Floor Statements

Madam President, later today Congress will award the Congressional Gold Medal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a remarkably courageous woman whose cause I have taken a particular interest in over the years.

Suu Kyi's story is so powerful it is almost hard to believe it is all true.

Her father Aung San, the architect of Burmese independence, was assassinated when she was a toddler. She lived in India for a time, worked at the U.N. here in the United States, and eventually married and settled into a happy and comfortable life with her professor husband and two boys in Oxford, England.

That quiet, suburban life changed forever one night in the spring of 1988. She got a phone call that her mother had fallen ill back in Burma. She left to take care of her the following day and arrived to find a revolution already underway.

As her father's daughter, Suu Kyi was regarded as a natural fit to fill the role.

Years earlier, Suu Kyi had a premonition that her people might need her one day, so much so that when her husband proposed marriage, she agreed, but on the one condition that if her people ever needed her, she could go. He agreed without hesitation. More than two decades later, he made good on his pledge.

With Suu Kyi under house arrest in Burma, her husband fell ill with cancer back in England. She knew she would be allowed to leave, but she also knew she wouldn't be allowed to return to Burma once she did. So with her husband's support, Suu Kyi made the difficult decision to stay. For nearly two decades--two decades--she remained under house arrest in her mother's old home on University Avenue on the shores of Inya Lake.

Over the years, I have followed Suu Kyi closely and I have done what I could to advance her cause. Along with Senator Feinstein, I have worked to get the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act enacted every year since 2003 as a way of pressuring the regime to reform itself. My colleague Senator McCain has been active on this issue and has had the opportunity to visit with her several times.

If not for the quiet determination and simple confidence of this remarkable women, democratic reforms might have seemed a lost cause under the Burmese junta. But in November 2010, we were all encouraged when Suu Kyi was finally released from house arrest. And since then we have seen other hopeful signs.

I was allowed the privilege of actually traveling to Burma earlier this year to meet with Suu Kyi and discuss some of the reforms we have seen. On April 1, Suu Kyi won a seat in the Burmese Parliament. We cannot be sure that the progress we have seen in Burma will last, but we are cautiously optimistic.

It is a great privilege to be able to honor this woman who has done so much for the Burmese people and for the cause of democratic reform and human rights around the world. I am also honored that Suu Kyi has graciously agreed to speak about her incredible journey and the cause of democratic reform and human rights at

the University of Louisville next Monday. I know the students and the larger community there are all looking forward to her visit.

But for now, this is a truly special day here at the Capitol. It has been a long time coming. We are honored to have this hero with us today and delighted to award her our Nation's highest civilian honor.

Madam President, I yield the floor.

Reservation Of Leader Time

Mr. President, I come to the floor to report to my colleagues some sad news. A brave Kentucky law-enforcement officer has fallen in the line of duty. Officer Mark A. Taulbee of the Hodgenville, KY, police department was killed on Sunday, September 16, when his police vehicle crashed during the pursuit of a suspect.

Officer Taulbee had been with the Hodgenville Police Department for 13 months. Prior to that, he had been a deputy with the Butler County Sheriff's Department for 3 years. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and two children, Audra and Austin.

Officer Taulbee upheld a great tradition of service and sacrifice that is observed by the many men and women in local, State, and national law enforcement across America. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude for putting their lives on the line to protect us and our communities.

Tragically, Officer Taulbee is the first and only Hodgenville police officer ever lost in the performance of his duty. Across America, 84 law enforcement officers have fallen in the line of duty in 2012. That includes two from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, out of a total of approximately 7,800 sworn law enforcement officers statewide.

I know my Senate colleagues will join me in sending my deepest sympathies to Officer Taulbee's family and his colleagues at the Hodgenville Police Department. We have the deepest admiration and respect for police officers in every community across America.

We recognize theirs is both an honorable job and a dangerous one. They bravely risk their lives for ours, and America appreciates everything they do. We cannot be grateful enough for them and their families.

Mr. President, a recent article appeared on the Web site of television news station WAVE-3 of Louisville paying tribute to Officer Taulbee and noting the loss felt by his fellow officers. I ask unanimous consent that said article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to mourn the loss of a good man, an honored Kentuckian, and a dear friend. Mr. George Washington Griffin passed away on December 19, 2011, from complications of pneumonia at the age of 85. He is deeply missed by all those who knew and loved him.

George--known to his friends as G.W.--was a fixture of the Laurel County community and a leader in the region and the Commonwealth. A co- owner and former chairman emeritus of the Laurel Grocery Company, G.W. served on the National American Wholesale Grocers Board of Governors for two terms beginning in 1967. He was elected president of the Kentucky Wholesale Grocers Association in 1979, and the Kentucky Grocers Association/Kentucky Association of Convenience Stores honored Mr. Griffin as Kentucky Grocer of the Year in 1986.

When George retired from the grocery industry in 1997, he left the Laurel Grocery Company well positioned for success in the 21st century. Fellow members of the grocers industry across Kentucky honored G.W. as one of the original three inductees into the Kentucky Grocers Hall of Fame in 2005.

G.W. was born in East Bernstadt, KY, in 1926. He attended the Kentucky Military Institute, Wake Forest University, and the University of Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was decorated with the Victory Medal, the American Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal, and the Philippine Liberations Ribbon.

G.W. was also very involved with the Cumberland Valley National Bank, Institutional Distributors, and played a

role in the formation of Appalachian Computer Services in London. He also had a hand in Laurel Insurance Company and worked in the printing industry. In his spare time, G.W. loved UK athletics, rarely missing a home game.

G.W. was a close personal friend to me and a strong support of mine going back to 1984. I will always be thankful for his belief in me and his help over the decades. It was a pleasure to see him every time I made my way to London. I will miss our friendship.

Elaine and my prayers go to G.W.'s family, including his wife Elizabeth; his daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Hal McCoy; his son and daughter-in-law, George William and Becky; his son and daughter-in-law, Winston and Shannon; his sister, Margaret Fouts; his five grandchildren; and many other friends and family members. G.W. was preceded in death by his parents, George W. Sr. and Willie Lee, and his brother William.

Mr. President, I ask my U.S. Senate colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of Mr. George Washington ``G.W.'' Griffin and extending sympathies to the Griffin family. Kentucky is poorer for his loss.

An obituary detailing Mr. Griffin's incredible life appeared in the Laurel County-area publication the Sentinel Echo. I ask unanimous consent that said article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, this Monday, September 17, our Nation celebrated one of our greatest founding documents the document that has guided the discourse of our great Nation for 225 years. Every September 17, we celebrate Constitution Day.

Americans of all walks of life are united by the ideals of equal justice, limited government, and the rule of law. It was the vision and determination of the Founders who wrote and signed the Constitution that makes our celebration today possible.

More than two centuries ago, the Founders met in Philadelphia to create a constitution that would preserve liberty and foster freedom. They established three separate branches of government and a system of checks and balances among them. Ours is still the oldest written Constitution in use in the world.

The most important purpose of Constitution Day is to teach these lessons to the younger generations. I am pleased to say that the Kentucky Department of Education has made resources available to secondary schools across the Commonwealth to help them recognize this special day.

The University of Kentucky marked Constitution Day by inviting speakers and holding historical forums. And at the University of Louisville, Constitution Day was celebrated with a constitution quiz bowl and constitution cupcakes.

So on this day, we recognize the students, teachers, and community leaders in Kentucky and across the Nation who promote and protect the ideals of our glorious Constitution.

We also say a special thanks for our men and women in uniform who defend it.

More than two centuries ago, the 39 signers of our Constitution gave us a more perfect union through a document that endures and guides us here today.

They understood, as we all must, that above all, government serves to secure the blessings of liberty for the people of our great Nation. It is an honor to stand on this floor and recognize how we have reaped the fruit of their efforts these many years later.

Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a Kentuckian who was a coach, athletic director, and teacher to many and a confidant and good friend to even more. Kentucky mourns the passing of Mr. George John Smith of London, KY, who passed away on August 17 of this year at the age of 59.

Known as G.J. to his many players, friends, and fellow baseball fans, Mr. Smith was a Laurel County native born in 1953. He began his coaching career at Laurel County High School in 1977. When he stepped down from that position 26 years later, he was ranked among the winningest high school baseball coaches in Kentucky with over 600 victories.

G.J. was also the athletic director at South Laurel and the Laurel County Board of Education. He was inducted into the Laurel County Sports Hall of Fame and the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was also a member of Mt. Zion Church of Christ.

In college, G.J. played basketball at the University of Kentucky under coach Adolph Rupp. He is survived by his wife Judy; two sons, Cameron and Trey; a sister and brother-in-law, Charlie Jean and Terry Mack; and many other beloved family members and friends.

I ask my U.S. Senate colleagues to join me in extending sympathies to the family of G.J. Smith as well as his many friends and players. As the home of Pee Wee Reese and the Louisville Slugger, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has certainly contributed more than its share to America's greatest pastime. I am pleased the legacy of G.J. Smith will be remembered as a part of the Bluegrass State's baseball history as well.

Mr. President, an article describing G.J. Smith's life of achievement recently appeared in the Whitley County-area publication the Times Tribune. I ask unanimous consent that said article be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I stand before you today to pay tribute to a woman who has spent a significant amount of her life working to inform and entertain local communities in eastern Kentucky through the television station WYMT. After 20-plus years and a plethora of job titles within the company, Ms. Ernestine Cornett retired from her position as general manager in May of 2012 with as much passion and joy in her heart as when she first began.

In the mid-1980s, Ernestine, her husband, and their daughter relocated from the city of Lexington to Perry County. It was here that the admirable works produced by Cornett began. Responding to an ad in the newspaper began the journey of this extensive television-business career. I have great respect for Ernestine as she started at the bottom, worked hard, and eventually progressed to the top of the hierarchical ladder.

Ambitiously, she pressed through to accomplish great things, not only for eastern Kentucky but also for the television company in which she was employed. Working for WYMT television station, Ernestine knew that her friends and family would be adequately updated with weather and news announcements, as well as sports and other forms of entertainment. The television station matured and displayed ample signs of success while Ernestine was aboard with the company.

Her motivation in life was to make sure that eastern Kentucky was knowledgeable and well-informed. Finally, after 27 years of working, Ernestine Cornett retired in order to enjoy time with family and the next phase of her life. Ernestine trusts that WYMT will continue to prosper and the team members will carry on with her same passion.

The Hazard Herald recently published an article about the accomplishments of Ms. Ernestine Cornett, and I would ask unanimous consent that said article be printed in the Record following my remarks.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to an honored Kentuckian and a man of great accomplishment who proudly served our country. Mr. Martin Dock Scott, Jr. of Bowling Green, KY, passed away Wednesday, September 5, 2012, due to cancer. He was 65 years old.

I have great appreciation for Mr. Scott, as he lived such a remarkable life. After graduation from Menifee County High School, Mr. Scott served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1970. He served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade. Thus far is evidence enough that Mr. Scott lived a worthy life, yet he continued onward, and so the list of his service and accomplishment also continues.

While in the military, Mr. Scott served in Chu Lai, Vietnam, and operated out of LZ Stinson and other landing zones. Needless to say, Mr. Scott put his life on the line for this country. In July 1970, Mr. Scott was honorably discharged.

Among his many military decorations, he earned two Bronze Stars. The first, with ``V'' Device, was awarded to Mr. Scott in February 1970 for expressing heroism under combined ground and mortar attack while his platoon was providing security for Dai Loc hamlet. The second medal was received in April 1970 for ``meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against a hostile force.''

Mr. Scott graduated from Eastern Kentucky University, married ViAnn Ford in November 1969, and started a family. I want to convey my deepest condolences to the many family members and friends who knew and were loved by Martin Dock Scott, Jr.

I would ask my U.S. Senate colleagues to join me in commemorating his commitment to service and in extending sympathies to the Scott family. The Commonwealth of Kentucky will be proud to remember the life and deeds of Mr. Martin Dock Scott, Jr.

Mr. President, an obituary for Mr. Scott as provided by the family recently appeared in local newspapers. I ask unanimous consent that said obituary be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, the attacks this week on our diplomats, our installations, and diplomatic security personnel have reminded all of us of the service of these brave Americans--the service they render to our country every single day, from the deadly attacks on a U.S. diplomatic station in Benghazi, to the attack on our embassy in Cairo, and now another attack on another embassy last night in Yemen; four Americans are dead; our flag is being desecrated. This is a moment for Americans to show our closest allies in the Middle East that we stand with them unequivocally. No mixed signals. Neither Israel nor any of our allies should ever have any reason to doubt that resolve.

I am encouraged that Turkey has condemned the violence in Benghazi.

There is absolutely no justification for what happened in Cairo, Benghazi, or Yemen. None. We must do everything within our power to protect our representatives overseas and hunt down those responsible for these attacks.

There were warnings yesterday that other attacks on other embassies may be imminent. This is a gravely serious moment. But America does not shrink from the defense of its core values or its interests overseas. We must project strength.

The unrest in the Middle East--in Libya, Egypt, and especially the Sinai, Yemen, and Syria--presents a profound and formidable challenge to our interests, in addition to the U.S. Central Command, and to our allies. None of our Nation's enemies--al-Qaida, other violent extremists, Hezbollah, and especially Iran--should view this moment as a window of American vulnerability. Now is the moment to send a clear signal to longstanding allies such as Israel that they can rely on our support. And every member of our armed services, diplomatic corps, and intelligence community should know they have our support and gratitude in the challenging days that lie ahead.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, anyone who happened to be watching the Senate floor a little earlier today got a taste of why, in the midst of a national job crisis, Americans are still in danger of being slammed by one of the biggest tax hikes in history; why the U.S. military is today at risk of cuts that would devastate national security; and why there is now a very good chance another major ratings agency will downgrade our Nation's credit.

There is a reason all these things may actually happen, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the Republicans:

The Nation is at risk of an entirely avoidable economic calamity because the President of the United States and the Democrats who control the Senate would rather spend their time picking apart Paul Ryan and his budget plan--which the House has already passed--than producing one of their own. They would rather sit on the sidelines and hope people focus on the other guy's attempts to solve our most pressing domestic problems than bother to do anything about them themselves. This has been the Democratic M.O. for 2 long years, and it is a disgrace.

Later today the House will pass a 6-month continuing resolution to fund the government beyond the end of the month. Why? Well, because Democrats refuse to do the basic work of government. The Democratic Senate hasn't passed a budget in more than 3 years. This year they haven't passed a single appropriations bill. For 2 years Democrats have done nothing--nothing but cast blame.

The law says Democrats have to pass a budget. A simple majority can pass a budget. The law has been ignored. The President proposed a budget of his own. They have opposed that one as well.

The Nation is just 3\1/2\ months away from going off a fiscal cliff, and they actually seem to welcome it because their overriding goal isn't to help the American people find work, it isn't to get a handle on the debt, it isn't to give small businesses a boost, it is to make government even bigger than it already is. And they are perfectly willing to let the country plunge into an even deeper economic mess to ensure they get the bigger government they want. That is how extreme Washington Democrats have become.

They are on an ideological crusade. They spent the first 2 years of this Presidency putting their policies in place, and when they lost their big majorities in Congress they decided to sit on their hands rather than change their approach, as all of these challenges built and built and built.

For 2 years this President got absolutely everything he wanted legislatively. Aided by giant majorities in both Houses of Congress and goaded on by a chief of staff who told him to brush aside any pleas for bipartisanship, he spent 2 years putting into

place the big government agenda he and his liberal allies had dreamed of--an agenda so extreme that their biggest challenge was making sure Members of their own party didn't defect.

The results of those efforts are clear for all to see. Unemployment has been above 8 percent for 43 straight months. Growth is an anemic 1.5 percent, the slowest recovery since the Great Depression. The Federal debt is a stratospheric $16 trillion. A full 15 percent of Americans are now on food stamps. The Census Bureau said just yesterday that household incomes have declined every year of the Obama administration, and one out of six Americans is living in poverty. And the labor participation rate--the percentage of those who can work who are actually working--is at its lowest point in decades.

If we count people who have given up looking for work, unemployment is above 11 percent, not the 8 percent we read about. These are the grim realities of the Obama economy. And make no mistake, the framework for it was laid in 2009 and 2010.

So, yes, President Obama and Governor Romney have different philosophies on how to lead America back to prosperity. But the biggest difference is this: One of them has had 4 years to implement his vision, and it should be obvious to everyone it has been a total failure. It has failed to lift us out of a jobs crisis. It has helped prevent the type of recovery we all know is entirely possible. Yet all we get from the President or from Democrats in Congress is feel-good rhetoric, attacks on Republicans who are actually working to solve our problems, and political show votes that are deliberately designed to fail.

Blame the other guy and maybe people will not notice your own refusal to lead or the implications of your own vision. Because, make no mistake, in order to fund the government this President wants, there would be no choice but to go after the very middle class he claims to be fighting for.

That is the dirty little secret behind the President's vision for America. That is the math he didn't mention in Charlotte, and that is the real story about what has been going on around here for 2 long years. The President and Democrats in Congress laid the foundation for the economy we are in right now. They were so sure it would work that the President said if it didn't, he wouldn't deserve reelection. Well, it didn't.

So for the last 2 years Republicans in Congress have done everything we could to convince the President to go in a different direction, to change course. He didn't. He doubled down on the same failed policies, and when he wasn't able to get them through Congress, he blamed Republicans for the consequences. Well, blaming us for the results of his policies is almost as ridiculous as concluding that the vision behind them will be any more successful over the next 4 years than it has been over the last 4 years.

It is time for Democrats, from the President on down, to stop blaming others and to start leading. Our problems are too serious and our challenge is too urgent to wait another day to act.

Tribute to James Billington

Mr. President, tomorrow the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Jim Billington, will mark 25 years on the job, and so I would like to just say a few words of congratulations in honor of his service.

Dr. Billington has enjoyed a distinguished career. He is a Rhodes Scholar, earned his doctorate from Oxford, served in the Army, and taught history at Harvard and Princeton. He is a renowned author and a Russian scholar, advising numerous Members of Congress, administration officials, and even Presidents.

Dr. Billington's tenure at the Library of Congress has been exemplary. His most significant contribution is certainly his vision to bring the Library of Congress into the 21st century by digitalizing its collection. Because of his actions, Dr. Billington has expanded the Library of Congress's reach into thousands of educational institutions and millions of homes here and throughout the world. Under Dr. Billington's leadership, the Library of Congress has strengthened and flourished.

So today we honor and we thank Dr. Jim Billington for an outstanding job leading the Library of Congress for the past 25 years. We wish him continued success and thank him for a lifetime of service to inspiring and educating others.

Dr. Billington, congratulations.

Madam President, we learned yesterday, and are receiving reports this morning, of the attacks against the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. In Benghazi, our Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the service of our Nation. Our thoughts and sympathies today are with the families of these brave Americans.

These attacks remind us of the sacrifices made on a daily basis by foreign service officers, diplomatic security personnel, and our marine security guards. I join my colleagues in strongly condemning the murder of these innocent Americans, and I support employing every available tool at our disposal to ensure the safety of Americans overseas and to hunt down those responsible for these attacks.

Yesterday we commemorated the anniversary of the attacks of September 11, and today we are reminded that brave Americans serve us every day at the risk of their own lives. We honor the Americans we lost in Libya and we will stand united in our response.

Among the things we can agree on in Washington is that the attacks on the United States and its representatives will be met with resolve and that America's presence and defense of our national interests across the globe will not be deterred by the acts of violent extremists.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, in the course of a lifetime, one always remembers those moments of national grief and anxiety. They don't happen very often. From my parents' generation, it was: Where were you when you heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? When I was a young man and my friend the majority leader was a young man, it was: Where were you when you heard about the assassination of President Kennedy? For the current generation, it was, of course: Where were you when you heard about 9/11?

As the majority leader has indicated, it was for us here at the Capitol kind of close up and personal, if you will. I recall being late that morning, and as a result of not yet having gotten to work, I saw, as millions of Americans did, the second plane go into the second building in real time. As the majority leader has indicated, the building was subsequently evacuated. People scattered around town, and at the end of this horrendous and frightening day, we all gathered on the steps of the Capitol to sing ``God Bless America.'' It was one of the most uplifting and unifying moments in the history of our country. I think it is safe to say that we are, as a nation, even though we have our political differences, together and stronger in the wake of what happened.

In what is now a time-honored tradition, later this morning we will gather on the Capitol steps to mark a solemn anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It is fitting that we remember the thousands of innocent men and women who died that morning 11 years ago and that despite our political differences, we remember the unity and resolve we all felt that day. In the days and weeks that followed the horrific attacks on our homeland, we were united by a common grief and outrage. Some wondered what the future would bring, but 11 years later I think I can say that America is stronger than it was on 9/11.

Today we honor the sacrifice of those who died that day and the millions who have stepped forward to defend the Nation in the Armed Forces and intelligence services in the years since, especially those who have given their lives in that service. On 9/11 we showed the world that America does not shrink from a challenge, and every day since courageous men and women have humbled us through their courage and sacrifice on our behalf. Today is the day to show them our deep gratitude and to renew our commitment to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.

Reservation of Leader Time

Mr. President, I would like to start this morning with a word about cyber security. No one doubts the need to strengthen our Nation's cyber security defenses. Open source reporting clearly shows that our defense industrial base, financial sector, and government networks are all under attack by nation states as well as independent hackers. The U.S. Cyber Command, the NSA, and the FBI are working hard to counter these threats. So we all recognize the problem. That is really not the issue. The issue is the manner in which the Democratic leadership has tried to steamroll a bill that would address it.

Members on both sides of the aisle have recommendations for improving our cyber defenses, and some of them thought this bill would provide an opportunity to propose those ideas through amendments, especially since Democrats did not allow for an opportunity to do so in committee. Yet, despite preventing Members from amending the bill in committee, the anticipated open amendment process, once this new bill got to the Senate floor, never happened. It just never happened. Despite being on the bill now for the third day, no Senator from either party has been allowed to vote on any amendment.

Look, this is a big, complicated, far-reaching bill that involves several committees of jurisdiction. Democratic leaders have not allowed any of those committees to improve the bill or even vote on it. Frankly, I was a little surprised the majority leader decided to file cloture and end debate before it even started. An issue of this importance deserves serious consideration and open debate. Instead, the majority

leader waited until the last week before August to even take it up. Rather than give this issue the time and attention it deserves, Democratic leaders brought it up with only 3 days left before recess and then tried to jam something through without any chance for amendment.

The few days the bill was on the floor, the majority limited its consideration to debate only and then filled the tree and filed cloture. But, of course, that is kind of par for the course around here. This is the 65th time the majority leader has filled the amendment tree and filed cloture--the 65th time. Just to give a point of comparison, the last 6 party leaders did it 40 times combined. The last 6 party leaders did it 40 times combined. So the majority leader has set a historic pace for blocking amendments. No amendments in committee, no amendments on the floor--take it or leave it. That is the story of the Senate under the current leadership.

The notion that we should just roll over and wave through these bills without having a chance to improve them and that Democratic Senators would be willing to be rolled in such a way is ridiculous, especially on a bill of this significance. I remind my Democratic friends, none of you were able to offer or have a vote on your amendments. By filing cloture and filling the tree, your amendments were blocked as well. The senior Senator from Missouri authored three amendments and cosponsored three others. None of those will get votes if cloture is invoked. The senior Senator from Arkansas has two amendments and cosponsored another. None of those will get votes if cloture is invoked. The senior Senator from Louisiana has authored two amendments and cosponsored one more. None of those will get votes if cloture is invoked. As of this morning, 29 Democratic Senators have filed 74 amendments, not counting the ones used to fill the tree. That is a lot of amendments. They will not get any votes. I may not support all of these amendments. In fact, I am sure there are many I will probably oppose. But that doesn't mean the Senators who proposed them should not be entitled to have a chance to make their case.

Instead of just being rubberstamps for the majority leader, I encourage these Senators to stand up for themselves and their constituents and demand to be heard. After all, the majority leader himself said earlier this year that given the complex nature of this subject, it was essential to have a thorough and open amendment process and even committed to ensuring it.

Let me read what the majority leader committed to on this bill in February of this year. The majority leader said:

Given the complexity and significance of the legislation,

it is essential that we have a thorough and open debate on

the Senate floor, including consideration of amendments to

perfect the legislation, insert additional provisions where

the majority of the Senate supports them, and remove

provisions if such support does not exist. For that reason, I

have committed to my colleagues that we will have an

amendment process that will be fair and reasonable . . . this

legislation will have been subject to as fair, thorough, and

open a process as is conceivable.

That was the majority leader in February of this year.

There is widespread agreement that a cyber security bill should eventually pass. We need to improve information sharing between the private and public sectors. And there is a clear indication that we will need to responsibly debate this matter in the very near future. If cloture is not invoked today, I suggest we work in a bipartisan fashion to complete the bill, and I suggest that the next time we take it up, we allow the Senate to be the Senate. Let Senators have their proposals considered on the floor, especially if the Democratic leadership is not going to allow them to be considered in committee.

Mr. President, on another matter----

I yield to the Senator from Arizona for a question.

Yes, I say to my friend from Arizona, he is entirely correct. A vote not to finish the bill today is a vote to actually have amendments and an opportunity to modify the bill, as we all know is necessary, including my friend the majority leader, who indicated as much back in February.

I know the majority leader is on his feet and wants to discuss the matter further. I know he may have time commitments, but I do as well. I have two other issues I wish to address, and then I will be happy to yield the floor.

The Economy

Two years ago tomorrow, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner declared in a now-infamous New York Times op-ed entitled ``Welcome to the Recovery'' that because of the actions taken by the Obama administration during its first 1\1/2\ years, the U.S. economy was, as he put it, ``on the road to recovery.'' I think it is pretty obvious that the Treasury Secretary jumped the gun on that one. Far from putting us on a path to recovery, it is now obvious that President Obama's policies have made a bad situation worse.

Secretary Geithner was right to say that the President's policies were having an effect on the economy. He was clearly wrong to conclude that they were anything approaching a lasting, positive effect on the economy. On the contrary, we can see that the policies of the President's first 2 years in office put us decidedly on the wrong path.

Two years after Secretary Geithner's op-ed, 23 million Americans are either unemployed, underemployed, or have given up looking for work altogether. Half of the college graduates cannot find a decent job, and with little or no income, many have decided to move back home with mom and dad. Two years after Secretary Geithner all but declared victory, GDP growth is still at an anemic 1.5 percent. Foreclosures are still quite common. More Americans than ever are on food stamps. Two years after Secretary Geithner welcomed Americans to the recovery, more Americans are signing up for disability than are finding jobs. More Americans are signing up for disability than are finding jobs. All of this after the President and a Democrat-led Congress passed his major policy initiatives.

In the face of all these things, you would think the administration would change course, go in a different direction. After all, if it claimed credit then for what it thought was a recovery, it would have to claim credit for what we actually see, now--not exactly apparent.

As it turns out, the administration is happy to claim credit when it thinks things are going well but even happier to cast blame when it thinks things are not going well. So 2 years after touting the impact the President's policies were having on our economy, the administration now acts as though they have been irrelevant. They act as though an additional $5 trillion in debt isn't affecting people's anxiety about the Nation's future. They act as though a $1 trillion health care bill that hammers the private sector isn't affecting business activity.

They act as though the President's perpetual threats to raise taxes aren't impacting investment. They act as though somehow the President's attacks on free enterprise aren't putting a chill on risk-taking. They act as though a barrage of new regulations isn't keeping businesses from hiring and expanding. They say it is Bush's fault, it is headwinds from Europe, it is the Tsunami, and it is the Republicans.

The President can't have it both ways. He can't be responsible for the economy when he thinks it is going well and disavow responsibility when it clearly isn't. He is either responsible for it or he isn't.

The Treasury Secretary had it right 2 years ago when he said: The President's policies have had a big impact on the economy. What he got wrong

was the fact that the impact was actually negative. If we were to ask ourselves whether Americans are better off now than they were 2 years ago, the answer would be obvious. The President's policies have clearly made it harder for Americans to find jobs and to keep those jobs.

If the President wants to cast blame for the economic mess we are in, he should look no further than his own policies. If he is more concerned about the future of the country than his own reelection, he would work with us to go in a different direction. For 3\1/2\ years, Republicans stood ready to work with him on the kind of policies that would empower the private sector to lift us out of this recovery once and for all. Comprehensive tax reform, an all-of-the-above energy policy, eliminating burdensome regulations, these are the kinds of things we can do together. We are ready whenever he is.

Finally, on one other subject, and I apologize to my friend the majority leader for delaying him further.

Tribute to Carl Kaelin

Mr. President, I wish to congratulate my old friend Carl Kaelin of Leitchfield, KY. Carl was recently appointed national inspector general of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States at the national convention in Nevada. Carl is the first Kentuckian to become VFW's national inspector general, one of the highest positions in that organization.

Carl has a long history of serving his country, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, his community and veterans across the State and, indeed, the Nation. He served in the U.S. Army as a crew chief of an OV-1 Mowhawk aircraft in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. Upon his return in 1969, he joined VFW Post 1170 in Middletown, KY, becoming a VFW life member.

Carl has served the VFW in a number of positions over the years, including as post and district commander and, at the age of 33, as Kentucky's youngest State commander.

In these capacities and on the VFW National Council of Administration, Carl worked tirelessly on behalf of America's heroes, our Nation's veterans. In addition to his selfless work with the VFW, Carl has also been active with Kentucky's Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations and served as mayor and city councilman of the city of Lynnview, KY.

Over the years, I have had the great fortune of working with Carl on a number of issues to ensure our Nation's veterans receive the care and the benefits they deserve.

I congratulate Carl Kaelin and his wife Linda on his new position and thank him for his military service and tireless dedication to our Nation's veterans. I also thank him for his friendship over the years.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to applaud Senate passage of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. The measure extends for another year the import ban with regard to Burma.

I would like to clarify two issues that have prompted some confusion regarding this legislation.

First, the measure we are passing renews import sanctions for 1 year and 1 year only. I emphasize this point because it has been misreported that this bill renews sanctions for 3 years. That is not accurate; the bill renews them only for 1.

Second, enactment of this bill does not overturn the easing of investment and financial sanctions that the administration unveiled earlier this year. In fact, this year's bill, as in years past, provides authority for the administration to waive the import sanctions should it determine that certain conditions have been met. Before deciding whether to waive import sanctions, I would strongly urge the administration not only to consider the changes occurring within Burma but also to consult closely with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy.

This year's legislation comes at a time of historic changes on the ground in Burma. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, long a political prisoner in the country, is now a member of Parliament. The National League for Democracy, once a banned organization, now actively participates in the political life of Burma.

For these reasons, the administration has taken a number of actions to acknowledge the impressive reforms that President Thein Sein and his government have instituted. The United States has responded by sending an ambassador to Burma for the first time in two decades. The administration also largely waived the investment ban and financial restrictions, permitting U.S. businesses to begin investing again in Burma.

For my part, I want to see investment in the ``new'' Burma. I want to see Burmese reformers empowered accordingly, and I want to see greater economic development come to this underdeveloped country. And, frankly, during challenging economic times here at home, I want American businesses to be able to compete in Burma now that sanctions have been removed by other Western governments.

That said, high standards for accountability in American business operations in Burma are important going forward. This seems particularly acute with regard to transactions involving Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. I would urge U.S. businesses to show the Burmese people and the world the positive effects that American investment prompts. I am confident that, as they do elsewhere around the world, U.S. enterprises in Burma will set the standard for ethical and transparent business practices and lead the way for others to follow.

I would be remiss if I did not note the significant challenges in Burma that lie ahead. Ongoing violence in Kachin State and sectarian tensions in Arakan State reflect the long-term challenge of national reconciliation. Hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars. The constitution still has a number of undemocratic elements. And the regime's relationship with North Korea, especially when it comes to arms sales with Pyongyang, remains an issue of grave concern.

Even with these challenges, however, I am greatly encouraged by the progress that has been made over the past year and a half in Burma. My colleagues and I in the Senate will continue to monitor developments in the country with great interest and with hope for the future.

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

Mr. President, earlier this week, the majority leader and a number of his colleagues took to the floor to defend the President's health care law and to tout provisions they believed to be popular with the public. What they didn't do was allow a vote on the entirety of the bill, which proves to be even more of a disaster with each passing day and which the majority of Americans continue to vigorously oppose.

Put another way, Senate Democrats spent nearly an entire day talking about parts--parts--of ObamaCare that polled well but refused to spend 15 minutes being caught on camera voting to uphold the entire law. What are they afraid of? Why will they not allow a vote?

When the health care bill was working its way through Congress, you will recall, former Speaker of the House Pelosi famously said: We need to pass the bill to find out what is in it. Now that we have had some time to study its consequences, I can't think of any reason why Senators wouldn't want to stand and be counted with a vote on the floor either for or against repeal.

Does ObamaCare get a passing grade or not? That is all I asked for on Tuesday, a vote to either reaffirm or repudiate the votes we all took on ObamaCare based on everything we know about it now that we didn't know back then.

It has been clear, in my view, that the Democratic health care law is making things worse and should be repealed in full. A week doesn't seem to pass that we don't learn about some problem this law creates or doesn't solve.

There is a headline in the Wall Street Journal today: ``Small Firms See Pain in Health Law.'' And just yesterday we learned it will increase Federal spending and subsidies on health care by $580 billion, which means even after you count the more than $700 billion it takes out of Medicare, it still increases Federal health spending and subsidies by more than one-half of $1 trillion.

So let's have a vote. Let's have a vote: Is ObamaCare making things better or worse? Let's show the American people where we stand. It is what the American people want. It is a vote they deserve.

When my friends on the other side are represented on the floor, I will ask consent for a vote that would follow the completion of cyber security, so I will defer on asking that consent until the majority leader or one of his representatives comes to the floor.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I would say to my friend, the majority leader, I have already made some comments about why I will be propounding the consent agreement I now propound with him here on the floor.

I ask unanimous consent that immediately following the disposition of the pending cyber security bill, but no later than September 28, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 451, H.R. 6079, an act to repeal the President's health care bill or the so-called ObamaCare; further, that there be 1 hour of debate on the bill, no amendments be in order to the measure, and following that debate the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to the vote on passage, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to an honored Kentuckian and a man of great accomplishment who leaves behind a towering legacy of service with his passing. Mr. Philip Pendleton Ardery of Louisville, KY, passed away on July 26, 2012, at his home. He was 98 years old.

Mr. Ardery's life story reads like a well-written novel of action, suspense, and drama or several novels, given how much living he packed into his 98 years. A war hero, philanthropist, author, public servant, and committed flag bearer of New Deal liberalism, he made such a profound impact on my hometown of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and our Nation that I feel compelled to come to the floor and say a few words about his passing.

I have great admiration and respect for Phil and his remarkable life. That may surprise some, given that he and I did not have a lot in common with respect to our political or ideological views. I am certain that much of what I have done in my career in public life did not please him one bit. Having said that, every American, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, has to recognize the extent of Philip Ardery's commitment to service. Service was the watchword of his life, be it service to State, Nation, or those less well off than himself.

Phil was born in 1914 in Lexington, KY, the son of William Breckinridge and Julia Hoge Spencer Ardery. Later in life, he moved to a farm on the Paris-Lexington Pike. His youth in Bourbon County forever left an imprint on him, and he loved to share his love for the area with others.

Phil graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Kentucky in 1935 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1938. Also in his Harvard Law class was Phil's boyhood friend from Bourbon County, Edward F. Prichard, Jr.

After law school, Phil joined the Army Air Corps, and during World War II he became a B-24 squadron commander. Phil flew a full combat tour of 25 missions, dropping bombs on Norway, Austria, Crete, Italy, France, Belgium, and Holland. He then volunteered for one more mission on D-day and commanded a division of about 200 pilots. For his bravery in uniform, Phil was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the French Croix de Guerre. He later wrote a book about his war exploits, called ``Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II.''

While still training as a pilot in Texas, Phil met the woman who would become his wife, Anne Stuyvesant Tweedy. Together they had four children. They married on December 6, 1941, the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After the war, Phil practiced law with a focus on representing the electric cooperatives bringing power and lights to rural Kentucky. A loyalist of Franklin D. Roosevelt's, he would remain committed to the ideals of New Deal liberalism for the rest of his life. He ran for office a few times, including in the Democratic primary for a Senate seat in 1946 and in the general election for the House of Representatives seat from Kentucky's Third District in 1956. He lost both those races, but did win a race for Jefferson County Fiscal Court in 1958.

Meanwhile, Phil's longtime friend and Harvard Law School classmate Edward F. Prichard, Jr., was having quite the political career in President Roosevelt's administration. Known in Kentucky as ``the boy wonder,'' it was a near certainty that Prichard would run for Governor or Senator someday, and almost surely win.

But a dramatic twist that would ruin the two men's friendship caused that not to be. Prichard came to Phil and confessed to him that he had participated in a crime. Phil took Prichard to Phil's father, who was a Bourbon County circuit judge at the time, to relate his story. This chain of events eventually led to Prichard's conviction of stuffing the ballot box in the State's 1946 election. He was sentenced to 2 years in Federal prison.

In yet another book Phil wrote, a memoir titled ``Heroes and Horses: Tales of the Bluegrass,'' Phil wrote that it was not Edward's crime in and of itself that created the rift between the two friends, but his public denial of wrongdoing. ``That put [him] in the position of making my father appear to be a liar,'' Phil wrote. ``So Prich and I had to be enemies.''

This story does, however, have a happy ending. Although friction remained between the Ardery and Prichard families, in 1976, Prichard finally admitted his guilt in a newspaper interview. In 1984, Ardery reached out to his old friend, who was by then blind due to diabetes. Phil paid the expenses for the two men to visit Harvard for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of their former law professor, Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter.

After watching a friend's son struggle with schizophrenia, Phil helped found what has become Wellspring, a network of 19 facilities that provides housing and rehabilitation to people with severe and persistent mental illness. Wellspring has helped more than 6,000 people over its 30 years in existence, thanks in large part to millions of dollars raised by Phil.

Phil also helped found the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, a national mental health research group that has awarded roughly $300 million in grants to scientists around the world in the past 25 years.

Phil served as the first commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard, and led it during the Korean War in England, where he served as a NATO wing base station commander. He retired with the rank of major general in 1965. As a pilot in London, he met and befriended famous names like Edward R. Murrow and T.S. Eliot.

Phil's many philanthropic activities also include service as director and president of the Frazier Rehab Center, as a director of the Jewish Hospital Health Care Systems, and as a member of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, the Kentucky Humanities Council, and the executive committee of the Kentucky Historical Society. He was the chairman of the American Heart Association and the Kentucky Heart Association.

I know several members of the Ardery family well, and I want to convey my and Elaine's deepest condolences to all those who knew and loved Philip Ardery. We are particularly thinking today of his wife, Anne; his son and daughter-in-law Joseph and Anne; his son and daughter-in-law Philip and Cecilia; his daughter and son-in-law Julia and William; several grandchildren; and many other beloved family members and friends. Phil was preceded in death by his son Peter.

As I hope I have made clear, Philip Ardery packed an amazing amount of success and accomplishment in his long and rich life. We can be grateful that such a devoted public servant was granted so much life on this Earth to do his good works. There is no doubt that thousands of people--from the rural Kentuckian who needed electricity, to the beneficiaries of his charitable work, to the many whose lives were saved thanks to his service in uniform--have reason to be thankful for Mr. Ardery.

I would ask my Senate colleagues to join me in commemorating his commitment to service and in extending sympathies to the Ardery family. The Commonwealth of Kentucky will be proud to remember the life and deeds of Mr. Philip Pendleton Ardery.

Mr. President, today I rise in memory of Janie Catron of Corbin, KY. Elaine and I mourn the passing of our dear friend Janie, who served as my field representative in eastern Kentucky for many years when I was first elected to the Senate. She was a great friend and she will be missed. Elaine and I send our condolences to Janie's family and to all those who knew her.

Born on July 2, 1940, in Eubank, KY, to Jesse and Pauline Griffin, Janie was a registered nurse by trade. She was ordained in the Sacred Order of Deacons with the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington and began serving as Chaplain of St. Agnes House. She also was my eastern Kentucky field representative for 10 years.

Always interested in politics, Janie was active her whole life in civic service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In 1977, she was named the Fifth District governor of the Kentucky Federation of Empowered Women. She, besides aiding me in eastern Kentucky, was active in the State central committee and even became secretary of the committee. In recognition of her dedication to Kentucky and the Republican Party, in 1995, she was inducted into the Fifth District Lincoln Hall of Fame, which honors Kentuckians who have committed to promoting the values of the Republican Party.

Yet, Janie's legacy is greater than her career and political recognitions. As a pastor, she will be remembered as a woman who aided those around her and helped improve their lives. As a mother, she will be remembered as a selfless woman who always loved her children. As a friend, I will forever admire how hard she worked for the people she loved and the causes in which she believed.

Today, I ask my colleagues in the Senate to join me in extending condolences to Janie Catron's children, family, and friends. The Times Tribune, a publication from Whitley County, KY, published an obituary that highlighted Janie's life achievements. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that said article appear in the Record.