Richard J. Durbin
Senator for Illinois · Democratic · United States
“(c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall-- (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws addressing child marriage and the extent of child marriage across the country, including making specific findings relating to-- (A) barriers to and gaps in services for minors f…”
“(c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall-- (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws addressing child marriage and the extent of child marriage across the country, including making specific findings relating to-- (A) barriers to and gaps in services for minors f…”
“(4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in-- (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in the United States; (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage; (D) th…”
“(4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in-- (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in the United States; (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child marriage in the United States; (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage; (D) th…”
“(3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.”
“(3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,005 lines we hold for Richard J. Durbin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 21.
“Let's do it for the good of Social Security and the millions and millions of Americans who count on it. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4979 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone Act of 2026'' or the ``PROMISE Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCESS TO ASSURE SOCIAL SECURITY SOLVENCY. Title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.”
“No excuses--we can do it this year. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill, to set up the process, the procedure, to bring it to the floor and have alternative substitutes for Social Security's future offered for consideration, for debate, and for a vote. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and finally kick-start the process of tackling this important issue. We will be working to pass this measure before we depart for the August recess. Is it a long shot? Maybe it is. But I think, when we understand the gravity of the challenge and the important responsibility we shoulder when we accepted this position as Senators, we will understand that we have to rise to that challenge. The eight of us--four Democrats, four Republicans--are willing to step up and say: Let's move forward. Let's not be afraid to legislate.”
“I will note that the senior Senator from Ohio, a Republican, and the senior Senator from Massachusetts, a Democrat, recently shared their idea to shore up the program, a bipartisan plan. They may offer an amendment to do just that. Congress has no shortage of ideas; we simply have a lack of will on both the left and the right. Many stakeholders would rather wait for that perfect political moment. Well, that is a mistake. I worry that moment will never come, and Americans will suffer because of that calculation. The PROMISE Act finally creates a pathway for those ideas to receive the consideration they deserve. Americans sent us to Congress not to observe the problems but to solve the problems, and that is what I am trying to do with the PROMISE Act. There is no greater long-term challenge before Congress than preserving Social Security.”
“You bring your best idea and the Parliamentarian looks at it and says there is proof here that this has at least 50 years of solvency for Social Security, you can offer this amendment, Senator. Give it your best. Members would be able to offer substitute proposals provided that it is at least 50 years of Social Security solvency. Let me say it another way. Every Member with a serious proposal for the most important social program in America would have the opportunity to bring their idea to the table, to the floor, and get a vote. That is so rare around here. It restores the Senate to debating, amending, and voting under regular order--compared to what we see today. Many of my colleagues have been working on proposals for a number of years. Many are broadly popular.”
“We create an opportunity for alternative plans to be offered, and the one with the most votes--as long as it gets 60 votes in the Senate--the one with the most votes will prevail and will be the work product of the Senate on Social Security. Our legislation does not lower the 60-vote threshold of the Senate, nor does it predetermine any specific outcome. It may not work. We may not be able to put together any bill that gets 60 votes. But goodness gracious, we were sent here to try, weren't we? It simply guarantees that the American people, through their elected representatives, are finally going to have an open, transparent debate. I have gone to Members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle and said: What we want to do is give you your day in court, give you your day in the Senate.”
“It seeks to create a fair, bipartisan process to ensure Congress finally debates and votes on the future of Social Security. Under our proposal, the independent and bipartisan Social Security Advisory Board would collect public input and send a proposal to Congress that would keep the trust fund for Social Security solvent for 50 years at least. That would kick-start a process in both the House and the Senate to do something we rarely, rarely do around here. It is called legislating--writing a law, passing a law. Under our bill, Congress would have the opportunity to hold hearings, offer amendments, debate competing proposals, and ultimately vote on them. You say at this point: OK, Senator Durbin. What is this plan to save Social Security? That is the beauty of this proposal.”
“The fact of the matter is that Congress has known about this issue of insolvency for quite some time, but year after year, Congress has avoided confronting the question, instead kicking the can down the road for a future Congress to show the courage to step up and save the program. That is unacceptable. We owe it to our seniors. We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to our reputation. We know that the longer we wait, the more drastic the policy changes become. We owe it to every American to save Social Security. [[Page S3943]] Today, I am doing something that is rarely done in the Senate: introducing a bill sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators--four Democrats, four Republicans. Our goal is to protect and strengthen Social Security. Our bill is called the PROMISE Act.”
“It would force many seniors to choose between purchasing groceries, paying their utility bills, or filling their prescriptions. Honest to goodness, it is that basic. Seventy million Americans, including seniors and people with disabilities, rely on Social Security to afford the basics in life: food, medication, housing, utilities, and so many other things. In my home State of Illinois, more than 2 million people receive Social Security. Twenty percent of Illinois seniors rely on Social Security for virtually all of their income. That is it, that Social Security check. If Congress sits on its hands and does nothing to respond to this crisis, millions of Americans will be expected to make ends meet with fewer and fewer dollars each month.”
“Social Security is the bedrock promise of secure retirement and has been for over 90 years in America. Americans pay into the system throughout their careers of hard work, and come the time, that same program was supposed to be there to give them peace of mind when they seek retirement. Well, we know we have 6 short years to achieve that. What is going to happen at the end of that 6-year period? The Board of advisers tells us Social Security will only be able to pay 78 percent of benefits. Translate that, Durbin. Put it in English. That means the average senior citizen faces monthly--monthly--benefit cuts of $450--$450 a month cut from Social Security. For some, that is quite an inconvenience. For others, that is quite a disaster.”
“To my knowledge, not a single Member of Congress lost reelection over that vote. People said: We had to do it. There was no question about it. It was a tough vote, but it was the right vote. It was 1983. Fifty years of solvency--where does it take you? To 2033. And what is the situation we were just told? This program that we value so much is going to last until the end of 2032. It worked. Fifty years of changes worked. Now the question is basically this: Can we respond with the same bipartisan effort to buy 50 years more of solvency in Social Security? I think we can. Social Security unable to make its payments in 2032 is an alarm bell. It is a call to action for Congress, both political parties--not just Democrats but Republicans as well.”
“Well, they came in and said: There is news for you, new Congressman. Social Security is about to go broke. The year was 1983, and we could see in the short term, Social Security unable to make its benefit payments. That would have been a disaster in 1983. We rose to the occasion. We had a Republican President, Ronald Reagan. We had a Democratic House of Representatives with Tip O'Neill. We set out to write a change in Social Security that would save it so it could keep making payments. Well, it took a long time, it took several months, but we got it done, and we passed it. Our goal was to buy 50 years of solvency for Social Security, make changes to the program so that it would last, keep paying its benefits as promised for 50 years. That was 1983. I voted for it. Democrats and Republicans all voted for it.”
“Certainly, more Americans have participated in Social Security than almost every other program. And they should. They earned it. They worked for it. They were promised. The promise should be kept. How is Social Security doing? Well, that is why I am standing here before you today. Last month, the Social Security Board of Trustees released an alarming report about the status of Social Security's finances. That Board found that Social Security will be unable to make full payments to eligible Americans by 2032. That is not that far away--6 years. This is alarming, and it is a call to arms to Congress. I was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982. Scared to death that I was going to be a one-term Congressman, I was looking over my shoulder every 5 minutes to see what was going to knock me out of my perch there.”
“Why? Because many people, despite working hard their whole lives, doing their best to save money, ended up almost penniless when they retired, when they were forced to quit working. Those were the days when Grandma and Grandpa moved into the spare bedroom in your house. If that didn't happen to you, ask your father or even grandfather--they will remember those times. So Franklin Roosevelt said: Let's create a pension system so that after you retire, there will be some money coming in. You pay into it all your working life. When you reach the age of retirement, you get a benefit from it. They called it Social Security. It was passed into law in 1935. It made its first payment 5 years later in 1940. I think it has become arguably the most important social program in America.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3942-S3946] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS ______ By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Tillis, Mr. King, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Coons, and Mr. Armstrong): S. 4979. A bill to establish a process to assure the long-term fiscal stability of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund; to the Committee on Finance. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I would like to speak on a separate topic. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to try something. The idea was to create a pension plan for every American.”
“The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Armstrong). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action. The Senator from Alabama.”
“Padilla) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 45, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No. 194 Ex.] YEAS--50 Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Britt Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Kennedy Lankford Lee Lummis Marshall McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Murkowski Paul Ricketts Risch Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Scott (SC) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--45 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hickenlooper Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Murray Ossoff Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--4 Fetterman Justice McConnell Padilla The nomination was confirmed.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3917-S3918] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Vote on Schwartz Nomination The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Schwartz nomination? Mr. DURBIN. I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. [[Page S3918]] Mr. BARRASSO. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Justice) and the Senator from Kentuky (Mr. McConnel). Mr. DURBIN: I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) and the Senator from California (Mr.”
“During his hearing, Senator Booker asked Mr. Schwartz about the President's reported outstanding $400,000 debt to Sullivan & Cromwell, an obvious conflict of interest. Mr. Schwartz downplayed that sum as ``an extraordinarily small amount.'' Mr. Schwartz also represented Tesla in its successful appeal of a judgment from the Delaware Court of Chancery voiding Elon Musk's $50 billion compensation package. While Musk raked in the billions Mr. Schwartz helped secure, he took a chainsaw to nearly every aspect of our government. For these reasons, I will be opposing Mr. Schwartz's nomination. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The minority whip. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote start immediately. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3917] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Nomination of Matthew A. Schwartz Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Matthew A. Schwartz to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Schwartz joins the growing line of Trump personal lawyers who have been nominated to the bench during Trump's second term. Even as we consider his nomination, Mr. Schwartz is actively representing the President in two cases on appeal: Trump's 34-count conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush money case and the $464 million judgment against him, his family members, and businesses for inflating business assets.”
“18912) and any other research security authorities available to the Secretary of Energy. (3) Confucius institutes.--None of the funds made available to carry out the covered sections may be obligated to or expended by an institution of higher education that maintains a contract or other agreement with a Confucius Institute or any successor of a Confucius Institute. (4) Restrictions on collaboration with foreign countries and institutions of concern.--None of the funds made available to carry out the covered sections may be obligated or expended to promote, establish, or finance quantum research activities between a United States institution and a foreign country of concern or foreign institution of concern. ______”
“2751 et seq.); (V) section 224, 225, 226, 227, or 236 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2274, 2275, 2276, 2277, 2284); (VI) the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.); or (VII) the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or (v) is determined by the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, to be engaged in unauthorized conduct that is detrimental to the national security or foreign policy of the United States. (2) Research security.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out the covered sections in coordination with the research security requirements and authorities established under section 10114 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C.”
“1189(a)); (ii) is included on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury; (iii) is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a foreign country that is a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(d) of title 10, United States Code); (iv) is alleged by the Attorney General to have been involved in activities for which a conviction was obtained under-- (I) chapter 37 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Espionage Act''); (II) section 951 or 1030 of title 18, United States Code; (III) chapter 90 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Economic Espionage Act of 1996''); (IV) the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C.”
“(C) Foreign institution of concern.--The term ``foreign institution of concern'' means a foreign institution that-- (i) is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary of State under section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.”
“(f) Research Security.-- (1) Definitions.--In this subsection: (A) Covered sections.--The term ``covered sections'' means-- (i) sections 401, 402, 403, and 404 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8851, 8852, 8853, and 8854) (as amended by this Act); and (ii) section 401A of the National Quantum Initiative Act (as added by section 3). (B) Foreign country of concern.--The term ``foreign country of concern'' means-- (i) a covered nation (as defined in section 4872(d) of title 10, United States Code); and (ii) any other country that the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Director of National Intelligence, determines to be engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the national security or foreign policy of the United States.”
“(e) Department of Energy Quantum User Expansion for Science and Technology Program.--Section 404 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8854) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``and quantum computing clouds'' and inserting ``, software, and cloud-based quantum computing''; (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end; (C) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (D) by adding at the end the following: ``(5) to enable development of software and applications, including estimation of resources needed to scale applications; and ``(6) to develop near-term quantum applications to solve public and private sector problems.''; (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end; (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(6) enable users to develop algorithms, software tools, simulators, and applications for quantum systems using cloud- based quantum computers; and ``(7) partner with appropriate public- and private-sector entities to develop training and education opportunities on prototype and early-stage devices to support commercial applications.''; and (3) in subsection (c)-- (A) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and (B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: ``(4) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;''.”
“(d) Department of Energy Quantum Network Infrastructure Research and Development Program.--Section 403 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8853) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in paragraph (4)-- (i) by inserting ``, including'' after ``networking''; and (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end; (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(6) as applicable, leverage a diversity of modalities and commercially available quantum hardware and software; and ``(7) develop education and training pathways related to quantum network infrastructure investments, aligned with existing programmatic investments by the Department of Energy.''; (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) in paragraph (1)-- (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: ``(C) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the head of any other relevant Federal agency, as determined by the Secretary;''; (B) in paragraph (2)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``ground-to-space and'' before ``space-to-ground''; (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``photon-based'' and inserting ``all applicable modalities of''; (iii) in subparagraph (F), by inserting ``, quantum sensors,'' after ``quantum repeaters''; (iv) in subparagraph (G)-- (I) by inserting ``data centers,'' after ``repeaters,''; and (II) by striking ``and'' at the end; (v) in subparagraph (H)-- (I) by striking ``the quantum technology stack'' and inserting ``quantum technology modality stacks''; and (II) by striking ``National Laboratories in the Energy Sciences Network User Facility;'' and inserting ``National Laboratories, such as the Energy Sciences Network User Facility, subject to the condition that such activities are conducted on a noninterference basis with National Nuclear Security Administration missions for National Laboratories supporting such missions; and''; and (vi) by adding at the end the following: ``(I) development of quantum network and entanglement distribution protocols or applications, including development of network stack protocols and protocols enabling integration with existing technologies or infrastructure;''; (C) in paragraph (4)-- (i) by striking ``basic''; and (ii) by striking ``material'' and inserting ``materials''; and (D) in paragraph (5), by striking ``fundamental''; and (3) in subsection (d), by striking ``basic research'' and inserting ``research, development, and demonstration''.”
“8852) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in paragraph (1)-- (i) by striking ``basic''; and (ii) by striking ``science and technology and to support research conducted under section 401'' and inserting ``science, engineering, and technology, expand capacity for the domestic quantum workforce, and support research conducted under sections 401, 403, and 404''; and (B) in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting ``that may include 1 or more commercial entities'' after ``collaborations''; (2) in subsection (b), by inserting ``and should be inclusive of the variety of viable quantum technologies, as appropriate'' before the period at the end; (3) in subsection (c)-- (A) by striking ``basic''; and (B) by inserting ``, engineering, and technology, accelerating quantum workforce development,'' after ``science''; and (4) in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: ``(2) Renewal.--Each Center established under this section may be renewed for an additional period of 5 years following a successful, merit-based review and approval by the Director.''.”
“``(d) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall consult with the following entities to identify the instrumentation, equipment, infrastructure, and materials needed to support the objectives of that program: ``(1) The National Institute of Standards and Technology. ``(2) The National Science Foundation. ``(3) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ``(4) Any other relevant Federal agency. ``(5) The National Laboratories. ``(6) National Quantum Information Science Research Centers. ``(7) Industry stakeholders. ``(8) Institutions of higher education. ``(9) Any other research institution.''. (c) National Quantum Information Science Research Centers.--Section 402 of [[Page S3852]] the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C.”
“``(c) Quantum Verification and Validation.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall support the development and deployment of capabilities to test, characterize, verify, and validate quantum information science, engineering, and technology systems, including-- ``(1) measurement and characterization of quantum devices, components, and materials at the qubit level; ``(2) verification and validation of quantum hardware, software, and integrated systems; ``(3) benchmarking and characterization of system performance, scalability, reliability, and error modalities across a diversity of quantum computing, sensing, networking, and communications platforms; and ``(4) development of testing protocols, standards, metrology, and evaluation methodologies to support research, development, demonstration, and commercialization activities.”
“``(b) Program Components.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall-- ``(1) acquire, deploy, and maintain specialized equipment, laboratory infrastructure, and state-of-the-art instrumentation necessary to support quantum verification and validation activities and the broader objectives of the program; ``(2) leverage the capabilities of National Laboratories, Nanoscale Science Research Centers, and other partners of the Department of Energy, including facilities and experts that research and develop novel quantum materials and devices; and ``(3) consider the technologies and end-use applications that have significant economic potential, as determined by the Secretary, based on consultation with relevant stakeholders in academia and industry, including the Quantum Economic Development Consortium.”
“(b) Department of Energy Quantum Verification and Validation Program.--The National Quantum Initiative Act is amended by inserting after section 401 (15 U.S.C. 8851) the following: ``SEC. 401A. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION PROGRAM. ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a verification and validation program-- ``(1) to maintain United States leadership in quantum information science, engineering, and technology; ``(2) to provide resources for the broader scientific community; and ``(3) to support activities carried out under sections 401, 402, 403, and 404.”
“``(h) Coordination of Activities.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Energy shall-- ``(1) ensure all activities are consistent with the limitations established under section 6340 of title 10, United States Code; and ``(2) to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate with the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies to ensure that programs and activities carried out under this section complement and do not duplicate existing efforts across the Federal government.''.”
“``(g) Traineeship Program.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish a university-led traineeship program-- ``(1) to address workforce development needs in quantum information science, engineering, and technology; and ``(2) that will focus on supporting increased participation, workforce development, and research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, including students attending institutions located in States eligible to participate in the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research under section 113 of the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862g), consistent with section 3167B(a) of the Department of Energy Science Education Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381c-3(a)).”
“``(f) Supply Chain Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall conduct a study on quantum science, engineering, and technology supply chain needs, including-- ``(1) identifying hurdles to growth in the quantum industry by leveraging the expertise of relevant stakeholders in academia and industry, including the Quantum Economic Development Consortium; and ``(2) making recommendations on how to strengthen the domestic supply of materials and technologies necessary for the development of a robust manufacturing base and workforce.”
“``(2) Program.--The Secretary of Energy shall establish an early-stage research and development program in quantum high- performance computing-- ``(A) to inform the 5-year strategic plan described in subsection (d)(1); and ``(B) to build the necessary scientific computing workforce to fulfill the objectives of that plan. ``(3) Activities.--The program established under paragraph (2) shall-- ``(A) support early-stage quantum computing testbeds, user access, and prototypes; and ``(B) connect early-stage quantum high-performance computing projects to the Centers funded under this Act.”
“``(B) A plan to minimize disruptions to the advanced scientific computing workforce. ``(C) A consideration of a diversity of quantum computing modalities. ``(D) A plan to integrate cloud access of commercially available quantum hardware and software to complement on- premises high-performance computing systems and resources consistent with the QUEST program established under section 404. ``(e) Early-Stage Quantum High-Performance Computing Research and Development Program.-- ``(1) Definition of quantum high-performance computing.--In this subsection, the term `quantum high-performance computing' means the use of quantum computing systems that are supported by classical high-performance computing systems and artificial intelligence supercomputers to solve complex problems.”
“``(d) High-Performance Computing Strategic Plan.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to Congress a 5-year strategic plan to guide Federal programs in designing, expanding, and procuring hybrid, energy-efficient high-performance computing systems capable of integrating with a diverse set of technologies, including quantum, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, to enable the computing facilities of the Department of Energy to advance national computing resources. ``(2) Contents.--The strategic plan under paragraph (1) shall include the following: ``(A) A conceptual plan to leverage capabilities and infrastructure from the high-performance computing resources of the Department of Energy, as the Secretary of Energy determines necessary.”
“(a) Department of Energy Quantum Information Science Research Program.--Section 401 of the National Quantum Initiative Act (15 U.S.C. 8851) is amended-- (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a research, development, and demonstration program on quantum information science, engineering, and technology.''; (2) in subsection (b)-- (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, engineering, and technology'' after ``science''; (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, engineering, and technology'' after ``science''; (C) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: ``(3) provide research experiences and training for additional undergraduate and graduate students in quantum information science, engineering, and technology, including in the fields specified in paragraph (4);''; (D) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; (E) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: ``(3) operate National Quantum Information Science Research Centers under section 402 to accelerate and scale scientific and technical breakthroughs in quantum information science, engineering, and technology, and maintain state-of-the-art infrastructure for quantum researchers and industry partners; ``(4) conduct cooperative basic and applied research with industry, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, and other research institutions to facilitate the development, demonstration, and commercial application of quantum information science, engineering, and technology priorities, as determined by the Secretary of Energy, including in the fields of-- ``(A) quantum information theory; ``(B) quantum physics; ``(C) quantum computational science, including hardware and software, machine learning, and data science; ``(D) applied mathematics and algorithm development; ``(E) quantum communications and networking, including hardware and software for quantum communications and networking; ``(F) quantum sensing, imaging, and detection; ``(G) materials science and engineering; ``(H) quantum modeling and simulation, including molecular modeling; [[Page S3851]] ``(I) near- and long-term application development, as determined by the Secretary of Energy; ``(J) quantum chemistry; ``(K) quantum biology; ``(L) superconductive and high-performance microelectronics; ``(M) post-quantum cryptography; and ``(N) chip-based integration of quantum systems, artificial intelligence systems, and other classical computing systems;''; (F) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end; (G) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated)-- (i) by striking ``and'' before ``potential''; and (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, and other relevant stakeholders, as determined by the Secretary of Energy; and''; and (H) by adding at the end the following: ``(8) leverage the collective body of knowledge and data, including experience and resources from existing Federal research activities and commercially available quantum computing hardware and software, to the extent practicable.''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(c) Industry Outreach.--In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall engage with the quantum technology industry and promote commercialization of applications of quantum technology relevant to the activities of the Department of Energy by-- ``(1) educating-- ``(A) the energy industry and other relevant industries on near-term and commercially available quantum technologies; and ``(B) the quantum industry on potential energy and other relevant applications; ``(2) accelerating the advancements of United States quantum computing, communications, networking, sensing, and security capabilities to protect and optimize the energy sector; ``(3) advancing relevant domestic supply chains, manufacturing capabilities, and associated simulations or modeling capabilities; ``(4) facilitating commercialization of quantum technologies from National Laboratories and engaging with the Quantum Economic Development Consortium and other organizations, as applicable, to transition component technologies that advance the development of a quantum supply chain; and ``(5) to the extent practicable, ensuring industry partner access, especially for small- and medium-sized businesses, to specialized quantum instrumentation, equipment, testbeds, and other infrastructure to design, prototype, and test novel quantum hardware and streamline user access to reduce costs and other administrative burdens.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3850-S3852] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6646. Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Daines) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following: SEC. ___. NATIONAL QUANTUM INITIATIVE.”
“Section 4(a) of the Act of May 17, 1954 (68 Stat. 99, chapter 204; 16 U.S.C. 450jj-3(a)), is amended, in the first sentence-- (1) by striking ``the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial'' and inserting ``Gateway Arch National Park''; (2) by striking ``one hundred acres'' and inserting ``102.18 acres''; and (3) by striking ``map entitled'' and all that follows through ``January 1992'' and inserting ``map entitled `Gateway Arch National Park Proposed Boundary Revision', numbered 366/189,627, and dated August 2023''. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3746] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] By Mr. DURBIN: S. 4955. A bill to amend the Act of May 17, 1954, to revise the boundary of Gateway Arch National Park; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4955 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Gateway Arch National Park Boundary Revision Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY REVISION.”
“GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY REVISION. Section 4(a) of the Act of May 17, 1954 (68 Stat. 99, chapter 204; 16 U.S.C. 450jj-3(a)), is amended, in the first sentence-- (1) by striking ``the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial'' and inserting ``Gateway Arch National Park''; (2) by striking ``one hundred acres'' and inserting ``102.18 acres''; and (3) by striking ``map entitled'' and all that follows through ``January 1992'' and inserting ``map entitled `Gateway Arch National Park Proposed Boundary Revision', numbered 366/189,627, and dated August 2023''. ____________________”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3746] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS ______ By Mr. DURBIN: S. 4955. A bill to amend the Act of May 17, 1954, to revise the boundary of Gateway Arch National Park; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 4955 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Gateway Arch National Park Boundary Revision Act of 2026''. SEC. 2.”
“The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ricketts). Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table, and the President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action. The majority leader. ____________________”
“193 Ex.] YEAS--46 Armstrong Banks Barrasso Blackburn Boozman Budd Capito Cassidy Collins Cornyn Cotton Cramer Crapo Cruz Curtis Daines Ernst Fischer Grassley Hagerty Hawley Hoeven Husted Hyde-Smith Johnson Justice Kennedy Lankford Lummis Marshall McCormick Moody Moran Moreno Paul Ricketts Rounds Schmitt Scott (FL) Sheehy Sullivan Thune Tillis Tuberville Wicker Young NAYS--44 Alsobrooks Baldwin Bennet Blumenthal Blunt Rochester Booker Cantwell Coons Cortez Masto Duckworth Durbin Gallego Gillibrand Hassan Heinrich Hirono Kaine Kelly Kim King Klobuchar Lujan Markey Merkley Murphy Ossoff Padilla Peters Reed Rosen Sanders Schatz Schiff Schumer Shaheen Slotkin Smith Van Hollen Warner Warnock Warren Welch Whitehouse Wyden NOT VOTING--9 Britt Fetterman Hickenlooper Lee McConnell Murkowski Murray Risch Scott (SC) The nomination was confirmed.”
“I announce that the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Hickenlooper), and the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) are necessarily absent. The result was announced--yeas 46, nays 44, as follows: [Rollcall Vote No.”
“Jones the opportunity to explain his choice to join this group. In response, he disputed that Gun Owners of America has radical views on firearms and stonewalled on the question of whether he believes the Second Amendment renders all gun safety laws unconstitutional. His refusal to admit that the Supreme Court has, in fact, upheld various regulations on firearms under the Second Amendment is unacceptable for someone who seeks a lifetime appointment on the Federal bench. I cannot support his nomination.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3735] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Nomination of Arthur Roberts Jones Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Arthur Roberts Jones to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Mr. Jones' association with a far-right organization and refusal to disavow that organization's extreme views on firearm safety are disqualifying. Mr. Jones joined Gun Owners of America in 2025. This group has criticized the National Rifle Association for being too moderate, called for ATF to be abolished, and argued that all gun safety laws are unconstitutional. I gave Mr.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3729] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] Hungary Mr. President, lastly, after the NATO summit, we had a chance to visit Hungary, one of our NATO allies. There was a recent election in Hungary that unseated Viktor Orban after 16 years--a period that included democratic backsliding and being a thorn in the side of European efforts to help Ukraine. I want to congratulate the Hungarian people on this peaceful transfer of power and decision to play a more constructive role in European security, including standing with Ukraine.”
“And we can, at long last, pass one of two bipartisan Ukraine bills pending in this Chamber--one of them being a sanctions package that Lindsey Graham worked with Senator Blumenthal tirelessly to build support for. I understand that Lindsey had finally arranged for this measure to be introduced even this week. I hope we will still go forward with the bill without delay.”