S7722 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 today what we have to do. I told Sen- forward of their children, grand- Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN) and the Senator ators what we have to do. I am tremen- children, and great-grandchildren bur- from Mississippi (Mr. WICKER). dously disappointed that the tax ex- ied by Bush deficits. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there tenders were not passed. I was just The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- any other Senators in the Chamber de- given a note by the chairman of the ator from Arizona. siring to vote? Environment and Public Works Com- Mr. KYL. I note that 88 Senators The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 51, mittee about something that also is in voted in favor of that approach dealing nays 43, as follows: this bill that would create lots of jobs, with this subject. [Rollcall Vote No. 192 Leg.] at least 150,000 high-paying jobs, and Mr. REID. I appreciate the statement YEAS—51 that is to replenish the money from the of my friend from Arizona. I believe in Akaka Dole Menendez highway trust funds. Those moneys are these extenders so strongly that even Baucus Dorgan Mikulski not going to be there, which will cause though I would much rather have them Bayh Durbin Murray paid for, we all know the debt has to Biden Feingold Nelson (FL) people not only to not have jobs, but it Bingaman Feinstein Nelson (NE) will stop projects from going forward stop someplace. As I indicated, the Boxer Harkin Pryor that are already in progress. House of Representatives, to their Brown Inouye Reed credit, will not accept these not being Byrd Johnson Salazar The schedule in August is up to the Cantwell Kerry Sanders Republican leader. As I have said be- paid for. That is the way it should be. Cardin Klobuchar Schumer fore on a number of occasions, we basi- We should not be running up massive Carper Kohl Smith cally have finished what we have to do deficits that the Bush administration— Casey Landrieu Snowe first year, second year, third year, Clinton Lautenberg Stabenow this work period. We have tried might- Coleman Leahy Tester ily during the last 18, 19 months to get fourth year, fifth year, seventh year, Collins Levin Webb things done. We have had to deal with and now in the eighth year—is willing Conrad Lieberman Whitehouse about 90 filibusters. Whatever the num- to accept. The war in Iraq, $5,000 a sec- Dodd Lincoln Wyden ber is, we increased it by one today. We ond; it doesn’t matter. NAYS—43 will see what happens on the legisla- We are where we are, but I am very Alexander DeMint McConnell tion dealing with higher education and disappointed that we are where we are. Allard Domenici Murkowski Barrasso Ensign see what is going to happen with the As I said, my Senators are waiting to Reid hear from the Republican leader what Bennett Enzi Roberts Republicans as it relates to the con- Bond Graham Sessions sumer product safety legislation. That he wants to do the rest of this week Brownback Grassley Shelby may add two more filibusters. Of and into the future. Bunning Gregg Specter Burr Hagel Stevens course, we have the Defense authoriza- f Chambliss Hatch Sununu Coburn Hutchison tion bill to which we wish to proceed. JOBS, ENERGY, FAMILIES, AND Thune Cochran Inhofe We will have a vote on that on Friday. Vitter DISASTER RELIEF ACT OF 2008— Corker Isakson It is up to the minority to determine MOTION TO PROCEED Cornyn Kyl Voinovich what we will do on that. Craig Lugar Warner CLOTURE MOTION As I have indicated on a number of Crapo Martinez occasions, we have the conventions The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the clerk will report the NOT VOTING—6 coming up in August, which is impor- Kennedy McCaskill Rockefeller tant to every Senator. We have other motion to invoke cloture. The assistant legislative clerk read McCain Obama Wicker important items we have been working as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this on that need to be done at home. We CLOTURE MOTION vote, the yeas are 51, the nays are 43. can’t do them in Washington. But we Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- await word from Republicans, if they We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the sen and sworn not having voted in the are going to negotiate seriously on the Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move affirmative, the motion is rejected. tax extenders. Other than that, I have to bring to a close debate on the motion to Mr. REID. Mr. President, I enter a stated, I believe pretty clearly, where proceed to Calendar No. 898, S. 3335, the Jobs, motion to reconsider the vote by which we are. Energy, Families, and Disaster Relief Act of cloture was not invoked on the motion The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- 2008. to proceed to the energy renewables ator from Arizona. Harry Reid, Max Baucus, Bernard Sand- package. Mr. KYL. I wish to note that the en- ers, Christopher J. Dodd, Maria Cant- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- well, Benjamin L. Cardin, Daniel K. ergy tax extenders would have been law tion is entered. as of 7 a.m. this morning if they had Inouye, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Patty f not been taken out of the housing bill Murray, Ron Wyden, Debbie Stabenow, Patrick J. Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION ACT by the Democratic majority. We should Richard Durbin, Robert Menendez, be aware of the fact that one of the Sherrod Brown, Carl Levin. OF 2007—MOTION TO PROCEED— Continued reasons why this issue remains is the The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- strategy from the majority on the imous consent, the mandatory quorum The PRESIDING OFFICER. The as- housing bill. call has been waived. sistant majority leader is recognized. Mr. REID. Understand, though, that The question is, Is it the sense of the Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it is my is the whole problem. They don’t want Senate that debate on the motion to understanding until 12:30 the Demo- to pay for anything. The bill that is be- proceed to S. 3335, a bill to amend the crats control the time; is that correct? fore the Senate is paid for. What he is Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is talking about is the flimflam where certain expiring provisions, and for no agreement in order. you pass all these things and don’t pay other purposes, shall be brought to a Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask for them. That is why we have a stag- close. unanimous consent that I be recog- gering deficit that during this adminis- The yeas and nays are mandatory nized for 5 minutes and Senator tration has gone up more than $3 tril- under the rule. STABENOW be recognized for 20 minutes lion. When George Bush took office, The clerk will call the roll. following me. over 10 years there was a surplus of The bill clerk called the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without about $10 trillion. That is long since Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the objection, it is so ordered. gone. I appreciate very much the state- Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. KEN- ENERGY ment of my friend from Arizona, but NEDY), the Senator from Missouri (Mrs. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this vote the fact is, that is what we are talking MCCASKILL), the Senator from Illinois that was cast is something America about here. They don’t want to pay for (Mr. OBAMA), and the Senator from should not miss. This was about an en- anything. The tax extenders in our West Virginia (Mr. ROCKEFELLER) are ergy program for America, and it was package are paid for, as they should be. necessarily absent. defeated. It was defeated because only The American people should not be Mr. KYL. The following Senators are four Republicans—maybe five—man- burdened and leave a legacy looking necessarily absent: the Senator from aged to cross the aisle and help us.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.020 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7723 This is 2 days running that the Repub- produce more energy in America, have But here is where we are at this licans—who have given us speech after them vote for it, not give more speech- point. Because of the no, no, no votes speech about why we need an energy es with their ‘‘produce more, use less’’ by that side—what they said no to policy—have voted no. That is all they slogans on the floor. Produce some today was making sure we can pay for do: vote no. votes for us. A few less speeches and a the highway projects we have already What did this proposal include? It in- few more votes and we would have an authorized, we have already told the cluded energy tax credits desperately energy policy. That is the reality. States to go ahead and start con- needed by America. This morning, Sen- There is something that can be done structing. ator STABENOW gathered together Gov- immediately, though, and it is some- I say to the Senator, $8 billion was in ernors, leaders in business and leaders thing this President can do and does this bill that they just said no to, in labor and they all told us the same not need to wait on Congress, and he again—$8 billion to replenish the high- thing: Pass the energy tax credits, and ought to do it today. President Bush way trust fund. That translates to— pass it now. Jobs are at stake across should announce he is going to start and hold on to your hats, folks—400,000 America. selling off oil from the Strategic Petro- good-paying jobs that will be lost if we I had a major company in Chicago leum Reserve to bring the price of a do not replenish this fund, not to men- that came in—the CEO came in to see barrel of oil down to $100 a barrel. That tion the jobs that are already being Senator REID and myself last week— is our target price for America. That lost because they refuse to renew these facing bankruptcy because we cannot will turn this economy on. That will tax credits for solar, wind, and geo- pass this bill. Why? Because the Tax give the airlines a chance. That will thermal. Code was written year to year, creating put the truckers back to work. That Mrs. BOXER. In my State, we have a incentives for investment in wind will give the farmers a break. horrible housing crisis. It is terrible. power. That is the power that does not The President can do it without any Construction is down. What has been pollute but creates electricity. Wind congressional approval. His father did keeping us afloat, I say to my col- turbines all over my State and all over it. It is not a radical idea. Seven hun- leagues, is the renewable energy indus- the country are doing the right thing dred million barrels of oil—if the Presi- try. Four hundred solar companies for our future. They will not continue dent released and sold 10 percent of have moved in. They are taking these without these tax credits, and the Re- that, saying: My goal is to get to $100 workers. So how could we have—Mr. publicans consistently vote no. And a barrel, that oil on the market would President, I ask unanimous consent then—hang on—after lunch they will start the price coming down. that the Senator have 1 more minute. be on the floor saying we desperately All this discussion on the Republican The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without need an energy policy. side and from the President about drill- objection, it is so ordered. Mrs. BOXER. So I say to my friend, Where were they when we needed ing—if we decided today to start drill- this Republican Party here, they are them? That was not the only thing in ing certain acreage, you would not see the recession party. They stand for re- this bill. This bill also put $8 billion in the first drop of oil for 8 to 14 years. cession and moving into depression the highway trust fund that has gone You would have to wait 8 to 14 hours with their votes, does my friend not broke. Across America, we are losing for the President’s announcement about releasing oil from SPR to see an agree, with their votes today? jobs, at a time when we need good-pay- Mr. DURBIN. This is the second time ing jobs right here at home, because impact on the market. It is time for Presidential leadership. in 24 hours we have given the Repub- Republicans refuse to do this. They The fact that the President comes out licans a chance to show whether they will not vote for it. are for an energy policy which will There was another provision or two of the oil industry and the Vice Presi- produce more clean energy and more in there equally important, but I wish dent does as well, they understand it. And the oil industry has never done jobs for America, and four of them to focus on those two. Let me explain better. came forward to support us—only four. to you why they would not vote for it. Now it is time for the President to There are 49 of those Senators, and 4 They would not vote for it because on show leadership. He can do it. We voted with us. the Democratic side we insisted that if should call on him in Congress, on a bi- Mrs. BOXER. And the trust fund. you are going to have tax credits given, partisan basis: Release this oil from Mr. DURBIN. And the trust fund, of we pay for them so that, ultimately, it the SPR, bring down the price of a bar- course—a critical point—which can does not add to our national deficit. rel of oil, give American families a create 400,000 jobs across America. This President inherited a surplus fighting chance when they go to the Middle-income families are strug- from President Clinton and has now gas station, and give these companies a gling to survive. We need more good- taken the gold, the silver, and the chance to create more good-paying jobs paying jobs right here in this country. bronze medals for the biggest deficits— in America. That is what is at stake. How can they come down here and con- top three deficits—in the history of the Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, will the sistently vote no and say they want an United States in his 8 years. We are Senator yield for a couple questions? energy policy? saying this has to end. We cannot Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am The President should release oil from broker America’s future for our chil- happy to yield. SPR this week. Our goal should be $100- dren. So we want to pay for these tax Mrs. BOXER. First of all, Mr. Presi- a-barrel oil. The President doesn’t need credits. We do it in a way that even the dent, I have known my friend from Illi- Congress. Let him show some leader- business community says: That is rea- nois, the senior Senator from Illinois, ship in this energy crisis. sonable. We can live with it. But not for many years. We served in the House Mr. President, I yield the floor to the the Republicans. Only four or five will together. He is one of the most colle- Senator from Michigan. cross the aisle to help us. gial Members of the Senate. I say to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- A minute ago, I met in my office the Senator, I do not think I have ever ator from Michigan is recognized. with the CEO of American Airlines, Ge- seen you quite as upset and angry as Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask rard Arpey. This poor man is strug- you are. unanimous consent that the majority gling to keep one of the major airlines I wish to ask my friend—because he control the time until 12:30, the Repub- in America out of bankruptcy. He is touched on this—as to the real impact licans control the next 30 minutes, the cutting back on schedule, reducing the on America’s families that he started majority control the next 30 minutes, number of employees because, unfortu- to discuss. As chair of the Environment and the time until 6 p.m. be controlled nately, when oil is $125, $135 a barrel, and Public Works Committee, I know, in 30 minute blocks in an alternating the cost of jet fuel is bankrupting his as he does, we have to fund our high- fashion. airline. He is begging me—begging way program. I know my colleague The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without me—the United States and the Con- from Michigan and my colleague from objection, it is so ordered. gress to show some leadership. Minnesota both are going to talk about AMERICA’S PRIORITIES Now, what can we do? First, we can the need for safe and sound infrastruc- Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I get some Republicans to join us for ture and the fact that with it comes wish to thank my colleagues, our as- this energy policy. If they want to good jobs. sistant majority leader from Illinois

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.022 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7724 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 and the Senator from California, for Unfortunately, that is exactly what midsized car. I urge Congress to act imme- speaking today, because we are quite has happened. diately. astounded, I have to tell my col- Record profits. The total combined Mr. President, we had a chance to act leagues. Coming from the great State net profits of the big five oil companies immediately today to do something of Michigan where we care about jobs— since our President took office are up- that would make a difference, a real and I know the Presiding Officer does, wards of $556 billion. If I sound a little difference, and Congress didn’t do it. coming from the great State of Penn- upset, I am because I have folks in my I also have one other letter from a 17- sylvania—our folks are desperate for State who are just struggling to try to year-old high school student who has a good-paying jobs, middle-class jobs make it. Are they investing here at job. She says: I make $7.15 an hour and that allow them to pay that mortgage home with that $556 billion? The oil put in about 20 hours a week. My job and pay those outrageous gas prices companies spent $188 billion buying sometimes interferes with my edu- and to be able to keep their families back their own stock in the last 5 cation because I am trying to make afloat and put food on the table. years. Exporting. A record 1.6 million money that I need. My job affects What we had happen in front of us barrels a day were exported, 33 percent school because I need to work. It today was an effort to once again block higher than before. makes it difficult for me. I am paid the future of alternative energy jobs We are in a global economy. Unfortu- every 2 weeks and spend about $100 a and block today, by stopping it, an in- nately, even though I think it is impor- week on gas to get back and forth to vestment in the highway trust fund tant to have a domestic oil supply, it is school and work. She says: Even during that would keep 400,000 jobs going in in a global economy. It is not nec- school time, I ride the bus to try to our country. That is a lot of jobs— essarily going to stay here. The drill- save money, but now I probably won’t 400,000 jobs. only, the drill-forever crowd, that is be riding the bus because school dis- Now, why would they do that? When the oil agenda. It is the oil profits tricts are cutting back on transpor- you look around, since this President tation to school. They are doing this and Vice President have taken office, agenda in a global economy. Let me share for a moment some because they don’t have enough money gas prices have tripled. Oil prices are to fill up the buses’ gas tanks. four times higher. Families and busi- folks who are suffering under the oil agenda of this President and Vice What is going on? What is going on nesses are being squeezed on every side. here? We are fighting for the people of Why can’t we get action? Who benefits? President and the Republicans who have been in charge. this country who expect to be able to I wonder who would like this picture. put gas in the schoolbus, who expect to Well, let’s look at who would like In South Haven, MI, a beautiful little town along Lake Michigan, this was in be able to have seniors get Meals on this picture. I only pick on one com- Wheels, who expect to be able to drive pany because they happen to be the the paper. Early last month, Jeanne Fair, who is 62 years old, got her first to work. That is what this is about. It ones showing the highest profits. Dur- is about time we change the agenda of ing this time that families and truck- hot meals delivered to her home in this little lake community in the rural this country and who decisions are ers on the road are trying to make a being made for. The reality is—I think living, and businesses, small and large, southwestern part of the State. After it is, unfortunately, way too simple, are trying to hold it together, during two deliveries of meals, they stopped but it is true—we have had 8 years of this time of crisis, $185 billion profit because the volunteers couldn’t afford two oilmen in the White House and it since our President and the Vice Presi- the gas to get her the food. ‘‘They has gotten us paying $4-a-gallon gaso- dent—two oilmen from Texas—took of- called and said I was outside of the de- line, maybe a little less, maybe a little fice. Mr. President, $185 billion in prof- livery area,’’ said Mrs. Fair, who is more. That is the reality. We have seen its. What we have here is an oil agenda. homebound and hasn’t been able to use over and over not only efforts on this We have had an oil company agenda her left arm since a stroke in 1997. floor to block what we are doing but on since they took office on every step of Faced with soaring gasoline prices, the way. agencies around the country that pro- top of that, to add insult to injury, a The bill that was turned down vide services to the elderly say they free ride for the oil companies. today—it wasn’t just turned down are having to cut back on programs In January of 2006, the New York today; it was, in fact, turned down on such as Meals on Wheels, transpor- Times reported that the Bush adminis- June 10 of this year, June 17 of this tation assistance, and home care, espe- tration was allowing oil and gas com- year, July 29, and today. This isn’t the cially in rural areas that depend on panies to forgo royalty payments— only time. We have gone back as far as volunteers to provide their own gas. In forgo royalty payments—on leases in last year, a year ago. Tax incentives in a recent survey by the National Asso- Federal waters, public waters in the the Energy bill were blocked twice by ciation of Area Agencies on Aging, Gulf of Mexico. It would cost American Republican colleagues on behalf of big more than half said they already cut taxpayers more than $60 billion. Sixty oil on June 21, 2007, and December 13, back on programs because of gas billion dollars would equal 38 days of 2007. We can go on. February 7 of this prices. Ninety percent say they are ex- free gas for every American. How about year, Republicans blocked adding crit- pected to cut them back in 2009. that. So not only are they blocking us ical energy production tax incentives This is the United States of America, from creating alternatives, not only to the stimulus that was passed. They and we have volunteers who have to are they blocking us from taking tax- are willing to give everybody a little stop giving meals to people in rural payer money—the same people I just bit of a check, a little bit of a rebate Michigan so these folks can keep up read about are subsidizing the oil com- check, but when we are talking about this agenda here: $185 billion profit panies because we can’t stop these sub- creating jobs and investing in competi- since George Bush took office. And our sidies going to the most profitable tion with the oil companies, oh, no. Oh, folks can’t afford gas. companies in the world—the world. We no. Let me share something else, a letter can’t get that stopped when we are try- Who wouldn’t want that competi- from a gentleman: ing to say: Take those dollars and move them over to the future, which is tion? Let me see. Maybe these folks As my family’s only breadwinner, I drive wouldn’t want that competition. over an hour each day to my job at LifeWays alternative energy that will allow gas Maybe they were the ones who said: in Jackson . . . The reason I drive over an prices to go down, that will free us No, no, we don’t want to be focusing on hour each way is because jobs for profes- from foreign oil, get us off of a policy electric vehicles and investing in bat- sionals are extremely rare in Hillsdale Coun- that depends on those around the world tery technology or consumer credits ty where I live. Over 16 car industry-related who aren’t exactly our friends, and for new vehicles. No, no, we don’t want plants have closed in Hillsdale County in the make us stronger in terms of national to be investing in solar and wind and past 10 years, leaving the unemployment security. We can’t get that done. Then, rate sky high and wages extremely low. The to add insult to injury, they waive oil geothermal. No, no. Getting off of oil? newest hit is the high prices for energy No, no, no, no. This is the oil adminis- which are hurting me and my family. Not and gas leases—$60 billion. I would love tration. We don’t want to get off of oil; even looking at the 55-cent increase per gal- to have been able to waive some house we want to embrace it. We want to con- lon of propane we were just notified of, my payments. I would love to have been tinue it. commute costs me $28 a day and I drive a able to say to folks who were trying to

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.024 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7725 make it and not lose their house in don’t find some ways to use less and changes were made. That has been foreclosure: We will give you 90 days, find more, we are not going to be able passed in the Senate and passed in the don’t worry about it, because we care to make the transition to renewable House on the floor, and changes were about families and we want to make energies. We are being blocked from made. Now it has been conferenced. sure you keep your house. doing that. Last night, it took us all of an hour We finally have a housing bill. It is What we are doing is ‘‘gotcha’’ poli- and a half to work out the differences too late for many people, but we finally tics. We have been doing it for several and finish the bill. That will be a privi- have one, thank goodness, that the months now, and it is wrong. How can leged motion that will come here. So President would sign. you tell when it is ‘‘gotcha’’ politics? we will finish up a major bill in about Where are the priorities of this coun- When a bill doesn’t go through the reg- an hour and a half because it went try? Who are we making decisions for? ular process, when it doesn’t go to through the process. That is the question. Who are we mak- committee so that there can be exten- You cannot take something such as ing decisions for? sive debate among the people who are energy, put out a phony bill, expect it So I have extreme concern about the expert in that area, so that the people to pass, and check off the box on en- direction in which we are going. I have in that specific committee have a ergy. It is not going to work. We are to tell my colleagues, as somebody who chance to make amendments. That is not going to do that. That has never comes from a State where there is such where a lot of the legislating happens. been the way we have done work in the a little bit of support right now, it By the time it gets to the floor, it is Senate. We take a bill to committee, would give us a whole lot more impact kind of take it or leave it—maybe a few get it worked out, bring it to the floor, in the short run if we were to invest— amendments but not many are ever al- and let people make amendments. That and I know that. I am so grateful to lowed. On this one, the most we have is the way we do things here. It takes our Senate leadership for supporting been allowed is four amendments, time, but it doesn’t take nearly as our efforts to retool our auto plants, to which have been written by the other much time as forcing all of these fili- keep jobs in America for new vehicles. side of the aisle. busters by putting up bills that the We are now focusing our talk so many That is unconscionable. It has never tree will be filled on, which means no- times on this floor on what we are been done in the history of the United body can do any amendments—a take- doing to support the advanced battery States. And then they demand a 60- it-or-leave-it bill. research and development so we are vote margin on those. It will not hap- As long as we are doing take-it-or- making those new batteries in Amer- pen, and neither is anything else, until leave-it bills, nothing is going to hap- ica, not only for automobiles but for we do something about energy because pen. It makes good publicity because energy storage, and making sure we it is the No. 1 concern of people in they will run ads in Wyoming that will are the energy producers and creating America now. There is good reason for say Senator ENZI voted against this the jobs of the future. A few invest- that. I know trucking firms that are and that. And you know, I think the ments we can do immediately within going out of business. People want to people in Wyoming kind of have it fig- the next couple of years would tremen- take vacations, and they are either ured out. They know we are actually dously impact us. having to reduce the distance they are trying to get something done. They I know my time is up. Let me just in- going or eliminate the vacation alto- know what a crisis it is on energy. We dicate that it is time to change the gether. I know people who are having have to make a difference there. agenda. The American people have had trouble getting to work. So, remember, if a bill hasn’t been to enough. This big-oil agenda which has We can put quick solutions, medium, committee, it is a ‘‘gotcha’’ bill, de- been driving the train here on the Sen- and long-range solutions, in there that signed by one party. Several times ate floor and which has been driving would resolve the energy problem for there have been negotiations started the train in the White House has to America. The world is becoming more between the two parties, such as on the stop. energy oriented. The world under- tax extenders bill. But thinking that We have to take away their track stands energy. China understands en- would be a good ‘‘gotcha’’ vote, we had and turn this thing around, so that we ergy. China is buying up every source the package that you saw earlier that are focusing on what the American of energy it can find around the world, didn’t make it through cloture. That people want us to focus on to help because it grows their economy. They could be negotiated out. That could them and their families in this coun- are using some of the worst stuff they make it through the process. It needs try. can possibly use. That is why housing to make it through the process. But it I yield the floor. at the Olympic village isn’t going to be is not going to make it through the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- able to used for the athletes, because process if one side says let’s put this ator from Wyoming is recognized. they won’t be able to breathe prop- out there, and the other side will have Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise today erly—even though they have bought a lot of trouble voting for this, and we to continue the discussion we are hav- clean Wyoming coal, and they tried to can claim they don’t like tax extend- ing on our Nation’s energy situation buy an oil company in the United ers. I don’t think that has been the his- and to point out that it is a discussion, States so they could take that oil to tory of the country. I know it hasn’t it is not action. China. India is also competing for en- been the history of the Senate. I point out that the other side of the ergy. That competition is driving up Energy is so important. Energy im- aisle could be called the ‘‘great pre- the prices. pacts every part of our lives. When gas- tenders.’’ They are pretending to be in- Unless we find more and use less and oline and diesel fuel are more expen- terested in energy, but they are not transition into renewables, we are sive, you pay more to fill up your vehi- doing anything about energy. The only going to have a long problem in the cle at the pump. So do truckers who thing we have been allowed to debate economy of this country. As long as we transport the items we need, such as on this has been the bill on specu- keep bringing bills to the floor that food. In turn, you pay more at the gro- lators. I have talked about speculators have not been through committee, cery store. You pay more for gifts you and the role they have and what the where people with disagreements can buy for loved ones. The high cost of possibilities are for them to skew the move off to the side and work that out fuel makes it harder for families to fill market. It is the blame game. For and bring it in, it is not going to work. up their gas tanks. They are canceling every person who gains a dollar, a per- We are going to have a higher edu- vacations or they are picking ones son loses a dollar. cation bill this week, and that will closer to home. Because they are forced Our airlines rely on the speculation, make a difference to students through- to cancel vacations, main street shops rely on those markets to hedge their out the United States—in high school, are closing down because they don’t prices, and we call it speculation. It going to college, and those in college have consumers to buy their products. has allowed them to lock in a reason- continuing with college. That went Low energy costs make it possible for able price some of the time. through the whole process. That has our economy to flourish, and at a time So it is the great pretender package, been through the committees in both of economic concern, we should be because it doesn’t solve energy. If we the House and the Senate. A lot of doing everything we can to improve

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.025 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7726 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 our Nation’s energy situation as op- pension arena but wished to write separately thereby undermine one of ERISA’s core prin- posed to hindering it. The ‘‘energy to highlight our particular concerns about ciples. bill’’ we are debating ignores this fact potential erosion of one of the core prin- The experience of other nations has shown because it only deals with a small part ciples of the Employee Retirement Income that efforts to impose investment restric- Security Act (ERISA). tions and/or investment requirements on of our energy situation—energy specu- CIEBA is a group of over 115 private pen- pension plans impairs performance and lation. sion funds that manage more than $1.5 tril- thereby harms the interests of pension plan I have noticed that whenever a situa- lion in defined benefit and defined contribu- participants and beneficiaries. This has been tion gets bad, Congress plays the blame tion plan assets on behalf of more than 17 the European experience, and we fear current game. In this instance, the price of gas million plan participants and beneficiaries. efforts to restrict investments in commod- is making you angry. It makes me As you know, our nation’s voluntary em- ities could be the beginning of a counter-pro- ployer-sponsored pension system has served ductive movement in this direction in the angry, too. I am sick of paying $4 a gal- Americans well for over half a century and lon to fill my gas tank. I want action. U.S. We hope to work with you and your tens of millions of workers and retirees rely Senate colleagues to ensure that this will Instead of action, the majority has on defined benefit and defined contribution not be the case. Instead, we must ensure that given us the legislation to punish spec- retirement plans as a critical element of our existing ERISA structure—imposition of ulators. Never mind that speculators their retirement security. demanding fiduciary obligations paired with are pension funds, airlines, and other CIEBA is concerned about the possible un- broad investment flexibility—is preserved. consumers who are looking for cer- intended consequences of S. 3268. While we Thank you for your consideration of our understand and share the concerns regarding tainty in an uncertain market. They views on this important issue. We would be the rising costs of energy, severely restrict- happy to provide further input on this legis- have given us a bill that clamps down ing investment in energy commodities mar- on speculators even though the Chair- lation to ensure the health of a secure retire- kets, as S. 3268 would do, endangers the fi- ment system that will continue to serve the nancial well-being of the pension system and man of the Federal Reserve has said interests of the tens of millions of pension the American families who rely on this sys- there is no evidence that speculation is plan participants and beneficiaries. impacting the market. tem. CIEBA has been working actively to high- Sincerely, As I mentioned in my statements light the pension implications of restrictions WILLIAM F. QUINN, last week, this speculation bill might on commodities investing and warn against CIEBA Chairman. even have negative consequences on the adverse effects of such restrictions on the market. I spoke at length regard- pension participants and beneficiaries. I tes- JULY 25, 2008. ing the possible unintended con- tified on June 24, 2008, before the Senate Re adverse retirement plan implications of energy speculation legislation (S. 3268). sequences of the majority leader’s bill Homeland Security and Governmental Af- on institutional investors, including fairs Committee on these issues, and the Hon. HARRY REID, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, pension funds, and their ability to ac- chairman of CIEBA’s defined benefit sub- committee, Robin Diamonte, testified before Washington, DC. cess and participate in our markets. the House Agriculture Committee on July 10, Hon. MITCH MCCONNELL, Since I made those statements, I re- 2008. In our testimony, we made clear that Republican Leader, U.S. Senate, ceived two letters from The Committee while commodities are only a modest compo- Washington, DC. on Investment of Employee Benefit As- nent of a pension fund’s total investment DEAR MAJORITY LEADER REID AND REPUB- sets, and from a group of 10 associa- portfolio, they are nonetheless quite impor- LICAN LEADER MCCONNELL: We are writing tions that represents pension funds, tant because commodity returns are today to express concerns about the implica- companies, and their investment man- uncorrelated with stock and bond returns tions of S. 3268, the ‘‘Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008’’, on employer-spon- agers and fiduciaries, expressing their and commodities provide a critical hedge against inflation. We further testified that sored retirement plans and the tens of mil- concern about the majority leader’s efforts to restrict the ability of pension lions of American workers and retirees who bill. I ask unanimous consent that both plans to invest in commodities markets, rely on these plans for their retirement secu- of these letters be printed in the whether through outright prohibitions or se- rity. We represent organizations that assist RECORD. vere limitations, is short-sighted and coun- employers of all sizes, and their service pro- There being no objection, the mate- terproductive. Such restrictions would make viders, in providing retirement benefits to rial was ordered to be printed in the it difficult for pension plans to adequately employees. We are very concerned that the serious im- RECORD, as follows: diversify investments to hedge against mar- ket volatility and inflation. Consequently, plications of S. 3268 on retirement plans and THE COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT they would put at risk the retirement funds retirement plan participants have not been OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT ASSETS, and benefits of the very workers the legisla- sufficiently evaluated. We are also concerned Bethesda, MD, July 25, 2008. tive proposals are intended to help. that this legislation relating to energy pol- Re energy speculation legislation (S. 3268) As leaders of the Senate committees with icy could unintentionally harm the long- erodes core ERISA principle of invest- pension jurisdiction, we hope you share our term financial security of American workers ment flexibility. concern about adopting energy legislation and their families. Hon. EDWARD M. KENNEDY, with such major implications for the pension Employer-sponsored defined benefit plans Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, system, particularly when your committees invest for the long-term and do so in a wide Labor and Pensions, U.S. Senate, Dirksen of jurisdiction have not had an opportunity range of asset classes in order to diversify Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. to consider these issues. Congress has long plan investments and reduce to the greatest Hon. MICHAEL B. ENZI, recognized that direct government regula- extent possible the risk of large losses. These Ranking Minority Member, Committee on tion regarding specific pension plan invest- strategies are central to employers’ fidu- Health, Education, Labor and Pension, U.S. ments is ill-conceived, and ERISA very con- ciary obligations to act prudently and solely Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Wash- sciously avoids such an approach. As you in the interest of the plan’s participants and ington, DC. know, ERISA imposes rigorous fiduciary re- beneficiaries. Plan fiduciaries are subject to Hon. MAX BAUCUS, sponsibilities on those who manage pension extremely demanding legal obligations under Chairman, Committee on Finance, U.S. Senate, plan assets. These rules require plan fidu- the Employee Retirement Income Security Dirksen Senate Office Building, Wash- ciaries to act prudently, and to diversify Act (ERISA). ERISA was drafted to preserve ington, DC. plan investments so as to minimize the risk the fiduciary’s flexibility to select the in- Hon. CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, of large losses. Moreover, ERISA requires fi- vestments that will allow them to carry out Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Fi- duciaries to act solely in the interest of plan their mission of providing retirement bene- nance, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office participants and beneficiaries and for the ex- fits to employees. Commodities are one of a Building, Washington, DC. clusive purpose of providing participant ben- broad range of asset classes upon which fidu- DEAR CHAIRMEN KENNEDY AND BAUCUS AND efits. Accomplishment of these participant- ciaries rely. Commodities serve as a modest RANKING MEMBERS ENZI AND GRASSLEY: I am focused objectives can best be achieved by but important element of the investments writing today on behalf of the Committee on broad fiduciary discretion to select appro- held by employer-sponsored defined benefit Investment of Employee Benefit Assets priate investments and asset classes and this pensions because commodity returns are (‘‘CIEBA’’) to express our concerns regarding is precisely the regime adopted in ERISA. uncorrelated with stocks and bonds and be- S. 3268, the Stop Excessive Energy Specula- Fiduciaries cannot faithfully execute their cause they provide an important protection tion Act. This legislation would erode a cen- obligations and respond to market condi- against inflation. tral principle of the legal regime governing tions if restrictions are imposed on impor- For the same reasons, commodities are our voluntary pension system. We share the tant investment approaches and asset class- used in many of the diversified ‘‘single fund’’ sentiments expressed in the letter of concern es. Unfortunately, this is precisely what S. solutions (lifecycle funds, target retirement regarding S. 3268 sent to the Senate earlier 3268 would do. Its restrictions would erode fi- date funds) that have been developed to sim- today by ten trade associations active in the duciaries’ critical investment discretion and plify investing for the tens of millions of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:41 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.027 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7727 Americans participating in defined contribu- Now we are in the energy generation. He has used a procedural tactic to pre- tion plans such as 401(k), 403(b) and govern- There are young people out there who vent votes on amendments. No votes, mental 457 plans. These single fund solu- can invent clean ways to do what we just a speculation bill, bills that tions, which policymakers have encouraged through legislation and regulation, make in- need to do, who can change things that haven’t gone through committee. He vesting easier while giving workers access to we never considered to be energy. I has prevented a vote on amendments I professionally managed, diversified port- have a lot of faith in them. I have chal- have cosponsored to produce more folios. lenged them. I do the inventors con- American energy. He prevented a vote The restrictions imposed on commodities ference every winter in Wyoming, and I on my amendments to make the specu- investing under S. 3268 would greatly limit have asked the young people to come lation bill more reasonable. He is pre- the ability of employer-sponsored defined up with inventions—and they don’t venting a vote on an amendment of benefit and defined contribution plans to use this important asset class. The result will be have to be difficult, but they should which I am a cosponsor that would en- less ability to diversify investments, manage pertain to a pertinent problem so they courage production of diesel and jet investment volatility and provide a buffer can be marketed. We got more than 250 fuel from America’s most abundant en- against inflation. Unfortunately, it is the inventions as a result of it. ergy source—coal. employees and retirees who depend on em- Now I am pressing for energy inven- It is the wrong way to legislate and ployer retirement plans for their income in tions. We have not built a new refinery will not help you when you go to fill retirement who will ultimately suffer. We in the United States for 40 years. Part your gas tank. It will not help you hope, with this in mind, that the implica- of it is the permitting process and part when you get your electricity bill, your tions for retirement plans and plan partici- pants will be examined more fully before S. is a fear of lawsuits. We permitted a heating bill this winter. 3268 is considered further. new refinery in Douglas, WY. It will What we need is legislation that en- We sincerely appreciate your consideration turn out diesel fuel. That is one of the courages us to find more American en- of our views on this important matter. biggest needs we have in our country, ergy as we use less. I am the cosponsor Please let us know if we can provide addi- because of how much we rely on truck- of legislation to do that. The Gas Price tional information or address any questions ing in the United States, including Reduction Act, which is cosponsored by you may have. trucking to be able to mine the coal. 43 of my Republican colleagues, in- Sincerely, By producing American energy, we cludes a provision to open coastal wa- American Bankers Association. ters in States where they want energy American Benefits Council. reduce our Nation’s dependence upon American Council of Life Insurers. foreign oil sources and, at the same production. It ends the ban on the de- The ERISA Industry Committee. time, we work to develop new tech- velopment of promising oil shale in The Financial Services Roundtable. nologies that will make it so we don’t Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, oil shale Investment Company Institute. need oil in the future. We can safely that can provide as much as 2 trillion Managed Funds Association. produce more American energy off of barrels of oil. At the same time, the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America. the coasts of States that want explo- Gas Price Reduction Act encourages Securities Industry and Financial Markets ration to take place. We can produce increases in the supply of American en- Association. nearly a million barrels of American ergy, it promotes the development of U.S. Chamber of Commerce. better technology so we use less en- Mr. ENZI. While the majority has energy each day from the Arctic Na- tional Wildlife Refuge, in an environ- ergy. given us someone to blame, they have Thus far, we haven’t had a vote on not given us a comprehensive bill that mentally sensitive manner, from an area smaller than Dulles Airport. In those issues. We have been told by the will get us out of this energy mess. majority leader we can have limited They have not given us a proposal that fact, it is smaller than the Casper, WY airport. A million barrels a day will amendments with limits as to how addresses the heart of the problem—the those amendments can be debated. bring down the price at least $20 a bar- problem of supply and demand. We That is not right, and it needs to stop. rel. We can improve the permitting need to find more American oil from If it doesn’t, we will not address this process to allow some of the leases that American soil at the same time that issue and the American people will con- the other side claims are not in produc- we use less. We need to quit shipping tinue to suffer. those dollars overseas to countries that tion to be drilled by restricting the I yield the floor. would like to do us harm. We need to amount of times we let radical environ- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- do something with renewables. But mental groups file frivolous lawsuits. ator from Iowa. there are also things we can do with They have to file all of their objections TAX EXTENDERS the coal resources we have. My State at the same time, so they can be done Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, we has more coal than the Btus of oil in consecutively instead of sequentially. finished a fourth vote on the tax ex- the Middle East. I have a lot of faith in Most of the original leases are by small tenders bill. As the great baseball phi- our young people. When I was going to investors. It costs about $1,500 an acre. losopher, Yogi Berra, said: ‘‘It’s deja vu junior high, Russia put up Sputnik, and It is 5 or 6 years before they can even all over again.’’ we panicked. We discovered—even in use the lease. We hear all of these acres Here we are getting ready to vote and junior high we realized this—we were of leases that are not being drilled, and just finishing a vote for the fourth now behind Russia, and it was a crisis. it is because they are tied up in the time on the motion to proceed to the We didn’t want to be there. Education courts. As soon as they can be drilled, House tax extenders bill. As I said, it is changed, parents changed, and teachers they are. There is a tremendous invest- deja vu all over again and yet again. changed. We began inventing. We not ment. They don’t know if they are The vote, I believe, was 51 to 43, so only solved the problem of space, we going to hit oil, but the cost of a well very short of what it takes to get busi- sent a man to the Moon. We have sent now is about $8 million. ness done in the Senate, which is to vehicles to Mars and other planets. Instead of relying on oil from Hugo work a bipartisan agreement so we That was the rocket generation. Chavez, in Venezuela, or other nations have more than 60 votes to get business Then we went to the computer gen- that wish us harm, instead of playing done. This is a no-brainer, in this par- eration. We have people with extraor- the blame game, we can do something ticular instance, to get an extenders dinary minds, because of the freedom to bring down the price of gas. That is bill and the AMT. we have in the United States, who what my constituents are begging us to The futility of this exercise, which is came up with great inventions for com- do. motivated purely by partisan politics, puters. I remember when they said that Unfortunately, we are not having a makes this vote as silly as a ‘‘Three 640K would be the maximum memory real debate on the bill. The Senate is Stooges’’ episode. Instead of wasting you could ever use in a computer. No- oftentimes called the most deliberative time on such a silly exercise, the Sen- body even knows what that is anymore, body in the world. Yet we are not al- ate Democratic leadership should be it is so small. lowed to debate the issue that is most working on negotiating a bipartisan Then we went to communications, important to the American people. deal with Senate Republicans that can and we said there ought to be better Why, you might ask? The majority be signed into law by the President. ways to communicate. Then we began leader has used a procedural tactic to The American people do not want an- the cell phone generation. prohibit us from offering amendments. other futile vote on tax extenders.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:17 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A30JY6.018 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7728 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 They want a bill that will be signed families. The provision for the State truly takes to run the Government. We into law. That would provide the Amer- and local sales tax would help almost should not be using sunset tax provi- ican people with the tax relief that is 11 million families. Also, the deduction sions as an excuse to increase taxes, needed. for expenses for tuition and fees would and that is all it is. The extenders vote we had has al- help over 4.6 million families. In addi- In addition, the Democrats’ desire to ready failed before. Albert Einstein fa- tion, the deduction for expenses of use permanent offsets to pay for an ex- mously stated the definition of ‘‘insan- school teachers would help 3.4 million tension of temporary tax provisions is ity’’ is doing the same thing over and Americans. These hard-working tax- extremely problematic. It creates a sit- over and expecting different results. payers are more important than a 30- uation where the permanent offsets The Senate Democratic leadership has second sound bite to be used in the that can be agreed to on a bipartisan already done the same thing too many next campaign because of political basis—in other words, the low-hanging times and, of course, today sought to games that are being played. fruit all gets used to pay for the exten- do it again. This is a waste of every- The bottom line is, when we have 24 sion of temporary tax provisions. one’s time. Everyone can see through million people being hit by AMT, 4.6 Under the Democrats’ tax side only, the Democratic leadership’s strategy million people on the deduction of col- pay-go obsession, once all the low- for what it is: a partisan political exer- lege expenses, and 3.4 million people hanging fruit is used—and we are rap- cise, designed solely to get 30-second hit by increased taxes because school idly approaching that point—then the sound bites for political ads. teachers will not be able to deduct sup- choice becomes much uglier for them Let’s stop this nonsense. Let’s work plies from their income taxes, real and much uglier for the American tax- out a bipartisan compromise on the tax Americans are being hurt while polit- payers. The choice becomes whether to extenders bill. Let’s reach agreement ical games are being played, when ev- extend existing tax policy that has in a form that can be signed into law erybody in this body knows the only broad support by increasing taxes in by the President. The President made way we get things done is in a bipar- areas that will hurt Americans. it very clear today that he is not will- tisan way. Nobody advocates the inconsistency ing to sign what we had before us a few The biggest divide between Repub- of the pay-as-you-go rules more than minutes ago into law. Of course, what licans and Democrats regarding tax ex- the famed House of Representatives I am asking is that the Senate Repub- tenders relates to the issue of offsets, Blue Dogs, and they are all Democrats. lican leadership has been trying to also known as revenue raisers, or I The Blue Dogs portray themselves as urge the Senate majority to move in think we ought to be more intellectu- fiscal conservatives. We agree with the this direction. ally honest and call these tax in- Blue Dogs’ goals of fiscal responsi- The Senate Republican leadership creases. In other words, tax increases bility. They will have allies all over has made numerous offers to the Sen- on Americans generally to provide the my side of the aisle if they want to ate Democratic leadership to try to extension of some policy that has been control spending. The problem is the find a way to break the logjam on tax on the books for decades. Blue Dogs are pursuing the same old extenders. So far, our colleagues on the My party’s position has been clear on tax-and-spend game under the cloak of other side of the aisle have been un- this issue. We are perfectly willing to fiscal responsibility. The Blue Dogs willing to enter into a bipartisan use offsets that make sense from a tax will fight tooth and paw over any tax agreement on a tax extenders bill that policy perspective to pay for new tax relief that is not offset with a cor- even attempts to address legitimate policy. However, tax relief provided by responding tax increase. However, the same self-described fis- concerns of the minority party in this extending existing tax policy or expir- cally conservative Blue Dogs are not body. ing provisions, or somebody may call willing to fight tooth and paw to seek As the Senate Democratic leadership these sunset provisions, we do not feel the same equality for the taxpayers on engages in pure partisan politics by they should have to be offset. We the spending side of the ledger. They bringing up the tax extenders bill for should not be raising taxes in order to have a big appetite for spending. The yet another vote, the chairman of the pay for the extension of existing tax Blue Dogs generally do not seek to off- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Com- policy. mittee is probably grinning like a One reason I care about this issue is set spending increases with spending cuts in other areas. But in taxes, it is Cheshire cat, thinking of all the 30-sec- that there is currently a bias in favor a whole different story. In fact, the ond campaign ads they will be able to of using this as an excuse to bring in Blue Dogs do not even seek to curb the make. However, the people of New more money to increase the size of amount of spending increases for which York are not grinning because they are Government. The pay-as-you-go rules they hunger. not getting the benefit of any of these apply to expiring tax provisions which By portraying themselves as fiscal tax relief provisions. All the tax relief are not built into the revenue base. On conservatives, while in reality playing provisions that are very important to the other hand, if you have sunset of the same old tax-and-spend game, the the American people, including even to appropriations, these are built into the Blue Dogs remind me of the land shark the people of New York, are being held spending baseline. Therefore, in order character played by Chevy Chase on hostage as part of the political game of to extend expiring tax provisions, the ‘‘Saturday Night Live.’’ This was many the Democratic Senate leadership hav- pay-go rules require an offset, and that years ago, so maybe some of you will ing vote after vote on cloture to stop happens to be a big tax increase. not remember. But we have a picture of debate for whatever reason. Whereas, if you have extensions of ex- the land shark skit with the theme Some of these important tax relief piring appropriations provisions—in from ‘‘Jaws’’ playing in the back- provisions are the alternative min- other words, spending provisions—they ground. imum tax patch, the deduction for the do not need to be paid for by decreased The land shark knocks on a person’s State and local sales tax, the deduction spending in other areas because they door. With the door still closed, the of tuition expenses, and the deduction are assumed in the spending baseline. person would ask: Who is at the door? for expenses of school teachers. How is Therefore, pay-as-you-go rules apply to The land shark would reply: Flower anybody going to find fault with the the extension of expiring tax provi- delivery. fact that these provisions should have sions, but in an intellectually, incon- The person answering the door then been done a long time ago? In fact, the sistent way do not apply to the exten- said: You are that clever shark, aren’t AMT patch should have been done be- sion of expiring spending provisions. you? cause, since the first of the year, tax- This inconsistent treatment makes And in response, the land shark said: payers who have had to file quarterly no sense—intellectually inconsistent; I Candygram. tax payments have been violating the say to the taxpayers of America, intel- If you don’t know how the skit ended, law if they haven’t taken into consid- lectually dishonest. It is biased to cre- the person eventually let the land eration that there are 24 million Amer- ate ever larger Government. The shark in the door because that person ican families right now hit by the al- money the American people earn, after believed the land shark when the land ternative minimum tax. That figure all, is their money. We should only shark said he was a dolphin. And, yes, would include 3.1 million New York take the money from them that it the land shark ate that person.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:17 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.035 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7729 The moral of the land shark story is, My colleagues on the other side of and NAFTA—and they want us to look don’t let yourself be fooled that the the aisle are unwilling to even consider at what PNTR—Permanent Normal Blue Dogs are fiscal conservatives be- decreasing their increased nondefense Trade Relations—with China has cause they are pursuing the same old discretionary spending that is above meant. They want us to look at Colom- tax-and-spend Washington game. Don’t the President’s budget. If the Blue bia, and Peru, and Panama, and South let the House of Representatives Blue Dogs of the other body are fiscal con- Korea, and what those agreements Dogs’ insatiable appetite for spending servatives, they should come out and might mean to our country. swallow the much-needed tax relief say they are willing to decrease this in- It is pretty clear that Americans are contained in the tax extenders. crease in the new extra nondefense dis- not satisfied with the status quo of I recommend that folks take a look cretionary spending. Instead, the Blue NAFTA, CAFTA, and WTO-modeled at the cover story of the June 14, 2008, Dogs’ position has been that all of the policies. One reason is our severely un- edition of the National Journal maga- tax relief provided in the tax extenders balanced trade relationship with the zine about the Blue Dogs. It is very en- package, even the extension of the ex- People’s Republic of China. When it lightening. isting tax policy, must be offset by an comes to competing with China, Ohio In trying to reach a bipartisan agree- equal amount of tax increases on every workers and manufacturers are playing ment on tax extenders, my party’s other American. Why not look at curb- with one hand tied behind their back. leadership has made several offers to ing this new excess spending to pay for We shouldn’t be playing under these the other side’s leadership. One of part of the much needed tax relief? So rules. Athletes at next week’s Olympics these offers is to pay for some new tax let us get back to square one. I invite will not be playing by these rules. policy using offsets that make good tax my Blue Dog friends who claim to be Maybe there is a lesson there for the policy sense. This is not simply a vague fiscal conservatives to answer that Chinese Government, for the United promise to look for such offsets. For question. instance, I have suggested we use the Back to where we started today— States Government, and for our trade policy. Workers, like athletes, can offset that closes the loophole that al- back to Yogi Berra. He also said: ‘‘It compete with anyone—good athletes lows hedge fund managers to defer ain’t over ’til it’s over.’’ This extenders and certainly American workers can compensation for tax haven jurisdic- vote failed because our colleagues on compete with anyone where there is a tions. the other side of the aisle have refused level playing field and the rules are not My time is up. to negotiate toward a bipartisan bill rigged. But manufacturers and workers Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- that can be signed into law. Because of in Ohio are struggling to compete sent for 4 more minutes. the Senate Democratic leadership’s while our Government too often stands The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without doomed plan, this extenders discussion idly by while China games the system objection, it is so ordered. ‘‘ain’t over ’til it’s over.’’ Let’s get this Mr. GRASSLEY. I thank the Chair. over and over and over. over with. Let’s negotiate toward a bi- This problem is urgent, as a new re- So we have offered something like partisan agreement that can become closing a loophole that allows hedge port from the Economic Policy Insti- law so the American people will ben- tute shows. This report finds that the fund managers to defer compensation efit. So far, the Senate Democratic in tax haven jurisdictions. However, we United States is hemorrhaging manu- leadership has not done that. For that facturing jobs at an alarming pace. need to remove the huge charitable reason alone, people did vote ‘‘no’’ on Nothing new there. More than 366,000 loophole that is contained in both the cloture, as they previously had. jobs were lost last year alone because Democratic House and Senate extend- Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I of our trade deficit with China—366,000 ers bill. thank the Senator from Ohio for allow- jobs in 1 year because of our trade rela- Let me try to explain something that ing me the additional 4 minutes. tionship with one country. In all, EPI is not explainable. I would be embar- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- counts 2.3 million jobs lost to the rassed if I had this in one of my bills. ator from Ohio. China trade deficit since China joined This charitable loophole allows hedge Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask the World Trade Organization less than fund managers to deduct 100 percent of unanimous consent that our half-hour a decade ago. their deferred compensation that is do- be divided equally, with the first 15 Unless China raises the real value of nated to charity. In contrast, the ordi- minutes for myself, and Senator NEL- its currency—the yuan—by at least an nary American is only permitted to de- SON of Florida the other 15 minutes. additional 30 percent, and lets it float duct charitable contributions of up to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without on the international currency ex- 50 percent of his or her income for that objection, it is so ordered. changes, as most countries do, the The Senator from Ohio is recognized. year. Everyone is obviously in favor of United States trade deficit and job charity, but treating wealthy hedge DOHA ROUND OF WTO TALKS losses will continue to grow. fund managers better than the average Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, the Doha Labor rights are also a factor. The American taxpayer makes no sense Round of World Trade Organization— AFL–CIO estimates that repression of from a tax policy standpoint. the WTO—talks broke down yesterday. labor rights by the Chinese Govern- Also, the Senate Republican leader- Given the tremendous problem with ment has lowered manufacturing rates ship suggested that some of the other this Nation’s trade policy, I don’t know by as much as 80 percent. To put it in new tax policy could be paid for by de- of many Ohioans who are going to be perspective, my office receives at least creasing the scheduled increase in new very upset, and I don’t know of many two or three TAA certifications a spending, but that was not taken into of my colleagues who will be too trou- week—trade adjustments from the consideration, even considering the bled about World Trade Organization Trade Adjustment Act on workers los- fact that the present budget authorizes trade talks breaking down either. ing their jobs because of international an increase greater than $350 billion The impasse at the WTO is no dif- trade. We receive from the Labor De- over the next 10 years, and none of that ferent from the pause we are in right partment at least two or three TAA is offset. now when it comes to trade. Americans certifications a week for Ohio manu- This extra $350 billion is like an extra are rightly skeptical about the course facturers. Each of these certifications checkbook that Congress is carrying we are on when it comes to trade pol- represents, in most cases, hundreds of around in addition to its already fat icy, and Congress reflects that skep- workers and their families. checkbook. This checkbook covers ticism. In the 2006 elections, voters all What happens to a community when nondiscretionary spending and current across the country told those of us in there is job loss? Think about a com- levels of discretionary spending. We Congress, Republicans and Democrats munity. I was speaking to a gentleman simply asked that they take a few alike, that they wanted a timeout on from Tiffin in the last hour. Think checks out of this extra checkbook— trade; that they wanted to see us go about the town of Tiffin, or Chillicothe not all of it, just a small part of it—to back and look at the success and fail- or Wilmington or Finley or Mansfield— pay for some of these needed tax relief ures of the North American Free Trade towns of 15,000, 20,000, 30,000, or 50,000 provisions. However, this suggestion Agreement, the Central American Free people. When they lose a plant, a man- was summarily dismissed. Trade Agreement—so-called CAFTA ufacturing installation—or what is

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.036 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7730 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 happening with DHL in Wilmington, One very salient point from the EPI We have an opportunity now, because which is way beyond that—even if they report is that it is not only apparel of the failure of DOHA, to step away, lose a plant with 300 or 400 workers, jobs we are talking about, and not only to evaluate what is working and what think about what it does, not just to a relatively low-wage jobs. We are get- is not working and start again with a worker and his or her family, but what ting into high-tech products, many in- new trade model—for New Jersey, the it does to the community at large, with tegral to our defense industrial base. State of the Presiding Officer, and for the layoffs of police officers and teach- The report finds that more than a my State. I have introduced legisla- ers and firefighters, because there are quarter of last year’s record trade def- tion, S. 3083, the TRADE Act, which significantly fewer jobs in a commu- icit with China was due to advanced evaluates our Trade Agreements Pro- nity of that size. technology products. gram, which allows for renegotiation Last week, it was Ceva Logistics in Last year, a $68 billion deficit in ad- and which sets forth principles for fu- Miamisburg that we got a TAA certifi- vanced technology products was re- ture trade deals. cation about—near Dayton; Acuity sponsible for more than 25 percent of In my State, in the last year and a Lighting in Newark, and more Delphi the total United States-China trade half, I have held about 110 roundtables workers. The same old story with Del- deficit. Since 2001, the flood of ad- in 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties where I gath- phi and what has happened in the last vanced technology imports from China er a group of 20 or 25 people, a cross- year in Moraine, OH—again, near Day- eliminated 561,000 United States jobs in section of the community, and listen to ton. computer and electronic products. So them talk about their hopes and Yesterday, we got a TAA notice we are not just talking about textile dreams and what they wish and hope about Acklin Stamping Company in and apparel jobs. for in their community and what they Toledo. The Labor Department cer- EPI also counts more than $8,000 in are fighting for, for their families and tified that an increase in imports lost income for displaced workers. Peo- their communities. Few issues in these caused Acklin to lay off workers. ple who support U.S. trade policy— roundtables get workers and busi- That was last week and yesterday. President Bush, Vice President CHE- nesses, Democrats and Republicans— But how about today and how about to- NEY, the Republican leadership in this and I don’t know people’s party affili- morrow? Probably more TAA notices, body—say: Well, yes, prices are low as ations at these roundtables—few issues because we get two or three almost a result of U.S. trade policy, but when get them as worked up as our unfair every week. Probably more today, to- companies such as shoe manufacturers trading relationship with China in morrow, and next week, again because move out of the United States or a deals such as NAFTA and CAFTA that of a failed trade policy. steel manufacturer moves out of the protect Wall Street investors but don’t On my desk, I have a stack of auction United States, I don’t see steel or shoe protect labor, don’t protect safety, notices from small tool and die manu- prices dropping necessarily. So I don’t don’t protect the environment. facturers going out of business in my know if that argument holds water. We have an opportunity, in the com- State and across the country. These Even if you concede it might affect ing months and especially next year notices are going-out-of-business sales. prices some, EPI counts more than with the new President, to renew a They are notices offering the sale of $8,000 in lost income per displaced consensus on trade. I look forward to equipment from machine shops not just worker. So what does that mean? It working in my caucus and across the in my State but all over the country. means someone working at American aisle on a better approach to trade pol- This week, I spoke with the CEO and Standard in Tiffin, OH, or someone at icy for our workers, for their families, the family owners of Norwalk Fur- the old Westinghouse plant in Mans- for our communities, and for our coun- niture in Norwalk, OH, a community field, where I grew up, or a GM worker try. between Cleveland and Toledo. We are in Dayton or a DHL worker or ABX or I suggest the absence of a quorum. trying to keep this 105-year-old com- ASTAR in Wilmington, when they lose The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pany in business. Norwalk workers are a good-paying job making $30,000, clerk will call the roll. represented by the Teamsters and $40,000, $50,000, or $60,000 a year, the The bill clerk proceeded to call the United Steelworkers. It is a company next job they have on the average roll. playing by the rules, paying good makes $8,000—if they can find a job— Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- wages in a small town in Ohio, with makes $8,000 less than they were used dent, I ask unanimous consent that the good benefits, trying to stay competi- to making. And lower prices don’t give order for the quorum call be rescinded. tive despite having the deck stacked you much of a break when you have a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without against it because of our trade policy new job at $8,000 less than your old job. objection, it is so ordered. with China. Proponents of China PNTR or NASA Again, American companies are play- NAFTA like to say that the jobs dis- Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- ing with one hand tied behind their placed from China are replaced with dent, yesterday was the 50th anniver- back. China’s undervalued currency export-oriented jobs that pay better, or sary of the National Aeronautics and and weak safety and environmental jobs in the service sector that pay bet- Space Administration. I want to recall standards put American furniture man- ter. Again, not true. The truth is that that after the space shuttle Challenger ufacturers such as Norwalk at a huge wages earned in United States export went down 22 years ago, in a Nation disadvantage. Like many Ohio busi- heavy industry paid 4 percent less than that was shocked because the very nesses, Norwalk Furniture can compete the jobs displaced by Chinese imports. symbol of technological prowess had with China. It can and has competed So when we lose these jobs to Chinese exploded in front of our own eyes on with foreign competition. That is not imports, it is costing our workers that our television screens, the President the complaint. The reason manufactur- $8,000 we were talking about. Even if addressed a mourning Nation and noted ers such as Norwalk Furniture are we are exporting some to China, the that even out of that tragedy, we have struggling and pleading for a change in amount we are exporting to China grown accustomed to wonders in this trade policy is that they can’t compete versus the amount we are bringing in country. He observed that we had been while the U.S. Government—the Bush obviously is a huge chasm. It is the so accustomed to all of that techno- Commerce Department, the Bush U.S. better paying jobs that are moving off- logical achievement, it was almost as Trade Representative—stands by and shore or closing because of a flood of if it was a Sunday afternoon drive in allows China to game the system. Chinese imports. the car. As President Reagan said, it is We see what these plant closings do The failure of the WTO talks could, hard to dazzle us. But America’s space to communities, which is why not only in fact, be a blessing. The DOHA talks program has been doing exactly that. Norwalk Furniture is fighting back, long ago became more of a threat than Now for 50 years it has been dazzling but Mayor Lesch and others in Nor- an opportunity to American farmers us, even in times of loss and even in walk are joining them in this struggle. and to American workers and long ago times of tragedy. The trade deficit with China costs represented more of a threat than an Fifty years ago, it was President Ei- manufacturing jobs, and not just low- opportunity for sustainable develop- senhower who signed the National Aer- skilled jobs, as is commonly thought. ment abroad for our trading partners. onautics and Space Act and created

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.037 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7731 NASA. Fifty years ago, in 1958—re- we have explored Jupiter and Mars, and It is not the pure science, it is not member the context of history. The So- we have had Rovers all over Mars. In- the technology spinoffs, it is not the viets suddenly took the high ground. deed, it looks as if there was water on high-tech workforce, or it is not that The Soviets shocked us because they Mars. As we continue to explore the we want to extend human civilization put the first satellite, sputnik, in orbit. heavens, if there was water—and when beyond our planet. We do it because it Here, time after time, with the old we eventually get there with humans— is in our character and our nature as a Navy Vanguard rocket, it would ex- with water, was there life? If there was people. We are, as Americans, explorers plode on the pad. It was not until the life, how developed was it? If it was de- by nature. President went to a group of Ger- veloped, was it civilized? And if that In the past, we always have had a mans—who were here because we, the life was civilized, what happened? What frontier. As this Nation developed, it United States, had gotten to Peene- can we learn as we explore the heavens was a westward-expanding frontier. munde, Germany, before the Soviets in order to be better stewards of our Now that expansion is upward. It has did and got about two-thirds of those planet, protecting our planet and this been said that there are two funda- German rocket scientists, headed by civilization that is on this home called mental differences between humans Wernher von Braun. So years later, the planet Earth? and other species. As humans, we have President goes to Wernher von Braun, I am quite excited, as America cele- souls. As humans, we are curious. It as America’s prestige was on the line brates NASA’s 50 years of history, that has also been said that the exploration because we couldn’t get a rocket off we are now preparing to chart a new of space is a testament to these dif- the pad, and Wernher von Braun said: course into the cosmos. I am excited ferences. Curiosity, which is unique to Give me 6 months. With the Army Red- about the wonders that await us. There humans, drives us to explore, and our stone rocket, he put up America’s first is hope for space settlements and per- soul gives us meaning to this endeavor. satellite—Explorer. It was in that his- haps that discovery of life elsewhere in As we celebrate 50 years of NASA’s torical context that the Congress wrote the universe. It is going to be a page-1 history, let us continue to be a bit this new act that set up NASA. story when suddenly there is some kind overwhelmed. Let us be dazzled again. Then, after we had been beaten in of transmission that we intercept that That concludes my comments on space by the Soviets with the first sat- indicates there is intelligent life else- NASA. I have some other comments on ellite, we were beaten in space by the where in the universe. a different subject unless we are in first human in orbit. As a matter of Mr. President, you and I—our human some restriction here on the time. fact, we didn’t even have a rocket that minds cannot conceive the enormous- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- had enough lift capability to get the ness of the universe. When we look at ator has 2 minutes 40 seconds remain- Mercury capsule into orbit because it the size of our solar system around the ing. Mr. NELSON of Florida. When one of was that same Redstone rocket that we Sun and we understand that there are our colleagues comes to the floor, I am put the Mercury capsule on for Alan billions of other solar systems just in told that I can continue until that Shepard to go into suborbit. It was in our galaxy and then try to comprehend time. that context that President Kennedy, that there are billions of other gal- SAMUEL SNOW after we had been shocked again with axies—can you imagine that in a far- I want to share with the Senate the the Soviets putting up Gagarin for one distant galaxy, there is another star, tragedy of a fellow named Samuel orbit and then a few weeks later we put similar to our Sun, with planets rotat- Snow, Samuel Snow, 84 years old, Afri- up Alan Shepard only into suborbit, it ing around it, that has created the cli- can American. The time is 1944 and he was at that point that the President, matological conditions that have is part of the U.S. forces in a military who is the only one who can lead brought forth the life here on this plan- installation in Seattle, WA. It is an in- America’s space program—that Presi- et? Given the infinite expanse of the stallation where there were Italian dent, in 1961, President John F. Ken- universe—it is going to be quite inter- prisoners of war. Somehow a riot nedy, set the goal. He gave the vision. esting when we have some discovery of breaks out, and in the course of this He said we are going to the Moon and an intelligent message from somewhere riot in the prisoner of war camp, one of back in 9 years, before the end of the else in the universe. This is the excite- these Italian prisoners of war is decade. It was a bold challenge. He did ment of the future. lynched, and the African-American As we look back on the accomplish- that in front of a joint session of Con- U.S. soldiers are charged. They are ments of 50 years of NASA, we can look gress: Send a human to another celes- summarily dismissed. They are put in tial body. Here we had not even gotten with great pride, but excitement, to jail. For a year, Samuel Snow was put into orbit with John Glenn. the future. This is the promise of a new in jail. He was then dishonorably dis- It was 10 months later, on an Atlas President of the United States making charged, all the time maintaining his rocket—which was an ICBM. It was not a bold declaration of our understanding innocence. rated for humans. We knew it had a 20- and exploration of the heavens. As he was discharged dishonorably, percent chance of failure when John As President Kennedy promised all he went back to his hometown of Lees- Glenn climbed into that Mercury cap- those years ago, science and education burg, FL. The only work he could get sule, and then we were off on that have been greatly enriched by the new was that of janitor. Yet he was so re- space race. The skeptics did not think knowledge of our universe and of our spected in his neighborhood he became it could be done. They certainly didn’t environment. Life here on Earth has the neighborhood handyman. He mar- think we could go to the Moon. But improved by leaps and bounds from the ried his high school sweetheart. They NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spinoffs of the space technology—the had children. He raised that family. missions were all designed because of space tools, the computers, the minia- In 2005, a journalist in Seattle, WA, that bold stroke of leadership and that turization—all of this which has been an investigative journalist, dug into vision of a young President. adapted to our daily lifestyles and to this situation and found that Sam Nine years later, on July 20, 1969, the industry and to medicine and to our in- Snow had been railroaded and showed President’s dream became a reality dividual homes. America’s space effort he was innocent. Now, you can imagine when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. has created scores of new high-tech all of those years after that. Who can ever forget those immortal companies and hundreds of thousands Then the Army, the U.S. Army, to its words: Houston, the Eagle has landed. of jobs. Simply put, we all reap the embarrassment, decides it is going to And who can ever forget those words as harvest of gains from our exploration reverse the dishonorable discharge and the commander of that mission, Neil of space. That is why now, at this wa- give him an honorable discharge. And Armstrong, climbed down the ladder of tershed point of where NASA is going oh, by the way, out of their generosity those spindly spider legs of the Apollo in the future, that is why we cannot of heart, they decide they are going to Lander, when he said: That is a small cede our leadership in space or waiver pay him his annual wage for the year step for man, but that is a giant leap in our support for our space program. he spent in the military prison, so they for mankind. There is another reason we under- are going to cut him a check of $725. Since then, we have flown the shut- take the risk and invest in space explo- Well, when this Senator found out tles, we have built the space station, ration. about that happening to a Floridian,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.039 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7732 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 this Senator about went into orbit er it be the bilge water, whether it be 9–1–1 SERVICE again, and, of course, not only writing water coming out of an outboard Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- to the Pentagon but having direct motor, whether it be trying to scoop dent, I have the opportunity to clear talks with the Secretary of the Army out the water filling up in a little mo- the decks today with another speech I in front of our committee, the Joint torboat. Whatever it is, they were have been waiting to give. Since one of Chiefs of Staff. All of them came back going to require, for the 23 million rec- our colleagues is not coming, I am and said: Well, the law is that we can- reational boat owners, 2 million of going to take advantage of this lull of not pay any more. We cannot pay even which are in my State of Florida, they the Senate and, since a Senator is what we were asking for. were going to require going to the EPA walking in, I will make it short. At least give him the cost-of-living in order to get a permit. A tragedy occurred in Florida about 4 adjustment for those 60 years of his By working it out on both sides of years ago, when a child in Deltona, FL, military pay that he was denied. They the aisle in a bipartisan fashion, we which is north of Orlando, started say: No, we cannot do it. The law does were able also to get a delay of an addi- choking. The mom raced to the phone not allow it. tional 24 months for commercial ves- and dialed 9–1–1 and then she ran back Well, we put it in the Defense author- sels under 79 feet and all commercial to the child when she could not get ization bill. It is before the Senate. fishing vessels regardless of size. anyone to answer on 9–1–1 to help the And as soon as the Senate will finally All of this came from the decision of child. But it was to no avail. And what take up the Defense authorization bill, a judge who was trying to protect the we found out was, in fact, this was a we will pass it out of here. It is already interests of the United States. Because voice over the Internet telephone con- in the version of the House that has what happened is these foreign vessels versation and that, in fact, there was passed the House. It will become law. that come in with ballast water in no emergency 9–1–1. So for the last 3 or But let me tell you the sad ending to order to weigh down a vessel before it 4 years, some of us have been trying to this story. Last Saturday, Sam Snow then comes to the United States and make sure there is a mandate for 9–1– and his son Ray traveled to Seattle for takes on cargo that weighs down the 1 service on a telephone that happened the ceremony conducted by the U.S. vessel would then dump this water that to be transmitted over the Internet in- Army to give him his papers for his was there for ballast in the waters of stead of over the normal telephonic honorable discharge. He became ill in the United States. The problem was wires. Happily, I can say to the Senate Seattle before the ceremony. His son they would take on water elsewhere in we worked that legislation out. It was went in his place. His son received the the world that was contaminated, and comprehensive. We worked out the dif- honorable discharge, brought it back to a certain kind of snail was one of these ferences between the House and Sen- his dad, and with a big smile on his contaminants that would then go into ate. On another happy occasion, the dad’s face, his son read him the honor- any kind of drain under the water and President invited a bunch of us to come able discharge from an incident, a ter- start to clog up the drain. So there was down for a signing ceremony. I’m rible mark upon the U.S. Army that clearly an environmental interest to be happy to say that in the future, when had occurred 60 years before. protected against all of these big com- anybody runs to a telephone to dial 9– I am sad to tell you that 3 hours mercial vessels bringing in this foreign 1–1, it is not going to be the technical later, Sam Snow passed away to go on ballast water that was contaminating difference of that phone. They are to be with his Maker. He is still owed our waters. going to know it is hooked up to emer- that back pay, and he is owed more But the fact is, the court’s ruling be- gency services. That is my good news than some $725. This Senator, when we came so expansive that it said in inci- story. pass that Defense authorization bill, is dental runoff from little recreational I yield the floor. looking forward to the day that that boats, you are going to have to get an The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- sum, adjusted, will go to his grieving EPA permit as well. ator from Missouri. family. Fortunately, common sense prevailed Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unan- I yield the floor, and I suggest the ab- and we have been able to overcome imous consent to speak for 15 minutes. sence of a quorum. that. We passed it in the House and the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate. It is on its way to the White objection, it is so ordered. clerk will call the roll. House. Presumably the President will RURAL GAS CRISIS The bill clerk proceeded to call the sign this momentarily and it will be Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I thank my roll. law, averting this disaster that was colleague from Florida for filling in for Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- about to occur in September where all me while I was caught up in a radio dent, I ask unanimous consent that the of these recreational boat owners and interview. order for the quorum call be rescinded. the commercial small fishing vessels We are here today to talk about a The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without were going to have to get this EPA per- real crisis, a rural America crisis. objection, it is so ordered. mit. Rural America is suffering a gas price CLEAN BOATING ACT OF 2008 That is a commonsense story. It is crisis. Rural America deserves action Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- also a good news story. I wanted to now to get gas prices down. Rural dent, until another Senator has come share that with the Senate. I thank the America knows this fundamentally is a to the floor to seek recognition, I have folks who have worked with me on this problem of not enough supply to meet another subject I have been waiting pa- legislation, particularly the chairman demand. We need to find more oil and tiently to speak on, and we have been of the Environment Committee, Sen- use less to bring the real gas price re- so busy on the floor that I have not had ator BOXER, and Senator MURKOWSKI of lief rural America needs. Families, a chance to speak on it. Alaska, who helped work with us with farmers, truckers across rural Mis- This is another good news story. We regard to the commercial fishing ves- souri, my home State, are suffering have finally passed, by the Senate sels that were 79 feet and less. I am record pain at the pump. At kitchen ta- working together across the aisle, bi- glad to bring this good news to the bles in the farmhouses of rural Mis- partisan, we have passed a bill, we have Senate. souri, farmers, dairy producers, and passed legislation, and it is anticipated I yield the floor and I suggest the ab- cattlemen are facing a gas price crisis. that it will be signed shortly by the sence of a quorum. Farm costs are higher than ever. Farm President into law, averting a total The PRESIDING OFFICER. The fuel to run tractors and farm equip- disaster where the Environmental Pro- clerk will call the roll. ment is at record levels. Transpor- tection Agency, pursuant to a judge’s The bill clerk proceeded to call the tation costs to get goods to the market decision in Federal court on the west roll. are at a record level. The ability of coast of the United States, the EPA Mr. NELSON of Florida. I ask unani- consumers to buy products is under was going to require a permit of every mous consent that the order for the record pressure. People are seeing high- little recreational boat owner for any quorum call be rescinded. er food prices because food has to trav- kind of runoff from that boat, whether The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without el. The average item on the grocery it be in washing down the deck, wheth- objection, it is so ordered. shelf travels 1,300 miles. Record-high

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.040 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7733 diesel prices are adding to the price of and service in rural America and let- get that production. We need to put food goods in the store. ting go thousands of workers. The suf- American workers to work building the All this means real suffering for rural fering of rural Missouri families, farm- batteries, the advanced batteries that Missouri and its farmers. Down coun- ers, and truckers is why we are fight- will go into the electric cars, the plug- try roads of rural Missouri, rural fami- ing so hard to lower gas prices. We are ins, and the hybrid plug-ins. This lies are facing a gas price crisis. They fighting to open new supplies of oil would not only conserve oil. It would have to cut budgets hit hard by high needed to get prices down. Real action give jobs to blue-collar manufacturing gas prices. Many of these families live to lower gas prices is the most impor- workers and help the environment. It in rural areas because they are of mod- tant thing we can do to help rural is going to be good for Missouri when est means. Maybe they are looking for America and rural Missouri. Fighting we do it. The question is when. cheaper housing than offered in big cit- for real action to lower gas prices is Missouri is a national leader in hy- ies. Maybe they are fixed-income retir- the most important thing I could do to brid car production, in batteries, and ees staying in their own hometowns. help rural Missouri. I have amend- advanced vehicle batteries. We make Either way, when it comes time to cut ments to force gas prices down by traditional batteries across the State the family budget, the cuts will go opening new offshore oil reserves wait- because we are the leader in lead. We extra deep. ing for us. I filed an amendment to mine a lot of lead in Missouri. When What will these rural families cut be- lower gas prices by opening access to you are talking about environmental cause of higher gas prices? With the the 18 billion barrels of oil waiting for dangers, yes, lead has some dangers to school year coming, they have to get us off America’s Atlantic and Pacific it. There is only one simple reason we the kids to school. Will a rural family coasts. These reserves could supply mine lead in Missouri, and that is be- give up buying new clothes for their America with 10 years of additional oil cause we have 90 percent of it in the kids? Will struggling fixed-income sen- supplies, if we would only allow our- United States. When people tell me iors cancel doctors appointments or selves to use them to change a 30-year they don’t want to drill for natural gas cut back on medication? policy the Democrats have imposed, Truckers across Missouri are facing a because they don’t like the sight of that Senator OBAMA continues to gas price crisis. Many trucking firms natural gas wells, but they have the champion, of no drilling, no refineries, natural gas, I say: If you will trade us are based in rural areas, where land no nuclear power. The decision to open and fuel were cheaper, but record diesel your natural gas for our lead, I would our offshore oil reserves would imme- prices are hammering truckers and be happy to let them drill in my back- diately cause the price of oil to fall. trucking companies. Mom-and-pop yard. We know that because this happened But Missouri, with all the battery trucking firms are laying off drivers. earlier this month, when President Some are even going into bankruptcy. specialists, the technical workers we Bush reversed the Executive ban and have, the scientists, is on the cutting Many rural families and workers also brought the price of oil immediately depend on airlines for service and jobs. edge of battery technology, with firms down $10 and, now, $20 a barrel. Noth- developing safer, stronger lithium ion Airlines are facing record-high jet fuel ing hurts speculators bidding up the prices. That is forcing airlines to lay batteries. We are also home to a hybrid price of oil more than news of addi- off workers and cut back service. Many SUV assembly plant in Kansas City. tional oil supplies coming in the fu- of the blue-collar workers who moved This success does not have to be lim- ture. Congress must do our part to back to maintain planes and service ited to Missouri. Communities across lower gas prices even further by open- airports are being affected. America can share in the drive to es- American Airlines, for example, is ing new offshore reserves. However, the tablish a domestic manufacturing sup- set to eliminate some 6,500 jobs because Democratic Party is blocking the Sen- ply base for mass hybrid car construc- of record-high oil prices. Airlines also ate from considering my amendment to tion. cut low-volume routes to rural areas tap offshore oil reserves, even as I Rural communities, especially, can first. Airlines are trying to manage ris- speak. I also cosponsored an amend- benefit from the good-paying manufac- ing fuel costs by using the financial ment with several Senate colleagues to turing jobs that U.S. mass battery pro- markets to hedge against risk. But tap offshore oil reserves in the eastern duction would provide. Rural school their experts tell me the main problem Gulf of Mexico. There are almost 3 bil- districts would benefit from new tax is a fear that there will not be a supply lion barrels of oil in the eastern gulf revenues. Rural police and firefighters there in the future. They say if the waiting to help bring gas prices down would benefit. Unfortunately, as I said, U.S. Government would take steps to for rural Missouri. Unfortunately, the Democrats are blocking Senate consid- increase supply, it would bring about a Democratic leadership is also blocking eration. huge change in the market and bring consideration of this amendment. Now, what answers do my colleagues prices down immediately. Why? Be- I also agree we must help America on the other side of the aisle have for cause the current price being paid on use less oil. I have an amendment that rural America? Well they propose mak- the hedging market for oil to be deliv- would relieve the pressure on gas prices ing things worse by suing oil-producing ered in 3 years depends upon their ex- by increasing conservation. My amend- countries. pectation of what the demand and sup- ment would aggressively promote ad- Folks back home in my part of rural ply will be in the years ahead. Right vanced vehicle batteries and their pro- Missouri may not know much about now there is every reason to think that duction in the United States for hy- antitrust laws—most folks don’t—but if we do nothing, if we are prevented brid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehi- anyone with common sense would from getting a gas price reduction bill cles. My amendment would provide new know, if you sue someone, they would that provides more and allows us to use funds for hybrid battery research and likely take what they have and sell it less through this Senate, the price will development, battery manufacturing to somebody else. not be just $140 a barrel. The price will equipment and capabilities, and re- I guess this was an idea cooked up by not just be $185. It will be $200 or $250. equipping, expanding or establishing trial lawyers who are eager to sue any- So people’s retirement plans, such as U.S. domestic manufacturing facilities body they can. As you might imagine, CalPERS, California Public Employees for hybrid vehicle batteries. U.S. do- there are not too many trial lawyers in Retirement System, are bidding up the mestic mass production of hybrid bat- rural Missouri. price in the future because they don’t teries would get battery prices down, Democrats also proposed raiding our expect supply to go up. Bringing that getting the hybrid vehicle prices down. emergency oil supplies in the Strategic price down will make a difference. It But most importantly, it would give Petroleum Reserve. Putting aside the will make a difference in the price of our auto companies access to the bat- fact that these emergency reserves are oil today, just as President Bush’s end- teries we need. Right now many of the only meant to be used in times supply ing of the Executive moratorium on batteries have to be brought in from is cut off, such as during a war, this offshore drilling brought the price Asia. As the demand for more batteries plan would only produce 31⁄2 days of ad- down from $145 to $120. goes up in Asia, I can assure my col- ditional oil. Bringing the price down could make leagues that American auto companies So while Republicans are offering a real difference between keeping jobs will not necessarily be first in line to rural America 10 years of additional oil

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.041 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7734 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 supplies, Democrats think rural Amer- supplies for Missouri truckers. That is tion fight against wildfires here at ica should get by on only 31⁄2 days of our only real hope for real gas price re- home, I think it is appropriate we stop extra supplies. This lack of sympathy lief. to thank the 3,500-strong members of for taking real action may be based on I urge my Senate colleagues to let us our Montana National Guard for what the fact that a lot of Democrats are act on it and act now. they do both abroad and here at home. fine with higher oil prices. I thank the Chair and yield the floor. As wildfires continue to threaten After all, the Democratic nominee The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Montana’s countryside and our com- for President, Senator OBAMA, said the ator from Montana is recognized. munities, I wish to pay tribute to all problem was not that gas prices were MONTANA NATIONAL GUARD the brave men and women who put it so high, the problem was merely that Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I wish on the line to fight our fires. gas prices had risen so quickly. That is to begin by noting that, again, it is fire ENERGY akin to telling people it is OK to drown season in Montana. Mr. President, I wish to comment on as long as the water rises slowly. Right now, major wildfires are the energy debate we have been having Today, in Springfield, MO, the Demo- threatening homes in a small town in the Senate. Every Tuesday morning, called Red Lodge. The Cascade fire has cratic nominee suggested we all make for 21⁄2 hours, I get to preside over this sure we properly inflate our tires. Big been burning and has burned about great body, and I get to hear folks from 6,000 acres. It is burning uncomfortably deal. I believe in all tires being fully both sides of the aisle talk about issues close to the Red Lodge Mountain ski inflated. But, frankly, that is the kind of importance. of hot air—this hot air being into area. The energy debate has been particu- The hot, dry weather forecast over tires—that we have been hearing too larly intriguing because I have seen the next week means there are likely much of on this floor. folks on the other side of the aisle hold to be more fires and more acres of Rural Missouri is suffering record up signs that talk about drilling more pain at the pump, and the best thing he rangeland and forest lost. Fire season in Montana officially and using less. can come up with is more hot air—this They are quick to support oil produc- runs from August until the first snow time for our tires. Rural Missouri de- tion. But on the other hand, they will in fall. So, once again, we are off to an serves more than the hot air from the not support alternative energies or early start. Illinois Senator. Wildfires are becoming a fact of the conservation methods. They talk about Senator MCCAIN has come out very West. We accept it. We deal with it. drilling more as if it is going to change clearly and strongly in support of drill- The good news is Montana is blessed the price of gasoline tomorrow. ing, of exploring, of developing nuclear with outstanding firefighters from the The fact is, the United States has power. U.S. Forest Service, Tribal Nations, less than 3 percent of the world’s re- We tried last year. Congress passed and the State Department of Natural serves of oil. We use 25 percent of the the largest increase in auto fuel effi- Resources, as well as first responders supply. As far as drilling goes, we are ciency requirements in a generation to from local volunteer and paid fire de- drilling now like there is no tomorrow. bring down gas usage. Well, that did partments. In fact, in Montana, you would be hard- nothing to prevent record-high prices. When they need reinforcements, they pressed to find a drilling rig if you That is because it will take years be- turn to the Montana National Guard. wanted to punch a hole. fore more fuel-efficient cars are re- Last year, more than 200 guardsmen In Montana, we have offered over 3 quired. The Democratic candidate for were mobilized to help fight wildfires million acres of leasing since 2000. We President must want us to suffer in Montana. While no guardsmen have have increased our oil production two through record-high gas prices until been mobilized yet this year, it will and a half-fold. We have drilled 4,870 those conservation measures kick in. happen at some point—just as they are wells in the last 5 years. Yet we contin- I support increasing conservation, mobilized every year to protect people ually see the price of oil go up and up but we must not force a prescription of and homes, dig out fire lines, smother and up. Why? Well, a lot of it has to do pain on America while we wait years embers, and provide all manner of with the fact that the major oil compa- for these conservation measures to hands-on support to this team effort. nies last year made hundreds of bil- kick in. There are not too many jobs in this lions of dollars off the consumers’ The Democratic candidate for Presi- country where the work is as varied as back. dent has suggested another stimulus service in our National Guard. This What can we do? What can we do to package to help drivers through this summer we can expect that hundreds of help bring the price of oil down? Sure, price crisis. I am sure Missouri rural National Guardsmen in Montana and we are going to continue to drill, and I families would be happy to receive a throughout the West will be mobilized support that effort. But we need addi- few hundred dollars more in stimulus to help fight wildfires. It has already tions to our energy portfolio. If we con- relief. But what they want is not to get happened in California, where the Gov- tinue to rely on oil as our chief sup- a check from the Government—after ernor called up 200 Guardsmen. plier of energy, we are going to be con- the handful of tanks of gasoline that This is a vital role in our Nation’s tinuing to be beholden to Saudi Arabia money could buy is spent—they want homeland security. and OPEC forever. That ought not be to bring down the price. They will be And just as the Guard answers the the direction we go. right back where they are, paying the call for homeland security missions, My good friend, my comrade, Senator full price of record-high gas prices, and they answer the bell when it comes to BAUCUS, put forth a tax extenders bill we will do nothing but increase our def- national security. earlier today. Yesterday, we had a icit. In 2004 and 2005, more than 1,500 of chance to vote on one from the House. Rural Missouri and America deserve my State’s National Guard deployed to They were both defeated. They were more than a prescription of pain to ad- Iraq. They did yeoman’s work over not allowed to move forward. There dress the gas price crisis. We deserve there, and we can all be very proud of was a majority, but there was not 60 more than half measures that will only their service and grateful for it as well. votes. produce a few days or months more of Today, there are nearly 23,000 National What was in that tax extenders bill? additional supplies. Rural Missouri de- Guardsmen serving in Iraq and Afghan- One of the things that was in it was a serves more than a Senate attempting istan. renewable energy tax credit extension, to abandon them and this gas price cri- Another 3,000 Guardsmen from all a continuation that would put more en- sis by moving on to other issues. over the country work hard to protect ergy in the marketplace. Rural Missouri and the people of our southern border, helping the Bor- As shown on this chart, we can see America deserve real action now to der Patrol get a better handle on secur- what happens when we have the wind lower gas prices. That means new off- ing that border. Four hundred Montana energy tax credit. The yellow bars indi- shore oil supplies to get prices down, Guardsmen were a proud part of that cate that. The orange bars indicate new offshore oil supplies for Missouri important effort earlier this year. when it does not happen. If we have the families, new offshore oil supplies for So as the National Guard in Montana wind energy tax credit, wind energy Missouri farmers, and new offshore oil prepares for the inevitable mobiliza- production goes up, and there is more

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.043 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7735 energy in the marketplace. When we to the future? Why are we not talking four Republican votes for this package. don’t, it does not. about more than drilling? The fact is, I think it is outrageous when you look Because of the vote that was taken we are drilling. We are drilling an in- at what we are dealing with. This week earlier today, you will see a decrease in credible amount of land in this coun- we are going to be memorializing the wind energy production—a big mistake try. It needs to be a bridge. But it tragic, tragic, tragic fall of the bridge for this country, not very visionary. needs to be a bridge to somewhere this in the middle of Minnesota. I am going Because of the vote that took place time. If we put forth the renewable en- to speak to that tomorrow and do a fit- earlier today, we not only will see wind ergy components that are in the tax ting tribute, along with Senator COLE- energy grind to a halt, we will see geo- extenders bill, we will have a future. MAN, to the victims of that bridge col- thermal—which we have a tremendous We will have a future of affordable en- lapse and to the first responders who opportunity for throughout the coun- ergy. saved so many lives, and to the recon- try, particularly in Montana—we will I ask my comrades to pass that tax struction work that has gone on see biomass, landfill gas—we have an extenders bill. It is incredibly impor- thanks to the help of this Senate. I live electrical cooperative in northwestern tant. It is not just because of energy six blocks from that bridge, so it Montana, Flathead Electric Coopera- that it is important. means a lot to me. tive, that is talking about capturing SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS I said the week the bridge fell down methane gas off the landfill to produce Finally, I wish to talk about the se- that in America, a bridge shouldn’t fall energy, getting something from noth- curity of rural schools. These are pay- down in the middle of the Mississippi ing—we will not see any of that stuff ments to Montana’s rural communities River, especially not on an eight-lane go on because of the defeat of the tax and forested counties that have an in- highway, especially not on one of the extenders bill. credible amount of public lands. most heavily traveled bridges in the In that tax extenders bill, there were The Secure Rural Schools dollars are State, especially not at rush hour in also long-term extensions of tax credits important not only for the school but the heart of a major metropolitan area. for solar energy and fuel cells. Solar also for our roads and our rural coun- Unfortunately, however, it took that energy: getting our energy from the ties. Montana is rich in public lands. disaster to put the issue of infrastruc- Sun to help replace some of that oil Consequently, it puts more pressure on ture funding squarely on the national from the Middle East—not going to property taxes of private property in agenda, and it is long overdue. That is happen. Folks talk about corn ethanol those counties. With the Secure Rural why I was so disappointed that in this and how they don’t like it. I am not Schools money, it gives those rural and important bill was $8 billion to replen- one of them. But I do think we need to ish the highway trust fund of this get the second generation of ethanol forested counties the opportunity to country, to replenish that fund. Mr. production, cellulosic ethanol. There meet the needs of the kids in these President, 400,000 jobs in this country was a credit for property in that tax rural districts and to meet the needs of are at stake in that bill that was voted extenders bill that was not agreed to the transportation industry in those rural districts. We all know that less down by the other side. earlier today. That will not happen; a Look what is happening in this coun- biodiesel tax credit. I have talked money for rural schools means lower try with our infrastructure. Let’s take about a camelina provision in the farm teacher pay, bigger classroom size, the issue of bridges. Nationwide, bill for biodiesel, and there are other fewer activities, and students start to bridges are deteriorating far faster opportunities in all sorts of oilseeds fall behind. than we can repair or replace them. out there. The biodiesel tax credit does County road workers right now are About 78,000 bridges across the Nation not happen because we did not pass being laid off. I spoke with the head of are structurally deficient. What does that bill Senator BAUCUS offered ear- the Montana Association of Counties. structurally deficient mean? When in- lier today. He said to the counties: Take your Carbon capture and storage tech- budgets and utilize them as if this spectors evaluate a bridge, they exam- nology to make our coal burn cleaner. money is not going to happen because ine the bridge’s deck, superstructure, In Montana, we are the ‘‘Saudi Arabia’’ it is not until we pass the tax extend- and substructure. Each of these compo- of coal. We have an incredible oppor- ers programs. nents is ranked on a scale of 0 to 9, tunity. But without good technology to We had the opportunity in this body with 0 being failed and 9 being excel- capture carbon and store it, we will today and yesterday to pass a good bill lent. If the deck, superstructure, or never be all we can be. It would make that meets the needs of America’s fam- substructure is given a 4 or less, the us more energy independent. ilies, small businesses, and the econ- bridge is classified as structurally defi- Talk about producing more here at omy. It was not passed. There are all cient. home: Drilling is part of the equation. sorts of excuses for it, but they are In June of 2006, the I–35W bridge’s su- But an even bigger part of the equation simply that: excuses. We need to move perstructure—meaning the physical could have been to pass that tax ex- forward with some proactive thinking conditions of all structural members— tenders bill earlier today. in this body. I hope the next time this was rated at a 4. The bridge’s deck was Let’s talk about using less. bill hits this floor, it is passed and rated at a 5, and the substructure, com- In that tax extenders bill, there were passed by a large margin. prised of the piers, the footings, and energy efficiency tax credits to help I thank the Chair. other components, was rated as a 6. A make our homes more energy efficient. I yield the floor. bridge is shut down if any of its parts It is not going to happen. There was a The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. are rated at a 2. credit to reduce idling for truckers— CARDIN). The Senator from North Da- Then we have another 80,000 bridges that we all see happen—to save trans- kota. across the Nation which are function- portation fuel. It is not going to hap- Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask ally obsolete. What does functionally pen. unanimous consent to be recognized obsolete mean? That means they don’t You want to talk about using less? following the presentation by the Sen- meet today’s design standards, they There was a bicycling tax credit for ator from Minnesota. don’t conform to today’s safety stand- those folks who want to ride their bicy- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ards, and they are handling traffic far cle to work rather than to drive. It will objection, it is so ordered. beyond their design. Fully one-quarter not happen. Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I of America’s 600,000 bridges have aged There were incentives for geothermal come to the floor today with much dis- so much that their physical condition heat pumps in our homes that use less may over the fact that we were not or their ability to withstand current energy with more consistency. It is not able to pass the energy extenders, the traffic levels is simply inadequate. going to happen. tax extenders, the package of impor- These bridges require immediate atten- There were energy conservation tant provisions for our country’s econ- tion. bonds for States and local school dis- omy because of this obstructionism on I can tell you since our bridge fell on tricts. The list goes on and on and on. the other side. that summer day on August 1, we have I ask myself: Why? Why does it have Let me tell my colleagues why this had a number of bridges shut down, to be this way? Why aren’t we looking was so important to me. We only got close down in our State, including one

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.044 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7736 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 that handled a lot of traffic in St. Their production falls about in the want to stop this speculation and we Cloud, MN. There was one in Winona, middle of our biodiesel facilities in want to do something about helping MN, that was actually on the Federal Minnesota. Americans and helping these compa- stamp from our State that was tempo- SMI Hydraulics is a company in rural nies with oil prices. One way to do this rarily closed down and is going to have southwestern Minnesota that manufac- immediately is to release some of the to be rebuilt. tures the bases for the wind towers you barrels of oil, 97 percent full, from that We are seeing this across the coun- see all across our country. This is a Strategic Petroleum Reserve. If you try. We are seeing a need for infra- company that started as a barn. The even go down to 90 percent, you could structure funding. At a time when our wind towers they manufacture actually inject $6 billion into the American economy is facing such difficult times, come out of the side of the barn as they economy and help to bring those oil I see this as an investment, not only in are employing dozens of people right in prices down. This is up to the Presi- the long-term viability for our coun- this little town. The heavy trucks that dent. He could do it with one signature try’s transportation system but also in bring the steel to the company put a on one document. He doesn’t need us jobs. That is why I am so disappointed heavy burden on the road as they trav- passing a bill to have to deal with that the other side was willing to turn el and are putting durability to a test. these guys and their filibuster. He their backs on 400,000 existing jobs, This truck travel and the need for could do it himself. much less add new ones, by turning more rail travel is part of our transpor- So in addition to passing these tax down that $8 billion replenishment of tation future, but when the other side extenders, to getting our green energy the highway trust fund. shoots down our ability to even replen- economy going and doing something It was President Kennedy who once ish the highway trust fund, we are not about that highway trust fund so an- said that building a road or highway going to be moving in the right direc- other bridge doesn’t fall down in the isn’t pretty, but it is something our tion for our economy. We are not going middle of America, this President, economy needs to have. I can tell you to help these rural people to develop himself, without even one vote from beyond the bridges in metropolitan the true energy economy they need to Congress, could release barrels of oil areas, nowhere is that truer than in develop. into the American economy and help rural America. We are seeing a reju- In his 1963 ‘‘Memoir for Change,’’ not only customers but also help the venation because of the energy econ- President Eisenhower famously said: businesses in this country who are omy right now in rural Minnesota as More than any single action by the govern- finding it harder and harder to compete we are in so much of rural America. ment since the end of the war, this one as we see the price of oil escalate. Senator TESTER from Montana talked would change the face of America. Thank you very much, Mr. President. about this. We are seeing biofuels, He was talking about the interstate I yield the floor. whether it is biodiesel, ethanol, moving highway system. Its impact on the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- to cellulosic ethanol; whether it is American economy, the jobs it would ator from Virginia is recognized. wind or solar. We are third in the coun- produce in manufacturing and con- Mr. WEBB. I ask unanimous consent try in Minnesota with wind energy— struction, the rural areas it would open to speak for 5 minutes as in morning third in the country. up were beyond calculation. Well, he business. I have seen jobs such as in Starbuck, was right. Just as he was right back in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- MN, where a group of 10 people decided 1963, we know he is still right in 2008. ator has that right. to quit their jobs and go work for a So the gall to turn down the replenish- REMEMBERING FREDDIE HUTCHINS solar panel factory. They were so proud ment of that highway trust fund and to Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I rise of their work they had me jump up and stop America as we try to head to the today to extend my condolences to the down on those solar panels to show new energy future—other countries are family and friends of Mr. Freddie that they can withstand hail damage, leapfrogging us because they have gov- Hutchins who passed away suddenly and they did. ernment policies in place that mandate yesterday, on July 29. Freddie served I can tell you this: We are seeing these green jobs and move in the right on my staff since my election. He man- these jobs and we need courage in direction—is plain wrong. aged my Roanoke Senate office. He was Washington that matches the courage The one last thing I wish to say is a tremendous individual with a great of these employees in Starbuck, MN, or there is one way—as we look to jump- deal of promise. I had selected him in Pipestone—the courage of these em- starting the economy right now, as we from a number of very talented people ployees who are willing to see a better look at solving our oil crisis and our down in southwest Virginia to run this energy future, while this body on the dependency on foreign oil and our office. He passed away, as I said, sud- other side is willing to shoot it down spending of $600,000 a minute on foreign denly only at the age of 26. by shooting down those tax extenders oil—and that is the President. He Freddie was a product of southwest for energy. This is the wave of the fu- doesn’t need the Congress. He can com- Virginia. He grew up in Botetourt ture. This is the way we are going to be plain about Congress all he wants, but County. He was very heavily influenced investing in homegrown energy and in the President of the United States can by his grandfather, who was a very ac- the farmers and the workers of the actually release barrels of oil from the tive Democrat and railroad man, a Midwest instead of the oil cartels in Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He can union man down in southwest Virginia. the Mideast. do it right now. He could do it in the He was known for having made himself So it is about the energy extenders next hour. We can look at what has a business card at the age of 13 saying for me in my State and across the happened in the past: 1990 to 1991, 11 Freddie Hutchins, Democrat. He loved country, but it is also about the trans- million barrels were released; 1996 to the rich culture of southwest Virginia. portation funding that came in replen- 1997, 28 million barrels were released to He represented the values that char- ishing that highway trust fund. When reduce the Federal debt. In 2005, 21 mil- acterize that region. He loved his coun- you start building this energy econ- lion barrels were released after try. He had a great sense of service and omy, with the wind turbines and with Katrina. We can look at how full the a determination to work hard. He de- the biofuels in the trucks going across petroleum reserve has been. In 1993, 79 veloped a very early interest in poli- these roads, you are going to put more percent full; in 2001, it was 74 percent tics. He was a C–SPAN enthusiast at a stress on the roads and the rail in rural full. Well, right now, in 2008, it is 97 young age. Before joining my office, he America. If we are going to move to percent full. So this President, on his had worked for State Delegate Onzlee the next century’s economic system, own, could simply release the barrels of Ware as a legislative aide and had been we can’t be stuck in the last century’s oil from that Strategic Petroleum Re- active in a number of political cam- transportation system. serve. paigns. I will give some examples. The eth- We are the home of Northwest Air- He was a tireless and vocal advocate anol plant in Bentsen, MN, now has lines in Minnesota. The CEO there, for working people in this country. He over 525 fully loaded semis hauling the Doug Steenland, has spoken with me was committed to social justice and ethanol from their plant every week. many times. Tens of thousands of cus- was someone who was always eager and This is a 45-million gallon facility. tomers have sent e-mails saying we enthusiastic to help people.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.045 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7737 He was one of the most honorable good legislation, and so did we. That is that is available now to be leased for and friendly individuals I have ever had why we put it in our legislation. oil exploration. All the administration the pleasure of knowing. He was a We also had a provision in our legis- has to do is tell the Interior Depart- mainstay in that community and had a lation dealing with speculation. I will ment to issue leases on it. It has al- very bright future. I had always as- talk about that later. We not only had ready been determined that it has tre- sumed that Freddie Hutchins would be it in S. 3044, we had freestanding legis- mendous oil potential. Much of it is on- running for elective office in the near lation dealing with speculation. and offshore in Alaska. It would add future. He was a friend to all who knew We also had in S. 3044 something another 25 million acres to the 68 mil- him. dealing with a windfall profits tax, lion acres the oil companies already Again, I express my condolences to which should be part of the law of our have. his mother Karen and the rest of his country today. The American con- There were other provisions in the family and all of those whom he had sumer agrees with that. Bingaman bill—good pieces of legisla- reached out and done so much with and Mr. President, Senator BINGAMAN tion. Again, we had no takers on that for over the years. He will be greatly also prepared legislation, which has from the Republicans. missed. now been filed at the desk. It is very Today, we voted on H.R. 6049, and, of With that, I yield the floor. good legislation. We were asking for course, that was defeated because of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- help from the Republicans and got another cloture motion that was nec- jority leader is recognized. none. Senator BINGAMAN is one of the essary to be filed because of a Repub- Mr. REID. What is the status of the most astute, hard-working, creative, lican filibuster. The same with the floor? and smartest Senators we have ever Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is had in this body. In that legislation, S. Act, S. 3186, LIHEAP. It was filibus- 4 minutes 40 seconds remaining for the 5135, we had some really good things. It tered, and we weren’t able to proceed majority in this block of time. wasn’t ‘‘take it or leave it’’ legislation. to that. That is really unusually harsh. Mr. REID. For how long? With the 68 million acres the oil com- I have heard the Senator from Vermont The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time panies have, it called for due diligence. talk about that on numerous occa- is alternating 30 minutes between the It said: With the 68 million acres you sions. I told him that more people die majority and the Republicans. have, let’s find out what you are doing from exposure in the summer than in Mr. REID. I am going to use leader with it, why you are not drilling in the winter because they become dehy- time now, and I ask unanimous consent some parts of it, and report to the Inte- drated. We need to have the ability for that the Democrats’ 4 minutes be pre- rior Department and find out what is the old, disabled, and poor to have air- served. going on with that land. It is typical of conditioning. In the winter, of course, they need heat. But this was rejected The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Senator BINGAMAN because it was well objection, it is so ordered. thought out. Rather than the provision by the Republicans. We asked—because it was certainly The majority leader is recognized. that some were talking about—use it bipartisan every step of the way, the Mr. REID. Mr. President, we over or lose it—Senator BINGAMAN believed NOPEC bill, the Specter-Kohl bill— here, the mighty band of Democrats, that was appropriate, and that is why with the majority of 1—there are 51 of that we move to that alone. That was he went through the trouble of coming S. 879. It was rejected. Again, the Re- us and 49 of them—trying so hard to do up with this legislation. something on energy. We have been publicans refused to let us do that. He also had something in the bill We had the Stop Excessive Energy trying for months now. I think we have that would be important which deals Speculation Act, which we have dealt done some things that would be good with building codes, making it so that with for several weeks now. I spoke the for the American people but for the in the future, when things are built, night before last to the President of fact that the Republicans have basi- when construction takes place, it deals United Airlines. He said he has no cally objected to everything we have with the environment. There is so question in his mind that one reason tried to do. much that can be done to save huge the oil prices have gone down by the What have we tried to do? We intro- amounts of electricity if we had build- barrel in recent days is because we are duced S. 3044, called the Consumer- ings built properly. debating and talking about specula- First Energy Act. It has some tremen- We also had a provision on which the tion. This would work. The Repub- dously powerful things in it that relate Senator from Minnesota spoke so elo- licans have been listening to the to what the American people’s problem quently which said that we want you to monied interests of this country and is today: high gas prices. take the great resource we have—the have refused to allow us to do this. In that legislation, we talk about more than 700 million barrels of oil we Then, of course, today, we had the price gouging. Do we have any reason have in our Strategic Petroleum Re- issue of the so-called extenders bill on to have in a provision of law an ele- serve—and we want you to announce to which Senator BAUCUS worked so hard. ment that we can go after companies the world that we are going to start It was rejected. It had many good pro- that price gouge? Of course. The oil using some of that. We are going to visions in it. He worked hard to try to companies, during the Bush years, have start using that to bring down the get bipartisan support. There was dis- had net profits of $609 billion. So our price of oil. We know it works. We aster relief in it. There was finally price-gouging provision was, we know it works because the President’s something in there that we could pass thought, very key in doing something father did it, and it brought down the to do the mental health parity, which about energy. price of oil. We have asked that this be is so long overdue. We had a provision In S. 3044, we had something dealing done on other occasions, but we put it to reestablish money that has been with the oil subsidies the oil companies in this legislation Senator BINGAMAN taken out of the highway trust fund, have received, that perhaps they came up with. which is so important—to reestablish should be cut back. They are making The airlines tell us it is important to that. People are losing their jobs. these huge profits. In this bill, we had bring down the prices. The airline com- The most significant thing, from my a provision that was bipartisan and has panies need to have oil, for these com- perspective, in that legislation—even been pushed by Senator KOHL of Wis- panies to be able to succeed, at about though there was much more—was that consin and Senator SPECTER of Penn- $100 a barrel. That is high, but they it would do something now, today, sylvania—NOPEC is what it was called. could succeed with that. Anything over about taking care of the energy crisis It was a proposal to have the OPEC that is a tremendous losing proposition in this country. It is not Al Gore, cartel be subject to the Sherman Anti- for them. This would bring the price of former Vice President of the United trust Act. That seems reasonable, since oil down to at or near that price. But States, talking; it is T. Boone Pick- these countries have the absolute abil- we got no suggestions from the Repub- ens—from a different political party ity to so easily lock in prices and de- licans that they cared about this. and persuasion than Al Gore—saying termine what prices are going to be Also, I thought what Senator BINGA- we have to move to renewables. That is charged around the world. Senators MAN did was very important. He said what this legislation is all about, cre- KOHL and SPECTER thought this was there is about 25 million acres of land ating hundreds of thousands of jobs,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.047 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 construction jobs and other jobs, that My caucus demands that we focus on using the Social Security trust fund to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. something to really make a difference: offset and make the deficit look even As T. Boone Pickens said, ‘‘You can’t renewables, creating hundreds of thou- smaller. drill your way out of this crisis.’’ We sands of jobs—Friedman said millions; But I also will say this: Big oil dur- were blocked on that. I am saying hundreds of thousands ing the Bush years has made a $609 bil- Mr. President, in the newspapers all within the next few months. It will lion profit—$609 billion. The Repub- over America and in other parts of the make a cleaner environment, and it licans side with big oil every step of world, Thomas Friedman’s column is will be good for the economy. the way. They have done it in all this running today. He is a person who has Mr. President, that is where it is. energy legislation. They are beholden won all kinds of prizes around the That is where it is. to big oil. Everyone knows that. I world for his writing. He has had three Again, as Thomas Friedman wrote: think it is time we start talking about bestselling books. For weeks, his books Republicans, by mindlessly repeating their something that will help; that is, we have been No. 1 on the New York Times offshore-drilling mantra, focusing on a 19th need to move to have energy created by bestseller list. He writes with great century fuel, remind me of someone back in the Sun, wind, geothermal, and we preciseness, and he is right to the 1980 arguing that we should be putting all need to do it as quickly as possible. point. Here is what he said today: our money into making more and cheaper That is where we are. I have said on IBM Selectric typewriters—and forget about Republicans have become so obsessed with these things called the ‘‘PC’’ and ‘‘the Inter- a number of occasions—I said it earlier the notion that we can drill our way out of net.’’ It is a strategy for making America a today—there was a lot of activity on our current energy crisis that reopening our second-rate power and economy. the Senate floor—understand, Mr. coastal waters to offshore drilling has be- President, where we are. Because the come their answer for every energy question. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, will the Anyone who looks at the growth of middle Senator yield for a question? Republicans have blocked everything— classes around the world and their rising de- Mr. REID. Yes. they have blocked energy for old peo- mands for natural resources, plus the dan- Mr. DURBIN. I wish to address a ple, sick people, disabled people; they gers of climate change driven by our addic- question to the majority leader have blocked everything we have tried tion to fossil fuels, can see the clean renew- through the Chair. I ask the Senator to do here—we have a decision. They able energy—wind, solar, nuclear and stuff whether yesterday we brought to the can make the decision. We have been we haven’t yet invented—is going to be the fortunate enough to finish the Higher next great global industry. It has to be if we floor an opportunity for the Repub- are going to grow in a stable way. licans to join us in a bipartisan way to Education Act. We have been fortunate Therefore, the country that most owns the come up with a clear package of incen- to finish consumer product safety. clean power industry is going to most own tives for renewable energy, energy that Both conference reports are finished. the next great technology breakthrough— we need now and for future genera- We can do those in the next couple of the E.T. revolution, the energy technology tions, and yesterday when that meas- days. We can move to the Defense au- revolution—and create millions of jobs and ure came to the floor as it originally thorization bill. It is up to the Repub- thousands of new businesses, just like the licans what they want to do. But if I.T. revolution did. passed the House of Representatives, I Republicans, by mindlessly repeating their ask the majority leader what the sup- they want to be here during August, offshore-drilling mantra, focusing on a 19th- port level was on the Democratic side more power to them because we will be century fuel, remind me of someone back in and whether there were more than four here with them. We all have things to 1980 arguing we should be putting all our Republican Senators who joined us in do, longstanding obligations during money into making more and cheaper IBM that effort. August, but those can be changed. If Selectric typewriters—and forget about Mr. REID. All Democrats supported people want to debate during August these things called the ‘‘PC’’ and ‘‘the Inter- net.’’ It is a strategy for making America a it, a handful of Republicans, mostly the Defense Authorization Act, that is second-rate power and economy. those who are in very difficult Senate fine. They can go out and hold their Mr. President, earlier this week, on races, I might add, for reelection. press conferences that they would rath- Monday, I offered the Republicans, on Mr. DURBIN. That is one of the reoc- er be doing something on drilling, drill- the speculation bill, four amendments, curring themes. When four or five Re- ing, drilling. They can continue to do and we would have a like number. That publicans join us, it is because many of that, or we can come back in Sep- was rejected out of hand—offer made them are facing a tough reelection. tember—there is going to be a bipar- I ask the Senator from Nevada, today and they rejected it. tisan summit on energy prices, and Yesterday, right after the Senate when we brought this measure before maybe by the August recess, maybe the Senate again, incentives for renew- opened, Senator MCCONNELL said to some of my friends will be more willing me: How about six amendments? able energy, we included in it $8 billion to do some actual compromise. I said: I am happy to discuss amend- for the highway trust fund, which can Legislation is the art of compromise. ments, but I am through discussing be attributed to 400,000 good-paying If the art of compromise is not present, amendments unless we pass the extend- American jobs. We also included the we cannot get the business done. There ers bill. mental health parity bill, which has simply has been no compromise from That was clear language. I said it di- been a bipartisan bill that has been my friends. That is why we have faced rectly, and I meant it. I am speaking sought by this Senate for maybe a dec- almost 90 filibusters. for 50 other Democratic Senators. I am ade. It has certainly been a long time. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. speaking for my caucus. We included as well an extension of the WEBB). The Senator from Colorado is So Senator MCCONNELL said: Well, exemption for the alternative min- recognized. fine, we will have Senator BAUCUS, imum tax so middle-income families Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I am chairman of the Finance Committee, would not face higher taxes. joined on the Senate floor by my col- and Senator GRASSLEY, the ranking I ask the Senator from Nevada what league from Wyoming. I ask unanimous member, work on this. kind of support we had from the Repub- consent that we may engage in a col- I said that Senator BAUCUS said Sen- lican side of the aisle. If I am not mis- loquy. ator GRASSLEY has no authority to do taken, only five Republicans, four of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without anything. whom are up for reelection in Novem- objection, it is so ordered. He said: Yes, he does. I will instruct ber, joined us in that vote. COST OF ENERGY him that he has all the authority in Mr. REID. The Senator is absolutely Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I had an the world. right, absolutely right. I can’t express opportunity to speak on the floor this They met for 2 hours last night. The how the Republican Party, as I have al- past week a number of times and speak only thing Senator GRASSLEY wanted ways known it—when I went into poli- in committee about the cost of energy, to discuss was having all of these ex- tics, I had the idea that the Repub- about pain at the pump. I am of the tenders not paid for. So we are right licans were the party of fiscal responsi- view that we need to act now. back where we started. So that is gone. bility. That has long since gone. We are My position on energy has always That was turned down overwhelmingly. going to have a deficit this year of been that we should not take anything The Republicans didn’t support the ex- about a half trillion dollars, and that off the table; that is, we need renew- tenders. So that is where we are. isn’t a fair view of it because they are able energy, we need to have energy

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:17 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.047 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7739 from whatever source we can derive— going to bring down the price of gas, I who is new to the Senate, one of our oil and gas, nuclear energy. We need to happen to think that just talking newest Members, doing a tremendous concentrate on our efforts to try to doesn’t bring about action. But I do job for the State of Wyoming. I know produce more energy. We need more. happen to believe that action does cre- that in Wyoming, for example, they That is not the entire solution. We also ate a reduction in the price of oil at have lots of energy. One of the sources need to consume less. We need to en- the gas pump. of energy they have is coal. The west- courage conservation everywhere we I credit most of the recent price re- ern part of the United States has hard can. duction to the President because he ac- coal, which is very unique. Frequently, That is why I have signed onto bills tually took action, which was to take it is mixed with soft coal so commu- such as the Gas Price Reduction Act of the moratorium off the Outer nities and towns on the east coast can 2008. This bill says we begin to open Continental Shelf. This took us closer meet their pollution requirements. deep sea exploration, where we go out to allowing for exploration for more In our discussions, there was some more than 50 miles from the coast, and energy sources out in the deep ocean. talk about the various alternative that we begin to drill in those areas Because of that, the markets did re- sources we could look at for clean coal, and share the revenues with the States spond. I don’t believe it was the debate for example. I was hoping that perhaps that are involved. Under our proposal on the Senate floor where we just maybe my colleague who is on the Sen- the Governor petitions to allow explo- talked, because the markets looked ate floor with me can talk a little bit ration, and he does that with the con- and said the President took real action about energy in Wyoming and how currence of the State legislature. A to repeal a regulation, making it easier their economy is being impacted with portion of funds generated would even for us to extract energy out of the the high cost of gas and diesel and go to the Land and Water Conservation ground. what energy potential is in their State. Fund in addition to States, with other That is the kind of action in which I yield the floor to my colleague from funds going to the general fund. this Congress needs to participate. It is Wyoming to talk a little bit about Wy- Also, in the particular legislation I action that needs to happen now, not 30 oming. We are neighbors. We have very mentioned, we talk about Western days from now, not a week, not a day. similar environments and very similar State oil shale exploration. This re- The sooner we act, the better it is be- natural resources. Senator BARRASSO. source would provide more than three cause people every day are feeling the Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I times the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia, impact on their daily lives of high en- thank my colleague from Colorado. He this oil shale is found in Wyoming, ergy costs. is absolutely right, Wyoming is a State Utah, and Colorado. I recently participated in a press con- which has been very blessed—blessed The legislation I have signed onto ference where we had people who are with abundant sources of energy, and says we also look at ways of trying to involved with supportive programs for certainly coal, natural gas, oil, ura- create conservation, such as electric the poor. They said because of the high nium for our nuclear power, and also cars and trucks, and focus our atten- cost of food, it is making it difficult for wind, a renewable source of energy. So tion on better batteries so we can cre- them to meet their goals and objec- we have lots of different resources with ate an electrical supplement to the use tives and to keep their budgets within which we have been blessed. of liquid fuel, whether it is a truck or what they allocated at the first of the But in terms of coal—and we know car, and create some efficiencies on the year. They are having all sorts of sup- half the electricity in the United highway. In the case of cars, as much ply issues when it comes to feeding the States comes from coal—what we know as 60, 70 miles to the gallon with an poor and the disadvantaged in this is that there is enough coal in Wyo- augmentation from an electrical country. We heard from all aspects of ming to power this country for cen- source. For these efficiencies to happen the various agencies and religious turies—not decades but centuries. batteries are a key technological ad- groups that make it part of their mis- There is that much coal in Wyoming. vancement that has to occur, and it sion to provide for the hungry in this Coal is available, affordable, reliable, has to occur at a price that consumers country. and a secure source of energy for our can afford. In this bill, we put our ef- We heard from truckdrivers today. I Nation. forts into coming up with that type of was at a press conference where we To me, this is about being self-suffi- a battery. heard from truckers. When you think cient in terms of our own energy. We In addition, we try to do what we can about it, renewable energy obviously are sending so much of the wealth of to strengthen U.S. futures markets. works pretty good if you are talking this great country overseas. Every That means increased funding for staff about power lines. What kind of renew- time we buy another barrel of oil over- to the Commodity Futures Trading able source do they use in trucks? Eth- seas. Whether it is $120, $130, $140 per Commission, and it directs the present anol, perhaps, might have some uses barrel, that is a transfer of the wealth working group to study the inter- for trucks, but basically they are of our Nation to people who are not national regulation of commodity mar- locked in with one source of energy necessarily our friends. kets. Remember, on commodity mar- right and that is diesel. Mr. ALLARD. The figure I have seen kets, it is not just an American mar- The only way we are going to bring is more than $700 billion in 1 year’s ket, it is international. We have to be down the price of fuels to the truckers time. That is a whale of a lot of money careful how we disrupt the markets as who provide medical supplies, who pro- to be sending overseas, to our enemies we do that. If we are not careful we can vide food to Americans—they transport potentially. create a real disadvantage to Ameri- all sorts of produce around the coun- Mr. BARRASSO. And we have the cans and not really help in the supply try. They haul around all sorts of man- source of energy here, with the coal, of energy. ufacturing. They deliver our mail. I am and the technology is incredible. There These are the types of actions that trying to think of one commodity that are ways to use the coal to convert it will make a difference in the price of at some point in time does not spend to electricity and there are other ways oil and gas because we increase the some time on a truck. It is very impor- to use the coal to convert it to liquids. supply. That is our problem; we don’t tant that we keep the total prospect. Aviation fuel. The military uses an in- have enough to meet worldwide de- There is not a simple solution. It is not credible amount of fuel. I have amend- mand. Because of high global demand a one-issue solution where we can say: ments I have introduced and am trying we need to work not only in this coun- We are just going to focus on renewable to have debated on this floor that deal try but also in other countries to energy and the heck with everything specifically with converting coal to liq- spread the idea of conservation. else. We need to look at all alter- uids, to allow us to use that liquid for I have to tell you, Mr. President, the natives. We are having supply prob- our aviation. suggestion from the majority leader lems. We can’t take anything off the There is another technology, coal to that somehow if we just stand on the table. That is what I want to comment gas. There is a true visionary in Wyo- floor of the Senate and talk about on. ming. His name is John Wold, 91 years more rules and regulations on the com- I have on the floor with me a Senator old, and he is here today to visit. His modity markets, somehow that is from Wyoming, a good friend of mine granddaughter works in my office. I

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.049 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7740 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 have talked to him for years about the for example, is a deeper oil shale. It is take 10 years to develop. Maybe so. But technology of coal to gas, and it is a good quality oil shale—not quite as 10 years from now, are you going to say ready to go and available in Wyoming. good quality as we see in Utah—and we now is the time? It will still take 10 It is being done in other places around have a new technology that is being de- years. the world, but not yet here. So it is in- veloped there that takes the ground My point is that the sooner you put credible in terms of the available re- and freezes a perimeter around the sec- this in place, you can begin to prepare sources we have. But it is not only one tion of ground and then heat the mid- this bridge we need to have for today’s source of energy. We need it all. We dle of it. Basically what you have is a energy sources to get us to future en- need the coal, we need the natural gas, refinery in the ground. So what you ex- ergy sources, which are the renew- we need the uranium, we need the oil, tract out is basically a jet fuel that ables—the Sun, or photovoltaic cells, and certainly we need to be more effi- contains sulfur and nitrogen. Obvi- wind, geothermal, and hydrogen. That cient, as my colleague from Colorado ously, the sulfur and nitrogen has to be is what we are talking about, and that has talked about. We need to be energy refined out, but it is a very good, high- is what this particular piece of legisla- efficient, but we need the renewables. quality product. It is a jet fuel. Then tion provides for. So we need the transmission lines, but the heavy tarry stuff is left in the Citizens in Colorado are being dra- we have plenty of wind in Wyoming. ground. matically impacted by high fuel prices. Look at oil shale. The Senator from There is no disruption of the surface We talked before about the agricul- Colorado is familiar with that, because of the ground other than the fact that tural sector and the trucking sector. Colorado, as well as Wyoming, as well you run some pipes in the ground, and Trucking is more heavily impacted as Utah, is blessed with oil shale. Per- you need some water. They have taken than any other area, because in the haps I could ask my colleague from out water rights in that part of Colo- West, we are big States and we have Colorado to discuss some of the issues rado to make sure they have water. It lots of land to cover to provide our related to that. is the type of water that can be recy- goods and services. I don’t know whether the Senator from Wyoming Mr. ALLARD. I would be delighted to cled and reused. So there are lots of has anything to say about how his citi- talk about oil shale. First, I want to conservation aspects to this new tech- zens in his State are feeling the impact address the issue where the majority nology that is being developed for oil of high fuel prices, but certainly they leader tried to imply that Republicans shale. That is why I had the support for are being felt in the State of Colorado, are interested in only one issue, and the provision that was provided for in that is extraction of oil and gas from and it wouldn’t surprise me if they the Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008, re- aren’t very similar in the State of Wy- the ground. Republicans I talk to on moving the moratorium we have on oil this Senate floor, in my party, under- oming. shale. Mr. BARRASSO. The people in Wyo- stand we need to have a balanced ap- The current law says you can’t move proach. We need to go after all sources ming clearly are affected the same way forward with the regulatory process on folks in Colorado are in terms of the of energy. The problem is that on the oil shale, so it has stopped it dead in Democratic side, they only want to go large distances they have to drive, its tracks. In the meantime, up to 2 whether going to see the doctor, or after renewable sources. trillion barrels of oil in the form of oil I helped to found the Renewable En- taking the kids to school, or going to shale is in the ground, and we think, ergy Caucus, and so I understand how shop for groceries. I think statistically, with today’s technology, that between important renewable energy is to our when they look at how many miles on 800 billion and 1 trillion barrels is what future. But we need something to average people drive a year, Wyoming can be economically extracted out of bridge us over, and that is where I is No. 1 in terms of the longest dis- the ground and made available to us. think the comments of my colleague tances. So when the price of fuel goes That is three times all of the oil re- from Wyoming are so important, when up, the price of gas at the pump, the we are talking about converting oil to serves of Saudi Arabia. people of Wyoming feel it the greatest Oil shale is a huge resource, but we liquids or to natural gas. It helps cre- because they are driving that many need to remove the moratorium that ate that bridge. We need to create that more miles. Many of them have pickup says we can’t even go ahead and layout bridge by having an opportunity to go trucks or utility vehicles, because the rules and regulations. Now, why is and explore for oil and gas in the when you are that far away from home that important? Because they tell the ground. during the winter, you need to have One source of fuel in the ground is oil oil companies what the rules of the those higher profile, larger vehicles. It shale, and I think it is important that game are going to be, what they can is a matter of personal safety. It is my colleagues here on the floor under- expect the royalties to be, what they what we want our kids to be in as well. stand that oil shale is a huge resource can expect the price of leasing the pub- So the inflation is there at the pump, in this country. We have oil shale in lic lands to be, and also what remedi- but it is not only that. There was an the State of Wyoming to a lesser ation requirements are there for clean- article in the Wall Street Journal this amount than we have in Utah and Col- ing up the environment. When the past week about a woman in Casper, orado, but we have lots of oil shale in President removed the moratorium on WY, who runs a bakery. It is a great Colorado. In fact, most of it is in Colo- going after our natural resources bakery, down on First Street, and rado. There is a fair amount in Utah, through the floor of the ocean, he sent sheoes a nice job. But the supplies, the and then a smaller amount in Wyo- a significant message that he is willing cooking things she buys to put in the ming. We have different types of oil to provide more supply for oil and gas, bagels—whether it is the canned apples shale in Utah and Wyoming, and the and that had a positive impact on the or the sugar—everything is up extraction proposal out of those two market. We need to continue that sin- pricewise because it has to be shipped States is a little different. cerity the President showed to the in to be used. So it is the fuel we use in We need to move forward with oil American people by taking some real our own vehicles but it is also the fuel shale, and that is why I am working so action here on the floor of the Senate, that is being used to ship products. hard to get the moratorium off of oil and we need to do that by removing an The people of Wyoming are smart. At shale because Shell Oil Company and additional moratorium on drilling off all these town meetings I have, they other companies have developed a tech- the coast and we need to relieve or get it. They understand there is going nique where extraction is environ- take off the moratorium on oil shale so to be a change in the energy we use in mentally friendly. Utah’s oil shale is that resource can be developed. this Nation, a change in the different closer to the surface. It is a higher The technology is not going to be de- sources of energy. The people in Wyo- quality shale which contains lots of oil veloped until about 3 years from now, ming know we would be wise to be con- in one small chunk of rock. What they so it would be around 2011 or later be- serving, and we are, and they know we do is they go ahead and grind it up, fore it is ready to go. But you need to would be wise to be using the renew- heat it, and they extract a heavy type put in place the rules and regulations ables that we have a lot of, but they of oil out of that product. first. We need that now. Some of the are also wise in knowing we do need to In Colorado, what we are talking reasons for objecting that I have heard find more and use less; that it is a mat- about in Mesa and Garfield Counties, is people will say: Well, it is going to ter of supply and demand. And until

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They publican proposal, where we want to have more energy from all over the en- know the importance of the work we turn to oil shale, and to the Outer Con- ergy spectrum and encourage the are doing here in trying to find solu- tinental Shelf, and we turn to the fu- American people to conserve. tions that will help America become tures market to try to put more en- I thank my friend from Wyoming for energy self-sufficient by developing forcement there, and we also work on his contribution to this colloquy. I American coal, American oil, Amer- the conservation side with the electric think he is doing a great job and Wyo- ican natural gas, American uranium, car. ming should be proud of him. and American renewable energy Truckers are small business people, I sources. attended a press conference today with Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, we Mr. ALLARD. That is very key. We truckers, I was struck by how con- started talking a little bit about coal. need to be less dependent on foreign scious they were in trying to conserve. I wish to say it is not just Wyoming sources of oil, not only for our own eco- They were maintaining their trucks. and Montana, coal is abundant nomic well-being but also for the secu- They had great safety records. They throughout the United States. Whether rity of this country. If we have to rely were making sure the air in their tires it is Pennsylvania—I see our colleague on our enemies, or possible enemies, to was optimal so they could improve the from Pennsylvania is here. Actually, provide us with fuel, that creates all mileage on it. The trucker I heard this the whole region of Pennsylvania is sorts of security problems for this morning, he was saying that about a called the coal region. He made men- country. So we have to make sure we year ago he was spending somewhere tion of that. But in West Virginia and have plenty of sources for us to meet around $1,200 to $1,300 to make a trip Illinois, coal is abundant, it is afford- our military needs throughout the from Virginia to Texas. There are no able, it is reliable and secure. world if we are going to be the Nation’s high mountain ranges such as we are I appreciate the efforts my colleague and this world’s peacekeepers. used to in the West but a relatively flat from Colorado is engaged in, in terms I note that the Senator has a very trip. This year it is up around $2,500, of oil shale—another abundant source busy corridor that goes through the $2,600 to make that same trip. It is get- of energy that is not being utilized. It southern part of Wyoming, and it is a ting close to double what he was pay- is American energy that can be used big trucking corridor. I think nearly ing last year. That has to have an im- for the betterment and future of our every truck going east to west has to pact on the goods and services that are great Nation. go through Wyoming. They like to provided in this country. Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I yield avoid the high mountains passes in We need to be looking at real solu- the floor. Colorado, so they find it easier driving tions. That is the point of this col- through Wyoming, and I expect you see loquy. That is the point the Repub- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- quite an impact there in your State. licans are trying to make. Just stand- ator from Pennsylvania is recognized. Mr. BARRASSO. Interstate 80, which ing here debating on the floor of the Mr. CASEY. I thank the Chair. runs west to east across the lower part Senate doesn’t make a difference. We of the State of Wyoming, is a national 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SENATE SELECT need to have an opportunity where Re- COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION AND HUMAN NEEDS transportation route where people are publican Senators can put their ideas taking products from the coastal areas, forward. These need to be in the form Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise to the ports in California or Oregon, and of amendments. recognize the 40th anniversary of the they come to a pinch point in Utah and We need to pick our own amend- Senate Select Committee on Nutrition then they all get onto I–80, west of the ments. The majority leader should not and Human Needs. Today we recognize Wyoming border at Evanston, and they be picking our amendments. It happens the contributions of two members of come all the way across the State. Fuel he wants to dictate that process. This that original committee, the Senate prices are high, and the miles are long. is the Senate. This is where we should Select Committee on Nutrition and People who talk about a 55-mile-an- have open and free debate. I think if we Human Needs, Democratic Senator hour speed limit in this body clearly had an opportunity to debate these George McGovern of South Dakota and have not driven across I–80, where a amendments on the floor we could Republican Senator Bob Dole of Kan- speed limit like that didn’t work before change the direction of this country. I sas. Both made and continue to make when they tried it, and it won’t work think we could change the type of leg- contributions in the war on hunger. now. islation that is being proposed as a so- It was 40 years ago that CBS tele- I served in the State Senate in Wyo- lution. vision aired a landmark documentary ming, a great place. On the third floor Deep down I believe most Members of entitled, ‘‘Hunger in America.’’ This of the capital building, there is a large this Senate understand this is a sup- documentary exposed the magnitude of mural on the wall which sort of depicts ply-and-demand problem and we need hunger that existed all across the Na- to produce more supply and we also the State of Wyoming. There is a part tion. For the first time, Americans got need to encourage more conservation. of the bottom where I–80 is running a closeup look at the true faces of hun- My hope is we will have an opportunity across it. Even back when this was ger—pregnant women and children who to make amendments to achieve this. I painted, years ago, if you count the ve- were malnourished, infants dying of have made some of those amendments hicles on the mural, half of them are starvation, starving tenant farmers liv- in committee and found I had bipar- trucks. Half of them. And I think the ing just miles from this Nation’s Cap- proportion now is even greater than tisan support and had commitments itol. Their stories and their faces half of them being trucks. from both Democrats and Republicans moved the Congress to try to end hun- Think about all the product that is that would help support my position on ger. being moved east and west on I–80, and taking the moratorium off oil shale I am sure you are seeing it in Colorado and similar moratoria. It was just last month that I was as well, with people awaiting the deliv- We are simply cutting off supplies to privileged to have the opportunity to ery of those products across this Na- this country and we are becoming more sit down with Senator McGovern to tion and paying higher prices for those and more dependent on foreign oil. We talk about the challenge of combating products because of the fuel it takes to are sending more than $700 billion over- hunger still today. As we were sitting fill the trucks in order for them to de- seas to potentially our enemies—coun- talking, he related to me a story, 40 liver the product. So we are seeing that tries such as Iran and Venezuela, for years later, that still has had a pro- not just at the pump but also in the example, and many of the Arab coun- found effect on him all these years pockets of consumers. tries which are marginal friends. We later. The evening of that CBS tele- Mr. ALLARD. I don’t see any solu- have to admit, they are there one day vision documentary broadcast I spoke tion on the Democratic side. They are and gone the next. of, the evening that was on, Senator

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:17 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.059 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 McGovern and his family were gath- that Americans pay for a portion of or 10 million children receive a school ered around the television set watching their own food stamps. breakfast. We must find innovative the documentary. Senator McGovern They expanded the National School ways to reach more of these children to still vividly remembers the effect one Lunch Program and made the School get them breakfast. particular image from this documen- Breakfast Program, the Childcare Food There is a direct link between school tary had on him at that time. Program, and the Summer Food Serv- breakfast and academic achievement, The image was that of a school-age ice Program permanent programs in and if the United States is going to boy leaning against a wall while most our Government; and they established compete effectively in a new world of his classmates ate lunch. The inter- the Special Supplemental Food Pro- economy, we must educate our children viewer in the documentary asked the gram for Women, Infants and Children, and to do that we must provide the boy how he felt standing there, day better known today by the acronym best possible nutrition at school. after day, watching the other children WIC. We must also recognize that many eat. Forty years later, the programs that low-income working parents with chil- His answer was not that he was angry Senators McGovern and Dole cham- dren are struggling to afford even the or bitter but, rather, that he was pioned and shepherded through the low fees charged for reduced-price ashamed. Senate have succeeded in eliminating school meals. According to the School At that moment, Senator McGovern the most serious chronic malnutrition Nutrition Association, approximately 1 recalls telling his family that he, in the United States. Today, nearly 28 million children in this country are eli- George McGovern, as a Senator, and million Americans receive food stamps, gible for reduced-price meals and yet not that boy was the one who should more than 17.5 million low-income chil- are not participating in the program have been ashamed. I think what that dren receive free or reduced school due to the cost barrier. We must devise shows is the humility and decency of meals, and more than 8 million women ways to ensure these children, too, are George McGovern, first of all. But I and children receive WIC benefits. receiving proper nutritional assistance think what he tried to convey to me in The legacy of Senators McGovern at school and do not fall through the our conversation was that young per- and Dole is truly a testament to what cracks. son’s response in that documentary—a can be achieved when we work in a bi- But providing adequate nutrition to person who was a victim of not having partisan fashion on shared priorities the children during the school year is enough to eat—that response had such that address the basic needs of the only part of the answer. Congress also a profound effect on Senator George American people. needs to implement changes to ensure McGovern that he returned to the Sen- These two men came from vastly dif- that the millions of children who rely ate the very next day and began work- ferent ends of the political spectrum upon school meals are not left behind ing on a resolution to establish a com- and vehemently disagreed on many during the summer. Currently, only 2 mittee to address hunger in this coun- other issues, but they came together in 10 children who benefit from school try. Forty years ago today, that resolu- and both agreed that hunger was and is meals also receive meals during the tion was, indeed, enacted, establishing an issue that transcends partisan poli- summer months. We must find ways to the Select Committee on Nutrition and tics. The bipartisan spirit with which make programs such as the Summer Human Needs. these two men collaborated to fight Food Service Program more accessible Senator McGovern chaired the com- hunger has certainly served as a model to children, not only in metro areas mittee from the time of its inception and a inspiration to me and I know to but in rural areas as well. in 1968 until 1977, when the committee many others in Congress. Data from the USDA’s Economic Re- was absorbed into the Agriculture Following their example of biparti- search Service shows that as far back Committee, the committee we know sanship, this year on the farm bill we as at least 1970, the percentage of chil- today as the Committee on Agri- were able to provide a record level of dren living in poverty in rural areas culture, Nutrition and Forestry, nutrition funding to reform and consistently exceeds that of children in chaired by Senator TOM HARKIN. strengthen Federal nutrition programs. metro or urban areas. Senator McGovern was committed to We were able to make key improve- A bill I have introduced with Senator exposing the failure of Federal food as- ments to the Food Stamp Program SPECTER, my colleague from Pennsyl- sistance programs at that time and itself, and we were able to strengthen vania, S. 1755, the Summer Food Serv- making reforms to ensure that these the domestic food assistance safety net ice Rural Explanation Act, would lower programs were reaching those most in by providing significant increased the threshold for feeding sites in rural need. But knowing this was a goal he funding to increase commodity pur- areas to qualify for this program. could not achieve on his own, he chases for local area food banks. We hope to help to ensure the avail- reached across the aisle to form a key But we all know the war on hunger ability of summer meals for more of partnership with Senator Bob Dole, a requires constant vigilance and we these children living in poverty who partnership and an abiding friendship, I must recognize that unmet needs still happen to live in rural areas. We know might add, that continues to this very exist in America. Despite the existence that hunger itself does not take a vaca- day. Despite their differences, both of Federal food programs, hunger con- tion, and we owe it to these children to these men share the conviction that tinues to be a serious problem plaguing ensure that the Food Assistance Pro- ending hunger is a moral imperative. more than 35.5 million Americans, in- gram does not take a vacation either. Working together, Senators McGovern cluding 12.6 million children. Finally, Congress must continue to and Dole set out to end hunger in Children are particularly vulnerable improve the quality of all nutrition as- America. Their work helped educate to the effects of hunger. Even mild sistance programs. One of the great the Congress, the Federal Government, malnutrition can have adverse impacts ironies of the current challenge is to and the Nation at large about the sheer on health, development, behavior, recognize that hunger and obesity can magnitude of hunger in the United school attendance and performance and exist at the same time. States. Over the next decade, they and self-esteem as well. In the coming year, While we recognize we are facing other members of this unique Senate we will have an opportunity to have a huge Federal deficits, we must refuse committee developed a bipartisan re- direct impact on combating child hun- to let funding challenges serve as an sponse to hunger and laid the founda- ger with reauthorization of the Na- impediment to these critical changes. tion of our current food assistance pro- tional School Lunch Act. This legisla- There is not a more important domes- grams. tion, which is set to expire September tic social objective facing us in the Among their chief successes was re- 30, 2009, authorizes all Federal child nu- coming years than to provide adequate forming the Food Stamp Program, cul- trition programs. nutrition to children across America. minating in the passage of the Food One of the most important reforms Finally, Senators Dole and McGovern Stamp Reform Act of 1977. This act that can be enacted is to expand the blazed a path 40 years ago when they made the program more efficient and school breakfast program. With 30 mil- joined to help fight the war on hunger. more accessible to those most in need lion children a day participating in the They put aside partisanship to bring by finally eliminating the requirement school lunch program, only one-third light to the darkness of hunger. Now is

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This com- they are producing a tiny fraction of vocates across this country in a mis- mittee ties the important role of pro- the amount of electricity we use. There sion to end hunger. duction agriculture to the necessity of are solar panels that are basically dem- I yield the floor. ensuring that all Americans have a onstrating the technology, but not pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- safe, nutritious, and affordable food ducing anything like the kind of vol- ator from Georgia is recognized. supply. ume we would need. There are studies Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I The select committee we are hon- about tidal power. There are experi- ask unanimous consent that following oring today is the predecessor of the ments going on with biomass. There my comments Senator BENNETT be rec- committee’s Subcommittee on Nutri- are explorations with geothermal. But ognized. tion and Food Assistance, and the all of those are in the future, 10 years The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without issues before it receive significant at- away, 15, 20, 30 years away. That is objection, it is so ordered. where we want to be, but we need to Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I tention. My colleagues on the committee and build a bridge to get there. rise to join my colleague from Pennsyl- I share the determination to provide an Now, who is going to build it? I want vania, Senator CASEY, to support July effective nutrition safety net, and we Americans to be in the driver’s seat of 30, 2008, as the 40th anniversary of the continue the bipartisan approach es- building the bridge and solving the establishment of the Senate Select problem. I want Americans to take the Committee on Nutrition and Human tablished by Senators McGovern and Dole. This is proven in the recently en- lead in figuring out what we need to do Needs. as a world to get to the other side of Forty years ago there was a signifi- acted 2008 farm bill, in which funding the bridge I have described. cant awakening in this country about for domestic nutrition assistance was substantially increased. Now, 73 per- I want Americans to once again the issue of hunger and its impact on achieve their ability to influence world Americans. As the resolution states, cent of the total spending in the 2008 farm bill is allocated to domestic nu- energy prices. There was a time when the CBS award-winning documentary the Americans could determine the ‘‘Hunger in America’’ was an impor- trition assistance programs. Given ris- ing food prices, we worked to lend a world price of oil simply by deter- tant impetus to putting a human face mining whether they would drill an- on this situation. hand to those citizens in both rural and urban America who are struggling to other well in East Texas. Like many Americans, Senators When the price of oil seemed to be feed their families. George McGovern of South Dakota and too high, we could open up additional Robert Dole of Kansas were moved by I am pleased to be an original cospon- sor of this resolution. I look forward to areas of East Texas to exploration. this documentary, and thus into ac- East Texas was full of oil and at the tion. The first step was the creation of continuing to work with my colleagues in the fight against hunger. time, we led the world in oil produc- the Senate Select Committee on Nutri- tion. Now that leadership is gone. It tion and Human Needs. The committee The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ator from Utah. left the shores in the 1970s. It lies now focused on the magnitude of hunger with the Saudi royal family. within our borders as well as short- Mr. BENNETT. I appreciate the yielding of the floor to me, but I under- If we are talking about building the comings of existing domestic nutrition bridge, I want the Americans to be the stand Senator LINCOLN was going to assistance programs. ones to build the bridge. I want Ameri- For example, the Food Stamp Pro- speak on this same subject. If she is available, I would be happy to yield to cans to bring back to this continent gram required participants to purchase our ability to affect the world’s price of her. I understand she will be coming a portion of their food stamp allotment fossil fuels. later so I will proceed. which left many Americans unable to And how do we do that? Well, we do receive any benefit because they could ENERGY it simply by increasing the number of not afford to buy stamps. Mr. President, we have had a lot of American sources of fossil fuels. That The work of the Select Committee on debate, a lot of discussion that does is how we were in charge of the price of Nutrition and Human Needs and the not qualify as debate, over the last oil at one time, and that is how we can McGovern-Dole partnership led to week or two with respect to energy. I be in charge again. A lot of people do many improvements in our country’s simply want to make a few comments not realize that America, though, is nutrition assistance safety net. Today, of my own with regard to that issue. the third largest oil-producing country domestic food assistance programs The energy crisis we face is a world- in the world. Saudi Arabia is No. 1, touch one in five Americans each year. wide crisis. It cannot be solved with a Russia is No. 2, America is No. 3. We The Food Stamp Program, which was national solution. But it is a national used to be No. 1; we are now No. 3. recently renamed in the farm bill the crisis as well, and we need to do what If we can increase our ability to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance we can as Americans toward finding produce energy, we can control the Program, is the cornerstone of this the solution. We need to help build a building of the bridge to the long-term safety net by assisting over 27 million bridge, a bridge that can be a world- future when we are no longer as de- Americans each month. wide bridge to the long-term vision we pendent on fossil fuels as we are now. If The Special Supplemental Nutrition have. we want to get to renewables, we have Program for Women, Infants and Chil- As we talk about that bridge, let’s to build a bridge to get there. dren, or WIC, serves 8.5 million Ameri- ask ourselves what is at the other end The material we will use to build cans and provides expecting mothers of the bridge? The vision people have at that bridge will be American energy. and their young children with the nu- the other end of the bridge is a world We have almost limitless sources to trition needed for a healthy start in that does not depend as heavily on fos- which we can turn to find that Amer- life. sil fuels as we do today. It is a world ican energy. The National School Lunch Program that has nuclear power, it is a world The Gas Price Reduction Act, which provides over 31 million lunches each that has wind power, and solar power, I have cosponsored along with a num- day and nourishes schoolchildren with geothermal power, biomass, hydro- ber of my colleagues, outlines two of balanced and healthy meals. As a hus- power, and one that I am particularly the areas where we can increase Amer- band and father of public school- enthusiastic about is tidal power—the ican sources of energy and thus help teachers, I particularly know the di- rising and falling of the tides being build that bridge and control, influ- rect correlation between healthy, nu- harnessed in generating electricity. ence, and impact world energy prices. tritious meals and the ability of a child All of those possibilities are there, The first one has to do with taking to learn. and all of those possibilities should be oil out of the Outer Continental Shelf.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.062 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7744 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 Since the early 1980s, we have prohib- I yield the floor. ican businesses will be able to remain ited drilling in 85 percent of our Outer The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. globally competitive through the use of Continental Shelf waters. It is inter- TESTER). The Senator from Arkansas. research and development tax credits. esting that this prohibition came about TAX EXTENDERS We are talking about a time when gas the time that pricing power left the Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise prices are high. Food prices are high. United States and went into the hands to talk about my support and encour- People are finding that the dollars they of the Saudi royal family. It will not age my colleagues to join me in revis- are earning are not going as far. Yet bring it back automatically, but it will iting and passing what we tried to do they are still trying hard to keep their certainly make a major impact if we earlier today, and that was supporting body and soul and their families to- can now make that 85 percent of our the Jobs, Energy, Families, and Dis- gether. They are still trying to do for Outer Continental Shelf available for aster Relief Act of 2008 on which we their children and aging parents the exploration and the delivery of oil. had a procedural motion. I find this things that need to be done. One mil- We now know in a way we did not in bill, in these last couple of days of our lion additional children would have the 1980s that it is safe because Hurri- working period before we leave to re- been covered in this bill with the child cane Katrina brutally told us that oil turn to our States, one of the most im- tax credit. These are extremely impor- rigs can withstand virtually any kind portant things we can do. Is it every- tant policy initiatives we need to be of pressure from the weather. It is not thing we can do? No, it is not. We can’t providing, now more than ever, for our a lesson we wanted to learn in that do everything in one fell swoop. But American taxpayers. way, but it is a lesson that we now there are a lot of things we can do to In addition, there is almost $20 bil- know. get started. lion in incentives included in this The other area in the Gas Price Re- I applaud the hard work that was put package to move us toward energy duction Act where we can find more oil into this package by the Finance Com- independence. We have heard all of our hits closer to my home in Utah. It mittee chairman, Senator BAUCUS. I colleagues coming down here talking would allow us to extract oil from oil also congratulate our counterparts in about energy independence, talking shale. In eastern Utah, western Colo- the House Ways and Means Committee about the dire straits working families rado and southern Wyoming, there is for their tremendous efforts in putting are in. My State ranks 48 in the low-in- more oil than there is in all of Saudi together this very important piece of come category of hard-working Ameri- Arabia by a factor of three. People say: legislation that puts us off on a very cans. I know because in recent studies ‘‘But we do not have it yet. It is sound footing and a good beginning, we have seen back in May, on average unproven technology,’’ although oil heading in the right direction of where Arkansans were paying 8 percent of shale is being turned into oil in other we need to go. their income toward gasoline and in countries of the world, just not this The vote we took earlier today was some other, more desperate counties, one. ‘‘But new technology is being the third time we have attempted to they were paying up to 11 percent of tried out. Well, it is 10 or 15 years proceed to this very important package their income for fuel, particularly for away. It will be expensive.’’ of tax incentives, the so-called tax ex- gasoline. They are being hit hard. There are some things we can do. I take you back to the proposition of tenders package, this year. Unfortu- This package will provide long-term the bridge. The world where we dras- nately, we do it every year. Unfortu- extension of our renewable energy and tically decrease our dependence on fos- nately, we patch over every year the energy efficiency tax credits so we can sil fuels is far more than 10 years away opportunity we try to have put forward provide some certainty in these very or even 15 years away. We cannot wish by the Government, the incentives we important new industries that are job it into existence immediately. It is need to create an environment. That is creators but also the hope for the fu- hypocritical to say we are strongly for what government does. Government ture of where we go in terms of energy wind power and solar power and geo- creates an environment where busi- needs. It creates a tax credit for con- thermal and biomass as the solution to nesses, families, industries, and States our problems, but we are opposed to oil sumers who purchase new technology, can be successful. That is exactly what highly fuel-efficient vehicles. It also shale and Outer Continental Shelf this bill does. It is what we tried to do drilling because they take years to de- continues our commitment of moving earlier today. I hope we will continue toward alternative fuels through the velop. to push forward in creating an environ- If one is 20 years or 30 years away, extension of the renewable diesel and ment where people and businesses can and the other is only 10 years away, we biodiesel tax credit. do for themselves in an environment should be working on the one that is We know there are a lot of opportuni- that government has created, to take only 10 years away at the same time we ties we have. Yes, trying to deal with are working on the one that is 30 or 40 care of their issues, whether they be the manipulation of markets by specu- years away. disasters or a competitive nature lation is one route we need to take. America has fossil fuels that are across this globe, but to use that envi- Yes, we know that making sure we are abundant, available, and affordable, ronment to strengthen themselves, to taking advantage of new resources and and that can be used as the source of build their businesses, their families, old resources that exist in our oil and building the bridge to the world of less their communities in a way that has gas industry is important. We know dependence on fossil fuels. Our econ- been consistent with the American there are multiple things we can do in omy runs on energy. The world econ- spirit through generations of great renewable fuels and a host of other omy runs on energy. Americans. areas where we can turn to that we We cannot, while hoping that the We tried three times, and I had so never believed we could get fuel from, land we dream of is available at some hoped that the third time would be the everything from biomass to algae, a point, refuse to build the bridge with charm. Maybe it is the fourth time. whole host of new technologies coming America’s available building materials. Maybe it is the fifth. I very much be- out, research that is proving to us that I hope as we wind down this debate lieve this is something we have to do, there is a whole new world out there of and finally decide to do something and we should do it before we leave to energy and energy sources. These are about it, we will be focused on taking head home to our States for the break. all initiatives in a bill that should have the assets we already have and using During the past few months I have broad bipartisan support. We should them as the material to build the talked extensively about this extenders enact them as soon as possible. bridge to get to the place where we package and some of the things I think To be sure, there is certainly a lot want to go. If we do that, then our con- are so important. There are many ben- more, whether it is speculation or drill- stituents will see the price of gas come efits here that working families will ing or other things, that we could be down at the pump. They will see move- see, benefits for working families, com- doing. There is more that can be done ment in the right direction as to where munities, businesses, so many of which to deal with our energy crisis. But the we want to be. They will say to us: You are so needed at this time. Under this almost $20 billion in incentives in- have finally started to do your job in legislation, some 1 million additional cluded in this package is quite a down- the way we sent you to Washington to children will be covered by the child payment in moving us in the right di- do it. tax credit and more than 27,000 Amer- rection. To my friends on the other

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.063 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7745 side of the aisle who have been here on I traveled with Senator PRYOR and uals who have experienced loss from the floor this week arguing for action Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe to as- these horrific disasters. on energy legislation before we leave sess the damage across the State. In This tax relief will help my Arkansas for August, I agree with you. I think it Van Buren County in central Arkansas, families deal with expenses related to is so important that we do something. 45 homes and countless businesses were debris removal, cleanup, and repair. It We need to do something. We have to destroyed. Conway County had 140 will allow them to adjust their taxable do something. This package we have homes destroyed or that suffered major income, taking into account property seen come before us earlier today damage. losses they have suffered. It will allow would have been a great first step. It The hospital in Mountain View got them to access their own savings they still can be. We need to make sure we hit as well. Within hours, hospital ad- have tucked away in IRAs and other are passing an extenders bill, coupled ministrators and personnel, helped by retirement plans penalty free. It will with a host of other things that are es- volunteers, reacted swiftly to stabilize provide a credit for small businesses sential for us to go home in August the area. They were able to use the that continue paying their employees with to tell our constituents that we do emergency room for persons with seri- while their business is inoperable and hear the message they are sending. We ous injuries and evacuated patients being rebuilt. These important provi- could pass it with bipartisan support with nonlife-threatening conditions to sions, among others, will do wonders and get even more done when we come nursing homes and other facilities for my Arkansas families and busi- back in September. around the county. In the town of nesses impacted by these unbelievable People know we are not going to do Highland in north central Arkansas, a storms and flooding. everything at once. They don’t expect facility that housed the equipment for And I am not alone. Many of my that of us. But they do expect us to the volunteer fire department was com- neighboring States—Missouri, Mis- take, step by step, the opportunities we pletely destroyed. sissippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Geor- have to do something about the energy A little more than a month later, gia, Kentucky—experienced the same crisis. heavy storms hit Arkansas again. This storms Arkansas did, and they are suf- We also have in this bill the highway time they brought rain and more rain fering in the same ways—not to men- trust fund. The needs in the highway and more rain. The result was flooding tion the floods that impacted individ- trust fund are tremendous. Come next not seen in some areas for over 90 uals in Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, and month, we are going to see a deficit years. Thirty-five Arkansas counties Kansas in recent months, who all there. We are going to see a crisis in were declared disaster areas from the would benefit from this. our highway trust fund. We are going storm. In the town of Pocahontas, the I recognize this package of disaster to have to deal with that. Why Black River crested at 26.5 feet, its relief may not be as generous as some shouldn’t we be dealing with it today highest level since August of 1915, and may have preferred. But it is a good or tomorrow but certainly before we three breaks in its levees flooded package. It is a consensus package. If leave? homes and apartments. This is a scene passed, it will provide immediate relief Finally and most importantly, the from the Black River in Pocahontas in for all of our storm victims. chairman of the Finance Committee Randolph County. I urge my colleagues to recognize the has included a package of tax relief for In Des Arc, where I traveled with value in this package. I urge them to areas all across the country hit with Governor Beebe, the White River take a close look and recognize the horrific weather and declared Federal crested at a little more than 33 feet, al- benefits it will bring to their commu- disaster areas. This will provide vital most 9 feet above flood stage. Further nities that are suffering so desperately. resources to help in recovery efforts all up the White River, the community of We should stand together. We should across the Nation; in 26 States, to be Oil Trough got hit twice. The first time all look around this room and under- exact. I am extremely thankful for the it was only a few homes. Ten days stand we are here together as a body to inclusion of this piece in the bill be- later, rains came a second time and represent this great land, each of our cause Arkansas has suffered from a flooded the entire city, forcing resi- States, of course, but to recognize as string of tornadoes and record-setting dents and businesses to completely neighbors we all have shared in much floods. The series of natural disasters evacuate. disaster. We should stand together to in my home State this year has been On April 3, another set of tornadoes do the right thing and enact this pack- unlike any I have seen in my lifetime. hit central Arkansas. Although not as age—if we get another opportunity—of It has left 62 of our 75 counties in Ar- deadly as the ones that hit us in Feb- broad-based tax relief that will help kansas in need of Federal disaster as- ruary, four twisters touched down in a our working families, our businesses, sistance. Wave after wave of storms five-county area, including some of the and our damaged communities. have rocked the residents of Arkansas counties suffering from those floods. In There is certainly a great oppor- and have left many shell shocked. addition, two more rounds of tornadoes tunity here if all of us band together It started on February 5 when a band hit the State in May, bringing the and realize that in the next 2 days be- of tornadoes created a path of destruc- total to 62 counties affected by these fore we leave we have this wonderful tion, which we can see here, that storms that hit this year. opportunity to come together to do stretched across 12 counties in Arkan- All but 13 counties in my State have something for our Nation. I hope we sas, killing 13 people, injuring 133, and been declared Federal disaster areas, will. I encourage my colleagues to ask destroying more than 880 homes. It was causing millions of dollars in property to be able to come back to that relief the deadliest storm in nearly 10 years. damage and at least 26 known deaths. package as well as that tax incentive On that day, one tornado gouged a 123- While it has been a traumatic few package that will do so much. mile path, hitting the ground, staying months for thousands of Arkansans, I Thank you, Mr. President. on the ground for that long a period. have been struck, of course, by the re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Along the way, around 5:30 that after- siliency of my State’s residents. I have ator from Idaho. noon, it hit a family-owned boat fac- always said the people of Arkansas are PREDATOR WOLVES tory in Clinton, AR, where 16 employ- our greatest resource, whether it is to Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, for the ees were in the factory at the time the rest of this country and what we next few moments, I wish to change working late to load a shipment of have to offer or whether it is to one an- the pace of our debate on the floor of boats on a truck. The F–4 tornado other. Their ability to pitch in and the Senate. I am pleased the Senator struck. Unfortunately, the life of help their neighbors has been nothing from Montana is now the Presiding Of- Thomas Armstrong was lost. The build- short of extraordinary. But they need ficer in the Senate because I want to ing was totaled. The 20-year-old busi- help to finish the job. tell that Senator I am a cosponsor of a ness that had produced 550 to 600 boats This bill we tried to pass earlier piece of legislation he and the Senator a year and provided $15,000 a week in today and in weeks past provides need- from Wyoming have introduced that salaries to its 45 employees was a com- ed assistance. That is why I am so would provide grants to Montana, Wyo- plete loss. As we can see here, it was grateful Chairman BAUCUS has included ming, and Idaho, and to tribes and completely destroyed. this tax incentive package for individ- other States, at the discretion of the

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And now, as The State of Idaho is attempting, landowner actions to prevent livestock they have begun to decimate those pop- under this Secretary of the Interior, predation, and to compensate land- ulations, they are beginning to pick off and others, to take reasonable and re- owners for a loss of livestock by gray domestic livestock, both cattle and sponsible control of them, and to once wolves and other predator species. sheep, that graze on these public lands. again shape these populations of Why would I come to the floor of the This map I have in the Chamber dem- wolves so wolves can once again be in Senate and want to talk about wolves? onstrates, from the 35 wolves that were Idaho and, at the same time, to recog- Well, let me tell you what happened in dumped into Idaho in 1995 and 1996—in nize the need to maintain populations the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wy- approximately this area—the phe- of elk and deer is what we want to do. oming in 1995. nomenal spread that has occurred And it is what the Idaho Fish and Wild- In my opinion, the Secretary of the across the entire State of Idaho, into life Commission and Fish and Wildlife Interior at that time, Secretary Bruce Montana, and down into Wyoming, in agencies were doing in a responsible Babbitt, Secretary to the administra- areas where we believe there could well way—until, once again, a Federal judge tion of Bill Clinton, did something that be more than 3,000 wild roaming intervenes, who knows little to nothing I said at the time I believed to be a di- wolves. about the species itself, or probably the rect violation of Federal law and con- So the Department of Interior then law, and says: I guess maybe that envi- gressional intent. He allowed the U.S. said: It is now time we delist these ronmental group is right. Maybe we Fish and Wildlife Service to go into wolves. We thought that was going to need more wolves so we get a geneti- Canada, collect Canadian gray wolves, work until again a judge, who probably cally clear balance. We are more inter- bring them into the lower 48, and in knows nothing about wolves, listened ested in the genetics of the wolf than the late fall or early winter of 1995, he to a couple environmental groups, and we are the decimation of the elk herds, dropped 15 of those wolves into a wil- said: I don’t think we ought to allow the deer populations, and the domestic derness area in Idaho—certainly satis- that to happen. As a result, all of that livestock. fying the wishes of a lot of environ- effort was stopped. But still the taking I have said with great trepidation, mental interests, but, in my opinion, of domestic livestock—both cattle and but I say in all sincerity: Do we have to directly violating the language of an sheep—continues to this day. wait until a wolf drags down a human Interior appropriations bill, language I have served on the Appropriations species before there is a sense of alarm? that I and the then Senator from Mon- Committee. In the absence of us doing Because they have now penetrated all tana, Mr. Conrad Burns, had put in the the right and responsible thing, I kept of Idaho. They are literally in our bill saying: None of these moneys shall adding money every year not only for backyards. Yet the romance goes on be used for the purposes of introducing the management and the shaping of about this great dream of a wild West gray wolves into Idaho, Montana, and these wolf populations, but also to where you can hear the lonesome wolf Wyoming. offer some compensation to ranchers— howl at night. And they are howling. Well, Bruce Babbitt did it, with great both cattle and sheep—who were losing They are howling loudly right in our fanfare, with great public attention, their livestock. backyards. And a blind Federal agency and with a very large smile on his face. The Senator from Montana, who is and a blind Federal judge and a roman- Then, in 1996, he introduced another presiding at this moment, the Senator tic environmental theory says that is 20 wolves into central Idaho. What is from Wyoming and I have joined—they OK. the end result of what happened? This have introduced the legislation; I am a It is tragic for the wolf because, ulti- was the effort to do what we called the cosponsor—to hopefully bring about a mately, these populations will have to introduction of an experimental num- stabilized fund to offset the literally be brought under control. It is tragic ber of wolves back into a habitat that hundreds of thousands of dollars our for Idahoans and folks in Montana and wolves once roamed wild in. It was sup- ranchers are now losing, all in the good Wyoming to see their pets and their do- posed to be a limited experiment of name of Secretary Bruce Babbitt of the mestic livestock dragged down and what we called an experimental herd or Clinton administration, who had the killed, with little if anything they can pack, or packs, of wolves, an experi- wonderful dream that he could take a do about it. I hope my colleagues would support mental species, and it was to be lim- West once unoccupied by the human S. 2875, as a minimal stopgap to pro- ited. We said at that time that when species and repopulate it with a wolf. vide these domestic livestock operators the number reached a certain number— Need I say more? A wolf is not a with some compensation for the losses at least 100 breeding pairs in Idaho, kind, sweet, and cuddly little animal. they are now taking because Bruce Montana, and Wyoming—it would no They are large. They are aggressive. Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior longer be experimental, and it would They drag down elk, moose, deer. And under the Clinton administration, had no longer be endangered, and the ex- they are now beginning, as I have said, a wonderful and wild western dream. traordinary protection of the Endan- to take domestic livestock. I yield the floor. gered Species Act would come off. A week ago, a young man, who was The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- That simply did not happen. Today, out training his hounds by chasing ator from Alabama. we literally have thousands of wolves bear, ran into a pack of wolves. The Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, how roaming the States of Idaho, Montana, wolves chased the guy off and killed all much time is left? and Wyoming. Some would say: Oh, the hounds. Some of these well-trained The PRESIDING OFFICER. Nine and isn’t that wonderful, and isn’t that ex- hounds are worth $4,000 and $5,000 a half minutes. citing, and isn’t that natural? Well, it apiece. There was absolutely nothing Mr. SESSIONS. Nine and a half min- may be natural in relation to 1880 or that gentleman could do. Could he utes. I thank the Chair. 1890, and it may be wonderful for some shoot the wolves? No. No, it is against ENERGY who behold the dream of an unoccupied the law, the Federal law, that he dare Mr. President, it is no doubt that the great West. But to those of us who live touch them. So he had to watch his be- American people are engaged on the in the West today, who live in an occu- loved dogs eaten. question of energy, and gasoline prices pied area, where domestic livestock That is happening more and more primarily. But they are worried about graze, and where the human species every day in Idaho, as this map grows their country. They are worried about loves to camp, we have a problem. Our more and more covered with incidents their own budgets. They are worried problem is quite simple. Wolves pro- of packs and individual and collective about the direction the Nation is head- tected have no predator. The human numbers of wolves. It is true in my ing and the fact that we are becoming species is the only predator. And in the State of Idaho. It is true in the State of more and more dependent on foreign absence of our ability to control them, the Senator from Montana. It is cer- sources of energy. It impacts our na- they multiply very rapidly in an un- tainly true in Wyoming. tional security as well as our economy. limited area with an unlimited feed As we try to bring these wolf popu- We know that now $600 billion, per- source. Their feed or food source—their lations under control, we have interest haps $700 billion a year of American prey base—happens to be what was groups and a Federal judge who raps wealth is transferred abroad on an an- once the great elk herds of Idaho along his gavel and says: No. nual basis to purchase the 60 percent of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:16 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.066 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7747 imported oil we utilize in America, in omy, Dr. Green says, declines 7 per- his speech. He has indicated he opposes our transportation system primarily. cent. further drilling, and he is at best luke- That is a wealth transfer the likes of He talks about heavy trucks. Im- warm, if not unfavorable, to nuclear which the world has never seen. It is proved aerodynamics on the truck power. not good for our economy. could save up to 600 gallons per year— The Speaker of the House of Rep- The average family—and I have cal- just doing that—and other suggestions resentatives, NANCY PELOSI, said she culated it based on a two-car family he made—low-rolling resistance tires. wanted to save the planet. She has driving 24,000 miles a year—is paying Better tires get better gas mileage. been opposing any production through $105 more per month for gasoline than Driver training can be a big asset, up- drilling or shale oil or clean coal or off- they were 1 year ago using the same dating fuel economy standards, the la- shore production. Our own leader, Sen- number of gallons of gasoline. This is a beling of used cars. When people go out ator HARRY REID, has said sometimes big deal. There is no doubt about it. and buy a used car, it wouldn’t be hard he favors production, but his only pro- After our families pay their taxes, to have posted the mileage of all used posal he has brought forth on the floor after they pay their Social Security, cars so that the person could see what of the Senate is to sue OPEC for not after they pay their house payment, that mileage would be if they bought producing enough oil. I would suggest their insurance, their retirement, and that particular used vehicle. He goes we could sue the Congress for not pro- their other bills, now $105 more every on with a number of other things. ducing enough oil in America. He want- month is hitting them because of in- I say that just to point out that he ed to tax oil companies, which means creased gas prices, and 60 percent of was just one witness in one area: auto- you certainly would not get any more that money is going abroad to purchase mobiles and vehicles. There are many oil doing that. Now, we have a specula- the gasoline in a wealth transfer that more things we can do to conserve fuel tion bill. Not one of those three pieces is adversely affecting our economy. and I support this. of legislation actually would produce This is a national crisis. There is no I believe we ought to reduce our de- any energy. doubt about it. pendence on fossil fuels as soon as pos- So let’s get out of this. This is not a This Nation needs to do something sible. I believe we should get away position the Democratic Party can real. We need to take action that will from them as much as we possibly can take. It is not a position a majority of work. I am, frankly, very open to a lot and reduce our imports. This would in- Democrats in America believe in. I am of different ideas that we might be able clude, for me, supporting investment in prepared to meet halfway. Let’s move to adopt. I think both parties have and promoting hydrogen vehicles and to hybrids any way we can. Let’s do ideas that would work. We need con- fuel cell vehicles. I think natural gas more biofuels. I think that can work. servation. We need biofuels. We need vehicles do have a role to play. Produce Let’s go to wind, producing as much more production of energy at home. All more diesel vehicles that get 35 to 40 and as fast as we can. I am for what- of those things, it seems to me, are percent better gas mileage. Half the ever works if it is reasonable and not quite possible. This Government should cars in Europe are diesel; we only have placing an unfair burden on the Amer- accelerate it and make it a reality. Yet 3 percent. Why is Europe doing that? ican people. we remain here, unable to act in any They get better gas mileage. They tax All I can say is, we are seeing a posi- way it seems. diesel less in Europe; we tax diesel tion here that is not acceptable. It is For example, agriculture. Yes, crop more. We have a new sulfur diesel fuel radical. It is damaging our economy. It prices, commodity prices are up, but that is extremely clean. is saying we will not do the things nec- the fuel that is utilized on the farm has All right. I think we are in a posi- essary to create a bridge to get us to doubled. Fertilizer prices, which come tion—and I think the Presiding Officer nuclear power, clean fuels in the future so often from natural gas, have also understands this—the American people that can get us off fossil fuels. doubled. Our chemical industry, most want us to do something. We need to I thank the Chair and I yield the of it is a worldwide industry. They reach across the aisle and accomplish floor. have plants, these big chemical compa- something. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- nies do, all over the world. When they How much time remains, Mr. Presi- ator from New Jersey is recognized. decide where they are going to make a dent? Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I new chemical, they ask who has the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- heard President Bush’s statement at lowest price for energy. Natural gas is ator has 2 minutes 45 seconds. the White House today, and I have to often a component of new chemicals Mr. SESSIONS. I have to conclude be very blunt. I think the President and because of prices—we have seen a that this is the problem. I don’t believe must think the American people are flat or declining chemical industry and it is the Democrats I know in Alabama, stupid. For 71⁄2 years we have had two an expansion of it in other places or I don’t believe it is all the Demo- oilmen in the White House, with Re- where the price of energy is lower. cratic Senators and Congressmen I publican majorities in Congress for 6 I believe the future of the American know in Washington, but let me tell years, and we have seen gas prices go economy is at stake. We must carry my colleagues what is happening and from $1.46 when President Bush took out conservation efforts. I see my es- where we are and how we have reached office to over $4—to about $4 now; it teemed colleague, Senator BINGAMAN, an impasse that has to be broken. went over $4 at one point—per gallon. here. He had a hearing a week or so ago Former Vice President Gore, a Now he would have us believe, after and he has had some of the best hear- former Democratic nominee for Presi- that 71⁄2 years—Republican majorities ings on energy. I am honored to serve dent of the United States, made a for 6 of those 71⁄2 years and having the on his committee. We had some fabu- speech recently and said that within 10 oil industry write the energy policy lous hearings with some wonderful wit- years, we should generate all of our with Vice President CHENEY in the nesses. The hearing I refer to included electricity without any fossil fuels. White House—now he would have us be- Dr. David Green at the Oak Ridge Cen- Half of our electricity today is coal. lieve, in fact, that we are responsible ter in Tennessee, a National lab, a Fed- Twenty percent is natural gas. He for this. eral lab, as a witness, and he made a would eliminate all of that and replace It is a good lawyer’s game. When you series of suggestions for immediate ac- it with biofuels, with solar, wind, and don’t have the facts on your side, when tions on energy. This is just to increase the like. That is a radical proposal—a you don’t have the law on your side, the miles per gallon that we get. His proposal that is not within the realm you pound on the table and create a di- first thing is driver behavior. He con- of possibility. It is a stunning idea that version. That is what they have done— tends that the average driver, if they simply cannot be achieved that fast. I tried to create a diversion. The Amer- drove better, could save 10 percent. would favor it as soon as we could, but ican people are a lot smarter than that. Curb aggressive driving, observe the we have no way of doing that. The fact is, Democrats cannot act as speed limits, don’t carry extra weight Senator OBAMA, the Presidential we want to on the energy crisis because in your car, have vehicle maintenance, nominee now, praised that speech. He the Republican Party simply won’t have realistic speed limits. For every 5 didn’t adopt everything in it, thank allow us. We have a slim majority in miles per hour over 55, the fuel econ- goodness, but he did praise Gore and the Senate, and by Senate rules, the

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So how does the Bush-McCain drill- times they have used this procedural In my home State of New Jersey we ing plan compare to these recent tactic to block much needed legisla- have windmills in Atlantic City, where events? Well, based upon the Bush ad- tion. Even though we are in the midst the casinos are, generating a lot of ministration Energy Information of an energy crisis, they are still block- electricity. Last year we installed Agency’s own analysis, if we open all ing everything. enough turbines to power over 1.5 mil- our shores to oil production, the first At first they said they were blocking lion homes. The solar power industry is drop of oil would not be seen for almost us from our work because they wanted growing at over 40 percent a year. a decade, and offshore oil production a vote on opening our shores to oil These technologies work. They are would peak in the year 2030. Then it drilling—something I don’t support— working now. They are in high demand. would peak at only 200,000 barrels a but the majority leader said OK. We They produce an enormous amount of day. will give you a vote on opening our energy. We need to accelerate and ex- So, in fact, if 800,000 barrels a day in shores to oil drilling. pand that. If we extend the wind and reduced consumption combined with an Then the Republicans said: Oh, that solar tax credits so these industries increase of 500,000 barrels a day in is not good enough either. Instead, can continue their rapid growth, we extra production hasn’t lowered gas they claimed to want to vote on open- could add 150 gigawatts of installed ca- prices one bit, it is clear that the pro- ing the shores to oil drilling, a vote on pacity within 10 years. Now, what does duction of 200,000 versus a combination nuclear power, a vote on oil shale de- that mean? That means that we would of 1.3 million barrels in reduced de- velopment, a vote on their larger pack- have enough electricity to power over mand or increased production—200,000 age of proposals, and guess what. The 37 million homes. At that rate, by 2030, barrels in the year 2030—is going to do majority leader said earlier this week: we could get over 25 percent of our Na- absolutely nothing about gas prices. OK, you can have a vote on all of that. tion’s electricity from wind and solar In fact, the Energy Information Yet, somehow, every time the majority power. Agency says that adding those 200,000 leader offers the other side votes on ex- The package of tax credits that the barrels per day in production in 2030 actly what they want, they keep say- Republicans continue to block— will lower the price of gasoline by less ing that is not good enough. They sim- blocked again today—represents a solu- than a penny per gallon. ply won’t take yes for an answer. tion also for the high price of oil. There Let me repeat that. The Republican I hear their speeches. They all men- is a large tax credit for the purchase of production plan to open all our shores tion speculation. Well, we have had tes- plug-in hybrid vehicles—cars, for ex- to drilling and risk the environmental timony that, in fact, speculation in the ample, such as the Chevy Volt, which consequences we saw, for example, in marketplace could raise oil by $50 per will be able to run on electricity for the Gulf of Mexico during Katrina and barrel. We even saw a company that the first 40 miles after being plugged Rita, with 700,000 gallons of oil spilled was just taken by the Commodity Fu- in. That means a full three-quarters of and 7 million spilled on land by the fa- tures Trading Commission being all trips—all trips—driven by Ameri- cilities that bring that oil to the mar- charged with having manipulated the cans would not use a drop of gas. If pro- ketplace, would not lower gas prices marketplace—made $1 million in 11 jections by some of the experts hold but about a penny in 2030. days and increased gas and oil prices. true, and half the cars on the road in Let’s compare these numbers with Yet they won’t let us go to speculation. 2030 are plug-in hybrids, we could eas- what renewables have to offer. Remem- They say one thing, they do another. ily cut our use of oil by 10 percent, and ber, if we pass the renewable energy The big issue they keep talking some would suggest that we could even tax extender credits, we could produce about is production, but the Repub- displace much more. And by this time, massive amounts of electricity from licans don’t want production. They we would be producing enough renew- renewable technologies. We hear this simply don’t want us to have progress. able energy to power all these cars and constantly being discussed by the Re- That is their game plan. They have a still have electricity to spare. If we publicans, but they don’t let us vote on political equation, and it is: Don’t let want cheap gasoline and we want to be it. Remember that the tax extenders anything be achieved. free from imported oil, we need to pass will help us rapidly deploy plug-in hy- On five separate occasions, they have the tax credit extensions, and we need brid technology so we can use this elec- had the opportunity to vote for energy to build plug-in hybrids, solar panels, tricity for transportation. production. They have had the oppor- and winds turbines, to name a few. It is By some projections, this means that tunity to keep the rapidly developing that simple. by 2030, the same time period they are wind and solar industries growing at an It is time for our colleagues on the drilling off the shore with the risk that accelerated pace, but instead they de- other side of the aisle to stop exploit- comes to a $200 billion coastal econ- cide to play politics. The Republican ing our energy crisis for big oil’s gain omy, we could replace 2 million to 3 Party doesn’t seem to take renewable and let us vote on the things that will million barrels of oil per day with elec- energy seriously. It is true that renew- actually produce energy. tricity. Compare 2 million to 3 million ables are essential for our environ- Instead, they insist on holding up ev- barrels to a measly 200,000 barrels per ment, essential for our economy. What erything for an absurd plan that, ac- day by the drilling. these industries really represent are an cording to the Energy Information Some, such as the DOE’s Pacific opportunity to produce massive Agency, will not produce energy at all Northwest National Laboratory, pro- amounts of domestic energy cheaply for 10 years and, in 2030, will only jected we could actually displace 3 and at least 100,000 new high-paying produce enough additional gasoline for times as much, or 6.5 million barrels jobs in America. the equivalent of a few tablespoons per per day by 2030 versus 200,000 barrels in Now, if you don’t think renewables American car. this big drill, drill, drill. are serious business, just ask land- Let me try to put their plan into per- I don’t quite get it. You can save the owners in Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, or spective. Since April of this year, equivalent of 6.5 million barrels every Wyoming who are, in fact, receiving Americans seeing the high cost of gas day in energy by pursuing the renew- $3,000 to $5,000 per month for allowing a have actually reduced their consump- ables that they say they support but windmill to be sited on their property tion by 800,000 barrels of oil a day more don’t vote for or you can have 200,000 or ask oilman T. Boone Pickens, who is than we did year ago. This is the most versus 6.5 million by virtue of drilling plowing billions of dollars of his own significant and sudden drop in oil since 30 years from now. So this, of course, money into wind energy and a plan to the 1970s. But what happened, even means that for us to achieve this, we use renewables to end our addiction to though we have reduced 800,000 barrels need to get beyond the Republican ef- oil. of oil every day? Prices went up. forts to stop us from maintaining the

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.069 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7749 tax incentives we have. It means we ac- most people know who observe the child tax credit that Americans believe tually have to get serious about our en- Congress and Senate in session, once is part of the Tax Code. Unfortunately, ergy policies and start a serious effort you get to Wednesday afternoon, you it expired at the end of last year. If we to run our transportation fleet on elec- sort of have a feel for how much you don’t pass legislation such as what I tricity. are going to be able to accomplish dur- am talking about, such as what we That is what voters have to decide on ing the week. tried to pass earlier today, the child this fall. Do they want to vote for the I think it is fair to say we have not tax credit is not part of the law. party of big oil, the party that saw the been able to accomplish much so far The qualified tuition deduction for dramatic increase in gas over the ad- this week. This is sort of a last-ditch higher education expenses, again, this ministration’s lifetime, where they effort to encourage us to try to do is something that is very important to wrote the rules and the law at the something constructive before we leave many families in this country who White House, sitting with the Vice town, before the August recess. have children or where one spouse or President of the United States—do Let me try to put this debate in the the other is going to school and they they want to vote for big oil that has general terms that I understand it. need that tuition deduction for higher record profits, starting with There are two packages of legislation education expenses. ConocoPhillips? I can’t wait for tomor- that relate to our energy challenges Also, there are the provisions for re- row, or the day after, when ExxonMobil which we have been talking about—two tirees to be able to make tax-free IRA puts out their record profits. We are notional packages of legislation. One— rollovers to qualified charitable orga- talking about billions in record profits. and this is the one most of the speeches nizations. These are examples of provi- Do they want to vote for big oil, which are probably about—relates to the gen- sions that Americans think are in the concocted a plan that does nothing but eral problem of high gas prices, which Tax Code—and they are, except they enrich the oil companies? is a serious problem for all Americans. expired at the end of last year. We need This is about one last grab before the This set of speeches is not about a par- to go ahead and legislate to reestablish administration goes out of office. They ticular bill because we don’t have a bill those so people can take advantage of already have 68 million acres in this that has come out of any committee in them when they file their tax returns country that they have access to. Now the Senate dealing with this problem of next year. they say we cannot do this or that. high gas prices. There are bills the Re- All of that is contained in this legis- They have 68 million acres. They have publican leader has introduced on the lation that failed earlier today on the millions of acres in the Outer Conti- subject, and there is the bill to deal Senate floor—failed in our efforts even nental Shelf that are not subject to the with the part of the problem relating to proceed to consider the legislation, moratorium. They have areas in the to speculation, which the Democratic in order to be specific about it. gulf they have not pursued. leader has introduced, the majority Let me talk about the energy provi- The bottom line is that plenty of leader. We have not been able to move sion. There are also, in the tax law drilling can take place, and they have ahead on that. There have been re- today, several important provisions to not done it. Even the President of the peated efforts, and we have been encourage production of energy from American Petroleum Institute says we blocked at every turn. alternative sources—production of en- don’t have the infrastructure or the re- The other package is the one I wish ergy from wind farms, wind turbines, sources to do it. All this talk about to talk about. I spoke about it briefly from solar concentrating facilities, and drill, drill, drill, which would only yesterday. I wish to talk about it again production of energy from photovoltaic produce 200,000 barrels in 2030 versus 6.5 because I think it is extremely impor- cells that people put on their homes. million barrels of reduced demand in tant. It is, in my opinion, the most im- This is legislation that was enacted— oil—that would do something about the portant legislation we could pass and most of it—in 2005. I was honored to be gas prices—and not letting us take out take action on this week. This relates present in 2005 in my home State of the speculation in the marketplace, to the extension of various tax provi- New Mexico, in Albuquerque, when which would reduce oil $50 per barrel, sions that are currently in the law or President Bush traveled there and some experts say, but they would not that have been in the law but expired stood with Senator DOMENICI and my- let us vote on that. They would not let this last year. I will briefly talk about self and others at the time to announce us vote on the tax extenders. that. that he was signing the 2005 Energy So this is not about creating produc- Some of those tax provisions relate bill. tion, this is about stopping progress. to energy. Many of them do not. Many There are some who criticize that This is about a Republican game plan relate to other items, other matters bill, but I think there were many good that says we will send the Congress that are extremely important as well. provisions in it, and some of those pro- home without having done anything Let me talk about how important this visions are these I am talking about about dealing with gas prices, and the legislation is to our economy, to Amer- right now—the production tax credit minority will face the consequences. ican jobs, and to our energy challenge for wind energy, the investment tax They are so sadly mistaken that the as well. First, I will talk about the pro- credit for solar energy. Those provi- American people will not see through visions in the tax law that expired at sions, unfortunately, were only enacted 6.5 years of record gas prices, record oil the end of last year. These are provi- through the end of 2008, and that is profits, unwilling to allow us to deal sions we need to extend in order that about, as we can all tell by looking at with speculation or deal with produc- Americans will not face substantially the calendar, 5 months down the road. tion and what the energy tax extenders higher taxes when they go to pay their So companies that are thinking of in- provide, unwilling to allow us to pur- taxes next spring. I am talking about vesting in projects—under the law, the sue conservation, unwilling to let the things such as the alternative min- way we wrote those provisions, the American people get the relief they imum tax. project has to be actually completed want. Most Americans don’t have to worry and in operation prior to the expiring That is why I truly believe that if about the alternative minimum tax. of the tax credit in order for them to they continue on this course, the Na- Unfortunately, the way it is written get the tax benefit. tion will suffer and consumers will suf- today, unless we pass legislation such Obviously, companies are now look- fer. But they will suffer at the polls as what I will argue for here, we are ing at this expiration date of December come November. going to have millions of Americans 31 coming up and they are saying: Wait With that, I yield the floor. have to calculate their taxes pursuant a minute, hold off, we are not going to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- to the AMT and actually pay increased build that wind farm, we are not going ator from New Mexico is recognized. taxes because of the alternative min- to construct that concentrating solar TAX EXTENDERS LEGISLATION imum tax this next year if we don’t power facility, we are not going to put Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I pass that legislation. those photovoltaic solar cells in place wish to take a few minutes here on a We have a provision for a child tax because we don’t know if Congress is Wednesday afternoon. We are not to- credit. You would think there would be going to extend this provision or not ward the end of the week yet, but as strong support for maintaining the extend this provision.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.071 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 The vote we had earlier today is not on the general subject of energy if we order to pay less for oil, we must have encouraging at all in that regard be- could not go ahead and deal with this more supply and we must have our own cause it is a signal to the business com- extender package. That had to be done domestic supplies. munity that, in fact, Congress is not first, I think because of his great con- We have been debating a bill that going to be able to generate the votes cern and my great concern that this is will not increase supply or decrease de- necessary to extend that provision. an urgent matter. This has languished mand. The Democrats continue to As I understand it, all Democrats too long. We need to act on it. thwart our efforts on this subject, and who were present voted for proceeding In the last 24 hours, we have had fili- we find ourselves in a logjam. to the bill so we could bring it up, de- busters on this effort to move ahead Even though oil prices have dropped bate it, pass it—at least I hope pass it. with the tax extender package a couple some, gas prices remain at an alltime I believe five of our Republican col- of times. We also, of course, had a fili- high. Americans are spending an inor- leagues joined us in that effort. But we buster on the effort to move ahead dinate amount of their hard-earned in- need more. We cannot get to the 60- with the Warm in Winter and Cool in come on gasoline. My constituents in vote threshold that is needed without Summer Act, which is the Low-Income Mississippi spend the highest amount more support from our Republican col- Home Energy Assistance Program, try- of their income on gasoline of any leagues. ing to increase the level of direct as- State—nearly 8 percent—according to The arguments used against going sistance to low-income families in an- the National Resources Defense Coun- ahead are numerous, and they are ticipation of the very high costs they cil. changing all the time. Let me briefly are going to face this winter. The status quo is not good enough. go through these arguments. I don’t know if there is a way to get We must act. If the price of oil can A main argument is they like the the Senate to move ahead. I com- drop more than $20 a barrel in 2 weeks provisions, they support the provisions, pliment the majority leader for the he- because of decreased demand, imagine they just don’t like the so-called off- roic effort he has been making in try- what could happen if we could couple sets. They don’t like the idea that we ing to do that. Obviously, he has not that with increased supply. are generating revenue somewhere else prevailed as yet. We are very lucky that we have en- to offset the lost revenue from extend- The timeline for trying to get action ergy resources in America to explore. ing these provisions. That is the argu- on this tax extender package, or some Many areas offshore are currently off ment. version of it, is as follows: limits, but they hold great potential, There are variations on that. One In June of 2007, we had a bipartisan as do the large deposits of oil shale in variation is, these are temporary tax energy tax package that we brought to the Rocky Mountains. With our abun- provisions, and we are making changes the Senate floor, and it got 57 votes. dance of coal, we have the opportunity in the Tax Code of a permanent nature That was not enough to allow us to go to utilize coal-to-liquids technology as in order to offset the loss of revenue. ahead. another fuel source. We are not lacking At any rate, we tried to fix that, and I On December 13, 2007, we had a bipar- in resources. Yet we continue to be be- think we have fixed that in the bill tisan package that got actually 59 holden to foreign oil cartels that are Senator BAUCUS offered earlier today. votes. But, again, 59 votes is not not producing at the rate of current Another argument is these are in enough to let us proceed in the Senate. worldwide demand. current law. We don’t want to offset On April 18, we did pass a package of We should also be making sure nu- anything in current law. We want to provisions of this type with no offset clear power is available in the quan- extend current law from now on even contained. That was a useful thing to tities we need. Companies such as though we were not able to do it under do. We have been told in clear and un- Entergy in Mississippi have made ap- the original budget we are operating equivocal terms that we cannot get plication to build new nuclear plants. under. So that argument is being made. support to pass such a bill through the We need to ensure that the permitting The other argument that is being House. So we are back trying to get process is rigorous but more expedi- made, unfortunately, at this point is some agreement on how we can pass tious. that somehow or other there is a proce- this package of tax extenders, how we We have the opportunity today to dural advantage to refusing to allow us can pass this package of tax provisions begin weaning ourselves from our de- to deal with this legislation. There is related to alternative energy produc- pendence on foreign oil, but in spite of some advantage that is being argued tion and related to energy conservation the suffering that high gas prices are accrues to the Republican side in their before we leave for the August recess. creating across the country, we are not larger debate about drilling offshore; This is a high priority. Projects are moving fast enough. Let’s get together somehow it helps their position that being canceled and delayed as we speak and get this job done. we ought to drill offshore if they deny because of our inaction on this matter. Mr. President, I suggest the absence us the right to extend these alternative I felt it important to come to the Sen- of a quorum. energy tax provisions, the research and ate floor and try to urge action once The PRESIDING OFFICER. The development tax provision, the child again before the week ends. clerk will call the roll. tax credit, and a variety of other provi- Mr. President, I yield the floor. The assistant legislative clerk pro- sions. I have trouble understanding The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ceeded to call the roll. that argument, but it is being made, ator from Mississippi. Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask and somehow it seems to be persuasive ENERGY unanimous consent that the order for to an awful lot of our colleagues. Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, we the quorum call be rescinded. Let me briefly review the bidding will soon be adjourning the current ses- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without here. As far as I understand, the proce- sion of the Senate, and we have yet to objection, it is so ordered. dure we have gone through this week is consider any meaningful proposals to Mr. DOMENICI. Parliamentary in- on Monday, the majority leader offered help relieve the pressure all of our con- quiry: Am I correct in assuming that I debate and votes on domestic produc- stituents are feeling because of the have 20 minutes? tion and other matters. I believe the high cost of energy. Before we return The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Re- Republican leader at that time indi- home, we should pass a bill that en- publican side has 25 minutes 20 sec- cated he would respond later. courages increased production of en- onds. On Tuesday, I believe Senator VITTER ergy here at home to reduce our de- Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I un- from Louisiana announced that he had pendence on foreign oil. derstand that time is allotted to the seven amendments on energy that he Americans have responded to the two Senators, the senior Senator from would like to have considered. Tuesday jump in the price of gasoline by driving Tennessee and Senator PETE DOMENICI, afternoon, the Republican leader re- less and using less, and the price of oil the old man who is leaving the Senate jected Senator REID’s offer of four has decreased significantly in the last 2 soon. amendments on each side. Tuesday weeks because of this effort. I wish to tell the Senator from Ten- afternoon, Senator REID stated that we There is a direct link between supply nessee, our new chairman of our Re- would not go forward with amendments and demand and the price of oil. In publican conference, what a great job

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.073 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7751 he has done as we have considered learned in economics 101. I don’t know just plug them in at night at home, whether we should produce more oil for how the Senator from New Mexico did within about 5 to 8 years without much Americans from American-owned re- in economics 101. I imagine pretty well trouble. He believes it is a reasonable sources. That has been an exciting 81⁄2 because he is one of our most intel- goal in Austin, TX, to get half of those days. What disturbs the Senator from ligent Senators. But economics 101 million cars and trucks on electricity New Mexico is, even with the expla- says the price of a commodity, such as in 10 to 15 years. nations the Senator from Tennessee oil—or it might be hay or wheat or Now, Senator DOMENICI, if we could and others have made, people the Sen- anything else—is determined by the help the United States take half of our ator has read about, the things he told supply as well as the demand. So what 240 million cars and plug them in in- us about in terms of what we ought to we said in our Republican caucus was stead of filling them up with gas, we be finding and saving, we ought to be that we wanted a balanced approach; could cut our import of foreign oil by 4 producing and conserving, and we that we wanted to increase the sup- million barrels a day and stop sending ought to use our own resources, we ply—‘‘find more’’—and we wanted to money overseas. And that is our way of have not been able to get meaningful reduce the demand—‘‘use less.’’ using less. So we want to use less. amendments offered in the Senate to So if I may say just for a moment, we We have other ways to do that as have a vote. do talk a lot about finding more. well. The problem is, we can’t persuade I have come to the conclusion that Mr. DOMENICI. Yes. our friends on the other side of the there are some—perhaps more than I Mr. ALEXANDER. Because that has aisle to find more because when we say ever imagined—Democrats on the other become the issue between the two offshore drilling, they say: No, we side of the aisle who don’t want to sides, really. We want to do both, and can’t. If we say oil shale, they say: No, produce more American oil. I really many of them don’t. They want to use we can’t. Even if we say nuclear power didn’t think that was possible, but I less, and we want to use less. But it is for plugging in our cars and trucks have come to that conclusion. I am not hard getting many of our Democratic with clean energy, they say: Sorry, not saying everybody. There are some who friends to agree that even in the next a proponent of that. are working very hard on new ideas on 30 or 40 years we will need to use sig- So the answer to your question is, no, how we can produce. But I believe the nificant amounts of new American en- we are not just for more drilling—we majority leader has been bugged, both- ergy if we want to keep our lights on are all for the demand side and using ered, and pursued by those who don’t and drive our cars and heat our houses less. We know that makes a difference. want to let a vote because they don’t and have good jobs. It is hard for them We would just like to have a debate want to produce any oil on the to agree with that. and a bill about both, and we are for offshores of America even though there But let me be very precise about our both. Unfortunately, our friends on the is a lot of it there and it belongs to us. using less. Our ‘‘finding more’’ idea was other side are not. It seems to me they Having said that, I wonder if the Sen- really offshore drilling and oil shale, are kind of repealing the supply half of ator will have a comment about state- and our ‘‘using less’’ was plug-in elec- the law of supply and demand. tric vehicles. T. Boone Pickens thinks ments that have been made by a couple Mr. DOMENICI. I thank the Senator he has a pretty good plan, and he has of Democrats on the other side of the for the answer, and I want to repeat bought a lot of television time to ad- aisle who have said that there are Re- that supply and demand clearly is what vertise it, and it is pretty simple: nat- publicans who just want to drill, that affects the price. The truth is, anyone ural gas and windmills. Ours is about is all they want to do, is drill for more who thinks we don’t have to use oil for as simple: offshore drilling, oil shale, oil. Do you know of any Republicans— a significant amount of time—I mean and plug-in cars and trucks. you know the Republicans pretty well; import it—is just not taking into con- But let’s talk about the ‘‘use less’’ that is why you have your job as chair- sideration the reality that what we use part. That will do more for us than the man—do you know of any Republicans most of this oil for is cars and trucks ‘‘find more’’ part will. That is the Re- whose concern is nothing other than and airplanes and the like, and we just publican proposal. we drill for more oil? can’t make a change overnight. Mr. ALEXANDER. I would say that Mr. DOMENICI. Yes. The Senator just mentioned one the Senator from New Mexico knows Mr. ALEXANDER. We import, I be- great way to lessen that, and Austin the answer to that. lieve, Senator DOMENICI, about 12 or 13 And, Mr. President, I ask unanimous million barrels of oil a day. We use has a well-planned idea that would consent that the Senator from New about 20 million barrels a day, or a take 15 to 20 years to do half, to get rid Mexico be allowed to proceed through quarter of all the oil in the world. So if of half of the automobiles and sub- our remaining time in a colloquy. we could find a way to use less, as well stitute electric cars. But what are you The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without as find more, we could affect the price. going to do during the 15 years or 20? objection, it is so ordered. I had a visit just this afternoon from You are going to use cars, today at Mr. DOMENICI. I thank the Chair. the utility manager in Austin, TX, and least, using crude oil. You are going to Mr. ALEXANDER. So the answer is we talked about plug-in electric vehi- use gasoline. no, to the Senator from New Mexico, cles—our way of using less. What I am Mr. ALEXANDER. Then there is the and I think it is important to go back trying to do is make the point that other half of the cars and trucks that to when we first started talking about there is not anybody over here on this are presumably still running on gas. this matter. side of the aisle who just wants to drill Mr. DOMENICI. You bet. Just so we I think it might be useful to the peo- alone. We know we have to use less. make it clear, if there are Members of ple who are watching the Senate and Now, why do we say plug-in cars and the Senate who don’t want to let a vote wondering how we do things—maybe trucks? When I first started talking occur on producing more oil because they have been watching C–SPAN and about that, people thought I had been they don’t think we need to produce thinking: Well, these Senators sure out in the sun too long. I was far from more oil—and I can’t imagine why, but know how to make a lot of fine speech- the first to talk about it. Senator some people just say no more carbon; es. And that is what we have been HATCH has introduced legislation on some people say no more oil—they doing for the last 10 days, making this issue, and it has been supported by have to understand that we are going speeches. But we haven’t been doing a number of Democratic Senators as to be buying more oil whether we like anything more. But that isn’t what we well. The director of the Austin, TX, it or not, unless we just stop driving or have wanted to do or what we do want utility started talking about it with shut down America. It is going to con- to do now. What we want is a serious me earlier today, and here is what he tinue to bleed us dry. debate on legislation to lower gas says can happen. So we didn’t come down here after prices that looks at ways to find more In Austin, TX, they have about 1 mil- our majority leader offered an amend- and use less. lion cars and light trucks in his utility ment, an amendment that he has been The Senator from New Mexico is ex- district. His judgment is that they can saying had an impact on the price of actly right. We understand high gaso- get up to about 10 percent of those oil, if you can imagine that. It was an line prices are the product of a law we cars—100,000—on electricity, where you oil speculation bill. As we continue

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.074 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7752 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 this debate, the majority leader’s solu- numbers, and 5 percent of that number down—we are having the ceremony tion to an enormous energy crisis fac- would have been 1, and that is what we where we are celebrating both. ing our Nation—and earlier today the are at—1 million barrels. That came Mr. ALEXANDER. The Senator says majority leader gave a speech. I don’t down. That lessened the demand, the we could have done that in maybe a know if the Senator heard it. In that world economy had some problems, less week. speech he said many things, but one of money was spent, and the demand Mr. DOMENICI. You bet. the things he said is that oil prices are came down. That was supply and de- Mr. ALEXANDER. We could have going down because the Senate is de- mand working at its best. agreed to a large number of amend- bating—debating—oil speculation. Mr. ALEXANDER. I would say to the ments and said: Let’s have an hour on Now, the Senator from Tennessee and Senator from New Mexico, that is 1 each amendment and let’s have a vote, I really work hard at legislating be- million barrels a day using less. What and we might win some or lose some. cause we think legislation can have an we are saying, with plug-in cars and But may I remind the Senator that impact. But on such a big world prob- trucks, we can cut out another 4 mil- Senator REID brought this to the floor lem, to think that on oil supply and de- lion barrels a day over a few years. But nearly 2 weeks ago. Could we not have mand that you could come to the floor if we use offshore drilling and oil shale, started on that day to have amend- of the Senate and say in a credible we can add 3 million. So we can reduce ments from the Republicans and manner that the price of oil has come by one-third our imported oil and amendments from the Democrats, lim- down because a bill was introduced— change the price of gasoline. And I iting debate to 1-hour per amendment and the bill was the speculation bill— would say to the Senator from New with all amendments germane to en- you know, people haven’t gone to sleep. Mexico that some people say: Well, ergy? Wouldn’t that be a normal way The speculation bill has been written changing the price is way off in the fu- for the Senate to work? about, and the best thinkers have said: ture. I thought that today’s price is Mr. DOMENICI. You were here, and First, you don’t need one; and, second, based upon the expected supply. we got three energy bills through. Peo- this one would not do anything. Mr. DOMENICI. You bet. ple think we did nothing, but we did. Mr. ALEXANDER. The Senator from Mr. ALEXANDER. And the expected We had a 6-year span here where we did New Mexico is right, and you are not demand. From the day the world a lot for energy. We changed the CAFE the only one who thinks that. I picked thought that we might increase that by standards for cars. What is that going up the New York Times a couple of a few million barrels a day, or reduce to do? Use less. days ago, and in their editorial—and that by a few million barrels a day, the Mr. ALEXANDER. That is the single they do not always agree with the Re- prices started going down. Am I wrong most important step Congress could publican side of the aisle, I will have to about that? take to reduce our dependence on for- concede—but they basically said the Mr. DOMENICI. Well, if you say just eign oil, according to experts at the speculation bill is not a solution to coming up with the idea would do it, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and high gas prices. Warren Buffett, who is then I would say no, the Senator is not Congress did that last year. a pretty good observer of the American right. But if we were to have done that, Mr. DOMENICI. And we did it with economy, has said it is not speculation, and it was a matter of law in America just one other item. It certainly didn’t it is supply and demand. that we were going to find more be- take as long as we have been down here I know for people who may be watch- cause it was there—you know, Ameri- talking instead of offering amend- ing the Senate, they may ask: What cans are pretty good at drilling. Ameri- ments—because we could not. We are you hung about up about in the cans don’t mind using the word ‘‘drill.’’ passed it, and there it is. Everyone Senate? Why don’t you work across They have told us now in the polls, in knows it is great. party lines and come up with some answer to the question, that they are, People are telling us: Don’t worry good ideas about supply and some good by 75 percent, for more drilling if it is about the offshore, it takes 10 or 15 ideas about demand and put them in a on property we own. In fact, offshore years. Do you know what they told us piece of legislation and vote on it and has been the answer. So they want us about the ‘‘use less’’ provision that is go home and you will have taken a big to find more, and they also want to use so important, called new CAFE stand- step in the right direction? less. ards for American automobile fleets, We have said that is what we want to It is obvious that if we would have all our cars? They told us that will not do: oil shale, offshore drilling, and passed that—and anybody who says we be totally effective for 20 years. The plug-in cars. could not have because we didn’t have curve goes like this: you start—you The problem is, we haven’t been able time is just trying to pull the wool don’t save any, you don’t save any, and to do that because the Democratic over the eyes of Americans. How many then in the 15th and 20th years, you leader, for some reason, is reluctant to days would it take to do that if we had start to finally save. do the supply part of supply and de- the will and we were given 7 days and Should we not have done it because it mand. we made a deal? We can’t make a deal takes a long time to take effect? Of Mr. DOMENICI. I want to also say, on anything else, but if we made one course not. We were told to get started Mr. President, I think some of us who and we were going to have 7 days to de- on it because, as you said, it is the sin- work hard in the energy field know bate this bill, amendments come as gle biggest way to save gasoline and why the price of oil has dropped a lit- they may—take down the thing that diesel fuel that anybody knows of. tle. the majority leader put up there be- Mr. ALEXANDER. It seems as if our First, those of us who have worked at cause he didn’t want us to vote—7 full job, Senator, the way I always remem- it are concerned about the supply and days of debate—we could have produced bered it, was to look ahead 5 or 10 demand problem because we entered an a bill that would have opened the off- years. era for a short time when, obviously, shore permanently, except for the 15 Mr. DOMENICI. Sure. there was no more new supply on hand percent that is already open, and we Mr. ALEXANDER. What if President and the demand was growing. And would have adopted the use less, find Kennedy said we can’t go to the Moon guess what happened. The United more provisions you have so eloquently because it might take 10 years or Ben- States, the American people, not be- brought to us from some of your ex- jamin Franklin said we can’t have a re- cause we passed a lot of laws but be- perts, the experts you talked to, some public because it might take 50 years? cause they felt the price of oil in their of them at your National Laboratories. And we also said—you just said it: pocketbooks, changed the way they be- Just think, after we passed that and From the day we pass legislation that haved, and as a result they saved enor- had a signing ceremony at the White includes oil shale, offshore drilling, mous amounts of crude oil. We esti- House to say: Here is what we have plug-in cars and trucks—from the day mate right now that U.S. demand has done, Americans. You are saving on we do that, then the buyers and sellers been decreased by 4.3 percent, and that your own, so you are using less, and we of oil say: It looks as if there is going is about 1 million barrels a day. really think that is great, but we think to be a larger supply and less demand, When the Senator just spoke a there is still danger the price will go and maybe we will pay a little less for minute ago, he was right. He gave the up, so we want to find more to keep it oil.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.075 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7753 Mr. DOMENICI. I want to talk to the going to get the electrical power when lieve it fits well into this debate today Senator for a minute about whether we we cannot build powerplants. Cer- because we are talking about energy are capable of doing big things that af- tainly, it takes a long time to use this and the high cost of energy. fect the energy field. We had a chance nuclear one as the way. It takes a long This week, I am sending a letter to here in the last 7 to 10 days to do some- time. You can build coal fastest, but Secretary Gates, along with my col- thing rather big. But do you know there are a lot of problems with EPA league, Senator MURRAY, to make sure what we did 4 years ago? I was fortu- and others on that, right? Then you the Pentagon is doing its job and elimi- nate. I left the Budget Committee, can build natural gas. That is pretty nating the evaluation errors identified where I was chairing—it seemed as much—you and I look upon that as by the GAO to make sure we have a though I was, at the pleasure of the Re- Senators and say: Yes, you can do it, fair competition and an even playing publicans, running that thing for so but it sure is risky because we need field when it comes to the air refueling long, they never wanted me to step that natural gas so badly. But that is tanker program. down. I finally got tired of it, and I the only way they built them in the The fact is, our military’s air refuel- took the Energy Committee. The first last few years. That bothers you, right? ing requirements are already well bill we passed addressed an issue that Doesn’t it? Aren’t you worried about known. The original requirements were is part of this ‘‘find more.’’ It addressed that? developed with input from the the issue of why we did not build a nu- Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, warfighting combatant commanders clear powerplant for 27 years. We an- how much time do we have remaining? and approved by the Air Force Require- swered it in that legislation, didn’t we? The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. ments Oversight Council and the Joint Mr. ALEXANDER. And there has KLOBUCHAR). The Senator has 1 minute Oversight Requirements Council. Ac- been a remarkable change today just 7 seconds remaining. cording to the Federal rules, major because of that legislation 4 years ago. Mr. ALEXANDER. Let me ask the changes to these requirements cannot Mr. DOMENICI. Do you know how Senator from New Mexico on our last be made without going through this many applications there were when we minute and 7 seconds, one of the de- process again. passed that legislation, for all Amer- scriptions I like is his description of I think failing to account for what ica? Zero. That meant something was how we need to produce more American are full life-cycle costs and estimates awry. energy as our bridge to the future when or changing the requirements in the Mr. ALEXANDER. For nuclear pow- we will have a different kind of energy. RFP would be another colossal failure erplants. Mr. DOMENICI. I would think, if we in this long process. This was an eval- Mr. DOMENICI. We had not built could start using these words—we need uation problem, not an RFP problem. I any. You have to apply, and so you go a bridge to the future—and then we got am here to say that if the Pentagon there and look and you see whether together and thought about that and fails to learn the lessons from the GAO there are any applications. As of then said, What is that? Remember a decision and changes the requirements today—I just got a briefing—do you while ago I told you how long it would that have already been set, then I am know how many full-blown applica- take in the city of Austin before you sure they will hear from many of my tions there are to build, locate, and de- would get all those cars that are using colleagues and myself here in Congress. sign? You can put all that in one now. oil off the streets? There may even be another GAO pro- It takes a long time—4 years after you Mr. ALEXANDER. Ten to fifteen test. have done it. Sixteen American compa- years, half of them. The American people do not want to nies or consortia of companies, even Mr. DOMENICI. Half of them. And have an amended RFP that will result though it takes a long time and they then all the other things we talked in a protracted protest rather than the are going to have to have their money about, CAFE, how long it would take tanker procurement we are all seeking. at risk for a long time, put their appli- going up and then start down—that ap- Therefore, the new competition should cations in and said: I want to get in plies to so many things in America be based on the requirements that were line because I want to build, I want to that the truth is we are not going to be reflected in the original Request for find more energy. in a position to look to new, brand new Proposal dated January 29, 2007. The We are really grateful; for once, we generation of energy to move cars and world our warfighters are operating in have one where we don’t have to argue trucks. We can’t do that for a decade. has not changed since those require- about pollution, right? So there is a bridge taking place, a ments were set. I see no need for them Mr. ALEXANDER. It is the only bridge from now until we do not need to be changed. source of large, dependable amounts of oil any longer. But what does the We are here on the floor now talking energy with no carbon, no sulphur, no bridge consist of? It is oil. Oil is the about the high cost of energy. The Boe- mercury, no nitrogen. It is our clean- bridge between now and the time we do ing Company worked hard to meet the est. And as the price of coal goes up not use oil. Air Force requirements for the tanker and natural gas goes up, it is the least I regret to tell you, for anyone who bid process. It picked the 767, the plat- expensive of our reliable forms of en- thinks there is no bridge—it just comes form that best matched those Air ergy. to me now—then they can walk into a Force requirements. If the Air Force Mr. DOMENICI. So, you see, when canyon and drown in the water under- had called for a larger tanker, Boeing there is a will, there is a way. The ground that is running there because could have offered a bigger plane, the problem is, there was no will on the they didn’t walk on a bridge and they 777, with far more fuel capacity. But part of the Democratic leader—and per- drowned themselves. I do not want to the plane that Boeing picked, the 767, haps some behind him. I am not going drown our country. I want to find new is a much better match for us, the to say all of them, but surely they oil so the bridge will be less somebody American taxpayer, and for our envi- didn’t express any dissatisfaction with else’s and more ours. ronment. what was going on until, at the end, we I understand the Chair tells us we are The Air Force currently uses more started feeling there was some rum- out of time. We will behave very well. fuel than any other branch of the mili- bling going on. Maybe they had some Thank you very much. tary, and the Boeing 767 plane burns 24 friction. But nobody over on that side I yield the floor. percent less fuel than its competitor seemed to be saying to their leader: We The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- and would have saved the taxpayers ap- want to get busy here and have some ator from Washington is recognized. proximately $30 billion over the life of votes. There was not a will, so you REFUELING TANKER PROGRAM these tanker planes. can’t do it. You couldn’t change nu- Ms. CANTWELL. Madam President, I As my colleagues are talking about clear power without a will. come to the floor this afternoon to join what to do about the high cost of fuel, In that same bill we were referring my colleague from Washington State I ask them to consider one of the Gov- to, we changed a lot of things. I wanted to talk about—I actually say it is an ernment’s largest users of fuel—the Air to tell you, one thing you have been in- energy issue. Yes, it is also about the Force—and whether we should make terested in is the electric grid because Air Force and Department of Defense sure fuel efficiency is integrated into you are concerned about how we are air refueling tanker program, but I be- the Air Force’s procurement decisions.

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In force and manufacturing base here in nal requirements that were set out by 2006, the service spent more than $5.8 the United States for our preparedness the Air Force when it began the proc- billion for almost 2.6 billion gallons of for whatever conflict comes in the fu- ess of replacing the military’s midsized jet fuel—more than twice what it did in ture. tanker, the KC–135. 2007. I want to make sure that the prob- I recognize the Pentagon’s procure- The American taxpayers obviously lems identified by the Government Ac- ment team is very serious about get- cannot afford their own higher fuel countability Office are corrected and ting this competition right. They want costs. I do not see how the American that we move forward. But failing to to get the right tanker for our taxpayers can afford the U.S. Air Force account for lifecycle costs on fuel, on warfighters. They want to do it quick- running up a higher cost energy bill as infrastructure, on maintenance would ly. But I also want to make it clear well. also be another failure in this process. that if the Pentagon moves forward An Air Force Assistant Secretary I hope my colleagues will remember with this effort, officials must take the told the House Armed Services Com- this was an evaluation problem, not GAO’s findings seriously and ensure mittee that it wants to leave a greener the RFP. And we hope we will straight- that this competition is as fair and footprint, with more environmentally en this out as we move forward. transparent as it can be. sound energy resources. He testified I see I am joined on the floor by my Last month the GAO upheld eight that the rising gas and oil prices had colleague, the senior Senator from points of protest that were raised by forced the Air Force to take a harder Washington. I hope she too can add to Boeing, including that the Air Force look at the budget to find ways to save the focus of how those high costs are changed directions midstream in the money while maintaining a high oper- something we should be considering in process about which criteria were more ations tempo in the war on terrorism. making sure the Air Force moves for- important. It did not give Boeing cred- Assistant Secretary Bill Anderson ward on the appropriations choice to it for providing a more capable plane, said this: give the men and women of our coun- according to the Air Force’s descrip- The increasing cost of energy and the Na- try a long overdue air refueling tanker tion of what it wanted. Yet it gave Air- tion’s commitment to reducing its depend- that we deserve. bus extra credit for offering amenities ence on foreign oil have led to the develop- I yield the floor. ment of the Air Force energy strategy, to re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the Air Force did not even ask for. The duce demand, increase the supply and change ator from Washington State. GAO report said the Air Force delib- the culture within the Air Force so that en- Mrs. MURRAY. I come to the floor erately and unreasonably increased ergy is considered in everything that we do. this afternoon to join my colleague Boeing’s engineering costs. When that I believe the Boeing 767 would have from Washington State and thank her mistake was corrected, it was discov- been a much better choice for the Air for her comments and attention on this ered that the Airbus tanker actually Force in energy savings and fuel effi- enormously important issue to our cost tens of millions of dollars more ciency. As I said, it burns 24 percent State and to our entire country. than Boeing. less fuel than the alternative that was As she outlined earlier this month, The GAO found that the Air Force put on the table. The Air Force did not the Department of Defense took a rare accepted Airbus’s proposal even though give full consideration to the national step involving a major procurement Airbus could not meet two of their key security impact of these fuel efficiency contract. Defense Secretary Gates de- contract requirements. They could not issues when it made its decision on the cided the competition to replace the meet the contract requirement, Airbus tanker. next generation of aerial refueling could not, and refused to commit to Given that the Air Force, as I said, tanker was so flawed that it should be providing long-term maintenance as uses more than half of all of the fuel rebid. He elevated that competition was specified directly in the RFP, even the U.S. Government consumes, I hope from the Air Force to his office, and he after the Air Force repeatedly asked they are thinking about the big picture promised to address all of the findings them for it. issue when it comes to making sure our raised last month in a Government Ac- Secondly, the Air Force could not Nation reduces its dependence on for- countability Office ruling which deter- prove that Airbus could refuel all of eign oil. mined that the contest was skewed in the military’s aircraft according to This 767 has greater operational flexi- favor of the European company Airbus procedure. This goes to show how there bility. It can land on shorter runways and against Boeing. were major flaws that occurred and it can be based at more locations I was glad to hear the Defense Sec- throughout that process. worldwide with existing infrastructure retary had decided to take new bids So as it continues with this competi- instead of making us, the taxpayer, and start over. But I come to the floor tion now, the Department of Defense pay for more and more infrastructure today to join with my colleague from must make sure there is no reason to costs. Washington State because I too have question its motives. If they truly plan Boeing’s medium-sized 767 tanker very serious concerns about the Penta- to make this a fair contest, Secretary makes a lot more sense than the over- gon’s plans for that new competition. Gates has to ensure that before the se- sized option that was originally out- Some Pentagon officials are already in- lection team reopens this competition, lined by Northrop Grumman/EADS, dicating to us they are considering it goes back and addresses each one of and its greater operational flexibility. using this opportunity to amend the those GAO findings. It has to ensure The tanker size was determined in request for proposals to give greater that both companies are on the same the original requirements. And so the weight to a bigger plane. footing and it has to prove the com- fact this plane, the 767, is more fuel ef- As a result of those comments, de- petition is as transparent as possible. ficient, can land on shorter runways, fense experts and analysts are now be- Our refueling tankers are the backbone can have more base operations, in fact, ginning to predict that as a result of of our global military strength. They over 1,000 more base operations world- that, the contract will simply go back are stationed around the world today wide, and the fact that the other costs to Airbus. I brought this up in a meet- and they service planes from every to the taxpayers in the long run are ing this week with Acting Air Force branch of our Armed Forces. This is a lower compared to the other offer the Secretary Donley, in which we dis- contract that is ultimately worth more Air Force is considering, we must cussed the history of this tanker con- than $100 billion. We are going to have make sure we are doing our job here on tract, and we talked about the needs of these planes for decades. We cannot af- the floor of the Senate to make sure the Air Force, the criticisms that have ford to make mistakes. these issues of cost savings to the tax- been lodged against the latest competi- As I said at the beginning of my re- payer are considered. tion, and our concerns about the marks, I recognize that Secretary I want to make sure the Department amendment to that RFP that would tip Gates is very serious about getting this of Defense takes a hard look at these the scales to favor one bidder. competition right. At the end of the

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Our taxpayers deserve to have con- tacted by businesses and individual First, it is wrong to raise taxes on fidence that the errors are going to be taxpayers, not only from my home one group of taxpayers in order to pre- fixed in this contract as the GAO out- State but around the Nation, who are vent another group of taxpayers from lined. So I come to the floor today to asking what the delay is in taking care suffering an increase in taxes. Second, say, as the Pentagon moves forward of the so-called extenders. I am sure it is wrong to offset temporary exten- with this effort over the next several this is true of all offices of all of my sions of current law with permanent weeks, I strongly urge our officials to colleagues on both sides of the aisle. tax increases. Finally, it is wrong to take those GAO findings seriously and It is already way past the time when increase taxes at a time when the Fed- ensure this competition is as fair and Americans should have been able to ex- eral Government is already collecting transparent as it can be. pect a reasonable Congress to take care more revenue as a percentage of gross SAMUEL SNOW of what in prior years has been a fairly domestic product than the 40-year his- While I am on the floor this after- routine issue. While the almost annual toric average. This is particularly true noon, I want to take a moment to say rite of passing a tax extenders bill has at a time of slow or no economic a few words about a different topic; never represented an ideal way of gov- growth. Our friends on the other side that is, about a gentleman who sac- erning, the Congress has generally ex- are ignoring a solution the Republicans have offered that would finance the tax rificed very dearly for our country. ercised a modicum of responsibility in extenders bill in a fiscally responsible My colleague from Florida, Senator getting this chore taken care of within way. We believe we should reduce the NELSON, was on the floor earlier today a reasonable time. That is, until re- explosive growth in Federal spending talking about a veteran named Samuel cently. instead of raising taxes in order to off- Snow who traveled from Florida all the Over the past several years, set the revenue losses. Just during this way to my home State of Washington, Congress’s ability to take care of what Congress, Democrats have passed bil- all the way across the country this is the least common denominator in past week, to finally receive the honor- lions of dollars of new spending with- our duty to ensure a stable tax system able discharge from the Army that he out bothering at all to offset the effect has eroded. We are now bordering, in deserved to get more than 60 years ago. of these increases on the deficit. Bil- This man traveled from Florida to my opinion, on gross negligence. No lions more of new spending has been Washington to finally get an honorable wonder the Congress’s approval ratings approved through the Democratic discharge 60 years later. Samuel Snow are so incredibly low. budget resolution. Mr. DURBIN. Would the Senator was one of 28 African-American sol- Among the tax provisions that have diers who were wrongly prosecuted in a from Utah yield for a question? already expired is one the business Mr. HATCH. I would be happy to. court martial for a crime that occurred community relies on to keep products Mr. DURBIN. We were doing half- in Seattle at Fort Lawton in 1944. and processes flowing, innovations that Last weekend, 64 years later, the hour segments. We had 11 minutes re- are the lifeblood of our economy. Busi- Army finally publicly acknowledged maining on ours. How long is the Sen- nesses across the country are, once that Mr. Snow and 27 others were un- ator planning on speaking? again, anxiously waiting to see if we justly convicted and issued a formal Mr. HATCH. Not more than 10 min- will reinstate this important incentive apology. As my colleague from Florida utes. for innovation, the research tax credit, talked about this morning, Mr. Snow Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous con- which I have championed for decades. came all the way from Florida to Se- sent that we have some reallocation of The purpose of the research tax credit attle and participated in the dinner the time. is to encourage investment in techno- there with sons and daughters of some The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without logical innovation. Companies gen- of the men he served with in prison. objection, it is so ordered. The time erally cannot fully recover R&D ex- But later that evening in Seattle, Mr. will be reallocated. penditures, thus discouraging compa- Snow checked himself into a hospital, Mr. HATCH. I was told to be here at nies from investing in innovation. The and he missed the next day’s ceremony. 5:40. I thank my dear colleague for his Federal Government provides tax in- His son Ray Snow went to the cere- kindness and understanding of the situ- centives in order to support business mony and accepted the honorable dis- ation. R&D, and the business community is charge on his father’s behalf, that hon- Senate leaders on both sides have depending on us to continue to support orable discharged he had waited dec- tried to make progress on the extend- R&D. We cannot wait until the end of ades to receive, and took it from that ers bill but have repeatedly failed. The this year to commit to this vital in- ceremony, went to his father’s hospital distinguished majority leader has vestment, this vital tax policy. The bed and was able to hand it to him per- chalked up this failure to Republican time is now. sonally and see the smile in his dad’s obstructionism, as he has with almost At a time when we are looking for eyes for the first time. every other failure of his party to pass ways to spur economic growth, I know Sadly, very sadly, his father, Mr. legislation this year, or legislation of no thoughtful person who does not Snow, passed away shortly after he was they desire. believe research and development is handed that honorable discharge. Sam- Contrary to the accusations of our vital to our economy and to our future uel Snow was a hero for our country leader on the other side, the reasons prosperity. My colleagues on the other who suffered unjustly. He deserves the for Republican opposition to the Demo- side of the aisle are trying to create ri- thanks of our entire country for his cratic extender bill are grounded in diculous permanent offsets in order to service and his sacrifice. My thoughts principles of solid tax policy and fiscal pay for temporarily extending the re- now are with the Snow family during responsibility. Unfortunately, our posi- search tax credit which I argue we can- this difficult time. I am so glad he was tion has been grossly distorted by not afford to lose. able to finally receive that honorable many on the other side and many Many U.S. companies are looking discharge he waited for so many years Democrats on the outside. The Demo- elsewhere to establish their R&D ac- and to receive it before he died. cratic extenders legislation has failed tivities. Testifying before the House I yield the floor. because it contains fundamental flaws. committee on Science and Technology, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The other side is insisting on raising Dr. Robert Atkinson, president of the ator from Utah is recognized. taxes to pay for the loss in revenue Information Technology and Innova- RESEARCH TAX CREDIT from extending the expired tax provi- tion Foundation, testified that ‘‘eight Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I rise sions. Their so-called pay-as-you-go or of the top ten [research and develop- today to express my growing alarm pay-go rules call for all revenue losses ment]-spending companies in the world

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.079 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7756 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 have established R&D facilities in picking on him to a degree, only in We brought it to the floor. We said to China.’’ good nature but also in seriousness. We our colleagues: We need to renew this. They could just as easily have been have to work together. We have to It is about to expire. If we don’t renew established here. If we are not careful, start solving some of these problems. it, these businesses may not reinvest. we will soon not only be dependent on We can’t do it by always increasing But giving a tax break takes money foreign oil but also dependent on for- taxes. out of the Treasury, so we want to bal- eign research and development. The re- I yield the floor. ance the books. To balance the books, sult would be a tragic loss of American The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. we suggested raising a business tax to jobs, economic growth, world leader- CANTWELL). The majority whip. offset the cut in taxes for renewable ship, and prestige. We simply cannot Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, the energy, balance the books. The Repub- allow this to happen. Here we have a Senator from Utah is my friend. We lican side, the party of so-called fiscal tax incentive that has been around for disagree on so many things politically. conservatism, rejected this. As my But on a personal basis, we have a very almost 30 years, which enjoys wide ac- friend from Utah said, they don’t be- good friendship and relationship. I am ceptance by the business sector, the lieve we should have to pay for tax hoping the day will come when we find academic community, economists, and cuts. which has very broad support from that issue on which he and I can march Well, tax cuts, unfortunately, take practically every corner of the polit- together arm in arm to achieve great- money out of the Treasury and add to ical spectrum. Yet this tax credit pro- ness for the country. I know that day is the deficit. We think balancing the vision has been allowed to expire 13 coming. I am an optimist. books is the only way to get this def- Mr. HATCH. If the Senator will kind- times. Each time we play the extension icit under control. So when the vote ly yield, this is the issue. This is one game, Congress seems to get a little came—there are nominally 51 Demo- we could both march arm in arm on. more cavalier about the expiring or ex- crats, 49 Republicans—there were a few We both agree. The question is, How do pired provisions in general and the re- you pay for it? Frankly, we are not absences on both sides, but we were search credit in particular. While we going to go with the pay-go rule. We able to attract 5 Republicans who play this extension game, our business have to find some other way. I would would join us for the renewable energy community loses out on chances of in- like to make it permanent. I would tax credits. novation that could spur economic The others said: There is no way. like to get rid of the AMT that is hurt- growth at a time when we need it to be Forty-one of the forty-nine Republican ing so many, 24, 25 million people. I be- spurred. Senators have signed a letter which I lieve my colleague wants to do these Now is not the time to create tax un- call ‘‘death before taxes.’’ It is a letter things as well. But we have to find a certainty for employers. A retroactive way of getting together and doing it. I which says they will never—ever, ever, or, even worse, lapsed research credit think my good colleague knows where ever—vote to increase a tax, never. will cost American jobs. There is no I stand on these issues. That kind of paints you into a corner. way you can avoid it, if we don’t get Mr. DURBIN. I thank the Senator Because if you are not willing to in- this done. Seventy percent of research from Utah. crease a tax on someone to cut a tax on tax credit dollars are used for wages of Madam President, we have a deficit. someone else, you are stuck with a Tax R&D employees. It is estimated by the It is terrible. It is a debt which is grow- Code that never changes, or you are Information Technology Association of ing. It is a mortgage on America. Our stuck with a deficit which continues to America that the lapse of the research children are going to be saddled with get worse and worse as you try to make tax credit will cost the economy $51 it. The mortgagor, the bank for Amer- the Tax Code a generator of economic million per day. Are my friends on the ica’s debt? China, Korea, Japan, the growth. other side of the aisle willing to risk OPEC nations; they are holding our The Republicans, for the last several losing American R&D jobs and severely mortgage. Many of us believe this isn’t weeks, have been on the floor talking impact the already difficult U.S. econ- fair to our children and grandchildren about America’s energy picture. They omy in the name of a perverse and to continue to pile on the debt. We should. We have talked about it a lot wrong-headed sense of fiscal responsi- came up with a very simple approach. on our side of the aisle. Their solution bility? If you want to spend money, you have is a solution which is old-time religion: We cannot drive our economy into to pay for it. You either have to raise Drill, drill offshore, drill onshore, drill the ground in the name of false fiscal taxes or cut other spending. If you everywhere. If we drill and find more notions such as a pay-go rule that is want to cut taxes, you have to have oil, we will be fine. used only to grow Government and to some balance; in other words, cut They ignore the reality. The reality add more taxes to people. Tax increases spending or raise another tax. When it is, if you look at the entire potential are not the prescription to what ails is all over, we want a zero sum so it supply of oil in the world, the United our economy. But extending these ex- doesn’t add to the national debt. States has access and control of 3 per- piring tax cuts and making the re- I don’t think that is unreasonable be- cent of the world’s oil. Each year our search tax credit permanent will help cause it means we have to make economy consumes 25 percent. So let’s our economy grow. I urge my col- choices. Here is the choice we faced in do the math. If you drilled all the oil leagues on the other side of the aisle to the last 2 days. We have a thriving in- available in the U.S. offshore/onshore, reconsider their opposition to spending dustry in America for renewable en- how long could we sustain our economy cuts as a way to responsibly pay for the ergy. I can’t believe what is going on in just by drilling? The answer is, we cost of extending the expired and expir- my State of Illinois. I go into parts of couldn’t. It can’t be done. ing tax provisions. I wish we could downstate Illinois and see farm after What is the alternative? You can im- make the research tax credit perma- farm covered with wind turbines. Out- port oil, which we are doing now, 70 to nent. If we would, it would help our side of Bloomington, IL, is the Twin 80 percent of the oil we use is brought economy. It would help companies to Groves project, 240 wind turbines gen- in from overseas, from other countries, have some sense of what is going to erating enough electricity for cities in or you can find another approach—re- happen in the future. It would help Bloomington normal—no pollution, sponsible exploration and production in them in their planning. It would help farmers love it because they get paid America that doesn’t violate basic en- create jobs. It would help to create for the wind turbines on their land, and vironmental regulations, doesn’t run more and more innovation. My gosh, it they can plant the corn and soybeans the risk of contaminating or polluting makes sense. I hope my colleagues will right up next to it. So it is a win-win offshore, and then a forward-looking reconsider and that we can get this tax situation, and it is there because we approach to energy, an approach which extenders bill passed as soon as pos- had a provision in the Tax Code which looks for renewable, sustainable sible. created an incentive to invest in wind sources of energy for the future, that Having said all that, I thank my power, solar power, geothermal, the deals with the possibility that we will friend, the majority whip, for his gra- clean energy solutions that will gen- replace current electric power genera- ciousness in allowing me to make this erate electricity without causing more tion with pollution-free generation statement, especially since I have been global warming. from wind turbines and solar power,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.081 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7757 moving toward a new generation of This sign shows that the Republicans Representatives overwhelmingly. The cars and trucks. have engaged in 91 filibusters in this Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS A few years ago, about 4 or 5 years session. For most people who are fol- Act—one I am familiar with—dealing now, I offered an amendment on the lowing this debate that number may with postpartum depression to try to floor to improve CAFE standards. We not mean much. In the history of the make sure new mothers who are suf- had not increased fuel efficiency in Senate, the largest number of filibus- fering from that depression get the cars for over 20 years. We were stuck ters in any 2-year period of time was 57 treatment they need. Vision care for with an old number. We were falling before this session. What is a fili- kids so that we help the States pay for backward. People bought heavier buster? It is an attempt to slow down more visual screening so kids don’t fall trucks and SUVs, and they were not as or stop the Senate from acting. Ninety- behind in the classroom simply because fuel efficient. So I said: Let’s have a one times the Republicans have tried they need eyeglasses. new goal, moving toward more fuel-ef- to slow down or stop the Senate from Then we had a number of bills out of ficient cars. Let’s have a challenge to acting. Today they did it again. They our Senate Judiciary Committee: a bill our industry and to our science to find stopped us when we tried to pass this to reauthorize a program to find run- these new cars for the future, safe cars, energy policy for America that creates away and homeless kids. The Emmitt cars that use less fuel and meet our incentives for renewable energy. Till unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, needs. I got beaten badly on the floor That isn’t all that was in this bill. It Senator DODD and I and others have co- when I offered that, but gasoline wasn’t just about energy alone. In this sponsored this one. Those responsible wasn’t $4.50 a gallon then. I lost that bill was protection for working fami- for killing civil rights workers, no mat- attempt twice in a row. The votes lies from the alternative minimum tax, ter how long ago, should be held ac- weren’t that good. I am not sure I even creating more tax liability for them in countable, and this bill would have had 30 votes out of 100 for the idea of next year’s return. That is a good bill moved us in that direction—a bill to fuel efficiency. But someone once said: as far as I am concerned. We should be deal with mental illness and crime, un- There is nothing more pregnant than protecting working families who are fortunately, closely linked, and we an idea whose time has come, and with struggling to get by. should be doing something about it; gasoline at $4 a gallon, the idea’s time In this bill as well was $8 million for bills dealing with reducing Internet has come. We passed a law to require the highway trust fund. We are afraid child pornography. more fuel efficiency in years to come. this highway trust fund will run out of All of the things I have just men- So we are moving in the right direction money before the end of the year and tioned—health care and crime related— there. That is the future for us. The fu- 400,000 good-paid workers would lose were in a package of bills which the ture for us is to find ways to conserve, their jobs in America. I don’t want to Republicans refused to support. I don’t find ways to be more fuel efficient, find see that happen in my State; I don’t get it. I don’t understand it. I don’t ways to generate more renewable en- think any Senator does. We tried to know how you could go home and ex- plain to the people you represent that ergy that doesn’t pollute the environ- protect our economy from that hap- you voted against these bills. Obvi- ment. pening in this bill. Today’s vote was a disappointing There was a provision, totally unre- ously, they think it is easy to do, and vote. We tried to create incentives for lated—and critics of Congress say: Why maybe it is for them. It wouldn’t be for renewable energy, and only 5 Repub- do you do things like this? Why would me. In the State of Illinois, there are licans out of 49 would come and vote you put that provision in a bill about too many people affected by these bills. The Republicans consistently—with with us. Four of the five are up for re- energy and jobs? But I will tell you, I their filibusters and holding back their election, some of them facing tough would put that provision I am about to votes—have stopped us from doing the contests in November. They know it is describe in any bill. It is called mental people’s work. I understand when peo- hard to explain voting against this bill. health parity. This bill would require ple think of Congress across America, They voted against our bill, which private insurance companies to provide it is not in positive terms. They want would have created incentives for bio- opportunities for people to buy health us to do more. They want us to respond mass and hydropower, incentives for insurance to cover mental illness. We to the issues of the day, the things that solar energy and microturbines, bio- have been fighting for this for as long make a difference. Whether we are diesel production, renewable projects, as I have been in the Senate. The fight dealing with medical issues, of re- coal electricity, advanced coal elec- was started by Paul Wellstone of Min- search; whether we are dealing with tricity demonstration projects, plug-in nesota. What a great man he was. We law enforcement; whether we are deal- electric cars, new batteries that we lost him when he died in a plane crash ing with the energy picture—these are will need for plug-in hybrids, ways to 6 years ago, and we have tried to pass things on which we should be voting to reduce pollution from trucks with this bill ever since. I think we should move forward. However, time and time idling reduction units, installing more put that amendment on every bill. and time again, the Republicans, E–85 fuel pumps around America so There are so many American families through their filibusters, have stopped consumers have a choice to use a who are affected by mental illness. We us in the Senate. That is what happens cheaper and more environmentally put that before the Senate today and in a 51-to-49 Senate where it takes 60 friendly fuel, home credits, building only five Republicans would vote for votes to do anything significant. They credits. All of these were incentives to that. I don’t understand their thinking. have control of the agenda—at least move America in the right direction, Many have said they really believe in control enough to say no—and they not the wrong direction, and only 5 of it, but they wouldn’t vote for it. That have said no repeatedly on 91 different the 49 Republicans would vote for that. is where we are. occasions with their filibusters, break- Their goal is more drilling. Their So their filibuster ended up stopping ing all the records in the Senate. agenda is written by the oil companies. a bill from moving forward, as it did I wish to get back to this energy pol- The oil companies have consistently earlier this week. Earlier this week, icy. I don’t want us to go home without asked for more and more and more that another Republican filibuster stopped a addressing it, but I am afraid the Re- they can put in their portfolio of pos- bill which had 34 or 35 provisions in it publicans have closed the door not just sible areas to drill. However, currently to deal with a number of different yesterday but again today. Earlier, the there are 68 million acres of federally issues. Some of them were health re- leader on the Democratic side, Senator owned land under lease to the oil com- lated: a registry for those suffering HARRY REID, read from this morning’s panies that they are not using, they from Lou Gehrig’s disease so we can do New York Times, July 30, an article by are not exploring. They are not bring- better research in finding a cure; ef- Tom Friedman entitled ‘‘Drilling in Af- ing oil and gas out. They have ample forts for additional research in reha- ghanistan.’’ What Tom Friedman said opportunity in that area and others to bilitation activities at the National In- about the Republican strategy on en- meet the needs of future exploration. stitutes of Health for those suffering ergy, I think, really hits the nail on They are not doing it. Yet from the Re- from paralysis; a stroke treatment bill, the head. I quote from this article: publican side of the aisle, we hear they a bipartisan bill—all of these bills, in- Republicans become so obsessed with the need more. cidentally, have passed the House of notion that we can drill our way out of the

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.082 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S7758 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 30, 2008 current energy crisis that reopening our to 14 years from now there will be addi- my friends on the other side to get this coastal waters to offshore drilling has be- tional oil is not going to solve our en- done. come their answer for every energy question. ergy problem. It is yesterday’s answer. Mr. DURBIN. Will the Senator will Anyone who looks at the growth of middle As Senator DORGAN from North Dakota yield for a question? classes around the world and the rising de- Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Yes. mand for natural resources, plus the dangers has said so frequently: When the Re- of climate change driven by our addiction to publicans think of energy, it is yester- Mr. DURBIN. I served with Senator fossil fuel, can see that clean, renewable en- day for everything. Paul Wellstone from Minnesota, who ergy—wind, solar, nuclear, and stuff we Let’s think about tomorrow. Let’s passed away 6 years ago, just weeks be- haven’t yet invented—is going to be the next have an energy policy that looks for- fore the election. He and his wife Shei- great global industry. It has to be if we are ward. la, his daughter, several staff members, going to grow in a stable way— Madam President, I yield the floor. and the pilot and copilot were lost in Thomas Friedman writes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- that plane crash. I attended that me- Therefore, the country that most owns the ator from Minnesota. morial service for him at the Univer- clean power industry is going to most own MENTAL HEALTH PARITY sity of Minnesota. the next great technology breakthrough: The Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, Paul had such a passion for so many ET revolution—the energy technology revo- this afternoon I spoke about how im- issues. But the one thing that meant lution—and create millions of jobs and thou- portant it was to pass that extender more than anything to him was this sands of new businesses just like the IT revo- bill, how important it was for my State mental health parity bill. I am sad- lution did. Republicans, by mindlessly re- peating their offshore drilling mantra, focus- and for the rest of the country to pro- dened that, 6 years later, we still ing on a 19th century fuel, remind me of mote green jobs, to look at this new haven’t passed it. We only had 5 Repub- someone back in 1980 arguing that we should energy future, to stop spending $600,000 licans join us today and vote for it. I be putting all our money into making more a minute on foreign oil. I said this hope the Senator from Minnesota feels and cheaper IBM Selectric typewriters and afternoon we only got four Republicans as I do, that we need to pass the forget about those things called the PC and to vote with us on a bill that was paid Wellstone mental health parity bill— the Internet. It is a strategy for making for, a bill that was the right way to make no excuses, find no alternatives, America a second great power and economy. go—only four Republicans. other than to make sure it is named in So when it comes to paying for what There was something else in that bill his memory, the man who started us we do on the floor of the Senate, the that is just as important to me and to down this road and whose journey Republicans vote no. When it comes to my State of Minnesota and to the mil- needs to be finished by us today. an American energy policy that is for- lions of people living in the shadow of I am glad the Senator from Min- ward looking, sadly, the Republicans mental illness, and that is the Paul nesota is here to participate in that. It vote no. When it comes to medical re- Wellstone mental health parity bill should be the highest priority before search in critical areas, this week the that is included in that package. We we adjourn this year. Since I need to Republicans voted no. When it comes have tried to pass this through the ask the question, I ask her if she to crime provisions to deal with run- Senate over and over again. Senator agrees. away kids and to deal with Internet DOMENICI on the other side of the aisle Ms. KLOBUCHAR. I thank the Sen- pornography and children, this week has been one of the biggest supporters ator so much for that question. I know the Republicans voted no. and sponsors of this bill. Senator KEN- from his family, those he left behind, There comes a point where you have NEDY has worked on it. Senator DURBIN who miss him so much, this is what he to stand for something. We have tried has worked on it. There are many peo- wanted to get done. I actually remem- our best to bring these issues before ple in the House, including PATRICK ber, I say to the Senator from Illinois, the Senate. We will continue to. KENNEDY, and one of my favorite Re- the last time I saw Paul Wellstone be- The last point I will make is this: publican Congressman, JIM RAMSTAD, fore he went down in that tragic plane There is one thing—one thing—the who is retiring this year, and he crash. It was at an event for new citi- President can do tomorrow morning doesn’t want to leave the House until zens. Sheila, his wife, was supposed to that can change the debate on energy that bill gets done. be there, and the two of us were talk- in America instantly, and that is an For me, the Paul Wellstone mental ing about our immigrant families, announcement. There is an announce- health parity bill is about Paul where they came from and how they ment he could make that the United Wellstone. It is about everything he pulled themselves up and funny stories States—which has a Strategic Petro- stood for. It is about fighting for the about our families in Appalachia. leum Reserve of 700 million barrels of people who don’t have a voice. It is There were about 30 new citizens there oil that has been gathered and pro- about all the people who have come up and no press, no cameras. All of a sud- tected for our national security—is to me in the Capitol, not the Senators den, by surprise, in walked Paul. You now going to be part of our energy so- but the secretaries and the tram driv- know, it was 3 or 4 weeks before one of lution. If President Bush announced ers who remember Paul and remember the biggest elections in the country, that he would start releasing oil from how kind he was to them. This bill is and he was in that room with the new that reserve, selling it on the market, about his brother Stephen who strug- citizens. with the goal of bringing the price of a gled with mental illness his whole life. I knew there were two reasons: One, barrel of oil down to $100 from its cur- Paul would always talk about how the he loved Sheila and he wanted to sur- rent level of about $122, it would do house they grew up in was always dark prise her. Second was he embraced this more to breathe life into the American because of Stephen’s mental illness and idea that no matter where you came economy than any other thing. It how, after Stephen got better and went from, no matter what you have gone would say: The United States can stop on to teach, what a difference it made through in your life, you could pull being a victim when it comes to energy in the family, but it was a lifelong yourself up in this country. That is and can become a player on the global struggle for him. part of why this mental health parity market. It would send the signal that So this bill is for Paul. When Paul bill was so important to him. He had we are not going to tolerate $145-a-bar- was alive, our friends on the other side seen in his family how his brother rel oil and the prices it generates at of the aisle said they wanted to pass struggled and was able to pull himself the gasoline pump and when it comes this bill. And when Paul died, they said up. There was a horrible financial situ- to jet fuel for our airlines. If the Presi- they wanted to pass this bill. This is ation for their family. He didn’t want dent showed leadership in releasing oil the time, and it was a part of that that to happen to someone else. He felt from the Strategic Petroleum Re- package. Senator KENNEDY is at home that if you can cover physical illnesses, serve—if he called in the oil companies watching everything that goes on in you should also cover mental illnesses. and put them on the carpet for the out- this Chamber, and he wants to get that This bill is what Paul wanted to get rageous profits that they continue to done. Paul’s son, David, has been here, done. report—we could turn this around. day after day, walking the halls of the I know the majority leader and oth- Simply suggesting that we have to Capitol, knocking on doors to get this ers have said the other side said they drill more offshore in the hopes that 8 done in his father’s memory. I implore would pass it when he was alive and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Jul 31, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G30JY6.084 S30JYPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE July 30, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7759 then when he died. This is their At the same time, we must continue owners if convicted of publishing de- chance. to speak out in support of those impris- famatory or seditious material—all I thank the Chair and yield the floor. oned for advocating basic freedoms part of a larger deterioration of basic The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- around the world. freedoms in The Gambia. jority whip is recognized. Many of us on both sides of the aisle Madam President, the United States DETENTION OF GAMBIAN JOURNALIST EBRIMA have been arguing that America’s needs to be a forceful advocate for MANNEH strength resonates not only from its these kinds of blatant human rights Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, military power but from the power of abuses. Doing so is not only the right America has long been a champion and its ideas and inspiration, the power of thing to do, but it is the smart thing to source of hope around the world for its values and hope, the power of its do in terms of our engagement abroad those suffering human rights viola- generosity and diplomacy—its smart and in demonstrating our American tions—those holed up in dictators’ pris- power. values. ons, those fighting for press and polit- Sadly, I worry that a measure of this I yield the floor. ical freedoms, those bravely standing leadership, of this inspiration, and of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- up to tyranny or injustice. this uniquely American hope has been jority leader is recognized. Many of those who have suffered, lost in recent years. Mr. REID. Madam President, I with- such as Vaclav Havel and Nelson Accordingly, today I want focus the draw the motion to proceed to S. 2035. Mandela, or continue to suffer this Senate’s attention on a tragic story The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- fate, such as Aung San Suu Kyi, are from the small west African Nation of tion is withdrawn. well-known to us. Sadly, for each one The Gambia. f of them, there are many other, lesser Chief Ebrima Manneh was a reporter known heroes being detained or har- for the Gambian newspaper, the Daily NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- assed all over the world simply for Observer. He was allegedly detained in TION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR wanting basic human freedoms. July 2006 by plainclothes police officers 2009—MOTION TO PROCEED Through our annual human rights re- thought to have been from the Gam- Mr. REID. Madam President, I made porting at the State Department, our bian National Intelligence Agency this unanimous consent before and it diplomacy, and steady public pressure after he tried to republish a BBC report was objected to. on basic human rights, the U.S. has critical of President Yahya Jammeh. I move to proceed to Calendar No. traditionally been a source of hope for He has been held incommunicado, 732. S. 3001, the DOD authorization those being illegally detained or per- without charge or trial, for two long bill—that is the Defense Department secuted. years. Amnesty International considers authorization bill—and I send a cloture We should never forget what this him a prisoner of conscience and has motion to the desk. kind of attention and pressure can ac- called for his immediate release. complish and what kind of strength it I agree. CLOTURE MOTION provides for those being detained. Recent reports suggest he is being The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- Take for example, Ngawang held at the Fatoto Police Station in ture motion having been presented Sangdrol, a Tibetan nun who was de- eastern Gambia. In July 2007, he was under rule XXII, the Chair directs the tained and tortured for peacefully ex- also reportedly escorted by the mem- clerk to read the cloture motion. pressing her belief in Tibetan independ- bers of the Gambian Police Interven- The assistant legislative clerk read ence. She was freed after 12 years of tion Unit to the Royal Victoria hos- as follows: imprisonment following immense pub- pital in the capital for high blood pres- CLOTURE MOTION lic pressure. After her release she said, sure treatment. We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- I have been overwhelmed by the out- Despite repeated attempts by ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the pouring of love and support . . . I am deeply Manneh’s father and fellow journalists, Standing Rules of the Senate, hereby move touched to learn that many individuals, or- including the Committee to Protect to bring to a close debate on the motion to ganizations, and governments...have proceed to S. 3001, the National Defense Au- Journalists, to seek information on Mr. thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. worked towards my release. It is very clear Manneh, the Gambian Government to me that I have been released and allowed Carl Levin, Christopher J. Dodd, E. to come out to the free world for medical continues to deny any involvement in Benjamin Nelson, John F. Kerry, treatment and to enjoy my freedom because his arrest or knowledge of his where- Claire McCaskill, Joseph R. Biden, of international concern. abouts. Jr., Bill Nelson, Blanche L. Lincoln, Or Gurbandurdy Durdykuliev, a po- My direct request to the Gambian Richard Durbin, Daniel K. Akaka, Embassy here in Washington has also Robert Menendez, Kent Conrad, litical activist from Turkmenistan who Sherrod Brown, Jack Reed, Jim in 2004 was seized and forced into a psy- been met with shameful silence. Last month in Nigeria, the Commu- Webb, Charles E. Schumer, Harry chiatric hospital by the country’s rul- Reid. ing dictator. His crime—requesting nity Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States de- Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask permission for a peaceful political that the mandatory quorum be waived. rally. clared the arrest and detention of Mr. Manneh illegal and ordered Gambian The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without He was released a few years later, objection, it is so ordered. just 10 days after 54 members of Con- officials to release him immediately. And yet the Gambian Government ig- Mr. REID. Madam President, I appre- gress sent a letter to the Turkmen ciate my friend from Iowa allowing me Government about his case. nored this court’s ruling as well—even though this court has jurisdiction for to do this. He has been waiting for We should listen and act upon the ap- some time. peal made by Aung San Suu Kyi, who human rights cases in the Gambia. Is the Gambian Government so afraid The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- has remained under house arrest in ator from Iowa is recognized. Burma for most of the last 19 years: of one of its own reporters that it can- TAX EXTENDERS Those fortunate enough to live in societies not even acknowledge his detention? where they are entitled to full political I say to President Jammeh: Release Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, rights can reach out to help the less fortu- this reporter. Let him return to his at 2:42 today on the Senate floor, the nate in other parts of our troubled plan- family. Senate majority leader made an incor- et.... Please use your liberty to promote Sadly, Mr. Manneh’s case is not alone rect statement. In discussing the nego- ours. in The Gambia. In December 2004, a tiations last night between the chair- I realize we must also work to ad- critic of President Jammeh, and press man of the Senate Finance Committee dress our own recent shortcomings by freedom advocate, Deyda Hydara, was and this Senator, the Senate majority unequivocally renouncing torture and shot and killed. His murder has yet to leader, who was not present at the by closing the detention facility in be solved or investigated. meeting, stated: ‘‘The only thing that Guantanamo—and we will continue to The government has also enacted Senator GRASSLEY wanted to discuss is work toward ending these shameful laws muzzling the press and imposing having all these extenders not paid legacies. mandatory prison sentences for media for.’’

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