A resolution memorializing fallen firefighters by lowering the United States flag to half-staff on the day of the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 7, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., in open session to consider the nomination of Lieutenant General Douglas E. Lute, USA, to be assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 7, 2007, at 2 p.m., in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building.

The hearing will serve as an investigation of NASA Inspector General, Robert W. Cobb.

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, June 7, 2007 at 10 a.m. in Room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``An Examination of the Views of Religious Organizations Regarding Global Warming.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Thursday, June 7, 2007, at 10 a.m. in Dirksen Room 226.

Agenda

I. Bills: S. 185, Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007 (Specter, Leahy, Feinstein, Feingold, Whitehouse, Durbin, Biden); S. 720, Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007 (Levin); H.R. 692, Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007; S. 535, Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act (Dodd, Leahy, Schumer, Kennedy); S.456, Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007 (Feinstein, Hatch, Schumer, Specter, Biden, Kyl, Cornyn, Kohl).

II. Nominations: Leslie Southwick to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit; Robert James Jonker to be a United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan.

III. Resolutions: S. Res. 171, Memorializing fallen firefighters by lowering the U.S. flag (Collins, Biden, Kennedy); S. Res. 82, Designating August 16, 2007 as National Airborne Day (Hagel, Graham, Sessions, Feinstein, Feingold); S. Res. 173, Designating August 11,2007 as National Marina Day (Stabenow).

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing entitled ``Prevention of Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation in Federal Elections: S. 453'' on Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 2 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness list

Panel I: The Honorable Charles Schumer, United States Senator [D-NY]; The Honorable Barack Obama, United States Senator [D-IL].

Panel II: The Honorable Douglas F. Gansler, Attorney General, State of Maryland, Baltimore, MD; The Honorable Jack B. Johnson, County Executive, Prince George's County, MD, Upper Marlboro, MD.

Panel III: Hilary O. Shelton, Director, Washington Bureau, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP], Washington, DC; John Trasvina, President and General Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund [MALDEF], Los Angeles, CA; Richard Briffault, Joseph P. Chamberlain Professor of Legislation, Columbia Law School, New York, NY.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on June 7, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed hearing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on National Parks of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on Alternate Energy-Related Uses on the Outer Continental Shelf: Opportunities, Issues and Implementation of Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs' Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet on Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled, DHS' Acquisition Organization: Who is Really in Charge?

Mr. President. I rise to submit Senate Resolution 171 to memorialize our country's fallen firefighters by lowering U.S. flags to half-staff each year on the day of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, it is my honor to sponsor the tribute to some of America's bravest and most dedicated public servants. I am pleased that Senators Biden, McCain, Mikulski, Carper, and Dodd have joined me in sponsoring this resolution.

More than a million men and women work in the fire service in the United States. They respond to more than 22 million emergencies every year, including not only fires, but accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous spills, and terror attacks.

And each year, about 100 of these brave firefighters die in the line of duty, often in circumstances too terrifying and agonizing for us to imagine. The sad toll in 2006 was 105 firefighters.

Recognizing the many dangers of our firefighters' profession and the essential public service that they selflessly provide, Congress has taken practical steps to ensure that firefighters possess the equipment and other resources needed to safely fulfill their many missions. For example, in 2001, Congress created the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, otherwise known as the Fire Act Grants, which fire departments--including many in Maine--have used to buy much-needed equipment and to fund training, health, and fitness programs.

Congress has also taken symbolic steps to honor the brave firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Under the leadership of our retired colleague senator Paul Sarbanes, Congress established the non-profit National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to honor America's fallen firefighters and to support their families.

The Foundation maintains the official national memorial to fallen firefighters in Emmitsburg, MD, and conducts an annual memorial weekend that draws thousands of firefighters and the families from around the country.

The memorial weekend, begun in 1982, will be held this year October 5 through 7, including a memorial service on Sunday, October 7.

The resolution I submit today would provide another demonstration of our respect and appreciation for our fallen firefighters. It would direct that flags on all Federal facilities would be lowered to half- staff each year on the day of the memorial service.

Our firefighters risk their lives every day for their fellow citizens. It is fitting that we offer this simple but richly symbolic tribute to all those firefighters who have given their lives in our defense.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 193, S. Res. 171.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.