Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a proposal Senator Patty Murray and I have introduced to restore a woman's power to make personal health care decisions based on what is best for her and her family, not according to her employer's personal beliefs. The Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act--or the Not Your Boss's Business Act--aims to counteract the far-reaching consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. That misguided Court decision allows closely held corporations to now deny their employees coverage for contraceptives through their employees' health insurance plans.

As Senator Murray did in her home State of Washington, I also traveled around my home State of Colorado. Several days ago I stood shoulder to shoulder with women's health experts, including an OB-GYN in Denver, who told me that physicians might now have to consider how an employer's religious beliefs might fit into their diagnosis before they make a medical recommendation, which ought to be based solely on their patients' well-being. This is unacceptable. Women should never have to ask their boss for a permission slip to access common forms of birth control or other critical health services.

Today, as Senator Murray alluded, champions in women's health are taking a stand on social media to illustrate why the Senate should come together this week to pass the Not Your Boss's Business Act. This outpouring of support from all over the country shows how important it is that we keep private health care decisions in employees' hands and out of corporate boardrooms.

As part of today's Digital Day of Action across the country, my staff and I put together a BuzzFeed post to dispel some misconceptions about the Hobby Lobby decision and highlight why we need to pass the Not Your Boss's Business Act. Go to BuzzFeed.com/markudall and share my post to help push back against some of the myths.

Despite what some people say, this decision is a bad deal, and it will undermine women's access to contraception across the country. But more and more Americans are joining us to speak out because of how backward this Hobby Lobby decision is. I am proud to have groups from across the Centennial State, such as the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and Colorado's Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, come out in support of our bill.

I believe the Supreme Court was wrong in its misguided Hobby Lobby decision, which is already adversely affecting American women and families. But we have a chance to fix this, and I stand here today to call on my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join me, join Senator Murray and America's workers who agree that women's health is not your boss's business.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, due to unavoidable family commitments, I was unable to cast votes relative to rollcall vote No. 215 on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Cheryl Ann Krause to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit and rollcall vote No. 216 on the confirmation of Stuart E. Jones to be Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq. Had I been present, I would have voted yea in each instance.

Mr. President, I wish to honor the lifetime contributions of Dr. Epifania ``Eppie'' Archuleta to the cultural heritage of the San Luis Valley of Colorado and Northern New Mexico. An internationally recognized weaver of the Rio Grande, Navajo, and Chimayo weaving traditions, Dr. Archuleta passed away on April 11 at age 92.

Born in Santa Cruz, NM, in 1922 to Agueda and Eusebio Martinez, Dr. Archuleta came from a long line of Northern New Mexico weavers. In 1940, she married Francisco Archuleta and moved north to the small town of Capulin in Colorado's San Luis Valley, where she and Francisco farmed, ranched and raised eight children.

After the age of 60, Dr. Archuleta was able to focus on her weaving full time. Her passion for her craft extended to teaching the art of wool spinning, dying, and weaving to family, friends, community members, and eager students from distant States. She held classes in the small San Luis Valley

towns of Capulin, Alamosa, and Center, at the San Luis Valley Area Vocational School, and 5 hours away in Denver. Through the years, she taught hundreds of eager students. Many of her students went on to establish their own weaving classes and schools throughout the Southwestern United States.

By passing on the weaving tradition, Eppie empowered people-- especially women--through teaching a valuable trade they could practice at home and remain with their children while making a decent living. When she was nearly 70, she opened a wool mill in Capulin, employing local citizens who could work close to home. Unfortunately, when her husband passed, Eppie closed the mill.

In 1985, Dr. Archuleta received the National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. She was the first Hispanic woman to receive this prestigious national award. A year later, she spent a 2-week residency at the Smithsonian Institute Festival of American Folklife in Washington DC, during which four generations participated: Eppie, her mother Agueda Martinez, her daughter Norma Medina and her granddaughter Delores Archuleta. In 1991, she was featured in National Geographic Magazine, and in 1995, was awarded an honorary doctorate in art from Adams State University. Her weavings are on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institute.

A devout Catholic, Eppie donated pieces to churches including a weaving of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the church in Medanales, NM, and a woven cape depicting Mt. Blanca to the statue of the Virgin Conquistadora in Santa Fe, NM.

Eppie's passing leaves a great loss to all who knew her. Whether picking up a lone traveler walking along the highway and taking them home, providing shelter, meals, and money in exchange for domestic chores and errands, volunteering at local fairs, festivals, and classrooms, or starting a wool mill or weaving school to employ a community, Eppie gave of her time and resources to assist many. She will not be replaced.

Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to the outstanding military service of a group of incredible Coloradans. At a critical time in our Nation's history, these veterans each played a role in defending the world from tyranny, truly earning their reputation as guardians of peace and democracy through their service and sacrifice. Now, thanks to Honor Flight, these combat veterans came to Washington, DC, to visit the national memorials built to honor those who served and those who fell. They have also come to share their experiences with later generations and to pay tribute to those who gave their lives. I am proud to welcome them here, and I join with all Coloradans in thanking them for all they have done for us.

I also want to thank the volunteers from Honor Flight of Southern Colorado who made this trip possible. These volunteers are great Coloradans in their own right, and their mission to bring our veterans to Washington, DC, is truly commendable.

I wish to publicly recognize the veterans who visited our Nation's capital, many seeing for the first time the memorials built as a tribute to their selfless service. Today, I honor these Colorado veterans on their visit to Washington, DC, and I join them in paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty.

These veterans from World War II include Charles Barnett, James Hubbard, John Lee, Donald Joiner, John Cotton, Anthon Aragon, Sedley Hall, Fred Radestock, Carl Davidson, Clarence Norris, Gordon Ashwood, Gerald McCann, Charles Tomsick, Timothy Churchill, John Ross, Richard Gottlieb, Gene Noel, Clifford Hibpshman, Eldon Price, Lester McLaughlin, Samuel Stephens, Albert Cordova, and Barlow Westcott.

Our Nation asked a great deal of these individuals--to leave their families to fight in unknown lands and put their lives on the line. Each one of these brave Coloradans bravely answered the call. They served our country with courage, and in return, let us ensure they are shown the honor and appreciation they deserve. Please join me in thanking these Colorado veterans and the volunteers of Honor

Flight of Southern Colorado for their tremendous service.

Mr. President, due to unavoidable family commitments, I was unable to cast votes relative to rollcall vote Nos. 164 through 170 on Monday, June 2, and Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Had I been present, I would have voted yea in each instance.

Madam President, I wish to highlight an important milestone in our work in Congress. I speak of my legislation to create year-round, sustainable jobs in mountain communities around the country while expanding opportunities for Americans to enjoy the great outdoors through the expansion of summer recreational opportunities at ski areas. On April 17, 2014, the U.S. Forest Service issued its final directives for implementing my Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Act, a law that allows and encourages ski areas on national forests to offer new activities for all seasons, such as expanded hiking and mountain biking, Frisbee golf, climbing walls, mountain coasters, zip lines, ropes courses, special events, and other popular activities.

I am proud to have led this bipartisan effort, from my time in the House, where I first introduced the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act, to here in the Senate, where we saw the president sign it into law in 2011. After its passage, I worked with stakeholders and the U.S. Forest Service to make sure that the law's implementation empowers site-specific decisions that are appropriate for ski areas and local communities. This allows for the greatest opportunity for success in achieving the bill's main goals: boosting rural economies and promoting outdoor recreation. I would like to thank my colleagues Senators Feinstein, Heller, and Barrasso for working with me to ensure this would happen.

Ski areas across the country and especially in my home State of Colorado have embraced the new flexibility provided by the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act. Since its passage, they have been proposing projects to create activities for all seasons. I encourage the U.S. Forest Service to quickly review these proposals and to reach the best decision for each local project and community. That includes allowing for public input as prescribed by the National Environmental Policy Act. The local U.S. Forest Service land managers have a strong record of successfully working with ski areas to manage these long-running partnerships and that record is one of the reasons I advocated for a flexible directive empowering local decisionmaking.

I want to thank the U.S. Forest Service for finalizing a directive that provides that flexibility.

The U.S. Forest Service estimates that expanded recreational opportunities at ski areas will increase summer visits to national forests by 600,000 people each year, create 600 full or part-time jobs and inject nearly $40 million into mountain communities. I think we all can agree these are substantial gains for rural economies and a testament to the importance of these ski areas to the recreation community and the American public at large.

I also would like to recognize the important support of our other cosponsors: Senators Murray, Bennet, Risch, Shaheen, Enzi, Cantwell, Ayotte, Sanders, Reid, Leahy, and Stabenow. It was a strong bipartisan effort and I know we are all eager to see projects get underway to benefit rural economies and the recreating public.

Mr. President, I support this resolution, with Senator Cornyn and others, commemorating Cinco de Mayo.

We all love Cinco de Mayo for the food and festivities that we have grown so accustomed to across our country. However, we commemorate Cinco de Mayo in order to celebrate the joint-history and values that are shared by both Mexicans and Americans. Cinco de Mayo is a day that reminds us that the citizens of Mexico possess the same courage that we, as Americans, value in ourselves. For that reason, the commemoration of Cinco de Mayo has transcended from being a celebration of the victorious Battle of Puebla that Mexico won over France, to a celebration of courage and a recognition of all contributions that the Mexican-American community has had both in Colorado and in our great Nation. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo brings pride to both the Mexican- American community and all Americans.

The courage displayed by Mexican forces on May 5, 1862 parallels the courage that we as Americans have used to overcome adversity and thrive since our founding. The victory of the beleaguered force of Mexican troops at the Battle of Puebla weakened France's immense resources and limited its ability to meddle in America's Civil War. As Mexico sought to defend itself from European aggression, the Battle of Puebla reminds us that the foundation of the United States was also built through battles in which the United States often found itself as the underdog. Through courage, perseverance, and the willingness to fight and die for freedom, our Nation has become stronger. These contributions that the Mexican-American community has had in our Nation should be celebrated as part of our country's history.

While Cinco de Mayo remains a Mexican national holiday, the commemoration of this holiday has become imbedded in American culture. Both in Colorado and throughout our Nation, the contributions of the millions of Mexican-American families are seen throughout our communities. As in years past, I continue to encourage my fellow Coloradans to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by remembering and educating but also by coming together with friends and neighbors to enjoy food, music, and dancing.

Madam President, fifteen years ago, Colorado communities were shaken by a horrific act of violence at Columbine High School where 12 students and a teacher tragically lost their lives and many others were injured. In the wake of this violence, Coloradans came together to be there for their friends and neighbors and stood united as one community.

The strength of this community is embodied no more clearly than by Columbine High School principal Frank DeAngelis. Principal DeAngelis is retiring at the end of the school year, capping 34 years of dedication to education, community service, resilience, and leadership.

Principal DeAngelis has spent the past 18 years leading the school, fulfilling the promise he made after the attack that he would remain as principal until all the students in Columbine feeder schools at the time had graduated.

It is this enduring spirit and the strength of so many in the community that have allowed us to heal and reflect. On this somber anniversary, let's remember the victims, honor the resilience of the survivors, and collaborate to find ways to reduce these types of senseless tragedies.

Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to Bob Silbernagel, who retired in March after a 40-year career working for Colorado newspapers, including the last 18 years as the editorial page editor and voice of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. The Colorado Press Association wisely named Mr. Silbernagel the 2013 ``Newspaper Person of the Year,'' and the Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters Association awarded him the first place award for editorial writing in 2012. Over his years in journalism, Mr. Silbernagel received dozens of other awards for editorial writing, column writing, news reporting, and online content from the Colorado Press Association, the Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters, Cox Newspapers, and the National Associated Press Editors.

Born in Madison, WI, Mr. Silbernagel received his journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973, after which he worked as a political reporter, environmental writer, business writer, city editor, and bureau reporter. He authored three books, most recently ``Troubled Trails: The Meeker Affair and the Expulsion of Utes from Colorado'' in 2011; ``Dinosaur Stalkers, Tracking Dinosaur Discoveries of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah'' in 1996, and ``Parks & Trails, A Guide and History for the Colorado Riverfront Project in Mesa County'' in 2004.

Upon his retirement from the Daily Sentinel, Jay Seaton, publisher of the newspaper, aptly described Mr. Silbernagel as ``not a purveyor of sound bites or catchy gotchas'' but as ``a careful journalist whose logic and dispassionate presentation of undisputed facts [made] his editorials not just compelling but illuminating.'' I could not agree more. Coloradans are well served by such honorable journalists as Bob Silbernagel.

Madam President, I wish to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Ludlow Massacre. On April 20, 1914, 20 southern Coloradan men, women and children tragically lost their lives in one of the most dramatic confrontations for workers' rights in the United States. As we reflect on this tragedy, let us remember these brave Coloradans whose courageousness prompted lasting changes in national labor relations.

The families of Ludlow 100 years ago aren't that different from Coloradans today. They, too, came to Colorado in search of opportunity and a better life. But unlike today's Coloradans, these miners worked prolonged days in unsafe working conditions, had few protections or avenues for airing grievances, and spent much of their income to pay mine operators for inflated rent

and supplies. Ludlow miners, representing a cross-section of early 20th century America, stood together as one to fight for fair wages, safer working conditions, the right to live and shop where they wanted, an 8- hour workday, and dignity in the workplace. In doing so, some of these men, women, and children paid dearly with their lives.

After major coal companies rejected the demands of the miners and evicted Ludlow residents from their company homes for striking, a tent community arose outside of Ludlow. This camp is where months of escalation would reach its dramatic and tragic conclusion. On April 20, 1914, a gun battle erupted between miners and National Guardsmen acting alongside the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company security personnel. Over 20 individuals lost their lives in this fight, including 11 children and 2 women trapped beneath a burning tent in a pit meant to serve as refuge. The public outrage over the Ludlow Massacre, as it came to be known, was intense and deep.

A century after this historic event, we remember those who lost their lives and honor the courage of the Coloradans who stood up for their rights. Because of their bravery, mining towns began to enact reforms that banned child labor, improved worker safety, and protected unionized workers from discrimination. Legislation in 1933 enabled unionization throughout Colorado's coalfields, protecting mine workers who continue contributing to our State's economy. The Ludlow Massacre was also a watershed moment that ushered in a national shift in labor relations, including the passage of the National Labor Relations Act, which protects workers' most basic rights.

During the 100th anniversary of the Ludlow Massacre, we recognize our appreciation for the progress of American labor relations in exchange for the ultimate sacrifices of these Coloradans and many other American workers.

Thank you for joining me in remembrance and reflection of this important day.

Madam President, I rise today to speak about a critical disaster relief bill I recently introduced here in the Senate.

In the West, we have a saying that ``Mother Nature bats last.'' For millions of Americans, that saying is a reminder that often entire communities are at the mercy of the raw force of nature and natural disasters. Sadly, we are reminded of this truism every year with wildfires in the West, hurricanes in the South, and ice storms along the Atlantic seaboard. The devastating and tragic mudslides that have recently devastated Oso, WA, are the latest example.

First, and most importantly, I wish to express my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy in Washington State. I assure the people of Washington that Coloradans stand ready to assist in whatever way we can with a recovery process we know all too well ourselves. We are all in this together.

In times of disasters such as these, I believe there are no Democrats or Republicans. We put aside partisan divides to unite in the face of tragedy. When confronted by these dire situations, we stand united to support our fellow Americans who have been shaken by the destructive forces of Mother Nature.

When the Northeast was rocked by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, a majority of the Congress stood together to fund relief and recovery efforts, not because it benefited their State or because they expected anything in return, but because it was simply the right thing to do. Similarly, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast in 2005, we united to support our fellow Americans who lost their homes and livelihoods in the hurricane and its aftermath. And when ice jams just last year caused the Yukon River to spill its banks, flooding Galena, AK, and the surrounding towns, Congress stood as one to provide aid and assistance for those in need.

My State too has felt the pain of destructive and unprecedented natural disasters in recent years. In fact, many parts of Colorado are still reeling from the September 2013 floods that resulted in 10 deaths, washed away homes and businesses, and literally redrew the map across parts of my State. In my travels to places such as Evans, Jamestown, and Estes Park, I witnessed firsthand how thousands were impacted by this disaster, which spanned 200 square miles and 15 counties.

Fortunately, in spite of a destructive and partisan government shutdown that forced all of us to scramble just days after the flooding, many of the 18,000 evacuees in my State have returned home and are working on rebuilding their lives and their communities. This is thanks to the assistance from Federal and State agencies, including important relief funding made possible by the Superstorm Sandy relief package we passed here in Congress in a bipartisan manner.

In sum, we in Colorado are on the road to recovery thanks to the tremendous efforts of thousands of people, including many of our colleagues here in the Senate. But as my colleagues who have dealt with their own natural disasters know all too well, the initial relief efforts are only the first step.

Looking ahead over the next couple of months, Colorado--like many other Western States--may be facing another round of devastating floods, wildfires, and mudslides. Why? Colorado, like Washington, has received an above-average snowpack this year. We have more snow than normal and we are expecting 127 percent of average snowmelt this spring. So when we combine this increased snowpack and the impending spring runoff with streambeds still jammed full of debris, crumbling riverbanks, and waterways that the flood rerouted out of their original path, Colorado still has a recipe for disaster on our hands.

I will share a photograph of what happened in one of our communities. We can see the culvert washed out, the vehicles embedded in the cobbles and sand and boulders of the riverbed. The riverbed itself was completely rerouted during the flooding when it took out the road in that particular area. The good news is, as we look at the potential for additional disaster, we have the power here in Congress to confront the disaster before it has a chance to occur.

I wish to speak to the history of what Congress did. Congress recognized the importance of stabilizing waterbanks, preventing soil erosion, and clearing debris from waterways back in 1978 through the Agricultural Credit Act. As part of that important law, Congress authorized the Emergency Watershed Protection Program--or EWP for short. As many of my colleagues know well, EWP provides critical disaster relief assistance for families and communities which have suffered severe damages from flood, fire, drought, or other natural disasters.

The EWP Program focuses on funding critical emergency recovery measures for runoff mitigation and erosion prevention that will relieve imminent hazards to life and property presented by natural disasters. Protecting and repairing these watersheds, wherever they may be, is critical in preventing the type of erosion that leads to massive mudslides and future disasters.

Unfortunately, even though our country is rocked by these natural disasters every year, the critical EWP Program does not receive consistent funding. The sporadic and inconsistent way we fund it--via ad hoc supplemental bills--has created a backlog in need of over $120 million nationally.

For my colleagues in the Chamber who may not immediately recognize the importance of EWP and the program attached to it, let me make clear that there are 14 States which have projects left unfunded because of this backlog, meaning there are up to 28 Senators who could see relief in their home States if we pass this bill.

This backlog is unacceptable. It is preventing us from funding dozens of projects that can help reduce the frequency and severity of mudslides, projects that can protect our watersheds, and projects that can save lives.

So with this in mind, I rise today to ask this Congress to come together yet again and pass legislation, which I introduced last week, supporting a more permanent funding stream for the EWP Program. I have introduced the bill with my home State colleague, Senator Bennet, and it has been cosponsored by the senior Senator from Washington, Patty Murray.

It will not cost a dime, but it will finally change the way we structurally fund the EWP Program by creating a common, unified account to provide support to families and communities around the country.

This commonsense legislation would also free up dollars that have already been appropriated in the past but have not been used. Unlocking these dollars will not create additional spending but will infuse this newly created account with seed funding to begin clearing out the backlog and helping States such as Colorado finance critical projects that can save lives.

Moving forward, my bill sets up a system where appropriators and States impacted in the future can ensure that every dollar made available to the EWP Program is used when needed, and put back into this important, permanent fund when it is not, reducing the threat and the cost of future disasters.

As an avid outdoorsman, I am well aware of the dangers presented by the forces of nature. I have been a long-time supporter of EWP and its vital relief efforts. The importance of this program was only further emphasized to me last September when boulders, water, and debris came roaring through Eldorado Canyon, which is just a short mile from my home, and there were scenes like this as well near my home.

It has become very clear that every moment we spend trying to piece together ad hoc funding for this program every year--after these disasters have already occurred--is another moment that could be spent rebuilding the homes and the livelihoods of Americans who have been struck by Mother Nature.

Americans should not be forced to wonder or worry about partisan divides undermining their ability to access

critical resources and services. They shouldn't have to face the uncertainty of whether Congress will pass supplemental funding to support their families and communities after a devastating event such as the one we see here that forever changes their lives. And they certainly shouldn't have to wait for Congress in order to access essential and proven services from the EWP Program when a disaster leaves their homes and communities in shambles. Unfortunately, some in this Congress have shown that they are incapable of rising above partisan posturing to help those in need. The reckless partisanship of these individuals nearly prevented us from passing a bill to help the storm-ravaged States affected by Hurricane Sandy and kept the government shut down 16 days, even as we in Colorado were struggling to take the important first steps toward recovering from our historic fall flooding.

We cannot let funding as critical as EWP be subjected to this kind of rancor, which is why my bill is so important. That is why it is long past time EWP receives a solid, dependable funding stream. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this legislation, and I look forward to working with Senate appropriators to actively finance this fund for years to come.

With the funding structure created by my bill in place, communities around the country that have been knocked off their feet by brutal and unanticipated disasters will be able to count on this program to immediately help them get back up and onto the road to recovery. This is not only responsible to do, it is right to do.

I wish to briefly touch on a slightly different topic but one that is also very important specifically to Colorado; that is, the national security, economic, and job-boosting potential of exporting liquid natural gas or LNG.

This is a topic which I and many Senators from both sides of the aisle have been talking about over the recent weeks, particularly in light of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and Russia's use of its natural gas exports as a weapon. Russian aggression and its incursion into the Crimean peninsula illustrates precisely the reason we cannot wait any longer to responsibly develop our natural gas reserves and to export this resource abroad.

Unfortunately, new facilities to export LNG are on hold right now waiting for approval at the U.S. Department of Energy. While the Department of Energy approval is only one step in a complex process to construct a new export facility--a process that includes environmental access and public input--it has become an unacceptable logjam. That is why I introduced a bill a few weeks ago that would break the logjam and pave the way for approval of LNG exports to World Trade Organization nations, in effect approving the pending applications in the queue.

My bill is bipartisan and bicameral, and it would send a signal to international markets that the days of Russia's monopolistic stranglehold on energy supplies is waning. My bill would pave the way for more American jobs and provide a shot in the arm to our economy. That is why I was disappointed to learn that several of my colleagues have decided that another political vote is more important than good policy and decided to push an LNG amendment tied to the approval of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline.

I voted against both Republican and Democratic Keystone Pipeline amendments because I believe these political votes by both sides only set back progress on the real review process. Tying good LNG policy to a political vote about an unrelated topic doesn't lead to progress on either issue. Instead, it shows the political motivations of those who are deciding to go this route.

My friend from Wyoming, Senator Barrasso, has a strong bill that would open LNG exports to a targeted group of countries in Europe, which he tried to attach to the Ukraine aid bill. I agreed with that effort. He also filed my bill, which opens LNG more broadly, as an amendment to that same legislation during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee markup. Both of these approaches have bipartisan support, both of them would make a difference, and both of them are worthy of consideration.

So I invite all of us who want to get something done to abandon election or political gains and focus on what matters. We can leverage our natural resources to promote global security, create jobs, and prevent power-hungry leaders such as Putin from using energy supplies as a weapon. Let's get this done and work together to find a real way forward, and let's have a vote.

Madam President, thank you.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to the outstanding military service of a group of incredible Coloradans. At critical times in our Nation's history, these veterans each played a role in defending the world from tyranny, truly earning their reputation as guardians of peace and democracy through their service and sacrifice. Now, thanks to Honor Flight, these combat veterans came to Washington, DC to visit the national memorials built to honor those who served and those who fell. They have also come to share their experiences with later generations and to pay tribute to those who gave their lives. I am proud to welcome them here, and I join with all Coloradans in thanking them for all they have done for us.

I also want to thank the volunteers from Honor Flight of Northern Colorado who made this trip possible. These volunteers are great Coloradans in their own right, and their mission to bring our veterans to Washington, DC, is truly commendable.

I wish to publicly recognize the veterans who visited our Nation's capital, many seeing for the first time the memorials built as a tribute to their selfless service. Today, I honor these Colorado veterans on their visit to Washington, DC, and I join them in paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty.

Veterans from World War II include: Donald Benson, Joe Blossom, Hobert Bodkins, Robert Bueker, George Carlson, Wayne Clausen, Maurice Dragoo, Homer Dye, Karl Easterly, George Flaig, Stuart Gordon, Dale Gruber, Frank Gunter, Vern Hammond, Robert Henderson, Otto Hindman, Lawrence Jackson, John Jobson, Elvin Kahl, Doward Kilmer, Thomas Kokjer, Edward Kooper, Raymond Kusmirek, Ralph Leckler, George Lichter, Lyle Lukas, Alfred Marez, Richard

Marquart, Maregito Martinez, LeRoy Marx, Hugh McGinty, Damon McMahan, Robert Minnick, Allen Oakley, Gerald Oakley, Vernon Rand, Gerald Rennels, Carol Rhoades, Elmer Rose, Donald Smith, Walter Sparrow, George Stager, Clarence Streit, Richard Tedesco Sr., Rueben Ulrich, Howard Walter, Raymond Yost, Robert Yost, Thomas Youree, and Joseph Zito.

Veterans from the Korean war include: Charles Adams, Joseph Beaulieu, David Beldus, John Bevins, James Blue, William Cecil, Thomas Clements, Clifford Closson, Donald Dalton, Stanley Davies, Jerry Delcamp, Leonard Dickey Jr., Robert Eddy, Dale Erickson, Ann Evans, Lemuel Evans, Frank Faucett, Byron Foster, Kent Foutz, Jerry Galpern, Wayne Gibb, Thomas Gordon, Oscar Haake, Doyle Hall, William Harte, William Hitchcock, Claire Hoffman, Raymond Horton, Carl Houkom, Bennett Houston, Eugene Johnson, Richard Kekar, Marvin Kembel, Ralph Knoll, Tom Mandis, George Mason, Alvin Mosch, Doyle Myers, Richard Oversteg, David Owen, Johnnie Prock, Duane Purcell, Herbert Reimer, John Rinne, John Rust Jr., Darrel Schafer, Leonard Schmitz, Virgil Scott, Robert Scott, Herbert Shevins, Wayne Small, Frank Stiver, Robert Stoll, Bernard Streit, Ernest Stumpf, Walter Sutton, Norman Swanson, Arthur Trevarton, Junior Weisshaar, Raymond Williams, George Willson, and Harry Wisell.

Veterans from the Vietnam war include: Jerol Arguello, William Frank, Allen Laible, Dennis Lee, Lonnie Sebold, Allan Silk, Saxton Wiley, and Salvador Velasquez.

Veterans from the war in Afghanistan include: Zachary Dinsmore.

Our Nation asked a great deal of these individuals--to leave their families to fight in unknown lands and put their lives on the line. Each one of these brave Coloradans bravely answered the call. They served our country with courage, and in return, let us ensure they are shown the honor and appreciation they deserve. Please join me in thanking these Colorado veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Northern Colorado for their tremendous service.

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

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

Mr. President, New Mexico is blessed with some of the world's finest scientists. Each day, brilliant researchers at our universities and national labs go to work, and the results are amazing. At the same time, entrepreneurs in New Mexico and across the country are looking for opportunities to leverage innovation and to create new high-tech products and applications.

I rise to introduce the Accelerating Technology Transfer to Advance Innovation for the Nation--what we are calling the ATTAIN Act. That is a long title and an important goal: to improve the Department of Energy's technology transfer mission and to move innovation from the lab to the market. This grows our economy and creates a greater impact from our research and development dollars.

But before I talk to my colleagues about what the bill does, I wish to explain why it is so important. Tech transfer may seem to be just some technical issue, affecting bureaucratic rules or regulations, but it is more. It is how innovation in the lab today helps create jobs tomorrow.

In the 21st century, our national labs are the birthplace of innovation that creates new products and businesses and entire industries. Scientists are developing cutting-edge ways to power computers, to transmit new information, to heal the body. These innovations have great market potential in aviation, the military, medicine. They can be spun into high-tech businesses, changing the world, putting people to work.

In New Mexico, many companies have been formed as a result of discoveries at Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs. For example, Mustomo, Inc., a startup using technology developed at LANL, provides 3D ultrasound tomography for the detection of breast cancer, and technology from Sandia, used by TEAM Technologies, has created a device that can disable improvised explosive devices. Since 2010 over 4,000 units have been deployed and are saving lives in war zones right now.

But despite these amazing successes, we are operating at just a fraction of the potential. My home State could do so much more. New Mexico has all the ingredients to become a high-tech powerhouse. There are great minds at our national labs and military bases. We have fantastic universities and a booming energy industry. We need to create an environment to allow it to reach that potential. This is a major initiative of mine to help create the right formula to help industry take off in New Mexico. That is the purpose of my bill.

Almost a decade ago Congress created a Department of Energy Technology Transfer Coordinator to move innovation from the lab bench to the marketplace, to spur businesses and cutting-edge product development in New Mexico and across the Nation, to help entrepreneurs outside of the big-city powerhouses on the coasts get access to capital, to help them find partners in industry. But the Department has not come close to meeting its potential. A recent inspector general's report tells the story. It cited numerous deficiencies at DOE. The Department is over 7 years delinquent in finalizing its Technology Transfer Execution Plan, nor has DOE implemented a forward-looking process for its commercialization fund--over 2 years after being directed to do so by the former Secretary. In addition, the Technology Transfer Coordinator post at the Department has been vacant since April 2013. That is nearly 1 year after the previous Coordinator's departure. This position should be filled as quickly as possible with a qualified and motivated candidate.

Technology transfer is important in New Mexico and to the Nation, and the Department's failure to perform is unacceptable. My bill addresses these shortfalls. We can do better, and we have to. The first step is to make tech transfer a priority. Our goals are clear: consolidate bureaucracy, streamline contracting, and use models that have proven successful.

There are three key elements to my legislation.

First, it permanently authorizes new tools for the Secretary of Energy's new Department-wide technology transfer office to enable DOE and DOE's new Tech Transfer Coordinator to meet their responsibilities and to measure and report their progress. Better coordination is absolutely crucial so we can reduce barriers and efficiently use

the limited resources available. My bill requires that this office be accountable and responsible, that it work with the national labs and with industry in the right way at the Department and fully implement the EPACT Energy Technology Commercialization Fund--something DOE has yet to do according to Congress's original intent.

Second, the bill authorizes a new tech transfer corps, modeled on the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps, to support investments in entrepreneurs, mentors, scientists, and engineers. It authorizes technology commercialization challenges that push--getting innovative technologies into the market--and also pull--enabling partnerships with industry to identify and focus on common challenges. It will also improve coordination of technology transfer and entrepreneurship priorities with universities, foundations, and nonprofits, both regionally and nationally.

Third, we adapt an existing public-private partnership model used by the Small Business Administration and apply it to technology transfer to increase access to capital for promising startup companies.

We are not asking for more money. We need to do more with what we have. We are not asking--and I want to emphasize that--we are not asking for more money. We need to do more with what we have. The bill requires DOE and SBA to work together, to use the strengths of each agency--DOE's innovative technology and SBA's financial acumen--and it increases investment in new technologies via the SBIC Impact and Early Stage Initiatives. The Impact Initiative includes SBA matching funds of up to $1 billion, and the Early Stage Initiative includes $1 billion more.

This collaboration addresses an important concern. Since 2008 less than 6 percent of these venture capital funds have been invested in seed funds and tech maturation, and 70 percent of that went into just three States--California, New York, and Massachusetts. There are great opportunities outside these three States. This bill will help those funds find them. States such as New Mexico have a surplus of innovative ideas and a lack of investment dollars. With this bill we can balance that equation.

The benefits are clear: new technology, new partnerships, and new opportunities. Cutting-edge research today means high-paying jobs tomorrow. American inventions and intellectual property fuel our economy. Mr. President, 75 U.S. industries are classified as intellectual property intensive. They added $5.8 trillion to U.S. output last year. They are 38 percent of our GDP. They directly or indirectly supply over 55 million jobs--jobs that on average pay 30 percent higher wages. These IP companies account for 74 percent of our exports.

We need to do all we can to support innovation and to improve technology transfer--the bridge between new discovery and new opportunity--to grow our economy, to create high-paying jobs. I believe this is something we can all support.

Last August I cohosted a tech transfer conference in Santa Fe. I met with nearly 200 of New Mexico's most successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors. We talked about the challenges and opportunities of technology transfer and how important it is to the future.

We have always succeeded by being one step ahead of the competition. American innovation has led the world in industry, in health care and transportation, in science and technology. The ATTAIN Act will help move that innovation from the lab to the marketplace, helping businesses grow, creating jobs, and keeping us competitive in a global marketplace.

For a student with a bright idea, for an entrepreneur with the drive to chase their dream, it can be a long road. Fortunately, they do not give up easily. They are as tough as they come. They are already giving so much with hard work, with taking risks. They do their part. DOE needs to do its part as well.

We all want to move innovation forward and to better coordinate the handoffs. I am committed to working with the Department of Energy to make this a reality. This is an important goal, and it should be an equally important priority. That is why I am introducing this bill today.

Mr. President, New Mexico is blessed with some of the world's finest scientists. Each day, brilliant researchers at our universities and national labs go to work, and the results are amazing. At the same time, entrepreneurs in New Mexico and across the country are looking for opportunities to leverage innovation and to create new high-tech products and applications.

I rise to introduce the Accelerating Technology Transfer to Advance Innovation for the Nation--what we are calling the ATTAIN Act. That is a long title and an important goal: to improve the Department of Energy's technology transfer mission and to move innovation from the lab to the market. This grows our economy and creates a greater impact from our research and development dollars.

But before I talk to my colleagues about what the bill does, I wish to explain why it is so important. Tech transfer may seem to be just some technical issue, affecting bureaucratic rules or regulations, but it is more. It is how innovation in the lab today helps create jobs tomorrow.

In the 21st century, our national labs are the birthplace of innovation that creates new products and businesses and entire industries. Scientists are developing cutting-edge ways to power computers, to transmit new information, to heal the body. These innovations have great market potential in aviation, the military, medicine. They can be spun into high-tech businesses, changing the world, putting people to work.

In New Mexico, many companies have been formed as a result of discoveries at Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs. For example, Mustomo, Inc., a startup using technology developed at LANL, provides 3D ultrasound tomography for the detection of breast cancer, and technology from Sandia, used by TEAM Technologies, has created a device that can disable improvised explosive devices. Since 2010 over 4,000 units have been deployed and are saving lives in war zones right now.

But despite these amazing successes, we are operating at just a fraction of the potential. My home State could do so much more. New Mexico has all the ingredients to become a high-tech powerhouse. There are great minds at our national labs and military bases. We have fantastic universities and a booming energy industry. We need to create an environment to allow it to reach that potential. This is a major initiative of mine to help create the right formula to help industry take off in New Mexico. That is the purpose of my bill.

Almost a decade ago Congress created a Department of Energy Technology Transfer Coordinator to move innovation from the lab bench to the marketplace, to spur businesses and cutting-edge product development in New Mexico and across the Nation, to help entrepreneurs outside of the big-city powerhouses on the coasts get access to capital, to help them find partners in industry. But the Department has not come close to meeting its potential. A recent inspector general's report tells the story. It cited numerous deficiencies at DOE. The Department is over 7 years delinquent in finalizing its Technology Transfer Execution Plan, nor has DOE implemented a forward-looking process for its commercialization fund--over 2 years after being directed to do so by the former Secretary. In addition, the Technology Transfer Coordinator post at the Department has been vacant since April 2013. That is nearly 1 year after the previous Coordinator's departure. This position should be filled as quickly as possible with a qualified and motivated candidate.

Technology transfer is important in New Mexico and to the Nation, and the Department's failure to perform is unacceptable. My bill addresses these shortfalls. We can do better, and we have to. The first step is to make tech transfer a priority. Our goals are clear: consolidate bureaucracy, streamline contracting, and use models that have proven successful.

There are three key elements to my legislation.

First, it permanently authorizes new tools for the Secretary of Energy's new Department-wide technology transfer office to enable DOE and DOE's new Tech Transfer Coordinator to meet their responsibilities and to measure and report their progress. Better coordination is absolutely crucial so we can reduce barriers and efficiently use

the limited resources available. My bill requires that this office be accountable and responsible, that it work with the national labs and with industry in the right way at the Department and fully implement the EPACT Energy Technology Commercialization Fund--something DOE has yet to do according to Congress's original intent.

Second, the bill authorizes a new tech transfer corps, modeled on the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps, to support investments in entrepreneurs, mentors, scientists, and engineers. It authorizes technology commercialization challenges that push--getting innovative technologies into the market--and also pull--enabling partnerships with industry to identify and focus on common challenges. It will also improve coordination of technology transfer and entrepreneurship priorities with universities, foundations, and nonprofits, both regionally and nationally.

Third, we adapt an existing public-private partnership model used by the Small Business Administration and apply it to technology transfer to increase access to capital for promising startup companies.

We are not asking for more money. We need to do more with what we have. We are not asking--and I want to emphasize that--we are not asking for more money. We need to do more with what we have. The bill requires DOE and SBA to work together, to use the strengths of each agency--DOE's innovative technology and SBA's financial acumen--and it increases investment in new technologies via the SBIC Impact and Early Stage Initiatives. The Impact Initiative includes SBA matching funds of up to $1 billion, and the Early Stage Initiative includes $1 billion more.

This collaboration addresses an important concern. Since 2008 less than 6 percent of these venture capital funds have been invested in seed funds and tech maturation, and 70 percent of that went into just three States--California, New York, and Massachusetts. There are great opportunities outside these three States. This bill will help those funds find them. States such as New Mexico have a surplus of innovative ideas and a lack of investment dollars. With this bill we can balance that equation.

The benefits are clear: new technology, new partnerships, and new opportunities. Cutting-edge research today means high-paying jobs tomorrow. American inventions and intellectual property fuel our economy. Mr. President, 75 U.S. industries are classified as intellectual property intensive. They added $5.8 trillion to U.S. output last year. They are 38 percent of our GDP. They directly or indirectly supply over 55 million jobs--jobs that on average pay 30 percent higher wages. These IP companies account for 74 percent of our exports.

We need to do all we can to support innovation and to improve technology transfer--the bridge between new discovery and new opportunity--to grow our economy, to create high-paying jobs. I believe this is something we can all support.

Last August I cohosted a tech transfer conference in Santa Fe. I met with nearly 200 of New Mexico's most successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors. We talked about the challenges and opportunities of technology transfer and how important it is to the future.

We have always succeeded by being one step ahead of the competition. American innovation has led the world in industry, in health care and transportation, in science and technology. The ATTAIN Act will help move that innovation from the lab to the marketplace, helping businesses grow, creating jobs, and keeping us competitive in a global marketplace.

For a student with a bright idea, for an entrepreneur with the drive to chase their dream, it can be a long road. Fortunately, they do not give up easily. They are as tough as they come. They are already giving so much with hard work, with taking risks. They do their part. DOE needs to do its part as well.

We all want to move innovation forward and to better coordinate the handoffs. I am committed to working with the Department of Energy to make this a reality. This is an important goal, and it should be an equally important priority. That is why I am introducing this bill today.