Floor Statements

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business for 2 hours. During that period of time, Senators will be allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. The majority will control the first hour and the Republicans will control the second hour.

Following morning business, there will be 40 minutes of debate with respect to H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill. Upon the use or yielding back of that time, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the committee-reported substitute amendment to the bill.

A number of amendments are pending to the bill. If cloture is invoked, we would dispose of any pending germane amendments.

We also expect to reach an agreement today to consider the nomination of Andre Davis to be a circuit judge for the Fourth Circuit. That nomination, we are told, will require a rollcall vote.

We will begin consideration of the Military Construction Appropriations matter, which is important, upon completion of the Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill.

Senators should expect the first vote at around 12:15 or 12:30 today. That will be a vote on cloture on the CJS appropriations bill, and additional votes are expected throughout the day.

Mr. President, one thing this body needs is more bipartisanship. The Presiding Officer has done a wonderful job in reaching out during his tenure as a Senator to other Senators, Democrats and Republicans. Legislation is the art of compromise, consensus building. The Presiding Officer certainly has filled that role very well. I want to spend a few minutes talking about this.

We have had some dramatic developments take place in the last several weeks. That is as a result of two men who are working very hard to come up with something that would be landmark legislation. We are working so hard on health care reform. It has been extremely difficult to arrive at the point where we are. But we are further now than we have ever been since 1948 in coming up with health care legislation that will make health care more available for all Americans.

Switching from health care to energy and the problems we have with the warming of the Earth, I have known John Kerry for a long time. We were both Lieutenant Governors. We came to the Congress the same year. As a relatively new Senator, I was on a select committee he cochaired, dealing with prisoners of war and those missing in action. I noticed at that time what a fine leader and fine legislator John Kerry was. As a result of his good work with others on that committee, including Bob Smith of New Hampshire, we came up with an outstanding work product in that committee. John Kerry, as we all know, became the Democratic nominee for President of the United States and came very close to being elected President. But he put that aside and went on

to become the fine Senator he is. He is filling that role now as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. He has worked so hard on doing something on a bipartisan basis to move forward on this most important legislation. With what he has done in reaching out to Republicans--I say that in the plural--we have had one brave Republican step forward to work with him, Lindsey Graham. I first saw Lindsey Graham in action when we had the impeachment trial of President Clinton. He was one of the impeachment officers from the House. He was very good. I learned at that time what an outstanding trial lawyer he had been in South Carolina. I recognized that from the presentation he made right in the well of this Senate.

As we learned with the work we completed dealing with unemployment insurance, net operating loss, first-time home buyers, it only takes one person to break from the pack, for lack of a better description, to develop bipartisanship. That was done along with Senator Isakson from Georgia. On this most important issue dealing with climate change, it is Lindsey Graham from South Carolina. He is bravely stepping forward.

What Senators Kerry and Graham have done is quite remarkable. They have reached out to the coal interests. We have a number of coal Senators who have said: No way will we ever agree to anything, and they are working toward having them as part of the agreement. Nuclear power, which when this all started, I think it is fair to say, people on this side of the aisle wanted no part of that--most people on this side. Now that will be part of the mix. The production of oil in our country-- people say, does that mean you have given up on all these great things we believe in? Legislation is the art of compromise. We need to have legislation that is bipartisan. I believe what Lindsey Graham and John Kerry have done will allow us to move forward on this legislation. It is important that we do things on a bipartisan basis.

I compliment and applaud and recognize the good work these two brave men are doing in setting an example for the rest of us in moving forward on legislation that will be dramatic not only for our country but for the world.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all succeeding votes in the tranche of votes--and I think there are five--be 10 minutes in duration.

Mr. President, people are anxious to finish tonight. If everybody will try to stay close and not wander around, we can wrap these up.

I yield at this time to the Senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison.

MOMENT of Silence

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, we have one more vote tonight. In the last 24 hours we have had a lot of accomplishments that we are going to be able to point to. I appreciate the cooperation of the Republicans. We have a number of nominations we are going to be able to complete.

We are going to move, as soon as this next vote is over, to military construction. I have spoken to the Republican leader. We are going to do our best to finish that on Monday or Tuesday. We are going to have that one vote, the one vote I indicated. On Monday, at 5:30, we will have a judge vote. We will see if there is anything else we can have to vote on on Monday, but at least we will have that one at--5:30 will be fine.

Mr. President, we are going to be in Monday and Tuesday. I told everyone I thought this was going to be the day that Reid finally called ``wolf'' and the wolf showed up, but it is not going to be the case. The reason it is not is because we have been able to get a lot of stuff done. I indicated to the Republican leader there were things we needed to get done. We did not get everything I wanted done, but we got things I had not put on the list done that amounts to the same.

So I am grateful for the cooperation we have gotten recently, and I look forward to a good week next week. Remember, it is only 2 days long.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business for 2 hours. Senators will be permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. The Republicans will control the first half and the majority will control the second hour.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Worker, Home Ownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. Under an agreement reached last night, we will agree to a substitute amendment and at 12:15 proceed to a cloture vote on the bill. At 12:15, we will have a vote. If cloture is invoked, the postcloture debate time will be considered to have begun running as if cloture had been invoked at 11:45 p.m. last night.

Mr. President, what I just read is a short way of saying we wasted another day. With all the work we have to do, we stood and looked at each other yesterday--30 hours of doing nothing and the ability to move legislation forward. Anybody who has been watching what has taken place in the last 3 years knows the Republicans have become experts in wasting time, the American taxpayers' time, the American people's time.

Yesterday was no different. Yesterday, Republicans used every trick in the book to slow and stall so we couldn't do important work. And 7,000 additional people lost their ability to have a check. It is starting to get cold. It is getting cold in Washington; it was 40 degrees. Maybe people can buy a coat for one of their kids, maybe they can make that payment on the car before it is repossessed, or maybe they can pay their rent before they are evicted. These people have been out of work for a long time, and we are trying to extend unemployment benefits. And it is paid for. We are not borrowing the money to do that. But, no, the Republicans have stalled and stalled. Now more than 200,000 people have lost their ability to get that extra dollar they need. These 200,000 people need help, but Republicans can't be bothered with that. They are stalling, showing everybody they can stall things here. They are doing that.

But I am grateful that the American people watching--two congressional seats were open; there were two special elections yesterday. They were both won by Democrats. Democrats, Independents, and Republicans around the country know what has happened in this body in recent years. Republicans are the party of no. That is why, in New York, a congressional district that for 150 years had been Republican went Democratic. The American people see what is going on in this Congress.

In addition to the unemployment compensation extension being held up, which is paid for--not a penny of taxpayer money is being borrowed-- Republicans are standing in the way of giving businesses a tax break. This legislation, when we pass it, will allow businesses--big and little businesses--to take into consideration a tax break. If they have lost money in the last few years, they can get a tax break; that is, to carry forward a loss. They get a benefit from the loss. If they make money, they can set it off against the money

they made as a result of losses they have been going through. We are trying to help businesses--especially small businesses--compensate for the losses they have endured in recent years. Again, Republicans are in no rush to help them. Each day that goes by is a real hurt to small businesses.

The good news is that we are making progress on health care reform. We look forward to receiving, in a matter of days, the CBO analysis of the proposals for fixing our health system that is so broken. We only have 1 week before Veterans Day, November 11, and 1 week before the Thanksgiving recess after that, then we will have only 3\1/2\ weeks until Christmas, and we have unemployment insurance stalled by the Republicans; military construction, which we are trying to get done to allow for construction of military bases around America and the world where we have installations; Commerce-Justice-Science, which is an important piece of legislation, stalled for weeks.

It is interesting, we hear the Republicans come to the floor--I heard one of the most unbelievable statements yesterday. Senator Stabenow was over there, and she had a chart that showed that 85 times this year the Republicans have stopped either efforts to move forward on a bill or almost 60 times we have had to invoke cloture to stop filibusters. A Republican Senator came and said: Every one of those 85 was the result of our not being allowed amendments.

That doesn't pass the test of a kindergartner. A number of the things they have held up are nominations. We have scores of President Obama's nominations being held up. And with Commerce-Justice-Science, they say they have no amendments. Interesting. They have amendments that have been filed, and as soon as we get cloture, they will be able to debate those amendments and vote on them. But, no, that wasn't enough amendments. Maybe on that one they needed another ACORN amendment because they only had one. I think that would have added up to five or six. Maybe that would please them, another ACORN amendment.

Yes.

Yes, maybe we should have agreed to a couple more ACORN amendments.

For those not following this, that is an organization that has done some tremendously good work around the country. I acknowledge they have some problems. That is why I agreed with my friend from Illinois, who called for a complete investigation of ACORN. We agree that if they have done things that aren't right, they should be brought before the necessary tribunals or administrative agencies to look at that. But enough is enough. We recognize ACORN is not a perfect organization, but how much time do we need to spend on that? I also say that with nominations.

Here are things we are going to do before we have our Veterans Day break: unemployment, which is tied to first-time home buyers, and net operating loss. We are going to do military construction. We are going to finish Commerce-Justice-Science.

We are going to do nominations. We are going to do Judge David Hamilton, Seventh Circuit, who has been waiting since April. We have agreed to time agreements. Do you want an hour, 2 hours, 5 hours, 10 hours of debate? No, we don't want anything. Up-or-down vote. The Department of Justice--one of the key officials there has been held up for months, and that is Chris Schroeder. We are going to also complete Tara O'Toole. Here is a woman who is one of the most eminently qualified people in America to serve as science adviser to Secretary Napolitano. Her expertise is in a number of areas, including bioterrorism. She has written scores of articles, and she is also an expert in pandemics. Janet Napolitano, the Secretary, called me and said, ``I am desperate for this woman to come and work with me.'' The country is not capable of doing all the things that need to be done as a result of not having this job filled. Again, they won't let us vote on her. They won't take a time agreement. This is so important that we will spend 2 days debating it if we can have a vote. But that is not good enough. No time is sufficient.

A 6-month highway extension--we would love to get that done so we can meet the demands of the winter in America and so construction can go forward.

Mr. President, the American people see what is taking place. It is so obvious, and it is not constructive.

Mr. President, we have had, during the last 6 months, extended hearings on the need for health care reform. Every Member in the Democratic caucus believes the present system of delivering health care in America is in trouble. It is not fair to patients or to physicians. Certain classes of people are being damaged. Medicare recipients are hammered every day.

What we are doing is presenting to the American people alternatives to the insurance industry running the world of health care. We cannot continue the way we have been going. That is what the Republican plan is--to continue more of the same, with the health insurance industry controlling everything, not professionals.

We are going to continue working on this with the CBO, which now has the plan we have sent to them with different alternatives, and they will report back as to the numbers on that. We will have in the near future a program that will be open to the American people that will show that is what we are doing. We are returning the health care to the people who can do the best job in health care. Rather than the doctor having to go through some bureaucrat working for an insurance company, he or she can make a decision on their own. This is what the nurses want, this is what the physicians want, this is what the patients want, this is what the hospital administrators want, and this is what the teaching hospitals want.

Health care in America is not in good shape. All you need to do is read any fair discussion of the health care system, recognizing now that one-sixth of every dollar is spent on health care in America today. If we don't bend that curve, it will be up to 35 cents of every dollar. America cannot continue this. We are lagging behind the rest of the world, and that needs to change.

Mr. President, at 10:30 a.m., Chancellor Angela Merkel will address a joint meeting of Congress. Senators are encouraged to come to the floor now so that we may proceed as a body to the Hall of the House of Representatives.

The Senate will recess from 10:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. for that joint meeting. At 11:30 a.m. the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Benefits Extension Act of 2009, postcloture. I hope after the vote yesterday, we will not be required to use the 30 hours. It will run out sometime before midnight tonight. We should move on. We have other things to do. I have spoken to my counterpart, the Republican leader. We have a number of things we need to do before we leave here next Tuesday for the Veterans Day holiday. We can finish that now. Each thing we need to do can be done very quickly. If not, we will have to work through the weekend. I hope that is not necessary.

Again, at 11:30 a.m., the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Benefits Extension Act. It is my hope that we will be able to yield back some of that postcloture debate time and proceed to the bill this afternoon.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 to 2:15 to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.

Mr. President, there is something wrong with the system, so the bells and lights and whistles we normally hear around here won't be heard. We are going to have to go the old-fashioned way of looking at the clock.

I ask the Chair to recess 3 minutes early.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor Charlie Frias for his positive work in Nevada. For almost five decades Charlie and his wife Phyllis have worked to make Nevada a better place. Whether through their business endeavors or their philanthropy, the Friases have sought to improve their community and make life a little easier for their fellow Nevadans.

Charlie Frias was born in San Antonio, TX, in 1922. As a young man, he worked with his father and grandmother as a delivery boy in the family business. He graduated from Breckenridge High School and then joined the Navy. After being honorably discharged, he returned to San Antonio, TX, and married his wife Phyllis. In 1958, the couple moved to Las Vegas, NV, with little if any resources.

Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Charlie took a job as a taxicab driver with ABC Union Cab Company. He worked diligently for this company that he would come to own by 1962. Charlie quickly acquired three more cab companies and opened the first taxicab service in Mesquite, NV, the Virgin Valley Cab Company. He later went on to further expand into the limousine business by adding Airline Limousine and Las Vegas Limousine to his holdings. At the time of his passing in 2006, Charlie had enjoyed over 40 years of success in the transportation field as well as other business activities.

Mr. Frias's wife, Phyllis, has not played the role of spectator over the years. A constant partner in her husband's entrepreneurial efforts, Phyllis has recently displayed her own business talents through the completion of A Cowboy's Dream Bed and Breakfast in Alamo, NV. I have no doubt that Phyllis' luxury resort will help stimulate Nevada's economy during our period of recovery.

Over the years Charlie and Phyllis did not consign themselves to a profit-driven life. Rather, they have shown a humanitarian spirit and have displayed this by giving back to the people of Clark County and all Nevada. Mr. and Mrs. Frias have sent school bands to participate in events in Washington, DC, purchased buses for Virgin Valley High School, and provided apparel for local high school athletics. One of Charles and Phyllis Frias' greatest beliefs is for every child to have the opportunity to obtain a quality education. Over the years, the Friases established scholarships and funded other programs for students in the education system, subsequently making it possible for many children to attend college. They established the Phyllis Frias Environmental Studies Scholarship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They have not limited their generosity to education, but have also donated to other cultural and community organizations such as the Mesquite Arts Council, Spring Valley Little League, American Lung Association, Las Vegas Rescue Mission, the Clark County Firefighters Christmas Fund, and many others.

The valiant Mother Teresa once said, ``Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.'' It is safe to say that Charlie and Phyllis Frias have displayed this ideal through their actions. They have devoted their time, energy, love and resources to helping Nevada's kids get a quality education and a better life. For me Charlie Frias stands for the independent spirit of Las Vegas and the west. He is in my Hall of Fame.

I know that A Cowboy's Dream Bed and Breakfast will have a future as bright as the neon Vegas Vic cowboy sign. I salute the Friases for their service to the people of our great State and I wish Phyllis the very best now that Charlie is gone.

Mr. President, I rise today with my good friends, Senator Feinstein, Senator Ensign, and Senator Boxer to introduce the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009.

Representatives Heller, Titus, Berkley and others will be introducing an identical version of this legislation in the House of Representatives today, and I urge both bodies to act swiftly on this important legislation.

Lake Tahoe is a place of incredible beauty. The clear blue waters of the lake, surrounded by forested slopes and snow-capped peaks is a sight that can stir the soul. When Mark Twain first saw Lake Tahoe in 1861, he described it as ``a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still!'' He went on to proclaim the view in front of him as surely ``the fairest picture the whole earth affords.'' I could not agree more.

But the Lake Tahoe Basin faces some great challenges. The famed clarity of the lake declined by over a third during the last 50 years; it is estimated that 25 percent of the trees in the basin are dead or dying; the Lahontan cutthroat trout that once grew to 40 pounds or more in Lake Tahoe are no longer present; and many of the basin's natural marshes and wetlands have been altered or drained.

It became clear to me in the 1990s that a major commitment was needed to turn things around for the health and future of Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Basin. In 1996, I called then-President Clinton and Vice President Gore and asked if they would come to Lake Tahoe with me so that they could see both the incredible beauty of the place and many threats facing this rare jewel. When we convened in July 1997, the President and Vice President brought four cabinet secretaries with them and we had a serious multi-day session On the future of Lake Tahoe. President Clinton promised to make Lake Tahoe a priority--for the people of Nevada, for the people of California and for the whole country. An executive order and the subsequent Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2000 underscored that commitment.

It would have been difficult to imagine at that first summit how much progress we would be able to make in 12 years. The clarity of the lake now appears to have stabilized, thousands of acres of forest lands have been restored, roads and highways across the basin have been improved to limit runoff, and the natural function of many miles of stream zones and riparian areas has been restored. But there is a great deal yet to be done. We offer this legislation as the next step.

The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009 focuses Federal attention on the areas where we can be most effective and it builds on the lessons we have learned since 1997. The basic summary of the bill is that it authorizes $415 million over 8 years to improve water clarity, reduce the threat of fire, and restore the environment. But I would like to take a few minutes to explain some of the components in greater depth.

It would be impossible to make real progress in the Lake Tahoe Basin without working hand-in-hand with the Forest Service, which manages 75 percent of the land in the area. With that in mind, we call on the Forest Service to support the thresholds put forth by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, we provide encouragement and funding to work on the restoration of stream environment zones, and we withdraw all Forest Service in the Basin lands from mineral entry in order to minimize soil disturbance. The Forest Service is also granted increased flexibility to exchange land with the states of Nevada and California which will allow for more cost-efficient management of the over 8,000 publicly owned urban parcels spread throughout the Basin. Currently, the Forest Service owns over 3,280 of these urban parcels and there are questions about whether it is in the public interest for the Forest Service to manage these urban lands or whether it would be better to pass them to other responsible entities that could provide more efficient management. We have asked the Forest Service to report to Congress on their plans for improving this part of their program, including any suggestions for how Congress might be able to help. Along with these new authorities and direction for forest management, the bill authorizes $136 million to reduce the threat of wildfire. This includes work on Forest Service lands as well as work done by local fire agencies. Local communities and fire districts that receive grants from this generous program will provide a 25 percent cash match.

The Environmental Improvement Plan, EIP, another key part of restoration efforts in the basin. The EIP is a list, prepared by Lake Tahoe stakeholders, of projects that are designed to improve water quality, forest health, air quality and fish and wildlife habitat around Lake Tahoe. As part of this bill we authorize $136 million for Federal funding to support EIP projects. We also call on stakeholders in the basin to carefully rank the projects in the EIP, using the best available science, in order to give everyone involved an understanding of the long-term priorities and goals of the program. Through this ranking, when state, local, or private funds become available, the stakeholders and government agencies can move immediately to fund and implement the projects that are most vital and in keeping with the long-range vision for environmental restoration in the basin.

Another important authorization in the bill is $72 million for stormwater management and watershed restoration projects which have been determined to be among the most effective ways to improve water clarity. These are projects designed to reduce the inflow of very fine sediment into the lake through improvement of urban stormwater systems or the restoration of natural watershed functions in the basin's streams and marsh areas.

The legislation also takes great strides in protecting Lake Tahoe from dangerous invasive species like quagga and zebra mussels. The damage that would be inflicted at Lake Tahoe by a quagga or zebra mussel infestation has been estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars annually. These organisms destroy native ecosystems. Their rampant reproduction upsets food chains and drives other species out of existence. Dense accumulation of shells damages infrastructure, clogs water pipes and fouls boats and motors. As has been experienced in other parts of our country, these invasive species can leave boulders and beaches covered in an unsightly, foul-smelling, crust of sharp fingernail-sized shells. In order to protect Lake Tahoe from this horrible fate, our bill would provide $20 million for watercraft inspections and removal of existing invasive species from Lake Tahoe. Further, we prohibit watercraft that have had contact with quagga or zebra mussel-infested waters from entering waterbodies in the Lake Tahoe Basin. All other watercraft must submit to inspection and decontamination prior to launch in order to prevent

the introduction of these harmful species. Watercraft can be exempted from decontamination if they have not launched elsewhere since last being in Lake Tahoe.

Of special importance to me, this legislation authorizes $20 million to help implement the full-scale recovery of the Lahontan cutthroat trout. This iconic fish was highly sought by anglers for generations, and was the top predator in the lake's ecosystem. Populations started to decline when widespread logging and pulp operations came to the Tahoe Basin, damaging crucial spawning areas. This, combined with serious overfishing, led to a sharp decline in population levels. To make matters worse, a number of non-native fish were introduced into Lake Tahoe and began to prey upon the remaining juvenile cutthroats.

We have since made great progress in cleaning up the Basin's streams and restoring lost habitat, but we will need to take additional steps to bring this great fish back to Lake Tahoe. The funding authorized by this legislation will make these steps possible. I would also like to note, that the Fish and Wildlife Service has made great progress in bringing Lahontan cutthroat trout back to Fallen Leaf Lake, in the Tahoe Basin. I have faith that they can work similar wonders in Lake Tahoe.

Another piece of this bill that we have put a lot of time and thought into is the science program. A solid understanding of how our restoration efforts are working, and how natural physical and biological processes affect the lake is critical to ensuring continued progress in restoring the health of the basin. The legislation authorizes $30 million for scientific programs and research that will produce information on long-term trends in the basin and provide the basis for selection of the most effective projects. To help coordinate efforts, all projects funded by this legislation will have monitoring and assessment built into their project design so that we can better understand their contributions to restoration in the basin.

A great deal of work has gone into this bill, and I am grateful for the help and assistance that my colleagues and their staffs have provided. Senator Feinstein and her staff deserve special praise for their diligent efforts. I also sincerely appreciate the time and attention of the many people in Nevada and California who have provided crucial input along the way.

Anyone who has been to Lake Tahoe knows that is it not just uniquely beautiful but that it is also worth fighting to protect. It is my sincere hope that my grandchildren will see the day when the Lake's clarity is restored to 100 feet or more, when Tahoe's giant native trout are once again plentiful, and when nearby forests are diverse and healthy. Mark Twain saw something amazing when he crested into the Lake Tahoe Basin. We owe it to ourselves and to subsequent generations to restore as much of that splendor as we can. This bill is the next step in that journey.

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

Mr. President, I rise today with my good friends, Senator Feinstein, Senator Ensign, and Senator Boxer to introduce the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009.

Representatives Heller, Titus, Berkley and others will be introducing an identical version of this legislation in the House of Representatives today, and I urge both bodies to act swiftly on this important legislation.

Lake Tahoe is a place of incredible beauty. The clear blue waters of the lake, surrounded by forested slopes and snow-capped peaks is a sight that can stir the soul. When Mark Twain first saw Lake Tahoe in 1861, he described it as ``a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still!'' He went on to proclaim the view in front of him as surely ``the fairest picture the whole earth affords.'' I could not agree more.

But the Lake Tahoe Basin faces some great challenges. The famed clarity of the lake declined by over a third during the last 50 years; it is estimated that 25 percent of the trees in the basin are dead or dying; the Lahontan cutthroat trout that once grew to 40 pounds or more in Lake Tahoe are no longer present; and many of the basin's natural marshes and wetlands have been altered or drained.

It became clear to me in the 1990s that a major commitment was needed to turn things around for the health and future of Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Basin. In 1996, I called then-President Clinton and Vice President Gore and asked if they would come to Lake Tahoe with me so that they could see both the incredible beauty of the place and many threats facing this rare jewel. When we convened in July 1997, the President and Vice President brought four cabinet secretaries with them and we had a serious multi-day session On the future of Lake Tahoe. President Clinton promised to make Lake Tahoe a priority--for the people of Nevada, for the people of California and for the whole country. An executive order and the subsequent Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2000 underscored that commitment.

It would have been difficult to imagine at that first summit how much progress we would be able to make in 12 years. The clarity of the lake now appears to have stabilized, thousands of acres of forest lands have been restored, roads and highways across the basin have been improved to limit runoff, and the natural function of many miles of stream zones and riparian areas has been restored. But there is a great deal yet to be done. We offer this legislation as the next step.

The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009 focuses Federal attention on the areas where we can be most effective and it builds on the lessons we have learned since 1997. The basic summary of the bill is that it authorizes $415 million over 8 years to improve water clarity, reduce the threat of fire, and restore the environment. But I would like to take a few minutes to explain some of the components in greater depth.

It would be impossible to make real progress in the Lake Tahoe Basin without working hand-in-hand with the Forest Service, which manages 75 percent of the land in the area. With that in mind, we call on the Forest Service to support the thresholds put forth by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, we provide encouragement and funding to work on the restoration of stream environment zones, and we withdraw all Forest Service in the Basin lands from mineral entry in order to minimize soil disturbance. The Forest Service is also granted increased flexibility to exchange land with the states of Nevada and California which will allow for more cost-efficient management of the over 8,000 publicly owned urban parcels spread throughout the Basin. Currently, the Forest Service owns over 3,280 of these urban parcels and there are questions about whether it is in the public interest for the Forest Service to manage these urban lands or whether it would be better to pass them to other responsible entities that could provide more efficient management. We have asked the Forest Service to report to Congress on their plans for improving this part of their program, including any suggestions for how Congress might be able to help. Along with these new authorities and direction for forest management, the bill authorizes $136 million to reduce the threat of wildfire. This includes work on Forest Service lands as well as work done by local fire agencies. Local communities and fire districts that receive grants from this generous program will provide a 25 percent cash match.

The Environmental Improvement Plan, EIP, another key part of restoration efforts in the basin. The EIP is a list, prepared by Lake Tahoe stakeholders, of projects that are designed to improve water quality, forest health, air quality and fish and wildlife habitat around Lake Tahoe. As part of this bill we authorize $136 million for Federal funding to support EIP projects. We also call on stakeholders in the basin to carefully rank the projects in the EIP, using the best available science, in order to give everyone involved an understanding of the long-term priorities and goals of the program. Through this ranking, when state, local, or private funds become available, the stakeholders and government agencies can move immediately to fund and implement the projects that are most vital and in keeping with the long-range vision for environmental restoration in the basin.

Another important authorization in the bill is $72 million for stormwater management and watershed restoration projects which have been determined to be among the most effective ways to improve water clarity. These are projects designed to reduce the inflow of very fine sediment into the lake through improvement of urban stormwater systems or the restoration of natural watershed functions in the basin's streams and marsh areas.

The legislation also takes great strides in protecting Lake Tahoe from dangerous invasive species like quagga and zebra mussels. The damage that would be inflicted at Lake Tahoe by a quagga or zebra mussel infestation has been estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars annually. These organisms destroy native ecosystems. Their rampant reproduction upsets food chains and drives other species out of existence. Dense accumulation of shells damages infrastructure, clogs water pipes and fouls boats and motors. As has been experienced in other parts of our country, these invasive species can leave boulders and beaches covered in an unsightly, foul-smelling, crust of sharp fingernail-sized shells. In order to protect Lake Tahoe from this horrible fate, our bill would provide $20 million for watercraft inspections and removal of existing invasive species from Lake Tahoe. Further, we prohibit watercraft that have had contact with quagga or zebra mussel-infested waters from entering waterbodies in the Lake Tahoe Basin. All other watercraft must submit to inspection and decontamination prior to launch in order to prevent

the introduction of these harmful species. Watercraft can be exempted from decontamination if they have not launched elsewhere since last being in Lake Tahoe.

Of special importance to me, this legislation authorizes $20 million to help implement the full-scale recovery of the Lahontan cutthroat trout. This iconic fish was highly sought by anglers for generations, and was the top predator in the lake's ecosystem. Populations started to decline when widespread logging and pulp operations came to the Tahoe Basin, damaging crucial spawning areas. This, combined with serious overfishing, led to a sharp decline in population levels. To make matters worse, a number of non-native fish were introduced into Lake Tahoe and began to prey upon the remaining juvenile cutthroats.

We have since made great progress in cleaning up the Basin's streams and restoring lost habitat, but we will need to take additional steps to bring this great fish back to Lake Tahoe. The funding authorized by this legislation will make these steps possible. I would also like to note, that the Fish and Wildlife Service has made great progress in bringing Lahontan cutthroat trout back to Fallen Leaf Lake, in the Tahoe Basin. I have faith that they can work similar wonders in Lake Tahoe.

Another piece of this bill that we have put a lot of time and thought into is the science program. A solid understanding of how our restoration efforts are working, and how natural physical and biological processes affect the lake is critical to ensuring continued progress in restoring the health of the basin. The legislation authorizes $30 million for scientific programs and research that will produce information on long-term trends in the basin and provide the basis for selection of the most effective projects. To help coordinate efforts, all projects funded by this legislation will have monitoring and assessment built into their project design so that we can better understand their contributions to restoration in the basin.

A great deal of work has gone into this bill, and I am grateful for the help and assistance that my colleagues and their staffs have provided. Senator Feinstein and her staff deserve special praise for their diligent efforts. I also sincerely appreciate the time and attention of the many people in Nevada and California who have provided crucial input along the way.

Anyone who has been to Lake Tahoe knows that is it not just uniquely beautiful but that it is also worth fighting to protect. It is my sincere hope that my grandchildren will see the day when the Lake's clarity is restored to 100 feet or more, when Tahoe's giant native trout are once again plentiful, and when nearby forests are diverse and healthy. Mark Twain saw something amazing when he crested into the Lake Tahoe Basin. We owe it to ourselves and to subsequent generations to restore as much of that splendor as we can. This bill is the next step in that journey.

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

Mr. President, our job as legislators is to write and pass a bill that will make it easier for every American family to afford to live a healthy life. Democratic Members have worked tirelessly over the past weeks, months, and even years to fulfill this tremendous responsibility. We have listened to the vast majority of Americans who demand that we stop health insurance companies from taking advantage of each of us. We have listened to the vast majority of Americans who know that a public option for health insurance is the best way to keep competition up, keep costs down, and keep insurance companies honest. We continue to listen to Senators as diverse ideologically as they are diverse geographically as we craft a final bill.

Today, we are closer than ever before to making sure every American can access quality, affordable health care--and making sure they have the choice of whether they get that care through their private insurer or a public one.

We are closer than ever, but we are not there quite yet. As we head for the finish line, one of the most important parts of this process is transparency. That is exactly why the two Senate committees that drafted the foundations of this bill--the HELP and Finance Committees-- conducted lengthy public meetings. At these meetings, the American people could see that the committees considered and approved numerous amendments and proposals by both Democrats and Republicans. For example, you could go on the HELP Committee's Web site and watch them adopt 160 Republican amendments into this bill. It is in the name of transparency that the committees' legislation has been fully available on the Internet for many weeks now. The HELP Committee's bill has been on its Web site since June 9, and the Finance Committee's bill has been on its Web site since September 16.

It is important to understand where we are in this process. Right now, we are merging those two bills into one bill. That work is ongoing, and many different options are being weighed. The CBO is analyzing those options, and based on their analysis we will decide what to put into a bill. Those who demand to see the bill this minute forget that a final bill doesn't yet exist. If it did, we would bring it to the floor. All should remember that as soon as the CBO results are in and as soon as important decisions are made based on those results, we have pledged to make the final bill available to the full Senate and the American people. The final bill will be public as soon as it is written. I will repeat that so there is no confusion. The final bill will be made public as soon as it is written.

Only one final decision has been made so far. We are going to give people the power of deciding whether they want to get their health insurance from somewhere other than the reckless private companies that are responsible for the mess we are in, and we are going to give the States the power of deciding whether that choice is best for its citizens.

So that is where we stand. It is important to get these facts on the

record, as misinformation, half-truths, and distractions fill the airwaves.

Let's be honest. These facts don't matter much to those who are dead set on opposing health insurance reform for partisan reasons. They don't matter to the Republican Senator who said he hopes the effort to fix our broken health care system will be President Obama's ``Waterloo.'' They don't matter to the Republican Senator who said Republicans will oppose the bill regardless of any concessions Democrats make. They don't matter to the Republican Senator who said, ``I don't have to read it, or know what's in it. I am going to oppose it anyways.'' Their strategy is to deny the undeniable fact that families' personal health and pocketbooks are suffering. Their strategy is to defend the indefensible practices of insurance companies that make huge profits on the backs of our seniors and our sick. Their strategy is to ignore polls that clearly and consistently show the American people support a public option and instead argue, without evidence, that they don't.

Republicans make no effort to hide their shortsighted and self- destructive strategy. In fact, Roll Call newspaper today reports that they ``have mapped out a strategy to draw out debate'' rather than work with us to strengthen the bill. Politico reported last week that Republican consultant Frank Luntz is out with a new memo urging Republicans to fake bipartisanship. You will recall that, back in May, Luntz encouraged Republicans to oppose a health care reform bill before there was a single hearing held to determine what should be in the bill and long before a single bill was even written. Now Luntz says Republicans have more to gain by faking bipartisanship and from complaining about the health care bill than working to improve it. All of us--every single American--stand to lose if that happens. I know Senate Republicans appreciate transparency because their strategy is as transparent as it comes. That strategy is simply to delay, delay, delay. And now the newspaper Roll Call acknowledges that.

At the same time, I couldn't help but notice that while Senate Republicans demand transparency, their own plan is being drafted, obviously, in secret--if, in fact, there is one. We don't know how much their bill will cost--the Republican bill--if there is one. We don't know whom it will help, if anybody, or how it will keep insurance companies from abusing Americans. They won't tell us how their plan will lower your health care bills so you don't have to choose between medication and your mortgage. So I can only conclude one of two things: Either the Senate Republicans are drafting a bill in secret or their proposal simply doesn't exist and the Republicans have no solutions to one of the greatest and most urgent challenges of our time--health insurance reform. Whichever it is should concern the American people greatly.

I will acknowledge there is one thing that won't be in their bill secretly or in a transparent fashion, and that is to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act that exempts insurance companies from antitrust laws. The insurance companies love that because they can take advantage of the American people, as they have since 1945, since that act became law.

It is increasingly clear to the American people who is trying to help them. It is clear who is reaching across the aisle and negotiating in good faith and compromising where necessary.

Mr. President, we want to work with the Republicans, but how can you work with a party that says that they hope President Obama fails and that this is his Waterloo? It doesn't matter what is in the bill, they will oppose it. Again, today, we heard from Roll Call that their only strategy is to delay. I hope that will change and they will work with us to come up with some ideas on how they can improve health insurance. Let's get the bill on the floor and start debating it.

Mr. President, today, following the remarks of the two leaders, there will be a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. At 4 p.m., the Senate will resume consideration of the Unemployment Benefits Extension Act, with the time until 5 p.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. At 5 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the Reid-Baucus substitute amendment.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will address a joint meeting of Congress tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. Senators should begin to gather in the Chamber at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning so they can leave at 10:10 a.m. to proceed to the House of Representatives.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business. We have no set time on it this morning, although Senators will be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each during the pendency of that morning business. There will be no rollcall votes today. The next rollcall vote will occur at 5 p.m. on Monday, November 2. The vote will be on the motion to invoke cloture on the substitute to amendment H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Benefits Extension Act, which has attached to it the very important extension of the first-time home buyers tax credit, which has been modified to allow people other than first-time home buyers to now buy homes.

In addition to that, there is an extremely important provision to help the economy, the loss carryback, and we hope to complete that as soon as possible. If, in fact, cloture is invoked Monday night, that would be done quickly. The House said they would accept that, and that could be done as early as Tuesday and signed by the President, which would be a great relief to realtors all over the country. It would be important for banks, especially community banks, so that they would be in a position to start helping small businesses more as a result of the legislation that is attached to that, the loss carryback. If, in fact, the Republicans are going to keep stalling, then we won't be able to do that until probably sometime Tuesday night.

Each day that goes by is critical. We have a million people--1 million people--who are eligible for this; 7,000 new people every day, 49,000 a week. We have been stalled for 3 weeks with this, meaning 150,000 people have lost their benefits during the time the Republicans have stalled this very important piece of legislation. It is legislation that is paid for. It doesn't increase the debt. It allows people who have been unemployed for long periods of time to continue receiving unemployment benefits. It is stunning to me to understand how the Republicans can hold this up, but they have. I hope that stops on Monday night.

Mr. President, the story of Nevada is the story of America, really. We became a State on October 31, 1864,

the 36th State to join the Union. As America has grown and grown up, so has my State in many different ways. America isn't the only one that has grown up; so has the State of Nevada. As America has changed, Nevada has evolved just as dramatically. Lands that were once frontier are now cities on the front lines of technology and industry. Where our land was once dominated by homesteads, it is now dotted by energy- efficient homes.

In these 145 years since the birthday of Nevada, which will be celebrated this Saturday, we have come a long way. But one thing has not changed since that Halloween in 1864: Forward-thinking Americans are still coming westward, calling Nevada home, and many of them are coming eastward from California, where we get a lot of new residents.

The State of Nevada was joined to the Union at the height of the Civil War. Just as Congress was voting on the 13th amendment that would abolish slavery, ``Battle Born''--which is our motto--``Battle Born'' Nevadans continued to fight for equality, freedom, and progress, including nearly 1,000 Nevadans who today serve bravely in our Nation's Armed Forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, around the globe, and here at home.

The day before yesterday, I called the mother of three children who had lost her husband in Afghanistan. I see in the morning news coming out of Nevada that I am going to have that same responsibility later today when I call the family of Josue Hernandez Chavez, who was killed yesterday in Afghanistan. He is from Reno, NV, just like the soldier's family I called the day before yesterday was from Reno. These two men died following a long, strong tradition of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who have defended America in both war and peace.

Nevada is honored to be the home of some of our most important and premier military installations in the world, and certainly in the United States, including Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Fallon, which is the home of Top Gun, and the Hawthorne Army Depot, as well as many National Guard armories and Reserve readiness centers.

Outside of Nevada, much attention is paid, of course, to the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. That attention is deserved, as Las Vegas has built itself from a desert outpost to the entertainment capital of the world as well as the city on the vanguard of the clean energy revolution. But every corner of the State is playing a critical role in leading our Nation toward energy independence. It is a revolution fueled by Nevada's boundless innovative spirit and its unlimited natural resources.

Indeed, Nevada is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. A lot of people think of Nevada as a desert, but it is not. We are the most mountainous State in the Union, except for Alaska. We have more than 300 mountain ranges. We have 32 mountains over 11,000 feet high. We have one mountain about 14,000 feet high. We have some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in all of the Nation, Alpine Meadows, mountain sheep. A lot of places don't have--we have mountain goats in Nevada; Sheldon Antelope Range set forward by Theodore Roosevelt, the most sparsely populated area in all of the United States except for Alaska; and, as Mark Twain said, Lake Tahoe, the fairest place the whole Earth affords. It is a beautiful lake shared by California. There is only one other lake like it in the world, and that is in Russia, Lake Baikal. It is a beautiful lake. It is really the gem of the Sierras. So from its snowcapped peaks to its searing desert, the Nevada landscape is as diverse as the backgrounds of those who helped settle it, those who live and work there today.

It is also a wonderful place to raise a family. I know that firsthand because I was born and raised in Nevada, as have been all of my five children. My wife is like so many people--in fact, the majority of people; she was born in California and worked her way into Nevada with her family.

When we ensure that all Nevadans can afford quality health care and can count on a good-paying job, it will be even better. That is why I come to work each day, to make life easier for my neighbors back home. That is why I am working to help our country prosper, our economy be raised up as it once was. That is why I am working to protect our State's natural beauty. That is why I fought to end the plan that would have made Nevada the Nation's nuclear dumping ground.

I am really proud to be a Nevadan. I am humbled that the people of Nevada have asked me to represent them in various capacities for a long time. I am proud that the Senate has recognized the 145th anniversary of our State's ratification of the Constitution.

Nevada is going to recover economically. It remains open for business. In the words of the State song, it will always be home to me. Home means Nevada, home means the hills, home means the sage and the pines. That is our State song.