Floor Statements

Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to honor Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer, a beloved Orthodox Jewish leader and scholar who passed away at age 78 on April 15, 2010.

For more than 50 years, Rabbi Anemer served as a religious guide, compassionate counselor, and an authority on Jewish practices and laws to his Silver Spring congregation. His leadership and spiritualism helped to nurture a strong, vibrant Orthodox Jewish community in the Greater Washington area and strengthened his congregants' love of Judaism and connection to Israel. He also founded the Yeshiva of Greater Washington in Silver Spring, helping to educate a future generation of Jewish spiritual leaders.

Rabbi Anemer was born in Akron, OH, in 1932 and studied as a boy at the Tiferes Yerushalayim in New York. In 1952, he was ordained from the Telshe Yeshiva. For the 5 years following his ordination, Rabbi Anemer was the head of the Yeshiva of the Boston Rabbinical Seminary. In 1957, he became spiritual leader of a small congregation in Washington, DC, Shomrei Emunah. In 1961, the synagogue was renamed Young Israel Shomrei Emunah of Greater Washington, YISE, and later moved to Silver Spring, becoming the first Orthodox synagogue in Montgomery County.

In Silver Spring, Rabbi Anemer and YISE became a ``cornerstone'' of the Kemp Mill Orthodox community. Rabbi Anemer's energy and enthusiasm for his congregants, for his neighbors, and for the Jewish people could be observed in his daily endeavors: Holding minyon in his basement, leading services for his congregation, presiding as the head of the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington's beit din, or religious court, and acting as a mentor and confidant to his community.

Under his leadership, YISE flourished. The shul originally started by holding services in private homes. As it grew, YISE moved to a number of different locations--a clubhouse, the basement of an apartment building, a condemned house awaiting demolition, and a Masonic building--before settling into its own, newly constructed building. Services were held in Hebrew and English because the majority of the congregation's participants were scientists and engineers who did not have a Yeshiva education. Rabbi Anemer also sponsored a number of Jewish learning activities including children's services, Talmud night, and regular adult education classes. He became the spiritual leader of a congregation that grew from 30 families in 1963 to more than 500 families today.

Rabbi Anemer wore many hats in his career and in his personal life. He was a loving husband, a devoted father to four children, a caring brother, and a fiercely compassionate friend. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the many accomplishments of Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer and in recognizing him as a pioneer and friend to the Jewish Orthodox community of the Greater Washington area.

Mr. President, today I pay special tribute to the outstanding accomplishments of Kevin J. Manning, Ph.D., president of Stevenson University. May 21, 2010, is Commencement Day at Stevenson University, a day when student accomplishments are rewarded and recognized. This year's Commencement Day also marks the end of Kevin J. Manning's 10th year as president of Stevenson University.

During Dr. Manning's 10 years as president, the university has transitioned itself from a liberal arts college to a university that emphasizes a core liberal arts curriculum and has a unique focus on career preparation. Stevenson University students are well prepared and have a strong record of excelling in academics, community service, and postgraduate work.

With Dr. Manning's guidance, Stevenson University has seen tremendous success and growth. In recent years, the university has had seen record levels of enrollment, the opening of a second campus in Owings Mills, and the opening of a new School of Business and Leadership in 2008.

Dr. Manning has provided critical guidance to the development of the university's Career Architecture Program, for which he received the Maryland Innovator of the Year Award from the Daily Record in September 2003. The Career Architecture Program provides career guidance and counseling to undergraduate students at Stevenson University.

Dr. Manning also has been committed to the community surrounding Stevenson University. He sits on the board of directors of numerous community and professional organizations, including the United Way of Central Maryland, the Independent College Fund of Maryland, the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, and the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education.

I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding Kevin J. Manning for his outstanding accomplishments at Stevenson University and for his dedication to his students and colleagues, to higher education, and to the larger community.

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

Mr. President, I understand that although the Republicans still have time left under the division, with their consent, it is permissible to proceed with the time for the majority.

Mr. President, I take this time to emphasize the need of our Nation to move forward with a comprehensive energy policy. I know the Presiding Officer shares that commitment and is working very hard on the Environment and Public Works Committee to produce legislation that will solve the three major issues we have in this Nation with regard to energy. No. 1 is to create jobs. We need to create good, clean energy jobs here in America and not lose them to overseas competitors. We understand that. We also understand we need an energy policy that boosts our national security. We

don't want to continue to support the efforts of countries that disagree with our way of life. We have to become energy secure here in America. Also, we need such a policy for the sake of our environment. We know greenhouse gas emissions and carbon emissions are polluting our air.

We know we can answer all three of these issues--creating jobs, enhancing national security, and protecting the environment--by using alternative and renewable energy sources, by using less energy, and by moving forward with nuclear energy. We need to do all of that.

With regard to obtaining sufficient and secure energy supplies, we cannot drill our way out of this problem. I say that because America has somewhere around 3 percent of the global oil reserves. We use about 25 percent. We can't drill our way out of that disequilibrium. Secondly, we have to use less carbon-emitting fuel sources for the sake of our environment.

President Obama recently announced the opening of eight frontier Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) areas in the United States for oil and gas exploration and development. I oppose that policy. I wish to explain to my colleagues why I oppose that policy.

Interior Secretary Salazar said we need to protect our most environmentally sensitive areas from drilling. I agree. The President's plan protects the west coast and the North Atlantic. I can tell my colleagues, just talk to people in this part of the country, and they will tell you that the Chesapeake Bay and our coastlines here in the mid-Atlantic region are just as precious and just as vulnerable as the west coast of the United States or the North Atlantic.

I oppose the President's policy because there are other OCS areas which are currently available. Sixty-eight million acres that have not yet been explored are already available in this country for oil and gas exploration. Many of those areas are along the Outer Continental Shelf, so there is no need at this time to expand that network. I must tell my colleagues, the risk-reward ratio is what I am mostly concerned about-- the risk of doing environmental damage versus the little oil that may be recovered in these areas. It just doesn't pay.

I have heard the advocates of offshore drilling say: Well, modern technology has substantially reduced the risk. We now know how to deal with this issue and avoid any type of catastrophic environmental risk.

Let me share this photo with my colleagues. What we are looking at is the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. This photograph was taken shortly after an accident that occurred just 8 days ago. There was a tragic explosion and fire and in which 11 people lost their lives, which is the greatest tragedy--the loss of life--but it also created an environmental disaster.

Let me tell my colleagues something. Deepwater Horizon is considered to be the most technologically advanced offshore oil rig in the world, and $600 million was spent in constructing this rig so it would be safe. My point is, it exploded, capsized, and sank, and it cost people their lives and it has created an environmental disaster.

This oil rig is located 50 miles southeast of Venice, LA. There was 700,000 gallons of No. 2 fuel onboard that either burned or was spilled into the gulf. It is currently leaking about 1,000 barrels a day into the Gulf of Mexico. The oilspill is spreading.

If I could just show my colleagues this image. This is hard to see, but this is a picture taken from space, taking a look at this region of the United States of America. We start to see the coastline of Louisiana and Mississippi, and we can also see where the spill is located. The spill is right here. So in a picture taken from space, one can actually see the spill area. The spill has spread 1,800 miles, an area larger than the State of Rhode Island.

This is another, close-up view of the spill area. What this is showing is the oil we saw on the surface of the water. This is all oil that is currently in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is spreading.

The next image shows the color-coded trajectory of the spill over the past several days. What we saw in the previous image includes just this area. It doesn't include the green area; it doesn't include this light- orange area. That is where the spill was projected to go yesterday. So you can see how rapidly the spill is spreading.

Let me tell my colleagues, the good news of this--to the extent there is good news--is that the winds have been blowing from the north and northwest. If they hadn't been blowing from that direction, it is very likely this oilspill would be much closer to the Louisiana coastline.

There are many areas that are vulnerable as a result of this spill, many coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The spill is approaching the Delta and Breton National Wildlife Refuges and the Chandeleur Barrier Islands. It threatens our coasts, bird-nesting habitats, oyster production areas, wildlife, wetlands, and the list goes on and on and on.

I know the Presiding Officer knows the importance of bird-nesting habitats for the protection of species. He understands that oyster spawning and production areas can be destroyed for generations as a result of pollution; that when we lose wildlife, we can lose it permanently, and when we lose wetlands, we lose the filtration system that protects us from pollutants coming into estuaries and we lose the ``speed bumps'' that can slow and absorb storms and hurricanes, causing more havoc when they hit our coasts. This is all happening as a result of a fire and a spill from the most technologically advanced rig in the world.

An article in the New York Times today says we might have to have a controlled burn of the oil floating on the surface of the water because capping the well is such a challenge. First, we are told we have technology to deal with this type of incident; now, we are being told we are going to have burn the oil instead.

The first thing to do when we have an event such as this one is that we try to plug the hole so it doesn't spew more oil into the gulf. Guess what. We are told that because of the depth of this well--5,000 feet--it could take up to several months to plug the leak by drilling what are know as relief wells. So what can we do? Oil is pouring out. They said: Well, we are going to try to funnel the oil for collection underwater, before it reaches the surface. This procedure has never been done before at this depth. They are trying to design and fabricate the equipment right now to deal with that approach. Will it work? I don't know. But these are the risks inherent in offshore drilling. It underscores my concern and opposition to the offshore drilling plan as proposed by the President.

So let me talk about why this is not just a hypothetical to the people of Maryland but this is a real problem. There is a site known as lease sale 220. Lease sale 220 is located off the shore of Virginia. It is a 2.9 million-acre site. The site where they want to drill is the green triangle we see on this chart. The purple shows the current flows of the Gulf Stream, and here you see the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This chart is instructive because we see how the currents go.

Let me also tell my colleagues that the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) tells us that 72 percent of the time, the prevailing winds in this region blow toward or along the coast--72 percent of the time. If there is a catastrophe, if there is an oilspill related to this site, the likelihood of oil washing up on the shores of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the Outer Banks is quite high.

Here is the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, 50 miles away from this site. As the Presiding Officer knows, we are struggling to deal with the clean-up of the Chesapeake Bay. It is hard enough just dealing with the known pollutants that come in from farming and from development and from storm runoff. Put into that a potential oilspill and it would set us back decades in trying to restart our oyster crops and help our watermen with the blue crabs and to help the rock fish return and thrive. It is too great of a risk.

As Secretary Salazar said, there are certain parts of this country that are so environmentally sensitive, they are not worth the risk--the west coast of the United States, the North Atlantic, parts of Alaska. And I tell my colleagues that the coast around the

Chesapeake Bay falls into that category. We should not permit that type of drilling.

We can do something about this. We are going to have a chance. I am a strong proponent of what Senator Kerry is attempting to do in bringing forward a bill that will solve all three of our problems: creating jobs, enhancing our national security, and responsibly dealing with pollutants in our environment while being an international leader in the effort to reduce carbon emissions. We can achieve all of those objectives without this drilling.

We will have a chance to say something about it. I urge my colleagues to take a look at what happened in the Gulf of Mexico last week, what continues to happen there, and work with those of us who want to make sure we have a sensible and sustainable energy policy in this country and help me and help our Nation protect the Chesapeake Bay and protect those lands that are just too valuable and too sensitive to risk oil drilling.

With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, let me express to my colleagues how disappointed I am that we were unable to move forward with debate on Wall Street reform. People should know that what we recently voted on was a motion to proceed so a bill could be brought to the floor for debate. It did not speak to how that bill would be considered. It is open to amendment. Each Member of the Senate would have the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration.

The bill Senator Dodd has brought out of his committee is a bill that establishes the types of reforms of Wall Street that are necessary, strict new regulations to stop Wall Street gambling so that we have a clear responsibility in the regulatory framework, so each of the financial institutions understands the clear roles which they must operate under and how those regulations will take place. The framework is based upon the size of the institution and the jurisdiction.

The bill provides for adequate capital to prevent too big to fail. Our first goal is to avoid an institution from becoming so large, so vulnerable that its failure jeopardizes the economy. If we have a clear regulatory structure and the right capital rules and the right regulatory oversight, we have a much better chance of protecting the public's interest. That is why the strict new guidelines to stop Wall Street gambling are critically important, so that we don't run into that situation from the past.

No more taxpayer bailouts. I hear that over and over again from my constituents. I agree. If an institution can't make it, it should fail. It should not be getting a government bailout.

This bill makes it clear: no more government bailouts. It gives the regulators the authority they need to intervene a lot earlier and, if necessary, to restructure the institution or to break it apart or to have it merge or to close it down. It does not involve public funds. We will have a regulatory structure.

Today, we see institutions that call themselves banks that are not regulated under banking statutes. We find insurance companies that claim they are insurance companies but they do things other than insurance and get themselves into trouble, and there is no regulatory consistency. That will change with the bill Senator Dodd has brought to the floor.

This bill puts consumers in control of information in plain English, by a strong consumer provision within the bill. This is absolutely necessary. We know today that consumers and small businesses are being victimized under the current financial structure. Consumers have been victimized by predatory lending. Small businesses have been victimized by banks that won't make loans to small businesses. We need a strong consumer presence. Senator Dodd, in his bill, has brought out an independent consumer agency.

What this bill provides is tough regulation, the framework in which we can intervene earlier in order to protect the economy, no government bailout, and a way in which consumer issues can be handled independently to protect consumers.

Why not move forward? I am puzzled. I listened to my colleagues who oppose bringing this bill forward speak on the floor. I still don't understand their argument. If we move forward, amendments are in order. Amendments that are germane will have to be considered, will have to be voted on. Those are the rules of the Senate. For us to move the bill off the floor, we will need at least 60 votes. We know that. It should not take it. It should be an up-or-down vote. But we know from the prior record that the minority will insist upon 60 votes. We should be willing, on an important issue such as this, to vote up or down on amendments and final passage, but they will still have that right. So they are not jeopardizing the ability of the minority to block final consideration of the bill.

What they are doing is blocking debate on the bill. The only thing I can think of is that they would prefer to work out their issues behind closed doors rather than on the floor of the Senate. The reason is kind of self-evident: If you are trying to weaken the regulatory framework and you don't want your fingerprints on it, it would be easier to do that outside of the spotlight of the Chamber. If you are trying to diminish the consumer protections in the bill, you certainly would rather have that in a bill brought to the floor than having to offer an amendment to change it. I can only presume from the delay that the opposition is not to negotiate in good faith; the opposition is to avoid the public knowing the changes they are seeking in the bill or to weaken this bill or, even worse, in the hopes that major sections of this bill will be deleted or struck. That is not what the process should be about.

We need to move forward with Wall Street reform. We all know how our economy was brought to near the brink of destruction. We know how many millions of Americans have been adversely affected by what happened on Wall Street. People of Maryland, the people of the Nation are saying: Let's reform Wall Street. Let's make sure the reckless gambling doesn't take place in the future. Let's make sure too big to fail ends. Let's make sure those who are responsible are held accountable. The Dodd bill is a very good start to the process.

Debating the issue is what we should be doing in the Senate. The delay is aimed at preventing the public from knowing what is going on or, even worse, weakening this bill or making sure it doesn't pass.

I urge my colleagues to reconsider. Let's move forward and debate the Wall Street reform bill. Let's get on with the people's business first, our Nation's security first, our Nation's economic growth first. Let's bring this bill to the floor for immediate debate.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I take this time to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day that we celebrate today, April 22.

I think we first need to acknowledge that we have made a lot of progress since the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire in 1969. We have made a lot of progress since the uncontrolled air pollution that killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 people over just a few days. That happened in Donora, PA. We have came a long way since the expose on the New York Love Canal, where toxic waste was dumped into neighborhood streams.

We have made a lot of progress. I think the most important symbol of that progress is that the environment is now in mainstream America. It is mainstream politics. It is a way of life for us, and that is really good news. It has given us the political strength to pass important environmental laws. We passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Superfund law. I am particularly pleased about the Chesapeake Bay Program. I remember when we started that program almost 30 years ago. It was a difficult start, and people wondered whether we would have the power to stay with this issue so that we could try to reclaim the Chesapeake Bay. Well, we did. It is still an issue we are working on today. We created the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency in the Federal Government with the sole purpose to try to help us preserve the environment for future generations.

I think we can take pride in what we have been able to do. We have made great progress as a nation. We should celebrate our success in addressing the great environmental challenges of the past. But our work is not done. Our environment faces new challenges today that are less visible and more incremental but still pose great threats to our treasured natural resources and all the work we have done to protect and restore them. For example, we do not worry that our great water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay will catch fire, but there are small amounts of pollutants running off millions of lawns that accumulate and make it very difficult for us to reclaim our national treasures.

The great wave of water infrastructure we built over 40 years ago is now past its useful life and must be replaced. Water main breaks, large and small waste water, destroy homes and businesses, and undermine the water quality benefits this infrastructure was meant to protect.

Let me just give you a couple of examples that have happened in the last

couple of years. In Bethesda, not very far from here, River Road, a major thoroughfare, became a river because of a water main break. In Dundalk, MD, right outside of downtown Baltimore, thousands of basements were flooded as a result of a water main break. In Baltimore County, just a few weeks ago, we had a water main break that denied residential homeowners water service for many days. This is happening all over. In the city of Baltimore, 95 percent of their water mains are over 65 years old and have not been inspected. We need to pay attention to these issues.

If I had to mention the single most important challenge we face, it is in our energy policies. We all understand that, the impact it has on our environment, but we should also acknowledge that doing the energy policy right will be good for our national security. We spend $1 billion a day on imported oil. That compromises our national security.

For the sake of our national security, we need to develop a self- sustained energy policy on renewable energy sources. For the sake of our economy, we need to do that. We developed the technology for solar power and wind power. Yet we are not capitalizing on the jobs here in America. Jobs are our most important goal. A sound energy policy will allow us to create more jobs here in America.

But today, on Earth Day, I want to talk about the environment. A sound energy policy means we can become a world leader and bring this world into some sense on what is happening on global climate change, on the indiscriminate release of greenhouse gas emissions by the burning of fossil fuels and nitrogen and carbon into the air. We know we can do better on that.

So on this Earth Day, let's rededicate ourselves to develop an energy policy that will be not only good for our security and our economy but good for our environment. Addressing the failing health of our world is not just in the hands of our political leaders alone. Each of us can make a difference by changing the way we live and move about the Earth. Our history shows us that bold and courageous actions by all of us to tackle our environmental challenges make us stronger, more vibrant, and a healthier nation. That should be our message on this Earth Day.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to express my congratulations to Israel on the 62nd anniversary of its independence.

This week, America's closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, commemorated its Independence Day, Yom Ha'atzmaut, 1 day after its Memorial Day, Yom Hazikaron, and 1 week after Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah.

While Independence Day is about celebration for the people of Israel, this Memorial Day was marked by somber ceremonies and national grief over the loss of their soldiers. Nationwide sirens and moments of silence emphasize the sacrifices all Israelis have made living in their thriving, free and democratic state. These intensely personal losses in such a small country underscore the continuing threats faced by Israelis, the scale of their efforts and the importance of a Jewish homeland.

I commemorated last week's observance of Yom HaShoah in Baltimore, where I joined fellow community members to view a movie marking the 50th anniversary of Adolf Eichmann's capture and trial. Eichmann was a premier architect of the Holocaust. Rather than dealing with such a war criminal through forceful vengeance that would have been understandable, Israel prosecuted Eichmann by following the rule of law and his trial was a model of transparency and justice. This display of our shared values of law, justice, and fairness help to illustrate why the United States and Israel have continued to build upon our ``special relationship'' for six decades.

I observed Israel Independence Day at an event focused on the growing threat of a nuclear Iran. If Iran acquired this capability, it would be an unequivocal ``game changer'' in the Middle East and, indeed, throughout the world. An undeniable threat to Israel and the United States, a nuclear Iran cannot become a reality. We therefore must do all in our power to

prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities. One of our first steps should be immediate enactment of powerful and effective economic sanctions against Iran, and the foreign companies that do business with this rogue nation.

While we work to minimize the key threats to Israel's security, we must also focus on opportunities for peace in the Middle East. Israel has always been prepared to pursue those opportunities and make peace with its neighbors. Over the past six decades, despite diplomatic gestures, multiple Arab countries have repeatedly attacked Israel. We should not forget that it was the Palestinian's leaders who walked away from the negotiation table at Camp David in 2000, on the eve of what would have been a historic breakthrough for peace.

Today, it is Israel who continues to acknowledge the necessary framework for any peace agreements, a two-state solution. While Israel has shown willingness for direct negotiations, the Palestinians continue to be, an unreliable partner in moving forward towards peace. How can Israel make peace with any partner whose so-called ``moderate'' Fatah leaders are not willing to meet directly with Israelis leaders and whose Parliament is controlled by Hamas, an organization still sworn to the destruction of Israel?

I am proud to have joined with 75 of my colleagues in reaching out to Secretary of State Clinton in a recent letter which included a reaffirmation of this fact as well as a reminder, that not only do the U.S. and Israel share common values but also common interests. Top among these interests is restarting the peace process and preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state.

This is precisely why the role of the United States in this process must be one of an honest broker. President Obama must not place wrongful or unreasonable pressure on Israel or, worse, to put forward a proposal without Israel's consent.

Since Israel's founding 62 years ago, every American administration has worked to strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Israel. This has been vital for Israel, as the nation is under constant threat of military and terrorist attacks, economic boycotts and diplomatic hostility, often merely due to the fact of its very existence. At this critical moment, when Iran is moving forward with its nuclear program and simultaneously strengthening Hezbollah's capacity to attack Israel, it is imperative the Obama administration say in clear and unambiguous language that we stand with the people of Israel and will do all in our power to protect our shared values and national bonds.

As Israel celebrates its anniversary, let us all proclaim that the U.S. continues its unbreakable alliance with our closest ally in the Middle East.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Janet Kurland, a great Baltimore social worker, who is being honored next Monday by the Edward A. Myerberg Senior Center.

For decades, Janet has been a trailblazer in policies and practices pertaining to the elderly and their families. Among her many accomplishments, she was instrumental in establishing the Northwest Senior Center in 1976, the predecessor to the Myerberg Center that honors her today.

Since first receiving her master of social work degree in the early 1960s, Janet has set the gold standard for practices in gerontology. Her current work as the senior care specialist at the Jewish Family Services of Baltimore, a place where she has worked in different capacities for over 40 years, is just one highlight of what has been an outstanding career.

Janet is a sought-after consultant who has developed manuals and training courses credited with advancing best practices that have benefited the elderly in housing, life care communities, and health care facilities. Her professional uniqueness lies in her ability to carefully and compassionately assess the dynamics and needs of individuals and families in order to improve the lives of all senior citizens.

In 2001, Janet was the first recipient of the Daniel Thursz Distinguished Service Award from Kehilla, a Baltimore Jewish communal professionals association. She is also recognized by her students as an excellent teacher for the post-masters course she teaches at the University of Maryland School of Social Work called ``The Aging Process.''

Not only has Janet made in impact in Baltimore, but she could easily be called a world ambassador for the elderly as well. She has traveled extensively in Poland, Russia, Israel, China, and Kenya to train social workers and to work with elderly populations. She is highly engaged in the world around her and has proven that compassion and care can easily transcend different cultures and language barriers. Her belief that elderly people often have an untapped internal capacity to live more fully than even they themselves can imagine continues to be an inspiration for many people around the globe.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Janet on this award and in thanking her for her many years of dedicated service to our older population. The Edward A. Myerberg Senior Center, the Jewish and greater Baltimore senior community, in fact seniors around the world are benefitting from Janet Kurland's expertise and dedication.

Mr. President, I am pleased to report to you and my colleagues on the excellent work that is being done to help developing countries capitalize on their natural resource wealth. This unique initiative is called the Natural Resource Charter, and it is designed to give countries the tools and knowledge they need to develop their natural resources for the good of their citizens in a transparent and accountable manner. As a collective work coordinated by established academics and development experts, the charter provides a set of policy principles for governments on the successful translation of natural resource wealth into fair and sustainable development.

At the U.S. Helsinki Commission we monitor 56 countries, including the United States, with the mandate to ensure compliance to commitments made under the Helsinki Final Act with focus on three dimensions: security, economics and the environment, and human rights.

The management of extractive industries has broad implications covering all three dimensions of the Helsinki process. We know that oil, gas, and mining are potential sources of conflict and their supply has a direct impact on our national security. The often negative economic consequences for resource rich countries are well documented and we see constant reminders of the environmental impact of extraction both at home and abroad. Finally, the resultant degradation of human rights in countries that are corrupted by resource wealth is a real concern that we must address.

When the charter was launched last year, I was struck by how far we have come in terms of bringing the difficult conversation on extractive industries into the lexicon of world leaders. Only a few short years ago, the word ``transparency'' was not used in the same sentence with oil, gas or mining revenue. After the launch of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in 2002, we have seen a major shift in attitude. This was followed by G8 and G20 statements in support of greater revenue transparency as a means of achieving greater economic growth in developing countries.

But it is clear that given the challenge ahead, more than statements are needed. The Natural Resource Charter is a concrete and practical next step in the right direction.

Economists have found that many of the resource-rich countries of the world today have fared notably worse than their neighbors economically and politically, despite the positive opportunities granted by resource wealth. The misuse of extractive industry revenues has often mitigated the benefits of such mineral wealth for citizens of developing nations; in many cases the resources acting instead as a source of severe economic and social instability.

In addressing the factors and providing solutions for such difficulties, the Natural Resource Charter aims to be a global public resource for informed, transparent decisionmaking regarding extractive industry management.

The charter's overarching philosophy is that development of natural resources should be designed to secure maximum benefit for the citizens of the host country. To this end, its dialogue includes a special focus on the role of informed public oversight through transparency measures such as EITI in establishing the legitimacy of resource decisions and attracting foreign investment. On fiscal issues, the charter presents guidelines for the systematic reinvestment of resource revenues in national infrastructure and human capital with the goal of diminishing effects of resource price volatility and ensuring long-term economic growth.

This week the commission will hold a public briefing on the Natural Resource Charter and I am pleased to say that there was a candid conversation between the audience and the panel that revealed much about how the charter could be used to promote human rights and good governance. The briefing also addressed ways that U.S. support of democratic and economically sensible extractive industry standards could have a powerful effect in securing the welfare and freedoms of citizens in resource-rich countries. In particular, it was noted that the Energy Security Through Transparency Act, S. 1700, a bipartisan bill I introduced with my colleague Senator Lugar and 10 other colleagues is consistent with the principles set out in the Natural Resource Charter.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure our continued progress on these issues.

Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of the Reverend Benjamin Lawson Hooks. I join all Americans in expressing my sadness at his passing and gratitude for his lifetime of service. Ben Hooks was a man of faith who was dedicated to nonviolent change. He will be remembered as one of the great civil rights champions of our time.

Ben Hooks was born in Memphis, TN, at the height of the Jim Crow era in 1925. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army to fight for his country, a segregated nation that denied him access to many public venues. Stationed in Italy, he was ordered to guard Italian prisoners of war, and like so many African-American soldiers at that time, he was utterly shocked to find that the very prisoners he guarded were admitted to the all-White cafeteria, while he had to eat elsewhere. Upon returning to the United States, Ben Hooks completed his studies at Howard University and attended DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.

But he never forgot his roots or the civil rights violations that he had witnessed. After the war, he returned to his hometown of Memphis, TN, to open up a law practice and dedicate himself to the fight for the equality of all Americans. Of those years, he recalled: ``At that time you were insulted by law clerks, excluded from white bar associations and when I was in court, I was lucky to be called `Ben.' Usually it was just `boy.' '' He also became a Baptist minister, joined the NAACP and participated in many civil rights protests. He joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which went on to spearhead the civil rights movement through famous nonviolent protests.

By 1965, Ben Hooks had made his mark on his home State, and was appointed to the Tennessee Criminal Court, making him the first Black judge since Reconstruction in a State trial court anywhere in the South. In years to come he would capture the attention of lawmakers in Washington, and in 1972, President Nixon nominated Hooks to the Federal Communications Commission. He became the first Black Commissioner on the FCC, and served for 5 years. During his time there, he fought for underrepresented minorities in the media and helped to increase the number of African-Americans employed at the FCC.

Despite all these accomplishments, Ben Hooks is likely to be best remembered for his 15 years as executive director of the NAACP. In 2007, when President Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of our country's highest civilian honors, saying: ``Dr. Hooks was a calm yet forceful voice for fairness, opportunity and personal responsibility. He never tired or faltered in demanding that our Nation live up to its founding ideals of liberty and equality.''

His time at the NAACP was transformative. When he first arrived, membership was down and the organization was saddled with debt, but he declared ``the civil rights movement is not dead. If anyone thinks that we are going to stop agitating, they had better think again. If anyone thinks that we are going to stop litigating, they had better close the courts. If anyone thinks that we are not going to demonstrate and protest, they had better roll up the sidewalks.'' When he retired in 1992, membership had dramatically increased and the organization had been completely reinvigorated and continues to be at the forefront of the civil rights movement today.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson eloquently noted: ``Ben Hooks did it all, did it well, and he did it over a long period of time. He fought tirelessly to tear down walls that make today's bridges possible. He took us from racial battleground to economic common ground, across lines of race and religion.''

Today, I add my voice to the chorus of praise for Ben Hooks. He was an honorable man who fought for equality and justice for all Americans and to fulfill the promise of our great Nation.

Mr. President, I thank Senator Warner for taking this time to bring to the attention of our colleagues a very serious problem.

One of the most fundamental responsibilities for a Member of the Senate is to advise and consent on the President's nominations. There are literally hundreds of appointments that are going to require our confirmation--more than that; thousands, actually, that we have to confirm. Our responsibility is to take the appointments the President has given us, to evaluate them, and then to act, either to confirm or not confirm.

The American people depend on these individuals being in office to perform the services they need, whether it is services that come forward in the Department of the Treasury in dealing with the economic issues of this Nation, the regulatory functions that are important to protect consumers in America, to be able to give those who have been wronged an opportunity in our judicial system to have courts that can handle their dockets in a timely way. All that is dependent upon the Senate carrying out its responsibility to advise and consent to take up the nominations of the President.

Look at what has happened in this Congress. Let me point out the district court judges. District court judges are the judges who hear the overwhelming number of cases. If you have a problem and you go to Federal court, you go to district courts. That is where 99 percent of the cases are going to be heard.

In 2002, when George Bush became President, 35 of his district court appointments were confirmed. They waited on average 13 days after being reported by the Judiciary Committee for confirmation votes on the floor of the Senate. On this date, there were no further pending district court appointments that required the confirmation of the Senate. We had acted on every one of them.

Now let's take a look at the current situation. This Senate has only confirmed 11 of President Obama's district court nominations, and they waited on average 43 days. There are 17 district court nominations that have been reported out by the Judiciary Committee. Most have been reported by voice vote, by unanimous vote, no controversy at all with most of these nominations, and they have been pending on average 46 days.

This is an intentional action by the Republicans to block the ability of

President Obama to place his appointees either in the courts or in his administration. That is just wrong. If you have a disagreement, let's debate it. If there is a legitimate concern, let's talk about it. But that is not what is happening here.

The people of Maryland, the people around this Nation are being denied essential services because of a partisan strategy to block this body from timely considering the appointments by the President. That is just wrong. It is time we bring an end to it. It is time the Democrats and Republicans work together in the best interests of the American people.

I yield my time to the Senator from Virginia.

Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to honor The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore on its 90th anniversary. The Greater Baltimore Area is comprised of more than 90,000 Jews, many of whom rely on The Associated to provide support and resources to a vibrant Jewish community in the region. The Associated was officially formed in 1920 by the merger of two community organizations, the Federated Jewish Charities with the United Hebrew Charities. The Associated and its agencies have worked hard to better the lives of Jewish Baltimoreans for almost a century.

The talents, commitment, and compassion of Baltimore's Jewish community activists, philanthropists, volunteers, and professionals have created and sustained The Associated. From Harry Greenstein to Marc Terrill, from Jacob Epstein to Jimmy Berg, men and women have provided their experience and expertise to help turn the organization into one of the most powerful and cohesive Jewish federations in the country today.

Through its Jewish Community Services program, The Associated helps support and serve the needs of the entire Baltimore Jewish community. It provides a wide array of counseling programs to help with substance abuse, relationship problems, depression, and grief. Its social workers also offer outstanding support for parents, caregivers, job seekers, teenagers, and senior citizens. All of these programs and initiatives have been vital in helping many Jewish individuals and families improve both their economic and mental health situations while still maintaining a positive connection to the Jewish community.

The Assocaited's international outreach also has been just as profound and important as its local impact. Since the early years of the federation, it has played an active role in the relocation of Jews to Baltimore. It helped more than 3,000 German Jews flee the Nazi regime and settle in the Baltimore area and has provided support for both Iranian Jews and Russian Jews to resettle in Baltimore in recent years as well.

The federation has also played an integral part in strengthening the bond between Baltimore and Israel through its new sister city partnership with the Israeli city, Ashkelon. This relationship has already spurred initiatives that will help educate Jewish leaders in both communities on economic and leadership development. A different partnership with the Ukrainian city of Odessa complements the one with Ashkelon by promoting cross-cultural exchange and education as well.

In honor of its 90th anniversary, the federation is doing what it does best: helping people. The Associated has called on its community to log 90,000 volunteer hours together--1,000 hours for every year of existence. This is just one more act of generosity among countless others The Associated has sponsored throughout the years.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore for its continued commitment to tikkun olam--repair of the world--and gemilut chasadim--acts of loving- kindness--as well as all the work it has done to better the lives of Baltimore Jews throughout the past 90 years.

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

Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the bill that is currently before the Senate which would provide for a temporary extension of unemployment benefits, COBRA coverage, and prevent a severe cut to provider reimbursements under Medicare. The bill would also extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which expired on March 28 at midnight. Each of these provisions is important in its own right, and each will help our economy to move forward.

The long-term unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of people in the workforce who have been out of work for more than 6 months and are still looking for jobs. That rate reached 4.3 percent of the workforce in March; that is, 4.3 percent are out of work for 6 months and cannot find employment. Our Nation's overall unemployment rate is still at 10 percent.

Maryland's unemployment rate continues to rise, reaching 8.3 percent in February statewide, up from 7 percent in February 2009. In 11 of our counties, nearly one-half of the counties in Maryland, the unemployment rate exceeds the national rate. In Baltimore City, it is 11.2 percent. In Dorchester County, it is 12.9. In Worcester County, it is an astonishing 18.8 percent--more than double the statewide percentage. In these counties, the situation is urgent. We must act to help keep these families' heads above water. Each of the thousands of families who depend upon extended unemployment benefits needs our help. In Maryland, it is 16,000 families. They need our help in order to be able to feed their families, pay the rent and utilities on their homes, and to keep their houses literally out of foreclosure.

I hear from heads of households every day who are trying to find work, but the jobs just aren't there. In fact, the Labor Department statistics tell us that for every job opening, there are five individuals actively seeking employment. Those odds are not very good for somebody who is trying to find employment today. That is why we have the long-term unemployment and why we need to extend the benefits to those who are in need today. We are emerging from the most severe and prolonged economic downturn since the Great Depression.

For those of my colleagues who are insisting that the unemployment compensation extension be paid for, I point out that for every dollar we spend in unemployment compensation, we are generating more than $1.50 back into our economy. In other words, this is a stimulus. This helps job growth. When people have unemployment insurance, they spend it immediately. It helps our retail establishments, our food stores, and our economy. It is the definition of stimulus spending, and it is immediate.

I also add that it is not a handout. Employment insurance is just that--an insurance program. It is an insurance program to which employers and employees contribute so that in difficult times such as these, they can receive benefits. We are in these times now. That is why we paid the unemployment insurance benefits taxes. These funds should now be available to help the people who need it.

Equally essential are COBRA benefits, which allow people who lose their jobs to continue health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. I cannot tell you the number of people who are shocked when they lose their jobs and go to pay for their COBRA and find out it is prohibitive and they cannot afford it. They cannot afford to continue their health insurance protection in the most critical time of their lives. That is why Congress passed help for people during this economic time with their COBRA protection. But that has expired. We need to extend that so families can continue to maintain their health insurance. The extension of COBRA benefits will allow us to get affordable health care to those who are in the most desperate need.

I want to mention the expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program. In my State, over 60,000 homes are covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, and half of those are on Maryland's Eastern Shore. This program was authorized, but it expired on March 28, 2010. Since then, no new policies have been issued, no policies have been renewed, and there has been no increased coverage on existing policies that could be issued. So Marylanders who wish to purchase a home in a flood plain cannot do so during this period.

We need to act now. We literally have frozen the market, which is not good for our economy, for our families, and it is certainly something we need to correct. The bill before us will retroactively make up for the past 2 weeks, but we need to act quickly in order that this important program continues.

Finally, I wish to stress the urgency of fixing the Medicare physician reimbursement, an area on which I have worked for many years to try to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate payment system that makes no sense. As of April 1, there is a 21.2-percent across-the-board cut in Medicare reimbursement for physicians and other providers who are paid according to the fee schedule--physical, occupational, and speech language therapists, nurse practitioners, and others. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is holding claims until Wednesday, April 14. At that time, claims will be paid at the lower reimbursement rate. We must stop that from happening.

Today, my office received nearly a dozen calls from constituents who were told by their doctors that they are not accepting new Medicare patients at this time. This is no longer a hypothetical; there is a denial of access to care. Seniors are being made to suffer because of obstructionism in this body of not allowing this bill to move forward in a prompt way.

I come to the floor today to urge immediate passage of this legislation and

urge my colleagues to work together to pass a long-term extension of these essential benefits. Ensuring that American families are able to weather this economic storm should not be a partisan issue. We need to work together to debate the merits of this bill and provide the American people with the help they need and the economy with the boost it needs while we are working on long-term recovery of our Nation.

With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I would like my colleagues to join me in thanking Joyce Revell for 21 years of exemplary service to the U.S. Senate and on wishing her well during her retirement.

Joyce Revell has dedicated her life to the service of our Nation and to the citizens of Maryland. At age 18, she joined the U.S. Army, where she served for 2 years. In 1977, she joined the staff of Senator Paul Sarbanes, where she became an integral part of his State office staff, providing information and service to constituents. In 2007, I was fortunate and privileged when Joyce agreed to join my staff when I was sworn into the U.S. Senate.

Joyce is one of the most outstanding caseworkers I have ever met, and she has developed an expertise in a field that is often difficult and heartbreaking. Joyce's knowledge of immigration law rivals any attorney in the field, and thousands of Marylanders over the years have sought her advice and counsel when navigating our Nation's immigration process. Her advocacy on behalf of those who need a

voice has often resulted in new American citizens, reunited families and helped place adopted babies and children in loving homes.

Through her years of service to the Senate, Joyce has become familiar with a number of Federal agencies and departments and she has been more than willing to share her considerable institutional knowledge. In fact, her expertise and knowledge is so extensive that employees of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, as well as other congressional and Senate offices, often look to Joyce for guidance and information.

I also want to take a moment to mention Joyce's professional skills and her approach to her cases. She has an emotional connection to the constituents who contact her, but she is always calm, professional and informative, even in the face of the most severe hardship. She will provide constituents with the right answer, even if it is not the one they want to hear.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Joyce on her many years of dedicated service to our Nation. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Joyce's husband Paul, daughter Kate, and son Paul Michael for sharing Joyce with the U.S. Senate. I wish her the all best in her future endeavors. She will be greatly missed.

Mr. President, I rise today in full support of the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. I assert that the investment we make in education with this bill is an investment in America's economic future.

For too long, we have allowed America to lag behind other nations in education, specifically in the number of college graduates we produce. No more. Now is the time to train our workforce to compete in the global economy. Now is the time to provide affordable, accessible, quality educational opportunities so that America will shine as a beacon of ingenuity and prosperity once again. This bill answers the call by making college more affordable and accessible.

Perhaps most significantly, the bill invests in and protects the Pell grant scholarship. It provides $36 billion over 10 years for this program which allows so many to attend college who would not otherwise have the opportunity. This includes funding to cover a shortfall due to demand. The failing economy has spurred a dramatic increase the number of those students who are eligible for Pell grants. In 2007, there were 5 million Pell grant recipients. In 2009-2010, there were 8.3 million. The bill also provides an increase in the maximum annual award which will ultimately be indexed to the Consumer Price Index and thus linked to increases in the cost of living.

In Maryland, over 85,000 students depend on Pell grants to help them attend college. With the additional funding, that number is expected to rise to 100,000. That is 15,000 additional students who have the opportunity to share in the American dream! Students like Morris Johnson from Baltimore. Morris is a double major in sociology and communications at Goucher College with a 3.5 grade point average. Morris credits those who believed in him and his academic promise for keeping his dream of attending college alive. But without financial aid, including a Pell grant, that dream would have been out of reach.

For those who find it necessary to borrow to finance their education, the bill solidifies a mechanism for obtaining high-quality student loans. The direct loan program is a reliable lender and cost-effective mechanism for taxpayers. Beginning in July of this year, all new student loans will be originated through the direct loan program. This will bring an end to the costly federally-guaranteed student loan program that generated billions of dollars in subsidies for banks--at the expense of additional financial aid for more deserving students. Instead, direct loans will be serviced by contracted private lenders. Further, direct loans can only be serviced in the United States, thereby preserving American jobs.

The bill also makes it easier for new borrowers after 2014 to repay Federal loans by lowering the existing cap on monthly Federal student loan payments from 15 percent to 10 percent of discretionary income. The legislation provides $1.5 billion for this income-based repayment program.

Just paying for college, however, isn't enough. We need to make sure our students succeed in college and graduate. To that end, the bill supports additional key investments:

The bill dramatically increases funding for the College Access Challenge Grant program. This program funds innovative financial literacy and retention projects. This will increase the number of low- income students who are adequately prepared for the financial challenges of paying for college and related expenses.

The bill underscores the role of minority-serving institutions in educating the Nation's low-income and minority students by providing $2.5 billion to support these institutions. This funding represents a significant investment in Maryland where we have four outstanding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The bill also recognizes the role of community colleges and provides $2 billion for a competitive grant program to develop and improve career training programs.

I said the time for making college more accessible and affordable has come and I believe that. But we also have to be fiscally responsible. This bill is both. It makes historic investments in Federal financial aid and yet comes at no cost to the taxpayers. This is possible by switching all Federal loans to the direct loan program. Doing so saves taxpayers a huge amount in subsidies that were going to the banks. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this savings will amount to $61 billion over 10 years. Even with the improvements, these education provisions in the legislation will reduce the deficit by $10 billion over 10 years, at least.

The education provisions in this legislation make college more affordable and accessible. It's necessary for America's students and for America's future.

Mr. President, I move to lay that motion upon the table.

The motion to lay upon the table was agreed to.

Crapo Motion to Commit

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Amendment No. 3582

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Amendment No. 3608