Saxby Chambliss

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Madam President, it is with great pride that today I honor my dear friend and fellow Georgian, Willard Lasseter, who recently completed his 50th year with John Deere's Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. Willard and I not only share a strong desire for a successful agriculture sector throughout Georgia and the United States, but we also share the same hometown of Moultrie, GA. Willard began his many years of service to the farmers of Colquitt County in 1945 when he began to work part time for the local John Deere dealership. In 1956, with a little over $14,000 in borrowed money, Willard purchased a 25 percent share of the John Deere dealership and on December 1, 1956, Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. had its first day of business. By 1959, Willard, along with help from his father, had secured the remaining shares of the John Deere dealership. The success of the business was almost instantaneous as Lasseter Tractor Company became the No. 1 dealer in terms of sales volume for the Atlanta branch of John Deere dealerships by 1960. Since its first day of business Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. has been a model dealership for Deere and Company. Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc.'s many accomplishments include being named to the John Deere's Manager Club for 12 consecutive years, being a John Deere Signature Dealer for top performance in the market place for 5 consecutive years, and being a Gold Star dealer for top performance in commercial products in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. has also garnered the top market share in the Atlanta branch of dealerships for 3 consecutive years. Through the years, Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. has continued to expand and prosper. In the late 1990's Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc. began construction of a state-of-the-art dealership and service facility that encompasses over 45,000 square feet. The service center itself can accommodate over 20 cotton pickers. This is not only an important feature but it is also a necessary feature because Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc., is among the top dealerships for sales and servicing of cotton pickers. Today's Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc., spans south Georgia with dealerships in three counties. Not only has the business increased in size but also in the number of generations that are now involved in the business. Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc., now includes Willard's son Tony and grandson Judd, who oversee the day-to-day operations of the business. One philosophy that Lasseter Tractor Company, Inc., has maintained throughout its existence is: ``You must give your customers the best product at the fairest price possible.'' This is a philosophy that has allowed the company to continue to meet and exceed the needs of its customers. It is hard to imagine what the state of agriculture might be in southwest Georgia if that young high school student, Willard Lasseter, did not step into the John Deere dealership in Moultrie, GA, in 1945 to begin working part time. I am extremely proud of the milestone that Willard has just met and it is my sincere hope that he continues his success in the agribusiness community for many years to come. I want to thank my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to recognize my dear friend Willard Lasseter.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. I am happy to yield for an additional 10 minutes to the other side.

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I would say to the distinguished Senator from West Virginia through the Chair that we have 30 minutes on our side, and I have two speakers. I know Senator McCain and Senator DeMint wish to speak. I am not sure how long that will take. Does the Senator have an idea how much longer he will need, 5 minutes, 10 minutes?

Mr. CHAMBLISS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, in relation to the extension of permanent trade relations to Vietnam that the Senate is in the process of considering this evening, there is a finding in the bill that I want to call to the Senate's attention. The finding notes that, ``Vietnam has taken cooperative steps with the United States under the United States Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, formerly the Joint Task Force- Full Accounting, established in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush to provide the fullest possible accounting of MIA and POW cases.'' I serve as the cochairman of the U.S./Russia Joint Commission on POW/ MIAs, and also have several close friends who have family members who are POW/MIAs and continue to search for their family members and for information that will bring them closure regarding their fate. I think we can all agree that Vietnam has in fact taken cooperative steps along the lines of POW/MIA accounting with the United States. However, I think we can also all agree that Vietnam needs to take additional steps in this area. Specifically, I believe there are additional steps that Vietnam can take in providing the United States access to archives regarding POW/MIA cases in Laos and Cambodia. Cases of US service members lost in Laos and Cambodia are particularly difficult to resolve due to the difficulty of access to both archival information and the actual locations where service members are presumably missing. This is a specific area in which I hope that Vietnam can provide additional information and assistance to help the United States obtain the fullest possible accounting of POW/MIAs from the Vietnam war. I want it to be clear that there is more work to be done on this issue and that we need to continue to conduct research, site visits and work closely with Vietnam, as well as their neighbors on this issue until we have accounted for every one of our POW/MIAs in Vietnam as well as other countries.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a special anniversary year for a true patriot, a great American and fellow Georgian, Captain John C. Carmichael, U.S. Navy, Retired. Friends and family back home on St. Simon's Island know him as Jack. As a teenager, Jack Carmichael had aspirations of attending West Point, his desire being to follow in the great GEN Robert E. Lee's footsteps. However, his father died in 1928 when he was only 14 years old, leaving his two younger brothers and his mother Kate with heavy hearts and tough decisions. At the time, they were living in Jacksonville, FL. Kate did not think that schools in Jacksonville or Waycross, GA, where they had lived and from where Jack's father hailed, were adequate to prepare him for the academic rigors of the service academies; therefore, she made the decision to move the family to Washington, DC, to live with two aunts in order for Jack to acquire the requisite education. He attended Western High School and several military academy preparatory schools. During that time he became reacquainted with his cousin, John Harllee, who convinced him that the Naval Academy was the better path, so Jack reset his goal for Annapolis. Unfortunately, his Georgia Congressman did not have any available Naval Academy slots, so he was referred to a Pennsylvania congressman. However, that Congressman only had a West Point slot, so the gentlemen referred him to a Congressman in Oklahoma who was able to sponsor Jack to attend the Naval Academy. Jack's 4 years at the Naval Academy were fast and rewarding, helped along by his dear friend and roommate, John Court. Jack graduated on June 4, 1936, one of 242 graduates, the smallest graduating class since 1900. During his career as a naval officer, Jack held various assignments both at sea and ashore. He served in World War II with the 5th Fleet and married his wife, Elizabeth Gordon Ellyson, on October 25, 1944, in San Francisco. ``Gordie,'' the name his wife goes by, was the daughter of the reputed naval aviator, Theodore Gordon ``Spuds'' Ellyson. Jack retired from the Navy in July of 1966 after 30 years of distinguished service. He moved Gordie and his family from Key West, FL, to St. Simon's Island, back to the nostalgic cottage of his youth within close proximity to the wonderful lighthouse. Jack and Gordie have enjoyed a full life and traveled much since then, but their center is St. Simon's Island and the quaint cottage they affectionately call ``Homeport.'' Mr. President, it is indeed an honor and a pleasure to recognize this accomplished fellow Georgian from the ``greatest generation,'' some 70 years after his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy. He is the consummate patriot and citizen, and his distinguished and noteworthy service to our Nation is laudable.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today to commend a gentleman who has served our country with honor, integrity, and distinction for the past 6 years and who has sacrificed his energy, a comfortable private life, as well as his personal privacy in service to our men and women in uniform during the course of two wars that our country did not invite and did not welcome. That gentleman is Donald Rumsfeld. As I have worked with Secretary Rumsfeld over the last 6 years as a U.S. Senator and as a U.S. Representative, he and I have occasionally disagreed, and those disagreements have been very public, very open, and very heartfelt on both sides. But there is no question in my mind that Don Rumsfeld has given the President and the United States as much commitment, energy, and service as any previous Secretary of Defense in the history of our great country. For that, this entire country owes Don Rumsfeld a debt of gratitude. It sometimes surprises me that we can convince high-quality, intelligent, committed people like Donald Rumsfeld to leave private life, often near or at the end of their careers, to take jobs in government that require an enormous amount of commitment, sacrifice, and sometimes offer few rewards. These individuals could, without question, be better off financially and sleeping much better and might even be happier if they were doing something else. Donald Rumsfeld has served as Secretary of Defense during one of the more difficult times in our Nation's history. As a nation, we should be grateful that someone of his caliber has served as long and with as much distinction in the job as he has. I think we as a nation should be grateful, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with everything Secretary Rumsfeld has done or tried to do during his tenure. We should be grateful that one of our own has stepped up to the challenge and taken his job as seriously as anyone could have and done his absolute best on behalf of the American people. Individuals who step into these jobs in government, particularly at the Cabinet level, need to keep in mind a few basic principles regarding why they are there and what they are called to do. First and most importantly, they need to remember they are there to serve the President and the American people. It is not and never can be about them. Their reward is serving, not recognition or legacy or even success. Their reward is answering the call and executing the job they have been given to do to the best of their ability. Donald Rumsfeld has done that, and for that he deserves the gratitude of this Nation. Secretary Rumsfeld has unquestionably been a transformational Secretary of Defense. He took the helm at the Pentagon nearing a time when the Department of Defense was ripe for change, and within 9 months of being sworn in, we were a nation at war. However, even that did not stop the transformational vision Secretary Rumsfeld brought to the Pentagon. Some of the transformational actions the Department of Defense undertook under Secretary Rumsfeld's leadership include the following: appointing the first marine as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; appointing the first Navy Admiral to command USSOUTHCOM; returning a retired Army general to active duty to become Chief of Staff of the Army; establishing the organization and position of Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence; establishing the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense; establishing the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs; creating the U.S. Northern Command; establishing the Proliferation Security Initiative; creating a four-star level task force to counter improvised explosive devices; initiating a global basing posture review; converting Trident ballistic missile submarines to guided-missile submarines; fielding the first operational V-22 squadron; and fielding the first operational F-22 squadron. Secretary Rumsfeld's accomplishments span the spectrum of DOD operations to include every service, procurement programs, research and development programs, personnel issues, DOD organization and management, and virtually every facet of the Department's operations. However, let me focus on the Department's accomplishments in the global war on terrorism during his tenure. Overall: A multinational coalition has liberated 50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq, with formation of representative governments and security forces. We have liberated 31 million Afghans from Taliban control and destroyed an al-Qaida sanctuary, conquering elements that successfully fought off the Soviet Union for over 9 years, and stood up a Loya Jirga governing council 8 months after operations began. Under his leadership, 26.7 million Iraqis were liberated from a brutal dictatorship and turned over sovereignty of the country to a new Iraqi Government in 16 months. As of November 22, 2006, organized, trained, and equipped Iraqi and Afghan security forces into the following numbers: 134,000 for Iraqi Ministry of Defense, 188,000 for Iraqi Ministry of Interior, 30,500 for Afghan National Army, and 50,000 for Afghan National Police. Conducted safe and secure elections in Afghanistan and Iraq as follows: In Iraq: On January 30, 2005, there was an election to form a transitional national assembly with a 55-percent turnout. On October 15, 2005, there was an election for constitutional ratification with a 63-percent turnout. On December 15, 2005, there was an election to form a permanent national assembly with a 78-percent turnout. And on March 16, 2006, there was an election to elect the permanent Iraqi Government, which was then subsequently seated. In Afghanistan, there were the following elections: On January 5, 2004, adoption of an Afghan Constitution. On October 9, 2004, the first direct Presidential election, with roughly an 80-percent turnout. On December 7, 2004, an Afghan President was inaugurated. And on September 18, 2005, the country of Afghanistan held an election to form the Afghan National Assembly and Provincial Council. Senior leadership of America's enemies have been captured, killed, or put on the run under the leadership of Don Rumsfeld as follows: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, al-Qaida's director of operations, was captured March 1, 2003. Saddam Hussein's sons were killed on July 22, 2003. Saddam Hussein was captured on December 13, 2003. Ali Hassan Mahmud al-Tikriti, AKA Chemical Ali, was captured on August 21, 2003. Al Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, was killed on June 7, 2006. And 45 of 55 of Saddam's top regime--the deck of cards--have been killed or captured under Donald Rumsfeld's leadership. Again, we have conducted hundreds of intelligence and tactical operations, many with partner nations, throughout the world against terrorist organizations directly or loosely affiliated with al-Qaida. President Bush appointed Secretary Rumsfeld to lead the men and women of our Armed Forces, and he has led by example. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I questioned Secretary Rumsfeld many times during hearings about our national security challenges and the needs of our troops and their families, and I have always been convinced that he had the very best interests of our Nation, as well as the best interests of our men and women in uniform, in mind. I commend him for his service and on behalf of our Nation thank him for his commitment and sacrifice over the last 6 years and, indeed, over the course of his life, as he has served his country and the American people well. As we say goodbye and commend the service of one Secretary of Defense, I would like to also commend the President's choice for his successor: Dr. Robert Gates. Dr. Gates and I had a very positive meeting on Monday of this week, and I believe he has the experience, qualifications, and candor to serve in this capacity as we move forward in helping the Iraqi people take control of their own destiny and continue transforming the Department of Defense to confront the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. A fresh approach, new ideas, and Dr. Gates' understanding of defense and intelligence issues will be a tremendous asset in achieving victory and continuing on the legacy and accomplishments of Secretary Rumsfeld. I look forward to working with Dr. Gates as the new Secretary of Defense on the national security issues affecting our Nation, as well as the issues that affect Georgia's proud military community. Our men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to have my highest admiration and praise for their good works. We will continue to do everything necessary to help them succeed in their mission and win this war on terrorism. I know Dr. Robert Gates shares that commitment, and I look forward to working with him and supporting him as he serves on behalf of our Nation's military. I yield the floor.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

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

Mr. CHAMBLISS

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

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for up to 10 minutes.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, today I am submitting a resolution recognizing November as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. It is important for Americans to recognize the large number of individuals who are diagnosed with and die from lung cancer each year. This resolution is a reminder to all Americans to help raise awareness about lung cancer, including the importance of early detection and treatment of this dreadful disease. In the United States, nearly 125,000 Americans die from lung, trachea, and bronchus cancer each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths nationally for men and women. More American women will die from lung cancer than die from breast cancer each year. The disease kills more individuals than breast, prostate, colon, liver, and kidney cancers combined. In my home state of Georgia this year alone, more than 6,200 Georgians will be diagnosed with and almost 5,000 will die from lung cancer. The best way to decrease the amount of diagnosis and deaths per year from lung cancer is for Americans not to smoke. According to the CDC, cigarette smoking is harmful to human health and plays a major role in 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths. The sooner that a person quits smoking, the greater chance that person has of not contracting lung cancer. For the fiscal year 2007, the National Institutes of Health, NIH, will spend an estimated $285 million, and the National Cancer Institute, NCI, will spend $261 million on lung cancer research. This money will be spent to reduce the risk of contracting the disease and find a cure for lung cancer. As our Nation continues the fight against cancer, it is important for Congress to provide continued support to the NIH and NCI in order to find a cure for this terrible disease and reach our goal of eliminating suffering and death from cancer by 2015. Through advancements in science and research, cancer has become one of the most preventable and increasingly curable life threatening diseases. As a cancer survivor, I will be the first to tell you that prevention and detection greatly increases your chances of survival. It is my hope that recognizing November as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month will remind everyone that maintaining a healthy lifestyle coupled with early detection through screening greatly reduces the risk of cancer. I commend the Lung Cancer Alliance of Georgia on all of their hard work in helping to raise awareness regarding this deadly disease. The Lung Cancer Alliance of Georgia has been at the forefront in organizing the state movement to combat lung cancer, releasing a state report card for Georgia that brings to light many specific problems our state has in relation to lung cancer. It is important to bring these problems to the forefront in order to work together to help reduce the rate of lung cancer incidence and deaths. I commend my friend Ed Levitt, his wife Linda, and Lung Cancer Alliance of Georgia, for all of their hard work in making lung cancer awareness a top priority.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I am submitting a resolution to designate Sunday, November 26, 2006, as Drive Safer Sunday. Motor vehicle travel is the primary source of travel in the United States and statistics show that the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest highway traffic day of the year. Too many holidays end tragically due to the careless and reckless behavior of motorists and I hope that this resolution will raise awareness and help save lives. It should also serve as a reminder to those traveling over Thanksgiving holidays and all year long to be vigilant, alert, and careful. Steve and Susan Owings are constituents of mine in Atlanta, GA. In 2002, their son Cullum Owings was in a fatal crash on the Sunday after Thanksgiving while traveling back to college. This resolution is in honor of Cullum, and designed with the hope that other families like the Owings, will not have to suffer such a tragic loss. According to the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety, our Georgia roads had 348,040 crashes with 1,744 fatalities in 2005. Two of the major contributing factors to the loss of life in these crashes were speeding and unrestrained passengers. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, An estimated 15,434 lives in 2004 and 15,632 lives in 2005 were saved as a result of passengers wearing their seatbelts. Safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent. Six out of 10 children who died in passenger vehicle crashes were unbelted. At least 4 percent of automobile crashes are the result of distracted driving. An average 119 people died each day as a result of motor crashes in 2005--an average of one every 12 minutes. From 1975 through 2005, an estimated 211,128 lives were saved by safety belts. From 1975 through 2005, an estimated 7,896 lives were saved by child restraints. In 2005, 68 percent of pickup drivers killed in traffic crashes were not using a safety belt. With families traveling to see relatives and students nationwide trying to get back to school, America's highways and interstates are highly congested and present many opportunities for dangerous or fatal accidents. This resolution encourages automobile drivers, truckers, passengers, and law enforcement agencies to work together to make the highways a safer place this Sunday after Thanksgiving. It also encourages all Americans to slow down, wear their seatbelts, use signals, and be aware of all the other cars and trucks on the road. It is my hope that we can all work together to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities that result from car crashes while keeping families happy and together.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, it is my honor and privilege today to pay tribute to Sergeant First Class Robert Lee ``Bobby'' Hollar, Jr. Sergeant Hollar served his country as a civilian and soldier and ultimately gave his life to protect our Nation. Sergeant Hollar served in E Troop, 108th Cavalry, 48th Brigade of the Georgia National Guard, and was deployed to Iraq in May 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On September 1, 2005, an improvised explosive device struck Sergeant Hollar's vehicle while he was on patrol outside of Baghdad, and he died of severe injuries later that day. Sergeant Hollar is survived by his wife Amanda and two sons. Throughout Sergeant Hollar's 10 years of courageous service in the U.S. Air Force, and during his service in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, he was awarded numerous service and achievement medals. Also, Sergeant Hollar was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Sergeant Hollar's duties in Iraq went beyond the daily routine of a soldier. Sergeant Hollar was a pen pal with the fourth grade class at Crescent Middle School in Griffin, GA. To these students, Sergeant Hollar was a real-life ``G.I. Joe,'' and his letters and visits with them have forever touched their lives. When Sergeant Hollar wasn't on active duty, he lived with his family in Thomaston, GA, and was employed by the United States Postal Service as a postal carrier. Sergeant Hollar made his community and Nation better through selfless dedication to his career in public service with the Georgia National Guard and the U.S. Post Office. I have been contacted by many members of his community, and I am proud to join in as part of their campaign to name the Thomaston Post Office in his honor, and to be an original cosponsor of S. 4050, a bill to designate the facility of the Postal Service located at 103 East Thompson Street in Thomaston, GA, as the ``Sergeant First Class Robert Lee `Bobby' Hollar, Jr. Post Office Building''. I believe this is a simple yet lasting, way to recognize Sergeant Hollar's service and sacrifice to our country. (The remarks of Mr. Chambliss pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 615 are printed in today's Record under ``Submitted Resolutions.'') (The remarks of Mr. Chambliss pertaining to the submission of S. Res. 617 are located in today's Record under ``Submission of Concurrent and Senate Resolutions.'')

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security conference report. It is important for me to begin by thanking Senator Judd Gregg for his hard work and for his dedication to producing a strong report. I commend Senator Gregg for his leadership and for working with me to secure several important initiatives that are so important for the State of Georgia and for America's security. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, FLETC, is located in Glynco, GA. We have outstanding law-enforcement training which takes place at this fine facility. The conference report restored $2 million to FLETC's Counterterrorism Operations and Training Facility, COTF. I am profoundly grateful for this funding and know that the men and women of law-enforcement who operate and train at FLETC are grateful, also. Since the attacks of 9/11, it has become vital that our law enforcement receive the most up to date counterterrorism training that is available, and FLETC provides it. I also would like to commend Chairman Gregg for including language to ensure that the training and programs being developed at the Advanced Training Center at Harper's Ferry, WV, will not be duplicate or displace any Federal law enforcement program at FLETC. I am pleased that Senator Gregg referenced the language in Public Law 106-246 in order to reaffirm Congress's longstanding commitment to protect the programs and training at the FLETC. I look forward to continuing to work with him to ensure that this language continues to be included in the future. Senator Gregg honored my request to protect and ensure the FLETC to renew the Rehired Authority. Without the renewal of this authority, FLETC will not be able to schedule the full training requirements at Glynco and Artesia, NM, to meet the initiative for Border Patrol at Artesia, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Detention Officer Training at Glynco. The FLETC has demonstrated the need for the authority. There are many strong reasons to justify this needed authority, but perhaps the most compelling is that by using annuitants, FLETC can save dollars, versus hiring permanent full-time employees, gain demonstrated experience--the current average is 26 years of law enforcement experience--and free up some of the instructors now provided to FLETC by its partner agencies on a temporary basis to be used instead in front line law enforcement operational functions. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center is the Federal Government's primary source of law enforcement training. Eighty-two partner organizations subscribe to FLETC for their law enforcement training at the basic--entry level--and advanced training levels. During basic and advanced training, trainees and newly commissioned law enforcement officers are molded into the culture of law enforcement, much like basic trainees and young soldiers in the Armed Forces. It takes instructors that have the ability to provide realistic instruction to gain the respect of their students as they immerse students into their law enforcement careers. These instructors can come only from the ranks of Federal employees with many years of very relevant law enforcement experience. Subject areas taught by these instructors include law enforcement techniques and topical areas, such as counterterrorism prevention and detection and border tracking procedures. It is in the best interest of the Government to have Federal Government employees with state-of-the-art knowledge and experience regarding tactics, policies, and practices of the law enforcement community to provide instruction to trainees, agents, and officers who are beginning their careers. To outsource training for law enforcement functions, even in a partial or fragmented manner, is counterproductive to the overall security and enforcement of the laws of the United States. The conference report contains language making the activities of the staff of the FLETC inherently governmental. While it was my hope that the provision would have been strengthened by the use of the words ``and hereafter'' to avoid the requirement of a renewal each year, I look forward to working with the chairman to achieve this goal in the future. I am very proud of our employees at FLETC Glynco and the work that is done there and am a very strong supporter of the FLETC. I look forward to continuing to help strengthen the operations that are conducted there so that we can offer the best possible training and protection to our homeland.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my good friend from Iowa, the ranking minority member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, to salute a dedicated public servant, Mr. Frank Ippolito, who is retiring after more than 30 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Government, including 24 years at the Department of Agriculture, USDA. As the Director of the Governmental Affairs Office at USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, FNS, Mr. Ippolito is the career civil servant responsible for communications between FNS and Congress and for coordinating logistics for hearings, briefings, and legislative policy for the Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services and FNS staff. FNS accounts for over half of USDA's annual budget. It serves a monthly average of over 25.9 million people in the Food Stamp Program, 8.22 million people in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC, and provides daily meal service to over 30.9 million students through the National School Lunch Program and 10.3 million students in the National School Breakfast Program. Mr. Ippolito is the bridge between this important agency and the Congress. Mr. Ippolito was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. He graduated from the Birmingham Public School System in 1965, earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Alabama in 1969 and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1973. Mr. Ippolito first worked as general counsel of the Alabama Air Pollution Commission in the State capital. In 1975, he came to Washington to work for the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, now known as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and worked for the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Defense Investigative Agency. In 1982, Mr. Ippolito came to FNS in the Office of Governmental Affairs as a legislative specialist. In 1988, he was named Director of Governmental Affairs, the position he has held for the past 18 years. As Director, he has provided invaluable guidance on FNS programs and activities both to the Under Secretary and Secretary of Agriculture and to Members of Congress for five farm bills and five child nutrition and WIC reauthorizations. Over the course of his career, Mr. Ippolito served under six Presidents and eight Secretaries of Agriculture, five Chairmen of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, and six chairmen of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. In the Senate Agriculture Committee, in exercising our jurisdiction over FNS we not only work in a bipartisan fashion, we also work closely with the administration. When writing a farm bill or child nutrition and WIC reauthorization, we often call upon FNS staff, including Mr. Ippolito, for expertise. He put in many Saturday afternoons and late nights past 2:00 a.m. during legislative discussions and negotiations because of his dedication to providing Representatives, Senators, and our staff access to the information we need to serve the American people. I commend Mr. Frank Ippolito for his many years of dedicated service to the U.S. Government and for the outstanding work he has done throughout his distinguished career. I congratulate him on the occasion of his retirement and extend my best wishes to him and his wife, Donna, in the years ahead.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, would the Senator again give me that order? I missed it somehow. Let me see if I can insert myself in one of the Republican slots.

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, if I could be inserted in there for up to 10 minutes, please.

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, again reserving the right to object, I will tell Senator Cornyn you paid him a great compliment, but that it be Senator Chambliss instead of Senator Cornyn.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I take a few minutes to respond to some of the comments made this afternoon by my colleagues from Idaho, from California, and Massachusetts. First of all, they are correct in stating the H-2A program, which is the existing temporary nonimmigrant worker program for agriculture, does not work the way it should. However, what Senator Craig, Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, and Senator Kennedy propose to do, rather than make many of the necessary changes to make the H-2A program viable nationwide is, first of all, to grant an amnesty to virtually everyone who has passed through agricultural occupations in the past 2 years. We all know that agriculture has been the traditional gateway occupation for illegal immigrants in the United States. I strongly disagree to large-scale adjustment of status for illegal aliens philosophically, particularly in the area of agriculture, but my objection has practical roots. Agricultural work is the hardest, most backbreaking work in the United States today. As soon as we give illegal aliens who are currently working in agriculture lawful, permanent resident status, as the AgJOBS bill will do, they will no longer choose to work in the fields, packing sheds, groves, or processing facilities. I come from the heart of agriculture country in the southeastern part of the United States. I have talked to farmers in my area not just for the 12 years I have been privileged to serve in Congress but even before that. Labor has been the most critical issue they have had to deal with year in and year out in addition to disasters, to too much rain, to not enough rain, to high gas prices. The immigration issue has the potential to be the answer if we do the right thing. We know these folks will leave agriculture and move into the private sector because this is what happened in 1986 after Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Included in that legislation was the special agricultural worker program that gave temporary legal status to illegal aliens who had worked a certain number of years in agriculture. Two years after obtaining a temporary status--and in some cases 1 year--those illegal workers were given permanent status. They soon left the fields and moved into the private sector in so many other areas where we find them today. My position as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee has provided me the opportunity to travel across the United States and talk with farmers and ranchers. Recently, I have concluded eight field hearings from one end of the country to the other, from the east coast to the west coast. In every single hearing we held with farmers and ranchers across America I had any number of farmers who came up to me during the process of those hearings to talk about immigration. It is an issue on the west coast. It is an issue on the east coast and all parts in between. And to a farmer, the one thing I heard from him was: Senator, whatever you do, don't let the AgJOBS provision that grants amnesty to folks who come to this country to work in agriculture get passed because if you let that provision in, I assure you, the pool of agricultural workers that we need will not be there after they gain that permanent status in the United States. Why should we expect this adjustment status to be any different than what we saw in 1986? It won't. I don't think it will be, and the folks who are involved in agriculture don't think it will be. All that would be left to our farmers and ranchers will be the H-2A program, and the revisions that Senators Craig, Feinstein, Boxer, and Kennedy make to the H-2A program are actually detrimental to the future success of that program. I have talked to farmers, as late as the day before yesterday. I had a group of farmers from all over the country who were in my office, and every single one of them uses the H-2A program. What they tell me is the program, as they have used it, is cumbersome. It is expensive. But it works. And in the areas of the country where farmers have used the H-2A program, the labor shortage issues are not as acute as in those areas apparently such as in California and Idaho, where they use illegals crossing the border, and where now the border is being tightened up and they are feeling a pinch because they do not use legal workers. In my part of the country, I went to our farmers who complained about not having a quality pool of workers from which to choose. And when they used illegal workers, and they had the INS come in and check on them, the illegals scattered from one end to the other, all of a sudden, and they were left naked and unable to harvest their crops. I said: What you have to do is get in compliance with the law. You have to use H-2A, irrespective of how inconvenient it is, irrespective of how bureaucratic it is, and irrespective of how expensive it is, if you want to be legal and if you want to have that quality pool of workers from which to choose. By and large, farmers in my part of the world are now using H-2A, and they are finding that exactly what we thought would happen is happening. They do not have to look over their shoulder every year to see if ICE--now it is ICE--is coming in to check their workers. They know they are here legally. They know they are going to have to pay them a good wage. They know they are going to have to provide them with housing--all the things that H-2A provides. And they are willing to do that because they do have a quality pool from which to choose. Now, finally, I point out that even though H-2A is not perfect--it is cumbersome, it is costly, it subjects employees who use it to lawsuits--in those areas where H-2A is used, they are not experiencing the shortage that others have found. So I think, rather than grant a large adjustment of status to illegal workers, we ought to sit down at the table and talk about ways we can make the H-2A program more workable for our farmers. I am happy to sit down with my friends from California and Idaho and see if we cannot work through this. But let me say there are some fundamental problems with AgJOBS in addition to the adjustment of status provision, which does grant a pathway to becoming legal, a pathway to citizenship for those people who work in agriculture in this country under that program for a period of 2 years. We have to work through that. I do not think that is in the benefit of the American people, whether it is the American farmer or whether it is those people who are here legally trying to become citizens in the right way. Secondly, there is an issue relative to the wage rate. Now we have the adverse effect wage rate under the H-2A program, which is not fair. It is not equitable to farmers in North Dakota versus farmers in Georgia, versus farmers in California and Idaho. In the recent immigration reform package we had on the floor, we sought to amend that bill to include what is known as a prevailing wage, ``prevailing wage'' being a wage that is determined by the Department of Labor to be applicable to agricultural workers in certain regions within a State, rather than in regions of the country. It is fair. It is equitable. We need to have that prevailing wage provision put into whatever amendment we make to the H-2A program. Also, the AgJOBS bill does not eliminate what we call the 50-percent rule. Every farmer who uses H-2A knows and understands exactly what I am talking about and knows what a hindrance this is to them because, under AgJOBS, they would be forced to hire what is called a blue card worker who is treated like a U.S. worker for hiring purposes. If he shows up at the farm before 50 percent of the work is complete, then even though the farmer has an H-2A worker here, he has to send that individual back to wherever he came from and hire that domestic person or that blue card person under the AgJOBS program. It gets complicated, but those folks who have been involved in this know exactly what I am talking about. What we should make sure of is that at the end of the day we have a program that is fair to farmers, that is fair to Americans--whether they are folks who are here looking for work in agriculture or whether they are folks who are trying to become citizens of this country in a lawful way, in the way that is set forth in our Constitution--that we should make sure we provide our farmers with a quality pool of workers from which to choose, and that we make sure our farmers are required to pay those individuals a fair wage and are required to either provide them housing or provide them a housing allowance, so while they are here working on their farms we do not have to worry about where they are out in the communities, and that they are able to take care of themselves while they are here. All of these issues are critically important parts of any immigration reform package we take up. So I simply urge again my friends who want to give these folks who come to work in agriculture a pathway to citizenship that we sit down at the table and work out these differences. Let's amend H-2A and accomplish the goal we all have in common. Mr. President, I yield back.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise to express my support for providing relief to agricultural producers nationwide. Earlier today Senator Conrad from North Dakota led a debate on the floor regarding agricultural disasters; especially the severe drought causing severe loss of crops all across America, and the need to extend a helping hand to farmers. We always hope to stay out of the disaster business, unfortunately Mr. President, this has indeed been a very unusual year. In August of 2006, in my State of Georgia, 155 of 159 counties were designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive temperatures. Cotton and peanut harvests are underway today in the State and, unfortunately, the Department of Agriculture's most recent crop summary rates dryland fields in poor to fair condition, with much lower yields than usual. If peanut production forecasts are realized, we could have the lowest production yields on peanuts since 1980. Losses extend beyond the fields and have had a serious effect on livestock producers as well. For example, in addition to losses due to drought, many pastures and hayfields have experienced severe armyworm infestation. My staff continues to receive calls from across the State with concerns about crop and pasture conditions. I have personally heard the calls and seen the need for agricultural disaster assistance throughout Georgia. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I convened eight farm bill hearings across the country this summer. I will have to say that in traveling to these regions and visiting with the producers, I can report that there has been severe disasters occurring in each and every section of our country from an agricultural standpoint. Rural America is hurting. While the Senate did not have the opportunity today to proceed with the vote on this very important issue, I want to be clear that I do support disaster assistance. Earlier this year, the Senate passed disaster assistance in the fiscal year 2006 supplemental appropriations bill. Unfortunately, that provision was dropped in conference. Since then, the situation has greatly worsened. Fortunately, we currently have a disaster package in the Senate agriculture appropriations bill, which we expect to complete after the November elections. The appropriate place to address agriculture disaster is in the agriculture appropriations bill. However, we will need to refine and improve this disaster package based upon current circumstances. For example, the current disaster package provides assistance only for losses for the 2005 crop-year. Unfortunately, the losses in 2006 appear to be more extensive, more widespread, and more severe than the 2005 losses. The University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development estimates that at this point agriculture production losses may total over $819 million in Georgia alone. At the current time, we may not know the full extent of the 2006 crop damage, but it is evident in looking across the country that crop and livestock assistance is needed. The Secretary of Agriculture has agreed with us on this point. Earlier this summer he announced in the Dakotas that a disaster indeed had taken place across America. However, he provided what I thought, frankly, was a fairly nominal response to the issue. America's farmers provide this country the safest, most affordable food and fiber supply of any country in the world. It is our duty to stand by them in this time of need. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I congratulate Dr. Spurgeon William Clark, III on the occasion of his inauguration as The Medical Association of Georgia's 152nd President this weekend. I have had the privilege of knowing Dr. Clark for many years. He is an esteemed physician, community leader, devoted father and son, and dear friend. Dr. Clark graduated from Waycross High School in 1971 and earned a bachelor's degree cum laude in 1975 from Davidson College in North Carolina. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and interned at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. He performed his residency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami. Dr. Clark operates the Clark Eye Clinic in Waycross, GA, and attends patients of all ages. There is no question that he is a leader in his field. He has been included in ``The Best Doctors in the South'' in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2006. He has performed groundbreaking surgeries involving the perfecting of new refractive surgeries, cataract surgeries and the refining of implanting lenses. His ophthalmology career includes time and work spent as an active member of Satilla Regional Medical Center, Emory Eye Care Center, the Atlanta VA Medical Center, where he has been a clinical assistant professor since 1997, and the Medical College of Georgia, where he has been a clinical assistant professor since 1998. He has previously served the Medical Association of Georgia as a member, delegate and as a member of the Board of Directors. He has also served the Georgia AMA delegation as Vice Chair and as President-elect, the Okefenokee Medical Association as President, as the Secretary as well as Director of the Eighth District Medical Society, and as President and Chairman of the Board of the Okefenkee Physicians Network, Inc., and as Vice President of the Satilla Regional Medical Center Staff Executive Committee. Dr. Clark's accomplishments are indeed endless. Not only is he a leader in the medical field, he is an active citizen and parent in the Waycross community. He has received awards on numerous occasions for his service. He is the recipient of the 1987 Jack Williams Community Service Award, the 1988 Waycross Jaycees Outstanding Young American Award, the 1989 Waycross Pogo Good Citizenship Award, the Ware 2000 Excellence in Education Award, and the 1990 Rotarian of the Year Award. He has served as Vice President and President of the Williams Heights Elementary School PTA, as President of the Waycross Middle School PTA, and as a board member of the Okefenokee Heritage Center. Additionally, he has served in leadership positions with the United Way, the Waycross-Ware County Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Waycross Development Authority, the First United Methodist Curch, the Waycross Bank & Trust, and the Okefenokee Swamp Park Association. Dr. Clark and his wife, Jill, have three daughters Victoria, Evelyn, and Alora. I know that this is a special time in particular for Dr. Clark and his family, because this inauguration continues a tradition of family service within the medical community. Dr. Clark's father previously served as the Medical Association of Georgia's 130th President in 1984. I offer my congratulations to Dr. Clark on his inauguration this weekend and commend him for all his accomplishments. I know he will serve The Medical Association of Georgia well as their 152nd President.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. This historic legislation is the result of much work, thought, and debate. I commend the administration, I commend Senator Warner, Senator McCain, Senator Graham, and all those who were involved in the ultimate compromise we have come to on this very sensitive and very complex issue. I am pleased we were able to find common ground on this critical issue and ensure that the President can authorize the appropriate agencies to move forward with an appropriate interrogation program. There is no question that this program provides essential intelligence that is vital to America's success in the war on terrorism. At the same time, it honors our agreement under the Geneva Conventions and underscores to other nations that America is a nation of laws. This has been a difficult issue and I am pleased that both sides worked so diligently to achieve this result. In this new era of threats, where the stark and sober reality is that America must confront international terrorists committed to the destruction of our way of life, this bill is absolutely necessary. Our prior concept of war has been completely altered, as we learned so tragically on September 11, 2001. We must address threats in a different way. If we are going to get at the root of terrorist activity, we need to be able to get critical information to do so. There has been much discussion during the course of the drafting of this bill about the rule of law, and the rule of law relative to detainees is, indeed, reflected in this bill. It provides for tribunals, for judges, for counsel, for discovery, and for rules of evidence. Most importantly, however, in my view, is that while this bill provides important rule of law procedures for illegal enemy combatants, it does not give them the same protections which we afford lawful enemy combatants or our own military personnel, and that is a critical distinction. And that is how it ought to be. We have made that distinction for no other reason than to provide incentive for every nation across the world to observe international agreements for the proper treatment of captives. It bears repeating--this bill applies to the trial of illegal enemy combatants--those who make no pretense whatsoever of conformity with even minimal standards or international norms of civilized behavior when it comes to the treatment of those they capture. We hear repeatedly that we should be concerned about what we do, for fear that we encourage others to treat our captured service men and women in a similar manner. But let's be very clear here and state what every American knows to be true. The al-Qaida terrorists treat our captured service men and women by beheading them and by dragging their bodies through the streets. They need no encouragement or excuse for their actions by reference to our treatment of their captives. As a result of the Supreme Court's ruling, we are creating military commissions that provide rule of law protections which are embodied in this bill--courts, judges, legal counsel, and rules of evidence. So this bill appropriately meets our international obligations and America's sense of what is right and it is in keeping with our highest values. However, this bill will allow the President to move forward with a terrorist interrogation program that will ensure that we continue to get critical information about those who are plotting to carry out hateful acts against America and against Americans. I commend the President for his determination to respond to the new reality confronting us. I commend Chairman Warner and my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee who worked in good faith to craft a bill which is the right bill to respond to the challenges we face. And again, I am pleased we were able to find common ground on this critical issue and ensure that the President can move forward with an appropriate interrogation program. I think it is important that we send a bill to the White House, to the desk of the President that is exactly the same as the bill that has already been passed by the House so we can put this program in place immediately. The way we do that is to continue to defeat all the amendments that have been put forward, and that we send the President the same bill that has already been passed by the House so that this program can be reinitiated immediately. I yield the floor.

Mr. CHAMBLISS

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I have submitted a resolution to congratulate the 2006 Middle Georgia Bucks Senior Boys Basketball Team of Macon, GA, for their winning season. Not only did they win the 2006 Amateur Athletic Union National Championship, AAU, they won the 2006 State of Georgia AAU Championship and the 2006 Hoosier Showcase in Indianapolis, IN, as well. The Bucks finished the season with an undefeated record of 27 wins and 0 losses. On August 1, they claimed their national victory by defeating the North Carolina Gators by a score of 97 to 75. This resolution recognizes and commends the hard work, tenacity, and steadfast commitment to excellence of the members, parents, coaches, and managers of the Middle Georgia Bucks. It also commends the Amateur Athletic Union for continuing the tradition of fostering the development of sportsmanship, discipline, and self-assurance in young adults. This talented team, managed by Alfonza Hall and coached by Melvin Flowers, Chris Cromartie, and Al Hagan, has brought great pride to the State of Georgia and the Middle Georgia community, where the fans have shown unwavering enthusiasm, support, and admiration for the players and coaches. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the players individually for their accomplishment: Lehmon Colbert; LaShun Watson; Anthony Miller; Terrell ``Sput'' Dunham; Keith Ramsey; Giles Mack; Antonio Steele; Tay Waller; Jarvis Ogletree; Rashad Faust; Sean LeGree; Jermaine Sparks; Josh Williams; Akila Carter; and Jeremiah Crutcher. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of these players and their families, and to all involved in the organization. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.