Floor Statements

I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Lautenberg), the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be terminated.

Madam President, I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate a message from the House on S. Con. Res. 13, the concurrent budget resolution.

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the House insist upon its amendment to the

resolution (S. Con. Res. 13) entitled ``Concurrent resolution

setting forth the congressional budget for the United States

Government for fiscal year 2010, revising the appropriate

budgetary levels for fiscal year 2009, and setting forth the

appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2011 through

2014.'', and ask a conference with the Senate on the

disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon.

Madam President, the following request has been approved by Senator Gregg and the Republican leadership.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate disagree to the amendment of the House, agree to the request for a conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, and that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees; that prior to the Chair appointing conferees,

the following motions to instruct the conferees be in order; and that a majority side-by-side motion to instruct be in order to any Republican motion to instruct and that the majority motion be voted on first; that upon disposition of all motions, any remaining statutory time be yielded back; and that the conferee ratio be 2 to 1; provided further that the statutory time be considered as having started running at 3 p.m. today, and that the time be charged equally to both sides. The motions in order are Johanns, cap and trade; Stabenow, cap and trade, which is a side by side; Gregg, no debt increase; Sessions, nondefense, nonveterans spending freeze; Ensign, point of order relative to raising taxes; Cornyn, taxes; Alexander, competitive student loans; Coburn, budget line by line; DeMint, health care, that no point of order be in order to this motion; Vitter, oil and gas tax.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, earlier today, the Senate was very close to reaching an agreement to complete action on the financial fraud measure. It is a bipartisan measure which is the result of significant bipartisan work of Senators Leahy, Grassley, and virtually every member of the Judiciary Committee. I thought we had an agreement, but we were not able to do this, in spite of all of the good work of Senator Leahy. We simply want to limit amendments to this bill. Everyone has had ample opportunity to offer amendments. I guess it would have been nice if we had voted later last night, but I had a meeting at the White House. I had to be at the meeting, and I left here about 5:15 and the meeting lasted until about 7:30.

We are going to file cloture tonight on this measure. Everyone should acknowledge that this means we are going to have a cloture vote Saturday morning around 11 a.m. There will be another vote on Sunday, if we are asked to use up all of this time. It is unfortunate, since people had all the opportunity they had to offer amendments. No one has tried to stifle amendments on this or anything else this year. It is unfortunate, and that will mean there will be some amendments, well intentioned and good, that deal with the financial crisis facing this country that will fall, but we have had good debate the last few days on this legislation.

I wish there were some other way to do this. I pulled out all the stops to try to talk to a number of Senators, and I apologize for not being able to work something out, but that is the way it is sometimes.

I am happy to yield.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Republican leader be allowed to make a statement prior to the vote.

Mr. President, on the motions to instruct, I ask unanimous consent that there be 2 minutes between each vote for debate equally divided between Senators Gregg and Conrad or the sponsor of the motion. Senators Gregg and Conrad can determine who has the time.

I ask unanimous consent that there be 10-minute votes after the first vote.

I thank the Chair.

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

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 have been conferring off and on during the day with my distinguished Republican counterpart. I think this is where we are.

Monday, at about 5:30, we will have a vote on cloture on the underlying financial fraud legislation. We will determine what time Tuesday morning we will vote on final passage of that bill, if cloture is invoked. Again, we will vote Monday night at about 5:30 on cloture, and sometime Tuesday morning we will vote on final passage.

At this stage, we have a tentative agreement to have 6 to 8 hours of debate on Sebelius, and we would have passage of that by a 60-vote margin on her sometime late Tuesday.

Following that, we are trying to work something out on Mr. Strickland, who is one of the secretaries for Ken Salazar. I talked to Senator Bunning. We are trying to get him some information to which he is entitled. If we can get that information, we will get that done very quickly. If we cannot, then Senator Bunning has agreed to a reasonable period of time--and Senator McConnell and I will determine what that is--to have a debate and a 60-vote margin on his approval.

Hopefully, if the conference is completed on the budget, we would go to that sometime Wednesday, with a statutory 10 hours on it.

That is where we are. It has been a difficult time. I am sorry to have everyone concerned about the Saturday cloture vote, but that is how things work.

I say to my friend Dr. Coburn, he is a thorn in my side, but he is a real gentleman, as I have said before. I think this is going to work out very well for everybody. We all have a lot of things already scheduled the next few days. Having the Saturday vote would do a lot of damage to a lot of plans--these are not vacation plans, but whatever plans people have in their home States. I hope that answers everybody's questions.

I have not said this often enough. I remind everyone that all the press is interested in is seeing Senator McConnell and me jostle. We jostle very little. We have an understanding as to what is good for this body, and sometimes our views of what is good for this body are different but not very much. I express my appreciation to him for all the work we have been able to get done this week, which has been very difficult, and to work this out for a Monday vote.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the vote on the cloture motion on the substitute amendment to S. 386 occur at 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 27; that if cloture is invoked, all postcloture time be yielded back and any pending germane amendments be disposed of; then the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and that the vote on passage of the bill occur at 12 noon on Tuesday, notwithstanding rule XII, paragraph 4, without further intervening action or debate; that once cloture has been filed, the mandatory quorum be waived; provided further that at 4:30 p.m. Monday, there be 60 minutes of debate prior to the cloture vote, with the time equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees.

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

Mr. President, as in executive session I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday, April 28, at 10 a.m., the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the Calendar No. 62, the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius to be Secretary of Health and Human Services; that there be 8 hours of debate with respect to the nomination, with

the time equally divided and controlled between the leaders or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on the confirmation of the nomination and that the confirmation be subject to an affirmative 60-vote threshold; that upon achieving that threshold, the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table and there be no further motions in order, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session.

No problem at all with that, Mr. President.

Mr. President, I would finally say we are working on Tom Strickland. Senator Bunning has written a letter to Mr. Strickland. He is entitled to a response, either orally or in writing. We hope to get that for him tomorrow. But we will work that out next week, we hope. We are going to be in session tomorrow. Hopefully I can have that information for Senator Bunning tomorrow.

Mr. President, we talk a lot around here about being a family, and we are. There are people we learn to like a lot. A lot of times we see these people just passing through as they are doing their jobs.

One of the people I have known since I have come to the Senate is a man by the name of Steve Mosley. If I had a picture of Steve Mosley, everyone would recognize him. He is a big man, always smiling. He was someone who came to my office quite often for different things he was assigned to do. I had a number of conversations with him.

He loved sports activities. He was a season ticket holder for the Washington Wizards. He never missed a home game. He loved the Redskins and hated the Dallas Cowboys. He was certainly willing to say that at any time.

Steve has been a member of the Sergeant at Arms team and family. For 32 years he has been with Capitol Facilities, ensuring the service needs of the Capitol were met. It was bringing wood to an office, it was doing some work that needed to be done because someone had messed up an office, moving furniture--whatever it was, he was available.

He was a native Washingtonian, married to his wife Michelle for 26 years. Steve had one child, a son, Steven, Jr. He is 25 years old. His son Steven, Jr. and his wife Michelle of course were both stunned when Steve died. He was only 52 years old. He was born on April 12.

As I said, he loved the Redskins; was a season ticket holder. Also, he loved Cadillacs and he had two of them.

I think one of the most important things to remember about Steve is that he cared deeply about people. He was always the first to help, whether it was an Easter basket for one of the people who worked here who was in need of a little extra, or, for people who needed a ride, his Cadillac was always available to take them wherever they needed to go.

He died way too soon and we, as a Senate, certainly are not as good as we were before Steve died. He was loved by all of his coworkers at Capitol Facilities in the Capitol. I will miss him. We all will miss him. I want the Record to be spread with the knowledge to his family that we cared about Steve as he cared about us.

Our thoughts go with his family, that they will be able to work through this time of bereavement as we look toward a brighter day.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business for 30 minutes. The Republicans will control the first 15 minutes and the majority will control the final 15 minutes. Following that, the Senate will begin consideration of the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. Rollcall votes in relation to amendments are expected throughout the day.

As I announced last night, we expect some amendments on this bill. We would ask Senators to be ready to start offering those amendments. We have a lot to do. I had a discussion yesterday with the Republican leader as to what we are going to do next. I think he has a pretty good idea of that, and I will be in discussion with him sometime today so we can move toward having a productive week.

I think it speaks well of the Senate that we were able to move to this bill without a vote on the motion to proceed. I think that will allow us to get to the bill quickly and allow whoever doesn't like the bill to try to change it in any way they feel appropriate.

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

Madam President, it is my understanding that we are on the financial fraud legislation.

That vehicle is open for amendment, true?

Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk.

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

Madam President, what we hear on the morning news almost every day--but today especially--is that there are problems in the housing industry around America. Today, they listed the top 10 cities for foreclosure. No. 1 is Las Vegas. We have a lot in common with nine other cities. Many of the 10 are in California, and Phoenix, AZ, is one, and there are places in Michigan and in Florida.

I hope this amendment can be worked out with the managers. It is an amendment that authorizes money in three different areas: $10 million to HUD for the purpose of providing resources to be used for advertising in support of HUD programs and approved counseling agencies in the 50 metropolitan statistical areas with the highest incidence of home foreclosures per capita. At least half of those resources are to be used for Spanish-language advertising. We have found that in Las

Vegas, which has a significant number of Spanish-speaking people, they are being scammed by people who are trying to take advantage of them and others. The rationale is that some of these metropolitan statistical areas are being flooded with advertising from illegitimate actors promising mortgage reductions and modifications for a fee. HUD will use these funds to advertise HUD services, as well as to explain the availability of HUD-approved counseling to homeowners to avoid some of these scams.

No. 2 is the authorization of $50 million to be provided through the Housing Counseling Program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development to HUD-certified housing counseling agencies located in the 50 metropolitan statistical areas. These would be areas with the highest incidence of home foreclosures per capita, for the purpose of assisting homeowners with inquiries regarding mortgage modification assistance and mortgage scams.

We have found in the economic recovery package, and in the housing bill, that direct moneys went to these agencies--approved agencies--to help them talk to people and counsel them as to what they can do to avoid foreclosure. It has worked very well.

The 2008 housing bill and subsequent spending bills directed funds to counseling agencies, but the metropolitan statistical areas that are hardest hit--Las Vegas among those--still need more resources given the depth of the problem.

Additional resources will allow HUD-certified agencies to staff up and meet growing demand for their services, which will counterbalance the increase in illegitimate agencies promising mortgage modification services for a fee. These entities that are going to get this money charge nothing.

Finally, Madam President, the authorization of $5 million to HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity will help to provide additional personnel in HUD offices located in these 50 areas with the highest incidence of foreclosure. The rationale, of course, is that local HUD offices in these areas are understaffed and unable to meet the demand for their services and expertise concerning mortgage scams. Fair Housing Program personnel are trained to address these issues, and they are badly needed.

I would hope the managers and those other Members who are interested in this issue would review this matter. We believe strongly this is the right direction. If people have a better idea, I would be happy to visit with them. I will not call for a vote until people, of course, have an opportunity to review this in detail.

Mr. President, it is my understanding that the Senator from North Dakota, Mr. Dorgan, is offering an amendment. We are not going to have any more votes tonight. If there is a vote required, we will add it to whatever we have to vote on tomorrow morning. The managers are here, willing to take whatever amendments they think are appropriate tonight.

As I have indicated to the Republican leader, we are going to finish this bill this week, and we are going to finish the budget, getting it to conference this week. We hope we can do it in a real short week; otherwise, we will have to work into the weekend, which we don't want to do and there is no reason to do that. I have a couple of meetings I have to attend tonight involving the Speaker and the President, so we can't have any more votes tonight. I apologize to everyone if they wanted to vote late tonight. I don't think we will be able to do that.

Yes.

If my friend would yield, we will have no morning business tomorrow, so we will go to this bill early. But sometime tomorrow we are going to have to go to the budget and conference, so we should, by 1 or 2 o'clock, do our best to finish this bill.

Mr. President, I would also say to my friend that he covered everything except that this is a bipartisan bill, it is as bipartisan as any bill could be, and there shouldn't be any problem. If people have amendments, the managers of the bill have been ready for those amendments all day.

Mr. President, this housing crisis is the root of our larger economic crisis. As the mortgage mess rapidly worsens--and hurting more hardworking families--the implications for every other part of our economy are disastrous.

Today we learned that the number of American families at risk of losing their homes skyrocketed in the past few months. The problem is significantly worse at the beginning of this year than it was at the same time last year. In Las Vegas alone, 1 in every 22 homes received a foreclosure notice between January and March. That's seven times the national average.

The American people know we must do more. The people of Nevada certainly know this--families in my State lose their homes at the worst rate in the Nation. They know we must act now, before this emergency spins even further out of control.

But the declining health of our housing market comes with serious side effects. As foreclosures rise, so do reports of fraud. According to one report, the Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection now receives 100 complaints each month from homeowners identifying possible mortgage scams. One Nevada scam recently offered a 100-percent money-back guarantee. The scammer, unsurprisingly, didn't hold up his end of the bargain. Another scheme charged homeowners heavy upfront fee and monthly charges on top of that--only later did they learn they were not getting any services in return.

While we are working to help the millions of desperate homeowners who need to modify their mortgages, countless swindlers are working to take advantage of them. And the way the system works now, we can't keep up.

The mortgage and corporate fraud bill will strengthen our ability to stop those who game the system on the backs of families who play by the rules and make an honest living. It gives law enforcement the necessary tools to probe, prosecute, and punish those responsible for the frauds that exploit hardworking homeowners and endanger our economy.

It is a strong start to solving a critical component of this crisis. But if we are going to protect families, it is not enough to punish the perpetrators--we must also stop the scams before they start. That is what the amendment I have submitted today does.

My Amendment No. 984 complements the larger effort in the underlying bill in three important ways, with each component focusing on the areas where foreclosures are the highest:

First, we will authorize more resources for advertising to help people avoid the mortgage rescue scams that bilk homeowners of thousands of dollars by raising awareness of the problem and encouraging the use of legitimate, free counseling agencies there to help. Because many of these areas have large Latino populations, at least half of those resources will be used for Spanish language advertising.

Second, we will increase resources for HUD-certified housing- counseling agencies in those hardest-hit areas. Las Vegas, Reno and other reeling regions still need more help as this problem gets worse. This amendment will help the agencies staff up and meet the growing demand for their services.

Third, we will send well-trained and experienced HUD officials to further support those agencies and other efforts by the Federal Government to combat the foreclosure crisis and prevent scams.

Hardworking Americans have lost enough in this storm. They need not give thousands of dollars to con artists who will leave them with struggling with the same mortgage and even less money to pay it. They need not be duped into turning over the keys to their home only to be evicted later.

To stabilize the economy, we must build on the administration's and our own prior efforts to stabilize the housing market. To do that, we must start by stopping fraud. Yes, we must put away the swindlers, but we must also do more to stop the vultures before they can prey on the most vulnerable.

I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume executive session and consideration of the nomination of Christopher Hill to be Ambassador to Iraq. This is all postcloture time. Cloture was invoked last evening. We have 30 hours, if the Republicans ask we use all that time. Whenever that time is completed, Mr. President--30 hours--we will move to the next matter on which another filibuster is being conducted to prevent us from going to S. 386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act legislation, which is somewhat astounding since it is a bipartisan bill. But that is where we find ourselves.

It is too bad we cannot move to that and start offering amendments and complete that legislation, but that is the way the minority wishes to proceed--not to allow us to proceed.

The Senate will remain in session, as I indicated yesterday, until we vote on the confirmation of the Hill nomination, and then cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. If Senators require the full 30 hours of postcloture debate, we will vote at 1 a.m. this morning.

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

Mr. President, H.R. 131 is at the desk. It is my understanding it is due for its second reading.

Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings on this matter at this time.

Mr. President, it is not every day we get to read good news in the newspaper, and it is certainly not common of late to read good news about newspapers. Today is one of those rare days. A newspaper in the State of Nevada--the Las Vegas Sun--has won the Pulitzer Prize because of a courageous young journalist named Alexandra Berzon. I spoke to her yesterday. This was basically this young woman's first reporting job. She is so excited, as she should be.

I am very happy and proud the Pulitzer is coming to Nevada. This is only the second time in Nevada's history it has received this most prestigious award in journalism and the first time in more than three decades. But I am especially proud because the Sun has been recognized for public service reporting that uncovered lax safety standards and led to actual policy changes that are saving lives.

The famous Las Vegas strip recently saw a $32 billion building boom. But something else was going up along with the hotels and casinos--the unnecessary deaths of construction workers. Twelve workers died in a little over 17

months. Berzon's careful reporting led to important safety improvements, and not one worker has died since these changes took effect. I applaud Alexandra Berzon, her editors, and everyone at the Las Vegas Sun, which has a storied history of solid investigative journalism.

This newspaper started on a string many years ago--in the 1950s--by a man by the name of Hank Greenspun. He was a crusading newspaperman. He was the first person in the entire country to take on Senator McCarthy and the awful things he was doing to America and about America. He took him on personally on one of McCarthy's visits to Las Vegas.

He also did something else which was very courageous. Nevada had a very powerful Senator. His name was Pat McCarran. He was noted for his use of power, and Hank Greenspun, of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, took after him big time. McCarran asked all the strip hotels to no longer advertise in that newspaper, and they followed the demand of Senator McCarran. A lawsuit was filed. We only had one Federal judge, and that one Federal judge--even though he had been appointed by McCarran in an antitrust action, which is not a jury trial--ruled in favor of the Sun. He won that lawsuit.

He took on McCarthy, he took on McCarran, and that was only the beginning of this great newspaper and the things it has done, and now they have won a Pulitzer. Hank Greenspun must be smiling from heaven.

Someone who is a modern-day icon of this newspaper was a man who taught me in high school. Fortuitously, he and I, unexpectedly, were elected, independently, Governor and Lieutenant Governor at the same time. He served 8 years. His name was Mike O'Callaghan, Governor of the State, and a very popular person. He could have gone on to make huge amounts of money in other places. He decided not to do that. I was a lawyer. I drew up this big contract where he would go to work for Hank Greenspun running his newspapers. I met with him, handed him the contract, and he said: We don't sign contracts; we shake hands. So they shook hands, and that was the beginning of a relationship that is historic in Nevada. My dear friend Mike O'Callaghan died in church; he went to mass every morning, and died as a young man in church, where I am sure his good thoughts are still coming forward.

With Hank and Mike, I am sure, as I have indicated about Hank, they are looking down from this place we call heaven at this wonderful time for this newspaper.

The kind of reporting Alexandra Berzon did is a model for reporters everywhere to follow. Of the 21 Pulitzer Prizes, only one--the Public Service Award--the one that the Las Vegas Sun was awarded--doesn't come with a cash prize. All the others come with a $10,000 cash prize but not this one. It comes with a medal. But this medal is going to mean much more to Alexandra than any dollar amount would. It is a reminder that journalism, in its most fundamental role--as a disinterested watchdog for our communities and our citizens, our country--benefits all of us.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the cloture motion with respect to the motion to proceed to S. 386 be withdrawn, and that on Wednesday, following a period of morning business, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 28, S. 386.

There will be no further rollcall votes today, of course after the Hill vote. Tomorrow we will consider financial fraud legislation. I encourage those Members who have indicated to the managers interest in offering amendments or coming to speak on the bill, that they do that. I have spoken to the Republican leader today. He said he believes there are a number of amendments--not long in number--that the Republicans wish to offer. We solicit those amendments. There could be several amendments from this side also. It would be good if we could get to legislating on this tomorrow.

I also say I think it set a good tone. We should not have to file cloture on every motion to proceed. I appreciate very much the Republicans not necessitating that wasteful vote. This bill has been on the calendar and available since March 5. No one has to be concerned about not having seen this financial fraud legislation.

Members who have amendments should be ready to go forward with them tomorrow morning.

Madam President, today, Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah in Hebrew, is a day to give us pause. Today, we remember the horrific events of over half a century ago, when more than 6 million Jewish men, women, and children were targeted and systematically murdered, along with countless other victims of Nazi persecution. Today, we honor their memories and renew our commitment to stand up against prejudice and hatred in all its forms.

In 1980, Congress passed legislation that would dedicate this week every year to Holocaust Remembrance, so that Americans all over our country could come together and pay tribute to those who perished, and to ensure their stories will never be forgotten. This same legislation created the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, a building that now stands in our Nation's Capital as a center of Holocaust education and learning and a memorial to its victims. Today, the names of some of those who perished will be read aloud in the Museum's Hall of Remembrance, and on Thursday, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel will join President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

Even now, so many decades later, we continue to uncover more stories of untold brutality and terror during the Holocaust, as work by the International Institute for Holocaust Research at the Yad Vshem Holocaust Museum exposes new evidence of Nazi genocide. These little- known cases are even more poignant today, as we consider the renewed struggle against anti-Semitism and continued denial by some of the State of Israel's very right to exist.

Next week, on April 29, we will celebrate 61 years since the establishment of Israeli independence, and 61 years of unwavering U.S.- Israeli friendship. Last year, I was proud to lead the Senate in adopting a bipartisan resolution to honor Israel in its achievement of 60 years of statehood, and its resilience as a stronghold of democratic principles and freedoms in a volatile region. Although Israel remains under constant siege from neighboring states and terrorist groups, its unwavering dedication to these ideals and its proud history of survival demonstrate that Israel will endure and it will do so with the United States standing firmly by its side.

Today, as we both remember those who perished in the Holocaust and look

toward the coming celebration of Israel's independence, let us reflect upon the imperative we face. Since the establishment of the term ``genocide'' in 1944, the terrible events in former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and now ongoing in Sudan have taught us what will continue to happen when hatred and persecution go unchecked. The day of Yom Hashoah calls upon each one of us to work individually and collectively to rededicate ourselves to overcoming intolerance, and--perhaps just as important-- indifference, wherever and whenever we encounter them.

To the vibrant Jewish community that calls our great state of Nevada home, I wish you a joyous celebration of the 61st anniversary of Israeli independence, and I look forward to many more years of productive friendship between the United States and Israel. And to all who gather today and all of this week to pay tribute to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, let us join together in honoring their memories and pledging to take up our shared mission of remembrance and action.

Madam President, I rise today to recognize Rabbi Myra Soifer, who will retire on June 30, 2009, after 25 years of service to the congregation of Temple Sinai in Reno, NV. Rabbi Soifer was one of the first ten women ordained as a rabbi after the Reform Jewish movement accepted them in 1972. A well accomplished scholar, she received her undergraduate degree from Lawrence University, her Masters in Hebrew Letters and ordination from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduate work at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA, and the Leo Baeck College Rabbinical School in London, England.

Rabbi Soifer has enriched her community with her grasp of the Torah and its teachings. Under her guidance, Temple Sinai has grown into a vibrant religious community with an expanded religious school and an enlarged campus that can accommodate both the congregation's largest gatherings as well as community meetings.

Besides being a dedicated spiritual leader for her congregants, she has been a powerful voice for good in the community at large. Rabbi Soifer has been a fearless, driving force in bringing the greater faith community together around prayer, and to address moral and political issues. She led Temple Sinai to help organize the Northern Nevada interfaith response to the tragic events of 9/11. She has organized women in the faith community as the founder of the Reno Clergywomen's Association, and she created an interfaith clergy study group known as the ``Study Buddies'', which has been going strong for over 20 years. The community recognizes her as a passionate advocate for social justice, celebrating cultural and religious diversity, and caring for the underserved locally and globally.

Her accomplishments have been recognized in many ways over the years, as she has been the recipient of the Metropolitan Community Church's Human Rights Award; University of Nevada, Reno's Psychological Services Award; ACLU's Civil Libertarian of the Year; and Reno Magazine's ``88 people to watch in '88'' Award. Her reach in the community goes beyond the Temple's walls, having worked with the Washoe County School District, Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Witness For Peace, Reno/Sparks Metro Ministry, Community Coalition to End Hate and Violence, Northern Nevada AIDS Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Northern Nevada, Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society, and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.

I join with Nevadans throughout the Silver State to honor Rabbi Myra Soifer for her lifetime dedication to her faith, her community, and the social justice of all people. She has indisputably made a tremendous impact which will endure in the institutions she has enriched.

Mr. President, following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009.

At 5:30 this evening, the Senate will vote on a number of confirmations: Tony West, to be an Assistant Attorney General; Lanny Breuer, to be an Assistant Attorney General; and Christine Varney, to be an Assistant Attorney General.

Upon disposition of those nominations, there will be up to 20 minutes of debate prior to a cloture vote on the nomination of Christopher Hill, to be Ambassador to the nation of Iraq.

As a reminder to my colleagues, before the recess, I filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the Fraud Enforcement legislation, which came from the Judiciary Committee. That cloture vote will occur upon disposition of the Hill nomination. The Republicans have indicated that if cloture is invoked on the Hill nomination, a significant amount of postcloture debate will be used on this matter.

Mr. President, it is my belief that H.R. 1256 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. President, I object to any further proceedings on this matter at this time.