Floor Statements

Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

I now ask for a second reading, but in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 7, 2013; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S. 47, the Violence Against Women Act, with the time until noon equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees.

Mr. President, at noon on Thursday, Senator-designate Cowan will be sworn in.

We hope to reach an agreement to complete action on the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it adjourn under the previous order.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I am here to speak first and very personally in support of the nomination of Senator Kerry to be our next Secretary of State. There is a time when the man and the moment come together in a profoundly historic way. Senator Kerry's nomination to be Secretary of State of the United States at such a time when his leadership can be pivotal in shaping America's role in the world, as a leader for human rights, as well as the use of its extraordinary strategic power for peace.

There is also a time when the woman and a moment come together and that has been so for Hillary Clinton, who has done such extraordinary work, incomparable in transforming America's role in world history. I believe that just as she has met the challenges in guiding American foreign policy and

leading the dedicated men and women of our Foreign Service, so will Senator Kerry rise to the difficult challenges ahead. Senator Kerry's whole life has prepared him for this job, and I have every confidence he will help keep America safe and secure and build our capacity and alliances in pursuit of democracy and a more peaceful world.

Last week, I met with Senator Kerry to share my experiences from a recent visit to the Middle East and Afghanistan and to urge him to immediately take up the issue of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe occurring within Syria and across its borders in Turkey and Jordan. My experiences came from a trip I took with Senator McCain and Senator Whitehouse, and others of my colleagues who share my impression that drastic and dramatic humanitarian aid must be provided for those refugees.

I am pleased the President has announced an additional $155 million for the Syrian people today. I believe we must also provide aid and assistance to the Syrian Opposition Council. It matters as much how we provide this aid as the total amount we provide. I am very encouraged by Senator Kerry's listening and hearing us, and I look forward to continuing our work with soon-to-be Secretary of State Kerry on this issue and many other vital security concerns.

Mr. President, today I wish to remember Carol Walter. Carol was known throughout Connecticut and the Nation as a force for good and a supporter of the homeless. I worked with her for many years to address the homeless population in Connecticut, and no one advocated more relentlessly and tirelessly for this cause.

An ambassador for social justice, she took positions at various nonprofits, including homeless shelters throughout the State as well as at the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition. In 2006, she was named executive director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.

At the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Carol introduced a new way of approaching homelessness. Carol regarded this unacceptable human condition as something that could be prevented and addressed it on a national scale through community organizing, advocacy, research, leadership, and education. She empowered the greater community, building grassroots leadership, advocating for new research and policies, and leading these efforts with grace and resolve. According to her colleagues at the Coalition, Carol truly listened to the voices of people who experience homelessness.

She did not stop at the prevention and cessation of homelessness, but rather took the next step towards long-term sustainability. Carol dedicated most of her career to efforts to include securing permanent affordable housing and housing subsidies for the afflicted, providing support systems in the community, and offering career services to support independence and self-help. She worked to prevent and eliminate homelessness on local, State, and Federal levels. She partnered with local communities and Statewide organizations, such as Supportive Housing

WORKS and Opening Doors Connecticut, to unify everyone in this collective effort.

Carol was beloved by her family and friends, and will always be remembered as a beacon of light and hope. Her exuberance for her mission will be carried on by her colleagues, and her charity will inspire many others. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring the tremendous work of Carol Walter and preserving her legacy so that others may see her tremendous importance and continue her efforts. Indeed, it is through the good works of others in the fight against homelessness that she would choose to be remembered.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 11 individuals and organizations from Connecticut that have been awarded 2012 Environmental Merit Awards by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. Every year, the EPA recognizes stand-out efforts in different regions of the country, including Connecticut's New England Region. Although not official EPA initiatives, these accomplishments are integral to national environmental stewardship and conservation efforts.

This year, a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Environmental Merit Award was given to Alan Buzzetti, for his career-long efforts fighting against lead poisoning, and Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., for its innovative recycling campaign. Mr. Buzzetti has been instrumental in the creation of a statewide program to eliminate lead poisoning. He also founded the Connecticut Department of Public Health's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Program, making Connecticut a clear choice for the regional headquarters of the New England Lead Coordinating Committee. For the past 25 years, the Northeast Recycling Council has worked with Connecticut and 9 other member States to support and promote recycling and sustainability models at both the State and local level and for both public and private efforts.

The EPA also awarded Individual Environmental Merit Awards to three trailblazing activists, who care deeply about our environmental future. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz is currently a professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies where he founded and directs the Yale Center for Environmental Communication. Through these and additional platforms like the Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media, Dr. Leiserowitz works with journalists and broadcast media to make climate change data relevant to the public.

Kevin Taylor of Waterbury and Betsey Wingfield of Hartford have also received Individual Environmental Merit Awards from the EPA. Mr. Taylor, the Senior Project Manager of Waterbury Development Corporation, has led the redevelopment of more than 20 brownfields into valuable, beloved community properties. Ms. Wingfield--outside of her position at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection--has led a community group to successfully lobby for stream flow standards and regulations in Connecticut. These measures ensure protections for decades and future generations.

To recognize innovative partnerships that cross sectors, the EPA awarded three Environmental, Community, Academia and Nonprofit Environmental Merit Awards. This year's Connecticut winners are Goodwin College, the Long Island Sound Study's Citizens Advisory Committee, and the University of Connecticut's Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials Program's New England Rain Garden Training Team. These three organizations are models of environmental stewardship--linking economic development, equal opportunity, and community participation with responsible conservation. Since 2005, Goodwin College's campus along the Connecticut River in East Hartford has inspired environmental participation from a diverse group of residents. It offers a college degree in environmental studies and has developed Connecticut River Academy, a magnet high school. These two academic institutions have become a hub for local businesses and have created countless jobs.

Similarly, the Long Island Sound Study and New England Rain Garden Training Team have been successful in bringing diverse people together to protect the environment. Curt Johnson and Nancy Seligson, co-chairs of the Long Island Sound Study's Citizens Advisory Committee, have led a large group of citizens, concerned about the future of the cherished Long Island Sound, in developing what the EPA has aptly called a ``community blueprint'' or ``citizens' action plan.'' The New England Rain Garden Training Team has similarly been on the ground, working with all levels of government and community groups to build rain gardens in New England. By raising awareness of the importance of rain

gardens in reducing pollution from stormwater runoff, members of the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Water Resources program and University of Connecticut's Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials Program have collaborated on easily translatable training programs for residents and neighborhoods, including underserved communities.

To highlight the important work of State and local governments in environmental regulation, the EPA awarded a 2012 Governmental Environmental Merit Award to Connecticut's Department of Public Health's Drinking Water Section, charged with regulating and administering Connecticut's water system. These hardworking public employees are heroes in times of crisis. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, this team offered assistance to nearly 770,000 constituents who had lost power and issued boil water guidance for 16,000 residents.

Lastly, Ethan Allen Operations, Inc., headquartered in Danbury, CT, and the Greenwich Hospital were awarded in the Business, Industry, Trade, or Professional category in recognition of their industry leadership. Ethan Allen has been on the forefront of reducing air pollutant emissions, eco-friendly chemicals, and reduction in waste output. Greenwich Hospital has used innovative, healing rain gardens to promote health as well as manage the area's stormwater runoff, and has assisted other New England area hospitals in instituting this type of sustainable landscaping for their communities.

Congratulations to these remarkable Connecticut ecological vanguards--environmentalists, scientists, and local leaders who have collaborated with others to confront important global issues with tenacity, creativity, and courage. As we have seen, especially recently in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, our Nation's environmentalists are true altruists. I invite my Senate colleagues to applaud these commendable Connecticut companies and individuals, and thank them for their dedication to preserving our landscapes, seascapes, and climate for future generations.

Mr. President, although the Newtown community is very much still in mourning, I stand here today to remember 20 innocent children and 6 remarkable adults. I am hopeful that the memories of loved ones can provide some solace in the face of senseless violence. And I hope that as we continue to share stories, our national community will bind together and hearts can begin to heal.

When President Obama addressed the Nation, he spoke of Sandy Hook Elementary School as a compassionate community: parents holding their children's hands on their way to school, teachers meeting them at the door, principals keeping watch.

I have seen, firsthand, tragedy hit this tight-knit community. Last Friday morning, I went to the Sandy Hook firehouse. I went as a public official, but what I saw was through the eyes of a parent. There were moments of unspeakable grief for parents emerging from the firehouse who realized their children were not coming home. I will live always with these sights and sounds of that day.

I have also seen this remarkable community come together in solidarity. The firefighters and first responders are mostly volunteers. Neighbors are like family members. I have the utmost confidence that this beautiful town will heal through deep-rooted relationships and collective strength.

We must remember that these children were dearly loved by parents and teachers who would give everything for them. And these adult victims modeled selfless love for their students. In this spirit of love, community, and compassion, we remember the 26 fallen today.

Twelve little girls passed away on Friday, and we honor them for bringing bursts of light and laughter and love into the lives of all who knew them:

Charlotte Bacon was an outgoing and persistent red head, a member of a Girl Scout troop led by her mother.

Olivia Engel was a great big sister to her younger brother and family dog and was looking forward to playing an angel in her church's upcoming pageant.

Catherine Hubbard had a passion for animals and greeted each day with a smile.

Jessica Rekos loved horseback riding and learning about orcas.

Josephine Gay had just turned 7 and found joy in riding her bike around the neighborhood.

Madeleine Hsu had just turned 6 in July and was remembered for wearing bright, floral dresses.

Ana Marquez-Greene loved to sing and would leave love notes under her parents' pillow.

Emilie Parker was a mentor to her younger siblings, teaching them how to dance and laugh, and was eager to try new things.

Caroline Previdi was a spunky young gymnast who loved to draw and dance.

Grace McDonnell liked wearing bows in her hair and dreamed of living at the beach and becoming a painter.

Avielle Richman took up archery when she was inspired by a female hero in the Disney movie, Brave, and is remembered for her joyful giggles.

Allison Wyatt was an eager, energetic first-grader, who was helpful to her peers and loving to family and friends.

Eight little boys passed away on Friday and will be remembered for their joy of life and boundless energy:

Daniel Barden would ride on his father's shoulders on the way to the school bus every morning and was missing his two front teeth.

Dylan Hockley liked to play tag at the bus stop with his neighbors and dress up like Shrek or Superman.

Jesse Lewis would accompany his dad to work at building sites which he happily explored and was learning how to ride a horse.

James Mattioli had just learned how to ride a bike and was discovering that he liked math.

Jack Pinto was a Giants fan and part of a youth wrestling team.

Noah Pozner was best friends with his twin sister Arielle, and older sister Sophia, and liked figuring out how things worked.

Chase Kowalski loved riding his bike outdoors and playing with his five siblings.

Benjamin Wheeler studied piano with his mother and threw leaves in the air with his friends and his brother Nate.

These children were raised with dance and music, with laughter and hope. The parents of victim Grace McDonnell have kept their house ablaze with Christmas lights, even in the wake of the shooting, perhaps in tribute to their daughter, who they called ``the love and light of our family.'' Krista and Rich Rekos called their daughter Jessica, their ``rock.''

You can feel the energy of these children in the stories that are being told. Although their lives were cut short, they contributed to the world around them by learning, growing, and loving.

Six beloved Sandy Hook faculty members--selfless heroes of the Newtown community--were also taken last Friday. They dedicated themselves to the children around them.

Dawn Hochsprung, the 47-year-old principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, instinctually lunged in front of the shooter and she was killed in the line of duty. For the students of Sandy Hook, she was the ``Reading Fairy,'' inspiring what she hoped would be a lifelong appreciation for books. Before coming to Sandy Hook, she worked as a principal in the towns of Bethlehem and Woodbury. She was dedicated to education and to family, crediting her own mother for the care she expressed towards others.

Anne Marie Murphy, 52 years old, worked at Sandy Hook Elementary School as a special education assistant and raised four children of her own. She has been remembered as a positive spirit and source of good energy. She was generous and loving, and died shielding the innocent from harm. In a public statement, the family of Dylan Hockley expressed their gratitude to Ms. Murphy and comfort that their son died in the arms of his beloved teacher.

Mary Sherlach, 56 years old, had served Sandy Hook as their school psychologist since 1994 and was a year away from retiring. She earned her undergraduate degree at SUNY Cortland and master's degree at Southern Connecticut State University. Last Friday, she showed her true spirit of selflessness when she and Principal Hochsprung ran towards the shooter to stop him. Her adult daughters live in New Jersey and Washington, DC.

According to her loved ones, at age 30 Lauren Rousseau had landed her dream

job as a substitute teacher at Sandy Hook--something she had longed to do since age 6. She found a home in this community and gave her life caring for its children. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, she cheered on the women's basketball team and enjoyed going to Broadway shows.

Rachel D'Avino was an intern at Sandy Hook--a 29-year-old who was in the process of learning how to help children with special needs. She was studying at the University of Saint Joseph for an advanced degree in applied behavior analysis and provided one-on-one instruction to various students. Her boyfriend was planning on asking for her hand in marriage on Christmas Eve.

Victoria Soto loved going to work each day as a first grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary and was, in turn, beloved by her students. She was raised in a family of public servants and graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University. She was attending night school at Southern Connecticut State for a master's degree. When the gunman shot his way into her classroom, she protected the children under her care without hesitation. Her story and those of her colleagues, who put their lives on the line, will be remembered around the Nation.

During this holiday season, we pray that the Newtown community can find peace and solace. This tragedy reminds us of both the fragility and preciousness of life, and the healing grace of love.

Mr. President, in 2010, Senators Gillibrand and Schumer passed a resolution honoring the Hudson River School painters for their contributions to the United States. Today, I join my colleagues in paying tribute to this significant, historic artistic movement and recognize its ties to Connecticut.

The Hudson River School of Painting originated in the Hudson River Valley in the 1920s and consists of landscapes featuring highly detailed and realistic scenes of American wilderness. Painters attributed to this style include Thomas Cole, Asher Durand, Jasper Cropsey, Sanford Robinson Gifford, George Inness, Worthington Whittredge, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Morgan.

Two of the most influential painters of the Hudson River School have Connecticut roots: John Kensett and John Frederic Church. Born in Cheshire, Kensett worked in New Haven as an engraver and traveled throughout New England, painting scenes of his cherished homeland. At his home on Contentment Island near Darien, he painted some of his most notable works. Church was born in Hartford and became famous for his landscapes of exotic locales of South America, Western Europe, and the Middle East.

The Long Island Sound--a treasure of Connecticut and the East Coast-- was a common subject lovingly portrayed by Hudson River School painters, in particular by Kensett, who would frequent the Sound to or from his studio in Darien. Famously, Kensett's ``Twilight in the Cedars at Darien,'' portrays a serene sun setting over a dense swath of forest in Connecticut.

The Hudson River School has not only inspired painters for generations, but led to the development of the National Park Service under President Theodore Roosevelt. In Connecticut and throughout the Nation, this influential style has inspired environmental conservation efforts historically and to the present day.

These beautiful, idyllic landscapes, untouched by man, inspire us to protect our land, air, and water; future generations must not look at these paintings as ancient artifact. Connecticut is closely tied to the Hudson River School, and we must continue to preserve its legacy now and in the future by learning more about the School and its painters. I encourage my colleagues and their constituents to engage in this worthwhile pursuit.

Mr. President, I wish to begin by thanking my colleague from Maryland, Senator Mikulski, for her kind and generous words about the recent tragedies we suffered in Connecticut and her sense of compassion and kindness. I also thank her for her vision, courage, and leadership on the legislation that is before us.

I want to associate myself with the very eloquent and powerful remarks made by both Senators from New York and the Senator from New Jersey today.

I strongly oppose the amendments that would constrict and delay aid that is as vital to Connecticut as it is to the other States of the region that were hammered and pummeled by Superstorm Sandy on the night it hit our area. The scope and scale of destruction made it one of the largest natural disasters to affect our Nation. It left millions of people without homes or electricity, and it cost tens of billions of dollars in damages to governments, businesses, and residents. The sweep and depth of destruction in human impact and financial effect was simply staggering. Our response should match its historic magnitude. We must think big, act big, and go forward with a vision to meet the needs of the people in America.

As has been said, we are the United States of America. We meet catastrophe with the resources and commitment that is necessary to make sure people are treated fairly. Delay or reduction in resources is unfair. In effect, delay is denial, just like justice delayed is justice denied. It would be unjust to delay the resources by the kinds of amendments and proposals that have been offered and in effect reduce the amount of resources that can be available.

The estimates about the disaster can occupy much time on this floor, and I am going to be brief in describing what I think is necessary because I have spoken previously before committees of this body. Suffice it to say that right away we need to redouble our efforts to reduce the personal costs and property damage from this storm and also to prevent that kind of damage in future storms. We can invest now or pay later. We will pay much more later if we fail to invest now.

The path toward enlightened protection and preparation must include infrastructure improvements for Stamford's floodgate, the efforts on the Housatonic River to stop flooding, and electricity security measures such as the establishment of microgrids and increased availability of generators for senior citizen housing. These are examples of what can be done if we invest wisely now, and that is part of what this supplemental can do.

It is vitally necessary that we are prepared because these kinds of disasters are, in fact, becoming the new normal. This storm is the fourth major disaster for the State of Connecticut in the past 19 months, and it is the fourth major disaster declaration for our State in that time. There was record snowfall in January of 2011, and later in 2011 Tropical Storm Irene hit our State, as well as a highly unusual October snowstorm. Now we have Superstorm Sandy. These kinds of natural disasters demand the kind of response that the Senate can do if it approves this measure without these amendments that restrict and delay these efforts.

We are building our infrastructure to 100-year storm levels, but unfortunately 100-year storms are happening just about every year. We have to be

prepared for the new normal by hardening critical infrastructure and taking time and spending money to construct an infrastructure assessment that will allow States and municipalities to know what infrastructure is at risk and what needs to be done to mitigate that risk. Failing to meet the immediate needs of these areas is not only unkind, it is unwise.

As the Senator from New York just remarked, sending one firetruck to a 5-alarm fire is not only unkind, it is unwise. Rebuilding a house for a family that had three bedrooms and restricting it to one bedroom or no bedrooms is unkind and unwise because it will fail to provide housing for that family.

I urge this body to provide the funding that Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey need to mitigate flooding and other damage from this storm and from future storms and make sure these States receive the kind of aid that is necessary so we can not only repair and rebuild but also prepare and prevent this kind of catastrophe in the future.

Again, I thank all of my colleagues who have been so instrumental in reaching this point. I urge my colleagues to come together in the spirit that the United States has always done when it has faced these kinds of catastrophes. We have always done the right thing even in the face of fiscal austerity for regions and areas of our country that have been hard hit through no fault of their own and that need this kind of immediate relief.

Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Connecticut for those very moving and important comments on the Senate floor at this profoundly significant time in the history of our State and our Nation.

Remembering Daniel K. Inouye

I want to join my colleagues who have expressed their admiration for Senator Inouye and our sense of loss at his passing. I admired him deeply as a patriot, a warfighter, a public servant, who was unstinting and unwavering in his commitment to our Constitution, the principles of equality and justice, and our national defense.

His loss is a loss for the country, but, particularly, personally, for all of us who serve in this body. I knew him less well than colleagues who have spoken eloquently, such as Senators Reid and Durbin and Boxer and Lieberman, and one of my regrets, as I stand here, is that I did not have the time to know him better because he was such an extraordinary human being.

Perhaps one of the lessons for me personally is that time is short, as we all know, and we should make a greater effort in this body and among us in this profession to know our colleagues and to treasure their friendship.

I want to also thank my colleague from Connecticut for his very perceptive and powerful words on the tragedy in Newtown, CT, which brings me to the floor today with such a heavy heart. I thank my colleagues who have reached out to me, including the Senator from Vermont, a great friend, Senators Klobuchar and Durbin and Bennet and so many others seeking to help Connecticut. The collegiality of this body has been brought home to me in these days when others have sought to provide not only consolation but also suggestions for action.

One of my reasons for being on the floor today is to talk about action we can take. I want the families who are grieving now to know that my standing here to talk about policy and action in no way means any disrespect or effort to intrude on their grieving and emotional rebuilding. But we know on Friday a tragedy befell the community of Newtown, CT, and that tragedy is expressed in S. Res. 621 and H. Res. 833.

I thank my colleagues in both Houses for condemning the attack and offering their condolences to the people of Connecticut and, more importantly, the people and families who suffered these losses most directly. I have spent the last 4 days--or a better part of them--in Connecticut. Those 4 days are a time that I do not want to relive, ever.

I first learned about this incident on Friday morning in the midst of a normal day. I had events scheduled. I heard there was something wrong in the Danbury area.

As the details mounted, I left Hartford to go to Newtown and to the firehouse in Sandy Hook. I arrived there as a public official, but what I saw was through the eyes of a parent.

The firehouse in Sandy Hook was where parents went to find out if their children were okay. The way they found out was that their children appeared, or they did not. After a while, some of the children came. Some were reunited with their parents there or at the school, and their parents took them home, and others did not.

I will live forever with the sights and sounds of those parents as they emerged--the cries and sobbing, the cries of grief and anguish, the look on those faces.

The murderer blasted his way into the elementary school in Sandy Hook armed with a Bushmaster AR-15, an assault rifle; a 10mm Glock pistol; a 9mm Sig Sauer; and with multiple magazines filled with hundreds of rounds, that he used in an execution-style massacre.

Wayne Carver, who is the State medical examiner for Connecticut, has been in that job for more than 30 years. He has seen it all. But he has said he has seen nothing like this ever. There were 20 small bodies ripped apart, executed en masse.

There is no question evil came to Newtown, as Governor Malloy said that day. Evil came in its starkest, most inhumane terms. But heroism also came to Newtown.

The SWAT teams that went into that building actually saved lives. They saved hundreds of lives of students and staff in the school because the murderer took his own life when he knew they were entering.

There is the heroism, of course, of the principal, teachers, and others who ran toward the sound of gunfire. They ran toward danger to protect their children, children who were 6 and 7, their faces now on the front pages of newspapers with their stories inside.

There is the heroism of the State troopers who had to confirm the identities of the victims for their families and stayed with those families throughout the weekend.

There is the heroism of the community itself. Newtown is, indeed, a quintessential New England town. Everybody knows everybody else, which is a good thing but in a way also a bad thing because everyone's children knew the other children.

At the vigil Sunday night, two of the children who attend that school came up to me to show me some of the necklaces they had made with blue beads, 20 of them. There were 20 blue beads, each one for a child victim, and 6 stars for the adults. This community is not only quintessentially New England, it is quintessentially American in its strength, its resoluteness, its resiliency, its caring and courage.

Part of what has also inspired Newtown is the outpouring of support they have received from all across America and all across the world. Never doubt the messages you have sent, the thoughts and prayers made a difference to them. They truly have.

Newtown is a call for national reflection and for coming together. This tragedy hit Connecticut, but the town of Newtown is supported by the grief shared by all Americans, but it is also a call for action. It is the right time to ask what we can do to stop this sort of tragedy.

In recent years, there have been horrific shootings at Virginia Tech, in Aurora, in Oak Ridge, on university campuses, movie theaters, and in places of worship. There were many other places where unsuspecting Americans, going about their everyday lives, had those lives cut short in a few minutes of slaughter.

In Newtown, a lone gunman was able to kill 20 elementary schoolchildren ranging from 6 to 7 years old. He killed the school's principal, the school psychologist, and four teachers.

Sadly, there have always been and there always will be mentally ill people, mentally deranged or hateful people who want to lash out violently at the world. We will never be able to stop all of them from doing harm. But even if we cannot prevent all these tragedies, we must not surrender and say we will do nothing to prevent any more of them.

In the last few days, everywhere I have gone in Newtown, people have come up to me and said the same words over and over. ``We have to do something.'' People in law enforcement, families of victims, members of the clergy again and again have said those words, ``We have to do something.''

That is my commitment today, to do something; in fact, to do everything I can as a Senator to press and prevent the next tragedy. As a former law enforcement official, and as a father, I cannot do less.

There is no single law, no simple solution that will be a cure-all. But there are sound, sensible steps we can take, some involving new laws, some involving better enforcement of existing laws. Our local and State police, for example, and Federal agencies need more resources and support.

We need to do something to effectively ban assault weapons. I am talking about weapons that are not designed for self-defense or hunting but, rather, for killing and maiming human beings, often as many as possible, as fast as possible. These are weapons that are civilian versions of military weapons. There is no reason any such weapon should be for sale today in America.

We need to do something also to ban high-capacity magazines, also involved in this mass murder. What real hunter uses or needs 30-round clips? What self-defense situation is served by them?

We need to do something to prevent mentally ill people and criminals from having firearms. I don't know whether better laws could have prevented the shooter in Newtown from getting his hands on the weapons he used, but we must look at what we can do to identify such people with serious mental problems before it is too late and provide intervention and treatment to take those weapons out of their hands.

Today, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System has prevented nearly 1.8 million attempted purchases of firearms by mentally ill people or criminals. Clearly, that alone was not enough to prevent a number of tragic shootings. But I think we can all agree it is good those sales were not completed, and right now only 60 percent of gun sales involve a background check. We should ensure that all firearms sales involve a background check, including guns that are not sold by licensed dealers, and that those checks, wherever they are done, are thorough and comprehensive.

Nothing here means we should trample on the second amendment. The Supreme Court has spoken clearly in the Heller case that law-abiding Americans have constitutional rights to own firearms, whether for self- protection, hunting, competitive shooting or any other proper purpose. That is the law.

But the Supreme Court has also made clear the government can appropriately impose sensible regulations, as it can in many other areas of constitutional rights, on how firearms are used and purchased. Everyone would agree criminals and deranged people should not be able to get their hands on firearms.

On all these issues, we have to look for sensible common ground, rooted in common sense, and I believe there is room for people of good will to work together to find it.

Even as I say that, I am mindful that issues involving the second amendment rights and violence in the past fueled deep passions. Suspicion and passions have run deep and wide on both sides of this debate, including in this Chamber, and there is a lot of distrust to overcome.

I am here to keep faith with the people of Newtown who have grabbed my arm and said, ``We have to do something.'' That is my commitment. I will work with the President and my colleagues in the Senate regardless of party or geography. I will work with any organization that is willing to engage in a thoughtful, constructive discussion about what steps to take to avoid tragedy such as the Newtown shootings in the future.

I will work to find a solution to this crisis, because it is a crisis, and I will not be deterred by any organization or campaign that uses scare tactics or intimidation. Because there was nothing more frightening, nothing more horrifying, than looking into the eyes of the parents who came out of that firehouse in Sandy Hook who lost their babies last Friday. That is any parent's worst nightmare.

I know there are some who say we can never do anything about the problem of gun violence; that we are entrenched as a nation and so polarized as a political body that we will continue to wring our hands at every massacre and never take action. Yet sometimes events happen that so horrify our country and our fellow citizens that they change the nature of the discussion. They change the political ground under us. They are a tectonic shift, and I believe the massacre of the innocent children and their loving teachers in Newtown is exactly such an event.

Yesterday, some of my Senate colleagues had the courage to join this call for action and say publicly we cannot go on as before. I wish to thank, particularly, Senator Manchin and Senator Warner. Their heroic stance is an invitation, indeed a challenge, to every other Member of the Senate to join in this common effort to find common ground and at long last do something to stop the killing.

I also wish to thank, particularly, Senator Reid, our majority leader, for his leadership in calling for a meaningful and thoughtful debate on gun violence.

``We have to do something. We have to do something. We have to do something.'' That is what people in Newtown have beseeched me over and over. I believe the American people agree. This is our moment, and we are the people to do it. We can. I ask each of my colleagues to listen to those voices and to hear their own hearts.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate a father and son team and their family from Westport, CT, whose company, Tea Importers, Inc., was recently recognized by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with the 2012 Award for Corporate Excellence.

Every year, the Secretary of State honors two American owned, global companies, that are both successful and humanitarian. They are companies doing well and doing good. This year, Joseph and Andrew Wertheim of Tea Importers, Inc. were celebrated as international leaders of fair trade standards, democratic principles, and diplomacy in the small-medium sized category. Intel Corporation received this year's award in the large business category.

After escaping from Nazi Germany, Joseph Wertheim settled in Connecticut and began importing tea in 1953. Since then, he has grown his company and forged strong ties with customer tea companies in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 1960, he began working to market and import tea from Rwanda, and developed a particularly strong relationship with the Government of Rwanda, who requested that Mr. Wertheim partner with them in building a tea processing factory. What started as the first facility in a remote area in Kigali, Rwanda, has grown into the largest single producer of tea in the entire African nation.

This tea factory named Sorwathe has helped the people of Rwanda make remarkable progress. Sorwathe ensures equal working conditions for its 5,242 employees, guided by the principle that every small farmer is a stake holder. In addition, Sorwathe has assisted the Government of Rwanda in building roads, bringing in water, and working with the USAID to start schools and medical clinics. The Wertheims and Tea Importers have worked with Rotary International to teach literacy to at least 15,000 adults, fund the town's public library, and provide high school scholarships. Their efforts have helped to ban child labor and facilitate collective bargaining agreements. Sorwathe has implemented environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, and organic farming, and formed alliances with important organizations in support of these efforts, to include the Rainforest Alliance and Ethical Tea Partnership. These accomplishments give you a sense of the spirit that guides this company that is financially successful, environmental conscious, and socially aware.

This small business of only six domestic employee in Westport has furthered American diplomacy around the world. As Secretary of State Clinton said in her address at last month's awards ceremonies, our businesses operating abroad are ``how millions and millions of people find out about our values, what we really stand for, what kind of people we are.'' I saw firsthand this spirit of inclusivity when I attended this awards ceremony. Video conferencing was set up to include both employees of Sorwathe and members of Intel's office in Vietnam inviting all members of those innovative ventures to be congratulated and acknowledged.

I congratulate Joseph and Andrew Wertheim and all employees of Tea Importers, Inc. and Sorwathe in this well-deserved award, which highlights how a family-owned business can make an enormous impact on a global scale.

Mr. President, I wish to thank my colleague and friend from Connecticut on behalf of all the people of our State for his lifetime of public service.

Our lives have been intertwined personally and professionally for almost 40 years.

I had the privilege of coming to know Senator Lieberman's family, his parents who gave him the values and ideals he has expressed so eloquently and powerfully repeatedly throughout America as he did today on the floor of the Senate. That dream, which they inspired, is indeed a uniquely American dream, but it is rooted also in the Stamford and Connecticut community that we share, those ideals of faith, education and intellect and those qualities of independence and courage and perseverance in the face of adversity which he has embodied and taught to so many young people and others around our State and around the country and, of course, the ideals and goals of civility and, maybe most important for this body, the ideal of public service, which he has exemplified through all of these years, an unremitting, unstinting, and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place, person by person, individual by individual, helping make America equal to that great ideal and dream he has articulated so eloquently.

I have been privileged, also, to know Joe's wife Hadassah, who has added so extraordinarily to his life and made possible so many of his achievements. This tribute is to her and his family as well as to him.

For the past 2 years I have had the privilege of working with Senator Lieberman, it has been a real honor, and I look forward to continuing my work with him, although it will no longer be in this Chamber, just as I worked with him before reaching here. In a sense, I

followed his professional path as a State senator, as attorney general, and now here.

Many of our colleagues will come to the floor in these remaining days of this session to commemorate the tremendous legacy he leaves. It is a legacy of action, not just of words as we have heard today, but action and achievement. He has been a steadfast supporter of family planning and a woman's right to choose, raising awareness and garnering commitment of congressional colleagues for that cause. He has been a champion of equality and justice, exemplified, for example, in his advocacy of the repeal of don't ask, don't tell. He has been a leader on environmental conservation as attorney general of our State, as well as in this body, especially in the fight to protect Long Island Sound, a treasure of Connecticut and the entire Nation.

He was a leader in bringing to the floor of this Chamber one of the first bills on climate change. His legacy will live on in these efforts: the clean air and water he has helped to protect, the urgency with which he has fought to protect our natural treasures in Connecticut and around the country. His spirit of environmental stewardship will inspire generations to come. That ideal of stewardship is also articulated by his remarks here, the stewardship of democracy, of our Republic.

One of Senator Lieberman's signature accomplishments has been the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in which he aimed to consolidate disparate agencies to facilitate interagency communication. In the wake of 9/11, he made that a mission and achieved it as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs as well as a leader on the Armed Services Committee. And on that committee, Armed Services, he has championed a strong and vital national defense. That remains essential now as it has been throughout his career.

I am grateful to Senator Lieberman's support for a bill I recently introduced, the End Trafficking in Government Contracting Act, which addresses the serious problem of human trafficking by Federal contractors and subcontractors. I think his support for that measure demonstrates, again, his commitment not only to equality but helping and working with others in this body on a bipartisan basis who share his goals, as that measure has been and was and will be, as is the cause of ending human trafficking and achieving human rights.

Most recently, in a very personal way I observed Senator Lieberman's deep empathy for people who are victims of natural catastrophes. When the recent spate of storms struck Connecticut, Irene and Sandy, I toured with him stricken places, seeing in his eyes and hearing in his voice his sense of how individuals and their families are affected by any kind of natural disaster. He is a person of heart and of soul--a big heart and a soul that reaches out to people.

I thank him for his great work, his contribution, his unstinting generosity to the people of our State, Connecticut, through all of his years of service in many different positions, in many different ways, in a myriad of places throughout the State and throughout our Nation.

I thank my Connecticut colleague for dedicating his life to public service. I look forward to being with him, if not in this Chamber, in many other places around the country. I continue to admire his great contributions to our country as well as to our State. Thank you, Senator Lieberman.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business.