Floor Statements

Mr. President, our Nation reached an important milestone over the past few years. In 2010, according to a recent report by the Violence Policy Center, motor-vehicle-related fatalities dropped to their lowest level in decades, a 72 percent decrease in deaths per miles traveled from 1966 levels. But not all of the report's findings are encouraging. While our roads have become safer, other aspects of American life have become more dangerous. Over that same period, firearm-related deaths steadily increased around the country. In fact, in 2009, firearm-related fatalities exceeded motor vehicle fatalities in 10 States, and current trends indicate that firearm violence statistics are only getting worse. Congress has the ability to protect lives with commonsense safety legislation, just as it did with motor vehicle safety measures. But it has recently lacked the will.

In the 1960s, this Nation confronted a public health crisis on its streets and highways. Over 40,000 people died from motor vehicle crashes in 1960 alone. A 1999 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that from 1960 to 1966 this crash death rate ballooned from 49.2 to 55 deaths per billion miles of travel. In response, Congress took action by creating the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, which it charged with the responsibility of developing and implementing vehicle safety initiatives.

In the decades since, the NHTSA has spearheaded numerous efforts that have saved and will continue to save countless lives. Today, we take things like vehicle head rests, energy-absorbing steering wheels, shatter-resistant windshields, and seat belts for granted. We expect our roads to have clearly delineated lanes, guardrails, and adequate lighting. But many of these things would not exist if Congress hadn't taken action to protect the public from the dangers of unregulated motorways.

Just like congressional action made our roads safer, countless studies have shown that commonsense gun safety legislation would protect our homes, our schools, and our families from violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2009, guns killed more than 30,000 Americans and injured over 65,000. But despite these statistics, Congress has done little to address this public health crisis. Today, almost anyone, including convicted felons or the mentally ill, can walk into a gun show and buy a firearm from a private dealer without any background check. Others can walk into a gun shop and walk out with military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, weapons with no sporting purposes.

Legislation has been introduced in this Congress that would address both of these issues and would make our society safer. I am a cosponsor of the Gun Show Background Check Act of 2011, S.35, and the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Devices Act, S.32, bills that would close this gun show loophole and prevent the sale of military-style ammunition cartridges. Congress should take up and pass these measures. We should act, like we did in the 1960s, to protect American lives with commonsense safety legislation. The price of doing nothing is just too high.

Madam President, if sequestration comes to pass at the end of this year, many of us believe it could derail the economic recovery and do immense damage to important programs throughout the government, making our Nation less safe and our government less responsive to the needs of the people we serve.

But at this point, while our concern is deep and widespread, it is not specific. We know only in the most general terms what impact sequestration might have. And while that is enough to encourage many of us to seek the compromises needed to avoid sequestration, the Congress and the American people deserve a more complete picture of what we face.

That is why I am a cosponsor of the amendment offered by Senators Murray and McCain, which would help give us and all Americans that more complete picture.

I thank Senator McCain and Senator Murray for the leadership and hard work, on a bipartisan basis, that produced this amendment. It deserves broad bipartisan support, and not only because it will provide valuable information to us and our constituents. We must find ways to work across party lines more often and compromise for the common good. I hope this amendment can serve as one step toward the larger and more difficult compromises we must accomplish to avert the deep and lasting damage of sequestration.

I am pleased to vote for passage of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act. The bill before us makes important reforms to farm programs by helping agricultural producers manage their risk, invests funding to protect our natural resources, and provides food assistance to families in need.

America's agricultural economy is responsible for 16 million jobs. There are over 2 million farms in this country that contribute nearly $80 billion to the Nation's economy. Americans and people all over the world depend on America's farms to feed their families. So passage of a farm bill that protects the food supply, gives farmers the support they need, and combats hunger is of high importance.

I want to congratulate Senator Stabenow, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and my Michigan colleague, for managing this important legislation so skillfully.

This bill marks important change in how we assist our Nation's farmers. Instead of making direct and countercyclical payments to farmers, sometimes for crops they haven't even grown, this bill ends those practices and instead focuses on working with farmers to manage risks.

My home State of Michigan is second only to California in the number of crops grown and second to none in tart cherry production. Unusually warm weather in March resulted in an early bloom for many of our fruit crops, including tart cherries. These crops were then heavily damaged by a series of freezes during April and May.

I visited a cherry orchard in northern Michigan last month and viewed the damage. The damage from these freezes is severe; many trees and entire orchards will bear no fruit at all. Growers still need to maintain their orchards, spraying for bugs and disease, but can expect no payment for their crop. I am particularly concerned about tart cherry growers as they cannot currently purchase crop insurance.

The bill we are voting on today directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board to develop new crop insurance policies for underserved crops, including specialty crops like cherries. The bill also increases funding to help develop these policies. These new policies are sorely needed in Michigan.

The bill also includes $58 billion over a 10-year period for conservation programs that protect our Nation's waters, soil quality and wildlife habitats, prevent erosion, and help alleviate other natural resource problems. These programs have benefitted Michigan by protecting sensitive lands and waters and preventing polluted runoff and sediments from getting into our precious Great Lakes, where they can create problems such as harmful algae blooms. Preventing runoff and controlling erosion can also lower costs for water treatment and dredging of Great Lakes harbors. To create a more efficient system for accessing and implementing these conservation programs, the bill consolidates more than 20 existing programs into 10 programs.

One new program in the bill, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, in particular could benefit the Great Lakes. This program would provide funding through a competitive process for conservation projects that improve soil quality, water quality or quantity, or wildlife habitats on a regional or watershed scale. Because the Great Lakes region already has a regional plan in place, our region should be able to effectively compete for the $250 million in annual funding that would be provided for this program. We have made some solid progress in cleaning up our Great Lakes and other waters in Michigan, but there is still much more to be done. The conservation funding provided in the farm bill would help with the efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes, as well as protect sensitive lands and wildlife, conserve open space and forests, and provide economic benefits.

Mr. President, today is the culmination of several days of activities across the Nation in recognition of the oldest known observance of the ending of slavery--``Juneteenth Independence Day''.

It was in June of 1865, that the Union soldiers landed in Galveston, TX, with the news that the war had ended and that slavery finally had come to an end in the United States. This was 2\1/2\ years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on January 1, 1863, and months after the conclusion of the Civil War.

This week and specifically on June 19, when slaves in the Southwest finally learned of the end of slavery, the descendants of slaves have observed this anniversary of emancipation as a remembrance of one of the most tragic periods of our Nation's history. The suffering, degradation and brutality of slavery cannot be repaired, but the memory can serve to ensure that no such inhumanity is ever perpetrated again on American soil.

I was very pleased that on June 19 of this week the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution, S. Res. 496, recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day to the Nation. The resolution, which I sponsored along with Senators Hutchison, Cardin, Landrieu, Cornyn, Sherrod Brown, Boxer, Stabenow, Harkin, Begich, Durbin, Wicker, Leahy, Bill Nelson, Casey, Warner, Akaka, Webb, Lautenberg, Gillibrand, and Schumer expresses support for the observance of Juneteenth Independence Day, and recognizes the faith and strength of character demonstrated by former slaves, that remains an example for all people of the United States, regardless of background or race.

All across America we also celebrate the many important achievements of former slaves and their descendants. We do so because in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, son of former slaves, proposed such a recognition as a way of preserving the history of African Americans and recognizing the enormous contributions of a people of great strength, dignity, faith, and conviction--a people who rendered their achievements for the betterment and advancement of a Nation once lacking in humanity towards them. Every February, nationwide, we celebrate African American History Month. And, every year on June 19, we celebrate ``Juneteenth Independence Day.''

Lerone Bennett, Jr., writer, scholar, lecturer, and acclaimed Executive Editor for several decades at Ebony Magazine, has reflected on the life and times of Dr. Woodson. Bennett tells us that one of the most inspiring and instructive stories in African American history is the story of Woodson's struggle and rise from the coal mines of West Virginia to the summit of academic achievement:

At 17, the young man who was called by history to reveal

Black history was an untutored coal miner. At 19, after

teaching himself the fundamentals of English and arithmetic,

he entered high school and mastered the four-year curriculum

in less than two years. At 22, after two-thirds of a year at

Berea College [in Kentucky], he returned to the coal mines

and studied Latin and Greek

between trips to the mine shafts. He then went on to the

University of Chicago, where he received his bachelor's and

master's degrees, and Harvard University, where he became the

second Black to receive a doctorate in history. The rest is

history--Black history.

In keeping with the spirit and the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, I would like to pay tribute to two courageous women, claimed by my home State of Michigan, who played significant roles in addressing American injustice and inequality. These are two women of different times who would change the course of history.

The contributions of Sojourner Truth, who helped lead our country out of the dark days of slavery, and Rosa Parks whose dignified leadership sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the start of the civil rights movement are indelibly etched in the chronicle of the history of this Nation. Moreover, they are viewed with distinction and admiration throughout the world.

Sojourner Truth, though unable to read or write, was considered one of the most eloquent and noted spokespersons of her day on the inhumanity and immorality of slavery. She was a leader in the abolitionist movement, and a ground breaking speaker on behalf of equality for women. Michigan has honored her with the dedication of the Sojourner Truth Memorial Monument, which was unveiled in Battle Creek, MI, on September 25, 1999. In April 2009, Sojourner Truth became the first African American woman to be memorialized with a bust in the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony to unveil Truth's likeness was appropriately held in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor's Center. I was pleased to cosponsor the legislation to make this fitting tribute possible. Sojourner Truth lived in Washington, DC for several years, helping slaves who had fled from the South and appearing at women's suffrage gatherings. She returned to Battle Creek in 1875, and remained there until her death in 1883. Sojourner Truth spoke from her heart about the most troubling issues of her time. A testament to Truth's convictions is that her words continue to speak to us today.

On May 4, 1999, legislation was enacted which authorized the President of the United States to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Rosa Parks. I was pleased to coauthor this tribute to Rosa Parks--the gentle warrior who decided that she would no longer tolerate the humiliation and demoralization of racial segregation on a bus. I was also pleased to be a part of the effort to direct the Architect of the Capitol to commission a statue of Rosa Parks, which will soon be placed in the U.S. Capitol, making her the second African American woman to receive such an honor.

Her personal bravery and self-sacrifice are remembered with reverence and respect by us all. Over 55 years ago, in Montgomery, AL, the modern civil rights movement began when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. The strength and spirit of this courageous woman captured the consciousness of not only the American people, but the entire world. The boycott which Rosa Parks began was the start of an American revolution that elevated the status of African Americans nationwide and introduced to the world a young leader who would one day have a national holiday declared in his honor, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, the overwhelming majority of my colleagues in the Senate joined me in sponsoring legislation authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal to be presented to Dr. King, posthumously, and Coretta Scott King in recognition of their contributions to the Nation. Companion legislation was led in the House by Representative John Lewis.

We have come a long way toward achieving justice and equality for all. We still however have work to do. In the names of Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others, let us rededicate ourselves to continuing the struggle of civil rights and human rights.

Mr. President, I was also pleased to join Senator Hutchison and other Members of the Senate this week, in sponsoring another measure introduced on June 19th in recognition of Juneteenth Independence Day, which will require further action in the Senate. It is a Joint Resolution, S.J. Res. 45, requesting the President to issue a proclamation each year designating Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance, encouraging Americans of all races, creeds, and ethnic backgrounds to celebrate freedom and the end of slavery in the United States.

In closing, I would like to commend the Juneteenth directors and event coordinators throughout my State of Michigan. They have worked tirelessly in the planning of intergenerational activities in observance of Juneteenth, heading up a wide range of activities over several days in Detroit, Flint, Holland, Lansing, Saginaw, and other areas around the State.

Mr. President, I appreciate the efforts of Chairman Johnson in making sure that our Nation's religious leaders are able to have expanded opportunities for their retirement plans, while also ensuring that we don't create any unintended consequences. To remove any potential ambiguity, we want to make clear that H.R. 33 is intended to make clear that the offer and sale of a bank collective trust's securities that are exempt from the Securities Act of 1933 if sold to employee benefit plans described in Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code, such as 401(k) plans, would not lose such exemption solely on the basis that such securities are sold to church plans described in 403(b)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code (church plans described in Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code already receive such exemptive relief) or to plans that include self-employed ministers. H.R. 33 is not intended to expand the exemption to any interests, participations or securities that are sold to a person other than such church plans and plans that include self-employed ministers.

Madam President, our country's economy and competitiveness in global markets depends on access to affordable energy resources, including electricity that powers our manufacturing plants and keeps businesses operating throughout the Nation. Additionally, affordable electricity is vital to the health, safety, productivity, and quality of life of American families, as well as keeping their budgets in check.

Generating this vital power, however, has come at a cost to our public health and to the environment. Coal- and oil-fired powerplants account for about half of the Nation's mercury emissions and more than half of the country's acid gases. Powerplants also contribute about one-quarter of our Nation's particle pollution. These emissions from powerplants can cause damage to brain development, premature death, asthma, heart attacks, and other health complications with the heart and lungs.

Under the authority of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, on December 21, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, announced its final rule to establish technology-based emission limits for mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired powerplants, which are estimated to number about 1,400 units nationwide. About half of the electric generating units affected by this rule have already installed equipment to meet these emission limits, and many have expended large sums to get there. The other units that need to install pollution control equipment within the next 3 to 4 years could potentially have a competitive market advantage over the companies that have installed the technology if we simply override the

Mr. President, for the Committee on Armed Services I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar, that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Mr. President, this week people all across our Nation are engaging in the oldest known observance of the ending of slavery-- ``Juneteenth Independence Day.'' Although passage of the 13th Amendment, in January 1863, legally abolished slavery, many African Americans remained in servitude due to the delayed dissemination of this news across the country.

It was in June of 1865, that the Union soldiers landed in Galveston, TX, with the news that the war had ended and that slavery finally had come to an end in the United States. This was 2\1/2\ years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on January 1, 1863, and months after the conclusion of the Civil War.

This week and specifically on June 19, when slaves in the Southwest finally learned of the end of slavery, the descendants of slaves have observed this anniversary of emancipation as a remembrance of one of the most tragic periods of our Nation's history. The suffering, degradation and brutality of slavery cannot be repaired, but the memory can serve to ensure that no such inhumanity is ever perpetrated again on American soil.

Today, I am very pleased that the Senate has unanimously adopted a resolution, S. Res. 496, recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day to the Nation. The resolution, which I sponsored along with Senators Hutchison, Cardin, Landrieu, Cornyn, Sherrod Brown, Boxer, Stabenow, Harkin, Begich, Durbin, Wicker, Leahy, Bill Nelson, Casey, Warner, Akaka, Webb, and Lautenberg, expresses support for the observance of Juneteenth Independence Day, and recognizes the faith and strength of character demonstrated by former slaves, that remains an example for all people of the United States, regardless of background or race.

All across America we also celebrate the many important achievements of former slaves and their descendants. We do so because in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, son of former slaves, proposed such a recognition as a way of preserving the history of African Americans and recognizing the enormous contributions of a people of great strength, dignity, faith, and conviction--a people who rendered their achievements for the betterment and advancement of a Nation once lacking in humanity towards them. Every February, nationwide, we celebrate African American History Month. And, every year on June 19, we celebrate Juneteenth Independence Day.

Lerone Bennett, Jr., writer, scholar, lecturer, and acclaimed executive editor for several decades at Ebony magazine, has reflected on the life and times of Dr. Woodson. Bennett tells us that one of the most inspiring and instructive stories in African American history is the story of Woodson's struggle and rise from the coal mines of West Virginia to the summit of academic achievement:

At 17, the young man who was called by history to reveal

Black history was an untutored coal miner. At 19, after

teaching himself the fundamentals of English and arithmetic,

he entered high school and mastered the four-year curriculum

in less than two years. At 22, after two-thirds of a year at

Berea College [in Kentucky], he returned to the coal mines

and studied Latin and Greek between trips to the mine shafts.

He then went on to the University of Chicago, where he

received his bachelor's and master's degrees, and Harvard

University, where he became the second Black to receive a

doctorate in history. The rest is history--Black history.

In keeping with the spirit and the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, I would like to pay tribute to two courageous women, claimed by my home State of Michigan, who played significant roles in addressing American injustice and inequality. These are two women of different times who would change the course of history.

The contributions of Sojourner Truth, who helped lead our country out of the dark days of slavery, and Rosa Parks whose dignified leadership sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the start of the civil rights movement, are indelibly etched in the chronicle of the history of this Nation. Moreover, they are viewed with distinction and admiration throughout the world.

Sojourner Truth, though unable to read or write, was considered one of the most eloquent and noted spokespersons of her day on the inhumanity and immorality of slavery. She was a leader in the abolitionist movement, and a groundbreaking speaker on behalf of equality for women. Michigan has honored her with the dedication of the Sojourner Truth Memorial monument, which was unveiled in Battle Creek, MI, on September 25, 1999. In April 2009,

Sojourner Truth became the first African American woman to be memorialized with a bust in the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony to unveil Truth's likeness was appropriately held in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol Visitor's Center. I was pleased to cosponsor the legislation to make this fitting tribute possible. Sojourner Truth lived in Washington, DC for several years, helping slaves who had fled from the South and appearing at women's suffrage gatherings. She returned to Battle Creek in 1875, and remained there until her death in 1883. Sojourner Truth spoke from her heart about the most troubling issues of her time. A testament to Truth's convictions is that her words continue to speak to us today.

On May 4, 1999, legislation was enacted which authorized the President of the United States to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Rosa Parks. I was pleased to coauthor this tribute to Rosa Parks--the gentle warrior who decided that she would no longer tolerate the humiliation and demoralization of racial segregation on a bus. I was also pleased to be a part of the effort to direct the Architect of the Capitol to commission a statue of Rosa Parks, which will soon be placed in the U.S. Capitol, making her the second African American woman to receive such an honor.

Her personal bravery and self-sacrifice are remembered with reverence and respect by us all. Over 55 years ago, in Montgomery, AL, the modern civil rights movement began when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. The strength and spirit of this courageous woman captured the consciousness of not only the American people, but the entire world. The boycott which Rosa Parks began was the start of an American revolution that elevated the status of African Americans nationwide and introduced to the world a young leader who would one day have a national holiday declared in his honor, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, the overwhelming majority of my colleagues in the Senate joined me in sponsoring legislation authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal to be presented to Dr. King, posthumously, and Coretta Scott King in recognition of their contributions to the Nation. Companion legislation was led in the House by Representative John Lewis.

We have come a long way toward achieving justice and equality for all. We still however have work to do. In the names of Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others, let us rededicate ourselves to continuing the struggle of civil rights and human rights.

I am also pleased to join Senator Hutchison and other members of the Senate in sponsoring another measure introduced today in recognition of Juneteenth Independence Day, which will require further action in the Senate. It is a Joint Resolution requesting the President to issue a proclamation each year designating Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance, encouraging Americans of all races, creeds, and ethnic backgrounds to celebrate freedom and the end of slavery in the United States.

In closing, I would like to pay tribute to the Juneteenth directors and event coordinators throughout my State of Michigan. They have worked tirelessly in the planning of intergenerational activities in observance of Juneteenth, heading up a wide range of activities over several days in Detroit, Flint, Holland, Lansing, Saginaw, and other areas around the State.

S. Res. 497

(Congratulating the Los Angeles Kings on winning the 2012 Stanley Cup

Championship)

Whereas, on June 11, 2012, the Los Angeles Kings were

crowned National Hockey League champions after defeating the

New Jersey Devils by a score of 6-1 in Game 6 of the 2012

Stanley Cup Finals;

Whereas this is the first Stanley Cup title that the Los

Angeles Kings have won since the team entered the National

Hockey League in 1967;

Whereas the Los Angeles Kings are the first 8th seeded

playoff team to win the Stanley Cup;

Whereas the Los Angeles Kings never allowed an opposing

team with a higher seed or home-ice advantage to intimidate

them;

Whereas, en route to their first Stanley Cup appearance

since 1993, the Los Angeles Kings quickly dispatched the

defending Western Conference Champions, the Vancouver

Canucks, dominated the upstart St. Louis Blues, and defeated

the Phoenix Coyotes, who were the Pacific Division Champions;

Whereas Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown is the first

American team captain of a Stanley Cup champion since 1999;

Whereas Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick performed

admirably in each playoff game, totaling 125 saves and

maintaining a .946 save percentage during the Stanley Cup

Finals, and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded

to the player considered most valuable to his team during the

Stanley Cup Playoffs;

Whereas each of the 26 players on the Los Angeles Kings

playoff roster should receive recognition, including Most

Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Jonathan Quick,

team captain Dustin Brown, Jonathan Bernier, Jeff Carter,

Kyle Clifford, Drew Doughty, David Drewiske, Colin Fraser,

Simon Gagne, Matt Greene, Dwight King, Anze Kopitar, Trevor

Lewis, Andrei Loktionov, Alec Martinez, Willie Mitchell,

Jordan Nolan, Scott Parse, Dustin Penner, Mike Richards, Brad

Richardson, Rob Scuderi, Jarret Stoll, Slava Voynov, Kevin

Westgarth, and Justin Williams; and

Whereas team owners Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski,

General Manager Dean Lombardi, and head coach Darryl Sutter

admirably assembled the team that comprised the 2012 Los

Angeles Kings and led them through one dominant performance

after another in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Now,

therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) congratulates the Los Angeles Kings on winning the 2012

Stanley Cup Championship; and

(2) commends the Los Angeles Kings fans in California and

across the Nation for showing the team support throughout its

45-year history.

Mr. President, as they have for generations, libraries across our Nation and my home State of Michigan enable people to gain access to a sea of information and facts. They serve as a gateway for exploration. Libraries allow young people to journey back in time with great authors and experience the world as it was for past generations. They allow them to travel across the globe and experience life in other areas of the world, and they allow them to dream and imagine ways to make our collective future better. These are places where the only limitation is your imagination and your willingness to read and learn.

For the past 125 years, one such library in Fife Lake has played this unmistakably important role, and it is with great pride that I pay tribute to the Fife Lake Public Library on its Quasquicentennial. This wonderful institution has surely helped to cultivate and nurture the interests of individuals seeking to broaden and deepen their understanding of a variety of pursuits.

The Fife Lake Public Library was established in 1887 with a $17 grant from Grand Traverse County. Since then, this library has been a mainstay of the community and has met the diverse and growing needs of residents of Fife

Lake. The library's quaint but much-cherished building was outgrown in 2006. To accommodate this growth, the library's resources were moved to a newer, more modern building. Impressively, the Library's circulation has quadrupled in the last decade. In addition to books, its patrons now have access to DVDs, albums, audiobooks and the Internet by way of several public computers.

In our increasingly technologically advanced world where information and answers are but a click away and devices such as computers and smart phones are a part of many of our lives, it could be easy to undervalue the importance and impact of libraries. The opposite is true. Fife Lake Public Library has transformed with the digital age and continues to hold a central yet evolving role in the lives of residents. One resident aptly stated, ``The library is not a quiet place anymore but a social gathering place for the community.'' Residents come to access the Internet and learn computer skills, and through partnerships with local organizations they enjoy activities ranging from fitness classes to grief support to tot-time. There is something for residents from all walks of life.

I am delighted to commend all those affiliated with the Fife Lake Public Library on its 125th anniversary. Through the hard work, collaboration, and financial generosity of many within the Fife Lake community, this library has served the needs of Fife Lake residents for a century and a quarter. With commitment and sustained effort, this piece of living history in Fife Lake will continue to inspire and educate for many years to come.

Mr. President, today the Senate is once again attempting to move forward with the Paycheck Fairness Act. This legislation would strengthen and modernize the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by providing new tools to combat gender-based wage discrimination. Among other things, this bill would require employers to demonstrate that wage differences between genders for comparable work are due to business decisions, and not gender. It also would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who inquire about wage practices or share salary information with their colleagues. And it would strengthen penalties for equal pay violations.

Closing the gender pay gap is always an important and worthwhile goal, but this is the case especially in the current tough economic climate where it is increasingly common for women to be the primary or even sole bread winner in a family. For example, in Michigan, over a third of families with dependent children rely on a working mother's salary for their primary income. This represents the families of over half a million children. And here is the important part--while the averages have varied, current figures indicate that women still only make 77 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts.

These are prolonged, tough, economic times, and there is no justifiable reason for the U.S. Senate not to do everything in its power to support policies that can help women in this country support themselves and their families by ensuring they are being paid the same wage as their male counterparts for comparable work. This is not just an issue of gender equality; it is one of economic equality and fairness. It is deeply discouraging for our Republican colleagues to be filibustering this measure.

Madam President, a few weeks ago I met a remarkable group of young people. They call themselves the Fighting Pi, and they are the FIRST Robotics Competition team from the Macomb Academy of Arts & Sciences in Armada, MI.

FIRST is an annual, international robotics competition for high school students. Teams have 6 weeks to design, build, and test robots to compete in a game, which changes every year. For this year, teams competed in the ``Rebound Rumble,'' which required them to design robots capable of shooting small basketballs into baskets as high as 8 feet off the ground.

This competition demands many things of its teams. They must demonstrate the ability to plan and work

together, to follow a budget, and to meet demanding timelines. They must master complex technical fields such as computer-assisted drafting, electrical engineering, radio control systems, pneumatic systems, and sensors and signals. So the intellectual demands are great.

But just as great is the demand for vision for the foresight to look at a stack of diagrams and a pile of electronic parts and see what it can all become.

Thirty-six teams from Michigan traveled in April to St. Louis for the national championship, the Fighting Pi among them. Representing Michigan were three teams from Bloomfield Hills, two from Detroit, two from Ann Arbor, two from Grandville, two from Pontiac, and teams from Allen Park, Auburn Hills, Berkley, Birmingham, Clarkston, Fremont, Holland, Hopkins, Lansing, Milford, Niles, North Oakland County, Northville, Novi, Okemos, Ortonville, Richmond, Rochester Hills, Sterling Heights, Temperance, Waterford, and Zeeland. All of them have reason to be proud of their accomplishments.

But I want to especially thank the Fighting Pi, whose members and adult leaders were kind enough to spend an hour with me a few days ago. At the Michigan State Championships, the Fighting Pi had won the prestigious State Engineering Inspiration Award. I was deeply impressed by the vision, enthusiasm, and brainpower of the Fighting Pi during my visit. They demonstrated to me their robot design, and they let me drive a robot around a little. They helped me understand the technical aspects of their work and the intense planning and preparation and staying power required.

In addition to their robotics responsibilities, team members participate in public service. Team members volunteer regularly at Ronald McDonald House, where they help the families of ill or injured children. They participate in local adopt-a-road and adopt-a-trail cleanup programs. And they have raised money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and Toys for Tots among other worthy charities. They are, in their schoolwork, their robotics work, and their volunteer work, exceptional young people.

Americans spend a lot of time worrying about the next generation. We worry over our dinner tables, in our conversations at work, and in this very Chamber. There are plenty of reasons to worry. But we should not lose sight of the reasons for optimism. Every day, all over this great country, young people are accomplishing extraordinary things. They are studying hard, learning new skills, and even building sophisticated robots. They are preparing to write the next chapter in the American story, and I have no doubt it will be as stirring as the story so far.

So let me extend my congratulations and my gratitude to the students of the Fighting Pi, and the students who helped them on their way: team members Michael Graham, Melissa Mikolowski, Nicholas Fitzsimons, Eric Bytner, Trevor Goolsby, Alysa Brice, Zeke Fetty, Michael Scaglione, Steven Scaglione, Stephen Kline, Kurt Wieber, Andrew Graham, Amanda Fulghum, Michael Patrick, Laurel Payne, Collin Tobey, Riley Yaxley, Eric Tobey, Jack Sabelhaus, Andrew Binkowski, Lauren Grobbel, Alex Kesek, Sabrina Tibaudo, Ron Kyllonen, Vince Ragap, Rachel Kosek and Krystal Diel; and adults Craig Roys, Tom Line, Richard Wahl, Craig Tobey, Shawn Graham, Judy Tobey, Michael Mroz, Andrea Mroz, Paul Gianferrara, John Antilla, Jacob Caporuscio, and Eric Kosek.

Madam President, I will support final passage of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act which will reauthorize the user fee agreements that govern the fees paid by the pharmaceutical and medical device industries to the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, to expedite the drug and device approval process.

These fees are an important funding source that provides the FDA with resources necessary to ensure potentially lifesaving drugs and medical devices can be reviewed and ultimately brought to market quickly and safely. I understand this legislation is the product of a tremendous amount of work by the chairman and ranking member of the HELP Committee, in conjunction with various stakeholders, and enjoys broad support from industry, the FDA, and consumer groups.

For the first time, this bill will also create new user fee agreements for generic drug manufacturers; manufacturers of biologics; and would make permanent the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act and the Pediatric Research Equity Act. These two laws together help improve the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals for children.

Of particular interest, the bill aims to address drug shortages by requiring all manufactures of certain drugs to provide advance notification of possible supply disruptions and any permanent discontinuance of these products to the Health and Human Services Secretary. In addition, it will also require HHS to establish a task force to address possible drug shortages and will grant the secretary the authority to expedite the inspection and review process of substitute products that could mitigate a shortage.

The bill will allow the FDA to continue to collect fees from pharmaceutical manufacturers and medical device manufacturers through 2017. I am pleased to join with colleagues from both sides of the aisle in voting in favor of this important legislation.

Mr. President, I am very pleased that the Senate today is passing legislation that would allow the Senate to continue its leadership of our country toward a clean-energy future. This bill provides the authority for the Architect of the Capitol to provide for charging of batteries for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate and, of great importance, at no cost to the Federal Government.

Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles offer great potential in meeting our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and auto manufacturers are moving toward developing a broad choice of electric-drive vehicles. Batteries and components are now being manufactured in the U.S., and we are developing the supply chain necessary to support these home-grown technologies. But in addition to making the vehicles and components available, we also need to take steps to ensure the infrastructure exists to make these vehicles desirable and accessible to consumers. Increased use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles will bring changes in how we think about cars and driving. Instead of looking for gas stations, drivers will need to have places where they can replenish the batteries that power their vehicles.

This bill will ensure that the Senate leads by example as we transition to that cleaner-energy future. It will ensure that the capability to charge plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles will exist in the Senate--at no cost to the taxpayer. I am a proud owner of a Chevrolet Volt, but I also want to ensure that the taxpayers do not subsidize the cost of my or anyone else's use of electricity to power these vehicles.

I appreciate the efforts and support of the cosponsors of this bill-- Senators Alexander, Schumer, Kerry, Murkowski, Bingaman, Stabenow, and Merkley--and the great assistance of the staffs of Senators Schumer and Alexander on the Rules Committee in getting this bill passed. It has been our explicit intention to ensure there would be no cost to the taxpayer in providing access to electricity for those wishing to charge their vehicle batteries in the parking areas of the Senate, but I am pleased that we were able to include language to clarify any questions in that regard.

Mr. President, for the Committee on Armed Services I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.

Madam President, today I, along with my Senate colleague from Michigan, Senator Stabenow, recognize Dr. Lewis Walker, a dynamic and forward thinking leader who has been a driving force behind Lawrence Technological University's growth and continued success. Dr. Walker retires in June after 18 years at Lawrence Tech, the last 6 as President and CEO.

Ensuring students acquire the skills necessary to meet the challenges of an ever-changing, global workplace has been a central tenet of Dr. Walker's work at Lawrence Tech. Since joining Lawrence Tech in 1994, Dr. Walker has sought innovative ways to expand the university's academic footprint. A hallmark of his tenure has been his commitment to broadening academic opportunities for students, pursuing international partnerships, and expanding the university's technological infrastructure.

This work led to the creation of a number of certificate and degree programs at Lawrence Tech, from the associate to the doctoral level, and notably includes programs in robotics, defense and sustainability. Impressively, during his tenure, the number of academic programs the university offers has expanded from 60 to more than 100 and more than 40 ``fast track'' certificate programs have been created to help dislocated workers transition to new career paths.

Dr. Walker also emphasized leadership, believing that ``Our aim has been to imbue in our graduates the ability to have confidence in themselves.'' This focus is truly perceptive. Seeking to integrate leadership throughout the University experience, Lawrence Tech now includes leadership training as part of its undergraduate experience. Under Dr. Walker's leadership Lawrence Tech also forged a partnership with the Ferndale Public Schools to establish the University High School, a high school designed to challenge its students academically and expose them to the university experience. Its core focus is to prepare public high school students for success in college and beyond.

Dr. Walker has a distinguished academic background. He holds 3 degrees, including a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and has published more than 50 technical papers. Before joining Lawrence Tech, he served at the University of Hartford in various capacities, including dean of engineering and special assistant to the president. Earlier this year, he was awarded the 2012 Gold Award from the Affiliate Council of Engineering Society of Detroit for his outstanding work in science and engineering.

Throughout his professional career, Dr. Walker has worked tirelessly to find solutions to pressing concerns and to position Lawrence Tech to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The Lawrence Tech community is a better place as a result of his efforts, and we know his wife, Nancy and their children and grandchildren are proud of his many accomplishments over his long and illustrious career. We wish Dr. Walker and his family the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.

Mr. President, tomorrow will be a day in tax history--when Facebook goes public, it will get a $16 billion tax deduction, which is the largest tax deduction ever taken by any corporation exploiting the stock option tax loophole.

Facebook's recent filings in anticipation of its upcoming stock offering provide new facts about its plans to use stock option tax deductions, not only to help it avoid future taxes for years and years to come, but to get a refund of taxes it has already paid.

Facebook's recent registration statement shows that, due to hundreds of millions of stock options handed out to its founders and top executives, it plans to claim stock option tax deductions worth a whopping $16 billion. That is more than twice as much as estimates a few months ago, and many, many times larger than the stock option expenses shown on Facebook's ledgers.

Facebook is a booming, successful company. Its securities filing boasts of double-digit increases in Facebook's average revenue per user, citing a 32-percent increase in 2010 and another 25-percent increase in 2011, with ``growth across all regions.'' Despite trumpeting those revenue increases to investors, Facebook is planning at the same time to tell Uncle Sam it has no taxable income, offsetting its revenues with stock option tax deductions.

Facebook's $16 billion stock option tax deduction is so huge, it will enable Facebook to claim a $500 million refund of taxes paid over the prior 2 years and wipe out this year's tax bill. The company says it will also use its deduction to create a ``net operating loss'' that can be used to eliminate its profits and its taxes for up to 20 years into the future.

As with so much of our Tax Code, it is not the law breaking that shocks the conscience, it is the stuff that is allowed. For years, my Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has identified this stock option tax loophole and tried to explain its cost, its unfairness, and why the loophole should be closed. Facebook's $16 billion tax deduction brings the issue into sharp focus.

This profitable corporation will stop paying any Federal corporate income taxes, simply because it gave hundreds of millions of stock options to its executives. It will go from a corporate citizen that paid its taxes, to one that not only pays no taxes to Uncle Sam on its profits, but gets a tax refund.

Some Facebook defenders claim the company's nonpayment of taxes is offset by the taxes paid by its executives. But first of all, Facebook demands and receives government services that its executives don't-- from patent protection to cybersecurity to trade enforcement. Second, the fact that executives pay taxes doesn't mean corporations shouldn't pay taxes. Facebook should be paying its fair share, and it is only through a tax loophole that it won't be. Adding insult to injury is that one of its founders recently renounced his U.S. citizenship just to avoid paying his taxes.

Facebook is an American success story. Its ability to use a stock option loophole to zero out its U.S. tax bill, despite ample profits, makes no sense. It also isn't fair to the rest of American taxpayers who will have to pay more because Facebook pays nothing.

In these tough economic times, Congress needs to make choices about where to spend taxpayer dollars. The stock option tax deduction, as demonstrated by Facebook, fuels excessive executive pay, shifts the tax burden from corporations to other taxpayers, and enables profitable corporations to get out of paying a dime toward the country that helped make their success possible.

What could our Nation do with the billions of dollars it will lose when Facebook uses the stock option loophole? Well, we could reduce the Federal deficit. Or we could pay for programs to help kids go to college or programs that protect our seniors and veterans, put cops on the beat or teachers in classrooms.

The stock option loophole should have been closed long before Facebook's stock option bonanza. But surely the case of Facebook illustrates to the Senate, to the Congress, and to the American people why we should close this loophole. If Congress were to enact the Levin- Sherrod Brown bill, S. 1375, it would close an unjustified corporate tax loophole that boosts executive pay at the expense of everybody else.