Senate Session 2011 - 10 - 17 - 15 - 12 - 36 - 16 - 13 - 43

A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THE QUORUM CALL BE DISPENSED WITH AND I BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS FOR AS MUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME. OBJECTION. MR. PRESIDENT, LATE LAST WEEK, THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER GOT SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING THE CLASS ACT, AND IT WAS A STUNNING END FOR SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US HAVE BELIEVED IS A FISCAL TIME BOMB FOR OUR COUNTRY. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS SIMPLY NOT WORKABLE. IN FACT, THE H.H.S. SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SAID DESPITE OUR BEST ANALYTICAL EFFORTS, I DO NOT SEE A VIABLE PATH FORWARD FOR CLASS IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS TIME, END QUOTE. "THE WASHINGTON POST" WENT ON TO SAY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CUT A MAJOR PLAN BENEFIT FROM THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAW ON FRIDAY ANNOUNCING THAT A PROGRAM TO OFFER AMERICANS INSURANCE FOR LONG-TERM CARE WAS SIMPLY UNWORKABLE. THE HILL REPORTED THAT H.H.S. OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLASS ACT FELL APART SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS TOO FLAWED TO SALVAGE. POLITICO SAID A STUNNING END TO A FINANCIALLY TROUBLED LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM AND A MAJOR SETBACK TO THE HEALTH CARE REFORM LAW. EVEN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" HAD EDITORIALIZED IT WAS TOO COSTLY AND WOULD NOT WORK. AND SO, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US ARGUED THE CONCLUSION THAT INEVITABLY PEOPLE WOULD COME TO WHEN THIS WAS DISCUSSED AND DEBATED AS PART OF THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL OVER A YEAR AGO. IN FACT, ON DECEMBER 4, 2009, I OFFERED AN AMENDMENT TO REPEAL THE CLASS ACT. IT WAS THEN OFFERED AS ONE OF THE PAY-FORS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL. IT WAS AT THAT TIME SAID TO GENERATE SOMEWHERE ON THE ORDER OF $70 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT COULD BE USED TO PAY FOR THE HEALTH CARE BILL. MORE RECENT ESTIMATES SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF YEARS. OF THE REASONS WAS OF COURSE PEOPLE WOULD BEGIN TO START PAYING PREMIUMS EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULDN'T START DEMANDING BENEFITS UNTIL LATER. AND EVEN AT THE TIME, THERE WAS TREMENDOUS CONCERN THAT THIS WOULD RUN UP DEFICITS, BLOW UP DEFICITS IN THE OUT YEARS WHEN YOU GOT OUTSIDE OF THAT TEN-YEAR WINDOW AFTER PEOPLE WERE THROUGH PAYING THEIR PREMIUMS IN, STARTED DEMANDING BENEFITS, THAT THIS THING WOULD GET INTO A SORT OF A DOWNWARD DEATH SPIRAL AND NEVER PAY FOR ITSELF. SO THAT WAS -- THAT WAS A CONCLUSION THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE DRAWING ALREADY AT THAT TIME BUT THERE WAS SUCH A RUSH TO PASS HEALTH CARE REFORM THROUGH HERE AND TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO PAY FOR IT THAT THIS PROGRAM, ILL-FATED PROGRAM WAS INCLUDED. IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT AMENDMENT THAT I OFFERED BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2009 ACTUALLY HAD PRETTY BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. IT HAD AT THAT TIME EVERY REPUBLICAN VOTING, VOTING FOR THE AMENDMENT AND 12 DEMOCRATS AS WELL. SO WE HAD A MAJORITY OF UNITED STATES SENATORS, 51 UNITED STATES SENATORS SAID IN DECEMBER OF 2009 THAT WE OUGHT TO REPEAL THE CLASS ACT FROM THE UNDERLYING HEALTH CARE BILL SIMPLY BECAUSE IT ISN'T WORKABLE AND WOULD RUN UP DEFICITS IN THE OUT YEARS, EVERYBODY KNEW IT. INSTEAD WE PROCEEDED AND PLOWED FORWARD AND THE HEALTH CARE BILL WAS GOING TO BE PASSED IRRESPECTIVE OF CONCERNS THAT HAD BEEN RAISED BY MANY OF US, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY BY PEOPLE WHO REALLY STUDY THESE THINGS, THE EXPERTS, PEOPLE THAT -- THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, THE ACTUARY AT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE LOTS OF WARNINGS GOING FORWARD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT A BAD IDEA IT REALLY WAS. SO IT'S TIME THAT WE BE HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET GIMMICK. AND I CAN'T HELP BUT THINKING IF WE HAD COME TO THIS CONCLUSION A LONG TIME AGO WE WOULD HAVE SAVED SOME MONEY THAT'S BEEN USED TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THIS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED, WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN ACTUALLY WORK, THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION WOSK WAS THAT IT WOULD NOT. BUT I JUST WANT TO READ FOR MY COLLEAGUES SOMETHING THAT WAS STATED BY THE ACTUARY AT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WAY BACK IN 2009. IN FACT, THIS GOES BACK TO JULY OF 2009, WELL BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE OCCURRED ON THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL AND PARTICULARLY THE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE STRIPPED THIS PROVISION OUT OF THE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL. THE ACTUARY AT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR. RICHARD FOSTER, SAID, I'M SORRY TO REPORT THAT I'M REMAIN DO YOU FEEL THAT REMAINS SUSTAINABLE AT THE SPECIFIED PREMIUM AMOUNTS. HE WENT ON TO SAY 36 YEARS -- 36 YEARS OF ACTUARIAL EXPERIENCE LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM WOULD COLLAPSE IN SHORT ORDER AND REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL SUBSIDIES TO CONTINUE. END QUOTE. THAT WAS FROM THE ACTUARY AT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. HE WENT ON LATER THAT YEAR AND THIS IS IN THE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER TO SAY, "AS YOU KNOW, I CONTINUE TO BE CONVINCED THAT THE CLASS SOUND. I BELIEVE, IT WAS, THESE ARE STATEMENTS BY SOMEBODY WHO HAD LOOKED CLOSELY AT THIS PROGRAM AND COME TO THE RIGHT CONCLUSION WAY BACK THEN THAT IT JUST FLAT WASN'T GOING TO WORK. AND YET BECAUSE OF THE -- JUST THE MAD RUSH TO PASS HEALTH CARE REFORM, AND TO ARGUE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT SOMEHOW IT WAS GOING TO BE PAID FOR,THIS THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WAS INCLUDED. IT CLEARLY WAS A MISTAKE, A COLOSSAL MISTAKE AND ONE, FORTUNATELY, IT LOOKS LIKE AT LEAST NOW THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DECIDED THAT THEY'VE CONCLUDED THE SAME THING AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS THING KILLED ONCE AND FOR ALL SO IT DOESN'T BECOME A DRAIN ON OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WHICH IT, OF COURSE, WOULD WHEN THE BILLS START TO PILE UP IN THOSE OUT YEARS AND THE DEFICITS STARTED TO MOUNT. THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVERY AMERICAN TODAY OWNS ABOUT $48,000 OF THE FEDERAL DEBT. I MEAN THE FEDERAL DEBT IS FOR MOST AMERICANS LIKE HAVING A SECOND MORTGAGE OR PERHAPS FOR THAT MATTER A FIRST MORTGAGE ON THEIR HOMES. THEY HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DEBT THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT WAYS TO REDUCE THAT DEBT, REDUCE THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT, GET SPENDING UNDER CONTROL, WASHINGTON, D.C. CONTINUES TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO EXPAND GOVERNMENT AND TO ADD TO THE AMOUNT OF DEBT WERE PASSING ON TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. SO LAST WEEK WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS SIMPLY NOT WORKABLE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT IT WAS A HUGE VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER AND A HUGE VICTORY OR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WHO WOULD END UP HAVING TO PAY FOR THIS THING AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES OF $60 TRILLION IN UNFUNDED LIABILITIES IN OTHER OF OUR ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS PILING YET ANOTHER ONE ON SEEMS TO ME TO BE DIGGING THE HOLE EVER DEEPER THAN IT ALREADY IS. ONE THING THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN A DEEP HOLE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS KEEP DIGGING. WHAT THIS PLAN, THE CLASS PLAN, WOULD HAVE DONE IS WOULD HAVE KEPT DIGGING THAT HOLE EVEN DEEPER FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. MR. PRESIDENT, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THIS WAS THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE BY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WHEN THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE IMPLEMENTED. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A VOLUME THAT SEVERAL INCHES THICK. SO OBVIOUSLY THEY LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AT THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION 19 MONTHS LATER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY CAME UP IN TERMS OF CONCLUDING THAT THE CLASS PROGRAM WOULD NOT WORK. SO HAVING DONE THAT ANALYSIS, ONE WOULD THINK THAT THE NEXT LOGICAL CONCLUSION WOULD BE LET'S REPEAL THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. LET'S GET THIS OFF THE BOOKS. AND YET THE ADMINISTRATION IS ABOUT, STILL SOMEHOW WEDDED TO THE IDEA THIS MIGHT SOMEHOW WORK SO THEY ARE SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE IT REPEALED. YOU HEARD SENATOR McCAIN, MY COLLEAGUE FROM ARIZONA, DOWN HERE EARLIER TODAY TALK TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND THIS REPORT, AND HE IS A COSPONSOR AS I AM OF A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE PUT FORWARD TO REPEAL THE CLASS ACT AND WE'LL WORK AS -- AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO PUT TOGETHER LEGISLATION NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS REPORT BACK FROM H.H.S. THAT WILL ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH INTENTIONS TO REPEAL THIS. BUT IT STRIKES ME AT LEAST THAT THAT'S SOMETHING AT LEAST MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW NOW SHOULD BE WILLING TO SUPPORT. AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE WERE 12 DEMOCRATS WHO VOTED WITH THE REPUBLICANS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2009 TO CONSTITUTE A MAJORITY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, 51 UNITED STATES SENATORS VOTED TO REPEAL THE CLASS ACT FROM THE HEALTH CARE BILL BACK IN 2009 BEFORE ALL OF THIS ANALYSIS CAME OUT. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS ANALYSIS IN FRONT OF US, IT SEEMS TO ME AT LEAST THAT THE LOGICAL THING THAT WE SHOULD DO IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REPEALING THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. NOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN WE WERE DEBATING THIS IN THE SENATE BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2009, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE SAID THINGS ABOUT THE CLASS ACT THAT WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, THAT ACTUALLY SOMEHOW I GUESS BELIEVED THIS WAS GOING TO WORK. AND I WILL NOT MENTION NAMES TO PROTECT THE GUILTY, BUT THEY CALLED IT A BREAKTHROUGH. WIN-WIN. OTHERS REFERRED TO IT AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID WE GET A LOT OF BANGS FOR THE BUCK AS ONE MIGHT SAY WITH THE CLASS ACT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS BILL. ANOTHER OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID THIS IS ONE OF THESE CRITICAL PIECES OF THE BILL IS THE COMMUNITY LIVING ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ACT OR THE CLASS ACT. ANOTHER ONE SAID THE CLASS PLAN IS A WIN-WIN. WENT SO FAR AS TO SUGGEST THAT CERTAIN COLLEAGUES ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE WHO HAVE ARGUED THAT THE CLASS PLAN WOULD LEAD TO A FINANCIALLY UNSTAPPABLE PLAN, HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT IS SIMPLY NOT ACCURATE. THERE ARE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, MR. PRESIDENT, WHO AT THE TIME BELIEVED WRONGLY THAT THIS WAS GOING TO WORK. I HOPE NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS VOLUMINOUS COPY OF ANALYSIS DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THEY WILL JOIN WITH US IN REPEALING THIS REALLY BAD PIECE OF LEGISLATION, GET IT OFF THE BOOKS ONCE AND FOR MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE 32 COSPONSORS ON A BILL THAT WOULD DO THAT. I HOPE THAT WE AT THE VERY FIRST OPPORTUNITY AND PERHAPS THAT WILL BE EVEN SOMETIME THIS WEEK, IN THE LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING NOW, COULD HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD REPEAL THE CLASS ACT, SO THAT WE CAN PUT THIS THING AND THIS ONCE TO BED ONCE AND FOR ALL FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SEEMS TO ME AT LEAST WITH THE KINDS OF YEAR OVER YEAR DEFICITS WERE RUNNING, $1.3 TRILLION, $1.4 TRILLION DEFICITS, THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO IS TAKE SOMETHING WE KNOW IS NOT GOING TO WORK AND FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY WILL WORK. WE OUGHT TO BE TALKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT THINGS THAT WILL REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, MAKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SMALLER, EXPAND OUR PRIVATE ECONOMY WHERE THE JOBS ARE CREATED, AND LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN BE DOING TO CREATE JOBS. I'M NOT SUGGESTING FOR MAINTENANCE, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT THE SHIEWF LONG-TERM CARE IS NOT AN IMPORTANT ONE. IT IS. THERE ARE RIGHT WAYS AND RONALD REAGAN WAYS TO DEAL WITH THAT AND THE CLASS WAY REPRESENTED THE VERY WORST WAY TO DEAL WITH THAT AND THAT IS TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A DOWNWARD DEATH SPIRAL AND ACTUALLY ADD TO THE DEBT THAT WE ARE GOING TO PASS ON TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN KNOWING FULL WELL THIS PROGRAM WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT WAS NEVER GOING TO REDUCE THE DEFICIT. WE NOW HAVE THAT DEMONSTRATED IN THIS ANALYSIS THAT'S BEEN DONE AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE SENATE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WILL COME TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZE THAT AND REPEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL THIS VERY BAD PIECE OF LEGISLATION. IT WAS GOOD NEWS WITH WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZED THEY COULDN'T IMPLEMENT OUT, IT WAS NOT WORKABLE, IT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER NEWS FOR THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS IF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS REPEALED THIS LEGISLATION AND DID IT SOON. MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR. THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE. I'M SORRY, THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE REMARKS OF THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE THAT I BE RECOGNIZED AS IF IN MORNING BUSINESS AND WHAT I'M GOING TO BE DOING IS TRYING TO CLEAR UP SOME OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE TROOPS THAT HAVE GONE INTO UGANDA AND OTHER AREAS ON THE L.R.A. WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. PRESIDENT. THE SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE. MR. PRESIDENT, LAST MONTH SEVERAL REPUBLICAN SENATORS CAME TO THE FLOOR AND OFFICE LEGISLATION TO FIX NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO TO TRY TO ADDRESS OUR NATION'S 100,000 PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN THAT LEGISLATION WE SOUGHT TO FIX PROBLEMS WITH THE LEGISLATION, NOT JUST TO CREATE ANOTHER BIG REAUTHORIZATION BILL. AND THE IDEAS THAT WE HAD WEREN'T ALL OUR IDEAS. THEY INCLUDED MANY IDEAS FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA, HIS EXCELLENT EDUCATION SECRETARY, SECRETARY DUNCAN, AND AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. THEY INCLUDED HAVING A MORE REALISTIC GOAL FOR NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. THE ORIGINAL GOAL SET IN 2001 WOULD, ACCORDING TO SECRETARY DUNCAN CREATE AN UNWORKABLE SITUATION WHERE 80,000 OF 100,000 PUBLIC SCHOOLS MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED AS FAILING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. A SECOND GOAL OF OUR LEGISLATION WAS TO MOVE DECISIONS ABOUT DECIDING WHETHER SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS WERE SUCCEEDING OR FAILING OUT OF WASHINGTON, D.C. GOVERNMENTS. A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IN THE STATES, REALLY THE LAST 20 OR 25 BUT ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TEN. WE HAVE BETTER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FROM NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, WE HAVE NEW STATE COMMON STANDARDS, HIGHER ACADEMIC STANDARDS, WE HAVE NEW STATE TESTS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, NOT HERE BUT BY THE STATES TO DO THAT AND NOW STATES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE WHAT THEY CALL ACCOUNTABILITY SO THERE IS A MUCH BETTER CHANCE THAT STATES AND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO. OUR LEGISLATION ENCOURAGES STATES TO CREATE WHAT I THINK IS HOLY GRAIL OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THAT IS PARENT -- PRINCIPAL-TEACHER EVALUATION RELATED TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT'S HARD TO DO. IN 1983 AND 1984 WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE WE BECAME THE FIRST STATE TO PAY TEACHERS MORE FOR TEACHING WELL. IT TOOK US A YEAR AND A HALF AND A HUGE BATTLE WITH THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IN ORDER TO PUT IT IN PLACE BUT 10,000 TEACHERS BECAME MASTER TEACHERS, IT WAS A GOOD FIRST STEP. TENNESSEE IS ALREADY DOING IT AGAIN, HERE IS MY LOCAL NEWSPAPER THIS MORNING, EVALUATIONS OF TEACHERS CONTENTIOUS. THERE IS NOTHING MORE CONTENTIOUS AND THE LAST THING WE NEED IS WASHINGTON STICKING ITS NOSE INTO THAT OTHER THAN TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN USE FEDERAL MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN PROGRAMS, THEIR OWN STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS. WE PROPOSED CONSOLIDATING PROGRAMS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO TRANSFER FEDERAL MONEY AND EXPAND CHOICES AND EXPAND CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, THE HELP COMMITTEE, WE CALL IT, HAVE INTRODUCED ANOTHER DRAFT PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO FIX NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. I INTEND TO VOTE TO MOVE THIS BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT YET THE KIND OF LEGISLATION THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO VOTE TO SEND TO THE PRESIDENT. BUT IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START. THERE'S A GOOD DEAL OF AGREEMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN OUR LEGISLATION FROM A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THE HARKIN-ENZI BILL. AMONG THE AGREEMENTS ARE MOVING DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER SCHOOLS ARE SUCCEEDING OR FAILING OUT OF WASHINGTON. ANOTHER IS TO ENCOURAGE PRINCIPAL-TEACHER EVALUATION WITHOUT MANDATING, DEFINING AND REGULATING IT FROM WASHINGTON, IS TO ENCOURAGE BUT NOT DEFINE AND MAINTAINED, REGULATE D. MANDATE, REGULATE USING MEASURES OF GROWTH OF STUDENTS, NOT JUST WHETHER THEY ACHIEVE SOMETHING BUT WHETHER THEY ARE MAKING RAPID PROGRESS TOWARD A GOAL, MAKING THAT IN TERMS OF WHETHER SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS ARE SUCK SUED-- ARESUCCEEDING. THERE ARE MANY PROVISIONS THAT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. PROVISIONS NOT IN OUR LEGISLATION THAT I DON'T SUPPORT, AND I'M GOING TO SEEK TO AMEND THEM. I'VE INDICATED TO THE SENATORS THAT I INTEND TO OFFER SEVEN AMENDMENTS, WHICH IN MY VIEW WOULD TAKE OUT OF THE LEGISLATION PROVISIONS THAT TEND TO CREATE A NATIONAL SCHOOL ONE IS THE SO-CALLED ACHIEVEMENT GAP. ONE IS THE SO-CALLED HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS PROVISION. THESE ARE ALL PROVISIONS THAT SUBSTITUTE THE JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON FOR THAT OF MAYORS, LOCAL SCHOOL BEARDS, AND LEGISLATORS. SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED A NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD AND NEITHER DO MOST AMERICANS. SOME WILL SAY, WELL THEN WHY WOULD YOU SUPPORT A BILL THAT YOU DON'T ENTIRELY AGREE WITH? THE REASON IS THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS HERE IN CONGRESS. THIS ISN'T LIKE THE HEALTH CARE BILL A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD 40 REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND SPEAKER PELOSI WAS IN CHARGE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WE HAVE 47 REPUBLICAN SENATORS. WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AND WE NEED TO GET STARTED FIXING THIS PROBLEM. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT AROUND HERE. WE NEED TO INSTEAD OF JUST BEATING OUR CHESTS, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER, HEAD TOWARD A REASONABLE RESULT, COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, AND OFFER IT TO THE PRESIDENT AND TO THE MEMP. D. AND TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. FLEECE REASON IN THE WORLD WHY WE CAN'T SEND TO THE PRESIDENT BY CHRISTMAS LEGISLATION FIXING FIXING CHILD CHILD. AND WE SHOULD DO IT BECAUSE IF DON'T, CONGRESS INACTION WILL MEAN THAT WE WILL TRANSFORM THE UNITED STATES EDUCATION SEC SECRETARY INTO A WAIVER-GRANTING CZAR FOR 80,000 SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ACCORDING TO THIS LAW WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS FAILING. WELL, IF WE WERE -- IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN EDUCATION CZAR OR IF WE WERE TO HAVE THE CHAIRMAN OF A NATIONAL EDUCATION SCHOOL BOARD, SECRETARY ARNE DUNCAN WOULD BE A GOOD ONE. BUT I DON'T THINK WE WANT ONE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SO I THINK WE SHOULD ACT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN ORDER TO AVOID CREATING A WAIVER-GRANTING EDUCATION CZAR AND WE SHOULD ACT BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT CREATE A NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S ONE OTHER SUGGESTION I WOULD MAKE TO THE AUTHORS OF THIS BILL. IN OUR EARLIER MEETINGS WITH THE PRESIDENT, CONGRESS AN GEORGE MILLER OF CALIFORNIA, WHO WAS A IN DEVELOPING NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, SAID THIS BILL TO FIX NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND OUGHT TO BE A LEAN BILL. I AGREE WITH CONGRESSMAN MILLER. THE LEGISLATION THAT THE REPUBLICAN -- WE REPUBLICANS INTRODUCED A FEW WEEKS AGO TOTALED 221 PAGES IN ITS FIVE BILLS. THE COMPARABLE SECTION OF THE HARKIN-ENZI DRAFT ARE 517 PAGES. I WOULD URGE THAT WE FOLLOW CONGRESSMAN MILLER'S ADVICE IN THE FINAL RESULT AND BE MUCH MORE SUCCINCT THAN THAT. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, DESPITE THESE CONCERNS, I WILL VOTE ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY -- WHENEVER WE FINISH -- IN FAVOR OF BRINGING THIS BASE BILL OUT OF THE "HELP" COMMITTEE AND ONTO THE SENATE FLOOR WHERE WE CAN HAVE FULL AMENDMENTS. I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO IMPROVE IT IN COMMITTEE AND ON THE SENATE FLOOR TO MAKE IT MORE LIKE THE LEGISLATION WE THAT IN THE CONFERENCE THAT WE REPRESENTATIVES. I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EXPECT US TO STEP UP TO MAJOR ISSUES, PUT OUR BEST IDEAS TOGETHER, AND COME UP WITH A RESULT. WE'RE PART-WAY THERE. THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO STAMPLET I THANK SENATOR HARKIN AND SENATOR ENZI FOR THE WORK THEY'VE DONE AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVE KLEIN AND REPRESENTATIVE MILLER, AND I THANK THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY DUNCAN FOR THEIR I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM TO COME TO A CONCLUSION. ONE LAST THING. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT JOBS AROUND HERE. EVERY AMERICAN KNOWS THAT BETTER SCHOOLS MEAN BETTER JOBS. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SCHOOLS ARE A LOT LIKE JOBS. WE CAN'T CREATE THEM FROM WASHINGTON, BUT WE CAN CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES AND STATES CAN CREATE BETTER SCHOOLS AND BETTER JOBS. PLACE TO START. MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO INCLUDE IN THE RECORD A LETTER OF SUPPORT WHICH ALSO OUTLINES MY OBJECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS INTRODUCED TODAY AND A COPY OF AN ARTICLE FROM THE DAILY TIMES TODAY WHICH REMINDS US OF HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO EVALUATE TEACHERS FAIRLY AND HOW WISE WE WOULD BE IF WE SATISFIED OURSELVES WITH CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THAT COULD HAPPEN BUT DID NOT MANDATE IT, DEFINE IT, AND REGULATE IT FROM WASHINGTON, I THANK THE PRESIDENT AND YIELD THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MATERIALS WILL BE PLACED IN THE RECORD. MR. MR. PRESIDENT? THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA. I HAD ASK THAT I BE RECOGNIZED FOLLOWING THE REMARKS FROM TENNESSEE. IT HAS BEEN CALLED TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME SO I WOULD AMEND MY UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST AND REQUEST THAT I BE RECOGNIZED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE REMARKS OF THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA. WITHOUT OBJECTION. THE SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA. PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM OKLAHOMA FOR HAVING GIVEN ME THE COURTESY OF SPEAKING AND THANK HIM AGAIN FOR THE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE ON THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE -- SUBCOMMITTEE ON EAST ASIAN AFFAIRS WHERE HE IS THE RANKING REPUBLICAN AND THE OTHER WORK HE HAS DONE ON THE ARM SERVICES MR. PRESIDENT, TODAY I RISE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION LEGISLATION WHICH I INTRODUCED MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO IN WHICH THE LEADER AND THE MANAGERS OF THIS BILL ARE NOW GOING TO CALL AS AN AMENDMENT ON THE PENDING LEGISLATION, AND I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL THANK THE LEADER AND THE MANAGERS OF THE BILL FOR CALLING UP THIS LEGISLATION AND ALSO TO THANK MY PRINCIPAL REPUBLICAN COSPONSOR, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE ON THE BILL. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S GOOD NATIONAL COMMISSIONS AND BAD NATIONAL COMMISSIONS AND REDUNDANT NATIONAL COMMISSIONS AND SOMETIMES OUR NATIONAL COMMISSIONS, WHICH ARE NOT ONLY NEEDED BUT VITAL TO THE RESOLUTION OF ISSUES THAT FACE US. REMAIN A THINKING, AS I SPEAK, OF THE FIRST OF THE COMMISSION IN WARTIME CONTRACTING WHICH SENATOR McCASKILL AND I INTRODUCED FOUR YEARS AGO AND WHICH RESULTED IN A FINDING OF BETWEEN $30 BILLION IN FRAUD, WASTED, AND ABUSE ANDS IN CONTRACTS THAT HAVE GONE TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND ALSO PROVIDED A MODEL FOR THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD BE APPROACHING SUCH CONTRACTS IN THE FUTURE, AND I WOULD PUT THIS PARTICULAR NATIONAL COMMISSION IN THAT CATEGORY. TBAS PUT TOGETHER AFTER MUCH -- TBAS PUT TOGETHER AFTER MUCH THOUGHT AND MANY HEARINGS. IT IS PAID FOR. IT IS SUNSETTED AT 18 MONTHS, AND IT'S DEDICATED TO HELPING US RESOLVE AND ISSUE OF VERY SERIOUS NATIONAL PURPOSE. WE BEGAN ON THIS ISSUE -- I BEGAN ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE I CAME TO THE SENATE, THE ISSUE OF THE IMBALANCE IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE NEED TO BRING A COMPREHENSIVE RESOLUTION IN TERMS OF HOW WE HANDLE CRIME AND REENTRY IN THIS COUNTRY. WE HAD TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF HEARINGS -- EXCUSE ME, MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF HEARINGS, HERE SINCE I CAME TO THE SENATE. AND AFTER I INTRODUCED THIS LEGISLATION WE MET -- OUR STAFF LEVEL, SINCE I'M NOT ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM MORE THAN 100 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE PHILOSOPHICAL SPECK SPECTRUM. THIS CHART IS AN INDICATOR OF THE TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FOR THIS COMMISSION. THE NAMES, AND I DON'T EXPECT ANYONE ON THE TV SCREEN TO BE ABLE TO READ ALL THE NAMES, BUT THIS IS AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE, MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS AS PHILOSOPHICALLY DIVERSE AS THE ACLU, THE NAACP SENTENCING PROJECT, NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE, A.B.A. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, NATIONAL CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, LONG WITH FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, THE NATIONAL SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION, AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE -- ALL AGREEING THAT WE NEED TO STEP FORWARD AND EXAMINE OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY FROM POINT OF APPREHENSION TO POINT OF RETURN SO THAT WE MAKE BETTER USE OF OUR ASSETS AND WE MAKE BETTER USE OF OUR OWN PEOPLE, QUITE FRANKLY. TODAY, MR. PRESIDENT, WE INCARCERATE MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN WORLD -- IN ANY KNOWN COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE IN PRISONS AND JAILS, AND ANOTHER 5 MILLION PEOPLE ON PROBATION OR IN SOME WAY UNDER CORRECTIONAL MANAGEMENT. -- POST CORRECTIONAL MANAGEMENT. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING RELEASED FROM JAILS AND PRISONS EVERY YEAR AND REENTERING SOCIETY AND AT THIS POINT WITHOUT A COMPREHENSIVE STRUCTURE THAT WILL ALLOW THOSE WHO WISH TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS AGAIN, THE OPPORTUNITY TRANSITION. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT 7 MILLION PEOPLE UNDER SOME FORM OF CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION OR IN PRISON WE DON'T FEEL ANY SAFER. THIS IS THE OTHER BEAM THAT OUR ANALYSIS HAS WRITTEN AS WE LOOKED AT THIS. EVEN TODAY, IF YOU ASKED AMERICANS, TWO-THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY BELIEVE THAT CRIME IS MORE PREVALENT TODAY THAN IT WAS A YEARS AGO. SO WE WERE TASKED -- WE TASKED OURSELVES WITH LOOKING AT THIS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SPENDING LESS MONEY -- WE'RE NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE STATE AND LOCAL BUDGETS HAVE BEEN STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT. PROFESSOR BRUCE WESTIN OF HARVARD ESTIMATES THAT ESTIMATES THAT SPEND SOMETHING NOW AT ABOUT $70 BILLION WITH STATE SPENDING ON CORRECTIONS INCREASING 40% OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. WE'RE WITNESS AGO WAR ON OUR BORDER -- WE'RE WITNESSING A WAR ON OUR BORDER WITH RESPECT TO GANG WARFARE. SINCE PRESIDENT CALDERON LAUNCHED AN OFFENSE IN 2006, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING VIOLENCE ALONG THE BORDER. THERE'S -- IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THESE CARTELS ARE NOW OPERATING IN MORE THAN 230 CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE ENTITIES NEED TO BE EXAMINED IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSNATIONAL GANG ACTIVITY AS THEY RELATE TO OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE'RE ALSO LARGELY HOUSING OUR NATION'S MEN MENTALLY ILL IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM OF THE NUMBER OF MENTALLY ILL IN OUR PRISON RIGHT NOW IS NEARLY FIVE TIMES OF NUMBER OF MENTALLY ILL IN IN-PATIENT MENTAL HOSPITALS. JAILS HAVE BEEN CITED AS THE NUMBER-ONE FACILITY FOR THE MENTALLY ILL. SO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE REACHED AFTER LISTENING TO DOZENS OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE PHILOSOPHICAL SPECTRUM WAS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A LONG OVERDUE TOP-TO-BOTTOM, GINK-TO-END -- BEGINNING-TO-END EXAMINATION OF HOW THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WORK IN UNITED STATES, FROM POINT OF APPREHENSION TO THE DECISION OF WHETHER TO ARREST AND, IF SO, WHAT SORT OF PORT DOES THE PERSON GO TO, HOW LONG SHOOT PERSON BE IN PRISON, WHAT DOES PRISON ADMINISTRATION LOOK LIKE, WHAT MODELS DO WE HAVE OUT THERE SHOULD REENTRY PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS EVER-INCREASING PROBLEM OF TRANSNATIONAL GANGS? ALL OF THOSE PIECES -- THE LAST REVIEW THAT WAS UNDERTAKEN OF THIS NATURE WAS DONE IN 1965. -- BY PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON. I INTRODUCED THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE, THE GOAL OF WHICH IS TO CREATE A BLUE-RIBBON NATIONAL COMMISSION, TIME-SUNSETTED, 18 MONTHS, GET THE FINEST MINDS IN THE COUNTRY TOGETHER TO EXAMINE THESE DIFFERENT PIECES AND TO COME BACK TO THE CONGRESS WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORMING OUR NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. JUST LAST WEEK, MR. PRESIDENT, THE MEETING WITH SENATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAUCUS, PHILADELPHIA POLICE CHIEF CHARLES RAMSEY NOTED THE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE OF THIS LAST COMMISSION'S REPORT, WHICH WAS ISSUED IN 1967, 44 YEARS AGO, AND VOICED STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION OF THE NEW COMMISSION. WE ARE LONG OVERDUE TO LOOK AT WHAT WORKS PANDS WHAT DOESN'T IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THIS BILL HAS QUITE STRANGELY STRUCK A NERVE ACROSS THE I HAVE HARDER FROM CITIZENS A-- II'VE HEARD FROM CITIZENS FROM INITIATIVE. A LIST OF SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS FROM JUDGES, LAWYERS, POLICE, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, EDUCATORS, ACADEMICS, PRISONERS, CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE SIMPLY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BETTER, MORE FAIR, AND MORE ACCOUNTABLE WITH THE TRUE CRIMINAL POPULATION TO SOLVING THE ISSUES OF THE TRUE CRIMINAL POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I AGAIN -- AGAIN, I WOULD EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO MAJORITY LEADER REID FOR WORKING WITH THE MANAGERS OF THIS BILL AND BRINGING THIS LEGISLATION -- THIS AMENDMENT TO THE PENDING LEGISLATION, AND I TRUST THAT IT A NONCONTROVERSIAL $5 MILLION, PAID-FOR STUDY THAT WILL IN THE END HELP US RESOLVE THE MANY FALLACIES THAT NOW PERVADE OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE S I THANK THE CHAIR AND YIELD THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT? THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA. MR. PRESIDENT, I'M HERE TODAY TO CLEAR UP A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT ARE FLOATING AROUND THE COUNTRY CONCERNING THE DECISION TO HAVE SOME OF OUR TROOPS NOT COMBAT -- SOME OF OUR TROOPS GO INTO SECTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA TO COOPERATE WITH ABOUT BEEN TRYING FOR 25 YEARS TO ERADICATE, GET RID OF A PERSON NAMED JOSEPH KONI. IT DISTURBED ME OVER THE YEARS THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT AFRICA. I CAN REMEMBER BACK WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS IN OFFICE. AT THAT TIME I OBJECTED TO SENDING TROOPS INTO BOSNIA AND KOSOVO BECAUSE HE WAS USING AS A TRAOEPB DO THAT ETHNIC AND I SAID HERE IN THIS DESK AND ON THE FLOOR, I SAID AT THAT TIME WHY IS HE CONCERNED ABOUT ETHNIC CLEANSING IN BOSNIA WHEN IN ANY ONE GIVEN DAY, IN ANY ONE COUNTRY AT THAT TIME, IT WAS MOSTLY IN WEST AFRICA -- AND I USE SIERRA LEONE AS AN EXAMPLE -- IN ANY ONE DAY THERE ARE 100 PEOPLE BEING ETHNICALLY CLEANSED IN AFRICA THAT ARE CLEANSED THE SAME DAY IN BOSNIA OR KOSOVO. BUT NOBODY CARED. FORTUNATELY, THAT CHANGED WHEN 9/11 CAME AND PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WHEN OUR COUNTRY WAS ATTACKED, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT WITH A WAR ON THE TERRORISTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT MANY OF THEM WOULD BE GOING DOWN THROUGH DJIBOU T EU, THROUGH THE HORN OF IT WAS DECIDED ON THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, ON WHICH I SERVE, THAT WE WOULD ASSIST AFRICA IN DEVELOPING FIVE AFRICAN BRIGADES LOCATED NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST AND CENTRAL. THAT'S BEEN UNDERGOING NOT AS RAPIDLY AS I WISH IT WERE BUT NONETHELESS IT'S HAPPENING. THE RECOGNITION THERE IS THAT AS TERRORISM GOES DOWN THROUGH AFRICA THAT IF THEY ARE PREPARED -- AND I'M TALK ABOUT THE AFRICANS, PREPARED TO HANDLE THAT TERRORISM AND TO STOP THAT TERRORISM AS IT COMES IN, WE WON'T HAVE TO BE SENDING OUR TROOPS IN. WELL, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WHEN THE PRESIDENT DECIDEED TO SEND THESE TROOPS INTO THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF AFRICA TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THE RESISTANCE ARMY OR L.R.A. OR JOSEPH KONI. RUSH LIMBAUGH TALKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY -- HE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION -- I DON'T DISAGREE AS SOME ON THIS SIDE DO. HE MADE THE STATEMENT -- I'M QUOTING -- UNTIL TODAY MOST AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE COMBAT, LORD'S RESISTANCE HERE WE ARE AT WAR WITH THEM -- IT'S NOT TRUE. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THEM? HE TALKED ABOUT THE THREE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS IN HIS STUDIO. DON AND BRIAN AND SNERDLEY. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE NO. NO? HOW ABOUT YOU? NO NO ONE'S HEARD OF THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY. THAT PROVES MY CONTENTION THAT MOST AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT. IN A MOMENT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR MISSION IS THERE. WE'RE NOT AT WAR WITH THEM. WE ARE SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDING OUR TROOPS FROM ANY KIND OF COMBAT IN THAT AREA. I'D LIKE TO JUST KIND OF PUT IT IN PROPER CONTEXT AS TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN AFRICA, MORE THAN ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS UNITED STATES SENATE OR ANY OTHER MEMBER OF ANY OTHER SENATOR EVEN BEFORE THAT. I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS WITH PRESIDENT MUSEVENI OF UGANDA AND HIS FIRST LADY, JANET, ABOUT THE PROBLEM -- IT ALL STARTED IN NORTHERN UGANDA. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT JOSEPH KO TPH EU, A SPIRITUAL -- KONI, A SPIRITUAL LEADER HAS GONE IN AND STARTED BUILDING, YOU CAN CALL THEM A CHILDREN'S ARMY OR BUT TO GO IN AND BUILD THIS MASSIVE ARMY OF YOUNG PEOPLE. I'M TALKING ABOUT KIDS, AGES FROM 12, 13, 14 YEARS OLD. YOUNG KIDS, TO GO OUT AND ABDUCT THEM FROM VILLAGES. THEN THEY COME IN, THEY TEACH THEM HOW TO OPERATE AK-47'S, HOW TOGETHER. IF THEY DON'T DO IT, OR IF THEY FAIL IN THEIR TRAINING, THEN THEY ARE MUTILATED BY -- LET'S USE THE SECOND ONE THERE. NOT THAT ONE. HERE ARE THESE YOUNG KIDS. IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW YOUNG THEY ARE. AK-47'S. SEE THAT LITTLE KID THERE? HE'S 11 YEARS OLD. THIS ONE DOWN HERE IS 12 YEARS OLD. AND THEY ARE CARRYING THE HEAVY WEAPONS. FOR THE ONES WHO DON'T DO WHAT THEM. SHOW THIS ONE. AND THEY DO IT BY CUTTING OFF THEIR NOSES, CUTTING OFF THEIR EARS, CUTTING OFF THEIR LIPS. THAT'S A BIG THING THAT THEY DO. CUTTING OFF THEIR HANDS. SEE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. HIS NAME, BY THE WAY, JOHN OCHOLA. HE'S ONE THAT WE HAVE SEEN. THEY'VE TAKEN HIS EARS OFF, HIS NOSE OFF, CUT OFF BOTH OF HIS HANDS. THIS ONE UP HERE, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE DOWN HERE. THIS IS A YOUNG CHILD. HIS LIPS CUT OFF AND HIS NOSE CUT OFF. HIS EARS CUT OFF. YOU CAN SEE THAT. THAT ONE JUST HAPPENED. THEY JUST BANDAGED HIM UP. I GUESS WHAT I AM SAYING IS THEY ARE REQUIRED ONCE THEY ARE IN THIS ARMY TO GO BACK IN THEIR VILLAGES AND TO *** THEIR SIBLINGS, *** THEIR PARENTS. AND IF THEY DON'T DO IT, THIS IS THE PRICE THAT THEY PAY. PUT THE SECOND ONE -- TAKE THAT DOWN AND PUT THE SECOND ONE BACK UP. SO, ANYWAY, WITH THE DECISION THAT WE MADE TO GO AND HELP THEM -- AND WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED TRAIN AND EQUIP WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A BUT TO GO IN AND ACTUALLY BE OF ASSISTANCE TO THESE COUNTRIES -- IN THIS CASE TAKING OUT THIS PARTICULAR MANIAC WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR 25 YEARS. IT'S NOT JUST IN UGANDA. I WENT UP TO GULU, G-U-L-U. GULA IS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF UGANDA. THIS TIME. WE WENT UP AND WE LOOKED AT AND WE SAW A LOT OF THESE KIDS THAT MUTILATED. AND WENT DOWN AND TALKED TO PRESIDENT KIGAMI. HE IS IN RWANDA. RWANDA IN 1994 IS WHERE THE GREATEST, THE MOST DEVASTATING GENOCIDE IN RECORDED HISTORY IN AFRICA TOOK PLACE, KILLING 800,000 PEOPLE, USING MACHETES, TORTURING TO DEATH. AND THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM DOWN THERE. IF YOU GO OVER TO THE D.R.C., DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN CONGO. THAT'S JOE KIBILA. HE'S VERY MUCH CONCERNED. THE CAPITAL OF D.R.C. IS WAY OVER ON THE WESTERN SIDE. IT'S SEVERAL TIME ZONES OVER TO THE EASTERN SIDE WHERE JOSEPH THAT TIME. IN FACT, THERE'S ONE CITY OVER THERE, THE MAJOR CITY IS GOMA. WE WERE IN GOMA SHORTLY BEFORE HE ESCAPED AND WENT NORTH TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND BACK UP TO SOUTH SUDAN. I HAD OCCASION TO BE IN SOUTH SUDAN LAST WEEK. IT'S A NEW COUNTRY. P TOFS KIND OF AN EXCITING THING -- IT'S KIND OF AN EXCITING THING TO GO INTO A NEW COUNTRY AND TALK WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. WE TALKED FOR A GOOD TWO HOURS. WE HAD 25 MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE BRAND-NEW COUNTRY SOUTH SUDAN. THEY TOLD ME THEIR MAJOR CONCERN IS GETTING THIS GUY, JOSEPH KONY. HE'S BEEN MAKING RUNS INTO SOUTH SUDAN AND GETTING THESE PEOPLE. THIS IS A MAJOR THING THAT MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE JOINED IN TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT, ABOUT JOSEPH KONY. ANYWAY, THE -- LAST YEAR WE FIND -- I GOT A LITTLE BIT HAPPENING. ONE OF THE REASONS, TOEUF SAY THIS, MR. PRESIDENT -- I HAVE TO SAY THIS, MR. PRESIDENT, WAS NOTHING MUCH WAS HAPPENED IS IF YOU TAKE THESE COUNTRIES LIKE PRESIDENT MUSEVENI, PRESIDENT KIGA PH EU, THESE PRESIDENTS CAME OUT OF THE BUSH, AND I THINK THEY FEEL IF THEY CAN'T GET RENEGADES LIKE THIS, IT IS A BLOW TO THEIR EGO. GET THE THREE OF THEM TOGETHER, JOE KEUG -- KIGALI AND PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AND WE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ERADICATE THIS MONSTER. LAST YEAR I TALKED WITH SENATORS TO PASS INTO LAW THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY DISARMAMENT AND NORTHERN UGANDA RECOVERY ACT OF WE HAD 64 COSPONSORS. THIS IS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF COSPONSORS ON ANY KIND OF A BILL AFFECTING AFRICA IN HISTORY. AND WE HAD THESE SENATORS, THESE SENATORS COSPONSORING THE BILL, AND THEY ALL WERE VERY EXCITED THEN WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS -- LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE LAW SAYS. IT DIRECTS THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL STRATEGY TO APPREHEND OR REMOVE JOSEPH KONY, HIS TOP COMMANDERS TO DISARM, IMMOBILIZE THE L.R.A. FIGHTERS THROUGH POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND TO PROTECT CIVILIANS FROM FURTHER ATTACKS. NOW, THE LAW IS KIND OF INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDES US FROM DOING, ENTERING INTO ANY KIND OF I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE WHO'S REPORTING ON THIS, INCLUDING MY GOOD FRIEND, RUSH LIMBAUGH, IS TALKING ABOUT WE'RE GOING -- OUR GUYS ARE GOING TO GO, AND GALS ARE GOING TO GO IN COMBAT. NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO. THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDED FROM DOING THAT. IT'S NOT LIKE IT IS IN LIBYA. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WAR POWERS ACT, BECAUSE THEY ARE, THESE ARE TROOPS THAT ARE PRECLUDED FROM BEING IN HARM'S WAY. THE S.A.S., SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE PASSED A NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION I KNOW THIS BECAUSE THIS IS LANGUAGE WE PUT IN. PROHIBITS THE U.S. MILITARY FORCES FROM PARTICIPATING IN COMBAT OPERATIONS TO APPREHEND OR REMOVE KONY AND THE L.R.A. MY LANGUAGE I PUT IN THE NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT GOING TO BE IN COMBAT BUT THEY ARE PRECLUDED FROM BEING IN COMBAT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEFORE US TODAY. BY THE WAY, SOME PEOPLE HAVE MISTAKENLY SAID THAT THIS GUY'S A CHRISTIAN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HE OFFICIALLY WAS DISAVOWED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN UGANDA. BUT I'M GOING TO READ -- THIS IS A CATHOLIC SISTER, THE KAMBONI CATHOLIC GROUP WHO SPENT 15 YEARS IN GULU, THE PLACE I WAS SOME 15 YEARS AGO IN NORTHERN UGANDA, HAS NOW SINCE THEN BEEN IN SOUTH SUDAN. I'M GOING TO QUOTE WHAT SHE SAID. THIS IS A SISTER, A CATHOLIC SHE SAID I WAS IN GULU, NORTH UGANDA WHEN JOSEPH KONY TOOK LEADERSHIP OF THIS GROUP THAT BECAME FAMOUS FOR ITS ATROCITIES. I SAW PEOPLE WHOSE LIPS, MOUTH, EARS, NOSE WERE MERCILESSLY CUT WITHOUT MOTIVATION. I STILL REMEMBER THE SIX MEN WHO CAME TO OUR PREMISES IN GU LU CRYING, ASKING FOR HELP AS THREE OF THEM HAD THEIR RIGHT HANDS CUT OFF, AS WE SAW A MINUTE AGO. PUT BACK THE ONE, THE MUTILATED ONES. THE OTHER THREE HAD THEIR RIGHT MACHETES. L.R.A. I'M GOING ON AND STILL QUOTING THIS CATHOLIC NUN. PEOPLE CUT INTO PIECES WITH A MACHETES, BURNED ALIVE AFTER SMEARING THEIR BODIES WITH PALM OIL, SMALL CHILDREN LOCKED IN A HUT AND SET ON FIRE, BURNED ALIVE. BABIES POUNDED IN A CONTAINER USED TO POUND MAIZE AND WOMEN, GIRLS ***, KILLED, ABDUCTED AS SEX SLAVES. A COTKPWOELESE LADY ON CHRISTMAS DAY LOST 17 MEMBERS OF HER FOR PRAYER. ALL OF THEM WERE KILLED WITH MACHETES. THIS IS BRUTALITY THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE BEFORE. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE -- WE HAD OVER -- WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT AFRICA AND OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD. ONE IS CALLED TRAIN AND EQUIP, OR SOME KNOW IT AS 12 06 OR 1208. WHAT WE DO WITH TRAIN AND EQUIP IS SEND PEOPLE IN TO TEACH THEM HOW TO TRAIN PEOPLE, IN THIS CASE AFRICA. WE HAVE OVER 1,000 U.S. FORCES RIGHT NOW DOING ESSENTIALLY WHAT THESE 100 THAT THE PRESIDENT SENT OVER ARE THERE TO DO. OUR MILITARY-TO-MILITARY PROGRAMS INCLUDE COUNTERTERRORISM, BORDER SECURITY, MARITIME SURVEILLANCE AND ALL THIS. BUT NOT COMBAT. AS I SAY, THEY ARE -- NUMBER ONE, THE THING TO REMEMBER IS WE ARE ALREADY DOING THIS. WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE 100 PEOPLE SENT OVER TO AFRICA, WE THIS. AND THEN SECONDLY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS -- IS VERY SIGNIFICANT IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY OF OUR TROOPS IN COMBAT, BUT THIS TYPE OF THING RIGHT HERE, TO SEE THIS GUY HERE WITH HIS NOSE CUT OFF, HIS EARS CUT OFF, HIS HANDS CUT OFF, ALL OF THIS, THIS IS GOING ON TODAY, RIGHT NOW, THIS MOMENT AS WE'RE SPEAKING. SO I STAND BEHIND THE PRESIDENT IN HIS DECISION. I DON'T VERY OFTEN STAND BEHIND THIS PRESIDENT, BUT I DO IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE WE PASSED IT WITHOUT A DISSENTING VOTE. EVERY MEMBER IN HERE, THERE IS NOT ONE THAT VOTED AGAINST IT, SO LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THAT'S THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW WITH THE L.R.A. WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR. THE TIME FOR MORNING BUSINESS IS CLOSED. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE SENATE WILL PROCEED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING NOMINATION WHICH THE CLERK WILL REPORT. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. PRESIDENT. UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDER, THE SENATE WILL NOW PROCEED TO CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2112, WHICH THE CLERK WILL NOW REPORT. CALENDAR NUMBER 155, H.R. 2112, AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES AND SO FORTH AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MR. PRESIDENT. THE MAJORITY LEADER. SENATOR KOHL WILL BE HERE MOMENTARILY, BUT UNTIL THE MANAGERS OF THE BILL ARE READY TO PROCEED, I WILL ON BEHALF OF SENATOR WEBB CALL UP HIS AMENDMENT WHICH IS AT THE DESK. WILL REPORT. THE SENATOR FROM NEVADA, MR. REID, FOR MR. WEBB, PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT NUMBERED AT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE -- MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK FURTHER READING OF THE WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. PRESIDENT. THE MAJORITY LEADER. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PREVIOUS ACTION JUST TAKEN, I ASK THE SUBSTITUTE BE CALLED UP. THE CLERK WILL REPORT. THE SENATOR FROM NEVADA, MR. REID, FOR MR. INOUYE, PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT NUMBERED 738. I ASK FURTHER READING OF THE AMENDMENT BE WAIVED. WITHOUT OBJECTION. A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT. THE SENATOR FROM WISCONSIN. MR. PRESIDENT, I'M PLEASED TODAY TO INTRODUCE THE BILL. THIS IS A VERY AUSTERE MEASURE. ALMOST EVERY CATEGORY OF FUNDING IS LOWER THAN LAST YEAR, AND MUCH LOWER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. SETTING ASIDE DISASTER AND SECURITY ITEMS THAT WE DEALT WITH IN DEBT LIMIT NEGOTIATIONS, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IN THIS BILL IS $200 MILLION BELOW 2011, AND COMPARED TO 2010, IT IS $3.2 BILLION LOWER. THAT IS EQUAL TO A 15% REDUCTION COMPARED TO 2010. IN TOTAL, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IS $20.046 BILLION. THAT FIGURE INCLUDES NEARLY $300 MILLION IN DISASTER RELIEF FOR HURRICANES, TORNADOES, FLOODS, DROUGHTS AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. ALL TOGETHER, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IS NEARLY $2 BILLION BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST AND IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR 302-B ALLOCATION. TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS AND DEVELOP A BALANCED BILL, SENATOR BLUNT AND I HAD TO SET PRIORITIES. AMONG THEM WAS A GOAL TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, INCLUDING FOOD SAFETY. WE MADE SURE THESE ACTIVITIES ARE PROTECTED. WE PROVIDED MORE THAN $1 BILLION FOR THE FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE SO THEY CAN MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVELS OF INSPECTION FOR MEAT AND POULTRY. THE BILL INCLUDES ALMOST $2.2 BILLION FOR THE F.D.A., WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF MOST OF THIS INCREASE IS FOR FOOD SAFETY, AND F.D.A. IS THE ONLY AGENCY OR OFFICE FUNDED BY THIS BILL AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN LAST YEAR. AN EQUALLY HIGH PRIORITY IS PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE AMERICANS FROM HUNGER. THE W.I.C. PROGRAM WHICH HISTORICALLY ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF ALL DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IN THIS BILL IS FUNDED AT ALMOST $6.6 BILLION. ACCORDING TO USDA, THIS LEVEL WILL SUPPORT CURRENT PARTICIPATION LEVELS. WE ALSO PROTECTED OTHER DOMESTIC FEEDING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM, WHICH IS A LIFELINE FOR MANY ELDERLY AMERICANS. WE BELIEVE IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THESE TOUGH TIMES TO MAINTAIN NUTRITION PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND WE HAVE DONE SO IN THIS BILL. ANOTHER PRIORITY WORTHY OF PROTECTION IS AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. WITHOUT CONTINUED INVESTMENT, FOOD PRODUCTION IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH CHALLENGES POSED BY GROWING POPULATIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE, INVASIVE PESTS AND OTHER THREATS. ACCORDING TO THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE, GLOBAL DEMAND FOR FOOD WILL GROW 70% TO 100% TO MEET THAT DEMAND, OUR PRODUCTION CAPACITY WILL HAVE TO INCREASE, AND THESE INCREASES WILL NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT SUSTAINED EMPHASIS ON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. SENATOR BLUNT AND I HAVE WORKED HARD TO PROTECT THESE INVESTMENTS, OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER USDA PROGRAMS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS IN CONGRESS TODAY REVOLVES AROUND JOB CREATION. THIS BILL INCLUDES MORE THAN $2 BILLION FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOANS AND GRANTS. THESE PROGRAMS HELP LAUNCH AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES BUILD WATER AND SEWER LINES WHICH OF COURSE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THEY HELP IMPROVE SMALL TOWN FIRE STATIONS AND HEALTH CARE THEY SUPPORT RURAL HOUSING. THESE PROJECTS ARE IMPORTANT, AND SENATOR BLUNT AND I HAVE PROVIDED FUNDING TO HELP PROTECT AND CREATE JOBS IN RURAL TWO OF OUR PROGRAMS, P.L. 482 AND McGOVERN-DOLE FOOD FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM, FALL WITHIN THE SECURITY CATEGORY OF DISCRETIONARY SPENDING AND PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN FIGHTING WORLD HUNGER. RIGHT NOW, THE HORN OF AFRICA IS STATE OF DECLARED FAMINE AND THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE AT GRAVE RISK. FOOD AID IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR THESE PEOPLE, AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN P.L. 480 ABOVE LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, WE MUST CLOSELY MONITOR EVENTS IN AFRICA AND ELSEWHERE SINCE THE FUNDING LEVEL FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN THIS BILL REMAIN BELOW THE 2010 LEVELS. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS BILL FUNDS THE PRIORITIES I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE AS WELL AS CONSERVATION, MARKETING, TRADE AND MANY OTHERS IMPORTANT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, I BELIEVE SENATOR BLUNT AND I HAVE PROVIDED THE PROPER BILL. I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS HELP AND HIS GUIDANCE. THIS WAS HIS FIRST YEAR AS THE RANKING MEMBER OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE, AND HE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. AS I SAID AT THE OUTSET, THIS BILL IS VERY AUSTERE. THE CHOICES WE MADE WERE DIFFICULT, BUT I STRONGLY BELIEVE THEY WERE THE CORRECT ONES. I URGE EVERY SENATOR SUPPORT THIS BILL, AND I HOPE WE CAN CONCLUDE FLOOR ACTION IN A TIMELY MANNER SO WE CAN PROCEED TO CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE AND SEND THE BILL TO THE PRESIDENT. USDA AND F.D.A. ARE NOW RESOLUTION. WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM FINAL SPENDING LEVELS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN. MR. PRESIDENT, PROCEDURALLY, WE'LL BE CONSIDERING TWO APPROPRIATIONS BILLS IN ADDITION TO AGRICULTURE. THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE AND THE TRANSPORTATION/H.U.D. BILLS. ANY SENATOR WHO HAS AMENDMENTS TO THESE BILLS SHOULD WORK WITH US TO ASSURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER CAN BE ON THE FLOOR TO RESPOND TO AMENDMENTS THAT FALL UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION. MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT MY ADDITIONAL REMARKS BE READ. WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. PRESIDENT. THE SENATOR FROM MISSOURI. MR. PRESIDENT, I'M PLEASED TO JOIN SENATOR KOHL IN THIS BILL, THE FISCAL YEAR 2012 APPROPRIATIONS BILL FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND RELATED AGENCIES. I'M GLAD WE ARE CONSIDERING APPROPRIATIONS BILLS ON THE FLOOR IN A MANNER THAT WILL ALLOW US TO FULLY DEBATE AMENDMENTS. IN ADDITION, MR. PRESIDENT, TO FUNDING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, THE BILL WE BRING TO THE FLOOR TODAY ALSO INCLUDES THE FISCAL YEAR 2012 BILLS INTRODUCED BY OTHER COMMITTEES AS SENATOR KOHL HAS ALREADY SPECIFIED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEES ON COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. FOR NOW, I WILL LIMIT MY COMMENTS JUST TO THE AGRICULTURE PROVISIONS AND OF COURSE DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE, SENATOR HUTCHISON AND SENATOR COLLINS ON THE PROVISIONS THAT RELATE TO THE OTHER TWO BILLS. ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY THE AGRICULTURE BILL TOUCH THE LIVES OF EVERY AMERICAN EVERY DAY. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES, HOUSING AND BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAMS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS AND FOOD AND DRUG SAFETY. FUNDING FOR EACH OF THESE DESERVES THOROUGH AND THOUGHTFUL SENATOR KOHL AND I HAVE MADE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS IN DRAFTING THIS BILL. ASIDE FROM DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS, THE BILL IS $138 MILLION BELOW LAST YEAR AND REPRESENTS A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO FUNDING AGRICULTURAL PRIORITIES AS WE TIGHTEN OUR MEANS. WHILE MOST PROGRAMS ARE REDUCED BY 5%, WE PRIORITIZE THOSE PROGRAMS THAT PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HELP MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF OUR NATION'S AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF THE FEW SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY THAT ENJOYS A TRADE SURPLUS, AND THE OVERALL STATE OF THE FARM ECONOMY IS CURRENTLY STRONG. WITH THE NATION'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE CONTINUING TO WHOEVER AROUND 9%, EXPANDING AGRICULTURE EXPORTS IS EVEN MORE VITAL AS EVERY BILLION DOLLARS IN EXPORTS SUPPORTS AN ESTIMATED 8,000 AMERICAN JOBS. THAT'S ONE REASON I WAS PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH KOREA, PANAMA AND COLOMBIA LAST WEEK. EXPANDING ACCESS TO THESE MARKETS WILL CREATE AN ESTIMATED 20,000 AGRICULTURE-RELATED JOBS ALONE. HOWEVER, EXPANDING ACCESS TO NEW MARKETS IS ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT MAINTAINS OUR AGRICULTURE ECONOMY. OUR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. OUR PRODUCERS ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT PRODUCING PRODUCTS THAT ARE DESIRABLE IN THE GLOBAL THIS IS IN PART, MR. PRESIDENT, THE RESULT OF SMART INVESTMENT RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT'S WHY I'M PLEASED THAT THIS PLACES SIGNIFICANT EMPHASIS ON MAINTAINING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AT OUR LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND FUNDING COMPETITIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE INITIATIVE. THESE PROGRAMS ARE CRITICAL TO HELPING OUR FARMERS INCREASE PRODUCTION AND WILL EXPAND OUR NATION'S ECONOMIC GROWTH. NOT ONLY DOES EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON AG RESEARCH RESULT IN A 20-DOLLAR RETURN TO THE U.S. ECONOMY, RESEARCH INVESTMENTS ALSO RESULT IN A FOOD SUPPLY THAT'S SAFE, ABUNDANT AND I'M ALSO GLAD THAT THE AGRICULTURE BILL INCLUDES FUNDING TO HELP FARMERS AND DISASTERS. MISSOURI HAS SEEN UNPRECEDENTED DEVASTATION FROM BOTH TORNADOES AND FLOODING THIS YEAR. FUNDING INCLUDED IN THIS BILL FOR THE EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM AND THE EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS NECESSARY TO HELP THOSE AREAS RECOVER AND RESUME THEIR WAY OF LIFE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT OUR FARMERS AS THEY CLEAR DEBRIS, REGRADE AND REHABILITATE SEASON. I WANT TO THANK SENATOR KOHL FOR THE BIPARTISAN WORKING RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE ON THE AGRICULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE. THIS IS MY FIRST BILL AS A SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIRMAN IS GIVING ME EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT INTO THE BILL. THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF BALANCING THE PRIORITIES OF THE AGRICULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE THIS YEAR, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THE BILL THAT THE CHAIRMAN AND I PRESENT TOGETHER TODAY. MR. PRESIDENT. THE SENATOR FROM WISCONSIN. CONSENT THAT THE FOLLOWING STAFF HAVE UNLIMITED FLOOR PRIVILEGES DURING CONSIDERATION OF H.R.