Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 133, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 9 a.m., Thursday, March 29; that on Thursday, following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that the Senate then resume consideration of H.R. 1591, as provided for under a previous order.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, if I could just clarify for all of us, could you tell us what the current unanimous consent agreement has in it?

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, if I could just clarify, is it amendment No. 690?

Then we would not object.

Amendment No. 690

Madam President, I thank the Senator from Oregon for offering this amendment.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Salazar be allowed to speak for 3 minutes on the pending amendment, and that Senator McCain, who has been waiting, follow Senator Salazar with his comments.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that following the Senator from Arizona, the Senator from Virginia be recognized for 7 minutes.

Madam President, under the previous unanimous consent agreement, at 3:45 we will return to the Cochran amendment. I ask unanimous consent that the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Webb, proceed for up to 8 minutes and that the time remaining until 3:45 be allocated to the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Graham.

If the Senator would hold and let us take a quick look at that. Perhaps Senator Graham could go ahead and use his time. We will talk, and then when Senator Graham is done, before we begin the debate on the Cochran amendment, we can work with the Senator on an agreement on those amendments.

I object at this time, and I will work with the Senator to work out those amendments.

Mr. President, under the previous consent agreement, for the information of all Senators, we are now going to the debate on the Cochran amendment; is that correct?

I yield 12 minutes to the Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd.

Mr. President, I yield 10 minutes to the Senator from Nebraska, Mr. Hagel.

Mr. President, I yield the Senator 60 seconds.

How much time remains on both sides?

Mr. President, I yield myself 2\1/2\ minutes.

We need to change course in Iraq. That is why I support the supplemental bill now before the Senate and oppose the Cochran amendment that is pending. This underlying bill finally sets a new direction for our mission in Iraq. It begins to redeploy our troops, and it helps us refocus our efforts on fighting and winning the war on terror.

Mr. President, our troops have done everything we have asked them to do. Now it is time to start bringing them

home. It is time for the Iraqi people and for the Iraqi Government to take responsibility for their own country. We should not be sending more and more Americans into the middle of a civil war. The conflict in Iraq is not going to be solved by military force alone. It is going to require a political solution among Iraqis. So this underlying bill sets benchmarks for the Iraqi Government on the types of progress that we all agree they ought to be making. They should not be stricken from this by the Cochran amendment.

The President wants to commit more American servicemembers to an open-ended conflict. This bill recognizes that we need a new strategy. We need to do what the Iraqi Study Group and what many generals and what the American people have called for. We need to redeploy our troops. The bill says a redeployment should begin within 120 days, and it sets the goal of having most U.S. forces out of Iraq by next March.

Importantly, this bill helps us take care of those who are injured fighting for our country. It is time we focused our attention on those men and women who have sacrificed so much, who have come home and have endured the hardship we have seen at Walter Reed and other facilities across this country. We need to make sure they get the resources they need, and this bill does that.

I am pleased to support the underlying bill. I oppose the Cochran amendment, and I support this bill because it sets a new direction for our policy in Iraq and it provides important new support for our servicemembers and veterans who are here at home.

I retain the remainder of our time.

Mr. President, I say to the Senator from Virginia, I would have to object at this time. We are happy to work with the Senator during the vote to deal with the modification.

How much time remains on both sides?

I yield 3 minutes to the Senator from Illinois.

Mr. President, I will not object if we can add an equal amount of time to the majority side.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now go into morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for 10 minutes on each side.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Coburn be recognized for up to 1 hour.

Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a great contributor to the State of Washington and to the national science and education communities. Dr. Len Peters recently stepped down as the Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. Fortunately, Dr. Peters has agreed to remain in Richland, working for Battelle Memorial Institute to help promote and build education and community projects.

PNNL, a DOE national laboratory, experienced tremendous growth during Dr. Peters' tenure. The lab added 330 new members to its world-class staff, enabling the facility to better serve the Nation in the areas of renewable energy, national security, and environmental research. Dr. Peters led the staff in enhancing relationships with a number of research universities in the region, continuing his commitment to quality public-private relationships in the interest of furthering math and science education.

Dr. Peters came to PNNL in 2003, after serving as the vice provost for research at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to guiding Virginia Tech's ambitious research portfolio, he served as acting vice president for research and graduate studies at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Peters spent nearly 20 years in the classroom, educating our next generation of scientists. He is a distinguished scholar and a leader in the field of atmospheric chemistry.

In his new role at Battelle, Dr. Peters will continue to serve Washington State through community outreach programs. His work to expand higher education opportunities in the Tri-Cities, as well as his leadership on the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center Board are examples of his strong commitment to building a better community, region and State.

I thank Dr. Len Peters for his guidance and commitment to PNNL over the past 3\1/2\ years. For the people of Washington State and the entire Pacific Northwest region, I thank Dr. Peters for his continued service to our community and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Fay Peng, a detailee with the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Gary Reese of the Appropriations Committee staff be granted floor privileges during consideration of H.R. 1591, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Jeremy Weirich, a detailee to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, be granted floor access for the duration of the Senate debate on the 2007 emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to Morning Business with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be authorized to hold a Roundtable Discussion during the session of the Senate on Monday, March 26, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the Roundtable is to discuss the progress of the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme and to receive information on lessons learned for policymakers who want to better understand how a market-based trading program could operate efficiently and effectively in the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, March 26, 2007, at 2 p.m., to receive a briefing on the reorganization of the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law be authorized to meet on Monday, March 26, 2007, at 3 p.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Legal Options to Stop Human Trafficking,'' in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Grace Chung Becker, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC; Katherine Kaufka, Supervising Attorney, Counter-Trafficking Services Program, National Immigrant Justice Center, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, Chicago, IL; Martina E. Vandenberg, Attorney, Jenner & Block, Washington, DC; and Holly J. Burkhalter, Vice President, International Justice Mission, Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia be authorized to meet on Monday, March 26, 2007, at 2:30 p.m., for a hearing entitled, Understanding the Realities of REAL ID: A Review of Efforts to Secure Drivers' Licenses and Identification Cards.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, today Senator SESSIONS and I are pleased to introduce the Striving Readers Act. This bipartisan bill will help America's middle and high school students gain the literacy skills they need to succeed in school and graduate ready for college and the workplace.

I want to thank Senator Sessions for his work on this issue and for shining a light on his State's success in raising literacy achievement. I also want to thank our original cosponsors Senators Akaka, Bingaman, Dodd, Kerry, Lincoln, Burr, Cochran, Domenici, and Lott for partnering with us. Finally, I offer thanks to our staff, Kathryn Young and Liz Stillwell, who have worked on this bill, and the Alliance for Excellent Education, the International Reading Association, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals for their work.

Our bill addresses a serious problem. Today 8 million middle and high school

students across the Nation cannot read well enough to succeed in school. This contributes to their likelihood to disengage and drop out. Those that do graduate too often falter when they begin college or work and then need remediation.

All around the country educators and stakeholders are working to improve literacy, and this bill gives us a way to support their efforts. We know that literacy is at the base of every academic subject, and it is crucial to student academic success.

Our bill will engage and reinvigorate those students on the brink of failure. The Striving Readers Act constitutes a comprehensive effort to give States, districts, and schools the resources they need to ensure every student reads and writes well enough to succeed. It would provide grants to every State to develop State literacy initiatives that guide and support districts and schools to improve reading and writing. It would provide grants to districts and schools to assist students who are below grade level and to train teachers in core subjects in literacy strategies for all students. It would also provide new information on what works for struggling readers by conducting evaluations of programs.

This bill could not come at a more important time. In Washington State, 66 percent of 8th graders read below ``Proficient'' on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. These students, who are at the bottom in terms of achievement, are more likely to drop out than those at the top. Among this group, minority students' scores are of particular concern. Seventy-three percent of Washington State's African-American students and 85 percent of Hispanic students read below the ``Proficient'' level. These students are falling behind, and they need our support.

I'm pleased to report that my State has made great efforts to remedy the problem of low literacy levels. My State launched the Washington State Reading Initiative in 2003 to provide support to struggling readers in every grade, including middle and high school. Since then, our K-12 Reading Model has attracted national attention as a systematic reform model. Our program includes statewide training for teachers to identify and provide intervention for students at all grade levels. My State trains teachers in all subjects to teach reading strategies to students. And my State provides guidance to teachers and administrators for applying best practices in classrooms. But they should not have to continue these efforts alone.

The challenges we face in Washington are not unique; every State struggles with adolescent literacy. Nationally 71 percent of 8th graders and 65 percent of 12th graders read below grade level. It should not surprise us, then, that only 34 percent of American teenagers graduate with the skills they need to do well in college or in the workforce.

If we are to remain globally competitive, Congress must authorize and fund a significant adolescent literacy investment for every State. The Striving Readers Act would fulfill this need. As a country, we currently only substantially support reading initiatives through the third grade. International comparisons of reading performance placed American 11th graders close to the bottom, behind students from the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and other developing nations. The Striving Readers Act will help support these middle and high schoolers and help our Nation raise its literacy levels to compete in a global market.

Students are not the only ones who pay the price for low literacy achievement. With every student who falls behind, our economy suffers. The National Center for Education Statistics found that 53 percent of undergraduates require remediation. One-half of these students required a remedial writing course, and 35 percent took remedial reading. That means community colleges spend $1.4 billion every year catching kids up to where they should have been when they graduated. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy reports that America's businesses and colleges are spending $16.6 billion each year to teach graduates what they should have learned in middle and high school. This is a costly consequence of failing to intervene in a timely manner. We must not continue to make this mistake at the expense of students' futures.

The good news is that research shows we can help struggling students make progress. For example, research shows that adolescents with lagging literacy skills can master college material if they receive high quality literacy instruction in school. In fact, a recent study by ACT found that students with better literacy skills in high school do better in their math, science, and social studies courses--both in high school and in college. Better literacy is the foundation for improving student achievement in all subjects, lowering dropout rates, and ensuring students do well when they go on to college or the workforce. The Striving Readers bill provides a path for this.

Specifically, the Striving Readers bill would: Help States create statewide literacy initiatives, share data on student progress to parents and the public, and improve teacher training and professional development in literacy so that all students receive high quality instruction.

Help districts and schools create plans to improve literacy, including targeted interventions for students way below grade level, top notch assessments for all students, training for teachers in every subject to incorporate literacy strategies, and regular data to improve teaching and learning.

Allow districts and schools to hire and place literacy coaches, train parents to support the literacy development of their child, or connect learning inside the classroom with learning that takes place outside the classroom.

Ensure States, districts, and schools participate in a rigorous evaluation that demonstrates student progress.

Require the Federal Government to complete an overall evaluation of the program to determine its impact on the Nation's middle and high schools.

The Striving Readers Act comprises a necessary and urgent investment in adolescent students. We created the Reading First program to strengthen students' reading skills in the elementary grades. While I do have major concerns with the implementation of this program, the intent of the law and the commitment to elementary reading skills is undoubtedly positive. But with reading proficiency stagnating after 4th grade, it is clear that we need a significant investment in the higher grades as well. In crafting the Striving Readers bill, we took steps to correct and guard against implementation concerns, and I believe that this bill will provide the critical resources, training, and evaluation to implement high quality adolescent literacy initiatives around the country.

I introduced the PASS Act, first in 2003, and in subsequent legislation, to take a comprehensive approach to improving student achievement in our Nation's high schools, including use of literacy and math coaches, as well as research-based support for high schools with the most need. The Striving Readers Act will complement this and allow States and schools to effectively address the literacy needs of adolescents in 4th grade and up.

Now is the time to invest in literacy for older students and make their success a reality. This issue cannot wait any longer. I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will join Senator Sessions and me in supporting the Striving Readers Act. And I hope we will authorize Striving Readers as part of No Child Left Behind so that children in every State have the reading skills they need to succeed in school, college, and the workplace.

Mr. President, today Senator SESSIONS and I are pleased to introduce the Striving Readers Act. This bipartisan bill will help America's middle and high school students gain the literacy skills they need to succeed in school and graduate ready for college and the workplace.

I want to thank Senator Sessions for his work on this issue and for shining a light on his State's success in raising literacy achievement. I also want to thank our original cosponsors Senators Akaka, Bingaman, Dodd, Kerry, Lincoln, Burr, Cochran, Domenici, and Lott for partnering with us. Finally, I offer thanks to our staff, Kathryn Young and Liz Stillwell, who have worked on this bill, and the Alliance for Excellent Education, the International Reading Association, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals for their work.

Our bill addresses a serious problem. Today 8 million middle and high school

students across the Nation cannot read well enough to succeed in school. This contributes to their likelihood to disengage and drop out. Those that do graduate too often falter when they begin college or work and then need remediation.

All around the country educators and stakeholders are working to improve literacy, and this bill gives us a way to support their efforts. We know that literacy is at the base of every academic subject, and it is crucial to student academic success.

Our bill will engage and reinvigorate those students on the brink of failure. The Striving Readers Act constitutes a comprehensive effort to give States, districts, and schools the resources they need to ensure every student reads and writes well enough to succeed. It would provide grants to every State to develop State literacy initiatives that guide and support districts and schools to improve reading and writing. It would provide grants to districts and schools to assist students who are below grade level and to train teachers in core subjects in literacy strategies for all students. It would also provide new information on what works for struggling readers by conducting evaluations of programs.

This bill could not come at a more important time. In Washington State, 66 percent of 8th graders read below ``Proficient'' on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. These students, who are at the bottom in terms of achievement, are more likely to drop out than those at the top. Among this group, minority students' scores are of particular concern. Seventy-three percent of Washington State's African-American students and 85 percent of Hispanic students read below the ``Proficient'' level. These students are falling behind, and they need our support.

I'm pleased to report that my State has made great efforts to remedy the problem of low literacy levels. My State launched the Washington State Reading Initiative in 2003 to provide support to struggling readers in every grade, including middle and high school. Since then, our K-12 Reading Model has attracted national attention as a systematic reform model. Our program includes statewide training for teachers to identify and provide intervention for students at all grade levels. My State trains teachers in all subjects to teach reading strategies to students. And my State provides guidance to teachers and administrators for applying best practices in classrooms. But they should not have to continue these efforts alone.

The challenges we face in Washington are not unique; every State struggles with adolescent literacy. Nationally 71 percent of 8th graders and 65 percent of 12th graders read below grade level. It should not surprise us, then, that only 34 percent of American teenagers graduate with the skills they need to do well in college or in the workforce.

If we are to remain globally competitive, Congress must authorize and fund a significant adolescent literacy investment for every State. The Striving Readers Act would fulfill this need. As a country, we currently only substantially support reading initiatives through the third grade. International comparisons of reading performance placed American 11th graders close to the bottom, behind students from the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and other developing nations. The Striving Readers Act will help support these middle and high schoolers and help our Nation raise its literacy levels to compete in a global market.

Students are not the only ones who pay the price for low literacy achievement. With every student who falls behind, our economy suffers. The National Center for Education Statistics found that 53 percent of undergraduates require remediation. One-half of these students required a remedial writing course, and 35 percent took remedial reading. That means community colleges spend $1.4 billion every year catching kids up to where they should have been when they graduated. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy reports that America's businesses and colleges are spending $16.6 billion each year to teach graduates what they should have learned in middle and high school. This is a costly consequence of failing to intervene in a timely manner. We must not continue to make this mistake at the expense of students' futures.

The good news is that research shows we can help struggling students make progress. For example, research shows that adolescents with lagging literacy skills can master college material if they receive high quality literacy instruction in school. In fact, a recent study by ACT found that students with better literacy skills in high school do better in their math, science, and social studies courses--both in high school and in college. Better literacy is the foundation for improving student achievement in all subjects, lowering dropout rates, and ensuring students do well when they go on to college or the workforce. The Striving Readers bill provides a path for this.

Specifically, the Striving Readers bill would: Help States create statewide literacy initiatives, share data on student progress to parents and the public, and improve teacher training and professional development in literacy so that all students receive high quality instruction.

Help districts and schools create plans to improve literacy, including targeted interventions for students way below grade level, top notch assessments for all students, training for teachers in every subject to incorporate literacy strategies, and regular data to improve teaching and learning.

Allow districts and schools to hire and place literacy coaches, train parents to support the literacy development of their child, or connect learning inside the classroom with learning that takes place outside the classroom.

Ensure States, districts, and schools participate in a rigorous evaluation that demonstrates student progress.

Require the Federal Government to complete an overall evaluation of the program to determine its impact on the Nation's middle and high schools.

The Striving Readers Act comprises a necessary and urgent investment in adolescent students. We created the Reading First program to strengthen students' reading skills in the elementary grades. While I do have major concerns with the implementation of this program, the intent of the law and the commitment to elementary reading skills is undoubtedly positive. But with reading proficiency stagnating after 4th grade, it is clear that we need a significant investment in the higher grades as well. In crafting the Striving Readers bill, we took steps to correct and guard against implementation concerns, and I believe that this bill will provide the critical resources, training, and evaluation to implement high quality adolescent literacy initiatives around the country.

I introduced the PASS Act, first in 2003, and in subsequent legislation, to take a comprehensive approach to improving student achievement in our Nation's high schools, including use of literacy and math coaches, as well as research-based support for high schools with the most need. The Striving Readers Act will complement this and allow States and schools to effectively address the literacy needs of adolescents in 4th grade and up.

Now is the time to invest in literacy for older students and make their success a reality. This issue cannot wait any longer. I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will join Senator Sessions and me in supporting the Striving Readers Act. And I hope we will authorize Striving Readers as part of No Child Left Behind so that children in every State have the reading skills they need to succeed in school, college, and the workplace.

Madam President, I rise to support the Baucus amendment as opposed to the Cornyn amendment. I am thrilled this budget before us addresses health care in a responsible way in the amendment from this side. We provide up to $50 billion for this critical Children's Health Insurance Program over the next 15 years that will allow eligible children, who are not today enrolled, to be able to get the coverage they so necessarily need, and it is a critical step.

I commend the authors on this side and Senator Conrad for his tremendous work on that amendment. I rise also to thank Senator Conrad for his tremendous leadership in finally bringing us a budget that redirects the priorities of America's working families. Our families across the country want us to focus on strengthening our country from within. That starts by investing at home in our schools, as Senator Kennedy talked about, and in our infrastructure, and in our communities. That is exactly what this budget does. It still provides every dollar the President asked for for Defense spending over the next 5 years.

Americans want us to make investments in our future in a responsible way. Every family knows the importance of fiscal discipline and the importance of keeping a balanced budget. They expect the Federal Government to share that responsibility. With this budget, we are restoring an important pay-as-you-go rule that means we are being responsible today, and we are not burdening our grandchildren with new debt tomorrow.

American families, we know, also need relief from taxes that are too much today squeezing the middle class, and the budget Senator Conrad has put forward provides relief from the alternative minimum tax for 2 years and avoids any tax increases. I commend him for his responsible approach.

With this budget, we are proving we can invest in our people and our communities and our security without sacrificing the future. It is important to note, as we debate the budget today, that it reflects a new direction for our country. I recall last November when the American people demanded a change, and this budget reflects that call. It says across this country that we will no longer see our veterans shortchanged on their medical care; we will no longer see our communities facing very painful cuts in housing; we will no longer have our ports having gaping security holes they have faced for too long; no longer will our schools be so underfunded; no longer will community health care be undermined continuously at the Federal level; and importantly, no longer will we keep forcing more debt onto our children and grandchildren, without a plan to bring this budget back into balance.

On this side, we have said for a number of years there is a better way, and this budget proves that. I recognize, as we all do, we cannot fund everything everybody wants. No budget can. But this budget, I believe, moves us in the right direction in a responsible way, and that is a dramatic new start for this Senate. Last year, we were struggling to protect critical needs. This year, we are investing in them.

I wish to highlight some of the national priorities in this budget. We know the Bush administration has not adequately funded veterans health care. Now, as we begin the fifth year of this war this week, that becomes more and more evident across the country--whether it is our veterans, who have been struggling to get mental health care, or are waiting in long lines for benefit claims, or a lack of focus on the signature issue of this war, traumatic brain injury, that we have seen highlighted in the press over the last several weeks, or seeing that veterans are shortchanged at medical facilities, as we saw with Walter Reed.

This budget we are presenting to America increases our support for veterans by $3.5 billion over the President's proposal. In fact, the total $43.1 billion we are now investing in veterans' care represents a full 98 percent of the independent budget. That is the budget that has been devised by our veterans service organizations that, as we all know, clearly have proven to be fairly accurate in what they have told us they needed over the last years.

Our budget also, importantly, rejects the President's proposal that would have imposed new fees and higher drug copayments on some of our veterans. Those fees would force more than 100,000 of our veterans to leave the VA health care system, and that was wrongheaded.

I have seen personally the detrimental effects of underfunding veterans health care. As everybody knows, I have fought very hard on this floor to fix the administration's funding blunders and had to work hard here to increase veterans funding by $3 billion in 2005 and 2006. By increasing funding for veterans, this budget finally does what the administration has failed to do, and that is recognize the service and sacrifice of those men and women who have paid the price of this war.

We heard Senator Kennedy a few minutes ago make a strong statement on education. This budget begins to invest here at home in our schools. We have seen years of painful cuts. After that time, we have produced a budget today that addresses the needs of American families who worry so much about finding and affording educational opportunities for their children. This budget provides the largest increase in funding for elementary and secondary education programs in 5 years. That is going to make a real difference for families across this country. We increase funding for the Department of

Education by $6.1 billion above the President's budget and restore all of the painful cuts he proposed--in Perkins grants, Pell grants, Head Start, No Child Left Behind, and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Those are not just names of programs; those are real children who are impacted by the lack of funding we have seen, and this budget restores that.

I can tell my colleagues that as a former educator and a parent, I know the importance of having the full partnership of the Federal Government in supporting our children and our students. I am so glad this budget strengthens the partnership and eliminates harmful cuts.

I also wish to mention the important investment in this budget in securing our ports. Last year, I worked with other Senators on both sides of the aisle to pass the Safe Ports Act. Unfortunately, even with the passage of that authorization, the President didn't adequately fund this vital program for the security of our country. We, in this budget, increased funding for the Safe Ports Act and provided $400 million for the Port Security Grant Program. That funding means more radiation detectors, more partners in safe trade, and more customs officials who are needed in order to facilitate our trade.

I am very proud that this budget takes real steps, concrete steps to improve port security, while also making sure we maintain and improve our trade efficiency.

Finally, I give my personal thanks to Senator Conrad and his staff for their tireless work in leading the fight on this budget. It has been a privilege to stand at his side on the Budget Committee and to work with him to right this fiscal ship.

This budget, once again, invests in the true priorities of the American people while keeping the needs and aspirations of our future generations in mind. I look forward to passing this budget so we can move forward with the new direction the American people have demanded.

I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, every American needs to have confidence in our system of justice, but in the last few weeks that confidence has, frankly, been deeply shaken. Each day, we get new evidence that the Bush administration injected partisan politics into a process that requires independence, and each day we get more proof this administration has not been telling the truth.

I am here today on this floor to support the bill to restore the Senate's constitutional advise and consent in confirming nominees to serve as U.S. attorneys. I am deeply troubled by the many ways the Bush administration has politicized the administration of justice because it threatens all Americans.

Recently, we learned that the administration's political meddling reached into my own home State of Washington, and it led to the firing of a U.S. attorney who had received an excellent job performance review only months, months before he was fired. When I asked for answers, the Justice Department told me things that were not true. Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty assured me the firing of John McKay was performance related. I didn't believe it at the time, and, unfortunately, the past few weeks have only confirmed my suspicions.

As the facts come out, the administration's untruths are coming to light. First we were told the White House had no role in the firing. Now we learn this whole scheme originated in the White

House. At first we were told the firings were performance related. Now documents have disclosed that the Justice Department was evaluating U.S. attorneys based on their loyalty to the administration. We were also told a significant change in the PATRIOT Act was needed for national security and would not be abused. That also was not true. Every day, this story gets worse and worse and climbs higher up the political ladder. Now we have learned that senior officials in the White House, including the President's former counsel, Harriet Miers, and his top political adviser, Karl Rove, were key players in these firings.

Why should folks at home care if the White House and Justice Department are politicizing the Office of the U.S. Attorney? It matters, and it matters for two reasons.

First, any American can become the subject of a civil or criminal investigation by a U.S. attorney, an investigation that could upend their life or ruin their reputation, destroy their business, and ultimately cause the Government to take their life or their liberty. That is a tremendous amount of power, and we need to make sure the people who wield that power are launching investigations based on the facts and based on the law--not based on political pressure.

Second, after all the ways the Bush administration has undermined the rights and liberties of our citizens, we need to vigorously stand up and fight back whenever new abuses come to light.

I believe we could have gotten the facts sooner if we had gotten straight answers from the Attorney General from the start. Unfortunately, Mr. Gonzales can't seem to get his stories straight. At a press conference last week, he said he didn't know about it, but he is responsible for it. He said mistakes were made, but the firings were appropriate. He said he believes the U.S. attorneys should be independent, but they can be fired for any reason.

Two years ago, I voted against confirming Alberto Gonzales as the Nation's top law enforcement officer. As I said in February of 2005, he ``lacks the independence and honesty to be Attorney General.'' I also said his troubling record would not assure public confidence in the fair administration of justice. I take no joy in saying that my fears have been borne out.

How did we get here? Last year, when Congress updated the PATRIOT Act, a change was inserted at the request of the White House. This change was not debated. It was made without the knowledge of many of us here in the Senate. Today, we know that change to the PATRIOT Act played an important role in this entire scheme. It significantly lowered the difficulty of removing any U.S. attorney and replacing him or her without consulting anybody.

We need to end these abuses. I support the bill that is before the Senate today because it will restore the Senate's role in confirming U.S. attorneys, and it will also restore a critical check on the administration's power.

Traditionally, when there has been a vacancy for a U.S. attorney, the White House has sent a nomination over here to the Senate. Last year, the White House changed that procedure.

I ask unanimous consent for 1 additional minute.

Last year, the White House changed that procedure by slipping a change into the PATRIOT Act reauthorization. With that change, the White House was then able to install interim U.S. attorneys indefinitely without going through the normal Senate approval process.

This bill which is before us now restores the role of the Senate in confirming interim nominees. This legislation will force the White House to work with the Senate and home State Senators. This bill is an important step to protecting the U.S. Attorney's Office from the politicization it has suffered.

I urge my colleagues to take a step forward for justice and pass this critical reform today.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Timothy Williams for his 35 years of service at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This month, he is retiring as director of the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. I want to thank him for his many years of hard work and leadership.

Our country makes a solemn promise to our servicemembers and their families, and every day dedicated VA employees help keep that promise. Director Williams faced many challenges in providing care in the Puget Sound, from increasing caseloads to difficult budgets. Through it all, he approached those challenges with unparalleled respect, understanding, and compassion for our veterans.

Throughout the country, the VA is recognized as providing some of the best health care in the Nation. The VA has led the way in pioneering electronic medical records and critical health research, much of which has been done in Seattle and Tacoma under the direction of Director Williams. On behalf of the constituents I represent, I want to thank Director Williams and all of the dedicated VA employees who have worked so hard to reach those milestones.

Director Williams has been a tireless champion for veterans. Working closely with Veterans Service Organizations, individual veterans, and the congressional delegation, he was always willing to work with people, to listen to their needs, and to sit down and discuss what is possible.

From hosting the VA's Wheelchair Games in 1995, to establishing one of the Nation's best spinal cord injury centers, to renovating the cancer clinic and bringing a Fisher House to the Seattle campus of the VA Puget Sound, Director Williams leaves behind a great legacy of championing the needs of veterans.

Circumstances were never easy for the VA's Puget Sound health care system. Tight budgets forced Tim and his entire staff to do more and more with less and less. As demand for care increased, Director Williams expanded the ability for the VA to treat more veterans. In fact, he oversaw the doubling of the patient care area to meet the demands.

Tim and his staff worked to expand the VA's efforts to treat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan through the Deployment Health Clinic. The clinic focuses on the care of veterans who are experiencing health concerns related to a specific deployment. At the clinic, veterans receive a comprehensive evaluation, benefits counseling, and assistance with compensation and pension claims. Deployment Health Clinic staff will continue to provide veterans with their primary medical care as well as their mental health follow-up.

Today, the VA is facing tremendous challenges. A whole new generation of veterans is entering the system, and many will need care and support for a lifetime. As the VA takes on these new challenges, I know Director Williams will be missed. I hope his legacy lives on throughout the VA's Puget Sound health care system and throughout the VA.

I have said many times that VA staff members are truly our unsung heroes. Director Williams is one of those heroes. Whether attending veterans' gatherings in Port Angeles about efforts to expand VA care on the Peninsula, or working with the difficult issues facing the Walla Walla VA Medical Center, Tim approached his job with integrity, honesty and a dedication to America's veterans.

Director Williams, I wish you all the best in the future, and thank you for your distinguished service.