Floor Statements

On Thursday, December 20, 2012, my father, Claude Bruce Brown, passed away. Growing up, my relationship with my Dad was a complicated one. As we both matured, our relationship, respect and love for each other also matured. He was a good man with a big heart. Our family--my wife Gail, and my daughters Ayla and Arianna--are thankful to his wife, Peggy, her family and for their unwavering love for him during his difficult final days. I will miss my father's guidance and his sense of humor.

As a result of my father's passing, I am departing Washington so that we can be together and mourn together as a family. Unfortunately, that means that on Friday, December 21, 2012, I am not present in Senate for three rollcall votes. In my nearly 3 years of service in the Senate, I have only missed one vote, and I want to be clear about how I would have voted on the measures that are before the Senate today.

I strongly support the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 4310, the Department of Defense Authorization bill, and I would have voted aye in favor of its passage. Providing the necessary resources to our men and women in uniform is critical, and as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I applaud the authors of this legislation for their work on this measure. It contains many provisions that I believe are important to both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the security of our Nation.

Additionally, I would have supported the motion to invoke cloture on the Reid substitute amendment No. 3395 to H.R. 1, the vehicle for the Hurricane Sandy emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Hurricane Sandy had a major impact on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and had a terrible toll on New York and New Jersey especially.

Finally, on the motion to waive the Budget Act point of order on a small portion of that disaster response bill that did not pertain to responding to the impacts of Hurricane Sandy, I would have voted no. I believe that funding for infrastructure improvements to mitigate the impacts of future storms is critical, but should be fully offset in the future. This is consistent with all of the new spending efforts that are considered under the bipartisan budget controls currently in place.

Madam President, I commend the minority leader for his nice tribute to Senator Snowe.

Madam President, I rise to give my closing floor speech for this session of the Senate.

From the date of my swearing in on February 4, 2010, until the last day I serve in this great Chamber, which is 1 month shy of 3 years serving, I still say and believe that, aside from my marriage to my wife Gail of 26 years and the birth of my two children, Ayla and Arianna, serving in the greatest deliberative body for the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts, in the people's seat, has been the greatest honor I ever had in my life. I thank the people of Massachusetts for that opportunity. To think that someone such as myself, whose parents were married and divorced 4 times each, who lived in 17 houses by the time he was 18 and was subjected to various forms of abuse growing up, still has the honor to serve in one of the greatest deliberative bodies, as I said, in the world is something I will not soon forget.

To the young people sitting here and who may be watching, take it from me that in this country, even when it seems that you are fighting against all odds, anything is possible for you. There are no obstacles that cannot be overcome so do not give up and always follow your dreams.

As I have said before, people have no business in politics unless they respect the judgment of the voters. If you run for office, you have to be able to take victory or defeat in a gracious manner. I do respect the judgment of the voters. I accept their decision in this election with the same attitude and sense of appreciation I held when I arrived in this Chamber almost 3 years ago.

When I was sworn in, I was the 1,914th Senator accepting the oath of office by signing the book right up at the clerk's table. There were many Senators who served before me and there will be many Senators who serve after my service is over. That my name is listed amongst them is very humbling.

To all the people of Massachusetts, I greatly appreciate the confidence you placed in me for the past 3 years in allowing me to represent them in the Senate. To my colleagues, I thank them for the courtesy and friendship they afforded me during my time here. When I arrived, I promised I would read the bills, see how they affected Massachusetts, see how they affected our country, our debt and our deficit and I would vote in an independent manner based on the merits of that issue rather than political partisan politics. I am proud I did keep that promise to be independent. I am proud my voting record has identified me as the second most bipartisan Senator in the Senate, as referenced by Congressional Quarterly, and that I was named as the least partisan Senator in the Senate by Washingtonian magazine.

It was that independent and bipartisan approach that provided me with an opportunity to stand with the President at the White House on three separate occasions in the past 2 years to see bills I had either sponsored or played a key role in securing their passage signed into law. I was honored to work with my colleagues--many who are here today and many who are listening--on both sides of the aisle on legislation that was signed into law to move our country forward, including the STOCK Act to ban insider trading by Members of Congress--I know the Presiding Officer played a key role in that as well--the hire a hero veterans bill to help our veterans who are fighting for jobs actually have opportunities to be hired by employers who are looking for those heroes; the crowdfunding legislation which will help young entrepreneurs get access to new capital and create jobs, something I hope the SEC will immediately come up with a rule on so these people can start creating jobs and raising money; legislation to reform Wall Street, where I was the deciding vote to strengthen our country's financial system; legislation to eliminate an onerous 3-percent withholding tax; eliminating a stealth tax that would have affected government contractors--that is also gone; legislation to ensure our fallen heroes receive the dignity and respect they deserve at the Arlington National Cemetery, that

is something now that is also fixed; and many other congressional actions that have made a difference not only in Massachusetts but in this great country. These are all shared successes, and I was proud to be part of each and every one of them.

I have always said in order to do our business as our country's leaders we must do our work in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to ensure the actions taken by Congress benefit all Americans, not just those of one political party or one political ideology. During my time here and now as I am leaving, I have been and still am deeply concerned about the lack of bipartisan efforts to solve our country's most pressing economic challenges and in turn move our country forward. Many times political party and personal gain is put before the needs of our country. I know we can do it better. The American people expect us to do it better. As I leave, I challenge the leadership on both sides of the aisle to make the process more open and transparent. I challenge Members to work with each other in a more open and honest manner, and I challenge the President and the congressional leadership to also work together immediately to address the concerns and needs of our country because, after all, we are Americans first and our country deserves better.

In closing, I see my staff here. Many of them were here from the beginning. They came from applicants, over 4,000, for a very select few jobs. I thank Vanessa Sinders, my chief of staff, and each and every one of the staff for the amazing work they have done in very interesting times. To come here as the 41st or the 60th Senator and have the media scrutiny and all the commentary from every special interest group around the country, in the middle of a Senate that was gridlocked--to come here and have an opportunity to make a difference and do it well without making any mistakes is something I think benefited Massachusetts but also benefited this great country. It allowed for the debate to resume once again to eliminate a supermajority so one side could ram through things in which the other side had no play or no involvement.

That is not what our country is about. That is not what this Chamber is about. We deserve better. The people of Massachusetts and the people of this country deserve better. They deserve to have their voices heard. Every person in this Chamber has one vote. To think that one side or the other, depending on who is in charge, is going to stifle that one Senator, from whatever part of the country, not to let him or her have their moment to express their views on something that is important to them and their constituency, to shut that off and put your thumb on it is not the way we should be doing it.

I am deeply concerned about any changes in the rules that are being proposed to eliminate the ability for both sides to do battle in a thoughtful, respectful manner. If you see the movie ``Lincoln,'' you see that even back then they were battling most of the time to convince each other to go one way or the other. Since when has it been a problem to have vibrant debate in the Senate, in this great Chamber? Since when? What is everybody scared about? I don't understand that. I am hopeful the leaders will come together and recognize we need to have that vibrant debate. That is what makes this Chamber unique among any other form of government around the world. To take that away and limit it I think is a big mistake.

I wish to say thank you, obviously, to the people of Massachusetts for entrusting me to sit in the people's seat for the past 3 years. I thank my colleagues who are here, with whom I have had some great friendships and opportunities to work together. As I said many times before, victory and defeat is temporary depending on what happens and where we go. All of us, obviously, may meet again, but I am looking forward to continuing on with those friendships, continuing on working with my staff.

I thank you for this opportunity to speak.

Mr. President, I rise today in tribute to a young woman from Marblehead, MA, who made us so proud during the 30th Olympiad. Like all our Olympians and Paralympians, judoka Kayla Harrison practiced for years, put in thousands of hours in training, sacrificed mightily and defeated countless competitors just to make Team USA.

At 6 years of age, Kayla's mother, herself a black belt, introduced Kayla to judo. Kayla excelled at the sport and by the time she was in her teens, was a two-time national champion. Yet, while this talented and dedicated athlete, still just a girl, was taking the judo world by storm, she was doing so while suffering in silence from the pain of sexual abuse.

If Kayla had never fought again or if she simply faded away, people would have understood. But with Wakefield coach Jimmy Pedro at her side, Kayla used martial arts to transcend the trauma, anger, and pain. Judo wasn't a way out, it was a way through. She went on to fight harder, and better, than ever. Watching Kayla compete, you get the sense that she is fighting at a whole different level. Kayla doesn't just defeat her opponents; she leaves them wondering why on Earth they ever fought her in the first place. Kayla would go on to win countless American and international competitions, all of which led to the 2012 London Olympic games.

In London, Kayla and countless others inspired our Nation. For the millions who themselves have suffered abuse, Kayla's gold medal was far more than a point of national pride, it was the most powerful reminder that there is hope. She reminded us that we can rise above any obstacle and that we don't have to be ruled, defined, or limited by the evil done to us. In the pursuit of a gold medal, Kayla taught us that we can be free.

Days before her first Olympic match, Kayla recorded a video in which she described each step she would take, from waking and eating breakfast on the morning of her first Olympic match, to her victory over her final competitor, and even predicting her tears of joy upon hearing our national anthem at her gold medal ceremony. Her commitment to her vision and her determination to see it through are a lesson in true perseverance.

We cannot understate the odds that Kayla faced in her chosen sport; no American man or woman had ever won an Olympic gold medal in Judo. Yet there is the enduring image of Kayla in London, overcome with emotion, standing at the highest point on the podium, hearing the notes of the ``Star Spangled Banner.'' Kayla Harrison's immense courage, raw talent, and pursuit of an audacious dream inspire us all.

In closing I congratulate all our Olympians and Paraympians. In a time of uncertainty where there is so much focus on what separates and divides us, for a few weeks in late summer Kayla Harrison and her fellow athletes helped us come together as a nation and showed the world the best of America.

Mr. President, heading into the summer games, much of the focus was on the superstar athletes considered our best hope to bring home the gold. Certainly this was the case with Michael Phelps, LeBron James, and Sanya Richards-Ross, who seemed destined to secure gold medals for their teams. Yet, as is often the case, the Olympics produced upsets and triumphs and story lines that no one could predict. This is such a story.

Alexandra Raisman from Needham, MA, was the obvious choice for captain of the U.S. women's gymnastics team in the 30th Olympiad. She was coached by the best, the award-winning Mihai Brestyan, who, along with his wife Silvia, owns Brestyan's American Gymnastics Club in Burlington, MA, one of our country's top training facilities for gymnasts at all levels. Mihai also coached 2008 Olympic silver medalist and Winchester, MA native Alicia Sacramone.

Aly was calm under pressure, a solid performer, and could be counted on to consistently do exceptionally well. There seemed to be a peace about the

American gymnastics captain; watching her was a remarkable lesson in focus. ``Reliable Raisman,'' as she was called, would be USA Gymnastics' foundation and, with the help of her teammates, would compete for individual gold medals and an elusive team gold against the world's best.

The day before the all-around team competition, Aly's teammate, the No. 1 gymnast on Earth in the individual all-around, fell. A team gold now hanging in the balance, her teammates covered their mouths and fought back tears as their coaches nervously paced. In a hushed arena, the cameras and the eyes of tens of millions of TV viewers turned to Reliable Raisman, who would now have to turn in the performance of a lifetime to secure gold for the American women.

Aly had in several previous competitions selected a modern rendition of ``Hava Nagila,'' the popular Jewish folk song of celebration, as the music for her anything-but-routine floor exercises. Meaning ``let's rejoice'' in Hebrew, the song seemed a natural choice for this young woman, whose Jewish heritage is a central part of her life and family. After steady performances in the vault, beam, and uneven bars, the opening notes of ``Hava Nagila'' rang through the arena for her floor exercise. Before her routine, a TV commentator remarked that for Aly to secure the gold would require an ``unreal'' performance and a tumbling run that many thought ``was not possible.'' Raisman exceeded expectations as she executed her tumbles and stuck her landing with a brilliant smile. This near-perfect floor routine solidified the first gymnastics all-around gold for American women since 1996.

A gold medal was also on the line as Aly again drew the world's attention to a 12-by-12 meter mat in London for the games' final gymnastic event. Raisman's floor routine came on the heels of a bronze medal in the individual balance beam competition providing her with a boost of confidence. A slow motion replay of her final tumbling run showed her tears of joy beginning before she stuck her final landing as she knew she would be the first American woman to win gold in the floor exercise.

In closing, Aly Raisman did more than win our Nation's first ever Olympic gold medal in the women's floor exercise, did more than deliver the first women' gymnastics team gold for American women in 16 years; Raisman is an inspiration for the youth of Massachusetts that with hard work and dedication to your craft, anything can be achieved.

Mr. President, I congratulate Aly on her historic gold medal and wish her all the best in the years ahead. And to all our Olympians and Paralympians, thank you for so ably representing our Nation in the 30th Olympiad.

Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary Bay State resident and patriot, John Francis Dignam, who passed away on March 18, 2012, at the age of 78.

John Francis Dignam's life story is truly an American story. Born in Lawrence, MA, John attended St. Mary's Grammar School and graduated from Central Catholic High School at the age of 16, in 1950. He attended Tilton Prep School and Holy Cross, before enlisting in the Army in 1953, where he received numerous commendations. Upon his discharge from the Army, John attended Northeastern University in Boston, and earned a degree in physics and Applied Science in 1962. He returned to Northeastern many years later, and earned a degree from the executive MBA program.

John is best known for his work as a civil servant at the Watertown Arsenal from 1966-1996, where he served with and led a core team of national experts focused on the development of advanced materials and structures to meet the highly challenging requirements of United States ground and space-based defense systems. At the time of his retirement, he served as the Chief of the Ballistic Missile Defense Materials Program Office; Physical Science Administrator in the Materials Directorate; and Director of the Hardened Materials Program.

Following the closure of Watertown Arsenal in 1996, John retired from government service and founded a small company named Mentis Sciences. At Mentis Sciences, John and his team have conducted cutting-edge materials research, engineering and manufacturing support for the Department of Defense on many high priority tactical and strategic missile defense programs.

John Francis Dignam loved our great country, and his record of academic and professional achievement is both substantial and impressive. But it tells only part of the story. Alongside of his beloved wife of 49 years, Rita, he was a life-long resident of Massachusetts who was active in his community and his church. Throughout his decades of service to the country, John never lost sight of his Massachusetts roots, and he always made time to support his community and his church. He led others through his example. And today he lays at rest along the hillside at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence.

I am proud to rise today to honor his service to the Nation, and to recognize his profound contributions to Massachusetts, the greater Lawrence community, and his family.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Ms. Moira McCarthy Stanford, who has contributed enormously and tirelessly to the cause of fighting diabetes.

Moira's support for diabetes research stems from her personal journey learning about diabetes. Her daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly after her sixth birthday. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disorder that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to properly control the body's sugar levels. We can all agree that navigating through diabetes management for both parents and children is extremely difficult, and with no cure for this disease, Moira's advocacy for research is essential.

Now, you may be familiar with the ongoing clinical trials for an artificial pancreas, which will dramatically improve the quality of life for individuals living with diabetes. This device has the potential to improve diabetes control by automatically providing the amount of insulin an individual needs to maintain healthy glucose levels. I am encouraged by these developments, which Moira has strongly supported. Her daughter Lauren will participate in these trials, and I am impressed that she is following in her mother's footsteps to help others living with diabetes.

I would also like to mention that Moira will be riding in this year's Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Ride to Cure Diabetes. She will be bicycling 105 miles through Death Valley to raise money for the foundation. An avid cycler myself, I understand the dedication required to train for this type event. I am also impressed that she is the second highest fundraiser in the Nation for this race. Moira has worked tirelessly for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF. She has served as president of the JDRF and was named JDRF International Volunteer of the Year in 2007.

I would like to thank Moira McCarthy Stanford for her tremendous work

on behalf of the diabetes community and the JDRF. I know that her family, her daughter, Lauren, and the people of Massachusetts are extremely proud of her advocacy and service.

Mr. President, although 11 years have passed since September 11, 2001, our hearts still ache for the families of the victims as we recall the horror and disbelief of that day. The attacks were a barbaric assault on our Nation's values, meant to crack the foundations of our civilization, strike fear in our hearts, and shake our resolve as a people. But the terrorists have failed in their twisted objectives, as we remain steadfast in our belief in the goodness of our Nation and her enduring ideals. We will never forget the tragedy of that day and the lives that were lost, just as we will never forget the sacrifices made by our troops to protect our freedoms. Today, we stand proudly as Americans first.

Among the nearly 3,000 innocent lives taken in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, were more than 90 residents of my State of Massachusetts. In alphabetical order are those residents and more than 110 victims with close personal ties to the Commonwealth:

Anna S. W. Allison of Stoneham, MA; Barbara Arestegui of

Marston Mills, MA; Myra Joy Aronson of Charleston, MA; Garnet

Edward Bailey of Lynnfield, MA; Christine Johnna Barbuto of

Brookline, MA; Mark Lawrence Bavis of West Newton, MA; Graham

Andrew Berkeley of Wellesley, MA; David W. Bernard of

Chelmsford, MA; Kelly Ann Booms of Brookline, MA; John Brett

Cahill of Wellesley, MA; Christoffer Mikael Carstanjen of

Turner Falls, MA; Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey of Wellesley,

MA; Jeffrey William Coombs of Abington, MA; John Corcoran of

Norwell, MA; Tara Kathleen Creamer of Worcester, MA; Patrick

J. Currivan of Winchester, MA; David DiMeglio of Wakefield,

MA; Donald Americo DiTullio of Peabody, MA; Paige Farley-

Hackel of Newton, MA; Alexander Milan Filipov of Concord, MA;

Paul J. Friedman of Belmont, MA; Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe

of Brookline, MA; Peter Allan Gay of Tewksbury, MA; Linda Mae

George of Westboro, MA; and Edmund Glazer of Wellesley, MA.

Lynn Catherine Goodchild of Attleboro, MA; Peter Morgan

Goodrich of Sudbury, MA; Lisa Reinhard Fenn Gordenstein of

Needham, MA; Douglas A. Gowell of Methuen, MA; Francis Grogan

of Easton, MA; Maile Rachel Hale of Cambridge, MA; Christine

Lee Hanson of Groton, MA; Peter Burton Hanson of Groton, MA;

Sue Jue Kim Hanson of Groton, MA; Eric Smadikan Hartono of

Boston, MA; Peter Paul Hashem of Tewksbury, MA; James E.

Hayden of Westford, MA; Robert Jay Hayes of Amesbury, MA;

Edward R. Hennessy, Jr. of Belmont, MA; Todd Russell Hill of

Boston, MA; Cora Hidalgo Holland of Sudbury, MA; Herbert

Wilson Homer of Milford, MA; John Nicholas Humber, Jr. of

Newton, MA; Robert Adrian Jalbert of Swampscott, MA; John

Charles Jenkins of Cambridge, MA; Charles Edward Jones of

Bedford, MA; Robin L. Kaplan of Westboro, MA; Ralph Francis

Kershaw of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA; Brian Kevin Kinney of

Lowell, MA; and Judy Camilla Larocque of Framingham, MA.

Natalie Janis Lasden of Peabody, MA; Daniel M. Lewin of

Brookline, MA; Sara Elizabeth Low of Boston, MA; Marianne

MacFarlane of Revere, MA; Susan McAleney Mackay of Westford,

MA; Karen Ann Martin of Danvers, MA; Joseph Mathai of

Arlington, MA; Michael Gregory McGinty of Foxboro, MA;

Deborah Medwig of Dedham, MA; Christopher Daniel Mello of

Boston, MA; Carlos Alberto Montoya of Belmont, MA; Laura Lee

DeFazio Morabito of Framingham, MA; Christopher Martel

Morrison of Charleston, MA; Mildred Rose Naiman of Andover,

MA; Kathleen Ann Nicosia of Winthrop, MA; John Ogonowski of

Dracut, MA; Betty Ann Ong of Andover, MA; Jane M. Orth of

Haverhill, MA; Sonia Mercedes Morales Puopolo of Dover, MA;

Patrick J. Quigley, IV of Wellesley Hills, MA; David E. Retik

of Needham, MA; Frederick Charles Rimmele, III of Marblehead,

MA; Raymond J. Rocha of Malden, MA; Jean Destrehan Roger of

Longmeadow, MA; and Philip Martin Rosenzweig of Acton, MA.

Richard Barry Ross of Newton, MA; Jessica Leigh Sachs of

Billerica, MA; Rahma Salie of Boston, MA; Jesus Sanchez of

Hudson, MA; Jane Louise Simpkin of Wayland, MA; Heather Lee

Smith of Boston, MA; Dianne Bullis Snyder of Westport, MA;

Brian David Sweeney of Barnstable, MA; Madeline Amy Sweeney

of Acton, MA; Michael Theodoridis of Boston, MA; Amy E. Toyen

of Newton, MA; James Anthony Trentini of Everett, MA; Mary

Trentini of Everett, MA; Antonio De Jesus Montoya Valdez of

East Boston, MA; Kenneth E. Waldie of Methuen, MA; William

Michael Weems of Marblehead, MA; Candace Lee Williams of

Dorchester, MA; and Christopher Rudoph Zarba, Jr. of

Hopkinton, MA.

And, Mr. President, those victims with close personal ties to Massachusetts include:

Stephen Adams, Gertrude Alagero, Japhet Aryee, Mark

Bingham, Jeffrey D. Bittner, Susan L. Blair, Carol Marie

Bouchard, Michael R. Canty, William Caspar, Swarna Chalasani,

Stephen Cherry, Geoffrey William Cloud, Jeffrey D. Collman,

Kevin Patrick Connors, Fredrick John Cox, Jr., Thelma

Cuccinello, Dorothy deAraujo, Gerard DeConto, Manuel

DelValle, Jr., Gerard Dewan, Simon Dhanani, Alberto

Dominguez, Jamie Lynn Fallon, John R. Fisher, and Richard

Fitzsimons.

Carol Flyzik, Alan Friedlander, Thomas Edward Galvin,

Douglas Gardner, Andrew Curry Green, Donald Freeman Greene,

Philip T. Guza, Carl Hammond, Gerald Hardacre, Melissa

Harrington-Hughes, John C. Hartz, Roberta Bernstein Heber,

Norberto Hernandez, William Christopher Hunt, Erik Hans

Isbrandtsen, Waleed J. Iskandar, Aaron J. Jacobs, Ariel L.

Jacobs, Jason K. Jacobs, Gricelda E. Garo James, Amy Nicole

Jarret, Joseph Jenkins Jr., Jennifer Lynn Kane, Robert M.

Kaulfers, and Richard M. Keane.

Barbara A. Keating, David P. Kovalcin, Kathryn L. LaBorie,

Robert George LeBlanc, Dong Lee, Joseph A. Lenihan, Jeffrey

LeVeen, Sean Patrick Lynch, Louis Neil Mariani, Kenneth J.

Marino, Margaret Mattic, Kevin M. McCarthy, Julian Valentine

McCourt, Ruth Clifford McCourt, Thomas F. McGuinness Jr.,

Gavin McMahon, Stuart Todd Meltzer, Raymond Joseph Metz, III,

Martin P. Michelstein, Craig J. Miller, Brian Joseph Murphy,

Shawn M. Nassaney, Laurie Olsen Neira, Renee Tetreault

Newell, and Jacqueline Norton.

Robert Norton, Leah E. Oliver, Seamus O'Neal, Marie

Pappalardo, Robert Pattison, Thomas Nicolas Pecorelli, Todd

D. Pelino, Berinthia Berenson Perkins, Jean Peterson, Dennis

J. Pierce, Everett Proctor, III, Carrie Beth Progen, Jonathan

Randall, Venesha Richards, Isaias Rivera, Waleska Martinez

Rivera, Stephen L. Roach, Laura Rockefeller, Michael Craig

Rothberg, James M. Roux, Matthew Carmen Sellito, Kathleen

Shearer, Robert M. Shearer, Antoinette Sherman, and Timothy

C. Stout.

Edward W. Straub, Kevin T. Szocik, Leonard E. Taylor, Eric

Thorpe, Alicia Titus, Daniel Trant, Tyler Ugolyn, Michael

Augustine Uliano, Meta Fuller Waller, Stephen Ward, John L.

Wenckus, Peter M. West, and Maudlyn A. White.

Mr. President, I rise today to highlight the groundbreaking work that some extraordinary citizens from Massachusetts are doing to help veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a decade of conflict, tens of thousands of servicemen and women are returning home with invisible wounds. They and their families are struggling to cope with the effects of deployment- related

stress and traumatic brain injury. In New England alone, an estimated 50,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience invisible wounds related to combat, often requiring rigorous, individualized care.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs plans to hire an additional 1,900 mental health staffers across the country. This is a promising start, but the increasing demand for mental health services, delays in mental health treatment and appointments, and the growing divide between mental health specialists and veterans requires that we do more.

Thankfully, in New England, concerned citizens are not standing on the sideline waiting for the VA to solve the problem. They are coming together around our veterans and their families right now to provide them with the support they need.

The Run to Home Base Program offers our heroes and their families a place to turn. Developed through a collaborative effort of The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, veterans have an opportunity to receive the compassionate support they deserve from trained mental health caregivers. The Run to Home Base Program is a perfect example of the kind of unique partnerships and innovative approaches that are sure to provide our newest generation of veterans with the world-class care that their selfless sacrifices deserve.

I have been proud to participate for the past 2 years in the Run-Walk to Home Base at Fenway Park in Boston. This year's event in May raised over $7 million for the cause, a remarkable showing of support for our Nation's heroes. Imagine what could be done for other veterans and their families around our country if this inspiring model were to spread. We have an obligation to honor our veterans and their families through timely, predictable and effective care and compensation. Thanks to the Run to Home Program, many in New England are making a difference to better serve our veterans today.

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Massachusetts General Hospital, located in my home State of Massachusetts. Mass General has recently been named the number one hospital in America by U.S. News & World Report for their dedication and excellence in providing care to thousands of patients every year. I also want to acknowledge Brigham and Women's Hospital for being named among the top hospitals in the country.

Mass General cares for more than 47,000 inpatients each year, and serves as the largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. It is also the oldest and largest hospital in New England. Located right in Boston, Mass General's 907 bed facility has a tradition of excellence. They also have four additional health centers in Charlestown, Chelsea, Revere and the North End. Together, these locations handle over one million outpatient visits, as well as over 80,000 emergency visits, each year. It is no surprise that Mass General is the top hospital in the Nation, with its impressive research program, innovative primary care, and distinguished staff.

Massachusetts is home to a number of remarkable research programs, many of which are housed within Mass General's network, which is the largest hospital-based research program in the United States. This network includes over 20 clinical departments and centers, investing $550 million per year to work towards discoveries that transform treatments and patient care.

For example, the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children is one of only 7 locations in the country funded by the NIH to study the rates of morbidity and mortality in women and children in developing countries. These discoveries have not only led to better treatments for children, but have also led to policy changes at the World Health Organization-- WHO--to better address international health for women and children.

Mass General has also made important strides in primary care, especially for our State's seniors. The Mass General Geriatric Medicine Unit is rated one of the top departments in the nation for geriatric care, due to their diverse staff of specialists, including those in geriatric medicine, geriatric psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine, geriatric nursing, and social work, who focus on both the patient's physical and mental wellbeing.

Mass General is changing the way that we look at patient primary care. You may be familiar with Patient Centered Medical Homes, which focus on patient care and health in a very personalized and coordinated way. Mass General Senior Health is a recognized Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home, which is setting the standard for the industry. I recently visited Mass General, and I am continually impressed by their coordination to bring together multiple doctors and services to ensure the highest quality of care for Massachusetts residents.

I would also like to recognize the Mass General nursing staff, as the hospital is a designated Magnet hospital. This is the highest honor in nursing excellence that is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and recognizes Mass General's excellence and innovations in their nursing practice.

Finally, Mass General's Home Base Program has partnered with the Boston Red Sox Foundation to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries among our returning veterans. I am encouraged by their work to develop new treatments for these injuries, as well as their efforts to educate our community. Roughly 50,000 veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan are affected by these injuries, and the Home Base Program is making great strides in supporting these wounded warriors.

In closing, I congratulate Mass General Hospital for achieving the number one hospital ranking in the country. I know that the people of Massachusetts are extremely proud of this accomplishment.

Mr. President, I rise to discuss the small business tax bill currently before the Senate, one of which I hope we have an opportunity to debate openly and fairly and allow amendments. I am not quite sure if that is going to happen, which is frustrating because the American people deserve better. When we allow the process to work and we allow everybody to have their say in the process, we ultimately get a good bill. I am hopeful we can do the same on this one.

It is good we are finally working on jobs, but I believe we should be working in a more bipartisan way, as we did with the insider trading bill, crowdfunding, the Arlington Cemetery bill, the 3-percent withholding, and many other bills. We need to work on a bill where all Members are offered an opportunity to have their votes on job-creating ideas.

I don't think one party has the monopoly on how to create jobs in this country. I think we can actually get together in a room and hammer it out and try to work to help protect the middle-class and everybody in America who wants to get out and work.

We have worked together, as I have said, on a whole host of bills. I forgot the hire a hero tax credit, which is clearly a jobs bill. I worked with Senator Bennet and Senator Merkley on that. It is a very important piece of legislation. With that type of success, I don't understand why we don't try that more often.

The new medical device tax is one more example of a policy we all know is bad for jobs and, in fact, bad for our economy. The House has already voted to repeal this job-killing tax. I am disappointed to say the Senate has not taken the time to work to repeal it in a truly bipartisan manner.

For those who don't know what the medical device tax is or why we should even care, let me explain. In Massachusetts, we have over 400 medical device companies employing tens of thousands of people. This 2.3 percent tax on medical device sales will cost our economy thousands of jobs and limit Americans access to the most groundbreaking, state- of-the-art medical devices.

For example, Covidien, a medical device company with 2,000 employees in my home State, has estimated that taxable medical devices represent approximately 30 to 40 percent of the total net sales in 2011. What that means in plain language is that will cost Covidien between $80 million and $107 million annually. From where is that money going to come? Will it come from R&D, expansion, hiring or expanding their workforce?

Over the last 5 years, Covidien has more than doubled its R&D investment and launched more than 100 new products. One of those products is a device that restores blood flow in patients who have suffered from a stroke by mechanically removing blood clots from blocked vessels. Obviously, that is a very important device that would actually help save people's lives and save costs. Another product provides the first safe and effective treatment for large or giant wide-neck brain aneurysms available on the market, but losing $80 million to $107 million in revenue each year will put Covidien's continuing growth in very real jeopardy.

Another medical device company, Stryker Corporation, said late last year they would begin cutting 5 percent of their workforce in response to the tax. That is 1,000 jobs that will be gone as a result of this tax. Stryker expects the device tax to cost them $130 million to $150 million in the first year alone. These are just two examples. As I said, in Massachusetts we have over 400 medical device companies.

The Massachusetts medical device industry employs nearly 25,000 workers in Massachusetts and contributes over $4 billion to our economy. Massachusetts alone is expected to lose over 2,600 jobs. As a direct result of this tax, around 10 percent of our device manufacturing workforce will be affected. The bottom line is we can't have that kind of job loss in a sector of our economy that is still struggling.

Yesterday, I, along with others, introduced an amendment to repeal this job-killing medical device tax. It is a tax which will drive up the cost of care for patients and make our workers and our companies less competitive.

Some say it is time to move on from the health care bill to work on the jobs legislation. With all due respect, working on job growth means repealing the health care bill and its 18 new job-destroying taxes along with one-half trillion in Medicare cuts.

A lot of these things haven't clicked in and the American public isn't quite aware they are soon going to be affected by 18 new taxes associated with the Federal health care bill and a one-half trillion in Medicare cuts. It is time to get rid of the medical device tax before it does even more damage, not only to Massachusetts but other States that have a large medical device industry.

I urge my colleagues to get behind this effort in a truly bipartisan, bicameral manner.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I have enjoyed the previous speaker. It was very interesting.

I wish to shift gears and talk about S. 1728, the Stolen Valor Act of 2011. As many know, the Supreme Court recently struck down the Stolen Valor Act of 2011 by saying that lying about military awards, records, and service is protected by our first amendment rights. The Court has ruled. But let's be clear, it is wrong and cowardly for people to make fraudulent statements in order to receive distinctions they have not earned. Let me say that again. It is wrong and cowardly for people to make fraudulent statements in order to receive distinctions they have not earned.

As a 32-year member of the Army National Guard still serving, I feel very strongly about this issue, and I believe we need a Federal law to punish those who seek to benefit from making false claims and steal the true valor of our heroic men and women in uniform. My bipartisan, bicameral Stolen Valor Act of 2011 reminds me of the bill we worked on, the insider trading bill. We have an opportunity once again to send a powerful message to the American people that in the middle of the gridlock we can work together on something that makes complete sense. It addresses the Supreme Court's change by making a key change in order to protect first amendment rights. It would punish individuals who deliberately lie about their military service, their records or honors, with the intention of obtaining anything of value.

The key term is ``of value.'' One actually gets something of value as a result of their misrepresentations. Again, the new Stolen Valor Act makes it a Federal crime to lie about military service in order to profit or benefit, and that is the key distinction.

Yesterday, Congressman Joe Heck of Nevada and I--he is the lead sponsor in the House version of the bill, I in the Senate--held a press conference to start a fresh campaign to pass the new Stolen Valor Act. We had wonderful results. Within a few hours of that press conference, we gained 27 new cosponsors in the Senate, making a total of 29. I encourage the Presiding Officer and others on her side of the aisle to get involved in this very real effort to help our heroes who have served legitimately. Congressman Heck also has 67 bipartisan cosponsors in the House.

Also, yesterday, the Pentagon announced they will take a major step to deter con artists by establishing a searchable database of military awards and medals to confirm, in fact, that the person with whom one is dealing or speaking with is, in fact, deserving of the medals and honors they received.

It is clear this cause has momentum and the Supreme Court decision has given many a sense of urgency and clarity. In fact, today I wrote President Obama to ask for his public endorsement of the bill, very similar to the day he was walking up the aisle after the State of the Union and I said: Mr. President, I have a bill on Harry Reid's desk on insider trading. Let's get it out. He said: I will; I will get it out.

He can do the same here. He can give his public endorsement of this very important bill, and I am hopeful the Commander in Chief will lend his endorsement to this cause, to show leadership on this issue and give his blessing so we can actually get to work on legislation that will truly pass, I venture 99 to 0, in this Chamber. His voice would join several military organizations that endorsed the Stolen Valor Act of 2011: the Military Officers Association of America, the Association of the U.S. Army, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

As bipartisan support of this effort grows, I ask my Senate colleagues who have not cosponsored the Stolen Valor Act of 2011 to get on board. It is time. It is time to send a very powerful message to the men and women who have served with dignity and honor that we respect that service and we are tired of the frauds who are out there perpetrating fraud and wearing medals and receiving honors to which they are not entitled.

If we choose to come together and pass this legislation, we can respond immediately to the Supreme Court's ruling with the urgency this issue deserves. It is very similar to how Senator McCaskill and I, in the middle of the gridlock a couple years ago, passed the Arlington Cemetery bill. We can do it with this legislation as well and send a message to the American people that we can work together and that unified message will protect the valor of our heroic veterans and servicemembers who defend our freedom and serve our country with the greatest of honor.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise today to speak about the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts and its role in our Nation's cybersecurity.

I want to clarify a situation we face as a nation. First, the Secretary of Defense has said loudly and clearly that the threat of cyber attacks on our country and the need for America to develop strong military capabilities keeps him up at night, and it keeps me and many other people up as well. We read about the cyber attacks by the Chinese, and we read about Iran. The Secretary has described it as an evolving and urgent threat in our future. Our Nation's security depends on winning the battle in cyberspace.

Unfortunately, the Air Force is in the midst of a four-structure change that ignores the crucial facts I have just stated. At a time when cyber threats are growing more important each day, the Air Force is making questionable decisions that, in my opinion, create an unnecessary risk to our Nation's cyber defenses and our ability to deal with those very threats. It makes absolutely no sense at this point in time.

That is why just a few weeks ago the House and Senate Armed Services Committee took strong action to prevent what the entire Massachusetts delegation believed was a premature proposal by the Air Force to reduce Hanscom's leadership from a three-star general to a two-star general.

The elimination of the ESC commander position at Hanscom will diminish our cyber capabilities and focus across the entire force, and that is not good at this point in time. That is the last thing we need in the midst of a cyber attack.

In response, Representative Tsongas of Massachusetts inserted a provision in this year's National Defense Authorization Act that was passed by the full House of Representatives which required the Secretary of the Air Force to remain and retain core functions at Hanscom as they existed on November 1, 2011. Her language was aimed at retaining Hanscom's three-star leadership.

Similarly, I worked with Senator Lieberman and our Senate Armed Services Committee to include language in the Senate Armed Services markup reported version of the Defense authorization bill that directs the Air Force to keep in place the current leadership rank structure until the two defense committees have had an opportunity to review the recommendations of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force.

Given Secretary Panetta's warning, I believe we must pay particular attention to any changes that relate to cybersecurity. The Massachusetts delegation has been united in declaring that both Hanscom's mission and the senior leadership should be preserved in order to bring forth the best cyber capabilities our country has to offer.

Both defense committees have spoken with one voice to the Air Force: Stand down with this change until both committees receive more information about how the proposed force structure changes will impact our cybersecurity.

I also wish to explain why the delegation feels so strongly about this. Massachusetts has been a national security and information technology leader for many decades. Groundbreaking innovation in cybersecurity is taking place in

Massachusetts as we speak--perhaps more than any other State in our entire Nation. That innovation is happening at Hanscom, at universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and in our defense sector. Our capabilities are second to none.

The Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom has unlimited potential to take on future missions and future threats in the realm of cybersecurity. The Air Force and the MIT Lincoln Lab are now upgrading their partnership to enhance our Nation's ability to meet key and growing cyber requirements. The Department of Defense and the Air Force continue to depend on Hanscom's unmatched cyber expertise.

To ensure our Nation's crucial cyber defense, I say again very firmly today that the Air Force must preserve the senior three-star leadership in Massachusetts. Doesn't it make sense for our military's cyber leadership, expertise, and talent to be based in a location where some of the world's most leading research and technological development is actually taking place? Placing Hanscom's cyber team under a chain of command with a 3-star general in another State with a number of other Air Force responsibilities diminishes our Nation's ability to deliver critical cyber tools and resources and impacts our ability to respond to the ever-growing cyber threat.

Congress has spoken in a bipartisan and bicameral way. We have stated our position clearly. The Air Force should not move forward with any force structure changes at Hanscom until Congress has had an opportunity to review what our appropriate force structure mix should be, particularly as it relates to cybersecurity. We absolutely, positively must be ready to meet this next-generation threat--the one that keeps Secretary Panetta up at night. I will continue to fight to make sure we are prepared.

I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

I rise to speak as in morning business.

Mr. President, I rise to discuss a terrible shortcoming in our housing discrimination laws and legislation which I have introduced and which I encourage the Presiding Officer to sign on to.

Last week, the Boston Herald reported that a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan had been forced to file suit in Massachusetts because a political activist landlord allegedly discouraged him from renting because of his military background, claiming the situation would be ``uncomfortable.''

This brave veteran brought his fight to the press and to the courts of Massachusetts, where State law makes it illegal to discriminate against veterans who are seeking housing. In Massachusetts, that is, in fact, the law. It is illegal. When I read this, I was angry, as I know the Presiding Officer would be angry if it happened in his State. That this could happen today is mind-boggling. So my staff and I started working to see what we could do to right this wrong and see if it was something that was systemic throughout the country. We started digging into this issue and found that when it comes to housing, it is apparently not illegal--let me repeat that, it is apparently not illegal--under Federal law to discriminate against a veteran or a member of our Armed Forces on the basis of their brave service to our Nation.

Back when I was a State senator and State representative in Massachusetts, at the statehouse, we took action, as I referenced, to ensure our veterans are protected, whether it is a welcome home bonus for first- and second-time soldiers who have served, antidiscrimination reemployment or educational benefits. I could go on and on.

Quite frankly, I think Massachusetts does it better than any other State in the country. So it came as a surprise to learn that fewer than one-half dozen States have similar protections. With tens of thousands of veterans returning home in the next few years and the size of our Armed Forces actually shrinking dramatically, now is clearly the time to fix the problem. I know the Presiding Officer as well does not want to hear more stories such as this one because I recognize how important that issue is for the Presiding Officer.

No one who puts on the uniform of our Nation and serves should be faced with discrimination. There is no one who should ever face that discrimination when they are trying to put a roof over their head and the heads of their family. The idea that anyone would deny a home to someone who has put their life on the line for our freedom is, quite frankly, un-American. It should be condemned by every Member of this body.

In order to understand today's problem, however, we must go back to 1968, when I was 9 years old, when one of my predecessors, Senator Edward Brooke, a great legislator from my home State of Massachusetts-- a gentleman whom I still speak with--helped author the Fair Housing Act which was signed into law by then-President Johnson. That civil rights legislation broke new ground by banning housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. Another great Senator from Massachusetts, Senator Ted Kennedy, joined Senator Brooke in urging the bipartisan passage of that very important piece of legislation.

Then, in 1974, closer to the Presiding Officer, Senator Bill Brock of Tennessee amended the act to prevent housing discrimination on the basis of

gender. Then, in 1988, Senator Kennedy extended the act's protections to those Americans with disabilities and families with children. Both of these expansions received broad bipartisan support and were actually signed into law.

As Senator Brooke said 44 years ago:

Fair housing is not a political issue, except as we make it

one by the nature of our debate. It is purely and simply a

matter of equal justice for all Americans.

Well said by Senator Brooke 44 years ago.

Fair housing has a bipartisan history and we have a chance to do it again. We can do it by protecting two additional groups from housing discrimination. My Ending Housing Discrimination Against Servicemembers and Veterans Act, S. 3283, is needed and it is needed right now. It amends the Fair Housing Act to protect veterans and servicemembers from housing discrimination.

By passing this bill right away, the Senate can say affirmatively and immediately that veterans and servicemembers deserve the same rights to housing as anyone else. This is a no-brainer. The Commander in Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has endorsed my bill, as referenced for people looking on, saying:

Senator Brown's work to protect servicemembers and veterans

from housing discrimination is very positive. It is

unconscionable that members of our military and veterans

should fear not being able to rent or buy a home because of

their status as a veteran.

This bill will correct the issue.

By passing this bill right away, we can, once again, say to those veterans and servicemembers that they have our pride and respect. We need the action right now. No veteran or servicemember should ever face the indignity of being denied housing solely on the basis of their service.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 and Senator Kennedy's amendments in 1988 passed with overwhelming support. We should be able to do the same. I urge all my colleagues to cosponsor this important piece of legislation and work for its immediate and unanimous passage. It is time to fix this shortcoming in our Nation's housing laws and it is, quite frankly, the right thing to do.

I would like to also take this opportunity to wish the U.S. Army a happy 237th birthday. I was honored to go to the cake-cutting last night and honor those who have done so much for our great country.

I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.