Floor Statements

Mr. President, this morning I am pleased to join my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Dodd, in supporting the pending amendment.

When a crisis such as the one we are now facing arises, I believe the American people expect us to provide effective and timely solutions. Chairman Dodd and I have worked together to develop a package of targeted measures intended to help stabilize and strengthen the housing and the financial markets. We chose not to pursue partisan goals here. Instead, we are focusing our efforts on achieving the best possible results in a bipartisan fashion. I commend the chairman for his willingness to work with me in this manner.

The amendment before us provides immediate help to the marketplace by reforming the Federal Housing Administration, allowing it to provide greater liquidity and thereby enhancing the options available to America's homeowners. It also provides additional funding for foreclosure prevention counseling, which will hopefully help many homeowners stay current on their mortgages and be able to remain in their homes.

In order to prevent this situation from repeating itself, the amendment increases the disclosures--this is very important-- disclosures made to consumers when they obtain mortgages and close their loans. I believe that giving consumers; that is, buyers, more information and greater ability to understand the choices they are making will help them avoid the pitfalls and bad decisions many underinformed consumers made in the recent past.

To better protect our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, the amendment extends additional consumer protections and provides those returning from combat a chance to get back on their feet before they face foreclosure. That is the least we can do.

In an effort to provide communities with the ability to clean up the damage caused by the foreclosures that have already occurred, we have included funding to allow States and communities to buy and repair foreclosed residences. Attached to this funding is a requirement that any profits from the sale of properties must be used to buy and repair additional properties, similar to a revolving fund. I believe that reuse of this funding in this manner will maximize the impact of these dollars and minimize the possibility that funds will be wasted or profits inappropriately pocketed, as has been the case in the past.

The amendment before us also contains a number of tax-related provisions prepared in a bipartisan fashion by the chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee, Senator Baucus and Senator Grassley.

I believe this is a focused and targeted piece of legislation that will address in an appropriate manner a number of the difficulties we are now facing in the housing market. There is no doubt that we are experiencing serious economic stress in communities across the Nation. As I said in the beginning of my remarks, the American people expect us here in the Senate to provide effective and timely solutions. But I would caution my colleagues here that while we are in agreement on the measures contained in this bill, there is a line that I believe we should not cross. That line is represented by a taxpayer-funded bailout of investors or homeowners who freely and willingly entered into mortgages that they knew or should have known they could not afford. Nor should we be using taxpayer dollars to bail out financial institutions that also contributed to this problem. Chairman Dodd and I will shortly be attending a Banking Committee hearing in the Senate where we will be examining that very question in relation to the Bear Stearns situation.

While there are a large and growing number of homes entering foreclosure, I believe we must remember that the vast majority of homeowners are living within their means and are making their mortgage payments. While some would argue that we have a responsibility to aid those who find themselves underwater on their mortgages or unable to afford their increasing payments, I would argue, on the contrary, that we also have a responsibility to those who have made prudent financial decisions and those who may be looking to enter the housing market for the first time. There is a large group of Americans who see falling home prices not only as an opportunity to buy for the first time but also as an opportunity to move up. We must not forget them in our zeal to do something here.

Recently, I received a letter from an individual stationed in Japan. I think he very effectively makes the case for the other side of the housing market, and I would like to share this with my Senate colleagues. I will read it into the Record:

Dear Sir: While I'm not a resident of your State of

Alabama, I would like to share my opinion with you on a very

important issue. My wife and I are very concerned with the

direction government policy seems to be taking on the debate

over the ``housing crisis.'' I am an employee of

the Department of Defense and I am serving overseas in

Japan. Before we came here, we lived in Washington, DC, an

area with a very high cost of living. From the very first

paycheck I received we have been saving every month for an

eventual down payment on a home. We could not afford to

purchase a home in DC or anywhere near DC and were

unwilling to take on an alternative mortgage with 100

percent financing. As such, we rented.

When my tour is up in Japan we will probably be going back

to Washington and we hope to buy a home. We have worked hard,

saved hard, and will be putting down a 20 percent down

payment on the home with a 30 year fixed mortgage. An

important factor in our being able to purchase a home is how

much the market has softened. House prices are dropping

because the market was incredibly inflated.

Yes, people are losing their homes to foreclosure, but more

often than not they shouldn't have been in those homes in the

first place. I have very little sympathy for someone who took

out two risky mortgages to cover 100 percent of the cost of a

home that they could not afford.

And the letter goes on:

In fact, I would consider it an absolute slap in the face

to see my tax dollars being spent on people to allow them to

stay in the home they can't afford when I have been saving

for years to get into the home that I hope I can afford.

The letter goes on:

I recognize that much of the debate centers around

predatory lending practices, and people being duped into a

mortgage they didn't fully understand. I feel for those

people. I really do. But there must come a point when people

take responsibility for their actions. If you didn't read

your mortgage before you signed, you made a big mistake, and

now are going to pay for it. It is not the Federal

Government's job to save people from the natural consequences

of their actions.

The letter reads on:

As you look for a solution to the current situation please

consider the position many of us are in. We work hard, we

save, and we buy a home we can afford. Do you really want to

punish us by using our tax dollars in a bailout for those who

got in over their heads? Do you want to reward poor fiscal

discipline and encourage people once again to bite off more

than they can chew knowing that Uncle Sam is going to come to

the rescue? I believe that people like me are very much in

the majority in this Nation. But the media attention isn't

going to focus on us. It doesn't make for good TV. They are

going to focus on the family that is losing their home

because of ``corporate greed.'' No mention will be made of

the family that simply wanted more than they can afford and

now has to pay the price.

Please be an advocate not only for fiscal discipline and

responsibility in the government, but in each and every

American as an individual.

I think that is a good letter. I believe these are wise words, and I believe they are words that I hope we can keep in mind to encourage my colleagues as we work through this legislation.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, Senator Dodd and I agreed to provide an additional $100 million for foreclosure counseling. This is already in addition to the $180 million provided for the same purpose earlier.

It is my strong belief that we should conduct some due diligence on the money we have already provided to ensure that it is being spent properly and, most importantly, that it is actually helping people.

In the interest of reaching an accommodation, I agreed to provide an additional $100 million. It is in the amendment. This brings the total spending for counseling for 2008 up to $280 million, an amount that represents a $238 million increase from last year. That is a lot of money.

If there is a gap between what we have provided and what is needed, that need can be addressed through the normal appropriations process.

I think a point of order has already been raised. I hope it will be sustained.

Mr. President, I rise before you today to express my sincere appreciation for the men and women of a C-130 Hercules crew out of Pope Air Force Base, NC.

MAJ Paul Pepe, 1LT Robert Davidson, 1LT Robert Gillis, Staff Sergeant Adam Monroy, Captain Kaly Godfrey, SSgt Kyle Anderson, SSgt Charles Jones, and CPT Jessica Kehren were responsible for transporting me and three of my congressional colleagues from Baghdad, Iraq, to Amman, Jordan, the night of August 30, 2007.

Approximately 5 minutes into the flight, I looked out of my window and noticed flashes of light coming from the ground--our aircraft was taking on surface-to-air rocket fire. The C-130 Hercules crew immediately began taking evasive maneuvers to successfully defeat the three rockets fired at the aircraft.

Throughout the incident, our crew remained calm and professional. I could not have been prouder of the way they worked together to safely avoid a very dangerous situation. Our warfighters face threats in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. While I know this type of danger was not new to them, the incident enhanced my already deep appreciation for the danger they face on a daily basis.

For their actions, the crew was recently awarded the Air Mobility Command's 2007 Field of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviator Valor Award. The award is given for a conspicuous act of courage or valor performed during aerial flight during either combat or noncombat. Without question, the C-130 Hercules crew is most deserving of this high honor.

The training and extensive preparation that our crew undoubtedly went through at Pope Air Force Base has paid dividends. These men and women performed a stellar job without showing even the slightest bit of apprehension. I know my colleagues on the flight would agree; our military is fortunate to have this crew serving our nation in such a fine manner.

Mr. President, what is the pending business?

Mr. President, I will ask a question. I ask unanimous consent to proceed as in morning business for 10 minutes.

Mr. President, last Friday, the U.S. Air Force announced that the Northrop Grumman EADS team won the contract to assemble our military's next generation of air refueling tankers, known as the KC- 45.

This decision awarded the largest acquisition program in the history of the Air Force. To have expected controversy not to follow, regardless of the winner, would have been a little foolish.

What is unfortunate is that the uproar from the losing side is based upon mendacity rather than logic and reason. After the announcement, some falsely proclaimed that our military was selling out to a foreign country; that this award would outsource U.S. jobs; that these planes should be made in America.

The facts behind this selection should allay any of my colleagues' fears or concerns. Northrop Grumman EADS capable, advanced multimission tankers will be made in America by American workers. Any assertion that this award outsources jobs to France is simply false. This award does the exact opposite. It insources jobs here. In Mobile, AL, where the tanker will be assembled and modified, 1,500 direct jobs will be created. Throughout Alabama, 5,000 total jobs will be created.

This contract has ramifications well beyond my State's lines. Friday's announcement also means that 25,000 additional jobs at over 230 companies around the United States will be created by the Northrop Grumman EADS tanker win. This will result in a $1 billion annual economic impact on the United States.

It is also important to note that job creation was not a factor that the Air Force considered in making their selection. The objective of the acquisition by the Air Force was clear from the outset: acquire the best new tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

Five factors were used to score the two competing proposals: mission capability, proposal risk, past performance, price, and the Integrated Fleet Air Refueling Assessment.

Mr. President, the Air Force, in a lengthy, full, and open competition determined that the KC-30 was superior to the KC-767 and is the best tanker to meet the Air Force's needs.

The Air Force rated the KC-30 superior in every one of the five categories used to assess the tanker offering.

Mr. President, I believe this illustrates that the Air Force made the right decision, the right selection, not only for the men and women in uniform but for the taxpayer as well. To claim otherwise is simply illogical.

Additionally, charges have been raised that by awarding a contract to a team with a foreign company, our national security may be at risk because the U.S. military would have to rely on foreign suppliers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The prime contractor of the team that won, Northrop Grumman, is no less an American company than its competitor, Boeing. While Northrop's proposal uses a European-designed airframe, a close scrutiny of the two competing proposals shows that both have a relatively similar amount of foreign content.

Further, this is hardly the first defense program to be awarded to a U.S.-European team. In fact, Boeing itself was part of a team that recently won the Army contract for the Joint Cargo Aircraft, an Italian-built aircraft that will be assembled in Florida at a Boeing facility.

I find it quite ironic that there was no outcry at this award from Boeing supporters, even though it would seem that the Joint Cargo Aircraft Program would likewise ``take American tax dollars and build this plane overseas.''

The global environment in which we live makes it virtually impossible for any major military product to be 100 percent American made-- especially when our goal is to provide the best equipment for our warfighters.

Moreover, U.S. aerospace firms have supplied billions of dollars' worth of equipment built by Americans to foreign countries, and they still do.

As Members of Congress, we are all concerned about U.S. jobs. Yet any assertion that this award ``outsources'' jobs to France is simply false.

With this new assembly site in Mobile, AL, this contract will bring tens of thousands of jobs into the United States.

According to the Department of Commerce, Northrop Grumman will employ approximately the same number of American workers on the tanker contract that Boeing would have employed had they won.

As John Adams once said: ``Facts are stubborn things.''

If the U.S. Air Force and Members of Congress wanted the tanker to be a job creation program for Boeing, they should have eschewed a competition and sole-sourced the contract in the first place. But they didn't want that. Instead, the intent was to provide our men and women in uniform with the best refueling aircraft in the world at the best value for the American taxpayer.

In the final analysis, that is precisely what the Air Force did.

I am very proud to know that the KC-45 American tanker will be built by an American company, employing American workers.

This decision is great news for the warfighter, the American worker, and the U.S. taxpayer.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I join my colleagues in urging passage of S. 2338, the FHA Modernization Act of 2007.

The Banking Committee has invested a considerable amount of effort and time to reach agreement on this bill.

Legislating can be a difficult process that requires not only patience but also a willingness to compromise. The Banking Committee has been able to compromise in a way that achieves a balanced bill.

The bill makes the necessary changes to the FHA program so that it can meet the needs of today's mortgage marketplace. The bill also provides protections for the American taxpayer who ultimately bears the financial risks of the program.

The end of a legislative session on the eve of an election year can be a very difficult time to reach consensus on just about anything. When we are able to come together, it is incumbent upon us to seize that opportunity and move forward.

With that in mind, I commend Chairman Dodd's efforts to craft a bipartisan bill and I encourage all my colleagues, on both sides of the Hill, to support final passage of S. 2338 as passed by the Senate.

Mr. President, I commend the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. DeMint, for his amendment dealing with travel and spending. If we can save millions of dollars by people not flying first class, and so forth, and abusing the system, we ought to do it. The spirit of this amendment is good and I hope we can all vote on that at 12 noon, when we have agreed to do so. I commend him for offering the amendment. It will be good law for us to follow.

Mr. President, we are nearing the hour of 12 o'clock, when we have agreed there will be a rollcall vote on the DeMint amendment.

I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Senator DeMint from South Carolina and ask unanimous consent that I be added as a cosponsor.

The GAO, the General Accounting Office, found that over 120 million in tax dollars were wasted by Federal agencies dealing with travel--first-class travel--when economy travel or something less than first class could do. That is unacceptable to all of us here.

I commend my colleague from South Carolina, Senator DeMint, for bringing this to the Senate's attention, and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on this amendment in a few minutes.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Madam President, I rise in opposition to amendment No. 3295 offered by the Senator from Nevada.

This amendment seeks to take $150 million from NASA and will give it to the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program--a program that is already $400 million dollars over the budget request of zero.

At first glance, a reduction of $150 million from NASA's $17 billion budget would seem minimal.

However, let's look at the facts. After debating this bill, it is clear that NASA is a priority for the Senate.

We debated and added an additional $1 billion to NASA in order to partially compensate for the funding shortfall NASA has endured since the Columbia disaster. This funding will only cover one-third of the $2.7 billion needed to keep NASA on track.

To cut funding will endanger NASA missions that will inform us about the world we live in, and cripple our ability to be competitive in space.

We are in a space race. While we are the current leader in space, there are many countries that want to take our place and are aggressively moving forward to do so.

The administration has articulated, and Congress has endorsed, a vision for exploration. The return of our astronauts to the Moon is a Priority and we have provided the funding to accomplish that goal.

Now this funding is in jeopardy.

And what are we jeopardizing our future for? The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program--a program that was not requested by the administration, and currently is funded in this bill at $400 million.

We are being asked to add $150 million to a program that barely touches many of our States. Since 2000, five States have received 77 percent of the $2.8 billion in funding for this program.

Let me say that again--77 percent, or $2.2 of the $2.8 billion, for this program since 2000 has gone to only five States.

This can hardly be called a national program, although I'm sure it is an important program.

Yet, our Nation's space program benefits the lives of every American. The work that NASA does, from encouraging students into science and engineering careers, to innovative technology advances, improve our quality of life. The forward and innovative thinking at NASA helps to ensure our Nation has the ability to compete, and lead, in the global economy.

We are committed to keeping our leadership role in space.

In order to do so, we must make the right investments in space at the right times. That time is now.

I encourage my colleagues to oppose the Ensign amendment.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I think the intention of the Senator from North Carolina is good. I know she is concerned about border enforcement and everything that goes with it dealing with immigration. But that is the province of Homeland Security. We have an appropriations bill dealing with homeland security. I happen to serve, among others, on that committee too. But this bill deals with the Justice Department and related agencies.

I do not think we should be taking money out of this bill to give to Homeland Security for some program or taking money out of Homeland Security to give to Justice. We have allocations, as the Presiding Officer sitting here knows.

I think the Senator means well, but I think this is the wrong vehicle for what she is trying to do, and I oppose her amendment.

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

Madam President, I rise in support of the Vitter amendment No. 3277, pending before the Senate. I commend Senator Vitter from Louisiana for offering this important amendment.

The Vitter amendment would seek to eliminate Federal COPS funds to local municipalities with what are commonly referred to as sanctuary policies, whereby law enforcement officials are barred from asking suspects about their immigration status or reporting them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Generally, sanctuary policies instruct city employees not to notify the Federal Government of the presence of illegal aliens living in their communities. The policies end the distinction between legal and illegal immigration so illegal aliens often benefit from city services too. The amendment offered by the distinguished Senator from Louisiana, Senator Vitter, would ensure existing law is enforced uniformly across the country by withholding COPS Federal funds for cities that choose to violate the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

A similar amendment was added to the House CJS appropriations bill recently. In August, a poll conducted by Rasmussen reported a proportion of likely voters in favor of cutting Federal funding for sanctuary cities at 58 percent for, with only 29 percent opposed. It was an overwhelming vote.

Sanctuary policies, official or otherwise, result in safe havens for illegal aliens and potential terrorists. Sanctuary policies allow criminal aliens to avoid deportation because they prevent local police from reporting aliens to the ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cities that blatantly ignore Federal law and put their cities at increased risk of harm by illegal aliens should not be awarded taxpayer dollars.

I thank my colleague from Louisiana for offering this amendment and urge my colleagues to support the Vitter amendment.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the motion to commit. Chairman Mikulski and I have worked hard with a lot of Members on both sides of the aisle to meet the priorities of the Senate and the Nation. This bill funds State and local law enforcement $1.6 billion over the administration's request. The budget proposed to cut law enforcement to an unacceptable level. The bill fully funds the President's vision for space and makes critical investments in science and education that will be needed to keep this country competitive. I urge my colleagues to support the bill Senator Mikulski and I have crafted to meet the needs of the Senate and the American people.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. President, I wish to take a second to thank Chairwoman Mikulski and her staff who helped us craft a very good bipartisan bill. I thank the majority clerk, Gabrielle Batkin; Erin Corcoran; Doug Disrude; Kevin Kimball; and Robert Rich.

I also thank my staff who worked so diligently on this bill: Art Cameron, Goodloe Sutton, Allen Cutler, Rachelle Schroeder, and Augusta Wilson. Without them, we could not have done it.

Mr. President, I want to speak on the pending bill before the Senate for a few minutes.

This is the second day of consideration of the fiscal year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill. This bill funds the Departments of Commerce and Justice, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Given the extremely diverse subject matters contained within this bill's jurisdiction, we must entertain a wide range of amendments on the Senate floor. This has been true in the past and is true again this year.

Chairwoman Mikulski and I are currently reviewing a substantial list of amendments and are working with various Members and staffs to determine appropriate resolutions to the list of amendments. I ask Members to come to the floor to discuss with the chairwoman and myself your concerns so we can move this critical funding bill forward.

We hope and expect to finish this bill no later than mid-day tomorrow, but to accomplish this we will need every Senator's help.

It is Monday afternoon and we can move some things tonight and get this bill moved tomorrow with the help of a lot of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Madam President, I join with Senator Mikulski. She is telling our colleagues--and I join with her--that we have accepted and are working through a lot of amendments on both sides of the aisle. There are a number of amendments that have been filed. We, as she pointed out, need to know if people are going to insist on amendments or if there is some way we can accommodate Senators, if they would come to the floor and meet with us, because in a few minutes we are going to vote. The leaders will be on the floor and they are going to want a report from us as to what is pending, because tomorrow we want to move this bill. This is a very important bill, as the Presiding Officer knows. We need to move on with it and not delay it more. We are back now in a new week and I think we can make some progress. If my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will meet with us and tell us if they want a vote, we will debate it and vote. If they want to see if we can work out something with them, we will do that. But it is our intention again to move this bill tomorrow.

Thank you, Madam President.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I will not replicate what Senator Mikulski went through. She has done a very thorough explanation of the bill. This is a very complex bill. It funds Commerce-Justice-Science--NASA, for example--and related agencies. I will touch on some things.

I chaired this committee before and Senator Mikulski was the ranking Democrat on the committee. Now she chairs it and I am the ranking member. She probably has related on many occasions that we go back to our House days. We were on the Energy and Commerce Committee in the House of Representatives, working together then on a lot of these same issues but perhaps manifested in different ways.

This bill funds a number of our Nation's most important programs and initiatives, and I am pleased to outline some of the highlights. I thank Senator Mikulski, the chair of the committee. She works well with us, our staffs work together, and we tried to bring forth a bill that reflects our strong bipartisan relationship.

This bill was crafted with a tight allocation of $54 billion. Within these limitations, the subcommittee was forced to strike a difficult balance between the competing priorities of law enforcement, terrorism prevention, research, space exploration, and U.S. competitiveness through investing in science.

For the Department of Justice, the committee's recommendation is $24.3, $2 billion over the request. The President's budget request cut over $1.6 billion from State and local law enforcement at a time when violent crime is on the rise. Chairwoman Mikulski and I worked together to ensure that law enforcement receives the funding and support it needs to begin to address the increased crime problem and help protect our citizens and our communities all over this country.

The bill also provides the Department of Commerce with $7.35 billion--$754 million over the budget request. The Commerce Department oversees some of our Nation's most important business development, economic analysis, and science and research agencies, including the Economic Development Administration, the National Institutes of Science and Technology, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. Our bill provides $4.2 billion for NOAA, an increase

of $405 million over the fiscal year 2008 budget request. The committee believes it is critical to the overall health of NOAA to restore funding to programs that suffered over the past year under static funding levels.

Also, existing competitive grant programs were given increased funding and new competitive grant programs were created in an effort to reduce earmarks. The subcommittee's bill also provides $7.5 billion for NASA, an increase of $150 million over the request. This funding will allow NASA to move forward with crew explanation and crew launch vehicles while also funding the ongoing activities of the space shuttle, the International Space Station, and other important research activities.

This bill funds the National Science Foundation at $124 million above the request. Nearly all the additional funds go toward investments into the scientific education of our students, from kindergarten to doctorates. Combined with the funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the funding provides more than the request for the American Competitiveness Initiative, ACI, and lays the groundwork to address the concerns laid out in the National Academy of Sciences ``Gathering Storm'' report.

This investment helps keep the competitive edge our Nation holds in the world economy. By focusing on the ingenuity of our people, we will remain at the forefront of scientific and technical advancement for generations to come. In a year when discretionary dollars are scarce, Chairwoman Mikulski and I have worked together to find ways to ensure that the priorities of our Nation and our States are met. I urge all my colleagues to join with us in supporting this bill and expediting its passage.

I tend to agree with Senator Mikulski. We are trying to check with a couple of people to clear this amendment. I hope we can move it soon. We are checking with somebody right now. I think it makes sense.

Mr. President, I think this is a very good amendment that Senator Mikulski has proposed. We are checking with some of our colleagues

and hope they will not object. They are on their way to the Senate floor now, I understand.

I believe the amendment has merit. But I did tell them that I would check with them. If we can, let's set this aside temporarily until they get to the Senate floor and we see where we are.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

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

Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3231 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, Senator Mikulski and I have cleared this amendment on both sides. This will provide $10 million for upgrades to the DC Superior Court Moultrie Courthouse for the U.S. Marshal space. It is badly needed and long overdue.

I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to reconsider the vote.

The amendment has been cleared. I concur with the chairwoman.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I commend Senator Mikulski for offering this amendment. I am a cosponsor of it, and many of us believe what she is doing is the right road to go down. I believe we should adopt this amendment as soon as possible.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Madam President, I join with my colleagues, Senator Mikulski, Senator Hutchison, and Senator Nelson from Florida, in asking all Senators to support this amendment.

Senator Mikulski and I have worked hard with the others to craft a bill that addresses the priority of our Members, but despite our generous allocation, the funding necessary for NASA to aggressively pursue the President's ``Vision for Space Exploration'' cannot be accommodated without this amendment.

Since the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Columbia breaking up during reentry in February of 2003, NASA has spent $2.7 billion to make the shuttle program as safe as possible to ensure our Nation continues to be the leader in space exploration. Unfortunately, as has been pointed out by Senator Mikulski and Senator Hutchison, the NASA budget requests have not adequately restored the necessary resources in their subsequent requests. Instead, the costs have been absorbed from within

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

Mr. President, I move to table amendment No. 3243 and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Mayer Mitchell, a great American and human being who passed away on Wednesday, September 26, 2007. A highly successful businessman and remarkable philanthropist, Mayer Mitchell was a personal friend, and along with the entire city of Mobile, I mourn his passing.

Mayer was born in New Orleans in 1933 and grew up in Mobile, AL. He earned his bachelor of science degree in economics at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Finance in 1953. He then served as an Army first lieutenant in Korea, earning a commendation ribbon with medal pendant for meritorious service.

Returning home to Mobile with his wife Arlene in 1958, Mayer founded, with his brother Abe, the Mitchell Company, a commercial and residential real estate development firm. He went on to serve as its chairman and chief executive officer for the next three decades, selling his interest in the Mitchell Company in 1986.

The company's final total under the oversight of the Mitchell brothers was remarkable, with 25,000 single family homes, 20,000 apartments and 175 shopping centers built throughout the Southeast.

In fact, the current Mitchell Company that descended from a partnership of Mayer and his brother remains the largest private firm in Mobile and is among the top 40 in Alabama. Mayer's business success earned him an induction into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2006.

Mayer Mitchell leaves a legacy of tremendous philanthropy, touching the lives of many residents of south Alabama. Mayer was a tireless proponent of education and health care, serving more than 32 years on the University of South Alabama's Board of Trustees, including a term as chairman.

He was awarded the University of South Alabama's National Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 2005 and an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2007.

The Mitchell family's philanthropy reached all aspects of the campus at the University of South Alabama, from business and medicine to athletics. Mayer will forever be remembered as a legendary figure in the growth of the University. The Mitchell Cancer Institute, the Mitchell College of Business and the Mitchell Center sports and performance complex, proudly bear the family name.

To date, the Mitchell family holds the distinction of having contributed more than any other single family to a public university in Alabama State history.

The Mitchell Cancer Institute alone is a powerful legacy, providing state-of-the-art cancer care to people throughout the gulf coast region. Mayer always explained his deep commitment to cancer treatment through a personal connection. At the age of 36, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and was given 6 months to live. After 2 years of treatments, Mayer made an extraordinary recovery.

This victory not only shaped his life, but shaped the future of the Mobile region as well. He never forgot that he had to leave Mobile for his own cancer treatment in Rochester, NY, and he vowed to make certain Mobile had its own cancer center in the future.

This experience shaped his generosity and will to persevere in the form of improved quality of health care for every resident in south Alabama.

Although Mayer Mitchell and his family were critical to the tremendous growth of the University of South Alabama, this was not the only object of Mayer's patronage.

A strong friend to Israel, he served a term as president of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee and served on the board of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Jewish Seminary of America, which awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Mayer supported several other schools and numerous social and religious organizations. His philanthropic service included work with Alabama Power Company, Wright School, Bishop State Community College, Leukemia Society of America, USA Foundation, AmSouth Bank, Altus Bank, Mobile Area United Way, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Mobile Jewish Welfare Fund, Mobile Federation of Jewish Charities, Mobile County Real Estate Association, Archives of American Art, Anti-Defamation League and the Banc Corporation.

His honors include: Jewish Welfare Fund Man of the Year, Outstanding Young Men of America, Prichard Honorary Citizen of the Year, Mobile County Realtor of the Year, and numerous high honors from the Boy's Club of Mobile, Bishop State Community College, University of Rochester, New Orleans Chapter of Hadassah, Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, Mobile Kiwanis Club and the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.

Mayer is loved and will be missed by his wife of 54 years, Arlene; his son Richard; his three daughters, Melinda Wertheim, Joy Grodnick and Lisa Bukstein; and eight grandchildren.

He was an inspiration to many and will be remembered for his dedication and many contributions to Mobile and the University of South Alabama.

I ask the entire Senate to join me in recognizing and honoring the life of Mayer Mitchell.

Mr. President, today I pay tribute to MacDonald Gallion, who passed away on Saturday, August 11,

2007. For 13 years, MacDonald Gallion served as Alabama's attorney general. He was a personal friend of mine and along with the entire State of Alabama, I mourn his passing.

Born in Montgomery and raised in Birmingham, MacDonald Gallion moved to Tuscaloosa in the 1930s to attend the University of Alabama. While at the university, MacDonald Gallion studied law and subsequently received his bachelor of law degree in 1937. That same year, he returned to Birmingham where he began his law practice.

In 1941, following the start of World War II, MacDonald Gallion took a leave of absence from his law practice to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served his country with great valor, witnessing extreme combat in the South Pacific. While serving abroad, he was wounded at Saipan and was later awarded a Purple Heart. He received several other honors for courage and returned to the United States as first lieutenant.

Upon his return from war, MacDonald Gallion relocated to Montgomery to serve as assistant attorney general for the State of Alabama. However, after several years, he resigned to return to private practice.

Later, MacDonald Gallion would again be called to serve his State. He was appointed special counsel to Governor Gordon Persons during the historic Phenix City Trials and was asked in 1955 to serve as chief assistant attorney general to Attorney General John M. Patterson. In 1958, MacDonald Gallion was elected to serve as attorney general for the State of Alabama. He would again be elected to this position in 1966.

MacDonald Gallion served two terms as Alabama's attorney general. During his tenure, MacDonald Gallion led successful litigation in several significant cases including one that established Alabama's offshore oil and gas rights. This historic ruling would later pave the way for the State's multimillion-dollar trust fund. He also led the successful litigation against loansharks. At the time, this was the largest litigation of its kind in the United States.

Active in his community, MacDonald Gallion was a member of many civic organizations and legal associations. He held the position of assistant editor at the Alabama Lawyer and was listed among the ``Who's Who in America.'' He was instrumental in the founding of the Alabama District Attorney's Association. For his many accomplishments and contributions to Alabama, MacDonald Gallion was inducted into the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

MacDonald Gallion will be missed by his son Thomas Travis Gallion III, and his daughter Mallory Gallion Bear. He will be remembered for his dedication and decades of service to the State of Alabama. I ask the entire Senate to join me in recognition of the life of MacDonald Gallion.

Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Julie Sittason, who has dedicated over 20 years of her life to caring for others. On August 16, 2007, when Julie steps down as the executive director of Hospice of West Alabama, she will leave behind a legacy of service to others.

Julie and I have been friends for many years. She graduated from my alma mater, the University of Alabama, with an undergraduate degree in sociology and a master's degree in counseling and guidance from the University of Alabama. Soon after, Julie decided to pursue a rewarding career of serving and caring for others.

For 7 years, Julie worked as a counselor at the Alabama State Department of Industrial Relations, providing guidance to the blind, the hearing impaired and recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Later, Julie returned to the University of Alabama to work as the program administrator for the West Alabama Comprehensive Services program.

In 1986, Julie was named executive director of Hospice of West Alabama. When she was hired, the Agency only employed three full-time staffers, operating on an annual budget of $86,000. Today, the budget has grown to $5 million a year and Hospice of West Alabama has 70 employees, serving 600 patients a year in Tuscaloosa, Greene, Hale, Bibb and Pickens Counties.

Over the past two decades, Julie has overseen many changes at Hospice of West Alabama. It was under her direction in 1997 when the Agency became the first community-based hospice in the State of Alabama to be officially recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In 2004, it was Julie's vision that led to the construction of the $5 million facility that includes the State's first community-based inpatient hospice facility.

While many people think that the service Julie contributes each day through her work at Hospice of West Alabama is enough, she thinks otherwise. As an avid volunteer, Julie continues to serve with organizations such as the March of Dimes, the MS Walkathon and Soup Bowl. She has served as an adviser for Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority, is on the administrative board for First United Methodist Church, and the board of directors for United Cerebral Palsy, Castle Hill Clinic and the Maude Whatley Clinic. Julie has also held several leadership positions in the Alabama Hospice Organization.

Julie is married to Chuck Sittason. She has two daughters, Katherine Cramer, who served with distinction as my first Senate page in 1995, and Meredith Cramer.

As Julie embarks on another phase in her life, she will remain an inspiration to many and will be remembered for her dedication and many contributions to Hospice of West Alabama. I wish her much luck in her future endeavors, and I ask this entire Senate to join me in recognizing and honoring the life and career of my good friend Julie Sittason.

On rollcall vote No. 265, I was present and voted ``yea.'' The official record has me listed as absent. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the official record be corrected to accurately reflect my vote. This will in no way change the outcome of the vote.