Floor Statements

Mr. President, I wish to say to Senator Feinstein how much I appreciate her leadership on this in the Appropriations Committee. I wish to say to the chairman of the committee how much I appreciate his understanding of what we are going through in our State with historic rains, historic flooding. I thank the Appropriations Committee for listening to Senator Feinstein when she transmitted a request from the two of us and also from our Governor. This is a bipartisan request.

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter written to Senator Coburn from Governor Schwarzenegger. I also ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record information regarding the Sacramento region.

I am going to read part of this letter. He says:

Our work to restore structural integrity to our levee

system began over a year ago. We cannot wait for a disaster

to strike and must use the lessons of Katrina and act now.

Prior to Katrina, New Orleans had a 250-year level of flood

protection.

And then the Governor says:

Sacramento has 100-year level of flood protection.

That is optimistic. Most experts tell us that it is an 85-year level. And whether it is 85 years or 100 years, it is the lowest of any major city in the U.S.

The Governor writes:

It is only a matter of time before there is a significant

levee breach or system failure.

This is important for the Senator from Oklahoma to hear. I know he has been very gracious in filling me in on this and saying: I didn't go after your other items but just this one. But the fact is, this one is as important as all the rest. The Corps has told us they need these funds to move forward.

Here is what the Governor says:

Such [a flooding] event would flood valuable farmland that

produces food for [our] entire nation.

I say to my friend from Oklahoma, please, listen to us, because the food supply for the entire Nation is at stake, according to Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Feinstein, myself, and a bipartisan delegation in the Congress.

The Governor says:

All of Sacramento and other Sacramento Valley towns would

be flooded. According to modeling [that has been done], a

single levee breach would cause flooding in many areas of the

City with depths over 15 feet. A flood event of this

magnitude would cut off Southern California's water supply.

I say to my friend from Oklahoma, in this body we are all equal, two Senators from every State. We have 37 million people in my State. Sacramento is a huge growth area. I will get into the

numbers in a minute. We are not talking about a few people being hurt. We are talking about a catastrophe. We are talking about farmland. We are talking about the State's water supply. About two-thirds of the water supply in the State comes from that northern area.

When my friend started, he was very nice and said he doesn't doubt the fact that the Sacramento levees are a problem, and that San Francisco has been having problems. I wrote down what he said. He said: San Francisco and the area south of there. This is the area north of San Francisco. This is Sacramento. I don't think my friend really, with all due respect, gets the intricacies of what we are dealing with here. There is a difference between north of San Francisco and south because north of San Francisco is where we have delta--again, two-thirds of the water supply of our State--the farmland and all the rest. South of San Francisco, we have Silicon Valley. That has other issues. But right now, we are talking about the Sacramento area, which is north.

The Governor goes on to talk about the economic disruption. Because we are such a large State, people say when California sneezes, the country gets a cold. It is an expression that speaks to the power of our State in terms of economic productivity. And in terms of the goods coming across into the ports of California and going all across into your State and everybody else's--this region is the bread basket. So we ask you to back off this amendment.

This is so not a partisan issue. The Governor writes:

As you know, Senators Feinstein and Boxer have worked

closely with Chairmen Cochran and Domenici to include funds

in the pending supplemental . . . for certain levee and flood

control improvements . . .

I support these funds and want to assure you that this is a

necessary and urgent time for Congress to act.

The Governor came here. He met with Senator Domenici and many Senators. He said:

. . . any investment at this time decreases the chances that

Congress will have to respond in the future with another far

more expensive emergency funding bill to address a widespread

flood disaster in California.

I ask that you recognize this as a necessary emergency funding bill. Support this.

I want to show a picture. Senator Feinstein showed us a version of this. They all tell a story better than I could. Here you have the Sacramento River. Here you have thousands and thousands of people. Here you have the levees, and here you have the riverbed. And what has happened, if my friend would like to take a look at this--I know he doesn't question that we need a project; he questions whether it belongs in this bill. I understand.

Yes.

That is what I just said. I said the Senator doesn't oppose us doing this. He doesn't want it in this bill. That is my understanding of his position. I couldn't disagree with you more. When my friend quoted me and I said Iraq should have been in the budget, that is exactly how I feel, because we knew about it. Frankly, we didn't know about this, that we were going to have the kind of events we have had, the rain and the rain and the rain. I will go into the details of how much rain we have had compared to other years and the fact that anything can happen now.

The weather patterns are changing. When I lived in the bay area in California so many years ago, it is too long to remember, when I first came here in the 1960s, you never had rain in March, let alone April. It was dry. It was dry really from mid-February on. It has been moving forward, and we have March as one of the rainiest months and then April. We had a month this year--April--where we had rain almost every day. It is unheard of. You can see how muddy this is. You can see the breaks here in the riverbank.

I will show you another picture on the other side where there is not as much development but the same thing has occurred. These trees were on the other side of the riverbank. Look at these trees. They are now buried in the water. So if we don't go ahead with the Corps now, when the Corps tells us we need to do this now, we are going to lose this riverbank. We are going to lose the levees. And then it is too late.

My friend says he wants to save money. It reminds me of the old adage of penny wise and pound foolish. It is a colloquialism, but the fact is, you have to prevent things. This is an emergency circumstance, as the Governor said. These levees could break. Now we have a snowmelt. That snowmelt occurs, that water gets deeper, the pressure in that river increases, and the riverbank begins to disappear, leaving those levees exposed.

I wish to refer to a document put together by the Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento. It reads, ``Sacramento: A Region at Risk.'' Cities and counties don't like to say, especially chambers of commerce, we are at risk. They don't like to say that because they want to have investment. They want people to come in. They don't go about saying: We are in danger. And when a chamber of commerce goes out and says: We are in danger--and these are Republicans mostly, and these are as conservative as my friend from Oklahoma; they know that an investment is not wasteful spending if, in fact, we are going to save money at the end of the day. How much would we have saved if we had built stronger, better levees in Louisiana? Untold, probably billions. I don't think my friend is at all a fiscal conservative by taking away $11 million. It is reckless. I hope and pray that my colleagues are listening to this debate and are looking at these pictures and understanding what we are talking about.

The Sacramento area faces a triple flood threat, and it faces it now. We have a confluence of two major rivers, the threat of a deteriorating flood control system, and the threat of near record precipitation this year. We are talking about 165,000 homes, nearly 500,000 residents, the State capital, and many businesses providing 200,000 jobs. It is also the hub of the six-county regional economy, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs. A major flood along the lower Sacramento or American Rivers would cripple the region's economy. I will go into that tomorrow because Senator Feinstein and I each have 15 minutes in the morning. I will save some of my talk for then.

California has the world's fifth largest economy, and we are quibbling over $11 million that the Corps says it needs to fix up these riverbanks. How outrageous, how shortsighted, how foolish. I don't understand why my friend is doing this. We talked. He feels deeply about it. I respect that. I voted with him a couple of times. I have been very careful, picking and choosing, sticking with the committee when I felt the committee was right, joining my friend. But I don't understand this one. This one is inexplicable.

The average family understands that if they have a problem with their roof, they fix it. They don't put it off. They fix it so that their home is not destroyed. It is straightforward.

Let's look at the pocket again. They call this the pocket of Sacramento; 112,000 people are at risk, and you can see clearly where this riverbank has deteriorated. On New Year's Day, Californians in the northern and central parts of our State awoke to flooding that cost the State $200 million. We are talking about $11 million so we can mitigate what comes next. But precipitation after January 1 has kept river levels very high, further stressing and eroding our critical flood control infrastructure.

Precipitation, including snow pack, as the snows melt, is nearly twice the normal amount, 174 percent of normal, and that is just as of last week. And the snows are just now starting to melt.

We have another threat to this area. My colleague, Senator Feinstein, said it beautifully: How would we feel if we did something on this Senate floor today that turned our backs on this issue and then we had a tragedy?

We would not feel very good about it. So I am going to save the rest of my talk until tomorrow. But I am going to say to you, Mr. President, again thank you. It is very rare that we have such bipartisan cooperation in our State. This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. We will have Republicans suffer if we have a problem and

we will have Democrats suffer. We are Californians united. Our Governor has recognized the crisis. He declared a state of emergency earlier this year to expedite improvement of this system.

Everything we did in this bill we cleared with the Army Corps and they say they can use this money. They need this money. They are going to move forward with these repairs. So my friend from Oklahoma can make the case every which way he wants. He can use rhetoric and say anything he wants. The bottom line is this, and I will quote Representative Dan Lungren, a Republican, who is very well respected among our Republican friends in this body. He said:

Today the Sacramento region has half the flood protection

and twice the risk as did the city of New Orleans prior to

Katrina. The cost of recovering from a flood-related disaster

far exceeds the price of guarding against it.

Unlike other issues where we have come to the floor and it has been Republican versus Democrat, I can honestly say to you that I stand here representing a bipartisan, strong majority in my State and, hopefully, in the Senate, that says this: The 2005 hurricane season taught us some hard lessons--that we neglect shoring up eroded and damaged flood control infrastructure for major metropolitan areas at our peril.

We always say we must learn from history. We must surely learn from recent history. Sometimes we forget history that occurred way back, but we certainly should remember history from a year ago.

I urge my colleagues to vote a resounding no on this Coburn amendment and to take a stand for innocent people in this valley, in this area, these farmlands, these farmers, and the economy, and don't take out $11 million that could do so much good to restore these banks.

I thank the Chair.

I yield the floor.

Will the Senator yield?

Does the Senator not know that this is a federally authorized project? Is the Senator unaware of that?

Cost sharing goes along with this project just as with every other project. So for the Senator to stand up and suggest that we don't pay into this project is simply false.

Mr. President, I cannot allow certain things that were said to go unchallenged. My friend says this is not about paying your share, after he said it was about that. He made a big point, why doesn't California do something? Of course, we are doing something. We abide by the law. I have to say to my friend, if something happens in California, a bread basket of this country in many ways, there is going to be suffering throughout this country. If something happens to this economy, let alone the 112,000 people who live in this pocket, this particular amendment will put them at greater risk.

My friend says he believes in prevention. He is a doctor. I am sure he does and I am sure he does a wonderful job at that. But he doesn't believe in prevention right now, I will tell you that. Because that is what Senator Feinstein, Governor Schwarzenegger, and both Democratic candidates for Governor--everybody agrees this has to be done. This is a Federal project. This is not a State project. This is a Federal project with a State share. The Army Corps has a responsibility which they have stepped up to the plate to do, and they told us they need these funds. As far as not paying for this, we know that emergencies get special treatment around here because they are emergencies. My friend says, why is this an emergency? Take a look at this. This isn't the way a river is supposed to look, the way a riverbank is supposed to look. This isn't the way a tree that was on the land is supposed to look, when it was on the other side of the riverbank. When you get the second highest predicted snow pack melt known to the history since they started taking down the record, in the history of California, yes, you have an emergency.

I know my friend from Oklahoma left the floor. I hope he joins me in a pay-as-you-go budget because I have voted for that every year. Frankly, right before the Bush administration, we had surpluses. Now we have deficits. I will admit that. I support pay-as-you-go budgeting. I have voted for it. We can talk about that another day. But this is a true emergency, just as I believe funding the veterans home in Mississippi was, which I was sorry I didn't get a chance to vote on. I listened to the debate. I could hardly believe my ears that the Senator from Oklahoma

was objecting to making sure that our veterans, elderly veterans, could go home. What is wrong? Something is wrong here with these debates. I don't know where the heart is, where the soul is. I don't know where the common sense is.

I pray and hope that tomorrow, come morning, we are able to get the votes to keep this funding in the supplemental. Again, I thank Senator Cochran. I thank the Chair for his patience.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to recognize a dual celebration for the city of Kerman, CA. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Kerman as a city in Fresno County and also the 60th anniversary of its incorporation as an official city.

In 1891, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company constructed a new line between Tracy and Fresno. A nondescript watering tank and pump along

that line was given the name Collis as a tribute to Collis P. Huntington, a member of the famed ``Big Four'' of western railroading. The first inhabitant, the caretaker of the pump and tank, resigned his job after just a few months, not because of the demands of the job but, rather, because the area was too desolate and barren.

As a speculative venture, the Bank of California purchased a large tract of land in every county in California. The arid land around what became Kerman was chosen as the allotment for Fresno County. After the death of its promoter, the once prominent bank became insolvent and its holdings were liquidated. In 1910, the property in Fresno County caught the attention of two Los Angeles capitalists, William G. Kerckoff and Jacob Mansar, who saw the tract as an opportunity to purchase a rich water supply from the newly constructed Enterprise Canal. Mr. Kerckoff and Mr. Mansar combined the first three letters of their names and renamed the area ``Kerman.''

Since its incorporation in 1946, Kerman has experienced steady growth while retaining its identity and character as a predominately agrarian community. Today, Kerman has joined with other thriving cities on the west side of Fresno County along the Interstate 5 corridor by reaching out to industry through the development of an industrial park.

From a remote outpost that was once deemed too isolated for a watering tank operator to one of the fastest growing cities in Fresno County, the city of Kerman has served as a shining example to the importance of agriculture in California and also to the virtues of community spirit and diversity.

As the residents of Kerman continue to work together to make their city a better place to call home, I congratulate them on their auspicious dual landmark anniversaries and wish them continued success and good fortune.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor a remarkable citizen of my home State of California, Mr. Manuel Portillo, as National City dedicates the Casa de Salud Manuel Portillo Youth Center in his honor.

Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Portillo has played an exemplary role in empowering and improving the lives of children and young adults throughout the San Diego community. His tireless efforts to improve his beloved community and his selfless service to our Nation has made a tangible difference for countless people. The will and vision of Mr. Portillo serves as an inspiration to us all.

Born in 1920, Mr. Portillo rose from humble beginnings to become a leader in the San Diego community. As a youth, he developed a passion for the sport of boxing that he still enjoys today. At age 12, he was earning 25 cents an hour picking celery, yet the strength of character for which he has come to be known was only just beginning to emerge. By 17, Portillo was working for the Civilian Conservation Corps, helping develop bridges and campgrounds, many of which are still in use today throughout the State, including in Yosemite National Park.

In 1942, only 30 days after being married, Portillo was drafted by the U.S. Army and sent to join the Allied struggle in Europe during the height of World War II. While serving in the Army, Portillo honed his boxing skills to a fine art and often challenged his fellow soldiers. Portillo returned to National City after being honorably discharged and after receiving four bronze service stars as a Sergeant in Company A 378th Infantry.

After returning home, Portillo dedicated himself to improving his community by establishing positive programs for otherwise troubled neighborhood youth. He was able to keep many of these kids off the streets and out of trouble by teaching them the sport of boxing. With an emphasis on sportsmanship and discipline, Portillo has made a positive impact in the lives of countless children and young adults. His success inspired the creation of the Casa Knight, the Casa Men's Club, Santos and Peewees for boys, and the Knightetts. These recreational groups have become fundamental vehicles for social mobility, encouraging positive self-image and motivation in both an extracurricular and academic capacity.

It is with great pleasure that I commend Manuel Portillo for his passionate commitment to helping others and tireless efforts to improve the broader San Diego community. I wish him great success in the future.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. President, thank you. And I thank my colleagues who are working so hard on this emergency supplemental bill which has so many important issues that address the needs of our troops: the need to get the equipment they need, the protection they need, and the needs of the people in the area that was struck by Hurricane Katrina.

But I have to say this war, as we know today--and the President said 3 years ago ``Mission Accomplished''--this is not exactly an emergency that he didn't know about, and the war should be paid for in the budget and not in an emergency supplemental. The war is known. The costs of the war were anticipated by some people whom this administration fired, and the costs of this war are spinning out of control.

In my own State, about 23 percent of the debt is from people who are from California or based in California, and we are suffering mightily with these debts. The mental health problems of those veterans coming home are not being addressed in the appropriate way. We read about suicides which are off the chart, and divorces are off the chart.

I have to say I am very disappointed and concerned and angry that Secretary Rumsfeld still hasn't appointed people to a mental health task force that this Senate voted on and said we ought to have, that the House accepted, and that the President signed into law. On April 7th, that mental health task force was supposed to be in place, and we still do not have the people assigned to it, while our veterans are coming back in very bad shape. I don't understand it. I call on Secretary Rumsfeld to do his job and follow the law and appoint the people to this commission.

Frankly, we are not doing right by our veterans.

The Senator from Washington is here. I know how much she cares about this issue. I know how hard she fought to expose the fact that the veterans health care budget was underfunded. And with her hard work and reaching across the aisle, we were able to add funding to the veterans health care system. But the needs of our soldiers are still not being met. The horror they face is having a big impact on them when they return home.

I will be offering an amendment that addresses this mental health commission, assuming that the Secretary of Defense has not acted. I will also be talking about a very important facility that we need to set up in San Diego to deal with the west coast injured--from Washington, from Oregon, and from California. We do not have a place to treat these who are being injured. A lot of these families on the west coast have to travel to Texas, or have to travel to the east coast, and the Navy wants to see this facility built. I will be speaking about that.

Unfortunately, we could not come to an agreement on the immigration legislation that I thought was well thought out. The McCain-Kennedy bill that took a look at the whole immigration issue said: Yes, we must strengthen the border. We have to stop illegal immigration at the border, but we also must deal with the hard-working people who have been here and bring them out of the shadows, not put them in front of the line; put them in back of the line, put them on a path to legality. That bill was not forthcoming from this body.

Then Senator Martinez and Senator Hagel offered another compromise which I thought was not as good as the original one because I think it will be a bureaucratic nightmare to administer, but at least it is a compromise between those who want to strengthen the border and those who want to give people a path to legality. Yet we had a vote on that, and Republicans voted right down the line, no. They wanted to have endless numbers of amendments.

I have to say it is up to the Republican leader to bring this issue back before us and to resolve it. It is key to my State. It is key to the country. I hope we can work together and once and for all resolve it.

Lastly, I want to talk about gas prices. Many Americans are paying well over $3 per gallon for gasoline. Certainly, in my State, I have seen gasoline over $4 in my State. I have heard predictions that that is coming.

On a television show yesterday, our Department of Energy Secretary, Mr. Bodman, had bad news for Americans. He said: Well, I guess we are in a crisis. I am not embarrassed about it. But you know there is a problem. We have lost control of supply. I am not embarrassed. Gas prices are high.

I don't understand what kind of leadership we have here in this country with this administration. When you talk about Iraq, the President says: Gear up. We are going to have more deaths. He doesn't give us an exit strategy, and he doesn't tell us when this long nightmare is coming to an end. Oh, just brace yourself, more casualties.

Then you have the Secretary of Energy, and he doesn't say: Here is my plan. We are going to look at these oil companies. We want to understand why they are making record profits when they say they are suffering with higher costs, that they were simply passing the costs on to us. Yes, prices are going up at the pump, but their profits would be level. Their profits are off the chart. One of their retiring CEOs had a $400 million package when he left.

I do not know how the oil companies can say with a straight face that all they are doing is passing on costs when they give one individual $400 million.

Think about the average small business in America. They would never dream of seeing $400 million. This is for one individual.

I was pleased. I was on one of the Sunday shows with Senator Trent Lott, and we were really looking at this out of the same lens. He was just as upset. And when we talked about windfall profits taxes, he said he is willing to look at it.

I hope there is a way we can address the gas prices in this bill. I have been working to try to make amendments germane to the subject, and if we can't get them on this bill, we are not going to go away.

We hear that Katrina, the Middle East, Iran, and Iraq are the reason for these prices. And there is no question that instability in the world and the aftermath of Katrina is hurting us. But, again, if these external factors are all it is, we would be willing to pay for that. But, obviously, they are adding a hunk of money into their profits. That is very clear. We are seeing profits off the chart.

In the first quarter of this year, Chevron had profits of $4 billion, up 49 percent compared to the same quarter last year. When we look at Exxon profits of $8.4 billion, and a $400 million retirement package for their former CEO, Lee Raymond, it is clear they could afford it. Enough is enough.

The President announced that he is halting deposits to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is the reserve that we have in case of an emergency. It is very full. We have been telling the President for more than a year now to please stop taking gasoline off the market and putting it into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. You are shorting the supply. He finally said he is going to stop filling it. However, he has not said he will release any from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This is the time to do it because that would have a downward pressure on gas prices.

We also need to take steps to reduce our demand for gasoline. Obviously, when a family buys a car, it is a huge purchase. I know families who are now considering buying a fuel-efficient automobile. My family did, even though it has been in the papers because some reporter didn't do his homework that I own a gas-guzzler; I do not.

My family owns three cars and they are all hybrids. I have been driving mine for almost 4 years. It is terrific. The men I know always ask: Does it have pickup? It has pickup, yes. It does very well. The newer version--I have the original version--the newer version now gets over 50 miles to the gallon.

I ask myself: Why doesn't the Federal Government buy these automobiles? My good staff who is here today checked it out and found out that every year the Federal Government purchases 58,000 passenger vehicles. According to the Department of Energy, the average fuel economy of the new vehicles purchased for the fleet in 2005 was 21.4 miles per gallon. So we can do better, that is for sure, with just the Federal fleet. It may not sound like a lot, but 58,000 cars that we say we are now going to make more fuel efficient will have a salutary impact on this marketplace. It is going to provide a bigger market for the fuel-efficient cars. I hope, in addition to this, we can have a program where we incentivize States, counties, and local governments to do the same.

I got the idea for this bill when I visited the San Francisco autoyard. We looked around and almost every car they have in there is either fuel efficient now or they are working to make it so. They have cars that run on alternative fuels. They are rehabbing their cars. All the good ideas started in our neighborhoods. That was an idea I took.

I mentioned before, my hybrid cars are getting over 50 miles to the gallon. We know, unfortunately, that the American car companies are not yet up to where they should be with their fuel efficiency. This is sad. I have sat down with them over the decades--because I lived through the 1970s when we had a fuel crisis--and they still refuse, saying Americans want big cars, too bad.

The fact is, at least our American companies are now building fuel- efficient SUVs. This is good. So when the Federal Government has to buy a hybrid car, they can buy a fuel-efficient hybrid car made in America that is an SUV. I hope we can lead by example.

I don't take what Mr. Bodman says as a fact, that there is nothing we can do, shrug our shoulders, and walk away. There is something we can do. We can be smart consumers regarding the Federal Government with the taxpayers' dollars. Taxpayer dollars should not be wasted on gasoline that goes straight into the pockets of the oil companies that, in my opinion, are manipulating supply. I will get to that in a minute.

We now have a tax credit for buying a hybrid vehicle; the dollar amount varies by vehicle. That is terrific. I propose we have an additional $1,000 tax credit for purchasing a vehicle that obtains a minimum of 45 miles per gallon. There are now cars that get 45 miles per gallon and there may soon be other cars that get 45 miles per gallon, so purchasers of those cars would have the $1,000 tax credit. If you have a hybrid that gets over 45 miles per gallon, if you bought a new one, you would get a $1,000 tax break plus the tax break for purchasing a hybrid. That is very important because it is true the hybrids are a little more costly than a similar nonhybrid car.

The President of the United States came forward and said: I am ordering an Federal Trade Commission investigation. I was very glad he did that. Unfortunately, for the eight times I have called for those investigations, I have never had his support. I have called for no less than eight investigations into gas price manipulation, but I was happy he called for--finally, better late than never--an investigation into manipulation among the oil companies and in each oil company. Unfortunately, 4 days later, he said: I have to say I haven't seen any evidence of any manipulation. That was Friday.

I am confused. He calls for an FTC investigation and then said: I don't see any evidence of it, but they are working on it. It seems to me that sends a bad signal to the FTC. Why not ask your Justice Department, your Energy Department to work with the FTC and scour every record you can to see if there is zone pricing, to see if they are cutting back on supply?

I lived through the Enron debacle. We all did. But when I say I lived through it, those on the west coast got it in the neck from Enron. What did the Enron traders do? They said: We are going to withhold supply. They took power offline, and they said to the public: All we are doing is regular maintenance of our powerplants. That was not true. They were closing down some of the power in order to manipulate supply.

Now we look at what is happening in the refinery business, and we see they are not building any new refineries because they are monopolies. They do not want to increase the supply. They like it the way it is.

How do I know this? It is pretty clear. California has changed its rules. We have a streamlined procedure now put into place by the Governor and the legislature. Please come in, please build refineries, please do them in an environmentally sound way. Nothing.

How do I know what is happening? This is it. Shell Oil announced that they were closing down a refinery in Bakersfield about a year ago or more. We were very upset, Senator Feinstein and I, the congressional delegation, across party lines, the Governor, everyone asking: Why are you closing down a refinery that produces 2 percent of California's gasoline?

The answer came back in a letter to me: Senator, we are not making any money in this refinery. We are losing money. Senator, no one wants to buy it. We have put it up there for sale, and we are closing it down, period.

We did not believe it. We had learned the lesson of Enron, which is to reduce supply, so we dug around, and we went to the FTC, this Bush administration FTC. Do you know what they did for us, despite all their talk? Nothing. They did nothing. Zero.

So we went to the attorney general of the State of California, Bill Lockyer. He said: Let me see what is going on. Guess what he found out. The refinery that they said was making no money was making record profits. Yes, there were many people who were interested in purchasing it. Guess what. It has been sold, and it is still operational.

So when I asked the oil company executives from Shell about this at the Commerce Committee hearing, they did not tell the truth. They said: We are so delighted we sold this. They never told the truth.

Maria Cantwell and I tried to get them sworn in to take the oath, to swear to tell the truth, but Senator Stevens said: Not on my watch; we are not swearing in these people. So they got away with lying to the committee.

When Senator Cantwell starts to call for ways to probe this situation, the fact that we believe they are manipulating supply, we have a reason to believe they are doing it. They did it in Enron. We believe they are doing it again.

I have a bill that requires the FTC to automatically investigate manipulation in the market any time average gas prices increase in any State by 20 percent in a period of 3 months or less and remain there for 7 days or more. This calling for constant investigations does not get anywhere. But if we have a law that says the FTC must look at this, and if they do, and they issue a report, they must hold a public hearing to discuss it, and if their findings indicate there is market manipulation, the FTC works with the State's attorney general to determine the penalties. If there was no market manipulation, we should look at releasing some of the oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, again, to put downward pressure on the price of gasoline.

Finally, another piece of legislation, and I would love to have it in the bill if I could, is to say that in the future if any oil company gives a salary, a bonus, a retirement package in excess of $50 million, they have to make a like contribution to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program because we know that many people depend on that LIHEAP program. Even though LIHEAP deals with home heating and cooling costs, not with gas prices, that would be a fair thing to do.

I have spoken on a number of issues. I am pleased now to yield the floor.

You are getting young again, I say to the Senator.

Mr. President I rise today with my colleague Senator Feinstein to introduce a bill to combat gang violence and honor a young girl from California, Mynesha Crenshaw, who was killed last year in a tragic shooting.

On November 13, 2005, a gang-related dispute broke out in San Bernardino, CA and gunfire sprayed an apartment building, killing 11- year old Mynesha Crenshaw and seriously wounding her 14-year old sister as they ate Sunday dinner with their family.

Imagine the fear and anguish the family and the community still feel over this tragedy a young girl, full of hope and promise, dead. Her big sister, wounded from the same gunfire, though thankfully she subsequently recovered. Imagine the fear that this could happen again. Our hearts and our prayers go out to Mynesha's family and to the entire community, which like so many others across the United States, has struggled with gang violence.

Last year, there were 58 homicides in San Bernardino, a city of 200,000 east of Los Angeles, and 13 more homicides so far this year. And just last month, two men were caught in a gang-related crossfire and died in Downtown San Bernardino. This has to stop. It is a waste of life; it is unacceptable.

San Bernardino's diverse population of young people and their families face many challenges, but San Bernardino also has a vibrant and united community, strong leadership, and a desire to come together to improve their city.

Mynesha Crenshaw's death galvanized over 1,000 residents to take to the streets, demanding change. And some 40 community and religious leaders, public officials, and concerned citizens from San Bernardino have joined together to form ``Mynesha's Circle'' to find solutions to the plague of gang violence and to help San Bernardino's young people grow up safe, finish school, and succeed in life.

I applaud Mayor Patrick Morris, Police Chief Michael Billdt, community leaders Kent Paxton and Rev. Reggie Beamon and Robert Balzer, the publisher of the San Bernardino Sun, for taking up this cause.

I want to also thank all the other members of ``Mynesha's Circle'' Sheryl Alexander, Betty Dean Anderson, Donald Baker, Fred Board, Ruddy Bravo, Hardy Brown, Cheryl Brown, Mark and Katrina Cato, Larry Ciecalone, Stephani Congdon, San Bernardino City Schools Superintendent Arturo Delgado, Tim Evans, San Bernardino County Schools Superintendent Herb Fischer, Rialto Schools Superintendent Edna Herring, Sheriff Rod Hoops, Syeda Jafri, Walter Jarman, Rev. David Kalke, CSU President Al Karnig, William Leonard, Sheriff Gary Penrod, DA Michael Ramos, Sandy Robbins, Doug Rowand, Larry Sharp, Ron Stark, Tori Stordahl, Heck Thomas, David Torres, Mark Uffer, San Bernardino Police Chief Gary Underwood, Councilmember Rikke Van Johnson, Bobby Vega, and the Sun Reader Advisory Board members: Daniel Blakely, Barbara Lee Harn Covey, Mark Henry, Julie Hernandez, Lynette Kaplan, Brenda Mackey, James Magnuson, Julian Melendez, Ernest Ott, Jeffrey Pryor, John Ragsdale, Glenda Randolph, Nora Taylor, and David Torres.

I have pledged to do what I can at the Federal level to help San Bernardino. And that is why today I am introducing ``Mynesha's Law,'' with my colleague, Senator Feinstein.

``Mynesha's Law'' will create an interagency Task Force at the Federal level, including the Departments of Justice, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, to take a comprehensive approach to reducing gang violence and targeting resources at the communities in our nation most at risk. The resources will come from proven existing Federal programs, including Child Care Block Grants, Head Start, Even Start, Job Corps, COPS, Byrne Grants and other programs the Task Forces chooses.

Communities will be able to apply to the Department of Justices for designation as a ``High-Intensity Gang Activity Area'' and then be eligible to receive targeted assistance from the Task Force.

The Task Force will be required to report annually to Congress on the best practices and outcomes among the High-Intensity Gang Activity Areas and on the adequacy of Federal funding to meet the needs of these areas. If the Task Force identifies any programmatic shortfalls in addressing gang prevention, the report will also include a request for new funding or reprogramming of existing funds to meet the shortfalls and the bill authorizes such sums to be appropriated.

In addition to ``Mynesha's Law,'' I am seeking a $1 million appropriation that the city of San Bernardino has requested to implement a comprehensive gang intervention and prevention strategy called ``San Bernardino Gang Free Schools.'' The program would fund 10 probation officers to provide gang resistance and education training to 57,000 students, as well as case management and oversight for at-risk youth.

I am also requesting a $3 million appropriation to renovate and equip what may be the most important organization for at-risk young people in the area the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino.

The Boys and Girls Club is one of the few safe and supportive places in San Bernardino where young people can go after school to get help with homework or play sports with their friends. Many community leaders believe the Boys and Girls Club is one of the best gang prevention programs in San Bernardino and has helped many young people stay in school and out of trouble.

This tragic shooting of Mynesha Crenshaw symbolizes the struggle that so many communities across the United States, like San Bernardino, face in combating gang violence and serves as a reminder of the nationwide problem we face in protecting our children from senseless violence. I believe ``Mynesha's Law'' will help the children of San Bernardino, and across our nation, grow up safely so they can reach their dreams.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that will increase the fuel economy for our Nation's Federal fleet.

Americans are facing record high gasoline prices at over $3 per gallon. In some places in my State of California, people are paying over $4 per gallon. Oil is selling for over $75 per barrel.

We need to say ``enough is enough.'' We need to reduce our dependence on oil and gasoline. We can do this without changing our quality of life by investing in fuel-efficient cars.

The Federal Government must set an example to the American public by improving the Nation's fleet. Each year, the Federal Government purchases 58,000 passenger vehicles. According to the Department of Energy, the average fuel economy of the new vehicles purchased for the fleet in 2005 was an abysmal 21.4 miles per gallon.

In an era, where hybrid cars on the market that can achieve over 50 miles per gallon (mpg), that level of fuel economy is unacceptable.

Instead, our government needs to purchase fuel-efficient cars, SUVs, and other light trucks.

This can be done today. I drive a Toyota Prius that gets over 50 mpg. The Ford Escape SUV can get 36 mpg.

To have the Federal Government set an example for the American public and to create a larger market for fuel-efficient vehicles, I am introducing the ``Fuel-Efficient Fleets Act of 2006.''

This legislation would require all new Federal fleet vehicles to obtain a minimum miles per gallon based on vehicle type. The new fuel efficiency standards would be as follows: 45 mpg for cars, 36 mpg for SUVs, 24 mpg for pickup trucks, 20 mpg for minivans, and 15 mpg for vans.

The bill establishes a phase-in schedule over 4 years to allow for flexibility in purchasing new cars.

Additionally, the bill has a provision to allow the standards to be increased if technological advances allow fuel economy to improve.

Finally, the bill authorizes $100 million in incentive grants for the States' fleets to match or exceed the Federal standards.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill. This will be a good step to use less gasoline in this country.

Mr. President I rise today with my colleague Senator Feinstein to introduce a bill to combat gang violence and honor a young girl from California, Mynesha Crenshaw, who was killed last year in a tragic shooting.

On November 13, 2005, a gang-related dispute broke out in San Bernardino, CA and gunfire sprayed an apartment building, killing 11- year old Mynesha Crenshaw and seriously wounding her 14-year old sister as they ate Sunday dinner with their family.

Imagine the fear and anguish the family and the community still feel over this tragedy a young girl, full of hope and promise, dead. Her big sister, wounded from the same gunfire, though thankfully she subsequently recovered. Imagine the fear that this could happen again. Our hearts and our prayers go out to Mynesha's family and to the entire community, which like so many others across the United States, has struggled with gang violence.

Last year, there were 58 homicides in San Bernardino, a city of 200,000 east of Los Angeles, and 13 more homicides so far this year. And just last month, two men were caught in a gang-related crossfire and died in Downtown San Bernardino. This has to stop. It is a waste of life; it is unacceptable.

San Bernardino's diverse population of young people and their families face many challenges, but San Bernardino also has a vibrant and united community, strong leadership, and a desire to come together to improve their city.

Mynesha Crenshaw's death galvanized over 1,000 residents to take to the streets, demanding change. And some 40 community and religious leaders, public officials, and concerned citizens from San Bernardino have joined together to form ``Mynesha's Circle'' to find solutions to the plague of gang violence and to help San Bernardino's young people grow up safe, finish school, and succeed in life.

I applaud Mayor Patrick Morris, Police Chief Michael Billdt, community leaders Kent Paxton and Rev. Reggie Beamon and Robert Balzer, the publisher of the San Bernardino Sun, for taking up this cause.

I want to also thank all the other members of ``Mynesha's Circle'' Sheryl Alexander, Betty Dean Anderson, Donald Baker, Fred Board, Ruddy Bravo, Hardy Brown, Cheryl Brown, Mark and Katrina Cato, Larry Ciecalone, Stephani Congdon, San Bernardino City Schools Superintendent Arturo Delgado, Tim Evans, San Bernardino County Schools Superintendent Herb Fischer, Rialto Schools Superintendent Edna Herring, Sheriff Rod Hoops, Syeda Jafri, Walter Jarman, Rev. David Kalke, CSU President Al Karnig, William Leonard, Sheriff Gary Penrod, DA Michael Ramos, Sandy Robbins, Doug Rowand, Larry Sharp, Ron Stark, Tori Stordahl, Heck Thomas, David Torres, Mark Uffer, San Bernardino Police Chief Gary Underwood, Councilmember Rikke Van Johnson, Bobby Vega, and the Sun Reader Advisory Board members: Daniel Blakely, Barbara Lee Harn Covey, Mark Henry, Julie Hernandez, Lynette Kaplan, Brenda Mackey, James Magnuson, Julian Melendez, Ernest Ott, Jeffrey Pryor, John Ragsdale, Glenda Randolph, Nora Taylor, and David Torres.

I have pledged to do what I can at the Federal level to help San Bernardino. And that is why today I am introducing ``Mynesha's Law,'' with my colleague, Senator Feinstein.

``Mynesha's Law'' will create an interagency Task Force at the Federal level, including the Departments of Justice, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, to take a comprehensive approach to reducing gang violence and targeting resources at the communities in our nation most at risk. The resources will come from proven existing Federal programs, including Child Care Block Grants, Head Start, Even Start, Job Corps, COPS, Byrne Grants and other programs the Task Forces chooses.

Communities will be able to apply to the Department of Justices for designation as a ``High-Intensity Gang Activity Area'' and then be eligible to receive targeted assistance from the Task Force.

The Task Force will be required to report annually to Congress on the best practices and outcomes among the High-Intensity Gang Activity Areas and on the adequacy of Federal funding to meet the needs of these areas. If the Task Force identifies any programmatic shortfalls in addressing gang prevention, the report will also include a request for new funding or reprogramming of existing funds to meet the shortfalls and the bill authorizes such sums to be appropriated.

In addition to ``Mynesha's Law,'' I am seeking a $1 million appropriation that the city of San Bernardino has requested to implement a comprehensive gang intervention and prevention strategy called ``San Bernardino Gang Free Schools.'' The program would fund 10 probation officers to provide gang resistance and education training to 57,000 students, as well as case management and oversight for at-risk youth.

I am also requesting a $3 million appropriation to renovate and equip what may be the most important organization for at-risk young people in the area the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino.

The Boys and Girls Club is one of the few safe and supportive places in San Bernardino where young people can go after school to get help with homework or play sports with their friends. Many community leaders believe the Boys and Girls Club is one of the best gang prevention programs in San Bernardino and has helped many young people stay in school and out of trouble.

This tragic shooting of Mynesha Crenshaw symbolizes the struggle that so many communities across the United States, like San Bernardino, face in combating gang violence and serves as a reminder of the nationwide problem we face in protecting our children from senseless violence. I believe ``Mynesha's Law'' will help the children of San Bernardino, and across our nation, grow up safely so they can reach their dreams.

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

I rise today to express my opposition to the amendment put forward by Senator Gregg to the emergency supplemental appropriations bill--an amendment to provide additional funding for border security at the expense of the U.S. Armed Forces.

While I certainly support the goal of providing an additional $1.9 billion to secure our Nation's borders, it is completely unconscionable to cut funding for our military men and women at a time when they are risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Let me explain how Senator Gregg's amendment would hurt our military.

The Gregg amendment cuts Department of Defense programs included in this bill. This includes critical funding, such as funding for the military personnel account--which provides pay and benefits for Active- Duty, Guard and Reserve troops--and the Defense Health Program, which is responsible for providing our troops with medical assistance.

Funding for the training of Iraqi security forces is included, as well. We know this mission is critical to our success in Iraq and the ability to bring home our brave servicemembers.

The bill also includes funding for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund, which provides assistance to our troops seeking to eliminate IEDs the leading cause of death for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Furthermore, the Death Gratuity Fund, which provides assistance to the families of fallen soldiers, is included in this bill.

Senator Gregg's amendment seeks to secure our borders but does so by reducing much-needed funding for the men and women fighting for our country every day. This is unacceptable.

While I oppose Senator Gregg's amendment, I am pleased to support Senator Reid's amendment. The Reid amendment also provides nearly $2 billion in additional funding for our Nation's border security but without dangerous funding cuts that would harm our troops.

Mr. President, California has lost a fine, young leader. Marco Antonio Firebaugh, former California Assembly majority floor leader, representing the 50th assembly district, and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, recently passed away. I would like to take a few moments to recognize Marco Antonio Firebaugh's many important accomplishments and the tremendous impact he made as a leader in California.

Born in Baja California, Mexico, Firebaugh served three terms as a member of the California State Assembly and one term as the majority floor leader. In 1998, he was first elected to the California State Assembly, representing the 50th assembly district. During his tenure, he fought for the rights of all Californians, including immigrants and their children, with passion and great success. Under his leadership, the California State Assembly passed legislation that focused on increasing the availability of education to all California residents.

He led the effort to appoint more qualified Latinos and Latinas to high-level positions in State government, including the appointment of only the second Latino to serve on the California Supreme Court, the first Latina to serve as chancellor of a University of California campus, and two additional Latino presidents at the California State Universities at Fresno and Sacramento.

Firebaugh worked strenuously to protect and defend the dignity of his constituents, regardless of their immigration status, and remained involved in community affairs after his departure from the California State Assembly. He served as a visiting professor and policy fellow at the UCLA School of Medicine, Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture. Most recently, he decided to reenter public life, as a candidate for the California State Senate, 30th district, and gained the support of many local community leaders, including current 30th district State senator Martha Escutia. His dedication to his fellow Californians will be missed.

I invite all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring Marco Antonio Firebaugh for his guidance and leadership in fighting to improve the lives of all Californians. He is survived by his mother, Carmen Ramos Garcia; his children, Ariana and Nicolas; brothers, Carlos and Jesse; and sisters, Cecilia and Esmeralda.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide on April 24th. This anniversary offers an opportunity for us to renew our

efforts to achieve--finally--genocide recognition for the Armenian people.

Ninety-one years ago, the Ottoman Turks began their systematic effort to eradicate the Armenian people. From 1915 until 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were tortured and killed; men were separated from their families and murdered; women and children were forced to march across the Syrian desert without water, food, or possessions; many died of hunger or thirst or were killed when they lagged behind during the forced marches into the desert.

The brutality of the genocide was atrocious. But the inhumanity continues today because the Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge the massacres as genocide. The wounds cannot heal until the Armenian people receive recognition.

The Armenian genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century. But as we have seen, it was not the last. As we know, if we ignore injustice, we are likely to see it repeated. In his justification for the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler said, ``Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?'' And today, we see ongoing atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan, with innocent civilians being murdered. In the 108th Congress, I cosponsored a resolution declaring that the atrocities in Darfur constitute genocide.

I am currently a cosponsor of a resolution calling the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the record of the United States relating to the Armenian genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution. And I have signed onto a letter urging President Bush to honor the historic leadership of the United States in defending human rights and to properly characterize the atrocities against the Armenian people as genocide in his April 24th statement.

Every year, we move closer to recognition of the Armenian genocide. But every year, we wonder how long it will take the Government of Turkey to acknowledge the genocide.

We need genocide recognition to honor those 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives and to honor the survivors who are still with us today. We need recognition to send a message to the 8 to 10 million Armenians worldwide that they have not been forgotten. We need genocide recognition to remind the world that crimes against humanity are crimes against us all. And we need genocide recognition because it is the right thing to do.

By acknowledging this genocide for what it is, I hope that we are able to help create a more just and humane world.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor a wonderful organization in my home State of California, MANA de San Diego, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

MANA de San Diego is one of 20 regional chapters throughout the United States operating under the auspices of the MANA National Latina Organization. MANA, short for hermana, or sister in Spanish, was founded in 1974 by Mexican-American women and was later expanded to include Latinas of all descent. Today, it serves as the single largest organization of Latinas in the United States. MANA provides an important voice for women at local, State, and national levels.

The San Diego Chapter of MANA, founded in 1986, has played an important role in the civic development of San Diego's large Latina community. In 2000, Latinas made up 12.5 percent of San Diego's population of more than 2.8 million. MANA de San Diego encourages its members to actively participate on boards, commissions, and with civic and educational organizations in order to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans. Each year, MANA de San Diego recognizes local women in the law, education, government, and education at a ``Brindis'' or toast event. The ``Brindis'' not only helps to raise money for the scholarship program but brings together successful women and students.

Through a variety of programs, such as the mentorship program ``Hermanitas,'' MANA de San Diego empowers Latinas and encourages educational pursuits. The program exposes young women to arts and culture, higher education opportunities, careers, and leadership opportunities they might not otherwise experience. Hermanitas participants tour major universities in San Diego to help them visualize where they can attend school. Since 1991, MANA de San Diego has given more than $140,000 in scholarships to Latinas. This is particularly important given that Latinas drop out of high school at a higher rate than any other group in the United States. In addition, MANA de San Diego promotes increased awareness of Latina health issues through its Annual Women's Health Fair.

Recently, MANA de San Diego partnered with Girl Scouts San Diego- Imperial Council to create the Cesar Chavez Community Service patch. The purpose was to create a patch to honor and encourage Girl Scouts to learn about Cesar Chavez. Girl Scouts throughout the Nation will be able to earn a new patch in recognition of outstanding community service. The students in the Hermanitas program worked closely with their mentors and the council to design this patch. Together, they created the rules to award the patch.

Organizations such as MANA should be recognized for the critical role they play in strengthening the Latina community in California and the United States. I salute the women of MANA de San Diego for their passionate commitment to the advancement of Latinas and tireless efforts to improve the broader San Diego Community. I wish the organization great success in the future.

Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to 27 young Americans who have been killed in Iraq since February 1. This brings to 550 the number of soldiers who were either from California or based in California who have been killed while serving our country in Iraq. This represents 24 percent of all U.S. deaths in Iraq.

PFC Sean T. Cardelli, 20, died February 1 from enemy small arms fire while conducting combat operations near Fallujah. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

PFC Caesar S. Viglienzone, 21, died February 1 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. He was assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. He was from Santa Rosa, CA.

SPC Roberto L. Martinez Salazar, 21, died February 4 in Mosul when an improvised explosive device detonated near his up-armored Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to Company A, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Lewis, WA. He was from Long Beach, CA.

PFC Javier Chavez, 19, died February 9 from wounds received as a result of an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations near Fallujah. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division. He was from Cutler, CA.

Cpl Ross A. Smith, 21, died February 9 from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces near Fallujah. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Wilson, 25, died February 12 as a result of an improvised explosive device in Al Anbar Province. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three, based in San Diego, CA.

LCpl Michael S. Probst, 26, died February 14 from an improvised explosive

device while conducting combat operations near Abu Ghraib. He was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division. He was from Irvine, CA.

Cpl Matthew D. Conley, 21, died February 18 when his vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

SSgt Jay T. Collado, 31, died February 20 from an improvised explosive device near Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron-267, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was attached to the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division.

2LT Almar L. Fitzgerald, 23, died February 21 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, from wounds received February 18 as a result of an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar Province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

LCpl Adam J. Vanalstine, 21, died February 25 from an improvised explosive device in Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

LCpl John J. Thornton, 22, died February 25 of wounds received as a result of an enemy mortar attack in Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.

SPC Clay P. Farr, 21, died February 26 in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division of Fort Drum, NY. He was from Bakersfield,

Mr. President, today I am introducing ``the Eastern Sierra Rural Heritage and Economic Enhancement Act,'' a bill that will provide protection for thousands of some of the most pristine, wild, and beautiful acres in California. I am glad to be joined in this effort by my colleague, Senator Feinstein. Representative McKeon, whose congressional districts contains these special lands, introduced companion legislation today in the House of Representatives.

My bill will protect three very special California treasures in the Eastern Sierra. It makes considerable additions to existing Hoover Wilderness areas, which border on Yosemite National Park. These additions will protect the stunning High Sierra landscape of 11,000 foot snow-capped peaks and valleys, lush meadows and deep forests that people around the world associate with the Eastern Sierra.

These areas are also home to an abundance of wildlife, including black bear, mountain lion, mule deer, waterfowl, and bald eagles.

This land provides more than just visual beauty, however--it is also a recreational paradise. Year after year, hikers enjoy the approximately nine miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail that runs through this wilderness, and anglers enjoy the clear lakes and streams that support a number of species of wild trout. The bill will also protect areas adjacent to the Emigrant Wilderness area, including another two miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.

My legislation will also designate about 24 miles of the Amargosa River as a Wild and Scenic River. As the only river flowing into Death Valley, the Amargosa is an ecologically-important river in a dry desert area. Birds--and birdwatchers--abound in this area, both coming from far and wide to enjoy the river area.

In short, these areas are not just California's natural treasures-- they are America's natural treasures. And that is why they deserve the highest level of protection possible. That is what this bill does.

I was proud to include most of these lands in my California Wild Heritage Act that I reintroduced last month. And I look forward to working with Senator Feinstein and Representative McKeon, and all my colleagues, to protect these special places forever.

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Freedom of Choice Act. When the Supreme Court issued its landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, it made clear that our Constitutional right to privacy grants women the freedom to choose whether to begin, prevent, or continue a pregnancy.

The purpose of this bill is very simple: It ensures that the guarantees of Roe v. Wade will be there for every generation of women.

We know what Roe has meant for women these past 33 years. It has allowed them to make their most personal and difficult reproductive decisions in consultation with loved ones and health care providers. It has given them the dignity to plan their own families and the ability to participate fully in the economic and social life of our country. And, most important, it has preserved health and saved lives.

Many of us are old enough to remember what it was like in the days before Roe. More than a million women a year were forced to seek illegal abortions, pushed into the back alleys where they risked infection, hemorrhage, disfiguration, and death. Some estimate that thousands of women died every year because of illegal abortions before Roe.

When the Senate debated the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Alito, women wrote to me with their own heart-breaking stories. For one woman, the year was 1956. She was only four when her mother died of an illegal abortion performed with a coat hanger. Too scared to ask for help, her mother bled to death at work.

Another woman wrote to me about how hard her mother and father struggled during the depression, how they worked day and night to make ends meet and support their two children. When her mother found out she was pregnant again, she had health problems, and she knew she couldn't take care of another child. She made the very difficult decision to get an illegal abortion. The procedure left her bleeding for weeks, and she almost died.

Mr. President, the American people do not want us to go back to those dark days. In a recent CNN poll, 66 percent said they do not want Roe overturned. Yet there is a dangerous movement afoot to overrule Roe and, in the meantime, to severely undermine its promises.

Make no mistake: The threat to Roe is real and immediate. President Bush has already put two anti-choice justices on the Supreme Court, where reproductive freedom now hangs by a thread. More than 450 anti- choice measures have been enacted by the states since 1995.

Recently, South Dakota enacted a ban on abortion in nearly all circumstances, even when a woman's health is at stake, even when she is the victim of rape and incest. And South Dakota is not alone. Several other states are considering similar bans.

The extremists behind these abortion bans make no secret about their goal. They want to use these laws to overturn Roe, and they think that the changes on the Supreme Court give them a chance to do just that.

We must act now. That is why I am introducing legislation today to protect the reproductive freedom of women across America.

The Freedom of Choice Act writes Roe v. Wade into federal law. It says that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child; to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability; or, if necessary to protect the health or life of the mother, after viability. It says that we will not turn back the clock on the health and rights of women. And it says that we will take steps--as a Congress and as a country--to safeguard the dignity, privacy, and health of women now and for generations to come.

I thank the cosponsors of this legislation, and I ask all my colleagues who support Roe v. Wade to join us in making sure that it is the law of the land, and I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I am introducing ``the Eastern Sierra Rural Heritage and Economic Enhancement Act,'' a bill that will provide protection for thousands of some of the most pristine, wild, and beautiful acres in California. I am glad to be joined in this effort by my colleague, Senator Feinstein. Representative McKeon, whose congressional districts contains these special lands, introduced companion legislation today in the House of Representatives.

My bill will protect three very special California treasures in the Eastern Sierra. It makes considerable additions to existing Hoover Wilderness areas, which border on Yosemite National Park. These additions will protect the stunning High Sierra landscape of 11,000 foot snow-capped peaks and valleys, lush meadows and deep forests that people around the world associate with the Eastern Sierra.

These areas are also home to an abundance of wildlife, including black bear, mountain lion, mule deer, waterfowl, and bald eagles.

This land provides more than just visual beauty, however--it is also a recreational paradise. Year after year, hikers enjoy the approximately nine miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail that runs through this wilderness, and anglers enjoy the clear lakes and streams that support a number of species of wild trout. The bill will also protect areas adjacent to the Emigrant Wilderness area, including another two miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.

My legislation will also designate about 24 miles of the Amargosa River as a Wild and Scenic River. As the only river flowing into Death Valley, the Amargosa is an ecologically-important river in a dry desert area. Birds--and birdwatchers--abound in this area, both coming from far and wide to enjoy the river area.

In short, these areas are not just California's natural treasures-- they are America's natural treasures. And that is why they deserve the highest level of protection possible. That is what this bill does.

I was proud to include most of these lands in my California Wild Heritage Act that I reintroduced last month. And I look forward to working with Senator Feinstein and Representative McKeon, and all my colleagues, to protect these special places forever.

Mr. President, today I am introducing the Freedom of Choice Act. When the Supreme Court issued its landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, it made clear that our Constitutional right to privacy grants women the freedom to choose whether to begin, prevent, or continue a pregnancy.

The purpose of this bill is very simple: It ensures that the guarantees of Roe v. Wade will be there for every generation of women.

We know what Roe has meant for women these past 33 years. It has allowed them to make their most personal and difficult reproductive decisions in consultation with loved ones and health care providers. It has given them the dignity to plan their own families and the ability to participate fully in the economic and social life of our country. And, most important, it has preserved health and saved lives.

Many of us are old enough to remember what it was like in the days before Roe. More than a million women a year were forced to seek illegal abortions, pushed into the back alleys where they risked infection, hemorrhage, disfiguration, and death. Some estimate that thousands of women died every year because of illegal abortions before Roe.

When the Senate debated the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Alito, women wrote to me with their own heart-breaking stories. For one woman, the year was 1956. She was only four when her mother died of an illegal abortion performed with a coat hanger. Too scared to ask for help, her mother bled to death at work.

Another woman wrote to me about how hard her mother and father struggled during the depression, how they worked day and night to make ends meet and support their two children. When her mother found out she was pregnant again, she had health problems, and she knew she couldn't take care of another child. She made the very difficult decision to get an illegal abortion. The procedure left her bleeding for weeks, and she almost died.

Mr. President, the American people do not want us to go back to those dark days. In a recent CNN poll, 66 percent said they do not want Roe overturned. Yet there is a dangerous movement afoot to overrule Roe and, in the meantime, to severely undermine its promises.

Make no mistake: The threat to Roe is real and immediate. President Bush has already put two anti-choice justices on the Supreme Court, where reproductive freedom now hangs by a thread. More than 450 anti- choice measures have been enacted by the states since 1995.

Recently, South Dakota enacted a ban on abortion in nearly all circumstances, even when a woman's health is at stake, even when she is the victim of rape and incest. And South Dakota is not alone. Several other states are considering similar bans.

The extremists behind these abortion bans make no secret about their goal. They want to use these laws to overturn Roe, and they think that the changes on the Supreme Court give them a chance to do just that.

We must act now. That is why I am introducing legislation today to protect the reproductive freedom of women across America.

The Freedom of Choice Act writes Roe v. Wade into federal law. It says that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child; to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability; or, if necessary to protect the health or life of the mother, after viability. It says that we will not turn back the clock on the health and rights of women. And it says that we will take steps--as a Congress and as a country--to safeguard the dignity, privacy, and health of women now and for generations to come.

I thank the cosponsors of this legislation, and I ask all my colleagues who support Roe v. Wade to join us in making sure that it is the law of the land, and I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.