Benjamin Cardin

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I understand that although the Republicans still have time left under the division, with their consent, it is permissible to proceed with the time for the majority.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I take this time to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day that we celebrate today, April 22. I think we first need to acknowledge that we have made a lot of progress since the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire in 1969. We have made a lot of progress since the uncontrolled air pollution that killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 people over just a few days. That happened in Donora, PA. We have came a long way since the expose on the New York Love Canal, where toxic waste was dumped into neighborhood streams. We have made a lot of progress. I think the most important symbol of that progress is that the environment is now in mainstream America. It is mainstream politics. It is a way of life for us, and that is really good news. It has given us the political strength to pass important environmental laws. We passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Superfund law. I am particularly pleased about the Chesapeake Bay Program. I remember when we started that program almost 30 years ago. It was a difficult start, and people wondered whether we would have the power to stay with this issue so that we could try to reclaim the Chesapeake Bay. Well, we did. It is still an issue we are working on today. We created the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency in the Federal Government with the sole purpose to try to help us preserve the environment for future generations. I think we can take pride in what we have been able to do. We have made great progress as a nation. We should celebrate our success in addressing the great environmental challenges of the past. But our work is not done. Our environment faces new challenges today that are less visible and more incremental but still pose great threats to our treasured natural resources and all the work we have done to protect and restore them. For example, we do not worry that our great water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay will catch fire, but there are small amounts of pollutants running off millions of lawns that accumulate and make it very difficult for us to reclaim our national treasures. The great wave of water infrastructure we built over 40 years ago is now past its useful life and must be replaced. Water main breaks, large and small waste water, destroy homes and businesses, and undermine the water quality benefits this infrastructure was meant to protect. Let me just give you a couple of examples that have happened in the last couple of years. In Bethesda, not very far from here, River Road, a major thoroughfare, became a river because of a water main break. In Dundalk, MD, right outside of downtown Baltimore, thousands of basements were flooded as a result of a water main break. In Baltimore County, just a few weeks ago, we had a water main break that denied residential homeowners water service for many days. This is happening all over. In the city of Baltimore, 95 percent of their water mains are over 65 years old and have not been inspected. We need to pay attention to these issues. If I had to mention the single most important challenge we face, it is in our energy policies. We all understand that, the impact it has on our environment, but we should also acknowledge that doing the energy policy right will be good for our national security. We spend $1 billion a day on imported oil. That compromises our national security. For the sake of our national security, we need to develop a self- sustained energy policy on renewable energy sources. For the sake of our economy, we need to do that. We developed the technology for solar power and wind power. Yet we are not capitalizing on the jobs here in America. Jobs are our most important goal. A sound energy policy will allow us to create more jobs here in America. But today, on Earth Day, I want to talk about the environment. A sound energy policy means we can become a world leader and bring this world into some sense on what is happening on global climate change, on the indiscriminate release of greenhouse gas emissions by the burning of fossil fuels and nitrogen and carbon into the air. We know we can do better on that. So on this Earth Day, let's rededicate ourselves to develop an energy policy that will be not only good for our security and our economy but good for our environment. Addressing the failing health of our world is not just in the hands of our political leaders alone. Each of us can make a difference by changing the way we live and move about the Earth. Our history shows us that bold and courageous actions by all of us to tackle our environmental challenges make us stronger, more vibrant, and a healthier nation. That should be our message on this Earth Day. I yield the floor.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to express my congratulations to Israel on the 62nd anniversary of its independence. This week, America's closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, commemorated its Independence Day, Yom Ha'atzmaut, 1 day after its Memorial Day, Yom Hazikaron, and 1 week after Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah. While Independence Day is about celebration for the people of Israel, this Memorial Day was marked by somber ceremonies and national grief over the loss of their soldiers. Nationwide sirens and moments of silence emphasize the sacrifices all Israelis have made living in their thriving, free and democratic state. These intensely personal losses in such a small country underscore the continuing threats faced by Israelis, the scale of their efforts and the importance of a Jewish homeland. I commemorated last week's observance of Yom HaShoah in Baltimore, where I joined fellow community members to view a movie marking the 50th anniversary of Adolf Eichmann's capture and trial. Eichmann was a premier architect of the Holocaust. Rather than dealing with such a war criminal through forceful vengeance that would have been understandable, Israel prosecuted Eichmann by following the rule of law and his trial was a model of transparency and justice. This display of our shared values of law, justice, and fairness help to illustrate why the United States and Israel have continued to build upon our ``special relationship'' for six decades. I observed Israel Independence Day at an event focused on the growing threat of a nuclear Iran. If Iran acquired this capability, it would be an unequivocal ``game changer'' in the Middle East and, indeed, throughout the world. An undeniable threat to Israel and the United States, a nuclear Iran cannot become a reality. We therefore must do all in our power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities. One of our first steps should be immediate enactment of powerful and effective economic sanctions against Iran, and the foreign companies that do business with this rogue nation. While we work to minimize the key threats to Israel's security, we must also focus on opportunities for peace in the Middle East. Israel has always been prepared to pursue those opportunities and make peace with its neighbors. Over the past six decades, despite diplomatic gestures, multiple Arab countries have repeatedly attacked Israel. We should not forget that it was the Palestinian's leaders who walked away from the negotiation table at Camp David in 2000, on the eve of what would have been a historic breakthrough for peace. Today, it is Israel who continues to acknowledge the necessary framework for any peace agreements, a two-state solution. While Israel has shown willingness for direct negotiations, the Palestinians continue to be, an unreliable partner in moving forward towards peace. How can Israel make peace with any partner whose so-called ``moderate'' Fatah leaders are not willing to meet directly with Israelis leaders and whose Parliament is controlled by Hamas, an organization still sworn to the destruction of Israel? I am proud to have joined with 75 of my colleagues in reaching out to Secretary of State Clinton in a recent letter which included a reaffirmation of this fact as well as a reminder, that not only do the U.S. and Israel share common values but also common interests. Top among these interests is restarting the peace process and preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state. This is precisely why the role of the United States in this process must be one of an honest broker. President Obama must not place wrongful or unreasonable pressure on Israel or, worse, to put forward a proposal without Israel's consent. Since Israel's founding 62 years ago, every American administration has worked to strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Israel. This has been vital for Israel, as the nation is under constant threat of military and terrorist attacks, economic boycotts and diplomatic hostility, often merely due to the fact of its very existence. At this critical moment, when Iran is moving forward with its nuclear program and simultaneously strengthening Hezbollah's capacity to attack Israel, it is imperative the Obama administration say in clear and unambiguous language that we stand with the people of Israel and will do all in our power to protect our shared values and national bonds. As Israel celebrates its anniversary, let us all proclaim that the U.S. continues its unbreakable alliance with our closest ally in the Middle East. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Janet Kurland, a great Baltimore social worker, who is being honored next Monday by the Edward A. Myerberg Senior Center. For decades, Janet has been a trailblazer in policies and practices pertaining to the elderly and their families. Among her many accomplishments, she was instrumental in establishing the Northwest Senior Center in 1976, the predecessor to the Myerberg Center that honors her today. Since first receiving her master of social work degree in the early 1960s, Janet has set the gold standard for practices in gerontology. Her current work as the senior care specialist at the Jewish Family Services of Baltimore, a place where she has worked in different capacities for over 40 years, is just one highlight of what has been an outstanding career. Janet is a sought-after consultant who has developed manuals and training courses credited with advancing best practices that have benefited the elderly in housing, life care communities, and health care facilities. Her professional uniqueness lies in her ability to carefully and compassionately assess the dynamics and needs of individuals and families in order to improve the lives of all senior citizens. In 2001, Janet was the first recipient of the Daniel Thursz Distinguished Service Award from Kehilla, a Baltimore Jewish communal professionals association. She is also recognized by her students as an excellent teacher for the post-masters course she teaches at the University of Maryland School of Social Work called ``The Aging Process.'' Not only has Janet made in impact in Baltimore, but she could easily be called a world ambassador for the elderly as well. She has traveled extensively in Poland, Russia, Israel, China, and Kenya to train social workers and to work with elderly populations. She is highly engaged in the world around her and has proven that compassion and care can easily transcend different cultures and language barriers. Her belief that elderly people often have an untapped internal capacity to live more fully than even they themselves can imagine continues to be an inspiration for many people around the globe. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Janet on this award and in thanking her for her many years of dedicated service to our older population. The Edward A. Myerberg Senior Center, the Jewish and greater Baltimore senior community, in fact seniors around the world are benefitting from Janet Kurland's expertise and dedication.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to report to you and my colleagues on the excellent work that is being done to help developing countries capitalize on their natural resource wealth. This unique initiative is called the Natural Resource Charter, and it is designed to give countries the tools and knowledge they need to develop their natural resources for the good of their citizens in a transparent and accountable manner. As a collective work coordinated by established academics and development experts, the charter provides a set of policy principles for governments on the successful translation of natural resource wealth into fair and sustainable development. At the U.S. Helsinki Commission we monitor 56 countries, including the United States, with the mandate to ensure compliance to commitments made under the Helsinki Final Act with focus on three dimensions: security, economics and the environment, and human rights. The management of extractive industries has broad implications covering all three dimensions of the Helsinki process. We know that oil, gas, and mining are potential sources of conflict and their supply has a direct impact on our national security. The often negative economic consequences for resource rich countries are well documented and we see constant reminders of the environmental impact of extraction both at home and abroad. Finally, the resultant degradation of human rights in countries that are corrupted by resource wealth is a real concern that we must address. When the charter was launched last year, I was struck by how far we have come in terms of bringing the difficult conversation on extractive industries into the lexicon of world leaders. Only a few short years ago, the word ``transparency'' was not used in the same sentence with oil, gas or mining revenue. After the launch of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in 2002, we have seen a major shift in attitude. This was followed by G8 and G20 statements in support of greater revenue transparency as a means of achieving greater economic growth in developing countries. But it is clear that given the challenge ahead, more than statements are needed. The Natural Resource Charter is a concrete and practical next step in the right direction. Economists have found that many of the resource-rich countries of the world today have fared notably worse than their neighbors economically and politically, despite the positive opportunities granted by resource wealth. The misuse of extractive industry revenues has often mitigated the benefits of such mineral wealth for citizens of developing nations; in many cases the resources acting instead as a source of severe economic and social instability. In addressing the factors and providing solutions for such difficulties, the Natural Resource Charter aims to be a global public resource for informed, transparent decisionmaking regarding extractive industry management. The charter's overarching philosophy is that development of natural resources should be designed to secure maximum benefit for the citizens of the host country. To this end, its dialogue includes a special focus on the role of informed public oversight through transparency measures such as EITI in establishing the legitimacy of resource decisions and attracting foreign investment. On fiscal issues, the charter presents guidelines for the systematic reinvestment of resource revenues in national infrastructure and human capital with the goal of diminishing effects of resource price volatility and ensuring long-term economic growth. This week the commission will hold a public briefing on the Natural Resource Charter and I am pleased to say that there was a candid conversation between the audience and the panel that revealed much about how the charter could be used to promote human rights and good governance. The briefing also addressed ways that U.S. support of democratic and economically sensible extractive industry standards could have a powerful effect in securing the welfare and freedoms of citizens in resource-rich countries. In particular, it was noted that the Energy Security Through Transparency Act, S. 1700, a bipartisan bill I introduced with my colleague Senator Lugar and 10 other colleagues is consistent with the principles set out in the Natural Resource Charter. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure our continued progress on these issues.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of the Reverend Benjamin Lawson Hooks. I join all Americans in expressing my sadness at his passing and gratitude for his lifetime of service. Ben Hooks was a man of faith who was dedicated to nonviolent change. He will be remembered as one of the great civil rights champions of our time. Ben Hooks was born in Memphis, TN, at the height of the Jim Crow era in 1925. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army to fight for his country, a segregated nation that denied him access to many public venues. Stationed in Italy, he was ordered to guard Italian prisoners of war, and like so many African-American soldiers at that time, he was utterly shocked to find that the very prisoners he guarded were admitted to the all-White cafeteria, while he had to eat elsewhere. Upon returning to the United States, Ben Hooks completed his studies at Howard University and attended DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. But he never forgot his roots or the civil rights violations that he had witnessed. After the war, he returned to his hometown of Memphis, TN, to open up a law practice and dedicate himself to the fight for the equality of all Americans. Of those years, he recalled: ``At that time you were insulted by law clerks, excluded from white bar associations and when I was in court, I was lucky to be called `Ben.' Usually it was just `boy.' '' He also became a Baptist minister, joined the NAACP and participated in many civil rights protests. He joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which went on to spearhead the civil rights movement through famous nonviolent protests. By 1965, Ben Hooks had made his mark on his home State, and was appointed to the Tennessee Criminal Court, making him the first Black judge since Reconstruction in a State trial court anywhere in the South. In years to come he would capture the attention of lawmakers in Washington, and in 1972, President Nixon nominated Hooks to the Federal Communications Commission. He became the first Black Commissioner on the FCC, and served for 5 years. During his time there, he fought for underrepresented minorities in the media and helped to increase the number of African-Americans employed at the FCC. Despite all these accomplishments, Ben Hooks is likely to be best remembered for his 15 years as executive director of the NAACP. In 2007, when President Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of our country's highest civilian honors, saying: ``Dr. Hooks was a calm yet forceful voice for fairness, opportunity and personal responsibility. He never tired or faltered in demanding that our Nation live up to its founding ideals of liberty and equality.'' His time at the NAACP was transformative. When he first arrived, membership was down and the organization was saddled with debt, but he declared ``the civil rights movement is not dead. If anyone thinks that we are going to stop agitating, they had better think again. If anyone thinks that we are going to stop litigating, they had better close the courts. If anyone thinks that we are not going to demonstrate and protest, they had better roll up the sidewalks.'' When he retired in 1992, membership had dramatically increased and the organization had been completely reinvigorated and continues to be at the forefront of the civil rights movement today. The Reverend Jesse Jackson eloquently noted: ``Ben Hooks did it all, did it well, and he did it over a long period of time. He fought tirelessly to tear down walls that make today's bridges possible. He took us from racial battleground to economic common ground, across lines of race and religion.'' Today, I add my voice to the chorus of praise for Ben Hooks. He was an honorable man who fought for equality and justice for all Americans and to fulfill the promise of our great Nation.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to honor The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore on its 90th anniversary. The Greater Baltimore Area is comprised of more than 90,000 Jews, many of whom rely on The Associated to provide support and resources to a vibrant Jewish community in the region. The Associated was officially formed in 1920 by the merger of two community organizations, the Federated Jewish Charities with the United Hebrew Charities. The Associated and its agencies have worked hard to better the lives of Jewish Baltimoreans for almost a century. The talents, commitment, and compassion of Baltimore's Jewish community activists, philanthropists, volunteers, and professionals have created and sustained The Associated. From Harry Greenstein to Marc Terrill, from Jacob Epstein to Jimmy Berg, men and women have provided their experience and expertise to help turn the organization into one of the most powerful and cohesive Jewish federations in the country today. Through its Jewish Community Services program, The Associated helps support and serve the needs of the entire Baltimore Jewish community. It provides a wide array of counseling programs to help with substance abuse, relationship problems, depression, and grief. Its social workers also offer outstanding support for parents, caregivers, job seekers, teenagers, and senior citizens. All of these programs and initiatives have been vital in helping many Jewish individuals and families improve both their economic and mental health situations while still maintaining a positive connection to the Jewish community. The Assocaited's international outreach also has been just as profound and important as its local impact. Since the early years of the federation, it has played an active role in the relocation of Jews to Baltimore. It helped more than 3,000 German Jews flee the Nazi regime and settle in the Baltimore area and has provided support for both Iranian Jews and Russian Jews to resettle in Baltimore in recent years as well. The federation has also played an integral part in strengthening the bond between Baltimore and Israel through its new sister city partnership with the Israeli city, Ashkelon. This relationship has already spurred initiatives that will help educate Jewish leaders in both communities on economic and leadership development. A different partnership with the Ukrainian city of Odessa complements the one with Ashkelon by promoting cross-cultural exchange and education as well. In honor of its 90th anniversary, the federation is doing what it does best: helping people. The Associated has called on its community to log 90,000 volunteer hours together--1,000 hours for every year of existence. This is just one more act of generosity among countless others The Associated has sponsored throughout the years. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore for its continued commitment to tikkun olam--repair of the world--and gemilut chasadim--acts of loving- kindness--as well as all the work it has done to better the lives of Baltimore Jews throughout the past 90 years.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I thank Senator Warner for taking this time to bring to the attention of our colleagues a very serious problem. One of the most fundamental responsibilities for a Member of the Senate is to advise and consent on the President's nominations. There are literally hundreds of appointments that are going to require our confirmation--more than that; thousands, actually, that we have to confirm. Our responsibility is to take the appointments the President has given us, to evaluate them, and then to act, either to confirm or not confirm. The American people depend on these individuals being in office to perform the services they need, whether it is services that come forward in the Department of the Treasury in dealing with the economic issues of this Nation, the regulatory functions that are important to protect consumers in America, to be able to give those who have been wronged an opportunity in our judicial system to have courts that can handle their dockets in a timely way. All that is dependent upon the Senate carrying out its responsibility to advise and consent to take up the nominations of the President. Look at what has happened in this Congress. Let me point out the district court judges. District court judges are the judges who hear the overwhelming number of cases. If you have a problem and you go to Federal court, you go to district courts. That is where 99 percent of the cases are going to be heard. In 2002, when George Bush became President, 35 of his district court appointments were confirmed. They waited on average 13 days after being reported by the Judiciary Committee for confirmation votes on the floor of the Senate. On this date, there were no further pending district court appointments that required the confirmation of the Senate. We had acted on every one of them. Now let's take a look at the current situation. This Senate has only confirmed 11 of President Obama's district court nominations, and they waited on average 43 days. There are 17 district court nominations that have been reported out by the Judiciary Committee. Most have been reported by voice vote, by unanimous vote, no controversy at all with most of these nominations, and they have been pending on average 46 days. This is an intentional action by the Republicans to block the ability of President Obama to place his appointees either in the courts or in his administration. That is just wrong. If you have a disagreement, let's debate it. If there is a legitimate concern, let's talk about it. But that is not what is happening here. The people of Maryland, the people around this Nation are being denied essential services because of a partisan strategy to block this body from timely considering the appointments by the President. That is just wrong. It is time we bring an end to it. It is time the Democrats and Republicans work together in the best interests of the American people. I yield my time to the Senator from Virginia.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the bill that is currently before the Senate which would provide for a temporary extension of unemployment benefits, COBRA coverage, and prevent a severe cut to provider reimbursements under Medicare. The bill would also extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which expired on March 28 at midnight. Each of these provisions is important in its own right, and each will help our economy to move forward. The long-term unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of people in the workforce who have been out of work for more than 6 months and are still looking for jobs. That rate reached 4.3 percent of the workforce in March; that is, 4.3 percent are out of work for 6 months and cannot find employment. Our Nation's overall unemployment rate is still at 10 percent. Maryland's unemployment rate continues to rise, reaching 8.3 percent in February statewide, up from 7 percent in February 2009. In 11 of our counties, nearly one-half of the counties in Maryland, the unemployment rate exceeds the national rate. In Baltimore City, it is 11.2 percent. In Dorchester County, it is 12.9. In Worcester County, it is an astonishing 18.8 percent--more than double the statewide percentage. In these counties, the situation is urgent. We must act to help keep these families' heads above water. Each of the thousands of families who depend upon extended unemployment benefits needs our help. In Maryland, it is 16,000 families. They need our help in order to be able to feed their families, pay the rent and utilities on their homes, and to keep their houses literally out of foreclosure. I hear from heads of households every day who are trying to find work, but the jobs just aren't there. In fact, the Labor Department statistics tell us that for every job opening, there are five individuals actively seeking employment. Those odds are not very good for somebody who is trying to find employment today. That is why we have the long-term unemployment and why we need to extend the benefits to those who are in need today. We are emerging from the most severe and prolonged economic downturn since the Great Depression. For those of my colleagues who are insisting that the unemployment compensation extension be paid for, I point out that for every dollar we spend in unemployment compensation, we are generating more than $1.50 back into our economy. In other words, this is a stimulus. This helps job growth. When people have unemployment insurance, they spend it immediately. It helps our retail establishments, our food stores, and our economy. It is the definition of stimulus spending, and it is immediate. I also add that it is not a handout. Employment insurance is just that--an insurance program. It is an insurance program to which employers and employees contribute so that in difficult times such as these, they can receive benefits. We are in these times now. That is why we paid the unemployment insurance benefits taxes. These funds should now be available to help the people who need it. Equally essential are COBRA benefits, which allow people who lose their jobs to continue health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. I cannot tell you the number of people who are shocked when they lose their jobs and go to pay for their COBRA and find out it is prohibitive and they cannot afford it. They cannot afford to continue their health insurance protection in the most critical time of their lives. That is why Congress passed help for people during this economic time with their COBRA protection. But that has expired. We need to extend that so families can continue to maintain their health insurance. The extension of COBRA benefits will allow us to get affordable health care to those who are in the most desperate need. I want to mention the expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program. In my State, over 60,000 homes are covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, and half of those are on Maryland's Eastern Shore. This program was authorized, but it expired on March 28, 2010. Since then, no new policies have been issued, no policies have been renewed, and there has been no increased coverage on existing policies that could be issued. So Marylanders who wish to purchase a home in a flood plain cannot do so during this period. We need to act now. We literally have frozen the market, which is not good for our economy, for our families, and it is certainly something we need to correct. The bill before us will retroactively make up for the past 2 weeks, but we need to act quickly in order that this important program continues. Finally, I wish to stress the urgency of fixing the Medicare physician reimbursement, an area on which I have worked for many years to try to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate payment system that makes no sense. As of April 1, there is a 21.2-percent across-the-board cut in Medicare reimbursement for physicians and other providers who are paid according to the fee schedule--physical, occupational, and speech language therapists, nurse practitioners, and others. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is holding claims until Wednesday, April 14. At that time, claims will be paid at the lower reimbursement rate. We must stop that from happening. Today, my office received nearly a dozen calls from constituents who were told by their doctors that they are not accepting new Medicare patients at this time. This is no longer a hypothetical; there is a denial of access to care. Seniors are being made to suffer because of obstructionism in this body of not allowing this bill to move forward in a prompt way. I come to the floor today to urge immediate passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to work together to pass a long-term extension of these essential benefits. Ensuring that American families are able to weather this economic storm should not be a partisan issue. We need to work together to debate the merits of this bill and provide the American people with the help they need and the economy with the boost it needs while we are working on long-term recovery of our Nation. With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I would like my colleagues to join me in thanking Joyce Revell for 21 years of exemplary service to the U.S. Senate and on wishing her well during her retirement. Joyce Revell has dedicated her life to the service of our Nation and to the citizens of Maryland. At age 18, she joined the U.S. Army, where she served for 2 years. In 1977, she joined the staff of Senator Paul Sarbanes, where she became an integral part of his State office staff, providing information and service to constituents. In 2007, I was fortunate and privileged when Joyce agreed to join my staff when I was sworn into the U.S. Senate. Joyce is one of the most outstanding caseworkers I have ever met, and she has developed an expertise in a field that is often difficult and heartbreaking. Joyce's knowledge of immigration law rivals any attorney in the field, and thousands of Marylanders over the years have sought her advice and counsel when navigating our Nation's immigration process. Her advocacy on behalf of those who need a voice has often resulted in new American citizens, reunited families and helped place adopted babies and children in loving homes. Through her years of service to the Senate, Joyce has become familiar with a number of Federal agencies and departments and she has been more than willing to share her considerable institutional knowledge. In fact, her expertise and knowledge is so extensive that employees of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, as well as other congressional and Senate offices, often look to Joyce for guidance and information. I also want to take a moment to mention Joyce's professional skills and her approach to her cases. She has an emotional connection to the constituents who contact her, but she is always calm, professional and informative, even in the face of the most severe hardship. She will provide constituents with the right answer, even if it is not the one they want to hear. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Joyce on her many years of dedicated service to our Nation. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Joyce's husband Paul, daughter Kate, and son Paul Michael for sharing Joyce with the U.S. Senate. I wish her the all best in her future endeavors. She will be greatly missed.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I move to lay that motion upon the table. The motion to lay upon the table was agreed to. Crapo Motion to Commit

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today in full support of the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. I assert that the investment we make in education with this bill is an investment in America's economic future. For too long, we have allowed America to lag behind other nations in education, specifically in the number of college graduates we produce. No more. Now is the time to train our workforce to compete in the global economy. Now is the time to provide affordable, accessible, quality educational opportunities so that America will shine as a beacon of ingenuity and prosperity once again. This bill answers the call by making college more affordable and accessible. Perhaps most significantly, the bill invests in and protects the Pell grant scholarship. It provides $36 billion over 10 years for this program which allows so many to attend college who would not otherwise have the opportunity. This includes funding to cover a shortfall due to demand. The failing economy has spurred a dramatic increase the number of those students who are eligible for Pell grants. In 2007, there were 5 million Pell grant recipients. In 2009-2010, there were 8.3 million. The bill also provides an increase in the maximum annual award which will ultimately be indexed to the Consumer Price Index and thus linked to increases in the cost of living. In Maryland, over 85,000 students depend on Pell grants to help them attend college. With the additional funding, that number is expected to rise to 100,000. That is 15,000 additional students who have the opportunity to share in the American dream! Students like Morris Johnson from Baltimore. Morris is a double major in sociology and communications at Goucher College with a 3.5 grade point average. Morris credits those who believed in him and his academic promise for keeping his dream of attending college alive. But without financial aid, including a Pell grant, that dream would have been out of reach. For those who find it necessary to borrow to finance their education, the bill solidifies a mechanism for obtaining high-quality student loans. The direct loan program is a reliable lender and cost-effective mechanism for taxpayers. Beginning in July of this year, all new student loans will be originated through the direct loan program. This will bring an end to the costly federally-guaranteed student loan program that generated billions of dollars in subsidies for banks--at the expense of additional financial aid for more deserving students. Instead, direct loans will be serviced by contracted private lenders. Further, direct loans can only be serviced in the United States, thereby preserving American jobs. The bill also makes it easier for new borrowers after 2014 to repay Federal loans by lowering the existing cap on monthly Federal student loan payments from 15 percent to 10 percent of discretionary income. The legislation provides $1.5 billion for this income-based repayment program. Just paying for college, however, isn't enough. We need to make sure our students succeed in college and graduate. To that end, the bill supports additional key investments: The bill dramatically increases funding for the College Access Challenge Grant program. This program funds innovative financial literacy and retention projects. This will increase the number of low- income students who are adequately prepared for the financial challenges of paying for college and related expenses. The bill underscores the role of minority-serving institutions in educating the Nation's low-income and minority students by providing $2.5 billion to support these institutions. This funding represents a significant investment in Maryland where we have four outstanding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The bill also recognizes the role of community colleges and provides $2 billion for a competitive grant program to develop and improve career training programs. I said the time for making college more accessible and affordable has come and I believe that. But we also have to be fiscally responsible. This bill is both. It makes historic investments in Federal financial aid and yet comes at no cost to the taxpayers. This is possible by switching all Federal loans to the direct loan program. Doing so saves taxpayers a huge amount in subsidies that were going to the banks. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this savings will amount to $61 billion over 10 years. Even with the improvements, these education provisions in the legislation will reduce the deficit by $10 billion over 10 years, at least. The education provisions in this legislation make college more affordable and accessible. It's necessary for America's students and for America's future.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3608

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 3582

Mr. CARDIN

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

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

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I understand the Republican leader will be coming to the floor and I will yield the floor as soon as the Republican leader is here and then, after that, I ask that I will have the opportunity to speak. But until the Republican leader comes to the floor, let me compliment my colleague from Ohio, Senator Brown. He points out this debate is about allowing every American to be able to tell their children that when they get sick, they will have an opportunity to see a doctor. It is about a small business owner who should not have to chose between insuring his employees or maintaining his workforce or expanding his workforce. It is about our seniors having to decide whether they can take a pill or have to split that pill because they fall within the doughnut hole and cannot afford prescription medicines. This debate is about whether we are, as a nation, going to be able to bring down the growth rate of health care costs and guarantee that every American has access to affordable health care and also bring down our budget deficit in health care, which clearly we have to do in this Nation. I look forward to engaging in that debate. I came to the floor to talk about the FAA bill, and I will do that after the Republican leader has his opportunity on the floor, but I wished to thank Senator Brown for pointing out how critically important this debate on health care is to the American people. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, first, let me respond very briefly to the Republican leader and say that, looking at what the Congressional Budget Office has said, the objective scorekeeper, it says this bill will accomplish bringing down the growth rate of health care costs, it will substantially increase the number of Americans who have access to affordable health care, and it will bring down our budget deficit. It will bring down our budget deficit by over $130 billion during the first 10 years but $1.3 trillion during the second 10 years. That is making progress on dealing with health care costs and bringing down the Federal budget deficit. The overwhelming majority of Americans will see their health insurance premiums under this bill go up at a slower growth rate than they would otherwise go up, and it will cover another 31 million Americans who currently do not have health insurance. They will be covered. The appropriate question that should be asked is how will this legislation affect health care versus what will happen if we do not get health care reform passed, and I think it is clear this bill will improve health care for Americans and bring down the cost of health care for Americans. Mr. President, I take this time to talk about the modernization of the Federal Aviation Administration bill, and I wish to first thank Senators Rockefeller, Hutchison, Dorgan, and so many others who have worked on the FAA Modernization Act. Our aviation system clearly needs modernization. Air traffic control needs to get into modern technology. What I like most about this bill is what it does under facilities and equipment, the NextGen flight guidance system using GPS satellite-based guidance in order to control air traffic in America. That will substantially cut down travel time for air passengers. It will save us energy, which we all are talking about. Let me give one example that will demonstrate how dramatic it is to go to a GPS system. I think most Americans will be surprised to learn they are using more high-tech technology in their cell phones than they are on airplanes in America. I think they would be surprised to learn that. But this bill will allow us to put that type of satellite technology into the way that we control air traffic in America. As I said, it will save time for the passenger, save energy for our Nation. To give an example, today a flight from Washington, DC, Reagan National Airport to Boston takes about 537 miles of air travel and consumes over 7,000 pounds of fuel. Using GPS, using NextGen, we can save over 20 percent of the mileage traveled and the fuel consumed. We actually save over 1,000 pounds of fuel. That is just one flight. Multiply that times the hundreds of thousands of flights throughout our Nation. We can make a substantial improvement on productivity, efficiency, and on energy consumption. We can significantly reduce the number of delays. The delay not only inconveniences that one passenger but, as you know, the whole system gets thrown into a morass when we have delays. We will have much better on-time arrival rates because it will be a more predictable flight using NextGen GPS technology. The legislation also provides for new technology training requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers. That is the safety issue. We know air travel is safe, but we want to make it safer. This legislation will give us the tools in order to do that. It provides for grants for improvements to our airports around the Nation. Let me talk for one moment about BWI, Thurgood Marshall Airport, the largest airport in the State of Maryland. We have over $400 million in projects ready to go to improve the efficiency of that airport. I know Senator Warner is aware, at Washington Dulles Airport, they have projects ready to go that will help in regard to not just convenience for the people who use that airport, which is important, but also safety issues, providing for the types of improvements necessary to deal with the newer aircraft that are coming on board. All this will reduce noise in the community, which is also another issue that is important and I am sure Senator Warner has heard about. We had 21 million passengers in 2009 use BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport--21 million passengers. We have to keep up with that, and these grant programs will allow us to do it. But let me tell you something else. We have 35 other airports in Maryland. These are commercial, municipal, regional, and general aviation airports. These airports are in need of improvement. I have visited many of them. That will not only be important for air traffic to our rural areas, but it is also about economic development. This FAA modernization bill is about jobs. It is about creating new jobs. But it is also about communities being able to have the type of improvements to their regional airports that will allow businesses to come in and take advantage of that regional airport, bringing jobs to parts of Maryland and our Nation that are, at times, difficult to find. Of course, today, we need to find more jobs for America. This bill will help us in our goal to increase the number of jobs. I have talked about rural air service. I wish to talk particularly about the essential air service, EAS, issue. I offered an amendment-- and I wish to thank the managers for accepting that amendment--that would extend the expiration date on the mileage determination for those rural airports that can qualify for essential air service. That is important to the people of Hagerstown and that region because that is the difference between the Hagerstown airport being eligible for EAS help. I have visited that airport in Hagerstown. I can tell you how critically important it is to have passenger service. As a result of that amendment, we have Cape Air service at Hagerstown. If we did not have EAS, we would not have that passenger service. That means that airport is much more viable. That is the reason for the EAS program, the viability of airports in rural areas. That is important for passenger service, but it is equally important to have a viable airport so it can bring in the type of economic activities that are associated by having an airport close by. Hagerstown, that area, has been able to attract industry relating to the aircraft industry because it has an airport there. I must tell you, I do not think they would have the type of airport if they did not have passenger service. So all of this comes together and helps us create jobs in a part of Maryland that otherwise could find it difficult to bring in new economic opportunities. This bill is very important. I thank the managers again for including that amendment in the managers' package. It includes the passengers' bill of rights. Many of my colleagues have talked about the passengers' bill of rights. We all know about passengers being stranded on the tarmac for hours, strapped to their seats in a very uncomfortable position. Well, that is inexcusable. Congress needs to speak to that. I am pleased the passengers' bill of rights is included in this legislation that will provide passengers with certain basic rights that airlines will need to adhere to. I also am pleased it includes workers, pilots, flight attendants. This bill is about helping not just the passengers but helping all those who work in the industry. It will help all the workers. That is an important issue. Before I yield the floor, I wish to talk about one other issue that I understand the distinguished Senator from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, talked about a little bit earlier; that is, amendments that are being considered and several have been filed, I understand negotiations are taking place as to the modification of the perimeter and slot rules as it relates to Reagan National Airport. Let me tell you, before we start fooling around with this, let's make it clear that my colleagues understand how important this issue is to the people of the District, Virginia, and Maryland. In 1987, a peace agreement was entered into between the three jurisdictions and the three airports that are located here: Washington Dulles International, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Reagan National Airport. All were involved in that agreement because, quite frankly, having an airport located in a residential community is an issue of concern of safety and noise and economic activities. So we have to be very mindful what is done at Reagan National. For that reason, we entered into these restrictions in regard to the number of slots and the perimeters in which the flights originating from Reagan National can travel. They were carefully negotiated, and I urge us to be very careful about any modifications in those slots and perimeter rules. We also created the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority to deal with Reagan National and Washington Dulles International. But then the slot issue and the perimeter issue were very important for the development of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland. These are very delicate balances. The growth airports are clearly Washington Dulles and BWI Thurgood Marshall. They have the capacity for growth; Reagan National does not. It has a serious issue in regard to noise and safety to the community. We know that. I would urge my colleagues to be very cautious on modifying either the slot rule or the perimeter rule. If we modify the slot rule, obviously, we are putting more traffic into Reagan National that it cannot handle. The aviation experts have told us that, that Reagan National is at capacity. It cannot handle more slots. If you change the perimeter rule, then you are talking about flights that currently go to cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Providence, Minneapolis, Miami, Boston, Detroit, Cincinnati. All those flights are going to be affected. So this is not about giving the airplanes more flexibility, it is about affecting a delicate balance that currently exists when you have three major airports located within a very short distance. I would urge my colleague to be very cautious as we consider these amendments. The ones I have seen so far are ones that I would oppose. I would urge my colleagues to respect the three jurisdictions in which these airports are located. We are not coming to you suggesting changes in the slots and perimeter rules. We are not the ones coming to you asking for it. It is our communities that are affected by the decisions. I would hope my colleagues would respect the judgment of the Senators from Maryland and Virginia. This is a very important bill. It is a very good bill. It modernizes our FAA. It provides for safety, convenience, and, as I said earlier, will save time, save energy, and make our air traffic meet the growing needs of those of who use our airports and Nation. I yield the floor.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business as part of the comments made by Senator Landrieu and Senator Shaheen.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, we are here today to talk about the importance of job creation in our economy. We all know we need to create jobs. The way to create jobs is to help small businesses. Too much of the focus over the last couple years has been in helping the large companies, the large banks. We need to focus on small companies in order to create new job opportunities for Americans. I compliment Senator Shaheen for her comments. She is absolutely right. Small businesses can create many jobs in the United States by creating products that are wanted around the globe. The problem is, it is very complicated for a small business owner to have the type of staff to deal with the difficulties of entering the international marketplace. Senator Shaheen pointed out very clearly that the legislation Senator Landrieu has been instrumental in bringing forward in the Small Business Committee that deals with enhancing international trade for small companies, S. 2862, will provide more jobs in America by helping smaller companies be able to get their products into the international marketplace. That makes common sense. As I said in the beginning, we need to create more jobs. Senator Landrieu, in her leadership on the Small Business Committee, has made that our top priority, and I congratulate her for bringing this to our attention. We know over 50 percent--over 50 percent--of private sector jobs are with small companies. We know 64 percent of the net new jobs during the past 15 years have come from small companies. That is where the job growth will be. We are talking about creating jobs. We create more jobs through small companies, but we have to help them because they have many obstacles today to be able to create those new jobs. Forty percent of high-tech workers work for small companies. This is a very interesting statistic. There are 13 times more patents per employee in small companies than in larger companies. Innovation comes from our smaller companies. It does not mean we ignore larger companies. They have opportunities small companies do not have. But if we are going to create the jobs and innovation, we have to have a healthy atmosphere for small businesses today, and we need to do a better job. What is the problem? Problem No. 1 is credit. Small companies cannot get traditional credit. Many large banks have just closed out giving loans to small companies. I can tell you of the calls I have gotten in my office, the letters I have gotten. There is a high-tech company located in Hunt Valley, MD. It is a small business that cannot get a bank to make a refinancing loan so that high-tech company can expand. They are doing very well. Their customer base would be very familiar to many of the Members of the Senate. But they cannot get a bank to be their partner in this environment because they are a small company. As a result, many small companies, many small businesses resort to the use of their personal credit cards--their personal credit cards--in order to finance their business. One-third of small companies have over 25 percent of their overall debt from credit cards. Fifty percent of small businesses' interests rates are 15 percent or higher. That is not sustainable. You can't run a business based upon that type of financing. We have to do much better in that regard. That is why I was particularly pleased by S. 2869, which Chairman Landrieu has brought forward with Senator Snowe, that would strengthen the SBA's capacity to make credit available to small businesses. It would increase the 7(a) loan program. The 7(a) loans are the traditional loans small businesses get in order to finance their operations. It would increase the amount from $2 million to $5 million and continue the 90-percent Federal guarantee. The 504 loans, which are used primarily for bricks and mortar, would increase from $1.5 million to $5.5 million. The microloans, which give a business the opportunity for working capital so they can move forward with an innovation and an idea and create jobs, increase from $35,000 to $50,000. That tells us how important that is to a small business. That extra $15,000 can be the difference between developing an idea to create jobs or not. I congratulate Chairman Landrieu for bringing forward that legislation. It passed our committee by a 17-to-1 vote. This is a strong bipartisan bill that we hope will be made permanent. I think we need to do more. I have introduced legislation that follows in the direction of the President. President Obama has suggested we take some of the TARP funds and use it to help community banks make loans to small businesses. I think we should look at having direct loans by the SBA to small businesses, certainly as a backup, if the private sector is not going to show enough interest to help our small businesses. I know there are other suggestions to help our States. Governor O'Malley has suggested a program that could use some additional Federal support and get money out quickly to small businesses for credit. We need to focus on that because there is a credit crisis for small businesses. We need to be able to do better than we are doing today if we are going to be able to create jobs. In every State in the Nation, I know my colleagues have heard from their small business owners that they can't get affordable credit. We need to act in order to bring us out of this current economic downturn. There are other bills I wish to mention briefly. Chairman Landrieu mentioned the bill I have been involved with, S. 2989, the Small Business Contracting Improvement Act. Small businesses depend upon government procurement as an effort to get started and to grow. The problem is, there is this cozy relationship between procurement officers and larger companies, so they have developed into practices that have hurt small companies in being able to get the set-asides that we in Congress said they should get. So what the contractor for the government agency does is bundle a lot of contracts that should be offered individually, but they bundle them to make them too large for small businesses to be able to bid on. This legislation deals with the abuses of bundling. I congratulate our chair for bringing that forward. It also deals with the abuses between subcontractors and prime contractors. It is no surprise to anyone here that small businesses are more likely to be subs. Well, we don't have transparency and openness and timely payments to the subs. The prime contractor is abusing privileges, and we have a responsibility to make sure the law is carried out with the set-asides to small businesses in our procurement policies. This legislation, which passed our committee by a unanimous vote earlier this month, I think will go a long way to helping small businesses create jobs in our community. There is other legislation that is out there to strengthen the SBA counseling program that Chairman Landrieu mentioned. I think that is an important bill. It passed our committee by a 19-to-0 vote--again, strong bipartisan support. There is another program I wish to mention quickly, because during the Recovery Act there should have been funds set aside for the SBIR/ STTR programs. They were not. We have spoken about that before in this body. The legislation that passed our committee by an 18-to-0 vote would increase the allocations for the SBIR and STTR programs, which are high-tech set-asides for small high-tech companies, which help us develop innovation technology here in America, keeping jobs in America and expanding jobs in America. It would increase that set-aside from a modest 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent. It passed our committee by an 18-to- 0 vote. These are all important bills that I hope we will have an opportunity to take up shortly as we look at the next jobs bill. I hope these provisions can be incorporated into legislation we consider. This is bipartisan. I think all my colleagues understand we have to create more job opportunities in America. The way to do it is to help small businesses deal with their current needs. I will mention one other bill before yielding the floor; that is, the health care bill which will help small businesses. The problem I used to hear the most from my small businesses was about paying health care costs. Now I hear credit. Credit is their No. 1 problem. But we provide a credit--Senator Landrieu was helpful in getting this started earlier--to our small businesses so they can afford to provide health care for their employees. I thank Senator Landrieu for that provision. That is going to help small companies and help job growth. We also created the exchanges. These are the exchanges where a small company can go in and buy health insurance policies. I can't tell my colleagues how many times I have heard from a small business owner saying: I am getting ripped off. I have no choice with an insurance plan I can take. I have a 30-percent increase, a 40-percent increase in premiums. My employees' health didn't deteriorate. Our costs didn't go up by that, but I have no choice. There is no other company I can get a policy with. Well, under health reform, we provide options and choice and competition for the small business owner. Today, they are paying, on average, 20 percent more than large companies pay for comparable insurance coverage for their employees. That practice needs to end. We shouldn't be discriminating against small businesses in America, and we take major steps forward to eliminate that discrimination. These are all things we can do to create jobs in America, to help our small businesses, help our Nation, help our recovery, and help us grow as a nation, to be even more competitive, offering good jobs to the people in our communities who are seeking employment. With that, let me yield the remainder of my time to the chairman of the Small Business Committee, the Senator from Louisiana.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, this week we celebrate Sunshine Week, not as a seasonal way to welcome the spring weather but as a time to mark the importance of transparency in our government. At the U.S. Helsinki Commission we monitor 56 countries, including the United States, to ensure compliance with human rights and other commitments made under the Helsinki Final Act. A major part of that compliance rests on governments being open and acting transparently--the same focus that is at the heart of the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Sunshine Week. Practicing open governance is not something countries, States, and cities should do because they have to comply with some international agreement or public records law; rather, being transparent should be an organic part of providing a democratic government and empowering citizens. When President Obama began his Presidency he called for unprecedented transparency. In his Open Government Directive, he outlined a clear plan for government to become more transparent, participatory, and collaborative. The logic is clear--only through transparency can people gain the knowledge needed to participate and hold their governments accountable. And only if the people participate can government collaborate with them to glean the best ideas. This directive was bold and action-oriented, but sadly we have not seen the U.S. bureaucracy react with the same swiftness with which this directive was made. Most agencies, in fact, have not made concrete changes to comply with the directive, according to a government-wide audit released earlier this week by the National Security Archive based at the George Washington University. It seems for all the White House is doing disclosing its visitors log, broadcasting policy meetings, increasing interactivity through townhall meetings and YouTube interviews--a lot of work remains at the agencies. Most glaring to me are the delays and in some cases outright denials of Freedom of Information Act requests. I was surprised to learn in the National Security Archive audit that some requests have been pending for 18 years when the law very clearly calls for responses within 20 business days when possible. Most baffling from the audit may be what files still remain locked in government vaults. For example, today--more than 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall--the Pentagon still has not responded to a request for records detailing the military's reaction in 1961 to the building of the wall. When it comes to diplomacy, this President and Secretary of State Clinton deserve great praise for the work they have done around the world to strengthen dialogue and improve U.S. relationships abroad. This successful record, however, is slightly tarnished by the Department of State's efforts on open governance. The Department more than doubled the number of denials it issued to people filing Freedom of Information Act requests last year--the largest increase of any agency except for the Social Security Administration, which tripled its denials. Fourteen months is a short time to change a bureaucracy charged with managing countless records. But a handful of agencies have already shown it is possible and committed to open government changes. On top of other positive reforms, the Departments of Agriculture and Justice, the Small Business Administration, and the Office of Management and Budget all increased how much information they released and decreased how many requests they denied last year. These agencies have embraced the spirit of transparency ushered in by President Obama, and as we mark Sunshine Week, I hope others will follow suit with their own innovative ways to increase transparency and spur citizen involvement. And once agencies adopt these practices, I hope they stick with them-- not because they fulfill any Presidential directive but because they give us a better democracy.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 80th birthday of a Maryland lacrosse legend, Mr. Bob Scott, a former Johns Hopkins University athlete, coach, and athletic director. Lacrosse is the official team sport of Maryland and there is perhaps no other Marylander who has done as much for the game as Mr. Scott. His 41-year career at Johns Hopkins, spanning from 1955 to 1995, were years of great success for Hopkins lacrosse as well as Blue Jays athletics in general. At a university that expects nothing less than dominance on the lacrosse field, Mr. Scott more than lived up to the high expectations. As the head lacrosse coach from 1955 to 1974, Mr. Scott left a legacy that will be hard to match. He led the Blue Jays to an unparalleled seven national championships, his players were recognized as first-team All-Americans an outstanding 42 times, and he left his position with 158 wins, more than any other head coach in program history. Mr. Scott was a successful lacrosse player for Johns Hopkins from 1948 to 1952 as well. During his playing days, he received national recognition as the winner of the Penniman Award for outstanding play as a midfielder and as an honorable mention All-American. In addition to his playing and coaching acumen, Mr. Scott also wrote the premier lacrosse book. ``Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition,'' written in 1976, still sits in lacrosse players' lockers and on coaches' desks to this day. The book has since been translated into other languages and has given Mr. Scott the vehicle to become the sport's unofficial ambassador. Mr. Scott is more than just a lacrosse legend, however. He helped build Hopkins into the division III powerhouse it is today. During his 22-year tenure as director of athletics, the Blue Jays emerged as national contenders in many different sports--including baseball, basketball, fencing, swimming, and soccer--and Mr. Scott played a pivotal role in successfully developing the women's athletics program that continues to thrive today. Most of Mr. Scott's life has been dedicated to sports, but he also spent 2 years in the U.S. Army after graduating from Johns Hopkins. He rose to the position of instructor in the Ranger Department and was stationed at Fort Benning, GA. In honor of Mr. Scott's 80th birthday today--St. Patrick's Day--I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life of a great Marylander who has served our country and has given so much of his time to help mold our Nation's student-athletes.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, let me thank Senator Warner for organizing this presentation to point out the abuses the minority has used in blocking the responsibility of the Senate to confirm appointments made by the President. I believe in the right of the minority. At times, it needs to be exercised. But it has been abused. The American people need to know that because it is affecting their rights and the ability of agencies and the courts to protect the rights of Americans. Let me cite one number: 60 individuals the President has nominated for important offices have been blocked in their confirmation votes on the Senate floor even though their nominations were approved by the committees either by voice vote or unanimous vote or by significant supermajorities. These are just being delayed, when we now know the final outcome will be approval. As a result, Americans are being denied judges on the courts and administrators who can help enforce their rights. We have already heard the circumstances about our courts, how we have had to take to a cloture vote, which means floor time, for the nomination of Judge Keenan, who received 99 votes and no one in opposition. We have two vacancies on the Fourth Circuit right now. These appointments have been approved overwhelmingly by the Judiciary Committee--Albert Diaz and James Wynn--by votes of 19 to 0 and 18 to 1. They have the support of Senators Burr and Hagan. Yet they have still not been brought to the floor for a vote. That represents a 20-percent vacancy on the Fourth Circuit, denying the people of my region their full representation on the appellate court. We are very proud of legislation we have passed to help the disabled--the ADA law--to guarantee gender pay equity with the Lilly Ledbetter law, and genetic discrimination prohibition legislation. But it takes the EEOC to enforce those rules. President Obama has submitted four nominees for the EEOC. They have been approved by the committee by voice votes, which means they are not controversial. Yet we cannot bring those nominations to the floor for quick action because Republicans are abusing their rights to hold up action on the floor of the Senate to carry out our constitutional responsibilities to act on the President's nominations. This is denying the people of America the protections they are entitled to by the courts and by agencies. It is wrong. It is time for this practice to end. I yield the floor.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, this month's release of the State Department's annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices shows the value of consistently monitoring human rights around the globe. As Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission charged with monitoring international human rights commitments in 56 countries from the U.S. and Canada to Europe and Central Asia, this annual report is a key tool that we, and others, use to track progress being made on universal freedoms. This year's reports have increased significance as 2010 is the 35th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and the 20th anniversary of historic international human rights agreements, the Copenhagen Document, and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe. In a year commemorating such landmark human rights documents, this month's State Department reports remind us that many of the commitments countries made in the past still have not been met with meaningful action today. In Belarus, where I visited last summer, the political space for opposition remains tightly controlled, independent media face continual harassment, and elections are a farce. The overall situation in Russia remains disturbing as well. There 2009 was a year again filled with mourning the very people who stood for freedom, be they journalists, human rights advocates or lawyers simply trying to present a case against corruption. The country's harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses and forceful break up of public demonstrations remain particularly concerning. I urge Kazakhstan, as the current chair of the OSCE, to lead by example through concrete actions, starting with the release of activist Yevgeny Zhovtis, whom staff from the Helsinki Commission visited this week in prison. Zhovtis at least deserves the same freedoms afforded other prisoners in his facility, including the right to work outside the facility during the day. In Kosovo, in addition to problems with human trafficking, official corruption and a lack of judicial due process, the State Department notes the lack of progress regarding displaced persons of all ethnicities, politically and ethnically motivated violence, and societal antipathy against Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The lack of progress regarding the country's international recognition, while unfortunate, does not absolve Kosovo authorities from their responsibility to ensure greater respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner, who serves as the State Department Commissioner on the U.S. Helsinki Commission, did a superb job of unveiling the report today with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. I was heartened to hear him specifically flag examples of 2009 human rights violations within the OSCE region that drew the attention of the Commission last year. The banning of construction of Muslim minarets in Switzerland, the pervasiveness of discrimination against Roma--Europe's largest ethnic minority, and the continued rise of anti-Semitism in Europe sadly still remain concerns this year. While these country reports help to hold all governments--including our own--to account; and while much of their text shows the reality of a world troubled by violent conflicts and the mistreatment of our most vulnerable people; the State Department reports also show the positive that surrounds us. In this vein, Assistant Secretary Posner was right to mention the fairness of Ukraine's recent elections, for which my colleague Cochairman Hastings led the election observation mission. And the reports are eager to cite progress where appropriate. But these reports affirm something else, and that is the strength of the legislative-executive branch cooperation when it comes to upholding universal standards. The Helsinki Commission is unique among all federal agencies for being comprised of Senate, House and executive branch commissioners, and Assistant Secretary Posner's activity with the Commission and the State Department's annual human rights reports mandated by Congress are but two examples of our two branches working together to keep a spotlight on human rights abuses.