Floor Statements

Mr. President, I am taking this opportunity to announce that in accordance with title V of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee on Rules and Administration, the committee intends to update the U.S. Senate Travel Regulations.

Based on the committee's review of the 1991 regulations and the January 1, 1999, amendments to the regulations, the following changes to these policies have been adopted effective today, December 7, 2006. The changes reduce from 45 days to 30 days the period when travel advances must be repaid. In addition, the amended regulations establish a uniform $200 minimum travel advance level for all offices within the Senate.

Set forth below are the updated U.S. Senate Travel Regulations.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the material be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, as chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, I want to commend and pay tribute to Bruce R. James, the 24th public printer, who has announced he will retire from his post as chief executive officer of the Government Printing Office on January 3, 2007.

At the President's request, Bruce came out of retirement to take office at the GPO in December 2002. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to transform that venerable institution from a printing agency into a 21st century digital information processing facility. After a period of factfinding and consultation with GPO's stakeholders, he issued a strategic vision for the GPO's future that has guided the management of the agency ever since. Under the plan, he initiated the effort to construct a future digital system to organize, manage, and output authenticated Government information in a broad range of online and print formats. He led efforts to modernize the GPO's plant operations supporting Congress. He assisted the State Department's development and issuance of the new electronic U.S. passport and has led efforts to further enhance the GPO's security and intelligent documents operation. He worked with the library community to ensure the continued transition to predominately

electronic Federal Depository Library Program and began a pilot project to test the GPO's ability to digitize retrospective Government publications for online public access. Throughout his tenure, Bruce has ensured that we have the products and services we need to conduct our daily business in Congress.

In carrying out this program of change, Bruce brought to the GPO a broad range of business principles and practices, earning him the title of 2006 Civilian Executive of the Year from Government Computer News. He instilled a new focus on customer service for Congress and the departments and agencies that depend on the GPO and has provided new service options that make it easier and more convenient to use the GPO. He turned around the financial status of the agency, posting a positive financial performance every year since 2004 and reversing a pattern of previous losses that has provided the agency with the capital to make much-needed investments in technology. He brought aboard a wide range of experts in technology and systems integration, finance, marketing, secure and intelligent documents, digital media, and related fields, to guide the GPO forward. And to his credit, Bruce brought before the Congress the issue of how best to utilize the GPO's aging and outsized buildings for its future operations.

Mr. President, Congress, Federal departments and agencies, and all those among the public who rely on the GPO have been well served over the past 4 years by Public Printer Bruce James. His unceasing call for technology modernization and his steadfast adherence to business best practices will leave a legacy of continued improvement at the GPO for many years to come. As Bruce departs the GPO to return to retirement in his beloved Nevada, he leaves with our best wishes and the thanks of a grateful nation for a job well done.

Mr. President, as chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, I want to pay tribute to Jerry Hammond, Director of Congressional Publishing Services, who retired from the Government Printing Office, GPO, after 37 years of Government service.

Mr. Hammond graduated from DeMatha High School in 1969 and then served as a sergeant, E-5, in the U.S. Marines Corps. Jerry came to GPO in 1972 and graduated in the apprentice class of 1977 in the Hand Section of the Composing Division. Mr. Hammond joined the Office of Congressional Publishing Services in 1985 and was promoted to the position of Director in 2004.

Jerry worked on the night shift at GPO for many years working closely with several congressional offices, House and Senate, night in and night out, to ensure the production and delivery of the Congressional Record, House and Senate Calendars, and congressional bills and reports. He was also instrumental in establishing remote composition capabilities at congressional offices which continue to be used today.

Jerry Hammond also worked very closely with my staff on the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. He assisted us with the very successful redesign of the inaugural tickets, enhancing their security, usability, and appearance. Additionally, he personally oversaw the printing of the programs, gifts, menus, and various other inaugural products. Anyone who has worked with Jerry over the years could not help but be impressed with his easygoing demeanor, especially under the pressure of meeting the printing requirements of Congress.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Jerry Hammond for his service to GPO and Congress. We wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to recognize and say farewell to an outstanding Air Force officer, BG Benjamin J. Spraggins, upon his retirement from the Air Force after more than 34 years of service. Throughout his career, Brigadier General Spraggins has served with distinction, and it is my privilege to recognize his many accomplishments and commend him for his service to the Air Force, the Congress, and our grateful Nation.

Brigadier General Spraggins is a longtime resident of my home State and devoted public servant of Harrison County, MS. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on March 17, 1972. After over 6 years of successful enlisted service, reaching the grade of technical sergeant, Brigadier General Spraggins received his commission from the Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson, TN. Following graduation from Officer Candidate School, Brigadier General Spraggins completed aviation school at Mather Air Force Base, CA, and RF-4C training at Shaw, Air Force Base, SC. Brigadier General Spraggins was then stationed with the 187th Transport Ready Group at Dannelly Field, AL, flying the RF-4C fighter aircraft. While stationed in 187th, Brigadier General Spraggins served in many critical positions including instructor, scheduling officer and assistant chief of standards and evaluations. He was a weapon systems officer in the RF-4C from 1979-1983 and a weapons system instructor in the F-4D from 1983-1988 at the 187th Fighter Wing. Brigadier General Spraggins completed his military flying career with over 2,500 hours in the T-37, T-43, RF-4C, and F-4D aircraft.

On September 23, 1987, Brigadier General Spraggins was assigned to the Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, MS. During his tenure at the training center, he served in various positions including range control officer, director of operations, operations group commander, and finally as commander of the Combat Readiness Training Center. As commander, Brigadier General Spraggins was responsible for operations and training of over 20,000 military personnel annually and provided oversight for a $75 million dollar budget.

Concurrently, Brigadier General Spraggins was sent to Andrews Air Force Base, DC, in 2002 to run the Crisis Action Team for the Air National Guard. In 2003, he also served as the interim commander of the 186th Air Refueling Wing where he was responsible for operations of KC- 135 aircraft wing, with over 1,000 personnel and oversight of a $48 million dollar annual budget. He was the first member of the Mississippi Air National Guard to simultaneously command two major units, the Combat Readiness Training Center and the 186th Air Refueling Wing.

Brigadier General Spraggins was assigned to the Tennessee Air National Guard in November 2005 as the chief of staff. In this capacity he was responsible to the adjutant general for readiness of Tennessee's three flying wings and three mission support units. In addition to duties as chief of staff, Brigadier General Spraggins also served as the air deputy commander, joint forces Headquarters, Tennessee National Guard. Brigadier General Spraggins was also attached as the battle commander for Air Force North, Tyndall AFB, FL. In this capacity he was responsible for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States.

During his long and distinguished career, Brigadier General Spraggins successfully completed Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff, and the Air War College with the Air University. His decorations and awards include Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Mississippi Magnolia Cross, Tennessee Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the Air Force Training Ribbon.

Upon the retirement of Brigadier General Spraggins after 34 years of dedicated service, I offer my congratulations to him and his wife Judy. Brigadier General Spraggins is a credit to both the Air Force and the United States of America. I know that I speak for all my colleagues in expressing heartfelt appreciation to him. I wish Brigadier General Spraggins blue skies and safe landings and congratulate him on completion of an outstanding and successful career.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize an outstanding officer upon his retirement from the U.S. Air Force. Brigadier General David K. ``Bob'' Edmonds will retire on February 1, 2007, after almost 28 years of service. His successes and accomplishments have been significant and many. He has been recognized by his superiors and subordinates alike for his ability to motivate and lead teams and mentor future leaders. Today, it is my pleasure to recognize some of General Edmond's many accomplishments and commend his service to the Air Force, the Congress, and our grateful Nation.

Brigadier General Edmonds was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1979 as a distinguished graduate and the top cadet in the civil engineering major. He was selected for a Guggenheim Fellowship at Columbia University and graduated in May 1980 with a master of science degree in civil engineering. He began his Active Duty career at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, where he completed undergraduate pilot training as a distinguished graduate and was selected to fly the F-15 Eagle. He has served in numerous flying positions throughout his career, both as an instructor pilot and a commander, and led 45 combat missions with the 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron during Operation Desert Storm. He is a command pilot with over 2500 flight hours and 300 combat hours.

General Edmonds' last assignment was deputy director for operations, National Military Command Center, the Joint Staff, Pentagon, where he led a team that performed initial analysis of developing military and political situations worldwide for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, and President of the United States. He also performed nuclear watch in conjunction with the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Strategic Command and was ready to advise the President on available courses of action and transmit the President's nuclear decisions.

We especially remember General Edmonds' his service to the Congress as the Deputy Director for Air Force Legislative Liaison from 2003 to 2004 and as the Chief of Air Force Senate Liaison from 2001 to 2003. During these tours of duty, he was responsible for articulating Air Force priorities and programs to members and their staffs and responding to congressional inquiries regarding a broad range of issues.

From 1999 to 2001, General Edmonds was the 16th commander of the 131st Fighter Wing, St. Louis, MO, where he uniquely served as an Active Duty officer commanding an Air National Guard Wing. He had great success leading the Wing to achieve and maintain air superiority with the F-15 Eagle aircraft and, accordingly, was awarded the 2001 Executive of the Year for the St. Louis metropolitan region. Prior to assuming this command, he was the chief, Joint Requirements Division in the Directorate of Force Structure, Resources, and Assessments, J-8, Joint Staff, at the Pentagon. In June 1997, he graduated from the National War College as a Distinguished Graduate. From 1995 to

1996, he was a White House Fellow assigned as a Special Assistant to Philip Lader, a member of President Clinton's Cabinet, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.

In 1994, he served as commander of the 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where he commanded over 300 personnel and supervised the operation of 26 F-15 aircraft. Under his leadership, the squadron was recognized as the 325th Fighter Wing Squadron of the Year. Previously, he served in the Air Force Headquarters, with the Air Staff Training Program, and was an air officer commander, civil engineering instructor, motorglider instructor pilot, and women's rugby coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

On the eve of General Edmonds' retirement, I offer my congratulations to him, his wife Ann, his son Gregory, who is a freshman at the Air Force Academy, and daughter Katelyn. General Edmonds will be missed, and I know that I speak for all my colleagues in expressing my heartfelt appreciation to him. He is a credit to both the Air Force and the United States of America. We wish our friend the best of luck in his future endeavors and congratulate him on completion of an outstanding and successful active-duty career.

Mr. President, the first African American to serve a full term in the United States Senate represented my great State of Mississippi.

Blanche Kelso Bruce was elected to the Senate in 1874 by the Mississippi State Legislature where he served from 1875 until 1881.

On February 14, 1879, he broke a second barrier by becoming the first African American to preside over a Senate session. He was a leader in the nationwide fight for African American rights, fighting for desegregation of the Army and protection of voting rights.

Blanche Kelso Bruce was born into slavery near Farmville, VA, on March 1, 1841, and spent his early years in Virginia and Missouri. He was 20 years old when the Civil War broke out. He tried to enlist in the Union Army but was rejected because of his race.

He then turned his attention to teaching and while in Missouri organized that State's first school for African Americans.

In 1869 he moved to Mississippi to become a planter on a cotton plantation, and the Magnolia State is where he became active in Republican politics. He rose in Mississippi politics from membership on the Mississippi Levee Board, as the sheriff and tax collector for Bolivar County surrounding Cleveland, Mississippi, and as the Sergeant- at-Arms for the Mississippi State Senate. It was Blanche Kelso Bruce's perseverance, selfless public service and commitment to Mississippi that led to the Mississippi State Legislature's election of him to serve in the U.S. Senate.

In the Senate, he served on the Pensions, Manufacturers, Education and Labor committees. He chaired the Committee on River Improvements and the Select Committee to Investigate the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company.

Senator Bruce left the Senate in 1881 and was appointed Registrar of the Treasury by President James Garfield, a position he also held in 1897. He subsequently received appointments from Presidents Chester Arthur, Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley.

Senator Bruce joined the board of Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he received an honorary degree. He died in Washington on March 17, 1898, at the age of 57.

Four years ago, on September 17, 2002, in my position as Senate Majority Leader, I joined with Senator Chris Dodd in honoring this revered adopted son of Mississippi by unveiling the portrait of Blanche Kelso Bruce in the U.S. Capitol.

Today I rise to further honor this great statesman and pioneer by introducing legislation to issue the Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce commemorative postage stamp. Mississippi takes great pride in our leaders who often quietly, with little fanfare, blaze paths for the rest of the Nation to follow. Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce is one such great pioneer, and I call on my colleagues to join me in honoring him.

If I could speak on this very important issue addressed previously by the Senator from Illinois, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, I have been restrained in making comments on this process, although I admit I have had to bite my lip a few times because I believed the process that was underway was responsible.

Let me go back and talk a little bit about the beginnings of why this act is necessary and where we are now. We have been in some very difficult times and some uncharted waters when it comes to the war on terror since September 11. It has challenged us in many ways to deal with problems we have not had to deal with before, with an amorphous enemy which does not line up in uniform, in rank, but takes the vehicle of suicide bombers or roadside bombs--the worst of all possible attacks on innocent men and women and children--with no uniform, with no concern for what it does to these innocent people, not to mention those who are trying to bring about greater peace and democracy and opportunity and security in the world, in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Middle East and, yes, here at home.

We are working through this as we go forward. These are unique times. In this process, we have been able to capture and deter some of the worst of the worst jihadists in the world, intent on killing our soldiers and innocent men and women. We have had to deal with them. These are not people who ordinarily have been captured who would be covered by the Geneva Conventions. They are not serving in a country's military; they are murderers of the worst sort.

We have had to deal with this issue. This administration has dealt with it. They have done it responsibly. Have they made some mistakes? Why, of course; we are human beings.

All of this led to a very unfortunate Supreme Court decision, referred to--again, unfortunately--as the Hamdan decision. The Supreme Court clearly made a mistake. I must admit I was disappointed in some of the rulings of the judges, but it has forced our hand to try to make it clear in the law and with the administration how we are going to deal with this question of interrogating these terrorists, how we are going to deal with some of the evidence that is acquired through that process. The administration has been working with the lawyers, with the Congress, and with the Senate to try to work through this issue.

Some people were very distraught last week that we seemed to be having disagreement within our own ranks on the Republican side of the aisle where three or four Senators or some Senators had some concerns. I felt very differently. Finally, we were dealing with issues that really matter. Questions of law, how we deal with the terrorists, how we deal with the evidence--these are very serious discussions, the kinds of things the Senate should be doing a lot more of.

While one can disagree with who was doing what, we went through a process, took up legitimate questions of the law--how to deal with the Geneva Convention; how is it perceived--and came to an agreement. I still had my doubts. There are parts I still do not particularly like. I thought it was a very good process, with a lot of different people, a lot of lawyers, a lot of military people, a lot of leadership in the Congress, and they came up with a conclusion. I have had occasion now to take a look at what they came up with, had questions about, and it is pretty good. However, it is an area where we must act because if we do not act, we are not--the administration, the Government--going to know how to deal with interrogation or with the terrorists or how to deal with the evidence. This is a case where we do not have the luxury of not dealing with this issue. We have to do it.

In some other areas, we should act. The electronic wiretaps matter-- we should deal with that, but we don't have it. We can go forward on the law as it is. In this case, we have to clarify the situation, or these people who are being held in Guantanamo Bay are going to be hanging in limbo. If you are worried about them, which I am not particularly, there needs to be a process of how we will deal with them.

That is how we got where we are. That is now pending as an amendment to the border security bill that provides for a fence along our southern border with Mexico. That is not the way it should be done. It should be considered clean. But it is typical of what has happened all year long in the Senate. The whole operation from the other side of the aisle is delay it, drag it out, don't cooperate. Why can't we at least debate? Why have we gone through a day and a half of nothingness instead of considering and debating the substance of the amendment which should be a bill and also the substance of border security? Does anyone here want to leave to go home for an election period--and that is what this is really all about--without having addressed how we do the military trials and without having done something more significant about border security? Not me, although I suspect there are some who say: Yes, let's don't let anything happen; then we can blame Senators, certain people, leaders, whatever, the administration, because nothing happened. Nice deal if you can pull it off. I don't believe the American people will buy that deal.

Also, in listening to some of the comments in the Senate, it stuns me. First of all, I am an attorney. I have not practiced for a long time. I find myself now involved in a lawsuit. Whenever they say, ``Bring on the lawyers,'' look out, because now we are going to get into a huge, big discussion of the niceties of trials and evidence and all of that, and we are guaranteed to have a lot of confusion moving forward.

I wish to again emphasize what we are dealing with. We are dealing with, I believe Colin Powell was quoted as saying, the most vicious killers in the world. These are bad people. These are the people who admit they are jihadists. And if they get out, they would do everything to kill Americans, Europeans, Asians--anyone they think does not agree with their religious positions. These are not citizens, these are not employees of the government, and these are not soldiers. These are extremist jihadists of the worst sort.

Now we have people worrying about how they are going to be incarcerated or interrogated or what evidence would be admissible. Lawyers can work that out. I know enough about the law to know that judges and juries can decipher the legitimacy of evidence and how it was obtained. The parsing we have been through is a disgrace, in my opinion.

In terms of the interrogation, yes, we have to be concerned about our treaty obligations. Our President and our Government have to be concerned

about that. Senators, too. We have already voted, and I voted, to clarify our position that we are opposed to torture. I voted for the McCain position. But now, what we are arguing over, I am concerned. What are we going to do in terms of interrogation to get information that can save one marine's life or thousands of innocent people? Are we going to ask them: Please, pretty please? When they let on like some of the techniques that have been used are such horrible things--being threatened by a dog? Come on. Have they never delivered laundry to someone's house and had a dog come after them? Have they never lived? Now being threatened by a dog is considered what--torture? Oh, by the way, we can't have them in stressful positions. What is that? You mean like standing up? Some of these complaints are absolutely ludicrous. Are we going to be careful not to insult them in some way? How are we going to get this information?

And by the way, now our men and women who have to find a way to get information from these worst of the worst vicious killers in the world could be liable, and even worse than that, when they thought they were complying with the law as they understood it and as their superiors told them, they could be liable to be tried--after the fact.

This legislation at least says that prospectively, here is going to be what is expected. If you exceed this, if you get over into the torture area, yes, you will be liable. But to go back and say, now, wait a minute, what you did could make you liable, when we have people trying to do their job for the American people--our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan now could be sued, and there are complaints that we are not going to make sure these people are not going to be, after the fact, ex post facto, tried? These same people are talking about amnesty for people illegally in America. Yet when they talk about amnesty for people doing their job as best they could, as they understood the law, no, we do not want to give them amnesty. That would be a horrible mistake, if we do not provide some clarity and some protection for those who may have exceeded that clarity in the past even though they understood what they were doing was wrong.

Now we have this huge discussion about habeas corpus. Bring on the lawyers. What a wonderful thing we can do to come up with words like this. Our forefathers were thinking about citizens, Americans. They were not conceiving of these terrorists who are killing these innocent men, women, and children. These are not citizens. These are not people in America. We want them turned loose arbitrarily and then on the other hand turn around and, say, criticize the administration because some people who were caught in this process were subsequently released when you find out maybe they shouldn't have been?

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the political season, I am sorry to say. I would have thought the Senate could rise above all this partisan political stuff. Everybody is trying to rewrite history or rewrite the law or prove a mistake was made or this intelligence was available which was different from that intelligence. Who is taking the time and looking at where we are now? Where do we want to be? How are we going to handle interrogations? How are we going to handle evidence? How are we going to do a better job for our men and women in the decisions we make in Iraq and Afghanistan? Who is looking for the future around here? No, we are all throwing political spears at each other. I don't think the American people appreciate that. It is embarrassing, quite frankly, to me.

I have been on the Intelligence Committee for 4 years, and for 4 years we have been going back trying to refigure the intelligence. We have found out the intelligence we were receiving in that committee-- the Senators, Congressmen, and the President--was not as good as it should have been. Okay, good. Admit that. Now what are we going to do about it? How many hearings do we have where the CIA and the Director of National Intelligence were asked: What are you doing to implement the law we put in place to address the problems we found? Where are we going to be in the future? What have we done to actually go to meet with our CIA agents around the world and hear what the real country situation is in critical parts of the world? Not one time have we done that.

No, even the Intelligence Committee, which for years the Senate worked to make sure it stayed nonpartisan, bipartisan, and worked together for the good of the country, in close quarters, now is just another partisan committee. Staff fight each other; intelligence information is leaked; classified intelligence information is leaked to the New York Times and the Washington Post. No one is identified. No one is punished for that.

What worries me, this is not just about politics; this is about people's lives. People get killed based on the intelligence we get or don't get or the oversight we have.

I hope we can complete our work. Hopefully, it will be good work by the end of the week.

Let's go home and get this political period over with, but when we come back next year, I think it is time we assess where we are. How are we going to do a better job? What is America's agenda? What can we do together in a bipartisan way? Is there anything left? And if we do not, I think there will be a pox on all of our houses.

So on this particular subject of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, let's get it up, let's debate it, and let's have a vote. We have to do it. I think they have done pretty good work. If I could get in a room with my lawyers, yes, I would write it differently. I think more of that evidence should be admissable with less restraints. I think more of the techniques that have been used in the interrogation of terrorists should be used than are in this provision. Once again, it is not perfect, but it is good enough. It is the right thing to do.

Madam President, observing no Senator wishing to speak at this time, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I want to again express my appreciation to the distinguished Senator from New Mexico--I know this is a feeling shared by a lot of Senators--for his efforts and leadership over many years in the Senate but particularly in the energy area. He has been persistent.

We did pass a good energy policy bill last year. Obviously, he would like for it to have been, perhaps, even broader, but we got it done. It is making a contribution and will continue to have a positive contribution into more diverse energy policy in this country from which the American people will benefit.

I thank the Senator for his leadership on this particular area of the nuclear repository. We must deal with this issue. We can do it. His input was critical. I thank him.

Mr. President, I want to again express my appreciation to the distinguished Senator from New Mexico--I know this is a feeling shared by a lot of Senators--for his efforts and leadership over many years in the Senate but particularly in the energy area. He has been persistent.

We did pass a good energy policy bill last year. Obviously, he would like for it to have been, perhaps, even broader, but we got it done. It is making a contribution and will continue to have a positive contribution into more diverse energy policy in this country from which the American people will benefit.

I thank the Senator for his leadership on this particular area of the nuclear repository. We must deal with this issue. We can do it. His input was critical. I thank him.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 27, 2006, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on the nominations of Mr. Christopher A. Padilla, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary of the Department of Commerce; and Mr. Bijan Rafiekian, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a committee markup on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at 10 a.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on

Finance be authorized to meet during the session on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at a time and location to be determined, following a vote on the Senate Floor, to consider favorably reporting the nominations of John K. Veroneau, to be Deputy United States Trade Representative, with the Rank of Ambassador, Executive Office of the President, and Robert K. Steel, to be Under Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at 2:30 p.m. to hold a hearing on nominations.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. for a hearing titled, ``Development of an Artificial Pancreas: Will New Technologies Improve Care for People With Diabetes and Reduce the Burden on the Health Care System?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. for a hearing titled, ``The Potential of an Artificial Pancreas: Improving Care for People With Diabetes.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, to hold a meeting to mark up the nomination of Robert T. Howard to be Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, Department of Veterans' Affairs.

The meeting will take place in the Reception Room off the Senate Floor in the Capitol following the first roll call vote of the day.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Select Committee on Intelligence be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 27, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. to hold a closed briefing.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness, be authorized to hold a hearing during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. in SD-430.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Oversight Hearing: U.S. Refugee Admissions and Policy'' on Wednesday, September 27, at 3 p.m. in SD-226.

Witness List

Panel I: The Honorable Ellen Sauerbray, Assistant Secretary of State, Population, Refugees and Migration, Department of State, Washington, DC; Jonathan ``Jock'' Scharfen, Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC.

Panel II: Michael Horowitz, Director, Project for Civil Justice Reform and Project for International Religious Liberty, Hudson Institute, Washington, DC; Father Kenneth Gavin, S.J., Vice-Chair, Refugee Council U.S.A. and National Director, Jesuit Refugee Service, U.S.A., Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, September 27 at 10 a.m.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 3000, a bill to grant rights-of-way for electric transmission lines over certain native allotments in the State of Alaska; S. 3599, to establish the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in the State of New Mexico; S. 3794, to provide for the implementation of the Owyhee Initiative Agreement, and for other purposes; S. 3854, to designate certain land in the State of Oregon as wilderness, and for other purposes; H.R. 3603, to promote the economic development and recreational use of National Forest System lands and other public lands in Central Idaho, to designate the Boulder-White Cloud Management Area to ensure the continued management of certain National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands for recreational and grazing use and conservation and resource protection, to add certain National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands in Central Idaho to the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes; and H.R. 5025, to protect for future generations the recreational opportunities, forest, timber, clean water, wilderness and scenic values, and diverse habitat of Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 27, 2006, at 10 a.m., to receive testimony on U.S. policy and practice with respect to the use of riot control agents by the U.S. Armed forces.

Mr. President, how much time do we have remaining on our side of the aisle in morning business?

Mr. President, I wish to say, while he is still on the Senate floor, what an outstanding job the Senator from New Hampshire, Mr. Gregg, has done in this area of homeland security and border security. I doubt there is any other Member of the Congress, House or Senate, who has done more to actually produce results.

There is very little we could be doing in the Congress, now and in the foreseeable future, more important than security for our homeland. It is an integral part of the War on Terror. It is a part of why we have not had another major attack since 9/11.

Once again, the Senator from New Hampshire has shown real leadership. He has produced a bill we have to have this year, to provide the appropriations for this important Department and the agencies within it and to put funding in it for border security. This is a major achievement. No matter what else we get accomplished this week, this will probably be, overall, the most important. I thank him for it.

I have been very involved in the reform of FEMA because I have seen how FEMA did not always have the authority and didn't have the power, if you will, didn't have the people or the money to do the job after Hurricane Katrina. This reform will help make FEMA stronger, and I believe it will be a benefit to the Department of Homeland Security.

There are a lot of those saying we should be accomplishing more. I am hoping before this week is out we will pass a major border security bill. I am hoping we will pass the Outer Continental Shelf energy package. I believe we will get Defense authorization and Defense appropriations and hopefully several other good bills.

I have never seen a Senate more paralyzed than I have seen over the past few months. There is no doubt in my mind that a conscious decision was made by the Democratic leadership January a year ago to slow-roll, obstruct, delay everything. Every time you take a week or two on a bill that should be done in a day or two, that is that many days you cannot use to do other things which need to be accomplished. But I think, rather than trying to have a list with a whole lot of things on it-- little things, in many instances--it is more important to keep a focus on the big issues.

What have we done to really help the American people?

Quite often some people say, please don't pass more laws. Leave me alone; allow the private sector, allow the markets, allow us to do our job, and let the States and localities do their jobs.

I think we overemphasis sheer numbers. But I think it is important that we look at the list of what this Senate has passed this year. When you add to that the other things which we hope we will complete this week--the most effective week of a session is always right before the end of the year. I remember one night when we passed something like 67 bills after almost everybody had gone home. The Democratic and Republican leadership had a blast. We passed a lot of good legislation.

Look at what we have already done. The Patriot Act. Under the title of Homeland Security, we have taken major actions and they have made a difference in securing our country and have been a critical part of the War on Terrorism. The Patriot Act, border security, and we have funded the war on terror.

On taxes and in the budget area, once again Senator Judd Gregg did a great job as chairman of the Budget Committee. We cut entitlements somewhat. We cut taxes by $70 billion. Other than Homeland Security and Defense, we have basically held the line on appropriations. A lot of the credit goes to my colleague from Mississippi, Senator Cochran.

We passed a comprehensive energy policy bill last week. It is having a positive effect. It takes time for legislation in that area to have an effect.

We passed the Pell grants in the area of math and science competitiveness in education.

We passed lawsuit abuse reform.

In the area of health for the benefit of Americans, health information technology, it sounds as though it wouldn't make that much difference, but it is going to control costs and make information more available to the patients so they can make the right decisions for their health needs.

We have tremendous fights over judges. We have confirmed two Supreme Court judges--outstanding judges. We have confirmed 14 circuit court judges and 34 district court judges. Hopefully, we will confirm more this week. But there again, the Democrats chose to filibuster on judges--in my opinion, clearly unconstitutional. In fact, the majority leader now on almost every bill has to file cloture. Why? Because otherwise you can't get to the substance of a bill.

When you spend 30 hours on a motion to proceed to a bill which has major consequences for border security, then you know there is something wrong with the institution. Instead of us finding ways to work together, we find ways to expound and put out more hot air instead of taking action.

We have done some other things in protecting families, and also moving toward sound government.

We passed the Voting Rights Act.

I am here today for some reasons and for efforts that are not listed on this board. One year ago, I was standing on this floor pleading with my colleagues to help us in dealing with the aftermath of the biggest natural disaster to ever hit this country. We tend to forget about it. But most of last fall we spent on passing in a bipartisan, bicameral way Katrina relief legislation. We passed major appropriations. I am not talking about a few millions. I am talking about well over $100 billion.

When we came back from the August recess, instead of going to some of the things that were scheduled--such as repeal of the death tax--we went immediately to Katrina legislation. But in providing appropriations, in providing tax incentives for businesses and industries to rebuild, to stay in the area, or come to the area to help us recover, we did that.

Medicaid changes--we allowed the States of Louisiana and Mississippi to cope with the great increase in the number of people who needed Medicaid assistance; assistance through that bill to help many of our hospitals that were primary care hospitals. They treated everybody who showed up. It ran into hundreds of millions of dollars.

And right across the board, we have Stafford Act changes in the law, help for our schools and colleges. All of our schools in Mississippi were back and

open by November 7. In many instances, they were in pretty dilapidated facilities, without air conditioning, or temporary buildings. But every one of them opened by November 7, partially because Congress made a commitment to help them with the costs of what they had lost, to deal with the gap between what their insurance provided and what they were going to need to recover.

I am here to thank the Congress for helping us.

Have we had continued problems? Yes. Have we been disappointed in FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security and the Corps of Engineers? Yes, even though a lot of good people have done good work.

I have to admit that at the State level and the local level, we have had problems sometimes in making decisions dealing with elevation requirements, dealing with national flood insurance, and actually even distributing the money.

When you are trying to distribute $3 billion to 17,000 people, you do not throw it out the window. You have to have a process to make sure these people actually lost their homes, or had damaged homes, and that they are going to deal fairly with their mortgage holders, that they would have a way to get their homes back in place. That process is still underway. It has been a very difficult one.

So you can be critical of what happened after Katrina, but there are a few places where a lot of credit should be given and it has not been adequately done.

The Congress did the job after Hurricane Katrina. Every committee chairman and ranking member came to our aid. The Mississippians, the Louisianians, the Texans, the Alabamians told you what our problems were. We poured our hearts out, and the Senate did its job.

Senator Cochran, my colleague from Mississippi, deserves enormous credit for the very calm, cool, and determined way he handled that legislation.

I am here to say thank you. When you make this list of Senate accomplishments, you must add to this list the things we did after Hurricane Katrina. The system worked. Congress did its part. For that I will be eternally grateful.

By the way, we ate up the major part of 3 months trying to make sure we were doing it right, appropriately, to help the people who needed it and to make sure it was done in an honest way.

Sure, I complained we didn't do more. I complain about the way we do things. I don't like the totally partisan political seasons we get into. We all do it and I do it. But I think that while we are doing that, we ought to take a little credit for what we did do and what we did right.

I wanted to make that point this morning.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

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

Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays on the nomination.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2006, at 9:30 a.m., in open session to consider the following nominations: General Bantz J. Craddock, USA, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be Commander, U.S. European Command; Vice Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN, for appointment to the grade of admiral and to be Commander, U.S. Southern Command; Nelson M. Ford to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller; and Ronald J. James to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on September 19, 2006, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing on ``Combating Child Pornography by Eliminating Pornographers' Access to the Financial Payment System.''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a full committee business meeting off the floor on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at a time to be determined.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be authorized to hold a full committee hearing on Online Child Pornography on Tuesday, September 19, 2006, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, September 19, 2006, at 9:30 a.m., to hold a hearing on Iran.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be authorized to meet on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 10 a.m. for a hearing titled, ``Prison Radicalization: Are Terrorist Cells Forming in U.S. Cell Blocks?''

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``The Cost of Crime: Understanding the Financial and Human Impact of Criminal Activity'' on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness List

Panel I: Harley Lappin, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Washington, DC; Jeffrey Sedgwick, Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC; Jens Ludwig, Professor, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; Mary Lou Leary, Executive Director, National Center for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a markup on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 immediately following the first vote, approximately 12 p.m., in Room S-219, The Capitol.

Agenda

I. Nominations: Terrence W. Boyle, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; William James Haynes, II, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit; Kent A. Jordan, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; Peter D. Keisler, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; William Gerry Myers, III, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; Norman Randy Smith, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; Valerie L. Baker, to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California; Francisco Augusto Besosa, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico; Philip S. Gutierrez, to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California; Marcia Morales Howard, to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida; John Alfred Jarvey, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa; Sara Elizabeth Lioi, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing on ``Judicial Nominations'' on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 3 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226.

Witness List

Panel I: The Honorable Thad Cochran, United States Senator, R-MS; The Honorable Trent Lott, United States Senator, R-MS; The Honorable Carl Levin, United States Senator, D-MI; The Honorable Debbie Stabenow, United States Senator, D-MI.

Panel II: Robert James Jonker to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan; Judge Paul Lewis Maloney to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan; Judge Janet T. Neff to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan; Judge Leslie Southwick to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Mr. President, I want to take a moment and wish best of luck to a accomplished, young and promising Mississippian who is leaving Federal service to pursue private sector opportunities.

Nick Walters, originally of Wiggins, MS, was appointed as Mississippi's USDA rural development director by President George Bush in 2001. Since then, Nick has done a great job supporting Mississippi's communities, helping to secure resources needed for public facilities, utilities and for economic development.

This is a key Federal position for my State. As Nick likes to say, this is the ``non-farm,'' or ``non-food'' part of USDA. It's about new water and waste water systems, so people can have clean, dependable running water. It's about new community centers, town halls, and even high-tech or educational assets like broadband service, telemedicine and long-distance learning.

Since taking office, Nick has presented scores of oversized checks, in countless photos for local papers telling stories about a new water tower or a new police car or fire truck.

Some people might think these things are small, and they often are in terms of Federal dollars. But these modest services will reverberate for years to come. As Nick says: USDA rural development is really about economic development, helping to encourage and sustain job creation-- paving the way for communities to grow.

Nick has helped administer more than $100 million to Mississippi's cities and towns through this agency. He hasn't sat on laurels waiting for mayors, supervisors, town aldermen, or CEOs to approach him. Nick has been proactive, innovative, and he is actively sought cases and ways to meet individual community needs through USDA's various rural development programs.

We have all heard the old saying: ``Don't tell me what you can't do, tell me what you can do.'' That is been Nick Walters' approach to public service. His first inclination is to act. That is something we Mississippians appreciate. After Hurricane Katrina, we saw many Federal bureaucrats in FEMA and elsewhere strapped by indecision, blinded by tunnel vision, stuck on what they could not do, obsessed with the word ``no'' when they should have been saying ``yes.'' Nick isn't that type. He has provided a great example of what someone in this office can do using its authority to the utmost, and we're working hard to find a successor who will continue this strong leadership.

Nick Walters will be missed but my guess is that he will be back in public service one day. In what capacity? I don't know. That is a decision for him, his wife Lisa, and his young children, Porter and John Garrett.

But now with this success behind him and given his previous experience in the private sector, his work with former Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice, his stint as chief of staff for the Mississippi Public Service Commission Nick Walters will be successful in wherever his endeavors may lead.

I hope my colleagues will join me in thanking Nick Walters for his exemplary service to the Federal Government and, more importantly, to America as Mississippi's USDA rural development director.