The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order. Um, I'll be supporting all three nominations before the committee today. I've spoken to Dr. Schwarz. I um since I spoke on Dr. Schwarz last week, I will discuss Mr. Kaufman's nomination today.
[clears throat] America is facing serious public health challenges. Children are dying and being hospitalized from diseases that could be prevented with a vaccine and that were thought to have essentially been eradicated. [clears throat] We have a
terrible Ebola outbreak in Africa and will face many other emerging public health and national security threats. We have to strengthen medical countermeasures and build out a stronger, more resilient domestic supply chain. These challenges require a strong functioning asper. It is clear from pe
from talking with people that I trust that we don't have that right now. That must change. Now, we know that some individuals within HHS have made and continue to make decisions undermining confidence in vaccines and public
health. This includes pushing the dangerous lie that vaccines are related to autism and that we should not invest in promising platforms like the MRNA vaccines. After multiple conversations with senior HHS officials, several
actions have been taken and will be taken to address these concerns, including key personnel changes and better oversight to ensure that science, not ideology, is driving decision-making.
[clears throat] Mr. Kaufman has said some pretty stupid things and irresponsible things regarding immunization. He has owned up to that in his conversations with me. I am assured that if he is confirmed, he will not be
involved in vaccine policy and nor will he be the ultimate decision maker on certain issues like mRNA because of his past statements. I've I've received these reassurances. I will continue to make sure that
these commitments are with are are held. if they are not held. There'll be future leverage points for this committee over future appointees if these commitments are not kept. Lastly, while there have been
changes to the CDC website, any assertion that there is a link between autism and vaccines is wrong. We don't know what causes autism, but study after study shows that it is not vaccines. The administration has committed to continuing to work to remove vaccine
misinformation from that website. This is something again that I will pay close attention to as HHS nominees move through the confirmation process. You can't have perfection. My wife learned that when we first began
to date. Uh so you sometimes don't get the nominee that you'd like to have, but you get a nominee that you have to have if you're going to address serious issues. So with the reassurances that we have from
HHS [sighs] um and Mr. Kaufman stated competence in other areas that are important to Asper. I will support his nomination in committee. With that I recognize Senator
Sanders. >> Thank you Mr. Chairman. I think my wife would concur with your wife. [laughter] about me or about you? >> Uh but while we're not going to get perfection, I think the American people
are owed better uh than what President Trump has nominated. Uh frankly, I was impressed by Dr. Schwarz's educational background, uh her service to the country. That impressed me. But the question that we have to deal with here is not
complicated. Uh we have a secretary of health and human services who fosters and propagates conspiracy theories on vaccines and other important issues. And the question I think the big question before this committee are
nominees going to be prepared to stand up to those conspiracy theories, those dangerous theories which as you indicated are already in terms of measles other problems uh causing this country distress. and I do not unfortunately think that Dr. Schwarz is
prepared to do that. Further, I am strongly opposed to Shan Kaufman's nomination to lead our nation's pandemic preparedness and response. This is a nominee who has said that he quote unquote hated CDC. He has promoted
outrageous conspiracy theories linking the hepatitis B vaccine to autism. He supports the funding research into new vaccines. He has said he would quote rather perish end quote than give his children the CO 19 vaccine. Those are
not the types of statements we should hear from someone charged with preventing the next pandemic. And Mr. Chairman, as I'm sure you aware, we had a couple of years ago the leading experts in this country coming before us. And what they were saying is the question is not whether there will be
another pandemic. The question is when. So we need leadership that is going to be preparing the American people for that eventuality. Further, I will be voting no on Mr. Sandling's nomination. In my view, at a time when so many working people are
struggling to put food on the table and pay for health care and pay for the basic necessities of life, we need a secretary of labor who's going to stand up to the greed of corporate America, who's going to represent the needs of working people. I do not believe that Mr. Sunderling is the nominee. Thank
you, Mr. Chairman. >> Thank you, Senator Sanders. Seeing that a quorum is present, I now move to favorably report Dr. Schwarz's nomination. The clerk shall [clears throat] call the role. I shall be called I shall be voting yes. >> Senator Paul, >> hi. >> Senator Collins, >> hi.
>> Senator Marowski, >> Senator Marshall, >> Senator Scott, >> Senator Holly, >> Senator Tuberville, Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston, >> hi. >> Senator Moody,
>> Senator Armstrong, >> hi. >> Senator Sanders, >> nope. >> Senator Murray, >> Senator Baldwin, >> no. >> Senator Murphy, >> Senator Kaine, >> hi. >> Senator Hassan, >> no. >> Senator Hickinlooper,
>> Senator Marky, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Kim, >> no by proxy. Senator Blunt Rochester. >> Senator Alter Brooks. >> No. By proxying. >> Chairman Cassidy.
>> Hi. >> I have 12 eyes, 10 nays. >> The eyes have it. The nomination is agreed to and will be favorably reported to the Senate. I'll now move to favorably report Mr. Sundine's nomination. The clerk should call the role.
>> Senator Paul. Senator Collins. >> Hi, >> Senator Marowski. >> Senator Marshall, >> Senator Scott, >> hi. >> Senator Holly, >> Senator Tubberville, >> Senator Banks,
>> Senator Houston, >> hi. >> Senator Moody, Senator Armstrong, >> hi. >> Senator Sanders, >> no. >> Senator Murray, >> could you call roll a little bit slower? Wait for >> Okay. Senator Baldwin,
>> Senator Murphy, >> Senator Kane, >> Senator Hass, >> Senator Henlooper, >> Senator Marky, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Kim, >> no by proxy.
Senator Blunt Rochester. >> Senator Alter Brooks. >> No. By proxy. >> Chairman Cassidy. >> Hi. And we're told that Holly is a minute out. >> So, hold a minute. So, we'll have a second.
I got it. Is that There's a gentleman at Oregon State. He was at LSU and good guy. He's invited me to come to Oregon. invited my wife to come.
Senator Holly, >> what? Senator Holly votes eye. >> I have 12 eyes, 11 nazs. Okay, the eyes have it. The nominations agreed to and will be favorably reported to the Senate. Uh, I now move to favorably report Mr. Mr. Coffman's nomination, the clerk should call the role.
>> Senator Paul, I >> Senator Collins, >> Senator Marowski, Senator Marshall, >> Senator Scott, >> Senator Holly, >> Senator Tuberville, >> Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston,
>> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, Senator Sanders, >> no. >> Senator Murray, >> Senator Baldwin, >> Senator Murphy, >> no. >> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan,
>> yes. >> Senator Hickin Looper, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Marky, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Kim, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Blunt Rochester,
Senator Alerbrooks. >> No. By proxy. >> Chairman Cassidy. >> Hi. >> Senator Holly. >> That's 12 eyes, 11. >> Um, the eyes have it. The nominations
agreed to will be favorably reported to the Senate. Uh, Senator Holly, would you like to be recorded as present on the initial vote as regards Dr. Schwarz? >> Uh, and I presume an I vote. >> All right. >> Okay. We'll now we'll now turn to cons. So I'm sorry. So the eyes have 10 days
on short. >> Yes. The eyes have it. The nominations agreed to for both Schwarz and Kaufman. They will be favorably reported to the Senate. We'll now turn to consideration of today's legislative agenda. I will make an opening statement and then Senator Sanders will give his.
Everybody in this room, certainly the people in this dis want to give Americans the best chance at success. To me, that looks like protecting their health and making life more affordable and increasing quality educational opportunities. Last week, this committee put aside
partisan divisions to advance several bipartisan pieces of legislation which will make health care more affordable. I really want to thank Marshall and Hickinlooper for the patients deserve price tags act by increasing price transparency. This promotes competition and gives
patients the power. It's a key part of my MVP bill which is money and value for patients. And again I thank Marshall and Hickinlooper. Today we have another opportunity to advance bipartisan legislation. My 21st Century Dyslexia Act with Senator Hickinlooper is quite
personal. My daughter has dyslexia. My wife runs charter schools for children with dyslexia. We had a roundt of moms of children with dyslexia. It brought you to tears. the struggles that they had to go to to have accommodations for
their children and the terrible duress that their children had of self uh um image uh and being called dumb and stupid by other children because a bright child could not read
motivates this legislation. And this legislation in particular promotes early screening so children with dyslexia are identified and given the resources they need to succeed. By the way, 20% of us have dyslexia. 20% of children have
dyslexia. These children are bright. They just learn differently. And it can be so damaging to the child's self-esteem, frustrating to the parent when a child who's evidently bright cannot learn. But once the diagnosis of dyslexia is made
and support and resources given, the child's life turns around. The child realizes that their potential. Contrast that with the story, which is far too often the story. A child who drops out of high school because his or her dyslexia was not diagnosed. They never learn to read, cannot pass classes, they
they quit um they cannot pass classes. And so they grow up thinking that they are stupid and for the rest of their life branded by that self-impression. I will speak of a Mississippi state legislator who went into the army and
they told him that he was so bright they wanted to put him in officer school and he goes, "I'm not bright, I'm stupid." He goes, "No, your score shows that you're bright." He goes, "No, I'm stupid." He had been told he was stupid so many years of his life that he now could not believe that he was bright.
>> [snorts] >> Uh that's what happens when a child who has dyslexia does not have does not is not screened, identified, and have an intervention. It should tear our hearts apart. [snorts] My read act with Senator Hassan strengthens evidence-based
literacy instruction requiring early literacy screening and empowering states, local communities, and parents with the resources and flexibility they need. We've seen instruction methods like the science of reading work in Louisiana and Mississippi. Let's pass
this legislation so that every child in America can reach full potential. I thank Senator Hassan for a significant work in writing this legislation as well as Senators Banks, Hickinlooper, and Tim Scott for their support. We also addressed the rising cost of higher education with Senator Banks RISE Act
and my college transparency act with Senator Warren and Senator Marowsky's statebased student loan awareness act. What's in a student's best interest? What's in the family's best interest? Those are the questions we should be asking when considering legislation today. Now, moving on to Department of
Ed activities. I think that moving ozers to HHS would be a mistake. It shifts special education from an educational and civil rights model to a medical model, treating students with disabilities as patients to diagnose rather than learners to educate. This
risk reversing decades of progress made by IDA, which is fundamentally an education law. It would also weaken the federal support states need to implement IDA effectively. I'm a conservative. I think smaller government is better government,
but I worry that many states will still struggle to meet IDA's requirements and need federal technical assistance, coordination, and oversight to build the capacity necessary to serve students with disabilities and the tremendous bureaucracy of HHS in which we read
every day about some crisis or another. Is the Department of Ed staff that will be transferred there empowered and prioritized? I have my doubts. That being said, we shouldn't be doing things simply simply because that's the way we've always been doing them. Mark Wayne
Mullen when he was on this committee spoke about how the status quo has not worked and indeed we've deteriorated under that which has led up to the status quo. As an effort but as an effort to have a successful bipartisan markup, I've agreed to allow a vote on blocking some of the inter agency
agreements. Although I don't agree that Ozer should be carried out by HHS, I'm not in favor of stripping the administration's authority to streamline efforts that help support student success cart blanch. We will also be voting on my health information privacy reform act which protects Americans
private health data. my Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act, which enables the R the RRB to draw limited amounts from its trust fund to provide more timely retirement and unemployment benefits to rail workers, and Senator Young's Emergency Savings Enhancement
Act, which helps more American workers and families save for unexpected expenses without having to tap into retirement accounts. Thank you all for your bipartisan work. I look forward to having a productive markup. With that, I recognize Senator Sanders. Thank you very much, Mr.
Chairman. And um I support eight out of the 10 bills we will be considering today. I will be voting against two of them. Uh the uh Special Education Administration Protection Act and the 21st Century Dyslexia Act. These bills
are strongly opposed by every major organization in America that represents people with disabilities. Let me quote from a letter from the International Dyslexia Association, the Autism Society of America, the National Association of School Psychologists, and more than a
dozen other organizations in opposition to the 21st Century Dyslexia Act. Quote, "This legislation would undermine existing protections under IDA and could result in unintended consequences for students with disabilities, including
dyslexic students. The bill's definition of dyslexia is inconsistent with emerging emerging scientific consensus that no longer references intelligence or cognitive discrepancy as defining features of dyslexic dyslexia. End
quote. Let me also quote from a statement against S5038 by a coalition of disability education and civil rights organizations. quote, "The Special Education Administration Protection Act falls short of providing the protections
students with disabilities urgently need. The bill would not prevent the administration from relocating the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to another federal agency, leaving the office and the millions of children and families who rely on it vulnerable to disruption
and uncertainty. because this bill fails to meet that standard, we cannot support it." End quote. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to include those statements uh into the bill. Mr. Chairman, unanimous consent
without objection. >> Thank you. Um, Mr. Chairman, uh, one of the pieces of legislation that I do support uh, in the, uh, is a provision that I offered included in the Emergency Savings and Enhancement Act. And that
provision would provide $78 million in funding over the next six years to educate retiring business owners and workers about the benefits of employee ownership. Employee ownership. Uh, Mr. chairman, when employees own their own
companies, they're not going to send those companies off to China or off to another low-wage nation. They're going to take pride uh in the work that they are doing. Uh they are going to be involved in the decision-making
processes that impact their jobs. They will see their work no longer as being cogs in a machine. uh workers who have a direct ownership stake in companies they work for become more motivated, absenteeism goes down,
worker productivity goes up, and people stay on the jobs for a longer period of time. I think worker ownership uh is a model that we should be striving for in this country. Uh this would be a small step forward in making that happen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Senator Sanders. Uh we'll now begin consideration of today's bills. For the awareness of all senators and staff, we intend to vote on amendments as they are raised, but we'll vote we'll hold the vote on final passage of both bills to the end of the session. We'll keep members and staff updated on the
timing of the vote on final passage. I ask colleagues to limit remarks to two minutes when discussing either of the bills or offering an amendment as there are a lot of amendments to process. As a reminder, when discussing an amendment, please identify which amendment you are discussing by its name and by its
number. Uh we will now begin with consideration of S55038, the Special Education Administration Protection Act. I'll make some comments, but note we will not vote on final passage of this bill. A primary concern
I have with moving ozers to HHS is that it shifts special education from an educational and civil rights model to a medical model. I'm a doctor, but I don't think this should be a medical model. Treating students with disabilities as patients to diagnose rather than
learners to educate as some advocates media [clears throat] report. This risk as I have said reversing decades of progress made by IDA which is fundamentally an education law. Lastly, moving ozers to HHS also risk weakening the federal support states need to
implement IDA effectively. Returning greater authority to states may be an important policy objective, but many states still struggle to meet IDEIDA's requirements and need federal technical assistance, coordination, and oversight to build capacity necessary to serve students with disabilities. It is
unclear whether HHS has the institutional capacity to provide such technical assistance. If HHS as the largest non-defensive agency, that non-defense agency will prioritize it. I'm open to moving ozers to the Department of Labor, but that is not the IAA that has been signed and is
currently being piloted. Do any members wish to speak on the bill? Um, >> that concludes consideration of S5038. Chair, >> Senator Kaine, >> ju just to conclude, you are not going
to be calling that up for vote. Correct. >> I am not going to call that up, not because I don't care about it. I care deeply about it, but because if you will, that will be subsumed by I think the Kane amendment. >> Yes. Thank you. >> I've not been able to use the word
subsumed during my entire chairmanship. So, thank you for giving me the opportunity to use subsumed. Uh now to um continue with substance [laughter] [gasps] um um we'll now begin with consideration
of S5046 which is to prohibit the transfer of certain offices and functions of the Department of Education to other federal agencies and for other purposes. I promised in the June markup to give Senator Kaine a vote on an IAA an inter agency agreement related bill. He has
worked with other members to scope that which they wanted to vote on. Um I don't oppose all these IAAS. I do think the administration should be allowed to pilot how to how to address inefficiencies and the potential for
efficiencies by oper operationalizing these IAS. I will be voting no on this even though as I just mentioned I do oppose the IAA between HHS and Ozers. Um do any members wish to speak on this bill? Senator K, Mr. Chair, um I want to
thank the chair for the commitment. So to everyone here, when the chair tells you right when you're about to have a vote on something, can you put this off till next month, you kind of hesitate because schedules get screwed up and even when there's a complete sincerity in the offer? Sometimes that hearing
next month punts, but it is a mark of the working relationship I've had with the chair and my respect for him. When he said, "Let's do that." I said, "Okay." And the offer was either to call up the amendment that I offered last month as a standalone bill, which prohibited the transfer of special ed
and rehab services out of DOE, or to find another bipartisan proposal. So, thank you, Mr. Chair, for working with me on that. And then I want to thank my co-sponsors, Senators [clears throat] Collins and Mowsky, and on other committees. We ended up working over the course of the last month and
and reached an accord not on everything within the DOE universe but on four key components of DOE's work that they should not be transferred and those components are the office of special special education and rehabilitative services the office of elementary and
secondary education the office of postsecary education and the office of Indian education and we've reached a bipartisan proposal before the body today that those would not be transferred out of the DOE. I I want to thank my co-sponsors for working with
this proposal to come up with this consensus. There, as I say, there's other aspects of DOE's work that I would love to find an accord on not transfer in particular. I've been a real passionate advocate for career and technical education, but I've worked
well with my colleagues in the past and we quickly find areas of agreement and when we're not on the same page on things, we kind of set those aside. But I think this particular bill Senate F5046 would maintain really core uh proponent
core components within DOA and I urge my colleagues to embrace it. >> Does any other members wish to speak? Senator Collins. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Chairman, first let me thank Senator Kaine for his leadership and for working with me,
Senator Mcowski, Senator Hassen, and Senator Baldwin on this bill. This bill is straightforward. It keeps the administration of important landmark education programs at the Department of
Education where Congress specifically put them and where they belong. So it reverses four inter agency agreements that have already been outlined by my colleague. It's significant that former
uh Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings from the Bush administration supports our bill as do NEA and AFT. These transfers are misaligned with
their program purposes. For example, the administration has an agreement with the department of health and human services to administer the education office that manages the individuals with disabilities
education act known as IDA. That change fundamentally misunderstands the history and intent of the special education program which was created in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities
receive a free and appropriate public education. Today, this office helps meet the education needs of more than 8 million children with disabilities. It's primarily focused on the students
education needs, not on their health care needs. The point is, prior to the to IDA, far too many children with disabilities did not receive an education. I support
the other provisions as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Wait a minute. I beat you this week. Dropped it. [laughter] >> Dropped the drop dropped the gavvel. Uh, Senator Marowski, >> thank you. I am aware of that heavy
gavvel there. Um to my colleagues, Senator Kaine and Senator Collins, Senator Hassan, thank you for willingness to to get to a point where we we have a universe um where there are some some real concerns about these
movements um between agencies, between departments and the impact on kids. And we cannot lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, we're talking about children, whether it's children with special needs, whether it's children in our elementary schools, whether it's our
our our native students. Um, making sure that we don't lose that focus. I had a pretty good conversation with Secretary McMahon. Um, obviously she's advocating from a position to keep everything on track, uh, citing for more time to do
quote proof of concept. And I do listen to that. But then I think about these kids in school and when you're in school, when you're in the program that you rely on from day to day, your families rely on that. You're not really interested in knowing whether or not
there's greater collaboration between agency folks because you've moved from one building to another. So I I have taken the the the position that making sure that we allow for the programs that
have been situated within the agencies that Congress has directed for a good reason that we allow those to continue. But I think it is important to note that this was not a cart blanc. Everything that the department has asked to be transferred that we are objecting to.
We're looking critically at the programs. We're looking specifically to the intent. Um, I have a a large native population in my state. Alaskan natives are quite concerned about this. There was no tribal consultation before uh any
any transfer um was was allowed. So, these are issues that have real-time impact on our children right now. And I would support the uh the measure that my colleagues have advanced. >> Senator Tubberville. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [snorts]
You know, I The definition of losing is doing the same thing over and over without a different result. I did this for 30 years. We're losing. We're losing badly. And we need to help out the Department of Education. I think this bill is misguided. It clearly lacks the
vision to address this failing education system that we have in this country that we can pat ourselves on the back and say we're giving a lot of money, but it ain't working. You know, I'd like to remind my colleagues that educational policies,
decision making in this country has always rested primarily with the state and local communities, not here in DC. For some reason, we're fixated on that. Many of us have long believed that the federal footprint in education is much
larger than it needs to be. When we stop the government from streamlining operations, it doesn't help students. It simply preserved bureaucracy. The National Assessment Education Progress scores show 33%
of students can't do basic reading and math. We should be embarrassed. That's on us. Why are we defending this? I don't understand that. The Department of Education is engaging with state and local officials every day. The federal agency is actually listening to the people they serve for the first time. I
have no doubt the Department of Education can send a formula for money on time. That's what we need. They've already been doing that and they will continue to do so. So, the department is listening to the states through this process and that's what we need to do.
President Trump's Department of Education is changed. It's changed for the better. I'm hearing it from my state. We need to listen to them. We need to applaud them what they're doing. Don't keep running up the middle when we need to throw the football. My god, folks. We
need to help our kids. I mean, we're thinking about bure bureaucrats, not students. Think about what we're doing here. Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. >> Uh, Senator Hassan. >> Uh, Mr. Chair, I wasn't planning to speak on this, but I I do want to uh
respond a little bit to my colleague from Alabama here. Uh before the IDEIDA was passed into law, uh people like my son would have been forced into an institution where they were often isolated and abused, Ben is non-verbal, but his teachers in a public school
system in Exit, New Hampshire, learned how to work with him and learned that he could raise a hand to say yes or no and discovered he was really smart. He got to go to school with his peers. He got to make friends and he got to learn. and he's a high school graduate
and a member of his community and his friends still come to see him regardless of where they are in the country, write him letters, write him emails. That's the difference that special education made. Now, you talk about collaboration at the state and local level. I went to
special education meeting after special education meeting in my school talking with my son's teachers and educators on a monthly if not more regular basis because that's what this law and that's what the special education unit at the
department of education does. It empowers parents and students at the local level. And it teaches all of our students that regardless of your physical ability, regardless of whether you can speak or not, regardless of whether you sit in a wheelchair,
regardless if occasionally you drool in class. You're a human being with capacity. and it has expanded opportunities not just for my son but for all sorts of young people who were written off when
they should not have been. So I appreciate that there are reforms necessary at the department of education. There are reforms necessary in the special education system to be sure, but I don't want us to lose sight of the purpose of this particular unit within
the Department of Education and the difference it has made to millions of lives, to families, to workforces who now hire people with disabilities. That's the difference this makes and that's why I am so supportive of this bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Uh, Mr. Chairman, I offer amendment number one to the bill. Uh, Mr. Chairman, Congress created the Department of Education by law, and only Congress can eliminate it. This administration is frankly spitting in the face of Congress and the law with
illegal inter agency agreements that are no more than an outand-out attempt to actually abolish the Department of Education. Title run one run out of the labor department. Civil rights shipped off to DOJ. It doesn't make any sense. And we never voted to do that. Career
and technical education funding got moved to labor. Thanks to Trump, our states now have to waste limited time figuring out a new bureaucracy. Nothing has been made more efficient for our students or their schools. And by the way, doing this cost taxpayers more
money. Americans do not support abolishing the Department of Education. If Secretary McMahon wants to eliminate the department, she can ask Congress. Until then, an inter agency agreement is not a magic wand. She cannot sign away
her legal duty to America's students. So my amendment is simple. No office, no program, no function at the Department of Education can be torn away. It says no to abolishing the Department of Education and I urge my colleagues to
vote I. >> Does anyone wish to speak on the amendment? Senator Bowen. >> Thank you uh Mr. Chairman. As we have heard uh countless times in this very hearing room from members of this committee, from witnesses, and from the
Secretary of Education herself, the president does not have the authority to abolish the Department of Education. Only an act of Congress can do that. But despite this, President Trump and Secretary McMahon have tried to subvert
Congress and the will of the people by entering into these illegal inter agency agreements. And this is saddling schools with more bureaucracy and outsorting outsourcing critical programs like special education and the enforcement of
civil rights laws to other illquipped departments and agencies. Students deserve better and so do their parents who do their best to advocate for them. I co-sponsor this bipartisan agreement
to finally rebuke the president's illegal actions. This is something that we should have done months ago. Senator Murray and I tried to advance this in the fisc year 26 appropriations process and I'm hopeful that the agreement we
have reached can keep the strong bipartisan momentum behind it to advance beyond this committee. The parents that I've heard from in Wisconsin are demanding that we see this through. While I am supportive of this deal, I
also believe the overall bill falls short. Each of the offices being transferred from the Department of Education carries out important responsibilities for our nation's students, and I urge my colleagues to support Senator Murray's amendment
number one. >> Does anyone else wish to speak on the amendment? >> Um, I shall oppose this amendment. Uh, we will now vote to adopt whether or not to adopt the amendment. Uh the clerk should call the role. >> Senator Paul,
>> he is a no by proxy. >> Senator Collins, >> no. >> Senator Marowski. >> Senator Marshall. >> Senator Scott. >> Yes. >> Senator Holly. Senator Tuberville.
>> Senator Banks. >> Senator Houston. Senator Moody. Senator Armstrong, >> no. >> Senator Sanders, >> yes. >> Senator Murray, >> hi. >> Senator Baldwin, >> hi. >> Senator Murphy,
>> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickinluber, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Marky, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Kim, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Blunt Rochester, >> Senator Olsen Brooks, >> I by proxy.
>> Chairman Cassidy, >> I am a no. I have 11 eyes, 12 nays. >> The amendment um fails. Uh this concludes consideration of class 54. >> No. >> Does anyone else have another amendment? >> Mr. Chairman, >> Senator Ball,
>> I'm actually Senator Murray, but that's >> Sorry, Senator Murray. >> Um Mr. Chairman, I offer amendment number two on behalf of myself and Senator Blunt Rochester. Um Mr. Mr. Chairman, last month this administration announced it was shipping the office for
civil rights off to the Justice Department. But before that, they actually fired half of its staff and shuttered seven of its 12 regional office. They paid civil rights investigators as much as 38 million to sit at home. While the backlog backlog
exploded past 24,000 cases and OCR dismissed 90% of the cases it purportedly investigated, every single number is a kid, a student with a disability who's not getting the education they are owed by law or a
student facing discrimination in their classroom. Last year, OCR reached nearly 80% fewer disability discrimination resolution agreements compared to 2024. That is not by accident. It is by design thanks to Trump's staffing cuts and
dismantling the Department of Education. And to send this off to the Department of Justice that is already overwhelmed is not how we make sure our students have access to their civil rights. Moving OCR will not clear the backlog.
It will bury it. Justice delayed is an education denied. So my move my amendment simply keeps OCR at the Department of Education. and I urge a yes vote. >> Does anybody wish to comment on the amendments? Senator Blunt Rochester.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I thank Senator Murray for her leadership on this issue. Uh I also want to thank Senator Hassan for making it clear that this is about students, families, and businesses. Um, I co-lead this amendment
because we know that discrimination uh is not new and it still persists. Uh, I know it uh as the former secretary of labor of Delaware. I know it as the former CEO of the Urban League where we
fought for civil rights and justice and also uh as a person who worked for the Institute for Community Inclusion focused on people with disabilities. Created from the momentum of the civil rights movement, the Office for Civil Rights is tasked with the responsibility
of protecting students on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, age, and national origin from discrimination and making sure all children can go to school and learn. The work of OCR is as important today as it has ever been. The
office is receiving increasing complaints of discrimination while this administration is gutting protections, taking us backwards instead of forward. Instead of a system where the Department of Education investigates every claim, this inter agency agreement could leave
investigations up to the discretion of the DOJ and an administration that has demonstrated it cannot be trusted. We have almost no details about how this would actually work or how cases would be prioritized or addressed.
Because of this, I urge my colleagues to join us in a vote of yes on this amendment and do it for every student, every family, and every business in this country. I yield back, >> Mr. Chairman. >> Senator Collins.
>> Mr. Chairman, the utter failure of the Biden administration to address anti-semitism on college campuses illustrates why we need to move the office of civil rights out of the
department of just of education to a more appropriate department, the department of justice. The ADL Center for Anti-Semitism Research has reported that 73%
of Jewish college students, including a member of my own staff experienced or witnessed anti-semitism on college campuses. In 2024,
I questioned the former Secretary of Education, Cardona, at a Senate Appropriations hearing on his enforcement of title six of the Civil Rights Act. At the time, the secretary
had no one no one on the ground at colleges or universities where investigations into anti-semitism were occurring. He also could not provide a timeline on
resolving these investigations or proposed penalties for schools that were in violation. That is why I support moving OCR to the Department of Justice and oppose this
amendment. >> Does anyone else wish to speak on the amendment? >> Yeah, let me just say a word on that. Um, anti-semitism is a disgusting ideology as is racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry, all of which
exist in the United States. And we have got to do everything we can to combat all of that bigotry. But what the Trump administration has done is often equate objection and concern about what the
extremist government in Israel is doing in Gaza and in the Middle East with anti-semitism. So let me be very clear. To oppose genocide in Gaza is not anti-semitism.
To oppose US taxpayers spending billions of dollars on an extremist government in Israel is not anti-semitism. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> I will comment. but to chase Jewish students into a room and to beat on the
door and to threaten them because they happen to be Jewish, not because of events happening in Gaza, but because they happen to be Jewish, uh, is anti-semitism. >> It is, and we have to combat that. >> And so I I agree with the I associate
myself with the remarks of my colleague from Maine. Does anyone else wish to comment? Oh, Senator Murphy, Mr. Chairman, just just to note that I think we all know what is happening here. Th this is not an attempt to make
the Office of Civil Rights more impactful and more effective. That's just not what's going on. This is an attempt to destroy the Office of Civil Rights by moving it into justice. They have fired
um scores of attorneys. They have shut down the regional offices. We are at a 12year low in terms of the number of cases that are being resolved. They are just out of the business of trying to investigate serious instances of civil
rights abuses. And this isn't an on the level attempt to improve the operation of the office. We'd all be up for that conversation. But we all know what this is. This is an attempt to essentially
either eliminate or greatly reduce um the ability of the Office of Civil Rights to protect students and it's plain as day. I mean, they are resolving almost no cases. They're firing people left and right. And so I think this
committee on both sides of the aisle would be up for this conversation about how to make it more effective with respect to all claims of discrimination. But the reason that our hair is on fire about this capacity being moved is that
it is part of an overall effort to just dry up the ability of the federal government to protect students under our civil rights laws. Does anyone else have a comment? >> Mr. Chairman, I actually had 17 seconds
left. [laughter] So, I just want to point out that the previous administration did not even send investigators to college campuses to investigate
these attacks on Jewish students. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Anyone else? Uh, I oppose this amendment. Uh, for that reason, I move to table the amendment and ask senators to support the motion to table. Uh, I shall be
voting yes to table. And the clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul, >> yes by proxy. I'm sorry, let me see. Yes, by proxy. >> Senator Collins, >> Senator Marowski, >> Senator Marshall, >> Senator Scott,
>> yes by proxy. Senator Holly, >> Senator Tubberville, >> Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston, >> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, >> hi. >> Senator Sanders, >> nope. >> Senator Murray,
>> no. >> Senator Baldwin, >> no. >> Senator Murphy, >> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickin Looper, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Marky, >> no by proxy. >> Senator Kim, >> no by proxy. Senator Blunt Rochester, >> no by proxy.
>> Senator Aler Brooks, >> no by proxy. >> Chairman Cassidy, >> I have 12 eyes, 11. >> The amendment is tabled. Does anyone else have an amendment? >> Senator Murray. >> Mr. Chairman, I offer uh Murray
amendment number three. U Mr. Chairman, Secretary McMahon is duplicating the work her department was already working by asking other agencies to do it instead and then claiming that somehow this makes government more efficient.
Fine. Prove it. Show us the receipts. Under a single one of these inter agency agreements, the Department of Education is paying the Labor Department more than a million dollars to do its job. There are now 13 more of these agreements and
Congress has not received any information about what they cost. So my amendment is very simple. It asks one thing. Tell Congress and the public what these inter agency agreements actually cost taxpayers. If you're proud of this
deal, show us the price tag. What do you have to hide? This amendment simply asks the Secretary of Education to report on the cost of these inter agency agreements. Would anybody like to speak to the amendment?
>> Speaking to members on both sides of the dis. There is broad support for this amendment. I shall be supporting it. If members don't object, we will vote vote by voice and members can be recorded as no if they wish to. Any objection to a voice vote?
Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. All oppose say nay. Uh so I think it is Holly and Armstrong wish to be recorded as nay. Uh the amendment is adopted.
Are there any other amendments? Seeing none, um that concludes consideration of S5046. Before we go further, I'd like to represent two YAS prize winners uh who represent states who are represented on
this committee. Uh I'm going to have a maybe a tough time Jeff but Dr. Jeff Scaronic of Pepinmies in Tampa Florida. He's part of the executive leadership. It's a model focused on integrating therapy and academics for students with
learning disabilities. And then Lisa Scott >> Skade SCA CEO of Trinity School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. um um which is a national finalist semi- finalist for work serving students with learning
differences like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. Again, uh Armstrong and Moody. And for the record, note that Moody is wearing Florida orange. Um uh or maybe Tennessee orange. I'm not sure. [laughter] Um uh but uh we thank you for your good
work. So Um, we'll now begin consideration of S3010. This is the 21st Century Dyslexia Act. I thank Senator Hickin Luba for leading this legislation as well as Senator Mowsky and Banks for their support. As
I've mentioned before, this is personal. Dyslexia impacts one in five Americans. We are just not screening for dyslexia adequately. Uh I I credit Senator Hassan when she was governor of New Hampshire putting in universal screening. Um many
students with dyslexia because they're not screened, not identified, miss out on the integral accommodation that can make a difference in their education. 21st century dyslexia pulls dyslexia out of the overly broad definition of specific learning disability and
includes it in a list of disabilities that define a child with quote child with disability close quote. thus classifying dyslexia as its own category with an idea. We have done this for autism and it has made a difference
for autism. Um uh and it has increased screening identification and the number of students receiving appropriate accommodations if they have autism. If you have something which represents 20% of the student population, why in the heck would you not be screening for it
and adding the appropriate intervention when we know the consequences if it is not identified and addressed? There is research showing that in maximum security prison, if I remember this correctly, as many as 70% of the inmates have dyslexia. Why? because because
illiteracy is a major risk factor for incarceration and dyslexia is the re leading cause of of illiteracy. What we're doing here has consequences for the child, for families, for society.
Uh and there's going to be a lot of oh no, we can't change things. Well, I can tell you when reading scores haven't moved and 20% of the f of 20% of the readers are dyslexic and therefore learn to read differently and we either choose or choose not to do something to positive for these students. I say we
choose to do something positive. I understand there's questions about the definition of dyslexia as laid out in the legislation. But if you were here in 2018 when we passed the first step act for judicial reform, you voted for an
identical definition of dyslexia which is now in federal law. So if we're serious about helping children dyslexia, if we're serious about addressing the inexcusably low literacy rates, we must pass this bill. I also want to be clear.
I support funding increases for IDA. That would address some of the resource concerns groups have raised about this bill. We must more we must do more than we have been and I'll continue to work with appropriators to address that moving forward. Do any members wish to
speak on the bill? >> Mr. Chair, >> uh Senator Murphy. >> Uh Mr. Sher, first of all, it pains me to be on a different side from you on the question of caring for students with dyslexia because nobody works harder on this issue than you do. But this is a
major, deeply controversial change. There are 27 states including Indiana, Florida, Kansas, Ohio, South Carolina that effectively ban the use of this definition. Congress banned the use of
this definition in the 2004 version of the IDA. And the reason is when you define dyslexia um as relational between intelligence and reading ability. When students are
judged to have lower intelligence levels and many students with dyslexia, if you as you've pointed out earlier, are judged to have lower intelligence levels, they don't get services because you essentially have to show that there is a substantial difference between your reading intelligence and your your
reading ability and your assessed level of intelligence. 27 states do not allow this definition to be used. It would require 27 states to change their statutory definition or
be denied IDEIDA funding. This is a top-down approach to a definition of dyslexia which as you know is opposed by most all of the student and um advocate le
groups. Um Senator Cassy, I have two amendments. um and I'm not going to ask them to be distributed because I'm not going to call them but they um offer a different approach here which is one um to to to convene a national conversation on this issue of the definition so as to
allow everyone to have input and second um to provide um a higher level of technical assistance to states um as they seek to get services out to people with disabilities. Um, I think this is going to be a split vote here. I don't
think this bill has 60 votes to pass the um the Senate. And so I would hope that we would try to find some alternative ways to not impose this definition on states that don't want it. 27 states essentially either
either prohibit or discourage this definition, and I think we can find a better consensus approach. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate uh Senator Murphy's comments just now. First, I want to express my appreciation, Mr. Chairman, for your
efforts to get us to better support students with dyslexia. Um, I was moved by the committee's dyslexia round table this past April that you convened which highlighted not only many of the gaps in support for students with dyslexia, but
the extraordinary frustration and pain that these students and their families experience when educators aren't trained well enough to recognize uh the disability and aren't trained well enough to um to manage the disability and support
these students and get them reading. and get them making progress because as you and your wife have done so brilliantly, uh there are really good strategies to do that and we just need to make sure people understand them. But I have heard concerns from advocates about the
implementation of this bill and I am concerned that it has unintended consequences for students with other disabilities. I will also note that my state of New Hampshire has a different definition than this bill would require it to use. So, while I am unable to support this bill as it is currently
written, I remain committed to working with you to address the challenges that students with dyslexia face and I hope very much that we can uh get to a point where we get important improvements to support students with dyslexia over the finish line. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
>> Would anybody else like to speak? >> Mr. Chairman, >> Senator Mowski. >> Mr. Chairman, I too want to thank you for your leadership on this. You spoke to me years ago about uh your priority in this space and uh why you felt so
personally compelled to lead uh to to help make a difference to those that um uh that deal with dyslexia, their families that get frustrated uh with either either the available services or in our case the lack uh of services. Um,
and for me too, uh, this is an issue that is personal. Um, several members of my family, uh, have dealt with dyslexia. And, uh, the beautiful story is that they're all doing well. Uh, some received special services, others
figured it out on their own. And I'll tell you, it was heartbreaking at times to see how they struggled and yet figured out how to adapt one way or another. But the years lost, the years lost for them becomes really, really
hard. And so when when you're willing to step forward, take on some of the advocates in these spaces who also care very very passionately. I want to figure out a way to move the needle. I think you are. I think the way that you have elevated the discussion about dyslexia
and how we view those with dyslexia, how we can work to support them. um how our our our various services need to be um uh not not necessarily aligned because my my relationship with those with
dyslexia is it's a little bit different in everybody because the way that those with dyslexia learn looks different than I do. And so being being gracious with how we approach this is necessary. I'm going to continue to support this
despite the concerns that that others have raised because I think we need to take these first steps. >> Would anyone else wish to speak? Um then I will briefly comment.
I'm a doctor. If you come to me and you say you have cancer, you don't say, "Oh, give me some treatment for cancer." You would hope that I'd find out the particular cancer that you have. and and the particular subtype and subtype and subtype until we get to that precise thing that can make the most difference
in your life. If we had something called specific cancer disorder and we treated every cancer the same, our cancer mortality rates would be so much higher than they are now. If we say specific learning disorder, I would say it's the same thing. And that's been recognized
when it comes to autism. Breaking out autism has made a world of difference for people with autism. Now let's look at the I think false choice made the false compassion made um in which uh it is it is said well wait a second there's
other reasons why people can't read and we don't want to unfairly or discriminatorily or we don't want to make them feel bad about themselves by saying that maybe it's not because you have dyslexia because you have another cognitive disorder.
That is a false compassion because the way that you teach somebody with dyslexia is different than the way you teach somebody who doesn't have dyslexia but has a hard time reading. One more time, it is a false compassion to say we're going to treat you all the same.
It is a correct thing to say we're going to diagnose exactly why you have a problem reading and we are going to come up with a curriculum that addresses your specific disorder. not not a non-specific a specific disorder and we
know what works for dyslexia. Coach once said he spoke movingly of a of a college athlete that went to college on an athletic scholarship and could not read a menu and would order
whatever someone else ordered because he didn't want to be laughed at. That's what we're talking about here. that person most likely had dyslexia. Let's make a choice. Are we gonna have the correct approach or a false
compassion? Uh I will continue to work Maggie with uh Senator Hassan with you. I'll continue to work with the other groups that are concerned regarding this. My door is open. I have offered this repeatedly. I ask those groups to engage constructively.
Um do any members wish to offer amendments to this bill? Seeing none, that concludes consideration. Senator Moody, that that that concludes consideration of S3010.
We'll now begin consideration of S3589, the Rise Act. I thank Senators Banks for his leadership as well as Senators Hassan and Collins for their support. This legislation clarifies that documentation used in K12 education and other settings to receive special ed or
accommodations would be acceptable as proof of disability for students in higher education. This bill strikes the right balance and is supported by both the higher education and disability communities. We have a manager's amendment to S3589. I move to adopt the manager's amendment in the nature of a
substitute and have it considered original text for the purpose of further amendments. All in favor, please say I. I. All oppose say nay. The eyes have it. The motion's agreed to. Do any members wish to speak to the bill? And I see Senator Banks. Mr. >> Chairman. >> Senator Banks. >> Thank you for your support, Mr.
Chairman, and thank you, Senator Hassan, for making this a bipartisan effort. 15% of students in uh grade school have uh a disability per the individuals with disabilities act. and that IAP that they
qualify for uh in high school should easily transfer to a student in college. So, it saves money, it saves time, it cuts red tape. It's as simple as that. I appreciate your support. >> Does anybody else? Senator Hassan. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to also
thank Senator Banks for his leadership on this bill and Chair Cassidy and Ranking Member Sanders for including the RISE Act on today's markup. The RISE would the RISE act would make it easier for students with disabilities to go to college by removing barriers such as requiring a new disability evaluation
which can cost prospective students valuable time and money. I would like to submit a letter of support for the record from the coalition on accessibility and higher education and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. Thank you. >> Without objection. >> Anyone else would like to make a
comment? That concludes consideration of I'm sorry that concludes consideration of 3589. We'll now be consideration of
um S4689 the read act. I thank Senator Hassan for significant work in writing this legislation with me with Senator Banks, Senator Hickinloop Hickin Looper and Senator Tim Scott. Uh I thank them for their support. capable students are dropping out of high school simply
because they were never taught to read. This legislation aims to strengthen to address the [snorts] national literacy crisis by strengthening evidence-based literacy instruction, requiring early literacy screening, targeting support to students, excuse me, to states with the
lowest reading scores, and empowering states, local communities, and parents with more resources. Let's learn from states like Louisiana and Mississippi and implement proven reforms so that every child has the power to read and reach full potential. This bill has the support over of over a 100 organizations
which I will enter into the record without objection. We have a manager's amendment to S4689. I move to adopt the amendment in the nature of a substitute and have it considered original text for the purpose of further amendments. All in favor, please say I. I. Oppose say nay. The
eyes have it. Motion's agreed to. Do any members wish to speak to the bill? Senator Hassan. >> Thank you again, Chair Cassidy and Ranking Member Sanders, uh, for including the Read Act in today's markup. In the greatest country in the world, we can't resign ourselves to the fact that
many children still struggle to read at grade level and that only one in three students leave high school as proficient readers. This bipartisan bill will help teachers access the highest quality tools for teaching students how to read through the comprehensive literacy state
development program. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bipartisan bill to address our declining literacy rates among our children. Thank you. >> Does anyone else wish to speak? That concludes consideration of S4689. >> We now begin with consideration of S497.
the Statebased Loan Awareness Act, thanking Senator Mowsky for her leadership. State-based education agencies often offer students the best loan rates on the market. Current statute prevents states from advising students regarding these loans since they are treated as private loans. This bill fixes that and ensures that states
can recommend these loans to students. We have a manager's amendment to S497. I move to adopt in the nature of a substitute and have it considered original text for the purpose of further amendments. All in favor, please say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion agreed to. Do any members wish to speak
on the bill? >> Mr. Chairman, >> Senator Macowski. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, this is pretty simple. It would allow colleges to tell students and families about the nonprofit state-based lenders in their states. But there are guard rails that we have put in place to protect
students. Pretty simple. The loans have to be approved by the state. The state agency lender offers one or more loans with interest rates and fees that are at least as favorable as the federal direct plus loan. Uh students must first be advised that they uh must exhaust all
federal education loans prior to accepting a state agency lenders loan. And then the fourth guard rail is students are informed of the interest rate, the fees, borrower benefits of the federal education loans. So what we are effectively doing is recognizing that
many families need to find money beyond the federal grants and loans to pay for college. Uh they should be informed or they should be able to be informed that state agency lenders exist if they meet the guard rails included in this bill.
And and again we've heard from some who are concerned that somehow or the other this gives preferential treatment to nonprofit state-based lenders. It does not. Uh, it's also been raised that it might perhaps incentivize state agency lenders to raise their interest rates.
That can't happen because it would still prohibit co colleges from telling families about their state agency lender if they do not offer interest offer loans with interest rates lower than the plus loan. So, we have put in place the the guardrails and the provision to
again protect uh our students here. So, I would encourage uh members support. Does anybody else wish to speak? That concludes consideration of S497. We'll now begin the consideration of S2511, the College Transparency Act. I
thank Senator Warren for co-leading the bill with me. Um, and along with the 24 other bipartisan co-sponsors who have supported this. This bill ensures students and families have better information as they consider higher ed opportunities. It modernizes the college
reporting system for post-secary data by providing accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment completion and post college earnings across colleges and majors while ensuring the privacy of individual students is securely protected. Senator Senate Republicans have already enacted reforms
to bring down the cost of college through the one big beautiful bill. Now, we're injecting much needed bipartisan transparency into a clearly dysfunctional system which will help to bring down tuition prices uh further will help to further bring down tuition. This bill has the support of over 75
organizations which I will enter into the record without objection. We have a manager's amendment to S2511. I move to adopt the manager's amendment in the nature of a substitute and have it considered original text for the purpose of further amendments. All in favor, please say I. I. Oppose say nay. The
eyes have it. The motion's agreed to. Do any members wish to speak on the bill? Um, seeing none, do any members wish to offer amendments? >> Chairman Cassidy, I would like to call it Moody amendment number one to S2511.
>> Okay. >> This um >> this is an amendment that I had offered. I tried to get it on last week in our 11 bills that we did and then I was told maybe this week and we didn't get it on this week. So, I'm a little bit
frustrated and I know many that are in support of this bill are. And the reason is this is a fraud bill and it goes to money going to students that are not actually students. They're fraudsters. We call these ghost students. Um, and the reason I'm so frustrated is
because this was loosened under the last administration. All kinds of headlines, so much fraud. Since uh this administration took over, they've made some adjustments and saved over two billion in student aid that would have went to fraudsters. And the reason I'm
frustrated is because we haven't done anything in the Senate to crack down as we're seeing these headlines come out. And we've seen headlines min uh ghost students stealing millions in financial aid from California community college investigation finds ghost students the 180 million fraud problem haunting
colleges and universities. We haven't gotten any of the 20 bills out of this committee in the last 10 days. None of them are on fraud. None of them address fraud directly. And this amendment is simple. The the no aid to go students. It simply codifies what they're doing at
the Department of Education. So we can't backslip. and it flags extremely suspicious student aid act uh applications. When I say that, that means I'm a student. I'm telling you I live in Tampa, but my IP address is in Kenya, like very suspicious flags and
everything that they're catching is illicit. It's going to ghost students, but it holds the money until the applicant can prove their identity. It's common sense. They can do it through webcam. They can show up in person. They they can do this in the same day. It doesn't hold up the money at all.
They've already saved billions by making this tweet. It's bipartisan. It passed out of the House, overwhelmingly bipartisan. It should be out of this committee with no problem. When it was passed out of the house, uh the secretary of education said um the No
Aid for Go Students Act um which had the previous administration had turned off safeguards. Um it's already saving money. Those efforts have already prevented more than$1 billion dollars in fraud. So I would just ask considering we've done not one fraud bill I will
withdraw it if you will commit to me to putting this up in September and giving this an honest vote. >> I personally support this bill. There is on our on our dis over here some concerns about it. Uh we will have we will have a hearing and a markup on that
bill this bill in September. That is my personal commitment. Uh and thank you for offering and withdrawing. Um, but we will have a commitment and that will give you, Senator Moody, opportunity to work with my folks over here to make them comfortable with it and and your opening your statement speaking of the B
administration initiating it is is a positive way to begin. But with that, thank you for offering and withdrawing. Okay. Any other members have an amendment? That concludes consideration of S2511? We'll now begin consideration of S3097, the Health Information Privacy Reform
Act. I thank Senator Hassan for co-sponsoring. Ensuring that patients have robust privacy protections in place as essential to take full advantage of modern technology. Currently, Americans have few legal protections and control over their health information captured by devices. My bill would create a
framework so that health data is not covered that is not covered by HIPPA is subject to robust privacy protections. We have a manager's amendment to S3097. I move to adopt in the nature of a substitute and have considered original text for the purpose of further
amendments. All in favor please say I. I. Oppose say nay. I [clears throat] have it. Motion agreed to. Do any members wish to speak to the bill? Seeing none, that concludes consideration of S3097. We now begin consideration of S333, the
Emergency Savings Enhancement Act. I thank Senators Young, Kaine, and Booker for their leadership. When workers feel like savings for retirement could leave them without cash to pay for emergencies, they save less and save less often. This legislation builds off bipartisan work in Secure 2.0 to help
workers cover large emergency expenses through inplanned savings accounts. The legislation also reduces unnecessary compliance burdens for employers to offer these accounts to workers. It has the support of several organizations which I wish to enter into the record and do so without objection. We have a
manager's amendment to S3333. I move to adopt the manager's amendment in the nature of a substitute and have considered original text for purpose of further amendments. All in favor, please say I. I. Opposed? Nay. Eyes have it. Motion agreed to. Do any members wish to speak to the bill?
Do any members wish to offer amendments? >> Okay, that concludes consideration of S 3333. We now begin consideration of S4965, Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act, thanking Ranking Member Sanders, Banks, and Senator Banks and Kaine for
expressing interest in this issue during the help committee's February hearing on the Railroad Retirement Board and co-sponsoring this legislation. Past reforms to the Railroad Retirement Board have been accomplished through broad stakeholder and bipartisan agreement.
The RRB Stability Act continues that trend with endorsements from both railroads and labor groups. Congress [clears throat] created the RRB with a unique structure of dedicated automatically adjusting payroll taxes and a trust fund which invests in the
private market. By the way, that trust fund was endorsed on a bipartisan basis with a few Republicans voting against it, but all I think Democrats in the Senate least supporting this legislation extends that flexibility to the RB's administrative funding. I mentioned the
trust fund because we have a real issue with social security and that trust fund shows us what Congress has done in the past and may point a way forward to addressing our social security shortfall. Um, this bill um has the support of several organizations which I enter into the record without objection.
We have a manager's amendment to S4965 which I move to adopt in the nature of a substitute and have considered original text for the purpose of further amendments. All in favor say I. I oppose. Nay. Eyes have it. Motion agreed to. Do any members wish to speak to the bill?
That concludes consideration of S4965? Um, we now move back. >> Okay. We now move to final passage of S5046 as amended. I move to favorably report S5046. Oh, sorry.
>> Okay. So, skip that one. >> Stop. [laughter] So, just we're working on final passage, but we're getting folks coming back now. >> Okay. And so, we do this or not? >> Nope. I'll get the right one. >> Scratch what I just said. We're waiting
to get folks back on our side to um get that. Let's do 4689 which is >> okay. We'll now go to 4689 which is the read act. I move to favor the report
4689. The clerk shall call the role. Yes. >> Not voting. >> Senator Collins. >> I. >> Senator Marowski. >> No. >> Senator Marshall. >> Hi.
>> Senator Scott. >> Yes. By proxy. >> Senator Holly. >> I'm sorry. >> 50 5689. The readout. >> I mean 4689. 4689. My dyslexia kicked
in. Uh, hi [snorts] >> Senator Tubberville. >> I by proxy, >> Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston, >> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong,
>> Senator Sanders, >> I, >> Senator Murray, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Baldwin, >> Senator Murphy, >> no by proxy. >> I'm sorry. Murphy. Yes. >> Murphy is yes. >> Yes. By proxy.
>> Senator Kaine. >> Senator Hassan. >> Senator Hickinlooper. >> Senator Marky. >> Marky is no by proxy. >> Senator Kim. >> Hi.
>> Senator Blunt Rochester. >> Senator Also Brooks. >> I by proxy. Chairman Cassidy. >> I have 20 eyes, two nos. >> Eyes have it. The bill is agreed to and
will be favorably reported as amended. Again, jumping out of water just to make sure that as we get our uh dis back on our side, we'll now turn to S4965, which is the Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act. I move to favorably
report the Railroad Retirement Stability Act. S4965 is amended. The clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul, >> not voting. >> Senator Collins, >> I. >> Senator Marowski, >> I.
>> Senator Marshall, >> hi. Senator Scott, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Holly, Senator Tuberville, >> I by proxy,
>> Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston, >> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> I, >> Senator Murray, I by proxy,
Senator Baldwin, >> Senator Murphy, >> hi. >> By proxy, >> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickinl, Looper, >> Senator Marky,
>> I proxy, >> Senator Kim, >> Senator Blunt Rochester, >> Senator Alserbrooks, I proxy, >> [clears throat] >> Chairman Cassidy >> I
have 22 eyes's zero ns. >> The eyes have it. The bills agreed to. We favor the report as amended. Uh our next is um S3097 the health information privacy reform act.
Um and we will now move to final passage as amended. I move to favorably report S3097 as amended. Again, this is the Health Information Privacy Reform Act. The clerk shall call the role. >> Mr. Chairman, >> Senator Collins, >> could I suggest a voice vote?
>> Um, is there any objection? >> We can't. >> We can't. >> We can't vote on. >> Okay. The clerk should call the role. >> Senator Paul, >> not voting. >> Senator Collins, >> I. >> Senator Marcowski, >> hi. >> Senator Marshall, >> Senator Scott,
>> I by proxy. Senator Holly, Senator Tupperville. >> Hi, by Proxy. Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston, >> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> hi.
>> Senator Murray, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Baldwin, >> Senator Murphy, >> I by proxy, >> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> hi. Senator Hickin Looper,
Senator Marky, >> Senator Kim, >> Senator Blunt, Rochester, >> Senator Alser Brooks, >> I proxy, >> Chairman Cassidy, >> I >> have 22 eyes's, zero nays.
>> The bill is agreed to and be favorably reported as amended. We'll now move to 2511, which is the College Transparency Act. Uh, I move to favor report 2511 as amended. The clerk shall call the role.
>> Senator Paul, not voting. >> Senator Collins, >> I >> Senator Macowski. >> Hi, >> Senator Marshall. >> Hi, >> Senator Scott. >> Hi. By proxy, >> Senator Holly. >> Hi, >> Senator Tubberville.
>> Hi, >> Senator Banks. >> Hi, >> Senator Houston. Senator >> Moody is here. >> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> Senator Murray,
>> I by proxy, >> Senator Baldwin, >> but he's not >> Senator Murphy. >> I proxy. So we do that. Senator Kane, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hankalooper,
>> Senator Marky on this one, >> Senator Kim, >> Senator Blunt Rochester, >> Senator Olserbrooks, >> I proxy, >> Chairman Cassidy, >> I have 21 eyes, one nay.
>> The eyes have it. The bill is agreed to be favorably reported as amended. Next we shall go to S 3333, the Emergency Savings Enhancement Act. Um I move to favorably report as amended.
The clerk shall call the role. Senator Paul >> not voting. >> Senator Collins I. >> Senator Marowski. Hi. >> Senator Marshall. Senator Scott.
>> Yes. By proxy, >> Senator Holly, >> Senator Tubberville, >> Senator Banks, Senator Houston, >> Senator Moody,
>> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> I, >> Senator Murray, by Proxy. Senator Baldwin, >> hi. >> Senator Murphy, >> Senator Kaine,
>> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickin Looper, >> Senator Marky, >> Senator Kim, >> Senator Blunt, Rochester, >> Senator Alerbrooks,
>> Chairman Cassidy. >> Hi. 19. >> I have 19 eyes, three nazs. >> The eyes have it. The bill's agreed to and be favorably reported as amended. >> Okay. Next, we'll go to S5046, which prohibits the transfer of certain
offices and functions of the Department of Education to other federal agencies and for other purposes. Um uh [sighs] I move to final passage. Excuse me. I will now move to final passage. Uh as S
5046 is amended. Um I move to favorably report. The clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul not voting. Senator Collins >> I. >> Senator Marowski. >> Hi. >> Senator Marshall.
>> Senator Scott. >> He is no by proxy. Senator Holly, Senator Tuberville, Senator Banks, Senator Houston,
>> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders. >> Hi, >> Senator Murray. I by proxy, >> Senator Baldwin, I >> Senator Murphy,
>> I by proxy. Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickinlooper, >> Senator Marky, >> Senator Kim,
>> Senator Rochester, Senator Alter Brooks, Chairman Cassidy. >> No. have 13 eyes, nine nays. >> 13 eyes and nine nazs. The eyes have it.
The uh bill is agreed to and will be favorably reported as amended. And next we will go to final passage of F S3589, which is the Rise Act. Um, I move to favorably report as amended. The clerk
shall call the role. >> 30 I'm sorry. >> 3539. >> 3595. >> 3589. Didn't I say that? >> 3589. >> 3589. >> You're confusing me over here. >> Septrifuge by the left. [laughter]
[clears throat] >> Uh, so we will now move to final passage of 3589 as amended. I move to favorably report. The clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul >> not voting. >> Senator Collins >> I. >> Senator Marowski. >> Senator Marshall. >> Hi.
>> Senator Scott. >> I by proxy. >> Senator Holly. >> Senator Tuberville. >> Hi. >> Senator Banks. [clears throat] >> Senator Houston. >> Senator Moody. >> Hi. >> Senator Armstrong. >> Hi. >> Senator Sanders.
>> Hi. >> Senator >> Murray. Senator Baldwin, >> hi. >> Senator Murphy, >> I proxy. >> Senator Kaine, >> hi. >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickinlooper, >> Senator Marky, >> Senator Kim,
>> Senator Blunt, Rochester, >> Senator Alser Brooks, >> Chairman Cassidy, >> I have 22 eyes, zero Naz, >> eyes have it. The bill is agreed to be favorably reported as amended. We'll next go to S3010,
21st Century Dyslexia Act. Um, uh, we will Where's my script on this? >> I'm sorry. >> I move to favorably report. The clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul, >> not voting. >> Senator Collins,
>> I. >> Senator Mowski, >> I. >> Senator Marshall, >> hi. >> Senator Scott, >> yes. by proxy, but he's on his way. >> Senator Holly, >> Senator Tuberville, Senator Banks, Senator Houston, Senator Moody, Sen
Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> no. >> Senator Murray, [snorts] >> no. By proxy, >> Senator Baldwin, >> Senator Murphy, >> no. By proxy, >> Senator Kaine, >> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickin Looper,
>> Senator Marky, Kim, >> Senator Blunt Rochester, Senator Alerbrooks, >> Chairman Cassidy. >> I >> I have 12 eyes, 10 nays.
>> No, without him. Okay, that's good. >> That's great. The eyes have it. The bill is agreed to and will be favorably reported as amended. Next, we are going to uh S497,
Statebased Loan Awareness Act. Clerk, uh, I move to favorably report this member. Favorably report S, excuse me, S497 as amendment. As amended, the clerk shall call the role. >> Senator Paul, >> not voting.
>> Senator Collins, >> hi. >> Senator Marcowski, >> I. >> Senator Marshall, >> hi. >> Senator Scott, >> Senator Hall, >> yes. By proxy, >> Senator Tuberville, >> Senator Banks, >> Senator Houston,
>> Senator Moody, >> Senator Armstrong, >> Senator Sanders, >> yes. >> Senator Murray, >> uh, yes. by proxy. >> Senator Baldwin, >> yes. >> Senator Murphy, >> yes. By proxy, >> Senator Kaine,
>> Senator Hassan, >> Senator Hickin Looper, >> Senator Marky, >> Senator Kim, >> Senator Blunt, Rochester, >> Senator Aler Brooks, >> Chairman Cassidy,
>> I 20 have 20 eyes, two nazs. [snorts] >> The eyes have it. The motion, the bill is agreed to and shall be favorably reported as amended. Next, it >> I now ask permission to ask staff unanimous consent to ask staff to make
technical >> and conforming edits. Uh all in favor say I. I. All oppose say nay. Uh the eyes have it. Motion's agreed to. Uh the committee stands adjourned. Good work. I'm sorry. You have something over there.
>> I I Mr. Chair, I want to just take a moment uh a privilege to make a quick comment. Um >> please, >> but but for the purposes of business, uh members are welcome to hear the loquaciousness of Senator Hickinlooper or they're willing to go get a cup of coffee.
>> Thank you, Chairman Cassidy and Ranking Member Sanders. Um, I just want to make the statement that there are hundreds of thousands of students out there who struggle with dyslexia every day. And I'm here to make clear that you can become a US senator with dyslexia. U not
just myself, but also Michael Bennett. Um, there are a lot of good things. You become you get more grit. You become a different type of problem solver. But it's a big difference when we can catch it earlier. And I was one of those people struggling to read in the classroom that seemed like everyone
around me had already figured it out uh in in middle school. They thought I was lazy, which was probably true as well, but it was really the slow reading that that that cursed me. There are thousands of students who struggle with dyslexia every day. And there too many too too many where the dyslexia is not
identified. So, this 21st century dyslexia act that we just passed takes an important first step to fully to more fully getting our arms around the issue of of properly identifying the kids who do have dyslexia and getting them the support they need faster. Um, we
certainly appreciate working with the chairman on this and with a number of the other senators um and look forward to where we can really get this behind us and make sure that we're getting to all the kids who have dyslexia and getting them the support as quickly as possible. I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Senator Hickuper, thank you for speaking
of your personal experience. Uh, and I congratulate the commarily productive uh, hearing. Thank you. We stand adjourned.