Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Agricultural Business Security Investment Tax Credit Act of 2004. I am pleased to join with my colleague from Nebraska, Senator Nelson, In supporting this important legislation.

Security at our agricultural facilities has regrettably become a national concern in the last decade. While we saw agricultural products used for destruction in Oklahoma City in 1995, our concerns have only been compounded by the tragedies of September 11 and the threat of terrorism. The Senate recognized this growing concern when we considered agricultural products in the Federal hazardous materials lists in the USA Patriot Act of 2001.

The American agricultural industry has already recognized some of the dangers on its own and has made significant strides in improving security. Shops throughout the country have started to invest in security measures to keep their chemicals and fertilizers from being used illegally. In 2003, the Agricultural Retailers Association published a web-based, security-vulnerability assessment tool and has cooperated with the USDA to secure farmers and ranchers.

But vulnerability assessments often require as much as $50,000 to $100,000 in capital investment. Meeting these pressing security needs is not feasible for many of the more than 9,000 retail facilities with fertilizer and chemicals stocks in the United States.

That is why it is important we enact this tax credit. The credit would equal 50 percent of the cost of eligible security upgrades at agricultural retail businesses and is capped at $50,000 during any 5 year period. This money can be used for many different security programs, such as employee background checks, locking equipment and even the latest chemical additives that can render fertilizer unfit for illegal purposes.

In my home State of Kentucky, fertilizer theft has become a serious problem and is contributing to a dangerous rise in the illegal drug trade. One common fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, is stolen in large quantities and is a fundamental part of the production of some forms of methamphetamine. This problem is especially bad in rural areas where police officers in Kentucky are try to curb the problem by distributing locks to farmers and training them to identify the signs of a methamphetamine label.

But these efforts are not enough. This legislation is an important step to ensure that America's agricultural facilities are secure. Without our action, many of the facilities throughout our country would simply be unable to fund security improvements. We cannot risk fertilizers and chemicals falling into the wrong hands and facilitating illegal drug manufacturing or terrorist bomb makers. I hope my colleagues will join Senator Nelson and me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. President, I pay tribute to and congratulate Ben Woodman of Berea, KY on being awarded a Boren Undergraduate Scholarship from the David L. Boren National Security Education Program, NSEP.

Mr. Woodman was one of 181 applicants nationwide to receive one of these scholarships. NSEP is administered within the National Defense University in the Department of Defense. It funds outstanding U.S. students to study critical languages and world regions in exchange for a commitment to seek employment with the Federal Government in the arena of national security.

Mr. Woodman has been studying Arabic and will spend the year in Egypt. He attends the University of Kentucky and is majoring in international economics and Arabic.

The citizens of Madison County should be proud to have a man like Ben Woodman in their community. His example of dedication and hard work should be an inspiration to the entire Commonwealth. He has my most sincere admiration for this work and I look forward to his continued service to the United States.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor Miss Kara Sheridan, the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl White of Ludlowe, KY. Miss Sheridan is a most extraordinary young lady. As I speak, Miss Sheridan is representing the United States of America at the 2004 Paralympic Games. The Paralympic Games are the biggest competition in the world for athletes with a disability.

Miss Sheridan earned the honor of competing in the paralympics through hard work, perseverance and a spirit of hope. I believe that it is these three virtues which have also earned her a right to a place of honor here on the Senate floor and in the hearts of her countrymen. She has risen above the challenges posed by ostogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetic condition that she was born with, and showed the world that perseverance and hope will always be rewarded.

Kara's achievements have come in many different forms throughout the years. They include graduating from Wright State University magna cum laude last year, participating in competitive swimming events, serving on committees through the National Youth with Disabilities Council, and being awarded a scholarship to work on her master's degree from the University of Miami. But the greatest honor that Kara has earned is the accomplishment of a hope so great that it seems nothing can deter her.

Miss Sheridan has shown to America and to the world what it looks like to habitually do the right thing by hoping. Thanks to Miss Sheridan, we have already been reminded of that.

Mr. President, I rise today to support the American family and extend important tax relief provisions. This is one of the most important bills we will consider this year on the floor of the Senate. If we do not pass this bill, the Americans that need tax relief the most will instead face a huge tax increase next year.

I have consistently supported continuing the child tax credit, eliminating the marriage penalty, expanding the 10-percent tax bracket for the benefit of low- and middle-income taxpayers, and continuing alternative minimum tax relief. I introduced a bill with Senator Miller 5 months ago, The Working Family Tax Relief Act of 2004, which made permanent most of these important provisions. I am pleased that my colleagues on the conference committee were able to find a vehicle to bring an extension of the important provisions found in the Bunning- Miller tax bill before the entire Congress today.

Tax relief has played a central role in fostering economic growth throughout our economy. The President's tax cuts and our votes here in the Senate helped to revive an economy that was stalling in 2000 and shocked by the tragedies of September 11, 2001. The Senate adopted a tax strategy in 2001 to help America's working families and our economy. In 2003, we voted to accelerate the effective date of some of this family tax relief in order to give these families help as quickly as possible. And as a result, every American family who paid any income taxes during 2003 saw a reduction in their taxes, including well over one million Kentuckians. These Kentuckians will enjoy those lower taxes for this year as well. However, if we fail to act this year, America's working families will face a tax increase next year. We cannot allow that to happen. We cannot take back these tax cuts and threaten the financial security of American families just as they are recovering from the turbulence of the last few years.

Let me explain what is at stake here: If we do nothing, the child tax credit will be cut by 30 percent in 2005. Rather than let the credit revert to the old $700 level, this legislation will extend the credit at $1,000 for the next 5 years. There are over 350,000 taxpayers in Kentucky who count on the $1,000 child tax credit to help them provide for their families and I mean to do all I can to make sure they continue to receive it.

The lowest-income Americans have benefited dramatically from the new 10 percent tax bracket. The conference report before us today will extend this bracket through 2010. Today, thanks to this new bracket, working Americans are keeping more of their hard-earned paychecks. If we fail to pass this Conference Report, taxpayers with as little as $7,000 in taxable income could face a tax increase next year. I will not go home to the 1.2 million taxpayers in my state who benefit from the lowered 10 percent bracket without doing all I can do to help them avoid this tax increase.

The accelerated marriage penalty relief will also lapse unless the Senate acts. I have worked for a long, long time to get rid of these stupid provisions of the tax law which discourage marriage. I was thrilled when we were finally able to fix this problem and it is vital to the future of almost one-half million Kentucky families that we do not allow this important legislation to backslide.

There are many other important provisions in this bill. The bill contains fixes to make sure that military families with loved ones working abroad to protect us here at home are eligible to receive the child tax credit. It also continues a provision to assist America's teachers when they pay for classroom supplies out of their own pockets.

This is vital legislation. Without it, we are telling the working families of America that we are no longer behind them and that we no longer want to stimulate economic expansion. The economy and job creation are both on an upswing, but we cannot become complacent. The people who benefit from these vital tax provisions are the backbone of our country and our economy. We cannot withdraw the support we promised working families in 2001 and again in 2003. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. President, I speak today in support of the nomination of Representative Porter J. Goss to the Director of Central Intelligence. He is a good man and a good friend. President Bush could not have selected a more capable and qualified man for the job. He brings to the Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence community what they have needed for years--intelligence experience, political experience, an open mind, and forward thinking.

I first met Representative Goss shortly after he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1988. We served together for 10 years before I was elected to this body. Representative Goss and his wife, Mariel, are personal friends of my wife and myself to this day. I know his personal character and I am confident he will bring integrity, honesty, and forthrightness to his new job.

The Director of Central Intelligence holds one of the most important and unforgiving jobs in our Government. All his actions and decisions are analyzed and criticized by politicians, the press, and the public. And the pressures on the intelligence community are immense. They must be right 100 percent of the time, while the terrorists only have to be right once. That is a heavy burden for one man to bear, but I believe Representative Goss is up to the challenge.

I cannot think of anyone with more experience for this job. Representative Goss has extensive experience in intelligence, on both the practical and policy sides. He knows firsthand the importance of human intelligence, serving as an intelligence officer in the Army and as a case officer in the agency he will now lead. At that time the United States was promoting freedom and fighting the evil of communism. Though the evil we now face takes a different form, the value of information and power of knowledge remain the same.

We are in the midst of a review and reform of our intelligence organizations, and, going forward, one of the most important jobs for the Director of Central Intelligence will be working with Congress. Again, Representative Goss's experiences will be an asset to the intelligence community and the Congress. For the last 8 years he has been chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In that position he has worked fairly with both parties and both bodies of Congress without compromising his beliefs. I am confident he will continue to work honestly and fairly with Representatives and Senators of both parties in his new job.

Representative Goss's practical and political experience will also pay dividends as the entire intelligence community is reformed in the coming weeks and months. He has proven his openmindedness in constantly seeking to improve our intelligence capabilities and structures during his tenure in Congress. He has held dozens of hearings on problems in the intelligence community and how to fix them. He was a member of the Aspin-Brown Commission, which took a deep look at our intelligence community and provided some of the recommendations that we are currently reviewing. He also cochaired the bicameral investigation on intelligence issues surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His open mind and willingness to think critically about the status quo will serve us all well.

I have seen firsthand his dedication, integrity, and character, and I support Representative Goss's nomination without reservation. I wish him well in that extremely important job and I look forward to seeing him in briefings and hearings in the coming months.

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to and congratulate Disha Pancholi of Louisville, KY, on being awarded a Boren Undergraduate Scholarship from the David L. Boren National Security Education Program, NSEP.

Ms. Pancholi was one of 181 applicants nationwide to receive one of these scholarships. NSEP administered within the National Defense University in the Department of Defense. It funds outstanding U.S. students to study critical languages and world regions in exchange for a commitment to seek employment with the Federal Government in the arena of national security.

Ms. Pancholi has been studying Arabic and will spend her fall term in Egypt. She attends the University of Louisville and is majoring in biology and political science.

The citizens of Jefferson County should be proud to have a women such as Disha Pancholi in their community. Her example of dedication and hard work should be an inspiration to the entire Commonwealth. She has my most sincere admiration for this work and I look forward to her continued service to the United States.

Mr. President, as the Senate prepares to adjourn for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, I would like to address a recent rise in anti-Semitic events abroad.

In the 50 years since the atrocities committed against the Jewish people in Europe during World War II, we have seen other occasional incidents of anti-Semitism. While anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism are regrettably still commonplace in the Middle East, recent events in France and Indonesia have shown us these feelings of intolerance are on the rise internationally.

Israel has a unique position in the modern world. Its cities and landmarks are sacred to Christian, Jewish, and Muslims cultures. And today, as throughout much of recorded history, it is a land struggling to find peace. Yet despite the conflicts of history and culture, Israel has had the courage to stand strong with the United States of America as an ally in the war on terror and a pillar of strength in an unstable region.

Anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry all serve to undermine the efforts of peace loving people throughout the world. These misguided prejudices are chains that hold us back from compromise and harmony. The people of America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia should not accept the anti-Semitism that has become all too prevalent in the world. As we work toward peace it is important that people from all nations approach international relations with an open mind.

I am pleased that my colleagues in the Senate have brought attention to the growing problem of anti-Semitism in the world today. As several of our colleagues celebrate the Jewish New Year this coming week, let us all take the time to think about ways we can promote understanding and acceptance.

Mr. President, I rise today with great pride to ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to one of Kentucky's fine elementary schools, Summit Elementary of Ashland, KY. On June 22, 2004, the Schools of Distinction Awards program gave Summit Elementary an Award of Distinction for their dedication to excellence in education.

The Schools of Distinction Awards program was created by Intel Corporation, Scholastic Inc., and the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Foundation, to recognize the finest K through 12 schools in the United States. Winners of the program's awards are selected based on their implementation of creative programs that foster improvement in education.

Summit Elementary School received the award for its practice of involving the parents of schoolchildren in the educational process. As the father of nine children, I am aware of the great importance of parental involvement in education. It can't be overestimated. It is a motivator to the children, a guidance to the teachers and a helping hand to all involved. I believe that any school which recognizes the need for parental involvement is on the right track and certainly deserves a School of Distinction Award.

In closing, I thank, not only Summit Elementary, but the parents, teachers, and students of this fine institution. The effort they have all put into ensuring that the future of America is bright is a blessing on us all.

Mr. President, I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate a Kentucky couple, Buddy Butler and Nikki Hensley. They were recently picked to receive a ``Destination Wedding'' by viewers of NBC's Today Show. They competed for the free wedding package against three other couples, and were selected to receive a celebrity wedding, which will be broadcast on television.

The couple met in June of 2003, however, soon after Buddy was shipped off for a six-month tour to Iraq. Buddy joined the U.S. Army after the tragic events of 9/11 determined to help his country. He was just back from Korea when he met Nikki at a cousin's wedding. The couple remained faithful to each other during Buddy's deployment and decided to marry upon his return from Iraq.

Couples such as Buddy and Nikki are the basis for good family values in our country. I wish them luck with their celebrity wedding in November and hope for them a strong marriage in the future. Kentucky is proud of them and will be watching their big day.

Madam President, I pay tribute and congratulate the Louisville Stunners 16-and-under fast pitch softball team. Their recent play has given Kentucky reason to be proud.

Led by coach Kevin Johnson, the Stunners qualified for their division's USSSA World Series in Columbus, IN, held from July 26 to August 1, 2004, being the only team to represent Kentucky. While there, they finished in fourth place out of 54 teams. Not only did they play well against the best teams in the country, but they also received the sportsmanship award.

I cannot think of a much better group of young people to represent Kentucky. As a former Major League

Baseball player, I appreciate their athletic excellence. As a United States Senator from Kentucky, I appreciate the dignity and decorum with which they played.

I am proud to read the names of these teammates into the Congressional Record today. They are Whitney Atcher, Alicia Ewen, Jodi Pence, Jennifer Young, Jennifer Kisselbaugh, Tiffany Dean, Courtney Roller, Holly Goemmer, Jessica McGohon, Krystle Johnson, Kasey Graham, and Jennifer Johnson.

The citizens of Kentucky should be proud of these young ladies. Their example of dedication and hard work should be an inspiration to the entire Commonwealth. I wish them continued success both on and off the softball field.

Madam President, I pay tribute today to the life of Mr. Walter ``Sam'' Hamblin of Demossville, KY.

Sam served his country in the Army for 22 years. He enlisted as a private, but worked his way through Officer Candidate School before retiring with the rank of major. He served with distinction during the Vietnam war and provided important service both at his station in Texas and at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

Sam chose to retire near his family's home in Kentucky, adopting the farm life and raising his children. Family and service were very important to Sam. Six generations earlier, Pierce Dant Hamblin crossed the Delaware River with General Washington during the Revolutionary War. His great grandfather, Henry Clay Hamblin, served in the Kentucky 7th Regiment during the Civil War. And Sam's father, Walter Hamblin, served in the Navy during World War II. Through the years, the Hamblins have been known as defenders of the Commonwealth.

During Sam's retirement--and in between attending local sporting events and taking care of his growing family--he continued to travel to Washington and lend his expertise to the American military. He was also the manager and owner of the Peaselburg Inn of Covington. And he still found time to write country music songs with his son, Samuel.

Unforunately, Sam developed thyroid and throat cancer 5 years ago. After fighting hard against cancer, Sam died Friday, July 23, 2004 at his home.

I am proud of Sam Hamblin's distinguished service. He honored the legacy and traditions of the Hamblin family and served our country well. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Mr. President, I would like to rise today to talk for a few minutes about a bill I am cosponsoring, the National Health Information Technology Adoption Act, S. 2710. This bill, introduced yesterday by Senator Gregg, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, takes an important step forward in bringing our Nation's medical system into the 21st century.

In today's society, it seems that almost everything is computerized and on-line. You can pay your bills on-line, order your groceries on- line, and even file your taxes on-line. However, for the most part, medical records are still on paper and in files. This means these records are uneasily shared between doctors treating the same patient or are not readily available during an emergency.

Earlier this year, the Bush administration made computerizing the Nation's medical record and building a nationwide health network a priority. Yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson released a 10-year plan for doing just that.

S. 2710 is similar to the administration's plan and takes some immediate steps to start fulfilling this goal, including establishing an official office at the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate health information technology at the national level. The bill also provides assistance

to local communities linking their health care systems, along with providing grants for purchasing health information technology.

Creating a safe, secure and reliable system for medical records won't be easy, but if done properly, it could help health care providers reduce medical errors and provide better care to their patients. We could also see a substantial savings in administrative costs which will help lower health care costs for everyone.

S. 2710 is a good first step, and I am proud to be a co-sponsor. I am hopeful that the members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions can work together to pass this bill soon, and that we can get it to the President's desk by the end of the year.

Mr. President, I pay tribute and congratulate Katie Penn and Hillary Rainey both of Winchester, KY, on being selected to participate in the America's Promise Ambassadors Network. They will be representing their community and Kentucky as young leaders and problem-solvers.

America's Promise was founded in 1997 to make children and youth a national priority. Their mission is to mobilize people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of youth by fulfilling the following promises: providing caring adults, safe places with structured activities after school, a healthy start, marketable skills through education, and opportunities to serve.

As ambassadors for the America's Promise program, Katie and Hillary will organize a project for National Youth Service Day in April 2005 in their community. In addition, they will dedicate 2 to 3 hours every month volunteering in their community, and will have the opportunity to earn the President's Volunteer Service Award for their activities. They will also be participating in monthly training sessions to build their leadership skills.

Young people are part of the solution to problems we face in this country, and we need to utilize their assets. I join my fellow Kentuckians to congratulate Katie Penn and Hillary Rainey being named ambassadors for this program and thank them for their dedication to community service.

Mr. President, I pay tribute and congratulate Jeremy Todd Bowling of Manchester, KY on being awarded the Kentucky Farm Bureau

Insurance Agents Association Scholarship from the Kentucky Farm Bureau Education Foundation. This academic scholarship will provide Jeremy with $2,000 toward his education.

Jeremy has proven to be a very able and competent student by winning this prestigious award. He will represent the graduates of Clay County High School very well when he enrolls at the University of Kentucky in the autumn. There he plans to study biology.

The citizens of Clay County should be proud to have a young man like Jeremy Todd Bowling in their community. His example of dedication and hard work should be an inspiration to the entire Commonwealth.

He has my most sincere admiration for this work and I look forward to his continued service to Kentucky.

Mr. President, I pay tribute and congratulate Jesse Duke Welte of Maysville, KY on being awarded the Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company Scholarship from the Kentucky Farm Bureau Education Foundation. This academic scholarship will provide Jesse with $2,000 toward his education.

Jesse has proven to be a very able and competent student by winning this prestigious award. He will represent the graduates of Maysville St. Patrick High School very well when he enrolls at the University of Louisville in the autumn. There he plans to study political science.

The citizens of Maysville should be proud to have a young man like Jesse Duke Welte in their community. His example of dedication and hard work should be an inspiration to the entire Commonwealth.

He has my most sincere admiration for this work and I look forward to his continued service to Kentucky.