Floor Statements

Madam President, July 25, 2014, marks the 40th anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). With bipartisan support, including that of President Nixon, LSC was established in 1974 as a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by Congress, with the mission to ensure equal access to justice under law for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94 percent of its annual Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid programs and has nearly 800 offices that serve each of the 435 congressional districts and the U.S. territories.

LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such as helping women get protection from abuse, mothers to obtain child support, families from unlawful evictions or foreclosures that could leave them homeless, veterans seeking benefits duly earned, defending seniors against consumer scams, and individuals who have lost their jobs and need help in applying for unemployment compensation and other benefits. In my home State, more than 25 percent of the population is eligible for LSC-funded legal services. The three programs funded by LSC served nearly 40,000 Louisianians and closed nearly 16,000 cases last year.

On this 40th anniversary, I congratulate and commend the Legal Services Corporation for the vital work they do every day on behalf of Americans who need qualified counsel. With the growing number of Americans eligible for services and increased demand for legal services, the need for legal aid attorneys has never been greater. Every day that a legal aid attorney protects the safety, security, and health of our most vulnerable citizens, they bring this Nation closer to living up to its commitment to equal justice for all.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at 2:15 p.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The title of this hearing is ``Breaking the Logjam at BLM: Examining Ways to More Efficiently Process Permits for Energy Production on Federal Lands.'' The purpose of this hearing is to understand the obstacles in permitting more energy projects on Federal lands and to consider S. 279, the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013, and S. 2440, the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Act of 2014, and related issues.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Jan Brunner at (202) 224-3907 or Kristen Granier at (202) 224-1219.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rev. Samuel Tolbert, pastor of the Greater St. Mary's Missionary Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA, on his recent election as the 15th president of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr. was born August 1, 1958 in Lake Charles, LA and graduated from Washington High school in 1976. A graduate of Bishop College in Dallas, he earned his bachelors of arts in religion and philosophy with a minor in speech education. He has also received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Union Baptist College and Theological Seminary and a masters from Payne Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in ministry at Stephen Olford Center at Union University in Memphis, TN.

Reverend Tolbert is a recognized civic leader. He served as a commissioner for the Lake Charles Housing Authority, a representative of District ``A'' on Lake Charles City Council, and as a member of the board of the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation. Currently, Reverend Tolbert serves on the board of supervisors for the Southern University System.

A devout man of faith, Reverend Tolbert has dedicated himself to a life of religious servitude. He has presided over Greater Saint Mary Missionary Baptist Church since 1984. Reverend Tolbert has held a number of positions in the faith community including serving as first vice president of the Southwest Missionary Baptist Association, president of the Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention, and general secretary National Baptist Convention of America Inc. Reverend Tolbert currently serves as president of Greater St. Mary Community Development Foundation, the president & CEO Strategic Faith Leadership Ministries, and as the coordinator of disaster relief North America for Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention.

Reverend Tolbert's accomplishments reflect his dedication to his faith, education and service. On June 25, 2014, he was elected the president of the National Baptist Convention of America. With over 3.5 million members worldwide, the National Baptist Convention of America is an organization that seeks to ``positively impact and influence the spiritual, educational, social, and economic conditions of all humankind''.

It is with the greatest sincerity that I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Rev. Samuel Tolbert Jr. for his accomplishments as an incredible reverend, father, and mentor. His wife Matilda, and their two daughters Candace and Kayla must be extremely proud and I know that he will serve the National Baptist Convention well.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills:

S. 1049 and H.R. 2166, to direct the Secretary of the

Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to expedite access to

certain Federal lands under the administrative jurisdiction

of each Secretary for good Samaritan search-and-recovery

missions, and for other purposes;

S. 1437, to provide for the release of the reversionary

interest held by the United States in certain land conveyed

in 1954 by the United States, acting through the Director of

the Bureau of Land Management, to the State of Oregon for the

establishment of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and

Extension Center of Oregon State University in Hermiston,

Oregon;

S. 1554, to direct the heads of Federal public land

management agencies to prepare reports on the availability of

public access and egress to Federal public land for hunting,

fishing, and other recreational purposes, to amend the Land

and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to provide funding

for recreational public access to Federal land, and for other

purposes;

S. 1605, for the relief of Michael G. Faber;

S. 1640, to facilitate planning, permitting,

administration, implementation, and monitoring of pinyon-

juniper dominated landscape restoration projects within

Lincoln County, Nevada, and for other purposes;

S. 1888 and H.R. 1241, to facilitate a land exchange

involving certain National Forest System land in the Inyo

National Forest, and for other purposes;

S. 2123, to authorize the exchange of certain Federal land

and non-Federal land in the State of Minnesota;

S. 2616, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey

certain Federal land to Idaho County in the State of Idaho,

and for other purposes;

H.R. 1684, to convey certain property to the State of

Wyoming to consolidate the historic Ranch A, and for other

purposes; and,

H.R. 3008, to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel

of National Forest System land in Los Padres National Forest

in California, and for other purposes.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to John [email protected].

For further information, please contact Meghan Conklin (202)-224-8046 or John Assini (202)-224-9313.

Mr. President, I see several other colleagues on the floor. I wish to speak for about 3 minutes on behalf of the nominee who was just confirmed.

Mr. President, it is truly my distinct privilege to be able to speak on behalf of John Weadon deGravelles, a nominee for the Middle District Court in Louisiana. I am very gratified that my colleagues gave him a very strong vote of approval--a unanimous vote-- just a few minutes ago. President Obama nominated Mr. deGravelles earlier this year, and I am very pleased I was joined by Senator Vitter, my colleague from Louisiana, in recommending him for his confirmation today.

He is affectionately known to his friends and family as Johnny. He has the support of a wide cross section of community leaders in Louisiana, and that support is based on an extraordinarily impressive scholarship he received to attend college at Louisiana State University, where he majored in sociology and received his juris doctorate from the law school. He excelled

academically and has practiced law now for decades but is still fondly remembered as an extraordinary student.

After graduating from LSU, he served as a clerk at the firm Due & Dodson in Baton Rouge and would later become a partner in that firm. He is now practicing under his own name at deGravelles, Palmintier, Holthaus & Fruge.

As a partner in his well-established firm in Baton Rouge, he has honed his skills as one of the region's most capable litigators in both Federal and State court.

In addition to his work as a lawyer, respected by a broad cross section of leaders, he also taught for 20 years at both Tulane Law School and Louisiana State University. He is very popular, I understand, as a teacher. He is always open to students and his advice is sought after on a regular basis.

He is a very active member of a variety of bar associations, including the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the Louisiana State Bar. He was admitted to practice, of course, in the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Louisiana, the Southern District of Texas, the Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has practiced for literally decades in front of the Federal bench.

He has also been recognized for his outstanding leadership by very distinguished organizations, including the Louisiana Trial Bar, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, and the Council for a Better Louisiana.

He has written dozens and dozens of articles for legal publication. He is a sought-after speaker for seminars throughout the country.

Our former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana--also the first woman chief justice--Kitty Kimball described Johnny as ``an exceptional lawyer who enjoys the respect of both bench and bar.''

I think one of the most important aspects of his background is that after the devastating storms of Rita and Katrina in 2005, Mr. deGravelles was one of the real champions in helping to set up the Louisiana Association for Justice Hurricane Relief Committee which assisted many displaced attorneys who had no place to practice, clients who were distributed all over the country, and courthouses that were closed--to help the wheels of justice move forward during that very difficult time of upheaval and destruction.

I have every confidence Mr. deGravelles will serve the people of the Middle District as a fair, wise, and very experienced lawyer who will serve as a judge.

I am very proud that this body voted so overwhelmingly in favor of his confirmation today. I know his wife Jan is extremely proud of him, and he and Jan are proud of both children who followed in their father's footsteps. Kate and Neil are both practicing attorneys in Louisiana.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the importance of community banks to our financial system and economy. Community banks are critical to the economic recovery and success of our local economies and small businesses. As our Nation continues to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, we need to do everything possible to provide measured, targeted regulatory relief for community banks, who were not part of the problem during the financial crisis.

America's nearly 7,000 community banks are the primary source of lending for our Nation's small businesses and farms. Though they compose just 10 percent of the banking industry by assets, community banks make over 57 percent of outstanding bank loans to small businesses. In Louisiana, we have approximately 140 community banks. These institutions are vital parts of their local communities; their boards are often made up of local citizens who are personally invested in advancing the interests of the towns and cities in which they live.

Today I am offering a very simple, common sense provision that would cut back on some of the onerous regulations community banks are facing without compromising the safety and soundness of our financial system or important consumer protections. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB, released its final rule on consumers' ability to repay mortgage loans under Dodd-Frank in January 2013. The final rule, implemented in 2014, defines the qualities of a ``qualified mortgage'', QM, which presume that the lender has satisfied the ability to repay requirements. While I was encouraged by many aspects of the rules, I feel there is more to be done to ensure that community banks and Main Street lenders are not stifled by onerous regulations.

My bill will allow any residential mortgage held in portfolio by lenders with less than $10 billion in total assets to qualify as a ``qualified mortgage.'' A strong indication of a bank's view of the credit risk of a loan is the decision to hold a loan in portfolio. When a bank holds a loan in portfolio, rather than selling in on the secondary market, it assumes 100 percent of the credit risk, so it has the incentive to ensure that each and every loan is well underwritten and affordable to the borrower. Community banks are in the business of knowing their borrowers, understanding their ability to repay and structuring loans accordingly. This protects the financial health of borrowers, lenders, and the economy as a whole.

I am proud to also serve as a cosponsor of S. 1349, the Community Lending Enhancement and Regulatory, CLEAR, Relief Act, which was introduced by my colleagues, Senators Moran and Tester and contains a number of other regulatory relief measures for small and community- based lenders. I encourage my colleagues to support these provisions to help community banks serve their customers, protecting the well-being of borrowers, and spur economic growth in local communities across the Nation.

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the importance of community banks to our financial system and economy. Community banks are critical to the economic recovery and success of our local economies and small businesses. As our Nation continues to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, we need to do everything possible to provide measured, targeted regulatory relief for community banks, who were not part of the problem during the financial crisis.

America's nearly 7,000 community banks are the primary source of lending for our Nation's small businesses and farms. Though they compose just 10 percent of the banking industry by assets, community banks make over 57 percent of outstanding bank loans to small businesses. In Louisiana, we have approximately 140 community banks. These institutions are vital parts of their local communities; their boards are often made up of local citizens who are personally invested in advancing the interests of the towns and cities in which they live.

Today I am offering a very simple, common sense provision that would cut back on some of the onerous regulations community banks are facing without compromising the safety and soundness of our financial system or important consumer protections. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB, released its final rule on consumers' ability to repay mortgage loans under Dodd-Frank in January 2013. The final rule, implemented in 2014, defines the qualities of a ``qualified mortgage'', QM, which presume that the lender has satisfied the ability to repay requirements. While I was encouraged by many aspects of the rules, I feel there is more to be done to ensure that community banks and Main Street lenders are not stifled by onerous regulations.

My bill will allow any residential mortgage held in portfolio by lenders with less than $10 billion in total assets to qualify as a ``qualified mortgage.'' A strong indication of a bank's view of the credit risk of a loan is the decision to hold a loan in portfolio. When a bank holds a loan in portfolio, rather than selling in on the secondary market, it assumes 100 percent of the credit risk, so it has the incentive to ensure that each and every loan is well underwritten and affordable to the borrower. Community banks are in the business of knowing their borrowers, understanding their ability to repay and structuring loans accordingly. This protects the financial health of borrowers, lenders, and the economy as a whole.

I am proud to also serve as a cosponsor of S. 1349, the Community Lending Enhancement and Regulatory, CLEAR, Relief Act, which was introduced by my colleagues, Senators Moran and Tester and contains a number of other regulatory relief measures for small and community- based lenders. I encourage my colleagues to support these provisions to help community banks serve their customers, protecting the well-being of borrowers, and spur economic growth in local communities across the Nation.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of this hearing is to consider the nomination of Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall to be Deputy Secretary of Energy.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Sallie Derr at (202) 224-6836.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before Subcommittee on National Parks. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills:

H.R. 412, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate segments of the mainstem of the Nashua River and

its tributaries in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for

study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic

Rivers System, and for other purposes.

S.1189, to adjust the boundaries of Paterson Great Falls

National Historical Park to include Hinchliffe Stadium, and

for other purposes;

S. 1389 and H.R. 1501, to direct the Secretary of the

Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of

designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene

Park, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, as a unit of

the National Park System;

S. 1520 and H.R. 2197, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers

Act to designate segments of the York River and associated

tributaries for study for potential inclusion in the National

Wild and Scenic Rivers System;

S. 1641, to establish the Appalachian Forest National

Heritage Area, and for other purposes;

S. 1718, to modify the boundary of Petersburg National

Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and for other

purposes;

S. 1750, authorize the Secretary of the Interior or the

Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with States

and political subdivisions of States providing for the

continued operation, in whole or in part, of public land,

units of the National Park System, units of the National

Wildlife Refuge System, and units of the National Forest

System in the State during any period in which the Secretary

of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture is unable to

maintain normal level of operations at the units due to a

lapse in appropriations, and for other purposes;

S. 1785, to modify the boundary of the Shiloh National

Military Park located in the States of Tennessee and

Mississippi, to establish Parker's Crossroads Battlefield as

an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other

purposes;

S. 1794, to designate certain Federal land in Chaffee

County, Colorado, as a national monument and as wilderness.

S. 1866, a bill to provide for an extension of the

legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to

establish a commemorative work in honor of former President

John Adams and his legacy;

S. 2031, to amend the Act to provide for the establishment

of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in the State of

Wisconsin, and for other purposes, to adjust the boundary of

that National Lakeshore to include the lighthouse known as

Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light, and for other purposes;

S. 2104, to require the Director of the National Park

Service to refund to States all State funds that were used to

reopen and temporarily operate a unit of the National Park

System during the October 2013 shutdown;

S. 2111, to reauthorize the Yuma Crossing National Heritage

Area;

S. 2221, to extend the authorization for the Automobile

National Heritage Area in Michigan;

S. 2264, A bill to designate memorials to the service of

members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and

for other purposes;

S. 2293, to clarify the status of the North Country, Ice

Age, and New England National Scenic Trails as units of the

National Park System, and for other purposes;

S. 2318, to reauthorize the Erie Canalway National Heritage

Corridor Act.

S. 2346, to amend the National Trails System Act to include

national discovery trails, and to designate the American

Discovery Trail, and for other purposes;

S. 2356, to adjust the boundary of the Mojave National

Preserve;

S. 2392, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate certain segments of East Rosebud Creek in Carbon

County, Montana, as components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers

System;

S.2576, to establish the Maritime Washington National

Heritage Area in the State of Washington, and for other

purposes; and

S. 2602, to establish the Mountains to Sound Greenway

National Heritage Area in the State of Washington.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to John [email protected].

For further information, please contact David Brooks (202) 224-9863 or John Assini (202) 224-9313.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The title of this hearing is ``Breaking the Logjam at BLM: Examining Ways to More Efficiently Process Permits for Energy Production on Federal Lands.''

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Jan Brunner at (202) 224-3907 or Kristen Granier at (202) 224-1219.

Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the distinguished Wayne family legacy in Louisiana. On April 29, 2014, Guinness World Records officially recognized the Wayne family as having the most family members to graduate from Grambling State University.

Beginning in the 1940s, a total of 86 descendants of the Wayne family have attended Grambling State University. More than five generations of this Marion, LA family have studied at this storied institution and pursued lasting careers as military administrators and officers, doctors, lawyers, professors, professional athletes, and more. Through their years of service, this family has created enduring changes in a wide breadth of research and direction to impact and improve the lives of all those within their communities.

The Wayne family sets the Guinness World Record for ``Most family members to graduate from the same university'' with 40 approved relatives from the Wayne record. This outstanding accomplishment is a testament to the family's unparalleled devotion to education and to one of Louisiana's Historically Black College and Universities, Grambling State University. The continued commitment of this proud Louisiana family sets a new standard of both professional and educational aspiration and leaves a lasting legacy of achievement for generations to come.

Among this family's graduates of Grambling State University are: Alma McElroy Andrews, descendent of Matilda Wayne McElroy; Gloria Marie Brown, descendent of Ida Wayne Rivers; Claudine Williams, Dossie Roger Williams Jr., Shelia E. Williams, Verjanis Andrews Peoples, Stevie Andrews, Tjuana T. Williams, and Marcus D. Andrews, descendants of King Wayne; Rose Wayne, Ronald Wayne, Patricia Wayne Williams, and Stephanie Williams, descendants of John Wayne Sr; Ellis D. Wayne, LaJeane Holley and Mary Will Johnikin, descendants of Moses Wayne; Shirley Wayne, Ralph Wayne, and Larry Wayne, descendants of William Thomas Wayne, Sr.; Hattie Wayne, Donald Wayne Tatum, Saundra Tatum, Rashia Tatum, Jr., Renee Tatum, Michael Tatum, Christopher Tatum, Dawn Michelle Tatum, Nicholas Tatum, Kevin Parks, Cathy Denise Wasson Conwright, and Veronica Lee, descendants of Sandy Wayne, Sr.; John Earl Ellis, Willie Raymond Ellis, and Marcia N. Ellis, descendants of Sam Wayne; and Leola Wayne Taylor, Willie B. Wayne, Albert Jackson, Debra Jackson Gilliard, Margaret Jackson Riley, and DaRandall D. Riley, descendants of Willie Wayne. This family has promoted a continued dedication to education and accomplishment for all those who are a part of the communities that their exceptional careers have impacted.

This family has been and continues to be an inspiration to all those who have benefitted from the contributions the Wayne descendants have made. It is with my heartfelt and greatest sincerity that I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the incredible legacy of the Wayne family at Grambling State University, as well as their lasting impact throughout the State of Louisiana and the world.

Mr. President, I wish to make a few comments about nominees that are before the Senate for confirmation and to thank Members on both sides of the aisle for working together to try to move forward two very important nominees for FERC.

First, let me say there has been some criticism of one of the nominees from some Members of the other party and, of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion; that is what the Senate is for. But I would like to make sure that the Senate record reflects an opinion of someone whom I admire greatly and I believe is very admired-- significantly admired--by every Member of this Senate, and that is the opinion of Senator Domenici, the Republican chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee for many years and a long-serving Senator from the State of New Mexico.

Senator Domenici, it may not be clearly understood, actually came to the energy committee to testify on behalf of Norman Bay.

His testimony was one of the most artful and compelling I have seen in my days here--which are now quite long at almost 18 years--and unusual in the sense that he read from no script, spoke from the heart, and spoke to Democratic and Republican members of our committee. This is some of what he had to say:

I am pleased to provide a strong statement of support to

the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on behalf

of Norman C. Bay. I first met Norman in early 2000, when he

was nominated to be the U.S. Attorney in the District of New

Mexico. I supported his nomination then and I support his

nomination now to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission .

. .

He was a good U.S. Attorney--fair, capable, and non-

partisan--and, with my support, he remained in office as U.S.

Attorney until 2001.

He continues:

In July 2009, Norman became the Director of the Office of

Enforcement (OE) at FERC. This is a big job, because among

other things OE must administer the anti-manipulation

authority of the Energy Policy Act of 2005--a bill that I had

authored when I was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on

Energy and Natural Resources and one that passed with wide

bipartisan support. The anti-manipulation authority was

intended to give FERC the tools to combat the type of

manipulation we saw in the Western Power Crisis from 2000 to

2001. I am pleased to hear that FERC has brought a number of

significant anti-manipulation cases and that the EPAct

authority I gave to FERC has been put to good use to protect

consumers, as well as the integrity of the wholesale natural

gas and power markets.

I could not think of a more compelling person to have in your corner than the former Republican chair of the energy committee in support of the Bay nomination.

Now, there are a handful of Members on the other side that have opposed every nominee put forward by President Obama because their agenda is very different. It is a political agenda. But on policy, Senator Pete Domenici's testimony goes a long way in his support of a man who he believes is extremely qualified for the job to which the President has nominated him.

In addition to the compelling testimony of Senator Domenici, which was very influential in my final decision to support this nominee, I also want to present for the record the letter from the Republican Governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez, who let me know personally that she would have loved to have been there personally to testify on behalf of Norman Bay but was unable to do so because of her schedule. She goes on to write a strong letter of recommendation, which is in the record of our committee. She says:

I am certain that Norman has been dedicated in his efforts

to protect consumers, has been fair and balanced in his

approach, and has focused on doing the right thing on behalf

of the public interest.

For all those reasons, I hope the Committee on Energy and

Natural Resources will approve Norman's nomination to the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

These are just a few of the strong testimonials that led me to finally consent to my support of Norman Bay, but I did so with the support of the Presiding Officer as a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, making sure that the current chair, Cheryl LaFleur, could stay on for an additional length of time. I would have liked another year. Some people wanted 3 months, some people wanted 6 months, and some people wanted a full term. But we settled on a 9-month compromise--which is actually the fundamental nature of our business in the Senate.

It has been lost in the last couple of years, but I continue to be an optimistic believer that a good compromise can help us move the country forward, reduce rancor, hold people together, and make some decisions that are so important for the people who we are trying to serve.

FERC is not an insignificant entity. FERC, given the power by us, is the guardian of the public interest in our natural gas and electricity markets,

something that Louisiana knows a lot about--natural gas and electricity markets.

We produce a tremendous amount of oil and gas for this Nation, and we consume a lot of oil and gas as producers of chemicals and other products that use natural gas as a feedstock. We are proud of our industry, and I would never casually support members on FERC if I didn't believe they were prepared to do this job and to do it well.

In particular, with the testimony from the former Republican chairman of the committee and a current serving Republican Governor for Norman Bay, I feel confident, based on his background, that he could do a good job, after working with Cheryl LaFleur for 9 months, which is the agreement that the White House and others have made.

Let me talk about Cheryl LaFleur for a moment. She is a graduate of Princeton. She is able, she is competent, and she has served as a member of FERC. She, in my view, has also been doing a spectacular job. She will continue to serve as chair of FERC for the next 9 months-- should she be confirmed today--and will continue with the members of FERC to try to provide reliable power and electricity to our country-- being fair and protecting the public interest.

This is a very complicated field of law and policy, as we know. This is not an easy part of the law to interpret.

There are many different electricity markets, there are many different ways to supply it. They are not-for-profits, they are municipals, and they are public utility companies. They all have pipelines and issues that have to go before FERC, and there are over 2,000 people who work for this agency. It may not be a household word, but it affects every household in America. So Cheryl LaFleur will remain, at my request, as chair for 9 months. Norman Bay will come on and train, if you will, under her leadership, and I think grow into the role as a policymaker. He clearly is qualified--by the demonstration of the letters I have put in.

I thank the Presiding Officer for the leadership role he has played in outlining that path forward, trying to broker a compromise between people who wanted to do it very differently.

We had opposition on both sides for what is actually happening today, as we know, but we worked with Democrats and Republicans, trying to find a way forward, honoring the right of the President to make his nominations and still doing the right thing by FERC and the country. I personally think we have achieved that. I wanted to put that on the record before we vote. I understand the vote should be called any moment now.

I yield the floor.

Vote on Bay Nomination

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to yield all time back for both sides.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2014, at 10:30 a.m., in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The title of the hearing is, ``Leveraging America's Resources as a Revenue Generator and Job Creator: A View from State and Local Partners,'' and the purpose is to focus on the State and local government benefits in terms of revenue generated and jobs created from natural resource production.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC, 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected] .gov.

For further information, please contact Caroline Bruckner at (202) 224-7556.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate, and the public, that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The purpose of the hearing is to explore wildland fire preparedness and to consider the President's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2015 for the Forest Service.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Meghan Conklin at (202) 224- 8046 or John Assini at (202) 224-9313.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a field hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Monday, July 7, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. in the Cajundome Convention Center, 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70506.

The purpose of the hearing is to examine Outer Continental Shelf production and to identify what actions the Federal Government can take to maximize the opportunities and minimize the challenges.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate, 304 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Herman Gesser, III, at (202) 224-7826, or Clayton Allen at (202) 224-8164.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to yield back all time.

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

Thank you, Madam President. I know Senator Kirk is on his way to give tribute to one of his staffer--a tragic situation--so I am going to be very brief.

Madam President, I come to the floor to support Senator Collins' efforts to bring some common sense to these truck safety regulations, and I know this is a very emotional debate because of the tragic accident that occurred recently with a very well-known and well- respected comedian, Tracy Morgan.

I understand that there are families in my State and around the country who have had horrible and, unfortunately, fatal accidents with trucks that are more and more prevalent on our overcrowded highway system. I am not insensitive to those families, to those stories, and I honestly believe that what Senator Collins and I and others are trying to do is going to make a very unsafe situation more safe, not less safe.

There is really an honest and sincere disagreement among us that has to be debated. I am glad we are having this debate so that the evidence, the record, and the facts can speak for themselves.

This first came to my attention a couple of months ago when a group of citizens came up from Louisiana to say: Senator, we are shocked to tell you this, but there is a new rule out that is going to require truckers to sleep between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00 two nights a week.

I looked at them and said: That cannot possibly be correct. Nobody at the Federal Government would ever mandate when people are supposed to sleep.

I mean, how would you do such a thing? How can you tell people when to sleep and when to be awake? You can tell them how many hours they need to rest, you can determine how many hours they can drive before they have to take a break, but how exactly are you going to enforce when people sleep? That is going a step too far. So that is why I signed on with Senator Collins to say: Wait a minute, there has to be a better way.

When they told me--which I could not believe and later found it to be true--they said: Senator, don't you think that sometimes it is better for truckdrivers to drive at night when the highways are less crowded than during the day when they are more crowded, when children are on their way to school, when people are on their way to work, when most people have day jobs?

But there are millions of Americans who work at night. It is probably two-thirds who work during the day and one-third at night.

Wouldn't it be safer for the trucks to drive at night? Some of these truckdrivers can sleep during the day.

I said: Absolutely. That makes sense to me.

They said: Well, that is soon going to be illegal under these rules.

So that is why I got into this debate.

I am very respectful of Senator Booker, one of the outstanding, brightest lights that has hit this Chamber in a long time. His intellect is spectacular. His heart is in the right place. He and I both agree that we want our highways safe. We want the truckers rested. We don't like the crowding on the highways. But it is going too far when

the Federal Government starts mandating when workers should sleep. We just can't go there.

So I am going to support Senator Collins' legislation that is going to back up these no-commonsense rules and ask them to come back with another suggestion that will result in the same safety but not mandate when Americans should sleep. I think adults who drive trucks can make those decisions for themselves.

If the law is that they have to rest 8 or 9 hours in a 24-hour period, I think they are responsible enough to do so. If they are not, then they should be held accountable and prosecuted for reckless driving--which happens frequently--and they should then be appropriately punished, whether by fine or revocation of their license or jail time. But I cannot be part of any government that is making regulations demanding that people sleep a certain hour--not from midnight to 4, not from 2:00 to 7:00, but from 1:00 to 5:00 on consecutive nights a week. I just don't understand it, and I am not going to support it.

So this is not about safety; this is about government overreach to a point where it is almost visceral. There has to be a better way to come up with a rule to get our highways safe. I am open to it. Not this rule.

I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.