Floor Statements

Mr. President, I wish to announce that the Committee on Rules and Administration will meet at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, June 5, 2003, in Room 301 Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct a hearing on Senate Rule XXII and proposals to amend this rule.

For further information concerning this meeting, please contact Susan Wells at 202-224-6352.

Mr. President, I first want to acknowledge the hard work done by the Armed Services Committee and Senator Warner and his staff on the fiscal year 2004 defense authorization bill. Having served on this committee for many years, I know how intense the discussions are in the committee and how difficult the decisions are when crafting a bill this complex and so critical. I do, however, want to engage the chairman on a subject of great national interest: Navy ship construction.

Over the years, this country has seen a steady decline in not only our naval ship force structure, but in the capacity to construct these great warships. Instead of building the requisite 12 ships a year to maintain our current and modest naval capability, we are merely producing 6 to 7 per year. The erosion in our naval capability should not continue. I know this is a subject of acute interest by Chairman Warner, a former Secretary of the Navy, and would like to hear his thoughts on the issue!

Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and honor an outstanding citizen of Mississippi. Mr. Fred Taylor of Oxford, MS has recently retired from the Board of Directors of First National Bank. Mr. Taylor and his wife of 70 years, Jewett, have served the Oxford and Lafayette County community for 45 years.

Fred Taylor has a history of outstanding achievements that can be traced back to his high school days in Gallman, MS. Mr. Taylor was a standout in football, basketball, and baseball at Copiah-Lincoln Agricultural High School and, for his ability, was inducted into the Copiah-Lincoln Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989. After high school Mr. Taylor attended Mississippi State University before transferring to Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, where he lettered in football and basketball and received a degree in economics.

In his professional career, Mr. Taylor has spent time in a variety of jobs, from coaching high school football and basketball, to selling insurance, to operating his 600-acre cattle farm in Oxford, Mississippi. He has also served as the Commissioner for the Lafayette County Soil and Water Conservation District, Director of the State Soil and Water Conservation Commissioners, President of the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association, Director of the Oxford/Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other prestigious positions of public service.

During these years, Mr. Taylor has been recognized numerous times by his colleagues and peers for excellence in his work and dedication to his community. In 1984 he was inducted into the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum Hall of Fame. He has also been the recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award given by the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, as well as numerous agricultural, soil, and conservation awards.

As I am sure you can see, Mr. Taylor has distinguished himself both personally and professionally, and he has been a valued asset to Mississippi. His record of service is not only a testament to his abilities, but also to the quality of his personal character. Oxford and Lafayette County have been well served by his commitment, guidance, and leadership and would not have been the same if it were not for his direction. It is for these reasons that I feel the need to pay tribute to him and to share his record of contributions to Mississippi with all of you here today.

Mr. President, I wish to announce that the Committee on Rules and Administration will meet at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 20, 2003, in Room SR-301 Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct an oversight hearing on the operations of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Smithsonian Institution.

For further information concerning this meeting, please contact Susan Wells at 202-224-6352.

permanent subcommittee on investigations

Mr. President, I would like to recognize one of the finest officers in the United States Navy, RADM William ``Bill'' Cobb, on the occasion of his retirement on May 15, 2003. Admiral Cobb will leave his current job as Program Executive Officers Ships after over 37 years of faithful and dedicated service to the Navy and our great Nation. During his time in Washington, he engaged the Congress on numerous issues vital to our national security. Today, it is my pleasure to recognize some of Bill's many accomplishments and commend him and his family for their service to the Navy and our Nation.

Admiral Cobb entered military service in 1968 after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. He continued his education at the Naval Post Graduate School where he earned a Master's Degree in Operations Research in 1975. Admiral Cobb also attended the National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces, ICAF, in 1990; the Defense Systems Management College in 1992; the Executive Program, University of Michigan, Graduate Business School in 1994; and the Senior Executive Program in National and International Security at Harvard University in 2001.

As Executive Officer aboard USS Jouett, CG 29, Admiral Cobb shined as a leader. Even though Jouett started out last in every competitive category, Admiral Cobb's ability to motivate all levels of the chain- of-command catapulted the ship to the fleet's number one combatant in battle readiness. He later assumed duties as Commanding Office of USS Coontz, DDG 37, where his ship provided the initial response to a distress call after USS Stark was struck by an errant Iraqi cruise missile. During his tour as Commander of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Naval Ordnance Command, and Commander Naval Surface Warfare Center, NSWC, he was responsible for all of the Navy's In- Service Engineering Agents, ISEA.

Admiral Cobb also excelled in a variety of key staff assignments including Chief of Staff and Head, Fleet Introduction and Lifetime Support Division, AEGIS Program Office; a tour in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Head Readiness Sustainability Team, OP 09O; and Chief, Cruise Missile Division, Plans and Policy Directorate, Commander Atlantic Fleet, where he planned all of the Tomahawk strikes for Desert Storm. As Program Executive Officer for Theater Surface Combatants, PEO TSC, he was responsible for the AEGIS shipbuilding program, the Navy's Theater Ballistic Missile Defense, TBMD, program, and introduction of the Cooperative Engagement Capability, CEC. On the international front, he headed shipbuilding programs with Spain and Japan, and worked with thirteen of our closest allies on the Standard Missile program. His tremendous effort significantly enhanced our allied forces' defenses against the growing tactical ballistic missile threat. Admiral Cobb was also responsible for the life-cycle support of several ship classes including Ticonderoga Cruisers, Arleigh Burke Guided Missile Destroyers, Spruance Destroyers and Oliver Hazard Perry Frigates.

In conjunction with the Secretary of the Navy's reorganization efforts, Admiral Cobb took on the significant task of reorganizing three major Program Offices into one. Program Executive Officer, PEO, Ships now has sole responsibility for life-cycle support for all 13 surface ship classes, the heart of our entire Navy. This new Program Office is responsible for the execution of current and future shipbuilding programs that will carry the Navy well into the 21st century including the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers, the LPD 17 San Antonio Class Amphibious Ships, the Navy's future destroyer DD(X), X, and the Littoral Combat Ship, LCS. The DD(X), and LCS programs, due in large part to Admiral Cobb's leadership, will revolutionize our Navy with the availability of more lethal and agile firepower than ever before seen in history.

Always an inspiration to those who served him, Admiral Cobb made it a point to recognize those Officers and Sailors who transformed his vision of the Navy into reality. His contribution to the success of our Navy goes well beyond the material changes he made in the programmatic world. Admiral Cobb made each sailor keenly aware of their importance to the Navy and the true appreciation that he held for their efforts. His unique ability to recognize talent and to foster camaraderie among those who served him had an enormous influence on countless junior sailors, and will continue to steer the course of our Navy well into the future.

On behalf of my esteemed colleagues, I offer the sincere congratulations of the United States Senate to Admiral Cobb, his wife Karen, son Bill II, Buddy, daughter Jeanne, and granddaughter Isabelle on a truly magnificent career. Admiral Cobb will be missed by our Navy and has the heartfelt appreciation of our entire Nation. We wish our friend the best of luck in his undoubtedly successful future and bid him ``Fair Winds and Following Seas.''

(At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity to rise in support of what I consider to be very significant legislation, S. 196, the Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2003.

We have a very important opportunity in this country to make sure our universities and colleges not only do a good job in education in general, but in particular in addressing the technology gap. We know in our Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges, our Native-Hawaiian-serving Institutions and Alaska-Native-serving Institutions, there is a digital divide. This legislation would create a new grant program within the National Science Foundation that provides up to $250 million to help these colleges and universities.

In my own State of Mississippi I decided a few years ago we were trying to shoot at too many targets and we were not hitting many of them. We were missing them or we were not doing enough to make a difference. So I concluded the best thing to do was try to get a targeted focus on where we were going to put our efforts and where we were going to put our money. Those areas have been education, transportation--which can also be referred to as infrastructure, and jobs. It is not just about highways and bridges, it is also about ports and harbors and railroads and aviation, the whole package, as well as industrial sites where you can have the physical and technological infrastructure and roads that lead to jobs.

So education, transportation, and jobs are critical all over this country and in my own State, which has been one that has struggled for years to have advancement in education and economic opportunity.

I think this legislation is really important in helping to provide the up-to-date technological education that today's society demands. As we focus on education, not only at the higher education level where the Federal Government plays a critical role, but also when you look at what we need to do in kindergarten, and elementary, and secondary education--if you are going to have the whole package, you have to make sure our young people have access to a good education that allows them to read and write and do basic arithmetic. Furthermore, they must be able to perform these basic skills at the fifth grade level, at the eighth grade level, and in high school, but then be able to get into a community college, some sort of a vocational training program, or our colleges and universities, and when they get there that they will have the tools and resources that they need.

It is fair to say I am from the generation that has been struggling with technology and computers. We are sort of computer illiterates. Yet we see our children who are able to do astonishing things because they have had the exposure to the new technology.

We have to make sure that the Nation's focus applies not only to our major colleges and universities in America that primarily get the students who make very high scores on the SATs, but we also have to make sure all students--whether they attend a private university or college or a State university or our historically Black or other minority institutions--have access to good education and what is needed in the technology field. Not just computers, but the whole high-tech area.

My own State of Mississippi is home to roughly 9 percent of the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I am pleased to be able to recognize these great eight schools in Mississippi: Alcorn State University, Coahoma Community College, Hinds Community College-- Utica, Jackson State University, Mary Holmes College, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College and Tougaloo College.

I am happy to be a cosponsor of the minority serving institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2003, because it provides another opportunity to help expand the digital and telecommunications infrastructure at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Mississippi. I always pay careful attention to legislation that could be beneficial for higher education institutions in my state. In fact, earlier this year, I cosponsored an amendment to the omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003 that authorizes additional funding for grants to preserve and restore historic buildings at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Additionally, I would like to note an example of my ongoing commitment to assist Mississippi's Historically Black Colleges and Universities in bridging the technology gap. In 2001, I worked with Allstate Insurance in their $17 million donation of a facility to establish the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State. The e-Center is an impressive state-of-the-art complex with advanced computing and network infrastructure, and information technology faculty and support staff. Through the e-Center, Jackson State is able to fulfill its educational mission and leverage its unique strengths in the areas of remote sensing, engineering, and science and technology. I am also pleased to report that Jackson State is the only Historically Black College or University in the Nation with three supercomputers. We are making strides in Mississippi to provide all our students with access to information technology, but the Nation still has much progress to make when it comes to providing these opportunities to our minority serving institutions of higher learning and all Americans.

It is clear that while our minority serving institutions of higher learning stand ready to drive from the ``on ramp'' onto the Information Superhighway, they still lag far behind other universities in America when adjusting to the new technological innovations and changes on the forefront, such as third generation technology. I urge the passage of this legislation today so that we can hand some of America's best institutions of higher learning the technology keys they need to compete with their peers.

I yield the floor.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Murkowski.) Who yields time?

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Amendment No. 459 Withdrawn

Mr. President, today I rise to commemorate the fifth anniversary of National Tartan Day. While it is observed on April 6 of each year, I make this recognition today because the Senate is not expected to be in session on that date. I want to remind my colleagues that the resolution which establishes National Tartan Day was Senate Resolution 155. It passed by unanimous consent on March 20 of 1998.

As an American of Scottish descent, I appreciate the efforts of the individuals, clan organizations, and all the many other groups who were instrumental in generating support for the resolution. These groups worked diligently to foster national awareness of the important role that Americans of Scottish descent have played in the progress of our country.

The purpose of National Tartan Day is to recognize the contributions that Americans of Scottish ancestry have made to our national heritage. It also recognizes the contributions that Scottish Americans continue to make to our country. I look forward to National Tartan Day as another opportunity to pause and reflect on the role Scottish Americans have played in advancing democracy and freedom. It is my hope that this annual event will continue to grow in prominence, with ceremonies and activities similar to those that have been held over the past few years. Scottish Americans have helped shape this Nation. Their contributions are innumerable. In fact, three-fourths of all American Presidents can trace their roots to Scotland.

In addition to recognizing Americans of Scottish ancestry, National Tartan Day reminds us of the importance of liberty. It honors those who strived for freedom from an oppressive government on April 6, 1320. It was on that day that the Declaration of Arbroath was signed. It is the Scottish Declaration of Independence. This important document served as the model for America's Declaration of Independence.

In demanding their independence from England, the men of Arbroath wrote, ``We fight for liberty alone, which no good man loses but with his life. `` These words are applicable today to the heroism of our American veterans and active duty forces who know the precious cost of fighting for liberty--a fight that is taking place at this moment as a coalition of military forces seeks liberation for the people of Iraq.

Senate Resolution 155 has served as a catalyst for the many States, cities, and counties that have passed similar resolutions recognizing the important contributions of Scottish Americans. I would like to thank all those groups and individuals who have continued the work of reminding the world of the stand for liberty taken on April 6th almost 700 years ago--in Arbroath, Scotland. A call for liberty which still echoes through our history and the history of many nations across the globe.

I believe April 6 can also serve as a day to recognize those nations that have not achieved the principles of freedom which we hold dear, and which we are fighting for even now. The example of the Scotsmen at Arbroath--their courage--their desire for freedom--still serves as a bright beacon today.

Mr. President, let me say again that I appreciate what Senator McCain does with this amendment and the effort he makes on a lot of these bills, to come to the floor with projects that are pretty hard to explain and justify. I know he is acting in good faith. I think his amendment, sort of a wraparound amendment, is going to be a very interesting one to hear discussed tomorrow.

Let me talk about title XI because I am sure he will not be surprised to hear me speak on it. I have supported the title XI program over the years. It is an important program in helping to meet our national objectives, our energy self-sufficiency, increase domestic commerce, strengthen shipbuilding, our industrial base, and a large commercial fleet of militarily useful ships to meet DOD sealift requirements in our war on terrorism, the war we are involved in right now.

The point that Senator McCain made, that of the 51 ships that are carrying cargo now and perhaps, I guess, some equipment, both liquid and dry cargo, 51 of them that are involved in the effort now in the war in Iraq, only 1 of them had the title XI funds. In fact, probably if you check, you will find that most of those ships are foreign ships, ships built in foreign shipyards. I suspect probably there are some Dutch and German and, who knows, maybe even some French ships on which we are dependent. Some of them have American flags and I guess are crewed by American crews. That is all important.

But it is a tragedy in America if we don't have a maritime industry. When I go to the port in my hometown and look at the grain elevators and look at the ships hauling poultry products to Russia, there is no American flag on those ships. It is Liberian, Panamanian, Ukrainian, Russian. It is everywhere in the world but the United States.

Is this program perfect? No. Should we try to make sure that it is run better and we get more money for our investment? Yes. But I still have a real trouble with a country such as the United States not having the capability to build our own ships and be crewed with American crews. More and more and more we are dependent on foreign ships.

There are good explanations for that. I guess the market is supposed to take care of those problems, but it is a danger. How many countries in the history of the world have survived very long without their own merchant fleet? Our shipyards now are building Navy combatants basically. That is it. No cruise ships, no cargo ships. We are getting out of the business. Maybe that is OK. But I think there is a danger there.

We are dependent now on these maritime vessels to move cargo and equipment. Right now they are involved in what is going on in Iraq. This program did not get any funds in fiscal year 2003. It is true the administration didn't ask for additional funds. It did not receive any funds in the omnibus bill. That is one of the reasons why it is badly needed now. If we don't have some funds, they might have like $1 million in funds. There are no funds for the backlog in this area.

By the way, title XI is not so important to the big shipyards. The big shipyards are not in this business. When they try to get into this business, it doesn't work. The best example in the world, I guess, even though it was a victim of timing, was the cruise ship situation.

Most of this money goes to the medium and small yards, and it is a loan program. Maybe it is not administered closely enough, and I acknowledge that. We need to understand what we are doing. If we don't fund it with this $50 million, or fund it in 2004, the program is dead. I think that is a mistake for our country.

I still believe we need our own merchant fleet. I hate to see all those jobs lost--engineers and other workers--and go to the shipyards around the world. I still would like to think that those ships are on call to America as American ships.

I understand that maybe this is not the right place for it, but there is a relationship to the war that is going on right now. It does affect our future ability to make sure we have our ships and crews on call that can deliver the dry products, liquid products, and the equipment around the world.

So I urge defeat of this amendment. I reserve my right to look at the package that Senator McCain may be offering later on this week.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I was very sorry to learn of the passing of our good friend and great Senator from New York, Senator Moynihan. I wanted to come and extend condolences on behalf of myself and a lot of other Senators to the family, the children, the grandchildren, and the people of New York, and to America because we have lost truly a great man in Senator Pat Moynihan.

Sometimes people do not realize the types of relationships we do build in this Chamber across the broad philosophical and partisan divide. But Pat Moynihan was not that kind of man. He was always willing to work with Senators, no matter where they were from or what their views were, to try to do the right thing.

Since I have been watching the Senate over the last 30 years up close and personal, as a House Member and a Senator, I have not known a more brilliant and more erudite Senator than the distinguished Senator Pat Moynihan of New York. He served his country in so many different critical roles.

He studied, wrote papers, and made us realize problems we would just as soon not talk about--problems with the children in America, the problems of poverty, the importance of the world community.

He did so many exceptional things for Democratic administrations and, yes, Republican administrations, and in the majority and in the minority in the Senate. I grew to admire him and appreciate him, to seek his advice, and even try to get his vote on occasion, and on occasion he gave it because I was able to convince him that maybe it was the right thing to do.

He also had a sense of humor I learned to appreciate. But more than anything, I will remember my encounters with Senator Moynihan in the little dining room downstairs. About once a week--sometimes not that often, maybe once a month--I would go down to get a bite to eat and he would be there. He always ate strange orders of food, I might say, but I just loved his knowledge. It became an opportunity for me to learn about the world. I would pick a country: Tell me about India. An hour later he was still talking.

I remember one time, I said: I do not quite understand what is going on in East Timor, and he corrected my pronunciation and told me what was going on in that part of the world, what had happened historically--such a wealth of knowledge--all the players involved, the religious considerations, what the solutions could have been, what the solutions might be, what the future would hold. More than once--I would say at least three times--before I got back to my office, before the afternoon

was out, a book would arrive that he had written or that I should read to understand what was going on in the world. What a special touch.

Senator Pat Moynihan tried to help educate this Senator, one who needed a lot of help, but he gave me a greater appreciation of our relationship with countries and people all over the world.

This was a giant of a man, a giant of a Senator, a humble man, in many respects. I have missed him since he left the Senate, and we will all miss him now that he has gone on to his great reward.

I had to come to the floor and express my personal feelings about the great Senator from New York and how much he meant to me personally, to the Senate, and to the country.

I yield the floor, Madam President.

Mr. President, I wish to announce that the Committee on Rules and Administration will meet at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 8, 2003, in Room SR-301 Russell Senate Office Building, to conduct an oversight hearing on the operations of the Sergeant at Arms, Library of Congress and Congressional Research Service.

For further information concerning this meeting, please contact Susan Wells at 202-224-6352.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.