Mark Begich

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Jon E. Zufelt for his exceptional contributions to the Nation as he retires after 30 years of service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Zufelt's dedication as a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory has resulted in the transfer of knowledge on a global scale. As a research hydraulic engineer, Dr. Zufelt's career focused on solving tough problems in cold regions hydraulics and hydrology, ice jam processes, erosion and bank protection, ice mitigation, permafrost dynamics, seasonal water quality issues, environmental remediation, and Arctic coastal processes affecting military lands. Dr. Zufelt spent his entire 30-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, culminating in the management of the Anchorage Office of the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, primarily in support of projects in Alaska. Dr. Zufelt came to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in April of 1983 as a civil engineer working in Vicksburg, MS. Later that year, he began working for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH, and then the project office located in Anchorage, AK, in 2001. Dr. Zufelt is a leader in cold regions engineering issues in Alaska and beyond. He is often sought out by universities, technical societies, and journals for his affiliation and technical expertise. Throughout his career, Dr. Zufelt has served for many years on multiple professional society committees and working groups, which include the American Society of Civil Engineers, the U.S. Permafrost Association, the Alaska Chapter of the American Water Resources Association, the Interagency Hydrology Committee of Alaska, and the Alaska Governor's Sub-Cabinet on Climate Change. These professional organizations have acknowledged Dr. Zufelt's contributions with multiple awards, including the 2006 Alaska Engineer of the Year Award by the Joint Engineering Societies of Alaska. Dr. Zufelt was also awarded the 2005 American Society of Civil Engineers CAN-AM Civil Engineering Amity Award for his work in river ice hydraulics and ice engineering through research, teaching, and dedication to professional relationships between engineers in the United States and Canada. Dr. Zufelt has made significant contributions to the scientific and engineering communities through editorships, professional society participation, and university teaching. He has served as the conference chair and proceedings editor for the American Society of Civil Engineers--International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering; the conference cochair of the American Water Resources Association--Alaska Section; a technical committee chair and co-editor of the proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers--International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering; and the chair of the 2009 University of Alaska Anchorage workshop entitled, ``Climate Change Impacts on Defense Assets in Alaska.'' Since 2001, Dr. Zufelt has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, teaching at least one graduate-level engineering course each academic year. For 2 years, Dr. Zufelt served as the acting U.S. Army Alaska/Alaskan Command Science Advisor providing onsite technical advice and quick reaction solutions to technical problems. The European Command and Northern Command have also sought Dr. Zufelt's expertise. Dr. Zufelt has more than 90 technical publications. His articles are published in a diversity of conference proceedings, technical reports, and journals, including the International Conference on Permafrost, International Symposium on Cold Regions Development, Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science, Workshop on Ice Covered Rivers, and the Proceedings of the ASCE World Water and Environmental Resources Congress. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Zufelt for his 30 years of leadership, expertise, and service to our Nation. I wish the best to him and his family as they begin this next stage in their lives.

Mr. BEGICH

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

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for 10 minutes.

Mr. BEGICH. Before I make my comments regarding manufacturing and job creation in America and in Alaska, I would like to say I know my friend from Hawaii was here earlier, Senator Schatz, talking about the important resolution that has been submitted that I was honored to be able to cosponsor regarding the typhoon in the Philippines. Alaska has over 20,000 Filipinos living in our State--an incredible group of individuals, people I have known in the business world, as individuals, and family members. The devastation is unbelievable as you look at the photos and see the devastation of the typhoon and the impact it has had on families there. Even though it is thousands of miles away, I can tell you, in Alaska, we feel it, we see it. Our Filipino friends there have many relatives on the islands, and the impact is just unbelievable. I was in Alaska this weekend and met with members of the leadership of the Filipino community, as well as members from the Red Cross and others to see what we can do from an Alaskan perspective, because Alaska knows what disasters are like. From earthquakes to floods, we seem to have them quite often. We know what type of impact these events have on families, so I was very happy to support the resolution my friend from Hawaii submitted, but also want to recognize the 20,000 Filipino community members in Alaska who are suffering and thinking about their families and friends overseas. We want to do everything we can. I know our country is there and ready and moving a lot of resources to assist. So I wanted to put that on the record and give my condolences to families who have lost loved ones, but also to Alaskans who are grieving for family and friends who may have been lost in the typhoon. I know personally I have done my own contributions, whatever I can to assist in moving operations forward and bringing resources to the islands. Job Creation I also came today to talk on the floor about the need for additional job creation. Already in the first 10 months of this year we have created 1.9 million new jobs--higher than last year at this same time-- which is a good start, but more needs to be done. Senators Coons and Durbin and others have been discussing our Manufacturing Jobs in America initiative. In particular, we are talking about the skills necessary to succeed in today's economy--the skills Americans need to land and to keep good manufacturing jobs. There used to be a time when a bright kid in this country could work hard in school, graduate with a high school diploma, and go work in a factory. He or she could make a decent living, a living wage, enough to raise a family and own a home and think about the future of their kids. Those days are long gone. Unfortunately, today's factories and plants don't look like they used to. The level of technical expertise needed to operate some new machinery is pretty high. That is why I have made career and technical education a priority. We need to have options for the bright kids after high school or that mid-career worker looking to shift gears. My own State of Alaska is already a leader in career technical education--CTE. As these programs continue to innovate and change across the country, Alaska is in the forefront. I see it when I travel around the State. From career pathways in high schools to creative programs through the University of Alaska system, my State is a leader in career technical education. To address these issues, I have introduced a bill entitled Investing in Innovation, otherwise called i3, which takes a look at what is happening in our local schools and puts resources into what is working. It supports and expands programs that are helping to improve student achievement. This bill requires 25 percent of the money to go to local rural communities. There are so many programs that sometimes forget our small and rural communities, not only in Alaska but throughout this country. I have also introduced the Career Readiness package of legislation focused on career and technical education. One of the bills in this package is the Counseling for Career Choice Act. This bill will help fund stakeholders in developing comprehensive career counseling models that emphasize guiding students to productive careers. Our counselors are in unique position to help expose and guide our students to postsecondary opportunities--to help prepare them for high- demand careers. This bill makes sure our school counselors have the resources they need to emphasize all types of postsecondary education, not just the traditional 4-year degree. It focuses on opportunities such as apprenticeships, certificate programs, associate degrees, and, of course, 4-year degrees. It makes sure that business, economic development, and industry leaders are at the table providing information on available postsecondary training opportunities and career trends--basically making sure that we match what we are teaching to not only what is available in the market today but in the future. Our students need the best teachers and the best facilities. I also have legislation that focuses on career technical education, CTE, professional development for teachers and principals. Another career readiness bill provides funding to make sure we are modernizing our CTE facilities. We know students who are involved in career and technical education programs are engaged in their future careers. We have to keep making sure what our students learn is relevant to the real world. We must align our educational system with the in-demand careers to fill those jobs in that pipeline, and we must keep our students engaged. If we are going to compete in the 21st century as we did in the 20th century, we need to make sure our students have the very best skills-- skills that are tailored to the 21st century economy. Career and technical education is the best approach, in my opinion, to give students those skills. I am a big fan of the Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative led by Senator Coons and several of my colleagues. America's manufacturing sector has enormous potential to create new jobs and to speed up our economy and economic recovery. These are good jobs and they spin off into even more jobs. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, every manufacturing job we create adds 1\1/2\ jobs to the local economy. So let's move forward, let's pass these bills to help with job training, career facilities and readiness, and let's do everything we can to get our manufacturing sector running full speed ahead. Before I conclude my remarks, let me say that I know there is a lot of debate on the floor where we talk about health care, we are talking about a national defense authorization bill, and we are going to talk about a compounding bill, but at the end of the day, what Americans, what Alaskans, come to me to talk about on a regular basis--and certainly it was true in the 4\1/2\ days I just spent in Alaska--is what are we doing to create jobs for the future, not only for people today in the work environment but the kids of the future who will be in the work environment. This legislation, and many other pieces that have been introduced in this package, help lead this economy and continue to move this economy. We have to remind ourselves where we are: This year, this month, we created over 200,000 jobs. The first month I came here, when I was sworn in, the economy was in a tailspin. We had lost over 700,000 jobs. So we have been in the positive trendline for several months here, but we have more to do. And an area that I think is an incredible opportunity not only for Alaska but for all across this country is improving our manufacturing sector and ensuring our young people are ready for the 21st century. Again, I thank my friend Senator Coons for all the work he is doing to bring manufacturing to the forefront, as well as all my colleagues who have been coming to the floor to talk about an important piece of legislation to create jobs and improve our economy for the long term. Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. BEGICH

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

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 293, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. BEGICH. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 294, submitted earlier today by Senators Landrieu, Inhofe, and others.

Mr. BEGICH. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 14, 2013, and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business for 2 hours, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the first half and the majority controlling the final half; and that following morning business, the Senate proceed to vote on adoption of the motion to proceed to H.R. 3204, the Pharmaceutical Drug Compounding bill; finally, that the Senate recess from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. to allow for caucus meetings.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. The vote on adoption of the motion to proceed to the compounding bill is expected to be a voice vote.

Mr. BEGICH

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

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 25, submitted earlier today.

Mr. BEGICH. I ask unanimous consent the concurrent resolution be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President. In October of 2013, Veterans in the Last Frontier and Alaska-Golden Heart hubs of Honor Flight will be traveling to Washington, DC, to visit their memorials. I would like to welcome these heroes to our Nation's capital and take this time to recognize their service to our Nation. I would like to record the individual names of the World War II veterans selected for this trip: Mr. Jacob Knapp, Army; Mr. Stanley Coleman, Navy; Mr. John Collins, Army; Mr. William Field, Navy; Mr. Alvin Hershberger, Army; Mr. Norman Hogg, Army; Mr. Howard Hunt, Army; Mr. Alfred Kehl, Army; Mr. George Miller, Air Force; Mr. Manuel Norat, Army; Mr. Leonard Nugent, Navy; Mr. Dale Parker, Navy; Mr. Fredrick Samsun, Marines and Air Force; Mr. Marshall Solberg, Navy; Mr. Lafton Wells, Navy; Ms. Ellen White, Air Force; Ms. Juliana Wilson, Navy; Mr. Allen Woodward, Navy; Mr. Edward Young Jr., Air Force; Mr. James Brewster, Navy; Mr. Elvin Brush, Air Force; Mr. Arnold Booth, Army; Mr. Conrad Ryan, Army; Mr. William Miller, Army; Mr. Louis Palmer, Navy; Mr. James Dodge, Marines; Mr. Roy Helms, Army; Mr. Nelson McBirney, Navy and Mr. Wenzel Raith, Navy. These veterans from Alaska join over 90,000 other veterans from across the country, who, since 2005, have traveled to our Nation's capital to visit and reflect at memorials built here in their honor. This Honor Flight trip was made possible by generous public donations and contributions from those who wish to honor these heroes. We owe a great deal to our servicemen and veterans who put themselves in harm's way for our Nation and for our security. The sacrifices made by these heroes are truly incredible and without their honor, courage, commitment, and sacrifice, we would not enjoy the freedoms we cherish today. Each of these veterans have my thanks for their service, and I very appreciate the staff, volunteers and supporters of the Honor Flight program who make these trips happen. Again, thank you to all Alaska veterans and the volunteers for their dedication, commitment, and service.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that at 12 noon today all postcloture time on the Estevez nomination be yielded back and the Senate proceed to a vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that no further motions be in order; that any related statements be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. BEGICH. For the information of all Senators, we expect a voice vote on the Estevez confirmation. The next vote in order will be cloture on the Archuleta nomination. Senators should expect a rollcall vote at noon. I yield the floor.

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, I ask unanimous consent that on Wednesday, October 16, Senator Begich be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn and convene for pro forma sessions only with no business conducted on the following dates and times and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Thursday, October 17, at 12:15 p.m.; Monday, October 21, at 1:30 p.m.; and Thursday, October 24 at 12 noon; that the Senate adjourn on Thursday, October 24, until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 28, 2013, unless the Senate receives a message from the House that it has adopted S. Con. Res. 24, the adjournment resolution; that if the Senate receives such a message, the Senate adjourn until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 28, 2013; that on Monday, following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business until 4:30 p.m., with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; that following morning business the Senate proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 344, Richard Griffin, Jr., to be General Counsel of the NLRB, with up to 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form prior to the cloture vote with respect to the Griffin nomination.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, the next rollcall vote will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday October 28.

Mr. BEGICH

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

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I wish to enter into a colloquy with several of my colleagues.