Joni Ernst

Mr. President, Aside · 57 wordsI want to thank my colleague from Delaware for bringing up our Iowa State Cyclones and our University of Iowa Hawkeyes. We had the Cy-Hawk game just 2 weekends ago.¹ Unfortunately, my Cyclones fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes.² But God bless Coach Kirk Ferentz and his Iowa Hawkeyes. It was another great game for all of Iowa.Aside Mr. President, Positioning · 34 wordsI am here today to talk a little bit more about our national and economic security of the United States. This has really been the focus of my career--protecting that national and economic security.Positioning Claims · 198 wordsIn 1940, the United States became the ``Arsenal of Democracy,’’ and our country came together to quickly accelerate production of weapons, vehicles, food, ³and supplies that enabled the allies to defeat the axis powers. Americans in factories, farms, small businesses, and across the country did what was necessary to make what was needed. Instead of internalizing the lesson that our ability to make these critical items in the United States led to great success, we spent much of the last 50 years off-shoring our jobs and our manufacturing capabilities. This is something China, Russia, and other nefarious actors around the world have been all too happy to accommodate and to take on themselves. Today, we have only one active facility producing cannon barrels.⁴ Today, we rely 100 percent on foreign sources for 12 critical minerals essential to our military and our economy.⁵ During COVID, we saw what happened when supply chains are strained. There was a global shortage of microchips, ⁶which upended manufacturers’ ability to make everything from cars to computers.⁷ At the same time, moms in the Midwest had to worry about finding baby formula due to supply chain issues at both the production and shipping levels.⁸ Procedure · 2 wordsPut simply: ProcedureClaims · 14 wordsWe have lost the ability to make what we need right here at home. Reasoning · 28 wordsIn the event of a conflict with one of our near-peer adversaries, supply chains will be challenged, and the United States will have to make what it needs. Positioning · 30 wordsThank goodness President Trump, his administration, and Congress have been taking steps to put us on the right track and bring back the manufacturing capabilities we need here at home.Positioning Claims · 51 wordsMy bipartisan Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act builds on these efforts. My bill, which has already passed the Senate unanimously, directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify critical goods that are currently being imported and find ways to help domestic producers manufacture them in the rural areas and shovel-ready industrial sites.⁹ Positioning · 23 wordsRural Iowans are ready to roll up their sleeves and build the factories and processing facilities we need to secure our supply chains.Positioning Claims · 8 wordsWe can and need to make things here. Reasoning · 29 wordsBut you can’t fix vulnerabilities you can’t see, which is why my bill gives Congress and the executive branch the visibility necessary to identify gaps and then close them. Thanks · 25 wordsI am grateful to Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks for introducing the House version of this bill, ¹⁰and for the House of Representatives passing the bill unanimously.¹¹Thanks The ask · 17 wordsNow it is time for the Senate to act and send this bill to the President’s desk. Mr. President, The ask · 32 wordsnotwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1721 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.¹²