Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise in support of S. Res 454 honoring a true transportation pioneer, Malcom McLean. His use of the intermodal shipping container--first used successfully in the United States 50 years ago yesterday--streamlined the shipping process and set the stage for our modem globalized economy through containerization.

Before the age of containerization, shipping raw materials and consumer goods was an extremely arduous process; to transfer goods from a ship to a train, or from a train to a truck, the merchandise first needed to be unloaded, sorted, and reloaded. As a truck driver in 1937, Malcom McLean realized that the goods could be shipped more cheaply, efficiently, and quickly if they didn't need to be unloaded and re-

loaded into different shipping containers on each leg of a trip. He invented a type of container that was durable and versatile enough to be attached to a train, loaded onto a tractor-trailer, and secured to the deck of a ship; the revolutionary idea created efficiencies in the process by making loading and un-loading at each step of the intermodal shipping process obsolete.

Mr. President, yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the Ideal X setting sail from Port Newark, in my home State of New Jersey, and bound for Houston, TX. This historic trip marked the first successful implementation of Malcom McLean's grand idea: it was the first time a ship left U.S. loaded with intermodal containers, 58 in total. Putting these containers on ships allowed for great cost savings in shipping-- as much as 25 percent or more--and the triumphant voyage of the Ideal X signaled that the exciting new method was indeed practical and worthwhile.

It is nearly impossible to overstate the importance of his innovation. If you enjoy consumer products imported from overseas, or from distant areas of our own country, you can credit Malcom McLean's revolutionary idea for making them more affordable. If you enjoy fresh produce or baked goods from your local grocery store, thank McLean's innovation for bringing them to market more quickly. Container ization surely has made the world a smaller place by allowing goods from all over the world arrive at their destinations more cheaply and more quickly, and our standard of living in America has improved markedly in the process.

Before I was elected to the Senate, I served as commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1978 until 1982. I had the opportunity to get to know Malcom McLean, a singularly focused man, who was successful in nearly all of his pursuits because of his strong work ethic and unmatched talent for innovation. While Mr. McLean passed away in 2001, his legacy lives on through his widow Irena McLean and his family, and through his lasting contributions to industry in New Jersey, the United States, and the entire world.

I encourage he Senate to adopt this resolution and honor a great American.

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

Mr. President, there has been a fairly lively debate. I ask unanimous consent I have such time as needed to make my remarks, should my remarks run more than 10 minutes, under the morning business rules. I need possibly 15 minutes.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, there has been almost a raging debate around here these last couple of days on evaluations of what is taking place in Iraq, where do we stand in this war--almost a war of attrition, as I see it.

And included in the reports on deaths, killings, this morning we heard about an explosion, with suicide bombers detonating a bomb in a mosque that killed around 40 people. It is almost a daily thing that we hear and see, the horror of families being torn apart by the loss of a loved one. Children, men, women, it does not matter. It is just universal killing and demolition. It is a terrible act to witness.

Now we have some different news that has come about to accompany those stories of horror from Iraq. Everybody now knows that the Vice President's former chief of staff, Scooter Libby, has been indicted as part of the investigation into the leak of classified material from the White House.

I remember when this controversy broke. President Bush acted incredulous that anyone would leak classified national security information. In fact, in September 2003, the President said:

There's just too many leaks, and if there is a leak out of

my administration, I want to know who it is.

But now we find out--I think embarrassingly for the President, embarrassingly for the United States--we now find out that the President himself was ordering a leak of classified material. And he leaked that classified information for political reasons. He was trying to undo some of the political damage caused by the disclosure that the intelligence community did not believe Iraq was trying to purchase uranium. There it was: the reason we went to Iraq in the first place, and substantial doubts.

People who supported that view are now challenging the intelligence that led us there, or at least the intelligence reports we got. Now, here we are, still bogged down in Iraq, with no hope in sight to fix the mess we have caused there.

Yesterday, there was debate between two of our colleagues. One was Senator Kerry, who served in Vietnam, decorated for that service, the other was the Senator from Colorado, who was harsh in his criticism of Senator Kerry's speech on Iraq.

Now, Senator Kerry and I are both veterans. I am a veteran of World War II, and I served in Europe during the war. His, again, distinguished service in Vietnam is well known. So we are both veterans, and we are very interested in the military analysis of the Senator from Colorado.

The speech of the Senator from Colorado sounded much like White House talking points: short on facts, long on innuendo and fantasy.

While politicians in Washington sometimes wear rose-colored glasses and fantasize about the situation in Iraq, American troops are dying, American troops are wounded. One need only visit Walter Reed Hospital to see how serious some of those wounds are. People have lost limbs. People lose their sight. People suffer very severely from post- traumatic stress, invisible wounds that penetrate, nevertheless, very deeply.

I have gone to many memorial services and funerals for young people from New Jersey who died in Iraq. Seventy-three soldiers from my home State of New Jersey have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. As I mentioned, I have visited Walter Reed Army Hospital here in Washington several times, and I have been struck by the incredible resilience and dedication to our country of those young Americans, those who want to be able to pick up arms again so they can do their duty. And while these brave men and women put their lives on the line, the administration is simply ignoring reality.

Paul Eaton, a former commanding general of the Coalition Military Assistance and Training Team, wrote in the New York Times on March 19, recently, that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is--and here I quote the Times--``not competent to lead our armed forces.''

Eaton further said that Rumsfeld ``has shown himself incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically, and is far more than anyone else responsible for what has happened to our important mission in Iraq. Mr. Rumsfeld must step down.''

This past Sunday on ``Meet The Press,'' retired General Anthony Zinni, who just published a book, repeated the call for Mr. Rumsfeld to resign. General Zinni of the U.S. Marine Corps is a former Commander of the Central Command. He said Secretary Rumsfeld should be held accountable for tactical mistakes in Iraq.

I had the opportunity the other night to go to a testimonial for General Shalikashvili and saw films of him done with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, President Clinton--all kinds of testimonials. As I looked at General Shalikashvili, I recalled how splendidly he handled his assignment as the Chief of the joint members of the senior staff and recalled that he said that in Iraq we would need perhaps 300,000 troops or more. He was right. And we never delivered on that commitment. As a consequence, in many military circles it is believed that lack of force is responsible for some of the problems we currently see.

Several days after General Zinni spoke, President Bush dismissed calls for Rumsfeld to step down, saying he was ``satisfied'' with his performance.

How in the world can the Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, be satisfied with the situation in Iraq? It is chaotic. It is near a civil war. The definition of a ``civil war'' is that people within the same country are fighting one another. My gosh, it could not be clearer.

So how can he be satisfied with Secretary Rumsfeld's miscalculations, with his profound errors in judgment, with his stubborn unwillingness to admit mistakes?

These mistakes have had tragic consequences--tragic for the nearly 2,400 American men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, tragic for the families they have left behind.

To examine the incompetence a little bit further--I have not been in Iraq in the last couple of years. I was there then, and I met with troops, and they were asking for better body armor. They were asking for better Humvee armor. And it took 2 years to loosen up those products to protect our troops. How incompetent must one be for the President not to be up in arms?

After my visit, I said I was going to the Defense Department, and did, requesting expedited treatment for these articles that our troops needed to protect themselves and to fight the war fully.

We know that most of the claims of the Bush administration in the leadup

to war were simply false. The administration claimed there was a connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida. Not true.

The Bush administration claimed that there were weapons of mass destruction there. Not true.

The Bush administration claimed that the war would cost ``in the range of 50 to 60 billion dollars.'' Not true. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the next supplemental to be brought before the Congress in coming weeks, will total a half a trillion dollars, nearly $7 billion a month spent just in Iraq.

The Bush administration said before the war the oil revenues from Iraq could bring ``between 50 and 100 billion [dollars] over the course of the next two to three years.'' Not true again.

President Bush announced, ``Mission accomplished,'' on May 1, 2003. He lulled the Nation into believing that it was all settled: Families, look forward to your kids coming home. Look forward to families restored. Look forward to fathers and mothers coming back to their children. He told the Nation that major combat in Iraq was over. Not true. Ninety percent of the Americans who have died in Iraq have died since combat operations had supposedly ``ended.''

The Bush administration claimed that the Iraq insurgency was in its ``last throes.'' Not true. We know the insurgency has gained strength. General Abizaid recently said the number of foreign terrorists infiltrating Iraq has increased.

Since the last week of February, sectarian violence and death have reached new heights, while electricity production has dropped below prewar levels. Unemployment ranges from 30 to 60 percent.

The American people do not want their leader to deny reality. They want to hear the truth.

People on the floor of the Senate have heard me say it time and time again: I will never understand why the President of the United States refuses to let journalists, photographers, journalists who do photography, come in and take pictures of flag-draped coffins--flag- draped coffins. It is the country's last sign of honoring its dead. They are unable to take pictures of that because they do not want to tell the American people the truth about what is happening. It is, in my view, insulting to those families whose loved ones sacrificed their lives on the battlefield. Outrageous.

They do not want to tell us the truth. What they want to do is tell us untruths. Leaking information is inexcusable, when the penalties for anyone who leaks that information could be jail time.

The President of the United States, President Bush, under the guise of releasing the classification of sensitive material, had passed information, with Vice President Cheney apparently being the person who furnished it, according to Libby, who is now fighting for his freedom. So he is saying things that he can prove, I would imagine; otherwise, he would not dare say it.

We are sick and tired of this war. I am not saying what the date is that we have to leave there, but I am saying that the date has passed for the truth, for knowing what is really happening there, for knowing what our troops and their families can expect.

Last week, I went to a return-home function in New Jersey, people who have come back. They were away, some of them, 18 months--little kids running around who haven't seen their fathers or mothers for that period of time. It is outrageous. We are in a state of confusion that defies imagination, that we, this country, with all of its might and all of its wealth, can't figure out some way to deal with this problem, after having made empty promises about how easy it was going to be-- ``treats and sweets'' was one of the expressions used--totally misunderstanding, not thinking about what it was going to take, not only to fight this war but how do you win it. And winning it means that you go home triumphant. Not so.

We see in front of us a situation that reminds us of the sad days of Vietnam, when we wanted to extricate ourselves and couldn't quite do it until the pain was so excruciating that the population could no longer stand it. We need a leader who sees clearly what is really happening and who speaks candidly--we can take bad news; we don't like it, but we can take it--about what is taking place in front of our eyes on television and newspapers in our homes. We can take the news. We will accept it and fight on to rebuild our strength and our moral conviction about what we are doing. But we need to know the truth on how to do that.

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

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act along with my colleagues, Senators Hagel, Kerry, Menendez, Lincoln, and DeWine.

This important legislation will keep the Pentagon from dramatically raising health care fees on military retirees.

Our bill will limit increases to TRICARE military health insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for those in the National Guard and Reserves who are enrolled in TRICARE. Under this legislation, increases in health care fees cannot exceed the rate of growth in uniformed services beneficiaries' military compensation, thereby protecting beneficiaries from an undue financial burden.

In February, officials at the Department of Defense (DOD) announced plans to double fees on senior enlisted retirees and triple them for officer retirees. If enacted this would mean increases of up to $1,000 annually for some military retirees. While the Department of Defense has since temporarily halted plans to raise fees, it still has authority to implement steep increases in the future and may do so. We must pass legislation now that limits the amount of any health care increase and protects beneficiaries from extreme health care fee increases in the future.

Senator Hagel and I want to demonstrate our commitment to our troops and future veterans by assuring them that just as they protected us, we will take care of them when their service ends. Just as our men and women in uniform vow never to leave a soldier behind in battle, so should we commit never to leave a veteran behind when he or she needs health care.

For three years, Congress has rejected a $250 Veterans Administration health fee increase for non-disabled veterans--doubling and tripling fees for career military is equally inappropriate.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our troops by supporting this important bill.

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

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Military Retirees' Health Care Protection Act along with my colleagues, Senators Hagel, Kerry, Menendez, Lincoln, and DeWine.

This important legislation will keep the Pentagon from dramatically raising health care fees on military retirees.

Our bill will limit increases to TRICARE military health insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for those in the National Guard and Reserves who are enrolled in TRICARE. Under this legislation, increases in health care fees cannot exceed the rate of growth in uniformed services beneficiaries' military compensation, thereby protecting beneficiaries from an undue financial burden.

In February, officials at the Department of Defense (DOD) announced plans to double fees on senior enlisted retirees and triple them for officer retirees. If enacted this would mean increases of up to $1,000 annually for some military retirees. While the Department of Defense has since temporarily halted plans to raise fees, it still has authority to implement steep increases in the future and may do so. We must pass legislation now that limits the amount of any health care increase and protects beneficiaries from extreme health care fee increases in the future.

Senator Hagel and I want to demonstrate our commitment to our troops and future veterans by assuring them that just as they protected us, we will take care of them when their service ends. Just as our men and women in uniform vow never to leave a soldier behind in battle, so should we commit never to leave a veteran behind when he or she needs health care.

For three years, Congress has rejected a $250 Veterans Administration health fee increase for non-disabled veterans--doubling and tripling fees for career military is equally inappropriate.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our troops by supporting this important bill.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate National Autism Awareness Month and to urge my fellow Senators to continue to back efforts to fight this disorder and support the families affected by it.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functions and development of the brain, which affects social and communication skills. Autism is a spectrum disorder, making early diagnosis crucial to minimize the symptoms through specialized intervention programs.

Autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in every 1,000 individuals. As many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. The Department of Education indicates that autism is growing at a rate of 10 to 17 percent per year. At these rates, the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade.

The prevalence of autism has increased astronomically in the past decade, and in certain areas of New Jersey, the rates are higher still. We know far too little about this disorder, and the work of the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, and the National Institutes of Health, NIH, is vital to our efforts to learn more about the nature and incidence of autism.

I am a proud cosponsor of S. 843, the Combating Autism Act of 2005, which authorizes $860 million over 5 years to combat autism through research, screening, intervention, and education. I urge my fellow Senators to support the passage of this bill so that we can continue efforts to eliminate autism.

Congress approved the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, in 1975, requiring States to provide an appropriate education to students with special needs. While it committed to providing 40 percent of the additional costs for educating such students, today the Federal Government funds only 17.8 percent of the cost. In the fiscal year 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, the Federal Government cut back on its share of the cost of providing special education. This leaves State governments and local school districts to choose between paying the extra cost or cutting programs. It is vital that Congress fund IDEA at the fully authorized level. I urge my fellow Senators to support IDEA and pass S. 2185, the IDEA Full Funding Act.

Congress must remain committed to supporting efforts by medical researchers, doctors, schools, State and local governments, and families to learn more about autism and to treat it. This disorder affects too many already. We must do what we can to eliminate future cases while we treat people who currently have autism. I hope we can all join together in this important fight and recognize the importance of National Autism Awareness Month.

Bob Newhart

Mr. President, I rise to submit a concurrent resolution to honor the fallen soldiers we have lost in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). My resolution, which Congressman Rahm Emanuel is introducing in the House of Representatives, directs the Architect of the Capitol to display an exhibit to honor the memory of these brave men and women in the Rotunda of the Capitol building during the period beginning on May 29, 2006, and ending on July 4, 2006. The exhibit will display the name, photograph, and biographical information of each individual member of the United States Armed Forces who has been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Visitors will also have the opportunity to write messages of support and sympathy to the families of the fallen.

On March 20, 2006, we observed the third anniversary of the war of Iraq. Since the start of the war, more than 2,500 American soldiers have been killed serving their country. As we continue our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by these troops. This temporary display will show the families of these heroes that they will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

I want to thank Senators Clinton, Bingaman, Kennedy, Johnson, Boxer, Menendez, Landrieu, Kerry, and Feinstein for co-sponsoring this important resolution. I hope that the rest of the Senate will support its passage, too.

Mr. President, I rise to submit a concurrent resolution to honor the fallen soldiers we have lost in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). My resolution, which Congressman Rahm Emanuel is introducing in the House of Representatives, directs the Architect of the Capitol to display an exhibit to honor the memory of these brave men and women in the Rotunda of the Capitol building during the period beginning on May 29, 2006, and ending on July 4, 2006. The exhibit will display the name, photograph, and biographical information of each individual member of the United States Armed Forces who has been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Visitors will also have the opportunity to write messages of support and sympathy to the families of the fallen.

On March 20, 2006, we observed the third anniversary of the war of Iraq. Since the start of the war, more than 2,500 American soldiers have been killed serving their country. As we continue our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by these troops. This temporary display will show the families of these heroes that they will always be remembered by a grateful nation.

I want to thank Senators Clinton, Bingaman, Kennedy, Johnson, Boxer, Menendez, Landrieu, Kerry, and Feinstein for co-sponsoring this important resolution. I hope that the rest of the Senate will support its passage, too.

Mr. President, I rise to express my support for the confirmation of Michael Chagares to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

A Federal judge must be fair, impartial, and well-qualified. I strongly believe that if you look at Mr. Chagares' record and his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, it is obvious that he is the right person for this assignment.

Mr. Chagares is currently in private practice, but he served in the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey for 14 years.

Through hard work and diligence, he rose to become the head of the civil division, where he supervised and managed all civil cases on behalf of the United States Government, its agencies and officials. He oversaw litigation, directed legal positions to be taken in court, and approved settlements.

Before he became head of the civil division, Mr. Chagares directed the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office for several years. During his tenure in the U.S. Attorney's office, Mr. Chagares received a

number of awards and commendations, including two director's awards for superior performance as an assistant U.S. Attorney.

Mr. Chagares is a graduate of Seton Hall Law School in Newark, where he has also taught as an adjunct professor since 1991.

His familiarity with the Third Circuit goes back to the late 1980s, when he worked as a law clerk for the honorable Morton Greenberg.

The Third Circuit is based in Philadelphia, and it considers appeals from Federal district courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. It is a vitally important court, and his is an important seat, as he will replace Michael Chertoff, who left the court to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

I hope my colleagues agree with me that Mr. Chagares is more than qualified for this position, and I hope they will join me in voting for his confirmation.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join the junior Senator from Oregon in submitting this resolution to raise public awareness about and encourage medical research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This resolution also promotes greater access to care for those suffering from these disorders. It is my hope that Congress will continue to aid efforts in the medical community to diagnose, treat, and eventually cure this disease.

Psoriasis is a non-contagious, immune-mediated, lifelong skin disorder that has been diagnosed in more than 5 million men, women, and children in the United States. The source of psoriasis is believed to have a genetic component which triggers a faster growth cycle of skin cells that result in build-up; however, the exact cause is unknown.

Psoriatic arthritis is a condition associated with psoriasis. This disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints and connective tissue, which causes stiffness, pain, swelling, and tenderness of the joints and the tissue around them. Without treatment, psoriatic arthritis can be potentially disabling and crippling. Approximately 10 to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis.

The National Institutes of Health, NIH, estimates that 5.8-7.5 million people are living with psoriasis. Each year, the United States spends $4.0 billion to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Furthermore, about 56 million hours of work are lost each year by people who suffer from psoriasis. The National Institute of Mental Health has found that psoriasis can cause as much physical and mental disability as other major diseases. Researchers are still searching for a cure for psoriasis. In the meantime, we must continue to raise awareness, to support research efforts to cure this disease, and to treat those living with it.

I thank my colleagues for supporting this effort.

Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate is considering this Senate resolution, which I submitted with Senator Dole and 23 additional co-sponsors.

This resolution honors the National Association of State Veterans Homes, NASVH, and its 119 State homes for their support in caring for our Nation's military veterans. The State veterans' home program has been a successful partnership between the Federal Government and the States. It is responsible for the bulk of VA-supported long-term care services to veterans and their families.

The NASVH was first established in 1954 as a volunteer, nonprofit organization. Now, 119 State homes provide nursing home care, domiciliary care, and hospital-type care to over 27,500 veterans in 47 States and Puerto Rico. My State of New Jersey has three Veterans Homes, which serve approximately 1,000 veterans.

The NASVH has been vitally important in developing new methods for caring for elderly veterans, such as hospice care, respite care, Alzheimer's care, and adult day health care.

The State veterans home program has been remarkably successful. This resolution recognizes the importance of this Federal-State partnership and honors the dedicated men and women of the National Association of State Veterans Homes for caring for our Nation's aging and disabled military heroes.

I served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II. Consequently, I am well aware of the sacrifices brave young men and women make on behalf of our country. It's important that our Nation honors its commitment to look after our veterans. That's where organizations like the NASVH come in and do their part. So it's appropriate to honor this group for its commitment to serving our veterans. I thank the Senate for adopting this resolution.

Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate National Women's History Month.

This is an important national observance that reminds us to celebrate the immense accomplishments and everlasting contributions of women. Women have helped shape our society since the first settlers landed on America's shores, and women continue to lead us into the future.

It is important that we remember the efforts of women such as Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Madeleine Albright, Maya Angelou, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Friedan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Billie Jean King, Margaret Mead, Sacagawea, and Chien- Shiung Wu. We celebrate the diverse contributions of each of these remarkable women to all facets of American society.

The State of New Jersey is home to many commendable women. Alice Paul, Elizabeth Coleman White, Mary Norton, and Mary Roebling are just a few.

Alice Paul was as a leader of the women's suffrage movement, founder of the National Women's Party, and author of the equal rights amendment. This longtime activist for women's equality is well known for picketing the White House, which landed her in jail during the summer of 1917 but helped secure women's right to vote. Few have had as great an impact on American history as Alice Paul.

Elizabeth Coleman White was born on her family's cranberry farm in New Lisbon, NJ. She partnered with Frederick Coville on her farm to create the first commercial crop of blueberries. Ms. White was also the first person to use a cellophane wrap in fruit shipment.

Mary Norton was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1924 and served in Congress for 26 years. She was a member of the famous Petticoat Front in the 80th Congress, which was a bipartisan group of women who fought to gain equal footing with men as legislators. At the time, only seven women served in the Congress. Today, thanks in part to Mary Norton's pioneering efforts, a record 84 women are Members of Congress.

Mary Roebling was the first woman to head a major commercial bank, the Trenton Trust Company, and in 1958 she became the first female governor of the New York Stock Exchange. She has proven that women can be just as successful in the business world, and any sector, as men.

These four women are only a handful of those who deserve recognition for their contributions to America.

In 1981, Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women's History Week, which coincides with International Women's Day. At the request of the National Women's History Project, this was expanded to a month in 1987. I have always been proud to support this effort.

I hope that National Women's History Month will continue to help educate Americans about women's accomplishments and inspire more women to reach for the stars.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Chemical Security and Safety Act, a bill to protect our communities and citizens from terrorism. This measure is cosponsored by Senators Obama, Kerry, Menendez, Durbin, and Biden.

All of our States have a significant number of industrial facilities that manufacture or use chemicals. And we are all concerned about the potential of terrorist attacks on these facilities, which could threaten millions of lives.

I have advocated stronger security measures for chemical facilities for years. We needed better security at our chemical facilities even before 9/11--and that need is even more urgent today. Richard Falkenrath, a former top presidential advisor on homeland security, has said, ``I am aware of no other category of potential terrorist targets that presents as great a danger'' as chemical facilities.

There are about 15,000 chemical manufacturers and storage facilities nationwide, including about 110 in heavily populated areas. The greatest area of vulnerability is in South Kearney, NJ, where 12 million people live in proximity to the Kuehne Chemical plant. A chemical catastrophe at this facility could endanger the life and health of people caught in the path of the prevailing winds.

The State of New Jersey has taken strong action to protect its citizens from this threat. Last year, New Jersey required that chemical facilities adopt a practice known as inherently safer technology. That means exactly what it says--if products can be manufactured using safer chemicals, then factories must do so.

But last week, the Bush administration sent a signal that it wants to override the right of States to require inherently safer technology. Basically, the administration wants to trust chemical facilities to protect the American people.

This approach is wrong, and it is a timid response to a dangerous threat. Trusting large corporations to do the right thing didn't work with Enron--and it won't protect the American people from a chemical catastrophe.

The Chemical Security and Safety Act offers real protection from a chemical catastrophe. It will require every chemical facility in the Nation to adopt inherently safer technology. It will protect the rights of States to enact tough chemical security standards to protect their citizens. It will improve physical security at chemical plants, with a requirement for stronger perimeter barriers. And it will establish whistleblower protections for employees who expose security risks at chemical facilities, and guarantee that workers have a role in securing the safety of facilities.

This is a strong, comprehensive approach. Some might say it goes too far. But as someone whose State lost 700 people on 9/11, I don't think we can ever go too far in protecting the American people from a terrorist attack on a chemical facility.

We have waited long enough. We need to take action now to protect the American people from a chemical catastrophe. I hope all of my colleagues will support the Chemical Security and Safety Act.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the Chemical Security and Safety Act be printed in the Record.

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

Mr. President, I will soon offer an amendment to remove the airline passenger tax increase from this budget. It is fundamentally unfair for the President to raise taxes on everyday families as he doles out massive tax cuts to the wealthy.

Hidden among the thousands of pages in this legislation is a proposal to double the minimum amount that airline passengers pay as a security tax. President Bush wants to increase this tax from $2.50 per flight to $5 per flight. That is a 100-percent tax increase.

The impact on a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights is illustrated by the chart that we have here. An increase in security tax for a family of four traveling roundtrip on nonstop flights, typically, if it is $20 now, is going to be $40 obviously. That is quite a burden.

The traveling public is already too heavily taxed. Air travelers pay an enormous amount of Federal taxes on every airline ticket--nearly 20 percent of the base fare price now. For example, the tax on the average domestic roundtrip flight of $230 is $45. That is a tax rate of almost 20 percent.

Air travelers are taxed every time they turn around. They pay the Federal excise tax--on top of the Federal segment tax, on top of the passenger facility charge, on top of the security tax. Now the President wants to double the security tax.

To make matters worse, this tax increase will hit families the hardest. Sixty-three percent of the domestic air trips in this country in 2004 were taken for personal purposes, including vacations and visits to families and loved ones.

I am one of the strongest advocates for transportation security resources for our country, but we have to provide these necessary resources by spreading the tax burdens across this country fairly and not targeting everyday Americans while special interests raid the Federal Treasury.

I also want to point out to my colleagues that this amendment is offset by closing abusive tax shelters. So when we look at this, if the airlines don't pass along this tax increase to the average family, they themselves will have to experience further losses. There was $10 billion in losses in 2005 by the aviation industry. That is on top of $32 billion from 2001 to 2004. There were 150,000 jobs lost since 9/11. They just cannot handle it.

So I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and say no to the Bush airline passenger tax increases, keeping in mind that those tax increases are put upon the average family to give the wealthiest among us huge tax breaks. It is unfair and it ought not to be permitted. I urge you in this instance to vote no on further tax increases for the average American family.

With that, I yield the floor.

Yes. We neglected to do the most important part of it. I was overcome by the speech, Mr. President.

I send the amendment to the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. President, my amendment is now being considered. The vote is simple: If you vote yes, you support my amendment to strike this unfair tax increase from the budget. However, if you vote no on this, you are saying to the average family that they should pay more taxes. So the vote is yes. We want to strike this unfair tax increase from the budget.

The average family of four traveling round-trip on nonstop flights will pay $40 in security taxes under the President's budget proposal. The traveling public is already overtaxed. They pay nearly 20 percent in total Federal taxes on every airline ticket.

To make matters worse, this tax increase will hit families the hardest--families and loved ones traveling to be together, whether during holidays or emergencies.

The proper vote for the families of America is a yes vote. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and eliminate the Bush airline passenger tax increase.