Tommy Tuberville

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. I thank Senator Ernst for her comments. Now I would like to yield the floor to my colleague from North Carolina, Senator Budd.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, I thank Senators Ernst and Budd for their comments today. I also want to thank the 25 cosponsors we have signed on to my bill in the Senate. Rest assured, this is not the end. We will continue to fight for this legislation for all the girls and women across this great country. I yield the floor.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, I am truly disappointed but expected that the Democrats were going to block this legislation to protect young girls and women. Again, it is shameful. It really is. I see my colleague from Iowa is on the floor, and I want to thank her for joining me in this effort to protect women. I yield the floor to Senator Ernst.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, reserving the right to object. I want to start by reminding everyone why this is happening. It is not about abortion. It is not about the Dobbs decision. This is about a tyrannical executive branch walking all over the U.S. Senate and doing our jobs. In November, I got word that the Pentagon was thinking about spending taxpayer dollars to facilitate elective abortions. This goes beyond what the law--which was passed here--the law allows. The law only allows the Department of Defense to facilitate and fund abortions in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Now, I warned Secretary Austin that if he did this and changed this, I would put a hold on his highest level nominees. Secretary Austin went through with the policy anyway in February of this year. So I am keeping my word. This was Secretary Austin's choice, not mine. He knew the consequences for several months. Nothing in the law allows Secretary Austin to facilitate elective abortions. In fact, the law just says the opposite. So this was Secretary Austin's choice. Secretary Austin thought abortion is more important than his highest level military nominations. Secretary Austin could end the policy today, and I would lift my hold. Secretary Austin has chosen not to do that. This is the fourth time the Democrats have come to the floor to try to break this hold. I will come down here as many times as it takes. The Senator from Massachusetts claims that my hold on the Pentagon nominations is affecting readiness and so have the other Senators who have come to this floor. Senator Schumer said last week on this floor multiple times that it was affecting readiness. Several other Senators have said the same thing. Democrats keep repeating the same talking points and the same opinion, but not one of them has cited any facts-- not one. I even asked the Pentagon to explain to me how this affects readiness. All I have heard is opinions like we just heard from Senator Warren. The senior Senator has been asking questions from the Pentagon. On April 6, the senior Senator sent this letter to Mr. Austin. The full letter may be found at https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/ doc/2023.04.06%20Letter%20to%20DoD%20on %20Tuberville%20Holds.pdf. The letter asks about the effects of my hold on military readiness. I will answer right now. My hold has no effect on readiness, none. In an Armed Services Committee hearing last week, Senator Reed asked two of the military top combatant commanders what impact would my hold have on readiness. ADM John Aquilino said: ``No impact.'' John Paul LaCamera agreed. There is no impact on readiness or operations. Experts have known for more than a decade that the military is topheavy. We do not suffer from a lack of generals. Democrats are concerned with promotions of generals but have shown very little to no concern about our historic recruitment crisis--and it is a crisis. Right now, the military is missing more than 20,000 enlisted soldiers from last year's short on recruiting. That is in addition to another 8,000 that President Biden, for some reason, kicked out of the military over vaccine mandates. So we are missing 28,000 enlisted troops right now, and the Democrats are panicking about 180 generals and admirals. Last week, a report showed that the Army, Navy, and Air Force--all of them are preparing to miss their recruitment goals this year, and nobody is talking about it. They will miss their goals by thousands and thousands of new servicemembers. Yet I don't hear Democrats say a word about it. They are worried about 180 top-level generals and admirals. We have plenty of generals. When my dad served in World War II, we had one general for every 6,000 troops. Think about that--1 for every 6,000. Now we have 1 general for every 1,400 enlisted servicemembers. That is more than four times the ratio of generals to troops. That is a lot of money. We won plenty of wars with a lower ratio. Again, bipartisan experts have shown this for more than a decade. Let me mention a few examples. Here is an article from Ben Freeman of the Project of Government Oversight from 2011. It is entitled: ``The Most Top-Heavy Force in U.S. History,'' found at https://www.pogo.org/ analysis/2011/11/todays-military-most-top-heavy-force-in-us-history. The author talks about testifying before the Senate on this issue. He also mentioned a nearly 25-percent increase in three-star and four-star generals in the previous decade. Over the same time, the increase in enlisted members was just 2 percent--2 percent. People who actually do the work. I have a report from Third Way from 2013, which may be found at https://www.thirdway.org/report/star-creep-the-costs-of-a-top-heavy- military. Here is what this centrist organization said in their report 10 years ago. It is called ``Star Creep: The effects of the top-heavy military.'' The story says: America's armed forces have far too many generals and admirals--a situation that wastes money and creates a drag on military effectiveness. Although the U.S. military is 30% smaller now than it was at the end of the Cold War, it has almost 20% percent more three and four-star officers. [Twenty percent.] The layers of bureaucracy to support them have grown as well, slowing down decision-making and burdening the warfighter. We need to trim the fat, which will make our military both leaner and more effective. That was 10 years ago. Here is another article. This one is from the Washington Times in 2016, which may be found at https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/ apr/5/ash-carter-says-us-military-too-top-heavy-aims-cut. The title of the article: ``Ashton Carter says U.S. military too `top heavy,' aims to cut ranks of generals and admirals.'' Ash Carter was President Obama's Department of Defense Secretary. He felt the military was also topheavy. Both of President Obama's Secretaries of Defense agreed with that. The late Senator John McCain agreed with that statement. Again, this has been common knowledge in military circles for a decade. Yet now my Democratic colleagues have selective memories. Finally, I will just mention one more article from the Washington Times from this past January. It is called ``Top Heavy: U.S. military bloated by brass as officer-to-enlisted ratio dwarfs Cold War era,'' which may be found at https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jan/29/ top-heavy-us-military-bloated-brass-officer-enlist. Here are a few numbers from the article. In World War I, we had one officer for every 15 enlisted. In World War II, it was one of every ten. Today the ratio is 1 to 4. Today we have more admirals than we have ships. Let me repeat that: We have more admirals in our military than we have ships. Yet the Democratic side of the aisle is in panic that we don't have enough admirals; it just doesn't make sense. In the first century of this Nation, we only had a handful of three-star generals ever. George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant were the first two three-star generals in our history. Today we have more than 160 three-star generals. Overall, there are more than 650 generals today. ``Star creep'' is putting this very mildly. This hysteria on the other side of the aisle has absolutely no basis in fact. They have complained about my holds for weeks, but they still haven't shown me one single fact. So I am looking forward to Secretary Austin's response to Senator Warren. I can't wait to read it. In the meantime, I am not going to budge. I will come down here as many times as it takes day and night to vote. I am not afraid to vote. We are working a 3-day week this week. We just took a 2-week recess earlier this month. And if Democrats are so worried about the military readiness, then why are we taking days off? Let's vote. We can vote these. I mean, it is not like I am holding them and they can't be confirmed. We can vote on every one of these people. Just call them up on the floor. We can vote on them. Everybody needs to vote. I am not afraid to work. I will stay here as long as it takes. And let me remind my colleagues that we just voted--and confirmed--last week a military nominee, the way we are supposed to do it, instead of a hundred at a time. Clearly, we are capable of voting on military nominees and promotions. We could also be voting on legislation that expands the DOD's abortion policy. We can bring it right here and vote. That is our job--instead of the Secretary of Defense playing Congress and doing bills on his own. That is not how this place is supposed to work. In fact, that is how this should be done in a democracy. So, finally, let me remind my Democratic colleagues again: I gave the Pentagon fair warning. I told them if they imposed this policy on our country, then I would hold these nominees. They chose to go forward with this policy anyway. They forced my hand. This was the Biden administration's choice. All I am doing is keeping my word, and that is why I object.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I want to make something very, very clear here. None of these positions the Senator from Massachusetts has mentioned will go unfilled. Each role has its commander in place until the relief is confirmed. That is how the military works. Mr. President, one thing very important to me and to our country is our military. There is only one thing more important, and that is our Constitution that they protect. For that reason, I object.

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

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 35, S.J. Res. 10.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I am proud to have come from a military family. Our veterans are some of the best people in this country. Because of that, I am grateful to serve on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Giving back to our veterans has been a passion my whole life. Our men and women in uniform deserve the best medical care available. I am grateful for every healthcare provider that works for and with our veterans. The mission of the VA is taken from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address. Lincoln pledged our country to ``care for him who shall have borne the battle.'' That is what the VA is supposed to be about. But today, under the Biden administration, we see the VA increasingly--increasingly--getting distracted from that very important mission. The Biden administration increasingly has the VA involved in politics. Last year, the VA announced they would begin providing taxpayer- funded abortions--last year. This is something the VA has never, ever done. Let me repeat that. The VA has never done abortions. In fact, the VA has been prohibited by this body from performing abortions at its facilities for more than 30 years. The 102nd Congress--1991 to 1992--made taxpayer-funded abortions at VA facilities illegal. Let me repeat that. Thirty years ago, this body made taxpayer-funded abortions illegal. It is a law. They did this with the bipartisan Veterans Healthcare Act of 1992. The last I heard, that is a Federal law, passed by this body, which, for some reason, we don't want to do anymore. We want the executive branch to be able to do it on their own, and that is wrong. We need to do our job. This, today, is not about abortions. It is about taxpayers paying for abortions that they don't have to pay for because of a law that was presented and passed in this Chamber in 1992. The bill was introduced in the House and the Senate by whom? None other than the Democrats. The Senate passed it unanimously. This includes a Senator by the name of Joe Biden. Now President Biden is breaking the law that he voted for. How do you do that? This is a direct violation of Federal law. The Biden administration even wants taxpayers on the hook for abortions for veterans' dependents. That has never happened. So we are changing the law at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and not in here, where we are supposed to do our job. It has got nothing to do with the VA's mission. The VA won't even tell Congress if they are placing restrictions on abortions. When are they doing it--at 5 months? 3 months? 2 months? after the baby is born? We can't get any information out of them. They just write the laws themselves. The VA has refused to cooperate with Congress throughout this whole process. And that is what this is all about. For all we know, a taxpayer-funded abortion can be at any time, at their choosing. This new policy also includes very limited moral protections for VA medical staff. This, too, is unheard of in our laws and our traditions. We have had moral protections on the books for decades. It was James Madison who said that a man has a right to his property, and ``Conscience is the most sacred property of all.'' This was the attitude of our Founders. Frankly, the Founders would be shocked by what is happening in this Chamber today. Frankly, the Biden administration is violating the consciences of the taxpayers as we speak by putting pressure on the taxpayers to have to defend and go after this. Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pay for abortions, especially not when this was done without anybody's taking a vote in this building, especially when Congress voted to make it illegal 30 years ago. It is illegal and it is wrong. In just a few moments, the Senate has a chance to do something about it. We are going to vote on a bipartisan basis to overturn this rule. If Democrats want taxpayer-funded abortions within the VA healthcare system, let's vote on it. That is what we are elected to do, not lean on a President and the White House to say this is what we are going to do. That ain't the way we do it in this building. If we are going to do it that way, let's lock the door and go home and save the taxpayers a lot of money. Again, this is not about abortion; this is about doing it the wrong way. Let's pass the bill. Let's change the law. Let's don't break the law in here. I would like to thank the dozens of Senators supporting my resolution. I would also like to thank Senator Manchin and Senator Marshall for standing with me earlier today at a press conference to explain the facts to the taxpayers and the citizens of this country. It is very simple: Any Senator who votes against this resolution is voting for taxpayer-funded abortion with no guardrails or protection for any medical staff or nurses. Voting no on this resolution means voting to give away even more power from Congress to the executive branch, and that is really all we need around here. Right now, the VA is spending money we have never voted to spend. Anyone who believes in the appropriations process, let's oppose this rule and support this resolution. Voting no would mean letting the administration spend money without the consent of the people in this room, and that is what we are elected to do. Voting no means a big stamp of approval for a blatantly illegal regulation. Voting against the resolution also means turning the VA into a taxpayer-funded abortion clinic. The VA should be focused on their mission. Lord knows, we have got 20 veterans a day dying of suicide. Why don't we focus on helping the veterans who have been fighting in wars, these last 20-year wars that we have been funding. Let's keep politics out of the VA. These people have had enough politics in their lives. Let's stay focused on their mission to ``care for him who shall have borne the battle,'' as spoken by President Abraham Lincoln. I yield the floor.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, today, I want to honor Alabama's own Officer Garrett Crumby who made the ultimate sacrifice last month while responding to a shooting call in Madison County. A graduate of Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, he began his law enforcement career as a patrol and field training officer at the Tuscaloosa Police Department in November of 2013 before transitioning to the Huntsville Police Department in August 2020. Nicknamed ``Batman'' by his family for his heroic nature, Officer Crumby is remembered as someone whose service to others extended beyond his job. Officer Crumby's sister stated he ``believed that being a police officer meant that anyone in their darkest moments had someone to call, regardless of any race, age, creed, gender, tax bracket or political affiliation. He would answer that call.'' He demonstrated this deep conviction by often showing up for additional assignment calls that were not required of him and volunteering at local events in the community. There was never an ``off-duty'' moment for him; he actively looked for ways that he could help those around him. His fellow officers recalled one instance when he gave someone a ride who was pushing a wheelchair loaded with groceries down a busy road before a big storm. In 2019, he was named Huntsville Police Department's West Precinct Officer of the Year, a testament to the respect he had already earned from his peers, supervisors, and community during his time with the Tuscaloosa and Huntsville Police Departments. He is survived by his wife Taylor Campbell Crumby; father William ``Russ'' Crumby; mother Janet Sherman; grandparents James and Sammi Sherman; sisters Jennifer Crumby, Courtney Crumby, and Casey Wright (David); and 10 nieces and nephews. Alabama is grateful for Officer Crumby's contributions to public safety. We will never be able to repay him for his sacrifice, but we will make sure that he is never forgotten.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, this month, I am proud to recognize U.S. Army Veteran Jason Guyton of Toney, AL. Some of Jason's favorite childhood memories were trying on his dad's Navy uniform and flipping through photo albums from his grandad's time in the Navy. Even as a young boy, he recognized the importance of their military service and admired their sacrifice. After a successful wrestling career at Howard University, where he became the first freshman in school history to compete for a NCAA Division I Championship, Jason decided to follow in his dad and grandad's footsteps. But instead of joining the Navy, Jason enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves as a chemical operations specialist, while also keeping his day job as an operations manager at West Corporation. During his time in the Reserves, Jason was deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, where he ensured sites were safe from nuclear chemicals and biological threats. Like many veterans, the challenges of serving our country did not end after Jason's 12 years in the military. He experienced several personal setbacks, causing him to fall on hard times financially and become homeless. But thanks to his military training and support from veterans' groups, Jason overcame his situation and channeled his experience into a career in financial services. Now, Jason serves as a member experience advocate for Avadian Credit Union at its Huntsville location. He is very open about his struggles because he wants other veterans to know that they, too, can overcome any challenges they face after their military service. Additionally, Jason is very active in Madison County, where he is involved in several local outreach efforts. Although he is not an Alabama native, after finding out Huntsville was the home of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center through an Internet search, Jason decided he wanted to call Madison County home. So he moved to the area nearly 30 years ago, and has been giving back ever since. He uses his talents to coach wrestling for students between ages 5 and 12, serving as a positive influence for hundreds of athletes whom he has mentored throughout the years. Jason says his greatest success is watching those he has coached compete at a higher level. And his influence doesn't end with being a coach. Jason's son, Tre, also decided to join the Navy and become a fourth-generation servicemember in the Guyton family. Jason's story is an example of overcoming hardship and using it to help others, and we salute his service to the Madison County community.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, I reserve the right to object. I want to start out by mentioning the great respect I have for Senator Reed. I am deeply grateful for the chairman's service to this country, both the service in uniform and as chairman of the Armed Service Committee, of which I am a member. I believe the chairman and I agree on a lot more than we disagree on, but I take exception to several things that have been said about me by Democratic Members of the Senate. Every day this week, the majority leader has come to the floor and attacked me by name. It is not very often the majority leader of the Senate attacks a Senator by name 3 days in a row. Now, in my former profession, I have been called everything so it really doesn't bother me too much, but the majority leader has also tweeted about me. That is good. So let's get the record straight as we speak. Right now, I want to talk about what I have done and what I am doing. First of all, I am not blocking anyone from being confirmed or promoted. Every single one of these nominees can receive a vote if Senator Schumer wants it. In fact, one of the civilian nominees is getting voted on this week. If Democrats are so worried about these nominations, let's vote. If we are not going to vote on taxpayer-funded abortion, then let's vote on these nominees. Voting is our job. It is not much to ask of the U.S. Senate to do our job, to vote. Senator Schumer and some of the other Senators have claimed that my hold on these nominees is unprecedented. Well, it is not. My hold is far from unprecedented. In fact, Senator Bennet himself threatened to do this exact same thing just a few months ago. Why? Because the Air Force planned to move Space Command from Colorado to Huntsville, AL. We have talked about this recently. Two years ago, we had a Senator from Illinois put a hold on 1,000 nominees over the promotion of one single officer. So far, my hold has affected 184 nominations. I also will note that these Senators haven't said a word about our recruiting crisis that we have going on as we speak. Democrats are in a panic about 184 promotions for generals and officers, and yet I have not heard a word from them about the 15,000 enlisted soldiers we are missing right now from last year's recruiting class. That is an entire division. There is another 8,600 who were discharged over the President's vaccine mandate--kicked out. I don't hear a word about that from the Democrats. The military is down 23,000 enlisted soldiers due to the actions taken by the Biden administration and his Secretary of Defense just this past year. Yet Democrats are worried about 184 generals getting their promotion? Only one of those things threatens our security. It is not officer promotion. When my dad was serving in World War II, we had one general for every 6,000 enlisted soldiers--one. Today, we have got one general for every 1,500. We do not suffer from a lack of generals in this country. We suffer from a lack of recruits. Military experts have known for a long time that the Pentagon is top-heavy. This entire line of attack on me is absolutely false. The generals' jobs are being done. Yet 23,000 enlisted troops that we are missing, their jobs are not being done. My Democrat friends keep saying abortion is necessary for readiness, but I have yet to hear a shred of evidence to back that up. I have been asking for months. Yet again, my Democrat friends have absolutely zero evidence to show abortion makes our troops safer, stronger, or more lethal. And let's be clear about what we are talking about. We are not talking about access to abortion. We are talking about taxpayers funding for travel and extra paid time to get elective abortions. We already have a policy. We already have a policy in the Army about abortion, and it has worked fine. But this policy includes spouses and dependents. We are talking about taxpayer funding for somebody's kid to get an abortion in another State. This has never been in the policy until now, because Congress has ensured that the Pentagon cannot perform or facilitate abortions except in legal circumstances, and limited. This morning, I received an email from a soldier's mom in Alabama. She said her son has had to pay thousands of dollars out of his own pocket to buy uniforms and bedsheets. She said it is absurd to force taxpayers to pay for travel for abortions while our troops--our troops--are paying out of pocket for their uniforms. She is right. She is exactly right. And that is what this is all about. Earlier today. Senator Schumer said this is about women making their own choices. That is not true. That is exactly not true. This is about taxpayer funding. That is what we are talking about. We have strict limits on taxpayer funding for abortions in this country. That has gone through this building right here. There has been a bipartisan consensus for 40 years. Yet, all of a sudden, Democrats are saying the military can't win wars without expanded abortion. It doesn't make sense. Frankly, we already have policies for abortion in the military. Over the last 5 years, there have been about 20 abortions a year performed in the military. These have been in cases of rape, incest, and threat to the life of the mom. Over the 40 years, I don't recall the military ever once complaining that we weren't performing enough abortions. Not one time have I heard that--not one time. According to one report cited by the Pentagon officials to my staff, the new policy would expand taxpayer-funded abortions from 20 abortions a year to 4,000--4,000. And who is going to pay for that? The people in this country are going to pay for it. This goes beyond the law without anybody taking a vote here in this building. We were elected to pass laws. We were elected to do our job. The Department of Defense wasn't elected. They were appointed. In fact, this contradicts what Congress has actually voted for. This includes some of the people complaining the loudest. Earlier this week, 37 Democratic Senators went on record in asking for the Department of Defense to go beyond the laws that they themselves have voted for. Now, in fairness, I would note that the chairman and Senator Schumer were not on that list of 37 Senators. But the idea that more abortions make our troops safer and more lethal is absurd. This has been a coordinated campaign to pressure me to lift these holds. That doesn't bother me one bit, and it is not going to work. Frankly, it is just going to make me do the opposite. I am glad the majority leader is taking notes on these holds. If Democrats want to expand taxpayer funding for abortion, then let's vote on it. I am ready to vote on it. The majority leader, the last time I looked, controls this floor. He can make it happen. And if these nominees are so important, then we can vote on them too. So far this year, the Senate has already taken 24 days off. This is in addition to the 2-week recess in January and the 2-week recess which starts at the end of this week. I have only been here for 2 years, but I am told this is one of the slowest years in memory around here. I don't have anything to compare it to. Sometimes, we don't even vote until 5:30 on a Tuesday. People back home don't work those kind of hours, but they are expected to pay for what we are talking about. Yet the Democrats are in a panic over the idea of taking more votes. I don't mind working full weeks. I worked all my life. I had a full- time job. I will stay here until hell freezes over. I am not going to be intimidated by a campaign of selective outrage. Let me remind the chairman that I gave the Pentagon fair warning. I gave them fair warning. They chose to go forward with this policy. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record this letter I sent to Secretary Austin on December 9, 2022.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Now, I didn't want to do this, and I told the Department of Defense that. I told the people who were in charge of all the nominations. This was the Biden administration's choice, and I am going to keep my word. And because of that, I object.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. I object, and I will give the reasons why. I am happy to explain all of the holds on my nominations, and I am glad to see my colleague, the Senator from Ohio, who will be here in just a moment to support these efforts. My friend from Colorado says this hold is unprecedented. It is not unprecedented at all. In fact, there is very recent precedent. Just a couple of years ago, the junior Senator from Illinois, a Democrat, held more than 1,000 military nominations. The reason she held them was over one single officer she wanted promoted. My colleague from Colorado threatened to do the same thing just a few weeks ago. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a news article from January 24.

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

Mr. TUBERVILLE. The headline reads: ``Colorado [Democrat] threatens to hold Pentagon nominees over Space Command [Headquarters].'' That Colorado Democrat happens to be my colleague opposite me as we speak. He has given us emotion and opinion. Let's talk about the facts. Last summer, the Supreme Court returned the decision to regulate abortion to the States. In response, the Department of Defense claimed that this was a threat to the readiness of our Armed Forces. They said this without any evidence at all. On July 15 of last year, Republican members of the Armed Services Committee asked Secretary Austin how the Department came to this conclusion. It wasn't until November that the Department scheduled a briefing with Senate offices to give us some answers. However, minutes before the briefing was scheduled to begin, the Department canceled. On December 5, 2022, I sent a letter to Secretary Austin letting him know I would hold all civilian and general and flag officer nominees until we got some answers. Less than 24 hours later, we got answers. The answers were disturbing. We learned the Pentagon intended to go well beyond what has been authorized by Congress. Federal law only allows the military to provide abortions in three very narrow circumstances: rape, incest, and threat to the life of the mother. Yet the Biden administration has turned the DOD into an abortion travel agency. They did it by using just a memo. The Biden administration wants abortion-on-demand for not just those enlisted in our military but their family members as well. This would expand the policy to millions of people. Now, the American taxpayers are on the hook to cover nonchargeable paid time off and travel costs for abortions for our military and their families. Again, nobody voted for this. This goes beyond the law. We still have a Constitution in this country to go by, and the Constitution is clear: Congress makes the laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. Secretary Austin seems to think he can make a change in the law without going through Congress. It would be irresponsible for the U.S. Senate to allow an administration to walk all over the legislative branch. Secretary Austin cannot change the law by memo. Congress cannot be replaced by a post on the Department of Defense website. In December, I warned the Department that I would hold their nominees if they tried to force abortion-on-demand on our military, and they did it anyway. The Department knew what the consequences would be. It was clear. This was their choice. I will continue to hold these nominees until the Department of Defense follows the law or Congress changes the law. In the meantime, we should do our job and vote. If these nominees are so important to the Democrats, then the Democratic leader can find time to get them on the floor. Frankly, I wish Democrats were this concerned about our enlisted servicemembers. We have a recruiting crisis in this country. The Army missed its recruiting goal by 15,000 last year. That is an entire division. One of the causes of this crisis is the policies of the Biden administration. At yesterday's Armed Services hearing, I talked about the Navy's training materials. Many of these materials denigrate religious Americans, who are the majority in this country. Democrats seem a lot more worried about these nominations than about our recruitment, the people who actually fight wars. If Democrats are so worried about the nominations, then they can bring them up for a vote. We have more than enough time to vote on nominees. We have voted on plenty of nominees this year. That is about the only thing the leader has let us do so far. I will continue to come down here and lay out the facts for as long as my colleague from Colorado wants to. We talked about this less than a month ago. The facts have not changed. My position has not changed. So I reserve the right to object. I object.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Will Bridges, in my office, be granted floor privileges until May 1, 2023.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, on a lighter note than the majority leader's, I would like to talk about something a little different. A couple of weekends ago, Americans across the country lost an hour of sleep to ``spring forward'' and reset their clocks for what we call daylight savings time. I am willing to bet losing that hour might have caused some friends back home in Alabama to have been late for church that day. But the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year has many more consequences than the inconvenience of running behind, and Congress should make this year the last time we ever change our clocks by passing the Sunshine Protection Act. Over the past 2 years, I have received many, many calls from people across Alabama to make daylight savings time permanent. Many Alabamians, including parents, seniors, farmers, citizens, and mental health professionals, have all reached out to my office in support of days of more sunshine in the evening--but not just Alabamians. Millions--I mean, millions--of Americans are ready to end the outdated practice of springing forward and falling back. The idea of daylight savings time was originally known as wartime, W- A-R. It was first introduced as a temporary measure to conserve energy and better utilize resources during World War I. Now, nearly 100 years later, Americans' energy consumption has rapidly, rapidly changed. While adjustments to our clocks might have made sense when it first began, it does not make sense for modern times today. That is why I joined Senator Marco Rubio and a bipartisan group of my colleagues to reintroduce the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight savings time permanent. The bill would provide an extra hour of sunlight in the afternoon, which would be most notable during the dark and cold winter months. Many studies have proven that extra sunlight in the evening can lead to improvements in mental health, physical fitness, economic growth, and overall well-being. It is a simple way we could positively impact the day-to-day life of all Americans and finally get something done that a lot of people really care about. Shifting clocks can disrupt sleep patterns, but a permanent daylight savings time will help Americans maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Studies have suggested that the disruption of sleep patterns associated with the shift in time has increased the risks of cardiovascular disease and physical injuries. Northwestern Medicine found that the ``fall back'' and ``spring forward'' comes with a 9-percent spike in fatal car accidents and a 24-percent higher risk of heart attacks. Additionally, the long-term effects linked to daylight saving time include weight gain, headaches, and depression. The time switch in the fall increases seasonal affective disorder every year. A study published in 2017 found that the transition from daylight saving time to standard time increased--increased--the number of hospital visits for depression by 11 percent. Permanent daylight saving time with extra sunlight in the evening will also encourage more physical activity, allow more time for people to go on walks, participate in recreational activities, and attend outdoor events. Kids will be able to enjoy more time outdoors after school with friends year-round, and older Americans will have more access to vitamin D. Longer daylight hours in the evening have proven to stimulate economic activity, as well, because people are more likely to shop, dine out, and participate in other activities. COVID lockdowns, which were very recent, and their crippling economic effect throughout the country underscore how valuable our small businesses are for local economies and our entire Nation as a whole. The agriculture industry is also greatly affected by daylight saving time, as more sunshine during working hours means more time to work on their crops, which could translate into a more profitable bottom line. It could also decrease expensive energy consumption on farms by reducing the need for artificial lighting and heating. It is estimated that the time change costs the U.S. economy more than $400 million in lost productivity annually. Alabama, along with 17 other States, has already passed legislation to end the outdated practice of changing our clocks--17. However, the Federal Government must act to make those laws go into effect. Congress should listen--should listen--to the people and pass the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent before we readjust our clocks again next fall. The change would improve our health, bolster our economy, benefit our farmers, and put America on the path to a brighter future. It is time for America to move forward and stop falling back. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I think we got a little offtrack here. In getting back to the objection a little bit, I don't think there is anybody here who said it has anything to do with doing away with abortion. The Department of Defense has had, for years, a policy about abortion in the military. My problem is, they have changed it. And the last time I looked, the people who make the laws are not on the Supreme Court and not in the Pentagon--it is this place right here. We make the laws. They have done abortions for years in the military for rape, incest, and harm to the mom--through health. They want to change this to where a third party has said thousands and thousands would start getting abortions and not just military personnel but also their dependents. This is about who is paying for this. The American taxpayers shouldn't be told they have to pay for abortions. That is not the way it is written. The military should not be paying for abortions. So, as we got offtrack there a little bit about what we were talking about, we are talking about a new policy based not on facts but on conjecture from the Department of Defense that they are going to do it on their own without coming through this body. Now a little bit about SPACECOM, as the good Senator from Colorado brought up. You know, it is unfortunate that Members from States that weren't really even running for SPACECOM headquarters are trying to tack on completely unrelated political issues to a fact-based decision. SPACECOM's and the DOD's abortion policies have nothing to do with each other. I don't recall abortion being part of the Air Force's selection process a couple of years ago when they called me and said: Coach, we are going to put SPACECOM in Huntsville, AL. The decision to put SPACECOM in Huntsville was based on facts and facts alone and evidence of what was best for the military and for our country and our national defense. That is the reason they chose it. That decision was then reconfirmed by multiple independent studies over the last couple of years. The DOD's inspector general and the GAO confirmed that Huntsville was the No. 1 location for SPACECOM based on things like workforce, existing infrastructure, education, and the cost of living. Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville is, far and away, the best place for SPACECOM. This is not my opinion. It is fact. It is fact from several studies. Attempts to change that with progressive talking points are shameful and purely political. It is really a shame. I yield the floor.

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Reserving the right to object. The Senator from Colorado may have good intentions, Madam President, but he is wrong on the facts. I am holding the DOD nominations because the Secretary of Defense is trying to push through a massive expansion of taxpayer-subsidized abortions without going through this body, without going through Congress. Three months ago, I informed Secretary Austin that if he tried to turn the DOD into an abortion travel agency, I would place a hold on all civilian flag and general officer nominees. Other than a couple of calls to my staff to ask whether I was serious, the DOD leadership has yet to call me directly and justify this action. In fact, they have not explained this decision to Congress despite multiple letters, more than a dozen from my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee. Secretary Austin's new abortion policy is immoral and, arguably, illegal. If he wants to change the law, he needs to go through Congress. The DOD refused to answer questions or justify this policy for months last year. When they finally answered our questions after another nominee hold, the policy was exposed for what it really is: nothing but a political charade to appease the left. These holds have no real impact on military readiness or operation. The military wasting time and resources to coordinate abortion trips hurts readiness, not the Senate using regular order to vote on nominees. If my colleague cared about military readiness, maybe we would go after more of the ridiculous policies that have led to our lowest--our lowest--recruiting numbers in decades. But my hold does send a message that the Secretary is not--and I repeat--not above the law, and he cannot ignore lawmakers who are demanding his organization abide by the law. I object, and I will continue to object to any nominees as long as this illegal new abortion policy is in place. I am holding the military accountable. Others are holding our national security hostage by forcing their agenda where it doesn't belong. Americans want a military focused on a national defense. And that is what I am fighting for. For these reasons, I object.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, since coming to Washington 2 years ago, I have learned a lot about the Senate and about how Washington works. Politics can, at times, be like a game. While we may be on different teams politically, we should all be focused on winning for all American people. If there is one thing I know about in my last 40 years as a coach and educator, it is trying to win and how to win. Fifty years ago, we discovered a winning strategy for all of American female athletes. It was called title IX, probably one of the most successful pieces of legislation that has ever come out of this body. Signed into law in 1972, title IX's 37 words empowered women to win by leveling the playing field and providing them access to the same opportunities as young men. I believe those words are worth repeating today to remind this body of their importance: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Those sometimes on the left argue that allowing males to compete against females makes sports more inclusive. I don't believe that. The opposite, to me, is true. Forcing females to compete against males destroys the level playing field created by law. It would exclude young women from the safety and fairness that they deserve. Title IX's success would be undone if this continues to happen, and that success that title IX is and has been is undeniable. Since its enactment, participation in female sports has increased by more than 600 percent. Think about that now. In 50 years, because of title IX, the participation in women's sports has increased 600 percent, and the number of female college graduates in the United States increased dramatically from 8 to 40 percent. You don't see things like that happen. Title IX has afforded many women the opportunity to receive athletic scholarships and become our engineers, our doctors, our lawyers, and our leaders, without the burden of having college debt. Sadly, title IX is being attacked by activists who care more about politics than what is best for women and girls. The U.S. Department of Education is caving--is giving in--to progressive activists and moving ahead with plans to force schools to allow biological males to share locker rooms and compete in women's sports. This irrational and unprecedented move comes despite record numbers of educators, parents, and athletes who have voiced their concerns about the disastrous impact that this would have on female athletes of all ages. The Department of Education, President Biden, and my colleagues on the left in Congress have ignored those concerns because they care more about appeasing activists and the progressive left than actually protecting young women. I just can't understand this. It is shameful. Beginning next year, coaches will be forced to decide between opening up locker rooms to biological males or face dire consequences. Allowing biological males to compete against young women is unfair, it is unsafe, and it is wrong. We can't look Americans in the eye and honestly say we support female athletes if we stand by as they are forced into uncomfortable settings they do not deserve, and we can't tell young women we want them to succeed if we allow the radical left to push them to the sidelines of their sports and take away their future opportunities for scholarships and fair competition. It is not the American way. If you visited my hometown of Auburn, AL, on a Friday night over the past few months, you would see an arena--thousands of people--full of excited young girls watching the Auburn gymnastics team. Many of them dream of becoming Olympic gymnasts--gymnasts just like Suni Lee, who is an Olympic Gold medalist. Others make the trip to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa to see the World Games and to see Montana Fouts on the mound, aspiring to one day become a star softball pitcher at a higher level. Our girls and young women should be able to continue to dream and compete. Taking away their title IX protections by twisting the law could strip those opportunities for female athletes across our great country. Since 2003, biological men have won 28 women's sports titles. Let me read that again. Since 2003, biological men have won 28 women's sports titles. We have all heard from athletes like Riley Gaines, the college swimmer who, this past year, bravely spoke out after being forced to share a locker room and the awards podium with a swimmer who had the unfair advantage of swimming in a male body. Over the weekend, we learned that a judge in Minnesota has ordered the U.S.A. power lifting teams to allow biological men to compete against female power lifters. Where will this end? When will we step up and say enough is enough? Congress must act to save title IX and make sure competition is safe and fair for everyone, including girls and women. This is why, last week, I reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This legislation would require institutions to recognize an athlete's gender solely based on what it is at birth or else be banned from receiving Federal funding. You know, it sounds absurd even to me to say, but, sadly, this legislation is now necessary to preserve title IX for current and future female athletes. It is really sad. I am thankful for those colleagues here in the Senate who have joined me in standing up for women's sports, and I hope that others will join our efforts in the future. We have to save title IX. We have to save young girls and women to be able to participate on the same level, with the same funding and access to coaches, as men. Millions of young girls and women are looking to us in this body and to the people across this country, looking to us to stand up for them and that starts with action to ensure that the playing field remains level for generations and generations to come. This Senate must take up this crucial legislation and help every young woman and young girl in this great country that we live in. Madam President, I yield the floor.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, for some veterans, serving their country meant foregoing their own dreams so that millions of Americans would have the opportunity to pursue theirs. That is true for U.S. Marine Cpl Jimmy Sullivan of Foley, a star linebacker at Vigor High School in Mobile, who always dreamed of playing football for Coach Paul ``Bear'' Bryant at the University of Alabama. But when the offer letter came from Coach Bryant, Corporal Sullivan knew that he could not accept because he saw the many Americans who were dying in the Vietnam war. So instead of following his dream to play college football, he dropped out of high school to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 18. The two-time Purple Heart recipient recalls several close calls during his 2 years in Vietnam, but a particular experience stands out in his mind. One foggy day while transporting deceased American soldiers, Corporal Sullivan heard a voice repeatedly tell him to turn around. After looking around, he finally turned to discover an enemy soldier waiting in the bushes to attack him. Despite receiving multiple gunshot wounds from the encounter, he still believes that voice saved his life, making him one of the few from his company who returned home alive. Through it all, when you ask him about his military service, his response is ``I wouldn't change ONE thing.'' Not one to be idle, Corporal Sullivan became an operator for Chevron Oil Company and now works as a security guard for Sidwell Protection Services. In addition to being a beloved ``Pop,'' Corporal Sullivan is actively involved in his congregation at Bibleway Assembly of God Church in Foley, where he serves as a deacon and helps in community outreach efforts. His grit and courage is an inspiration to us all. I am proud to recognize Corporal Sullivan as the March Veteran of the Month.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, last week, like many of us in here-- many of my colleagues--I spent time meeting with a lot of great folks back in my home State of Alabama. It was great to be home. It was great to be able to share the progress my office has made in the first 2 years, as well as my vision and priorities for the 118th Congress. I visited Huntsville, AL, and had the opportunity to meet with some of the leaders in defense, education, and business. This included stops at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center; Alabama A&M University, one of the top HBCUs in the country; and other important sites, including businesses in Madison County, AL. But I would like to take some time today to speak specifically about one stop on my trip that opened my eyes to a subject we should talk about more often in this Chamber. The National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville is a global leader in services, investigations, and counseling for children who suffer physical and sexual abuse. The center's work is important, and I am proud to share that work today. I think we can all agree that we want our kids to have access to all the opportunities that this great country provides. Unfortunately, many children in Alabama and across the country are robbed of the opportunity to thrive and pursue their dreams because of abuse and neglect. During my visit, the center's executive director, Chris Newlin, shared that 1 in 10 American children today will be victims of abuse before the age of 18. This is horrific, it is unacceptable, and it is embarrassing to our country. These kids don't know what it is like to have a carefree childhood or loving families who support their goals. They aren't able to devote energy to school, join in team sports, or have fun because their only goal in life is just to survive. Not only are they robbed of their childhood, but many times they are robbed of their adulthood as well. Studies show that there are several long-term effects of child abuse. These include delayed brain development, lower educational success, and limited career opportunities. Victims are also more likely to suffer from future abuse, drug usage, and medical complications. Additionally, they are less likely to own cars, buy homes, or engage in business, making them less likely to be able to support a family in the future. Nearly 600,000 kids in the United States were abused in 2021. To repeat that, 600,000 kids in the greatest country on the face of the Earth were abused in 2021, with the most common form of abuse being neglect. Child abuse cases in Alabama have increased throughout the years, with more than 12,000 victims reported in 2018, costing the State of Alabama $3.7 billion. Now, that is up $1.5 billion from just 3 years earlier. The cost is outrageous. And while we are still collecting data from the past few years of COVID--and we know how bad that was--we all know that those numbers are going to be outrageous. We cannot allow this to continue in the United States of America. Fortunately, we have people in our State of Alabama who have made it their mission to help victims of child abuse. Founded in 1985, the National Children's Advocacy Center, also called the NCAC, is stepping up to save lives and offer hope to thousands and thousands of young people. The NCAC in Huntsville has established more than 1,000 children's advocacy centers in the United States and in 41 countries around the world. Their work serves thousands and thousands of kids every year, like 7- year-old Benji, who was found unconscious by his grandmother and rushed to the hospital. There, it was discovered he had broken fingers, a broken rib, countless bruises, and old bones that had been broken but never fixed. Doctors determined Benji was also sexually abused. That night, Benji left the hospital with Julie, who would eventually become his new foster mom, and arrived at the NCAC the very next morning for evaluation. Thanks to the work of the dedicated and selfless professionals in Huntsville, Benji now has a safe and loving home. He has made tremendous strides in playing with other children and bonding with family members and their new family kitten, and trusting his adoptive mother was a huge benefit. Benji's therapists say he continues to show more confidence and will likely graduate from therapy in just a few months. There is no telling how many Benjis there are out there in our world today. The center's reach does not end in Alabama. It has expanded around the country and across the world. In 2021, over 30,000 child abuse professionals from 50 States and 17 countries received NCAC training, and more than 400,000 children were served. That is just in 2021. Alabama's network of children's advocacy centers now includes 47 different locations that have conducted tens of thousands of counseling sessions each year. And, thanks to their work, more abusers have been brought to justice. Communities with children's advocacy centers have seen a 196-percent increase in felony prosecutions of child sexual abuse. I am confident their work will continue to make tremendous impacts in our local communities in Alabama and around the world. So we all have a duty to stand up for our kids. That is our responsibility. Children are our No. 1 commodity in this country. They will become the next generation of educators, nurses, doctors, lawyers, engineers--even Senators, and maybe even President. And if we are going to have a strong future, we must make sure we protect and empower this next generation. I commend the team of the National Children's Advocacy Center for their commitment to giving kids a fighting chance--a fighting chance--to overcome unthinkable hardships that most of us never had to realize. By stepping up to help those who have been left behind, the Center gives kids the opportunity to dream and pursue better lives. I hope we all join this group in doing our part to rescue child abuse victims. I will continue to fight for kids in Alabama and all across our great country, because they deserve it. And I want to thank the National Children's Advocacy Center for reminding me that we all have a part to play in protecting and serving those who need it most. I yield the floor.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Madam President, before I get into the topic of my speech today, I just put a tweet out about what I think about the surveillance balloons, which are very, very concerning, being on the Armed Services Committee. You know, the Chinese surveillance over our skies is very concerning but also the fentanyl from China pouring across our borders every day that is killing 300 Americans a day, that is also very concerning and also the 800-percent increase in Chinese nationals crossing our border every day. So I think we have got a lot of problems other than just balloons flying around our sky. We need to recognize that. We need to start understanding we have an adversary in China that is our biggest, and the President of the United States--he obviously needs to protect our air, but he needs to protect our borders. We are having people die every day. What is the most important? The most important thing is protecting the sovereignty of our country, and that is our borders and the sky and protecting our people on the ground, especially from this deadly drug. So I just wanted to say that before I get into my speech because I know it is important. China is our No. 1 adversary, and we need to start watching every part of it and still watch these balloons fly around the sky that we have no clue of what they are doing or why they are here.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize U.S. Air Force veteran Master Sergeant Dawn Smith of Notasulga. Sergeant Smith joined the Air Force immediately after graduating high school when a recruitment poster caught her mom's eye. Once she learned about the opportunities available to her through military service, Sergeant Smith felt that it was the right path for her. Sergeant Smith was stationed at several posts during her 20-year career. She started as a missile maintainer, but retrained as an eyecare technician. As a tribute to her dedicated work ethic, she was selected as a noncommissioned officer academy instructor. Even though the military isn't a traditional, 4-year educational route, she described it as a ``continuing education'' experience. After she retired from the military, Sergeant Smith started a cattle operation named Lone Oak Farm with her husband Tim, who also served in the Air Force for 23 years. She credits the ``no-fail'' mentality learned in the military for helping her succeed as a first-time farmer. The Smiths have grown their operation from 2 cows to 35, and now, they sell fresh beef to families across Alabama. Sergeant Smith is truly a ``lifelong learner'' who is always willing to share her knowledge and experiences with others. That is why she is proud to be a 4-H agent assistant for the Tallapoosa County School System, where she teaches ag-related skills to more than 1,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders each month. And twice a year, she works with high schoolers, helping them learn how to work with their hands and grow their own produce. Now, Sergeant Smith helps develop new curriculums for students, including a ``Respect for the Flag'' lesson that teaches the American flag's history, meaning, and how to properly care for it. Sergeant Smith credits the military for giving her greater awareness and compassion for the needs of others around the world. She went to Guatemala for the first time on a medical mission while in the service, which inspired her and her husband to continue mission trips to Guatemala and Alaska after their retirement. Alabama is grateful for Sergeant Smith's service and proud to recognize her for the February veteran of the Month.

Mr. TUBERVILLE

Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, today, I want to begin by recognizing a former colleague of mine and some of Alabama's student athletes. The Saint James Academy Trojans in Montgomery, AL, recently won the Class 3A Football State Championship for the first time in the school's history. The team, no doubt, put in many long hours on and off the field to prepare for this great, historic achievement. Winning is always fun, but the lessons learned about dedication, discipline, and perseverance will stay with these young men and coaches forever. I also want to extend a special congrats to the Trojans' coach, Jimmy Perry, on the State championship and on his recent retirement announcement. What a way to go out. I first met Coach Perry when I hired him in 1999 to be the director of football operations at Auburn University. It was clear then that he had a very bright future ahead of him in the world of coaching, and it is fitting that his coaching career has ended with this historic victory. So congratulations to Coach Perry and his team at Saint James Academy. I wish them all the best and the coach all the best in future endeavors.