Floor Statements

Reserving the right to object, a lot of progress has been made on this Medicare bill in the past week. The two managers have done an excellent job of administering this piece of legislation. But the key part of this whole procedure is going to be the next few days. I hope the two managers who get along so well understand the difficulty on both sides. They are going to have to use maturity and skills and experience in working us through these next few days. I hope everyone understands this legislation, even though we have had some speeches talking about how good it is--since it is as good as everyone contemplated it was, I hope that no one would try to make any drastic changes to the underlying legislation. It would take away a lot of the good work and good will that has been built up.

I know the senior Senator from Iowa and the senior Senator from Montana both understand that.

I ask unanimous consent Senator Lautenberg be added as a cosponsor to S. 504.

Senator Alexander said, ``It's time to put the teaching of history and civics back in its rightful place in our schools so our children grow up learning what it means to be an American.''

That is really what this is all about. It is about having history and civics as a part of what our schools are about and should be about. I acknowledge, as I did last night on the Senate floor, the leadership of the Senator from Tennessee, the former Secretary of Education, in pushing this legislation to the point where it is.

I hope this is the first of many such measures that we work on here. I believe in local control of schools. But I also believe the Federal Government must recognize national problems in education and address those problems and help local school districts meet what I believe are national imperatives. Certainly, this is one.

It is so easy to shortchange these courses. As I look back at some of the great teachers I had, they taught history and government on the high school level. A man by the name of Michael Callahan taught basic history and government in high school in Henderson, NV, where I went to school. But for him I am not sure I would have the interest in government and history that I have today. He allowed us to participate in government. He allowed us to understand history. He was a dynamic teacher.

I believe that is what we are trying to do here--give teachers the tools they need to become better teachers. Obviously, teachers have chosen their profession in the effort to improve the lives of children they teach. This legislation deals with courses K through 12. But even though these teachers have chosen teaching as their profession, it doesn't mean they don't need help. That is what this is all about--to help them through this academy and become better teachers who are better equipped to do the things they need to do to teach.

This legislation is not going to be based just in the South or the Northeast or just in the Midwest. The legislation calls for 12 regional academies to be determined by the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. He will choose the academies on a regional basis. This program will be effective all over the United States. I am confident that the Presidential Academies for teaching American history and civics will be important. There will be 12 of them. There will be up to 12 Congressional Academies for students of American history and civics.

I am convinced that if we show we are concerned about education here in Washington, the schools at home will become better schools and teachers will become better teachers. I hope this will receive unanimous support.

This is only the first step. It is easy for us here in Washington to pass legislation where we authorize things to happen, but the next step is appropriating the money to make sure that the authorization we have made is effective. The distinguished Senator from Tennessee and I have had the assurance of members of the Appropriations Committee that they will allow us to go this next step and have money appropriated.

As I indicated last night, Senator Byrd having participated in the public hearing is a step in the right direction. Senator Conrad Burns has indicated he will be helpful. I look forward to working in the appropriations process to make sure we carry forward on the promise of Senator Lamar Alexander, a Senator who authored this legislation, indicating it is important to put the teaching of American history and civics in its right place in our schools so children can grow and learn what it means to be an American.

Mr. Kennedy. Mr. President, I am pleased to support the American History and Civics Education Act to create academies for teachers and high school students of American history. The bill will expand the programs of the National Endowment for the Humanities to improve the educational experience of young Americans and broaden their understanding of our unique heritage.

The American national experience is a comparatively short one, but its early struggles, revolutionary roots, and democratic ideals have shaped our national character. Early American history includes eras of prosperity and progress, dark years of war, and racial struggles. Each of these defining moments has called forth great leaders and national heroes, in all walks of life, who unhesitatingly offered their resources, their efforts and, sometimes, their lives on behalf of their belief in the principles of tolerance, religious freedom, and equality. Each generation of Americans has defended those principles and, in the process, strengthened our national purpose and resolve.

To prepare the next generation of American leaders, we must ensure that they understand not only these historic challenges and achievements but also the key documents that are our enduring guideposts, especially the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

This legislation, introduced by my colleague from Tennessee, will authorize a competitive grant program for institutions of higher education and nonprofit educational research centers to conduct summer seminars for history teachers to strengthen their skills in

their subject area. These seminars will enable teachers to develop a broader understanding of history and also new skills and enthusiasm to present this material to their students.

The legislation also authorizes a competitive grant program for academies for outstanding high school juniors and seniors who have excelled in their study of history. These academies will enable these promising young students to learn from especially talented teachers and provide a special opportunity for them to advance their understanding of the great achievements of our proud Nation.

The HELP Committee conducted an impressive hearing on this legislation earlier this year. Among the several distinguished witnesses who appeared before the committee was the Pulitzer Prize- winning historian, David McCullough. He spoke eloquently of the urgent need to improve the educational experience of history students.

He reminded us that passion for learning is ``caught not taught,'' and that the better prepared our teachers are, the more likely we are to stimulate a new generation of historians, history lovers, and national leaders.

Mr. McCullough also suggested that those institutions that ultimately conduct these academies should reach out to their local Park Service historic sites, which offer incredible resources and a birds-eye view of history to enthusiastic visitors. He has been an ongoing presence at both the Longfellow House and the Adams Historic Park sites in Massachusetts during his research on his impressive biography of John Adams. Those same artifacts are accessible to all aspiring history lovers and can ignite a passion for visitors to these sites as they visualize John Adams at his desk writing his friend, Thomas Jefferson, debating the goals and dreams of a young Nation.

John Adams wrote, ``I must study politics and war that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children the right to study painting, poetry and music.'' Our second President was a great leader in his time and his words inspire all Americans to learn more about our past in order to better prepare for the future. If we neglect study in the arts and humanities, we will know considerably less about ourselves, our Nation, our allies and our adversaries--and we will be considerably less prepared for the challenges which loom on the horizon.

The new academies will be under the jurisdiction of the National Endowment for the Humanities whose Chairman, Bruce Cole, is doing an impressive job at the Endowment. As an historian himself, he knows the importance of our goal.

The bill is a timely and important initiative which will make American history come alive for students, and serve our communities and our country well in the years ahead. I commend Senator Alexander for his leadership in developing this bipartisan legislation that is based on the model which he implemented earlier as Governor of Tennessee. I am confident that these summer academies will enrich the learning experience of thousands of young students who want to know more about their heritage as Americans.

It is a visionary effort and I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting it today.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Biden), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) are necessarily absent.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) would each vote ``yea.''

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Biden), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr.

Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) are necessarily absent.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy) would each vote ``yea.''

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

Madam President, I worked with Senator Baucus all morning, getting people to come and offer amendments.

For the information of all Senators and other interested parties, we have a number of very important committees going on--Judiciary, Commerce, to name but two. We have people on this side who really want to offer amendments, but they are simply unable to do so because of their other Senate responsibilities today.

There will be amendments offered, but we have to get these committees out of the way first.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, before the Senator from West Virginia takes the floor, I say to my friend from Wyoming, shouldn't we accept this second-degree amendment now?

Reserving the right to object, as the manager of the bill said, there will also be 2 minutes equally divided before each vote?

I announce that the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman) are necessarily absent.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``yea''.

I announce that the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman) are necessarily absent.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would each vote ``yea''.

I announce that the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman) are necessarily absent.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``yea''.

Mr. President, I would ask the Senator to modify the request in this manner: First, I would control the time, rather than the ranking member, on the minority side on this bill.

Secondly, Mr. President, we have checked with the majority, and they have no problem with the fact that Senator Pryor would offer his amendment on Monday rather than tomorrow. Even though he is in order following Senator Conrad, I ask that he be allowed to offer his amendment on Monday.

No objection.

Mr. President, I can remember when I served in the House of Representatives on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. Kissinger came before the committee. The chairman of the committee, Mr. Solarz from New York, said: I don't know how to refer to you. Dr. Kissinger, is it Mr. Ambassador? Is it Mr. Secretary? Kissinger didn't hesitate a second, and he said: Your Excellency would be fine.

I am reminded of this when I think of Governor Alexander, Secretary Alexander, and Senator Alexander--a man with a great resume who is now a Senator. The background certainly is one where this legislation came, as a matter of fact, from somebody who served our country as the Governor of a very important State, who served as Secretary of Education, and now as a Senator. When this distinguished Senator came forward with this legislation, I knew right away that it was good, based on his experience and background. I felt inclined to move on this legislation to be a prime cosponsor of it. I am happy to do that.

It is important to the point where we are now. Tomorrow we will pass this bill, and it will become law. I think we have such momentum here that this isn't something we are going to just issue a press release on as having authorized this legislation. We have support so that we are going to appropriate the money. As the Senator from Tennessee has announced, Senator Robert Byrd, the ranking member and long-time chairman of the Appropriations Committee, supports this legislation. We are going to move forward and not only authorize but appropriate money for this most important program.

The bill itself, if you look at it--and then read this bill, we have a Medicare bill here that is some 700 pages long--is just a few pages long, seven or eight pages. It may not seem like much, but for me it is very important. For the American people, it will be very important because this little bill will allow as many as 7,200 teachers every summer, every year, to be updated on what they should be teaching their young folks. The 7,200 teachers each were under this legislation--the Chairman of the National Commission on Humanity has the ability to select 12 different academies, 1 for teaching history and civics congressionally, the other with a Presidential background. Each of these academies will be chosen, 12 in each category, and they could have up to 300 teachers to participate. That is 7,200. It adds up quickly. In 10 years, that is 72,000. I think that is remarkable.

It is important because teachers have so many burdens. They have paperwork, and now with Leave No Child Behind, they are so immersed in teaching children how to pass tests that they don't have a lot of time to teach sort of outside the box. This allows them to do that, to be reinvigorated and take a look at what is happening around the world, what has happened that they have missed.

So this little bill that is going to become law very quickly--because the House already has over a hundred cosponsors--is important legislation. I commend and applaud my distinguished friend, the Senator from Tennessee, for his work in this area. I hope this is the first of many pieces of legislation the Senator introduces, based on his experience and background as Secretary of Education for this wonderful country.

As my friend has indicated, the education of America's children has to be one of our priorities. It is one of our priorities. We have to make sure that children are our future. In order for them to be our future, we need to give the people who are teaching them the tools they need to teach them to be good leaders.

Teachers and administrators have many important responsibilities to achieve that end, including providing students with the basis to pursue higher education, helping them develop their individual potential, and preparing them for successful careers.

As has been indicated in the introductory remarks by my friend from Tennessee, America is a nation of immigrants. Our schools have helped instill in our diverse population a sense of what it means to be American, and

we have prepared our youth for the responsibilities of citizenship. But we can do better. That is what this legislation is all about.

We need to reaffirm the importance of learning American history and maintaining the civic understanding, recognizing that diversity and tolerance are at the core of that understanding.

Many individual districts and schools within those districts, such as those in the State of Nevada, have recognized the importance of civics education and have designed curricular programs to highlight students' knowledge of civics and history.

One young man who has the unusual name of Trey Delap, a fine young man from Boulder City, which is right near Hoover Dam--where growth has slowed slightly, unlike the surrounding area--describes himself as an average high school kid from a small town. Boulder City is not too small, but the school isn't really big. He dreamed of doing other things all of his life, but certainly never, ever thought about anything dealing with government, until he participated in a program called We The People. It is a program offered through the Center for Civic Education that allows students to study civics and then share their knowledge through competitions such as the one held in Washington. They have State competition and, if they do well there, they can come to Washington.

His first assignment as part of this We The People program began with the question: What is the role of a citizen in a democracy? He pondered this question, and he discovered that his true passion was government.

Defining the role of a citizen led him to question his own responsibility as a citizen and the importance of understanding what our Constitution stands for. This is a high school kid.

In this program, Trey was able to celebrate his 18th birthday in our Nation's Capital, while he voiced his opinion about the role of being a citizen in front of lawyers, judges, and congressional staff during a congressional debate. We The People is a great program, but only a few are allowed to participate in it.

What we are talking about tonight with this legislation is that schools all over America would have similar programs, in effect, because we would have teachers who are having a shot of adrenaline, updating the education they received going through their educational programs in college. This bill would establish a network of teachers sharing ideas about history and civics programs.

S. 504 would accomplish these goals that I have talked about by creating grants for teachers, and the students would come and participate in the program. With teachers in so many areas not sharing information among themselves, they teach information not consistent with prescribed curriculum. So we should have networks like the one proposed here for all students.

Another reason, frankly, that I jumped aboard this program was that Senator Paul Simon and I--we served as Lieutenant Governors together, served in the House of Representatives together, and we served here together--had the idea that what we needed to work on was to do something about science and math. We lose so many science and math teachers because they cannot make enough money teaching in high school. It has to be for the love of teaching that they stay, because math and science is so acceptable by outside industry. That is the only reason they stay in teaching--they love it.

Senator Simon and I had the idea of creating summer workshop programs so that math and science teachers during the summer, or with year-round school systems, whenever there was a break, had summer workshops to attend to update their skills but be paid for doing so. This would also give them some extra money.

Math and science teachers make the same as somebody who teaches PE. PE is important, and we have good teachers teaching physical education. But realistically, we need more math and science teachers than we do physical education teachers.

Well, Senator Simon and I worked hard, but we could never get the program funded.

This program, while it is not like the program Senator Simon and I sponsored, it is as I feel about this Medicare bill. This Medicare bill is not something I love, but it is, as we heard so many times, the proverbial camel with his nose under the tent. We can make this Medicare bill better.

With this program I am confident we are going to pass and fund, maybe we can go back to what Senator Simon and I wanted to do: to do something to enrich math and science teachers' lives, not only enrich them academically but also monetarily. I hope that is something my friend from Tennessee will take a look at and work with me.

As we work to make sure all schoolchildren--and especially I am concerned about those in Nevada--are connected to the Internet--and we have programs doing that--and are connected to the future, I also want them to be connected to America's past and to know the common values of histories binding together all who live in this great Nation.

We learn from history. I love history. I love to study history, and I want young people also to have a love of history. That can come about with one good teacher. One good teacher can change a young person's life, just like Trey's life in Boulder City. His life was changed by having someone telling him that Government is important. Government is important, history is important, this legislation is important, and I hope we have a resounding vote, which I am confident we will, tomorrow morning.

Mr. President, we make many different kinds of speeches on the Senate floor. Some of those speeches seek to advance legislation and amendments and some aim to commemorate historic events. None are as sad as those we make in the memory of a member of the Senate family who has left us. On May 29, 2003, Janine Johnson, Assistant Counsel in the Senate's Office of Legislative Counsel, passed away. Janine was 37 years old.

Many of us and our staffs knew Janine personally. Some of us only knew her only by her initials that appeared on the legislation and amendments we introduce here on the floor. She served the Senate for nearly 13 years, doing much of her work for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Agriculture Committee and the Energy Committee.

Over the years, Janine prepared thousands of bills for me and for the other members of the Environment Committee. Her expertise in those matters made my job easier and the jobs of the staff easier on countless bills. Janine was an expert drafter on matters of critical concern to the committee. She drafted several generations of Water Resources Development Acts. She drafted our last transportation bill, the mammoth Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, and was in the process of drafting a new transportation bill when she fell ill. She drafted many parts of the last Farm bill, including the nutrition title of that bill. I mention that because I am told that no one has found a single drafting error in the hundreds of pages of that title.

That is very rare, but I am told by her colleagues that Janine's way was the way of a perfectionist.

And to her about Janine's history is to hear that it was a way of life. Janine was a native of Winchester, MA. She graduated first in her class from Winchester High School and ultimately graduated with high honors from Harvard Law School in 1986. She went on to clerk for the Honorable Cecil Poole on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Following her clerkship, she came to the Senate Office of Legislative Counsel. In addition to serving as Assistant Counsel, she was active in shaping the office itself. She interviewed new attorneys for the office, and she had an unparalleled ability to recognize those who would maintain the high standards of the Senate. That legacy will live on in the colleagues and friends she helped to bring into the Senate family.

According to Janine's friends here in the Senate, she loved life outside the Senate as much as her work within it. Janine loved theater, music and swing dancing. I am told that she loved living here in Washington, DC, where one of her favorite times of year was the spring because of her love of our cherry trees and the Cherry Blossom Festival.

The cherry blossom Janine admired is the most beautiful flower in Japanese culture. It symbolizes the Japanese values of simplicity, purity and fleeting beauty. Many poets have described the pink and white blossoms as a metaphor for life, beautiful and simple, yet at the same time sadly ephemeral and fleeting.

Janine's friends in the Senate would say that she was like the flowers she loved to see, but that her memory will not be ephemeral to the Senate, to her work here, or to the many friends and family she leaves behind.

As we all knew yesterday, the problem with not having amendments was that CBO had not completed scoring on the Medicare bill. It is my understanding there is scoring on the bill and Senators Grassley and Baucus will offer either some technical changes or maybe a substitute to comply with mistakes made by staff during the very busy weekend they had.

Is that the understanding of the leader?

Mr. President, I say to the leader, now that we have had people make a lot of opening statements, we are waiting to offer amendments. Senator Stabenow is going to offer our first amendment, following whatever the managers decide to do with their opening amendments.

So we are anxious to go to work, and hopefully we can do that as soon as possible. However, as we all know, it cannot be done until the scoring is complete. Otherwise, a point of order

would be available against any amendment. So we look forward to getting into this as quickly as we can.

Mr. President, I was listening to someone else speak. What did my friend from New Hampshire say?

My only question would be, and I say to my friend, I do know that we have Senator Bond and Senator Mikulski who asked to be recognized as in morning business, and if we do not go on the--well, I really do not see any problem with having debate on that.

She is in the Chamber. I did not see her behind me.

How long does the Senator wish to speak?

Reserving the right to object, I do not see any problem at all having the Senator from New Hampshire begin his statement when the hour of 10 arrives. It is indicated that the two Senators will complete their statements prior to that time. I ask that following his statement, a Democrat, if one wishes to speak, be recognized.

I understood from the Senator from New Hampshire that that was part of his request, that it would be for debate only.

Reserving the right to object, I believe this is on the Lincoln child tax credit legislation; is that true?

I am glad this is happening. I hope the message to the Republican leaders, at least from us, is that it will be a real conference and that they will work toward resolving this most important issue. I have no objection.

Mr. President, the Senator from New Hampshire has been more than generous with his patience. I would ask, however, unanimous consent that the time until 11 o'clock be for debate only on this matter. I have spoken to the majority, and they are in agreement with that. So I ask the time until 11 o'clock be for debate only on the bill.

Has the bill been reported this morning?

Mr. President, my consent deals with the Medicare bill.

Mr. President, it is my understanding, under the order now in effect, that a Democrat will be recognized; is that right?

Senator Kennedy is here and ready to speak. Under the previous order, a Democrat is to be recognized to speak now. The Senator has until 11 o'clock if he wants to use that time. At 11 o'clock, the two managers of the bill will be recognized to offer a substitute.

For debate only on the bill.

I will be happy to.

Through the Chair, I ask the Senator from Massachusetts, how long does the Senator wish to speak? I say to the Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Gregg spoke for 30 minutes. Under the order, we have the time.

Senator Kennedy has until the top of the hour.

Mr. President, the intention, although there is no order in effect, is that at 11 o'clock, the two managers of the bill will be recognized and, at that time, they will offer their substitute. At that time, it will be open to amendment. It has been talked about for the last 2 days that Senator Stabenow will be recognized to offer an amendment.

Mr. President, I do not know if the two managers of the bill would be willing to start at 11:15 rather than 11. They are in the cloakroom. While Senator Kennedy speaks, I will walk back and ask them.

Mr. President, even though there may not be a unanimous consent request that has been ordered, I ask that the two managers be recognized now; that following whatever they decide to do the Senator from Idaho be recognized to speak for up to 15 minutes; and following the statement of the Senator from Idaho that Senator Stabenow be recognized to offer an amendment. We talked about her amendment for a couple of days.

I ask all this in the form of a unanimous consent request.

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

Mr. President, the Senator from Michigan is now going to offer her amendment. We are willing to enter into a time agreement on the amendment. There are a number of meetings at the White House, I am told, that prevent our arriving at a definite time for the amendment today. I have spoken to the staff on both sides, and maybe at 3:15 we could have a vote.

Members should keep that in mind, that we may be able to do that.

There is nothing definite at this stage. I want the record to reflect we are not trying to stall movement of this bill. We have this amendment, this important amendment. We are ready to vote on it earlier than 3:15. But because of the White House calling Senators down, we will be unable to do that.

It was suggested earlier today that we would rotate back and forth on amendments. That is fine. I think we have more amendments than you have, but if that is the case, we are happy to alternate back and forth.

Parliamentary inquiry. Is there any consent now in effect dealing with who speaks next on this amendment?

The two managers asked if Senator Reed from Rhode Island could speak for up to 5 minutes--is that right?

Ten minutes. The Senator from Georgia only has 5 minutes to speak generally on the bill. So I am wondering if the Senator from Rhode Island would allow him to speak for 5 minutes?

Is that right?

I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Georgia be recognized for 5 minutes to speak on the bill generally and following that the Senator from Rhode Island be recognized for 10 minutes to speak on the amendment.

Reserving the right to object, the senior Senator from Illinois is on the floor. I am wondering how long the Senator wishes to speak on the Stabenow amendment. If the Senator from Oregon would allow the Senator from Illinois to speak until 2:15 on the Stabenow amendment.

I would ask for a modification; that we be recognized for 10 minutes; following that, Senator Enzi be recognized after the Stabenow amendment is set aside.

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

I announce that the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Inouye), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman), are necessarily absent.

I also announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) is absent attending a funeral.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``yea''.

Mr. President, it is clear from this unanimous consent request that we are waiting for CBO scoring on the Medicare bill. That, it is my understanding, will not be in until very late tonight. So as I understand this unanimous consent request, if we extend the time past 6 tonight, it still will be for debate only on this matter; is that right?

I would advise Members I don't think they can expect at 6 o'clock to start offering amendments. I don't think the bill will be ready at that time. So if we do go past 6 o'clock, I am confident it will be for debate only.

But I agree to the request at this time, that until 6 o'clock today the time be equally divided as requested by the Senator from Utah.

Mr. President, if I could, through the Chair, ask the Senator from Utah if the Senator from Utah is going to speak on the bill at this time?

I ask unanimous consent that following his statement the ranking member of the Budget Committee, Senator Conrad, be recognized to speak on this legislation now before the Senate.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, does the Senator from Kentucky have information that the scoring will be completed sometime during the night?

I think the debate today has been very constructive. I hope that in the next 10 days or so it is the same. I have no objection.

While the majority leader is in the Chamber--it was not appropriate yesterday when we finished the FAA bill--I wish to say in his presence that it seems the press always focuses on the flare-ups that take place in the Senate in committee or on the floor and they do not often recognize the good work done by the Senate. I think the work done yesterday on the FAA bill was exemplary. The managers of the bill, the chairman and ranking member, Senator McCain and Senator Hollings, showed their maturity. They worked through these amendments. When there was a debate that was necessary, they had one. When votes were necessary, they had votes. There were no unnecessary votes yesterday. They were aided by the two subcommittee chairs, Senator Rockefeller and Senator Lott.

I thought yesterday was really a good day for the Senate. The FAA reauthorization was one of the most important bills we could do. There are things in that bill that will help every part of our country. The conferees have already been appointed. They can go to conference as early as next week and come back with a bill very soon.

Again, I say that it is more press worthy to focus on things that go

wrong and not very press worthy to focus on things that go right, but it is a testament to what the Senate can do with the work we did yesterday on this bill.

I announce that the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Breaux), the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Carper), the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Dorgan), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Graham), the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Harkin), the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Hollings), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Jeffords), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman), the Senator from Maryland (Ms. Mikulski), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Miller), the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Nelson), and the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Nelson) are necessarily absent.

I also announce that the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Reed) is absent attending a funeral.

I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``yea''.