Jim Bunning

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I am introducing important legislation that will have an impact on many of the hospitals in my State, along with hundreds of hospitals in other States. This legislation deals specifically with the Medicare payments for Direct Graduate Medical Education--also known as DGME. I am pleased that Congressman Ron Lewis from Kentucky's Second District is the lead sponsor of a companion bill already introduced in the House of Representatives. Medicare pays teaching hospitals for its share of the cost of training new physicians. These payments are known as DGME payments. Teaching hospitals initially reported their direct costs to the Department of Health and Human Services in the mid-1980s. These reported amounts are now the basis for which each teaching hospital is reimbursed. Unfortunately, there was a disparity in the types of costs each hospital reported, which has lead to large disparities in payments between hospitals. Hospitals are also being reimbursed on data that is 20 years old, at this point. To help rectify this problem, in 1999 Congress established a floor for calculating Medicare payments for DGME at 70 percent of the national average. In 2001, Congress raised the floor to 85 percent of the national average. The legislation I am introducing today would bring all of Medicare's DGME hospitals up 100 percent of the national average. This is an important change that would help many teaching hospitals in Kentucky and across the Nation be fairly reimbursed for training our young doctors. For example, there are 19 hospitals in Kentucky that currently receive reimbursements below the national average. This means that Kentucky hospitals lose more than two million a year because of the lower reimbursement rate. Across the country, there are about 600 hospitals being reimbursed below the national average. This legislation takes an important step to ensure that Medicare's payment policy for teaching hospitals are fair and that these institutions can continue to do the important work they do. I hope my colleagues will take a close look at the bill and can support it.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I am introducing important legislation that will have an impact on many of the hospitals in my State, along with hundreds of hospitals in other States. This legislation deals specifically with the Medicare payments for Direct Graduate Medical Education--also known as DGME. I am pleased that Congressman Ron Lewis from Kentucky's Second District is the lead sponsor of a companion bill already introduced in the House of Representatives. Medicare pays teaching hospitals for its share of the cost of training new physicians. These payments are known as DGME payments. Teaching hospitals initially reported their direct costs to the Department of Health and Human Services in the mid-1980s. These reported amounts are now the basis for which each teaching hospital is reimbursed. Unfortunately, there was a disparity in the types of costs each hospital reported, which has lead to large disparities in payments between hospitals. Hospitals are also being reimbursed on data that is 20 years old, at this point. To help rectify this problem, in 1999 Congress established a floor for calculating Medicare payments for DGME at 70 percent of the national average. In 2001, Congress raised the floor to 85 percent of the national average. The legislation I am introducing today would bring all of Medicare's DGME hospitals up 100 percent of the national average. This is an important change that would help many teaching hospitals in Kentucky and across the Nation be fairly reimbursed for training our young doctors. For example, there are 19 hospitals in Kentucky that currently receive reimbursements below the national average. This means that Kentucky hospitals lose more than two million a year because of the lower reimbursement rate. Across the country, there are about 600 hospitals being reimbursed below the national average. This legislation takes an important step to ensure that Medicare's payment policy for teaching hospitals are fair and that these institutions can continue to do the important work they do. I hope my colleagues will take a close look at the bill and can support it.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Ms. Sara J. Kieffner for being selected as one of the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper's Women of the Year. The Enquirer has done well to bestow this honor on Ms. Kieffner. Among her many causes, she has done much for the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation. She has also devoted herself to promoting breast health awareness and to raising funds for the Fischer Homes Breast Center. If that weren't enough, she is also active with the Redwood Rehabilitation Center, the American Cancer Society's Northern Kentucky chapter, United Ministries, and her church, Gloria Dei Lutheran. Since The Enquirer's Women of the Year program was started in 1968, over 350 women in Greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky have been singled out for their efforts to improve the community for everyone. Ms. Kieffner has certainly deserved this citation. As a Senator and a member of her community, I am proud of her dedication. Her accomplishments serve as an example to all citizens of the Commonwealth.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate Mr. Craig Williams, recipient of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce 2006 Community Service Award. Mr. Williams, the executive director of the Kentucky Environmental Foundation and the Chemical Weapons Working Group, has dedicated over two decades of service to the chemical demilitarization project at Kentucky's Bluegrass Army Depot. The continued progress of this project reflects Mr. William's tremendous commitment to protecting the health and safety of the public, the depot workers, and the local environment. Mr. William's has engineered a program which benefits the entire community by fostering public/private partnerships between environmental and business interests in order to create jobs and clean up the environment. With these efforts, Mr. Williams has demonstrated a real commitment to the improvement of Central Kentucky. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Craig Williams for his service to the Kentucky Environmental Foundation and the Chemical Weapons Working Group. Kentucky is lucky to have had such a dedicated community member.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to oppose the nomination of Dr. Ben Bernanke to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. I am not one who relishes opposing President Bush's nominees or his policies. I have been supportive of an overwhelming majority of them, but I have opposed a nominee or two on a few occasions. This is one of those rare occurrences. Dr. Bernanke has an impressive resume and career. He received his bachelor of arts in economics in 1975 from Harvard University. From there he headed off to Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received his Ph.D. in economics in 1979. He was assistant professor of economics in the graduate School of Business at Stanford University from 1979 to 1983 and then became associate professor of economics at Stanford's graduate School of Business from 1983 to 1985. Ben Bernanke then popped over to Princeton University. There he became a professor of economics and public affairs from 1985 to 1994. He stayed at Princeton and ultimately became chair of its economic department until 2002. He was then appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System by President Bush. Dr. Bernanke was then tapped as chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers and he has held that post since June of 2005. Of course, along with this academic and employment resume, Dr. Bernanke has received many honors and fellowships along the way. He has also published many articles on a wide variety of economic issues, articles relating to monetary policy, inflation targeting, microeconomics, central banking, and many other issues relating to economic and monetary theories. This all sounds very impressive, and it is. It is an economic elitist dream. For some, it can be a nightmare. I hope he does not hold too many of the ivory-towered theories of academia for real-world wisdom as he heads off to be the next Fed Chairman. I voted for Ben Bernanke in the Banking Committee and in the Senate to be the Fed Governor in 2002. I supported him to the Board of Governors at the Fed because of a private meeting we had. Over the years I have had some great concern about the Federal Reserve and the way it operates. One of my biggest concerns is that the Federal Open Market Committee, the FOMC, suffers from ``group think.'' It seems to me no one ever challenges the Fed Chairman. I rarely, if ever, witnessed or heard any of the Fed Governors publicly challenging or disagreeing with Chairman Alan Greenspan. Chairman Greenspan has done an admirable job during his tenure at the Federal Reserve. He had a difficult task. Part of his job was to predict the future. However, I believe Chairman Greenspan has always erred on the side of raising interest rates. I am not alone with this opinion. History has shown he has made many mistakes in raising rates for too long. My problem is when he did that, not one Governor raised their voice. Instead, they either bit their tongue out of fear they would be viewed as not a team player or perhaps what might be worse is that they all agreed with each other and simply reinforced bad ideas. Diversity of thought and dissension is, indeed, necessary within the Federal Reserve. After all, the Chairman of the Fed and its Board of Governors essentially have the greatest power over shaping our economy. And the economy affects every American. I understand the argument that to have an FOMC rife with dissension might not be the best for the markets. I have heard the argument that it would rattle the markets and send Wall Street into a tizzy. Yes, overall, it is important the FOMC speak with one voice. However, the pendulum can swing too far from dissent. My fear is that the FOMC under Chairman Greenspan has arguably suffered from group think and that the FOMC has unintentionally become a rubberstamp for Chairman Greenspan's recommendations. We need an FOMC that is truly independent. It must be independent from the Congress and the executive branch. We cannot have a Fed that is influenced by the President. We certainly know the Fed does not pay any attention to Congress. For the FOMC to function properly, its members must challenge the Chairman. No Chairman should be able to dominate. There must be intellectual sparring so all members are heard and the FOMC can come up with the best decision for the country. The Federal Open Market Committee needs independent voices. Dr. Bernanke promised me he would be an independent voice as a member of the FOMC. He promised me he would stand up to the Chairman if he thought he was being rolled. Sadly, I have not seen very much evidence of him being independent. I never saw him vote, not once, against the Chairman. I never, ever saw him challenge the Chairman. And as far as I can tell, they never had a disagreement. As important as it is for the FOMC member to be independent, it is more important the Chairman be independent. The Fed Chairman must not give in to outside pressures. Monetary policy decisions must be made for the good of the country and not for political considerations. When Dr. Bernanke was a Fed Governor, I did not witness him showing independence from the Chairman at all. During his tenure as a Fed Governor, there were 23 votes taken by the FOMC committee. Not once did Dr. Bernanke vote against Chairman Greenspan. I don't think that is independence; that is group think. He did not show independence as a Fed Governor. How can we be sure he will be an independent person as Chairman of the Fed? The pressures to go along for a quick political fix will be even greater. Will he stand up to the President? Will he stand up to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal? Will he stand up to the business and economic pundits in the broadcast media or anyone else when they call for rate increases or decreases? I am not convinced he will. The past is prologue. I hope I am wrong. It is mainly for this reason that in 2005 I opposed his confirmation as Chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. I hope Ben Bernanke proves to be a fine Chairman of the Federal Reserve. I hope he uses his vast knowledge of our economy to make correct monetary policy decisions. I hope he gains the trust of Wall Street, much like the last two chairmen. Dr. Bernanke has talked about bringing more transparency to the Fed. I hope he does this. I hope he continues to be plain spoken. One other reason I oppose Dr. Bernanke is because he says he will continue the policies of Chairman Greenspan. That does not sit well with me. I hope this is not completely true. I hope Ben Bernanke refrains from talking about things outside the purview of the Federal Reserve. One of my biggest problems with Chairman Greenspan was that he talked about everything under the sun: tax policy, trade deficits, budgets, fiscal policy, the Nation's oil patch. The Fed's jurisdiction is narrowly scoped to monetary policy, but if you asked Chairman Greenspan about monetary policy, he would talk about everything under the Sun without ever answering your questions. If you asked him something that had nothing to do with monetary policy, he was more than happy to give you a clear and concise answer. Hopefully, Dr. Bernanke will be a different kind of chairman in that respect. Hopefully, he will talk only about monetary policy and not interfere with tax and fiscal policy. Those matters should be left to the legislative branch and other areas of the executive branch. Also, Chairman Greenspan's problems were not just the fact that he talked outside the monetary policy arena. Yes, Chairman Greenspan's tenure held relatively low inflation with growing economic conditions. However, his record came about from the creation of a fat market bubble that ultimately popped. Then there was a housing bubble. It led to an unbalanced economic recovery fueled by cash raised from soaring home prices. This resulted in record household debt and negative consumer savings rates. We also witnessed the endless bailouts of Chairman Greenspan. There was the 1997 Fed bailout of the Asian crisis. There was the long-term capital management bailout in 1998. We had a financial crisis and the Fed got involved with Mexico and all this led to a huge trade and Federal budget deficits. This was all further affected by record energy prices which raised the cost of goods and services. After almost 20 years, Chairman Greenspan is now acknowledging some of the bad consequences of his decisions. He said inflation may be creeping in. But Chairman Greenspan leaves knowing that his mess will fall to his apprentice, Ben Bernanke. Yes, Dr. Bernanke has an impressive resume. But the question is whether he knows what is waiting for him around each economic corner. It is indeed ironic that Dr. Bernanke finds it necessary to continue the Greenspan policies. I hope this is not true. This would be disastrous. These policies have not been the best for our economy. I hope Dr. Bernanke does not follow too closely in the footsteps of Chairman Greenspan in his approaches. But regardless, he just might inherit a mess from Chairman Greenspan. If so, I hope he can clean it up. I hope there is no damaging recession or financial crisis looming. If so, I hope Ben Bernanke does not live up to his nickname of ``Helicopter Ben,'' and throw the U.S. mint's printing presses into overdrive. I have no personal qualms with Dr. Bernanke. We simply differ on opinions. I do not relish opposing President Bush's nominees. But, regretfully, I must oppose Dr. Ben Bernanke to be Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recorded as being opposed to Ben Bernanke's nomination upon its approval.

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BUNNING. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of Samuel Alito's nomination to the United States Supreme Court. Judge Alito is supremely qualified. He has a record of fairness and judicial restraint. He will do a fine job on the Supreme Court. I will vote for his nomination and any procedural measures necessary to confirm him on the Senate floor. Confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is one of the most import jobs we have as Senators. This will be the second Supreme Court nominee I will have considered since coming to the Senate. I take this responsibility very seriously. I have spent time with Judge Alito and I have studied his background and record. I closely followed his confirmation hearings in the Judiciary Committee. I can say without question that he should be confirmed. I don't find myself agreeing with the Washington Post or the Louisville Courier-Journal newspapers very often. But even those papers agree that Judge Alito should be confirmed. I first met Judge Alito this past fall. I did not know much about him when his nomination was announced by President Bush. I reserved judgment about his nomination until I had a chance to meet with him. From that meeting it became clear that I could support his nomination. And his performance at his confirmation hearing further solidified my support for his nomination. We are all familiar with the basics of Judge Alito's background. He has been on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals for 15 years. He has participated in several thousand cases and written several hundred opinions. He attended top schools for both college and law school--Princeton and Yale. I gather all of my colleagues would agree that those things are important and impressive--but they do not alone qualify him for the job. There is a lot more to being qualified for the Supreme Court than pedigree and judicial experience. Judicial philosophy and one's approach to judging and the law are most important. All these factors and more must be looked at and weighed before deciding if a nominee is qualified. I have done so and it is clear to me that Judge Alito should be confirmed. A good place to begin is with Judge Alito's record on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He has participated in over 3,000 cases and written over 300 opinions. His record in those cases shows that he is fair and impartial. And that he understands the law and the judicial process. His opinions are written clearly and provide clear guidance to the lower courts. Clarity is something we certainly need on the Supreme Court. The clarity and fairness of Judge Alito's opinions speak well to his qualifications. But what speaks volumes is that his critics have been unable to find a single case he participated in to show that he is unqualified as a judge. That is not to say that his critics have not tried. But to use any case against him--critics have had to distort the record or confuse the issue. Judge Alito's opponents are trying to stop his nomination. They are concerned he will be a vote for the rule of law and the Constitution. And not a judicial activist to their liking on the Supreme Court. The framers of the Constitution created a system of government where the peoples' voices are to be expressed through their elected representatives. All Senators and Representatives stand for election and are responsible to the people of their States or districts. The President is accountable to the entire Nation and must face the people in every State. The Justices of the Supreme Court never have to face voters. That is why the framers gave the legislative powers to the Congress. And that is why they gave the administrative powers to the President. We--who make policy decisions--are accountable to the voters. The Justices of the Supreme Court are not. At its simplest--that is what is meant by the rule of law. We are a Nation of laws--starting with the most basic law, the Constitution. The Constitution spells out the roles of the branches of Government. It sets out the role to the courts--which is to settle legal disputes between parties, and not to set national policy. The Supreme Court is also to be a last check on the legislative and executive branches when they clearly violate the Constitution--but not to override policy decisions when the Constitution is silent. Judge Alito has a demonstrated record of respecting the rule of law and the will of the people through their elected representatives. That disturbs some who belong to this body. It bothers them to know that if Judge Alito and others like him are on the Supreme Court--then the steady advance of courts acting as a policy-making branch of government will be halted. Judge Alito has shown respect for the rule of law throughout his career on the bench--and even before that when serving in the Reagan Administration. He understands that each branch of government has a unique role to play. And he understands that only two are accountable to the people. I take great comfort in Judge Alito's understanding that there is a place in our system of government for policy making--and that the place is not the courts. Many of Judge Alito's opponents view the courts as just another policy making branch of government. In other countries that may be true. But in the United States it is not. Our judges are insulated from public pressure. It is this way so that they can make impartial and fair judgments on cases--no matter how popular or unpopular the result. They are also insulated from the political process to prevent undue influence from Congress or the President. Does anyone here actually believe the framers of our Constitution insulated judges so they could enact policies without any political consequence? In fact, the framers rejected proposals to give the courts any policy-making powers. But that is not good enough for some who oppose Judge Alito. They want judges who will make broad policy decrees from the bench. They want liberal judges who will rule by dictating policies that fail at the ballot box. They want activist judges. And Judge Alito is not an activist judge. Judge Alito will stand up to the activists on the Supreme Court and help make sure the Court follows its proper and vital role. The confidence of the citizens in the courts is harmed when the courts overstep their bounds. Like Chief Justice Roberts, I am confident Judge Alito will only act within the Supreme Court's proper role. And I am confident he will help restore the American people's faith in our court system. I press upon my colleagues to support this nomination. I will vote for Judge Alito and whatever measures and procedures necessary to ensure he gets a final vote up or down. I am proud to support him. Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I pay tribute to the Northern Kentucky University cheerleaders. The squad was named the national champions in the Universal Cheerleaders Association- sponsored competition earlier this year. The Northern Kentucky University cheerleading squad was awarded their first national title. The title was in the small unit coed category of NCAA Division II competition. They captured this championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL on January 14, 2006. The citizens of northern Kentucky are proud to have these national cheerleading champs living and learning in their community. Their example of hard work and determination should be followed by all in the Commonwealth. I congratulate the members of the squad for their success. I also want to congratulate their coaches, along with their peers, faculty, administrators, and parents for their support and sacrifices they have made to help them meet their achievements and dreams. They all represent Kentucky honorably.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I am so happy the U.S. Senate confirmed Greg Van Tatenhove to sit on the Federal judicial bench. By sending his nomination to the U.S. Senate, President Bush has presented the American people with a top-notch candidate for our Federal bench in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Greg has great experience and strong qualifications. Although he is not originally from Kentucky, he made a smart decision by making a permanent move to our Commonwealth. Greg also received a great education from both Kentucky's Asbury College and the University of Kentucky College of Law. I am proud to call Greg a fellow Kentuckian. Greg has worked two stints for members of Kentucky's Federal congressional delegation Senator McConnell and Representative Ron Lewis. Greg also served as a judicial law clerk in U.S. District Court, and he served in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division as a trial attorney. Over the last 4 years Greg has served admirably as a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. His time on Capitol Hill, in the Department of Justice, and within our judicial system has given Greg a wealth of knowledge and experience which can only make him a better judge. Clearly, Greg possesses the wisdom, temperament, and character to be a Federal judge. President George W. Bush and the U.S. Senate have done well working together to ensure Greg's nomination and confirmation for service as a Federal judge. I am proud to support Greg's elevation for this Federal judgeship, and I am thankful to Chairman Specter and Ranking Member Leahy, too, for their leadership on the U.S. Senate's Judiciary Committee to ensure the swift approval of Greg's confirmation. The United States and Kentucky are better off with Greg serving their citizens.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I thank the chairman for working with me on an issue of importance regarding the applicability of the animal racing facility limitation contained in the Senate amendment to H.R. 4440. I understand that the legislative language creates new section 1400N(p) of the Internal Revenue Code which indicates that property directly related to animal racing is not eligible for certain benefits contained in certain subsections of new section 1400N. My understanding is that items not directly related to the racing of animals or the viewing of such races, such as barns, stables, practice facilities, restaurants, some administrative offices, gift shops, and parking areas are eligible for these benefits.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Mason Corinth Elementary School of Williamstown, KY. Mason Corinth Elementary School is recognized as the recipient of the Fitness for Life Around Grant County, FFLAG, Silver Award for the Worksite Wellness Program. FFLAG was created in 2002 to raise awareness about physical activity and proper nutrition. In September of 2005, FFLAG expanded their program to focus on worksite wellness by inviting Grant County businesses and organizations to take part in the Workplace Wellness Program. The program focused on budget allocation for worksite wellness programs, employees' personal dedication to fitness, communication about wellness in the workplace, and on environmental changes that can help make our offices, stores, schools, and factories healthier places to work. I am proud to say that Mason Corinth School is one of the worthy recipients of the Silver Award. Sadly, the State of Kentucky is suffering from a health epidemic. Over two-thirds of adults in our State suffer from obesity. And this epidemic is not only hurting our waistlines, but also our pocketbooks. In 2003, over $1.1 billion was spent by Kentuckians on health problems caused by obesity. That is why programs which promote healthy living, such as FFLAG, are so important for the future of our Commonwealth. Mason Corinth Elementary School is a shining example of how our Kentucky schools can help Kentuckians lead better, healthier lives. I congratulate Mason Corinth Elementary School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. I look forward to all that Mason Corinth Elementary School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Crittenden-Mount Zion Elementary School of Dry Ridge, KY. Crittenden- Mount Zion Elementary School is recognized as the recipient of the Fitness for Life Around Grant County, FFLAG, Silver Award for the Worksite Wellness Program. FFLAG was created in 2002 to raise awareness about physical activity and proper nutrition. In September of 2005, FFLAG expanded their program to focus on worksite wellness by inviting Grant County businesses and organizations to take part in the Workplace Wellness Program. The program focused on budget allocation for worksite wellness programs, employees' personal dedication to fitness, communication about wellness in the workplace, and on environmental changes that can help make our offices, stores, schools, and factories healthier places to work. I am proud to say that Crittenden-Mount Zion School is one of the worthy recipients of the Silver Award. Sadly, the State of Kentucky is suffering from a health epidemic. Over two-thirds of adults in our State suffer from obesity. And this epidemic is not only hurting our waistlines, but also our pocketbooks. In 2003, over $1.1 billion was spent by Kentuckians on health problems caused by obesity. That is why programs which promote healthy living, such as FFLAG, are so important for the future of our Commonwealth. Crittenden-Mount Zion Elementary School is a shining example of how our Kentucky schools can help Kentuckians lead better, healthier lives. I congratulate Crittenden-Mount Zion Elementary School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. I look forward to all that Crittenden-Mount Zion Elementary School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate the employees of Performance Pipe Manufacturing of Williamstown, KY. Performance Pipe Manufacturing is recognized as the recipient of the Fitness for Life Around Grant County, FFLAG, Gold Award for the Worksite Wellness Program. FFLAG was created in 2002 to raise awareness about physical activity and proper nutrition. In September of 2005, FFLAG expanded their program to focus on work site wellness by inviting Grant County businesses and organizations to take part in the Workplace Wellness Program. The program focused on budget allocation for worksite wellness programs, employees' personal dedication to fitness, communication about wellness in the workplace, and on environmental changes that can help make our offices, stores, schools, and factories healthier places to work. I am proud to say that Performance Pipe Manufacturing is one of the worthy recipients of the Gold Award. Sadly, the State of Kentucky is suffering from a health epidemic. Over two-thirds of adults in our State suffer from obesity. And this epidemic is not only hurting our waistlines, but also our pocketbooks. In 2003, over $1.1 billion was spent by Kentuckians on health problems caused by obesity. That is why programs which promote healthy living, such as FFLAG, are so important for the future of our Commonwealth. Performance Pipe Manufacturing is a shining example of how our Kentucky businesses can help Kentuckians lead better, healthier lives. I congratulate Performance Pipe Manufacturing on this achievement. The employees of Performance Pipe Manufacturing are an inspiration to all of Kentucky.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Lost River Elementary School of Bowling Green, KY. Lost River Elementary School was recently recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Lost River Elementary School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Lost River Elementary School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Lost River Elementary School is an example of what our Kentucky schools can achieve when we have enough faith in our students to challenge them to become the leaders this country so desperately needs. I congratulate Lost River Elementary School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. look forward to all that Lost River Elementary School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Saint Agnes Parish School of Louisville, KY. Saint Agnes Parish School is recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools. join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Saint Agnes Parish School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Saint Agnes Parish School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Saint Agnes Parish School is an example of how Kentucky's Catholic schools continue to inspire young minds by providing a caring, faith-based learning environment. I congratulate Saint Agnes Parish School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. look forward to all that Saint Agnes Parish School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Christ the King School of Lexington, KY. Christ the King School is recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Christ the King School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Christ the King School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Christ the King School is an example of how Kentucky's Catholic schools continue to inspire young minds by providing a caring, faith-based learning environment. I congratulate Christ the King School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. I look forward to all that Christ the King School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Salyersville Grade School of Salyersville, KY. Salyersville Grade School is recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Salyersville Grade School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Salyersville Grade School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Salyersville Grade School is an example of what our Kentucky schools can achieve when we have enough faith in our students to challenge them to become the leaders this country so desperately needs. I congratulate Salyersville Grade School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. look forward to all that Salyersville Grade School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Brodhead Elementary School of Brodhead, KY. Brodhead Elementary School is recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Brodhead Elementary School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Brodhead Elementary School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Brodhead Elementary School is an example of what our Kentucky schools can achieve when we have enough faith in our students to challenge them to become the leaders this country so desperately needs. I congratulate Brodhead Elementary School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. look forward to all that Brodhead Elementary School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Southern Elementary School of Beaver Dam, KY. Southern Elementary School is recognized as a 2005 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been celebrating high achieving schools for over 20 years. Established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has recognized more than 3,000 schools since its inception. This year, six Kentucky schools join this distinguished list, and I am proud to say that Southern Elementary School is one of the worthy recipients. By demanding excellence from each and every student, Southern Elementary School truly celebrates the blue ribbon standard of excellence that the No Child Left Behind Program strives to achieve. Southern Elementary School is an example of what our Kentucky schools can achieve when we have enough faith in our students to challenge them to become the leaders this country so desperately needs. I congratulate Southern Elementary School on this achievement. The administrators, teachers, parents, and students of this school are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. look forward to all that Southern Elementary School accomplishes in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I pay tribute to the members of the Society of Physics Students, SPS, in the Department of Physics at the University of Louisville. The SPS will be celebrating 2005 as the World Year of Physics. The celebration will coincide with the 100 year anniversary of the publication of Albert Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, Quantization of the Electromagnetic Field, and the Energy- Mass Relationship. The University of Louisville chapter has been recognized for achievement by numerous national physics organizations. Their recent accomplishments include the Blake Lilly Prize for Outreach, a national SPS designation as Outstanding Chapter, along with the Marsh White Award for Education and Outreach from the Sigma Pi Sigma National Physics Honor Society. In light of these efforts, I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in recognizing the Society of Physics Students at the University of Louisville for their celebration of 2005 as the World Year of Physics.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Peggy Shadduck Palombi of Lexington, KY, on being recognized as one of America's top professors in the 2005 U.S. Professors of the Year Program by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The annual U.S. Professors of the Year Program was established in 1981 to reward outstanding professors for their dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and innovative instructional methods. It is the only national program to recognize college and university professors for their teaching skills. Ms. Palombi, an associate professor at Transylvania University, in Lexington, KY, has been recognized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for her tireless work in exhibiting excellence at Transylvania University. Ms. Palombi sets an example of excellence for both colleagues and students alike. She inspires her students to achieve academically and contribute to the community. I now ask my fellow colleagues to join me in thanking Ms. Palombi for her dedication and commitment to the education of America's future. In order for our society to continue to advance in the right direction, we must have professors like Peggy Shadduck Palombi in our institutions of higher learning, in our communities, and in our lives. She is Kentucky at its finest.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Dustin Vande Hoef of Senator Grassley's office be granted the privileges of the floor for the duration of deliberation on S. 2020, the Tax Relief Act of 2005.