Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I honor Saint Anthony Village High School, in Saint Anthony Village, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Saint Anthony Village High School is truly a model of educational success. The high school aims to establish a ``preferred, small, caring educational community creatively meeting individual learners' needs.''

The Saint Anthony Village High School's success can be attributed to the relatively small number of students enrolled, the dedicated teachers and staff, and the strong community support. The high school and middle school share the same building, hence the innovative Tutors R Us Program has allowed high-achieving older students to help tutor middle school students who need more individualized attention.

Teachers at Saint Anthony Village High School genuinely care for their students and hold them accountable for high academic standards. When Maggie Horan, a recent graduate, and senior Dede Sirleaf were asked about their teachers, they responded by citing their experience with Mr. Olszanski, their math teacher:

He takes the time to explain things. If you don't get it,

he will explain it two or three times to make sure you get

it--he really cares about you. He wants everyone to learn and

be on the same page. He will even take time to stay after

school with you if you don't get it.

The community has demonstrated its strong support for the schools by approving several referendums and supporting numerous fundraising activities. Community members are always represented at school functions, act as mentors for students, serve as hosts for student volunteer opportunities, and frequently offer afterschool employment for Saint Anthony students.

The results are very impressive. The number of Advanced Placement tests taken by students at Saint Anthony has grown from 5 in 1994 to 240 in 2006. Over 20 percent of juniors and seniors belong to the National Honor Society.

In both 2004 and 2005, the school received five-star ratings in both math and reading from the Minnesota Department of Education.

Much of the credit for Saint Anthony Village High School's success belongs to its principal, Mr. Tom Keith, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The students and staff at Saint Anthony Village High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Saint Anthony Village High School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Saint Anthony Village High School in Saint Anthony Village for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Morris Elementary School, in Morris, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Morris Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. The award specifically recognizes the fifth-grade science program for three initiatives: Project Alpha, chick growing, and Tomato Fest, which all combine learning with hands-on application of scientific theory and research, and which also involve prominent scientists and parent volunteers.

Project Alpha blends learning in science, math, language, and the arts. The children form an aerospace commission designed to study space flight, aerodynamics, weather, physics, and optics. As they accomplish each intelligence-gathering mission, they earn valuable ``cash'' for their company. They then use the knowledge they have acquired to build and launch model air-powered rockets. The children then make design modifications to their rockets, based on actual flight performance. To earn the privilege of launching their rockets, pupils must pass a tough physics test which covers concepts in energy, mass, light, sound, the earth's tilt, and Newton's laws of motion.

Fifth-graders also participate in an experiment growing chicks, which includes gauging the effects of diet on growing chickens. The children write the experimental protocol, analyze weight gain, feed intake, and feed/gain conversion. They use math skills to compile data and perform measurements. The children meet with research scientists from the University of Minnesota's College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences at the West Central Research and Outreach Center. The scientists talk with the children about research, how to write a scientific hypothesis, and how to conduct a research project that will either prove or disprove the hypothesis.

Fifth-graders also conduct a plant-growing experiment, in partnership with the USDA Soils Lab, located in Morris. The children study how certain variables affect germination, growth, and reproduction in tomato plants. The children are required to take measurements, construct data tables, and present findings at the annual Tomato Fest. One-third of the seeds were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1997; another third were sealed in a dry container and kept underwater at the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station in Key Largo, FL; and the rest were kept as a control group at Park Seed Company.

During the fifth-graders' annual science fair, research scientists from the University join area high school students who excel in science. The scientists and high school students visit the fifth- grade classrooms for a ``meet the expert day,'' when they review the science projects, answer questions, and give feedback about the fifth-graders' projects.

While the Award for Excellence in Education recognizes the Morris Elementary fifth-grade science curriculum, the school has also done very well in reading and math, receiving four stars in reading and five stars in math from the Minnesota Department of Education in 2005.

Much of the credit for Morris Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Brad Korn, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The pupils and staff at Morris Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where pupils can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and pupils at Morris Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Morris Elementary School in Morris for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor the Marshall Public School District, in Marshall, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Marshall Public School District is truly a model of educational success. Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes nominated the local school district for an Award for Excellence, based largely upon the many programs offered through a collaboration of the school district, the city, and local businesses.

The programs include the Marshall Public School District's Mentor Connection Program, which gives students an opportunity to shadow Marshall business, nonprofit, and government leaders; the Talents Academy, which pairs the brightest instructors with gifted students at a very early age; and the Marshall East Campus Learning Alternative, MECLA, Program, the district's alternative education program for students at risk of dropping out of high school. All of these reflect the belief of the Marshall community that ``all children are important resources.''

The growth and achievement shown by Marshall's students have supplied benchmarks for other Minnesota school districts. Students achieved 90 percent reading proficiency and 80 percent math proficiency on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests. Over 50 percent of Marshall's teachers have at least a master's degree.

The Emerging Leadership Investment Program for Marshall's minority residents demonstrates the effectiveness of collaboration on the local level. The partnership between the city, its schools, and its businesses has also produced an extremely successful intramural sports program at Marshall High School, which allows a cross section of students to interact socially in a structured, recreational setting, while benefiting from physical activity. The program will be expanded this fall to deliver the same opportunities to middle school children. In addition, foreign languages, creative writing, and science clubs will be added to afterschool activities.

Mayor Byrnes said, ``Our community is fortunate to understand the common goal of educating our youth and developing communities that demonstrate their interest in our youth. Communities that value youth, in the end, will retain youth for its sustainable future.''

In 2005, the Marshall High School received a three-star rating in math and a five-star rating in reading from the Minnesota Department of Education; the junior high school received a four-star rating in math and a three-star rating in reading; and the elementary schools received three-star ratings in both math and reading.

Much of the credit for the Marshall Public School District's success belongs to its superintendent, Mr. Klint

Willert, and the dedicated principals, teachers, and staff. The students and staff at Marshall Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Marshall Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate the Marshall Public School District in Marshall for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Walker-Hackensack- Akeley School District's speech team, in Walker, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley speech team is truly a model of educational success. The team has demonstrated that when a school establishes a reputation in a specific area, this promotes high expectations, community involvement and support, and an atmosphere encouraging further success. The competitive speech program at Walker- Hackensack-Akeley High School truly sets this school apart from most others in the State. The program is primarily for senior high school, but exceptionally gifted seventh- and eighth-graders can also participate.

The speech program focuses on the Minnesota State High School Speech Competition and the National Forensic League. Both areas of concentration have brought numerous awards and recognition to Walker- Hackensack-Akeley communities. More important, the program has helped develop students' skills and led them, in some cases, to world-class opportunities.

Walker-Hackensack-Akeley's speech program has produced more State champions and medal winners at State-level competition than any school its size, and the high school consistently ranks among the top schools throughout Minnesota. Many students have gone on to compete in the prestigious National Forensic League, and 10 former students have achieved National Forensic League Academic All-American status. Many have also pursued distinguished careers in law, medicine, and business.

The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley speech program has a 40-year record of success, during which participants earned 163 State speech medals, including 31 individual State championships. Participants of the program have competed 21 times at the national level and have won dozens of invitational, subsection, and sectional titles.

Last year, the high school's graduating class of 61 students received in excess of $650,000 in merit-based scholarships from universities and colleges across the country.

Much of the credit for the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley's speech team's success belongs to its coach, Chuck Cravens. The students and staff at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools understand that in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools should be very proud of the accomplishments of its speech team.

I congratulate the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District's speech team in Walker for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor the Wabasso Public Schools, in Wabasso, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

The Wabasso Public Schools are truly a model of educational success. The district is a small, rural district that has a single building for its entire program, prekindergarten through grade 12. Superintendent Ted Suss describes the District as the ``center of local activity, the most important institution within its community, and the emblem of community pride.'' Wabasso Public Schools have demonstrated that quality education can be provided in a small, rural school district. The district prides itself for its success in academics, athletics, and the arts.

Wabasso Public Schools' amenities include a comprehensive early childhood education program, a formal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds and an all-day kindergarten. In the high school, Wabasso offers a full- year physics class and a full-year calculus class. The vocational agriculture department offers additional opportunities for students to earn science credits, including hands-on learning in floriculture, agriculture, crop science, and animal science. The district will begin offering advanced placement classes next year, which very few rural districts are able to do.

The Wabasso community is proudest of a Future Farmers of America Chapter in which 25 percent of all students in grades 9 through 12 won the opportunity to compete at the FAA State Convention; the Wabasso High School choir, which won three ``superior'' ratings, the maximum possible under Minnesota State High School League rules; the Wabasso High School Rabbits, which have an extraordinary record of success, including State championships in girls' fast-pitch softball and basketball; the boys' wrestling team has qualified for the State tournament in 2 of the past 3 years, winning second place in 2001 and reaching the semifinals in 2003; and the football team has also advanced to the State tournament in 2 of the past 3 years. The success of the football team is even more impressive, given that the school has opted to play in the more competitive 11-man league even though the small enrollment would have allowed them to compete in the 9-man league.

To control costs, the Wabasso School District has hired a single dean of students to serve as the principal for the elementary school, middle school, and high school. A site council makes many of the decisions traditionally made by a school principal.

The Wabasso Elementary School received a four-star rating in math and a five-star rating in reading from the department of education, while the high school received three-star ratings in both math and reading. Last year, every 10th-grade student passed the state MCA writing test on the first attempt. Well over 90 percent of the class of 2005 continued on to a postsecondary education program or entered the military.

Much of the credit for Wabasso Public School's success belongs to its superintendent, Ted Suss, its dean of students, Amy Iverson, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The students and staff at Wabasso Public Schools understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Wabasso Public Schools should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Wabasso Public Schools in Wabasso for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Thomas Jefferson High School, in Bloomington, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Thomas Jefferson High School is truly a model of educational success. The school is to be commended for its overall commitment to quality education, including its curriculum and scheduling, staffing, materials and equipment, and facilities. The quality of Jefferson's programs in the sciences, mathematics, language arts, health,

music, languages, special education, technology, media, and the arts has set the standard for secondary education in Minnesota. In 2004 and 2005, the school ranked as one of the top six schools in the State on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments reading and math scores.

Thomas Jefferson High School, which opened in 1970, has 1,748 students and prides itself for its academic rigor. During the past 3 years, 30 students have earned distinction as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists and Commended Scholars. Each year, over 150 students earn college credits at Jefferson by scoring three points or higher on advanced placement tests. After graduation, more than 80 percent of Jefferson students go on to postsecondary educational opportunities.

Academics alone, however, do not present the whole picture. According to the Thomas Jefferson High School mission statement: ``The Jefferson High School Community will develop and nurture responsible leaders and enlightened citizens who challenge themselves to create the present and enrich the future.'' The teachers and administrators at Jefferson High are proud of their students' academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments, especially when achieved in the spirit of the Thomas Jefferson core ethical values of respect, responsibility, integrity, citizenship, and honesty.

For example, in keeping with Jefferson's broad mission statement, students demonstrated their personal integrity and desire to serve others by working to raise over $12,000 for hurricane relief and $10,000 for the Red Cross relief efforts.

In addition, the Jefferson Marching Band, which is fondly known as the Pride of Minnesota, is a source of special luster and has performed at the Cotton Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Tournament of Roses Parade. Students are also offered a choice of two orchestra programs.

The school does well in athletic competition. Over its 35-year history, Jefferson High School has won 51 State championships in hockey, soccer, football, baseball, and other men's and women's sports. Recent accomplishments of Jefferson sports teams include a 2004-2005 Boys State Soccer Championship, a 2004-2005 Boys' Hockey Lake Conference and 6AA Championship Title, and a 2003-2004 Girls State Alpine Ski Academic Championship.

Much of the credit for Thomas Jefferson High School's success belongs to its principal, Steve Hill, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Thomas Jefferson High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Thomas Jefferson High School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Thomas Jefferson High School in Bloomington for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Wilshire Park Elementary School, in Saint Anthony Village, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Wilshire Park Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. Wilshire's motto is: ``Making Kids #1 for Over 40 Years.'' The school's reputation is reflected in the fact that nearly half its pupils enter through open enrollment, and there is a long waiting list for acceptance. Families choose Wilshire because it is known for academic excellence and for its safe, caring environment

Test scores at Wilshire Park Elementary School are well above the State average and continue to improve every year. Three years ago, Wilshire received three stars in reading and math from the Minnesota Department of Education. Two years ago, the school received four stars in reading and three in math. Last year, Wilshire received four stars in reading and five stars in math.

However, test scores and ratings alone do not fully represent a school's true success. The principal and teachers at Wilshire Park Elementary believe many other factors influence children's ability to learn, qualities often better revealed through personal stories describing an atmosphere of caring and nurturing.

The true sense of the Wilshire community is evident from the support the entire school gives to children experiencing tragedies in their lives. One Wilshire student has been on kidney dialysis for several years, waiting to receive a transplant. Last fall, the school held a dance to raise funds to help cover the family's medical expenses. Also, earlier this year, staff rallied to support a first-grader whose mother died suddenly.

Wilshire was the first school in the five-State area to have a K-Kids Club, which is a Kiwanis Club for children to work on projects to benefit the whole community.

Wilshire Park Elementary School is also proud of the tremendous volunteer support it receives from the community. The school currently has 252 active volunteers, of whom 70 to 80 work at the school at least 1 to 2 days per week. These volunteers not only include parents of Wilshire pupils; aunts, grandparents, and community members are also regulars in the volunteer room.

Much of the credit for Wilshire Park Elementary School's success belongs to its recently retired principal, Dr. Bonnie Kirkpatrick, and the dedicated teachers and staff. The pupils and staff at Wilshire Park Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where children can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and pupils at Wilshire Park Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Wilshire Park Elementary School in Saint Anthony Village for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Renville County West School District, in Renville, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Renville County West School District is truly a model of educational success. The district has struggled financially for many years, primarily as a result of declining enrollment. It has addressed its financial problems through multiple consolidations of many districts into a single district, and last year, the closing of yet another school building. These moves, while financially necessary, are extremely hard on the students, staff, and community.

While the district has been plagued by falling enrollment due to population trends, statutory operating debt, reductions in staff and programs, and staff development funds that have been suspended, the district maintains its commitment to quality education. Its schools have consistently made yearly progress toward the goals of No Child Left Behind.

Despite these challenges, test scores in Renville County West schools have improved over the past few years. Last year, Renville County West Elementary School earned four-star ratings in math and reading; and its high school earned a four-star rating in math. Renville County West's continued academic progress has also overcome changes created by greater numbers of special education, low-income, and minority students.

The statements of teachers and students offer yet another reflection of the success of the district. Social sciences teacher Daniel Rohman writes: ``I have developed a senior economics class that gives kids a springboard into life. In this class, I teach the concepts of micro and macro but try to put it into real life examples that the kids have to work at. In this class I teach investments. We do mock

portfolios; we track stocks; we do government securities, 403s and 401s, IRAs, mutual funds, insurance plans, money market accounts, and on and on.

``I have had kids so interested in this class that they have gone into the securities profession as investment brokers, insurance sales, working for firms such as State Farm and Piper Jaffrey. Do you think that makes me proud? You bet it does. That is what teaching is all about. Seeing a kid make three times what I make and feeling good about it when they come back to share their success story with you and saying, `Thank you, you made a difference in my life.' ''

Molly Forkrud, a 2006 graduate of Renville, describes her academic career, writing: ``I can honestly say in all four campuses, I have received a wonderful education. This education did not come from the walls, halls, or classrooms of certain buildings, but rather the consistent ambition of the teachers and staff who instructed me. The buildings themselves have had nothing to do with my education, but it's the people inside who have impacted my life as a student.''

Although the district has struggled financially, it has made the financial commitment to fund an all-day kindergarten for all children, something the State of Minnesota has refused to provide.

Much of the credit for the Renville County West School District's success belongs to its Superintendent, Mr. Doug Conboy, and the dedicated principals, teachers, and staff. The students and staff at the Renville County West School District understand that in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success. It must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the Renville County West School District should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate the Renville County West School District in Renville for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Saint Michael- Albertville High School, in Albertville, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Saint Michael-Albertville High School is truly a model of educational success. Its students and staff recently completed a collaborative effort uniting the environmental sciences classes, studio art classes, and members of the community to create a mural, now displayed in the school's courtyard. The students also designed a flower garden to beautify the building's landscaping. Each of the mural's components depicts one of the four seasons in Minnesota.

The mural, which was completed last November, was funded through a grant from the Minnesota Arts Board. Over 180 high school students contributed, under the direction of Mr. Danny Saathoff, an artist in residence. Students from the environmental sciences department helped develop the ideas for each component of the mural. Then studio art students transformed those ideas into a proposed design. A local business, Timberland Clothing Store, also helped install the finished mural in the courtyard.

Although the Award for Excellence is in recognition of the school's creation of a mural, its academic performance over the past few years also merits recognition. In 2005, the high school received five stars in reading and four stars in math from the Minnesota Department of Education, which is a significant improvement over the three-star rating the district received in reading and math in 2004. The school also offers a College in a Classroom Program, allowing high school students to take college-level courses and earn college credits through a partnership with St. Cloud State University.

Much of the credit for the Saint Michael-Albertville High School's success belongs to its Principal, Mark Minkler, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Saint Michael-Albertville High School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Saint Michael-Albertville High School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Albertville for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to speak on an amendment I would have offered to the energy legislation that is before us. It should be my right as a Senator to offer such an amendment. It should be the right of any Senator to offer an amendment to legislation pending before the Senate.

Unfortunately, because of parliamentary maneuvering by the majority leader, Senators, including myself, will not be able to offer our amendments to this offshore drilling legislation. In the Senate vernacular, ``the tree has been filled'' with such gimmicks as changing the bill's effective date and then changing it back again. Those gimmicks restrict this legislation to being nothing more than a special interest boondoggle for the oil and natural gas industries, and for four Gulf States that would, for the first time, get a direct cut of that bonanza.

It is one thing to limit debate on a measure, as the Senate has chosen to do in this instance, and even though I voted against cloture, I can understand the desire of over 60 colleagues to proceed; but to prevent additional amendments related to our country's domestic energy production and consumption is uncalled for and unwise.

It makes a mockery of the Republican leader's promise on May 1 of this year, 3 months ago, that the Senate would vote this year on comprehensive energy legislation. His exact words were:

We [the Republican leadership] have presented a strong

package that will give consumers relief at the pump and help

bring down the high cost of gas. I'm hopeful that we will

vote on this package in the coming days.

As we all know, the remaining days in this Congress are coming and going. In fact, they are almost gone. If the Senate were going to take up the Republican energy package or a Democratic energy package or, best of all, an American energy package, this would seem to be our chance to do so. Instead, we get a special interest boondoggle, and we are not even allowed to offer amendments that could make it the comprehensive energy bill the Republican leader promised us.

This bill's authors have entitled it the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, but that title says our future energy security is more of the same--more of the same energy sources at ever higher prices, with ever greater profits to the major oil and gas companies, and, for the first time, with 37.5 percent of the public revenues going to

only four Gulf States. Under this legislation, 50 percent of the public revenues would go into the Federal Treasury, 12.5 percent would go to all of the States under the LAWCON program. As I said before, 37.5 percent would go directly to the four States--Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi.

This virtually unprecedented arrangement is a great deal for those four States. No wonder their eight Senators strongly support it. I have to begrudgingly congratulate the Senators from Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi. They have done an excellent job in writing this legislation to benefit their States. So I certainly understand their support for this brand of revenuesharing.

What I don't understand is why the other 92 of us would agree to it. The offshore waters of the Gulf Coast belong to all Americans, as do the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Great Lakes, and other national resources. This is a terrible precedent--to allow a few States to benefit at the expense of the rest simply because of their proximity to a national resource--not their ownership of it, just the proximity to it. If Congress opens this door, watch for the stampede of parochial claims for a cut of every other Federal natural resource.

Also sadly lacking from this bill is any kind of windfall profits tax on the major oil companies that are its principal beneficiaries. It is appalling that, at a time when Americans are paying $3 or more a gallon for gasoline and the oil giants such as ExxonMobil are enjoying record high profits, there is no attempt in this bill to recapture any of those profits for the American people or for the public purposes that would benefit them.

This legislation opens a public resource, gift wraps most of its value, and hand delivers billions and billions of those dollars to special corporate interests at the expense of the American citizens in 46 States. How the elected representatives of those 46 States could allow this to happen is astonishing. I hope the residents of those States will demand some answers. Those citizens should also ask why nothing in this so-called Energy Security Act provides any energy security at all. At best, it will provide a relatively small additional supply of oil and natural gas for a relatively few years starting, at best, several years from now, supplies for which consumers will likely pay even higher prices than they are today.

Someone once said the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and hope for a different result. If so, this continuation of a national energy strategy is insane. We cannot produce our way to energy self-sufficiency when consumers have no alternatives to those traditional energy sources. This bill does nothing to provide Americans with any of those energy alternatives--not today, tomorrow, or 10 years from now. None of us in the Senate are being given the opportunity to offer any of those alternatives to this bill.

Mr. President, I have introduced legislation that would encourage the additional production and use of biofuels, specifically ethanol and biodiesel. My amendment to this bill would help give more Americans a choice every time they fill up their fuel tanks between gasoline or diesel and lower cost alternatives, such as E-85, comprised of 85 percent ethanol, biodiesel made out of soybeans, and other agricultural commodities, and even out of animal renderings.

These energy sources are not buried under miles of water or ocean floor located miles and miles away. They are right in our agricultural States. They are renewable every year. They are cleaner burning than traditional fossil-based fuels and they provide additional boosts to farmers in rural communities around the Nation, where local economies depend upon a healthy agricultural economy. They boost the market prices in the marketplace for those commodities, meaning they lower taxpayer subsidies. It is a win-win-win for all Americans; yet we are not allowed to offer these additional kinds of incentives and expansion of these and other energy fuels, conservation, and other ways that we can truly enhance our energy security.

For those reasons, I oppose this legislation and, most of all, I oppose the tactics used in this bill to prevent it from becoming what it should be, what the American people need and certainly deserve, which is comprehensive energy legislation that will provide real energy security for our country, lower cost energy supplies now and for years to come.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, may I inquire, are we in a period of morning business?

Mr. President, I rise this morning first to commend the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, for her efforts to negotiate a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah and to engage other countries in helping to make and keep peace there. I salute her for her expressed willingness to return to that region as soon as it is practical to achieve her goals.

I am appalled, as all civilized people are, by the terrorists' destruction and the maiming and loss of human life in Israel, in Lebanon, and in Gaza. That is why I found it so disturbing that the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fuad Siniora, and his Speaker rejected Secretary Rice's proposals before she had even left their country and was on her way to Israel.

The Lebanese Government and the Lebanese people cannot have it both ways. They cannot want an immediate cease-fire on the one hand, yet continue to support Hezbollah as it kidnaps Israeli soldiers inside Israel to start this war and then rain destruction on Israel's cities and civilians. As long as Hezbollah keeps those kidnapped Israeli soldiers and continues to fire its rockets into Israel, there can be no cease-fire and there can be no peace for Lebanon. As long as the Lebanese people and their Government house terrorists who have sworn the total destruction and the elimination of the

democratic State of Israel, support the terrorist acts in that country and against Israeli citizens, and allow their own country to be used as a staging area for those terrorist acts, there can be no peace for Lebanon.

Just as the Lebanese Government and people must stand up for their country and themselves and demand that those who want to continue the acts of violence and the repercussions for their fellow Lebanese citizens must cease and desist or leave their country, so must the Government and people of Iraq stand up for their own country and for their own future.

Earlier this week, just as Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki was engaged in a public relations tour of Washington, DC, President Bush announced the redeployment of American troops back into Baghdad because of the failure of the Iraqi Government to run even its own capital city, much less its own country, and the failure of the Iraqi security forces to protect that city, in addition to other significant areas of Iraq. There are further reports that the U.S. military command had to replace the supposedly top Iraqi units because of their failure to stand up effectively against the insurgents. I submit the only cutting and running in Iraq is by the Iraqis and that President Bush's plan of ``stand up, stand down'' is failing miserably. It has become: Iraqis stand down and U.S. stay.

I voted just a couple of weeks ago against this body establishing arbitrary timelines and deadlines for the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq because I respect that our military commanders and our soldiers there have terribly dangerous and difficult missions to perform. I believe it is imperative that we give them what they say they need in order to carry out those missions. But the fact that they need more troops, or at least no fewer American troops, is further evidence of the miserable failure of this administration's policies and plans for Iraq. After all, the U.S. forces there are carrying out the mission that has been assigned them by their Commander in Chief, the President of the United States. It is a mission that is defined by his policy, and that policy is failing.

It is past time that we admit that failure, that the administration, starting with the President, admits that failure and tells us how he proposes to correct it. It is time we send an emphatic message to the Prime Minister and the Government of Iraq: Quit your dickering, your squabbling, your posturing, and get down to the business of running your own country and running it successfully. Stop opining about others' actions elsewhere in the Middle East, condemning Israel and fanning the flames there, which is counterproductive to Secretary Rice's efforts to negotiate a cease-fire there. Take note of the fact that a country such as Israel, located in the same region of the world, with the same kind of barren terrain, without even the oil resources Iraq enjoys, is able to run its own country, provide prosperity and, most of the time, peace for its own citizens, defend its borders, and provide for the internal security within its country. That is a model which the Government of Iraq as well as the Government of Lebanon should be following and trying to respect and build upon rather than denigrate.

I don't know what the future holds for Iraq. But I do know that it has become one where their lack of effort--or at least the lack of success--seems to be condoned and enabled by this administration's policy. As long as the Iraqis know they have carte blanche, as long as they know our forces will be there to back up their efforts, to correct their mistakes, to stand up as they are standing down, I don't see how that country--its government and its security forces--are going to make the progress necessary for them to become an independent and viable nation.

I do know it is their responsibility. We have been there for almost 3\1/2\ years, since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's evil regime. We have given them more than enough time. We have shed more than enough American blood--lives lost forever, lives maimed and altered forever.

All this administration is telling us is to stay the course, stay the course, stay the course. I submit that to stay the course only makes sense when there is an end to that course. It only makes sense when it is part of a successful stand up/stand down strategy. But it is so clearly demonstrated now that that strategy not only is not working but it is going in the wrong direction, that it is time for this administration to tell the American people what it intends to do and how it intends to reverse that failed course, and what ``stay the course'' is going to mean absent that turnaround, and what we must do to achieve it.

We need to enlist the rest of the world, as Secretary Rice, to her credit, is attempting to do in the situation involving Israel and Hezbollah. We need to admit that we need the active assistance of the United Nations, of other nations that have stood back because of the cavalier way in which the Bush administration went into this war, rejecting any common effort. It is understandable they don't want to put their troops, their own citizens--sons and daughters--into those perilous conditions that are the creation of this administration and that persist as a result of its failure to correct them. But we must enlist their help. We must enlist the help of everyone in the world necessary to bring about true peace in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.

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

Mr. President, today I honor Roosevelt Elementary School, in Mankato, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Roosevelt Elementary School is truly a model of educational success, in keeping with its mission: ``To Educate the Whole Child . . . For Life.''

In 2005, the Minnesota Department of Education recognized Roosevelt Elementary as a five-star school in both reading and math, an achievement reached by less than 7 percent of all Minnesota schools. Another source of school pride is the significant progress made in these subjects over the past 7 years.

In 1998, the math and reading scores of Roosevelt's third graders were well below the threshold necessary for the ``adequate yearly progress'' under the existing State standards. The average math score in 1998 was 1401, and the average reading score was 1361; an average of 1420 was necessary for the State's ``adequate yearly progress'' designation. Thanks to a concerted ``team effort,'' to improve achievement, test scores have risen dramatically. In 2005, the average reading score was 1594, an increase of 193 points over the 1998 average; the average math score was 1650, an increase of 289 points.

The Roosevelt fifth graders showed similar gains. Their lowest average scores of 1408 in reading and 1395 in math occurred in 1999. In 2005, the average reading score was 1719, an increase of 311 points; the average math score increased to 1641, an increase of 246 points.

Roosevelt attributes its success to the strong team effort, involving teachers, administrators, and parents working closely together to set goals and objectives for the children.

Another component of the success of all of Mankato's schools is the tremendous support from the community. Last fall, Mankato-area voters approved two referenda: to provide $6 million to update many existing buildings throughout the district and to provide $3.5 million over 7 years to update the schools' technology. In 2002, voters approved a $2.5 million per year operating referendum.

Much of the credit for Roosevelt Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Rick Lund, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Roosevelt Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Roosevelt Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Roosevelt Elementary School in Mankato for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Kennedy Elementary School, in Mankato, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Kennedy Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. It achieves the goal embodied in its mission statement: ``Learning and Succeeding Together for Tomorrow's World.''

Kennedy Elementary is implementing Reading First, a 3-year program which provides intensive professional development for all teachers, kindergarten through third grade. One teacher from both the fourth and fifth grades also takes part, to ensure continuity of reading instruction beyond the third grade.

Since 2002, Kennedy teachers have, on their own time, attended study groups that meet for 2 hours each week. They follow a protocol to explore scientifically based reading research, which they apply in their teaching. The teachers regularly review test data to tailor their reading instruction to each child. Teams of teachers, including the classroom teachers, the title I reading teacher, and the English language learner teachers, collaborate to create successful intervention plans for any pupil performing below grade-level benchmarks in reading. During the study groups, teachers also review and critique video clips of each other's teaching. Through this process of reflection, teachers evaluate themselves to improve their instructional techniques and teaching practices.

The North Central Association for Accreditation and School Improvement recently conducted a peer review of Kennedy Elementary School's reading instruction. The school earned a perfect score.

The study and research of the Kennedy Elementary Leadership Team identified early educational interventions and programs to increase

achievement. This research resulted in specific changes intended to improve the achievement of all children, including a full-day kindergarten program, hiring an additional English language learner teacher, and adding three reading intervention teachers. In addition, more teachers were hired to reduce class sizes in grades K-3.

Another component of the success of all of Mankato's schools is the tremendous support from the community. Last fall, Mankato-area voters approved two referenda: to provide $6 million to update many existing buildings throughout the district and to provide $3.5 million over 7 years to update the schools' technology. In 2002, voters approved a $2.5 million per year operating referendum.

Much of the credit for Kennedy Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Greg Stoffel, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Kennedy Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Kennedy Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Kennedy Elementary School in Mankato for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

Mr. President, today I honor Washington Elementary School, in Mankato, MN, which recently earned an Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements in educating children.

Washington Elementary School is truly a model of educational success. The school is one of 9 elementary schools in Mankato and serves 380 pupils, including a large number of children of diverse backgrounds, and many who settled in Mankato upon arriving from other countries. Thirteen percent of Washington children are English language learners, and 40 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

The large percentages of English language learners and children from low-income families present a significant challenge to the school; and although Washington Elementary has never failed to make adequate yearly progress relative to the requirements of No Child Left Behind, that success has required a constant focus on academic achievement.

The staff at Washington Elementary consistently strive to make classroom learning more meaningful by finding connections with all other aspects of the children's daily lives. Teachers also demonstrate their belief that the children can and will succeed; they then take time to celebrate their pupils' successes.

At a monthly celebration assembly, a feature of the continuing focus on acknowledging successes, children are publicly recognized for curricular and noncurricular attainments, which can involve such areas as most improved, citizenship, and academic achievement. At each assembly, every teacher recognizes three pupils, who receive student- of-the-month ribbons. Their names are also posted in the school's front lobby. It is a goal that, by the end of the year, every child will have been recognized for some accomplishment. This recognition builds self- esteem, promotes a sense of individual responsibility, and effectively motivates pupils to work hard academically.

Another component of the success of all of Mankato's schools is the tremendous support from the community. Last fall, Mankato-area voters approved two referenda: to provide $6 million to update many existing buildings throughout the district, and to provide $3.5 million over 7 years to update the schools' technology. In 2002, voters approved a $2.5 million per year operating referendum.

Much of the credit for Washington Elementary School's success belongs to its principal, Judi Brandon, and the dedicated teachers. The students and staff at Washington Elementary School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at Washington Elementary School should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I congratulate Washington Elementary School in Mankato for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.