Ron Wyden

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, now, my colleague from South Carolina began his remarks with two of my very favorite subjects: supporting America's senior citizens and playing in the NBA, a lifetime dream of mine. But the fact is, this unanimous consent request from my colleague is essentially a different way to do the same thing as the Kennedy request. And, colleagues, it is wrong for exactly the same reason. The prospect of default is not simply a matter of the two sides squaring off over who has got the best talking points. The fact is, default would just be an economic disaster. I just laid out what it would mean for our small businesses and our folks who depend on keeping interest rates from shooting into the stratosphere, and the military would have difficulty getting paid. That is not what America wants. Colleagues, I was just home this weekend. I got around my State, and what people said overwhelmingly is--they said: ``Hey, I heard you guys just got together''--I say to my friend from South Carolina--``and you guys got an agreement on keeping the government open. Heard that wasn't going to happen.'' And then they said: ``Ron, what you have always tried to do since those Gray Panther days''--and my colleague from South Carolina knows I always try to be bipartisan. They said: ``Keep it going. Keep going with that bipartisan effort.'' Now, they are listening to a debate about my colleagues trying to bust up an agreement between the Democratic leader, Senator Schumer, and the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, to make sure we pay the bills for costs that have been incurred. So my colleague from South Carolina has asked for consent, and I think it would be a mistake for this country and be a mistake particularly for our country's senior citizens that I have devoted so much time to. For that reason, I object.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Chief Chris Magnus to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office, and I was very pleased that the Senate Finance Committee could advance this important nomination. I want to give the Senate a brief assessment of why I think Chief Magnus is going to handle his job very well. He brings a unique combination of smarts, common sense, and fairness, and that is really what this job is all about. For example, having talked to the chief at some length, he understands that strongly enforcing our immigration laws and treating immigrants and asylum seekers humanely are not mutually exclusive. You can do both. They are not incompatible. It is a perspective, in my view, on immigration that is going to help our communities, help public safety, and help our economy all at the same time. Now, there is no doubt in my mind that Chief Magnus has the right qualifications for this position. He is highly experienced. He started out in Lansing, MI, and has headed up law enforcement agencies across the country--East, West, North, and South. Currently, he serves as the chief of police in Tucson, AZ. That means we will have an individual leading Customs and Border Protection who starts on day 1--day 1--with firsthand knowledge about the challenges law enforcement on the southern border. Even beyond that specific element of Customs and Border Protection's work, his range of experience in law enforcement all over the country makes him an ideal pick to lead an Agency with tens of thousands of employees, staffing more than 300 points of entry to our country. So I think that is the heart of why he is going to be such a positive force with respect to border security, but I also want to note that on the Finance Committee, we are acutely aware that Customs and Border Protection is not just in the business of immigration; it is also on the frontlines of enforcing American trade laws. And too often in the past, that part of the mission has just gotten short shrift. Today, Customs and Border Protection is the heart of the effort to fight against immoral and unfair trade practices, including the use of forced labor in China and elsewhere. Customs and Border Protection not only investigates forced labor and demands remediation where appropriate, it also enforces the ban on forced labor products entering our country. Staying a step ahead of trade cheats, whether they are involved in forced labor or not, is key to protecting American jobs, our businesses, and innovation. Workers and businesses depend on healthy, functioning supply chains. We have certainly seen, since the beginning of the pandemic, that when the supply chains break down, you have enormous headaches throughout the economy, from the biggest businesses right down to individual families who are shopping this holiday season for typical holiday goods. During his nomination hearing, Chief Magnus assured the Finance Committee that Customs and Border Protection's trade mission is going to get the focus and the resources it needs if he is confirmed. He has committed to ensuring that there is adequate staffing at our ports, and he is interested in improving the efficiency of our customs operations in a way that maintains key protections for consumer safety. He is a first-rate nominee. It is clear he has got the right priorities when it comes to Customs and Border Protection challenges that many of our Senators care about most--securing the border and helping to get supply chains back to normal. I believe that he is going to work with all of the Members of this body on immigration and trade-related issues going forward in a way that brings Democrats and Republicans together. I am very happy to support him today. And as our committee has spent the most time with the chief, I would like to say, as chairman of the committee, that I think he will reflect great credit on our country in a vital position, a position that comes up every day in activities across the land. He is the right person for this important job at the right time. I urge all Senators to vote for Chief Magnus later today. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I have 7 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, before my colleague leaves, let me just tell him what a wonderful speech he gave. That was the kind of talk we dreamed of back in the days when I was the director of the Oregon Gray Panthers. What Senator King has basically laid out--much more eloquently than I could have--is that what Senator Casey's legislation is doing is giving older Americans the opportunity to get more of what they want--good quality care at home at a price that doesn't begin to approach the alternative that Senator King is talking about with institutional care. So I want to commend him for it. It reminds me of my Gray Panther days. It was a great speech. To my friend Senator Casey, I have been so proud to be a part of this effort because, as you and I have talked about, this is what we always hoped for. This was always the long-term agenda of advocates for seniors. I just want to tell the Presiding Officer and colleagues who are following this that Senator Casey has been everywhere on behalf of this cause. You have shown up at virtually every caucus meeting to say how important it is. You have come to our Finance Committee to stress it to colleagues on a bipartisan basis. We go together to rallies. You have been, basically, everywhere on this, and that, of course, is one of the reasons we are here on the floor--because it was your effort that did so much to get it into our bill. Now, I am going to turn to the legislation in just a quick moment, but I want to respond to one question I have been asked nonstop over the last couple of days, and that is, Why is it so important for the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better legislation before the end of the year? I am just going to respond with one sentence: With the Omicron COVID variant now in our country, it is urgent business to strengthen America's economic foundation. That is what Build Back Better is all about. That is what Senator Casey's provisions are doing. Now I am going to kind of turn to some of the aspects of what our effort has been all about. Obviously, Oregonians and Americans from sea to shining sea have their hands full these days with school, work, family, with probably trying to get in a little Christmas shopping as well, and it is hard to follow day-to-day policy debates on the floor of the Senate. So I am just going to touch on some of the big picture issues that Senate Democrats are focusing on here. First, we are all about breaking down barriers to good jobs that support American families. That is what this is about--more support for families. That is how everybody in America gets the opportunity to get ahead. Now, this is the second time in a decade that Democrats have had to rebuild the economy after a Republican President has crashed it like a kid on a joyride. This time, families and businesses are still dealing with a pandemic. That is a lot of upheaval to deal with, and it is why we have said breaking down the barriers to good jobs that support American families is the one-sentence description of our effort. We want to create opportunity for good jobs and infrastructure; we want to create opportunity for good jobs and clean energy; we want to create opportunity for good jobs in manufacturing here at home; and we want to create the conditions for small businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed. The key to unlocking those opportunities for working people in America is to make sure that families start in a position to succeed. This afternoon, my colleagues were on the floor to talk about the importance of investing in childcare and home-based care for seniors and those with disabilities. For me, this brings to mind a conversation, a recent one, with a neighbor of mine at home in Oregon. She and I sat down in Portland for a socially distant chat in her backyard. We talked about what it has been like for families like hers, not just during the pandemic but over the last several years, as costs for education and housing and childcare have just soared into the stratosphere. Megan is about as impressive as anybody I have met. She is smart; she works hard; she has got a good job. But even people who seem to have the world by the tail come up against real challenges. For example, Megan told me about the decision she made when her mom came down with a cancer diagnosis in 2015. She decided she had to set aside her career and move home to the Midwest to help out her mom with treatment. Caring for a loved one who is in a fight for their life is just about the most important work you can do. But, as Megan said, there is no paycheck--no paycheck, I would say to the Presiding Officer--that comes with that gig, and you have still got to find a way to pay the bills. Fortunately, Megan's mom got better. The two of them made the decision--we happen to think it was a no-brainer--to move back to Portland. They wanted to make sure that their family would have a chance to get ahead. Megan has now got two kids of her own. One of her kids is a wonderful little guy who has got special needs. Childcare is another major challenge. In Oregon, this is the case of so many places. It is a struggle to find childcare at all and even harder to find childcare that is affordable. Megan told me about all of the people she knows--just about all of them women who were forced to make the hard decision of leaving their jobs in the last few years to provide daycare for their kids or to care for an elderly parent. That has been happening all over the country because families don't have enough support. They don't have enough support tonight. Now, people always talk about motivation. What is motivating people? I will tell you, in Oregon--what I hear at home--people tell me what they want to do is to work hard. They want to contribute. They want to make sure that their kids are growing up happy and healthy, and they want their elderly family members to be happy and healthy too. They would also like to be able to look forward to a vacation once in a while in the summer and a dignified retirement down the road. Who doesn't want all of that? The reality is, for so many people, the sky-high cost of raising kids and taking care of older family members just holds them back. So that is why Senate Democrats want to help with childcare, why we want to invest in home-based care, why we believe in paid leave. That is what the new child tax credit is that so many on the Senate Finance Committee, on the Democratic side, have worked for. It is that basic level of support that helps families get ahead. People ought to be able to stay in their careers, if that is what they want to do, instead of handling childcare themselves. They ought to have the financial security at home to seek out a new job with higher pay or better benefits. People shouldn't have to choose between taking care of family and starting that small business--that small business that their entrepreneurial eye always was dreaming of. These priorities that need addressing on childcare and home-based care aren't just morally right, but as Senator King pointed out--pointed out just now--they are commonsense economics. Since when, Senator King, did it become, somehow, a partisan issue to say that you ought to work for people to get more of what they want-- good care at home at a lower price? That is, obviously, not partisan. That is commonsense economics. It is what you laid out, and it is what Senator Casey has been leading us on over these last few months. It is disappointing to me that colleagues on the other side aren't interested in working with us on these issues. By the way, it didn't used to be that way. I would say to my friend from Maine that Senator Olympia Snowe, when she was on the Senate Finance Committee, always worked with us. My staff used to joke about bipartisan bills. They were called Snowe-Wyden or Wyden-Snowe or one or the other, but you could almost set your clock by it. It was a constant. Unfortunately, we are missing that on this legislation. What we are hearing from colleagues on the other side is of tax cuts for those at the top. They don't do much for people like me. We can do better. There are signs that the economy is ready to take off. COVID-19 caused the biggest economic crash and jobs collapse in a century, but the unemployment rate is now 4.6 percent. Wages are going up. The economy added over 440,000 jobs per month over the fall. There is no questioning the work ethic and productivity of the American people. Our job in the Congress is to make sure they have the support so they can seize those opportunities to get ahead. That is what we are going to be working on in the weeks ahead. That is what Senate Democrats are doing on the Finance Committee. That is what we are doing in our caucus. I just want to thank my friend and colleague Senator Casey for being the spark of the cause here. He and his persistence are the reason we are here and why this legislation has passed the other body. I am telling you, I think this is a really big moment for all those seniors and all those families who are basically saying, are we ever going to see these kinds of opportunities for healthcare, as Senator King talked about, better care at a price that gerontologists, for example--you don't have to take the word of a bunch of Senators; people in the field--I taught gerontology. When I saw those experts you lined up, I said: Senator Casey is really getting it right. So I just want to thank him. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Oregon is mourning a Portland treasure, Dave Frishberg, who passed away on November 17. While perhaps best known for writing the song ``I'm Just a Bill'' for the iconic Schoolhouse Rock television series, Dave was also a virtuoso pianist with a songwriting gift that reached far beyond his work for that classic series. During his career, Dave worked with a wide array of talented musicians, including Rosemary Clooney, Gene Krupa, and Zoot Sims. A versatile composer, his compositions ranged from melancholy ballads to satirical ditties, and his wry wit was well known as one of the sharpest in the business. Dave has left an indelible mark not only on Capitol Hill, where one frequently sees references to ``I'm Just A Bill'' on floor charts and in press releases, but also in the minds of generations of young Americans lucky enough to grow up watching Schoolhouse Rock with the lyrics still etched in their memories decades later. David Lee Frishberg was born on March 23, 1933, in Saint Paul, MN. He took an early interest in jazz, bebop, and boogie woogie as a teen, while playing as a house musician in Saint Paul. Noting in his memoir, ``Jazz musicians were hip, they were funny, they were sensitive, they were clannish, and they seemed to have the best girlfriends.'' In 1957, Dave moved to New York City, where he established himself as a pianist in the vibrant music scene of Greenwich Village. While in New York, he wrote and performed other well-known songs such as ``My Attorney Bernie'' and ``Peel Me a Grape.'' He moved to Los Angeles in 1971, where he earned acclaim in the jazz and comedy scenes through his work with Schoolhouse Rock and his ``Dave Frishberg Songbook'' series. An unassuming vocalist with a reedy voice, Frishberg was nominated four times during his career for Grammy awards, all for Best Jazz Vocals. Dave, who called Portland his home for the past 35 years and is survived by his wife April Magnusson and two sons from a previous marriage, inspired millions of schoolchildren and music lovers across Oregon and the entire country. He will be greatly missed, even as his legacy lives on for generations to come.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, in a few moments, I intend to put forward a request for the Senate to take up and approve the nomination of a very special Oregonian; that is, my friend Chuck Sams, President Biden's choice to lead the extraordinarily important National Park Service. I am just going to take a few minutes to talk about Chuck Sams and make sure the Senate understands why this is the right person for this very important job. First of all, I would say to the Senate, we have heard the national parks described as America's best idea. That is because they form a network of treasures that no other country can match. But the fact is, the National Park Service is not only about the views and the photo- ops; the Director of the National Park Service is in charge of an organization of over 22,000 employees and almost a quarter-million volunteers. The Park Service generates tens of billions of dollars of economic activity. The people of my State, Oregonians from one corner of the State to the other, particularly understand how critical outdoor treasures are for rural economies and rural jobs. There are park units in every State in the Nation--urban parks, rural parks, historic American buildings, ancient archeological sites. And the personnel at the Park Service--what incredible people. They do it all, from education to preservation to maintenance, and they are also now doing more resilience against wildfires. That is why it is so important we have strong leadership at the National Park Service, because when you have employees taking on such diversified challenges and you have the Park Service woven into the fabric of every State and so many communities, you need somebody at the top, the leader, to be capable and ready to take on these enormous challenges. Chuck Sams is that person, there is no question about it. I want the Senate to know that I have known Chuck Sams for years, and I have personally seen in action his dedication to communities and to the outdoors. He has been a longtime Umatilla Tribal leader and a key member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, working with officials from across our region. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy. I know Chuck Sams to be a role model in the stewardship of America's lands, our waters, our wildlife, and our history. The Congress and parkgoers are going to be able to count on him in the months and years ahead, after he is confirmed, because we know the Park Service faces some very big challenges. There is, for example, a multibillion-dollar maintenance backlog. The parks are often very crowded. They are confronting the effects of the climate crisis, whether it is wildfire, floods, or droughts. The list goes on and on. There has been for too long--too long--a workforce culture fraught with gender discrimination and harassment. For almost 5 years, the Park Service has been without a Senate- confirmed Director. The reason why I am here is, I would say to the Presiding Officer and to my colleagues, I am here to make sure that the Senate doesn't wait another single day after 5 years to confirm a capable leader, Chuck Sams, as the Director to address these challenges I have described. He is the right nominee at the right time. I want Senators to know I base this not on reading a bunch of resumes or bios about Chuck Sams. I have seen it myself. I have seen Chuck at work in our State. He is committed. I support him 110 percent. Therefore, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 508, Charles F. Sams III, of Oregon, to be Director of the National Park Service; that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order with respect to this nomination; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; and that the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I just want to tell the Senate where we are now and what is ahead. I have asked unanimous consent to confirm an Oregonian whom I have watched in action, Chuck Sams, to head the National Park Service, which has gone leaderless for 5 full years. Now, my colleague has said, to his credit, that Chuck Sams is very well qualified, that he is a good man, that he had good discussions with him. And I would just say to the Senate and my colleague--my colleague and I have worked together often here in the Senate. I remember, as chairman of the Finance Committee, we had some issues on the budget. And we got together, and within 20 minutes we had it worked out. So I would just say to my colleague, I am ready from this minute on to get together with you, to get together with Mr. Sams. We are going to be here, it sounds like, at least today, and then we will have to see. But I just hope we can work this out because I listened to the Senator very carefully. And I have been to Alaska. I went with your colleague Senator Murkowski when I was chairman of the Energy Committee. And I heard my colleague's concerns. Well, to get those kind of concerns addressed--many of them--you have got to have a Director; you have got to have somebody you can hold accountable, somebody you can get on the phone and you can talk to about issues. Chuck Sams is exactly that kind of person. So I want my colleague to know we are going to be here the rest of today and, it sounds like, some of tomorrow, but we will have to see. I hope that we can get this worked out, and I want to pledge to my colleague that I will, myself, be willing to work with him on issues he has with the State, just the way we did on those tax concerns with respect to the budget. And let's see if we can get this done before we leave this week because the longer we wait--I mean, just think of the Park Service here over the holiday. There are going to be a lot of people--because the Park Service is part of the treasures of America-- who are going to want to enjoy those facilities. So this has real-world consequences. I look forward to working with my colleague, and I hope--I hope--we can get this done before we leave, and I pledge to my colleague that I will work with him to respond to his concerns not just about this nominee in the context of this nominee but in the context of the concerns he has for his State. I yield the floor.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without intervening action or debate; that no further motions be made in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, in a few moments, I will put forward a request to the Senate to take up and approve the nomination of an Oregonian, my friend Chuck Sams, President Biden's choice to lead the National Park Service. I am just going to take a few minutes to talk about Chuck Sams and why he is the right person for this critical job. Colleagues, we all know that the Park Service is often called America's best idea, and together those parks form a network of treasures that no other country can match. The fact is, the National Park Service is not only about the views and the photo-ops. It is all about our country. It is what makes our country so special for so many. The Director of the National Park Service is in charge of an organization of over 22,000 employees and almost a quarter million volunteers. The National Park System generates tens of millions of dollars of economic activity. The people of my State know particularly how important those critical outdoor treasures are for rural economies and rural jobs. The fact also is that there are park units in every State in the country--urban parts, rural parts, historic American buildings, ancient archeological sites--and personnel at the Park Service do it all, from education to preservation, to maintenance, and even resilience against wildfire. Chuck Sams has been a longtime Umatilla Tribal leader, and there he has served in a variety of roles. He is a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, working with officials from across the Pacific Northwest. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is a role model--a role model--in so many respects, and particularly in the stewardship of America's lands, waters, wildlife, and history. And the Congress and the parkgoers are going to rely on him in the months and years ahead because we all know the Park Service faces big challenges. I am going to wrap up and make my unanimous consent request, but, first, I want to commend my colleague from Alaska. My colleague and I have been working pretty much through the day. I will be brief. I just want to thank the Senator from Alaska. We have been working throughout the day to resolve the whole issue of the Sams nomination. This is a wonderful person who is going to give public service a really good name when he is confirmed. My colleague from Alaska has raised a number of issues that he considers very important to his State. He and I have worked together on a variety of these issues, both from the standpoint of the Energy Committee and most recently as chairman of the Finance Committee, when we have worked on some tax issues. So I want to thank him for his cooperation that is going to make it possible for us to advance this nomination tonight. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Executive Calendar No. 508, Charles F. Sams III, of Oregon, to be Director of the National Park Service, and that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate.

Mr. WYDEN

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

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print the following letter in the Congressional Record.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Reserving the right to object. Mr. President and colleagues, sadly, this is the third time I have had to come to the Senate floor to object to Republican proposals dealing with far-fetched claims about vaccines. And today I am struck by one issue in particular because my background is working with senior citizens. I was the director of the Gray Panthers at home for almost 7 years. I ran the legal aid office for the elderly. I went into public service because of my passion for the cause of the elderly and trying to protect their well-being and keeping them safe. It is almost as if this unanimous consent request ignores the extraordinary human toll COVID-19 took on senior citizens in nursing homes across the country: nearly 200,000 dead in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities since the beginning of the pandemic-- mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. That is roughly 1 in 10 residents in those nursing facilities, according to an analysis of State and Federal data by the COVID tracking project. How many of those senior citizens died alone, without being able to spend their final hours or days with their loved ones? How many others of those fortunate enough to survive the pandemic were still separated from their family members for months and months and months in 2020? We also know that the risks to nurses and doctor and EMTs were massive as well. One major investigation found that more than 3,600 healthcare workers died of COVID in the first year of the pandemic--the worst pandemic in a century that our country is still wrestling with as we speak. Nobody in this Chamber should forget that just over the last week, there have been more than 1,000 COVID deaths per day. And in my view, it doesn't do any good to unnecessarily suppress access to highly effective vaccines while there is a deadly virus circulating and mutating around the country and around the world. Seniors who live in nursing homes and long-term care facilities are safer when the people around them get vaccinated. And I just hope that our colleagues will recognize the importance of that basic proposition. When Americans are vaccinated, they and the people around them, based overwhelmingly on the factual evidence, are less likely to die of COVID-19. And everybody ought to be interested in stopping this virus with these overwhelmingly effective vaccines. It shouldn't take a requirement to get healthcare workers to protect themselves and their patients. As I close, I think--and, again, I am sad to have to come to the floor and get into this issue, but because of my background working with senior citizens, I think it is bad for senior citizens, bad for the elderly to continue these frightening remarks about vaccines and vaccine policies. They prolonged the pandemic. They led to more infections and deaths. With respect to the proposal that is before the Senate, I simply don't believe Senators should oppose policies that would keep America's elderly citizens safer after the pandemic has cost so many lives of America's senior citizens. Therefore, I object.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Social Security provides vital benefits millions of Americans who work and pay into the system with each paycheck. Because Social Security is fundamental to workers' retirement security, the law protected benefits from creditors. The only exceptions were unpaid Federal taxes, child support or alimony payments, and court-ordered victim restitution. These protections ensured that the social safety net programs would be there for basic needs. That protection was weakened over 20 years ago when the law was changed. Now, more and more seniors face cuts in their Social Security benefits because of student loan debts. While Congress and the Biden- Harris Administration took significant steps to protect Americans from facing crushing debt during a global pandemic, exempting the economic impact payments from garnishment and extending the freeze on student loan payments through January 2022, seniors will still be on the hook for cosigning their child or grandchild's student loan debt when those payments resume. We need to take action today to restore the strong protections to Social Security and other benefit programs. We now realize what a profound effect the loss of these protections has had on retirees and individuals with disabilities, who often live on fixed incomes. More and more seniors and people with disabilities are having their Social Security and other lifeline benefits taken away to pay Federal debts. For example, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service, over 167,000 Americans had their benefits garnished for student loan debt. While 167,000 seems small compared to a nation of over 320 million, those 167,000 had nearly $200 million garnished from their earned benefits. This is just the tip of the iceberg as more Americans start receiving benefits. Between 2008 and 2018, the number of individuals whose Social Security benefits were offset to pay student loans debt increased by 133 percent, from about 72,000 to 169,000. Over that same period, the amount collected from Social Security benefits ballooned from almost $63 million to nearly $200 million, a 217-percent increase. Social Security plays a critical role in keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of poverty. In Oregon alone, Social Security cuts the poverty rate of the elderly from about 35 percent to 5 percent. However, despite Social Security's critical role in the safety net, close to 1 out of every 10 seniors over age 65 and 1 in 5 disabled workers still live in poverty and that is simply unacceptable. I, along with Senators Brown, Whitehouse, Leahy, Warren, Hirono. Sanders, Padilla, Van Hollen, and Murray am reintroducing the Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act. The bill would restore the strong protections in the law that prevented the government from taking away earned benefits to pay Federal debts, and guarantee beneficiaries will be able to maintain a basic standard of living by receiving the benefits they have earned. The bill is supported by the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, Social Security Works, National Association of Disability Representatives, AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Government Employees, National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives, Justice in Aging, American Federation of Teachers, Alliance for Retired Americans, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record following this statement.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Social Security provides vital benefits millions of Americans who work and pay into the system with each paycheck. Because Social Security is fundamental to workers' retirement security, the law protected benefits from creditors. The only exceptions were unpaid Federal taxes, child support or alimony payments, and court-ordered victim restitution. These protections ensured that the social safety net programs would be there for basic needs. That protection was weakened over 20 years ago when the law was changed. Now, more and more seniors face cuts in their Social Security benefits because of student loan debts. While Congress and the Biden- Harris Administration took significant steps to protect Americans from facing crushing debt during a global pandemic, exempting the economic impact payments from garnishment and extending the freeze on student loan payments through January 2022, seniors will still be on the hook for cosigning their child or grandchild's student loan debt when those payments resume. We need to take action today to restore the strong protections to Social Security and other benefit programs. We now realize what a profound effect the loss of these protections has had on retirees and individuals with disabilities, who often live on fixed incomes. More and more seniors and people with disabilities are having their Social Security and other lifeline benefits taken away to pay Federal debts. For example, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Fiscal Service, over 167,000 Americans had their benefits garnished for student loan debt. While 167,000 seems small compared to a nation of over 320 million, those 167,000 had nearly $200 million garnished from their earned benefits. This is just the tip of the iceberg as more Americans start receiving benefits. Between 2008 and 2018, the number of individuals whose Social Security benefits were offset to pay student loans debt increased by 133 percent, from about 72,000 to 169,000. Over that same period, the amount collected from Social Security benefits ballooned from almost $63 million to nearly $200 million, a 217-percent increase. Social Security plays a critical role in keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of poverty. In Oregon alone, Social Security cuts the poverty rate of the elderly from about 35 percent to 5 percent. However, despite Social Security's critical role in the safety net, close to 1 out of every 10 seniors over age 65 and 1 in 5 disabled workers still live in poverty and that is simply unacceptable. I, along with Senators Brown, Whitehouse, Leahy, Warren, Hirono. Sanders, Padilla, Van Hollen, and Murray am reintroducing the Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act. The bill would restore the strong protections in the law that prevented the government from taking away earned benefits to pay Federal debts, and guarantee beneficiaries will be able to maintain a basic standard of living by receiving the benefits they have earned. The bill is supported by the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, Social Security Works, National Association of Disability Representatives, AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Government Employees, National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives, Justice in Aging, American Federation of Teachers, Alliance for Retired Americans, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in the Record following this statement.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, reserving the right to object.

Mr. WYDEN. Parliamentary inquiry, Madam President. I am trying to juggle two things at once. We are talking about the Social Security UC; is that correct?

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I reserve my right to object. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and as a former director of the Oregon Gray Panthers, I take a backseat to no one when it comes to protecting Americans' earned Social Security benefits. Now, we know Halloween is right around the corner and families are getting ready for festivities--decorating their houses, picking out costumes, and watching scary movies. My colleague from Florida seems to be getting into the spirit of all this by telling the American people scary stories about vaccines threatening their Social Security benefits. I don't believe the American people are so easily tricked. This idea is as fantastical and ridiculous as a vampire living under your bed. The fact that Republicans are trying to scare folks for political gain I think is just very, very disappointing. These bills that are rooted in political messaging aren't going to help to end this pandemic or take concrete steps to address actual challenges facing many of our constituents. With that, I object.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, again, this deals with an area that is in the province of the Senate Finance Committee. There, I made a special priority of ensuring that Americans who count on Federal healthcare programs can actually get the care they need. The notion that Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP coverage could be subject to vaccination status is just nonsense. Contrary to Republican views that Federal coverage should be contingent on filing extensive paperwork, as conservative Governors have pushed in States from sea to shining sea, Democrats believe healthcare is a basic human right and should be available to all. Millions of Americans have received the COVID-19 vaccine through the Medicare and Medicaid Programs. That ought to be celebrated as a success rather than scaring people about their earned benefits being taken away. These bills--now two of them--are thoroughly about political messaging and aren't going to help to end this pandemic or do anything to address challenges facing so many of our constituents. With that, again, I object.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Reserving the right to object.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President and colleagues, the Senator's proposal in effect would be a game-winning touchdown for wealthy tax cheats. IRS Commissioner Rettig, a Republican appointee, came before the Finance Committee earlier this year and said the total amount of taxes evaded each year could be as high as $1 trillion. Cheating by those at the very top is one of the major causes of that huge tax gap. A big reason why is that the automatic reporting and strict rules that apply to the typical, hard-working taxpayer--nurses and firefighters, for example--they don't always apply to those at the top. That means the tax cheats are able to hide their cheating in the shadows. The Senator's proposal would help them keep it that way. This proposal would make it extraordinarily difficult to collect the information necessary to crack down on the high-flying tax cheats. The argument against information reporting is always the same, and it has been consistently wrong. Despite what opponents say, what President Biden and Democrats have proposed is focused on rooting out tax cheating at the top. It wouldn't apply to accounts with deposits and withdrawals under $10,000. And for most people, that is $10,000 on top of your paycheck. It is not about anybody's transactions. They wouldn't be reported, colleagues. It wouldn't create any new surveillance of digital currency. This information-reporting proposal is about reporting only two numbers: the total amount going into an account and the total amount going out of it. Social Security income does not count either. So this idea--and I have listened to my friends--that somehow this is going to end Western civilization just doesn't hold up. In fact, Commissioner Rettig, a Republican appointee, pointed out recently that this plan could actually reduce the odds of an audit for middle-class taxpayers, those folks that I was talking about, the nurses and the firefighters. I am going to close with just a couple of other points. Most of my colleagues know that I am about as strong a privacy hawk as there is in the Senate. And I don't take a backseat to anybody when it comes to fighting for Americans' privacy, whether it is taxpayer data, communications, web traffic--you name it. And, colleagues, all of that work, all of that private work, is on the public record. It is a matter of public record. It isn't an atomic secret. In those debates about privacy, it is also striking that it is most often Members of the other side attempting to stop reforms, for example, to government surveillance of phone records and emails and web browsing--web browsing. But when Democrats are working to crack down on ultrawealthy tax cheats, that is when, suddenly, we have got Republicans saying: Oh, my goodness; who is going to be sensitive to privacy? I want to repeat, as I have on this floor again and again, I will talk to anybody on either side of the aisle with any philosophy about protecting taxpayer data. As the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which handles privacy policy, I want it understood that our committee--and I, particularly, given my record on privacy issues--we take privacy very seriously. That is not what is on offer by the other side today. The bottom line is wealthy tax cheats are ripping off the American people to the tune of billions and billions of dollars per year. Tax cheats thrive when the reporting rules that apply to them are loose and murky. Democrats want to fix this broken approach and crack down on cheating at the top. The Senator's proposal would make that impossible, and it would hand-- colleagues, it would hand, the Senator's proposal--a big fourth-quarter victory to the tax cheats. For that reason, I object. I yield the floor.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m., Monday, October 4; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the House message that accompanies S. 1301.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. WYDEN

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 5434, which is at the desk.

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