Congressional Record—Senate S9049
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September 10, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9049 RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME At this juncture I think we will turn ican. That means teaching it to our The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The to the chairman. children and to those who become new remainder of the leader time will be re- f citizens of our country. One of the great tragedies of edu- served. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE- The majority leader is recognized. cation in this country today is that CURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, high school seniors perform worse in f 2005 American history than in any other SCHEDULE The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under subject for which they are nationally Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, we will re- the previous order, the Senate will re- tested. That is not right. The assistant sume consideration of the Homeland sume consideration of H.R. 4567, which Democratic leader, Senator REID, and I Security appropriations bill directly. the clerk will report. proposed legislation last year which As I indicated last night, the chairman The legislative clerk read as follows: passed the Senate without a dissenting and ranking member have made sub- A bill (H.R. 4567) making appropriations vote to create summer academies for stantial progress on the bill. We will for the Department of Homeland Security for outstanding students and teachers in continue that progress over the course fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for U.S. history. The House still needs to of today. As we announced yesterday, other purposes. act on this bill. there will be no rollcall votes during Pending: The Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. today’s session. We do expect amend- Nelson of Florida amendment No. 3607, to KENNEDY, and I have introduced legis- ments to be offered. That will begin provide funds for the American Red Cross. lation that would allow our Nation’s shortly—during consideration of the Schumer amendment No. 3615, to appro- report card to test eighth graders and bill this morning. I understand we have priate $100,000,000 to establish an identifica- high school seniors on U.S. history, on tion and tracking system for HAZMAT some cleared amendments that we may a pilot State-by-State basis. This will trucks and a background check system for help us know where it is being taught dispose of shortly. I will defer to the commercial driver licenses. chairman for an update. We can begin well and where it is not so improve- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The ments can be made. Shining the spot- that process shortly. Senator from Tennessee. Any votes that may be ordered on the light on these results also encourages Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I pending amendments will be ordered to school districts to work harder to ask unanimous consent to speak for up occur on Monday. Senators should ex- teach American history and civics as to 6 minutes as in morning business. pect more than one rollcall vote during well. Mr. REID. Mr. President, we have no The Senator from New York, Mr. Monday’s session. We will say more objection as long as Senator DURBIN is SCHUMER, and I have introduced legis- about the timing of these votes before recognized for a like amount of time. lation to preserve the oath of alle- we close later today. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. With- giance in its present form, so that Again, our goal is to complete this out objection, it is so ordered. oath—to which all new citizens swear bill on Tuesday or early Wednesday The Senator from Tennessee is recog- on naturalization—is given the same morning. This will require the coopera- nized for up to 6 minutes and the Sen- respect as we give to the Pledge of Al- tion of all Senators as we move toward ator from Illinois is recognized for up legiance, to the national anthem, and completion of this important legisla- to 6 minutes. to the American flag. tion. We have made real progress and While that legislation is pending in we will continue to make real progress ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 Mr. ALEXANDER. I thank the chair- committee, with the support of the over the course of the day. chairman, the Senator from Mis- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The man for the time and the leadership. I simply wish to join our leaders sissippi, the Senate unanimously Democratic leader is recognized. passed yesterday an amendment to the Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I reit- today in remembrance of the tragic Homeland Security appropriations bill erate what the majority leader has just events of September 11. As I remember to prevent the oath from being changed announced and articulated. We have those events, I remember more how during the next fiscal year while the made progress. I appreciate the co- clearly our country pulled together in response. September 11 is one of our Senate works its will on the legislation operation we are getting on both sides. proposed by the Senator from New We have gotten to the point where worst days but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and York and me. there is absolutely no reason why we I am also working on a second showed our charitable instincts and re- cannot finish this bill prior to the time amendment to that legislation to es- minded us of what we stood for and we adjourn for Rosh Hashanah next tablish a new foundation that will stand for. It showed that we had the re- week. work with the Office of Citizenship to We will continue to work as we have solve to fight against terrorism. We promote the teaching of English, his- this week to winnow down the amend- put partisanship aside in our Govern- tory, and civics to the soon-to-be new ments, to have time limits on what ment offices. We began to proudly say citizens of our country and to other amendments need to be offered, and we to the rest of the world, we know what new citizens. We are a nation of immi- will work with the majority leader to it means to be an American. grants. We are proud of that. We should ensure we can reach that goal. I am The best way we can remember Sep- do our best to help those who are new confident we can and we will continue tember 11 is to remember why this is to our country become thriving mem- to work at it throughout the day and an exceptional country. We are the bers of our society so they can learn on Monday. only country in the world that has our history, learn about citizenship, Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, thank taken people from so many different speak our common language. That will you. I think the progress has been backgrounds, which is a great achieve- help them on the path to the American made, and I will also state while the ment by itself, but an even greater dream. Democratic leader is here, we are mak- achievement is that we have turned all The Senate has been hard at work ing real progress on intelligence re- of that variety and diversity into over the last 2 years to help enshrine form, both recommendations in terms unity. That unity depends upon a few the values and history that bind us to- of the relationship with the executive principles in which we believe: liberty, gether as Americans. Nothing could be branch as well as internal organization equal opportunity, individualism. more important as we remember Sep- and reorganization and potential re- President Bush has eloquently spo- tember 11, as we mourn those we lost, form there. ken of the American character since but take pride in what was found, our A lot of people do not see that much September 11. But we in the Senate national unity. The best way to re- is going on, but we are working have a role to play, too. That is why, member September 11 is to remember throughout the day, each and every with the support of many other Sen- what it means to be an American. day, on what we both have mentioned ators on both sides of the aisle, I have I yield the floor. this morning is very important busi- been working hard to harness that spir- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ness that we need to act on before we it to help us remember for generations SMITH). The Senator from Illinois may complete the session. to come what it means to be an Amer- speak for up to 6 minutes. VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:52 Jan 29, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\2004SENATE\S10SE4.REC S10SE4 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S9050 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 10, 2004 AMERICA HAS CHANGED admits responsibility, no one genuinely peace, human rights and justice; they are Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this apologizes, no one resigns and everyone else still a generous, fair-minded, open-minded week we mark two significant dates. is blamed. people.’’ Tomorrow, September 11, the third an- The damage done to this country by its Today some political figures argue that own misconduct in the last few months and merely to report, much less to protest, the niversary of our attack which will years, to its very heart and soul, is far great- crimes against humanity committed by a truly live in infamy as the attack on er and longer lasting than any damage that few of our own inadequately trained forces in Pearl Harbor.