Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today for myself, Senator Ensign and Senator Bennett to introduce this bill, which will establish a National Heritage Route in eastern Nevada and western Utah.

National Heritage areas, corridors, and routes are designated regions in which residents and businesses, as well as local and tribal governments join together in partnership to conserve and celebrate cultural heritage and special landscapes. The Great Basin National Heritage Route includes historic mining camps and ghost towns, Mormon and other pioneer settlements, as well as Native American communities. The Route passes through classic Great Basin country along the trails of the Pony Express and the Overland Stage. Cultural resources within the route include highly valued Native American archaeological sites dating back to the Fremont Culture.

The creation of this Heritage Route will bring much deserved attention to the Great Basin's natural wonders. Passing through Millard County, UT, and parts of the Duckwater Reservation and White Pine County in Nevada, the Route contains items of great biological and geological interest. In Nevada, it encompasses forests of bristlecone pine, the oldest living things on the earth. In Utah, the Route includes native Bonneville cutthroat trout as well as other distinctive species and ecological communities.

Designation of the corridor as a Heritage Route will also ensure long-term protection of key educational and recreational opportunities without compromising traditional local use of the land. The Great Basin National Heritage Route will provide a framework for celebrating Nevada's and Utah's rich historic, archaeological, cultural, and natural resources for both visitors and residents.

The bill will establish a board of directors consisting of local officials from both counties and tribes to manage the designated route. The board will develop a management plan within 3 years of the bill's passage, and the Secretary of the Interior will enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Board of Directors for the management of the resources of the heritage route. Our legislation authorizes up to $10 million to carry out the Act but limits Federal funding to no more than 50 percent of the project's cost. The bill allows the Secretary to provide assistance for 15 years after the bill is enacted.

Our bill benefits not just the people of Nevada and Utah, but citizens of every State in our Union. It highlights an area of outstanding cultural and natural value and brings people together to celebrate common values and a common history of which we all can be proud.

I was pleased that my distinguished colleagues recognized the value of this legislation during the 108th Congress and supported its passage by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and by the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my friends to move this bill in a timely manner during the current session.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Dandini Research Park Transfer Act on behalf of myself and Senator Ensign. This bill will transfer an important tract of land in Washoe County, NV, to the University and Community College System of Nevada.

The University of Nevada holds two patents from the Bureau of Land Management for approximately 467 acres of public land located north of downtown Reno. In the early 1970s, the land was patented to the university pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Now known as the Dandini Research Park, it is the home of Truckee Meadows Community College and the Desert Research Institute's Northern Nevada Science Center.

Truckee Meadows Community College and its predecessor, Western Nevada Community College, have provided educational programs and opportunities to the residents of Reno, Sparks, and the surrounding communities for over 30 years. Construction of the College's facilities on the Dandini campus began in 1975, shortly after conveyance of the original patents.

For over 25 years the Desert Research Institute has excelled in applied scientific research and the application of technologies to improve people's lives in Nevada and throughout the world. Its three core divisions of Atmospheric, Hydrologic, and Earth and Ecosystem Sciences cooperate with two interdisciplinary centers to provide innovative solutions to pressing environmental problems. The Center for Arid Lands Environmental Management and the Center for Watersheds and Environmental Sustainability apply scientific understanding to the effective management of natural resources while addressing our needs for economic diversification and science-based educational opportunities. In doing so, DRI undertakes fundamental scientific research in Nevada and around the globe. For example, as a key participant in the U.S. Geological Survey Water Research Program, DRI plays a critical role in identifying and helping protect the region's scarce water resources.

DRI shares its facility with the Western Regional Climate Center, one of six regional climate centers operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate program. The Western Regional Climate Center conducts applied research and provides high quality climate data and information pertaining to the western United States.

The Desert Research Institute wishes to expand its Northern Nevada Science Center. DRI is considering an innovative means of financing the expansion, which would involve a private developer who would build and finance the expansion and lease it back to DRI. The private developers with whom DRI has discussed the proposal, as well as the Institute's counsel, however, have pointed out that the terms of the patents and the restrictions imposed by the Recreation and Public Purposes Act represent obstacles to such an arrangement.

Truckee Meadows Community College and the Northern Nevada Science Center are exceptional assets of the scientific and educational community in the Truckee Meadows. The Center serves not only the citizens of Washoe County, but the needs of all Nevadans and the western United States as well. It deserves the opportunity to grow and prosper with the community--one of the fastest-growing communities in the Nation.

The bill Senator Ensign and I present to you today simply directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey this property from the Bureau of Land Management to the University and Community College System of Nevada. Because of the overwhelming public benefit provided by the Center, we ask that the land be conveyed for free, but that the University cover the costs of the transaction.

During the 108th Congress this legislation received strong support from my colleagues and was passed by both the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my fellow senators during this session to usher this important legislation towards final passage.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Pahrump American Legion Post Land Conveyance Act for myself and Senator Ensign. This Act will transfer approximately 5 acres of BLM land in Pahrump, NV, to the American Legion for the purpose of constructing a post home and other facilities that will benefit veterans' groups and the local community.

The American Legion and other non-profit organizations that represent our Nation's veterans in the vicinity of Pahrump have tripled in size over the last 10 years. The local memberships of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans will soon exceed 1,000 members, and these groups will continue to expand as Pahrump draws more and more new residents.

The existing facility used by the veterans in Pahrump was built by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in the 1960s. It is much too small and not at all adequate for the veterans' current needs. The nearest facility that can accommodate them is located in Las Vegas more than 60 miles away.

The Pahrump American Legion would like to build a post building, veterans' garden, and memorial park. These new facilities would benefit not only the local veterans, but would be made available--at no cost-- for community activities. The American Legion has tried for over six years to acquire a suitable tract of land to provide a home for a new veterans center. The Legion started a pledge campaign and raised over $16,000 for the building fund before the parcel of land they sought to acquire was removed from consideration by the BLM. Unfortunately, other tracts of land that might represent alternative sites in Pahrump are not suitable.

This situation is truly regrettable. Without a home, the Pahrump American Legion Post can't offer the kind of services and programs that the veterans in the area deserve. Our veterans aren't the only ones who are suffering, either. All across the United States, the American Legion is deservedly famous for supporting community activities like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as the National Oratorical Contest, American Legion Baseball, Girls and Boys State, and other activities for young people. All of these worthy groups and projects would benefit from the construction of a new post home, and from the conveyance of this small parcel of federal land. In sum, this bill is good for veterans, good for kids, and good for hard-working Nevada families.

Our bill simply directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey this property from the Bureau of Land Management to American Legion ``Edward H McDaniel'' Post No. 22 in Pahrump. Because of the great public benefit such a facility will provide, we ask that the land be conveyed for free, but that the American Legion cover the costs of the transaction.

I was pleased that my distinguished colleagues recognized the value of this legislation during the 108th Congress and supported its passage by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and by the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my friends to move this bill in a timely manner during the current session.

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

Mr. President, I rise today for myself and Senator Ensign to introduce this bill, which will address a long standing public land issue in central Nevada. As you may know, the Federal Government controls over 87 percent of the lands in the State of Nevada. This means that Nevadans must frequently seek the assistance of Congress to deal with land issues that would otherwise be relatively uncomplicated. Today we offer a bill to address a simple land ownership issue in Lander and Eureka Counties.

This bill would convey two small cemeteries in central Nevada from federal control back to the local communities to which they should belong. The cemeteries in question the Kingston Cemetery in Lander County and the Maiden's Grave Cemetery in Eureka County--were first established by pioneers and immigrants who settled the isolated high desert valleys of the Great Basin in the mid-1800s. These same pioneers created the Kingston and Maiden's Grave cemeteries to serve as sacred resting places for friends and family. Unfortunately, years after their founding, the private nature of these lands was overlooked and the cemeteries were placed in the hands of federal land management agencies. Today much of the original Kingston Cemetery is on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Maiden's Grave Cemetery in Beowawe sits on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Under current law, these agencies must sell the cemeteries back to the communities at fair market value. However, these historic cemeteries were established prior to the designation of the Federal agencies that now manage them. For years, Lander County has been required to lease much of the Kingston Cemetery from the Forest

Service. The Forest Service previously sold approximately 1 acre to the Town of Kingston, but this land transfer did not allow for the protection of uncharted graves or for the implementation of the communty' s original site plan.

Because the people of Beowawe and Kingston should not have to buy or lease cemeteries that are rightfully theirs, our bill provides for the simple conveyance of the Maiden's Grave Cemetery to Eureka County and the balance of the original location of the Kingston Cemetery to Lander County, NV. The conveyances provided by this bill will benefit our federal land managers as well as our rural communities. The disposal of these small parcels of land for no consideration will benefit the United States because they represent isolated tracts that prove difficult to manage for public use.

In the 108th Congress I was pleased that this bill received approval from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and from the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my colleagues to complete this small conveyance during the current Congress. It is time that we restore ownership of these two small rural cemeteries to the communities to which they rightfully belong.

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

Mr. President, I rise today for myself, Senator Ensign and Senator Bennett to introduce this bill, which will establish a National Heritage Route in eastern Nevada and western Utah.

National Heritage areas, corridors, and routes are designated regions in which residents and businesses, as well as local and tribal governments join together in partnership to conserve and celebrate cultural heritage and special landscapes. The Great Basin National Heritage Route includes historic mining camps and ghost towns, Mormon and other pioneer settlements, as well as Native American communities. The Route passes through classic Great Basin country along the trails of the Pony Express and the Overland Stage. Cultural resources within the route include highly valued Native American archaeological sites dating back to the Fremont Culture.

The creation of this Heritage Route will bring much deserved attention to the Great Basin's natural wonders. Passing through Millard County, UT, and parts of the Duckwater Reservation and White Pine County in Nevada, the Route contains items of great biological and geological interest. In Nevada, it encompasses forests of bristlecone pine, the oldest living things on the earth. In Utah, the Route includes native Bonneville cutthroat trout as well as other distinctive species and ecological communities.

Designation of the corridor as a Heritage Route will also ensure long-term protection of key educational and recreational opportunities without compromising traditional local use of the land. The Great Basin National Heritage Route will provide a framework for celebrating Nevada's and Utah's rich historic, archaeological, cultural, and natural resources for both visitors and residents.

The bill will establish a board of directors consisting of local officials from both counties and tribes to manage the designated route. The board will develop a management plan within 3 years of the bill's passage, and the Secretary of the Interior will enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Board of Directors for the management of the resources of the heritage route. Our legislation authorizes up to $10 million to carry out the Act but limits Federal funding to no more than 50 percent of the project's cost. The bill allows the Secretary to provide assistance for 15 years after the bill is enacted.

Our bill benefits not just the people of Nevada and Utah, but citizens of every State in our Union. It highlights an area of outstanding cultural and natural value and brings people together to celebrate common values and a common history of which we all can be proud.

I was pleased that my distinguished colleagues recognized the value of this legislation during the 108th Congress and supported its passage by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and by the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my friends to move this bill in a timely manner during the current session.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Dandini Research Park Transfer Act on behalf of myself and Senator Ensign. This bill will transfer an important tract of land in Washoe County, NV, to the University and Community College System of Nevada.

The University of Nevada holds two patents from the Bureau of Land Management for approximately 467 acres of public land located north of downtown Reno. In the early 1970s, the land was patented to the university pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. Now known as the Dandini Research Park, it is the home of Truckee Meadows Community College and the Desert Research Institute's Northern Nevada Science Center.

Truckee Meadows Community College and its predecessor, Western Nevada Community College, have provided educational programs and opportunities to the residents of Reno, Sparks, and the surrounding communities for over 30 years. Construction of the College's facilities on the Dandini campus began in 1975, shortly after conveyance of the original patents.

For over 25 years the Desert Research Institute has excelled in applied scientific research and the application of technologies to improve people's lives in Nevada and throughout the world. Its three core divisions of Atmospheric, Hydrologic, and Earth and Ecosystem Sciences cooperate with two interdisciplinary centers to provide innovative solutions to pressing environmental problems. The Center for Arid Lands Environmental Management and the Center for Watersheds and Environmental Sustainability apply scientific understanding to the effective management of natural resources while addressing our needs for economic diversification and science-based educational opportunities. In doing so, DRI undertakes fundamental scientific research in Nevada and around the globe. For example, as a key participant in the U.S. Geological Survey Water Research Program, DRI plays a critical role in identifying and helping protect the region's scarce water resources.

DRI shares its facility with the Western Regional Climate Center, one of six regional climate centers operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate program. The Western Regional Climate Center conducts applied research and provides high quality climate data and information pertaining to the western United States.

The Desert Research Institute wishes to expand its Northern Nevada Science Center. DRI is considering an innovative means of financing the expansion, which would involve a private developer who would build and finance the expansion and lease it back to DRI. The private developers with whom DRI has discussed the proposal, as well as the Institute's counsel, however, have pointed out that the terms of the patents and the restrictions imposed by the Recreation and Public Purposes Act represent obstacles to such an arrangement.

Truckee Meadows Community College and the Northern Nevada Science Center are exceptional assets of the scientific and educational community in the Truckee Meadows. The Center serves not only the citizens of Washoe County, but the needs of all Nevadans and the western United States as well. It deserves the opportunity to grow and prosper with the community--one of the fastest-growing communities in the Nation.

The bill Senator Ensign and I present to you today simply directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey this property from the Bureau of Land Management to the University and Community College System of Nevada. Because of the overwhelming public benefit provided by the Center, we ask that the land be conveyed for free, but that the University cover the costs of the transaction.

During the 108th Congress this legislation received strong support from my colleagues and was passed by both the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my fellow senators during this session to usher this important legislation towards final passage.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Pahrump American Legion Post Land Conveyance Act for myself and Senator Ensign. This Act will transfer approximately 5 acres of BLM land in Pahrump, NV, to the American Legion for the purpose of constructing a post home and other facilities that will benefit veterans' groups and the local community.

The American Legion and other non-profit organizations that represent our Nation's veterans in the vicinity of Pahrump have tripled in size over the last 10 years. The local memberships of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans will soon exceed 1,000 members, and these groups will continue to expand as Pahrump draws more and more new residents.

The existing facility used by the veterans in Pahrump was built by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in the 1960s. It is much too small and not at all adequate for the veterans' current needs. The nearest facility that can accommodate them is located in Las Vegas more than 60 miles away.

The Pahrump American Legion would like to build a post building, veterans' garden, and memorial park. These new facilities would benefit not only the local veterans, but would be made available--at no cost-- for community activities. The American Legion has tried for over six years to acquire a suitable tract of land to provide a home for a new veterans center. The Legion started a pledge campaign and raised over $16,000 for the building fund before the parcel of land they sought to acquire was removed from consideration by the BLM. Unfortunately, other tracts of land that might represent alternative sites in Pahrump are not suitable.

This situation is truly regrettable. Without a home, the Pahrump American Legion Post can't offer the kind of services and programs that the veterans in the area deserve. Our veterans aren't the only ones who are suffering, either. All across the United States, the American Legion is deservedly famous for supporting community activities like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as the National Oratorical Contest, American Legion Baseball, Girls and Boys State, and other activities for young people. All of these worthy groups and projects would benefit from the construction of a new post home, and from the conveyance of this small parcel of federal land. In sum, this bill is good for veterans, good for kids, and good for hard-working Nevada families.

Our bill simply directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey this property from the Bureau of Land Management to American Legion ``Edward H McDaniel'' Post No. 22 in Pahrump. Because of the great public benefit such a facility will provide, we ask that the land be conveyed for free, but that the American Legion cover the costs of the transaction.

I was pleased that my distinguished colleagues recognized the value of this legislation during the 108th Congress and supported its passage by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and by the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my friends to move this bill in a timely manner during the current session.

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

Mr. President, I rise today for myself and Senator Ensign to introduce this bill, which will address a long standing public land issue in central Nevada. As you may know, the Federal Government controls over 87 percent of the lands in the State of Nevada. This means that Nevadans must frequently seek the assistance of Congress to deal with land issues that would otherwise be relatively uncomplicated. Today we offer a bill to address a simple land ownership issue in Lander and Eureka Counties.

This bill would convey two small cemeteries in central Nevada from federal control back to the local communities to which they should belong. The cemeteries in question the Kingston Cemetery in Lander County and the Maiden's Grave Cemetery in Eureka County--were first established by pioneers and immigrants who settled the isolated high desert valleys of the Great Basin in the mid-1800s. These same pioneers created the Kingston and Maiden's Grave cemeteries to serve as sacred resting places for friends and family. Unfortunately, years after their founding, the private nature of these lands was overlooked and the cemeteries were placed in the hands of federal land management agencies. Today much of the original Kingston Cemetery is on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Maiden's Grave Cemetery in Beowawe sits on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Under current law, these agencies must sell the cemeteries back to the communities at fair market value. However, these historic cemeteries were established prior to the designation of the Federal agencies that now manage them. For years, Lander County has been required to lease much of the Kingston Cemetery from the Forest

Service. The Forest Service previously sold approximately 1 acre to the Town of Kingston, but this land transfer did not allow for the protection of uncharted graves or for the implementation of the communty' s original site plan.

Because the people of Beowawe and Kingston should not have to buy or lease cemeteries that are rightfully theirs, our bill provides for the simple conveyance of the Maiden's Grave Cemetery to Eureka County and the balance of the original location of the Kingston Cemetery to Lander County, NV. The conveyances provided by this bill will benefit our federal land managers as well as our rural communities. The disposal of these small parcels of land for no consideration will benefit the United States because they represent isolated tracts that prove difficult to manage for public use.

In the 108th Congress I was pleased that this bill received approval from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and from the Senate as a whole. I look forward to working with my colleagues to complete this small conveyance during the current Congress. It is time that we restore ownership of these two small rural cemeteries to the communities to which they rightfully belong.

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

Mr. President, my native State of Nevada has always honored the brave men and women who fight to defend our Nation's freedom.

We have in Nevada a higher percentage of veterans than any other state except Alaska. We are fiercely proud of them, and we recognize that we owe them a tremendous debt.

So today, on behalf of all Nevadans, I rise to honor the life and memory of Reuben Law, who died on New Year's Day in Carson City at the age of 106.

He was a veteran of the First World War . . . one of 4.7 million who served in that conflict.

He was the last surviving Nevada resident who served in that war . . . and one of fewer than 200 surviving World War I veterans in the Nation.

Reuben Law grew up in Minnesota. He was working at a Ford plant in Minneapolis, assembling Model-T Fords, when he as a teenager enlisted in the Army.

He almost died before he ever set foot in Europe. The great influenza epidemic of 1918 was raging, and the flu claimed the lives of more than 60 soldiers on the transport ship that carried him to France.

But Reuben survived, and he served as an Army sergeant in eastern France in 1918 and 1919, transporting supplies and wounded soldiers to a military hospital.

Reuben and some of his buddies celebrated the end of the war by piling into

a truck and riding to the nearby town of Allerey. He would later recall that every girl they passed gave them a kiss, because everyone was so elated.

World War I was a horrible, bloody conflict. It was supposed to be ``the war to end all wars.'' But only two decades later, the Second World War broke out.

Once again, Reuben Law stepped forward. He tried to re-enlist in the Army, but he was in his early 40s, and officers told him he was too old. So he spent World War II as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, piloting patrol boats on the Mississippi River.

Between the wars, and after World War II, he had returned to live in his native Minnesota. He moved to Nevada in 1993.

Even then, Reuben Law wasn't through living. In his mid 90s, he went for rides in a hot air balloon, and he drove a car until he was 101.

Reuben Law spent most of his career working in the Minnesota parks department and a landscape architecture firm. In both jobs, he was able to spend a lot of time outdoors, which he cited as one reason for his longevity and good health.

He also claimed that he had good genes--and I suppose he was right, since his mother and one of his aunts lived to be 109.

Reuben was married twice . . . and he was twice a widower. He was the father of four children.

In my home State, we celebrate each October 31 as Nevada Day. Last October, Reuben Law was a special guest in the Nevada Day parade in Carson City.

Not too long ago, when he was asked about his remarkable life, Reuben quoted a saying from his favorite coffee cup:

I guess I've seen it all, I've heard it all, I've done it

all I just can't remember it all.

Reuben Law couldn't remember everything he did in his long, storied life . . . but the people of Nevada will never forget his brave service.

In remembering him, we renew our commitment to honor each one of the brave men and women who put our Nation's security and freedom above their personal interests.

Mr. President, I yield 1 minute of leader time to the Senator from Delaware.

Mr. President, is all time used or yielded back?

Mr. President, he is here. He is waiting for my remarks to conclude.

Mr. President, Senator Lugar and Senator Biden set a great example for the rest of the Senate in the way they handled this most important issue before this body and the way they handled that committee in general. I admire and respect both of them.

But I do say to the distinguished Senator from Indiana, I listened closely yesterday to the remarks and I read some of them today. The remarks yesterday were troubling to me because most all of the remarks yesterday criticized us--that is, the minority--for having this debate, saying why didn't we complete the debate last Thursday when the President was inaugurated.

The philosopher Voltaire once said, ``I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.'' Every American who goes to school has seen that quote because it reflects our most deeply cherished values and beliefs. Americans believe in freedom of expression. We believe in democracy. We believe in debate. That is why I have been disappointed that the administration and most of the Republicans in this body have attempted to stifle debate on the nomination of Condoleezza Rice to be Secretary of State. This job, this Cabinet office, is the most powerful and important position in this or any administration. In my years in the Senate, I have studied our rules and procedures, and I have studied them closely. I have come to know them pretty well.

In my years on this Earth, I have studied the qualities and values that I believe will help us become better people. One of those is fairness--basic fairness. I have tried to uphold that value the best I can. So between my knowledge of the Senate rules and my belief in the importance of fairness, I know that we should be debating this nomination. It is our job in the Senate to debate matters of importance to the American people.

We are a deliberative body. We are the Senate of the United States. Our Founding Fathers meant for us to carefully consider the matters brought before us and make sure that our Government does not act irrationally and without a plan and a vision for this country's future. It is a matter of fairness that those who have concerns about Dr. Rice be allowed to express them. Silence is not an important part of American history, but debate is. ``Shut up and vote'' is not democracy. It is especially important that we hold debate on Dr. Rice's nomination because of the importance of the job for which she is being considered.

Our Secretary of State will be handling our foreign policy at a time when we are at war and when our friendships and traditional allies have been strained. In Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world, Americans face enormous threats and challenges every day. About 1,400 Americans have died so far in Iraq, and more than 10,000 have been wounded, many grievously wounded. Today, 31 Marines died in 1 incident in Iraq. An estimated 40 troops have died in the last 2 days.

The American people have questions and should have questions, and have concerns and should have concerns, about our plan in Iraq. Those questions deserve answers and those concerns deserve to be addressed. That is what the Senate should be doing. That is what we are all about--asking questions on behalf of the American people. Instead, people such as the Senator from West Virginia and the Senator from California have been criticized for not rubberstamping this nomination. I don't think that is appropriate.

Nothing will matter more to the safety and security of our country than our foreign policy decisions over the next few years. If any nominee deserves scrutiny and rigorous debate, it is the nominee for Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

Democrats have had 4 hours of debate on Condoleezza Rice--4 hours of debate on the most important Cabinet nomination the President, or any President, can have. Can anyone say that 4 hours of debate dealing with Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State of the United States is too much? The American people all take longer to buy a car than what we have debated on this nomination. If you want to buy a TV set, you look around Circuit City and other places, and it takes 4 hours. Shouldn't we be able to spend 4 hours on a decision of this magnitude? I think so.

Republicans say a 4-hour debate has been a burden to the country and has been unreasonable. On the contrary, it is exactly what the Founding Fathers contemplated with the advise and consent clause of our Constitution. Debate--vigorous debate--is an American principle of democracy, a principle that is in our national interest, our national security interest and, of course, our foreign policy interests.

Mr. President, Reno, NV, is a wonderful city and a great place to live.

The sparkling Truckee River flows through the heart of town. The campus of the University of Nevada sits on a hillside overlooking the city. The Nevada Museum of Art is nearby.

And standing on the streets of downtown Reno, one can see majestic mountains in every direction, including the peaks of the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe. A beautiful city and a fine place to raise a family.

But like any other city, Reno has its rough side. In ``Folsom Prison Blues,'' Johnny Cash sang, ``I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.'' Reno has its share of rundown bars and alleys, where men and women chase the remnants of broken dreams. This is a world most people rarely notice, but where some spend their lives.

One who lived in that world was a man named Murray Barr.

Murray drank a lot. He was, in fact, an alcoholic, and he was homeless. He slept in the streets and alleys. When he did sleep indoors, it was usually in jail or the hospital.

But Murray was also a proud Native American, an ex-Marine, and a friend to many who came in contact with him.

Murray Barr was a big bear of a man. He barely had a tooth in his head, but when he smiled, he brought joy to the people who cared about him.

And many people did care about Murray.

Reno Police Officer Patrick O'Bryan crossed paths with Murray many times--sometimes when he was arresting him or taking him to the hospital.

O'Bryan--who is known as ``Paddy O'' on the streets of Reno--tried everything he could think of to help Murray quit drinking.

He told Murray to ``get a life'', ``get a grip'', he threatened him, he pleaded, and he warned Murray that he was killing himself.

Sometimes Murray would stop drinking. Once he was on house arrest for 6 months. He got a job as a cook and showed up on time every day. He saved money. And he stayed sober for 6 months.

As long as the system was monitoring him, Murray was okay. He was a proud man, and he was not going to let down the people who were responsible for him.

But when he had finished serving his sentence, Murray let himself down, and picked up the bottle again.

Marla Johns works as a social worker at St. Johns Medical Center in Reno. Her husband Steve is a Reno cop. They both had a soft spot for Murray. They gave him gifts at Christmas--and the gift of their friendship year round.

Murray called Marla ``my angel.'' He was protective toward her. Once when an intoxicated patient started to threaten Marla, Murray stepped in front of the man.

Marla tried to protect Murray, too. But she felt him slipping away. ``I always knew Murray's life would be cut short by the choices he was making,'' she said.

Early one morning last spring, Steve called Marla at home. There had been an announcement at the morning police briefing. Murray had died the night before.

Marla and Steve cried. She said, ``There will never be another Murray.''

But there are many others like him. I have known some of them. We have all known them.

Despite the pleas of loved ones and friends, despite their own best intentions, they are pulled down, time and again, by their addiction to alcohol.

We try to help them, just as Murray's friends tried to help him. We try to get them into rehab programs, and we encourage them to try AA. We give them warm clothes and buy them a hot meal. We help them find a job or a place to stay.

Some manage to escape their addiction. I have to believe that escape is a form of grace, a gift from above.

Others never find that grace, no matter how badly they might want it. And no matter how much we try to help, we cannot give them that gift.

Maybe the greatest gift we can give them is to see them as individuals--``there will never be another Murray.'' Not just another homeless face on the street, not just another cot in the drunk tank, but a man who was proud of his heritage, who served his country, who refused to let down his friends, some mother's son, maybe somebody's brother or husband.

Back in December there was a memorial gathering at First Methodist Church in Reno to mourn the homeless citizens who had died during the year and highlight the need for programs to help them.

Officers Johns and O'Bryan told a few stories about their friend Murray Barr.

I never knew Murray, but I think he would have liked that. He would have been proud to have such good friends.

I tell this story as a reminder that we should never assume we know a person's story just because of what is on one fleeting page. And we should never forget that every person is unique.

``There will never be another Murray.''

Mr. President, before the distinguished Republican leader leaves the Senate floor, I wish to express to him through the Chair my appreciation for the kind and very thoughtful words about our friend Howard.

Howard Liebengood represents what the Senate is all about. Spread throughout the Senate, we have hundreds of people who work for us every day who are just like him, extremely well educated. If their goal in life was to see how much money they could make, they would not be working here. They do it because they have a sense of public service, as indicated with his record.

The Senator's kind words about Howard today are words that can be directed to each one of the people who work for us. He was what the Senate is all about. He not only should be but is a role model for what the Senate staffers, as we call them, try to be. If they completed their term of service having given up the fruits of how much money they could make outside the Senate and were thought of as Howard was thought of, I believe their lives would be complete.

I thank the leader very much. As I said, his remarks not only spoke of a good man but are representative of what the Senate is all about.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full time in morning business for the majority and minority be given. The standing order was that we would go to the Gutierrez nomination at 3, but I ask that that time be extended.

Mr. President, in the beginning of each session of Congress, the majority and minority introduce their bills. The first 10 bills are those of the majority. That is the tradition of the Senate. The distinguished Republican leader has worked hard, as have I, putting forward the bills that represent the majority. I have worked hard putting forward the bills that represent the minority, and I with Senator Durbin, Senator Stabenow, and Senator Schumer today in the Lyndon Johnson Room presented our bills to the public.

The promise of America is a simple one. It is a promise that says if one works hard and plays by the rules, they can build a stronger, brighter future for themselves and their family. This promise has lived on for generations in this great country of ours. It is one that I have lived personally.

As a result of hard work and the generosity of people who helped me with my education, I received a good education, and in the process many doors were opened. After completing my education, I was able to go into business and now have what I believe is the best job in the world--a Member of the Senate representing the people of the State of Nevada.

My story is not unique. As many know, I was born and raised in Searchlight. Searchlight represents many places throughout this country. It represents countless individuals whose lives have been blessed, as mine has. I am sorry to say that these stories about a young boy or girl from a place like Searchlight are becoming fewer and fewer. We now have crumbling schools. The average school in America is 50 years old. We have schools such as those in the southern Nevada area, the Las Vegas area, that are being built at a rapid place. As many as 18 in 1 year have to be dedicated to keep up with the growth of Las Vegas. The superintendent of public education has become a superintendent of public construction. School districts need help with their schools, in inner cities and in rural communities.

Good-paying jobs are giving way to jobs that, no matter how hard one works, just don't pay the bills. There are 45 million people without health care. That means there are too many Americans who are not getting the care they need to live healthy and prosperous lives.

This is the America we live in today, a country whose founding promise is slipping further away from reality for far too many American families, a country where a kid like me from Searchlight finds it harder to get ahead, despite the generosity of people in the community, the good will of teachers, and a work ethic, which is important.

Why do we find ourselves in this state today? Why is the promise of America, the promise that led me and others to this great Chamber, not still alive and well for all of us? In part, it is because we have a Government that simply does not live up to the values upon which the promise was made. We have leaders whose poor planning and mismanagement have sent young men and women into battle overseas, some say without the equipment and support they deserve to succeed in the battlefield.

Some way, and I certainly underscore this, there was a plan to win the war but not a plan to win the peace. We have a Government that by any measure fails to do all it can to make our country safe and secure. We have leaders who love to create crises when they do not exist, such as Social Security, which will be funded for many decades into the future, some say as far as the year 2055.

Some say there is a crisis with judges. This morning someone asked: What happens if you do to President Bush this next 4 years what you did the first 4? I say, well, he should jump with joy. That would mean 408 judges he would get approved and 20 disapproved.

The Constitution has in it a clause that deals with advise and consent. If the oath I took just a few weeks ago to uphold the Constitution means anything, certainly that part of the oath that says I must live up to the Constitution, it says the Senate of the United States has an obligation, legal in nature, to give advice and consent to the President of his nominations. I will continue to do that. I believe that is a role we have.

There are real crises. I have talked about some of them. I talked about others: education, health care, the environment that we do not talk about much anymore. Energy is a crisis we have in this country. The staggering deficit we have developed these past 4 years is a crisis. I believe there are real crises that are crippling our economy, hurting the large and small businesses, and pricing too many families out of quality health care. That is what our legislation we introduce today deals with. We have a Government that has forgotten who it is responsible to, one that has become content with feeding tens of billions to the special interests while failing in its commitment to tens of millions of seniors.

America's promise will not stay alive if America's Government betrays it, and that is why at the outset of this Congress Senate Democrats are committed to restoring the promise of America by pursuing an agenda that honors the values behind it, the values of security, opportunity, and responsibility. These values are at the core of America's promise.

The ten Democratic bills which I will introduce today deal first with America's security. For example, we need to work to increase our Special Operations Forces by 2,000 individuals. We need to expand the pace and scope of programs to eliminate and safeguard nuclear materials and enhance efforts to prevent radioactive and other deadly

materials from entering the United States. That is Nunn-Lugar. We must do more than what we have done with the Nunn-Lugar legislation.

We must increase our military. Our legislation calls for an increase by 40,000--30,000 in the Army and 10,000 in the Marines--so that we have enough troops to win the peace in Iraq and fight terrorism around the world without extending tours of duty to the breaking point.

We will create a Guard and Reserve bill of rights to protect and promote the interests of our dedicated citizen soldiers and fight for the families of those who serve to recognize the sacrifices they have made. S. 13 will fulfill our duty to America's veterans. It will ensure that all veterans get the health care and prescription drugs they deserve while also expanding the availability and accessibility of mental health care. We will ensure that no veteran is forced to choose between a retirement and disability check, and launch a 21st century GI bill that tells soldiers of today that we will help them to succeed when they return, just as we did for those great heroes who returned from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

We need to expand opportunities to all Americans, and economic opportunity is going to be extended through S. 14. We, for example, will end tax incentives that encourage companies to ship jobs overseas. We are going to restore overtime rights for 6 million workers who lost that guarantee last year.

S. 15 will help us with education. It must be a cornerstone of equal opportunity. Democrats will keep our promise to our children by increasing support for preschool education, fully funding No Child Left Behind and making sure it is implemented the right way. We will address the shortfall of math, science, and special education teachers by creating tuition incentives for college students to major in these fields, and we will work to make sure every American who wants it can afford 4 years of college with new tuition tax credits and relief from burdensome loans.

There are problems in rural school districts in Kansas, Nevada, Illinois, Nebraska and Utah. I have found, in my travels through rural Nevada, one of the biggest problems the school districts in rural Nevada have is school buses. That might not seem like much in the overall scheme of things, but it is rare for a bus in Nevada rural schools to be new. They buy used, old buses. Most of the buses are worn out before they get them. We could help rural America in lots of different ways, but we could help rural America so much if we provided a way where they could buy new buses. We need to do that. When school districts have these old buses, children have no choice but to ride in outdated, unsafe buses. That is why we will create a Federal program to help rural school districts purchase new buses that will get kids to school in a reliable and safe manner.

S. 16 will make sure health care is more affordable to families and businesses. We know health care costs have spiraled. That is why we will bring down the price of prescription drugs by legalizing safe importation of FDA-approved prescription drugs from industrialized countries. We will also ensure that every child in America has access to health care and that every pregnant woman in America can get the maternity care she needs and deserves. We will reduce health care costs by creating incentives to modernize health care and by offering tax credits to small businesses.

Finally, we want to build a government that meets its responsibilities both to Americans today and in the future. S. 18 will help America's seniors. Medicare should work for seniors, not the HMOs and drug companies. First we will eliminate the provision that actually prohibits Medicare from using the negotiating power of its 41 million beneficiaries to get lower prices. The Medicare bill has a provision in it that says Medicare cannot negotiate for lower prices. They have to go to Rite Aid and other places, just like the rest of us. They cannot compete with the HMOs which can buy their drugs in bulk.

We will eliminate the giveaways like the $10 billion slush funds for hospitals in the Medicare bill. We will improve the prescription drug benefit by phasing out the current donut hole where seniors pay a premium but get no credit. Seniors across the country were shocked by the record increase in Medicare Part B premiums this year. This must be addressed. We must be a government that honors its responsibilities to future generations. We have had reckless spending these last 4 years. It has turned record surpluses into record deficits and has mortgaged our children's future. It is long past time for Washington to return to the same commonsense budget that families use around the kitchen table every day, and that is why we will call for pay-as-you-go budgeting.

Our final bill, S. 20, will support women in making responsible choices about their health. The United States has the highest rate of unintended pregnancies among all industrialized nations. Half of all pregnancies in this country are unintended and nearly half of those end in abortion. By increasing access to family planning services, Democrats will improve women's health, reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies, and reduce the number of abortions, all while saving scarce public health dollars.

Security, opportunity, and responsibility--these are more than just three words or three values. They are the foundation on which America's promise is built. Senate Democrats open the 109th Congress steadfastly committed to keeping this promise alive, so that all Americans who work hard can build a stronger and brighter future for their families. While these 10 bills do not represent all the goals of the 109th Congress, they represent the start and the core of our mission.

No doubt we will tackle many other important issues before Congress closes, but we will never lose sight of the values for which we fight and the promises we must keep.

For instance, when it comes to strengthening Social Security, Democrats will keep America's promise. The program is our bargain that says those who work hard and pay their taxes have earned a secure retirement. Our values compel us to keep the promise of security to our seniors, and Senate Democrats will do this. We will not irresponsibly cut benefits or jeopardize the opportunity of future generations with $2 trillion in new debt. This is keeping America's promise, and that is what Senate Democrats will do.

In closing, I would like to say a few words to my colleagues across the aisle. We hope and believe many Republicans share our view that we must not allow partisanship to stand in the way of America's promise, or let politics get in the way of keeping alive the American dream. That is our pledge. We will work with the majority in meeting the demands of America.

I recognize the first 30 minutes of morning business time was that of the majority. How much time did I use?

I apologize to my friends on the other side of the aisle. Ten minutes of that will be leader time. The rest Senator Durbin will use for whatever he feels appropriate when our time comes.

Mr. President, I apologize. I didn't know people were here to speak. If I had, I would certainly have withheld. There is more than ample time. There is 30 minutes in morning business. They will have whatever time they need. There is lots of time.

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

I ask that the consent be modified to delete the time for Senator Harkin and Senator Dayton.

I ask that the consent be modified to have Senator Kennedy have Senator Lautenberg's time if Senator Lautenberg does not claim it.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, we have Senators who have been engaged in matters relating to what is going on around the world who, for the confirmation of the Secretary of State, wish to be able to speak. We have squeezed the time in as closely as we could, and we have 4\1/2\ hours we need on our side. This has been explained to the Republican leadership.

We would, of course, be willing to move forward on that tonight and tomorrow, but there are the inaugural festivities, and we all understand that. It certainly does not seem untoward in any way that the Senators have some time to speak before this most important nomination, and I say as a matter of passing, at the White House today I had a fine conversation with Condoleezza Rice, and she said her main goal was to make sure she was confirmed by the time the President gave his State of the Union speech because she had a trip scheduled to go overseas after that. This confirmation will take place, at the latest, sometime Wednesday. So she will be able to make that with a lot of time to spare. So I object.

Mr. President, if I could, I ask the consent be modified to reflect the speakers for the Democrats at this time: Senator Byrd, 1 hour; Senator Boxer, 1 hour; Senator Reed of Rhode Island, 30 minutes; Senator Durbin, 30 minutes; Senator Kerry, 20 minutes; Senator Levin, 15 minutes; Senator Kennedy, 15 minutes; Senator Lieberman, 10 minutes; Senator Corzine, 10 minutes; Senator Salazar, 10 minutes; Senator Feinstein, 10 minutes.

I would say to all my colleagues, we have only 5 minutes left, so there would be no additional time but for the fact that Senator Boxer has indicated she likely will not use her whole hour. She is always most courteous with other Senators, and she will be happy to give some of that time on Tuesday to other Senators, if necessary.

I ask to modify that request.

I apologize to the acting leader. Senator Biden has indicated he is going to get 20 minutes, but he is going to speak in favor of the nomination. He said he could get that from Senator Lugar.

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