Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary woman, Dana Reeve, who died on Monday, March 6 at the age of 44. Dana's courage, grace and love in dealing with the tragic paralysis of her late husband, actor Christopher Reeve, were an inspiration to millions of Americans. Dana and Christopher's tireless advocacy on behalf of individuals and families living with spinal cord injury made them American heroes.

Dana Morosini was born in 1961 to Dr. Charles Morosini and Helen Morosini. She grew up in Scarsdale, New York, graduated cum laude from Middlebury College in Vermont and studied acting at the California Institute of the Arts.

Dana was an accomplished actress and singer. She appeared on Broadway, off Broadway and in regional theatre, on television and in HBO films, and performed as a singer on national television and in venues around New York. Reeve co-hosted ``Lifetime Live,'' a daily women's information program on the Lifetime network.

It was while Dana performed in a late-night cabaret at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 1987 that she met actor Christopher Reeve, who was in the audience. They married on April 11, 1992. Their son Will was born in 1992. She was also stepmother to Christopher's children Matthew and Alexandra Exton Reeve. She was a devoted and loving mother, deeply committed to her family.

In 1995, America watched in disbelief as an equestrian accident left Christopher Reeve, perhaps best known for his film role as Superman, paralyzed. America was inspired as Dana Reeve courageously and publicly supported Christopher with humor and grace. Dana and Christopher helped propel spinal cord injury into the national spotlight, working to increase funding and find a cure. They became actively involved in fighting for the rights of the disabled and helping families live with spinal cord injury. Our hearts went out to Dana and her family when Christopher Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004.

Dana was a founding board member of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which became the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation after its merger with the American Paralysis Association. Dana took over as chair after her husband's death. Dana was deeply involved with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center, PRC, which promotes the health and well-being of people and families living with paralysis.

Dana was also committed to the Reeve-Irvine Center for Spinal Cord

Research at the University of California, Irvine. The Reeve-Irvine Research Center is the premier research and education center working to find innovative new treatments for spinal cord injury. I was proud to work with Christopher and Dana to support therapeutic stem cell research, which holds the promise to treat a vast array of diseases, including juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and cancer as well as spinal cord injuries.

Dana received numerous awards in recognition of her strength, courage and positive attitude: the American Cancer Society's Mother of the Year Award in 2005; the Visiting Nurses Association's Caregiver's Courage Award; and she was named one of America's Outstanding Women of 1995 by ``CBS This Morning.''

In August, 2005, America was upset to learn that Dana Reeve had lung cancer. Dana and Christopher were both nonsmokers. As always, Dana remained an inspiration. In a May 2005 interview, she said ``Now, more than ever, I feel Chris with me as I face this challenge,'' she said. ``As always, I look to him as the ultimate example of defying the odds with strength, courage, and hope in the face of life's adversities.'' She also said ``There's a formula Chris and I used all the time. When you least feel like it, do something for someone else. You forget about your own situation. It gives you a purpose, as opposed being sorrowful and lonely. It makes me feel better when things are too hard for me.''

Dana and Christopher showed a deep love for each other, their family and for humanity. They will always be remembered. We must renew our efforts to find cures for spinal cord injuries and cancer and to advance stem cell research on their behalf.

Dana Reeve is survived by her son Will; father, Dr. Charles Morosini; sisters Deborah Morosini and Adrienne Morosini Heilman; and two stepchildren, Matthew and Alexandra Exton Reeve.

Mr. President, today I rise to honor and share with my colleagues the memory of a remarkable man, Officer Gregory ``John'' Bailey of the California Highway Patrol. Officer Bailey spent almost 10 years with the California Highway Patrol, serving the citizens of California. On February 25, 2006, while on motor patrol near the City of Hesperia, Officer Bailey was struck and killed by a driver suspected to be under the influence of a controlled substance.

Wearing a uniform came naturally to Officer Bailey after spending 8 years in the Army as a helicopter mechanic. Even after joining the California Highway Patrol, Officer Bailey chose to serve in the California National Guard, and just returned from a 14-month tour in Iraq last fall. Officer Bailey dutifully served the citizens and communities of the Inland Empire with great dedication and integrity. He combined his love of excitement and his passion for the uniform he wore to become a very successful motorcycle officer. Officer Bailey's colleagues in the California Highway Patrol and the National Guard shall always remember his upbeat attitude, ability to motivate others, and commitment to his job.

Officer Bailey was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife Teresa, and children, Megan, Jared, Hannah and Dylan. When he was not on duty, Officer Bailey was a ``true cowboy from head to toe,'' who enjoyed spending time with his family and listening to country music with his friends. Officer Gregory ``John'' Bailey served the State of California and the United States honorably and conscientiously, and fulfilled his oath as an officer of the law. Officer Bailey gave his life while protecting the safety of those he served. His contributions and dedication to law enforcement are greatly appreciated and will serve as his legacy.

Officer Gregory ``John'' Bailey gave his life doing what he loved to do--providing protection for the people he loved. We shall always be grateful for Officer Bailey's heroic service to the California Highway Patrol and the community that he so bravely served.

Mr. President, I rise today to commend the accomplishments of the incredibly hard-working and dedicated members of the 2006 U.S. Winter Olympics team. This year, our team won 25 individual and team medals, including 9 gold medals.

Olympic athletes commit years of time and effort to earning the honor of representing the United States at the Olympic Games. Upon reaching the games, their determination stayed constant, even when faced with injury and adversity. Their spirit and willingness to strive for excellence no matter what the situation serves as an example for all Americans.

I would especially like to recognize the 27 Californians who competed in Turin. While California is widely known for our wonderful weather and beautiful beaches, we also boast some of our Nation's finest winter athletes. The following seven California athletes won medals as well:

Chanda Gunn of Huntington Beach won bronze as a member of

the U.S. Women's Hockey team.

Rusty Smith from Long Beach won a bronze medal as a member

of the Short Track Speedskating 5,000-meter relay team.

Sasha Cohen of Corona del Mar won the silver medal in

Figure Skating.

Valerie Fleming from Foster City won silver as a part of

the two-member Bobsled Team.

Danny Kass of Mammoth Lakes won the silver medal in the

Snowboarding Half-Pipe event.

Julia Mancuso from Olympic Valley won gold in the Alpine

Skiing Giant Slalom.

Finally, Shaun White of Carlsbad brought home the gold

medal in the Snowboarding Half-pipe event.

The spirit of adventure and determination displayed by these athletes is a wonderful example of our country's potential to achieve. I hope you are heartened, as I am, to learn of Americans striving for personal excellence. I extend my sincere congratulations to California Olympians and all of our country's athletes, and I thank them for their great team spirit.

Mr. President, I rise to honor the 25th Anniversary of one of my State's great natural treasures, the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1981 and was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter the day before he left office. I served on the Marin County Board of Supervisors at the time, and I remember how hard the community worked to establish this designation.

The year this sanctuary was established was a critical time in our country's debate about offshore oil drilling.

Californians overwhelmingly rejected the idea of ocean drilling and the creation of a national marine sanctuary near the Farallones Islands was seen as an important way of advancing ocean conservation.

The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 1,200 square miles of one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. This sanctuary includes vital feeding and spawning grounds for one of the world's largest populations of the Great White Shark, a large variety of fish and shellfish, and over 36 marine mammals, including the endangered Humpback and Blue whales. The sanctuary also includes the Farallon Islands--the largest seabird nesting area in the contiguous United States.

In our efforts to protect ocean life and the marine environment, the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary plays a crucial role. Scientists from all over the world come to study this dynamic ecosystem.

Yet offshore oil drilling and exploration continue to threaten this sanctuary and the California coast. Earlier this year, I introduced the California Ocean and Coastal Protection Act with Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congresswoman Lois Capps. This bill would provide permanent protection for California's coast from future offshore oil drilling.

Last year, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and I introduced legislation to expand the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones sanctuary and its neighboring Cordell Bank sanctuary, to protect the entire coast of Sonoma County from future oil and gas exploration. Californians have been demanding this type of protection for a generation.

The California coast is enjoyed by Californians and visitors from around the world, and the natural resources of the Pacific Ocean are priceless and vital to a healthy, growing California economy. My goal has always been permanent protection for the California coast, and I will continue fighting for this protection as long as I am in the United States Senate. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect the ocean, one of our greatest natural resources. The National Marine Sanctuary Program, established in 1972, plays a critical role in preserving our precious marine resources and protecting our coasts from offshore oil and gas development.

I applaud everyone who has worked to protect the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. I wish sanctuary staff and volunteers many years of ongoing success in protecting the California coastal environment. Please join me in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

Mr. President, if it is all right with Senator Dodd, I wish to be heard on the Reid amendment for not longer than 15 minutes.

Mr. President, I am very pleased the Senate has now taken up this important issue. I compliment Senators Lott and Dodd for working together, as well as Senators Collins and Lieberman. We needed to have this debate. We need to have these changes.

Over the past several months, we have all heard the sorry tale of scandal and corruption and bribery involving Jack Abramoff, senior Bush administration officials, and, sadly for us, Members of Congress. Those tales have unfolded here in Washington. It is clear that these scandals show corruption has taken hold here and that we in Congress must act. That is why I am so glad we have set aside time for this bill.

The measure on the floor today makes important strides in cleaning up corruption, but, in my view, it doesn't go quite far enough. Under the leadership of Senator Harry Reid, Senate Democrats have advanced legislation that goes even further, but it doesn't go so far as to make it unworkable or unreasonable.

We were and Senator Reid was the first to respond to the revelations of scandal and corruption in Washington. Nearly the entire Democratic caucus united to create a package of reforms which we call the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006. It was the first idea that we rolled out for the American people to see.

I believe the Reid bill helped set the tone for the bill we are debating today. I do, again, Mr. President, thank Senator Lott for his leadership in the committee. I thank him for working so closely with Senator Dodd. And I say the same to all my colleagues involved in this issue because we know the partisanship here is deep and the Senators set it aside, and for that we are all grateful.

What we have before us is an excellent start. If we did that and nothing else, it is a start. But we have a chance now to do better. I think the American people won't settle for just a good start; they want to see deep reform. They want the revolving door slowed so that they don't see Members of Congress--Senators and House Members--staff members, and administration officials walking out the Capitol steps and walking right into a lucrative job where they will have undue influence in terms of what goes on in the Congress.

The American people want to feel they still have a voice, even though they don't have thousands or maybe millions of dollars to shell out on K Street where the lobbyists thrive. They want gifts banned. They don't want to see a commission report on why the latest scandal happened; they want measures in place that prevent scandals from taking place at all.

My colleagues and I on this side of the aisle are prepared to offer amendments to strengthen this bill, and Senator Reid's package is the first such attempt. I believe it is important, again, to strengthen this bill and raise it to a standard in which our constituents can take comfort.

We truly need to go beyond what we have before us. We also need to go beyond the Congress and follow the money, as sordid as it may be, and follow the meetings, and follow the contacts between Mr. Abramoff and the White House. So far, the White House is quick to admonish those outside the administration who engage in scandalous acts. Yet they have maintained a policy of duck and cover and denying when allegations are pointed in their direction.

I will have an amendment calling on the White House to cooperate, to turn over the information that we and the public deserve to have on how many times Jack Abramoff was in the White House, or his associates, and what it is they wanted and what it is they got and what it is they gave. That amendment will be coming soon. It is very clear. I hope it will be accepted. I know that my side of the aisle supports it.

My amendment simply says that the White House should fully disclose all of its dealings with Mr. Abramoff. We certainly should disclose our dealings, and as far as I know, every Member has gone back and looked to see if they received contributions from Mr. Abramoff, if they received contributions from anyone associated with him. Many of us have acted to either return those contributions or to explain why we would rather give them to charity. We have opened up our books. The White House has to open up its books as well.

Again, I am very pleased at the bipartisan effort that has taken place to bring ethics reform to the floor today, and I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the amendment offered by the Senator from Nevada and continue this bipartisanship.

Anyone who knows Harry Reid knows he is a reasonable person who loves this institution, who has given his life to public service, starting from the time he was a police officer. The Reid amendment serves only to strengthen the reforms we seek and that the American people demand. This is what it does in part.

It closes the revolving door so that the outcome of legislation is not tied to a Member's potential job prospects. It ends the K Street project by shutting down the pay-to-play corruption scheme. K Street offices should be staffed by individuals who are the most qualified for the job, not well-placed former congressional staffers who obtain their job through a back-room deal to stack the deck in any party's political favor. And we know that calls come routinely to these offices saying: Hire this staff or that staff, and the implication is you will be treated better in legislation. It is a disgrace.

The Reid amendment increases penalties for violations of the rules under the Lobbying Disclosure Act as a further deterrent for lobbyists to engage in unethical practices, and it prohibits dead-of-night legislating to allow for an open meeting of the conferees with access by the public. The public is so shut out around here. Not only are Democrats shut out of some conferences, but the public certainly knows not what is going on. We want the light of day to shine. If you want to stop those bridges to nowhere and other projects that don't make any sense, open up the process to the light of day, and all of us--all of us--will be scrutinized.

I think we should impose tougher restrictions on congressional travel and gifts. We know there is a difference between traveling in an official congressional delegation and traveling because some company wants to do you a favor. We know what that is about. There is a difference between a truly educational trip that is sponsored by a foundation with no ties to special economic interests and a trip that is organized by some economic interests that want to treat you in a way that will make you more open to what they want. There is a difference here, and I think what the Reid amendment does is walk that line.

So with this bill, amended by the Reid amendment, the American public will have reason to feel confident that laws are being written and debated and voted on by Members who respect democracy and the wishes of their constituents and are not unduly influenced

by forces that simply want it because it is good for their bottom line.

We must be open, we must be honest, and we must be ethical. I know each of us tries to do that, but the rules need to reflect the highest denominator, not the middle, not the lowest. With this bill, we are at the middle denominator. The Reid amendment and some other amendments offered by colleagues on both sides of the aisle can bring us up to that highest level, and I hope we will start by voting ``aye'' on the Reid amendment in a bipartisan way. It will set the tone of this debate.

I thank my colleague Senator Dodd for yielding me this time. I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce legislation today--as we celebrate international Women's Day--to strengthen and empower the women and girls of Afghanistan.

International Women's Day is an event celebrated world-wide to inspire women to achieve their full potential. But in so many places around the world, women continue to suffer from persecution and abuse, and many lack resources to become fully integrated

and equal members of society. Despite international intervention, Afghanistan is one such example. More than four years after the invasion of Afghanistan and the fall of the Taliban government, the women of Afghanistan still face significant hurdles as they seek to realize their full potential.

The maternal death rate for Afghan women remains tragically high-- with an estimated 1,600 deaths for every 100,000 live births. The illiteracy rate for women continues to hover around 80 percent.

And perhaps most troubling, the security situation for women is getting worse--threatening to slow or even reverse the gains that Afghan women have made over the past four years.

Lieutenant General Michael D. Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified that violence by the Taliban and other insurgents in Afghanistan in 2005 increased by 20 percent 2004 levels, specifically noting that the insurgency in Afghanistan ``appears emboldened.''

Women and girls have felt the impact particularly hard. In recent months, attacks against schools in Afghanistan that educate girls have increased substantially. According to media reports, teachers and principals are being threatened and killed--the headmaster at a coed school was even beheaded in January--and eight schools have been burned in the Kandahar province during the current school year alone.

Just today, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai admitted that Afghan women and girls have much to overcome. ``We have achieved successes in various dimensions during the past four years,'' Karzai said. ``But this journey has not ended . . . women especially are being oppressed, there are still women and young girls who are being married to settle disputes in Afghanistan, young girls are married against their will.''

The legislation I am introducing today, the Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2006, will provide resources where they are needed most in Afghanistan--to Afghan women-led nongovernmental organizations, empowering those who will continue to provide for the needs of the Afghan people long after the international community has left.

The legislation will provide $30 million to these women-led NGOs to specifically focus on providing direct services to Afghan women such as adult literacy education, technical and vocational training, and health care services, including mental health treatment. It also provides assistance to especially vulnerable populations, including widows and orphans.

In addition, the Afghan Women Empowerment Act authorizes the President to appropriate $5 million to the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs and $10 million to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission--two vitally important entities dedicated to advancing the cause of women and human rights within Afghanistan.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce legislation today--as we celebrate international Women's Day--to strengthen and empower the women and girls of Afghanistan.

International Women's Day is an event celebrated world-wide to inspire women to achieve their full potential. But in so many places around the world, women continue to suffer from persecution and abuse, and many lack resources to become fully integrated

and equal members of society. Despite international intervention, Afghanistan is one such example. More than four years after the invasion of Afghanistan and the fall of the Taliban government, the women of Afghanistan still face significant hurdles as they seek to realize their full potential.

The maternal death rate for Afghan women remains tragically high-- with an estimated 1,600 deaths for every 100,000 live births. The illiteracy rate for women continues to hover around 80 percent.

And perhaps most troubling, the security situation for women is getting worse--threatening to slow or even reverse the gains that Afghan women have made over the past four years.

Lieutenant General Michael D. Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified that violence by the Taliban and other insurgents in Afghanistan in 2005 increased by 20 percent 2004 levels, specifically noting that the insurgency in Afghanistan ``appears emboldened.''

Women and girls have felt the impact particularly hard. In recent months, attacks against schools in Afghanistan that educate girls have increased substantially. According to media reports, teachers and principals are being threatened and killed--the headmaster at a coed school was even beheaded in January--and eight schools have been burned in the Kandahar province during the current school year alone.

Just today, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai admitted that Afghan women and girls have much to overcome. ``We have achieved successes in various dimensions during the past four years,'' Karzai said. ``But this journey has not ended . . . women especially are being oppressed, there are still women and young girls who are being married to settle disputes in Afghanistan, young girls are married against their will.''

The legislation I am introducing today, the Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2006, will provide resources where they are needed most in Afghanistan--to Afghan women-led nongovernmental organizations, empowering those who will continue to provide for the needs of the Afghan people long after the international community has left.

The legislation will provide $30 million to these women-led NGOs to specifically focus on providing direct services to Afghan women such as adult literacy education, technical and vocational training, and health care services, including mental health treatment. It also provides assistance to especially vulnerable populations, including widows and orphans.

In addition, the Afghan Women Empowerment Act authorizes the President to appropriate $5 million to the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs and $10 million to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission--two vitally important entities dedicated to advancing the cause of women and human rights within Afghanistan.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. President, I voted for the conference report because on balance I believe it is necessary legislation to give our law enforcement officials the tools they need to protect the American people from terrorist attacks. Before the Patriot Act, various law enforcement agencies did not have the ability to share information and work together, and this was a vulnerability that needed to be fixed after 9/11.

But this was a difficult decision. The bill had flaws, and two in particular concern me the most the so-called ``sneak and peek'' and library search provisions. Given my concerns about these provisions, I voted for every opportunity to make further improvements to the bill.

But ultimately I believe that by voting for the conference report I will be in a stronger position to help improve the Patriot Act in the future, working with Judiciary Committee Chairman Specter, Ranking Member Leahy and Senators Feingold and Sununu.

I also wanted to show my support for Senator Dianne Feinstein's anti- methamphetamine bill, which was included in the conference report. Meth has become a terrible scourge across our country and Senator Feinstein's bill will go a long way to combat the spread of the drug by restricting access to the ingredients used to make meth.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to double the funding for veterans mental health care over the next 5 years.

Our brave veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have faced unspeakable horrors. They have seen people killed and wounded, experienced the stress of urban warfare, and endured other traumatic events. These experiences undoubtedly take their toll. However, it can take months or even years for these events to impact a person's mental health.

The need for this legislation is clear. Just today, the Washington Post reported that more than one in three soldiers and Marines who have served in Iraq later sought help for mental health problems. And we already know that the Veterans' Administration treated almost 19,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, between 2002 and 2005. These numbers will continue to increase.

This legislation will help ensure that the VA has the resources necessary to treat veterans with mental illness. First, it authorizes the VA to spend at least $3.6 billion in 2007--up from $2.8 billion in 2006--and increases funding to $5.6 billion by 2011. Second, it requires an annual report about progress in implementing milestones from the VA Mental Health Strategic Plan.

This bill is supported by AMVETS and Disabled American Veterans.

It is imperative that we make a long-term commitment to provide mental health services to our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for us. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to double the funding for veterans mental health care over the next 5 years.

Our brave veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have faced unspeakable horrors. They have seen people killed and wounded, experienced the stress of urban warfare, and endured other traumatic events. These experiences undoubtedly take their toll. However, it can take months or even years for these events to impact a person's mental health.

The need for this legislation is clear. Just today, the Washington Post reported that more than one in three soldiers and Marines who have served in Iraq later sought help for mental health problems. And we already know that the Veterans' Administration treated almost 19,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, between 2002 and 2005. These numbers will continue to increase.

This legislation will help ensure that the VA has the resources necessary to treat veterans with mental illness. First, it authorizes the VA to spend at least $3.6 billion in 2007--up from $2.8 billion in 2006--and increases funding to $5.6 billion by 2011. Second, it requires an annual report about progress in implementing milestones from the VA Mental Health Strategic Plan.

This bill is supported by AMVETS and Disabled American Veterans.

It is imperative that we make a long-term commitment to provide mental health services to our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for us. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the Center for Provisional Accelerated Learning, PAL, in San Bernardino, CA. For the past 20 years, the Provisional Accelerated Learning Center has been an outstanding community center for service and support.

The PAL Center was the vision of Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry, a retired professor emeritus from California State University at San Bernardino. In August 1983, Dr. Henry, community resident Alonza Thompson, and other members of the community worked together to establish a community-based learning center.

Today, these PAL Center founders can look back at 20 successful years of community outreach and mentorship that has changed the lives of many. Many students have written about the gratitude and fond memories they hold for the PAL Center and the positive effect it had on their lives.

At the PAL Center, individuals from throughout the community can receive quality educational services and individual life assistance and support. The PAL Center values cultural diversity and strives to assist individuals from all walks of life. In many communities throughout our Nation, troubling situations have forced many individuals to go without the assistance that could change their lives. In San Bernardino, these same individuals can count on the PAL Center to help them plan for and take action to face life's challenges and plan for successful futures.

I applaud the service and dedication of the community heroes at the Center for Provisional Accelerated Learning in San Bernardino. Their efforts have made a lasting impression on their community, and set a standard for our nation. Please join me in honoring them on their 20th anniversary.

Mr. President, I am very pleased to take a few moments to recognize the work of The Williams Institute--formerly the Williams Project--on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA Law School, as it gathers for its Fifth Annual Update.

Founded 5 years ago with the generous support of Charles R. Williams, the Williams Institute produces substantive scholarship on matters pertaining to sexual orientation law and public policy. The first and only institution of its kind in the United States, the institute produces scholarship on sexual orientation issues through the collaborative efforts of scholars, judges, advocates, and students. Those working for the Williams Institute have published an array of documents ranging from amicus briefs that have proved useful in key court cases to books that have helped legal scholars comprehend the ramifications of a constantly evolving body of law.

Educating members of the legal community in America through continuing legal education, lectures, symposia, classes, and speakers is a critical part

of the Williams Institute's mission. This focus on disseminating information, coupled with the intellectual and material resources of UCLA, has made the Williams Institute into a national center for the interdisciplinary exploration of sexual orientation law and policy matters by scholars, judges, practitioners, advocates, and students.

The Williams Institute actively strives to produce well-informed young lawyers. To this end, student involvement in the organization is of paramount importance. Students partake in research with faculty scholars and contribute to the wide breadth of scholarship produced by the Williams Institute.

I invite my colleagues to join me in commending the work of the Williams Institute. In a nation where equal treatment under the law is a central tenet of citizenship, the Williams Institute plays a critical role in ensuring that America lives by its creed.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to recognize the centennial anniversary of San Francisco's historic Japantown. Today San Francisco's Japantown is one of only three remaining Japantowns in California. The other two are in Los Angeles and San Jose. For the past 100 years, Japantown has been an integral part of San Francisco's rich and diverse cultural history. At 100 years old, it is the first and oldest Japantown in the continental United States.

The first Japanese immigrants arrived in San Francisco in the 1860s. Originally settling in the South Park and Chinatown areas, the Japanese community relocated to the Western Addition after the great earthquake and fire of 1906 destroyed much of San Francisco. When Japantown relocated to the Western Addition in 1906, the Japanese community had the opportunity to grow. More Japanese businesses, shops, churches, schools, restaurants, and hotels moved to the area and supported community development. Before long, the area became known as Nihonmachi, or Japantown. At the height of its growth in 1940, more than 5,000 Japanese lived in Japantown, and there were more than 200 Japanese-owned businesses.

We are not proud of what happened to the Japanese-American community during World War II in the early 1940s. In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which forced ``all persons of Japanese ancestry, including aliens and non-aliens'' into internment camps until the end of World War II. The internment was fueled by racism and war hysteria and will forever tarnish our country's history. As time has proved, there was no excuse for our Government's decision to intern American citizens. Since those dark days, our Nation has made great strides toward tolerance and inclusion.

In 1983, as part of Fred Korematsu's successful petition to the Federal District Court in San Francisco to overturn his conviction for violating evacuation orders, the court also ruled that the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II was legally unsupportable. In 1989, Congress passed legislation formally apologizing for the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II and authorized a reparations fund for internment survivors. Though we still have further to go to assure equality for all, most Americans now realize that diversity is one of our country's greatest strengths.

When the Japanese community returned to San Francisco after World War II, it was difficult to rebuild the extensive community that existed before the war. However, despite the many barriers, the Japanese community did rebuild Japantown. And although San Francisco's Japantown is smaller today than it was in the past, it still plays a large and important role in our community. Not only does it serve as a reminder of our past, it provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the history, challenges, triumphs, and contributions of the Japanese- American community in San Francisco.

For 100 years, San Francisco's Japantown has served as a cultural resource for the San Francisco Bay area and California. I thank the San Francisco Japantown community for its many efforts to educate the community about Japanese culture and traditions. I congratulate them on their centennial anniversary and wish them another 100 years of success.

Mr. President, I take this opportunity to honor the life of Dave Tatsuno, whose courageous documentation of life in a Japanese-American internment camp contributed immensely to our knowledge of this dark time in U.S. history. Mr. Tatsuno passed away on January 26, 2006. He was 92.

Mr. Tatsuno, born in 1913 to a family who had come to the United States in the late 19th century, was raised in San Francisco, in my home State of California. Mr. Tatsuno changed his first name from Masaharu to Dave when he successfully ran for student body president of his junior high school; Masaharu was too long to fit on his campaign posters. In 1936, Mr. Tatsuno graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in business and went to work at Nichi Bei Bussan, a department store in San Francisco that his father founded.

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which forced ``all persons of Japanese ancestry, including aliens and non-aliens'' into internment camps until the end of World War II. Mr. Tatsuno and his family were forced to move to the Topaz Relocation Center, an internment camp in Topaz, AZ. Over the next 3 years, Mr. Tatsuno secretly filmed life in the camp with an 8-millimeter Bell & Howell camera that Walter Honderick, his supervisor at the internment camp's co-op store, helped smuggle in. Because the camera was forbidden, Mr. Tatsuno kept it hidden in a shoe box, taking it out only when guards were not looking. These images of daily life in Topaz--of church services, of people gardening, of birthday celebrations--have left viewers with a stark image of what life was like during those hard years.

After the Tatsuno family was released from the internment camp, Mr. Tatsuno's footage of life in Topaz was turned into a 48-minute silent film, ``Topaz.'' In 1996, the Library of Congress placed ``Topaz'' on its National Film Registry, which was established in 1989 by Congress to preserve culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films. Mr. Tatsuno's film is one of only two home movies on the registry's 425-film list; the other film is Abraham Zapruder's footage of the John F. Kennedy assassination. The original footage for ``Topaz'' is now a part of the permanent collection at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

After the war, Mr. Tatsuno helped his father reopen Nichi Bei Bussan and took over the business when his father retired. Through this work, Mr. Tatsuno became a prominent and respected businessman and civic leader in San Francisco and San Jose, where he eventually made his home. He also remained engaged and interested in film. His compassion and thoughtfulness inspired many others and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. Tatsuno is survived by three daughters, Arlene Damron, Valerie Sermon, and Melanie Cochran; two sons, Rod Tatsuno and Sheridan Tatsuno; his sister, Chiye Watanabe; four grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren. I extend my deepest sympathies to his family.

Dave Tatsuno played down the importance of his role in chronicling the history of the Japanese-American internment camps, always giving credit to Walter Honderick. But Dave Tatsuno will long be remembered for his courage and perseverance in difficult times. His film will have a lasting effect on many generations to come.

Mr. President, I am very pleased to take a few moments to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of the Westside Center for Independent Living, WCIL, based in Santa Monica and Los Angeles, as this unique organization celebrates its 30th year of service.

WCIL has devoted innumerable hours and incredible effort toward giving senior citizens and members of our community with disabilities the gift of independence. The WCIL was founded in 1976 during the height of the ``independent living movement.'' Originating in Berkeley in 1970, the independent living movement has strived to provide disabled persons with the opportunity to manage their own lives. Today, centers such as the WCIL have become a vital staple of urban life across the Nation.

Through an array of innovative methods, the center allows seniors and disabled persons to become more fully integrated into our community. One such technique is the peer training system, whereby veterans of the independence training program share their tested knowledge with people who are new to the program. Such pairing instills a sense of confidence in new participants, as it lets them know that they are not alone and that others like them have succeeded in leading a more independent life.

WCIL's Advocacy Action Group works with the disabled community and elected officials to modernize existing disability legislation. The group collects the ideas and complaints of disabled people and transforms them into substantive legislation. Through true grassroots campaigning and issue advocacy, the group ensures that elected officials stay abreast of current accessibility issues in their community.

Recognizing the necessity for information regarding accessibility throughout Los Angeles, the WCIL, in partnership with UCLA, has established Living Independently in Los Angeles, LILA. LILA provides a host of useful information regarding the accessibility of public and private places, community organizations working for the betterment of those with disabilities, and advocacy groups. Thanks to LILA, numerous disabled persons are better equipped to navigate Los Angeles.

The center provides invaluable educational services, including public awareness about the Americans with Disabilities Act. Countless businesses, community organizations, and local community members credit WCIL for helping them to ensure that buildings and offices are accessible for Americans with disabilities.

I am pleased to join the thousands of beneficiaries of this important organization in commending the Westside Center for Independent Living. The Center's work has bettered the lives of countless disabled and senior citizens and has enabled them to participate more fully in our community. The center's efforts have clearly shown that ``a disability need not be disabling.''