E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 154 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 No. 150 Senate (Legislative day of Wednesday, September 17, 2008) The Senate met at 3 p.m., on the ex- U.S. SENATE, UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY piration of the recess, and was called to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, BILL NELSON, of Florida, to be a Rep- order by the Honorable JIM WEBB, a Washington, DC, September 22, 2008. resentative of the United States of America To the Senate: to the Sixty-third Session of the General As- Senator from the Commonwealth of Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, Virginia. sembly of the United Nations. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby BOB CORKER, of Tennessee, to be a Rep- appoint the Honorable JIM WEBB, a Senator resentative of the United States of America PRAYER from the Commonwealth of Virginia, to per- to the Sixty-third Session of the General As- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- form the duties of the Chair. sembly of the United Nations. fered the following prayer: ROBERT C. BYRD, President pro tempore. f Let us pray. Almighty God, sovereign Lord of the Mr. WEBB thereupon assumed the LEGISLATIVE SESSION chair as Acting President pro tempore. universe, limitless, timeless, in whom The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- resides all wisdom and power, remind f pore. Under the previous order, the our Senators today that they have RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY Senate will now return to legislative nothing to fear about the future when LEADER session. they remember how You have led us in The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- f the past. Energize their memories to pore. The majority leader is recog- remember the dangers, toils, and nized. SCHEDULE snares over which You have brought f Mr. REID. Mr. President, following our Nation and world so that Your leader remarks, the Senate will pro- EXECUTIVE SESSION peace will guard their hearts. Lord, ceed to a period for the transaction of may they never forget that the gal- morning business, with Senators per- axies belong to You and the fullness DISCHARGED NOMINATIONS mitted to speak for up to 10 minutes thereof, the world, and they who dwell each. As previously announced, there therein. Teach them the wisdom of Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unan- imous consent that the Senate proceed will be no rollcall votes today. seeking You so that they will fulfill Last week, we were able to reach an Your purposes for their lives. to executive session and that the Sen- ate Foreign Relations Committee be agreement to consider H.R. 6049, the We pray in the Name of Him who is tax extenders legislation. Following the author and finisher of our faith. discharged from the following, and the Senate proceed to their consideration, morning business tomorrow, the Sen- Amen. ate will consider three amendments to en bloc: PN2053, Senator BILL NELSON, f to be a Representative of the United the bill, with limited debate and votes in relation to the amendments. Sen- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE States to the 63rd Session of the Gen- eral Assembly of the United Nations, ators should expect the first amend- The Honorable JIM WEBB led the and PN2054, Senator BOB CORKER of ment vote to occur prior to the caucus Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Tennessee, to be a Representative of lunches and the remaining votes in the I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the the United States to the 63rd Session of afternoon. One of the things to con- United States of America, and to the Repub- the General Assembly of the United sider now is maybe not having morning lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Nations; that the nominations be con- business tomorrow to move this along indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. firmed and the motions to reconsider more rapidly. f be laid upon the table, en bloc; that the The Republican leader is seeking rec- President be immediately notified of ognition, and when he finishes, I will APPOINTMENT OF ACTING the Senate’s action; that no other mo- give a few remarks. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE tion be in order; and that the Senate f The PRESIDING OFFICER. The resume legislative session. clerk will please read a communication The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY to the Senate from the President pro pore. Without objection, it is so or- LEADER tempore (Mr. BYRD). dered. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- The legislative clerk read the fol- The nominations considered and con- pore. The Republican leader is recog- lowing letter: firmed are as follows: nized. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S9169 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:44 Dec 04, 2008 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\RECFILES\S22SE8.REC S22SE8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE S9170 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 22, 2008 MAIN STREET RESCUE PLAN alike, to contain this crisis before it is out the colors. The couple saved up Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, too late. their money until they could build a when there is a fire in your kitchen I am confident that we can work to- home of their dreams. Jane has planted threatening to burn down your home, gether. The American people are count- a white dogwood tree now at the house you don’t want someone stopping the ing on us. Let’s not disappoint them. in Tommy’s memory. firefighters on the way and demanding f In that house, Tommy turned the ga- they hand out smoke detectors first or HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES rage into what Jane calls his ‘‘war lecturing you about the hazards of room,’’ where he put up pictures of bat- keeping paint in the basement. You MASTER SERGEANT THOMAS L. BRUNER tles from the Revolutionary War to Op- want them to put out the fire before it Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I eration Enduring Freedom. It was his burns down your home and everything rise today to pay tribute to one of Ken- little getaway, and Jane has left it just you have saved for your whole life. tucky’s great heroes in uniform. MSG as it was. The same is true of our current eco- Thomas L. Bruner of Owensboro, KY, Tommy was a veteran soldier, having nomic situation. We know there is a se- was tragically lost while serving his served on Active Duty from 1975 to 1979 rious threat to our economy. We know country in Afghanistan on October 28, and then joined the Army Reserves in we must take action to try to head off 2007. A proud member of the Army Re- 1981. He volunteered to serve in Af- a serious blow to Main Street. serves for many years, he was 50 years ghanistan because he wanted to help Over the weekend, Congress received old. train the younger soldiers and was de- a straightforward four-page Main For his valor in uniform, Master Ser- ployed with Headquarters, 2nd Brigade, Street rescue plan aimed at protecting geant Bruner received several medals, 100th Division, U.S. Army Reserve, millions of American families and decorations, and awards, including the based out of Owensboro, KY. ‘‘He want- small businesses from the potentially Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint ed to go, and I said, ‘There’s no way devastating effects of a credit melt- Service Commendation Medal, two I’m going to stop you from doing what down. We are told that inaction could Army Commendation Medals, two you want to do,’ ’’ Jane says. ‘‘He was make it impossible for ordinary Ameri- Army Achievement Medals, the Army just a soldier doing his job, and he cans to take out loans for college tui- Good Conduct Medal, the National De- loved it.’’ tion, cars, new homes, and everything fense Service Medal with two Bronze Jane also recalls that Tommy said he else, triggering a corresponding col- Service Stars, and two Armed Forces loved it in Afghanistan. He thought the lapse in manufacturing and services Reserve Medals with ‘‘M’’ device. country was beautiful, and he was try- that could wipe out savings and lead to Those who knew him will remember ing to learn the language. He told Jane massive job losses. The final cost of the Master Sergeant Bruner—or, as friends the mission in Afghanistan was the plan is unclear, but the potential con- called him, ‘‘Tommy’’—as a family highlight of his career. man. ‘‘Family was first to him,’’ says sequences of inaction are not. Patrick Rowe, the training coordi- his brother, Robert Bruner. ‘‘It was all This proposal was designed to con- nator at the Owensboro Army Reserve the time family, family, family, every- tain a spreading crisis, and urgent ac- Center, recalls Tommy’s bond with his where he went.’’ tion is needed. That is why Repub- fellow soldiers. ‘‘He knew his guys,’’ He was devoted to his wife Jane licans have resisted the impulse to try Patrick said. ‘‘You could ask him any- Bruner, to whom he was married for 27 to add permanent tax relief and other thing about anybody.’’ aid to families and businesses that we years. They met in a club where she served bar. Night after night, he would At home, Tommy attended Our Lady believe is critical to the long-term of Lourdes Catholic Church and worked health of our Nation’s economy.