MAP Act

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Robert M. La Follette, Sr. This week, on June 14, people around my home State of Wisconsin will mark the 152nd anniversary of La Follette's birth. Throughout his life, La Follette was revered for his tireless service to the people of Wisconsin and to the people of the U.S. His dogged, full-steam-ahead approach to his life's work earned him the nickname ``Fighting Bob.''

Robert Marion La Follette, Sr., was born on June 14, 1855, in Primrose, a small town southwest of Madison in Dane County. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in

1879 and, after being admitted to the State bar, began his long career in public service as Dane County district attorney.

La Follette was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1884, and he served three terms as a member of that body, where he was a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

After losing his campaign for reelection in 1890, La Follette returned to Wisconsin and continued to serve the people of my state as a judge. Upon his exit from Washington DC, a reporter wrote, La Follette ``is popular at home, popular with his colleagues, and popular in the House. He is so good a fellow that even his enemies like him.''

He was elected the 20th Governor of Wisconsin in 1900. He served in that office until 1906, when he stepped down in order to serve the people of Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate, where he remained until his death in 1925.

As a founder of the national progressive movement, La Follette championed progressive causes as governor of Wisconsin and in the U.S. Congress. As governor, he advanced an agenda that included the country's first workers compensation system, direct election of U.S. Senators, and railroad rate and tax reforms. Collectively, these reforms would become known as the ``Wisconsin Idea.'' As governor, La Follette also supported cooperation between the state and the University of Wisconsin.

His terms in the House of Representatives and the Senate were spent fighting for women's rights, working to limit the power of monopolies, and opposing pork barrel legislation. La Follette also advocated electoral reforms, and he brought his support of the direct election of U.S. Senators to this body. His efforts were brought to fruition with the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913. Fighting Bob also worked tirelessly to hold the Government accountable, and was a key figure in exposing the Teapot Dome Scandal.

La Follette earned the respect of such notable Americans as Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington and Harriet Tubman Upton for making civil rights one of his trademark issues. At a speech before the 1886 graduating class of Howard University, La Follette said, ``We are one people, one by truth, one almost by blood. Our lives run side by side, our ashes rest in the same soil. [Seize] the waiting world of opportunity. Separatism is snobbish stupidity, it is supreme folly, to talk of non-contact, or exclusion!''

La Follette ran for President three times, twice as a Republican and once on the Progressive ticket. In 1924, as the Progressive candidate for President, La Follette garnered more than 17 percent of the popular vote and carried the State of Wisconsin.

La Follette's years of public service were not without controversy. In 1917, he filibustered a bill to allow the arming of U.S. merchant ships in response to a series of German submarine attacks. His filibuster was successful in blocking passage of this bill in the closing hours of the 64th Congress. Soon after, La Follette was one of only six Senators who voted against U.S. entry into World War I.

Fighting Bob was outspoken in his belief that the right to free speech did not end when war began. In the fall of 1917, La Follette gave a speech about the war in Minnesota, and he was misquoted in press reports as saying that he supported the sinking of the Lusitania. The Wisconsin State Legislature condemned his supposed statement as treason, and some of La Follette's Senate colleagues introduced a resolution to expel him. In response to this action, he delivered his seminal floor address, ``Free Speech in Wartime,'' on October 16, 1917. If you listen closely, you can almost hear his strong voice echoing through this chamber as he said: ``Mr. President, our government, above all others, is founded on the right of the people freely to discuss all matters pertaining to their government, in war not less than in peace, for in this government, the people are the rulers in war no less than in peace.''

Of the expulsion petition filed against him, La Follette said:

I am aware, Mr. President, that in pursuance of this

general campaign of vilification and attempted intimidation,

requests from various individuals and certain organizations

have been submitted to the Senate for my expulsion from this

body, and that such requests have been referred to and

considered by one of the Committees of the Senate.

If I alone had been made the victim of these attacks, I

should not take one moment of the Senate's time for their

consideration, and I believe that other Senators who have

been unjustly and unfairly assailed, as I have been, hold the

same attitude upon this that I do. Neither the clamor of the

mob nor the voice of power will ever turn me by the breadth

of a hair from the course I mark out for myself, guided by

such knowledge as I can obtain and controlled and directed by

a solemn conviction of right and duty.

This powerful speech led to a Senate investigation of whether La Follette's conduct constituted treason. In 1919, following the end of World War I, the Senate dropped its investigation and reimbursed La Follette for the legal fees he incurred as a result of the expulsion petition and corresponding investigation. This incident is indicative of Fighting Bob's commitment to his ideals and of his tenacious spirit.

La Follette died on June 18, 1925, in Washington, DC., while serving Wisconsin in this body. His daughter noted, ``His passing was mysteriously peaceful for one who had stood so long on the battle line.'' Mourners visited the Wisconsin Capitol to view his body, and paid respects in a crowd nearing 50,000 people. La Follette's son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., was appointed to his father's seat, and went on to be elected in his own right and to serve in this body for more than 20 years, following the progressive path blazed by his father.

La Follette has been honored a number of times for his unwavering commitment to his ideals and for his service to the people of Wisconsin and of the U.S.

During the 109th Congress, I was proud to support Senate passage of a bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin that named the post office at 215 Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard in Madison in La Follette's honor. I commend Congresswomen Baldwin for her efforts to pass that bill and I am pleased she is introducing House companion measures of the legislation I am introducing today in the Senate.

The Library of Congress recognized La Follette in 1985 by naming the Congressional Research Service reading room in the Madison Building in honor of both Fighting Bob and his son, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., for their shared commitment to the development of a legislative research service to support the U.S. Congress. In his autobiography, Fighting Bob noted that, as governor of Wisconsin, he ``made it a . . . policy to bring all the reserves of knowledge and inspiration of the university more fully to the service of the people. . . . Many of the university staff are now in State service, and a bureau of investigation and research established as a legislative reference library . . . has proved of the greatest assistance to the legislature in furnishing the latest and best thought of the advanced students of Government in this and other countries.'' He went on to call this service ``a model which the Federal government and ultimately every state in the union will follow.'' Thus, the legislative reference service that La Follette created in Madison served as the basis for his work to create the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress.

The La Follette Reading Room was dedicated on March 5, 1985, the 100th anniversary of Fighting Bob being sworn in for his first term as a Member of Congress.

Across this magnificent Capitol in National Statuary Hall, Fighting Bob is forever immortalized in white marble, still proudly representing the state of Wisconsin. His statue resides in the Old House Chamber, now known as National Statuary Hall, among those of other notable figures who have made their marks in American history. One of the few seated statues is that of Fighting Bob. Though he is sitting, he is shown with one foot forward, and one hand on the arm of his chair, as if he is about to leap to his feet and begin a robust speech.

When then-Senator John F. Kennedy's five-member Special Committee on the Senate Reception Room chose La Follette as one of the ``Five Outstanding Senators'' whose portraits would hang outside of this chamber in the Senate reception room, he was described as being a ``ceaseless battler for

the underprivileged'' and a ``courageous independent.'' Today, his painting still hangs just outside this chamber, where it bears witness to the proceedings of this body--and, perhaps, challenges his successors here to continue fighting for the social and government reforms he championed.

Mr. President, to honor Robert M. La Follette, Sr., during the week of the anniversary of his birth, today I am introducing two pieces of legislation. I am pleased to be joined in this effort by the senior Senator from Wisconsin, Senator Kohl; the senior Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy; and the junior Senator from Ohio, Senator Brown.

I am introducing a bill that would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins to commemorate Fighting Bob's life and legacy. The second bill that I am introducing today, 1864, would authorize the President to posthumously award a gold medal on behalf of Congress to Robert M. La Follette, Sr. The minting of a commemorative coin and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal would be fitting tributes to the memory of Robert M. La Follette, Sr., and to his deeply held beliefs and long record of service to his state and to his country. I hope that my colleagues will support these proposals.

Let us never forget Robert M. La Follette, Sr.'s character, his integrity, his deep commitment to Progressive causes, and his unwillingness to waver from doing what he thought was right. The Senate has known no greater champion of the common man and woman, no greater enemy of corruption and cronyism, than ``Fighting Bob'' La Follette, and it is an honor to speak in the same chamber, and serve the same great state, as he did.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2007. This bill facilitates an important land exchange in Arizona that will provide for the acquisition and protection of environmentally sensitive lands while providing a much needed economic engine for the people of Superior, AZ, and the surrounding communities. I am pleased to be joined by Senator McCain as an original cosponsor of this bill.

This is not the first time Senator McCain and I have introduced this land exchange legislation. In 2005, we introduced S. 1122. S. 1122 was later modified and reintroduced in 2006 as S. 2466. S. 2466, as introduced, reflected the painstaking negotiated compromises and public feedback that we received with respect to the bill. S. 2466 had a favorable hearing before the Subcommittee on Forests and Public Lands in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in May 2006. At that hearing, both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management testified in support of the bill. The bill, however, was not enacted in the last Congress. I am pleased to say we are back again this year with a bill that includes some new provisions based on the work of the stakeholders to continue to improve the bill.

The exchange facilitates the conveyance to Resolution Copper of approximately 3,025 acres of National Forest System land, 3 miles outside of Superior, Arizona in the historic Pioneer Mining District. The acreage commonly called ``Oak Flat'' would be traded to Resolution Copper to facilitate future exploration, and possible development, of what may be one of the largest deposits of copper ore ever discovered in North America. The 3,025 acres of Federal lands are intermingled with, or lie next to, private lands already owned by Resolution Copper, and are located south and east of Resolution's existing underground Magma copper mine. Approximately 75 percent

of the Federal land is already blanketed by federally authorized mining claims owned by Resolution Copper that give it the right to explore and develop the minerals. Given the intermingled ownership, the public safety issues that may be associated with mining activities, and the significant financial investment Resolution Copper must make to even determine whether development of a mine is feasible, it makes sense, for Resolution Copper to own the entire Oak Flat area.

However, we also recognize that there are public impacts associated with transferring Oak Flat out of federal ownership. This bill goes far in addressing these impacts. Let me explain. First, the land exchange is conditioned on the execution of a permanent conservation easement to protect Apache Leap, a spectacular cliff area rich in cultural history on the western side of the Federal parcel. Although the conservation easement has been a feature in this bill since it was first introduced, we have expanded and strengthened the protections required by the easement. The easement will now apply to the entire Apache Leap escarpment totaling approximately 695 acres up from the 562 acres that were protected in the original bill. To address concerns that were raised that the mining operation might still affect the area, the conservation easement will not just prohibit surface development, it will also prohibit commercial mineral extraction under the easement area. In addition, the exchange includes a fund endowment for the implementation of the terms of the conservation easement.

The Oak Flat Campground, consisting of 16 rustic tent/RV sites, is located on the north side of the parcel, adjacent to U.S. Highway 60. Recognizing that the campground is used by the community and others, we are requiring that this campground be replaced on the Globe Ranger District at Resolution Copper's expense. Public access to this campground will not immediately terminate on enactment of the legislation: The bill stipulates continued public access to the campground for two years after enactment.

We also heard from the public that climbing and bouldering are important recreational resources at Oak Flat. For this reason, we included a placeholder in S. 1122 for additional climbing provisions as a good faith offer to the climbing community to work with us and Resolution Copper to address the loss of public access to climbing at Oak Flat in a way that would not compromise public safety. A compromise was reached by the stakeholders to continue temporary interim access to some climbing at Oak Flat; and execute a license between Resolution Copper and Access Fund, a national advocacy climbing organization, to allow climbers to gain access to popular climbing sites located on Resolution Copper's private land. This compromise along with the discovery of ``Tamo,'' a climbing gem in the Tam O'Shanter Mountains, which is slated to become Arizona's newest State park, are examples of how parties coming together can turn an unfortunate situation into a win-win.

We had hoped we would be able to make a similar announcement with regard to the cultural resource concerns that were raised by the San Carlos Apache Tribe in May of last year. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I am still hopeful, however, and I will continue to reach out to the Yavapai and Apache tribes as this bill moves through the legislative process.

In return for conveying the Federal land to Resolution Copper, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management will receive eight parcels of private land, totaling 4,583 acres plus $7.5 million to be placed in a trust account to be expended by the United States on additional conservation lands in Arizona. The parcels included in this bill have been identified, and are strongly endorsed for acquisition by the Arizona Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Sonoran Institute, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and numerous others. They include lands along the San Pedro River, an important internationally recognized migratory bird corridor, riparian and wetland habitat for threatened and endangered animal and plant species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher and the hedgehog cactus, and magnificent canyons and forests that are home to big game species. Most of the parcels are in holdings whose acquisition will enable more effective management of the federal land. It is in the public interest to bring these conservation lands into Federal ownership for the enjoyment of future generations.

Although the focus of this bill is the land exchange between Resolution Copper and the U.S., it also includes provisions allowing for the conveyance of Federal lands to the town of Superior. These lands include the town cemetery, lands around the town airport, and a Federal reversionary interest that exists at the airport site. These lands are included in the proposed exchange to help the town to provide its municipal needs and expand and diversify its economic development.

Though I have described the many benefits of and the important compromises that are part of this exchange, you may be asking why we are legislating this land exchange. Why not use the existing administrative land exchange process? The answer is that this exchange can only be accomplished legislatively because the Forest Service does not have the authority to convey away Federal lands in order to acquire other lands outside the boundaries of the National Forest System, no matter how ecologically valuable.

This bill contains procedural safeguards and conditions that ensure it is an equal value exchange in the public interest. I will highlight some of those safeguards: First, it requires that all appraisals of the lands must follow standard federal practice and be performed in accordance with appraisal standards promulgated by the U.S. Department of Justice. All appraisals must also be formally reviewed, and approved, by the Secretary of Agriculture. Second, to ensure the Federal Government gets full value for the Federal parcel it is giving up, the Federal parcel will be appraised to include the minerals and appraised as if unencumbered by the private mining claims that detract from the fair market value of the land. These are important provisions not required by federal law. They are especially significant given that over 75 percent of the Federal parcel is covered by mining claims owned by Resolution Copper and the bulk of the value of the Federal parcel is expected to be the minerals. Third, the Apache Leap conservation easement is expressly excluded from the valuation of the Federal land, preventing any possibility that this easement would devalue the Federal land. By following standard appraisal practices and including these additional safeguards in the valuation process, the U.S., and ultimately the taxpayer, will receive full fair market value for both the land and the minerals it contains.

With this land exchange we can preserve lands that advance the important public objectives of protecting wildlife habitat, cultural resources, the watershed, and aesthetic values, while generating economic, recreation, and employment opportunities for state and local residents. I hope we approve the legislation at the earliest possible date. It is a winning scenario for our environment and our economy.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a crime bill that I hope all of my colleagues will support. Several of my colleagues and I have worked with the Department of Justice to develop an important comprehensive crime bill which will provide new tools to law enforcement and prosecutors across the country.

This is an important issue. The New York Times wrote recently that violent crime was on the rise in our larger cities. Murder, robbery and gun assaults seem to be on the rise in midsized to large cities. Experts attribute this increase, in part, to the spread of drug use, gangs, high poverty, a record number of people being released from prison, and easy access to guns and a willingness to settle disputes with them.

This comprehensive crime bill will help law enforcement officers and prosecutors beat back this rise in violent crimes. It is an extensive bill but let me discuss a few of its provisions here.

Over the past several years, Congress has worked to crack down on child predators. From the PROTECT Act in 2003 to last year's Adam Walsh Act, Congress has made clear that those who commit crimes against our children will face swift and severe punishment. The bill I am introducing today builds on this momentum and adds additional tools to the prosecutorial arsenal. Among the changes provided in this bill is an increase in the punishments for a variety of sex offenses, including providing mandatory minimums for possession of child pornography. The bill would triple the criminal fines available against electronic service providers who knowingly and willfully fail to report child pornography and would make it a Federal crime to participate in the sex tourism trade in order to produce child pornography.

We must protect the most vulnerable of us, children, and these provisions will continue this progress.

The bill amends the armed career criminal statute to create a tiered punishment approach such that defendants with more serious criminal histories who use guns will face harsher punishments, including mandatory minimum prison sentences. Additionally, the bill also increases the statute of limitations for violent crimes from 5 to 10 years.

The bill also makes some technical but important changes to the gun statutes. For instance, the bill inserts an interstate commerce jurisdictional statement in 18 U.S.C. 924h cases, the statute that prohibits the transfer of firearms to others who intend to use those firearms in a drug trafficking or violent crime. This corrects a post Lopez congressional oversight and ensures that if this statute is used, it will not be struck down. Additionally, this bill provides that those felons who are arrested for possession of firearms will be detained without bail pending trial.

We need to send a strong message of deterrence to those who would illegally use firearms. This bill sends that message loud and clear.

Finally, the bill includes some significant changes to critical terrorism statutes. For instance, this bill criminalizes providing financial support to families of suicide bombers. It also increases penalties for those convicted of material support and denies Federal benefits to convicted terrorists.

These are but a few of the provisions contained in this bill. Congress must continue to evaluate and, when necessary, provide needed tools to law enforcement to enable those public servants to effectively do their job.

This bill does that and I hope that my colleagues will support it.