To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 44 North Main Street in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, as the "Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas Post Office".

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 September 26, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled on ``The Role and Impact of Credit Rating Agencies on the Subprime Credit Markets.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S.1543, a bill to establish a national geothermal initiative to encourage increased production of energy from geothermal resources by creating a program of geothermal research, development, demonstration and commercial application to support the achievement of a national geothermal energy goal.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``An Examination of the Impacts of Global Warming on the Chesapeake Bay.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m., in room SD-215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on the ``Offshore Tax Issues: Reinsurance and Hedge Funds''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. for a business meeting to consider pending committee business.

Agenda

Nomination

The Honorable Julie L. Myers to be Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Postal Naming Bills

H.R. 2654, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, South Dakota, as the ``Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2467, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 69 Montgomery Street in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the ``Frank J. Guarini Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2587, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 South 3rd Street Lobby in Memphis, Tennessee, as the ``Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office Building;''

H.R. 2778, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3 Quaker Ridge Road in New Rochelle, New York, as the ``Robert Merrill Postal Station;''

H.R. 2825, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 326 South Main Street in Princeton, Illinois, as the ``Owen Lovejoy Princeton Post Office Building;''

H.R. 3052, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 954 Wheeling Avenue in Cambridge, Ohio, as the ``John Herschel Glenn Jr. Post Office Building;''

H.R. 3106/S. 2023, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 805 Main Street in Ferdinand, Indiana, as the ``Staff Sergeant David L. Nord Post Office;''

H.R. 2765, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 44 North Main Street in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas Post Office.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet in order to conduct an Executive Nomination hearing on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building room 226.

Witness list:

Michael J. Sullivan to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

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, September 26, 2007, at 10 a.m. to conduct an executive business meeting to consider on the Nomination of Robert C. Tapella of Virginia, to be Public Printer, Government Printing Office; and the nominations of Steven T. Walther of Nevada, David M. Mason of Virginia, Robert D. Lenhard of Maryland, and Hans von Spakovsky of Georgia to be members of the Federal Election Commission.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Improving Internet Access to Help Small Business Compete in a Global Economy,'' on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, beginning at 10 a.m., in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Representative Jones and my other colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, in calling for a comprehensive revaluation of our strategies in Iraq. I consider the situation in Iraq to be one of Congress' highest priorities and there is an urgent need to establish a comprehensive and realistic exit strategy. We need to offer hope to the families anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones and the men and women who risk their lives everyday.

Next month will be the 40th anniversary of one of the largest protests against the Vietnam War. Over a hundred thousand people marched on Washington that day, and it worries me that the current Administration seems to have learned little from history. A similar discontent can be seen on the streets of America today, as more and more polls demonstrate dwindling public support for this war.

I have always maintained the stance that an adequate case for war was never made and that military intervention should only have been used if all other routes failed. From the beginning, I offered an alternative resolution to war. Although we can never know what the outcome of alternatives may have been, we have the chance now to change strategy and make decisive steps to developing a lasting solution.

Mr. Speaker, an increase in troop numbers is not the answer. This war, commenced in haste and founded on deception, will never provide the solutions Iraq needs to establish a strong and lasting democracy. We can't secure victory through a war of attrition, and neither can we protect our sons and daughters who stand in harm's way in a war that was never necessary.

It is true that we cannot abandon the Iraqi people. But more productive ways to help them can be found. In the current international climate, we cannot engage in meaningful dialogue on the Iraqi situation while the occupation continues. I believe we must allow the U.N. to play a greater role in the reconstruction of Iraq, advancing human rights and justice within the framework of international law. In my work in this great body, I consistently seek to protect the United States and its people above all else. However, currently there is no absolute proof of an imminent threat. In fact our vulnerability to international terrorism only rises every day our troops stay in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I am dedicated to providing funding to protect our troops, but I refuse to support the failed foreign policies of the Bush administration, nor any legislation that will lead to more unnecessary deaths. The greatest thing we can do for our brave men and women in the Armed Forces is to take them out of harm's way by developing a clear, decisive exit strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 2765) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 44 North Main Street in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas Post Office,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, Master Sergeant Sean Michael Thomas died on March 27, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was serving with the Harrisburg-based 28th Division Support Command. Master Sergeant Thomas joined the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1998 after 6 years in the Army Reserve. He had planned to attend Officer Candidates School in October and wanted to be a teacher when he returned to civilian life. His unit's commander, Colonel Jesse Deets, called Master Sergeant Thomas a model officer and friend.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague Representative Christopher Carney for introducing this legislation and urge the swift passage of this bill.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the Senate to proceed en bloc to consideration of the following calendar items: Calendar No. 389, H.R. 2467; Calendar No. 390, H.R. 2587; Calendar No. 391, H.R. 2654; Calendar No. 392, H.R. 2765; Calendar No. 393, H.R. 2778; Calendar No. 394, H.R. 2825; Calendar No. 395, H.R. 3052; and Calendar No. 396, H.R. 3106.

I ask unanimous consent that the bills be read a third time and passed en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc; that consideration of these items appear separately in the Record, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.