surprised if the Democratic leader came to the floor to highlight that fact even once. I think we all know the answer to that. But I am forgetting the rules are different for Democrats. If you are a Democrat, it is perfectly fine and not at all hypocritical to plan to abolish the filibuster should you gain a majority in the Senate but to use it regularly when you do not. It is perfectly fine and not at all hypocritical to convey outrage about a Republican President daring to use executive power, even if the prior Democrat administration used it profusely. Apparently, it is perfectly fine and not at all hypocritical to condemn a Republican President for a 3-percent inflation number, even if he wasn't actually President over most of the month in question, the month of January, while ignoring the raging inflation crisis that characterized a large chunk of the prior administration. One rule for me, another for thee. That, apparently, is the Democratic motto. Mr. President, I guess I should have some sympathy. Recent headlines have described Democrats as ``dejected'' and in ``disarray,'' and I guess they have to make some kind of messaging attempt, however weak and ill-founded. But I have to say, the hypocrisy is really something to behold.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Later today, the Senate will vote on the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce has an important job. He or she is charged with promoting American industry at home and abroad and keeping our economy competitive, both now and into the future. I am glad President Trump has chosen an outcome-driven leader like Howard Lutnick for such an important post. Mr. Lutnick is a successful businessman who has spent four decades building up Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm that hired him after college. He is an inventor whose name appears on over 800 patents and patent applications around the world. He is someone who is not only passionate about business but who cares deeply about people. Howard Lutnick's greatest business achievement is not building his own success or building up a company; it is rebuilding Cantor Fitzgerald over the last 24 years because Cantor Fitzgerald occupied the 101st through 105th floors of the World Trade Center North Tower. On September 11, 2001, every single employee who was in the office died--658 people, including Howard's brother. It was unclear whether the firm could go on after losing two-thirds of its New York staff. So Howard Lutnick offered the surviving employees a choice. They could either go to 20 funerals a day for the next month or they could work harder than ever to rebuild a company to take care of the families of those who had died. They agreed to donate a quarter of their salaries to the 658 families of their colleagues with no limit and no expectation they would ever be paid back. Over the next 5 years, the firm and its employees gave those families $180 million. In 2008, Howard Lutnick made sure each employee got back double what they had given. To this day, each September 11 is Charity Day at Cantor Fitzgerald, meaning every dollar of revenue the firm makes that day is donated in memory of those that they lost on September 11, 2001. Mr. President, Howard Lutnick's story is inspiring. It is a lesson in resilience and determination and the American spirit. And it demonstrates the type of person Howard Lutnick is and the type of public servant that he will be. I know Mr. Lutnick is looking forward to taking on the challenges and seizing the opportunities the next few years will bring. As he said in his hearing, he believes ``America is in a place to teach the world and to show the world what leadership is like, what a great economy is like, what taking care of . . . Americans is like.'' I think we can all agree that we have the capacity to do these things. We can continue to lead the world in innovation. We can continue to unlock new economic possibilities and new opportunities. And we can make life better for the American people. I am pleased that Mr. Lutnick will be bringing a get-it-done approach to the Department of Commerce. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee who has worked on technology issues for many years, I am particularly pleased that Mr. Lutnick intends to leverage America's leadership in the technologies that are shaping the future. He has pledged to get his Department moving on spectrum again, which is critical for next-generation technologies and competing with adversaries like China. In his first term, President Trump took spectrum seriously and opened up more megahertz for commercial use. But the Biden administration did little to nothing on spectrum. It merely released a National Spectrum Strategy that called for a number of studies but committed to freeing up zero megahertz of spectrum. I am glad the spectrum will get the attention it deserves in a Trump administration. Broadband expansion is another priority that will require action. The $42 billion BEAD program was created more than 3 years ago, yet it has still not connected a single household to the internet. Why? Because the Biden administration overloaded it with conditions that made it unworkable for a lot of telecoms. Things like climate conditions for subcontractors, rate regulation, and union labor requirements, none of which--none of which--I might add, were in the law. Mr. Lutnick has pledged to finally get this program off the ground and spend that money only on actual broadband infrastructure. As we compete to be the leader in artificial intelligence, Mr. Lutnick agrees that we should use the tried-and-true light-touch approach that has enabled the United States to lead in the digital era. Just last week, Vice President Vance spoke in Paris about the great potential of AI and the importance of American leadership in this new technology. I am glad that the Trump administration has committed to American leadership in AI and the Commerce Department will have a critical role to play in balancing accountability with AI's great possibilities. The job of the Commerce Secretary touches just about every industry in this country. Behind all those industries are Americans working hard to provide for their families, live their American dream, and make their contribution to America's future. Howard Lutnick understands this. I am confident that he will work every day to help American commerce thrive so that the American people can thrive. Mr. President, America has tremendous potential. I look forward to working with President Trump and with Howard Lutnick to continue to unlock it. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. THUNE

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

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask that the Senate execute the order of February 13 in relation to the Lutnick nomination.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that with respect to the Lutnick nomination, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.

Mr. THUNE

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 13, S. Con Res. 7.