Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration, en bloc, of the following resolutions which were submitted today: S. Res. 304, S. Res. 305, S. Res.…
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration, en bloc, of the following resolutions which were submitted today: S. Res. 304, S. Res. 305, S. Res. 306, and S. Res. 307.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc, with no intervening action or debate, and that any related statements be printed in the Record, as if read.
Mr. President, S. Res. 305 concerns representation by the Senate Legal Counsel of Senator Cornyn and Senator Hutchison, who have been subpoenaed to provide testimony and produce documents in a lawsuit between an individual and the Social Security Administration over the termination of the individual's benefits. That individual had requested that Senator Cornyn and Senator Hutchison assist him with his attempt to reverse the termination of his benefits by the Social Security Administration, and those Senators' offices had provided standard constituent service seeking an explanation regarding the matter from the agency for this individual. Neither Senator, however, has personal knowledge of the facts supporting the Social Security Administration's termination of plaintiff's benefits, nor were they involved in any way in that termination.
This resolution would authorize the Senate Legal Counsel to represent Senator Cornyn and Senator Hutchison, as well as any staff from either of their offices who may be subpoenaed in this lawsuit, in order to quash the subpoena.
S. Res. 305
(To authorize legal representation in Edward Paul Celestine, Jr. v.
Social Security Administration)
Whereas, in the case of Edward Paul Celestine, Jr. v.
Social Security Administration, No. 4:11-CV-3376, pending in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Texas, the plaintiff has sent subpoenas for testimony and
documents to Senator John Cornyn and Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison; and,
Whereas, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 704(a)(2) of the
Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 2 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 288b(a)
and 288c(a)(2), the Senate may direct its counsel to
represent Members, officers, and employees of the Senate with
respect to any subpoena, order, or request for testimony or
documents relating to their official responsibilities: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved That the Senate Legal Counsel is authorized to
represent Senator John Cornyn and Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison in this matter as well as any employee in Senator
Cornyn's or Senator Hutchison's offices who may be subpoenaed
in this case.
S. Res. 306
(Supporting the goals and ideals of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and raising awareness and enhancing the state of cybersecurity in
the United States)
Whereas the use of the Internet in the United States to
communicate, conduct business, and generate commerce that
benefits the overall United States economy is ubiquitous;
Whereas the United States technological know-how,
innovation, and entrepreneurship are all digitally connected;
Whereas as the pace of innovation has accelerated, so too
have methods to attack the United States economic prosperity
and security, spawning new, high-tech challenges, from
identity theft to corporate hacking to cyberbullying;
Whereas many people use the Internet in the United States
to communicate with family and friends, manage finances and
pay bills, access educational opportunities, shop at home,
participate in online entertainment and games, and stay
informed of news and current events;
Whereas small businesses in the United States, which employ
a significant portion of
the private workforce, increasingly rely on the Internet to
manage their businesses, expand their customer reach, and
enhance the management of their supply chain;
Whereas many schools in the United States have Internet
access to enhance the education of children by providing
access to educational online content and encouraging self-
initiative to discover research resources;
Whereas cybersecurity is a critical part of the United
States national and economic security;
Whereas the United States critical infrastructure and
economy rely on the secure and reliable operation of
information networks to support the United States military,
civilian government, energy, telecommunications, financial
services, transportation, health care, and emergency response
systems;
Whereas Internet users and information infrastructure
owners and operators face an increasing threat of cybercrime
and fraud through viruses, worms, Trojans, and malicious
programs, such as spyware, adware, hacking tools, and
password stealers, that are frequent and fast in propagation,
are costly to repair, and may disable entire systems;
Whereas the intellectual property, including proprietary
information, copyrights, patents, trademarks, and related
information, of businesses, academic institutions,
government, and individuals are vital to the economic
security of the United States;
Whereas millions of records containing personally
identifiable information have been lost, stolen, or breached,
threatening the security and financial well-being of the
people of the United States;
Whereas consumers face significant financial and personal
privacy losses due to personally identifiable information
being more exposed to theft and fraud than ever before;
Whereas national organizations, policymakers, governmental
agencies, private-sector companies, nonprofit institutions,
schools, academic organizations, consumers, and the media
recognize the need to increase awareness of cybersecurity and
the need for enhanced cybersecurity in the United States;
Whereas coordination between the numerous Federal agencies
involved in cybersecurity efforts is essential to securing
the cyber infrastructure of the United States;
Whereas in February 2003 the White House issued National
Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, which recommends a
comprehensive national awareness program to empower all
people in the United States, including businesses, the
general workforce, and the general population, to secure
their own portions of cyberspace;
Whereas in May 2009 the White House issued Cyberspace
Policy Review, which recommends that the Federal Government
initiate a national public awareness and education campaign
to promote cybersecurity;
Whereas ``STOP. THINK. CONNECT.'' is the national
cybersecurity awareness campaign founded and led by the
National Cyber Security Alliance, the Anti-Phishing Working
Group as a public-private partnership with the Department of
Homeland Security, and a coalition of private companies,
nonprofits, and governmental organizations to help all
digital people of the United States stay safer and more
secure online;
Whereas the National Initiative for Cybersecurity
Education, led by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, is the coordinating body for the Federal
Government to establish a sustainable, operational, and
continually improving cybersecurity education program to
enhance the United States cybersecurity and support the
development of a professional cybersecurity workforce and
cyber-capable people;
Whereas according to U.S. Cyber Challenge, the initiative
is working to identify ``10,000 of America's best and
brightest to fill the ranks of cybersecurity professionals
where their skills can be of the greatest value to the
nation'';
Whereas the Cyber Innovation Center has established cyber
camps and other educational programs to bolster knowledge of
science, technology, math, and engineering to build a
sustainable knowledge-based workforce capable of addressing
cyber threats and the future needs of government, industry,
and academia; and
Whereas the National Cyber Security Alliance, the Multi-
State Information Sharing & Analysis Center, the Department
of Homeland Security, and other organizations working to
improve cybersecurity in the United States have designated
October 2011 as the eighth annual National Cybersecurity
Awareness Month, which serves to educate the people of the
United States about the importance of cybersecurity: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Cybersecurity
Awareness Month;
(2) continues to work with Federal agencies, businesses,
educational institutions, and other organizations to enhance
the state of cybersecurity in the United States;
(3) commends the work of National Initiative for
Cybersecurity Education and all the Federal agencies,
nonprofits, educational institutions, businesses, and other
organizations that support this effort;
(4) recognizes ``STOP. THINK. CONNECT.'' as the national
cybersecurity awareness campaign to educate the people of the
United States and help all people of the United States stay
safer and more secure online; and
(5) congratulates the National Cyber Security Alliance, the
Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center, the
Department of Homeland Security, and other organizations
working to improve cybersecurity in the United States on the
eighth anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month
during October 2011.
S. Res. 307
(Honoring the men and women of the John C. Stennis Space Center on reaching the historic milestone of 50 years of rocket engine testing)
Whereas, 50 years ago this month, on October 25, 1961, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in
this preamble as ``NASA'') publicly announced plans to
establish a testing facility in Hancock County, Mississippi,
for the purpose of flight-certifying all first and second
stages of the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo lunar landing
program that would take humans to the Moon;
Whereas the testing facility was renamed the John C.
Stennis Space Center (referred to in this preamble as the
``Stennis Space Center'') in 1988 in honor of United States
Senator John C. Stennis of Mississippi;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center conducted 45 engine tests
for the Apollo program;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center is now home to the largest
rocket engine test complex in the United States and serves as
the premier rocket-propulsion testing facility in the United
States, providing propulsion test services for NASA, the
Department of Defense, and commercial providers;
Whereas NASA has celebrated the end of a successful Space
Shuttle program, having conducted more than 2,000 total space
shuttle main engine tests and certified 54 flight engines at
the Stennis Space Center;
Whereas, as NASA enters a new era in space exploration, the
Stennis Space Center will continue to play a vital role in
the United States space program and commercial space efforts;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center has grown into a unique
Federal city that includes more than 30 Federal, State,
academic, and private organizations, and numerous technology-
based companies;
Whereas the companies and agencies at the Stennis Space
Center share the cost of operating and maintaining the
facility, making the accomplishment of missions by each
entity more cost-effective;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center is home to--
(1) the United States Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command, which includes the largest concentration of
oceanographers in the world;
(2) the most powerful supercomputer of the United States
Navy; and
(3) the National Center for Critical Information Processing
and Storage, which is facilitating the data center
consolidation efforts by the Department of Homeland Security;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center played a critical role
during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by providing unique
resources and expertise on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem to
predict the spread and impact of the spill;
Whereas the Stennis Space Center is an economic engine for
Mississippi and Louisiana, generating--
(1) approximately 5,400 jobs;
(2) a direct global economic impact of $875,000,000; and
(3) a direct economic impact of $616,000,000 within a 50-
mile radius; and
Whereas the Stennis Space Center is committed to continuing
in the role of inspiring the next generation of United States
scientists, engineers, and professionals: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration on reaching the historic milestone of the 50th
anniversary of the John C. Stennis Space Center; and
(2) honors the men and women who worked tirelessly to
design, build, and test the rocket engines used in the Apollo
and Space Shuttle programs in order to promote science,
engineering, innovation, and exploration to the benefit of
the United States and all humankind.
Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
