Jeff Bingaman

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 1369, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in the State of Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes; S. 1405, to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic Site, Massachusetts, as the ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site''; S. 1413, to amend the Adams National Historical Park Act of 1998 to include the Quincy Homestead within the boundary of the Adams National Historical Park, and for other purposes; S. 1767 and H.R. 1121, to authorize a land exchange to acquire land for the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and for other purposes; S. Res. 275, honoring the Minute Man National Historical Park on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; H.R. 2802, to provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams and his legacy, and for other purposes; and H.R. 3113, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Elk River in the State of West Virginia for study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to allison_seyferth@energy.senate .gov. For further information, please contact David Brooks at (202) 224- 9863 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the hearing before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests to receive testimony on managing Federal forests in response to climate change, including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration has been rescheduled. The rescheduled hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to: allison_seyferth@energy.senate .gov. For further information, please contact Scott Miller at (202) 224- 5488 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on the role of natural gas in mitigating climate change. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Rosemarie_Calabro@energy.senate.gov For further information, please contact Kevin Rennert at (202) 224- 7826, or Deborah Estes at (202) 224-5360 or Rosemarie Calabro at (202) 224-5039.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on National Parks. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the current and expected impacts of climate change on units of the National Park System. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to allison_seyferth@energy.senate .gov. For further information, please contact Sara Tucker at (202) 224-6224 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 555, to provide for the exchange of certain land located in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes; S. 607, to amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 to clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture regarding additional recreational uses of National Forest System land that are subject to ski area permits, and for other purposes; S. 721, to expand the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the State of Washington, to designate the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and Pratt River as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes; S. 1122, to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State foresters authorizing State foresters to provide certain forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection services; S. 1328 and H.R. 689, to interchange the administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal lands between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, and for other purposes; S. 1442, to amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to expand the authorization of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior to provide service-learning opportunities on public lands, establish a grant program for Indian Youth Service Corps, help restore the Nation's natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, and scenic resources, train a new generation of public land managers and enthusiasts, and promote the value of public service; and H.R. 129, to authorize the conveyance of certain National Forest System lands in the Los Padres National Forest in California. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to allison_seyferth@energy.senate .gov. For further information, please contact Scott Miller at (202) 224- 5488 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at 9:45 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on the costs and benefits for energy consumers and energy prices associated with the allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Gina_Weinstock@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Jonathan Black at (202) 224- 6722 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684. committee on energy and natural resources

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a business meeting has been scheduled before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The business meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at 11:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the business meeting is to consider pending nominations. For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, under paragraph 9 of rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I am here by submitting a description of Senate amendment No. 2605 that was accepted by unanimous consent to H.R. 3326 as follows: Item: Additional User Evaluation and System Study for Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) Request Amount: $5.0M. Requestor: Boeing Corporation Address: Boeing--SVS, 4411 The 25 Way NE #350, Albuquerque, NM 87109- 5858 Suggested Location of Performance (major portion of the work): Albuquerque, NM. Senate amendment No. 2605 proposes to allocate up to $5 million consistent with the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board report entitled ``The Airborne Tactical Laser (ATL) Feasibility for Gunship Operations'' to conduct additional enhanced user evaluation of the ATL and enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to conduct a system analysis of integrating solid state laser systems onto C-130, B-1, and F-35 platforms for the purpose of close air support. Such system study shall estimate per unit costs of such laser systems as well costs to operate and maintain each platform with the laser system. Why Spending is in Interest to the Taxpayer: The Air Force Scientific Advisory Board report entitled ``The Airborne Tactical Laser (ATL) Feasibility for Gunship Operations'' made a number of recommendations regarding the advanced tactical laser. In addition to phasing out the ATL chemical laser system and transitioning to an electric laser system, the board recommended that additional enhanced user evaluations take place of the integrated laser-gunship system so that the most data possible can be collected of the funds spent to date on operational aspects of the tactical laser system regardless of laser characteristics. In addition, the board questioned the utility of placing tactical laser systems on high-speed platforms such as the F-35 and B-1, which were not designed for low speed, long-loiter close air support missions and recommended a system study of the available platforms to understand the cost per unit of integrating the laser onto each platform as well as long-term operations and maintenance costs with each integrated system. Senate amendment No. 2605 carries out the recommendations of the board to get the best benefit of the taxpayer's dollar spent to date and into the future on tactical laser systems under development by the Air Force. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter dated October 7, 2009.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, previously announced for October 1st, has been rescheduled and will now be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at 10 a.m. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on Energy and Related Economic Effects of Global Climate Change Legislation. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Gina_Weinstock@energy.senate.gov For further information, please contact Jonathan Black at (202) 224- 6722 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a business meeting has been scheduled before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The business meeting will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, immediately preceding the full committee hearing. The purpose of the business meeting is to consider pending nominations. For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 10 a.m., in room SE-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the nominations of Marcia K. McNutt, to be Director of the United States Geological Survey, and Arun Majumdar, to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy, Department of Energy. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Amanda_kelly@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Sam Fowler at (202) 224-7571 or Amanda Kelly at (202) 224-6836.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing previously announced for Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 9:45 p.m., is postponed until a later date. The purpose of the hearing was to receive testimony on Energy and Related Economic Effects of Global Climate Change Legislation. For further information, please contact Jonathan Black at (202) 224- 6722 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684. subcommittee on public lands and forests

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing previously announced before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., is postponed until a later date. The purpose of the hearing was to receive testimony on managing Federal forests in response to climate change, including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration. For further information, please contact Scott Miller at (202) 224- 5488 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on the following bills: S. 522, to resolve the claims of the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska to land adjacent to Salmon Lake in the State of Alaska and to provide for the conveyance to the Bering Straits Native Corporation of certain other public land in partial satisfaction of the land entitlement of the Corporation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; S. 865 and H.R. 1442, to provide for the sale of the Federal Government's reversionary interest in approximately 60 acres of land in Salt Lake City, Utah, originally conveyed to the Mount Olivet Cemetery Association under the Act of January 23, 1909; S. 881, to provide for the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and for other purposes; S. 940, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Nevada System of Higher Education certain Federal land located in Clark and Nye counties, Nevada, and for other purposes; S. 1272, to provide for the designation of the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Area in the State of Oregon, to designate segments of Wasson and Franklin Creeks in the State of Oregon as wild or recreation rivers, and for other purposes; and S. 1689, to designate certain land as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System and the National Landscape Conservation System in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to allison_seyferth@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact David Brooks at (202) 224- 9863 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today, along with Senators Reid, Dodd, Murray, Reed, Brown, Casey, Merkley, and Franken, to introduce the Graduation Promise Act of 2009, or GPA. This bill would create Federal-State-local partnerships to improve this nation's graduation rates, and to help transform our lowest-performing high schools. Twenty years ago, the Nation's governors met with the first President Bush in Charlottesville, Virginia, for a groundbreaking education summit. They agreed to set high expectations for education for the coming decade, including an increase in the national high school graduation rate to 90 percent by the year 2000. Today, we are not even close to achieving that goal. Indeed, the Nation's high school graduation rate has stagnated at around 70 percent. Graduation rates for students of color are even lower. In my own home state of New Mexico, the graduation rate is only 54 percent. Yet Federal education policy and funding have focused primarily upon elementary and postsecondary education. Only about 8 percent of all Title I dollars go to high schools. The economic cost of the high school dropout crisis is significant. According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, if the students who dropped out of the Class of 2009 had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from nearly $335 billion in additional income over the course of these students' lifetimes. Failing to address the nation's dropout crisis fails our students and our country because too few young Americans are prepared to enter the workforce, which harms our economy and our standing in the world. If we don't improve our graduation rates, we will lose our competitive edge. But low graduation rates are only one broad indicator of the crisis affecting our Nation's high schools. Even if a student makes it to graduation, only a third of all students who enter the 9th grade will graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college or the modern workplace. They are not receiving the kind of quality education that permits a seamless transition to a job or postsecondary education. Fortunately, research is available to help us better understand the factors behind low graduation rates and poor student performance in high school. We can use research-based tools to identify the high schools that are producing the majority of dropouts across the country. These high schools, roughly 2,000 in all, or 15 percent of all high schools, have persistently low rates of grade promotion and graduation. If you look at the typical senior class at one of these high schools, it will have decreased in size by at least 40 percent since these students entered the school 4 years earlier. Research has also shed light on the specific risk factors that predict who will drop out of high school. We can identify future dropouts with a high degree of certainty by looking at such predictors as course failure, poor attendance, behavior problems, and retention in earlier grades. Students who enter high school significantly lagging behind in their academics and who show clear signs of disengagement are likely to drop out unless additional supports are put in place. Research-based solutions, with solid evidence of success, are transforming high schools with low graduation rates. Restructuring schools into smaller, more personalized learning environments ensures that students become engaged from the time they enter 9th grade. Sustained efforts to boost attendance ensure that they don't fall further behind. Partnerships with community-based and education organizations help facilitate successful school transformations. Schools that have combined these efforts with high-quality curriculum and instructional improvements have been successful in improving student achievement and increasing graduation rates: transitional math and English to 9th graders helps them catch up; challenging curricula and tangible, contextual applications of learning rekindle their interest; and teaching teams and professional development targeted to the needs of the school bolster teachers' effectiveness in identifying, managing, and engaging students at risk of dropping out. In combination, these interventions are proven to improve student achievement and increase graduation rates. In essence, we know which schools have the highest dropout rates; we know the risk factors that predict to a high degree of certainty which students will drop out; and we know which sets of interventions work to turn around failing schools and failing students. The task before us is to partner with states and local school districts to enhance and expand these efforts. By appropriately extending its education focus to include the needs of students in middle and high schools, the Federal Government can move the nation from ``no child left behind'' to ``every student a graduate.'' To meet this critical goal, I am introducing, along with my colleagues Senators Reid, Dodd, Murray, Reed, Brown, Casey, Merkley, and Franken, the Graduation Promise Act of 2009. The Graduation Promise Act will help build state and local capacity for secondary school improvement by providing states and local school districts with resources to identify and target high schools with the greatest needs. GPA recognizes that high school reform needs to start with experts on the ground--in the states and local districts where struggling high schools exist. It also recognizes that reform efforts must be targeted to address the unique challenges each school faces in raising achievement and graduation levels. As such, GPA would provide resources to states to establish differentiated high school improvement systems and ensure that locally-driven school improvement actions are based upon the amount and type of supports necessary to turn such schools around. In order to be eligible to receive funds to implement these school improvement plans, local school districts would work with the school improvement teams to assess the capacity of the high school to implement the plan, as well as identify the existing resources available to the district and the school. These assessments would be used to determine the amount of resources and technical assistance needed to successfully implement the high school improvement plan. GPA also emphasizes transparency and accountability. Both state applications and local school improvement plans would be subject to a rigorous peer-review process. Schools needing targeted interventions, whole school reform, or replacement would be required to meet measurable and meaningful benchmarks of improvement. The cost of raising student performance and graduation rates at our chronically underperforming high schools is considerable, yet it is a necessary investment in our Nation's future economic strength. The Graduation Promise Act authorizes $2.5 billion per year to meet this challenge, with the bulk of funding directed to states and local school districts to help turn around the high schools with the lowest student achievement and lowest graduation rates. I submit that we cannot afford to let struggling high schools continue to push students off the path to prosperity. We must ensure the continued prosperity of our country by promising each high school student a chance to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue their dreams and succeed. I want to thank my Senate cosponsors for their commitment to improving high schools and increasing graduation rates in this country, and I am pleased to be working with them and other Senate colleagues on this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today, along with Senators Reid, Dodd, Murray, Reed, Brown, Casey, Merkley, and Franken, to introduce the Graduation Promise Act of 2009, or GPA. This bill would create Federal-State-local partnerships to improve this nation's graduation rates, and to help transform our lowest-performing high schools. Twenty years ago, the Nation's governors met with the first President Bush in Charlottesville, Virginia, for a groundbreaking education summit. They agreed to set high expectations for education for the coming decade, including an increase in the national high school graduation rate to 90 percent by the year 2000. Today, we are not even close to achieving that goal. Indeed, the Nation's high school graduation rate has stagnated at around 70 percent. Graduation rates for students of color are even lower. In my own home state of New Mexico, the graduation rate is only 54 percent. Yet Federal education policy and funding have focused primarily upon elementary and postsecondary education. Only about 8 percent of all Title I dollars go to high schools. The economic cost of the high school dropout crisis is significant. According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, if the students who dropped out of the Class of 2009 had graduated, the nation's economy would have benefited from nearly $335 billion in additional income over the course of these students' lifetimes. Failing to address the nation's dropout crisis fails our students and our country because too few young Americans are prepared to enter the workforce, which harms our economy and our standing in the world. If we don't improve our graduation rates, we will lose our competitive edge. But low graduation rates are only one broad indicator of the crisis affecting our Nation's high schools. Even if a student makes it to graduation, only a third of all students who enter the 9th grade will graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college or the modern workplace. They are not receiving the kind of quality education that permits a seamless transition to a job or postsecondary education. Fortunately, research is available to help us better understand the factors behind low graduation rates and poor student performance in high school. We can use research-based tools to identify the high schools that are producing the majority of dropouts across the country. These high schools, roughly 2,000 in all, or 15 percent of all high schools, have persistently low rates of grade promotion and graduation. If you look at the typical senior class at one of these high schools, it will have decreased in size by at least 40 percent since these students entered the school 4 years earlier. Research has also shed light on the specific risk factors that predict who will drop out of high school. We can identify future dropouts with a high degree of certainty by looking at such predictors as course failure, poor attendance, behavior problems, and retention in earlier grades. Students who enter high school significantly lagging behind in their academics and who show clear signs of disengagement are likely to drop out unless additional supports are put in place. Research-based solutions, with solid evidence of success, are transforming high schools with low graduation rates. Restructuring schools into smaller, more personalized learning environments ensures that students become engaged from the time they enter 9th grade. Sustained efforts to boost attendance ensure that they don't fall further behind. Partnerships with community-based and education organizations help facilitate successful school transformations. Schools that have combined these efforts with high-quality curriculum and instructional improvements have been successful in improving student achievement and increasing graduation rates: transitional math and English to 9th graders helps them catch up; challenging curricula and tangible, contextual applications of learning rekindle their interest; and teaching teams and professional development targeted to the needs of the school bolster teachers' effectiveness in identifying, managing, and engaging students at risk of dropping out. In combination, these interventions are proven to improve student achievement and increase graduation rates. In essence, we know which schools have the highest dropout rates; we know the risk factors that predict to a high degree of certainty which students will drop out; and we know which sets of interventions work to turn around failing schools and failing students. The task before us is to partner with states and local school districts to enhance and expand these efforts. By appropriately extending its education focus to include the needs of students in middle and high schools, the Federal Government can move the nation from ``no child left behind'' to ``every student a graduate.'' To meet this critical goal, I am introducing, along with my colleagues Senators Reid, Dodd, Murray, Reed, Brown, Casey, Merkley, and Franken, the Graduation Promise Act of 2009. The Graduation Promise Act will help build state and local capacity for secondary school improvement by providing states and local school districts with resources to identify and target high schools with the greatest needs. GPA recognizes that high school reform needs to start with experts on the ground--in the states and local districts where struggling high schools exist. It also recognizes that reform efforts must be targeted to address the unique challenges each school faces in raising achievement and graduation levels. As such, GPA would provide resources to states to establish differentiated high school improvement systems and ensure that locally-driven school improvement actions are based upon the amount and type of supports necessary to turn such schools around. In order to be eligible to receive funds to implement these school improvement plans, local school districts would work with the school improvement teams to assess the capacity of the high school to implement the plan, as well as identify the existing resources available to the district and the school. These assessments would be used to determine the amount of resources and technical assistance needed to successfully implement the high school improvement plan. GPA also emphasizes transparency and accountability. Both state applications and local school improvement plans would be subject to a rigorous peer-review process. Schools needing targeted interventions, whole school reform, or replacement would be required to meet measurable and meaningful benchmarks of improvement. The cost of raising student performance and graduation rates at our chronically underperforming high schools is considerable, yet it is a necessary investment in our Nation's future economic strength. The Graduation Promise Act authorizes $2.5 billion per year to meet this challenge, with the bulk of funding directed to states and local school districts to help turn around the high schools with the lowest student achievement and lowest graduation rates. I submit that we cannot afford to let struggling high schools continue to push students off the path to prosperity. We must ensure the continued prosperity of our country by promising each high school student a chance to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue their dreams and succeed. I want to thank my Senate cosponsors for their commitment to improving high schools and increasing graduation rates in this country, and I am pleased to be working with them and other Senate colleagues on this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing previously announced for September 17, 2009, has been rescheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will now be held on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 9:45 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on Energy and Related Economic Effects of Global Climate Change Legislation. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Gina_Weinstock@energy. senate.gov. For further information, please contact Jonathan Black at (202) 224- 6722 or Gina Weinstock at (202) 224-5684.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I realize we are not on the Interior appropriations bill at this point; we are in morning business, but I wanted to speak briefly about three amendments I plan to offer, when we do go on the Interior appropriations bill, and to alert colleagues about those amendments and, hopefully, persuade them that they are meritorious. The first amendment incorporates the key provisions of the FLAME Act, which establishes a separate appropriations account to fund Federal emergency wildfire suppression costs in an effort to initiate a more sustainable effort for funding Federal firefighting activities. We have seen a dramatic growth in the number, the size, and the severity of wildfires in recent years. The trend and the number of acres burned by wildfires each year has tripled over the last 25 years, exceeding 8 million acres in 4 of the last 5 years. While the agencies consistently have put out about 98 percent of the fires quickly and inexpensively, we have seen many fires that have been so extreme it takes weeks and months of effort and many millions of dollars to get those fires under control. The recent Station fire in southern California is one example. It is now nearly 4 weeks since that fire started. It has burned more than 160,000 acres. It still is not 100 percent contained. At times, there have been over 5,000 personnel assigned to the fire. Fire crews have built more than 130 miles of fire line, with the support of more than two dozen helicopters and airplanes, hundreds of fire engines, and more than 65 bulldozers. The pricetag for these efforts is more than $85 million and still counting. The Forest Service's costs for fighting wildfires have increased sevenfold over the last 20 years. Yet we still budget for wildfires the same way we did 20 years ago. We take the average of the previous 10 years of fire suppression costs out of the agencies' budgets, and we make that their standard appropriation for each year. Back then, wildfire management accounted for less than 20 percent of the Forest Service's budget. That was 20 years ago. Today, wildfire management accounts for 50 percent of the Forest Service's budget. Not surprisingly, the Forest Service has exceeded that budget every year for more than a decade--as it is mathematically guaranteed to do with the wildfire trends we have seen. As a result, the agencies have had to borrow and to steal literally billions of dollars from other programs--such as recreation and grazing and wildlife and even fuels reduction--to pay for emergency wildfire suppression. In sum, our wildfire budgeting practices are broken, and they are steadily breaking the Forest Service and the communities and businesses and natural resources that the Forest Service is committed to serving. These troubling trends are only expected to get worse as a result of continuing climate change and population growth in and around our national forests. The amendment I plan to offer seeks to establish a new paradigm for funding Federal wildfire suppression activities. Under the amendment, the agencies would continue to rely on their regular appropriations accounts to fund their routine wildfire suppression costs; that is, the approximately 98 percent of fires they can either swiftly put out or can manage for a resource benefit. But when they end up battling a large and extreme wildfire--such as the fire in southern California-- they could access a new emergency account to cover the exorbitant costs of fighting those kinds of fires. If funded as intended, the new emergency account would ensure Congress would not have to raid the rest of the agencies' budgets to make appropriations for wildfire suppression. It also would ensure that the agencies would no longer have to steal funds from the other programs for which Congress has proposed funding in order to pay for unbudgeted costs of fighting the massive fires that require an emergency response. Thanks to the leadership of the administration, Senator Feinstein, and the Appropriations Committee, for the first time in many years, the underlying bill would provide an appropriate amount of money for wildfire suppression. As a result, the amendment I am offering merely shifts money into a new emergency account. It does not result in any increase in spending. The amendment will be cosponsored by a number of other Members. I appreciate their support, as well as support of many dozens of interest groups. I would also like to mention that the FLAME Act passed the House of Representatives in March by a vote of 412 to 3. So I believe this is a proposal that has broad support on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of Capitol Hill. The second amendment I plan to offer simply provides for the funds that are already allocated to the Forest Landscape Restoration Act to be deposited in the special fund that was established to carry out that act. This amendment also will be cosponsored by a number of other Members. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Chairman Feinstein, who coauthored the Forest Landscape Restoration Act with me, and Senator Domenici and Ranking Member Alexander for including funding for this important program. Finally, Senator Murkowski and I plan to offer an amendment that would make two technical improvements to the National Forest Foundation Act. Again, I hope these amendments will be adopted. I appreciate the consideration of the two managers of the bill for these three amendments. Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Michael Gauthier, a National Park Service fellow working on the staff of our Committee on Energy and National Resources this year, be granted the privilege of the floor today and for the remainder of the Senate's consideration of H.R. 2996.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today with my colleague Senator Tom Udall to introduce the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act. This legislation will designate approximately 259,000 acres of wilderness in Dona Ana County, including the iconic Organ Mountains that overlook the City of Las Cruces. The legislation will also establish two Conservation Areas in Dona Ana County--the 86,600- acre Organ Mountains National Conservation Area on the east side of Las Cruces, and the 75,600-acre Desert Peaks National Conservation Area to the west, which adjoins the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument to its south. The Organ Mountains are among the many scenic landscapes in Dona Ana County that define Southern New Mexico and the rich culture of its people. In addition to protecting the viewshed of the Organ Mountains from future development, this proposal seeks to preserve other important landscapes such as the Dana Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and the ancient volcanic cinder cones and grasslands of the Potrillo Mountains. Many visitors also come to explore the caves, limestone cliffs, and winding canyons of the proposed Desert Peaks National Conservation Area. While the public lands protected by this bill are important for their scenic and recreational values, they also represent a valuable economic resource for county residents, through ranching, hunting, and tourism that takes place here. This proposal will preserve healthy habitat for game and sensitive species; quality grazing land; and cultural resources like petroglyphs and historical features. Even those who may never visit these areas will benefit from their protection by consuming the clean water that these major watersheds provide to the people living in the valleys below. This proposal is the culmination of over 2 years of consensus building accomplished by listening to input from a broad spectrum of the community. As a result, the proposal that has been developed meets the goals of conserving our treasured landscapes in Dona Ana County while addressing the valid concerns raised by frequent users of our public lands. I would like to take a moment to mention a couple of important changes we have made to the bill based on the input we received from the community to address both border security concerns as well as access issues for the ranchers who graze cattle in the region. Dona Ana County shares its southern border with Mexico, and national security issues are always an important factor to consider in any legislation that involves border counties. For example, currently the West Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Study Area comes as close as a half mile in some places from the U.S.-Mexico border, which has created challenges for both the Department of Interior and the Department of Homeland Security to meet the goals of their distinct, yet equally important missions. This legislation seeks to provide additional flexibility for Customs and Border Patrol to accomplish its mission of border enforcement by releasing from Wilderness Study Area status more than 16,000 acres along the southern border. By assisting Border Patrol with its mission, the Bureau of Land Management will be better suited to meet its goals of natural resource protection as well. With regard to ranching, access to water infrastructure is critical in the hot climate of southern New Mexico. To this end, we worked closely with all grazing permittees in the area to ensure all roads that lead to water improvements, like windmills, solar wells, water troughs and pipelines, were excluded from new wilderness areas. Other major infrastructure, like corrals, have also been excluded, and the congressional grazing guidelines that are referred to in this legislation will provide ranchers with the ability to use motorized vehicles to maintain stock ponds, fences, and other improvements in wilderness areas and to respond to emergencies. It is my belief that this approach will allow for the protection of these public lands while ensuring that ranching will continue. My constituents in Dona Ana County have long expressed their desire to strike a balance between development and the preservation of the public lands that they grew up enjoying or that attracted them to the area in the first place. As such, this proposal is supported by a wide array of constituencies ranging from conservation and sportsmen's groups, city and county officials, to the Hispano Chamber of Commerce. With enactment of this bill, it is my hope that while Dona Ana County continues to prosper and grow, our unique places will be protected for generations to come. I am pleased that Senator Udall has cosponsored this bill, and I urge all my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today with my colleague Senator Tom Udall to introduce the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act. This legislation will designate approximately 259,000 acres of wilderness in Dona Ana County, including the iconic Organ Mountains that overlook the City of Las Cruces. The legislation will also establish two Conservation Areas in Dona Ana County--the 86,600- acre Organ Mountains National Conservation Area on the east side of Las Cruces, and the 75,600-acre Desert Peaks National Conservation Area to the west, which adjoins the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument to its south. The Organ Mountains are among the many scenic landscapes in Dona Ana County that define Southern New Mexico and the rich culture of its people. In addition to protecting the viewshed of the Organ Mountains from future development, this proposal seeks to preserve other important landscapes such as the Dana Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and the ancient volcanic cinder cones and grasslands of the Potrillo Mountains. Many visitors also come to explore the caves, limestone cliffs, and winding canyons of the proposed Desert Peaks National Conservation Area. While the public lands protected by this bill are important for their scenic and recreational values, they also represent a valuable economic resource for county residents, through ranching, hunting, and tourism that takes place here. This proposal will preserve healthy habitat for game and sensitive species; quality grazing land; and cultural resources like petroglyphs and historical features. Even those who may never visit these areas will benefit from their protection by consuming the clean water that these major watersheds provide to the people living in the valleys below. This proposal is the culmination of over 2 years of consensus building accomplished by listening to input from a broad spectrum of the community. As a result, the proposal that has been developed meets the goals of conserving our treasured landscapes in Dona Ana County while addressing the valid concerns raised by frequent users of our public lands. I would like to take a moment to mention a couple of important changes we have made to the bill based on the input we received from the community to address both border security concerns as well as access issues for the ranchers who graze cattle in the region. Dona Ana County shares its southern border with Mexico, and national security issues are always an important factor to consider in any legislation that involves border counties. For example, currently the West Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Study Area comes as close as a half mile in some places from the U.S.-Mexico border, which has created challenges for both the Department of Interior and the Department of Homeland Security to meet the goals of their distinct, yet equally important missions. This legislation seeks to provide additional flexibility for Customs and Border Patrol to accomplish its mission of border enforcement by releasing from Wilderness Study Area status more than 16,000 acres along the southern border. By assisting Border Patrol with its mission, the Bureau of Land Management will be better suited to meet its goals of natural resource protection as well. With regard to ranching, access to water infrastructure is critical in the hot climate of southern New Mexico. To this end, we worked closely with all grazing permittees in the area to ensure all roads that lead to water improvements, like windmills, solar wells, water troughs and pipelines, were excluded from new wilderness areas. Other major infrastructure, like corrals, have also been excluded, and the congressional grazing guidelines that are referred to in this legislation will provide ranchers with the ability to use motorized vehicles to maintain stock ponds, fences, and other improvements in wilderness areas and to respond to emergencies. It is my belief that this approach will allow for the protection of these public lands while ensuring that ranching will continue. My constituents in Dona Ana County have long expressed their desire to strike a balance between development and the preservation of the public lands that they grew up enjoying or that attracted them to the area in the first place. As such, this proposal is supported by a wide array of constituencies ranging from conservation and sportsmen's groups, city and county officials, to the Hispano Chamber of Commerce. With enactment of this bill, it is my hope that while Dona Ana County continues to prosper and grow, our unique places will be protected for generations to come. I am pleased that Senator Udall has cosponsored this bill, and I urge all my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on managing Federal forests in response to climate change, including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to: allison_seyferth@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Scott Miller at (202) 224- 5488 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, first, let me thank my colleague from Massachusetts for his eloquent statement which I have had the privilege to hear. Let me make a short statement myself about my friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. I came to the Senate in January of 1983, and my first real opportunity to work with Ted came in the Armed Services Committee at the beginning of that service. Although he had already been in the Senate for 20 years, he had chosen that year to go on the Armed Services Committee. Since we were both going on that year, in 1983, we were considered the two freshmen committee members. Ted and I were able to work together on the Armed Services Committee for many years. He has been described as a visionary leader, a great orator, the keeper of the faith for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. All of those descriptions, of course, are true. But the Ted Kennedy I came to know and with whom I had the great opportunity to work was a passionate, committed advocate and was the workhorse of the Senate. Frankly, Ted Kennedy set a very high standard for himself in the effort that he made on each and every issue that came up for debate. He set a high standard for the homework he did in preparation for that debate. All of us who served with him found ourselves trying to meet a similar standard. The result was that he raised the level of performance for those of us who served with him by the example he set. In addition to serving with Ted Kennedy on the Armed Services Committee for many years, in May of 1990, following the death of Senator Matsunaga, I had the good fortune to be assigned to what was then called the Labor and Human Resources Committee--Ted's committee. As chairman, Ted gave a whole new meaning to the word ``proactive'' in that committee. The volume of useful legislation he was able to move forward through the committee was truly impressive. A major key to his success was the way he found to underscore for all members the importance of what the committee was working on. As chairman, he rightly saw it as his job to put together the agenda and the priorities for the committee's work. But before doing that he would sit down with the rest of us over dinner at his house to get our views on what those priorities needed to be. The serious approach he took to the committee's work inspired those of us who served there to elevate the importance of that work in our own minds as well. During the course of our work in the Senate, each of us gets the opportunity to interact with many colleagues, to form judgments about those colleagues. During my 27 years I have served with many capable and dedicated public servants who deserve recognition and praise. But it is clear to me none of us exceeds Ted Kennedy in our passion or commitment for accomplishing the work we have been sent to do. Hendrick Hertzberg wrote a short piece in the New Yorker last week that captures well the Ted Kennedy with whom I was privileged to know and serve. Mr. Hertzberg wrote: The second half of his 47-year senatorial career was a wonder of focused, patient, unwavering service to a practical liberalism that emphasized concrete improvements in the lives of the poor, the old, the disabled, children, the uninsured, the undocumented, the medically or educationally disadvantaged. That phrase--focused, patient, unwavering service--is a good description of the Ted Kennedy I knew as my chairman and my friend, and I will miss him very much.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2009, at 2:15 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony on Energy and Related Economic Effects of Global Climate Change Legislation. Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Gina_Weinstock@energy.senate.gov. For further information, please contact Jonathan Black or Gina Weinstock.

Mr. BINGAMAN

Mr. BINGAMAN. I thank Senators Inouye and Shaheen. I appreciate both of their support for having an Under Secretary of Commerce lead tourism policy for the United States. As it is for your States, and as it is for the Nation as whole, tourism is an important part of New Mexico's economy. Tourism-related businesses in my State make up eight percent of New Mexico's economy. These businesses employ over 80,000 New Mexicans. My State is fortunate to have a Cabinet-level official in charge of tourism, and has been well-served Secretary Cerletti, New Mexico's secretary of tourism. I am pleased to support the bill before us today, for it begins to fill a longstanding void in our economic policy. I think we could do more, however. Tourism, especially international tourism, is an underappreciated economic engine for our country. When international visitors come here, economists say that the United States is exporting tourism: it counts as an export because it generates revenue here in the United States. The $142 billion that international visitors spent here in 2008 helped lower our trade deficit, which I know many people are concerned about. To put that $142 billion in perspective, if we consider international visitors as a single export market, it would be the United States's third largest export market, behind Canada and Mexico, but ahead of China. Exports to China generated $70 billion of revenue for American businesses last year, less than half of the revenue generated by international visitors to the United States. The more we can attract visitors to the United States, the less money we send abroad. The more we can promote tourism to the United States, the more jobs we will create here for Americans, jobs that by necessity cannot be relocated overseas. To do this, we need the right personnel in place to lead our tourism policy, and I believe an Under Secretary of Commerce would be best suited to do so for the reasons my colleagues have mentioned. Pro- tourism, pro-economy policies can easily be forgotten in top-level discussions within the administration if there is not someone with the clout to effectively advocate for them. Likewise, in international negotiations over travel policies, just as in negotiations about other aspects of international trade, the United States needs to be represented by someone of equal rank to his or her counterparts. I thank both of my colleagues and look forward to working on this issue with them in the future.