Floor Statements

Mr. President, as the time for my departure from the Senate draws near, on behalf of the greatest blessings in my life, my wife Susan, and my children, Tyler, Forrest, and Brooke, I wish to thank my colleagues for their many courtesies and friendships forged during these past 6 years, and offer a few concluding reflections on our time here together, and the future of our Republic.

Our foremost senior statesman in Virginia, one who served with particular distinction in this body--Harry Byrd Jr.--has observed that, with the exception of the Presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, no time in our Nation's history has been witness to more problems and challenges of great magnitude than these past 6 years.

When I arrived here in January 2001, America was at peace--or so we thought. And then on the bright, blue sky morning of September 11, the skies suddenly darkened with clouds of smoke from the Pentagon, and the horrific collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. And our world changed forever.

When I arrived in this body, accompanying a change of Presidential administrations, our challenges were mostly economic--or so we thought. Our prosperity was already slipping, but most forecasts were for a mild downturn in the economy. That changed on September 11 as well.

A cascade of other great challenges soon followed in rapid succession--issues foreign and domestic, challenges locally and nationally, threats manmade and disasters decreed by nature.

Through all of these unprecedented storms, it was our responsibility to make careful, prayerful decisions for the safety, security and prosperity of the people of our country.

I am particularly grateful to the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the opportunity to serve here--to give voice to their values and to fight for their future in this, the world's most distinguished body.

We all understand and respect the will of the people--the owners of the government--in our representative democracy that brings us here and that may, at some point, take us away.

Sometimes winds, political and otherwise, can blow the leaves off branches and break branches off trees. But a deep-rooted tree will stand and grow again in the next season.

And, if Providence accords it the right climate and nourishment, that tree will bear fruit for generations to come, and give life to other trees.

I have been honored, first as Governor and now as Senator, to be a part of important initiatives that have borne fruit for the people of Virginia and America.

As Governor, we worked across party lines to accomplish the honest change that Virginians had desired and deserved. We abolished the deceitful, lenient parole laws, brought truth to sentencing, brought violent criminals to justice, and reformed our juvenile justice laws.

Today, the crime rate is down, and thousands of good people are not victims of crime, have not lost loved ones, have not had their lives shattered, because we stood strong for truth and justice, and our reforms bore fruit.

We also brought high academic standards, accountability and new resources to Virginia's education system. We stopped skyrocketing college tuition rates.

Our education reform initiatives quickly became models for other States, and even for this body in enacting education reform legislation for the nation.

These reforms, too, are bearing fruit today. Virginia students are learning more and performing markedly better on both state and national tests. Our schools are no longer engaging in social promotion.

And with investments in higher education from the coalfields with Appalachian School of Law and School of Pharmacy, to the Institute in Danville, to southwest Virginia and Roanoke HEC's, to the Engineering School of VCU, to new leading-edge research at Virginia Tech, George Mason, Hampton and other universities we are equipping young men and women to succeed in the ever-more-competitive global marketplace.

And we replaced dependency with dignity by reforming Virginia's welfare laws. Now, 11 years later, our welfare rolls are still less than half of what they were when I became Governor. Not only has that saved the taxpayers of Virginia hundreds of millions of dollars--the far more important impact is seen in the eyes of children who watch with admiration and respect as their parents go off to productive, rewarding jobs rather than sit at home, collecting a check.

Nothing was more rewarding for me as Governor than to help ignite Virginia's economic renaissance. We sent a message to the world that Virginia was ``open for business''--we lowered taxes, reduced regulations, implemented prompt permitting, and recruited high- technology companies like IBM and Toshiba, Micron and Infineon--now Qimonda--Oracle's east coast campus, and secured billions of dollars in investment in semiconductor fabrication plants for world-class companies.

Before we recruited those companies 10 years ago, there were no computer memory chips manufactured in Virginia. Today, computer memory chips have replaced cigarettes as Virginia's No. 1 manufactured export. We're not just the ``Old Dominion'' anymore; now we're the ``Silicon Dominion!''

When I came to the Senate, my goal was to use this perspective and experience to continue and build on this work. I wanted to bring to our national policies the same emphasis on education and innovation--the same emphasis on economic opportunity--the same emphasis on protecting the safety and security of law-abiding people--the same time-tested values--that had guided my governorship.

I have been able to do that, and I am grateful to many of you for working in partnership with me on so many issues that are vitally important for the lives and safety and prosperity of our citizens.

Our time together has been full of challenge. But despite the broken branches and shattered limbs and lives of 9/11, America has stood strong like a live oak. We have relied on our roots as a freedom-loving nation. Out of these stormy times has grown a new national sense of urgency, resolve and mission. And this new spirit is bearing fruit today, and will for many years to come.

Yes, the people of America have grown impatient with the pace of this progress. It is not easy during prolonged periods of national trial to sustain an attitude of optimism and a sense of purpose. Our foes know this about democracies, and they seek to exploit it. But they will not succeed.

We Americans, of so many faiths and so many backgrounds, share this spirit above all else: We believe in the positive impact that each of us can achieve during our time here on Earth. But our opponents have no such belief. They fear human freedom, and glorify the extinguishing of human life more than the fruitful living of it. They will not succeed in this great struggle because they are only destroyers, and the world belongs to those who create.

The God who gave us life, and who presides over the affairs of all nature and all nations, endowed mankind with a powerful spirit of creation, regeneration, and renewal.

The attackers of 9/11 thought they would kill our spirit, but they only rekindled it. And, despite one of the most unsettled and challenging times in our Nation's history, look at what we have to show for it.

Our economy is displaying unprecedented strength. Unemployment is the lowest it has been in decades. Home values are significantly higher than just a few years ago, and the stock market is at a record high level. The tax burden on our people is at a 20-year low, while Federal tax revenues are at all-time highs, and inflation is under control.

There has not been a single terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11, and numerous major plots have been foiled. The al-Qaida leadership has been decimated, and instead of meeting the enemy here at home, we have taken the fight to them in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq and in locales that will never be known. Even with the world at war against a lethal enemy of radical terrorist organizations, Americans are safer today than on 9/11.

We must respectfully work with other countries in intercepting finances, creatively collaborating in counterterrorism efforts to thwart and defeat terrorist activity throughout the world.

This war on terror has many fronts. And all of us are deeply concerned about the lack of progress of the war on the Iraqi front. Although our principles and strategic goals have not changed, mistakes have been made and progress has been too slow. We cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results; we must adapt our operations and change our tactics to meet the evolving terrorist threat. And the Iraqi people and their leaders must take control of their destiny.

Let us never forget, however, that our American troops are liberators who have freed a people from a brutal dictator and regime. In so doing, they and their families have made great sacrifices not only for the freedom of Iraqis, but for the security of Americans. They more than anyone understand the consequences of failure in Iraq are far too high. Leaving Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists to launch new attacks will put America in mortal danger. Our troops should come home as soon as possible, but they should come home in victory--not defeat.

This global war on terror is still a work in progress, and much of the work is difficult. But I will leave here in coming days with satisfaction that so many of the crucial steps we took to meet the challenges of the post-9/11 world have worked, and worked well.

The Patriot Act and other new and technologically sophisticated counter-terrorism measures designed to protect our homeland are working, and working well.

Our courageous men and women in uniform, an All-Volunteer military that is the most powerful fighting force in the history of the world, is hard at work for us, and working well.

We have also worked well on the domestic front. And I take great personal

satisfaction from progress achieved on some major initiatives designed to make this a land of opportunity for all--measures that will help secure a future of expanding opportunity for our children by making America the world capital of innovation.

One area of focus for me has been preserving the Internet as a tax- free individualized opportunity zone. The Internet is the greatest invention since the Gutenberg Press for the dissemination of information and ideas, and one of America's greatest innovations for economic growth and jobs.

So far the Federal Government has taken the right approach when it comes to the Internet--by basically leaving it alone.

The American private sector is the best steward of the Internet. We just need to leave it alone and let it prosper as an engine for economic progress--and with your help, that is what we have done. But the need for action will return next year, and I hope you will extend internet tax freedom so that avaricious State and local tax commissars are blocked from imposing an average 18 percent tax on monthly Internet access bills.

We also made major progress in a realm few Americans understand, but one that will transform their lives--nanotechnology. Teaming up with my hard-working friend across the aisle, Senator Wyden, we sponsored and you approved legislation launching the National Nanotechnology Initiative. This is the single largest federally funded, multiagency scientific research initiative since the space program in the 1960s, and the revolutionary technology it yields may well rival the space program in its impact on our society and economy.

You have heard me say many times on this floor that they key to innovation is education, and that we need to educate more scientists and engineers because they are the ones who will design and develop the ground-breaking and life-changing inventions, innovations, and intellectual property of the future.

But today America is not tapping its full potential in math, science, research and innovation. Only 15 percent of those graduating from our engineering schools today are women; only about 6 percent are African- Americans, and about 6 percent are Latinos. That is simply not enough, especially when we are competing with countries that have literally six or seven times our population.

That is why I have worked with senators in both parties, Senators Alexander, Ensign, Bingaman, and others, as well as the independent- minded Senator Lieberman--for the National Innovation and PACE Acts, which will invest in wide-ranging scientific education and research, induce capable students with scholarships, provide incentives for teachers and researchers, and take other steps to keep America on the leading edge of science and technology.

That is why I have been the lead Republican cosponsor of the Partnership Access to Laboratory Science Act with Senator Menendez, which will provide science education and laboratory grants for students in rural and low-income schools.

And that is why I have led the charge for legislation to help remedy the opportunity divide at America's minority-serving institutions--the HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges. I am grateful for the Senate's support for this initiative and hope it will very soon become a reality.

All these initiatives I respectfully urge you all to pass and stay with them until they become law. For my part, I will continue to advocate for these incentives and this major national commitment to make sure that the U.S. is indeed the world capital of innovation.

Investing in education and innovation is vital for our global competitiveness, and so is achieving energy independence. In fact, not only is energy independence an economic necessity; it's also a national security imperative. Our dependence on Middle Eastern oil limits our foreign policy options for addressing terrorism, tyranny and related geopolitical issues.

We have made some important strides in accelerating the exploration and development of American energy supplies, including American oil, natural gas, clean coal and nuclear power. And we have made notable progress in hastening the research, development and deployment of economically viable alternative and renewable sources of energy. But here we must all agree that there is far more to be done.

The bottom line is we need more energy explored, produced, and grown in America, so that hundreds of billions of energy dollars stay in America and are reinvested in America's economy for American jobs, American competitiveness, and American national security, instead of having to worry about the whims of some dictator in the Middle East, or some other hostile part of the world.

There are so many ways that what we have done here during the last six years has made a positive impact on the opportunities facing citizens all across our country.

In Virginia, whether it is the major port expansion at Craney Island, or funding for the Advanced and Applied Polymer Processing Institute in Danville, or the effort to assure that new development opportunities at Fort Belvoir are matched by adequate transportation facilities whether it is educational research funding, or new resources for roads and mass transit, or grants to make our communities safer, or in hundreds of other ways we have been able to have a major, positive impact on people's lives all across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We have also broken down barriers to opportunity. My very first speech on the Senate floor was on behalf of Roger Gregory's appointment as a federal judge on the esteemed Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that sits in Richmond.

Judge Gregory had been nominated at the end of President Clinton's term, but he did not get a vote, and to become a judge he had to be re- nominated by President Bush. So my first speech was to call on my Senate colleagues to rise above partisanship, rise above process, judge Roger Gregory as a person, and give him the fairness of a vote.

You did so, and as a result, Judge Gregory is serving with distinction on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the first African American to serve on that esteemed appellate court.

For the good of our country, the Judiciary, and this Senate, I urge you--regardless of the party in power here and at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue--to end the obstructionist practices that deny judicial nominees, or other nominees, the fairness of an up or down vote, and that deny the American people the accountability that the advice-and-consent process should afford.

Miguel Estrada was a victim of this unfair obstructionism, although a majority of Senators supported his confirmation. Let John Bolton be the last victim of these unfair, obstructionist practices.

Our Constitution provides a better way; let's follow it.

Finally, during these times of war, we are all keenly aware of the sacrifice made by the men and women serving in our Armed Forces and their families. Virginia is home to more people serving in uniform than all but a handful of states, and so when a loved one is lost, we feel the pain very directly, very personally. A grateful nation must support the families of those who have fallen in defense of our liberty. That is why I introduced a bill in the first hours of the first days of this 109th Session to increase the military death benefit from the paltry amount of $12,420 to $100,000. I thank you for passing it, and I thank the President for signing it.

At each step of the way, on this measure and so many others, I have never worked alone. Always at my side, as a partner--but even more as a gracious mentor, wise counsel, constant encourager, occasional correcter, and unwavering friend--has been our state's senior Senator, John Warner.

He has been the epitome of the Virginia gentleman, the model of an honest, hard-working Senator, and most of all, a true and loyal friend. I will leave here enriched immeasurably by this latest and best chapter in our partnership of several decades.

My friends and colleagues, as I prepare to take my leave, I am humbled and so grateful for the tremendous honor and privilege that has been accorded to me by the people of Virginia. I am also full of gratitude for the opportunity to serve with you and for the many courtesies you have extended to Susan and me along the way.

I leave with many new and enduring friendships, with some valuable lessons learned, with unrestrained optimism about the potential of America, about our nation's future, and with pride in our accomplishments together.

My friends, don't let these challenging times along our national journey divert your focus from what truly matters.

The tree of American liberty is as strong as ever. Our roots run deep to a wellspring of values as old as our Republic, indeed much older still.

Four hundred years after our Nation's beginning at Jamestown, we are still in the springtime of our life as a nation. Still planting seeds and bearing fruit. Still growing and creating. Still inspiring and innovating. Still providing light and hope for people around the world seeking to escape the chains of tyranny, and embrace the blessings of liberty.

Indeed, the sun is still rising on a bright American morning!

And if we will keep the faith, no matter the challenges or choices, generations to come will remember and think well of us, for this: We never gave up. We never backed down, and, we always stood strong for freedom.

Mr. President, as the time for my departure from the Senate draws near, on behalf of the greatest blessing in my life, my wife Susan, and on behalf of myself, I thank all of my colleagues for their many courtesies and friendships that have been forged during the past 6 years and offer a few concluding reflections about our time here together, as well as talk about the future of our Republic.

Our foremost statesman in Virginia, Harry Byrd, Jr., observed that with the exception of the Presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, no time in the history of our country has witnessed more problems and challenges of great magnitude than these past 6 years.

When I arrived here in January of 2001, America was at peace, or so it

seemed, and so we thought. And then on that bright blue sky morning of September 11, the skies suddenly darkened with clouds of smoke from the Pentagon and the horrific collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York City, and our world changed forever.

A cascade of other great challenges soon followed in rapid succession, issues foreign and domestic, challenges locally and nationally, threats manmade and disasters decreed by nature.

Through all of these unprecedented storms, it was our responsibility to make careful decisions for the safety, security, and prosperity of the people of our country. I am particularly grateful to the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the opportunity to serve here, to give voice to their values, and fight for the future of this country, our commonwealth, while serving in this, the world's most distinguished body.

We all understand and respect the will of the people, whom I call the owners of the Government. They are the leaders of our representative democracy who bring us here and who may, at some point, take us away.

I have been honored by the people of Virginia, first as Governor and now as a Senator, to be a part of important initiatives that have borne fruit for the people of our Commonwealth and our country.

As Governor, we worked across party lines to accomplish honest change that Virginians desired and deserved. We abolished the lenient, dishonest parole system in Virginia, cracked down on violent criminals, and there are fewer victims of crime in Virginia. We reformed the welfare laws by promoting the work ethic, and now there are tens of thousands of Virginians who are leading more independent, self-reliant lives. In education, we established high academic standards and accountability in our schools, and our students are learning better, and we invested in higher education throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We sent a message to the world that Virginia was open for business, and cut taxes, and implemented prompter permitting in the Commonwealth, and were able to recruit in technology companies. In fact, the No. 1 manufactured export from Virginia now is computer memory chips, surpassing cigarettes. That is a great transformation from the Old Dominion to the ``Silicon Dominion.''

When I came to the Senate, my goal was to use this perspective and these experiences to continue and build on this work. I have been able to do that, and I am grateful to so many of my colleagues for working in partnership with me on so many issues that are vitally important for the lives, safety, and prosperity of our citizens.

Whether it is making sure that avaricious State and local tax commissars don't put an 18-percent tax on one's monthly Internet access bill, or whether it is the nanotechnology initiative, working with my colleague across the aisle, Senator Wyden, or whether it was increasing the paltry death gratuity that went to the next of kin of one of our fallen Armed Forces members, increasing it from $12,000 to $100,000, from a grateful nation, these are good successes, reflecting the values and virtues of our country.

I am particularly grateful to our State's senior Senator, John Warner, who at each step of the way has been by my side as a partner and even more as a gracious mentor, wise counsel, once in a while an encourager of various ideas, and once in a while, occasionally, a corrector, but, most of all, an unwavering friend. He is the epitome of the Virginia gentleman, and the model of an honest, hard-working Senator. I will leave here enriched immeasurably by this latest and best chapter of our partnership of several decades.

Now, next month, I will no longer have the privilege of serving with Senator Warner and many of my colleagues here in the Senate, but I pledge to keep working and advancing and advocating ideals and values and shared principles that I think are important missions for the future of Virginia and our country.

There are three key missions that I think are important for our country's future. First is to protect our freedom, and that starts with making sure our great men and women in our Armed Forces have the equipment, the training, and the armaments for their safety. We need to support their families as well. We need to work with other countries and allies in coordinated efforts to adapt and adjust our tactics, our operations, and our strategies to face the evolving threat of these vile, radical terrorist organizations and threats.

Our second mission is to preserve our values, and that starts with making sure that nominated and confirmed are judges who understand their role is to apply the law, not invent the law, not legislate from the bench.

My very first speech as a Senator on the floor was asking my colleagues to treat the nomination--first, asking the President to renominate Roger Gregory, and then asking my colleagues here on the floor, in my first speech, to treat Roger Gregory fairly, consider him fairly. I asked my colleagues to rise above partisanship and rise above the worshiping of process, to treat this gentleman fairly.

The President renominated him, and my colleagues did treat Roger Gregory fairly, and accorded him a vote, and now he is serving with great distinction on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals as the first African American serving on that distinguished court.

Now through the years, we have seen obstruction of judges, which I thought was very unfair, for example, in the treatment of Miguel Estrada. We even have the nomination of John Bolton. Although a majority of Members are for him, he will not be accorded the fairness of an up-or-down vote.

I urge my colleagues to treat nominees, judicial nominees and others, fairly, according them the fairness of an up-or-down vote. It is part of representative democracy. And let's have John Bolton be the last casualty of the unfortunate partisan obstructionism. If you want to vote against a nominee, vote against him, but have the Senate vote, and treat people with consideration; but vote. That is what the Constitution instructs us to do.

Now, our third mission for Virginia and, in fact, our whole country is to make sure America is a land of opportunity for all, a place where every American is only limited by their imagination, hard work, and ingenuity. Looking ahead, we need to recharge our competitiveness by making sure taxes are not increased on families and small business owners. We need to keep taxes off of access to the Internet. We need to create a climate where the entrepreneurial spirit can flourish. We need to also achieve energy independence from the Middle East and other hostile parts of the world, and foreign energy. This is not just an economic necessity, this is also a national security imperative.

We need more of our energy explored here in America, produced and grown in America, so hundreds of billions of energy dollars stay here in America for American jobs, American competitiveness, and American national security, rather than having to worry about the whims of some dictator in a hostile part of the world.

Finally, we need to strive to make sure that the United States is the world capital of innovation. To achieve this goal, we need more young people, no matter their gender, no matter their race, no matter their ethnicity, interested in science, technology, and engineering. If we are going to be the world capital of innovation, that needs to be done with investment, encouragement, motivation, incentives, and even scholarships to make sure young people are encouraged to get into these key fields of the future of our country, which must be the world capital of innovation.

So, my friends, as I prepare to take leave, I am humbled and I am grateful for the tremendous honor and privilege that has been accorded to me by the good people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I leave here with many new and enduring friendships, with valuable lessons learned, with an unrestrained optimism about the potential of America, about our Nation's future, and with pride in our accomplishments together.

My friends, do not let these challenging times along our national journey divert your focus from what truly matters. The tree of American liberty is as strong as ever. Our roots run deep into a wellspring of values that are as old as our Republic and, indeed, much older still.

Four hundred years after our Nation's beginning at Jamestown, we are

still--we are still--in the springtime of life as a nation. We are still planting seeds and bearing fruit. We are still growing and creating, still inspiring and innovating, still providing life and hope for people around the world seeking to escape the chains of tyranny, and to embrace the blessings of liberty.

Indeed, the sun is still rising on a bright American morning. And if we will keep the faith, no matter the challenges or the choices we face, generations to come will remember and think well of us for this: We never gave up. We never backed down. And we always stood strong for freedom.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of S. 3709, the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act. This legislation has been thoughtfully crafted and will help cement an important partnership with a vitally important Nation in a part of the world that will become increasingly important for the future.

I first want to thank the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Lugar, for his commitment to this agreement from the very beginning. Thoughtful, as he always is, I thank him for his knowledge, his expertise, his wisdom, trying to make sure this is appropriate for our country, as well as India, and making sure there are provisions in there that are beneficial to our country while also not harming the ability of our friends in India to pass it in their country as well.

There is no person in the Senate more knowledgeable on anti- proliferation issues than Senator Lugar. His leadership was instrumental in developing a bill with protocols that met the commitments made by our President while also respecting the safeguard agreements that have protected this country for decades. I thank our chairman.

The hearings by Chairman Lugar back in the spring, along with informative testimony of Secretary Nicholas Burns, were a necessary lesson for our colleagues on the committee, and I think the entire United States, that explained the benefits and also helped remove outstanding concerns about this historic pact. Chairman Lugar, earlier speaking on this measure, along with the ranking member on the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Biden, addressed the specific sections of the bill, so I will not recite all of those provisions again for my colleagues. I wish to provide the principles behind it, the strategic goals that are achieved in this United States-India civil nuclear pact. I want to focus on the big picture and the long-term impact of this cooperation agreement.

First and foremost, the United States-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement is a significant foreign policy achievement for the advancement of our security. It is a significant achievement for the advancement of jobs, and also a significant achievement in improving the environment--the air quality particularly, in India. This strategic partnership between the world's oldest democracy, the United States, and the world's largest democracy, India, is desirable, and it is possible because we share the same values. We both believe in representative democracy. We believe in and are girded by the rule of law. We respect human rights and religious tolerance. We share the same goals for Asia and for the world, which are freedom and peace.

This pact, this partnership, this agreement, in my view, can be the beginning of a blossoming marriage between the people of the United States and the people of India. India is a vital ally and a key global partner in the war on terrorism. They understand it. They have been threatened in India. In fact, India has been hit by terrorism in the name of religious fanaticism and religious extremism. This agreement is a step forward also regarding concerns with nuclear proliferation. Some critics will argue this agreement undermines the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, but when you look at the facts, India has no record of proliferating nuclear material, nuclear equipment, or technology to any other countries. In addition, India's nuclear weapons are there for self-defense and India has been a consistent practitioner of the ``no first use'' doctrine when it comes to nuclear weapons.

India has been an exception in this regard and, in my view, should be viewed differently than other countries that do not have such a record.

The fact is as a result of this agreement India will place a majority of its thermal power reactors under the International Atomic Energy safeguards for the very first time, and there also will be permanent inspections.

By contrast, Iran doesn't have the same sort of policy as India. Iran has kicked out the IAEA inspectors. This agreement helps bring India into the global nuclear mainstream where it is not right now.

It is very clear, whether it was Chairman Lugar or Senator Biden and others, if you examine this agreement it is going to significantly increase transparency and oversight of its civilian nuclear program.

We also ought to look at the economic and energy benefits of this cooperation. India has tremendous energy needs that will only increase as their economy and country grows and increasingly prospers.

The United States-India nuclear agreement strengthens energy security for the United States and India by promoting the development and stable use of clean nuclear power, rather than relying on the Middle East for oil and gas, particularly from Iran. Obviously, India benefits through a reliable, affordable energy supply. United States companies will benefit from increased jobs and economic opportunity in the India energy market. Cooperation from this will also ensue, I believe, in clean coal technology and also biofuels.

Having been in India last November-December, the air quality there is awful. The coal they have in India is dirty coal. They have to import coal.

There are millions of people in India prospering as a country, and increasing. There are millions of people who do not have electricity. For India to have its energy needs met, they are going to have to be able to import more or they are going to have to come up with creative approaches.

The U.S.A. is far more dependent on foreign sources of energy. We need to have more exploration of oil and natural gas in our country. We ought to be using more clean coal technology since we are the Saudi Arabia of the world in coal for electricity and gasification and liquification of coal. We also need advanced nuclear, biofuels, solar-- a diversity of fuels for our energy independence rather than being so dependent on foreign sources of energy from the Middle East and hostile dictators around the world.

India is in a similar situation. In fact, they are even more dependent than the United States. There are concerns they will have to have a pipeline from Iran for natural gas or for oil. We are trying to get Iran not to develop nuclear weapons. One of the reasons geopolitically why it is difficult to impose sanctions or any sort of efforts to get them to comply is there are other parts of the world that are so dependent on Iran for natural gas or for oil.

In a sense, the energy independence and energy security concerns that we have in our country are also brought about for the people in India which are even more dependent on foreign sources of energy than we are. If India can have clean nuclear for electricity generation, that is going to obviously help the people of India. It will improve their air quality, clearly. As you all know, a barrel of oil, wherever it is produced, has the same price.

With the increasing economies of China and India and elsewhere around the world, for every bit of oil that is produced, the whole global market is competing for that barrel of oil. To the extent that India's demands can be somewhat ameliorated as well as ours in coal liquification or biofuels or other renewable approaches, it is going to help our energy independence in this insofar as India is concerned.

Beyond energy and jobs, we have grave threats facing the United States and also our friends and allies insofar as security. We need to build new alliances, and we need to strengthen existing alliances as well.

With that in mind, I think we ought to be looking further into the 21st century to determine what U.S. policy will be in Asia. What should it be? Where can we reasonably expect support to come from, whether in Asia or the Western Pacific?

Presently, some of the key allies that share our values are South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia. They are key leaders with us. Further positive concerted efforts need to be made with Pakistan and Indonesia. India has a key role in all of this. I think India is absolutely essential for our freedom and shared values but also our freedom advancement in innovation and our security.

As I mentioned, I was in India last fall. This was a key issue on the minds of Prime Minister Singh and other government leaders. India is a country with tremendous potential, amazing values, but also a lot of hardship, hard breaks, and poverty in that country. They need reliable energy. They are working in education. In fact, we can learn a lot from India insofar as education is concerned as young people in middle school are focused on high school exams to get into the India institutes of technology. We need to get more Americans from all backgrounds interested in engineering and science as India has done.

India is also so important to security--a country which will soon have well over 1.2 billion people, not only the world's largest democracy but the world's largest country in the next few years.

The challenges that face India's future development are making progress, but they are tremendous challenges. So while India is now a global economic power, it is going to be increasingly an economic power in the future. It is going to be a much more important voice in Asia as well.

So it is in the interest of the United States to engage India, to help it develop safe, clean, and reliable energy, and also further our existing ties with its leaders in government, especially the people of India who appreciate the United States. Of course, there is a great deal of trade between the United States and India. Many of the H-1B visa applicants are from India which are very important for Virginia's economy and for the economy of the United States.

I also believe that we need to--I urge my colleagues to--examine this in its totality. It is imperative that we pass this legislation and begin finalizing this agreement that was reached by the elected leaders of the United States and India. It is in our security interests. It is in our economic interests. It strengthens the alliance which will be vital for years ahead.

I believe very strongly that this United States-India pact will be a marriage which will benefit all of us, not just now but for generations to come.

I thank my colleagues. I urge most respectfully the passage of the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act with no killer amendments and let's allow this marriage between the United States and India blossom for our security, for our jobs, and our best interests through the years to come.

I thank Chairman Lugar again for his outstanding and remarkable wisdom and insight shepherding this measure through. I hope by the end of the day this will pass, and that this marriage will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge Jno S Solenberger & Co., Inc. of Winchester, VA, for over 100 years of service. Throughout the years, the success of Jno S Solenberger & Co., Inc has been based on the belief of providing excellent customer service.

When the hardware store first opened over a century ago, its founders, John S. Solenberger and his cousin Daniel Stouffer, worked tirelessly to build a company known for its quality products and excellent customer service. Four generations later, John T. Solenberger, Jr., the current president of the company, still upholds the original vision of his great-grandfather, contributing in his own way toward the company growing success through numerous expansions and renovations.

Solenberger many contributions to Winchester rich historical heritage, including his commitment to serving his customers with the utmost care and expertise, are significant accomplishments. I am proud to stand before you today and recognize Jno S Solenberger & Co., Inc. as a fine exemplar to the business community of Virginia.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge the 100th anniversary of Bank of Clarke County, the first independent, privately owned bank in Berryville, VA. More than a century ago, 10 local investors decided that a community bank would assist in the continued recovery from the Civil War's reconstruction efforts. After pooling together $10,000 in capital, the Bank of Clarke County was formed. As the oldest continuously operating bank in the area, Bank of Clarke County has remained committed to serving the local communities and its citizens. Its success today can be attributed to its long-term vision and dedicated staff.

Over the years, Bank of Clarke has undergone numerous expansions and renovations, permanently moving to the greater Winchester area in 1992 and opening 10 full-service branch locations, one express branch, and a network of 23 local ATMs. Despite their continual expansion and growth as a business, Bank of Clarke County remains dedicated to serving the community through volunteer work with over 150 local organizations.

The Bank of Clarke County continues to perform outstanding work in serving its local citizens and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. I congratulate its members on their continued run of success, and thank them for the work they are doing to make Virginia a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge the Shockey Companies for over 100 years of service. When the company began in 1896, its founder, Mr. Howard Shockey, developed a reputation in Winchester, VA, for his superior craftsmanship and hard working attitude. Today, more than three generations later, the Shockey Companies have remained true to their commitment to serve the Winchester and mid-Atlantic region with the craftsmanship, quality, and old-fashioned values that the company was first built upon.

Over the past three generations, the Shockey Companies expanded even further, working on transportation projects for interstate bridges and interchanges on the highways of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Their early adoption of improved concrete methods and materials was instrumental in the company efforts to save time and reduce costs.

Their continual commitment to provide Virginians with the highest level of expertise and technology speaks to the company integrity and consistent standard of excellence. On behalf of the many Virginian families and communities who have benefited from the Shockey Companies services over the last century, I would like to express my sincere appreciation.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge Winchester Medical Center for over 100 years of service. Over the past century, Winchester Medical Center has worked tirelessly to build a hospital committed to providing extensive and sophisticated medical services using the most advanced technology and science. Its success today can be attributed to its long-term vision and dedicated staff, which both the local community of Winchester and I are immensely proud of.

In 1903 the Winchester Medical Center had just 35 beds, four employees, and one patient. Since then, it has evolved into one of the premier regional medical centers in the United States, now boasting 405 beds, 2,483 full-time employees, a team of devoted volunteers who worked 76,000 hours last year alone, and numerous renovations. The center specializes in heart care and open heart surgery, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, 24-hour emergency services, including a helipad and neonatal intensive care transport, neurosciences, rehabilitation services, behavioral health, and women and children services. With such a highly qualified staff, it is no surprise that patients

are referred from a 17-county area in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia to the center for medical treatment.

Any institution committed to giving back to the local community from which it was founded and grew is commendable. One dedicated to saving and improving the lives of Virginians for the last 100 years, and with as much care and expertise as Winchester Medical Center, is an accomplishment I respect and admire.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge Hedgebrook Farm, in Bartonville, VA. Hedgebrook Farm has been owned and operated by the same family since its establishment over 100 years ago.

For the past half century, the 110-acre farm has offered amusing attractions such as a pumpkin patch, as well as a beautiful log home. Hedgebrook Farm also provides educational school tours and a young farmers' camp.

I would like to acknowledge the current managers of Hedgebrook Farm, Kitty Hockman Nicolas and her daughter, Shannon N. Triplett, for their exceptional work upholding their family's original commitment to preserve the environment, educate local youth, and maintain a pesticide-free, hormone- and antibiotic-free farm.

The Hedgebrook Farm continues to perform outstanding work in serving its local community. I congratulate its owners on over a century of success and thank them for the work they are doing to make Virginia a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge the Winchester Star which has proudly served the newspaper needs of our Commonwealth with dedication and distinction since the Fourth of July, 1896. Started by 23-year-old John I. Sloat, the first edition of the Winchester Star consisted of only four pages and sold for a penny. By the end of its first year, circulation had already reached 400. Today, circulation exceeds 22,000 daily.

For the past century, the journalists and employees of the Winchester Star have worked tirelessly to provide accurate, quick, and reliable news service. As a reader of the Winchester Star, I sincerely respect their curious approach and objective presentation of the news, and I admire their consistent pledge to keep Virginians intelligently informed of international, national, and local news every day.

Their success can be attributed not only to a hard working staff but also to their swift implementation of modern technology to expedite the printing process and meet new customer demand. Whether it was the adoption of Goss Urbanite off-set press printing in 1964, which permitted a 64-page edition of the paper, or the addition of a Saturday edition and morning newspaper in 1980, the Winchester Star has consistently proved itself as one of Virginia's leading newspapers. I am proud to acknowledge the Winchester Star's accomplishments over the past century, and I am confident that they will continue to serve their customers with the expertise, quality, and dependability that they are known for.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge over 100 years of service by Hill High Farm of Winchester, VA. The farm has been owned and operated by the Wright family since its establishment in scenic Shenandoah Valley over 100 years ago. Hill High Farm has been recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a ``Century Farm''.

While the farm continues to grow apples, raise cattle, and maintain a dairy herd as it did a century ago, today they offer other exciting attractions such as a straw maze, corn maze, hay rides, and farm animals. Their expansion from a fourth of an acre of pumpkins to 20 acres and continual promotion of new special events has captured the public interest. In the fall during harvest time Hill High Farm opens their farm to over 1,000 visitors, including school groups. This April, the farm will be featured on the Discovery Channel by Pilot Productions, an independent television production company based in England.

To express their appreciation for the continual support of local patrons, the Wright family gives back to their community through annual charity events such as the Youth Development Center's Annual Punkin' Chunkin' Contest. I would like to recognize Hill High Farm as an historical trademark of Shenandoah Valley, loved and cherished by so many in the Virginian community.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge Glaize Components, an internationally recognized lumber company founded in Winchester, VA, more than 150 years ago. The company first started in Northern Shanendoah Valley as a charcoal production business, but quickly evolved into a lumber company.

When Glaize Components was founded in 1854, they made a commitment to providing the highest level of quality to their customers, employees, and industry. To meet increasing market demand and expand their geographic reach, Glaize Components has opened two new plant locations in Shelby, NC, and LaCrosse, VA.

Throughout its history, Glaize Components products have included a complete line of building components for residential and commercial uses, such as roof trusses, wall panels, and floor trusses. Their use of software systems specifically designed for truss systems and their incorporation of laser-guided truss building processes has gained them international recognition by manufacturers from Africa, Russia, China, and Japan.

The immense respect Glaize Components receives for its superior manufacturing processes--both at home and abroad--is a testament to their success and leadership in the industry. I am honored to acknowledge Glaize Components accomplishments over the past century, and I am confident that they will continue to serve their customers with the expertise, quality, and dependability for which they are known.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge the Insurance Center of Winchester, the oldest and largest independently owned insurance agency in the Northern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Over the past century, and particularly in the last decade, the insurance industry has undergone radical transformations from technological advancements to expanding competition. I would like to recognize the Insurance Center of Winchester for their exceptional ability to adapt to these changes while maintaining their original commitment to excellent service and expertise.

The Insurance Center of Winchester provides service to thousands of homeowners, renters, autos, RVs and motorcycles, and provides comprehensive group benefit plans to many of the region's top businesses and industries. In addition to those services, the Insurance Center of Winchester also provides health, disability, and life insurance to individuals. Over the years, the Insurance Center of Winchester has expanded to three departments, Personal Lines Insurance, Commercial Lines Insurance, and Financial Services. But what distinguishes them as the leading insurance company of Northern Shenandoah Valley is their employees' ability to solve complex issues and their commitment to personal customer service.

Since 1902, the Insurance Center of Winchester has put an emphasis on maintaining a relationship-based business, helping them gain the respect and trust from the Virginia community which they have worked so hard to develop. I would like to acknowledge the Insurance Center of Winchester's accomplishments over the last century, and I am confident that they will continue to flourish in the future.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge the 114th anniversary of the Enders and Shirley Funeral Home which has had a fruitful working relationship with Winchester

County over the past century. Founded in 1892 by John H. Enders on East Main Street in Berryville, VA, the funeral home was originally known for its warm, home-like atmosphere, and convenient location.

Over the past century, the Enders and Shirley Funeral Home has serviced its community with compassion and honesty. The Enders family has earned respect and admiration from the Winchester community not only for their success as a business, but for their integrity and incessant devotion to the Winchester community.

I commend the Enders family for their unwavering support and passion for helping families get through the hardships involved with planning their loved one's funerals. I am proud of their many accomplishments and am confident that the Enders and Shirley Funeral Home will continue to flourish in the future.

Mr. President, I am pleased to acknowledge Winchester Printers, Inc., which has proudly served the commercial printing needs of businesses, universities, and organizations of the Winchester-Frederick County, VA, area for over a century. The family- owned and operated company can be traced back 114 years through three generations to 1892, and has remained firmly committed to its standard of superior expertise and craftsmanship ever since.

I was recently excited to hear that the Printing Industries of Virginia awarded Winchester Printers, Inc. with the Dietz Memorial Award for the fourth year in a row. Competing against nearly 5,000 entries from printing and graphic arts firms around the world, Winchester was honored with the Best in Show Award for the 2003 Henkel Harris Portfolio designed by Erkel and Associates. The company also received a Certificate of Merit in the Worldwide Print Competition hosted by the Printing Industries of America.

Over the past century, Winchester Printers, Inc. has developed a strong relationship and loyal following with the local Virginian community. In 2004, Winchester Printers became 1 of 16 local manufacturers to participate in an Economic Development Commission program highlighting career opportunities in Winchester and Frederick County for local high school students. Upholding the traditional values the company was founded upon, Winchester Printing, Inc. continues to give back to Virginians and grow as an internationally recognized company. I am proud to recognize Winchester Printers, Inc. as a fine exemplar of the business community of Virginia.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague the Senior Senator from Virginia John Warner in introducing legislation to name the new Federal courthouse in Richmond, VA for two great men and leaders of the civil rights movement, Spottswood W. Robinson III and Robert Merhige, Jr.

Judge Spottswood Robinson was a brilliant champion of civil rights for all Americans. As a student at Howard Law School, Judge Spottswood W. Robinson III earned the highest GPA ever achieved at the law school. Following law school, he returned to Richmond, VA to establish a law firm with another pioneer of civil rights, Oliver W. Hill. Through the years he was involved in many important civil rights cases in State and Federal courts, but it was his vital role in the seminal case of Brown v. Board of Education that placed Judge Robinson into legal history. Judge Robinson is widely recognized as the architect of the legal strategies that led to success in intergrading the nations public schools.

Judge Robinson left the private practice of law in 1960 to become Dean of the Howard Law School. In October 1963, President Kennedy nominated him to become a District Court Judge for the District of Columbia. Subsequently, Judge Robinson became the first African- American to serve as a Judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and in 1981 became the Chief Judge for the Court. Upon retiring from the Court in 1992, Judge Robinson returned to his home in Richmond and continued to be an active member of the community until his passing in 1998.

The other fine jurist who the new courthouse in Richmond will be named is another hero of the civil rights movement, Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr. Judge Merhige served this country for 31 years on the bench and as a member of the United States Army Air Force as a B-17 bombardier. Born in 1919, Judge Merhige attended the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond, from which he graduated at the top of his class in 1942. Over the next 21 years, Judge Merhige tried hundreds of both criminal and civil cases in both State and Federal court. He served as President of the Richmond Bar Association from 1963 to 1964.

In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Judge Merhige to be a United States District Judge. Respected and admired by lawyers from coast to coast, Judge Merhige became known for his integrity and intellect. Despite the personal hardship placed on both himself and his family from those who disagreed with his rulings to enforce civil rights law, Judge Merhige continued to uphold the law and follow the constitution in the face of grave threats.

In deciding whom to name this courthouse after, I have taken great care to listen to all Virginians after securing funds for this impressive courthouse for downtown Richmond and its revitalization. I have worked with the Virginia Congressional delegation, the distinguished Mayor of Richmond, L. Douglas Wilder, State Senator Benjamin Lambert, the Virginia Bar Association, the Richmond Bar Association, and many others.

I am honored to join with my colleague Senator Warner in ensuring that when people walk by the new Federal courthouse, they are reminded of these two distinguished jurists who helped change the face of society for the better with equal justice for all.