John Boozman

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Don House, who will retire as the Walnut Ridge Mayor after 4 years of public service to the citizens of the community. Mayor House constantly stressed the spirit of cooperation within and between each city department, and the importance of good work ethic among its employees. That is why when he began his service as mayor he met with all of the community's employees. Don led a reorganization of the police department in an effort to serve the needs of the community more responsibly, including a crackdown on drug dealers and drug manufacturers within the city. Don also oversaw the completion of the Northeast Arkansas Water Authority project, improving the water quality in Walnut Ridge. In addition to serving as mayor, Don lived in Lawrence County most of his life, owned House-Gregg Funeral Home--a local funeral home and family business, and held office in the Arkansas State House of Representatives. I applaud Don for his outstanding achievements and success as city mayor. My staff and I have enjoyed working with Mayor House on the projects important to Walnut Ridge. I am truly appreciative of his dedication, leadership, and eagerness to serve Arkansas.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Charles Nix, who will retire as the Poinsett County judge after three terms of honorable service to the citizens of Arkansas in this elected position. As Poinsett County judge, Charles faced and overcame several disasters including the 2011 flood and multiple tornadoes. Charles played a pivotal role in leading the county through the storms, repairing the damages and restoring the livelihood of the citizens. Beyond his county judge duties, Charles served as a member of the County Judges Association of Arkansas, Crowley's Ridge Development Council Board, Eastern Arkansas Planning and Development Council Board, and Northwest Arkansas Workforce Investment. He also presided as president of the Harrisburg Area Chamber of Commerce and served in the Army National Guard for 6 years. Charles Nix has displayed honor, perseverance, and an eagerness to serve his community that we can all admire. I am truly grateful for his years of dedicated service and commitment to Poinsett County and the State of Arkansas.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Glen Hurt, who will retire as the Mansfield city mayor after more than 25 years of public service to the community as a city council member and mayor. As city mayor, Glen is credited with improving the city's fire and police departments, upgrading Mansfield's waste and sewer systems, bringing a new grocery store to the community and helping build a new city senior center in 2004. Glen's commitment to public service led him to serve on the boards of the Solid Waste District and Area Agency on Aging. I applaud Glen for his outstanding contributions and achievements as city mayor. We are all grateful for his dedication, leadership, and eagerness to serve honorably during his years of service to the city of Mansfield and the State of Arkansas. My staff and I have enjoyed working with Mayor Hurt on the projects important to Mansfield. I am truly grateful for his years of honorable service and dedication to community and wish him continued success in his future endeavors and many years of good health to enjoy with his granddaughters.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Sheriff Randall ``Butch'' Morris who will retire after over three decades of honorable service to the people of Howard County, AR. A lifelong resident of Howard County, Sheriff Morris was born and raised in Umpire, AR. He began working as a deputy sheriff in Howard County and was later named the office's chief deputy and investigator, a position he held for over 16 years before being elected sheriff. For over 18 years, Butch Morris served as the Howard County sheriff and collector, winning nine straight elections, including eight of them in which he ran unopposed. During the course of that time, Sheriff Morris also worked to advance law enforcement best practices as a member of Arkansas Sheriffs' Association board of directors and the Commission on Arkansas Law Enforcement Standards and Training. On a personal note, I am grateful for the professionalism that Sheriff Morris's office always exhibited throughout my tenure in the Senate. My staff and I always had pleasant interactions with the sheriff's office and that is a testament to the exceptional leadership of Butch Morris. I thank Butch Morris for his dedication, commitment, and eagerness to serve his community. We are all grateful for his years of service and leadership to Howard County and Arkansas. I wish him continued success in his future endeavors and many years of good health to enjoy with his grandchildren, Brooklyn and Brantley.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Don Baker, who will retire as the Pike County Judge after 17 years of honorable service to the citizens of Arkansas in this elected position. As Pike County Judge, Don can be credited with building 16 steel and concrete bridges in the county, adding to and upgrading the road and landfill equipment, paving and improving many miles of Pike County roads, and organizing the Intermodal Authority for Pike, Montgomery, Clark, and Dallas Counties. In addition to his county judge duties, Don also served as a member of the board of West Central Planning and Development District and president of the Upper Southwest Solid Waste Landfill District. Public service has always been an important part of Don's life. After graduating from the University of Arkansas in 1963 and teaching school in Mt. Ida, Don worked to extend credit to local farmers, owned a Glenwood grocery business, and served as a member on the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce, was a charter member of the Glenwood Lion's Club and served for 9 years on the Glenwood School Board. In addition, he was active in the Glenwood industrial development and taught Sunday school at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Don Baker has displayed dedication, commitment, and an eagerness to serve his community we can all admire. My staff and I have enjoyed working with Judge Baker on the projects important to Pike County. I am truly grateful for his years of honorable service and dedication to Pike County and the State of Arkansas.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor John R. Ballentine, who will retire as the Alma City Mayor after more than two decades of public service to the citizens of Arkansas in this elected position. As Alma City Mayor, John was a constant advocate for services, programs and improvements for Alma residents. After leading the city out of debt, John oversaw the construction and financing of the city's first waterpark. In 2000, John opened the Alma Aquatic Center, which has become a centerpiece of the city bringing in more than 50,000 people annually. What started as an idea dreamed up while baling hay became a significant contributor to the City of Alma's economy. John fought hard to enhance existing public facilities and finance the new construction of amenities including area parks, a $4 million water treatment plant, an annual Independence Day fireworks show, and the annual Alma flying disk golf tournament which brings in over 100 participants every November. John's passion for public service extends beyond his most recent position as Alma's longest standing mayor since 1872. In addition, John served on the Alma City Council for 4 years, as a member of the Crawford County Quorum Court for 10 years, and in the U.S. Army Reserves for 21 years. I congratulate John for his commitment to public service. We are all grateful for his years of service and leadership to Alma, Crawford County and Arkansas. John is truly a public servant. I wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, this is what the American people have been waiting to see. They want Washington to work together to grow our Nation's economy. Sometimes that takes debating what some consider a tough vote. I personally don't see the authorization before us as a difficult vote, by any stretch of the imagination. To me, this is a no-brainer. Here is why. Keystone is a job creator. This project will bolster the American economy and Arkansas's once we move forward. In my home State of Arkansas, Nucor Steel in Blytheville and Welspun Tubular in Little Rock are two companies that should be employing people to work on the pipeline for the project right now. These are two communities in my home State that would have already benefited from the project if the President had not been stalling the approval of the Keystone Pipeline. In fact, Welspun had been producing pipe for the Keystone XL project. Hundreds of miles of pipe, produced for the project, are just sitting at their facility. Unfortunately, due to the administration's delay the company was forced to lay off employees. The Keystone Pipeline proposal has been studied to death. Every box has been checked. Our friends to the north are moving ahead with or without us. Canada will develop their oil resources whether or not we approve the pipeline. Where the refining is done depends on the President's decision on Keystone. Right now, Canada is currently using other methods of transportation such as railroads to ship their oil. Without Keystone, they most likely will build their own pipelines to ship their crude oil to Asian markets and refineries in China. They have lax environmental standards. Instead of working with us to avoid that scenario, the President has unnecessarily prolonged the process, giving Canadian officials more reason to seek opportunities in China. The Senate majority provided cover for the President's delay tactics for 6 years, simultaneously putting the brakes on thousands of employment opportunities for Americans. During that time the project has received approval in every study the State Department has conducted. The review process has been exhaustive. There is no reason for additional delays. The pipeline is ready to go and my colleagues have tried to move it forward. But until now, the Senate majority prevented us from having an up-or-down vote on authorization. Meanwhile, the House voted nine times to approve the Keystone Pipeline. The most recent of these votes came last week. Now we finally have a chance to send something to the White House that forces the President to make a choice once and for all. Without congressional activity, the President sees no reason to make a decision. The American people delivered a reason on election day. They want to see Washington work. We can start by passing the Keystone Pipeline. The President claims he heard that message. Let's pass this authorization and give him a chance to approve that.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Yes.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Mike Jacobs, who will retire as the Johnson County judge after more than two decades of public service to the citizens of Arkansas in this elected position. As Johnson County judge, Mike was a constant advocate for services, programs, and improvements for Johnson County residents. He worked to secure funding to provide a safe source of drinking water for citizens in county, preserving funding for rural schools and protect rural firefighters. After a tornado devastated Johnson County in 2011, Mike fought to ensure FEMA would allow citizens to receive Federal disaster assistance. Mikes passion for public service extends beyond the borders of Johnson County. As the president of board of directors for the Association of Arkansas Counties for more than 15 years, Mike has shared his efforts, experiences, and examples of success with others. He is a visionary for the State and the Nation as he also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Counties. I congratulate Mike for his commitment to public service. We are all grateful for his years of service and leadership to Arkansas. I am grateful to be able to call Mike a friend. While he is stepping down as county judge, Mike will continue public service in another capacity. We will be able to rely on his advice and his experience as he serves as justice of the peace. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Johnson County judge Mike Jacobs on his retirement. I wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, the sad thing is the people who were involved in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield are in the middle of this. We have this other bill that there are some concerns about. That is fine. That is what this place is all about. But the idea of holding the Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield bill hostage in this situation is not good. We live in an era of gridlock, and we have problems getting things done. This bill passed the House unanimously and would pass the Senate unanimously. So I would hope that we can again get together and get things worked out. The reality is and the problem is that there is no reason to couple these two together. If the other bill has problems, it needs to be worked out. That is what it is all about. Let's have that discussion. But the Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield bill has nothing to do with that. So I would hope that in the near future we can move forward and honor these 600,000 people who participated, so that one day their children can come and visit Washington and be able to look at the monument about which the committee will decide as to what is appropriate so that we can honor these individuals. I yield the floor.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, last month we marked the 24th anniversary of the beginning of the gulf war. In August 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. Shortly after this development the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, which led to Operation Desert Storm to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. Arkansas made a huge sacrifice during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Arkansas Army National Guard had 13 units called to serve during these operations, and 10 units of the Arkansas Air National Guard were called up. More than 3,400 Arkansas Guard soldiers were called up altogether--the second highest percentage of any State. Of those Arkansans called to serve, nine of the Army Guard units served in combat, including the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade--the only National Guard artillery brigade called to Active Duty during the gulf war. I thank all of the men and women--more than 600,000 Americans from across the United States--who served and sacrificed in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. These servicemembers deserve a place of honor and recognition in our Nation's Capital. My friend and colleague Senator Donnelly and I have been working toward that goal. I am proud of my colleagues in the House who unanimously passed H.R. 503, the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial Act in May. I ask that we bring this bill up for final passage here in the Senate. In a time where we are facing budget constraints, this bill is budget neutral. Private funds for construction of the memorial will be raised by the National Desert Storm War Memorial Association. This bill simply authorizes the establishment of a monument on Federal lands here in our Nation's Capital, which is what Congress needs to act on to honor all of those men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Passing this bill will be a great step in honoring our gulf war veterans. I am grateful to have the support of the full Senate and look forward to a swift ultimate passage. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 403, H.R. 503. I further ask that the bill be read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. I wish to celebrate 70 years of down-home cooking at Neal's CAFE in Springdale, AR. Opened in 1944 by Toy and Bertha Neal, the restaurant is currently run by the family's fourth generation. Over the last 70 years, Neal's Cafe has been one of the most popular dining spots in northwest Arkansas. Neal's is not just known for its menu of delicious comfort food. It is also a popular gathering spot for locals to catch-up and discuss family life, politics and the Razorbacks chances on the football field this week. It is hard to miss the pink exterior of Neal's Cafe as you drive down N. Thompson Street. When you park your vehicle and step inside Neal's, the unique decor of the restaurant and the aroma of fried chicken immediately hit you. While fried chicken is among the most popular dishes at Neal's Cafe, visitors come from far and wide for the homemade pies as well. Neal's Cafe is so much more than a restaurant. It is an integral part of the Springdale community. The Neal family has worked relentlessly to make it that way. As someone who has experience starting a family business, I know how challenging of an endeavor it is to get off the ground, much less be successful to the level that the Neal family has been for the past 70 years. It is a testament to the family's commitment to quality, service and dedication to the community. As the Neal family celebrates 70 years of operating Neal's Cafe, I would like to extend my wishes for many more years of serving food and fellowship at their Springdale institution. I look forward to stopping by for some fried chicken and a slice of coconut cream pie very soon.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, there is a long list of items on the Senate agenda that are important to our country, including reforming the VA health system, addressing the crisis at our border, and ensuring funding is available for improvements to our roads and bridges. While it may seem as though other issues are on the back burner, they are not. I want Arkansans to know I hear you loudly and clearly about your dislike for ObamaCare. Recent court rulings confirm ObamaCare is unworkable. Americans understand how the law infringes on our rights. The Supreme Court reserved the right for business owners to object to overbearing government mandates that would violate our religious beliefs. The promises that were made were not true--like the law will lower our premiums. The reality is ObamaCare drives up health insurance premiums and copays, and that is what hurts our wallets. Sean from Hackett, AR, wrote to me about a blood test his fiancee needed to help diagnose her illness. In the past, she had a copayment and the rest of the bill was paid by her insurance. But Sean wrote: Normally it would only cost $25 for a co-payment. Now she received a $200 bill. You remember the other promises, such as you can keep your doctors and Medicare will not be cut. Cyndi, who lives in rural Arkansas, detailed the problem she is having with Medicare because of ObamaCare. The changes made through ObamaCare have cost her both time and money. ``Not everyone lives in the big city where clinics, doctors and hospitals are easily available,'' she wrote. ``Many of these facilities have closed their doors or the doctors are not accepting Medicare patients.'' Connie, a registered nurse in Arkansas, told me that she is sick of ObamaCare and sees the problems her patients and family have to deal with under the law, which includes losing their doctors and the use of the local hospital. She wrote that the cost of the insurance payments increased and customers have to pay such high deductibles that they cannot afford to go to the doctor. These failed promises are negatively impacting Arkansans. The ugly reality is people are struggling under this law. Amanda's story is what so many middle-class families are experiencing. Her family is already trying to make ends meet, but she says ObamaCare is not affordable. ``There is no way humanly possible that my family can afford a monthly fee of $654,'' she wrote. ObamaCare costs American taxpayers more than $2 trillion, but like in the case with Amanda's family, health care is more unaffordable. I believe we need to start over by creating real reforms that lower costs, increase choice, and eliminate Washington's control of our health care. We need health care reform, but ObamaCare is not the answer. We need to transition the employer-based private insurance market toward one that allows for flexibility, choice, portability, and fairness. Let's allow small business owners to pool together to purchase group insurance. Let's allow individuals to purchase insurance across State lines to increase competition. Let's expand health savings accounts and flexible savings accounts. Let's address medical malpractice reform and prevent lawsuit abuse. I want you to know that unraveling ObamaCare and starting over is at the top of my agenda because health care needs to be much more affordable than it currently is under ObamaCare. I yield the floor.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. I thank the Chair.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, as the son of an Air Force master sergeant and a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I take very seriously my responsibility to represent the interests of those who have served our country in uniform. When it comes to our Nation's veterans, their commitment to country is without question, and our country's commitment to them should be the same. Put simply, our veterans deserve better. That is why I am pleased to see that we have come together to address this crisis in the Senate. These men and women have served and sacrificed on behalf of a grateful nation. We need to ensure that they are getting the high-quality services they have earned. Our veterans deserve a system that proves their care is our top priority. Unfortunately, the VA is struggling to meet the health demands for our veterans. The VA inspector general is currently investigating misconduct throughout the VA health system. In order to ensure accountability, we have to give the VA the ability to fire and demote senior executive service employees who are responsible for these types of abuses. Under current law, senior VA employees are nearly untouchable. That means the very people responsible for hiding the true extent of wait times, for instance, and other abuses cannot be fired. That is incredible when you think about it. We cannot tolerate bad actors who abuse their power and put our veterans in danger. That is why a key component of this bill gives the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to fire or demote senior VA employees for poor performance. Accountability is the goal here. However, that goes beyond individual employees. The Department itself needs to be held accountable for its shortcomings. So it is time we shine a light on the VA. This bill would also establish an electronic waiting list that would be made available to veterans on the Department's Web site so everyone can see the average waiting time for an appointment at each VA medical center for specific types of care and services. New wait time goals would also be published on the Department's Web site and in the Federal Register within 90 days of the bill's enactment. Earlier this week we saw an audit which revealed that veterans seeking care for the first time waited an average of 60 days in the Little Rock VA hospital and 52 days in the Fayetteville hospital. Clearly, these results need to be improved and indicate the failure of the VA to meet its goal of seeing new patients within 14 days. I am committed to ensuring that the VA uses every available option it has to deliver on its mission for all veterans who have earned this care. And if it cannot, this bill gives our veterans the ability to seek that care elsewhere. The bill we are considering today would establish a 2-year program that allows veterans who have been unable to obtain care from the VA for providing service to seek care from private providers. This option would also be provided to those who live more than 40 miles from a VA facility, including a community-based outpatient clinic. The government would be obligated to reimburse the non-VA health care provider for the services provided to the veteran. Wait times and secret lists are not the only problem within the VA health system. We are learning now that quality-of-care issues on a range of critical care outcomes, including mortality and infection rates, are willingly being ignored by senior VA management. We need to restore faith in the VA health care system, and that begins with accountability and following through with our promises. The crisis surrounding the VA health care system shows an immediate need to improve timely access to medical care for our veterans. The VA needs to correct the systemic problems that are preventing our veterans from accessing the high-quality health care services offered. I am pleased we are taking action on this important issue, and I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation before us because we need to improve the health services our veterans earned and deserve.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to offer my thoughts and prayers to the victims of the April 27, 2014, tornadoes that devastated a number of communities in central Arkansas. The tornadoes that spawned from the storm system that left a trail of destruction across the south took the lives of 16 Arkansans in Pulaski, White and Faulkner Counties. The Arkansas victims include an Iraq veteran who died while protecting his 5-year-old daughter, two children who had just started school in Vilonia, and an unborn child who died as a result of the injuries to the baby's mother. While others escaped the tornadoes with their lives, many lost everything else they had. From homes to businesses, entire communities were wiped out leaving many residents homeless and without livelihood. However, our actions in a time of crisis are a reflection of us as a society and despite the tragic stories we saw many uplifting acts before, during, and after the tornadoes hit. As the storm approached, Christian Gunther acted to save ten disabled veterans from a long-term care facility by making sure they reached safety before the tornado hit. During the storm, MSG Daniel Wassom, gave his life using his body to shield his daughter from a falling beam. And, in the immediate aftermath of the storm, Arkansas's first responders rushed to the hardest hit communities, saving lives in the aftermath of the tornadoes. During this time where many have to sift through the rubble and rebuild their lives, we are grateful for those who have reached out to their neighbors and provided assistance. Volunteers from all across the State have come to ravaged areas to help. This disaster serves as a testament to the compassionate character of the people of Arkansas. Rebuilding is never easy, but I know that Arkansans do not give up. I am pleased the President quickly responded to the situation by designating four Arkansas counties as major disaster areas, making Federal funding available to people in these counties impacted by the storm. However, more work remains to be done. I am committed to ensuring that relief comes to the families and communities affected by this disaster. Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who endured the storms, who need to rebuild, and especially to those who have lost relatives and loved ones. I ask that my colleagues continue to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the life and career of Dr. Thomas Holland who has spent the past 22 years finding and identifying the remains of American servicemen. His efforts have helped bring peace and closure to the families of our fallen soldiers. With over 83,000 American servicemen who have been listed as missing in action, Dr. Holland's vision and insights have helped find and identify the remains of soldiers who would otherwise be unaccounted for and unknown. He has led recovery missions to numerous countries such as North and South Korea, China, Iraq, and Cambodia. Most notably in 1995, Dr. Holland led the classified mission in Iraq to recover the only serviceman missing from the First Gulf War. Originally from Fort Smith, AR, Dr. Holland received his bachelor's degree in fine art from the University of Missouri-Columbia where he continued his post graduate studies and earned his master's degree and his doctorate degree in anthropology. Currently, Dr. Holland serves on the graduate faculty at the University of Hawaii. As a world renowned expert, he has been published in many journals and has presented papers at numerous national and international meetings. During his tenure at the Central Identification Laboratory and Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, he held positions as an anthropologist, senior anthropologist, and scientific director. While his academic and professional achievements are outstanding, his most admirable accomplishment has been his great service that honors American prisoners of war and those missing in action. Since 1992, Dr. Holland has diligently performed the solemn task of finding and identifying lost soldiers, sailors, and airmen using the science of human identification. Dr. Holland has displayed dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. I am grateful for his years of service and efforts devoted to those who fought and died for our freedom.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to honor a friend to all Arkansans, Frank Broyles, an icon in Arkansas athletics, the former head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team and former Athletic Director who is retiring from the University of Arkansas at the end of June. This legendary football coach spent his life serving Arkansas and laying the foundation and building the dynamic athletic department at the University of Arkansas. His hard work, dedication and commitment to Arkansas and its athletes is clear. As an offensive tackle for the Razorbacks in the late 1960s, I played under Coach Broyles. He had a great influence on my life and I know that to be true for many other Arkansas athletes. Coach Broyles' influence extends well beyond Arkansas into college athletics. The Broyles Award was established in 1996 to honor the work of assistant football coaches. Honoring Coach Broyles, the award recognizes his history of producing some of the most successful assistant coaches in college football. He has been successful on and off the field. After his wife Barbara lost her battle with Alzheimer's, Coach Broyles made it his life's mission to advocate for a cure and educate Americans on caring for loved ones suffering with Alzheimer's. He wrote the Alzheimer's Playbook based on his family's experience caring for Barbara which is a great resource for all caregivers. Despite retiring as the Arkansas Athletic Director in 2007 he continued his service to Arkansas on the Razorback Foundation. This will truly be the end of an era when he leaves at the end of the month. The Arkansas Razorbacks are blessed to have the leadership of Coach Broyles in the many roles he assumed for the university. His vision for the Razorbacks is what we recognize today and support today. I am honored to have had the opportunity to play for Coach Broyles and call him a friend and wish him the best of luck in retirement.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, on June 6th, 1944, the brave men and women of the Allied Forces began the opening phase of Operation Overlord in an effort to break the Nazi stranglehold on Western Europe. On that early morning, 31,000 members of the United States Armed Forces, and 153,000 of their counterparts in the Allied Expeditionary Force, stormed ashore five landing areas on the beaches of Normandy, France, in what is known as D-Day. In that first day alone, approximately 10,000 allied soldiers were wounded or killed, including 6,000 Americans. Now, 70 years later, it remains our duty to remember the sacrifices made by the members of the ``greatest generation'' who answered the call of those being oppressed by the Nazi and Fascist regimes. In recognition of the incredible feats achieved by our veterans, the Parliament of the French Republic has asked to join us in the passage of an identical resolution in both bodies, honoring these sacrifices made in the name of liberty. As co-chairs of the Senate French Caucus, I have joined with Senator Landrieu to introduce this resolution to recognize the upcoming 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings and to express our gratitude and appreciation to the members of the U.S. Armed Forces who participated in these operations.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I wish to honor a larger than life personality and a true American hero, Buddy Brown Spivey, who was recently interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Buddy's story is truly inspirational. While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he was deployed to Vietnam. On December 7, 1966, he was severely injured by an explosion that led most of his unit to believe he died that day. The explosion took Buddy's eyesight, his right leg, and caused brain damage. He refused to allow it to take his spirit. After years of rehabilitation, Buddy returned to Arkansas with the intention of helping his fellow veterans live happy, productive lives after service. That was the thing about Buddy, he never stopped thinking of others despite the difficult circumstances he found himself in after his own military service. After earning his master's degree at the University of Arkansas, Buddy went to work for the Blinded Veterans Association, where he served as field representative for 10 years. He later worked as a counseling psychologist and social worker at the VA hospital in Little Rock. It has been said that he rarely missed a day of work. Helping his fellow veterans was a job he was paid to do until he retired in 2007, but continued to do long after that. That is how dedicated he was to his fellow veterans. Spivey family members will regale you with stories about Buddy's captivating personality. He was known as a sharp, at times flashy, dresser who wore a suit and tie to work long after business casual became the norm. He was a masterful storyteller, but he also listened to others' stories with the same intensity. After repeat meetings, people were often amazed that Buddy remembered every detail of a person's story from the last time they met. Most importantly, Buddy inspired people. His sacrifices on the battlefield earned him two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. His sacrifices after service earned him accolades of another sort. The lives he touched, the people he helped, will always remember that sharply dressed man who put others first.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, recently, we tragically lost Monticello, AR Mayor Allen Maxwell very suddenly and unexpectedly. He did a tremendous job as mayor. No one valued his family and community more than Mayor Maxwell. After a successful career in the private sector, Allen embarked on a second career in public service that included a stint as U.S. Representative Jay Dickey's chief of staff in the 1990's. Six years later, he was motivated to run for an elected office of his own. It was an excellent decision that ended with a successful election to the Arkansas House of Representatives where he represented district 10 for 3 terms and focused on creating jobs in Arkansas's manufacturing sector before being term-limited out. Committed to making Arkansas a better place to live and do business, Allen knew he could still contribute and decided to run for mayor of Monticello. He won with 70 percent of the vote, focused his energies on infrastructure and capital improvements, and left his mark on Monticello before his sudden and untimely passing. Mayor Maxwell was a great example for us all. A humble public servant who entered this field for the right reasons--he truly wanted to help Arkansans and make the State that he loved better. My staff and I greatly missed his presence at the annual meeting with legislators in Washington. We continue to pray that his family and friends are comforted by the fact that major efforts for his community and region and concern for his fellow man will continue to live on.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I very much appreciate the importance of the discussion going on, but I would like to talk about another very important issue that is facing us. One of the biggest problems our country faces at the current time is one Washington has created--the out-of-control spending and our lack of fiscal discipline to put our country back on a path to fiscal responsibly. Last week President Obama released his budget proposal for fiscal year 2015. That proposal continues Washington's reckless spending. It offers little in the way of real help to the millions of Americans struggling to get by in this very stagnant economy, which has not been helped by the President's policies. What is worse is that the President finds a way to support the projects and priorities of his base but can't continue our country's commitment to our men and women who served and are serving our Nation in uniform. The defense budget proposes to slash even more benefits our military families need. The Military Officers Association of America is rightfully highlighting these proposed cuts to military compensation and health care benefits. The Washington Times published a story on this topic yesterday, saying retired servicemembers weighed in with frustration and anger, and rightfully so. The proposal again caps the military pay raise at 1 percent, although the private sector wage growth is 1.8 percent. MOAA, the Military Officers Association, calculated what these cuts would mean to the bottom line of our active-duty military. An Army sergeant stands to lose nearly $5,000 in benefits annually and an Army captain will lose nearly $6,000 in benefits annually. This is certainly the wrong message to send to our men and women who put their lives on the line for this country. When the President was elected, he promised to go through the budget with a scalpel; however, the only thing he seems capable of dissecting is military pay and benefits. I am here today to say that these cuts on our military families are unacceptable. I will fight to preserve the benefits our military families were promised. Fortunately, as has been the case with the President's budgets from the past few years, this proposal will likely never see the light of day. Even the majority in the Senate doesn't have the desire to bring that proposal up for a vote. But this does not excuse those who continue to propose savings that come at the expense of our men and women in uniform or those who have served us in the past. Our military members, their families, and our veterans should not have to bear the burden for Washington's irresponsible spending. Taking away benefits from our servicemembers has become a recurring problem. This is very troubling. I stood here less than 2 months ago talking about our need to restore military retiree cuts that were unjustly taken away to help rein in spending. I opposed the budget agreement that cut the retirement benefit of our veterans and reducing the cost-of-living adjustment because it unfairly aimed to balance the budget on the backs of our retired military. Now the President seems determined to continue down that path. We were able to restore most of those misguided military retirement cuts, but these benefits should have never been a target. Now the President wants to target servicemembers again. It is unconscionable considering he is intent on interjecting the Federal Government into private sector labor issues. He wants to force private entities to raise wages and increase benefits in a poor economy that his policies have created. When it comes to our men and women in uniform, he is all for stripping away their hard-earned benefits so he can continue to redistribute wealth, raise taxes, and increase Federal spending another $1 trillion. We need to keep the promise we made to our servicemembers and maintain these benefits. Washington needs to find savings somewhere else. It can and must be done. With that, I yield back.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I share my support for the nominee on whom we are about to vote. Judge Timothy Brooks has the experience, background, and temperament to unanimously qualify him for the position of district judge. I am proud to stand before my colleagues and offer my support of his confirmation. I am pleased that we have been able to act on this vacancy and hope that Judge Brooks will be easily confirmed much like Judge Moody was for the Eastern District of Arkansas seat last week. Again, these are highly qualified nominees. Judge Moody is a great fit for the Eastern District. I am confident Judge Brooks will complement him well in the Western District. One of the most important aspects of what we do in the Senate is the confirmation of judges, the process of selecting people with the right temperament and qualifications. I believe both Judge Moody and Judge Brooks will make excellent Federal judges and will make Arkansas proud. I yield the floor. Cloture Motion

Mr. BOOZMAN

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

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam President, I stand here as someone who is very interested in our Nation's veterans. We owe the men and women who stood in defense of our Nation the care and services they deserve for the sacrifices they have made for our country. My dad served in the Air Force for over 20 years, and his service and sacrifice is in no small part why I am a Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, and previously the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. I requested to be a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committees in both Chambers because we made a commitment to take care of those who put their lives on the line for our safety and ideals, and I believe in carrying out the promise. During my days as a Member of the House of Representatives, my mom would routinely ask me when I would see her: What have you done for our veterans lately? I was happy to talk about the programs and services we promoted, supported, and passed--and certainly in a very bipartisan way. There is a long list of accomplishments of which we can be very proud, from modernizing the GI bill so our veterans can get the education they need to succeed in life after the military, to helping our veterans pursue their dreams of owning a business, to improving the medical services our veterans need for the wounds they have suffered while serving our country. Unfortunately, problems exist. In my Arkansas office--and I think this is true of most congressional offices--we have a number of dedicated staffers. In fact, we have three dedicated staffers who handle veterans-related issues. They help cut through the redtape of the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the care and attention our veterans have earned. Last year, more than 40 percent of the assistance we provided to Arkansans that involved Federal agencies focused on veterans' issues. Increasing funding doesn't necessarily mean we will have better outcomes. Take for instance the claims backlog. This is a huge problem impacting hundreds of thousands of veterans nationwide. Even some of the simplest claims are stuck in the process. Since 2009, the number of claims pending for over 1 year has grown, despite a 40 percent increase in the VA's budget. The most recent statistics for the Little Rock VA Regional Office showed 7,663 total claims are pending. Nearly 54 percent have been in the process for more than 125 days. The regional office averages nearly 217 days to complete a claim. Thanks to the hard work and commitment of Arkansans who work at the VA, we are making progress on the backlog at the Little Rock office, but there is still work to be done for our veterans. Take, for instance, the retired lieutenant colonel in Arkansas who is eligible for benefits he earned for his service in the military. He is not receiving the correct pay. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service approved his paperwork in August and sent it to the VA. It has been 6 months and still no decision has been made. This is an easy case, and it simply shouldn't take that long. Retired CSM Richard Green lives in Sherwood and has already received his retirement benefits, but he filed for benefits for his wife the month after they married in October 2012. It took 16 months to process that paperwork--much longer than he was used to during active military service when this sort of paperwork was fixed within one or two paychecks. Every part of the claims process is overwhelmed and bogged down. Paul Cupp from Fort Smith, AR, has been working on his VA appeal since 2009. He was happy to get part of it approved in 2013, after 4 years of waiting. However, months later, he is still waiting for his rating to get updated and to see the actual benefits from that decision. And the widows of our veterans are not exempt from this backlog. One Arkansan in her seventies has been working on her claim since 2005, and is still awaiting a decision on appeal. Nine years is certainly unacceptable. Instead of fixing the existing challenges our veterans are facing through fully implementing what we have committed ourselves to, increasing accountability and improving efficiency, some of my colleagues think the best way to tackle this is by expanding programs and increasing the responsibility of the VA. The problem is we are putting more people in a system which is clearly overwhelmed and needs improvement. This isn't the fault of the VA, which I believe is fully committed to meeting all the demands our veterans and Congress expect from them. However, the VA can only do so much. As the number of veterans and the complicated nature of their needs increases, we must not pile on additional responsibilities which overwhelm the agency. With the announcement by Senator Hagel of a potentially significant drawdown in the military, many more individuals will come into the VA system. While the bill before us has worthwhile programs which I support and have championed, we should not expect a massive mandate imposed on VA to change the outcomes we experience. We need a measured approach to changes. They must be done over time and include oversight to make sure our veterans are receiving the attention they deserve in a timely manner. Madam President, I yield the floor.