Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I rise to address one of the most significant and far reaching decisions a Senator makes: The vote on a confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice. This vote will have an immense impact on future generations. A Senator is called upon to make two decisions that are irrevocable; one is the decision to go to war and the other is the confirmation of the members of the Supreme Court. The people of Maryland have entrusted in me the right make this decision and I take this responsibility very seriously.

When I decide how I will vote on any nominee for the Federal bench, I have three criteria. First, the nominee must possess the highest personal and professional integrity. Second, the nominee has to have the competence and temperament to serve as a judge. Finally, the nominee must demonstrate a clear commitment to core constitutional principles. Judge Sonia Sotomayor passes all those tests with flying colors.

If confirmed, Sonia Sotomayor would be the third woman to serve on the Supreme Court and the first Hipanic on the Supreme Court. She has a compelling personal story, as well as a distinguished judicial record. Her father was a tool-and-die worker with third grade education who spoke no English and died when Judge Sotomayor was only nine years old. She was raised by her mother, a nurse in a public housing project in the Bronx, New York. After her father's death, she turned to reading Nancy Drew mystery novels, which inspired her love of reading and learning that put her on a path that ultimately led her to the law. Sotomayor excelled in school, graduated top of her class at Blessed Sacrament and Cardinal Spellman High School. She won a scholarship to Princeton University where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She then attended Yale Law School and served as an editor for the Yale Law Journal.

Sonia Sotomayor's competence cannot be questioned. She is a champion of the law with a distinguished legal career spanning three decades. She has served at almost every level of the judicial system and she is the first Supreme Court nominee in 50 years to have served as a trial judge. She began her legal career as a fearless and effective prosecutor, working in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for 5 years where she tried dozens of criminal cases from street crimes, to child abuse, police misconduct and homicides. She then became a corporate litigator for over 8 years in private practice. She made partner at the law firm where she tried complex corporate cases, including intellectual property, trademark and copyright infringement, real estate and banking.

For nearly two decades, Sonia Sotomayor has been a sharp and fearless trial judge. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush nominated Sotomayor to serve as a Federal district judge and she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. As a Federal district court judge, she heard over 450 cases during 6 years as trial judge and ruled against Major League Baseball owners to end the baseball strike. She was then nominated by President Clinton to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and confirmed by the Senate on a vote of 69-29. She has been a tough, fair and thoughtful appellate judge who has written over 400 opinions, of which the Supreme Court reviewed only five cases and reversed only three of those opinions. Sonia Sotomayor understands upholding the law means the consistent, fair and common sense application of the law. She has an understanding of real world consequences of decisions and recognizes that her job as a judge is to interpret the laws passed by Congress and not making laws from the bench. Under her tenure as a judge, she has demonstrated a level head, the ability to handle difficult situations with a calm and thoughtful temperament, and is well respected among her colleagues.

Judge Sotomayor's integrity is unquestioned. Throughout her career she has worked to make sure that the courthouse doors are open to all. She was raised by hardworking parents who instilled strong work ethic. Throughout her life she has been active in her community and serves as a role model. She mentors kids from troubled neighborhood, teaches at- risk high school students job and life skills, and helps find summer jobs for these students. In addition, Sonia Sotomayor holds uncompromising views on judicial independence and has demonstrated she is an independent thinker dedicated to the rule of law. Sotomayor has stated that the Constitution should not be bent under any circumstance and from the bench she has shown she is a moderate judge who respects judicial precedent. In fact, 95 percent of her decisions have been favored by Republican appointees on the Second Circuit and she is well known for her judicial restraint.

In sum, Sonia Sotomayor is an outstanding nominee to the highest court in the United States and an inspiration to all Americans. She is living proof that the American dream can be achieved. She is the daughter of hardworking immigrants, who overcame obstacles, went to Ivy League schools on scholarship, and has served for over 17 years as a Federal judge. Today I am proud to say when my name is called, I will vote aye.

Madam President, our military is under an unprecedented stress. Over 140,000 American servicemembers are deployed fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many have made multiple deployments. Their families are also fighting on the home front to live normal lives despite repeated absences of a spouse or parent. Our nation owes our servicemembers and their families an enormous debt of gratitude. Congress has a sacred trust to provide for their needs.

The fiscal year 2010 Defense authorization bill passed by the Senate ensures that our servicemembers on the battlefield have what they need to complete their missions come home safely to their families and communities. It provides for advanced armored vehicles to keep them safe from roadside IEDS. It also authorizes an increase of 30,000 additional soldiers for the Army to help reduce the strain of repeated Iraq and Afghanistan deployments.

I commend Chairman Levin and Ranking Member McCain for their leadership in crafting this bill. They have carefully balanced many competing priorities. They recommended a bill that looks out for the needs of our men and women while also looking out for their families. They have made hard choices to cut programs that are not working or are no longer needed. This is not an easy task. We should all be grateful for their dedication to our military and to our Nation's security.

This bill really looks out for our military personnel and their families. It includes a 3.4-across-the-board pay raise, half a percentage point more than requested. It increases the supplemental subsistence allowance from $500 to $1100 per month to ensure that servicemembers and their families do not have to rely on food stamps. It also authorizes $30 million in IMPACT aid to help communities educate military kids, including $10 million for communities hard hit by BRAC, and $5 million to help educate military kids with severe disabilities. It has been said time and again, that while we recruit the soldier into the military, we must retain the family. This is especially true in this time of great stress on our military. This bill recognizes and responds to this reality.

I am also very glad that once again, the Senate is passing a DOD authorization that looks out for wounded warriors. This bill requires that DOD increase the number of behavioral health specialists to ensure the military has enough doctors trained to identify and prevent suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder. It also directs DOD to devise strategies for electronic medical record exchanges between the military medical and Veterans Administration systems. This is critical to ensuring a smooth transition of care from one medical system to the other, and a timely processing of disability and benefits claims. When a soldier is injured, we incur a 50 year commitment for their care. I am glad that this bill helps ensure that those promises made will be promises kept.

The Senate considered many amendments during our two weeks of debate on this important bill. There are two that I want to discuss in particular.

I am pleased that the Senate supported President Obama, Secretary of Defense Gates, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM Mike Mullen and Air Force leaders in their decision to end the F-22 program. The F-22 will ensure the U.S. Air Force is dominant in future air-to-air conflicts. It is a credit to engineers and technicians who designed and built this great plane. Everyone involved in this program should be proud. However, I agree with the President that the time has come to bring F-22 production to an end so we can channel limited dollars to fielding the Joint Strike Fighter as soon as possible. I support ending the F-22 at 187 planes, and would have voted in support of the McCain- Levin amendment on the Senate floor to accomplish this.

I am also pleased that the Senate voted to reject the amendment proposed by Senator Thune to allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons across State lines without first getting a permit to do so from the State they are entering. The second amendment guarantees Americans the right to bear arms. However, each state must be able to make reasonable rules to protect residents and public safety officers, and this amendment would have made that impossible. It also would have undermined Congress's long-standing respect for State's rights to enact and enforce their own gun laws. It is no surprise that large city mayors and police chiefs all over the country opposed this amendment. I would have opposed it also, and I believe the Senate did the right thing in defeating the Thune amendment.

In closing, I reiterate my strong support for this bill. It puts our servicemembers and their families first, provides our troops with what they need to accomplish their missions, and it makes wise investments in our Nation's security.

Mr. President, today I introduce common sense legislation requiring the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to implement and enforce national safety standards for metro systems. Commuter rail systems like Maryland's MARC and the Virginia Railroad Express have Federal safety standards. Our metro systems must have them too. It is time for Congress to give the U.S. Department of Transportation this authority to keep commuters and train operators safe.

Last month the nation's hearts and prayers went out to the families of the nine passengers killed including one Marylander and 52 injured in the tragic

crash involving two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, WMATA, Metrorail trains. Shortly after this horrible accident, the Members of the Maryland and Virginia Congressional delegations and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton met with the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, to be briefed on their ongoing investigation into this crash. This is when I learned the NTSB had recommended that the Federal Transit Administration, FTA, establish Federal standards for metro systems but the FTA had not taken action. Apparently, the FTA doesn't think it has this authority. Well, my bill fixes that. It gives the FTA the green light to move forward with Federal safety standards.

My bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to work with the NTSB to establish these new Federal standards. The bill also requires the Secretary to implement the NTSB's prior recommendations. These include safety standards relating to crashworthiness, emergency evacuation and event recorders of rail transit cars and hours of service for transit operators.

The NTSB is still investigating the cause of last month's crash here in our nation's capital. It will take about one year to complete. Existing evidence points to malfunctions with WMATA's train control system. Federal safety standards may not have prevented these malfunctions, but they may have been able to save lives had FTA implemented and enforced crashworthiness and emergency evacuation standards for transit rail cars. We also would know a lot more about the cause of the crash had FTA required event recorders on transit rail cars, as required on airplanes. These are all recommendations the NTSB has made that have not been addressed by the FTA.

More than 7 million people board rail transit cars every weekday in the U.S. Our metro systems must be safe. It is a no brainer that Congress provide the U.S. Department of Transportation with this authority.

I am pleased to introduce this bill with Senators Cardin and Murray. I hope we can address this important safety issue quickly.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I introduce common sense legislation requiring the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to implement and enforce national safety standards for metro systems. Commuter rail systems like Maryland's MARC and the Virginia Railroad Express have Federal safety standards. Our metro systems must have them too. It is time for Congress to give the U.S. Department of Transportation this authority to keep commuters and train operators safe.

Last month the nation's hearts and prayers went out to the families of the nine passengers killed including one Marylander and 52 injured in the tragic

crash involving two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, WMATA, Metrorail trains. Shortly after this horrible accident, the Members of the Maryland and Virginia Congressional delegations and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton met with the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, to be briefed on their ongoing investigation into this crash. This is when I learned the NTSB had recommended that the Federal Transit Administration, FTA, establish Federal standards for metro systems but the FTA had not taken action. Apparently, the FTA doesn't think it has this authority. Well, my bill fixes that. It gives the FTA the green light to move forward with Federal safety standards.

My bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to work with the NTSB to establish these new Federal standards. The bill also requires the Secretary to implement the NTSB's prior recommendations. These include safety standards relating to crashworthiness, emergency evacuation and event recorders of rail transit cars and hours of service for transit operators.

The NTSB is still investigating the cause of last month's crash here in our nation's capital. It will take about one year to complete. Existing evidence points to malfunctions with WMATA's train control system. Federal safety standards may not have prevented these malfunctions, but they may have been able to save lives had FTA implemented and enforced crashworthiness and emergency evacuation standards for transit rail cars. We also would know a lot more about the cause of the crash had FTA required event recorders on transit rail cars, as required on airplanes. These are all recommendations the NTSB has made that have not been addressed by the FTA.

More than 7 million people board rail transit cars every weekday in the U.S. Our metro systems must be safe. It is a no brainer that Congress provide the U.S. Department of Transportation with this authority.

I am pleased to introduce this bill with Senators Cardin and Murray. I hope we can address this important safety issue quickly.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today, I rise to introduce the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009. This critical bipartisan legislation passed the HELP Committee in 2007, but it has yet to pass the Senate. My hope is that we can finish the job this year and finally get this legislation signed into law.

Alzheimer's' disease is an alarming and mounting crisis that we must address. Today there are over five million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease. That number is expected to triple by 2050 in a nation where ten million Americans care for a sick family member.

We know a lot about Alzheimer's disease but it's been 100 years since it was first diagnosed, and we still have no cure or proven ways to prevent the disease. Urgency is needed in developing better treatments and better assistance for families impacted by the disease as the baby boom generation ages. If nothing is done, Alzheimer's will cost Medicare and Medicaid $19.89 trillion between 2010 and 2050.

The Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 responds to this crisis in four ways.

First, it doubles funding for Alzheimer's research at NIH to $2 billion for fiscal year 2010, making Alzheimer's research a priority. Through this commitment, the bill gives researchers adequate resources to make breakthroughs in diagnosis, prevention and intervention, bringing us closer to a cure.

Second, the bill creates the National Summit on Alzheimer's. This Summit will bring together the Nation's best researchers, policymakers and public health professionals to discuss the most promising breakthroughs for saving lives and livelihood, and to generate priorities in moving forward in the fight against Alzheimer's.

Third, the act enhances public health activities related to Alzheimer's through the CDC's ``Roadmap to Maintaining Cognitive Health.''

Finally, the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act provides family and caregiver support by expanding the Alzheimer's 24/7 call center, which provides crisis assistance and referrals to local community programs. The bill also expands the multilingual capacity of the call center.

America needs this legislation. Alzheimer's takes a toll on many victims. The disease is awful for the person living with it, emotionally and financially draining for caregivers and it is now costing the nation $175 billion annually, a number that could rise to $1 trillion annually by 2050.

We know the family of an Alzheimer's patient suffers gravely. The out-of-pocket cost of caring for an aging parent or spouse averages about $5,500 a year for necessities like groceries, household goods and drugs and medical copayments. If the care is long-distance, the cost could be up to $8,700 a year. Caregivers spend ten percent of their household income caring for a sick loved one who is suffering from this terrible disease.

Experts have told us ``we will lose opportunities if we don't move quickly'' and that ``we are at a crucial point where NIH funding can make a difference.'' We know about the long goodbye. Alzheimer's is a disease that affects millions of Americans including our All-American President Ronald Reagan and his beloved caregiver, First Lady Nancy Reagan. Now we need a response supported by millions that will lead to breakthroughs and ensure we are assisting patients and their families dealing with this disease on a daily basis.

Passage of the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 will help us advance the study and treatment of Alzheimer's to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans and to equip caregivers with the resources and support services they need to care for their loved ones. This legislation is critical to the American public and America's future. We must act now.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today, I rise to introduce the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009. This critical bipartisan legislation passed the HELP Committee in 2007, but it has yet to pass the Senate. My hope is that we can finish the job this year and finally get this legislation signed into law.

Alzheimer's' disease is an alarming and mounting crisis that we must address. Today there are over five million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease. That number is expected to triple by 2050 in a nation where ten million Americans care for a sick family member.

We know a lot about Alzheimer's disease but it's been 100 years since it was first diagnosed, and we still have no cure or proven ways to prevent the disease. Urgency is needed in developing better treatments and better assistance for families impacted by the disease as the baby boom generation ages. If nothing is done, Alzheimer's will cost Medicare and Medicaid $19.89 trillion between 2010 and 2050.

The Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 responds to this crisis in four ways.

First, it doubles funding for Alzheimer's research at NIH to $2 billion for fiscal year 2010, making Alzheimer's research a priority. Through this commitment, the bill gives researchers adequate resources to make breakthroughs in diagnosis, prevention and intervention, bringing us closer to a cure.

Second, the bill creates the National Summit on Alzheimer's. This Summit will bring together the Nation's best researchers, policymakers and public health professionals to discuss the most promising breakthroughs for saving lives and livelihood, and to generate priorities in moving forward in the fight against Alzheimer's.

Third, the act enhances public health activities related to Alzheimer's through the CDC's ``Roadmap to Maintaining Cognitive Health.''

Finally, the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act provides family and caregiver support by expanding the Alzheimer's 24/7 call center, which provides crisis assistance and referrals to local community programs. The bill also expands the multilingual capacity of the call center.

America needs this legislation. Alzheimer's takes a toll on many victims. The disease is awful for the person living with it, emotionally and financially draining for caregivers and it is now costing the nation $175 billion annually, a number that could rise to $1 trillion annually by 2050.

We know the family of an Alzheimer's patient suffers gravely. The out-of-pocket cost of caring for an aging parent or spouse averages about $5,500 a year for necessities like groceries, household goods and drugs and medical copayments. If the care is long-distance, the cost could be up to $8,700 a year. Caregivers spend ten percent of their household income caring for a sick loved one who is suffering from this terrible disease.

Experts have told us ``we will lose opportunities if we don't move quickly'' and that ``we are at a crucial point where NIH funding can make a difference.'' We know about the long goodbye. Alzheimer's is a disease that affects millions of Americans including our All-American President Ronald Reagan and his beloved caregiver, First Lady Nancy Reagan. Now we need a response supported by millions that will lead to breakthroughs and ensure we are assisting patients and their families dealing with this disease on a daily basis.

Passage of the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 will help us advance the study and treatment of Alzheimer's to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans and to equip caregivers with the resources and support services they need to care for their loved ones. This legislation is critical to the American public and America's future. We must act now.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I rise in strong support of the Smith amendment on hate crimes. This amendment mirrors the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, which I have been proud to cosponsor. This amendment puts America's values of equality and freedom into action.

Hate crimes are one of the most shocking types of violence against individuals. They are motivated by hatred and bigotry. But hate crimes target more than just one person--they are crimes against a community because of who they are--because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability.

We are a nation that cherishes our freedom. All Americans must be free to go to church, walk through their communities, attend school without the fear that they will be the target of hate violence. We are nation that is built on a foundation of tolerance and equality. Yet no American can be free from discrimination and have true equality unless they are free from hate crimes. That is why hate crimes are so destructive. They tear at our Nation's greatest strength--our diversity.

This amendment does two things--it helps communities fight these crimes and it makes sure that those who are most often the target of hate motivated violence have the full protection of our Federal laws.

The amendment strengthens current law to help local law enforcement investigate and prosecute hate crimes. It does this by closing a loophole that prevented the Federal Government from assisting local and State police at any stage of the investigative process. Simply put-- this bill authorizes Federal law enforcement officers to get involved if State or local governments want their help. That means local communities, which often have very limited resources for pursuing these types of crimes, will have the resources of the FBI and other Federal law enforcement agencies at their disposal to help them more effectively prosecution incidents of hate violence.

This amendment also improves current law so it protects more Americans. It broadens the definition of hate crimes to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. Today, gay and lesbian Americans, women and those with disabilities are often targets of hate motivated violence, but existing Federal laws offer these communities no safeguards. That is the weakness in our current law. And that is what this legislation will fix. By passing this legislation today, the Senate says to all Americans that you deserve the full protection of the law and you deserve to be free from hate violence.

Hate crimes are crimes against more than one person--these crimes affect whole communities and create fear and terror in these communities and among all Americans. We need look no further than the horrific killings of James Byrd and Matthew Shepard to know the anger and grief that families and communities experience because of hatred and bigotry. Hate crimes attack the fundamental values of our Nation-- freedom and equality. This bill is another step in the fight to make sure that in a nation that treasures these values these crimes do not occur.

So today I rise to support and urge my colleagues to pass this much needed and timely legislation. It is time that we put these American values into action and pass this hate crimes bill. The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act says that all Americans are valued and protected--regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

Mr. President, I am in support of President Obama's nomination of Charles Bolden as the next Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, and Lori Garver as the Deputy Administrator of NASA.

We are at a critical point in NASA's history, and our space agency needs a leadership team devoted to the core mission of the agency.

Mr. Bolden has a compelling story. He transcended barriers and established himself at the forefront of our Nation's scientific policy. A career marine and true leader, Mr. Bolden is deeply committed to fostering a balanced space program focused on safe,

reliable human space exploration, and robust scientific research and innovation. A seasoned astronaut, Mr. Bolden has experienced first hand the significance of space exploration, traveling into orbit four times between 1986 and 1994, including a mission to deploy the Hubble space telescope.

From commanding missions in space to serving our Nation in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. Bolden has displayed the experience, leadership skills, and know-how to successfully guide NASA into the future.

In addition, Lori Garver is a leader in the aerospace industry and has displayed tremendous management ability and intellect. Her knowledge of our space program will be key to NASA's leadership team.

Again, I fully support the nomination of Charles Bolden and Lori Garver as the next Administrator and Deputy Administrator of NASA.

Mr. President, on behalf of the people of Maryland, and breast cancer fighters worldwide, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Carolina Hinestrosa, who passed away last week after battling soft tissue sarcoma, a side effect of past breast cancer treatment. Ms. Hinestrosa served for 5 years as the executive vice president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, in which capacity she fought passionately for the coalition's work to eradicate breast cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with Ms. Hinestrosa's family and friends during this difficult time.

After a 1994 breast cancer diagnosis, Ms. Hinestrosa turned her suffering into an opportunity when she joined

with a group of survivors and health care professionals to form Nueva Vida, the only comprehensive support network for Latinas with breast and cervical cancer in the Washington metropolitan area.

As executive director of Nueva Vida, Ms. Hinestrosa gave voice to the struggles of Latinas with breast cancer, representing them on the board of directors of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the National Cancer Institute's Central Institutional Review Board. She also played a leading role in the development of the International Latina Breast Cancer Advocacy Network.

While serving as executive vice president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Ms. Hinestrosa was a member of many national panels including the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program and numerous committees for the Institute of Medicine. Most recently she was an appointee to the IOM Committee on Comparative Effective Research.

Ms. Hinestrosa is remembered by those who knew her as an extraordinary woman who contributed so much to women's health, breast cancer, and minority rights. An outpouring of admiration has come from the many people she touched.

Fran Visco, president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, said Ms. Hinestrosa ``was incredibly brilliant, analytical and at the same time warm and compassionate. Nothing intimidated Carolina because of her determination to change the system.'' Director of the National Cancer Institute John Niederhuber wrote ``she was a remarkable woman. She was the type of person who you never forgot encountering. She was smart and passionate; committed and accomplished. The cancer community has lost an important voice.'' The director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Carolyn Clancy, worked frequently with Carolina and wrote that ``her legacy is that patients and consumers are recognized voices in efforts to improve health care quality. Her contribution has inspired physicians, scientists, employers to focus on patients needs.''

Ms. Hinestrosa was born in Bogota, Columbia, and came to the United States in 1985 on a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a master's in economics. Carolina impacted countless people in her work both here in Washington, DC, and elsewhere. She was just 50 years old at the time of her passing and leaves behind a husband and daughter.

We must carry on Ms. Hinestrosa's work in eradicating breast cancer from our midst. Until then, we must continue to support one another and honor the legacy of passion and commitment that Carolina left behind.

Mr. President, as Chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, science, and Related Agencies, I rise today to clarify for the record the sponsorship of a congressionally-designated project included in the explanatory statement accompanying H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8.

Specifically: Senator Feinstein should not be listed as a cosponsor of the San Francisco district attorney ``Back on Track'' Byrne discretionary grant through the Department of Justice, since she did not request this funding. Senator Feinstein's name was added as a cosponsor of this project through a clerical error.

Madam President, this August, 25 years ago, Capitol Police Sergeant Christopher Sherman Eney died in the line of duty. I rise to remember Sergeant Christopher Sherman Eney and the great sacrifices of our law enforcement officers.

The men and women who make up the Capitol Police protect not only Members of Congress but all the people visiting Capitol Hill, from foreign dignitaries to Girl Scout troops. Sergeant Eney was a loyal and dedicated member of the U.S. Capitol Police. He served on the force for twelve years.

On August 24, 1984, U.S. Capitol Police officers participated in SWAT training. That evening, the officers wanted to practice a particularly difficult exercise just one more time. During this final activity, Seg. Eney was accidentally shot and killed.

Sergeant Eney's life was cut tragically short. He was 37 years old. He left behind his wife Vivian and their two daughters: Shannen and Heather. My thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Eney's family as we remember that tragic day.

Shortly after Sergeant Eney's passing, Vivian spoke of her husband and other fallen officers. She could not have spoken truer words when she said, ``It is not how these officers died that made them heroes, it is how they lived.'' Her famous words are forever engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

It is up to us to honor Vivian's words. Twenty five years later, we remember Sergeant Eney as a man dedicated to risking his life for his Nation. He was a brave and courageous man. He lived every day protecting his country and the future of his children.

I am so proud of every U.S. Capitol Police officer who puts their life on the line. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking them for their service.

Mr. President, will the Senator yield for a question?

I will only take a moment because I know the Senator from Oregon is on a tight schedule and wants to call up his amendment. But is the Senator proposing legislation?

I thank the Senator for answering the question. I, too, am deeply troubled by the plight of these dealers, and I ask unanimous consent to be listed as a cosponsor of the amendment.

Madam President, I strongly support the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act.

This legislation is about protecting American families. Credit card companies have been pushing schemes and scams for years. This legislation beefs up regulations and enforcement to help consumers avoid them. And it makes it easier for families to pay down their bills and get out of debt.

I support this legislation because heart and soul I am a regulator and a reformer. Over and over, I have voted for more teeth and better regulation because I believe government should be on the side of the people. I was one of nine Senators to vote against the deregulation that led to casino economics and caused the economic crisis we are fighting to get through today. From tainted dog food to toxic securities, we've seen the consequences of a lax regulatory culture and wimpy enforcement, which is why I have fought against it at every turn.

We need to get back to basics. For too long we have let credit card companies get away with schemes and scams. We relaxed the rules and allowed the whales and the sharks to grow bigger and fiercer. I am on the side of the minnows. We need to regulate the whales and the sharks. We need to stop the scamming and the scheming.

American families are worried about their jobs. They are worried about their health care. They are worried about their kids' school. They shouldn't have to worry about unfair credit card practices.

People who saved for their retirement, those who've been faithful in paying their mortgage, those who have worked hard to pay for college are wondering, ``What is going on? The cost of groceries and health care and energy are going up and my pay check, if I'm lucky enough to still have one, is going down. Where's my bailout?''

No wonder my constituents are mad as hell. They have watched Wall Street executives pay themselves lavish salaries. They have watched them engage in irresponsible lending practices. They have watched them do casino economics, gambling on risky investment mechanisms. And now those same banks who are asking my constituents for a bailout with one hand are raising interest rates for no reason, and charging exorbitant fees with the other hand.

Well, my constituents are mad as hell and so am I. I want them to know that I am on their side. I am fighting to get government back on the side of the people who need it. We need to look out for the public good, not private profits.

The banks on Wall Street have been busy in the past 10 years. At the same time they were inventing new ways to make risky loans and engage in casino economics, they were also figuring out how to get American consumers in debt traps, and keep them there by raising interest rates, charging fees, and marketing to consumers who didn't know any better.

They have been raising interest rates on consumers for no reason, and applying the higher interest rates retroactively.

They have been charging fees without any legitimate purpose--and then charging interest on top those unfair fees.

And they have been marketing their products to college students who they knew couldn't afford the credit they were providing.

This has led to a massive unsustainable debt increase for too many families. It has made it almost impossible for some to get out of debt even though they have acted responsibly, and it's led to too many students graduating college with thousands of dollars in credit card debt but no steady paycheck.

This legislation says no more.

No more raising interest rates for no reason and with no notification.

No more applying higher interest rates to balances that have already been paid off.

No more unfair sky-high fees with no recourse for the consumer.

And no more targeting college kids to weigh them down with debt before they even graduate.

These reforms will give families in debt the opportunity to get out, it will lower monthly credit card bills, and it will help consumers avoid the predatory debt traps that are the problem in the first place.

We need to fight for the middle class. We need to fight for the people who play by the rules.

And we need a major attitude adjustment.

Congress is trying to stand up for the middle class, for our constituents who are asking, ``Where is my bailout?''

But the banks and financial industry continue to stand in the way. We have given them hundreds of billions in bailouts. But there is no sense of gratitude. There is no sense of gratitude that the waitress, that the single mother, that the farmer, that the firefighter is willing to do their part. And there is no willingness to help out those who have stepped up.

There is no gratitude, no remorse, no promise to sin no more, no ``let's make amends.'' Instead, they pay themselves lavish salaries, bonuses and perks, like lavish spa retreats, and they fight tooth and nail against our efforts to help the very people who are now paying their salaries.

Wall Street is bankrupt--both on its balance sheets and in its attitude towards the American consumer. I am proud to stand with Chairman Dodd and Senator Shelby as we put government back on the side of the people who need it. These reforms have been a long time coming; I am proud to stand in support of this bill today and urge

my colleagues to vote in favor of it as well.

Senator Levin's 11,000th Vote

Mr. President, I rise today in support of Gary Gensler's nomination to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

I have known Gary for many years--when he worked in the Senate during the Clinton administration, and as a community leader in Maryland. I know him to be a man of principle and great intelligence with a deep understanding of all areas of domestic finance and how to turn ideas into workable policy. During this time of great financial turmoil and uncertainty, we need someone with these skills to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

I enthusiastically support Gary Gensler's nomination for this important position on President Obama's economic team, and I applaud the administration for working to address my colleagues' concerns so Gary can finally be confirmed.

I have three criteria for considering nominees: competence, dedication to the mission of the department, and integrity. Gary Gensler clearly meets these criteria. His experience in all areas of domestic finance is stellar. He has worked in the executive branch, the Congress and on Wall Street. He was a top economic adviser to Senator Paul Sarbanes on the Senate Banking Committee. And he worked under Larry Summers during the Clinton administration as Under Secretary of Treasury.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is an essential part of the financial regulatory system. Its decisions affect everyone who purchases food or commodities including consumers and small businesses. I have always stood for strong regulation with teeth. I applaud President Obama for choosing an economic team that is committed to this kind of reform. And I am convinced Gary will be a great asset in carrying it out.

We faced similar challenges in 2003. Enron had just exposed giant cracks in our regulations, flushed the savings of hundreds of thousands of people, and put our broader economy at risk. Congress needed to act boldly to set up new regulations, just as we do now. Those new regulations were called Sarbanes-Oxley. They were championed by Senator Sarbanes and his top economic advisor at the time--Gary Gensler. They rewrote the rules of corporate America. They made business more accountable, shined light where others were afraid to look and stood up to big business.

Gary has integrity and a strong family. I have gotten to know Gary and his family as his wife Franchesca struggled and succumbed to breast cancer. I saw the strength of Gary and his three wonderful daughters: Anna, Lee and Isabel. He has tried to help others whose loved ones have cancer, and he was honored for his work on behalf of the American Cancer Society.

President Obama has inherited a mess. Our economy is teetering and people have lost faith in the institutions that are supposed to protect them. We need a Chairman of the CFTC who will enforce our laws, reform our regulatory system and guard us against fraud and abuse. I have full confidence that Gary Gensler is up to this challenge. He will be a strong, effective and reform minded Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. I urge my colleagues to support his nomination.

Mr. President, this month the Nation was gripped by the pirate attack on Maersk Alabama off the coast of Africa. Today, I rise to cheer Captain Richard Philips, for his bravery and valor, and the Navy SEALs, for securing the Captain's safe return.

We also need to honor the Merchant Marines who did not give up their ship. Though unarmed, using their wits, grit and training, they saved their ship--an American flag-ship--and the much-needed food aid they were carrying to the desperately poor of Africa.

The 20-man crew of the Maersk Alabama belonged to the American Merchant Marines. They were sailing a U.S.-flag vessel carrying 17,000 metric tons of cargo to Mombasa, Kenya.

I am so proud that many of them trained in Maryland at Calhoon MEBA Engineering School in St. Michael's or at the maritime training school in Piney Point. Here, they learned how to navigate at sea, operate and repair ships, and how to handle a pirate or terrorist attack. Here, they received the education to sail the sea with skill that allowed them to save their ship with courage.

Thirteen of the 20 crew members aboard the Maersk Alabama trained in Maryland; 4 at Calhoon MEBA Engineering School and 9 at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education.

Richard Matthews of St. Michael's was an engineer aboard Maersk Alabama. He trained at Calhoon MEBA Engineering School, as did three others aboard the ship: Ken Quinn, the ship's second mate who called CNN from the ship; Michael Perry; and John Cronan.

John Cronan later told the ``Today'' show: ``We didn't have to retake the ship because we never surrendered it. We're American seamen. We're union members. We stuck together and did our jobs.''

Twelve crew members aboard the Maersk Alabama are members of the Seafarers International Union, SIU. Many of them trained at SIU's maritime school, the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, in Piney Point, MD. It is the largest training facility for deep sea merchant seafarers. It teaches skills for sailors and seafarers, such as how to maintain a boat engine and how to secure a ship from pirates. I salute the SIU members aboard the Maersk Alabama for their patriotism and pluck and for their refusal to surrender their ship.

This incident reminds us of the importance of the Merchant Marines. Often unseen and unappreciated, they are vital to our economic security and our national security. They are our eyes and ears on the water. They are experts in marine safety, environmental protection and the new and latest technology. They keep our ports safe and our commerce flowing.

They are the Ready Reserve. They are there in war, transporting vital military aid and supplies to our troops. They are there in peace, supplying aid to those most in need--just as the Maersk Alabama was doing when the pirates attacked. They are prepared to risk their lives defending their flag.

Let's salute the Merchant Marine, not just for what they did aboard the Maersk Alabama, but for what they do, what they stand for, their proud tradition. The Merchant Marine tradition is one of saving America time and time again. They have been the Nation's fourth arm of defense since the American Revolution.

President Roosevelt called our Merchant Marines ``heroes in dungarees'' because during World War II these gallant men braved the waters of the North Atlantic and the dangers of the Murmansk run to keep our troops overseas fed and clothed. They have fought on the front lines of every war since then--from Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf to the Iraq War. They were there on 9/11, ferrying thousands of people to safety in New York. They were there in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And they have been there providing food to starving children in Ethiopia, Somalia and dozens of other regions around the world.

The maritime community has been a major player in my personal and political history, from growing up in east Baltimore to my early days in Congress on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. I got my start in politics by representing blue collar workers in Baltimore, the shipyard workers and the dock workers.

I am relieved by the safe return of the Maersk Alabama's crew and captain and I am grateful for all of those involved in their safe rescue and return: the Navy and their elite Navy SEALs squad and President Obama and his administration for handling the hostage situation with great skill.

As we welcome them home, let us acknowledge not just their heroism off the horn of Africa, but the everyday heroics of our Merchant Marines; their skills and training, their patriotism and proud tradition, and the role they play every day, in every way, supporting our troops, guarding our ports, keeping our economy strong and safeguarding our interests overseas.