Floor Statements

Mr. President, in the years since the War on Terror began, we have seen the creation of new Wounded Warrior Battalions and Warrior Transition Battalions in the Marines and the Army. These units were built from the ground up with one purpose in mind: to ensure that seriously wounded service members receive the medical care and benefits that they have earned. The service personnel who command and administer these units are some of the most competent and dedicated professionals in our armed forces, and they deserve our praise.

These professionals have done much to improve the quality of care that is given to our Nation's wounded service members, but many of the young men and women who find themselves assigned to a Wounded Warrior Battalion still face a tough journey on their road to recovery. Thankfully, the challenges that these men and women face rarely go unnoticed in their communities. Over the past several years we have heard countless stories of private citizens, church congregations and other community groups stepping forward to donate their time, money and other charitable gifts to our wounded service personnel. It is not uncommon to hear about donations of $10,000 or more being offered to help provide additional resources to help our wounded recover.

Unfortunately, the military's gift-acceptance rules have not been updated

to take into account the generosity of the American people. For example, if a North Carolinian wished to provide a gift of just over $12,000 to the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Lejeune, the acceptance paperwork for this donation would spend months working its way through a complicated bureaucracy before finally arriving on the desk of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Our taxpayers and our wounded veterans are not being served very well when gifts of such a small dollar amount must be approved at the very highest levels of command.

That is why I am introducing the Friends of Wounded Warriors Act. This legislation will streamline the gift-acceptance process by empowering the commanders of Wounded Warrior Battalions and similar units with the authority to accept charitable gifts of up to $100,000 for the benefit of the members of their unit. This will enable these commanders to cut through the red tape that is currently the cause of needless delay in getting extra resources to our wounded service men and women. I hope you will join me in making a commitment to ensure that out-dated processes for accepting gifts do not stand in the way of the generosity of concerned citizens and communities seeking to contribute to the care of our wounded and ill service members.

Mr. President, let me, in full disclosure, say I am supportive of some of these bills. I am actually a cosponsor of some of these bills. But let me tell my colleagues what we are asked to do today.

A vote for this cloture motion would be a vote to stop consideration of energy legislation. A vote for this initiative would be a vote to stop considering lower gas prices. A vote for this cloture motion would be a vote to muzzle--muzzle--a Member of the Senate. If that happened, it would also be a vote to muzzle the American people.

It is absolutely essential that this body get back on the debate on energy, where real solutions are presented in the form of amendments and we can address the most important issue to the American people and that is the price of gasoline and an energy policy that is desperately needed in this country.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for 2 minutes.

Mr. President, 3 weeks ago, we celebrated the Fourth of July. Nine days after that, on July 13, 2008, MSG Mitchell Young, 39 years old, of Jonesboro, GA, was killed in action while conducting combat reconnaissance patrol to the eastern Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

Master Sergeant Young was attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, in my State of North Carolina, where he lived with his wife, Robyn. It was Sergeant Young's fourth deployment in the global war on terror.

His awards and decorations include four Bronze Star Medals, a Meritorious Service Medal, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, and three Army Commendation Medals. Today, Sergeant Young's memorial service is being held at Fort Bragg.

A little over a year before his death, Master Sergeant Young posted a letter that was published in the July 4, 2007, edition of his hometown newspaper, the Clayton News Daily, in which he celebrated the spirit and sacrifices of the American soldier.

I would now like to read the text of that letter:

To the editors:

Today is July 4th, our country's Independence Day, and 231

years ago, our forefathers won this for all to enjoy. Today,

our country has more freedoms and wealth than any other in

the world. We have all of our freedoms granted to us by the

U.S. Constitution. This document sets the standards for all

Americans to be guaranteed their freedoms and rights.

Of all the freedoms and rights granted to each American, it

is not the news reporter or politician who ensures that each

American enjoys these rights, but it is the American Service

Member (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard).

This is the person who every American should be thanking

every day for what they do.

Even though less than 1 percent of the American population

serves in the military, it is that sacrifice made by an

individual to help protect and guarantee these freedoms.

While enjoying the day's festivals celebrating our country's

birth, take the time and effort to thank a veteran, or a

current service member for their sacrifice in helping to

protect your freedom.

If you are unable to thank a vet, say thanks to either the

parents or the spouse of a vet, because they are the ones who

worry the most while the service member is away, protecting

your freedoms.

Today, we thank God for the life of MSG Mitchell W. Young.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, this week marked the 11th anniversary of the Professional Landcare Network's ``Renewal and Remembrance'' event. Each year for more than a decade, hundreds of lawn care, landscape and tree care specialists from the Professional Landcare Network, PLANET, donate their time and expertise to refurbish the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery is one of the most hallowed places in all of America. President Lincoln established the grounds at Arlington as a military cemetery in 1864. By the end of the Civil War, Arlington housed 16,000 graves. It now serves as the final resting place for over 300,000 of our Nation's most distinguished service personnel and public officials, including hundreds of distinguished North Carolinians. Veterans from all of the Nation's wars are interred at Arlington, from the American Revolution through the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The gravesites of these men and women span an area of 624 acres.

The beauty and simple elegance of Arlington's grounds is renowned throughout the world, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, mourners, and tourists every year. The work that goes into maintaining Arlington is a reflection of the honor and reverence that America has for our veterans and leaders. The members of PLANET share in this reverence. Through their work at Arlington each year, they have demonstrated a special level of commitment to the memory of our countrymen who have made some of the greatest sacrifices.

Many PLANET members who volunteered their time and expertise this past week have a personal connection to Arlington, either through relatives or friends who are buried there or through their own military service. But whether or not they have a family or service connection to the cemetery, all of the volunteers care deeply about maintaining Arlington as a place of dignity and respect in recognition of those who have served the public good and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Their work does not go unnoticed by the family members of those who are buried at Arlington, nor does it go unnoticed by the membership of the U.S. Senate. I applaud the generosity of the PLANET members who devoted their work to honor our Nation's servicemembers.

Madam President, I rise to honor a friend, a mentor, and a colleague I thought was a true statesman. I mourn the passing of one of North Carolina's greatest sons, Senator Jesse Helms. Senator Helms passed away last Friday, the Fourth of July, a very fitting day for Senator Helms to leave because of his deep belief in the independence of this country, in the liberties and freedoms we have.

It says a lot when you can simply mention a man's first name in his home State and everyone knows exactly who you are talking about. Jesse, as most North Carolinians referred to him, was a true gentleman. He was a good man who fought hard for what he believed in. Some core principles--free enterprise, traditional values, and a strong national defense--guided his 30 years of service in this institution, the Senate. He never relented in his pursuit to defend his beliefs or to stand up for his constituents, and he wouldn't shy away from an unpopular idea. Jesse Helms was a fearless, honest man who was considered by all who actually knew him as a true patriot. Those he served with on both sides of the aisle considered him one of the most influential Members to enter service in this body. You may not have agreed with him on every issue or any issue, and you may have been disappointed by some of the positions he took, but he was respectful, a soft-spoken man with an impeccable character and a professional and personal integrity that could never, ever be challenged.

It speaks volumes that one of his closest friends among his colleagues was the late Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. Both men were, to borrow from Senator Helms' description of Senator Wellstone, ``courageous defenders of what they believed.''

Senator Helms harbored honored qualities that today too often are taken for granted. If Jesse Helms looked you in the eye and gave you his word, you could count on him to deliver. Jesse's word was better than any written agreement or signed contract. He was a man you could trust when you shook his hand.

Certainly, a contributor to these qualities was his humble origins in the small town of Monroe, NC. I can speak for days attempting to describe the full impact that Senator Helms had on my home State of North Carolina and the impact he had on this great Nation. But Jesse Helms was more than a champion of one State or one nation. He was a global force and was always willing to stand up to oppressive governments, dictatorships, and ineffective international organizations. Some of the more controversial positions he voiced during the course of his career might have clouded the mammoth change his service to our Nation brought to the entire world.

As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he wasn't afraid to boldly speak his mind in the interest of defeating international tyranny, promoting U.S. sovereignty, and solidifying our Nation's place as the leader of the free world. His global influence is still noticeable in many ways within the international arena.

Among his historic accomplishments were his tireless efforts toward the much needed reforms of the United Nations. For a legislator, Jesse wielded a unique international prominence that was proven when he was invited to be the first legislator from any nation to address the United Nations Security Council. Through his service, Jesse made our country safer. But his passion for protecting our national security, assuring our global distinction, and preserving our valuable individual democratic freedoms ran much deeper than his broad foreign policy work might suggest.

One of Jesse's most impressive qualities was that he never lost sight of his role in Washington. He knew that as Senators, we are sent here to serve the constituents of our home States, not with the power of the position. Jesse Helms focused his most unwavering efforts toward seeing every single one of the constituents who contacted his office. It is a path I have endeavored to follow, and I am grateful to him for having provided that model. If you were from North Carolina and you had a question you wanted answered by the Federal Government, Jesse would get you the answer. It didn't matter what your political affiliation happened to be or who you supported in an election. Jesse Helms mastered the art of constituent service. It wasn't unusual for him to pick up the phone himself, call a civil servant at a Federal agency working on a particular piece of case work that was lingering unresolved, and directly ask for an answer himself. That is the kind of man Senator Helms was. He wasn't interested in the rank-and-file bureaucratic hierarchy of the Federal Government. He wanted answers to questions, questions that his hard- working, Federal taxpaying constituents had. So in his gentle and respectful tone, he would simply ask for an answer.

Constituents knew they could turn to their home State Senator to solve their problems. Even if they disagreed with Jesse's politics, they knew he would help them. It will surprise no one who reads his memoirs that he dedicates an entire chapter to constituent service. I read it as a tribute to those who worked for Senator Helms on behalf of North Carolina for so many years. The stories about his focus on constituent service sound almost legendary. I am sure many of my colleagues, and no doubt a number of North Carolinians, have heard the one about two liberals chatting about the problem one of them was having in getting a Federal agency to respond to a question of one kind or another. It could have been about a problem with a Social Security check or a disability payment or any of the hundred other things that congressional offices deal with on behalf of their constituents on a daily basis.

One was complaining to the other that they were at the end of their rope. They are tired of everything, including their congressional representative. The other one listened intently, nodding in sympathy with the plight of their friend. When the friend was done talking, the other thought for a moment and finally said: I hate to say it, but it is time for you to call Jesse.

When it came to constituent service, ``Senator No,'' as he was often referred to by his critics, was more often than not actually ``Senator Yes.''

John Wooden, the great basketball coach, once said:

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for

someone who will never be able to repay you.

Jesse Helms lived his days in the Senate by that creed.

Senator Helms proved that you do not need to win by a landslide to make policy or to make a difference. As he might put it, he campaigned and legislated based upon his principles rather than his preferences. Those principles

and his constituents guided his public service. He was successful in his work, however, because of his willingness to take a stand.

Much has been made, of course, about Jesse Helms's stands against programs and spending that he felt were misguided or were not a proper responsibility of the Federal Government. Those stands had a tendency to be misunderstood. If you did not know where Senator Helms stood on an issue, it was probably because you did not ask.

Madam President, today I thank Jesse Helms. I thank Senator Helms for his service, for his leadership, for the fact that he was willing to take a stand, a stand that was not popular every time, a stand that he believed was right, not because of any political influence but because of what he understood this job to be about.

Jesse Helms today enters a house that I think he looked forward to being in. It is not the House of Congress. But truly, Jesse Helms was greeted with the sound of angels and the words ``good job.''

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dot and their entire family. His Senate colleagues miss him. But the Senate is a much better institution today for the 30 years of service of Senator Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.

Madam President, I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I wish to honor the life of North Carolina State trooper David Shawn Blanton, Jr., who was tragically killed on June 17 during a routine traffic stop near Canton, NC. David is the 59th North Carolina State trooper to have been killed in the line of duty.

David was only 24 years old and was a 2-year veteran of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. He was a native of Sylva, NC, and a 2002 graduate of Smoky Mountain High School, where he was a football and wrestling star.

We are all grateful for David's dedication to protecting the citizens of North Carolina. He lived in Cherokee with his wife Michaela, who had just given birth to their son Tye 2 weeks prior to his untimely passing.

David was a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian Tribe and the first member of that tribe to serve with the highway patrol. In addition to being a State trooper, David volunteered as the junior varsity softball coach at Smoky Mountain High School.

Along with his wife Michaela and son Tye, David is survived by his father David S. Blanton Sr., stepmother Jennifer Blanton, mother Jeanell Youngbird, younger brothers, Jerry R. Blankenship, Jim Kye Blankenship, Jesse J. Blanton, and sister Natalie E. Blanton.

David's friends, family, fellow troopers, and the people of North Carolina are mourning this very tragic loss.

I know that there are no words that I can offer to help comfort Michaela and other members of the Blanton family, but I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me in keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

David gave his life in service to our State, and this ultimate sacrifice should never be forgotten.

I send my deepest condolences to all who had the privilege of knowing this young man who gave his life in service to our State.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce bill that would give our veterans, surviving spouses, and certain dependent children he option to buy dental insurance coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs. My bill is based on a very successful program that has been in place since 1998 for military retirees and their families.

Under the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program, TRDP, military retirees are given the option to purchase dental coverage under a contract managed by the Department of Defense. Since the program started, over one million eligible participants have chosen to buy dental coverage through this plan, including over 56,000 in my home state of North Carolina. Those individuals have access to a network of about 112,000 dental plan providers across the nation. Premiums range from $14 to $48 per month per person, depending on the region and type of dental plan selected. With this kind of success, it seems only fitting that we offer the same kind of benefit to our veterans.

VA runs the largest integrated health care system in the nation. Although VA provides dental benefits to the 7.9 million veterans enrolled in the health care system, these benefits are either limited to a select group of people or can only be provided under very limited circumstances. For example, VA provides comprehensive dental care to veterans for 180 days after they leave service; who have service- related dental conditions; who are in nursing homes and require dental care; or who fall under other very strict guidelines.

My bill would supplement this limited coverage by giving veterans and survivors the option to purchase a more comprehensive dental plan. Of course, many veterans may have dental coverage through their employers or through an individual policy. My bill extends this dental plan option to all enrolled veterans.

As I mentioned, the bill is modeled after the successful program that is now offered to TRICARE retirees. Federal employees also have access to a similar benefit option for dental coverage. Like these other programs, this VA program would be entirely voluntary, be financed through premiums and, most importantly, provide needed coverage from a network of dental professionals in local communities.

This bill would not replace VA's dental services; it is just another option for those who want to have access to group insurance rates that they could not otherwise get on their own. This idea is like the 44 year relationship VA has with Prudential, who provides active duty servicemembers and veterans with group life insurance policies. The most important part of the relationship is that servicemembers and veterans are well-served and get to reap

the benefits of group rates and competition.

This is a good example of how we can build on innovative and successful approaches to improving options for our veterans. I believe my bill is another step in that direction, and I ask my colleagues for their support.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce bill that would give our veterans, surviving spouses, and certain dependent children he option to buy dental insurance coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs. My bill is based on a very successful program that has been in place since 1998 for military retirees and their families.

Under the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program, TRDP, military retirees are given the option to purchase dental coverage under a contract managed by the Department of Defense. Since the program started, over one million eligible participants have chosen to buy dental coverage through this plan, including over 56,000 in my home state of North Carolina. Those individuals have access to a network of about 112,000 dental plan providers across the nation. Premiums range from $14 to $48 per month per person, depending on the region and type of dental plan selected. With this kind of success, it seems only fitting that we offer the same kind of benefit to our veterans.

VA runs the largest integrated health care system in the nation. Although VA provides dental benefits to the 7.9 million veterans enrolled in the health care system, these benefits are either limited to a select group of people or can only be provided under very limited circumstances. For example, VA provides comprehensive dental care to veterans for 180 days after they leave service; who have service- related dental conditions; who are in nursing homes and require dental care; or who fall under other very strict guidelines.

My bill would supplement this limited coverage by giving veterans and survivors the option to purchase a more comprehensive dental plan. Of course, many veterans may have dental coverage through their employers or through an individual policy. My bill extends this dental plan option to all enrolled veterans.

As I mentioned, the bill is modeled after the successful program that is now offered to TRICARE retirees. Federal employees also have access to a similar benefit option for dental coverage. Like these other programs, this VA program would be entirely voluntary, be financed through premiums and, most importantly, provide needed coverage from a network of dental professionals in local communities.

This bill would not replace VA's dental services; it is just another option for those who want to have access to group insurance rates that they could not otherwise get on their own. This idea is like the 44 year relationship VA has with Prudential, who provides active duty servicemembers and veterans with group life insurance policies. The most important part of the relationship is that servicemembers and veterans are well-served and get to reap

the benefits of group rates and competition.

This is a good example of how we can build on innovative and successful approaches to improving options for our veterans. I believe my bill is another step in that direction, and I ask my colleagues for their support.

Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life of North Carolina State Trooper David Shawn Blanton, Jr., who was tragically killed on June 18 during a routine traffic stop near Canton, NC. David is the 59th North Carolina State Trooper to have been killed in the line of duty.

David was only 24 years old and was a 2-year veteran of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. He was a native of Sylva, NC, and a 2002 graduate of Smoky Mountain High School where he was a football and wrestling star.

We are all grateful for David's dedication to protecting the citizens of North Carolina. He lived in Cherokee with his wife Michaela, who had just given birth to their son Tye 2 weeks ago.

David was a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian Tribe and the first member of that tribe to serve with the Highway Patrol. In addition to being a State trooper, David volunteered as the Junior Varsity softball coach at Smoky Mountain High School.

Along with his wife Michaela and son Tye, David is survived by his father, David S. Blanton, Sr., mother, Jennifer Blanton, and younger brother, Jesse Blanton.

David's friends, family, fellow troopers, and the people of North Carolina are mourning this very tragic loss.

I know there are no words I can offer to help comfort Michaela and other members of the Blanton family, but I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me in keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

David gave his life in service to our State, and this ultimate sacrifice should never be forgotten.

I send my deepest condolences to all who had the privilege of knowing this young man who gave his life in service to our State.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that would end an arbitrary process through which our own Government takes away the Second Amendment rights of American veterans.

As most of my colleagues know, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act prohibits the sale of firearms to those who have been ``adjudicated as a mental defective.''

The Government maintains a database on these individuals called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or ``NICS.'' The Brady Law and the NICS database aims to prevent those who may pose a danger to society or themselves from purchasing a firearm.

Gun shop owners use NICS to screen customers before selling a firearm. Needless to say, it is a serious matter to have one's name on the NICS. Every American should expect a rigorous and fair process before their right to bear arms is taken away.

Unfortunately, when it comes to certain veterans, surviving spouses, and children, the process is neither rigorous nor fair.

Since 1999, VA has sent the names of 116,000 of its beneficiaries to the FBI for inclusion on the NICS.

None of these names were sent to the FBI because they were determined to be a danger to themselves or others. They were listed in NICS because they could not manage their financial affairs. We should not take away a Constitutional right because someone can't balance a checkbook or pay their bills on time.

This practice is arbitrary, unfair, and applies a double standard.

VA's review process for assigning a fiduciary is meant to determine one's financial responsibility in managing VA-provided disability compensation, pension, and other benefits. For example, a veteran may be assigned a fiduciary if they have credit problems.

The VA focuses on whether or not benefits paid by VA will be spent in the manner in which they were intended. Nothing involved with VA's appointment of a fiduciary even gets at the question of whether an individual is a danger to themselves or others, or whether the person should own a firearm.

Yet that is exactly what happens if VA appoints a fiduciary. Over 116,000 individuals have been listed in NICS since 1999 because they were appointed a fiduciary. This includes veterans, surviving spouses, and even children.

This process is not only arbitrary, it is unfair. Taking away a Constitutional right is a serious action and veterans should be afforded due process under the law. At the very least, we should expect such decisions to be made by a competent judicial authority and not by civilian government employees.

The current practice is also a double standard. Only VA beneficiaries fall under these guidelines. The Social Security Administration assigns fiduciaries to help beneficiaries, yet the Social Security Administration does not send their names to the NICS.

Why are we singling out those who fought for this country and those who sacrificed while their spouse or parent served?

My legislation would end this arbitrary and unfair practice that strips the finest men and women of this country of their right to bear arms. This legislation would require a judicial authority to determine that an individual is a danger to themselves or others before their Second Amendment rights are taken away.

I am not here to ask that we put guns in the hands of dangerous people. I am here to ask that we treat our veterans fairly and we take the rights of our veterans seriously.

No matter where my colleagues fall on the gun issue, I hope we can all agree that we need a process that is consistent and fair. Our veterans took an oath to uphold the Constitution. They deserve to enjoy the rights they fought so hard to protect.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that would end an arbitrary process through which our own Government takes away the Second Amendment rights of American veterans.

As most of my colleagues know, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act prohibits the sale of firearms to those who have been ``adjudicated as a mental defective.''

The Government maintains a database on these individuals called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or ``NICS.'' The Brady Law and the NICS database aims to prevent those who may pose a danger to society or themselves from purchasing a firearm.

Gun shop owners use NICS to screen customers before selling a firearm. Needless to say, it is a serious matter to have one's name on the NICS. Every American should expect a rigorous and fair process before their right to bear arms is taken away.

Unfortunately, when it comes to certain veterans, surviving spouses, and children, the process is neither rigorous nor fair.

Since 1999, VA has sent the names of 116,000 of its beneficiaries to the FBI for inclusion on the NICS.

None of these names were sent to the FBI because they were determined to be a danger to themselves or others. They were listed in NICS because they could not manage their financial affairs. We should not take away a Constitutional right because someone can't balance a checkbook or pay their bills on time.

This practice is arbitrary, unfair, and applies a double standard.

VA's review process for assigning a fiduciary is meant to determine one's financial responsibility in managing VA-provided disability compensation, pension, and other benefits. For example, a veteran may be assigned a fiduciary if they have credit problems.

The VA focuses on whether or not benefits paid by VA will be spent in the manner in which they were intended. Nothing involved with VA's appointment of a fiduciary even gets at the question of whether an individual is a danger to themselves or others, or whether the person should own a firearm.

Yet that is exactly what happens if VA appoints a fiduciary. Over 116,000 individuals have been listed in NICS since 1999 because they were appointed a fiduciary. This includes veterans, surviving spouses, and even children.

This process is not only arbitrary, it is unfair. Taking away a Constitutional right is a serious action and veterans should be afforded due process under the law. At the very least, we should expect such decisions to be made by a competent judicial authority and not by civilian government employees.

The current practice is also a double standard. Only VA beneficiaries fall under these guidelines. The Social Security Administration assigns fiduciaries to help beneficiaries, yet the Social Security Administration does not send their names to the NICS.

Why are we singling out those who fought for this country and those who sacrificed while their spouse or parent served?

My legislation would end this arbitrary and unfair practice that strips the finest men and women of this country of their right to bear arms. This legislation would require a judicial authority to determine that an individual is a danger to themselves or others before their Second Amendment rights are taken away.

I am not here to ask that we put guns in the hands of dangerous people. I am here to ask that we treat our veterans fairly and we take the rights of our veterans seriously.

No matter where my colleagues fall on the gun issue, I hope we can all agree that we need a process that is consistent and fair. Our veterans took an oath to uphold the Constitution. They deserve to enjoy the rights they fought so hard to protect.

Madam President, I rise today to congratulate a college baseball team that won a national title last month.

I am speaking of Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, NC. They beat Ouachita Baptist in a 6-2 victory to win the NCAA Division II National Baseball Championship--the first national championship title of any kind in Mount Olive College history.

The Mount Olive Trojans finished the season with a 58-6 overall record. The Trojans ended their season strong winning 24 out of their final 26 games.

This win marks an especially extraordinary one for Mount Olive College Trojans. This is the Trojans first-ever national championship win in any sport. In a town made famous for their

pickles, baseball can now be added as a point of interest.

Led by head coach Carl Lancaster, the Trojans were up by a five-run lead at the end of the first inning. Thanks in part to Josh Harrison's at-bat that resulted in a single and Dylan Holton's three-run double, Mount Olive mounted an early 5-0 advantage over Ouachita Baptist.

Mount Olive College was featured on national television in the May edition of ``NCAA On Campus.'' This gave the players a chance to brag a little about their accomplishments, as all nine players in the Trojans' starting lineup were nationally ranked in at least one statistical category at the time of taping.

The Trojans' efforts have not gone unnoticed by Major League Baseball. Five of the players from Mount Olive's 2008 National Championship team will all be playing professionally in the coming year. Additionally, four players have been named All American. This is wonderful news for these deserving young men.

Also due recognition is the Trojans' academic performance. Their emphasis on academic success earned them a team grade point average of 3.13 on a 4 point scale.

The baseball team's success can be attributed to their well-rounded 2008 roster that included: Jackson Massey, Jesse Lancaster, Anthony Hernandez, Anthony Williams, Weston Curles, Todd Jeffreys, David Cooper, Mike Kicia, Paul Novicki, Tyler Smith, Pat Ball, Alex Vertcnik, Dylan Holton, Rich Racobaldo, Joseph Westbrook, Andy Hilliard, Kyle Jones, Jason Sherrer, Josh Harrison, Casey Hodges, Erik Lovett, Michael Williams, Ryan Schlecht, Craig Beasley, Thomas Newsome, and Airlon Vinson. The team was coached by: Carl Lancaster, Aaron Akin, and Rob Watt.

Again, I commend the Mount Olive Trojans, the 2008 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship team and coach Carl Lancaster on an incredible season. Also, I would like to wish those players drafted into the Major Leagues the best of luck.

Mr. President, I rise today in support of S. 3127, the Select Agent Program and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2008. Last week, I introduced this important legislation with my friend Senator Ted Kennedy. I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for his partnership. I enjoyed working closely with him in the 109th Congress on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which was signed into law in December 2006. He continues to be one of the great leaders in the U.S. Senate and I look forward to continuing to work with him to ensure our laws protect the American people from health threats of all kinds.

S. 3127 will enhance our Nation's biosecurity and improve the biosafety of our most secure laboratories. The bill achieves two overarching goals.

First, it reauthorizes and improves the Select Agent Program. This program was created in the 1990s to control the transfer of certain dangerous biological agents and toxins that could be used for bioterrorism. The program expanded after the anthrax attacks in 2001; however, the authorization expired at the end of September 2007.

Second, the bill evaluates and enhances the safety and oversight of high containment laboratories. These laboratories are used by scientists to study select agents and other infectious materials. Labs are categorized by their safety level. There are four levels, termed Biosafety Level, BSL, 1 through 4, with 4 being the highest level. The number of these labs has grown, both domestically and internationally, in the last several years. Recent incidents in which laboratory workers were exposed to disease agents have highlighted the need to evaluate ways to improve the safety of these labs.

The Select Agent Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services', HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS. The program was intended to prevent terrorism, and protect public and animal health and safety, while not hampering legitimate research. This is an obvious struggle that requires careful consideration, particularly when science is rapidly advancing around the globe.

Under the USA PATRIOT Act, it is illegal to possess ``select agents'' for reasons other than legitimate research. The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 further required laboratories and laboratory personnel to undergo background checks by the FBI prior to approval for possession of select

agents. As of April 2008, there are 72 select agents, meaning the agents pose a severe threat to public or animal health and safety. Thirteen of these agents are found naturally in the United States. There are 325 entities and 9,918 individuals registered with the CDC to work with select agents and toxins, and 75 entities and 4,336 individuals registered with APHIS.

We take four key actions in S. 3127 to strengthen the Select Agent Program.

First, our legislation reauthorizes the program through 2013 and calls for a comprehensive evaluation of the program. The review, to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences, will look at the effects of the program on international scientific collaboration and domestic scientific advances. Historically, the United States has been an international leader in biosecurity. In fact, Canada recently proposed legislation to tighten safety and access to pathogens and toxins of concern for bioterrorism. Canada's new legislation, released in April 2008, would establish a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens, similar to our Select Agent Program. It also ensures compliance with the country's Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines across the country.

Second, the bill ensures a comprehensive list of select agents. Currently, CDC and APHIS develop a list of agents and toxins to which the program regulations apply. However, we believe some additional factors should be considered in revising the list. For example, scientific developments now make it possible to create agents from scratch or to modify them and make them more deadly. Highly infectious viruses or bacteria that are otherwise difficult to obtain can now be created by scientists using ``synthetic genomics''. In addition, we now have more information from the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, about the threat posed by certain bioterrorism agents.

In 2002, U.S. researchers assembled the first synthetic virus using the genome sequence for polio. Later, in 2005 scientists reconstructed the 1918 pandemic influenza virus. Then in January 2008, a ``safe'' form of Ebola was created synthetically. While this ``safe'' Ebola can be used for legitimate research to develop drugs and vaccines to protect against it, a scientist could also change it back to its lethal form. Also, earlier this year, advancements in technology yielded the first synthetic bacterial genome.

We must consider these scientific advances, including genetically modified organisms and agents created synthetically, if we are to address all agents of concern. In addition, DHS's recent biological risk assessments provide new information for our assessment of biological threats. This information should also be considered when determining which agents and toxins should be regulated.

Next, the bill encourages sharing information with State officials to enable more effective emergency State planning. State health officials are currently not made aware of which agents are being studied within their State. This leaves medical responders, public health personnel, and animal health officials unprepared for a potential release, whether accidental or intentional.

Lastly, S. 3127 clarifies the statutory definition of smallpox. The Intelligence and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 criminalized the use of variola virus, the agent that causes smallpox. The statutory definition of the virus includes agents that are 85 percent identical to the causative strain. Researchers are worried this could be interpreted to also include the strain used to develop the smallpox vaccine, as well as less harmful naturally occurring viruses. This sort of ambiguity could be detrimental to necessary medical countermeasure research and development. Our bill requires the Attorney General to issue guidance clarifying the interpretation of this definition.

In addition, in this legislation we take three key actions to evaluate and enhance the safety and oversight of high containment laboratories.

First, our bill evaluates existing oversight of BSL 3 and 4, or high containment, labs. The bill requires an assessment of whether current guidance on infrastructure, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of these labs is adequate. As I mentioned, the number of these labs is increasing around the globe. As these new facilities age, we need to make sure they are appropriately maintained. It is essential that laboratory workers and the public know these facilities are as safe as possible. If the guidance we currently have in place is not adequate, then we need to know how to improve it.

Second, the bill improves training for laboratory workers. As the number of laboratories and personnel increases, we must ensure workers are appropriately trained and lab accidents to not increase. Accidents and injuries in the lab, such as chemical burns and flask explosions, may result from improper use of equipment. Our bill develops a set of minimum standards for training laboratory personnel in biosafety and biosecurity, and encourages HHS and USDA to disseminate these training standards for voluntary use in other countries.

Finally, the bill establishes a voluntary Biological Laboratory Incident Reporting System. This system will encourage personnel to report biosafety and biosecurity incidents of concern and thereby allow us to learn from one another. Similar to the Aviation Safety Reporting System, which gathers information on aviation accidents, this system will help identify trends in biosafety and biosecurity incidents of concern and develop new protocols for safety and security improvements. Lab exposures to pathogens not on the select agent list will also be captured through this type of voluntary reporting system.

In closing, I encourage my Senate colleagues to join Senator Kennedy and me as we work to improve our Nation's biosecurity and biosafety systems by passing S. 3127, the Select Agent and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2008. I thank the many researchers, scientists, and State health officials from across the country who shared with me and my staff their ideas, experiences, and recommendations. In this time of exciting scientific advances, we must ensure our laws and prevention programs are updated to reflect current conditions. In addition, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the American people from bioterrorism. The Select Agent Program is an important part of ensuring the Nation's safety and security and I look forward to working with my colleagues to reauthorize and improve the program.

Madam President, I wish to honor the life of Jacklyn Harrell Lucas. Mr. Lucas was born in Plymouth, NC, to Louis Harold and Margaret Lucas on February 24, 1928. He was in the eighth grade at Edwards Military Institute when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Lucas felt an obligation to serve the country and refused to let age get in his way.

Ten months after Pearl Harbor, Jack Lucas joined the Marine Corps Reserve at the age of 14. He listed his age as 17 and joined without his mother's consent. Lucas soon reported to Parris Island for basic training, where he qualified as a sharpshooter.

He was assigned to a machine gun crew and moved to Pearl Harbor at the end of 1943 where he was promoted to PVT first class. A year later, Lucas and his unit had not been deployed, so Lucas decided to deploy himself. He stowed away on the USS Duel, which was carrying the 5th Marine Division to battle in the Pacific.

A month into the journey he came out of hiding. Despite being reported as AWOL a month earlier and having been reduced in rank, PVT Jack Lucas was assigned to the 5th Marine Division. He was assigned to a rifle team and longed to get into the fight.

On February 19, 1945, Lucas finally got his wish as he and 30,000 other marines stormed the beaches of Iwo Jima. On the second day of the invasion, Lucas was pinned down with three members of his rifle team when two grenades landed in their foxhole.

His Medal of Honor citation describes best what happened next. Private Lucas ``unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade and pulled the other one under him, absorbing the whole blasting force of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments.'' He saved the lives of his fellow marines by an act that would almost surely result in death, but Lucas survived.

Seven months and twenty-one surgeries later, Lucas was medically discharged from the Marine Corps. He left the service with over 200 pieces of shrapnel in his body. A month later he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Private Lucas was only 17 years old. He was one of 27 marines given the medal for their heroic actions at Iwo Jima. Eight-two marines were awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II, and almost a third received the medal for their heroism during this historic battle. Lucas is the youngest person ever to receive this Nation's highest military honor.

This Nation lost one of its best on June 5, when Jacklyn Harrell Lucas succumbed to cancer. He is survived by his wife Ruby C. Clark Lucas; 4 sons--William, Jimmy, Louis, and Kelly; a daughter, Peggy; 3 stepdaughters, Joan, Debbie, and Melinda; a brother, Louis; 15 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Madam President, the determination, patriotism, and selflessness of Jack Lucas should be admired by all. He was a fine North Carolinian and a great American.