Eliminate Useless Reports Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on S. 2073.

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 2073) entitled ``An Act to amend title 31, United States Code, to require agencies to include a list of outdated or duplicative reporting requirements in annual budget justifications, and for other purposes'' do pass with an amendment. Motion to Concur with Amendment No. 3021

(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.)

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Mr. SCHUMER. I move that the Senate concur in the House amendment to S. 2073 with amendment No. 3021, which is at the desk.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading be dispensed with.

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Mr. SCHUMER. 3021, which is at the desk.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading be dispensed with.

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Mr. SCHUMER. 3023.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading be waived.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading be waived.
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Mr. SCHUMER. 3024, which is at the desk.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I ask that further reading of the amendment be waived.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have some good news for the Senate. Before we adjourn this evening, I would like to celebrate two significant bills that just passed the Senate two moments ago.

First, just now, the Senate unanimously passed a bill to combat the spread of sexually explicit AI-generated deepfakes, the DEFIANCE Act. I commend Senator Durbin for his excellent work on this bill. I was proud to support it every step of the way, and it is a very, very important thing we get this bill done.

As we know, AI plays a bigger role in our lives than ever before. While it has many benefits, it is also easier than ever to create sexually explicit deepfakes without a person's consent. It is a horrible attack on someone's privacy and dignity to have these fake images of them circuiting online without recourse.

This isn't just some fringe issue that happens to only a few people. It is a widespread problem. These types of malicious and hurtful pictures can destroy lives. Nobody is immune, not even celebrities like Taylor Swift or Megan Thee Stallion. It is a grotesque practice. Victims of these deepfakes are deserved justice. This is one of the examples of the AI guardrails I often talk about.

AI is a remarkable technology that can spur incredible innovation, but we must pass guardrails to prevent its worst abuses from causing people grave harm.

By passing this bill, we are telling victims of explicit nonconsensual deepfakes that we hear them and we are taking action. I urge the House now to take up this piece of legislation so victims of nonconsensual deepfakes can have the justice they deserve. It is just awful what people do to people with deepfakes. This bill will end that. It is a very good thing.

We passed another very good bill a few moments ago as well. The Senate passed the Preventing Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act. This bill will get to the root of financing behind these deadly and destructive drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine. I have led the way here in the Senate for months cracking down on supply chains of drugs like fentanyl.

Last fall, I met with Chinese President Xi and urged him and the Chinese Government to do more work to crack down on companies that allow precursor chemicals to make their way to countries like Mexico and made often by gangs into fentanyl and sent into the U.S.

Just a few months ago, I led the Senate passing the national security supplemental, which included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. This bill is another step in that direction--the right direction--to better understand and anticipate how malicious synthetic drug traffickers finance their operations.

Two Senators worked very hard on this legislation and deserve the credit. Our two Senators from Nevada, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Senator Jacky Rosen. I want to commend them for their excellent work.

So these two bills--they are passing quietly later this evening, but they are very important. I hope that people will take notice of them and show that the Senate is fighting the scourge of drugs and fighting the scourge of deepfakes.

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