Floor Statements

Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent to proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the actions of the five young Americans who are this year's School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Award recipients as chosen by the American Automobile Association.

The American Automobile Association, AAA, began the School Safety Patrol Program in 1920 as a way to promote traffic safety amongst school children. Since 1949, the AAA School Safety Patrol Program has awarded its highest honor, the Lifesaving Award, to those patrollers who have acted to save the life of another. This year five heroic School Safety Patrollers are receiving this award, and it is my great honor to recognize their courageous actions.

In nearby Alexandria, VA, Norman Wallace was at his bus patrol post helping to safely direct fellow Hybla Valley Elementary School students exit the bus when he spotted a vehicle coming towards a 5-year-old girl who was crossing in front of the bus. Acting quickly, Norman pulled the young girl from harm's way. His courageous actions ensured that the girl went unharmed.

Lulu Beltran showed great foresight while performing her duty as an AAA school safety patroller at Dixie Downs Elementary School in St. George, UT. While a fellow student was crossing the street, Lulu noticed that an approaching vehicle was not slowing down. After assessing the situation, Lulu moved swiftly and pulled her fellow student out of harm's way.

Working with her patrol advisor at Minnehaha Elementary School in Vancouver, WA, Sierra Clark acted bravely to prevent a fifth-grade girl from being hit when a vehicle suddenly sped around a corner. As the vehicle approached the crossing, Sierra snapped into action and pushed the girl out of danger.

Hunter Turner was patrolling a busy intersection near his Strassburg School in Sauk Village, IL, when a student began to cross the street without checking for cars first. As a car turned the corner, Hunter pulled the student back onto the sidewalk. If not for Hunter's valiant action, the student would have been struck.

After only 2 weeks at his school safety patrol post at Waterville Primary School in Waterville, OH, Matthew Krause prevented a kindergartener from stepping off a sidewalk just as a truck passed. Matthew's awareness of his surroundings and attentiveness to his duties ensured that this 5-year-old remained unscathed.

The five patrollers whom I have spoken of exemplify values such as courage, alertness, and a commitment to safety, all of which the AAA School Safety Patrol Program has promoted over the years. Patrollers throughout our Nation serve an important role in ensuring that our young people safely navigate traffic hazards to and from school, and I thank them for their work.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar Nos. 31 and 108; that the nominations be confirmed, en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, en bloc; that any statements relating to the nominations be printed in the Record; that no further motions be in order; that upon confirmation, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 614.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hutchison technical amendment at the desk be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to this measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 151.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider laid on the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., May 21; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 2346, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill, with the time until 10 a.m. equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, and that be for debate only; that at 10 a.m., the Senate proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on H.R. 2346.

Finally, I ask that the filing deadline for second-degree amendments be at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.

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

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that today, Tuesday, May 19, I be authorized to sign any duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 627, the credit card bill. A rollcall vote will occur sometime within the next half hour or so. It may not occur immediately. When cloture is invoked, we will dispose of the pending amendments and then vote on passage of the bill, as amended. Rollcall votes are possible later in the day. We do know there are some agreements on a nomination, the Gensler nomination. There will be a vote on that nomination after the caucus lunches today at about 2:15 p.m. Later this afternoon, we expect to begin consideration of the Iraq and Afghanistan supplemental appropriations bill.

Madam President, in just a few minutes, one of our most distinguished colleagues has marked another milestone. The senior Senator from Michigan, Carl Levin, is going to shortly cast his 11,000th vote. How fitting that this landmark vote, like so many before it, will be cast in favor of protecting American families, hard-working American families.

We have all had the honor of serving with and getting to know Carl Levin. I personally have known him for a long time. I first met him in 1985. What stands out more than any other time in the dealings I have had with Senator Levin--and there have been lots of them--is the first time I met with him, in his office in the Russell Building. I was over there to talk about my running for the Senate. I had the good fortune of working for a number of years with his brother, Sandy, in the House. We came together to the House of Representatives.

At the beginning of the conversation, I said: Carl, I served with your brother, Sandy. We came together. He is a wonderful man.

Carl Levin, sitting at his desk, looked up at me and said: Yes, he is my brother, but he is also my best friend.

That is Carl Levin.

Before Senator Levin became one of our most brilliant legislators in the history of this country, he was a brilliant lawyer and a law professor. Senator Levin graduated from Detroit's public schools, Swarthmore College, and Harvard Law School before embarking on a remarkable career.

He has held many titles over the many years he has done public service, but each shares a common theme--serving his community and his country. He has been Michigan's assistant attorney general, the first general counsel for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, a founder and leader in the Detroit Public Defender's Office, and president of the Detroit City Council.

His attention to detail is second to none, and we all know that. As I say, he is my Harvard nitpicker. He is such a great lawyer, has such a great legal mind. I can remember times when I have not been able to be here on the floor--Senator Daschle was the same way--and we had to call Senator Levin to make sure there was nothing we missed because anytime he puts his stamp of approval on something, it has been reviewed and reviewed in his great mind. His leadership is just as strong. He has been the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee since 1997. He has ably led that panel in both times of war and peace.

There are, of course, many important votes among those 11,000, but the one most recently in my mind is he voted aye for the Wounded Warrior Act, which he shepherded through the Senate in the face of veto threats, to make sure our troops and our veterans get the care they deserve on the battlefield and also when they come home. Off the Senate floor, Carl Levin led a groundbreaking investigation into the Enron collapse that opened America's eyes to the corporate abuses that hurt so many hard-working Americans.

More than many Americans, those across Michigan face significant struggles every day. If I lived in Detroit or Lansing or Grand Rapids, there is no one I would rather have looking out for me and helping me to get through this difficult time than Carl Levin. Carl Levin has served Michigan in the Senate longer than anyone in Michigan's history. Few would argue that anyone has done it with more passion and principle and precision than Carl Levin--as he approaches every issue.

I know Senator Levin's wife Barbara. She is a wonderful partner of Carl Levin. Also, for those Democrats, we know she can also sing.

Your wife Barbara is the best. We compliment you on raising such wonderful children--Kate, Laura, and Erica. They, your five grandchildren, and, of course, your best friend, Congressman Sander Levin, join me in congratulating you on this latest accomplishment.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 63, H.R. 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, and that once the bill is reported, Senator Inouye be recognized to call up the substitute amendment which is at the desk and is the text of the Senate committee-reported bill, S. 1054; that the substitute amendment be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be considered as original text for purpose of further amendments; and that no points of order be waived by virtue of this agreement.

Before Senator Inouye is recognized, let me say to the Senate, this is one of the most crucial pieces of legislation we will deal with this entire Congress. It involves funding of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We wish to make sure everyone who has any concern about any provision of this bill has the opportunity to try to change it any way they want. We want to get this done as quickly as possible. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to do what they believe is appropriate. Finally, what I wish to say is, we are very fortunate, as a Senate and a country, to have the two managers of this bill. I have stated many times my affection and admiration for Senator Inouye. He is a person whom the history books have already written about. Not only is he a heroic person in the fields of war but also in the fields of legislation. His colleague, Senator Cochran, is a person who has wide respect on both sides of the aisle. He is someone I have traveled parts of the world with. I have been working with him for a quarter of a century. He has been here longer than I have, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I recognize what a good Senator he is and how fortunate are the people in Mississippi to have him working on this legislation and all other matters. He is someone I can go to and there is no flimflam with Cochran. He tells you: I can't help you, here is what I want you to do. I think we will be well served during this debate.

Mr. President, I have never known John McCain or certainly President Bush to base their foreign policy on how the Europeans felt. Certainly, President Obama also bases his not strictly on how the Europeans feel about anything he does. I agree with President Bush and John McCain that Guantanamo should be closed. And we Democrats believe that President Obama is following the direction of others who have laid out the fact that it should be closed.

The decision to close Guantanamo was the right one. Guantanamo makes us less safe. However, this is neither the time nor the bill to deal with this. Both Democrats and Republicans agree. The Democrats, under no circumstances, will move forward without a comprehensive, responsible plan from the President. I believe that is bipartisan in nature. I think the Republicans agree with that. And we will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States. That is what this is all about.

I think this is the best way to approach this. I think the President will come up with a plan. Once that plan is given to us, then we will have the opportunity to debate his plan. Now is not the time to do it.

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

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Udall of Colorado.) Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Wednesday, tomorrow, May 20, after any statements of the leaders, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 2346 and Inouye amendment No. 1133; that there be 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled between the leaders on that amendment or their designees, with the time allocated as follows: The first 30 minutes under the control of the Republican leader, the second 30 minutes under the control of the majority leader, and the final 60 minutes divided equally, with 10-minute limitations, with the final 5 minutes of time under the control of Senator Inouye; that upon the use of this time, the Senate proceed to vote on the Inouye amendment with no amendment in order to the amendment.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum also be waived.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we now proceed to a period of morning business with Senators allowed to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar Nos. 94, 95, 98, and 152; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, no further motions be in order and that any statements be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate resume legislative session.

Are we now in a period of morning business?