Floor Statements

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

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the outstanding military service of a group of incredible Coloradans. These World War II veterans each played a role in defending the world from tyranny, truly earning their reputation as the ``greatest generation'' through their service and sacrifice. Now, thanks to an organization dedicated to honoring these veterans for all they have done for us, these great Coloradans came to Washington, DC, to visit the National World War II Memorial, to share their experiences with later generations and to pay tribute to those who gave their lives. It is an honor to have had them here, and I join with all Coloradans in thanking them for all they have done for us.

I also want to say a word about the volunteers from Honor Flight of Southern Colorado who made this trip possible. They are great Coloradans in their own right, and their mission to bring our southern Colorado veterans to Washington, DC, is truly commendable. They have been doing great work since their inaugural flight in June 2012, this week bringing another group of American heroes to Washington, DC. The volunteers of Honor Flight of Southern Colorado believe our veteran heroes aren't asking for recognition, but they certainly deserve it. This opportunity to come to Washington is just a small token of appreciation for those who gave so much.

I wish to publicly recognize the members of the Southern Colorado Honor Flight who visited their Nation's Capital, many seeing for the first time the memorials their Nation built as a tribute to their selfless service. These are the lucky veterans, the ones who came home. Their war memorials also pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price. Today I honor these Colorado veterans on their visit to Washington, DC:

From the U.S. Army: Adolph Wolff, Jack Traxler, Earl Clark, Leroy Jensen, James Beham, and Sherwood Gray; from the U.S. Army Air Corps: Howard Casey and Will ``Lew'' Finlaynson; from the U.S. Navy: Raymond Feather, Howard Pease, Pete Demario, James Welty, and Clyde Womer; and from the U.S. Marine Corps: Jess Masias.

Our Nation asked a great deal of these individuals: to leave their families to fight in unknown lands against a deadly enemy. And each of these brave Coloradans bravely answered the call, placing themselves between this country and harm. They served our country through dangerous times, when democratic nations and ideals around the world were threatened, and they saved entire continents from falling to fascism and tyranny.

Please join me in thanking these Colorado veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Southern Colorado for their tremendous service to an eternally grateful nation.

Mr. President, I ask that the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on S. 743.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the bill from the Senate, S. 743, entitled ``An Act to amend chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code, to clarify the disclosures of information protected from prohibited personnel practices; to require a statement in nondisclosure policies, forms, and agreements that such policies, forms, and agreements conform with certain disclosure protections; to provide certain authority for the Special Counsel; and for other purposes,'' do pass with an amendment.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to the matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 591, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2012; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that the majority leader be recognized, and that the first hour be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half; and the filing deadline for first-degree amendments to S. 3525 be 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Mr. President, earlier today, cloture was filed on S. 3525, the Sportsmen's Act. Under the rule, the cloture vote will occur on Thursday morning.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the outstanding accomplishments of Air Force Space Command. And of course, I offer my deep respect and thanks to the 42,000 men and women who keep constant watch over our most distant skies. These great Americans are responsible for a staggering range of essential missions, and this week, I join them in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the command's creation.

Air Force Space Command was established in 1982 as our national leaders recognized the growing need to dominate the space domain to enhance our warfighting capabilities and to better protect our servicemembers. The command's responsibilities and capabilities have steadily increased over the past 30 years to keep pace with technology and foreign threats, and from the outset, those missions have been a critical part of our national defense architecture.

All day, every day, Air Force Space Command personnel provide our warfighters with the space-based assets they require at the speed of need. And at the same time, they keep a major portion of our economy, travel, and transportation on track. They fly the GPS satellites that make modern computing, air travel, and precision munitions possible. Air Force Space Command provides our Nation with global ballistic missile early warning and defense. Without Air Force Space Command, there would be no military satellite communications and our meteorological and navigational data would be far less advanced and accurate. These airmen and civilians of Space Command demonstrate amazing technical and scientific proficiency as they conduct space based surveillance, land-based intercontinental ballistic missile operations, and most recently, prosecute a cyber space mission that is growing more essential to our security every day. Their capabilities have strengthened our Nation's homeland defense, allowed disaster relief efforts to be more timely and efficient, and enhanced America's military operational capabilities in all stages of warfare. Simply put, without Air Force Space Command, the strategic and technological advantages enjoyed by both the military and civilian communities in the United States would not be possible.

Of course, all of these tremendous accomplishments are due to the remarkable devotion to duty, sacrifice, and dedication displayed by Space Command personnel around the world every day. As we all know, our service men and women, both active duty and those in the Reserve component, aren't simply serving in the military--they are our military. Additionally, civilian members of Air Force Space Command provide the stability and corporate knowledge that's essential to the command's enduring success. Yes, it's a true total force effort. Colorado is the proud home of Air Force Space Command headquarters, but right now, their personnel are deployed to every corner of the globe, providing unparalleled space and cyber space expertise to combatant commanders in every theater of operations. As they celebrate yet another milestone, I would like to honor these patriots for their selfless service and dedication to our Nation's security. On behalf of all Coloradans and to every member of Air Force Space Command, past and present: happy 30th anniversary.

Mr. President, I rise to speak on the amendment I have filed to the House continuing resolution, House Joint Resolution 117, which we are currently considering.

I understand that House and Senate leadership came to an agreement that seeks to keep the government running for the next 6 months and I want to applaud their willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion to reach an agreement that avoids a government shutdown. Still, after the House passed this funding bill, I was greatly concerned that emergency funding for Colorado and other states impacted by natural disasters this year was left out.

In my state, these funds are essential to protecting and restoring critical watersheds that were damaged by the most devastating wildfires in Colorado's history--which if left unaddressed present serious flooding, landslide and other risks that threaten the lives of residents in our state.

My amendment would provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture $27.9 million in emergency funding to mitigate watershed damage through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, or EWP, in areas that have been presidentially declared disaster areas as authorized under the Stafford Act.

As of September 18, 2012, the USDA estimated $126.7 million in funding needs for EWP projects in 15 States. Of that total, $27.9 million is needed to mitigate the aftermath of presidentially declared disaster areas in Louisiana, Florida, Oklahoma and Colorado, as authorized under the Stafford Act. Currently, Stafford Act funds for EWP have been depleted and as I have noted the House Continuing Resolution provided no emergency funds for EWP. Mr. President, the need for this amendment to provide emergency funding is critical and let me tell you why.

The two most devastating Colorado fires this season, High Park and Waldo Canyon, burned more than 100,000 acres and led to the catastrophic loss of property and regrettably loss of life. Now as Coloradans pick up the pieces, the burned and barren areas present an additional threat.

Without site rehabilitation and restoration, the watersheds that provide municipal and agricultural water supplies are at risk from landslides, flooding and erosion, which could result in serious infrastructure damage, water supply disruptions and even loss of life.

Coloradans unfortunately have already experienced some of these effects. For example, in the Poudre River, which drains part of the area burned by the High Park fire, the ash and runoff from the fire caused the water flowing into drinking water filtration plants to turn black. This forced the downstream city of Fort Collins to shut off their water intakes for over 100 days and further downstream the city of Greeley was forced to shut off their water intakes for 36 days and use only a small fraction of their normal intake for an additional 38 days.

How much more of an emergency need do we have to show when our most basic resource--drinking water--is threatened?

I will give you one more example. After the devastating Waldo Canyon Fire that burned several homes in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas, the flood potential in the burned areas is now 20 times higher than before the fire. So now folks in the burned area and others downstream could see a 100-year flood from the same amount of rainfall that would have caused a 5-year rainfall before the wildfires occurred. Already property owners in the Colorado Springs vicinity have received at least four flash-flood warnings since the fire. The need for stabilizing this ground and restoring the burned areas on both federal and private land is critical to public safety, public health and the prevention of another disaster.

This is why I have filed an amendment to provide additional emergency funds to the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. This program provides funding and technical support to restore and stabilize soil in critical watersheds in the aftermath of severe wild fires and other natural disasters, such as floods and hurricanes--which are also important to many members from our coastal states.

I understand that there will not be an opportunity to amend the pending bill as a result of an agreement made with the House to avoid a government shutdown, so I will not attempt to call up my amendment. But, I want to ensure that my colleagues here understand the gravity of the situation faced by those who supply safe drinking water to the people of Colorado, by those who store water in our reservoirs to irrigate, and by those who fear a rainfall could devastate their livelihoods again after already experiencing significant loss from wildfire.

Madam President, I rise again this morning, as I have for a number of months, to talk about the most important issue facing the American people and this Congress, and that is jobs.

A good news story on the jobs front has been our wind energy industry. The wind energy industry has created thousands of good-paying jobs, and it could create thousands more. But the troubling news that goes along with the good news is that the potentially bright future of this industry is uncertain. Why? Because we in the Congress are holding the wind energy industry hostage because we have failed to extend the production tax credit.

As I have said every day I have been on the Senate floor since June to discuss this topic, every day that we fail to extend the PTC for wind energy more jobs are put at risk. We have seen this unfortunate reality unfold across the country as predicted, including in my home State of Colorado, where over 100 people have lost their jobs. I don't have to tell my colleagues that when people lose jobs, those job losses negatively affect families and the communities where they live.

Just yesterday--it breaks my heart--Siemens Energy announced they are going to lay off more than 600 people in Iowa, Kansas, and Florida. Enough is enough. These layoffs that continue to be announced almost weekly should spur us to extend the wind production tax credit without any further delay.

Jobs are at stake. It is that simple. With many Americans already losing their jobs, more jobs are at risk--thousands, literally--if we don't act.

Here is my question: Why would we forfeit leadership in an industry that is poised to grow even further? There is no reason we should cede leadership of this important industry to China or anywhere else by letting the production tax credit expire. If we commit to extending the PTC, we will then lead the world in wind power, and here is a part of why I come to the floor every day and talk about particular States.

There are few places that is more apparent than in Wyoming. Wyoming has phenomenal wind reserves. If you have driven through Wyoming, you know what I am talking about. If you talk to anybody from Wyoming, they will always ironically say: One of the things we have in excess in Wyoming is wind.

The National Global Energy Lab based in Colorado estimates that Wyoming has enough wind power potential to meet 116 times the State's energy needs. To put it another way, that is 25 million homes that would be powered by harnessing wind.

Wyoming is well on its way to harnessing its wind potential. Why? Although it ranks 11th in the Nation for installed wind power--which is not a shabby number, frankly--there are plans to nearly quadruple the amount of wind power in the State of Wyoming. Not only would that create thousands of jobs--that goes without saying--it would produce enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes. The construction of those projects will create hundreds of nicely paying renewable energy jobs right in the State of Wyoming.

It is no wonder then that the massive wind potential in Wyoming has also attracted investment for manufacturers. To make that point, I want to share a development with you.

Last year a plan to build the first wind energy manufacturing facility in Wyoming was announced. It was a joint venture between the Spanish wind manufacturer Gestamp and an Ohio-based company called Worthington Industries. They formed a conglomerate called Gestamp Worthington Wind Steel. The companies announced they would build a facility in Cheyenne, WY, and there would be 150 good-paying jobs attached to that facility. They planned to invest $40 million in the plant. But here is the twist: That project has now been put on hold. Those jobs and the millions in investment that were planned to be directed into Wyoming have been shelved.

This isn't an isolated incident. There are wind manufacturing facilities and wind projects across the country where we are seeing exactly the same thing happening, and the reason is clear: uncertainty over the future of the production tax credit. So our inaction in the

Congress is putting good-paying American jobs at risk and reducing opportunities for further investments in this growing industry. There is just no reason for it. The PTC has strong support from both sides of the aisle and from both Houses of the Congress. Of course, a broad array of groups in the private sector support the wind energy industry.

Yesterday, a group of businesses from across the country wrote to leaders in the House and the Senate urging us to bring up and pass an extension of the PTC as soon as possible. Businesses such as Starbucks and Levi's joined a diverse group of companies, including Colorado's own Aspen Skiing Company and New Belgium Brewery, in urging us in the Congress to work across the divide, work across the aisle, and extend the PTC. These companies understand how positive the production tax credit and our wind industry has been for jobs, national security, and our clean energy economy. They made that case yesterday in their letter.

I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a copy of this letter.

Madam President, as I conclude I want to remind us that in August, before we adjourned for our month's State work period, our Senate Finance Committee passed legislation that would include an extension of the production tax credit. I was encouraged to see that the committee bridged the partisan divide to advance what is really and truly a commonsense policy that will help our American economy and our middle class.

We should build on what the Finance Committee did and take up and pass this legislation as soon as possible. The longer we delay, the more jobs we put at risk and the more our economic recovery is at risk.

It is very simple: The production tax credit equals jobs. We should pass it as soon as possible. So, my colleagues, let's work together. Let's find a path forward, and let's pass this critical tax credit as soon as possible.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 9:30 a.m.

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 September 19, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Five Years of the America COMPETES Act: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 2:15 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

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 September 19, 2012, at 10 a.m. to conduct a hearing entitled ``Homeland Threats and Agency Responses.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 10 a.m., in room SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Judicial Nominations.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building to conduct a hearing entitled ``Eliminating Waste and Fraud in Medicare: An Examination of Prior Authorization Requirements for Power Mobility Devices.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., in room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Hate Crimes and the Threat of Domestic Extremism.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs', Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2012, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Investing in an Effective Federal Workforce.''

Mr. President, I commend my colleague from West Virginia for his eloquent and articulate and powerful remarks about the importance of standing with our veterans. We have work to do, as Abraham Lincoln so powerfully put it. I want to acknowledge the great work of my colleague from West Virginia.

Mr. President, I am here, as I have been on many a morning over the last number of months, to urge all of us to work together in order to extend the production tax credit for wind energy. The PTC, as it is known, is going to expire in a few months. That impending expiration not only threatens the jobs of tens of thousands of Americans but also threatens the continued prosperity of an industry that has seen tremendous growth over the last decade. We simply cannot let that happen. But each day we fail to act--and, in effect, abdicate our basic responsibility to support job creation--we are allowing jobs to be exported and we are truly abandoning a part of the bright future of American manufacturing.

I have had the opportunity over the last several months, as I mentioned, to come to the floor and talk about the benefits of the production tax credit in individual States. Today I think it is timely and appropriate to highlight the great State of Arizona--a State I have a special affinity for, as does the Acting President pro tempore. We were both born and raised in Tucson, and we both, I know, share a sense of pride because Arizona has adopted a renewable electricity standard such as we have in Colorado, such as we have in the Acting President pro tempore's State of New Mexico. The important part is not just the adoption of that standard but Arizona's commitment to renewable energy has truly produced results.

When you think about Arizona, you think about solar resources. The Sun shines many a day in Arizona. But it is also home to more than ample wind resources. In fact, the studies show that Arizona has enough wind potential to provide 40 percent--40 percent--of the State's current electricity needs. That is according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Arizona is not letting that wind go to waste. It completed its first commercial wind project in 2009, and it has been steadily adding capacity ever since. This first project was the Dry Lake Wind Project, which is a wind farm comprised of 30 turbines in Navajo County, which is up in the northeastern section of the State, familiar to the Acting President pro tempore, quite near his home State of New Mexico.

But Arizona is not stopping with this one project. There are at least seven wind manufacturers in Arizona that are creating good-paying jobs, and I want to mention one, Southwest Windpower. It is a national leader in the small wind market, and it has a manufacturing facility up in Flagstaff, which is in Coconino County, in the center of the northern part of Arizona.

These online wind projects already power over 33,000 homes, and, as I have highlighted, current projects under construction are likely to drastically multiply that number. Why is this important? Well, we have clean, renewable energy that creates American jobs. You talk about a virtuous cycle. This is one.

There is a large wind project proposed in Arizona. It is the Mohave County Wind Farm. It is up in the northwestern section of Arizona. It will produce 500 megawatts of electricity. Mr. President, 500 megawatts would power 110,000 homes per year. As importantly, that is an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars and, conservatively, it would create nearly 1,000 jobs. Those are impressive numbers.

Why do I bring up this proposed project? Well, I bring it up because this investment is at risk. The BLM, under Secretary Salazar's leadership, has fast-tracked this project, and it is scheduled to begin construction next year. But our inaction here literally will thwart those plans. Without an extension of the production tax credit, the future of this project and the jobs and the clean energy it will produce are in jeopardy. That is flat out unacceptable. We have to act here in the Congress in order for the immense potential of wind power to be realized.

I want to talk today about something I have not mentioned previously on the upside. When we produce power from wind in the arid West, we save an enormous amount of water. Recent estimates project that for every 1,000 megawatts of new wind power produced, we save over 818 million gallons of water on an annual basis. I do not have to tell the Acting President pro tempore we are in a period of extreme drought not only in the Southwest but in the Midwest. When you add in the fact that Arizona has a very arid climate, fresh water supplies become increasingly precious. So when we take steps to reduce the demand for that fresh water, we make a downpayment on the future of the Southwest. Of course, we know that well in Colorado. We are the headwaters of some of the most significant major rivers that feed the water needs of the States all around us. But if we let the PTC expire, we risk all the jobs, the manufacturing, the water savings that would

have really positive effects on our economy.

I see my good friend from Arizona is here, and I want to conclude. But I want to conclude on this note: This is not a partisan issue. On both sides of the aisle, we have strong support for the production tax credit.

Just last month, the Finance Committee included an extension of the production tax credit on a strong bipartisan vote. Our good friend, Senator Grassley from Iowa, has led the effort here in the Congress, and we have support in both Houses. So I want to make a plea to all of us: Let's act in a bipartisan fashion. Let's renew the production tax credit.

The production tax credit simply equals jobs. So we ought to pass it as soon as possible because the production tax credit equals jobs, and that is job one here for those of us in the Senate.

In the House yesterday a group of Members--over a dozen of them--made this effort bicameral. They talked on the floor of the House about how the PTC has benefited their districts. Their remarks highlighted what I have been saying for months: Without the PTC, thousands of good-paying American jobs will likely be lost or shipped overseas. There is no reason that should happen. Let's pass the production tax credit extension as soon as possible.

I thank the Acting President pro tempore for his interest and his support.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2012, at 10:30 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, to conduct a hearing entitled ``Improving College Affordability: A View From the States'' on September 13, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. in room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Indian Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2012, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, at 2:15 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate, on September 13, 2012, at 10 a.m., in SD-226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to conduct an executive business meeting.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled, ``Social Security Disability Programs: Improving the Quality of Benefit Award Decisions.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2012, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment be

authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 13, 2012, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Holding the CFPB Accountable: Review of Semi-Annual Report to Congress.''

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

Madam President, I have been coming to the Senate floor on a daily basis to talk about the importance of the wind production tax credit, and I intend to do so today. But before I bring up that important topic I want to speak to a situation, an incident, that is on everybody's mind; that is, what happened in Libya earlier today.

I think all of us in the Senate adhere, or should adhere, to the concept that politics should cease at the water's edge. I hope in this terrible tragedy that philosophy will hold fast. I, along with all Coloradans, absolutely condemn the murders--and that is what they were--of Ambassador Stevens and other U.S. State Department personnel today in Libya.

I am a member of the Senate Committees on Armed Services and Intelligence, and I know the men and

women of our diplomatic corps do absolutely vital work under difficult conditions every single day. Ambassador Stevens was a dedicated public servant who was working in Libya to advance freedom and democracy, and we will continue undeterred in our pursuit of those goals.

We salute the service and sacrifice of all those who were taken from us today, and their families are in our thoughts and prayers.

Wind Production Tax Credit

Madam President, as I mentioned when I first rose, I am here again on the floor of the Senate to urge all of us to take action on an issue that already has broad bipartisan support; that is, the renewal of the production tax credit for wind energy.

I was back in my home State of Colorado for the August work period, as I know the Presiding Officer and all my colleagues were, and I saw firsthand the very positive effects wind energy has had on my State of Colorado. I also saw the sobering effects of congressional inaction, which only strengthened my resolve to have extended the production tax credit.

I want to share some specific insights and developments in Colorado and then move to the State I am going to discuss today in a little bit.

Xcel Energy operates in my home State. It has a wide area in the upper Midwest as well, but it announced it had set a record for the amount of electricity generated from wind resources. At one point Xcel's Colorado customers got over half--to be precise, 57 percent--of their electricity generated from wind power. This is a huge success, and it highlights in so many ways the potential that wind energy has to fill a larger and larger portion of our energy portfolio as this industry fully matures.

Sadly, though, I also saw the negative effects of our failure to renew the wind PTC. Vestas Wind systems, which the Presiding Officer is familiar with, does business in Colorado. It announced layoffs last month affecting 2,300 workers worldwide who are manufacturing the turbines themselves, including about 100 workers at Vestas' facilities in Pueblo and Brighton, CO.

This was both predictable and predicted, and it is time for us to act to protect American workers in the wind energy industry. Each day we fail to act to extend the production tax credit, more American jobs are put at risk, and we further cede more of our clean energy leadership to foreign competition. Look no further than Colorado for both the promise of wind energy but also the peril of congressional inaction.

Of course, these effects are not limited to my State. I am biased. I think I represent the best State in the Nation, but every day I come to the floor and I highlight a different State and the positive impacts wind energy has had there. Literally every State in the Nation has a stake in this crucial wind industry space. Today, therefore, I would like to talk about the great State of North Carolina where wind energy has literally boomed in recent years.

North Carolina--as have a lot of States--has seen a tremendous growth in its wind manufacturing sector. What are the numbers? Well, as of 2012, there are at least 17 wind manufacturing facilities in North Carolina that provide jobs to their local communities, and at least one more facility is scheduled to come online soon. The facilities produce everything from steel to lubricants and bearings.

We can see all the green circles which designate where these facilities are all across the great State of North Carolina. Let me focus on one manufacturer in North Carolina. It is PPG Industries. PPG is a major supplier of fiberglass to the wind industry, and there are hundreds of jobs linked to its activities. Their fiberglass facilities are in Shelby and Lexington, which are outside of Charlotte and Greensboro, respectively. Their growing role has been good for not only the company but for North Carolina. In 2010 PPG expanded its presence and brought online an additional furnace and created another 1,800 jobs. In sum, across North Carolina there are over 2,000 good-paying jobs, and those jobs then create a ripple effect.

If we want to look more broadly at North Carolina, they are manufacturing but they also have very significant wind energy potential in the State itself. Offshore wind resources are abundant. The American Wind Energy Association estimates that wind energy could provide enough electricity to power some 800,000 homes. That is not all: Onshore wind resources could also provide a substantial amount of power for the State.

If we look at these numbers, this is an important industry in North Carolina. It certainly has made a difference. But if we do not extend the wind production tax credit, this strong growth in the manufacturing sector plus the potential to harvest the wind in North Carolina is at risk and the years of strong progress we have seen here toward a clean energy future in North Carolina could be literally dashed if the wind production tax credit expires at the end of the year.

Here is the bad news. The wind industry in North Carolina, because they are anticipating the expiration of PTC, is beginning to downsize and shelve expansion plans, predictably. This story is being repeated potentially all over the country. It is heartbreaking. I remain hopeful, however. I am dedicated to extending the PTC. I know the Presiding Officer has been very helpful and very supportive and understands its importance.

A little bit of good news. The Senate Finance Committee passed a bipartisan tax extenders package as we left for our August State work period and it did include an extension of PTC. I want to stress an important point about that effort: The package was bipartisan. I want to see the Senate take up the Finance Committee's legislation immediately and pass it immediately.

In a few hours the House is going to see an interesting discussion. The Presiding Officer served in the House. So did I. They are an equal partner of ours in the Senate. Over a dozen Members in the House are going to take the floor today and express their strong support for American jobs and the extension of the PTC. I am pleased these members of the House Sustainable Energy and Environmental Coalition will be adding their voices to what has become a bipartisan and now bicameral push to extend the PTC.

As I begin to close, let me also talk about the support that is out there in the country. It is a broad array of groups that have stood and said we think the PTC ought to be extended. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Governors Association, the Governors' Wind Energy Coalition, the American Farm Bureau Federation and many major national newspapers have all weighed in saying this is important to our country's future.

Members on both sides of the aisle, as I have mentioned, have said the PTC should be extended because they know and they have seen the positive effects of the PTC on their communities and across the country. They also know that wind energy--and renewable energy more generally--is the future. It is the wave of the future. There is no question. All you have to do is look at the rest of the world--look at China, look at Spain, look at Denmark, look at every developed country and the developing countries in Asia and India. They are all investing in clean energy. This is not something they are doing just to feel good. It is where economic growth will occur.

In sum, extending the PTC is a no-brainer. It is common sense. We ought to be doing the job we were sent here to do. We ought to be extending the PTC as soon as possible. PTC equals jobs. We ought to pass it as soon as possible. I am going to continue coming to the floor every day until we finish the job. I will not stop until we vote to protect American jobs. Failure to act has already hurt this vital industry. Continued inaction will result in the loss of thousands of American jobs which then has a ripple effect on the rest of the Nation's economy.

Colleagues, stand with me, stand with the Presiding Officer, stand with American workers. Let's extend the production tax credit now, as soon as possible.

I thank the Chair for her support and her interest.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Coloradan--Larry A. Mizel--on the occasion of his 70th birthday on September 14.

There are few Coloradans who embody the spirit of the Centennial State as well as my friend Larry, and it is a privilege today for me to be able to share my thoughts about him with my Senate colleagues.

Larry is many things to many people, but at root, I think of Larry as an independent thinker; a savvy businessman; a man who cares about the world, his community and his family; and a man whose philanthropic reach is as wide as the Rocky Mountains are tall.

I ask my colleagues to indulge me while I talk a bit about Larry and recount some of his most notable accomplishments. The list is long, but his work stands as a model for others.

Larry always has believed in the value of a good education, and his own educational history is impressive. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1964, and 3 years later, Larry received his law degree from the esteemed University of Denver College of Law.

From there, Larry took off at warp speed.

In 1972, Larry founded the company that became M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., which is one of the Nation's top homebuilders. MDC is the parent corporation to Richmond American Homes and is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company.

Forty years after founding M.D.C., Larry still serves as chairman and chief executive officer of the company. That is an amazing run, with a lot more to come, I hope and predict.

Under Larry's visionary leadership, M.D.C. consistently has maintained one of the strongest financial positions in the industry.

But it is not just profits that distinguish M.D.C. M.D.C. also is known for its high-quality work. For example, M.D.C. has the distinction of being one of the few homebuilding-based companies to receive an investment-grade rating from all three rating agencies.

Larry has never been one to rest on his laurels. In addition to M.D.C., he has pursued other business ventures. Larry was a founder and, until 1996 chairman of the board of Asset Investors Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange-listed real estate investment trust, as well as of Commercial Assets Inc., a real estate investment trust that traded on the American Stock Exchange. In addition, Larry served as chairman of the board of directors of Omnibank, a multi-bank holding company, until its sale to KeyCorp in 1995.

Yet, Larry is known in Colorado for more than these business-world accomplishments, as impressive as they are. Larry stands as a shining example to Coloradans about how to enrich the communities in which we live and to give voice to those who sometimes cannot speak loudly enough for themselves.

Larry has been actively involved in numerous charitable, religious, and community causes, some that reach beyond our borders.

For example, there are few leaders in Colorado who care as deeply as Larry does about issues related to Israel and to Jews around the world. Larry is a member of the national board of directors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee better known as AIPAC which works to ensure a strong United States-Israel relationship.

Larry also is one of the founders of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international human rights organization, based in Los Angeles, CA. He has served as the International Chairman of the board of trustees of the Wiesenthal Center since 2003. As most of us know, the Wiesenthal Center helps to accomplish goals that Larry holds dear--namely, promoting tolerance and combating racism and anti-Semitism around the world.

It bears noting that the educational arm of the Wiesenthal Center-- the Museum of Tolerance--is a recipient of the 2004 Tolerance Award given at the United Nations. It is a world-class human rights laboratory and learning center dedicated to challenging visitors to confront important contemporary issues.

Closer to home, Larry also founded the Mizel Arts and Culture Center--known as the MACC--located in Denver at the Jewish Community Center. The MACC aims to illuminate the human experience through performing, visual, and literary arts for the Jewish community and the community at large.

Larry's interests and expertise in international affairs extend far. For example, he is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent organization dedicated to finding solutions to the challenging foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries--choices made all the more challenging after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.