Benjamin Cardin

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce a bill, the Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere Act. In today's economic climate, Americans need relief--especially people who volunteer to help the less fortunate in their communities. We can't let an out-of-date mileage rate for volunteers who use their vehicles for charitable purposes exacerbate the pinch at the pump they are experiencing. Now, while it is true that gas prices have retreated from their historic highs since last summer, the principle still stands: the Internal Revenue Service, IRS, should have discretion in setting the mileage rate for charitable organizations. This legislation will provide immediate relief for volunteers serving our elderly, poor, frail, and at-risk Americans. I'm pleased that the senior Senator from Maine, Senator Snowe, and my other colleagues, the senior Senator from New York, Senator Schumer, and the junior Senator from Nevada, Senator Ensign, have joined me in introducing this legislation. They have worked extremely hard on this issue. I would also like to thank Senators Grassley, Feingold, Leahy, Alexander, Sanders, Burr, Dodd, and Cantwell for being original co-sponsors of this bill. The Internal Revenue Code does not fix a rate for individuals who are required to use their own vehicle for work, or for individuals taking a mileage deduction for moving purposes. The IRS is able to increase the deduction amount for these purposes to reflect the current economic climate and dramatically higher fuel prices. This is exactly what the IRS recently did. Last July, the IRS modified the standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical, or moving expenses. The revised standard mileage rate for business purposes increased from 50.5 cents per mile to 58.5 cents. For medical and moving expenses, the IRS increased the rate from 19 cents per mile to 27 cents per mile. I think the Nation's volunteers who travel on behalf of charitable organizations deserve an increase in their mileage rate, too. Just recently, the IRS again modified the standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical, or moving expenses. As of January 1, the revised standard mileage rate for business purposes was decreased from 58.5 cents to 55 cents. For medical and moving expenses, the IRS decreased the rate from 27 cents per mile to 24 cents per mile. This ability to change the rate due to the cost of gasoline or the economic climate is crucial and should be permitted for the Nation's charitable organizations. My bill gives the IRS flexibility in setting the rate so that volunteers for charitable organizations could be given the same tax benefit accruing for moving, medical, and business expenses. It also provides a floor for volunteers, not allowing their rate to be set lower than moving and medical rate. In today's climate of increasing food and fuel prices, this bill will help relieve some of the pressure on charitable organizations and their volunteers. Additionally, this bill will allow the organization to reimburse the volunteer up to the business rate without any tax impact to volunteers. Take Meals on Wheels, for example. This organization delivers nutritious meals and other nutrition services to men and women who are elderly, homebound, disabled, frail, or otherwise at-risk. The services Meals on Wheels provides significantly improve the recipients' quality of life and health, and often help to postpone institutionalization. Over the past year, there has been nearly a 20 percent increase in fuel and food prices, coupled with reduced government funding and fewer donations across the country. Nearly 60 percent of the estimated 5,000 programs that operate under the auspices of the Meals on Wheels Association of America have lost volunteers, in large part because it became too expensive for the volunteers to drive back and forth. Nearly half the programs have eliminated routes or consolidated meal services. About 38 percent of the programs have switched to delivering frozen meals, and about 30 percent are cutting personal visits from 5 days a week to one. In Maryland, the Central Maryland Meals on Wheels has experienced an increase of 7 percent in food costs and suppliers are charging higher delivery fees. The cost to fill up the vans with gas has increased. Fuel costs averaged $72,538.70 in fiscal year 2007; this year, the costs have jumped to $86,790.63. This is an organization with volunteers serving over 3,100 elderly, disabled, frail, and at-risk Marylanders. Its volunteers deserve relief from high gas prices just as much as people who use their car for work or for medical purposes or for moving. Throughout the United States, Meals on Wheels served over 3 million people and more than 250 million meals in fiscal year 2006. This is just one of thousands of charitable organizations. We need to encourage and support the Meals on Wheels volunteers and all other volunteers who need their cars to help their neighbors and communities. The Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere bill will do just that, and I hope my colleagues will support it. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce a bill, the Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere Act. In today's economic climate, Americans need relief--especially people who volunteer to help the less fortunate in their communities. We can't let an out-of-date mileage rate for volunteers who use their vehicles for charitable purposes exacerbate the pinch at the pump they are experiencing. Now, while it is true that gas prices have retreated from their historic highs since last summer, the principle still stands: the Internal Revenue Service, IRS, should have discretion in setting the mileage rate for charitable organizations. This legislation will provide immediate relief for volunteers serving our elderly, poor, frail, and at-risk Americans. I'm pleased that the senior Senator from Maine, Senator Snowe, and my other colleagues, the senior Senator from New York, Senator Schumer, and the junior Senator from Nevada, Senator Ensign, have joined me in introducing this legislation. They have worked extremely hard on this issue. I would also like to thank Senators Grassley, Feingold, Leahy, Alexander, Sanders, Burr, Dodd, and Cantwell for being original co-sponsors of this bill. The Internal Revenue Code does not fix a rate for individuals who are required to use their own vehicle for work, or for individuals taking a mileage deduction for moving purposes. The IRS is able to increase the deduction amount for these purposes to reflect the current economic climate and dramatically higher fuel prices. This is exactly what the IRS recently did. Last July, the IRS modified the standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical, or moving expenses. The revised standard mileage rate for business purposes increased from 50.5 cents per mile to 58.5 cents. For medical and moving expenses, the IRS increased the rate from 19 cents per mile to 27 cents per mile. I think the Nation's volunteers who travel on behalf of charitable organizations deserve an increase in their mileage rate, too. Just recently, the IRS again modified the standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical, or moving expenses. As of January 1, the revised standard mileage rate for business purposes was decreased from 58.5 cents to 55 cents. For medical and moving expenses, the IRS decreased the rate from 27 cents per mile to 24 cents per mile. This ability to change the rate due to the cost of gasoline or the economic climate is crucial and should be permitted for the Nation's charitable organizations. My bill gives the IRS flexibility in setting the rate so that volunteers for charitable organizations could be given the same tax benefit accruing for moving, medical, and business expenses. It also provides a floor for volunteers, not allowing their rate to be set lower than moving and medical rate. In today's climate of increasing food and fuel prices, this bill will help relieve some of the pressure on charitable organizations and their volunteers. Additionally, this bill will allow the organization to reimburse the volunteer up to the business rate without any tax impact to volunteers. Take Meals on Wheels, for example. This organization delivers nutritious meals and other nutrition services to men and women who are elderly, homebound, disabled, frail, or otherwise at-risk. The services Meals on Wheels provides significantly improve the recipients' quality of life and health, and often help to postpone institutionalization. Over the past year, there has been nearly a 20 percent increase in fuel and food prices, coupled with reduced government funding and fewer donations across the country. Nearly 60 percent of the estimated 5,000 programs that operate under the auspices of the Meals on Wheels Association of America have lost volunteers, in large part because it became too expensive for the volunteers to drive back and forth. Nearly half the programs have eliminated routes or consolidated meal services. About 38 percent of the programs have switched to delivering frozen meals, and about 30 percent are cutting personal visits from 5 days a week to one. In Maryland, the Central Maryland Meals on Wheels has experienced an increase of 7 percent in food costs and suppliers are charging higher delivery fees. The cost to fill up the vans with gas has increased. Fuel costs averaged $72,538.70 in fiscal year 2007; this year, the costs have jumped to $86,790.63. This is an organization with volunteers serving over 3,100 elderly, disabled, frail, and at-risk Marylanders. Its volunteers deserve relief from high gas prices just as much as people who use their car for work or for medical purposes or for moving. Throughout the United States, Meals on Wheels served over 3 million people and more than 250 million meals in fiscal year 2006. This is just one of thousands of charitable organizations. We need to encourage and support the Meals on Wheels volunteers and all other volunteers who need their cars to help their neighbors and communities. The Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere bill will do just that, and I hope my colleagues will support it. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act. I am joined by Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Mikulski, and Mr. Schumer as original co-sponsors. We originally introduced nearly identical legislation last summer, but the press of legislative business did not allow for consideration of this important legislation. This year we will work for its prompt consideration and enactment. The woman, who is known to us as Harriet Tubman, was born Araminta ``Minty'' Ross approximately 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland. She spent nearly 30 years of her life as a slave on Maryland's Eastern Shore. As an adult she took the first name Harriet, and when she was 25 she married John Tubman. Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849. She did so in the dead of night, navigating the maze of tidal streams and wetlands that are a hallmark of Maryland's Eastern Shore. She did so alone, demonstrating courage, strength and fortitude that became her hallmarks. Not satisfied with attaining her own freedom, she returned repeatedly for more than 10 years to the places of her enslavement in Dorchester and Caroline counties where, under the most adverse conditions, she led away many family members and other slaves to their freedom. Tubman became known as ``Moses'' by African-Americans and white abolitionists. She was perhaps the most famous and most important conductor in the network of resistance known as the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Tubman served the Union forces as a spy, a scout and a nurse. She served in Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina. She is credited with leading hundreds of slaves from those slave States to freedom during those years. Following the Civil War, Tubman settled in Auburn, NY. There she was active in the women's suffrage movement, and she also established the one of the first incorporated homes for aged African-Americans. In 1903 she bequeathed the home to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Auburn. Harriet Tubman died in Auburn in 1913 and she is buried there in the Fort Hill Cemetery. Slaves were forced to live in primitive buildings even though many were skilled tradesmen who constructed the substantial homes of their owners. Not surprisingly, few of the structures associated with the early years of Tubman's life still stand. The landscapes of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, however, remain evocative of the time that Tubman lived there. Farm fields and forests dot the landscape, which is also notable for its extensive network of tidal rivers and wetlands. In particular, a number of properties including the homestead of Ben Ross, her father, Stewart's Canal, where he worked, the Brodess Farm, where she worked as a slave, and others are within the boundaries of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Similarly, Poplar Neck, the plantation from which she escaped to freedom, is still largely intact in Caroline County. The properties in Talbot County, immediately across the Choptank River from the plantation, are today protected by various conservation easements. Were she alive today, Tubman would recognize much of the landscape that she knew intimately as she secretly led black men, women and children to their freedom. In New York, on the other hand, many of the buildings associated with Tubman's life remain intact. Her personal home, as well as the Tubman Home for the Aged, the church and rectory of the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Episcopal Church, and the Fort Hill Cemetery are all extant. In 1999, the Congress approved legislation authorizing a Special Resource Study to determine the appropriateness of establishing a unit of the National Park Service to honor Harriet Tubman. The Study has taken an exceptionally long time to complete, in part because of the lack of remaining structures on Maryland's Eastern Shore. There has never been any doubt that Tubman led an extraordinary life. Her contributions to American history are surpassed by few. Determining the most appropriate way to recognize that life and her contributions, however, as been more difficult. Eventually, the Park Service came to realize that determined that a Park that would include two geographically separate units would be appropriate. The New York unit would include the tightly clustered Tubman buildings in Auburn. The Maryland portion would include large sections of landscapes that are evocative of Tubman's time and are historically relevant. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act, S. 3383, was first introduced on July 31, 2008. The Special Resource Study will be finalized and released in the near future. The legislation I am introducing today establishes two parks. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park includes important historical structures in Auburn, New York. They include Tubman's home, the Home for the Aged that she established, the African Methodist Episcopal AME Zion Church, and the Fort Hill Cemetery where she is buried. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park includes historically important landscapes in Dorchester, Caroline, and Talbot counties, Maryland, that are evocative of the life of Harriet Tubman. The Maryland properties include about 2,200 acres in Caroline County that comprise the Poplar Neck plantation that Tubman escaped from in 1849. The 725 acres of viewshed across the Choptank River in Talbot County would also be included in the Park. In Dorchester County, the parcels would not be contiguous, but would include about 2,775 acres. All of them are included within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge boundaries or abut that resource land. The National Park Service would not own any of these lands. The bill authorizes $11 million in grants for the New York properties for their preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of those resources. The bill authorizes an additional $11 million in grants for the Maryland section. Funds can be used for the construction of the State Harriet Tubman Park Visitors Center and/or for easements or acquisition of properties inside or adjacent to the Historical Park boundaries. Finally, the bill also authorizes a new grants program. Under the program, the National Park Service would award competitive grants to historically Black colleges and universities, predominately Black institutions, and minority serving institutions for research into the life of Harriet Tubman and the African-American experience during the years that coincide with the life of Harriet Tubman. The legislation authorizes $200,000 annually for this scholarship program. Harriet Tubman was a true American patriot. She was someone for whom liberty and freedom were not just concepts. She lived those principles and shared that freedom with hundreds of others. In doing so, she has earned a nation's respect and honor. That is why I am so proud to introduce this legislation, establishing the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CARDIN

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

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I then seek recognition under morning business.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended for 15 minutes, equally divided between the Republicans and Democrats.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I am honored to serve on the Judiciary Committee in this body. The last couple of years have been very difficult years in how the Department of Justice has been managed. We have seen abuses of civil liberties in the name of trying to protect the rights of our citizens when we have abused the rights of our citizens; we found the Department of Justice tried to justify the use of torture in this country; the manner in which detainees were treated; the politicizing of the Department of Justice--I could go on and on. I thank Eric Holder for being willing to serve the public once again as President-elect Obama's nominee for the office of Attorney General of the United States. I think Eric Holder is the right person at the right time for the Department of Justice, and I hope his confirmation process will move forward. We need an independent Attorney General. During the Bush administration, we found that they politicized the Department of Justice in the firing of U.S. attorneys and in decisions as to whether to proceed with criminal investigations. The list goes on and on. Eric Holder has demonstrated throughout his entire career the type of independence we need in the next Attorney General of the United States. Let me give you one example. When the Independent Counsel who was investigating the President of the United States asked for additional authority, Eric Holder was the one who made that recommendation to proceed even though it was not popular at all with the President of the United States. It is that type of independence that we need in the next Attorney General of the United States. He brings broad experience as former judge, former U.S. attorney, and from the private sector. We need to take politics out of the Department of Justice. During the Bush administration, we found that politics was very much interwoven into the personnel decisions made within the Department of Justice affecting career attorneys. That was not permitted, but it was done. We need the next Attorney General to be one who will make sure politics has no place in those types of personnel decisions. Again, Eric Holder's career has shown his willingness to carry out his responsibilities in a nonpolitical way. He has handled major public corruption cases as a U.S. attorney against both Democrats and Republicans. He understands the responsibilities of the Department of Justice. We need our next Attorney General to reestablish the premier role of the Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division. The Civil Rights Division historically has been the key agency to protect the civil rights of the people of this Nation. We need the next Attorney General to reestablish that in the Department of Justice. Once again, Eric Holder has demonstrated that sensitivity that will restore the role of the Department of Justice in protecting the voting rights of all Americans. The list goes on and on and on. Bottom line, the next Attorney General must restore the reputation of the Department of Justice. I believe he is the right person, but it is not only me. Let me read from some of the record that has been presented to the Judiciary Committee. Both law enforcement and civil rights groups support Eric Holder. The Fraternal Order of Police writes that: Our members reported that they found Judge Holder and U.S. Attorney Holder an able and aggressive prosecutor. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which is a group of our major civil rights advocates in this country said: Mr. Holder's various experience as a trial attorney, judge, prosecutor and lawyer in private practice make him uniquely qualified to run the Department of Justice. It would be difficult to find a candidate more experienced in the Department or better suited to lead it. His background will render him ready to lead the Department from day one. His even-mindedness and sound judgment will ensure that justice is dispensed fairly and equitably. His professional accomplishments and ability to put partisan politics aside make him above reproach. His commitment to the rule of law makes him the ideal candidate for the nation's top prosecutor. Now, that is the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which, again, is comprised of the premier groups in this country that are out there fighting for the rights of the people of this country. I would also draw my colleagues' attention to a January 7, 2009, letter received by the Judiciary Committee from several former high- level Department of Justice officials in the Republican administration. They write: We are pleased to be able to write in support of Eric Holder, a man who stands with the most qualified who have been privileged to be nominated to be Attorney General of the United States. President-elect Obama's nomination of Eric as the historic appointment of the first African-American Attorney General should be hailed as a milestone. He is an extraordinary lawyer and an even better person. We need to move forward immediately in the leadership in the Department of Justice. I would urge my colleagues, let us move forward on the confirmation process as quickly as possible. I look forward to Eric Holder being the next Attorney General of the United States. I hope we will do that very shortly. I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Whitehouse.) The clerk will call the roll.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act. I am joined by Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Mikulski, and Mr. Schumer as original co-sponsors. We originally introduced nearly identical legislation last summer, but the press of legislative business did not allow for consideration of this important legislation. This year we will work for its prompt consideration and enactment. The woman, who is known to us as Harriet Tubman, was born Araminta ``Minty'' Ross approximately 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland. She spent nearly 30 years of her life as a slave on Maryland's Eastern Shore. As an adult she took the first name Harriet, and when she was 25 she married John Tubman. Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849. She did so in the dead of night, navigating the maze of tidal streams and wetlands that are a hallmark of Maryland's Eastern Shore. She did so alone, demonstrating courage, strength and fortitude that became her hallmarks. Not satisfied with attaining her own freedom, she returned repeatedly for more than 10 years to the places of her enslavement in Dorchester and Caroline counties where, under the most adverse conditions, she led away many family members and other slaves to their freedom. Tubman became known as ``Moses'' by African-Americans and white abolitionists. She was perhaps the most famous and most important conductor in the network of resistance known as the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Tubman served the Union forces as a spy, a scout and a nurse. She served in Virginia, Florida, and South Carolina. She is credited with leading hundreds of slaves from those slave States to freedom during those years. Following the Civil War, Tubman settled in Auburn, NY. There she was active in the women's suffrage movement, and she also established the one of the first incorporated homes for aged African-Americans. In 1903 she bequeathed the home to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Auburn. Harriet Tubman died in Auburn in 1913 and she is buried there in the Fort Hill Cemetery. Slaves were forced to live in primitive buildings even though many were skilled tradesmen who constructed the substantial homes of their owners. Not surprisingly, few of the structures associated with the early years of Tubman's life still stand. The landscapes of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, however, remain evocative of the time that Tubman lived there. Farm fields and forests dot the landscape, which is also notable for its extensive network of tidal rivers and wetlands. In particular, a number of properties including the homestead of Ben Ross, her father, Stewart's Canal, where he worked, the Brodess Farm, where she worked as a slave, and others are within the boundaries of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Similarly, Poplar Neck, the plantation from which she escaped to freedom, is still largely intact in Caroline County. The properties in Talbot County, immediately across the Choptank River from the plantation, are today protected by various conservation easements. Were she alive today, Tubman would recognize much of the landscape that she knew intimately as she secretly led black men, women and children to their freedom. In New York, on the other hand, many of the buildings associated with Tubman's life remain intact. Her personal home, as well as the Tubman Home for the Aged, the church and rectory of the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Episcopal Church, and the Fort Hill Cemetery are all extant. In 1999, the Congress approved legislation authorizing a Special Resource Study to determine the appropriateness of establishing a unit of the National Park Service to honor Harriet Tubman. The Study has taken an exceptionally long time to complete, in part because of the lack of remaining structures on Maryland's Eastern Shore. There has never been any doubt that Tubman led an extraordinary life. Her contributions to American history are surpassed by few. Determining the most appropriate way to recognize that life and her contributions, however, as been more difficult. Eventually, the Park Service came to realize that determined that a Park that would include two geographically separate units would be appropriate. The New York unit would include the tightly clustered Tubman buildings in Auburn. The Maryland portion would include large sections of landscapes that are evocative of Tubman's time and are historically relevant. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Act, S. 3383, was first introduced on July 31, 2008. The Special Resource Study will be finalized and released in the near future. The legislation I am introducing today establishes two parks. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park includes important historical structures in Auburn, New York. They include Tubman's home, the Home for the Aged that she established, the African Methodist Episcopal AME Zion Church, and the Fort Hill Cemetery where she is buried. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park includes historically important landscapes in Dorchester, Caroline, and Talbot counties, Maryland, that are evocative of the life of Harriet Tubman. The Maryland properties include about 2,200 acres in Caroline County that comprise the Poplar Neck plantation that Tubman escaped from in 1849. The 725 acres of viewshed across the Choptank River in Talbot County would also be included in the Park. In Dorchester County, the parcels would not be contiguous, but would include about 2,775 acres. All of them are included within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge boundaries or abut that resource land. The National Park Service would not own any of these lands. The bill authorizes $11 million in grants for the New York properties for their preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of those resources. The bill authorizes an additional $11 million in grants for the Maryland section. Funds can be used for the construction of the State Harriet Tubman Park Visitors Center and/or for easements or acquisition of properties inside or adjacent to the Historical Park boundaries. Finally, the bill also authorizes a new grants program. Under the program, the National Park Service would award competitive grants to historically Black colleges and universities, predominately Black institutions, and minority serving institutions for research into the life of Harriet Tubman and the African-American experience during the years that coincide with the life of Harriet Tubman. The legislation authorizes $200,000 annually for this scholarship program. Harriet Tubman was a true American patriot. She was someone for whom liberty and freedom were not just concepts. She lived those principles and shared that freedom with hundreds of others. In doing so, she has earned a nation's respect and honor. That is why I am so proud to introduce this legislation, establishing the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, a nation's first responsibility is to defend its citizens against hostile threats. The United States exercised that responsibility when the Taliban Government of Afghanistan supported terrorist attacks against our country. Israel has the responsibility to protect its citizens from Hamas terrorist attacks. I am deeply saddened by the continued violence and loss of innocent lives on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border. I strongly support Israel's right to defend its citizens against threats to its security and its existence. I wholeheartedly agree with President-elect Obama who defined the problem very clearly: If somebody was sending rockets into my house, where my family slept at night I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. The recent military action in Gaza is in direct response to numerous rocket and mortar attacks from militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza, which have killed and injured Israeli citizens and currently paralyzes the southern regions of Israel. Southern Israel cities have been the target of over 4,000 rockets and thousands of mortar shells since 2001, the majority of which were launched after Israel withdrew from Gaza in August 2005. During the more recent 6-month truce, more than 215 rockets were launched at Israel. Hamas has been extending the range of its striking capability, with new rockets supplied by Iran. The Israeli Government now knows that Hamas had acquired rockets that can reach Ashdod and even the outskirts of Beersheba. Hamas' willingness to extend its reach deeper into Israel and its overall failure to end attacks exacerbates the already fragile humanitarian situation for the residents of Gaza and undermines efforts to attain peace and security in the region. As a result of the fighting, Gaza City and its main medical center, Shiffa Hospital, have been left without electricity and hospitals are pushed beyond their capacity to handle the number of victims. Hamas seems to care more about inflicting damage on Israel than the protection and welfare of its own citizens. Hamas poses a critical challenge to the regional peace process. Labeled as a terrorist organization but holding seats in the Palestinian Government and acting as the controlling authority in Gaza, the organization's leaders encourage violence and cling to the belief that Israel itself should be destroyed. Questions remain as to whether or not the organization should even be included in peace negotiations, but the fact remains that the threat Hamas poses to Israel is an obstacle to any negotiation efforts. I urge Israel and the Palestinians to take advantage of the current efforts to broker a sustainable cease-fire and a negotiated peaceful settlement. Any such cease-fire must include Hamas' ending its rocket and mortar attacks, recognize its neighbor's right to exist, renounce violence, and honor all past agreements in order to move toward a two- state solution based on mutual peace and security. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the period for morning business be extended until 12 noon, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. CARDIN

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

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 723, which was submitted earlier today by Senators McConnell and Reid.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 813 to and including 827, except 815; and all nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table; that no further motions be in order; that any statements relating to the nominations be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Banking Committee be discharged of PN2120, the nomination of Neil M. Barofsky, and that the nomination then be referred to the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; that it then immediately be discharged and the Senate then proceed to the consideration of the nomination; that the nomination be confirmed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record; that no further motions be in order; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; and the Senate return to legislative session.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged of PN2191, the nomination of David J. Strawman to be a career member of the Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, and Consular Officer and Secretary in the Diplomatic Service; and that the Senate then proceed to the nomination; that the nomination be confirmed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record; that no further motions be in order; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, December 9; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, that the morning hour be deemed expired, that the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and that the Senate proceed to a period of morning business until 12 noon, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, and that following morning business the Senate resume the motion to proceed to S. 3297.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. I now ask for the second reading en bloc and object to my own request en bloc.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I understand that there are three bills at the desk. I ask for their first reading en bloc.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the outstanding Olympic and Paralympic athletes from Maryland who proudly represented our country in the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Michael Phelps II, a swimmer from Baltimore; Katie Hoff, a swimmer from Towson; David Banks, a rower from Potomac; Jun Gao, a table tennis player from Gaithersburg; Scott Parsons, a canoe and kayak racer from Bethesda; Freddie Adu, a soccer player from Rockville; Gary Russell, Jr., a boxer from Capital Heights; Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair racer from Clarksville; and Jessica Long, a swimmer from Baltimore, made all Marylanders proud as exemplary members of Team USA. In particular, I especially would like to recognize the three athletes from Maryland whose exceptional performances were rewarded with Paralympic and Olympic medals. Jessica Long won four gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal in the 2008 Paralympics. Jessica not only won six medals; she set the world record in the Women's 100-Meter Freestyle event. Perhaps more extraordinary than her performance in this year's games are the challenges she had to overcome just to get to Beijing. Jessica was born with an abnormality in her lower legs and spent her infancy at an orphanage in eastern Russia before an American couple adopted her when she was 13 months old. Five months later, she had her legs amputated in the U.S. While these obstacles may have broken the spirit of most others, they only strengthened Jessica's resolve and she is now a 15-time world record holder. Katie Hoff also excelled in Beijing, winning one silver and two bronze medals at the XXIX Olympiad. In addition to winning the silver medal in the Women's 400-Meter Freestyle event, Katie set American records in winning the silver medal in the Women's 400-Meter Freestyle Relay event, in winning the bronze medal in the Women's 800-Meter Freestyle Relay event and in finishing fourth in the Women's 200-Meter Freestyle event. Last, but certainly not least, is the performance of Michael Phelps-- the greatest accomplishment in Olympic history, and one of the greatest athletic accomplishments of all time. This summer, Michael Phelps set seven world records and one Olympic record while winning eight gold medals, the most ever by an individual athlete in a single Olympics. He now has won 14 gold medals over the course of his Olympic career, also an Olympic record, and a total of 16 medals. To put this astonishing feat into perspective, Michael won more gold medals in Beijing than all but eight countries! And he won more medals in total than all but 24 countries! Who will ever forget the incredible come-from-behind victory Michael and his teammates Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, and Jason Lezak achieved in Men's 400-Meter Freestyle Relay event as they edged the favored French team by 8/100ths of a second? That was one of the most exciting and inspirational finishes in Olympic history. Just as exciting was Michael's finish in the Men's 200-Meter Butterfly event when a stutter stroke and lunge at the end enabled him to beat Laszlo Cseh by the width of a fingernail! Despite the epic greatness of his achievement, Michael spoke modestly after winning his eighth gold, saying, ``Records are always made to be broken no matter what they are . . . Anybody can do anything that they set their mind to.'' Michael proved not only to be a model of what one can achieve with hard work and determination, but also a model of the courtesy and sportsmanship upon which the Olympics were founded. He is a self-effacing young man whose enthusiasm, modesty, cheerfulness, and charm have endeared him to people around the world. I would be remiss if I didn't mention his extraordinary mother, Debbie, and his coach, Bob Bowman. The obvious affection and respect he has for these two people indicate just how important they have been in his life. Michael is not content to rest on his laurels. He wants to attract more kids to swimming and to teach them about pursuing their dreams, using his own life as an example. He will donate the $1 million Olympic bonus he received from Speedo to a foundation he has created to promote water safety and youth swimming. ``This is a way for me to really help grow the sport,'' he said in explaining why he gave the prize to the newly-created Michael Phelps Foundation. Michael knew he wanted to spread interest in swimming but also wanted to convey a message that could apply to other activities, so he is creating a program called ``Dream, Plan, Reach.'' It's designed to help children set goals and take daily responsibility for pursuing them. He is also helping to raise money for charity by autographing photos, USA swim caps, Sports Illustrated covers, and other collectibles in a deal with Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia, offering fans the chance to own keepsakes from the Beijing Games. The people of Maryland are privileged to have had such an outstanding group represent us at the Olympic Games. All of these athletes sacrificed tremendously in order to reach this pinnacle of athletic success, spending countless hours in grueling and arduous training in order to wear the red, white, and blue in Beijing. I commend them all for their dedication and valor, and the exemplary way in which they represented the United States of America. They have made Marylanders and all Americans proud. I am pleased the Senate passed S. Res. 700 yesterday a resolution Senator Mikulski and I introduced along with 12 other cosponsors honoring the achievements of Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff, and the rest of the United States Olympic Swimming Team for their record-breaking performances at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, where they won 31 medals, including 12 gold medals, 9 silver medals, and 10 bronze medals. While records may indeed be made to be broken, the accomplishments of this team will not be forgotten. It is fitting for the Senate to pay tribute and pass along its congratulations for a job superbly well done.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, we are here tonight to take emergency action to rescue our Nation's economy. Before us is a compromise measure--the product of an intense process that Congress has entered into reluctantly. It is the result of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans, between House and Senate, and between Congress and the Administration. This evening, as we prepare to vote, Americans still have many questions as to how the bill's provisions will be implemented and what the eventual impact will be on our economy. We remain stunned that the greed of a few necessitates sacrifice from all of us. For these reasons, I understand the opposition of so many Americans to the news of this bill, one of whose goals is to restore stability to the markets. I have heard from many Marylanders who have expressed to me their anger, a sentiment that I share. This vote is one of the most unpleasant I will have taken during my 22 years in Congress, and I come to the floor with anger and sadness, but also with determination to do what is right for this country. This is not the bill that I would have written, but it represents our collective deliberations. Our economy is in dire straits, and our time is limited. Not because of a pre-determined adjournment date, but because markets across the world are looking to the United States hour by hour for action that will restore the world's confidence in our economy, and every day that we delay diminishes that confidence. This crisis was created in large part by the Bush administration's hands-off approach to financial institutions. Over the last 8 years, we have seen unemployment rise, real wages and property values plummet, budget and trade deficits soar, and a burgeoning dependence on foreign capital and foreign energy. At the start of 2001, we had projected surpluses of $5.6 trillion over the next decade. But in the last 8 years, the administration's economic policies have squandered those surpluses and produced annual deficits that now near $500 billion. But what was occurring out of the view of most Americans created the tipping point. Deregulation of Wall Street led to a new paradigm in which greed was rewarded. Financial institutions were incentivized to create complex financial shell games that enriched the few while hiding the true cost to this Nation of too- easy credit and ill-advised mortgages. And so, today, the first day of fiscal year 2009, we are faced with a catastrophic economic situation-- tightening credit, shrinking 401(k) plans and money market accounts, a wildly lurching stock market, a drastic restructuring of major American corporations, banks that will not lend to other banks, and the lowest levels of consumer confidence in our Nation's history. Nearly 2 years ago, I took the oath of office for the U.S. Senate. It reads in part, ``I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'' In the closing days of this administration, our enemy presents in the form of a severe crisis of confidence in the American economy--one of the gravest that our Nation has ever faced. No nation can continue to thrive without solid economic footing, and so it is imperative that we act in the best interest of the United States and do our best to resolve this crisis. This measure, crafted under the leadership of Majority Leader Reid, Senators Dodd and Gregg, and many others in this body, as well as our colleagues in the House, is the result of that effort. I believe it is an honest and responsible attempt to bring near-term stability to our situation. If we do not act, we are jeopardizing far more than the future of the financial district. This is not about the balance sheets of a New York brokerage house or even a few national banks. Rather, it is about the balance sheet of every American family. If we do not act, we will endanger Americans' ability to secure an affordable car loan, mortgage, or college loan. We will jeopardize the retirement savings accounts of near-retirees who hope to leave the workforce in the next few years, and families trying to build a secure future for the years to come. More than 50 percent of families have a stake in the markets--either through mutual funds, 401(k) plans, TSPs for Federal employees, or stocks. If we do not act, we will place at risk our small and large businesses--access to loans is critical to their ability to survive and thrive, and if credit is unavailable, these businesses will be unable to make payroll, stock their shelves, or keep their doors open. With that in mind, many Members, including myself, awaited the administration's proposal, which they submitted to Congress on Saturday morning, September 20. In that three-page proposal, President Bush asked Congress and the American taxpayers to follow him into uncharted territory and restructure our entire financial system. The Treasury Department proposal asked Congress for unprecedented authority to spend $700 billion over the next 2 years to purchase distressed mortgage- related assets to provide stability to financial markets and our banking system. The proposal sought authority, ``without limitation,'' to enter into contracts, to designate financial institutions as financial agents of the Government, and to establish ``vehicles'' for purchasing mortgage-related assets and issuing obligations, among other things. Further, the proposal stipulated that any actions the Secretary takes ``may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.'' Brevity may indeed be the soul of wit, as Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet. But it shouldn't be the ``soul'' of a legislative proposal--or the sole legislative proposal--to shore up a badly faltering economy. According to the administration, the role for Congress--a coequal branch of Government--was to authorize the enterprise and then wait for semi-annual status reports from the Treasury Department. We were also told to pass it right away, without amendment, because each day we delayed, the markets would continue to crumble. The administration wanted a bill to bail out Wall Street; Congress is poised to pass a bipartisan bill that will protect the American economy, begin to reform financial practices, and require the strong oversight that has been so lacking during this administration. It is our duty to protect the taxpayer, ensure transparency and accountability in our financial systems, and to make improvements in their interactions with American taxpayers and the Federal Government. This bill will provide up to $700 billion to the Secretary of the Treasury to buy mortgages and other assets that are crippling financial institutions across the Nation. EESA also establishes a program that would allow companies to insure their troubled assets. EESA requires the Treasury to modify troubled loans--many the result of predatory lending practices--wherever possible to help American families keep their homes. It also directs other Federal agencies to modify loans that they own or control. Finally, it improves the HOPE for Homeowners program by expanding eligibility and increasing the tools available to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help more families keep their homes. I am pleased that this evening Chairman Dodd and I were able to clarify the authority for Treasury to purchase low income housing tax credits under this legislation. This authority will allow Treasury to keep liquidity in the market for these critical tax credits and thus provide for the continued development of affordable housing nationwide, at little or no additional cost to taxpayers. However, I am disappointed that in negotiations, the President rejected our efforts to provide more extensive help for homeowners through the bankruptcy courts. With default rates and foreclosures at the highest levels in our history, I look forward to the next Congress during which we must do more to protect Americans' homes. This bill also requires companies whose assets are purchased by the government to provide warrants so that taxpayers will benefit from any future growth these companies may experience as a result of participation in this program. The legislation also requires the President to submit legislation that would cover taxpayer losses resulting from this program by charging a broad-based fee on all financial institutions. I am disappointed that requirement for the financial institutions responsible for these losses to pay was not included in this legislation. This bill does include provisions to limit executive compensation. Executives who made catastrophic decisions should not be allowed to unload their toxic assets on working American families and still make high salaries and bonuses. Under this bill, some companies will lose certain tax benefits for salaries in excess of $500,000 and their bonuses and so called ``golden parachutes'' will be prohibited for their top five executives. The bill also requires recovery of bonuses that are paid based on statements of earnings and gains that are later proven to be ``materially inaccurate.'' Rather than giving the Treasury all the funds at once, as the original Bush plan stipulated, this legislation gives the Treasury the authority to spend $250 billion immediately, and requires the President to certify that additional funds are needed--$100 billion, then $350 billion subject to Congressional disapproval. The Treasury must report on the use of the funds and the progress made in addressing the crisis. I joined Finance Committee Chairman Baucus' push for the creation of a special inspector general to oversee this effort. The magnitude of both this bill's pricetag and the task assigned to the Treasury Department are such that rigorous, independent efforts are necessary to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. This provision is a necessary element of the bill, and it will lead to a better, more responsibly executed program. Over the past week, as anxiety about our economy has heightened and banks have collapsed, Americans have begun to openly consider the so- called ``Serta Option'' for hiding their cash. That's why I am supportive of the provision added this week to increase temporarily the FDIC limits from $100,000 to $250,000. It is more important than ever, during these times of uncertainty, to instill confidence in every American who has a savings account that their hard-earned deposits are secure. As I said at the outset, Americans are angry that we are in this position. The vast majority of Americans acknowledge that something must be done. They want action from this Congress, and by last Tuesday morning, after the largest 1-day point drop ever in the Dow Jones average, most recognized that our inaction is not an option. I will vote for this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in answering the call for urgent action. In three short months, the 111th Congress will convene. I will continue to push for the types of reassurances that America's communities are looking for, not just those that our financial markets seek. This is a time of crisis for our country, but it is also a time of opportunity; an opportunity to ensure that we never again leave our Nation's families vulnerable to economic meltdown while corporate executives walk away with millions of dollars; an opportunity to protect working Americans' investments in their homes and communities; an opportunity to ensure that small businesses can access the credit they need to prosper and expand. I ask my colleagues to join me tonight in this vote, and in January, when we take on the longer and even more challenging task of getting our country back on track.