Floor Statements

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, while the chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee is on the floor, I want to say congratulations, through the Chair, to her for a tremendous success on the Postal Accountability and Enforcement Act which will be passed shortly. It was a tremendous accomplishment and one she and I have been in touch with a lot by e-mails in the middle of the night, as it came to my mind how important this particular bill is. I will say a few remarks about that.

I did want to congratulate her for a tremendous success on a bill people said was impossible to pass, and 6 months ago people said it was impossible to pass, and a month ago people said it was going to be a challenge, and even 3 days ago saying it was a challenge. But in a bipartisan way coming together, bicameral--the House and Senate--it is a tremendous accomplishment.

For more than 225 years, America's postal system has kept Americans connected. We depend on the Postal Service to keep in touch with family and friends, to send birthday greetings, ship care packages--and a little taste of home--to our students, pay the bills, and even to learn we might win a million dollars if we act right now.

The U.S. Postal Service operates on a single, deep-rooted principle: Every person in the United States--no matter who, no matter where--has the right to equal access to secure, efficient, and affordable mail service.

Today, that translates into serving 7.5 million customers daily in over 37,000 post offices, providing stamps at more than 27,800 vending machines, nearly 25,500 commercial retail outlets, nearly 15,300 banking and credit union ATMs, and 2,500 automated postal centers, and delivering 212 billion pieces of mail annually to over 144 million homes, businesses, and post office boxes in virtually every city and town in the country.

But the Postal Service we know today is vastly different than our ancestors knew 225 years ago or even 75 years ago or 50 years ago. Before there were ZIP codes and mail carriers with home delivery routes--before Priority Mail and Express Mail, before air mail--the Postal Service was an informal network that kept settlers and colonists in touch with each other and their homelands.

The U.S. Postal Service's history is a story of transformation from the steamboats and the pony express in the 19th century, to delivery confirmation and online package tracking of the 21st century.

But in order for the Postal Service to take the next step, in order for the Postal Service to continue delivering on the promise of its fundamental operating principle, Congress must act, and tonight we will do just that.

The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act enables the Postal Service to maintain its competitive edge. It streamlines the rate- setting process for market-dominant products,

such as first-class mail, periodicals, and library mail.

It removes the redtape and increases the efficiency of the rate- setting process by granting new authorities to the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Postal Service Board of Governors.

It introduces new safeguards against unfair competition by the Postal Service in competitive markets. It transforms the Postal Rate Commission into the Postal Regulatory Commission and grants the new body enhanced authorities to ensure appropriate oversight of postal management.

It ensures increased financial transparency by requiring the Postal Service to file certain financial disclosure forms in detailed annual reports.

It reaffirms USPS employees' right to collectively bargain by instituting changes already agreed upon by the Postal Service and the four major unions.

It brings continuation of payrolls into lines already established by every State's workers compensation program, and it increases the fairness of USPS employees' pension benefits.

This bill is comprehensive in the scope and depth of the reforms it institutes. But these changes are necessary and essential to helping the U.S. Postal Service continue its more than 225 years of reliable and efficient mail service. I once again congratulate Chairman Susan Collins, and I do thank my colleagues for joining me in supporting this very important measure.

Mr. President, on another issue, one of the most significant components of the legislation we passed about 30 minutes ago is the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. This measure will open more than 8 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to domestic energy production. In doing so, it will help to make America more energy independent. It will lower oil and natural gas prices for American consumers, and it will help to preserve jobs right here in America--jobs that have been migrating overseas due to high natural gas prices. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, since the year 2006, more than 3 million highways and manufacturing jobs have been lost due to high energy prices.

The area opened up under this bill is estimated to contain a remarkable 1.26 billion barrels of oil and over 5.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That is roughly the same amount of oil as the proven reserves of Wyoming and Oklahoma combined and more than six times our current imports of liquefied natural gas each year.

These estimates could be the tip of the iceberg. This fall, the Chevron discovery in a nearby area found an estimated 3 to 15 billion barrels of oil, the largest discovery in a generation. This find alone could boost U.S. domestic oil reserves by 50 percent.

Efforts have been underway to try to open this area in the Gulf of Mexico for more than a decade. In November 1996, the Clinton administration Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt proposed opening the so-called Lease Area 181 to oil and gas production. Yet, for various reasons, the area has not been leased and America has not been benefiting from the energy resources we know it contains--until now.

In a post-9/11 world, energy security is a matter of national security. We must take steps, real steps, meaningful steps to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, particularly from countries hostile to the United States. Now, more than ever, America needs America's energy. That is what this provision does: It brings more American energy to American consumers.

This has been a bipartisan effort all along the way. The Senate passed the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act on August 1 by a vote of 71 to 25. Chairman Domenici led the way on the issue in partnership with Senator Landrieu, Senator Vitter, and the entire gulf coast delegation. I do want to salute their efforts and also to thank the assistant majority leader, Senator McConnell, for spearheading this issue on behalf of leadership.

I also thank the tremendous staff, bipartisan staff who helped shepherd this issue through both the House and the Senate. In particular, I thank on my own staff Libby Jarvis, who represented leadership at the table throughout these negotiations.

I truly believe this is one of the most significant accomplishments of the 109th Congress which will have a lasting impact on American consumers and on our economy. I am very pleased we were able to get it over the finish line as part of this important package.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate immediately proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations on today's Executive Calendar: Calendar Nos. 62, 63, 407, 670, 783, 900, 901, 904, 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005 through 1008, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, and all nominations on the Secretary's desk.

I further ask consent that the following committees be discharged from further consideration of listed nominations and the Senate proceed to their consideration en bloc:

Judiciary Committee, Rachel Paulose PN1905; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Paul Schneider PN2127; Foreign Relations, Dianne Moss PN1846, foreign service promotion lists PN 2097, PN 2130, and PN 2085.

Mr. President, I ask continued unanimous consent for the Commerce Committee, Steven Chealander PN2062; Charles Dorkey III, PN2112; Rear Admiral Coogan PN 2086; Raymond Slagle PN 2093; NOAA promotion list, PN2094, Gregg Versaw, PN2131; Coast Guard promotion list 2154; Coast Guard officer list, PN2185; Agriculture Committee, Mark Keenum, PN2110 and PN 2109; Leland Strom, PN1864; the following nominations from the HELP Committee with PN numbers as designated:

Mr. President, in response to my colleague, through the Chair, there are a number of pieces of legislation we are continuing to look at tonight. I know this is one about which discussions are ongoing. We will actually be looking at that with many others.

I have to say we do have scores and scores of pieces of legislation that are similar that have come forward--not exactly, they have not gone through two authorization projects--that have to be considered as well.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 798 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment at the desk be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask the Chair lay before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives on the bill (S. 3421) to authorize major medical facility projects and major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal years 2006 and 2007, and for other purposes.

The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendments, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements be printed.

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6407 which was received from the House.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 5682, the United States-India nuclear agreement, that the conference report be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 503, which was received from the House.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 631, submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 632, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 633, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 634, which was submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Chair now lay before the Senate the House message to accompany S. 707.

The Chair laid before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives, as follows:

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.

I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 495, which was received from the House.

I ask unanimous consent the concurrent resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any statements be printed in the Record.