Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1954 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read for a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

I ask unanimous consent that the HELP Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 339 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the resolution of the Senate of January 24, 1901, the traditional reading of Washington's Farewell Address take place on Monday, February 24, following the prayer and pledge; further, that Senator King be recognized to deliver the address.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 11, 2014; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 1963, the military retirement pay restoration bill, postcloture; that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; and, finally, that all time during adjournment and recess count postcloture on the motion to proceed to S. 1963.

Senator-designate Walsh from Montana will be sworn in at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow. Senators will be notified when the next vote is scheduled.

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

Mr. President, I wish to recognize Hockey Week in Fairbanks, a terrific annual celebration that takes place every winter. It has become so popular it will run for 10 days, from January 31 to February 9, 2014. During our long Alaskan winters, we welcome entertainment that celebrations like this offer and the outdoor and indoor activity that hockey represents.

Ice hockey has long been a popular sport all over Alaska, with leagues that run all year for players of all age groups. Due to the commitment and interest of players, coaches, and boosters, a Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame was established to honor those who helped develop the sport in Interior Alaska. Because of the foresight and enthusiasm of the hall's board, they also sponsor hockey week.

The activities during 2014 hockey week are varied. There is the popular ``Wear Your Jersey to School Day,'' tournaments for youth, puck shooting, a contest for the best backyard rink, ice sculptures with hockey themes, and much more. Typical of the civic spirit of the organizers and partisans, they sponsor reading programs in elementary schools and conduct blood donation drives as well, during the week.

This year, the organizers have attracted a major exhibit. The outreach program of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto will send artifacts from its collection to be on display in Fairbanks and, later, in Anchorage. Fans will see jerseys, sticks, skates, and many other items belonging to some of the greats who have played professionally.

Each year, the celebration seems to top the previous year's. One of the reasons it does is because of the major force behind the event: Randy Zarnke, the president of the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame. The year after he wrote a book about Fairbanks hockey pioneers in 2005, he started this remarkable celebration. I am happy to add my thanks for his leadership.

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to James von der Heydt. In his over half a century of service, James von der Heydt built a lasting legacy with distinguished service in all three branches of government. Coming to Alaska in 1943 originally to work on the construction of the ALCAN Highway, James demonstrated the versatility for which Alaskans are famous. By 1945, he was a deputy U.S. Marshall in Nome. Seeking to give more to his new home State, James left Alaska in 1948 to attend law school. When he returned, he served as the U.S. Commissioner at Nome and then as the United States attorney for Alaska. He served in the Alaska Territorial Legislature in the 1957 session and then became one of the first superior court judges when Alaska became State in 1959. In 1966, President Johnson appointed him to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court for Alaska where he continued to shape the interpretation of Federal laws in Alaska for the next three decades. We will all miss his love of Alaska, wisdom, and compassion.

Mr. President, I rise as well to thank the senior Senator from Washington for her insight and to echo the comments from my colleagues, especially my good friend from Alaska. The not-for-profit student loan servicer in my State, the Alaska Student Loan Corporation, does an outstanding job of servicing student loans. They take a proactive and supportive role with the accounts they receive from the Department, and I want to ensure they will be able to continue to participate in this important program. I was pleased to learn that the chairman's intent in including this language was not to exclude not- for-profit servicers from competing for additional servicing accounts.

Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to MAJ Toby M. Williford for his exceptional dedication to duty and service to the U.S. Army and to the United States of America. Toby has served for the last 2 years as a congressional budget liaison for the Secretary of the Army and will soon depart for his next duty assignment.

A native of Hobbs, NM, Toby earned his commission from Tarleton State University in 2003. Major Williford's assignments have been diverse and include 24 months of combat experience. While a lieutenant, he served in F Company, 1-66 Armor Battalion and Headquarters and Headquarters Company 4th Forward Support Battalion as a platoon leader, executive officer, and support operations officer, both stateside and in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After promotion to captain, Toby served in the 17th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion as commander of the 539th Transportation Company and deployed to Kuwait for his second combat tour.

After returning from his second deployment, Toby began his studies as an Army congressional fellow, earning a master's of professional studies in legislative affairs from the George Washington University. He was then assigned as a congressional fellow in my office in 2011. Toby was subsequently assigned as a congressional budget liaison officer in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller with responsibility for the ammunition and missile procurement portfolios. Toby advised the Army's senior leaders, fostering and strengthening the relationship between Congress and the U.S. Army.

Major Williford's leadership throughout his career has positively impacted his peers and superiors, soldiers and civilians alike. As a congressional budget liaison officer, he worked directly with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to educate and inform Representatives, Senators, and staff about the diverse and important ammunition and missile procurement initiatives of the U.S. Army.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending MAJ Toby M. Williford for over a decade of active service to his country in the U.S. Army. We wish Toby, his wife Amanda, and their four children, Addison, Aubrey, Tate, and Alyssa, all the best as they continue their journey of service to our great Nation.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Jon E. Zufelt for his exceptional contributions to the Nation as he retires after 30 years of service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Zufelt's dedication as a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory has resulted in the transfer of knowledge on a global scale.

As a research hydraulic engineer, Dr. Zufelt's career focused on solving tough problems in cold regions hydraulics and hydrology, ice jam processes, erosion and bank protection, ice mitigation, permafrost dynamics, seasonal water quality issues, environmental remediation, and Arctic coastal processes affecting military lands. Dr. Zufelt spent his entire 30-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, culminating in the management of the Anchorage Office of the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, primarily in support of projects in Alaska.

Dr. Zufelt came to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in April of 1983 as a civil engineer working in Vicksburg, MS. Later that year, he began working for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH, and then the project office located in Anchorage, AK, in 2001.

Dr. Zufelt is a leader in cold regions engineering issues in Alaska and beyond. He is often sought out by universities, technical societies, and journals for his affiliation and technical expertise. Throughout his career, Dr. Zufelt has served for many years on multiple professional society committees and working groups, which include the American Society of Civil Engineers,

the U.S. Permafrost Association, the Alaska Chapter of the American Water Resources Association, the Interagency Hydrology Committee of Alaska, and the Alaska Governor's Sub-Cabinet on Climate Change. These professional organizations have acknowledged Dr. Zufelt's contributions with multiple awards, including the 2006 Alaska Engineer of the Year Award by the Joint Engineering Societies of Alaska. Dr. Zufelt was also awarded the 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers CAN-AM Civil Engineering Amity Award for his work in river ice hydraulics and ice engineering through research, teaching, and dedication to professional relationships between engineers in the United States and Canada.

Dr. Zufelt has made significant contributions to the scientific and engineering communities through editorships, professional society participation, and university teaching. He has served as the conference chair and proceedings editor for the American Society of Civil Engineers--International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering; the conference cochair of the American Water Resources Association--Alaska Section; a technical committee chair and co-editor of the proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers--International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering; and the chair of the 2009 University of Alaska Anchorage workshop entitled, ``Climate Change Impacts on Defense Assets in Alaska.'' Since 2001, Dr. Zufelt has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, teaching at least one graduate-level engineering course each academic year. For 2 years, Dr. Zufelt served as the acting U.S. Army Alaska/Alaskan Command Science Advisor providing onsite technical advice and quick reaction solutions to technical problems. The European Command and Northern Command have also sought Dr. Zufelt's expertise.

Dr. Zufelt has more than 90 technical publications. His articles are published in a diversity of conference proceedings, technical reports, and journals, including the International Conference on Permafrost, International Symposium on Cold Regions Development, Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science, Workshop on Ice Covered Rivers, and the Proceedings of the ASCE World Water and Environmental Resources Congress.

I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Zufelt for his 30 years of leadership, expertise, and service to our Nation. I wish the best to him and his family as they begin this next stage in their lives.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for 10 minutes.

Before I make my comments regarding manufacturing and job creation in America and in Alaska, I would like to say I know my friend from Hawaii was here earlier, Senator Schatz, talking about the important resolution that has been submitted that I was honored to be able to cosponsor regarding the typhoon in the Philippines.

Alaska has over 20,000 Filipinos living in our State--an incredible group of individuals, people I have known in the business world, as individuals, and family members. The devastation is unbelievable as you look at the photos and see the devastation of the typhoon and the impact it has had on families there. Even though it is thousands of miles away, I can tell you, in Alaska, we feel it, we see it. Our Filipino friends there have many relatives on the islands, and the impact is just unbelievable.

I was in Alaska this weekend and met with members of the leadership of the Filipino community, as well as members from the Red Cross and others to see what we can do from an Alaskan perspective, because Alaska knows what disasters are like. From earthquakes to floods, we seem to have them quite often. We know what type of impact these events have on families, so I was very happy to support the resolution my friend from Hawaii submitted, but also want to recognize the 20,000 Filipino community members in Alaska who are suffering and thinking about their families and friends overseas.

We want to do everything we can. I know our country is there and ready and moving a lot of resources to assist. So I wanted to put that on the record and give my condolences to families who have lost loved ones, but also to Alaskans who are grieving for family and friends who may have been lost in the typhoon. I know personally I have done my own contributions, whatever I can to assist in moving operations forward and bringing resources to the islands.

Job Creation

I also came today to talk on the floor about the need for additional job creation. Already in the first 10 months of this year we have created 1.9 million new jobs--higher than last year at this same time-- which is a good start, but more needs to be done. Senators Coons and Durbin and others have been discussing our Manufacturing Jobs in America initiative. In particular, we are talking about the skills necessary to succeed in today's economy--the skills Americans need to land and to keep good manufacturing jobs.

There used to be a time when a bright kid in this country could work hard in school, graduate with a high school diploma, and go work in a factory. He or she could make a decent living, a living wage, enough to raise a family and own a home and think about the future of their kids. Those days are long gone. Unfortunately, today's factories and plants don't look like they used to. The level of technical expertise needed to operate some new machinery is pretty high. That is why I have made career and technical education a priority. We need to have options for the bright kids after high school or that mid-career worker looking to shift gears.

My own State of Alaska is already a leader in career technical education--CTE. As these programs continue to innovate and change across the country, Alaska is in the forefront. I see it when I travel around the State. From career pathways in high schools to creative programs through the University of Alaska system, my State is a leader in career technical education.

To address these issues, I have introduced a bill entitled Investing in Innovation, otherwise called i3, which takes a look at what is happening in our local schools and puts resources into what is working. It supports and expands programs that are helping to improve student achievement. This bill requires 25 percent of the money to go to local rural communities. There are so many programs that sometimes forget our small and rural communities, not only in Alaska but throughout this country.

I have also introduced the Career Readiness package of legislation focused on career and technical education. One of the bills in this package is the Counseling for Career Choice Act. This bill will help fund stakeholders in developing comprehensive career counseling models that emphasize guiding students to productive careers.

Our counselors are in unique position to help expose and guide our students to postsecondary opportunities--to help prepare them for high- demand careers. This bill makes sure our school counselors have the resources they need to emphasize all types of postsecondary education, not just the traditional 4-year degree. It focuses on opportunities such as apprenticeships, certificate programs, associate degrees, and, of course, 4-year degrees. It makes sure that business, economic development, and industry leaders are at the table providing information on available postsecondary training opportunities and career trends--basically making sure that we match what we are teaching to not only what is available in the market today but in the future. Our students need the best teachers and the best facilities.

I also have legislation that focuses on career technical education, CTE, professional development for teachers and principals.

Another career readiness bill provides funding to make sure we are modernizing our CTE facilities. We know students who are involved in career and technical education programs are engaged in their future careers. We have to keep making sure what our students learn is relevant to the real

world. We must align our educational system with the in-demand careers to fill those jobs in that pipeline, and we must keep our students engaged.

If we are going to compete in the 21st century as we did in the 20th century, we need to make sure our students have the very best skills-- skills that are tailored to the 21st century economy. Career and technical education is the best approach, in my opinion, to give students those skills.

I am a big fan of the Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative led by Senator Coons and several of my colleagues. America's manufacturing sector has enormous potential to create new jobs and to speed up our economy and economic recovery. These are good jobs and they spin off into even more jobs.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, every manufacturing job we create adds 1\1/2\ jobs to the local economy. So let's move forward, let's pass these bills to help with job training, career facilities and readiness, and let's do everything we can to get our manufacturing sector running full speed ahead.

Before I conclude my remarks, let me say that I know there is a lot of debate on the floor where we talk about health care, we are talking about a national defense authorization bill, and we are going to talk about a compounding bill, but at the end of the day, what Americans, what Alaskans, come to me to talk about on a regular basis--and certainly it was true in the 4\1/2\ days I just spent in Alaska--is what are we doing to create jobs for the future, not only for people today in the work environment but the kids of the future who will be in the work environment.

This legislation, and many other pieces that have been introduced in this package, help lead this economy and continue to move this economy. We have to remind ourselves where we are: This year, this month, we created over 200,000 jobs. The first month I came here, when I was sworn in, the economy was in a tailspin. We had lost over 700,000 jobs. So we have been in the positive trendline for several months here, but we have more to do. And an area that I think is an incredible opportunity not only for Alaska but for all across this country is improving our manufacturing sector and ensuring our young people are ready for the 21st century.

Again, I thank my friend Senator Coons for all the work he is doing to bring manufacturing to the forefront, as well as all my colleagues who have been coming to the floor to talk about an important piece of legislation to create jobs and improve our economy for the long term.

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 293, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.