Mark Begich

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I congratulate a hard-working Alaskan, Mr. Jim Blasingame, on his well-deserved retirement after many years of dedicated service to the Alaska Railroad Corporation, AKRR. Thirty-five years ago, Mr. Blasingame commenced his employment with the AKRR. Since then, he has proven to be an exceptional member of the AKRR family. One of his greatest accomplishments was the pivotal role he performed in assisting with the transference of the AKRR from Federal to State ownership. This greatly assisted in the development of the AKRR into an award winning, world class, State-owned corporation. His work has helped the AKRR safely operate and successfully contribute to the economic development of Alaska. During his time with the AKRR, Mr. Blasingame was a mentor to his fellow railroaders and his leadership abilities resonated through the depots and rail yards. Outside work, Mr. Blasingame is a dedicated member of his community. He volunteers his time on behalf of several nonprofit organizations and in various civic board memberships. The Alaska Railroad is a truly unique element of Alaska. For many Alaskans, the AKRR signifies a great source of pride. Running from Seward north to Fairbanks, the Alaska Railroad offers some of the most majestic views in America. Without Mr. Blasingame's commitment and enthusiasm towards developing the AKRR, this landmark of Alaskan culture would not be so today. On behalf of Alaskans, I thank Mr. Blasingame for his many years of dedication and service to Alaska. Mr. President, I congratulate Mr. Blasingame and wish him the best of luck in retirement.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, January 27, I recognize the life achievements of a resident of Fairbanks, AK, Mr. Barry W. Jackson. As a young man, Mr. Jackson served in the Marine Corps during World War II and later retired as major. While still working on his law degree from Stanford University in 1957, he travelled to Alaska and obtained a clerkship with a territorial judge. After being admitted to the Alaska bar in 1959, he was hired as the city attorney for Fairbanks and later opened his own practice, concentrating on estate planning, personal injury, bankruptcy, family and real estate law. Mr. Jackson also used his legal talents in the Alaska State Legislature. He served in the State house of representatives in the Fourth and Sixth State legislatures from 1965 to 1966 and 1968 to 1970 respectively, where he was a colleague of my late father, then State Senator Nick Begich. He served on the prestigious House Finance Committee and later in a leadership position as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Mr. Jackson also served the Alaska Democratic Party as a convention chair and later, was chair of the Interior Democrats. Last October, I was privileged to attend a banquet in Fairbanks where the Interior Democrats honored Mr. Jackson for his many contributions to Alaska. Perhaps his most significant career accomplishment was his work with Alaska tribes. Much of his legal career has been spent on Alaska Native social and justice causes. In 1967, he was legal counsel to the State-sponsored Alaska Land Claims Task Force. Among task force's finding was a recommendation that legislation be introduced in Congress that would convey land to Native villages, pay a monetary settlement, form corporations organized by villages and regions and form a statewide corporation. Subsequently, a bill was introduced in 1968 by Alaska Senator Ernest Gruening and Mr. Jackson testified before congressional committee hearings throughout the year. In the time leading to the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, ANCSA, in 1971, funding for attorneys grew short. Recognizing the monumental importance of the matter, Mr. Jackson took upon himself to work pro bono at great personal hardship to himself and his family. This deed typifies Barry's degree of dedication to a worthy cause. Many have judged the ideas in the 1968 bill to be the foundation for ANCSA. In the book ``Take My Land, Take My Life'' published in 2001, Mr. Jackson was credited as being the first person who considered the concept of corporations for Alaska Native tribes. Mr. Jackson is a tireless worker who still engages in his part-time private law practice. I wish Mr. Jackson a happy birthday, thank him for his military and legislative service and applaud him as one of the quiet, selfless contributors to the settlement of Alaska Native land claims.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, thank you for the opportunity to be here this evening. I thank Senator Cardin for a great presentation on the real facts behind this bill. You know, being from Alaska, we see a lot of storms. We saw a great blizzard here which brought a lot of snow. I see a lot of blizzards and storms in Alaska. But I have to be honest with you, I have never seen anything like the blizzard of misinformation I have seen in Washington regarding this bill. Over the course of the next few minutes, I want to talk about the general bill and what it means for all Americans, including Alaskans, and then specifically about the effect on Alaska. First, I want to walk through a couple of large issues. I know people watching are hearing this over and over while we are on this bill, and the details of it, but I think it is important that we repeat it enough for people to be reminded of the positive impacts the bill will have on America and my State of Alaska. It is not a perfect bill. There are pieces I would like to have improved, and I am sure everyone in this Chamber feels the same. But it is a step in the right direction--a significant step. On the financial end, in the first 10 years, the bill reduces our deficit by $130 billion. In the next 10 years, with the improvements in the managers' amendment and what it did for the deficit reduction, it is now $1.2 trillion--a significant impact on the national debt. People call my office and say: How does it reduce the debt? I remind them that between Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, Indian Health Services, and many other health care programs that we deliver, anything we do to improve the system will mean taxpayers will save money. So, again, $130 billion in the first 10 years, and the next 10 years, $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction. The other issue--and again these are broad sweeps--is stronger medical loss ratios. This is important because this starts now, 2010, once this bill is passed, a few months after implementation. Health insurers will be required to spend more of their premiums--which really are your premiums--on clinical services and quality activities, with less going to administration--advertising, profits, excessive pay packages. If they do not adhere to the new limits, they will have to pay rebates to the policyholders. These stricter limits will continue even after the exchange starts in 2011 and apply to all plans, including grandfathered plans. That is a significant benefit to the individual--the person who has to pay the premium. Accountability for excess rate increases: The health insurer's participation in the exchange will depend on its performance. Insurers that jack up their premiums before the exchange begins will be excluded--a powerful incentive to keep premiums affordable. There is an immediate ban on preexisting conditions for children under the age of 18. This is in the managers' package. To me, this is unbelievable. Many families struggle, and sometimes the parents will forego their health care in order to make sure their child is as healthy as possible. But when a child has a preexisting condition, just to get coverage for them is sometimes almost impossible. So this makes sure that no insurance company can ban or deny them access to health care with preexisting conditions. Ensuring the needy have access to care: The use of annual limits on benefits will be tightly restricted, ensuring access to needed care. And those limits will be prohibited completely by 2014. Starting in 2010, new policies will eliminate the lifetime caps. Also, on the broader scheme, there will be innovation. Medicare will be able to test new models. I can't tell you the number of times I have had a public hearing or a public meeting in Alaska, or I have had phone calls come in from people who have asked me: Can we do something different? How can we improve Medicare? This creates some new incentives to move forward on innovation within our Medicare system. When you look at the small business end of it, the package improves, including starting the health insurance tax credit in 2010, with almost $40 billion of tax credits. Tax savings to small business will be available. Transparency: New requirements will ensure that insurers and health care providers report on their performance, allowing patients to make the best possible choice. The next issue--multistate options. This is something during my campaign I talked a lot about--a program we all have in Congress, and so do almost 4 million Federal employees and their dependents. How do we replicate that to give a benefit to the taxpayers of this country, if they want to access something similar? Well, now we have the multistate option. Health insurance carriers will offer plans under the supervision of the Office of Personnel Management, the same entity that oversees the health plans of Members of Congress and for Federal employees. At least one plan must be a nonprofit, and the plans will be available nationwide. This will truly promote competition and choice for individuals. Another new idea, which Senator Wyden had sponsored for many months and talked a lot about, is free choice vouchers, giving more choices to individuals with their money. As mentioned earlier, the community health centers: It is estimated this bill will now be able to put in place almost 10,000 community health centers throughout this country, providing easy and affordable access for folks. On the small business end, I want to again just broadly sweep on this. The credits will be available on a sliding scale to small businesses, those small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, and average annual wages of less than $50,000. All small businesses will truly benefit, but if you are a small business with 50 or less employees, you will be exempt. If you want to provide insurance to your employees, and you are in a small group of 25 employees or under, there will be credits available for you. The bill also clarifies part-time because we have so many part-time employees who work within the seasonal businesses in Alaska--retail, fishing, tourism. It makes sure that small businesses are not hampered by this legislation but enhanced. Again, 96 percent of the small businesses will be exempt from this law, unless they decide to provide health care, and then they can get some benefits through tax credits-- up to $40 billion available. I am a member of a group of freshmen who came to Washington this cycle. We came with all kinds of ideas on how we wanted to change Washington in short order. We sat down with this bill in mind, and as a group of freshmen, we put together a cost containment package with many ideas--very technical in a lot of ways, but just in the broader sense, it creates administration simplification. It helps ensure we go after health care fraud. With regard to Medicare system upgrades, we make sure that as we develop new systems for Medicare and for the providers, we do some pay-for-performance testing, which will save individuals, save Medicare, and save the Medicare system over time. The freshmen spent many weeks on the cost containment package we put together, and I want to give credit to Senator Warner for leading the charge, though everyone participated to try to make a difference and bring cost containment to the issue of health care. I want to go through a quick list on this broader perspective of the legislation and what happens now, because we hear always from the other side that so many things are delayed way out; that they will not happen right away. Let me walk through several items that happen right away. The Senate bill will make it illegal for insurance companies to drop coverage for Americans who are sick--basically, they call them rescissions--beginning 6 months after the date of enactment. Insurance companies will be barred from limiting the total benefits Americans can use over the course of a year--otherwise known as lifetime caps-- beginning 6 months after the date of enactment. Affordable insurance coverage options will be made available for high-risk pools of Americans who have been uninsured and have been denied coverage because they have preexisting conditions, effective 90 days after enactment. Early retirees between 55 and 64: I hear from a lot of them who are trying to figure out, as they are now retired and still have some coverage from their former employer, but it is expensive. What this does is set up a new program, and access to a program that will reduce their premiums beginning 90 days after enactment. Insurance companies will be required to start posting their overhead costs on a public Web site so consumers can better compare the deal they are getting effective July 1, 2010. Insurance companies will have to start providing external review processes beginning 6 months after the date of enactment. Dependents will be able to receive coverage up to the age of 26 on their parents' policy, beginning 6 months after the date of enactment. This is one again I hear so much when I am back home and from e-mails and letters, people wanting to keep their kids on their policy. Again, coverage up to the age of 26. The insurance companies will be required to begin covering preventive services and immunization without copays on payments beginning 6 months after the date of enactment. Seniors will have access to dramatic discounts in the purchase of name brand prescription drugs in the Medicare Part D Program beginning July 1. As I said earlier, children under age 18 cannot be denied for preexisting coverage. There will be free preventive services for seniors--$500 reduction in the doughnut hole for seniors. Again, the issue with Medicare, I want to say, when we started this effort to reform health care, Medicare was in trouble and could be in serious trouble by 2017. This legislation adds 10 more years to Medicare. To be specific to Alaska--and I will be brief on this but I think it is important--many of these issues I laid out are important to Alaska, but there are quite a few very specific. First, I remind folks what the impact is currently in Alaska--133,000 Alaskans do not currently have insurance; 27,000 residents who now buy expensive individual premiums will now get affordable coverage. We double enrollment in Alaska's Kid Care, what we call here in Washington SCHIP, to more than 15,000 young people, ending the hidden tax on families. About $119 million is spent on uncompensated care, averaging about $1,900 per year. By creating a larger program as we are doing here, we can eliminate that cost. I have heard over and over about Medicare Advantage. Let me tell you how that works for Alaskans. What we will be doing, we have 60,000 Medicare beneficiaries paying a price for excessive overpayments in higher premiums, even though 99 percent of our Alaskan seniors do not participate in Medicare Advantage. What you hear when you hear about Medicare Advantage--and those who have it I am sure enjoy it--but in my State we are subsidizing that even though 99 percent of Alaska seniors do not take that program. So we pay an extra approximately $90 to subsidize that program for those extra things they claim they have. The reality is that was supposed to be run by the private sector, saving money to Medicare. It is now costing us more, it is costing my State $90 per Medicare family. About 10,600 Alaskans hit the doughnut hole in Alaska through the Medicare drug coverage, which can cost some of our seniors up to $4,000 additional a year. They will see a 50-percent reduction. As I mentioned under early retirees on the national program, 7,300 Alaskans will be affected in a positive way; 8,600 Alaska small businesses could be helped by the small business tax credit. Again, Alaska is benefiting a great deal from this legislation. Even more specific--and these are items I added specifically in the bill to focus on Alaska's specific issues. I thank Senator Harkin on this next one, which is important. It is providing more primary care providers. It is a loan repayment program. I know he has been an advocate of getting more primary providers within the system-- physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants--from $3,500 to $5,000 for the National Health Service Corps in this country. It serves health professional shortage areas, including 77 in Alaska. In part, because of this, and due to other major expansion, the Senate HELP Committee has estimated the bill will attract 24,000 new primary care providers. If you want to make a difference to the health care system, this is one critical piece. Again, Senator Harkin, I know, has been an advocate for this for many years. To see us get to this state and be able to move this forward is significant. It will have a positive impact. Another one which is a program that is a great benefit for hospitals in Soldotna, Juneau, and Sitka, is an amendment which reauthorizes a Medicare project supporting hospitals in rural communities in smaller States, extending that for an additional 5 years, moving it from 10 States to 20 States and creating another 15 hospitals that can participate. Alaska health care task force--specifically in this legislation, to deal with our Medicare provider issue in Alaska but also our TRICARE, making sure we deliver the right kind of hospital and medical care to our veterans. More physicians assistants--we inserted specific language to make sure we allow loan repayments for physician assistant teaching faculty, to be also included in loan forgiveness. Last year we had 375 PAs who handled 1.2 million office visits in Alaska. After 21 years, the Indian Health Service is now in this bill to be reauthorized. For 21 years it has not been reauthorized. There are many great things in this legislation, from a broader perspective, as I mentioned earlier in my comments, but also very specific to Alaska. Could it be better? Absolutely. But do we think we have a piece of legislation that is going to make an impact on people's lives? Yes, we do. If we want to keep it the same old business as usual, I guarantee, in 5 years or 10 years from now we will be in this hall, trying to figure out what to do at a bigger crisis. This is the right decision. It will be an honor for me later this evening to make a vote in the affirmative to move past the cloture vote, getting on to voting for this bill. I yield the floor.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I appreciate the Senator from Illinois bringing up what I consider a very most important piece of legislation to Alaska. Eleven percent of our population are veterans. We have thousands of military individuals in our State. I am new to the process. One of the questions I have for the Senator--and I hope he can enlighten me and also enlighten the whole public watching--this is probably one of the most important departments at this time. We are in two wars. Can the Senator give me an explanation? In the past--Senator Durbin started to do it--the Defense bill seemed to be one of those bills where we all came together. It is a bipartisan approach. I know as members of the Armed Services Committee, it seems every time we deal with these issues we are unified. Help me to understand why this is something that seems to be controversial and yet should be so simple for us to do.

Mr. BEGICH. I thank the Senator.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, if I may ask one more question. That last statement the Senator from Illinois made, I know as a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have not heard complaints about this bill from anyone from the other side. I am asking, from a leadership position, have we heard any complaints on this legislation? Is it just that, it is the moment in time?

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Yes, I have learned that as a new Member.

Mr. BEGICH. Thank you, Mr. President. And I thank the Senator from North Dakota for allowing me these questions and again clarifying for my residents in Alaska how important this bill is. Thank you.

Mr. BEGICH. The Senator from North Dakota and I have just one last question. Even though we did not ask for a colloquy, this is kind of a colloquy, and I appreciate the back-and-forth. This is one reason I support this bill--not only today but many months ago--for all the reasons the Senator just laid out. The control is there. The protection to the consumer is there. The savings to the consumer and the taxpayer are enormous, as we deal with these issues. If there is one thing I have heard over and over through e-mails and correspondence to my office, it is: Help us save on prescription drugs. To emphasize that point once more, to make sure I have the numbers right, over 10 years, between the Federal Government and the consumer, it is over $100 billion.

Mr. BEGICH. That is what this health care bill is about, not only getting good-quality care but also finding those opportunities, as we just heard one Senator talk about, bending that cost curve--I hate that term--but it is impacting the consumers in a positive way by $80 billion. The other thing I have heard a lot about on the floor--and the Senator talked quickly about it--is the chain of control, which I drove here for 19 days with my family through Canada, and 5 days we bought some drugs when I had a cold, but I am still here. I am standing. I am healthy. Remind me of that chain of control for these drugs and where they are produced.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, if I could ask a question of the Senator from North Dakota. I say to the Senator, I appreciate his comments, and I think he is right. Of all the complexity of this bill, this seems so simple. I know when I was mayor, we worked on this issue. It seems logical for Alaska. Since we border so much of Canada, it seems logical to do what we can in this arena. I know the Senator stated these comments before, but I think it is important for especially my viewers who are now watching from Alaska, with the 4-hour difference. But the Senator talked about the savings. There are savings to the taxpayers that are very clear, and there are savings to the consumer, which is even more significant. Can the Senator remind me what those numbers are? I think I have them. I want to be sure, as I talk about this bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 1:30 p.m., Sunday, December 13; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of the conference report accompanying H.R. 3288, the consolidated appropriations bill, as provided for under the previous order; and that following any leader remarks, the time until 2 p.m. be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, at 2 p.m., the Senate will proceed to a rollcall vote on the adoption of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3288, the consolidated appropriations bill.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Finally, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following the remarks of Senator Thune and Senator Enzi, the Senate adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today, I, along with my colleague Senator Snowe, are introducing legislation to establish a comprehensive ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric research program to support renewable energy. Renewable energy is the most rapidly growing U.S. energy sector. Increasing the use of renewable energy is dependent on baseline atmospheric and oceanic data. Improving NOAA's ability to provide the observations, forecasts, and climate information tailored to the needs of the renewable energy industry will promote growth of this energy sector. This bill would require NOAA to establish a comprehensive research, prediction, and environmental information program to support renewable energy. Specifically, the legislation would require NOAA to develop observation systems and models and collect baseline environmental data to support renewable energy development on land and in the marine environment; and provide best management practices to avoid adverse effects in the marine and coastal environment. The legislation would authorize $100 million annually for fiscal year 2010 through 2014 and allows for up to 50 percent of funds to be available to educational institutions or states to carry out activities in support of the program. As we work as a Nation to decrease our dependency on foreign oil, to encourage scientific advancement, technological innovation and job creation, the Renewable Energy Environmental Research Act of 2009 will be an important component in advancing progress in those areas. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to support critical research in support of advancing renewable energy development. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Madam President, I seek the floor to talk about this package of cost containment offered by the freshmen. I am proud to join them in offering this amendment today. The technical work in this package is complex and complicated, but the themes it addresses are simple and straightforward, which I know our colleagues on the other side will appreciate and we hope support-- value, innovation, quality, transparency, and cost containment. The full legislation now under debate in the Senate makes wonderful strides in fixing what is broken in America's current health care system. Under the leadership of Senators Baucus, Dodd, Harkin, and our Majority Leader Reid, the committees have done incredible work. What the freshmen are saying today is we believe our package can help. We can go further. We can do better. Our goal is a health care system that is more efficient and more affordable. In a few moments, I will stand together at a news conference with all my freshman colleagues to formally announce this package. What I most appreciate is that we will do so with the support of consumer and business groups. While the language of this amendment promotes efficiency and encourages innovation within the health delivery system, what it is about is helping individual Americans and businesses get a better deal on health care. I am proud of that, especially when we know that cost containment is the No. 1 priority of small business owners in this health reform debate. Insurance premiums alone in the last 10 years for small businesses have risen 113 percent. It was reported in the media that small businesses in this country face another 15-percent increase in the health premiums in the coming year. What about families, our friends, and our neighbors? Health insurance premiums are eating up ever growing chunks of the family budget. Nationwide, family health insurance purchased through an employer at the start of this decade cost about $6,700, almost 14 percent of the family income. Last year, the same premium cost $13,000--21 percent of the family income. If we do nothing, if we do not reform the system and do not contain costs, this country will be in big trouble. By 2016, the same family health insurance will cost more than $24,000. Because health costs are skyrocketing compared to wages, that $24,000 will represent 45 percent of the family budget. Enough is enough. The package we are offering today will help. I want to focus briefly on a small but significant piece of this package that addresses rural health care. It will help hospitals in several States, including Alaska, my home State, by extending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program. We are building on known success. The program is small. Even with this amendment, the number of eligible hospitals nationwide will expand from 15 to 30, and 20 rural States will be eligible to participate instead of the current 10. Part of what we are saying in this package is this: If something is working to provide better health care access and value, for goodness sake, let's keep it going and do what we can to improve on it. My thanks go to Senator Ben Nelson who has been a champion of this program and is also pushing for the extension. As I conclude, I wish to stress once again how proud I am to stand with my freshman colleagues. The cost containment package we are proposing today will help all Americans, and I hope it will move the Senate that much closer to a historic vote on the landmark legislation that is before us today. I yield the floor.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I wish to remember the life of a much respected and accomplished resident from my home State of Alaska, Mr. Mitch Demientieff of Nenana. Mitch passed away on December 1, 2009. He was 57. Mr. Demientieff not only held many important positions in the Native community, he was an ardent preserver of his Athabascan culture and a true family man. While a student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he accomplished something truly amazing: at age 19, he was elected president of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a post he held again years later. One year before his election as president, he broke into the local political scene as mayor of Nenana. His legacy at the Chiefs included the modernization of the tribal health programs and working to provide education to the youth in the Native community. His personal legacy revolves around his dedication to preserving Native culture. Mitch was committed to making sure the traditions of Alaska Natives and his people were not lost. His interests included the stories he heard and passed on, traditional songs and dances, how clans were run and the practices of traditional medicine. His achievements later in life included service on the Federal Subsistence Board where he was a strong advocate for subsistence rights for Natives. At the time of his passing, he was serving on the Nenana City Council and was the Nenana tribal chief. In his personal life Mitch was an avid sports fan and coach who was loved by his family and community. He and his wife Kathleen, married for 24 years, have a blended family of six children and 14 grandchildren. Mitch was both beloved and respected in their community and throughout interior Alaska. Everywhere Mitch went, he made friends. Mitch Demientieff will be missed by his family, friends, and all of the people he touched in the State of Alaska.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Monday, December 7; that following the prayer and the pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed to have expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 3590, the health care reform legislation; that following leader remarks, the first 2 hours be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes, and the majority controlling the next 30 minutes, and with no amendments or motions in order during the controlled time.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, rollcall votes in relation to the amendments to the health care reform bill are expected to occur after 3:15 p.m. tomorrow.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Motion to Commit

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I want to comment today on the confirmation earlier this week of the Honorable Jacqueline Nguyen to be judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Unfortunately, I was delayed in my return from Alaska, and I was unable to be here for the vote. Had I been here, I would have proudly cast my vote along with the rest of my Senate colleagues to confirm this highly qualified and well-respected jurist. Upon her confirmation, Judge Nguyen made history by becoming the first Vietnamese-American to serve as a U.S. district court judge in U.S. history. I applaud the judge's unanimous confirmation by the Senate as an example of what we do all too infrequently, I am afraid--recognizing a public need and to acting appropriately and expeditiously to address it. I commend the President for heeding the recommendation by our colleagues from California and nominating a woman of obvious talent. The President nominated Judge Nguyen, I am sure, because he perceived in her a combination of the education, experience, and temperament appropriate for a life-tenured position on the federal bench. Her unanimous ``well qualified'' rating from the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, earned after an 18-year career in the law, including nearly 7 years as a California Superior Court judge and roughly the same amount of time as an assistant U.S. attorney in the same district in which she will now serve as a Federal judge, would seem to be completely justified. I have little doubt that Judge Nguyen will be an outstanding Federal judge. As impressed as we all should be with her qualifications, I believe we can all look at the details of Judge Nguyen's life as a truly great and quintessential American story. Born in Da Lat, Vietnam, Judge Nguyen and her family were able to escape the approaching North Vietnamese and Viet Cong armies, departing Saigon in 1975 on a crowded helicopter as gunfire could be heard in the background. The Nguyen family was part of the great wave of Vietnamese immigrants who left their homeland to escape the Communist takeover. After stops in refugee camps in the Philippines and on Guam, the Nguyens made their way to California, spending several months living in a tent on the grounds of the Marine base at Camp Pendleton. The Nguyens eventually settled in La Crescenta. The judge, her siblings, and their mother cleaned dental offices after school and at night, while her father studied to be a computer programmer and worked in a gas station at night and on weekends. Eventually, her parents purchased a doughnut shop in North Hollywood. Judge Nguyen says she often did her homework during high school between shifts at the doughnut shop and also worked there while she was earning her degree from Occidental College. She would ultimately earn her law degree from UCLA. I do not know Judge Nguyen, but I am impressed by her accomplishments and the drive she and her family have shown in coming to this country and embracing the opportunities the United States offers it citizens. I recognize in her story the same drive and love of country that I have seen among the Vietnamese-American citizens of Alaska. The United States is a nation made great in part by its diversity. I personally take pride in serving alongside our first African-American President, and at the same time as our first Vietnamese-American Federal judge. Still, as much as the confirmation of this highly qualified woman is an example of the possibilities available to all Americans, I cannot help but believe it is being hailed today as a point of immense pride by the Vietnamese-American community in my home State of Alaska, in Judge Nguyen's State of California, and all across this country. I extend the judge, and the Vietnamese-American community, my sincere congratulations.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I wish congratulate Fairbanks, AK, resident Mr. Harry R. Bader for being the first Civilian Response Corps-Active Officer in the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, to be trained and ready for world-wide deployment. Mr. Bader's specialized training, which will allow him to work in high threat environments, was recognized by the Administrator of USAID in a November 23, 2009, ceremony in Washington, DC. Currently, Mr. Bader is the USAID Deputy Environmental Officer for the Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Bureau. USAID's Civilian Response Corps is a commendable program. The Corps plays an integral part in U.S. national security strategy. One of their missions is to bring coordination to military and civilian efforts in order to stabilize fragile states and to improve the effectiveness of counter-insurgency operations. As an active officer, Mr. Bader's environmental security specialty will be brought to bear in those areas of the developing world where scarcity or degradation of natural resource contribute to conflict. His task will be to find ways to reduce the means and motivations for violence. Mr. Bader's diverse educational and professional backgrounds make him well suited to excel as a Civilian Response Corps-Active Officer. He has a law degree from Harvard and B.A. from Washington State University. His career has been one of distinction and variety as a professor, author, researcher, lecturer, natural resource manager and consultant. He taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks as an associate professor of resources policy at the School of Natural Resources Management. During his tenure, he served on the Alaska Sea Grant Legal Research Team, which was created in response to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill to help strengthen oversight of hazardous materials. At the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Mr. Bader was the northern region land manager in Fairbanks, where he was responsible for the stewardship of 40 million acres of public land in the arctic and boreal regions of Alaska. He often collaborated with industry and academia in developing land use policy. Until recently, Mr. Bader was active with the Betula group, a consulting firm he founded which specializes in resource management issues in challenging social and physical environments. He travelled to Tajikistan, Iraq, and Ukraine lending his expertise in the development of democracy and governance. Mr. Bader is also perusing a midcareer doctorate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. I applaud Harry on this appointment and am confident he will make contributions to security and environmental improvement wherever he is assigned by the Corps.