Thad Cochran

Mr. COCHRAN

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

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, we have no objection.

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I support the amendment offered by the Senator from North Carolina. This amendment would provide additional support for data-mining activities to detect fraud. It would develop proactive underwriting and loss adjustment applications to minimize the scope for such activities to occur. It would help reduce improper payments through better controls and reviews of policies. All of these will result in saving taxpayer money and ensuring program integrity in the long run. I urge approval of the amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I object to the request.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my distinguished colleague from Michigan in predicting that we are moving in the right direction. We have covered a lot of important issues during the debate over the last couple of days and taken up a good many amendments. We have had recorded votes and free and full discussion of a lot of issues that are affected by this legislation, and I must say it has been a remarkable performance in terms of the subjects that have been covered and amendments disposed of. True progress has been made in developing what I think can be a very important contribution toward a legal framework and support structure to help enable American farmers to compete in the international marketplace and to sustain the jobs that flow from these important activities throughout the United States. At a time when, in some places, jobs are hard to find, this is a job creator and it is a step toward strengthening our economy not just in rural America but throughout the country--in municipalities as well. I hope everybody recognizes what a strong leader our committee chairman has become, as she has demonstrated in her performance as chairman of our committee. She has done an excellent job. I commend her and all of our colleagues on the committee for helping shape this product so it can be adopted by the Senate and signed into law by the President. I look forward to that day and to celebrating and helping salute those who have been responsible for this good work. I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN

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

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this amendment is being portrayed as a reform of sugar policy, but it is far more harmful than that. These proposed changes would undermine the policy of our domestic industry by transferring American sugar-producing jobs to other countries. Those producers are less efficient and heavily subsidized. U.S. sugar policy has operated at zero cost to taxpayers for the past decade and has provided American consumers dependable supplies of safe high-quality sugar at low prices. I urge Senators to oppose the amendment.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces who have given their lives in defense of the United States. Memorial Day has, since its inception in the years immediately after the end of the Civil War, been a special time for us to remember and honor all Americans who have died in military service. Nearly 150 years after the first ``Decoration Day'' was observed, it remains important that we as citizens of this great Nation take time to reflect on the brave servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. As I have noted, Memorial Day grew out of a practice started in April 1866 in Columbus, MS, with the decoration of the graves of Confederate and Union soldiers alike. The tradition of honoring both those who fell on both sides of that conflict evolved into our modern observance of this sacred day. Today, tens of thousands of American men and women continue to put their lives on the line to preserve and perpetuate the freedoms and liberties established with the birth of our Nation. The freedoms we enjoy in this country have often been paid for with the lives of these servicemembers. Their selfless example of service, whether made at Bunker Hill, Vicksburg, Iwo Jima, Inchon or the remotest regions of Afghanistan, inspires us to sacrifice and work for the good of our Nation. This Memorial Day, Mississippians will again honor all brave fallen warriors, including the men and women from our State who have recently died in the service of our nation in Afghanistan and around the world. For the Record, I offer the names of three brave heroes with roots in Mississippi, who have fallen since the nation commemorated Memorial Day last year. They are: SSG Ricardo Seija, 31, of Tampa, FL, who died July 9, 2012 SFC Coater B. DeBose, 55, of State Line, MS, died Aug. 19, 2012 Specialist Patricia L. Horne, 20, of Greenwood, MS, died Aug. 24, 2012 We mourn their loss and honor them for their courage, dedication and sacrifice, and resolve that their lives were not given in vain. This Memorial Day, the people of my State and throughout our great Nation will rightly set aside their day-to-day tasks to remember and say a prayer of thanksgiving for those who have laid down their lives for their country. We will also think of their families who share most acutely in their loss. I join them in saying thank you to those who made these great sacrifices.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I am pleased to congratulate my friend from North Dakota for his statement and his discussion of the content of this farm bill. He was one of the active members of our committee who participated in the markup sessions, attended the hearings in preparation for writing a farm bill, and helped to shape the consensus that is reflected in the final work product. Senator Hoeven is a very valuable member of our committee, and I commend and thank my colleague from North Dakota for his contributions to this process. He very accurately describes that this is a consensus product. It is not a partisan bill; it is not meant to make anybody or any section or any commodity group look good or feel good because of favors done in this bill. This is truly to serve the interests of our good and great country and help improve our trading opportunities in agricultural commodities that are produced on our farms throughout the United States. I think it is going to serve the interests of not only agriculture but the American citizen and, broadly speaking, much of this success is due to the contributions made by the Senator from North Dakota.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, we appreciate the comments of the distinguished Senator from North Dakota. Also, it is a pleasure to welcome her as a new member of our committee. She took an active part in the development of this bill, and we appreciate her contributions. I see no other Senators seeking recognition at this time, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am flattered by the kind remarks of the distinguished Senator from Michigan and am pleased and honored to serve with her on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She chairs that committee with a sense of responsibility for the subject matter, which is very important to our Nation's farmers and all consumers in America as well, but also to the fellow members of our committee--Republicans and Democrats--who serve on the committee and who have worked together to put a bill before the Senate that continues to authorize programs of the Federal Government that benefit landowners and those who work to conserve the resources of soil and water that help nurture our great agricultural sector that produces a bountiful amount of fruits and vegetables and marketable commodities that are sold in international trade at competitive prices. It is a great success story. I am tempted to say a great American success story because it truly is. It is the backbone of our Nation's economy. So it is serious business at the same time it provides jobs, food to eat, grain to harvest, to export, and cotton and the fibers that come from it that clothe and dress millions of people in our Nation and around the world. So bringing this bill to the floor is a point of achievement, and with gratitude we point out the leadership of the distinguished chairman. We have enjoyed her strong leadership and her keen sense of awareness of how to manage legislation such as this and present it to the Senate, as she has just done, and that is quite impressive. We are very fortunate to have her serving in this capacity. We have recommended a bill that contains some major reforms of the farm programs that come within the jurisdiction of our committee. For example, the bill reduces authorized spending by $24 billion. It includes $6 billion in sequestration cuts. These represent real savings. We know we have been confronting a deficit crisis, a fiscal policy management crisis, and this bill does its part. With the authority it has over the law governing the subject matter, we have moved to eliminate direct payments to farmers, which has amounted in the past to $40 billion. There are reforms in this legislation of the crop insurance title. The bill recommends adoption of reforms that limit payments to producers. Conservation programs have been streamlined in this legislation and consolidated. The committee has crafted reforms in the nutrition title to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These are big challenges, and these challenges have been met with a recognition that there are people who need the support of programs such as this--schoolchildren who are attending school and getting the benefit of a reduced price and, in some cases, free meals at school. This has made major contributions to the quality of work and the degree and level of education that children are able to absorb and benefit from, and it is tied to these programs. The committee has dealt with conservation, as I have mentioned, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and throughout the bill we see reflected a broad bipartisan level of support and an approach that accommodates interests represented by all the members of our committee. So I think we have produced, with the leadership of the chairman, a responsible but fair bill, and I am pleased to recommend to the Senate that it should approve the bill. It deserves our support.

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

Mr. COCHRAN. I am pleased to join the distinguished chairman. I urge Senators who do have amendments to come to the floor and offer those amendments so we can proceed to complete action on this bill in a reasonable amount of time. We don't want to cut everybody off. Everybody has a right to be heard on whatever subject they wish to bring before the Senate. We do have some Senators whom we know have amendments that are relevant to the issue before us. We are hopeful we can consider all of them and give them the kind of attention they deserve.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Nona McCoy and Kevin Batteh, who have been detailed to my staff, be granted the privilege of the floor for the remainder of the farm bill debate.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on January 1, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began implementing a final rule to prohibit compounding pharmacies that prepare medications used in implanted infusion pumps from billing Medicare directly for these services. This reverses a policy that has been permissible in several States for over 20 years. Since the proposed change in May 2011, I have worked with Senator Wicker and other Members of Congress to delay this change until its effects have been fully considered. During the public comment period for this rule, pharmacies, physicians, and patients overwhelmingly opposed this policy change. In Mississippi, the State board of pharmacy prohibits pharmacies from selling compounded pain medications to physicians, resulting in decreased access to effective treatments for chronic pain disorders. States across the nation are coming to realize the negative implications of this policy change. With this final rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not fully taken into account patient impact or State regulations. In addition, pharmacies that bill Medicare must comply with Federal accreditation rules, further enhancing patient safety. We should protect patient access to effective treatments rather than hinder it. This bill would allow compounding pharmacies to continue to bill Medicare directly for their services in the interest of helping patients receive the quality care they deserve.

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join the junior Senator from Virginia in introducing the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act. I doubt there has been a more defining period in this country's history than the Civil War. The scars left by that conflict were deep and slow to heal. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first major Civil War battle in the western theater and with Memorial Day approaching, the preservation of historic battlefields reminds Americans of those who have fought and died for freedom. Stressing preservation, commemoration, and education, the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program, for almost 15 years, has partnered with neighboring communities to promote resource protection and heritage tourism. By bringing together local, State, and national stakeholders to preserve America's most historically significant Civil War battlefields, the program has built a consensus to protect 19,000 acres of hallowed ground in 16 states. In my state, more than 3,300 acres of related Civil War battles have been protected. Among the many other battlefields that have benefited from this program are: Antietam, Maryland; Averasboro, North Carolina; Chancellorsville, Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Mill Springs, Kentucky; and Prairie Grove, Arkansas. I am pleased that this legislation will extend program eligibility to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields. This is an appropriate time for the Congress to embrace this legislation and to preserve and discover our history, our culture and our individual stories. By highlighting the history and cultural significance of these battle sites, we can help maintain our sense of place as Americans. With it, we can be more aware of our history and reflect upon how we have become who we are as individuals and who we are collectively as Americans. It is an investment in the preservation of our history and culture, which is well spent.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on January 1, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began implementing a final rule to prohibit compounding pharmacies that prepare medications used in implanted infusion pumps from billing Medicare directly for these services. This reverses a policy that has been permissible in several States for over 20 years. Since the proposed change in May 2011, I have worked with Senator Wicker and other Members of Congress to delay this change until its effects have been fully considered. During the public comment period for this rule, pharmacies, physicians, and patients overwhelmingly opposed this policy change. In Mississippi, the State board of pharmacy prohibits pharmacies from selling compounded pain medications to physicians, resulting in decreased access to effective treatments for chronic pain disorders. States across the nation are coming to realize the negative implications of this policy change. With this final rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not fully taken into account patient impact or State regulations. In addition, pharmacies that bill Medicare must comply with Federal accreditation rules, further enhancing patient safety. We should protect patient access to effective treatments rather than hinder it. This bill would allow compounding pharmacies to continue to bill Medicare directly for their services in the interest of helping patients receive the quality care they deserve.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join the junior Senator from Virginia in introducing the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act. I doubt there has been a more defining period in this country's history than the Civil War. The scars left by that conflict were deep and slow to heal. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first major Civil War battle in the western theater and with Memorial Day approaching, the preservation of historic battlefields reminds Americans of those who have fought and died for freedom. Stressing preservation, commemoration, and education, the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program, for almost 15 years, has partnered with neighboring communities to promote resource protection and heritage tourism. By bringing together local, State, and national stakeholders to preserve America's most historically significant Civil War battlefields, the program has built a consensus to protect 19,000 acres of hallowed ground in 16 states. In my state, more than 3,300 acres of related Civil War battles have been protected. Among the many other battlefields that have benefited from this program are: Antietam, Maryland; Averasboro, North Carolina; Chancellorsville, Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Mill Springs, Kentucky; and Prairie Grove, Arkansas. I am pleased that this legislation will extend program eligibility to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields. This is an appropriate time for the Congress to embrace this legislation and to preserve and discover our history, our culture and our individual stories. By highlighting the history and cultural significance of these battle sites, we can help maintain our sense of place as Americans. With it, we can be more aware of our history and reflect upon how we have become who we are as individuals and who we are collectively as Americans. It is an investment in the preservation of our history and culture, which is well spent.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, on May 17, 2013, Mr. Bill Litton of Greenwood, MS, will conclude his term as the 78th president of the Delta Council. I am pleased to commend him for his service and contributions to the delta region and the State of Mississippi. Organized in 1935, Delta Council plays an important role in uniting the agricultural, business, and economic development leadership to solve problems and promote opportunities in the Mississippi Delta region, which includes eighteen counties in northwest Mississippi. Mr. Litton has put in a strong performance as Delta Council president. His tenure as council president concludes as we are crafting a new, long-term Farm Bill, which will establish Federal policies for American agriculture and other important areas including conservation, agricultural research, and nutrition. Given this bill's importance to the delta's economy, I have appreciated Mr. Litton's advice and counsel related to serving the interests of our State. His input over the past year will contribute to the overall success of this endeavor. In addition to his role as President of Delta Council, Mr. Litton is the President of Wade Incorporated in Greenwood, MS, which serves as the John Deere equipment dealership in many counties in the delta. He is also director of the Bank of Commerce. Some of his previous leadership positions include Chairman of the Greenwood Utility Commission and President of Delta Wildlife. He has been a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America. Born in New Hampshire, Mr. Litton moved to Greenwood, MS and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi. As a Mississippian, Mr. Litton has demonstrated leadership and dedication to improving the quality of life in the delta and the entire State. I commend Bill Litton for his service to Mississippi, and share this appreciation with his wife Ann, and their three children Gerard, Powell, and Wade.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is encouraging that for the first time in 4 years the Senate is considering a budget resolution. The absence of a resolution during this time has contributed to a breakdown in the legislative process. As a result, we have operated the Federal Government without a blueprint for revenues or spending. Unfortunately, the budget resolution being considered by the Senate does not reflect a workable effort to get our country back on a sustainable path. But rather than setting us on a new path toward a more affordable, efficient, and effective Federal Government, the Budget Committee has laid out a plan for higher taxes and more spending. It does not even pretend to balance the budget. Support of this budget would represent support for a bigger Federal Government and a weaker economy. I have heard from many of the hard-working citizens in my State who are ready for better economic times and more opportunities to improve their lives. Our priority should be to help strengthen the economy and get government spending under control. The Obama administration has embraced a course which locks us into higher and higher deficits for the foreseeable future. I am hopeful we can amend this resolution to produce a serious proposal that will lead to a more efficient, more effective Federal Government that better serves hard-working Americans rather than increasing the government's burden upon them.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, Mississippi State University and my State of Mississippi lost one of its most outstanding leaders with the passing of Dr. Donald Zacharias on March 3 at the age of 77. Dr. Zacharias served as the president of Mississippi State University from 1985-1997. His name became synonymous with the highest qualities of leadership, vision, and humanity. He was blessed with gifts that enabled him to make important contributions to higher education throughout the country. I ask that a March 3, 2013 article from the Clarion-Ledger newspaper titled ``Former MSU president Donald Zacharias' legacy one of transformation,'' be printed in the Record. The article follows. [From the Clarion-Ledger, Mar. 3, 2013] Former MSU President Donald Zacharias' Legacy One of Transformation (By Therese Apel) Former Mississippi State University President Donald Zacharias is being remembered among friends, family and MSU faithful as a man with a vision for the university--and a man who left a legacy of growth and progress at the school he loved. Zacharias, who led the Starkville university from 1985-97, died Sunday of complications from multiple sclerosis after an extended illness. He was 77. ``He had an influence not just on MSU but on higher education at large in Mississippi,'' said Sid Salter, director of University Relations. ``He had some rather tumultuous battles with the Legislature over funding higher education. I think that's really where he could shine in his ability and his willingness to fight for what he believed in.'' Roy Ruby was vice president for student affairs when Zacharias joined the MSU family and later was dean of the College of Education and interim president of the university. Until a year ago, when Zacharias was admitted to a nursing home, the two were neighbors. ``He was a man of solid integrity, and he was a man of his word,'' said Ruby. ``He was a man who, in all aspects of his life, tried to do right. He was a good family man, a good citizen of the state, and an exemplary college administrator.'' Current MSU President Mark Keenum said Zacharias was someone he looked up to. ``I counted him as a friend, a mentor and an inspiration. Don Zacharias was a man of great courage and dignity--and he was one of the most influential leaders in the history of Mississippi higher education,'' Keenum said. Salter said he and his late wife, Paula, who also had multiple sclerosis, were friends with Zacharias and his wife of 53 years, Tommie. ``They took an interest in Paula, and, ironically, he would later be diagnosed with MS,'' Salter said. ``He had a tremendous impact on me. He was a solid guy and a man of great integrity.'' Zacharias brought Mississippi State to a new level of prominence during his 12\1/2\ years of service. He raised MSU's visibility and reputation nationally, and enrollment climbed to the largest in the state at almost 16,000. African-American enrollment more than doubled to 2,200, 15 percent of the student body and the highest percentage among SEC schools, according to a Sunday news release from the university. Enrollment, private contributions, research and athletic achievement all grew significantly as part of Zacharias' legacy. ``Dr. Donald Zacharias was a transformative figure at Mississippi State University,'' Keenum said. ``He really helped bring MSU into the modern era, and he did so by developing a broad vision for the leadership that Mississippi needed from a land grant university.'' Zacharias, upon his retirement from MSU, said: ``I saw things in Mississippi State University that others might not have seen. I felt that I had made the right decision to be at this university because I liked both what it stood for and its overall character. I liked its mission, and I liked the students and alumni. I saw the potential.'' Gary Harris, a coach and educator at Heritage Academy in Columbus who graduated from MSU in the early 1990s, said he remembers Zacharias as someone who was able to connect with everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. ``Because of my involvement in several campus organizations, I was around Dr. Z many times,'' he said. ``He was a very kind, knowledgeable man who always seemed to know how to make everyone in the room seem important. He was a tremendous leader for our campus during some very difficult financial times.'' Salter said many of Zacharias' dreams for the university continue to be fulfilled. ``He had a long reach, and his influence extended past his own tenure as president.'' Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but the Zacharias family will communicate details through the university. A public memorial service is tentatively planned for Thursday on the Starkville campus of MSU.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, today I rise to recognize the work of Dr. Hannah Gay, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson, MS. On March 3, the news broke that one of Dr. Gay's patients, a baby born with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, had been ``functionally cured'' of the infection. Now 2\1/2\ years old, this child is only the second person in history to be cured of the virus. The infant was born to her HIV-infected mother at a rural Mississippi hospital and then transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she came under the care of Dr. Gay. Only 30 hours after the baby was born, Dr. Gay began an immediate and aggressive approach to treatment that seems to have made all the difference in this child's life. News of Dr. Gay's work and this baby's apparent cure has been celebrated around the world. This development opens a significant door to advance research and treatment for HIV and AIDS, the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Millions of children around the globe have been infected at or during birth, and it is my hope that the spread of HIV among newborns will begin to slow and eventually stop with what has taken place in Mississippi what one doctor at Johns Hopkins University Medical School called a ``game-changer.'' I share the pride of all Mississippians in Dr. Gay, a native of Jackson, for her achievement and her dedication to our State. She not only teaches and practices at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but received her training there. As a mostly rural State, Mississippi faces many health care challenges, and our homegrown health care providers give us the best chance of finding solutions so that Mississippians can live healthy lives. Dr. Gay's work at the University of Mississippi Medical Center is addressing critical needs in our State with the potential to impact other countries and regions that struggle with the scourge of HIV. Congratulations, again, to Dr. Gay and her colleagues. Thanks to them, one child has the opportunity to lead a normal, healthy life, and we may be one step closer to ending the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. I wish all the best to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions as they explore the potential for Dr. Gay's method of treatment. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the Clarion Ledger article from March 7, 2013, titled: ``Congratulations in order for Dr. Hannah Gay, UMC.''

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to commend Woods E. Eastland of Indianola, MS, as the recipient of the 2012 Harry S. Baker Distinguished Service Award. The officers of the National Cotton Council of America recently selected Mr. Eastland to be the 27th recipient of this award, which is given annually to the individual who has contributed most significantly to the advancement of the U.S. cotton industry. In bestowing this honor on Woods E. Eastland, the National Cotton Council cited his extraordinary leadership during his year as the council's chairman and his continued service to the U.S. cotton industry. The Harry S. Baker Distinguished Service Award was started in honor of former council president Harry S. Baker, and it is the industry's most prestigious award. Woods E. Eastland is the chairman of the board of Staple Cotton Cooperative Association and the Staple Cotton Discount Corporation, which are headquartered in Greenwood, MS. He served as their president and CEO from 1986 until 2010. A native of Doddsville, MS, Mr. Eastland earned a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He practiced law and was a faculty member of the Jackson School of Law from 1972 until 1974. In 1974, Woods married Lynn Ganier Wood and became a cotton, soybean and rice grower in Sunflower County, MS. He and Lynn have two children and three grandchildren. Woods E. Eastland, in addition to being a farmer, has built a remarkable record of service to the cotton industry, his State and our Nation. He is a past chairman of the National Cotton Council, past president and chairman of Cotton Council International, and a past director of the Memphis Branch Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. He was a member of the board of managers of the New York Board of Trade when it was formed from the merger of the Cotton and Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchanges. He served 1 year as the vice chairman of the board of governors of the New York Board of Trade. In 2005, during Mr. Eastland's term as the council's chairman, international trade in cotton and textiles dominated the U.S. cotton industry's policy concerns. In addition, the World Trade Organization's, WTO, Doha Round of negotiations was a primary focus of the cotton industry during Mr. Eastland's tenure as council chairman. Under Mr. Eastland's leadership, the council worked as part of a fiber/textile/labor initiative that successfully convinced the United States to self-initiate WTO-sanctioned textile safeguards to impose a measure of discipline on the shipment of Chinese textiles into our country. U.S. officials were also persuaded to make changes in provisions of the Dominican Republic--Central America Free Trade Agreement that led to the U.S. cotton industry's support for congressional approval of that pact. Mr. Eastland traveled to Geneva and Washington, D.C., to confer with key trade officials on trade developments and to convey the U.S. cotton industry's message that cotton should not be singled out for different treatment from the rest of agriculture in the WTO Doha negotiations. Beyond his year of service as the Council chairman, Mr. Eastland has remained active in Council leadership. He was named chairman of the council's Trade Promotion Authority task force in 2007 to guide the industry on trade promotion policy. He is an advisor to the Council's board of directors and an active member of its Operations Committee. I am pleased to congratulate Mr. Eastland on receiving this prestigious award, and to commend him for his contributions to the cotton industry, American agriculture and fair trade.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join the Senator from Louisiana in introducing the Small Business Disaster Recovery Act. The purpose of this bill is to streamline certain burdensome procedures for small businesses that are affected by a Presidentially declared disaster. This bill would complement provisions adopted by this body and enacted into law earlier this year that the Senator from Louisiana and I sponsored to improve FEMA procedures. Like the bill we are introducing today, we derived these provisions from our States' experiences with Hurricane Katrina. They will not cost anything, but they will improve government services at times when they are most critical. Through two budget-neutral provisions, this bill continues to improve the way we respond and recover from disasters using the lessons that we have learned from past disasters. Current practice dictates that small business owners can only use their homes as collateral for a post- disaster loan. The legislation's first provision clarifies that the collateral requirement for SBA disaster loans can include business assets of actual value other than a primary residence. This removes a key obstacle to small business owners who want to restart operations after a disaster but are unable or unwilling to use their homes when they could conceivably provide sufficient business assets as collateral for the loan. The bill clearly states that these assets should be of equal or greater value to the amount of the loan and ensures that the Small Business Administration is responsive to the needs of small businesses seeking disaster loans less than the maximum allowable. I encourage the Small Business Administration to ensure that the asset requirements for collateral are established in a way that minimizes any potential waste, fraud, and abuse. This bill will maintain the traditional standards for appropriate collateral assets, which includes commercial real estate, machinery and equipment, business inventory, and furniture and fixtures. The second provision included in this legislation addresses assistance provided by small business development centers, or SBDCs, to out-of-State businesses. It seeks to repeal processes that discourage SBDCs to work across State lines when doing so actually makes good sense. Sharing resources and knowledge across State lines is essential when disasters overwhelm local capacity or expertise. This legislation has the support of the Association of Small Business Development Centers and the International Economic Development Council because it encourages such information and resource sharing. I am pleased to join the distinguished Senator from Louisiana in encouraging States and SBDC networks to formalize partnerships across State lines before disasters strike. We are both aware that any action or decision that takes place prior to a disaster is an action that does not waste time or resources during a time of crisis. The Emergency Management Assistance Compact system shows how well this can work. I thank the Senator from Louisiana and her staff for working with me and my staff to make sure that this legislation addresses the need for SBDCs to be properly reimbursed for work when they appropriately respond to concerns in another state. The reforms in this bill represent commonsense lessons that we have learned from our constituents after experiencing the effects of some of the most severe natural disasters in our Nation's history. I urge serious consideration of this legislation and invite other Senators to cosponsor this bill.

Mr. COCHRAN

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I support the confirmation of our former colleague and my friend, Chuck Hagel, to serve as Secretary of Defense. Providing advice and consent on a nomination for the President's Cabinet is one of the Senate's most significant constitutional responsibilities, particularly in the case of the Secretary of Defense. It is a very serious responsibility because no duty is more important than preserving the safety and security of our Nation and its people. I believe this nominee has the knowledge and ability to carry out the duties of this important office. Chuck Hagel feels strongly that the United States should be the most capable military power in the world. He also believes the United States must continue to be committed to Israel's security and its ability to defend its borders. At a time when our adversaries continue to increase their arsenals of rockets and missiles and to develop medium- and long-range ballistic missiles that threaten our security, the security of our deployed forces, and the security of our friends and allies, it is imperative that we continue to develop, field, and maintain a robust missile defense capability. I know Senator Hagel is supportive of these efforts, and I will be pleased to join with him in further advancing these priorities. Senator Hagel is a decorated Vietnam veteran, a successful entrepreneur, Deputy Administrator of the Veterans' Administration, President and CEO of the USO, and a two-term United States Senator. Throughout his distinguished career in public service, Senator Hagel has proven himself to be a fair, intelligent and courageous leader of good character and integrity. I am confident that Senator Hagel will serve with distinction as Secretary of Defense.