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S12346 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 3, 2005 scourge not only for professional sports They will not abide it. Taxpayers will model of teachers teaching teachers but for amateur sports because, in- not abide it. And Senator SNOWE and I how to teach writing. creasingly, those who are competing on are going to stay at it until Medicare is For more than 30 years, teachers of an amateur level believe they have to liberated and can act as a smart shop- all grades and nearly the entire spec- use steroids to compete. That is a trag- per. trum of subject areas have benefitted edy. Fifty-one Senators—a majority of from the vision and dedication of Jim We are seeing usage of steroids at 20 this body—said tonight it is time to Gray to finding better ways of raising to 40 percent in high school athletes get serious about holding down the a new generation of writers. Thousands because they read the stories, and they cost of medicine in the United States. of teachers have participated every see what others are doing who have Fifty-one votes is not the super- year in workshops, classes and retreats been at the very highest levels. majority we needed, but Senator to perfect their skills, and as a result, So I wish to give my profound thanks SNOWE and I are going to stay at it an exponential tens of thousands of to Senator MCCAIN and Senator until we get justice done for our older students continue taking new steps to BUNNING. people. becoming skillful writers. I yield the floor. Finally, I want to say a special It was his work that gave me the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- thanks to our bipartisan group of spon- good fortune of meeting him, and my ator from Oregon. sors and particularly thank Senator becoming a close friend to the Writing f STABENOW, Senator MCCAIN, and Sen- Project as the sponsor of legislation to ator FEINSTEIN. They are all Senators make it a Federal program under the MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG who got this from the get-go. They un- U.S. Department of Education. COSTS derstood this was a question of making Across the country, many teachers Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, it has sure that, at a time when the Federal and students mourn him, but I hope been a long day in the Senate, espe- Government begins the biggest expan- they take his serious creativity in cially for our capable and dedicated sion of entitlement health care in teaching and live his legacy of the Na- staff. I wish to take a couple of min- years, we take steps to protect the in- tional Writing Project. I extend to his utes to say thank you to the Senators terests of taxpayers and the interests family, and to all who knew him, my who, a bit ago, supported the Snowe- of older people who, right now, are be- message of gratitude for his life’s work Wyden legislation to hold down the ginning to sign up for the program and and my deep sympathy. cost of prescription medicine. will, in fact, start participating for- I ask unanimous consent that a copy Tonight a majority of the Senate mally next year. of the obituary of James Gray released voted to make the Federal Government We believed it was important tonight today by the National Writing Project a smart shopper when it comes to pre- to offer this amendment. We wish we be printed in the RECORD. scription drugs. For the first time, the had more time to discuss it this There being no objection, the mate- Senate voted to remove an error of evening. I went into it at some length rial was ordered to be printed in the commission: the authorization of a pro- yesterday, but I am pleased we made Record, as follows: vision in the prescription drug law that real progress. For the first time, a ma- NATIONAL WRITING PROJECT FOUNDER JAMES bars the Federal Government from ne- jority of the Senate says that this pro- GRAY DEAD AT 78 gotiating to hold down the cost of pre- vision that keeps the Federal Govern- James Gray, founder of the National Writ- scription drugs. ment from being a smart shopper sim- ing Project, died November 1 in Danville, California, after a long illness. For the life of me, at a time when the ply does not add up. It does not make Federal budget is hemorrhaging, when Gray, a former high school teacher and sense. It defies logic. It is contrary to then a senior lecturer at the University of the Government must pay for the costs what everybody else does in the mar- California, Berkeley’s Graduate School of of Katrina, I do not see how you can ketplace across the country. I wish we Education, founded the innovative Bay Area argue against the Snowe-Wyden could have gotten the 60 votes needed Writing Project in 1974. Acting on his belief amendment that was offered tonight. It to prevail tonight, but for the first that successful classroom teachers were an prohibits price controls—that is cer- time we got a majority, and we are untapped resource for providing their peers tainly critical—so we can encourage in- with professional development, Gray brought going to come back again and again together 25 talented Bay Area teachers and novation and research in the pharma- and again. We are going to do it be- ceutical area, but what the Snowe- charged them with sharing their expertise cause the older people of this country about the teaching of writing. Wyden amendment does is ensure that deserve a fair shake. They are going to The Bay Area Writing Project became the the Federal Government is going to do insist we keep coming back. first site that offered a professional develop- what everybody does in the market- I close my comments tonight by ment model for teachers of writing. Now place—and that is use its bargaining thanking the Presiding Officer, as well, known as the National Writing Project power to hold down the costs. That is for his support in this effort. (NWP), the program has grown to 189 univer- sity-based sites located in fifty states, Wash- what the Federal Emergency Manage- Mr. President, with that, I yield the ment Agency does when it buys cots, ington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin floor and suggest the absence of a Islands. what every Federal agency does to quorum. Gray served as Executive Director of the make sure taxpayers and our citizens The PRESIDING OFFICER. The NWP until his retirement in 1994 and re- have their concerns addressed respon- clerk will call the roll. mained on the NWP Board of Directors until sibly. The legislative clerk proceeded to his death. Now, tonight, Senator SNOWE and I call the roll. Gray’s simple but highly successful model had to get a supermajority to prevail. I Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask has been responsible for transforming class- want it understood that no matter how room practices and improving student writ- unanimous consent that the order for ing performance at schools in rural, urban, many procedural hurdles are put in the quorum call be rescinded. and suburban communities across the U.S. front of us, no matter how many road- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ‘‘Jim’s belief in teachers and their knowl- blocks are put up, we are going to keep objection, it is so ordered. edge, commitment, and creativity never coming back on this issue again and f wavered,’’ said NWP Executive Director again and again until the needs of sen- Richard Sterling. ‘‘We are all the bene- iors and our taxpayers are met. JAMES GRAY, NATIONAL WRITING ficiaries of his vision and his tireless work The older people of this country are PROJECT FOUNDER on behalf of the National Writing Project.’’ For more information about Jim Gray and insisting that an offensive piece of spe- Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I was the National Writing Project, visit the NWP cial interest legislation, one that defies saddened to learn today that James website at www.writingproject.org. common sense, get changed. The AARP Gray passed away after a long illness f made the case when they backed our on November 1, 2005. Mr. Gray was 78 bipartisan bill. They pointed out that years old and lived in Danville, CA. I LAUNCHING OF JEWISH SOCIAL drugs seniors use, such as Lipitor, are knew him as the founder of the Na- ACTION MONTH going up more than twice the rate of tional Writing Project, which today is Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I inflation. Seniors want that changed. credited with perfecting the training rise today to announce the launching VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:27 Nov 04, 2005 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G03NO6.114 S03NOPT1 November 3, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S12347 of the first Jewish Social Action everyone around us including the needy of Yael Andoran, fellow Kol Dor Members, Month—a month where Jews around the world who depend on our support. We friends and others who care about the future the world will be encouraged to engage promise to do more for them in the coming of the Jewish people and Jewish mission. year. Just a few days later, we celebrate in good works and service to their com- It is a great privilege to introduce a global Succot. This festival recalls Biblical times Jewish idea to this important body, an idea munities.

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