Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Richard Burr

06.08.21

Senate HELP Committee considers key nominations for critical roles overseeing pandemic response and mental health, substance use

Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held its nomination hearing for Dawn O’Connell to serve as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Miriam Delphin-Rittmon to serve as Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. 

Ranking Member Burr’s Prepared Opening Statement:

“Chair Murray, thank you for holding such an important hearing today.

“Dr. Delphin-Rittmon and Ms. O’Connell, welcome.

“Both of you are signing up for roles that will come with unprecedented demands.

“Federal service at this level always requires a significant commitment of time and energy, but the pandemic has changed the responsibilities of these roles.

“You will both be in the thick of policy decisions to help Americans heal from a year of loss and lockdowns, and make us better prepared for future public health emergencies. 

“Strong, effective leadership is critical for both of these roles, and is the attribute I value the most in my considerations.

“I plan to spend a majority of my time this morning speaking to the role of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response – which I like to call the ‘ASPR.’

“Before I do, I want to take a few minutes to discuss the difficult task at hand for the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, who will lead SAMHSA.

“Dr. Delphin-Rittmon, the past year has been extremely trying for the American people.

“Many have experienced loss at unprecedented levels – the loss of loved ones, the loss of being able to hug family and friends, the loss of jobs, and school, and routine. 

“Children are increasingly having stress and anxiety, and doctors and nurses are seeing more children showing up at hospitals with serious mental health conditions. 

“Later this week the Committee will be marking up the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to respond to the crisis of child abuse that has grown more acute due to the closure of schools during the pandemic.

“Alongside these challenges, we are in danger of losing ground on all of the progress that we have made in the fight against the opioid crisis. 

“Should you be confirmed, you will go from serving 3.6 million people in Connecticut to 332 million Americans.

“You have an opportunity to bring access to this type of care to more Americans.

“Don’t return to the status quo.

“Embrace the technologies that can better serve Americans in need as we recover from COVID-19.

“Use your experience at the state level to empower state and local leaders to design programs and solutions that best meet their communities’ needs.

“Ms. O’Connell, welcome. Candidly, I wish that this hearing was held months ago.

“This administration has had an acting ASPR since January 20 – in the middle of our response to a pandemic.

“The statutory lead on public health emergencies was left open during the most significant public health emergency of our lifetimes.

“ASPR should have been one of the first slots filled by this administration.

“I will also point out to my colleagues that there is another absolutely critical public health position that has not yet been named.

“The FDA Commissioner.

“I have the greatest respect for Janet Woodcock, she is leading the FDA ably, and I think she “has all of the qualifications needed for this moment, but we need a fully confirmed person in that role.

“We need a nominee and I look forward to vetting her in this Committee. 

“Ms. O’Connell, in our previous conversations we talked about the reason we wrote the ASPR into statute.

“It was to answer the simple question of – who is in charge during a public health emergency.

“The statute is extremely clear. The ASPR is in charge, and serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on these matters.

“This is not a political or a personal choice for any administration, it is the law. 

“It is a role that we envisioned with two types of responsibilities.

“First, the ASPR serves an operational role.

“During an emergency, the ASPR coordinates the public health and medical response – whether that threat is a hurricane, a novel virus, or a chemical attack.

“Another part of the day job is the assessment of, and investment in, our medical countermeasures enterprise.

“As the head of the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise or PHEMCE and with oversight of BARDA and the Strategic National Stockpile, this job covers the research, development, procurement, and deployment of these life-saving products. 

“Second, the ASPR is a policy job, assessing the threat landscape and adjusting our strategies to best position the United States for the threats we face today and in the future.

“My questions today are designed to make sure that you are a good candidate for the entirety of the role as developed and envisioned by this Committee.

“With each iteration of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act – or PAHPA for short – we have adjusted our emergency preparedness and response framework, including the role of the ASPR.

“During the last reauthorization we more closely tied the position to the intelligence community, providing the ASPR with a greater line of sight into the ever-changing landscape of the threats that we face. 

“We made ASPR the head of the PHEMCE to coordinate and make decisions on medical countermeasure investments.

“And, we updated the ASPR’s job description to ensure a focus on both of these operational and policy roles.

“ASPR’s responsibilities also now include the stockpile, a move that strengthens the operational side of this job.

“With the ASPR over the stockpile, he or she can follow taxpayer investments from the advanced research at BARDA all the way through to the last mile of deployment during an emergency.

“Yet the office of the ASPR has also been utilized in ways that are outside of its scope.

“This distracts ASPR from its mission and ultimately makes us less prepared.

“When we wrote the first PAHPA we hoped that we would never have to use this law to its fullest extent, but the time came during COVID-19.

“A lot of the framework that this Committee designed worked very well during the pandemic.

“We have three authorized vaccines with more on the way, dramatically changing the trajectory of our response to COVID-19 for the better. 

“But the response was not perfect, and the work is not done.

“Instead of looking to the ASPR, the last Administration created its own leadership structure for the COVID response, building the plane and flying it at the same time. 

“Congress intentionally created ASPR to avoid this confusion, and to tip of the spear during a response.

“I know who was supposed to be in charge, because I helped write the law putting ASPR at the front.

“So as our Committee looks at what improvements need to be made in law, I hope that, if you are confirmed, you and my colleagues will work with me: to see what mistakes were made and how to learn from them, to make it more clear that the ASPR is in charge, that you have the tools you need, and that when the next pandemic comes, because it likely will, that ASPR is ready to stand up and take the lead

“The American people expect us to do all we can to protect them from public health threats and to communicate those actions to them.

“They deserve an ASPR that can command the response and coordinate their colleagues across HHS.

“And that brings the same urgency and vigilance to the role in peacetime as in the middle of a response.

“I look forward to our conversation today and hearing whether you are ready to rise to this challenge.

“I yield back.”

Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today delivered opening remarks at a hearing on the United States’ strategic competition with China. 

Witnesses include: Matt Pottinger, former assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor, and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution; Dr. Evan Medeiros, Penner Family Chair in Asia Studies in the School of Foreign Service and the Cling Family Distinguished Fellow in U.S.-China Studies at Georgetown University; Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Associate Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas – Austin; and Ms. Bonnie Glaser, Director, Asia Program, at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

As Prepared for Delivery:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling today’s hearing. Congress has been talking a lot about China competition, but I haven’t seen any hearings like this. Welcome to our witnesses.

This committee has explored the military dimension of our competition with China at length. The INDOPACOM commander told us “our combat edge against China is eroding.” The threats get worse the closer you look and the longer we wait to address them.

China is a full-spectrum threat. They’re competing with us in every arena — economics, technology, military, diplomacy, and information warfare.

Our witnesses today will give us a good idea of how China blends all its tools of national power to achieve its objectives. That’s something we need to do better here.

The 2018 National Defense Strategy reoriented the U.S. military toward competition with China. I think we’ve done a good job of pressing the Pentagon to implement that strategy. 

The Biden administration’s interim national security strategic guidance should focus the entire federal government, not just the military, on long-term competition with China. 

But it has failed to do that. To start, this year’s budget does not resource our troops at the levels necessary to carry out the 2018 NDS.

President Biden wants to “lead first with diplomacy,” but we know a strong military underwrites effective diplomacy—underfunding the military will undermine our diplomacy.  

We’ve got a budget that cuts defense when we need real growth. You see the impact everywhere—underfunding of ships, aircraft, munitions, and more. On the Pacific Deterrence Initiative request, there was clearly a disconnect with the legislation we wrote last year.

We also just received the military’s unfunded priorities. Let’s be straight: These are not “wish lists.” They are military commanders telling us the combat risk we’re taking by not adequately resourcing our strategy.

We’re not making hard choices—we’re making bad choices.

We also haven’t yet reoriented most of the U.S. government to great-power competition.

Our executive agencies don’t coordinate very well.  We constantly ask the military to do things it shouldn’t do when other federal agencies have failed to take action. 

We don’t coordinate very well in Congress, either. For the last month or so, we’ve been working on a so-called “China” bill. But key national security committees—including this one—were not consulted at all in the hurried and chaotic approach to this bill. 

To counter China’s comprehensive strategy in this long-term competition, we need well- thought-out, bipartisan, and effective legislation instead of the rushed language we have now.

I know our witnesses can help us do that, and I look forward to their testimony, because we are likely to only get one good shot at an effective China competition bill. Mr. Chairman.

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

06.08.21

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced legislation to enforce federal mental health parity laws that requires patients have the same access to mental health services as they do physical health services. The Parity Implementation Assistance Act would authorize $25 million in grants to states to support their oversight of health insurance plans’ compliance with mental health parity requirements, as long as states collect and review comparative analyses from insurers. The Parity Implementation Assistance Act builds upon the Cassidy-Murphy Mental Health Parity Compliance Act of 2019, which became law in 2020 and provided federal and state health insurance regulators with additional tools to monitor and assure compliance with mental health parity laws. U.S. Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) are introducing the House companion legislation.

“As a doctor, it’s clear mental health and physical health are linked. In 2016 and 2020 we passed legislation takings steps to ensure Americans with mental illness have the same access to treatment for both. This bill strengthens accountability and enforcement to build on those efforts,” said Dr. Cassidy.

“Way too often, insurance companies still use red tape and bureaucratic hurdles to deny care to people with mental illness. That’s against the law, and gradually, Senator Cassidy and I have been improving enforcement of the federal mental health parity law. This bill is the next step. The Parity Implementation Assistance Act would provide states with badly needed funding to support mental health parity implementation and enforcement,” said Senator Murphy.

“These are hard times for everyone, and the impact of the pandemic is taking a toll on the mental health of many people in our communities,” said Representative Cárdenas. “Despite this, those who attempt to receive care are far too often met with barriers in coverage. Our legislation will give states the resources needed to successfully implement parity compliance measures and help people access mental health care and treatment on the same basis as any other illness.”

“As a Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Addiction Task Force, I am proud to support the bipartisan Parity Implementation Assistance Act,” said Representative Fitzpatrick. “Now, more than ever, it is imperative we provide crucial support for the millions of those struggling with mental health or a substance use disorder in our country. And a crucial part of this mission is ensuring that our mental health and substance use disorder parity laws are being enforced.”

“As states work to implement the new parity law passed by Congress at the end of last year, it is vital that the Federal government provide state insurance commissioners with resources to ensure compliance,” said American Psychiatric Association President Vivian Pender, M.D. “COVID-19 may appear to be subsiding, but discrimination against those seeking behavioral health treatment is a longstanding problem, and we are still dealing with a mental health crisis, the opioid epidemic, and the disparities produced by social determinants of mental health. This legislation is a necessary step to enhance the ability of states to effectively implement the parity law so that patients can access the life-saving care that they need.”

“We applaud Senators Murphy and Cassidy and Representatives Cárdenas and Fitzpatrick for their continued leadership and steadfast commitment to improving compliance with MHPAEA! The Parity Implementation Assistance Act would provide critically needed resources to state regulators so they can improve parity enforcement using the new documentation requirements,” said Shawn Coughlin, President and CEO, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare.

“The Parity Implementation Assistance Act is an important step toward ensuring Americans receive coverage for mental health and addiction treatment at a time of unprecedented need,” said former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum. “I applaud Senators Murphy and Cassidy and Congressmen Cardenas and Fitzpatrick for their leadership in helping to make the promise of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act a reality.”

In 2016, landmark mental health legislation, the bipartisan Mental Health Reform Act, authored by Cassidy and Murphy was signed into law.

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Source: United States Senator for Missouri Roy Blunt

Full text of the report and recommendations is available for download HERE

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Ranking Member and Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and Gary Peters (Mich.) and Rob Portman (Ohio), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a bipartisan report on the security, planning, and response failures related to the violent and unprecedented attack on January 6th.

The report also includes a series of recommendations for the Capitol Police Board, United States Capitol Police (USCP), federal intelligence agencies, the Department of Defense (DOD), and other Capital region law enforcement agencies.

“Over the past five months, our committees have worked together in a bipartisan way to thoroughly investigate the intelligence and security failures prior to and on January 6, and to develop recommendations to address them,” said Blunt. “These recommendations are based on an extensive fact-finding effort that included interviews with key decision makers, firsthand accounts from law enforcement personnel, and the review of thousands of documents. Our focus now should be on immediately implementing these recommendations. We owe it to the brave men and women who responded that day to do everything we can to prevent an attack like this from ever happening again, and in every instance ensure that the Capitol Police have the training and equipment that they need.”

“On January 6th, brave law enforcement officers were left to defend not only those in the Capitol, but our democracy itself – and they performed heroically under unimaginable circumstances. At our first bipartisan hearing, I announced as Chair of the Rules Committee that our purpose was to find solutions and issue timely recommendations so it never happens again. This report lays out necessary reforms including passing a law to change Capitol Police Board procedures and improving intelligence sharing. I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to implement the recommendations in this report that are needed to protect the Capitol and, in turn, our nation,” said Klobuchar. 

“Thanks to the heroic actions of U.S. Capitol Police, D.C. Metropolitan Police, the National Guard and others – rioters on January 6th failed to achieve their goal of preventing the certification of a free and fair presidential election. The events of January 6th were horrific, and our bipartisan investigation identified many unacceptable, widespread breakdowns in security preparations and emergency response related to this attack,” said Peters. “Our report offers critical recommendations to address these failures and strengthen security for the Capitol to prevent an attack of this nature from ever happening again.” 

“The January 6 attack on the Capitol was an attack on democracy itself. Today’s joint bipartisan congressional oversight report from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Rules Committee details the security and intelligence failures in the days leading up to the attack, the lack of preparedness at the Capitol, and the slow response as the attack unfolded,” said Portman. “We make specific recommendations to address key failures in the Capitol Police Board structure and processes; ensure Capitol Police has the training and equipment necessary to complete its mission; update how the intelligence agencies assess and issue intelligence bulletins, particularly as it relates to social media; enhance communications between the chain of command at the Department of Defense; and ensure timely and effective cooperation and coordination amongst federal, state, and local law enforcement. We must address these failures and make the necessary reforms to ensure this never happens again.”

On January 6th, 2021, the world witnessed a violent and unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Vice President, Members of Congress, and the democratic process. Rioters, intent on obstructing the Joint Session of Congress, broke into the Capitol building, vandalized and stole property, and ransacked offices. They attacked members of law enforcement and threatened the safety and lives of our nation’s elected leaders. Tragically, seven individuals, including three law enforcement officers, ultimately lost their lives.

The Committees’ investigation uncovered a number of failures leading up to and on January 6th that allowed for the Capitol to be breached. These breakdowns ranged from federal intelligence agencies failing to warn of a potential for violence to a lack of planning and inadequate-preparation by USCP and law enforcement:

• The Federal Intelligence Community—led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—did not warn of a potential for violence on January 6th.

• USCP intelligence components failed to convey the full scope of threat information they possessed.

• USCP was not adequately prepared to prevent or respond to the January 6th security threats, which contributed to the breach of the Capitol.

• Opaque processes and a lack of emergency authority delayed requests for National Guard assistance.

• The intelligence failures, coupled with the Capitol Police Board’s failure to request National Guard assistance prior to January 6th, meant the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) was not activated, staged, and prepared to quickly respond to an attack on the Capitol. As the attack unfolded, the Department of Defense (DOD) required time to approve the request and gather, equip, and instruct its personnel on the mission, which resulted in additional delays.

The report makes a series of recommendations, summarized below.

CAPITOL POLICE BOARD

• Empower the Chief of the USCP to request assistance from the D.C. National Guard in emergency situations.

• Document and streamline Board policies and procedures for submitting, reviewing, and approving requests from USCP to ensure coordination among all members of the Board.

• Ensure the Board is appropriately balancing the need to share information with officials with the need to protect sensitive and classified information.

• Appoint a new Chief of the Capitol Police with appropriate input from USCP officers, congressional leadership, and the committees of jurisdiction.

U.S. CAPITOL POLICE

• Ensure USCP has sufficient civilian and sworn personnel, with appropriate training and equipment, in the roles necessary to fulfill its mission.

• Require a department-wide operational plan for special events.

• Establish the Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU) as a formal, permanent component of the USCP and ensure that its dedicated officers are properly trained and equipped at all times.

• Consolidate and elevate all USCP intelligence units into an Intelligence Bureau, led by a civilian Director of Intelligence reporting to the Assistant Chief of Police for Protective and Intelligence Operations; ensure the Bureau is adequately staffed and all agents and analysts are properly trained to receive and analyze intelligence information; and develop policies to disseminate intelligence information to leadership and rank-and-file officers effectively. 

• Update its Incident Command System Directive to address how Incident Commanders are to communicate priorities, strategies, tactics, and threat assessment to front-line officers prior to and during an incident and ensure that the Directive is followed.

INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES

• Review and evaluate handling of open-source information, such as social media, containing threats of violence.

• Review and evaluate criteria for issuing and communicating intelligence assessments, bulletins, and other products to consumer agencies, such as the Capitol Police.

• Fully comply with statutory reporting requirements to Congress on domestic terrorism data, including on the threat level and the resources dedicated to countering the threat.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/D.C. NATIONAL GUARD

• Develop standing “concept of operation” scenarios and contingency plans for responding quickly to civil disturbance and terrorism incidents. 

• Enhance communications prior to and during an event between DOD and DCNG strategic, operational, and tactical decision-makers and commanding generals. 

• Practice for the mobilization of additional National Guard members from neighboring jurisdictions to provide immediate assistance and report to command and control in the event of an emergency.  

• For special events in which a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is approved, consider proximity and response, among other factors, when deciding where to stage the QRF to ensure the ability to quickly respond to incidents at the Capitol.

• Clarify the approval processes and chain of command within DOD to prevent delays in authorizing the deployment of the DCNG when authorized.  

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND UNIFORMED SERVICES IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

• Ensure that Mutual Aid Agreements among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies include all partners in the National Capital Region and that those agreements are regularly reviewed and updated.

• Conduct joint training exercises to ensure coordination across federal, state, and local governments concerning security threats in the Washington, D.C. area for requesting, receiving, and utilizing emergency assistance. 

HOUSE AND SENATE SERGEANTS-AT-ARMS

• Develop protocols for communicating with Members of Congress, staff, and other employees during emergencies.

Two days after the January 6th attack, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration announced a joint bipartisan oversight investigation to examine the intelligence and security failures that led to the attack. Subsequently, the Committees held two oversight hearings related to the January 6th attack on February 23, 2021, and March 3, 2021. As part of this investigation the Committees reviewed thousands of documents, received written statements from more than 50 USCP officers about their experiences, and interviewed numerous current and former officials from USCP, Senate Sergeant at Arms, House Sergeant at Arms, Architect of the Capitol, FBI, DHS, District of Columbia Metropolitan Police, DOD, and the DCNG.

The executive summary and recommendations are available HERE.

The full text of the report and recommendations is available HERE.

Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman

June 7, 2021 | Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – This evening on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) honored the 77th anniversary of D-Day by reading the prayer that President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered to the nation on the morning of June 6, 1944, now known as the D-Day Prayer.

Portman discussed his work to ensure the prayer is permanently inscribed at the Circle of Remembrance, just north of the World War II Memorial. The World War II Memorial Prayer Act, authored by Senator Portman and Representative Bill Johnson and signed into law in 2014, directs the Secretary of the Interior to install a plaque near the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., inscribed with the words of the D-Day Prayer. The legislation requires that the plaque comply with the Commemorative Works Act and prohibits the use of federal funding. A temporary plaque was donated to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to honor our WWII veterans and their families during the 75th anniversary and was installed in 2019. Construction of the permanent plaque is expected to be completed next year.

A transcript of his remarks can be found below and a video can be found here:

 

“I’m here on the floor of the Senate this evening to commemorate the 77th anniversary of D-Day. This was a huge turning point in World War II, of course. The invasion of Normandy occurred 77 years ago yesterday. Historian Douglas Brinkley wrote that D-Day was both the single most important moment in the 20th century and one of the most tragic too, in terms of loss of life. I think he was right. 160,000 soldiers crossed the channel that day to begin the campaign to recapture Europe from Hitler’s rule.

“On their backs were rucksacks with 80 pounds of gear. But so, too, was the fate of all of us, our allies in Europe, really the fate of the free world. And many of our best and brightest young Americans did fall that day. We lost more than 10,000 men in one day. The Nazis had spent two years fortifying the coast to prepare for this moment. It was Hitler’s so-called Atlantic wall. The beautiful coastline of northern France was covered in barbed wire, land mines, and bunkers.

“But at the end of the largest amphibious invasion in history, we stood victorious. Battered, but not broken. On we marched through France, through Belgium and finally into Germany itself. But even today, amid the flowers and fields of Normandy – I’ve been there, many of you have been there listening tonight – you can feel even today the lingering presence of those who died that day in the service of liberating Europe. And you can see it in the stark, orderly U.S. military cemeteries, where row after row of white crosses and stars of David commemorate those brave souls who were lost, representing lives lost in a noble cause.

“And though much has happened in the following 77 years, we can never lose sight of the valor and the sacrifice by our armed forces on that one day. On Memorial Day about a week ago, I spoke at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio. It was a hopeful day for me not just to have so many people together as we emerged from COVID-19, really the first big public event they’ve had, but also to see the generations of veterans and family members there to honor the fallen. World War II veterans, Gulf War veterans, Korean War veterans, the Vietnam veterans, and veterans, of course, from Afghanistan and Iraq. 

“They represented the living embodiment of the stories we ought to be remembering from a war that recedes further into the past with every passing year. Stories of valor like that displayed by Jim ‘Peewee’ Martin from Dayton, Ohio. On that day, he and the rest of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment parachuted behind German lines in the dark of predawn. Jim was wounded but fought bravely, earning both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his efforts. 

“Stories of sacrifice like that of the Napier Brothers of Warren County in southwest Ohio – the county my mom is from. All five of the brothers served in the war and two of the five brothers landed at D-Day. One died there on the beaches, never to return to his Ohio home. They are stories to be preserved for generations to come. The memory of D-Day and indeed of World War II must never be lost.

“Since I’ve been here in the United States Senate, I’ve often come to the floor on D-Day to recite the special prayer that was given that day by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was expected, of course, that FDR would give a speech when the invasion took place. One of his fireside chats from the White House. But for some reason, FDR was moved to prayer. The famous prayer that he gave that day has become known as the D-Day prayer. It is a powerful statement, my favorite presidential statement, and one that deserves to be remembered for generations to come. In 2013, I introduced legislation called the World War II Memorial Prayer Act, which directs the Secretary of Interior to install a plaque to be placed at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall with the words of the D-Day prayer.

“It’s a beautiful memorial, but frankly, some more interpretation wouldn’t be a bad thing. And having that prayer there, as you’ll see in a moment when we recite it, would be an appropriate way to pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day. It was Ohio Christian Alliance President Chris Long who first came to me with the idea of a plaque displaying this historic prayer. That legislation was actually signed into law with the help of Senator Joe Lieberman on a bipartisan basis. We got it passed in 2014.

“The Friends of the National World War II Memorial and the National Park Service have since that time worked with us to develop and refine the final permanent plaque design. Most recently, they received design approvals from the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission. It takes a while to get things done on the National Mall I found. There is quite a process. It has now been seven years, longer than World War II itself, and despite the hurdles, we have yet to see the final plaque installed. But it will be done, by the way, not at any cost to the taxpayers, meaning private fundraising, no taxpayer dollars, will be used.

“We had hoped to have the final plaque in place for the 75th anniversary. In the meantime, in 2019, we were able to have a temporary plaque in place with the words of the prayer at the permanent location for the permanent plaque, which is at the Circle of Remembrance next to the World War II memorial.

“If you’re on the Mall and you’re coming from the Capitol, it’ll be on your right. So it is north of the World War II Memorial, but right next to it. And in this very beautiful place, the Circle of Remembrance, a good place to sit and reflect, you will see right now, the plaque is there and you can read the prayer. The permanent plaque will be even bigger and will allow even more people to have access to it. I encourage people to go see that plaque. By the way, I think it’s the only prayer on display on our National Mall. 

“The temporary plaque, by the way, was generously donated by the friends of the National World War II Memorial. We’re very hopeful that the permanent plaque will be placed at the Circle next year. I want to thank the Lilly Endowment for their generous support of this project, by the way. Last October, they provided a $2 million grant for the construction and installation of the permanent plaque. And this committed financial support will be critical to finally bringing the project across the line. 

“The fact that a prayer was offered that day by our commander-in-chief is historic in and of itself. But it’s the content of the prayer that makes it so worthy of remembrance. I’d now like to read this World War II D-Day prayer, if I may.

“‘My fellow Americans,’ FDR began. ‘Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. 

“‘And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: 

“‘Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.  Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. 

“‘They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. 

“‘They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war. For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. 

“‘Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas — whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them–help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice. 

“‘Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.  

“‘Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.  And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be. 

“‘And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. 

“‘With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.  

“‘Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.’

“Powerful prayer. I love the part about ‘they come not to conquer, they come to liberate.’ The same can be said for our armed forces throughout the ages. I look forward to seeing these words of prayer permanently displayed on the National Mall to help us memorialize such a noble day we must never forget. I yield the floor.”

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Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

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Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

Tuberville: Democrats’ Out of Control Spending Putting Economic Recovery at Risk

Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

06.07.21

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford today joined Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), John Boozman (R-AR), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) to recognize 50 years of commerce on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) in Oklahoma. The MKARNS, also known as the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, is a key inland waterway navigation system for freight movement extending 445 river miles from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Muskogee, Oklahoma, through Arkansas, connecting to the Mississippi River.

“The MKARNS is a key interstate commerce component to Oklahoma and the region, and its economic impact has been vital to Oklahoma businesses and industry for half a century now,” said Lankford. “We should continue to invest in infrastructure modernization in and around the ports and waterways, maintain any safety and security needs, and ensure workers have what they need to keep MKARNS moving forward and thriving for the next 50 years and beyond.” 

“Since its creation, the MKARNS has promoted freight mobility, expanded agricultural exports and enabled the cost effective movement of iron, steel, and other products—empowering economic development and job growth across Oklahoma,” said Inhofe. “This vital economic engine and freight corridor was the largest Army Corps of Engineers civil works project undertaken at the time of its construction and is most deserving of celebration. It has been a top priority of mine to work with a vast array of stakeholders, including the five public ports, 50 private terminals and over 90 industries that use the MKARNS, to ensure our inland waterway remains a key navigation channel. As we look to the next 50 years of operations, we will work together to modernize and deepen our marine highway so it can continue to anchor economic growth and prosperity for the entire region over the next 50 years.”   

“Over the last 50 years, the MKARNS has had a tremendous impact on navigation, flood control, power generation, habitat conservation and economic development in Arkansas and regionally,” said Boozman. “This ambitious and visionary project has resulted in an inland waterway that allows low-cost, fuel-efficient transportation for more than 10 million tons of cargo each year, connecting people and goods throughout the US and to the rest of the world. I join my colleagues in celebrating this milestone and will continue working to ensure the corridor is functional and vibrant well into the future.”

“The MKARNS functions as a gateway from the Mississippi River through Arkansas and Oklahoma—allowing easy transport of goods and commodities,” said Cotton. “I’m grateful for the many Arkansans and Oklahomans who keep this navigation system running, and I look forward to many more successful years of service to come.”

Background

One June 5, 1971, President Richard Nixon officially dedicated the MKARNS at a ceremony at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. On average the MKARNS moves 11 million tons of commodities worth more than $4 billion every year and supports more than 56,000 jobs, driving economic growth and efficiency for a 12-state region consisting of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, and Idaho. In 2015, the Corps upgraded the classification of the MKARNS from “Connector” to “Corridor” on the National Marine Highway, designated the MKARNS as a high-use waterway system and labeled the MKARNS as Marine Highway 40. In addition to navigation, Congress authorized additional uses for the MKARNS, including flood control, hydropower, recreation, water supply, and wildlife conservation, all of which continue to contribute to the economic viability of the MKARNS for Oklahoma and surrounding states.

Lankford joined Inhofe to pass S.Res.195 through the Senate to honor 2021 as the 50th anniversary of the MKARNS; to recognize that investments in our inland waterways system support our economy; and to commit to completing the deepening of the MKARNS to its fully authorized, 12-foot depth.

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