Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I am introducing two bipartisan bills pertaining to healthy housing, the Healthy Housing Council Act and the Title X Amendments Act. These bills seek to improve federal coordination of healthy housing efforts and better integrate healthy housing activities into the ongoing lead poisoning prevention work at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The presence of housing-related health hazards is often overlooked or is unable to be addressed, and yet these hazards are sometimes the cause of a variety of preventable diseases and conditions like cancer, lead poisoning, and asthma. While I have been working to address these hazards throughout my tenure in Congress, I was pleased that the Administration last week released its Strategy for Action to Advance Healthy Housing, a multi-department and agency effort to develop consensus-based criteria to address housing hazards that impact the health and habitation of children and families.

This new Strategy for Action calls on Federal agencies to address barriers and disincentives to the delivery of services to improve housing conditions, particularly among low-income families with young children; replicate successful local healthy housing programs on a larger scale; and conduct more research into cost-effective advances in healthy housing programming.

The Title X Amendments Act, S. 290, which I am introducing with Senators Johanns, Franken, and Boxer, and has been in the drafting stages for many months, responds to these calls for action. It would provide HUD with the necessary authority to continue to carry out healthy housing activities while protecting important ongoing lead remediation efforts, allow grantees to improve the conditions in zero- bedroom units, and streamline eligibility for assistance. These are simple, yet necessary reforms designed to improve and expand cost- effective services, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to see them enacted.

It is also vital that we continue the type of collaboration and coordination among Federal departments and agencies, like HUD, HHS, EPA, and CDC, that resulted in the Strategy for Action to Advance Healthy Homes. Indeed, there are many programs fragmented across multiple agencies that are responsible for addressing housing-related health hazards like lead and radon, and we should strive to improve the efficiency and efficacy of these efforts by ensuring that these agencies continue to work together.

The Healthy Housing Council Act, S. 291, which Senator Johanns, Franken, and Boxer have also cosponsored, would establish an independent interagency Council on Healthy Housing in the executive branch in order to improve coordination, bring existing efforts out of their respective silos, and reduce duplication.

The bill calls for the council to convene periodic meetings with experts in the public and private sectors to discuss ways to educate individuals and families on how to recognize housing-related health hazards and access the necessary services and preventive measures to combat these hazards. The council would also be required to hold biannual stakeholder meetings, maintain an updated website, and work to unify healthy housing data collection and maintenance.

Our goal for these bills is to help reduce the more than 5.7 million households living in conditions with moderate or severe health hazards, 23 million additional homes with lead-based paint hazards, 14,000 unintentional injury and fire deaths every year that result from housing-related hazards, and 21,000 radon-associated lung cancer deaths every year. Indeed, these numbers contribute to increasing health care costs for individuals and families, as well as for federal, state, and local governments.

Promoting low-cost measures to eliminate subpar housing can make a dramatic and meaningful difference in the lives of children and families and help reduce health care costs. I urge our colleagues to join in supporting these bipartisan bills.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Brian Huysman and Mellissa Duru, fellows in my office, be granted the privilege of the floor for this session of the 113th Congress.

Mr. President, today I am reintroducing the Strengthening Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act or the SEC Penalties Act with my colleague, Senator Grassley. I am pleased that Senator Leahy has joined us in introducing the bill this year.

The SEC Penalties Act will enhance the ability of securities regulators to protect investors and demand greater accountability from market players. Unfortunately, even after the financial crisis that crippled the economy, some on Wall Street continue to pursue profits at all costs, making the calculated decision to do wrong and move on. Without the consequence of meaningful penalties to impact decision- making, I fear we will continue to witness a disturbing culture of misconduct by some on Wall Street.

The current regime for securities law violations limits by statute the amount of penalties the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, can fine an institution or individual. During hearings I held in 2011 in the Securities, Insurance, and Investment Banking Subcommittee, I found out how this limitation significantly ties the hands of the SEC in performing its enforcement duties. At that time, the agency had been criticized by a Federal judge for not obtaining a larger settlement against Citigroup, a major player in the financial crisis that ended up settling with the SEC in an amount that was a fraction of the cost the bank had inflicted on investors and the profits the bank had ultimately pocketed. The SEC explained that the low settlement amount was because it was statutorily prohibited from levying a larger penalty.

The bill we are introducing seeks to substantially update and strengthen the SEC's civil penalties statute. This legislation should cause potential and current offenders to think twice before engaging in misconduct by increasing the statutory limits on civil monetary penalties, directly linking the size of these penalties to the scope of harm and associated investor losses, and substantially raising the financial stakes for repeat offenders of our nation's securities laws.

Specifically, our bill would increase the per violation cap for the most egregious securities laws violations to $1 million per offense for individuals and $10 million per offense for entities. This will help ensure that the SEC's most severe, or ``tier three,'' penalties will help deter people from engaging in the most serious offenses, rather than have such wrongdoing be viewed as just the cost of doing business. Under existing law, the SEC can only penalize individual securities law violators a maximum of $150,000 per offense and institutions $725,000 per offense.

Our bill also would allow penalties equal to three times the economic gain of the violator. It provides a new calculation method that includes the amount of associated investor losses as part of the penalty determination. This should allow the SEC to address situations where the actual economic gain to the violator is relatively small compared to the extent of the wrongdoing or the harm caused to investors.

The SEC Penalties Act also addresses the disconcerting trend of repeat offenders on Wall Street. Our bill includes two statutory changes to substantially improve the ability of the SEC's enforcement program to ratchet up penalties for recidivists.

One provision would allow the SEC to triple the applicable penalty cap for recidivists who, within the preceding five years, have been criminally convicted of securities fraud or been the subject of a judgment or order imposing monetary, equitable, or administrative relief in any action alleging SEC fraud.

The other provision would allow the SEC to seek a civil penalty if an individual or entity has violated an existing federal court injunction or bar imposed by the SEC. Many believe this approach would be more efficient, effective, and flexible than the current civil contempt remedy.

Finally, under the SEC Penalties Act, the penalty relief available in administrative proceedings would be the same as it is in district court.

The nearly one-half of all U.S. households that own securities deserve a strong cop on the beat that has the tools it needs to go after fraudsters and the difficult cases arising from our increasingly complex financial markets. The SEC Penalties Act will help by giving the SEC more tools to demand meaningful accountability from Wall Street and protect investors, which in turn will improve transparency and increase confidence in our financial system. I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Mr. President, today I am reintroducing the Strengthening Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act or the SEC Penalties Act with my colleague, Senator Grassley. I am pleased that Senator Leahy has joined us in introducing the bill this year.

The SEC Penalties Act will enhance the ability of securities regulators to protect investors and demand greater accountability from market players. Unfortunately, even after the financial crisis that crippled the economy, some on Wall Street continue to pursue profits at all costs, making the calculated decision to do wrong and move on. Without the consequence of meaningful penalties to impact decision- making, I fear we will continue to witness a disturbing culture of misconduct by some on Wall Street.

The current regime for securities law violations limits by statute the amount of penalties the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, can fine an institution or individual. During hearings I held in 2011 in the Securities, Insurance, and Investment Banking Subcommittee, I found out how this limitation significantly ties the hands of the SEC in performing its enforcement duties. At that time, the agency had been criticized by a Federal judge for not obtaining a larger settlement against Citigroup, a major player in the financial crisis that ended up settling with the SEC in an amount that was a fraction of the cost the bank had inflicted on investors and the profits the bank had ultimately pocketed. The SEC explained that the low settlement amount was because it was statutorily prohibited from levying a larger penalty.

The bill we are introducing seeks to substantially update and strengthen the SEC's civil penalties statute. This legislation should cause potential and current offenders to think twice before engaging in misconduct by increasing the statutory limits on civil monetary penalties, directly linking the size of these penalties to the scope of harm and associated investor losses, and substantially raising the financial stakes for repeat offenders of our nation's securities laws.

Specifically, our bill would increase the per violation cap for the most egregious securities laws violations to $1 million per offense for individuals and $10 million per offense for entities. This will help ensure that the SEC's most severe, or ``tier three,'' penalties will help deter people from engaging in the most serious offenses, rather than have such wrongdoing be viewed as just the cost of doing business. Under existing law, the SEC can only penalize individual securities law violators a maximum of $150,000 per offense and institutions $725,000 per offense.

Our bill also would allow penalties equal to three times the economic gain of the violator. It provides a new calculation method that includes the amount of associated investor losses as part of the penalty determination. This should allow the SEC to address situations where the actual economic gain to the violator is relatively small compared to the extent of the wrongdoing or the harm caused to investors.

The SEC Penalties Act also addresses the disconcerting trend of repeat offenders on Wall Street. Our bill includes two statutory changes to substantially improve the ability of the SEC's enforcement program to ratchet up penalties for recidivists.

One provision would allow the SEC to triple the applicable penalty cap for recidivists who, within the preceding five years, have been criminally convicted of securities fraud or been the subject of a judgment or order imposing monetary, equitable, or administrative relief in any action alleging SEC fraud.

The other provision would allow the SEC to seek a civil penalty if an individual or entity has violated an existing federal court injunction or bar imposed by the SEC. Many believe this approach would be more efficient, effective, and flexible than the current civil contempt remedy.

Finally, under the SEC Penalties Act, the penalty relief available in administrative proceedings would be the same as it is in district court.

The nearly one-half of all U.S. households that own securities deserve a strong cop on the beat that has the tools it needs to go after fraudsters and the difficult cases arising from our increasingly complex financial markets. The SEC Penalties Act will help by giving the SEC more tools to demand meaningful accountability from Wall Street and protect investors, which in turn will improve transparency and increase confidence in our financial system. I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Mr. President, today I introduce, along with my colleague, Senator Stabenow, the Community Based Mental Health Infrastructure Improvements Act.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2011, Rhode Island has the highest rate of serious mental illness among adults in the country. According to this survey, approximately 7.2 percent of adults aged 18 or older in my state have a serious mental illness, above the 4.6 percent national average.

While too often the stigma of mental illness prevents individuals from seeking diagnosis and treatment, thankfully, states like Rhode Island have made strides in meeting this challenge. In Rhode Island, mental health parity laws have been on the books since 2001. Similarly, Rhode Island's Medicaid program, RIteCare, covers mental and behavioral health care for low-income children and families.

Those who need this treatment must have access to it. Community Mental Health Centers play a vital role in helping individuals get the mental and behavioral health care that they need to lead healthier, more productive lives. In 2012, Community Mental Health Centers in Rhode Island treated approximately 45,000 individuals at over 1 million distinct encounters. Next year, the number of individuals treated by Community Mental Health Centers will likely increase, as over 50,000 Rhode Islanders gain access to health insurance.

As more Americans across the country gain access to health insurance, these centers and other providers will see an increased caseload. Yet, many Community Mental Health Centers are in outdated and outmoded facilities that make if difficult to provide the optimal level of care.

The Community Based Mental Health Infrastructure Improvements Act we are introducing today would support the necessary updates and expansions of some facilities, and the construction of entirely new facilities in other instances in order to meet the growing demand.

I am pleased that this legislation has also been included in a broader bill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which I joined Senators Stabenow, Blunt, Boxer, Collins, Leahy and Rubio in introducing today, to make other updates to the way Community Mental Health Centers are reimbursed for services. I look forward to working with my colleagues to address the critical needs of our mental and behavioral health care delivery system.

Mr. President, today I introduce, along with my colleague, Senator Stabenow, the Community Based Mental Health Infrastructure Improvements Act.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2011, Rhode Island has the highest rate of serious mental illness among adults in the country. According to this survey, approximately 7.2 percent of adults aged 18 or older in my state have a serious mental illness, above the 4.6 percent national average.

While too often the stigma of mental illness prevents individuals from seeking diagnosis and treatment, thankfully, states like Rhode Island have made strides in meeting this challenge. In Rhode Island, mental health parity laws have been on the books since 2001. Similarly, Rhode Island's Medicaid program, RIteCare, covers mental and behavioral health care for low-income children and families.

Those who need this treatment must have access to it. Community Mental Health Centers play a vital role in helping individuals get the mental and behavioral health care that they need to lead healthier, more productive lives. In 2012, Community Mental Health Centers in Rhode Island treated approximately 45,000 individuals at over 1 million distinct encounters. Next year, the number of individuals treated by Community Mental Health Centers will likely increase, as over 50,000 Rhode Islanders gain access to health insurance.

As more Americans across the country gain access to health insurance, these centers and other providers will see an increased caseload. Yet, many Community Mental Health Centers are in outdated and outmoded facilities that make if difficult to provide the optimal level of care.

The Community Based Mental Health Infrastructure Improvements Act we are introducing today would support the necessary updates and expansions of some facilities, and the construction of entirely new facilities in other instances in order to meet the growing demand.

I am pleased that this legislation has also been included in a broader bill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which I joined Senators Stabenow, Blunt, Boxer, Collins, Leahy and Rubio in introducing today, to make other updates to the way Community Mental Health Centers are reimbursed for services. I look forward to working with my colleagues to address the critical needs of our mental and behavioral health care delivery system.

Mr. President, after so much time has passed due to the delay in consideration by the other body, it is critical that we move ahead to provide needed assistance to communities in the Northeast that were affected by Superstorm Sandy.

I want to commend Chairwoman Mikulski, as well as our late colleague, Chairman Inouye, for their leadership in developing a bipartisan bill that would have provided critical assistance to respond to the hurricane and its aftermath, as well as other disasters. Indeed, the bill that passed the Senate last year was a superior product. It is regrettable that bill is not before us again today.

The Senate bill would have delivered a significant amount of relief to communities in New York and New Jersey, while recognizing the substantial challenges faced by the other ten States that received major disaster declarations due to the storm. For example, the Senate bill included $810 million in water infrastructure grants to address the $2.8 billion in Sandy-related water infrastructure needs identified by the Environmental Protection Agency, allocating a minimum of 2 percent to each affected State.

In addition, the Senate bill would have required the Department of Housing and Urban Development--HUD--to establish minimum allocations of Community Development Block Grant--CDBG--funds so that every State that was hit by Sandy would receive funding to address its impacts. Finally, the bill included $150 million to address a series of fisheries disasters that were declared in 2012.

Regrettably, the House, after failing to bring a bill to the floor before the end of the 112th Congress, went in a different direction on these matters. The House bill cuts funding for water infrastructure by $210 million and limits funding to only two States, setting a dangerous precedent that Congress will provide assistance to some States that are affected by a disaster but not to others. With respect to CDBG funding, the House bill provides no minimum allocation and no assurance that States with significant damages from Sandy will receive the assistance they need. Paradoxically, the bill threatens to dilute assistance for Sandy by making the CDBG funding available for all disasters that occurred in 2011, 2012, and

2013 even though funding had been provided for some of these disasters in earlier appropriations laws. Finally, as fishermen from New York to Maine face dramatic catch reductions, the House bill strips the $150 million in fisheries disaster funding from the bill.

While it is unfortunate that the House bill makes these changes, the people of the Northeast should not be forced to wait any longer for the help this bill does provide. This includes much needed funds for highway, port and harbor repairs, as well as repairs to national parks and wildlife refuges. Equally important is funding to begin the long- term analysis and work to help prevent this kind of damage from occurring again. Even as I continue to believe we should be able to do more, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators Murkowski, Durbin, Collins, Tom Udall, Murray, Lautenberg, Blumenthal, Coons, Klobuchar, and Stabenow in the introduction of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization.

This legislation is named for the son of Senator Gordon Smith, our former colleague, who took his own life at the young age of 22. After this tragedy, Senator Smith rallied support from members across the aisle and in both chambers to prevent other children from doing the same with passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in 2004. Since then, it has retained its bipartisan support among Members of Congress and over 40 member organizations of the Mental Health Liaison Group.

However, the recent horrific mass shooting in Newtown, CT shows that more work must be done to address the mental and behavioral health of children and young adults before they hurt themselves and others. Indeed, what is so clear now from this terrible tragedy is that we have young people who desperately need help. Parents also need help in identifying early warning signs of mental illness and accessing the appropriate treatment before it is too late.

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act authorizes critical resources for schools, elementary schools through college where children and young adults spend most of their time, to be able to reach at risk youth. Currently, this law supports 40 States, 38 tribes and tribal organizations, and 85 colleges and universities in their efforts to address mental health and prevent suicides among their youth.

The bill my colleagues and I are introducing today would increase the authorized grant level to States, tribes, and college campuses for the implementation of proven programs and initiatives designed to address mental illness and reduce youth suicide. It will enable more schools to offer critical services to students and provide greater flexibility in the use of funds, particularly on college campuses.

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults age 10 to 24, up from the third leading cause of death in this population just a few years ago, and results in 4,800 lives lost each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, the CDC reports that 157,000 young adults in this age group are treated for self-inflicted injuries annually, often as the result of a failed suicide attempt.

We can play a role in helping these children and their families. I am pleased that President Obama and Vice President Biden recognized this and included in their Plan to Protect Our Children and Our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence a recommendation to increase support for young adults ages 16 to 25, a population with high rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide that is unlikely to seek help. Indeed, passing the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization is one way we can better address the mental health needs of this population.

My colleague, Chairman Harkin, will be holding a hearing on the status of the mental health system in our country tomorrow. I look forward to continuing to work with him and others to act on the President's recommendations to improve mental and behavioral health care services, particularly for children and young people. This should be something that we do automatically when it comes to the welfare of our children but is even more urgently required in the wake of the terrible recent tragedies in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senators Murkowski, Durbin, Collins, Tom Udall, Murray, Lautenberg, Blumenthal, Coons, Klobuchar, and Stabenow in the introduction of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization.

This legislation is named for the son of Senator Gordon Smith, our former colleague, who took his own life at the young age of 22. After this tragedy, Senator Smith rallied support from members across the aisle and in both chambers to prevent other children from doing the same with passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in 2004. Since then, it has retained its bipartisan support among Members of Congress and over 40 member organizations of the Mental Health Liaison Group.

However, the recent horrific mass shooting in Newtown, CT shows that more work must be done to address the mental and behavioral health of children and young adults before they hurt themselves and others. Indeed, what is so clear now from this terrible tragedy is that we have young people who desperately need help. Parents also need help in identifying early warning signs of mental illness and accessing the appropriate treatment before it is too late.

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act authorizes critical resources for schools, elementary schools through college where children and young adults spend most of their time, to be able to reach at risk youth. Currently, this law supports 40 States, 38 tribes and tribal organizations, and 85 colleges and universities in their efforts to address mental health and prevent suicides among their youth.

The bill my colleagues and I are introducing today would increase the authorized grant level to States, tribes, and college campuses for the implementation of proven programs and initiatives designed to address mental illness and reduce youth suicide. It will enable more schools to offer critical services to students and provide greater flexibility in the use of funds, particularly on college campuses.

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults age 10 to 24, up from the third leading cause of death in this population just a few years ago, and results in 4,800 lives lost each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, the CDC reports that 157,000 young adults in this age group are treated for self-inflicted injuries annually, often as the result of a failed suicide attempt.

We can play a role in helping these children and their families. I am pleased that President Obama and Vice President Biden recognized this and included in their Plan to Protect Our Children and Our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence a recommendation to increase support for young adults ages 16 to 25, a population with high rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide that is unlikely to seek help. Indeed, passing the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization is one way we can better address the mental health needs of this population.

My colleague, Chairman Harkin, will be holding a hearing on the status of the mental health system in our country tomorrow. I look forward to continuing to work with him and others to act on the President's recommendations to improve mental and behavioral health care services, particularly for children and young people. This should be something that we do automatically when it comes to the welfare of our children but is even more urgently required in the wake of the terrible recent tragedies in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Mr. President, I want to address the bill before us tonight. Despite the best efforts of Senate Democrats to strike a balanced and fair compromise--to avert tax hikes on Americans making less than a quarter of a million dollars, to avert the expiration of unemployment insurance, to avert the damaging automatic spending reductions--we instead have before us a package that is at best a half- measure. This is not how we should govern.

However, the bill before us is better than the alternative facing millions of Americans. If we do not act, taxes for the middle-class will rise tomorrow, support for unemployed workers will lapse, Rhode Islanders will be hurt, and our economic recovery could suffer another Republican induced economic setback.

Unless this bill is signed into law, starting January first, taxes rise on every American and hundreds of thousands middle-income Rhode Island families will see their taxes increase by an estimated $2,200 in 2013. Rhode Islanders numbering 37,000 would lose a tuition tax credit to help them pay for college and 103,000 Rhode Island families raising children would see an average tax increase of $1,000 because they would no longer qualify for the Child Tax Credit. The economy is tough enough for most Rhode Islanders, and they shouldn't be asked to absorb a hit like that due to the stubbornness of the other side of the aisle.

This bill will also continue unemployment insurance for 2.1 million Americans and almost 9,000 Rhode Islanders. Without a continuation of unemployment insurance, millions of Americans actively seeking work will suffer a debilitating economic blow. People will lose their homes and be unable to put food on the table, as they lose one of the few lifelines they and their families have as they look for work in a tough economy. Neighborhood businesses would have taken a hit as well. An estimated $48 billion in economic activity will be sapped from our recovery and one of our most effective counter-cyclical economic policies would have been lost.

It is a sad truth, but the middle-class tax cuts and unemployment insurance were being held hostage by my Republican colleagues in order to secure even more generous tax cuts for the wealthy. So at least with the permanent extension of tax cuts for the middle-class and a one-year continuation of unemployment, that immediate threat is gone.

However, it is outrageous that this threat has been taken this far and that my Republican colleagues continue to demand a perpetuation of an unfair tax code that is tilted towards the wealthiest.

So I remain committed to reforming the tax system so it is fair for all Americans. I remain committed to ending egregious loopholes that result in absurd and unfair results, like a private equity partner paying a lower tax rate than a janitor.

I do want to stress that, despite Republican demands for big cuts in the social safety net, this bill protects Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid beneficiaries. Such beneficiary cuts would have made this package even more unbalanced and unfair. Unfortunately, it appears that Republicans are already planning to hold the debt ceiling hostage in order to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Today they will insist on additional tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, especially estate tax cuts, but then demand that we cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to cover these and other debts. I will work to prevent such callous efforts.

I am deeply disappointed by the package before us today. I believe the White House should have stood firm on reducing the deficit by nearly $1 trillion and let income tax rates for those making over a quarter of a million dollars revert to Clinton-era levels. I am disappointed with Republican intransigence and the prospect of once again being on the brink of a manufactured economic catastrophe in order to secure tax preferences for millionaires and billionaires and attempting to pay for them by cutting Social Security or programs that benefit middle-income Americans.

In the coming weeks, I hope Republicans will drop their attempts to cut the deficit on the backs of the middle-class and seniors, and instead work with us to craft a fair and balanced compromise that strengthens, not endangers, our economic recovery.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

THE PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.

Madam President, major terrorist threats still exist, and it is critical that we do all we can to protect Americans, not only in terms of national security, but also in terms of civil liberties. In voting today to extend the FISA Amendments Act, FAA, for 5 years, I made a difficult judgment as there are still major outstanding concerns. In trying to address these concerns, I supported three amendments that would have made important improvements.

The first was Senator Leahy's amendment, which sought to align the FAA sunset with the Patriot Act sunset so that both of these national security laws could be evaluated together prior to their expiration. Additionally, this amendment required a comprehensive review of FAA surveillance by the Inspector General of the intelligence community to address privacy concerns that have been raised.

I also supported Senator Merkley's amendment, which would have increased transparency by requiring the Attorney General, in a manner consistent with the protection of national security, to make publicly available Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decisions that include a significant construction or interpretation of the law.

Finally, I voted in favor of Senator Wyden's amendment, which would have required the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report to Congress and the public on the impact of FAA on the privacy of American citizens, while preserving the President's ability to make necessary redactions.

I am disappointed that these amendments, which all call for greater accountability and transparency, were unsuccessful.

In 2008, I largely objected to the FAA because I had serious concerns about granting retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies for actions they may or may not have taken in response to administration requests that may or may not have been legal. Because these immunity provisions are not subject to a sunset, they are not at issue with today's vote.

I ultimately decided to vote in favor of extending FAA for 5 years because, as I noted earlier, major threats still exist. However, I did so reluctantly. We should have considered an FAA extension months ago without the threat of FAA expiration in mere days. Protecting Americans means that we must balance ensuring our national security with preserving our civil liberties, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that this balance is struck.

The Senator is correct. Coming from a State that received a major disaster declaration due to the damage it sustained in Hurricane Sandy, including damage to the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, I recognize the importance of providing funding for projects in States impacted by the storm. The funds provided in this bill will be used in support of additional recovery activities directly related to the hurricane or to fund longer-term restoration activities for areas directly affected by Hurricane Sandy. The bill provides flexibility so that the Department can transfer the funds to any of its programs to fund the highest priority needs in these specific disaster areas. I expect these funds to be of great assistance to states like ours which were affected by this devastating storm.

Mr. President, I rise in support of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for Hurricane Sandy. This is a critically important bill for the States that were affected by this storm--not only New York and New Jersey, which saw almost unimaginable devastation and loss of life, but States like my home State of Rhode Island, which experienced significant damage.

There has been a long tradition in the Senate in working together to respond to major disasters in our States. The Appropriations Committee has been an important venue for the kind of bipartisan cooperation that has made these efforts possible. In large part that has been the result of the efforts of members like our late-Chairman Dan Inouye who created, by his example, an environment of comity and respect. That has been the unique ethos of our committee. Under the leadership of our new chairwoman, Senator Mikulski, it will continue.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, I also want to take a moment to talk about the $1.45 billion included in the bill for environmental recovery and restoration needs.

We must fund recovery efforts and rebuild public facilities that were damaged. But we also need to look ahead to projects that will allow our communities and our public lands to withstand future storms and natural disasters. I am pleased that the Interior section of this bill addresses both needs.

The bill contains $435 million in essential funding to rebuild national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, and other public facilities damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

I particularly want to call attention to the $348 million included to fund immediate construction needs at more than 25 Park Service units that were damaged during the storm. These funds will help the Park Service take necessary steps to reopen a number of heavily visited units to the public--including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, which suffered extensive damage during the storm.

We need to get this work started now so that we can get these parks reopened. And because the need is so great--the amount requested by the President is nearly five times the annual line-item construction budget--it's imperative that we give the service the funds in this supplemental as soon as possible.

I also want to note that the bill also provides $78 million for immediate reconstruction and recovery needs for the more than 30 wildlife refuges that also sustained tremendous damage during the storm.

These funds will be used for emergency stabilization needs, to replace or reconstruct facilities, roads, and trails, and to fund improvements needed to lessen anticipated damage from future storms.

The bill also provides $810 million for the EPA State Revolving Fund programs, including $700 million for clean water needs and $110 million for drinking water needs, for States that faced the greatest impact from Hurricane Sandy. These funds will complement funds from other Federal agencies and provide targeted funding to upgrade water infrastructure to protect against future flooding, storm damage, and other natural disasters.

Already, there is a huge estimated need for these funds. In fact, EPA estimates that there are approximately 700 drinking water and wastewater facilities in States affected by Sandy that need to make infrastructure upgrades that will make them less susceptible to flooding and extreme weather events.

This is exactly the kind of work that needs to be undertaken so that we can get ahead of the curve and prepare for the next storm or natural disaster. I understand that there are some who believe that some of these investments do not constitute an emergency, but as those who lived in the path of storms from Andrew to Katrina to Sandy can attest, there is no time to waste or wait. I hope that this chamber can move swiftly to pass this supplemental appropriations bill.

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

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

Madam President, at this time, I wish to take a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give their constituents the best representation and give the country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and their experience. They are men and women who are committed to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways contributed to this Senate and to our great country.

I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for listening to my points and for, together, hopefully, serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and progressive way.

In particular, let me say a few words about some of the Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more closely.

Senator Daniel Akaka, like his colleague, the late and revered Senator Daniel Inouye, proudly served our Nation during World War II. I am stepping into the huge shoes of Danny Akaka as the cochair of the Army Caucus. From one soldier to another, I salute him.

He has also been an extraordinarily forceful advocate not just for active-duty personnel but for veterans and, of course, for the men and women of his beloved Hawaii.

Jeff Bingaman has distinguished himself through his work on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to improve our Nation's energy policy, particularly improving our energy efficiency. He has the vision and knowledge which he has displayed so many times to deal with the difficult issues that face us with respect to the appropriate use of energy.

He has also focused on some of the greatest challenges facing our educational system, including preventing dropouts and promoting the use of education technology.

Scott Brown has drawn from his over 30 years of experience in the National Guard to advocate for our servicemembers. I am particularly pleased we were able to work together to create the new Office of Service Member Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

I have had the honor of serving with Kay Bailey Hutchison on the West Point Board of Visitors, and I am also grateful that she joined with me on a bill to improve care for children who survive cancer.

Joe Lieberman and I have worked many hours to protect the submarine industrial base that is crucial not only to our strategic posture but also to our local economies. He has done it with great vision and great energy, and I thank him for that.

Richard Lugar is one of the most decent and thoughtful individuals ever to serve in this body. We will miss his wisdom and his voice, particularly on nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. I am also pleased to have joined him on so many other issues, and he leaves an extraordinary mark on this institution.

I have also had the privilege to work closely with another Member of this body, my colleague and friend, Olympia Snowe of Maine. Her willingness to reach across the partisan divide to advance legislation to benefit the Nation and the Senate and her State of Maine is, in my view, legendary. I was pleased to work with her when it came to supporting our fishermen and lobstermen, who are critical to our local economies. She and I have worked closely together on a host of other issues, including supporting strong investments in LIHEAP and our Nation's libraries.

Jim Webb, a decorated combat veteran, is someone whose love for this Nation was manifested very early, as he led marines in combat in Vietnam. His extraordinary courage is only matched by his quiet demeanor and his calm sense of confidence that project outward in every different capacity.

Of course, he has taken it upon himself to make sure we do not forget our veterans. He was the architect of the post-9/11 GI bill and, in doing so, he has enriched the lives of so many who were willing to risk their lives for this Nation. I, again, salute him for all he has done.

Kent Conrad is an extraordinary budget chairman. No one knows more about the intricacies of the budget and no one brings to that very difficult debate more of an innate sense of fairness and decency than Kent Conrad.

I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do, then we can go forward confidently.

With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I want to join Senator Whitehouse in commending the Presiding Officer for his underlying legislation, along with Senator Isakson, and commend my colleague and friend, Senator Whitehouse, for his leadership on this issue, and begin where he left off, which is, in the wake of the unfathomable tragedy in Newtown, CT, the idea that we do not need more trained child psychiatrists and child counselors is difficult to understand. We do need them.

The legislation the Senator from Pennsylvania has introduced would help children's hospitals across the Nation and we are strongly behind it. But we also want to make help available to children's psychiatric hospitals, such as Bradley Hospital in Rhode Island.

One of the facts that emerged from the terrible tragedy in Newtown is that we have young people who need help, desperately need help, and their parents need help--help to recognize problems, help to not only diagnose them but treat them, and we do not have a sufficient number of trained child psychiatrists in the country to do that.

This legislation, this amendment, would allow us to do that. It adds no cost, as Senator Whitehouse indicated, and I think it should be something that we would do almost automatically when it comes to the welfare of our children, but particularly in the wake of the terrible tragedy in Connecticut.

So I wanted to be here to lend my support to the underlying efforts of the Senator from Pennsylvania and to the specific efforts of my colleague, the Senator from Rhode Island.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a statement by Dr. Gregory Fritz, who is the academic director of the residency program at Bradley Hospital, be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I have a comment on an additional issue but would only do so if the Senator from Rhode Island would allow.

Mr. President, I want to touch on a topic that was discussed by many of my colleagues, including Senator Whitehouse; and that is the fisheries disaster in the Northeast, which was declared by the Secretary of Commerce in 2012. There is language and support in the supplemental appropriations bill to help our fishing industry in the Northeast that has been affected by this disaster in the areas of New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

These fishermen have been for years under a painful regime of restricted fishing so that the stock could be replenished. Despite their efforts, some of the fishing stock has not responded, leading to a declaration of a fisheries disaster by the Secretary of Commerce.

The funding that is included in the supplemental applies to New England, but it also helps Alaska and Mississippi. I appreciate very much the fact that Senator Mikulski is working to include this funding in the bill. She is an extraordinary leader in our Senate, an extraordinary and compassionate leader when it comes to issues affecting the fishing industry, not just in her home area of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic but as far away as Alaska and Rhode Island and Maine. I would hope we could move to help these fishermen get on with their lives with this assistance.

With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.