Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have been trying to get to the floor since this morning--well, actually, since we came into session at 2 o'clock. We have had a very spirited debate about FISA, and now we have invoked cloture on the stimulus package just to begin this debate. I also want to add my voice of distress that we may be facing a slowdown here on the stimulus package.

We are in a recession in California. This isn't a recession ``maybe''; this is a recession in California. There are several States that already have begun a recession, a real recession, including a contraction in jobs, and a housing crisis that has hit our State.

We can't wait. When the minority leader, the Republican leader, says: Oh, my goodness, LIHEAP was added to the package--of all people who understand this, it is the Presiding Officer. LIHEAP is a program that has been around for a very long time, and it is low-income energy assistance. To express shock that this would be added to a stimulus package or to say we need hours and hours of delay to study the impact of adding LIHEAP, it just strains credulity.

Would my leader like me to pause for a question?

I have the floor.

Yes, so you can ask a question.

Yes, I will.

Yes.

Mr. President, I want to say, while my leadership team is here, I have just gotten the 2 pages--actually, it is 1\1/2\ pages--of the additional language on LIHEAP. The rest was taken verbatim from the House bill, which the President supports.

I read it while the Senator talked with Senator Schumer.

This is LIHEAP, a program that has been around for decades. This is $1 billion to help people pay for the expensive cost of heating their homes. As I look at my friend, Senator Sanders, who is in the chair, what a champion of this program he is--to those in the Northeast in particular.

I have to take the minority leader at his word. He says the reason he is holding everything up, he doesn't want to do any work--or do anything--because he must study this bill. If he were here now--of course, he is now gone, but Senator Kyl is here--I would say let's read this together. This is easy, almost as easy as ``Jane and John took the dog for a walk.'' Yet, still, they come out here and are holding up the business of the Senate and the country.

Mr. President, I say to my leaders, look, we can argue about how many angels dance on the head of a pin, but 20 million seniors are waiting for this. They were left out of the President's and the House package.

I wish to say to my friend, Senator McConnell--and he is not here right now--that this matters. When he says the deal has been cut, that the President agreed with the House, well, wait a minute, look at the Constitution. There is a Senate, there is a House, and there is a President. We work together. We work our will, they work theirs, and we get together and compromise.

Twenty million seniors were left out, and we are fixing that. What else? We are also fixing the fact that they left out 250,000 disabled veterans. So why are we holding up work on something as simple as that? The answer comes back in a very convoluted way. I just have to say to someone who represents a State that is in a recession--and I know the State of the Senator from Nevada is in a recession. Many States are in a recession.

The President said we should act and we are not acting; we are not acting on FISA. Again, to respond, Senator Bond and Senator Rockefeller agree on how to fix the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Well, good for them. But guess what. The Senate has to debate that and work its will.

Some people think the phone companies should have immunity. Some of us other folks think that if you give them immunity, you will never find out who was spied on and how, why, and how long they were spied on. We feel strongly. Is the minority suggesting that because two Senators agree, the rest of us are ``chopped liver,'' as my mother would say?

This place is like ``Alice in Wonderland.'' Tonight, more than any other night, it is like ``Alice in Wonderland.'' You have a President who is scared about the economy. He is begging us to act on the stimulus package, and we have intelligent Senators stand up--and they are very smart--on the floor saying: Oh my goodness, you added LIHEAP, and now, we are sorry, we are holding everything up. And then they said maybe they won't. I hope they will not.

While I support, with every fiber of my body, the Senate package, it is just the start of what we need to do. Until we start paying attention to the needs of the American people and end the war in Iraq, which is stealing our treasure, both in our young men and women in uniform and our money, we will never get where we need to get.

Yes.

I am very glad the majority leader is going to do that because the President--not only is he pushing us to pass his version of the stimulus package--and he is worried about it; he is scaring the American people, saying if we don't have FISA done, terrible things will happen. It is time to stop scaring the people and start protecting the people. That is what we want to do. So I am going to support the leader's call to move to FISA.

I believe if we have a debate on the stimulus and we don't talk about the biggest drain on our people--the Iraq war--we are missing the elephant in the room, because until we end this war once and for all and end this failed policy in Iraq, we are simply going to be dragged down further and further into an abyss, where we don't have the funds we need for the rest of the things we do, where our military is being stretched, and where we have no way out.

We actually have Republican candidates who are running for President saying we might be in Iraq for a hundred years. I have been around politics a long time--not quite a hundred years but for my adult lifetime. I have served with four Presidents from both parties. What an honor to have served with all of them. But I have never, ever worked with a President who didn't have a clue as to how to end a war he got us into--not a clue. I have never seen a President who hasn't given us some idea of how a war will end. So we need to remove this weight from around our necks. If we don't, my future, your future, the future of our kids and grandkids is not going to be what it ought to be.

We are spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. That is $2.5 billion a week and $357 million a day in Iraq. And the President and my Republican colleagues say we cannot afford to extend the stimulus package to include seniors and disabled veterans? Well, for the price of 1 month in Iraq, we can provide rebates to 20 million seniors who need it the most. Let me say that again. For the price of 1 month in Iraq, we can provide rebates to 20 million seniors who need it the most.

I hope the senior citizens within the sound of my voice have already contacted us to tell us to cover them in this recovery package. They are the ones who really need it the most because they are living on a fixed income and they are struggling. Some of them have to cut their pills in half every day they have to take them to stay alive so they can stretch their medicine.

Well, the President and my Republican colleagues say we cannot afford to extend the stimulus package to include disabled veterans. That is why we have these charts made up here: 250,000 disabled veterans. I hope they are also calling. These are the folks who should be honored, loved, appreciated, but not just with words but by deeds.

Mr. President, I will tell you, for less than the cost of 1 day in Iraq, we can provide rebates to 250,000 disabled veterans--1 day in Iraq. We can take care of our veterans.

That is why we don't know why this stalling is going on. What about our kids? For less than the cost of 3 months in Iraq, we can enroll every eligible child in the Head Start Program and give them the start they deserve. For the cost of 2 weeks in Iraq, we can provide health insurance for 6 million uninsured children in the United States for a year. The list goes on and on.

Last year, in the name of budget austerity, the President vetoed children's health care. But he has an open checkbook for Iraq. He puts it straight on the debt. He vetoed critical investments in our infrastructure.

Mr. President, the occupant of the chair helped me when we worked together on the Environment Committee with Senator Inhofe. We overrode a veto because the President said: Sorry, we are rebuilding in Iraq. But we cannot afford to fix our infrastructure here in America. The President vetoed education spending and health research.

I don't know about my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but when I talk to families, they are very scared now about a lot of things. One of those things is, is someone getting cancer or getting Alzheimer's, or is a child getting autism, and there are a lot of other fears. They are real fears because they hit millions of our families. But the President vetoed the bill that had that health research money in it. We were forced to cut back.

So where are we now? We are spending money we don't have in Iraq. Remember when Budget Director Mitch Daniels said the war would cost no more than $60 billion? Paul Wolfowitz assured us that with Iraqi oil revenue, the war would pay for itself. Some people said the war might cost $200 billion, and they were ridiculed as vastly overstating the costs. Well, the President's most recent stimulus package is almost that.

The President has spent more than half a trillion dollars on his failed policy. There is no end in sight. It is shorting the funds we need to rebuild our own country--and it is borrowed money. It needs to stop. We are hemorrhaging taxpayer money in Iraq, and the wake is beyond disgraceful. For a base in Iraq that was never built, we paid a contractor $72 million. We paid them to build a barracks for the police academy in Baghdad, and instead we got a building with ``giant cracks snaking through newly built walls and human waste dripping from the ceiling.''

The administration loaded $9 billion in cash onto pallets and shipped it to Iraq, where it simply disappeared. And we cannot take care of 250,000 disabled veterans or 20 million seniors, and we cut spending to find a cure for diseases that ail our people. We cut funding from afterschool programs when our kids desperately need to have a place to go after school.

Mr. President, the Republicans are stalling because these facts, when we have these debates, are coming to light. So they are stalling. Can you imagine what would happen if $9 billion disappeared from a Federal grant in Vermont or California or Minnesota or New Jersey or Ohio? The people responsible would go to prison. But in Iraq, the President shrugged it off.

The President said we lack fiscal discipline. Yet, look what he has done to this budget. He took a surplus and turned it into a massive deficit, and he took a debt we were paying down and it exploded on his watch.

For him to say we are not fiscally responsible because we want to invest in our people, we want to invest in our infrastructure, we want to find cures for disease, and, yes, we want to invest in alternative energy so we don't have to be dependent on foreign oil and we can clean our air of the carbon dioxide that is warming the planet--fiscal irresponsibility? That is the name of the game with this administration, whether it is the missing billions or the bases that were never built or this enormous embassy that is being built in Baghdad. It is nothing short of breathtaking. The President and his supporters shrug their shoulders, and yet we cannot get to the stimulus package because somebody said they don't understand we have added $1 billion, 1\1/2\ pages to the bill to help poor people pay for energy. They have to be kidding. That is a stall.

The checkbook is open for Iraq; it is closed for America. This President wouldn't even be doing what he is doing now unless he is scared this recession is hitting.

Let me tell you what else we added to this stimulus bill that is being held up. We took the House language as it pertained to the housing crisis, and we increased the amounts that Freddie and Fannie and FHA can lend our homeowners to give them the chance to refinance these mortgages to keep responsible homeowners in their homes. We cannot wait on this provision. We can't wait on it. Thousands and thousands of cities are witnessing these foreclosures.

What happens when a home forecloses? The pool might go. The new owner of the home ignores keeping up the property, and it is a danger to have a pool that has not been attended to. Mosquitoes breed in the pool and the whole lawn gets all brown and the values go down and suddenly you have a downward spiral. We have to turn it around. But somebody has to hold up a bill because they have to read 1\1/2\ pages about LIHEAP, a program that has been around for decades and, by the way, supported on both sides of the aisle.

The toll this Iraq war is having on our Armed Forces is stretching our military to the breaking point. Recently, we learned with sadness in our hearts that suicide attempts among U.S. troops have reached a record high, a sixfold increase since 2002. Last year, the Washington Post reported there was a readiness death spiral, that is their term, that senior officers warn puts our Nation at risk because we lack the strategic reserve of ground forces to respond to potential crises throughout the world.

We are borrowing billions, putting that cost on the backs of our kids and grandkids, shorting our ability to take care of the people who need us now that the economy is in a downturn, and that hurts our security.

As soon as I finish my statement, I will be happy to yield.

We have to ask this President: Why are we in Iraq? The answer depends on when he was asked. Once upon a time, we were told it was about weapons of mass destruction. Remember? We had to go find them. Our military found there were none. Then we were told it was Saddam's ties to al-Qaida. Well, there was no connection to al-Qaida. Then we were told we had to get Saddam's family and show their pictures to the world so the world knew America meant business. And we did that, and the fighting went on. Then we were told they need to have an election, and how proud we were when the Iraqi people went and as a free people elected their leaders.

All that happened. The President said: Mission accomplished. But it goes on and on because it is a changing mission every day, no vision of how to get out of this situation, and we have colleagues on the other side talking about us being there 50 years, 100 years, who knows, maybe 1,000 years. This is not at no cost or little cost. It is costing us an absolute fortune, and it is tied to this deficit because it is tying our hands.

The President says our commitment to Iraq is not open ended, and yet he will not tell the leaders over there: Get your act together because we have trained 500,000 of you and now it is your turn to stand up and fight for your freedom and fight for your democracy, frankly, the way we did and other countries do.

There is a point in time when you have given so much blood and treasure that you have to say: We want to help you, we will be there, but we will not be in the forefront of this fight.

We have never been leveled with. How many more brave men and women will die? Oh, we don't know. How many more will be wounded? We don't know. But what we do know is some of the wounded are coming home to my State and they are suffering, suffering, suffering. Yet in the President's stimulus package, there is no help for disabled veterans. No, oh, no, we couldn't do that. For a day of the cost of Iraq we can help them. That is why we want the debate and we want the debate to start.

The President says the surge will lead us to victory. We hope so, but the President says he knows it. How long will the surge last? It was supposed to provide a quiet time for the leaders to resolve their problems. It hasn't happened.

Our brave men and women in uniform have performed remarkably. They have done every single thing we have asked of them and more. But you know what, there has to be an end to this. As our military leaders tell us every day, there is no military solution to the situation in Iraq.

I said before we trained 500,000 Iraqis. I want to correct that figure. It is 440,000. That is how many Iraqis we have trained. Our taxpayers have laid the money out to train.

I think we ought to look at what the British did. The British were very clear. They said their presence in Iraq was fueling the violence, fueling al-Qaida, and it would be far better if they played a supportive role. And most of them will be gone. As a matter of fact, the coalition of the willing has been massively depleted.

There is a beginning, a middle, and an end to a mission. But you cannot change the mission every few months. It is not fair to our troops. It is sending a mixed message to the Iraqis.

Why do I bring this all up in the context of the stimulus? Because the outflow of money is hurting us. We cannot take care of America. I think we need to make a choice, and this stimulus package is the time for us to connect all the dots. This economic recession needs our attention. We need to put the resources to it so it doesn't become a deep and darker recession. We have to ask ourselves in the context of this debate: Is it time for America, for our families, for our soldiers coming home, for our children, or is it the time to continue an open- ended commitment to a war without an end, a price tag without an end, a war that is tying our hands as this recession becomes more real day after day?

Clearly, it is no surprise that I say it is time for America and it is time for change. I do believe the people out there, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, are crying out for that change.

I will also say, they may not all agree on one particular path, but one thing they want us to do is our job. They don't want stall tactics, they don't want delays, they don't want brilliant Senators coming to the floor and saying: Gee, there has been a change in this bill, and we need 30 hours to figure it out. Stay up until 10 or 11; you can read that part of the bill. It isn't complicated, and it isn't time to continue an open-ended commitment to a war without end.

As we try to soften the blow of this recession on the American people, let us understand that if we don't change when it comes to this war and start bringing our troops home and start giving the Iraqi leaders a signal that they need to take charge of their own country, I will tell you, I can't be part of

that kind of a value system because our people are suffering.

Again, my State is in a recession. I have sitting councilmen coming to me--by the way, not always in my party, believe me--saying to me: Senator, you have to help us. We are in a spiral. Help us. When I called and said help is on the way, we are going to raise those loan limits for Fannie, Freddie, and FHA, we are going to give the homebuilders some kind of a tax break, we are going to give a tax break to the alternative energy industry so they can start hiring people, they smiled, there is hope. But if they heard tonight the back and forth between the Democratic leader and the Republican leader and they heard the Republican leader say: We are really sorry we are going to hold things up because I have to read this bill when, in fact, the changes that were made are so minuscule we could read it in 10 minutes, they don't know what is going on, and they throw up their hands.

I am here tonight to tell them: Don't give up hope because we are motivated. We are motivated to get this package through. We are telling our seniors to let their Senators know, Democratic and Republican Senators, they need to be included, the disabled veterans, the homebuilders, the people who are struggling with their mortgages. We are on your side. If your voice is heard, even in this Senate, it will have an impact.

I yield the floor.

Will the Senator yield for a question?

Now I am confused, truly, honestly. I thought Senator McConnell said, after you informed him there were changes to the bill, that he was very concerned about that and he needed time to read the bill. That is what I heard both of you talk about. You came down and told him that. I heard that.

Then I heard Senator Reid say: While you are reading this bill, let's get done with FISA. We can't seem to get that done. But it was my friend, Senator Kyl, and my friend, Senator McConnell, who said very clearly they needed time to read this bill. I pointed out that the bill--

My question is, if you want to go to it right now, why did you tell the majority leader that there were changes to it and you needed to read and take all 30 hours to read the bill? I don't understand.

Will the Senator yield for a question? It is so confusing to me.

Madam President, I wish to honor the life of an amazing Californian, Earl Greenberg. Earl recently died from cancer in his adopted home of Palm Springs. He will be missed by so many there and by all those whose lives he touched around the Nation.

Earl Greenberg's life was marked by an enduring sense of optimism that all things were possible. In the entertainment industry, he created hit television shows and won an Emmy Award. But his contributions went far beyond the entertainment and business worlds. Earl worked every day to make people's lives better, and he had the unique gift of convincing countless others to join him in that noble task.

In the desert region, Earl led in the creation of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which has become a truly international event, drawing hundreds of thousands to see the very best in film.

In 1994, when his partner, Rick Weiss, died of AIDS, Earl turned his profound grief into action to change lives. He created the Weiss Apartments in Santa Monica where people with HIV/AIDS can live. He also created the Rick Weiss Humanitarian Awards to raise funds to help organizations that seek a cure and help people living with HIV/AIDS.

His good works did not stop there. Earl was also active with the Desert Cancer Society, Desert AIDS Project, Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, Angel View Crippled Children Foundation, Shelter from the Storm, AIDS Assistance Program, the Stroke Activity Center, and Eisenhower Medical Center, giving both his time and money to improve lives and restore health.

My heart goes out to all of Earl's loved ones. Earl's business and life partner is David Peet. Together they shared a love for one another and a true zest for life. I know David will do whatever he can to continue Earl's work. Earl was a loving father. He is survived by his son, Ari Greenberg, daughter, Kathryn Claire, grandchildren, and brothers. I share my deepest condolences for their loss.

Meeting Earl was such an honor for me, and watching him work was always a learning and inspiring experience. While so many in the desert and across California grieve today because of his loss, we know that countless people are

living better lives because of his generosity and philanthropy. And there is no greater legacy than that.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent, for myself as chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics and for Senator Cornyn as vice chairman of the committee, that the following ``Annual Report for 2007--Select Committee on Ethics'' be printing in the Record. The committee issues this report today as required by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Port of Stockton, the second busiest inland port on the west coast.

During the Gold Rush, the city of Stockton was an important seaport because it was the farthest point upriver ships could travel. In the early 20th century, Stockton became a vital hub for farm equipment that transformed the San Joaquin Valley from a primarily wheat-growing region to the Nation's most diverse and productive agricultural region.

When it became apparent that the San Joaquin River was too shallow to accommodate the increasingly large ships that supplied the region's growing demand for farm equipment, the first dredging contracts for the Stockton Deep Water Channel were awarded in 1930. The port of Stockton officially opened in 1933.

Today, the Port of Stockton processes more than 6 million tons of cargo annually. The port trades with more than 55 countries, from Canada to New Zealand, and from Thailand to Trinidad. It supports over 4,500 jobs in the region, accounting for more than $170 million in annual income.

In recent years, the Port of Stockton has made a commitment to implement a program for environmentally friendly port operations. Through its Delta Environmental Enhancement Program, the port has planted the seeds for sustained, long-term changes that will help protect the air, water, soil, and wildlife that are part of the precious Delta waterways.

The success of the Port of Stockton is made possible by the dedication of scores of hard-working people who work together to make sure that its operations go smoothly. Every person who has lent a helping hand over the years can take great pride in knowing that their support and hard work has resulted in the continued growth and success of the Port of Stockton.

I congratulate the Port of Stockton on its 75th anniversary and wish its

staff and supporters a bright future and continued success.

Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleagues Senators Dole, Tester, Murray, Wyden, Cantwell, Stabenow, and Obama to introduce the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2008-- legislation that supports the research of early detection and screening of ovarian cancer

For many years, ovarian cancer has been called the ``silent killer'' because the list of symptoms women are warned to look out for are merely whispers about the dangers of this deadly disease.

There is currently no effective screening test available for ovarian cancer and the disease is difficult to identify because symptoms are easily misdiagnosed. Without an effective screening test most women who have ovarian cancer are diagnosed too late to be saved.

A woman's chance of surviving ovarian cancer is considerably greater if she is diagnosed early. When ovarian cander is diagnosed early, more than 93 percent of women survive longer than 5 years. Unfortunately, 4 out of 5 ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in the later stages, when a woman's chance of surviving that long drops to about 30 percent.

Though only one in 69 women will face ovarian cancer, this disease ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. In the last year alone, the National Cancer Institute, (NCI), estimated there were 15,280 deaths from ovarian cancer in the U.S.

Developing the tools to detect ovarian cancer early is critical to improving the rate of survival for women struck by this disease--that is why this legislation is so necessary.

Specifically, the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act would authorize NCI to make grants for public or nonprofit entities to establish research centers focused on ovarian cancer biomarkers. Biomarkers are biochemical features within the body that can be used to measure the progress of a disease and predict the effects of treatment. This legislation also authorizes funding for a national clinical trial that will enroll at-risk women in a study to determine the clinical utility of using these validated ovarian cancer biomarkers.

I urge my colleagues to join me as well as the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, and the American College of Surgeons in supporting the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2008.

This legislation is of vital importance to the health of thousands of women across our Nation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this critical investment in the fight against ovarian cancer.

Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleagues Senators Dole, Tester, Murray, Wyden, Cantwell, Stabenow, and Obama to introduce the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2008-- legislation that supports the research of early detection and screening of ovarian cancer

For many years, ovarian cancer has been called the ``silent killer'' because the list of symptoms women are warned to look out for are merely whispers about the dangers of this deadly disease.

There is currently no effective screening test available for ovarian cancer and the disease is difficult to identify because symptoms are easily misdiagnosed. Without an effective screening test most women who have ovarian cancer are diagnosed too late to be saved.

A woman's chance of surviving ovarian cancer is considerably greater if she is diagnosed early. When ovarian cander is diagnosed early, more than 93 percent of women survive longer than 5 years. Unfortunately, 4 out of 5 ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in the later stages, when a woman's chance of surviving that long drops to about 30 percent.

Though only one in 69 women will face ovarian cancer, this disease ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. In the last year alone, the National Cancer Institute, (NCI), estimated there were 15,280 deaths from ovarian cancer in the U.S.

Developing the tools to detect ovarian cancer early is critical to improving the rate of survival for women struck by this disease--that is why this legislation is so necessary.

Specifically, the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act would authorize NCI to make grants for public or nonprofit entities to establish research centers focused on ovarian cancer biomarkers. Biomarkers are biochemical features within the body that can be used to measure the progress of a disease and predict the effects of treatment. This legislation also authorizes funding for a national clinical trial that will enroll at-risk women in a study to determine the clinical utility of using these validated ovarian cancer biomarkers.

I urge my colleagues to join me as well as the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, and the American College of Surgeons in supporting the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2008.

This legislation is of vital importance to the health of thousands of women across our Nation. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this critical investment in the fight against ovarian cancer.

Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize the 30th anniversary of one of the Capital region's most vital nonprofit agencies, Women Escaping a Violent Environment Inc., WEAVE, in Sacramento, CA. In its three decades of service, WEAVE has provided invaluable public service to victims of domestic abuse, as well as their families, and has helped to save countless lives as a result of the education, counseling, and intervention they have provided to victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

WEAVE was established in 1978 in Sacramento as a grassroots organization to serve survivors of domestic violence and their families by providing crisis lines and counseling services. Within the first 10 years of its establishment, WEAVE broadened its role in the community to include legal advocacy, opened a safehouse that provides emergency services to female victims of domestic violence and their children, and became a dual agency that expanded its mission to include sexual assault services. Victims are accompanied to appointments and are given emotional support, information, counseling, food and clothing.

In the next decade WEAVE recognized that employers and schools could also be part of a solution in preventing domestic abuse and sexual assault. They provided prevention education to elementary and high schools, and began their Break the Silence Campaign that increases awareness of domestic violence by educating employers and their employees to recognize signs of abuse and how to best respond. During the 1990s, WEAVE also opened a Children's Center and WEAVE Works retail clothing store that provide revenues to support their mission in the community.

Today WEAVE has 80 staff members and over 200 active volunteers in two locations, who serve over 20,000 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault annually with intervention and counseling services, along with educating an additional 10,000 members of the community on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. WEAVE has achieved this success through partnerships with local law enforcement, government and business leaders.

As the community and staff gather to celebrate WEAVE's 30th anniversary, I congratulate and thank the staff, volunteers and community partners of this important organization and wish them many more years of success.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of a dedicated public servant, Detective Kent Haws of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. On the afternoon of December 17, 2007, while on motor patrol in rural Tulare County, Detective Haws was killed in the line of duty while investigating a suspicious vehicle.

Detective Haws was born in Phoenix, AZ and raised in Visalia, CA. A graduate of Mt. Whitney High School and College of the Sequoias, Detective Haws served in the United States Army 10th Mountain Division before achieving his long-time goal of joining the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. For the past decade, Detective Haws dutifully served the citizens and communities of Tulare County with great commitment, integrity, and valor. Detective Haws' devotion to help others, coupled with his passion for law enforcement, enabled him to become a model member of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

Detective Haws is survived by his wife Frances and children Dominik, Nicholas, and Evan. Those who knew Detective Haws will always remember him as a caring, kind, and devoted family man, colleague, and friend. Detective Kent Haws served Tulare County with honor and bravery, and fulfilled his oath as an officer of the law. His contributions to public safety and dedication to law enforcement are greatly appreciated and will serve as an example of his commitment to protecting and serving the public.

We shall always be grateful for Detective Haws' heroic service and the sacrifices he made while serving the community and the people he loved.

Mr. President, I am pleased and honored to pay tribute to Louis--Lou--Brosnahan Burgelin for his 65-plus years of dedicated service to the greater Vallejo community.

Born on January 20, 1916 in Vallejo, CA, to Otto and Frances Burgelin, Lou graduated from Vallejo High School in 1932 and went on to graduate from the Mare Island Naval Shipyard Apprentice School as a marine machinist.

Always eager to exceed expectations, Lou held numerous management positions throughout his career with the United States Navy, including production control manager at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, chief progressman at Mare Island, and head progressman at Hunter's Point. In addition, Lou worked his way up from charter member to national president of the Naval Civilian Manager's Association and also served as president of the Council of Naval Employee Groups, which represents all of the employees of West Coast naval shipyards.

After retiring from Federal service in 1972, Lou became the executive secretary of the Armed Services Committee of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, a position he held for 19 years. This was just one of many leadership positions he held in his beloved hometown, with other civic engagements including first chairman of the Vallejo Senior Citizens Center, Exalted Ruler of the Vallejo Elks Lodge, and president of the Vallejo-Napa United Way.

Lou was also actively involved with the city of Vallejo's naval landmark, Mare Island. His lobbying efforts for military construction projects on Mare Island and his efforts to maintain dredging operations necessary for shipyard operations culminated in his receipt of the Public Service Medal by the Navy's Chief of Operations.

Proving that age will not slow him down, Lou is still active in the greater Vallejo community, currently serving as president of the Vallejo Council of the Navy League of the United States, treasurer for the Salvation Army, and national legislative chair for the Vallejo NARFE Chapter 16. In addition to his ongoing civic involvement, Lou remains happily married to the former Betty Greenwell. Approaching 69 years of marriage, Lou and Betty have three children, three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

When I first met Lou in the eighties, I knew he was a powerful voice for his community and he became one of my top advisors when I represented Vallejo in Congress.

After more than 65 years of continuing service to the city of Vallejo and U.S. Navy, I remain in admiration of Lou's strong sense of civic duty. Along with hundreds of his friends and admirers throughout the city of Vallejo, I wish him many more years of continued community involvement and leadership.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Maxine Pierce Frost, a longtime community leader in Riverside, CA, and nationally renown leader in education. In November 2007 Maxine Frost announced her retirement from the Riverside Unified School District after 40 years of dedicated service. Due to failing health, she died shortly thereafter.

Since 1967, Maxine Frost has provided leadership to her community, the State of California, and our Nation. As a board member of the Riverside Unified School District, Frost has seen great change in education policy throughout her tenure. Being a member of the first large school district in the Nation to voluntarily desegregate, she has helped pave the way for similar changes across America.

Throughout periods of intense growth in the State and the region, Maxine Frost has worked diligently to ensure that students and educators are provided with adequate resources. The Riverside Unified School District has grown from roughly 23,000 students to 43,000 students during Frost's tenure. Throughout this period of intense growth, she has maintained her resolve that every student have the resources they need to succeed.

Numerous academic committees across the State of California and our Nation have benefitted from the leadership and experience of Maxine Frost. She has held a number of leadership posts: president of the Pacific Region of National School Boards Association, the California School Boards Association Legislative Network, the California Association of Suburban School Districts, the Schools Accrediting Commissions, the Council for Basic Education, and the California Association of Student Council's Board of Directors. In 1981, after serving as president of the California School Boards Association, California Governor George Deukmejian appointed her to the Education Commission of the States, in which she served alongside future President William Jefferson Clinton, who chaired the commission at that time.

On October 16, 2006, the Riverside Unified School District adopted a resolution to designate one of its elementary schools as Maxine Frost Elementary School, in honor of her longtime service and dedication to the community.

On her retirement from four decades of service and dedication to the students, families, and educators of California and our Nation, I am pleased to ask my colleagues to join me in posthumously thanking her for her fine work. Her tremendous leadership and lifetime of achievement will be long remembered.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to observe the 100th anniversary of Muir Woods National Monument, located in Marin County, CA.

It was U.S. Representative William Kent whose visionary actions would lead to the creation of Muir Woods National Monument. During the mid- nineteenth century, the Gold Rush brought treasure seekers to northern California in large numbers. To accommodate this rapid population growth in San Francisco and other coastal cities, timber, meat, and crops were needed in much larger quantities. As a result, much of the easily accessible timber in Marin County was logged between 1840 and 1870.

Representative Kent witnessed this massive resource depletion and decided to take action to preserve coastal redwood forest areas. In 1905, he purchased 612 acres of the Redwood Canyon from the Tamalpais Land & Water Co. On December 26, 1907, in order to best protect the land, Representative Kent and his wife, Elizabeth Thatcher Kent, donated 298 acres of Redwood Canyon to the Federal Government. On January 9, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Muir Woods a National Monument. This year, we celebrate its centennial anniversary.

Coast redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, are the dominant feature of Muir Woods' forest. These ancient wonders are also the world's tallest living tree species and the official tree of the State of California. This species of redwood is believed to have existed when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Visitors to Muir Woods are left fascinated as they get to experience living history by exploring the Bohemian and Cathedral groves of Muir Woods, where many trees are more than 1,200 years old. Muir Woods is also home to douglas fir, tanbark oak, bigleaf maple, and bay laurel trees, leading conservationist and namesake John Muir to remark that Muir Woods ``is the best tree-lovers' monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.''

Only 15 miles north of San Francisco, Muir Woods National Monument offers a stunning glimpse of the redwood forests that once covered northern California's coastal valleys. For 100 years, Muir Woods National Monument has served as a recreational escape for nature enthusiasts, hikers, and those seeking a glimpse of northern California's rich history. It is a powerful reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of conservation efforts.

I commend the National Park Service staff and volunteers for maintaining the natural beauty and historical significance of Muir Woods National Monument. I look forward to future generations having the opportunity to study and enjoy this unique piece of our State and national history for another 100 years.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to recognize the 100th anniversary of Pinnacles National Monument, located in San Benito County, CA.

On January 16, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed 2,080 acres of the Pinnacles National Forest Reserve as Pinnacles National Monument. This year, we celebrate its centennial anniversary. Part of an extinct volcano, the spectacular geology of Pinnacles National Monument has fascinated visitors for decades. A variety of flora and fauna flourishes in this unusual landscape, including an exquisite chaparral ecosystem and nearly 400 species of bees, the highest known bee-diversity of any place on Earth.

Situated near the San Andreas Rift Zone with the Central Coast to the west and Gabilan Mountain Range to the east, Pinnacles National Monument now occupies over 26,000 acres 14,000 acres of which are congressionally designated wilderness. With surrounding lands tended by farmers whose ancestors homesteaded the region and cowboys who watch over the cattle that graze on the expansive plains, Pinnacles National Monument offers a sublime glimpse into California's past.

Pinnacles is home to 20 endemic species holding special Federal or state status and is also the ancestral home range of the California condor. Pinnacles is the only National Park site that releases and maintains this extremely endangered bird species, and is critical to the overall condor recovery effort. Pinnacles is also located within the Pacific Flyway migratory route and contains the highest concentration of nesting prairie falcons of any national park in the country.

Only 100 miles from the urban centers of San Francisco and San Jose, Pinnacles National Monument remains a haven of solitude for nature enthusiasts and offers a stunning reflection of California's rural history and heritage. For 100 years, Pinnacles National Monument has served as a recreational escape for hikers, outdoor enthusiasts, and those seeking a glimpse of California's rich history. It is a powerful reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of conservation efforts.

I commend the National Park Service staff and volunteers for maintaining the natural beauty and historical significance of Pinnacles National Monument. I look forward to future generations having the opportunity to study and enjoy this unique piece of our State and national history for another 100 years.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize an important event that has occurred in my State of California. To honor World AIDS Day, the city of Rialto partnered with Brothers and Sisters in Action, BASIA, and First Chance/Youth-Community Health Outreach Workers to host the inaugural AIDS Walk Rialto on December 8, 2007. I am pleased to say that it was a success.

Since reported in 1981, HIV/AIDS has become the most significant communicable disease in San Bernardino County for African Americans. The rate of HIV among this group has increased dramatically since the first cases were reported. In 2005, 18 percent of the new HIV cases in San Bernardino County were in African Americans, yet African Americans represent only 8.5 percent of the population of the county. AIDS Walk Rialto aimed to broaden awareness of this disparity.

I commend the city of Rialto and the organizers of this event for the work that they are doing to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS infections on the local level. Better education and awareness programs can make a tremendous difference in stopping the spread of this disease, and I encourage an even larger parade next year.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me as I honor the life of Sacramento sheriff's deputy Vu Dinh Nguyen, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on December 19, 2007.

Deputy Nguyen dedicated his career to law enforcement and public safety. He was a member of the Sacramento Sheriff's Department for 7 years, serving as a member of the gang unit for 3 years. Prior to his career with the Sheriff's Department, he was a probation officer for Sacramento County.

Vu Nguyen was born in Vietnam in 1970 and immigrated to the United States in 1975. His family settled in Modesto, CA, where he attended Burbank Elementary School, Mark Twain Junior High School, and Modesto High School. While attending Modesto High School he participated in several activities including football, yearbook, and student government.

Vu continued his education at California State University, Sacramento, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in criminal justice. He continued to excel at the Sheriff's Academy where he graduated with high honors.

Deputy Nguyen was married in April and is survived by his wife Phanh, parents, five sisters, and two brothers. His family, friends, and colleagues remember him as a humble man, a respected officer, and an ambassador for the Sheriff's Department in the Asian-American community where he often reached out to troubled youth.

Deputy Vu Nguyen's brave service and commitment to public safety will not be forgotten.

Madam President, the Captive Primate Safety Act, S. 1498, is an important, bipartisan bill promoting the humane treatment of animals and protecting public health and safety from the considerable risks associated with primate pet ownership and trade.

On May 24, 2007, I introduced S. 1498, with Senators Vitter, Lautenberg, Lieberman, and Menendez. Senator Ensign is also a cosponsor.

Nonhuman primates are susceptible to many biological agents that infect human beings, including tuberculosis, Ebola/Marburg, and poxviruses. Because of the serious health risk, importing nonhuman primates into the United States for the pet trade has been banned by Federal regulation since 1975. In addition, many States already prohibit these animals as pets. Still, there is an active trade in these animals. Estimates are that 15,000 are in private hands; however, as the trade is largely unregulated, the number may be much higher. Because many of these animals move in interstate commerce, Federal legislation is needed.

This legislation amends the Lacey Act to prohibit transporting monkeys, great apes, lemurs, and other non- human primates across State lines for the pet trade. The bill has no impact on trade or transportation of animals for zoos, medical and other licensed research facilities, or certain other licensed and regulated entities.

The Captive Primate Safety Act is supported by the Humane Society of the United States, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, Defenders of Wildlife and the Wildlife Conservation Society and many other environmental organizations and animal welfare groups.