Floor Statements

Madam President, I rise today to introduce the ``National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area Act of 2003.''

The story behind and about the Mormon pioneers' 1400 mile trek from Illinois to the Great Salt Lake Valley is one of the most compelling and captivating in our Nation's history. This legislation would designate as a National Heritage Area an area that spans some 250 miles along Highway 89 and encompasses outstanding examples of historical, cultural, and natural resources that demonstrate the colonization of the western United States, and the experience and influence of the Mormon pioneers in furthering that colonization.

The landscape, architecture, artisan skills, and events along Highway 89 convey in a very real way the legacy of the Mormon pioneers' achievements. The community of Panquitch for example, has an annual Quilt Day celebration to commemorate the sacrifice and fortitude of its pioneers whose efforts saved the community from starvation in 1864. The celebration is in remembrance of the Quilt Walk, a walk in which a group of men from Panquitch used quilts to form a path that would bear their weight across the snow. This quilt walk enabled these men to cross over the mountains to procure food for their community, which was facing starvation as it experienced its first winter in Utah.

Another example of the tenacity of pioneers can be seen today at the Hole-in-the-Rock. Here, in 1880, a group of 250 people, 80 wagons, and 1000 head of cattle upon the Colorado River Gorge. Finding no pathways down to the river, the pioneers decided to use a narrow crevice leading down to the bottom of the gorge. To make the crevice big enough to accommodate wagons, the pioneers spent six weeks enlarging the crevice by hand, using hammers, chisels, and blasting powder. They then attached large ropes to the wagons as they began their descent down the steep incline. It is because of such tenacity and innovation on the part of pioneers that the western United States was shaped the way it was and much of that has contributed to the way of life and landscape still found in the West today.

The National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area will serve as a special recognition of the people and places that have contributed greatly to our nation's development. It will allow for the conservation of historical and cultural resources, the establishment of interpretive exhibits, will increase public awareness of the surviving skills and crafts of those living along Highway 89, and specifically allows for the preservation of historic buildings. In light of the benefits associated with preserving the rich heritage of the founding of many of the communities along Highway 89, my legislation has broad support from Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Garfield, and Kane counties and is a locally based, locally supported undertaking.

I believe this legislation will provide an exciting platform from which a significant part of our Nation's history can be highlighted. The Senate passed this legislation last year as part of a larger national heritage area package. While the overall package was not considered by the other body before the last Congress adjourned, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and the administration to pass this legislation during this session.

Madam President, this morning the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11 a.m. Following morning business, the Senate may address any of the following items: The FISA bill, if unanimous consent can be reached; the PROTECT Act conference report; the digital technology bill; the nomination of Priscilla Owen to be a U.S. circuit judge; the BioShield bill; and any other conference reports that may become available. Therefore, Members should expect rollcall votes during today's session.

Madam President, I am not in a position to give any definitive answer to the Senator from Nevada. It is my understanding, however, that intense negotiations are going on with the chairman of the Budget Committee and other Senators who have an interest about the conference report. It is my understanding that an agreement has been reached and that a conference report will, in fact, be available to be voted on, if not late tonight, sometime tomorrow. But in the absence of any absolute word about that, I will simply put that in the category of rumors. They may be true rumors, but rumors nonetheless, that I can pass on as my best understanding.

I will, as a courtesy to the Senator from Nevada, and to the Senate, ask the majority leader to come forward with that information as quickly as it has been firmed up. But it is my expectation that there will be resolution of the budget situation before we go out for recess.

Understand, again, that is my personal expectation. That is not an official statement on behalf of the majority leader.

Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that there be an additional 6 hours for debate on the Owen nomination, provided further that the time be equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, or their designees, and that following the conclusion of that time, the Senate proceed to a vote on the confirmation of the nomination, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I modify the request to 10 additional hours.

Mr. President, I ask if any number of hours would be sufficient for the Senator from Nevada.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for morning business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on today's Executive Calendar: Calendar Nos. 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, and 115. I further ask unanimous consent that the nominations be confirmed en bloc, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then return to legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 110, which was submitted earlier today by Senator Kyl.

I would like to comment, Mr. President, about Mary Jane Ogilvie. Many public men are described in their own right for their own accomplishments, and then their wives are referred to casually.

Senator Alan Simpson's wife, who took my wife under her wing when we first came here, described it this way. She said: ``We are just LWOs, which means `lovely wives of.' ''

Mary Jane Ogilvie was indeed the lovely wife of our Chaplain, Lloyd Ogilvie, but she was far, far more than an appendage to her husband. She had her own contribution to make to this body and to all of the Members in it.

Many wives of important men do not want to have anything to do with their husbands' careers and create areas of their own. They do not have an interest in what their husband does. Mary Jane Ogilvie was an incredibly important part of Lloyd Ogilvie's entire career.

The two of them were a team, inseparable. Her faith was as strong as his. Her dedication to the ministry and to the Gospel, as they understood it, was as deep as his. And her friendships forged here in the Senate were as strong as his. She was, as I say, an integral part of the ministry he performed here.

When she became too ill to carry on her portion of that ministry, he was unable to carry on his, which was very appropriate, in my view, because they were a team. He had his priorities straight, and he realized that, as important as his work here was, his duty to his wife was even greater.

When it became necessary for her, as she sought to find treatment for her condition, to move to California, there was never a doubt in Lloyd Ogilvie's mind that he would move with her. They were a team.

Some would have said: Well, she is hospitalized. I have a career. I will stay here. I will call her on weekends or get out there when I can, but I will let her go forward on her own. Lloyd Ogilvie is not that kind of a man, and their marriage was not that kind of a marriage. When she needed him, she had him, which is a manifestation of the fact that when he needed her, he had her.

So this resolution is but a small token of the Senate's gratitude for the contribution that Mary Jane Ogilvie made to the lives of all of us.

My wife and I were privileged enough to become friends of this team. We went to dinner together. We had conversations about our families. We had conversations about religion. We had

conversations about the Senate and its spiritual health. As the leader of the Senate Prayer Breakfast during the time that Lloyd Ogilvie was our Chaplain, I got to know both of them extremely well.

It is with great sorrow that we note her passage. But as I have said before of others to whom we have had to say good-bye in this fashion, we do not mourn for Mary Jane. We know where Mary Jane is. We know that all is well with her. Our sense of loss is for ourselves and the fact that we have been deprived now of her company, her spirit, and the joy of her life.

I join with Senator Kyl and thank Senator Kyl for this resolution in paying tribute to a woman whose contribution to the Senate is not reflected in the payroll or any official record but is engraved in the hearts of all of us.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Nevada for his kind comments.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 9. I further ask unanimous consent that following the prayer and the pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and there then be a period of morning business until 11:30 a.m., with the first 30 minutes equally divided between Senator Hutchison and the minority leader or their designees and the remaining time, until 11:30, equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; provided further that during the Republican-controlled time, Senator Dole be recognized for up to 15 minutes and Senator Kyl be recognized for up to 15 minutes.

Finally, I ask unanimous consent that at 11:30 a.m., the Senate return to consideration of S. 476, the CARE Act, and there then be 30 minutes equally divided for general debate remaining, with all other provisions of the consent remaining in order.

For the information of all Senators, the Senate will be in a period of morning business tomorrow until 11:30 a.m. Following morning business, the Senate will resume debate on the CARE Act. When the Senate returns to the bill, Senator Nickles will offer his amendment related to land sales. The Senate will vote on both the Nickles amendment and passage of the bill at approximately 12:30 tomorrow.

Following passage of the CARE Act, the Senate may resume consideration of the nomination of Priscilla Owen. In addition to the Owen nomination, the Senate may consider the PROTECT Act conference report, if available, as well as the POW resolution. Therefore, additional votes are expected.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Yes, that use is entirely permitted. I agree that we should do all that we can to help the Iraqi people and our farmers at the same time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now resume consideration of the Estrada nomination.

Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum under rule XXII be waived and the Senate resume legislative session.

For the information of all Senators, this cloture vote will occur on Wednesday. This will be the fourth cloture vote with respect to the Estrada nomination. Unfortunately, in my view, this will set a record for cloture votes relative to a nomination.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period for morning business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Small Business Committee be discharged from further action on S. 318 and that the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements regarding this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Small Business Committee be discharged from further consideration of Harry Damelin, to be inspector general for the Small Business Administration; I further ask unanimous consent that the nomination be referred to the Governmental Affairs Committee as under a previous agreement, the nomination then be immediately discharged; further, the Senate proceed to its consideration, the nomination be confirmed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; finally, I ask unanimous consent that the President be notified immediately of the Senate's action and the Senate then resume legislative session.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res 84, which was received from the House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.