Congressional Record—Senate S419
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January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S419 when you consider that during that 5 with Reid amendment No. 17, to change the The assistant legislative clerk read years, the plaintiff can diligently be enactment date. as follows: Reid amendment No. 18 (to the instruc- preparing a lawsuit while the defend- The Senator from New Mexico [Mr. BINGA- tions of the motion to commit), of a per- MAN], for himself and Ms. MURKOWSKI, pro- ant is ignorant about the very griev- fecting nature. ance itself, perhaps, and memories and Reid amendment No. 19 (to Reid amend- poses amendments en bloc numbered 23 and records fade. ment No. 18), of a perfecting nature. 24. So I think it is important, as we go The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, I into this bill, that it be characterized pore. Under the previous order—the ask unanimous consent that the read- as the Trojan horse that it is. This is majority leader is recognized. ing of the amendments be dispensed just the beginning. If you eliminate the Mr. REID. I suggest the absence of a with. statute of limitations in employment quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. discrimination claims, why not elimi- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- MCCASKILL). Without objection, it is so nate the statute of limitations in other pore. The clerk will call the roll. ordered. claims: medical malpractice, any other The assistant legislative clerk pro- The amendments are as follows: business disputes, and the like? It is ceeded to call the roll. AMENDMENT NO. 23 just not fair, and it is not right. We Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- On page 976, strike lines 8 through 25. should not allow this bill to be rep- imous consent that the order for the On page 977, line 1, strike ‘‘(6)’’ and insert resented as a blow for women’s equal- quorum call be rescinded. ‘‘(5)’’. ity and women’s rights because it sim- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- On page 977, line 3, insert ‘‘and’’ after ply is much broader and has much pore. Without objection, it is so or- ‘‘interactions;’’. more of a broader implication than dered. On page 977, line 4, strike ‘‘(7)’’ and insert Under the previous order, there shall ‘‘(6)’’. that. On page 977, line 5, strike ‘‘(6)’’ and insert I am convinced this bill is actually a be 10 minutes of debate equally divided ‘‘(5)’’. solution in search of a problem because and controlled between the Senator On page 977, line 8, strike ‘‘scales;’’ and in- it is worth noting that in fiscal year from New Mexico, Mr. BINGAMAN, and sert ‘‘scales.’’. 2007, a total of 82,000-plus people timely the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. On page 977, strike lines 9 through 17. filed complaints of employment dis- COBURN, or their designees. On page 1275, strike lines 3 through 6. crimination with the EEOC. It is im- The Senator from New Mexico. AMENDMENT NO. 24 portant to ask what prevented Ms. Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, as I Beginning on page 305, strike line 9 and all Ledbetter from doing exactly the same understand it, we now have 10 minutes that follows through page 349, line 21. thing, from filing her complaint at the equally divided to complete debate on On page 526, line 2, strike ‘‘2’’ and insert time she knew that perhaps she had a S. 22, and then there will be a vote on ‘‘5’’. passage. Is that correct? On page 526, line 7, strike ‘‘5’’ and insert grievance that could be presented to ‘‘2’’. the employer. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- On page 974, line 19, insert ‘‘the Secretary So I thank you, Mr. President, for pore. The Senator is correct. of the Army, acting through’’ before ‘‘the the opportunity to speak briefly on the Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, in Chief’’. bill. Assuming cloture is adopted, I just a few minutes, the Senate will On page 1188, line 19, strike ‘‘or’’ and insert hope we will be taking up Senator vote on S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land ‘‘of’’. Beginning on page 1271, strike line 3 and HUTCHISON’s alternative, which I think Management Act. The vote will cul- all that follows through page 1273, line 22, strikes the fair balance for which I minate years of work on more than 160 bills that are included in this package and insert the following: would hope we would all strive, pro- Section 107(a) tecting the rights of both those who and represents a major achievement for the protection of our Nation’s natural, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without are victims of discrimination and the objection, the amendments are agreed companies that have to defend against cultural, and historic resources. Taken collectively, I believe the package rep- to. those claims. The amendments (Nos. 23 and 24) Mr. President, I yield the floor. resents the most significant conserva- tion legislation passed by the Senate in were agreed to. f many years. COLORADO RIVER BASIN CONCLUSION OF MORNING In addition, it will finally resolve Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, BUSINESS three very important, very complex the Senate is now considering the Om- water rights settlements in three dif- nibus Public Land Management Act of The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- ferent States ending, literally, decades 2009, S. 22, a bill that contains a num- pore. Morning business is closed. of litigation and controversy. ber of important water resource initia- f AMENDMENTS NOS. 23 AND 24, EN BLOC tives. Given the ongoing need to work DESIGNATING CERTAIN LAND AS Before concluding, I wish to take closely with the states on water re- COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL care of a few administrative matters. source issues, I believe it important as WILDERNESS PRESERVATION The unanimous consent agreement for chairman of the Energy and Natural SYSTEM the bill today allows for the adoption Resources Committee for myself, and of managers’ amendments if they have the new ranking member of the Com- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- been cleared by the managers and lead- mittee, to acknowledge the hard work pore. Under the previous order, the ers on both sides. We have two such of representatives from the Colorado Senate shall resume consideration of S. amendments which are at the desk. I River Basin States of New Mexico, Col- 22, which the clerk will report by title. understand they have been cleared by orado, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Ne- The assistant legislative clerk read all my colleagues. These amendments vada, and California, in reaching agree- as follows: make a number of technical, clerical, ment regarding certain provisions in A bill (S. 22) to designate certain land as and clarifying corrections. title X, subtitle B of S. 22, which con- components of the National Wilderness Pres- At this time I ask unanimous con- tains the Northwestern New Mexico ervation System, to authorize certain pro- sent to call up those two amendments Rural Water Projects Act, hereafter re- grams and activities in the Department of ferred to as the ‘‘Act’’. the Interior and the Department of Agri- and have them considered and adopted culture, and for other purposes. en bloc, as provided for in the unani- On August 27, 2008, the Governors’ representatives on Colorado River Op- Pending: mous consent agreement. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- erations sent a letter to me and Sen- Reid amendment No. 15, to change the en- pore. Without objection, it is so or- ator DOMENICI, then the ranking mem- actment date. ber of the committee, requesting cer- Reid amendment No. 16 (to Reid amend- dered. ment No. 15), of a perfecting nature. Under the previous order, the pend- tain modifications to the Northwestern Motion to commit the bill to the Com- ing amendments are withdrawn. New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act. mittee on Energy and Natural Resources, The clerk will report the managers’ These modifications, which were subse- with instructions to report back forthwith, amendments en bloc. quently incorporated, reflect the joint VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:16 Jan 16, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G15JA6.015 S15JAPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE S420 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 15, 2009 consideration, input, and under- directs that Project diversions for use within delivery contract for the physical delivery and standings of the Governors’ representa- New Mexico will be accounted as part of the diversion of water via the Project from the San tives from the Basin States concerning State of New Mexico’s Upper Basin alloca- Juan River system to supply uses in the State of the act and how it relates to the inter- tion of Colorado River water. Pursuant to Arizona. the attached, recommended modifications, S. (2) ACCOUNTING OF USES IN ARIZONA.—Pur- state compacts for the Colorado River 1171/S. 3213 would also direct that Project di- suant to paragraph (1) and notwithstanding system. I want to congratulate the rep- versions for use in Arizona be accounted as any other provision of law, water may be di- resentatives on reaching agreement re- either part of the State of Arizona’s Upper verted by the Project from the San Juan River in garding what I recognize are com- Basin or Lower Basin allocation of Colorado the State of New Mexico in accordance with an plicated legal and operational issues River water, provided that any Lower Basin appropriate permit issued under New Mexico associated with the Colorado River. accounting of such water would occur only law for use in the State of Arizona within the Ms. MURKOWSKI. I join with the under specific conditions as set forth in the Navajo Reservation in the Lower Basin; pro- recommended modifications.