Floor Statements

Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to and recognize the passing of a remarkable citizen from my home State of Idaho, Dr. Taylor Henry Carr. He served his country as a gunnery officer in the Navy and he served his community as a doctor and philanthropist. He was a prime example of an American father, citizen, and patriot. He was also my uncle, and I am proud to be his nephew. As a doctor, he did much for the families of Idaho Falls, and, as a philanthropist, he did much for the community itself. Idaho Falls will miss him but will continue to benefit from the efforts of all those whom he influenced.

Dr. Carr's accomplishments attest to his contribution to his community and country. He was a Boy Scout and a gunnery officer in the Navy. He was editor of his college newspaper and student body president. He earned an undergraduate degree in pharmacy and a graduate degree in medicine. Over the course of his career, he served in many different roles including director of the Idaho Cancer Society, president of staff at Sacred Heart Hospital, and on the Board of Directors of the ISU Alumni Association.

Dr. Carr's favorite activities included fishing, golfing, skiing, and reading. He was a devoted husband to his wife Betty and a loving father to his seven children. In 2003, the Carr family won the Idaho Falls Arts Council's annual Support of the Arts award for contributions to the Eagle Rock Art Museum, the renovation of the Museum of Idaho, and the Willard Arts Center, the main gallery of which is named after Taylor and Betty Carr.

I remember, when I was young, spending as much time at my Uncle Carr's house as at my own. I learned a lot from him, as did so many others. He always expected you to be and do your best so as to better live up to your potential. Taylor Henry Carr fully lived up to his potential before passing away on April 24, 2009. He was an excellent example of the great citizens produced by my home State and his life is an excellent example for all Americans to follow.

Mr. President, today I join with my colleague, Senator Lincoln, to congratulate the 2008 winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, which recognizes companies that have successfully used flexibility to meet both business and employee goals. Our offices coordinate and lead the Senate Staff Work Group on Workplace Flexibility, now in its 8th month. Since September 2008, our staff and that of at least 16 of our colleagues and as many as four different committees have gathered once a month to hear from research experts and listen to first-hand employer and employee experience on this important issue facing our Nation's workforce and families today. It is our goal to better define the appropriate role of government in this equation, moving from there to achieve bipartisan policies that help and do not frustrate families or hinder businesses. The Sloan Awards are an important component in the national shift toward employment policies that work better for both employers and employees as this Nation faces the reality of dual income households struggling to balance the multiple time commitments of children, disabled or aging family members and their jobs. The Sloan Awards are presented by the When Work Works initiative, which is a project of the Families and Work Institute in partnership with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Twiga Foundation Inc. The When Work Works initiative is sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The companies receiving Sloan Awards are to be commended for their excellence in providing workplace flexibility practices which benefit both employees and employers. Achieving greater flexibility in the workplace, the goal of which is to maximize productivity while attracting the highest quality employees, is a key challenge facing American companies in the 21st century.

Businesses in the following 30 cities were eligible for recognition in the 2008 Sloan Awards: Atlanta, GA; Aurora, CO; Birmingham, AL; Boise, ID; Brockton, MA; Chandler, AZ; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Dayton, OH; Detroit, MI; Durham, NC; Houston, TX; Lexington, KY; Long Beach, CA; Long Island, NY; Louisville, KY; Melbourne-Palm Bay, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Morris County, NJ; Providence, RI; Richmond, VA; Rochester, MN; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; Savannah, GA; Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA; Washington, DC; and Winona, MN. The Chamber of Commerce in each city hosted an interactive business forum to share research on workplace flexibility as an important component of workplace effectiveness. In these same communities, businesses applied and winners were selected for the Sloan Awards through a process that included employees' views as well as employer practices.

Together, we congratulate the 2008 winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.

In Atlanta, GA, the winners are Alston + Bird LLP; BDO Seidman, LLP; Cobb County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Ernst & Young LLP; KPMG LLP; Merrick & Company; North Highland; and Sprint.

In Aurora, CO, the winners are Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Center; Aurora Chamber of Commerce; Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; and Merrick & Company.

In Birmingham, AL, the winners are Allstates Technical Services; AQAF; Barfield, Murphy, Shank, & Smith PC; Concept, Inc.; Deloitte; Ernst & Young LLP; ITAC Solutions; Birmingham Metropolitan YMCA; One Stop Environmental, LLC; Resources Global Professionals; and Sellers, Richardson, Holman & West, LLP.

In Boise, ID, the winners are American Geotechnics; Business Psychology Associates; Children's Home Society of Idaho; Givens Pursley LLP; LeMaster Daniels PLLC; Merrick & Rowley Accounting, LLC; and Trey McIntyre Project.

In Brockton, MA, the winner is KGA, Inc.

In Chandler, AZ, the winners are A & S Realty Specialists; Arizona Interactive Media Group; Arizona Weddings Magazine & Website; BCD Low Voltage Systems; The Chandler Chamber of Commerce; Clifton Gunderson LLP; Dava & Associates, Inc.; Henry & Horne, LLP; IBM; Intel; Johnson Bank; Keats, Connelly & Associates Inc.; MDI; Microchip Technology Inc.; New Horizons Independent Living Center; Omega Legal Systems, Inc.; Point B; Prescott Transit Authority; RIESTER; Salt River Materials Group; Western International University; WhitneyBell Perry Inc.; Wist Office Products; and WorldatWork.

In Charleston, SC, the winners are Booz Allen Hamilton LLP; Community Management Group; KFR Services, Inc.; LS3P Associates LTD.; Noisette Company, LLC; and Scientific Research Corporation.

In Chicago, IL, the winners are AzulaySeiden Law Group; BDO Seidman, LLP; Deloitte; Ernst and Young LLP; Frost, Ruttenberg & Rothblatt, P.C.; IBM--Central Region; KPMG LLP; Microsoft Corporation--Midwest District; National Able Network; Perspectives, Ltd; Plante & Moran, PLLC; Sanchez Daniels & Hoffman LLP; Shakespeare Squared; Teen Living Programs; True Partners Consulting; Turner Construction Company-- Chicago Business Unit; Type A Learning Agency; and Vox, Inc.

In Dallas, TX, the winners are Aguirre Roden, Inc.; Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company; BDO Seidman, LLP; The Beck Group; Community Council of Greater Dallas; Deloitte; Grant Thorton LLP; KPMG LLP; Lee Hecht Harrison; McQueary Henry Bowles Troy, L.L.P.; State Farm Insurance Companies; Symbio Solutions, Inc.; and Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas.

In Dayton, OH, the winners are Barco, Inc.; Deloitte; and LJB Inc.

In Detroit, MI, the winners are Albert Kahn Family of Companies; Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company, The Children's Center of Wayne County; BDO Seidman, LLP; Detroit Regional Chamber; The Farbman Group; Image One; Lee Hecht Harrison; Menlo Innovations; Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration--MIOSHA; Mill Steel Company; and Peckham Inc.

In Durham, NC, the winners are The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants--AICPA; CrossComm, Inc.; Durham's Partnership for Children, a Smart Start Initiative; McKinney; North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company; The Shodor Education Foundation; Skanska USA Building Inc.; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In Houston, TX, the winners are Continental Airlines; Deloitte; El Paso Corporation; Fulbright & Jaworski LLP; Hall Barnum Lucchesi Architects; Klotz Associates, Inc.; KPMG LLP; Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C.--PKF Texas; Rice University; St. Luke's Episcopal Health System; The VIA Group LLC.; University of Phoenix; and Vinson & Elkins

Mr. President, today I would like to honor a fellow Idahoan who served the Idaho legislature, the Idaho, judiciary, the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho and the Idaho State Bar with honor, integrity, and good humor. M. Allyn Dingel, Jr., passed away at his home in Boise, ID, on April 23, 2009 after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Allyn was born in Twin Falls, ID, where he played baseball and was the student body president at Twin Falls High. He attended college at the University of Idaho, and continued to organize spontaneous renditions of the Idaho Vandal fight song, whether asked to or not.

Allyn attended New York University Law School, where he was one of the top students and was a member of the NYU Law Review. Allyn worked for the Idaho Attorney General's Office for 3 years, and then spent more than 40 years in private practice. In his spare time, he served as Chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho, providing extensive legal services pro bono.

Allyn was a trial lawyer, and the courtroom was his stage. His methods were not always conventional. He had his own vocabulary, and a way of communicating that was sometimes humorous, but always believable. Allyn was a lawyer's lawyer. He was a fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. He served as Idaho's representative to the Ninth Circuit Commission, and was Idaho's delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. The Idaho State Bar honored him in 2004 when he was named its Distinguished Lawyer, and in 2008 the Idaho Judiciary named a courtroom in Boise after him.

Allyn was a lobbyist for both the insurance industry and the Idaho judiciary. He was especially effective as a lobbyist because he never forgot a political story or a point of Idaho trivia. As a lobbyist, he was generous with his humor and his story-telling. Shortly before his death, the Idaho legislature honored him with Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 111, which commended him for his lifetime service to the legislative branch of the State of Idaho.

But for all of Allyn Dingel's many accomplishments, he will be remembered most for his great compassion and his ability to find the good in people. It was said that he never forgot, but he always forgave. We can imagine him at the Pearly Gates telling St. Peter some long story about Idaho politics. We just hope those in line behind him were patient as he tried to teach St. Peter the words to the Vandal fight song.

I am honored to reflect on Allyn Dingel's wonderful, exemplary life, and pleased to call him my friend. He was an individual who made the most from the opportunities that presented themselves, and Idaho is better for that. My condolences go out to his family: his beloved wife Fran, his sons and their wives, Bryan and Valencia and Mike and Lori, and his six grandchildren.

Mr. President, I wish first to indicate to the Senator from Louisiana that I agree with her comments. I think the last time I got up to speak on this energy issue she was here on the floor as well. I share her sentiments about the need for us to continue to focus on developing a rational national energy policy for our Nation.

On July 30 last year, I stood before this body to talk about the No. 1 issue in the country to the people at that time: energy. Gasoline prices were over $4 a gallon and surging, and Americans were wondering what their leaders in Washington, DC, were going to do to help. I place tremendous faith in the opinions and ideas of Idahoans. So in early July I asked my constituents to write to me and tell me what they thought we ought to do and to describe to me what the impact of our failure to have a reasonable national energy policy was having on their lives. Then I made a promise that I would submit their stories to the Congressional Record, a process I vowed to continue until all of their stories had been submitted. In total, I received over 1,200 responses from my State, 600 almost overnight. It has taken me nearly 10 months to get all of these stories entered into the Congressional Record due to the requirements of the Congressional Record limitations as to how much can be submitted each day.

Today I submit the last of those stories, and I want to share with you what we have learned. I received touching stories from Idahoans about how they have been negatively impacted by higher energy prices, and the stories indicate that high energy prices had impacted every aspect of their lives. Idahoans had to cut back on family time. Many were unable to visit elderly relatives and had to cut back on family activities together outside of the home such as sports or music lessons. But those were just some of the less serious challenges Idaho families faced. Many had to cut back on their home repairs, their air conditioning, and their contributions to their retirements plans. Many had to make a decision between whether to eat food or to pay for the gasoline they needed to get to their work and keep their job or to purchase needed medications.

I can remember one story of a young mother telling me how she and her husband had started eating much less so that their children could have enough to eat, and they could still have enough gasoline each week to get to work and keep their jobs.

Many of their stories were heart wrenching. Many talked about losing their jobs and being forced to relocate or to make decisions between, as I indicated, purchasing gas or eating their next meal. Many reduced their expenses, cut their luxuries and found ways to economize. But the dramatic increase we experienced last year brought Idaho families, as many in other States, to their knees asking for help.

They offered explanations about what has happened and offered links to various publications and videos they found helpful. They attached photos of their circumstances. They sent legislative resolutions from national, State and local entities to remind us that other legislators around the country were interested in finding solutions to this issue as well. Many of them have spent a lot of time and energy on this subject, researching energy options and sharing their opinions on what they have learned. They offered solutions. My constituents suggested we need more conservation, that we need more domestic drilling. They wanted more public transportation and more nuclear power options. They pushed for additional renewable and alternative energy sources and research.

In short, they came through with the kind of common sense that people all across this country have been sharing with this Congress on the need for energy solutions. They want us to be less dependent on petroleum, and they want us to be less dependent on foreign sources of this petroleum. They want us to have a broad, diverse energy base of renewable and alternative fuels, including strong support for nuclear power. But above all, they were angry at Congress for not dealing with the issue of high energy prices. They couldn't believe the country had been through an energy crisis before but that Congress still has not managed the issue and come up with a solution. Idahoans expressed frustration with partisan politics and the inability to move past the age-old arguments and reach consensus on a comprehensive energy policy. Many said they were grateful I had asked for their thoughts.

I come before the Senate to echo my constituents' comments and concerns about our energy policy and to offer solutions. As I stand before the Senate, we are no closer to a comprehensive energy policy than we were last July. Yet

economic indicators point to a rally in crude oil prices. Oil is now above $58 a barrel and gas prices are the highest they have been in 6 months. We don't need a repeat of last summer. We need to work together to craft a comprehensive energy policy that promotes domestic security and creates American jobs while providing energy at the lowest cost possible to consumers.

The key to the energy future is to take a balanced approach that includes domestic production, conservation, renewables, nuclear, and alternative fuel development.

I would like to conclude my remarks by repeating my constituents' desire for the kind of bipartisanship that can transform this country's energy policy. I welcome the opportunity to work with all my colleagues on this issue. I encourage us not to a get into another energy crisis such as we faced last summer, with Congress having failed to take the important steps it can to help America become energy independent and a strong supplier of its own energy resources.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped following the submissions, those prices are now on the way back up and the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. Today marks the last of the submissions, a process that has taken approximately ten months to complete. But this concern--our national energy policy--is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. These stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Madam President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Madam President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me

through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

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

Madam President, I am coming to the floor to thank Chairman Dodd for working with us on some important pieces of this legislation. Included in this legislation is the increased borrowing authority for both the FDIC and the NCUA, so they can immediately access the necessary resources to resolve failing banks and credit unions and provide timely protection for insured depositors. Earlier this year, Senator Dodd and I joined in introducing legislation that would increase the borrowing authority of the FDIC, and since that time we have expanded that legislation to provide parallel authority for the NCUA, for credit unions, and to include an assumption in the budget resolution about the need to pass legislation to ensure adequate resources are available to the FDIC and the NCUA.

This legislation is similar to what is included in the Dodd-Shelby substitute that was passed by the Banking Committee on a voice vote in an amendment to the credit card legislation we will be looking at later on.

I come to the floor simply to make note of how important it is that we continue to pursue this legislation and to thank Senator Dodd for working so closely with me to make sure it happens. When you look at today's economic climate and the threats facing us in the financial industry, we have to provide the necessary tools to our financial institution regulators so they can protect us as best they can. One important piece--and I am glad to say one of those pieces about which there is very little controversy--is the need to make sure we strengthen the FDIC and NCUA to make sure they can undertake their statutory responsibilities in the context of failing institutions.

I would be remiss if I didn't say I wish to be sure that both the FDIC and NCUA are very careful in the exercise of these authorities, to make sure they do not do more harm than good and harm institutions that could otherwise have survived, by stepping in. But when the true need comes, they need to have the authority.

This language deals with significant reforms that need to be undertaken, and undertaken as soon as possible, so our regional banks do not face very significantly increased levies and requirements for funding the FDIC and NCUA operations.

It would permanently increase the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's borrowing authority from their current level of $30 billion to $100 billion, with additional authority, that is temporary, to allow them to get up to $500 billion in the case of emergency circumstances.

It would permanently increase the borrowing authority of the NCUA from the current $100 million, with authority for a temporary increase up to $30 billion. The temporary authority for both the FDIC and the NCUA could only be used if determined necessary in the FDIC Board of Directors' written recommendation and support of two-thirds vote; the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve system, with written recommendations and support of two-thirds vote; and the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the President.

The FDIC and NCUA need to have access to sufficient resources to deal with the potential costs for seizing failing institutions we are facing in our country right now. Assets in the banking industry have increased since 1991 from $4.5 trillion to $13.6 trillion at the same time that no increases in this borrowing authority have been authorized. The assets in the credit union industry have also significantly increased since their borrowing authority levels were established.

It is important to note that this borrowing authority is not coming from taxpayer dollars. The levies and the assessments that are made on the participants in the financial industry themselves, the depository institutions, are the source of the dollars that would cover this loan authority. I think most people understand, but what happens in the case of a failing institution is the FDIC steps in immediately and protects all depositors so the depositors can have that assurance of the Federal guarantee of their deposits in these depository-protected institutions. Then the FDIC basically works out the resolution of the remaining assets of the failed institution and the banking institution itself. Other depositors, through their assessments, pay for the cost of the operation of this program. We are simply increasing the borrowing authority to make sure the FDIC and the NCUA have the resources necessary to deal with these very difficult and challenging times.

In addition, the borrowing authority would allow the FDIC and the NCUA to lower their recent special assessments that went out to the banking and credit industry. In other words, this would allow us to kind of smooth out that process by which the depository institutions themselves fund this process and not create huge liquidity and financial pressures on the banks that are not facing the potential of any kind of FDIC intervention but which are being looked to to bear the cost of these problems as we move forward.

The language ensures that the FDIC and the NCUA have the resources necessary to address future contingencies and to fulfill the Government's commitment to protect America's depositories.

As I said at the outset, I wish to be sure the NCUA and the FDIC are very careful in the utilization of the authorities we have given them. There are some concerns already being raised about the fact that perhaps the stress test and some of the other analysis that is being put into place and the evaluation of the solvency of our banks need to be fine-tuned so we do not unnecessarily utilize these authorities where a better resolution, better activities can be pursued. But when it does become necessary, we need to be sure our depositors are protected. Once again, I thank Senator Dodd for his strong support and work on this issue.

There is another issue I have been working on with Senator Dodd. I wish to make it clear that the frustration I am going to share right now is not directed at him because he has been working very hard to address this same issue and trying to resolve it. But I do believe it needs to be said that there is another piece of the issue we must resolve.

Earlier, on previous legislation, language was included dealing with depository institutions that gave the FTC much broader jurisdiction than it should have had with regard to depository institutions. The language was intended to give broader jurisdiction and clarification of jurisdiction to the FTC's regulation of other, nondepository institutions, but the way the

wording in the bill was written it included depository institutions-- wrongly.

We identified that issue at the time. We stood on this floor, a number of us Senators stood on this floor and pointed out that was not intended by the bill and that we would correct it. In fact, we said we would correct it at the first available opportunity. Now we are seeing opportunities arrive, and we cannot reach a conclusion with regard to the necessary correction of the legislation that gives unnecessary and confusing dual jurisdiction to the FTC now over depository institutions, which was not intended by this Congress and which will not be helpful, in terms of creating a duplicate regulatory system with which our regulatory institutions must deal.

Again, I stand and call for us to do what we agreed to do, which is to fix the FTC issue and make sure we carefully clarify the jurisdiction of the appropriate committees and the jurisdiction of the appropriate regulators over depository institutions.

I yield the floor.

I thank the Chairman. I look forward to working with him.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard.

Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.

Madam President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed in the Record.