Floor Statements

Mr. President, as we close this debate on Betsy DeVos, this debate should really be about public

education. I support public education. Education is the closest thing to magic in America. Let me say again that again. Education is the closest thing to magic in America. I experienced that magic.

As a kid growing up in a single-parent household, mired in poverty, disillusioned about life, I nearly flunked out as a freshman. I thank God for public education. But far too many kids--too many millions of kids today--do not have a quality educational choice in their communities. And what does that mean? There is a high correlation between incarceration, high unemployment, and lower lifetime incomes for those students who do not have quality public education.

This Nation--the greatest Nation on Earth--has afforded a kid who almost dropped out of high school to become a U.S. Senator. Why? Because I found a path that included public education, and quality public education.

So what does it look like in some of our cities? Let me give my colleagues an example from Detroit. Only 9 percent of African-American kids meet standards for English. Thirteen percent of White kids meet standards or exceed standards in English, and 12.5 percent of Hispanic kids meet or exceed standards in English in Detroit. We need to make sure that every child in every ZIP Code has a quality choice.

The Secretary of Education cannot--cannot--privatize education. That would take an act of Congress.

So, yes, we should have a passionate debate about education, and yes, we should make sure--make sure--that the focus of that debate is on the kid.

Mr. President, before I get into my speech regarding Senator Sessions, I wanted to talk a little bit about what occurred last night.

First, there is no doubt in my mind that the letter written by Coretta Scott King should be read by each and every Member of this Chamber. Regardless of whether you disagree with her conclusions, her standing in the history of our Nation means her voice should be heard. What I took issue with last night and the true violation of rule XIX in my eyes were the remarks shared last night originally stated by Senator Kennedy--not Coretta Scott King--Senator Kennedy.

Whether you like it or not, this body has rules, and we all should govern ourselves according to the rules.

There is no doubt that last night emotions were very high, and I am not necessarily happy with where that has left us today. The Senate needs to function. We need to have a comity in this body if we are to work for the American people. This should not be about Republicans and Democrats. It is not about us; it is about the American people.

If we remember that point as we move forward, our Nation will be able to heal where we hurt. We will be able to disagree without being disagreeable. This should be the norm, not a unique experience in public discourse.

Before I decided to give this speech, I had the privilege last night around midnight of having to sit in the Chair and presiding. My good friend Cory Booker was making an eloquent presentation about where we are on issues of race in this Nation. He was talking about the South, and he was talking about the pain, the suffering, and the misery.

Today, as I want to share my thoughts on Jeff Sessions and how I have come to my conclusion, I thought it was important for me to not try to persuade people but to simply inform, because this issue is not simply the issue about our next Attorney General. This is really an issue about all of us--not all of us as Senators but all of us as members of the American family. This is an issue that digs deep into the core of our souls, deep into the core of our Nation, deep into who we can be, who we should be, and how we will get there.

So my objective here, as I speak, will not be to somehow persuade the other side that your decision is wrong. I don't think that is my responsibility nor my intention. My goal isn't even to persuade those who believe that Jeff Sessions will not be a good U.S. Attorney General that they are wrong. I simply want to share information. I want to share facts. I want to share, as Paul Harvey used to say, ``the rest of the story,'' because if you read the news reports, you walk away with a clear picture based on facts but not necessarily a clear picture based on truth. There has been a distortion in many arenas, in many echo chambers about who he is and why I support him.

My good friend Cory Booker last night spoke about a true American hero, John Lewis. John Lewis is an American hero. I know that this may or may not be popular with everyone in the Chamber or everyone in America on the conservative side or the liberal side, but the reality of it is this. He was beaten within an inch of his life so that I would have the privilege--not to stand in the Chamber but--to vote, to simply vote.

We should all thank God for the sacrifices of men and women so that people like myself, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris would be allowed one day not to simply vote but to serve in the most unique, powerful, and one of the most important legislative bodies in the world today. It is the sacrifices of men and women of color who fought against injustices. We stand as a nation on the shoulders of these giants. I know that I don't have to remind my mother or my family, but just as a reminder to those who are listening to the conversation, when I leave the Senate one day, I am still going to be Black, an African American--Black every day, Black every way, and there is no doubt.

This is an important part of the conversation because, as I read through some of the comments of my friends on the left, you will wonder if I ever had an experience as a Black person in America. I want to get to that in just a few minutes.

God, in His infinite wisdom, made me Black, born in Charleston, SC, for a purpose. I am blessed to be who I am, and I am equally blessed to be a Charlestonian. Our country, the South, and, specifically, my State have suffered through difficult and challenging times around the issue of race. My grandfather, who passed away at 94 years old last January, knew a very different South. I remember listening to him talking about his experiences of having to step off of the sidewalk when White folks were coming. He learned early in life: Never look a White person in the eyes. He was in his forties in the 1960s. His whole life view, his paradigm, was painted with a broad brush. Separation, segregation, humiliation, and challenges.

It was in my home city of Charleston where the Civil War began. It was in my home city of Charleston where nearly 40 percent of all the slaves that came to America would come through in Charleston, SC. It was a Charlestonian who came up with the concept written into our Constitution of three-fifths of a man--a Charlestonian.

But it was also Charlestonians who, in 2010 had a choice between Strom Thurmond's son and a young--I use that word liberally--African- American guy named Tim Scott.

The evolution that has occurred in the South could be seen very clearly on this day in Charleston. The very first shots of the Civil War were in Charleston. They gave me the privilege of representing them in Congress, over the son of Strom Thurmond, over the son and the namesake of one of the most popular Governors in South Carolina, Carroll Campbell, Jr. I thank God that the South Carolina that I have come to know, the South that I have had the experience to enjoy is a different South. It is a different Charleston than my grandfather knew in his 94 years. But my life has not been one of privilege, of promise.

As I said just a few nights ago, I was born into a single parent household, living in poverty, nearly flunking out

of high school. I have been called everything that you can think of from a racial perspective--good, not too often bad, very consistently. So I understand that there is room for progress. There is a need for us to crystallize what we are fighting about, who we are fighting for, and how we are going to get there.

This is an important day and an important issue, and the U.S. Attorney General is perhaps one of the most important decisions I will make about the Cabinet of President Trump. I will tell you that, for me, this has been a challenging journey, one that I have not taken lightly because, as I said earlier, I am going to be Black when I leave this body, and so when I think about some of the comments and some of the challenges for Jeff Sessions around the 1986 process, the trial of the KKK and the trial of the Turner family, an African-American couple--they were defendants he brought to court--I have heard it, and I wanted to know more about what it is we are talking about, not by reading it in the paper but by calling folks in Alabama, understanding with new eyes who Jeff Sessions is--not the guy I serve with but the guy who will have the most powerful position in law enforcement. I wanted to know firsthand who he was before he was nominated and how he would respond in a room filled with African-American leaders.

I and my best friend in Congress, Trey Gowdy, for a very long time throughout South Carolina have held meetings of African-American pastors and leaders coming together with law enforcement to try to bridge the gap that is obviously broken, bridge the gap that obviously exists between law enforcement and African-American leaders. So I brought Jeff Sessions down to see from a distance how he interacts with these African-American pastors, hear the tough questions on Walter Scott and other issues so I can have an appreciation and affinity of how the Justice Department under his leadership would act.

I take this responsibility seriously, and I wonder if my friends in the Chamber have had a chance to see what others think--not the political echo chamber, not the organization, but run-of-the-mill people.

So I had that experience, and I will tell you that without any question, the conclusion that I have drawn is a pretty clear conclusion. I am glad that I dug into the issue. I am glad I took the time to know Jeff Sessions the best I can from what I have read from 1986, what I saw in my own home city of Charleston, with a provocative history on race.

We are at a defining moment in our country, not because of the Attorney General, not because of the debate we are going through in this body, but because our country is being pulled apart from extremes on both ends. This is not healthy for our country. Too often, too many particularly on the right are found guilty until proven innocent on issues of race, issues of fairness. I say that because, as I think about some of the comments that have come into my office over the last several weeks, I am used to being attacked. If you sign up to be a Black conservative, the chances are very high you will be attacked. It comes with the territory, and I have had it for 20 years, two decades. But my friends and my staff are not used to the level of animus that comes in from the liberal left who suggest that I somehow am not helpful to the cause of liberal America and therefore I am not helpful to Black America because they see those as one and the same.

I brought some of the pages of chats that I have from folks, the comments I get from Twitter about my support of Jeff Sessions:

Tracy V. Johnson sent in ``Sen. Uncle Tim Scott.''

``Everyone from SC who happens to be a left winger knows that Tim Scott is an Uncle Tom. [``S''] is documented.'' ``S'' is not for Scott; it is for fertilizer.

SGaut says: ``A White man in a black body: Tim Scott backs Jeff Sessions for attorney general.''

Until 3 weeks ago the only African-American chief of staff in the U.S. Senate out of 100 was the chief of staff for a Republican. The second African-American chief of staff in the U.S. Senate is the chief of staff of a Republican. Yet they say of my chief of staff that she is ``high yella,'' an implication that she is just not Black enough.

I go on to read from folks who wanted to share their opinions about my endorsing Jeff Sessions:

``You are a disgrace to the Black race!''

Anthony R Burnam @BurnamR says: ``You an Uncle Tom Scott aren't you? Sessions. How does a black man turn on his own.''

Anthony B. from @PoliticalAnt says: ``Sen. Tim Scott is not an Uncle Tom. He doesn't have a shred of honor. He's a House Negro, like the one in Jango.''

He also writes--I guess Anthony Burnam has been active on my Twitter feed--that I am ``a complete horror . . . a black man [who is] a racist.''

``Against black people''

``Big Uncle Tom [piece of fertilizer]. You are a disgrace to your race.''

I left out all the ones that use the ``N'' word. I just felt that would not be appropriate.

You see, what I am surprised by, just a smidgeon, is that the liberal left that speaks and desires for all of us to be tolerant does not want to be tolerant of anyone who disagrees with where they are coming from. So the definition of ``tolerance'' isn't that all Americans experience a high level of tolerance; it is all Americans who agree with them experience this so-called tolerance.

I am not saying this because it bothers me because, frankly, I have experienced two decades of this. You don't necessarily get used to it, but you don't find yourself as offended by it all. I just wish that my friends who call themselves liberals would want tolerance for all Americans, including conservative Americans. I just wish that my liberal friends who are self-described liberal would want to be innocent until proven guilty and not guilty until proven innocent.

So back to my findings on Jeff Sessions. I brought Jeff Sessions to Charleston. And you can read about it in the Post and Courier, the local newspaper. The pastor said that Jeff Sessions was warm and friendly, engaging and competent.

Now, I will say that the response from the NAACP and the NAN, the National Action Network, about the meeting that I had with the African- American pastors--that it was outrageous that I would invite African- American pastors to meet with this guy and they didn't have an invitation. So I invited two of their leaders. I didn't tell anyone who was coming because I wanted folks to come into the room and make their own decisions and come to their own conclusions. They decided not to come. Maybe it was because a conservative invited them. I don't know why. But I wanted everyone to have a chance, and they did. It was interesting.

Here are some other interesting facts that I have not seen often in the press, which I think is a very important point.

All of us who engage in conversations around this Nation about race and justice, to only have part of the story is just an unfortunate reality that we should get used to that I haven't gotten used to. But the reality is, 50 years ago, in 1966, Senator Sessions campaigned against George Wallace's wife for Governor. As a Senator, Jeff Sessions voted in favor of a 30-year extension of the Civil Rights Act. He was one of only 17 Republicans to support the first Black Attorney General, Eric Holder. He spearheaded the effort to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Rosa Parks, an Alabama native and civil rights icon.

As Cory Booker, my good friend from New Jersey, said last night as I presided, he and Jeff Sessions worked wonderfully well together in awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement in Selma, AL.

Here is another part of the story that just hasn't seemed to break through the threshold of our national media on Jeff Sessions' support within the Black community. As I started making phone calls to leaders in Alabama who were Black and Democrats, I was very surprised at what I started hearing about Jeff Sessions. I will start with an Alabama native, Condoleezza Rice, who is not a Democrat but who is an Alabama native. She said: Sessions has worked hard to heal the wounds in Alabama brought on by the ``prejudice and injustice against the descendants of slaves.''

Willie Huntley, an African-American assistant U.S. attorney under Jeff

Sessions, now an attorney in Mobile, AL, has known Jeff Sessions for more than 30 years and said in an interview that he has never encountered racial insensitivity from Sessions in the three decades they have known each other.

Alabama Senate Democratic leader Quinton Ross said of Jeff Sessions: ``We have talked about things from civil rights to race relations, and I think anyone--once you gain a position like that, actually partnership has to go aside because you represent the United States and all the people. . . . I feel confident [Jeff Sessions] will be an attorney general that will look at it from all perspectives to just do what's right for the citizens of the United States.''

That is from an African-American Democratic leader in the Alabama State Senate, Quinton Ross.

From former Obama administration Surgeon General Regina Benjamin: ``I think he'll be fine. I consider him a friend. . . . At least he will listen as attorney general. My hope is that he'll do what is best for the American people.''

Former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson says this. Larry is 71 years old, so we are not talking about folks who grew up in my New South that I talked about earlier. Still we are working through it, but, boy, we have changed. This is a 71-year-old who says of Jeff Sessions: ``He doesn't have a racist bone in his body.'' He said: ``I have been an African American man for 71 years. I think I know a racist when I see one. Jeff is far from being a racist. He's a good person, a decent person.''

Gerald Reynolds, former chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights: ``During my discussions with Senator Sessions and his staff, it was clear that the senator has a strong interest in ensuring our nation's antidiscrimination laws are vigorously enforced. Senator Sessions is a man of great character and integrity, with a commitment to fairness and equal justice under the law.''

Just a few more.

Fred Gray. Fred Gray is an iconic figure in civil rights, for those of us who may not be familiar with him. Fred Gray is an African- American civil rights attorney. He represented the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He represented Rosa Parks. He represented the Tuskegee men who were exploited in the syphilis experiment by the government. This is what he said in this letter from 2016:

What would be more noteworthy for the State of Alabama than

having an Alabamian follow in the footsteps of the late Mr.

Justice Hugo Black? Previously I have expressed appreciation

for your acts herein stated. I look forward to working

with you in any future capacity in which the Lord permits

you to serve.

That is a quote from a letter that he wrote to Jeff Sessions.

We are talking about a hero of the civil rights era. We are talking about the lawyer for Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and the Tuskegee men. We are not talking about someone who doesn't understand and appreciate the weight and the importance of civil rights in this Nation.

William Smith was hired as the first African-American Republican chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee by Jeff Sessions. He said:

Jeff Sessions is a man who cared for me, who looked out for

me, and who had my best interests in mind. So, anybody who

says anything different simply doesn't know Jeff Sessions.

One last statement. This is an important one from my perspective.

I mentioned earlier that there was a case against a couple, the Turner couple, where Jeff Sessions was the prosecutor, and the Turners were being prosecuted for some voter rights issues. Interestingly enough, what you don't hear in the news, by the way, is that the case was brought by other African Americans in Alabama against an African- American couple, the Turners. This is from Albert Turner, Jr., the son of the two defendants in that case. He says:

While I respect the deeply held positions of other civil

rights advocates who oppose Senator Sessions, I believe it is

important for me to speak out with regard to Senator Sessions

personally. First, let me be clear. Senator Sessions and I

respectfully disagree on some issues. That won't change when

he is the Attorney General of the United States. And I expect

that there will be times, as it is with all politicians, when

we will legitimately disagree and I will be required by my

conscience to speak out. I look forward to those constructive

debates, if necessary. However, despite our political

differences, the Senator and I share certain Alabama and

American values, including love of our State, its people, and

our country.

I have known Senator Sessions for many years, beginning

with the voter fraud case in Perry County in which my parents

were defendants. My differences in policy and ideology with

him do not translate to personal malice. He is not a racist.

As I have said before, at no time then or now has Jeff

Sessions said anything derogatory about my family. He was a

prosecutor at the Federal level with a job to do. He was

presented with evidence by a local district attorney that he

relied on, and his office presented the case. That is what

prosecutors do. I believe him when he says that he was simply

doing his job.

Jeff Sessions has also worked on civil rights cases, including the KKK murderer Henry Hays in 1981.

Jeff Sessions worked with the Department of Justice attorneys, the FBI, county investigators, and the county district attorney to solve the murder of a 19-year-old African American, Michael Donald. Sessions and the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted ``Tiger'' Knowles as an accomplice, obtaining a guilty plea and a life sentence in Federal court. After hard investigative work, Sessions shifted the case of the KKK murderer Henry Hays to the State court where he received the death penalty, which was not available at that time at the Federal level.

USA v. Bennie Jack Hays is another successful case against the KKK that Jeff Sessions participated in.

In Conecuh County in 1983, Jeff Sessions joined in bringing the first lawsuit in the history of the Department of Justice to stop the suppression of African-American voting rights. In United States v. Conecuh County, the DOJ Civil Rights Division, along with Jeff Sessions, sued white Conecuh County election officials, including the chair of the local Republican Party.

Finally, Dallas County. In 1978, the Department of Justice used Dallas County, AL, to replace its at-large election system and go to a single-member district so that African Americans would have a better chance to be elected. Jeff Sessions supported it, the ACLU supported it, as did the DOJ's Civil Rights Division. They were successful.

Finally, on the criminal justice issue that I support, according to Senator Dick Durbin, who said during the confirmation hearing that Jeff Sessions saved thousands upon thousands of years of Black men's lives because of his push to reduce the disparity between crack and powder cocaine from 100 to 1, to where it is today. Jeff Sessions even fought against the Bush administration to bring that disparity down.

In conclusion, as I reflect on the brave men and women who have shaped this country, who have fought for my freedom, for me to participate fully in this Republic--the greatest experiment of self- governing the world has ever known--we have an obligation to judge a man not by the color of his skin nor by the State of his birth, but by the story his life tells and by the content of his character.

Jeff Sessions has earned my support, and I will hold him accountable if and when we disagree moving forward.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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

Mr. President, today I stand in support of my good friend and Governor, Nikki Haley, who has been nominated for the position of Ambassador to the United Nations. Simply put, Governor Haley is the right choice, and I could not be prouder to support her nomination. She has shown amazing leadership during very trying times in South Carolina, and I know that she will bring the same strength and resolve in reinforcing and

strengthening our relationships with our allies.

As she showed through her confirmation hearing, Nikki is a strong, principled leader. During a time with so much international instability, we need a decisive and compassionate leader like Governor Haley representing our Nation. She is the type of visionary leader who will help turn the diplomatic tide of the past few years and reassure our allies that the United States stands in strong support of them.

Nikki has served the people of South Carolina very well, and she will be missed. But now, I look forward to addressing her by her new title-- Ambassador.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to display my Clemson flag.

Madam President, I think it is important for us to realize and note that while Senator Graham did in fact grow up just a few miles from Clemson--which means his affinity for the university is natural-- it is consistent with his upbringing. For me, it is very different. When you are born in South Carolina, and you are born on the coast near the Atlantic Ocean, the likelihood of your being a Gamecocks fan and wearing garnet and black is about 75 percent. So I must concede that I still pull for the Gamecocks. That is a controversial position to be in when you are talking about the new national champions.

I would also like to say to Senator Shelby--a man of integrity, character, and long service--thank you for making the bet. I am so glad you lost.

I would also say to the Clemson Tigers--the ``Tigers Nation''--we are so incredibly proud of what you have accomplished. It is amazing, not only the successful season that you have had on the field but the character that has been the focus of so much of the conversation off the field.

We have talked specifically about No. 4, Deshaun Watson, and the amazing story about his relationship with his mother. I have a special relationship with my mom. So I appreciate his focus and determination to honor her when he is on the field and to continue to honor her when he is off the field. That story is a remarkable story that deserves more attention. It really does.

As to Coach Dabo Swinney, is an amazing coach, without any question, but he is also an Alabama alum. Having won the national championship as a part of the Alabama football team--I believe it was 1992--you have a champion come into Clemson University and making champions by loving compassionately, by challenging on the field, and by embracing these men and the entire apparatus around the university and college athletics. He has done a fabulous job.

I think of the walk-on receiver that Senator Graham mentioned. In every facet of the team--whether you are the so-called water boy, whether you are the athletic trainer, whether you are a physical therapist--people win because of the team that they are on. There are no self-made success stories.

We should remember that as we focus on these young athletes. I know their lives will be meaningful because of the team they played on and not simply the victories they celebrated.

I do want to take a few seconds and mention the president, Jim Clements, who is a fantastic guy and one of my dearest friends. Jim and I were having a conversation through text before the game, and I decided, since we can't use our phones on the floor of Senate--I know they frown on that kind of stuff, technology; it is an interesting concept here--I decided to print the text. This was a Wednesday evening around 10 p.m. I had just predicted that Clemson would win, 27 to 24. Jim Clements said:

Seriously if we play like we did last week then we win! I

believe it will happen!! 35-31. Go Tigers.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I am humbled to recognize Mr. Odell Lumont Price, and especially during Black History Month. As a constituent, I can say he has encouraged all who are familiar with his story. Mr. Price exemplifies the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--he has truly lived a life in which he has been ``judged by the content of his character rather than the color of his skin.''

He grew up in Liberty Hill, a small part of North Charleston, and was among the first to graduate from all-white North Charleston High in 1967. Upon graduation, he volunteered to join the U.S. Marines at the age of 17 because he lacked the finances to attend college. He also served to show his

love and respect for his country and family.

He saw much during his time in battle, and quickly became a squad leader of the 3rd Marine Division. After leaving the military, he used the GI Bill to further his education. Mr. Price believes that the opportunity to further his education played a huge part in his success working at the Charleston Naval Shipyard.

Mr. Price is an example of everything that has allowed me to stand before you today. His values of faith, family and freedom have granted me the chance to stand on his shoulders and continue helping our beloved country march forward.

Please join me in a heartfelt ``Thanks'' to not only a fellow South Carolinian but someone who deserves the title of ``Hero'' for his service to our country.

Mr. President, I rise today to honor another of our Lowcountry Vietnam Veterans, Nathan White, Jr. He grew up in the area known as Liberty Hill, SC. As a young boy growing up, he embedded in his heart a desire to be a U.S. Marine. His mother gave her final blessing upon his graduation from Bonds-Wilson High School, and Nathan went to training at Parris Island before being deployed to Vietnam.

Private White gave his life while saving a fellow Marine at the age of 19 years old. His influence continues today in the lives of his family members who have extended his love of serving our county. His oldest nephew Alfred Green serves in Germany and his niece Lt. Col. Antoinette Sheppard proudly serves at Joint Base Charleston.

We are also honored to recognize his sister Alfreda Levaine, who not only helped raise her brother but also took a stand and marched with Mrs. Coretta Scott King in 1969. As she passionately puts it, ``you have to stand for something during your life to make a difference.''

It is with pride and honor we recognize Private Nathan White, Jr. and his family. We will never forget his sacrifice.

Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to a former member of this Chamber, and note with pleasure the passage of S. Res. 19.

Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts passed away on January 3, 2015 at the age of 95. I was deeply saddened by his loss. I had the privilege of hosting an event last year celebrating America's Black Senators. We invited Senator Brooke, but he was unable to attend. We did honor him that day, because as one of the two African Americans to currently serve in this great body, I know that I stand on the shoulders of giants like Senator Brooke and those who have come before me in public service. Senator Brooke was a true trailblazer, and those of us who followed cannot thank him enough. As the first African American Senator to be popularly elected to serve, he was a true inspiration.

From his service to our Nation beginning as a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II, to his service as chairman of the Finance Commission for the city of Boston and then as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' attorney general before coming to the Senate, Senator Brooke was a committed public servant. Having served

for two terms in the Senate, he was a powerful voice for housing reform and advancing issues like economic opportunity for all Americans. Recognized with both the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008, our Nation was truly blessed by his life and accomplishments, and his place in history will stand the test of time.

May God bless the family of Senator Brooke.

Madam President, I wish to commend the hard work and achievement of a team of students and their teacher in my State of South Carolina.

I believe that education, and especially STEM education, is a key to success, and I am thrilled to see students across my State and our Nation creating original research to compete for the honor of having their experiments performed in space by the Student Spaceflights Experiments Program.

This year, this team of Lowcountry students and teachers collaborated on an extraordinary experiment design to test the formation of tin whiskers in lead-free solder in space flight. With tin whisker formation causing failures in devices ranging from space satellites to pacemakers, the students chose an important and relevant topic for their work.

Rachel Lindbergh, a senior at the Palmetto Scholars Academy, Gabriel Voigt, a sophomore at Bishop England High School, and Joseph Garvey, a sophomore at Palmetto Scholars Academy, came together with their teacher facilitator Kelly Voigt and put in a tremendous number of hours to create an excellent research project design.

The team's experiment will be launched into space as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program Mission 6 to the International Space Station.

I am very proud of their work, and hope that it will serve as an example for all students that if you work hard and follow your passion, there is no telling where it may lead you.

Madam President, I am pleased the President signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, into law last week to improve job training in the United States. WIOA is the result of a commitment in both parties and both Chambers to modernize our workforce development system to ensure American competitiveness. The last time a Workforce Investment Act reauthorization was signed into law was in 1998, far too long ago, and the significant skills gap we face as a nation is evidence that our fragmented system simply is not working.

Despite the billions of taxpayer dollars we invest annually on Federal job training programs, there are 4.5 million unfilled jobs and a staggering 10 million unemployed Americans. We need to bridge this gap, and WIOA helps get us there by reducing bureaucracy and providing American workers with a more flexible and effective workforce training system. Over the past year, I have heard from businesses, elected State and local leaders, and families back home about the critical need for reforms to our job training system, and I am glad to have had the chance to work on this bill and be a part of this process in the Senate.

This legislation incorporates many reforms contained in the SKILLS Act, which I introduced in the Senate earlier this year, including the elimination of 15 programs identified as duplicative or ineffective and countless Federal mandates on States and local boards. In addition, WIOA establishes common performance metrics and requires independent evaluations every 4 years of all workforce programs to ensure effectiveness and accountability to taxpayers. By reducing bureaucracy and enhancing flexibility, WIOA eliminates delays that hinder job seekers from immediately accessing job training services and reentering the workforce.

I thank Senators Alexander, Harkin, Isakson, and Murray and Representative Foxx for their leadership on this issue and am pleased to see this

important legislation was signed into law without delay.

Madam President, I would like to take a moment today to honor Beaufort, SC resident, Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, a 33-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, for his tireless service to this country. He is truly an American patriot worthy of our recognition.

Born in Towns, GA, General Livingston knew from a young age that he wanted to serve his country. While enrolled at the Military College of Georgia, he was a member of the nationally recognized Corps of Cadets. After graduating from Auburn University in 1962 with a degree in civil engineering, General Livingston rose through the ranks of the Marine Corps. From Vietnam to the Philippines and domestically, wherein he was the first commander of the Marine Reserve Forces, General Livingston distinguished himself with exceptional service all over the world. Throughout his long and storied career, General Livingston has made his mark as a man who leads by example.

General Livingston, serving as the operations officer for 3D Battalion, 7th Marines, oversaw Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon. Despite the urgency and chaos of the situation, General Livingston led with poise and professionalism: characteristics that would define his career. Due in large parts to General Livingston's leadership during Operation Frequent Wind, more than 7,000 American civilians and Vietnamese people in a desperate situation were airlifted out of Saigon and to safety.

In 1968, while serving as the commanding officer, Company E, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, General Livingston led his men on a determined assault on the village of Dai Do, where another Marine company had been isolated the night before when enemy forces seized the village. Despite being twice wounded by grenade fragments, General Livingston refused medical treatment and continued to lead his men across 500 meters of open rice fields. Having reestablished contact with the surrounded Marine Company, General Livingston then learned of a third Marine Company leading an attack on nearby Dinh To village. Marshalling his resources, General Livingston consolidated the two companies and led a support effort to halt the aggressive enemy counter attack from Dinh To. After being wounded a third time and rendered immobile, he remained in the combat zone and supervised the evacuation of his men. Only after his fellow marines were safe did General Livingston allow himself to be evacuated. For his gallantry, bravery, and selflessness, General Livingston was awarded the Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1970.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, General Livingston also holds the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. It is because of men like James Livingston that Americans sleep easy at night, knowing they are safe from those who wish to inflict harm upon them.

It is an honor that this Saturday, August 2, General Livingston will be the keynote speaker at my Vietnam Era Veterans Honor Ceremony in Columbia, SC where I will honor more than 1,500 veterans. General Livingston and his fellow veterans deserve to be recognized for their gallant efforts, and it will be my honor to stand with him on this special occasion.

I invite my colleagues to join me in thanking Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston for a life and career dedicated to the protection of this Nation, her ideals, and her citizens.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I wish to voice my concern over the nomination of Mr. Norman Bay to be a Commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission--and eventually Chairman of the entire FERC.

I have serious concerns with Mr. Bay's qualifications to serve as a Commissioner, let alone lead the entire agency, particularly at such a critical time for the Commission and the many issues it must address such as energy grid infrastructure, safety and reliability.

Mr. Bay has at best limited experience in the energy sector and, unlike many of the recent FERC Chairmen, has never served on the Commission. Mr. Bay's inexperience is only further illuminated when compared to the lengthy and significant energy sector experience of current FERC Acting Chairman, Ms. Cheryl LaFleur.

While I may not agree with Ms. LaFleur's various policy positions, there is no denying the fact that she has spent nearly her entire career learning the intricacies of a very complicated electricity grid.

We must have the very best people on FERC, and the Chair must be the best qualified for leading the agency. Mismanagement in this critical agency could have serious consequences for American families, small businesses, national security and energy infrastructure reliability. I do not believe in on-the-job training for such an important position. It appears there has been an undefined deal--some would say a

backroom deal--struck with the administration to give Mr. Bay a FERC apprenticeship, while the qualified Ms. LeFleur is forced out of her current role as FERC Chairman.

Certainly, the Obama administration knows enough regulators to have nominated one that would be ready to serve once confirmed. This presents the question: if he is not ready to serve, why was Mr. Bay nominated in the first place?

I am afraid that President Obama and his Senate cohorts want to use Mr. Bay and the FERC to carry out their radical energy agenda that uses the government to pick winners and losers in the energy marketplace, which will only cause prices to increase on those who can least afford more expensive energy.

I also think serious questions have yet to be answered by Mr. Bay about his time as FERC's Enforcement Director. His answers to questions by various members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee were vague at best and evasive at worst.

Some suggested that actions taken by Mr. Bay as Enforcement Director have had a chilling effect on wholesale electric markets and have already caused electricity prices to increase in certain parts of the country.

There is simply too much at stake for me to support a nominee we know so little about and who knows so little about the job for which he was nominated.

Madam President, I am pleased the Senate voted this week to improve job training in the United States. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA, is the result of a commitment in both parties and both Chambers to modernize our workforce development system to ensure American competitiveness. The last time a Workforce Investment Act reauthorization was signed into law was in 1998, far too long ago, and the significant skills gap we face as a Nation is evidence that our fragmented system simply is not working.

Despite the billions of taxpayer dollars we invest annually on Federal job training programs, there are 4.5 million unfilled jobs and a staggering 10 million unemployed Americans. We need to bridge this gap, and WIOA helps get us there by reducing bureaucracy and providing American workers with a more flexible and effective workforce training system. Over the past year, I have heard from businesses, elected State and local leaders, and families back home about the critical need for reforms to our job training system, and I am glad to have had the chance to work on this bill and be a part of this process in the Senate.

This legislation incorporates many reforms contained in the SKILLS Act, which I introduced in the Senate earlier this year, including the elimination of 15 programs identified as duplicative or ineffective and countless Federal mandates on States and local boards. In addition, WIOA establishes common performance metrics and requires independent evaluations every 4 years of all workforce programs to ensure effectiveness and accountability to taxpayers. By reducing bureaucracy and enhancing flexibility, WIOA eliminates delays that hinder job seekers from immediately accessing job training services and reentering the workforce.

I appreciate my colleagues' work on this important issue and look forward to swift passage of WIOA in both Chambers.

Mr. President, one of the greatest issues impacting the American health care system is the lack of access to high quality care for the uninsured. According to a 2012 CBO study, 26-27 million people will not have health insurance in 2016, with other studies suggesting that number may be closer to 30 million. Recent data from the Health Resource and Services Administration, HRSA, shows that close to 20 percent of Americans live in areas with an insufficient number of primary care physicians. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, AAMC, it is expected that there will be a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians in the US by 2020, further limiting access to care.

An immediate way to improve access to high quality health care for the uninsured is to engage the physician community to provide greater levels of charity care. Currently, there is little incentive for physicians to provide charity care outside of their normal scope of practice, and the percentage of physicians providing charity care has been in a state of steady decline. Due to reimbursement changes over the years, physicians are currently forced to maintain a certain amount of private, Medicare, and Medicaid insured patients in order to ensure their practices can remain profitable. This often leaves no opportunity to care for patients who lack insurance and who are often the most vulnerable and sick.

The Charity Care Expansion Act would create a much needed incentive for doctors to deliver uncompensated care, thereby improving and expanding access to care for the uninsured.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and allows for physicians to have a tax deduction for the taxable year at an amount equal to the amount the physician would have otherwise been paid.

For example, if Medicare would have reimbursed at $100 for a service, the physician would be able to deduct for $100. None of the deduction amounts would be arbitrary.

To qualify for the tax deduction, the bill would require physicians to have a pre-existing relationship with a health care clinic or another organization providing health care which is targeted to serve low income individuals. Through this coordination, the patient would be placed into the healthcare system with follow ups and health care professionals to see, instead of getting lost in the system after treatment. This would also prevent the use of the tax deduction as a tool to write off bad debt.

The limitations on the deduction are 10 percent of gross income of the taxpayer for the taxable year derived from the taxpayer's provision of physicians' services. For retired physicians, no more than a $10,000 deduction would be allowed.

While I am still waiting for a cost estimate on the bill, I repeal the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, PHHSBG, which was included in the President's budget as a recommended cut, to provide an offset.