Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I am pleased to be able to express my appreciation to my friend from Maine, Ms. Collins, for the passage of the Katrina Emergency Assistance Act of 2005. This important legislation passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Wednesday, February 16, after several months of negotiations. I commend her efforts and the efforts of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to take the initiative to address the recovery issues still facing the gulf coast.

Senator Collins and Senator Lieberman have both visited Mississippi and Louisiana and have seen the devastation and the progress that has been made and the work still left to be done.

Hurricane Katrina was certainly one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in United States history.

On Monday, August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana as a category 4 hurricane, with winds up to 145 mph, then turned eastward towards Mississippi, making landfall at 9 a.m., with winds of 125 mph and with a storm surge over 20 feet high. At its peak, the storm stretched 125 miles across the gulf coast

Almost 6 months later, the Congress and numerous Federal departments and agencies are still working to help those affected by the hurricane.

The Katrina Emergency Assistance Act will help people in a variety of important ways.

This legislation provides an additional 13 weeks of Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance for those who lost their jobs as a result of Hurricane Katrina, extending the duration of benefits from 26 weeks to 39 weeks.

Thousands of residents of the gulf coast lost their jobs as a result of Hurricane Katrina. It is important to continue to provide this assistance while businesses, both large and small, reopen and expand.

The Katrina Emergency Assistance Act authorizes the Federal Government to reimburse local communities and community organizations for purchasing and distributing essential supplies during a disaster situation. Mayors, supervisors, local emergency managers, first responders, and others in

the disaster area should be free to purchase necessities such as food, ice, clothing, toiletries, generators, and other essential items.

These individuals are often the first to respond to a disaster, and they should be assured that their city, county, or organization will be reimbursed for these essential services.

This legislation also requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish new guidelines for inspectors determining the eligibility of individuals for Federal disaster assistance. This provision will help ensure the timely delivery of assistance, while prohibiting conflicts of interest.

This legislation also expresses the sense of the Congress that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement should refrain from initiating removal proceedings against international students due to their inability to complete education requirements as a result of a national disaster.

Numerous students from around the world are studying in this country at any given time. These students should not be punished as a result of disaster that interferes with their legitimate educational plans.

Senators Collins and Lieberman and the members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have worked hard to provide assistance and respond to Hurricane Katrina.

The committee is close to completing its exhaustive investigation of the response of the entire Federal Government will soon begin the process of drafting legislation to improve future Federal response efforts.

I look forward to working with them to address the concerns of Mississippians and to improve the process of response and recovery.

I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to give every consideration to this important legislation. The Katrina Emergency Assistance Act is the result of months of drafting and negotiating by Senators Collins and Lieberman and has the full backing of the United States Senate.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce two joint resolutions appointing two individuals to the Smithsonian Board of Regents. The joint resolutions are cosponsored by Senators Frist and Leahy. Alan Spoon and Phillip Frost have been approved and recommended for appointment by the Smithsonian Board of Regents. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the resolutions and the biographies of both gentlemen be printed in the Record. I ask the Senate to approve the resolutions.

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce two joint resolutions appointing two individuals to the Smithsonian Board of Regents. The joint resolutions are cosponsored by Senators Frist and Leahy. Alan Spoon and Phillip Frost have been approved and recommended for appointment by the Smithsonian Board of Regents. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the resolutions and the biographies of both gentlemen be printed in the Record. I ask the Senate to approve the resolutions.

Mr. President, I appreciate the efforts of the Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittee to ensure that the Senate and the public are educated on the important issues surrounding pandemic flu preparedness. The input of this panel in November was important to this committee as we worked to provide pandemic flu funding in the December Defense Appropriations bill.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has taken a significant first step in addressing this issue. We will continue to work with the Secretary of HHS and the White House to provide the funding necessary to prepare our country for an influenza pandemic. We realize these efforts require Federal and local governments, as well as private industry, working together. I am pleased that these interests are all represented here today.

Mr. President, on February 3, 2006, the University Of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry hosted ``Give Kids A Smile Day/National Children's Dental Access Day.'' This event is part of a national initiative by the American Dental Association to focus attention on the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged children. As part of this program, 40,000 dental professionals and volunteers provided free educational, preventive, and restorative dental services to children from low-income families at 2,000 locations across the country. In Mississippi, more than 1,200 children from elementary schools in Jackson, MS, and the Mississippi Delta visited the dental school and the School of Nursing Mobile Dental Van for dental services. The event was cosponsored by the Mississippi Dental Association, the Medical Center School of Health Related Professions, the Medical Center School of Nursing, the School of Dentistry's ACT Center, and the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation. Events such as this raise public awareness of dental disease and highlight the ongoing challenges faced by disadvantaged children in accessing dental care.

I applaud the efforts of the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry, the Mississippi Dental Association, and other supporting organizations for their efforts to combat childhood dental disease in Mississippi.

Mr. President, on January 12-15, 2006, the State of Mississippi hosted the Alpha Kappa Alpha, AKA, Sorority's 98th National Founders Day Weekend which celebrates the founding of the first Greek-letter organization of African-American college women in 1908. AKA was created to encourage high scholastic and ethical standards and to enrich the social and intellectual aspects of college life for African American women. AKA is now a 17,000 member organization with a broad mission to improve conditions in communities through volunteer service. AKA has made great strides in helping individuals and communities develop and maintain constructive relationships with others. National Founders Day Weekend also serves to recognize and commemorate the Mississippi Health Project.

The Mississippi Health Project, sponsored by AKA, brought primary medical care to the rural Black population across the state of Mississippi for 2 to 6 weeks every summer from 1935 to 1942. During the 98th National Founders Day Weekend, a historic landmark was dedicated in Mound Bayou in the Mississippi Delta to commemorate the success of the Mississippi Health Project and to serve as a reminder of AKA's continuing commitment to provide health services to families across the world.

Through collaboration with the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, AKA hosted a health forum in Jackson, MS, as part of the 98th National Founders Day Weekend. Additional activities included health fairs in Jackson and the Mississippi Delta, a special salute to AKA members affected by Hurricane Katrina, and an African-American Heritage tour.

I applaud the accomplishments of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and recognize the 98th National Founders Day Weekend as the first national AKA meeting in Mississippi.

Mr. President, it is time for the debate on the nomination of Judge Alito to end. It is time for the Senate to act on the President's nomination of Samuel Alito to serve as a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

We have had ample time to review this nomination. The Judiciary Committee has conducted a thorough review of Judge Alito's background and qualifications. Senator Specter, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, ensured that all the questions that should be asked of this nominee were asked and answered.

The Judiciary Committee thoroughly reviewed the story of Judge Alito's life and questioned him on a wide range of issues. In the process, Judge Alito demonstrated his ability, intelligence, and his fitness to serve as a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In almost 3 months of intense scrutiny and over 18 hours of personal testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Alito provided clear and candid answers to all the questions that were asked.

All Senators have had an opportunity to meet with Judge Alito, to review the opinions he has written, to read the articles he has written in law reviews and other publications, to become familiar--as familiar as anyone can--with his thinking, his judicial philosophy, his past performance as a judge, as a solicitor, as a lawyer in private practice, as a student in law school, and as a fellow judge. Judge Alito has more judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in over 70 years.

In my opinion, the most impressive and persuasive testimony at the hearings in the committee came from the panel of judges with whom he served on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. They testified before the committee

and discussed the way Judge Alito approached questions before that court, the way he acted during deliberations among other members of the court about the decision that should be reached in each case, and generally the way he went about discharging the enormously important duties he had as a member of that court. And despite differences in politics and viewpoints and backgrounds among some of the judges with him, they were all enthusiastically supporting his confirmation for service on the Supreme Court.

Judge Alito has earned the respect of those who know him best--his colleagues on the Federal courts, as well as his current and former law clerks, and the members of the bar who have appeared before him in court. He is widely respected for his even temperament, his integrity, his sound legal judgment, and his respect and courtesy for others.

I am confident Judge Alito will serve with great distinction as a Justice on the Supreme Court. I think reciting Judge Alito's own words is the best way for me to conclude my remarks. He said:

Fifteen years ago, when I was sworn in as a judge of the

Court of Appeals, I took an oath. I put my hand on the Bible,

and I swore that I would administer justice without respect

to persons, that I would do equal right to the poor and the

rich, and that I would carry out my duties under the

Constitution and the laws of the United States. And that is

what I have tried to do to the very best of my ability for

the past 15 years. And if I am confirmed, I pledge to you

that that is what I would do on the Supreme Court.

It is time to end this debate. It is time to confirm the President's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that there be a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 356 submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 78 which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Monday, January 30; I further ask that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved, and the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the nomination of Samuel Alito to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; I further ask that the time from 10 to 11 be under the control of the Democrats, from 11 to 12 be under the control of the Republicans, and that debate continue to alternate on an hourly basis until 4 p.m.; I further ask unanimous consent that at 4 p.m., the Democratic leader or his designee be recognized for up to 15 minutes and that the final 15 minutes before the cloture vote be under the control of the majority leader or his designee.

Mr. President, on Monday, the Senate will continue its consideration of the Alito nomination. As the majority leader announced last night, that cloture vote will occur at 4:30 p.m. Assuming that cloture is invoked, the Senate will proceed to an up-or-down vote on the nomination at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. As is customary, Senators should be prepared to vote from their seats on Tuesday and should adjust their schedules accordingly.

Mr. President, 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.

Mr. President, I understood I had 2 minutes under the order.

I appreciate the generosity of the Presiding Officer.

I am pleased to advise the Senate that after a great deal of hard work, including Senators on both sides of the aisle, Members of the other body, we have been successful in adding to this conference report as an amendment a disaster assistance provision that makes money available now to those in the Gulf States region who have been seriously harmed, hurt, devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

The Senators from Louisiana and Mississippi, of course, have been probably the most directly affected in terms of the demands being made on the Federal Government now for a sensitive and generous response to the needs of our region. We are very grateful to those who have joined with us and supported the addition of these funds, $29 billion in total amount in this bill, to provide disaster assistance to that region.

We appreciate the administration's sensitivity to this and the request that the President made for a reallocation of previously appropriated funds in the amount of $17 billion. We urged that be increased. The House agreed. The Senate agreed to support this. Our committee did. Now it is before this body. I hope all Senators will support this conference report. It is very important that this money be given to the region now. Any further delays are going to be not just frustrating but devastating to the economic well-being, the emotional stability of that region of our country that has been so harmed, in an unprecedented way, by this disaster. We appreciate the support of all Senators.

I thank the Chair.