Floor Statements

I ask unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 372, and we now proceed to that matter.

I ask unanimous consent that a Levin amendment which is at the desk and the resolution, as amended, be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the table; that there be no intervening action or debate and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

I now ask unanimous consent the Senate Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 431 and we now proceed to that matter.

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the following matters, en bloc, introduced today: S. Res 441, S. Res. 442, S. Res. 443, S. Res. 444, and S. Res. 445.

I ask unanimous consent the resolutions be considered and agreed to en bloc, the preambles be agreed to en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, there be no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, this resolution concerns a request for testimony in a criminal case pending in Clark County District Court in Vancouver, WA. In this case, the defendant, a Vietnam War veteran, is charged with harassing two caseworkers in the Vancouver office of Senator Patty Murray. The charges arise out of threats made by the defendant to the two caseworkers.

The prosecution has requested testimony at trial from the two caseworkers at issue, both of whom are no longer employed by the Senator. Senator Murray would like to cooperate with the prosecution's request. This resolution would authorize the former employees at issue, and any current employees of Senator Murray's office from whom testimony may be required, to provide relevant testimony, except concerning matters for which a privilege should be asserted, with representation by the Senate Legal Counsel.

Mr. President, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has received a request from a federal law enforcement agency seeking access to records that the Subcommittee obtained during its recent investigation into how politically powerful foreign officials, their relatives and close associates have used the services of United States professionals and financial institutions to bring large amounts of suspect funds into the United States to advance their interests and to circumvent United States anti-money laundering and anti-corruption safeguards.

This resolution would authorize the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, acting jointly, to provide records, obtained by the Subcommittee in the course of its investigation, in response to this request and to other government entities and officials with a legitimate need for the records.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., March 5; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 4213.

Mr. President, tomorrow we are going to resume consideration of the tax extenders legislation. There will be no rollcall votes tomorrow. The next vote will occur Tuesday morning.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce bipartisan legislation that will protect the unique ecosystems of the American West from the harmful effects of invasive, non-native species. I am joined by my cosponsors Senators Begich, Bennet of Colorado, Bennett of Utah, Feinstein, Merkley, Murkowski, and Wyden.

The Invasive Species Emergency Response Fund provides resources to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful invasive species; protect susceptible habitats; and establish early detection and rapid response capabilities to combat incipient invasive species populations.

As global climate change patterns shift, particular habitats in the West will be especially vulnerable to the impacts of new species introductions. Hence, the new paradigms in invasive species management provided via this legislation are critically needed. When it comes to invasive species management, history is replete with examples illustrating the adage that ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.''

The impact of invasive species in the U.S. is now widespread. More than 6,500 non-native, invasive species have become established populations throughout the U.S. Studies show that the damage caused by these pests and their associated control costs total more than $100 billion annually. The unique ecologies of the West are particularly vulnerable to their harmful effects.

My home State of Nevada is at the center of this ecological storm. Non-native species decrease rangeland capacity; lower water tables; reduce water quality; increase fuel loads; and displace native plants and wildlife habitats. Some in the environmental community have identified the Great Basin as the third most endangered ecosystem in the U.S. due, in part, to the dominance of invasive species.

Moreover, once invasive species have gained a foothold in Western States, they exacerbate other critical issues, including water quantity and quality, and wildfire. Zebra mussels in Lake Mead are poised to wreak havoc on the lake's water quality. Tamarisk's long tap roots infiltrate deep water tables, exploiting up to 200 gallons of water per tree per day. Millions of acres of cheatgrass and beetle-killed trees stand ready to burn if sparked. In fact, the fire cycle in the Great Basin has shortened from 25-50 years to only 3-5 years as a direct result of the take-over of invasive weeds.

These few examples underscore the need for this long overdue legislation. State and local agencies and organizations that fight invasive species need access to resources when a new threat is identified, not when funds are available based on bureaucratic budget cycle.

The revolving loan program established with this bill will provide qualified organizations with the resources they need to tackle invasive species threats within 90 days. The Secretary of the Interior will ensure that these funds are being used for appropriate projects based on vetted review criteria.

Bark beetles, quagga mussels, and Medusahead have no respect for budget cycles or State lines. Hence, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation. It is paramount if we want to protect our unique Western landscape.

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

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce bipartisan legislation that will protect the unique ecosystems of the American West from the harmful effects of invasive, non-native species. I am joined by my cosponsors Senators Begich, Bennet of Colorado, Bennett of Utah, Feinstein, Merkley, Murkowski, and Wyden.

The Invasive Species Emergency Response Fund provides resources to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful invasive species; protect susceptible habitats; and establish early detection and rapid response capabilities to combat incipient invasive species populations.

As global climate change patterns shift, particular habitats in the West will be especially vulnerable to the impacts of new species introductions. Hence, the new paradigms in invasive species management provided via this legislation are critically needed. When it comes to invasive species management, history is replete with examples illustrating the adage that ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.''

The impact of invasive species in the U.S. is now widespread. More than 6,500 non-native, invasive species have become established populations throughout the U.S. Studies show that the damage caused by these pests and their associated control costs total more than $100 billion annually. The unique ecologies of the West are particularly vulnerable to their harmful effects.

My home State of Nevada is at the center of this ecological storm. Non-native species decrease rangeland capacity; lower water tables; reduce water quality; increase fuel loads; and displace native plants and wildlife habitats. Some in the environmental community have identified the Great Basin as the third most endangered ecosystem in the U.S. due, in part, to the dominance of invasive species.

Moreover, once invasive species have gained a foothold in Western States, they exacerbate other critical issues, including water quantity and quality, and wildfire. Zebra mussels in Lake Mead are poised to wreak havoc on the lake's water quality. Tamarisk's long tap roots infiltrate deep water tables, exploiting up to 200 gallons of water per tree per day. Millions of acres of cheatgrass and beetle-killed trees stand ready to burn if sparked. In fact, the fire cycle in the Great Basin has shortened from 25-50 years to only 3-5 years as a direct result of the take-over of invasive weeds.

These few examples underscore the need for this long overdue legislation. State and local agencies and organizations that fight invasive species need access to resources when a new threat is identified, not when funds are available based on bureaucratic budget cycle.

The revolving loan program established with this bill will provide qualified organizations with the resources they need to tackle invasive species threats within 90 days. The Secretary of the Interior will ensure that these funds are being used for appropriate projects based on vetted review criteria.

Bark beetles, quagga mussels, and Medusahead have no respect for budget cycles or State lines. Hence, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation. It is paramount if we want to protect our unique Western landscape.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consider Executive Calendar Nos. 603, 604, 610, 625, 629, 630, and 700 so that the nominees be confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; that no further motions be in order; and that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., Thursday, March 4; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 4213, the Tax Extenders Act.

There will be rollcall votes throughout the day tomorrow as we continue to work through this important legislation.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, we will move directly to the bill. If Senator McConnell wishes to speak, he has that right. We will move to H.R. 4213, the Tax Extenders Act. Last night, we were able to reach agreement on the next amendments in order. Those amendments will be offered soon, and I hope we will be able to reach agreement to vote in relation to the pending amendments. I am going to offer an amendment on behalf of Senator Murray. Senator Sanders will offer one. Then there will be two Republican amendments. We have to kind of clear the decks. There will be no more amendments until we can make some arrangement to dispose of what has already been laid down. We have three. These four more means seven amendments. There will be two Democratic amendments this morning, two Republican amendments. That will mean a total of seven amendments. We have to take a pause then and try to get rid of some of these, voting on them before we move to others.

We can now move to the bill, Mr. President.