22912 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 18 December 7, 2006 SENATE—Thursday, December 7, 2006 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was to invoke cloture on the nomination of give the American people the freedom called to order by the President pro the FDA Commissioner, Andrew von to invest their money as they choose, tempore (Mr. STEVENS). Eschenbach. Senators can expect to the economy is going to flourish. It is have this vote around 10:30 to 10:45 this going to have more freedom to grow. PRAYER morning, following the 1 hour for de- At the end of the day, I believe good The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- bate. As I mentioned yesterday morn- leaders don’t talk about principles— fered the following prayer: ing, this is a very important position, don’t talk about them—but good lead- Let us pray. and to have this confirmation finally ers lead on principle. They act, and Eternal Lord God, our stronghold in being accomplished will be a great they act with solutions, even if they times of trouble, bless today our Sen- achievement for this Congress. don’t know that the outcome is going ators. Lord, 65 years ago, America ex- Once cloture has been invoked, we to be 100-percent successful every time perienced a day of infamy. As we re- will try to schedule that vote on con- a bill is taken to the floor. member Pearl Harbor, our hearts turn firmation early in the day. There are I think that is one of the things that toward the men and women of our several critical items the Senate must at least I tried to do, is not say let’s Armed Forces and their families. act on before we adjourn sine die, and only take to the floor what will nec- Thank You for their investment in therefore Senators should adjust their essarily pass but what is the right freedom and their sacrifices for our lib- travel plans to be here voting over the thing to do, on principle; what is the erties. Comfort those who mourn and coming days. right thing for us to be considering. those who bear the scars of battle. Be a I will be working with colleagues on During my tenure in public office, it companion to those who must stare at both sides of the aisle to wrap up our is what I tried to do, to lead on prin- an empty chair during this holiday sea- business for the Congress, and I appre- ciple and act with solutions. It does son. Defend those in harm’s way with ciate Senators’ willingness to work to- come from that surgical approach of Your heavenly grace, and give them gether on a number of legislative and fixing things, of operating, of action. courage to face perils with trust in executive matters. For example . for 10 years, we You. Give them a sense of Your abiding RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER grappled with the issue of Internet presence, wherever they may be. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The gambling. We watched the industry We pray in Your sovereign Name. mushroom from a $30 million industry Amen. minority leader is recognized. MOVING THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA in 1996 to a $12 billion industry today. f Mr. REID. Mr. President, Andrew von We watched an addiction undermine PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Eschenbach is cleared on this side, so families, dash dreams, and fray the fab- The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the as far as we are concerned there is no ric of a moral society. So we acted with a solution . by Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: need for a cloture vote. We look for- passing the Internet Gambling Prohibi- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ward to working with the distinguished United States of America, and to the Repub- majority leader today, maybe tomor- tion and Enforcement Act to provide lic for which it stands, one nation under God, row, maybe Saturday, to try to get as new enforcement tools to prosecute il- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. much cooperation out of Senators as legal Internet gambling. Let me give you a few more recent f possible. I know the finance folks have examples of how we have led on prin- RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME worked long and hard to try to come up with something that is very impor- ciple, and acted with solutions. We passed the Adam Walsh Child The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under tant for the country. We will continue the previous order, the leadership time Protection and Safety Act . which to monitor that and do everything we is reserved. creates a national sex offender reg- can as we try to move this legislative istry, strengthens measures to prevent f agenda forward. child pornography, and reinforces laws EXECUTIVE SESSION PROTECTING AMERICAN VALUES against child porn. Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will be We passed the Trafficking Victims very brief. I want to speak on another NOMINATION OF ANDREW VON Protection Reauthorization Act, which matter. I know we want to get to the renewed the first federal law to ESCHENBACH TO BE COMMIS- hour of pre-vote time here shortly. SIONER OF FOOD AND DRUGS, strengthen prosecution efforts against Hopefully, tomorrow will officially human traffickers. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND end the 109th Congress. At the end of HUMAN SERVICES We passed legislation securing the the day tomorrow, if we do our work right to prayer in U.S. military acad- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under today successfully, and tonight, the emies. the previous order, the Senate will pro- Senate will be able to adjourn. That We passed legislation protecting the ceed to executive session to consider will also mark, once we adjourn, this Mount Soledad Memorial Cross. the nomination of Andrew von official change in leadership and We passed the Broadcast Decency En- Eschenbach, of Texas, which the clerk change in the Senate agenda. I know forcement Act, which allows for the 10- will report. many of my colleagues and many of my fold increase of FCC fines for indecency The legislative clerk read the nomi- conservative allies view this change violations. nation of Andrew von Eschenbach to be with a bit of trepidation, but change is We passed Cord blood legislation that Commissioner of Food and Drugs, De- good, change is constructive. It can be harnesses the power of stem cells in partment of Health and Human Serv- difficult, it can be painful, and it can cord blood to develop new cures for ices. be messy, but change forces us all to life-threatening diseases. RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER reexamine who we are, where we are, We passed the Fetus Farming Prohi- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The and where we want to go; what we bition Act, which prohibits the gesta- majority leader is recognized. know, what we believe. tion of fetal tissue in order to use it for SCHEDULE I believe it is our responsibility to research. Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this morn- protect traditional, commonsense We passed the Stem Cell Research Al- ing the Senate will vote on the motion American values. I believe when we ternatives bill, which provides federal ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Nov 24 2008 09:34 Jan 27, 2010 Jkt 049102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR06\S07DE6.000 S07DE6 cprice-sewell on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BOUND RECORD December 7, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 18 22913 funding for a variety of stem cell re- brought that perspective, and the com- partner in these efforts. Dr. von search that do not involve destroying passion that goes with it, to his Gov- Eschenbach has received significant human embryos. ernment service. He gave up a job he support from the HELP Committee. And perhaps most notably . we loved, a challenging but rewarding post This man could serve patients in many confirmed John Roberts Chief Justice directing the National Cancer Insti- different ways, and has offered to serve of the Supreme Court . and Samuel tute, to offer his service for what I be- them by running this critically impor- Alito as an associate Justice of the Su- lieve is a much more challenging and tant agency. I am talking about a doc- preme Court. definitely thankless job of leading the tor with cancer expertise, management We confirmed 18 Circuit court nomi- FDA. expertise, and vision, who has agreed nees and 87 District court judges, in- The FDA has been without a con- to run this agency at what we pay be- cluding six previously obstructed nomi- firmed Commissioner for all but 18 cause he wants to give back to his nees. America needs judges who are months of the last 51⁄2 years. Have you country. fair, independent, unbiased, and com- ever seen a business that can run for I urge my colleagues who are not on mitted to equal justice under the law 51⁄2 years without a boss except for 18 our committee to give Dr. von . and we made sure that’s what months? And that was a tenuous 18 Eschenbach a chance to effectively run America got. months. I believe we can all agree that the FDA with full statutory authority, Over the past 12 years, what Repub- we need a strong leader at the FDA so I urge my colleagues to accept the licans have done has changed our econ- now, and one who has a mandate to President’s nominee, Dr.