February 13, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S675 President Obama’s circuit nominees Flake Klobuchar Reid that fought and won World War II and has received a vote so quickly. In fact, Franken Landrieu Roberts then came home and made America the Gillibrand Lautenberg Rockefeller the median wait time for President Graham Leahy Sanders world’s greatest superpower. Among Obama’s circuit nominees is more than Grassley Lee Schatz the greatest in that generation was seven times that for President Bush’s Hagan Levin Schumer Chuck Yeager. Harkin Manchin circuit nominees. Shaheen Today is Chuck’s 90th birthday, and I Hatch McCain Stabenow Heinrich McCaskill invite the entire Senate to join me in This continued obstruction is one of Tester Heitkamp Menendez the reasons we remain so far behind Thune congratulating him. I am so proud of Heller Merkley this man. Not only is he a native son of the pace set during President Bush’s Hirono Mikulski Toomey time in office. By February of Presi- Hoeven Moran Udall (CO) but he is also a dear dent Bush’s fifth year, the Senate had Isakson Murkowski Udall (NM) friend of mine. Chuck lives in Cali- Warner confirmed 205 of his circuit and district Johanns Murphy fornia now, with his wife Victoria, but Johnson (SD) Murray Warren nominees, and judicial vacancies stood Johnson (WI) Nelson Whitehouse he still comes to West Virginia to hunt at 40. In contrast, just 173 of President Kaine Portman Wicker with me and roam the hills where he Obama’s circuit and district nominees King Pryor Wyden grew up. have been confirmed, and the vacancy Kirk Reed He also visits the State from time to rate has risen again to 90, or more than NAYS—12 time to promote the foundation which 10 percent of the Federal bench. Judi- Blunt McConnell Scott bears his name, and which supports a cial vacancies are nearly back at his- Boozman Paul Sessions scholarship program at Marshall Uni- Coburn Risch Shelby versity. torically high levels. Inhofe Rubio Vitter Perpetuating these vacancies on the When I was Governor, Chuck and Vic- The nomination was confirmed. Tenth and Federal Circuits, and pre- toria would sometimes visit Gayle and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under venting Judge Bacharach and Richard me at the Governor’s Mansion. Some of the previous order, the motion to re- Taranto from getting to work on behalf you know I am a pilot, and during one consider is considered made and laid of the American people, does not ben- of his visits to West Virginia I got him upon the table. The President will be efit anyone. The Judiciary Committee to join me on a flight. We were trying immediately notified of the Senate’s has again done its work to vet, con- out a new airplane for the State. It was action. sider, and vote on these nominations. a real honor, but it was a little bit It is time for the Senate to act to con- f daunting, if you will, that I am flying firm them. LEGISLATIVE SESSION left seat and Chuck is right behind me, evaluating the entire flight. Looking I will speak more on nominations as The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- over my shoulder, having the greatest we go along, but I do want to congratu- ate will resume legislative session. late not only the senior Senator from The Senator from Washington. pilot who ever lived sitting there, was something I will never forget. Maine but also Senator KING and the f people of Maine, and the people of the Some of the story of Chuck’s life you First Circuit. The circuit needs to have MORNING BUSINESS probably know and some of it you may its vacancies filled, and I am glad we Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask not. Chuck grew up in the small town have such a good person. unanimous consent the Senate proceed of Hamlin. That is in Lincoln County, Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I to a period of morning business with WV, so deep in an Appalachian holler suggest the absence of a quorum. Senators permitted to speak for up to that folks there used to say you had to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 10 minutes each. pump in the sunshine. His father Al- clerk will call the roll. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without bert Hal worked as a driller in the gas- The bill clerk proceeded to call the objection, it is so ordered. fields. His mother Susie Mae took care roll. Mrs. MURRAY. I suggest the absence of Chuck, his two brothers, and two sis- Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask of a quorum. ters. unanimous consent that the order for The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chuck and his father went hunting the quorum call be rescinded. clerk will call the roll. and fishing together. Chuck also The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The bill clerk proceeded to call the worked with his father in the oilfields. objection, it is so ordered. roll. He was fascinated by the drilling equip- Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I yield Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I ask ment. He liked cars—real fast cars. He back all time on both sides. unanimous consent the order for the especially liked his old man’s Chevy The PRESIDING OFFICER. Hearing quorum call be rescinded. truck. He not only drove it, he studied no objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without all of its mechanical details. He could All time having been yielded back, objection, it is so ordered. basically take it apart and rebuild it. Looking back, it is not surprising the question is, Will the Senate advise f that in the middle of World War II, a and consent to the nomination of Wil- TRIBUTE TO GENERAL CHUCK patriotic kid from West Virginia who liam J. Kayatta, Jr., of Maine, to be YEAGER was good with rifles, mechanical equip- U.S. circuit judge for the First Circuit? Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, few ment, and fast cars enlisted in the U.S. Mr. LEAHY. I ask for the yeas and Americans have helped this great coun- Air Force as an airplane mechanic—his nays. try reach for the stars more than Gen. first step toward becoming the single The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a Chuck Yeager. Long before there were greatest pilot who has ever lived. sufficient second? There appears to be there was Chuck Yeager, a A new ‘‘flying sergeants’’ program a sufficient second. The clerk will call fearless , a true aviation pio- eventually gave him his first chance to the roll. neer paving the way for America’s ex- fly. Up until that time it was officers The bill clerk called the roll. ploration of the galaxy. But Chuck only. His first couple training flights The result was announced—yeas 88, Yeager’s military career involved so didn’t go so well. Some people might nays 12, as follows: much more than just testing cutting- not know this, but he had to overcome [Rollcall Vote No. 20 Ex.] edge aircraft and, as almost everyone airsickness. Can you believe that YEAS—88 knows, becoming the first man to fly Chuck Yeager got airsick? Before long Alexander Burr Corker faster than the speed of sound. Few he found a new home in the sky in the Ayotte Cantwell Cornyn Americans have been as unwavering or cockpit of an airplane. Baldwin Cardin Cowan Barrasso Carper Crapo as relentless as Chuck Yeager in de- During World War II, Chuck flew nu- Baucus Casey Cruz fense of this great country, in war and merous combat missions over Europe Begich Chambliss Donnelly in peace, from World War II to Viet- and shot down 13 enemy aircraft—5 in 1 Bennet Coats Durbin nam. mission. He was shot down over Ger- Blumenthal Cochran Enzi Boxer Collins Feinstein He was part of the ‘‘greatest genera- man-occupied France in 1944 but es- Brown Coons Fischer tion’’ of Americans, the generation caped capture to fly another day. But

VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:04 Feb 14, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G13FE6.034 S13FEPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S676 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 13, 2013 before he could do that, he had to believed Chuck Yeager to known today as Kansas State Univer- argue his case against being sent home be the ‘‘most righteous of all posses- sity, received a land grant charter and under a no more combat rule. The rule sors of .’’ Wolfe himself became the first operational land grant was basically if a pilot was shot down, struggled to explain what he meant by institution in the United States. Over they could not let them go back, be- ‘‘the right stuff.’’ His best explanation the past 150 years, Kansas State Uni- cause if they were captured, they could was that ‘‘the right stuff’’ is that rare, versity has progressed and expanded to basically tell who the people who saved almost indefinable mix of bravery, her- accommodate the students and the peo- them were. He pushed his way all the oism, hard work, and focus that some- ple living in the State of Kansas—the way up the chain of command to Su- one brings to ‘‘a cause that means people it has served so well. preme Allied Commander General something to a people, a nation, to hu- Today, Kansas State University is Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike ultimately manity, to God.’’ That describes Gen. comprised of nine academic colleges granted Chuck’s request to stay with Chuck Yeager as well as anything else ranging from liberal arts to veterinary his men. I know. medicine. The university expanded its After the war, Chuck became a test He is a man of extraordinary skill campus in Manhattan to include an pilot. On October 14, 1947, he did what and legendary courage. He has an un- aviation and technology school in Sa- no man had done before—he broke the paralleled sense of duty and service to lina and an innovation campus in in the experimental X–1 his country. He risked his life over and Olathe, KS. Also, Kansas State Univer- plane named the ‘‘Glamorous Glennis,’’ over. He is a great West Virginian. He sity Research and Extension has a after his late wife. His fabled flight is a great American. On his 90th birth- presence in every county in Kansas— ushered in a new era of aviation that day he is still, without a doubt, a man all 105. These offices are a source of prepared America for its greatest leap with ‘‘the right stuff.’’ vital information to every farmer and into space and so began the legend of I wish my dear friend the happiest of rancher in our State. We are staying Chuck Yeager. birthdays, and I urge every Senator to true to our land grant roots. Tom Wolfe wrote in ‘‘The Right join me in saluting Gen. Chuck Yeager Back in 1863, Kansas State Univer- Stuff’’—a movie most of us have seen. for his long and courageous service to sity’s first enrollment totaled a mere If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you do. this great country. 14 students. This school year Kansas Tom Wolfe wrote: Thank you, General Yeager. State University reached a record en- There were . . . other pilots with enough I note the absence of a quorum. rollment of more than 24,000 students. Pilot Ego to believe that they were actually The PRESIDING OFFICER. The These students hail from all 50 States better than this drawlin’ hot dog. clerk will call the roll. and over 90 countries. Out of this di- Chuck had a way with words, if you The legislative clerk proceeded to verse population, the university has ever have a chance to speak with him. call the roll. produced industry leaders, heads of The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. But no one could contest the fact that as of States, humanitarians, generals, gifted KING). The Senator from Kansas. that time, the 1950s, Chuck Yeager was at scientists, and a few public servants. Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask the top of the pyramid, number one among Kansas State University has received unanimous consent that the order for all the True Brothers. national recognition for the excep- Throughout his long military career, the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without tional education it provides students General Yeager flew more than 10,000 year after year. Kansas State con- hours in more than 330 models of air- objection, it is so ordered. Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise tinues to have college programs ranked craft. In 1966, he flew 127 missions in to speak in morning business for such the best in the Nation. The university . He received numerous time as I may consume. has been recognized as a leader among awards, including the Distinguished The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without public universities in total number of Service Medal, the , the objection, it is so ordered. Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Udall, and Bronze Star, the , the Goldwater Scholars. Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the f I cannot talk about my alma mater special peacetime . He 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF KANSAS without mentioning Kansas State Uni- was the youngest military pilot to be STATE UNIVERSITY versity’s athletic program, especially inducted into the Aviation Hall of Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise over the recent years. Since its first Fame in 1973. to commemorate—along with my dis- football game way back in 1883, dedi- Chuck officially retired from the Air tinguished friend and colleague Sen- cated fans have been coming to the Force in 1975 but maintained his status ator JERRY MORAN—the 150th anniver- sports arenas to support our athletes as a test pilot for another three dec- sary of Kansas State University—home and our team. This intercollegiate ath- ades, occasionally flying for the Air of the ever-optimistic Wildcats. letic program has complemented the Force and NASA as a consultant. Since its beginning—even before Kan- education provided by the university In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of his sas joined the union as a free State—all and has been a great source of purple historic flight breaking the sound bar- the way up to today, Kansas State Uni- pride for both alumni and Kansas. rier, he again flew past Mach One in an versity continues to provide a first- As Kansas State University looks to- F–15D Eagle named the ‘‘Glamorous rate education for thousands and thou- ward the future, it sets new goals for Glennis III.’’ It was his last official sands of students. the institution and for its students. flight with the Air Force. Of course, To quote the K-State alma mater Launched by president Kirk Schulz in nothing stops Chuck Yeager. So last lyrics: ‘‘I know a spot that I love full 2010, K-State 2025, the university’s stra- October on the 65th anniversary of well.’’ I—along with more than 200,000 tegic plan, strives to make Kansas breaking , he did it alumni—am proud to call Kansas State State University a top 50 public re- again, in another aircraft, at the age of University my alma mater, as did my search institution within 15 years. 89. father and also my son. Thanks to the work that has been done Whenever he is asked about all his The year was back in 1858, when Kan- throughout the past 150 years and the exploits, Chuck says he was just ‘‘doing sas was only a territory—not even a research that continues, I have no his job,’’ and that all he is he ‘‘owes to State—that a group of local settlers doubt Kansas State University is on the Air Force.’’ He has never ever founded Bluemont Central College. track to achieve this very important wavered from that. Then, in 1863, only 2 years into state- goal. In his autobiography, he wrote: hood, the State legislature and Gov- Throughout this week and weekend, My beginnings back in West Virginia tell ernor became some of the first to ac- students, staff, alumni, and friends of who I am to this day. My accomplishments cept the terms and conditions of the the university will gather in Manhat- as a pilot tell more about luck, happen- stance, and a person’s destiny. But the guy Morrill Act, thus creating the land tan, KS—the ‘‘little apple’’—to cele- who broke the sound barrier was the kid who grant system of colleges and univer- brate the history of Kansas State Uni- swam the Mud River with a swiped water- sities. versity. melon, or shot the head off a squirrel before On February 16, 1863, the Kansas On behalf of the Senate, it is my school. State Agriculture College, formally honor to congratulate Kansas State

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