Floor Statements

I thank the chairman for making this clarification. I agree completely with my colleagues concerning the need for section 3004. Could the language in section 3004 about inclusion of specific project recommendations and feasibility studies somehow hurt or take money away from the comprehensive regional study?

Mr. President, it is my great honor to once again express my strong support for the Senate confirmation of Magistrate Judge Patty Shwartz to the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

It has been a long road, but it's great to finally reach this day. I began the process of recommending Judge Shwartz to President Obama almost 2 years ago, and since her first nomination by the President 18 months ago I have had the privilege of shepherding her candidacy through the Senate. During that time, I have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure she has bipartisan support. And earlier this year, I personally communicated with a number of my Republicans colleagues to assure them of her qualifications for the position and sterling reputation in the legal community.

It hasn't been an easy or quick process by any means, but because her candidacy is so strong, and because so many people believe in her, we have reached this proud moment where we can confirm her, and without a filibuster.

Her confirmation is well-deserved, because putting Judge Patty Shwartz on the Federal bench will be a great service to our nation and our justice system. She brings 25 years of public service to the bench--years she spent as a teacher, an attorney, and a judge.

Judge Shwartz graduated from Rutgers University with the highest honors and received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was an editor of the Law Review and was named her class's Outstanding Woman Law Graduate.

Since 2003, Judge Shwartz has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey, where she has handled more than 4,000 civil and criminal cases. And within the New Jersey legal community, she has earned a solid reputation for dispensing justice fairly and wisely.

She will make an excellent addition to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

The opportunity to nominate Federal judges is a sacred duty. I have felt lucky to recommend many eminently qualified, impressive, and accomplished individuals.

Yet rarely have I seen such an outpouring of support for a single judicial candidate as I have with Judge Shwartz.

John Lacey, past President of the Association of the New Jersey Federal Bar, said Judge Shwartz is, ``thoughtful, intelligent, and has an extraordinarily high level of common sense.''

Thomas Curtin, the chairman of the lawyers' advisory committee for the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, said, ``Every lawyer in the world will tell you that she's extraordinarily qualified, a decent person, and an excellent judge.''

And seldom has someone had such a distinguished career working for-- and earning the respect of--people on both sides of the aisle.

From 1989 to 2003, Judge Shwartz served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. In this role, she supervised hundreds of criminal cases, including cases concerning civil rights, violent crimes, drug trafficking, and fraud.

And in the U.S. Attorney's Office, she served under three Republican U.S. Attorneys: current Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito; former Secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush, Michael Chertoff; and New Jersey's current Governor, Chris Christie.

Governor Christie has been especially outspoken in his praise of Judge Shwartz. He has said, ``Judge Patty Shwartz has committed her entire professional life to public service, and New Jersey is the better for it.''

That is his statement. Now, if Governor Christie and I agree on something so adamantly, you know it's right.

Judge Shwartz's roots in New Jersey run deep. Like me, she is a native of Paterson, NJ, where she learned the value of hard work from her parents, who owned and operated a store for more than 50 years.

And as anyone who has met or worked with Judge Shwartz can attest, she inherited every ounce of her parents' strong work ethic--and then some.

After years of hard work, today is a great and triumphant day. I look forward now to seeing Judge Patty Shwartz take her place on the Federal bench. I can say with certainty that our justice system--and the country--will be better for it.

Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to one of New Jersey's great local leaders: Deanna London.

At the end of this month, Ms. London will end a remarkable 25-year tenure at the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair, NJ, a period that saw her rise from volunteer to executive director. On any typical day, she can be found meeting with families and individuals who have come for a meal, courting community members for support, and overseeing the large operation she has helped to expand. No job is too small for her to tackle and no person unworthy of help.

When she first walked into the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair 2\1/2\ decades ago, Ms. London was just looking for a volunteer opportunity, restless and eager for the chance to ``communicate with people,'' as she said in a recent interview. Yet,

as a volunteer opportunity turned into a quarter century and an executive directorship, London built a legacy that should inspire every American to serve. And in explaining that, ``I always thought that I got more out of it, because there is something fabulous to being able to help somebody,'' London has offered a model of service that all Americans should aspire to emulate.

Her dedication to her fellow New Jerseyans and the compassion she has shown for her neighbors in need is an inspiring example of an American putting everything aside to do all she can for others. It is what America is all about--that we are all in this together.

I know that when Deanna London hands over the reins to former Tenafly police chief Michael Bruno, the pantry will be in good hands. And I also know that when she leaves in just a few weeks, her service to New Jersey and this country will only continue.

New Jersey is a stronger State because of residents like Deanna London, and I wish her my very best as she completes one chapter of her life and begins another.

Mr. President, the sequestration spending cuts that are scheduled to begin tomorrow would cause pain and hardship across our country. These cuts will be devastating to workers, small businesses, middle class families, and children.

The list of essential programs and services that will be affected by sequestration is long. So today, I would like to focus on just a few of the more than 50 agencies funded by the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, which I chair.

My subcommittee helps small businesses get the loans they need. It keeps Wall Street watchdogs on the job. And it funds the agencies that stand up for consumers and stand guard against unfair and deceptive business practices. But the largest single appropriation in my subcommittee goes to our Nation's tax collector--the IRS.

At about $12 billion, the IRS budget is a major expense. But cutting the IRS budget is short-sighted instead of reducing our deficit, shrinking the IRS makes our deficit larger.

That's because short-changing the IRS makes it easier for tax cheats to avoid paying what they owe.

Last year alone, about $400 billion in taxes owed were never paid.

Mr. President, I was a CEO for many years. If there is one thing I learned in my time at ADP, it is that you can't run a company without revenues. And you surely can't run a country without revenues. The sequestration plan Republicans insisted on will slash the IRS and sacrifice revenues. In fact, for every dollar the sequester cuts from the IRS, our deficit will increase by at least $4.

These cuts make no sense. But these IRS budget cuts are just the beginning of our problems. Under sequestration, as many as 1,900 small businesses won't get loans, which would mean 22,000 fewer jobs at a time when millions are looking for work. Wall Street watchdogs like the SEC and CFTC will be forced to go home, leaving investors on Main Street vulnerable to wolves on Wall Street. And cuts to the Judiciary could jeopardize one of the most important aspects of our life: the safety of our families. That is because we will have fewer probation officers to supervise criminal offenders in our communities. Courtrooms will be less safe because of cuts to their security systems. And cuts to mental health and drug treatment programs could lead to more offenders relapsing into lives of crime.

The Federal Bar Association agrees. They wrote in a letter last week to Chairman Mikulski and me that, Funding reductions could jeopardize the supervision of thousands of persons under pretrial release and convicted felons released from federal prisons, compromising public safety in communities across the Nation.

Mr. President, I voted against the legislation that put us on the path to sequestration because I was concerned about the effects of reckless cuts on everyday Americans. Just look at what sequestration will do to Head Start a program that helps our most vulnerable children learn how to learn: 70,000 kids could be kicked out of Head Start, including 1,300 in New Jersey.

We had a chance today to vote on a bill to replace these cuts with a balanced approach to deficit reduction, but our Republican colleagues insisted on protecting loopholes for the wealthy and big corporations. I hope that they will reconsider their position in the coming weeks, and work with us to undo these damaging cuts.

Mr. President, today is Chuck Hagel's first day as our Secretary of Defense. This is a great development for our Armed Forces and the Nation they protect.

I was proud to support Chuck Hagel's nomination to become the Secretary of Defense, and I was proud to see his nomination confirmed with bipartisan support yesterday. Throughout his life, Chuck has displayed courage, wisdom, and leadership. And he has always served this Nation with dedication and resolve. I am confident he will be a strong and able leader of the men and women in our military, and I am confident he will do everything possible to keep our country safe.

I congratulate Secretary Hagel on his successful and well-deserved confirmation and wish him the best as he begins his leadership of our Department of Defense.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I deeply miss my friend Danny Inouye.

Danny Inouye's passing leaves a huge void in the Senate and for me personally, as I have lost a dear friend, and now being the sole U.S. Senator to have served in World War II is a lonesome post--especially after losing the presence of a Medal of Honor winner.

Danny was not only a great Senator for his constituents, but also the most popular among his Senate colleagues. He exemplified what it means to serve and represented the very best qualities of our country. Whether in the Army or as Hawaii's representative in Washington since the State's birth, he worked tirelessly to do right by every Hawaiian and every American.

Danny volunteered to serve in the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was almost entirely made up of Nisei, or people of Japanese descent born in the United States. Although its members faced discrimination at home and many of their families were in internment camps, the 442nd is widely acknowledged as the most decorated infantry unit in the history of the U.S. Army. All of us who served admired the courage and heroism Danny displayed on the battlefield especially in San Terenzo, Italy when 4 days before the war's end, he lost his arm in battle, earning a Purple Heart.

When Danny first joined the Senate in 1962, World War II veterans were common in our chamber and, over the past five decades, the Senators who served in World War II have shared a bond that overcame partisan politics. But I am now the last of that group and I will continue to look to Danny's example to bring colleagues together to do what is right for all Americans.

Danny and I partnered together time and time again on the Appropriations Committee to write legislation that has made America safer and healthier for our families. I will always be especially thankful for his help in crafting relief bills for New Jersey in our times of need after Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. In fact, his last piece of legislation in the Senate was one to provide relief to those affected by Sandy.

But perhaps Danny's defining quality was this--in a time and profession that increasingly rewards grandstanding and grasping for the spotlight, Danny served with intelligence, grace and humility. And while he was always a humble and quiet leader, when Danny spoke other Senators listened closely and took his words to heart. His voice never wavered when it came to advocating for an America that leaves no one behind.

He was a giant in the Senate, and we will never forget the legacy he leaves behind. As the last World War II veteran in the Senate, I promise to always do whatever I can to uphold his commitment to service and love of country.

Mr. President, I rise today to engage in a colloquy with my friend Senator Leahy, who is managing the Senate Supplemental Appropriations bill. The bill includes funding and language provisions for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will help construct and improve crucial flood control projects in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy, including along the Jersey Shore. Mitigation projects along the coast are critical to preventing future damage, and that's why I am pleased that language is included in the bill to authorize projects for construction that are currently in the study phase. This provision will expedite flood control efforts in flood-prone areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy, and I am pleased Senator Leahy agrees this is a valuable initiative.

Requiring the Corps of Engineers to determine whether potential projects in affected areas can cost-effectively reduce flood and storm damage risks before receiving construction authorization is a valuable goal. However, Hurricane Sandy changed the conditions of many projects, which could increase the final cost of those projects. Also, many homes and businesses in flood-prone areas were destroyed. This could lead to a decrease in the value of property protected by proposed projects. Therefore, the combined impact of increased project costs and a reduction in the value of property that would be protected by planned flood control infrastructure could result in a calculation that shows a higher project cost with lower economic benefits. Does the Senator agree that the language regarding the cost-effectiveness of flood and storm damage efforts under consideration for construction authorization is not intended to disqualify projects that could have increased costs and decreased economic benefits as a result of Hurricane Sandy?

I thank Senator Leahy, along with Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, who has jurisdiction over the Corps, for their work on this vital bill, which would help states affected by Hurricane Sandy recover and prepare for future storms. It includes important language to allow projects in the study phase to be constructed and does not intend to disqualify projects with increased costs and decreased economic benefits as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Given that this process is different than standard practice, does the Senator agree that the Corps of Engineers should submit a report to Congress to explain the process that will be implemented?

Mr. President, on October 29, one of the largest Atlantic hurricanes on record slammed into the Jersey shore. At the same time, a winter storm system hit New Jersey from the west, creating a superstorm that did unprecedented damage to my State.

When the sun came up the next day, parts of New Jersey looked like a war zone.

Reports indicate that more than 30 people in New Jersey were killed, and at least 100 in the U.S. lost their lives as a result of this storm.

Across New Jersey, 350,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed.

Imagine how all of those families felt. Imagine having to evacuate, and coming home to find nothing there. The place where you raised your children and created so many memories--gone.

Across our State, 75 percent of small businesses were affected; big parts of our transportation system were shut down; and our electrical grid was crippled. There were approximately 2,400,000 power outages in New Jersey, affecting roughly two-thirds of all power customers in the State.

In response to this devastation, I was proud to see New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and President Obama put aside their political differences and join together to help people in a desperate situation. This bipartisan leadership made the whole country proud.

We have an opportunity with the bill we are considering this week to show that kind of leadership here in the Senate.

The Superstorm Sandy supplemental appropriations bill will help New Jerseyans recover from this storm and rebuild our State so we are stronger for the next storm.

The bill extends $60,000,000,000 of aid to New Jersey and the region.

That's about $20,000,000,000 less than New Jersey and New York estimated the States would need--and those State estimates took weeks to compile and were done with help from third party analysts.

Simply put, the bill before us is a reasonable down payment on the basics of our recovery and rebuilding effort.

Where private insurance wasn't enough, this bill will help residents and small businesses pick up the pieces and begin to restore their lives.

It helps fund the repair of our devastated transportation network, our damaged electrical grid, and other public infrastructure.

And the bill provides for proven Federal programs that will help reduce flood risk along New Jersey's shore and protect the investment we are making in rebuilding coastal communities.

The situation in New Jersey is still desperate.

Tens of thousands of New Jerseyans face unemployment because of the storm.

And 7 weeks after Sandy, more than 40,000 people in New Jersey are still out of their homes. Their suffering will only increase as we enter the coldest months of the year.

And the Hoboken PATH station remains closed as well, causing local businesses to shut their doors.

How long are we going to make people wait for relief?

When other States have suffered overwhelming disasters, Congress has helped them rebuild and restore. That is what we do as Americans--we help each other in times of need.

We saw the worst of Mother Nature in Superstorm Sandy. But we saw the best of the American people. Neighbors helped neighbors, and leaders put politics aside.

Now it is our turn in the Senate to join together across party lines and help rebuild New Jersey, New York, and the other States that were devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

Let's pass the Sandy supplemental appropriations bill this week.

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

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

Mr. President, we have come back here from a few turbulent weeks, and not the least of which is the continuation of President Obama with his work and his responsibilities. For most of us, I would say, that was a very positive thing. But something else happened during these very difficult weeks, and that was in my home State of New Jersey and the east coast. We were hit by storms never, never before seen in our State and maybe never ever to be seen in our country in terms of the volume of destruction.

My home State of New Jersey is known for a number of things: being the home of innovators, such as Thomas Edison; the place where Alexander Hamilton--at my birthplace, Paterson, NJ--helped start the industrial revolution; and it is also known as a State with a beautiful seashore, recreation areas. Unfortunately, the wrath of Superstorm Sandy 2 weeks ago destroyed so much of our shore. Its storm surge wrecked boats, homes, and even took trains--whole trains--off the tracks. Its winds reached 89 miles an hour, uprooting trees across our State, destroying everything in its path, and leaving millions--2\1/2\ million--without electricity and staying in the dark.

The force of this storm is so hard to describe in words, so I point out a picture here of one of our beachside communities, showing what was left of a house. The destruction was so total. And it was not just the possessions that were lost, it was the memorabilia, it was the pictures, it was the precious moments that were identified with trinkets or mementos. It was a terrible period. I am here to say that we are going to stand with those who have lost so much, and we are going to help them recover and rebuild their lives.

Superstorm Sandy was one of the most powerful storms in American history, and it was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, with wild winds that stretched more than 1,100 miles. We are aware of at least 119 Americans who lost their lives as a result of this storm, including 33 in my home State of New Jersey.

The human toll of this storm defies description. Roughly 8 million homes lost power during this storm, including more than 2\1/2\ million in my home State. Food rotted in refrigerators, water treatment plants closed down, and when temperatures dropped, thousands were left cold and hungry and forced into hotels and temporary shelters. Many families slept in their cars to get out of the bad weather. They had no choice. When people finally returned home, many found nothing there. Imagine seeing the home you worked for your whole life--the place you raised your children and created so many memories--gone.

If we look at this picture, we see a depiction of despair, as it was portrayed by this person who obviously stood in front of a destroyed home--nothing but timbers and concrete, everything else gone.

We saw devastation across our State, not just at the seashore. I went to Hoboken--one of our most attractive communities in northern New Jersey--in the days after the storm. Half of that city was underwater, and the National Guard had to rescue those who were trapped in their homes without heat or supplies.

We also saw train stations that were flooded and inoperable. Water levels reached more than 6 feet. Can you imagine a room that seated people waiting for their trains 6 feet high in water?

New Jerseyans depend on our public transportation and rail systems. Commuters in our State take nearly 1 million trips per day, including going back and forth to New York and into Pennsylvania. And the entire country depends on the goods that come into our ports and go out by rail.

Our transportation system was torn apart. Tunnels were flooded, critical equipment was ruined, and rail lines were warped or buried by debris.

Here in this picture we see an example of what took place. This is of a rail line, New Jersey Transit.

Each one of our 21 counties in New Jersey was declared a major disaster, but the seashore communities were hit especially hard. The boardwalk is the defining image of the New Jersey shore. Many of us remember walking on that boardwalk in wonderment of the attractions. The boardwalk has been a constant in the lives of those who live there or visit the shore. But for communities such as Belmar, Seaside Heights, Atlantic City, and others, much of that boardwalk no longer exists--just the pillars where the boardwalk used to be, as we see it shown here in this picture. It was a magnificent boardwalk that had people in wagons that were pushed along, and you would view the sea and the attractions on the other side. It was painful to see the destruction of the part of the boardwalk in Atlantic City firsthand that day.

I joined President Obama in his visit to the area. For many people in my State, the boardwalk is not just a source of pride, it is a source of critical income to our State. In 2008, tourism brought in $38 billion and supported more than 300,000 jobs in the State of New Jersey. Families came from all over the country to walk the boardwalk in Atlantic City or take a fishing boat out of one of our ports, Port Pleasant or one of the others, or ride the roller coaster at a pier in Seaside Heights.

This is what Sandy did to that roller coaster. Look. This is almost impossible to conceive that this roller coaster sits in the water. It is a terrible end to a lot of thoughts and pleasant memories. People in New Jersey have lost their homes, their belongings, and their jobs. Much of that public infrastructure has also been destroyed. But we are tough people in New Jersey. We will fight our way back from this storm.

I saw that spirit in emergency shelters in our State. Families whose lives were upended by the storm were welcomed into a safe, warm place by strangers, given a hot meal, and had camaraderie during these very difficult moments. Nurses and EMTs evacuated babies from hospitals. They were carrying these children out so they would not be overwhelmed by flooding. Firefighters went from house to house saving lives as the water rose.

Gas station owners who had lost power pumped gasoline by hand so people could run their generators and keep their families warm. At one point, the lines were hours long waiting to get gas. One of the people from my office got up at 4:30 in the morning to go to a gas station and wound up 4 hours later before he could get gas. It was a terrible period.

We saw the worst of Mother Nature in this storm, but we also saw the best of the American people. One thing was established, that there is a place in government, in our country, for government service when it is needed. We cannot simply say: We will turn it over to the private sector and let them take care of what FEMA does. FEMA was critical in salvaging whatever we could have saved there. There is no doubt in my mind that there is an understanding now that did not exist before. We saw the fiber and the character of our people in these terrible moments. It was wonderful. This is a town not on the seashore. This is one of the communities in New Jersey where a lot of people commute to or work in the various industries around. This is where they had to go in order to save themselves from a worse situation than that which already existed.

People reached out to save people. It was under the supervision of FEMA and our emergency facility organizations. We have a lot of important businesses to address before the end of this Congress. But our agenda must include helping to rebuild and restore the communities destroyed by Sandy. We are going to need a lot of money, a lot of money. We cannot turn our backs on them. We cannot turn our backs. I know the Presiding Officer had similar situations in his State of Delaware. The destruction was all over. We had no ability to stop what was going on. We face serious fiscal challenges in our country, but nothing is more important than keeping our communities, our families, and our economy safe. We in New Jersey have been there for our fellow Americans from other States who suffered disasters. I am reminded that New Jersey was the first State to sign the Bill of Rights. It started the road to freedom that exists in New Jersey. Now we ask all Americans to join us in rebuilding and recovering from this terrible storm. I am sure it will get even the most disbelieving people in our community to see that it might

have been a good idea to fund FEMA and the other agencies that do so much.

I went to Alaska when the Exxon Valdez was floundering and saw our people, brave people, on islands stretched around Alaska, our people who were on the shore wiping off the ducks and the seals and all that. It says: America is not an accounting firm. America is a democracy with a heart and a soul. That is what we have to keep in mind as we deliberate what we have in the future.

I yield the floor.

If I may respond, I wish to say the Senator from Florida presents a very good idea because we now know that to deal with catastrophes which are inevitable, we live in nature. We live in places where volcanoes can destroy an economy, earthquakes. We had the Katrina catastrophe in the Southern States. It is about time, would the Senator agree with me, that we looked at what it is that is creating the frequency and the ferocity of those storms. They are accelerated almost in geometric terms.

This is a good reminder, hey, get off the stick and on the job. I commend the Senator from Florida for his splendid victory. We knew the Senator was coming home, we just wanted to make sure he had a nice reception.

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

Madam President, this week the leader of the Republican Party--their candidate for President--was seen in a video speaking at a fundraising meeting with wealthy campaign donors in Florida. In the privacy of the event, Mitt Romney spilled to the donors there what he really thinks about nearly half of the American people. That is almost 150 million people. He disparagingly said 47 percent of Americans support President Obama simply because they do not owe Federal income taxes or they are getting benefits from a government program.

Just to make sure there is no misquote here, this is Mitt Romney's statement. He said:

There are 47 percent who are with him--

``Him'' being President Obama

who are dependent on government, who believe that they are

victims. . . . my job--

Mitt Romney says--

is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them

that they should take personal responsibility and care for

their lives.

This is coming from the leader of the Republican Party, a man who is running to represent every American--all 310 million--from the Nation's highest office. These comments are disturbing coming from anybody, but coming from him they are a disgrace. In plain English, he says that if you do not pay Federal income tax or you receive a government benefit, then you do not take responsibility personally for your life.

So who are these 47 percent for whom Mitt Romney and his Republican friends feel such contempt? They are parents who work hard every day to give their families a better future. They are seniors who helped build this country and now depend on Social Security to keep food on the table. They are veterans who risked their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. As it says on this chart, ``Who Mitt Romney Says Doesn't `Take Personal Responsibility And Care For Their Lives.' '' Working families with children, senior citizens, veterans. Mitt Romney seems to think they are a bunch of lazies just taking money from the wealthy. So today I want to take a closer look at some of these Americans who Mitt Romney says do not take personal responsibility and care for their lives.

Let's first look at working families. He says:

I'll never convince them that they should take personal

responsibility and care for their lives.

What kind of contemptuous statement is that? We are talking about nearly 150 million people.

Millions of parents across the country work long hours, struggling to put food on the table and clothes on their children's back. A family of four making as much as $46,000 a year often will not owe any Federal income taxes. So these families would be part of the 47 percent of Americans whom Mitt Romney accuses of being lazy and irresponsible. These families deserve our support, not our scorn. They did not ask anybody for a handout, and they certainly do not deserve Romney's condemnation.

Let's now look at another group of Americans who by Mitt Romney's definition are victims who do not take responsibility for their lives: senior citizens.

More than half of those who do not pay Federal income or payroll taxes are senior citizens on fixed incomes. He says, ``I will never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.'' People showing some age, they ought to take personal responsibility for their lives. Romney seems to think that because these seniors depend on Social Security they are not willing to take personal responsibility for their lives. Mitt Romney has no business lecturing these people, these Americans about personal responsibility.

These seniors worked, paid taxes their whole lives, fought to defend our Nation's freedom, and built the greatest middle class the world has ever known. It is Mitt Romney who needs a lesson from them about personal responsibility.

Let's look at another group of Americans that Romney has dismissed, troops and veterans. When we send our troops into harm's way, their combat pay is not taxed. When veterans come back injured, physically and emotionally, we don't ask them to pay taxes on their disability benefits. Should they pay taxes on these benefits in order to be honorable in Mitt Romney's eyes?

I believe they have already given their country more than their share. If you look at this picture, it tells you so much. In that hug a returning veteran gets, glad to see his family, they are glad to see him standing straight, able to communicate. Romney says, ``I can never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.'' Imagine that, for him to make statements such as that to include veterans. We give our veterans government benefits that they earn through their service. They get education benefits tax free under a new GI bill. Many receive health care from the VA and some get housing assistance.

Never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives?

What would Mitt Romney say to veterans who do not owe Federal income taxes or receive a government benefit? We have seen the tape. He says: They are victims who could never be convinced to take personal responsibility for their lives. Mitt Romney must have known many who served in Vietnam during his period of maturity. Did he think of them who served in Vietnam as not doing their share, not taking personal responsibility?

I am a veteran. I take offense at that. These men and women risked everything fighting for our freedoms and our rights, and we ought to do everything we can to support them. These heroes know a great deal more than Mitt Romney about personal responsibility and sacrifice. Mitt Romney was simply saying what many in today's Republican Party truly believe. He has pulled back the curtain on their agenda. He has revealed the stark choice facing the American people. America deserves better than a Presidential candidate who dismisses the contribution that half--47 percent, to be more precise--of our fellow Americans make--they get derision and disrespect. That is hardly appropriate for a Presidential candidate to be saying.

He, after all, seeks the job that puts him in charge of the whole 310 million people in America. And yet he has the audacity to say these people are not worthy of honor, worthy of thanks, worthy of their contribution to this country? All this time it was thought that Mitt Romney just did not get it. But it turns out worse than that. He just does not care. He knows what he is saying, and he says it deliberately. He just does not care.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, over 2 years have passed since I last included the names of our troops who have lost their lives serving in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wish to honor their service and sacrifice by including their names in the Congressional Record.

Since I last included the names of our fallen troops on July 13, 2010, the Pentagon announced the deaths of 1,020 troops in Iraq and in Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes Afghanistan. They will not be forgotten, and today I ask unanimous consent that their names be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to speak as if in morning business.

Mr. President, we are at a moment in time when Americans across the country are confused by what they are hearing; it is hard to discern truth from fiction.

One of the proposals that is being talked about is from the Republican nominee for Vice President, Paul Ryan, who is known for his budget proposals. We have to look at them squarely and decide what is reliable, what is true, and what is, as I said earlier, fiction.

Those proposals cut taxes for the rich, raise taxes on the middle class, while abandoning the sick, the poor, and our children. The Ryan budget can only be good for one very small group of Americans: the wealthiest among us.

Now, I was fortunate to succeed in business--succeed in a way that would have been impossible to dream about when I was growing up in a poor family. But I was helped by our country's government for my service in the military during the big war.

But in our democracy, each person gets one vote. So what do you do as a candidate for national office when your vision for the country is good for the few and bad for the many? You can pretend it is good for everybody. You can say it will benefit all Americans. In short, you can substitute fiction for truth. This approach was on brilliant display at the Republican Convention when Paul Ryan claimed the Republican plan would help the middle class--help that, frankly, we believe would take us downhill instead of Operation Uplift.

An article on Fox News' Web site described his convention speech as, ``an apparent attempt to set the world record for the greatest number of blatant lies and misrepresentations slipped into a single political speech.''

Fox News, a conservative communications organization. Maybe that is why they call him ``Lyin' Ryan.'' His speech in Tampa was the most public and extreme example of the smokescreen he has been blowing around here for a long time. So today I want to look at the numbers in Paul Ryan's budget because numbers don't lie, even if some politicians do.

It is obvious Paul Ryan doesn't want us to see the specific programs he would cut, but let's look at the devastating consequences if his cuts were distributed evenly.

Under the Ryan budget, 200,000 preschool children would be kicked off of Head Start rolls in 2014. We have a chart that clearly shows that. Imagine slashing funding for a program designed to help children learn how to learn. In our country today there are many situations where children don't have parental advice or the encouragement of parents to learn. Head Start is a terrific program because Head Start teaches these children that learning is fun, so that when they enter school they are ready to accept learning and they look at it as something that will be interesting and pleasant and worth doing. Ryan's cuts are shortsighted and they are cruel and they will only harm America's future.

As much as $115 billion could be cut from education funding over the next decade if we follow the Ryan budget. With less support and rising costs for higher education, young people would be forced to take on more debt in order to attend college. If we were to talk to college students today, we would learn how tough it is, so that when they graduate from college they may have a debt of $50,000 to $100,000. And here they want the average college student to take on more. It is an outrage.

Why would anyone put obstacles in front of young people seeking an education? They are not concerned about those who want to learn or how they merge into our society.

I never would have been able to attend Columbia University without help from the government and the GI bill. When we came home from World War II, this country invested in us--and that investment helped create the ``greatest generation'' and decades of prosperity. The GI bill enabled me to cofound one of America's most successful companies, ADP. That company

today employs over 50,000 people in more than 23 countries. But instead of offering a helping hand to this generation's students, the Ryan proposal closes the door in their face.

Under the Ryan budget, government investments in science, technology, and medical research could also be shortchanged--cut by more than $100 billion over the next 10 years. Medical research funding alone could take a hit of nearly $6 billion by 2014. This would delay research on new treatments for diseases such as cancer, childhood asthma, and juvenile diabetes. All of these would start to fall by the wayside.

We have a chart that says the Republican budget plan would take $5.8 billion that would otherwise be used for asthma, juvenile diabetes, cancer, autism, and more. Who would want to deliver a message to a parent in America that says: Your country cannot provide the funds to cure your child's illness?

The Ryan budget also wants to add pain to those dependent on health care programs. Instead of reassuring seniors that they can look forward to retirement in good health, he adds anxiety with cuts. He has proposed to end Medicare as we know it, giving seniors a voucher instead of a guarantee. If that voucher can't cover the cost of needed medical services, this is the Republicans' attitude: Too bad. You are on your own. If Ryan succeeds, tell the Medicare beneficiaries that their costs for medical services can be increased at the will of insurance companies.

Ryan's plan says: All right, cut Medicaid--that is a program for the impoverished--cut Medicaid by more than $800 billion over a 10-year period. Medicaid is there to provide vital resources for expectant mothers and nursing home care for seniors. We created Medicare and Medicaid to be there for seniors and the poor when they get sick. Ryan, with that sharp knife of his, wants to cut funding and break that promise. It is shameful.

A budget isn't just a collection of numbers; it is an expression of principles and priorities, and we shouldn't look at a budget like an auditor. We should see it as a way to fulfill the obligations of our democracy and to be there for those who need help. A budget sets forth a vision for our Nation's future and makes a statement about what counts in America and what are our values.

So when we see the budget authored by Paul Ryan called ``marvelous'' by Mitt Romney--Mitt Romney, candidate for President of the United States called this budget by Paul Ryan and the budget passed by the House Republicans ``marvelous''--we should be deeply disturbed. It is an outrage for Republicans to say we should give the wealthiest Americans more tax breaks as they increase the burden on a middle class already struggling to afford the essentials. Who are we going to fight for, middle-class families or the multimillionaires?

In our country last year, 400 people made over $200 million on average. Should they carry their fair share of the country's opportunities and continue to invest in the country rather than shepherd the funds for their own personal use?

Everybody knows we cannot build a house from the chimney down and we cannot build a balanced society by soaking the poor to feed the rich. At a time when our economy is fighting strong headwinds, when too many Americans are out of work, Paul Ryan and his running mate offer the same old prescription: tax cuts for the rich and austerity for everybody else. We will not hear this from him. Paul Ryan likes to distract and distort. He has been hiding the truth about his budget so the American people do not truly know what is going on.

The bottom line is this: Paul Ryan knows very well he cannot afford to tell the American people what his real agenda is because he knows what would happen. There would be no more buyers for what he is selling. Americans are now seeing the values the Republican Party and their new leader Paul Ryan are fighting for.

We let the Republicans have their way for 8 years, and it led to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Very often we will hear them say: Obama has not done what he should have done. There are 4 million more people working now in the private sector than there were just two years ago and people are excited about the health care plan because they know this health plan is going to help them be better, have wellness in their lives. It ultimately will reduce costs substantially.

It goes that way. But rather than help those who could use a boost, could use some support--could use it to make sure their kids get educated or to help their parents, the people who built the strength of this country over the years, past generations--rather than help them, let's protect those, the wealthiest, who do not need the help.

During World War II, there was an excess profits tax. That tax was there, designed to take some of the excess profits that companies were making. Now we ought to apply the same logic. We have people fighting for their lives in Afghanistan and other places. Instead of saying let's make sure everybody feels like they are included in this great democracy of ours, they are saying: No, let them take care of themselves. As a matter of fact, it was suggested by Mitt Romney, the candidate for President--he said these college students ought to borrow from their parents. In many cases, the parents are struggling to keep food on the table or pay the rent or the mortgage.

Enough is enough. There is too much at stake to let ourselves be fooled by their tricks once again. We have to support the programs that have been working. Perfectly? Not yet, but they are getting better all the time. More people are going to work and more people view America as an opportunity for them to succeed in life.

Honoring Our Foreign Servants

While I have the floor, I wish to pay my respects to Ambassador Chris Stevens' family and to note that four American heroes were murdered yesterday at the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya, people who had an assignment to make sure their country, America, was working in Libya to try to bridge the gaps that might exist. It is a terrible tragedy that happened. We all have to note our sorrow.

My deepest condolences are with their families, their friends and loved ones as they mourn the loss of these patriots. This is a tragedy about which all Americans are deeply saddened.

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

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, today marks a time in America that must always in the future be remembered. It cannot be forgotten, because it was the worst day on American soil in modern times. The worst day. It was the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, Shanksville, PA, and the Pentagon.

These attacks put together such a horrific toll, we must constantly be reminded. And we are every day of the year. We are reminded how terrible this attack was. It was unimaginable, the pictures that we saw on TV. If anyone turned on the TV, on almost every station there was a picture of the strike at the World Trade Center, an airplane running into it. And the first thing that was thought--and unfortunately I was out of the country when this took place; I heard about it on the radio, and saw people in the country I was in weeping for this great America. We thought it was an accidental thing. We are not far from an airport, Teterboro Airport in New Jersey--maybe that it was an errant pilot, probably a single-engine airplane. Nothing could have been further from the truth. This was a designed attack on this building with all of the particulars that the terrorists had to have: How long would it take for the steel to melt, where is the best place to strike, what can the consequences of an attack such as this be? Unimaginable, as I earlier said.

In my home State of New Jersey, we lost the second highest number of lives of any State in the country. More than 700 people from New Jersey perished in this terrible onslaught. September 11, 2001, changed our country forever. We see it and we are reminded about it every day of the year. If you want to enter many buildings, you have to identify yourself; you want to get in an airplane, you have to identify yourself; you want to get in these buildings, you have to identify yourself. This is a habit that grew out of the fear of terrorism. We have over 200,000 people employed to protect us against a terrorist attack. Alhough it was 11 years ago,

few Americans will forget how that peaceful Tuesday turned into one of the most unpleasant days, most painful days, most heartfelt days on American soil. We still feel the pain and the sadness of that day. And when we think about it, the biggest price, of course, was paid by the families, the families who lost a son or a daughter or a husband or a wife or a grandparent or a friend or a neighbor. The loss was with excruciating pain. We lost nearly 3,000 American lives at the World Trade Center and in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon--3,000 American lives in a single day. I am reminded, since I served in the Army during World War II, that Pearl Harbor had fewer casualties than did the attack that day; that it outdid the number killed immediately at D-day. It was a terrible tragedy that struck our country.

Forty-one States and territories and more than 90 countries lost at least a member, a person from that tragedy. Imagine, over 90 countries, 41 States and territories; and 343 firefighters and 60 police officers were among those who died as they answered desperate calls for help. These people were not present in the building, typically. They came to the building while the flames were there and the soot and the dirt was falling and the building collapsing. They went into those buildings to help people who were screaming and pleading for help. It has been 11 years, but many Americans are still sick and more than 71,000 Americans are still having their health monitored because of exposure to the dust, the asbestos, and to the chemicals that filled the air.

As we remember those we have lost, we have to let our grief serve as a reminder of our resilience and to rebuild our strength. While the scars of 9/11 may never fully heal, we take some comfort in knowing that in our fight back, we have, in some ways, confirmed our fight against terrorism. Osama bin Laden will never take another innocent American life. But we have to remember that although bin Laden's influence has been eliminated, there are lots of people who want to follow in his footsteps in plotting against America.

The everyday lives of all Americans have changed forever. We now live in a state of constant vigilance to prevent another attack. I remember not too long ago, we used to have announcements that this is an orange color day or a green day or whatever, denoting the risk of an attack from a terrorist organization or an individual. Because of 9/11, over 200,000 Americans go to work every day at the Department of Homeland Security to protect us at airports or at buildings or gatherings where we have to show an ID to gain entry. So that day made a huge difference in the way we function. It costs time, it costs money, and it costs inconvenience. Nothing, however, as I earlier said, compares to the loss of a loved one.

We are determined now to remain diligent and strong, despite the face of terrorism that is frequently depicted these days. As Americans gather today in tribute to those we lost, we have to remember to keep alive the memories of these Americans who perished for being in the place they were in and not for anything they did wrong. So we have to resolve to continue the work of keeping our families safe, our communities strong, and to be reminded about that, we still see the direct result from that attack, with 71,000 people, including more than 8,000 from New Jersey, who are currently being monitored for health conditions that resulted from the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. That is 70,000 people who are having their health monitored and more than 14,000 responders and 2,500 community residents who are currently sick and receiving treatment from the World Trade Center Health Program. Many have perished, and we passed a law to offer compensation and health care for those who are still suffering from the results of that terrible day.

With that, let me just say I think we have to remember we must stay strong. Unfortunately, there cannot be any relaxation. When we see the Olympic games or the Super Bowl or days that mark pleasant competition and bonding and youth and energy, we remember those days over 11 years ago.

It is hard to take much consolation, except we know one thing; that we cannot stop protecting our citizens, our people, wherever they are in the world--wherever they are in the world. We have seen attacks take place on foreign soil from people who don't know who they are; perhaps some knowing they are American travelers or American diplomats. But there is, again, little satisfaction until one day the world turns more sensible and respects human life. We hope that is a situation that is forever reflected upon and never forgotten.

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

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