Ste. Genevieve County National Historic Site Study Act of 2005

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 8, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., to receive testimony on the Department of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review.

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 8 at 10:00 a.m. to consider pending calender business.

Agenda

Agenda Item 3: S. 476--To authorize the Boy Scouts of America to exchange certain land in the State of Utah acquired under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act.

Agenda Item 8: S. 1131--To authorize the exchange of certain Federal land within the State of Idaho, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 9: S. 1288--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements to protect natural resources of units of the National Park System through collaborative efforts on land inside and outside of units of the National Park System.

Agenda Item 10: S. 1346--To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of maritime sites in the State of Michigan.

Agenda Item 11: S. 1378--To amend the National Historic Preservation Act to provide appropriation authorization and improve the operations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Agenda Item 13: S. 1913--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease a portion of the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center for use as a visitor center for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 14: S. 1970--To amend the National Trails System Act to update the feasibility and suitability study originally prepared for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and provide for the inclusion of new trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with that trail, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 15: S. 2197--To improve the global competitiveness of the United States in science and energy technology, to strengthen basic research programs at the Department of Energy, and to provide support for mathematics and science education at all levels through the resources available through the Department of Energy, including at the National Laboratories.

Agenda Item 16: S. 2253--To require the Secretary of the Interior to offer the 181 Area of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas leasing.

Agenda Item 17: S. Con. Res. 60--Designating the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO, as America's National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Agenda Item 18: S.J. Res. 28--Approving the location of the commemorative work in the District of Columbia honoring former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Agenda Item 19: H.R. 318--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 20: H.R. 326 (S. 505)--To amend the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Act of 2000 to adjust the boundary of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.

Agenda Item 21: H.R. 409 (S. 179)--To provide for the exchange of land within the Sierra National Forest, CA, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 23: H.R. 1129 (S. 100)--To authorize the exchange of certain land in the State of Colorado.

Agenda Item 24: H.R. 1728 (S. 323)--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the French Colonial Heritage Area in the State of Missouri as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 25: H.R. 2107--To amend Public Law 104-329 to modify authorities for the use of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Maintenance Fund, and for other purposes.

Agenda Item 26: H.R. 3443 (S. 1498)--To direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain water distribution facilities to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District.

In addition, the Committee may turn to any other measures that are ready for consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on

Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 10 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``Taking a checkup on the nation's health care tax policy: a prognosis''.

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 8, 2006, at 10 a.m. to hold a hearing on Nominations.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations' Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing on The Impact on Latin America of the American Servicemembers' Protection Act.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 10 a.m. in SD-430.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. for a hearing titled, ``Hurricane Katrina: Recommendations for Reform.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing on S. 2078, Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Amendments of 2005.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 9:30 a.m. in Senate Dirksen Building Room 226.

Agenda

I. Nominations: Steven G. Bradbury to be an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel; John F. Clark to be Director of the United States Marshals Service; Donald J. DeGabrielle, Jr. to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas; John Charles Richter to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma; Amul R. Thapar to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Mauricio J. Tamargo to be Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States.

II. Bills: S. , Comprehensive Immigration Reform [Chairman's Mark]; S. 1768, a bill to permit the televising of Supreme Court proceedings; Specter, Leahy, Cornyn, Grassley, Schumer, Feingold, Durbin; S. 829, Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005; Grassley, Schumer, Cornyn, Leahy, Feingold, Durbin, Graham, DeWine, Specter; S. 489, Federal Consent Decree Fairness Act; Alexander, Kyl, Cornyn, Graham, Hatch; S. 2039, Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2005; Durbin, Specter, DeWine, Leahy, Kennedy, Feinstein, Feingold; S. 2292, A bill to provide relief for the Federal judiciary from excessive rent charges; Specter, Leahy, Cornyn, Feinstein, Biden.

III. Matters: S.J. Res. 1, Marriage Protection Amendment; Allard, Sessions, Kyl, Hatch, Cornyn, Coburn, Brownback.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 8, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed briefing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing regarding ``Crime Victims Fund Rescission: Real Savings or Budget Gimmick?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 8, 2006, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on Trade, Tourism, and Economic Development be authorized to meet on Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., on the ``Impact of Piracy and Counterfeiting of American Goods and Intellectual Property in China.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to an immediate en bloc consideration of the following bills: Calendar No. 393 to 400, 403 to 410, 420, 533, and 584.

Mr. President, I respectfully ask the Senator from Oklahoma if I could do the other two pending unanimous-consent requests and then allow the Senator from Oklahoma to speak for 15 minutes; and then, after that allow either Senator Cornyn or Senator Leahy, or both, along with myself, to speak on the previously agreed to bill for up to 15 minutes.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we finish the unanimous-consent requests that have been cleared on both sides, that there be speakers recognized in the following order: Senator Coburn, Senator Chambliss, Senator Conrad, and a Republican slot; further, that Senator Cornyn and Senator Leahy and myself be allowed to have 15 minutes following that to discuss legislation previously passed.

Mr. President, I amend my unanimous-consent request to put Senator Dorgan following the Republicans.

That is correct.

I object.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous-consent that the two agreed-to energy en bloc requests be granted first; following that, Senator Coburn for 15 minutes, Senator Chambliss for 10 minutes, Senator Conrad for up to 30 minutes, a Republican slot for 10 minutes, and Senator Dorgan for 20 minutes. I need to also have time reserved for Senator Leahy, Senator Cornyn, and myself following that order for up to 30 minutes.

It would be approximately an hour and half before that would occur unless there would be a unanimous consent agreement that the colloquy could be moved up.

Mr. President, I amend my unanimous consent to allow us to do the two energy en banc requests that have been agreed to by both sides; Senator Cornyn and Senator Leahy for up to 5 minutes; Senator Coburn for 15 minutes; Senator Chambliss for 10 minutes; Senator Conrad for up to 30 minutes; a Republican slot for 10 minutes; Senator Dorgan for 20 minutes; and Senator Hutchison for 15 minutes.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate en bloc consideration of the following bills: Calendar Nos. 393 to 400, 403 to 410, 420, 533, and 584.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendments at the desk be agreed to; the committee-reported amendments as amended, if amended, be agreed to; the bills as amended, if amended, be read a third time and passed en bloc; the resolution be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1728, the Ste. Genevieve County National Historic Site Study Act of 2005.

This bill will authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of designating areas within Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, as a unit of the National Park System.

This study is important to the area, as it will help preserve the great history in the region.

Ste. Genevieve's historical significance derives from French colonial settlement in Missouri.

It was an outpost of the French empire and demonstrates France's efforts to colonize the central region of North America.

Today, Ste. Genevieve remains steeped in French tradition, both culturally and architecturally.

The historic region in Ste. Genevieve has a rich collection of resources, including a significant number of 18th century French colonial structures.

Included in the proposed site study are two of the only five remaining vertical log houses known to survive in North America.

Built around 1800, each stands together on their original sites, standing as a reflection of our history, which needs to be preserved for our future.

In addition to these two homes, historic downtown Ste. Genevieve, as well as a common field used by French settlers, known as Le Grand Champ, are further examples of the history and tradition that exists in Ste. Genevieve County.

This bill is important because the study will not only ensure the preservation of local colonial history, but it will result in economic development from increased tourism and entrepreneurship.

I'd like to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall for their work on this bill. I would also like to thank my colleague and co- sponsor, Congresswoman Emerson for her support.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object.

I do not intend to object in the final analysis on this, but I think the American public needs to hear how this bill got here and the associated processes with it. I want to share my concerns over it. It will take me a few minutes to do that, but I think it is important that we do this.

Before I lift my objection to the authorization in this package, I think it is important to know that this obligates the American people for $1.5 billion. The majority leader originally sought consent for this package in May and again in July. After carefully reviewing the package, considering the oath that I took in January of 2005, I could not give that consent.

I immediately sat down with the chairman of the Energy Committee. I outlined in detail my concerns with him. And I am committed by putting my objections in writing, and I did so.

I ask unanimous consent that the letter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I will repeat today what I said in person and in writing. It authorizes $1.5 billion spending with not one offset and zero consideration for prioritization of how we spend money in this country.

Mr. President, I will try again, reserving my right to object. I will finish this statement one way or the other; otherwise, I will object.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous-consent after the unanimous-consent on this bill that I be allowed 15 minutes to speak on this bill.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, what is the regular order?

Is the Senator required to register an objection or not?

I will not object to that.

I object to that, unless we can have a more comprehensive agreement. I was told that a number of us concerned about drought could come to the floor at 11:30 this morning. Then we were told 1:30. Now it is 1:45. It is fine with me if we can reach an agreement that extends to those of us who are from states suffering from a natural disaster. I totally appreciate the Senator's right to at some point have a chance to express himself. As a matter of procedure, when a Senator has raised an objection, it is my understanding of the rules of the Senate that you have to promptly object or not. It is not a time to speak. I would be fully in agreement having a unanimous-consent agreement to give you the right to express your views. You certainly have that right at some point.

Mr. President, I will object unless we have a chance to reach a more comprehensive agreement on what follows.

I object.

Mr. President, I think it would be very important here to have time specified for these names because that is the only way we can have an understanding here. I will object unless we have time associated with the names.