Syed and his nomination to be deputy administrator of the Small Business administration. Madam president , this republican obstruction has gone on long enough. I ask my colleagues from across the aisle to join me in supporting this important nominee. Dilawar syed is more than qualified to serve in this role at the Small Business administration. He is an entrepreneur and a job creator with decades of firsthand experience in business entrepreneurship and community engagement. He has experience working directly with Small Business owners and has led efforts to drive Economic Growth at the local, state, and federal levels. Simply put, at the sba, he would be an asset to our nations Small Businesses and would bring a critical voice to the agency which currently lacks a fully staffed leadership team. The sba has not had a senateconfirmed deputy administrator for more than five years. This is a critical mistake. This highlevel absence weakens the agency and inhibits the sbas ability to serve the millions of Small Business owners looking to the agency for resources, assistance, and capital to start and grow their businesses. Some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have launched unfair and baseless attacks against mr. Syed and have held up his nomination for years. They have even repeatedly showed up to vote on his nomination in the Small Business committee. These partisan attacks are simply efforts to undermine President Biden and his administration at the sba as well as their ability to successfully serve our Small Business nationwide. These republican attacks also unfairly disparage mr. Syed who is not only a successful Business Leader and Community Organizer but also importantly, a firstgeneration immigrant who fully exemplifies the american dream. With this unique and important background, mr. Syed would bring an influential new voice and perspective to help the sba improve outreach to immigrant communities that have been traditionally overlooked and underserved by the federal government. My friends on the other side of the aisle know the importance of filling this vacancy at the sba. Yet they have continued to play their partisan games. Ahead of this vote mr. Syeds nomination, i ask them to join me in supporting this eminently qualified nominee. Lets do our jobs and finally get this nominee confirmed. Thank you, mr. President. And i yield the floor. The presiding officer the senator from new hampshire. Mrs. Shaheen i suggest the absence of a quorum. The presiding officer the clerk will call the roll. Quorum call this morning our nations syed to fill the long, vacant role of deputy administrator for the Small Business administration. After more than two years since President Biden first nominated mr. Syed, the Senate Committee on Small Business and entrepreneurship finally reported mr. Syeds nomination out of the Committee Earlier this year. Mr. Syed was nominated to fill the position that has been vacant for nearly five years. The vacancies cause harm to Small Business owners throughout our nation who depend on the sba to be fully staffed in order to access capital, crrting opportunities and Entrepreneurial Development training. In an entrepreneurial career spanning over two decades, mr. Syed has experienced starting businesses and advocating for inclusion entrepreneurship at the international, federal, and state level. He currently serves as the special representative for commercial and Business Affairs at the United States department of state where he advances trade, commercial, and economic policies through commercial advocacy. Prior to his position at the state department, mr. Syed was ceo of the Health Care Technology company and president of fresh works where he helped scale the software companys products to reach thousands of small and mediumsized businesses. Mr. Syed has also held a number of civic positions. In the Obama Administration he served as chair of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and pacific islanders, Economic Growth, and in california he chaired the California Entrepreneurship Task force under governor Gavin Newsoms office of business and economic development. With experience at the state department as special representative and leadership roles in business entrepreneurship and Public Service, he is very well positioned to help the sba meet the critical moments Small Businesses face across the nation. As our Small Businesses continue to recover from the pandemic while facing new challenges, it is essential that the sba is fully egypted to meet their equipped to meet their needs. During the pandemic the agency provided relief to millions of existing Small Businesses. Now record levels of new businesses are being created under the bidenharris administration. Sba has the unique opportunity to foster the continuation of the Small Business boom making sure that entrepreneurs have the resources, assistance, and capital that will create Economic Prosperity for communities across the country. While the sba has worked tirelessly to provide this assistance, the pandemic exposed a clear need for modernization, technical upgrades, new resources, and reforms at the sba. That is why we need a deputy administrator today more than ever. The skills and qualifications mr. Syed possesses are a perfect fit for sbas needs. He has broad support from dozens of Small Business organizations that understand the needs of entrepreneurs. They know that mr. Syed is an individual who will innocently continue to advocate for and support our Small Businesses. Allowing the position of deputy administrator to remain empty for so long is a great disservice to our nations Small Business owners. His confirmation process has been fraught with unacceptable delaying tactics, unfounded accusations, and unrelated controversies. Throughout it all, however mr. Syed has shown only patience and press veer rans. Im honored to stand here today finally to support his nomination for position of sba deputy administrator. Im confident that americas Small Businesses and communities they support will benefit from him in this role. I urge all my colleagues to support his confirmation. This is what our Small Business community needs. I would urge my colleagues to ratify his nomination. With that i would yield the floor. I would ask consent that we proceed with the vote immediately. The presiding officer is there objection . Without objection. The clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. The clerk cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of executive calendar number 81, dilawar syed of california to be deputy administrator of the Small Business administration signed by 17 senators. The presiding officer by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. The question is, is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of dilawar syed of california to be deputy administrator of the Small Business administration shall be brought to a close. The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. The clerk will call the roll. Vote vote vote vote vote the presiding officer have all senators voted . Any senator wishing toe change his vote . The yeas are 54. The nays are 44. And the motion is agreed to. The clerk will report the nomination. The clerk nomination, Small Business administration. Dilawar syed of california to be deputy administrator. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senior senator from new mexico. Mr. Heinrich i ask unanimous consent that the vote on the confirmation of the syed nomination be at a time determined by the majority leader following consultation with the republican leader on thursday. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Heinrich i ask the senate resume consideration of the silfen nomination. The presiding officer without objection. The clerk will report. The clerk nomination, the judiciary, mollie molly r. Silfen of the district of columbia to be judge of the United States court of federal claims. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from nebraska. Mrs. Fischer thank you, madam president. According to the United States department of agricultures Economic Research service, 46 million americans live in rural areas. This includes 35 of the residents in my home state of nebraska. Often in the government we focus on the majority of americans living in urban population hubs. But we have just as much of an obligation to the millions of rural citizens in our country. Communications access is foundational to our quality of life, especially in rural areas where the closest neighbor can be many miles away. Thats what i want to focus on today. As a member of the Senate Commerce and agriculture committees, i have the privilege of regularly advancing Communications Policy that benefits all americans, including those in rural areas. Ive led multiple pieces of legislation to improve broadband mapping to benefit unserved rural areas, including the broadband funding map that the president signed into law as part of the bipartisan infrastructure package. It is vital that every last mile and acre of our country has access to reliable internet, mr. For telehealth appointments or to make use of the more efficient ag kill turl technologies. But broadband isnt the only type of communication Rural Communities rely on, especially for households without internet service. They rely on Television Programming to keep updated about the world around them. The wellbeing of Rural Americans and a robust media made up of diverse viewpoints, theyre important to me and theyre important to nebraskans throughout the state. And access to rural and agricultural programming, it benefits all americans. Farmers and ranchers in nebraska depend on this content for relevant news, information, and lifestyle programming. Were talking about everything from indwep t indepth reports on weather patterns, agribusiness news and commodity market swings, western sports, and a lot more. This programming delivers essential information to producers that directly impacts the way that they manage their operations and the way that they plan for the future. At the same time, americans on the coast and in major urban and suburban areas, well, they also benefit from programming that helps them understand major issues affecting the country that originate in the heartland. And we both know, madam president , that rural programming doesnt mean old reruns of green acres or with the beverly hillbillies. Rural and agricultural programmers are in a unique position to educate the public and what it means to be a family farmer or a rancher. On how producers are some of the best stewards of our Natural Resources and on what the future of agriculture and producing the food that we all need looks like. This is one reason that i was pleased as Ranking Member of the rules committee to recently approve our fd tv to be added to the Senate Tv Network. Fdtv is one of the preeminent sources of television in the country. Networks, they work hard to cover issues affecting the Agricultural Sector and Rural Communities. The senior senator from minnesota and i, we approved its edition to the Senate Tv Network because that unique perspective and that expertise is a must have here in washington where we all work on policies affecting Rural America every single day. And its not just tv programming that provides critical news and information to Rural Communities. Millions of americans use am radio to stay up to date on whats affecting them. In nebraska, well, we have a long history of farm broadcasters who help farmers and ranchers thrive. Today there are still over 40a. M. Stations that are based in my state. Unfortunately there are some who have lost sight of the fundamental role broadcast radio plays in Rural America. A number of automakers announced plans this year to remove a. M. Broadcast radio access from some of their vehicles. This would deal a blow to the millions who need a. M. Radio access in order to receive Emergency Alerts in remote areas, as well as to be aware of local news, whether conditions. A. M. Radio is not just a luxury. It is the backbone of our Emergency Alert system. It can be a question of lifeordeath life or death for people in natural disasters or severe storms. My colleagues and i, we are concerned about how this decision will affect the safety of americans, and thats why we introduced a bicameral, bipartisan bill to preserve a. M. Radio access despite some automakers efforts to get rid of it. Our bill, the a. M. For every vehicle act, would direct the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule that would require all Motor Vehicles to have access to a. M. Broadcast stations. The legislation, it is already having an impact. It recently spurred Ford Motor Company to reverse course and to restore access to a. M. Radio in its upcoming car models. But passing our bill, that is the only way to prevent other lawmakers from abandoning a. M. Radio, and it is against the best interest of the millions of people in rural areas where wireless warnings, they can be difficult to impossible to receive. The American People who travel to work and school on rural roads each day are relying on us to ensure that they dont lose access to local news, weather, Emergency Alerts, and Public Safety announcements from a. M. Radio. As members of the United States senate, we represent millions, millions of people in Rural Communities across the country. We cannot let rural voices be set aside why we prioritize other issues. Lets continue to appreciate rural tv and radio and advance legislation that supports the Critical Services that they provide. Thank you, madam president. I yield the floor. The presiding officer the junior senator from louisiana. Mr. Kennedy thank you, madam president. Madam president , i ask unanimous consent that the following privileges of my staff be granted or rather the following members of my staff be granted floor privileges until june 8, 2023. Ms. Maddie dibble, mr. Jack leer, and mr. Chris lee who are with me here today. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Kennedy thank you, madam president. Madam president , the United States and china should talk. The United States wants to, but the leadership of the Chinese Communist party, the ccp, does not. And frankly, the leadership of the ccp is acting like a sullen teenager. You can only be young once, madam president , but you can always be immature. Talking does not show weakness. It shows strength. It shows confidence. America is confident in refusing america is confident. In refusing to talk, the communist Chinese Party and its insecurities are loud. The United States, as you know, from recent media reports has tried to talk to china and weve had some success. Recently not that long ago, our National Security adviser and our commerce secretary met with their chinese counterparts. I understand they had good discussions. I had hoped that that might be a start, but i was wrong. The ccp proved me wrong. For instance, our defense secretary, the weekend before last i believe was at the annual singapore security conference. Our defense secretary asked to meet with Chinese Defense officials. Fairly routine request. The defense officials from china snubbed him. Further,jenniferosb20icap svc1d about this in the media, madam president , a chinese fighter jet flew within