Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., in open session, and possibly closed session, to receive testimony on the current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell

Senate Office Building, in order to conduct a hearing.

The hearing will focus on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 9:45 a.m., in room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this hearing, the Committee will hear testimony to consider two nominations: Stanley C. Suboleski, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), vice Jeffrey D. Jarrett, resigned; and, J. Gregory Copeland, of Texas, to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy, vice David R. Hill.

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, February 27, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Hearing on the President's Proposed EPA Budget for

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10 a.m. in SD-430.

Agenda

S. 579, Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2007; S. 1810, Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act; S. 999, Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2007; S. 1760, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker- Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act; and S. 1042, Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007.

National Board for Education Sciences: Jonathan Baron, Frank Handy, Sally Shaywitz.

National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities: Jamsheed Choksy, Gary Glenn, David Hertz, Marvin Scott, Carol Swain.

National Museum and Library Science Board: Julia Bland, Jan Cellucci, William Hagenah, Mark Herring,

Truman Scholarship Foundation: Javaid Anwar, and Assistant Secretary of Labor ODEP: Neil Romano.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 10 a.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``An Uneasy Relationship: U.S. Reliance on Private Security Firms in Overseas Operations.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, at 9:30 a.m. in room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing on S. 2232, the Foreign Aid Lessons for Domestic Economic Assistance Act of 2007.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``The False Claims Act Correction Act (S. 2041): Strengthening the Government's Most Effective Tool Against Fraud for the 21st Century'' on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witness List

Michael F. Hertz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Panel II: Tina M. Gonter, Jacksonville, FL; The Honorable John E. Clark, Of Counsel, Goode, Casseb, Jones, Riklin, Choate & Watson, P.C., San Antonio, TX; John T. Boese, Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Washington, DC; and Pamela H. Bucy, Bainbridge Professor of Law, University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, AL.

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, February 27, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., in order to hear testimony on Protecting Voters at Home and at the Polls: Limiting Abusive Robocalls and Vote Caging Practices.

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 ``The President's FY2009 Budget Request for the Small Business Administration on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in room 428A of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the Committee on Veterans' Affairs to be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, in order to conduct an oversight hearing entitled ``Review of Veterans' Disability Compensation: Expert Reports on PTSD and other issues.'' The Committee will meet in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, at 9:30 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, at 3:00 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on active component, reserve component, and civilian personnel programs in review of the defense authorization request for Fiscal Year 2009 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., in open session, In order to receive testimony on the Department of the Air Force in review of the Defense authorization request for fiscal year 2009 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a business meeting on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 11:15 a.m., in room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this mark-up, the Committee will consider the nomination of J. Gregory Copeland to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 3 p.m., In room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this hearing, the Committee will hear testimony regarding the Impacts of the capability of the United States to maintain a domestic enrichment capability as a result of the recently initialed amendment between the United States and the Russian Federation of the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Uranium from the Russian Federation.

PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

Committee on Foreign Relations

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 5, 2008, at 9:30 a.m in order to hold a hearing on strengthening national security through smart power.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet in executive session during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. in SD-430.

Agenda

S. 1810, Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act; S. 999, Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2007; S. 1760, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act; and S. 1042, Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007.

National Board for Education Sciences, Jonathan Baron, Frank Handy, Sally Shaywitz; National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities, Jamsheed Choksy, Gary Glenn, David Hertz, Marvin Scott, Carol Swain; National Museum and Library Science Board, Julia Bland, Jan Cellucci, William Hagenah, Mark Herring; Truman Scholarship Foundation, Javaid Anwar; Assistant Secretary of Labor ODEP, Neil Romano.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet, during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Climbing Costs of Heating Homes: Why LIHEAP is Essential'' on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. The hearing will commence at 10:30 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Census in Peril: Getting the 2010 Decennial Back on Track.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation'' on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 10 a.m. in room SD-106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witness list

The Honorable Robert S. Mueller, III, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., in open session in order to receive testimony on the findings and recommendations of the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health, the Army's Mental Health Advisory Team reports, and Department of Defense and service-wide improvements in mental health resources, including suicide prevention, for servicemembers and their families.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``The State of the U.S. Postal Service One Year After Reform''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, March 5, 2008 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Dirksen 562 for the purpose of conducting a hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 2 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 10 a.m. in 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building, to hear testimony on ``Customs Reauthorization: Strengthening U.S. Economic Interests and Security''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 10:15 a.m. to hold a business meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, March 13, 2008, in executive session to consider the following:

Bills:

S. 1810, Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act; S. 999, Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2007; S. 1760, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007; H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act; and S. 1042, Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2007:

Nominations:

National Board for Education Sciences: Jonathan Baron; Frank Handy; Sally Shaywitz.

National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities: Jamsheed Choksy; Gary Glenn; David Hertz; Marvin Scott; Carol Swain.

National Museum and Library Science Board: Julia Bland; Jan

Cellucci; William Hagenah; Mark Herring.

Truman Scholarship Foundation: Javaid Anwar.

Assistant Secretary of Labor ODEP: Neil Ramano.

Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services: Joxel Garcia.

Member of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission: Robert Cohen; Michael Duffy.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct an executive business meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Agenda

Bills: S. 2136, Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2007 [Durbin, Schumer, Whitehouse, Biden, Feinstein]; S. 2133, Home Owners ``Mortgage and Equity Savings Act'' [Specter, Coleman]; S. 2041, False Claims Act Correction Act of 2007 [Grassley, Durbin, Leahy, Specter, Whitehouse]; S. 2533, State Secrets Protection Act [Kennedy, Specter, Leahy, Feingold, Whitehouse]; and S. 702, State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act [Kohl, Kennedy, Durbin, Biden, Cardin, Leahy].

Resolution: S. Res. 468, designating April 2008 as ``National 9-1-1 Education Month'' [Clinton, Stevens].

Nominations: Catharina Haynes to be United States Circuit Court Judge for the Fifth Circuit, and Rebecca Ann Gregory to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on March 13, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate to conduct a hearing on Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this hearing, the Committee will hear testimony regarding old-growth forest science, policy and management in the Pacific Northwest region.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 11:10 a.m. in open session, in order to receive testimony on the strategy in Afghanistan and recent reports by the Afghanistan study group and the Atlantic Council of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. in open session, in order to receive testimony on the strategy in Afghanistan and recent reports by the Afghanistan study group and the Atlantic Council of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee an Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate in order to conduct a hearing on Thursday, February, 14, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. At this hearing, the Committee will hear testimony regarding the President's fiscal year 2009 budget request for the USDA Forest Service.

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 Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Legislative Hearing on the Marine Vessel Emissions Reduction Act of 2007, S. 1499.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, in order to hear testimony on ``International Aspects of a Climate Change Cap and Trade Program''.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. in order to conduct a hearing entitled ``The Homeland Security Department's Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2009.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on Thursday, February 14, at 9:30 a.m. in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in order to conduct an Oversight Hearing on the President's fiscal year 2009 Budget Request for Tribal Programs.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, in order to conduct an executive business meeting on Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 10 a.m. in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Agenda:

I. Bills: S. 2304, Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2007 (Domenici, Kennedy, Specter, Leahy); S. 2449, Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2007 (Kohl, Leahy, Graham); S. 352, Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2007 (Grassley, Schumer, Leahy, Specter, Graham, Feingold, Cornyn, Durbin); S. 2136, Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2007 (Durbin; Schumer, Whitehouse, Biden); S. 2133, Home Owners ``Mortgage and Equity Savings Act'' (Specter, Coleman).

II. Nominations: Kevin J. O'Connor to be Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice, Gregory G. Katsas to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, Department of Justice.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 9:45 a.m., in order to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Building and Strengthening the Federal Acquisition Workforce.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on February 14, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., to hold an open hearing.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1760) to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the Healthy Start Initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

I rise this evening in support of S. 1760, the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007. The Healthy Start Program was developed in 1991 in order to combat alarming rates of infant mortality and racial disparities in maternal and infant health. It has grown from a small demonstration project with 15 grantees to an impressive 97 grantees in 2005. Healthy Start has since expanded its targeted population to include women and infants through 2 years postpartum.

S. 1760 promotes grant applications that facilitate a community-based approach to the delivery of services and a comprehensive approach to women's health care to improve perinatal outcomes. S. 1760 also ensures the Secretary is not prohibited from addressing disparities in perinatal health indicators in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Alaska and Hawaii.

This legislation reauthorizes appropriations through 2013 for the Healthy Start Initiative. The Healthy Start Program has made great strides in combating infant mortality and in improving maternal and infant health. With increased resources, the Healthy Start Program will be able to continue its important role in improving maternal and infant health outcomes and in reducing health disparities.

I want to particularly thank Representative Towns and Representative Upton for all of their hard work on this legislation. Messrs. Towns and Upton introduced the House companion to S. 1760, and both have been huge advocates for the Healthy Start Program and for its reauthorization.

S. 1760 passed the Senate by unanimous consent on April 30, 2008. I urge its passage.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I would urge passage of the Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007.

I yield back the balance of my time.