Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by my colleague from Minnesota, Senator Dayton. Basically, he has offered an amendment to create a Federal usury law. While I understand and appreciate the good intentions of my colleague, I cannot support what amounts to Federal price controls. This is a mode of regulation from a bygone day.

Price controls are a failed experiment that often hurt those who they are intended to help. Even if the price control envisioned in this amendment was never triggered, it would set a very bad precedent.

Credit underwriting is the assessment of the risk. Interest rates are intended to reflect the risk of a particular credit. They have to.

While I appreciate my colleague's concerns, I fear that his amendment will result in credit becoming less accessible to more Americans. Market forces are the best regulator of prices. As chairman of the Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over consumer credit and price controls, I must oppose this amendment and encourage my colleagues to do so. We are going to have some hearings on similar matters in the Banking Committee, and I hope Senator Dayton would work with us in that regard.

Mr. President, I appreciate the time.

I rise in opposition to the upcoming amendment submitted by Senator Akaka. The amendment would amend the Truth in Lending Act and impose significant new compliance mandates and disclosure requirements on lenders.

This amendment makes considerable changes to an area of law squarely within the jurisdiction of the Banking Committee which I chair, and I hope it will not be included in the bankruptcy bill. This is simply not a dispute about asserting the Banking Committee's jurisdiction which we have here. The Akaka amendment, if it were agreed to, would be a significant change to the Truth in Lending Act.

This is a highly complex law, and amendments to it, must be considered carefully, and should be considered in the committee first.

I will be glad and happy to work with the distinguished Senator from Hawaii in that regard. But we have not had an opportunity to look at this, nor to conduct an appropriate examination of the substance involved in the amendment, and, therefore, there is no record upon which to base a judgment here with respect to the soundness of the provision. I don't believe this is either the time or the place for this amendment.

I will oppose the amendment.

Mr. President, this is a very complicated amendment. This is in the jurisdiction of the Banking Committee. It deals with the truth in lending law. We have not had any hearings on this issue. I would be glad to work with the Senator from Hawaii. We can sit down and see if we can do something on this issue. To bring it up on the Senate floor and try to make it part of the bankruptcy bill and bypass the Banking Committee is something we should not do. I hope we will not. I oppose the amendment.

Mr. President, in accordance with rule XXVI.2. of the

Standing Rules of the Senate, I submit for publication in the Record the rules of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, as unanimously adopted by the Committee on January 26, 2005.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the committee rules be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation with Senator Dorgan to provide a financial safety net for the families of our servicemembers who proudly serve in our Nation's military Reserve and National Guard.

Today, our National Guard and Reserve units are being called upon more than ever and are being asked to serve their country in a very different way than in the past. The Global War on Terror and the high operational tempo of our military require that our Reserve components play a more active role in the total force.

In the past, our Reservists were exactly what their name implied--a backup force called upon one weekend a month and two weeks a year. However, as the Cold War melted away, so did much of our military. Active Duty numbers were reduced as our major threat, the Soviet Union, fell apart. Since this reduction in our Active Duty armed forces, the burden has fallen to the Reservists to ``pick up the slack.''

Unlike any other time in our Nation's history, we now depend heavily on our Reserve component and have called on many of them to participate in major deployments, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. These deployments frequently necessitate extended tours of duty, many of them exceeding twelve months, for these citizen-soldiers.

These long tours and frequent activations have a profound and disruptive effect on the lives of these men and women and on the lives of their families and loved ones. Many of our reservists suffer a significant loss of income when they are mobilized--forcing them to leave often higher paying civilian jobs to serve their country. Such losses can be compounded by additional family expenses associated with military activation, including the cost of long distance phone calls and the need for

additional child care. These circumstances create a serious financial burden that is extremely difficult for reservists' families to manage. We can and should do more to alleviate this financial burden.

Previously, the Pentagon tried to address this problem by offering members of the National Guard and Reserve the opportunity to buy insurance to protect against income loss upon mobilization in the mid- 1990s. The program sold coverage for income losses of up to $5,000 per month. Unfortunately, the program was poorly planned and executed, and Congress had to appropriate substantial money to bail out the program before it was terminated. Since then, the private sector has shown little interest in reviving the mobilization income insurance program even though the Reserve Forces Policy Board has sighted income protection as one of its top recommendations.

It is critical that we find another way to deal with the issue. Therefore, Senator Dorgan and I have proposed the Military Reserve Mobilization Income Security Act. This legislation would provide a completely refundable income tax credit of up to $20,000 annually to a military reservist called to active duty. The amount of the tax credit would be based upon the difference between wages paid by the reservist's civilian job and the military wages paid upon mobilization. The tax credit would be available to members of the National Guard or Ready Reserve who are serving for more than 90 days and would vary according to their length of service.

Now is the time to recognize the service and sacrifice of the men and women who are in the Reserves. At a time when the Nation is once again calling them to active duty to execute the war in Iraq, fight the War on Terrorism, and to defend our homeland it is imperative that Congress recognize the vital role these soldiers play within our military and acknowledge that the success of our military depends on these troops.

I believe that what Senator Dorgan and I are doing with this bill is the least we can do for these men and women and their families. It is not too much to ask of our Nation and more importantly, it is the right thing to do.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation with Senator Dorgan to provide a financial safety net for the families of our servicemembers who proudly serve in our Nation's military Reserve and National Guard.

Today, our National Guard and Reserve units are being called upon more than ever and are being asked to serve their country in a very different way than in the past. The Global War on Terror and the high operational tempo of our military require that our Reserve components play a more active role in the total force.

In the past, our Reservists were exactly what their name implied--a backup force called upon one weekend a month and two weeks a year. However, as the Cold War melted away, so did much of our military. Active Duty numbers were reduced as our major threat, the Soviet Union, fell apart. Since this reduction in our Active Duty armed forces, the burden has fallen to the Reservists to ``pick up the slack.''

Unlike any other time in our Nation's history, we now depend heavily on our Reserve component and have called on many of them to participate in major deployments, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. These deployments frequently necessitate extended tours of duty, many of them exceeding twelve months, for these citizen-soldiers.

These long tours and frequent activations have a profound and disruptive effect on the lives of these men and women and on the lives of their families and loved ones. Many of our reservists suffer a significant loss of income when they are mobilized--forcing them to leave often higher paying civilian jobs to serve their country. Such losses can be compounded by additional family expenses associated with military activation, including the cost of long distance phone calls and the need for

additional child care. These circumstances create a serious financial burden that is extremely difficult for reservists' families to manage. We can and should do more to alleviate this financial burden.

Previously, the Pentagon tried to address this problem by offering members of the National Guard and Reserve the opportunity to buy insurance to protect against income loss upon mobilization in the mid- 1990s. The program sold coverage for income losses of up to $5,000 per month. Unfortunately, the program was poorly planned and executed, and Congress had to appropriate substantial money to bail out the program before it was terminated. Since then, the private sector has shown little interest in reviving the mobilization income insurance program even though the Reserve Forces Policy Board has sighted income protection as one of its top recommendations.

It is critical that we find another way to deal with the issue. Therefore, Senator Dorgan and I have proposed the Military Reserve Mobilization Income Security Act. This legislation would provide a completely refundable income tax credit of up to $20,000 annually to a military reservist called to active duty. The amount of the tax credit would be based upon the difference between wages paid by the reservist's civilian job and the military wages paid upon mobilization. The tax credit would be available to members of the National Guard or Ready Reserve who are serving for more than 90 days and would vary according to their length of service.

Now is the time to recognize the service and sacrifice of the men and women who are in the Reserves. At a time when the Nation is once again calling them to active duty to execute the war in Iraq, fight the War on Terrorism, and to defend our homeland it is imperative that Congress recognize the vital role these soldiers play within our military and acknowledge that the success of our military depends on these troops.

I believe that what Senator Dorgan and I are doing with this bill is the least we can do for these men and women and their families. It is not too much to ask of our Nation and more importantly, it is the right thing to do.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the undefeated 2004 Auburn University football team. The Auburn Tigers went 13-0 this season winning both the Southeastern Conference Championships and the Nokia Sugar Bowl. They finished the season tied for the best record in the land and, in my opinion, made a strong case for a national championship.

The Auburn Tigers finished the season ranked first in the Nation in scoring defense and fifth in the Nation in total defense. They also won four games over Associated Press top 10 teams--the most of any Division I team during the 2004 season.

While many Auburn players and coaches received individual accolades throughout the season, I believe that their dedication to extraordinary teamwork is an enduring tribute more impressive than any trophy or award. Saturday after Saturday, this team came prepared to play their hearts out and leave it all on the field. As the weeks passed, it became apparent to anyone watching that their efforts were more about a team, a brotherhood, and a community focused on victory than on individual accomplishments. The dedication, hard work, and focus of these players and their coaches are undeniable.

Individually, Auburn's players accomplished great things. Four Auburn players earned All-America honors: offensive tackle Marcus McNeill, defensive back Carlos Rogers, safety Junior Rosegreen, and running back Carnell Williams. Two freshmen, Stanley McClover and Quenton Groves, earned Freshman All-America honors, and Carlos Rogers won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the Nation's top defensive back. Senior quarterback Jason Campbell won the most valuable player award for the Sugar Bowl and the Southeastern Conference Championship game; while also garnering SEC offensive player of the year and SEC player of the year honors as well as Most Valuable Player of the South squad in the 2005 Senior Bowl.

I believe it is important to emphasize that the young men who make up this outstanding Auburn football team understand that they are students first, and then athletes. The academic focus of these players is exemplified by the fact that 9 of the 18 seniors playing in the Sugar Bowl had already earned their bachelor's degrees and 17 players made the Southeastern Conference Academic honor roll. I commend the players and coaches for ensuring that academic achievement is not sacrificed for athletic success.

Auburn's head coach Tommy Tuberville is to be commended for his achievements as well. Coach Tuberville was the recipient of six Coach of the Year awards including the Associated Press, Paul ``Bear'' Bryant, American Football Coaches Association, Schutt Sports, Walker Camp, and Southeastern Conference awards.

I join Auburn fans across the country in recognizing their accomplishments, honoring their achievements and praising their teamwork. I am proud of their outstanding record and am inspired by their ability to overcome adversity to achieve success. The Auburn University Tigers showed football fans everywhere what it means to play as a team.

Mr. President, today I honor Ms. Gloria Martin, a legal assistant to the Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, AL. Ms. Martin was hired at Fort Rucker in January of 1980. She has 24 years of exemplary and dedicated service to the United States Army and Fort Rucker.

This morning, the Army will honor Ms. Martin with the Army Outstanding Employee of the Year with a Disability Award. Later today, Ms. Martin will be honored by the Department of Defense as the Army's recipient of the DoD Outstanding Disabled Employee of the Year Award. Ms. Martin will also be honored with the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Ms. Martin was born on August 13, 1955, to Paul and Mallie Martin in Opp, AL. Ms. Martin has five brothers and sisters, including her twin sister Gladys. While Gladys was born healthy, Gloria suffered from serious abnormalities that she has battled her entire life. The debilitating effects of scoliosis, neurofibromatosis and osteoporosis required a series of major back surgeries, the first when Gloria was 5 years old making her childhood very difficult. Through all the surgeries and many months of recovery and therapy, Gloria showed great courage and strength by working extremely hard to complete her school work to remain with her peers. She completed elementary school on time, and she also completed high school on time. She went on to complete a business course as a member of the Dean's List at Douglas MacArthur Technical College and worked two jobs before being hired at Fort Rucker.

Gloria faced another major back surgery in 1992 and, despite complications that required a prolonged absence, she returned to her job at Fort Rucker with the same fierce determination and strength of will that had made her such a popular and respected colleague with so many of her fellow employees. A back injury in 2000 that left her with a compression fracture in her middle back did not deter Gloria from continuing to perform her duties from home as best she could. But Gloria returned to work at Fort Rucker with the help of a walker and cane even though she was in constant, often severe, pain.

Gloria Martin's tenacious and courageous service to the Army and Fort Rucker is being very rightly rewarded. She has a wonderfully supportive family, and she also loves her church, the First Assembly of God in Kinston, AL. She has held many leadership positions in her church and participates in community service activities. In a recent Army Flier article, Ms. Martin put her experience in perspective when she said, ``I think it's made me a stronger person because I grew up going to the Hospital and to doctor appointments a lot. I feel like it has strengthened my faith because when you have a disability, you have to depend more on God. My faith gives me confidence in my abilities. It gives me the strength to get up in the morning. I know that my faith in God and His care has enabled me to keep working.''

Gloria Martin is a very special lady, and I am very proud to join the Army and Department of Defense in honoring her tremendous accomplishments and extraordinary service to our military. She is a role model for us all. She is an example for so many others with disabilities and a true testament to what faith and personal courage can accomplish. She has touched many lives, and I thank her today for her service.

Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to talk about our departing colleagues. I am going to start with the senior Senator from South Carolina, the senior Senator after many years of waiting in the wings, and that is Senator Fritz Hollings.

I first got to know Fritz Hollings after I came to the Senate in 1986. My wife Annette and I have worked with Fritz and his wife Peatsy. We have traveled around the United States with them. We have been with them in their home. We visited them in Charleston. We traveled around the world with them.

He is a unique individual, to say the least, but he has had, as the Presiding Officer knows, a distinguished career as a State Senator in his native South Carolina and then lieutenant governor

and Governor of his State before he came to the Senate I believe in 1966.

He has had a distinguished career as chairman of the Commerce Committee for many years and as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and chairman for many years, and ranking member now, of the Appropriations subcommittee dealing with State-Justice.

Fritz, we are going to miss you. We are going to miss your humor. We are going to miss your frankness. We are going to miss your wisdom. And we are going to miss your wife Peatsy about whom we all care and love. You have invited a lot of us to visit you in Charleston. I hope you add some more rooms to that house there because a lot of us will be coming to see you. You have been a great American.

In addition to public service to his State and to the Nation, Fritz Hollings was a young graduate of the Citadel in his hometown of Charleston before the Second World War, and he served with distinction as an officer in Europe for a long time through many battles.

I respect you, Fritz. I commend you for your service, and I look forward to visiting you both here and in Charleston in the years to come.

Don Nickles

One of my other colleagues we all care about and work with is Don Nickles of Oklahoma. He came here as a very young man in 1980. He has been here 24 years. He was the whip, assistant majority leader. He was right here on this floor. He spent many days, many hours trying to herd us together as one of our leaders. He is now at the moment the chairman of the Budget Committee, and that is a feat in itself. He is a senior member of the Finance Committee.

We wish you had stayed around, but you chose to leave the Senate on your own volition. Don, we will see you, we will miss you, and I commend you for your service to the Nation and to your great State of Oklahoma.

John Breaux

John Breaux was just on the floor a few minutes ago. I first met John Breaux when I came to the House of Representatives in 1978. He had preceded me, although he is a little younger. He was a young man in the House of Representatives. He was very involved and was one of the first people I met there.

He tried to work with both sides, the Democrats and Republicans. He has been involved in the forging of a lot of compromises--meaningful ones--over the years. He has represented his State of Louisiana both as a Congressman and as a Senator well, I believe, for many years. John, we wish you and your wife Lois the best. We know you are not going to go very far, but you have a lot of friends in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, and you know that.

Tom Daschle

Tom Daschle will be leaving us. He served this Nation well. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer. He served as a staffer, and then he was in my class in 1978 as a member of the House of Representatives. That is where I first met Tom and worked with him and respected him. Sometimes we would be on other sides of the issues, but nevertheless, I always thought in his dealings with me and others he was a very honorable, decent person.

He is a relatively young man. He served us well, I thought, as majority leader. He was always fair and up front with us. He will go on to good things, I am sure. I wish Tom and his wife Linda the best.

Bob Graham

Senator Bob Graham is a friend of mine, a Democrat, a former Governor of Florida for two terms. He came to the Senate in 1986 when I did. We worked together on many committees, but we worked closely together on the committee you serve on today, Mr. President, and that is the Intelligence Committee.

I was the chairman of the committee and then he became the chairman when the Democrats got control of the Senate, and I was the vice chairman. I found Bob Graham to be working day in and day out, to be a very upfront man, a very honorable man, a man of his word. I certainly wish him well in whatever he does in the future.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell

My friend Senator Campbell, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, you talk about somebody unique. He is a unique American. He is a Native American. He is proud of who he is. He has represented the State of Colorado, both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, very well. I wish him the very best. He will certainly not go away in the future.

Zell Miller

Senator Zell Miller, the colleague of the Presiding Officer, is a distinguished Senator from Georgia. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, I believe, State senator, and then Governor of Georgia for at least two terms. He came to the Senate and distinguished himself. He is someone for whom I have a lot of respect, for his integrity, for his forthrightness, for his grit, for his perseverance, and also his foresight.

Zell, we will miss you in the Senate. But we will see a lot of you. I hope to visit you in north Georgia. You tell me what a beautiful place it is, and it is not too far from my State of Alabama, so I hope you have a room for us there. We will come see you, especially when the apples are ready to pick and you are ready to show us around.

John Edwards

We have also Senator Edwards from North Carolina. I first met John Edwards 6 years ago when he came to the Senate. He is a very accomplished lawyer, a very engaging person. He was the Democratic nominee, as we all know, for Vice President of the United States. John Edwards is a young man, a man with a lot of talent, and I am sure we will hear from him in some respect, political or otherwise, in the future as life goes on.

Peter Fitzgerald

Senator Peter Fitzgerald from Illinois is a very young man, one of the youngest men to come to the Senate. He chose to serve only one term. I think he has been involved in some of the big issues of the day. He is a man of integrity. He is a man who wants to do the right thing. He is always going to be involved in the issues of the day, as he has been.

Peter, we wish you and your family the best as you go back into the private sector where you have excelled and done things so well and for so long.

We are going to miss all these Senators, on both sides of the aisle, because collectively they bring a lot of experience and a lot of wisdom to the Senate. They have served, as I said, with distinction and honor here.

Mr. President, I want to mention a staffer of mine. She is not a Senator but she is very important in my office, Vicki Lee Cox; Vicki Lee, as she was when she came to work with me in 1978 when I was elected to the House of Representatives. Her father was a naval officer in the Naval Academy. She lived around the world. She was born in Pensacola, FL, grew up part of her life in the San Diego area, the San Francisco area, and in Newport, RI. I have worked with her for 26 years, day in and day out. I tried to get her not to retire because these are very important employees. They make your office go. They make us look better than we should, day to day. They make things work in the office.

Vicki, we will miss you in the office. We hope you will not be far off because we might need to bring you back to help us out from time to time as we get in a bind.

We wish you and your husband Dale the very best, but we have a job opening for you if you want to change your mind. God bless you, and we enjoyed the 26 years.

Mr. President, today I honor Rev. Dr. John Herbert Spencer, Sr. who passed away on October 1, 2004 at the age of 83. Dr. Spencer was a compassionate man whose selflessness and devotion to his faith, family and community will be remembered for generations.

Dr. Spencer, a native of Greene County, AL, was born on December 7, 1920, to Manuel and Annie Eatman Spencer. A graduate of the public schools in Greene County and Tuscaloosa, Dr. Spencer also attended Stillman College and Union Seminary. He became the pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church in Holt, AL in 1946 and remained at the church for 58 years. His leadership and devotion to the church spurred tremendous growth, including a new sanctuary and increased congregation.

He also preached at the following churches: Antioch Baptist Church in Hulls, AL, Hopewell Baptist Church in Lowndes County, Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Whitehall, New Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Tyler, and the Old Kingston Baptist Church in Prattville. Dr. Spencer also dedicated much of his time and energy to the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and the Alabama Baptist State Convention, particularly as Missionary for the Northwest District since 1976 and locally as Record Secretary of the New Antioch Bethlehem District, NABD, Association and instructor in both the local and State Congress of Christian Education. He was the oldest and longest serving pastor in the NABD Association.

Dr. Spencer's influence played a vital role in the completion of the NABD Association's Religious Center and the Science Building and Dinkins Hall at Selma University. He served as both Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Selma University and was instrumental in efforts to secure the school's accreditation. Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Selma University, Birmingham Baptist Bible College and Easonian Theological Seminary are among his numerous awards and citations for his contributions to Baptist work.

Dr. Spencer married Lillian Brown Johnson in 1946, and they were the parents of eight children. He later married Kay Frances Turner in 1980, who survives him. He is also survived by his children: Rev. John H. Spencer, Jr. and his wife Debra; Rev. Simeon D. Spencer and wife Glynis; Dr. Marjorie Spencer Campbell and husband Willie, Lillian M. Spencer; Jannis M. Glover and husband Donald and Dr. Faye Spencer Maor and husband Terver. He is also survived by two step-sons: Dr. Otis S. Johnson and Paul L. Johnson and wife Angeline; twelve grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Indeed, Dr. Spencer's willingness to share his faith had a positive impact on everyone with whom he came in contact. He will be missed by his family, friends, and the many lives he touched through his ministry.

Mr. President, I rise to express my strong support for the Specter amendment currently pending before the Senate. However, I want to first take a moment to commend Senator Collins and Senator Lieberman for their hard work and dedication to this important legislation. These are difficult issues and I believe that we all strive to reach the same goal--a safer, more secure America. The question before us now is how we best accomplish that goal.

I have long advocated for significant overhaul of the intelligence community in order to change the way it operates and specifically who controls the community and its assets. For too long, the intelligence community has lacked a strong leader with the ability to command and control the multitude of agencies that operate as independent parts without a focused direction.

I do not believe that Congress's action in 1947 intended to create the intelligence framework we currently have--a framework where no one has the ability to direct the actions of the community as a whole. I believe that Congress intended to create a Director of Central Intelligence with clear lines of authority and accountability within the intelligence community--one that is much like what we are attempting to create now with a national intelligence director.

The underlying bill does take some important steps toward the creation of a national intelligence director with the power and authority to chart a path for real reform within the intelligence community. Unfortunately, I believe that the underlying bill fails to provide the national intelligence director with all of the authorities required to provide the unity of leadership and accountability necessary for real reform.

I believe that clear lines of authority between the national intelligence director and our national intelligence collection agencies, extending beyond budgetary control, are critical to our success in countering national security threats of the 21st century. The national intelligence director must have the ability to direct, supervise and control the elements of the intelligence community.

There must be no doubt in anyone's mind that the national intelligence director is in charge. Without the additional authorities that are provided in the Specter amendment, there will be doubt.

The Specter amendment seeks to eliminate any question about who is ultimately in charge of the intelligence community. With the additional authority included in this amendment, there will no longer be an opportunity for finger pointing and excuse making.

Ultimately, the national intelligence director will either be congratulated for the success of the intelligence community or held accountable for their failures.

I believe that budgetary authority is an important part of the overall structure of a strong national intelligence director. But beyond that, he or she must have day-to-day operational control of all elements of the intelligence community performing national intelligence collection missions, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Security Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the humint parts of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Giving the national intelligence director budget authority but not day-to-day operational control will leave the intelligence agencies serving two masters and will inevitably maintain the status quo that has continuously failed us. Fundamental change is a must if we are going to work to prevent any further attacks.

I believe this amendment serves as a perfect complement to the actions taken in the National Intelligence Reform bill. This amendment simply enhances the authority of the national intelligence director.

I continue to believe that change for the sake of change will do nothing to accomplish our goal. A powerful national intelligence director is a vital part of our future fight against the terrorists that have dedicated their lives for the purpose of destroying America and its citizens. If we truly want to create a strong national intelligence director who has the authorities necessary to command and control our intelligence community and its assets, we must pass the Specter amendment.

I urge my colleagues to take advantage of this opportunity and support this amendment to ensure that true change is possible through the enabling of a powerful national intelligence director.

Mr. President, I pay tribute to a great Alabamian who has made it his life's work to teach our youth about being great athletes, fair sportsmen, and strong members of their community.

Mr. Sammy Dunn, baseball coach of Vestavia Hills High School, was recently inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and named the National High School Coaches Association baseball coach of the year. He has dedicated his life to coaching young men, not just on the athletic field, but in life's lessons.

For 27 seasons, Coach Dunn served as head baseball coach at Vestavia Hills High School, where he built a nationally recognized program. He won more games than any baseball coach in the history of Alabama and has a 621-159 record, a staggering .796 winning percentage. From 1991 to 2000, he led the Vestavia Hills Rebels to 10 State titles, including a record 7 consecutive titles between 1994 and 2000. In 1998, the Rebels were voted national champions by Baseball America and the Baseball Coaches Association. In 2000, Vestavia Hills High School named its baseball field in honor of Coach Dunn.

Throughout Coach Dunn's tenure, more than 100 players signed baseball scholarships, and some went on to play professionally, including veteran Oakland Athletic's pitcher Chris Hammond, Cincinnati Red's pitcher Josh Hancock, and New York Yankee pitching prospect Colter Bean. Moreover, his leadership inspired a handful of his former players to pursue coaching careers, including his son Casey, who is the head coach at Samford University.

Coach Dunn's lifelong devotion to young people and the sport of baseball made him an outstanding coach and much deserving of these recent accolades. He is a devoted husband to Linda, dedicated father to Casey, father-in-law to Marty, and grandfather to Sam. I wish him my sincerest congratulations on all of his achievements.

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

Madam President, I seek recognition for the purpose of engaging Senator Cochran, Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, in a discussion on the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater program.

The chairman of the subcommittee, Senator Cochran, has the good fortune of representing a coastal State on the Gulf of Mexico very similar in geography to my State of Alabama. The chairman is an outstanding steward and supporter of the United States Coast Guard and in particular the ongoing Deepwater modernization program in the Coast Guard. This bill addresses numerous issues related to Deepwater and I appreciate the chairman's support and leadership on this vital issue to every coastal State, as well as the Nation.

I note that this bill contains a provision to address a continuing issue of concern over the provision of Maritime Patrol Aircraft assets for the United States Coast Guard. Last year, the chairman wisely and judiciously included funding in his bill for a third Maritime Patrol Aircraft. This year, the subcommittee bill includes a total of $15.25 million for the Maritime Patrol Aircraft requirement. This amount, together with available balances from previous appropriated funds for maritime patrol purposes, will enable the Coast Guard to place the third CN-235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft under contract and to fund long-lead items for the next series of CN- 235 aircraft to be purchased, thereby reducing the cost of these next aircraft.

I thank the chairman for his support for the Maritime Patrol Aircraft and the recognition of the importance of the CN-235 to the Coast Guard's mission requirement to achieve maritime domain awareness through aerial surveillance. Clearly, the security of the United States is improved through any effective means to push our borders farther out and extend our zone of security. The CN-235 is one such effective method of extending our borders.

I thank the Senator for his time and attention and I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. John Hicks, a veteran administrator of the University of Alabama System who, after a quarter-century of service, will retire on August 31, 2004. John has made tremendous contributions to the institution through his dedication to educational excellence, and I am pleased to congratulate him today.

John has served as a member of the University of Alabama management team since 1979, most recently as executive assistant to the chancellor and secretary of the board of trustees of the University of Alabama. Recognized nationally for his accomplishments in higher education administration, John has made countless contributions to the university.

John has been an integral part of the university's efforts to recruit senior leadership, resulting in the selection of 10 campus presidents and four chancellors. Additionally, John's responsibilities at the university include oversight of the activities and meetings of the board of trustees as well as leadership in strategic planning and crisis management issues.

As ambassador of the University of Alabama system in the U.S. and abroad, John has represented the Board and its entities in activities of the Association of Governing Boards of American Colleges and Universities, the American Council on Education, the College and University Personnel Association, the Japan-America Society of Alabama, and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. In addition to his responsibilities with the university system, John still finds time to actively participate in the community by serving on the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Theatre Authority and boards of the Alabama School of Math and Science, the Kentuck Festival, and A Women's Place, a shelter for women and children in Tuscaloosa, AL. He is a member of the 2004 class of Leadership Alabama and Christ Episcopal Church.

John received a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial economics/ administration and finance from Purdue University and a Master of Arts from the Eastern Michigan University. John and his wife Kirsten Boyd Hicks are the parents of three grown children and have two grandchildren.

John has served the University of Alabama community with dedication and a sincere commitment to make the university a better place. The university will, indeed, miss him, but I am certain he will maintain his presence and leadership within the Tuscaloosa community. Today, I want to congratulate John on the occasion of his retirement and wish him and his family the very best.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Congressional Budget Office cost estimate for S. 894, the Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, be printed in the Record.