Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, H.R. 976. Reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program, SCHIP, before it expires is critical to ensure health care access for millions of our Nation's children.

My home State of New Mexico has a terrible problem with uninsured children. Recent reports have New Mexico at the bottom in the Nation for coverage of children. In 1997, while I was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, I helped to create SCHIP as part of the Balanced Budget Act. The program has been a success. Over the past decade, SCHIP has helped reduce the number of children without insurance.

The bill we are voting on today is a compromise. In August, both the House and the Senate passed two very different versions of an SCHIP reauthorization. At that time, I came down to the floor and I said I did not like what the House of Representatives was doing. I did not support the massive increases in spending and eligibility proposed by the House and I did not want a reauthorization that included revisions to the Medicare Program. The conference committee listened to these concerns, and I am pleased that the bill before us today closely resembles the SCHIP bill passed by the Senate 68-31 in August.

My comment to children's health care remains firm today. I support the passage of the compromise SCHIP reauthorization. It is a good bill. It provides $35 billion in new resources to provide health coverage for millions more children in working families. It will strengthen outreach and enrollment efforts to make sure that all children who are eligible for the program get the services they need. It also makes improvements to the program by including language on mental health parity and dental health coverage.

Mr. President, I thank the Chair. I believe I have up to 10 minutes, and I yield myself that time.

Mr. President, I have heard my distinguished friend from South Carolina, and have great respect for his thought process, for the way he presents things. Frankly, I do not mind listening to him, so I was here early, and I got to hear what he had to say.

But we have been working on this issue of SCHIP for more than a few months, in fact, for more than a few years. So some come in at the end and have a whole new theory about it, and others, like myself, who happened to be the Budget chairman back a few years ago, when this program was born--and I remember making room for it in a budget resolution so it could be a reserve fund, and we could end up with this amount of money. It kind of lived through 2 or 3 years of getting knocked around and not doing its job, and doing part of it, and as things progressed I ended up supporting a proposal that involved SCHIP.

This Children's Health Insurance Program Act of 2007 is now before us. I indicated my support for it when Senator Chuck Grassley and his cohort, the chairman of the Finance Committee from Montana, were putting together a compromise bill using this money that had been allocated for health care some 3 or 4 years ago. So I supported it as Senator Grassley and others put together a program.

New Mexico has a terrible problem with uninsured children. Nearly 25 percent of the children have no insurance--worst in the country. SCHIP will help this problem, no doubt about it.

The bill we are voting on today--whether my good friend who spoke just before me agrees with the terminology--is a compromise. Many on the other side of the aisle wanted $50 billion to $70 billion more in spending. On my side of the aisle, they wanted much less. Some wanted as low as $5 billion. This bill gave us $35 billion--right down the middle. Whether that means anything, it does to me. It means some people worked very hard to try to get a bill we could support, that would begin to get us somewhere with reference to changing the direction of health care for children who might see light someday. The bill gave us $35 billion, I repeat.

In August, I came to the floor and made a statement. I said I did not like what the House of Representatives was doing. I said I did not support massive increases in spending and eligibility proposed by the House. I made it very clear I did not want a reauthorization that included revisions to the Medicare Program.

Now, I am just one Senator, but it turns out that five or six or seven Republican Senators somehow or other all thought the same way. They were thinking just as I was, that we were not going to let ourselves get used so that this SCHIP was opening a crack in the door, and we did not know what we were talking about, and we would open the door, and we would spend three times what we had in mind.

Well, that was not going to happen. Senator Grassley came around and asked, and I said: $35 billion. That is it. If you put any more in, I am out.

I remember him coming to me and saying: Is that it?

Twice I said: That is it. Don't bother me anymore. I am your friend, but anybody can understand $35 billion is $35 billion. It is not $38 billion. It is not $50 billion. If you want to do any more, go look for somebody else to make your majority.

He said: No, I don't want to do that. I want you. Is that all you will do?

I said: Yes, that is all I will do.

So everything I did is not part of the record, but I am reflecting for the Senate and for those on my side of the aisle who do not understand why I am doing what I am doing and want the President to veto this bill. I do not want him to veto it. I think it is a mistake, and I am saying it right now, and I will say it again.

But I did say I did not want massive increases in spending and eligibility proposed by the House. I did say I did not want a reauthorization that included revisions to the Medicare Program. Clearly, I made that point. I made it not only to Senator Grassley, but I made it to the chairman of the committee, Senator Max Baucus of Montana.

We got to where Senator Baucus would speak to me every 2 or 3 days and report to me what was going on. I was not on the conference. But the reason he did that was he understood if he went to conference and changed that $35 billion, which had become a very important number, he would start losing me.

So I was just as effective as being at the conference, but so were about seven or eight others who were still on board and who still think $35 billion is enough because the cheapest insurance around is insurance to cover children. We all know that. Now, that is not degrading. It is a fact. You can buy more insurance for children per dollar than for any other class of people. That is logical. Children do not get sick as much as old people. They do not get sick as much as middle-aged people. So they are healthy. The insurance is cheap.

Now, the conference committee listened--the one that Senator Grassley and Senator Baucus were part of--they compromised the bill before us, and they did it in a fair way. What was fair? Thirty-five billion dollars--no more, no less--the amount we had agreed to that we said we would help them with. If they wanted to dream about big dreams for this small program--that I remember vividly we started in the Budget Committee, and it languished around. We started it some 4 years ago, or 5. I have not been back as chairman of that committee for quite a while, so it was not done yesterday.

The conference committee, as I said, listened, and they did exactly what Senator Grassley and Senator Baucus had told us would happen. They provided $35 billion in new resources to provide health coverage for millions more children in working families.

Here we get into an argument: Who is working in families and who is not? Well, I understand we could have that argument and extend it beyond 8 o'clock. We could be here until morning. But we are not going to do that. It is established.

It strengthens outreach and enrollment efforts to make sure all children who are eligible for the program get the services they need. That has always been a problem with children. The Presiding Officer knows that. We cover children, and then in 2 years they come back and say: Yes, we covered them, but they did not get covered.

What do you mean?

Well, we did not find them.

Well, how do we find them?

Well, the best way is to wait until they go to the emergency room, and then you find them in the emergency room and you sign them up.

I thought: My, is that the best way we can do it? It turns out it is very difficult, especially among our poor people, to get them to round up their children and come and get them lined up. The best way is if they happen to go to a hospital. You get them then. You don't want them to go to a hospital, but I am telling you what it turns out to be. Maybe it has changed since I last worked on this. Years do go by. But I think what I said is still right.

It also makes improvements to the program such as mental health parity, which I know a little bit about. I am glad this legislation ensures plans that offer mental health services provide benefits that are equivalent to other physician and health services. This is one of the most difficult areas of unfairness for American coverage we have had, and we are making big strides toward resolving it. This bill makes its little contribution to resolving that problem.

The administration has issued a statement indicating the President will veto this legislation. Mr. President, that is a mistake. Maybe you will win; maybe you won't. I guess in the Senate you won't win, Mr. President. Maybe you will win in the House. I don't know. But this will not go away. It is solved. It ought to be done. We ought to go on and look somewhere else if we are going to try to find money to save. Those who think this is a great veto item, I think what I have just explained is, it is not a very good one. We ought to go ahead and take care of some of the children and get on to some other issues.

A majority of my colleagues have said they support this bill. Sixty- nine Members voted for cloture this morning--cloture meaning to cut off debate and get on with the vote.

My commitment to children's health care remains firm today. It remains as firm as when I agreed to the first use of SCHIP money in a new and different, innovative way so its asset value could multiply significantly. I support the passage of the compromise SCHIP reauthorization.

All in all, it is a pretty good bill. I hope it outlasts our debate and is voted on tonight. Then I hope it is not vetoed by the President.

I yield the floor and thank the Presiding Officer for recognizing me.

Mr. President, I want to take a moment to inform the Senate about amendment No. 2981. I greatly appreciate Chairman Levin's and Ranking Member McCain's cooperation in including it in the managers' package.

My amendment to the Defense authorization bill calls for a review of the Department of Energy's strategic plan for advanced computing. This review would be completed by the independent scientific advisory group and assess where the Department is headed in this important area.

The measure focuses attention on the essential role our national laboratories play in advancing the state of the art for high performance computing a vital area for our national security and scientific leadership.

Our laboratories have been instrumental in pressing the limits of raw computing power and creating more sophisticated simulation capabilities.

Since the early days of scientific computing and continuing through the development of today's advanced parallel computing systems, the laboratories pioneered the development of high performance computing and software development. From developing advanced computing architectures and algorithms to effective means for storing and viewing the enormous amounts of data generated by these machines, the laboratories have made high performance computing a reality.

These capabilities have become a requirement for certifying the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing. They also find application far outside laboratory walls.

The Stockpile Stewardship Program was created as the alternative to underground nuclear testing, to ensure that our nuclear weapons systems would remain safe, secure and reliable. Doing so without nuclear testing required significant investments in computer modeling and simulation.

This investment has paid enormous dividends. Every year, computing power increases at a pace set by America's national laboratories. The world's current fastest supercomputer is Lawrence Livermore's ``Blue Gene,'' which recently exceeded 280 ``teraflops'' or trillions of calculations per second. Oak Ridge's ``Jaguar'' system and Sandia National Laboratory's ``Red Storm'' are second and third, each exceeding 100 teraflops.

The applications go well beyond security and basic science. The laboratories have worked hard to transition these capabilities to academia and industry, simulating complex industrial processes and their environmental impact including global climate change.

Collaborations with the private sector have also driven down the cost, so that now high performance does not mean high expense. This has had an enormous impact, making advanced computing within the reach of an ever wider circle of users including the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

At the labs today, not only do these computers run advanced experimental models that give us confidence in our nuclear deterrent, but they also help us decipher the human genome and develop improved medicines. Advanced computing has also helped Sandia engineers understand the safety risks to the Space Shuttle, when the foam from the fuel tank hit and damaged the heat tiles.

We will continue to use advanced computing to support engineering design work to ensure that our bridges and infrastructure are safe, as well as filter massive amounts of data in an effort to predict where terrorists are planning to attack next.

These achievements did not happen by accident. They required planning, commitment and follow through.

Unfortunately, I am concerned that we may be losing this focus and commitment to support long term research on advance computing architectures and continue the search for even greater simulation capabilities. The Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration appear not to have a coordinated strategy for advancing the state-of-the-art in computing and instead propose to actually reduce computing capacity within the laboratory system. I believe this is a mistake.

In the Senate Energy and Water Development appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008, Chairman Dorgan and I have proposed to establish a joint program office for high performance computing led by the NNSA Administrator and the Under Secretary for Science. This office will have the primary responsibility of ensuring a well balanced portfolio of computing platforms for the DOE and the Nation.

The proposed office will develop a high performance computing technology roadmap and acquisition strategy for the DOE. I strongly believe that DOE and NNSA must pool their resources and establish an advanced computing R&D program. A long term, Department-wide strategy is necessary to ensure that the world class simulation capabilities within the complex are maintained and investments are made to drive innovation. If the past success of the program is a predictor, there will be amazing new technological innovations and the cost of computing will fall like a stone. This will ensure that universities, laboratories, U.S. businesses and law enforcement will have the computing capability necessary for their success.

We must continue to raise the bar, giving our best and brightest new targets to aim for, ensuring that America will retain its technical leadership in advanced computing.

I would like to pay tribute to the men and women of Sandia, Los Alamos and Livermore National labs and their private sector counterparts at Cray, IBM, and Intel, and the Department of Energy and the NNSA. These individuals have worked extraordinarily hard to solve complex computing architecture and software challenges. This work has paid off and we must remain committed to future excellence in this field.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a listing of the world's fastest computers be printed in the Record. I would like for my colleagues to note that 8 of the top 10 computers are located at U.S. Department of Energy national labs and universities and this would not be the case except for the investments made by the Department of Energy.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize the Albuquerque Reads program and Pat Dee for the work he has done on this immensely successful program.

Albuquerque Reads has helped thousands of students in the Albuquerque area gain proficiency in reading. Reading can expand a student's imagination and open their minds to new ideas. Reading is the gateway to attaining knowledge. This very basic skill can catapult students into new levels of understanding and give them the tools they need to excel. I have always been an avid reader, which has helped me become what I am today. I never stop learning, and I hope these students never stop either.

It was a pleasure to visit with Pat Dee when I was in New Mexico a few weeks ago. The work he has done with this program has been noticed by many, including the President of the United States. Mr. Dee received a Volunteer Service Award from the President for the many hours he has dedicated to helping students learn to read. He directs over 300 volunteers who help facilitate the program and is looking to expand it with an additional 200 volunteers. Albuquerque Reads places these volunteers in underperforming schools to tutor kindergarteners. With their help, reading proficiency has increased 40 percent.

I want to say thank you to Albuquerque Reads and Pat Dee for all that you have done for students in the area. I wish you much success in the future.

Mr. President, I believe that the passage of this bill is long overdue and I commend Senator Boxer and Senator Inhofe for their efforts to pass this bill.

There are numerous projects in this bill that are important to each state. I would like to take a few moments and highlight what this bill means to New Mexico and our environment.

I would like to point out that the New Mexico related projects in this bill were included, at my request, in the WRDA bill we passed in 2006. So the content in this bill should not be a surprise to any of us and I hope that we can get this bill signed by the President quickly.

One of the most critical New Mexico projects contained in this year's WRDA bill involves New Mexico's Bosque. I have long envisioned the rehabilitation and restoration of the Bosque. In fact, I have introduced legislation in this Congress that would do just that. This bill will allow us to implement this vision that concerns this long neglected treasure of the Southwest.

The Albuquerque metropolitan area is the largest concentration of people in New Mexico. It is also the home to the irreplaceable riparian forest which runs through the heart of the city and surrounding towns that is the Bosque. It is the largest continuous cottonwood forest in the Southwest, and one of the last of its kind in the world.

Unfortunately, mismanagement, neglect, and the effects of upstream development have severely degraded the Bosque. As a result, public access is problematical and crucial habitat for scores of species is threatened.

Yet the Middle Rio Grande Bosque remains one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the Southwest. My goal is to restore the Bosque and create a space that is open and attractive to the public. I want to ensure that this extraordinary corridor of the Southwestern desert is preserved for generations to come--not only for generations of humans, but for the diverse plant and animal species that reside in the Bosque as well.

The rehabilitation of this ecosystem leads to greater protection for threatened and endangered species; it means more migratory birds, healthier habitat for fish, and greater numbers of towering cottonwood trees. This project can increase the quality of life for a city while assuring the health and stability of an entire ecosystem. Where trash is now strewn, paths and trails will run. Where jetty jacks and discarded rubble lie, cottonwoods will grow. The dead trees and underbrush that threaten devastating fire will be replaced by healthy groves of trees. Schoolchildren will be able to study and maybe catch sight of a bald eagle. The chance to help build a dynamic public space like this does not come around often, and I would like to see Congress embrace that chance on this occasion.

Having grown up along the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, the Bosque is something I treasure, and I lament the degradation that has occurred. Because of this, I have been involved in Bosque restoration since 1991, and I commend the efforts of groups like the Bosque Coalition for the work they have done, and will continue to do, along the river.

Another project that is of great importance to New Mexico is the Southwest Valley Flood Control Project. New Mexico is a desert State prone to flash flooding during our monsoon season. In order to protect our cities we must take proactive steps to ensure that communities are prepared in the event of flooding. The Southwest Valley is one such area that is subject to flooding from rainfall runoff. Due to unfavorable topography, flood waters pond in low lying developed areas and cannot drain by gravity flow to the Rio Grande River. This project resolves this problem and calls for the construction of detention basins and a pumping station in Albuquerque for flood control in the Southwest Valley.

This legislation also has a significant impact on our environment. The Rio Grande Environmental Management Program authorizes the Corps to address environmental restoration and management on the Rio Grande and its tributaries through planning, design and construction of habitat rehabilitation and enhancement projects and a long term river data acquisition and management program. This simple provision establishes a continuing authority for addressing environmental restoration and management on the Rio Grande and its tributaries within the state of New Mexico. This project consists of two main components. The first component consists of planning, design and construction of small habitat rehabilitation and enhancement projects and the second component calls for a long term river data acquisition and management program. The impacts that this project will have on New Mexico will be tremendous.

Another program outlined in this year's WRDA bill provides authority to the Corps to study, adopt, and construct emergency streambank and shoreline protection works for protection of public highways and bridges, and other public works, and nonprofit public services such as churches, hospitals, and schools. This program provides authority for the Corps to carry out ecosystem restoration and protection projects if the project will improve environmental quality, is in the public interest, and is cost effective. This is a worthy initiative that will benefit the environment throughout the United States.

I urge my fellow Senators to help further enhance and protect our environment through passage of this legislation. I believe that each State stands to benefit from this bill.

Mr. President, I was unable to cast a vote on Friday, September 21, on amendment No. 2898 to the Defense authorization bill. I have voted against similar measures in the past, and had I been available to vote on Friday, I would have again voted against this attempt to direct a precipitous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

The terms of this amendment would have required U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq within 90 days of the Defense authorization bill's enactment and complete that withdrawal within 9 months. While I understand public frustration with the war, I believe a precipitous and arbitrary withdrawal mandated by Congress is not a wise solution to the situation in Iraq. I cannot support attempts to set an arbitrary deadline for withdrawing our forces from Iraq, which endangers our troops, our safety at home and the overall stability of Iraq and the Middle East.

I believe our military commanders should determine how and when our troops begin leaving Iraq based on conditions on the ground. General Petraeus announced this month that he would be able to begin withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. I believe Congress should rely on the guidance and leadership of General Petraeus and our other commanders on the ground to determine how best to eventually bring our troops home from Iraq.

Mr. President. I would like to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Special Operations Command, USSOCOM.

In 1987, USSOCOM was officially established to create a unified command structure for the special operations forces of all military branches. Since that time, the special operations forces from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have deployed to all parts of the globe and participated in every major American military operation in support of USSOCOM missions.

It is with good reason that the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of USSOCOM are considered the most elite military forces in the world. These individuals complete extremely rigorous training and are called upon to accomplish the most difficult and dangerous missions in our military.

We in New Mexico are excited that USSOCOM's 16th Special Operations Wing will soon be making the move to Cannon Air Force Base. Though we are sad to see the men and women of the 27th Fighter Wing go, we are proud to be the new home of this elite unit.

Since its inception, the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of USSOCOM have served with the utmost distinction. I salute their bravery and dedication to duty, and I hope that New Mexicans will take time to thank the members of USSOCOM who have served and honor the memory of those who have given their lives in our defense.

Mr. President, today I would like to pay tribute to the U.S. Air Force as it commemorates its 60th anniversary, known as ``Heritage to Horizons . . . Commemorating 60 Years of Air and Space Power.'' New Mexico has maintained a long and close relationship with the U.S. Air Force, and I am proud to congratulate the Air Force on its 60th anniversary.

New Mexico is home to Cannon, Holloman, and Kirtland Air Force Bases as well as the former Walker Air Force Base. We in New Mexico are honored and proud that so many Air Force officers and airmen, whose professionalism and dedication are unsurpassed, have called New Mexico home.

The fact that the Air Force is celebrating Air and Space Power is not lost on New Mexico, where work is done in both areas. Holloman will be a premier site of air power when the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing becomes home to the F-22A Raptor, the most advanced fighter in the world. Cannon is also undergoing changes and growth in the air power arena, as Air Force Special Operations Command stands up a new wing at Cannon on October 1. Kirtland continues to grow as home to much space work, including the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicle Directorate and the Operationally Responsive Space Office.

For the last 60 years, America has been protected by the greatest Air Force in the world. I salute the men and women of the Air Force and hope that on the Air Force's 60th anniversary, New Mexicans will take time to thank the officers and airmen who have served and honor the memory of those who have given their lives in our defense.

Mr. President, I wish to recognize Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell for reaching its gold anniversary of 50 years. When the branch was established 50 years ago, founders probably only dreamed it would still be thriving well into the 21st century.

ENMU-R started out as Roswell Community College, only offering night classes 50 years ago. Through the last half century, they have continued to grow and expand into an established branch of Eastern New Mexico University. Most recently, they have opened an expansive housing complex with dormitory rooms as well as apartments for students. The university branch is adding program offerings every year. To date, they offer 70 different certificate and associate degrees. ENMU-R continues to be a great place to learn and experience the college life.

To celebrate the anniversary, the university has planned several events throughout the fall. Events include free concerts, parades, festivals, and even a golf tournament, with the kick off event being a hot air balloon rally held in late August.

I join with ENMU-R in celebrating this momentous milestone. I look forward to at least 50 more years of providing quality education to thousands of students.

Mr. President, I want to start by thanking my colleagues, Senators Kennedy and Enzi, for all of their work and dedication on the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007. We would not be here this evening without them and a whole host of others both in and out of the Senate.

Simply put, our legislation will ensure individuals with a mental illness have parity between mental health coverage and medical and surgical coverage. No longer will people with a mental illness have their mental health coverage treated differently than their coverage for other illnesses. That means parity between the coverage of mental illnesses and other medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

No longer will people be treated differently only because they suffer from a mental illness, and that means 113 million people in group health plans will benefit from our bill. We are here after years of hard work. We have worked with the mental health community and the business and insurance groups to carefully craft a compromise bill.

No longer will a more restrictive standard be applied to mental health coverage and another more lenient standard be applied to medical and surgical coverage. What we are doing is a matter of simple fairness. I believe that becomes even more important when you consider the following: 26 percent of American adults, or nearly 58 million people, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder each year, and 6 percent of those adults suffer from a serious mental illness. More than 30,000 people commit suicide each year in the United States, and 16 percent of all inmates in State and local jails suffer from a mental illness.

I would like to take a minute to talk about what we are doing with the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007. The bill provides mental health parity for about 113 million Americans who work for employers with 50 or more employees, ensures that 98 percent of businesses which provide a mental health benefit do so in a manner that is no more restrictive than the coverage of medical and surgical benefits, and ensures health plans do not place more restrictive conditions on mental health coverage than on medical and surgical coverage. The bill accomplishes this by providing parity for financial requirements like deductibles, copayments, and annual and lifetime limits and parity for treatment limitations, the number of covered hospital days and visits.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their extraordinary efforts that have allowed us to achieve Senate passage of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007.

Mr. President, as someone who has worked to bring a greater understanding of mental illness and to end all forms of discrimination against people who suffer from a mental illness, I am pleased to report that the Senate has passed a monumental mental health parity bill that could bring hope and greater measure of fairness in mental health insurance care coverage to as many as 113 million Americans and nearly 500,000 New Mexicans. This legislation, the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007, builds on the 1996 Mental Health Parity law that I authored with the late Senator Paul Wellstone. It is supported by more than 230 organizations and has been a bipartisan effort from the beginning. I thank Senator Kennedy, the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, for his vision, his leadership and his support for this legislation.

Yes, the senior Senator from Connecticut is correct.

Madam President, today I wish to recognize the Carlsbad Medical Center for reaching its 30th birthday. I had the pleasure of being the keynote speaker during the dedication ceremony in 1977. Since then, the hospital has grown and weathered many changes over the last 30 years.

The medical field has experienced many advances and changes in the past three decades. New technology has brought many new ways of treating patients. Technology has increased the number of patients served and helped to increase test accuracy. The future will bring many more medical advances, and I am certain this facility will be ready for anything that comes its way.

The Carlsbad Medical Center has aged gracefully and along the way has helped thousands of patients in need. It has been an honor to watch this facility and the progress they have made over the last 30 years. I look forward to another 30 years of growth.

Madam President. I would like to take a few moments to remember the Americans who were killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

In the 6 years since terrorists carried out the September 11 attacks, our Nation has not forgotten the innocent Americans who were killed, one of whom was Al Marchand from Alamogordo, NM, a flight attendant on United Airlines flight 175 and one of the first casualties on this horrific day. Neither have we forgotten the heroic policemen and firefighters who lost their lives trying to save fellow Americans or our brave men and women in uniform who have served their country in the war on terror. I do not believe Americans will ever cease to remember the shock and sadness we all felt that day.

September 11 also serves as a reminder that there are many in this world who would harm us and that we must remain vigilant. In the last 6 years we have made great progress in making sure America is secure and I am proud of the contribution many of my fellow citizens from New Mexico have made to strengthen our defenses against terrorist attack. The men and women at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories have worked hard to develop many of the technologies that now help us detect terrorist threats. Many members of the New Mexico National Guard have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the global war on terror as well as many active duty members of the Armed Forces who are stationed in or are from New Mexico. All these service men and women are doing a fantastic job and we should not forget to thank them for their service and the scarifies they have made to keep us safe.

Although the Islamic extremists behind the attacks sought to break our will and erode our freedom, they were unsuccessful on both fronts. Our liberty is dearer to us now, and we are reminded of that each day, as our nation continues the war against terror that these terrorists began 6 years ago.

I hope New Mexicans will take a moment today to reflect on the tragedy of 9/11, the Americans who lost their lives and the loved ones they left behind and pay tribute to the individuals who serve and defend us today.

Mr. President, I had a question of the manager or the ranking member. We have been waiting now a long time, and we have just heard that things are settled. I am not sure anybody knows what that means. I don't. I hate to ask other Senators if they do.

Might I ask, procedurally, does this mean when we finish this vote tonight we are through?

On a different matter.

Mr. President, today I recognize several cities in New Mexico that have recently received national accreditation for completing the Main Street Four-Point Approach. The National Trust Main Street Center recently named nine cities' Main Street projects as being nationally accredited. Those nine communities include Artesia, Clayton, Clovis, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, Raton, and Silver City.

The work that has been done in these communities to preserve the history of downtown, as well as bring it into the 21st century, is to be honored. Main streets are a big part of every community's history. They provide a look into the past, and with these revitalizations, a positive look into the future. Downtown used to be the hub of a city. With the invention of the automobile, cities have spread out and often no longer have just one central area of activity. With these new improvements to local main streets, towns are beginning to experience businesses returning to these areas. These towns have been able to marry the past with the present. They are honoring old businesses that have been in downtown areas for years, while encouraging new businesses to open their doors in this district. The success of their efforts is evident by this award.

I congratulate these cities on the good work they are doing to bring the main street appeal back into their communities.

Mr. President, today I recognize the Red River Chamber of Commerce and the Red River Bike Club for putting on another Enchanted Circle Century Tour. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this legendary bicycle tour around northeast New Mexico.

This 100 mile tour begins in Red River, and then passes through Questa, Taos, Angel Fire, Eagle Nest and Black Lake before finishing back in Red River. What better way to see the breathtaking Sangre de Cristo Mountains than on a bicycle? This tour has given many residents and visitors of New Mexico the opportunity to experience our State in a new way. It is not for the faint of heart though. It takes incredible strength to overcome the elevation, elements, and endurance challenge this tour presents. The September 8 start will be a major milestone for this community, and it is my hope that this tradition continues for at least another 30 years.