Jim Bunning

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I am glad that we are debating this bill on the floor of the Senate. Despite some concerns which I will discuss later, I supported this bill in the Finance Committee. I have heard a lot in the last few weeks from some of my colleagues talking about how we can't afford the so-called tax cuts that this bill was expected to contain. As we have been saying for weeks, the growth package is not about tax cuts. It is about stopping tax increases, tax increases that will affect American families. The so-called tax cuts that Democratic Members of Congress are talking about are nothing more than keeping current tax law in place. There are dozens of provisions that American families and employers have come to rely on that will expire at the end of this year, if we do not pass this bill. These are provisions that are important to our constituents and to our economy. Let's take a look at some of the items that are in the bill before us. First, the research and development tax credit will expire at the end of this year unless we act. This is an important provision of the Tax Code that spurs innovation and new technologies. A majority--believe me--of Senators have supported this provision in the past. The bill before us not only extends this provision, it also adds some improvements to make it more relevant to today's economy. A lot of other important provisions also expire if we do not pass this bill. The deduction of tuition expenses, that provision affects 36,000 Kentuckians; the tax deduction for teacher classroom expenses, this one affects 38,000 Kentucky teachers; and the low-income saver's credit affects 94,000 low-income Kentucky taxpayers. These are Kentuckians that do not deserve a tax increase. I am going to do all within my power to make sure they don't get one. I am extremely disappointed that this bill does not contain a provision that I considered to be a vitally important one--keeping the tax rate on dividends and capital gains income from increasing. It is very important that we extend this 15-percent rate through the end of the budget window. As this bill moves through the legislative process, I will fight to make sure that the bill that the President ultimately signs includes these vital provisions. It is very hard to dispute the positive impact that the 15-percent rate has had on the macroeconomy. Dividends paid by companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 have been up over 50 percent since this tax change was implemented. Capital gains revenues from taxes to the Federal Government is estimated by some to exceed the CBO forecast by billions of dollars in fiscal year 2006. But let's talk about which taxpayers are benefiting from these 15- percent rates. In my State, Kentucky, 18 percent of taxpayers benefited from the reduced rates on dividend income, and 13 percent benefited from the lower rate on capital gains income in 2003. These numbers are especially interesting when you consider that Kentucky has a median income that is below the national average. This does not even count the millions of workers and retirees who hold these assets inside their 401(k)s. As we all know, these dividends are very important to the elderly. Many of our retired folks rely on dividends to supplement their fixed incomes from pensions and Social Security. While it is true that the lower rates do not sunset until the end of 2008, it is important that we send a message to the economy by extending these rates this year. If we have not made these provisions permanent, investors and financial markets will grow increasingly uncertain about the future tax treatment of dividends and capital gains as 2008 gets closer. We cannot risk adding unwanted volatility to the markets and the economy which continue to grow. Again, let me be clear, the proposals that we are planning to extend in this package are not new tax proposals, they are simply current law. If we do not extend these provisions, we will cause a substantial increase in the tax bills of American families and businesses. I also express my concern about two provisions currently part of this bill that I strongly oppose. First is a provision that will limit the ability of taxpayers who itemize their taxes to take a deduction for their full charitable contributions, as they do under current law. This change would amount to a tax increase on some taxpayers who make small charitable contributions, and I strongly oppose it. The second is a provision that will change accounting rules for the oil industry. The accounting rules at issue are not some loophole for the oil industry. All taxpayers with inventories can elect to use LIFO inventory rules--all. It would be unfair to impose different rules standards on only one industry and would set a dangerous tax precedent. Additionally, as my colleagues well know, we just passed an energy bill this summer. It contains incentives to increase refining production which is so desperately needed and which we have been neglecting for too long. To turn around and take away these incentives just a few months later, as this bill does, makes no sense whatsoever. Our focus needs to be on trying to increase domestic production of oil and refining capacity, and this provision will do exactly the opposite. I am planning to support this bill on the floor of the Senate, but I am only doing so with the expectation that we will improve it and that the bill that lands on the President's desk will ultimately reflect the views of the full Senate and this Congress. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I pay tribute to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System of Versailles, KY for their hurricane disaster relief efforts. KCTCS has opened their doors to the displaced student victims of Hurricane Katrina through Operation Rebuilding Lives. The KCTCS statewide system of 16 colleges on 65 campuses has adopted emergency policies offering displaced students greater accessibility to financial aid, scholarship opportunities, and online course sessions. In addition, all KCTCS colleges have sponsored hurricane relief fundraising events ranging from blood drives to relief supply donation drives. I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in thanking the Kentucky Community and Technical College System for their efforts. Their commitment to providing relief assistance to the displaced students of Hurricane Katrina is admirable and I commend the KCTCS for the Operation Rebuilding Lives initiative.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. I thank the Senator.

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I and some of my colleagues, in a bipartisan effort, introduced the Integrity in Professional Sports Act. I especially thank my colleague from Arizona, Senator John McCain, for working with me on this important legislation. I thank the chairman of the Commerce Committee, Senator Stevens, and Senators Grassley and Rockefeller, for cosponsoring our bill. This is certainly not a bill any of us wanted to introduce. We wish Congress did not have to get involved in the issue of drug abuse in professional sports. Unfortunately, this might be the only way to get professional sports to finally clean up its act. As a former major league baseball player and member of its Hall of Fame, protecting the integrity of our national pastime is a matter near and dear to my heart. I know it is near and dear to the hearts of so many across America. We have heard a lot of talk over the last year about the leagues working to implement new, tougher drug-testing standards. So far, that is all it has been, a lot of talk. Major League Baseball and its baseball union told us over a month ago they hoped to have a new agreement in place by the end of the World Series. The World Series is over and there is still no agreement. The time for talking is over. The leagues have had their chance and have failed to lead. Now we are going to do it for them. We are, in a way, obligated to act since they cannot. We must not only ensure that our Federal drug laws are not being circumvented, but we also need to restore some integrity to the games that tens of millions of Americans enjoy so much. We must act for the sake of our children who see these players as heroes and want to emulate them. Like it or not, professional athletes are role models. They need to set a better example to kids who see them smashing home runs or sacking the quarterback and want to be like them. Unfortunately, too many professional athletes are injecting themselves and popping pills with false hopes and dangerous health effects. Now these acts are being emulated by kids even in high school because of the pressure they feel to perform at such a young age. We have a duty to help bring this to an end. As Members of Congress, we can play an important role in educating the public on the terrible health effects from steroids. Illegal performance-enhancing drugs are a serious problem in professional sports and they need to stop now. I hope my colleagues will continue to join us in this bipartisan cause. I look forward to working with both sides of the aisle on moving this bill forward swiftly. I yield to my colleague from Arizona, Senator McCain.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, Earlier today, an amendment I have worked closely with Senator Dodd from Connecticut on was passed as part of the budget reconciliation package. The amendment is based on legislation we introduced which would provide a new, one-time screening benefit for abdominal aortic aneurysms, AAAs, under Medicare for certain, eligible beneficiaries. I am pleased this amendment was accepted, and I appreciate the hard work from Senator Dodd in helping get this amendment passed. I hope that we can continue working to ensure that this provision is included in the final reconciliation package. AAAs occur when there is a weakening of the walls of the aorta, the body's largest blood vessel. The artery begins to bulge and can lead to a rupture and often severe internal bleeding. In cases where an artery ruptures, the survival rate is less than 15 percent, and approximately 15,000 people die from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms each year. When detected before rupturing, AAAs are treatable and curable in 95 percent of cases. Nearly all AAAs can be detected through an inexpensive ultrasound screening. Once detected, a physician can monitor small aortic aneurysms and begin treating the risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking. Large or rapidly growing aneurysms are often treated using either an open surgical procedure or a less invasive stent graft, both of which serve to repair the artery. It is estimated that between 5 to 7 percent of adults of the age of 60 have AAAs. Our amendment targets AAA screenings to Medicare beneficiaries with a family history and those who exhibit risk factors recommended for screening by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, specifically men who smoke. The amendment also limits screening to those eligible beneficiaries who participate in the Welcome to Medicare Physical. This amendment could save thousands of lives each year, and I am pleased we were able to include it in this package.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I proudly rise today to recognize Mr. Sam Moore for his outstanding contribution to Kentucky Agriculture. Mr. Moore has served as president of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation since December 1998 following 7 years of service as first vice president. He has been a member of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation board of directors since 1975 and is a distinguished member of the American Farm bureau board of directors. Mr. Moore, a Butler County native and father of six has been an active member of Kentucky's agricultural community all his life. In 1973, Mr. Moore was selected an outstanding young farmer by the Kentucky Jaycees, and the following year he won a similar designation from the Kentucky Farm Bureau. As Kentucky's representative in the 1974 national young farmer competition, he received a special citation as one of the top entrants. In 2003, he was selected as Man of the Year in Kentucky Agriculture by Progressive Farmer Magazine. Mr. President, Mr. Moore has announced he will retire after 30 years of outstanding service to the Kentucky Farm Bureau. The people of Kentucky are extremely fortunate to have had Mr. Moore's leadership over the years. I have had the honor and privilege of working with Mr. Moore on a variety of issues and have found his dedication and commitment to agriculture admirable. He and his wife Helen serve as a wonderful example to the citizens of Kentucky and I would like to take this moment to recognize his service to the Commonwealth. Mr. Moore, the citizens of Kentucky are grateful for all you have done for Kentucky and for the agricultural community.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I rise today to express my support for the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This bill is an attempt to finally make a dent--even a small one--in the mandatory spending that is threatening to engulf the Federal budget. With mandatory spending currently accounting for over 50 percent of all Federal spending and projected to grow higher--it must be on the table whenever we examine the budget and the deficit. In addition to serving on the Budget Committee, I also serve on three of the committees that passed language that is now part of the bill that we have before us. I can tell you that in each of those committees, it took a lot of hard work and a lot of compromise to arrive at the language in this bill. Difficult compromise means that hardly anyone is 100 percent happy with the final product. For instance, I am disappointed that the Finance Committee did not include restrictions on intergovernmental transfers in its package. Intergovernmental transfers are financing schemes that some States use to pull down more Federal Medicaid dollars than they are entitled to. For example, some States overpay local government health care providers, and then require the providers to return the excess funds to the State. The Finance Committee missed an important opportunity to curtail these abuses, and I hope we can rectify this as the bill moves through Congress. There are, however, parts of this bill that I think are of staggering importance to this country. In particular, I worked with Senator Domenici and others in the Energy Committee to see that ANWR language was included in this reconciliation bill. As prices continue to rise at the gas pump, and a barrel of oil continues to be high, America needs to increase its domestic supply of energy and reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Several months ago, I traveled to ANWR and saw firsthand how energy companies will develop it into a viable energy source. After visiting sites in Alaska, there is no doubt in my mind that we can develop ANWR in a safe and effective manner. Once developed, ANWR will provide the United States with nearly 1 million barrels of oil a day or 4.5 percent of today's consumption for the next 30 years. This nearly matches the oil that we import from Saudi Arabia each and every day. I also want to address the fact that much of the debate here on the senate floor yesterday, and last week in the Budget Committee, was not about this bill that we have before us today. The ranking member of the Budget Committee wants to talk about a bill that we will likely mark up in the Finance Committee next week--the growth package. The ranking member and his colleagues are constantly talking about how we can't afford the ``tax cuts'' that the growth package is expected contain. My answer to that is this: The growth package will not be about tax ``cuts''. It will be about stopping tax increases. Let me say that again: The growth package will not be cutting taxes; it will be stopping tax increases that will affect American families. Although my friends on the other side of the aisle may not want to admit it, there are large tax increases on the horizon unless this Congress acts. I am referring to the tax increases our constituents will feel in their pocketbooks and wallets if we fail to extend current tax law. The so-called ``tax cuts'' the other side keeps refering to are really nothing more than just keeping current tax law in place. There are over 40 provisions that American families and employers have come to rely on that will expire at the end of this year if we do nothing. These are provisions in current law that are important to our constituents and to our economy. Let's take a look at the items that the Finance Committee, which I serve on, will likely examine soon. First, there is the alternative minimum tax hold-harmless provision. That one alone will cost about $30 billion to extend for just 1 year. Madam President, 80,000 Kentuckians face a tax increase if that provision is not extended. And, looking at our neighbors, 235,000 Ohioans and 30,000 West Virginians will also face tax increases if it is allowed to expire. The R&D tax credit will expire at the end of this year unless we act. This is an important provision of the Tax Code that spurs innovation and new technologies and one that I and many others here support. In fact, the bill introduced in the Senate in the last Congress to make this provision permanent had 40 cosponsors, including 22 Senate Democrats. A lot of other important provisions will also expire if we do not act: The deduction of tuition expenses--affects 36,000 Kentuckians; The low-income savers credit--affects 94,000 Kentuckians; The tax deduction for teachers for their classroom expenses--affects 38,000 Kentucky teachers; And the low-income savers credit which, in 2003, affected 94,000 low- income Kentucky taxpayers. These are Kentuckians who do not deserve a tax increase. And I am going to do all within my power to make sure that they do not get one. But again, our friends on the other side of the aisle will say that I am just telling half the story. What about the dividends and capital gains 15 percent rate extension, they will ask. After all, they argue, you Republicans want to extend that and that only helps the rich. Well, first of all, it is really hard to dispute the positive impact that the 15 percent rates have had on the macro-economy. Dividends paid by companies in the S&P 500 are up 59 percent since the tax cut was implemented, and capital gains tax revenue to the Federal Government is set to exceed the CBO forecast by $16 billion in fiscal year 2006. But let's talk about which taxpayers are benefiting from these 15 percent rates. In my State, 18 percent of taxpayers benefited from the reduced rate on dividend income and 13 percent benefited from the lower rate on capital gains income in 2003. Again, to look at some of our neighboring States, in West Virginia 17 percent of taxpayers reported dividend income and 11 percent reported capital gains income. In Ohio, 24 percent reported dividend income and 16 percent reported capital gains income. This is especially interesting when you consider that both Kentucky and West Viriginia have median incomes below the national average. And yet a large number of our taxpayers report receiving capital gains and dividend income. And this does not even count the workers and retirees who hold these assets inside their 401(k)s and other tax-deferred saving vehicles. The fact is, dividends are important to millions of families. According to 2002 irs data, nearly two-thirds of the taxpayers reporting dividend income had adjusted gross incomes below $75,000. And the average dividend received by those with A.G.I.'s below $75,000 was over $1,700. As we all know, these dividends are very important to the elderly. Many of our retired folks rely on dividends to supplement their fixed incomes from pensions and Social Security. While it is true that these lower rates don't sunset until the end of 2008, it is important that we send a message to the economy by extending these rates this year. Investors and financial markets will grow increasingly uncertain about the future tax treatment of dividends and capital gains as 2008 gets closer, if we have not done our job by making these provisions permanent. We just cannot risk adding unwanted volatility into the markets and the economy--which continues to grow. So, again, let me be clear--the proposals that we are talking about extending in the growth package that we will likely see soon are not new tax proposals--this is simply current law. If we do not extend these provisions we will cause a substantial increase in the tax bills of American families and businesses. In closing, I wanted to say a word to those who are complaining about the ``cuts'' in spending contained in this deficit reduction package on the floor today. The facts show that spending has grown rapidly in the last few decades. In just 3 years, from 2001 to 2004, total Government spending increased by 23 percent--an increase of over $400 billion in just 3 years. Despite what we might hear today, we have greatly increased spending in a number of areas--including education and veteran's health care, in addition to homeland security. Let's keep that in mind as complaints are being made about the bill before us today. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill and I look forward to further debate.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate Ashley Jeffers of Alvaton, KY. Ashley was recently awarded a $15,000 college scholarship as part of the Girls Incorporated National Scholars Program. Ashley experience at Girls Inc. of Bowling Green, KY is a testament to her impressive work ethic, initiative, and leadership skills. She joined Girls Inc. at the age of 14, and was hired shortly after to help teach classes. Eager to expand the center, Ashley learned about other Girls Inc. national programs and incorporated new classes into the existing program at Bowling Green. Inspired by her experience working with other young women at Girls Inc., Ashley has decided to pursue a career in social work following her studies at Western Kentucky University. The Girls Inc. National Scholars Program was created in 1992 by a $6.1 million gift from Lucille Miller Wright, a volunteer pilot during World War II, who wanted to help young women overcome financial barriers to attending college. Since 1992, the National Scholars Program has awarded over $1.8 million to 304 girls. By inspiring other young women to become strong, smart, and bold, Ashley Jeffers does justice to the legacy of Lucille Miller Wright. She is an example of how young Americans can have a positive influence on their communities by participating in mentorship activities such as Girls Inc. I congratulate Ashley on this achievement. She is an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky. I look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of John Roberts to be the next Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice, particularly the Chief Justice, is one of the most important duties we have in the Senate. I hope we can put politics and partisanship aside and swiftly confirm him. Earlier this year, we found ourselves in an unprecedented position. The Democratic minority decided to use Senate rules to block judicial nominees. The minority tried to take away the power of nomination that the Constitution gives the President. But President Bush was solidly reelected last fall, and during the campaign he stressed the type of judges he would nominate--those who respect the law and the Constitution and who will not legislate from the bench. The American people knew what they were getting when they reelected President Bush. President Bush kept his word. His judicial nominees have been highly qualified and worthy of confirmation. The minority's obstructionism ended earlier this year, or at least for now. Many on the left want to see a filibuster against John Roberts, but I have no doubt that John Roberts will be confirmed soon. Our job is to determine the qualifications of the nominees. Then we should vote to approve or oppose them. Anything else is to disregard the oath we took when we joined the Senate. Our job is not to oppose nominees because we think their views are different from ours. We should not oppose nominees to keep our political base happy. Regardless of all the excuses, nominees deserve a vote. That is it. John Roberts is extremely qualified to serve on the Supreme Court, and he is as qualified to be Chief Justice. He is, no doubt, one of the most qualified nominees to come before the Senate since I have been here. He is a brilliant legal scholar, an accomplished attorney, and a fine judge. I will strongly support him. I do not need to spend too much time restating John Roberts' qualifications. They have been stated. He graduated with honors from Harvard college and its law school. He clerked in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and for Chief Justice Rehnquist when he was an Associate Supreme Court Justice. John Roberts also worked for the Attorney General, the White House counsel and Solicitor General in previous administrations. In private practice, he was one of the best appellate and Supreme Court litigator's in the Nation. He argued an unprecedented 39 cases before the Supreme Court. Now he is a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, where he has been since we confirmed him unanimously in 2003. His resume is not what convinces me that he will be a fine Chief Justice. What is clear is that John Roberts respects the law and Constitution and will be faithful to the proper role of a judge. In his confirmation hearings, Judge Roberts used an example to explain the proper role of a judge. It has been stated before. He said a judge is like an umpire, not a player or a coach. And similar to an umpire, a judge applies the rules to the situation at hand. An umpire doesn't rewrite the rules or enforce what he thinks the rules ought to be. I know a little bit about umpires. I have dealt with them, and all types of them, for years. Some are liberal and some conservative with the strike zone. Some were unpredictable and made the strike zone up as the game went along. The worst umpires decided the outcome of the game by playing favorites or enforcing their own version of the rules. The best umpires applied the rules as written in the rule book and let the rules and the players dictate the outcome of the game. As Judge Roberts said, that is how judges should act. The law, and not judges, should decide the outcome of the cases. The rules of the game, the writing of the laws is done by Congress. The President implements and enforces the laws, the judiciary settles disputes by applying laws and the Constitution. Judges are not lawmakers as umpires are not players. If umpires want to be players, that umpire should quit and join a team. If a judge wants to write laws, he should run for Congress. We have seen courts try to replace Congress and legislatures. Social issues have been taken out of the political process and decided by unelected judges. The voice of the people has too often been ignored. Activism of a few judges threatens our judicial system. If judges keep exercising powers not granted to them, the public and its servants may tune out the courts and ignore them altogether. That would be bad and we would all suffer. I think Judge Roberts sees that danger. As Chief Justice, he will protect the Constitution and reputation of the courts. At his confirmation hearing, Judge Roberts recognized the damage of an activist judiciary. Their activism undermines the authority and respect needed to overturn truly unconstitutional actions. Courts must not be activists and settle public policy disputes. Judge Roberts also sees that danger, and I trust he will work hard to keep the Court within its boundaries and implore judges to exercise restraint in decisionmaking. A key part of that restraint is to not wade into public policy disputes. I imagine it is tempting for judges to impose their personal views when making decisions. But I believe Judge Roberts will exercise restraint and encourage the Federal court system to do the same. Many of my colleagues are frustrated over Judge Roberts not revealing his views on public policy. As Chief Justice, Judge Roberts is not going to act like a Senator. He will not let his personal views influence his decision and rulings. The complaints of some of my colleagues led me to believe that they did not understand the role our Founding Fathers intended for the courts. Congress is the policymaking branch of government. The President and the administration enforce the laws. And the courts act as neutral decisionmakers when disputes arise. But my colleagues know this. And so I fear they see the courts as a political arm to implement their liberal policy agenda. To them--the Supreme Court is a super legislature. But that is not what our Framers envisioned. And that is not how Judge Roberts will use his position as Chief Justice. The left turns to the courts to impose their agenda because they cannot advance it through elections. They cannot pass their laws through Congress or legislatures. They cannot even get elected by running on their liberal policies. So they must use the courts to impose their agenda. What is that agenda? Unlimited abortion on-demand; banning schoolchildren from saying the Pledge of Allegiance; banishing the Ten Commandments from public places; rewriting the definition of marriage; and banning arms for self-defense. That agenda does not sell with America or in Congress. So the last great hope for liberals is the judicial bench. And that is why they oppose nominees who do not agree to their liberal activist agenda. The only thing stopping the rewriting of our Constitution are judges that will support the rule of law. John Roberts is one such judge. He will not write new laws from the bench. As Chief Justice, he will set an example for the court system to follow the same principles. Many Senators have expressed frustration at not knowing Judge Roberts' political views. I do not know his views either. I have not asked him. And I will not ask him. They do not matter. I trust him not to let his political beliefs influence his decisions. During his hearing, Judge Roberts rightly declined to answer how he would rule in specific cases. The current Supreme Court Justices also declined to answer similar questions. Answering those kind of questions would corrupt and politicize the process. Judicial nominees would turn into politicians campaigning for office to get confirmed--pledging to vote a certain way in order to gain votes. They would also have to make promises to the President in order to get nominated. Judges must be selected based on their qualifications. I have not asked Judge Roberts about his personal political views. I have not asked him about his legal views. I do not need to know how he will rule in a certain particular case--because I know his approach to the law--and that is all I need to know. John Roberts will lead by example and earn the respect of the other Justices and the American public. He will also be joined on the Court by another new Justice. I trust President Bush will choose another highly qualified nominee to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. If the new nominee is in a similar mold and has the same respect for the rule of law, then I will be glad to support the next nominee. I have seen comments from some of my Democrat colleagues that they will filibuster certain nominees. That is most unfortunate. And it could bring us back to the point where we were earlier this year. I hope and pray the minority does not do this. But make no mistake about it. We will ensure that the next nominee receives fair treatment in the Senate and gets a vote. I thank President Bush for keeping his promise to nominate outstanding individuals to our courts. I thank Chairman Specter for ushering this nomination swiftly through his Judiciary Committee. And I thank John Roberts for his service to our country. I vow very strongly to vote for him when his vote comes up tomorrow. I yield the floor.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I pay tribute and congratulate Jay Davidson on his reception of an America Honors Recovery Award given to him by the Johnson Institute, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to helping people overcome alcohol and substance addiction. Mr. Davidson has dedicated his life to the cause of fighting addiction. He does this by serving as the president and CEO of The Healing Place, based in Louisville, KY. Under Mr. Davidson, this center has achieved a success rate of 65 percent, which is five times the national average. The efforts of The Healing Place have been so successful that this year Governor Ernie Fletcher has announced that it will serve as a model to 10 other shelter and recovery centers throughout Kentucky. In fact, this model has been effective enough that other branches of The Healing Place have been opened in Lexington, KY, Raleigh, NC, and Richmond, VA. The citizens of Kentucky are fortunate to have the leadership of Jay Davidson. His example of dedication, hard work and compassion should be an inspiration to all throughout the Commonwealth. He has my most sincere appreciation for this work and I look forward to his continued service to Kentucky.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate two outstanding Kentucky schools of distinction. Phelps Elementary School of Phelps and St. Raphael the Archangel of Louisville are recipients of the 2005 Schools of Distinction Award. This honor is presented nationally to 20 schools, of kindergarten through 12th grade, which have demonstrated exceptional commitment to achievement and innovation in education. Phelps Elementary School and St. Raphael the Archangel were selected from more than 3,000 participating schools nationwide. Both schools were chosen as winners based on merit in each of 10 categories: overall academic achievement, literacy, science, mathematics, teamwork, leadership, collaboration, professional development, technical excellence and technical innovation. Phelps Elementary School was recognized for outstanding science achievement while St. Raphael the Archangel was recognized for outstanding professional development. For their efforts the two schools will each be rewarded with a $10,000 cash grant along with their school representatives receiving an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC, to participate in an awards ceremony. These two schools represent the best in educational excellence and innovation. It is truly an honor to commend Phelps Elementary School and St. Raphael the Archangel as two of the finest schools in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I pay tribute and congratulate five seniors within the region of West Kentucky, who have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists. Their recent national recognition has given Kentucky reason to be proud. The semifinalists are Mary Broadbent from Paducah Tilghman High School, Kyle Brockman from Heath High School, Sara Chen from Tilghman High School, Allison Crawford from Lone Oak High School, Callie Dowdy from Murray High School, Nicholas Ledgerwood from Heath High School, and Joseph Moore from Graves County High School. These students will go on to compete later this year for status as a National Merit Finalist and possible college scholarships. I hope that you will join me today in both recognizing and congratulating these five high school seniors in their academic achievement. Their dedication and academic excellence serves as an example and inspiration for students throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I wish them continued success throughout their academic careers.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the employees of the Mother's Cookie Company and WAMZ-FM Radio in Louisville, KY, for their commitment to philanthropy through their participation in a charity softball game to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The employees from Mother's Cookie Company assembled a team to take on the WAMZ-FM Hamz softball team. For the past 2 years, this Louisville radio station has assembled players to compete against area businesses willing to provide a location, umpires, and players to raise money to benefit the St. Jude Children's Hospital. While the team from Mother's Cookies lost a close game by a score of 7-8, they won big raising money for St. Jude's Children's hospital. Their donation of $1,264.65 was the largest single game donation generated this season. I believe the employees of these two companies in Louisville are examples of how every American can contribute to the care and maintenance of community by participating in activities that bring people together, and unselfishly dedicating their time and resources to a worthy cause. Companies that give back to the community and employees who share their time with others form the backbone of the American economy, and are the foundation of a strong neighborhood. The men and women who work at the Mother's Cookie Company not only took the time to raise money for medical research, but also bake more than 60 percent of the Girl Scout cookies in America throughout the year. I commend the employees of Mother's Cookie Company and WAMZ-FM Radio in Louisville, KY, for their dedication to community service. They are an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky, and I thank them for their generosity.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate Mr. Edward Brown of Albany, KY. In the winter of 2005, Edward won the Kentucky competition for the 2005 Voice of Democracy Patriotic Audio Essay Contest. This nationwide competition is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is now in its 58th year. The competition requires high school student entrants to write and record a 3- to 5-minute essay on an announced patriotic theme. The theme for 2005 is ``Celebrating Our Veterans' Service.'' Mr. Brown's accomplishment has also earned him the ``$1,000 Department of Wyoming and its Ladies Auxiliary Scholarship Award.'' A student of Clinton County High School, Edward also finds time to pursue academic and cultural interests such as political science, music, and art. The Albany Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1952 and its Ladies Auxiliary can be proud to sponsor Mr. Edward Brown. Being recognized by this organization is truly an honor. I congratulate Edward for his hard work and achievement.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the Energy bill conference report. I have spoken on this floor many times before on Energy bills. I hope the bill before us is the last one I come to the floor to speak on for a long time. While not perfect, this is a good bipartisan bill. I want to thank Chairmen Domenici and Grassley and Ranking Members Bingaman and Baucus for working hard in a bipartisan manner to produce the bill before us. This Energy bill strikes a balance between conservation and production. And while passing an Energy bill might not help energy prices in the short term, it will make a difference over the long term by affecting how much our energy costs increase. This bill's increased domestic energy production, coupled with increased conservation provisions, will slow the astronomical price increases we have seen lately. Without a new national Energy policy, though, there is not much we can do about the rising energy prices. Many oil producers are working at full capacity. And with China and India starting to increase their demands for oil, the world's oil supply will continue to decrease while prices continue to increase. This means that we cannot just try and conserve our way out of any kind of energy problem. We have to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and do a better job of taking care of our own energy needs. The bill contains some good policy provisions. It includes electricity provisions that are a good start to help update our electricity grid. America has outgrown its electricity system and some changes need to be made to it. One of the provisions included in the bill is PUCHA repeal, which will go a long way in helping our electricity system meet increasing demands. The bill also makes strides to increase the reliability of the electricity grid. We also desperately need new transmission lines built, and I hope that the provisions in this bill will ensure that this happens. It also contains an incentives title which will encourage the design and deployment of innovative technology to increase energy supply and also protect the environment. These incentives cover projects such as clean coal, electric transmission and generation, and fuel efficient vehicles. I am glad that the Senate Energy bill contains clean coal provisions which I wrote to help increase domestic energy production while also improving environmental protection. Coal is an important part of our energy plans. It's cheap and plentiful, and we don't have to go far to get it. For my home State, this means more jobs and a cleaner place to live. Clean coal technology is estimated to create 62,000 jobs nationwide and cut emissions from coal drastically. The Energy bill encourages research and development of clean coal technology by authorizing over $1 billion for the Department of Energy to conduct programs to advance new technology that will significantly reduce emissions and increase efficiency of turning coal into electricity. Almost $2 billion will be used for the clean coal power initiative, where the Department of Energy will work with industry to advance efficiency, environmental performance, and cost competitiveness of new clean coal technologies. And $3 billion will be used to help coal companies comply with emission regulations by providing funding for pollution control equipment. The energy tax package also contains tax credits for companies to implement clean coal technology. The bill provides $1.6 billion in tax credits for investment in clean coal facilities. It also provides over $1 billion in tax credits for amortization of pollution control equipment to help clean up the emission from existing coal facilities. Coal plays an important role in our economy, providing over 50 percent of the energy needed for our Nation's energy. The 21st economy is going to require increased amounts of reliable, clean, and affordable electricity to keep our nation running. With research advances, we have the know-how to better balance conservation with the need for increased production. I think this bill makes a good start in ensuring that coal remains a viable energy source that can provide cheap power to consumers. And the other tax provisions from the Finance Committee will do a good job to promote conservation and energy efficiency further by encouraging the use of cleaner burning fuels. I am pleased the bill contains ethanol and biodiesel tax credits. These expanded tax credits will further encourage the use of these alternative fuels to help increase domestic production and lessen our dependence on foreign oil. This also is good for farmers and is good for jobs. We have deliberated and discussed for far too long the need for America to follow a sensible, long-term energy strategy. I am glad the Senate acted to pass an Energy bill. This is good for our environment, economy, and national security. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Regular order, Mr. President.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Kentucky Competitive Access Program (KCAP) bill that would allow Kentucky electric distribution companies to purchase cheaper power. This means lower rates for many Kentucky consumers served by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). I am pleased Senator McConnell has joined me in introducing this bill. Kentucky has some of the cheapest electric power available in the Nation. However, some Kentucky consumers in TVA are paying higher electricity rates than Kentucky consumers outside of TVA. Kentucky electric distribution companies served by the TVA can not provide their customers with access to Kentucky's inexpensive power. This is because under existing federal law the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has limited authority over TVA and can not require it to transmit the cheaper power to most, if not all, of the Kentucky distributors. The legislation removes this restriction and provides the FERC with the authority to require TVA to transmit power to all Kentucky distributors. In addition to allowing Kentucky customers to access less expensive power, the legislation would not harm TVA or result in higher rates to TVA's remaining customers. The Kentucky distributors, in total, constitute only about 6 percent of TVA's revenues and load. Further, TVA is experiencing load growth of about 3 percent per year which should quickly result in the replacement of any load lost in Kentucky. Thus, the departure of some portion of the Kentucky distributors should not result in any significant cost shift to remaining TVA system customers. All Kentuckians deserve to choose where they receive their power. This bill will not only give them that choice, but it will also create a more competitive environment among Kentucky distributors and allow our businesses and residential consumers to keep more money in their pockets.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Kentucky Competitive Access Program (KCAP) bill that would allow Kentucky electric distribution companies to purchase cheaper power. This means lower rates for many Kentucky consumers served by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). I am pleased Senator McConnell has joined me in introducing this bill. Kentucky has some of the cheapest electric power available in the Nation. However, some Kentucky consumers in TVA are paying higher electricity rates than Kentucky consumers outside of TVA. Kentucky electric distribution companies served by the TVA can not provide their customers with access to Kentucky's inexpensive power. This is because under existing federal law the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has limited authority over TVA and can not require it to transmit the cheaper power to most, if not all, of the Kentucky distributors. The legislation removes this restriction and provides the FERC with the authority to require TVA to transmit power to all Kentucky distributors. In addition to allowing Kentucky customers to access less expensive power, the legislation would not harm TVA or result in higher rates to TVA's remaining customers. The Kentucky distributors, in total, constitute only about 6 percent of TVA's revenues and load. Further, TVA is experiencing load growth of about 3 percent per year which should quickly result in the replacement of any load lost in Kentucky. Thus, the departure of some portion of the Kentucky distributors should not result in any significant cost shift to remaining TVA system customers. All Kentuckians deserve to choose where they receive their power. This bill will not only give them that choice, but it will also create a more competitive environment among Kentucky distributors and allow our businesses and residential consumers to keep more money in their pockets.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Ms. Shannon Murphy of Louisville, KY. Ms. Murphy recently completed the 2004-2005 United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Teacher Fellowship Program. The Museum Teacher Fellowship Program develops a national corps of skilled secondary school educators who will serve as leaders in Holocaust education in their schools, their communities, and their professional organizations. In August of 2004, Ms. Murphy participated in a summer institute at the Museum designed to immerse teachers in advanced historical and pedagogical issues connected to the Holocaust. It is truly an honor to have Ms. Murphy join the other 185 Museum Teacher Fellows who work throughout the country to provide teachers and communities with opportunities to learn about the Holocaust and the ongoing threats of genocide in the world today. I heartily applaud Ms. Murphy's hard work and achievements.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, earlier this week I introduced the Professional Sports Integrity and Accountability Act. This is not a bill I relish introducing, and I wish Congress did not have to get involved in this issue. Unfortunately, this might be the only way to get professional sports to finally clean up their act. As a former major league baseball player and a member of The Baseball Hall of Fame, protecting the integrity of our national past time is a matter near and dear to my heart. I know it is near and dear to the hearts of so many fans across America. I do not have any personal experience with steroids. I never encountered them during my years in the major leagues. But I can tell you this--players who use steroids are cheaters. When I played ball, if you got caught cheating--whether it was by sharpening your spikes or corking your bat--you were suspended. The same should hold true for those athletes who use illegal performance enhancing drugs. Something needs to be done to strike out drugs in sports. Some sports leagues have taken baby steps in an attempt to implement a new or improve a current testing program. While I can appreciate their efforts, I just do not think they have done enough. For example, the penalties under baseball's current drug testing program are--at best-- puny. My bill would not only toughen baseball's standards, but it would apply to a host of professional sports leagues, such as Major and Minor League Baseball, Arena and National Football Leagues, men's and women's National Basketball Associations, Major League Soccer, and the National Hockey League. Under my legislation, players would be tested at least three times a year. Tests would be conducted randomly with no advance notice to the athlete. Substances tested would include all those substances that are prohibited for all sports by the Olympics. Players testing positive would be suspended without pay from all leagues for two years on their first offense. If they test positive a second time they are banned from all sports forever. These are the kind of hard-nosed penalties that will finally wake players up to the reality that the need to stop doping up and risking losing their entire livelihood. It is going to be up to the players. I do not think too many of them will risk playing with fire. Because if you play with fire, you will get burned. In this legislation, leagues would also be required to disclose to the public the names of those players who violate the testing policy, the penalty they receive, and the substances involved. Any athlete who refuses to take a drug test will be immediately penalized the same as if he or he failed the test. These penalties would also apply to anyone who assists in a violation of the drug testing policy. Tests will be conducted by an independent entity not controlled by any league. This is necessary to ensure the integrity of the tests. This independent entity will be responsible for the collection, transport, and analysis of all samples. Lab analysis will be conducted at a lab in the United States that meets Olympic standards. All leagues will be required to keep records of these tests which will be subject to inspection by the Federal Trade Commission. It is important that people realize this is not about conducting a witch hunt, and that is why my bill also includes some protections for these athletes. As a former player, I recognize that training and playing a sport can take a tremendous toll on the body. Therefore, my bill would allow athletes exemptions for substances prescribed by their doctor. My bill requires that leagues provide violators with a hearing and fair appeals process upon testing positive. These results must be disclosed to the public. However, no information about an athlete's health is required to be disclosed. In order to ensure that leagues are in compliance, the Federal Trade Commission is designated with oversight of the drug testing program. Leagues can be fined up to $1 million per day if they do not enforce this testing policy. This legislation also encourages--but does not require--leagues to invalidate the records of any athlete who is caught using performance enhancing drugs. History is an important part of any sport and records should mean something. Yes, records are made to be broken. But it does not mean you should be able to cheat to do so. I was blessed to play 17 years in the major leagues. I never saw a player hit more home runs at age 40 than he was hitting at age 25. Unlike a good wine, professional athletes generally do not get better with age. The body breaks down and you become more prone to injury. You just do not recover as quickly from the grind of playing day after day--year after year. Some may ask why congress would be getting involved in the business of trying to regulate major league sports. Well, the answer is really quite simple. It is not just about the integrity of the game. It is partly about the health of the athlete. But really, it is about the kids. The game of baseball has been tarnished by the use of steroids. Unfortunately, this not only affects players taking these substances. But it also sends the wrong message to kids who see players as role models, and who also feel such pressure to perform so well at a young age. It is very important that we understand just how harmful steroids can be on a person's health. Side-effects of steroids include fatal liver cysts, liver cancer, kidney disease, blood clotting, and they can even lead to heart attack or stroke. Our children look up to players as heroes. And it is important that players set a good example. As Members of Congress we can play an important role in educating the public on the terrible health effects from steroids. Illegal performance-enhancing drugs have become a serious problem in professional sports and it needs to stop. Fans expect it to stop and former professional athletes expect it to stop. My friend and fellow baseball Hall of Famer--Dave Winfield--wrote me recently. He sent me a copy of an opinion piece he wrote on the steroid issue. In his piece, Dave outlines not only the negative physical health effects steroids cause. But he touches on the negative psychological effects, too. Dave also cites a recent survey by a national healthcare provider that nearly one million kids in America are using steroids and other substances to boost their athletic performance. Finally, he raises the important question to athletes: ``How do you want to play your sport--clean and fair, or by cheating with drugs?'' The fans and former athletes do not want our national pasttime and favorite sports to end up with black eyes because of this mess. Everywhere I go I hear sports fans and former athletes whistling for an end to the use of drugs in sports. I and others in this body are listening. Players and leagues must be held accountable for the State of their respective sports. And this legislation demands accountability by putting real penalties on those who cheat. It is time to restore some integrity to the sports we all watch, pour our hearts out to, and love. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this important cause. I recognize that other senators, including Senator Stevens, Senator McCain, and Senator Rockefeller, have helped to highlight this issue, and I look forward to the Senate moving this debate and legislation forward to clean this mess up in a bi-partisan way. Before I yield the floor, I want to share a letter I received last month from a young boy--Joseph Mattingly--from Louisville, KY. Joseph writes: Dear Senator Bunning, my name is Joseph Mattingly. I am a Boy Scout from Troop 327. At this year's summer camp, I am working on a merit badge that requires me to write a letter to a Member of Congress representing my State--Kentucky. This letter was required to be about a national issue which I share the same view with you. I wrote you because I am a fan of Major League Baseball and I would agree that Congress should get involved in the steroids scandal. I say this for many reasons. One is that Major League Baseball needs some help. If they cannot clear up this problem, Congress could. Another reason is that taking performance enhancing drugs is cheating. Cheating should not be the American way of doing things. A third reason is that steroids are drugs. Performance enhancing drugs should be made illegal for sale without a prescription. Finally, you are a Hall of Famer with much baseball experience. For this reason, Major League Baseball should let you help them with their problems. These are my views on why Congress should get involved in bringing down the steroids scandal in baseball and all other sports. Sincerely, Joseph Mattingly. This is the voice from a young fan--a child who loves the game of baseball. He echoes the thoughts and words of so many others across America. There is passion in this young boy's heart, and wisdom in his words. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and editorial be printed in the Record.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate the hard work of fellow Kentuckians to establish the Kentucky Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. The Military Order of the Loyal Legions of the United States was established by a group of Federal officers formed to act as an honor guard for the remains of President Abraham Lincoln. These officers later met to form a society to commemorate the events and principles of the War of the Rebellion. MOLLUS became the first military society based upon the War of Rebellion to be formed. Over 125 officers of Kentucky regiments, as well as over a dozen general officers and admirals of Kentucky birth, were original companions of MOLLUS. At the MOLLUS National Congress in October of 2004, the dedicated efforts of the Kentucky members paid off, as the Commonwealth of Kentucky was granted full Commandery status. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the members of the Kentucky Commandery for their hard work and dedication to their principles.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I congratulate and honor two young Kentucky students who have achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in their communities. Brandon Harvey of Breeding and Craig Peden of Henderson have just been named the top two honorees in Kentucky by the 2005 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each State, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Mr. Harvey, a senior at Adair County High School, is being recognized for raising nearly $1,000 to purchase smoke detectors for the families of all 175 students at a local elementary school. Mr. Harvey organized a special Fire Prevention Day at the school, during which he taught the students fire prevention and safety techniques and issued every child a smoke detector. Mr. Peden, an eighth grader at Henderson County North Middle School, is being recognized for leading an effort by his school's Junior Optimist Club to raise money to help support the operating budget of Riverview School, a preschool for special needs students. With Mr. Peden's help, Riverview School was able to pay off its mortgage, and now Craig hopes to expand his efforts to directly benefit the handicapped children at Riverview. In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are less involved in their communities than they once were, it is vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution these young citizens have made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Mr. Harvey and Mr. Peden are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The program that brought this young role model to our attention--the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued. Since its inception, the program has become the Nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, with more than 170,000 youngsters participating. Mr. Harvey and Mr. Peden should be extremely proud to have been singled out from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Mr. Harvey and Mr. Peden for their initiative in seeking to make their communities a better place to live, and for the positive impact they have had on the lives of others. They have demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserve our sincere admiration and respect. Their actions show that young Americans can play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to Jada Trabue, Ashlyn Wilson, and Charles Clark as three truly outstanding students from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In the fall of 2005, Reading is Fundamental, Inc. held a national poster contest in which more than 25,000 children created artwork reflecting the 2005 theme, ``Celebrate the Joy of Reading.'' Out of 365 posters submitted to the national competition, a panel of judges selected Jada Trabue of Louisville, KY, as the National Winner. Ashlyn Wilson of Louisville, KY, and Charles Clark of Hopkinsville, KY, were selected as Honorable Mention winners. Being recognized by this organization is truly an honor. I congratulate these three students for their hard work and their achievement.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Miss Kennedy Womack, a 10-year-old student of Russell-McDowell Intermediate School in Flatwoods, KY. The Kentucky Association for Gifted Education in cooperation with the National Association for Gifted Children awarded Miss Womack the Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award during the KAGE 25th Annual Conference on February 8, 2005. The award is designed to recognize excellence in young children and is given to one student per State each school year. Award recipients are between ages 8 and 12 and have achieved excellence in one of the following areas of endeavor--leadership, visual/performing arts, and academic achievement. The student selected is one who makes a contribution to the community at a level beyond what is expected of the student's age group. While spending time with her grandfather who is the jailer for the Greenup County Detention Center, Miss Womack became aware of the needs of the inmates, as well as the children who come to visit them. She observed inmates who needed to read or write to their families, but for some reason they were not able to do so. Kennedy tried to find a way to help. Through various means, Kennedy has also tried to help the young children who come to visit their relatives. She hopes her efforts will help the children make wise choices and not follow a path of crime. Chief Tomas E. Kelly, Ashland Chief of Police, says of Miss Womack, ``Kennedy has a keen interest in bettering her community, stopping the chain of crime and being a young advocate for victims of crime, and clearly demonstrates her leadership traits and initiative while doing so.'' National recognition by this organization is truly an honor to Greenup County and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I congratulate Miss Womack for her hard work and achievement. I encourage her to keep up the hard work and commitment to improving her community.

Mr. BUNNING

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I rise to congratulate Officer Duane Harper of Owensboro, KY. Officer Harper was recently awarded the Owensboro Police Department's citation for officer of the year. Officer Harper, a vehicle crash reconstructionist, is a 14-year veteran with an eye for detail and a steady, meticulous investigative technique. As a reconstructionist, Harper is called on to conduct investigations not only for his department, but others as well. Chief John Kazlauskas describes Harper as committed to conducting his investigations thoroughly and professionally. The officer of the year award is given annually to an officer selected solely by the Chief of Police based on performance and merit. Officer Harper was also the recipient of the Chief's Award, the department's second highest honor. It is very important to have members of our law enforcement dedicated to the safety and well being of our communities. I am very proud to have Officer Harper as a member of local law enforcement in Kentucky. I heartily applaud his hard work and commitment to serving his community. I hope that you will join me today in both recognizing and congratulating Officer Harper in his achievement. He serves as an example to the rest of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I wish him continued success in the future.