SENATE—Monday, May 14, 2007

12280 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 9 May 14, 2007 SENATE—Monday, May 14, 2007 The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was morning business until 3 p.m. today, Arlington Cemetery is a place that called to order by the Honorable MARK with the time equally divided between every Member of Congress should go L. PRYOR, a Senator from the State of the two leaders. once in a while. It is amazing to see all Arkansas. At 3 p.m., the Senate will begin con- those graves. I went, as I have on a sideration of H.R. 1495, the Water Re- number of occasions, to President Ken- PRAYER sources Development Act. Senators nedy’s grave site. We saw the eternal The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- BOXER and INHOFE are managing the flame. He is there with his two babies fered the following prayer: bill, and they will be here at 3 o’clock and his wonderful wife. Let us pray: ready to conduct business. There will We watched the changing of the Almighty God, smile on us and lift us be no rollcall votes today. guard at the Tomb of the Unknown with Your mighty strength. Develop in If there are no amendments on Tues- Soldier. We visited the Iwo Jima me- us an optimism that will withstand all day, the water resources bill would be morial—it is called the Marine Corps challenges, bear all burdens, and cata- ready for a vote. If there are no votes Memorial. Iwo Jima is mentioned pult all obstacles. on WRDA tomorrow and they are able there. I have been reading a lot about Guide the Members of this body, that lately. There are some books, such today, on Your path. Show them Your to complete work on the bill, then we ways as You lead them by the power of will have the judicial nomination be- as Flags of Our Fathers—I don’t want Your truth. Help them to set priorities fore the caucuses in the morning. to hurt Clint Eastwood’s feelings, but that will deliver captives and relieve Also, I have had discussions with the the book is much better than his the oppressed, causing ‘‘justice to roll Republican leader. We finished a con- movie. It is a wonderful book about the down like waters and righteousness versation a short time ago. I indicated people who raised the flag over Iwo like a mighty stream.’’ Direct our Sen- last Friday I would delay filing cloture Jima. That was quite a battle on that ators with their going out and coming on the motion to proceed to the immi- little island. The fighting lasted 40 in, inspiring them with a resolute de- gration bill until today so that nego- days. Seven thousand Americans were termination to fulfill Your purposes on tiations could continue. That cloture killed and 20,000 wounded. During the Earth. We pray in Your reverent Name. vote will occur now on Wednesday. first few days, hundreds were being Amen. The Republican leader and I will con- killed every day. Even though that bat- tinue our discussions about the best tle lasted a little over a month, a sig- f way to proceed with the supplemental. nificant percentage of all of the Medals PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The bill is expected to be received from of Honor that were awarded during The Honorable MARK L. PRYOR led the House today and will be placed on that war were awarded to the Battle of the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: the Senate calendar when it arrives. Iwo Jima. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the The Senate must complete action on So, Mr. President, for me to go yes- United States of America and to the Repub- the supplemental this week so it can be terday to the cemetery at Arlington lic for which it stands, one nation under God, conferenced with the House and sent to and see the eternal flame at President indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the President prior to the scheduled Kennedy’s grave, to go to the Iwo Jima f Memorial Day recess. It will occur. monument speaks in words that cannot APPOINTMENT OF ACTING That is, the conference will be com- be described in just the setting rather PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE pleted or we will delay our recess. than the actual words you are hearing In addition, the Senate can expect to of the uncommon valor of the coura- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The geous American men and women in clerk will please read a communication receive a conference vote on the budget uniform serving overseas. to the Senate from the President pro sometime later this week. We need to act on that also. Under the Budget Act, On Saturday, we also visited the tempore (Mr. BYRD). The bill clerk read the following let- debate time is limited to 10 hours. World War II monument, the relatively ter: So a busy week lies ahead for us in new monument in the area. We went to the Senate. We have one week after the FDR Memorial, Lincoln’s monu- U.S. SENATE, ment. These are things I enjoyed doing, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, this before the Memorial Day break. Washington, DC, May 14, 2007. f but I especially enjoyed them because To the Senate: my brother was there with me. Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, HONORING 2007 NATIONAL POLICE Our troops serve as we speak with of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby WEEK great valor overseas. Thousands and appoint the Honorable MARK L. PRYOR, a Mr. REID. Mr. President, this week- thousands more do the same for us here Senator from the State of Arkansas, to per- end I had the good fortune of having at home. form the duties of the Chair. my brother in town. My brother Don is Last night, National Police Week ROBERT C. BYRD, President pro tempore. the oldest of four boys. He is 12 years kicked off with a candlelight vigil at older than I. He served in the Marine the National Law Enforcement Officers Mr. PRYOR thereupon assumed the Corps, and during the Korean War he chair as Acting President pro tempore. Memorial. President Kennedy actually served in the Army. It was a wonderful designated May 15 of every year as the f time we had yesterday. Among other ‘‘National Peace Officers Memorial RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY things, we went to Arlington National Day’’ and the week surrounding it ‘‘Po- LEADER Cemetery. He wanted to go there. lice Week.’’ Forty-five years later, our The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- I have been here a long time. I went commitment to honor the memories of pore. The majority leader is recog- to law school here, and I now have been officers lost in the line of duty, police nized. in Congress for about 25 years. You officers lost in the line of duty, as well don’t often take the opportunity—be- f as those who continue to serve us, re- cause you are busy doing other mains as strong as ever. SCHEDULE things—to visit the wonderful attrac- At last night’s candlelight vigil, the Mr. REID. Mr. President, shortly the tions there are in the District of Co- names of all 145 officers killed in the Chair will announce that we are in lumbia area. line of duty in 2006 were read. One of ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 12:43 Apr 27, 2010 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR07\S14MY7.000 S14MY7 cprice-sewell on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BOUND RECORD May 14, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 9 12281 those names was Sgt. Henry Prendes of tleblowers. Congress needs to make a honoring whistleblowers. This would Las Vegas. He was a member of the Las special note of the role that whistle- send a message from the very top of Vegas Metropolitan Police Depart- blowers play in helping us to fulfill our the bureaucracy, which is the Presi- ment. constitutional duty of conducting over- dency of the United States, and to the On February 1, 2006, Sergeant sight of the executive branch of Gov- bottom of the bureaucracy about the Prendes was the first to respond to a ernment or what we learn in high importance and value of whistle- domestic violence call involving a man school government classes called blowers. brutally beating a woman. As Sergeant checks and balances. They deserve this attention, and we Prendes approached the suspect, he was As a Senator, I have conducted ex- all ought to be grateful for what they fatally shot and killed by a semiauto- tensive oversight into virtually all as- do and appreciate the very difficult cir- matic rifle. pects of the Federal bureaucracy. De- cumstances they often have to endure Sergeant Prendes had spent 14 years spite the differences in cases from to do whistleblowing—or as Fitzgerald on the force protecting the people of agency to agency and from department says, ‘‘committing truth’’—because in Las Vegas. to department, one constant remains: the end they sacrifice their family’s fi- His wife Dawn and daughters Brooke the need for information and the need nances, oftentimes their employ- and Kylee are in Washington this week for insight from whistleblowers. This ability, and the attempts by powerful to honor their husband and father. information is vital to effective con- interest groups to actually smear their It is impossible to imagine the void gressional oversight, the constitutional good names and good intentions.

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