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“DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT Continued” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the Senate section on pages S8251-S8269 on Dec. 20, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT Continued
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
Remembering Daniel K. Inouye
Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, earlier today a lot of us, Members of the Senate, joined the family and friends of our great colleague who passed away earlier in the week, as they brought his body into the U.S. Capitol. I rise here this afternoon to extend some of the tributes that we have made to the memory and to the life of Senator Inouye.
For the past 26 years I was privileged to serve alongside Senator Inouye in this Chamber. I came to know him as a wise counselor, a skilled legislator, a formidable negotiator, and a trusted friend. His unassailable reputation as an American hero, however, had been forged long before any of us here ever met him.
Senator Inouye did not demand respect. He commanded it. The reasons for this are many. In 1941, he witnessed firsthand the horror at Pearl Harbor. As a Red Cross volunteer, he cared for his fellow citizens injured in the attack. Not long thereafter, he joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was determined to serve his country despite the fact that he, like all Japanese-Americans, had been deemed an
``enemy alien'' when the U.S. declared war on Japan.
As a young military officer in 1945, Daniel Inouye led his unit in a successful attack against a Nazi fortification in northern Italy. The valor, courage, selflessness, and determination he displayed during the battle are the stuff of legend, and would later earn him the Medal of Honor. During this attack he sustained serious permanent injuries that served as constant reminders of his sacrifice for our country.
Senator Daniel Inouye began his political career as a member of Hawaii's Territorial House of Representatives in 1954. Almost immediately, his colleagues tapped him as the majority leader of that body. His tremendous leadership ability was already apparent. He then ascended to the Territorial Senate in 1958, and became Hawaii's first U.S. Congressman upon the granting of statehood in 1959. Only 3 years later, Daniel Inouye became a U.S. Senator. He was elected to a staggering 9 consecutive terms, continuing to serve until his passing. It is a testament to his effectiveness as a Senator and his devotion to his State that no challenger ever mounted a serious threat for his seat.
Through his hard work in the U.S. Senate, Senator Inouye helped to ensure that Hawaii's economy and people prospered. As a member, and later chairman, of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Inouye skillfully secured myriad infrastructure, natural resource, cultural, job training, and agriculture projects for his State. As a member of the Appropriations Committee I learned valuable lessons by observing Senator Inouye over the years. He understood the art of the deal, always operating out of mutual respect toward shared interests. And I can not recall a time when he did not deliver for the people of Hawaii. While he never lost focus on the interests of his State, he also maintained eternal vigilance on matters of national security. As a war hero, his attention to veteran affairs and military needs was unsurpassed.
In addition, Senator Inouye served as the first chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence. As a former Chairman of this committee, I was honored to carry forward the rigorous oversight example he set. By the time his career ended, Senator Inouye had become the second longest serving senator in U.S. history.
His list of accomplishments and honors is seemingly unending. In fact, it is among the most impressive compiled by any who ever set foot in this Chamber.
Senator Inouye never talked about any of this. He was not brash or boastful or domineering. Rather, he carried himself with quiet reserve and firm resolve.
Senator Inouye's life story speaks for itself and demonstrates a faith in and devotion to our country second to none. He was one of the most decent and inspiring people I have ever known. I am proud to have served with this great man and to have called him a friend. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife and family during this difficult time.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. MORAN. I ask unanimous consent I may speak on the Senate floor as in morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Senate Rules Changes
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, the Senate, of which I am a new Member, was at one time called the world's greatest deliberative body. Its rules have remained largely unchanged since the origin of the Senate. This Chamber's distinguishing attribute has undoubtedly been its right of unlimited debate and its greatest protections are the rules put in place to defend that right of debate.
I am worried about the talk now of destroying any Senator's ability to filibuster, to delay consideration of a bill, because it is a fundamental right of all Senators to express their opposition to legislation even when that Senator stands alone--when you are the only one who opposes that legislation. This is an important right, protecting a Senator's right to object and a Senator's right to represent his or her own constituency.
Something tells me the desire to curb this unlimited debate of the Senate doesn't really come from a failure of the Senate's rules but, rather, a desire by some to see that an agenda can be pushed through by ignoring that minority right, by overriding the objections of an individual Senator on behalf of his or her constituents.
The rules of the Senate should not be targeted for change until we look at what the problems are in the way we conduct our business currently. For so long--again, I have only been here 2 years, but for the 2 years I have been here, it seems to me that often the majority has obstructed the ideal of unlimited debate and put undue stress on the rules of our Chamber. The practice of the majority party has prevented me and my colleagues from contributing to the legislative process in several ways. Rather than encourage debate and compromise by welcoming amendments, often, as we say here, ``the tree has been filled,'' or, in the way we would say it in Kansas, we fill up the opportunity for amendments with certain amendments that then preclude other amendments being considered, that being the amendments of the rest of us.
In addition to that, the majority leader has filed cloture more than 100 times on the very day the measure was first raised on the Senate floor, which basically ends debate on that day.
We get compromise whenever everyone, the majority and minority, have the opportunity to present their points of view. Then we sit down and try to figure out the difference, how we can make things work among ourselves. We have seen rule XIV used to bypass committee work nearly 70 times in the last 6 years.
I am honored to serve on a long list of committees in the Senate and I attend many committee meetings and we hold hearings. We listen to our constituents, we listen to the experts, and we try to reach a conclusion as to what is best in a piece of legislation. When that process is bypassed, we lose that opportunity to gain from that insight.
In so many instances the committee process is bypassed. I am a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, with the example of our inability to have appropriations bills and no budget. I am a member of the Banking Committee on which we have lots of hearings but very few markups. I think it undermines the ability for each of us to do our jobs on behalf of America.
I think we have been forced away from what is most valuable here--
discussions. Not that any of us gets our own way. That is not the nature of this place. It is not the nature of America. But we each have our own voice, and by being able to express ourselves we have the opportunity to flesh out the best ideas and ultimately to require people to come together and reach an agreement--that word that sometimes is not said often enough--compromise.
I recognize this as a Member of the Senate representing the State of Kansas. I consider my State often in the minority. We are very rural. The issues we care about are different than those of places in the rest of the country. I represent a small population and many of my colleagues represent large urban areas with large populations. In the absence of rules protecting me as a Senator representing a minority, I think my ability to represent that minority is diminished. I recognize that I do not always have the right answer to every question. I have great respect for everyone's opinion. I was never ordained by God to have all the answers to every problem, but I think we find answers by having respect and listening to others, and to sort out what we think is the best of our ideas and the best of other ideas to see that good things happen on behalf of America.
We need to make certain that Republicans and Democrats have the opportunity to defend their opinions and then come together. We need to make certain the legislative process works in the committee and we need to make certain that we are not precluded from standing here, day after day, in opposition to legislation that we believe is bad for America. It is the Senate that has the opportunity to keep bad things from happening.
Again, I worry that as a result of the lack of function of the Senate over the last years that we are going to make dramatic changes in the rules that change the nature of this body, who we are and what we can accomplish, what our purpose is.
We need to work together, no doubt about it, but the idea of changing the rules, in my view, diminishes the need to do so. Our constituents expect us to represent them and their best interests and that means that we have the right--the necessity--of participating in the legislative process. I owe that to Kansas. I owe them nothing less. Without the right to use the filibuster to stop consideration of a bill until all ideas, all issues are heard, we risk the loss of that dissenting voice for a minority--no matter what party may be in power.
Previous Members of the Senate have understood the importance of protecting the minority's rights and have spoken out in defense of unlimited debate as it exists in the Senate today. I worry that the Senate is becoming a different place. As I studied history, there was always the voice of the institution, the Senator who had been here for a long time. There was the collective wisdom that, yes, we are in the minority now--or we are in the majority now--but that someday it will be the reverse, and we want the rules to apply no matter what the position. It seems to me that in the past, Members of the Senate would speak out--whether a Democrat or Republican--for the institution of the Senate and what it means to the American people and the Constitution of the United States.
The late Senator Byrd once said this about the design of the Senate:
The Senate was intended to be a forum for open and free debate and for the protection of political minorities. As long as the Senate retains the power to amend and the power of unlimited debate, the liberties of the people will remain secure.
When then-Senator Joe Biden was a part of this Chamber, he once said in defense of the filibuster:
At its core, the filibuster is not about stopping a nominee or a bill, it is about compromise and moderation.
In 2005, when Republicans controlled the Senate and President Obama was a Senator, he said:
If the majority chooses to end the filibuster--if they choose to change the rules and put an end to democratic debate--then fighting and bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse.
I think this statement applies today. I am tired of the fighting, bitterness, and gridlock. The American people do not want to see even more partisan bickering in Washington, DC. They want us to work together and solve our Nation's problems. They want us to get things done.
Preserving the rules of the Senate is not a partisan issue, but it is about protecting the nature of the Senate and the rights of the minority. Without the ability to compromise or debate on the floor of the Senate, I fear the greatest deliberative body will be drastically changed for the worse.
The original design of the Senate enables each Senator to be equal to one another no matter the party label, and each has the right to protect using the filibuster. If we choose to silence the Senators in the minority now for the sake of political expediency and lower the number of votes needed for a bill to pass without dissent, then we risk changing the very nature of the Senate.
I see this as a former Member of the House of Representatives. I am accustomed--after 14 years--to having these words spoken: I yield to the gentleman from Kansas 60 seconds.
The Senate is different from the House. We are entitled to more than 60 seconds of being able to speak in support or in opposition to issues before the Senate. If that filibuster were to be destroyed, and if the last protection of the rights of the minority were to be disregarded, then the Senate would become substantially no different from the House. It would be marked by limited debate where the majority runs against the basic nature of the Senate rules based largely upon population.
When the Republicans were in control of the Senate in 2005, Senator Reid, our majority leader, said:
The threat to change the Senate rules is a raw abuse of power and will destroy the very checks and balances our Founding Fathers put in place to prevent absolute power by any one branch of government.
It is my belief that the Senate still exists today in the form that the Framers intended and that we must put a stop to this raw abuse of power. The Senate represents the embodiment of freedom of speech, and we should encourage the full exercise of our hard-won freedoms and unlimited debate. This tradition stands as a testament to the sacrifices of generations of early Americans and Americans throughout the history of our country. This freedom is one that will certainly be fought for in this Congress and the next.
I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Shaheen). The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin.
Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Tributes to Departing Senators
Herb Kohl
Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to a man who has been generous with his time, his treasure, and his heart, to his friends, his family, the State of Wisconsin, and to America, Senator Herb Kohl.
America and Wisconsin have always been defined by immigrants arriving in this country seeking freedom, opportunity, and a better life for themselves and their families. Such was the case for Senator Kohl's father Max, an immigrant from Poland, and his mother Mary, an immigrant from Russia. Their family's story was just one among the many millions of stories of fulfillment of the American dream.
Max and Mary's son Herb attended Washington High School in the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1956 and went on to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1958.
Senator Kohl's service to his country started at a young age. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve after receiving his MBA and served in the military for 6 years. After his military service, he began contributing to our Nation not in government but in the private sector. During the 1970s, he managed his family's well-known retail businesses. The stores built by the Kohl family remain the legacy that all Wisconsin respects and appreciates.
When Wisconsin's NBA team, the Milwaukee Bucks, was considering moving out of the State for financial reasons, Citizen Kohl stepped in and purchased the franchise. He prevented the team from leaving and preserved professional basketball as an integral part of Wisconsin's strong sports tradition. Suffice it to say, Citizen Kohl had established himself as a very successful member of this Nation's business community. But he didn't hoard his financial success; he shared it and he shared it generously.
Senator Kohl's philanthropy was widespread, but he particularly seemed to enjoy directing his generosity to helping Wisconsin students and educators. In 1990, he established the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Achievement Award Program. This program provides a total of $400,000 to hundreds of students, teachers, and schools throughout the State of Wisconsin each and every year. In 1995, Senator Kohl continued his generosity to education and sports in our State by donating $25 million to the University of Wisconsin Madison for a new sports arena. The Kohl Center, as it is now known, is the home for the school's basketball and hockey teams.
Senator Kohl was first elected in 1988 and even though his duties required him to spend time in Washington, his heart has always been with the people of Wisconsin. For the past 24 years, he has maintained a strong passion for Wisconsin's children, seniors, farmers, and manufacturers.
As a man whose life has been distinguished by generosity, it is worth noting that his final speech on the floor of the Senate was not a long list of his many accomplishments; instead, it was a short heartfelt speech of gratitude to those who made him the generous man he is today, those he served with, and those he represented in the Senate for four consecutive terms. Now it is our turn to thank Senator Kohl for the honorable 24 years he has served his State and this Nation.
During his first election, the slogan of Senator Kohl's campaign was
``Nobody's Senator but Yours.'' There can be no doubt in anyone's mind that he has lived up to that promise each and every day.
On behalf of all the citizens of Wisconsin, I wish to thank Senator Herb Kohl for his generous spirit and his many years of service to Wisconsin and America.
With that, I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REED. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Daniel Akaka, Jeff Bingaman, Scott Brown, Kent Conrad, Jim DeMint, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Herb Kohl, Jon Kyl, Joseph Lieberman, Richard Lugar,
Ben Nelson, Olympia Snowe, and Jim Webb
Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give their constituents the best representation and give the country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and their experience. They are men and women who are committed to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways contributed to this Senate and to our great country.
I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for listening to my points and for, together, hopefully, serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and progressive way.
In particular, let me say a few words about some of the Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more closely.
Senator Daniel Akaka, like his colleague, the late and revered Senator Daniel Inouye, proudly served our Nation during World War II. I am stepping into the huge shoes of Danny Akaka as the cochair of the Army Caucus. From one soldier to another, I salute him.
He has also been an extraordinarily forceful advocate not just for active-duty personnel but for veterans and, of course, for the men and women of his beloved Hawaii.
Jeff Bingaman has distinguished himself through his work on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to improve our Nation's energy policy, particularly improving our energy efficiency. He has the vision and knowledge which he has displayed so many times to deal with the difficult issues that face us with respect to the appropriate use of energy.
He has also focused on some of the greatest challenges facing our educational system, including preventing dropouts and promoting the use of education technology.
Scott Brown has drawn from his over 30 years of experience in the National Guard to advocate for our servicemembers. I am particularly pleased we were able to work together to create the new Office of Service Member Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
I have had the honor of serving with Kay Bailey Hutchison on the West Point Board of Visitors, and I am also grateful that she joined with me on a bill to improve care for children who survive cancer.
Joe Lieberman and I have worked many hours to protect the submarine industrial base that is crucial not only to our strategic posture but also to our local economies. He has done it with great vision and great energy, and I thank him for that.
Richard Lugar is one of the most decent and thoughtful individuals ever to serve in this body. We will miss his wisdom and his voice, particularly on nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. I am also pleased to have joined him on so many other issues, and he leaves an extraordinary mark on this institution.
I have also had the privilege to work closely with another Member of this body, my colleague and friend, Olympia Snowe of Maine. Her willingness to reach across the partisan divide to advance legislation to benefit the Nation and the Senate and her State of Maine is, in my view, legendary. I was pleased to work with her when it came to supporting our fishermen and lobstermen, who are critical to our local economies. She and I have worked closely together on a host of other issues, including supporting strong investments in LIHEAP and our Nation's libraries.
Jim Webb, a decorated combat veteran, is someone whose love for this Nation was manifested very early, as he led marines in combat in Vietnam. His extraordinary courage is only matched by his quiet demeanor and his calm sense of confidence that project outward in every different capacity.
Of course, he has taken it upon himself to make sure we do not forget our veterans. He was the architect of the post-9/11 GI bill and, in doing so, he has enriched the lives of so many who were willing to risk their lives for this Nation. I, again, salute him for all he has done.
Kent Conrad is an extraordinary budget chairman. No one knows more about the intricacies of the budget and no one brings to that very difficult debate more of an innate sense of fairness and decency than Kent Conrad.
I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do, then we can go forward confidently.
With that, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire.
Joe Lieberman
Ms. AYOTTE. Madam President, I wish to say a few words about my friend Joe Lieberman, the gentleman from Connecticut.
Shortly after I arrived in the Senate, Senator Lieberman was assigned to serve as my mentor--someone from the other side of the aisle who would be a source of wisdom and guidance as I made my way in my first term in the Senate.
I considered myself extremely fortunate that he agreed to mentor me. We are both from New England. We both had the privilege of serving our State as attorney general and have a deep respect for the rule of law. And we are both deeply concerned about issues impacting the security of our country.
Over the last 2 years, I have been able to work with Senator Lieberman more closely, and I have personally seen his character, his courage, and his conviction. Both in tone and in substance, Senator Lieberman has been one of the most respected and effective statesmen in the history of this institution--someone who transcended politics to stand up for what he believed in and what he believed was right on behalf of our country.
Senator Lieberman understands that neither party has a monopoly on good ideas and that the American people expect Members of both parties to work together to get things done on behalf of our country.
Senator Lieberman understands that our children will not ask us whether we were Democrats or Republicans and how good we were at that, at being a member of a party; they will ask us whether we were willing to make the tough decisions necessary to ensure that they continue to enjoy prosperity and freedom in the greatest country on Earth.
What I admire about my friend Joe Lieberman is that he is someone who always puts country first above all else. For Senator Lieberman, this has been especially true in the area of national security and homeland security.
As our Nation has encountered difficult economic headwinds at home--
over $16 trillion in debt--there have been Members of both parties who have argued for excessive cuts to our military and that we disengage from the rest of the world. Yet, in the great traditions of Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Reagan, Senator Lieberman has made the compelling case that the United States best promotes its values and protects its citizens when we remain engaged around the world, maintaining our military strength, having the best military in the world.
Having had the chance to work with Senator Lieberman on the Senate Armed Services Committee, his commitment to our men and women in uniform has been inspiring. He has shown a deep commitment to make sure they have the best equipment they need and that we remain the strongest military in the world; and that when our soldiers come home, they receive the support they need. He has been such an amazing advocate for the military and their families.
I also appreciate that like Winston Churchill, Senator Lieberman understands the value of alliances between democracies and has spoken with moral clarity regarding the enemies of freedom. He has not hesitated to call terrorism an evil by its name and to speak out for dissidents and freedom fighters around the world.
I will never forget a trip I had the privilege of taking with him to Asia, where we had the opportunity to meet individuals who were imprisoned. And they spoke with tears in their eyes of the work Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain and others had done to speak up on their behalf.
Senator Lieberman has spoken for those who have been oppressed around the world time and time again, and he has left his legacy on this institution in making sure that America stands for our values and for people around the world who are struggling for basic human rights and freedom.
In this Chamber, he will also, of course, be remembered for the incredibly important work he did as a strong and resolute member of the Senate Armed Services Committee but also as the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He helped to lead the Federal Government's response to September 11, to those horrible attacks on our country, and every American is safer because of the work Joe Lieberman did as chairman of that committee, and the work he did on the Senate Armed Services Committee in this body--and the work I know he will continue to do when he leaves the Senate.
My friend Joe Lieberman represents the very best of public service. He has stood firm for freedom, international engagement, and American military strength. He will be remembered among Members of this body not only for his accomplishments but for the way he has conducted himself. Always a gentleman, he has conducted himself with great decency, civility, and humility.
At a time when our country faces great challenges, his quiet and effective leadership and commitment to working across party lines will be sorely missed in this body. He will certainly continue to serve as a model for all of us who remain serving in the Senate, and I know in future endeavors I will certainly seek him out to seek his advice and counsel, as we face great challenges not only here at home but also in terms of our military and the role America plays in the world.
We all admire his leadership here, and it has been a true privilege for me to have had him mentor me the last 2 years. I have learned so much from him. And, again, I think he serves as a model public servant of what it means to be committed to doing the right thing for your country.
Thank you, Madam President.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COONS). Without objection, it is so ordered.
Remembering Daniel K. Inouye
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise to salute my colleague, Senator Dan Inouye, and remember him for his great service to our country. Like so many of my colleagues, I come down to the Senate floor with a great deal of sadness but also admiration for the incredible life that Danny Inouye led.
He certainly was a giant among Senators, and for the work he did--
everything from investigating Watergate to fighting for Native Hawaiian rights, to everything he did in the United States every day--he will be remembered as a man who fought for justice. When I think about Danny Inouye and the mentoring he has done for me and my colleague Senator Murray and for the State of Washington, I can tell you he will be sorely missed.
We know something about long-term Senators in the State of Washington. Certainly, Danny Inouye and Scoop and Maggie were all friends. He was also a friend to Washington State. He forged a great relationship with Scoop and Maggie. That started when Scoop Jackson actually championed statehood for Hawaii starting as early as the late 1940s. He played a key role in supporting it and passing it into the Hawaii Statehood Act. That is something Danny Inouye was so appreciative of. They forged a great relationship.
Senator Inouye and Senator Maggie were great friends and mentors. I had the opportunity many years ago to hear both of them at Senator Magnuson's house in Seattle reminisce about their days together. Some of those stories I could share on the floor; some I could not. But they were longtime friends.
The one story that is written about in Warren Magnuson's biography by Shelby Scates is a story about how, when Mount St. Helens blew up, Senator Magnuson went to Senator Inouye and said: We need about $1 billion to help for the cleanup of Mount St. Helens.
You can imagine in 1980 what a tremendous amount of money that would be. Senator Inouye said: Senator Magnuson, we have volcanoes blowing up all the time in Hawaii, and we never get a dime.
Magnuson responded: Just wait, it will be your turn soon.
So these are two incredible individuals who forged a relationship and, along with Jackson, were some of the big giants of our day in the Senate. We in the State of Washington certainly benefited greatly from Senator Inouye's incredible help and support. I know he traveled to our State many times at my request and participated in many different events. Probably one of the most important things he did for us in the State of Washington was the Puyallup land claim settlement and how Senator Inouye led the fight as the chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee to make sure the right thing was done.
Together with Congressman Norm Dicks, we had a very difficult situation. The Puyallup Tribe, the Port and the City of Tacoma, and others all had a difficult dispute going on. The end result was the second largest Native American land claim settlement in U.S. history. The deal led to tremendous economic growth for the tribe, for the port, and for the surrounding committees.
Senator Inouye, as I said, was the chairman of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs in 1980 when the Puyallup Tribe successfully sued to assert its claim for land around its reservation. This land included the Port of Tacoma, many parts of downtown Tacoma, and the towns of Fife and Puyallup. Because of his strong commitment to Native American rights, the Puyallup Tribe trusted Senator Inouye to serve as an intermediary between the parties involved in the negotiation to try to resolve this dispute. He made around a dozen trips to Washington State at key moments of this negotiation.
If you can imagine, a Senator who has to represent his State, be a leader on the Appropriations Committee, and who would spend so much time on one particular dispute.
During one tense session at a Tacoma hotel, Senator Inouye described his role as ``messenger boy,'' running between tribal negotiators on the second floor and non-Indian negotiators on the fifth floor. By his own estimate, he shuttled between those two floors 21 times. His tireless commitment and work helped keep the negotiations moving along. Finally, in 1988, a deal was struck and the settlement was passed into law in 1989.
The tribe relinquished claims to land it originally held. In exchange, they received $162 million that included 200 acres of disputed land. Of this total, $77 million were Federal funds, which Senator Inouye and Congressman Dicks worked to obtain.
When Senator Inouye was asked about the Federal Government's contribution toward the settlement, he replied: ``I got my training from Magnuson.''
For the Puyallup Tribe, the results have been dramatic. Today the tribe is one of the largest employers in Pierce County, and it is moving forward with its port development partnership. The Puyallups have become a prominent leader for other tribes in important areas such as protecting natural resources, providing law enforcement, and improving health care.
As for the Port of Tacoma, the results have been impressive as well. With the settlement, the port was able to tear down the Blair Bridge and open the waterways to the world's largest container ships. Removing the uncertainty of land ownership and relocating Highway 509 also unlocked land in the upper Blair Waterway for development, and a lot of new development occurred.
According to the port, these improvements provided 43,000 jobs in Pierce County. The volume of cargo at the port has nearly doubled, growing from 782,000 containers in 1988 to nearly 1.5 million containers in 2011. Now the Port of Tacoma handles more containers than its friendly rival to the north, the Port of Seattle, so it is something they very much take with great pride.
Senator Inouye has stood with Washingtonians on an issue that was so important to us and has led to so much growth and economic development, and only his leadership provided the necessary oversight to navigate this thorny issue. He also has helped us on many other issues, protecting salmon and our other fisheries, fighting for Native Americans and supporting strong defense and veterans' issues.
He certainly will be remembered in the Northwest as a true friend. Our Nation's veterans had no greater friend than Senator Inouye. But when it came time to pass national legislation recognizing the Japanese-American veterans' contributions to our country during World War II, he let others take the lead, knowing he, himself, would also be an honorary recipient of this award.
During a ceremony in November of 2001, with the other Nisei veterans at his side, Senator Inouye accepted the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service.
In his remarks, Senator Inouye said, ``Seventy years ago, we were enemy aliens, but today, this great Nation honors us in this special ceremony.'' I can tell you because there were many Nisei veterans from the Pacific Northwest who traveled to our Nation's Capital to participate in that event. Their families were so honored to be there with their parents and to honor them in this great ceremony. It would not have happened if it had not been for Senator Inouye's incredible leadership.
He also successfully fought to honor the veterans who served in the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines on the side of the United States during World War II. Because of a law passed in 1946, their service was not recognized. They were denied access to health care and given only half the disability and death compensation of U.S. veterans.
Senator Inouye changed that. Over the years, he secured nearly $200 million in compensation for Filipino veterans, and he fought to grant Filipino veterans the same access as U.S. veterans to VA hospitals.
Senator Inouye's strong sense of honor and justice drove him to fight for the recognition of these veterans' service. He was fond of saying
``justice is a matter of continuing education.''
For that reason, he also made sure injustices endured by U.S. citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry during World War II will never be forgotten. He led passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which acknowledged their forced internment and provided compensation for those surviving detainees. Senator Inouye also understood that recognizing and honoring the service of these veterans meant helping them prosper as they were entering civilian life.
I was proud to work with Senator Inouye and my colleague Senator Murray on the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Because of the act, businesses that hire qualified veterans can get tax credits up to
$9,600. Back in April of this year, Senator Inouye and I visited a company in Seattle, VECA, which hires primarily veterans, and I can tell you they were so happy to meet him. They were so excited to see one of our Nation's true heroes and to honor him by talking about the service they were trying to give back to our country.
From the battlefields of World War II to the Halls of Congress, Senator Inouye brought grace, charm, and an unbelievable sense of duty to our country. He truly was a giant of a statesman, not just in Hawaii but in the State of Washington.
A few years ago, Senator Inouye was visiting some underprivileged children in Hawaii to see the digital media center he helped support. One of the students he met said, ``I feel like I met one of the most important people in the world.''
I couldn't agree more. Senator Inouye's legacy and impact cannot be overstated. He was an old-school Senator who was always courteous, respectful to his colleagues no matter what the circumstances, and he will not be forgotten.
I join our Nation in praying for his wife Irene, his son Ken, and daughter-in-law Jessica, his stepdaughter Jennifer, and his granddaughter Maggie. I hope they understand how much we appreciate them sharing him with us and all he did.
His service to our country will not be forgotten, and it certainly will be impossible to match.
I yield the floor.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, it is with great sadness that I come here today to talk about my friend: Senator Danny Inouye. Danny was a friend of mine since I came to the Senate 20 years ago. He had a unique ability to connect with people, to befriend them. I know. He always helped me. He was smart, able and someone that over 20 years I grew to love.
He was a war hero who fought bravely in World War II, even at a time when many in this country actively discriminated against Japanese-
Americans.
And he served in this body for 50 years--the second longest serving Senator of all time.
Danny and I worked closely together on the Appropriations Committee for many years. I often sought his counsel, and he was always an advocate for me.
I want to say something personally to his beloved wife Irene: You were married to a truly wonderful man and an American hero. Death of a loved one is hard. I know. I have been through it. But, Irene, the love does remain. I know you were so proud to be his wife, to help him share his dreams through these years.
I want you to know that you have many friends here, who now want to help you through this most difficult part of life.
Danny, you will be greatly missed.
Thank you for your service, thank you for your friendship.
Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, it was with great sadness on Monday that we learned of the passing of a member of our Senate family, Senator Daniel Inouye. My deepest sympathy goes out to his wife, Irene, his son, Kenny, and to all of his family. I also extend my sympathy to the great people of Hawaii, who have lost one of their champions.
Over the past few days, I have heard my colleagues pay tribute to this wonderful man. They have used words such as statesman, public servant, hero, patriot, leader, mentor, and champion. Each of these tributes is without a doubt deserved. I echo all of these accolades, but above all I was honored to call Senator Inouye ``friend.''
Senator Inouye and I served on two committees together, with him serving as my Chairman on both of those committees: Indian Affairs and Appropriations. The lessons I learned from him will forever be with me. His commitment to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians was unparalleled. In our home States, we both have large populations of Native people and his leadership on these issues has taught me that our work is never done when it comes to bettering the lives of our first people. I had the opportunity to work with him on a number of important issues impacting South Dakota Natives over the years, and I very much appreciated his visit to South Dakota in 2002 to conduct a hearing in Rapid City on Native issues.
A man of quiet reflection, Danny was a giant among men. A Medal of Honor recipient for his efforts in World War II and recipient of two Purple Hearts, he was a true American hero. His acts of valor during the war are nothing short of legendary. His care for veterans rivals that of any past or present Member of this body.
To put Senator Inouye's service into perspective, eight Members of this Chamber had not even been born when Danny was sworn into his first term as the third Senator from the State of Hawaii. Not many Senators in the history of this Chamber have done more for their home States than what Senator Inouye did for his beloved Hawaii. His legacy is spread far and wide throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Senator Inouye will be greatly missed in this Chamber. His mark on this body and on his home State of Hawaii shall be felt for generations to come. Aloha, my friend.
Ms. KLOBUCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in remembrance of an incredible statesman and American hero, Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Senator Inouye passed away Monday evening, and to say that his leadership will be missed would be a tremendous understatement--not only of his influence as a policymaker but of his iconic status as a pillar of the Senate.
In terms of political longevity, he follows only Robert Byrd as the second longest serving Member in Senate history. This is significant because second place never came naturally for Senator Inouye. He was, after all, the face of so many ``firsts'' for our country and for his State. In 1959, he became the first ever Asian American to serve in the United States Congress, elected during Hawaii's first ever federal election cycle, representing the State as part of its first ever congressional delegation.
He almost added another impressive ``first'' to his resume, when Minnesota's own Hubert Humphrey put Dan at the top of his short list for running mates in the 1968 presidential election.
But perhaps the greatest legacy Senator Inouye will leave behind is his record of standing up for our men and women in uniform. As Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he revolutionized the way our country serves those who have served for us--not just on the battlefield, but also here at home in the form of stronger benefits for veterans and better support for military families.
Senator Inouye knew a thing or two about service. He enlisted in the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor and fought for our country on the front lines during World War II. He did it despite our government's decision to place his own people, Japanese Americans, in internment camps because he believed that he and his family owed the United States an ``un-repayable debt.'' I would argue that he paid back that debt and much, much more.
To this day, the unit of all Japanese-American soldiers that he served with is the most decorated in history for its size and length of commitment. Senator Inouye himself earned a Bronze Star, a Distinguished Service Cross and, eventually, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The story of how he earned it--and how he lost his right arm--is the stuff of legend. A grenade exploded near his right elbow during a firefight in Italy, shredding his arm and severing his hand just as he was preparing to throw a grenade of his own. Afraid the weapon might detonate in his nearly severed right first, Senator Inouye used his left hand to pry it out and throw it towards enemy lines. He was, and is, a true America hero.
From his decorated military career to his long-time service for Hawaii, Senator Inouye was a dedicated public servant. Humble to the end, Senator Inouye was and always will be known as a true gentleman in the Senate. Aloha, Senator Inouye.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President. With his family at his side, the last word spoken by Senator Daniel Inouye in this life was ``aloha.'' To the people of Hawaii, it is a word with a meaning far beyond simply
``hello'' or ``goodbye.'' It is a word of profound significance, one that describes a spirit of service to others, of compassion, and reverence.
It is the best possible epitaph for my cherished friend and colleague.
Dan Inouye lived that spirit every day of a long and remarkable life. When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, he was there, serving as a medical volunteer in the most horrific and dangerous circumstances. When the ban on Japanese Americans serving in the U.S. military was lifted in 1943, he immediately enlisted. In the closing days of World War II, when his platoon came under intense enemy fire, Second Lieutenant Inouye led the attack, despite grievous wounds.
That extraordinary heroism earned Dan Inouye the Medal of Honor but cost him his right arm and his dream of becoming a surgeon. In the true
``Aloha Spirit,'' he found another way to serve, first as a member of the Hawaii Territorial Legislature, and then, when statehood was achieved in 1959, as Hawaii's first Member of Congress.
In 1962, Dan was elected to the Senate, beginning a half century of contributions, accomplishments, and leadership on behalf of this institution and our Nation. He was the first Japanese American elected to the Congress and a stalwart champion of civil rights for all. He was a decorated hero who fought for the rights and benefits of all veterans. From his daily work in the Senate to his exceptional service on the Watergate and Iran-Contra committees, Dan approached every task with the determination to do what was best for our country.
I was privileged to serve with Dan on the Appropriations Committee and honored to join him in the Gang of 14 to preserve the tradition of open debate in the Senate. No matter how difficult the issue, he always conducted himself with dignity and civility.
In this time of sorrow, I offer my deep condolences to the Inouye family. I hope they will find comfort in knowing that this great patriot and public servant leave a legacy that will inspire Americans for generations to come. And to Senator Daniel Inouye I say, aloha pumehana, my friend. Farewell with my deepest regards and affection.
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I appreciate having this opportunity to join my colleagues in expressing not only my great sadness on the passing of Senator Inouye but my great appreciation of his lifetime of service to his beloved Hawaii and to our Nation. Danny Inouye lived a full and active life, and his great gifts enabled him to make a difference that will continue to be felt for a long time to come.
I had the honor of introducing Danny Inouye during one of our Prayer Breakfasts earlier this year. Even though I thought I knew him pretty well, as I read the interviews and personal reflections he had shared on his life, I realized more than before the importance of the role he had played over the years as he worked so very hard to make Hawaii all that it is today.
Danny learned at an early age all about the importance of observing the great values that served to help direct his life--love of country, love of family, service to all those who needed his help, and, equally important, service to God. Over the years those great principles helped to make him a leader in every sense of the word as people looked to him for his leadership in difficult times of both war and peace.
Over the years, he was often asked about his experience during World War II and the impact it had on him. Danny would begin his reflections when he was a young man, still in high school and pursuing his dream of a career in medicine. As so often happens in our lives, his life was changed forever in a moment that began one morning as he was getting ready for church. He heard a report on his radio that Pearl Harbor was being attacked. Without hesitation, Danny headed over to the base to see what he could do to help those who had been injured. Danny had learned a great deal about first aid, and his skills were put to good use to help those who had been injured that day.
That was just the first part of Danny's story and his experience with the war effort of those years. In the days to come it would present him with one of the toughest challenges that anyone could have ever faced as he played an important role in the effort to protect our Nation and restore peace to the world.
As he would continue with his story, Danny's war experiences told a powerful and compelling story about what so many of our Nation's veterans have experienced in battle. That is why Danny will always be known as one of our great war heroes. Even with that standard, however, there was something special about him and the courage and bravery he showed on the battlefield. His efforts were so extraordinary they were recognized with a Medal of Honor, one of our Nation's highest awards. They place him on the roster of our most distinguished heroes, and they remind us all of the great sacrifices that he and so many of our veterans have made over the years to keep our Nation strong and free. Thanks to Danny and those with whom he served, we were able to emerge from that world war victorious and bring peace and freedom to those nations that had been overrun by an evil alliance led by a ruthless dictator in Germany.
That was just the start of Danny's life, but it had taken a heavy toll from him that would change it forever. With the loss of his arm, it was no longer possible for him to complete his dream of being a surgeon. Those who knew him and his great caring heart urged him to find another field in medicine to pursue. He decided to follow another path, and as we are told in the Bible, God had a hand in helping to direct his steps.
As soon as he could, Danny attended George Washington University, my alma mater, and earned his law degree. He then became a part of the effort that would lead Hawaii to statehood. Danny knew the result would bring great changes to his home State and increase the opportunities available to the people who lived there. Thanks in part to Danny, those efforts to achieve statehood were successful, and they resulted in the addition of Hawaii to the roster of our States--and placed another star on the American flag he loved so dearly.
Danny knew that statehood would not be the end, it would be just the beginning of the next great chapter in the history of Hawaii. Danny wanted to be a part of that effort, too, so he was encouraged to run to serve as Hawaii's first Representative in the House. He was successful, and his election to the Congress gave him an opportunity to take on another leadership role--crafting the future of his beloved home State. Once again, it brought out the best in him, as he dedicated himself to making Hawaii a better place for all those who called that special place their home.
It wasn't long before Danny then ran for and won his election to the U.S. Senate. It began a Senate career that was to enable him to make a difference in more ways than we will ever know. As he served here, he did more than observe history or participate in it--he helped to write it day by day, chapter by chapter.
Danny's career has been so active, so full, and so productive, it would be impossible to list all his achievements that make up his legacy of service both here in the Senate and back home in Hawaii. One thing will always stand out in my mind, however--Danny's great loyalty to all those with whom he served. In every sense Danny was a gentleman and a gentle man. He had a quiet and understated way of doing his work day by day. He was man of great kindness, and he shared that kindness with everyone he knew or worked with. His service as a Member of the Senate provided us with a great example of how we should all approach our duties and our work together, putting our country, our God, our family, and our home States first.
That is why Senators on both sides of the aisle have come to respect and appreciate him and his character so very much. I will long remember the great friendship and close working relationship he had with Ted Stevens. They shared such a strong bond that they often referred to each other as brothers. He had strong and supportive friendships with other Senators, too, and that is why we will all miss him so very much in the days and months to come.
I know I will never forget that Prayer Breakfast and all Danny had to share with us that day. He had a great and powerful faith in God and the special relationship they had built up over the years. It helped strengthen him on the battlefield. It helped to guide his efforts when he was called to serve the people of Hawaii. It gave him a source of inner strength that firmed his resolve as he worked to serve the people of our Nation.
By any and all standards, Danny Inouye lived a life we would all be proud of. He packed more into each day than some people experience in a lifetime. Although we had him with us for so many years, it still feels like he was taken from us all too soon.
Now we come together to say goodbye to our colleague--confident in the knowledge that he has made a difference in Hawaii and in Washington that will continue to have an impact for many years to come. It is often said but always bears repeating that one person can make a difference in the world that will equal their determination to do so. Danny is the proof of that, and his memory will continue to inspire all those who knew him or will read about him and his great love for the United States of America.
As a grandfather, I will also long remember that day just a few years ago when Danny became a grandfather, too--for the first time. It was a day he had long anticipated and looked forward to. It reminded me of how much it means to all grandfathers to hold the next generation of their family in their arms and to be reminded of the great circle of life and all that it means as the memories of the past give way to our hopes for the future. Now that grandchild will proudly carry the legacy Danny Inouye leaves behind to all those who knew and loved him. It is more than a record of great achievements, it is a challenge he leaves to all those who will follow him to dare to try to do even greater things than Danny Inouye has done.
God bless and be with you, Danny. Thanks for your service, but most especially thanks for your friendship. Our faith reminds us that we will be parted for only a short time and the day will come when we will see you again. Until that time, you will be greatly missed and you will never be forgotten. Diana and I will keep your family in our prayers. May God bless and be with them all.
Tributes to Departing Senators
Kent Conrad
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, there are many people in this town who say they are worried about the deficit. But all too often, those claiming the mantle of ``deficit hawk'' are pretty dovish about making the hard decisions required to reduce the budget deficit and bring down the national debt. Some use the deficit to argue for damaging important programs that provide for the safety and well-being of Americans. Others, in a brazen bit of obfuscation now decades-old, make the disproven claim that the budget-busting tax cuts they prefer would actually reduce the deficit.
In this maze of distortion and debunked arguments, Kent Conrad is like a clean prairie breeze. He cares deeply about the fiscal health of our Nation, and for more than two decades, he has been dismantling faulty arguments and fuzzy budget math with facts and figures and with charts, yes, charts. In naming Senator Conrad one of the 10 best Senators in 2006.
Time magazine reported that the support staff here in the Senate had become so overwhelmed by Senator Conrad's chart requests that they gave up and gave him his own printing equipment. Kent Conrad doesn't just know the facts. He wants you to know them too--and in bright colors.
Behind the flash charts are deep substantive knowledge and a rigorous approach that eschews wishful thinking. Senator Conrad knows that the way out of our deficit problem, the path that avoids the fiscal cliff, means looking at our entire budget picture, both the spending that goes out and the revenue that comes in. He laid out the facts recently here on the Senate floor, saying:
The public understands we face both a spending and a revenue problem. Spending is near a 60-year high, as this chart shows. The red line is the spending line; the green line is the revenue line. But for those who say it is just a spending problem, I don't think the facts bear that out, because the revenue is near a 60-year low. I think most logical people would say we have to work both sides of this equation.
This logical approach makes Senator Conrad a strong ally. I have been proud to join with him on efforts to end some of the many distortions and loopholes that increase the deficit and make our Tax Code less fair to working families. Earlier this year, he and I introduced the CUT Loopholes Act, which would reduce the deficit by $155 billion over 10 years through elimination of several offshore tax loopholes, and through elimination of the stock-option loophole, which forces American taxpayers to subsidize the large stock-option packages regularly awarded to corporate executives. In March, we were joined by Senator Whitehouse in advocating for inclusion of a portion of the CUT Loopholes Act in the Senate's surface transportation bill, and our amendment was adopted by the Senate. It did not become law, but the Senate's action represented real progress in the fight against tax loopholes.
Senator Conrad and I have worked together on another important issue--the effort by many multinational corporations to secure a
``repatriation'' tax break for some of the billions of dollars they hold offshore. That was tried once, in 2004, and as Senator Conrad accurately notes, that repatriation holiday was ``a complete and utter failure at job generation.''
He also has been a forceful advocate for the need to address the tax rates on capital gains and dividend income. The low rates on these forms of income is a driver of our budget deficits and of rising income inequality. As Senator Conrad said in a recent interview about the need to address tax rates:
It's very clear to me. You do have to have rate increases, especially on capital gains and dividends it's needed and fair.
Not just needed, he said--fair. And that is what I think we should keep in mind about Senator Conrad's work to address the deficit in an honest and forthright way. Yes, he knows the facts and figures, knows them as well as anyone. But knowing the numbers is not enough. Budget math is not an academic exercise. We are not here to represent numbers on spreadsheets. We represent people--actual human beings, with dreams and ambitions and hope. And always, Kent Conrad has marshaled the facts and figures in support of real people. He knows the toll that out-of-
control deficits can have on generations to come. He recognizes the need to address rapidly rising entitlement spending--but also the need to preserve important programs that have made so much of a difference in the lives of Americans, especially the most vulnerable.
He and his wonderful wife Lucy have been dear friends to my wife Barbara and me. The four of us have hosted dinners together to deepen our understanding of both the pressing issues of the day and of transcendent issues such as the origins of matter and the universe.
Senator Conrad is leaving the Senate, but the need for his kind of rigorous approach and concern for the impact of our policies is not going away. I hope we can learn from and follow his example as we move forward to confront our Nation's challenges.
Ben Nelson
Mr. President, there are few issues we deal with on the Armed Services Committee in which the stakes are so high or the policy questions so complex as in dealing with our Nation's strategic forces and capabilities. The fearsome power of our strategic weapons, the urgency of avoiding mistakes, the difficult strategic calculations they require, the advanced technologies involved, all of these combine to make strategic forces complicated and of paramount importance.
It has also been the signature issue for Senator Ben Nelson during his service on the Armed Services Committee. Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee since 2009, Senator Nelson has long been one of the Senate's most thoughtful voices on issues related to our nuclear arsenal, space programs, missile defense and other strategic issues. As he prepares to leave the Senate, we are losing an outstanding contributor to our nation's strategic thinking and decision-making.
Certainly the presence of Offut Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command in Senator Nelson's home State give him first-hand evidence of the importance of these issues. And appropriately, he brings a common-
sense Nebraska viewpoint to our consideration of them.
Senator Nelson's efforts were important to the Senate's 2010 aproval of the New START treaty, a significant step forward in our nuclear arms reduction efforts. He made it clear in that debate that he is a firm believer in the need to ensure that the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons laboratories are modernized and able to support the existing nuclear stockpile so that we do not have to return to nuclear testing.
His common-sense approach has been especially noticeable in issues involving management of the nuclear weapons laboratories as they balance the science behind stockpile stewardship and meeting day-to-day problems with the deployed nuclear forces.
As Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, he has helped ensure strong oversight of and support for the development, testing and deployment of effective ballistic missile defenses, including the Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense in Europe that is already providing protection for our forward deployed forces, our allies and partners against Iran's current and emerging ballistic missiles.
He has been an advocate for improving our deployed and planned homeland ballistic missile defense capabilities, including efforts to understand and correct the problem that led to a flight test failure of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system in December of 2010. In this regard, he has supported rigorous and operationally realistic testing of our missile defense systems.
Of course, strategic issues are not Senator Nelson's only concern. On the Armed Services Committee, before he chaired Strategic Forces, he was chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee, demonstrating a keen understanding of the issues and a deep concern for the men and women of our military and their families. He has been a tireless advocate for the National Guard and for Nebraska's farm families, and a fighter for working families across America, advocating for a reasonable minimum wage and for important workplace protections. And he has been among our most passionate voices for an end to the partisan gridlock that has marked Washington, and the Senate, for far too long.
None of these issues are simple. All of them are vitally important. Senator Nelson's thoughtful, careful contributions have without question made our Nation safer, made our military forces more effective, our use of precious taxpayer dollars more effective. He has earned the respect and affection of the people of Nebraska, and he will be sorely missed on the Armed Services Committee and in the Senate. Barb and I wish all the best for Ben and Diane as they continue their efforts to serve their State and our Nation.
Jim Webb
Mr. President, Jim Webb has served our Nation in ways that few Americans can match. He is a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts. His experiences in Vietnam helped him shape a series of novels for which he has received justified critical praise and which helped readers understand the experience of war and those who fight it. He served as the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, and later as Secretary of the Navy. He won enormous praise for his television coverage of the Marine mission to Beirut in the 1980s, and later for ``Born Fighting,'' a history of Scots-Irish immigrants to America.
For the last 6 years, he has been serving his Nation in the capacity we in the Senate have seen firsthand, as United States Senator from Virginia. It has been my privilege to serve with him on the Armed Services Committee, and as chairman, I have benefitted greatly from his intelligence, his experience, and his dedication to the men and women who wear the uniform of our military. Let me reflect on a few of the ways in which I have seen up close Senator Webb's dedication to service.
Senator Webb is rightly recognized for his work on national security, but that has not been his only concern in the Senate. He has been a welcome voice here on issues of economic fairness. Soon after his election to the Senate, he wrote in the Wall Street Journal of an urgent need to address growing economic inequality. He wrote:
[T]he current economic divisions in society are harmful to our future. It should be the first order of business for the new Congress to begin addressing these divisions, and to work to bring true fairness back to economic life.]
And he has acted on those words, fighting for a tax system that is more equitable to working families; for trade policies that recognize not just the benefits, but the costs, of free trade; and for education policies that give all Americans, including those already in the workforce, the skills and opportunities to prosper.
An issue on which I have been able to work closely with Senator Webb is the posture of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific region and, in particular, the plan to realign Marine forces in the Pacific. I traveled with him to Okinawa and Guam, and even the island of Tinian, and saw firsthand his extraordinary knowledge and understanding of the issues. I have benefitted greatly, as I know Senator McCain has, from his insights on this complex and difficult issue, which involves pressing strategic issues, enormous budget pressures, and the concerns of our close ally Japan. Senator Webb's hard work on this issue has helped resolve the impasse that was blocking progress on the plan to move some of the marines off of Okinawa and move us closer to an achievable, affordable plan for Marine realignment that will benefit the people of Japan and the United States while better serving our national strategic and security interests in this important region.
But what is perhaps most notable about Senator Webb's service in the Senate is the way that he has joined three of his concerns--America's national security, the need for greater economic fairness, and his affection for the men and women of our military.
This is perhaps best expressed by the post-9/11 GI bill, legislation he introduced on his first day in office, and whose passage he pursued with great determination. When signed into law in 2008, the post-9/11 GI bill provided the largest expansion of educational benefits for veterans since World War II. Just as the original GI bill honored the service of World War II veterans and helped pave the way for millions of servicemembers to earn college degrees, so, too, has Senator Webb's legislation honored the generation that has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere. The impact of this legislation, in improving the lives of our veterans and in its benefits for our Nation as a whole, will be large and long lasting.
Senator Webb has been a tireless advocate for the men and women of our military, and in particular for our junior enlisted troops. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Personnel, he has fought for adequate pay and benefits, and against the unscrupulous who would seek to profit by taking advantage of these young men and women. Senator Webb speaks eloquently of the great strains of more than a decade of high operational tempo on these men and women and their families, and of the
``moral contract'' between our Nation and the troops who defend us. He speaks as the descendant of veterans, as a veteran himself, and as the father, father-in-law and brother of veterans. The Senate, and the Nation, have been better off the last 6 years having that voice in the Senate. I have been grateful for his counsel, and I am sorry we soon will no longer have the benefit of his service on the Armed Services Committee or in the Senate. But even though we will miss him, I have no doubt Jim Webb's service to our Nation will long continue, and I wish him every success.
Jon Kyl
Mr. President, if success in the United States Senate depended only upon working alongside those with whom we agree, this would be a pretty uncomplicated and uninteresting place. We are a large and complex Nation, made up of people with varying interests, preferences and beliefs. This is where the representatives of a diverse Nation come to try to resolve those differences into coherent national policy. And success in this body depends on the efforts of Senators of differing beliefs and backgrounds who labor to discover common ground.
This is on my mind as I consider the career of Senator Jon Kyl, who is leaving the Senate at the end of his third term representing the people of Arizona. We have differed many times here in the Senate. And we also have sought common ground. These efforts are totally consistent.
In the wake of the 2001 terror attacks, our Nation's response took many forms. Our military, intelligence and security agencies were obviously essential to that response, but importantly, we did not neglect a less obvious need: the need to cut off terrorist financing. Senator Kyl played an important role in this. He was a co-sponsor with me of legislation to give financial regulators important new authorities to act against terror financing.
We found common ground on the need to speak out in strong and clear opposition to the repressive regime in Iran. Last year, he and I were part of a bipartisan group that offered a resolution calling for an end to the violent repression Iran's government has carried out against its own people, urging international action to support the people of Iran, and reaffirming America's commitment to universal freedoms.
I was proud to work with Senator Kyl on these and other important issues before the Senate. I respect and deeply appreciate his commitment to protecting our Nation and to the universal standards of human rights that are such an important part of America's legacy. I wish Senator Kyl and his family every success and happiness as he returns to Arizona.
Daniel K. Akaka
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President in his farewell message to the people of Hawaii, Senator Daniel Akaka wrote that his dream was always to work in a job in which he could help people. In his 36 years in Congress--14 in the House of Representatives and 22 here in the Senate--Danny Akaka has done that job exceedingly well.
He has done it with statesmanship and perseverance. As just one example, just a few weeks ago, President Obama signed into law landmark legislation to better protect Federal employees who come forward to disclose government waste, fraud, abuse, and other wrongdoing. The Akaka-Collins Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act would not have passed without Danny's determination to help both our dedicated Federal workers and the citizens they serve.
Serving with Danny on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I appreciate the priority he always placed on making the Federal Government more efficient and transparent, and on advancing policies to attract, recruit, and retain the skilled workforce needed to meet today's challenges. From safeguarding our Nation against terrorist attacks to supporting the first responders in our communities, Danny has been a great ally and a true leader.
It also has been an honor to work with Danny on the Armed Services Committee. As a World War II veteran, he brought to the committee a deep and personal understanding of the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform, and by their families. He is a champion of efforts to ensure that our Active National Guard and Reserve personnel have the equipment and training to remain the best fighting force in the world, and he is dedicated to providing our veterans with the services they earned and deserve.
Danny Akaka has been described as the ``Aloha Senator.'' To most of us, that multi-purpose word can mean anything from ``hello'' to
``goodbye.'' To the Hawaiian people, it is a word of deep spirituality and profound meaning.
The late Reverend Abraham Akaka, Danny's oldest brother and one of Hawaii's most beloved clergymen, defined the ``Aloha Spirit'' this way:
``God first, others second, yourself last.'' As a patriot and statesman, Senator Daniel Akaka embodies that spirit through his desire to promote the true good of others and to help people. Aloha pumehana, Senator Akaka, farewell with my deepest regards and affection. Thank you for your friendship and for your service to our country.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I would like to speak on an amendment to the pending bill--an amendment I will not be able to offer because I understand the majority filled the amendment tree so that we cannot make amendments pending at this time. So I would like to take some time, though, to inform Members about the importance of my amendment and why it ought to be included.
I think it is simply about smart government. It is about ensuring that taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely, while at the same time guaranteeing Federal law enforcement agencies that face challenges following Hurricane Sandy have the resources they need to get the job done.
On December 7, the White House Office of Management and Budget transmitted a legislative proposal to Congress seeking supplemental appropriations for disaster mitigation relating to Hurricane Sandy. By all accounts, this action was a normal response to a Federal disaster and one that nearly all Members have supported for various disasters that have occurred in our home States. However, this request was unusual in several respects. For example, a large portion of the funds included in the President's request are unrelated, or at least extremely remote to the damage caused by the storm. This includes funding for fisheries in Alaska, funding for increased Amtrak capacity, and funding to be spent years into the future. Further, the funding request sent up by the President does not include any recommendation whatsoever for offsetting the spending. So, long story short, this request means more deficit spending.
There is one part of the request that causes me particular concern--
and the purpose of my amendment--because it relates to my work as the ranking member of the Committee on Judiciary. In the President's request, there are specific line items for repairing and replacing Federal vehicles damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Specifically, the Justice Department requested $4 million for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, $1 million for the Drug Enforcement Administration,
$230,000 for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and $20,000 for vehicles for the Department of Justice inspector general. Among other things, these funds are largely to repair and replace Federal vehicles damaged by water from the storm.
The Department of Homeland Security requested $300,000 for the Secret Service, $855,000 for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Again, this funding is largely for repairing or replacing damaged motor vehicles. The President requested this funding in an effort to replace these damaged vehicles. He cited operational use of these vehicles by law enforcement agencies as the reason they need to be replaced.
Now, I understand that vehicles are a very important part of the work that these Federal law enforcement agencies undertake and are critical to ongoing operations in the field. However, I am concerned about simply providing funding for replacement vehicles in the field because the way the government operates, this funding will not reach the agencies immediately. Even when it does, it will take time for replacement vehicles to be located, purchased, and prepared for use. But given that this is an emergency spending bill, we can assume that these agencies need vehicles for immediate operational use.
As such, my amendment seeks to place these vehicles into the hands of the agents in the field as fast as possible. Instead of simply providing funding, my amendment requires that, within 7 days, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security identify and relocate vehicles based at the Washington, DC, headquarters of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security that are used for nonoperational purposes. The vehicles identified will then be used to replace those damaged by Hurricane Sandy that are used by the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, and the Secret Service.
The amendment limits the funding provided for these vehicle purchases until a report is produced to Congress identifying the vehicle relocations. I think it is a very good government amendment and one that actually achieves the goal of replacing operational vehicles used by Federal law enforcement actually faster than in the underlying bill.
Since we are told this funding is absolutely necessary for these agencies--so necessary as to warrant emergency funding that is not offset with spending reductions--this amendment actually improves the bill by getting vehicles to law enforcement immediately.
The agencies who will likely oppose this will argue that this is unnecessary and that we should just write a check for the new cars. That is a ridiculous position to take, and we see the damage on television so you know there is a purpose for the underlying bill. But if this is an emergency for these vehicles, these agencies can spare some of the vehicles they have sitting around at their headquarters for nonoperational purposes.
These vehicles are given to employees in offices such as legislative affairs, budget, facility managers, and chief information officers and chief financial officers who may get cars to drive to and from work. Many may even sit unused for periods of time. Those are not operational needs.
Just last year, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal titled ``Free Ride Ends for Marshals,'' which addressed how 100 headquarters employees of the U.S. Marshals Service returned government-owned vehicles to the motor pool instead of using them to commute to and from work. The article described how in recent years the proliferation of take-home vehicles for headquarter employees had exploded.
While the article focused on reducing take-home cars at the Marshals Service, it is clear that the same argument can be made for reducing take-home cars at other agencies. In the case of this supplemental, if this is actually an emergency worthy of millions of taxpayer dollars, these agencies can inconvenience nonoperational personnel at headquarters to get these vehicles out to the fields and end the fringe benefits. In fact, according to inventory numbers provided to the Appropriations Committee, the Justice Department has 3,225 vehicles at the Washington, DC, headquarters of their agency alone. Surely, the Justice Department can find a handful of vehicles out of these 3,225 vehicles that could be sent to the field to replace the damaged vehicles--and get it done a heck of a lot faster than appropriating this money and going through a process that would not get them out there for a longer time.
On top of that, my amendment would allow the funds to replace these nonoperational vehicles after they are relocated. So my amendment would at most create a very small inconvenience for these nonoperational staff for a short time. This amendment makes sense by modifying a request that, quite honestly, doesn't make a lot of sense. If this is an emergency, as we are told, the agencies should have no problem doing what my amendment asks.
We owe it to the American taxpayers to spend their tax dollars wisely. This amendment doesn't go as far as we could, which would be to strike the provision outright. Instead, it gives the administration the benefit of the doubt that this is a true emergency and that these cars are needed. However, it forces the agencies to make a decision to temporarily inconvenience a few employees in Washington, DC, while ensuring the operational law enforcement elements in the field have the equipment they need.
So I urge my colleagues to support a commonsense, good-government amendment, and I hope it can be considered somewhere along the line before we pass this final legislation. If I could say just a few words on the issue as a whole, I would like to take that opportunity.
There is no doubt in my mind that every dollar that Sandy victims and local communities and infrastructure are entitled to, if it comes under existing law, they ought to have. Our country is always having disasters. That is a foregone conclusion. Throughout any year, there are always disasters to appropriate money for. Then, on a specific disaster, these problems go on for years after the money is appropriated--and it is years before some of the money is spent. All I have to do is look at Cedar Rapids, IA, and how they are fighting with FEMA after a 2008 flood to get some money as an example.
So let's just understand in this body, so that there is no mistake, that New York and surrounding areas will get their money because the principle of FEMA money--and probably other disaster money as well--is simply this: At the beginning of a year, you have some money in FEMA. You never know what the disasters are going to be throughout the next 12 months, but when a disaster is declared there is money there to flow. When that disaster money runs out, as far as I know it has always been replaced--whether there is an earthquake in California or a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, or tornadoes like we have in the Midwest, and Sandy as the most recent example.
As far as I know, there has never been any dispute under the laws at that time--and those laws don't change very often--that they do get the money out to the people who need it. Then when that fund goes dry, it is replenished by Congress.
Unless somebody is seeking money in some way other than disasters that have been taken care of in this particular instance--and I don't know that they are, other than what has been pointed out that ought to be done through the appropriations process and not really an emergency. But for the emergency, I don't hear anybody wanting money for Sandy any different than any other emergency.
I hope nobody is saying that Sandy ought to be treated differently than an earthquake in California or a hurricane in the South or tornadoes in the Midwest or wherever they might happen. I haven't surmised that is what they are trying to do. But if they are, they shouldn't say that Sandy ought to be treated differently than another disaster because generally a disaster is a disaster--whether it is an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, or Sandy.
So the money is going to be there, and it will be there on time. You don't know 1 month after a disaster exactly how much money is needed. In fact, they asked for $80 billion from the Governors of those States. The President sent up $64 billion. Some people of expertise on this in our caucus have said there are certain things that aren't authorized, so that shouldn't be expended.
Then I point out about some vehicles that can't be purchased right now to do the good they are supposed to do.
We ought to be comforted that there is an attitude in this Senate, over decades, that the Federal Government is an insurer of last resort for disasters, whatever kind of disaster you have, at least disasters as described by existing law. New York will get its money and it doesn't necessarily have to be the $64 million; it is just to make sure there is money there for what is needed tomorrow and the next day and the next day. But we are not going to have a final figure on this for a long time. So we ought to move with some money to make sure it is there for what can be spent right now.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken). The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Tribute To Janice Shelton
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a woman by the name of Janice Shelton for her friendship and 32 years of dedication as an employee of this body, the Senate. Twenty-five of those years Janice worked as my executive assistant. She has demonstrated sincere dedication to me, my office, my family, and this body, the Senate. It is an understatement to say she will be sorely missed. She will be. She has always been kind and thoughtful to me, to my wife Landra, all my children, and to everyone with whom she comes in contact. If there is a problem, everyone knows: Go to Janice. No one has had my ear over the past 25 years like Janice Shelton has.
She has spent her professional career creating order where there could easily be chaos. Over the course of her productive career with the Army, the White House, and the Senate, each benefited from her unique expertise, professionalism, and hard work.
She began her professional life at the Department of the Army as secretary to the Chief of the Personnel and Training Division Headquarters. Her gift of completing tasks quickly and with ease, all while maintaining a positive outlook, served her well when she moved on to a position of trust at the White House. It is not merely her professionalism but the equally valued personal qualities she has brought to the job: graciousness, unflagging energy, and a willingness to take on any task, large or small, that made her so treasured to everyone who came in contact with her.
From the White House she transited to the Senate with Senator Hawkins and Senator Mikulski and, as I said, for the last 25 years has been a source of calm and order in my office, despite the often long hours and the endless to-do lists that come with working with me. I say with certainty that had it not been for Janice, my office would not have functioned nearly as smoothly as it has over the years.
She is also a woman of tremendous faith and her life revolves around her family. She has been married to Robert Lee Shelton for 58 years. They have two daughters, Robin LeCroy and Laurie Nelson. She has eight grandchildren and one great-grandson. I know four of her grandchildren. I got up every Sunday to see what happened in Shelton's college football game. Shelton was big. He was an offensive lineman--played at the college level. He must have weighed 300 pounds of muscle.
I followed Shelton's little brother--little brother?--6 foot 3 or 4, a big, strapping, left-handed pitcher; also a college baseball player. And then I had two of her granddaughters who worked for us as pages, Rebecca and Holly.
She spends long hours at her desk. I do not go home early but I could call and she would be there at 9, 10 clock at night, and that is no exaggeration. But when she is not at that desk, Janice was usually in Georgia or North Carolina with her children or grandchildren.
She has probably been a little bit political, but I think she has gotten a little more political working for me. She has made sure each of her grandchildren understands the importance of their political voice. During the recent election she called those eligible to vote to make sure they had voted. I did not press very hard, but she may have urged them how they should vote.
While Janice's professional accomplishments deserve great recognition, it is really Janice herself who will be missed so dearly. She has served not only as a deeply trusted and committed assistant to me, but as a mentor to many who have worked with her. I know I am not the only one who will note her absence. She has been so wonderful to my family. During times of crisis, my boys know: Call Janice. They can always get through to me through Janice. She has given them advice. She has counseled them. My wife Landra is a dear friend of Janice and conversely the case, Janice is her good friend. She has helped Landra in so many different ways--social events that Landra has committed to take care of here, because of what I do, and other reasons.
During Landra's very bad accident Janice was always there. She was the one who walked to my desk and said to me: Landra has been hurt pretty bad. You have to stop doing what you are doing--and we were trying to do a health care bill. During Landra's battle with breast cancer she has helped her in so many different ways. I am so indebted to Janice for how she has treated my family in addition to how she has treated me and everyone who comes in contact with her.
At our Christmas party last night, we gave Janice a little present. I told everyone there that she and I had shed all the tears that we were going to. I guess it was not true.
She combined an unflinching honesty with a generous and kind nature. One always trusts she has one's best interests at heart. Her charm causes even the hardest cases, many times, to crack a smile. And her quick wit often brings a grin or a smile, sometimes a laugh. These traits, more so even than her skill and dedication, have made her successful.
I will miss her both as an employee and as a person. Today is her last day--just a few more hours to work here.
On the back of my desk I have a picture of my mentor, Michael O'Callahan. In fact, I have two pictures on my credenza right behind my desk. He was my mentor and my best friend. He taught me something that I have always remembered: You can buy a resume, you can buy good looks, education, experience, but the one thing you cannot buy is loyalty. There is no one who has ever been more loyal to me than Janice Shelton.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S8263, December 20, 2012, the Record reads: . . . of my mentor, Michael Callahan.
The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . of my mentor, Mike O}Callaghan.
========================= END NOTE =========================
I congratulate her on her service to the Senate and wish her the best in her retirement, along with her dear friend Bobby, who is also my husband and always will be.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On page S8263, December 2012, the Record reads: . . . along with her dear friend . .
The online Record has been corrected to read: . . . along with her dear husband . . .
========================= END NOTE =========================
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
Mr. COONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Remembering Daniel K. Inouye
Mr. COONS. Mr. President, this has been a hard week in the Senate as we have said goodbye. As we have just seen in the remarks of the majority leader, retirements are very difficult. Parting with the company of honored and treasured colleagues in the Senate is as hard as it is anywhere in the world, but we have had some particularly difficult moments earlier today. We assembled in the Rotunda of this great building of the Capitol to celebrate the life of one of our greatest colleagues, Senator Dan Inouye of Hawaii. His desk sits draped in black, and his chair has a lei that was flown in from his home State of Hawaii.
This week we have all felt and known the change in the Chamber. The Senate has lost a giant and America has lost a hero. Danny Inouye was truly a great man, and I feel blessed in my 2 years here to have had the opportunity to sit with him over a private lunch, to joke with him occasionally in the anteroom, and to learn something of his spirit and his personality. He had such a big heart and a wonderfully gracious spirit.
Most of the Senators I have had the honor to come to know in these 2 years I only knew from a great distance as a local elected official or as someone in the business community at home in Delaware. When I asked Senator Inouye to lunch, I was intimidated. As a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, as a giant in the Senate, as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and the President pro tempore of this Senate, frankly, I trembled to sit with him at a lunch and was delighted to discover a person who was so approachable, so warm, so human, so hard working, so loyal, so spirited, and so passionate. In the minutes ahead, I would like to share, if I can, a few insights about a dozen other Senators who are retiring from this body and a few among them whom I have had the joy of getting to know in the last 2 years.
We don't often see the level of humanity in the Senate that we have seen this week, but it is important to know that the people who work in this building can be better than the passing politics that sometimes dominates, and Senator Danny Inouye knew that. His enduring friendship with Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, was legendary. He believed passionately that it was important for us to work together and to get past party affiliation and the picayune matters and get together to do right for our country.
Of the many speeches I heard in this Chamber and the remarks we heard earlier today in the Capitol Rotunda, one thing leaps out at me about Danny Inouye: Even when he was declared an enemy alien--as were all of his ancestry at the outset of one of the greatest conflicts this world has known--Senator Inouye volunteered for service in Europe. He was a member of our most decorated military unit, the 442nd Combat Battalion. He engaged in the fields of Europe and the hill country of Italy in a moment of such personal sacrifice and remarkable bravery as to humble any who hear its details.
In his service over decades after that moment, he proved what he showed forth on that battlefield: that Danny Inouye believed in America even before America believed in him. Even in a moment of such immense injustice, which was bitterly unreal to thousands of people across this country of Japanese ancestry, this man's great heart, aloha spirit, and embrace of the American dream led us forward. He pulled us into the greatness that was meant for this country.
The star of Senator Inouye may have dimmed in this Chamber that is surrounded in its boarder by stars, but as I share the honor as the Presiding Officer over this Chamber, I will--in the days and months and years ahead--look to our flag and remember this Senator. He represented the 50th State, the State of Hawaii, from its very first moment of joining the stars on our flag in statehood. He has shown ever more brightly in his decades of service here, and that example of service pulls us forward into an ever brighter commitment to human dignity, decency, and the respect for all in this country that his lifelong service challenged us to believe in.
There are so many other Senators I want to speak about today, but let me turn to a few, if I might, and give some insight for the folks who only see Members of this Chamber on cable TV shows or in the give-and-
take of election season or who only know them as the cutout and caricatures that the public thinks of as Senators. If there is a common thread between them, it is that they share that loyalty, work ethic, and humility that so characterized Senator Inouye in his decades here.
Dick Lugar
I had the honor to serve with Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana on the Foreign Relations Committee. He subscribes to the same philosophy. Over the 35 years he served in the Senate, he applied the practical perspective that experience as the mayor of Indianapolis gave him. He worked to make the world a safer place for all of us.
Along with nine of our colleagues, Senator Lugar will retire from this Chamber this month after a remarkable career. He knew the stakes were too high to let partisan politics and personality prevent progress. He partnered with Senator John Kerry, Senator Sam Nunn, and then-Senator Joe Biden of Delaware on the Foreign Relations Committee. Because of their work together, there are thousands fewer nuclear weapons in our world. Serving with Dick Lugar these last 2 years has been a tremendous honor.
Jim Webb
Serving with Senator Jim Webb of Virginia has also been an honor. He, too, is also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. As a retiring colleague, he knows there are things in this world and in our lives more important than our politics. He was a decorated marine, a celebrated author, a former Secretary of the Navy, and now a respected Senator. His tireless work has helped to make the world safer, our veterans stronger, and our criminal justice system more fair. I will truly miss his company.
Kent Conrad
There are a few more retiring Senators I would like to share some more detailed stories about today, and I will start with the chairman from the Budget Committee, Senator Conrad. Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota is a Senator I met many years ago. But if I am going to talk about him, I believe I have to have a chart. I really cannot speak to Kent Conrad's service and record in the Senate without a chart.
For decades Senator Conrad tackled the challenge of educating the men and women of the Senate and the people of this country about the very real fiscal and budgetary challenges facing our country. As we can see, especially after the debut of Microsoft Excel, and then after he was named Budget Committee chair, the steady increase and usage of floor charts by Senator Conrad has paved a path which few of us can hope to find.
Senator Conrad is a budget wonk after my own heart. He is a numbers guy. He is not afraid to get into the weeds and to project in a clear and legible format the minutia and magnifying details of the complex Federal budget. I am not sure I have met anyone in the Senate so passionately serious about the numbers and getting them right as my friend, Senator Conrad.
The first time I met him was more than 15 years ago. He had come to Wilmington for an event that then-Senator Biden hosted at the Delaware art museum. There were 200 folks in a big auditorium. I will never forget Senator Biden introducing Senator Conrad as the most thoughtful and detailed budget leader in Washington.
Senator Conrad stood up and fired up the overhead projector, the lights dimmed, and he launched into a lengthy discourse on the minutia of the Federal budget and deficit. After 30 minutes and more than 40 slides later, the lights came back up, and I think there were maybe 20 of us left in the auditorium. Everyone else wandered outside for the cocktails.
I was enthralled by his presentation, the clarity of his thinking, and his dedication to get things right for the American people. Today I am on the Budget Committee, and I have enjoyed serving with Senator Conrad as my chairman. It was, for this budget nerd, a dream come true to have the chance to show up on time and know that this Budget Committee chairman was the other member of the committee who always showed up on time. It gave us a moment to reflect on the challenges we faced and the very real solutions he has offered over these many years of service.
Senator Conrad has earned the deserved respect of his colleagues the old-fashioned way: through hard work, attention to detail, and thoughtful leadership. He has been trying and working hard for many years to get us to make the tough choices in the Senate that we need to make to deal with our national debt. He has not given up, and I don't intend to either. I am grateful for his friendship and service.
Jeff Bingaman
Another full committee chairman with whom I have had the honor to serve these past 2 years is Senator Bingaman of New Mexico, chairman of the Energy Committee. He is one of the kindest, smartest, gentlest people I have ever met. He has been a pleasure to work with on the Energy and Natural Resource Committee.
I remember we were both speaking at a conference on advanced energy research last year out at National Harbor. Thousands of scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs were there. I pulled up in front of the massive convention hall, and right out in front was a Prius with New Mexico plates. Sure enough, Chairman Jeff Bingaman jumped out of the driver's seat with no staff.
Here was the chairman of the Energy Committee and a Senator for nearly 30 years driving himself to a major policy speech in his Prius. He practiced what he preached as he prepared to deliver an important speech in a moment that showed his humility.
As unassuming a man as Senator Bingaman is, when he speaks, you listen. He is living proof that the value of one's words can and should exceed their volume. On that day at National Harbor, Senator Bingaman delivered a message similar to one he had given a decade earlier in a report entitled ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm.'' Senator Bingaman saw that this country was falling behind in the race for innovation and investment in research and education. These are things that lay the foundation for long-term competitiveness. This vision and concern haunted him, so he teamed up with our great colleague from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, and challenged the National Academy of Sciences to study this trend and offer recommendations. From that challenge, we got the Seminole study, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm.''
It asked what it would take for America to continue to lead in innovation. That led to the America COMPETES Act and the creation of ARPAE, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy. The very conference at which we had been speaking was the ARPAE annual conference. Both of these important accomplishments played vital roles in our future competitiveness. They are focused on nurturing innovation and creating a political system where political, scientific, and economic forces work together and not against each other.
That is Jeff Bingaman. That is his sweeping, long-range vision, and one we should all heed. His commitment to thoughtful and forward-
looking service on our Nation's long-term competitiveness will be sorely missed. But even more, I know many of us will miss his reserved, dignified passion.
Herb Kohl
I had a similar experience with Senator Herb Kohl, my colleague on the Judiciary Committee. I remember in my first few months there that Senator Kohl spoke so rarely that when I first heard him speak at an event on the manufacturing extension partnership--one of his passions, and mine--I was struck by the power and reach of his voice. It is because he uses it so sparingly, but his example speaks even louder. He never sought the spotlight here but worked tirelessly to make a difference fighting for the little guy on antitrust issues in the Judiciary Committee.
He believes, as do I, if an American entrepreneur has a great idea, we should help protect that idea by preventing trade secret theft and other intellectual property threats. We also share a deep commitment to the idea that higher education should be more accessible and affordable to every student who wants to pursue it. I am honored to have the opportunity to take up from Senator Kohl's work on these and other important issues.
Outside this Chamber Senator Kohl has just as strong a voice and broad an impact with his philanthropy, but we would never hear him speak about it; that is just not his style. He has earned my abiding respect with his unassuming grace and his determined leadership.
Joe Lieberman
Those who adhere to the Jewish faith around the world are inspired by the ancient concept of ``tikkun olam''--``to heal the world''--to challenge each of us who seek to serve each other and our communities. Like Senator Kohl, my dear friend Senator Joe Lieberman has certainly risen to that challenge. He is a man deeply committed to his faith, which has significantly influenced his career and his drive to serve, and it is something I share with Senator Lieberman.
On my very first congressional delegation, my first trip as a Senator just a few months after being sworn in, I visited Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Israel. Senator Lieberman was on a different codel, and our paths crossed and we got to share a shabbat dinner at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem one night. As he was crossing the room for us to sit, I realized he could be elected mayor of Jerusalem.
As we sat and broke bread and shared, it was a great comfort for me. Earlier that day I had gotten word that Delaware had lost one of our great leaders, Muriel Gilman, a personal friend and a remarkable leader and a person of kindness and spirit. She was a pioneer for women in my State and personified this spirit of tikkun olam. So over dinner that night in Jerusalem, Senator Lieberman and I talked about Muriel, about what I had seen in Jordan and in Israel, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and my experience on my first trip as a Senator. It was a remarkable moment. Senator Lieberman was engaging and warm, interesting and passionate as we wove between talk about policy and faith, and he reflected with me on the point of his own life when his religion became his faith, when he really took ownership of the religion of his birth and how that faith and its lessons have shaped his public service. For me as a young Senator, it was a formative moment.
His passion for the stability of the world and the security of the United States and our vital ally, Israel, and his dedicated work for the clarity of the air we breathe and his tireless advocacy for the equality of all Americans regardless of whom they love have been an inspiration. His desire to work together and find responsible compromise has been motivating.
I am deeply grateful to Joe Lieberman for his service, his counsel, his friendship, and his lesson that no matter what faith tradition we are from, we can use our service in this Chamber as an opportunity to repair our world.
So here we are, 5 days before my family celebrates Christmas and 12 days before the new year and the beginning of the so-called fiscal cliff. Our politics have paralyzed this Chamber and this town. But what the example of all of these remarkable Senators has shown us, what it has taught me is that we can still be better than our politics.
The humanity of this place, too often shoved aside by the politics of the moment, shows us that we can do better. One by one, these Senators, in delivering their farewell addresses to this Chamber, stood at their desks and each in turn urged us to find a way to return to the days when Senators knew each other and worked together. What will it take to get us to that point again--a horrific tragedy in an elementary school, a dangerous economic cliff, some devastating attack, a cyber assault on America?
Our retiring colleagues are each telling us, each in turn, that it is not too late to restore the humanity of this Chamber and make a positive difference in the lives of all we serve. Will we heed their call? I hope and pray we will because we can do better. We must do better. And in the spirit of each of these departing colleagues, I will do my level best. I hope we all can commit to doing the same.
Thank you, and I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator have Louisiana.
Too Big to Fail
Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, as we continue to face enormous economic challenges and uncertainty, I rise to join with others in continuing to express concern about too-big-to-fail--a policy we saw clearly in large measure coming out of the 2008 crisis and a policy many of us think continues to this day and puts the American taxpayer and the American economy at great risk.
This isn't a Republican concern or a Democratic concern; it is not just a conservative concern or a liberal concern. A lot of us on both sides of the aisle have this concern. A good example is a Democratic colleague I have been working closely with on these ideas--Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio. We both serve on the Banking Committee. We disagree on a lot of issues outside and within the Banking Committee's jurisdiction, but we agree on some things too, including real concern about too-big-to-fail institutions and the continuation of the implicit policy of too-big-to-fail. That is why he and I have come together on a number of fronts related thereto, including legislation we can pass this week before we end this Congress that would simply authorize a study. It is an important GAO study about too-big-to-fail and those institutions.
The idea is very simple. We would ask the GAO--a clearly nonpartisan, clearly expert entity with a lot of smarts, with a lot of ability to do valid, unbiased research--to study whether there is an implicit policy of too-big-to-fail with regard to our largest financial institutions and, if so, what benefits that implicit taxpayer guarantee gives those institutions.
Specifically, it would look at bank holding companies with $500 billion or more of consolidated assets, and it would look specifically at three things, among others: first, the favorable pricing of the debt of those institutions resulting from the perception that those institutions would again be bailed out during times of financial stress as they were during 2008; second, any favorable funding or economic treatment they received from increased credit ratings directly resulting from perceived government support; and third, the favorable economic benefit of the 2008 bailouts and existing safety nets of the Federal Reserve and FDIC. I think these questions are very legitimate, and having an unbiased, academic look at that would be very helpful in terms of our continuing work on these issues.
We talk about this and debate this all the time. Wouldn't it be useful to have an unbiased, apolitical, expert source look at these questions: Do these big institutions with $500 billion or more in consolidated assets--are they considered too-big-to-fail by the market, and does that perception give them advantages, such as favorable pricing of debt, such as favorable funding or economic treatment from their increased credit ratings, et cetera?
There is a lot at stake. It would be very helpful to have factual, unbiased answers to these questions.
First of all, there is a whole question of too-big-to-fail continuing to exist, and I believe it does. This would put nonpartisan eyes on the question and give us a good sense of, do we have more work to do if, in fact, we want to get rid of too-big-to-fail, which we, virtually to a person in this Chamber, profess we want to get rid of. Secondly, to the extent too-big-to-fail continues as a policy and/or a perception, is it giving advantages to these institutions, market advantages, market distortions--which, by the way, if they are the winners, there also by definition have to be losers, which are the smaller institutions that are at a competitive disadvantage because of these market distortions, because of these advantages that too-big-to-fail gives these mega-
institutions.
So I hope this is pretty much a no-brainer. It is a study. It doesn't mandate any actions, and it asks valid questions to which getting unbiased answers would be very helpful in our continuing work. That is why Senator Sherrod Brown and I have come together in a bipartisan way to ask these questions. We have developed legislation mandating this GAO study, and we are trying to get what we consider to be very noncontroversial legislation passed before the end of the year.
As it stands now, we have cleared this legislation on the Republican side. Every Republican Member is perfectly willing to let this pass by unanimous consent. That process has just begun on the Democratic side. I urge all of my colleagues to follow the lead of Sherrod Brown to allow us to ask and get unbiased answers to these very legitimate questions. I urge everyone on that side to clear it themselves, to join us on our side in clearing it so we can pass it through the Senate and get this passed in the House, hopefully on the consent calendar, which we are already working on. That clearing process will take a little bit of time, but I look forward to coming back and having it cleared by UC. I will probably ask for a live UC at some appropriate point tonight or tomorrow when everyone has clearly had a chance to look at the study legislation.
I look forward to our coming together, I think in a very sound way, asking these legitimate questions, asking a nonpolitical expert entity to give us valid answers to these questions so we can move forward with the proper policymaking.
Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.
Mrs. HAGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mrs. HAGAN. I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 15 minutes as in morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Remembering Our Armed Forces
Mrs. HAGAN. Mr. President, just a few months ago I spoke on the Senate floor about the men and women of our Armed Forces who are deployed overseas. Particularly, I spoke about remembering the men and women who give selflessly of themselves, who died for the good of our Nation; these souls who live lives illuminated by purpose and who travel long roads paved with sacrifice. They are the important 1 percent, the tiny fraction who go wherever in the world our country asks them to go, who honorably shoulder the burden of fear and sacrifice for the rest of us because they love this country and believe in defending it.
Today, as we prepare to celebrate the holiday season with our family and loved ones, I once again wish to ask each and every one of my colleagues to remember these men and women, these great souls whose belief in this country is so great they willingly and without qualification put life and limb on the line so that 99 percent of us don't have to spend our days and nights wondering if our loved ones are safe.
Remember that we are still a nation at war, that there are over 170,000 members of our Armed Forces deployed, many of them in harm's way, and many of them are from my home State of North Carolina. This year these deployed servicemembers will not be celebrating with those near and dear to them because they will be on watch protecting the very freedoms and the way of life we hold so dear. Our service men and women don't ask for anything from us, but please think of them, remember them, thank them, and please keep them in your prayers.
Remember the sacrifices endured by so many of our military families who are at home now without their dad, mom, brother, sister, husband, or wife. And most importantly at this time of year and always, remember that there are many servicemembers who will never come home. While many families miss their loved ones now, especially during the holiday season, some will endure that loss for the rest of their lives. These husbands and wives, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters did not bargain for the pain of waking up each and every day without their partner, a child, a friend, or the person who used to tuck them into bed each night. They did not ask to spend the rest of their lives missing someone so important to them. Remember them as you do your holiday shopping, go to parties, exchange gifts, and otherwise get caught up in the spirit of the season.
SGT Justin C. Marquez
Remember the family of SGT Justin Z. Marquez, U.S. Army, from Aberdeen, NC. Justin died this past October 6 from small arms fire wounds he received while on foot patrol in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, just 1 month after he arrived in theater. Justin was 25 years old.
I spoke with Justin's mom Terry. She told me that as a boy, Justin questioned authority--a lot. But she said it was always because he was standing up for what he thought was right, defending someone else against an injustice or prejudice.
Justin was a good son. He believed in helping others, standing up for others. He was a kid other parents trusted and a big brother to many--a neighborhood guardian, if you will. His house was the weekend hangout. Younger kids would come over. When his mom questioned when the younger kids should go home, her son told her: Mom, don't worry. They are happy being here. Not everyone has the fairytale life like our family does.
Justin's family was a little surprised when he announced that he wanted to join the Army at 18. They wanted him to finish school, to continue growing up, but Justin had other plans. He wanted to go out in the world and make a difference for others, and the Army was how he was going to do this. He was eager to do his part--to stand for our country, our government, our people, and our way of life. He understood how precious our freedoms are and how fortunate he was to be an American.
Justin's life was cut short, tragically so, but his dad, mom, and twin brother got to see him grow from a boy to a man. He made their lives full and challenged them to be better people. According to Terry, his mom, as Justin grew up in the Army, he was like a fine wine: he just kept getting better with age.
Justin understood that the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of our great Nation are precious and valuable. He believed in protecting others. He believed in making the world a better place. He believed in standing so that others might not have to.
Interestingly, Justin's mom brought Justin and his twin brother Drew to Washington, DC, when they were in middle school. They sat in the gallery in this very Chamber. I think it is fitting that we remember and honor him here.
SGT Justin Marquez was a dedicated soldier. He had found his purpose. He believed in what he was doing. We must remember how fortunate we are to have countrymen like him--people committed to fighting for the freedoms we so often take for granted.
Mrs. Marquez shared with me that she does not worry about Justin anymore. He is taken care of and is safe now. But because of him, she now worries for all the other soldiers. We all need to keep these men and women in mind too and support them and stand with them and their families.
Corporal Daniel L. Linnabary
We also need to remember the family of Cpl Daniel L. Linnabary, U.S. Marine Corps, from Hubert, NC. Daniel died on August 6 at the age of 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Dan always wanted to be a marine. He made his decision at the early age of 4 and wanted to be a marine until the day he died. He was the third generation of his family to serve in the Marine Corps, and for 46 years there has been at least one Linnabary in the Marine Corps. No wonder he knew he wanted to be a marine at such a young age.
Dan loved the Corps, but more than that he loved his wife of just a year, Chelsea, and baby daughter Rosalie. I spoke with Dan's wife Chelsea, and she impressed upon me that Dan was much more than a marine. She needed me to know that he was first and foremost a good husband and a good father, just a really great guy who loved his wife and loved being a dad.
Dan's baby girl Rosalie just turned 7 months old this past weekend. Dan got to spend only 7 weeks with her before deploying--3 of those weeks an extra blessing because baby Rosalie was in such a hurry to meet her dad that she arrived 3 weeks early. From the minute Dan first held his tiny daughter, he and everyone else knew that he was made to be a dad, that he would always love and do whatever was necessary to care for his family. Now Rosalie will grow up with only photos of her dad, but she will always have a connection to him through those who served with him.
The men of 2nd Tank Battalion have told Dan's wife that they look forward to meeting baby Rosalie when they get back from their deployment early next year. That is just what these men and women do. They look out for one another and the families who are left behind. Yes, they are servicemembers, but first and foremost they are human beings putting others before themselves. We need to follow their lead.
Another thing Chelsea shared with me is that Dan loved her enough to be honest with her always. He did not sugarcoat things. He prepared her as much as anyone could for any eventuality. But how much can you really prepare someone to live the rest of their life without their soulmate? To raise their daughter without her dad? To explain to her that dad gave his life to protect others--especially when too many of us are not even aware of these sacrifices?
Dan was a marine. He was doing what he believed in. His wife knew that it was a dangerous job and that the worst could happen because Dan told her. She just never thought it would be on this, his first deployment, or in this war. He died fighting for our freedoms and lived by a code that most of us will never understand but for which we must be thankful.
As you spend time with your loved ones this season, remember Cpl Dan Linnabary and thank him.
This is a time of year about belief. Different cultures and different faiths have different beliefs. And this is what makes our country the greatest Nation on Earth. Be it faith, politics, or other things, we are all free to believe what we choose. And we must remember that there are special men and women in this world, oftentimes strangers to us, who are willing to give their lives for our right to believe in what we choose. But one thing we should all agree upon is that we must--we must--stand behind and beside the men and women who are willing to pay a debt they do not owe so that other Americans do not have to.
Our servicemembers are from our small towns, our big cities, and our rural areas. They are our neighbors, they are our fellow Americans, and they are my fellow North Carolinians. Justin Marquez, Daniel Linnabary--just a couple of the heroes who lived among us. We must remember them and honor them now and always.
So at this time of the year, I wish to extend my warmest wishes of the holiday season to our servicemembers, both those serving now and those who have gone before us, and to the families and friends who cannot be with their loved ones.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to address the Senate as in morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Tribute to Roger Barta
Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, there are certainly so many serious issues that we face in this country, and so many tragedies have occurred. I was on the floor earlier this week paying tribute to the lost lives in Connecticut and the two police officers killed in the line of duty in Topeka, KS, this week and the death of our colleague--certainly serious issues that we face--and now awaiting the House to pass legislation in regard to the fiscal cliff.
This is perhaps a lighter subject. I want to pay tribute to something that is such a great tradition in our State of Kansas and really across the country. Football is something that is important to communities across my State. On Friday nights, in the fall of each year, thousands of Americans gather at their local high school football fields to cheer on their favorite teams. This tradition has stood strong for decades on the Kansas prairie, but it is especially true in a little town not too far from my hometown, in the town of Smith Center.
There are few if any high school football fans in our State who are unaware of Smith Center's reputation. Coach Roger Barta and his Redmen football team have won more than 320 games and 8 State championships--5 of them in a row. They are even known here in Washington, DC.
A few years ago, when they were on their 79-game winning streak, people would come to me and ask me if I had ever heard of Smith Center, KS. And I would say: Certainly. Yes. What is the story? And they had read on the sports page that Smith Center had scored 74 points on another team in the first quarter. It turned out to be my hometown of Plainville. Mr. President, 74 points in the first quarter--this is an amazing team.
Under the leadership of Coach Barta, the Redmen football team has set State and national records. That 79-game winning streak is a remarkable achievement, and it caught the attention of the New York Times. In fact, a New York Times sportswriter, Joe Drape, moved his family from New York City to Smith Center, KS, and lived there for an entire school year to chronicle the team's achievements and to write about the community. He tells their story in his best-selling book called ``Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen.''
There are many reasons for this team's success that would, in fact, bring a New York Times reporter to this small town, but I think the community of Smith Center would agree with me that perhaps the greatest reason behind their success is their head coach--Coach Roger Barta. The coach's 323 victories place him among the top 5 coaches on the alltime Kansas football coaching wins list, and in 2007 he was named the Gatorade National Coach of the Year. But this season, after 35 years of coaching, Coach Barta announced he is ready to hang up his whistle and retire.
I have had the opportunity to participate in several pregame coin flips with Coach Barta and his team over a number of seasons, including their 2009 State title game. Each time, I watched a very talented and sportsmanlike football team and a very spirited set of fans from Smith Center and across the region. Yet all the success this team has enjoyed on the field is not what makes them so remarkable. The truly exceptional work being done on the plains of Kansas is the development of character in the boys of the Smith Center football team. It is the respect the athletes learn to have for their teammates and opponents on the field. It is the integrity the boys are expected to have both on and off the field. And it is the hard-working spirit they take with them when they graduate.
As a member of the Redmen football team, the athletes are not expected to just excel on the field but in the classroom and the community as well. From school plays to school concerts, the Redmen do more than simply play football. And Coach Barta serves more than just to coach football--he serves as a role model and mentor for young men and the community.
I remember a story in the book that says when one of the team members violates a team rule--young fourth grade students in Smith Center, KS, have a player card, and that football team member who violates a rule has to go to the fourth grade member and explain his error in violation of the team rule and apologize to the fourth grader.
Coach Barta's wife had this to say about her husband's commitment to the Redmen:
Roger likes everything about football, but what he loves most are the practices, the camaraderie, and watching the boys learn a little more. He lets them know how much he wants them to succeed.
In the book about the Redmen, the writer Joe Drape extols the virtues we in America hold so dear. Humility, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment are all characteristics that are exemplified by the Redmen and their fans.
But perhaps Coach Barta's greatest legacy as he leaves the coaching field in Smith Center is within the Smith Center city limits: former Redmen who left town for college or work but eventually returned home.
Broch Hutchison, one of the Coach Barta's former players, is now an assistant coach, and he had this to say about working alongside Coach Barta:
We've all had opportunities, but this is where we've learned to love one another and work hard and build a community. If we can have an impact on a kid's life like Coach Barta, we want to do it in our hometown.
This attitude exemplifies the teaching, coaching, and parenting philosophy of rural America. Our populations are dwindling and our communities are aging, but our commitment to raising responsible children and preparing them to be successful in life is something that will never leave us. I am thankful that Coach Barta and his staff understand this, and I am proud to come from a part of the country that remains committed to that way of life.
Coach Barta summed it up best when he said this about his coaching philosophy:
What we do real well around here is raise kids. . . . None of this is really about football. What we're doing is sending kids into life who know that every day means something.
Congratulations to Coach Barta for his outstanding achievements over the last three decades. But most importantly, thank you, coach, for your investment in the lives of young men of Smith Center. Their lives are forever changed because of you.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise as my friend, my colleague, my brother, Danny Inouye lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda just a few yards from where I stand now. In life, he received our Nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor. Today he is receiving a tribute reserved for just a handful of American heroes such as Abraham Lincoln.
I come to the floor to speak about an important piece of legislation I developed and worked with Dan Inouye on for over 12 years. Today, in Senator Dan Inouye's honor, for all the people of Hawaii, I am asking the Senate to pass the Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.
Dan and I developed our bill to create a process that could address the many issues that continue to persist as a result of the legal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893.
As you know, Dan Inouye was a champion for Hawaii and worked every day of his honorable life to solve problems and help our island State.
Dan also served on the Indian Affairs Committee for over 30 years and chaired it twice. He was an unwavering advocate for the United States' government-to-government relationships with native nations. He constantly reminded our colleagues in the Senate about our Nation's trust responsibilities and our treaty obligations to America's first peoples. Dan believed that through self-determination and self-governance, these communities could thrive and contribute to the greatness of the United States.
When asked how long the United States would have a trust responsibility to native communities, he would quote the treaties between the United States and native nations, which promised care and support as long as the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Dan Inouye's sheer determination to improve the lives of this country's indigenous peoples and make good on the promises America made to them led him to introduce more than 100 pieces of legislation on behalf of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
Senator Dan Inouye secured passage of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act, the Native Hawaiian Education Act, the Hawaiian Home Lands Recovery Act, and the Native Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act.
He was instrumental in helping me to enact the apology resolution to the Native Hawaiian people for the suppression of their right of self-
determination. It was enacted on the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
In 1999, Dan and I worked together to develop the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act to give parity to Native Hawaiians. For over 12 years now, we worked together to pass the bill to ensure that Native Hawaiians have the same rights as other native peoples, and an opportunity to engage in the same government-to-government relationship the United States has already granted to over 560 native nations throughout this country, across the continental United States, and in Alaska, but not yet in Hawaii.
Over the years, people have mischaracterized the intent and effect of our bill, so let me be plain. For me, as I know it was for Dan, this bill is about simple justice, fairness in Federal policy, and being a Nation that acknowledges that while we cannot undo history, we can right past wrongs and move forward. To us, this bill represented what is ``pono'' in Hawaii, what is just and right.
Our bill is supported by President Barack Obama and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Interior. It has the strong support of Hawaii's Governor, the State legislature, and a large majority of the people of Hawaii. Our bill has the endorsement of the American Bar Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the Alaska Federation of Natives, and groups throughout the Native Hawaiian community.
As a Senator and senior statesman, Senator Dan Inouye advocated that Congress do its job and legislate where native communities were concerned. Dan Inouye believed that a promise made should be a promise kept.
In the days since my dear friend Dan's passing, there has been a tremendous outpouring of love from Hawaii and every other State in the Union. Native American communities across the country are mourning the loss and paying tribute to their great champion. Dan Inouye's absence will be felt in this Chamber and the Nation for many years to come. May his legacy live on for generations of Native Americans and inspire all Americans to always strive toward justice and reconciliation.
I urge my colleagues to pass the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act in the memory of Senator Daniel K. Inouye and his desire to provide parity to the Native Hawaiian people he loved so much.
To Dan, I say: Aloha 'oe and a hui hou, my brother.
Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Native American Affairs
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I was watching my friend and colleague Senator Akaka as he was delivering his comments earlier about Senator Inouye and the legislation that both he and our dear friend and former colleague have worked so hard on over the years, and I wanted to come to the floor this evening and tell my friend that I am deeply appreciative of the words he has delivered as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. I would certainly hope the Senate would respect the thinking the Senator has outlined as it relates to the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.
As the Senator knows well, I have long been a supporter of that act. It is indeed an honor to have worked with him on it, as well as our dear friend and late colleague, Senator Inouye.
This legislation has been going on for some 12 years now, and I think it is fair to say that it truly has been a bipartisan effort, not only here in Washington, DC, but in Hawaii as well.
For several years, when Governor Lingle was Governor of Hawaii, she was back here helping on the Republican side of the aisle.
I firmly believe this cause of Native Hawaiians is just. The native people of Hawaii are similarly situated to the native people of Alaska. Both are aboriginal peoples from former territories. Yet the fact is that the two peoples are not treated the same for purposes of Federal Indian law. The native people of Alaska are recognized as among the first peoples of the United States. Their tribes appear on the Interior Department's list of federally recognized Indian tribes, and they have access to important Federal Indian programs that truly have improved the quality of life for Alaska natives.
The native people of Hawaii, however, are not federally recognized among the first peoples of the United States. For more than a decade now, efforts to provide Federal recognition have been filibustered, and I would suggest unjustly so.
Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka have worked valiantly to create programs for Native Hawaiians that parallel those available to American Indians and Alaska Natives, but this is not enough. Justice demands that the native people of Hawaii earn the Federal recognition that is rightfully theirs.
The time to provide parity and justice for Hawaii's native people is now. The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, which has passed out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I think is a responsible bill. It is a constitutional vehicle to accomplish this objective.
We began our mourning paying tribute to our friend and former colleague Senator Inouye. As we think about Hawaii and its peoples, and as we remember the contributions of Senator Inouye, and as we recognize Senator Akaka as he departs from this body after years and years of honorable service, I would hope that within this body we would not forget the efforts they have worked on so valiantly.
I will commit to my friend, Senator Akaka, that the cause the Senator has taken up, that he has worked on so hard with Senator Inouye, will not die until justice for the native people of Hawaii is achieved. I thank the Senator for his leadership.
Mr. President, I was going to yield the floor, but I would like to take a moment to provide my remarks regarding Senator Akaka and his contribution here, if I may.
Daniel K. Akaka
Mr. President, I rise to speak on behalf of my friend, my colleague, Senator Daniel Akaka, who is set to retire after 22 years of dedicated service in the Senate. He has been a personal friend to me, he has been a personal friend to my family, and to my parents. He and his wife Millie, a wonderful, beautiful woman, have been leaders on behalf of the people of Hawaii and have long been friends and partners to the people of Alaska.
Senator Akaka has served our Nation and the great State of Hawaii honorably for nearly 70 years. That is an incredible contribution. His service began in 1943, immediately following his graduation from the Kamehameha School for Boys in Honolulu. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had taken place a year earlier, only 5 miles from his dormitory steps. In the hours immediately following that attack, Senator Akaka, who was a 17-year-old ROTC cadet, helped his classmates search for paratroopers in the fields above his school grounds. Like so many others of his generation, Senator Akaka answered the call of duty, joined the U.S. Army, first with the Corps of Engineers as a mechanic and a welder, and later as a noncommissioned officer.
In 1952, Senator Akaka used the GI bill to earn his degree in education from the University of Hawaii and began his lifelong dedication to our Nation's students, first as a teacher, then as a principal at a high school in Honolulu, and later with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Senator Akaka was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and then went on to win six more elections. It was clearly evident to the people of Hawaii within that second congressional district they valued his passion and his dedication for the office. In 1990, after the death of Senator Spark Matsunaga, Senator Akaka was appointed and then subsequently elected to the seat in the Senate that he has held for 22 years now.
Senator Akaka's fortitude and his determination have not waned in these 70 years. As the first Native Hawaiian ever to serve in the Senate, and the only indigenous person currently serving in the Senate, he is a proven champion for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. It was just in October of this year that Senator Akaka came to Alaska and was honored by the Alaska Federation of Natives with the Denali Award. This award is presented to an individual who is not an Alaska Native for their contributions to the growth and development of the Alaska Native community's culture, economy, and health. Senator Akaka has done that repeatedly over the years.
The efforts he has worked on, whether it was bigger initiatives or whether to ensure the people in King Cove had access to an airport so their lives weren't threatened in a medical emergency and they could get out, Senator Akaka has stepped up to ensure the people of Alaska are cared for.
It has truly been a pleasure to work with Senator Akaka over these past 10 years on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. The chairmanship he has administered has been admired and appreciated by all of us who are on that committee.
Senator Akaka's leadership, wisdom, and grasp of issues has helped us work together toward many visions and goals that we shared. The Save Native Women Act--a bill to help protect native women and children across our 565 federally recognized tribes--was largely incorporated into the Senate version of the 2012 Violence Against Women Act. We need to make sure that legislation passes. And again, as we think about the statistics that so many of our native peoples face, we need to make certain we are making appropriate gains and strides to help address them, and Chairman Akaka has worked with us on that. We fought to ensure the preservation of native languages not only in our communities but within our classrooms.
As I mentioned, I have long supported the concept that Senator Inouye and Senator Akaka have championed with regard to Federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.
But Senator Akaka is also special to two other constituencies--our Federal employees and our veterans. He is one of this body's leading experts on some of the more arcane laws that apply to Federal civil service. Alaska's Federal employees clearly appreciate his leadership on the Non-Foreign AREA Act, which made them eligible for locality pay that counts toward retirement. This is an issue in my State that took some time to negotiate and to move through, but the Federal employees in Alaska--as they are seeing the benefits of that locality pay--owe thanks and gratitude to the work of Senator Akaka. And of course he knows well the laws that govern the U.S. Postal Service probably as well as anyone in this body.
During Senator Akaka's tenure as chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, this body has made great progress in ensuring that the VA had a budget commensurate with its needs. His contributions to ensuring that post-9/11 veterans had access to critically needed health and education resources will endure.
As neighbors in the Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii have always shared a very special bond, not only because of our geography and our time differences. Every time I endure a 12-hour flight across the country to go home--and home is four time zones away--I am reminded that it takes Senator Akaka a couple hours more and one time zone more to get home. But it is not only our geography that binds us; we have many other similarities: our indigenous peoples, the relative youth of our States, our unique landscapes, and for years our delegations have worked together across the aisle for the good of our people.
Senator Akaka's bipartisan approach, his willingness to work toward success, will be missed by myself and so many of our colleagues. And, of course, I don't think Senator Akaka would call it bipartisanship. He would call it aloha. We work in the aloha spirit.
With that, I wish to tell my friend and my colleague, mahalo. From the bottom of my heart, mahalo. I am going to miss you, Senator Akaka. I am going to miss your wife Millie and your entire extended family. But as you return home to your beloved Hawaii, know that you have left an impression on so many.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
