Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute be agreed to and be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendments and that no points of order be waived by virtue of this agreement.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I compliment and thank most sincerely my friend from West Virginia, the distinguished senior Democratic member of the Appropriations Committee, for his support during the committee markup in terms of the procedures for the consideration of the House- passed bill. We substituted a complete text in the committee markup for the House bill and proceeded to consider amendments to that text. We made some changes in that House bill, as is reflected by the total amount we are recommending be appropriated in the bill by the Senate. We bring the bill in below the level of funds requested by the President for this bill, and it is below the level approved by the House of Representatives. We hope Senators will consider their ideas for changes or improvements in the bill. We are not attempting to rush the Senate to completion of action on this bill, but we do want to move ahead with dispatch so we can get the funds that are provided in this bill to the agencies where they are needed, to the Department of Defense and the Department of State for depleted accounts. The challenges we face in Iraq and Afghanistan have been costly, as we all recognize, but we need to move forward to a successful conclusion of those operations so that troops can be returned home as soon as possible, so that stability can be restored in that and other regions of the world, and so that the economy of those countries can be free flowing once again. In that connection, I was heartened to receive a call from the Secretary of Agriculture last week advising me that the interim government in Iraq had decided to purchase 60,000 tons of rice from the United States. This is an indication, it seems to me, that their economy is beginning to move forward, that the Iraqi Government and the people of Iraq are moving toward the day when they will be able to stand on their own two feet, that they will be able to take care of themselves from a security standpoint and in every other way be a functioning entity in that region for stability and economic progress. That is the goal; that is the purpose of the sacrifices we are making today--to make this world safer for all people. I compliment the President and the leadership of his Cabinet-- particularly Secretary Rumsfeld and Secretary Rice--as they carry out the missions of the Departments of Defense and State at this very difficult time. Now is not the time for the Senate to start eroding the confidence we have in the challenges we face and the way we are proceeding to meet those challenges. I believe we are making good progress, and we ought to compliment the administration for the work they have done in this very difficult period in our Nation's history. I urge the Senate to approve this substitute.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senate now has under consideration H.R. 1268, the fiscal year 2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Pending is the substitute amendment recommended by the Committee on Appropriations. The committee met last Wednesday, April 6, and reported the bill with the substitute amendment by a unanimous consent vote of 28 to 0. Our recommended substitute would provide a total of $80,581,832,000 in supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2005. The recommendation is $1,460,796,000 below the President's request and $758,046,000 below the amount recommended in the House-passed bill. The substitute is comprised of six titles. Title I provides a total of $74,426,257,000 for defense-related activities, primarily the costs of continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Title II includes $4,322,700,000 for international security programs, for assistance for reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for support for coalition allies. Title III provides appropriations in the amount of $687,145,000 for domestic activities related to homeland security and counterterrorism. Title IV includes appropriations for Indian Ocean tsunami relief in the amount of $907,344,000. Title V includes $238,390,000 for other emergency appropriations. Title VI includes general provisions and technical corrections. This is a straightforward bill. It meets the needs of our fighting forces overseas. It provides funding to meet our international responsibilities. It offers relief to the victims of the catastrophic tsunami in the Indian Ocean and addresses emergency requirements at home. It is critically important we move this bill through the Senate in a deliberate but expeditious fashion so we may confer with our colleagues from the other body and present legislation for the President's signature by the end of this month. I will not take further time of the Senate today to go into all of the details of the proposal. Individual subcommittee chairmen and their ranking minority members will be available to Senators to explain the details of the bill as needed and as requested by Senators. At the appropriate time, I will move the committee substitute be adopted and be treated as original text for the purposes of further amendment. Before yielding to my distinguished friend and colleague from West Virginia, Senator Byrd, the ranking minority member of the committee, I share with the Senate an interesting e-mail that was sent to one of my staff members by one of the helicopter pilots who was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which steamed into the Indian Ocean immediately upon hearing about the devastating earthquakes and the tsunami tidal waves in that region of the world. They were one of our largest ships in the general region. They immediately got underway from their port when they heard the news and could tell how serious this situation was and steamed to the region. This friend wrote an e-mail to my detailee from the Department of Defense who is a CDR Brian Glackin. At this time he has gone back to active duty for his full-time job in the Navy. He gets this e-mail, which he gave me a copy of, which I will read portions of so we can appreciate the response of the United States, as quickly as it was made, to this devastating situation. Stationed aboard the Abraham Lincoln we were inport Hong Kong on the morning of 26 Dec when we heard of the massive earthquake and devastating Tsunamis in the Bay of Bengal. As soon as we were aware of the horrible destruction we departed Hong Kong and headed South at best speed . . . Then he described what happened when they arrived. I was in the first wave of helos sent ashore to establish a logistical hub and move supplies from Banda Acch airport-- only a few miles from the destroyed north coast of the island. He describes the bodies in the water, the houses floating in the ocean, the scenes along the coast as they were flying into the airport. We arrived at the airport to a scene of confusion and near chaos. Six days after the disaster and there was no infrastructure in place to assist these people. About 500 displaced Indonesians who had survived had made their way to the airport in search of a flight out of the area. . . . there was only one other American military member at the airport--an Army Major who had made his way up from the Embassy in Jakarta. A few Australians were already there and had set up a logistics hub to accept supplies. The Indonesian military had a base here as well and were accepting supplies but they had no other way than trucks to travel to the destroyed areas inland to move the food and water. Then he talks about being a fixed wing pilot. He was not able to fly helicopters, but he helped coordinate the relief efforts. He complimented the nongovernment organizations that within an hour had loaded our first relief supplies to move down the west coast. He complimented the USAID and the International Organization of Migration as being invaluable in the establishing of assistance. He said: USAID has amazing logistical support to gather supplies from all over the world. The one thing both of these organizations lacked was the ability to distribute supplies to the people in need. That is where we came into play. We have set up a system now to have twelve of our Helicopters flying from sunrise to sunset to assist. We have been carrying everything from biscuits, rice, noodles, milk, water and medical supplies. We transport doctors and medical staff as well. The Indonesian people are in need of everything. Their homes along the coast have been washed away and we are finding them wandering aimlessly with no ability to acquire food, water or badly needed medical assistance. They all lack the ability to communicate as all phone lines are destroyed and there is no electricity. As our pilots drop off these supplies there are stories of the Indonesians hugging them with relief and joy. Our pilots then fly north to return back to [the airport] for resupply and they are finding small pockets of personnel who do not have any aid. They are able to pick many of them up and fly them to [the airport]. Most are near death. Yesterday we had a helo land with seven badly injured or dehydrated personnel all in critical condition. One was a seven year old girl. The doctors told me we saved her life as she would not have lived through the night. I couldn't help but think of my beautiful daughters and it was then that I realized the gravity of what we really were doing. He said: I see on the news [now] the incredible outpouring of support from the US--it is a wonderful and necessary thing. The effort here at sea is equally as impressive. These young sailors are all extremely eager to get ashore and do whatever is needed despite the threat of disease and the obvious destruction. He pointed out earlier that no sailors were asked to do anything who did not volunteer to do it. The commanding officer asked if sailors would like to participate and go ashore, and there were huge numbers who did. My squadron alone has already put numerous sailors ashore to assist with the loading and moving of the helos. I have never been so proud to be a member of the US military. We often are focused on keeping the peace and deterring evil acts. To now be able to have a direct impact in saving lives and attempt to rebuild a society is a testament to the United States' amazing resolve and capabilities. I thank you all for your efforts and your support. Please continue to keep the Indonesians in your thoughts and prayers. As of today this country alone is approaching 100,000 deaths from this disaster--we need to do all that is possible to mitigate any further suffering or loss of life. Signed: CDR T.R. Williams, Executive Officer, deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the entire e-mail that I read from be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN. This bill before the Senate contains funds that help replenish the accounts that were depleted by our agencies that were actively involved in the tsunami relief. We are asking in the bill for the Senate to approve about $1 billion for related activities that were involved in that operation. The military, of course, incurred costs, too, and we hope this bill will help make up the difference in their accounts so they will continue to be able to protect our security interests around the world. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, my friend, Billy Ross Brown, has retired from the First South Farm Credit, ACA Board of Directors where he served faithfully for many years. Billy Ross became a director on the Oxford, MS, PCA Board in 1968 and he served as chairman of the board from 1975 to 1985. He was then elected to serve on the First South Farm Credit Board and served from 1985 to 1990. He left the First South Board after being recommended by me and appointed by President George H.W. Bush to serve on the Board of the Farm Credit Administration and the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation in Washington, DC. During this time he served as the first chairman of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation where he nurtured it through its startup as a Federal agency and directed it as it began to capitalize the Farm Credit System insurance fund. He was subsequently appointed chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration where he served with distinction until October 1974. While at the FCA, he undertook the first critical internal review of the agency, which provided him with useful insights and perspectives as he guided the agency through a difficult period of adjustment, following the system's financial stress in the mid-1980s. At his recommendation and under his direction, FCA undertook its first efforts at relieving regulatory burdens. He authored the agency's first statement on regulatory philosophy which reflected his commitment to cost-effective regulation and risk-based examination and supervision. It was his belief that any cost savings or efficiencies derived by the cooperatively owned Farm Credit Institutions would ultimately benefit the system's farmer borrowers and thereby benefit all agricultural producers. After Billy Ross moved back to Oxford from Washington, the First South Farm Credit nominating committee nominated Billy Ross to run again for the First South Farm Credit Board. Billy Ross served again on the First South Board from June 1999 until his mandatory retirement in March 2005. Billy Ross has served the Farm Credit System and U.S. agricultural interests for over 36 years. Combined with his father's service to the Farm Credit and the local PCA, the immediate Brown family has over 55 years of service to American agriculture. No person has served First South Farm Credit, ACA, the Farm Credit Administration, and the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation with more loyalty, dignity, and honor than Billy Ross Brown. Over the years, I have observed Billy Ross' dedicated service to his family, his community and his country. He is a true gentleman with a great heart and love for all mankind. While I wish him well in his retirement, I suspect he will continue to be involved in the ongoing success of Mississippi agricultural interests and I hope he will still find time to fish with his friends, but only if the weather is good.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this amendment seeks to ensure that it is Congress who sets the discretionary caps and enforces them. It does not transfer to the President a new power of enforcement. If the President submits an urgent supplemental, as he has done now, and the House passes a supplemental bill and it comes to the Senate, if we add an emergency designation for an item, you can make a 60-vote point of order against that if it exceeds the caps, and we enforce that cap in that fashion. This adds that the President has to enforce it by specifically agreeing that it is an emergency. That is not in the law now, and it should not be added on this resolution.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, section 402 of the pending budget resolution establishes a procedure for designating emergency appropriations that I believe creates a new and unnecessary hurdle for Congress in responding to emergency situations. It distorts the balance of power between Congress and the President. Section 402 permits an emergency designation of an appropriation to be challenged on a point of order and provides that the point of order can be waived only by a vote of three-fifths of the Senate. That point of order has been incorporated in budget resolutions for several years now. It was put in place to curb what was seen as an overuse of the emergency designation to escape the limitations of the caps on discretionary spending. It has served successfully to impose restraint on emergency designations. But now, in this resolution, the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee has included, in addition to that requirement, the further requirement that the President must also designate the appropriation as an emergency in order for it to escape being counted against the budget resolution caps for discretionary spending. While it is true the Presidential designation was part of the process in the original Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, that legislation was a comprehensive measure with a number of budget enforcement provisions, and was before the three-fifths or 60-vote requirement had been imposed on the process. It seems to me we do not need both the 60-vote requirement and the new Presidential designation requirement. Let me suggest a hypothetical situation. Let us say this provision were in place when this body takes up the President's emergency supplemental request, which has been passed by the other body. Let us say that an amendment is offered on the floor to address an emergency situation not included in the President's budget request, and its emergency designation is challenged by a point of order here in the Senate, and, further, that an overwhelming majority of the Senate votes to approve the emergency designation. Despite the size of the vote in the Senate, so long as it is over 60, and even if the President signs the bill into law, if the President declines to specifically and expressly concur with the congressional emergency designation, the appropriation will be counted against the discretionary cap by the Budget Committee scorekeepers. This is even though the President approves the appropriation. My suggestion is by signing the bill the President approves the decision of the Congress that the funds are needed, and that they should be spent, and that they are needed to address an emergency. So despite a substantial majority vote here in the Senate on a particular appropriation provision, despite congressional approval of an appropriations bill, including its emergency designation, and despite the President signing the bill, approving the bill with this provision in it, the President can effectively nullify the action of the Congress relative to the caps on spending set by Congress in its own budget resolution. I believe the inclusion of this additional Presidential power should be stricken from this resolution and we should enforce our budget provisions with the 60-vote point of order as provided by our rules and under the law. Congressionally imposed caps on spending should be set and enforced by Congress, not by the President.

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I call up amendment No. 208, which is at the desk.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing two Senate Joint Resolutions appointing citizen regents to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. I am pleased that my fellow Smithsonian Institution Regent, Senators Frist and Leahy, are cosponsors. The Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents recently recommended the following distinguished individuals for appointment to six year terms on the Board; Robert P. Kogod of Washington, D.C., and Shirley Ann Jackson of New York. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of their biographies and the text of the joint resolutions by printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing two Senate Joint Resolutions appointing citizen regents to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. I am pleased that my fellow Smithsonian Institution Regent, Senators Frist and Leahy, are cosponsors. The Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents recently recommended the following distinguished individuals for appointment to six year terms on the Board; Robert P. Kogod of Washington, D.C., and Shirley Ann Jackson of New York. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of their biographies and the text of the joint resolutions by printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senate Appropriations Committee has adopted rules governing its procedures for the 109th Congress. Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 2, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, on behalf of myself and Senator Byrd, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the committee rules be printed in the Record.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Frist, as a cosponsor of his resolution honoring the memory of Howard Liebengood. Howard was a good friend of mine and a very trustworthy officer of the U.S. Senate. I first go to know him when he worked as a member of the staff of the Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Baker. He later served as Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper when Senator Baker was the Republican leader. It was my pleasure to know Howard's family as well. His wife Deanna was a very important asset and an admired and respected member of the Senate family. We will miss Howard's ready smile and his keen insight on the issues facing our country. He was truly a wonderful person and a loyal friend.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on December 22, 2004, The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service published a final rule that will streamline the process used by the Forest Service in revising forest management plans. I am pleased that the Department completed work on this important regulation. Ultimately, this rule will help local forest managers provide future generations with healthier forests, cleaner air, cleaner water and more abundant wildlife through more efficient management of our forests and grasslands. I am also pleased that this regulation builds upon one of the important lessons we learned during consideration of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act in the 108th Congress: emphasis on actual forest management rather than administrative paperwork. This will result in our forest managers being able to undertake important forest health projects rather than be overburdened with administrative processes. Although the final planning rule is very comprehensive, I would like to point out several key components: It will for the first time incorporate implementation and outcome assessment into the forest planning process, which will ensure that the forest planning process is a dynamic one that can quickly adjust to changing conditions. As we learned with the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, a dynamic management system allows the Forest Service to address the most time-sensitive forest health issues such as wildfire, invasive species, or disease. It incorporates meaningful public participation throughout the planning process, and ensures that the best available scientific information will be used in decision making. It contains a process that will fairly and objectively allow us to see whether the Forest Service is getting the job done. This reporting process will rely on independent reviews of Forest Service land management, will measure actual results against intended outcomes, and will incorporate an audit process to produce publicly available results. Finally, and most importantly, this rule will streamline the planning process, which in turn will save the Forest Service both time and money. The current forest plan takes between 5 and 7 years; under the new regulation the anticipated timeframe is between 2 and 3 years. These savings in both time and money will allow our land managers to more quickly complete on-the-ground projects to improve the health of our Nation's forests. For too long our Nation's forests have been imperiled because of a planning process that is too cumbersome and takes too long, and usually results in forest plans that are out-of-date by the time they are finished. I applaud the efforts of the U.S. Forest Service to streamline our Nation's forest planning process to reduce red tape and paperwork. I am hopeful that this final rule will provide further tools for the U.S. Forest Service in appropriately managing our Nation's forests.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of former Secretary of the Senate Stan Kimmitt. It was just a few weeks ago when I was with him on a trip to Montana and enjoyed swapping stories about his early days as a staff member in the Senate. He was a protege of Senator Mike Mansfield and served for 11 years as Secretary for the majority. Even though he was employed by the Democratic majority at the time, he enjoyed the friendship of Republican Senators, including this Senator. Stan Kimmitt loved the Senate, and he respected its traditions and its role in our government. He was totally trustworthy. I extend to his fine family my sincere condolences. His son Jay served for several years as a member of the staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and I enjoyed working with him in that capacity. It was also my good fortune to get to be with another son, Bob, when he was our Ambassador to Germany. His other son, Mark, was recently served as the spokesman for our Armed Forces in Iraq. Stan was very proud of his family, and he had every right to be. Stan Kimmitt was a wonderful person who reflected credit on the Senate by his dependable, conscientious devotion to his duties and his warm affection for those who served in this body.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the decision of the distinguished Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Nickles, to retire from the Senate will deprive this body of one of our most trusted and insightful leaders. I will miss very much the pleasure of serving with such an honest, forthright, and diligent colleague. He brought to the Senate the valuable experience of running a family business which was translated through the use of his legislative skills into public policies that strengthened our economy by improving our tax and labor relations laws. As chairman of the Budget Committee he was successful in his efforts to curb unnecessary spending. He was fairminded in his dealings with Senators on both sides of the aisle. He was a true friend to me in the Senate and a great help as a coach on the golf course. I wish him and his wife, Linda, much happiness and success in the years ahead.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I commend the Senator from Pennsylvania for highlighting the importance of community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, in disaster assistance efforts. I also concur that religious organizations should not be excluded when they are victims of disasters. I concur with the Senator that FEMA should continue to see that faith-based organizations are treated fairly in accordance with the President's policy and for the benefit of those in need in times of crisis.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to present for the Senate's approval today the conference report on H.R. 4567, the fiscal year 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The conference agreement provides total new budget authority for the Department of $33.1 billion. Of the amount provided for fiscal year 2004, $32 billion is for discretionary programs. To further strengthen the capacity of the Nation's first responders to prepare for and respond to possible terrorist threats and other emergencies, this conference report provides a total of $3.9 billion for the Office for State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness, including: $1.1 billion for the State and local formula- based grant program; $400 million for law enforcement terrorism prevention grants; $885 million for high-threat, high-density, urban area grants; $150 million for port security grants; $150 million for rail and transit security grants; and $715 million for the firefighter assistance grant program, of which $65 million is set-aside to begin implementing the SAFER Act. The conference report also includes a separate appropriation of $180 million for emergency management performance grants. The conference report includes a total of $5.1 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, furthering our commitment to secure all modes of transportation. The conference committee made air cargo security a priority and provides $115 million for air cargo security, an increase of $30 million from the President's request. This funding will allow the Department to enhance its efforts to target and prohibit the transportation of high-risk cargo on passenger aircraft; as well as to advance efforts to research, develop, and procure the most effective and efficient air cargo inspection and screening systems. In addition, there is a statutory requirement for the tripling of cargo inspections on passenger aircraft. Additionally, $8.8 billion is provided to secure our Nation's borders; $5.5 billion is provided for emergency preparedness and response; $7.37 billion for the Coast Guard; and $2 billion for research, analysis, and infrastructure protection. To increase rail security the conference report provides $172 million for rail compliance inspectors; canine explosive detection teams; rail, freight, and transit security grants; vulnerability assessments; and research and development of technologies to prevent suicide bombers. A total of $662 million is provided for the Federal Air Marshals, $50 million more than the requested amount. A matter of concern to some of my colleagues are the items funded through the offset provided by the extension of the customs user fees. The largest single item that was funded through this mechanism was speeding up the development and deployment of permanent airwings across our northern border. Unfortunately, once the customs user fee extension was dropped from this bill, we lost the offset available to enhance funding for these important items and not exceed the fiscal constraints placed on our subcommittee. The conference committee met on Thursday, October 7, 2004, and the conference report was filed on Saturday, October 9, 2004. It was adopted by the House of Representatives later that day by a vote of 368 yeas to zero nays. Senate passage of this conference report today will send this fiscal year 2005 appropriations bill to the President for signature into law. In closing, I thank the ranking member of the subcommittee, my colleague from West Virginia, Senator Byrd; the chairman of the House subcommittee, Mr. Rogers; and the ranking member of the House subcommittee, Mr. Sabo, for their substantial contributions to this bill throughout the year. It has taken many hours of hard work by these Members and their staff members to bring this bill to a successful conclusion. I would also like to thank the chairmen ranking members of the House and Senate full Appropriations Committees and their staff members for the assistance and guidance they have provided to us throughout the process. I recommend the adoption of the conference report.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to recommend approval by the Senate of the fiscal year 2005 Military Construction appropriations conference report, which contains emergency supplemental appropriations needed by States seeking Federal funding from the disaster relief fund administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. On September 8, the President signed into law $2 billion in supplemental appropriations for FEMA. Since then, the President has made 3 more requests for funding for various departments within the Government. Today we are responding to those requests and including $6.5 billion in emergency funding which will return the balance of the disaster relief fund to a healthy level. This is in addition to the $2 billion supplemental the Congress provided immediately following the devastation caused by Hurricane Charley. Additional appropriations for FEMA's disaster relief fund cannot wait because the balance of this important program has again been depleted to a dangerously low level following three additional hurricanes and other natural disasters. This funding will not only be needed by the victims of recent hurricanes in the southeast but will also be used for the several hundred repair projects and mitigation activities across the country resulting from every other federally declared disaster of the past few years. I have been assured by the Department of Homeland Security that these funds are sufficient to cover the current needs of our Nation's disaster victims and I support this funding.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. I do not want to interfere with the chairman's right to the floor.

Mr. COCHRAN. In fact, I can answer that question partially. I looked at the legislative notice that was published back in September when we had the bill on the Senate floor. We are increasing by 9.2 percent the spending that goes to the Department of Homeland Security overall. So by withholding this funding--we are into the new fiscal year as the Senator points out--we are allowing individual programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security to suffer. We are requiring them to give up, in effect, the increases that have already been approved by this Senate and in the conference report on the Homeland Security appropriations bill. Some of the programs, for example, that have been increased substantially are Project Bioshield, the Transportation Security Administration activities, the U.S. Coast Guard. Those are fully funded at the administration's requested level, which were substantially increased over the last fiscal year. So this is causing real harm, and the Senator makes that point. I point out specifically how it is causing the harmful results: new technologies to enhance security of our country by identifying people coming into the country who are using visas. We have new technologies now that can be used to screen and to make sure people are who the visa says they are. This is something that is not going to be utilized for this period of time in the new fiscal year because the increases in funding are not being made available. So this is really serious. We need to pass this Homeland Security appropriations conference report as soon as possible. We need to do it today. We needed to do it when it was ripe for consideration yesterday. It does not contain any provision that is being opposed by the other side.

Mr. COCHRAN. There is no objection that I have heard from any Senator. There is a disaster provision that was included in this bill. It has now been taken off the Homeland Security appropriations bill. It has been added to the Military Construction appropriations bill. This bill is clean of any provision that any Senator had opposed, to my knowledge.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield, I want to point out the fact that this was a bill that was taken up in our committee back in June, and approved unanimously by the Committee on Appropriations, to fund the Department of Homeland Security. I want to lend my support and encouragement to the Senate to go along with the chairman of the full committee. It no longer contains any language to which there had been some objection posed by other Senators. So I hope the chairman of the full committee will be respected by the Senate and that his unanimous consent request can be agreed to.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Yes. For producer payments, such transfers for these crops will be taken into account as they are for the other tobaccos. The payments will be based on the actual amount available on the farm after those transfers.