Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all time in the quorum call be divided equally.

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

Mr. President, I wish to thank the chairman and the ranking member for allowing this colloquy to take place. I also wish to state that I believe the Senator from Oklahoma laid out a little bit of the groundwork of what we are discussing now.

I rise to discuss the depot maintenance issues associated with the House-adopted language in the conference. We must avoid doing anything that may upset the existing balance between DOD's internal depots, logistic centers, arsenals and specialty facilities, and the industrial base. The House-adopted provision can disrupt that delicate balance and have unintended consequences. We just don't know who may be impacted. We need time to get this right, and we need to ensure a transparent process in which all stakeholders can make their position known to Members of Congress.

The sensitivity associated with maintenance workload is at an all- time high. Disrupting the balance of depot-level maintenance comes at a time when our economy is struggling and when DOD is consolidating depot source-of-repair work for current and emerging weapons systems. Additionally, prematurely disrupting the readiness of our weapons systems fleet is not an option, especially with the operational tempo of our military.

It is critically important to preserve the capability and competencies of DOD's internal depot-level maintenance facilities while also sustaining the defense industrial base in order to

preserve our technological advantages and readiness on the battlefield. Both face considerable challenges within a fiscally constrained environment. Both the depots and the defense industrial base are reshaping and restructuring their operations in anticipation of this.

As our military said, ``It's one team, one fight.'' The research, development, and manufacturing communities within DOD, as well as in our universities, small businesses, and large corporations, are essential partners in our national security. That being said, we need to acknowledge the fragile nature of DOD's depot-level maintenance facilities and the defense supply chain within a heavily consolidated defense industrial sector. Our country simply cannot lose skilled manufacturing research and development expertise to global competitors.

Congress needs to do our due diligence to address the concerns of DOD's internal base involving maintenance, repair, and overhaul of the military equipment. At the same time, we need to facilitate public- private partnerships and healthy competition that will be mutually beneficial to the Department and the industrial base.

I know my colleagues are concerned about the impact this language may have in their States. I wish to highlight Fleet Readiness Center-East in North Carolina. Reducing FRC-East's workload is not an option. It would negatively impact the quality and cost-effective maintenance and logistics support for Navy and Marine Corps aviation. The operational readiness and availability of deployable Navy and Marine Corps aircraft would be undermined without preserving FRC-East's capabilities.

I certainly understand the incredible pressure the chairman and the ranking member were under trying to resolve hundreds of issues in conference over a very short period of time, and I certainly do appreciate their willingness to engage members of the committee and other interested stakeholders in a more comprehensive process next year so we can be sure we get this right.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor to the Senator from Alabama.

Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act.

For almost 75 years, the March of Dimes has fought to combat and prevent diseases that strike our youngest children, while also supporting mothers-to-be and families with infants in intensive care. The March of Dimes was founded in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, at a time when polio was on the rise. The Foundation established a polio patient aid program and funded research for vaccines developed by Jonas Salk, MD, and Albert Sabin, MD. These vaccines effectively ended epidemic polio in the United States.

Today one in 33 babies born in the United States is affected by a birth defect, and tragically, more than 5,500 infants die every year because of a birth defect. Moreover, an additional 500,000 children are diagnosed with developmental disabilities each year.

Almost 13 percent of babies born in America are born prematurely--an increase of 36 percent since the early 1980s. In 2003, the March of Dimes took on the cause of reducing the number of infants who are born prematurely. And thanks to the great work of the March of Dimes and others, after three decades of increase, the pre-term birth rate has now dropped for the third year in a row.

You would be hard pressed to find someone today who doesn't have a friend, a family member, a neighbor or a coworker who's had a baby born prematurely or born with some kind of birth defect. A month ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the 2011 March of Dimes National Ambassador: Lauren Fleming, and her parents, Nikki and Densel from Marvin, NC. Lauren was born three and a half months early and weighed just 2 pounds, 1 ounce. She spent the first 5 months of her life in the intensive care unit, being treated for respiratory distress and undergoing multiple surgeries. In part, because of the research and support provided by the March of Dimes, Lauren is now an adorable, vivacious 7-year old, and a hero to young children and their families throughout the country.

Although some progress has been made over the past several decades on reducing and preventing birth defects and prematurity, we need organizations such as the March of Dimes to continue to push for more research, more innovation and more prevention efforts.

The March of Dimes makes a difference. By investing millions of dollars to study premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality, including $5.6 million in North Carolina over the past 5 years, the March of Dimes is helping to ensure that we can reduce these occurrences.

But we can do more. That is why today I am introducing the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2011. This bill would mint coins in recognition and celebration of the March of Dimes' 75 anniversary in 2014. Proceeds from the commemorative coin will be used to support the March of Dimes' Prematurity Campaign, an intensive multi-year campaign to raise awareness among health professionals and the general public and find the causes of prematurity.

Not only will the Commemorative Coin raise awareness of the March of Dimes' efforts, but it will also help raise more funding for their efforts. I cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor the March of Dimes than to mint actual ``dimes'' celebrating their work.

I want to thank my Republican colleague, Senator Susan Collins, as well as Senators Schumer, Kirk, and Akaka for joining me in cosponsoring this measure.

I urge my other colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.

Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act.

For almost 75 years, the March of Dimes has fought to combat and prevent diseases that strike our youngest children, while also supporting mothers-to-be and families with infants in intensive care. The March of Dimes was founded in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, at a time when polio was on the rise. The Foundation established a polio patient aid program and funded research for vaccines developed by Jonas Salk, MD, and Albert Sabin, MD. These vaccines effectively ended epidemic polio in the United States.

Today one in 33 babies born in the United States is affected by a birth defect, and tragically, more than 5,500 infants die every year because of a birth defect. Moreover, an additional 500,000 children are diagnosed with developmental disabilities each year.

Almost 13 percent of babies born in America are born prematurely--an increase of 36 percent since the early 1980s. In 2003, the March of Dimes took on the cause of reducing the number of infants who are born prematurely. And thanks to the great work of the March of Dimes and others, after three decades of increase, the pre-term birth rate has now dropped for the third year in a row.

You would be hard pressed to find someone today who doesn't have a friend, a family member, a neighbor or a coworker who's had a baby born prematurely or born with some kind of birth defect. A month ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the 2011 March of Dimes National Ambassador: Lauren Fleming, and her parents, Nikki and Densel from Marvin, NC. Lauren was born three and a half months early and weighed just 2 pounds, 1 ounce. She spent the first 5 months of her life in the intensive care unit, being treated for respiratory distress and undergoing multiple surgeries. In part, because of the research and support provided by the March of Dimes, Lauren is now an adorable, vivacious 7-year old, and a hero to young children and their families throughout the country.

Although some progress has been made over the past several decades on reducing and preventing birth defects and prematurity, we need organizations such as the March of Dimes to continue to push for more research, more innovation and more prevention efforts.

The March of Dimes makes a difference. By investing millions of dollars to study premature births, birth defects, and infant mortality, including $5.6 million in North Carolina over the past 5 years, the March of Dimes is helping to ensure that we can reduce these occurrences.

But we can do more. That is why today I am introducing the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2011. This bill would mint coins in recognition and celebration of the March of Dimes' 75 anniversary in 2014. Proceeds from the commemorative coin will be used to support the March of Dimes' Prematurity Campaign, an intensive multi-year campaign to raise awareness among health professionals and the general public and find the causes of prematurity.

Not only will the Commemorative Coin raise awareness of the March of Dimes' efforts, but it will also help raise more funding for their efforts. I cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor the March of Dimes than to mint actual ``dimes'' celebrating their work.

I want to thank my Republican colleague, Senator Susan Collins, as well as Senators Schumer, Kirk, and Akaka for joining me in cosponsoring this measure.

I urge my other colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the dedication and selfless service of the Montford Point Marines. The Montford Point Marines were the first African-American men to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps after President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 8802 on June 25, 1941. This brave group of men were trained at Camp Montford Point, near the New River in Jacksonville, NC. In total, 19,168 African-American marines received training at Montford Point between 1942 and 1949. Many of these ``Montford Marines'' went on to serve in the Pacific Theatre Campaign of World War II--at Iwo Jima, Saipan, Okinawa--as well as in Korea and in Vietnam.

Although these men served our country with both honor and distinction, they often faced adversity and racism during their time in uniform. Despite their training, they were prohibited from serving in combat units--working instead in the service and supply units. They were not afforded opportunities other marines enjoyed, such as entering nearby Camp Lejeune, without a White counterpart to escort them. The courage and dedication with which these brave men served our country despite these challenges is nothing less than heroic.

As the first African Americans in our Marine Corps, they join the Tuskegee Airmen of the Air Force and the Buffalo Soldiers of the Army as heroes who not only forged a new path within our armed services but who brought our country closer to our ideals that ``all men are created equal.'' Many Americans credit the historic firsts--such as Howard P. Perry of Charlotte, NC--who was the first African-American marine private to set foot on Montford Point, and Frederick C. Branch, the first African-American marine second lieutenant at the Marine Base in Quantico, VA--for creating the opportunity they have to serve today.

The time has come for us to give these American heroes their long overdue recognition by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the United States. I congratulate my colleagues for unanimously passing this legislation on November 9, 2011. It is my personal honor and privilege to recognize the Montford Point Marines.

Mr. President, I was unavoidably detained for rollcall vote No. 204, passage of H.R. 674 as amended. This legislation repeals the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government agencies. It also includes an amendment I supported to provide our veterans with greater job opportunities in today's difficult economy.

Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 204, I would have voted yea on final passage.

Mr. President, I stand today, just 2 days away from Veterans Day, to urge my colleagues to support our courageous service men and women, our veterans and their families, by voting for the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. This legislation would have a tremendous impact on every part of our country, but it would be especially significant in my home State of North Carolina, the most military- friendly State in the Nation.

In North Carolina we are blessed to be home to so many of our country's heroes. I don't think most people understand that nationwide military servicemembers account for only 1 percent of our country's population. But in North Carolina, more than one-third of our population is either in the military, is a veteran, or has an immediate family member who is in the military or is a veteran. Over 700,000 veterans call North Carolina home.

I know that makes our State stronger. I know because, like so many North Carolinians, I too come from a strong military family that instilled in me a sense of responsibility to my community and to my country. My husband, my father, my brother are all Navy veterans. My father-in-law was a two-star general in the Marine Corps, and my two nephews have both served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I know because I have traveled my State's eight military bases from Fort Bragg to Cherry Point to Camp Lejeune to bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. I have seen up close the incredible demands placed on our military and the remarkable bravery and patriotism they exhibit each and every day.

I know because whether I am meeting a general, a young private, a wounded warrior, or a 90-year-old veteran traveling on one of the Flights of Honor that bring our World War II veterans to DC to see their monuments, there are certain qualities that I always recognize in those who serve in the Armed Forces. These are selflessness, personal integrity, and an unmatched work ethic and unwavering courage.

I take it personally as a Senator from North Carolina, as well as a proud daughter, wife, and sister of a veteran when our military members and their families are hurting. I take it personally when this country of ours does not live up to the promises we make to our service men and women. Right now our military families are unquestionably hurting. Right now we have lapsed in our commitment to our heroes.

As has been said many times on this floor, the unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans is an unconscionably high 12.1 percent. That is more than 3 percentage points higher than the national average unemployment. That is about a quarter of a million men and women, all of whom have put their lives on the line to protect our country, who are now struggling just to earn a paycheck--240,000 heroes with irreplaceable skill sets and experience who cannot find a job.

We cannot forget that every unemployed veteran has a family, a family who has likely spent untold sleepless nights worrying if their loved one is safe. Now, after years of selfless service, these families are forced to worry if they can pay their monthly bills, if they can even afford to keep their homes.

According to HUD's 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, more than 1,000 North Carolina veterans are homeless and spend every night without a roof over their head. That is simply 1,000 too many. This is not a fate that we can accept for our veterans. This is not the country we strive to be. We need to support our veterans when they make the transition from the military to the civilian workforce. We need to provide them with the training and resources they need to transfer those skills to the private sector. We need to encourage our business owners to employ some of our country's most highly trained, highly ambitious, and highly motivated individuals.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act does just that. It provides a tax credit of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans. For our wounded warriors it includes a tax credit of up to $9,600--for hiring veterans with service-connected disabilities. It requires our service men and women transitioning to the civilian workforce to participate in the Transition Assistance Program, which provides services such as resume writing workshops and career counseling to help these individuals land the jobs that are available. It expands education and training opportunities at our community colleges and technical schools for 100,000 unemployed veterans who served prior to September 11.

I am pleased to say that some provisions of this legislation are very similar to a bipartisan bill that Senator Scott Brown and I introduced earlier this year. The priorities this legislation focuses on are not Democratic priorities. They are not Republican priorities. Supporting our veterans is and has always been an American priority. We owe it to them, but we also owe it to our future.

I hope many saw the August cover story in Time magazine that described our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as ``the next greatest generation.'' If you have not read it, I highly encourage you to do so. The author, Joe Klein, whom I met on a military transport plane in Afghanistan, spent the past 5 years visiting with

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans across the country, including two best friends he met from North Carolina. These friends, Dale Beatty and John Gallina, whom I met last year in Charlotte, joined the North Carolina National Guard together, deployed to Iraq together, and nearly died together when their humvee was blown up by an antitank mine. Dale lost both his legs and John suffered a traumatic brain injury.

When a local homebuilders association offered to build Dale a home, Dale and John were both inspired to assist other handicapped veterans. Today their nonprofit Purple Heart Homes, headquartered in Statesville, NC, helps build and adapt homes for service-disabled veterans.

Dale and John represent, as ADM Mike Mullen said, ``part of a generation who is flat out wired to contribute, flat out wired to serve.'' As GEN David Petraeus told Time magazine, our veterans ``have had to show incredible flexibility, never knowing whether they're going to be greeted with a handshake or hand grenade. They've been exposed to experiences that are totally unique. . . . I believe they are our next great generation of leaders.''

There are many more Dale Beattys and John Gallinas out there, but we cannot leave our next great generation of leaders standing in an unemployment line. We must come together and fight for our veterans and their families just as hard as they have fought for our freedoms. We must pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the Violence Against Women Health Initiative. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and this bill will raise awareness of domestic violence among health care providers and allow them to better assess and treat survivors of domestic violence.

The rates of violence and abuse in this country are astounding. Nearly one in four women in the U.S. has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the U.S. Young women experience the highest rates of sexual assault and stalking. Sadly, 15.5 million children in the U.S. live in families in which partner violence has occurred in the past year, and 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence has occurred.

Domestic violence has a significant impact on our country's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, intimate partner violence costs the health care system over $8.3 billion annually.

In addition to injuries sustained during violent episodes, survivors suffer lifelong health complications. Research published in the journal of Women's Health in 2007 found that women who are victimized by violence have 17 percent more primary care doctor visits, 14 percent more specialist visits, and 27 percent more prescription refills than non-abused women.

Physical and psychological abuse are linked to a number of adverse physical health effects. A study released in 2010 that compared victims with never-abused women found abuse victims had an approximately six- fold increase in clinically-identified substance abuse, a more than three-fold increase in depression diagnoses, a three-fold increase in sexually transmitted diseases, and a two-fold increase in lacerations.

But it is not just the spouse who suffers these lifelong consequences. It is their children, too. Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to exhibit behavioral and physical health problems, including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit sexual assault crimes. Fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives also frequently assault their children, and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.

Without question, we must tackle the underlying causes of domestic violence and abuse in this country. At the same time, we must strengthen our health care response to this abuse.

Despite the commitment of health care providers to help domestic violence victims, a critical gap remains in the delivery of health care to victims. Health care providers often only address immediate injuries, without tackling the underlying cause of those injuries. For example, each year, about 324,000 pregnant women in this country are battered by their intimate partners. However, few physicians screen pregnant patients for abuse. This highlights the need to ensure that health care providers have the necessary training and support in order to assess, refer, and support victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Victims know and trust their health care providers. Almost 3/4 of survivors say that they would like their health care providers to ask them about violence and abuse.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that short interventions in the medical environment protect the health and safety of women. These interventions are short between 2 and 10 minutes, and effective. In repeated clinical trials, violence decreased and health status improved following simple assessment and referral protocols. Integrating these effective protocols into our health care system will save lives.

This is why routine assessments for intimate partner violence have been recommended for health care settings by the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Nurses Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Since its passage in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, has transformed our criminal justice system and social service system, helping to prevent and respond to domestic violence. The last reauthorization of VAWA, set to expire this year, included a new title authorizing three programs that support the health system's efforts to help victims, preventing further abuse and improving the health status of women. The bill I am introducing today will continue those important efforts.

This bill would consolidate the three existing health programs into one program, while increasing evaluation and accountability. Specifically, this bill would foster public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence; provide training and education of health professionals to respond to violence and abuse; and support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.

Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce the Violence Against Women Health Initiative. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and this bill will raise awareness of domestic violence among health care providers and allow them to better assess and treat survivors of domestic violence.

The rates of violence and abuse in this country are astounding. Nearly one in four women in the U.S. has reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in her life. In 2007, there were 248,300 reported incidents of sexual assault in the U.S. Young women experience the highest rates of sexual assault and stalking. Sadly, 15.5 million children in the U.S. live in families in which partner violence has occurred in the past year, and 7 million children live in families in which severe partner violence has occurred.

Domestic violence has a significant impact on our country's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, intimate partner violence costs the health care system over $8.3 billion annually.

In addition to injuries sustained during violent episodes, survivors suffer lifelong health complications. Research published in the journal of Women's Health in 2007 found that women who are victimized by violence have 17 percent more primary care doctor visits, 14 percent more specialist visits, and 27 percent more prescription refills than non-abused women.

Physical and psychological abuse are linked to a number of adverse physical health effects. A study released in 2010 that compared victims with never-abused women found abuse victims had an approximately six- fold increase in clinically-identified substance abuse, a more than three-fold increase in depression diagnoses, a three-fold increase in sexually transmitted diseases, and a two-fold increase in lacerations.

But it is not just the spouse who suffers these lifelong consequences. It is their children, too. Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to exhibit behavioral and physical health problems, including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit sexual assault crimes. Fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives also frequently assault their children, and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.

Without question, we must tackle the underlying causes of domestic violence and abuse in this country. At the same time, we must strengthen our health care response to this abuse.

Despite the commitment of health care providers to help domestic violence victims, a critical gap remains in the delivery of health care to victims. Health care providers often only address immediate injuries, without tackling the underlying cause of those injuries. For example, each year, about 324,000 pregnant women in this country are battered by their intimate partners. However, few physicians screen pregnant patients for abuse. This highlights the need to ensure that health care providers have the necessary training and support in order to assess, refer, and support victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Victims know and trust their health care providers. Almost 3/4 of survivors say that they would like their health care providers to ask them about violence and abuse.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that short interventions in the medical environment protect the health and safety of women. These interventions are short between 2 and 10 minutes, and effective. In repeated clinical trials, violence decreased and health status improved following simple assessment and referral protocols. Integrating these effective protocols into our health care system will save lives.

This is why routine assessments for intimate partner violence have been recommended for health care settings by the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Nurses Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Since its passage in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, has transformed our criminal justice system and social service system, helping to prevent and respond to domestic violence. The last reauthorization of VAWA, set to expire this year, included a new title authorizing three programs that support the health system's efforts to help victims, preventing further abuse and improving the health status of women. The bill I am introducing today will continue those important efforts.

This bill would consolidate the three existing health programs into one program, while increasing evaluation and accountability. Specifically, this bill would foster public health responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence; provide training and education of health professionals to respond to violence and abuse; and support research on effective public health approaches to end violence against women.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.

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

Madam President, I come to the floor as one of a bipartisan group of my colleagues, proud to be a cosponsor of the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act, legislation that will send a clear and direct message to China that the time for playing games with American jobs is over.

As many of my colleagues have already explained on the floor, the effects of China's currency manipulation are damaging to our economy. It is estimated that China is undervaluing their yuan by more than 28 percent.

What does that mean? It means Chinese goods coming into the United States are unfairly cheap, while goods made in the United States are unfairly expensive when they are exported to China. In other words, it means U.S. goods are less competitive in China, and Chinese goods do have an unfair advantage in the United States. The results of this distorted arrangement are harrowing: reduced American wages, decreased GDP, and lost American jobs.

Since China entered the World Trade Organization in 2001, our trade deficit with them went from $84 billion in 2001 to $273 billion in 2010, an increase of

close to $200 billion. Madam President, $273 billion is larger than the U.S. trade deficit with the OPEC countries, the EU countries, Canada, Japan, and Mexico combined. This trade deficit has eliminated or displaced over 2.8 million American jobs over the last 10 years. That is an average of 310,000 jobs every year, and 70 percent of those jobs lost from our trade with China were in one sector--manufacturing.

Ask anyone in my home State, and they will say the same thing: North Carolina is a manufacturing State. From furniture to yarn, we are known throughout the country and throughout the world for the quality of the work we produce. But we are hurting. Between 2001 and 2010, North Carolina has lost over 107,000 jobs. Those are 107,000 jobs due to trade with China. Only five States in the entire country have suffered a greater net job loss from our country's trade with China. Across the country, the Nation has lost approximately 6 million manufacturing jobs and has seen 57,000 manufacturing plants across our country shut down.

Last week, I traveled throughout the foothill regions in North Carolina, in Burke, Rutherford, and Gaston Counties, three of our counties with some of the deepest manufacturing and textile roots in the State. The unemployment rate in these counties is close to 13 percent in Burke, close to 15 percent in Rutherford, and 11.3 percent in Gaston, even higher than the all-too-high 10.4 percent average across the State of North Carolina.

The No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 concerns I heard at every stop I made last week were: jobs, jobs, jobs. There were people, many of them former manufacturing employees, who have lost their jobs. Many of them are continuing to work hard, fighting for small businesses that they now run and looking for survival. At the same time, so many people are attending every job fair they can make. They cannot afford for Washington to continue to allow China to get away with economic deceit and manipulation. They cannot afford for us to continue competing with China with one hand tied behind our back. What they need is for Washington to draw a hard line, to act now, and to get tough on China's currency manipulation.

The Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act is straightforward. If the Treasury Department, using objective criteria, determines that the value of a currency is fundamentally misaligned, it will trigger a process to correct that unfair misalignment. In other words, it allows the United States to use every tool in our toolbox, including countervailing duties, to ensure that American workers and companies are competing on a level playing field.

Even though the legislation is simple, its positive effects would ripple through the economy.

I ask for 2 more minutes.

I thank you, Madam President.

A full revaluation of the yuan would mean 2.25 million jobs in the United States, reducing the U.S. unemployment rate by at least 1 full percentage point; an increase of the U.S. GDP of about $285 billion, a nearly 2-percent boost; and a reduction to our budget deficit by as much as $857 billion over 10 years. These are new jobs, more growth, and lower deficits. That is exactly the kind of bill our country needs right now.

It is going to require us to be tough. That is why America's workers and North Carolina workers need us to draw this line in the sand. They have always been told that if they work hard and play by the rules, they can get ahead. But now China is not playing by the rules, and it is undermining the ability of our workers and companies to succeed. We need to hold them accountable.

American and North Carolina workers are some of the best and most productive in the world. We know this. China knows this. If we compete on a level playing field, we can prosper together. I encourage all my colleagues to join in this bipartisan measure and vote for this bill. It is what America's workers and companies need, and it is what they deserve.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011, at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011, at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., in room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Considering the Role of Judges Under the Constitution of the United States.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011, at 2 p.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Food Service Management Contracts: Are Contractors Overcharging the Government?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs' Subcommittee on Economic Policy be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on October 5, 2011, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Consumer Protection and Middle Class Wealth Building in an Age of Growing Household Debt.''

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

Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues in imploring Congress to provide needed assistance to our families, our communities, and our businesses suffering from the rash of natural disasters that have hit our country hard this year.

While many of us who represent States on the east coast planned to spend our final week of our August work period traveling our State, touring factories, stopping by schools, and visiting military bases, Mother Nature had other plans.

We still traveled to our States, but we saw a very different scene: whole streets and towns flooded, homes and businesses washed away from their foundations, destroyed crop fields, and constituents worried about the loss of their homes and mourning their loved ones.

Over 2 weeks ago, Hurricane Irene barreled down our eastern seaboard, and early estimates suggest it could be one of the top 10 costliest disasters in U.S. history. I am here to tell the story of North Carolina.

In the early morning of August 27, Irene first touched down over eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks. Even before it made landfall, the storm brought on several tornadoes along the coast that swept away entire homes.

This is a photo of what is left of three homes hit by tornadoes in Tyrrell County. I was there, and it was truly devastating. One elderly man who had one of these homes was there the next day with a rake, forlorn look in his eyes, and said: The only thing I own now are the clothes on my back.

By the time Irene finally moved beyond the State of North Carolina, six North Carolinians had been killed, storm surges 6 to 9 feet high had flooded many towns, more than 500,000 were without power, and countless homes, businesses, and schools had been destroyed or severely damaged.

Fortunately, our State had prepared diligently for days leading up to the storm, boarding up houses and businesses and declaring mandatory evacuations for tourists and residents in our most at-risk towns.

A lot of pundits woke after Irene hit and started saying: Hey, it wasn't that bad. I wish to invite those individuals to come to eastern North Carolina and see what I saw in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

I saw small business owners in downtown Manteo emptying stores they have run for decades, tossing their waterlogged inventory, moving their furniture to the curb, moving out carpet totally destroyed, and these business owners wondering if it was even worth reopening their stores.

There was a bookstore, and a resident in the community came up to me and he said: Senator Hagan, I have raised my children by sitting on this man's knees having books read to him day in and day out. We need this bookstore back in Manteo.

I wish to be sure it gets there.

I also saw crops that had been beaten by wind and rain for 15 hours, and it looked like they had gone through the spin cycle of a washing machine. I saw flooding in the fields so severe that Agricultural Secretary and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said it was the worst agricultural flooding he recalled seeing.

I saw families clearing and burning debris, pumping floodwater, tossing aside their soaked possessions that were beyond saving.

I also stood along Highway 12, eerily quiet, a highway that is usually busy with traffic, totally still at the point where Irene had left a gaping hole, blocking any vehicle travel to and from Hatteras Island and the towns of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras. We can clearly see the breach of the highway here. It actually breached in three separate points along Highway 12. The only way to get to the island now is by ferry; and, according to local reports, the line for that ferry was 15 miles long this weekend.

That is the picture in North Carolina. It is not the only picture. While there were scenes of destruction and loss, I also saw tremendous acts of determination and kindness. If winds and rains may have swept away our possessions, they also stirred up the best parts of North Carolina spirit. Our intrinsic devotion to community and to assisting those in need produced countless heroes across our State the past 2 weeks.

Everywhere I went, I saw emergency workers, volunteer organizations, and members of the community reaching out to their neighbors in need. In Craven and Tyrrell Counties, the American Red Cross and the North Carolina Baptist Men and Women provided hot meals. The North Carolina Baptist Men and Women were there, distributing 5,000 meals one afternoon when I was with them and also helping shelter and debris removal for those affected by the hurricane.

The North Carolina National Guard activated 400 members--including a member of my own staff who serves in the Guard--to provide emergency water, food, and supplies to some of the hardest hit areas. Emergency workers throughout the State continue to help families, businesses, and entire communities recover and rebuild.

While the people of the great State of North Carolina are committed to getting themselves and their neighbors back on their own feet, we have to do the same in Congress. For the North Carolina families, farmers, fishermen, educators, seniors, and small businesses struggling to recover, government assistance cannot come fast enough. It must not leave too soon.

Here is my bottom line: Congress must fully fund Irene recovery efforts now. But we must also fund the emergency funding needs in tornado-devastated Joplin, MO, and Alabama, and the flooded communities of the Midwest, also, and in the wildfire disaster currently in Texas.

Without a doubt, this year, our country has been ravaged by an unprecedented series of natural disasters. Since January 1, the President has issued disaster declarations in 48 States, and the hurricane season is far from over.

We are aware of this trend all too well in North Carolina. Just about 4 months before Irene hit, 28 tornadoes touched down across central and southern North Carolina, the most severe weather to hit our State since 1984. More than 20 North Carolinians were killed, 6,200 homes damaged, and about 440 homes were completely destroyed;

21 businesses, including the largest employer in the town of Sanford, were demolished, with another 92 significantly damaged, leaving at least 2,000 North Carolinians in that one area out of work. Shaw University, located in downtown Raleigh, was forced to close for the remainder of the semester due to the immense damage to its campus.

We will never be able to predict the whims of Mother Nature, but we are able to prepare and prepare we must. Right now, FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund is running dangerously low. Even before Hurricane Irene arrived we were using $400 million a month on disaster relief efforts. Today the fund is down to $377 million, not enough for a week of spending before Hurricane Irene hit, and we still have 3 weeks to go in this fiscal year.

If we do not act now to fix this shortfall, millions of Americans will be left behind. Already, FEMA is shifting funds away from vitally needed reconstruction projects in previously hard-hit areas to what they call ``immediate needs'' assistance. I do not believe any one of us wants to be in the position of telling one of our constituents--one of our small business owners, one of our school principals--that we can't help because they are not considered an ``immediate need.'' American victims of natural disasters should not be left at the mercy of a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul system. That is not who we are as Americans.

We have a choice right now. In my mind and in the minds of all North Carolinians affected by the storms of Irene and the tornadoes that took place in April, the choice is clear: Congress must make these FEMA supplemental funds available.

The Budget Control Act that we passed in early August established strict spending caps to get our fiscal house in order while also allowing for a limited amount of funds to be made available in case disaster struck. Disaster struck, and now is the time to make those funds available. Meeting these needs is not just a necessity for the people of my State and many others, but it is also wholly consistent with the fiscal discipline that we agreed on and voted on in August.

But FEMA funding is not enough. Our farmers in North Carolina and across the eastern coast were devastated by Irene, and they are in desperate need of assistance. North Carolina is an agricultural State. Agriculture generates about $78 billion a year in economic activity, and it employs close to one-fifth of the workers in North Carolina. Our agricultural industry, particularly our cotton and tobacco farmers, are in trouble.

At the end of the day, when all of the damage assessments are completed, our farmers could be out more than $400 million from Hurricane Irene, and these crops were just getting ready to be harvested. Our farmers in our State absolutely cannot afford a blow like this one. We in Congress need to work together so assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture can be expedited and delivered in a timelier manner. We need to act soon.

I want to end with a story from my State that I believe is particularly relevant at this time when communities across the country are in the process of recovery. Back in April, one of the most recognizable scenes from the post-tornado coverage was of a Lowe's store in Sanford, NC. Unlike with Irene, there were few warnings of the tornado's arrival. But when Michael Hollowell, the store manager, saw the storm approaching his store--and it was very fast--he calmly moved every customer to the back corner where he knew--because he had been trained--they would be the safest. I saw that Lowe's the very next day.

This is what that store looked like. It was completely demolished. But every single person in the store when the storm hit was alive. Mike Hollowell is a hero, not just to those people in the Lowe's store but to people all over North Carolina. Last week, not even 5 months after this devastation, that same Lowe's reopened, and it reopened with 2,000 more square feet than it had before. It just shows that North Carolinians and people across the country are committed to a recovery that will leave our communities better than ever.

The people of this great country are stronger than any storm. They will rebuild and recover. But that process may take many months, it may take many years. As their representatives, we have a responsibility to provide a reliable, comprehensive program of relief for that duration. To do any less is a dereliction of duty.

I call on all my colleagues to pass this FEMA supplemental bill as soon as possible.

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

Mr. President, we are here debating the government's fiscal deficit. It is an important topic, one worthy of serious debate. Of course, I wish I could characterize the mindless partisanship of the last several months as serious debate, but I fear this do-nothing debate is distracting us from another deficit that is front and center in the hearts and minds of the American people; that is, the jobs deficit.

Just yesterday, the Department of Commerce reported that the economic recovery has been far slower than previously thought. Our economy grew at a rate of less than 1 percent in the first half of 2011. That is not news to the hard-working families of North Carolina where unemployment statewide is almost 10 percent and nearly one-half million people are looking for work. They have been struggling since the housing boom went bust 4 years ago. Those people with jobs haven't seen the size of their paycheck increase, but their monthly bills have certainly been increased, along with the cost of gasoline. Just getting to your job in the morning, if you are fortunate to still have one, is more expensive. Yet we spend all our time in Washington bickering, posturing, and name- calling. Our constituents must be watching from home scratching their heads and wondering why Washington is debating whether we should avoid a default that would make this economy even worse.

Let me tell my colleagues what is happening in North Carolina. Since the start of the recession in 2007, we have lost over 300,000 jobs in my State. More than two-thirds of the counties--68 out of 100--have unemployment rates above 10 percent. In my hometown of Greensboro, the unemployment rate is stuck at 10.8 percent--the same level as last year. That is right, no change in 12 months. People are working harder without getting ahead or looking for work longer without being able to find a job. Yet we continue to spend all our time in Washington bickering and posturing and name-calling.

The people of North Carolina and the people of this great country are fed up with political games. They are telling me enough is enough. What they want is for Members of Congress to come to the table--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--and find bipartisan solutions that can get our economy growing and put people back to work;

for example, commonsense legislation such as the America Works Act that I introduced to create a nationwide and industry-recognized portable credential system so employers with job openings can find those workers with the right skills, and workers with the right skills can find the jobs they are qualified for.

There is also the bipartisan Hire a Hero Act that my colleague from Massachusetts and I introduced to combat the unacceptable trend of higher unemployment among our veterans.

Let us not forget we have a program that has been expired since February that helps workers who have had their jobs shipped overseas find new work. There is action we could take, but these commonsense ideas aren't getting their due time because of the partisan shenanigans going on now.

This past month, I went on a budget-listening tour across North Carolina, and the messages I kept hearing were that we need to address our mounting debt and get our long-term fiscal house in order. We borrow 40 cents of every $1 we spend, and it is hurting our ability to invest wisely in the things we need to, such as education, infrastructure and research and development that will ensure a prosperous American future.

Yesterday, with my office receiving a barrage of calls from concerned constituents, I answered the phones all afternoon. The message I heard was loud and clear: Please stop the partisan posturing and get something done.

Unfortunately, the plan from the House falls far short of those goals of bipartisanship and consensus. Instead of aiming for compromise and certainty, it represents just another partisan, short-term patch that ensures the debate will drag on for another 6 months. After what Washington has put our country and the market through, I don't know anybody who thinks it is a good idea to do this for the next 6 months.

We all need to remember what we were put in office to do. We were not sent to fight for the sake of fighting. We were not sent to see who could win the most political points, and we certainly were not sent to throw this country into a default crisis because of our own inability to compromise.

But we were sent to get the work done. We were sent to work together on solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time. Most important, we were sent to rev up the great American economic engine to allow businesses to hire and to get the American people back to work.

The clock is ticking. The challenges of reducing our debt and our deficit are undoubtedly difficult, but they are not impossible--not if Washington takes to heart the message of principled compromise and leadership I receive every day from North Carolinians. We must commit to a balanced, bipartisan plan that reduces our debt while protecting our seniors, students and veterans and makes the critical investments in education, infrastructure, and research and development we need for a prosperous American future. We need to focus on the most important goal of all; that is, jobs, jobs, jobs.

I urge all my colleagues to support the Reid amendment and to put this crisis behind us.

I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to report to the Senate on the completion of my North Carolina Budget Listening Tour. While people in this town were mired in political gamesmanship that seems to be pushing parties further apart, I wanted to hear directly from community leaders and business leaders in North Carolina about how they think we should be approaching the responsibility we have to reduce our deficit and our debt. I held listening sessions all over the State--from Raleigh to Greensboro and Charlotte to Wilmington--and I heard from North Carolinians of every kind: small business owners, health care workers, veterans, entrepreneurs, and more.

The message I heard could not have been more different from the partisan bickering in Washington that is dominating the airwaves. In Washington, we see negotiators walking away from the table, refusing any and all compromise, putting politics ahead of what is best for the American people. In North Carolina, people were coming to the table and putting party aside for commonsense solutions to meet our shared budget obligations. To me, the message was crystal clear: Washington needs to take a lesson from North Carolina. It is far past time to put partisanship aside and do what is right for the American people.

At the Charlotte listening session, I heard from the executive director of a health care nonprofit responsible for caring for the elderly. She told me about important ways we can reduce health care costs and save lives, such as expanding access to preventive care for seniors to reduce the onset of expensive chronic diseases. Gayla Woody, the director of aging at the Centralina Council of Governments, told me the story of how one of her clients--a man caring for his wife with Alzheimer's--was able to continue to care for her at their home thanks to the comparatively small investments made in the Family Caregiver Program rather than a more expensive nursing home. They both also told me we cannot afford an extreme plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program for vulnerable seniors. Balancing the budget on their backs is not a solution I can support.

I also heard from small business owners, economic development coordinators, and community bankers at our Wilmington and Raleigh tour stops. They told me about how Washington's partisan paralysis is preventing them from having the sort of certainty they need to be able to make the hard decisions to invest in their businesses and to grow jobs in this economy for their companies. If these businesses don't know whether they ought to be investing in new equipment or new employees, then we are not going to be able to sustain the economic growth that is a necessary component to reducing our deficit and our debt.

I also heard from a veteran of the U.S. Marines Corps and current chaplain for the Onslow County Special Incident Response Team. This dedicated public servant talked about the importance of protecting services for our veterans. And I will fight for them just as hard as they fought for us. He also talked to me about the importance of priorities. He said we ought to keep our promises to those who sacrificed for us--our seniors and our veterans--but we also need to invest in our children and their education. It was important for the future, he believed, and I agree he was right.

While the challenge of reducing our deficit may appear daunting, I don't believe meeting it is impossible if Washington takes to heart the message I heard all over North Carolina last month. Both sides-- Democrats and Republicans--need to put aside partisanship and come to an agreement that is bipartisan and balanced, one that includes a shared sacrifice but also fulfills the sacred promises made to our seniors and our veterans and makes the critical investments necessary for a prosperous American future. Above all else, they do not want us to kick the can down the road one more time. They sent us here to make hard decisions. Putting them off to resolve during some future crisis is simply not an option.

These broad goals and values are widely shared across party lines. I recognize turning them into a bipartisan, balanced solution to our fiscal challenges will not be easy, but the consequences of failing to do so are simply too great to ignore.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I am pleased to reintroduce a very important piece of legislation to accelerate job growth across America, the American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act, also known as the AMERICA Works Act. This bill is part of the solution to the Nation's economic and unemployment problem.

We all know that American families, as well as the manufacturing industry, have faced difficult times over the last few years. But the truth is that the manufacturing industry will always be a vital part of our Nation's economy.

The national unemployment rate has stabilized somewhat, but almost 14 million Americans remain out of work. We still have a long way to go. In my home

State of North Carolina, unemployment hovers at 9.7 percent, with several counties facing double-digit unemployment rates. Job creation is my number one priority and this legislation is an innovative way to get Americans back into the workforce.

The United States needs a strong technical workforce. The AMERICA Works Act would encourage national industries, such as biotechnology, construction, and machinery, to come together and agree on the skill sets they most value in prospective employees. Community colleges would participate, creating the appropriate curricula to meet those needs. Students who complete the programs would receive an industry-recognized credential. Workers who carry these industry-backed credentials would be able to market themselves in any area of the country. Businesses could count on the fact that workers with these credentials have the expertise and skills they are looking for.

The AMERICA Works Act would require certain Federal job training and career development education programs to give priority to programs that provide an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential. This credentialing system starts out with basic competencies that prepare individuals for the workplace. Once basic competencies are completed, individuals can work toward high performance technical competencies and then progress further to highly skilled technical and management competencies. The credentialing levels are stackable, allowing workers flexibility along their career tracks. Stackable credentials provide straightforward paths, with clear entry and exit points, for workers to advance their careers and attain high quality jobs.

In North Carolina, we have an advanced manufacturing skills program at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem. Forsyth Tech is participating in the National Association of Manufacturers' Manufacturing Skills Certification System, which offers credit programs toward nationally recognized, stackable credentials. They have had hundreds of students enroll in their programs. Forsyth Tech has already collaborated with state and local businesses to begin the process of incorporating their credentials into job descriptions. They believe that introducing graduates with skill certifications into the local workforce will help improve the hiring process, and the nationally recognized credentials will improve employment opportunities.

When the President's Jobs Council met earlier this month in North Carolina, a leading topic of discussion, and something the President himself mentioned, is the need to improve job training for American industries so that our workers can be competitive in the global economy.

The AMERICA Works Act will help job seekers and employers keep America competitive in every industry, from textiles to aerospace, high-tech to biotech, and connect programs like those offered at Forsyth Tech with employers in the community, region, and across the United States.

As I mentioned before, job creation is my number one priority. I want to do everything I can to create jobs and make sure our workers have the skills necessary to help our businesses grow and thrive. By incentivizing industry-recognized, nationally portable, stackable credentials, we can ensure that America has the best businesses, with the best-trained workers leading the world.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill to expand employment opportunities for hardworking Americans.