A bill to designate the Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, Illinois the "Senator Paul Simon Federal Building".

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 10 a.m., on steroids.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, at 11:30 a.m., to consider pending calendar business.

Agenda

On Wednesday, March 10, at 11:30 a.m., the Committee will hold a Business Meeting in Dirksen 366 to consider the following items on the agenda:

Agenda Item 1: To consider the nomination of Susan Johnson Grant, to be Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Energy.

Agenda Item 8: S. 1307--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to assist in the implementation of fish passage and screening facilities at non-Federal water projects, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 9: S. 1355--A bill to authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to participate in the rehabilitation of the Wallowa Lake Dam in Oregon, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 10: S. 1421--A bill to authorize the subdivision and dedication of restricted land owned by Alaska Natives.

Agenda Item 12: H.R. 620--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide supplemental funding and other services that are necessary to assist the State of California or local educational agencies in California in providing educational services for students attending schools located within the Park.

Agenda Item 17: H.R. 2696--To establish institutes to demonstrate and promote the use of adaptive ecosystem management to reduce the risk of wildfires, and restore the health of fire-adapted forest and woodland ecosystems of the interior West.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 9:25 a.m., to conduct a business meeting to consider a GSA resolution and S. 1904, S. 2022, and S. 2043, and to conduct a hearing on the proposed FY 2005 EPA budget.

The hearing will be held in SD 406.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 2 p.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``United States Economic and Trade Policy in the Middle East.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on Nonproliferation and Arms Control Strategy.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday. March 10, 2003, at 2:30 p.m., to hold a hearing on ``A Fresh Start for Haiti? Charting the Future of U.S.-Haitian Relations.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct an oversight hearing on the proposed reorganization of major agencies and functions related to Indian trust reform matters without the Department of the Interior.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 10 a.m. on ``Letting the People Decide: The Constitutional Amendment Authorizing Congress to Prohibit Physical Desecration of the flag of the United States,'' in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness List:

Panel I: The Honorable Daniel J. Bryant, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy, Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Panel II: Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, Chairman of the Board, Citizens Flag Alliance, Recipient, Medal of Honor, Summer, WA; John Andretti, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Driver, Mooresville, NC; Richard D. Parker, Williams Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA; Gary E. May, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Southern Indiana (1981-1985), Evansville, IN; and Lawrence Korb, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Navy Veteran, Alexandria, VA.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 2:30 p.m. on ``Judicial Nominations'' in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness List:

Panel I: Senators.

Panel II: Peter W. Hall, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.

Panel III: Jane J. Boyle, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas; Marcia G. Cooke, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida; and Walter D. Kelley, Jr., to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules and Administration be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the scope and operation of organizations registered under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, for a joint hearing with the House of Representatives's Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to hear the legislative presentation of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The hearing will take place in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Joint Economic Committee be authorized to conduct a hearing in Room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Wednesday, March 10, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 10, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in open and closed session to receive testimony on the Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs of the Department of Energy and the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the Department of Defense, in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2005.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 1 p.m. to conduct a hearing on ``Argentina's Financial Crisis.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on public lands and forests of the committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 10th, at 2:30 p.m.

The purpose of the hearings is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1354, to resolve certain conveyances and provide for alternative land selections under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act related to Cape Fox Corporation and Sealaska Corporation, and for other purposes; S. 1575 and H.R. 1092, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell certain parcels of federal land in Carson City and Douglas County, NV; S. 1778, to authorize a land conveyance between the United States and the City of Craig, AK, and for other purposes; S. 1819 and H.R. 272, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain land to Lander County, NV, and the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to Eureka County, NV, for continued use as cemeteries; and H.R. 3249, to extend the term of the Forest Counties Payments Committee.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on Seapower of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 10, 2004, at 2 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on the posture of the U.S. Transportation Command, in review of the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 2005 and the future years defense program.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at 2:30 p.m. on NASA/Mars Exploration Program.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from the State of Illinois, the sponsor of this legislation, for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed emotions that I stand before the House today. I say mixed emotions, because one of my emotions is that I am saddened by the passing of Paul Simon and that he is no longer with us. He has departed this life. But, Mr. Speaker, I am also very, very gleeful for the life that he did live.

Paul Simon, to all who knew him, was one of the finest, kindest, and brightest human beings to have graced the political scene in this Nation. The former Senator Paul Simon was the only person to have served in both the Illinois House and Senate and the U.S. House and Senate. During his tenure in Congress, Senator Simon was a champion of education and a key advocate for literacy and lifelong learning.

In the Senate, he was the author of the National Literacy Act, the School to Work Opportunities Act, the Job Training Partnership Act amendments, the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Direct Student Loan Program. In addition, Paul Simon held numerous influential committee assignments, including serving as the chairman of the Senate's Subcommittee on Africa.

Without question, Mr. Speaker, Paul Simon was one of the most effective Senators to have served the citizens of Illinois and the American people. In Illinois, we have produced some great Senators, with Senator Dirksen coming to mind and also Senator Douglas coming to mind. But Paul Simon certainly stands right in the midst of these two fine Senators that we have produced in Illinois.

Paul Simon's keen political sense and sharp wit was unparalleled and admired by everyone who came in contact with him. Mr. Speaker, it is only fitting today that we pay tribute to him by designating a Federal building in Carbondale, Illinois, as the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building. We can do nothing less, Mr. Speaker, than to designate this Federal building after Paul Simon.

I think that we will be serving his legacy well by making sure that this legislation passes and that that building, the Federal building in Carbondale, Illinois, be designated as the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building.

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support as a proud original cosponsor of S. 2022 naming the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building in Carbondale, Illinois.

This resolution honors the memory and lasting contributions of one of Illinois' favorite sons--a lifelong mentor, hero and friend of mine. I was honored to work on Paul Simon's election to the U.S. Senate, where he made the people of Illinois--and all of America--proud.

Despite winning elections in five different decades, serving his state and country in many different capacities, his character, integrity and intelligence are what endure and why Paul Simon remains one of the most popular figures in the State of Illinois.

Long before they were fashionable, Paul Simon championed civil rights, campaign finance reform, and making college more affordable. After his retirement from Congress, his commitment to public service continued. He spent his remaining days pursuing what he cared about most--education.

In everything he did, Senator Simon was guided by a deep desire to help those who most needed a voice. They always knew that Paul Simon was on their side.

For those of us in Illinois, we can still hear his voice with his trademark ``How are you today?'' His voice was one that reflected our values--regardless of party or ideology. He taught many of us that you can disagree without being disagreeable.

That the State's Attorney General, a member of Congress, and a state senator worked for Paul Simon reflects how his values and influence steered many others--regardless of party--toward careers in public service. His knowledge, insight and guidance remain cherished by those of us who have attempted to advance his values and ideals.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for this opportunity to recognize a true hero for many of us in Illinois. We will always remember Paul Simon and honor his enduring contributions to our State and to this country. His memory will be a blessing to those who follow in his path.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first let me thank my good friend, the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), for his cooperation and his friendship and his leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support S. 2022, a bill to designate the Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, Illinois, as the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building.

S. 2022 was introduced by Senator Durbin and Senator Fitzgerald. I was honored to sponsor the House companion bill, H.R. 3717, along with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Johnson), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) to honor the legacy of the distinguished Senator from Illinois, Paul Simon.

On December 9, 2003 we lost Senator Paul Simon, a great public servant and a true and trusted friend. Paul Simon was born in 1928 in Eugene, Oregon. He attended the University of Oregon and Dana College in Blair, Nebraska.

As a 19-year-old teenager, he became the Nation's youngest editor/ publisher when he accepted a local Lion's Club challenge to save the Troy Tribune newspaper in Troy, Illinois. By 1966, Paul Simon had built a chain of 13 newspapers in southern and central Illinois, which he later sold to better be able to concentrate on public service and writing.

In 1954, Paul was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, and in 1962, he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. During his State legislative career, he earned a reputation for political integrity and courage. While a member of the Illinois Legislature, he won the Independent Voters of Illinois ``Best Legislator Award'' every session. In 1968, Paul Simon was elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and was the first person in the State's history to hold that post with the Governor of another party.

In 1974, Paul Simon was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and

served in this body for 10 years. His legislative skills were put to use on issue areas including education, disability policy and foreign affairs. He played a crucial role in establishing the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In 1984, he upset three-term incumbent U.S. Senator Chuck Percy to win election to the United States Senate. Most recently, Paul Simon taught political science and journalism at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and headed up the Public Policy Institute which he founded.

Senator Simon was known for exceptional constituent service. His colleagues appreciated his personal warmth and sense of humor. He was an exceptional friend who guided and motivated most aspiring public servants with his dedication and work ethic. His even-handed, balanced approach to topics and controversial issues earned him friends on both sides of the aisle.

Paul Simon set a standard for honesty in public life. He was true to his values, his life and his work. It is truly fitting and proper we honor the outstanding public career of Senator Paul Simon with this designation.

Mr. Speaker, at Senator Simon's funeral, Senator Ted Kennedy said, ``In another era, he would have been a Founding Father. He was that good. He'll never be forgotten.''

Senator Simon was a good man that served our country with honor and dignity. It is fitting that we honor him by naming the Federal building in Carbondale, Illinois, after him.

Mr. Speaker, I support S. 2022 and urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush).

Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. President, today, I am proud to introduce the Freedom of Choice Act.

Thirty-one years ago, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe v. Wade. It was a monumental day for women because for the first time, a woman's right to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy was protected under the constitutional right to privacy. Roe v. Wade has kept women from being forced to continue pregnancies that could endanger their health or render them infertile. And for the past 31 years, countless lives have been saved by getting women out of back alleys and into safe, clean and legally protected facilities. That is why I have been fighting throughout my adult life to protect the right to choose.

However, women's reproductive rights are rapidly eroding. And anti- choice advocates make no secret that their ultimate goal is to overturn Roe v. Wade. With just a one-vote margin protecting Roe in the Supreme Court, we cannot afford to take these fundamental rights for granted. The threats we face to our right to choose are real and dangerous.

That is why I am introducing new Federal legislation that will protect a woman's right to choose. The Freedom of Choice Act of 2004 would establish a statutory right to choose within the same parameters articulated by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade. Under the bill, women would have the absolute right to choose whether to continue or terminate their pregnancies before fetal viability. The bill also supersedes any law, regulation or local ordinance that impinges on a woman's right to choose and prohibits federal and state governments from discriminating against women, who exercise their right to choose.

That means a poor woman cannot be denied the use of Medicaid if she chooses to have an abortion. That means that abortions cannot be prohibited at public hospitals, thus giving women more options. That means that we respect a woman's ability to make her own decision and don't force women to attend anti-choice propaganda lectures, which submit women to misleading information, the purpose of which is to discourage abortion. That means that women serving our country in the military overseas would be able to afford safe abortions that can be performed in a military hospital.

We need to take steps to secure our right to choose. Anti-choice is anti-woman and anti-equality, and it demonstrates a lack of respect for the intelligence and compassion that women possess.

I thank the 10 cosponsors of this legislation--Senators Lautenberg, Corzine, Murray, Clinton, Jeffords, Lieberman, Cantwell, Feinstein, Sarbanes and Mikulski--and I encourage all my colleagues to join this effort to write Roe v. Wade into Federal law.

Mr. President, I am introducing legislation, along with my good friend from New Jersey, Senator Lautenberg, to ensure that American taxpayers are given greater protection when the Defense Department seeks to procure property or services. The United States is spending billions of dollars in its military and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and much of this money is going to private companies.

The purpose of this legislation is simple. It would ban companies under investigation for procurement abuse and possible criminal conduct from receiving no-bid defense contracts. By closing a loophole in current law, the Department of Defense would no longer be permitted to enter into contracts, through a process that does not ensure full and open competition, with contractors simultaneously being investigated by the Pentagon's Office of Inspector General. The legislation also provides that if the President chooses to waive the prohibition in the interest of national security, he must notify Congress with a full and public explanation.

While our men and women in the Armed Services are making extraordinary sacrifices for this country, companies under investigation by the Pentagon's Inspector General should be barred from lining their pockets with money from no-bid contracts.

Mr. President. I rise along with Senator Fitzgerald to reintroduce the Infant Crib Safety Act. This legislation is designed to reduce injuries and deaths that come from infant crib accidents.

Earch year, about 11,500 children ages 2 and under are injured in cribs seriously enough to require hospital treatment. Approximately, 26 children die a year from such injuries, the highest number of deaths caused by nursery-related products.

In fact, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, cribs cause more deaths than all other nursery items combined.

While strict guidelines exist on the manufacture of and sale of new cribs, there are millions of cribs sold throughout the U.S. in ``secondary markets'' such as thrift stores and resale furniture stores.

As many as half of the 4 million infants born in this country each year are placed in second hand cribs. Many of these used cribs are unsafe and should be taken off the market and either repaired or destroyed.

These used cribs can have dangerous features such as protruding corner post extensions, missing or broken parts, excessive slat width, poor fitting crib sheets, inadequate mattress supports, latches that do not prevent unintentional collapse of the crib. Cribs built before 1978 have a higher lead content than current regulations allow.

Let me give you some of the real life examples of the tragedies caused by unsafe cribs.

At the age of 23 months, Danny Lineweaver was injured during an attempt to climb out of his crib. Danny caught his shirt on a decorative knob on the cornerpost of his crib and hanged himself. Though his mother was able to perform CPR the moment she found him, Danny lived in a semi-comatose state for 9 years and died in 1993.

In another case, Luke Torgerson, a 13-month-old infant, died due to an unsafe crib at this daycare facility in Minnesota.

Parents should have confidence that a crib is a safe place to leave an infant. The design and construction of a baby crib must ensure that it is safe to leave an infant while sleeping.

Since cribs are the only juvenile product manufactured expressly for leaving a child unattended, every necessary measure should be taken to ensure that the crib is the safest possible environment.

The Infant Crib Safety Act keeps unsafe secondhand or hand-me-down cribs out of the stream of commerce by prohibiting their sale, resale, lease, and use in lodging facilities or day care centers.

This bill does not apply to individuals who provide cribs to their friends, or to any type of individual sale of a crib such as at a garage sale. The bill focuses on commercial users. And currently, controls over cribs provided by transient public lodging establishments or sold at thrift stores are non-existent.

Studies have shown that hotels and motels continue to use unsafe cribs and thrift stores continue to sell them. In the year 2000, the National Safe Kids Campaign did an investigation of cribs used by hotels and motels. Spot checks by the Campaign identified unsafe cribs in 80 percent of the cribs visited.

A year earlier, the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that 12 percent of the cribs sold in a survey of thrift stores did not meet existing voluntary industry or Federal safety standards for new cribs.

Comparable legislation has already been adopted by a number of States. Eleven States including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington have already passed legislation prohibiting the sale of cribs that do not meet current safety standards.

There is no good reason why cribs in all 50 States should not meet these reasonable safety standards.

The legislation is supported by the Consumer Federation of America and the Danny Foundation.

I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to turn this common-sense legislation into law.