Roger Wicker

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. This comprehensive legislation includes the Endless Frontier Act as Division B. The Endless Frontier Act will establish a new Directorate of Technology and Innovation at the National Science Foundation, NSF, focused on research and development in 10 key technology focus areas, which include ``biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology.'' Although the NSF funds minimal research involving human embryos, it is absolutely critical for the proposed new Directorate of Technology and Innovation and the NSF as an institution to protect human life and to prohibit research that would create or destroy human embryos. First enacted in 1996, the Dickey-Wicker amendment incorporated into annual appropriations bills ensures that such protections apply to research funded by the National Institutes of Health, NIH. The NSF reports that it applies all NIH guidelines, including the Dickey-Wicker amendment, to its research. The Chief of Government Affairs at NSF, Mr. Robert Moller, confirmed this in an email to my staff dated May 16, 2021: NSF supports very little human embryonic stem cell research. NSF incorporates the NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research through our award Terms and Conditions, which govern, among other things, the allowable uses for NSF funds. Those NIH guidelines clearly address the Dickey Wicker amendment in Section V. As NSF incorporates this guidance, it also incorporates the Dickey-Wicker amendment and its restrictions. It is clear from NSF's response and a review of the research terms and conditions that are binding on awardees that NIH guidelines, including Dickey-Wickery protections, apply to NSF-funded research. Since nothing in the Endless Frontier Act or the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act modifies these legal protections, it is therefore the clear intent of the Senate that the protections for human life afforded by the Dickey-Wicker amendment continue to apply to the NSF.

Mr. WICKER

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

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I certainly rise in support of this legislation and urge a ``yes'' vote. This is an opportunity for the United States to strike a blow on behalf of answering the unfair competition that we are seeing from Communist China, and it is an opportunity to have a game changer in terms of geographic diversity in our research effort. This morning, the Armed Services Committee heard extensive testimony about the need to compete with China at the military level. This is an opportunity to compete with China at the research level. This bill will strengthen our country's innovation in key technology fields of the future--in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, and communications. And this bill also is a game changer in terms of giving universities all over the United States an opportunity to participate in game- changing research, which will help us compete. Universities, largely in smaller States such as mine, have been left behind in the past. They will finally, under this legislation, have an opportunity to participate in research at a meaningful level--so two good reasons to vote yes. The distinguished chair of the committee has been gracious in thanking all of our staffs on the majority and the minority side. I appreciate her doing that, as well as Senator Cantwell's admirable job of managing this bill through the committee. I congratulate the two authors of this bill, Senator Schumer and Senator Young, who sponsored this legislation. This bill is headed toward passage with a fine bipartisan vote, and I am pleased to support passage.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, today, the Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act--USICA--legislation which would establish a new Technology and Innovation Directorate at the National Science Foundation. Section 2005 of USICA would define 10 initial key technology focus areas to direct research at the new Directorate and the Department of Energy. One of these areas is advanced energy technology. I want to put in the record that Congress has previously enacted legislation defining advanced energy technology in 42 USC 18632, and that definition should apply here.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to ask unanimous consent that Flannery Egner, an intern with the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation minority staff, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the 117th Congress.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, later on this evening, it is my hope that we will be moving forward on the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which many of us are still calling the Endless Frontier Act. I will be voting to support final passage. This landmark bill has prompted considerable debate. This legislation is about maintaining America's edge in research and technology. That is a top priority for my party, and it is a top priority for the Democratic Party in this Chamber. And it ought to prompt a spirited discussion. And it has prompted such a discussion. How many bills has this been said about? The bill is not perfect. There are elements that I could do without, and there are parts that I wish were included. But on the whole, this is a necessary step to keep our Nation competitive. This bill puts forth a bold vision for scientific research across multiple Federal Agencies and authorizes a historic down payment on the priorities that can keep America at the forefront of innovation. This bill is a huge boost for American R&D. It authorizes substantial R&D investments through the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, NASA, and, of course, the National Science Foundation, which is the gold standard for basic research. In addition to a new NSF Directorate, it will speed up the translation of R&D into practical applications and help tech innovators through the creation of technology hubs around the country and expanded manufacturing programs. Our adversaries are well aware that America leads the world in innovation. Instead of trying to outinnovate the United States, some of our adversaries are choosing to steal what we create. The Chinese Communist Party is, bar none, the world's worst offender when it comes to research and intellectual property theft, making today's legislation especially urgent. This legislation takes steps to improve research security at the National Science Foundation. Although the introduced bill did not contain adequate provisions in this area, I worked with Senator Cantwell, the chair of the Commerce Committee, to craft a package of reforms to safeguard taxpayer-funded research and intellectual property. Our approach will ensure that the research community understands and complies with security policy and that grant applicants go through appropriate risk assessments. The research security title establishes a new research security office at the NSF to centralize the process of developing these security requirements and assessing potential risks. The office is empowered to pull in the intelligence and law enforcement Agencies to assist in targeted risk assessments. We also establish a clearing-house for the research community to share information about security threats. Importantly, the research security title also includes a ban on Federal employees participating in foreign talent programs and a strict provision on tax-funded awards going to researchers who participate in talent programs run by our greatest adversaries. These initiatives and many others constitute a new and bold research security program at the National Science Foundation. This bill also represents a huge step forward for geographical diversity in R&D. Currently, half of all Federal R&D funds go to just six States and the District of Columbia. Closing that divide has been a priority of mine since my first days in the House of Representatives. Today's legislation will boost R&D at emerging institutions so that no region goes unutilized in our efforts to compete with China. I regret that this bill was put through with a rushed process. Our initial markup in committee was scheduled just 1 day after the bill was dropped. That markup got postponed. Two weeks later, we had a day-long markup where we dealt with more than 250 committee amendments. After incorporating over 100 of those amendments, the bill passed by a vote of 24 to 4. Let me repeat that. The bill passed the Commerce Committee by a vote of 24 yeses and only 24 noes. A few days later, the bill reached the Senate floor, where more than 500 amendments have been filed. Clearly, there is a desire to legislate in this body and on this legislation given sufficient time and opportunity. This bill should put to rest--to rest--any discussion of changing the filibuster. The Senate is perfectly capable of functioning if the majority allows it to function. And it has done so this week and in the days last week when we were considering this legislation. I would add that it would be wrong and unnecessary for this bill to be funded through reconciliation. Passing this consensus legislation through a partisan process would send exactly the wrong message to our adversaries. And we are getting it done under regular order. It may not be pretty. It may not be the most efficient thing ever devised by the mind of man, but we are getting this done under current rules. Everyone has been heard, and it will be passed under regular order, I think with a very nice vote. I wish to congratulate the two authors of this legislation, Senator Schumer and Senator Todd Young, for their success in this bill. I especially appreciate Senator Young's commitment to improving our competitiveness and his leadership in moving this bill forward. I also want to thank the chair of the Commerce Committee, Maria Cantwell, for helping shepherd this bill through the oftentimes challenging floor, for her patience and her skill in helping to lead us through the amendment process. And, then, how could we end debate or approach the end of consideration of this legislation without thanking our staffs for the countless hours on both sides of the aisle, for the people who worked so hard on this bill and the amendments? The excellent, knowledgeable way in which they have approached this legislation would be amazing to the American public if they could look into the process and see how hard these public servants work. I want to particularly thank the outstanding contributions of my staff director, John Keast. But also he would want me to make a particular point of congratulating policy director James Mazol and my deputy policy director Cheri Pascoe--neither of whom has slept very much recently. They have done exceptional work. I know Senator Cantwell feels the same about the great public servants on her staff, on her side of the aisle. They have done this at great personal sacrifice from their families and from themselves. And I know we are all well-served by our staffs, and I am most thankful for mine. But I am also thankful for the legislative process, for the fact that on this issue, increasing secure R&D to combat our adversaries, particularly those in Communist China--I want to thank the Members of this Senate on both sides of the issue and on both sides of the aisle for the great way in which this Senate has conducted regular order. I will be voting yes. I think a sizable majority of the Senate will be voting yes. And we will be doing good by our constituents and by future generations in doing so. Thank you. And I yield the floor.

Mr. WICKER

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

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I would like to be recognized for a moment before we proceed. This is an important step in the consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. We have just locked in six votes for this afternoon--two important side by sides, Wyden and Crapo on Finance Committee matters; a Paul amendment on the National Institutes of Health funds being used in China; an Ernst amendment on the Wuhan lab; a Daines amendment on intellectual property in China; and the Lee amendment on stem cell research. This is a great step forward; that the Senate is proceeding this afternoon to regular order, and regular order allowing Senators to come forward and offer amendments that might improve the bill is helpful. It is hoped that we can do that again tomorrow and Thursday and move toward an opportunity to pass this bill. I would point out to my colleagues--and I know the distinguished chair of the Finance Committee will agree with this. We have locked in six 15-minute votes. In fairness, really, the five subsequent votes should be 10-minute votes. We can fool around and wander in here for hours and be here until 8 or we can begin at 4:45 and resume the practice that we had for years before we quit doing regular order in this body. If Members will hold each other accountable and if the Chair is willing to say after a certain amount of time, if a straggler is missing, that that Senator simply has missed votes, then we can do this in an orderly fashion. I have an appointment at 5:30 that I have had to cancel. Perhaps others will have to do that too. But we are making progress on a very substantive bill about the future of this country and moving toward competing in a better way with China. And I would suggest that maybe appointments in the early afternoon might be canceled, and we can get back to quick votes and be considerate of others, realizing that some of us may miss votes if we are late. I make that suggestion, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the hard work in locking in these six votes. I yield back.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I want to commend the distinguished Senator from Oklahoma and the distinguished senior Senator from Alabama for this amendment. And it seems to me that this is a national security amendment that should get support on both sides of the aisle because the Senator from Oklahoma is absolutely correct. It has had bipartisan support in the past. And particularly at this moment, when we are talking about a bill to compete with China, we need to acknowledge that we will compete with China both in the R&D sphere, as this bill discusses, but also in terms of military might. And it disturbs me, and I know it is of concern to my friends on the other side of the aisle, that the Biden administration just this week announced that they would cut four ships from the most recent shipbuilding plan, which was established by our military experts, by the admirals and generals who told us what we need. To cut four ships from the shipbuilding plan, I think, would send exactly the opposite signal to China that we are trying to send through this bill. And I know I have friends on the other side of the aisle, as well as on this side of the aisle, who have signed the SHIPYARD Act, which makes the statement, on a bipartisan basis, that we need to be preparing our Navy for competition in the Pacific that will come from China, and I think it is a way to preserve peace in the Asia-Pacific region by having parity there. So for that particular reason, on this particular week, this is a most timely and appropriate amendment, and I do hope we can get bipartisan support. I yield the floor. Vote on Amendment No. 1523

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, the 21st century will be shaped by the outcome of the strategic competition between the United States and China. Like our Nation's previous contest with the Soviet Union, the outcome of this great contest will help determine the world that our children and our grandchildren live in. There are only two real possibilities: Either the United States will remain the preeminent global superpower or we will be replaced by China. This truth is recognized on both sides of the aisle in this body. The contest between our two countries will involve every aspect of national life--including military might, diplomatic skill, economic strength, and the deepest values that shape our societies. The scope and complexity of this challenge calls for bold action, and that is what the Endless Frontier Act is about. This week the Senate has an opportunity to come together on a bipartisan basis and move forward on legislation, now known as the United States Innovation and Competition Act. This will make our Nation more economically competitive, improve protections for U.S. intellectual property and research, and keep us a step ahead of China in this area of high-stakes competition. This bill does so by increasing research at the National Science Foundation and dramatically increasing R&D at a new National Science Foundation directorate. Other Agencies in the Federal Government will also see dramatic increases in the important research that they perform. The Endless Frontier Act, as reported by the Commerce Committee, is a major part of this comprehensive legislative effort. Other committees have also been important partners in this legislation. In particular, I congratulate Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch of the Foreign Relations Committee for producing the Strategic Competition Act, which was reported out of their committee on a 21-to-1 vote. I also commend Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Peters and Ranking Member Portman; Banking Committee Chairman Brown and Ranking Member Toomey; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Murray and Ranking Member Burr; and Judiciary Chair Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley for their importan contributions to the substitute product. I will focus my remarks on the Commerce Committee's contributions to the Endless Frontier Act. Last week, the Commerce Committee held a markup to consider this legislation. We considered hundreds of amendments and adopted over 100 of them into the reported bill, including over 20 bipartisan, separately introduced bills. The markup at times was challenging, but in the end the bill passed the committee on a bipartisan 24-to-4 vote. The Endless Frontier Act will enhance U.S. science and technology leadership through key investments in R&D, regional economic development, and manufacturing. The bill will accomplish these goals in the following ways: First, it will preserve the core basic research mission of the National Science Foundation. The NSF is the world's gold standard for funding basic research, a sector that fuels new waves of innovation across our society. Basic research answers the fundamental questions of scientific inquiry needed to develop major innovations. The internet, GPS, cell phones, and many other breakthrough technologies have their origins in National Science Foundation-funded research. The Endless Frontier Act will authorize funding increases in NSF's core science portfolio to support the most promising research proposals. That is the first thing. Secondly, this bill will establish a new Directorate of Technology and Innovation at the NSF to drive faster innovation in key technology focus areas, such as artificial intelligence, or AI, and robotics. We included strong coordination measures to ensure that programs at the new Technology Directorate do not duplicate R&D programs of other Federal Agencies, such as the Department of Energy. These provisions are designed to ensure the wise expenditure of taxpayer dollars by preventing bureaucratic turf wars, which can slow down innovation. Third, this legislation will protect intellectual property and research from foreign governments--most notably, China. The Endless Frontier Act will establish a research security office at the NSF and create a clearinghouse to share information about security risks. It also puts forward policies to protect controlled information, including a plan for background checks on researchers. In addition, it will take critical steps to guard against Chinese intellectual property theft by prohibiting NSF funds from going to researchers who are part of a Chinese talent program or an institution with formal ties to a Confucius Institute. This is a new and important step. Fourth, this bill will reduce the geographic concentration of R&D in a handful of States and universities. Put simply, this bill will be a game changer for the R&D geographic diversity that many of us have sought for years, if not decades. America can maintain our leadership over China only with a sustained effort that is national in scope. We should tap into the wide-ranging talents, expertise, and capabilities of Americans across this land, including Nevada and Mississippi. The Endless Frontier Act will help address these long-standing disparities by increasing funding for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which we have all come to know as EPSCoR. Participation in EPSCoR helps institutions in many States and Territories improve their research capacities and, therefore, compete more effectively for Federal R&D funding. The legislation also invests in minority serving institutions and builds up research capacity in emerging institutions, which have traditionally received a relatively small share of Federal research dollars. No. 5, this bill will boost regional economic development through the Regional Technology Hub Program. No. 6, it will support manufacturing programs, in part, by quadrupling the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, which already exists. No. 7, it will help America win the ``New Space Race'' against China by including the NASA Authorization Act, which the Senate passed unanimously last year. The NASA bill allows Congress to set priorities and guardrails for the space Agency's exploration and research programs. No. 8, this bill will authorize a number of telecommunication programs to improve our telecom workforce and help get all Americans connected to high-speed and reliable broadband. This bill also includes several bills that I have championed, including the Rural STEM Education Act, the Advanced Technological Manufacturing Act, the Improving Minority Participation and Careers in Telecommunications Act, and the Telecommunications Supply Chain Diversity Promotion Act--significant legislation and a mouthful, too. Overall, this is a strong bill, but it can be made better. As I mentioned at the Commerce Committee's markup last week, although the bill reported out of the committee makes important changes to the underlying bill, I regret the rushed process that was followed. The underlying bill was introduced on April 20, just under a month ago. Only yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Schumer laid down a 1,400- page substitute that not only includes the Endless Frontier Act, but major legislation from the Foreign Relations, Homeland Security, Banking, HELP, and Judiciary Committees. Now known as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act--USICA, I suppose--this legislation will make significant changes to our innovation ecosystem and the missions of our Federal Agencies. A bill of this magnitude would normally take a year to write and involve soliciting input from Members and stakeholders across our country to craft a consensus package. Clearly, the Senate should consider this bill with an open amendment process. Prematurely shutting down debate on amendments without this open process would send a false signal to China and the American people that we are divided in an area where, actually, we are united and together. And then, when all is said and done, the effort will have to be paid for and will be subject to appropriations. I hope the majority's determination to rush this legislation through the Senate is not designed to use a partisan reconciliation bill to appropriate funding for these important initiatives. Science has always been debated in a bipartisan way in this body. Leaving one party on the sidelines in the appropriation process, which I hope will not happen, would have a detrimental consequences for the long-term stability of this legislation. So on the whole, I am positive and optimistic about this bill and about the process that will get us to the end of both parties' desire. I thank my colleague, Senator Cantwell, for her work as chair of the Commerce Committee to get this bill on the floor today, and I look forward to working with her to improve the bill in the next step in the process--an open amendment process

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, my friend from Ohio is correct. In many respects, it ought to feel like morning again in America. After all, COVID-19 is finally on the retreat. The vaccines have been a roaring success because of Operation Warp Speed. One hundred and twenty-four million Americans are now fully immunized, and another 30 million are halfway there. With the exception of a few holdout States, the mask mandates are gone, thank goodness. By all measures, our economy should be firing on all cylinders, but America now has a workforce problem. People are not heading back to work. In February, the Congressional Budget Office predicted our economy would return to its prepandemic size by the middle of the year without receiving any new stimulus from Congress. Regrettably, Democrats in this Chamber brushed off that optimism from the CBO. They decided to pass more stimulus, to the tune of $1.9 trillion. This time, the money was excessive. It was poorly targeted and passed without bipartisan consensus. Three months later, the results are unflattering for my Democratic friends. Last month, our economy produced a paltry 266,000 jobs when experts had predicted over 1 million jobs--this at a time when our economy has a record 8 million jobs available, jobs that need to be filled. Small businesses are desperate to hire. Restaurants, for instance, are having trouble finding people to become waiters and chefs. The National Restaurant Association reports that, in January, 8 percent of restaurant operators said finding and keeping workers was their No. 1 concern. That number doubled in February. It doubled again in March and then again in April. According to the latest survey, 57 percent of restaurant operators now say that finding and keeping employees is their biggest problem. The same problem exists across multiple sectors--hotels, construction, lawn care, welding, tech. The list goes on. Americans would be streaming back into the workforce if not for the counterproductive policies passed by the majority. Government is now paying millions of able-bodied Americans to stay home, to stay home when they could be back on the job. Expanded unemployment benefits have become a hindrance to our recovery rather than a help, just as many of us had warned. March 2020 was a unique moment of emergency that called for urgent financial relief for the American people. This body passed it on a sweeping bipartisan basis. But it is now May of 2021. The hour of emergency has passed. Americans need policies to help them reenter the workforce. Fortunately, millions of Americans have Governors who are pushing back against Washington's pay-to-stay-at-home policies. Governor Tate Reeves, in my State of Mississippi, is one example. I commend Governor Reeves for opting out of the expanded Federal unemployment funds in order to help our State embark on a full recovery. Nearly half of all Governors now share the same mind and are saying no to those unnecessary funds. Madam President, the American people elected a 50-50 Senate and a narrowly divided House. They do not want drastic changes or dramatic growth of government. They simply want to put this pandemic behind them and get back to providing for their families. Americans need government to get out of the way, and Republicans stand with the American people and on the side of a full recovery. I yield the floor.

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

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

Mr. WICKER. Reserving the right to object--and I shall certainly not object--I simply want to say that this is the beginning of what I hope is an open amendment process, and I want to thank the chair of the Commerce Committee for working with us to get these first two amendment votes scheduled this afternoon. And I certainly withdraw my reservation.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, today I honor a visionary leader whose years at the helm of Ingalls Shipbuilding have left a profound impact on the State of Mississippi and on the national security posture of the United States. I have had the pleasure of associating with Mr. Brian Cuccias both personally and professionally over many years. As president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, Mr. Cuccias led the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi. Located near Brian's hometown of Biloxi, the Pascagoula shipyard sits on 800 acres of land along the Pascagoula River. With 11,500 employees, Ingalls is the largest supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants and has built nearly 70 percent of the current fleet of Navy warships. Mr. Cuccias began his career at Ingalls in 1979. when he joined Litton Data Systems, which was then a major division of Litton Industries, then owner of what is today Ingalls Shipyard. He served as a financial analyst for several Navy programs, including amphibious assault ships and Spruance and Kidd-class destroyers. Since then, he has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, including assistant to the group vice president of Avondale industries; sector vice president for material for Northrop Grumman Ship Systems; program manger and vice president for Northrop Grumman's DDG 1000 program; and vice president for surface combatants for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. Mr. Cuccias left his mark on both the shipbuilding industry and Navy surface combatant programs. Universally recognized for his superb leadership, business acumen, and commitment to maritime security, his 2014 appointment as president of Ingalls Shipbuilding came as no surprise to those of us who knew him. During his tenure, Ingalls has continued to set the standard for shipbuilding excellence, delivering five national security cutters to the Coast Guard, along with two America-class amphibious assault ships and two San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks to the Navy. Additionally, Mr. Cuccias oversaw the reactivation of the Arleigh Burke-class production line, delivering four guided missile destroyers to the Navy after a 5-year hiatus. As he departs, he leaves the shipyard in perhaps its strongest position ever, with 13 ships in various stages of production. Mr. Cuccias has left an indelible impact on the Ingalls workforce. He spearheaded numerous investments in the health and safety of shipyard employees and their families. In 2015, Ingalls dedicated a Family Health Center in Gautier, MS a full-service health care facility for employees, dependents, and retirees covered by the shipyard's health care plans. As part of a $600 million 4-year upgrade to build the Shipyard of the Future, he supervised the installation of covered, environmentally controlled facilities to protect workers from the elements--again prioritizing the health of the Ingalls workforce. Always active in his community, Mr. Cuccias served on the executive committee and board of directors for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council, as well as on the boards of directors for the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development, the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, and the Salvation Army of Mobile, AL. In 2018, he was honored as one of the Top CEOs in Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal. I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to Brian Cuccias for his outstanding leadership in Mississippi and for his unwavering support for the missions of the U.S. Navy. As he departs Ingalls for retirement, I wish him and his family ``fair winds and following seas.''

Mr. WICKER

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

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to say thank you and farewell to a member of the Commerce Committee staff who is leaving the Senate soon. Commander Andrew L. Pate--Andy, as we know him--is completing his 2-year assignment as senior policy adviser and Coast Guard congressional fellow on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. For those who are not aware, the Coast Guard's congressional fellows program is a highly competitive program that assigns Coast Guard officers to congressional offices and committees as detailees. This elite program brings the Coast Guard's ``cream of the crop'' to Washington. These officers uphold the Coast Guard's core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty. These special assignments serve to educate Coast Guard officers on the inner workings of Congress. The Coast Guard benefits from this program by bringing its unique perspective to the process of drafting and passing legislation, as well as gaining leaders within its own ranks who deeply understand the legislative process. And, of course, the Congress gains immensely from the obvious leadership and intelligence and work ethic of these great men and women. Andy Pate was an obvious choice for this fellowship--not once but twice. In July of 2008, not long after I arrived in the Senate, then- Lieutenant Pate joined my office to serve as my first Coast Guard fellow, where he set a high bar for those who would come after him. Following his departure, Andy completed tours as a commanding officer of Coast Guard cutters around the world. His operational assignments have focused on search and rescue, counternarcotics, migrant interdiction, homeland security, defense operations, and living marine resource protection programs spanning the North Atlantic, the Equator, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Arabian Gulf. Andy also served as strategic analyst in the Commandant's Advisory Group at Coast Guard headquarters and as a transition team member for the 25th Commandant of the Coast Guard. He went on to become the Coast Guard's international security fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Since rejoining my team in 2019, Andy has had a significant impact on the Commerce Committee. His expertise as a cutterman and senior officer has meaningfully informed the committee's efforts, culminating in the enactment of the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act--the service's 2-year comprehensive reauthorization. Additionally, Commander Pate championed a key Coast Guard provision in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress extended lease protections for servicemembers in residential or vehicle leases impacted by ``stop movement'' orders. However, the original bill unintentionally omitted the Coast Guard. The small but important change Andy initiated has had a positive impact on thousands of his fellow Coast Guard members and their families. This is an exciting moment for Andy. Soon, he will assume command of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk in Key West, FL. I know the Mohawk and the Coast Guard will benefit from Andy's steadfast spirit and determination. I salute Andy's service and leadership in our Nation's armed services, and I thank him for all of his hard work. I have been blessed with many fellows. I rise to speak for fellows really only when they come for two tours in my office. Andy's presence on the Commerce Committee will be missed, but his colleagues and his country are grateful for his dedication and diligence. I know Kristen, Aidan, Karissa, and Alexander are proud of him also. On behalf of the American people, I extend my deepest gratitude and wish Andy Pate the best of luck in his future endeavors. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. In reclaiming my time, I appreciate the work of my friend Senator Cardin. Senator Coons from Delaware was also here, but, unfortunately, he had to leave. They also wanted to make it clear that, on a bipartisan basis, on both sides of the aisle, the U.S. Senate stands for freedom-loving people in Russia and for their spokesman, Alexei Navalny. We intend to shine the light of public opinion on the actions of the Russian kleptocracy and dictatorship with regard to prisoners and patriots like Alexei Navalny. I yield the floor.

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I rise this afternoon to call attention to a courageous Russian hero who is in danger even as I speak. He is a man who has consistently stood up to Vladimir Putin and his cronies and has, on numerous occasions, placed his own life in jeopardy to bring the truth to light. The lawless thugs in the Kremlin often avoid saying his name in public, but here on the Senate floor, I am proud to stand in solidarity with Alexei Navalny. It was just last August that Alexei Navalny, Russia's foremost opposition leader, was poisoned with a deadly nerve agent. Millions of us remember seeing the video of his being stricken on an airplane and hearing his painful cries, the crew members unsure how to soothe his pain. Thanks to the quick diplomatic work of our friends in Germany, Mr. Navalny was evacuated to Berlin, where he received expert medical attention and, against all odds, recovered from this poisoning. An ordinary man would have stayed safe and very far away from the Kremlin, but Alexei Navalny is no ordinary man. He is a Russian patriot who envisions a different kind of Russia, one where citizens have a say in government, where freedom blooms, and where the President does not siphon away funds intended for hospitals in order to build secret palaces or to enrich members of his kleptocracy. So, 3 months ago, Mr. Navalny returned to Russia, knowing full well the dangers he would face. Immediately upon his arrival, he was arrested at the airport for a parole violation, which resulted from his hospitalization, which resulted from his poisoning. He now sits in one of the most notorious penal colonies in Russia, known for its psychological torture. He has been deemed a flight risk and is awakened eight times a night under the guise of monitoring his whereabouts. His lawyers were recently prevented from seeing him. Reports are that he is suffering from severe back pain and other health concerns and has received inadequate medical care. This is a familiar sounding story, but one thing is clear: The Russian dictatorship is terrified of Alexei Navalny. He is a threat to them because he has exposed their unbridled corruption and urged voters to demand that the government respect their rights. Because of that, Alexei Navalny's life is in danger at this very moment. The tens of thousands of demonstrators who turned out across Russia to support this jailed opposition leader send an unmistakable message to the Kremlin: You cannot suppress the voice of the people indefinitely. Freedom-loving Americans and freedom-loving people around the world are, today, crying out for justice for Alexei Navalny. He endures the suffering of many before him--in Russia, people like Sergei Magnitsky and Boris Nemtsov and, abroad, people like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi--whose legacies and movements did not rot while they were in prison but, instead, helped to bring down oppressive governments. At this point, I yield to the Senator from Colorado for a brief intervention before I close with a thought or two.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, today I wish to recognize Mr. Christopher Pickens, a Knauss Sea Grant fellow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Mr. Pickens has had a significant impact during his time as a fellow. His expertise on fisheries management and ocean sciences has meaningfully contributed to the committee's efforts. He has worked on several pieces of legislation that have passed the Senate or have become law, such as the FLOODS Act and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act. His contributions will help improve ocean and flood monitoring to keep Americans safe, promote deep sea ocean exploration, and inform the stewardship of our Nation's marine resources. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Pickens for all of the fine work he has done and wish him luck in the years to come.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, we might as well hear clearly what the ruling of the Chair was, so if you would repeat that, sir.

Mr. WICKER. What is the question? Is it, Shall the ruling of the Chair be sustained? Is that the question?

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I could never match the eloquence of the Senator from Oklahoma, who just spoke about the same topic about which I rise at this moment. I remember when Democrats running for office would tell the American people that they were pro-choice, but they felt that abortion should be safe, it should be legal, but it should be rare--safe, legal, and rare. I remember when Bill Clinton said that to the American people. And I think about how far the left has gone from that to the attitude that my friend from Oklahoma has described. I first encountered the March for Life when I was a staff member up here in Washington, DC, working for then-Congressman Trent Lott, 1981. It was wonderful to see those people, and it will be wonderful to join them online in a virtual march this Friday. I can tell you also that those people who say ``We follow the science'' are those of us now who are pro-life because, as the Senator from Oklahoma pointed out, as more and more information comes out about DNA, about the pictures--about the pictures that my wife and I have had on our refrigerator of our unborn grandchildren--more and more Americans, more and more people around the world understand that the science is on the side of those of us who are pro-life; that the beating hearts, the faces that we see in these young unborn children are, indeed, humans made in God's image and that they are entitled to the protections that our Founders outlined, protecting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Twenty-five years ago, 56 percent of Americans considered themselves pro-choice. Only 33 percent said they were pro-life. I was glad to be part of that 33 percent, but I am certainly glad to see our numbers have risen. Today's pro-life movement has closed that gap completely. The country is now evenly split. But I will say this for some of my fellow Americans who call themselves pro-choice: There are differences within that group. Gallup reports 81 percent of Americans think abortion should be illegal in the third trimester. Why can't we get Democrats and Republicans and Independents of the right and center and left to agree to that--where 81 percent of Americans said we should make abortion illegal in the third trimester. Sixty-five percent say it should be illegal in the second trimester. In addition, a Marist poll last year found that 60 percent of Americans are against using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion. Even if some of them believe abortion should be legal, 60 percent of Americans--a supermajority--are against using tax dollars to fund abortion. That is up from 54 percent just 1 year before. Because the science is moving in our favor, the evidence is moving in our favor, public opinion is moving in our favor. That same poll found 35 percent of Democrats oppose using taxpayer funds for abortion. Many of these Americans might check the box saying they are pro-choice, but they are willing to draw an important distinction between abortion being legal in some circumstances and taking taxpayer dollars from pro- life Americans to actually fund abortion. In essence, these people are saying: We can disagree about abortion being illegal, but let's not force pro-life Americans to pay for a practice they find abhorrent and morally reprehensible. That is a view that I do not agree with because I am solidly pro- life, but it is an eminently reasonable view. Why can't we enact that into a permanent statute in the United States? It is a position that Congress has adopted every year when we pass the Hyde amendment to keep Federal dollars from going toward abortion. I regret that our present President does not seem to share this view, although he once held this view. Days ago, in one of his first acts in office, our new President reversed the Mexico City policy, allowing American tax dollars to begin funding abortions in foreign countries once again. This decision showed disregard, to me, for the consciences of millions of American taxpayers who are pro-life. I was appalled by this decision. I know many of my constituents were. I think Congress should pass legislation enshrining the Mexico City policy in statute. But at this moment, I rise proposing a more familiar and direct and, I think, politically popular step and that would be to put no taxpayer funding of abortion legislation into the permanent statute rather than passing it each year as the Hyde amendment. Of all the abortion-related bills that reach the Senate floor, this one should be the least controversial. The Hyde amendment is standard policy. It has passed annually for more than 40 consecutive years, during terms of Republican Presidents, terms of Democratic Presidents, during Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate and when it was, indeed, the other way around. It has stood the test of time and enjoys broad consensus in this body and in the United States of America. Passing this legislation to make the Hyde Amendment permanent would keep taxpayers from having to worry each year if their money is going to be used for an abortion in this country. I stand this Friday with millions and millions of Americans who will join in supporting life, and I urge my colleagues to send an important signal to all of the American people that Congress is serious about seeking unity and healing. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this legislation as we work to build bipartisan consensus for life in the days ahead. I yield the floor.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam President, today I honor a superb leader and warrior. I have had the privilege of associating with VADM Fritz Roegge both personally and professionally over many years, and it has been my pleasure to do so. After 40 years of uniformed service, Vice Admiral Roegge will be retiring from the U.S. Navy. On this occasion, I believe it is fitting to recognize his distinguished service and dedication to our Navy. Vice Admiral Roegge is an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and was commissioned through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps Program. He went on to earn a master of science in engineering management from the Catholic University of America and a master of arts with highest distinction in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. He was a fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI program and of the Harvard Kennedy School program for Senior Executives in National and International Security. His sea tours include USS Whale (SSN 638), USS Florida (SSBN 728) (Blue), USS Key West (SSN 722), and most prominently, command of USS Connecticut (SSN 22). His major command was as commodore of Submarine Squadron 22, with additional duty as commanding officer, Naval Support Activity La Maddalena, Italy. Ashore, he has served on the staffs of both the Atlantic and Pacific Submarine Force commanders, on the staff of the Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, on the Navy staff in the Assessments Division (N81) and the Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13), in the Secretary of the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. House of Representatives, as the head of the Submarine and Nuclear Power Distribution Division (PERS 42) at the Navy Personnel Command, and as an assistant deputy director on the Joint Staff in both the Strategy and Policy (J5) and the Regional Operations (J33) Directorates. Vice Admiral Roegge completed his first flag officer assignment as the deputy commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike at U.S. Strategic Command. He then served concurrently as commander, Submarine Group 8; commander, Submarines, Allied Naval Forces South; deputy commander, U.S. 6th Fleet; and director of Operations and Intelligence (N3), U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. As a rear admiral, he served on the Navy staff as director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13) with a concurrent period as director, Total Force Manpower Division (N12) and then as commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Vice Admiral Roegge now culminates his career of service to the Navy and the Nation as the 16th president of the National Defense University (NDU). NDU is the university of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the premier Joint Professional Military Education institution in the Department of Defense. NDU's mission to develop joint warfighters and other national security leaders through rigorous academics, research, and engagement has never been more important to our Nation and its security. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to Vice Admiral Roegge for his outstanding leadership and unwavering support of the missions of the U.S. Navy. I want to recognize his supportive family, Mrs. Julie Roegge and their two sons, Alex and Will. I wish Vice Admiral Roegge and his family ``fair winds and following seas.''